shall I trust proceede from vs such vnmeasurable aboundance of corrupt fruite as hath done from those that are the best the most pure and perfits on theyr side euen in those who they saye cannot erre that are the most holye vicars of Christe vpon earth namelye the holye fathers Popes bishops of Rome Whose notorious villanyes from time to time swelled to the full and perfite measure of iniquitye and so farre runne beyond our haynous sinnes that supposing they dyed as they liued I may bouldly warrant them this preferment that if an hundreth of the rankest helhounds that euer raigned vpon the earth might be mustred out of hell fourescore and nineteene of them should be Popes perhaps for the last hundred place eyther VVolsey or some other Cardinall would scuffle in among them Whereof that thou mayest the better iudge gentle Reader I do here giue thee in this booke a little taste of theyr vnsauorye liues I haue set them all forth here in one Pageante in such order as they played theyr Papall partes both Tragicall and Comicall for these Thousand yeares vpon this worldly stage wherein I haue chosen rather to translate them as they were gathered in Latin by maister Bale most faithfullye then to follow the parcial and flattering storye of Platina In some places also I haue added diuers thinges out of sondrye authors not as thoughe I desired to make perfite in all pointes that which maister Bale omitted but because in conferringe his alleaging of storyes I found manye thinges that without anye combraunce might be added and were worth the mentioning especiallye in the sixt booke of this historye out of one Theodoricus of Nyem Secretarye to Pope Vrban the sixt and wrote that which he sawe of that myserable and longe sciesme that set all the world together by the cares the space of xxxix yeares betweene Vrban the sixte Clement the seuenth Boniface the ix Benedict the xiii otherwyse called Iohn Moone and other which booke I am sure maister Bale neuer saw for he would neuer haue omitted such notable and straunge matters as are contayned in it and are here partlye touched by mee Also for so much as these prelates do falsely colour al their praÌ„cks vnder the authoritye of S. Peters name therfore I haue somwhat at large in the beginning shewed how that thoughe they would haue him to play the first part in this Pageant yet he is none of their coÌ„pany But because of the sodaine finishing of this worke in the printers hande I am forced in this Preface to leaue out many matters which I thought to haue vttered which I could neuer finde conueniente leasure to be setled in one certaine place in suche wyse as I might apply my selfe to write that which I purposed since this was finished and came to the hande of the Printer At this time therefore this onelye I haue to request of thee gentle Reader till God shal giue me better oportunitye to finishe that order which I purposed in publishing this booke to marke as thou readest how the manner of these Prelates do agree to the description of Antichrist in the Reuelation as I once purposed to haue noted vnto thee Marke whether we that at this daye do professe the Gospel and are so much noted of their freinds to transgresse haynouslye in our conuersation are to be compared with these holye Popes in anye kinde of enormitye For what villanye is it whereof thou shalt not finde such monstrous examples among them as the earth neuer els bread the like It were tedious for mee here to drawe into tables the examples of their vnsaciable couetousnes their bribery polling pilfringe robbing and ryfling vntollerable pride equal with the ambition of Lucifer their vaine and vnspeakable pompe theyr whoredome and rauishinge of diuers their incest with their owne sisters doughters their Sodomityes treasoÌ„s practised against all Princes on the earth the rebellions seditions bloudshed warres conspiracyes murtherings factions sciesmes braules contentions amonge them selues poysoninge Princes themselues one another euen in mynistring the Sacramentes theyr sorcerye charmes coniurings familiaritye with deuils and honouring of euill spirites their abusing of Princes most slauishlye theyr geuing transporting selling setting vp and deposinge of all estates Empyres and kingdomes theyr licensing of all villanye as murthering incest Sodomitrye periurye blasphemye and an hundred such like moste detestable enormityes whereof thou shalt haue plenty eueÌ„ to the loathing of thy stomacke Which when thou seest then iudge betweene oure fruites and theirs then learne to discerne who is that whore of Babilon the woman arayed in Purple and rose colour and decked wyth gould precious stones and pearles hauing the cup of gould in her hand full of abhomination and filthines Note what Citye is like to be that BabiloÌ„ built on seuen hilles bearing rule ouer the Nations of the earth What Citye is like to be that Babilon that is become the habitacion of deuils the hole of all foule spirites and a cage of all vncleane and hatefull byrdes Note wyth whom the kinges of the earth haue coÌ„mitted fornication and with the aboundance of whose pleasures the marchauntes of the earth are become riche Note who it is that hath bin dronken wyth the bloude of saintes if by these thou finde that these tokens of Antichrist be in these bishops of Rome then surelye saye thoughe wee wretched sinners be as euill as they make vs in deede which they speake so much of yet their holy fathers are farre worse which the Papist wyll not confesse Then saye that surelye Rome is Babilon and the Pope Antichriste and blame not mee for detectinge anye his loathsome villanyes but obeye the voyce of the Lord against thâ—s Babilon saying Come avvaye from her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues c. but revvard her as she hath revvarded you And giue her double according to her vvorkes Finallye let vs all saye Alleluya Saluation Glorye Honour and povver be ascribed vnto the Lorde oure GOD for true and righteous are his Iudgements for he hath iudged the great vvhore vvhich did corrupt the earth vvith her fornication c. Alleluya Farewell TO THE MOST VVORthie and learned men maister Simond Sulcer Henry Bullenger Iohn Caluin Philip Melancthon â–ª most faithful ministers of Christe Iohn Bale wisheth grace and euerlastinge peace in Christe IESVS ALthoughe I sawe that my former edition of the liues of the Romaine bishops ioyned to my booke called the Regester of Englishe writers were safely planted vnder the protection of the most noble Electour Lorde Henry Otho Countie Palatine Yet notwithstandinge I perceiued that this Edition being taken and seperated froÌ„ the greater being drawne into an abridgemente and enriched wyth such additions as are not to be misliked seing it is not able sufficientlye to beare oute it selfe neither by his owne force nor the credite of the wryter it should neede be succoured
cloth of tissue and cloth of gold and other iewels according to the Iewishe ceremonies and this Pope was the firste that toke vpon him to be called Christes vicar on earth Out of Vesunius hyll in Campania suche aboundaunce of fier spouted that it burnt vp all the countries men and cattell rounde about after whiche it is euident that there ensued Anno 686. bloudshed burning spoyling and the death of Princes and especially of this Benedict a Pope of tenne monethes 17. Iohn the fift IOhn the fifte was borne in Siria he first of all toke consecration of three bishops of the bishop of Hostia Portua Veliterne whiche custome he appointed to be kepte of his successours And his posteritie do kepe this vse euen vnto this daye in our Sauiours church at Lateran In his Popedome he fell sicke in the whiche time he wrote a vayne and vnlearned booke touching the dignitie of the pall of an Archebyshop 18. Conon COnon a Thracian was made Pope after much wrangling betwene the Romaines who would haue elected one Peter an Archebishop and the host preferring one Iohn a priest This Conon being established fell sicke and died Anno 689. He made one Kilianus being before a Scottishe Monke a bishop and sent him with other into Germanie to winne the East part of Fraunce to the church of Rome But this Kilian his company were at the first â—layne of their Auditours and buried at Herbipolis One Paschal an ArchedeacoÌ„ and Treasurer to the said Conon in this Popes life bribed Iohn Platina one of the sixe princes of Italy to make him Pope after the death of Conon Platina tooke the mony but he perfourmed not the couenaunt neyther restored the money 19. Sergius the first AT this time was great hurlie burly about the election of the Pope Some chose Theodorus a prieste some Paschal an Archedeacon And whyle euery one did ambitiouslye maintaine his owne faction either partie with the men of his owne side kept possessioÌ„ in some part of Lateâ—an pallaice But when the chiefe of the clergye the Romaines the army sawe that this sedition would wexe bloudye they agreed to appease this tumult reiecting both the other they chose Sergius an Assyrian borne brought him to Lateran Church and brasting vp the doores they driue oute the seditious electors and compelled Theodor Paschal to salute Sergius as Pope He bestowed great cost in trimming the temples with guilding images golden caÌ„delsticks and curious masons worke riche clothes such stuffe He they say founde a peece of Christ his Crosse in a brasen cofer He repayred the images of the Apostles being worne out with continuance He set a new patche vpoÌ„ the masse commaunding that Agnus Dei should be songe thrise wheÌ„ the priest is breaking the bread And on the day of the annuntiation of the virgin to sing procession He reclaymed the Church of Aquilia which began to decline from Papistrye He also by his monks allured the Saxons Frisians to the same superstition While Aldhelmus an Englishman waited at Rome to be admitted to a bishopricke he hard the Pope accused of adulterye the childe being new borne which was fathered vppon him Aldhelmê° therefore did secretlye admonishe the Pope of this wickednes Sergius dyed Anno. 701. 20. Iohn the sixt IOhn the sixt a Grecian borne beinge much delighted in vanityes as his predecessors were was very curious in decking the temples In the time of famine and warre he nourished a great nomber of poore men with the treasures of the Church being in deede the worthiest of al Popes for such almes deedes also he redeemed diuers prisoners oute of bondage And with threatninge caused Gisulphus captaine of Beneuent who then wasted Campania to returne home This man as it appeareth was because of Sergius adultery elected only Pope and not confirmed Sergius being restorde againe and therfore he is not reckened amoÌ„g the Popes Peter Premonstratensis sayth that Iohn was thrust out againe because of his vnlawful entrance therfore he is not enrolled among the Popes 21. Iohn the seuenth IOhn the seuenth a Grecian was delighted in nothinge but superstitious garnishinge Churches and images of Saincts for which he is muche commended but not one worde spoken of him touching preaching the Gospell Hee dyed Anno. 707. 22. Sisinius the second SIsinius or Sozymus after great conteÌ„tion with Dioscorus about the Popedome at lengthe obtayned it Hee was so sore sicke of the goute that hee liued Pope but xx dayes being neither able to sturre nor to eatâ— any thinge Nauclerus wryteth that he was poisoned by the said Dioscorus in the same yeare that Iohn the seuenth dyed 23 Constantine the first COnstantine the first being sent for by Iustitian the Emperour to come to Constantinople was the first that euer offered his soueraigne to kisse his feete At his returne home he condemned Philip Burdan of impiety because he could not abide the abhominations of Idols and toke the Images out of the Churche Furthermore he commaunded that the picture of the Emperour counting the godly Prince a wicked heretike should not be receiued thoughe it were engrauen in golde or siluer he cursed all the Emperours coyne And holdinge a counsell at Rome he decreed that Images should be had in the Church shoulde be worshipped with great reuerence contrary to al Scripture After this hee moued one Anastasius a mainteyner of images against the said Philippicus who appreheÌ„ding him reft him of his kingdome and put out his eyes when the bishop of Ticinum rebelled against his Metropolitan the Archbishop of Mediolan the Pope would not recoÌ„cile him but falselye made him tributary by stelth to the Sea of Rome whereby that bishopricke hath brought it selfe to perpetual bondage Kinredus and Offa two kings of the Englishe Saxons for their pleasures made a voyage to Rome and when they were there the Pope made theym forsake their kingdomes turned them into monkes hee dyed Anno 715. He was the first that gaue his feete to be kissed of Emperours 24. Gregory the seconde GRegory the second bestowed his time in repayring and building spiritual houses Churches with great coste Hee forbad a nonne a nouesse an abbesse a deaconesse or a spirituall Godmother to marrye He ordained that masse should be said euery friday in Lent and caused prayers often to be said because of strauÌ„g sights in the ayre He would haue masse said no where but in an hallowed place He persecuted euen to death those that woulde not worship images By his authority he compelled Luith Prandus king of Italye at the first withstanding it to ratifye Arithpertus donations beinge vniuste onely to maintaine the roâ—at of the clergye He moued the subiectes of the Emperour Leo to breake into opeÌ„ rebellioÌ„ because their images were taken away He caused Spaine Aemilia Luguria Italye and other countreys to reuolt and defye their obeysance to the Emperour The Emperour would haue no worshipping of images in the Church and therefore the
dominicans he left to the Church great store of treasure he kept diuers concubines he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter to porâ—rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero turba repleta mero About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare vntill time place serued according to his owne pleasure Benedicts coÌ„mon sayings were these to be noted Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to haue cosens The euil maâ— dreadeth death but the good man feareth him more Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest It is as great shame to haue no freindes as to chaunge them oft It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits then by force of armes 139. Clement the sixt CLement the sixt borne in Lemonia by professioÌ„ a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being abbot of Phisca succeded Benedict at Auenio This maÌ„ with his faction troubled the Romaine Empire aboue measure for he excommunicated sayth Naucler all the Princes lordes and bishops that consented to the doings of Lewis To deface the Emperour he created Uicountes and made them Uicares of the Empyre Lewis on the other side appointed other Uicares to gouerne the Church Ierom Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiuus doth thus set out the rigour of Pope Clement Clement the sixt sayth he much giuen to women honour and auctoritye prouoked with diuelishe furye set vp bills in wrytinge vpon Church doares wherein he threatned the Emperour to be punished w t more cruell tormentes vnlesse he woulde obey the Popes minde and that within three dayes and would giue vp his right of the estate imperiall Great was the cruelty of this Clement voyde of clemency The Emperour commeth to Frankeforde and preparing with all diligence to do all that was commaunded besought the Pope by his Embassadours to pardon him and to receiue him to fauour But the Pope aunswered the Embassadours that he would neuer pardon Lewis vnlesse he would first confesse all his errours and heresyes and yelde vp the Empire and put into the Popes hand both himselfe his children goodes possessions to dispose them at his pleasure would promise that he would neuer more enioy any part thereof without the fauour of the Pope deliuered a certaine fourme of of these articles in wryting to the Embassadours coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to carye the same to Lewis The good Emperour least if he did not thus submit himselfe it mighte bee cause of slaughter and sedition receiued the order taken by the Pope and looking vpon it was content in such wyfe to saue Christian bloud and therefore he did not onely set his seale to it but gaue his oath to performe all Which when the Pope heard he waxed angrye But note whether hee toke the Emperour to fauoure and whether he shewed anye token of good will by that which followeth Lewis shewed that order to the Princes electours and oratours The Princes detested and abhorred certaine of the articles because they were deuised by the Pope to the confusion of the Empyre and therfore they promised sufficient ayde to the Emperour if as he did before he would maintaine the libertye and honour of the Empyre They sence Embassadours desiringe the Pope not to exact those articles that tended to the vtter subuersion of the Empyre and the oratours crauinge and doing nothing els came awaye againe But Clement blaming Lewis onelye for all did purpose the destruction of him and his children he cursed him cruelly euen at consecrating the Sacrament He renued all the extreame processes which Pope Iohn had giuen out against him he pronounced him to be an heretick and scismatick He charged the Princes electours to choose another Emperour He deposed the Archbishop of Mens both of his bishoprick and auctoritye of electorship because he knowing the Emperours innocencye and vngiltiues woulde not abuse his maiestye But the other electours being brybed with money by Iohn king of Bohemia as the bishop of Colen who toke viii Thousande markes the duke of Saxonye two Thousande markes did appoint his sonne Charles to be king of the Romaynes whoÌ„ this vncurteous Clement did allowe afterward in open consistorye But who is able to report the horrible bloudshed and warre that arose in the Empire by meanes of this mischiefe wroughte by Clement for kinge Edward the thirde of England slue xx Thousande Frenchmen and Iohn king of Bohemia father to Charles was slaine with many nobles But Lewis yet takinge thought because of the Popes processes not medling with the gouernment of the Empyre was by the Popes procurement poysoned in a cuppe whereof he dyed Thus wryteth Marius Lo by these kinde of treacheryes haue the prelates of Rome brought the Empyre to the low ebbe and poore estate that it is at this daye for the sayde Charles whom they against all lawe created to make his sonne to succede him did so corrupt the electours wyth bribes and fayre promises that he morgaged to them the coÌ„mon reuenues of the Empyre which they enioye to this daye and therefore the Romaine Empyre cannot aduauÌ„ce it selfe againe For then the Electours coÌ„pelled Charles to take an oath that these pledges should neuer be reclaymed whereby at length it came to passe that the Empyre being thus decayed the Turke inuaded the Church of Christ destroyed it wonderfullye and it is by the especial grace of God that Mahomets blasphemye doth not wyth fyre and sworde rage ouer all Christendome c. This Pope Clement now at the fiftye yeare renued the Iubelie beinge absent caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. for his aduauntage and sayth PremonstrateÌ„sis there were fiue Thousande straungers comming in going out at Rome as might wel be counted dailye within the said yeare He made at seuerall times xii Cardinals whereof some were monkes some his nephewes and kinsemen beside he promoted diuers other to dignityes bestowed cost on diuers buildinges He gaue licence to the bishop of Bamberge to absolue those that toke parte wyth Lewis but vppon these conditions first that they shoulde sweare fealty to him as to the Uicar of Christe secondly that they should beleue that the Emperour hath no power neither to make nor marre the Pope thirdlye that they should acknowledge none to be Emperour whoÌ„ the Pope had not confirmed While his companioÌ„s and seruaunts went to dinner leauing onely his chamberlayne with him he fel downe sodeinly dyed of an impostume Anno 1352. This Clement sayth Marius toke vpoÌ„ him so prodigally in his Popedome that he gaue to his Cardinals in
a byshoprike he fisshed for a Caldinalship caught it Therevpon when he shoulde departe from Venice the Iesuites demaunded of him whither he went to whom he aunswered sayinge Whither I go ye cannot come meaninge thereby that he wente to the Pompe and dignitie of Rome as to an other heauen and that he shoulde leaue them in wretchednes and beggerye Thus it pleased hym to dally sport him selfe with the phrase of the holy ghost Many thinges are reported of him as that he was a stoute Champion for Purgatory and that he knewe the secretes of some mindes and that he dyd many wonders Vergerius sayth he dedicated a booke of reforminge the Churche to Paule the thirde and yet hee made no reformation in his owne time But saith hee who so euer readeth that â—ooke shall see that he confirmeth al those poyntes almost whiche we reproue in the papistes that is to say that the Churche is so decayed amonge them as it is rather the Churche of Sathan then of Christ. For he saithe that the Popes do for their owne luste store them selues with maysters hauing itching eares that the name of Christ is blasphemed amonge the Gentiles throughe Cardinalles and Bishops that the power of the keyes is wiped away with money that lewde persons are made priestes that Simonie is vsed as it were in open fayres that the prelates doe swell with Ambicion and Couetousnes that horrible villanies are practised in monasteries that Rome swarmeth w t shamelesse harlots and struÌ„pets beside many lyke matters onely towching theyr detestable maners but of their manifold superstitions of theyr butcherly slaughters and cruell tyranny raging at that time in Italy England France Spayne and other countries he speaketh not a woorde And yet saith Vergerius who made faithful searche therof wtin lesse then thirty yeares theyr inquisition of heresye hath deuoured and destroyed by diuers kinde of torments an hundred and fiftie thousande Christians This acompt Vergerius made aboue twenty yeares ago And since that time sauynge onely God be thanked for it in England in al the former countries this bloudy persecution for Religion hath not onely continued but mightely encreased Italy dayly tasteth the bytter gall of it as occasion serueth Spaine findeth that the heate therof burneth more feruently in the middest of winter then the scorching Sonne in the middest of sommer at noone daye the flame of the one turneth and tanneth theyr skynnes to black the coales of the other burneth theyr bodies to graye asshes And as towching Fraunce al Europe knoweth that as yet the worme in the grounde hath scant taynted the karkases of thousandes whiche within these fewe dayes haue ben martyred Thus we see howe that prowde Prynce of Babilon hath made all Christendome as it were his burning furnace to destroye those that wyll not fal downe to worshyp his golden image and yet howe that this littell Ilande walketh as it were in the myddest of this vniuersall flame and not so muche as our garmentes are once cinged therewith And yet it is well knowne howe carefull and busie the byshoppe of Rome with his accomplices hath bene to sturre coales amonge vs and to enkendle that fier in Englande the smoke wherof were sufficient to destroy vs who knoweth not howe that if his hotte thunderboltes of excommunication could any thing harme vs we had therewith ben beaten to pouder longe since If the rancke breath of his blacke curses might haue preuayled we had bin blowne to hell bequeathed aliue both bodye and soule to the deuil dampnation longe since If holye leagues as they terme them and conspyring vowes of sondrye estates by his procurement could haue bin stronger against vs then the hand of God with vs how many are we that should haue tasted miserye but how fewe should haue bin left to be waile it at this day When forren inuasions haue bin to weake hath not that Romaine prelate â—ought to procure treason amoÌ„g vs heare at home to delude the simple with bulles pardons entising them to renounce their alleageaunce to reuolt from their naturall Prince to rayse rebellioÌ„s against their owne countrey Hath not his bulls roared at Paules Church gate discharginge subiectes of their dutye And howe they haue wroughte in huggur mugger to steale awaye the hartes of Englishe subiectes manye poore widdowes and wretched orphanes at this daye in the North part of England with heauye harts ran testifye who haue lost their parentes and husbandes throughe detestable rebellion and sedition the roote whereof is the Romishe religion But because that these tumultes treasons and broyles wroughte since the raigne of oure most Gracious Queene against her maiestye and royall estate haue bin practised not in the time of this Pope Paule the fourth but by those that haue succeded him as Pius the fourth Pius the fift the gentle Reader is to be desired not to looke for the perfite discourse hereof as yet neyther the historye of their liues treachery and hurlye burlyes sturred in Christendome for so much as yet they are not to be sufficiently gathered by those Chronicles that haue bin latelye set forth or augmented As for Onuphrius who hath writteÌ„ their liues added to the historye of Platina because he is one hyred by the Pope to put his pen in vre for the cracked credit of their estate at this daye there is iust cause to thincke his wryting to be parciall as one that turneth the best side of his Popes face outward and that which is blemished eyther he hideth it or paynteth it with a fayre coloure to couer the foule blots thereof And therefore seing maister Bales trauaile doth staye heare in Paule the fourth this maye suffice till it shall please God to giue occasion of proceeding in the liues of those that haue succeeded during the raigne of the Queenes maiestye In the meanetime good Christian Reader coÌ„sider those treacheryes which by thy owne experience thou maiest knowe since her highnes came to the Crowne of the Popes dealinge against her Maiestye and her Realme weigh whereunto they tende by the example of these former historyes set forth in this woorke then I doubt not but euerye one shall finde that he hath iust cause to saye Blessed be Almightye God that hath thus preserued vs from the mouth of the Lion and from the wolfe in a Lambes skin I doubte not but they that haue ben false hartâ—d againste our most gracious Queene wyll consider theyr own folly theyr owne iniquitie madnes in enuyinge the good estate of so noble merciful godly most lawful a prince whom it hath pleased Iehoua to make oure Debora a most blessed and worthy instrument to the aduauÌ„cing of his glory the comfort of his Churche the preseruation of the happy and quiet estate of all trewe Englishe hartes the whiche greate treasures of Gods mercye so plentifullye powred vpon vs the Lord geue vs grace to vse them more thankfully then heretofore to glorifie his name with greatter zeale
THE PAGEANT OF POPES Contayninge the lyues of all the Bishops of Rome from the beginninge of them to the yeare of Grace 1555. Deuided into iii. sortes bishops Archbishops and Popes vvhereof the two first are contayned in two bookes and the third sort in fiue In the vvhich is manifestlye shevved the beginning of Antichriste and increasing to his fulnesse and also the vvayning of his povver againe accordinge to the Prophecye of Iohn in the Apocalips Shewing manye straunge notorious outragious and tragicall partes played by them the like vvhereof hath not els bin hearde both pleasant and profitable for this age Written in Latin by Maister Bale and now Englished with sondrye additions by I.S. * Behold I come vpon thee sayth the Lorde of hostes and vvill discouer thy skirts vppon thy face and vvill shevv to the Nations thy filthynes and to the kingdomes thy shame I vvill cast filth vpon thee and make the loathsome and vvill fet thee as a gazing stocke Nahum 3 ¶ Come away from her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues c. Reward her as she hath rewarded you and giue her doubte according to her workes Apoca. 18. Anno 1574. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable Lorde Thomas Earle of Sussex Uicount Fitzwalter Lorde of Egremont and of Burnel one of the Queenes Maiestyes honourable priuye Counsaile Lord highe Chamberlaine of her house Of the noble order of the Garter knighte Iustice of Oyer of the Forests Parkes VVarraines and chases from Trent Southward and Captaine of the Gentlemen Pentioners Encrease of honour and godlye wysedome in Christe Iesus AMonge many worthie sayings of the most eloquent Lactantius right Honourable this one is especially worthye to be noted which is so oftē repeated by him that No wisedome is to be allowed without true Religion And againe that where Religion is not there is no wysedome VVherby we are instructed that frō those in whō wysedome is requisite religiō must in no case be seperate And againe that they in whō greater fruites of wisedome ought to flourishe as it should be in them whose handes GOD hath framed to guid the sterne of the cōmon wealth must also beare a more feruent zeale towards the true seruice and Honour of GOD. So that these twaine VVysedome and Religion are linked and placed together in the minde of mā as the eyes thereof to giue light to his whole vnderstanding And therefore to staye a while in this similitude as the one eye of our bodye is so assisting to the other for the making perfite of our sight together that hauing the vse of both we attaine thereunto and otherwise the one being blinded the light of the other is somwhat dimmed and shadowed and perhaps in the ende fadeth away and leaueth vs altogether in darcknes Euen so standeth the case betweene Religion and wisedome the lightes of the minde And therfore grosse hath bin the errour of manye great estates who because they being lifted hie in the vew of all mēs eyes and therfore desirous to be accompted wyse haue yet in their wisedome made no accompt of Religiō at all but set it bie as a thinge nothing pertayning to ther estate who though for a time they haue seemed to groape out the channell well and so by dilligence to sayle in safetye and with one dim eye to see their waye perfectly yet lacking the light of Religion they haue euer bin blind on the one side and wāted the right and better eye wherby in the ende the eye of their pollicye euer poaring downeward to things on the left band and not able stedfastly to loke vp to heauen nor to abide the glorye thereof hath drawne them into such deepe darcknes that vnware they haue strayed farre from the drift of their deuices and beinge not able to walke vprightlye in their owne wayes without stackering and stūbling haue in the ende fallen so desperatlye that they neuer were able to ryse againe wherby to late they finde true that There is no wisedome where Religion is not And that whereas they thought themselues to be wyse without it they neuer came to the first step thereof it being as Salomō sayth that The feare of the Lord which such haue neglected is the beginning of wysedome The commaundementes of the Lord are pure and giue light to the eyes Againe Thy worde O Lord is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my pathes And therefore when soeuer we leaue this light though the lampe of mās braine burne neuer so bright we fall perforce in the end For neither the wyse head of Achitophell nor the fayre and flattering face of Absolon that stale from Dauid the peoples hartes coulde preuaile in their purposes so pollitickly attempted against the rule of Religion but that it turned to their owne confusion For euerye plant that the Heauenlye father hath not planted shal be rooted out ▪ Yea most miserable and desperat is their case and cursed of Gods owne mouth that thincke the care of Religion belongeth not to them Another sort of mē there is which being of better iudgemente proceede a step farther then these and yet not so farre as they oughte in deede For some hauing an inward regard of Religion do yet thincke it pollicye that it should be hidden and secrete to themselues and not apparent vnto other and in this point especially they would be esteemed wyse But greatly are these likewyse deceiued for wysedome is no wysedome and not to be accompted of in anye so longe as it is dissembled and not employed that other men maye see good proofe thereof And Religion is no Religion that sheweth not it selfe by his plētifull fruites And what choyse so euer they that seeme wysest or holiest make of religiō doing it so as other men shal not be able to discerne it in them nor to he witnesses therof they are to be esteemed neither wyse nor Religious For who wil not accōpt him rather blind or blincking thē other wyse that shall say he hath his eyes sound pure perfit and yet in the open daye will neuer shew vse of them in the presence of men but continuallye be wimpled and weare a veale so that no man cā perceaue whether he do see or no Eyther such are blinde in deede whē as they say that they see or els their meaning is very deceitfull And so may we iudge of these wilye winkers in Religion that either they be blindstockes in deede and lacke the light of that Heauenlye wysedome which they pretende to haue or els their wicked wysedome is but a cloake of wickednes ▪ then indeede they doate in their worldly pollicye not knowinge that the wysest of all hath sayd Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes glorify your father which is in Heauē And that Euery tree that doth not beare good fruite shal be cut downe cast into euerlastīg
fier And therfore these Nicodemites that will visit Christ onelye in the darcke and by night and not openly before men the Lord will not acknowledge him before his Heauenly father Such is the ende of fleshly pollicy So that Right honourable onely such ar to be held as wyse in deede which thincke that it lyeth vpoÌ„ them especially beloÌ„geth vnto them to make a constant and opeÌ„ profession of true Religion If then to be wyse be to professe Religion it is worthy to be farther considered how a man may attaine to perfection herein The heathen that euer measured wysedomeÌ„ by ciuill pollicy haue accompted best of those by whose good endeuour their commoÌ„ wealth hath bin most vpheld and strengthned from forain inuasions and that haue employed themselues to breake the force of such as would assault it And so my very good Lord they that haue bin the most worthye members of the Church of God haue euer excelled in this point to shew themselues forward in promoting Religion and suppressing to their power the enemyes therof and especially I say in suppressing the enemyes For the houlding downe of them is the houlding vp of the other So the godly Dauid did both fetch home the arke of God and scourged his ennemyes the Philistines and Iebusites So the zealous king Iosias both restored the Law of the Lord and put downe the wicked Chemerinus that sacrificed vnto Baal So the noble Cyrus deliuered Israell and held BabiloÌ„ captiue Finally so the worthy CoÌ„stantine the sonne to Helen borne in this Island brought peace to the Church set Christian ReligioÌ„ at libertye and also ouerthrew the cruell ennemy and tyraunt MaxeÌ„tius If these godly examples were euer to be followed in any place If this zeale in Religion were euer to be shewed in any age where more then in this our natiue countrye If this perfit wysedome were euer to be wished in any gouernours of whom rather then of the nobility of England when rather then in this our time against the tyrannye of the bishop of Rome For what enemye bath made such greedy spoyle and wrought such broyle in any countrey as he and his hath done continuallye in this little Isle as but for being tedious might be shewed almost in euery kings time since the coÌ„quest as VVilliam Rufus and HeÌ„ry the first both were sore combred w t Pope Vrban the second and Paschal the second through Anselmus bishop of CaÌ„terbury Henry the second much more with Thomas Becket and Pope Alexander the 3. Richard the first complayned greuously of the Popes shamefull polling his Realme and yet could not redresse it K. Iohn suffered a thousand stormes and the Realme was myserablye spoyled and made tributarye to the Pope for euer by the treachery of StepheÌ„ LangtoÌ„ bishop of Canterbury In the time of HeÌ„ry the 3. the Pope ransackt all the Churches in Englande and so hath he continued with the rest vexing by exactioÌ„s excommunications or some such meanes euerye one But because his staffe hath here bin brokeÌ„ he throweÌ„ out of the dores in this our time what meanes doth he dailye leaue vnproued to worke our confusion as sturring rebellioÌ„s mouing treasons seditions and conspiracies within the land cursing and excoÌ„municating both Prince and people nobilitye and commons and yelding vs a praye vnto him whoÌ„ he hath assigned by his bulls to enioye their lyuings and dignities abroad who hourelye wait wheÌ„ eyther by nature it selfe or their violent hand the thred shoulde faile whereon dependeth the staye of our estate Such is the purpose of Antichrist against vs and yet practised with colour of holines So that if euer the bloud of Christ his Church ought euer to be precious in the eyes of men the time is now Now lyeth it vpon euery one to shew himselfe a freind to his countrey by withstanding to his power the common enemye therof and especially those that stande in the hyest place both for their owne sakes because their fall shal be the greater and for charge of Gods people coÌ„mitted vnto them whose bloud he wil require at their hands if they leaue them to the wolfe For the which cause Right honourable I as a member of that bodye which is so assaulted by this Dragon both for the safetye of my selfe and other employed my self a litle to discouer the secret traynes of this deceitful ennemye and because this my enterprise of it selfe lyeth open to the perill of the malicious mouthes of many his partakers so that it shold not be able to beare out it selfe agaiÌ„st their force Therfore necessitye driueth me to seeke for the succour of such a Patrone in whom I might assure my selfe of that perfite wysedome which Lactancius alloweth and find that rescue which this cause requireth that is one who by power should be able by wysedome skilfull and in zeale and affection willing and forward to encounter this aduersarye with anye of his faction whereof because it is not vnknowen to mee by many priuate occasions that your honour hath made proofe that this perfite wysedome is planted in you as it was in Dauid Iosias Cyrus and Constantine bearing on your lefte arme a target of defence for Religion and hauing your right hand armed with a sword to wound the ennemye Antichrist And againe seing it hath not bin so priuate but that this zeale hath shewed it selfe openlye in biddinge battell to the members of Antichrist marchinge against them in fielde and pursuing them out of the countrye I thought your Lorship most meete and I assured my selfe that your honour would be most willing to suffer this my little volume to fight vnder your baÌ„ner in that quarrell against the Pope wherein your honour hath heretofore personallye proceeded If therefore the worthines of the matter herein contayned written by maister Bale maye so excuse the vnworthines of my simple stile in translating it that your honour vouchsafe to accepte the one with the other and beare with the one for the other your curtesye shall the rather confirme all the professours of the Gospel in that vndoubted opinion which they haue iustlye conceyued of you and giue them cause still to glorifye God for such nobility wishing the good encrease and longe prosperitye of such and I hauing my trauaile most happely bestowed shall acknowledge my dutye alwayes bounde vnto your honour for it And thus crauinge pardon of this tedious volume wherewith I haue troubled your Honour ouer longe I leaue you to the Almightye Your honours most humble Iohn Studley The translatour to the Reader IT maye be gentle Reader that when thou shalt in this booke reade many monstrous horrible histories rather to be suppressed theÌ„ put in print thou wilt not thincke well of my trauayle I grauÌ„t that here are manye thinges vttered odious to be heard but yet if any thing offend thy chasâ—e eares blame not me gentle Reader but the importunitye of the Papistes who hath forced me thus to
thincarnation 60. Paule as is sayde was prisoner at Rome who for the tyme of his abode there so planted the Gospell that at his departing from thence he left great fruite therof and suche in deede as if Peter had succeded Paule within two thre or foure yeres and there supplied the roume of a byshop Cornelius Tacitus speaking of the estate of the Christians in Rome about the yeare 67. being but seuen yeares after Paules departure should not haue had cause so soone to saye as he doth y by that tyme the Christian Religion was repressed For Vspergensis saith that in the 67. yere Nero did set Rome on fier of the whiche Cornelius Tacitus writing lib. 15. Augustae historiae sayth Ergo abolēdo rumori Nero subdidit reos c. Therfore Nero to stop the rumour of his setting the citie on fier suborned giltie persons and executed with strange punishment those whome the vulgar people detesting for their wickednes doth call Christiās That mischeuous superstition being repressed till nowe brake out againe c. Therfore first they were taken that confessed it afterward by their accusatiō an houge multitude not so much for that they were gilty of fyreing the citie as for hatred are condemned and were put to death with great despite some encased in the skinnes of wylde beastes that they might bee torne in peces with dogges some crucified some were burned to giue light in the night time c. These are the woordes of Tacitus notwithstanding as it appeareth he was a blasphemer of the name of Christe By these woordes of his it appeareth that nowe Christianitie began to reuiue and that nowe it was quenched which argueth plaine that from the former time of Paules departure til this time Peter had not supplied in Rome the place of a preaching pastour and diligēt bishop And seing this broyle against the Christians began now to be so hotte not in al places but especially in Rome howe could Peter sit quietly in this citie as bishop thereof and not be fyred out with his flocke but they saye all that he lyued after this tyme about three yeares for this was done in the eleuenth yeare of Nero who raigned almoste xiiii yeares and Peter was martyred in the last yeare of Nero as they saye all If this reuiuing of the Gospel was by Peters meanes why would Nero spare him being the head if Peter escaped by flying then he shewed him selfe to be an hierling and no true shepeherde that forsaketh his flocke when he seeth the wolfe come ¶ From the yeare 67. to the 70. of thincarnation Nowe are we come to the latter tyme of Nero in which yeres if Peter were not bishop of Rome then is it certaine that he was not bishop there at all But to come to the purpose Naucler Volu 2. generat 2. and the moste writers as Eusebius lib. 2 cap. 25 Nicephorus li. 2. cap. 34. Sabellicus Ennead 7. li. 2. agree that Paule died in the yeare of our Lorde 70. the 37. yeare after the death of Christe But it may sone appeare that Peter was not then byshop at Paules last comming to Rome for after Paule was come thether he sent for Timothie to come vnto hym shewing that he had nede of him to come to hym because he was nowe desolate and had none with hym Demas had forsaken hym nowe and embraced the worlde c. so that if this Epistle were not written at the firste imprisonment of Paule but at this latter time then was not Peter yet estalled in his Diocese for if he had bene in Rome in his pontificall dignitie I thinke Paule should not haue bene dryuen to sende to Ephesus 1000. miles frō Rome for Timothie to bryng Marke to come to minister to him In the ende of this secōd Epistle to Timothie Paule sendeth commendations from diuers but none from Peter There are xiiii Epistles whereof Paule and Seneca beare the name the one wryting to the other at this later imprysonnement and yet among them all nothing is saide of Peter and yet by occasion he might easely haue bene mencioned in them if he had bene then in Rome But if by this time Peter were not yet Pope of Rome there is no tyme left for him to come to enioye it during the raigne of Nero till whose death this present persecutiō of the church endured with all crueltie ¶ The death of Peter TOuching the death of Peter all wryters do not agree as it is sufficiently declared in the Actes and monumentes fol. 56. in these wordes They that folow the common opinion and the Popes decrees saye that bothe Peter and Paule suffred both in one daye and one yeare whiche opinion semeth to be taken out of Dionisius byshop of Corinthe Hierome in his booke De viris illustr affirmeth that they suffered both in one daye but hee expresseth not the yeare so doth Isiodorus and Eusebius Prudentius in his Peristephano noteth that they both were put to death vpon the same daye but not in the same yeare saythe that Paule folowed Peter a yeare after Abdias recordeth that Paule suffered twoo yeares after Peter Moreouer if it be true whiche Abdias sayth that after the crucifying of Peter Paule remayned in his free custody at Rome mencioned in the 28. of the Actes of the Apostles whiche was as S. Hierome witnesseth in the thirde or fourth yeare of Nero then must it be tenne yeares betwixt the martyrdome of Peter and of Paule for as muche as it is by all wryters confessed that Paule suffered in the xiiii yeare which was the last yeare of Nero. Vspergensis saithe that they were both executed in one yeare but he noteth not that they died in one daye Sabellicus sayth both in one yeare one daye Some say as Ambrose that they died together both in one place But Dionysius saythe otherwyse that the one bad thother farewel when they were parted asonder goyng to death Againe the moste writers saye that Nero was the cause therof But Linus saith Agrippa cōmaunded that Peter should be slayne because that by his persuasiō foure of the concubines of Agrippa refused to liue any longer in suche vnchast life with the king therefore for anger he cōmaunded that Peter should be crucified Finally S. Hierome and Lyra wryting vpon the 34. verse of the 22. chap. of Mathewe say that Peter was put to death at Hierusalē by the Iewes and that Christe prophecied thereof saying Lo I sende you prophetes c. and some of them ye shall kyll Many thinges might be added to disproue this dotage of Peters being bishop at Rome but because I thinke this to be sufficient I let passe diuers necessary thinges least I should be ouer tedious But if any be desirous to se this matter more suffitiently handled let him reade Vlrichus Velenus wryting purposely of this in a litle booke called Demonstrationes contra Romani Papae primatus figmētum Beside there hath bene of late set forth in Englishe a discours
very learnedly and fully entreating hereof wherin as wel the allegacions of the Papistes for Peters being at Rome substantially confuted as reasons brought to improue the same And therefore had it not bene so necessarely appertinent to the argument of this booke I would rather haue referred the reader to their doynges then haue spoken any thing thereof Nowe it remayneth to leaue Peter and to come to the bishops of Rome The order of this history requirth that euerye byshop should be here placed as eche succeded other But there is suche confusion amonge them that wryte of them that no man can certainly tell whome to place first second thirde nor fourth And least it be thought to be spoken rather of affection then otherwyse I thought good to shewe out of Vspergensis their owne authour what wrangling and disagreement there is for those that succeded Peter which though it be somwhat loÌ„g yet is it necessary to be shewed that it may appeare what certaintie they haue of Peter those to whome he committed this vniuersall Popedome The wordes of VspergeÌ„sis in the life of Claudius be these Touching the succession of the Romaine byshops their order â—and the tymes wherein they raigned from the beginning diuerse men thinke diuersly whose opinions I wil here briefly set downe c. Some wryte whereunto the ecclesiasticall history agreeth that after the death of Peter sitting at Rome chiefe of the Churche xxv yeares Linus did next take the gouernement vpon him And when he had ruled xii yeares in the second yeare of Titus he lefte it to Anacletus who also after other xii yeares gaue it to Clement whiche semeth to be in the xiii yeare of Domician Clement after nine yeares suffered vnder Traian After him in the fourth place came Euaristus the nexte was Alexander and then Sixtus and so forth But other wryte that Linus and Cletus were both vnder Peter as his vicars or curates and that Peter as soone as he had taken the Papacy vpon him did appointe Linus in his steade to gouerne the churche whereby he him selfe might the better folowe his function of preaching and that he departing after twelue yeres Peter did substitute Cletus in his place who also dying after twelue yeres euen the same yere that Peter suffered vnder Nero. Then Peter committed his seate to ClemeÌ„t giuing to him and his successours power to bynde and loose whome Anacletus succeded in the tyme of Domician then folowed Euaristus c. But because these accomptes do not agree let vs consider wherein they differ and so trie whiche semeth more credible Therefore if Linus left Anacletus and he Clemens then is Clement thrust out of the beadroll of Popes whose reuerence is so great among all Churches that he is not only mentioned among martyrs but also in the Canon of the masse and in the Letany or procession is placed betwene Linus and Clemens But if after Linus Cletus be placed and then Clemens then Euaristus then Alexander c there is no place for Anacletus to get in And Beda in his Martyrtologie that Anacletus was the fourthe after Peter and suffered vnder Domician making Linus first Cletus second Clemens thirde and Anacletus fourth But if Anacletus be placed after Clement and as Beda sayeth died vnder Domician then cannot it holde that his predecessour Clemens should suffer vnder Traian because it may euideÌ„tly be proued that he suffered vnder Domician if his successour Anacletus bee not denied to suffer vnder the same Emperoure Furthermore if Linus and Anacletus as some saye or Linus and Cletus as other saye did bothe rule twelue yeares a peece after the death of Peter dyinge the xiiii yeare of Nero then it arysing to 24. yeares it falleth out that the latter of them should suffer in the xii of Domician so Clemens could not receaue power to binde and loose neither the seate of Peter Whiche opinion also is coÌ„firmed of diuerse and to this is added that Dionysius Areopagita hasting from Athens to Rome againste the martyrdome of the Apostles Peter and Paule but comming a little to late and sone after their deathes did there finde Clemens his scholefellowe bishop of Rome c. Who sent the same Dionysius into Fraunce to preache But it is saide that this Dionysius was martyred Anno domini 96 whiche is the xiiii yeare of Domician and before his death he had continued long had done very muche in FrauÌ„ce and yet it is sayde that Clemens who sent him thether was made byshop but the twelfth yeare of Domician Againe the booke of the passion of Pope Alexander saith that Clemens was the first after Peter for so it is there written In the fift place after Peter came Alexander But if it were the second from Peter then it foloweth that Cletus being before Clement and Anacletus after him be pushed out because Alexander must be the fifte Namely Peter first Linus seconde Clement thirde Euariste the fourth and Alexander the fifte For otherwyse Alexander cannot be the fift from Peter because if Linus be the seconde froÌ„ Peter and Cletus after Anacletus be placed before Clement Alexander shal be the sixt But if Cletus be before Clement and Anacletus after him then shall Alexander be the seuenth vnlesse Clement be the second after Peter Thus farre doth Vspergensis wander in this maze and thus it appeareth what certaintie the Churche of Rome hath of her beginning of Peters being there of bequeathing his supremacy to whome neither they nor any other for them can tell But ye se howe many bishops here wrestle for the first place and howe they are tossed from the first to the seconde and an other whyle hoisted to the third and fourth place yea and some time shoued cleane out of place So harde a thing it is to finde a sure man that for the beginning of this history a man may wel doubt with whome to beginne but we must be content in this hurly burly either to cast lottes to finde out the ring leader or els to take and set an order among them though perhap not the same wherein they liued yet as if it were the same And if any of the good byshops lese his place of senioritie we must desire him to take it paciently and to blame the negligence of their parishioners and successours of Rome who because nature vseth not to ascende but to discend so muche regarded them selues and their children with the tyme present that they forgat their forefathers if these were they and the tyme past ¶ The first face of the Romaine churche vnder Heathen Emperours FOr the first sorte of Romayne byshops that is from Linus to Syluester they liued continually vnder persecutions For as Eusebius sheweth from the yeare of our lord 67. till the time of Constantine being about thre hundred yeares were tenne persecutions The first by Nero with al rigour and crueltie that might be wherof Hierome in his epistle to Cramatius and Heliadorus
doughter choaked the mother and engendred the mōster ambition who also like the cursed impe of the bastard her morher did in the ende deuoure her grandmother Religion THE PRELATES or Archebishops of Rome 1. Marcus MArcus a Romaine bestowed a pall vpon the bishop of Hostia who had consecrate the bishop of Rome before other He also cōmaunded that the people and the clergie should on Sondayes after the Gospell were redde singe the Nicean Crede He builded churches and gaue many giftes vnto them died a confessour in the yere 335. 2. Iulius the first IVlius the first a Romaine appointed that a priest shoulde as they forge of him not aunswer his cause any where but before an ecclesiasticall iudge and he reprehended the bishops of the east onlesse they slaunder him because they had helde counsels without his authoritie but they scorned him for his pride he caused churcheyardes to be made and at the lenghth died a confessour in peace Anno. 351. Platina sayth that this Pope appointed certaine notaries to wryte the actes of other men the whiche office sayth he is yet about the Pope remaining But these notaries of our time saith he are such doultes for the moste parte that for wante of learning they can not wryte their owne name in Latin of their maners I will not speake because these offices are bestowed on bawdes and flatterers vnmete to wryte the actes of other men 3. Liberius LIberius a Romaine for ambition as Hierome witnesseth falling into the Arrian heresie forsooke the trew faith and subscribed to Arrius articles And yet this man died a confessour also Anno. 366. though in dede taynted with damnable heresie 4. Foelix the seconde Foelix the seconde a Romaine was preferred by the Arrians who thrust out Liberius and aduaunced him because they hoped he agreed with them in opinion But in the seconde yeare after he was driuen from his seate and Liberius restored And in the yeare of our Lorde 359. He with other spirituall persones was slayne in a tumulte This man sayth Isidorus made lawes for the defense of the Clergie Also Sozomenus lib. 4. ca. 10. Eccle. histor saith that he being bishop did both admitte Arrian heretikes to the ministery and also vsed their communiō though els he yelded to the counsell of Nice 5. Damasus DAmasus a Spanyarde being made Pope in a certaine faction and vehemently accused of adultery did condemne Liberius his dedes he builded temples and beawtified them with iewels he gaue landes and bathes to the Clergie he encreased strange seruice in the churche he added Confiteor to the seruice he appointed the singing of the Psalmes and allowed Hieroms translation of the Bible For then the myndes of the Prelates began to bee more puft vp with ambition Afterward ▪ Damasus as they saye being a diligent gatherer of thinges doone in times past wrote the lyues and decrees of his predecessours the byshops of Rome enterlacing them with many open and manifest vntruthes And in the yere 384. died a confessour Socrates in the eight booke of his ecclesiasticall history and the 24. chapter sayth that when this Damasus was chosen bishop one Vrsinus a Deacon of the same churche did stande in suite against Damasus but whē he sawe that Damasus was preferred for anger he began by all endeuour to gather congregations to him selfe seuered from the churche Also he perswaded certaine obscure and abiect byshops to chose him bishop secretly in a corner And so he was created not in the churche but in a close place of the pallaice called Sicona Whiche being done the people began to wrangle And hereof arose a bitter contention and deadly sedicion not touching religion ▪ but whether of these two Prelates should be bishop Of this grewe so many assemblies and so often brawlinges that in the end the tumulte was so great that many were slayne about it And therfore Maximinus then liuetenant of the citie did punishe sharpely a great numbre both the Clergie and layetie so suppressed Vrsinus and his faction Thus it appeareth that bloudy ambition is not a newe thing in Rome 6. Siricius SIricius a Romaine medling and making decrees in many matters remoued those from saying seruice that had bene twyse maried was the firste that admitted monkes into orders for pretence of single life who before were neuer reckened to be as clarkes He mingled y Antiphones with the Psalmes and appointed that orders should be geuen some at one time some at an other he died a confessour Anno 399. 7. Anastasius ANastasius a Romaine appointed that whyle the Gospel was reading they should stand not sitte He exempted from the ministery those that were lame impotēt or diseased persons and slept with his forefathers in peace being a confessour Anno. 404. 8. Innocentius INnocentius borne in Albania aduaūced the sea of Rome aboue all other and would haue it to be iudged by none He commaunded the faithfull to faste on the Saturday to bewayle with Mary Magdalene our sauiour Christe that was buried ▪ euen as on that daye He deuised that at masse time the Pax should be geuen about in the church and cōmaunded that the church a wayghty matter being ones consecrate should neuer be consecrate any more He made certayne decrees concerning Iewes Pagans Monkes and made the anoyling of the sick to be a sacrament And is counted among the dead confessours Anno. 416. The yeare before being the yeare 415. Alaricus king of Gothes ouerranne Italy wan Rome wasted spoyled and burnt it miserably And sone after him his cosen Athoulfus came thether againe and spoyled all that he had left 9. Sozymus SOzymus a Greke appointed that tapers should be blessed on the holydaye and that the Deacons in saying seruice should haue their lefthandes couered He forbad that clarkes should vse tipling in opē place or haunte tauernes and that no bondmen should be admitted to be of the Clergie And died a confessour Anno. 420. Also this Sozymus suppressed the Nouacian heretikes whiche in time past had borne great swaye in Rome But nowe they were kept vnder for sayth Isocrates the byshop of Rome as well as the byshop of Alexandria had stretched his power beyond the limittes of priesthood stepping into temporall authoritie Socrat. histor eccle lib. 7. cap. 11. 10. Bonifacius BOnifacius a Romaine the sonne of one Iucundus a priest was chosen Pope at suche time as there was great sedition among the Clergie He made decrees that were very necessary God graunte they proue so as that a woman yet though she were a hoodded noonne should not openly touche the altar cloth nor the holy vessels nor smell to the incense And that none should be made priest till he were thirty yeres olde After he had decreed that sainctes eueninges should be kept he died a confessour Anno. 426. 11. Coelestinus Caelestinus borne in Campania patched the Popishe masse vp with these thinges Introitum Graduale Responsorium Tractum Offertorium as his owne deuices And gaue
straight charge that the priestes should be perfitte in the Popes decrees He sent these bishops Germanus into Englande Palladus into Scotlande and Patricke with a certaine Segetian into Irelande to roote out the Pelagian heresie He died Anno. 435. being put in among the number of confessours 12 Sixtus the thirde SIxtus the thirde a Romaine called the enricher of churches he builded the churche of S. Mary the greater after a miracle of snowe and enriched it with great giftes and garnished the pallayces with golde At the persuasion of a woman called Eudoxia he did hallowe Peters chaynes and appointed a yearely feaste daye in honour of them to be kept at Midsommer He died a confessour Anno. 440. and was buried in the citie About the yeare of our Lorde 456. Genesericus came out of Aphrica into Italy with a great armye against Rome and coÌ„ming thether he finding the citie empty inuaded it And for the space of xiiii dayes continually caried out the spoyle of it and toke away many prysoners 13 Leo the first LEo the first a Thuscane borne added to the masse these wordes to name it Sanctum sacrificium ImmaculataÌ„ hostiam hanc oblationem whiche cannot be without blaspheming God haynously â–ª He like an Idolatour builded a pallayce in the honour of Cornelius a byshop and appointed clarkes to kepe the Apostles sepulchres He decreed that men should worship the images of the dead allowed the sacrifice of the masse he died a confessour Anno. 462. 14 Hilarius HIlarius borne in Sardinia a man daily exercised in building and beautifying of churches decked the post of Christe his crosse with golde and precious stones He made decrees by synodes proclayming them to be kept through the whole worlde He made a lawe that euery minister should be put from his calling whiche maried either a widowe or deuorced woman and not a mayde He died a confessour Anno. 469. In his time Mamertus Claudius bishop of Vienna made the Letanies or procession to be saide thrise a weke whereof Mantuan sayth Fast. 4. By Rodanus there standes a towne Vienna men it name Sorenoied while one Mamertus was bishop of the same And suffred many sturdy stormes for oft with firy flake Of thonderclap it burnt while the treÌ„bling soyle did shake The grounde did gape as torne in twayne whereby the daungerous dell VVith yawning mouth stoode open downe to glowing goulphe of hell Among the dungeons depe of Ioue and rauening wolues vvithall VVere driuen to madnes through the haggs of hell that vp did crall The fraÌ„ticke neat begaÌ„ to murther meÌ„ in field tovvne VVherevvith mens hartes amazed vvere that thus the Lord should frovvne And so coÌ„straind they asked aide and succour froÌ„ aboue And vvith their humble prayers sought Gods mercy for to moue And herevppon the Letanye at first deuised vvas And aftervvard it did from thens to other people passe In the time of this Pope about the yeare of Christ 476. Odoacer with an army of HerulaÌ„s Turcihugians came from Panonia and wanne Rome and all Italye and raigned there xiiii yeres About this time Rome was so terriblie shaken wyth earthquakes that manye houses fell downe wythall 15. Simplicius SImplicius a Tiburtinian borne did dedicate Pallaces and deuided the towne into fiue parts for the priestes to serue and appointed the sacrificing priestes their weekes hee shewed that the Church of Rome was the chiefe Church of all He vsurped auctoritie vppon the people of Rauenna like a tyraunte and commaunded that none of the Clergy should acknowledge that he held any Ecclesiasticall benefice of a lay maÌ„ And this maÌ„ dyed a confessor Anno. 484. 16. Foelix the third FOElix the thirde a Romaine the sonne of one Foelix a priest decreed that onelye a bishoppe and no priuate priestes should dedicate the Churches and allowed a feast for the dedication of them Hee hallowed Agapetus hys Pallaice He decreed that the Clergye being accused of anye matter should haue dayes graunted to returne theyr aunswere and dyed in peace a confessor Anno. 494. 17. Gelasius GElasius an Aphrican sonne to Valerius a bishop burned the bookes of the Manichies hee made hymmes prefaces â–ª graduals collects and prayers hee seueâ—ed the Apocrypha from Canonicall Scripture and allowed maryed wydowers after they had maryed their seconde wyfe to be priestes if they toke his dispensation He encreased y Clergye he dedicated Pallaices and decreed that priestes orders should bee geuen foure times in the yeare he added to the Masse the conclusions of the prayers Et te igitur at lengthe auouched that he his successors should be iudged by no bodye And dyed a confessor Anno. 497. 18. Anastasius the second ANastasius the seconde a Romaine leaned to the Eutichians and Nestorians he did coÌ„municate wyth heretikes he excommunicated the Emperour And in the yere of our Lorde 499. on the stoole of easemente his bowels issued out of his bellye He dyed a confessor so writeth Volaterranus 19 Symmachus SYmmachus borne in Sardinia was chosen bishop with much dissention among the Clergye He ordayned that virgins which had once professed chastitye shoulde neuer marrye afterwarde and that none of the Clergye shoulde keepe in house wyth anye woman but such a one as were his kinswoman He builded many Pallacies euen out of the ground He brought the masse into fashion hee commaunded to singe Gloria in excelsis vppon the byrth dayes of saincts And if any maÌ„ may trust Gregoryes Dialogues he coÌ„mitted to Purgatorye the stubborne soule of one Paschasius a deacon after his death And yet this man dyed a confessour Anno. 514. Vspergensis sayth that wheÌ„ this Pope was chosen one Laurence was also chosen by some wherevppon manye slaughters both of the people Clergye were made in Rome during the space of iii. yeres but Symachus preuailed 20. Hormisda HOrmisda borne in Campania did set quietnes among the Clergie he appointed that the Psalmes should be songe by course enterchaungeable He commaunded that the decrees of counsels should be kept and bestowed many thinges to y furniture of churches he lefte a wedge of syluer waying a thousande fourty poundes in saint Peters churche and commauÌ„ded that no aultar should be builded without the consent of the byshop He added ceremonies to publique mariages and excommunicated Anastasius the Emperous because he sayde that it was an office dewe only to the Emperoure to commaunde and not to be at a byshops commaundement suche then was the courage of the spirite of Antichriste Iustinus the Emperoure as Isiodorus wryteth made this Hormisda a Patriarch of Rome being before but an Archebishop who died a confessour Anno. 523. From the time of Syluester the Romaine prelates were Archebishops for the space of twoo hundreth yeares that is from the yeare 320. vntill this yeare 520. at what tyme they were first made Patriarkes by the Emperour Iustinus I declare this more diligently whereby the attentiue reader may knowe by what degrees the Romain bishops crept vp to
misordred all And stately tables combred are with fishe of larger sort So Gregories laws â—r kept wher nede doth bear a siÌ„ple port That in the shallowe brookes and floodes to find his fare As for the great grown fulsom fishe in depth of seas they are But holy peers that do with Peters line and gredy hooke Down to the bottom angle can eche sort of fishes brooke Gregorie gaue tapers to the churche and furnished it with quier Psalmodis Canticles Oades Hymnus and other Heathen ceremonies He buylded sixe Monasteries of his owne coste in Sicilia and dedicated Agathas churche He forbad that women should resorte to abbeyes or that Monkes should resorte to Nonneries Also he woulde not haue MoÌ„kes baptize neither Nonnes to be Godmothers He forbad him that had bene twise married to bee made priests And that priestes should geue testimony of honest life by taking an oathe He was an vphoulder of pardons but not a seller of them He was the first that gaue pardons vpon certayne dayes to suche as frequented the churche He entertained straungers at his table He ayded the MoÌ„kes of Hierusalem with necessaries and gaue stipendes to three thousande maydes He allowed by decree the first fiue counsels He forbad that sainctes Images should be brokeÌ„ or that one of the Clergie should at the Emperours commaundement serue in the warres or that there should bee twoo Metropolitanes in one Prouince He would haue a bishop to be consecrate but ones and would haue the laste will and testament of euery man to be ratified He made foure bookes of Dialogues to boulster vp Purgatorie He allowed hallowing of ashes washing of feete worshipping of the crosse and massâ—s to be saide for the dead and wherin the Papistes horribly belie him he deliuered Traian the Emperours soule from hell He coÌ„temning the Britaines sent Augustine a Monke to reclaime the English Saxons to the churche of Rome He reft from London the right of the Archebishoprike and translated it by the same Augustines meanes to Caunterburie Al these thinges did Gregorie as Patriarke of Rome and died a confessour Anno. 604. But although he doted in many supersticions yet more is falsely fathered on him theÌ„ euer he did or thought 33. Sabinianus SAbinianus borne in Thusca was a Prelate of no value who for the hate he bare to his predecessour Gregorie after he had published certaine flaunders against him coÌ„maunded that his bookes should be burned This man being the last of the Romaine Patriarkes commauÌ„ded that the howers of the daye shoulde bee deuided by ringing of belles for the ecclesiasticall offices that they should haue continuall burning lampes in the churche At lengthe he died an infamous death through feare that he conceiued of a terrible vision which he sawe in the night time An. 606. The Christian deedes of Gregorie NOwe to say somewhat touching the ChristiaÌ„ sayinges and doinges of the foresaid Gregorie he fought stoutly against the supremacie of the Popishe kingdome in the very entraunce of the Popedome and hewde in pieces with sharpe tauntes the title of vniuersal Patriarkeship saying that suche an one was the foreronner of Antichriste an hipocrite a tyrauÌ„t and Lucifer the vsurper of Gods power He commaunded certaine Images that were of wonderfull excellent workemanship to be throwen into the Riuer Tiber least religion should be corrupted by them He commaunded prayer and fasting for the asswaging of the pestilence He reclaymed the Gothes from the Arrians to the vnitie of the church He wrote Homilies in a pleasaunt stile following S. Augustine Hee xpounded the moste part of the holy bookes of the Bible He by common consent defaced the name of vniuersall byshop And professed him selfe in his wrytinges Seruus seruorum Dei seruaunt to Gods seruauntes whereby he might shewe howe farre he was from all ambicion and desire of soueraintie This title his posteritie hath continued bearing the name but forbearing the humilitie that belongeth therunto At the length Gregorie did greatly lamente to se that howling and chauÌ„ting in the church had so taken place that preaching of the Gospell was neglected Beholde quoth he among other sayinges the worlde is full of priestes yet in the lordes haruest are founde fewe labourers We haue taken vpon vs the office but wce do not discharge the office Brethren I thinke that God suffereth dishonour of none more then of priestes for the moste parte If they se any liue in lowly estate or liue continently they scorne them Consider therfore what becoÌ„meth of the flocke when Wolues are made shepeheardes These take charge of the sheepe who are not afrayde to endaunger the liues of the Lordes foulde but they chaunge the office of their blessed function to the encrease of their ambicion We leaue Gods cause ronne to worldly affaires we enioye the place of holines and are entangled with earthly matters so that Baptist Mantuan saith of him in the thirde booke of his Fastor In speache he was ful eloquent his workes are yet in store He speaketh still and by his workes he shall do euermore He taught the quyristers to sing in soÌ„gs was his delight Huldricus bishop of Aâ—gusta sheweth a wonderful story of this bishop in his Epistle to Nicolas the first the effect whereof is that this Gregorie did firste coÌ„maunde priestes to liue single life but afterwarde when he perceiued that they were geuen secretly to fleshly pleasure and that hereupon many children were murthered hee disanulled that commaundement and sayde that it was better to mary theÌ„ geue occasion of murther For wheÌ„ on a time he sent a certaine woman vnto a fishepoole to take fishe there were founde in the same poole sixe thousande heades of infantes that had bene drowned therein whiche he perceauing to procede of forced single life with sighing and sorrowing he reuoked that Canon For as that Huldericus sheweth they accompanied not onely with virgins and wyues but also euen with their owne kindred with mankind yea and that whiche is horrible to be sayde with brute beastes After the tyme of this Gregorie ensued more blindnes theÌ„ was before The puritie of doctrine decayed the churche was darkened maruelously with mans tradicions For Monkery with his manifolde supersticions waxed great Herewithall sprang vp sale of masses and praying to the dead and the Lordes supper began to be an offering for the dead Bishops also being deluded with visions of spirites or rather of diuels began to reuolte from the doctrine of faithe to put affiance in good workes and mans satisfactioÌ„ as appeareth of Gregorie As it is euident of Gregorie who in his Dialogues to Theodolinda a very superstitious woman telleth of dead men that appeared and craued to haue prayers and suffrages This while Christianitie began to fall to ceremonies forthwith blinde supersticion by meanes of Monkery began to crepe in â–ª Gregorie as is mentioned before sent Augustine a Romaine Monke and other his compaignions to the Englishemen Anno. 596. not to preache Christe vnto them whose doctrine
the Brytaines had receiued more sincerely of Ioseph the churches of Asia But to thrust vpon them the Romain religion patched vp with mans diuices and tradicions The Britaynes had always the preaching of the truthe syncere doctrine and the liuely faith and such seruice as was deliuered to the Apostles by Gods commaundement They had Christian churches whereof Godfrey of Munmuthe in the eight booke and fourth chapiter of the actes of the Britaines sayth thus In the contrey of the Britaines Christianitie florished hetherto which neuer failed among them since the Apostles time But when Augustine came hee founde in their prouince seuen bishoprikes and one Archebishoprike maintained by godly Prelates and many Abbots liuing by their handy labour among whome the Lordes stocke kept true waye It appeareth also that there were shepeherdes among theÌ„ that were diligent to preserue the puritie of doctrine as was Dionotus Anonius and his fellowes who in conteÌ„pt of the Romaines ceremonies stacke stoutly to it euen to the death Augustine entred the lande not with the Gospell of Christian peace but with the banner of his Aposticship with his syluer crosse his Letanie his procession images painted puppettes reliques canticles and bookes of ceremonies But when by the authoritie of the king in the west part of England he sommoned the byshops and doctours that they accepting and communicating the Romaine customes should submitte them selues to him Anno. 602. They going to the synode did firste demaunde of a certaine wise man that liued solitarely whether it was laweful to followe his commaundement and forsake those tradiâ—ions whiche they had receiued of their fathers to whome hee aunswered If he be a maÌ„ of God followe him They further asked howe they should proue that Ye knowe quoth he that the Lord commaunded saying Take my yoke vpoÌ„ you and learne of me because I am gentle and lowlye of harte Therefore if this Augustine be suche an one it is credible that he also beareth Christes burtheÌ„ and offereth it to you to beare but if he be proude and cruell it is euideÌ„t tha he is not of God and ye ought not to regarde his talke And howe shall we knowe that quoth they Let Augustine quoth he and his company goe firste to the Synode And if when ye come he ryse vp to salute you knowe ye that he is Christe his seruaunt and obey ye him But if he disdayne you or make smale accompt of you and shewe no token of curtesie in his countenaunce seing ye are the greater number doe ye likewyse contemne him Therfore when they came to Augustine sitting ambiciously on his stalle and sawe that he gaue them no token of frendship they by and by conceiuing displeasure noting him to be a proude persone did forthwith ouerthwart euery thing that he put forth For he charged them that they did many thinges coÌ„trary to the custome of the catholicke churche especially in keping their Easter in ministring of baptisme and in their preaching and that they regarded not mans tradicioÌ„s and he commaunded that in these and other thinges they should followe the vse of the church of Rome But they aunswered that they would do none of these neither take him for their Archebishop Whereupon he promised them warre should ensewe and threatned them fiercely to reuenge it by death whiche immediatly ensued Reade Beda in his ecclesiasticall history of Englande the seconde booke and the second chapter and likewyse the sayde Godfrey But I wonder muche of this crueltie of Augustine For Gregorie before had so discussed it and wrote vnto him that it was not nedefull in all churches to haue the same order of ceremonies but that euery churche might ordaine the beste for it selfe But suche was wonte to be the tyranny of hypocrites whereof Mantuan saythe The fathers of the Latin churche to taxe they enterprise And make them fondly force the Britains bend vnto the guise Of Romish church against al right with foolish hardines They rashly cause the auncient league of amitie to cease â–ª As touching peace they saye that Rome should rather make then marre To kepemans lawe so that Christes lawe therby do neuer larre And faith with doctrine whiche allowed by the firste Synode was As it from Christe the light of life to all mankinde did passe And to speake in fewe wordes the Romaine bishops were starres euen hetherto yet but falling from Christes right hande to the grounde from whome the heauen departed Apocal. 6. and they are prefigured by the redde horse vnto whose ryder power was geuen to take awaye peace from the earth and to murther to and fro whereupon as in the firste order the Romaine Prelates called bishops by their true ministring the worde of God and constant faith were starres abiding in Christe his right hande so in this second sort vnder the name of Archebishops and Patriarkes by the neglecting of the same woorde and their earthly affections they were starres falling to the earth Apocal. 6. But in the thirde ranke whiche shall followe vnder the name of Popes and Antichristes for their absolute reuolting from Christe and open idolatries they shal be the starres falling from heauen to the earthe Apoc. 9. THE THIRDE Booke ¶ Nowe ensueth the thirde sorte of Romaine bishops coming from euill to worse For as the former company in the seconde booke shewed declining from pure Christianitie and enclining to Antichriste so now appeareth in these that the seede sowed by the forainer is groweÌ„ vp Antichrist as it were appearing aboue the grounde who grewe still forwarde froÌ„ grenenesse to ripenesse as shall appeare by these that followe and so from ripenesse to rottennesse which is to be hoped for in that already he is wexed so mellowe that if he be not plucked from the tree if it please God to sende a smale blaste of winde he will fall of him selfe Note therfore diligently gentil Reader what fruite ensueth and springeth of the former grayne Reade conferre and then iudge whether these men shewe them selues to be the vicars of Christe or deceitful and mischeuous Antechristes for bye their fruites ye shall knowe them whether they are suche as they would be accompted Abadon or the Latin Antichriste IN the yeare of our Lorde sixe hundreth and foure Phocas the tyrant murthered his soueraigne lord Mauricius the Emperoure with his wife his brother his children and many nobles From this yere adding to it two yeres to the beginning of the Popedome established by Phocas are sixe hundred sixty sixe yeares from the coÌ„sulship of M. T. Cicero and Antonius as Bibliander Funccius and other do euidently recken it at whiche time the Iewes while their bishops iarred for supremacie lost their libertie For Christe as Bibliander gathers in his reuelation whiche by his dearely beloued Apostle Iohn he deliuered to the church foare tolde that a certaine tyrannicall Empier should afflicte the true church as Nero and Domician with others did And calleth the beaste hauing two hornes like a lambe
space as fourty dayes driue out the other and kepe the place him selfe Leo seing him selfe reft of the renowne and thus defaced euen by his owne familiar frend on whome he had heaped so many benefites conceiued so great thought that immediatly he died thereof 56 Christopher the first CHristopher the first was of so base linage that neither his countrie nor his fathers name was knowen Hee hauing shoued out Leo and his concubines ayding him thereto wan the Popeship by strong hande But as he gate it naughtely so was he shamefully thrust out again by one Sergius the peramour of one Marozia a notable harlotte and beawtifull concubine who sought to place him selfe in it So Christopher was put downe the vii moneth of his Popeship And as Platina sayth compelled to be a Mōke whiche thing was then become the refuge of all caytiffes And afterwarde he was againe pulled out of the Monasterie by the same Sergius and caste into a straight pryson where at length in muche misery and sorowe he died Anno 905. 57 Sergius the third SErgius the thirde when as he was but a Deacon gaue a proude attempt to aspire to the Popedome and was in dede chosen thereto with great tumult among the people when Formosus was chosen But taking the foyle he fled into Fraunce but nowe espying his oportunitie by the aide of Charles Simplex king of Fraunce and Adelbert Marques of Thuscia he returned by stelth into Rome And as it is sayde he deposed Christopher apprehended him and clapte him in pryson inuaded violently the Popes place Being setled and remembring his ranke mallice againste Formosus not withstanding the long time that had since passed and eight Popes betwene Formosus and him yet freshly to reuenge his olde grudge Hee the seconde tyme toke vp the karkasse of the sayd Formosus out of his graue after it had lyen thus long setting it in y Popes chaire did drawe him from thence agayne and as if he had bene a liue strake of his head And where as since his laste mangling he had but three fingers remaining on his right hād Sergius chopped of those also After all this he caused his body and all these peeces therof to be hurled into the riuer Tiber as if he had not bene worthy to lye amōg Christiās And yet not satisfied with this reuenge hee defaced condemned and disanulled al his actes so that it was then nedefull to admitte them a newe to their orders whome he being aliue thought mete to make priestes He compelled the Romaines to subscribe to this for feare of the Frenche king This Sergius among other newe ceremonies appointed that the people should beare candels on the daye of the purification of the Uirgin Mary whereupon it is yet called Candelmasse daye to geue their bodies vnnecessary light at noone daye because their soules wanted their necessary light at all times This lasciuious Pope begat a bastarde which was afterwarde Pope Iohn the twelfth whome he had by the moste shamelesse harlotte Marozia So Luthprandus testifieth in the thirde booke and xii chapter De gestis Imperat. This and other like prankes among harlottes and bawdes he practised euen in his Popeship At the time of whose death Anno. 913. there were sene in the element great flakes of fier running to and fro 58 Anastasius the third ANastasius the thirde after Sergius all their vnclenlye ceremonies being obserued was elected Pope But some write of him that he did neither good nor euill in his time and therefore is he more commendable They wryte that in his time the bodye of Pope Formosus was founde by certaine fyshers in the ryuer Tiber and so taken vp and with great worship buried in S Peters pallaice and as some are not a shamed to fayne the Images of the church did salute it whyle it was burying A notorius vntruthe and grosse blasphemie against God although in the tyme of suche blindnesse God might suffer Sathan to moue and sturre the Idols before these idolatours as in times past the diuel◠hath doone when he spake and gaue oracles and prophecies out of Idols Anastasius died Anno. 915. 59 Laudo the first LAudo the firste being a fruytfull Prelate in begetting children as Petrus Premonstratensis sayth hee begat Pope Iohn the xi in detestable adultrye This Popes life sayth Platina was so obscure that some do not recken him among the Popes especially Vincentius This Laudo as it appeareth spent the more parte of his chast life as chastitie went then among harlottes till at the length he was destroyed among them For one Theodora the Lady that gouerned Rome a shamelesse curtezane could not longer forbeare the company of her louer Iohn Archbishop of Rauenna who was apparent sonne to this Pope Laudo Rauenna sayth Luthprandus was two hundred myles from Rome whereby Theodora could not so often enioye the byshop her louer and therefore she caused him to giue ouer Rauenna and to vsurpe the Popes place in despite of the auncientes of Rome Here sayth Funcius a man might demaūde which of al these Popes did erre from the truth seing they were all called holy fathers and heads of the vniuersall churche Let the Popes partakers aunswere if they can 60 Iohn the eleuenth IOhn the eleuenth borne at Rauenna the bastard and adulterous sonne of his forefather Laudo as saythe Praemontratensis he obtained the Popedome by right of inheritaunce though whoredome were his ayde For thus wryteth Luthprandus in his seconde booke and thirtene chapter of Emperours Theodora an impudent harlot and the Lady of Rome burning in fleshly lust was so enflamed with the comlye countenaunce of this Iohn comming to Rome that she did not only request him but compelle him to satisfie her carnall desire For the whiche afterwarde she made him byshop firste of Bononia secondly Archebishop of Rauenna and thirdly to obtaine her filthy pleasure more conueniently she made him Pope of Rome Thus at this tyme was the holy mother churche subiect to an harlot ruled only by her and is made an whore according to the xvii chapter of the Apocalips This Iohn hauing a warlike courage played rather the warriour then the byshop For when the Sarasins wasted Calabria Apulia and Italy he putting him selfe in armour stew a number of them in these countries draue them cleane out As cōcerning the ende of this man thus wryteth Luthprandus in his thirde booke and xii chapter In the meane time Guido Marques of Thuscia began to conferre earnestly and diuise with his wife Marozia the doughter of the saide Theodora howe he might depose this Iohn Guido had many souldiours gathered together at Rome the which apprehending Pope Iohn in Lateran pallayce Anno. 928 cast him in prison and holding a pillowe to his mouthe did smother him to death very miserably After his death they set vp Iohn the twelth the bastard sonne of this Marozia whome she had by Pope Sergius Thus the young harlot Marozia for the aduauncement of her
that they knew what was done both East West South and North in the corners of the world eyther touching warres or the death of Princes And therefore manye had theyr cunninge in greate reuerence and did attempt dilligently to learne of them and gatte theyr skill especiallye one Hildebrand Who forsaking an abbey where he was placed did so follow this trade that he excelled his maysters and was wonderfull busye in pestilent practises by meanes of his magicall artes as the Church by the fruite thereof did afterwarde feele sayth Benno But to returne to Benedict who after the death of Conradus conspired wyth his former counsellers to disherite his sonne Henry the thirde of the Empier and to plant in his steede Peter king of Hungarie and therefore he sent the crowne of the Empier to him with this Uerse Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa coronam The rocke to Peter gaue Rome the towne The Pope to thee Peter giueth the crowne But Henry at the first conflict ouercame Peter and toke him prisoner and purposed to set forward to Rome which beinge heard Benedict being terriblye afraide soulde his Popeship to his companion Iohn Gratian who payed for it fiftene hundred poundes was afterward called Gregorie the sixt But in the meane time the Romaynes deposinge Benedict for his negligence and slouth Anno. 1045. did place in his steede Iohn bishop of Saba callīg him Syluester the thirde For this sale sayth Platina Benedict was accused of all men and cōdemned by deuine sentence and at the length by Gods iuste iudgemente he was strangled to death by a deuill in the woods Anno. 1056. The Historiographers write that this Benedict or Theophilact was seene of a certaine Hermite in a most ouglye and gastlye shape hard by a Mill for his bodye was all rough and hairye like a beare wyth head and tayle like an asse And being asked of the Hermite how he was thus trāsfigured He aunsweared I wāder in this shape because in the time that I was Pope I liued without reason without lawe without God and defiled the sea of Rome with all kind of villanye In his time the Cardinals that began of little grew to be great in dignitye 88. Syluester the thirde SYluester the third a Romaine first called bishop of Saba obtayned to be Pope partly by his owne briberye partlye by the tumult and vprore of his countreymen after the expulsion of Benedict as some say but as it is rather to be thought by the magicall sorcerye of his father Laurence the famous coniurer For thus sayth Benno After Benedict was driuen out and that Popeship sould Iohn Gratian being in the place Iohn bishop of Saba was thrust in vppon him and called Syluester the thirde and thus these iii. Popes beinge at once it rente the Church of Rome a sonder and deuided it into diuers factions thus wyth cruell warres and great bloudshed the Church was torne in peeces foulye mangled with sciesmes choaked with errors while vnder the colour of wine it gulled in poyson Thus wrote Benno of that wretched time But sayth Platina Syluester enioyed the rowme but a while for within xlix dayes the frendes of Benedict with great tumult restored Benedict to that which he had first both lost and soulde The Popeshippe saith Platina was now brought to this passe that he that was of greatest wealth and beste able to giue bribes and most ambitious not most godlye or best learned he onelye good men being oppressed and reiected obtayned that dignitye which trade sayth he I woulde to God they had not continued euen vnto our time but these are but small matters for we are like to see worse vnlesse God amende it Thus muche doth Platina complayne of theyr leude liues who otherwise flattered the Sea of Rome and extolled theyr doctrine But as touching Syluester the Emperour Henry draue him from the Popeshippe caused him to returne to his owne bishopricke wherein he continued as before he was Cardinall and bishop of Saba In the time of the foresaid Benedict the sixte daye of April Anno 1039. there was seene a mighty beame of fire burninge in the Element as Masseus wryteth in his sixte booke Anno Domini 1041. Pope Benedict made one Cazimirus a monke in Clunace abbey and a deacon kinge of Poleland on this cōdition that for euery head in Poleland he should pay yerelye to the Pope and his successors an ordinary summe of money And furthermore that they should not let the heyre of theyr heade to grow longe and that they of Poleland shoulde remember for euer howe that this polling had giuen them a shauē king out of an abbey 89. Gregorie the sixt GRegorie the sixt an Italian first called Iohn Gratian learned the magicall sciences of Syluester the seconde He bought the Popeship of his kinseman Benedict the ix and at the length obtayned it He after sciesmes and sedition being made Pope sayth Premonstratensis perceyuinge that certaine filchers purloyned the goodes of the Church that straungers were robbed on all sides began to haue a regard vnto the riches and first admonished them afterward he excommunicated them and last of all he warred on them that contemned his threatnings and thus he did both recouer the Church goodes wyth encrease and also executed and put to death the wasters thereof The Cardinals being moued with this cruelty called him Simnist murtherer and bloud sucker and on a time while he was sicke they saide hee was vnworthye to be buryed in the Church Whereunto among other thinges he aunswered thus I haue warred vppon other that wyth the damage of the laietye I might purchase glorye to the clergye and thus ye recompence mee and sone after he recouered his health The troublesome tragical broyles which these Popes wrought at this time are thus described by Otho Frisgensis Godfri Viterbiensis and other auctors While saye they Benedict the ix was Pope Syluester the thyrd and soone after Gregorie the sixt did inuade the seate And in the 7. yeare of the Emperour Henry the third these 3. Popes made themselues 3. seueral seates in Rome wherby they brought in a detestable sciesme euerye one endeuoured that he might not yelde to other in sedition impietye and villanye Benedict he sate as Pope in Lateran Pallaice the rest the one at S. Peters the other at S. Maries made his pontificall throne While these thre Popes did at once to the perill of the whole estate possesse comber the Citye Iohn Gratian a priest came vnto them perswading them euery one to take a peece of moneye and giue ouer their title of Popeship and so it came to passe and for this cause the Romaynes created Gratian Pope as one that had saued the commō wealth Henry the Emperour hearing of these sturres in haste came to Rome helde a Synode wherein those three Benedict Syluester Gregorie were condemned and the fourth Pope created in theyr steede called Clemens the second And thus
and that he that had deuorced other men from theyr wiues and honest matrimonye liued in whoredome with another mans wyfe Also this Gregory iudged to death three men before they were conuict or confessed theyr cryme without the sentence of anye seculer Iudge and caused them to be hanged forthwith Another time he cast Centius the sonne of a Senatour into prison being his especial friend caused him to be tormented rolled in a barrel of sharpe nayles till he was almost dead But Centius escaping apprehended the sayde Hildebrand and mighte haue quitted his quarrel yet the people disappointed him but the Pope ere he were deliuered sware openlye that he would forgeue him and the rest that had apprehended him But being at libertye contrarye to his oath he reuenged it causing Centius and ix of his company to be hanged for it the other he condempned to banishment and among them the sonne of a widow who after the yeare of his vanishment was expyred did returne was led with an halter about his necke by his mother to Gregorie whoÌ„ the mother for full satisfaction desired to take her sonne and deliuer him againe as a new purged maÌ„ But Gregorie had hanged him but that the Iuâ—tices â–ª coÌ„sidering the penaunce that he had done were more iuste and wyse and refused to do it and therefore Gregorie in a rage commauÌ„ded one of his feete to be cut of wherof the yongmaÌ„ dyed wythin fiue dayes to the great griefe of the poore wydowe his mother Abbas Vspergensis other write thus It is manifest say they that this Hildebrand was not chosen by God but intruded himselfe by money guile who tossed the ecclesiastical estate vpside downe and troubled the kingdome of Christen Empier practised to murther the quiet Prince defended oath breakers fostred debate sowed discentioÌ„ raysed offences made deuorcemeÌ„ts and disordered euery thing that seemed to be well among the godlye He was the first that put the ministers of the Church from their wyues by excommunicatioÌ„ He moued broyles through Fraunce Germany and Englande tedious to be tolde This deuorcement of ministers wiues did offende a great nomber of learned men at that time for in Germanye and Fraunce there were yet xxiiii and more bishops who wyth the clergye of theyr Diocesse were then maryed and did stoutly maintayne theyr mariage still beside those that were in England Italye Amonge other things Gregorie commaunded the Saturday to be fasted He canonized Pope Liberius sainte who was an ArriaÌ„ heriticke also he apointed an holye daye in reuerence of him He toke awaye the Crowne from the kinge of Poland He condemned Berengarius opinion againste reall presence was the first that is noted to haue established the doctrine of transubstantiatioÌ„ He condemned a layman of sacrilege that should reape the commoditye of tenthes as of impropriat parsonages but condemned him of heresye that inuested a priest and him of Idolatrye that should take a benefice of a layman These and other like attemptes gaue Hildebrand whereby hee made the Popes leaden blade to hew asonder almost the Emperours iron sworde Many of the clergye as 14. Cardinals beside diuers bishops other did so abhorre the detestable treachery of this coniurer Gregorie that they forsoke him for shame his villanyes were so manye and so monstrous encreasinge dailye In steedâ— of God he serued the deuill of Princes whom he shoulde honour hee made worse then slaues finallye as his name was Hildebrand so in deede he was an helly brande to all Christendome tormoyled by his meanes with rebellions treasons murders c. But at the length Henry the Emperour began to set himselfe against the Popes practises and in the yeare of Christ 1083. in a Synode at Brixia layinge his treacheryes to his charge hee did depriue him of his place and appointed another in his steede whom hee called Clement the thirde He sent his armye to Rome to driue out Gregorie and to establishe this Clement and by his longe siege he brought Rome to so great penurye that they were compelled to sue for peace But Hildebrand because he would not come in the Emperours sighte beinge reiected forsaken of the Romaynes fled to Salerne wher he ended his wretched life in great miserye Anno 1086 Antonius and Vincentius shewe that this Hildebrand euen at the latter gaspe called to him a certaine Cardinal and confessed to him that he had haynouslye offended because at the deuils enticemeÌ„ts he had sturred vp hurlye burlies hatred and warres among many and bad the cardinal go to desire the Emperour to pardon him Diuers meÌ„ wrote against him his vile life as CaÌ„didus a Cardinall VValramus bishop of Niemburg Venericus bishop of Vercellen Rowland priest of Parmen Sigebertus Gemblacensis Also of this Gregorie it is said that he neuer weÌ„t without a booke of coniuring about him 99. Victor the thirde VIctor the third abbot of Cassa was made Pope not by the election of the Romaynes or Cardinals but was thrust in by the ayde of his harlot Mathilda and the Normans that were of his faction He being established began to defende Gregories prankes against the Emperour and Clement appointed by him but the hastines of hys death shortened his mallice who as Hermannus Contractus Carsulanus Praemonstratensis and sondrye other testifye was poysoned by his deacoÌ„ who at masse time put the poyson into the challice against that Pope should receiue it Diuers wonders are reported to haue happened at that time as of tame birds geese cockes hennes pigions pecocks flewe into the mountaynes and became wild houge store of fishe died in the Sea diuers Cityes were so shaken w t earthquakes so as the greater Pallas at Syracuse falling downe did slaye all that were then in the Church sauing a couple 100. Vrban the second VRban the seconde an Hetrurian borne called Otho before was made Pope by the harlot Mathilda and the Norman Lords in Apulia in dispite of the Emperour This is a scholer of Hildebrand whom for followinge his maisters steppes Benno calleth a blind guide a sciesmaticke an heriticke and companion of Liberius the Arrian hereticke He watred those graftes of mischiefe which Gregorie had planted and was therefore called the turmoyler of the world by descantinge of his name and in steede of Vrban calling him Turban He excommunicated Clement the seconde established by the Emperour and also the Emperour for establishinge of him procured manye forsworne rebels both nobles and commoners to conspire againste him and likewyse the same Clement as being Pope did againe excommunicate him as an vsurper wherevppon it moued many reasonings amonge both spirituall temporall who should be right Pope And these controuersyes were tossed both in Germanye and other countryes But when Vrban would absolue none whom Gregorie had excommunicated he was fayne for feare of his life to flie by stealth from Rome He held fiue couÌ„cels in sondrye places and all for the establishing of Gregories
whereof he had diuers especiallye one called VVilliam One Robert Capito bishop of Lincolne had a great controuersye with this Pope for he detested defyed both in preachinge and wrytinge the Popes couetousnes pride and tyrannye He would not admit one of the Popes bastardes because he was vnlearned and but a boye of yeares to a canonship of Lincolne but rebuked the Pope for it in a letter and withstoode the Popes pollinge â—obbinge the Realme and therefore the Pope receyuinge the sharpe letter from this Robert Grosted for anger rayled not onlye on the bishop but also brast into these arrogante wordes against his Prince king Henry the third sayinge as Mattheus Parisius testifyeth Is not the kinge of EnglaÌ„d our vassel our slaue our page who may at our pleasure to hamper him put him in prison to vtter shame And finallye because he coulde not tell howe otherwise to ease his rancke stomacke against the bishop hee excommunicated him but he constantlye defyed and despised his excommunication euen to the death He defended in disputation that the Pope could do nothinge against iustice truth and that he was worse then Lucifer and Antichrist at the length being cited to appeare in the court and condempned by the Pope wrongfullye he appealed to the iudgemente of Christe This good bishop after he had detected much of the Popes treachery before his death vttered these two Uerses applying them against the Pope Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis Eius auariciae totus non sufficit orbis One concubine could not suffice his burning lust to quenche Nor yet his honger after golde one world serude not to stenche Also this bishoppe by diligent searche tryed it that this Pope and his clarkes had in reuenewes out of Englande aboue iii. score and tenne thousande markes where as the reuenewes of the Crowne came not to 30. thousand Cestrensis in his seuenth booke wryteth that when this bishop of Lincolne dyed a voyce was heard in the Popes court sayinge Veni miser in iudiciuÌ„ dei that is Come thou vvretch to be iudged of God And that the Pope was found deade in his bedde the next daye and a blewe stroke in his bodye as if he had beene beaten wyth a staffe This was done Anno 1253. he being at Naples and loking soone after to haue enioyed the whole kingdome of Sicill where he lyeth buryed Thaddition to Vspergensis sheweth that the yeare before as the Pope was going from LioÌ„s to Millen these straunge tokens happened certaine bloudy cloudes were seene in the ayre streames of bloud gusshed out of breade as oute of wounded bodyes After his death the seate was voide two yeares 124 Alexander the fourth ALexander the fourth borne in Campania being Cardinall of Hostia succeded Innocent He persecuted Ecelinus of Runcan and Manfred king of Sicill because they had beene ennemyes to the former Popes thus he began his raigne And first he craftelye admonished them not to stande against the dignitye of the Church in anye point before he gaue them this charge he had prouided his army in a readinesse meaning to course them if they should seeke to preuent him and his Cardinals of the kingdome of Sicill yet these Princes very couragiouslye with an oast of Saracens and other fearinge not the Popes threates did set vppon his army at vnawares euen in a trench ere they wist and partly slue them partly toke them prisoners In the meane while Pope Alexander goinge to Anagnia excommunicated Manfred and sent a Cardinal called Octauian to Naples to make the Neapolitans to stand faithful to him against Manfred promysing speedely to bring ayde to all Campania and to the Neapolitans but Manfred not pacifyed with troubling Naples did also moue factions in Hetruria but chiefely in Florence where he brought in the Guelphis againe who euer were at deadly foode with the Gibelines Thus was al Italy in a myserable vprore torne in sonder with cruell and saluage warre But Manfred hauing poysoned Conrad king of Sicill was proclaymed kinge at Panorme and with an armye of hyred souldiours he ouerthrew the Popes Legat with great slaughter This Pope sent one Rustand Legate into Englande Anno 1255. to gather vp the tenthes in Englande Scotland IrelaÌ„d to warre against Manfred And saith Mattheus Parisius manye mischiefes detestable issued from the burning fountayne of Rome in those dayes to the destruction of manye for after the begginge fryers had preached the power of the Crosse he required infinite sommes of moneye the exaction of the Pope was such sayth he that the like hath not bene heard Whereupon Fulck bishop of LoÌ„don sayd with great griefe Ere I giue my consent to oppresse the Church vvith such iniurye seruitude and bondage surely I will first loose my head for although that Courte hath often in times past pinched euen to the bone the faithfull flocke of Christ yet it neuer wouÌ„ded in such deadlye sort all and euery one of Christes seruaunts as it did this yeare and the yeare following c. The money the was gathered for the holy land was transposed into Apulia against Christians and sayth Mattheus vnmeete meÌ„ are made gouernours of noble Churches the prelates are sould as oxen and asses this is the extreame point of seruitude c. About this time the said Rustand the Popes Legate being PrebeÌ„dary of Paules Church in LoÌ„don dyed beyond the sea king Henry the third hearing therof gaue the same prebend to one Iohn Crakehale his chaplein but after the sayde Crakehale had full possession thereof came one Iohn Grasse from Rome wyth the Popes embulled letter to chalenge the sayde lyuing Hereupon the matter being in controuersye it was brought before Boniface bishop of Canterbury who finding that the Popes gift was dated before the kinges dispossessed the Englishman and inuested the Popes man which was taken so in despite by certaine repyning to see the Pope and his Italian priestes in this and all such cases to beare more sway then the king and to reape all commodyties from the kinge and his subiects that the said ItaliaÌ„ and a coÌ„panion of his were murthered in a thronge by whom no man knewe Rustand in a conuocation at London alleaged that all Churches were the Popes to whom one Leonard an Englishman answeared modestly yea sir in tuition not in fruition to defend not to expende Seuell bishop of Yorke by the example of the former bishop of Lincolne did likewyse wtstande this Pope Alexander and desyred him by letter to leaue of his wonted polling according to Peters example to feede the sheepe not to flece them not to flea them not vnbowel them neither as a wolfe deuoure them Further it followeth in the sayd Mattheus that the Pope sente yet other Legates into England namelye Arlot Mansuet minorite fryers who had power to pardon for money eyther lyers forswearerers vowbreakers adulterers and Sodomits traytors poysoners murtherers and all suche Whereuppon a certaine woman