and of great eloquence he toke pleasure to wryte of sondry argumentes taken out of naturall thynges and of the lyfe of men And with a certen maruelous dexteritie and style moste pleasaunt he setteth forth precpres of Godlye and vertuouse maners and noteth with all by the same occasion olde accustomed errours and vices whereof commeth this complaynte of hym In the moneth of Februarye the Frenche kyng made Annas Momorauncie Conestable of Fraunce whiche is the hyghest degre of honoure there This office had bene euer voyde synce the death of the Duke of Bourbon For the kyng beyng greuously offended with his treason had bestowed the same vpon no man vntyll this tyme. And the same office hath had but bare lucke in more than one or two whilest they abusing their authoritie haue styred vp against them either the kynges them selues or the nobilitie In the meane tyme the Protestauntes assemble at Brunswicke about the ende of Marche to treate of matters cōcernyng their league And they receyue Christiane kyng of Denmarke in to their league He was sonne of Frederick and had receiued the doctrine of the Gospell and had appointed Iohn Pomerane whome he called from Wittenberge to set ordre in his churches and by him was annoynted and crowned kyng Iohn also Marques of Brandēburg the brother of Ioachim prince Electour made meanes by the Duke of Saxon to be admitted into the league He therfore was appointed to treate with him vpon certen cōditions at his retourne home and thā to receiue hym in all their names The same requeste also made Albert Duke of Pruselande whome syxe yeares before the chamber had outlawed and that was the chiefest cause whye he was not receyued in to this societie Neuerthelesse they promysed hym all their fauour and good wyll Whan the Duke of Saxony the Lantgraue and their cōsortes were goyng to this assemblie Henry Duke of Brunswycke denied to geue them saufe conduicte whan they should passe through his countrey For euen than he imagined warre as hereafter you shall heare In the Duke of Saxons company was Maurice nephewe to Duke George by his brother Henry a young man of seuentene yeares olde Henry was of the Protestauntes Religion and therfore the Duke toke his sonne Maurice beyng his kynsman to bring vp The kyng of Denmarke hym selfe came than also to Brunswicke In the nynth booke I spake of the persecution that was in Fraūce for Lutheranisme It were long to recite al but this yeare at the Ides of Apryll whiche was than nyne dayes before Easter a young gentleman of Tolouse learned about twenty yeares of age was brent at Paris for eatyng of fleshe not alyue in dede but yet so as beinge hanged ryght ouer he felte the fyre kyndled vnder hym whiche after the maner there was accompted as a great benefite for that he in prison before he was brought forth to execution feared with the cruell wordes of Morine the iudge threatenyng hym confessed that he had done wyckedlye and agaynste Religion For the maner of repentaunce is there only that he shal suffer with the lesse torment But suche as abyde constant are moste cruelly tourmented Two younge men of Flaunders were in the lyke daunger but admonyshed therof by a certen Senatour learned and of a good iudgement they escaped death by flyeng awaye In the moneth of May the Bishoppe of Rome goeth to Nice a hauen towne in Ligurie Thyther also came the Emperoure and the Frenche kynge at his request chiefly he with a Nauie out of Spaine and the kynge by lande accompanied amonges others with a power of Almaignes whiche were lead by Wylliam Countie Furstēberge After a longe treatie albeit they coulde not throughlye agree yet a trewee was made in the moneth of Iune for ten yeares Here was the lady Margaret the Emperours bastarde daughter ensured to Octauius Duke of Parma the Byshoppes nephew by his sonne Peter whom Cosmus duke of Florence woulde fayne haue maried after the death of Alexander Medices The two kynges spake not together in this place albeit the Byshoppe desyred it muche But a fewe dayes after whan he was departed they mette at Aegnes Mortes a Towne of the Prouince in the mouth of the Riuer of Rhosne whither the Emperour retorninge into Spaine came with his Nauie at the Ides of Iulye The kinge had sent to mete him Uelius his Ambassadoure and Galleis to conduicte him Whan the Emperour came nere vnto Aegnes the Conestable of Fraunce was there readye to entreate hym that he woulde arriue there with his Nauie For he saied the kynge woulde be there within these two houres and would come into his Barke to him Whan the Emperour sawe that the rest of the Shippes which were scattered the daye before by reason of a miste were come together he putteth into the hauen And not longe after commeth the kynge also and accompanied amonges others with Anthony Duke of Loraine and the Cardinall his brother goeth streight waye to the shippes The Emperour goynge forth as farre as the ladder of the shippe to mete him receaueth him in But it can not be spoken what embracynges and gratulations were there Whan they were set downe in the Sterne of the Shippe the nobles aboute the Emperour come and salute the kinge lowly and right curtesly There the Emperour sent for Andrewe Aurie his Admirall Prince of Melphite who forsoke the kynge tenne yeares before as is mentioned in the sixte Booke to come and salute the kyng Whan he came the kynge said Prince Andrewe for as muche as you are frende and seruiture to the Emperoure And that it is his pleasure that I should speake wyth you I am contente to gratifie him herein whom I esteme as my brother After whan they had talked familiarlye and frendly together by the space of an howre the kynge departeth The next day in the mornyng As sone as it was light day the Emperour gyueth commaundement by a Trompet that no man go a lande but he himselfe garded wyth certen of his nobles saileth out to dyne with the kynge When he came to lande the kinge and the quene and his two sonnes most gently do embrace him and lead him into the Palace towardes euenynge themperour aduertiseth Androwe de Aure who remained within borde howe at the request of the kinge and the queene his syster he purposed to lie in the towne that night And the next day at after diner to retourne to his Nauie Whiche he did for this intent leste he should throughe his absence conceaue some false suspicion in hys minde Wherfore the next day the Emperour came againe to the sea accompanied with the king and all his nobles And whan they had drunken together in the Emperours cabben of the shippe they departed great frendes Which thing once knowen at Paris and other places they songe Tedeum and made bonefyers The Bishop had requested them at Nice whan the peace was concluded that they woulde go to the
same should be longer wanting so many learned men not only of Germany but also of foreine nations instantly requiringe me that I wold gratify them herein There be comming doubtlesse moste greuous commotions and wonderful alterations Which thing also the holy Scripture dothe nether doubtfullye nor daroklye Prognosticate and the present state of thinges doth plainly signify so that such as will applye theyr minde here vnto shall not want matter to wryte of but the same cause that moued me to wryte that is publicke vtility the self same perswadeth me nowe also that some thinges as I haue written and be comprised in these xxvi bookes I shoulde suffer to come abrode into others mens handes And this my labor and all my pains taken I wil dedicate whole vnto you moosie excelient Prince whiche are descended of that noble house and familie whiche fyrsto gaue harborow and refuge to thys Religion whose father did earnestly imbrace the same whose brother for the education of youth in true Religion and learning imploied a wonderful substaunce whose father in law for the self same cause hath a famous name among kinges And for so much as you also walke in these theyr fotesteps to your great commendation this worke which I hope wil profite many I trust will be to you also not vnpleasaunt The liuing God preserue your highnes safe and healthful Geuen the .x. Kalends of April in the yeare of our Lord. 1555. The first Boke ⧠The firste Booke of Sleidans Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common wale during the reigne of the Emperour Charles the fyfte The argument of the fyrst Booke THe Pardon 's graunted by Byshop Leo Luther reproueth by preachyng and wryting of proposicions and Letters sent to Tharchbishoppe of Ments the which are fyrst unpugned by Frete Tckell and Eckins and after by Siluester Prier as Hogestrate Upō this the Pope sendeth Cardinal Caietane taduertise Thēperour Maximilian to cite Luther to Rome but Fridericke Duke of Saxon founde the meanes that Luther aunswered Caietane at Auspurge The Cardinal what with threatenynges and what with thalligations of decrees mainteyneth thauthoritie and supremacie of the Pope Luther at his depertynge thence set by an Appellation Caietane solliciteth by letters the Duke of Saxon but in vaine whiche the Pope perceyuing publisheth a new remission of synnes by pardons And to wynne Duke Fridericke sendeth him a goldē Rose In the meane tyme dieth Maximilian and great suite and meane was made taspire vnto thempire whiche in fine Charles of Austriche atchieued and word was sent him into Spaine The golden bulle lawes of Thempire are here recited Erasmus commendeth Luther And at the same time that the disputacion was at Lipsia Zwinglius preached at Zuricke and as Luther had don resisteth a perdoner there one Samson agraye Frere THE Bishoppe of Rome Leo the tenth of that name a Florentine borne after the vsurped auethoritie of his predecessours which he pretēded to haue ouer all Churches had sent forth into al realmes vnder his Bulles of Lead indulgēces pardōs wherein he promysed cleane remissyon of synnes and euerlastynge saluation to all suche as would gyue money for the same for the leuiyng wherof he sent his Collectours into all Prouinces who gathered together and heaped vp great treasures in all places but speciallye in in Germanie And affirmed their doynges to be good bothe in wordes and writyng which pardons the Papistes call by an olde accustomed terme indulgences Grauntyng moreouer for money licences to eate whitmeat and fleshe on daies prohibited The same time was Martin Luther an Augustine Frere and professed diuinitie in the Uniuersitie of Wittemberge who beynge not a little tickled with the preachinges fonde bokes of these collectours for that he sawe howe the simple people beleued the thinges to be true that they bragged of began to admonishe men to be more ware and circumspecte and not to bie their marchaundise so dere For that the same which they bestowed vpon such trifles might be much better emploied This was in the yeare of our lorde a thousande fiue hondreth and seuentene And to thintent he might woorke the thynge to more effect he wrote also to the Archebyshop of Mentz the firste of Nouembre signifying both what they taught and also lamenting that the ignoraunt people should be so far abused as to put the whole trust of their saluation in pardons and to thinke that what wickednes so euer they had committed it should by them be forgeuen And that the soules of them that were tormented in Purgatory so soone as the mony were cast into their boxe should straight wayes flie vp into heauen and fele no more payne he sheweth him how Christ cōmaunded that the Gospell should be taught and that it is the propre office of a Byshop to see that the people be rightly instructed Wherfore he putteth him in remēbraunce of his dutie and prayeth him that for the authoritie whiche he beareth he would eyther put those prattelinge pardoners to silence or els prescribe them a better order in teachinge lest a further inconuenience might growe vpon the same as doubtles there wil doo vnlesse they be inhibited The cause why he wrote vnto him was that for so muche as he was also Byshop of Maydenburg the care of al such matters belonged vnto him And with these letters he sent certen questiōs whiche he had lately set vp at Wittenberg there to be disputed to the nombre of foure score and fiftene In the whiche he reasoneth muche of purgatory of true penaunce of the dutie of charitie and of their indulgences and pardōs at large and inueigheth against their out rageouse preachinges only of a certen desyre to boulte trie out the truth For he prouoked all men to come to that disputation that hadde anye thinge to saye and such as could not be there present he desyred to send their myndes in wrytinge protesting that he would affirme nothing but submitte him selfe and the whole matter to the iudgement of holy churche Neuerthelesse he sayd how he woulde not admitte Thomas of Aquine and suche other lyke writers but so farre foorth as they be consonaunt to holy Scripture and decrees of the auncient fathers To this the byshop aunswered not a woords But shortly after Iohn Tecela Frere Dominick set vp other conclusions at Franckford quite contrary to those of Luthers wherin he extolleth the supremacie of the Byshop of Rome with the frute of his pardōs and other lyke thinges in so muche as he compareth him with Peter the Apostle the crosse whiche he commaundeth to be set vp in churches with the crosse that Christ suffered vpon But where as no man of the cōtrary parte wold repeare to the disputacion at Wittenberge the questions were suche as many were destrous to reade Luther wrote a longe exposition of the same and sent them first to Hierome byshop of Braundenburge and to one Stupice Prouinciall of
offices of Cardinals and Bishoppes be distinct and diuerse and agree not in one person for the Cardinalles were ordeined for thys cause onely that they should remayne about you most holy father and neuer departe from your syde and should gouerne the vniuersall Churche together with you But vnto Bishoppes it belongeth to fede theyr flocke committed to them of God which in dede can not be done vnlesse they be present with them as we see the Shepardes be with their Shepe Moreouer the thynge it selfe doeth harme by that example For with what face or audacitie shall we redresse the faultes of others which are most apparent and best sene in our fellowshyppe For they may not thinke that because they are placed in dignitie they may therfore take more libertie no but let them vnderstande that they oughte rather to vse more temperauncie for because they ought to shine before others in life and maners neyther must we folow the Phariseis whiche made lawes and themselues kept them not but Christ who florished in word and worke This libertie also is a great let to good Counsels whan the minde is before possessed with lust and Auarice Besydes this diuerse cardinals frequent the courtes of kynges to obteyne of them Bishoprikes and for this cause are so addicte vnto them that they dare vtter nothynge frankely And woulde God this waye were inhibited And the Cardinals otherwise prouided for that they might honestly fynde them selues and theyr families and that Equalitie were obserued herin that the yerely reuenewes of all were egall Which thinge semeth vnto vs not harde to be broughte to passe if we could forsaking all couetousnes folowe the fotesteppes of Christ Whan these faultes are redressed and mete ministers in the Churche appointed it is chiefly to be loked to that the Bishoppes do inhabite amonges theyr owne people for they be the husbandes of the Church But what more heuie or sorowefull sighte can be shewed than euerye where to se congregations forsaken and flockes destitute of Pastors deteyned in the handes of Hirelinges Therfore oughte they to be extremely punisshed whiche leade their flockes to deserte and to be excommunicated or outlawed onely but also to lose theyr liuinges for euer vnlesse they craue pardon of you within a short tyme. For by auncient lawes it was decreed that a Bishoppe might not be aboue three wekes absent from his congregation We se also that very many Cardinals are absent from Rome and do nothynge that properlye belongeth to their office We graunt it to be expedient that certeine of them be resident in theyr owne prouinces For by them as by certein brauÌ„ches and rotes of trees stretched out farre and wide in the Christiane worlde men are kept in theyr dewtie and dewe obeidience of this our common wealth but yet were it requisite that the most parte of them were by you called againe to Rome For so shoulde they bothe execute theyr office and also theyr presence shoulde be there bothe honourable and profitable to the courte of Rome Moreouer in punyshynge of crimes and vices there wanteth a greate seueritie of discipline For suche as haue offended and deserued punishment fynde a meane wherby to conuey themselues out of the iurisdiction of their Bishoppe or iudge ordinary or in case they cannot do this than go they to the master of the Pentionaries and fyne with him for a pece of money And that do they chiefly that are of the clergie which thing doeth offende many Wherfore we beseche you in the bloud of Christ wherewith he redemed washed and sanctified his churche that this licentious libertie may vtterly be abolished For seyng that no common wealth maye longe endure wherein synne is vnpunished howe muche more ought the same to be looked to in the Churche Emonges the Monckes also are many abhominable Actes committed wherefore we thinke good that their Colledges and Couentes be dissolued not sodeÌ„ly or through violence but so that no maÌ„ from henceforth be admitted into that order For so shall they by litle and litle decay And afterwardes may honester men be placed in theyr houses Neuerthelesse we thinke mete that all yong Nouices which haue not yet professed religion by a vow solempnely made be presently remoued from thence There muste also be diligent hede taken that they be mete persons which are set to here confession And herin ought the Bishoppe to haue a vigilante eye but chiefly that there be nothinge done for money For the same free gyfte which we spake of before concerneth not you onelye but all others in like maner Moreouer in the houses of Nunnes and sacred Uirgins namely â–ª where they be gouerned of Monkes are many and that open crimes committed after a most filthy and detestable example therfore must the ouersight of suche be takeÌ„ from the Monkes coÌ„mitted vnto others of whom no perill or suspicion can be had Now wheras in many places and chiefly in Italie certen wicked opinions are disputed not onely in vniuersities but also in churches it deserueth muche dispraise Therfore the Bishoppes muste be charged that in suche places wheras vniuersities or Scholes be they admonish the teachers that they propounde no suche thynge herafter but instructe and bringe vp youth in vertue and feare of God nor that they haue any open disputations of matter of diuinitie but within theyr priuate houses Likewise muste Princes and Magistrates be admonished to giue commaundement to the Printers that they set not forthe all sortes of bokes but suche onely as be permitted There is commonly read in al scooles a boke of Colloquies compiled by Erasmus of RoterdaÌ„ wherin be many thynges whiche may beate in to younge and tender myndes vngodlynes and infecte the frayle and bryckel age Therfore this and suche other lyke bookes must be bannyshed the Scooles Further more where it is permitted to Monkes that haue professed Religion by a vowe to put of theyr owne wede and putte on other apparell we thinke it not well done for the garment is as a badge of the monasticall vowe Therfore if they ones forsake theyr cootes let them be depriued of theyr lyuinges and all ecclesiasticall function Also suche as cary about the relyques of saincte Anthony and other lyke are in our iudgementes worthy to be vtterly abolyshed for through innumerable superstitions they brynge the ignoraunt people in to erroure and playnly abuse them Oftentymes also they aâ—e permytted to marrye whiche haue taken holy orders but this ought to be graunted to no man but for vrgent causes as whan the whole stocke and defence of a Realme is brought to one man And because the Lutherians permitte all men to marry without respecte therfore must we more stifly resyste the same Nother may they be suffered to mary together which are at the seconde degree of bloud or affinitie vnlesse it be vpon moste weyghtie considerations but suche as are further of maye haue more lybertie graunted them and that to be done without
manifestly mayneteyne the cause of Pflugius through the suite of hys frēdes the matter was vtterly lyke to brede ciuile warre For eyther of them had their mē vp in armure but through that mediation of the Lautzgraue it was appeased This was the beginning of the displeasure betwyxt them whiche after increased in tyme wrought a deadlye wounde to Germanye as shal be recited in place And certenly many men marueiled at Maurice that he would be so earnest and bitter agaynst him that brought hym vp and whome both he and his father may thanke for all theyr good fortune But certen of the coūsellers that were with Duke George were thought to haue set forwarde this matter whiche neyther loued Religion nor yet the Prince Electour Whan the decree was made and all men prepared thē selues to the warre Luther set for the a booke in the vulgare tongue an exhortation to the warre whiche he dedicated vnto Philip the Lantgraue And after hathe declared the cause why he wrote of the contrary argument in his yong days the to warre against the Turkes were nothing elles but to resiste God whiche vseth hym for a scourge to afflicte vs whiche sentence Leo the tenth had amonges other thynges condempned for the Byshop of Rome so ofte as he mynded to procure a masse of monie out of Germany vsed euer this collour to gather it for the Turkishe warre and had shewed all the reasons that moued hym than and amonges others that a Christen man ought not to reuenge nor resiste euil but to suffer all thynges according to that saying of Christe of leauinge thy rote and agayne that the Emperour is not to be excited vnto warre as the head of Christendome Protectour of the churche and defendour of the faithe For the tytles are false and vayne glorious and iniurious to Christe who allone can defende his churche and the iniurie is the more for that certen kynges and Prynces are moste bytter ennemies to his true doctrine and therfore concludeth that the Turke is not to be warred vpon or resisted for the diuersitie of his religion but because he robbeth and spoyleth and maketh vniust warr and bringeth in with him most shameful examples of lyfe By a cōparison made he proueth that the byshop of Rome is nothing better thā the Turke for as he by his Alcorane so hath the Byshop by his decreetales quenched the doctrine of the Gospell That whiche he doeth by force the same doth the byshop by his curse but thei both worke reproche vnto matrimony abide punishment for the contempte of Gods lawe which ordeined holy matrimony what time god geueth thē ouer to their filthy lustes that they burne in most detestable desires worke most wickedly against the order of nature Finally speakig of the turkish power he admonisheth thē not to be carelesse in warfare but to knowe how thei haue to do with a moste fierse ennemy These and diuerse other suche lyke thinges he treateth of in that first boke but now what time the state of thēpire had at the request of thempe king Ferdinādo decreed war he cōpiled an other worke as I said a warlike exhortation or sermon to th entēt that such ministers of the churche as followed the warres myght haue some forme and order howe to teache and exhorte First therfore sayth he that men may vnderstande what is to be thought of the Turke the Scripture speaketh of two houge and cruell Tyrantes which shall destroy Christendome before the laste daye of iudgement one through false doctrine of whome prophecied Daniel and after him Paule this is verely the Byshop of Rome And an other by power and force of armes that is to saye the Turke of whome Daniel in the seuenth chapter speaketh Those therfore that wylbe christians let them plucke vp their hartes and loke for no peace and quietnes nor pleasaūter life frō henceforth For that miserable tyme which he prophecied of before is now come but let vs comforte our selues with the comming of Christe and with our finall deliueraunce whiche immediatly after those afflictiōs shal appeare and let vs knowe for certentie that al the woodnes and malice of the deuyll is powred wholy vpon vs by the Turke for neuer did Tyrante practyse suche crueltie as he doeth After he expoundeth the seuenth chapter of Daniel whiche is of the foure beastes cōming out of the Sea declaring that the Turkishe Empire is there described For this is that same litle horne whiche sprang vp betwene those ten hornes of the fourth beast And albeit it is wonderfully increased yet can it not be that it should be in power like to the Romaine Empyre for the Prophet doeth there describe foure Empyres only which should succeade in order and the last to be the Empyre of Rome therfore shall there be none other that may be cōpared in greatnes to the Romayne And for asmuche as Daniel did attribute vnto him three hornes only whiche he should plucke of from those ten his violence from henceforth shall not proceade muche further for those three are plucked of long synce Asia Grece and Egipt whiche beinge three of the greatest prouinces in the Empire the Turke now possesseth with in the whiche limites the Prophet hath included him wherfore there is good hope that from henceforth he shall possesse no prouince of the Empyre And where he is nowe so busy in Hongary and also readye to inuade Germany this is the last acte of the tragedy for it may bee that he shall inuade those countries but he can not thynke that euer he shall haue them in quiet possession as he hathe Asia Grece and Egipt for the prophecie is playne and manifest After this he treateth of all the other partes prouokyng them chiefly to repentaunce and exhorteth them all to be ready and wylling to obeye the Magistrate commaunding vnto this warre and not only to employe their goodes herein but also to serue with their bodies The prisoners also whiche eyther be nowe in the Turkes handes or hereafter shal come into the same captiuitie he comforteth with many perswasions and admonisheth them to be well ware of that fayned and pretensed Religion of the Turkes for he heareth saye howe many that haue professed Christ doe of their owne accorde falle into their Religion for that it hath a certen shewe of vertue and holines and that they suffer this bondage patiently and serue their maisters faithfully though thei be prophane and wicked neyther that they runne away from them or fordo them selues for vnpatientnes and lothsomenes of that estate but to beare alwayes in memory that same which Peter and Paule wryte of the dutie of bounde seruauntes but what tyme they shal attempte warre against the christians to hasarde their lyues rather than to serue vnder thē for they be murtherers and make warre against the sainctes as Daniell sayeth and shead innocent bloude therefore muste they chiefly beware that they be not partakers
citie The kinge hym selfe maketh warre on an other syde and marchinge foreward with a strong Armie besegeth Parpignan a Towne of Ruscinon in the mountaynes of Pyrene Moreouer he moueth warre in Piedmount by the conduicte of William Langey and also in the borders of Flaunders by the gouernment of the Duke of Uandome So that he assayled his enemies in fyue sondry places wherby the iudgement of many it had ben better for him to haue set vpon some one prouince with his whole power as th ende also declared for both he attempted Parpignan in vayne and also whan the Duke of Orleans was retourned home the Imperialles recouered all agayne except it were Iuey By this occasion they began to fortifie Andwarpe where before it was easy to bee wonne When the kinge pourposed to haue warres he sente agayne Poline to the Turke to entreate hym that he wolde sende him a uanie into Fraunce but where it was longe or Poline came there Solyman differred the thyng vntil the next yere Duryng this warre the king setteth forth proclamations against the Lutherians Moreouer the parlament of Paris chargeth the Printers vnder a great penaltie that they shoulde neyther prynte nor sell any bookes condempned or suspected namely the booke of Caluine whiche is intituled the Institution of Christiane Religion Further more at the request of the Inquilitour as they terme hym the seuenth daye of Iuly he maketh a decree that the preachers shall admonyshe the people to doe their duty to the churche and if they know any Lutheriane or one that thinketh amisse in Religion to present hym for this is a worke to God moste acceptable And the Ministers of the churche had an order prescribed whiche they should followe in that inquirie For they were coÌ„maunded to inquyre of the promoters whether they knewe any man that would saye how there was no purgatory whan a man is dead to be eyther saued or dampned or that a maÌ„ is not iustified by obseruing of Gods commaundementes that God only must be called vpon not Sainctes that the worshipping of images is idolatry that sainctes worke not miracles that the ceremonies of the churche profite nothing that the lawes of the churche doe bynde no man that the knowledge of the Gospell is necessarye for all men without exception or that it is a fonde parte of the common people to pray to God in Latin how the priest caÌ„ not forgeue sinnes through the Sacrament of penauuce but to be only a minister to pronounce the benefite of God whiche forgeueth our synnes that the church can bynde no man to mortall synne or that it is lawfull to eate fleshe at al tymes This fourme of inquisition was geuen priuately to priestes but openly was set forth a proclamation wherin they were coÌ„maunded to be presented and accused whiche doe neglecte the Rites and lawes of the churche or suche as haue bookes contrary to the christiaÌ„ fayth and eyther geue them others to reade or purposely let them fall in the wayes as they goe that thei may be founde those that assemble in priuate houses and gardens and forge diuises against the lawes of the chruche and they that receyue suche kynde of men into their houses or gardens They that are priuie to any suche thyng are commauÌ„ded to presente them within syxe dayes to the doctours of Diuinitie chosen by the Inquisitour or els to stande accursed The Stacioners were also charged that if they had any thyng eyther prynted or wrytten that were in any point suspected or that swarued froÌ„ the custome of the churche that within syxe dayes they should bryng it before theÌ„ after none excuse to be taken The same daye that this acte was proclaymed they had a generall procession for the preseruation of the realme and of Religion And saynt Genefeua their trusty Goddes was borne about with suche solemnitie as I haue before declared in the nynth booke And in these dayes were certen brent in place Moberte for Religion At the same tyme Fraunces Landrâ—e Uicar of S. Crois in Paris taught the people syncerely and sayde no Masse for that he branke no wyne whether he did it of nature or of purpose I knowe not Against whome the Diuines had conceaued a great hatred And after thei had noted certe in thinges in his preaching they propounde vnto hym these articles The sacrifice of the Masse to be instituted of Christe and is vayleable for the quicke and dead that we must praye to sainctes that they maye be mediatours and aduocates for vs vnto Christe howe the substaunce of bread and wyne is chaunged in the consecration that only preastes may consecrate bread and wyne and that the whole supper of the Lorde apperteineth to them only Monasticall vowes must be kept that by the Sacramentes of confirmation and vnction is receiued the holy ghost by prayer fasting good workes soules are delyuered out of purgatory that the lawes of the churche concerning fastyng and choyse of meates doe bynde the conscience that there is one hygh Prelate and Byshop of the Churche whome al are bounde to obeye by the lawe of God how many thinges must be beleued and of necessitie receyued that are not expressed in the scriptures that the Byshop of Romes pardons doe release the paynes of purgatory that priestes beyng neuer so synfull and vicious doe consecrate the Lordes body that all deadly synne must be confessed to the priest and than to receyue of hym the sacramentall absolution howe man hath free wyll wherby he may doe good or euyll and ryse from synne through repentaunce howe not by fayth only but by charitie and true penaunce is obteyned the remission of synnes how the churche and counsell beyng lawfully assembled can not erre and therfore must be obeyed howe the iudgement and interpretation of Scripture apperteyneth to the churche if any thyng be in controuersye These thynges would they haue him to subscribe to and confirme with his Seale He a fewe dayes after aunswereth generally that it is good and Godly what so euer the holy catholyque churche hathe taught in these matters but they not content with this aunswere attempted greater thinges against him as afterwarde you shall heare In this tyme also one or two Freers of saint Dominickes order preached the Gospell at Metz. But whan the priestes shewed them selues sore offended diuerse citezens made petition to the Senate that they would not forbidde theÌ„ promysing al dewe obedience The ther came also William Farell who taught first priuatly in the citie and afterwardes in a certein Castell without But what tyme the Emperours letters were brought wherin he commaunded that they should alter nothyng in Religion but punyshe the offendours the people were forbodeÌ„ to heare any more sermons vnles the preacher werlicenced by the Byshop and the Senate This sommer an infinite nombre of grassehoppers came flieng into Germany and the hither parte of Italy They were of a wonderfull bignes and where