openly asked every mans opinion concerning those accusations all answered That no man ought to judge the Head of the Church which the King observing he asked no more questions The next day all being Re-assembled the Pope went up into the Pulpit and taking a Book of the Holy Evangelists in his hands said with a loud voice That he sware by God and those Holy Evangelists That all that which his Adversaries had laid to his charge was false and untrue and that he had neither committed nor thought any such matter as they objected but that they had of malice and envy slandered him and that he therefore publickly made this Protestation and confirmed it by his Oath seeing that to them all the manner of his Life and Government was well known His Oath was allowed and himself commended and the King commanded his Accusers Pascal and Capulus to be sought out and put to death But the Pope was content their lives should be spared so as they might be committed to prison and thence be condemned to perpetual exile Eight dayes after the Pope having considered first how much the Greek Emperours envied his Greatness together with the small affection they bare to the worshipping of Images and other points wherein they were opposite to the Church of Rome and then how requisite it was to have an Emperour which might maintain the Provinces of Italy in peace which were often disturbed but chiefly to shew himself grateful for the benefits which he and the Church of Rome had received from him and the House of France But above all for accepting his Protestation in his own defence for a proof of his Integrity he resolved to make Charles the Great Emperour and to Translate the Head of the Empire into the West And having ruminated hereupon against the day of the Nativity of Christ he commanded all the Priests Cardinals and all the other Prelates to come to a Mass whither Charles was also invited and came together with all the other Princes and so about the midst of the Mass the Pope then saying it he turned about from the Altar to the People and with a loud voice said That he did there Elect Create and publish Charles the Great the most Mighty and Victorious King of Italy of the Germans and of the Frenchmen Emperour and ever Augustus Which being done he set the Imperial Crown upon his head and all those which were present consented thereunto with acclamations and applauses saying To the most Godly ever Augustus Great and most Victorious Emperour Charles God grant long life and victory This acclamation being ended the Pope anointed him and then and there also anointed and entituled his Son Pepin with the good liking and consent of his Father King of Italy Which Coronations were performed with great Feastings and Solemnity upon Christmass day Anno 800. So Charles remained Emperour and the Empire was transported from the Greeks to the Germans Pope Adrian with his whole Synod which consisted of one hundred fifty three Bishops Abbots and Religious persons had given before the right and power of Electing the Pope unto Charles the Great and further Ordained That the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of all the Provinces should receive their investiture from him in such sort as no Bishop can be Consecrated by any man unless he be approved and invested by the King pronouncing an Anathema against such as shall do otherwise Century IX CHarles having left his Son Pepin in Italy visiteth Germany subdueth the Saxons and reduceth them to the Christian Faith He had Wars with them for the space of thirty years he oftentimes subdued them and gave them their Liberty upon condition they would embrace the Christian Religion but on every occasion their Duke Wedekind cast off both Loyalty and Christianity At several times when Charles had obtained a Victory he erected a new Bishoprick He founded seven Episcopal Cities in that Province Crantz in Saxon. Lib. 2. cap. 23. giving them Princely Power because he judged that those fierce people might be tamed by Religion rather than by Arms. These were Bremen Verda Minda Padeburn Osnaburg Hildeshein Halberstadt The Historian saith Although Charles gave unto the Bishops power of Governing yet the Nobles did not altogether lose their Power whence it came to pass that when the War was ended the Secular Power beyond the Veser was acknowledged by them all to belong unto him At last because the Saxons had so often revolted he removed ten thousand of them with their Wives and Children into Brabant and Flanders and sent and settled some French in that Province and left his Son Charles there with an Army to keep them in obedience Charles understood that the Latin Translation of the Bible was much corrupted through the negligence of Writers Baron Annal. Tom. 9. ad Ann. 908. and gave it in charge unto Alcuinus to amend the Translation who did Correct both the Old and New Testament as Baronius testifieth Alcuinus was Governour of the Monastery of St. Martin at Tours yet was he neither a Monk nor a Priest but contented himself with the Order of a Deacon He died on Whitsunday Anno 804. Pepin King of Italy and Charles two Sons of Charles the Great died before him When Charles the Emperour was now Aged and saw many abuses in the Church he endeavoured by all means possible to procure Reformation of the lewd manners of Churchmen therefore he appointed at one time Symson's Church-Hist Cent. 9. namely in the year 813. five National Councils to be Convened in divers places for the Reformation of the Clergy and People One was Convened at Mentz a second at Rhemes the third at Tours the fourth at Cabillon or Chalon and the fifth at Arles In all these Councils no opposition was made to the Council of Frankford neither was the adoration of Images avowed in any of the Councils So available is the Authority of a Prince for suppressing of false Doctrine and Heresie In the Council of Mentz were Assembled thirty Bishops twenty five Abbots with a great number of Priests Monks and Judges After three dayes abstinence and fasting joyned with Litanies publick prayers and imploring Gods assistance they divided themselves into three Companies In the first were the Bishops with some Scribes reading the History of the Gospel and the Epistles and Acts of the Apostles together with the Canons and Works of the Ancients and the Pastoral Book of Gregory to the end that by the Precepts contained in those Books the enormity of mens lives might be corrected In the second Company were Abbots and Monks reading the Rules of St. Benedict for the reformation of the lives of Monks In the third Company were Lords and Judges pondering the causes of all men who came to complain that wrong was done unto them The first second and third Canons of this Council entreat concerning Faith Hope and Charity The fourth concerning the Sacraments to be ministred chiefly at Easter and Whitsunday
then it was the custom of the French Kings not to eat alone and seeth twelve poor men ill-apparelled sitting by upon the ground near to the Table of the Noblemen He demanded what those poor miserable Creatures were that did feed apart One answered They were the Messengers and Servants of God He then said Their God was of small account seeing his Messengers and Servants were so miserable and contemptible and thereupon retired himself having by this Treaty qualified the Force of Charles viewed his Train and made shew of his Courage even without an Ambassadour Charles Resolved to avenge this affront of the Saracen He raiseth an Army of an hundred and thirty thousand men He returneth into Spain at the first encounter he defeated Agoiland's Army near to Pampelona and for a seal of his Victory carrieth away the Head of Agoiland slain by the hand of Arnold of Belange a Noble and Valiant Knight Charles wrote divers Books He began a Grammar of the German Language but ended it not He changed the names of the Winds and Months from the Heathenish manner In the Epistle to Alcuinus before his Books De Divinis Officiis he saith when Christ was at supper with his Disciples he brake the bread and gave the cup to them in figure of his body and blood and left a great Sacrament which is profitable unto us Lib. 1. cap. 15. He saith elsewhere The Miracles which they say have appeared in Images if they did not appear truly as no Authentick History sheweth were but lies If by some imaginary over-shadowing they did appear to deceive mens minds it is most dangerous lest that Old Enemy by his subtilty through shew of wonders perswade to do unlawfull things But if these things did verily appear we should understand that when many wondrous things are done at the pleasure of God by some Creatures Lib. 3. cap. 25. or in whatsoever Creatures they be done yet these things are not to be worshipped by which or in which these wonders are made because God who sheweth many signs unto men by visible and palpable things to mollifie the hardness of mens hearts by these visible things worketh not these signs to confirm the worship of any Creature for he hath commanded to worship himself alone Because God spake out of a bush to Moses should the bush therefore be worshipped Because a Woman was healed by touching the hem of Christ's garment should hems therefore be worshipped The Catholick Church professeth to serve God not by Images not by men nor ethereal powers but by Christ our Lord. Charles the Emperour made many Laws and Ecclesiastical Constitutions which Angisus Abbot of Lobien and then Arch-Bishop of Senon gathered together with the Constitutions of his Son Lewis and divided them into seven Books Sinderus testifieth that they were in the Abby of St. Gallus and were not long since printed at Paris Alcuin cont Elipant Alcuinus saith thus of him Charles was a King in Power a Catholick in Faith an High-Priest in Teaching a Judge in Equity a Philosopher in Liberal Studies famous in Manners and excellent in all Honesty He was never served at Table with more than four dishes at once his Recreations were hunting and reading of Histories He died in February Pedro Mexia Hist Anno 814 and was interred at Aix la Chapelle where he was born and his Memory honoured with a goodly Epitaph The greatness of his Monarchy is admirable for he quietly enjoyed all France Germany and the greatest part of Hungary all Italy and a part of Spain He left his Son Lewes sole Heir of his great Kingdoms who was the weakest of all his Sons The French Monarchy being come to the height of it's Greatness not long after the death of Charlemagne it began to decline The foolish lenity of Lewes was the beginning the which was continued by the disordered confusions of his Successors who in spite one to another hastened the ruine of their House making way thereunto by their Vices and Misfortunes Lewes more fit to be a Monk than a King was so given to Devotion and of so soft a spirit that he made his Authority contemptible both within and without the Realm This made divers Nations subject to the Crown to fall from their obedience Bernard King of Italy an ambitious young man was perswaded by the Bishops of Orleans and Milan to seize upon the Realm of France But being in field to go into France against his Unckle with an imaginary favour of the French to be proclaimed King both he and all his Counsellours were taken by Lewes his Subjects Lewes having both his Nephew and Counsellors in his Power despoils him of all his Realm of Italy confines him to perpetual prison and puts out his eyes the like he doth to all the Bishops and Noble Men he could get and after a few dayes causeth them to be beheaded This act from Lewes and committed against such persons began to breed a general dislike the which was aggravated by a domestical dissention After the death of Bernard Lewes gave Italy to his eldest Son Lotharius and associated him in the Empire To his Son Pepin he gave Aquitain to Lewes Bavaria and would have them all bear the name of Kings Lewes had a Son by Judith his second Wife an ambitious Woman called Charles This Woman play'd the Empress and Queen over all which caused Lewes to be hated and contemned His Sons Lotharius Pepin and Lewes by the Advice of the Bishops who were incensed against the Emperour by reason of the death of those Church-men resolve to seize upon their Father Mother and younger Brother to dispossess them of all Authority and then to govern the States after their own wills wherein they must use force and a publick consent Lotharius lieves a great Army and calleth a National Council of the French Church at Lions supposing sooner to suppress Lewes by this means than by a Parliament Lewes appeareth and yieldeth to the censure of the Prelates which was to retire himself into a Monastery there to attend his Devotion and to resign the Empire and the Realm to his Children So Lewes was conveyed to Soissons to the Monastery of St. Medard his Wife and her Son Charles were committed to other places and the whole Government committed to Lotharius and his Brethren And the greatest of the Church-men were guilty of this Out-rage seeking to maintain their Decrees Lewes continued in prison five years viz. from the year 829 unto the year 834. Then Lotharius being forced to yield to his Father goes to field takes him prisoner again and leads him back to the Convent at Soissons where he stayed not long for the French did bandy openly against Lotharius and his Brethren abandoned him so as he was forced to yield unto his Father and to crave pardon Then Lewes gives portions to his Children to Lotharius he leaves the Realm of Austrasia from the River of Mens unto Hungary with the Title
Hereupon Charles the Bald Convocated a Council in France at Acciniacum consisting of ten Bishops the Bishops of Lions Vason and Triers were Chief Presidents in the Council Hinckmarus Bishop of Rhemes proposed unto the Council fifty Canons which he desired to be read in the Synod Hinckmar of Laon to defend himself brought forth the Collection of the Decretals of the ancient Popes made by Isidorus where by the Popes Decrees such causes are reserved to the Apostolick See Hinckmar of Rhemes being not learned enough to know the forgery of the Author of these Decretals and not daring to reject them openly brought divers things to invalid their Authority He said that Hinckmar of Laon was mistaken if he thought that he was the only man that had those Epistles that the Countrey was full of them and that Riculfus Bishop of Mentz had published the Book of Epistles collected by Isidorus which was brought to him out of Spain Hinckmar also to defend himself against those Epistles said that they had been good in their time but that the Fathers Assembled in Council had altered those things and made Canons of greater Authority which are to remain perpetually and that those Decretals were never put in among the Canons of the Church That strife between the two Hinckmars happened Anno 870. The Synod forenamed accused Hinckmar Bishop of Laon of petulancy and compelled him to subscribe obedience to King Charles and to his Metropolitan He was also deprived of his Office and both his eyes were thrust out But Pope John IX Hist Magdeb. Cent. 9. cap. 9. under the Reign of Charles the Gross restored him to his Office again being the more affectioned to him because he had appealed from his own Bishop and from a Decree of a Synod in his own Countrey to be judged by the Chair of Rome Pope Nicholas bestirred himself with violence against Hinckmar of Rhemes complaining that he despised the Decretals collected by Isidorus Hinckmar resisted him stifly neither did he ever suffer the causes which he had judged to be revised at Rome nor any man that had been deposed by the Synods of France to be restored by the Pope And all his life time he maintained with great constancy so much liberty as remained to the Gallican Church which liberty suffered by his death a great diminution The Popes durst not touch him because he was the King's Unckle Baronius writing of this Hinckmar of Rhemes notably abuseth him for he saith That upon the testimony of Fredoard Hinckmar had obtained of Pope Leo IV by the mediation of the Emperour Lothary a Pallium or Archiepiscopal Cloak with a privilege to use it every day But Hinckmar himself in the Book of the fifty five Chapters saith the contrary speaking in this manner Leo IV and Benedictus did confer upon me some privileges which I did not ask for For the privileges which are conferred upon every Metropolitan by the sacred Canons are sufficient for me It was a generous part of Hinckmar to declare that he had no need of the Pope's privileges and that he held his dignity from the Canons not from the Roman Prelate As for the writings of this Hinckmar there are his Opuscula Epistolae Admonitio de potestate Regia Pontificia We find this character given of him Fuit vir doctus pietatis studiosus sub Carolo secundo Lu◠vici pii filio circa 870 Domini annum tametsi magni Caroli tempora adolescens attigerit Is dum corrigere vitia morbosque Clericorum conatus est multum molestiarum a perditae vitae Clero eorumque ad Papam appellationibus imo à Papis ipsis sustinuit Illyr Catal. Test verit lib. 9. In this Century Claudius Bishop of Turin was defamed as an Heretick by Theodomire an Abbot Petries Church-Hist Cent. 9. who did accuse him unto the Pope He wrote his own Apology that it might appear wherefore he was accused and to shew how Godly men have been traduced from time to time Agobard Bishop of Lions took part with Lotharius against Lewes his Father and therefore was deposed after their reconciliation he was restored and being a man of wisdom and knowledge was employed about the great Affairs of the Kingdom His Works were printed at Paris Anno 1605. from which Impression these passages are extracted pag. 52. There is one immovable Foundation one Rock of Faith which Peter confesseth Thou art the Son of the Living God And pag. 128 The uncleanness of our time deserves a fountain of tears when so ungodly a custom is become so frequent that there is none almost aspiring to temporal honour who hath not a Priest at home not whom he obeyeth but of whom he exacteth all manner of obedience incessently not in Divine but in worldly things so that many of them do serve at Table or mix wine and lead dogs feed horses or attend Husbandry neither regard they what manner of Clerks these be but only that they may have Priests of their own and so they leave Churches and Sermons and publick Service it is clear that they seek them not for honour of Religion because they have them not in honour and speak disdainfully of them He is large against the worship of Images Bellarm. de scriptorib Eccles Sect. 9. Bellarmine saith that Jonas and other Bishops of France in that Age were overtaken with Agobard's errour By the Jesuites confession then many Bishops of France were against the present errours of Rome Catal. Test verit Lib. 10. Then Angelom a Monk of Luxovia a man of great reading at the entreaty of Drogo wrote many Books Druthmarus of Aquitain wrote some things upon the Evangelists Then Raban Magnentius otherwise sirnamed Maurus was famous in the University of Paris Trithem Catal. illustr viror for Poesie Rhetorick Astronomy Philosophy and Theology unto whom neither Germany nor Italy brought forth an equal saith Trithemius He became Abbot of Fulda where he was born and there he wrote Commentaries on all the Books of the Bible He was sometime Scholar to Alcuinus His Monks were offended that he did so much study the Scriptures and did no better attend their Revenues therefore after 24 years he left the Abby they besought him to return but he would not He abode with Lewes the Emperour until Orgar Bishop of Mentz died and then succeeded Thomas Walden in the Acts of Pope Martin V. reckoned him and Herebald or Reginbald Bishop of Auxerre among Hereticks because they favoured Bertram At that time there was much debate about the Doctrine of Predestination Gotteschalk by birth a Franck or Belgick Avent Lib. 4. Annal. Bojor as Aventinus calleth him was Ordained a Priest by Rigbold Chorepiscopus in the vacancy of the See of Rhemes The forenamed Hinckmar writeth that he held these five Articles 1. God did before all Ages and e're he made any thing Hinckmar in Epist ad Eccles Lugdun predestinate unto salvation whom he would and
that Council Witness the Bishop of Panormo in his advice touching the Council of Basil This decree concerneth the general Estate of the Church and the matters belong to a general Reformation which may be hindred by a dissolution as it was by the dissolution of the Council of Vienne Durand further said in that Council that the Court of Rome and the Colledge of Cardinals together with the Pope would have a certain allowance of all Bishops that are preferred there it seems very requisite that this were taken order with For this errour doth much corrupt the Catholick Church and the common people and the remedies which have been applyed hitherto are quite disregarded inasmuch as the contrary is usually practised in the Court of Rome as if it were no sin at all to commit Simony or as if it were not all one to give first and then take as first to take and then to give The thing was taken into consideration at the Council of Vienne so as they were once advised Joann Andr. in Ca. inter coer de offic ordinar to allow the twentyeth part of all livings in Christendom to the Pope and his Cardinals but at last it was shifted off without resolving upon any thing A Doctor of the Canon Law saith it was better for that because their covetousness is so unsatiable that if that had been resolved upon they would have taken both This Bishop of Mende mentioned another abuse fit to be reformed For after he had said that every Bishop's jurisdiction ought to be preserved entire to himself he addeth That Ecclesiastical Benefices which belong to the collation and disposal of Bishops are bestowed by the See Apostolick and others even before they be void and that not only in the Court of Rome but out of it howbeit the Bishops must give account of the cure and of those that execute them whose Consciences they are utterly ignorant of inasmuch as they are none of their preferring He would never have demanded the reformation hereof unless the abuse had been notorious Durand also perswaded the abolition of Fraternities for two reasons for their dissoluteness and for their conspiracy against superiours It would be also useful saith he that Fraternities Durand de modo celebr concilii part 2. tit 35. wherein both Clergy and Laity do nothing but pamper themselves with delicates live in dissoluteness and drunkenness and busie themselves in divers plots against their superiours were abolished Then speaking of dispensations he saith That the very Nerves of the Canons and decrees are broken by the dispensations which are made according to the stile of the Court of Rome Durand de modo celebr concil Tit. 4. part 1. that they are against the common good And citing the Authority of St. Hierom writing to Rusticus Bishop of Narbon he saith Since Avarice is increased in Churches as well as in the Roman Empire the Law is departed from the Priests and seeing from the Prophets He gives us the definition of a dispensation according to the Lawyers which he saith is a provident relaxation of the general Law countervailed by commodity or necessity that if it be otherwise used it is not a dispensation but a dissipation that the question is now about the staining of the state of the Church that those who dispense upon unnecessary causes do err Lastly for matter of dispensation he would have that observed which Pope Leo said viz. That there are some things which cannot be altered upon any occasion others which may be tempered in regard of the necessity of the times or consideration of Mens Ages but always with this Resolution when there is any doubt or obscurity to follow that which is not contrary to the Gospel nor repugnant to the Decrees of Holy Fathers Concerning Exemptions he further declareth in that Council That they give occasion to the persons exempted to live more dissolutely and more at their liberty That they take away the reverence and obedience which the exempted owe unto their Prelates and Ordinaries Durand de modo celebr concil general Tit. 5. part 1. and make them think themselves as good men as the Bishops and other their superiours That the correction and punishing of faults and excesses is hereby hindred and brought to nothing That they are prejudicial to the whole Church Catholick inasmuch as the exempted cannot be judged but by the Pope and he cannot do it by reason of his remoteness from them That they rob men of the means of doing many good works in Religion That they are cause of many scandals That those to whom they are granted abuse their priviledges That they draw after them the ruine of Monasteries being rather a burthen than an honour or profit to them The same Durand maintaineth that the Pope hath no power to grant such exemptions considering that they overthrow the general order of the Catholick Church which proceeds from God the Apostles the Holy Fathers and general Councils and which was approved and confirmed by Popes That by this order all the Monasteries Religious places Abbots Abbesses Monks and Nuns and all other Religious and Ecclesiastical persons are immediately subject to the government and guidance of Bishops within their Cities and Diocesses as unto their Superiours the Apostles Successours and such as have power and Authority over them Pasquier saith there were these remarkable excellencies in William Durand he was a great Divine a great Lawyer Pasqu Recherch de la France li. 9. ca. 35. Leigh's Treat of Relig. and Learning and an excellent Poet He put out a Book entituled Speculum Juris divided into three great Tomes As Lumbard among Divines is not usually quoted by his own name but by that of Master of the Sentences so among the Lawyers he is not quoted by the name of William Durand but he is stiled Speculator He delivered this Sentence about the Sacrament Verbum audimus modum Sentimus modum nescimus praesentiam credimus I find this given as his Character Gulielmus Durandus omnis Divini Humanique juris Consultissimus Natione Vasco Gallus Episcopus Mimatensis Scripsit Speculum juris undè speculator est dictus Multa profectò utilia author monuit praecipuè de Reformatione Papae Cleri Illyr Catal. Test verit lib. 16. Lewes Hutin called Lewes X. began to reign over France Anno 1315. and dyed Anno 1316. He left his Wife with child who was delivered of a Son which lived but eight days Lewes left one Daughter named Jane which was Queen of Navarr and Countess Palatine of Brie and Champagn Philip V. called the long succeeded his Brother Lewes Anno 1316. He dyed in the sixth year of his Reign viz. Anno 1322. Pope Clement V. dyed Anno 1314. after whose death the Papacy stood void two years and three months The Cardinals at last did yield all their suffrages unto Jacob de Ossa Cardurcensis who afterwards went up into the Papal Chair and said I am Pope This
STATUS ECCLESIAE GALLICANAE OR THE Ecclesiastical History OF FRANCE From the first Plantation of CHRISTIANITY there unto this Time Describing the most notable CHURCH-MATTERS the several Councils holden in FRANCE with their principal CANONS The most Famous Men and most LEARNED WRITERS and the Books they have written with many Eminent French Popes Cardinals Prelates Pastours and Lawyers A description of their UNIVERSITIES with their FOUNDERS An impartial account of the State of the Reformed CHURCHES in FRANCE and the Civil Wars there for Religion With an exact succession of the FRENCH KINGS By the Authour of the late History of the Church of GREAT BRITAIN Historia est lumen Veritatis vita Antiquitatis LONDON Printed for Thomas Passenger at the Three Bibles on London-Bridge and Ralph Smith at the Sign of the Bible under the Tiazz of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 16â—6 Amplissimis Admodum Reverendis in Christo Patribus ac Dominis HENRICO Providentiâ Divinâ Episcopo Londinensi Joanni eadem Providentiâ Episcopo Roffensi necnon Decano Westmonasteriensi Salutem in Christo sempiternam Venerandi Patres Domini Colendissimi EA quâ par est submissione Historicum hocce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex antiquis recentibus Authoribus Collectum vobis offero nuncupo dedico ut splendore clarorum vestrorum nominum lux aliqua opusculo huic per viam affulgeret omnisque sinistra obmurmurantium scaeva propitio vestro favore procùl amoveatur Flosculus est quem Ego pauperculus humilisque Christi Hortulanus vobis proesento non ille quidem Lectissimus sed is tamen qui in vestris primùm sacratis manibus cupiat sua qualiacunque folia explicare Carpent illum e vestris manibus alii quoque delibabunt Si enim vestro olfactui sagacissimo non ingratus fuerit si vestrae gratiae calorem fenserit non dubito quin Piis omnibus bonum publicae aedificationis odorem captantibus gratus jucundus sit futurus Hoc mihi solamen est quòd viri praestantissimi Honore Doctrinâ proecellentes non tam muneris oblati dignitatem quam gratum offerentis animum perpendere soleant Si hunc librum accipere diligenter perlegere dignemini honestabor gratia meis laboribus optima referetur De Materia Methodo hujus Historiae modum an satis servarim Vos pro vestris acerrimis Judiciis aestimabitis Illam siquando fortè inspexeritis in ea aliquid observabitis de quo me admonendum putabitis illud rogo significetis quicquid egeritis meam non modò voluntatem sed etiam sententiam cum vestrâ conjungam hoc etiam Beneficium quidem summum accipiam quo nimirum melior doctior evadam Deus Amplitudinem vestram in Ecclesiae suae nostraeque patriae utilitatem quam diutissimè servet incolumem Vestrae Reverentiae Observantissimus G. G. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe Design of this Treatise is to set forth the State of the Gallican Churches both of the Popish and the Reformed As to the Popish Church in France it is holden to be the best Privileged of all the Churches in Christendom under the Pope As touching their power the Gallican Clergy stands more stoutly to their Natural Rights against the Encroachments and Vsurpations of the See of Rome than any other that liveth under the Pope 's Authority which they acknowledge so far only as is consistent with their own Privileges and the Rights of their Soveraign for it was long e're they could submit to the Decrees of the Council of TRENT nor have they yet admitted of the Inquisition The Doctors of the Sorbon are accounted together with the Parliament of Paris the principal Pillars of the French Liberty whereof they are exceeding jealous as well in matters Ecclesiastical as Civil When Gerson Chancellour of Paris had published a Book in approbation of the Council of Constance where it was Enacted that the Authority of the Council was greater than that of the Pope the Sorbon Doctors declared that also to be their Doctrine For John Gerson in his defence of the Decree of that Council speaking of the Adversaries saith Perniciosos esse admodum adulatores qui Tyrannidem istam in Ecclesiam invexere quasi nullis Regum teneatur vinculis quasi neque parere debeat Concilio Pontifex nec ab eo judicari queat The Kings themselves also befriend their Clergy in the cause and therefore not only protested against the Council of Trent wherein the Spiritual Tyranny was generally consented to by the Popish faction but Henry the second King of France would not acknowledge them to be a Council calling it in his Letters by no other name than Conventus Tridentinus An indignity which the Fathers took grievously Moreover when King Lewes XI to gratifie Pope Pius the second purposed to abolish the Pragmatick Sanction the Sorbonnists in behalf of the Church Gallican and the Vniversity of Paris Magnis obsistebant animis saith Sleidan in his Commentary a Papâ provocabant ad Concilium The Council unto which they appealed was that of Basil where that Sanction was made so that by this Appeal they verified their former Thesis that the Council was above the Pope And before the Pragmatick Sanction was ordained the Pope had yearly drained the State of a Million of Crowns as the Court of Parliament manifested to King Lewes the eleventh Since which time the Kings of France have sometimes omitted the vigour of the Sanction and sometimes also exacted it according as their affairs with the Pope stood therefore it was called Froenum Pontificum And in the Year 1613. casually meeting with a Book written by Becanus entituled Controversia Anglicana de potestate Regis Papae the French called an Assembly and condemned it For although the Main of it was against the Power and Supremacy of the King of England yet did it reflect also on the Authority of the Pope over the Christians by the By which occasioned the Sentence So jealous are they of the least circumstances in which any of their immunities may be endangered The Pope hath no power in France to pardon criminals Le Rescript C. de precib Imp. offer Gratian. caus 25. The very faculties of the Legates heretofore sent into that Kingdom make not any mention of it but of the Remission of Sins proceeding from crimes And though there should be any such thing yet they are still curbed in with this Bridle To use it in such things as are not contrary derogatory nor prejudicial to the Rights and Prerogatives of the King and Kingdom nor against the sacred Councils the Laws of the Vniversities the Liberties of the Gallican Church and the Ordinances Royal. The Clergy of France do not hold their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Pope but of the King alone Bellarm. Tom. 1. controv 2. li. 4. ca. 24. howsoever the Jesuits teach the contrary when they do not use it as they ought when
heap of Constitutions about the keeping of Lent and Easter about the prohibition of Marriage betwixt Christians and unconverted Jews about Servants not to be admitted to Ecclesiastical Orders about Assemblies to be at the least yearly Convocated by Bishops about Ecclesiastical Rents not to be dilapidated Under the Reign of Theodebert King of Lorain Burgundy and Turinge the Fathers who were present at the Councils of Orleans convened also in the Council of Overnie and ordained that no man should arrive to the Office of a Bishop by the favour of men in Authority but by the merits of an honest and unreprovable life That the dead body of a Bishop in time of his Funeral should not be covered with the Pall otherwise called Opertorium Dominici corporis lest the honour done to the body should be a polluting of the Altar with many other Constitutions Under the Reign of Cherebert King of France a Council was Assembled at Tours In this Council it was Ordained that the Clergy and People in every Congregation should provide relief for their own poor and not permit them to wander up and down It was also Ordained that a Bishop should count his Wife as his Sister and that he should no manner of way company with her and for this cause should have Presbyters and Deacons so familiarly conversant with him that they might bear testimony of his honest behaviour viz. that he never companied with his Wife The Papists themselves could not overpass this Canon without a censure Moreover it was Ordained That no Priest or Monk should receive in bed with him another Priest or Monk to the end they might be so unreprovable that they would abstain from all appearance of evil In this Council were set down very strict prohibitions that no man should oppress the Church and convert to his own use any thing duly belonging to them lest he incurr the malediction of Judas who was a Thief and kept the bag and converted to his own use a part of that mony which belonged to the poor A Council likewise was holden at Paris wherein order was taken concerning admitting of Bishops to their Offices That no man should be admitted Bishop without the full consent of Clergy and People and that no man should presume by favour of Princes only without the consents aforesaid to become Bishop in any place Now Clotaire remained alone King of France his Brethren being dead their Children also were dead and Childebert the eldest died without Issue The Reign of Clotaire was short and wretched He sought to extort the thirds of all Ecclesiastical Things to his private Affairs but the Clergy opposed themselves against him so as threats prevailed not He dies Anno 567. Before that he Rules as King alone he Erected the little Realm of Yvetot upon this occasion Upon good Fryday he slew Gawter of Yvetot his Servant in the Chappel where he heard Service It is said that the King had ravished his Wife lodging in his house so as he that was beaten suffered the punishment Pope Eugenius displeased with this infamous murther condemned him to repair the fault upon pain of Excommunication Clotaire for satisfaction Ordaineth That from thenceforth the Lords of Yvetot should be free from all homage service and obedience to the King for the Land of Yvetot in the Countrey of Normandy And so this small seigneury hath continued long with the Title and Prerogative of a Realm until that this Title of a Realm was changed into a Principality the which the house of Bellay doth now enjoy Clotaire had by two Wives five Sons and one Daughter four survived him viz. Cherebert Chilperic Sigebert Gonthran and Closinde his Daughter Cherebert was King of France Chilperic King of Soissons Gonthran King of Orleans Sigibert King of Metz or Lorain although each of them called himself King of France and commanded absolutely over the Countries under their obedience All of them Reigned together fifteen years The second Council of Matiscon was convened in the twenty fourth year of King Gunthran In it complaint was made that Baptism usually was ministred on every holy day insomuch that upon Easter day scarce were two or three found to be presented to Baptism This they Ordained to be amended and that no man except upon occasion of infirmity presume to present his Child to Baptism but to attend upon the Festival dayes prescribed of old that is Easter and Whitsunday Also it was Appointed and Ordained that the Sacrament of the Altar should be Administred before any of the Communicants had tasted of meat or drink That no person who fleeth to the Church as to a City of Refuge should be drawn back again by violence from the bosome of the Church or be harmed in that holy place That a Bishop shall not be attached before a Secular Judge That the Houses of Bishops shall be kept holy with exercises of prayer and singing of Psalms and shall not be defiled with the barking of dogs and muting of Hawks That Secular men shall do reverence to those of the Clergy even unto the lowest degree of them in such sort that if the Secular Man do meet any of the Clergy walking on foot he shall honour him by uncovering his head But if the Secular man be riding on horseback and the Clergy-man on foot then the Secular man shall light down from his horse and shall do reverence to the Church-man In the third Council at Matiscon we read of nothing but a contentious disputation between two Bishops Palladius and Bertram and foolish questions scarce fit to be disputed in Grammar-Schools Chilperic a crafty man seizeth on his Father's Treasure and laboureth to become Master of the City of Paris but was not able to effect it Cherebert having cast off his Lawful Wife and being Excommunicated by German Bishop of Paris dieth at Blavia in Sancton in the ninth year of his Kingdom about the year 570 whose Kingdom his Brothers divide among themselves Chilperic and Sigebert waged War one against the other Chilperic enters the Countrey of Sigebert and takes from him the City of Rhemes Hereupon Sigebert pursues his Revenge and takes from Chilperic Soissons the Capital City of his Realm with his Son Theodobert forcing him to retire to Tournay Sigebert comes a Conquerour to Paris where he is received by common consent and so all the Cities belonging unto Cherebert yield him obedience But as he thought himself settled behold two young soldiers suborned by Fredegund an harlot of Chilperic's came to his Court enter freely into his Hall and getting near unto him each of them stabs him with his dagger and he falls down dead in the place These murtherers were suddenly torn in pieces so as they could not be known nor declare by whose instigation they had committed this murther Yet was it generally thought it was the practice of Fredegund to free Chilperic and to make her way the more smooth by the death of Sigebert who crossed her most Now is
of Auxerre in France Henry's Son-in-Law 4. Robert 5. Baldwin the fifth and last At this time the Tartarians over-run the North of Asia and many Nations fled from their own Countries for fear of them Among other the Corasines a fierce and Warlike people were forced to forsake their Land Being thus unkennelled they have recourse to the Sultan of Babylon who bestows on them all the Lands the Christians held in Palestine They march to Jerusalem and take it without resistance Soon after the Corasines elated herewith fell out with the Sultan himself who in anger rooted out their Nation so that none remained The French-men make War against Reymund Earl of Tholouse and think to enclose him in his Castle of Saracene but the Earl lying in Ambush for them in Woods slew many of them and 500 of the French Souldiers were taken and of their Servitors to the number of 200 men in armour were taken of whom some lost their eyes some their ears some their legs and so were sent home the rest were carried away Prisoners into the Castle Thrice that Summer were the French-men discomfited by the aforesaid Reymund King Lewes puts a stop to the persecution of the Albigenses saying that they must perswade them by reason and not constrain them by force whereby many Families were preserved in those Provinces In those times lived Gulielmus de sancto amore a Doctor of Paris and Chanon of Beauvois exclaiming against the abuses of the Church of Rome He wrote against the Fryars and their hypocrisie but especially against the begging Fryars In his days there was a most detestable and blasphemous book set forth by the Fryars which they called Evangelium Aeternum or Evangelium spiritûs sancti The Everlasting Gospel or The Gospel of the Holy Ghost Wherein it is said That the Gospel of Christ was not to be compared to it no more than darkness to light That the Gospel of Christ should be preached but fifty years and then this everlasting Gospel should rule the Church He mightily impugned this pestiferous Book Fox Act and Monum p. 410. ad 416. He was by the Pope condemned for an Heretick exiled and his Books were burnt His story and Arguments may be read in Mr. Fox his first Volumn Pope Alexander armed Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure men of violent spirits against him but he was too hard for these reprovers his followers were called Amoraei Pope Gregory succeedeth Innocent and is a great Enemy to Frederick the Emperour who had entred Italy with a great Army After his Election he sends his Nuncio into France to exhort Lewes to succour him The Pope comes into France and calls a Council at Lyons whither he cites Frederick but yet upon so short a warning as he could not appear Frederick having sent his Ambassadours to require a lawful time and to advertise the Pope of his coming begins his Journey to perform his promise Being arrived at Thurin he hath intelligence given him that the Pope had condemned him as Contumax excommunicated him and degraded him of the Empire But this was not without the consent of the Princes Electors of the Empire who after mature deliberation proceeded to a new Election They chuse Henry Landgrave of Thuring for Emperour but he besieging the City of Vlmes was wounded with an Arrow whereof he dyed shortly after Frederick writes to the French King against the sentence against him at Lyons Then the Electors chose William Earl of Holland for Emperour In all the chief Cities the Guelph's Faction was the stronger through the Authority of the Council of Lyons Frederick over-pressed with grief dyeth leaving Italy and Germany in great combustion The Pope having Canonized Edmond Arch-Bishop of Canterbury soon after Blanch Queen Regent of France came into England to worship that Saint representing to him that he had found refuge for his Exile in France and beseeching him not to be ungrateful She said my Lord most Holy Father confirm the Kingdom of France in a peaceable solidity and remember what we have done to thee Now Lewes IX came to assist the Christians in Palestine His nobility diswaded from that design Lewes takes up the Cross and voweth to eat no Bread until he was recognized with the Pilgrim's Badge Their went along with him his two Brothers Charles Earl of Anjou Robert Earl of Artois his own Queen and their Ladies Odo the Pope's Legat Hugh Duke of Burgundy William Earl of Flanders Hugh Earl of St. Paul and William Longspath Earl of Sarisbury with a band of valiant English-men The Pope gave to this King Lewes for his charges the tenth of the Clergy's revenues through France for three years and the King employed the Pope's Collectors to gather it whereupon the Estates of the Clergy were shaven as bare as their crowns and a poor Priest who had but twenty shillings annual pension was forced to pay two yearly to the King Having at Lyons took his leave of the Pope and a blessing from him he marched toward Avignon Where some of the city wronged his Souldiers especially with foul Language His Nobles desired him to besiege the city the rather because it was suspected that therein his Father was poisoned To whom Lewes most christianly said I come not out of France to revenge mine own quarrels or those of my Father or Mother but injuries offered to Jesus Christ Hence he went without delay to his Navy and so committed himself to the Sea Lewes arrives in Cyprus where the pestilence raging two hundred and forty Gentlemen of note dyed of the infection Hither came the Ambassadours from a great Tartarian prince invited by the fame of King Lewes his piety professing to him that he had renounced his Paganism and embraced Christianity and that he intended to send Messengers to the Pope to be further instructed in his Religion but some Christians which were in Tartary diswaded him from going to Rome King Lewes received these Ambassadours cuurteously dismissing them with bounteous gifts And by them he sent to their Master a Tent wherein the History of the Bible was as richly as curiously depicted in Needle-work hoping thus to catch his Eyes and both in his present pictures then being accounted Lay-mens books The French land in Egypt and Damiata is taken by them Discords grew between the French and English the cause was for that the Earl of Sarisbury in sacking a Fort got more spoil therein than the English Then dyed Meladine the Egyptian King Robert Earl of Artois Brother to King Lewes fighting with the Egyptians contrary to the Counsel of the Templars is overthrown In his flight he cryed to the Earl of Sarisbury flee flee for God fighteth against us To whom our Earl God forbid my Father's Son should flee from the face of a Saracen The other seeking to save himself by the swiftness of his Horse and crossing the River was drowned The Earl of Sarisbury slew many a Turk and though unhorsed and wounded in his Legs stood
by the Parliament he disswaded them from it as much as he could both by Letters and Sermons And unto him the Court was obliged that all the Protestant Tows on this side the Loire kept in the King's obedience He shewed that he did it not to serve the times but to serve God The declaring of the Politick Assembly of the Protestants for the Prince of Conde in the year 1616. was the greatest error that ever they committed and they smarted for it as soon as the young King had got more Age and vigour In the mean time Du Plessis laboured much in procuring the peace of the Protestant Churches endeavouring to keep a good correspondence between the King and them which was continually ready to be interrupted in which business he carried himself with so much prudence and fidelity in all occurences between them that he was admired and praised by all Yea even Cardinal Du Perron himself heretofore one of his greatest enemies shewed him great respect in the Assembly of States held at Roven Anno 1617. Speaking of him in all companies with an excess of Praises and telling the King himself that those men had done him wrong who had kept off Monsieur Du Plessis from having a greater Power in the management of his affairs And that his Religion ought not to render him unprofitable in the exercise of those graces which God had given him and that his Majesty ought to keep him near his person so long as he should live After the return of Dr. Du Moulin out of England the Jesuite Arnoux a Court Preacher sent a challenge to the Ministers of Paris to appear before the Queen-Mother to give account of their Religion preacht fire and sword against them before their Majesties and sent them a Pamplet full of heavy accusations The Doctor was charged by his Colleagues to make an answer to it which he did and addressed it to the King In that answer by way of just recrimination he affirmed that he had seen in the Colledge of the Jesuites at la Fleshe a Picture of the Martyrs of their Order and in that rank some Traytors who had been executed for conspiring against the Life of their Kings That the maxims of the Jesuites were pernicious to Kings whereas the Doctrine of the Protestants maintained their Life their Authority nad their States And the Pastours of the Reformed Churches taught their people fidelity and obedience to the King Then he represented the many Perils and Combates which the Protestants had sustained for the defence of King Henry IV. till they had brought him to the Crown Of which services they that had been the King's enemies received the reward This answer of the Ministers was presented to the King by the Duke of Rohan See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin This bold address to the King irritated the great Officers of the Crown of whom not a few or their Fathers had been of the party of the League The Jesuites therefore letting their challenge fall indicted the Ministers of Treason although all the ground they could find for it was that the Ministers called the Reformed Churches their people as if they had pretended some Soveraignty over them The Ministers being summoned before the Council the indictment of Treason was not much urged as being but a Cavil After grave Admonitions and high threatnings by Chancellour Bruslart they dismissed them That challenge of Arnoux and a Pamphlet of his against the confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches in France occasioned the Doctor to write his Buckler of Faith A Jesuite came to the Doctors Study to dispute with him Monsieur de Monginot a famous Physitian was present at the Conference whereby he was converted and set out an excellent Book of the reasons why he abjured Popery He had many encounters and to relate all his Conferences migh◠fill a great Volume Scarce was he a week without one while he lived in Paris and some of them were very long He was the object of the publick hatred of the Romanists His name was the general Theme of Libels cryed up in the Streets of railing Sermons in all Pulpits and of the curses of ignorant Zealots The Popish Clergy in the year 1617. being assembled at the house of Austin-Friers in Paris as every two years they used to do being to take their leaves of the King elected the Bishop of Aire to be their Spokes-man and to certifie his Majesty of their grievances In performing which business the principal thing of which he spake was to this purpose That whereas his Majesty was bound to give them Fathers he gave them Children That the name of Abbot signifies a Father and the Function of a Bishop was full of Fatherly authority yet France notwithstanding was now filled with Bishops and Abbots which are yet in their Nurses arms or else under their Regents in Colledges Nay more that the abuse goeth before the Being Children being commonly design'd to Bishopricks and Abbacies before they were born He also made another complaint that the Soveraign Courts by their Decrees had attempted upon the Authority which was Committed to the Clergy even in that which concerned meerly Ecclesiastical Discipline and Government of the Church To these complaints he gave them indeed a very gracious hearing but it never went further than a hearing being never followed by redress The Court of Parliament knew too well the strength of their own Authority and the King was loth to take from himself those excellent advantages of binding to himself his Nobility by the speedy preferring of their Children So the Clergy departed with a great deal of envy and a little of satisfaction In the same year the States of the United Provinces desired the Churches of England Germany France c. to send some able Divines to the Synod of Dort whereupon the Churches of France named four viz. Dr. Du Moulin Chamier Rivet and Chaune But when the Doctor was making ready for his journey he was forbidden by a messenger of the Council of State of France to go out of the Kingdom upon pain of death The like prohibition was made to the three other Divines Andrew Rivet was a Godly and Learned French Divine He hath very well expounded Genesis Exodus the Prophetical Psalms and Hosea and wrote Learnedly against the Papists in his Catholicus Orthodoxus and against Grotius Criticus sacer seu censura Patrum Isagoge in S. Scripturam Synopsis doctrinae de naturâ gratiâ He hath published other Learned Treatises in French and Latin William Rivet his Brother hath also published a Learned Treatise De Justificatione an exact French Treatise De invocatione adoratione Sanctorum defunctorum Epist Apologet. Daniel Chamier was also a Learned French man who in his Panstratiae Catholicae hath so Learnedly refuted the Papists that none of them hath made any answer to it His Epistolae Jesuiticae and Corpus Theologiae also shew his great abilities There is also a Work of his in French
one of his Vicars to absolve the Sieur Guillet and to licence the going on of the Fortifications In the year 1627. those of Rochel could not endure to see the Articles of Peace which the King had accorded to them put in execution they could not permit that the Rules of Commerce observed over all France should be taken notice of among them The cutting off of that absolute authority which they had made use of in the Isles of Reé and Olleron and other places bordering upon their City was looked on as an outrage The exercise of the Catholick Religion amongst them was esteemed as a great slavery and a rigorous constraint imposed upon that whereof they made Profession They complained of those Souldiers in Fort Lewes and the Isles of Reé and Olleron left there only to prevent their relapsing into their former insolencies as a most unsufferable Tyranny They resented his Majestie 's Commissaries Acts in order to the execution of the Treaty as so many unjust attempts upon their Liberties With these complaints they filled their Manifests They made use of these Motives to perswade the rest of the Hugonot Towns to revolt to form themselves into a Common-wealth and to obtain that by force from the King which with justice they could not expect The Duke of Rohan discontented for that he had made no advantage by the Peace did not a little foment those Mutinies of the Rochellers to which end he under-hand sowed divisions among the Consuls of the chief Hugonot Towns in Languedoc and some he made for his own Party but his design took little effect in those parts The French King animated by the sage Counsels of Cardinal Richlieu resolves on the siege of Rochel and from that time forwards preparations were made in all the adjacent Provinces of Warlike Ammunitions great store of Cannon were sent before-hand towards the place that they might be in readiness when time should serve Divers means were thought on to block up the Channel and to begin with those of less charge to prevent greater expences in case they might do the work Private Computation was made of what Horse and Foot would be requisite to invest the place and secure the neighbouring Isles And every thing was disposed to the best advantage for the carrying on of the siege The Duke of Lorrain comes to the King at Paris to complain of his Majesties actions towards the Bishop of Verdun his Kinsman He was answered that Bishops being his Majestie 's Subjects owe respect and obedience to him That when they fall off from their duties it is the more just to punish their faults That enjoying their Temporal States only in order to the Oath of Allegiance which they all swear to his Majesty they do most especially deserve to be deprived of them when they break their said Oath That his Majesty was more especially concern'd to maintain his right in Verdun which was a Frontier Town and likewise because the Bishop had attempted against his Royal Authority in hindering the building of the Citadel though it were a thing only relating to the Soveraignty and in which he was not at all concerned But this was not the chief end of his journey He pretended to do homage in his own name to the King for the Dutchy of Bar as appertaining to him in Fee and not in right of his Wife But he therein met with greater obstacles than in that of the Bishop of Verdun The Duke obtained his request for the Bishop upon condition he should revoke the Censures against the King's Officers and for the future should comport himself with more moderation The Duke willingly became bound for his performance and the King discharged the seizures and setled all things in their former state The English and others endeavour now to divert the French King from his resolution against Rochel On July 28. 1627. the English Fleet arriveth before Reé They Landed ten thousand men The Sieur de Thoyras was then Governour of the Citadel St. Martin in the Isle of Reé Rostaincler the Baron of Chautail Navailles and divers other Gentlemen and light Horse and about one hundred and fifty French Souldiers resisting the English were slain in the encounter most part of the Officers being wounded Fifteen Officers of the English Army were said also to be killed besides divers Lieutenants and Ensigns They likewise lost one of their Colours and had five or six hundred killed and wounded The Duke of Buckingham stormeth the Citadel of St. Martin but could not take it The Cardinal sent to Bayonne for fifteen flat Vessels called Primaces built both to sail and row withal and very fleet and able to endure a storm In the end of August Captain Baslin who Commanded these Primaces came with them to the Sands of Olonne where the Abbot of Marsillac received him joyfully and his Vessels being well stored with Victuals and Ammunition he lent him Sixscore men of the Regiment de Champany with some Voluntiers On September 5. he set sail in the head of his little Fleet about six a clock at night Soon after he knew that he was near the English Fleet he spread abroad his great Sails and was easily discovered But the Primaces going very swift could not be stopped by the English Vessels They went without loss only some Sails and one or two Masts were shattered and one shot through with a Bullet Baslin having thus passed the English fell upon the Barricado which they had made to hinder Relief which consisted of great masts linked together with Iron Chains and tied with Cables fastned to great Anchors But many of the Primaces by reason of their lightness and swifness passed over the rest lighted on a certain place where the foregoing night a Tempest had broken part of their Barricado through which they passed without difficulty so that about two in the night they ran a shore near one of the Bastilions of the Citadel a place where the English could not hurt them The Relief was great both for their reputation and assistance Ten other Pinnaces were got from Bayonne which the Count de Grant-mont rigged out and sent under the Command of Captain Audum October 4. they came on the Sands of Olonne They were soon laden and accompanied with twenty five other little Vessels Three hundred Souldiers went aboard them and sixty choice Gentlemen Upon October 6. they put off Two daies past the wind changing before they came to Reé and that by day too The English Fleet engaged them in a rough Fight But their courage surmounting their danger twenty nine of the Vessels got clear to the Citadel where they ran ashore on Friday morning October 8. five of their Vessels were forced to give back One only in which were the Sieurs de Beaulieu and Razilly was taken by the English Who were so incensed at it that they made in twenty four hours above two thousand great shot upon the Port Saint Martin so that there were only five
Jurisdiction nor Domination of the Bishop of Rome over the Churches of France Hilary called himself Primate of the Churches of Gauls subject to the Roman Empire that is of Provence and Daulphine for the rest of the Gauls was then held by the Visigoths and by the Francks The quarrel was that Hilary conferred the degree of Bishop in his Diocess not expecting the consent and approbation of the Bishop of Rome but Leo would oblige him to acquaint the Roman See with it and to get his approbation Upon that Leo sends Letters to the Bishops of Daulphine where after he haâ—◠〈◊〉 swe ling words exalted the Dignity of the Roman See he addâ—â—h Hillary To trouble the State of the Church Leon. Epist 87. ad Episcop per Viennensem provinciam constitutos and the Concord of Bishops by new presumptions hath exceeded measure desiring so to subject you to his power that he will not suffer you to be subject to the blessed Apostle Peter challenging to himself the Ordination of all the Churches in Gauls But Hilary came to Rome not regarding the Anathema's of Leo and to his face affirmed that neither did Christ appoint Peter to be Head of the rest of the Apostles neither had the Bishop of Rome a Sovereignty over the Churches of France In that strife Leo according to his custom had his recourse to Valentinian who presently without hearing what Hilary could say for himself gave sentence for Leo and made a Law which is extant in the Theodosian Code among the Novel Constitutions in the 24th Title the Law runs in these words Whereas the merit of Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopal Society and the Dignity of the Roman City and Authority of the Sacred Synod have established the Primacy of the Apostolick See let not presumption attempt any lawful thing against the Authority of that See for then shall the peace of the Churches be maintained every where if the Vniversality do acknowledge their Governour In which words we may observe by the way that Valentinian doth not ground the Popes Primacy upon the Word of God He addeth We Decree by a perpetual Ordinance That it be not lawful either to the Bishops of Gauls or to those other Provinces to attempt any thing against the venerable Pope c. but that to them and to all whatsoever the Authority of the Apostolick See hath decreed or shall decree may be a Law so that what Bishop soever being evocated to the judgement of the Roman Prelate shall neglect to appear he be constrained by the Governour of the Province to make his appearance But Valentinian being deprived of Africa by the Vandals of Africa and of Spain and Guienne by the Gothes and of most part of Gauls by the Franks nothing remaining to him but Italy Sicily Provence and Daulphine all the East being in the power of Theodosius that Law was but of little force How much that Law was despised in the Empire of the East it is easie to see for in the Year 472. that is about 22 or 23 years after that Law of Valentinian a contrary Law was established by the Emperour Leo which is the 16th Law in the Code De Sacrosanctis Ecclesiis The words of the Law are these Whereby the Emperour decreeth that the Church of Constantinople be the first of all Churches and the Bishop of Constantinople be the first of all Bishops We judge and decree that the most holy Church of this Town which is Mother of our Piety and of all Christians of the Orthodox Religion and the most holy See of the same most Religious City have all the privileges and honours concerning the Creation of Bishops and the right of sitting before others c. Baronius declaimeth against that Law of Leo and saith It proceeded from him who is the Head over all the Sons of pride Baron Annal. ad Ann. 472. Then lived Sidonius Apollinaris Bishop of Clermont in Auvergn whose Epistles are extant great part of which are written to the Bishops of France his Colleagues but in none of them is there any trace of subjection to the Roman See or of communication with the Bishop of Rome The same Sidonius calls Lupus Bishop of Troyes Bishop of Bishops and the first Bishop of the world and saith That he is sitting in the Apostolick See This Man wrote all his Epistles in Latin and Preached also in Latin In the tenth Epistle of the second Book he complaineth That in his time among the Vulgar the purity and property of the Latin Tongue decayed and degenerated into barbarousness And in the Epistle to Pope Perpetuus for then all the Bishops that were a little more respected than the ordinary Bishops were called Popes there is a Latin Sermon made by the said Sidonius unto the people of Bourges a certain proof that the people of Bourges understood Latin About this time flourished Prosper of Aquitain so called from his Countrey not the place of his Bishoprick as Baronius saith He wrote De Vitâ Contemplativâ Of a Contemplative Life In his first Book Chap. 23. he prescribeth That the Preacher's Language be simple and plain though it be not very good Latin yet that it be orderly and grave Usser de Britan. Eccles Primord Cap. 8. that it may hinder no body though ignorant to understand it He wrote a Book De Ingratis by which name he alway marketh out the Pelagians that sprung out of the ashes of that Arch-Heretick Pelagius Regiensem Episcopum fuisse recentiores commemorant In sententias quasdam Augustini Epigrammata varia conscripsit Catal. Test Verit. He wrote many excellent things in defence of the Grace of Christ against the Pelagians and sheweth himself to be a Disciple and vehement defender of St. Augustine saith Bellarmine Salvianus Bishop of Marseilles lived then when the Nation of the Goths oppressed France and many began to doubt of the Providence of God in regard that those wicked wretches had got the upper hand and prospered so much in the world therefore he wrote an excellent Treatise De Judicio Providentia Dei to Salonius Bishop of Vienna One entitleleth him Gallicae Gentis Episcoporum Magistrum The Master of the Bishops of the French Nation Salonius wrote upon the Books of the Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Claudianus Mammertus Bishop of Vienna is praised by Sidonius with excessive commendations as if all the Graces of Jerome Augustine Patr. Syms Eccles Hist Basil Nazianzen and many other Fathers had been incorporated in him He wrote three Books De Statu Animae Of the State of the Soul to the same Sidonius with two Epistles How much the Popish Bishops differ from those Famous Bishops that flourished in those dayes the Reader may understand by this following Epitaph of Claudianus Mammertus made by Sidonius Hoc dat cespite membra Claudianus Triplex Bibliotheca quo Magistro Romana Attica Christiana fulsit Quam totam Monachus virente in aevo Secreta bibit instructione
Sorcerers in the first third fourth and fifth Canons whereby it appeareth that Sorcery hath been in frequent use in France Many superstitious Constitutions were set down in this Synod concerning the number of Masses prohibition of tasting meat before Mass concerning burial prohibition of Baptism before the Festivity of Easter except upon necessity and fear of approaching death prohibition of Matrimonial copulation with their own Wives to Presbyters and Deacons after their Blessing and Consecration with prohibition of Marriage also to the Widows of the defunct Presbyters Deacons or Sub-deacons Brothers and Sisters Children are forbidden to marry They Ordained that it is not lawful for a Presbyter to sit in judgement when any man is condemned to death That it is not lawful for a Clergy-man to cite another of the Clergy before a Secular Judge That it is not lawful for a Woman with a naked hand to touch the Holy Eucharist That it is not lawful to take refreshment of meat with an excommunicate person If any of the Clergy receive an excommunicate person without the knowledge of him who did excommunicate him he shall receive the like sentence that is he shall be likewise excommunicated That it is not lawful for a Presbyter in Banquetting-time to sing or dance Many Canons to the number of 45 were concluded in this Council But I shall not trouble you with an heap of unprofitable unnecessary and superstitious Canons Another Council was afterwards called at Cabillon vulgarly called Chalon which is a Town in Burgundy not far distant from Matiscon In this Town by the Commandment of Clovis King of France convened 44 Bishops Gandericus Bishop of Lions was President and Landilenus Bishop of Vienna Theodorus Bishop of Arles because he refused to appear before the Council was suspended from his Office until the next Council In this Synod the Canons of the Council of Nice had great allowance It was forbidden that two Bishops should be Ordained in one Town that no man should sell a Christian Servant to a Jew and that two Abbots should not be chosen to govern one Monastery That no labouring of the ground or other secular work shall be done on the Lord's day with many other Canons coincident with the Canons of other Councils Clovis the second married a Gentlewoman of Saxony named Baudour a Lady of good life and much given to Devotion as the Abby of Shelles St. Baudour with other Foundations do witness Whilst she busied her self in her Devotion and to build Monasteries Clovis addicted himself to sensuality Yet one memorable thing is recorded of him In a time of great dearth to relieve the poor people he suffered them to take the Silver wherewith the Temple of St. Denis had been covered by Dagobert Aimo saith that two years after a famous Assembly of Bishops being had he appointed the Monastery of Dionysius which his Father had built nigh unto the City to be free from the Jurisdiction of all Bishops Landerick the Chief Ruler of Paris agreeing to it Clovis died Anno 660. of his Reign 17. At the same time Erchenwald Major of the Palace dying Ebruin succeedeth him From which time the French Kings being let loose into sloth and riot the Government of the Affairs of State came to the Majors of the Palace The Kings being contented only with the Name or Title contained themselves in their Palace neither came they but once every year viz. in the Kalends of May into open view of the people Clotharius the eldest Son of Clovis succeeded his Father but having Reigned four years he died Anno 664. Theodorick his Brother for a short space was Chief but the French being weary of this man shut up Theodorick in a Monastery being shaven at St. Denis in Paris and Ebruin at Luxovien Then Childerick was made King who after three years Reign was slain by Bodille a Noble French man whom he had commanded being bound to the stump of a tree to be whipped with rods His Queen also being great with Child was killed by the same Bodille Ebruin secretly breaking out of the Monastery Petav. Hist Lib. 8. again invadeth the Lieutenantship of the Palace and killeth Leudesius the Son of Erchenwald Major of the Palace and Leodegar Chief Ruler of Augustodunum whom after he had been tortured with divers torments and in an Assembly of Bishops spoiled of his Dignity he commanded to be smitten with a sword In those times there were many in France flourishing in Holiness among whom Eligius Bishop of Noviomum and Audoenus Bishop of Roven are mentioned Eligius died in the seventieth year of his Age. Audoenus died being ninety years old in the 44 year of his Bishoprick Private persons also graced France with an exact holiness of Life viz. Furseus Foillanus Vltan who having come out of Ireland built Monasteries in France Thierri the first is now made King of France a King in shew who is a spectator of divers Tragedies Thierri dieth having reigned 19 years Ebruin in the third year after the death of Leodegar was thrust thorow by Hermenfrid then Pepin governeth the Kingdom Clovis the third the eldest Son of Thierri reigned four years and dieth without Children His Brother Childebert the second succeedeth him Century VIII CHildebert Reigned 17 years and died Anno 711. having left two Sons Dagobert and Clothaire Pepin made great shew of love to Religion and for this cause makes war against Robod Duke of Frisia a Pagan whom he conquered and forced to receive the Christian Religion with all his Subjects He restored Lambert Bishop of Traict to his Dignity being expelled by Ebruin and confined unto a Monastery and one of his chiefest cares was to advance them that had charge over the Church He commanded absolutely being armed with the Authority of his Soveraign neither was there any appeal from him to the King Yet Pepin besides his Lawful Wife called Plectrude held a woman named Alpaid for the which the forenamed Lambert reproved him Of this Alpaid he had a Son whom he named Charles which Charles was after sirnamed Martel and was very profitable to the Realm of France Alpaid caused Bishop Lambert to be slain by her Brother Dodon who soon after felt the punishment of this blood for being diseased with Worms not able to endure his own stench he cast himself headlong into the River Meuze Pepin upon his death-bed Ordained Charles his Bastard to succeed him in the Government of the Realm But Plectrude after the death of Pepin causeth Charles to be imprisoned at Colen and advanceth Thibauld to the Government although in effect She under his Name governed all the Affairs of State Dagobert dying at this time the French took a Prince of the blood called Daniel out of a Cloyster Him they called King under the Name of Chilperic the second and they give him a Noble Man of France called Rainfroy to be his Major who having leavied an Army De Serres hist defeated Thibauld and his Grandmother Plectrude in
battel But Charles Martel getting out of prison assisteth Plectrude gathereth Forces and overcometh the new King and Rainfroy Charles is now received and installed Major of France and having assured himself of the Children of King Dagobert he caused them to be gently brought up in a Monastery At Colen he seizeth on Plectrude and Thibauld and inflicts no other punishment upon them but enjoyns them to live quiet and to attempt nothing without his liking He pardons Rainfroy and gives him the Government of Anjou He degradeth Chilperic being advanced against Law and causeth the eldest Son of Dagobert to be chosen King named Chilperic the third Chilperic dies having reigned five years and in his place his Brother Thierri was crowned King He reigned ten years and dying left his Son Childerick the last King of this first race of the Merovingiens Charles Martel from Major of the Palace is chosen Duke or Prince of the French Eudo Prince of the Gascoigus to whom Rainfroy joyned himself called in the Saracens with their King Abdiram out of Spain Anno 725. whom Charles met and killed them with an universal slaughter there were slain in one day three hundred seventy and five thousand and of the French fifteen hundred among which were many of the Nobility and men of Note And having recovered Burgundy and Lions in the year following Eudo dying he invaded Aquitain and overthrew the Saracens in great numbers invading France in the year 731 and regained Avignon taken by them and forceth them to abandon Narbon and the whole Country to his mercy At that time divers devout Monks lived in France viz. Vandegrisil of Fontinel a builder of Monasteries of whom Sigebert makes mention Vrsmar of Lobia a Founder of a Monastery Bertine Abbot of Sithiena and holy Aegidius Childeric was King in shew nine years Anno 744. Pepin in the time of King Childeric called a Council at Soissons where he assisted in person together with the greatest Peers of the Land five under the Authority of Charles Martel and four under Pepin the Son of Charles who dispossessed him Charles Martel having governed the Kingdom five and twenty years dieth He had four Sons Carloman Pepin Giles and Grypho Giles was made Bishop of Rhotomagum and left his Government assigned him by his Father unto Carloman and Pepin and they two divide the Kingdom and Govern each one his own part under the Title of their Father as is apparent by the first words of the Council under Carloman In the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I Carloman Duke and Prince of the French in the year from the incarnation of Christ 742. on the 11th of the Kalends of March by the advice of the servants of God and of my Nobes I have Assembled the Bishops in my Kingdom c. Within seven years after this Synod he laid aside his Princely Authority saith Bellarmine and entred into a Cloyster becomes a Monk and so dieth at Vienna and then all the Authority was in Pepin alone Grypho had rebelled against Carloman but at last Pepin took him in Italy and caused him to be beheaded Anno 753. Pepin having the Government alone aimed at an higher Title Blondus and others who have written the Acts of the French Blond dec 14. Lib. 10. say that the Nobility and Commonalty of that Nation duly considering the worthiness of Pepin and sottishness of Childeric consulted with Zachary Bishop of Rome whether they should tolerate so foolish a King any longer and defraud Pepin of his deserved Princely honour And when the Pope answered That he was most worthy to be a King who could best discharge the Office of a King Petrie's Church-Hist Cent. 8. the French with the publick consent of the whole Nation did pronounce Pepin for their King and Childerick was shaven and made a Monk Then the Pope wrote unto Boniface Bishop of Mentz to Anoint Pepin King of France and declare all his Subjects free from their Oath of Allegiance unto their lazy Soveraign The Pope was chiefly moved hereunto with hope to draw help from Pepin against the Lumbards Concil apud Palat Vernes his mortal enemies Pepin Anno 755. called almost all the Gallican Bishops to meet at the Council of Vernes the Palace About this time Aponius a French man wrote several Books In the Council called by Carloman of which I hinted before he beginneth thus I Carloman c. have Assembled the Bishops which are in my Kingdom with the Priests into a Council and Synod These are Boniface Arch-Bishop of Mentz Burchard of Wirtzburg Reginfrid Guntharius with the rest of the Bishops and their Priests That they should give me Counsel how the Law of God and Religion of the Church may be restored which in the dayes of former Princes hath been shattered and fallen and how Christian People may attain the salvation of their souls and not perish being deceived by false Priests And by the advice of my Priests and Nobles We have Ordained Bishops through Cities and set over them the Arch-Bishop Boniface who is the Legate of St. Peter And we have Ordained that Synods should be called every year Concil Tom. 2. Edit Crab. that in our presence the Decrees of Canons Rites and Laws of the Church may be restored And we restore unto the Churches the Monies that have been taken from them We have also discharged all the Servants of God from hunting and wandring in woods with Dogs and that they have no Hawks nor Faulcons We have also Decreed according to the Holy Canons That each Presbyter dwelling in a Parish be subject unto the Bishop where he dwelleth and that alwayes in Lent he give an account of his Ministry whether of Baptism or Catholick Faith and prayers and order of Masses Then he forbiddeth sacrifice to the dead and other profane Rites of the Heathen He appointeth punishments against the Fornications and Adulteries of Monks It was also decreed that Monks and Nuns should live within their Abbies and Cloysters according to the Rule of their Father Benedict Pope Stephen confirmed Pepin and his Heirs for Kings of France and of him asked aid to withstand the Power of Aistulphus then King of Lombardy who then had exacted Tribute from certain Lands belonging to the Bishop of Rome and because it was refused took up Arms. The Pope wrote a Letter directed to the Kings of France and to all Bishops Abbots Priests and Monks and to the Glorious Dukes and Counts and unto the whole Army of the Kingdom of France Stephen Pope and all the Bishops Priests and Deacons Dukes Counts People and Army of the Romans all being in anguish with how doleful and bitter grief we are encompassed on every side with how great perplexity and doubtfulness we are distressed and how many tears our eyes do shed because of the continual troubles which are multiplyed upon us we think that the smallest part of all the elements do declare for who beholding our
of Emperour unto Lewes Bavaria and unto Chrarles France Pepin enjoyed Aquitain without contradiction Lewes not content with Bavaria levies an Army and passeth the Rhine The miserable Father prepares an Army to go against him but he falls sick and dieth Anno 840. There was a Council held at Paris by the Command of Lewes and his Son Lotharius Anno 829 and three others at the same time in other places as is collected from the Preface It was Ordained that Synods should then be Assembled in four several places of their Empire In his Reign in France was used of Priests and Church-men precious and shining Vestures and golden and rich staring Girdles with Rings and other Ornaments of Gold Fabian's Chron. Wherefore the said Lewes procured of the Pope a correction for all such as used such strange apparel causing them to wear brown and sad colours After the death of the Emperour Lewes Lotharius his eldest Son and Emperour by his Fathers Testament would force his Brethren to a new division He quarrelleth with Charles King of France and Lewes Duke of Bavaria but the two Brethren unite together and joyn their Forces to oppose Lotharius Lotharius finding himself the stronger refuseth the Conditions of Peace offered by his Brethren Then Lewes and Charles charging the Army of Lotharius overthrew it with a notable slaughter Lotharius after this defeat changeth his humour with his estate he enjoyed the titulary mask of the Empire with Austrasia yet much curtailed and divided to his three Sons Lewes Charles and Lotharius Then Lotharius having remorse of Conscience for attempting against his Father and Brethren professeth himself a Monk in the Abby of Pluviers and dies a Monk in the Year 855. Charles and Lewes after the Victory call the Bishops to take their Advice upon Occurrents who being solemnly Assembled exhort them to Concord They hearken to them make an Alliance and come to the dividing of their parts Charles remains the sole King of France Daulphine and Provence were left to Lewes in his partage for the commodity of Italy which was given him notwithstanding the pretensions of Bernard's Children But he died soon after without any Issue-male leaving one only Daughter called Hermingrade Heir of all his great Estates Charles married his Neece Hermingrade to Boson Earl of Ardennes Concil Meldens Cap. 78. Tom. 3. brother to his Wife Richilde who called himself King of Arles At the Council at Meaux held about this time it was Decreed that the Capitular Laws concerning the Church made by Charlemagne and his Son Lewes should be strictly observed The same Council entreats King Charles the Younger to grant the Bishops a freer liberty for the execution of their Ministeries in their Parishes Charles called the Bald began his Reign Anno 841. King Charles was present at the Council holden at Pistis upon Sein Anno 963. He is named first the Decrees are conceived in his name He caused himself to be proclaimed Emperour after the death of Lewes who survived Lotharius without contradiction He went to Rome and was Crowned Emperour by the Pope with the Imperial Diadem then raising his Spirit very high after the custom of the Grecians he walketh with a Surplice This King Charles the Bald relying on the Popes help favoured the Pope with all his Power and brought the French Clergy to the subjection of the Roman See as much as he could Then began the Popes Legates to come to the Councils of France and there to preside Then also the French Kings began to tremble under the thunderbolts of the Vatican and to fear the Excommunications of the Pope The first Pope that made tryal of his Excommunications against them was Pope Nicholas the first who threatned Lothary to Excommunicate him unless he recalled Tietberga his Wife whom he had put away to take Waldrada whom he loved which also this Pope did Excommunicate Whereupon there was great murmuring of the Prelates and People of France against the Pope being displeased both at the Pope's Usurpations and the pusillanimity of their Kings These things happened from the Year 863 to 866. After that Nicholas came Adrian the second who favouring Lewes Du Moulin cont Perron lib. 3. c. 9. Grand-child to Lewes the Gentle against Charles the Bald his Unckle sent peremptory Letters into France whereby he declared That if any presumed to make an enterprize upon the Kingdom of Lewes not only he would make void by his Authority all that he should do but also that such a man being bound with the bonds of Anathema and deprived of the name of Christian should be lodged altogether with the Devil * Pope John the 8. having excommunicated Count Lambert and Count Adalbert and some others which had ill entreated him in Italy came into France Anno 870 where he called a Synod at Troyes consisting of the Bishops of that Kingdom to desire their Consent to that Excommunication which they accordingly granted him This is seen in the Epistle which Hinomarus Arch-Bishop of Rhemes writes to the said Adrian upon the said subject where he saith That both Ecclesiastical and Secular men being Assembled at Rhemes would say in a reproachful way That never any such Mandate was sent from that See to any of the Kings Predecessors Adding That the Bishops of Rome had never withdrawn themselves from the obedience of Heretical Emperours Wherefore said they we will not believe that we cannot otherwise attain to the Kingdom of Heaven but by receiving him for a Temporal King whom this Apostolical Lord recommendeth to us It was in this ninth Age that the Decretals were forged by Riculphus Bishop of Mentz as is supposed who published them under a false Title And at that time and a long time after the arch-Arch-Bishops of Mentz were the first promoters of Papal Authority in Germany And nothing hath helped more to the establishment of the Papal Empire than these Epistles which have for a long time been held for Oracles in the West by them the Father of lies hath wrought very powerfully These Decretals were forged under the Reign of Charlemagne and of his Son Lewes the Gentle being unknown before and never mentioned in all Antiquity bearing on the front the name of Isidorus Peccator and in some Copies Isidorus Mercator a man unknown and a name forged at will That Collection of Decretals began to go about in France in the beginning of the Reign of Charles the Bald. The first that used them was Hinckmar Bishop of Laon upon this occasion Hinckmar Arch-Bishop of Rhemes had promoted to the Bishoprick of Laon another Hinckmar his Nephew who having excommunicated his Clergy and hindered the Divine Service and the Baptism of Children in his own Bishoprick and committed divers crimes and excesses was cited to appear before his Unckle who was his Metropolitan But he would not obey nor appear Upon that Hinckmar of Rhemes disanulled all the Acts of Hinckmar of Laon and would synodically proceed against him
also unto destruction whom he would 2. That they who are predestinated unto destruction cannot be saved 3. That whereas the Apostle saith God willeth that all men be saved he meaneth only all them who shall be saved 4. That Christ came not to save all men nor did he suffer for all men but only for them who shall be saved by the mystery of his passion 5. Since the first man fell of his Free-will none of us can use Free-will to do good but only to do evil Remigius Bishop of Lions in the name of the Church of Lions defended these five Articles whereupon Hinckmar wrote unto Pope Nicholas against Gotteschalk and calleth these Articles the heresie of the Predestinarians which was overthrown in Africk and afterwards in France by Authority of Pope Celestine When Gotteschalk returned from Italy Raban Bishop of Mentz summoned him to a Synod and when he could not perswade him to change his mind he wrote unto Hinckmar and others Hinckmar summoned Gotteschalk unto a Synod of twelve Bishops and some Priests and Abbots in Carisiac on Isara where four Articles were enacted against him He was condemned of Heresie and contumacy he was whipt with rods Vid. Petries Ch. Hist Cent. 9. and cast into prison The Church of Lions after sight of these four Articles sent forth their censure of them Remigius was a man of a most holy Conversation and very learned as appeareth by the Comments which he wrote upon the Old and New Testaments At this time was published a Commentary on the thirteen Epistles of the Apostle St. Paul which was lately printed at Rome under the name of Remigius of Rhemes Lupus Abbot of the Monastery of Ferraria by the water Lupa running into Sein at the same time wrote several Epistles unto King Lewes and to Hinckmar which were printed at Paris Anno 1588. He comforteth his Master Einhard after the death of his Wife He speaks honourably of Marriage and comfortably of the estate of the Godly after this life without any mention of purgatory or Mass for the defunct At the same time also was a question of the presence of Christ's body in the Sacrament Charles the Bald King of France commanded Bertram a Priest at Corbey to search and write what was the Doctrine of the Fathers and Ancient Church in this Article Trithemius saith Bertram was singularly learned of an excellent eloquence and utterance pregnant in judgement and no less famous for holiness of life and wrote many excellent Treatises In obedience unto King Charles he compiled a Treatise De corpore sanguine Domini which is all inserted in Catal. Test verit lib. 10. This Book was forbidden to be read by order from the Roman Inquisition confirmed afterward by the Council of Trent Usher's Answ to the Jesuites challenge The Divines of Doway perceiving that the forbidding of that Book did not keep men from reading it but gave them rather occasion to seek more earnestly after it thought it better Bertram should be suffered to go abroad but handled in such sort as other ancient Writers that made against them were wont to be Bishop Ridley highly commends this Bertram Ridl Pres at coen Dom. Paschasius Rathbert Abbot of Corbey at the same time wrote a Book of the Eucharist Remigius Bishop of Auxerre flourished about the year 880 he wrote many Books He was called Doctor Sententiosus Charles the Bald died at Mantua Anno 879 being poisoned by Sedecias the Jew whom he employed for one of his Physicians leaving the Realm to his Son Lewes the second called the Stuttering Lewes King of Germany had vowed that he would take both Empire and Kingdom from Charles the Bald but was arrested with sickness at Frankford There he divided his Kingdom among his three Sons to Lewes he gave Saxony Turingia Frisia and the Provinces within them with the Title of East-France to Carloman he gave Bojaria Austria Bohemia and Moravia with the Title of King of Bavaria To Charles his third Son he gave Suevia Franconia with some parts of Lorain which he had taken after the death of Lotharius with the Title of King of Germany De Serres Hist Charles the Fat King of Germany strove for the Empire and was Crowned by the Romans Pope John would not consent and therefore was imprisoned he escaping goes into France and confirmeth Lewes the Stutterer He was courteously received by Lewes stays in France a whole year and there holds a Council at Troyes in Champagne The Pope was scarce gone but Lewes dieth having reigned only two years He had no lawful Children but two Bastards he left his Wife with Child The Queen was afterward delivered of a Son which was saluted King and called Charles During the minority of Charles Lewes and Carloman Brothers the two Bastards of Lewes the Stutterer are chosen by the States to Govern the Realm of France Lewes was defeated by the Normans and dies for grief Soon after his Death it is said that Carloman fell down and brake his neck Another Lewes succeedeth to these two Brethren but he quickly dyed Then the States called Charles the Gross King of Bavaria to this high Dignity He began his reign Anno 885 and reigned nine years His entrance was goodly but his end Tragical He was crowned King with promise to restore the Crown to the lawful Heir and to govern according to the will of the States He was Son to Lewes called Germanicus Son to Lewes the Gentle Being defeated by the Normans he yieldeth to a prejudicial peace and is much hated of the French At length the French and the Grrmans resolve to dispossess him The Germans made choice for their Emperour of Arnulph Son to Carloman the Son of Lewes the Gentle The French likewise reject this miserable Charles from the Regency of the Realm and call Eudes of Odon Duke of Anger 's named by the will of Lewes the Stutterer So this poor Prince is cast out both from Realm and Empire and remains naked without an house to shrowd himself in from this disgrace being banished from Court and driven into a poor Village of Suevia where he lived some days in extreme want without any means of his own or relief from any Man in the end he dyed neither pitied nor lamented of any in a corner unknown but to have been the Theatre of so extraordinary a Tragedy that one of the greatest Monarchs in the World should dye without House without Bread without Mourning and without Memory but the note of this end so prodigiously memorable Century X. CHarles the Third called the Simple was Crowned in the Year 902. Eudes governing with him eight Years from his Coronation Charles remaining alone after the Death of his Regent Reigned 27 Years His Reign was miserable throughout Now begins a notable league against the King Robert Duke of Anjou becomes the Head of this League accompanied with many great Men of France This Robert was Governour by the Death of his
that all Christians should shun the company of those accursed persons Hildebert Arch-Bishop of Tours lived under Philip the first King of France At that time the Kings of France furnished the Churches with Pastors after the death of the Incumbent Then Hildebert approved the presentation made by the King to a certain Bishoprick of his Realm commending him in this manner I congratulate with vertue Review of the Counc of Trent p 295. that hath her reward under our King He hath found that the power of a King shines more bright by gifts and liberality than by the Scepter and that it is not sufficient for a Prince to stir up his Subjects to well-doing by Examples unless they be also provoked by rewards Hence it is that your good manners were honoured by a great Priesthood The disposition of the King was sound and prudent considering it could not better provide for the Church than by placing you in it At this time Ivo Arch-Bishop of Chartres in France after he was elected by the Clergy was presented to the same King Philip the first and received his Investiture and pastoral staff from him upon the refusal of the Arch-Bishop of Sens he was consecrated by the Pope whereat the said Arch-Bishop was highly offended insomuch that He with other Bishops at the Synod of Estampes were upon the point of revoking the said consecration made by the Pope as prejudicial to the King 's Authority See here what the same Bishop saith of it in a Letter unto Pope Vrban Moreover I give your Holiness to wit Ivo Epist 12. that the Arch-Bishop of Sens being infatuated by the Counsel of the Bishop of Paris having summoned the said Bishop of Paris and two others of the same humour viz. he of Meaux and He of Troyes did very indiscreetly accuse me this present Year because of the consecration which I had received from you saying that I had offended against the King's Majesty by attempting to receive my consecration from the See Apostolick This Vrban the second Ivo Epist 134. forbade the Bishops of France to Crown King Philip whom he had excommunicated but they were readier to obey their King 's commands than his prohibition In the Council of Clermont in France saith Matthew Paris held Anno 1094. Math. Paris in Will 2. Pope Vrban excommunicated Philip King of France And another English Authour saith Will. Malmsb. li. 4. In this Council the Pope excommunicated King Philip of France and all such as should call him their King or their Lord and which should obey him or speak unto him In like manner Ivo Bishop of Chartres speaks of them both By reason of this accusation King Philip was excommunicated by Pope Vrban at the Council of Clermont and having resumed the same Wife after he was divorsed from her he was afterwards excommunicated at the Council of Poictiers by the two Cardinals John and Bennet Notwithstanding which Excommunication he was Crowned by the Arch-Bishop of Tours in a full Assembly of other Bishops Know you therefore saith the same Bishop of Chartres in a Letter of his to Pope Vrban that contrary to the prohibition of your Legate Ivo Epist 28. ad Urban secund the Arch-Bishop of Tours hath set the Crown upon the Head of the King He speaks afterwards of the Election of a Bishop made at the same time by those who were assembled with the said Arch-Bishop In another Epistle written to the same Vrban he sheweth him how Philip had sent Ambassadours unto him with prayers in one hand and threats in the other such as these That the King and Kingdom would relinquish their obedience to him unless he did restore the King unto his Crown and absolve him from the sentence of Excommunication And afterwards he advertiseth him How the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes Sens and Tours had by injunction from the King appointed their suffragan Bishops to meet at Troyes the first Sunday after All-Saints day after he should have returned his Answer Whence we collect two things 1. That the Bishops of France did not cease to acknowledge their King nor to obey him and communicate with him notwithstanding the prohibition from the Council of Clermont 2. That they were very ready to put in Execution those threats which the Ambassadours went to make unto the Pope in case he did not condescend unto the King's pleasure The same Ivo complains of the Pope's Legate because he had chosen the City of Bloyes there to decide the cause of the Clergy of Chartres who could not repair thither with safety by reason of the populousness of that City The same Bishop having a controversie with some of his Clergy depending before the Arch-Bishop of Sens his Metropolitan intreats him to appoint a place for Judgement whither they might go and come in safety The Legate fore-mentioned having appointed a Council consisting of French Bishops to meet at Sens for the absolution of King Philip the first from the Excommunication which was darted out against him by the Pope by reason of his unlawful marriage he gives him notice that he might have done better to have proceeded to that absolution in another place than Sens Ivo Epist 166. that so every one might have had means to speak his opinion freely Idem Epist 116. The same Bishop of Chartres continuing his devotion to Pope Vrban upon the Election of an Arch-Bishop of Rhemes assureth the Pope that one was chosen who was very zealous for the See Apostolick adding afterwards No whow necessary is it for the Church of Rome to place in that See a Minister which is devout and affectionate unto her it is not for me to inform your Wisdom which knows very well that this See wears the Royal Diadem and serves for a pattern to all other Churches of France either of Ruine or Resurrection This Ivo of Chartres although he had received his Investiture from King Philip yet inasmuch as he had gotten his confirmation from Pope Vrban he was always affectionate to him and the Roman See even to the prejudice of the King and Kingdom as may be collected from some of his Epistles Lup. Epist 40. On the contrary because Lupus had gotten the Abbey of St. Peter de Ferriers in the Diocess of Sens by the donation of Charles the bald he was always loyal and even brags of it in one of his Epistles It happened that there came a French Pilgrim to Jerusalem called Peter an Hermit Tho. Fuller Hist of the holy War lib. 1. ca. 8. born at Amiens in France one of a contemptible person yet a man of a quick apprehension and eloquent Tongue and one that was counted very Religious With him Simon the Patriarch of Jerusalem often treated concerning the present miseries of the Christians under the Turks what hope of amendment and how the matter might be secretly contrived that the Princes in Europe might assist and relieve them Peter moved with the Patriarch 's perswasions the
Engine had his Head parted from his body Some conceived they saw God's finger in the Womans hand that because the greater part of his cruelty lighted on the weaker Sex for he had buried the Lady La Vaur alive respecting neither her Sex nor Nobility a Woman was chosen out to be his Executioner He dyed even then when the Pope and three Councils of Vaur Lateran and Montpelier had pronounced him Son Servant favourite of the Faith the invincible defender thereof Among other of his stiles he was Earl of Leicester in England and Father to Simon Montfort the Cataline of this Kingdom See Camden in Leicester-shire also in Worcester-shire who under pretence of curing this Land of some grievances had killed it with his Physick had he not been killed himself in the battle of Evesham in the Reign of King Henry the third Here ended the storm of open War against the Albigenses though some great drops fell afterward And the Pope grew sensible of many mischiefs in prosecuting this people with the Holy War Perin de Albigensib li. 2. ca. 4. Three hundred thousand of these croised Pilgrims lost their lives in this expedition within the space of fifteen years so that there was neither City nor Village in France but by reason hereof had Widows and Orphans cursing this expedition The Pope therefore now resolves upon a privater way namely to prosecute them by way of Inquisition The chief promoter of that War was Dominick the Authour of the Order of the Dominicans His Mother being with child of him dreamed that she had a dog vomiting fire in her Womb. Du. Moul. Contr Perron l. 7. This ignivomus Cur as one calleth him did bark at and deeply bite the poor Albigenses who put above two hundred thousand of them to death Almerick for his laziness was deposed by the Pope and John Bren was made King of Jerusalem In the beginning of his Reign this accident fell out In France a Boy for his years went about singing in his own Tongue Jesus Lord repair our loss Restore to us thy Holy Cross Numberless Children ran after him and followed the same tune their Captain and chanter did set them No bolts no bars no fear of Fathers nor love of Mothers could hold them back but they would to the Holy Land to work wonders there but this merry musick had a sad close all either perishing on Land Math. Paris p. 324. or being drown'd by Sea Mathew Paris saith it was done by the instinct of the Devil King Lewes VIII having compounded with Almery the Son of Simon Earl of Montfort for Languedoc resolves to unite this rich Province to the Crown To this end he levies a great Army fortified with cruel Edicts against the Albigenses as Hereticks and Rebels Count Reymund submits himself to Pope Honorius and yieldeth to Lewes and perswades the Earl of Cominges to the like obedience Thus both of them abandon the people and go to Rome leaving the poor Albigenses to the mercy of Lewes who presently subdues all Languedoc and Provence The House of Montlor one of the greatest in the County of Vivaret having followed the Albigenses party makes his peace by means of the Town of Argentiere given to the Bishop of Viviers who enjoyeth it to this day Many Families were made desolate These poor miserable people were dispersed here and there and such as remained in the Country were forced to acknowledge the Pope's Authority Lewes ordered the Marshal Foy of the house of Mirepois to command his Forces leaving the Lord of Beaujeu for Governour and Lieutenant-General of Languedoc All this mischief was contrived by the Pope who had sent his Legat into France Fox Act. monum Vol. 1. to summon a Council at Biture whither the King with six Arch-Bishops and the Bishops and Suffragans of nine Provinces repaired to the number of an hundred besides the Abbots Priors and Proctors of all the Covents of France Having dispatch'd the business of Earl Reymund and the Albigenses the event whereof hath been before declared Romanus the Pope's Legate gave leave to all Proctors of Covents and Chapters to return home only retaining with him the Arch-Bishops Bishops Abbots to whom he opened another part of his Commission which was to obtain of every Cathedral Church two Prebend-ships one for the Bishop the other for the Chapter And in Monasteries also after the like sort where the Abbot and Covent had divers and several portions to require two Churches one for the Abbot the other for the Covent keeping this proportion that how much should suffice for the living of one Monk so much the whole Covent should find for their part and as much the Abbot for his likewise The Clergy of France answered that the thing he enterprized could not be brought to effect without great offence taken and inestimable damage to the Church of France In conclusion when the matter came to debating with the Legat the objections of the inferiour Clergy were these following 1. They alledged the great damages and expences Math. Paris which they were like to sustain thereby by reason of the continual procurators of the Pope which in every Diocess must live not of their own but must be sustained upon the charges of the Cathredral Churches and other Churches also and many times they being but procurators will be found as Legats 2. By that means they said great perturbations might ensue to the Covents and Chapters of Cathedral Churches in their elections Forasmuch as the Pope's Agents and Factors being in every Cathedral Church and Chapter-house perchance the Pope would command him in his person to be present at their elections and so might trouble the same by delaying and deferring till it might fall to the Court of Rome to give and so should be placed more of the Pope's Clientele in the Churches of France than of the proper Inhabitants of the Land 3. By this means they affirmed that all they in the Court of Rome should be richer and receive more for their proportion than the King of the Realm by means whereof the Court of Rome would delay and drive off great suits and would scarce take any pains with small causes Thus would Justice be turned aside and poor suitors should dye at the gates of Rome and for the better speeding of their causes they thought seeing it was meet they should have friends in the Court of Rome by keeping them needy their gifts might be the sweeter and their causes sooner dispatched 4. Seeing it is impossible that the Fountain of greedy desires should be stopped it was to be feared that either they would do that by others which they were wont to do by themselves or else they should be enforced to give greater rewards than before for small gifts with great Rich Men are little regarded 5. Whereas the removing away the slander was alledged which goeth on the Court of Rome by this means rather the contrary were to be
feared wherein that sentence was alledged Quòd virtus reddit non copia sussicientem Et non paupertas sed mentis hiatus egentem That great riches stop not the taking of much but a mind contented with a little 6. They added that great riches would cause factions among the Romans and taking of sides and parties so that by great possessions sedition might follow to the ruine of the City 7. That though they would oblige themselves to that contribution yet their Successours would not be so bound nor yet ratifie that bond of theirs 8. They desired the Legat that the zeal of the Universal Church and of the Church of Rome would move him for if this oppression of the Church should be Universal it were to be doubted lest an Universal departing might follow from the Church of Rome which God forbid said they should happen The Legat hereat excused himself that he being in the Court never agreed to this exaction and that the Letters came not to him before he was in France and as for him he would stir no more in the matter before it were proved what other Countries would say and do therein King Lewes passing with a great Host by Bourges and Nevers marched to Lyons and from Lyons to Avignon which for disobedience to the Church of Rome had stood accursed by the Pope for seven years The Citizens of Avignon shut their gates against the King and his Army not suffering them to come within the City Wherefore the King assaulted the City Fabian's chronic and lost there many of his Men among which Guy Earl of St. Paul and the Bishop of Lemerick and others to the number of two and twenty thousand there were slain In the end they submitting to the King's pleasure and the correction of the Pope an agreement was made and the King and his Army were received into the City and the Citizens received absolution from the Pope's Legate King Lewes to avoid the pestilence that was in his Camp went into an Abbey not far off where shortly after he dyed and was carried to Paris where he was interred Anno 1226. Near unto this time Gulielmus de Alta Petra Bishop of Paris wrote a Book de Clero wherein he thus speakerh of the Clergy of his time No godliness or Learning is seen in them but rather all devilish filthiness and monstrous vices they are not the Church but Babylon and Egypt and Sodom the Popish Prelats build not the Church but destroy it they mock God and they and their Priests do prophane the body of Christ they lift up to the Heavens with all manner of Ecclesiastical honour the limbs of the Devil in a word they bring Lucifer into the Church of Christ He taught also that there is no Law belonging to the salvation of man but the Gospel of Christ King Lewes IX called St. Lewes succeedeth his Father in the Kingdom of France being but twelve years old and was Crowned at Rhemes There is extant a constitution of this King Lewes bearing date Anno 1228. sub Tit. de Taliis wherein he regrateth the Avarice of Popes saying that exactions and grievous burthens of Moneys are laid on the Churches of our Kingdoms by the Court of Rome whereby the Kingdom is miserably exhausted We will therefore that these be levied upon no condition nor gathered except only for a reasonable pious and most urgent necessity and by our express and willing consent and with the consent of the Church it self of our Kingdom At that time the Senate of Paris did present unto John Santroman the King's Advocate the Pope's Bull to be read and answered He replyed saying The greatest confusion of all things would arise upon the accepting of that Bull for by authority of such in former times the French people had in great numbers gone out of the Kingdom to Rome of whom some became slaves or clients to the Cardinals and some living more liberally had idly wasted their Patrimony Brut. Fulmen ex Chronic. Britan. Armoric li. 4. and others in the City or by the way had perished with the badness of the Air and frequent pestilence and so France was exhausted of Subjects especially of Learned men He sheweth also how vast sums of Moneys were carried away for vacancies ad Advouzons of Bishopricks and Abbeys and other Titles in the Church so that sometimes ten or twelve Bulls were sold for one Priesthood And if this custom shall continue saith he it shall come to pass that who hath any store of Moneys will send to Rome and buy a Priesthood unto his Son or Cousin The Rector of the University of Paris spake to the same purpose and having protested at length against the Bull he appealeth from the iniquity thereof to the next Council The Pope's Legate having raised an immense sum of Money in France Lewes prohibited that the Money which was yet in France should be delivered to the Pope's Assigns or transported out of the Kingdom King John Bren resigneth the Kingdom of Jerusalem to Frederick the second Emperour There was also a Peace with the Turks concluded for eight years John got now more in a twelve-month than in seven years before P. Aemil. in Phil. 2. going from Country to Country In France besides rich gifts left to himself he had the managing of sixty thousand Crowns the Legacy which Philip Augustus the King on his Death-bed bequeathed to the Templars and the Holy War In England he received many presents from King Henry III. though afterward he proved but unthankful for them Math. Paris p. 627. In Spain he got a rich Wife marrying Beringaria the Daughter of the King of Castile In Italy he tasted largely of the Pope's bounty but at last perfidiously raised rebellions against Frederick his Son-in-Law by the Pope's instigation It is conceived that the Pope provided that match for Frederick to employ him in Palestine whilst he at home might play his game at pleasure Frederick recovereth all Palestine and Jerusalem without expence of time or blood and concluded a ten years truce with the Sultan without the Pope's consent And on Easter-day tryumphantly entring Jerusalem crowned himself King with his own hands For Gerard Patriarch of Jerusalem and Oliver Master of the Templars with all the Clergy absented themselves neither was there any Mass sung in the City so long as the Emperour being excommunicated remained there In the Interim the Christians every where build and repair the Cities of Palestine being now resigned into their hands Joppa and Nazareth they strongly fortified the Walls of Jerusalem were repaired the Churches adorned But short were the smiles of this City which groaning under God's old curse little joyed her self in this her new bravery About the year 1232. the Greeks recover their Empire from the Latines who had made an hard shift to hold Constantinople almost sixty years under five succeeding Emperours 1. Baldwin the first Earl of Flanders 2. Henry his Brother 3. Peter Count
and gave courage to their Commanders Philip seeing his Errour raiseth another Army of 40000 men and puts them under the command of Robert Earl of Artois accompanied with the Constable of France and many other great Personages Century XIV THe Armies forementioned meet near unto the Town of Courtray in a place called Groeming The French were defeated Of this great Army there hardly escaped three hundred not one Commander escaped and very few Noble-men There were taken Robert Earl of Artois General of the Army the Constable of France James of Chastillon Governour of Flanders John King of Majorca Godfrey of Brabant and his Son the Lord of Viezon the Earls of Ewe la March Damartin Aumale Auge Tankerville and many other great Personages Twelve hundred Gentlemen were slain by this enraged Multitude All Flanders now revolted from the French This happened in the Year 1302. on July 11. John of Namour is their Governour in the absence of their imprisoned Earl All the threats of the King of England and the Emperour now vanished away only Pope Boniface had Excommunicated King Philip and interdicted his Realm in the hottest of these Flemmish affairs upon this occasion The Christians Estate was lamentable in the East the Tartarians encreased daily The Pope Anno 1301. sent Boniface Bishop of Apamea unto King Philip requiring him to go into the Holy Land When the Bishop saw no appearance of obedience he threatned the King that the Pope would deprive him of his Kingdom Whereupon the Bishop being charged of Arrogancy and Treason and cast into Prison the Pope sends to him again one Peter a Roman born Arch-Bishop of Narbon commanding him to set the Bishop at liberty and to take a Voyage against the Infidels and not to meddle with the Tenths of the Clergy Philip answered his troubles at home hindred him from going into the East and constrained him to impose a Subsidy upon the Clergy and he was willing to dismiss the Bishop The Arch-Bishop replyed that he was ignorant of the Pope's Authority who was not only the Father of Christian Souls but also Soveraign Lord in Temporal things And therefore by that Authority he did excommunicate him declaring him unworthy to reign and his Realm forfeited to the Pope to invest whom he pleased Moreover he brought another Bull directed to the Prelates and Noblemen of France whereby he acquitted all French-men and dispensed with them as to their Oath of Allegiance to Philip. And cited all the Prelates and Divines of the French Church to appear before him at Rome disanulling all indulgences and priviledges granted to the French by any Popes his predecessours The Earl of Artois disdaining this affront takes the Bull and casts it into the fire Philip was so born out by the Peers of France that when he demanded their advice how he should demean himself and whether he should put up that wrong they answered That they were ready not only to spend their goods which they there wholly offered unto him for that end but also to expose their persons even to death for him not refusing any torments Adding further and that more plainly by word of mouth That if the King which God forbid would suffer it or connive at it yet for their parts they would never endure it Mr. John Tillet Bishop of Paris speaking of this Fact in his French Chronicle The impudence of this man saith he of Boniface was wonderful who durst affirm that the Realm of France was a Benefice of the Papal Majesty But I think them saith he the greater fools who dispute the point whether the Pope hath this power or no he put our France under an Interdict for the time but the Bishops took the King's part King Philip appealed from the usurpations and insolencies of Boniface VIII to the See Apostolick then vacant as he said and to a future Council as Platina saith in his Life Platina in Bonifac 8. The States of France disanulled Boniface's excommunication Boniface by a glosing Letter of his written unto the Bishops endeavoureth to make them approve his unjust proceedings against King Philip where he saith among other things Those who hold that Temporal matters are not subject to spiritual do not they go about to make two Princes He complains also of the Parliament holden at Paris where it was enacted saith he by under-hand and begged voices that none should appear before him upon the summons of the See Apostolick Math. Westm li. 2. sub Ann. 301. He complains also of the Report which was made to that Assembly by Mr. Peter Flotte whom he calleth Belial half blind in body and quite in understanding This was the man who being sent in Embassage to him by King Philip to that saying of his we have both the one power and the other made this reply in behalf of his Master yours is verbal but ours is real This Pope will have it necessary to salvation to believe that all the faithful people of Christ are subject to the Pope of Rome and that he hath both the swords and that he judgeth all men and is judged of none This Boniface was the Authour of the sixth book of the Decretals King Philip sends back the Pope's two Nuncio's to Rome and forbids the Prelates of France to go or send any Money to Rome This being done Philip raiseth new forces to return into Flanders and subdueth the Flemmings but by the instance of John Duke of Brabant he makes peace with them upon strict conditions During this Treaty Guy Earl of Flanders and his Daughter do both dye Robert William and Guy Brethren the Sons of the Earl Guy of Flanders were freed with all the Prisoners Isabel the Daughter of Philip is married to Edward the second King of England This War of Flanders had wasted above three hundred thousand French-men in eleven years during the which it continued Adolph was deposed from the Empire by a Decree of the Electors and Albert of Austria was seated in his place who pursuing him with War slew him with his own hand in an encounter near unto Spire Albert being chosen and installed Emperour Boniface presently seeks to win him against King Philip. He proclaims him Emperour and invests him King of the Realm of France giving him both the Title and Arms and taking occasion to sow division in the heart of the Realm by means of the Clergy who by reason of their Revenues had great power in the State He also wrote Letters to Philip in this manner Boniface Bishop Servant of the Servants of God to Philip King of French-men Fear God and observe his Commandmens We Will thee to understand that thou art subject unto us both in Spiritual things and in Temporal and that it belongeth not to Thee to give any Prebend or Benefice If thou hast the keeping of any of them being vacant thou must reserve the profits of them to the Successours If Thou hast given any we judge thy gift to be void and do revoke
was John XXII He was a Cistercian Monk he sate in that seat eighteen years This John believed that the Souls do not enjoy the presence of God before the day of Judgement He sent two Preachers to Paris the one a Dominican the other a Franciscan to assert and maintain the same Heresie But one Thomas an English Preacher withstood the Pope and the Pope threw him into prison Hereupon the French King summoned a Council unto his palace in Vintiana Sylva the whole Assembly subscribed against the Pope Immediately the King sent to Pope John to reform his errour and to set the Preacher at liberty which he did Some say that the Divines of Paris made him to recant his errour publickly Append. to Martin Polon in Joann 22. sub Ann. 1317. This John XXII erected the Church of Tholouse in France to an Arch-Bishoprick divided the Diocess of Tholouse into six Bishopricks the Bishops whereof should be suffragans to the Arch-Bishop of Tholouse and turned six Villages into Cities viz. Montauban Rieux Lombez-Abbey St. Papoul Lavaur and Mirepoix He created two Bishopricks within the Arch Bishoprick of Narbon the first at Limoux whose Seat he translated to Alet not long after the second in the Abbey of St. Pons setting out their Diocesses He divided also the Bishoprick of Alby into two and created one at Castres He erected divers others besides which are reckoned up in particular by the Authour of the continuation to Martinus Polonus Clement V. predecessour to this Pope had ordained that Emperours by the German Princes elected might be called Kings of the Romans but might not enjoy the Title or right of the Empire to be nominated Emperours without their confirmation given by the Pope Wherefore because Lewes of Bavaria being chosen Emperour used the Imperial dignity in Italy before he was authorized by the Pope the said Pope John therefore Excommunicated the Emperour who often desired of him a Treaty of peace which the Pope refused to hearken to At the same time divers learned Men disallowed the doings of the Pope as William Ocham whose transactions were afterward condemned by the Pope for writing against that See and Marsilius Pativinus who wrote the Book entituled Defensor pacis which was put into the hands of the said Emperour wherein the controversie of the Pope's unlawful jurisdiction in things Temporal is largely disputed and the usurped Authority of that See is set forth to the uttermost Some Writers say that a great cause of the variance was for that one of the Emperour's Secretaries unknown to the Emperour had likened in divers of his Letters the Papal See to the Beast rising out of the Sea in the Apocalypse At length when the Emperour after much suit made to the Pope at Avignon could not obtain his Coronation from him he went to Rome where he was received with great honour and both he and his Wife were both crowned by the consent of all the Lords and Cardinals there and another Pope was there set up called Nicholas V. Not long after Pope John dyeth at Avignon after whom succeedeth Benedict XII Anno 1335. This Man was as uncourteous to the Emperour as John had been he renewed the curses against him bereft him of all Regal Dignity and by his sentence deprived him of the Dukedom of Bavaria Hereupon the Emperour cometh into Germany and assembleth the Princes Dukes Nobles Bishops and other learned men in a Council at Franckford where he caused an injunction to be dispatched wherein he affirmed the sentence pronounced against him unjust and that his Excommunication did no way bind him Wherefore he commanded upon great penalties that no man should obey his censures and interdictions in that behalf which injunction caused great alterations in Germany especially among the Clergy some holding with the Emperour others with the Pope Dante 's a man of profound Learning at that time wrote a Book called The Monarchy wherein he favoured the Emperour for which he was afterward condemned and his Book held for Heresie And other great men wrote Books and Treatises defending the Pope's supream Authority Charles IV. Brother to Philip the long succeeded in the Kingdom of France being the last Son of Philip the Fair. He dyed Anno 1328. having reigned six years leaving the Crown to the second royal Branch of Capets whereunto the order of the fundamental Law did lawfully call them Philip the Hardy had left two Sons Philip the fair and Charles Earl of Valois of whom it is said that he was the Son of a King Brother to a King Unckle to a King Father to a King and yet no King Philip the Son of Charles of Valois is saluted and proclaimed King of France and anointed and crowned at Rhemes according to the usual custom Near the beginning of his Reign De Serres Hist in vit Philip. de Valois the Courts of Parliament and all the Soveraign Judges assembled from all the Provinces made a general complaint against the Clergy of France accusing them of sundry abuses and namely that against the right of their charges they intermeddled with the politick jurisdiction The suit was vehement and famous for the greatness of the parties The King to reconcile this quarrel calls a general Assembly of his whole Realm at Paris The cause was pleaded before him with great liberty by Peter de Cugneriis this is He whom in derision they call M. Peter Cugnet who is in the great Temple in Paris noted with a little Monkey's head placed betwixt two pillars to put out the Candles being odious by reason of his pleading and as coldly defended by Peter Bertrand both famous Advocates in those times The issue was doubtful and Philip seriously exhorted the Prelates to reform themselves and in reforming the abuse to avoid these popular complaints refering the matter to a further hearing This Pope Benedict took from the Emperour the Senatourship of Rome he first took upon him to usurp the presentments of all Bishopricks He abridged many unlearned men of Priesthood He reformed many Sects of Monks He commanded that all his Chaplains should lye in one Dormitory together and should have no other Revenues than for Dyet and Apparel He published certain Acts against the Dominicans he kept divers Concubines And leaving great store of Treasure to the Church he dyed Anno 1342. of whom these verses were made Iste fuit verò Laicis mors vipera Clero Devius a vero turba Repleta mero Clement VI. born in Lemonia by profession a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being Abbot of Fisca succeeded Benedict at Avignon This Man Excommunicated all the Princes Lords and Bishops that consented to the doings of Lewes the Emperour He made Avignon part of St. Peter's patrimony He ordained that the Jubilee should be kept every fiftyeth year after the manner of the Jews and so it was kept at Rome Anno 1350. Now there were great Wars in France between Edward III. King of England and the King of France
renounce Gregory was hereupon declared Legate Della Marca and went to his charge but he dyed soon after at Ricanati of discontent John and Gregory being removed there remained a third still which was Benedict XIII who declared that he would never renounce Hereupon Sigismund the Emperour went in person to the Kings of France and of England to advise with them about forcing Benedict to a renouncing also Sigismund having received a satisfactory answer from these two Princes he went to Narbon and discoursed personally with Ferdinand King of Arragon whose Subjects paid obedience to Benedict But Benedict still alledged that he was the true Vicar of Christ saying that Constance was not a place convenient for the liberty of an Ecclesiastical Council seeing that John had been condemned and deposed from the Papacy by those very persons who had been formerly his Friends and received him to the Pontifical dignity The Princes of Spain observing the pertinacity of Benedict concurred with the opinion of the Council which was managed by five several Nations viz. Italy Germany England France and Spain What these Nations had done was approved and published by a Trumpet or a publick Notary Then Benedict's cause being discussed he was at last deposed and declared void of the Papacy no reckoning being made of the absent Scots and Count d'Armignac who continued their obedience to him About this time John Huss and Jerome of Prague his Disciple were condemned and burnt for Hereticks On Novemb. 8. Anno 1417. thirty two Cardinals entred the conclave with thirty others for the several Nations which is six a piece and on the 11 th of the same Month which was the Feast of St. Martin about three in the Morning Cardinal di san Gregorio called Oddo Colonna before was created Pope with great satisfaction to the people The Emperour presently went into the conclave and having thanked the Cardinals kissed the Pope's Feet The Pope embraced him and thanked him for his great industry in that affair This Pope would needs be called Martin because his Election hapned on that Saint's day Then all the French Cardinals left Benedict and came in unto Martin the Scots and d'Armignac did the same and all Christendom except Paniscola which remained divided Martin being desirous to put an end to the Council Anno 1418. he made a publick Assembly after which by common consent but especially of Sigismund Ibaldo Cardinal of St. Vito by order from the Pope pronounced these words of dismission Domini ite in pace and so all had liberty to depart Then Martin hastned to Rome travelling by Milan as the nearest way He sate fourteen years and dyed of an Apoplexy Febr. 20. Anno 1431. When Benedict had sate thirty years and was dead his Cardinals chose Pope Clement VIII but he compounded with Martin and so the schism was ended Henry V. King of England had invaded France and soon after at the Battle of Agin-Court ten thousand French-men were slain Anthony Duke of Brabant with his Brother Philip Earl of Nevers were also slain by the English Bow-men These were Brethren to John Duke of Burgundy Charles Duke of Orleans and Lewes of Burbon the Earls of Richemont Ew and Vendosme the strongest pillars of the Orleans faction with many other Noble-men and Gentlemen were taken prisoners and carried into England Lewes the Daulphin dyeth soon after this defeat The Emperour Sigismund cometh into France making shew of the great desire he had to make a peace betwixt the French and the English The English take all Normandy and Rhoan is besieged and taken and all the Isle of France yieldeth to King Henry even to the Gates of Paris France was now strangely divided into divers factions The King's Authority were for the Queen and the Burgundian Piccardy Burgundy and many other Towns in Bry Champagne and Beausse obeyed them absolutely after the great massacres that had been lately done in Paris Only Sens adhered to the Daulphin Charles The Prince of Orange of the Burgundian Faction makes War in Daulphinè and Languedoc to cross the affairs of Charles who notwithstanding had the greatest part of the Countrey at his devotion with the friendship of Avignon and the Earldom of Veness The English possessed all Normandy and a great part of Guienne But Rochel Poictiers St. John de Angelo Angoulesm Fontenay and some other Towns acknowledged the Daulphin All Anjou was his Avergne Berry Burbonois Forrest and Lionois obeyed him He likewise took upon him the Name of Regent The Duke of Britain leaves the English and joyns with the Daulphin The people grow in dislike with the Duke of Burgundy and the Parisians mutiny against the Burgundian faction and kill his Servants At length a peace is made betwixt the Daulphin and the Burgundian Anno 1419. but soon after the Daulphin causeth John Duke of Burgundy to be murthered in his presence This John had slain Charles Duke of Orleans traiterously and now he is treacherously slain by Charles the Daulphin Philip Son to John Duke of Burgundy stirs up great troubles against Charles the Daulphin in revenge of his Father 's death By his means Isabel an unkind Mother makes War against Charles her Son and peace with Henry V. King of England then a Capital Enemy to the State She gives him her Daughter Katherine in Marriage and procures King Charles VI. her Husband to declare Henry his lawful Heir and to disinherit his only Son Charles from the Realm of France But in the midst of these occurrences Henry V. dyeth in the vigour of his age and spirit on the last day of August Anno 1422. and Charles VI. the French King dyed fifty days after on the 22. of October the same year After his Funerals Henry VI. an Infant Son to Henry V. is proclaimed King of France and after is crowned King at Paris Charles VII after the decease of his Father Charles VI. took upon him the name of King of France notwithstanding the pretension of the English He was 21 years old when he began to reign and reigned 39 years The beginning of his reign was troublesome till he was installed King and thereby acknowledged of all the French Afterwards he reduced the Cities subdued by the English to his obedience beginning with the City of Paris and so proceeding to the rest of the Realm expelling the English from all except Calais In the close of his Reign he had many Domestical discontents which hastened him to his Grave after the happy events of all his difficulties At this time flourished John Gerson a divine of Paris he was present at the Council of Constance and in some written Treatises highly commendeth the decree Bishop Jâ—el's preface to his defence of his Apolâ—gy Bishop Bedel Waddesw â—eâ—â— p. 107. that the Bishop of Rome should be subject to the Council and saith The thing is worthy to be written in all places for a perpetual memory He was the most learned Man of his time and the only Doctor and Leader of
the Council of Constance He was counted a subtle disputer and profound School-Doctor One calleth him the learned and devout Chancellour of Paris He was much acquainted with Temptations and wrote a Book de variis Diaboli tentationibus He was sirnamed Doctor Christianissimus His works are Printed in four Volumes his French works are mentioned by Antoine du Verdier in his Bibliotheque Gerson de defect Viror Eccles ca. 52. In his Treatise de defectu virorum Ecclesiasticorum he sets down such things as ought to be reformed in the Church and among others mentions this That known Men and such as are most fitting be Elected out of the same Countrey that strangers in manners language and education be not sent and set over Churches And in his Book of Ecclesiastical power Gerson lib. de Eccles potest after he hath spoken of the divers abuses of the Popes he addeth What shall we think is to be said of an infinite number of such like things that are done casting aside all care and regard of all Spiritual and Divine matters which concern the Christian Faith and Religion What think you What shall we say for the present of that so easie a dispensation as they speak of granted by the Pope and the Prelates over lawful Oaths reasonable Vows for the excessive plurality of Benefices the general non obstantes of Councils the privileges and exemptions against common right Who can number all the ways whereby the force of Ecclesiastical yea of Evangelical Discipline is enfeebled consumed and quite annihilated He addeth the cunning and glozing flattery of Vp-starts whispering the Clergy but especially the Pope in the Ear. Oh how great is the height of your Ecclesiastical power O sacred Clergy all secular Authority is but a Toy in comparison of thine seeing that as all power is given to Christ both in Heaven and Earth so Christ hath bequeathed all to St. Peter and his Successours So that Constantine gave nothing to Pope Silvester which was not originally his own but only restored unto him what he unjustly detained from him Again as there is no power but is of God so there is nothing Temporal or Spiritual Imperial or Regal which is not of the Pope upon whose Thigh God hath Writ King of Kings and Lord of Lords So as to dispute his power is a kind of Sacrilege To whom no Man may say why do you so Although he should exchange purloin or sell all the Temporals the Goods Lands and Lordships of the Church Let me be a Lyar if all these things be not written by such as seem to be wise men in their eyes and if they have not been believed also by some Popes Stephanus Paschasius in his Icones hath these Verses of Gerson Quid potuit Sorbona doces meritissimè Gerso Tu magni Gerso luxque decusque Chori At the same time flourished Nicholas de Clemangiis a Master of Paris and Arch-Deacon of Baion a man pious and Learned one calls him one of the most Learned and Eloquent Divines of his time He wrote a Book of the ruine and reparation of the Church Nic. de Clemang de ruin repar Eccles Of which I shall set down some passages in general terms First saith he let us speak of the Head upon whom all the rest depends He afterwards addeth For the supream Bishops who by how much they see themselves ranked above others in greatness and Authority by so much they labour the more to overthrow them out of a domineering humour for the enlarging of their primacy and supreme power considering that the commodities of the Bishoprick of Rome which is very large and above any Kingdom though it hath been sufficiently curtail'd by their negligence can no way suffice to maintain the greatness of their State which they have purposed to raise high enough above all the Kings and Emperours in the World have cast themselves into those flocks of others that abound in breeding in Wool and Milk He afterwards specifies the looseness the luxury vanities worldliness Clemang lib. de lapsu reparat justit p. 10. rapines vexations usurpations oppressions and other such like abuses and vices of the Popes and their Courts In another Book of his he sheweth that the Court of Rome hath infected France by coming there specifying all the vices and blemishes that are communicated unto it and those not a few There was a time saith he when the Apostolick Bishop being vexed with the Tyranny of the Italians made choice of France for his seat and for all the Court of Rome supposing he could not find assured refuge else-where to whom I could with saith he the strength of France had not proved a Staff of a Reed as it was a long time before fore-told that it should What was it else that brought France upon the sudden into these miseries making her fall away from eminent glory which made her flourish above all other Nations but that degenerating from those Ancient vertues which adorned her with such an excellency of Honour she is changed from Valour to cowardise from diligence to sloath from honesty to ignominy from gravity to a wanton lightness from temperance to luxury from courage to presumption from liberality to covetousness and unrestrained spoiling from order to confusion from zeal of the publick good to private gains from correction and discipline to a general impunity and license of all wickedness and mis-demeanours and from Justice to all iniquity And elsewhere he complaineth thus So the Church which Christ hath taken for his Spouse without blemish disfigured by this horrible villany Tract de praesul p. 66. is now the shop of all Pride of all Trading filching and stealing where the Sacraments are hung out for a shew and all the orders even the Priesthood it self where favours are sold for silver dispensations for not preaching licenses for non-residence Where all Offices and Benefices yea even sins are bought and sold Lastly where Masses and Administration of the Lord's body are set to sale Would any Man have a Bishoprick let him provide his Money and that no small sum but a great one for so great a Title and let him not stand upon emptying his purse for the purchase of such a Dignity seeing he will quickly fill it again and that more soundly than he could do by many sorts of Merchandize Doth any desire a Prebend a Provost's place or some other dignity it is no matter for knowing his deserts his Life and Conversation but so many Crowns as he hath in his Chest such hopes may he conceive of compassing his desire For what should I speak of poor folks who are accounted unprofitable in all things and unworthy of all charge or government and who have no other hopes but to wax old and pine away in misery disrespected and despised What should a poor Man go to Market for with an empty pouch when he hath nothing to buy the Wares with And in
Naples with the King of Spain but in the end lost it by his Treachery suppressed the Pope's insolency and defeated the Venetians He was crowned in the Abbey of Saint Denis in France on the first of July following and on the next day made his triumphant entry into Paris Century XVI LEwes XII after he had worthily performed the Funerals of his Predecessour he first purchased the love of the Noble-men of his Court maintaining every man in his State and Dignity and the Magistrates in their Office He sought to cut off the tediousness of Suits he freed his Subjects from the third part of the Subsidies which oppressed them he put the Men at Arms into Garrisons reducing them to the Antient Discipline of War He made many good Laws against the abusive charges in the pursuit of Justice neither did he ever publish any Edict before it was confirmed by the Judgement of Soveraign Courts De Serres Hist in vit Ludovici XII His Decrees contained some limitation of the priviledges granted in old time to Universities the which they abused to the oppression of the people The University of Paris opposeth against the publication thereof and many infamous Libels were published against the King and the Chancellour of Rochefort The Scholars flock together resolving to abandon both study and the exercise of Learning John Cave being Rector forbids the Regents to read any more and the Preachers to preach until the University had recovered her Antient priviledges The King hereupon draws many Men at Arms into Paris and in Parliament confirms the abovenamed ordinances by an Edict The Rector fearing a check keeps all the Scholars within their Lodgings and revokes the commandement he had given John Standon a Doctor of Divinity one of the chief of the Faction was banished the Realm Thomas Warnet of Cambray who in preaching had railed against the King's Authority banished himself All things being thus settled Lewes takes upon him the Title of Duke of Milan He puts away Joan his Wife and marries with Ann the Widdow of the late King Charles Our Ladies Bridge at Paris fell threescore houses were ruined with it and a great number of persons were swallowed up in the River As touching the priviledges of the Kings of France we find when the Parliament of Paris gave their opinion and all the Chambers met together about receiving the Cardinal of Amboise and the qualifications that should be put to his faculties which was on Decemb. 11. 1501. the Laws of the Land and the Liberties of the Gallican Church were represented at large among which this was one That the King of France cannot be excommunicated that his Kingdom cannot be put under an Interdict as is collected out of the Antient Registers In the beginning of this Century Mr. John le Maire one of the French Historians wrote his Book of Schism and therein gives us to understand that there were endeavours then for the Reformation of the Church Every good Christian saith he ought to pray to God that the two last Councils of the Gallican Church may engender one great Universal and general Council of all the Latin Church to reform that Church as well in the Head as the Members so as the general Councils use to do And that if it be not kept at Lyons it may be kept in some other place most expedient and necessary for the publick good which may be very well done at this present considering the great peace amity and union which is betwixt the two greatest Potentates in Christendom the Emperour and the King together with a third confederate in the League the Catholick King Ferdinand of Arragon who ought altogether to reform the abuses of the Church of Rome Which Reformation must of necessity be made Thus he speaks of the aforementioned Pragmatick Sanction Forasmuch saith he as the Pope's are not content that the Pragmatick Sanction be in force although it be founded upon the Holy Canons Le Maire en la 2 part de la differ de schismes and Authorized by the Council of Basil but it derogates from the unsatiable covetousness of the Court of Rome therefore they say it is a pure Heresie In the time of this King Lewes XII lived Robert Gagwin who wrote the French History Erasmus his intimate Friend calls him a most discreet Historiographer he compares him to Salust and Livy Auâ—erti Miroel Elog. Belg. for purity of speech and composition of his History He was also a good Poet and an excellent Oratour and a Man well skilled in all polite Learning He was sent Ambassadour by the King of France into England Italy and Germany About this time flourished Jacobus Faber skilled in all Learning and especially in Divinity Farel and Calvin were his Scholars Illyr Catal. Test verit Sleidan saith he suffered great persecution for the truth from the Masters at Paris He was very low of a modest countenance and a sweet disposition his mind wholly estranged from all injustice I find him thus characterized Celeberrimus nostri seculi Philosophus Belg. quinimò totius Galliae unum decus Primus apud Gallos ut Cicero apud Romanos Philosophiam rudem impolitam cum eloquentiâ junxit Est in dicendo sublimis in sententiis gravis in attentione exquisitus in compositione diligens ac curiosus Trithem de Viris Illustrib Jodocus Clichtoveus a most learned Man of Paris was contemporary with Jacobus Faber De Serres Hist in vit Ludov. XII King Lewes and the Emperour being at variance a Treaty was agreed on and for this Treaty the Cardinal of Amboise Lieutenant-General for his Majesty at Milan went to the Emperour to Trent where first they Treated of the marriage of Charles the eldest Son to the Arch-Duke Philip of Austria with Claude the only Daughter of Lewes XII then about the calling a General Council to reform the Church not only in the members but even in the Head doubtless there is small assurance in the friendship of Princes who thirst after nothing but their own greatness Moreover seldom shall we see any thing succeed well with them who have coloured their passions with the name of the Church and the Reformation thereof which they did not really intend And likewise all the malitious practices and School-tricks of a Cardinal whose ambitious spirit gaped after the Popedom what could they produce but smoak for France and combustion for Italy The Arch-Duke Philip with his Wife Daughter to Ferdinand King of Arragon and Isabel Queen of Castile passed through Paris Novemb. 25. and from thence to Blois where the King and Queen remained where they concluded the marriage of their children But Man purposeth and God disposeth The Duke of Milan was soon after made Prisoner by the Treachery of the Suissers Cardinal Ascanius leaves Milan abandoned but he is betraid and led prisoner to Venice but the French King sent for him to Venice and not only the person of the Cardinal was delivered to him
that should seek to hinder the effect of the precedent Articles To cause Judges to be appointed to examine the crime committed by the Duke of Alançon declaring himself Chief of the Hereticks To cause the said Duke to come to Court with the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde and to seize upon the said Duke King and Prince and all their Accomplices That the Captains that should be under the Duke of Guise should put all Protestants and adherents to the Sword both in the Country and in Walled Towns To subdue the revolted Princes To be Masters of the Field To block up the Towns that were opposite and to put all to fire and sword that should make head against them Then to take exemplary punishment of the Duke of Alanâ—on now henceforth to be called the Duke of Anjou and his Complices Then by the Pope's consent to put the King and Queen into a Monastery as King Pipin in former time had done Childeric and in favour of the Roman See to abolish the liberties and priviledges of the French Church These high projects were hearkened unto received and favoured in the Court of Rome The Articles of this Association were first drawn at Peronne in Picardy but disguised with goodly shews to blind them that would examine them more exactly which were To maintain the Law of God to restore the holy service thereof To preserve the King and his Successours in the Estate Dignity Service and Obedience due unto him by his Subjects To restore unto the Estates of the Realm their Rights Preheminencies and Ancient Liberties And for the execution of these Articles a certain form of Oath was propounded inflicting pains of eternal damnation to the Associates that for any pretext whatsoever should withdraw themselves from this League and a Bond for such should be enrolled to employ their goods persons and lives to punish and by all means to ruine the enemies and perturbers thereof and to punish them that should fail or make any delays by the Authority of the Head as he should think good This being done many Posts went to and fro carrying the news of these designs They cast many Libels through the Streets in many great Towns They murmure that the Protestants are too much supported by the Edict And under this plausible name of the Church the people give ear to such as are ready to thrust them into Mutiny The King was daily advertised of these things But on the other side he hated the Protestants and sought to ruine them by degrees but not by any Instruments without his Authority His Mother likewise hated them to the death She causeth the Duke her Son to come to the Court and the King to be reconciled to him The King calls an Assembly of the States at Bloyes where Peter d'Espinac Arch-Bishop of Lions and the Baron of Senecey are Speakers the one for the Clergy the other for the Nobility and both conclude a publick Exercise of one only Religion in France Peter Versoris Advocate in the Court of Parliament in Paris Oratour for the third Estate insists on the Union of all the Kings Subjects in one Religion but by mild means and without War The King seemed to encline only to alter some Articles in the last Edicts of Pacification and not to abolish it quite But at length the King consenteth to root out all other Religion but the Popish to banish all Ministers Deacons and Overseers of the Reformed Religion and yet to take all his other Subjects of the said Religion into his protection attending that by better instructions they might be brought into the bosome of the Church But the King of Navarre the Prince of Conde the Marshal of Montmorency d'Anville and other Noble-men both of the one and the other Religion refusing to assist at this present Parliament conclude a nullity of all that was Decreed to prejudice the Edict of Pacification protesting to maintain themselves in the Rights Liberties and Freedoms which the last Edict had granted them The King of Navarre beseecheth the Estates by the Duke of Montpensier who was sent unto him not to infringe the Edict of Peace but to suffer the Protestants to enjoy that which had been so formerly granted He desireth time to attend the opinion of an Assembly of those of his Religion and of the Catholick-Associates which was to be shortly made at Montaubon The Prince of Conde answers more sharply That he doth not acknowledge the Assembly at Bloys for the Estates of the Realm but a Conventicle of persons corrupted by the sworn enemies of the Crown who have sollicited the abolition of the Edict to the subversion of the Realm That he hath alwaies honoured the Clergy and Nobility but he pities the people whom this Assembly at Bloys sought to ruine The chief of the Politicks declare that they adhere not to any other Religion than that of their Fathers but they are against the taking from the Protestants the publick Exercise which had been so solemnly allowed them The Duke of Montpensier being returned perswaded to have the Edict confirmed John Bodin a man famous for Learning and experience in State-affairs one of the Deputies of the Commons of Vermandois sheweth to the Assembly how ruinous and fatal the new taking up of Arms would be repeating from the beginning all the dangers and miseries of the late Wars which made a deep impression on the minds of the third Estate But the other Orders being byassed and pre-ingaged it was determined by plurality of voices that request should be made unto the King to establish only the Romish Religion in the Kingdom and to exclude for ever all Communion with the Hugonots Nevertheless Bodin procured certain words to be entred in the Records of the Order of Commons to certifie their desire of unity in Religion without the noise of Arms and the necessity of War This Bodin was a man eminent as well among Protestants as Papists though himself professed the Romish Religion His Learning and skill in Politicks appears in his great Book de Republicâ Thuanus highly commendeth his writings Possevine dislikes his Methodus Historica because he makes such honourable mention of the Protestants there Some commend his Theatrum Naturae for a choice piece a Book full of natural curiosities The King gives notice to his Governours and publisheth by his Letters Patents that he is resolved to grant the Estates their requests touching the Exercise of one only Religion And thus the sixth Civil War begins in Guienne During the Parliament the Deputies of the Low Countries demand succours of the King and the Duke of Anjou for Pfotectour of their Liberties against the insolencies of the Spaniards Anjou is now declared the King's Lieutenant General They deliver him a mighty Army with which contrary to the Oath taken by him in the observation of the accord and promise pass'd with the Prince of Conde and Duke Casimire he besiegeth and taketh La-Charitè by Composition and Ysoire in
contained in the writing framed at Nancy with the privity of the Duke of Lorain which had been presented to the King in the beginning of the year That the King should again declare himself Head of the Catholick League he promiseth never to make a Peace nor Truce with the Hugonots nor any Edict in their favour He shall by a publick Edict oblige all Princes Peers of France Lords and Officers of the Crown Towns Colledges Corporations and the whole people to swear the same and bind themselves with a solemn Oath never to suffer any one to reign that was not of the Romish Religion and that for time to come none should be admitted to Offices Places and Dignities in any part of that Kingdom but such as were Catholicks and made profession of their Faith according to the Doctrine of Sorbon and the Belief of the Church of Rome That the Council of Trent should be received and observed through the whole Kingdom upon the conditions and exceptions formerly mentioned the priviledges of the Gallican Church being within three Months to be declared by a Congregation of Prelates and the King's Council with divers other Articles The Articles concluded and confirmed the King presently sent forth his Letters Patents into all Provinces and several Bailages to appoint the Assembly of the States in October following at Blois a place far from Paris where the people were at his devotion far from any commerce or intelligence with the League and near those Towns which were held by the Hugonots The Duke of Guise goeth with the Queen-Mother to Chartres unto the King and is received by him with great demonstrations of honour in appearance The King causeth the Edict of the union to be published in his Council and sworn to by every one and the War against the Hugonots to be openly Proclaimed for the prosecution whereof two several Armies were appointed one in Dauphiné under the Duke of Mayenne the other in Poictou under Ludovico Gonzaga Duke of Nevers The King gives the Duke of Guise the General Command over all the men at Arms of the Realm This though not the name and title yet in effect was the Office and charge of Constable He makes the Cardinal of Guise Legate of Avignon the which he promiseth to obtain for him of the Pope He determined to give the Seal unto Peter of Espinac Archbishop of Lions He declares the Cardinal of Bourbon first Prince of the blood And the King 's late Counsellours are dismissed the Court. But two things trouble the League one iâ— the news of the defeat of the Spanish Armado at Sea by the English the other is that the King will not return to Paris howsoever they importune him Pope Sixtus V. writes congratulatory Letters to the Duke of Guise full of praises comparing him to those holy Macchabees the Defenders of the People of Israel and exhorting him to continue successfully and gloriously to fight for the advancement of the Church and the total extirpation of the Hugonots Which Letters to encrease the Duke's Fame were by his dependants caused to be Printed and divulged in Paris with as much applause in the people as anger and trouble in the King who could not be pleased that another should have more Credit and Authority in his Kingdom than himself The Assembly of the States meet at Blois at the time prefixed viz. on October 16. After dinner all being met in the great Hall of the Castle the King sate down in a Throne raised by many steps from the Earth and covered with a rich cloth of State The Queens Princes Cardinals Peers and Officers of the Crown sate upon Seats fitted for that purpose in two long rowes on the right hand and on the left and between them in the inner part of the Theatre sate the Deputies according to the Ancient preheminence of their degrees and the Duke of Guise as Grand-Mastre with the Staff of Office in his hand sate down upon a Stool at the foot of the State on â—he right hand and on the left sate the Sieur de Monthelon who represented the Person of the High Chancellour of the Kingdom The King begins the Assembly with an elegant Oration wherein attesting the earnest desires of the good of his people and shewing the dangerous condition wherein intestine discords had involved the Crown he exhorted every one to lay aside their passions to forget their enmities to reunite themselves sincerely under his obedience forsaking all novelties condemning all Leagues c. which had disturbed both him their Lawful Sovereign and the peace of the Kingdom For as he pardoned all that was past so for the time to come he would not endure it but account it as an Act of absolute Treason That as he resolved to persecute and tread down Heresie to favour those that were good to restore the splendour and force of justice to advance Religion to uphold the Nobility and to disburden the Common people so he earnestly prayed and conjured every one of them to assist him with their good Counsels and sincere intentions This speech of the King 's stung the Duke of Guise to the quick and all those of his party He caused his Speech to be Printed which served much to excuse those things which followed afterward After the King's Speech followed the Oration of Monthelon who prosecutes and amplifies the King's Speech To which the Archbishop of Bourges answered for the Order of the Clergy the Baron de Seneschay for the Nobility and the Prevost des Merchands of Paris for the third Order of the Commons The Tuesday following the King and the States swear in solemn manner to perform the Edict made before of persevering in the Romish Religion The Archbishop of Bourges shewed the States the greatness and obligation of the Oath which they were to take Beaulieu the new Secretary of State inrolled an Act of that Oath in memory of so solemn an Action After it was done they gave thanks to God publickly in the Church of S. Saveur The Proposition of receiving the Council of Trent made in the Assembly of the States is generally rejected The King is requested to declare the King of Navarre incapable of the Crown and all others suspected to be Hugonots and after much opposition he coldly consents unto it and gives unto the Deputies a Protestation which had been presented unto him from the King of Navarre who having called a Congregation of those of his party at Rochel had caused a writing to be printed wherein he demanded the execution of those Edicts and Grants which had been so often made to those of his party the Convocation of a National or universal Council wherein he might lawfully be instructed in those things that were controverted in matter of Faith and finally he protested to count invalid whatsoever should be determined against him in that Assembly at Blois To which Propositions of the King of Navarre the French King added That if justice requires no man
cared not for the talk of the people nor for challenges And to get out of that mire he moved a question to Du Moulin whether he could tell after what manner of Creation the Angels were created Du Moulin knowing that this was their last meeting answered that the Question in hand was only of subscribing the Acts. But Cayer refusing turned his back and said you shall hear of me and so went away to the great scandal of the Romanists there present A Protestant made the company laugh saying that Cayer was not yet of Age to sign Thus was the Conference broken to the great satisfaction of many faithful souls and the instruction of many ignorant Papists who since gave glory to God by an open Profession of the truth The Acts of the Conference are extant published by Archibald Adaire a Reverend Bishop of Scotland The Doctors of the Faculty of Sorbon stung with the ill success of this Conference provoked him to another in which the body of the University took interest They were to oppose three daies upon what points they thought best and Du Moulin was to oppose three daies also and choose what points he pleased He was then Respondent for three daies and found in the Dispute that blessing of God which never was wanting to him in the defence of his truth After the Dispute of the third day he being returned home and retired to his study a man in a Priest's habit came in the dark evening up the stairs and knockt at his Study door When Du Moulin had opened it the man thrust the door with all his strength to have rusht in and Du Moulin with all his strength in which he was inferiour to few men of his size kept him out and called for help The man hearing some stirring below ran hastily down the stairs and so into the Street It is supposed upon probable ground that the man was come to kill him before he presented himself to be opponent according to the Covenants of the Conference But on the next morrow he met with a Prohibition from the King to continue that Conference any longer These passages raised his reputation very high whereby God was glorified his Truth confirmed and his Church edified and increased with many Converts The last sickness of the King's Sister gave a great exercise to his zeal and industry whereby he did faithfully and constantly assist her in that extremity Du Perron did his utmost to pervert her and to fright him away When she drew near to her end Du Moulin standing by her Bed side Du Perron came and said he was sent by the King and would remove him by plain force But Du Moulin held fast the Bed-post And when Du Perron told him he was to take place of him in all Companies Du Moulin answered that his place was before Du Perron's at the Princesses Beds side and in that service He added that he believed not that the King would offer violence to his Sisters Conscience appealing to her self and beseeching her Highness to declare her pleasure She declared that she would die in the Reformed Religion and that she would have Du Moulin to stay by her Whereupon Du Perron withdrew and the good Princess persevered in God's truth to her last breath The King wisht she had died in the Roman Profession and did all he could without violence to pleasure the Court of Rome in that point A little before there was a Conference between the Bishop of Eureux and Philip de Mornay Lord of Plessis Marly Governour of Saumur in the presence of the King Princes and Officers of his Crown Counsellours of State and other Noblemen of Mark. It was touching a Book which Monsieur du Plessis had published of the Institution of the Lords Supper and against the Mass wherein the Bishop did tax him to have falsified many Authorities Whereupon Du Plessis presented a Petition unto the King that his Majesty would be pleased to appoint Commissioners to examine every passage of Scripture cited in his Book The King yielded to this Conference referring the care thereof to his Chancellour The Commissioners appointed for the Catholicks were Augustus Thuanus President of the Court of Parliament at Paris Pithou Advocate in the Court and Fleure Schoolmaster to the Prince of Conde in whose absence came Martin the King's Physitian And for the other the President of Calignon Chancellour of Navarre in whose place entred De Fresnes Gavay President of the Chamber of Languedoc and Isaac Casaubon his Majesties Reader for the Greek Tongue All men of great Learning and well skilled in the Tongues This Conference began on May 4. in the Hall at Fountainbleau De Serres Hist in Henry IV. in the midst whereof was a Table of a reasonable length At the one end sat the King on his right hand the Bishop of Eureux and on the left right against him Du Plessis Pasquier Vassaut and Mercier Secretaries of the Conference were at the lower end of the same Table Somewhat higher on the right hand sate the Chancellour and the Commissioners Behind the King stood the Archbishop of Lions and the Bishops of Nevers Beauvais and Chastres On the King 's left hand were the four Secretaries of State Behind them which conferred were the Dukes of Vaudemont of Nemours of Mercoeur of Mayenne of Nevers of Elbeuf of Aiguillon and of Janville the Officers of the Crown Counsellours of State and other Noblemen of quality All were commanded to keep silence The King said that the Dispute was not betwixt party and party but particular betwixt the two Conferents not for any question of Right and Doctrine but for the literal truth of some passages He desired they would treat with all mildness and moderation without any bitterness or passion but that of the truth Declaring moreover that he did not mean that this Dispute should in any thing alter or disquiet the peace of his Subjects as the Chancellour did then Declare unto them at large by the King's Commandment After the first daies Conference M. Du Plessis fell very sick so as they could proceed no further The King did write the same day unto the Duke of Espernon what had past in the Conference and shewed by his Letter what his judgement was My friend the Diocess of Eureux hath vanquished that of Saumur Wherewith Du Plessis was discontented so that in a Discourse Printed soon after touching this Conference he termed this Letter A spark of fire and said That the Bishop of Eureux Fly was made an Elephant Some Months after Canay one of the Commissioners and President in the Chamber of the Edict at Castres a man learned in Philosophy and the Tongues and well read in the Church History left his Profession of the Reformed Religion and became a Romish Catholick Philip Mornay Lord of Plessis his work concerning the truth of Christian Religion was written in French against Atheists Epicures Paynims Jews Mahumetists and other Infidels began to be translated
time flourished Jacobus Sirmondus a Learned French Jesuite he was Confessour to King Lewes XIII Dallaeus saith he was a most Learned and most diligent man Natione Gallus Biblioth societ Jesu A Philip. Alegamb edit Rector olim Collegii Parisiensis vir totius antiquitatis curiosus investigator Latine Graecéque impensè doctus in omni penè literarum genere excultissimus qui humaniores literas theologicas admodum decore conjunxit As for his Works there are his Eucharisticon pro Adventoria de Regionibus Ecclesiis suburbicariis Censura conjecturae Anon. Scriptoris de suburbicariis Regionibus Ecclesiis Propempticum Cl. Salmasio adversum ejus Eucharisticon and other Works of his We owe unto him saith Dr. Du Moulin the Works of Facundus an African Bishop who lived in the time of the Emperour Justinian Claudius Salmasius was a Learned French Critick Vir incomparabilis maximus Salmasius de primatu Papae post quem Homerum siquis Iliada conscribere velit inutilem laborem suscipiet Rivet Grot. Discus Dial. Sect. 5. Vir nunquam satis laudatus nec temerè sine laude nominandus Claud. Salmasius Voss de Orig. progress idol li. 4. ca. 91. Nostri seculi miraculum antiquitatis promus condus Gul. Rivet Praefat. ad vindic Evang. Non Galliae suae duntaxat sed jam hujus Bataviae ingens decus atque adeo totius Reipublicae literariae praesidium Voss de anal li. 3. ca. 46. Clariss Salmasius notis ad Vopiscum ubi post Guilandinum Dalecampium in Plinium ac Scaligeri Diatribam adversus Guilandinum pulchrè indictaque aliis de hoc disserit argumento Voss de art Gram. li. 1. ca. 38. Vir alioquin ad literas summo honore tractandas illustrandas natus si modestiam adhibere arroâ—â—â—ti de se persuasione ac erga alios mdlignitate excussa mentem animi in iis sedulo occupare potuisset Herald animadvers in Salmas observat Ad jus Att. Rom. li. 2. ca. 7. Desiderius Heraldus a Learned French man hath written a Comment on Martial and the other Books forecited and other Learned Works Franciscus Vieta was a Learned French Mathematician There are his Opera Mathematica Vol. 2. Relatio Calendarii vere Gregoriani cum aliis opusc Vniversalium inspectionum ad Canonem Mathematicum lib. singularis De Aequatione recognitione emendatione Thuanus thus saith of him Vir ingeniosa profunda meditatione cujus vi nihil illi inaccessum in abstnusioribus scientiis nihil quod acumine mentis possit confici difficile confectus fuit Thuan. Hist Tom. 5. part 2. li. 129. Nicholas Vignerius was a Learned French Historiographer There are To. 3. de la bibliotheq Hist and other works of his vid. Thuan. Hist Tom. 5. li. 117. part 1. His Son Nicholas Vignerius was a Learned Divine He hath published an excellent Treatise in French styled Theatre de l'Antichrist and a Dissertation in Latine of the Excommunication of the Venetians against Cardinal Baronius And Theses of the satisfaction of Christ which Rivet highly commendeth and annexeth unto his own Disputations Benedict Turretine was also a Learned French man These Books of his are published in French Defense de la fidelité des traductions de la S. bible faictes a Geneve Recheute du Jesuite Plaigiaire Profit des Chastiments Quod adversus Petri Cottoni Jesuitae plagiariam Genevam manifestum fecit vir dum viveret doctissimus accuratissimus Benedictus Turretinus Andr. Rivet Apologet. pro vera pace Ecclesiae The Works of Cardinal David Du Perron are in four Volumes in Folio in French Replique A la Response du Serenissime Roy de la Grand Bretagne Les Diverses Oevres c. Du sainct sacrement de l'Eucharistie Les Ambassades Negotiations He is well answered by Du Moulin Rivet and Blondel The Jesuites seek to be incorporate in the University of Paris whom the University opposed by all means presenting a Petition unto the Queen Regent against them therein laying down at large their damnable Doctrine and strange Equivocations Hereupon Factions began in Paris some standing for others siding against the Jesuites But these Clouds were quickly dispersed and the State preserved for the continuance whereof Monsieuer Pasquier one of the Masters of Requests a man of great Learning and Judgement wrote unto her a Discourse of advice The Abbot of Bois in his Sermons treating of the Question Whether it be Lawful to kill a Tyrant and refuting Mariana's Book and others he made an exhortation to the Jesuites that they should hereafter have a great care that no Book should be published to the prejudice of France under the name of their Society nor with the approbation of their Superiour if they would not willingly expose themselves to those dangers which all their wisdoms fortified with the Authority of their confident friends could not avoid For this did the Jesuites complain and informed against him who answered for himself both wisely and discreetly October 17. the young King was Crowned at Rhemes by Cardinal Joyeuze On November 26. the Great Chamber the Turnelle and the Chamber of the Edict being assembled by a motion made by Monsieur Servin the King's first Advocate against Bellarmines Book touching the Pope's Temporal Power made a Decree against the same whereat the Pope's Nuncio did mightily storm On May 27. 1611. began the Assembly of the Reformed Churches at Saumur whereat many Dukes and Noblemen of the Reformed Religion were present where Du Plessis was chosen President Which Assembly was dissolved September 29. Monsieur de Bullion letting them understand that their Majesties had given him in charge to say that all their just requests should be favourably answered and whatsoever had been promised should be paid The Duke of Espernon to manifest his gratitude to King Henry III. his Master and Benefactor begged of the Queen Regent to give him leave to perform his Funeral Rites he having formerly after the death of the said King attended his Body to Compeigne where the misfortunes of War and the confusions of the times permitted not at that time the performance thereof The Queen readily consented to his request so that the Duke with a great company of Lords and Gentlemen went to fetch the body from Compeigne from whence he conveyed it to St. Dennis where it was deposited in the ancient Sepulchre of the Kings of France A little before his death the Duke caused a Marble Pillar one of the most excellent pieces of Architecture of these late times to be carried and set up in the Church of S. Clou wherein he was so curious as to make it to be wrought in his own house and almost in his own sight his design being to found a Revenue of a thousand Liuvres yearly for the service of the Chappel where it was erected which was also adorned with Pictures and paved with Marble at his own charge But some difficulties arising about the settlement of that foundation which
entitled La confusion des Disputes Papistes Par Daniel Chamier And another in answer to some questions of Cotton the Jesuite He was killed at Montaubon with a Canon Bullet which had a C. on it on the Lords day Being asked by one before whether he Preached on that day he said it was his day of repose or rest and so it proved though he meant it in another sense In the year 1618. the Lords States and the Curators of the University of Leyden renewed a former demand of theirs concerning Dr. Du Moulin to be their Divinity Reader The Learned Erpenius was sent twice into France on that errand And when he could not be obtained from the Church of Paris they demanded by the same Erpenius the famous Rivet and had him The Queen-Mother makes an escape from the place of her confinement and is received by the Duke of Espernon Anno 1619. And being arrived at Loches she endeavours to justifie her escape Cardinal Du Perron died Anno 1618. charging his friends upon his death-bed then about him to send a solemn Farewel by him to Monsieur Du Plessis and to manifest his sorrow for not having made a stricter League of friendship with him having so high an esteem of his Conscience and integrity The Queens affairs having ill success all those who had engaged in her party were abandoned to the King's mercy but as for her self she was permitted to come to Court The Duke of Espernon layes down his Arms and the Marquess de Valette by the Command of the Duke his Father The Duke of Mayenne refuseth to accept the Peace and endeavours to engage the Duke of Espernon in his discontents but he refuseth to stir In the year 1620. a National Synod of the Protestants being called at Alais in Languedoc Dr. Du Moulin was sent Deputy to it and he made account in his return to go out of the way to see Rochel A little before he took that journey the Lord Herbert of Cherbury then Ambassadour of England in France urged him to write to the King his Master to exhort him to undertake vigorously the defence of his Son in Law the King of Bohemia So the Doctor writ to the King and delivâ—red his Letters to the Lord Ambassadour's Secretary then immediately he went to Alais where he was chosen President of the Synod In the mean while his Letters to King James were delivered to the Council of State in France how or by whom the Doctor could never learn Scarce was he in Languedoc when it was concluded at Paris in the ouncil of State that he should be apprehended and committed Prisoner for exhorting a foreign King to take Arms for the defence of the Protestant Churches And because the Council was informed that the Doctor would return by Rochel a place which then gave great jealousies to the Court they wouid not take him before he had been there the informers against him intending to make his going to Rochel an Article of his indictment The affairs of Bearn were now of such a nature as that the King's presence seemed to be very necessary there therefore he determines to move that way and goes to Xantonge and from thence passeth over into Guienne He is magnificently entertained by the Duke of Espernon two daies at Cadillac and departs from thence to go into Bearn He was made believe that the Council of this little Country would submit to his Royal pleasure without obliging him to perform that voyage but the King must undergo that trouble He went thither where his presence produced the same effect it had done in other places He over-ran all this little Province seizing as he passed on Navarrens the strongest place in it as he did also of Ortez and Olleron Principal Cities of that Country He subverted all their antient Customes restor'd the Bishop and other Ecclesiasticks to their Estates and Dignities took away the Administration of affairs of the Country from those of the Reformed Religion and re-established his own Authority but he left the Government of the Province in the hands of the Marquess de la Force since Mareschal of France who impatient to see his Authority cut so short by these alterations could hardly forbear till the King was got back to Paris from reducing things again to the same posture they were in before He therefore laboured all the Winter to drive out the Garrisons of Ortez and Olleron so that excepting Navarrens which was kept by the Marquess of Poianne whom the King had left Governour there he overthrew whatever his Majesty had done shuffling all things again into their former confusion During the Reign of Henry IV. who would not see it and the troublesom minority of Lewes XIII who could not molest them the Protestants had made themselves Masters of Ninety nine Towns well fortified and enabled for a siege In the opinion of their Potency they call Assemblies Parliaments as it were when and as often as they pleased There they consulted of the Common affairs of Religion made new Laws of Government removed and exchanged their general Officers the King's leave all this while never so much as formally asked In this licentious calling of Assemblies they abused their Power into a neglect and in not dissolving them at his Majesties commandment they encreased their neglect into a disobedience The Assembly which principally caused the War and their ruine was that of Rochel called by the Protestants presently upon the King's journey into Bearn This general meeting the King prohibited by his special Edicts declaring all them to be guilty of Treason which notwithstanding they would not hearken unto but resolutely went on in their purposes Being Assembled they sent the King a Remonstrance of their grievances to which the Duke L' Esdeguiers in a Letter to them written gives them a very fair and plausible answer wherein also he entreats them to obey the King's Edict and break off the Assembly Upon the receipt of this Letter those of the Assembly published a Declaration wherein they verified the meeting to be Lawful and their purpose not to dismiss themselves till their desires were granted This affront done to the King made him gather together his Forces yet at the Duke of Lesdiguier's request he allowed them twenty four daies respite before his Army should march towards them He offered them also very fair and reasonable Conditions such almost as their Deputies had solicited but far better than those which they were glad to accept when all the Towns were taken from them In their Assembly they made Laws and Orders that no peace should be made without the consent of the general Convocation about paying of the Souldiers wages for the detaining of the Revenues of the King and the Clergy and the like The Synod at Alais being ended Doctor Du Moulin hearing how the the Protestants would keep a Politick Assembly at Rochel against the King's will judged that it was an ill conjuncture of time for him to go to
1626. and the next day the General and particular Deputies ratified and confirmed them King Lewes made a severe Edict against Duels and took a solemn Oath not to shew any favour to those who should break it About this time there arose very great Disputes in the University of Paris especially between the Doctors of Divinity about a certain Book composed by Sanctarellus a Jesuite which treated of the power Popes had over Kings which Book had been approved by their chief President by the Pope's Vicegerent and by the Master of the holy Palace His Doctrine was That Popes had a power of direction or rather correction over Princes that they might not only Excommunicate them but deprive them of their Kingdoms too and absolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance whether it were for Heresie Apostasie or any other great publick crime whether it were for the insufficiency of their persons or for their not defending the Church and that the Pope might at last give their States to such as he should think fit For the present it made a great noise among the Doctors and was opposed by several Books which then were published The whole Body of Divines did condemn it some indeed of the old League seemed to favour it But the Parliament called the chief of the Jesuites before them and obliged them to sign a Declaration by which they should condemn the said Book and to cause another of the like to be subscribed by all the Provincials and Rectors and by Six of the most ancient of every one of their Colledges in France and so ordered the Book to be burnt by the common Hangman with prohibition to the Stationers to sell any of them At this time there were Combinations of divers Grandees of the Court against the King and State Madam de Chevuruse being discontented that her private intelligences with the English Ambassadour were so publickly taken notice of did not a little promote the undertakings by her animating of Monsieur the Grand Prior and Chalais to execute it both which were engaged by love to her as also that the Colonel d'Ornano abusing Monsieur's goodness and the credit which his place gave him did absolutely divert him from the Marriâ—ge which his Majesty had so earnestly desired should be celebrated The Cardinal discovered that Chalais was one of chief Instruments of the Enterprize and that Colonel Ornano was the Ring-leader of the Plot. That their chief end was to unite all the Provinces so close together that they might enforce his Majesty not to remove any thing from the Court and withal to permit them to live in the same licentiousness that they had a long while formerly enjoyed That to this effect they endeavoured the breaking of the match between Monsieur and Madamoiselle de Montpensier and to bring on that of Madamoiselle de Bourbon which would more nearly engage Monsieur to their Interests or else to persuade him to marry some other stranger Princess which might be a means to shelter and defend their designs by the forces and assistances which they might reasonably expect from such a Family That this once effected they intended the Count de Soissons should Marry Madamoiselle de Montpensier that the Houses of Guise and Bourbon might be united together and in this manner they would in a moment huddle up together all the leading potent persons of the Court. The Marshal de Ornano is arrested at Fountainbleau and carried Prisoner to the Castle of Bois de Vincennes where he died a few months after of a stoppage in his Bladder The Cardinal beseecheth the King to permit his retirement from the Court. And the King causeth the Duke de Vendosm and the Grand-Prior of France his Brother to be imprisoned at Blois The Marriage of Monsieur and Madamoiselle de Montpensier was celebrated soon after to the quiet and content of the whole Kingdom Chalais the Master of the King's Wardrobe is arrested from the Chamber of Justices at Nantes who condemned him of Treason and sentenced him to be beheaded which was done accordingly Then was the Sieur de Baradas removed from the Court who had been much in favour with the King About the end of this year great differences arose between the Bishop and the Officers of Verdun This being a Frontier Town was then lookt upon as considerable in regard Monsieur de Lorrain seemed to be active and able to attempt something upon France which obliged the King to go on with a design which he had long before resolved of the building a Citadel there The Abbey of S. Vannes was ever reputed the most fit place of all the City for that purpose whence it happened that in the Charter of the said Abbey there had been divers Articles concluded between the Bishop of Verdun and those to whom that place hath ever belonged in which they bound themselves to build their Church in some other place if it should be found necessary to make use of some part of it for the raising of a Citadel However the lines were so contrived that the Church was saved but that of the Capuchins was forced to be taken down which was afterwards done and rebuilt in another place Now the Bishop of Verdun being Lorrain's kinsman was wholly moved by him so that not considering what dependence he had upon the King he suffered himself to be engaged by the Duke to prevent the building of the Citadel On December 30. he published a Monitorium fixed upon all publick places against all such as should labour about it This proceeding was lookt on as a strange thing by the King's Officers The Sieur Guillet presently called a Council of his Majesties Officers of the Town to consider of what was to be done where it was concluded to tear down such Papers as had been any where posted up and to set others in their places of a contrary tenour in the King's behalf which was presently done The Bishop offended at it thundered out an Excommunication the next day against Guillet which he fastened in divers places and having given order to his Vicars not to act any thing in prejudice to his pretended authority he departed from Verdun and rode Post to Cologne In the mean while the Sieur Charpentier his Majesties President in Metz Thoul and Verdun being acquainted with the whole proceeding he declared the said Monitorium to be abusive and scandalous and commanded it to be torn and burnt by the Hangman That the said Bishop should be sent Prisoner to Paris That his Benefices in the mean time should remain in his Majesties hands and that he should pay a fine of ten thousand livres for his said fault This Judgement was put in execution with the usual form excepting only as to the Bishop's being sent to Paris so that he resolving not to suffer himself to be thus despoiled of his goods thought it his best course to send to the King to pacifie him for his rashness he also gave order to
upon Assumption-day at the Altar in the Morning and that in the Evening a general Procession should be made wherein the Provost of Paris and all the Soveraign Companies should be assistant with the Court of Parliament This Command extended to all other Archbishops and Bishops throughout France that they should in every Cathedral Church erect one special Altar to the Virgin Mary for this end and in commemoration of this Act to pepetuity One Instance more I shall add of his Zeal to the Romish Religion When the Old Marshal de la Force a Protestant was admitted to see him a little before he expired he told him on his death-bed That he thought God Almighty suffer'd him meaning the Marshâ—â— to live so long upon Earth expecting his Conversion as he had done that of Lesdiguiers He put out sundry Proclamations against Swearers against Pride in apparel as also against Duels and the last was so strict That both the appellant and defendent whosoever did survive should suffer death without mercy and be deprived of Christian burial but both rot upon the Gallows with their heels upwards Here I shall put down a List of divers Books that were Printed in France for sundry years past Francisci Garciae Evangelicus concionator Printed at Lions Anno 1622. Petri Damiani Cardinalis opera Printed at Lions 1623. Bibliothica Veterum Patrum Graecorum Printed at Paris 1624. Deus Natura Gratia by Saint Clara Printed at Lions 1625. Puteani Commentaria in summam D. Thomae Printed at Tholouse 1627. Biblia Septuaginta cum Graeco Testamento Graec. Lat. in three Volumes Printed at Paris 1628. Biblia Vulgata Printed 1628. Bibliotheca Ordinis Praemonstratensis per Job le Praige Printed at Paris 1633. Ludov. Dolae de Concursibus Dei creatura Printed at Lions 1634. Concilia Generalia Graec. Lat. ten Volumes Printed at Paris Franc. Lanovii Chronicon generale ordinis Minimorum Printed at Paris 1635. Didacus Baeza de Christo figurato in Vet. Testam Printed at Lions 1636. Francis Hallier de sacris electionibus ordinationibus at Paris 1636. Historia Ecclesiae Gallicanae at Paris 1636. Franc. Bouquet de Pontificibus Romanis è Gallia oriundis Jacobi Sirmondi propemptrion contra Eucharist Cl. Salmasii Jac. Sirmundi opuscula Dogmatum veterum Scirptorum Andrew de Saussay Martyrologium Gallicanum at Paris 1637. Mart. Bonacinnae opera omnia Printed at Paris 1638. Jacobi Saliani Annales Ecclesiastici Steph. Fagundez in Decalog at Lions 1640. Theses Theologicae Protest Academiae Salmuriensis at Saulmur 1641. Hâ—ttingeri Historia Ecclesiastica five Volumes compleat Hottingeri Analecta Historico-Theologica Octavo Afterwards Anno 1646. there was published Annalium Ecclesiasticorum Epitome at Roven Novissima Galliae Concilia à Tempore Concilii Tridentini ad Annum 1646 at Paris Lewes XIV the present French King succeeded his Father in the Kingdom being about five years old Mazarine casting with himself what is hutful and profitable past this sentence upon the Clergy These are his words counselling the Queen Regent The Sacred Order for these many years hath had but a thin harvest of excellent Persons however it come to pass Men follow after nice Questions live idly do not embrace serious Studies All is done with pomp nay if any Sermons be to be made and the very venerable sacrifice offered Of their Office they lay claim to nothing but their Rents the duty of Preaching which is the principal dignity of a Bishop they quit to any one though never so insufficient They think themselves Bishop enough if they can but ride in fine Coaches with their Arms set on out-vie one another in rich Liveries and Lacquies and punish with rigour those that transgress in the least matters Perpetual haunters of Ladies Couches not without undervaluing the Pastoral staff This is for the most part for there are some that lead holy and unreprovable lives He that shall take offence will own himself not to be one of these but those other So much power hath Religion over the minds of men that as often as among men in holy Orders any eminent vertue hath got up and overcome the common attainments and the vices of mankind it is adored like a Deity At that time that company was of no weight nor moment in France said Mazarine There was Francis Paul Gondy by extraction a Florentine but born in France Abbot of Rhetz afterwards Coadjutor to the Bishop of Paris Archbishop of Corinth one that if occasion had offered would have aspired high as Cardinal Mazarine confessed he was perswaded Over and above an honourable Family he had eloquence and learning with promptness of spirit All was now prosperous and quiet in France whose power reached over Almania from the Mazelin Brink beyond the Rhine By the Victory at Norlingue the parts confining on the Danube were afterwards invaded and terror struck on all sides In Spain by seizing Tortosa and Flix the French got to the River Iber. Their Fleets ranged over the Mediterranean and Ocean All Italy from the Pope who then was Vrban VIII to the least Princes bore reverence The Dukes of Savoy Mantua and Modena then rather Instruments of French slavery than free Princes The Kings of Sweden and Denmark boasted of their friendship the Pole sued for it The Electors of Germany sought to interest themselves in their favour Portugal rent from Spain depended on the looks of France whose Yoak Catalonia had put on being weary of the Spanish Dominion The Low Countries stuck close to them All Europe with astonishment stood gazing at such a state of the French affairs nothing was then wanting to compleat their happiness besides moderation and the art enjoying it Paul Gondy designed Archbishop of Paris is consecrated of Corinth it is the Bishop of Rome's practice that so the whole world may be thought depending on the Vatican Oracle to exercise his authority even upon the dissenting parts That day was first occasion of much ensuing mischief Ferraro Pallavicini a Canon Regular a Parmesan of a Noble house sharply inveighing in libellous Pamphlets against the practices of the Roman Court lost his Head at Agivnon in France and gave instance how unsafe a thing it is to touch upon the Roman State in writing though never so truly The Divisions of Italy being closed up Pope Vrban VIII died July 29. 1644. after he had sate twenty one years and some months Then Gio Battista Pamphilio a Noble Roman was Proclaimed Pope after the See had been vacant 45. daies He assumed the name of Innocent the Tenth The Hist of Cardinals part 3. lib. 2. This Election was not at all displeasing to the French though they were not a little displeased at Cardinal Antonio who for his own private Interest had by his reiterated instances perswaded that Crown to the exclusion of Pamphilio and afterwards consented to it contrary to the King's order and without expecting the return of the Currier which was dispatched to that Court that they might consult upon the