selues who were the worst in al y e packe and then hardely to lay to other mennes charge what ye could Or was this your purpose to compell men to receiue your Gospell and to poure it into their mouthes spite of their teethe So did neuer Christ plant his Religion but so Mahumet stablished his cursed sect Ye labored in vaine when ye trauailed to bring the world to your Religion by Villany railing and dubble Cannons as easily as the Apostles did win men to the Gospell of Christ by their good liuing preaching and miracles How be it in dede it was neither Religion nor Gospel nor Gods quarell that ye ment to further euen he him self who not for Gods sake but formalice against the Pope begaÌ„ this whole Tragedy is a currant witnesse in this poynt and hath constantly so deposed Was it to restore the Christen Faithe being as ye thoughte well nighe worne out that ye made so great sturre Your labor was needlesse for the Churche of God the Seat and sure Piller of Truth hath allwaies without force and battail most Reuerently and charely kepte the Faith that was from the beginning coÌ„mitted to her Custody This Christ obtained of his Father this shall the Heauenly Comforter the holye Ghoste perfourm for euer How theÌ„ good sirs Was this wel done so to turmoile and tosse the quiet state and publike affaires of coÌ„mon weales to make a mixture and confusion of whot and cold high and low to trouble and turne vp and downe all thinges appertaining to God man so lightly so rashly so wickedly without any iust occasion without any sufficient cause without any good reason Men that professed Christianity haue sought cruelly and outragiously a longe time against Christen men haue sought their liues and goods haue bereaued theÌ„ of house and home of Church and Chappell welthy and rich Cities are impouerished sacked spoiled Church Vestries are voided rifled robbed And now if a man call them to accomptes aske the cause of al these their tragical cruel doings he shal haue a short answer w t mum budget except they will peradueÌ„ture allege this y t the lofty AmbitioÌ„ y e gredy Auarice the desperat boldnes of certen wâ—toÌ„ lose friers haue ministred iust occasioÌ„ of so horrible wicked hainous battel Now I come most geÌ„tle AudieÌ„ce to y e secoÌ„d parte of this matter to y e poynt wherin I promised to make discourse of their coÌ„spiracies and treasons to the end ye may plainly perceiue y t our Aduersaries were not only w tout cause offeÌ„ded rashli moued to beÌ„d their minds to fight but that also they toke weapon in hand and bad battaile traiterously and that as they attempted warre without iustice right so they proclaimed and pursued the same without Authoritye and Commission to omit nothing that should help to fil vp the measure of their so great and execrable wickednesse It is great pitye in verye deede it is muche to be pitied that Christen Princes doe make warre one against another so often yea and that God wot for light occasion or wel nighe for none occasion at all Desire of raigne and soueraigntie light displeasure taken vpon a word spoken Glory Hastinesse Emulation of Rulers haue bread vs many times long and cruell battaile so that a man mighte wel now sing as the Poet Horace did When Kinges and Rulers kepe ill rule The people paies for all Their ouersightes the Commons sighes And feeles their wanton fall The time shall come Oh I tremble when I speake it the time shall come in deede when it shall repent them to late that by their lightnesse and raish panges so much and so manie mens blood hath bene shed Yet to say the truthe in suche warres most commonlie the souldiours are excused for that theyr part is rather to obey fulfil and accomplisshe their lawful Princes and Capitains commaundement then deliberate dispute and reason of the equitie of the cause wherefore they fight But in this domesticall insurrection in this mostruous Tumulte and Sedition that hath bene sturred vp these many yeres vnder pretense of refourmation in maters of Religion wherein nor Capitaine nor Magistrate nor Prince nor Emperour biddeth any man strike Where without anie Lieutenant general knight Martial or deputie Captaine all the whole hoste is but an assemble of priuate men of common souldiours or rather of rouers cutthrotes and moste cruell murderers who is voide of hainous offense what one is free from maliciouse treason Who of all this companie is able to say that he is in his conscience giltlesse innocent and vnspotted Priuate men that had no Authoritie â—t all bad battaill them selues of theyr owne headdes and styckte not without theyr Kynge and Soueraigne his commandement to bringe and receaue into the Realme forayners straingers hyred souldioures and enemies I wyll aske them nowe no more what iuste Quarell what reasonable Cause they had to muster and to proclayme warre Be it that the Cause was moste iuste and sufficiente because theyr pleasure was so But this I aske them what lawefull Power what lawe what Statute what Right what Custome or common Example of Antiquitie what Authoritie and Commission they had so to doe Whereas they are but mere Priuate men and Subiectes called to no Office nor Authoritie at all nor placed in anye roome or Dignitie in the Common weale yet they dare be so bolde as to Muster to Campe to pytche a Fylde they take vppon them to mynister Iustice and right right Rather may I cal it moste vnmercifull wronge they wyll needes be Rulers yea and rule al Rulers and the whole roste them selues alone If a man might be so bold as to aske you nowe right Honorable Gospellinge Capytaines as the Renoumed Prince and moste Reuerende Father my Lorde Cardinall of Lorraine a fewe yeres agoe asked the Ministers of that Deformed Churche in the Honorable Assemble at Poissie wherehence came you Who sent you By what Authoritie doe ye all these thinges either ye shoulde be domme without any thing to saye as they were then A longe whyle Or lye impudentlye as your accustomed manner is Or be driuen plainlye to confesse and graunte that ye are but priuate Subiectes of no Iurisdiction of no Place or Degree called to no Office or power to meddle with the Publyke Affaires of Christendome Finally that for all these your strainge maruelouse and monsterouse Mysteries which ye professe and practice moste impudently and desperately takinge vppon you to redresse the state of all Christendome and to Reforme matters of Religion ye haue no Authoritye at all neither ordinarie power in earth nor extraordinarie Commission from heauen For ye shal neuer be able to proue either this by Miracles or that by letters Patentes As for Martine Luther or rather Luder but that for shame he chaunged that filthie name of his borne at Islibium in Saxonie and begotten of
be suffred to haue a Mistresse Candida for a vessell of easement as ye call it was that a sufficient wrong and iuste quarell for you to take Pepper in the nose and sworde in the hande and by and by bidde Battaile Were ye bound to stand so stoutly to Ladie Lecherie Dame Venus to maintain the liberties of her Kingdome and Gospel so streightly that if euery one of you in euery place were not permitted freely and without checke to cherishe his carkasse w t a Whore ye shoulde for reuenge of her quarell trouble the Gospell of Christe diuide with Scismes the Churche of God make suche a seedition suche a sturre suche an vprore in all Christendome as neuer any Barbarous Rude Sauage or Wild people made the like Some of your side suffred for y e Words sake for so ye cal y ◠cursed gospel of yours Yea and well worthy to I assure you For they neuer ceased to bark at Prelats Princes to worke al meanes to wring the sword out of theyr handes to trouble and disorder y e state of common weales Finally they neuer had theyr ful of theyr sundrie wicked practises against God of theyr raishe madnesse and furiouse blasphemies against the blessed Sacrament of the Altar Yea but you saie it was the very true worde of God they preached they were the men of God the Martyrs of Iesus Christ the Apostels of Christendome These be high Titles Will they be any higher I wil speake for them to set thē vp one steppe more They were those that labored to clyme vp to the North to place theyr seates aboue y e cloudes of the heauens to be like Lucifer ▪ Checkmates with God himself And what of al this Was it meete that because they could not freely and frankely preache the worde therefore by and by they should lay hand on the sword The Apostles of Iesus Christe were wōt to suffer not to geue blowes to take not to doe iniury S. Paule was cōtent rather to leese his head and paciently to suffer the sword then to strike or cause any to reuenge his quarell S. Peter was wrongfully crucified and yet procured no man to be troubled for it Why do not the new Apostles folow the olde Apostles example O Master Ministers it is a very hard Word y t ye bring vs. for ye speake gōnestones your Gospel is to hot ye preache fire and powder your Religion is to cruell it breedeth bloud and murder Iesus Christ was contented to ride on an Asse the Apostles thought it no skorne to goe barefoote and we embrace gladlye with reuerence their patience humilitie vertue and mild manner in planting the Gospel But you ride to preach on barbd horses put on the corselet not of faith but of iron and steele to set forward your strainge Religion Al the world may see that as the maner and order of your procedinges is contrary to Christ so all the stuffe ye vtter is likewise contrary to his heauenly Doctrine What Could ye not suffer Martyrdome gladly for the gospel No forsoth ye chose rather to slay thē to be slaine no maruell For ye loked for none other commoditie by your Gospel but a losenesse and liberty to liue at your pleasure And therfore such Gospellers for such a Gospel were very loth to leese their liues The theefe wil neuer gladly suffer deathe and spend his life in defense of theft for he purposeth to haue none other frute and profite by theft but his sweete life in this world maintained at pleasure He that loseth his life sayeth Christ preserueth it into life euerlasting but you were loth to lose yours for that ye had no hope to haue any euerlasting life for it Ye held it better to be Martyr-makers thē Martyrs to do then to suffer iniurie How be it to say the truthe ye suffred no iniury whē ye suffred death for heresy for ye deserued no lesse But when ye murdred other ye did great iniury whether they deserued to die or no For that ye had no authoritye so to do Hold stil your hands a little while lay downe your Swordes and priuye Daggers let your fury coole and harken to reason and ye shall plainly perceiue that there is great oddes betwene the order and due Ministration of Iustice that the Emperoure and Christen Princes vsed to execute againste your wicked transgressions and your impudent boldnesse Traiterous Rebellion and Bloudy Cruelty against Christendome By the authority of God allmighty they beare the sword and haue power to punishe the wicked but as for you who made you I pray you rulers and Iudges in Israel O vnhappy dayes O wicked manners of our daies maye we crye at this time with more iust occasion then in his age Marcus Cicero did Bondslaues refuse to beare the yoke vnder their Maisters Subiectes disdaine to obey the Commaundementes and Rule of their Magistrates Theues would be Lordes and raigne ouer all Who be robbers if you be Refourmers Yea who then shall be called Spoilers Ennemies Traitors Tyrannes and Cruell Bouchers if you be Giltlesse and Innocentes To conclude in fewe wordes what reasonable cause doe ye alleage for your selues why ye made warres so wicked and so abhominable why ye prepared fire and fagot to burne the whole world was it because ye were sometimes burned for heresie Truly ye suffred not so muche nor so often as ye deserued but if perhaps according to your desertes y◠had gon oftner to the stake yet ye should haue suffred it patiently for the Gospels sake if ye were Gospellers for so were the Apostles wont to do at least wise ye shoulde not haue resisted wyth force of armes because ye were subiectes and were punished by an order of law at the commaundement of the Magistrats and superiour powers Could not the freedome of your Gospell florishe and purchase you the carnall freedome and loose libertie of the fleshe by no meanes without warre In good soothe ye neded not to repine for lacke of libertie For euery where ye were wont to set the vsuall and accustomed fastes of y ◠Church at naught and fill the Panche freely to cary a sister wife about with you to toule Nunnes out of Cloysters and with filthy and sacrilegious Lechery to abuse them yea most commonly euery Apostate Monke had his Nunne at his taile And so it agreed wel if god wold haue had it so for Holy Kate her holy mate And like his like must loue By holy trade a broode is made To clime the Cloudes aboue It was the Frier Apostles pleasure that his Lady Venus Court should be franke and free If thy wife saith he wil not do it let thy maide supply her place the will of God commaundeth and necessitie bindeth as wel to haue carnal copulation and as to eat and drinke Was it your drift to redresse the vitious liuing and loose maners of these daies It had bene your part first to amend your owne
a Sprite Incubus as the common reporte goeth who is your chiefe Apostell and Patriarche We knowe him verie well what he was whence he came and what authoritie he had When he was a yonge man he studied the ciuill law and afterward when for his recreation he walked in the field nigh the Vniuersitie of Erforde he was strykē down to y t grounde with a sudden thunderclap and lighting and his companion that walked then with him was with y ◠blow quite slaine before his face whereat he was so astonied and put in such feare that he determined with him self to forsake the world to enter into Religion so out of hande made him selfe an Augustine Friere At the laste he was made Doctour in Diuinitie with shame inough for he came to that degree with the money that was bequethed to an other man whome with the help of his Prior he beguiled What other estate or degree he had in the common weale or Apostleship in the Church of God beside this we could neuer yet learne by any meanes But in deede he braggeth verie often that he is wel assured that his doctrine and conclusions are from heauen and that he was sent from heauen to the Germans to be their first Apostle that should preache them the Gospell for before his dayes he sayed that they neuer had any true Religion or Christen doctrine In few words he maketh more accompte of him selfe then of S. Augustine and all other holie and auncient Fathers of Christes Churche This bragginge Thraso telleth manie strainge matters of him selfe more maruelouse then true This is more like to be true as he reporteth of him selfe that he had manie times familiar conference and talke with the Diuell Yea and his Actes doings during his raigne written and faithfully regestred by Cocleus other of his neighbours men of great learninge and credite do most manifestly declare and proue that from y e diuel also his familiar frend Prince of this world he receaued authoritie and commission to punissh all good and honest men and to gainesay and withstand the holy Masse Ihon Caluine borne at Nouiodunum in Picardie a man banished frō his countreie for his wicked behauioure and whiles he liued in his countreie the veriest vnthrifte and naughtiest verlet of al his companions first hydde him selfe at Basile then beganne to shew his head at Straseburge and preache to the Renegates and Apostles there At last came to Geneua and put out the Deputie of the Citie expelled the Bisshope and all the Cleargie that were honeste and Catholike with all the vertuouse and substantiall Citysens and so wanne Authoritie and beganne to raigne there like a Conquerer by the lawe of treason and force of armes What neede I here againe bring you in mind of that Epicure Beza the Burgonion a Licentiate in law who taketh so muche Poeticall licence that in his bawdie and fylthie Epigrammes he passeth farre the wanton Pagan Poetes Martiall and Tibullus What shall I speake of Bernardinus Ochinus y ◠Italiane who laboreth to plante the beastly Doctrine of Polygamie that is that more then one wife at once may ioyne w t a mā in y e state of lawful matrimony willing therefore and perswadinge men to be Manywiuers as the Turkes are What shall I tell you of Peter Martyr the Renegate Moncke or of Bernarde Rotman an vnlearned Asse that beganne to professe learninge and by color of only Scripture whiche he vnderstode not expelled the Catholikes out of the Citie of Munster Or of Ihon of Leid y t tailor y t furiouse captaine of the mad Anabaptistes who within a yeare after got y ◠vpper hand of Rotman draue out y ◠Lutherans brought in y t Anabaptistes begā to raigne in y ◠very same Cit hauing won cōquered y ◠field by y ◠same crafte pretēse of scripture only as Rotmā did before so gaue him a fall in his own turn serued him w t his own sance or of Osiander that Holie Man commonlye called the seconde Enoch a Goddes name or of Carolostadius that rude maried Archedeacon of Wittemberge who became afterwarde for mere foly a mad and vnskilful plowghman to the wonder and laughinge game of all that coūtry Or of Illyricus Musculus Farellus Virettus Or of Bucer Morot and Malot the ringleaders and teachers of all mischefe good God what a rable haue we here what a noble ranke of vertuous graue renoumed Fathers is here such as I assure you no honest and discreete householder woulde euer suffer by his good will to tarie within his doores Such Champions are they that professe them selues to be the Aduersaries and enemies of the Catholike Churche these be y e captains that stand against the Bisshopes of Christes Church y ◠kinges of Christendome and Rulers of cōmon Weales Such are the Oratoures and Preachers that vse to declaime to raile to thunder againste the blood Shrines of Martyres against the Catholyke and vniuersal Religion of the Christians against the mystical and holy Sacramentes of the Churche Yea and sticke not like madde dogges to barcke and baye against y ◠very blessed and pretiouse body of our Lord Iesus Christ These yea such fellowes as these be are they who nowe these manie yeres vsurpe a Lordly authoritie ouer vs whome we are compelled to take for our masters who take vppon them to controlle the doinges and maners of all the whole world And yet can we learn by no meanes wherehence came this so Imperiall a soueraigntie or who gaue them so greate and princely Authoritie except we say they had it of Satan and y ◠they be the very vndouted prophets and Forerunners of Antichrist The Bysshoppes and Prelates of Christes Church doe excommunicate thē out their flocke and seperate them from the mystical Society felloship and Communion of all Christian men The Christen Princes and Rulers of the worlde do bannissh them do take them for outlawes and both by proclamations and force of armes trauaile with much care and diligence to defende and saue themselues and theyr louing Subiectes from them God allmightie the Omnipotent Lord and Ruler of heauen and earth neuer signifyed to the worlde by any miracle Signe or seely token that we shoulde take suche as these are for hys Commissioners or Deputies excepte a man will saye that this is a Miracle y ◠these fellowes oftentymes whyles in the presence of the People they faine that they are able in the Vertue of the Gospel they preache to restore the dead to lyfe doe make the liue stark dead ◅s a certaine Preacher did one Mathias in Polonia and the like is crediblie reported of Ihon Caluine at Geneua Howe then ▪ What shal we take them to be In fewe wordes they are theeues that come in by the Windowe they are Murderers Traytours Heretykes Satans Ministers For why theyr doeinges declare no lesse They doe the Commons wronge
franck and free from all things And in case anie thing were decreed and laied on the neck of a Christen maÌ„ wherto he should be of necessitie coÌ„strained to obey againste his will and consent that that proceded of tyrannie should be taken for violeÌ„ce and crâ—eltie finally that there was no hope of redresse and refourmation except the lawes and decrees of all men were vtterlie abolisshed and the free Gospell of libertie called home again according to the whiche all things should be iudged ruled and gouerned With these strainge opinions and singular Paradoxes the fundation of the fift Gospell was laied and hence consequentlie the springes and grasses of this wicked conspiracie and treason we talke of began to budde When Thomas Muntzer this Euangelistes scholer had learned thies highe Mysteries of his master he began to preache apace he made manie seditiouse sermons to the people exhorted them to diuide them selues from y â— Catholike Churche to forsake their Magistrates Rulers to shrinke away from them sent his letters about the countreie gathered a great hoste of vplandysh Paisantes of most wicked persones of desperate slaues out of hand biddeth battaille Who biddeth it good God and againste whome will ye see who it is forsooth it is Thomas Muntzer the Apostle of Saxonies scholer a man that should haue bene bound in chaines according to y e counsel of the learned physition Hypocrates for his madnes a monstruouse contagiouse and pestilent beaste framed and made of all maner of stinkinge vices and fylthie ordure that biddeth warre againste his owne countreie Germanie a noble Countrie sometime most florisshing againste Princes Rulers againste y â— verie Churche of God himself Oh wicked villaine oh pestilent monster â–ª oh cursed Rakehell Yea and the impudent Caytif was not ashamed to call it also the battaille of the lord For so hâ— cried to his souldiours fight good brethern fight manfullie the lords battaille sigâ— Gods field For he saied he had commission by Gods own mouth to bid battaille against all Princes Kinges The verie same saied Luther also affirming y â— God him self did rife stand againste the estates of Germanie theyr tyrannie That it was the lyuing God of heauen his own proper battaille and not the poore Paisantes of y e countreie and withall the lieng Prophete assured most constantly before hand by his false sprite of Prophecie that the Rebelles of the countreie should suerlie haue the vpper hand and that the Princes and Nobles should be vndone haue y â— ouerthrow and vtter destruction Well nowe Muntzer then goeth forwarde verie lustilie and desperatelie with his Vplandyshe Souldioures of whome he had a meruelouse greate number assembled about him and laboreth tothe and naile what he could to wring the sword out of the magistrates handes to depriue them of al authoritie power and rule to degrade and depose them from all honor dignitie and Princelie estate Manie a notable Castle and Palais manie a goodlie Abbey and Churche was quite rased and ouerthrowen by his wicked meanes and doinge yea in onlie Franconia as somme men write nâ— lesse then three hundred Vpon this at Franckford two noble Captaines a tailor and a shomaker beganne to strike vp alarme to a freshe rebellion to blow the trompet to call their souldiours to the field They shutte the toune gates appointed new companies and Aldermen of the wardes made election of new Senators and counsellers somoned a parlemeÌ„t and ordained new lawes expelled thofficers magistrats out of the toune some they butcherlie murdred sent their statute bookes to other Cities to stirre vp other to sedition to take weapon by theyr example Herevpon at Mogunce at Rincauia at Colen Herevppon in all quarters of Germanie suche a tumult suche an insurrection suche an vprore is sturred vp suche a terrible and traiterouse rebellion is by and by risen as neuer the traitor Catiline attempted the like in Rome The whole world is sett a fire with the heate of this Gospel manie puissant renoumed and notable personnes of the nobilitie are cruellie murdred emong whome the honorable Earle of Helfensteine was one who as it is reported was forced to runne vpon their pikes All things high and low are turned vpsidedown deadlie warre rageth on euerie side horrible feare raigneth euerie where For whie the lordes and Rulers were now more afraied of their own subiectes seruantes then of their foraine enemies and strangers But yet at laste by th'ayed mercy and benefite of God almightie the victorie stode on the Nobles side who ouercame the Paisantes toke Muntzer who repented greuouflie his wicked traiterouse doings and at laste loste his head and flew in y â— space of three monethes a hundred and thyrtie thousand of the Rebelles What did our worthie Col Prophet then who before by his false Prophecie gaue y â— ouerthrow and vtter destruction to the Nobles and gaue the conqueste and victorie to his souldiours of the countree It is likelie that here the second Ieremiâ— for he can quicklie beare the persone of whiche Prophete he liste sate solitarie weeping and lamenting the calamitie and miserable case of his countreie Verilie and so he did For then he caste awaye for verie anguyshe of mynd his friers cote and betakes himself to his nunne Katherine Boore one of those ix whiche his bawd Leonard Knoppen stale out of y â— Nunnerie of Nimyke on good friday when Christen men vse to celebrate the memorie of Christes blessed and bitter passion This woman after she had ben well broken framed two yeres with waâ—ton toyes and lecherouse recreations among the scholers of wittenberge the poore seelie sorie man taketh in his armes for verie heauinesse griefe embraceth her patieÌ„tlie kisseth her deuoutly ful often w t al his hart Yea he toke it no scorne to daunce and drink Carouâ— and refuse not though he was a Frier to marie a Nunne which was a strainge matter and neuer hard of before and all for verie penance sorow to see so great murder and so muche bloudshed where of himself was the only cause Author It is without fayle a meritoryouse deed as the Cannons saye to take a whoore out of the stewes and marie her to make her an honest woman and he toke an honest woman out of a Nunrie to marie her make her a whoore So in doing his penance he missed but a litle being ouerseen in taking quid ê“ quo one thing for an other And withall this Apostolick point was to be noted in this Holie Prophete that out of hand as the wind and flattering blast of fortune turned so he turned his saile chainged his style sung an other song and wrote bitterlie againste the poore vplandish men when he saw them ouercomme yealded them to Satan and committed them as gyltie and worthie to die to the edges of the Magistrates swordes Yea he reuiled them railed at
talke and worde in the presence of that honorable Audience would speake of nothing but of peace and concord of good faith and simple dealing whereas in deed they meante they minded they wrought nothing els but wicked conspiracie and treason but sacking of â—â—urches burning of cities murdring of Citisens and the vtter ruine and destruction of that Realme Yet that they were so earnest to haue a law for theyr syde and by publike authoritie to be suffred to preache after their cursed fashion their intent and purpose therein was this that vnder pretense of a law they might vndoe the realme and turne the King out of his kingdom as they did before vnder colour of the word of God expell the Bisshops wellnighe out of the Churche Wold you haue a law that refuse to liue vnder a law Who is so blind y â— can not plainlie see that your crafte practize is to driue out as it were one naile with an other whiles vnder the shadow of Religion and law ye labor what ye can to bannishe all law Religion out of the world to ouerthrow the Churche to roote all ciuill order and policie of teÌ„porall affaires out of all Christen Realmes countreis and Cities But I pray you by what law made you that wicked conspiracie when ye agreed together to robbe spoile in one night all y â— Churches in France at ones if all things had framed fallen out according to your phansies purpose euerie where as they did in Gascoine diuers other places of Fraunce where according to the appointement the matter was put in practice in deed with moâ—â— desperate boldnes and wicked Sacrilege By what Religion or law did a great companie of you flock together at Challon in Burgundie there in your Conuocation house made a Synodalle decree that euerie man should endeuor to his power to driue three Vermines out of Christendome the Churche of Rome the Nobilitie the publike order of iustice If ye denie it your names are to be seen yet in the Recordes of the highe Court of Parlement at Paris where manie of you were accused for it by y â— Rulers and estates of Burgundie When ye trauayled vnder a pretensed shew of Gods worde to dissanull and abolishe the Supremacie of the chiefe Bisshop of the ChristiaÌ„s who according to y â— commission and charge geuen vnto him by Christes owne mouth vsed euer to feed rule bothe y e sheep and lambes of Gods flocke then were these wordes euer in your monthes Honour the king obey the king as the highest warne them to hearken and obey Princes and Rulers But when ye conspired and agreed together at Geneua like villaines traitours to find priuie meanes when time place and occasioÌ„ might serue you to rid out of the waie and murder the late vertuouse and good king of France Frauncis the second the Queene his wife who now God be thanked hath gotten the vpper hand ouer the rebelles and raigneth in Scotland the Quene Mother her children all the nobles and all the Catholike and good Officers of Fraunce where was then your scripture and that accustomed sentence of yours Honoure the Kinge Out of all doubt you meane nothinge els by these wordes but to thruste your sword through the Bisshoppes body in to the Kinges harte It was your Polycie first to vanquish the Bishop by the worde that ye might the more easely afterward kill the King with the sword But here perhappes some one will aske howe I knowe all this To him I make this answer that this is set out in printe in Fraunce vnder the Kings priuilege and therefore seing it is coÌ„mon in euerie mans hand knowen to al men and set out to the sight of the worlde in defense of the moste Christian King and of the Catholike Religion it can not be vnknoweÌ„ also to me Yea may it please him to vnderstaÌ„d that I know this also that I read and saw with my owne eyes y â— laste yeare at Orleans I meane a libel printed in y e name of all y â— Hugonoes of Fraunce to theyr Souueraigne Lorde and King wherein was nothinge ells from the beginning to the ending but impudent boldnes desperate threatninges and shameful treason The subiettes were not afrayed to write to theyr King y t he could not raign ouer theÌ„ that they would suffer his yoke and obey his commaundement no longer excepte he would be contented to rule his realme in such sort and by such lawes and ordinances as they should appointe him That they plaied the very fooles when by his commaundemente they layed doune theyr weapons that they woulde surely take them in hand againe excepte he woulde looke well to hym selfe and putte out of the Councell of Paris certaine noble and Honorable men who as they sayed were theeues Rouers Butchers and place in theyr romes certaine of theyr brethren in Christe What coulde be spoken or inuented more Proudelye more Impudentely more seditiouslie and malitiously then that they vttered in this malaperte stubborne and traiterouse Libell The Printer of Orleans was kepte and feasted a fewe dayes with the Officers of that Toune in theyr houses in steede of a Prison for printinge this Oration and y â— was al that was done to him then for it With the lyke Sprite one Goodman an Englisshe man an earneste and hotte Preacher of this Gospell for a grudge and malice he bore againste his Soueraigne Ladie and Mystresse Marye the moste hyghe and Honorable Queene of Englande dydde sette out a monstruouse Booke in deede a fewe yeares agoe againste the monstruouse Raygne of Women as he sayed yea the impudente vile and shamelesse villaine Traitor called that moste noble and vertuouse woman Proserpine whome the Poetes faine to be Quene of hel and for her sake gathering choler and stomake against all women he railed at them all and reuiled them like a common scolde would by his wil set on a cookinge stole all the whole flocke and generation of woman kinde He saied it was neither law nor right nor reason that any woman should be a Ruler and syt in the Princelie Seate of any Common Weale that it might well seeme a monstruouse rule and contrarye to nature if men were compelled to obey a woman if womeÌ„ were suffred to beare the sway and gouerne the publike estate of any kingdome If he wrote thus especially for hatred and malice he bare againste women he swarued much from the common and accustomed manner and fasshion of his fellowes who doe atribute so much to women and are of suche a fonde and filthie opinion that they thinke it impossible for a man to liue one daye without the companie of a woman Howbeit in deed they be naughtie and lewde women fit and ready to the game only that these fellowes loue so much but as for good womeÌ„ emong whome this vertuouse Queene might be wel Quene Princesse in dede they can not abide but
doe vtterly detest them and hate them as muche as they hate all good men Out of doubt in one thing this Gospeller obserued iumpe y e wonted practise and beatē path of his companions that vnder pretense of speaking againste women he endeuored to sturre the people to rebellion and the subiectes to shrinke awaye and forsake theyr liege and lawful Soueraigne And thys is euen the very daily and cōmon custome of all the packe of such new Gospellers Refourmers who caste theyr platte and are fully set be it right or wrong by foraine battayle abrode or by rebellion at home to trouble and disquiete the peaceable state good order of al common weales when it serueth their turne they are so skilful y t they cā put in vre both these mysteries of their Gospell at ones When the Emperour of worthie memorie Charles the fifte was entangled and troubled at Oeniponte with theyr tumulte and rebellinge Soliman the Greate Turke was in the meane tyme requested in theyr behalfe to make war for the furtherance and Defense of theyr fifte Gospell The greate Turke I saye Oh horrible most impious acte was sent for that whyles they assaulted the Emperour and kepte hym at a bay in Germanie Budensis Bassa the Turkes Deputie should sette vppon his brother Ferdinande in Hungarie The letters of that Conspiracie were taken so that theyr crafte herein is open theyr falshode can not be denied theyr wickednes and treason can by no coloure be couered or cloked It were an infinite matter gentell Audience that might be here alleged if I would reckon vp all these Gospellers traiterouse enterprises and make full discours of euery particular parte of these haynouse Conspiracies For in deede they haue lefte nothinge vndone that anie cruell Robbers false Traitours or wicked Heretikes could euer committe attempte or deuise againste all good men against Princes against God allmightie himselfe They haue iniured and traiterously offended the Royall maiestie of all the Kings and Princes of Christendome they haue disturbed impaired and broken all polityke order and rule of all Common Weales They haue disquieted vexed and disordered the high Courte of the Imperiall Chamber they haue abolished y e auncient lawes and customes of the Emperours Supreme Consistorye and haue appointed newe of theyr owne makinge so that Iustice and Ryghte is bannisshed from thence in suche sorte that there remayneth scarse anye Signe or token of Lawe and Equytie in that renounted place and Imperall benche for it ys theyr pleasure that all thinges be tried decided by fyere and and sworde Yea and what say ye by this that many bookes and Lybells of theyrs haue bene cōmonly found and seen abroade wherein they vttered theyr studie declared theyr attempt trauaile to alter and chainge al y e order of iustice iudgementes of the Empire to take awaye and abrogate all the Ciuill Lawes and to make a new Policie and Order of gouernement of theyr owne phantastical deuise And it was not inough in theyr opiniō nor sufficient for the absolute perfection of theyr Gospell to betraie euerie particular Ruler and to worke treson against euery king in his owne Realme to fil vp the measure of theyr malice wickednes they became Traitors against the Pope the Emperour the Bisshops al at ones and fynallie without any respecte dydde violate and set at nought the Magestie and estate of all Spirituall and Temporall Rulers assembled together in the laste Generall Councell at Trent They were not ashamed to raile at that moste highe and honorable assemble of Christendome the only name whereof should haue made them tremble whose only becke all Christen men euer sythens Christen Religion begonne reuerenced and followed at Christes higheste Vycar in earthe at all the Reuerend Fathers the Bisshops and men of God at al the moste high excellent Christen Princes emong whome were the renoumed Emperours first Charles the fifth then Ferdinande and at a word to call them all theeues At what time the Princes and temporall Rulers did set their heads together to appeare and set at concord the state of Christendome and the Bishops did purpose and study earnestly to expound and declare the Articles of Religion y ◠were in controuersy when that most holy and high Parlement of al Christendom was called assembled together in one place these new Gospellish Refourmers were warned and warranted vnder Publike assurance to come thither to tell their mindes and then to departe safely without any harme or daunger The general letters Patentes the sufficient and lawfull safeconduct of the Pope and the generall Councel were Wrytten Prynted and Proclaimed for their behalfe herein No man appeareth not one of them maketh any word or mention of Refourmation there the matter touching the Refourmation of the Churche is disputed in the meane time and debated amonge them in the campe in the field in battaile in Fraunce by force might by swordes daggers by gonnes and dubble Cannons And as for the Generall Councell which was of purpose called to redresse and refourme all that was amisse where the lawfull place authority and meanes of Refourmation was to be found they passed not for it they were called and refused to come at it They despised and cōtemned they resisted and assaulted they mocked and reuiled with moste impudent scolding and railing that Generall benche and Court of all the Churche of Christe that worthiest and highest Consistory of Christendome And the more to shewe their spite and desperate malice Montanus the Germaine and Molinaeus the Frenche man and many other accompted no small fooles amonge them haue set forthe openlye in Printe in the name of all these Gospellers their cankred malitious wicked and diuelishe defiance Whome shall we accompte for frantike madde and furious men but suche as are so farre beside them selues so enraged so Bedlemlike that they knowe not men they know no Law no Magistrate no common Weale no Church no Religion no God Ye haue hard right learned audience how these desperat and outragious castawaies and Rebels had no Authority at all to bid battaile but conspired together like Theues Cutthrotes and Traitors may it please you now to be aduertised of that which is by order the third and last part of my talke that is howe little furtherance frute or profit touching Refourmation as they call it they gotte by fighting howe great and hurtfull losse iniury and damage they did therby to all the whole world howe fearcely cruelly and Tyrannically they vsed themselues in handling their bloudy weapons And in this poynt I assure you in good Faith I wot not what I may nor what I may not faye nor where to begin so many and so manifold losses harmes Christendome hath had euery waye and on euery side by the occasion of this wicked and cruell dissension whiche began first wel nigh fifty yeares agoe in Saxonie about certaine Articles and questions concerning Religion but sithens y
al France whiles he went about to quenche the flame to parte y â— strife to appeace y â— sedition of his contreie was traiterouslie cruellie murdred by the meanes counsel and vnmercifull conspiracie of that vile Caytif Beza the inuenter coyner of al these michiefes seruante bondslaue of al bawdie luste fylthie concupiscence and all detestable sinne and vice I feare me leaste I seeme to passe y e limites coÌ„passe of y e time apointed for me to speake by y â— custome of this Schole to abuse your gentel patience suffrance right worshipfull if I trauaille anie further with longer discourse to long talk to declare rippe vp y â— endlesse and infinite desperatnes crueltie madnes of these harishe Ministers traiterouse Refourmers and brutishe Heretikes To be shorte your wisdomes I doubt not doe plainlie now perceaue that this theyr warre for Religion againste God and all true Religion hath been made nother iustelie nother orderlie nother to anie good effect or furtherance of Refourmation Ye see now as clere as the bright shining sonne that the ProtestaÌ„tes of our time ranne raisshelie together and toke weapon in â—hand without anie iuste cause reasonable occasion or sufficient quarell that they badde and proclaimed warre againste theyr countrey against theyr Souueraignes againste y â— Catholike Churche of Christe without anie commission power or Authoritie y t they fought that battaille to fearcelie to vnmercifullie and to cruellie to the exceding great iniurie harme and wrong of all good men to the incredible hindrance and dammage of all Christendome and suche lâ—sse as can neuer be repayred Ye know now these new Gospellers the wicked Captaines of these moste traiterouse and dangerouse insurrections ye vnderstand what maner of men they be how vprightlye how honestlie they liue and behaue themselues in the Churche of God and what they meane what they go about what they attempt What saye you then by them what pâ—nisshement thinke you haue suche bloudsuckers suche cruell butchers deserued to suffer what estimation what degree what state among Christen men iudge you suche verlets to be worthy of whome neither shame could withdraw from dishonestie neither feare keepe of frome daÌ„ger nother reason reuoke from madnes nor Religion stop from Sacriledge nor pitie staie from killing and murdering of theyr own neighbours At the firste for a messe of potage certaine loose friers and fained dissemblers of Monasticall profession fell out at debate betwene themselues afterward they were pricked dryuen and drawen by auarice ambition and wanton iuste of wicked libertie and pleasure to strike vp a larme and to bid battaille and at length they fought in open field againste theyr own contremen neighbours and followes againste y e Magistrates Kings and Emperours against the Bishops againste the Churche againste the Christian Religion againste all good men against the Sayntes of heauen finally againste God allmightie himself as the GyaÌ„tes did of whome y e Poetes in theyr fables make mention meaning in deed such desperat raging wicked caytiffes rebelles miscreants as these were The false traitors desperat cutthrotes brought into the Churche of Christe a cursed kind of Religion framed caste made of wicked whoredomes bawdie bitcherie of innocent bloud and murder of true subiectes of all maner of troublesome and seditious mischiefe discord and all loosenes and libertie to embrace and fâ—llow vice sinne They haue called in holpen maintained the enemies of Christendome Forayners Tyrans Turkes They haue geuen to the Turke and added to his dominion and Empire manie Noble and goodlie countreies prouincies of Christendome They haue lead an infinite nuÌ„ber of Christen soules to eternall damnation throwen them down hedlong to the deepe pit of euerlasting fire and betaken them to the tyrannie and furie of the vglie finds and horrible diuelles of hell They made the holie fonte stones the couers of theyr iakes yea the durtie Helhowndes Oh abhominable acte were not ashamed to laye the excrementes of theyr vile and wicked bealies euen in the verie sacred fonte and place where Christen men were wonte to receaue theyr Baptisme There were slayen in Germanie with in three monethes space by the wicked occasion and faulte of these Refourmers an hundred and thirtie thousande men and in Fraunce aboue a hundred thousand among whome I recken not the infinite number of suche as died of the plague there in y e meane time of whome the greatest parte were these Cuâ—throtes themselues speciallie they of Lyons who as it is reported did poison the welles common waters of theyr Citie for a traiterouse and wicked intent So that by the iuste iudgement of God it is brought to passe that there scars remaineth now aliue vppon the earthe y â— fourthe parte of those who for a great number being but beardlesse yong men and moste of them witlesse altogether desperat and destitute of y â— feare of God attempted to doe suche so strainge and villainouse deedes I will not staie now to make an accoÌ„pte and iuste reckening of al those that throughe this cursed RefourmatioÌ„ were caried to miserable captiuitie vnder the Turke or were slayen in the field in defense of Christendome againste him and these his adherents and yet this I am bold to saie that if ye hard the euen tale iuste accompte of them ye wold more wonder at it pitie it then ye doe now at the rehearsall of this maruelouse nuÌ„ber slayen and murdred in Fraunce and Germanie They haue turned all lawes out of y â— countrey and sent all right and equitie into bannishement deuotion true Religion Chaste lyuing can wel nighe now abyde saâ—e in no place the Profession of Chastitie is suspected hated and despised eueriewhere Al things are besette and turmoyled with madnes rage murder fire and sword The desperate crie of furiouse heretikes doth make all the world ring the streates runne of bloud the walles of Chapelles and Churches are sprinkled dawbed with the gore blood and braine of Christen men Al Europe being weakened with the cruel warre long seditions of heretikes cracks and shakes and is euen now readie to fall quite to the ground And now when al this is done after al these mischeifs and Tragical offenses y t these mad Bedlems cursed Caines haue committed they blame the Catholiks and lay crueltie to theyr charge that haue suffred all these iniuries losses daÌ„mages and murders at theyr handes There came furth in printe of late to the sight of the world a verie fond foolishe peuyshe litle boke out of Englande writen againste the tyrannie of the Papistes for so it liketh them in scorne to call the Catholikes In these and suche like dangers of tumultes and insurrections of subiectes right learned Audience in these verie same snares and trappes of treason and coÌ„spiracie we also ourselues haue liued stood nowe a long time We nourrish in our owne lappes