of all chrysten people And Chrysostome saythe thus yf any man wyl say or aske the questyon howe or after what maner than toke Iames vnto hym selfe the epyscopall seate of Ierusalem this truely I wyll saye because he hathe intronisated or stalled Peter mayster of the whole worlde And the same Chrysostome saythe afterwardes To hym that is to wytte to Peter Also the ouersyght and gouernaunce or prelacye of his brethren hathe ben coÌ„mytted or betaken agayne the same Chrisostome sayth therfore because the lorde had shewed and sayde before great thynges vnto hym that is to wyt to Peter and had commytted or betaken to hym the whole worlde And agayne Theophilus vpon that texte yf I wyll that do remayne saythe thus For the I do dymytte or sende nowe to the offyce of the ouerseer or bysshopryche of the whole worlde and in this folowe thou me Moreouer yf chryste had not instytuted a heed of the churche in his absence he shulde haue lefte it heedles or without a heed and shulde not seme to haue ordered it accordynge to the better or beste dysposycyon but nowe this is to be beleued that he hathe lefte it ordred and dysposed after the best wyse and maner wherfore it is to be holden that he hathe instytute and made a heed of the sayd churche but there is none other more conuenyent heed than Peter wherfore it may be concluded that saynt Peter was superyoure to the other apostles in auctoryte by the iÌ„medyate instytucyon and ordynacyon of chryste ¶ Agayne we maye proue the same thynge in kynde by shewynge that saynt Paule was not egall to saynt Peter in dygnyte or auctoryte for in the seconde chapytre to the SalatyaÌ„s is red this texte folowynge Agayne after iii. yeres I cam to Ierusalem to se Peter and I taryed with hym xv dayes a lytell afterwardes it foloweth And furthermore after xiiii yeres I wente vp to Iherusalem agayn with Barnabas and Titus taken with me and I conferred or compared with them the gospell whiche I do preache amonge the gentylles and specyally with them whiche seamed to be greatly estemed and of auctoryte lest peraduenture I shulde roÌ„ne or els had roÌ„ne in vayne where the glose saythe Paule shewed here that he was not out of feare or doubte of his gospell excepte it had ben coÌ„fyrmed and strengthed by the auctoryte of Peter and of the other apostles For asmoche than as Paule hathe taken securyte of his gospell of Peter after the mynde of the glose it appereth that he was not egall to Peter in auctoryte wherfore it semeth to folowe of necessyte aswell of this reason as of other afore rehersed that all the other bysshops of the worlde are subiectes to the bysshop of Rome as beynge the syngulare or specyal successour of saynt Peter by y e ordynacion of god and that the churche of Rome is the heed and pryncypall of all other churches because the bysshop of it beynge the successour of saynt Peter is iudge pastor and herdysman of all other men whiche thynge I sodore more largelye expressynge in his boke afore rehersed in the chapytre whose tytle is Incipit prefacio Niceni coÌ„cilii he saythe in this wyse It is verelye to be knowen of all catholyke people that the holy churche of Rome hathe ben preferred made superyour to all other not by any synodall decrees but he hath obtayned prymacie or superyoryte by the wordes of our lorde and sauyoure in the gospell where he sayd to saynt Peter the apostle Thou arte Peter vpon this stone I shall edyfye and buylde my churche and to the I wyll gyue the keyes of the kyngdome of heuens c. whiche prymacye or superyoryte all the bysshops of Rome haue vsed hytherto without any grauÌ„t of the prynces or emperours from the tyme of saynt Peter vnto the tymes of Constantyne the fyrst emperour of Rome bothe makynge Canons or rules Decrees and coÌ„maundynge them to be obserued throughout all churches as euydently dothe appere by the processe of the sayde boke ¶ Agayne I confyrme or strengthe this by reason for faythe is but one accordynge to the mynde of the apostle in the. iiii chapytre to the Ephesians wherfore it foloweth that the churche also is but one but it is none otherwyse one but because it hathe but one heed pryncypall whiche can be none more conuenyent neyther so conuenyent as the bysshop of Rome the synguler successour of saynt Peter whiche was the stone wherupon chryste sayde that he wolde buylde his churche ¶ Agayne this same may be confyrmed by this reason for because lykewyse as temporall thyngê are reduced to one heed or pryncipall that is to wyt to y e prynce kynge or emperour so also it semeth that the spyrytuall thynges oughte to be reduced vnto some one heed or pryncipal that is to wyt to the bisshop or pope of Rome ¶ Agayn it may be confyrmed by an other reason for lykewyse as in one churche or diocese it is necessarye and expedyeÌ„t that there be but one bysshop lest yf euery preeste with in the same churche or diocese dyd drawe and plucke the churche vnto hym selfe it myght breake the vnytie of chrystê churche as we haue here tofore alledged in the xv of this dyccyon of the epystle of saynt Iherome to Euandre so it is more expedyent and necessarye that in the vnyuersall churche of chryst there be but onely one heed for the coÌ„seruacion of the vnyte of chrysten men for by howe moch suche maner good thynge is more coÌ„mune the mo y t are parttakers of it by somoch it is y e more godly the more worthye to be desyred or chosen wherfore it is red in y â— xv chapytre of IohnÌ„ ¶ And there shall be made one folde of shepe one herdysman Nowe verelye it semeth that suche herdysman or suche maner heed is the pope of Rome most conuenyently of al other for the causes here tofore assygned ¶ And of the aforesayd thynges it foloweth of necessyte as it semeth that onely the bysshop of Rome is the pryncypall effectyue cause of the secondarye instytucyon of all other bysshops bothe medyatly and iÌ„medyatly because of his vnyuersall auctoryte that he hathe vpon all other bysshoppes and preestes and all other mynystres of the churches or temples To whiche sentence the auctorite of saynt Ambrose dothe agree in his epystle De tradendis basilicis where he saythe thus it is the churche of god or the churche is goddes owne it oughte not therfore to be ascrybed to Cesar The teÌ„ple of god can not be the ryght of the emperour wherfore it foloweth also consequently that the instytucyon of preestes in the same teÌ„ple dothe not appertayne to his ryght whiche sayde instytucyon we haue called here to fore in the. xv of this dyccyon the secondarye auctoryte of them And yf it be so that the gyfte of the churches maye not appertayne to Cesar moche lesse than may the
perfyte of the lorde and of god that there was no thynge that they coulde adde to my perfeccyon in this conferrynge of my gospell with them For he that gaue wysdome knowledge to those iii. vnlearned men he hathe also gyuen knowledge vnto me And it foloweth afterwardes in the glose after the mynde of saynt Iherome They gaue or addednothynge to me but I gaue or added somwhat to Peter and agayne afterwardes I resysted or withstode hym as egall vnto hym for he wolde not haue ben bolde to do these thyngê yf he had not knowen hym selfe not to be vnegall Therfore that sayenge lest I shulde ronne in vayne c. oughte to be referred vnto the hearers whiche peraduenture wolde not haue gyuen credence elles vnto hym or at the lest wyse not so moche credence vnto hym and by the reason therof shulde haue remayned voyde or emptie and he lykewyse shuld haue ben voyde in them that is to saye shulde haue ben dysapoynted and haue myssed of his purpose and intent in them For asmoche as he shulde not haue engendred any fayth in them whiche he intended by the course of his preachynge And this is it also whiche foloweth afterwardes in the same glose after the mynde of saynt Augustyne for the apostle Paule beynge called by a voyce from heuen after the ascencyon of chryste yf he shuld not coÌ„munycate and be partener or felowe with the apostles and shuld not conferre his gospel with them so that it myght appere that he was one of the same felowshyp or companye the churche wolde gyue no credence to hym at all but whan the churche had knowen that he dyd preache the same gospell that the apostles dyd and that he lyued in the coÌ„munyon and vnyte of them suche myracles also beynge done by hym as they dyd worke then by such coÌ„mendacyon of the lorde he deserued auctoryte and to be regarded in the churche that his wordes be so herde in the churche as yf chryste were herde speakynge in hym as he hym selfe sayd moste truely Than it foloweth of these wordes of the glose that Paule deserued auctoryte or to be regarded by the coÌ„mendacion of chryste and he sayde not Peter or the other apostles coÌ„mendynge hym or causynge hym to be accepted And it foloweth a lytell afterwardes in the glose after the mynde of the same Augustyne wherfore he conferred his gospell with them toke theyr ryght handes For he preachyd the same worde of god that they dyd thoughe he receyued not it by them For that conferrynge of his gospell with them shewed y t it was all one kynde of doctryne all spottes or dyuersite of leprye cleane shaken awaye This than was the cause of his conferrynge of his gospell with them that all scrupules and doubtfulnes of the varyete and dyuersyte of his doctryne theyrs shuld be rydde and taken awaye from the hearers And this is it whiche the glose had sayde afore after the mynde of Augustyne For he sayd I went vp agayne to Iherusalem c. I wente vp I saye with Barnabas whiche was of the Iewes takynge also Titus vnto me whiche was of the gentyles As who shulde saye I haue wytnes and recordes of both nacyons by whiche it shulde be playne euydent that it was not trewe but false that I dyd preache one thynge to the Iewes and an other thyng to the gentyles And I dyd ascende not onely after this dysposycyon and ordre as I haue reherced but also accordyng to the reuelacyon of god And I haue not lerned of them as beynge greatter than I or superyours to me but I haue coÌ„ferred with them as with my freÌ„des egalles the gospell of chryst whiche I preache amonge the gentyles This thynge he dyd for the assercion and defendynge of his owne preachynge for many men were in doubte of the doctryne of the apostle the Iewes trowbelynge and disquyetynge theyr myndes whiche scruple and doubte it pleased god to take awaye And therfore not by the delyberacion of man but by the reuelacyon of god the apostle as he sayth hym selfe went vp to Ierusalem to conferre his gospell with them not for any doubtfulnes that he hym selfe had of his gospell that he preached but that the sayd scruple or doubtfulnes shulde be ryd out and taken away from the myndes of his hearers And where it was alleged of the glose vpon the seconde chapytre to the Galatyanes that Paule was an hyndermore pastor than saynt Peter the apostle it is to be sayde that y e glose maker spake properly For saynt Paule was called the later of them two vnto apostleshyp and therfore he was posteryor that is to saye hindermore in tyme but he was not therfore inferyor in auctoryte neyther dyd the glose expresse this but rather the contrary so than of the aforesayd nowe rehersed thynges it appereth euydently that neyther Peter neyther any other of the apostles was greatter than Paule but that he was frende egall to them in the auctoryte iÌ„medyatly gyuen vnto them by chryste And yf there haue ben any pryoryte amoÌ„ge them it is to be coÌ„sydered to haue ben ê‘adueÌ„ture by y e eleccion of them amoÌ„ge theyr selfe or els after such maner after whiche we sayd saynt Peter to haue ben hedde or cheyfe of y e apostles in y e. xvi chapytre of this dyccion And to the sayenge taken of the boke of Isodore in y e chapytre whose title is Incipit pÌ„fatio Niceni coÌ„cilii where it is sayd thus it is to be knowen verely of al catholyke men y t the holy churche of Rome is preferred to other made priÌ„cypal not by any synodal Decrees but it hath obtayned prymacie by y t voyce or wordes of our lorde and sauyour in the gospell so also vnderstandynge of the bysshop of the same churche the sayenge of Isodore of who soeuer saythe so besyde Isodore without the Canon is to be denyed for the churche of Rome hathe ben instytuted and made moste pryncypall and the heed of the other churches by the Decrees of the Romayne emperoures and by the consent of the other churches as it were by a certayne eleccion Moreouer that doth not folowe of the aforesayd auctoryte of the Canon which Isodore doth inferre But the illacyon or argument of hym maye be put by or yf any other man who soeuer shal so say by those thynges whiche haue ben determyned of vs in the. xv chapytre of this dyccion in the. viii parte of it and in the. xvi chapytre in the. xiii and. xiiii parte And vnto the auctortye wherby he gothe about to fortyfye these saynges taken of the. xvi of Mathewe Thou art Peter and vpon this stone I wylledyfy my churche c. it hath ben answered heretofore ¶ And vnto y t reason or argument by whiche it was deduced that the churche is but one and that there is but one pryncypall or hyghest bysshop because of the vnyte of the faythe accordynge to the
inuyncyble reason Hugo de sctoÌ„ victore Canon or scrypture S. Paule was a chosen vessell The chrysten fayth was fre vntyll CoÌ„stantynes tyme. Why Alyen bysshoppe sought couÌ„sel before the reygne of CoÌ„stantyne the emperour of at the bysshops of rome Howe bysshoppes came fyrste from Rome which I beseche the good reder to marke with all dylygence for it is worth moche worldly treasure Howe lawes ordynauÌ„cê were fyrst receyued from Rome aft what maner and wolde to god it had neuer ben worse Isodore The churche of Rome receyued ordynauÌ„ces of the churche of Grece Se how vertue is peruerted to mysche fe by to moch sufferaunce CoÌ„stantyne y e emperour If thou wylt se y e truthe of this gyfte rede the boke entytled y e gyft of CoÌ„staÌ„tyne the emperour thou shalt there se many festly that it was but forged of the bysshoppes of Rome Who gathered y e first couÌ„sell called CoÌ„cilium Necenum To what scrypture sure credence is to be gyuen Augustyne Saynt Augustyne iudgement of bokes Augustyne The counsell of Carthage Non credereÌ„ euaÌ„gelio nisi me catholice ecclesie coÌ„moueret aucthoritas Howe saynt Augustynes sayenge is to be vnderstanded Non crederem euaÌ„gelio nisi me catholice ecclesie aucthoritas coÌ„moueret Why y e iudgement of the churche is trewe Howe many maner wayes fulnes of powre maye be taken Howe and wherfore fastynges from certayne kyndes of meates at certayne dayes cam fyrste vp and was fyrst receyued Under the colour of religyon hath sproÌ„ge moch myschefe After ignoraunce foloweth folysshe feare after that fonde obieccyons as is this were there not as wyse men before our days as there ben nowe Exempcion of clarkes The deuyll is latten lose to blowe his trompettes Cursynges for money S. Paule The cause of the vndoyng Italye Treason O shameles chyldren The coÌ„meÌ„dacion of Henry the. viii emperour of Rome the cause of his most cruel deposycyon The tytle of Iure iuraÌ„do why the spyrytual lawes were named Iura canonica that is to saye the canon lawes hereby note the crafte of the deuyll The churche that can not erre A bysshoppe ought to be able to teache Lawyers lawyers al lawyers Nota. A similitude The interpre tacyon of the Image whiche Danyell descrybeth what chryste taught Orbane was the fyrste bysshop of Rome that possessed landes Note this agayne Howe excoÌ„munycacyoÌ„s cam fyrste from Rome Howe councelles were fyrst congregated and gathered Offices seê‘able and inseperable The canony call lawes were fyrst made agaynst preestes and not agaynste laye men As it is falsely fayned The pryuyleges of prestê And nowe they be many vndeuoute Ambrose of the armure of preestes But nowe y e contrary nedeth Marke this ye prynces lese not your hono â— regall Vitellianus papa CoÌ„staÌ„tyne pope To this poynt they wold be broughte agayne IohnÌ„ the xii pope is deposed by Otto I pray god that I mayese such thyngê agayne both in this laÌ„de otherwhere Simplicius Tibertinus was one of y e fyrste traytours bisshoppes of Rome Inuestiture This good honest man gaue y e emperour a pygge of his owne so we Adriane y e. iii pope was a worshypfull pÌ„late I warraunt you Here ye mayese y t no writer of histories is to be trusted at all tymes that a man may soone be deceyued in them excepte he haue a ryghte iudgement fyrst in scrypture Martin was a freer begger This he meaneth of bysshops within y e emperours dominion for els the emperour hathe nought to do in the leccyon of bisshops in Englande This punysmeÌ„t wolde be put in vre Steuen Nicholas The bisshops of rome haue caused moche stryfe debate and blode shedynge Pope Pascal a good man but small Calixte pope He durst non other do then but I thynke y t freer Martyne lyeth Otto the. iiii emperoure Frederyke y e seconde Be not angry The bisshops of Rome ben thefes and robbers Tyranny vsurpacyon Oh shame of all shames Obstynacye As agaynst Englande Fulnes of powre is an execrable tytle Folnes of powre full ynoughe I trowe and yf the deuyll be not in it DeseÌ„teÌ„cia et re iudicata Marsilius of padway the herolde of truthe Here al kingê take hede yf ye wyll not haue your crownes pulled of your hedes or the successyon of your bodyes betrayed for in y â— decretallê is manyfeste treason coÌ„ceyuyd agaynst you all eke the succession of your bodyes The bysshop of Rome is bothe false presuÌ„ptuous Asymylitude The frutê of o â— holy herdesmen or bysshoppes The spouse of chryst and y e church must be a cloke to couer alwyckednes The spouses of chryste Barnarde The popes haue succeded not Peter but Constantine or rather NiÌ„roth y t cruel thefe tyraÌ„t Treason towarde y e emperour of Rome in the decretalles The coronacyon of y e emperoure Let al kyngê by this take hede how they suffce the bysshops to exercyse any ceremonyes about or vpon them yea or bisshop vpon bisshop vndre what coloure of holynes so euer it be for in conclusion an other daye yf they maye come a lofte they wyl chaleÌ„ge therby a certayne powre and make therof a certayne refygyon necessary holynes and a lawe of god The vnlaufull othes of y e emperours to y e bysshop of Rome Pardons Absolucions An obieccion Answere No nor yet to any other creature or creaturê lyuyng The fruytes that haue coÌ„med and proceded these many huÌ„dred yeres from y e seat of Rome from our holy fathers there mayntayned by o â— holy fathers here Of true obedyence towarde kyngê and prynces whiche y e bysshop of rome with his churche yet neuer taughte The vertue of the popysshe pardons The pharysyes were a figure of our sophistical DuÌ„sers Thomatistes Who soeuer resysteth y e power of a kynge or hed prynce is of y e deuyll yea though he were an aungell of heuen yf it were possyble moche more then a bysshop or a preeste a popysshe pylled freer monke or chanon or a peuysshe nunne Disobedient The emperours ar vexed of the bysshop of rome so be all other kynges of theyr bysshops clargye For what day the bysshops clargy do wayte A cunnynge poynte of practicasyon He studyeth to brynge the same to passe in Almayne Who ben the sones of the churche as y e bysshoppe of Rome calleth them Who ben heretykê as y e bysshop of rome calleth them The bysshop of Rome deuoureth the shepe Absolucion from synne payne to all that wyll be traytours to theyr prynces Let chrysten men be a shamed of theyr madnes Champions of the deuyl not of chryste He calleth hiÌ„ selfe the vicar of chryste he ought more truely be called the vycar of the deuyll A captayne Cardynall An abbot of cheualrye The eÌ„perour is called of my lorde abbot a fauourer of heretykes It is not onely not semely but also forbeden by the lawe of god for preestes to be men of warre The bisshops ben
THe defence of peace lately translated out of laten in to englysshe ¶ with the kynges moste gracyous priuilege AN excellent and a noble warke whiche the Author therof hath entytled the defender maynteyner of peace because it doth moste perfectlye treate and clearely dyscusse that questyon where aboute great controuersy and contencyon hath ben nowe longe tyme aswell of the iuste power and auctoryte of the Emperour as of the vsurped power of the bysshop of Rome otherwyse called the Pope a worke very profytable to dyuynes laweyers and generally to all those whiche louen and exercysen the studye of good letters or learnynge whiche sayde worke was wryten or made more then two hondred yeres ago vnto Lodo wyke Cesar whiche came by lynage of the most noble famyly and kynred of the dukes of Bauary but nowe fyrste Imprynted and publysshed or sent forth abrode in the englysshe tonge by Wyllyam Marshall ¶ The louer of trouthe speketh to the boke GO forth boke all good men gladly shall the reteyne With louynge embrasynges and tourne the ofte in hande Whose mynde is fyxed ryght and trouthe to maynteyne And wronge and falsehod styfly to withstande Those persones I waraunt aswell pleased shall be all As wood Rome shall grunte at the rubbynge on the gall ¶ The translatour to the reader Good and gentle reader There hast thou the boke intytled in latyne Defensorium pacis in englysshe the defence tuicyon or mayntenaunce of peace vndoubtedly full worthy so to be called as y e thynge selfe in the vse therof shall full well and manyfestly declare and shewe Aboue two hondred yeres passed there was a varyaunce stryfe and controuersy betwyxte the proude bysshoppes of Rome that then were the most gentle prynce Emperour Lewes of Bauary The bysshoppes of Rome as auncyent hystoryes do make meÌ„cyon were coÌ„menly for the more parte before that tyme yea euer syns haue ben stoute stubbourne proude presumptuous vsurpers murtherers traytours rebellyons coÌ„trary to theyr allegyaunces not onely agaynst theyr owne naturall soueraygnes lordes pryncê kyngê Emperours but also agaynst all other prynces peraduenture not without the aydes consentê mocyons couÌ„saylles of other foreyn straunge bysshoppes Nowe because this good Emperour Lewes moued no lesse with pyte towardes his louyng subiectê then with a true loue zele towardes the worde of god his moste godly honour wolde not permyt suffre the sayd bysshops of Rome to consume wast deuoure after y e accustomed maner of theyr wycked vngracyous predecessours therfore I saye arose betwyxte the sayd Emperoure and the sayd bysshops a greuous an intollerable tragedy For in the defence of the moste iuste cause of whose imperyall maiesty it lyked the noble and vertuous clerke Marsilius of Padway to compyle and endyte this same defence of peace Nowe as touchynge y e translacyon of Marsilius out of laten in teachynge hym to speake englysshe beynge an Italyan whether it be done so well as it myght or shulde haue ben I woll not saye but I hertely pray the gentle reader to take it in good parte and to correcte and amende it where nede is To dysprayse the doyng of it I iugde it no hygh poynt of learnynge And to translate it but meanely I thynke it some learnynge This dare I be bolde to say that from the iniust and lyenge carpours and pryuy detractours there coÌ„meth nothynge in to lyght neyther by preachyng ne yet by wrytyng y t sauoureth or hath any taste of vertue or learnynge I wolde gladly that suche whysperers and blowers in meÌ„nes eares wolde preache wryte and sette forth sermons and bokes of vertue and good learnynge and in the same aswell without makynge of fayned and vntrue escuses as without theyr olde accustomed crafty iugglynges truly declare and publysshe the worde of god shewe themselues to be suche in theyr hertes as of ryght and duety by the worde of god they shulde euer haue ben as with theyr mouthes by theyr wrytinges and by theyr Seales they haue professed and sworne not as the olde prouerbe is to goldsmythes of theyr owne occupacyons iniustly falsely and secretly in corners to slaunder and bely men Nowe good gentle reader I do aduyse and counceyll the to do as I woll my self that is to say in nothynge to beleue theym what soeuer they say before suche tyme vntyll they haue done as aboue is sayd also vntyl they haue openly and suffycyently improued and confuted vs. But to make fewe wordes I woll promyse and assure the of one thyng good reader and admonysshe and warne the of another and so fare well In this boke I dare saye thou shalte fynde wherwith to make iuste and inuynsyble answeres yea wherwith vtterly to confute all and euery the obieccyons fantastycall argumentes reasons perswasyons that by the papystycall sorte can be made for the settynge forthe and extollynge of the vsurped power auctoryte of the bysshop of Rome ben they neuer so false crafty subtyle And of this I do warne the that in the translacyon of this boke dyuerse thynges ben omytted and lefte out as maters not so moche profytable as longe and tedyous as in the laten boke at large more pleynly apperyth the resydue I coÌ„mytte to thyne owne dylygence whiche in readyng this boke may in nowyse lacke And thus farewell pray for the longe lyue prosperous preseruacyon of our most gracyous soueraygne lorde kynge Henry y e eyght of his most vertuous Lady quene Anne and of the Lady prynces Elyzabeth doughter and heyre to theym bothe ¶ Thus endyth the preface of the translator to the reader THe preface of Licentius Euangelus prest vâ—â—o the Apologye or answere made by Marsilius of Padway for the defence of Lodowyke whiche descended of the moste noble lynage of the dukes of Bauary Emperour of the Romaynes agaynst the false vntrue Hystoryes of certayne persones WHan I do consydre dylygently and closely in my mynde Chrysten reader the moste greuouse and ieoperdous or daungerful troubles of those tymes in whiche is so muche synne and myschefe as maye be and synne taken or accompted for no synne me thynketh a man maye reasonably without any offence apply this prophecye of Dseas say cursynge or euyll spekynge lyeng man slaughter thefte and adultery do flowe as ryuers and blode hath touched blode there is no trouth there is no mercy or pytie there is no knowledge of god any lenger in the erthe We all be bocled and made redy to wyckednes as a horse to ronnynge or a lyon to his pray Who nowe hath pytie or compassyon of the pore man who is moued or styrred any thynge with the Iniury of the wydowe or orphan beyng through false gyse and deceyte depryued of theyr ryght goodes where is nowe any place of Iugement without corrupcyon or in whiche true vpryght Iustyce is mynystred what lawes be not nowe more applyed to gettynge of
the. v. of that name bysshop of Rome doth so vse it in a certayne decretall which he made Desen et re iudi in the. vii boke to Henry the. vii of worshypfull memorye last emperour of Rome of that name whyles in reuokynge a certayne sentence or iudgement of the same Henry he vttereth certayne order of wordes expressynge that which we haue sayd as touchynge theyr sence meanynge aboute the foresayd tytle whiche wordes we leaue out passe ouer here partly because the mater as knowen well ynoughe and partly for cause of shortnes and because we shall brynge them in more for the purpose in the. xxv chapytre of y e seconde dyccyon the. xviii parte of the same chapytre Seyng than that chryst neyther is neyther hath ben more kynge and lorde of the emperour of the Romaynes than of any other kynge or prynce ruler who soeuer he be but rather as moch or more kynge and lorde of the other because that in chrystes tyme the prynce or emperoure of the Romaynes was in a maner lorde and onely chefe heed throughe out all the worlde it is open and euydent that the sence and meanynge of this tytle by the vertue and strengthe of one and the same rote is extendyd to all kyngdomes lordshyppes and rules whiche sence or meanynge also to be intendyd by the same tytle of the bysshoppes of Rome the contencyons attentacyon enterpryse of Bonyface the viii bysshop of Rome agaynst Phelyp of famouse worshypfull memory kynge of Fraunce and the decretall of the same Bonyface therof ensuynge manyfestly doth teache which same decretall shal be brought in of vs in the. xx chapytre of the seconde dyccyon the. viii parte of the same chapitre by which decretall he defyneth determyneth that this is to be beleued of the necessyte of euerlastynge helth and saluacyon that all maner men be subiectes by coactyue iurysdyccion to the bysshop of Rome Than by this meane the bysshops of Rome enterynge in to these thynges fyrste vnder the coloure and aperaunce of sechynge peace amonge the faythfull chrysten people certayne they dyd excoÌ„munycat whiche wolde not obaye theyr sentence iudgement and afterwardes geuynge sentence and iudgement agaynst them bothe reall and personall that is to saye bothe in theyr goodes and in theyr personage agaynst some more expressely as such which were lesse able to resyste or withstaÌ„de theyr powre as for example agaynst y â— synguler persons coÌ„munytes of the ItalyoÌ„s whose kyngdome beynge deuyded torne a sonder in all his ê‘tes may y e more easely soner be oppressed agaynst other some more slackely as kiges whose coactyue powre they do fere and drede Howbeit they do crepe by lytle and lytle and contynuallye assaye and enterpryse to crepe euen vnto these heades also in the vsurpacyon of iurysdyccyons beynge very hardy and bolde to inuade all togyther For the which cause y e preuarycacyon of these bysshoppes craftely preuely coÌ„mynge in hath hetherto ben vnknowen and hyd from the prynces and rulers of the Romaynes and from the peoples subiectes to them For the bysshoppes of Rome by lytle and lytle haue caughte vnto them selues one Iurysdyccyon after an other namely whan the imperyall see hath ben vacante but yet se that nowe they saye that theyr selues haue all the imperyall iurysdyccyon coactyue aboue the same prynce and emperour amonge all whiche sayd bysshoppes of Rome the bysshop that nowe is hath wryten most large and most manyfestlye to the emperour of Romaynes as wel in the prouynces of Italye as of Germanye to al the inferyour prynces and rulers of the sayd prouynces to the coÌ„munytes companyes or felysshyppes and synguler persones of the same of what soeuer dygnyte condycyon or estate they be that hym selfe hath hyghest and chefe iurysdyccyon vpon them and al theyr temporalles ascrybynge openly to hym selfe powre to gyue and to translate theyr kyngdomes and offyces from them to other men as clerely and euydently it maye appere to all men by certayne wrytynges of the same bysshop which he callethe wrytynges decrees or senteÌ„ces Therfore this wronge exystymacyon opynyon iudgement and perauenture peruerse affeccyon or desyre of domynyon or chefe rule whiche they chalenge to be due to them selues by the tytle of the ful powre and auctoryte gyuen vnto them by Chryst as they say is that synguler and specyall cause whiche we haue sayde to be the maker of intranquyllytie or dyscorde of a cytie or realme for this peruerse affeccyon beynge prone and redy to crepe in to all realmes and kyngdomes as it was sayd in our prohemye with his noysome and hatefull accyon or workynge hath of longe season vexed the realme of Italye and hath kepte contynually doth kepe it from it traÌ„quyllyte or peace in that it letteth and forbyddeth with all enforcement the promocyon or instytucyon of the chefe ruler that is to saye of the emperoure of the Romaynes and his operacyon or workynge in the sayde empyre for lacke wante of the whiche accyon or worke that is to wyt of the iustyfycacyon of the cyuyle actes and dedes wronges and contencyons or stryfes easelye and lyghtly doth chaunce and ryse whiche wronges not measured by the rule of Iustyce or of the lawe because the measurer is absent causeth fyghtynges by the reason wherof seperacyons of the coÌ„mons and inconclusyon the breakynges or lousynges of the coÌ„mune weales in Italye hathe chaunced as we haue sayd throughe this opynyon than and perauenture affeccyon and desyre of domynyon and bearynge chefe rule wherof we haue spoken the bysshop of Rome enforceth and laboureth to make y e emperour of the Romaynes subiecte to hym by coactyue or teÌ„porall iurysdyccyon which emperour neyther ought by ryght as it shal be playnly and openly shewed by those thynges whiche here after shall folowe neyther is wyllynge to be subiecte to hym in suche iudgement For the offyce of coactyue Iurysdyccyon is not a greynge or conuenyent neyther to the bysshop of Rome neyther to any other bysshop nor to any spyrytuall mynystre in that he is a spyrytuall mynystre neyther is it conuenyent that he haue any suche iurysdyccyon ouer any man or person of what soeuer estate or condycyon he be or ouer any coÌ„munytye or company or felowshyp as it hath ben determyned in the. xv xvii chapytres of this fyrste dyccyon or parte And of this mynde is Arystotle in the. iiii of his polytykes ¶ And because this pernycyous pestylence or myschefe vtterly coÌ„trary to the quyetnes and rest of men and also to al theyr welthe felycytye throughe the faulte of the sayde corrupte rote of ambycyons affeccyon to reygne ouer all myght infecte and poysone the other kyngdomes or realmes of the worlde cheyfely of chrystendome I thynke it moste necessarye and nedefull of all to repell and dryue it backe as we sayd in our prohemye fyrste by openynge the couerynge or closer of
gouernours to offre also bodely obsequye and seruyce after the example of chryste our lorde whiche wasshed the fete of his dyscyples Therfore chryste sayde The prynces of the gentyles be lordes ouer them but you that is to wytte the apostles shall not be so Chryste than the kynge of kynges lorde of lordes dyd not gyue to them powre and auctoryte to exercyse the seculare iudgementes of prynces neyther coactyue powre or iurysdyccyon ouer any man but openly and euydently he forbad it them whan he sayde but you not so And the same is consequently to be holden of all the successours of all the apostles bysshoppes or preestes This is it also whiche saynt Bernarde sayde openly to Eugenius in the seconde boke of consyderacyon the fourth chapytre treatynge vpon those wordes of chryst afore rehersed the kynge and prynces of the gentyles c. for amonge other these are the wordes of Bernarde that whiche the apostle Petre had that same he gaue that is to wytte busy care and dylygent ouerseynge of the congregacyons dyd he gyue domynacyon or lordshyp harken what he saythe Not hauynge saythe he domynyon or lordeshyp ouer the clargye but beynge made the example of the flocke And least thou myght wene or suppose that this was spoken onely of humylytie and lowlynes and not to be exequyted in very truthe the saynge of our lorde in the gospell is the kynges and prynces of the Gentyles haue domynyon and lordshyp ouer them and they whiche haue powre ouer them are called well-doers or benefycyall he inferreth or concludeth but you not so It is playne y ◠domynyon is forbydden the apostles so that they may not be lordes Darest thou then outher beynge a lord vsurpe y ◠offyce of an apostledor beynge an apostolyke persone vsurpe domynion or lordshyps forsoth thou art playnly phybyted from bothe yf thou art wyllynge to haue bothe of them togyther thou shalte lose both or elles thynke not thy selfe to be excepted from the nōbre of them of whome god cōplayned in this wyse They haue reygned and not by me they haue ben prynces and rulers and I knewe them not Thus than by the veryties or treue textes of the gospell whiche we haue brought in and alleged and by the interpretacyōs or declaracyōs of the same textes made by sayntes and other approued doctours It ought to appere euydentlye to all men that chryste dyd exclude or was wyllynge to exclude hym selfe aswell by his deades as by his wordes from all soueraynte or gouernaunce and iudgement coactyue or worldely powre and auctorytie and that he wolde hym selfe be subiecte and vnderneth the coactyue iurysdyccyon of seculare gouernours prynces or other hyghe powers ¶ Of the canonycall oracles or textes of the apostles and the exposycyons of sayntes and holy doctours by whiche the same thynge is openly proued whiche was proued by the chapytre laste afore gone The v chapytre HOwe there resteth remayneth behynde to shewe that this same was also the sentence and doctryne of the cheyfe apostles of chryst And fyrst of Paule whiche in the seconde chapytre of the seconde epystle to Tymothe admonyssheth and aduertyseth the same Timothe whome he had ordayned and made bysshop or preeste that he shulde not wrappe hym selfe in worldly busynes for these are his wordes let no man that warreth to god entangle hym selfe with worldly busynes where the glose after Ambrose mynde saythe that no man that warreth to god in spyrytuall thynges whiche god can not be parted or deuyded to two contrarye seruauntes euen lykewyse as no man can do seruyce to two maysters or lordes entangeleth hym selfe in any maner worldly busynesses And he sayth in any maner busynesses exceptynge none at all for asmoche then as domynyon or iudgement coactyue of contentiouse and debatefull actes or deades is the most seculer and worldly of all busynes for that it dothe ordre and rule all seculer busynes or all seculer cyuyle actes of men as it hathe ben shewed in the. xv chapytre of the fyrst dyccyon the apostle cōmaundeth it pryncypally moste of all to be eschewed of hym which ought to be the souldyour or seruaūte to god in mynystringe spyrytuall thynges so as euery maner bysshop or preeste ought to be And that this whiche we haue rehersed was the very meanynge and mynde of the apostle it is openly and euydently declared by the texte whiche is red in the syxte chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans where he sayde in this wyse Therfore yf you haue seculer iudgementes ordayne you or make you them iudges whiche are contemptyble and of least reputacyon in the churche for there the apostle speake vnto all faythfull or chrysten men and to the churche in his moste propre and laste sygnyfycacyon whiche sayde texte of the apostle the glose expoundeth thus accordynge to the mynde of Ambrose and Augustyne Contemptyble persones that is to wyt some wyse men but yet whiche be of lesse meryte than the preestes and teachers of the gospell ordayne them to be iudges and the cause is shewed why the mynystres of the gospell shulde not be made iudges in suche matyers For the apostles goynge aboute from place to place had not laysure or space to gyue theyr mynde to suche busynes than his wyll was that wyse and holy chrysten men whiche restyd were abydynge in places and not they which can aboute hyther and thyther from place to place for to sprede abrode the gospel shulde be the examyners and iudges of suche busynesse And an other cause hereof the glose assygneth accordynge to the mynde of Gregory in his moralles and that very well in my iudgement accordynge to the mynde and intencyon of the apostle for why sayth Gregory ought contemptyble persones and not bysshoppes or preestes be ordayned set to exercyse seculer offyces doubtles to the ende that suche shulde examyne earthly and worldly causes whiche haue gotten the wysdom or knowlege of exteryor and outwarde thynges that is to wyt of seculer or cyuyle actes or workes But they that are enryched with spyrytuall gyftes ought not to be entangled or encombred with earthly matyers or busynes that whyles they are not compelled to dyspose and ordre the inferyoure goodes of the worlde they maye be able to do seruyce to the superyour or spyrytuall good thynges lo than this is moste euydently the mynde of the apostle and of the holy exposytours which we haue sayde of the offyce that was vtterly forbydden to preestes by the apostle Paule whiche thynge also saynt Bernarde expressynge to Eugenius in the. v. chapytre of the fyrste boke De consideratione sayth in this wyse dyrectynge his speche to the bysshops of Rome and of other places Therfore your powre and auctorytie sayth he is in crymes or synnes not in possessyons For it was for synnes and not for possessyons that the keyes of the kyngdome of heuens was gyuen to you that you myght exclude transgressours or
he shall gyue to good men the rewardes of eternall ioye and to euyll or wycked men the euerlastynge paynes of the fyre of hell wherfore as it chaunceth and coÌ„meth to passe also oftentymes I put the case that a certayne synner had confessed his synnes faynedly and not duelye as he ought to do and that after suche fayned confessyon made he hath through the ignoraunce or fauoure of the preeste or elles both receyued absolucyon and benedyccyon I put the case agayne that there were an other certayne synner whiche had confessed his synnes suffycyently and duelye to the preeste and that the preeste through ignoraunce or malyce or els throughe bothe had refused to gyue to hym absolucyon and benedyccyon Are the synnes of the former persone which coÌ„fessed his synnes faynedly forgyuen the synnes of the latter man beynge truely penytent and confessed yet retayned It is to be holden stedfastlye and vndoubtedlye that no wherfore Chrisostome vpon these wordes in the. xx chapytre of IohnÌ„ Receyue you the holy ghost whose synnes ye shall forgyue c. saythe thus Neyther the preeste neyther yet any aungell or archaungell may worke any thynge in those thynges that ar gyuen of god But yet the preeste gyueth his benedyccyon putteth to his hande For it is not ryght that for the malyce of an other man aboute the sacramentes of our helthe those men shulde be hurte whiche come to the faythe The same Ierome also a lytel before recyted vpon that sayenge in the. xvi of Mathewe and to the I shall gyue the keyes of the kyngdome of heuens sayth thus certayne men vnderstandynge not this place take to them selues somwhat of the pryde of the pharyseis in that they do suppose them selues to dampne innocentes or to assoyle and lose wycked persones whan of trouthe afore god the sentence of the preestes is not requyred or soughte for but the lyfe of the synners or persones accused after whiche wordes the mayster of the sentences in the. vi chapytre of the xviii dystynccyon putteth this notable texte folowynge So it is here also openly shewed that god foloweth not the iudgement of the churche whiche otherwhyles iudgeth by surrepcyon and ignoraunce by the churche here he meaneth the preestes whiche are in the churche he addeth this also in the. viii chapytre of the same dyccyon Other whyles he that is put forthe that is to saye the whiche is iudged by the preeste to be without the churche the same is within the church and he that is without the church vnderstande thou in very dede semeth to be retayned within the churche that is to wyt by the false iudgement of the preestes This sentence of the powre and auctorytie of the keyes gyuen to preestes whiche we haue gathered of the sayenges of sayntes and doctours and haue heretofore reherced the mayster of the sentence repeatynge agayne in the. iiii boke the. xviii dystynccyon and in y e. viii chapytre sayth thus Now it hathe ben shewed howe and in what maner preestê do forgyue or retayne synnes And yet god hathe reserued to hym selfe a certayne synguler and specyall powre of forgyuynge or retaynynge synnes For he onely by hym selfe and of his owne auctorytie loseth or forgyueth the dette of euerlastynge dampnacyon and purgeth or clenseth the soule in wardly The same may ster sayth also in the. ix and laste chapytre of the same dyccyon Therfore by that vnlykenesse or that elongacyon or beynge farre awaye from god whiche is caused in the soule throughe synne is vnderstande the spotte or fylthe of the soule from whiche it is purged and clensed by penaunce But this thynge is done onely by god whiche alone rayseth vp or quyckeneth the soule and doth illumynate it whiche thynge preestes can not do whiche are the physycyons or leches of soules There is also an other maner of byndynge and of losynge to the whiche also is requyred the offyce or workynge of the preeste and this is by excoÌ„munycacyon and this excoÌ„munycacion as the mayster saythe in the. iiii boke of the sentences the. xviii dystynccyon the. vii chapytre ought to be done when any man which hathe ben thryse called to the amendement of an open synne accordynge to the dyscyplyne of the gospell and yet regardeth not to make satysfaccyon by the sentence of the churche is cut away from the place of prayer from the partetakynge of the sacrameÌ„tes and from the company and felowshyp of chrysten men to the entente he shulde be abasshed and a shamed and so by the reason of shame shulde be conuerted and repentaunte for his synne that his soule maye be saued whiche persone yf he do professe and knowlege openly hym selfe to be penytent and doth amende is admytted and receyued to the partetakynge of the sacramentes whiche was afore to hym denyed and is reconcyled to the churche But this excoÌ„munycacion or cursynge done by the churche bryngeth this punysshement to them whiche are worthely stryken with the sentence therof that the grace of god and his proteccyon or defence is taken awaye from them and they are lefte to themselues so that they be at lybertie to fall in to the dethe of synne and vpon them also the deuyll hath more powre gyuen to hym for to rage and cruelly to vexe them The prayers also of the churche and the suffrages or helpes of benedyccions good workes are supposed to be nothynge auaylynge to them But nowe to knowe to what persone or persones and after what maner the powre of excoÌ„munycacyon or cursynge doth appertayne we ought fyrst to attende and take hede that in excoÌ„munycacyon the synner is iudged to punyssement for the state of the world to come by a certayne iudgemeÌ„t wherof we shall speake more expressely and playnely in the. ix chapitre of this dyccyon and there is also a certayne great payne or punysshement put to hym euen for the state of this present lyfe in that he is defamed openlye and banysshed the company of other men by reason wherof also he is berefte of y e cyuyle coÌ„munyon and coÌ„modytie and albe it that the inflyccyon of the fyrste payne to hym whiche is vnworthely wrong fully stryken with the sentence of excoÌ„munycacyon doth nothynge hurte for the state of the worlde to come because god doth not alwayes folowe the iudgement of the churche that is to say of preestes whan they do iudge or declare any man accursed wrongfully as we haue shewed suffycyentlye heretofore yet shulde he whiche were wrongfully stryken with the same sentence by the preeste be very greatly and fore hurte for the state of this presente lyfe for that he is dyffamed openly and berefte the company of the cytezens and the cyuyle coÌ„modytyes and therfore it is to be sayd that albeit that the voyce or wordê of the preeste and his operacyon or mynysterye is requyred to the promulgacyon or publysshynge of suche iudgement yet for all that iudgement coactyue powre to gyue coÌ„mauÌ„dement
prymacye or superyoryte vnto them selues aboue and vpon other bysshoppes and churches The xviij chapytre NOwe this resteth or remayneth of the intentes purposed to shewe declare the rysynge begynnynge wherof the coactyue iurysdyccyon the powre auctoryte of al the secoÌ„darie instytucioÌ„s of preestê called afore of vs the accedentall or not essencyall instytucyoÌ„s and also the powre to dystrybute all the ecclesiastical teÌ„poralles or benefyces hath come vnto certayne bysshops or preestê wherof it coÌ„meth y t the bysshop of Rome doth ascrybe to hym selfe the hyghest of all suche auctoryte And coÌ„sequently after these premysses we wyll shewe declare to what persone or persones the ryghtfull auctoryte powre belongeth to interprete the doubtfull sences of the scrypture and those so interpreted to gyue and coÌ„maunde it to be beleued and obserued of the chrysten people ¶ Supposynge therfore fyrste of all of the determynacions made by vs in y e. xv xvii of the fyrste dyccion and in the. iiii v. viii ix x. of this present dyccion y t vnto no bysshop or preeste or ecclesiasticall mynystre in y t y t he is but a mynystre belongeth any iurysdyccion coactyue of any man in this worlde And agayne y t no bysshop or preest by the iÌ„medyate ordynacion of chryst ought to be vnder any other bysshop or preeste as touchynge to any of the powres beloÌ„gynge to preestê outher essencyall or not essencyall aforesayde Begynnynge therfore at the holy Canon or scrypture as at the fountayne of the verite trouth which we do seche we shall take the oracle or sayenge of chryst in the. xx of IohnÌ„ by which he gaue the auctoryte of preesthode or the powre of the keyes or bothe indyfferently to al his apostles whan he brethed vpon them sayd Take you y e holy ghost whose synnes you shall forgyue they are forgyuen them and we shal also ioyne to this the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of y e sayd chryste wherby he dyd inioyne them also indyffereÌ„tly to preache the gospell throughe out the whole world whan he sayd to them in the laft of mathewe Go you therfore teache all nacyons c. To whiche apostles he dyd afterwarde by his owne iÌ„mediate vocacion ioyne Paule as a chosen vessell that is to wyt of the holy ghost as it appereth euydently in the. ix of y e actes And this Paule the other apostles togyther executynge the aforesayd coÌ„mauÌ„dement of chryste But afterwardes by the reuelacyon of god and theyr owne ordynaunces amonge them selues certayne of them remayned styll in Iurye and the resydewe of them departynge them selues asondre went from thense in to dyuers countres and to soundrye peoples amonge whome they boldly and constaÌ„tly preachynge the gospell profyted and dyd as moche good eche one of them as he was able and as it pleased god in the conuertynge of men and women vnto the faythe as it is recyted and rehersed in theyr legendes or in the approued hystoryes of them albeit that amonge other two of them dyd moste notable good with theyr preachynge that is to wyt saynt Peter and saynt Paule whiche Paule althoughe he was none of the. xii yet neuerthelesse he was called and sente as iÌ„medyatly and pryncypallye of chryste as any other whosoeuer it was of the apostles as it appereth of the. ix of the actes ¶ From these two apostles Peter and Paule the vsage custome of the chrysten churche was fyrst deryued albeit yet more manyfestly from Paule after y e texte or processe of the canon or scrypture and namely to the Gentyles as saynt Augustyne sayth in the. ix chapytre of y e. xiiii boke De ciuitate dei For Paule hymselfe was pryncypall the fyrst apostle vnto the Gentyles or vncyrcuÌ„cysed people lykewyse as Peter was the pryncypall apostle sente vnto the Iewes or cyrcuÌ„cysed people as it appereth in the seconde chapytre to the Galatianes in the x. to the Romaynes and of y e glose also of holy men in the same place in many other places of the scrypture And these two apostles with al the resydue of them folowynge theyr mayster that is to wyt chryste lyued vnder the coactyue iurysdyccyon of the seculare prynces taught other to lyue lykewyse as it hathe ben euydeÌ„tly shewed in the. iiii the. v. of this dyccion And so dyd theyr successours preestes bysshoppes with theyr deacons other mynystres of the gospell from tyme to tyme coÌ„tynually euyn vnto the tyme of Constantyne the fyrst emperour of Rome as it appereth euydently of the aforesayd boke of Isodory so that none of all the bysshops in al that space dyd exercyse any coactyue iurysdyccion vpon the other bysshoppes albeit yet that many bysshops of other prouynces in suche thyngê wherin they doubted as well of the holy scrypture as of the custome vsage ceremonyes of the churche beynge not bolde to gather them selues togyther openly asked counsayle of the bysshop the coÌ„gregacion of christen men beynge at Rome because peradueÌ„ture there was y e greatter multytude of chrysten people better learned for as moche as at that tyme the studyes of all maner scyences florysshed than at Rome wherupon the bysshops preestê there were more learned the churche there had more abundauÌ„ce plentie in nombre of suche lerned persons than had the coÌ„gregacyoÌ„s or churches in other places the bysshops of the same place also were had in more reuerence partly because sayut Peter the most auncyent of the apostles most sage reuerende is red to haue syt there as bysshop and saynt Paule also of whome it is more euydent vndoubted as it appereth in the. xvi of this dyccyon Partly also for the pryncipalyte of the cytie of Rome his greatter fame in coÌ„paryson to other prouynces of the worlde wherfore also the chrysten people of other prouyncê lackynge then able suffycyeÌ„t persones to gouerne theyr churches desyred of the bysshop the chrysten congregacion of Rome able suffycieÌ„t persons to be made bysshops ouerseers vnto them selues because the chrysten churche of Rome had more plentie of suche maner persons as we sayd not longe afore The bysshops than of Rome the congregacion of chrysten people there so beynge then requyred desyred to gyue theyr helpe and counsayle as well aboute the fayth as aboute the custome ceremonyes of the churche the ê“uydynge of able persones charytablye brotherly dyd succour and helpe them y t had nede requyred it of them in these aforesayd thyngê that is to wyt insendynge bysshops vnto them whiche coulde scantly be founde any y t were wyllynge to take that offyce vpon them also in makynge the other prouynces whiche so sent vnto them partakers of such ordynacions whiche they had made for themselues coÌ„cernynge the customes ceremonyes to be vsed in y e churche of Rome somtyme also cherytablye puttynge away the coÌ„tencion or scisme of the
chrysten people amonge themselues in other prouynces These thyngê the churches of other prouynces toke receyued thankefully from the tyme of pope Clement whiche is wryten to haue ben fyrst bysshop there beynge the successour of Peter or Paule or of bothe vntyll the tyme of the aforesayde Constantyne And after this maner also or moche lyke the people of Rome receyued of the Grekes frely without coÌ„pulcion certayne lawes called the lawes of the. x. tables out of whiche as from the orygynall all other lawes of the people of Rome proceded came forth And yet this is vndoubted that the people of Rome was not subiecte to the grekes in any maner iurysdyccion or auctoryte ¶ But of this sayde superyoryte coÌ„mynge in a maner of custome by the fre and wylfull consente of other churches the bysshops of Rome as touchynge to theyr further goynge forth from the begynnynge haue taken vnto themselues a certayne more large auctoryte to make decrees or ordynacyons vpon and ouer the vnyuersall churche concernynge the custome and ceremonyes of the churche and the actes of all preestes to coÌ„maunde the obseruacyon of the same decrees euen vntyll the aforesayde constantynes tyme. But whether the bysshoppes of Rome inyght do this by the auctoryte of themselues alone or elles there was necessaryly requyred the consent of other bysshoppes vnto the same we shall shewe here after And the aforesayd Constantyne as Isodore sheweth in the foresayd boke in the chapytre of the prymatyue churche in the Nicene counceyle the same is also contayned in wrytynge in the preuylege of lorde ConstaÌ„tyne the emperour was the fyrst emperour whiche by the mynysterye of Syluester than pope of Rome dyd openly receyue and take vpon hym the faythe of chryste And the sayde Constantyne semeth to haue exeÌ„pte preesthod from the coactyue iurysdyccion of prynces whiche also by the aforesayd pryuyledge semeth to haue gyuen to the churche of Rome and lykewyse to the bysshop therof the auctoryties and powres vpon all other churches and bysshops whiche they do saye nowe to belonge vnto themselues by an other tytle as we haue shewed afore in the. viii ix parte of y e xix chapytre of y e fyrst dyccion besyde this also he semeth to haue gyuen to them coactyue iurysdyccions vpon the same feldes londes lordshyps many possessyons with the secular domynyon also of certayne ê“uynces as it appereth euydently in the same decree preuyledge to them that lyste to loke vpon it This ConstaÌ„tyne also as it is red afore was the fyrste emperour which graunted to chrysten men lyceÌ„ce to gather theÌ„ selues togyther to asseÌ„ble opeÌ„ly to buylde teÌ„ples or churches And by his precepte and coÌ„maundement the fyrste councell called the councell of Nece was gathered or assembled of which couÌ„sayle with other whiche haue ben made in the processe or goynge forwarde of the churche from the tyme of y e apostles euen vnto these preseÌ„t tymes we shal hereafter touche brynge in or alledge the hystoryes in mete coÌ„uenyent places coÌ„cernynge so moche as shall belonge to our purpose takynge out of them these thynges whiche shall be consonaunte and agreable to the scrypture and ryghte reason and refusynge those thynges whiche shall be dissonaunte or dysagreynge from the same ¶ Of a certayne preamble necessary to be had that is to wyt y t fayth and credence is to be gyuen onely to the scryptures of god not to the pure doctryne of any auncyent doctoure The. xix chapytre BVt afore that we do procede any further we confesse that we ar not bounde of the necessyte of eternall saluacyon to beleue or to confesse any scrypture to be vndoubtedlye true but onely these scryptures whiche are called the canonycall scryptures contayned in the Byble or elles those which necessarylye folowe of the sayd canonycall scryptures ¶ And y t no man is holden or bouÌ„de to gyue sure credence vnto the other scryptures y t is to wyt whiche haue ben shewed gyuen or taught by y e spyryte of any doctour spyrytual it is euydent for no man is bounde stedfastly to gyue credence to any scrypture whiche may sygnyfy or gyue knowlege of false thyngê nor to confesse or knowlege it as vtterly true But such are all the scryptures of men grounded vpon theyr owne inuencion for they may swarue from the truthe as it is euydent by experemeÌ„t is had also in the. c. xv psalme I sayd in myne excesse euery man is a lyer But the canonycal scryptures are not so for they are not of mans inuencyon but rather taughte or gyuen by the imedyate inspyracyon of god whiche neyther can be deceyued neyther is wyllynge to deceyue And this sentence whiche we haue sayd and the dyfference of the deuyne of the humayne scryptures saynt Augustyne openly confyrmeth in the. xiii of the epystle to saynt Iherome whan he sayd For I knowlege to thy charytie that I haue learned to gyue this honoure feare onely to the bokes of the scryptures which at nowe called canonycall that I do beleue surely sted fastly none of y e authours or makers of them to haue erred any whyt in theyr wrytynge And yf any thynge be offered to me in those scryptures whiche semeth coÌ„trary to the truthe I do not doubte but that outher the boke is corrupte or els that the interpretour dyd not vnderstande that which was sayd or els that I my selfe haue not vnderstande it But other bokes I do so rede that were the aucthours of them neuer so excellent holy or well lerned yet I do not thynke any thynge therfore true because they haue thought or iudged so but because they haue ben able to perswade vnto me by these forsayd canonycall aucthores or els by ê“bable reason y t it doth not dysagre from y e truth The same thynge also he reherseth in y e ê“louge of y e iii. boke De trinitate whaÌ„ he sayd do not o reder folow obeye my bokes as thou woldest the canonycall scryptures but in them y t is to wyt in the canonycall scryptures euyn that also which thou doste not yet beleue whan thou shalte haue fouÌ„de it there beleue it forthwith without any taryauÌ„ce or delaye but in these bokes of myne y t whiche thou arte not sure of excepte thou shalt perceyue vnderstaÌ„de it to be vndoubted do not stedfastly suerly holde or sustayne The same thynge also he sayde in his epystle to Fortinacianus and in many other bokes the textes wherof I haue lefte out here because of spede and shortnes Wherfore also it is founde to haue ben prohibited by the thyrde couÌ„sayle holden at Carthage were reasonably that none other maner scryptures shulde be red vnder the name of these that is to wyt of the canonycall scryptures wherfore there is red in the sayd counsayle also in the foresayd boke of Isodore is coÌ„tayned this texte
owne domynyons they haue therfore I saye soughte and gone aboute to entre vnto these thynges by a certayne other crafte subtel medytacion and deuyse For they haue taken vpon them the tytle whiche they preache openlye of them selues and whiche they go aboute to make the instrument of this wyckednes and myschefe that is to wyt the fulnes of powre whiche they do saye to be graunted syngulerlye vnto them selues by chryste in the persone of saynt Peter the apostle whose successours they saye them selues to be By whiche cursed tytle and sophysticall oracyon because it may be taken dyuerse wayes as beynge false in al sences alwayes at al tymes to be denyed of all chrysten men they haue hetherto disceyued doth newe dysceyue gothe aboute more more to begyle and dysceyue to brynge vnder theyr seruytude and bondage all the prynces and peoples collegyes and syngulare persones of the worlde For after the bysshops of Rome had taken this sayde tytle of full powre vnto them selues fyrste of all in that sence after whiche fulnes of powre semeth to betoken for the vnynersall cure of all soules or the offyce of generall pastor or herdes man and agayne in the sence after whiche it betokeneth powre to absolue all men seuerallye from all synnes and paynes vnder the coloure and apperaunce of pytie charyte and mercye from these by lytle and lytle and secretlye as we haue declared in the. xxiii chapytre of this dyccyon they haue gone further and at the last haue taken vnto them selues this tytle in and after that sygnyfycacyon by whiche they do vnderstande by fulnes of powre vnyuersall auctoryte and hyghest iurysdyccion or coactyue gouernaunce and domynyon of all prynces and peoples and all temporall thynges takynge the begynnynge and grounde of suche fulnes by the metaphorycall and allegorycall exposycyons wherof we haue spoken in the. v. parte of the. xxiii chapytre of this dyccyon And this is an euydent and manyfest sygne to all men that the bysshops of Rome dothe accordynge to this sence ascrybe vnto them selues and bragge them selues to haue fulnes of powre that is to wytte that they wyll haue the auctoryte of hyghest iurysdyccyon or coactyue domynacyon ouer all prynces peoples partyculer persons to be agreynge and appertaynynge vnto them selues by this fulnes of powre For in the. vii boke of theyr narracyons whiche they do call Decretalles in the tytle Desentencia et re iudicata Clement the. v. pope of Rome whiche is intytled the maker therof and he whiche afterwardes publysshed the same beynge called the successoure of the same ClemeÌ„t asmoche as in them was reuokynge a certayne sentence of the moste honourable Henry the. vii emperoure of the Romaynes amonge other thynges after very many wordes of contumelye rebuke and irreuerence there promysed after theyr wonte and accustomed maner bothe by worde of mouthe and also in wrytyngê agaynst the sayd Henry at the last I saye they brynge for y â— this sentence folowynge We as well by the superyoryte whiche it is vndoubted that we haue in comparyson to the empyre as by the powre and auctoryte in which we do succede the emperoure the empyre beynge vacante and also by the fulnes of that powre whiche chryste the kynge of kynges and lorde of lordes hathe graunted to vs thoughe vnworthye in the persone of saynt Peter do declare by the councell of our brethren the sentence and processes aforesayde and what soeuer hathe folowed of them or by the occasyon of them to haue ben and also to be vtterlye voyde and of no strengthe And because the dysceypte and gyle of these bysshops shall not from hensforthe be hyd and vnknowen I as the coÌ„mune proclaymour and cryere of trouthe do crye stronglye and saye vnto you kynges prynces peoples and men of all nacyons and languages that the popes of Rome with the companye of theyr clarkes by this theyr decretalles beynge moste openlye false as touchynge to euerye supposycyon of it do the moste hyghe preiudyce that may be vnto you all for they do go aboute to brynge you in to theyr subieccion yf you shall suffre that Decretall to remayne and namelye to haue the vertue and strengthe of a lawe For marke well this it foloweth of necessyte that he whiche hathe pryncypall auctoryte to reuoke the sentence of any maner prynce or iudge hathe also iurysdyccyon and coactyue domynyon vpon the same prynce or iudge and hathe auctoryte and powre to instytute and to depose hym from kyngdome rule and gouernaunce But the pope of Rome ascrybeth this auctoryte vnto hym selfe ouer all prynces and kyngdomes of the worlde indyfferentlye for by that full powre and auctorytye whiche he saythe that Chryste hathe graunted to hym in the persone of saynt Peter he hathe reuoked the cyuyle sentence of the aforesayde Emperoure of Rome Henry whiche powre it foloweth of necessyte to haue ben graunted to hym no lesse vpon other kynges and gouernours of the worlde than vpon the emperoure of the Romaynes For chryste no lesse hath ben is or shalbe kynge and lorde of other kynges and prynces or gouernours than of the kynge gouernoure of the Romaynes whiche thynge also theyr owne speche or scrypture wytnesseth openlye whan they do saye or wryte kynge of kynges and lorde of lordes For yf theyr sayenge or writynge were vnder this forme syngulerlye that of the fulnes of powre graunted vnto them by chryste kynge and lorde of the kynge or emperour of Rome c. By this peraduenture myght the excepcyon of other kynges and kyngdomes be somwhat perceyued and comprehended But nowe for asmoche as they pronounce this sentence plurallye absolutelye and indyfferentlye euen as it is wryten of the euangelyste thoughe not to that sentence or purpose whiche the bysshops of Rome do intende by it there can be made none excepcion of any kynge or gouernour no more then they themselues do vnderstande or meane any prynce to be excepted from it but euery one to be contayned in it as in an other place theyr predecessoure Boniface the. viii dyd playnely and dystynctely expresse and we haue broughte in his sayenge here tofore To whome yet let no man contynue enuyous mynded for theyr sayenge or wrytynge And albeit that the euangelyst sayd trewe whan he called chryste the kynge of kynges and lorde of lordes yea yf he had sayd also of all creatures yet for all that he sayd and wrote a false and an open lye and contrary to the many fest and euydent sentence of chryste and of the apostles Peter and Paule Iames whiche sayd and affyrmed the foresayd full powre of domynyon or of coactyue iurysdyccion or any suche powre at all to be gyuen in the persone of saynt Peter or of any other apostle to the bysshop of Rome or elles to any other bysshop But suche maner of powre is hathe ben and shall be vtterlye for bydden to the bysshop of Rome and to all other bysshops
and ordayned to the sustentacyon of the mynystres of the gospell and to the succurrynge and releuynge of impotent poore people and also vniustlye chalengynge the temporalles bequested in testamentes vnto vertuouse vses as to the passage ouer the see and to the redemynge of the prysoners taken of the infydels and to other lyke vses I saye chalengynge them as belongynge vnto his powre he gothe aboute to tourne them in to the aforesayd vses Albeit that it is no worke mete for the successoure of the apostles or a preeste neyther it dothe become a preeste or a man consecrated vnto god to moue weapon or to bydde warre to be made amonge chrystes faythfull people and namelye vniustlye but rather by conuenyent exhortacions to call agayne the same people vnto concorde and vnyte yf they shall be at dyscorde or debate amonge them selues one of them with an other as it hathe ben suffycyentlye shewed by the auctoryte of the apostle by Chrysostome Hilarie and Ambrose in the. v. and ix chapytres of this dyccyon it is not therfore from hensforthe to be permytted or suffered that this bysshoppe or any other shall haue so generall absolute or so great powre to gyue or dystrybute the ecclesiasticall temporalties but the sayde powre is by the prynces and parlyamentes vtterlye to be reuoked from hym or elles so to be tempted and measured that those thynges whiche hathe ben statuted and ordayned hytherto to the helthe of chrysten men bothe present and for to come and contynually are ordayned may not tourne to the contynuall vexacyon of them and in conclusyon to the euerlastynge tornement or dampnacyon of them Also he that is called pope euen nowe adayes with his mynystres whom he calleth legates haue proceded of late dayes and contynuallye do procede with suche maner processes so laudable and so pleasaunt vnto god as euery man beynge of ryght mynde and not cortupted in affeccyon maye perceyue agaynst the foresayd Ludouyke kynge of the Romayns And so they haue proceded agaynst his deputyes and faythfull subiectes namelye in the prouynce of Lombardye of Tuskayne and of the matches of Anchone Amonge whome most specyallye and syngularlye he hathe hytherto persecuted the gentle noble and famouse catholyke man syngulare amonge all other Italyons in honestye of maners and in grauyte Mathewe of good remembraunce sherefe and by the emperyall auctoryte his lyefe tennaunte vycare or deputie in Mylayne with a verye great multytude of chrysten people adherentes vnto hym for this sayde Mathewe the aforesayde bysshoppe thoughe verye vniustlye by his prophane and wycked sayenges and scryptures dothe pronounce to haue ben of a shamefull lyfe and of an euyl daÌ„pned memory But not y e sayd Mathewe but he by whom slauÌ„ders offeÌ„cioÌ„s do come which bryngeth forth of y e treasures of his malyce alwayes cuylles is counted openlye of dampned memorye afore god and man and it shall be more largelye accompted and layde to his charge bothe afore his death and after his death accordynge to the manashynge of Chryste which is verye trouth in the. xviii chapytre of Mathewe where he sayth woo be to that man by whom slaunder coÌ„meth and agayne in the same chapytre who soeuer shall offende one of these lytle ones whiche beleueth in me it were more expedyent for hym that a mylnestone be hanged in his necke and that he be drowned in the depthe of the see whiche sayenges he nothynge markynge or regardynge lykewyse as he regardeth not the other monycions and counsayles of Chryste as beynge frowarde and vnpenytente contynuallye without ceasynge dothe persecute and blaspheme very many other noble men for the prosecutynge of theyr faithfulnes and constancye to warde the sayd prynce or emperour of the Romaynes whose fame beynge swete bothe afore god and man by his aforesayde prophanacyones and blasphemyes he gothe aboute to spotte and defyle This is the bysshoppe the iudgement of whome and of his churche god dothe not folowe because he iudgeth by surrepcyon and ignorauncye as the mayster of the sentence saythe in the. iiii booke the. xviii dystynccyon and the. vi chapytre And the cause hereof saynt Iherome sheweth vpon that texte in the. xvi chapytre of Mathewe And to the I shall gyue the kayes of the kyngdome of heuyns For he saythe whiche I am not greued to reherse Certayne men not vnderstandynge this place as for example this bysshoppe vnderstande thou take vnto them selues somwhat of the pryde or hyghe mynde of the pharyseys that they do suppose them selues to condempne innocentes or to lose and assoyle malefactours and gylty persones and it foloweth afterwardes to the same purpose albeit that in very dede afore god not the sentence of the preestes but the lyfe of the persones accused is soughte for God therfore dothe not folowe the iudgement of suche maner preeste bysshoppe or churche beynge so vniuste and contrarye to equytye wherfore the blasphemyes of hym and of his complices are not to be dredde or feared of any Chrysten man as we haue sayde for they do not entre in to the flocke of Chrysten men but they haue learned rather by the powre of god to stryke and lyghte vpon the fowle bodyes and the cursed and wreched soules of them that braste forthe in to suche blasphemyes These than whiche we haue rehersed are the trewe begynnynges of the thynges inquyred and those thynges whiche also haue bothe duelye and vnduelye procedyd and gone forwardes albeit that by reason of longe tyme and the folysshenes and ydlenesse of men they are fallen out from the syghtes and memoryes of them and in the stede of these thynges throughe custome of herynge false and fayned thynges certayne falsehodes haue ben broughte in secretelye and fastened in the soules of verye many chrysten men whiche thynges are contrarye cleane to trouthe The begynnynge and fountayne therof was auerice or couytousnes and Ambicion or pryde And no lytle instrumente of the increase and mayntenaunce therof hathe ben that execrable opynyon and sayenge by whiche the bysshoppe of Rome and the companye or colledge of his clarkes or cardynalles do affyrme that vnto the same bysshop in the persone of saynt Peter the apostle was graunted and gyuen by Chryste fulnes of powre But after moche dylygent and labourfull serchynge and exquysycyon of the scrypturê of god from the scryptures of men whiche certayne bysshoppes of Rome had confounded and almoste set at nought the sayd scryptures of god and mengeled the one with the other and wrestynge it to theyr pleasures supposynge beleuynge y t of such menglynge gatheryng of them togyther the same auctoryte which is due onely to the holy scrypture shulde be coÌ„mune to theyr owne instytucions and ordynacions we haue determyned the sences of the sayde tytle and haue suffecyently opened and declared in the. xxiii chapytre of this dyccion to all that vseth reason at the least wyse whiche are not troubled with croked affeccions that the sayde sences are false and
sayd gyfte belonge to any other seculer prynce or gouernour This auctoryte therfore shall belonge onely to hym whiche is the heed cheyfe or pryncypal of all other preestes the bysshop of Rome by the auctoryte of god yf it may not be the ryght of any prynce or seculer gouernour hereof also it semeth necessarylye to folowe that to hym also belongeth the auctoryte of dystrybutynge or gyuynge the benefyces or the temporalles of the churche for these maner thyngê are gyuen for the exercysynge of theyr offyces ¶ Of the aforesayd thynges also it semeth that it may be inferred and concluded y t the same pryncypall bysshop hathe coactyue iurysdyccyon vpon all other bysshops of the worlde and all other mynystres of the temples or churches for they are subiectes vnto hym by the ordynacyon of god as it is euydent of the reason afore made whiche thynge also maye be confyrmed and fortyfyed by the aforesayde both boke and chapytre of I sodore for amonge other thynges there he wryteth so as here foloweth ¶ But in that counsayle the prynce or emperoure dyd a meruaylouse dede whiche I do suppose is not to be passed ouer with scylence for when the bysshops were come togyther almost from all places and as it is wonte to be had broughte certayne braules or coÌ„tencyons of dyuerse causes amonge them selues he was often tymes called on and lybelles was offerde and crymes were offerde of eche one of them and they gaue theyr myndes more vnto these thynges than to that thynge for whiche they were come but he seynge and perceyuynge that throughe suche braules and coÌ„tencions the cause of the hyghest and greattest busynes was hyndred backed or frustrated he set apoynted a certayne daye whan euery one of the bysshops shulde brynge in his complaynte yf he had any suche mater of complaynte And whan he was set he receyued of eche one theyr lybelles whiche all togyther holdynge in his bosome and not openynge them to se what was contayned within them he sayd to the bysshops God hathe ordayned and made you preestes and hathe gyuen to you powre to iudge of vs also and therfore it is welldone and ryght y t we be iudged of you but you may not be iudged of men wherfore abyde you or tary you for the iudgement onely of god betwene you and youre braules or contencions what soeuer they be let them be reserued to that iudgemeÌ„t of god For you are goddes gyuen vnto vs of god it is not coÌ„uenyent that any man do iudge goddes wherfore to conclude the auctoryte of iurysdyccion vpon them appertayneth to hym which is the god of suche goddes in erthe as he is called that is to wyt the bysshop of Rome ¶ And of the same thyngê also it semeth that the same bysshop hath auctoryte to call togyther to coÌ„maunde generall councelles of preestes in the same couÌ„celles to propouÌ„de or put forthe to determyne such thyngê whiche he shall thynke in his mynde worthy to be put forthe to be determyned aboute the lawe of god the ecclesiasticall custome and ceremonyes Concernynge the auctorite of gatherynge a generall couÌ„cell I sodore in the preface of his sayd worke sayth thus But the auctorite of gatherynge synodes hath ben coÌ„mytted by pryuate or peculyar powre auctoryte to the apostolyke see Neyther do we rede any synode to haue ben of effecte or strengthe which hathe not ben coÌ„gregated strengthed by the auctoryte of the sayd see These thyngê the canonycall auctoryte wytnesseth or recordeth These thyngê the ecclesiastical hystorie fortyfyeth confyrmeth These thyngê the holy fathers also confyrme and as touchynge to the powre or auctoryte of defynynge or determynynge the sence or menynge of the scrypture the same I sodore speakynge in the same boke chapytre saythe in this wyse Furthermore we haue set forth to syght in this volume y e Decrees of dyuers couÌ„celles both greake councelles latyne which haue ben made outher afore or after in dystyncte sondry chapytres vnder the ordre of nombres tymes puttynge after also y e other Decrees of the popes of Rome vntyll saynt Bregorie certayne epystles of hym in which the auctorite of the apostolyke see is egall to the auctoryte of the councelles It foloweth than that the pope by the auctoryte of his owne selfe alone may determyne that thynge whiche the auctoryte of the generall councell may determyne for asmoche as his auctoryte is not vnegall to the auctoryte of the general couÌ„celles after I sodores sayenge ¶ The same also semeth to haue ben y e mynde opynyon of saynt Iherome in his epystle intytled of the exposycion of the catholyke fayth where he sayth thus This is the faythe O most blessyd pope whiche we haue learned in the catholyke churche which we haue alwayes holden or kepte in whiche yf haply any thynge hath ben put eyther not learnedly or to openlye we desyre that it may be amendyd by you whiche do kepe the faythe and seate of Peter but yf this our confessyon be approued and alowed by the iudgement of your apostleshyp who soeuer shall be wyllynge to spotte or defyle my name he shall proue hym selfe to be vnlarned or euyll wylled or also no catholyke persone and not me to be an heretyke ¶ And as touchynge to the powre and auctoryte of ordaynynge or decreynge those thynges whiche appertayne to the ecclesiasticall customes or ceremonyes and to eternal helthe it appereth by the oracle or saynge of chryst in the. x. chapytre of Luke for there he saythe to the apostles and to all bysshops or preestes in the person of the apostles who soeuer despyseth you despyseth me who soeuer despyseth me despiseth hym that hath sent me It foloweth therfore that the statutes of preestê are to be obserued obayed of the necessyte of saluacyon Therfore of these powers assygned to the bysshop of Rome and other more large saynt Bernarde makynge a colleccyon to Eugenius pope in his seconde boke De consideracio sayth in this wyse Nowe are the rest to be repeted yf at y e leste any there be of the place whiche we haue declared or dysputed of go to let vs serche yet dylygentlye who thou arte that is to wyt what persone thou doste beare for the tyme in the church of god who art thou ¶ A great preest hyghest bysshop Thou art heed or pryncipall of bysshops Thou art heyre of the apostles thou arte in prymacie A bell in gouernaunce Noye in patriarcheshyp Abraham in ordre Melchysedeche in dygnyte Aron in auctoryte Moyses in iudgemente Samuell in power Peter in a noyntyng chryst And it foloweth by by after in the same chapytre And thou alone art pastor or herdysman not onely of the shepe but also of all pastors or herdysmen Askest thou wherby I do proue this by the wordes and sayng of chyrst For to whom I do not saye of bysshops but of the apostelles also hath all the
instytucyon of god than I refuse the sayenges both of the sayde Canones of Eugenius and also of Bernarde agreynge vnto the same because neyther they are canonycall neyther ought to be called canonycall scryptures but onelye scryptures framed of theyr owne braynes And also because we haue oftentymes by the scrypture proued the contrarye of that whiche they do saye But yf they do meane or vnderstande that full powre by the instytucyon of man iÌ„medyatlye than I do grauÌ„t his saynge to be trewe And agayne to y t whiche he addeth sayenge The powre and auctoryte of other is coarcted restrayned within certayne lymytes or boundes thyne auctoryte and powre is extended also vpon them whiche haue receyued auctoryte vpon other Mayste not thou yf a cause ryse shytte heuen to a bysshop c. it is to be sayd as before y t by the iÌ„medyate ordynacion of god y e bysshop of Rome or any other bysshop hath no more auctoryte vpon the resydewe of bysshops than they haue vpon hym For the bysshop of Rome may not excoÌ„munycate or depose an other bysshop for any crymes or trespace by the auctoryte gyuen to hym by chryste iÌ„medyatlye more than they maye excoÌ„munycate or depose hym as it hath ben shewed and proued by the scrypture in the. xv xvi of this dyccion And hathe also ben latelye repeted and reherced agayne in this chapytre But yf Bernarde do meane this prymacie which he hathe by the graunt of man iÌ„medyatlye than he hathe that prymacye whiche hathe ben graunted to hym aboue other by the humayne powre And to that whiche is added last of al as touchynge to this oracyon Thy pryuyledge therfore standeth vnbroken and inuiolated vnto the. c. it is to be sayde that it is trewe for the bysshop of Rome hathe powre and auctoryte to bynde and loose men from synnes and to teache them to mynystre the sacramentes of eternall saluacyon And so hath euery other bysshyp or preeste by the lawe of god but yf by pryuyledge Bernarde doth meane vnderstande any prymacye due to the bysshop of Rome vpon other bysshops by the lawe of god or by the iÌ„medyate ordynacyon of god than as I dyd before so do I nowe refuse his sentence for the causes afore assygned ¶ And to the other sayenge of the same Bernarde in the. iiii boke chapytre to Eugenius by whiche he semeth to meane that vnto the bysshop of Rome belongeth coactyue iurysdyccyon whiche vnder a methaphore he calleth the temporall swerde not onely vpon clerkes but also vpon lay men whan he sayde whiche swerde truely who soeuer denyeth to be thyne me thynketh he do not marke well or suffycieÌ„tly gyue hede to chrystes wordes c. And in the ende coÌ„cludynge he saythe Both swerdes therfore belongeth to the churche that is to wyt the sprytuall swerde and the materyal swerde it is to be sayd with reuerence and with no lesse meruaylynge that the same Bernarde hath openly spoken in this matter dyssonauntly and contrarylye to his owne selfe For in the place iÌ„medyatly afore alledged speakynge of this auctoryte and power he sayd why shuldest thou that is to wytte the Pope go about agayne to vsurpe the swerde whiche thou hast ben ones bydden to put vp agayne in to the sheth or scabarde And it is vndoubted that the thynge whiche any man vsurpeth belongeth not to his auctoryte But Bernarde or his interpreter shall saye peraduenture accordynge to that whiche Bernarde sayde in the ende of his speache or oracyon that thoughe the auctoryte nowe sayd doth belonge vnto a preeste yet the execusyon therof ought not to be done by a preeste whiche he called the drawynge forthe or exercysynge of the materyall swerde But this answere is not accordyng to the intencyon and mynde of the scrypture For Chryste dyd not onely refuse denye from hym selfe y e drawynge out of this materyall swerde But also that iudgeÌ„ment and byddynge or coÌ„maundynge it to be drawen out whan he sayd in the. xii of Luke to hym that desyred such maner iudgement of hym Thou man who hath made me iudge or deuyder ouer or vpon you Of which sayng of chryst with certayne other sayengê both of chryst and of the apostles saynt Bernarde treatynge in the fyrste boke and the. v. chapitre De coÌ„sideratione as we haue alledged in the. v. of this dyccyon destroyeth the interpretacyon of hym that doth so expound or declare hym in this place For this he sayth to the same Pope Herken what the apostles mynde is concernynge suche maner auctoryte That is to wyt of iudgynge temporall thynges and it is in the. vi chapytre of the fyrste to the Coryntheans Is there not so wyse a man amonge you whiche maye iudge betwene brother and brother And it foloweth I do speake it to your rebuke and shame Those whiche are moste contemptyble in the churche make and ordayne them iudges And therfore after the mynde of the apostle thou doest vnsemelye whiche beynge an apostolicall person doest vsurpe vnto thy selfe a vyle offyce and the degree of conteÌ„ptyble persons Marke here y t he speaketh of the offyce not of the execucyon wherfore the apostle Paule also instructynge a bysshop that is to wyt Timothe sayde in this wyse Let no man that is a warryour to god entangle hym selfe with seculer busynesses but I spare or forbere the for I speake not stronge thynges but possyble thynges Supposest thou that men nowe adayes wolde suffre yf whan men dyd stryue for erthlye inherytaunce requyred iudgement of the thou dydest answere them with the wordes of chryste O men who hathe made me iudge vpon you In to what maner iudgement shuldest thou come and what wolde be iudged of the what wolde a rustycall and vnlerned man saye Thou knowest not the prymacye and preemynence Thou dyshonourest the honorable and moste hyghe feate thou doste derogate the apostles dygnyte and yet for all that they that so shall saye as I suppose wyll not shewe where at any tyme any of the apostles hath sytte as iudges of men or as dyuyders of termes or boundes and dystrybutors of landes To conclude I rede that the apostles haue stande to be iudged but that they haue syt iudgynge I do not rede This shall be in tyme to come it hath not ben yet Is the seruaunte than a dymynyssher of the dygnyte yf he wyll not be greatter than his lorde and mayster or the dyscyple because he wyll not be greatter than he that sent hym or the sone because he wyll not passe beyonde the boundes or lymytes whiche his fathers hathe set who hathe ordayned me iudge vpon you sayth that lorde and mayster And shall it be iniurye to the seruaunt and dyscyple excepte he do iudge all men Saynt Bernarde therfore yea rather Chryste and the apostles do remoue or take a waye from theyr successours the bysshoppes and preestes not onely the execucyon of seculer iudgement but also the offyce or
Chryste in to whether parte she please other approuynge or dysprouyng but there ben also certayne whiche affyrme that it had ben beste the gospell neuer to haue be made or wryten And than ergo it shulde be best that thyng not to haue ben wryten at all whiche no man excepte he be to tomoche wycked dothe denye to haue be wryten by the inspyracyon of the holy ghost to the erudycyon and consolacyon of the churche And ergo the euangelystes were then bothe pernycyouse noysome hurtefull to the churche And ergo the apostles whiche fyrste taught the worlde this gospell so hurtefull were no teachers to y e churche but destroyers of the truthe And ergo chryste hymselfe whiche gaue them in charge coÌ„mauÌ„dement to preache it dyd not coÌ„mauÌ„de that which was best but whiche to haue forbydden had ben best O good god what a monstruouse thyng is this to say that it had ben expedyent for the vtilyte profyte of the churche that no gospels had euer ben wryten And I pray you for Chrystes sake what maner a church shuld it haue ben of chrysten men without the worde of chryste vpon whiche worde alone as vpon a sure stone it is grounded and buylded Shulde we thynke that it shuld haue ben a churche or els rather some synagoge of Satan without the gospell of Chryste why hath the churche selfe instytuted and ordeyned no Masse to be celebrated no sermon to be made without the gospell why do we ryse vp reuerently accordynge to the manour and custome whan the gospell is redde or songe yf there be no profyte therof at all in the churche Beholde what maner tragicall troubles and great busynes or stryfe is raysed and styrred vp nowe a dayes and all for the entent that we myght make one wretched man egall and pete to Chryste in power and auctoryte whiche we do not hope that it may be brought any other wayes to passe excepte we vnder the pretence of the name of the churche doo chalenge and ascrybe to hym auctoryte also to forsake or put downe the gospell yf he lysted But Chryste sayth he that is of god hereth the wordes of god therfore you here not because you are not of god yf this sayeng be true than who soeuer dothe not here y e gospell that was shewed by the inspyracyon of god whiche thynge no man woll denye but the deuyll hym self as I haue sayd heretofore who soeuer affyrmeth or sayth that it is pernycyous and hurtefull to the churche he is not of god but of the deuyl his father whose desyres he coueteth to performe and fulfyl yf you shal abyde and contynue in my worde sayth the same Chryst our sauyoure you shall truely be my dyscyples and shall knowe the truthe and the truthe shall delyuer you who soeuer therfore shall not contynue abyde stedfastly in his gospell shall not be the true dyscyple of Chryste of whom than of Antechryste Neyther he shall knowe the truthe what shall folowe than he shall worke the lesynges or lyenges of his father the deuyll neyther shall he be deleuered by the truthe what shall he suffre than he shall be set on the lefte hande with the kyddes that is to saye with wycked men But nowe not forgettynge our begynnynge to retorne agayne to the pryncypall and chyef poynte of our matyer or purpose Seynge that the truthe that is to saye the belefe of the worde of god onely dothe delyuer from dethe and incredulyte or lacke of belefe dothe destroye why do we doubte yet but that we do sustayne and suffre thyse present euylles and that we shal dayly suffre more greuous calamyties for that we haue on euery syde caste out and bannysshed this truthe Oure lorde sayde by the mouthe of Ieremye the prophet I haue planted the a chosen vyneyarde all true sede howe fortuneth it than that thou arte tourned to me in to a croked and euyll one thou vyneyarde of a strauÌ„ge kynde Beholde he hathe planted all true sede in his chosen vyneyarde But we haue torned the true sede in to euyll and noughtye therfore also we be not the chosen vyneyarde of the lorde but a straunge one and of an other kynde why so strauÌ„ge and of an other kynde because we do adulterate and corrupte his worde he sayd you shall not put any thyng to the worde which I speake to you neyther shall you take awaye any thynge from it But we nothynge dredynge or ferynge this his threatenynge in the stede of his holy worde we compell his churche beynge oppressed to receyue our sense and Iugement affyrmyng with asseueracyon that whiche we speake to be the worde of the lorde nothynge remeÌ„brynge that fearefull saynge of the prophete woo be to you whiche are wyse in your owne iyes whiche are prudent in the syght of your selues woo be to you whiche call euyll good and good euyll makynge darkenes lyght and lyght darkenes But what other thyng do we applyeng the scripture to our owne wyll and luste or appetyte than make our owne wordes lyghte and the wordes of god darkenes Therfore Ieremye worthely vpbreydyng and rebukynge vs sayth thyse wordes the prophete the preest be polluted and in my howse I haue founde the wyckednes of synne of them sayth the lord Therfore the way of them shall be as a slypper grouÌ„de or place in darkenes for they shall be dryuen and shall fall in hit for I shall brynge euylles vpon them the yere of theyr vysytacyon sayth the lorde Peter also hathe gyuen vs warnynge of the same sayng these wordes it is tyme nowe that the Iudgemente begyn at the howse of god and yf it shall begyn fyrste at vs what shall be ende of them whiche hath not gyuen credence to the gospell of god But they speake these thynges to vs all in vayne and no more fruyte coÌ„meth therof as touchynge our parte than shulde come yf one tolde a tale as it is coÌ„menly sayde to deafe men for we are vtterly hardened and styffe mynded agaynst the truthe and as it were y e deeffe serpentê called Astoides we obstynatly stoppe our eares to speke out the voyce or sounde of scrypture enchauntynge and charmynge vs to our porfyte Farewell crysten reader and sorowe thou syghe with me seynge that in a maner there remayneth nothyng els that we may do for the decaye of the ecclesiastycall discyplyne and good ordre whiche dayly appereth and waxeth worse and worse The yere of our Lorde M. CCCCC xxii ¶ To god onely be honoure and glorye AGaynst the vsurped iurisdiccyon of y e bysshop of Rome y e boke of Marsilius of Padua treatynge of the Emperours the popes power whiche boke is entitled Defensor pacis is deuyded in to iii. partes whiche the Author therof calleth diccyons And this sayd boke was wrytten dedycated to the moste valyaunt emperour Lodowyke of Bauaria which had ben handled after vngoodly maner suffered many iniuryes done to hym by thre
bysshoppes called popes of Rome aboute the yere of our lorde god M. CCC xxiiii ¶ Of the sumarye and generall intencyon of the thynges whiche shal be treated and spoken of in this worke and of the cause of the intencyon and purpose and of the dyuysyon of the boke ¶ The fyrste Chapytre TRanquyllyte is the thyng doubtles whiche is to be desyred of euery realme and comynaltie as in which both the people goth forwarde encreaseth For the vtylyte or profyte of nacyons is kept maynteyned For this is the beautefull mother of good artes and occupacyons This tranquyllyte multyplyeng and encreasyng the kynde of man by repetable successyon enlargeth theyr possessyons and goodes beautefyeth theyr maners And he is knowen to be ignoraūte of these so great thynges who soeuer is perceyued not to haue sought after this sayde tranquyllyte By these wordes and 〈◊〉 nowe afore recyted Cassiodorus in his fyrst boke of epystles hath expressed the vtilities profytes or frutes that groweth of the trāquyllytie or peace of Ciuyle regymentes to the intente that he by these best frutes expressynge and declarynge the best thyng that belongeth to may that is to wyt the suffycyencye of his lyfe whiche no man maye attayne without peace tranquylytie he myght excyte prouoke and styrre vp the wylles and desyres of men to haue peace and this tranquyllytie amōge them selfes one with an other wherin he spake conformablye to the sayenge of blyssed Iob whiche in the. xxii chapitre sayde haue thou peace by it thou shalt haue veray good frutes This peace chryste verely the sone of god decreed therfore to be the sygne or token the messenger or shewer of his newe and straunge byrthe whan in his sayd byrth he wold by y e oracle and voyce of heuenly aungels this songe to be songe Gloria in altissimis doo et in terra pax hominibus bone voluntatis That is Glorye and prayse be to god in heuens in erthe peas be to men of good wyll For this cause also the same chryste very oftentymes wysshed peas to his dyscyples wherfore it is wryten in the gospell of Iohn̄ Iesus came and stode in the myddes of his dyscyples and sayd pax vobis that is peace be to you He also geuynge them monycyon to obserue and kepe peas one with an other and sayd as it is redde in Marke pacem habete inter vos that is haue or kepe peas amonge you And not only he taught them to kepe peas amonge them selues one with an other But also he taught them to wysshe the same peas vnto other men wherfore it is redde this in Mathew And when you entre in to y e house salute it sayeng peas be to this house This same peas also was the enherytaunce whiche chryste whan the tyme of his passyon deth approched by his testamēt lefte to his dysciples whan he sayd to them in y e. ix of Iohn̄ peas I leue vnto you my peas I gyue vnto you And after the maner of chryst the Apostles also as beynge his verey heyres folowers wysshed this sayd peas vnto all those persones to whome by theyr epystles they dyd dyrecte the documentes and monycyons or counsayles of the gospell as men that knew ryght well the fruytes of peas to be most good as it hath ben alleged of Iob and by Cassiodore more largely declared But bycause of contrary causes contrary effectes naturally and necessaryly are brought forth therfore of dyscorde which is contrary vnto tranquyllyte there shall growe vnto euery real me or cyuyle regyment most euyll fruytes and hurtes as men may suffycyently se and well nere to euery man is euydently knowen by the realme or cyuyle regyment of Italye for whyles the inhabytauntes therof lyued togyther peaseably they receyued of long tyme pleasauntly y e afore rehersed fruytes of peas And by these in these fruytes they prosperyd and went forwarde so greatly that they haue subdued all the habytable partes of the worlde vnto theyr domynyon and empyre But after that dyscorde or stryfe was ones rysen or spronge vp amonge them theyr kyngdome or cōmunytie and empyre hath ben vexed with manyfold and sondry maner incōmodyties and euyls and hath ben subdued and brought vnder the empyre and domynyon of other straunge and hatefull nacyons And moreouer agayne the countrey of Italy is by the reason of stryfe and dyscorde so torne on euery syde and in a maner losed vtterly feblysshed that it is no harde thynge or mastrye for any man that lyst to wynne it is any thynge of power at all to entre therunto And that it hath thus chaunced or come to passe it is nothynge meruayle worthy for as Salustius wytnesseth where he maketh mencion of Catylyne By vnyte concorde small thynges growe encrease through dyscorde and debate very great thynges fallen awaye and goen to nought By the reason of this sayd dyscorde verely the Italyens beynge seduced and led in to the bypath of erroure are depryued and berefte of theyr suffycyent lyuynge And in the stede of quyetnes and rest whiche they sought for they do contynuelly suffre and abyde more and more greuouse labours and paynes And in the stede of lybertye they are contynually subdued and brought vndre the harde and cruell yokes of tyrauntes and so in conclusyon are made more miserable and wretched then other nacyons and peoples which lyue a cyuyle and honest lyfe and are cōmen to that poynte that theyr patronymyke name whiche was wonte to gyue glorye imunytie and lybertie to all that called on the sayde name is now vpbrayded and caste in theyr tethe of other nacyons and torned in to the cause of sufferynge ignomynye and dyshonour Thus than the wretched Romayns are caryed hedlonge in to these darkenesses by the reason of the dyscorde stryfe and debate amonge them selues And lykewyse as that man or sensyble creature is knowen to be out of frame which is troubled with syckenes euen so is y ◠dysposycion ordre cōmen weale and cyuyle regyment of Italy knowen to be out of tempre fascyon and croked by the debate and stryfe that is amonge them Of the which sayde dyscorde or intranquyllyte albeit that there are many prymytyue causes and that not a fewe yea and suche as well nere all that are possyble to happen or chaunce after the wonte maners and fascyons the chefe of all phylosophere Aristotell in his ciuyle scyence or polytykes hath descrybed yet is there for all that be syde them a certayne specyall and veray pryuey or hyd cause through whiche the empyre of Rome hath of longe tyme ben vexed and dyseased any contynually is vexed which cause as a syckenes excedyngly contagyons is as redy to crepe or sprede in to all other cyuyle cōmunyties and realmes Ye moreouer through it gredynes hath alredy assayed to inuade a great many of the sayd realmes and cōmunyties And this cause or the begynnynge