was written in the same Bull We command the Angels to carry the absolved Soul into Paradise It was then a received Article that the Pope may command the Angels as his Serjeants Pope Clement granted great Indulgences to such as could not go but could find Money for that use Out of an old French Chronicle so as he that gave a penny was to have one year's pardon he that gave twelve pence twelve year's pardon and he that would give as much as would maintain a man going over Seas a plenary pardon for all The Pope appointed certain men whom he put in trust for the receiving of this Money Unspeakable were the sums of Money that were given for the purchasing these pardons for five years together At the end whereof when the good men were ready to go and perform what they had promised and vowed the business was broke off but the Pope kept the Money the Marquess his Nephew had a share of it and King Philip the fair and his three Sons who had taken up the cross to go thither in person Edward King of England and other noble persons stayed at home In this Council it was ordained that the feast of Corpus Christi should be kept with many Indulgences granted unto them who should celebrate this Feast In the same Council Pope Clement V. set forth a Book of Papal decrees called Liber Clementiarum which was received Symson Eccles Hist in Cent. 14. allowed and ratified by this Council Nauclerus saith that Clement before his death repented the setting out of this Book and commanded it to be burnt Yet notwithstanding the succeeding Popes and particularly John XXII confirmed and Authorized the said Book again together with the Decretals of Gregory and Boniface because these Books highly advanced the See of Rome exempting the Bishop of Rome from subjection to general Councils and attributing power to him to receive or reject the Emperour after he is chosen comparing the Pope to the Sun and the Emperour to the Moon Finally counting it a thing necessary unto Eternal Life that every person be subject to the Bishop of Rome It was also ordained that Schools should be erected and foreign Tongues should be learned namely the Hebrew Chaldaick and Arabick Languages It was also ordained that the name and remembrance of the Templars should be rooted out which decree was put in execution by all Christian Princes Know then Tho. Fuller supplem Hist sacribelli ca. 1. that about nineteen years after the Christians had lost all in Palestine by the cruel deed of Pope Clement V. and foul Fact of Philip the fair King of France the Templars were finally extirpated out of all Christendom Pope Clement having long sojourned in France had received many great courtesies from King Philip yea he owed little less than himself to him At last Philip requested of him a boon great enough saith my Authour for a King to ask and a Pope to grant namely all the Lands of the Knights Templars in France forfeited by reason of their horrible Heresies and licentious living The Pope was willing to gratifie him in some good proportion for his favours received and being thus long the King's Guest he gave him the Templars Lands and Goods to pay for his entertainment On a sudden all the Templars in France are clapt in prison damnable sins were laid to their charge as sacrificing of Men to an Idol they worshipped roasting of a Templar's Bastard and drinking his Blood spitting upon the cross of Christ conspiring with Turks and Saracens against Christianity they were charged with Sodomy Bestiality with many other Villanies out of the Road of humane corruption and as far from Man's Nature as God's Law The sole witness against them was one of their own Order a notorious Malefactor who at the same time being in prison and to suffer for his own offences condemned by the Master of their Order sought to prove his Innocency by charging all his own Order to be guilty And he swore most heartily to whatsoever was objected against their Order Besides many of the Templars being brought upon the rack confessed the accusations to be true wherewith they were charged Hereupon all the Templars were most cruelly burned to death at a stake through all France with James the Grand-Master of their Order Many men accounted not the Templars Malefactors but Martyrs First because the witness was unsufficient a Malefactor against his Judge and Secondly they bring tortured men against themselves And a confession extorted upon the Rack say some is of no validity But being burned at the stake they denyed it at their death though formerly they had confessed it A Templar being to be burned at Burdeaux and seeing the Pope and King Philip looking out of a Window Hospin de Orig. Monach. ca. 18. fol. 193. cryed unto them Clement thou cruel Tyrant seeing there is no other among mortal men to whom I should appeal for my unjust Death I cite Thee together with King Philip to the Tribunal of Christ the just Judge who redeemed me there both to appear within one year and a day where I will lay open my cause and Justice shall be done without any by-respect In like manner James Grand-Master of the Templars though by piece-meal he was tortured to death craved pardon of God and those of his order That forced by extremity of pain upon the rack and allured with hope of life he had accused them of such damnable sins whereof they were innocent True it is they were generally cryed up for innocents But Pope Clement and King Philip were within the time prefixed summoned by death to answer to God for what they had done Besides King Philip missed of his expectation and the morsel fell besides his Mouth the Lands of the Templars which were first granted to him as a portion for his youngest Son being afterwards by the Council of Vienne bestowed on the Knights-Hospitallers William Durand Bishop of Menda in Languedoc being summoned by Clement V. to the general Council at Vienne to come and see what was fitting to be reformed in the Church made a Book de Consiliis toward the beginning whereof he saith It seemeth to be a thing considerable and it is most expedient and necessary that before any thing else we should proceed to the correction and reformation of such things as ought to be corrected and reformed in the Church of God as well in the head as the Members And in the first Chapter of the third Book Verily as concerning the Reformation of the Catholick Church to bring it about profitably and effectually it seems expedient that it begin at the Head that is at the Holy Church of Rome which is the Head of all others Then he sets down in particular such things as stood in need of reformation notably representing many abuses of the See of Rome that deserved to be corrected But for all his learned discourse there was nothing done therein in
Avergne by force where the blood of the Inhabitants shed without pity by the Duke of Anjou confirmed the Protestants in the bad opinion they had conceived of him The Duke of Mayenne sends forth a Navy to Sea under the Command of Lansac which coming before the Isle of Ré retired seeing the Islanders resolved to fight if they approached The Rochellers Arm seven Ships those of the Islands five entreating aid from Holland and Zealand to withstand the force of the Fleet. The Nobility invite all others to charge themselves willingly for the maintenance of this Army Mayenne assaulteth Brovage a little square Town built in a Marsh recovered out of the Sea fortified during the third Peace and after the Rochellers had cut off six hundred of his men the Town for want of victuals entred into Capitulation and departed August 28. 1577. with their Arms and Baggage leaving the place at the Duke's devotion But a Peace was concluded at Poictiers and was in the end of September Proclaimed with great joy of either party This last Edict cut off some Articles of the former made no mention of Strangers left their consciences free yet without exercise of Religion but in Towns and places where then it was publickly used in the houses of Gentlemen Feudataries or as they call them de Haute justice free admission was given to every body but in the houses of private Gentlemen not above the number of seven was allowed and in a prefixed place in every jurisdiction and Baily-wick except in Paris and ten Leagues about it and two Leagues compass from the Court wheresoever it should be But the Marshal D'anville who every day withdrew himself further from the Protestants ceased not to prosecute those by whom he pretended to be injuried in Languedoc under colour of reducing the places of his Government under his own Command Nor did the Sieur des Diguieres in Dolphinè dare to trust the Peace nor hazard himself upon the King's word remembring what had befallen Monbrun in whose company he had made War and therefore still continued Armed for his security And the Papists when they saw the Protestants meet at their Sermons could not suffer them without murmurings and detractions which occasioned many contentions and sometimes dangerous bloody accidents whereby a great part of France though the Peace was made continued still in broyls and insurrections About that time the King created two Mareschals men valiant in War and very prudent in Government viz. Armand Sieur de Byron and Jaques Sieur de Matignon men free from the Interests of the Duke of Guise depending wholly upon the King's will And Renato di Birago the High Chancellour being made Cardinal Philip Hurault Viscount de Chiverny is chosen in his place In the year 1579. the King shews himself in publick for a mirrour of Reformation and Piety he builds many Monasteries Chappels and Oratories undertakes many Pilgrimages on foot confirms the brotherhood of Penitents erects tne Order of Jeronomites is daily conversant with the Capuchins and Fucillans called Jesuites and by their instructions erects many Congregations He carrieth a Crucifix and Beads in Procession with a Whip at his Girdle He causeth many Books of Devotion to be Printed And leads a Life more befitting a Cloyster than a Court. He institutes the Order of The Knights of the Holy Ghost binding them to Conditions which carry a strict bond to the Church of Rome The Duke of Anjou dies and now the King of Navarre is by quality the first Prince of the Blood and first Peer of France and most part of France cast their eyes upon him as upon the Sun rising This amazeth the Duke of Guise and his adherents they assemble the Heads of their house at St. Dennis and endeavour to renew the Catholique League which before was almost laid aside for seeing that the King ballanced the forces very carefully with those of the Hugonot Lords and that he would not suppress that party which as they believed he might easily have done and that under several pretences he devested all the dependants of both Factions of their places and honours to bestow them upon such as should acknowledge them meerly from himself they were the more highly incensed Nor could it satisfie them to see the King taken up with Religious thoughts and addicted to a quiet unactive life for they knowing his nature wherewith they had been conversant from his very Childhood interpreted that course of life to subtil deep dissimulation Wherefore the Duke of Guise a man of a very quick insight discerning judgement and high thoughts determined to prevent and not stay to be prevented In which resolution he was seconded by his Brother Louis the Cardinal a man of an high spirit and great wit as also by Henry of Savoy Duke of Nemours and Charles Marquess of San-Sorlin both Sons of Anna d'Esté and therefore his Brothers by the Mother Charles of Lorain Duke of Aumale and Claude his Brother a Knight of Jerusalem Charles of Lorain Duke d'Elbeuf Emanuel Duke de Mercure and his Brothers Only Charles Duke of Mayenne proceeded more slowly than the rest who thinking how dangerous it would be to hazard their safety by rash resolutions advised them to proceed with more patience and more respect toward the Lawful possessour of the Crown But the Duke of Guise resolute in his thoughts by the Authority of his Person Vivacity of his courage and Eloquence of his Language drew all the rest to his Opinion and excluding his Brothers advice setled all his thoughts upon the machinations of the League for the establishment whereof dissembling his discontents no less than his jeolousies and private interests he made shew of stirring only for the respects of Religion and the general good making an ill interpretation of all the King's actions and with many arts and circumstances aggravating that danger which he pretended hung over the Catholick Religion in France He grounded his fears upon the death of the Duke of Alançon and the Queens barrenness which in the space of ten years had had no Son whereby the King dying without heirs of the house of Valois the Crown fell to the Princes of Bourbon and in the first place to the King of Navarre whom he termed a relapsed Heretick and an open enemy to the Roman Religion He urged that his coming to the Crown would be the universal ruine of Religion and the total Conversion of all France to the Doctrine and Rites of Calvin and therefore shewed how all good Catholicks were obliged to look to it in time Davil Hist of the Civil Wars of France lib. 7. and to prevent the terrible blow of that imminent subversion He shewed that when sometimes he had been constrained to make War against the King of Navarre he employed the Mareschal de Byron who though a Catholick in outward appearance was yet by many former proofs known to be a favourer of the Hugonots and interessed in their Factions that therefore he
Confirmation of the bordering Churches or out of the Epistles which he wrote to certain Brethren for Admonition or Exhortation-sake Thus far Irenaeus There are but few of the Fathers but have some particular Opinion which the Church of Rome disalloweth as well as we The Learned Dr. Du Moulin mentioneth many of the Ancients Du Moulin Contr. Perront Lib. 1. cap. 49. and among them Irenaeus who saith that Jesus Christ Taught until the Age of forty or fifty years Fevardent who hath Commented upon the Book hath written in the Margin Naevus de aetate Christi it is a fault of Irenaeus about the Age of Christ The same Father also Teacheth that the Souls separated from the bodies have a bodily shape and keep the character or form of the body to which they were joyned The same Irenaeus saith Iren. Lib. 4. cap. 30. That the Law was not given to the Fathers that lived before the Law because they were Righteous and there was no need they should be warned by Reprehensions but that this Righteousness being given in Egypt God then had given his Law The same Father in the Fifth Book Chap. 33 and 34 brings in bodily Feasts after the Resurrection because Christ said He should drink of the New Fruit of the Vine in the Kingdom of his Father The same Father opposeth them as Hereticks that hold that the Souls of the Faithful departed do enjoy the Heavenly Glory His Opinion was that at their going out of the Body they go down into an invisible place where they expect the Resurrection Besides those Epistles of Irenaeus forementioned there is extant another very learned and necessary Book of his against the Gentiles Entituled A Book of Science or Knowledge Another unto Marcianus his Brother Entituled A Declaration of the Apostles Preaching And another Book of divers Tracts where he makes mention of the Epistle to the Hebrews and the Book of Wisdom called Solomon's Ex Platina in vita Sixti In the time of the Emperour Commodus Peregrinus flourished who had been sent before by Xistus Bishop of Rome into the parts of France to supply there the room of a Bishop and Teacher Because of the horrible Persecutions thereabout those places were left desolate and destitute of Ministers and Instructors where after he had Preached with much success among the Flock of Christ and had established the Congregation there returning to Rome he there finished his Martyrdom Six several Synods were held about the Observation of Easter and the fourth was held in France in which Irenaeus was Chief Century III. AFter the Death of the Emperour Commodus Reigned Pertinax but few months after whom succeeded Septimius Severus under whom was raised a notable Persecution against the Christians Great Persecution was stirred up on every side whereby an infinite number of Martyrs were slain as Eusebius reporteth Vincent Lib. 11. cap. 6. Ex Martyrol Vincentius speaketh of one Andoclus whom Polycarpus before had sent into France which Andoclus because he spread there the Doctrine of Christ was apprehended of Severus and first beaten with staves and after was beheaded About the same time died Irenaeus Henry of Erford Ado and other Martyr-writers do hold That he was martyred with many more for the Confession and Doctrine of Christ about the fourth or fifth year of Severus This Irenaeus as he was a great Writer so was he greatly commended of Tertullian for his Learning whom he calleth Omnium doctrinarum curiosissimum exploratorem a great searcher of all kind of learning In the time of this Irenaeus the state of the Church was much troubled not only for the outward persecution of the foreign enemy but also for divers Sects and Errours then stirring against which he diligently laboured and wrote much although but few Books be now remaining Calixtus succeeded Zepherinus Bishop of Rome and after him Vrbanus which both as some Writers affirm did suffer under the Emperour Alexander Severus This Calixtus in his two decretal Epistles written to Benedictus and to the Bishops of France giveth forth divers Ordinances concerning the Bishops and Ministers of the Church Vincentius affirmeth that Calixtus was tied to a great stone and so out of a window was thrown into a ditch Under the Emperour Decius as Gregory of Tours observeth Gratian came to Tours to preach the Gospel among the Pagans Gregor Turonens Hist Lib. 5. Anno Christi 252. Saturninus preached at Tholouse and was the first Bishop of that place Dionysius also came to Paris where he was Bishop and suffered Martyrdom This is he who is falsly named Dionysius or Denis the Areopagite Saturninus also was thrown down from the Capitol of Tholouse Rusticus and Eleutherius also there suffered Martyrdom The Author of St. Omer's Life relateth that Fuscianus and Victorinus the Companions of Dionysius preached at the same time the Faith of Christ That St. Quintin did the same among the Ambianians and suffered Martyrdom Aurelius Probus being invested with the Empire Anno 276. went into France where he regained sixty Towns out of the Barbarians hands and killed of them near seventy thousand Having quieted all things in France he went into Sclavonia and overcame the Nations in Scythia And being gone thence into the East he gave battel to the Persians and having overcome them and taken some of their Cities as he was returning to Italy passing through Sclavonia he was killed at Sirmium by the Soldiers Anno 282. M. Aurelius Carus born at Narbon in France succeeded Probus who soon after Created his Sons Carinus and Numerianus Caesars And having sent Carinus into France to keep it in peace he with his Son Numerianus went against the Persians there having overcome Mesopotamia he was strucken dead by a Thunderbolt Numerianus was slain by the conspiracy of Aper his Father in Law Carinus was slain by a Tribune whose Wife he had defloured Dioclesian succeeded him Dioclesian upon his Establishment associated unto him Maximianus Hercules in the Government of the Empire and they both chose Constantius Chlorus and Galerius to be their Colleagues and they were Created Caesars In the time before the Tenth Persecution the Church of Christ having had above forty years of outward rest and peace through the connivance and indulgence of some Emperours viz. from the death of Valerian until the nineteenth year of Dioclesian this prosperity being abused by the Clergy and other Christians unto idleness contentions c. moved the Lord to scourge them whereupon followed that sharp and cruel Persecution under Dioclesian Maximianus in the West and Dioclesian in the East bent all their Forces to root out the profession of Christian Religion Dioclesian endeavoured to destroy all the Churches and Temples of the Christians that they might not Assemble together to Pray and to use Divine Service he burnt all the Books he could get of the Holy Scripture and would not permit any man if he were a Christian to hold any Office or Magistracy The Soldiers being
with augmentation if need require for eschewing of perjuries false testimonies and many other inconveniences Of the Council of Tours In the same Year 813 at the Commandment of the Emperour Charles the Great a Council of many Bishops and Abbots was Assembled there about establishing Ecclesiastical Discipline 1. In the first Canon all men are admonished to be obedient to the Emperour Charles and to keep the Oath of Allegiance made unto him and to make prayers for his prosperity 2. All Bishops shall frequently read all the Books of holy Scripture together with the Books of Ancient Fathers written thereupon 3. It is not lawful for any Bishop to be ignorant of the Canons of the Church and of the Pastoral Book of Gregory 4. Let every Bishop feed the Flock committed to him not only with Doctrine but also with an holy Example 5. That a Bishop be content with a moderate diet that holy Lectures be read at his Table rather than the idle words of Parasites 6. Let strangers and poor people be at Bishops Tables whom they may refresh both with corporal and spiritual repast 7. That the delicate pleasure of the eye and ear be eschewed lest the mind be enchanted therewith 8. Let not the Lords Servants delight in vain jesting nor in hunting and hawking 9. Let Presbyters and Deacons follow the footsteps of their Bishops in leading a pious life 10. Let Bishops take care of the poor and faithfully dispense Church-goods 11. That Bishops may with consent of Presbyters and Deacons bestow somewhat out of the Church-treasure to support needy people of that same Church 12. A Presbyter is not to be Ordained till he is thirty years old 13. Let the Bishop see that in his own Parish Church no Presbyter coming from any other parts do Service in his Church without Letters of Recommendation 14. Let a Presbyter leaving a low place and presuming to an higher incurr that same punishment which a Bishop taken in the like fault should incurr 15. A Presbyter who getteth a Church by giving money for it let him be deposed 16. Let Tithes bestowed upon Churches by advice of Bishops be faithfully distributed to the poor by the Presbyters 17. The Families of the Bishops shall be instructed in the summ of the true Faith in the knowledge of the retribution to be given to good men and the condemnation of evil people and of the resurrection and last judgement c. 18. That the Bishop instruct his Presbyters concerning the Sacrament of Baptism what it is they should desire the baptized people to renounce 19. That Presbyters when they say Mass and do communicate do not distribute the Lord's body indiscreetly to children and to all persons who happen to be present c. Then Reader take notice that private Masses had no place in those dayes but they who were duly prepared did communicate with the Priest 20. Presbyters shall not suffer the holy Chrism to be touched by any man 21. Presbyters shall not haunt Taverns 22. Bishops and Presbyters shall prescribe to sinners who have confessed their sins penance discreetly according to the nature of their fault 23. Chanons who dwell in one City shall eat in one Cloyster and sleep under one roof that they may be ready to Celebrate their Canonical hours 24. From the 24 to the 32 Canon are Constitutions concerning Monks and Nuns which I overpass with silence 32. All Christians are exhorted to peace and concord 33. Lords and Judges should hearken to the good admonitions of their Bishops and Bishops on the other side should reverently regard them 34. Lords and Judges are not to admit vile persons to bear witness in their Judicatories 35. Let no man for his Decree receive a reward 36. Let every one be careful to support indigent persons of his own kindred 37. That Christians do bow their knees in prayer except upon the Lord's Day and other Solemn dayes on the which the Universal Church keepeth a memorial of the Lord's Resurrection At such times they use to stand and pray 38. That none enter into the Church with noise and tumult and in time of prayer and celebration of the Mass not to be busied in vain confabulations but even to abstain from idle thoughts 39. Let not the Consistories of Secular Judges be in the Church or porches thereof in any time to come because the House of God should be an house of prayer 40. That Merchandize be forbidden on the Lord's Day that the whole day be spent in God's service 41. That paricides murtherers and incestuous persons be reduced to Order by the discipline of the secular power 42. That all people abstain from Magical Arts which are the deceitfull snares of the Devil 43. A frequent custom of swearing is forbidden 44. That the causes of many Free Subjects brought to poverty by oppression be examined by the Emperour 45. That false weights and measures are an abomination to the Lord. 46. The 46 Canon bewaileth that Tithes were not duly paid to the Church shewing the ill effects thereof 47. When general Fastings are appointed for any impendent Calamity let no man neglect the fellowship of the humble Church c. 48. Drunkenness and surfeiting are forbidden c. 49. Lords and Masters are to be admonished not to deal cruelly with their subjects yea and not to seek that which is due unto themselves with excessive rigour 50. Let Laick people communicate at least thrice in a year unless they be hindered by some great sins committed by them 51. In the last Canon mention is made that they diligently examined the cause of them who complained to the Emperour that they were dis-inherited by the donation of Lands which their Fathers and Friends had bestowed on the Church and in their bounds they found no man who did complain yet in that matter if any thing was done amiss they humbly submitted themselves to be corrected by their Soveraign Lord and King Of the Council of Chalons This Council was Convened in the same year of our Lord 813 by the Commandment of Charles the Great for the Reformation of the Ecclesiastical Estate Many of the Canons of this Council are co-incident with the Canons of the former which I shall overpass and mention only some of the other Can. 3. Let Bishops Constitute Schools wherein Learning may be encreased and men brought up in them that may be the salt of the earth to season the corrupt manners of the people and to stop the mouths of Hereticks 4. Let Church-men shew humility in word deed habit and countenance 5. Let Priests be unreproveable adorned with good manners and not given to filthy lucre 7. Bishops and Abbots who have circumvented simple men and shaven their heads and by such means do possess their goods let them be subject to Canonical or Regular Repentance 8. If Church-men lay up provision of Corn in Victualling-houses let it not be to keep them to a dearth but therewith to support the poor in a time of need
of Auxerre in France Henry's Son-in-Law 4. Robert 5. Baldwin the fifth and last At this time the Tartarians over-run the North of Asia and many Nations fled from their own Countries for fear of them Among other the Corasines a fierce and Warlike people were forced to forsake their Land Being thus unkennelled they have recourse to the Sultan of Babylon who bestows on them all the Lands the Christians held in Palestine They march to Jerusalem and take it without resistance Soon after the Corasines elated herewith fell out with the Sultan himself who in anger rooted out their Nation so that none remained The French-men make War against Reymund Earl of Tholouse and think to enclose him in his Castle of Saracene but the Earl lying in Ambush for them in Woods slew many of them and 500 of the French Souldiers were taken and of their Servitors to the number of 200 men in armour were taken of whom some lost their eyes some their ears some their legs and so were sent home the rest were carried away Prisoners into the Castle Thrice that Summer were the French-men discomfited by the aforesaid Reymund King Lewes puts a stop to the persecution of the Albigenses saying that they must perswade them by reason and not constrain them by force whereby many Families were preserved in those Provinces In those times lived Gulielmus de sancto amore a Doctor of Paris and Chanon of Beauvois exclaiming against the abuses of the Church of Rome He wrote against the Fryars and their hypocrisie but especially against the begging Fryars In his days there was a most detestable and blasphemous book set forth by the Fryars which they called Evangelium Aeternum or Evangelium spiritûs sancti The Everlasting Gospel or The Gospel of the Holy Ghost Wherein it is said That the Gospel of Christ was not to be compared to it no more than darkness to light That the Gospel of Christ should be preached but fifty years and then this everlasting Gospel should rule the Church He mightily impugned this pestiferous Book Fox Act and Monum p. 410. ad 416. He was by the Pope condemned for an Heretick exiled and his Books were burnt His story and Arguments may be read in Mr. Fox his first Volumn Pope Alexander armed Thomas Aquinas and Bonaventure men of violent spirits against him but he was too hard for these reprovers his followers were called Amoraei Pope Gregory succeedeth Innocent and is a great Enemy to Frederick the Emperour who had entred Italy with a great Army After his Election he sends his Nuncio into France to exhort Lewes to succour him The Pope comes into France and calls a Council at Lyons whither he cites Frederick but yet upon so short a warning as he could not appear Frederick having sent his Ambassadours to require a lawful time and to advertise the Pope of his coming begins his Journey to perform his promise Being arrived at Thurin he hath intelligence given him that the Pope had condemned him as Contumax excommunicated him and degraded him of the Empire But this was not without the consent of the Princes Electors of the Empire who after mature deliberation proceeded to a new Election They chuse Henry Landgrave of Thuring for Emperour but he besieging the City of Vlmes was wounded with an Arrow whereof he dyed shortly after Frederick writes to the French King against the sentence against him at Lyons Then the Electors chose William Earl of Holland for Emperour In all the chief Cities the Guelph's Faction was the stronger through the Authority of the Council of Lyons Frederick over-pressed with grief dyeth leaving Italy and Germany in great combustion The Pope having Canonized Edmond Arch-Bishop of Canterbury soon after Blanch Queen Regent of France came into England to worship that Saint representing to him that he had found refuge for his Exile in France and beseeching him not to be ungrateful She said my Lord most Holy Father confirm the Kingdom of France in a peaceable solidity and remember what we have done to thee Now Lewes IX came to assist the Christians in Palestine His nobility diswaded from that design Lewes takes up the Cross and voweth to eat no Bread until he was recognized with the Pilgrim's Badge Their went along with him his two Brothers Charles Earl of Anjou Robert Earl of Artois his own Queen and their Ladies Odo the Pope's Legat Hugh Duke of Burgundy William Earl of Flanders Hugh Earl of St. Paul and William Longspath Earl of Sarisbury with a band of valiant English-men The Pope gave to this King Lewes for his charges the tenth of the Clergy's revenues through France for three years and the King employed the Pope's Collectors to gather it whereupon the Estates of the Clergy were shaven as bare as their crowns and a poor Priest who had but twenty shillings annual pension was forced to pay two yearly to the King Having at Lyons took his leave of the Pope and a blessing from him he marched toward Avignon Where some of the city wronged his Souldiers especially with foul Language His Nobles desired him to besiege the city the rather because it was suspected that therein his Father was poisoned To whom Lewes most christianly said I come not out of France to revenge mine own quarrels or those of my Father or Mother but injuries offered to Jesus Christ Hence he went without delay to his Navy and so committed himself to the Sea Lewes arrives in Cyprus where the pestilence raging two hundred and forty Gentlemen of note dyed of the infection Hither came the Ambassadours from a great Tartarian prince invited by the fame of King Lewes his piety professing to him that he had renounced his Paganism and embraced Christianity and that he intended to send Messengers to the Pope to be further instructed in his Religion but some Christians which were in Tartary diswaded him from going to Rome King Lewes received these Ambassadours cuurteously dismissing them with bounteous gifts And by them he sent to their Master a Tent wherein the History of the Bible was as richly as curiously depicted in Needle-work hoping thus to catch his Eyes and both in his present pictures then being accounted Lay-mens books The French land in Egypt and Damiata is taken by them Discords grew between the French and English the cause was for that the Earl of Sarisbury in sacking a Fort got more spoil therein than the English Then dyed Meladine the Egyptian King Robert Earl of Artois Brother to King Lewes fighting with the Egyptians contrary to the Counsel of the Templars is overthrown In his flight he cryed to the Earl of Sarisbury flee flee for God fighteth against us To whom our Earl God forbid my Father's Son should flee from the face of a Saracen The other seeking to save himself by the swiftness of his Horse and crossing the River was drowned The Earl of Sarisbury slew many a Turk and though unhorsed and wounded in his Legs stood
the Council of Constance He was counted a subtle disputer and profound School-Doctor One calleth him the learned and devout Chancellour of Paris He was much acquainted with Temptations and wrote a Book de variis Diaboli tentationibus He was sirnamed Doctor Christianissimus His works are Printed in four Volumes his French works are mentioned by Antoine du Verdier in his Bibliotheque Gerson de defect Viror Eccles ca. 52. In his Treatise de defectu virorum Ecclesiasticorum he sets down such things as ought to be reformed in the Church and among others mentions this That known Men and such as are most fitting be Elected out of the same Countrey that strangers in manners language and education be not sent and set over Churches And in his Book of Ecclesiastical power Gerson lib. de Eccles potest after he hath spoken of the divers abuses of the Popes he addeth What shall we think is to be said of an infinite number of such like things that are done casting aside all care and regard of all Spiritual and Divine matters which concern the Christian Faith and Religion What think you What shall we say for the present of that so easie a dispensation as they speak of granted by the Pope and the Prelates over lawful Oaths reasonable Vows for the excessive plurality of Benefices the general non obstantes of Councils the privileges and exemptions against common right Who can number all the ways whereby the force of Ecclesiastical yea of Evangelical Discipline is enfeebled consumed and quite annihilated He addeth the cunning and glozing flattery of Vp-starts whispering the Clergy but especially the Pope in the Ear. Oh how great is the height of your Ecclesiastical power O sacred Clergy all secular Authority is but a Toy in comparison of thine seeing that as all power is given to Christ both in Heaven and Earth so Christ hath bequeathed all to St. Peter and his Successours So that Constantine gave nothing to Pope Silvester which was not originally his own but only restored unto him what he unjustly detained from him Again as there is no power but is of God so there is nothing Temporal or Spiritual Imperial or Regal which is not of the Pope upon whose Thigh God hath Writ King of Kings and Lord of Lords So as to dispute his power is a kind of Sacrilege To whom no Man may say why do you so Although he should exchange purloin or sell all the Temporals the Goods Lands and Lordships of the Church Let me be a Lyar if all these things be not written by such as seem to be wise men in their eyes and if they have not been believed also by some Popes Stephanus Paschasius in his Icones hath these Verses of Gerson Quid potuit Sorbona doces meritissimè Gerso Tu magni Gerso luxque decusque Chori At the same time flourished Nicholas de Clemangiis a Master of Paris and Arch-Deacon of Baion a man pious and Learned one calls him one of the most Learned and Eloquent Divines of his time He wrote a Book of the ruine and reparation of the Church Nic. de Clemang de ruin repar Eccles Of which I shall set down some passages in general terms First saith he let us speak of the Head upon whom all the rest depends He afterwards addeth For the supream Bishops who by how much they see themselves ranked above others in greatness and Authority by so much they labour the more to overthrow them out of a domineering humour for the enlarging of their primacy and supreme power considering that the commodities of the Bishoprick of Rome which is very large and above any Kingdom though it hath been sufficiently curtail'd by their negligence can no way suffice to maintain the greatness of their State which they have purposed to raise high enough above all the Kings and Emperours in the World have cast themselves into those flocks of others that abound in breeding in Wool and Milk He afterwards specifies the looseness the luxury vanities worldliness Clemang lib. de lapsu reparat justit p. 10. rapines vexations usurpations oppressions and other such like abuses and vices of the Popes and their Courts In another Book of his he sheweth that the Court of Rome hath infected France by coming there specifying all the vices and blemishes that are communicated unto it and those not a few There was a time saith he when the Apostolick Bishop being vexed with the Tyranny of the Italians made choice of France for his seat and for all the Court of Rome supposing he could not find assured refuge else-where to whom I could with saith he the strength of France had not proved a Staff of a Reed as it was a long time before fore-told that it should What was it else that brought France upon the sudden into these miseries making her fall away from eminent glory which made her flourish above all other Nations but that degenerating from those Ancient vertues which adorned her with such an excellency of Honour she is changed from Valour to cowardise from diligence to sloath from honesty to ignominy from gravity to a wanton lightness from temperance to luxury from courage to presumption from liberality to covetousness and unrestrained spoiling from order to confusion from zeal of the publick good to private gains from correction and discipline to a general impunity and license of all wickedness and mis-demeanours and from Justice to all iniquity And elsewhere he complaineth thus So the Church which Christ hath taken for his Spouse without blemish disfigured by this horrible villany Tract de praesul p. 66. is now the shop of all Pride of all Trading filching and stealing where the Sacraments are hung out for a shew and all the orders even the Priesthood it self where favours are sold for silver dispensations for not preaching licenses for non-residence Where all Offices and Benefices yea even sins are bought and sold Lastly where Masses and Administration of the Lord's body are set to sale Would any Man have a Bishoprick let him provide his Money and that no small sum but a great one for so great a Title and let him not stand upon emptying his purse for the purchase of such a Dignity seeing he will quickly fill it again and that more soundly than he could do by many sorts of Merchandize Doth any desire a Prebend a Provost's place or some other dignity it is no matter for knowing his deserts his Life and Conversation but so many Crowns as he hath in his Chest such hopes may he conceive of compassing his desire For what should I speak of poor folks who are accounted unprofitable in all things and unworthy of all charge or government and who have no other hopes but to wax old and pine away in misery disrespected and despised What should a poor Man go to Market for with an empty pouch when he hath nothing to buy the Wares with And in
and wicked example He was a Man of great Learning and worthy to be had in perpetual memory for this cause especially that He and Cardinal Bellay Leigh's Treatise of Religion and Learning l. 3. c. 8. Bishop of Paris did counsel and perswade this King Francis to do a most noble Act that is to appoint great stipends for the Readers of Tongues and good Arts in Paris Buchanan hath this distich of him Gallia quod Graeca est quod Graecia Barbara non est Buchan li. 2. Epigram Vtraque Budaeo debet utrumque suo Stephanus Paschasius in his Icones hath these Verses of him Et Latiae nobis debent Graiaeque Camenae Laudem utram quaeras magnus utraque fui He dyed at Paris Anno 1539. The several courses King Francis took for the restoring of Learning in France Antoin du Verdier mentions in his learned preface to his Bibliotheque and in his Book he saith he was deservedly called The Father of Learning because he founded Colleges in Paris for the instructing of youth in the Hebrew Greek and Latin Tongues and gathered together Learned men of good life out of all parts of the World to read publickly in the University of Paris Thevet and Postellus travelled into the East to procure him rare Books for his Library Through long use and custom he had acquired much knowledge for Dining and Supping his talk was commonly of Learning and that most eagerly using many years for the same purpose James Coline a Learned man and in the vulgar Tongue most eloquent and after him Peter Castellan Of these two he had learned whatsoever was written in the Books of Poets Historiographers and Cosmographers Moreover he attained to a perfect knowledge of whatsoever Aristotle Theophrastus Leigh of Relig. and Learn Pliny and such other like have written of the nature of Plants Herbs Beasts Mettals pretious Stones and by daily use and hearing did remember them He used also to confer much of the Mathematical Sciences and often to reason out of the Scriptures In his own Tongue he was always accounted right grave and eloquent Throughout Greece and Italy Sleid. Comment li. 19. p. 283. he had those that sought and copied out for him the works of old Writers and he made a great Library the keeper whereof was Castellan William Bellay was a man of much honour and vertue and a special Ornament of the French Nobility by reason of his notable Learning Eloquence Experience and singular Dexterity in all affairs Andrew Thevet was Cosmographer to the King of France He hath written an Universal Cosmography in French in two Tomes in Royal paper in which he doth not only rehearse what he learned from the Books of others but what himself had seen by travelling almost over the World and by viewing all the Seas so that some think there is no thing more learned and more orderly disposed He hath also written Les vies des hommes illustres the lives of Illustrious men in French in a great Folio with their pourtraicts Bibliand de at Comm. on n. lingu William Postellus was a good Linguist but he was little better than mad for he held that Adam's Soul was in him with many other gross opinions Bibliander makes honourable mention of him because he was the first Christian man that published the rudiments of the Arabick Grammar There are these works of his De Linguarum 12 Differentium Alphab Clavis absconditorum aeternae veritatis De Phaenicum Lit. De Orbis Terrae Concordiâ De Etruriae Origine Peter Castellan was Bishop of Orleans a Man highly esteemed in France at this time for his excellent Learning Turâ—eb advers li. 24. He hath written four Books de esu carnium Marguerite Queen of Navarr was Sister to Francis the first There are her Memoires In the Epistle to the Reader are these words Que Rome vante taut qu' il luy plaira les Commentaires de son premier Empereur La France a maintenant les Memoires d'une grande Roine qui ne leur cedent en rien Her poetical works are joyned together Clandius Espencaeus a Doctor of Sorbon flourished at this time None of the Divines of Paris had a greater concourse of all Degrees and was more admired for his frequent Sermons to the people than He. There are many questions concerning Religion discussed by him in Latin and French with great subâ—ilty He was very eloquent His Commentaries upon Timothy and Titus are well approved In his Comment on Titus he proves by many good Authorities that Clergy-men are subject to Secular Princes and owe all honour unto them as to their Lords On the same Epistle he sets down a List of the many tricks and devices of the Court and Chancery of Rome invented meerly for catching of Money where he puts in among the rest expectative graces or reversions secret reservations bestowing of Benefices upon the first comer uniting of many Benefices to one Chappel Prebend or other Benefice Mandates preventions propinations small or ordinary services conditional resignations detaining of all the revenue in lieu of pension and a number of such like things which were not heard of for a long time in the Church and which would be strange news to Peter and Paul if they should come into the World again This learned Divine hath spoken much of these things And those that desire further to be informed herein I will refer to the Book entitled Taxa Cancellariae Apostolicae Printed at Paris by Toussaint Denis Anno 1520. And yet this is nothing in comparison of the Penitentiary Tax Printed with the same book where every sin every crime how hainous soever hath it's price set so that to have a License and impunity for sinning there needs no more but to be rich to have a pasport to Paradise both for a man's self and for his misdeeds But that which might make Rome blush if there were any shame in her brow is that pardons and indulgences are denyed to the poor and indigent who are not of means sufficient to raise these criminal and incestuous impositions It may seem that the Bull of Pope Leo X. added at the end of the Concordat and confirmed by the Letters of King Francis I. hath derogated from the Pragmatick Sanction But that Bull was never received and approved in France Petr. Rebuff in Concord Rubric de mâ—ndat Apostol as Mr. Peter Rebuffus doth testifie This constitution saith he as being about a money-mater was never received by the Inhabitants of this Kingdom Nor is it comprehended within the Concordate nor the King's Declaration concerning it verified in the Court of Parliament In the year 1516. Pope Leo X. under pretext of collecting money to wage War against the Turk sent Indulgences through all Christendom granting pardon of sins both for guilt and punishment unto all which would give Money Tecelius exposeth these Indulgences to sale in Germany and Luther writeth against the abuses of them some write
reconcile himself to her favour but all in vain she was still so implacably bent against him that the Peace of Italy being now concluded and the time come wherein the King had promised her to remove the Cardinal she was importunately instant with the King for the accomplishment of his Royal word At last the order was signed for the Cardinal's removal The Cardinal withdrawes himself a little time from the Court but by the advice of the Cardinal de la Valette restores himself again with the the King and so the Queen-Mother not only fell from her hopes but also from her credit with the King whereupon she departeth out of France and goeth to Bruxels Monsieur the King's Brother requesteth the Parliament to indict the Cardinal so doth the Queen-Mother But the King justifies Richlieu by his Letters and Declarations The Duke of Espernon stops the progress of a new Insurrection by dismantling several strong Cities of the Hugonot Party as Millant St. Afrique Pont de Camares Saint-Rome Tarn and several other places The King of Sweden having invaded Germany the French King makes an Alliance with him he establisheth a Chamber of justice in Paris who give judgement against several persons Then is the Cardinal Richlieu created Duke and Peer of France The French Protestants had obtained permission by the King 's Breviate about the beginning of this year to make a National Assembly of their Ministers of France for the maintaining of their Order and worship The Cardinal was of opinion that his Majesty should require them to meet at Charenton because being within his view they would have the less freedom to renew such Cabals as they had formerly made in their Assemblies of Guienne and Lauguedoc This Order was followed and the Sieur de Galland Counsellour to his Majesty was sent to be President in the King's behalf his Loyalty was not to be suspected and they were obliged to accept of him in regard of divers authentique testimonies which made appear that this Order was conformable to that of Councils assembled in the Primitive times which they professed to honour The King especially commanded him to be careful that no Proposition were made which did not concern their Faith or Discipline to silence them in his Majestie 's name in case they should discourse of any other affairs and to establish such Rules as the Cardinal had proposed to keep that Party in submission To this end he used his utmost Prudence and Loyalty he perswaded them to enact that there should not any more National Assemblies be made but in the presence of a Commissary from the King who might by testifying their obedience be a means of continuing them in quiet Besides he induced them to resolve upon the absolute excluding of all Stranger Ministers this being intended of all that were not natural French and to inhibite their Ministers from leaving the Kingdom without his Majestie 's Licence by this means to prevent all intelligences associations and correspondencies with the enemies of the State according to the Laws of the Kingdom and his Majestie 's particular prohibitions In fine he used so much prudence that they required their Ministers not to intermeddle in any affairs Politick or Military and condemned a Book of Berraut Minister of Montauban as erroneous because he maintained that Ministers had a particular call from God to bear Arms. Divers Ordinances were made there for the subsistence of their Party The Emperour of Germany sendeth Cardinal Pasman to Rome to endeavour to break the French King's Alliance with the King of Sweden The French King having lately been in Lorrain The Administ of Card. Ricâ—â—eu after his return the Cardinal undertook to compose a difference between the Bishops and Friers which had made a great noise for sundry ages together The Friers relying upon their priviledges obtained from Rome pretended to have power both to Preach and confess without permission from the Bishops And the Bishops unto whom all people within their Diocess are subject by common right did perpetually thwart that pretension They could not down with the Friers Priviledges alledging they ought to be declared void as being repugnant to the Primitive Constitutions of the Church This quarrel had been especially fomented during the last year by reason some Books had been published in the name of the English Catholicks which preferred the Monastical life before that of the Prelates and seemed to imply that Friers were more necessary at least more useful to the Church than the ordinary Pastors Was it probable that the whole Society of Friers would relinquish the Priviledges they had obtained from the See of Rome On the other side what reason was there that the Prelates should have so little Authority over them in Administration of Sacraments and the Word of God seeing of old Friers were only mixed among the Laity and addressed themselves unto the Bishops Congregations to receive the Sacraments from their hands or those who executed their charge The Cardinal took upon himself to end this difference though he was at that time employ'd in the most important affairs of Christendom He therefore caused the Superiours of the Orders to come before him one by one well knowing that to negotiate such a business in a publick Assembly would be a labour in vain He was a person well versed in all Antiquities and accordingly he represented to them how that in the first institution of Monks they were Consecrated unto God by the mediation of Bishops who received their Vows instructed them and directed their Consciences He laid before them the Original of the whole affair and shewed them how that the Son of God had subjected all those who sold their goods and followed him unto the Apostles whose Successours the Bishops are whereupon they making a strict profession of leading an Evangelical life were more particularly obliged to observe the Order established in and by the Gospel not that he would question the validity of those exemptions granted from the See of Rome unto which he owed much more respect and obedience than to debate the Ordinances thereof yet that he must needs inform them that they could not be dispensed with from following the Order established by Jesus Christ or his Apostles in Administring the Sacraments and Word of God That in fine themselves could not deny but they were obliged to relinquish some part of their pretensions for the avoiding of trouble to the Church which was likely to ensue upon this account and whereof the Hugonots discoursed with much freedom That this peace would be more acceptable to God than all the advantages it could otherwise procure unto particular persons That it would tend unto their honours by testifying unto the world the moderation of their minds and humility of their spirits and that the world would esteem the better of them That he should not willingly propose that the Bishops should have ordinary jurisdiction over their persons or power to visit their Monasteries but
in the Church where Prayers and Divine Offices are to be performed They require all Christians not to eat without first consecrating their Table and not to depart from Table without pious and humble thanksgiving unto God If any one hath taken counterfeit money though ignorantly and he know not the person from whom he received it yet he shall not presume to put it away to another because it cannot be done without appearance of evil All Laicks are forbidden to walk in the Church especially during the time of Divine Offices under pain of Excommunication 17. Of Monks and Monasteries of the manner of the admission of Novices into Abbies Monasteries and Convents None is to be admitted to that profession before the year of probation and before the sixteenth year of his age Of the antient Ceremonies and Customs of the Monasteries the habits of the Monks and their shaving their beards and having a round ring of hair on their heads The Laity are forbidden to sit among the Monks whilst the Divine Mysteries are celebrated 18. Of Nuns and their Habits A Prohibition to men to enter into the Monasteries of the Women 19. Of Burials The bodies of Hereticks not to have Christian burial Those who deny the Oblations or Legacies of the dead or refuse to pay them or conceal their Wills and Testaments or deceitfully retain them are to be excommunicated 20. Of Jurisdiction and Visitation 21. Of preserving Church-goods and not alienating them 22. Of Seminaries Schools and Universities The Decrees of the Provincial Council of Aquitain celebrated at Bituriges in the month of September Anno 1584. IN the first place there is a Form of Confession of Faith by those who were present in this Provincial Council The Index of the Titles 1. Concerning the Adoring Worshipping and Calling upon God 2. Concerning Faith 3. Of the Preaching and Exposition of the Word of God 4. Of taking away the abuse of the Scriptures 5. Of avoiding Hereticks 6. Of Invocation of Saints and of Festival dayes 7. Of Pilgrimages to holy places No Clerk may presume to visit such places without having obtained a licence from his own Bishop or his Vicar in writing and before he begin his journey he is first to confess all his sins and to receive the holy Eucharist None is to visit holy places out of curiosity or out of pleasure or to view divers Towns and places but for the amendment of his life and the fulfilling of Vows 8. Of Vigils and Fastings 9. Of Churches and Temples 10. Of the Reliques of Saints The first Canon was that the Bishops take care that the honour of Reliques be preached to the people of God That Reliques are not to be shewed out of the Box except it be done out of a solemn manner and custom of some Church but they are to be kept with honour and reverence The Reliques of Saints may not be translated without the authority of the Pope or the Bishop or a Council They are to be carryed by Ecclesiastical persons in publick prayers not by Laicks unless perhaps it be granted them out of an antient and laudable custome of Churches and places 11. Of Images 12. Of the celebration of the Divine Office of Canonical hours and the Ecclesiastical Hymn 13. Of daily distributions 14. Of Boyes-Choristers of their age manners habit and learning 15. Of the Ornaments and Vessels of the Church 16. Of Coemeteries the care of the Dead and of Purgatory 17. Of Traditions 18. Of the Sacraments in general 19. Of Baptism 20. Of Confirmation 21. Of Penance and the parts of it 22. Of the Eucharist 23. Of the Mass 24. Of Order 25. Of the Clergy 26. Of Priests 27. Of Matrimony 28. Of Extream Unction 29. Of the greater and lesser Seminaries of Schools and Universities 30. Of Jurisdiction 31. Of Excommunication 32. Of Archbishops and Bishops 33. Of a Visitation Procuration and the persons to whom the power of Visiting is given 34. Of Canons and Chapters 35. Of the Rectors of Parish Churches 36. Of Benefices 37. Of Monasteries and Religious Houses 38. Of things pertaining to the Church 39. Of Blasphemies of an Oath and of Perjury 40. Of Divination by lots Enchantments Conjurations and such like Superstitions 41. Of Simoniacks and Fiduciaries 42. Of Concubinaries 43. Of Hospitals 44. Of Confraternities and Fellowships 45. Of Laicks 46. Of Councils This Council was concluded with acclamations to Pope Gregory XIII to King Henry III to the Patriarch of Bituriges and to all the Bishops that were present in that Council wishing them long life and an happy return to their Churches An Indulgence of fourty days was granted by the Patriarch to all who were present in this Synod and to all people which favoured so holy a work with their wishes and prayers An Index of the Titles of the Decrees of the Provincial Council of Aquens Anno 1585. 1. COncerning the Profession of the Catholick faith 2. A Form of confession of faith 3. Of the Rudiments of faith and the Schools of Christian doctrine 4. Of prohibited Books 5. Of the Sacraments 6. Of the Sacrament of Baptism 7. Of the holy Chrisme 8. Of Confirmation 9. Of those things which pertain to the Sacrament of the most holy Eucharist 10. Of the celebration of the Mass 11. Of the Missal and Breviary 12. Of those things which pertain to the Sacrament of Penance 13. Of Matrimony 14. Of those things which pertain to the Sacrament of Extream Unction 15. Of those things which belong to the Sacrament of Order 16. Of the Worship of Festival dayes 17. Of the life and honesty of Clerks 18. Of Bishops of those things in which the Bishop out of the Council of Trent as delegate of the Apostolical Chair may and ought to proceed 19. Of a Visitation 20. Of Sermons and Preaching the Word of God 21. Of Canonists 22. Of Chapters 23. Of Beneficed persons or Mansionaries 24. Of Parish-Priests and Curates 25. Of Residency 26. Of Churches and their Ordaining 27. Of the Quire 28. Of the Altar 29. Of the Sacrist 30. Of the Coemeteries Bell Obsequies and Funerals 31. Of Processions 32. Of Indulgences 33. Of Reliques 34. Of Excommunication 35. Of those things which pertain to the Collation of Benefices and the preservation of rights and goods 36. Of a Seminary 37. Of a Diocesan Synod 38. Of foraneous Vicars 39. Of Monasteries 40. Of Nuns and their Vows of Chastity 41. Of those things which generally belong to these Constitutions The Titles of the Decrees of the Provincial Council of Tholouse Anno 1590. Part 1. 1. COncerning a Profession of Faith 2. Concerning Bishops 3. Concerning Chapters 4. Concerning Parish-Priests 5. Of Presbyters and Clerks 6. Of Preachers 7. Of foraneous Vicars 8. Of Nuns Part 2. 1. Of Sacraments and things belonging to the Sacraments 2. Of Baptism 3. Of Confirmation 4. Of Penance and Confession 5. Of the Eucharist and the holy Communion 6. Of the celebration of Masses 7. Of the Sacrament of Order 8.
they connive at the punishment of crimes whereof they have the Cognizance the Courts of Parliaments may interpose by means of an Appeal as from Abuses especially considering it is it that grants them Jurisdiction over Spirituals And if the Question be of granting pardon to a Priest or other Ecclesiastick not only in a priviledged case but also in a common crime by him committed it belongs to the King only to grant it not to the Pope nor the Bishop And so it hath been always accustomed to be done in France Moreover the Pope cannot there restore Clergy-men to their former State Papon ca. 15. 16. des libertez de l'Eglise Gallic so as to free them from the infamy which they have incurred nor Lay-men unless it be to receive them into Orders Offices and Ecclesiastical Acts not otherwise As also that within this Realm he cannot pardon or remit the Honorary Amends adjudged by a Lay-man albeit the condemnation were passed by an Ecclesiastical Judge and that against a Clerk as making such Honorary condemnation a part of the civil satisfaction The Pope cannot make any Vnions or annexations of the livings in France during the life of the Incumbents nor at other times but he may grant out Writs of Delegation concerning unions which is conceived to be done according to the form prescribed in the Council of Constance and with the consent of the Patron and not otherwise The Kings of France have always reserved this authority and prerogative to themselves to determine of the Residence of Bishops to compel them to feed their Flocks and wait upon their Churches when need required and that by seizing upon their Temporals to call them from Rome to return into France to dispense with them and approve the causes of their absence The Pope cannot in France dispense for any cause whatsoever with that which is of the Law of God or Nature or with that wherein the Councils do not allow him to dispense And the Ordinances of the French Kings do expresly forbid all the Judges of the Land to have any regard to dispensations granted contrary to the sacred Decrees and Councils upon pain of losing their places And declare furthermore That such as procure the said Proviso's and dispensations shall not make use of them unless they get leave and permission from his Majesty The Gallican Church is also more free from payments to the Pope than the Church of Spain as also to the King The Clergy of France pay only the Disme whereas in Spain the King hath his Tertia's Subsidio Pyla Escusado in all a moiety of the Church-livings As to the French Churches separating from Communion with the Church of Rome they have often been brought very low by the Popish party Sad was the condition of the Church of Merindol which was cruelly rooted out by vertue of an Arrest of the Parliament of Aix Men Women and Children being destroyed And yet I doubt not but some small remainder of them was preserved For so the story saith expresly pauci quidem profugi Genevam alia loca Vicinia pervenerunt Osiand Eccl Hist Some few of them escaped by flight to Geneva and other Neighbouring places What Persecutions did the Waldenses or Albigenses suffer when the Pope sent about his Fryars in France it seemeth to preach Crusado 's viz. That whosoever would take the Badge of the Cross upon his Garment and serve the Pope forty days in his Wars against those Christians who denyed him obedience and opposed his Pride and Tyranny should have full pardon of all his sins and if he dyed in the Wars should presently go to Heaven and escape the flames of Purgatory and by this means as I remember he had at one time about an hundred thousand of the silly people in Arms whom he used against the most faithful Christians seeking utterly to extirpate them and by this means much Blood was shed It was easie for him in those times of darkness to draw multitudes of poor blind Souls to Destruction And Reimond Earl of Tholouse a great Prince and Peer of France was ruined the Pope seizing on his Estate and holding it unto this day A French Historian speaking of the bloody massacre in the Reign of Charles IX saith Thuan. Hist li. 54. that many wise men that were Papists themselves did think that in all Antiquity there could not be found an example of like cruelty But even then remarkable was God's Providence towards those of the Reformed Religion in France In the time of that cruel massacre at Paris the Protestants being in great fear shifted for themselves here and there Among the rest many of them fled to a certain honourable Lady for protection who being near of kin to the King was the more bold but being a faithful Christian she was also willing to receive them Hereof complaint being made the King in great displeasure commands her to dismiss them all which she could not withstand so that in one day about 300 Waggons for the most part filled with Women and young Children were constrained to dislodge and without a guard to go to a strong Town for the safety of their lives In this Journey they were to pass through their bloody enemies stragling up and down in Armes and ready to seize on such a booty But by the special providence of God a certain Troop of Armed Gentlemen on Horse-back hapned to meet them who soon perceiving and pitying their danger conducted them along in safety and often repulsed their enemies that were ready to assail them And though the French Kings have all of them professed the Roman Religion yet the Lord hath had many Instruments who with the hazard of their lives and outward Estates have stood for the defence of his Church divers Princes of the Blood Nobles Gentlemen and others and did strangely raise his Church again after that horrid massacre by which it seemed to have been extinguished And King James of happy Memory speaketh thus of those worthy Patriots whom God raised up for the defence of his Church at that time in his book of the defence of the right of Kings I never knew yet saith he that the French Protestants took Arms against their King In the first troubles they stood only on their defence Before they took Arms they were burnt and massacred every where And the quarrel did not begin for Religion but because when King Francis the second was under Age they had been the Refuge of the Princes of the Blood expelled from the Court even of the Grandfather of the King now reigning and of that of the Prince of Condè who knew not where to take Sanctuary it shall not be found that they made any other War Nay is it not true as a learned Divine of ours hath well observed that King Henry III. sent Armies against them to destroy them and yet they ran to his help as soon as they saw him in danger Is it not true that
Christians which would not renounce their Faith he cashiered and deprived of all military honour and some of their lives Many of the Bishops were plundered slain and martyred Great Cruelties were exercised against the Christians in Egypt Syria Phrygia and in other parts Vincentius saith Vincent in Specul Lib. 12. That at Triers which is a City situated by the River Mosella one Bietionarius exercised so great cruelty that the River was red with the blood of the Christians that were slain In France likewise he sent Posts up and down hither and thither with Decrees and express Commissions to this end that in whatsoever place any Christian was found he should presently be put to death But these two bloody Emperours seeing the number of the Christians rather to encrease than to diminish notwithstanding all the cruelty that they could shew and having now as it were their fill of blood they ceased at last of their own accord to put any more Christians to death and finding themselves not able to destroy the Church they gave over the Empire and became private men Constantius Chlorus and Maximinus Galerius succeeded in the Empire Constantius parted the Empire with Galerius and would Rule but in Britain Spain and France Galerius chose to him his two Sons Maximinus and Severus and Constantius took Constantine his Son Caesar under him Constantius was a great supporter of the Christians And when in the other Jurisdictions of the Empire the Congregations of the Christians were molested with Persecutions Constantius gave liberty to the Christians Century IV. COnstantius dying at York ANNO 306. Constantine his Son succeeded him in the Empire Constantine who Ruled France did not only abstain from shedding Christian blood but also had the Christians in great esteem Nazarius and Patera were esteemed rare Oratours in France living at that time The Histories of those Times make mention of one Sebastian a Martyr he being born in that part of France called Galâ—ia Narbonensis Fox Act. Monum Vol. 1. was a Christian and a Lieutenant General in the Army of Dioclesian who also encouraged many Martyrs of Christ by his Exhortations unto Constancy and kept them in the Faith He being therefore accused to Dioclesian was apprehended and brought into the open field where of his own Soldiers he was thrust through the body with innumerable arrows and after that his body was thrown into a jakes or sink St. Ambrose makes mention of this Sebastian the Martyr in his Commentary upon the 118. Psalm Constantine restored Peace unto the Church Anno 311. he Reigned thirty and two years great Tranquility enjoyed the Church under this good Emperour Before he had subdued Licinius he set forth many Edicts for the restitution of the Goods of the Church for the revoking the Christians out of Exile for taking away the Dissentions of the Doctors out of the Church for the setting of them free from publick charges A Copy of his Constitutions may be seen in Eusebius his Ecclesiastical History in his tenth Book and fifth Chapter In the fourteenth Year of Constantine there was holden a Council at Nice for the debating of the Controversie about the Feast of Easter and for the rooting out the Heresie of Arius There was likewise a Council holden at Arles under Constantine's Reign Constantine left three Sons whom he had by Fausta Maximian's Daughter Heirs of the Empire who also divided the Empire among themselves A sudden Sedition after their Father's death embroiled them all in blood and wars by the commotion and dissimulation of the Emperour Constantius In his Time the Arrian Heresie which for fear of Constantine had been suppressed began now again to lift up it's head for Constantius propagates that Heresie Hilary Bishop of Poictiers in France lived under the Reign of Constantius a man in Religion constant in Manners meek and courteous he wrote sharply against the Arians Ruffin Lib. 1. cap. 31. he was banished immediately after the Council of Milan into Phrygia as some suppose Among divers others he dedicated his Book De Synodis fidei Catholicae contra Arianos to the Bishops of the Provinces of Britain during his Exile for the Orthodox Faith commending them for their constancy in the profession of that Faith Theodor. Lib. 3. cap. 4. Theodoret writeth that he was banished to Thebaida and recalled from Exile again under Julian But it is more apparent that he remained in Phrygia until the Council of Seleucia unto which Council he was brought from banishment not by any special Commandment from the Emperour but by a general command given to his Deputy Leonas Hist Magdeb. Cent. 4. cap. 10. to assemble together the Bishops of the East under pretence of executing the command of the Emperour Hillary being banished in the East was brought to the Council of Seleucia from thence he went to Constantinople The Emperour refused to hear him dispute with the Arians in matters of Faith but gave him liberty to return to his own Countrey again He took great pains to purge the Countrey of France from the Arian Heresie and he prevailed so far that Jerome compares him to Deucalicon who both saw the flood of waters overflowing Thessalia and the abating of them also even so Hillary saw both the growth and decay of Arianism in France Hilar. Lib. 10. de Trinit Yet even this Father had his Errours for in his Tenth Book of the Trinity and upon Psal 138 and 53 he maintaineth That Jesus Christ in his death suffered no pain but that only he would make us believe that he suffered and that the blows did not give him any pain no more than if an arrow pierced the water or prickt the fire or hurt the air and that the virtue of the body of Christ received the violence of pains without feeling The same Father saith That Christ did eat and drink not out of any necessity but to comply with Custom for which Opinion he is reproved by Claudius Bishop of Vienna Du Moulin cont Perron Lib. 1. cap. 49. in the Book of the State of the Soul That Errour so gross hath brought him to another that in these words of the Lord Father let this Cup pass from me Jesus Christ desired his Father that his Disciples also might suffer in the like manner so that by his account St. Peter felt no pain in suffering martyrdom It is also one of his Opinions that Souls are Corporal He lived six years after his return from banishment and died under the Reign of Valentinian Stephanus Paschasius hath these Verses of him in his Icones Et nos exhilaras Hilari sanctissime Praesul Et monitis victa est Arria secta tuis Jerome although he was born in a Town of Dalmatia called Stridon and was instructed in rudiments of Learning at Rome yet from Rome he went into France of purpose to increase his Knowledge and to divers other places Constantius being dead Julian his Cousin German alone governed
Chilperic received King of France in the place of his elder Brother Anno 578. and Reigned fourteen years at Paris and Soissons while that Childebert the Son of Sigebert Reigned in Austrasia or Lorain and Gonthran at Orleans and Burgongne He found Brunhault the widow of Sigebert at Paris a subtil and audacious woman whom he confined to Rhoven whither he likewise sent his Son Merovee to take possession o the City but there he was surprised by the beauty of Brunehault She so insinuated into the Bishop that he allowed of this Marriage although she was his Aunt Chilperic moved herewith came to Roven degraded and banished the Bishop and puts Merovee into a Cloyster Merovee fleeing is pursued taken and slain by his Father's command and lest Audovere his Mother a virtuous Princess and Clovis her other Son should seek means of revenge he rejects his Wife and causeth Clovis his other Son to be slain For these disorders the Nobility complain against Fredegunde hereupon Chilperic takes Galsonde to Wife the Daughter of Athanagild King of Spain but by the instigation of Fredegonde Chilperic strangleth his second Wife and publickly marrieth Fredegonde Chilperic when he had seen Clotharius born to him of Fredegonde the fourth moneth after a little before night returning from hunting is by privy murtherers killed Anno 584. That murther was hatched by Fredegonde and committed by Landerick an Adulterer of hers thus died this detestable Chilperic Historians make him guilty of impiety as well as of execrable wickedness for he denied the truth of the three persons in one Deity and the Incarnation of the Son of God Gunthran dieth in the year of Christ 593. having left a good memorial behind him of Piety and other Virtues the which being committed to Church-Tables is repeated every year on the 28th of March His Kingdom came to Childebert Childebert Anno 596. is taken away by poison together with his Wife whom Theodoric and Theodebert his Sons succeed under the tuition of their Grandmother Brunehault They fight against Clotharius and being overcome in battel they force him to part with the greatest part of his Kingdom Sagittarius Bishop of Ebreduna and Salonius Bishop of Vopinga in France for their wickednesses and also because being armed they fought in manner of soldiers in the Assembly of Lions were before this deprived of their Episcopacy in the sixth year of Gunthran but they appealing to Pope John were restored by his command At last because they continued in hainous offences they were again by the Cabillonian Council deprived of all Dignity At Augustoritùm died Radegund Anno 587. in whose Monastery were some Virgins sprung from a Royal Stock who being lifted up in pride against Leubovera the Governess of the Nunnery first of all departed from her The Guardians being sent into the Monastery and all things taken away they drew out Leubovera by force from thence At length by the command of Châ—ldebert a Council of Bishops being gathered together in Pictavia they were Excommunicated and Leubovera restored unto her former place About the year 590. Serenus Bishop of Marseilles seeing his people falling to the adoration of Statues brake them and cast them out of the Church About which Pope Gregory the first reproveth him in two Epistles saying That Images indeed ought not to be worshipped but that they ought not to be broken neither because they are instead of Books unto the ignorant But it was not long before the Popes became the great Patrons of the adoration of Images and made it a means of their rising for when the Greek Emperours fell to the breaking of Images Gregory the second took thence occasion to shake off the yoke of the Emperours as enemies of the Saints Sigon Lib. 3. de regno Ital. and made Rome and part of Italy to revolt from the Obedience of their Soveraign And he made himself a Temporal Prince under colour of defending Images as Sigonius relateth Venantius Honorius Clementianus Fortunatus by Nation an Italian came into France seating himself first at Tours afterwards at Poictiers he was first made a Presbyter then he became Bishop of that place He is reported to have reduced the French to a more gentle kind of life by his writings and example Illyricus make's mention of one Alcimus Catal. Test verit Lib. 6. of the Ancient Family of the Aviti whose Great Grandfather Grandfather Father Uncle Brother were famous and eminent for Ecclesiastical Dignities His Father succeeded Mammertus in the Bishoprick of Vienna Alcimus succeeded his Father Many excellent Verses of his are extant unto this day Concerning the first sin of Man and the Grace of Christ you may read what he saith in these following Verses Quòd varii eveniunt humana in gente labores Vnde brevem capiunt mortalia tempora vitam Vel quod polluti vitiantur origine mores Quos aliena premunt priscorum fata Parentum Addatur quanquam nostrâ de parte reatus Quodque etiam amisso dudum peccatur honore Adscribam tibi prime Pater qui semine mortis Tollis succiduae vitalia germina proli Et licet hoc totum Christus persolverit in se Contraxit quantum percussa in stirpe propago Attamen Auctoris vitio qui debita lethi Instituit morbosque suis ac funera misit Vivit peccati moribunda in carne cicatrix And speaking unto Christ he addeth Nullum aliud praeter te unum solamen habemus Then speaking of Christ the Mediator whose Figure was that Bow in the Heaven after the flood and of the salvation of those that believe in him he saith Nunc quisquis semel allatam servare salutem Optas signatum potiùs signo inspice Christum Verus enim atque unus firmati faederis arcus Ille deum atque homines inter qui virgine carne Virgineo ex utero sumptâ jam munere lucet Multiplici in caelo Varius sed fulgidus omni Vitalem monstrat sacrati pignoris arcum Hunc coram aspicies quisquis baptismate tinctus Ad coelum liber culpis pereuntibus ibis And of the water flowing out of the Rock he thus speaketh Nec portentificae caepit me oblivio virgae Quo signo summus percussâ rupe sacerdos Protulit irriguos poculis sitientibus haustus Insinuans Christum stabilem consistere petram Percussus jaculo largas qui praebuit undas Porrexitque suis sacro de vulnere potum Hist magdeb Cent. 6. cap. 9. King Chilperic before his death called a Synod made up of the Gallican Bishops at Prennacum upon this occasion The Earl Leudastes applyed himself to Riculphus a Presbyter a perverse man and rebellious against Gregory Bishop of Tours his own Bishop these two reported to the King as if Gregory had said that Queen Fredegund had carnally lain with Bertram Bishop of Burdeaux hereupon Bertram accuseth Gregory before the Synod Chilperic being present Gregory constantly denieth it But the King asserteth that he could convince Gregory of this
Learning and learned men Paul of Pisa instructed him in the Greek and Latin Tongues and Aimon in Philosophy and the Mathematickes He delighted in Poetry but especially in History in which he was well read The University of Paris built or enriched by him doth witness the love and honour he bare to learning A valiant man none commanded with more obedience nor performed any thing with greater fortune nor used his Victories with more mildness and judgement Never did King reign with more Authority nor was more reverently obeyed than Charlemagne About the Year 786 Charles King of France made a league with Archaius King of Scots Archaius sent unto him Albinus or Alcuinus John Melrose so named from the Abby Melrose Claudius Clemens and Anthony all very devout and learned men John Melrose became Abbot of the Augustinians at Ticino Bale in Cent. 14. and Claudius was Bishop of Auxerre They wrote several works as John Bale sheweth Alcuinus had good knowledge of the Latin and Greek Languages Biblioth de la Bigne Tom. 3. Charles calleth him his Master in an Epistle written unto him De Septuages Sexages He hath many excellent things in divers of his Books and Writings Desiderius began to make War first against the City of Ravenna and the Marches thereof and took the Cities of Ferrara Faventia and other Towns The Pope sent to Charles the Great for aid who came into Italy with great Forces Desiderius fled to Pavia and was there besieged Charles leaving an Unkle of his at the siege of Pavia went against Verona which he took without any great difficulty From thence he went to Rome to kiss the Pope's Foot and to hold the Feast of Easter where he was received with great Solemnity After this his coming thither he confirmed to the Church and Popes of Rome the Donation which his Father Pepin had made of Ravenna and other Lands and made another of many other places among which is reckoned the Isle of Corsica and all the Coast of Genoua with the Cities of Parma Ancona Vrbin and many other Towns besides Rome and the Territories thereof which the Popes had already in possession so as to the Emperours remained only that part of Italy which is part of Calabria and of Puglia and a great part of that which now is the Kingdom of Naples Charles having been only eight dayes in Rome returned against Desiderius who after six moneths besieging in Pavia yielded upon composition and Charles carried him with him and banished both him and his Sons into a certain Island and then took Milan and all the other Cities in Lombardy which is the Ancient Gallia Cisalpina where he placed French men for Dukes and Governours So Italy remained in his Obedience excepting those Lands and Provinces which were left to the Church of Rome so ended the Kingdom of the Lombards which had continued 204 years in Italy Rhegno Sub. Annum 787. In the Year 787 Charles being departed from Rome to come into France as soon as he was arrived at Wormes saith Rhegno he called a Synod and declared the Reasons of his journey to the Clergy and Princes of his Realm We find the French Synods in those dayes oftentimes to have consisted both of Lay-men and Clergy-men joyntly to determine of matters as well Ecclesiastical as Civil Charles the Great did the like in the Council of Franckford where he discoursed points of Faith and made them deliver their Opinions upon such as himself proposed The Canons and Decrees also run in his Name the Emperour saith he hath Ordained with the consent of the Synod c. Vide Acta Concil Francf in libello sacro Tom. 3. Concil pag. 635. In the Year 794 Charles Assembled this Council at Franckford partly in regard of the Heretick Foelix who called Christ The Adoptive Son of God in humane nature and was condemned in a Council Assembled at Ratisbon But he was returned to his vomit again and therefore was now again condemned as a notable Heretick in the Council of Franckford partly also in respect of the great contention which arose every where concerning the worshipping of Images disallowed in the Council of Constantinople and allowed in the second Council of Nice Not only the Bishops of France but also of Germany and Lombardy as Provinces subject to the King of France were present at this Council The Pope sent his Ambassadors Theophilact and Stephanus to the Council King Charles himself also was present thereat Alcuinus wrote against the Heresie of Foelix Alcuin contr Foelic Lib. 2. and Elipandrus Bishop of Toledo and in his second Book saith Shew us any Nation Town or Church either Roman or Constantinopolitan or of Jerusalem which was Dedicated by the presence of the Lord himself or of Antioch where first the Name of Christianity is read to have been or of Alexandria or of any other Church either in Italy or Germany or in France or in Aquitain or in Britain which agreeth with you in your assertion Here he acknowledgeth all these to be true Churches at that time and distinguisheth them one from another Foelix continued in his errour till Alcuinus wrote against him and then he became Zealous of the Truth and wrote a Recantation unto the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church That as he had been a scandal unto them so by his means they may be brought again from Errour unto the Truth as he himself writeth And this Recantation is printed among the Works of Alcuinus But Elipant Arch-Bishop of Toledo having read the seven Books of Alcuinus wrote very sharply for maintaining the same Errour R. Hoveden writeth R. Hoveden in continuat Bedae that Charles the Great sent over into England the Acts of a Synod sent him from Constantinople for the Adoration of Images Against this Adoration saith he Alcuinus wrote an Epistle well-grounded on Divine Scriptures and carried it with some Synodical Acts in the names of the English Princes and Bishops to the King of France All Italy being now in peace under the protection of King Charles two Cardinal Priests of great account called Pascal and Capulus conspired against Pope Leo who with their complices apprehended him on a day as he was going in Procession Some say they put out his eyes and cut out his tongue committing him prisoner to the Monastery of St. Erasmus publishing abroad that they did it for the crimes by him committed and the Errours by him maintained Some Authors affirm that he was miraculously restored to his sight and speech Hereupon King Charles cometh to Rome accompanied with many great Dukes and other Princes his Subjects To him came out of Italy and from many other parts many Bishops and Prelates After eight dayes abode there he commanded all the Princes and Prelates which then were in the City to be Assembled and the Pope himself and all the rest being together there were some that accused the Pope to the Emperour Then the Emperour
openly asked every mans opinion concerning those accusations all answered That no man ought to judge the Head of the Church which the King observing he asked no more questions The next day all being Re-assembled the Pope went up into the Pulpit and taking a Book of the Holy Evangelists in his hands said with a loud voice That he sware by God and those Holy Evangelists That all that which his Adversaries had laid to his charge was false and untrue and that he had neither committed nor thought any such matter as they objected but that they had of malice and envy slandered him and that he therefore publickly made this Protestation and confirmed it by his Oath seeing that to them all the manner of his Life and Government was well known His Oath was allowed and himself commended and the King commanded his Accusers Pascal and Capulus to be sought out and put to death But the Pope was content their lives should be spared so as they might be committed to prison and thence be condemned to perpetual exile Eight dayes after the Pope having considered first how much the Greek Emperours envied his Greatness together with the small affection they bare to the worshipping of Images and other points wherein they were opposite to the Church of Rome and then how requisite it was to have an Emperour which might maintain the Provinces of Italy in peace which were often disturbed but chiefly to shew himself grateful for the benefits which he and the Church of Rome had received from him and the House of France But above all for accepting his Protestation in his own defence for a proof of his Integrity he resolved to make Charles the Great Emperour and to Translate the Head of the Empire into the West And having ruminated hereupon against the day of the Nativity of Christ he commanded all the Priests Cardinals and all the other Prelates to come to a Mass whither Charles was also invited and came together with all the other Princes and so about the midst of the Mass the Pope then saying it he turned about from the Altar to the People and with a loud voice said That he did there Elect Create and publish Charles the Great the most Mighty and Victorious King of Italy of the Germans and of the Frenchmen Emperour and ever Augustus Which being done he set the Imperial Crown upon his head and all those which were present consented thereunto with acclamations and applauses saying To the most Godly ever Augustus Great and most Victorious Emperour Charles God grant long life and victory This acclamation being ended the Pope anointed him and then and there also anointed and entituled his Son Pepin with the good liking and consent of his Father King of Italy Which Coronations were performed with great Feastings and Solemnity upon Christmass day Anno 800. So Charles remained Emperour and the Empire was transported from the Greeks to the Germans Pope Adrian with his whole Synod which consisted of one hundred fifty three Bishops Abbots and Religious persons had given before the right and power of Electing the Pope unto Charles the Great and further Ordained That the Arch-Bishops and Bishops of all the Provinces should receive their investiture from him in such sort as no Bishop can be Consecrated by any man unless he be approved and invested by the King pronouncing an Anathema against such as shall do otherwise Century IX CHarles having left his Son Pepin in Italy visiteth Germany subdueth the Saxons and reduceth them to the Christian Faith He had Wars with them for the space of thirty years he oftentimes subdued them and gave them their Liberty upon condition they would embrace the Christian Religion but on every occasion their Duke Wedekind cast off both Loyalty and Christianity At several times when Charles had obtained a Victory he erected a new Bishoprick He founded seven Episcopal Cities in that Province Crantz in Saxon. Lib. 2. cap. 23. giving them Princely Power because he judged that those fierce people might be tamed by Religion rather than by Arms. These were Bremen Verda Minda Padeburn Osnaburg Hildeshein Halberstadt The Historian saith Although Charles gave unto the Bishops power of Governing yet the Nobles did not altogether lose their Power whence it came to pass that when the War was ended the Secular Power beyond the Veser was acknowledged by them all to belong unto him At last because the Saxons had so often revolted he removed ten thousand of them with their Wives and Children into Brabant and Flanders and sent and settled some French in that Province and left his Son Charles there with an Army to keep them in obedience Charles understood that the Latin Translation of the Bible was much corrupted through the negligence of Writers Baron Annal. Tom. 9. ad Ann. 908. and gave it in charge unto Alcuinus to amend the Translation who did Correct both the Old and New Testament as Baronius testifieth Alcuinus was Governour of the Monastery of St. Martin at Tours yet was he neither a Monk nor a Priest but contented himself with the Order of a Deacon He died on Whitsunday Anno 804. Pepin King of Italy and Charles two Sons of Charles the Great died before him When Charles the Emperour was now Aged and saw many abuses in the Church he endeavoured by all means possible to procure Reformation of the lewd manners of Churchmen therefore he appointed at one time Symson's Church-Hist Cent. 9. namely in the year 813. five National Councils to be Convened in divers places for the Reformation of the Clergy and People One was Convened at Mentz a second at Rhemes the third at Tours the fourth at Cabillon or Chalon and the fifth at Arles In all these Councils no opposition was made to the Council of Frankford neither was the adoration of Images avowed in any of the Councils So available is the Authority of a Prince for suppressing of false Doctrine and Heresie In the Council of Mentz were Assembled thirty Bishops twenty five Abbots with a great number of Priests Monks and Judges After three dayes abstinence and fasting joyned with Litanies publick prayers and imploring Gods assistance they divided themselves into three Companies In the first were the Bishops with some Scribes reading the History of the Gospel and the Epistles and Acts of the Apostles together with the Canons and Works of the Ancients and the Pastoral Book of Gregory to the end that by the Precepts contained in those Books the enormity of mens lives might be corrected In the second Company were Abbots and Monks reading the Rules of St. Benedict for the reformation of the lives of Monks In the third Company were Lords and Judges pondering the causes of all men who came to complain that wrong was done unto them The first second and third Canons of this Council entreat concerning Faith Hope and Charity The fourth concerning the Sacraments to be ministred chiefly at Easter and Whitsunday
company with a base Saracen-Jester whom she preferred before a King The Emperour and the French King besiege Damascus but some of the Christians corrupted with Turkish Money perswaded the King of France to remove his Camp to a stronger part of the Walls which they long besieged in vain and returned home at last leaving the City and their honours behind them The French Proverb was verified of this Voyage Much bruit and little fruit Many thousand Christians perished in this adventure The French King coming homeward was taken prisoner by the Fleet of the Grecian Emperour and rescued again by Gregory Admiral to Roger King of Sicily When he was arrived in France his Wife was in open Parliament divorsed from him He gave her back again all the Lands in France which he had received with her in portion Herein he did nobly but not politickly to part with the Dukedoms of Poictou and Aquitain which he enjoyed in her right for hereby he dismembred his own Kingdom and gave a torch into the hands of Henry II. King of England who afterwards married her to set France on fire St. Bernard was condemned among the vulgar sort for the murtherer of those that went this Voyage and it was an heavy affliction for his aged back Bern. de consider li. 2. ca. 1. to bear the reproach of many people In his book of Consideration he maketh a modest defence of himself whither we refer the Reader Upon the departure of the Emperour Conrade and King Lewes Noradine the Turk much prevailed in Palestine Peter de Bruis a priest at Tholouse preached in sundry places against the Popes and the Doctrine of Rome calling the Pope the Prince of Sodom and Rome he called Babylon the mother of Whoredoms and confusion He preached against the corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament Morn myst Iniqu against the sacrifice of the Mass he condemned the worship of Images prayers to Saints single life of priests pilgrimages multitude of Holy-days c. The fore-named Peter Abbot of Clugny wrote against him This Peter de Bruis began to preach about the year 1126. Guilerm lib. 3. ca. 5. After him his Disciple Henry a Monk continued preaching the same Doctrine Guilerm an Abbot writing the life of St. Bernard saith of this Henry That he denied the grace of Baptism unto Infants he despised the prayers and oblations for the Dead the excommunication of Priests the pilgrimage of Believers the sumptuous buildings of Churches the idleness of Festival-days the consecration of chrism and oyl and all the ordinances of the Church He sheweth them that the people sent for Bernard to come against him but he refused until Albericus Bishop of Ostia was sent Legate against him and he perswadeth Bernard to go with him to Tholouse And then Bernard wrote his 240. Epistle unto Hildefonsus Count of St. Giles against this Henry Certain it is as the proverb is Bernard saw not all things and howbeit he wrote bitterly against him yet he commendeth him as a learned man and he was so reverenced that the people did follow him De Bruis was burnt at Tholouse and Albericus carried Henry into Italy Their Books were burnt In Palestine King Baldwin was poisoned by a Jewish Physician And Almerick Brother to King Baldwin succeeded to the Crown In the Church of Jerusalem one Almerick was Patriarch a French-man born though little fit for the place King Almerick against his promise invadeth Egypt but his perjury was punished with the future ruine of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and himself dies of a bloody-flux Baldwin his Son the fourth of that name succeedeth This Baldwin IV. had excellent Education under William Arch-Bishop of Tyre a pious man and excellent Scholar skilled in all the Oriental Tongues besides the Dutch and the French his Native Language Tho. Fullers Hist Holy War li. 2. ca. 38. a moderate and faithful Writer For in the lattter part of his History of the holy War his eye guided his hand till at last the taking of the City of Jerusalem so shook his hand that he wrote no more Treasurer he was of all the Money 's contributed to the holy War Chancellour of this Kingdom employed in several Embassies in the West present at the Lateran Council the Acts whereof he did record Cardinal he might have been but refused it Lewes the French King caused his Son Philip to be crowned at Rhemes at the Age of 14 years Anno 1179. He betrothed him to Isabel the Daughter of Baldwin Earl of Henault King Lewes having thus disposed of his affairs died Anno 1180. The Title of Augustus was given to Philip his Son and successour In the beginning of his Reign he purged the corruptions that were then prevalent among the people viz. Blasphemies Plays Dicing-houses publick dissoluteness in infamous places Taverns and Tipling-houses He expelled the Jews dispersed throughout his Kingdom and given to griping usury and albeit they obtained a return for Money yet in the end he banished them out of all the Territories of France The Patriarch of Jerusalem being arrived in France Anno 1184. with the Prior of the Hospital of Outremer Rigordus de gestis Philippi Augusti and the Grand Master of the Templars to demand succour of King Philip Augustus against the Saracens he sent out a Mandamus to call a general Council of all the Arch-Bishops Bishops and Princes of the Realm which was holden in the City of Paris Philip also calls a Parliament at Paris they diswade him from the Voyage but he fighteth against all difficulties Great charges were imposed upon such as went not the Voyage to pay the tenth of all their revenues both Temporal and Spiritual called for this occasion the Saladines Tenths Richard I. King of England and King Philip of France laying aside their private dissentions unite their forces against the Turks King Richard was accompanied with Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Hubert Bishop of Sarisbury Robert Earl of Leicester Ralph de Glanvil late Chief-Justice of England Richard de Clare Walter de Kime c. His Navy he sent about by Spain and with a competent number took his own Journey through France Roger Hovedon in Ricard 1. At Tours he took his Pilgrim's Staff and Scrip from the Arch-Bishop His Staff at the same time casually brake in pieces which some construed a token of ill success Likewise when He and the French King passed over the Bridge of Lyons on the fall of the Bridge this conceit was built That there would be a falling out betwixt these two Kings which accordingly came to pass At Lyons these two Kings parted their Trains and went several ways into Sicily At Messana in Sicily these two Kings meet again where King Richard beheld his Navy safely arrived Tankred a Bastard born was at this time King of Sicily who secretly applyeth himself to the French which King Richard easily discovered Mean time the Citizens of Messana did the English much wrong wherefore
and gave courage to their Commanders Philip seeing his Errour raiseth another Army of 40000 men and puts them under the command of Robert Earl of Artois accompanied with the Constable of France and many other great Personages Century XIV THe Armies forementioned meet near unto the Town of Courtray in a place called Groeming The French were defeated Of this great Army there hardly escaped three hundred not one Commander escaped and very few Noble-men There were taken Robert Earl of Artois General of the Army the Constable of France James of Chastillon Governour of Flanders John King of Majorca Godfrey of Brabant and his Son the Lord of Viezon the Earls of Ewe la March Damartin Aumale Auge Tankerville and many other great Personages Twelve hundred Gentlemen were slain by this enraged Multitude All Flanders now revolted from the French This happened in the Year 1302. on July 11. John of Namour is their Governour in the absence of their imprisoned Earl All the threats of the King of England and the Emperour now vanished away only Pope Boniface had Excommunicated King Philip and interdicted his Realm in the hottest of these Flemmish affairs upon this occasion The Christians Estate was lamentable in the East the Tartarians encreased daily The Pope Anno 1301. sent Boniface Bishop of Apamea unto King Philip requiring him to go into the Holy Land When the Bishop saw no appearance of obedience he threatned the King that the Pope would deprive him of his Kingdom Whereupon the Bishop being charged of Arrogancy and Treason and cast into Prison the Pope sends to him again one Peter a Roman born Arch-Bishop of Narbon commanding him to set the Bishop at liberty and to take a Voyage against the Infidels and not to meddle with the Tenths of the Clergy Philip answered his troubles at home hindred him from going into the East and constrained him to impose a Subsidy upon the Clergy and he was willing to dismiss the Bishop The Arch-Bishop replyed that he was ignorant of the Pope's Authority who was not only the Father of Christian Souls but also Soveraign Lord in Temporal things And therefore by that Authority he did excommunicate him declaring him unworthy to reign and his Realm forfeited to the Pope to invest whom he pleased Moreover he brought another Bull directed to the Prelates and Noblemen of France whereby he acquitted all French-men and dispensed with them as to their Oath of Allegiance to Philip. And cited all the Prelates and Divines of the French Church to appear before him at Rome disanulling all indulgences and priviledges granted to the French by any Popes his predecessours The Earl of Artois disdaining this affront takes the Bull and casts it into the fire Philip was so born out by the Peers of France that when he demanded their advice how he should demean himself and whether he should put up that wrong they answered That they were ready not only to spend their goods which they there wholly offered unto him for that end but also to expose their persons even to death for him not refusing any torments Adding further and that more plainly by word of mouth That if the King which God forbid would suffer it or connive at it yet for their parts they would never endure it Mr. John Tillet Bishop of Paris speaking of this Fact in his French Chronicle The impudence of this man saith he of Boniface was wonderful who durst affirm that the Realm of France was a Benefice of the Papal Majesty But I think them saith he the greater fools who dispute the point whether the Pope hath this power or no he put our France under an Interdict for the time but the Bishops took the King's part King Philip appealed from the usurpations and insolencies of Boniface VIII to the See Apostolick then vacant as he said and to a future Council as Platina saith in his Life Platina in Bonifac 8. The States of France disanulled Boniface's excommunication Boniface by a glosing Letter of his written unto the Bishops endeavoureth to make them approve his unjust proceedings against King Philip where he saith among other things Those who hold that Temporal matters are not subject to spiritual do not they go about to make two Princes He complains also of the Parliament holden at Paris where it was enacted saith he by under-hand and begged voices that none should appear before him upon the summons of the See Apostolick Math. Westm li. 2. sub Ann. 301. He complains also of the Report which was made to that Assembly by Mr. Peter Flotte whom he calleth Belial half blind in body and quite in understanding This was the man who being sent in Embassage to him by King Philip to that saying of his we have both the one power and the other made this reply in behalf of his Master yours is verbal but ours is real This Pope will have it necessary to salvation to believe that all the faithful people of Christ are subject to the Pope of Rome and that he hath both the swords and that he judgeth all men and is judged of none This Boniface was the Authour of the sixth book of the Decretals King Philip sends back the Pope's two Nuncio's to Rome and forbids the Prelates of France to go or send any Money to Rome This being done Philip raiseth new forces to return into Flanders and subdueth the Flemmings but by the instance of John Duke of Brabant he makes peace with them upon strict conditions During this Treaty Guy Earl of Flanders and his Daughter do both dye Robert William and Guy Brethren the Sons of the Earl Guy of Flanders were freed with all the Prisoners Isabel the Daughter of Philip is married to Edward the second King of England This War of Flanders had wasted above three hundred thousand French-men in eleven years during the which it continued Adolph was deposed from the Empire by a Decree of the Electors and Albert of Austria was seated in his place who pursuing him with War slew him with his own hand in an encounter near unto Spire Albert being chosen and installed Emperour Boniface presently seeks to win him against King Philip. He proclaims him Emperour and invests him King of the Realm of France giving him both the Title and Arms and taking occasion to sow division in the heart of the Realm by means of the Clergy who by reason of their Revenues had great power in the State He also wrote Letters to Philip in this manner Boniface Bishop Servant of the Servants of God to Philip King of French-men Fear God and observe his Commandmens We Will thee to understand that thou art subject unto us both in Spiritual things and in Temporal and that it belongeth not to Thee to give any Prebend or Benefice If thou hast the keeping of any of them being vacant thou must reserve the profits of them to the Successours If Thou hast given any we judge thy gift to be void and do revoke
millions of Gold came unto Rome in his time within the space of fourteen years from the Prelates and prelacies whereof no account could be made besides the poor Clergy which daily ran to that Court. The Emperour Sigismund required Peter de Aliaco Chancellour of Paris and Cardinal of Cambray to put in form some Articles concerning the Reformation of the Church that might be propounded to the Council of Constance aforementioned which he did In that Book he insisteth on four things 1. He propoundeth that general and Provincial Councils be kept especially General for amending all persons and estates 2. That for Reformation of the Roman Court it is sufficient that there be but one Cardinal out of every Province because the Cardinals are the causes of Schisms 3. That Prelates be not chosen young imprudent nor ignorant 4. He requireth the reformation of Monks speaking against their multitude and diversity he taxeth the Romish Court that they despise Divines and advance only such as can bring them in gain He complaineth also of Pagan abuses and Diabolical superstitions at Rome But saith he as there were seven thousand who never bowed to Baal so we may be confident that there are some who are desirous of the Churches Reformation Alanus of Chartres Secretary to King Charles VII wrote a Book in French entituled the Courtier in which he extolleth the single life of Priests Libel de Stat. Eccles Gallic in schismate p. 75. This King Charles VII in the Ordinance made Anno 1422. thus complaineth Divers of our Subjects and others by vertue of resignations or Apostolick Bulls do take and receive and endeavour to get and obtain Benefices within this Realm and take possession of them and labour to summon or cause to be summoned our Liege-Subjects unto the Court of Rome or before some Commissioners or Delegates appointed by our Holy Father which is down-right to oppose the Church and Clergy The Council which was begun at Ferrara Anno 1438. and continued at Florence Panormit in Tract de Concil Basil Circa princip num 6. was never received and approved of in France The Bishop of Panormo saith the King of France did expresly forbid upon great penalties that any of his Dominions should go to Ferrara to celebrate the oecumenical Council Charles VII tells some Cardinals down-right so who were sent Ambassadours from Eugenius and were come to Bourges to get him to accept of it and among others to present him with this Article That since such time as it was translated to Ferrara the King should reject the Council of Basil and receive the Council of Ferrara with the Acts thereof Whereto he made Answer after six days deliberation with his Prelates and others assembled at Bourges That he had received the Council of Basil for a Council indeed that he sent his Ambassadours thither that many things were there wisely determined concerning Faith and Manners and such as he liked well of but for that of Ferrara he never did and never would take it for a Council This Charles favoured Pope Eugenius but so as that he professeth he will stand to the Decrees of the Council of Basil James de Paradiso of Chartres who wrote a little after the Council of Basil Jacob de Paradiso in lib. de Sep. â—em statib Eccles saith Seeing we hold it possible to proceed to a Reformation as well of the Head as of the Members by such as have Authority and Presidency both Spiritual and Temporal it must be either by one Man or more That it should be by one Man is against all reason how eminent soever he be for his virtues his knowledge his worth although be he renowned for his miracles nay in my opinion not by the Pope himself alone For there are so many Canons Decretals and Constitutions made by them already as are good for nought but filling up Parchment to no purpose without working any Reformation Besides seeing it is evident that his own Court stands in great need of Reformation as hath been well known by the common cries of the last General Councils which Court of his if he either cannot or will not reform which he covers under his Wing how is it credible that he should reform the Church which is of so large an extent Besides it may be objected to him Apply the salve to your own sores first as being the Head for when that is cured you may with less difficulty cure the Members wherefore Physician heal thy self Vnsavoury salt is not good for seasoning Wherefore by the just judgement of God his Decrees are scarce well received yet nor ever will be till he have reformed himself and his Dependents And verily I think the chief cause of the deformation in the Church is the wound in the Head which hath need to be cured in the first place And anon after Wherefore it seemeth to me an incredible thing that the Catholick Church should be reformed unless first the Court of Rome be so but as the World goes now we may see what an hard thing that is Those who have the Presidency in Councils on the Pope's behalf when they see that matters in the Council make against their Masters and them what can be expected from them but that they will withstand the Decrees of such Councils with might and main either by dissolving them or sowing dissentions in them and so the thing shall remain unperfected and we driven to return to the old Wilderness of Errour and Ignorance Every body knows this to be true unless it be some one haply who is not experienced in time past The Tragedy which was acted in our Age at the Council of Basil doth sufficiently prove it as they knew well who have laid down the story before our eyes At this time flourished the Panormitan Abbot the most famous of all the Canonists In the Council of Basil forenamed Amadeus Arch-Bishop of Lyons and Primate of all France a Man of great Authority being toucht with the zeal of Faith which he saw there to be suppressed said Most Reverend Fathers I do see here a new sort of Prelates come in which unto this present have kept silence and now begin to speak Is not this like to a Miracle I would to God they came to defend the truth and not to impugn Justice The Cardinal of Arles required that the Concordat of the twelve men should be read and many whispered him in the Ear that he should go forward Then Panormitan as soon as the Concordat began to be read rising up with his companions and other Arragons cryed out with a loud voice saying You Fathers do contemn our Requests you contemn Kings and Princes and despise Prelates It is not for you to conclude We are the major part of the Prelates we make the Council and it is our part to conclude And I in the Name of all other Prelates do conclude that is to be deferred Then there was such a rumour in the Council as is
against Luther and others defend him Luther proceedeth and writeth against other corruptions of the Church of Rome and many are enlightned by him Charles V. being Emperour calleth a Dyet at Wormes and thither is Luther summoned Anno 1521. who stoutly defendeth his Doctrine and many Priests began to preach and even in Wormes after they had seen the constancy of Luther they receive the preachers of the Gospel and because they could not have the liberty of the Churches they set up a portable pulpit and heard the preachers in many places of the Town until the year 1525. The Gospel was preached in Saxony and embraced there as also at Halberstat Hamburgh Pomerania Liveland and many other places Charles Duke of Savoy was desirous of truth and purity Luther understanding it by Annemund Coot a French Knight writes unto him a confession of Faith to confirm him in the zeal of piety In the closure he saith Well! Illustrious Prince stir up that spark which hath begun to kindle in thee and let fire come from the house of Savoy as from the house of Joseph and let all France be kindled by thee yea let that Holy fire burn and encrease that at last France may be truly called for the Gospel's sake the most Christian Kingdom In the year 1523. the Gospel began to be openly preached in France at Gratianople in the Daulphinatè by Peter Sebevilla Zuinglius by writing encouraged him to lift up his voice like a Trumpet and sound forth the Gospel in France At the same time in Melda about ten miles from Paris was Bishop William Brissonnet he was a Lover of Truth and Light he passeth by the Monks and sought learned Men to teach the Gospel So from Paris he calleth Jacobus Faber William Farel Arnold and Gâ—rard Red who did most fervently instruct the people in the truth But the Bishop's courage was soon abated by terrible menaces of the Sorbonnists nevertheless the word of God was planted in the hearts of many and by the wondrous counsel of God from the persecution of that one Church many Churches through France were planted for both the Teachers and hearers were spread abroad After Martin Luther had opened the way in Germany John Calvin born at Noyon in Piccardy a Man of a great wit marvellously eloquent and generally Learned departing from the Faith then generally held proposed in his Books which he published in Print and in his Sermons which he preached in divers places in France one hundred twenty eight axiomes so he called them disagreeing from the Roman Church The French Wits curious by Nature and desirous of Novelties began at first rather for pastime than through choice to read his writings and frequent his Sermons But as Davila a Papist observeth in his History of the civil Wars of France as in all business of the World it useth often to fall out that things beginning in jest end in earnest so these opinions sowed in God's Church Davila Hist of the Civil Wars of France lib. 1. so crept up saith he that they were greedily embraced and firmly believed by a great number of people and persons of all qualities insomuch that Calvin came to be reverenced of many in a short time and believed for a new miraculous Interpreter of Scripture and saith my Authour as it were a certain infallible Teacher of the true Faith The foundation of this Doctrine was in the City of Geneva scituate upon the Lake Antiently called Lacus Lemanus upon the confines of Savoy which having rejected the Government of the Duke and Bishop to whom formerly it paid obedience under the name of Terra Franca under pretext of liberty of conscience reduced it self into the form of a Common-wealth From thence books coming out daily in print and men furnished with Wit and eloquence insinuating themselves into the Neighbour Provinces who secretly sowed the seeds of this new Doctrine in progress of time all the Cities and Provinces of the Kingdom of France were filled with it though so covertly that there appeared openly only some few marks and conjectures of it This began in the time of King Francis the first who though sometimes he made severe resolutions against the preachers and professours of this Doctrine yet notwithstanding being continually busied in Forreign Wars took little notice thereof Peter Viret was an eloquent French Divine whom Calvin desired for his Colleague His French Books are mentioned by Antoine du Verdier in his Bibliotheque William Farel was also a learned Divine of Geneva He hath written De Vray Vsage de la Croix and other Books Upon Calvin Farel and Viret there is this Epigram of Beza Gallica mirata est Calvinum Ecclesia nuper Quo nemo docuit doctiùs Est quoque te nuper mirata Farelle tonantem Quo nemo tonuit fortiùs Et miratur adhuc fundentem mella Viretum Quo nemo fatur dulciùs Scilicet aut tribus his servabere testibus olim Aut interibis Gallia Stephen Pasquier a French Writer and a Papist doth much extol Calvin's piety wit and learning Recherch de la France li. 8. ca. 55. John Clerk was apprehended at Melden in France Anno 1523. for setting up upon the Church-door a certain Bill against the Pope's pardons lately sent thither from Rome in which Bill he named the Pope to be Antichrist For which he was three several days whipped and afterwards had a mark imprinted in his Forehead as a note of infamy His mother being a good Christian-woman though her Husband was an Adversary when she beheld her Son thus grievously scourged and ignominiously deformed in the face did boldly encourage her Son crying with a loud Voice Blessed be Christ and welcome be these prints and marks After this execution and punishment sustained the said John departed that Town and went to Rosie in Brie and from thence to Metz where he was taken for casting down Images and there his hand was first cut off from his right Arm then his Nose with sharp pincers was violently pulled from his Face after that both his Arms and his paps were likewise pluckt and drawn with the same Instrument He quietly endured these Torments in a manner singing the Verses of the 115 Psalm Their Idols be Silver and Gold the work only of Man's hand The rest of his body was committed to the fire and therewith consumed Anno 1525. Doctor John Castellan after he was called to the knowledge of God he bâ—came a true preacher of his word in France at Barleduc also at Vittery in Partoise at Chalon in Champagne and in the Town of Vike which is the Episcopal Seat of the Bishop of Metz in Lorrain After he had laid some foundation of the Doctrine of the Gospel in Metz in returning from thence he was taken prisoner by the Cardinal of Lorrain's servants and carried to the Castle of Nommenie from thence he was carried to the Town and Castle of Vike always constantly persevering in the same Doctrine He was degraded by
the confession but gave order that a confutation thereof should be read and no Copy given The Pope was displeased with the Emperour for meddling in Religion but especially for promising a Council He writes to all Princes that he would call a Council though he never meant it and his collusion is discovered by many The Protestants likewise do write to all Princes praying them not to believe the calumnies raised against them and to suspend their Judgements until those that are accused have place to acquit themselves publickly And therefore they will desire the Emperour that he will call a godly and free Council in Germany as soon as might be and not use force until the matter be disputed and lawfully denyed The French King answered with very courteous Letters in substance giving them thanks for communicating unto him a business of so great weight He shewed them that he was glad to understand of their innocency and did approve the instance they made that the vices might be amended wherein they shall find his will to concur with theirs that their requiring a Council was just and holy yea necessary not only for the affairs of Germany but of the whole Church that it was not necessary to use Arms where the controversies may be ended with Treaties The Emperour promiseth the calling of a Council within six months The Pope resolveth to make an Alliance with France to be able to withstand the Emperour After the Assembly of the Protestants at Smalcald the French King Treateth with the Landgrave of Hassia at the Pope's request about the Council The Pope is displeased for the proposal of Geneva for the place of the Council Anno 1534. Pope Clement VII dyeth and Cardinal Farnese is created Pope and named Paul III. He maketh a shew that he desireth a Council he perswadeth the Cardinals to reform themselves The custom is that in the first days the Cardinals obtain favours easily of the new pope Therefore the Cardinal of Lorrain and other French in the name of the King desired him to grant to the Duke of Lorrain the nomination of the Bishopricks and Abbacies of his Dominion The Pope's Answer was that in the Council which should be called shortly it was necessary to take away the faculty of nomination from those Princes that already had it which was some blemish to the Popes his predecessours who had granted them A Bull is made for the convocation of the Council at Mantua May 27. 1537. The Pope prayeth the French King and all other Kings and Princes to be there in person The Protestants approve not the Bull of convocation The Duke of Mantua makes a Grant of his City and afterwards recalleth it The King of England opposeth the Council by a publick manifest Then the Pope sent out a Bull for the convocation of the Council at Vicenza The Legates went to Vicenza at the time appointed and the Pope to Nizza in Provence at the same time to speak personally with the Emperour and the French King which he gave out was only to make peace between those great Princes though his principal end was to draw the Dukedom of Milan to his own house Anno 1538. The Council intimated is suspended during pleasure The Emperour gave order for a Dyet to be held in Germany where Ferdinand thought good inviting the Protestant Princes to be there in person and promising publick security unto all Cardinal Farnese hearing of this conclusion made without his knowledge went immediately away and passing by Paris obtained of the French King a severe Edict against the Lutherans which being published was executed in that City and after through all France with much rigour King Francis commanded that all should be appeached who had Books differing from the Church of Rome that made secret Conventicles that transgressed the commandments of the Church and especially that observed not the Doctrine of Meats or prayed in any Tongue but the Latin and commanded the Sorbonnists to be diligent Spies against them Afterwards understanding the Emperour 's cunning who assayed to incite the Pope against him he caused the Lutherans to be really proceeded against and commanded that a form to discover and accuse them should be instituted in Paris proposing punishments to the concealers of them and rewards to the Delators This was done Anno 1542. The Emperour gave divers orders to the Prelates of Spain and the Low-Countries and commanded that the Divines of Lovain should assemble together to consider of the Doctrines which were to be proposed which they reduced to XXII heads without confirming them by any place of Scripture but explicating Magisterially the conclusion only Thâ— French King also Assembled at Melun the Parisian Divines to consult of â—â—â— necessary positions of the Christian Faith to be proposed in thâ—â—â—uncil where there was much contention For some desired to propose the confirmation of whatsoever was constituted in Constance and Basil and the re-establishment of the Pragmatick Sanction And others doubting that the King would be offended by destroying the Concordat made between him and Leo which would necessarily follow gave counsel not to set that disputation on foot And afterwards because there were divers opinions in that School concerning the Sacraments unto which some gave effective Ministerial vertue and others not every one desiring that his opinion should be an Article of Faith nothing could be concluded but that they should keep themselves within compass of the XXV heads published two years before The Council is appointed to be in Trent and thither the Legates are sent While they meet in Trent to convince Heresies by a Council in France they did the same by force of Arms against a small remainder of the Waldenses Inhabitants of the Alpes of Provence who as hath hath been said before maintained a separation from the See of Rome with divers Rites and Doctrine These Men after the Reformation of Zuinglius enlarged their Doctrine by his and reduced their Rites unto some form at the same time when Geneva embraced the Reformation Sentence was pronounced against these many years before by the Parliament of Aix which had never been executed The King now commanded to execute the Sentence The President mustered together as many Souldiers as he could in the places bordering upon them and in the Pope's State of Avignon and went with an Army against these poor Creatures who had neither Weapon nor thought otherwise than by flight to defend themselves those that could They went not about to teach them or by threats to make them leave their Rites and opinions but first of all filling all the Countrey with Rapes slew as many as stood to their mercy because they could not fly without sparing young or old They rather razed the Countries of Cabriers in Provence and of Merindol in the County of Viinoisin belonging to the Pope and all other places in those Precincts More than 4000. persons were slain They that fled to the Woods and Mountains partly were famished
severity mitigating the punishment of those who assemble without Arms only for Religion instructing and admonishing them and to this purpose to cause the Prelates to reside hoping that by these remedies they would need neither National nor General Council A Decree was made the 27. of that month That there should be an Assembly of the States at Meaux the 10. of December and if the General Council shall not be called suddenly the Bishops shall assemble on January 13. to treat of celebrating a National in the mean-while the punishments for cause of Religion were suspended except against those who took up Arms. The Pope hereupon wrote to Cardinal Tournon to hinder the meeting of the Bishops and if he could not to return to Rome The Pope makes shew to call a General Council suddenly He received answer from Tournon that having tried all means he was not able to remove the King or any of his Council nor could hope for any better success hereafter The Pope's secret purpose was to avoid the Council or to defer it but makes a contrary resolution against his Will and is much troubled with the occurrences of France A Currier went in haste to Rome out of France with protestations from the King that if the General Council were not called he could no longer defer the National adding that if any place in France were chosen for the meeting of the Council it should be most secure Then the Convocation of the Council was published in the Consistory the Bull whereof was entitled Of the Intimation of the Council of Trent the Latine word was Indictionis Vergerius wrote a Book against this Bull. At this time News came to Rome that the French King had imprisoned the Prince of Conde and set a guard upon the King of Navarre which pleased the Pope much as a thing that might hinder the National Council Saga servant to the King of Navarre is taken at Estampes with divers letters about him and being tortured confesseth certain practices against the Crown The Prince of Conde had attempted to possess himself of Lions but without success The Governour of the City condemned many of the Hugonots to be hanged and the rest he sent alive to the Court who served afterwards to confirm the Depositions of the Prisoners against the discontented Princes The King departeth with his Guard from Fountainbleau and summoneth the States to meet at Orleans where the first thing that was done was to make a profession of their Faith Which being set down by the Doctors of the Sorbon conformable to the belief of the Roman Church and publickly read by the Cardinal of Tournon President of the Ecclesiastical order was by a solemn Oath approved and confirmed by every one of the Deputies because none should be admitted into that General Assembly either unwittingly or on purpose that was not a true Catholick Then the High Chancellour in presence of the King proposed those things which were necessary to be consulted of for the reformation of the Government But this was the least thing in every mans thought for the minds of all men were in suspence about the Prince of Conde's imprisonment who being interrogated excepts against his trial and appeals to the King but the Appeal is not accepted and he was declared to be held as convict because he had refused to answer the Delegates So they proceeded judicially until the very last pronouncing of sentence The Commissaries having pronounced the sentence against the Prince of Conde the King one morning being under the Barbers hand was on a sudden taken with an Apoplexy and laid by his servants on his bed and on Decemb. 5. he died Charles IX brother to Francis and second Son to the Queen succeeded to the Crown being yet but about eleven years old in regard of his Minority the Government fell principally upon the King of Navarre as first Prince of the Blood Navarre did almost openly favour the new Religion and was wholly governed by the Counsel of Jasper Coligni the old Admiral who made profession of it so that the Protestants were more confident to obtain liberty of Religion as they desired They assembled almost publickly Hereupon the King's Mother and the chief of the Council resolved to hold the States at Orleans and begun to do it on the 13. of December where the business of Religion was debated The Chancellour shewed That there was need of a Council which the Pope had promised and that in the mean time it was not to be tolerated that every one should shape out his own Religion and bring in new rites at his pleasure He said That it was necessary that the names of Lutherans Hugonots and Papists no less factious than those of the Guelphs and Gibilines were to be taken away and Arms to be taken against those who cover their avarice ambition and desire of innovation with the cloak of Religion John Angelo Advocate in the Parliament of Burdeaux spake much against the bad manners and discipline of the Clergy James Earl of Rotchford said That all the present evils did arise from the large donations made by the King and other Grandees to the Churches especially of jurisdictions in the end he gave a Petition in the name of the Nobility demanding to have publick Churches for their Religion Jacobus Quintinus a Burgundian spake for the Clergy he said The States were assembled to provide for the necessities of the Kingdom not to amend the Church which cannot err though the Discipline in some small part may somewhat need reformation He said That they that demand Churches apart from the Catholicks are to be punished as Hereticks and that the King ought to force all his Subjects to believe and live according to the form prescribed to the Church that those who have forsaken the Kingdom for Religion ought not to be suffered to return that those who are infected with Heresy ought to be proceeded against Capitally that the Ecclesiastical Discipline will easily be reformed if the Clergy be freed from payment of Tenths c. In the end he demanded that all priviledges of the Clergy should be confirmed and all grievances removed The King ordained That the Prelates should prepare to go to the Council of Trent commanded that all that were in prison for Religion should be set at liberty their offences until that time pardoned and their goods restored The Pope sends a Nuncio to the Queen-Mother praying her to be careful of the Religion in which she was born and bred and not to suffer Schism to arise by too much licence nor to seek remedies else-where for the present and imminent evils but from the Church of Rome for which end the Council was intimated The Prince of Conde was set at liberty and by an Edict in the Parliament of Paris absolved from the imputation laid upon him and the Sentence declared null and irregular which was pronounced against him by the Judges Delegates as incapable of judging the Princes of the blood
Crowned King of France Michael Hospitalius Chancellour of France under Charles IX Thuan. Tom. 3. lib. 56. was removed from the Court and made a Prisoner as it were only because he opposed those wicked Counsels against the Protestants in the Massacre at Paris Beza mentions him in his Icones illustrium virorum And Grotius stiles him Grot. Praef. ad Poem Vnicum aevi nostri decus the only ornament of our Age. There are these of his Works published Six Books of Epistles in Latine Verse De Caleto expugnato Epistola carmen cum aliis In the Preface to his Epistle one saith it appeared by a most Ancient Coyn that he much resembled Aristotle Summum illum omnium Philosophorum principem Aristotelem sic ore toto retulit ut alterius ex altero Imago expressa videri posset At this time flourished Michael Montanus or Michael de Montaigne Knight of the Noble Order of St. Michael and one of the Gentlemen in Ordinary to the French King Henry III. his Chamber His elegant Books of Miscellanies written in French are by him modestly styled Essayes or Moral Politick and Military Discourses He hath thereby gotten a great opinion of his Learning and Wisdom and Rome hath chosen and adopted him for one of her Citizens Charles Cardinal of Lorain dieth December 23. 1574. of a Frenzy in the midst of a cruel tempest and violent whirl-wind which uncovered the houses and loosened the bars of Iron in the Carthusians Covent in the Suburbs of Avignon According to the advice of the Queen-Mother the King assaults the Protestant Towns in Provence Languedoc and Dolphiné Lusignan was besieged and yielded upon Composition Pousin is besieged and taken but the Town of Libero in Dolphinè though besieged was not taken In Languedoc D'anville although he was of the Roman Religion yet had joyned himself to the Protestants and took Aques Mortes a Town of great importance in those Parts with many other Towns In Dolphinè Mombrim was chief Commander and had great success in his attempts But in the end being sore wounded he was taken beside â—ia a Town in Dolphinè and by the Commandment of the King and Queen-Mother was carried to Grenoble and there was executed in the sight of the people The Prince of Conde had required help of Casimire the Son of Count Palatine who had also condescended to succour the Protestants The Conditions they agreed on were these That they should not lay down their Arms until that liberty were obtained to the Protestants fully to enjoy their own Religion And likewise that Casimire should have the Towns of Metis Tullion and Verdum in his hands besides other Towns in all the Provinces of France which the Protestants were to require for their further assurance and as pledges of the King's fidelity and faithfulness to them The Army of the Germans and French entered into France under the Prince of Conde and Casimire and came forward to Charossium a Town in Bourbon not far from Molins where Alançon the King's Brother joyned with them and the whole Army conjoyned was found to be of horse-men and foot-men thirty thousand The King of Navarre at the same time departeth from Court and returneth into his own Country The Army draws near to Paris but at length was concluded upon certain Conditions That Casimire should receive from the King a great summ of money instead of those Towns which should have been put in his hands and that liberty should be granted to the Protestants to exercise their own Religion openly and freely without exception of places the Court and the City of Paris with a few leagues about only excepted They were also declared to be capable of places in Parliament and Courts of Justice and all Judgements which were made against them for any enterprize whatsoever were declared void the cruel day of St. Bartholomew disavowed and for better assurance and performance of these conditions they had eight Towns delivered unto them with the Conditions of their Governments Aques Mortes Benecaire Perigneux Le mas de Verdun Nions Yissure La grand tour The Edict of Pacification was Proclaimed May 10. 1576. and an end was put to the fifth Civil War in France for Religion By the Bull of Pope Gregory XIII sent into France Anno 1575. we may see all the Judges Royal both superiour and inferiour utterly despoiled of the Cognisance of criminal Causes The Sixteenth Article is this Vide Collect. diversar constitut Romanor Pontif. in fine Et Eclogam Bullarum motuum propriorum p. 316. We Excommunicate and anathematize all and every one the Magistrates Counsellours Presidents Auditors and other Judges by what name soever they be called the Chancellours Vice-Chancellours Notaries Registers and Executors their servants and others which have any thing to do in what sort or manner soever with Capital or Criminal Causes against Ecclesiastical persons in banishing or arresting them passing or pronouncing sentence against them and putting them in Execution even under pretence of any priviledges granted by the See Apostolick upon what causes and in what tenour and form soever to Kings Dukes Princes Rcpubliques Monarchies Cities and other Potentates by what name and title soever they be called which we will not have to be useful to them in any thing repealing them all from henceforth and declaring them to be nullities The twelfth Article speaks on this sort We Excommunicate all and every the Chancellours Vice-Chancellours Counsellours Ordinary and Extraordinary of all Kings and Princes the Presidents of Chanceries Councils and Parliaments as also the Attorneys General of them and other Secular Princes though they be in Dignity Imperial Royal Ducal or any other by what name soever it be called and other Judges as well Ordinary as by Delegation as also the Archbishops Bishops Abbots Commendatories Vicars and Officers who by themselves or by any other under pretence of Exemptions Letters of Grace or other Apostolical Letters do summon before them our Auditors Commissaries and other Ecclesiastical Judges with the causes concerning Benefices Tithes and other spiritual matters or such as are annexed to them and hinder the course of them by 〈◊〉 authority and interpose themselves to take Cognisance of them in the quality of Judges This is not all for in the following Article he goes yet further striking an heavy blow at the Ordinances of the French Kings Those also which under pretence of their Office or at the Instance of any man whatsoever draw before them to their Bench Audience Chancery Council or Parliament Ecclesiastical persons Chapters Covents and Colledges of all Churches or cause them to be brought in question before them or procure them directly or indirectly under what colour soever beyond the appointment of the Canon Law Those also which ordain and set forth Statutes Ordinances Constitutions Pragmatiques or other Decrees whatsoever in general or in special for any cause or colour whatsoever even under pretence of Apostolical Letters not now in practice or
by the Parliament he disswaded them from it as much as he could both by Letters and Sermons And unto him the Court was obliged that all the Protestant Tows on this side the Loire kept in the King's obedience He shewed that he did it not to serve the times but to serve God The declaring of the Politick Assembly of the Protestants for the Prince of Conde in the year 1616. was the greatest error that ever they committed and they smarted for it as soon as the young King had got more Age and vigour In the mean time Du Plessis laboured much in procuring the peace of the Protestant Churches endeavouring to keep a good correspondence between the King and them which was continually ready to be interrupted in which business he carried himself with so much prudence and fidelity in all occurences between them that he was admired and praised by all Yea even Cardinal Du Perron himself heretofore one of his greatest enemies shewed him great respect in the Assembly of States held at Roven Anno 1617. Speaking of him in all companies with an excess of Praises and telling the King himself that those men had done him wrong who had kept off Monsieur Du Plessis from having a greater Power in the management of his affairs And that his Religion ought not to render him unprofitable in the exercise of those graces which God had given him and that his Majesty ought to keep him near his person so long as he should live After the return of Dr. Du Moulin out of England the Jesuite Arnoux a Court Preacher sent a challenge to the Ministers of Paris to appear before the Queen-Mother to give account of their Religion preacht fire and sword against them before their Majesties and sent them a Pamplet full of heavy accusations The Doctor was charged by his Colleagues to make an answer to it which he did and addressed it to the King In that answer by way of just recrimination he affirmed that he had seen in the Colledge of the Jesuites at la Fleshe a Picture of the Martyrs of their Order and in that rank some Traytors who had been executed for conspiring against the Life of their Kings That the maxims of the Jesuites were pernicious to Kings whereas the Doctrine of the Protestants maintained their Life their Authority nad their States And the Pastours of the Reformed Churches taught their people fidelity and obedience to the King Then he represented the many Perils and Combates which the Protestants had sustained for the defence of King Henry IV. till they had brought him to the Crown Of which services they that had been the King's enemies received the reward This answer of the Ministers was presented to the King by the Duke of Rohan See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin This bold address to the King irritated the great Officers of the Crown of whom not a few or their Fathers had been of the party of the League The Jesuites therefore letting their challenge fall indicted the Ministers of Treason although all the ground they could find for it was that the Ministers called the Reformed Churches their people as if they had pretended some Soveraignty over them The Ministers being summoned before the Council the indictment of Treason was not much urged as being but a Cavil After grave Admonitions and high threatnings by Chancellour Bruslart they dismissed them That challenge of Arnoux and a Pamphlet of his against the confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches in France occasioned the Doctor to write his Buckler of Faith A Jesuite came to the Doctors Study to dispute with him Monsieur de Monginot a famous Physitian was present at the Conference whereby he was converted and set out an excellent Book of the reasons why he abjured Popery He had many encounters and to relate all his Conferences migh◠fill a great Volume Scarce was he a week without one while he lived in Paris and some of them were very long He was the object of the publick hatred of the Romanists His name was the general Theme of Libels cryed up in the Streets of railing Sermons in all Pulpits and of the curses of ignorant Zealots The Popish Clergy in the year 1617. being assembled at the house of Austin-Friers in Paris as every two years they used to do being to take their leaves of the King elected the Bishop of Aire to be their Spokes-man and to certifie his Majesty of their grievances In performing which business the principal thing of which he spake was to this purpose That whereas his Majesty was bound to give them Fathers he gave them Children That the name of Abbot signifies a Father and the Function of a Bishop was full of Fatherly authority yet France notwithstanding was now filled with Bishops and Abbots which are yet in their Nurses arms or else under their Regents in Colledges Nay more that the abuse goeth before the Being Children being commonly design'd to Bishopricks and Abbacies before they were born He also made another complaint that the Soveraign Courts by their Decrees had attempted upon the Authority which was Committed to the Clergy even in that which concerned meerly Ecclesiastical Discipline and Government of the Church To these complaints he gave them indeed a very gracious hearing but it never went further than a hearing being never followed by redress The Court of Parliament knew too well the strength of their own Authority and the King was loth to take from himself those excellent advantages of binding to himself his Nobility by the speedy preferring of their Children So the Clergy departed with a great deal of envy and a little of satisfaction In the same year the States of the United Provinces desired the Churches of England Germany France c. to send some able Divines to the Synod of Dort whereupon the Churches of France named four viz. Dr. Du Moulin Chamier Rivet and Chaune But when the Doctor was making ready for his journey he was forbidden by a messenger of the Council of State of France to go out of the Kingdom upon pain of death The like prohibition was made to the three other Divines Andrew Rivet was a Godly and Learned French Divine He hath very well expounded Genesis Exodus the Prophetical Psalms and Hosea and wrote Learnedly against the Papists in his Catholicus Orthodoxus and against Grotius Criticus sacer seu censura Patrum Isagoge in S. Scripturam Synopsis doctrinae de naturâ gratiâ He hath published other Learned Treatises in French and Latin William Rivet his Brother hath also published a Learned Treatise De Justificatione an exact French Treatise De invocatione adoratione Sanctorum defunctorum Epist Apologet. Daniel Chamier was also a Learned French man who in his Panstratiae Catholicae hath so Learnedly refuted the Papists that none of them hath made any answer to it His Epistolae Jesuiticae and Corpus Theologiae also shew his great abilities There is also a Work of his in French
Rochel and took the way of Lions In that resolution he was guided by a good Providence for if he had gone to Rochel he should have been apprehended not far from that Town after his coming out of it At Lions he received a Letter from Monsieur Drelincourt Minister of Paris which gave him notice of his danger This warning made him baulk the high-way yet he went to Paris and entring the City in the night went directly to the Lord Herbert who bad him to flie in haste for his life which was in danger by the interception of his Letters to the King his Master That very night without going so much as to his own house he went out of Paris with his Brother Captain John Du Moulin to Lumigni a house of the Count de la Suze ten Leagues from the City Thither came two Elders of the Church of Paris to him from the Consistory to desire him to remove himself out of the reach of those who waited for his life Which he did and the next night travelled toward Sedan a place then acknowledging the Old Duke of Bovillon a Protestant Prince for Sovereign To Sedan he came safe in the beginning of the year 1621. and was kindly received by the Duke to his house and Table This was his parting with the Church of Paris where he had lived one and twenty years And although great means were made to appease the Court and albeit many years after the indictment against him was taken off and leave was given him to live in France yet was it with that exception that he should not live in Paris At Sedan he was presently desired to accept of the place of Minister of that Church and of the Chair of Divinity then lately left by Tilenus in discontent and by Andrew Melvin by death He accepted of these places but conditionally in case that he could not obtain his restitution to Paris He found at Sedan much love and respect from the Prince and the Academy as also from the Church Daniel Tilenus was a Learned man He hath written Notes and Observations upon Bellarmines Disputation De Christo Capite And on his Book De Summo Pontifice and his Book De Verbo Dei Other Works there are of his as Paraenesis ad Scotos Amica collatio Tileni Cameronis De gratia voluntatis humanae concursu Disput de Antichristo Consideratio sent Jac. Arminii de Praedestinatione gratiâ Dei libero Arbitrio Syntagma Disputationum in Academia Sedanensi The Government of the Town and Castle of Saumur was continued unto Du Plessis until this year 1621. when the King falling into displeasure and suspicion of the Protestants by reason of their high deportment in the Assembly at Rochel displaced him at first but for three Months with a promise of restoring him so soon as affairs should be quieted in some measure But these discontents growing to an open War he could never procure a re-establishment though it were continually solicited by him Wherefore retiring himself to his House in the Forest upon Dayure he continued there till the day of his death which followed in the year 1623. there applying himself to holy meditations and Exercises of Patience Doctor Du Moulin having had time and occasion whilst he was President of the Synod of Alais and in his long journey to it and from it to know the evil posture of affairs he found himself prest in Spirit to write to the Assembly of Rochel and because that Epistle is a piece that giveth much light to the History of that time and a good lesson to all that pretend Conscience and Religion for their resistance to their Soveraign by force of Arms I will give some account of it in this place Gentlemen I do not write to you to pour my sorrows into your bosom See the Life of Dr. Du Moulin w itten by his Son or to entertain you with my private crosses c. A more smarting care hath moved me to write to you and forced me to go beyond my nature which was alwaies averse from medling with publick businesses and from moving out of the sphere of my proper calling For seeing the general body of the Church in eminent danger and upon the brink of a dismal Precipice it was not possible for me to keep silence c. It becomes me not indeed to take upon me to give Counsel to an Assembly of Persons chosen out of the whole Kingdom to bear the burden of the publick affairs in a time so full of difficulty yet I think it is useful for you to be truly informed what the sense and what the disposition is of our Churches by persons that have a particular knowledge of it The Question then being whether you ought to separate your Assembly to obey his Majesty or keep together to give order to the affairs of the Churches I am obliged to tell you that the general desire of our Churches is that it may please God to continue our peace in our obedience to his Majesty And that seeing the King resolved to make himself obeyed by the force of his Arms they trust that you will do your best to avoid that storm and rather yield unto necessity than to engage them in a War which most certainty will ruine great part of our Churches c. By obeying the King you shall take away the pretence used by those that set on his Majesty to persecute us And if we must be persecuted all that fear God desire that it may be for the profession of the Gospel and that our persecution may truly be the cross of Christ I can assure you that the greatest and best part of our Churches wisheth for your separation if it may be with the safety of your persons yea that many of the Roman Church desiring the publick peace are continually about us beseeching and exhorting us that we do not by casting our selves headlong involve them in the same ruine Generally our poor flocks are frighted and dismaied casting their eyes upon you as persons that may procure their rest and by yielding to the present necessity blow away the storm hanging over their heads Many already have forsaken the Land many have forsaken their Religion whence you may judge what dissipation is like to follow if this exasperation go on further No more do I need to recommend unto you to have a tender care of the preservation of our poor Churches knowing that you would chuse death rather than to draw that reproach upon you that you have hastened the persecution of the Church and destroyed that which the zeal of our Fathers had planted and put this State in confusion c. Consider then whether the subsistence of your Assembly can heal all these sores whether your sitting can give a shelter to our Churches provide all things necessary for a War where the parties are so unequal raise Forces and make a stock of money to pay them whether all the good that your
1626. and the next day the General and particular Deputies ratified and confirmed them King Lewes made a severe Edict against Duels and took a solemn Oath not to shew any favour to those who should break it About this time there arose very great Disputes in the University of Paris especially between the Doctors of Divinity about a certain Book composed by Sanctarellus a Jesuite which treated of the power Popes had over Kings which Book had been approved by their chief President by the Pope's Vicegerent and by the Master of the holy Palace His Doctrine was That Popes had a power of direction or rather correction over Princes that they might not only Excommunicate them but deprive them of their Kingdoms too and absolve their Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance whether it were for Heresie Apostasie or any other great publick crime whether it were for the insufficiency of their persons or for their not defending the Church and that the Pope might at last give their States to such as he should think fit For the present it made a great noise among the Doctors and was opposed by several Books which then were published The whole Body of Divines did condemn it some indeed of the old League seemed to favour it But the Parliament called the chief of the Jesuites before them and obliged them to sign a Declaration by which they should condemn the said Book and to cause another of the like to be subscribed by all the Provincials and Rectors and by Six of the most ancient of every one of their Colledges in France and so ordered the Book to be burnt by the common Hangman with prohibition to the Stationers to sell any of them At this time there were Combinations of divers Grandees of the Court against the King and State Madam de Chevuruse being discontented that her private intelligences with the English Ambassadour were so publickly taken notice of did not a little promote the undertakings by her animating of Monsieur the Grand Prior and Chalais to execute it both which were engaged by love to her as also that the Colonel d'Ornano abusing Monsieur's goodness and the credit which his place gave him did absolutely divert him from the Marriâ—ge which his Majesty had so earnestly desired should be celebrated The Cardinal discovered that Chalais was one of chief Instruments of the Enterprize and that Colonel Ornano was the Ring-leader of the Plot. That their chief end was to unite all the Provinces so close together that they might enforce his Majesty not to remove any thing from the Court and withal to permit them to live in the same licentiousness that they had a long while formerly enjoyed That to this effect they endeavoured the breaking of the match between Monsieur and Madamoiselle de Montpensier and to bring on that of Madamoiselle de Bourbon which would more nearly engage Monsieur to their Interests or else to persuade him to marry some other stranger Princess which might be a means to shelter and defend their designs by the forces and assistances which they might reasonably expect from such a Family That this once effected they intended the Count de Soissons should Marry Madamoiselle de Montpensier that the Houses of Guise and Bourbon might be united together and in this manner they would in a moment huddle up together all the leading potent persons of the Court. The Marshal de Ornano is arrested at Fountainbleau and carried Prisoner to the Castle of Bois de Vincennes where he died a few months after of a stoppage in his Bladder The Cardinal beseecheth the King to permit his retirement from the Court. And the King causeth the Duke de Vendosm and the Grand-Prior of France his Brother to be imprisoned at Blois The Marriage of Monsieur and Madamoiselle de Montpensier was celebrated soon after to the quiet and content of the whole Kingdom Chalais the Master of the King's Wardrobe is arrested from the Chamber of Justices at Nantes who condemned him of Treason and sentenced him to be beheaded which was done accordingly Then was the Sieur de Baradas removed from the Court who had been much in favour with the King About the end of this year great differences arose between the Bishop and the Officers of Verdun This being a Frontier Town was then lookt upon as considerable in regard Monsieur de Lorrain seemed to be active and able to attempt something upon France which obliged the King to go on with a design which he had long before resolved of the building a Citadel there The Abbey of S. Vannes was ever reputed the most fit place of all the City for that purpose whence it happened that in the Charter of the said Abbey there had been divers Articles concluded between the Bishop of Verdun and those to whom that place hath ever belonged in which they bound themselves to build their Church in some other place if it should be found necessary to make use of some part of it for the raising of a Citadel However the lines were so contrived that the Church was saved but that of the Capuchins was forced to be taken down which was afterwards done and rebuilt in another place Now the Bishop of Verdun being Lorrain's kinsman was wholly moved by him so that not considering what dependence he had upon the King he suffered himself to be engaged by the Duke to prevent the building of the Citadel On December 30. he published a Monitorium fixed upon all publick places against all such as should labour about it This proceeding was lookt on as a strange thing by the King's Officers The Sieur Guillet presently called a Council of his Majesties Officers of the Town to consider of what was to be done where it was concluded to tear down such Papers as had been any where posted up and to set others in their places of a contrary tenour in the King's behalf which was presently done The Bishop offended at it thundered out an Excommunication the next day against Guillet which he fastened in divers places and having given order to his Vicars not to act any thing in prejudice to his pretended authority he departed from Verdun and rode Post to Cologne In the mean while the Sieur Charpentier his Majesties President in Metz Thoul and Verdun being acquainted with the whole proceeding he declared the said Monitorium to be abusive and scandalous and commanded it to be torn and burnt by the Hangman That the said Bishop should be sent Prisoner to Paris That his Benefices in the mean time should remain in his Majesties hands and that he should pay a fine of ten thousand livres for his said fault This Judgement was put in execution with the usual form excepting only as to the Bishop's being sent to Paris so that he resolving not to suffer himself to be thus despoiled of his goods thought it his best course to send to the King to pacifie him for his rashness he also gave order to
Popes Nuntio the Ambassadors of Venice Sweden Savoy the Vnited Provinces and all Forreign Ministers to be present as also the Peers of the Realm the Chancellor and four Secretaries to register it In this concourse Fuentes thus spake to the King There being nothing more upon the King my Masters heart than Religiously to observe the Laws of Consanguinity He hath sent me hither with a charge to confirm them which at his Personal presence he established with his Royal mouth His Person I sustain this day not representing a King that knows not to yield but a Father whose spirit only nature works to a complyance He hath thought fit voluntarily to quit to you those Transitory honours which he hath enjoyed so long since shortly death is liks to put a period to them These Gallantries may become your Age. Such youthful Ambition an old man and your Father-in-law envies not The London outrage hath sunk deeper into his than your heart He could not more effectially redress it than by punishing the Author The revocation of Batteville is a publick declaration of inflicting punishment on him But what could have been added more to this than to lay strict injunctions that his Embassadors for the future do not contend with yours about precedency This is the occasion of the Embassie which I the rather perform because the Peace lately concluded is hereby confirmed May it stand in full force to all Generations The King receiving satisfaction in his due honour gave him a nod when he had concluded his speech He advised the Embassadors to be mindful of what had passed and to report to their respective Princes what they had seen and heard Now Dunkirk by contract is delivered up by the English into the hands of the French A Book had been published entituled The Journal of Monsieur de St. Amour D. of Sorbonne containing a full account of all the Transactions both in France and at Rome concerning the five famous Propositions controverted between the Jansenists and the Molinists from the year 1646. till 1653. and an addition was made to this Journal in the year 1662. The same year the King by Proclamation commanded the Tenets of the Jansenists condemned by Pope Innocent X. and Alexander VII Franc. Albici was employed by Pope Innocent X. in the business of the Jansenists which he transacted so well that the Pope made him a Cardinal in the year 1654. to be abolished The Jansenists received their denomination from Cornelius Jansen Bishop of Ypres who about the fortieth year of his Age put out a Book about Grace and Free-will About this time an affront is offered unto Crequi the French Embassador at Rome The Corsi the Soldiers that are the Popes Guard upon pretence of some trivial quarrel with Crequi's Pages shoot Pistolls in at his windows set upon his Wives Coach as she is coming home and offer all sorts of injuries trampling upon the Sacredness of the Embassy Crequi departeth from Rome unsatisfied and the Corsi triumph Hereupon the King his Master applyeth himself to the Colledge of Cardinals for redress and his Letter was exactly as followeth Cousin THe assault that was made the twentieth currant upon the person of my Cousin the Duke of Crequi my Embassador Extraordinary his Lady and all the French the Corsi of Rome could meet with in the Streets that day is an enormity so great in all its circumstances that perhaps in no time nor place even among the Barbarians themselves can an instance be found in which the jus Gentium hath been with so much inhumanity violated and abused And forasmuch as your Eminence is a member of that sacred body that is the natural Council of the Popes I have charged Monsignor Burlemont Auditor of the Rota to wait upon you in this conjuncture and acquaint you with my resentment of so great an offence to the end that by your interposition which I doubt not but you will willingly undertake as far as you shall be able I may receive a satisfaction adaequate to the quality and extravagance of the affront But if your Eminences good offices should happen to be ineffectual they shall not be imputed to me after this application whatsoever mischiefs or calamities shall happen assuring my self I shall be excusable both to God and to man whatever the consequences be And thus referring the rest to what Monsignor Burlemont will present to you by word of mouth I beseech God my good Cousin to preserve you in his holy favour St. Germans en ley August 20. 1662. LEWIS De Lominie This Letter was read and deliberated in the Sacred Colledge and the Cardinals answer to the Kings Letter was as followeth Most Christian and most Royal Sir I Am very sensible of the transcendent favour your Majesty hath done me in vouchsafing to impart to me your resentment for the unhappy accident between the Corses and certain of the Duke of Grequi's train besides the honour you have done me by the benign confidence expressed in your Letter and by the mouth of Monsignor Burlemont your Majesty also hath given me occasion with all reverence to represent the great displeasure conceived by our whole Court but more especially his Holiness in whose heart there is already so great an impression and augmented by so many glorious actions so many perpetual testimonies of your valour and piety in demolishing the Garrisons of Hereticks and shutting their Chuches in palces under their Command So that his Holiness could not evidence with more paternal demonstration the disgust that action hath given you which he hath not only declared publickly in his Briefs upon that occasion but in the Consistory also and in his private discourse but much more in his actions bending all his thoughts to your Majesties satisfaction as he hath alwayes designed I hope therefore your Majesty with your wonted generosity will reflect upon the just motives and remain satisfied even for the entire quiet and consolation of your servants among which I being not inferiour to any in point of observance neither have failed nor will fail in my obedience to your Majesty nor in employing my self to the utmost of my abilities in your Majesties service On the other side likewise I shall rejoyce if in your Majesties Resolutions your Majesties Royal Bounty and Prudence doth mroe and more appear So that to make me perfectly happy there remains nothing but your Majesties fresh commands which I most obsequiously do beg of your Majesty and make my most humble obeisance Rome 24. Septemb. 1662. The Count de Brienne was sent by the King of France to the Popes Nuntio at the French Court to Command him to leave Paris and to retire to Meaux and not to stir from thence till further Order from his Majesty pretending it aa an expedient to secure his person against some such tumult as hapned in Rome Piccolomini replied with all possible respect that he would obey his Majesties Order but he desired first to be heard and went
established the profession of the Civil Law Out of this University came Johannes Bodinus Avignon It is an ancient City of Provence scituated on the Bank of Rhodanus wherein is an University of long continuance In this City are said to be seven Palaces seven Parish-Churches seven Monasteries seven Nunneries seven Inns and seven Gates Pope Clement V. transferred the Papal Seat from Rome into this City where it remained seventy four years It was made an University at the time of the Pope's first setling here and so it still continueth Alciat the great Emblematist was here Professor and taught the Law Petrus Castrensis a Lawyer by sundry Learned Works he wrote much ennobled this University Orleans It is a rich and plentiful City plâ—ced on the Bank of the River Loire Some write That the foundation of this City was laid by Aurelian the Emperour Anno 276. and from him was called Aurelia which name it retaineth unto this day In this City was erected an University by Philip the fair King of France Anno 1312. Here the Civil Law is Learnedly professed and this University by divers Learned Writers hath been often entitled the Nurse or Mother thereof Bourges It is a famous University called by Learned men the Ornament of Letters and habitation of the Muses It was long since founded by a certain Duke of Bourges but afterwards in process of time falling to decay and being almost utterly extinct it was again restored by sundry Kings of France It was authorized and endowed with many great priviledges and high prerogatives by Pope Paul the second of that name Here Alciate Rebuffus Duarenus Hotoman Bonellus and Cujacius famous Lawyers lived and taught with great applause Caen. It is a City of Normandy seated upon the River Orne second in reputation of the whole Province and famous for the Sepulchre of William the Conquerour An University was erected here by Henry V. King of England who after many glorious Conquests atchieved against the French King he at last bereaved him of Normandy Anno 1418. In token and memory of which Victory as a perpetual Trophy and Monument of his glory he caused to be laid in Caen the foundation of this University The Archbishop of Dublin was the first Reader of Divinity there In this University lately flourished Bochart that Learned French Divine Rhemes It is the Metropolis of Champaigne wherein not long since was erected an University by Charles Guise Cardinal of Lorrain Archbishop and Duke of Rhemes In this University among other Colledges there is one appointed for the education of young English fugitives The Archbisop of this See is one of the twelve Peers of France The French Kings are anointed at Rhemes it is said with the oyl wherewith St. Remigius had anointed Clovis the first Christian King of France Bourdeaux It is the chief City of Aquitain seated on the South Bank of the Garond not far from the Sea among the Marishes An University was founded here by King Lewes XI and a large Cathedral Here Ausonius that famous Poet was born and educated Tholouse It is the chief City of Languedoc and one of the greatest in all France so ancient that some report it to be built when Deborah Judged Israel It is the seat of an Archbishop and an University Pope John XXII first instituted the University which enjoyeth the same priviledges that heretofore have been granted unto Paris Nismes It was antiently a Colony of the Romans now a Bishops See where there remain some marks of the Roman greatness especially the ruines of a spatious Palace built by the Emperour Adrian in it an University was lately erected Montpelier It is a City in Languedoc not far from the Mediterranean Sea it is scituate on a high Mountain as the name importeth Here is an University for the Study of Physick and for that very commodiously seated the Country round about affording great variety of medicinal Herbs Out of this University many famous Physitians have proceeded viz. Gentilis insignis Avicennae Commentator Falco Argenterius Dalechampius Rondeletius Valeriola Jacobus Fontanus Laurentius Joubertus Andreas Laurentius insignis Anatomes scriptor Bisanson It is the Metropolis of Burgundy seated between two Mountains on the Banks of the River Doux by which it is almost encompassed In the year 1540. a small University was founded here by the authority of Pope Julius III. and the Emperour Charles V. which hath since flourished exceedingly Dole It is a City in Burgundy Anciently it was an University for the Study of the Civil Lawes here Carolus Molinaeus publickly taught the Law But now the University is devoured by a Colledge of Jesuites who fearing lest the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches might creep in among the people not only have debarred them the use of the Protestants Books but have expresly forbid them to talk of God either in a good sort or in a bad Valonce It is a City in Daulphiné the chief City heretofore of the Valentini then a Roman Colony now a Bishops See and an University for the Civil Laws FINIS The Table of the First Part. A. ABbey of St. Badour Page 34 Abbey of Lexovien Page 32 Abbey of Shelles Page 34 Abbey of St. Gallus Page 56 Agelom a Monk of Luxovia Page 62 Agobard Bishop of Lyons Page 62 Agoiland the Saracen his Treachery and Death Page 56 Alcuinus a Learned Man in the time of Charles the Great p. 41 Governour of the Monastery of St. Martin Page 45 Alcimus Bishop of Vienna Page 27 Amandus Bishop of Bourdeaux Page 13 Amandus Bishop of Paris Page 33 D' Amboise and Ascanius Cardinals Page 185 The Bishop of Ambian a great Lawyer against the Fryars hearing of Confessions c. Page 148 The Battel at Agin-Court where ten thousand French were slain Page 163 Alanus of Chartres Secretary to King Charles VII Antonius de Rosellis a famous Reader of the Law Page 172 Andoclus a Martyr Page 8 Angisus Abbot of Lobien Page 56 Ambrose Ansbert a good Writer Page 67 Anselm Bishop of Laon betrayeth Charles of Lorrain with his Wife and Children unto his Enemies Page 69 The Cardinal of Arles Page 171 An Assembly of the Prelates at Tours called by King Lewes XII Page 186 Aponius a Writer of divers Books Page 38 Jacobus Amiotus Abbot of Bellesona Page 209 Aphordisius first Pastor of Bourges in France Page 2 A great Army against the Albigenses Page 104 Arnalt Bishop of Orleans against the Pope's power over the French Bishops Page 69 Arnulph Bishop of Metz a Learned and good Man Page 32 Arnulph a singular Preacher Page 85 George Cardinal of Armignag Page 214 Avitus Bishop of Vienna he converted the Burgundians to the Faith of Christ Page 22 Audoenus Bishop of Roven Page 35 Austregesil Bishop of Bourdeaux Page 33 B. BAvo a Roâ—â—er Converted by Amandus Page 33 Cardinal Bettone Arch-Bishop of Avignon Page 174 Peter Bertrand Bishop of Edven his Speech Page 136 Theodore Beza a Learned Protestant Divine his Works Page 216