For undoubtedly they would then make a General League against the Catholicks which would be the cause of great Inconveniences We may see by this how hardly this Holy Council was kept from giving the world a Cast of its office in deposing Princes and disposing of their Dominions and absolving their Subjects from their Allegiance tho' we are now told this is none of the Doctrines of that Church but however it is undoubtedly her practice This Admonition was so effectual that the Pope desisted at Rome and revoked the Commission given to that purpose to the Legates at Trent When the French Ambassadors had put these two Rubs in the way of the Council they retired as the King their Master had before commanded them to Venice and gave an account of what they had done to the Cardinal of Lorrain at Rome and to the King of France this last approved it but the former having made his private Market with the Pope who extremely flattered this proud turbulent vain-glorious Prelate was very much displeased with what the French Ambassadors had done in his absence at Trent But when he came there and found the Ambassadors were supported by the King and that there was no fetching them back from Venice till the things proposed by the Council were revoked he perswaded the Legates to compound the difference and the Infallible Council laid by these Decrees which displeased the Crown of France and passed only a general Decree against the Violaters of the Ecclesiastical privileges and Immunities in the Twenty fifth Session This was the last Session of this Council and was held the fifth and sixth of December In it was determin'd the points concerning Purgatory the Invocation of Saints the Worship of Images and Reliques the Prohibition of Duels and all that pertain'd to the Reformation of the Manners of the Clergy All that had been done under Paul the Third Julius the Third and two Years before this in this Convention were then also ratified and confirmed And the Pope was desired to approve the same and so the Council was dismissed with Acclamations The Pope made a grave Oration in a Conclave of the Cardinals and giving God unfeigned thanks that the Council was ended he commended the Emperor the Apostolick Legates and the Bishops and said Tho' he was free from the obligation of all Laws yet he would cause these to be exactly and inviolably preserved and it any thing was omitted he would supply it The Protestant Ministers of Germany at the same time put out a Protestation against this Council subscribed by many of them Thus ended the Council of Trent which was desired and procured by Godly men to reunite the Church which began to be divided but hath so est ablished the Schism and made the parties so obstinate that the discords are become irreconcileable And being intended by Princes for the reformation of the Ecclesiastical Discipline hath caused the greatest corruption and deformation that ever was since Christianity began The Bishops hoped to regain the Episcopal Authority usurped for the most part by the Pope and it hath made them lose it altogether bringing them into greater servitude On the contrary it was feared and avoided by the See of Rome as a potent means to moderate their exorbitant power which from small beginnings mounted by divers degrees to an unlimited excess and it hath so established and confirm'd the same over that part which remains subject unto it that it was never so great nor so soundly rooted Thus far Polano The Emperor who was come as far as Inspruck to promote the Council finding that his being there did not only no good as he thought it would but rather the contrary the Popish Prelates suspecting his designs were against the Authority of the Court of Rome and were accordingly afraid of every thing so that the Difficulties and Suspicions did turn into bitterness and â—ncrease in number Therefore having other business which would turn more to his Advantage he left that place and returned home but he wrote first to the Cardinal of Lorrain That the Impossibility of doing good in the Council being palpable he thought it was the duty of a Christian and wise Prince rather to support the present evil with patience than by labouring to cure it to cause a greater By which he seems to mean that any enormities were to be endured from the See of Rome rather than to forsake it and so correct them The Catholick Princes being blinded and misled by their Education and not understanding that the right of calling Councils was in themselves as it was of old in the Christian Emperors who call'd all the Ancient General Councils thought that they should by force of Arguments and modesty extort some Reformation from them but when they saw they could not agree amongst themselves what was absolutely necessary France and the Empire asking more than King Philip was willing to admit and the Pope being as stoutly resolved whatever happened not to suffer his Power Grandeur or Wealth to be abated Lastly when they all saw that the Protestants would never submit to any Council that was call'd and managed by the Pope or his Legates they all became weary of it and desired it might be ended as soon as was possible and any way to deliver themselves from the charge trouble and vexation of this unprofitable or rather mischievous Conventicle But then as to the Roman Catholicks of this Age who would fain perswade us that nothing was amiss that there was no need of any Reformation that all the differences arose from misrepresenting the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome and that this Council was one of the most holy Assemblies of Learned Impartial and Religious men that ever sate These I say are a a pleasant parcel of Gentlemen and presume that we are as ignorant of and unconcern'd for the Histories of former times as those who profess to be led by an implicite faith in all they have the confidence to teach them which is a great mistake From this day forward the Protestants renounced all commerce and friendship with the Church of Rome and she has by this Council put her self out of the power of a Reconciliation so that now the Quarrel is put intirely into the hands of God and all humane wisdom is baffl'd for ever Time the Sword or the Providence of God may perhaps at last put an end to it but no Counsel or Device of men ever shall I should here have ended this Continuation but that I have been forced to leave some things unspoken to continue the thread of my Relation which I will now go back to and gather up that the Story may be the more compleat and perfect Whilest the Council was sitting the Cardinal of Ferrara travelling through Piedmont and Savoy found the Affairs of that Country as to Religion not much other than in France In divers places of the Marquisate of Saluzza
Grief of his Heart he daily heard many and grievous Complaints of Luther a profligate Wretch who forgetting his own Order and Profession acted many things sawcily and with great Confidence against the Church of God bragging That being supported by the Favour and Protection of the Prince he stood in awe of the Authority of no Man That he made no doubt but that was falsey given out by him but that nevertheless he was willing to write these few things unto his Highness and to advise him That being always mindful of the Splendour and Dignity of himself and his Ancestors he would not only avoid giving any Offence but even all Suspicion of offending That he knew for a certain That Luther taught most impious and Heretical Doctrines which both he and the Master of his Palace had carefully observed and marked down That that was the Reason why he had both Cited him to Appear and also sent his Instructions to Cardinal Cajetane his Legat as to what further he would have done in the Matter and that seeing this was an Affair of Religion and that it properly belonged to the Church of Rome to enquire into the Faith and Belief of all Men he exhorted and charged his Highness That being thereunto required by his Legate he would use his best Endeavours to have Luther delivered up into his Hands which would be both acceptable Service to God and very Honourable to himself and Family that if upon Tryal he were found Innocent at Rome he should return Home Safe and Sound but that if he proved Guilty then would his Highness be Blameless in no longer protecting a Criminal and that he himself was so mercifully inclined as that neither he would oppress an Innocent Man nor deny a Penitent his Pardon And thus he left no Way unessayed that he might undo Luther The same Year also he wrote to Gabriel Venize the Provincial of the Augustine Fryers exhorting him That by the Authority of his Charge he would put a stop to Luther a Fryer of his Order who attempted Innovations and taught new Doctrins in Germany and solicitously ply him both by Letters and Learned Agents But that Expedition was to be used in the Matter for so it would not be difficult to quench the Flame newly broken out since things in their Infancy and Commencement could not resist Attempts that were any thing brisk but should it be deferred till the Evil had gathered Strength it was to be feared that the Conflagration might afterwards carry all before it for that it was a Contagion that spread more and more daily so that nothing seemed more to be feared than Delay That therefore he should set about the Affair with all Pains Diligence and Industry seeing he had Authority over him When Luther perceived that he was cited to appear at Rome he was very solicitous to have his Cause tryed before Competent and Unsuspected Judges in some Place of Germany secure from Violence But when that could not be obtained the University of Wittemberg sent a Letter to Pope Leo dated September 25 wherein they gave Luther an ample Testimony both of a Pious Life and Learning that seeing he was for some Positions proposed Cited to Rome and could not being a Sickly Man without endangering his Life make an Appearance they prayed his Holiness not to think otherwise of him than of an Honest Man that he had only for Disputation sake offered some things to be argued which were misinterpreted and highly exaggerated by his Adversaries that for their parts they would not suffer any thing to be asserted in Opposition to the Church and that at Luther's Request they could not but give him this Testimony which they earnestly entreated his Holiness to give Credit to With this Letter they sent another to Charles Miltitz a German and Bedchamber Man to Pope Leo Wherein they represent to him That Luther was undeservedly exposed to the Anger and Hatred of the Pope insomuch that being Cited to appear at Rome he could not as yet obtain That his Cause might be tryed somewhere in Germany That for their own Parts they were so zealous not only for Religion but also for the Holy Church of Rome That if Luther were guilty of any Impious Crime or Errour they would not bear with him But that he was a Man so Learned of so upright a Life and Conversation and had deserved so well of the whole University that as Affairs stood they could not but stand by him That Duke Frederick also so Religious and Prudent a Prince would not so long have suffered him to go unpunished if he had not thought him to be a good Man That therefore he would use his Interest and Familiarity he had with the Pope that Impartial Judges might he assigned him not at Rome but in Germany That they did not doubt but that he would act as became a Christian and Divine and make it appear that he did not Wantonly and without a Cause hunt after an Occasion of Contention That they begged this the more earnestly of him in that they had the greater Hopes that he who was himself a German would not in so just a Cause be wanting to a Country-Man who was born down by Calumnies and in danger of his Life Besides the Intercession of these Friends Frederick Prince Elector spoke also to Cardinal Cajetane at Ausburg and so far prevailed that Luther being excused from going to Rome should plead his Cause before the Emperour at Ausburg Being come thither in the Month of October it was three Days before he was admitted to the Speech of Cajetane for they to whom Duke Frederick who upon dissolution of the Diet was gone Home had recommended him forbad him to go to him before he had obtained a Safe Conduct from the Emperour Maximilian but that being at length granted he came and the Cardinal having civilly received him told him That he would not enter into any Dispute with him but end the Controversie amicably and at the same Time proposed to him two Commands in Name of the Pope First That he would repent what he had done and retract the Errours which he had published And next That for the Future he would abstain from such Writings as disturbed the Peace and Tranquility of the Church Luther makes Answer That he was not Conscious to himself of any Errour and desires That if he had erred it might be proved against him With that Cajetane objects That in his Theses he had affirmed That the Merits of our Saviour Christ were not the Treasure of Indulgences which Opinion was repugnant to the Decretal of Pope Clement VI. Again That it was necessary that they who come to receive the Sacrament should have a firm Belief that their Sins were forgiven them Luther replies That that was not so telling him withal That he had read the Pope's Decree and gave his Judgment of it but mention being made of S. Thomas he said The Authority of
to these joyned themselves the Embassadors of Maximilian the Emperor and of Lewis XII King of France who were also embarqued in the same Design The time when this Council was called was the Nineteenth of May in the Year of our Lord 1511 that so the first Session might begin on the First of September next ensuing The Cause they alledg'd to justifie this their Proceeding was That the Pope had broken his Oath for that although so many years of his Pontificate were already elapsed yet he had not given them any the least hopes of his having any Inclination to call a Council and that because they had very great and heinous Crimes to lay to his charge they could not any longer neglect the care of the Church which was a Duty imcumbent on them as Members of the sacred College Their intent really was to depose him from the Popedom which he had obtained by Bribery and other such honest arts and means as all Persons make use of who aspire to the Infallible Chair And because they could no way safely convey this their Remonstrance to him they caused it to be publickly affixed at Regio Modena and Parma which were all three Towns belonging to St. Peter's Patrimony and they added a Citation to him to appear Personally at a certain day therein mentioned Julius having received Information of all this returned this Answer on the Eighteenth of July That before he came to be Pope he longed for nothing more than the calling a general Council as was very well known to several Kings and to the whole College of Cardinals and that purely upon this account he lost the Favour of Alexander VI. That he continued still of the same mind but that the state of Italy had been so unsetled for several years last past and was left so by his Predecessor Alexander That it was altogether impossible to have formed a Council while things continued in that distracted condition After this he shews them that their Summons was void in it self by reason of the shortness of the time limited in it and the inconveniency of the place for that Pisa had suffered so much in the late Wars that it was now nothing almost but an heap of Ruins and that the Country round about it was all wasted and desolate nor could there be any safe passage thither because of the daily Hostilities committed between the Florentines and those of Senese To this he adds in the last place That they had no legal Power of issuing out any such Summons and that the Reasons given by them for so doing were altogether false and groundless Therefore under pain of the severest Censures he forbids all Persons to yield any Obedience to them At the same time he by a Bull subscribed by One and twenty Cardinals called a Council to meet the next year which should commence on the Nineteenth of April and be held in the Lateran Church in Rome For this they say has always been one of the Papal Artifices that whensoever upon any Pretext they took occasion for some secret motives to decline the holding of a Council though called by never so lawful an Authority at the same time to Summon another to meet in such a place in which they could with the greatest ease influence all the Proceedings in it After this he admonishes the Confederate Cardinals to desist in time and return to Rome and accept of the Pardon now offer'd them But they continuing still refractory on the Twenty fourth of October he Excommunicates them all and those three that we mentioned before in particular by name as Hereticks Schismaticks and Traytors to the Apostolick See and sends Copies of this Bull to Maximilian the Emperor and several other Princes And because there were divers Bishops of France who adhered firmly to the Cardinals interests he Excommunicates them also unless they return to their Duty and make their Purgation within a prefixed time On the other side the Cardinals having several times in vain cited the Pope to come and appear before them there in Council by a Decree made in the Eighth Session suspended him from all Civil and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and commanded all Christians for the future to renounce his Authority and acknowledge him no longer for St. Peter's Successor This was in the Year of our Lord 1512 on the Twenty first of April But you must take notice that although the Council were removed from Pisa to Milan yet it still kept its old Name and was called the Pisane Council At this time there was a very famous Civilian at Pavia whose Name was Philip Decius he having espoused the Cardinals Cause published a Book in Defence of their Proceedings against the Pope A little after this Maximilian strikes up a League with Julius and Ferdinand King of Spain and so leaves the Cardinals in the Church to shift for themselves and sends Matthew Langus Bishop of Gurk to Rome to sit as his Proxy in the Council that was holden there and him Julius immediately promoted to the Dignity of the Purple But Lewis II King of France who was truer to his Engagements and had lately routed the Popes Forces near Ravenna could not escape the thunders of the Vatican his Subjects were absolved from their Allegiance his Kingdom put under an Interdict and an Invasion of it was now no less than meritorious But after the end of the Fifth Session on the Twenty first of February in the Year of our Lord 1513 Pope Julius dies and Leo X is chosen by the Conclave to succeed him He immediately after his Inaguration proceeds to compleat what his Predecessor had begun and because the state of Affairs in Europe was now a little more calm than at any time during the former Pontificate a great many Kings and Princes sent their Embassadors to Rome to assist at this Lateran Council The Cardinals also whom Julius had Excommunicated having since his Death nothing to give any colour to their continuing in their Obstinacy made their humble Submission and Suit to be indemnified for what was past and being received into Favour by Leo were restored to their former Dignities and Preferments as Leo himself declares in an Epistle wrote by him to Maximilian The Council broke up on the Twelfth of March in the Year of our Lord 1516 there having been seven Sessions since the Death of Julius for there were but twelve in all the whole four years that this Council lasted from its first Convention to its Dissolution The chief Transactions in it were these The Praises of Julius and Leo were the Subjects of those luscious Panegyricks with which the Auditory were almost daily entertained There were some Motions made in order to the engaging in a War against the Turks and concerning the Reformation of the Church And also there was a Debate about the Immortality of the Soul which began to admit of a Dispute now in
was to continue no longer than either till a general Council was conven'd or till the next Imperial Diet the Elector mov'd King Ferdinand that this last Clause might be omitted He also desir'd that those who profess'd the same Religion with other Protestants might enjoy the same Priviledges though they were not comprehended in the Treaty at Nuremburg and that no Prosecutions might be issu'd out against them To this Ferdinand reply'd that he could make no new Provision in this case without the Emperor's consent The Elector of Saxony reply'd that it was very hard since their Adversaries might recede from the Pacification when they pleas'd that himself and his Allies should be barr'd this Liberty The Security which was given them in the Treaty did not design without doubt to keep them in suspence and in the dark without being able so much as to know what they were to hope for or expect Besides as soon as ever a Proclamation for a Diet came out it would be look'd upon as a Signal to break the Peace and be like beating a Charge for new Disturbances from whence great Inconveniences would follow And he must add that if those of the same Religion with himself could not enjoy the benefit of the Pacification and happen'd to be proscrib'd or otherways aggreived it would be very uneasie to him and the rest of his Allies to connive at these things and desert their Friends in their Distress But the Elector gain'd nothing more of his Point by this Remonstrance only one of Ferdinand's chief Ministers reply'd that it was a long time yet before the Empire was to meet unless some great and unexpected occasion should happen and when there shall be a necessity for the holding of a Diet the present affair shall be setled by his Electoral Highness's and the Lantgrave's advice Upon this the Elector press'd this Request no farther But when he desir'd the Treaty might be ratify'd Ferdinand answer'd that he had not omitted to Command the Chamber to desist the last year pursuant to the Articles at Cadan But they told him that there were several Causes purely Secular and Civil intermixt with those that were Sacred now these were perfectly under their Jurisdiction for they did not relate to Faith and Religion but to Estates and yearly Revenues To this the Elector of Saxony reply'd that these mix'd Causes were the only reason which made them so earnest for a Pacification for though they did concern Mens Goods and Estates yet they were grounded upon Religion His Majesty may likewise be inform'd by the Princes of the Mediation the Elector of Mentz and the Palsgrave that these sort of Disputes were mention'd at the Treaty As for other Causes in which their Creed and their Consciences are only concern'd the Chamber never had any thing to do with those neither was there any necessity that himself and his Confederates should desire the Emperor to check the Judges upon such an account as this Besides long before the Pacification at Cadan the Chamber pretended that the fore-mention'd Causes were only Secular and therefore among other things there was a particular Provision made at Cadan that his Majesty should interpose his Authority to restrain that Court. After the Matter was thus discours'd at last the King yielded and promis'd to undertake that none of those Causes which his Highness and his Confederates at the Treaty at Nuremburg counted Religious should be try'd before the Chamber The French Embassadors Speech which I mention'd was answer'd by the Protestants as followeth Notwithstanding there goes various Reports concerning those Executions in France yet because his Excellency says those who suffer'd were contriving an Insurrection they could not blame the King's Proceedings since they did not tolerate such sort of Persons in their own Dominions But in regard all people have not every where the same Opinions of the establish'd Doctrins and Rites they entreat his Majesty that this Severity may not fall upon all Persons without distinction but that those may be spar'd who having laid open the Errors and Corruptions of the Times had reform'd their Creed into the same purity the Scriptures taught it and held to that Confession which themselves had made at Ausburg For it cannot be deny'd that many false and wicked Opinions have broke in upon the Church which are now very confidently maintain'd by ignorant and malitious Men upon Principles of Covetousness and Ambition Now it 's their way and they are Masters of it to forge Accusations against innocent and religious Persons that so they may exasperate Princes into rigour And since Kings and Princes are more peculiarly oblig'd to promote the Honour of God to purge the Church from Error and to check unreasonable Cruelty they earnestly beseech his most Christian Majesty that he would lay out his principal Endeavours upon so good a Work. If he pleases to do this they shall be assur'd that he hath a real regard for them which they hope may prove auspicious both to themselves and the Church What his Majesty discours'd concerning the ancient and constant Friendship between the French Kings and the Princes of Germany was wonderfully entertaining to them And they would make it their business that this Intimacy and good Correspondence might be continu'd for the future And whereas his Excellency offers to excuse the King from some Imputations they are very inclinable to gratifie him in this Point and acquiesce in his Apology desiring above all things that God would vouchsafe a general Peace to Christendom and Protect the Germans in their Liberties which were formerly gain'd at the expence of so much Blood. Now though that which his Excellency mention'd concerning an Accommodation in Religion belongs to an argument too large to be dispatch'd in a few words yet so prudent a Person as the King may easily perceive that the separation is wholly owing to the obstinacy of their Adversaries who have condemn'd all the reform'd Doctrin in a most violent manner They have desir'd nothing more for these many years than that the whole Cause might be argued before a lawful Council but the Pope and his Dependents have oppos'd this Overture with all the rigour imaginable 'T is true Clement the Seventh propos'd a Council under certain Conditions but then they were such as made it sufficiently apparent that he could not endure that Matters should be freely debated And this Pope though he promises a Council yet he will not suffer the Form and Method of it be disputed before-hand and besides he will have it conven'd out of the Territories of the Empire From whence it 's easie to conclude that there is foul play and deceit at the bottom and that nothing else is intended but to get the true Religion suppress'd by the Authority of a Council And since the calling of the Church together does not belong only to the Bishop of Rome but Kings and Princes are equally concern'd in it They beseech his Majesty to interpose so
manner he forced the Body of Cosmo Cherio Bishop of Fano having made his Servants hold him by violence till he did the Fact which abominable Villany lay so heavy upon the poor mans Heart that it is said he died of grief Nor are there wanting some who think he was poysoned by him lest he should have informed the Emperour of that detestable Sodomy Pope Paul nevertheless tenderly loved this Bastard making it his whole care to promote him and when sometimes he was told of his lewd Practices he is reported not to have been much troubled thereat but only to have usually said That he had not learn those Vices of him We mentioned before that the Fathers of the Council leaving Trent had removed to Bolonia This the Emperour was highly displeased at and when he came now to Ausburg he moved the Colledge of the Princes to represent the matter to the Pope Wherefore September the fourteenth the Bishops wrote to him representing the State and Danger of Germany which they say might have been prevented if a timely Remedy had been applied to the growing Distemper to wit a Publick Council wherein they had several times importuned the Emperour that he would procure it to be held within the Limits of Germany that so the Bishops of that Country who were most concerned might be present for seeing their Jurisdiction waâ— of ample extent it was not expedient for them especially at that time to be at a great distance from their own Charge That at length when no man would repair to Mantua or Vicenza a Council indeed was by the diligence and care of the Emperour got to be called and begun but without the Bounds of Germany still to wit at Trent which belongs rather to Italy That for that reason also not many of the Germans had come to it nor indeed could they especially in time of War when the Ways were every where beset and intercepted but that now the Storm being over when the Vessel was brought almost into Harbour and all men were in good hopes contrary to all expectation the Council wherein the Publick Safety wholly consisted should be translated to another Place or rather indeed divided was a thing that exceedingly grieved them because of the danger it threatned for that Germany had now no less than these six and twenty years struggled with new and pernicious Doctrines and Sects that the Bishops had lost almost all their Authority and that in this â—esolation and Confusion innumerable thousands of men endangered the Salvation of their Souls That in short whatever was formerly sound and sincere was by that pestilent Contagion spoil'd and corrupted and that the States of the Empire being rent asunder had lost all mutual Love and Correspondence That in these their so great Calamities they had no Refuge but to the Apostolick Church That therefore they most earnestly begg'd he would restore the Council which if he did he might expect any thing from them but if not that they could not tell where to look for Help for that noise of stormy Winds and Tempests was heard on all hands against which God had appointed the Church of Rome to be as a strong Bulwark and firm Rock of Defence That he should then have regard to their Demands and reject with himself that if he had not a care other Course may be taken to set things to rights That after all they prayed him to take these things in good part for that both the necessity of the Times and the obligation of their Duty had constrained them to write About this very time also the English obtain a great Victory over the Scots under the Conduct of the Duke of Somerset the King's Uncle The Cause of the War was the same that was before in the time of King Henry his Father to wit because the Scots would not give their Queen in Marriage to King Edward as it had been agreed upon After this Victory the English took many Places in Scotland and advanced a great way into that Country All the Diet was not of the same mind as to the Emperour's Demands for the Ecclesiastical Electors urged the Council of Trent without any Limitation or Condition And again the Deputies of the Elector Palatine Duke Maurice and Brandenburg did not refuse it provided it were free and holy wherein the Pope should not preside but should absolve the Bishops from the Oath they had taken to him wherein their Divines might also have a decisive Vote and the past Decrees be recalled However the rest of the Princes and States urged the Continuation of the Council and that the Protestants might have Safe-conduct to go thither and be heard and then be compelled to submit to and obey its Decrees The Emperour being informed of all their Opinions gave his Answer October the eighteenth desires them all to submit to the Council and deals privately with the Elector Palatine and Duke Maurice that they would assent The Prince Palatine besides was over-awed because of the late Offence he had given the year before as we said that Sore not being as yet well skinned over Duke Maurice who was both desirous that the Landgrave his Father-in-law might be set at liberty and had been lately highly promoted by the Emperour thought himself obliged to do somewhat Wherefore the Emperour having by Messengers given them large Assurances of his Favour and Good-will and put it to them that they would refer themselves to his Faith and Promise at length October the twenty fourth they give their Assent There remained no more now but the Free Towns who thought it a matter of great danger to submit themselves indifferently to the Decrees of the Council These did Granvell and Hasen industriously manage and in the mean time a Report went over the Town that they were stubborn in refusing that which all the Princes had already approved Some Threats were also let fall that they should be far more severely dealt with than formerly At length they found a way both to satisfie the Emperour and to secure themselves Being therefore called before his Imperial Majesty they told him that it was not their part to correct the Answers of the Princes but at the same time present a Paper to him declaring the Conditions upon which they were willing to approve the Council The Emperour having heard their Speech makes them an Answer by the mouth of Selden That he was very well satisfied that after the example of others they referred the matter to him and gave their consent with the rest So that he attributed more unto them than they were desirous of for they had not consented with the rest but that they might give no cause of offence were unwilling to censure the Judgment of the Princes and nevertheless that they might not afterwards be concluded thought fit to give in writing the Conditions upon which they accepted the Council that so they might leave to Posterity some
much improved but he was then very dissolute nor was Henry of England any better And after all the Judgments God has sent from Heaven upon us we have not repented or amended and therefore there is no wonder that this sad difference of Religion cannot be composed and the Peace of the Church restored No on the contrary it is now apparent that our Enemies are become so numerous that they are almost able to oppress us As to those who pretend that we have encreased them by our Connivance I can answer That during the minority of the King they are bolder and I would have them consider too that for our Sins God has set a Child over us There are some who would have the King arm one part of his Subjects against the other which I think is neither Christian nor Human. After very much to the same purpose he told them the Thing proposed by the King to their Consideration was Whether it was the best way for the King to Suppress the Meetings or to Tolerate them Thereupon followed a very great Debate between these Deputies of the several Parliaments of France but at last they came to a Resolution to remit something of the Severity of the Edict of July and to allow the Protestants the liberty of Publick Sermons and accordingly a new Edict was made which was called The Edict of January the principal Heads of which were these That the Protestants should restore the Ecclesiasticks to their Churches Houses Lands Tithes and other goods whatsoever which they had taken from them forthwith and suffer them peaceably to enjoy their Images Crosses and Statues without any molestation or endeavouring to destroy them or doing any other thing that may disturb the publick Peace upon pain of Death without any hope of Mercy That the Protestants should have no publick Meetings Sermons and Prayers or administer any Sacraments publickly or privately by Night or by Day within any City in any manner whatsoever Yet in the mean time till the Controversies of Religon shall be composed by a General Council or the King shall otherwise order it Those who shall go to or frequent their Sermons shall not be molested provided they be had without the Cities And the Magistrates were accordingly commanded not to disquiet but to protect and preserve them from all Injury That all Seditious Persons of what Religion soever they were should be severely punished and all should be bound to discover and deliver them up to Justice a thousand Crowns being imposed upon any person who should receive abet or conceal such Riotous Offender and the Offender to be whipp'd if not able to pay the Penalty That the said Meetings should be without Arms and that no person should Reproach another on the account of Religion or use any Factious Names That the Protestants Ministers should admit none into their Number till they had diligently examined their Lives Conversations and Doctrines That the Magistrates might freely go to their Meetings to see what was done or to apprehend any Criminal who should be treated according to their Dignity and obeyed That the Protestants should hold no Synods Conferences or Consistories but in the presence of a Magistrate That they should create no new Magistrates or make any Laws or Statutes And if they desire any thing by way of Discipline it should be referred to their Authority or if need be be confirmed by them There shall be no Levies of Men or Monies made by them nor any Leagues entered into for their private Defence And as to Alms they shall only take them of such as are willing to give The Civil Laws especially those concerning Holy Days and the Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity in Marriages shall be observed That their Pastors shall give Security to the Magistrates for the Observing this Edict and promise That they will not preach any Doctrine contrary to the Nicence or Apostles Creeds or the Books of the Old or New Testament nor use any Reproaches against the Catholicks in their Sermons And the same is injoyned the Catholicks in relation to the Protestants No man shall publish any Libels to desame another or sell or cause them to be sold Lastly the Magistrates are hereby commanded to be very diligent in case any Sedition happens to search out the Offenders and punish them without any Appeal to be allowed to such Offenders A Debate being made concerning the Worship of Images these Propositions were published by the Queen by the Advice of the Bishops of Valence and Seez and Monsieur Bouthillier d' Espence and Picherel That seeing Errors are according to St. Augustin rather to be rooted out of the Mind of Men than out of Churches and other places the Bishops should take order with the Curates to have the People well Instructed and diligently Admonished concerning the right use of them that all Offence or Scandal might be prevented both by the Royal Authority and that of the Church and that if any opposed this he should be treated as a Violater of the Royal Edicts and of the publick Peace That all Figures of the Holy Trinity should be immediately removed out of all Churches and all other publick and private Places as being forbidden by the Holy Scriptures the Councils and Testimonies of the Fathers and only Dissembled or Tolerated by the Sloth of the Bishops and Pastors That the Picutres of all prophane Persons and others who were not to be found in the Authentick Martyrologies of the Church all lascivious and dishonest Pictures and those of Brutes shall be abolished That no Crowns Garlands or Vestments shall be put upon any Images nor Incense nor Candles burnt before them nor shall they be carried in Processions nor any Prayers or Oblations be made to them nor shall they be worshipped with bended Knees because all these things are parts of Worship That all Images but that of the Venerable Holy Cross shall be taken from the Altars and either placed on the Valves or Walls of the Churches so that from henceforth they may neither be saluted kissed prayed to or presented with Gifts That all Images which were wont to be carried on the Shoulders of Men in the Churches and Streets should according to the late Canon of Sens be for ever abolished Beza opposed the retention of the Cross as brought into use by Constantine the Great and one N. Mallard Dean of the Sorbonne in Paris tho' he confessed some ill things had crept into the Church yet he was of opinion that all this Worship of Images ought stoutly to be defended and retained and put out a Book to that purpose so the Thing fell This Order was made the 14th of February The same Month but some few days before it the King of Navar wrote a Letter to the Elector Palatine in which he testified his great desire to promote a Reformation and that he hoped to have found a way to reconcile Differences by the Conference of
of which I have faitfully Transcribed them and the Letters are now in my Hands The History of this Council is so well described by Petro Soave Polano a Venetian which is in English that I need the less insist upon it but I shall however remark some few things from Thuanus and others for the Enlarging or Confirming the Credit of that History which is much cryed down by the Roman Catholicks as certainly they have good Reason to be offended with that Author who with so much Truth and Impartiality has discovered the Artifices of that Assembly for the keeping up the Grandeur of the Court of Rome and the Suppression and Baffling that Reformation which the most Learned of the Church of Rome then so much desired and panted after The Second Session was held the Twenty sixth of February in which a Decree pass'd against Reading Books suspected of Heresie and a safe Conduct and an Invitation was given to all that would come to the Council Seventeen Bishops were by Name appointed to bring in a Catalogue of such Books as were intended or thought fit to be Prohibited Polano observes that they carried this so high as to deprive Men of that Knowledge which was necessary to defend them from the Vsurpations of the Court of Rome by which means its Authority was maintained and made Great For the Books were Prohibited and Condemned in which the Authority of Princes and Temporal Magistrates is defended from the Vsurpations of the Clergy and of Councils and Bishops from the Vsurpations of the Court of Rome in which their Hypocrisies or Tyrannies are manifested by which the People under pretence of Religion are deceived In summ a better Mystery was never found out than to use Religion to make Men insensible However this may help to keep those in their Church which they now have it doth certainly by Experience render them very Contemptible to all others and unable to defend their Religion which is especially true of their Laity The Fourth of March the business of the Safe Conduct was dispatched in a Congregation and a Debate was raised and pursued with great Heat by the Spanish Bishops That Episcopacy was instituted by God without any Medium and that Residence and their Pastoral Deligence in feeding their Flock was of Divine Right which they desired might be Confirmed by the Decree of the Council But because this tended to the Establishing the Authority of the Bishops and the Abating that of the Pope his Holiness was much concern'd at it and having consulted the Cardinals about it they by common consent Delayed and by ambiguous Answers deluded the Fathers at Trent and at last totally baffled them in this Point The Second Session was appointed to be the Twelfth of April which was then prorogued to the Fourth of June and from thence to the Fifteenth of the same Month. In the mean time the King of France sent Lewis de Sanct Gelais Sieur de Lanssac Arnold de Ferrier Presiders of Paris and Guy du Faur Sieur de Pibrac his Ambassadors to the Council who arrived at Trent the Nineteenth of May. Lanssac soon after wrote a Letter to give an Account of their being come to the French Resident at Rome in which he said he thought they ought in the first Place to take care that an Event contrary to their Expectation might not attend the Council that the Pope should Order his Legates to shew great patience to those who spake proceed slowly in all things attend the Arrival of those Bishops who were coming and aâ—ow a Liberty without condition to all that were to Vote or Speak and not fall under the old Reproach of having the Holy Ghost sent them from Rome in a Portmanteau and lastly that they should take care that what was Decreed at Trent to the Glory of God should not be malignantly Interpreted and Traduced or it may be Corrupted at Rome by a Company of Idle Men He desired therefore he would endeavour to obtain these things of the Pope as he did but the Pope took this Liberty very ill and desired That no Prejudice might be done to his Authority by the French Bishops Adding That he reserved the Reformation of the Ecclâ—siastical Discipline and of the Court of Rome to himself and that he might with greater Convenience attend this and the Transactions at Trent he intended to go to Rononia The pretence of this Journey was the Crowning of the Emperor in that City who was said to be coming thither for that purpose But the reality was the Pope was afraid the World should think him more solicitous for the preservation of the Papal Power than for his Pastoral Cure. The Twentieth of May the French Ambassadors were admitted in a Congregation where they made an unacceptable Oration an abstract of which is in Polano Thuanus saith The Speech was made the Fourth of June and that amongst other things they desired That the Missals and Breviaries might be Reformed and the Lectures which were not taken out of the Holy Scriptures might be cut off That the Sacrament of the Lords Supper might be allowed in both Kinds according to the desire of many Nations And also the Liberty of eating Flesh and that the Severity of their Fasts might be abated That Marriage should be allowed to the Clergy of some Countries That the multitude of Humane Constitutions should be retrenched and Prayers in the Vulgar Tongue faithfully Translated mixed with the Latin Hymns Before this the Ambassador of the Duke of Bavaria had also demanded the giving of the Cup in the Lords Supper to the Laity as absolutely necessary for the Preserving those who had not yet separated themselves from the Communion of the Church of Rome but were much offended with this denial and for the Recovery of those who had lefâ— it And accordingly there were about Fifty of the most Learned of the Fathers of the Council who were for granting it and amongst them Gonzaga President of the Council though all his Collegues dislented But the Spanâ—sh Bishops opposed it and others thought it was fit first to send Legates into Germany who should see and report it to the Council whether it were necessary and how it might be done This was debated in a Congregation the Twenty eighth of August but in the Twenty second Session held the Seventeenth of September it was rejected and all were Anathematized That did not allow the Church to have taken away the Cup from the Laity c. upon just Grounds When the Germans still insisted that it might be granted again to some People the Council to free themselves from their importunity turned them over to the Pope who according to his Prudence was to do what he thought Useful and Salutary Before this the Pope being press'd to Grant the Cup by the French Ambassador about a Year since had referred it to the Conclave of Cardinals and they and he had referred it to the Council and now the
brought to him in Spain An account of the Bulla Aurea the Golden Bull and Laws of the Empire Erasmus his Testimony of Luther Whilest they were Disputing at Leipsick Ulrick Zuinglius began to teach at Zurich and manfully opposed one that preached up Indulgences POPE Leo X a Florentine of the Family of Medices making use of that Power which his Predecessors the Popes of Rome had Usurped and he himself thought he had over all Christian Churches sent abroad into all Kingdoms his Letters and Bulls with ample Promises of the full Pardon of Sins and of Eternal Salvation to such as would purchase the same with Money and the Collectors and those who were sent out to Preach up the Value of this so great a Favour not only defended their Doctrins in Books they published particularly in Germany but also setled publick Offices in all Provinces for the Receipt of the Money that was raised this way and by the Licences which they likewise sold for eating Eggs Milk Cheese and Flesh on Fasting Days Now this Remission and Pardon of Sins they named an Indulgence a Word of their own coyning which had been of a long time in use among them There lived at that time in Wittemberg upon the Elbe a City of Saxony one Martin Luther a Doctor of Divinity and an Augustine Fryer who being excited by the Sermons and Books of these Collectors and perceiving that their Doctrin was believed and past current among the People began to advise Men to be Wise and not to purchase such Commodities at so dear a Rate Because what they laid out that way might be far better employed And this happened in the Year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and seventeen That he might therefore proceed in his Design with better Success on the last of October he wrote to Albert of Brandenburg Archbishop of Mentz acquainting him with what they Taught and Complaining that the People were so persuaded as that having purchased these Indulgences by Money they needed no more doubt of Salvation as if no Crime could be committed which was not by that means Pardoned and as if the Souls which were Tormented in the Fire of Purgatory so soon as the Money was cast into the Box were presently discharged of their Pains and took their Flight streight up to Heaven He tells him That Christ commanded the Gospel to be Preached and that it was the proper Office of Bishops to instruct the People in the Right Way Wherefore he puts him in Mind of his Duty and prays him that he would use his Authority in suppressing those Books and enjoyning the Preachers to teach better Doctrin lest it might give Occasion to some more grievous Dissension which would undoubtedly happen if they were not restrained The Reason why he wrote to him was Because he being also Bishop of Magdeburg it belonged to him to take care of these things With this Letter he also sent the Theses which for Disputation sake he had lately published at Wittemberg to the number of ninety five wherein he fully handled the Doctrin of Purgatory true Penance and the Office of Charity and censured the extravagant Preachings of the Collectors but only for discovering the Truth as has been said For he invited all Men not only to come to the Disputation and object what they had to say but begged also That such as would not be present might send their Opinions in Writing protesting that he affirmed nothing positively but referred all to the Judgment of the Holy Church nevertheless that he admitted not of the Doctrins of Thomas Aquinas and such like Writers unless they were found to agree with the Holy Scriptures and the Decrees of the Ancient Fathers The Archbishop of Mentz made no answer to these things but not long after John Tetzel a Dominican Frier at Frankford upon the Oder a Town within the Territories of Brandenburg published some Positions quite contrary to those of Luther wherein he mightily extolled the Authority of the Pope the Benefit of Indulgences and that Wooden Cross which then by the Command of the Pope was set up in all Churches insomuch that he compared Leo X to the Apostle St. Peter and that Popish Cross with the true Cross whereon Christ suffered for us But when no Man of the contrary Part came to the Disputation proposed at Wittemberg and that the Theses we mentioned were read by many with great Applause Luther wrote a very large Explication of them and sent it first to Jerome Bishop of Brandenburg to whose Jurisdiction he belonged and then to John Stupitz Provincial of the Augustine Friers praying him to have it transmitted to the Pope Nay in the Month of June he wrote to Pope Leo himself informing him That these Collectors relying upon or abusing his Authority taught very rashly and behaved themselves covetously That he made no doubt but heavy Accusations were brought against him but that therein he was wronged since he had been forced by the Sermons and idle Books of the Collectors to publish some things only for Disputation sake which now he more fully explained that therefore he prayed his Holiness Not to give Credit to those Accusations because Frederick Elector of Saxony was so Religious a Prince and of so great Prudence and Integrity that if those things were true which his Adversaries reported of him he would not suffer his Province to be in such a manner Profaned neither would the University of Wittemberg connive at it That in short he submitted all his Writings nay his Life and Safety to his Authority and Disposal that he would look upon what proceeded from his Holiness as if it flowed from Christ and were delivered by an Oracle nor did he refuse to lay down his Life if so it seemed good to him Besides others who oppugned his Theses and the Explication annexed to the same John Eckius a Divine wrote also against him whom Luther answered affirming That he alledged nothing from Scripture nor the Authority of the Fathers but only some Dreams of his own such as by bad Custom had now long prevailed in the Schools After Eckius Silvester Prierias a Dominican Master of the Sacred Palace as they call it wrote against him also and set out a Dialogue with a Preface to Pope Leo and that in a very Huffing and Confident Stile boasting That he would make a Tryal if Luther were so Strong and Invincible as that there was no Worsting nor overcoming of him and that if he answered that first Essay he would then ply him with far Stronger and more Elaborate Arguments He also addressed himself to Luther telling him That though he was now stricken in Years and had not of a long Time entred into any such Lists yet he would do all that was in his Power for the Roman Papacy praying him withal to return into the right Way Before he enters into Disputation he lays down some
general Positions as the Ground-work of his Opinion as that the Pope of Rome is head of the Universal Church That the Church of Rome is the Chief of all others and that in Matters relating to Faith and Religion it cannot err no more than a Council where the Pope is present That the Holy Scripture receives all its Force and Authority from the Church and Pope of Rome as from a most certain Rule and that they who think otherwise who follow not the Doctrins of the Church of Rome or question its Authority are without doubt Hereticks Having laid down this for a Ground he comes to debate the Matter To this Writing Luther afterwards made Answer and in his Preface to Silvester told him That he admired more than understood his Positions and then following his Example in his own Defence laid down some Positions also but such as were drawn from Holy Scripture Wherein he affirmed That we are not to believe the Doctrins of all Sorts of Men but prudently to weigh all Things and embrace that which is agreeable to the Word of God And that no Doctrin was to be received though never so Specious besides that which was left us by the Prophets and Apostles That the Writers who came nearest to them were to be admitted but that we were to judge of the rest And that as to Indulgences the Collectors ought not to forge any Novelties but therein follow the Direction of the Canon Law. Afterwards he objects against him That he alledged no Text of Scripture and only quoted the Opinion of Thomas who himself had handled most things according to his own Fancy without the Authority of Scripture wherefore he rejects both and for so doing gives for his Warrant not only the Injunction of S. Paul but also the Example of S. Austin That it is an usual thing with Lawyers to say That nothing was to be asserted but what was clearly grounded on the Law and that in Divinity it was far less tolerable to admit of any Allegation without the Authority and Testimony of Scripture That S. Paul commands That they who teach the People should be furnished not with Syllogisms or the various Devices of Men but with sound Doctrin left to us by Divine Inspiration but that because most part slighted that Command thick Darkness had overspread the Church and jangling about frivolous and needless Questions had broke into it Having thus made Way for himself he comes to the Refutation and towards the End says That he was not at all moved at his Threats nor his lofty and swelling Expressions for that though he might be put to Death yet Christ still lived and was Immortal to whom all Glory and Honour ought to be given That if afterwards he intended to have another Brush he must make use of other Weapons and that else he would come but sorrily off with his old Friend Thomas Silvester makes his Reply That he was exceedingly pleased That he submitted to the Determination of the Pope of Rome and wished that therein he might have spoken truly and from his Heart Luther had twitted him with Ambition and Flattery which he altogether disowned but strongly defended Thomas Aquinas affirming That his whole Doctrin was so well Received and Approved of by the Church of Rome that it was even preferred before all other Writings He therefore rebuked him for speaking with so little Reverence of so great a Man and told him That he looked upon it as an Honour to be called a Thomist But that nevertheless he was also acquainted with the Writings of other Men which sometime or other he would make appear To this Preface he subjoyned a Short Book wherein he strangely commended the Power of the Pope of Rome so that he raised him above Councils and all the Canons and affirmed That the Force of Scripture depended wholly on his Authority Thomas Aquinas being nobly descended gave himself altogether to the Study of Learning and leaving Italy came first to Cologn and then to Paris where he attained to the chief Place amongst the Learned Men of his Age and published many Books both in Philosophy and Divinity He had been a Fryer of the Dominican Order and the Scholar of Albertus Magnus and about fifty Years after his Death was Canonized a Saint by Pope John XXII He had indeed been a rare Champion for the Papal Dignity for he gave him Power not only over all Bishops the Universal Church and Kings but also both Spiritual and Civil Jurisdiction affirming it to be necessary to Salvation That all Men should be Subject unto him and that he had full Power in the Church both to call Councils and to confirm the Decrees of the same Nay and that from National or Provincial Synods Appeals might lawfully be made unto him In short he attributed all things unto him save only that he could not make new Articles of Faith nor abrogate those which were handed down to us from the Apostles and Fathers He wrote also largely of Indulgences and made the Pope an absolute Monarch in dispensing them He is said to have died in the Year one thousand two hundred and seventy four and because of the sharpness of his Wit he is commonly called the Angelical Doctor To Silvester's Reply Luther made Answer only by an Epistle to the Reader wherein he affirms That little Book of his to be so stuffed with Lies and Horrid Blasphemies against God that the Devil himself appeared to be the Author of it That if the Pope and Cardinals were of the same Judgment and that if that was the Doctrin taught at Rome it was no more to be doubted but that Rome was the very Seat of Antichrist and that happy was Greece Bohemia and all the rest who had separated from it That if the Pope did not restrain him and force him to retract his Writings he protested that he Dissented from him and not only acknowledged not the Church of Rome but would look upon it for the Future as an Impure Sink of Errours wholly Devoted to Impiety That new and unheard of Elogies of the Pope of Rome were cunningly and craftily devised daily with intent that there might be no place for a Lawful Council since his Flatteries raised him above a Council and affirmed That the true Sense and Meaning of the Scriptures was to be sought from him as from an Infallible Judge That if they went on in this Madness and Imposed so upon the World with their Juggles there remained no other Remedy but that the Magistrates should Punish them That Thieves Robbers and such like Malefactors were put to Death but that it was more Reasonable That all Men should joyn in repressing these most pernicious Enemies of the Commonwealth of Christendom That their Pope was no more than other Men and no less obliged by the Laws of God than the Meanest Person whatsoever and that they who taught otherwise offered the highest Injury to the Divine Majesty
inconsiderable a Person as he was they ought at least to write to his Highness or to the Emperour or else to some Eminent Bishop of Germany and appoint a free Disputation to be held in some Place that hitherto they had denyed him all these things but that if they persevered therein it might easily be judged who were in the Fault he or they That since therefore they offered nothing but Severity and Cruelty he ought not to be moved at their Words for that it was far more easie for them to mark down what they thought to be Erroneous and to publish them for such through Germany than for him to be at vast Charges and endanger his Life in going to Rome to have his Errours examined and discussed there That after all as to what he boasted of That the Cause should be judicially tryed at Rome unless he either went thither or were banished the Country he did not refuse Banishment for that he very well knew no Place could be safe for him so long as he was pursued by the Malice and Treachery of his Adversaries that it would be also a great Grief and Trouble to him if any Man should be brought into Danger for his sake that therefore to prevent their Enterprizes he would leave the Country and go whither God pleased to call him At length he concludes with hearty Thanks to his Highness and prayes for his Welfare and Prosperity rejoycing in himself That God would think him worthy to suffer any thing for the Glory of the Name of Christ Afterwards the University of Wittemberg on the 21 November wrote to Duke Frederick That they had been informed by Luther of Cajetane's Letter what it was he demanded and what again Luther offered at Ausburg that therefore since Luther desired both that his Errour might be made appear to him and that he submitted to the Holy Church of Rome they prayed his Highness to endeavour that they might not take any Severe Course with him but convince him of his Errour by Arguments taken from Holy Scripture that he indeed had great Confidence in the Courteous and Gracious Disposition of Pope Leo but was much afraid lest his Flattering Adversaries might incense him and abuse the Name of the Church Though the Elector Frederick complied not with the Papists and took special Care that Luther should not suffer any Injury as may sufficiently appear from what hath been said yet to that very Day he had not read any of Luther's Writtings nor heard his Sermons as he himself professed in a Letter which at Ausburg he wrote to Cardinal Raphael Riario who upon account of Ancient Acquaintance had friendly admonished him not to undertake the Protection of Luther In the mean time during these Transactions Pope Leo being apprehensive of some defection in that State of Affairs on the eight of November published a Bull in confirmation of Indulgences affirming it to be the Doctrine of the Church of Rome the Mother and Mistriss of all other Churches that the Pope the Successor of S. Peter and Vicar of Christ hath Power of granting that great Blessing which availeth not only the Living but the Dead also in Purgatory that that Doctrine was to be embraced by all if they would not be separated from the Communion of the Church This Bull he therefore sent to his Legate Cardinal Cajetane to be by him published He in obedience to the Command published it at Lintz a Town of Austria upon the Danube in presence of some Publick Notaries and Witnesses and having caused many Copies of it to be written out sent them in the Month of December after to the Bishops throughout Germany charging them in the Pope's Name under severe Penalties That they forthwith publish and seriously recommend them to the People of their Diocesses Because Luther had understood by Cajetane's Letter That they would proceed to a Sentence against him at Rome on the 28 of November he made a new Appeal In the beginning whereof he professes That he would not impeach the Authority of the Pope of Rome so long as he was sound in his Judgment and far less dissent from the Church that nevertheless seeing the Pope was like other Men it was possible he might err and do amiss and that it was not to be attributed to him as if he alone could not err nor be deceived This he affirms by the Example of S. Peter whom S. Paul rebuked openly and sharply because he had erred in the Sound Doctrine That seeing the Pope had so great Power and Wealth that he both commanded what he pleased and could not be restrained by the Authority of any Man the only Remedy that remained for those who thought themselves injured by him was in Appeal Then he relates How that being forced by the too great Austerity of Cardinal Cajetane he had Appealed to the Pope thinking he might have had some Protection in his goodness seeing he had offered most reasonable Conditions and promised to do any thing provided he were convinced of his Errour but that now seeing he perceived that this Appeal being slighted and the Conditions also rejected there was no Hopes of Help or Relief from the Pope as appeared by Cardinal Cajetane's Letter to the Elector of Saxony he was by extream Necessity brought to make his Appeal from the Pope to a future Council which was every way to be preferred before him Afterwards Pope Leo sent Charles Miltitz whom we mentioned before into Germany and presented the Elector Frederick with that Golden Rose which is yearly Consecrated by the Pope with great Pomp and many Ceremonies and commonly presented to some great Person as a Mark of singular Good-will and Favour He wrote also to Degenart Pheffinger a Nobleman and one of Duke Frederick's Council intreating him to assist Miltitz in what he was to negotiate with the Elector in his Name that Luther the Son of Satan might be restrained and that the most Noble Family of Saxony which had been always reckoned zealous for Religion might not be sullied by any Blot or Blemish To the same Purpose also he wrote to George Spalatiner and the more to persuade him told him That he was wholly taken up in rooting the hurtful Weeds out of the Field of Christ In like manner his Vice-Chancellour writing to Degenart prays him That he would exhort Duke Frederick to imitate the Example of his Ancestors that he might not do any thing unworthy of their Memory When Miltitz arrived in Saxony he presented the Rose and vigorously set about the Discharge of his Commission This coming to Luther's Knowledge on the third of March he wrote a very submissive Letter to the Pope That he had been grievously accused to Frederick Elector of Saxony as if he behaved himself perversly towards the Church of Rome which troubled him not a little for that it exceedingly grieved him to have fallen into his Holiness's Displeasure and that nevertheless he could not tell what
they might prove of great use to others as well as to himself who was exceedingly pleased with them but that there was one thing that he would have him admonished of and that was That more might be done by a civil Modesty than by Transports and Heat that he ought rather to thunder against those who abused the Authority of Popes than against the Popes themselves that about inveterate things which cannot be suddenly pluck'd out it is better to dispute with pithy and close Arguments than to assert positively and that in this Case the Passions and Affections must be laid aside That he gave him this Admonition not that he might learn what he was to do but that he should proceed as he had begun Luther's Doctrine having in this manner caused much Strife and Contention and raised him many Enemies there was a Disputation appointed to be at Leipsick a Town in Misnia belonging to George Duke of Saxony Cousin-german to the Elector Frederick thither came Luther and with him Philip Melanchthon who the Year before came to Wittemberg being sent for by Duke Frederick to be Professour of the Greek Language there thither came also John Eckius a bold and confident Divine On the Day appointed which was July 4 the Disputation was begun by Eckius who having proposed some Positions to be debated made this his last That they who affirmed that before the time of Pope Silvester the Church of Rome was not the first of all Churches did err for that he who attained to the See and Faith of S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles was always acknowledged for the Successor of S. Peter and the Vicar of Christ upon Earth The contrary Position to this was published by Luther to wit That they who attributed Primacy to the Church of Rome had no other Ground for it but the bare and insipid Decretals of the Popes made about four hundred Years ago but that these Decretals were repugnant not only to all Histories written a thousand Years since but also to Holy Scripture and the Council of Nice the most Famous of all Councils Eckius then entring upon the Dispute laid hold of that last Position and would begin the Debate about the Authority and Primacy of the Pope of Rome but Luther having made a short Preface said That he had rather that that Argument as being very Odious and not at all Necessary might have been waved and that for the sake of the Pope that he was sorry he should have been drawn into it by Eckius and that he wished now his Adversaries were present who having grievously accused him and now shunn'd the Light and a fair Tryal of their Cause did not do well Eckius also having made a Preamble declared That he had not raised this Bustle and Stir but that it was Luther who in his first Explication of his Theses had denyed That before Silvester's time the Pope of Rome preceded the rest in Order and Dignity and had averred before Cajetane That Pope Pelagius had wrested many Places of Scripture according to his own Pleasure which being so that all the Fault lay at his Door The first Debate then was about the Supremacy of the Pope of Rome which Eckius said was instituted by Divine Right and called Luther who denyed it a Bohemian because Huss had been heretofore of the same Opinion Luther to justifie himself from this Accusation proved That the Church of Christ had been spread and propagated far and near twenty Years before S. Peter constituted a Church at Rome that this then was not the First and Chief Church by Divine Right Afterwards Eckius impugned Luther's other Positions of Purgatory Indulgences Penance the Pardon of the Guilt and Remission of the Punishment of Sin and of the Power of Priest At length on the fourteenth Day ended the Dispute which had been appointed not upon the account of Luther but of Andrew Carolstad though Luther came to it in company of Carolstad only to hear but being drawn in by Eckius who had procured a Safe-Conduct for him from Duke George he entred the Lists of Disputation for Eckius was brisk and confident because of the Nature of the Subject wherein he promised himself certain Victory Luther afterwards published the whole Conference and Debate and by an ingenious Animadversion upon the Writings and Sayings of his Adversaries gathered several Heads of Doctrine downright Heretical as he said That so he might make it appear That whilst they spoke and wrote any thing in Favour of the Pope and were transported with the Zeal of defending their Cause they interspersed many things which being narrowly inspected contained a great deal of Errour and Impiety Vlrick Zuinglius taught at that time at Zurich in Suitzerland whither he came upon a call in the beginning of this Year having before preached at Claris and in the Desert of our Lady as they call it Not long after Fryer Samson a Franciscean of Milan came thither also being sent by the Pope to preach up Indulgences and squeeze Money from the People Zuinglius stoutly opposed him and publickly called him an Imposter CAROLVS V. AVSTRIACVS D.G. ROMAN IMP SEMPER AVG REX HISPAN Natus Gandavi Ao. MD. Die. XXIV Febr Electus Ao. MDXIX XXVIII Iunij Ferdinando Frat Imp Commisit VII o Sept. MDLVI Obijt XXI Sept MDLVIII THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK II. The CONTENTS Luther by the advice of Charles Miltitz writes to the Pope and presents him with his Book of Christian Liberty The Emperor departs from Spain and passes through England into the Low-Countries Luther writes a Book which he calls Tessaradecas and another about the Manner of Confession a third about Vows His Opinion concerning the Communion in Both Kinds To this his Adversaries object a Decree of the Council of Lateran under Julius II of whose Actions you have a large Account In the mean time the Divines of Lovain and Cologn condemn Luther's Books In his Defence the Opinions of Picus Mirandula the Questions of Ockam and the Controversie of Reuchlin with the same Divines are recited Seeing himself attack'd by so many Enemies he writes to the Emperor soon after to the Archbishop of Mentz and Bishop of Mersburg The Elector Frederick finding that he had lost his Credit at Rome upon Luther's account endeavours to clear himself by Letter Luther likewise does the same The Pope Excommunicates him and he appeals again from the Decree of the Council of Mantua and puts out his Book of the Babylonish Captivity The Emperor is Crown'd at Aix la Chapelle The Pope again sollicites Frederick but not prevailing causes Luther's Books to be burnt Which when Luther understood he burnt the Popes Bull and the Canon Law and gives his Reasons for it He Answers Ambrose Catarino who had written against him IN the former Book an Account has been given of what relates to Charles Miltitz and his Negotiation at the Court of the Elector
Frederick He perceiving that the longer the Controversie lasted the less inclinable each Party would be to hearken to any terms of Accomodation endeavour'd by all ways and means possible to put a speedy period to it and having with the Elector's leave had several private Conferences with Luther he conceived some hopes that things were not yet come to that extremity but that such a temper might be found as should restore the Peace and Unity of the Church But because since the Dispute at Leipsick in which Eckius had opposed him in so scurrilous a manner Luther had published a more full Explanation of his Tenets Miltitz convened some of the Chief of the Augustine Friers where after a long Debate they all agreed that it was expedient for the composing the present difference that Luther should send a submissive Letter to the Pope At their request therefore he wrote on the Sixth of April to this effect That although he had appealed from him to a General Council yet nevertheless he still continued his most earnest Prayers to God for him That he was charged as guilty of casting malicious Scandals not only upon him but even on the Papacy it self That he was not a little troubled at the Accusation which had enforced him now to vindicate himself by Letter In the Refutation and Reproof of some Errors and Corruptions he confessed his style had been such as the grossness of the things themselves extorted but he protested he had never mentioned his Name without an Encomium as all his Books can fully testifie If he had taken the freedom to examin and impugn any false Doctrin in that he had done no more than what he had the Example of Christ himself and of all the Prophets and Apostles for his warrant But that such seasonable Discourses and wholsom Admonitions met with no kinder reception in the World was to be imputed to the false Insinuations of base and servile Flattery That for his part he had an eye only to the Glory of God and his chief design in all that he did was this That the Truth of the Gospel might again shine forth in Christendom Let him but obtain this and in other matters he 'll be very ready to yield but to depart from the Profession of the Truth in that he desires to be excused that he cannot comply with them In the next place he comes to speak of the Court of Rome which he says was grown more corrupt and wicked than either Babylon or Sodom and that it had in all things arrived to that heighth of impiety that nothing was now wanting to compleat the character of the Kingdom of Antichrist It grieved him therefore to think it should be the hard fortune of so good a Man to live there as a Lamb among Wolves for that Rome was unworthy to have a Person of his Integrity preside in it He acknowledges he had written several Treatises to retrieve in some measure if he could the ancient Doctrin and Disciplin of the Church not that he thought it possible to work a Reformation in Rome it self but that he might at least deliver some few from the slavery of those vices which are there practised Then he tells him that it were much better for him if he could be content with some small mean Preferment or live upon his own private Estate out of the reach of Flatterers who make use of his Name and Authority for a Cloak to their own Lusts and Ambitions That Bernard had deplored the condition of Pope Eugenius at that time when Rome retained as yet somewhat of its primitive Purity Much more then did he deserve pity who sits in the Chair now when it is become the sink and receptacle of all the filth and abominations in the World. That this was the reason why he had been so severe in his Reflections upon it which he had not done with an intent to fix any reproach upon him but rather for his advantage and that it was to be wished that all good and learned Men would assist him with their utmost strength and skill in his endeavours to subdue that Monster That he when he had publish'd some few small Tracts and saw 't was all labour in vain would very willingly have retired from so fruitless an Enterprize and for the future have applied himself wholly to such Studies from which some benefit might accrue to those of that College whereof he is a Member But that then there started up one John Eckius who disturbed all those calm pleasing Speculations and would not suffer him to enjoy his so much desired Retirement That he had managed a Dispute against him concerning the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome with opprobrious Language and very bitter Invectives but that all the advantage he got by it was that he rendred the lewdeness and infamy of that City more notorious After this he gives a short Relation of what Passed between Cardinal Cajetane and him and says That it was in the Cardinals power then if he would to have made up the Breach and that therefore he only ought to be accountable for all the mischief that has ensued since that time That after him came Charles Miltitz who although he had laboured hard for a Peace yet could effect nothing being still hindred by the unseasonable Wranglings of Eckius who whatever he pretended was in truth his Enemy and he who had been the cause of all this Disturbance That he speaking of himself as soon as ever he was required by Miltitz and the Heads of his Order to write to him in such terms as might sufficiently express his humility and dutifulness immediately Obeying shewed how unwilling he was to omit any thing which might contribute to a Reconciliation In order to which he desires him first to lay his Commands upon his Adversaries that they cease to rail against him in the next place that he may not be compell'd to make a Recantation of his former Writings nor obliged to Interpret Scripture according to any self-determin'd Rule for that the Doctrin of the Gospel which by giving true liberty ennobles the Minds of Men cannot it self sure be tied up to the narrow bounds of any certain fixed Prescript or Decision Upon these Conditions he is willing to do whatsoever they can in reason demand of him That for his part he took no delight in Strife and Contention but yet if they still went on to treat him with nothing but Scoffs and Injuries they should find perhaps to their cost that he would not so tamely give up his Cause He shews him that he now had an opportunity of ending the difference if he would but take the Cognizance of the Matter wholly upon himself and in the mean time enjoyn each Party silence But he warns him to be sure to beware of Flatterers and to stop his Ears against all their fawning Speeches as he would against the treacherous Songs of Sirens if he
some far fetch'd Gloss or Comment so as the Credit of the Author might not suffer any Diminution but towards him their Carriage had been very different for they had not only put a candid Interpretation upon those Parts of his Writings which might be wrested to his Disadvantage but had endeavoured to pick a Hole even in those very things in which he had been so cautious in his Expression as not to dread the Censure of the most Captious and Prejudiced Reader That the better and more effectual way had been to have admonished him either to explain or correct what he had wrote or else not to be obstinate in the maintaining of it That if notwithstanding all this he had continued disobedient they might then after having first shewed him his Error have acted according to Christ's Precept But besides all this the Pope could not but think his Honour touch'd in this that they had done in daring to pass such a Sentence on a Book which was wrote and Dedicated to him which was no other than rashly to upbraid him both with Sloth and Negligence but no Wonder that they made so bold with his Holiness since the Majesty of God himself was daily affronted by the Contempts which they put upon his Laws This William Ockam of whom Luther speaks lived in the Time of the Emperour Lewis IV about the Year of our Lord 1320 and among other things wrote a Book concerning the Pope's Supremacy in which these eight Questions were handled very curiously Whether the same Person can at one and the same time be both Pope and Emperour Whether the Emperour receive his Power and Authority from God alone and not also from the Bishop of Rome Whether Christ delegated any such Supreme Jurisdiction over the whole World to the Pope and Church of Rome which they might at their Pleasure parcel out to the Emperour and other Kings and Princes Whether the Emperour being once Chosen has not thereby the Government put absolutely into his Hands Whether other Princes besides the Emperour and King of the Romans because the Ceremony of their Coronation is performed by Priests upon that account derive any Authority from them Whether such Princes owe any sort of Subjection to those by whose Hands they received their Anointing and Investiture Whether if they should make use of any new Ceremonies or take upon them to Crown themselves they thereby forfeit their Regal Power and Dignity Whether the Suffrages of the seven Princes Electors do not give as good a Title to the Elected Emperour as a lawful Succession does to the other Kings where the Government is Hereditary In the Examination of these Points having shewed a great deal of Variety and Subtlety of Argument of both Sides he for the most part determines in Favour of the Civil Magistrate And upon that Occasion he makes mention of Pope John XXII who lived at that time and had made certain Ordinances which they called Extravagentes and inserted them into the Canon-Law All which he says were generally condemned as Heretical and Spurious Then he recites what Errors had been observed by other Persons both in his Books and publick Discourses and says That all Orthodox Men did admire how they came to gain any Credit in the World but that this was the Time of which S. Paul in his Epistle foretold Timothy That the time would come when men should not endure sound doctrin but after their own lusts should they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and should turn away their ears from the truth and be turned to Fables That this was too sadly verified in these Days in which most Men never enquire what was the Doctrin of Christ or of the Apostles or Primitive Fathers but are guided in every thing only by the Pope's arbitrary Will and Command As to what relates to Capnion Reuchline the matter stands thus John Phefercorne who had forsaken Judaisme and embraced Christianity had a long time been a Petitioner to the Emperour Maximilian That all the Jewish Books might be suppressed as those which trained up Men only in Impiety and Superstition and very much hindred their Conversion to the Christian Religion and that therefore they ought to be allowed the use of no other Book besides the Bible Maximilian at last sends his Orders to Vriel Archbishop of Mentz That he should make choice of some certain University to whom together with the Inquisitor James Hogostrate and John Reuchline he might refer the Examination of this Affair that they might consult what was fit to be done in it and whether it were agreeable to the generous and open practices of our Religion to condemn all Books to the Flames except those whose Authors were divinely inspired this was in the Year of our Lord 1510. Reuchline who was a Civilian and a great Master of the Hebrew Tongue having received Letters from Mentz returned this Answer That the Jewish Books were of three sorts Historical such as treated of Medicks and their Talmuds which last were of several different kinds that although there were a great many things contained in them which were Ridiculous as well as Superstitious yet upon one account they were of great use in that they served to refute their Errors and fond vain Opinions This his Sentence he sends sealed to the Archbishop but when Phefercorne came to hear of this he presently began to make no small stir about it and published a Book in opposition to what Reuchline had wrote reproaching him with the most odious Titles of the Champion and Patron of the Jews Capnion that his Silence might not be interpreted as a Confession of the Charge writes an answer to it which drew upon him the ill-Will of several Universities but chiefly of that of Cologne The most Famous Men there at that time were James Hogostrate and Arnold van Tongren And Hogostrate he put out a Book in which he was not in the least sparing of his Invectives following exactly the Copy that Phefercorne had set him and this he Dedicates to the Emperour Maximilian After this they commenced a Suit against him and the Tryal was before the Archbishop of Mentz to whose Jurisdiction the supposed Criminal belonged and the Prosecutor was James Hogostrate him Reuchline excepted against as one whom he thought not indifferent and this he did at first not in his own proper Person but by his Advocate But being persuaded to it by some Friends he at last came himself to Mentz accompanyed with a great many of the First Rank both for Nobility and Learning which Vlrich Duke of Wirtemberg had sent along with him There when he saw that whatsoever Proposals he made in order to a Reconciliation they were still all rejected by his Adversaries he was forced to appeal to the Pope He commits the hearing of the Cause to George Palatine Bishop of Spire and at the same Time issues out an Injunction That no Person besides presume to intermeddle in it But
those of Cologne taking no notice of this proceed to Censure Capnion's Book with a Salvo as they pretend to the Credit of the Author and in February 1514 they publickly burnt it this the Bishop of Spire took as an Affront put upon him and because the Prosecutor having been legally Cited had never appeared at the Day but made Default he gave Judgment for Capnion with an Approbation of his Book and condemned Hogostrate to pay the Costs of the Suit. He that he might avoid this Sentence hastens to Rome In the mean time the Divines of his Party make their Applications to the University of Paris and by the Help of Erand Marchian Bishop of Liege who was then in the French Interests they cajoled Lewis XII so as to make him inclinable to favour their Cause Therefore after a long Consultation those of Paris also Condemn the Book as deserving to be Burnt and whose Author ought to be compelled to make a Recantation and their Judgment was That the Jewish Talmuds were justly censured by former Popes and deservedly burnt by their Predecessors This was in the same Year on August 2. To prevent this the Duke of Wirtemberg had interceeded with them by his Letters and Reuchline also himself had written very courteously as having been formerly a Scholar of that University and he sent inclosed the Judgment given by the Bishop of Spire but all to no purpose Hogostrate being come to Rome managed his Business with very great Address but there were some Cardinals who favoured Reuchline upon the account of his eminent Learning among these was Adrian who has a Piece extant concerning the Latin Tongue Leo at last appoints certain Delegates to inspect the matter and they seeming to lean towards Capnion's side Hogostrate having met with nothing but Disappointments after above three Years stay in Rome sneaked away Home into his own Country But it is not to be thought what a Scandal the Divines of Cologn brought upon themselves by this Imprudent Act of theirs for there was not a Man who pretended to any thing of Ingenuity or Scholarship in all Germany who had not a Fling at them in some smart Lampoon or Satyr applauding Reuchline and ridiculing them as Blockheads and Dunces and sworn Enemies to that Laborious but useful Study of Languages and to all other more polite Learning And Erasmus of Roterdam was not wanting to use his interest with the Cardinals in Capnion's behalf concerning which he has several Epistles yet extant which he then sent to Rome The Divines of Louvain before they would declare what was their Opinion in Luther's Case consulted first with the Cardinal Adrian Bishop of Tortona who had been a Member of their College and Order and who was at that time in Spain and being backed with the Authority of his Judgment they published their Censure Luther finding himself so hard beset on all Sides addressed himself in an Epistle to the late elected Emperour Charles V and having made his Apology That a Man of his mean Quality should presume to write to so great a Potentate he tells him That the Reasons were very weighty which had emboldned him to do this and that the Glory of Christ himself was concerned in his Cause That he had published some few small Books which had procured him the Displeasure of a great many Persons but that the Fault ought not to lye at his Door for that it was with great Reluctancy that his Adversaries had drawn him to enter the Lists That a Private Retired Life was much more agreeable to his Inclinations but that his chief Care and Study was to make known the pure and uncorrupt Doctrin of the Gospel in opposition to the false Glosses and even contradictory Ordinances of Men That there were a great number of Persons eminent both for Learning and Piety who could attest the Truth of what he said And that this alone was the Cause of all that Odium and Infamy of those Dangers Contumelies and Losses to which almost for three Years he had been continually exposed That he had omitted nothing which might contribute to an Accommodation but that the oftner he made any Proposals tending that way the more resolved his Adversaries seemed to continue the Breach That he had frequently and earnestly requested them to convince him of his Errours and to give him such Rules by the which he might the better guide himself for the Time to come but that he could never obtain any other Answer from them but barbarous Injuries and railing Buffoonery their Design being to rid the World both of him and the Gospel together That by these Means he was driven to have recourse to the last Remedy and forced according to the Example of Athanasius to fly to him as to the inviolable Sanctuary and Protection of the Law And to beseech him to take upon him the Patronage of the Christian Religion and vouchsafe to shelter him from all Violence and Injury until he should be more fully informed in the Matter If it should appear that he had been ingaged in the Maintenance of any thing that was Unjustifiable he then desired no Favour His humble Petition was only to have a fair Hearing and that every one would t'ill then suspend his Judgment That this was a part of his Duty and that therefore God had intrusted him with this Supreme Power that he might maintain and distribute impartial Justice and defend the Cause of the Poor and Weak against all the Insults of their powerful Oppressors After this he writes much to the same purpose to all the States of the Empire telling them how unwilling he was to have ingaged in this Controversie and with what bitter Malice he was prosecuted by his Enemies when his Aim was purely this by propagating the true Doctrin of the Gospel to convince Men how Inconsistent it was with those false Opinions of which they had been so long but too Tenacious Then he recites in short all that had been done by him in order to a Reconciliation how he had several times promised by a voluntary Silence to let the Cause fall upon condition his Adversaries would cease their impertinent Babling desiring nothing more than to be better informed if he was in the wrong and being willing to submit freely to the Judgment and Censure of all good Men But that these Requests of his had not as yet had their desired Effect his Adversaries continually loading him with all manner of Injuries and Reproaches That since it was so he desired them not to give Credit to any disadvantagious Reports which they might hear of him If he had at any time been guilty of any Sharpness or Petulancy in his Writings it was no more than what he had been forced to by their paultry sawcy Pamphlets which they were almost daily spawning against him In the last place he makes now the same Profers for the composing the Difference which he had so often formerly done
and of this he prays them to bear him witness Some few Days after he wrote to the Cardinal Albertus Archbishop of Mentz in a very submissive Stile The Substance of his Letter was this That his being impeached before him therefore touched him the more nearly because he supposed it to be done by those who had formerly commended his Works and been the most forward Sticklers for them but whether the Accusation were true or false take it either way they had not dealt very handsomely in it for if it were False they then put the grossest Abuse upon him without any respect to his Character and that sublime Station that he has in the Church He bids him call to mind how David himself was deceived by the Flattery of Siba and that there was scarce any Prince who could at all times stand so well upon his Guard as not to be in danger of being imposed upon by such fawning Courtiers But supposing he was really guilty of the Crimes laid to his Charge yet it had been a much fairer way of proceeding to have shewed him his Error and to have endeavoured to rectifie his Understanding wheresoever they perceived him to labour under any Mistakes that this he had several times beg'd of his Adversaries who still continued Deaf to all his Requests He tells him there were two sorts of Men who generally condemned his Writings one was those never read them and the other such as indeed vouchsafed them the reading but their Minds were prepossess'd with an ill Opinion of him and then whatsoever he said though never so conformable to the Precepts of Christianity must of necessity be misinterpreted by them But if that his more important Affairs could but afford him so much Leisure as to peruse his Books he did not in the least doubt but that he would be of a very different Judgment from his Accusers He intreats him therefore not to believe Calumnies or to entertain any suspicious Thoughts of him but to take a full and exact Examination of the whole Matter since not only his alone but the eternal welfare of all his Followers was nearly concerned in it For because his Desire was to be heard speak for himself and to be instructed by those who were more learned if he could not obtain this Favour the Truth it self would suffer very much by it Confiding therefore in his Candor and Humanity and being also born and bred in that Country which is properly under his Episcopal Care and Government he thought himself in some measure obliged to give him this short Account of his Case The Archbishop answers That he was very well pleased with his Promise Not to be obstinate in the Defence of his Tenets but to be willing to yield to any who should better inform him As for his part though he had a great regard for the concerns of Religion yet he had not hitherto been able to steal so much Time as would serve to read over his Treatises That therefore he could not give any Judgment upon them but referr'd it wholly to those whose proper Province it was and who had already ingaged themselves in that Disquisition That his hearty Wishes were That he and all other Divines would handle Points of Religion reverently modestly and conscientiously without uttering any reproachful Words or harbouring any secret Malice in their Breasts That he heard with great regret with what Heat and Passion some Men of Note and Fame disputed about the Supremacy of the Pope and Free-Will and other such trifling insignificant Questions which are far from being any of the Essentials of Religion That those things began now to be controverted which had been so long received and which were confirmed by the common Consent and Approbation of the whole Church as well as by the Authority of General Councils such is that which relates to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and the manner of communicating therein And because this is done openly and the Ears of the common People begin to be tickled with the Novelty he should not but have very dreadful Apprehensions of what would be the dangerous Consequences of them That he could not see how he or any other Person could raise any useful pious Instructions out of these Points But if Scholars had a mind to debate them friendly and privately among themselves he could not be against it Nor did he blame him for saying That what he taught was no other than the true Doctrin of the Gospel provided there was nothing of Bitterness or Spite in the Assertion and that it was not spoke in contempt of the Authority of the Church For if this publick Declaration of the Truth flowed purely from the gentle impulse of the Divine Spirit it then would baffle all Attempts whatsoever that should be made against it but if that either Haughtiness of Mind or a private Grudge against any one were the Motives in it it then could have no firm Foundation but that and its Author would soon fall together For whosoever abuses the Gifts and Favours of God on him will he assuredly pour out the full Vials of his Wrath. To the same effect on the same day Luther writes to the Bishop of Mersburgh that as to his Doctrin his Conscience bore him witness that it was the same that Christ and his Apostles had taught But because his Life and manners were not in all things answerable to the Purity of his Profession he could even wish that he were silenc'd from Preaching as being unworthy to exercise that Sacred Function That he was not moved either by the hopes of Gain or Vain-glory but that the End to which all his Endeavours were directed was to imprint a-fresh in the minds of Men those eternal Truths which were now almost utterly defaced or else obscured by a gross and wilful stupidity That those who condemn his Writings were hurried on by the violence of their Passions and promoted their own ambitious designs under the specious pretence of upholding the Authority of the Bishop of Rome That a great many Foreigners famous both for Parts and Learning had by their Letters approved of his Works and thanked him for his obliging the Publick with them That this confirm'd him in his Opinion that his Doctrin was Orthodox He beseeches him therefore to shew some Fatherly tenderness towards him and if he had hitherto erred to guide him now into the right way That he could not as yet get his Cause to be heard although he had been importunate in requesting it That he should think it a great happiness to be convinced of any of his Errours and they should find he had been misrepresented by those who had possessed the World with a belief of his Obstinacy The Bishop returns to this That he had been often under a very great concern for him and that he was heartily sorry for his having publish'd a Book concerning the Lord's Supper which had given offence to many That
Bulla coenae Domini the Bull of the Lord's Supper Which formulary of Excommunication came afterwards into Luther's hands and he rendred it into High-Dutch besprinkling it with some very Witty and Satyrical Animadversions So soon as Luther received the Letter he parted from Wittemberg and took his Journey towards Wormes accompanied by the same Herald that brought the Letter But when he was come within a few Miles of the place many dissuaded him from proceeding because his Books had been lately burnt which they looked upon as a Pre-judging of his Cause and a Condemning of him before a Hearing they therefore advised him to look to himself as being in great danger and to take warning from what happened to John Huss in the former Age. However with great resolution he slighted all danger affirming that that terrour and fear was suggested to him by the Devil who saw his Kingdom would be shaken by an open Confession of the Truth and in so illustrious a Place So then continuing his Journey he arived at Wormes on the Sixteenth of April Next day being sent for he appeared before the Emperour and a great Assembly of the Princes where Eckius a Lawyer by Orders from the Emperour spoke to him to this purpose For two Reasons said he Martin Luther the Emperour with consent of all the Princes and States commanded you to be sent for and hath charged me to put the Question to you first Whether or not you will confess that you wrote these Books and acknowledge them for your own And then Whether or not you will retract any thing in them or stand to the defence of what you have written Luther had brought along with him a Lawyer of Wittemberg one Jerome Schurff and he craved that the Titles of the Books might be read and produced Which being done Luther resumed in short what had been said unto him And then as to the Books saith he I confess and own them to be mine But whether I will defend what I have written that 's a Matter of great consequence and therefore that I may make a pertinent Answer and do nothing rashly I desire time to consider on 't The Matter being debated Although said he you might easily have understood by the Emperor's Letters the cause you were sent for and ought therefore to answer peremptorily without any delay yet the Emperour is graciously pleased to allow you one day for Deliberation commanding you to appear again at the same hour to morrow and give your positive Answer by Word of Mouth and not in Writing Most People began to think by his asking time to consider that he did relent and would not prove constant When next day he appeared at the hour appointed You did not said Eckius to him answer the second Question that was put to you yesterday having desired time to deliberate in which could have been lawfully denied you for every one ought to be so well persuaded in his Faith as to be ready at all times to give a reason of it to those who demand the same much more ought not you who are so learned and experienc'd a Divine to have doubted or have needed time to premeditate an Answer But to let that pass What do you now say Will you defend those Writings of yours Then Luther addressing himself to the Emperour and the Council of the Princes and having earnestly besought them to hear him patiently If I offend said he most Mighty Emperour and most Illustrious Princes either in the impropriety of Expressions unworthy of such an Auditory or in the clownishness and indecency of Carriage and Behaviour I humbly beg Pardon for it and desire it may be imputed to the course of life that now for some part of my age I have followed For the truth is I have nothing to say for my self but that with uprightness and simplicty I have hitherto taught those things which I believe do tend to the Glory of God and Salvation of Men Yesterday I answer'd as to my Books and owned them to have been written and published by me though if any thing should happen to be added unto them by others I would by no means acknowledg that for mine Now as to the second Question that was put to me thus stands the case All the Books that I have written are not of the same kind nor do they treat of the same subject for some of them relate only to the Doctrin of Faith and Piety which even my Adversaries do commend and should I abjure these I might justly be accused of neglecting the duty of an honest Man There are others wherein I censure the Roman Papacy and the Doctrin of Papists which have plagued Christendom with the greatest of Evils For who does not see how miserably the Consciences of Men are rack'd by the Laws and Decrees of Popes Who can deny but that they have by Craft and Artifice robb'd all Countries and especially Germany and that even to this day they set up no bounds nor period to their Pillage and Rapine Now if I should retract those Books I must confirm that Tyranny which would be of far worse consequence when it came to be known that I did it by the Authority of the Emperour and Princes There is a third sort of Books which I have written against some private Persons who have undertaken to defend that Knavery of Rome and to ensure me with Cavils and Calumnies and in these I confess I have been more vehement than became me but I arrogate no Sanctity to my self nor is it of Life and Manners but of the true Doctrin that I make Profession and yet I would not willingly retract any thing in these neither for by so doing I should but open a door to the Insolence of many Nevertheless I would not be so understood as if I vainly pretended that I could not Err But seeing it is the property of Man to Err and be Deceived I cannot defend my Self and Cause better than by that saying of our Saviour's who being smitten by a certain Servant as he was speaking of his Doctrin If said he I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil Now if Christ who is all Perfection refused not to hear the Evidence of a wretched Servant against him how much more ought not I a vile Sinner by nature and lyable to many Errours make my apperaance when I am called and hear every Man that would object and witness any thing against my Doctrin Wherefore I beg for God's sake and all that is Sacred that if any Man have any thing to object against the Doctrin which I profess he would not dissemble it but come forth and convince me of Errour by Testimonies of Scripture which if he do I will not be obstinate but shall be the first to throw my Books with my own hands into the Fire And this may be an Argument that I have not been led by rashness or any head-strong passion but have
out weighed all other Reasons whatsoever so that so soon as he came to know it he had returned without farther Deliberation for that nothing was so dear unto him as the Salvation of his People But that if the thing could have been done by Letters he could easily have dispenced with his absence from Wittemberg That lastly he was very apprehensive of and did in a manner foresee a dreadful Tempest like to fall upon Germany which so securely slighted the present Mercy of God That many indeed did very zealously embrace the true Religion but exceedingly disgraced it by their Lives and Manners turning that liberty which ought to be of the Spirit into a licentiousness of doing whatever they pleased That others again made it their whole study and endeavours by any means to suppress the sound Doctrin and these together tended directly to the stirring up of Seditions That the Tyranny of the Churchmen was now weakned which was all that he proposed to himself at first but that since the Magistrate despised so great a gift of God his Divine Majesty would punish that ingratitude and contempt of his Word and by sending one Judgment upon the heels of another utterly destroy all as he had done Jerusalem of old That now it was his duty and the duty of all others whom God had any ways enabled to use their utmost diligence in Teaching and Exhorting and that though perhaps they might take all that pains in vain nay and be laugh'd at too by many yet they ought not therefore to desist because their labour was pleasing to God. That in short whatever the Decree of the Diet of Norimberg might prove to be they would set no limits to the Counsel and Will of God That he had besides other causes for his return which were of less moment But that as to this which he had alledged the asserting and vindicating of the Gospel it was of so great weight and consequence as to make him contemn all human counsel and to look up only to God That therefore he prayed his Highness not to be offended that he was come back again without his Call or Command That he as their Prince had Power over the Bodies and Fortunes of his People but that Christ bore Rule over their Souls and that since the Care of these was committed to him from above and that it was Christ's work wholly he supposed his Highness could incur no danger upon the account of his return Now as to the Troubles which he said were raised in his Church in his absence the matter was this While Luther was out of the way Andrew Carolostadius who hath been mentioned before preached a different Doctrin and stirred up the People in a tumultuary manner to cast the Images out of the Churches This being the chief cause why Luther was recalled by his Friends So soon as he came back he condemned that Action of Carolostadius shewing that that was not the way they ought to have proceeded in but that Images were first to have been removed out of the mind and the People taught that by Faith alone we pleased God and that Images availed nothing That if they had been in this manner removed and the Minds of People rightly informed there would have been no more danger of any hurt from them and they would have fallen of themselves That he was not indeed against the removing of Images but that it ought to have been done by the Authority of the Magistrate and not by the Rabble and promiscuous Multitude At this time there sprang up a secret Sect of some People that talked of Conferences they had with God who had commanded them to destroy all the Wicked and to begin a new World wherein the Godly and Innocent only should live and have Dominion These clandestinly spread their Doctrins in that part of Saxony chiefly which lyes upon the River Saal and as Luther affirms Carolostadius also favoured their Opinion but when borne down by the Authority of Luther he could not bring to pass what he intended at Wittemberg he forsook his Station and went over to them Thomas Muncer was one of this Herd who afterwards raised a Popular Insurrection against the Magistrate in Thuringe and Franconia of which in its proper place Luther being now informed that in the publick Assemblies of the Bohemians there were some who urged the Re-establishment of the Authority of the Pope and Church of Rome without which there could be no end of Controversies and Debates wrote unto them in the latter end of July to this Effect That the Name of Bohemians had been some time very odious unto him so long as he had been ignorant that the Pope was Antichrist But that now since God had restored the Light of the Gospel to the World he was of a far different Opinion and had declared as much in his Books so that at present the Pope and his Party were more incensed against him than against them That his Adversaries had many times given it out That he had removed into Bohemia which he oftentimes wishes to have done but that lest they should have aspersed his Progress and called it a Flight he had altered his Resolution That as matters stood now there was great Hopes That the Germans and Bohemians might Profess the Doctrin of the Gospel and the same Religion That it was not without Reason that many were grieved to see them so divided into Sects among themselves But that if they should again make Defection to Popery Sects would not only not be removed but even be increased and more diffused for that Sects abounded no where more than among the Romanists and that the Franciscans alone were an Instance of this who in many things differed among themselves and yet all lived under the Patronage and Protection of the Church of Rome That his Kingdom was in some manner maintained and supported by the Dissentions of Men which was the Reason also that made him set Princes together by the Ears and afford continual Matter of Quarrelling and contention That therefore they should have special Care lest whilst they endeavour to crush those smaller Sects they fall not into far greater such as the Popish which were altogether incurable and from which Germany had been lately delivered That there was no better way of removing Inconveniences than for the Pastors of the Church to preach the pure Word of God in Sincerity That if they could not retain the weak and giddy People in their Duty and hinder their desertion they should at least endeavour to make them stedfast in receiving the Lord's Supper in both kinds and in preserving a Veneration for the Memory of John Huss and Jerome of Prague for that the Pope would labour chiefly to deprive them of these two Things wherefore if any of them should relent and give up both to the Tyrant it would be ill done of them But that though all Bohemia should Apostatize yet he would
For what danger can there be in Germany where all the Princes and Cities acknowledge the Emperor's Authority where the Towns are so well Govern'd that Strangers are secur'd from all Affronts and us'd with all the Civility imaginable As for his saying that those who came to the Council should have as much satisfaction of the Pope in their safe Conduct as was customary to receive and in his Power to give They said they did not well understand the meaning of this Period especially when they reflected upon the Practises of the last Age Christendom they were sure had need of a free and religious Council and to such an one they had formerly appeal'd But now since he declares the Form and Method is not to be stated before-hand and gives broad hints as if the setling of this Point belonged to the Pope they cannot imagine that there is likely to be any liberty there Two years since Clement the Seventh made them a Promise of a Council but clog'd it with ensnaring Conditions And now the main Point that is the setling the Freedom of the Council and the Form and Method of Voting is partly omitted out of design and partly given up to the Pope wherein he affirms to have a Right to intimate Councils and preside in them Now the Pope who hath condemn'd their Religion so often is no less than a down-right Adversary but if he who is an Adversary is allow'd to be a Judge too then the Council can never be free To put it into a right Form there ought to be certain unexceptionable Persons chosen out of the whole Company with the consent of the Emperor and other Kings and Princes and the Controversie refer'd to this Committee to be examin'd and determin'd by them according to the Rule of God's Word For Councils are not the Pope's Court only but others also in publick and elevated stations in a Christian-Commonwealth have an Interest in them For it 's easie to demonstrate both from the Scriptures and the practise of the Primitive Church that formerly Princes and other Persons of Quality were concern'd in the Debates of Councils But to prefer the Pope's Power to the Authority of the Universal Church is an unreasonable and tyrannical Assertion The Emperor therefore and the rest of the States are oblig'd to insist upon their Priviledge in Councils and make choice of proper Persons especially in the present case where the Corruptions of the Bishops of Rome their false Doctrin and unlawful Worship is oppos'd for this is no more than what the Canon-Law it self alloweth And since all Christendom both Church and State are concern'd in this Affair it behoveth the Emperor and other Princes to take care that the Controversie may be fairly determined Formerly several Bishops have been condemn'd by their own Diocess and so have Popes by the Emperor and the Church for persisting in their Errors But at this time of day there was a warm Contest about a great many weighty Points which the Pope does not maintain only by force of Argument but by ungodly and sanguinary Bulls and punishes those with the utmost severity who refuse to obey him Therefore since He is an Adversary and a Party in the Cause depending the universal Church the Emperor and other Princes ought in all Justice to interpose their Authority and prescribe the Laws of Disputation and Voting They now therefore repeat the same request they have always made that the Controversie may be managed without design and a just liberty reserv'd for defence for this is both equitable in its self and likewise agreeable to the Holy Scriptures and the proceedings of the ancient Church If the Differences between them are examined with this Order and Integrity they will assist the Council as far as lies in their Power and have great hopes that Truth will be discover'd this way the Glory of our Saviour promoted and the Church re-establish'd in her former Tranquility But if things are otherwise carry'd there is no question but much greater Disturbances will follow In short they would never omit any opportunity to serve the common Interest of Christendom and as they could not depart from the true Religion so in all other cases they would make it their business to promote an Accommodation The French King who was now resolv'd to march an Army into Italy sent William Bellay Seigneur of Langey Embassador to this Convention at Smalcade This Gentleman had his Audience upon the 19th of December And first he excuses the King in reference to the late Severities 'T is true he had punish'd some of his own Subjects but this was no manner of reflection upon them though some ill dispos'd Persons did not stick to say that by executing those Criminals he had as it were condemn'd their Perswasion before-hand But he desires that they would not take any notice of such extravagant Calumnies but examine the whole matter impartially For there was a great many in Germany who were utterly averse to their Opinion and some others did not altogether approve it nay themselves who are now agreed were not always of the same mind His Majesty is very glad that they are come to an uniformity in Doctrin at the last Neither does he question but that their Modesty and Candour is such that they will not offer to prescribe to any Body nor force people into their Religion against their wills His Majesty uses to speak very kindly and obligingly of them and owns that they have determin'd some things most primitively but wishes there had been more temper shewn in other cases For though he is sensible that Negligence Superstition and a long succession of Ages have given occasion to the bringing of several insignificant and needless Ceremonies into the Church yet he does not understand why they should all be abolish'd upon this account without distinction or publick Authority For Ceremonies add both strength and grandeur to Religion and the Contemners of them have always been punish'd with great severity And since they have joyn'd so unanimously in the suppression of the Boars Insurrection since they restrain and chastise the Anabaptists since they are unwilling to be thought to do any thing without a cause why are they not so kind as to entertain the same opinion of a Prince who is their Friend why do they not suppose that He had very pressing Reasons and absolute necessity to punish those Subjects of his though possibly some of them were none of the greatest Malectors what their Crimes were is not proper to relate in this place For oftentimes it is not convenient to assign the reason publickly why things are done and Punishments are sometimes abated sometimes more rigorously executed according to the nature of the Times Now his Majesty who hath so large a Dominion to Govern is oblig'd to have a regard to the future as well as the present and was to take care that his Clemency did not encourage a great many others to grow wicked
behaviour and condition of the Citizens protect the Innocent and slight the Fortifications which the Anabaptists had rais'd The Bishop also was to demolish those Forts he had built in the Town and to punish the Captives the King Knipperdoling and Creching according to their deserts with the first opportunity and not to keep them any longer Concerning that which was decreed about Religion the Elector of Saxony the Lantgrave the Duke of Wirtemburgh and Earl of Anhalt openly remonstrated against it the same Protestation was made by the Cities besides they were not willing the old Fortification of the Town should be raz'd as concerning the new ones they had nothing to object The King and his two fellow Prisoners were carry'd up and down the Country to the Princes to shew and expose them this gave some of the Lantgraves Preachers an opportunity of conversing with the King with whom they dispute chiefly these following Points viz. concerning the Kingdom of Christ concerning Magistracy Justification Baptism the Lord's Supper the Incarnation of Christ and Matrimony and here though he defended himself with obstinacy enough yet they press'd him so hard with Testimonies of Scripture that though he did not yield in every thing yet they made him bend and let go his hold insomuch that at last he gave up the greatest part of the Cause which some think he did only to save his life For when they came to him again he promis'd upon condition of being pardon'd that he would engage to oblige the Anabaptists who were very numerous in Holland Brabant England and Friezland to give over Preaching and to obey the Magistrates in every thing Afterwards these Divines argued with his Companions both by word of mouth and writing concerning Mortification the Baptism of Infants Community of Goods and the Kingdom of Christ When they were brought to Telget the Bishop demands of the King by what Authority he could justifie the liberty he had taken in his Town and with his Subjects To whom he replies in a question Who gave him the Jurisdiction over the City When the Bishop made answer That he was chosen into this Government by the consent of the Chapter and the People The other replies That he was call'd to this Office by God. Upon the 19th of Jan. they are brought back to Munster and committed to distinct Prisons upon the same day likewise the Bishop came to Town with the Archbishop of Cologn and the Embassadors of the Duke of Cleve The two following days were spent in pious Exhortations to bring them off from their Error Now the King did own his fault and prayed to our Saviour but the other two would not acknowledge that they had done any thing amiss but obstinately defended their Opinions The next day the King was brought out into a place whose situation was higher than ordinary and tied to a Stake there were two Executioners by him with red-hot Pincers He was silent for the three first snatches but afterwards he did nothing but cry out to God for Mercy when he had been torn in this manner above the space of an hour he was run through the Body with a Sword and so died His Companions had the same punishment When they were dead they were each of them fasten'd to an Iron-Cage and hung at the top of the Tower in the City the King hangs in the middle and about a Man's height higher than the other two In January this year Catherine of Spain died who Henry King of England had divorc'd above three years since as I observ'd before In the Fourth Book I gave an account how Frederick Duke of Holstein was made King of Denmark by the assistance of the Lubeckers When he was dead there happen'd to be a very troublesome War between his Son and Successor Christian and the Lubeckers but by the mediation of the Elector of Saxony of the Lantgrave and Earnest Duke of Luenburgh of the Towns of Bremen Hamburgh Magdeburgh Brunswick Lunenburgh and Hildesheim the Quarrel was at last taken up this year in February At that time the Duke of Savoy was engag'd in a War with Geneva being assisted in it or rather provoked to it by the Bishop of that City partly because the Reformed Religion was introduced there partly for other reasons Now the Citizens of Geneva were Allies of the Canton of Bern who assisting them at last with their whole Forces the Enemy was beaten off and oblig'd to retreat and the Caenton-men of Bern pursuing them as far as the Lake Leman seiz'd upon as much of the Dukes Country as lay convenient for their Frontiers the same thing was done by the rest of the Switzers which joyn upon Savoy During this Action the French King who long before intended to make War in Italy especially after the death of Francis Sforza whom we mention'd before levies an Army in the beginning of the Spring and falls upon the Duke of Savoy who was his Uncle He grounded his Quarrel upon his Claim to an Inheritance which he said belong'd to him but was seiz'd on by the other The Duke of Savoy being weaken'd before and unable to Match so powerful an Enemy was outed of most of his Dominions in a short time For the King passing over the Alpes invades Piedmont and besides other Conquests takes Turin the Capital City of that Country and fortifies it with new Works and a Garison the Command of the Army in this Action being given to Philip Chabot Admiral of France The Duke of Savoy was married to Beatrix Daughter to Emanuel late King of Portugal and the Emperor to Isabella Sister to John who now Reigns and whereas formerly he had kept himself Neuter now by seeming to incline to the Emperor's side he provok'd the French King to break with him who was his Nephew by his own Sister Louise Some say Pope Clement when he was at Marseilles of which I gave account in the last Book gave the King this Council That if ever he intended to recover Millain his way was first to possess himself of Savoy and Turen However this was the next year the King sets a new Custom on foot and raiseth a standing Army of Foot to the number of about forty thousand which being quarter'd in several Provinces were to be kept in Discipline and always to be ready for Service upon occasion And as the French Kings had formerly been very considerable for their Cavalry which they always kept in pay He was resolv'd to add a well-disciplined Infantry to them that he might not always be oblig'd to hire foreign Soldiers The King's design was to March his Army into the Neighbouring State of Millain to recover that Dutchy which he had formerly been possess'd of for six years together and claim'd it as the Inheritance of him and his Children in the right of Valentina his great Grandmother who was Daughter to Philip Visconti the last Duke of Millain of that Family The Pedigree runs thus
of Cain In the Primitive times godly Bishops have often refus'd to concern themselves in Councils when they saw they were not call'd for the Defence of Truth but either to establish false Doctrin or to countenance some Persons in their Ambition Thus when Constantine the Emperor summon'd a Council to Antioch Maximus Bishop of Jerusalem though he was not very far distant from the place would not come thither because he understood the Emperor's Inclinations and what the Arian Bishops were contriving So Athanasius though he came to the Council at Tyre yet he stayed not long there because he perceiv'd the Principal Persons of the Council took upon them to be Complainants and Judges too and was also well assur'd that there were Witnesses suborned against him In like manner at Sirmium in Hungary there was formerly conven'd a very numerous Council against Photinus for the Debate was of great Consequence and notwithstanding the Emperor commanded the Bishops to repair thither yet those of the Western-Church did not obey him when they understood the Arian-Faction was encreas'd for they suspected some false Doctrin would be decreed there At this time Hosius a Person of great Reputation was Bishop of Corduba whom the Emperor by the advice of the Arians commanded to go out of Spain to the Council who when he came there he consented to that ensnaring Creed at Sirmium which was afterwards the occasion of horrible Disorders in the Church and Hilary who was not present at this Assembly reproves Hosius for his compliance Cyril Bishop of Jerusalem would never assist at their Meetings who denied Christ to be of the same substance with the Father and is said to be the first Man who appeal'd in writing from the Authority of their Councils There was a Council begun at Millain and the Bishops were call'd thither by the Emperor's order But when Paulinus Bishop of Triers and some few others perceived that Auxentius Bishop of Millain and his Party were projecting things which were not fair They went off and so occasioned the breaking up of the Council Thus those great Men declined going to all suspected Synods that they might not be involved in their guilt And since the Pope giveth pretty plain intimations that this Council is design'd to establish his Power and Greatness we desire all People that they would not blame our refusal of it Moreover we have great reason to dislike the place of the Council for it 's very fit for Mischief and in all respects such as if it was contrived to hinder the freedom of Debates To which we may add that the Calumnies of our Adversaries have given Strangers a very ill opinion of us as if all Probity and Religion was banish'd our Country Now to have Mens minds prepossess'd with such a notion as this may be exceeding dangerous for us Therefore if it was only upon this account it was very proper to have the Council conven'd in Germany that those of foreign Nations might see the customs and regularity of our Churches and Towns and so disengage themselves from their prejudice against the true Doctrin The importance of the Affair likewise obligeth most of us to be in Person at the Council but to go out of our own Country in such numbers would be a great inconvenience to us And since it was decreed in a Diet of the Empire upon such weighty considerations that a Council should be held in Germany we see no reason to depart from what was then resolv'd upon And in regard the welfare of all Christendom is concern'd in this business we entreat all Kings and Princes not to give any credit to our Adversaries but rather use their Endeavours that the true knowledge of God may be recover'd which is the most glorious Action they can possily engage in As for the Pope it 's his Design to run them upon Injustice and Cruelty but they are oblig'd to abhor such Practices above all things For they are places on purpose on that elevated Station that they might promote the Honour of God with greater advantage shew a good Example to their Inferiors and rescue innocent Persons from Injury and Oppression And if ever a lawful Council happeneth to be call'd we will give such a satisfactory account of our Proceedings there as shall be sufficient to convince all People that we have aim'd at and attempted nothing but what was for the real advantage of Christendom In this Convention there was the Elector of Saxony Ernest and Francis his Brother Dukes of Lâ—â—enburgh Vlrick Duke of Wirtemburgh the Lantgrave Philip Duke of Pomern three Earls of Anhalt and Albert Count Mansfield there were also the Agents of a great many Cities who were sent thither with very large Commissions their Principals being pre-acquainted with the subject of the Debate Before they broke up their Assembly which was done upon the 6th of March they wrote to the French King where in the first place they excuse themselves for not giving his Embassador satisfaction at the last Convention and also gave him their Reasons why they omitted sending an Embassy to him now Then they desired him to continue them his Friendship and since they had made all imaginable Overtures for the composing the Differences in Religion though they had been unsuccessful in thier Endeavours yet they hoped he would oblige them with his Favour for their good Intentions Lastly They acquaint him with their Resolutions concerning the Council and desire to know how his Majesty intends to act in this Affair Upon the 22th of May the King returns them an Answer in which he lets them understand that he was satisfi'd with their Reasons and maketh them large assurances of the constancy of his Friendship and sends them a Paper which he had publish'd to confute the Misrepresentations of their Adversaries And as to the Council he told them That he was still of the same mind of which he had always been that unless it was lawful in its Constitution and Method and coven'd in a place of Security he would never approve it neither did he question but that the King of Scotland his Son in law would be wholly influenced by him This Prince some few days before in the beginning of May return'd into Scotland with his Queen who died there about the middle of June following In the mean time the Pope prorogeth the Council till the first of November the occasion of which delay he charg'd upon the Duke of Mantua who insisted upon a Garrison to secure the Town and demanded a Supply of Monies for that purpose These Terms the Pope said were unexpected and surprizing to him and he was very much afraid lest the greatest part of the Bishops in compliance with his Bull were already arriv'd at Mantua and being denied admittance into the Town might be forc'd to return home This he was extreamly troubled at but should bear it with the more patience because it was not his fault but anothers Not long after the King
one or two Towns left him to retreat to He was always a zealous Roman Catholick and punished those who professed the Reformed Religion Paul the Third in the beginning of his Popedom made two of his Grandchildren Cardinals and being sensible that he had lost some Reputation upon this account he promoted several others who were eminent for their Quality and Learning to this Honour partly that he might make the promotion of his young Relations less invidious and disobliging partly that he might be furnished with Friends able to defend his Cause with their Rhetorick and Writings Those who were created were Gasper Contareno Reginald Poole John Bellay Frederick Fregosi to which were afterwards added Sadolet Alexander Bembo Besides Erasmus was also thought on as he himself relates in a Letter of his to a Friend There are extant likewise several Letters of Sadolets to Erasmus in which he tells him in a great many words what a singular esteem the Pope had for him and that he intended to raise him very shortly to the highest Dignity Contareno was of a noble Family and a Senator of Venice a Man of great Reputation for his Learning and was said to be preferr'd to this eminent Station altogether beyond his expectation and when he made no manner of Interest for it THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XII The CONTENTS Pope Paul strictly charges his Commissioners for the Reformation diligently to enquire into the numerous Corruptions of the Church and provide â—ffectual Remedies Erasmus his Colloquies are prohibited The Protestants meet at Brunswick and receive the King of Denmark into their League The Persecution of Lutheranism revived in France The Pope goes on Progress to Nice de Provence Whither the Emperor and the French King also come The French King and several of his Nobility kiss the Pope's Right-foot The French of the Reformed Religion have a Church assigned them at Strasburg The King of England burns Thomas of Canterbury's Bones The Elector of Brandenburg gives the Elector of Saxony notice of the Preparation which the Turks made for a War. The Rise of the Antinomians Eldo's and the Duke of Brunswick's Designs discovered by the Lantgrave's intercepting the Duke's Letters A Convention is held at Frankfort where at last a Conference is decreed in order to an Accommodation which Henry Duke of Brunswick endeavours to prevent and raiseth Forces for hat Purpose George Duke of Saxony a most violent Enemy to the Reformation dies and Henry his Brother succeeds him The King of England publisheth another Paper against the Council appointed at Vicenza and makes several Laws touching Religion An Insurrection at Ghent to suppress which the Emperor takes a Journey thâ—â—her through France The Venetians make a Peace with the Turk who had secret Intelligence what their Senate had decreed touching this Matter I Have already mentioned the Prorogueing of the Council till November which was still delay'd after that Term was expired However that the Pope might keep up the Expectation of the World and seem to do something he had some time since pitched upon a select Number out of the whole Body of his Clergy whom he strictly charged to make a diligent Enquiry into the Abuses of the Church and lay them before him impartially without any manner of Flattery He likewise discharged them from their Oath that they might speak their Minds freely and ordered them to manage the Affair with great Secrecy The Delegates were Jaspar Contarino Peter Theatino James Sadolet Reginald Poole Cardinals Frederick Archbishop of Salerno Hierome Alâ—ander Archbishop of Brindisi John Matthew Bishop of Verona George Vener Abbot and Thomas Master of the Holy Palace These Persons after they had debated the Point among themselves set down their Reformation in Writing and addressing themselves to the Pope they begin with a high Commendation of his Zeal for the promoting of Truth which was not prevalent enough to gain the Ears of several of his Predecessors indeed the Fault was chiefly in their Flatterers who stretched their Prerogative too far and told their Holinesses That they were absolute Lords of all things and might do whatever they pleased From this Fountain it was that so many Disorders flowed in upon the Church which had brought her into that very ill Condition she was in at present Therefore his beginning his Cure in the first Principles and Original of the Distemper was an Argument of great Prudence and Vertue in his Holiness who according to St. Paul's Doctrine Chose rather to be a Minister and Steward than a Lord. And since he was pleased to lay this Task upon them they in obedience to his Commands had according to the best of their Understandings digested the Matter into several distinct Heads relating to himself the Bishops and the Church Now because he bore a double Character being not only Bishop of the Universal Church but a Monarch of divers Towns and Countries they would only consider the Ecclesiastical part of his Jurisdiction for the State was well already and governed very prudently and unexceptionably by him And first May it please your Holiness say they We are of Aristotle's Opinion That the Laws of a Country ought not to be changed upon a slight Occasion and apply his Maxim to the Canons of the Church which ought to be strictly kept up and not dispensed with but when the Case is very weighty and important For there can no greater Mischief happen to the Commonwealth than the weakening the Force and Authority of the Laws which were esteemed Sacred and almost Divine by our Forefathers The next Expedient is That the Pope of Rome who is the Vicar of Christ should refuse to receive Money for the granting any spiritual Privilege by virtue of the Power derived to him from Christ For since all these Advantages were freely bestowed upon him our Saviour expects he should communicate them in the same manner This Foundation of Regularity being once laid there must be a Provision made that your Holiness may be always furnished with a considerable Number of Clergy-men well qualified to take care of the Church Among these the Bishops are the chief But there is a great Miscarriage in this Point for all Persons are admitted into this Order without any Distinction or Difficulty when they have neither Learning nor Probity to recommend them and oftentimes when they are Boys Hence it is that so much Scandal ariseth that such Disrespect and Contempt is shown to Religion We therefore believe it most advisable for your Holiness to appoint in the first place some Persons at Rome to examine those who offer themselves to Holy Orders and then enjoin the Bishops the same Diligence in their respective Diocesses And that you would take care that none should be received without the Approbation of his Triers or Bishop and let those young People who are designed for Church-men have a Master set over them by particular Order that so their Learning and Morals may be fit
for their Emploiment And here we cannot but take notice that there are a great many Abuses in the bestowing of Benefices and Ecclesiastical Dignities especially of those which were intended to make a Provision for the Salvation of the People For in such Cases the Advantage of the Incumbent is chiefly considered without taking any Care of the Flock Therefore when any Office of this Nature especially the Episcopal is conferred there ought to be good Assurance given of the Vertue and Capacity of the Persons chosen that they may be able and willing to govern their Churches themselves as they are in Duty obliged And for this Reason an Italian ought not to be preferred in Spain or great Britain nor a Spaniard or Englishman in Italy There is likewise a great deal of Deceit used in Resignations for the Incumbents when they resign to another have a Custom of reserving a Rentcharge and sometimes the whole Revenue to themselves Now no Rentcharge ought to be reserved except for the Relief of the Poor and such other pious Uses for the Profits are annexed to the Benefice and should no more be separated from it than the Body from the Soul. So that he who hath that ought to enjoy the Revenues belonging to it and make a discreet Use of it as far as his Occasions shall require spending the Overplus in those Instances of Charity before mentioned Notwithstanding when the Pope thinks it convenient it shall still remain in his Power to lay such an Incumbrance as this upon the beneficed Person and oblige him to pay a yearly Pension to some poor Body especially an Ecclesiastick that he may live more decently and commodiously by such a Provision It is therefore a manifest Corruption for the Incumbent to reserve the whole Profits or for a Pension to be secured to those who have no need The Practice of Permutation is also very faulty and managed altogether for Advantage and notwithstanding it is against Law to bequeath a Benefice by Will yet Men of Parts have found out a cunning Contrivance to evade the Law Their Way is to part with their Preferments to another but with this Condition That it shall be lawfull for them to re-enter upon the full Profits and Jurisdiction Hence it comes to pass that one Man bears the Name of a Bishop who has no Power or Authority in his Character and another who hath all the Episcopal Right and Jurisdiction in the Diocess wanteth the Title of his Office Now what is this less than a Bequest and making another Man ones Heir It 's the same sort of Fault for Bishops to desire Coadjutors especially since they often make use of Persons much worse qualified for Government than themselves Pope Clement reinforced that ancient Canon which forbids the Children of Priests to possess their Fathers Benefices but this Canon is likewise dispensed with though such Practices are very disobliging and unexemplary For it cannot be denied but that the greatest part of the Peoples Disgust proceedeth from their observing the Church Revenues to be thus misemployed and converted to private Uses Hitherto indeed most Men have had some Hopes to see this Disorder rectified but now they dispair of receiving any Satisfaction which makes them both think and speak very hardly of us And here we may range that other Contrivance to dispose of the next Avoidance of a Benefice which certainly makes Men apt to wish for and expect the Death of another besides those who are possibly more deserving are barred from Preferment this way and an Occasion is likewise given to many Contentions and Disputes But what shall we say of those Benefices which because they could not be lodged in one Person were commonly called incompetible By which Word our Predecessors gave us to understand That they were not to be conferred upon any one Man But here also the ancient Discipline is extinct and one Person is allowed to hold several Bishopricks together which in our Opinion ought by all Means to be rectified To this Classis of Faults we may add those which they call Unions where several Benefices are souldered into Joints and Members to make up a Body of Preferment But what is this but mocking and ridiculing of the Canons There is another Abuse likewise which has gained upon us very much by Custom and that is the bestowing Bishopricks upon Cardinals and sometimes several upon one Person Now this is such an Irregularity as we believe carries a great Weight in it and ought more especially to be reformed for the Office of a Cardinal and Bishop are distinct and inconsistent with the same Person Cardinals were made on purpose that they might constantly attend your Holiness and assist you in the Government of the Universal Church But the Duty of Bishops is to feed the Flock which God hath committed to their Charge which cannot be done without being resident among them no more than a Shepherd can take care of his Sheep at a Distance Besides this Practice does us great Mischief in the Example for with what Confidence with what Face can we pretend to correct those Vices in others which are most apparent and notorious in our own Society Neither let them imagine that their Quality gives them a greater Liberty than other Men They should rather consider that Reservedness and Moderation is more particularly required of them because they ought to be exemplary in their Lives to others For we are not to imitate the Pharisees who made Laws without any Regard to keep them but to follow our Saviour his Example who was mighty both in Word and Deed. We are likewise to consider that such a Liberty as this hath an ill effect upon their Consultations for a Man is neither fit to give nor take good Advice when his Mind is prepossessed with Ambition and Covetousness To this we may add that many of the Cardinals run after Princes Courts to get Bishopricks which makes them obnoxious and servile so that they dare not speak their Minds freely upon Occasion Now it were to be wished this Custom were broken and that the Cardinals were provided some other way with a decent Support for themselves and their Families In which Appointment an Equality ought to be observed and all their yearly Revenues brought to the same Value Which Expedient is easily made practicable if we would but disengage our selves from Secular Interest and conform to the Pattern our Saviour hath set us And when these Corruptions are removed and the Church furnished with Pastors of sufficient Ability there must be particular Care taken that the Bishops and those of a resembling Function may be obliged to live among their People for they are as it were the Churches Husbands For what more deplorable Sight can there be than to see the Churches almost every where destitute the Flocks abandoned by their own Shepherds and left in the Hands of Mercenaries Those therefore who desert their People ought to be severely punished Neither should they
Venice is will be of the Duke's Opinion and not let their Town be filled with so great a multitude without a Garrison to secure it so that upon this account there will be as few people to open the Council as there was at Mantua And since whatever he hath done is no better than Mockery it 's not fit he should have such an unreasonable Liberty allowed him any longer 'T is true Councils rightly constituted and managed are the most proper and useful Expedients which can be tried but when they are pack'd for private Interest and Advantage and to establish the Usurpations of a Party they are inconceivable mischievous to the State of Christendom And now when the Name of a Council and the Church made so great a noise in the World Luther undertook to write a Book in High Dutch upon both Arguments where in the first place he treats of the Council of the Apostles at Jerusalem which is mentioned in the Fifteenth of the Acts. Then he sheweth how the Fathers contradicted one another more particularly St. Augustin and St. Cyprian about Baptism where he takes occasion to mention those Ecclesiastical Constitutions which are commonly called the Apostles Canons and proves them spurious by unquestionable Arguments and that those ought to be hanged who give them that name From thence he proceeds to the first four General Councils which are of the most considerable Authority and recites them in Order the Nicene the Constantinopolitan the Ephesine and that at Chalcedon and gives an account of the Occasion of their Meeting and what was Decreed there afterwards he comes up to the main Question and sheweth how far the Power of a Council reacheth And here he maintaineth that a Council ought not to make any Article of Faith nor enjoin any new Duty nor tie the Consciences of Men to Ceremonies which were not practised from the beginning neither is it lawful for such an Assembly to intermeddle in Civil Government nor to make any Canons to found their private Grandeur and Dominion upon On the contrary their Office is to see that all Innovations in Doctrine repugnant to the Holy Scriptures that superstitious or unprofitable Ceremonies may be condemned and removed and always to make the Scripture their Rule to determine Controversies by Then he goes on to define the Church and lays down the Notes to know her by and running a Parellel between Christ and his Apostles and the Pope and showing what a different Doctrine his Holiness had settled in the Church and at what a wicked Rate he had plundered Christendom he concludes he ought to be Excommunicated and obliged to Restitution Besides many other Instances by which he demonstrates in that Book what gross Ignorance there was in the times of Popery how much Religion was corrupted and debauched he tell us Things were come to that pass that even the bare Habit of a Monk was thought to contribute considerably towards the obtaining eternal Life insomuch that not only the Vulgar but many persons of Quality would be buried in it After-Ages possibly will not believe this Relation but yet it is very true and is chiefly practised in Italy and in my time Francis the Second Marquess of Mantua made express Provision in his Will to be buried in the Habit of a Franciscan or Seraphick as they call it The same thing was done by Albertus Pius Prince of Carpi who died at Paris and by Christopher Longolius a Low Country Man who lieth at Padua He was a very Learned Person and a great Admirer of Tully There is an Oration of his Extant against the Lutherans as there is also one of Albert's against Erasmus of Rotterdam After the Death of George Duke of Saxony Henry of Brunswick immediately set forward through France into Spain to wait upon the Emperor Much about this time Henry King of England called a Parliament where besides other secular Matters he Enacts these following Articles concerning Religion That the true and natural Body and Blood of Christ were under the Appearance of Bread and Wine and that the Substance of Bread and Wine does not remain after Consecration That the receiving all the Lord's Supper is not necessary to Salvation Christ being entirely contained under each kind That it is not lawful for Priests to Marry Vows of Chastity ought to be kept and private Masses continued Auricular and private Confession of Sins is both profitable and necessary Those who teach and do any thing contrary to this Act are to suffer as Hereticks And at the same time when this Law was made the King courted Ann Sister to William Duke of Cleve a beautiful Maiden-Lady who when she was contracted to him sailed over into England some few Months after Some thought the Bishops influenced the King to sign this Act touching these Points that they might have an Opportunity to ruine the Authority and Interest of Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Thomas Cromwell who were both of them Well-wishers to the Reformation This Year in August the Turkish Admiral Barbarossa took Castle-novo a Town in Dalmatia in the Gulph of Cataro by Storm where all the Garrison was put to the Sword and some of the Burghers carried away into Slavery The Emperor and his Confederates the Venetians took this place a Year before in October but the Emperor garrisoned it himself with Four thousand Spaniards and made Francis Sarmiento the Governor This was a surprize to the Venetians who said a Town situated upon that Coast did rather belong to themselves Thus being disgusted with the Emperor and likewise foreseeing that an Alliance with him would prove dangerous to their State they apply themselves not long after to the Turk and upon their request obtain a Truce of him At this time there happened an Insurrection at Ghent the most considerable City for Strength and Interest in all those Parts and which has often contested very warmly for Liberty with the Earls of Flanders under whose Jurisdiction it is When the Emperor heard of this Commotion he changed his design of going into Germany by the way of Italy and resolved to Travel through France being earnestly invited thither by the French King who made him very obliging proffers of Security and Accommodation for his Journey In the mean time the Palsgrave and the Elector of Brandenburg being Princes of the Mediation wrote to the Emperor concerning the Pacification at Francfort and desired him to give leave there might be a Conference of Learned Men at Nuremberg But his Imperial Majesty told them That the Death of his Empress and some other Occurrences intervening had hindred him from being at leisure to attend that Affair When the Princes of the Mediation had sent a Copy of this Letter to the Elector of Saxony and the Lantgrave without signifying whether the Emperor had confirmed the Truce for Fifteen Months the Protestants appointed a Convention on the Nineteenth of November at Arnstet a Town in Thuringia
and King Ferdinand spoke to this purpose That the Pope was very desirous of Peace and of the Concord of Germany but of such a Peace and Concord as might not be displeasing to God That it was his Desire also that all their Force might be imployed against the Turk But that as to Religion and the Protestants there had been many Treaties with them in order to a Reconciliation especially in the Diet of Ausburg where they then presented their Confession of Faith in which Writing though there were many Errors to be found yet they had in the mean time deviated from it So that seeing they had nothing fixed or certain to which they adhered but were like slippery Eeles there was no more treating with them That in like manner the King had last Year at the desire of the Elector of Brandenburg appointed another Treaty with them but that they had stumbled at the very Threshold as is commonly said and given Intimation plain enough how far they were from any purpose of Agreement for that having once shaken off their Duty and Obedience they were now come to that That it was not the Reformation of the Pope they aimed at but his total Suppression not the removing of Faults but the overturning of the Apostolical See that so all ecclesiastical Jurisdiction might fall to the Ground And if they durst do so the Year before when the State of Europe was somewhat more peaceable and quiet what would they not do in all probability when Peace was not yet concluded with France and the Turk again preparing to Invade Hungary What but even grow more froward by the Adversity of the times and it was in vain to think that there could be any way of reclaiming them from their Designs for that they did only controvert about a few things but brought many chief Doctrines under debate That again it was in a manner uncertain how to come to any Agreement with them since they differed among themselves That Luther taught one kind of Doctrine and Zuinglius another not to mention any thing of the other Sects And that granting there might be some hopes of an Accommodation yet they would not obey the Church of Rome unless they had many things allowed them as the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in both Kinds the Marriage of the Clergy and the like which are not to be altered without a publick Decree of Council That now if it should be said that for publick Peace sake these things might be granted them and the consent either of the Pope or Council be afterwards obtained that would not be ill said indeed but then they would presently lay hold on that Privilege and never want for a publick confirmation thereof And that if so then would they lay aside all care of a Council which would occasion great Divisions all over Christendom when France Spain Italy and other Provinces would differ from Germany in Rites and Customs That moreover should the Council perhaps condemn the Alteration made and indulged for a time and Decree the contrary then would all hopes be lost of reclaiming Germany now hardened in their Opinions and there would be danger least the Protestants the thing they chiefly drive at should move the rest of the States to make Defection also That the Emperor himself was not ignorant how in former Years they had made a Decree in the Diet of the Empire about calling a Council without his consent and that therefore care was to be had that they should not do the like hereafter That he represented these things unto them both that they might see what was to be expected from these private Treaties and Conferences That a Peace had been treated with them at Schweinfurt and a Truce afterwards made at Nurimberg under Penalty But that they without any regard to so great a Favour had broken their Articles and strengthened their own League by the Accession of many Cities and Princes and especially of the King of Denmark and Duke of Wirtemberg and had in many places changed the Religion contrary to their Oaths and Promises so that it easily appeared what farther hopes were to be had of them who by diverse ways partly by Favours and partly by Force drew Men over to their side That the Heat and Zeal of Religion was now grown cold and that Men were naturally prone to forsake the Rules of Austerity and to list themselves under a more easie and laxe Discipline But that they did not confine themselves within those bounds neither nor was it enough for them to mislead Men into Error unless they committed Sacrilege also cast out Bishops and profaned all Religion with Impunity Nay that they were now advanced to that pitch of Licenciousness that they would overturn that most upright Judicature of the Imperial Chamber to the intent that it being removed the Emperor's Authority in Germany might be weaken'd and that they without any Resistance might prey upon the Lives and Fortunes of all Men after their own Pleasure That therefore no firm nor lasting Peace was to be expected from those private Treaties And that if any such should be there was no doubt to be made but that it would invalidate the Dignity of the Apostolical See and all Ecclesiastical Polity That many other things could be alledged in this place but that for brevities sake he waved them That the next thing now was to consider how with the safety of Religion Provisions might be made for a Turkish War. That the most commodious way indeed would be if the Protestants and other States did jointly contribute Assistances But that since perhaps that could not be obtained unless Religion were settled and that the handling of religious Matters belonged not to private Assemblies but to a General Council it would be well done to have a Council called with all Expedition and the whole cause of Religion referred to it for that so he the Emperor would satisfie all others and over-awe the Protestants who when they saw the matter seriously set about would become much more Obedient and Tractable as perceiving a course taken to reduce them again into the right way and to root all Heresies out of Germany For that since the Christian Religion belonged to all Men in General there was nothing to be altered or reformed therein but with the common consent of all and that regard was not to be had to Germany alone but to France Spain Italy and other Nations also For that if any Innovation should be made in Germany without consulting them it would expose many to censure and be of pernicious Example That in like manner it would be a monstrous like thing if the Members of the Church answered not in proportion to their own Body That it was an ancient Custom even as old as the Apostles themselves that all Controversies should be determined by the Authority of a Council And that seeing all were very sollicitous for a Council and that Sigismund King of Poland had
it was a great argument of God's goodness towards them that in this dissension about Religion they lived in peace together whereas upon that occasion grievous commotions were raised in other places for the quieting whereof he had from the very beginning of his Pontificate applied all Remedies and made use of greatest lenity that he had lately betaken himself to the last refuge by calling a General Council and appointing it to be held at Trent a Town of Germany where that vicious Seed of Hereticks most encreased to which Town they might safely come and there if they pleased maintain their own interests That he had hoped that that being so august an Assembly to which Christian Kings and People had always payed a great deference and the Congregation of so many Bishops who under the conduct of the Holy Ghost treated of Matters of Religion no man would be so wicked as not to submit to so great an Authority and presently forsaking all erroneous Doctrines yield to the judgment and decision of the Catholick Church That he entertained still the same opinion of them and hoped that by reason of their domestick peace those of them who had continued faithful and constant would obey the Council and that the rest who not deliberately but by too much credulity had been led away into errour would not slight the Authority of the Assembly which that they would do and repair to the Council as unto a Celestial Congregation wherein God himself presided he now again earnestly exhorted them as he had done before But that it was a great grief unto him that there were not a few in Germany and of the number of those also who were reckoned Princes that not only with pride and insolence despised the Council but reproached and reviled it also declaring that they would not submit to its Decrees that it chiefly therefore grieved him to see himself necessitated by the stubbornness and obstinacy of those desperate men to seek a remedy by Arms. For that he could no longer suffer neither the loss of so many Souls which perished daily through Heresies nor this oppression of the Christian Religion the one whereof belonged to his Pastoral Office and the other concerned the Dignity of his Place and Character And that whil'st he was often casting about in his thoughts for a remedy and making his Prayers to God that he would discover to him a way it happened most opportunely that the Emperour a most religious Prince being provoked by the same Crimes in a manner of wicked men as he himself was had resolved to revenge the cause of Religion by Arms for when by his means and at his intercession a Council was granted to Germany it seemed to him that they who refused and slighted it despised also what he had done and set light by his authority that therefore he had willingly embraced this occasion as offered by Heaven and was resolved with all his own and the Revenues of the Roman Church to further and assist the Emperour 's laudable inclinations for that should he do otherwise should he act negligently and remissly there was no doubt to be made but that God would require at his hands as at the hands of a Father the Souls of so many Children corrupted and undone by the treachery of Hereticks that therefore he made known to them this his purpose and resolution that they might both see the anxiety that overburdened him and joyn their Wishes and Prayers with him that is with God and Religion That they were famous for many noble Exploits but that a more honourable Name they could not procure to themselves than by entertaining their ancient Amity with God according to the example of their Forefathers by paying their wonted Love and Obedience to the Church of Rome which had always gratified and obliged them and lastly by contributing their Aid and Assistance which he earnestly begg'd of them in this so just and religious a Cause The Embassadours of the Protestants of Upper Germany on the fifth of July came to Baden from Ulme to a Convention of the Suizers and having delivered their Message were put off to the Month of August Their Demands were That they would not grant a Passage to foreign Soldiers through their Countrey And that if there was occasion they would permit their Subjects to serve them in the War. The Men of Brunswick Goslar Hildesseim and Hannover by orders from the Duke of Saxony and Landgrave demolished Wolffembottle the chief Fort of Henry Duke of Brunswick which to this time he had kept by a good Garrison In these stirs and commotions the Elector Palatine by his Embassadour Sir Wolff Affensteyn made application to the Emperour at Ratisbonne and desired to be informed what the Cause of the War was and against whom these Preparations were making he disswaded him also from hostility and begg'd that he might have leave to mediate Some days after the Emperour sent him this Answer by Granvell and Naves That it was no difficult thing for him to know both what the cause of the War was and against whom it was designed Afterwards he objected the same things almost that he had before alledged in his Letters to the Free Towns That they would not obey him that not only in Germany but in foreign Parts also some had contrived and plotted many things against him under a colour of Religion that they would be bound by no Laws that they had invaded other mens Possessions and especially Church-Lands disposing of them in a tyrannical manner with no other intent certainly than that by a kind of hereditary right they might transmit Bishopricks and other Ecclesiastical Dignities and Possessions to their Children and Off-spring was it credible that they who committed such things would abide by any fair and lawful tryal and was it not rather their intention by raising Broils and Troubles to baffle all Justice and Censure that there was not the least hopes of amendment and that he himself knew what lenity he had used and how many faults he had pardoned them that nevertheless all he had got thereby was that growing more insolent they tampered with the rest of the States and stirred them up to Rebellion That he knew not by what Arts they did do so but that it might be easily perceived by any how unworthy a thing it was and how justly to be lamented by him That since they without any regard to Law or Justice acted arbitarily and by violence trampling upon the Decrees of the Empire there was no other way now to be essayed but that which was familiar and common to themselves that 's to say Force and Arms that therefore it was his purpose by this War not only to settle Religion but also to compose all other differences restore the Peace and Liberty of Germany and to secure those under his protection who did their duty but severely punish all disturbers of the publick peace and oppressours of liberty according
they would do nothing rashly That yet it was not in his power to hinder but that other things might be done and new designs hatched against the Authority of the See of Rome seeing when Christ himself the Architect laid the foundation of that Church he foretold Storms and Tempests to come but that he did not at all fear that such Attempts would prove successful or that any gust of Wind could overturn the Fabrick built by Christ because it stood upon a most firm Rock That that had been oftener than once attempted by others heretofore but that their designs being disappointed God had made an example of them visible to all men as both ancient and modern Histories made appear That if there were any then at present who were not moved nor terrified by the Calamities and Judgments of others which they had before their eyes he heartily pitied their condition and chiefly for the Miseries that were hanging over their heads But to conclude that he earnestly exhorted and required them to persevere in that Religion and Fidelity which they had always professed and not suffer those Councils which were consistent with the Dignity of the Church to have any place in their Assemblies The Pope and Synods of Bolonia persisting then in their resolution the Emperour's Ambassadours Francisco de Vargas and Martino Velasco who had been purposely sent to Bolonia having desired Audience of the Council January the 16th came into the Session There were at that time present the Cardinal de Monte and about forty Bishops and other Prelates Then de Vargas read the Credentials granted by the Emperour to him and his Colleague whereby he empowered them to act and so was about to speak but the Cardinal de Monte interrupting told him That in those Credentials the Emperour called them not the Council but the Convention at Bolonia And though said he this Congregation be not obliged to hear any Speech from you inasmuch as the Commission exhibited does not relate to this holy Council yet that no man may have any cause to complain we do not refuse to hear you but upon this condition that it be without Prejudice to us or advantage to you and that it may be lawful for us still to continue the Council and proceed to sentence against those who are contumacious and refractory and to inflict such punishments upon them as are appointed by the Canons of the Church After that de Vargas the Emperour's Embassador protests that it may be entered into the publick Act that he was hindered from speaking first and then goes on in this manner Since you have seen said he the Emperour 's Credential Letters I 'll now tell you what our Instructions are We come hither before you to treat of a matter of greatest importance and not only we but all Christendom also with earnest Prayers do beg and beseech you that you would do therein what is reasonable for all men are of opinion that if you too obstinately persist in a Resolution which you have too rashly once undertaken it will prove very fatal to the Publick but that if you desist and comply with the Emperour all will be well and that this may be understood by all men we will trace the matter a little more backwards for so it will plainly appear both how foully you 'll erre if you change not your mind and also how laudably the Emperour stands affected towards the publick Concern of Christendom and herein we shall not speak one word of our own heads but stick close to the Orders we have received Here the Cardinal de Monte again interrupting him I am here said he President of this Sacred Council the Legate of Paul III. Successor to St. Peter and the Vicar of Christ upon Earth and here are these most holy Fathers to proceed in the Couneil lawfully translated from Trent to the Glory of God and Salvation of Mankind Wherefore we beseech the Emperour that he would change his Resolution and herein assist us by restraining the Disturbers of the Council for he is not ignorant that they who hinder or obstruct Holy Councils whoever they be are liable to the severest Penalties imposed by the Canons but happen what will and whatsoever terrours are threatened yet will we not abandon the Honour and Dignity of the Church and Council nor our own neither When de Vargas had then openly read their Commission his Colleague Velasco read the Protestation It began with an account How the Emperour being earnestly pressed by the Germans had often importuned Pope Leo Adrian Clement and lastly Paul III to call a Council How that Paul III. had called one first at Mantua then at Nicenza and lastly when it could not be had in those places at Trent with consent of the Emperour and the rest of the States because it was a place very commodious for the Italians Spaniards French and Germans and not destitute of Provisions and other Necessaries That when this place was then chosen for holding the Council the Pope says he sent thither his Legates the Cardinals Parisio Mocono and Pool as likewise the Bishop of Arras his Father Granvell and Mendoza came from the Emperour but when neither that seemed to the Pope to be a time fit enough the matter was delayed and new Legatees sent from Rome the Cardinals de Monte Santamore and Pool and from the Emperour the same Mendoza and Francisco de Toledo The Embassadours of other Princes came also and People from all hands flocked in great numbers to Trent Now at the same time the Emperour had Arms in Germany chiefly for the defence and propagation of Religion that whom he could not perswade he might compel And when by his prosperous success in the War he had brought into the way again those who had slighted the Council you who take to your selves the Title of Legates of the See of Rome suddenly and without acquainting the Pope as you your selves say for I know not what pretended cause propose the translation of the Council and scarcely allowing time for consultation break up in a hurry and depart from Trent contrary to the advice and consent of many excellent and virtuos Fathers who said it was an unreasonable removal and that they would not stir from Trent In the mean time the Emperour marching into Saxony overcame the Enemy at the Elb and took the two Heads and Generals of the War and nevertheless both before and after the War he often sollicited the Pope by Letters and Messengers that he would order the Fathers to return from Bolonia to Trent for that it was very dangerous if it should be otherwise Afterwards he called a Diet at Ausburg wherein at the Emperour's request all the Princes and States with great consent approved the Council of Trent and promised without any Condition to obey it When he had obtained that he presently sent the Cardinal of Trent to Rome to acquaint the Pope and Colledge of
Maurice comforting them under hand told them That he would venture not only all his Fortunes but Life and Blood also for their Fathers freedom and that then it would be a fit time to surrender body for body when the state of Affairs should be such that the displeasure of some men needed not so much to be feared December the nineteenth all the Horse and Foot within Magdeburg but what were upon the Guard sally out of the Town after midnight that they might fall upon a party of the Enemies Horse that lay in a Village not far off It was indeed a dangerous attempt because they were to march betwixt the Enemies Camps however it succeeded For before the Enemy could Arm they possessed themselves of the Village and set Fire to it in several places all of them having white Shirts over their Armour Of the Enemy who ever made any resistence were killed most of them being Persons of Quality Many fought from the Houses but these being set on fire were burnt Many Gentlemen of Quality were taken and presently carried to the Town with about two hundred and sixty Horses Next Morning when by break of Day they were upon their rereat homewards they met a party of Horse commanded by George Duke of Mekleburg who presently charged them but being beset by the Horse on the Front and the Foot on the Rear he himself who first began the War was made Prisoner and carried into the Town Now about this time Maximilian Arch-Duke of Austria the Emperours Son-in-Law created King of Bohemia in his absence returned from Spain and came to Ausburg being recalled by King Ferdinand his Father who then began to have some clashing with the Emperour about the Succession to the Empire for which cause also it is said that the Emperour had sent for his Sister Mary Queen of Hungary who returned thither in January having parted from thence the September before that she might interpose her Interest For the Emperour who knew of what moment it would be to unite Germany to the other vast Territories and Dominions which his Son was to Inherit had a design to lay the Foundation of a spreading Monarchy and entail it upon his Heir by the accession of the Empire But King Ferdinand who aimed at the same thing thought it no ways reasonable to suffer his own and Childrens expectation and advantage to be frustrated or empaired Besides Maximilian who was a Prince of excellent temper and every way accomplish'd spoke many Languages well but especially High Dutch was very much favoured and beloved of the People The Bull of Indiction of the Council we mentioned before was by the Popes command published at Rome about the end of December There were many things in it that might give offence as that it belonged to him to rule Councils that he called himself the Vicar of Christ that he would have the proceedings continued and not to be begun again of new That he took to himself the Place and Authority of President and that he seemed only to invite Men of his own Profession The Emperour as it was said observed these things when the Bull was brought unto him and desired him to mollifie some things in it that were too rough For it was thought he was afraid lest the Germans splitting upon that Rock would either reject the Indiction or start delays and impediments to the Work which he had brought about with so much labour and pains I will not affirm this to be true and such counsels are commonly concealed But if it be true it is certain he obtained nothing For the Pope published it in the same Form I mentioned without changing a word And there were not wanting some who thought that he did it purposely that he might terrifie the Germans from coming to the Council or if they came hold them entangled and foreclosed This was the Artifice as it 's said of Paul III. as we mentioned in the ninth Book that when he had learned from his Emissaries what the Protestants would admit of and what refuse upon his calling of the Council afterwards he clapt into his Bull of Indiction what he knew would chiefly irritate and offend them as may be seen also in this Bull of Julius which is exactly framed according to that of Paul. At that time Duke Maurice and the Elecor of Brandeburg propose Conditions of Peace to the Magdeburgers requiring them to surrender and submit themselves to them and their Archbishop That if they would do so they should still retain their Religion and the Doctrine heretofore professed at Ausburg that they should lose nothing of their Privileges Rights nor Liberties that the Fortifications of the Town and every Man 's private Estate should be safe and that no force should be used against any Man Moreover they promise to intercede with the Emperour that he would recal the Out-lawry but upon these Conditions that as other Princes and free Towns had done so they also should humbly beg pardon of his Imperial Majesty that they should deliver him up sixteen pieces of Ordnance and pay an hundred thousand Florins to redeem their confiscated Goods which sum of Money they also promised to advance for them That they should restore to the Church-men their Possessions that they themselves would judge of the hurt done on either side of the Habitations of the Clergy and Ceremonies of the Cathedral Church That to incline the Emperour to condescension they must receive a Garison into the Town until he ratified the Treaty and the other Conditions should be performed That it should be their care that the Garison Soldiers did not commit abuses But that if the Emperour rejected these Conditions they would presently draw out the Garison and leave them the Town in as safe and good a condition as they had received it However the Senate refused to surrender and would not admit of a Garison In the Month of December the States of the Archbishoprick of Magdeburg but chiefly the Clergy published a Declaration in the Vulgar Tongue against the Senate and People of Magdeburg alleaging that antiently and by right they belonged to the Jurisdiction of them and the Archbishop which might be made out by the Letters and Charters of the Emperour Otho the First That the truth was they had done many things sawcily and insolently especially against the Archbishops Burcart and Gunther but that they had been reduced to their Duty and made to suffer for it as was evident from History When say they Ernest of Saxony first and then Albert of Brandeburg were Archbishops all Controversies were made up and ended but they kept not Covenants And as often as the Bishops with common consent of the rest of the States enacted any thing for the Publick good they always shifted it off and drove at this that they might skrew themselves into Authority and give Law to the rest And when Cardinal Albert had his Cousin John
a Dalmatian Bishop of Waradin Cardinal He was a Man of great Authority in Hungary and commonly called Monk because he was of the Order of Paul the first Hermit It has been declared before that the French Ambassador was ordered to attend on the eleventh of October to receive his answer provided the King owned the Council but he came not and nevertheless in name of the Council a Letter to the King was published And first they tell him that for many Reasons they had expected every thing that was good and great at his hands but that upon the coming of his Ambassdor and reading of his Letter it was a great Grief to them to find themselves frustrated of their hopes and that nevertheless since they were not conscious to themselves of any wrong they had done nor of any cause of offence that they had given they had not as yet wholly laid aside the hopes they formerly conceived of him that the Opinion he entertained then as if the Council had been called for the particular interest and advantage of some few ought least of all to take place in that so great an Assembly That the Causes of calling the Council were published not only by the present Pope but also by his Predecessor Paul III. to wit that Heresies might be rooted out that Discipline might be reformed and that the Peace of the Church might be restored Was not that manifest enough Could there any thing be done more Piously or Christianly That Heresies did now spread not only over Germany but in some manner over all Provinces that the Council would apply a Remedy to this great evil that this was the ground and this also the end of all their Deliberations and that all they did aimed only at that that therefore he would suffer the Bishops within his Dominions to come and assist in carrying on so holy a Work that he had no cause to fear but that they should have liberty to speak freely what they thought that with much patience and attention his Ambassador had been lately heard though his Message had not been so very pleasant and that since a private person had been heard with so much mildness and favour why should any Man believe that that would be denied to publick persons and Men of such Dignity too That notwithstanding though he should not send one single person yet both the Authority and Dignity of the Council would subsist as being both lawfully called at first and for just Causes now again restored but that as to what he intimated of using Remedies such as his Ancestors had made use of they did not think that he would ever proceed so far as to revive those things which have heretofore been abolished to the great advantage of the Kings of France And that seeing God had blessed him with so many benefits and favours they could not but hope that he would not do any thing whereby he might seem unthankful to God or to holy Mother Church That he should only look back upon his Progenitors upon his own Title of Most Christian King and in a word upon his Father King Francis who honoured the former Council by the Ambassadors and most learned Bishops whom he sent to it that he should imitate that late and domestick Example and sacrifice private Offences to the publick Good. The Emperour and Pope had exhorted the Switzers to come to the Council but it was in vain And the Pope as we said before made use of the Ministery of Jerom Francâ— his Nuncio there to bring that about But the French King sent Instructions to the Ambassador La Morliere who resided in those places that he should endeavour to persuade them all not to send any person to it La Morliere finding that to be a difficult task sent for Vergerio an expert Man in those Affairs to come to him from amongst the Grisons who supplied him with Arguments and a little after published a Book against repairing to the Council La Moliere thus provided came to the Convention at Baden and there alledging his Reasons he persuaded not only those who long before had shaken off Popery but also all the other Cantons to what he desired of them so that none came from them to Trent From the Grisons came by Orders from the Pope Thomas Plant Bishop of Coyre but when the Grisons understood from Vergerio what the Pope was driving at that is by his means to recover his Authority over them he was recalled The Spaniards who Quartered here and there in the Country of Wirtemburg were about this time called out by the Emperour and sent into Italy because of the War of Parma By their departure the whole Province was relieved from a very heavy Bondage under which it had groaned for almost five whole years only the Castle of Achsperg the Emperour still retained with a Garison of Germans in it About the same time also Henry Hasen at the Emperour's Command went over Schwabia and in all places changed the State of the Government putting in new Senators as had been done three years before at Ausburg He turned out also all Preachers and School-masters as had been done lately at Ausburg unless they would obey the Decree about Religion That Duke Maurice and the Duke of Wirtemberg had ordered the Heads of Doctrine to be drawn up which should afterwards be exhibited and that the Senate of Strasburg joyned with them also in that design it hath been said before The Duke of Wirtemburg therefore sent two Ambassadors John Theodorick Plenninger and John Heclin with Instructions publickly to produce that written Confession of Doctrine and to acquaint the Council That Divines would come to treat of it more at large and to defend the same provided they might have a safe Conduct granted them according to the form of that of Basil So soon as they arrived at Trent which was about the later end of October they waited upon Count Montfort shew him their Commission and Credential Letters and acquainted him that they had some things to pâ—opose in Council in their Princes Name His Discourse seemed to insinuate that it behoved them to apply themselves to the Pope's Legate But they perceiving that if they should have any Communication with him it would be construed as if they owned him to have the chief Right and Authority in judging which would be a prejudice and great disadvantage to their Cause did not go to him but gave their Prince an account of what they had done and expected new Orders from him how to behave themselves In the mean time the Divines were employed after their usual manner in examining and discussing the Points we mentioned of Penance and Extream Unction November the third Count Heideck came from Duke Maurice to Magdeburg and having called out the Officers of the Garison to a Castle hard by the City he fully concluded a Peace and thereupon drew up and signed Articles wherein
Ulm to this Effect That the Norimbergers to their great loss being now subdued by him had accepted Conditions of Peace and promised to submit to what should be commanded them by him and the rest of the Confederates That he resolved to besiege them but in a far different manner and more closely than had been lately done that if Fortune favoured his Enterprise he would not spare Man nor Man-child above seven Years of Age unless they returned to their duty in time and instantly sent Deputies to give him and the Confederates Satisfaction and so wipe off the stain of their late Rebellion that he had ordered him by whom he sent his Letter to bring back their Answer which he commanded them to give positively that he might know their final Resolution To this Letter they gave a very short Answer that so long as they had Health and Life they would never condescend to his Demands The French King upon his March out of Germany having his Army divided into three Bodies came to Walterfingen a small Town in the Dominion of Lorrain upon the River Sare There all his Forces being united again on the twenty fifth of May he Marched and having past the Mosel entred the Dutchy of Luxembourg burning plundering and wasting the Country wherever he came being provoked by the Example of Van Rossem as they themselves affirm he also retook the Town of Asteney deserted by the Garrison for Van Rossem was now returned Home Having afterwards Encamped he took by Composition the little Town of Danvilliers and soon after Ivey one of the chief Forts in the Country In that Town was Ernest Count Mansfield Governour of the whole Province with the flower of the Youth who fell all into the Enemies Hands the Town was afterwards sacked by the unruly Soldiers against the King's Will as it was said but let us now return to Duke Maurice He was gone as we told you to Passaw about the treaty of Peace There on the first of June having resumed what was done in the Treaty at Lintz he declared his Mind more fully and plainly as to all Points There were present the Emperor's Ambassadors King Ferdinand Albert Duke of Bavaria the Bishops of Saltzburg and Aichstadt the Ambassadors of all the Princes Electors as also of the Dukes of Cleve and Wirtemberg and many others His grievances were That the Government of the Empire which ought to be free was in the Hands of Strangers that the Authority of the Princes Electors was impaired and that many things were done without their Advice or Knowledge that some things also were dismembred and alienated from the Empire that ways were taken to deprive them of their right of Electing the Emperor that in the Diets of the Empire the Opinions and Votes of the Electors were almost slighted that the private Assemblies of the Electors were out of a certain fear intermitted that their Jurisdiction was diminished whilst contrary to ancient Custom the Imperial Chamber admitted of Appeals from them that the Controversies of the States of the Empire were purposely fomented and never taken up till both Parties had received Damage that it was a hard matter to be admitted to Audience in the Emperor's Court where Cases were often mistaken for want of understanding the Language and that not only the Charges was great but much time also lost in waiting there that matters were not handled amicably in the Diets and that if any Man made a Proposal for the publick good it was taken ill that by those frequent and long lasting Diets Germany was Exhausted and Business often neglected at Home and nevertheless the Publick not a whit the better but many times the worse and more entangled thereby that severe Edicts were made that no Man should serve in foreign Wars that such as made their Peace were obliged not to fight against the Provinces of the Emperor and so were torn off from the Empire that they who according to Duty served their Lords in the Smalcaldick War were fined that they who persevered in the Emperor's Friendship were also made to Pay and that under pain of having their Lands and Goods put to Sale if they did not make present Payment and that their Ambassadors for not assenting immediately were commanded upon pain of Death not to depart from Court without Leave that foreign Soldiers had been several times brought into Germany and after the last War was over had been quartered up and down in the Country where they did many things dissolutely and licentiously glorying that Germany was subdued and would be annexed to the Patrimony of the Emperor who would have Castles and Citadells built in the chief Cities thereof that a vast number of great Guns and store of Ammunition had been carried as in Triumph out of Germany into strange Countries that some out of Vain-glory and Ambition had caused the Arms of German Princes to be put upon the Guns which were Cast for themselves as if they had been taken from them that Books were Published and that with Priviledge from the Emperor too to the great infamy and disgrace of Germany as if it had been Conquered and brought under Bondage that in the publick Diets some as representing the Emperor's Provinces were admitted into the Assembly of the Princes and States and that was done with secret Designs that the number being encreased they might carry all by Plurality of Voices that four Years since the Judicature of the Imperial Chamber had been Erected and Laws made by a very few Persons which were afterward promulgated to the great Prejudice of many especially of those of the Augustan Confession who were all excluded from that Bench that therefore the thing it self required that these Laws should be reviewed and better examined in the next Diet. These and other things of the like nature he propounded and forasmuch as they chiefly concerned the Emperor he demanded that they should be forthwith redressed and the Empire restored to its ancient Dignity and others not suffered to baffle and despise it The Mediators having consulted together were of opinion that these Demands were very reasonable but yet that in respect to the Honour and Dignity of the Emperor which was concerned and that he might be the more easily perswaded it was their Judgment that some things which related to the publick Reformation of the Government might be referred to a general Diet of the Empire The Bishop of Bayonne the French Ambassador was there who on the third of June made a Speech before the Princes to this Effect That in old time and before the name of Francs was known there had been so great a resemblance of Life and Manners betwixt the Gauls and Germans that the Germans are the People whom the Romans long ago called the Brethren of the Gauls but that when the Francs had planted themselves in Gallia now France there was such a Coalition of both Nations that they made but
great change that was made in the Publick Religion and the Laws betook themselves to Germany some to Wesel and others to Franckfort and Strasburg John Alasco a Polander of Noble Birth and great Learning who was the Brother of Jerome before this Winter began went thence to Denmark but being not so kindly entertained there on the account of his differing from them in the Point of the Eucharist and being denied an Habitation on the same score in the Lower Saxony at length he went to Emden a City of Friseland and there he setled The Fourth Day of March the Queen put out a Book of Articles or Injunctions wherein she commanded the Bishops and their Vicars not to admit any man into Holy Orders who was suspected of Heresie That they should extirpate Heresies suppress and destroy hurtful and pestilent Books That they should prescribe certain Rules to all School-Masters and Preachers and suppress those who did not conform That they should deprive all Married Priests and punish them as their wickedness deserved but that those who with the consent of their Wives should promise to divorce themselves and to abstain for the future should be treated with more gentleness and that they should restore all those that would do Penance for this Offence to their Livings again That all Publick Prayers should be in the Latine Tongue and according to the ancient Forms That all the ancient Holy-days Fasts and Ceremonies should be again observed That all Children already Baptized when they grew up should be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed And that they should be taught in the Schools how they are to minister to the Priest in the Mass at the Altar When Henry the Eighth abolished the Papal Supremacy in England as I have observed in the Ninth Book of this History he passed an Act of Parliament that no man should be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity unless he had first taken an Oath in which he acknowledg'd him and his Successors Supream Head of the Church of England and that the Pope had no Authority over the Church nor was better than a Bishop of Rome with whom they would have nothing to do This Oath the Queen even now remitted and commanded the Bishops not to exact it of any man and thereby did tacitly restare the Pope's Supremacy That which concerns the Publick Prayers went thus Henry the Eighth had commanded them to be said in the vulgar Tongue and in them amongst other things they prayed that God would deliver them from the Seditions Conspiracies and Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and this Printed Form of Prayer was by this Order of the Queen abolished Soon after this Elizabeth the Queens Sister a Lady of great Learning was committed to the Tower because she was suspected to have had an hand in Wiat's Rebellion In the End of March the Enemies of Albert Marquess of Brandenburg returned to the Siege of Schweinfurt In April there came over into Germany Sir Richard Morison Knight whose Embassie I have mentioned in the Book before this Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Cheeke Knights both the King's Schoolmasters and Men of great Learning and these all afterwards travelled into Italy And soon after Dr. John Poinet Bishop of Winchester came over also who together with many other Bishops was about this time displaced by reason of this Change of Religion The Forces of the Duke of Florence and the Pope besieging Siena about this time Peter Strozza who defended that City in the Name of the King of France learning something of their state by his Spies on a sudden made a Sally upon them and slew a great number of their Souldiers but they recruited their Army and continued the Siege for all that Loss whereupon the King of France levied Three Thousand Swiss for the relief of that Place The Duke of Florence also marries his Daughter to Ascanio the Pope's Nephew and the Methods of advancing his Fortunes by this Marriage were taken into consideration About this time also Ferdinand Gonzaga Governor of the Duchy of Milan came into Flanders to the Emperor Baptista Castaldus whom the Emperor had sent some years since into Hungary as I have said came also about this time to him About the middle of April Sir Thomas Wiat was executed at London He declared that neither the Lady Elizabeth nor Courtney Earl of Devonshire were acquainted with the Rebellion About the same time Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Hugh Latimer Bishop of London were removed first to Windsor and then to Oxford and a Disputation being mannaged against them by the Students both of Oxford and Cambridge the 16th 17th and 18th of April concerning Transubstantiation and the Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass and they continuing stedfast in their Former Opinion they were again committed to Prison At the same time there was a Parliament sate in England wherein the Queen especially recommended to the States her Marriage and the restitution of the Pope's Supremacy The first of these she carried upon certain Conditions but the latter was so vigorously opposed by the Upper House that she could not then bring it about In the mean time Cardinal Poole having spent some time with the Emperor in Flanders went to the King of France and endeavoured to bring these Princes to make a Peace but his Mediation had no good success In the end of April Albert of Brandenburg having received 60000 Crowns set Aumale his Prisoner at Liberty A little before this time Holansperg another of his strong Places was taken from him by the Confederates Not long after this the Emperor being then at Brussels by his Letters confirmed the Outlawry decreed the last Winter in the Imperial Chamber of Spire against the Marquess of Brandenburg in which having complained that the Marquess had with impunity committed such Ravages and made such Devastations in the Empire he in the next place severely commands all the Princes and States and especially those that lay next him to execute the said Sentence against the Marquess There had before this been two Meetings at Rotenburg a City of Franconia upon the River Tauber in order to the putting an end to this War but they being both frustrated the Emperor put out this Decree against him which was set up in all places and soon after there was a Diet of the Circle of the Rhine holden at Worms concerning this Business I have often mentioned the General Diet which was summoned in August but the Emperor being hindred from being present in it both by Sickness and Wars Ferdinand his Brother at his Request undertook the management of it and sollicited the Princes to meet who excused their Appearance there on the account of the troubled state of Germany The Emperor had already sent thither some of his Council and amongst them the Cardinal of Ausburg but none of the Princes coming thither for the Causes aforesaid it was deferred to a fitter opportunity Albert had
met but in a very ill Temper On the seventeenth day of that Month the Queen dyed in the forty third Year of her Age when she had reigned five Years four Months and eleven Days Her Death was for some Hours concealed and then it was communicated to the House of Lords by the Lord Chancellour who sent for the House of Commons and the Lord Chancellour signified to them also the Queen's Death and both Houses presently agreed to proclaim Elizabeth her Sister Queen wishing her a long and a happy reign The great Thuanus contrary to his Custom passeth over Queen Mary without any Character he could say little that was good of heâ— and would say nothing that was ill Those of her own Religion are now so sensible of the Errors of her Government that they are more put to it for Apologies than Panigyricks on her Memory In Germany a Dyet was appointed to meet at Frankford the twenty fourth of February to which the Ambassadours named by Charles V before his Voyage into Spain came and delivered his Resignation of the Empire by which he had transferred his Authority to Ferdinand his Brother then King of the Romans to the Electors who after a short deliberation accepted the same and in a solemn manner elected and admitted Ferdinand to the Empire and afterwards crowned him After his return to Vienna he sent Martin Gusman his Lord High Chamberlain to Rome to acquaint the Pope with the Resignation of Charles V and his Advancement to the Empire and to assure his Holiness of his good Affections to that See. The morose Old Gentleman would not admit the Ambassadour but left the business to be discussed by the Cardinals who were appointed for that purpose who must needs make a great business of it and resolved That what had been done at Frankford was of no Validity because the Holy See had not consented to it and Christ's Vicar who was entrusted with the Keys of the Celestial and Terrestial Government without whose Consent neither Charles could be discharged from the Empire nor Ferdinand be admitted That no Resignation or Deprivation could be made to or by any other than the Pope Besides what was done at Frankford had been transacted by Men infected with Heresie who had lost all that Grace and Power which belonged to them whilst they were Members of the Church of Rome That therefore Ferdinand was to appear within three Months before the Pope's Tribunal to answer for his Misdemeanours and to shew his Repentance and then without doubt he would obtain Pardon from this meek Father With much more to the same purpose Ferdinand was of another Temper and ordered his Ambassadour to return if he were not admitted within three Days leaving a Protestation behind him This a little quelled the Pope who admitted him to a Private Audience the thirteenth of July when the Pope excused himself for not having granted his Request sooner for want of Leisure and Time to examine all the Difficulties which were proposed in this Affair by the Cardinals and seeing his Lordship could stay no longer at Rome he might return when he pleased and he would send an Ambassadour to the Emperour so he called Charles V notwithstanding his Resignation as soon as was possible And thus this thing stood till the Death of Pope Paul III. Charles V late Emperour of Germany being at last overpowered by the many Diseases which oppressed him died the twenty first of September In this Prince saith Thuanus Fortune and Virtue strove to Crown his Deserts with the utmost degree of Temporal Felicity And for my part I take him for the best Pattern which can possibly be given of a virtuous Prince in this or any former Age. His last Words were these Continue in me my dear Saviour that I may continue in thee He lived fifty eight Years six Months and twenty five Days and was Emperour of Germany thirty six Years Thuanus saith of him That no part of his Life was destitute of some commendable Action yet he shew'd the greatness of his Soul most visibly in the close of it Before he was wont to conquer others in this he overcame himself and reflecting on a better Life renounced this present which was lyable to so many Chances before he dyed and having so many Years lived to the good of others began now to live only to God and himself In all that two Years which went next before his Dissolution he lived in the Society of some Monks of the Order of S. Jerome and by the Advice of one Constantin his Confessor applied himself chiefly to the reading of S. Bernard and fixing his Soul only on God thus he argued That he was unworthy by his own Merits to obtain the Kingdom of Heaven but his Lord God who had a double Right to it that of Inheritance from his Father and that of the Merits of his Passion was content with the first as to himself and has left the second to me by whose Gift I may justly claim it and trusting to this Faith I shall not be ashamed For neither can the Oyl of Mercy be put in any other Vessel than that of Faith That this is the only Confidence of that Man who forsakes himself and relies upon his Lord That to trust any otherwise to ones own Merits was not of Faith but Perfidy That Sins were forgiven by the Mercy of God and therefore we ought to believe that none but God can blot them out against whom only we have sinned in whom is no sin and by whom alone our sins are forgiven us These Doctrins were afterwards thought in Spain to approach so near those of the Lutherans that his Confessor was burnt for an Heretick after he was dead and some others that were about him had hard measure after his Death on that account and Lucas Osiander affirms in express Terms That Charles V dyed a Lutheran in the Point of Justification Queen Elizabeth presently after her settlement dispatched Messengers to all the Princes of Christendom giving notice of her Sister's Death and her Succession and among them to the Pope also by Sir Edward Karn then Resident at Rome His Holiness in his usual Stile replyed That England was held in Fee of the Apostolick See That she could not succeed being illegitimate nor could he contradict the Declarations made in that matter by his Predecessors Clement VII and Paul III He said it was a great boldness in her to assume the Crown without his Consent for which in Reason she deserved no Favour at his Hands Yet if she would renounce her Pretentions and refer herself wholly to him he would shew a Fatherly Affection to her and do every thing for her that could consist with the Dignity of the Apostolick See. It was great pity this generous Pope should fall into such Heretical Times his great Soul would certainly have wrought Wonders before the Days of Luther but now alass all this Papal Meekness
a great Persecution there The Death of Pope Paul IV. The Deaths of several other Princes Pius IV Elected Scotch Affairs The English Affairs relating to Scotland and France The Scotch Complaints against the French. The War against the French in Scotland The Death and Character of Mary Queen Regent of Scotland The French Expelled thence A Conspiracy in France The King of Navar Conde Coligni suspected to be in it An Assembly of the Princes of France A Decree passed for an Assembly of the three Estates The Protestants of France encrease Francis II dies A General Council desired and obtain'd by the Duke of Florence Gustavus King of Sweden dies The Estates of France open'd The Persecution of Piedmont which occasioneth a War. THE First day of January Frederick I King of Denmark who was Elected by the Dyâ—â— of that Kingdom in the Year 1523 instead of Christian II deposed by his Subjects for his Cruelty died at Koldingen a Town in the Dukedom of Sleswick when he had lived Fifty six Years Three Months and Twenty Days and reigned Thirty four Years He was a Prince of great Moderation and Justice he overthrew the united Army of Christopher Duke of Oldenburg and of the City of Lubeck who had invaded his Inheritance near Alsens a City of Fionia with a great slaughter of their Forces Having by this Victory obtain'd a Peace he caused the holy Scriptures to be translated into the Danish Tongue and open'd an University and a Library at Coppenhagen Not long before his Death he visited his deposed Uncle who was then in Prison and having discours'd very friendly with him a great while they mutually forgave each other By his Queen Dorothy Daughter of Magnus Duke of Saxony he had five Children Frederick II who succeeded him in his Kingdom Magnus Bishop of Vpsal in Livonia Joane Ann married to Augustus Elector of Saxonâ— and Dorothy married to Henry Duke of Lunenburg The Twenty third of the same Month Christian his Predecessor in that Kingdom followed him being in the Seventy seventh year of his Age he had lived in Prison ever since the Year 1532 having given saith my Author Tuanus this Lesson to all Princes That if they will Reign well and happily they must govern their Affections and not out of a violent lust of insulting over their Subjects give up themselves to the conduct of their Passions and that they ought to assure themselves that God is a severe Revenger always ready and delighting to pluck off their Thrones the most Proud and Insolent who shall abuse that Power he has intrusted them with Frederick I being dead who was a Prince utterly averse from war and neither moved by Ambition nor Covetousness to invade what was anothers his Son Frederick began a War upon the Inhabitant of Dietmarsh who had heretofore been subject to the Dukes of Holstein the Bishop of Breme and the Kings of Denmark successively and had often regain'd their Liberty with great Loss and Dishonour to those Princes that had attempted to reduce this small Province but now their time was come and Adolph Duke of Holstein this year made a final Conquest of them for Frederick King of Denmark in the space of one Month. In the beginning of this Year was a great change of Affairs at Rome The Kindred of the Pope had already made themselves hated by all Christendom and now the Pope himself too fell out with them They had engaged the Pope in the War with Spain which had brought so much Loss and Shame upon that See and its Dominions In the time of those Confusions they had acted many things with great Rapacity Intemperance and Insolence without the Pope's knowledge who finding his Treasure exhausted had by their Advice raised great and extraordinary Taxes upon his People and besides all this had sold the Places of the Criminal and Civil Judges suppressed the monthly Payments of his Officers and seized many of the Lands belonging to the Religious Orders and had levied two Tenths upon all the Benefices The War with King Philip being ended and the Pope having with a calm and dispassionate mind heard the Complaints made against his Relations by one Jermiah a Fryer of the Theatin Order and especially against the Cardinal of Caraffa began more nearly to inspect his own Affairs and the Lives of his Relations About the same time Cosmus Duke of Florence made great Complaint also of the Caraffa's because not content with the extorting what they pleas'd from the Hospitals Monasteries and Clergy within the Pope's Dominions which they lookt upon as their own they had also by their private Authority done the same Wrongs in the Dukedom of Florence and indeed all over Italy He thereupon order'd Bongianni Gianfigliacci his Resident at Rome to complain of this to the Pope but then the Caraffa's had prevented him from having any Audience whereupon Cosmus wrote a Letter to the Pope which was by the means of Cardinal Vitelli an Hater of their Insolence deliver'd to the Pope He having read it sent presently for his old Monitor Jermiah and by him ordered Vitelli to give him a more exact account of their Misdemeanors There was nothing more incensed the Pope against them who was Imperious and Jealous of his Papal Power to the utmost degree than that the Cardinal had agreed without his knowledge or consent with the Duke de Alva that his Brother should accept of a Compensation from King Philip instead of Paliani which Place the Pope had designed to unite to his See. Whereupon he presently commanded the Cardinal to leave the Vatican and not to come any more into his Presence The Twenty seventh of January the Pope summon'd great Consistory and in it discharged him of the Prime Ministry of Affairs and of the Government of Bononia He took also from the Duke of Paliani his Brother the Command of the Forces of the Ecclesiastick State and of the Gallies and deprived the Marquess di Monte Belli of the Custody of the Vatican Palace declaring against them with that fury that some of the Cardinals attempted to appease him and among them Ranutio Cardinal of Farnese To whom he replied That your Grandfather had done much better if like me he had sacrificed his private Affections to his Pastoral Office and having severely chastised your Father's abominable Lusts and Villanies had thereby prevented the scandal the Impunity of them hath given to the whole World. So that nothing that could be said or done could reduce the old Man from his Resolves against them but tended rather to the encreasing of his Fury And hereupon he forthwith abolish'd some Imposts pretending they were exacted without his knowledge By all which he hoped to obtain the repute of a Just and Upright Prince and to cast the Odium of the ill things which had been done in his Popedom upon his Relations After this he betook himself wholly to the promoting the Inquisition which he call'd the most
fit to receive Supplies and a Place that might serve the French Companies for a Refuge if they should happen to be reduced to any great streight This was done about September as appears by a Letter of the Nobility about it in that Month. The Regent's Reputation was by this time at so low an Ebb that nothing she said was believed and all she offered suspected About this time M. Pelleuce Bishop of Amiens afterwards Bishop of Sens arrived at Leith attended by three Doctors of the Sorbon Furmer Brochet and Feretier he pretended he came to dispute with the Preachers of the Congregation and he sent to some of the Nobility residing then at Edinburg desiring a Hearing But for fear their Arguments might not prove so effectual as was expected Le Broche a French Knight came over at the same time with two thousand Foot to reinforce their Sylogisms The Congregation-Nobility reject however their armed Logick and would have nothing to do with them The Eighteenth of October the Lords assembled their Forces at Edinburg and the Regent with the Bishop of St. Andrews Glasgow Dunkeld and the Lord Seaton the same day entred Leith And some Messages having pass'd betwixt them they proceeded so far at last as to suspend the Queen-Regent's Commission discharging her of all Authority till the next Parliament prohibiting the Officers to serve under her or by colour of her Authority to exercise their Offices from thenceforth This Decree bears Date the Twenty third of October The Twenty fifth they summoned the Town of Leith commanding all Scots and Frenchmen to depart within twelve hours But failing in this Attempt the Regent took Edinburg and restored the Mass there and all those of the contrary Religion were forced to flee into England or where they could find shelter Hereupon the Queen sent for more Forces and the Marquis d' Elboeuf was sent from Diep with eighteen Ensigns of Horse which were dispersed at Sea by Tempest so that he arrived not at Leith before the Spring of the next year The Lords retired first to Sterling and then to Glasgow where they reform'd all things after their usual manner and in the mean time they sent William Maitland and Robert Melvil to Queen Elizabeth where at last they obtained what they designed in the manner I have express'd The French hearing this resolved to suppress the Lords before the English should come up to their Assistance and thereupon began to waste and spoil the Country to Sterling but though they met with little Resistance yet they could not attain their End. In February an Agreement was made between the English and the Scotch Commissioners sent by the Lords for the Preservation of the Scotch Liberties and Freedoms from a French Conquest and for the Expulsion of the French Forces out of Scotland the Articles of which were Sign'd the Twenty seventh of that Month. About this time the English Fleet under Captain Winter came up and took all the French Ships in the Fyrth of Edinburg which much amazed the French who were then marching for St. Andrews by the Sea-side whereupon they returned to Leith About the same time the Lords of the Congregation reformed Aberdene but the Earl of Huntley coming up in good time saved the Bishop's Palace which had else been reformed to the Ground The English Land-Forces to the number of two thousand Horse and six thousand Foot entred Scotland under the Command of the Lord Gray in the beginning of April The English at first beat the French into Leith and battered the Town very diligently but remitting in their Care and Industry the French made a Sally out of Leith and cut off a great number of the English which made them more vigilant The last of April a Fire happened in the Town which burnt the greatest part of it with much of the Soldiers Provisions The Seventh of May the Town was Storm'd but the Ladders proving too short an hundred and sixty of the English were slain and nothing was gain'd Soon after there came up two thousand English more In the mean time the French King sent to Queen Elizabeth that if she would withdraw her Army out of Scotland he would restore Calais to her To which she replied She did not value that Fisher-Town so much as to hazard for it the State of Britain Thereupon the French perceving no Peace could be had without the French were recall'd out of Scotland and disdaining to treat with the Scots who were their Subjects they began a Treaty with the Queen of England In the mean time Mary of Lorain Queen Regent of Scotland died in the Castle of Edinburg the Tenth of June partly of Sickness and partly of Displeasure Before her Death she sent for the Duke of Wastellerand the Earl of Argile Glencarne Marshall and the Lord James and bewailing the Calamities of Scotland prayed them to continue in Obedience to the Queen their Soverign and to send both the French and English out of the Kingdom so asking their Pardon and granting them hers she took her leave with many Tears kissing the Nobility one by one and giving the rest her Hand to kiss She was a Wife Good Religious Princess full of Clemency and Charity and would doubtless have prevented the Calamities of Scotland which befel there in the end of her days if she had been left to her own Measures but being governed by the Orders of France she was forced to do and say what she did to her great dishonour and disquiet which too at last ended in the Ruine of those she most desired to Promote as it always happens in Breach of Faith. She would often say That if her own Counsel might take Place she doubted not but to compose all the Dissention within that Kingdom and to settle the same in a perfect Peace upon good Conditions Soon after her Death or as Thuanus saith a little before it Embassadors from France and England came to Edinburg who sending for the Scoth Nobility began to treat about the sending the French out of Scotland which was at last agreed and the Sixteenth of July the French embark'd on the English Fleet for France and the English Army the same day began their march by Land for Berwick and the Fortifications of Leith and Dunbar were dismantled but sixty Frenchmen were left to keep the Castle of Dunbar and the same number the Isle of Inchkeeth until the States should find means to maintain the said Forts upon their own Charges from all Peril of Foreign Invasion In August the Parliament met which established a Confession of Faith contrary to the Roman Religion and pass'd three other Acts one for Abolishing the Pope's of Jurisdiction and Authority another for Repealing the Laws formerly made in favour of Idolatry and a third for the Punishing the Hearers and Sayers of Mass and with these Acts Sir James Sandelands was sent into France for the Royal Assent of the King
had and might err of the Dignity of Scripture and whether the Scriptures were to be preferr'd before the Church or did borrow their Authority from the Church Claud d' Espence a learned Man who desired very much the Church might regain her former Peace being Commanded by the Cardinal of Lorrain to answer Beza began with a Declaration that he had a long time wished that there might have been Conferences and said he had ever abhorred those Bloody Proceedings which had been used against those miserable Men. Then he said he wondered by what Authority the Protestants took upon them the Office of the Ministery and by whom they were Ordain'd and Instituted and that seeing the had received Imposition of hands from no body how could they be accounted lawful Ministers for it was manifest they had no Ordinary call And they must prove an Extraordinary Vocation by Miracles which they had not And thence he concluded they never came into the Church either by an Ordinary or an Extraordinary call As to Traditions if any Controversie arose about the Sense of Scriptures which could not be otherwise adjusted they must of necessity have recourse to the Fathers who had their Authority from their lawful and ordinary Call or Succession because upon them the Guifts of the Spirit were bestowed As it was written of the Levites whose Answers were not to be question'd That many things were setled by Traditions which were not written in the Scriptures As that the Father was not begotten That the Son was of the same Substance with the Father That Infants were to be Baptized That the Blessed Virgin continued a Virgin after she brought forth That the Decrees of General Councils should be valid and that they cannot err in Matters of Faith and that it cannot be shewn that any of the later Councils have corrected the former Beza replied that the Imposition of hands was no necessary note of a lawful Call The two principal were a due Inquiry into the Doctrine and Manners of the Person and an Election of them to the Ministery That they were not to expect Imposition of hands from the Bishops who opposed the Truth and persecuted those that Preached it And that Miracles were not always necessary to an extraordinary Call which he endeavoured to prove by Isaiah Daniel Amos Zachariah and St. Paul. In the next congress Beza spoke much about the Calling of the Protestant Ministers but in such a manner as tended more to the exasperating of the Prelates than the appeasing them so that these two days were spent in mere squabble without order and to no purpose There was then in France John Laines a Spaniard General of the Jesuits who came thither with Hippolito d' Este Cardinal of Ferrara sent by Pope Pius IV. as Legate to the King. This Laines being present this day at the Conference call'd the Protestant Ministers Monkeys Foxes and Monsters and said they were to be turn'd over to the Council call'd by the Pope Then he fell upon the Queen for medling in things that did not belong to her but to the Pope Cardinals and Bishops and he said it was not lawful whil'st a General Council was in being for the Queen to appoint by her private Authority a Conference here The Queen was much enraged at the Insolence of this Man but out of Reverence to the Legate suppress'd her resentment after this Day there were no more Publick Conferences but they Drew out three of a Side and endeavoured to form such an Exposition of the Lord's Supper as both Parties might agree in which in the End proved impossible to be done and so the Conference of Poissi ended which was the first Liberty that was granted to dispute the Established Religion in France and was blamed by some as a thing of ill Example and approved by others as the only means left to prevent the Storm which hung over their heads But it had not that effect so the Ministers and especially Beza who was invited by the Queen were honourably dismiss'd The Fame of this Conference being diffused through Italy and Spain Philip the Second was strangely surprized at it so the Queen sent Jacques de Monbron a Person of good Birth and Repute to excuse it That Prince would hardly be induced to hear the reason of it and turning him over to the Duke de Alva he blamed their fearfulness and advised them to return to the same Severities which had been used in the Reigns of Henry II. and Francis II. promising his Masters Assistance for the Extirpation of the Protestants Adding That the King had been solicited to it by the Catholick Nobility and People of France and that he could not neglect their Petition but he must be wanting to himself That he did not fear such vain reproaches as that with foreign Forces he invaded what was anothers because in this Cause the Spanish Forces were no foreigners when the Religion of their Ancestors was at the stake By this it appeared to the Court of France That there was a Correspondence between their Catholicks and the Spaniards and one Arthur Desier a Priest was taken much about this time near Orleans going into Spain with a Letter from some great Men to King Philip to persuade him to undertake the Protection of their Infant King and of the Catholick Religion which was in great danger to be ruin'd for which he was ordered to be Penance by the Parliament of Paris and committed to the Carthusian Monks to be kept a Prisoner for ever but afterwards he made his Escape This Sentence was pronounced against him the 14 th of July In the End of this Year one Jean Tanquerel a young Divine proposed as his Thesis in a Disputation That the Pope as Christ's only Vicar and the Monarch of the Church can by his Spiritual and Secular Power command all faithful Princes as his Subjects and if they disobey his Precepts deprive them of their Dignities and Kingdoms which being complain'd off to the King the Chancellor sent a Commission to inquire into it and Tanquerel being fled it was ordered that the Parritor of the Theological Faculty should make a Recantation of it in his Name in the School of the Sorbonne before the Dean and all the Fellows and Students of that Faculty in the Presence of the President of the Parliament of Paris the King's Counsel and Solicitor and for the future the Parliament forbad all such questions to be given And ordered the Sorbonne to send two of their Fellows to beg the King's Pardon This Decree passed the 2 d of December and was put in Execution ten days after The Pope had till now dreaded a General Council as tending to the abatement of his Power and on that score had delayed it till Cosmus Duke of Florence and the fear of a National Council in France prevail'd upon him to reassume that which was began by Paul III. continued by Julius III. and was at
them the more cruel they fell next upon the Priests and Monks as the Authors of their Calamities this more incensing the Roman Catholicks And they again using the most horrid barbarities that were ever practised by Men the Protestants rose likewise in their Executions on them so that if this War had continued a few years France must have been depopulated Now though in all this the Roman Catholicks were the first Agressors and forced the Protestants to this severity in their own defence yet their Writers cunningly omitting the Provocation or softing the Actions of their own Party set forth at large the Cruelties of the Hereticks as they call them and many times aggravate them above what is true but Thuanus though a Roman Catholick was too great a Man to be guilty of so false a representation and who ever pleaseth to consult him will and I have been very favourable to the Roman Catholicks in this Abstract and have not sought occasions to make them odious without cause A CONTINUATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK IV. The CONTENTS The Cardinal of Ferrara leaves France The Causes of the Delay of the Council The Pope's Legates sent to Trent The Prohibition of Books taken into Consideration The French Ambassadors arrive at Trent The French King's Reflections on the Proceedings of the Council The French Clergy arrive there The Pope's Fear of them Maximilian Son of Ferdinand the Emperor chosen King of the Romans The Emperor dislikes the Proceedings of the Council The Spanish Ambassadors received in the Council The Fathers of Trent much Displeased with the Peace made in France The Queen of Navarr cited to Rome and many of the Bishops by the Inquisition The French King's Declaration against these Proceedings The Queen Mother of France complains of the Council The Pope Gains the Cardinal of Lorrain to his Side That Councils have no Authority over Princes The Ambassadors of France Protest against the Council and retire to Venice The Council ended The Censure of the Council The State of Religion in Piedmont A Tumult in Bavaria for the Cup. The Romish Reasons against granting Marriage to the Clergy and the Cup to the Laity The Siege and Surrender of Havre de Grace Charles the IX declared out of his Minority The Scotch Affairs HAVING thus dispatched what concerns the first French War I now return to the Affairs of the Rest of Christendom in the Year 1562. And here I will first begin with the History of the Council of Trent Whilst the recalling this Council was agitated with great heat the Cardinal of Ferrara the Pope's Legate in France after the Revocation of the Edict of January seeing all things there in the state he desired he took his leave of the King and returned into Italy Before he went however he took care to furnish the King with Money to carry on the Siege of Orleans which he took up of the Bankers of Paris He had raised a vast Expectation of this Council in the minds of all those who had yet any Kindness left in their Hearts for the See of Rome and the more because they thought the Edict of January which had caused the War would then fall of Course it being made only by way of Provision till a Council should determine otherwise As the Cardinal was in his Journey Fifty Horsemen came out of Orleans under the Command of one Monsieur Dampier and surprized all his Mules Horses and Treasures and when he sent a Trumpeter to demand them again the Prince of Conde made Answer That this magnificent and warlike Equipage did not befit Pastors and the Successors of St. Peter but rather Commanders and Generals of War who were in Arms for Religion Yet if he pleased to recal the 200000. Crowns which he had furnished the Triumvirate with to carry on the War against him and the Italian Forces out of France he would then restore all he had taken to his Eminence The Council which was appointed to meet at Easter of the former Year was delay'd to the beginning of this the Pope putting it off because he was as much afraid of the Spanish Bishops as of the French National Council He had been necessitated to grant great Contributions to King Philip to be levied upon his Clergy and he thought the Bishops would on that score come with exasperated Minds to the Council and all his Thoughts were bent on the keeping the Papal Power undiminished rather than on satisfying the just Compaints of the Nations At last being forced by an unresistable necessity he sent Hercules Gonzaga Jerom Seripand and Stanislaus Hosio out of his Bosom to be his Legates at Trent And not long after he added to them James Simoneta and Mark Sitico Bishop of Altemberg in Transylvania who had orders to open the Council again the Eighteenth of January 1562. That those things might be therein treated of which the Legates should propose and in the same Order for the taking away the Calamities of these Times the appeasing the Controversies of Religion the Restraining deceitful Tongues the Correcting the Abuses of depraved Manners and the obtaining a True and Christian Peace by such means as the Holy Council should approve of The French Clergy insisted That mention should be made of a Free and General Council to be call'd for the Quieting of their Differences because their Protestants would never submit to the Determinations of the former Sessions On the contrary the Spaniards professed they would only continue the former Council and therefore they used a middle way and decreed A Council should be Celebrated The Spanish Bishops were as much dissatisfied because all the Power of proposing was given to the Legates and taken from the other Bishops and complained of it to King Philip who Ordered his Ambassador to treat the Pope about it that the Council might be free The Pope Answered the Ambassador That he was not at leisure to dispute about Ablative Cases Positive and the Genders of Words and that he had something else to do And in private he spoke of the Calamities and Dangers of France with the same unconcernedness For when one of the French Cardinals deplored the Danger the See of Rome was in of losing that Kingdom he replied What then if as long as I am Bishop of this City I shall not be forced to abate any thing of the Greatness of my Table and the Magnificence of my Buildings And when they insisted to have the Manners of Men and the Discipline of the Church throughly Reform'd he said In that Particular he would satisfie France to the full and take such Care in it that they should all of them Repent that they had mentioned a Reformation Adding That he foresaw that the Kingdom would be divided on the account of Religion but he did not value the loss of it a Farthing All which Expressions saith Thuanus Are in the Letters of the French Ambassador that was then at Rome out
the Council together with the Coadjutors of other Bishops that so he might have the more Votes believing he was now in the utmost degree of Danger and as if he had not had enough of his own he borrowed some Prelates of his Friends too And amongst them he got leave of the Duke of Savoy that Anthony Bobba Bishop of Cassale who was then that Princes Ambassador in the Court of Rome and Lewis Vanini de Teodolis Bishop de Bertinoro a Person of great Learning and Eloquence who had excused his Attendance in the Council upon his want of Health should now forthwith be dispatched to Trent When this last was going thither he is said to have consolated and strengthened the good Pope in his Anxiety and Fears of the Event with an Assurance That he would certainly get the Victory over the Council which was a very Acceptable Saying to the Pope and that he for that good News Kiss'd the Bishop of Bertinoro when he took his Leave to go to Trent bidding him be careful to get the Victory he had promised him And when after this some flying Reports came to Rome that some Questions were moved in the Council to the prejudice of the Papal Authority by the Bishops he was so moved at it that in the Consistory before all the Cardinals he cried out he and the Romans were betrayed whilest he maintained an Army of Enemies at Trent with great expence By which expression he aimed at the Italian Bishops who were his Pensioners and kept there by him in great numbers And Jo. Baptista Adriani writes He was just upon the Point of inhibiting the Council and had done it if Cosmus Duke of Florence had not averted him from that dangerous and shameful project The 8th day of September Maximilian the Eldest Son of Ferdinand the Emperor was chosen King of the Romans at Francfort upon the Maine in a Diet there assembled for that purpose Stroschen a Polander by birth who was then Ambassador for Solyman the Emperor of the Turks was present at Francfort and saw this Ceremony being sent to settle a Truce for eight years between those Princes which had been a long time sought by Busbequius at Constantinople The Emperor was by this League to pay Thirty Miliions of Hungarian Duckets for a Tribute by the year In this Diet the Princes of the Augustane Confession and their Allies gave in their opinion concerning the Council in Writing as they promised they would in the Convention at Naumburg They said they could not come to this Impious Council which was Indicted by Pope Pius the Fourth because not so assembled as was prescribed in their Appeals to a pious free and lawful Council given in heretofore in several Diets of Germany This Diet ended about the end of December and the Emperor went by Wormes Spire Weissemburg Strasburg Schlestat and Basil to Friburg in Brisgow being in all places received with great Honour and in the last of these places he held a Diet for Alsatia and then by Constance he went in February to Inspruck where he staid some time on the account of the Council of Trent which he hoped might be ended in the less time if he were near it The French Ambassadors when they came to the Council of Trent were furnished with certain Instructions what they were to ask but had Orders to suppress them till they had conferr'd with the Emperors Ambassadors which happened to have much what the same demands But by this time the Court of France seeing there was no care taken to satisfie the Emperor and that things were carried with great slowness ordered their Ambassador to open their Grievances which were contain'd in Thirty four Articles and were accordingly unfolded to the Council the 4th of January as they may be seen at large in Polano his History Pag. 609. I shall not here trouble the Reader with them The 10th of January the King of France ordered his Ambassador to assure the Pope that the Annals which were taken away in the Assembly of the States of France lately held at Orleans should for the future be paid to the Pope he hoping by this means to have him more ready to grant his desires tending to the peace of the Church which the Pope's Ambassador largely promised On the 14th of February a Decree was made concerning the Residence of Bishops and Pastors with great difficulty and opposition which all tended to the obtaining the Judgment of the Council That the Pope has full power to feed and govern the Universal Church The French who hold that a Council is above the Pope were contented to conceal their opinion in this point for fear the Pope should take that opportunity to dissolve the Council without any good done by it But then they were resolved to defend their said opinion if it were opposed whatever happened and upon no terms to lose or yield it King Philip also laboured very hard that the power of the Bishops should be raised and that of the Pope and the Conclave brought lower which they of the Pope's party interpreted as a design to diminish the Spanish Liberties because the Bishops and Chapters of Spain would be more subjected to the will of the King than the Court of Rome would By which means they at last prevailed so far upon that jealous Nation that the power of the Bishops in the end was very much abated and that of the Pope was enlarged and exalted and the Bishops were contented to act as the Popes Delegates and by his Authority and in his Name to exercise their Functions About this time it was that the Cardinal of Lorrain went again to the Emperor to Inspruck which caused a great fear in the Pope's party in the Council for that they suspected he went to adjust with that Prince the ways to bring the Papal power under In the beginning of March the Emperor wrote a Letter to the Pope after he had consulted the Bishops of Quinque Ecclesiae who went to Inspruck to him wherein he signified to his Holiness That after his Son in the last Diet was Elected King of the Romans and Crown'd and that he had visited his Cities upon the Rhine he was come to Inspruck to promote the Affairs of the Church in the Council as became the Supreme Advocate and procurator of the Church but that to his great grief he understood that things were so far from going as was to be desired and as the publick State of Affairs required that it was to be feared if speedy remedies were not applied the Council would be ended in such manner as it would give offence to all Christendom and become ridiculous to all those who had made a defection from the Church of Rome and fix them more obstinately in those opinions they had embraced tho' very differing from the Orthodox Faith. That there had not been any Session celebrated for a long time and that it was commonly given out the Fathers and Doctors in
her And what can be more contrary to Natural Equity than to condemn unheard It is forbidden by the Canons and Decrees of Councils and there is a noble example of this in Ammianus Marcellinus where Pope Liberius being urged by Constantius to condemn Athanasius chose rather to be banished than to sentence him without hearing And in the Judgment against Sixtus the Third who was accused of Incest Valentinian the Emperor observed the same method and made him appear and answer in a Synod before Fifty Bishops For the same reason the Sentence of Nicholas the First against Lotharius the Son of St. Lewis for having two Wives was thought void and null Nor was this Sentence against the Queen of Navarr of better force because she was absent and unheard That the Popes have always shewn that respect to Crown'd heads as to admonish them by their Legates before they decreed ought against them So Alexander the Third sent two Cardinals to Henry the Second into England when he was accused of the Death of Thomas a Becket A. B. of Canterbury That he might purge himself before them of this crime So of late Clement the Seventh did the like in the case of Henry the Eighth to whom he sent Cardinal Campeius And if it were granted that the Judgment were rightly passed how could the Dominions of the Queen be exposed for a prey and given to the first Invader they belonging to the King as Lord of the Fee Therefore the King believes that the Pope is deceived by false reports and instigated by the craft of his Ministers who not regarding the publick peace have drawn him from his natural goodness to Counsels which are dishonourable to his Holiness and destructive to his Authority and to that of the See of Rome tending to the alienating of the hearts of his friends from him and the disturbing of the Peace of Christendom And his Majesty is the more perswaded of the truth of this because his Holiness so earnestly espoused the Interest of Anthony the Husband of this Queen in his life-time and endeavoured to perswade King Philip to restore to him the Kingdom of Navarr or at least to give him the Island of Sardinia as an Equivalent But then there is nothing more offends the King than the considering that whereas so many Kings Princes and Free States above Forty years since have defected from the See of Rome and committed the offence charged upon the Queen and so by the rule of Justice ought to be first punished as first offending yet the Pope has not proceeded in the same way or with equal severity against any of them so that from hence it is clear that an occasion is sought by her enemies to oppress and ruin her by surprize whilest she is a Widow her Children Orphans the King of France who ought to protect her being a Minor and disturbed by Civil Wars and for this reason the King is the more obliged to defend her from injury and himself from contempt seeing without acquainting him with it they have begun this Process against a Queen so nearly related to him That if this Accusation had been made on the account of Religion and for the Glory of God the Pope ought in the first place to have shewn his care of her soul and from the Word of God to have administred fitting Remedies and not to have proscribed her Kingdoms and Dominions and given them for a prey to the first Invader The Pope has a Supremacy given him That he may consult the Salvation of Souls and the repose of Christendom and not that he may deprive Princes of their Kingdoms and dispose of their possessions at his pleasure which the former Popes have never been able to do in Germany and other places without bringing great reproach and dishonour on the Church and disturbances upon the World. That therefore the King desired with the greatest humility that he could or ought that the Sentence against the Q. of Navarr should be revok'd and all the Pope's Ministers should be inhibited from proceeding in this cause by a publick Act and if this were not done the King should be forced against his will to make use of the same remedies his Ancestors had imployed in the like cases according to the Laws and Rights of his Kingdom But before all things he protested he should do this unwillingly and therefore they only should bear the blame who by their rashness had forced him to use the power God had given him in so just a cause and to implore the assistance of his friends against them There was at the same time distinct Memorials and larger Instructions sent to the French Ambassador for the Defence of the Bishops and D'Oysel who was an active Minister prevail'd upon the Pope to have the Proceedings against the Bishops stopt and the Sentence against the Queen of Navarr revok'd and abolished So that at this day it is not to be found amongst the Constitutions of Pope Pius the Fourth The 18th of May there having been no consideration had of the XXXIII Articles put into the Council the 4th of January the Queen wrote to Lanssac her Ambassador complaining very bitterly of the delays and shifts which had been made in this business and said that the hope good men had hitherto had of the success of this Council and the opinion of their sincerity who met in it would both vanish without any fruit and their dissimulation and connivance would more and more inflame the wrath of God against us who had now made it manifest unto all men that the affairs of the Church needed a Reformation and a severe correction and to that purpose had invited and brought together from all parts of the Earth so many men famous for their Piety and Learning to this Council and if after all this he shall see us still stubbornly resist his will he will be necessitated to punish those men who have hindred so good a work and so necessary to the peace of the Church That therefore the King had wrote to the Cardinal of Lorrain to assemble a Congregation of the French Clergy and after a mature deliberation had amongst themselves to demand earnestly of the Fathers of the Council that these things might be considered and determin'd as soon as was possible But the Cardinal was by this time won over to the Pope's side and was willing to sacrifice the safety of France and the King's Will to the Interest of the former In order to this he delayed the Execution of his Orders from day to day and at last that he might totally disappoint them asked leave of the King to go to Rome believing the Kings Ambassadors would do nothing in his absence And not long after Lanssac obtained leave to return into France The Cardinal of Lorrain went from Trent towards Rome the 18th of September and with him five of the French Bishops But the other French Ambassadors did nevertheless insist stoutly
all the Priests were hunted away and in Cherie and Cuni places belonging to the Duke of Savoy and in many other Cities near unto them many were of the same opinions with the Hugonots and many even in the Duke's Court also did profess them and more were discovered every day And however the Duke had set forth a Proclamation a Month before That all that followed those opinions should within eight days depart out of the Country and some did thereupon depart yet afterwards he commanded there should be no proceedings against them and pardon'd many who were condemn'd by the Inquisition and made their Process void as also those who were in the Inquisition and not condemn'd and gave leave to some that were departed to return About the same time there hapned a great tumult and popular commotion in Bavaria because the Cup was not allowed nor Married men suffered to preach which disorder proceeded so far that to appease them the Duke promised in the Diet That if in all the Month of June a resolution were not made in the Council of Trent or by the Pope to give them satisfaction he himself would grant both the one and the other The news of this coming to the Council the Legates dispatched Nicholas Ormonet to perswade the Luke not to make that Grant. To whom the Duke replied That to shew his obedience to the Apostolick See he would use all means to entertain his people as long as he could expecting and hoping that the Council would resolve that which they saw to be necessary notwithstanding the Resolution made before by it But the Council had good reason to deny this last because say they it is plain that Married Priests will turn their affections and love to their Wives and Children and by consequence to their House and Country and so that strict dependance which the Clergy hath on the Apostolick See would cease and to grant Marriage to Priest would destroy the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy and make the Pope to be a Bishop of Rome only And in another place they tell us that having House Wife and Children they the Clergy will not depend on the Pope but on their Prince and their love to their Children will make them yield to any prejudice of the Church and they will seek to make the Benefices Hereditary and so in a short space the Authority of the Apostolick See will be coâ—fined within Rome Before Single Life was instituted the See of Rome received no profit from other Nations and Cities and by it is made Patron of many Benefices of which the Marriage of the Clergy would quickly deprive her And that all would become Hereticks if the Cup were granted to the Laity and so a gap would be opened to demand the Abrogation of all positive Ecclesiastical Constitutions by which only the Prerogative given by Christ to the Church of Rome is preserved for by those which are of Divine appointment no profit doth arise but that which is spiritual So that the Princes who expected any redress from them were in a fine case Camden in his History of Queen Elizabeth assures us the true reason why the Prince of Conde clapt up this Peace upon such easie and disadvantageous terms was because he had been deluded by the Queen with the vain hopes of succeeding his Brother the King of Navarr as General of all the Forces of France and that he should marry the Queen of Scotland too which he afterwards refused The English were then possess'd of Havre de Grace and had a Garrison in it and now both the Protestants and the Roman Catholicks united their Forces to deprive them of it without repaying any of the Money the Queen had expended in the War or considering what need they might after have of that Princess's protection and assistance Both parties on the contrary protest That if the English do not forthwith restore that place they should forfeit their Right to Calais which was reserved to them by the Treaty of Cambray and when this would not do they proclaimed a War against the English in France the 7th of July which was return'd them by the English till they should restore Calais The Earl of Warwick who was then Governour of Havre de Grace finding the French well disposed to betray the English in that Town into the hands of their Country-men and that they had entered into a Conspiracy to that purpose with the Rhinegrave who lay not far off with some German Forces He thereupon turn'd all the French both Protestants and Papists out of the Town without any difference and seized upon all their Ships The French thereupon without ever reflecting on their own Conspiracy against the English began a loud complaint That the English came not to protect the French in their distresses but to get the possession of the Town dealing with them not as with Brethren but as Foreigners And hereupon the French resolved to take this place upon any terms from the English and the King sent a Trumpet to the Governour to demand the Town who returned for an Answer That if the King of Spain would pass his word that Calais should be restored according to the Treaty of Cambray at the time by it appointed and that the King of France the Queen-Mother and the Princes of the Blood Royal would confirm the same by their Oaths and Register it in all the Parliaments of France and then give them Hostages of the Prime Nobility of France he would then deliver up the Town This being rejected the 22d of July Montmorency the Constable took the field all things being by that time prepared to reduce it by force The next day they summon'd the Town again Warwick replied he would suffer death rather than deliver up the place without the Queen's knowledge His Messenger whom he sent with this Answer happened to meet one Monie a Protestant French Captain with whom he had been familiarly acquainted in the Siege of Roan to whom he said He much wondred to see the Protestants of France who were of the same Religion with the English and for whose relief they came into France in the Camp against them Le Monie replied As you fight for your Queen so we for our King the contest is now for our Country and Religion is no way concern'd The business of Religion is now determin'd and setled by the King's Edict once for all and therefore you Sir are not to wonder if of Friends we are suddenly become your Enemies and resolved to destroy you if you do not deliver up the place to the King. When the Earl of Warwick heard this he sent presently into England for Supplies There was then a Plague in the Town which discouraged the English more than all their Enemies without There came some Ships with Relief from England but the Plague continuing the Queen to preserve so many brave men gave order to the Earl of Warwick to surrender the place upon
' Arche and Caudebec Diepe Caen and Bayeux Man 's taken by them The Triumvirate desire no liberty should be granted to the Protestants The Triumvirate draw out of Paris The Prince of Conde maintain great Order in his Army at first A second Treaty between the Queen and Conde Boigency sack'd Bâ—ois Tours Anger 's taken by the Protestants Tours retaken by the Roman Catholicks Mans deserted by the Protestants Amiens Senlis Normandy The Roman Catholicks retake Poictiers and Bourges The Siege of Roan resolved on The Terms of the Protestants League with England The King of Navar shot at the Siege of Roan He dyes 〈◊〉 surrender'd to the King. And also Caen. Diep retaken by the Protestants The Protestants beaten in Guienne Andelot hardly obtains Succours in Germany The Prince of Conde takes the Field Pluviers taken by the Prince of Conde Corbeil besieged by the Prince of Conde The two Armies come in view of each other A Treaty with the Queen and the Terms proposed by the Prince of Conde The Prince marcheth towards Normandy to meet the English Succours * Ablium The King's Army overtake the Prince The Battel of Dreux Montmorancy taken Prisoner St. Andre by the advice of the Duke of 〈◊〉 turn the Fortune of the day and gains the Victory on the King 's â—â—de The Prince of Conde taken 〈…〉 slain 〈◊〉 Coligni The Duke of 〈◊〉 force 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Coligni would have â—ought the next day Coligni General of the Protestants 1563. The Pope fondly overjoyed with the Victory at Dreux The Prince of Conde carried to Blois The Siege of Orleans The Duke of Guise wounded by one Poltrot The Death and Character of the Duke of Guise The Queen earnestly desires a Peace The Treaty of Peace between the Prince of Conde and Montmorancy The Articles agreed on Coligni not pleased with the Peace The Cardinal of Ferrara leaves France The Causes of the Delay of the Council The Pope's Legates sent to Trent * Proponentibus Legatis The Prohibition of Books taken into consideration A debate whether Episcopacy and Residence are of Divine Right The French Ambassadors Arrival The Demands of the French Ambassadors in the Council The French Kings Reflections on the Proceedings of the Council The Cardinal of Lorrain and the French Clergy arrive at Trent The Pope allarm'd at it as if so many Enemies had invaded him The Popes fears of the French Bishops never to be stopp'd Maximilian Son of Ferdinand chosen King of the Romans Polano in his History of the Council of Trent saith the Election was made the 24 th of November So that the first date seems to be the day of the opening of the Diet. The Emperor dislikes the Proceedings of the Council The Ambassador of Spain received in the Council The Fathers at Trent much dissatisfied with the Peace made in France The French Court shew their Reasons for it The Pope's Bull to the Inquisitors Several French Cardinals and Bishops cited to Rome And the Queen of Navarr also The French King declares against these Proceedings against the Queen of Navarr The Deposing of Princes and disposing of their Dominions the cause of great Calamities The Bishops defended by the King also The Queen complains of the Proceedings of the Council The Pope gained the Cardinal of Lorrain to his side Who went to Rome The Council has no Authority over Princes * Pag 721 The Ambassadors of France put a severer Protestation into the Council The Emperor opposeth the intended Proceedings of the Council against Queen Elizabeth The French Ambassadors leave Trent and go to Venice The last Session of the Council of Trent The censure of the Council The Emperor goes from Inspruck before the Council was ended His sense of the Council The Reasons why the Council had no better success The State of Religion in Piedmont A Tumult in Bavaria for the Cup. Reasons against granting Marriage to the Clergy And the Cup to the Laity The French Affairs after the Peace till the end of the Council The Siege of Havre de Grace The Protestants fight against the English Havre de Grace surrendred to the French. A Plague in London Charles the Ninth declared out of His Minority by the Parliament of Roan The Scotch Affairs in 1562. And 1563. John Hamilton Archbishop of St. Andrews committed for hearing Mass John Knox call'd before the Council for Sedition His bold Answer
far that they may not have a servile and obnoxious Council conven'd in a dangerous place but that things of that weight and importance in which the peace and welfare of the Church in general and every Person in particular is so much concern'd may be examin'd with Freedom and Security By appearing in this manner not only the present Age but all future Posterity will be mightily oblig'd to his Majesty and return him immortal Thanks for so great a Favour As to what his Excellency mov'd concerning a Conference of learned Men it deserves to be consider'd throughly and at leisure Besides being not aware of such a Proposal most of their Convention had no Commission to treat about it But as soon as they come to a determination in the Case they would write his Majesty an account of it for they desir'd nothing more than that Truth might be propagated as far as was possible Lastly they were very glad to hear his Majesty promise not to furnish out any Supplies against them and therefore neither would they assist his Enemies in any case where the Emperor and the Empire were unconcern'd This Embassador had private Conferences with Pontanus Melanchton with the Lantgraves Divines and James Sturmius concerning several Controversal Points where he told them what the King and the French Clergy especially those of Paris thought of each of them Particularly what their sense was concerning the Pope's Primacy the Eucharist the Mass and Invocation of departed Saints and Images what Notions they had about Purgatory Justification Monastick Vows and the Celibacy of the Clergy In most of these Controversies he said the King was inclinable to Melanchton's opinion in his Book Of Common Places Concerning the Pope he told them that the King and Philip were agreed for his Majesty did not believe his Holiness's Primacy was founded on Divine Right but Ecclesiastical Constitutions but the King of England would allow him neither one Right nor the other And truly the Pope hath pretended to more than his share in deposing Kings and Emperors at his Pleasure And they say he is about that Business now with the King of England notwithstanding the King his Master and several Cardinals had interceded with him to forbear Indeed the Divines say He is Head of the Church jure Divino but they fail'd in their proof when the King put them upon it They likewise defend the common Opinion concerning a fire in Purgatory For this Doctrin keeps up their Masses their Obits and Legacies and all the Trade they have upon those accounts But if the Mass was once put down their Authority would be sapp'd and the Vitals of their Grandeur wounded Now when the King had given these Gentlemen several months time to prove their Opinion about Purgatory by Scripture at last they gave him this Answer That it was not prudential to furnish their Adversaries with Arguments lest they should turn them upon themselves As to Monastery-Vows his Majesty believes he can prevail so far with this present Pope that young people shall not be engaged to that sort of life till they have reach'd their full age and that they may go off when they please and Marry But his Majesty does by no means think it convenient that those Societies should be dissolv'd but continu'd as Nurseries of Piety and Learning The Divines likewise press the Celibacy of the Clergy and here the King hath found out a middle Expedient That those who have Wives shall keep them but that others shall not have the liberty to Marry under pain of Suspension For to that which is usually urg'd concerning Paphnutius his perswading the Nicene Fathers that Priests might be married The Divines answer That it could not be prov'd that Matrimony was ever allow'd to Priests 'T is true before their Ordination they did not deny but that they were sometimes married Concerning the receiving the Lords Supper in both kinds the King had some discourse with Clement the Seventh about it and he hoped this Pope might be perswaded to make a Decree that every one might have the liberty to do as they thought fit Moreover his Majesty observ'd that within the memory of our Fathers the whole Communion was given in France to all persons without distinction indeed this was not done in the Bodies of the Church but in Chappels and Oratories This relation the King had from some very old Persons who affirm'd that this was the custom in France about 120 years ago Besides the French Kings receive in both kinds which practice when his Majesty objected to the Divines in Disputation they told him that Kings were anointed as well as Priests and that the Scripture mention'd A Royal Priesthood and that others who had none of these peculiar Reasons to plead could not have this liberty The King likewise owned that many passages in the publick Service of the Church ought to be corrected and some quite struck out That Clement the Seventh committed this affair to the care of Cardinal de la Cruz a Spaniard who printed a Book about it which the Parisian Divines condemn'd as Heretical For there is a sort of people among them who are not contented to cry out upon the Germans as Heterodox and wicked but let the same Censurers fly at the Cardinals and Popes themselves upon occasion And since the present Affair is so momentous and difficult in all the parts of it his Majesty is wholly intent upon it that the Peace of the Church may be recover'd He had likewise conferr'd with the Dukes of Bavaria to the same purpose who seem'd to him to be more rigid than the Divines of Paris though afterwards one of their Counsellors of State said that they were grown more moderate and the same thing was told him by Julius Phlugius concerning George Duke of Saxony and the Elector of Mentz The King therefore was of opinion that a publick Consultation was altogether necessary before the beginning of which if they pleas'd to send some few of their eminent Divines into France to confer with the Sorbonists his Majesty would take it very kindly and so order the Conference that some violent high-flying Men should be mixt with others of more temper and moderation that by this means the Truth might be wrought out and come to light When he had said this he desir'd that the Protestants would not accept of any place for a Council without his Majesties advice and the King of England's who would both of them return them the same Civility 'T is not many years ago since Lewis the Twefth of France insisted that the Pope could not call a Council without the consent of the Emperor and other Princes This was also the Opinion of the King of Navarre and when they were both Excommunicated by Julius Ferdinand of Spain seiz'd upon Navarre as Executioner of the Pope's Sentence Now the King his Master was of these Princes mind neither could he approve any Council unless it was held in a