the Legates knowing how much it concerned the reputation of the Councell entertained them partly by saying they had not power to giue leaue and partly by giuing hope that the Councell should begin within few dayes Caesars Ambassadour returned to his Ambassage at Venice vpon pretence of indâ— position leauing the Legates doubtfull whether it were by the Emperours commission vpon some tricke or for being wearâ— to bee idle and incommodated Hee promised a speedie returne adding that in the meane while the Ambassadours of the King of the Romanes remained there to assist the seruice of God and yet hee desired the Councell should not bee opened vntill his returne But in the end of the next moneth the greater part of the Bishops moued some by pouertie and some by incommoditie made grieuous complaints and raised as it were a sedition among themselues threatning that they would depart and had recourse to Francis Castel-Alto gouernour of Trent whom Ferdinand had appointed to hold his place together with 〈◊〉 Gineâ—a This man came before the Legats and desired them in the name of his King that now at last they would begin it being plaine how much good would ensue by the celebration and how much euill by temperizing thâ—â— The Legats held themselues offended herewith because they thought it was to shew the world that which was contrary to the trueth and to attribute to them the delay which proceeded from the Emperour And though they among themselues resolued to dissemble and to answere in generall termes yet the Cardinall Monte could not bridle his libertie but in making answere concluded in the end with perswasion to expect Don Diego who had more particular commissions then hee It was hard to entertaine and comfort the Prelates who ill endured that idle delay and especially the poore ones who wanted money and not wordes Wherefore they resolued to giue at the Popes charge fortie Ducats a yeere to the Bishops of Nobili Bertinoro and Money is giuen to the poore Bishops Chioza who complained more then the rest and fearing that the munificence might giue pretence hereafter they declared themselues that it was for a subsidie and not for prouision They gaue the Pope an account by letter of what they had done shewing him the necessitie to assist them with some greater ayde but telling him withall that it was not good to giue it as a firme prouision that the Fathers might not seeme the stipendaries of his Holinesse which would cherish the Protestants excuse not to submit themselues to the Councel because it was composed only of those that depended on and were obliged to the Pope At the same time the Emperor in Wormes cited the Archbiship of Collen The Archbishop of Collen is cited by the Emperour in Wormes to appeare before him within thirtie dayes or to send a Proctor to answere to the accusations and imputations layd vpon him commanding him in the meane space not to make any innouation in Religion and Rites but to reduce the things innouated to their former state Hermannus Bishop of Collen desiring to reforme his Church in the yeere 1536. called a Councell of the Bishops his Suffragans where many Decrees were made and a booke printed composed by Iohn Groperus a Canonist who for seruice done to the Church of Rome was after created Cardinall by Pope Paul the fourth But whether the Archbishop and Groperus himselfe were not satisfied with the reformation or whether hee changed his opinion hee assembled the Clergie and Nobility and chiefe men of his state in the yeere 1543. and established another reformation This though it were approoued by many pleased not the whole Clergie yea the maior part opposed it and made Groperus their head who before had giuen counsell for it and promoted it They entreated the Archbishop to desist and expect a generall Councell or at the least an Imperiall Diet which not being able to obtaine in the yeere 1545 they appealed to the Pope and to the Emperour as supreme aduocate and protectour of the Church The Archbishop published by a writing that the appeale was friuolous and that hee could not desist from that which belonged to the glory of God and amendment of the Church that hee had not to doe either with the Lutherans or others but that hee obserued the doctrine agreeable to the holy Scripture The Archbishop going on in his reformation and the Clergie of Collen insisting vpon the contrary the Emperour receiued the Clergie into his protection and cited the Arch-bishop as hath beene said This newes comming to Trent gaue matter to passe the time at the least with discourses The Legates were much mooued and amongst the Prelates which were present those that were of any vnderstanding blamed the Emperour for making himselfe Iudge of faith and reformation the most gentle word they spake was that the Emperours proceeding was very scandalous They began to know they were not esteemed and that to bee idle was to be scorned by the world Therefore they did discourse that they were constrayned to declare themselues to be a Councel lawfully called and to be beginne The Emperor is blamed for the Citation by the Fathers of Trent the worke of God proceeding first against the foresayd Archbishop the Elector of Saxony the Landgraue of Hassia and likewise against the King of England They grew into so great spirits that they seemed not the same who a few dayes before thought themselues confined in prison The Ministers of the Archbishop of Mentz abated this heat putting them in minde of the greatnesse of those Princes and their adherents and the danger to make them vnite themselues with the King of England and so to make a greater fire in Germanie and the Cardinall of Trent spake in the same forme The Italian Bishops thinking it a great matter to meddle in such eminent subiects said it was true that all the world would be attentiue at such a processe yet that all the importance was to begin and ground it well They incited one another saying it was necessary to redeeme the slownesse past with celerity hereafter That they should demand of the Pope some man of worth to perorate against the accused as did Melehior Baldassino against the Pragmatique in the Laterane Councel beeing perswaded that to depriue Princes of their States had no other difficultie then to vse well the formes of Processes But the Legates as well for this as for other occurrences knew it to be necessarie to haue such a Doctor and wrote to Rome to be prouided of one The Pope vnderstanding the Emperors action was astonished and doubted The Pope was wonderfully distasted with the Citation whether to complaine or be silent To complaine when no effect would succeed he thought friuolous and a demonstration of his small power And this mooued him exceedingly But on the other side considering well how much it imported him not to passe ouer a matter of that moment hee resolued not to giue words
Cup vsed in Bohemia and setting downe for the principall part of repentance not the diligent confession made to the Priest but rather the purpose of amendment of life for the time to come He passed also vnto Vowes and touched the abuses of the Monasticall Order and these his writings going on their iourney arriued in Louaine and Collen where being seene and examined by the Diuines of those His Bookes were condemned in Louaine and Collen Vniuersities they were condemned by them Neither did this trouble Martin one iote but rather caused him to goe on and to declare and fortifie his doctrine the more it was opposed 29 With these contentions rather then resolute discussions passed the yeere 1519 1519 when many aduertisements comming to Rome of the stirres in Germany and Suisserland augmented with many amplifications and additions as the manner of fame is especially when matters are related from places farre distant Leo was noted for negligence that in so great dangers had not vsed powerfull The Pope was blamed remedies The Friars particularly blamed him that being addicted to magnificence to hunting to deliciousnesse and to musicke with which he was delighted beyond measure he passed ouer things of the greatest importance They said that in point of Faith the least thing ought not to be neglected nor the prouision against it one iote to bee deferred which as it is most easie before the mischiefe take roote so it commeth too late when it is waxed old That Arius was but a small sparke which might easily haue been put out and yet it set the whole world on fire That Iohn Hus and Hierome of Praghe would then haue done as much if in the beginning they had not been suppressed by the Councell of Constance On the contrary side Leo Leo though reprehended for negligence thought hee had done too much repented himselfe of whatsoeuer he had done in these occurrences and most of all of the Briefe of Indulgences sent into Germany thinking it would haue been better to let the Friars dispute amongst themselues and to keepe himselfe neutrall and reuerenced by both parties then by declaring himselfe for one to constraine the other to alienate themselues from him that this contention 1520 LEo 10. CHARLES 5. HENRY 8. FRANCIS 1 was not so great as that it was necessarie to hold it in any reputation and that so long as it was lightly esteemed of few would thinke of it and if the Popes name had not been vsed in it vntill then would haue ended his course and so vanished 30 Notwithstanding for the many instances of the Prelates of Germanie of the Vniuersities who being interessed by the sentence of condemnation betooke themselues to the Popes authoritie for their protection and especially for the continuall importunities of the Friars of Rome he resolued to yeeld to the common opinion And he made an assembly of Cardinals Prelates Diuines and Canonists vnto which he wholly remitted the busines A dispute between the Diuines and Canonists By this it was most easily concluded that the Pope should denounce fire and sword against so great an impietie But yet the Canonists differed from the Diuines these beeing of opinion that he ought presently to descend to this denunciation and those saying that a citation ought to go before The Diuines alleadged that the doctrine was euidently seen to be impious that the books were divulged and the sermons of Luther notorious The others said that Notoriousnes did not take away the defence which is allowed by the law of God and nature alleadging the vsuall places Adam where art thou Where is thy brother Abel and in the accident of the fiue Cities I will go down and see They added that the citation of the Auditor the yeere before by vertue whereof the iudicature was referred to Caietan in Ausburg and remained vnperfect if nothing els were shewed it to be necessary After many disputes in which the Diuines attributed the decision vnto themselues alone because the question was in point of faith the Lawyers appropriated vnto themselues as much as concerned the forme of iudgement a composition betweene them was proposed distinguishing the businesse into three parts the doctrine the bookes and the person For the doctrine the Canonists yeelded that it should be condemned without citation for the person they persisted to maintaine that the citation was necessarie Yet not beeing able to ouercome others who insisted vpon their owne opinions with greater acrimony couered themselues with the buckler of religion they found a middle way that a precept should be sent to Martin with a conuenient terme that so it should be resolued into a citation Concerning the bookes there was more to doe The Diuines did thinke they ought to be condemned absolutely together with the doctrine and the Canonists that they should be ioyned with the person and comprehended vnder the terme It not being possible to make an accord herein they did both the one and the other For first they were condemned for the time present and afterwards a terme alotted to burne them And with this resolution a Bul was framed vnder the date of the 15. of Iune 1520 Which being as it were a beginning and foundation of the Councell of Trent whereof wee are to speake it is necessary to set downe 1520 here a briefe Epitomic thereof 31 In which the Pope directing the beginning of his words to Christ who hath left Peter and his Successours for Vicars of his Church exciteth him to The Popes Bull. assist it in these necessities From Christ he turneth to S. Peter and praieth him by the charge which he receiued of our Sauiour to be carefull of the distresses of the Church of Rome consecrated with his blood And passing to S. Paul desireth the like assistance from him adding that although he hath deemed heresies to bee necessarie for triall of the good yet it is conuenient to extinguish them in the beginning Finally turning himselfe to all the Saints of heauen and to the Church vniuersall hee prayeth them to intercede with God that the Church may be purged from so great contagion Then hee proceedeth to shew how it came to his knowledge and how hee hath seene with his eyes that many errors were renewed which were condemned long before of Grecians Bohemians and others false scandalous apt to offend godly eares and to deceiue simple mindes sowed in Germanie alwayes beloued both by him and by his predecessors who after the translation of the Greeke Empire haue euer taken their protectors from that nation and that many pious decrees against heretikes haue beene made by those Princes which the Popes also haue confirmed Therefore that hee not willing to tolerate the like errors any longer but rather to make prouision against them would recite some of them and here he repeateth 42. Articles which are in the points The Pope condemneth 42. articles of Luthers doctrine of originall sin Penance and remission of
as they did in Trent but to proceed to facts and answere the Emperour afterwards if hee should speake of it Therefore hee The Archbishop is cited by the Pope made another citation against the Archbishop the eighteenth of Iuly that within sixtie dayes he should appeare before him Hee cited also the Deane of Collen and fiue of the principall Canons leauing the world to dispute how the Archbishop could appeare before two which cited him for the same cause in diuers places at the same time and how a dispute of the competencie of the place of iudicature belonged to the honour of Christ But how this succeeded and what ende the cause had shall bee said in its place To returne to that which more neerely concerneth the Councel the Emperour assayed in the Diet diuers wayes to make the Protestants grant him The Emperor demandeth assistance against the Turkes of the Protestants who giue a conditionall answere assistance against the Turkes not mentioning Religion Whereunto they still answered that they could not resolue without they were secured that the peace should be kept and that by the conuocation in Trent vnder the name of a Councell it was not vnderstood that the time of the peace was ended according to the Decree of the former Diet but declared that the peace cannot be interrupted nor themselues enforced by any Decrees made in Trent because they cannot submit themselues to that Councel where the Pope who hath condemned them already hath free power The Emperor sayd hee could not giue them peace which might exempt them from the Councel to whose authority all are subiect that he had no way to excuse himselfe to other Kings and Princes if it were granted to Germanie alone not to obey the Councell assembled especially for her sake But if as they sayd they pretended a cause why they would not submit let them goe to the Councel and alledge their reasons why they suspect it that they should be heard and if it appeared they had wrong they might then refuse that it was not pertinent to preuent and to suspect that which appeared not pretending grieuance of things to come and iudging of that which is not seene as yet They replyed they spake not of things to come but past their Religion being condemned already and persecuted by the Pope and all his adherents Therefore they were not to expect any future iudgement because it was past already That it was iust that the Pope and his adherents of Germany and of all other places should make one part in the Councell and themselues the other and for the difficulty about the manner and order of proceeding the Emperour Kings and Princes should bee Iudges but for the merits of the cause the Word of God onely They could not be remooued from this resolution though the Ambassadour of France there present did very much and with menacing termes entreat them to consent to the Councel which threats the Ministers of that K. the Popes fauourers did dictate to the Ambassadour when hee parted from France The Imperialists proposed the translation of the Councel into Germany vnder the Emperors promise to labour effectually that the Pope should condescend which the others accepted vpon condition the peace were established vntill the Councel were assembled there But Charles being sure that the Pope would neuer agree saw that this was to giue them a perpetual peace and therefore he thought it better to leaue things in suspence granting it only vntill another Diet seeing hee was constrayned hauing not concluded truce with the Turkes as yet and esteeming more that warre thinking that by occasion of a Colloquie other reasonable meanes would bee offered hereafter to make them consent anew to the Councel of Trent or in case of refusall to hold them contumacious and to make warre against them Therefore the fourth of August hee ended the Diet and ordained another in Ratubon Another Diet is ordained in Ratubon for Ianuary for Ianuary next whereat the Princes should be personally present and instituted a Colloquie in matter of Religion of foure Doctors and two Iudges for a side This was to begin at December that the matter might be digested before the Diet. Hee confirmed and renewed the former Edicts of peace and set downe a manner to pay the contributions for the war How the Colloquie did proceede shall be said in its place The Protestants being departed from Wormes set forth a booke where The Protestants do protest against the Tridentine councel they said in summe that they esteemed not the Tridentine for a Councell being not assembled in Germanie as Adrian and the Emperour promised whereunto to make shew of giuing satisfaction by making choice of Trent was to mocke the world because Trent cannot bee said to bee in Germanie but onely because the Bishop is a Prince of the Empire but for securitie that it was aswell in Italie and as much in the Popes power as Rome it selfe And the rather they esteemed it not lawfull because Pope Paul would bee president in it and propose by his Legats that the Iudges were tyed vnto him by oath that the plea being against the Pope himselfe ought not to be Iudge that it was necessarie to treat first of the forme of the Councell and of the authorities whereupon to ground But the Emperours resolution displeased The Emperor is taxed againe for medling in Religion alike in Trent and at Rome as well because a secular Prince medled in Religion as because it seemed the Councell was casseered in regard that approaching order was giuen to handle else-where the controuersies of doctrine The Prelats in Trent blamed the Decree as it were with one voyce saying it was worse then that of Spira and maruelling that the Pope who shewed himselfe so quicke against that had and did tolarate this after that the Councell was intimated and already assembled From this they drew a manifest Argument that their remaining in Trent was vaine and dishonourable The Legats tryed their wits to consolate and perswade them that all The Prelats in Trent are discontented and most of them doe depart had beene permitted by his Holinesse for a good end But they replyed that whatsoeuer the end was and what thing soeuer doth follow the blemish not onely of the Pope and Apostolique Sea but of the Councell and the whole Church will neuer be taken away Neither could the Legats resist their complaints which ended in demanding leaue to depart some alledging necessary and important affaires of their own and some to retire themselues into some of the next cities for infirmitie or indisposition And though the Legats gaue leaue to none yet some of them dayly tooke it so that before the end of the moneth there remained very few But in Rome though this successe was foreseene by the negotiation of Cardinall Farnese yet after it happened they began to thinke more exactly of it They considered that the Emperors ends were much different from
wrote the Decalogue in stone with his owne finger commaunding it should be laid vp in the Cabinet called the Arke of the Couenant That he often commaunded Moyses to write the precepts in a booke and that one copie should bee kept in the Arke and the King haue another to reade it continually This fell not out in the Gospell which the Sonne of God wrote in the hearts for which neither tables nor chest nor booke is necessary yea the Church was most perfect before any of the Apostles wrote and though they had writ nothing the Church would haue wanted nothing of its perfection But as Christ founded the doctrine of the New Testament in the hearts so hee forbad it not to bee written as in some false Religions where the mysteries were kept secret nor was lawfull to write them but onely to teach them by word of mouth And therefore that it is an vndoubted truth that whatsoeuer the Apostles haue written and whatsoeuer they haue taught by word of mouth is of equall authority because they wrote and spake by the instinct of the holy Ghost which notwithstanding as by assisting them it hath directed them to write and preach the trueth so it cannot bee said it hath forbidden them to write any thing to the end to hold it in mysterie wherefore the Articles of faith cannot bee distinguished into two kinds some published by writing others commaunded to bee communicated onely by voyce Hee said that whosoeuer thought otherwise must fight against two great difficulties the one to tell wherein the difference is the other how the Apostles successors haue beene able to write that which was forbidden by God adding that it was as hard to maintaine the third that is how it hath accidentally happened that some particulars haue not beene written because it would derogate from the prouidence of God in directing the holy Apostles to compose the Scriptures of the New Testament Therefore The Fathers neuer made traditions of equall authority with the Scripture hee concluded that to enter into this treatie was to saile betweene Scriptuâ—e and Caribdis and that it was better to imitate the fathers who serued themselues of this place onely in case of necessitie neuer thinking to make of it an Article of competition against the holy Scripture Hee added that it was not necessary to proceede now to any new determination because the Lutherans though they said they would be conuinced by the Scripture onely haue not made a controuersie in this article and that it is good to keep themselues onely to the controuersies which they haue promoted without setting new on foote exposing themselues to the danger of making a great diuision in Christendome The Fryars opinion pleased but few yea Cardinall Poole reprehended it The opinion of Marinarus was very distastefull and said it better beseemed a Colloquie in Germanie then a Councell of the vniuersall Church that in this they should ayme at the sincere veritie it selfe not as there where nothing is handled but the according of the parties though to the preiudice of the truth that to preserue the Church it was necessarie that the Lutherans should receiue all the Romane doctrine or that as many of their errors as was possible might be discouered the more to make manifest to the world that there was no agreement to be made with them Therefore if they haue framed no controuersie concerning traditions it was necessary to frame it now and to condemne their opinions and to shew that that doctrine not onely differeth from the true in that wherein it doeth purposely contradict it but in all other parts that they should endeauour to condemne as many absurdities as can be drawen out of their writings and that the feare was vaine to dash against Scilla or Caribdis for that captious reason whereunto whosoeuer gaue earâ— would conclude there was no tradition at all In the second Article they all agreed in this that a Catalogue should bee Concerning the canon cal bookes of the Scripture made as it was in former times of the Canonicall bookes in which all should be registred which are read in the Romane Church euen those of the Old Testament which were neuer receiued by the Hebrewes And for proofe of this they all alledged the Councell of Laodicea Pope Innocence the first the third Councell of Carthage and Pope Gelasius But there were foure opinions Some would haue two rankes made in the first onely those should be put which without contradiction haue beene receiued by all in the other those which sometime haue beene reiected or haue had doubt made of them and it was said though formerly this was neuer done by any Councell or Pope yet alwayes it was so vnderstood For Austin maketh such a distinction and his authority hath beene canonized in the Chapter In Canonicis And Saint Gregorie who was after Gelasius writing vpon Iob sayeth of the Maccabees that they are written for edification though they bee not Canonicall Aloisius of Catanea a Domican Fryar said that this distinction was made by Saint Hierome who was receiued by the Church as a rule and direction to appoint the Canon of the Scriptures and he alleadged Cardinal Caietan who had distinguished them following Saint Hierom as an infallible rule giuen vs by the Church and so hee wrote to Pope Clement the seuenth when hee sent him his exposition vpon the Historicall bookes of the Old Testament Some thought fit to establish three rankes The first of those which alwayes haue beene held for Diuine the second of those whereof sometimes doubt hath beene made but by vse haue obtained Canonicall authority in which number are the sixe Epistles and the Apocalyps of the New Testament and some small parts of the Euangelists The third of those whereof there hath neuer beene any assurance as are the seauen of the Old Testament and some Chapters of Daniel and Hester Some thought it better to make no distinction at all but to imitate the Councell of Carthage and others making the Catalogue and saying no more Another opinion was that all of them should bee declared to bee in all partes as they are in the Latine Bible of diuine and equall authoritie The Booke of Baruc troubled them most which is not put in the number neither by the Laodiceans nor by those of Carthage nor by the Pope and therefore should be left out as well for this reason as because the beginning of it cannot be found But because it was read in the Church the Congregation esteeming this a potent reason resolued that it was by the Ancients accounted a part of Ieremie and comprised with him In the Congregation on Friday the fifth of March aduise being come The Bishop of Bitonto assisting in Councell is in danger of excommunication in Rome for not paying his Pensionaries that the Pensionaries of the Bishop of Bitonto had demanded in Rome to be paide and for this cause had cited him before the Auditor
with all their might and the Prelates alledging that they belonged to them and were vsurped pretended restitution And because the contention was heere not of opinions but of profit they vsed on both sides not onely reasons but deedes also Which differences were set on foote that at the time of the Session nothing might be decided Therefore the Legates resolued to deferre these two points vntill another Session Two Decrees were framed as formerly was resolued and were read in the last Congregation and approoued yet with some exceptions in the point of the vulgar Edition In the ende heereof the Cardinall of Monte after hee had commended the learning and wisedome of them all admonished them of the seemely behauiour which was fit to vse in the publique Session shewing one heart and one minde in regard the points were sufficiently examined in the Congregations and the Congregation beeing ended the Cardinall Santa Croce assembled those that had opposed the vulgar Edition and shewed they could not complaine because it was not prohibited but left free to correct it and to haue recourse to No errors of faith in the vulgar Edition the originall but that onely it was forbid to say there were in it errors of faith for which it ought to be reiected The eight of April appoynted for the Session being come the Masse of the holy Ghost was said by Saluator Alepus Archbishop of Torre in Sardinia and the Sermon was made by Friar Austin of Aretium Generall of the Serui the Pontificall habiliments put on the accustomed letanies and prayers made and the Decrees read by the Archbishop that said Masse The first conteined in substance that the Synode ayming to preserue the purity of the Gospel promised by the Prophets published by Christ and preached by the Apostles Two Decrees read in the Session as the fountaine of all trueth and discipline of maners which trueth and discipline are contained in the bookes and vnwritten traditions receiued by The contents of the former the Apostles from the mouth of Christ and dictated to them by the holy Ghost and passed from one to another doeth according to the example of the Fathers receiue with equall reuerence all the bookes of the old and new Testament and the traditions belonging to faith and manners as proceeding from the mouth of Christ or dictated by the holy Ghost and preserued in the Catholique Church And setting downe the Catalogue of the bookes concludeth that if any will not receiue them all as Sacred and Canonicall in all parts as they are read in the Catholike Church and contained in the vulgar Edition or shall wittingly and purposely despise the traditions let him be Anathema that euery one may know what ground the Synode will vse in confirming the points of doctrine and reforming of maners in the Church The substance of the second Decree was that the vulgar Edition should be The substance of the second Decree held for authenticall in publike Lectures Disputations Sermons and expositions and that none should dare to refuse it That the holy Scripture cannot bee expounded against the sense held by the holy Mother the Church nor against the common consent of the Fathers though with purpose to conceale those expositions and that the offenders should be punished by the Ordinaries that the vulgar Edition should be most exactly printed That no bookes of religion bee printed sold or kept without the authors name and that the approbation appeare in the frontispice of the booke vpon paine of excommunication and pecuniary punishment constituted by the last Lateran Councell That none should dare to vse the words of the holy Scripture in scurrility fables vanity flatteries detractions superstitions inchantments diuinations castings of lots libels and that the transgressors should bee punished at the discretion of the Bishops And it was determined to hold the next The next Session is to be heâ—d the 17. of Iune Session the 17. of Iune Afterwards the Commission of Don Diego de Mendoza and Francis de Toledo the Emperours Ambassadors was read by the Secretarie of the Councel The Commission of the Emperours Ambassadors is read Don Diego was absent and the other hauing in the Emperours name saluted the Fathers in few words said in substance That all the world knew that the Emperour thought nothing to befit him more then not onely to defend the flocke of CHRIST from enemies but to free it from tumults and seditions therefore that he reioyced to see the day when the Councell published by the Pope was opened and that being willing to fauour that occasion with his power and authoritie he had sent thither Mendoza vnto whom in regard of his indisposition himselfe was ioyned So that nothing remained but to pray God vniformely that he would fauour the enterprise of the Councell and which is the Principall would preserue peace betweene the Pope and Emperour for the establishing of the trueth of the Gospel restoring the Church to her puritie weeding the cockle out of the Lords field Answere was made by the Councell that his Lordships comming was most acceptable both for the dutie they did owe the Emperour and for the fauour hee promised them hauing also much hope in the realtie religion of his Lordship That they imbraced him with all their heart and did admit as farre as they could with reason the mandates of Caesar That they were sorry for the indisposition of his Colleague and thanked God for the peace betweene the Pope and the Emperour praying him to fauour the desires of them both for the increase of Christian religion and peace of the Church These things being done with the vsuall ceremonies the Session ended the Decrees whereof were sent to Rome by the Legates and a little after printed But after they were seene especially in Germany they ministred great A few Prelats and not learned do decide the greatest points of religion matter of discourse Some thought it strange that fiue Cardinals and 48. bishops should so easily define the most principall and important points of Religion neuer decided before giuing Canonicall authoritie to Bookes held for vncertaine and apocryphall making authenticall a translation differing from the original prescribing and restraining the manner to vnderstand the word of God neither was there amongst these Prelates any one remarkable for learning some of them were Lawyers perhaps learned in that profession but of little vnderstanding in Religion few Diuines but of lesse then ordinary sufficiencie the greater number Gentlemen or Courtiers and for their dignities some were onely titular and the maior part Bishops of so small Cities that supposing euery one to represent his people it could not be said that one of a thousand in Christendome was represented But particularly of Germany there was not so much as one bishop or Diuine Was it possible that amongst so many no man should be sent Why did not the Emperour cause some of them to goe who assisted in the
requiring hee should bee compelled by excommunications and other censures according to the stile of the Court to make payment hee lamented his case and said that his Pensioners were in the right and yet himselfe was not in the wrong For so long as hee was in the Councell hee could not spend lesse then sixe hundred crownes by the yeere and that his pensions being detracted hee had left but foure hundred wherefore it was necessarie that hee should bee disburthened or assisted with the other two hundred The poore Prelates laboured herein as in a common cause and some of them passed to high wordes and said it was an infamie to the Councell that an officer of the Court of Rome should bee suffered to vse censures against a Bishop assisting in the Councell that it was a thing monstrous and would make the world say that the Councell was not free that the honour of that assembly required that the Auditor should be cited to Trent or some reuenge taken against him that the dignity of the Synod might be preserued Some also proceeded so farre as to condemne the imposition of pensions saying that it was iust and anciently obserued that the rich Churches should assist the poore not by constraint but by charity without taking things necessary from themselues and that S. Paul taught so But that poore Prelates should be constrained to giue to the rich some of that which is necessary for their owne sustenance was a thing intolerable and that this was one of the points of reformation to be handled in the Councel reducing it to the ancient and truely Christian vse But the Legats cōsidering how iust the cōplaints were and whither they might tend appeased all promised they would write to Rome and cause the iudiciall processe to surcease and to endeuor that the Bishop should in some sort be prouided for that he might maintain himselfe in the Councel All the Diuines hauing made an end of speaking the eighth day a Congregation A Decree made on the day of Carnoual that Traditions are of equall authority with the Scriptures was intimated for the next though it was no ordinary day not so much to establish quickly a Decree vpon the disputed Articles as for a grace of the Councell that in that day dedicated to a profane feast of the Carnoual the Fathers should busie themselues in the affaires of the Councell And then it was approued by all that the Traditions should bee receiued as of equall authority with the Scriptures But they agreed not in the manner of making the Catalogue of the Diuine bookes and there were three opinions One not to descend to particular bookes another to distinguish the Catalogue into three parts a third to make onely one and to make all the bookes of equall authoritie And not beeing all well resolued three draughts were made and order giuen that they should exactly consider which of them should be receiued in the next Congregation which was not held the twelfth day by reason of the arriuall of Don Francis of Toledo sent Don Francis of Toledo arriueth in Trent Ambassadour to the Emperour Ambassadour by the Emperour to assist in the Councell as Colleague to Don Diego who was met on the way by the maior part of the Bishops and families of the Cardinals At this time Vergerius who often hath beene named before came to Vergerius flieth to the Councell for refuge but findeth none Trent not so much with desire to assist in the Councell as to flie the rage of his people raised against him as cause of the barrennesse of the land by the Inquisitor Friar Hannibal a Grison For he knew not where to remaine with more dignity nor to haue greater commoditie to iustifie himselfe against the imputations of the Frair who published him for a Lutheran not onely in Istria but before the Nuncio of Venice and the Pope Whereof the Legates of the Councell beeing aduertised suffered him not to bee present at the publique Actes as a Prelate if first hee were not iustified before the Pope to whom they effectually exhorted him to goe and if they had not feared to raise talke against the libertie of the Councell they would haue gone beyond exhortation This Bishop seeing hee was more disgraced in Trent departed a little after with purpose to returne to his Bishopricke hoping the popular sedition was appeased But when he came to Venice he was forbidden by the Nuncio to goe thither who had order from Rome to make his processe for disdaine whereof or for feare or for some other cause hee quitted Italie within a few moneths after Vergerius forsaketh Italie The fifteenth day the three draughts beeing proposed though euery one was maintayned by some yet the third was approoued by the maior part In the Congregations after the Diuines discoursed vpon the other Articles and in the third there was much difference about the Latine translation of the Scripture betweene some few who had good knowledge of the Latine and some taste of the Greeke and others who were ignorant in the Tongues Friar Aloisius of Catanea said that for resolution of this article nothing could Discourses about the Latin translation be brought more to the purpose or more fit for the present times and occasions then the indgement of Cardinall Caietane a man very well read in Diuinitie hauing studied it euen from a childe who for the happinesse of his wit and for his laborious diligence became the prime Diuine of that and many more ages vnto whom there was no Prelate or person in the Councel who would not yeelde in learning or thought himselfe too good to learne of him This Cardinall going Legate into Germanie in the yeere 1523. studying exactly how those that erred might be reduced to the Church and the Arch-heretiques conuinced found out the true remedy which was the litterall meaning of the text of the Scripture in the originall tongue in which it is written and all the residue of his life which was 11. yeeres hee gaue himselfe onely to the study of the Scripture expounding not the Latine translation but the Hebrew rootes of the old and the Greeke of the new Testament In which tongues hauing no knowledge himselfe he imployed men of vnderstanding who made construction of the text vnto him word by word as his workes vpon the holy bookes doe shew That good Cardinall was wont to say that to vnderstand the Latine text was not to vnderstand the infallible word of God but the word of the translatour subiect and obnoxious vnto errors That Hierome spake well that to prophesie and write holy bookes proceeded from the holy Ghost but to translate them into another tongue was a worke of humane skill And hee complayned and said Would to God the Doctors of the former age had done so and then the Lutherane heresie would neuer haue found place Hee added that no translation could bee approued without reiecting the Canon Vt veterum d. 9.
which commandeth to haue the Hebrew text to examine the relitie of the bookes of the old Testament and the Greeke for a direction in those of the new To approoue a translation as authenticall was to condemne S. Hierome and all those who haue translated If any be authenticall to what end serue the rest which are not it would bee a great vanitie to produce vncertaine copies when there are some infallible That they should bee of the opinion of 9. Hierome and Caietane that euery Interpreter may erre though he haue vsed all arte not to vary from the originall But sure it is that if the holy Councell should examine or correct an interpretation according to the true text the holy Ghost which assisteth Synods in matters of faith would keepe them from erring and such a translation so examined and approoued might bee called authenticall But that any could be approoued without such an examination with assurance of the assistance of the holy Ghost hee durst not say except the Synode did determine it seeing that in the Councel of the holy Apostles a great inquisition was made before But this beeing a worke of tenne yeeres and impossible to be vndertaken it seemed better to leaue things as they had remained 1500. yeeres that the Latine translations should be verified by the originall Texts On the contrary the maior part of the Diuines said that it was necessary to account that translation which formerly hath beene read in the Churches and vsed in the schooles to be diuine and authenticall otherwise they should yeeld the cause to the Lutherans and open a gate to innumerable heresies hereafter and continually trouble the peace of Christendome That the doctrine of the Church of Rome mother and mistresse of all the rest is in a great part founded by the Popes and by schoole Diuines vpon some passage of the Scripture which if euery one had liberty to examine whether it were well translated running to other translations or seeking how it was in the Greeke or Hebrew these new Grammarians would confound all and would be made Iudges and arbiters of faith and in stead of Diuines and Canonists Pedanties should be preferred to be Bishops and Cardinals The Inquisitors will not be able to proceede against the Lutherans in case they know not Hebrew and Greeke because they will suddenly answere the text is not so and that the translation is false and euery nouity or toy that shall come into the head of any Grammarian either for malice or want of knowledge in Diuinity so that he may but finde some grammaticall tricke in those tongues to confirme it will be sufficient to ground himselfe thereon and he will neuer make an end That it doth appeare since Luther began to translate the Scripture how many diuers and contrary translations haue seene the light which deserue to bee buried in perpetuall darkenesse and how often Martin himselfe hath changed his owne translation that neuer any hath beene reprinted without some notable change not of one or two passages but of an hundred in a breath that if this libertie bee giuen to all Christianitie will soone be brought to that passe that no man will know what to beleeue To these reasons which the maior part applauded others added also that if the prouidence of God hath giuen an authenticall Scripture to the Synagogue and an authenticall New Testament to the Grecians it cannot be said without derogation that the Church of Rome more beloued then the rest hath wanted this great benefit and therefore that the same holy Ghost who did dictate the holy bookes hath dictated also that translation which ought to be accepted by the Church of Rome Some thought it hard to make a Prophet or Apostle onely to translate a booke therefore they moderated the assertion and said that he had not a Prophericall or Apostolicall Spirit but one very neere And if any should make dainty to giue the spirit of God to the Interpreter yet he cannot deny it to the Councell and when the vulgar edition shall bee approued and an anathema thundered against whosoeuer will not receiue it this will be without error not by the spirit of him that wrote it but of the Synode that hath receiued it for such D. Isidorus Clarus a Brescian and a Benedictine Abbat a man well seene in this studie went about to remooue this opinion by an historicall narration and said in substance that in the Primitiue Church there were many Greeke translations of the Old Testament which Origen gathered into one volume confornting them in sixe columnes the chiefe of these is called of the Septuagint from whence diuers in Latine were taken and many were taken from the Greeke text of the new Testament one of which most followed and read in the Church and esteemed the best by Saint Austin is called Itala yet so as that the Greeke text ought vndoubtedly to bee preferred But Saint Hierom a man as all doe know skilfull in the knowledge of tongues seeing that of the olde Testament to swarue from the Hebrew trueth by the fault partly of the Greeke interpreter and partly of the Latin made one immediately out of the Hebrew and amended that of the new Testament according to the trueth of the Greeke text Hieroms credit made his translation to bee receiued by many but was reiected by some either because they loued more the errours of antiquitie then new trueths or as himselfe complaineth by reason of emulation But a few yeeres after when enuie was laid aside that of S. Hierom was receiued by all the Latins so they were both in vse one being called the olde and the other the new Saint Gregorie writing to Leander vpon Iob testifieth that the Apostolike Sea vseth them both and that himselfe in the exposition of that booke made choice to follow the new as conformable to the Hebrew text yet in the allegations he would vse sometimes one sometimes another as it best befitted his purpose The times following by the vse of them both composed one taking part of the new and part of the olde according as the accidents required and to this the name of the vulgar Edition was giuen The Psalmes were all of the olde because being dayly sung in the Churches they could not be changed The lesser Prophets are all of the new the greater mixt of both This is very true that all hath happened by the ordinance of God without which nothing can succeede But yet it cannot be said that there was in it greater knowledge then humane Saint Hierome saith plainely that no interpreter S. Ierom saith that no interpreter hath spoken by the holy Ghost hath spoken by the holy Ghost The Edition which wee haue is his for the most part it would bee strange to attribute the assistance of God to him that knoweth and affirmeth hee hath it not Wherefore no translation can bee compared to the text in the originall tongue Therefore his opinion was that the vulgar