14.3 the throne and before the foure beastes before the Elders that is in the Church before God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost before the glorious Cherubins and before the faithfull and holy gouernors of the Church This doth signifie the good and most Christian Councels which were held before the Lord and his Angels by the authority of godly and religious Princes and by the assistance of the faithfull Bishops and Ministers of the word For g Caranza vnder Theodosius was held a Councel against the Nestorians And also the Carthaginian Mileuitan and Aurasican Councels were held against the Pelagians The Affrican h Melan. 3. Epist Aug. Councel wrote vnto Innocentius the Bishop of Rome and exhorted him that he would also disallow the errors sprung vp at Rome and would not suffer them to spread any further Vnder Martianus was held a Councell at Chalcedonia against the Eutychians i Geneb p. 64â— In the yeare of Christ 552. was held a Councell at Constantinople against certaine heretickes and to confirme the foure generall Councels A heauenly harmonie of holy harpers The song which those Fathers and Councels did sing is somewhat darke to be vnderstood For no man a cap. 14.3 could learne the song but the 144,000 which were bought froÌ„ the earth to wit those faithfull witnesses which are not earthly minded For as it is said of some of Augustines latter bookes that he hath sometimes vnproper b Melan. 3. de Eccl post Vol. 3. speeches but if they be wel fauourably iudged of they containe the very truth so may it be said of the rest because the iniquitie of the time enforced them to speake with as little offence to the impietie of men as possibly might be c. The flight of the woman in these troublesome times was by flying to carrie her selfe cleane out of the c cap. 12.14 sight of the Serpent For the countries now d Geneb p. 5â—â— made newely kingdomes were conuerted afterwards e Sabel In Affrica in the time of Gensericus the Church was cleane extinguished the Bishops which maintained the trueth beeing fledde and banished for euer and so by other tyrants in other places From hence the Church is fledde from the presence of the Serpent and is mingled for a time times and halfe a time that is 1260. yeares there beeing many godly men amongst the diuellish tyrants and hereticks which they doe not see not know of yet there is the Church The successe is diuers in the Church and Empire and also concerning these strangers By this inundation of these barbarous f cap. 13.3 nations that one head of the beast was as wounded to death by the sword that is the Romane Empire in the West was cleane ouerthrowne rent and torne g Geneb p. 609 Germanie Dacia Sarmatia Spaine Britaine and France doe altogether fall away from the Empire to the vtter h Melan. 3. ruine of the Empire The office also of i Sabel E. 8. l. 1 Consuls ceased in Rome in the yeare 560. k Geneb p. 641. In the space of 142. or rather 150 yeares l 642. Rome the tamer of mankinde and castle of all nations did sustaine many casualties by the iudgement of God that it might seriously slide to the hands of the Church whose head as some thinke it ought to be and to that vse should be built againe from the foundation For after that Rome was spoiled by Alaricus armie in the age of Augustine and Hierome anon it was wasted by the Vandals within 44. yeares After that 22. yeares by Odoacer and his Heruli Againe after 14. yeares by Theodoricus and his Ostrogothes Furthermore after 50. yeares it was taken by Belifarius At last it came into extreame miserie by Totilas the reliques of the Gothes after 12. yeares And a Hist an t ex Egna p. 426. the maiestie of the Romane name * cum p. 468. ex Paul Diaco 6. qu. Buchol Ann. 476. by the flight of Augustulus the last of the Caesars of the * Vid hist anti ex Paulo Diac. p. 468. Romane nation renowned for the seruice of the gods did fall and was cleane ouerthrowne that as shee was wont to triumph ouer the whole world so now there is no nation so fierce and barbarous which doth not repaie the iniurie done to them or their auncestrie For in Augustulus b Carion f. 143. the Empire of the Augusti in Italie perished and ended They lost their c Sab. E. 8. l. 5. language at Rome The Romane ciuill lawes were as exiles d Geneb p. 914 from hence for the space of 600. yeares c. But the earth helpe the woman and the earth e cap. 12.16 opened her mouth and swallowed vp the flood which the Dragon had cast out of his mouth that is the countries into which these strangers made incursion swallowed them vs. For these strangers did content themselues to be mixed with the naturall inhabitants f Saâ—el â—n â— l. 5. of the countries into which they came The Gothes which remained in Italie degenerating into the name of Italians in Spaine into Spaniards leauing onely in diuers places some places of their names which keepe their memory And of them arose certaine kingdomes bearing the names of the places where they were for the most part The successe that these strangers found was first that their power was limited For * cap. 9.5 â— their power was to hurt fiue months that is an hundred and fiftie yeare For a moneth g Erasm Remâ— in tab Prâ—t according to the account of the Hebrewes Aegyptians and Astronomers containeth 30. daies and so fiue moneths amount to 150. daies which counting a h Ezech. 4.6 day for a yeare after the maner of the scripture commeth to 150. yeare For from the time that Rhadagasus first entred which was in i Carion the yeare 405. vnto the k Sabel death of Teias the last of these strangers that afflicted the Empire which was l Geneb p. 643 in the yeare 555. is precisely 150. yeare And though the people did still continue yet the kingdome name power and Empire of the Gothes were rooted out of Italie And so in other places this number of 150. yeares is in a manner a fatall limit to such as make incursions into the countries of others Secondly they that for 150. yeare could be brought vnder no mans power were in the ende afterwards made the subiects of Antichrist m Strab. 7. And as before they came they were subiect vnto their Priest which liued in an inaccessible cell as an angel of the bottomlesse pit who did euer set them to make incursion vpon their neighbours as Abaddon or Apollyon a destroyer so n cap. 9.11 now they had a King set ouer them which is that Angel of the bottomlesse pit whose o Dan. 7. name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in
was confirmed by the Exarch of Rauenna e Fasc Temp. Anno 637. who robbed the Lateran treasure Hee was bountifull to the Clergie diligent in the regiment of the Church which he maruelously beautified with ornaments and monuments The Almaignes f Geneb are conuerted to the Church of Rome g Geneb Iohn the fourth redeemed many captiues with the Church treasure Anno 638. Ierusalem is taken and wasted by the h VVolphgan Saracent as was Antiochia and the rest of Syria i Platina Theodorus a Bishops sonne Anno 640. he was very circumspect for the dignitie of religion The Emperor groweth vile and hatefull both for heresie and sacriledge and also because in his time the Empire of the East declined through the Saracens He easily absolued Pyrrhus the k Sab. E. 8. l. 6. fol. 178. a. Patriarke of Constantinople from his heresie gaue him a forme of profession and sent him home when Pyrrhus had platted the death of the Emperor Constantine which vpon his returne he executed with the assistance of Marina the Empresse The l Genffr de Tur. orig 3. p. 122. 123. Saracens take away from the Grecians Cilicia and became Lordes of all the countries thereabout excepting the kingdome of m Haiton Abcas which is Georgia and the countrie of Armenia which two countries are not in the catalogue of those that condemned Athanasius at Tyrus whereof see before This Pope by his a Sabellicus sentence depriued Paul of Constantinople for heresie but he kept his place by the Emperors fauour He beautified and built Churches In his time fasting in b Pantalion Geneb lent was thrust vpon the English-men Martinus the first sent c Anno 646. Geneb Legates to withdraw the Emperor and Paulus the Patriarke of Constantinople from heresie The Emperour banished his Legates sent his Exarch into Italie to peruert or take or kill Martine and spreade the heresie But the Pope d Massaeus Platina Sabellicus Bergom was so fauoured by the people and a Councell then held that he could not be hurte by the Exarch and the murtherer sent to kill the Pope as they say was stroken blind The Pope was after apprehended by fraude and banished where he died glorious for miracles He reproued e Pantaleon the heathen customes of his time which yet continued as trimming vp of houses at Newyeeres tide with greene boughes c. He f Dist 27. Diaconus would not haue Deacons ordeined except they would vow chastitie that is abstinence from mariage and required the Clergie to g Bergom bee shorne The Priests h Poly. Inuent 4. 5. shauen crownes seeme to bee taken from the Egyptians whose Priests were customably shauen in token of sorrow for the death of their god Apis. I thinke it forbidden in the i Leuit. 19.27 law The k Wolphgan Saracens subiect the greatest part of Affrica to their Empire They l Geneb much diminish the Romane Empire and encreased the Saracenical Empire Rhodes with the Iles about it is taken Sicilia wasted they inuade Europe waste Cyprus and Aradus c. Anno 651. m Pantalcon Eugenius the first decreed that no Bishop might conuert the Church goods to his priuate vse and that n Volater Geneb Bishops should haue prisons to punish the faults of the Clergie Vitalianus brought o Geneb p. 685. Songes and Organes into the Church and now God p Moris pap p. 168. is serued with like musicke Anno 6â—7 as was the image which Nabuchadnezzer set vp How it standeth with Gregories decree q Ex Regist l. 12. f. 235. against the modulation of the voice I doe not see Constans r Frising 5. 11. the Emperour forsaketh his heresie and dedicateth to Saint Peter the Gospell richly decked with precious stones He purposed to haue Å¿ Geneb p. 6â—â— translated the seate of the Empire to Rome but he could not but t Sab. En. â— l. â— f. 179. b. he spoiled Rome I could u Fasc Temp. f. 60. not hitherto finde that at any time the Church of Rome had fullie the dominion of the Citie and other things which Constantine is said to haue giuen vnto it except in the time of some few and these the most naughtie Princes Yea this Vitalianus had a greater fauour that this bad Emperour did confirme the priuiledges of the Church which notwithstanding he presentlie brake againe Then the * Geneb p. 687. Mahumetanes wasted Sicilia Cyprus threatned Italie thrust the law of Christ out of Affrica constituted their impietie through Affrica and Asia and attempted to bring it into Europe and trod vnder foote the holy land Anno 671. Adeo-datus a Geneb cured a leper with a kisse He b Platina and his successor Donus laboured to encrease the honor and magnificence of the Church and Clergie The c Geneb p. 690. Saraceus spoyle Syracuse Thracia besiege Constantinople and cary away many prisoners from Africa Doâ—â—s reconciled d Bergâ—ensis the Church Rauenna to Rome In his time it is reported that the e Plati f. 94. b. soule of Dagâ—bertus King of France was seene taken out of the hands of diuels who were carying him to hell by Dionysius Mauritius and Martine whose temples he honored while he liued newes out of the bottomlesse pit to helpe the beast to rise from thence vpon this sorcery and lying miracle 270. ships f Geneb p. 691. of the Arabians filthily waste the sea-coasts of Spaine Anno 680. Agatho clensed g Volat. a leper with a kisse He h Geneb instituted a new office for the Romane Church treasurie for this beast hath Beares feete Rauenna i Fasc Temp. gaue obedience to the Church of Rome being taught that it is not good to kicke against the pricke There k Frisin 5. 12. was held a Councell at Constantinople The Pope l Massae 14. p. 153. craued of the Emperour to stand fast in the catholike faith The Emperor requesteth the Pope that laying aside all cauils the Churches might be vnited by the vnitie of faith and commaunded the m Abb. Vrsp p. 153. Bishops that laying aside philosophicall disputations they should enquire of the faith with peaceable conference and deliuered them bookes of the Fathers out of the librarie of Constantinople In this Councell the Latine and Greeke Churches were n Geneb p. 692. reconciled The Bishop of Rome was to be called vniuersall Bishop and the Bishop of Constantinople should write himselfe vniuersal patriarke It was o Caranza Con Const 6. ca. 82 Poly. inuen 6.16 also decreed that images should be receiued into Churches and worshipped with great reuerence as a thing wherby the laity might be p Isa 44.20 Hab. 2.18 Ierem 10.15 instructed with lyes as insteede of Scripture and that incense might be burned and tapers light before them This q Polyd.
Prophets of Kings c. * cap. 19.20 And for these such like causes he is called The false prophet that prophesieth lies c. But he is like vnto the first monstrous beast in this that he doth k cap. 13.12 exercise the power of the first beast before him taking vpon him as an Emperor in the time presence of the Emperour labouring to be as absolute ouer the Clergie as the Emperour is ouer the temporaltie exempting his Clergie from ciuill iurisdiction * 2. Thess 5.2 Yea exalting himselfe aboue all Yea he proposeth to himselfe to be Monarch of all and therefore what euer be his pretext hee in his priuate drift causeth the l cap. 13.12 earth and them that dwell therein to worshippe the first beast whose deadly wound was healed that is to worshippe an Ecclesiasticall Monarch which he laboureth to establish in the roome of the former ciuill Monarchie which was ouerthrowen in the West by the former incursions of strangers and onely healed by the Popes The a cap. 13.13.14 meanes which he vseth to further these ambitions are great wonders and deceiptfull in the fight of men and of the beast that is seeming miracles to the Prince and people howeuer there may be a better and truer construction made of them to be deceipts These his miracles therefore are b cap. 18.23 called inchauntments wherewith all nations are deceiued c 2. Thes 2.9.10 And this is that of which S. Paul speaketh when he saith of the aduersarie of Christ Whose comming is by the effectuall working of Sathan with all power and signes of lying wonders and in all d Aug. Ciu. Dei 20. 19. deceiuablenes of vnrighteousnes Which are wonders either so seeming when they be but impostures or else if true they be the workes of the diuell to gaine credit to the great enemie of the Gospel Particularly for instance it is said that he e cap. 13.13 caused fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men that is he seemeth to men to cause God f Isa 9.5 37 36. to send downe vengeance from heauen vpon men that doe not respect him applying all the calamities that befall them that loue him not to be iudgements of God to reuenge the contempt offered to this beast The Popes were famous far g Chro. Chr. miracles when they had once gotten purple The opposition of the Saints is something though very small contenting themselues that h cap. 14.3 they were bought from the earth hauing nothing to doe with the ambition of this beast that onely minded how to possesse the earth wincking at much corruption when they saw it About i Fasc Tem. f. 47 b. Frising Chro. 4. cap. 3. the possessions of the Church which the Prelates at this time began to haue there was often a great contention among the Doctors Some said it was iust and profitable that the Church should abound in temporalties and haue earthly honours others thought not But the Bishops of Rome accepted of these honours And they of that Church doe thinke that k Geneb p. 552 553. it much concerned God in some place to haue a visible Ecclesiasticall Monarchie which by diuine authoritie by causing fire to come downe from heauen vpon men might restraine terrifie smite with lightning and bring into obedience tyrants hereticks schismaticks c. Wherefore the Bishops of Rome which was the chiefe citie in the world endeauoured to attaine vnto that dignitie and to inrich the Church by all meanes possible These things will appeare more particularly in the stories of the Popes wherof doe follow some briefe collections The complement Siluester I. * Ann 315. admirable for l Fasc Temp. f 47 a. miracles or great wonders For he is reported to a Pet. de Nat. haue clensed Constantine of a leprosie But b Volat. 23. f. 270. the booke of that miracle is Apocrypha manifestly dissenting from the Doctors and altogether to be reiected as a c 2. Thes 2.9 cap. 13.14 lying signe He is said to haue reuiued a dead d Pet de Nat. Ball to binde a Dragon that killed men with his breath a false miracle e Gesn l. 5. For Dragons doe not hurt with their breath hereby he laboured to gaine reputation to his profession He forbad f Caranz f. 4â— 37. a. Subdeacons to marrie heare the voice of the Dragon Hee deuised the Chrisme with which the Bishops should signe them that were baptized to confirme them against the perswasion of Heretickes The manner is this g Poly. inuent 5. 3. the Bishop maketh the signe of the crosse in the forehead of the partie to be confirmed and saith I signe thee with the character or token of the crosse and confirme thee with the chrisme of saluation i Berg. 9. He commanded that no laie man should presume to cal a Clergie man into a ciuill court nor that any Clergie man should sue before a secular Iudge and decreed that k Caranz f. 46. a. neither Emperour nor Kings nor all the Clergie may iudge the Pope exercising the power of the first beast euen before him c. Marcus appointed l Berg. 9. that no Clergie man might by any meanes be drawne vnto secular businesse Ann. 334. Hee built two Churches in Rome Constantine enriched him with many gifts The beast doth rise out of the earth Iulius reprehended the m Anno 341. Chr. Chro. Arians especially that they called a Councel at Antiochia without the authoritie of the Pope of Rome when as without his authority he said it neither ought nor could be He decreed that whosoeuer suspected his iudge might appeale to the seat of Rome the Pope Liberius was o Poâ—â—â—r banished for standing against the Arians Ann. 35â— in the meane while by his Counsell the Clergie of Rome ordained Felix Pope This Felix proceeded seuerely against the Arians Wherefore Constantius the Emperor reconciled Liberius for he seemed more easie to the Arians Liberius then being ouercome with the griefe of exile and glad that he was Pope againe assented and fell into heresie and subscribed p Massaus 11. thereto But Felix and the q Fasc Temp. s 48. b. Catholikes hauing admonished him and finding him to bee contumacious cast him out of the Church as an heretike wherefore Liberius cast Felix out of the Papacie held the Churches violently and by strength so that there was a great persecution of the faithfull and the Clergie and priests that fauored Felix were slaine in the Churches and Liberius forbad it not a Vol. 22. And Felix himselfe was slaine as defending the truth This Felix was b Geneb p. 574. also reported guiltie of heresie But such is the force of the Apostolicall chaire saith Genebrard that it would rather make a martyr than heare an heretike Here wanteth some helpe to reconcile these popish Chronologers
of her fornications like such harlots as make amatorie potions of their filthinesse causing Princes and people to receiue at her hands most filthy idolatrie euen to worship the Dragon the diuell in idols which are masked vnder the names of Saints and other beastly life contrarie to the q Can. 8.2 Prou. 9.5 Church of Christ which giueth spiced wine and new wine of Pomegranets Shee is also said to haue a cuppe in her hand full of abhominations because shee Å¿ cap. 14.8 cap. 18.3 made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornications contrarie to God who t Psal 75.8 causeth all the wicked of the earth to wring out and drinke the dregges of his cup of wrath So a cap. 18.23 that with her inchantments were deceiued all nations That the things here spoken are vnderstood of b Fulkes sermon at Hampton Court Rome Tertullian Hierome Ambrose Primasius are witnesses yea Genebrard c Geneb Câ—â— p. 593. speaking of the dilaceration and wounding of the Empire and of the sacking and burning of Rome by the Gothes c. which was when Rome was Christian saith so was fulfilled that in 17. Apocalyps v. 16. And the tenne hornes are tenne Kings they shall hate the where c. Confessing Christianed Rome to be the where truely though he missed in the application of the place to that time As concerning her name it is said that it was written in her d cap. 17.5 forehead that is openly that euery man may read it Her first name is A mysterie which word Mysterious is written in the fore part of the Popes Miter or Crowne to signifie that Poperie was like the learning of the e Euseb Gnostocks some great mysterie for spirituall signification as if the Regna mundi kingdomes of the world were set vpon his holy head Her second name is f cap. 47.5 Great Babylon which is a name very properly giuen beeing g Otho Frîsm l. 6. c. 22. Rhemenses in 1. Pet. 4. Babylon Lactâ—â— so like for the beginning and progresse as might bee to Babylon For not onely after Ramulus hither vnder ciuill Princes but also from hence vnder the Popes for magnificence Monarchie amplitude of dominions c. Rome may iustly be compared to Babylon But this Ecclesiastical Monarchie beginning here is compared to Babel in her first building For as at the beginning when Babel was built the Lord confounded the h Gen. 11.7 language of the builders that euery one perceiued not anothers languages so was this policie of Romes greatnesse built vp in the time of Antichrist by people of diuers languages whereof the one vnderstood not the other namely the people vnder the tenne kingdomes which did arise vpon the inundation of these strangers Yea Rome vnderstood not the language of her own religion For they i Sabel En. 8. lib. 5. left off to speake latine at Rome vpon the comming of the Lombards And the Greeke and the Hebrew grew cleane out of knowledge in a small time and k Caesar bel Gal. lib. 6. like the Druides they would not suffer their religion to be knowne to the vulgar people And herein shee is contrarie to the Christian Church which was built vp by the a Act. 2. gift of toÌ„gues whereby the Teachers speake vnto euery one in his own language Againe it is called Babylon by comparison of the crueltie which the Babylonians vsed in captiuing the Christians b Deut. 28.49 speaking to them and c Isa 28.11 teaching them in a strange language as they did the Iewes Therefore it is also called d cap. 11.8 Egypt Thirdly shee is called That mother by excellencie the mother of all other Churches like vnto the Cataphrygians arrogating to herselfe to be the onely conceiuer and bringer forth of the children of the Church This is a name in which the Church of Rome doth glorie in wherefore they that follow the Church do call her e Sab. En. 8.6 in Bonifa 3. c. Decr. tit 3. c. 23. the mother and queene and mistresse The f Volat. l. 22. f. 255. a. Bishop of Rome was wont to write himselfe the Bishop of the Church of Rome much better than now as Volateran thinketh when he writeth himselfe The Bishop of the Catholike Church For if the Romane be the Catholike they then seeme to take the honour from that famous city But whatsoeuer she thinketh of herselfe Saint Iohn saith g cap. 17.5 that she is the mother of the whoredomes and abhominations of the earth Which Saint Paul expresseth by the name of h 2. Thes 2.3 the man of sinne For all the heads of the gouernment of Rome were blasphemous none truely religious howsoeuer now and then very rarely some godly man was in authoritie And in the time of Saint Iohn i See Ruff. Soc. Euseb c. all the abhomination and idolatry which was enforced vpon the Christians came from Rome So also from this time forth Rome standeth cheefely vpon this point that all nations must receiue the ordinances of the Church as shee hath conceiued them Which yet for the most part are whoredomes for superstition idolatrie and abhominable treasons murthers adulteries c. which she hath conceiued of heretikes tyrants and other vngodly persons Insomuch that there is nothing so abhominable in all the earth formerly condemned in auncient heretikes but she is willing to conceiue it and bring it forth if it may any wise helpe to further her greatnes So that Rome is henceforth an Epitome of all abhominable heresies The beast that she sitteth vpon and doth beare her vp in this wonderfull pride is described by his originall name and forme As concerning the place of his originall he is said to a cap. 11.7 cap. 17.8 ascend out of the bottomlesse pit that is to arise to the greatnes of Babylon by the opinion which the world had of him that as he boasted so he had great authoritie in the bottomlesse pit and power like the b Liui. dec 1. lib. 1. pontifex Maximus of Numa his inuenting to pacifie the spirits in the behalfe of those which were dead For whereas Pelagius the Pope had brought into the Masse prayer for the dead out of the corruptions of some former ages especially seeing the world to stand so much affected with the Monkes of c See Gregor Draba l. 2. c. Benedicts institution tha tooke much vpon them as though they were able to profit the dead this kinde of doctrine of the power that priests had to doe the dead much good was brought into the Church and taught very diligently and enforced by the lying signes of the apparition of soules that were departed and diuers pretended reuelations which the dead comming from the bottomlesse pit should shew vnto the liuing c. whereupon the ignorant and foolish world was led captiue to this beast to make it great by the subiection
of many vnto this his doctrine of the bottomlesse pit It may also be said to rise out of the bottomlesse pit d N.D. ans S. F.H. for the darke and deepe schoole-learning e cap. 2.24 or profoundnes of Sathan which it teacheth leauing the plaine and easie doctrine of the Scriptures the more easily to delude the world with difficulties and subtilties The name of this beast is f cap. 13.14 an image of the beast which was wounded with the sworde and did liue againe namely the image of the ciuill monarchie or Empire which was wounded with the sworde of the Gothes and other strangers but did liue by meanes of the Papacie Now because the sinnes of the Arian Princes Constantine Constantius Iulian and Valens were the cause why God in his iust iudgement did make the Empire in the West and especially in Rome of which they gloried to be abolished this beast is the image of the Empire as it was corrupted with heresie wherefore this is g Geneb 552. 553. a Monarchie not ciuill in the hands of Emperors but Ecclesiasticall vnder him who hath hornes like the Lambe For the gouernment of the Church of Rome is called an Ecclesiasticall Monarchie For a Hist an t ex Pom. laet p. 347 Rome the very goddesse of all landes and queene of all nations doth seeme to require the seates and Empire both of God and of mankinde And this is the b cap. 17.9.10.11 seuenth head or forme of kingdome or gouernment of Rome For in the time of Saint Iohn the Soueraigntie first of Kings second Consuls third Decemuiri fourth Dictators fifth Triumuiri were fallen one was namely the Emperors being the sixth and now the Empire being wounded to death steppeth vp this beast the seuenth Whereof the Pope standing a while as a Prince is an eight and is one of the seuen being a member of this beast As touching the forme of this beast he is said to haue c cap. 17.3 seuen heads and tenne hornes herein both like vnto the Dragon which represented the heathen Empire and also like the other monstrous beast which represented the pretended Christian Empire which was corrupted with heresie And because this is said to be the image of the latter beast as that was of the Dragon it is implied that this beast hath also mouthes as Lyons for force and maiestie body like the Pantheresse for swiftnes inamouring deceiuing and inchaunting such which are to be deluded by her and feete like vnto Beares feete for strong and sure marching and couetousnes c. And as into the description of the d cap. 17.1 other beast so into this is to be supplied out of e Dan. 7.1.7.19 Daniel that his teeth were of yron and his nayles of brasse which deuoured brake in peeces and stampeth the residue vnder feete euen f cap. 9.11 Abaddon and Apollyan and therefore is called by Saint Paul g 2. Thes 2.3 the sonne of perdition wherefore this beast doth beare the image of that which signified the corrupted Empire So that h See Ruff. Soc. Sozâ—m Theod. what shifting periurie dissimulation i Soc. 8. 13. spreading of false rumors crueltie c. to be found in the stories of the Arian Princes and Bishops the same is reuiued in this beast And whereas this beast by reason of the number of heads and hornes is likewise in a manner compared to the Dragon what superstition tyrannie and persecution is found in the stories of the heathen persecutors the same in his time is reuiued by this beast And this is the cause that this beast is called by the k name of the Gentiles Wherefore the Pope is the l Liui. det 1. l. 4. Pont. Max. of Numaes deuising vnto whom were committed the ceremonies of diuine seruices and of funerals with the order to pacifie the spirits in the behalfe of them which were dead And so at this time men a cap. 17.8 wondered at the beast that was in the time Numa and is not in the time of Saint Iohn and yet is and was in the time of Saint Iohn in title in the Emperors who called themselues Pontifices Maximi The rest of the Clergie represent the other magistrates and people which did in the time of the Gentiles gouerne the policie of Rome The beast of Rome Emperor Pont. Max. Prouinces Proconsuls Tribunes Centurions Garisons Ex Peucere de diuinations Geuffraeo de Turcorum moribus Voluntaries Tributarie gent. Trayned youth The image the papacie Pope Pont. Max. Forraine Churches Cardinals c. Legats c. Rectors Abbies Begging Fryers Orders of Souldiers Seminaries The Turkes policie Mahomet highest Bishop Prouinces Beglerbij Bassi Sangiaci Flamboler sobasir Timariota Akengi Spachi Saray In this table are compared the heathen and pretended Christian policie of Rome with the Mahumetanes Quis istorum chiron fuit In the papacie the honours and ceremonies both ciuill and Ecclesiasticall are altogether borrowed of the Gentiles Iewes Barbarians Arians c. b Lud. Viues teste Chemnicio in examine There can no difference be shewed but that onely the names of the things be changed His c cap. 17.9.10 seuen heads are those seuen policies by which Rome was gouerned and those seuen hilles vpon which it was built of which hath been spoken in the discription of the Dragon before Cap. 1. His d cap. 17.12 tenne hornes are tenne Kings or principalities which in Iohns time had not receiued the kingdome but did receiue power as Kings at one houre with the beast this Monarchicall dignitie of the Church of Rome that is those tenne kingdomes or common-wealths which arose out of the former inundation of strangers Furthermore this beast is said to e cap. 17.3 bee scarlet coloured herein differing from the other which was white spotted little eyes of blacke For this is red like the Panthers of Syria and Africa or rather like the red Dragon signifying that this beast hath more authoritie and is more bloody then were the Arians For a cap. 18.24 in her is found all the blood that is shed vpon the earth This b cap. 17.3 beast is full of names of blasphemies as a Pantheresse is full of spots For all manner of persons in this hierarchie from the greatest to the least doe open their mouthes to blaspheme curse slaunder lie scoffe c. And as they be euer blasphemous more or lesse so they spare no persons nor things For they blaspheme c cap. 13.6 God his name his tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen yet were the Arians not so bad for the beast representing them d cap. 13.1 had names of blasphemies on his heads onely the Princes and some chiefe persons being blasphemous the rest ignorantly religious or not so blasphemous The other enemie is e cap. 12.7 Michael with f cap. 6.2 his horsemen and as he is the g cap. 17.14 Lambe and they that
his possessions is sure and because these pillars be of fire he h Zach. 12.6 consumeth them as stubble that will offer to take any thing from vnder his feete Secondly he i cap. 10.3 cryed with a loud voyce as when a Lyon roareth that is indignation doth proclaime and decree seuere lawes to bring all both the people and the Popes into obedience and to keep them in subiection k Pro. 19 1â— 20.2 Hol. 11. 10. For the wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lyon And in this phrase doth Fredericke the second expresse l Gebel aâ— 6â— cap. 64. his conceiued displeasure against the Pope that would not onely exempt himselfe from subiection to the Emperor but â—â—sult as Lord ouer the ciuill authoritie The opposition of Christ in his witnesses is as before to prophecie m cap. 11.4 in sackecloth like poore professors to accompanie the n cap. 14.1.3.4 Lambe on mount Sion following Iesus Christ in the true worship of God c. being bought from the earth not partaking with the ambitions of the beast c. Gregorius the fourth would not receiue o Plat. f. 127. the seate till he was confirmed by Ambassadors from the Emperor who in Christs stead had set his right foote on the sea and his left foote on the earth For the Emperor would not loose the right of the Empire This seemeth to prooue the graunt p Dist 63 Ego Ludouicus of Ludouicus to be a meete forgerie Now idolatry being established in Rome the q Wolph Saracens spoyled Asia Ierusalem Sicilia a great part of Italy euen the Churches of Peter and Paul and made r Epit. Blâ—â—d d. 2. l. 2. a stable of Saint Peters Church Å¿ Mass 15. Gebel â—t 6. c. 45. The Pope fortified the ruined city of Ostia against the Saracens and commaunded the name thereof to be Gregoriopolis but after the Popes death it lost this new name The Emperor Ludouicus held t Plat. f. 127. a Councell of many Bishops to the honor of God and profit of the Ecclesiasticall dignitie In which was decreed that neither the Bishop nor the Clergie of any degree should weare any precious and costly garments silkes scarlets or embroderies nor any golde or siluer on their girdles or slippers nor vse u Fox Marâ—y pag. 138. diceing nor keepe harlots nor great horses The Nobles especially the Bishops to reuenge themselues for the reformation which Ludouicus made by a * Peuce 4. pag. 99. Massae 15. p. 209. Councell had stirred vp the Emperor Ludouicus Pius his sonnes to depriue their father of his Empire c. Thus the beast blasphemeth the Prince whom the Scripture calleth God and that for his worship of God Anno 844. Swines snowte for a Carain f. 334. alij the deformitie of his name changed it to Sergius the second Hence the Popes began the custome to change their names As if he b Poly. Jri. 4. 7. be a malefactor he may call himselfe Bonifacius if a coward he may be called Leo for a carter Vrbanus for a cruell man Clemens This Pope was created c Gobel ae 6. cap. 45. p. 197. without the consent of the Emperor but the Emperor sending a mightie armie against Rome setting his fiery feete on the sea and land and roring as a Lyon compelled the Romanes to sweare alleagance vnto the Emperor And after vpon diuers conditions confirmed Pope Sergius In this Popes time the brother of this Pope vsurped Ecclesiasticall authoritie being a lay man Simonie was so common that euen Bishoprickes were solde to him that would giue most And because there was no Christian that would correct these euils God sent his whip the Paganes to reuenge the sinnes of the Christians The Saracens came and killed innumerable people and burned many cities A horrible d Fasc Temp. f. 66. a. plague is vpon Rome and all Italy For certaine perfidious Christians sent priuily and called in the Saracens Rome is taken and the Church of the Apostles is made a Swine flie Anno 847. Leo the fourth c Platina praying blasphemously through the merits of Peter and Paul fought in person against the Saracens and miraculously drowned them in the sea He decreed that a f 2 q. 5. Nullam Bishop should not be condemned vnder seauentie two witnesses He forbad g Geneb p. 776. the laytie to come into the quire while the Priest was at Masse In his time the Arabians raised three persecutions against the Christians in Spaine Theodora the Empresse of Constantinople commaunded images to be set vp againe The nauie of the Arabians ouercame the nauies of Venice and Constantinople inuaded Dalmatâ—a tooke the iland Lipara and doe much hurt to the Empire wasting the Cyclades c. Methodius gathering Churches among the Moraui Scla and Polonians inuented the Vandale letters and turned many holy writings into the vulgar tongue As yet the little booke is open After Leo h Mass 15. pag. 211. Plat. Sab. Fasc Temp. Volat Caranza Berg. Chro. Chro. c. succeeded Iohn the eight a woman Anno 854. who because she went alwayes in mans apparell and studied very diligently was thought a most learned man and held the seate almost two yeeres In the meane space she conceiued and was deliuered as she went in procession where she died Hereupon they say it was decreed that the Popes priuities should be handled Benedictus the third Anno 855. against i Geneb p. 781. Gobelinus him did sit Anastasius the third Nicholas k Platin. f. 136. the first was reuerenced as a God Anno 858. For now they that are called Christians doe to the Pope as * Strabo 7. p. 206. the barbarous Gothes did to their Priests who first were esteemed by them the Priests of that god whom they especially serued but after they got the reputation or appellation of gods This l Geneb p. 783. Pope is also called the Elias of the Popes he reigned ouer Princes as the Lord of the whole earth So now m Frising 6.3 the kingdome or Empire decreasing by much diuision the Church became of so great authoritie that it iudged euen Kings He openeth his mouth to blasphemie and absolueth n 15. q. 6. Authoritatem from their othes such as sweare by constraint and alloweth the Clergie with the spirituall and temporall sworde to recouer the Church goods by any meanes taken away He a D. 21. Nolite D. 28. Confulendum D. 96. fâ— script decreed that no lay man either Prince or people may iudge or lightly accuse a Bishop or Priest much lesse the Popes of Rome who are as gods in the world Hee b Caran f. 336 b. accurseth all that doe despise the commandements or interdictions of the Popes because their decrees as he exalteth himselfe are to be preferred before all writings whatsoeuer c 4. q. 2
flagitious for Sodomie and most filthie Idolatry and superstition Their colours were white with a red crosse The Knights of the order of Calatraue were ordained about Toledo in Spaine their vow was to defend the countrie against the Saracens their colours were blacke a crosse red The Knight of the order called Teutonici began somewhat after They gaue entertainement to such as came to visit the sepulcher and vowed to fight for the Christian faith when neede should be p Geneb p. 208. In a Councell at Rhemes the q Fris 7. 15. 18. Pope excommunicated the Emperor at the request of the Archbishop of Mogunce whereupon arose a new schisme and the Empire is againe troubled Wherefore the Empire being exceeding worne the Emperor seeing the Princes forsake him because of the excommunication fearing his fathers example in some a Trith p. 144. Vrsp p. 267. sort resigneth to the Popes their desires and so is absolued and in a small time finisheth his warres and subdueth his rebels Of the deposition of these Emperors Abbas Vrspergensis b Pag. 273. saith that though the Popes doe ascribe these things to themselues and doe glory that they haue done it yet doe we obserue that such things haue fallen rather by the iudgement of God for the sinnes of the Emperors c. c Geneb p. 908. Calixtus taketh the Antipope and maketh him ride on a Camel in a Beares skinne closeth him in an abbey and so was ended this great schisme and this second Thunder Pomerania is conuerted to Christ Anno 1125. Honorius the second about d Abb. Vrsp p. 271. Mass 9.16 p. 22. 7. 8. Trith p. 141. this time were fearefull tempests strange and prodigious sights horrible famine fearefull earthquakes and lamentable mortalities and the Emperor Henry the fifth dieth After whom was chosen Lotharius who had shewed himselfe a great friend of the Popes in his warres by which he subdued Henricus the fift e Peuc 4. p. 353. c. Against him stood vp Conradus of the line of Henricus the fourth but partly by the meanes of Albertus the Archbishop of Mogunce and the Popes Legate for the Pope doth now intrude himselfe into the election of the Emperours and f Trith p. 156. partly by meanes of the Pope hee excommunicated Conradus after a few troubles Conradus craueth fauour and g Vrsp p. 277. is admitted into grace by the mediation of Bernardus who was after called Saint In the time of this Pope h Trith Hirs p. 157. Arâ—â—lphus a deuoute man and an excellent preacher came to Rome preached against the wantonnesse luxurie couetousnesse and pride of the Clergie foretolde they would kill him for the truth that they were so wicked that if S. Peter should rise againe and reprooue them for their sinnes they would not spare him He also foretolde them that God would not spare their impurities That they went in all filthinesse before their people to hell That God was the auenger And proposed the examples of Christ his Apostles to follow The author saith he was sent by an Angel to preach Himselfe saith he preached the things which God commanded He seemed to the Nobles of Rome a true disciple of Christ but the Cardinals and Clergie hated him by night drowned him i Geneb p. 909. There was at the same time about Antwerpe one Tandemus or * Trith p. 155. Tauchelinus who by the assistance of 3000. taught and enforced diuers doctrines against the Church of Rome as that the Sacrament did not conferre grace by the worke done and against the orders of Bishops and Priests c. Many soule things are ascribed vnto him by Genebrard c. But no maruel when now k cap. 13.6 The beast doth open his mouth to blaspheme God and his tabernacle them that dwell in heauen So that none can be opposite to them whom they doe not blasphemously loade with slanderous imputations Ann 1130. Innocentius l Mass 16. p. 220. the second was driuen out of Rome by certaine seditious persons that chose another Pope and m Geneb p. 913 laboured to reduce the citie to the ancient manner of gouernment The n Vrsp p. 277. Pope came to Lotharius the Emperour to Leiden for helpe who required the Pope to restore to the Emperour the inuestitute of Bishops The Pope was troubled but by the meanes of Bernard all was quieted The Emperour a Trith p. 162. went into Italie subdued many forts that resisted him entred Rome restored Innocentius and was crowned Emperour In Italie Iernerus b Peuc 4. p. 360. 361. gouerned in places subiect to the Empire who hauing got the ancient Romane lawes perswaded Lotharius to digest them and require them to bee professed which was done and so the c Geneb p. 913 914. Romane lawes which had exiled more than sixe hundred yeares were restored * Carion f. 190 a. whereby the knowledge of the latine tongue historie and all the ancient Romane learning encreased marueilously vpon a suddaine These examples were to those that feared d cap. 10.8 God as a voice from heauen saying goe take the little booke of the word of God which is open in the hand of the angell to deuoure it or vnderstand it also throughout At this time was e Trith p. 168. one Petrus Abailardus a man of a most subtile wit a marueilous Philosopher who f Bernard epist 189. did oppose himselfe as a Golias against diuers doctrines then taught g Geneb p. 915. 916. 917. as of the descending of Christ into hell the sacrament of the altar of the power of the keâ—s of originall sinne vnto whom was ioyned Arnoldus de Brixia a man of a strict and vpright conuersation He wrot diuers books and challenged the learnedst and by name Bernard to dispute before the Bishops and King c. he appealed from the Councel to the Pope and hoped of many friends at Rome c. There are also obiected vnto him diuers heresies for which hee was condemned by the Pope but the iniquitie of the time and partialitie of the reports doe weaken those imputations For h Frisin gest Frid. 1. 48. 49. he made his Apologie in which he defendeth his innocencie and expounded his own meaning i Geneb p. 9.16 Also Petrus de Bruis had many that followed his opinion differing from the Romanes in the doctrine of the sacrament and were spread abroad in diuers countries as in Thâ—lâ—sa c. There were also such as were called Apostolicall which taught the liues of men were to be framed after the doctrine of the Apostles they denied the Masse to be a sacrifice as also Berâ—ngarius did c. They held k Bernard Cant. serm â— 6. against reall presence praier for the dead inâ—ocation of Saluts oyle chrisme Ecclesiasticall excommunication peregrination the fire of purgatorie and all ecclesiasticall constitutions not commanded in the word
Albegenses c. for heriticks And as g Câ—riâ— 1. p. â—â— Mahâ—met did of such as followed him he h Crant 7.3 tooke an oath of the Bishops of obedience to the Church of Rome and to the Pope there against all schismes with promise not for the losse of limmes to reueale any of his counsels c. Hee i 3. Dec. f. 46. de reliqutis first decreed that none should be counted a Saint but whom the Popes canonized The k Poly. Inu 6. 6. canonizing of Saints did the Pope learne by the example of the Gentiles who vsed with great pompe and circumstance to deifie such as had beene beneficiall to the common wealth l Gâ—bel 6. 60. So did the Pope canonize Carolâ—â— Magâ—â—â— He m Peuc 4 p. 183 184. instituted the vse of vnleauened bread and tooke one part of the sacrament from the laitie n Geneb p. 936 937. 938. He censured the king of England for the death of Tho. Becket The order of the knights of Saint Iames began in Spaine as also the order of Galatraue o Vâ—lat 2â— f. 244. whose vowe was to defend Spaine from the incursions of the Saracens p Gobel a. 6. c. 60. Ioachim an Abbot prophecied that the Church should loose the temporalties and that there should arise certaine wicked orders of religious persons which came to passe when the begging Friers were known in the world which was not long after q Trith p. 199 S. Elizabeth hath reuelations shewed her by an Angel that requireth to be worshipped more r Mat. 4.10 like the diuell than the Å¿ Reu. 19.10 22.8 holy Angel of God Presbyter Iohn king of Christians in a Westmon p. 253. India would haue vnited himselfe to the Church of Rome if the fame or rather the infamie of the Romane couetousnesse had not defiled the whole world in all the parts thereof Lucius the third b Volat. 22. f. 254. was driuen out of Rome because hee sought to extinguish the name of the Consuls c Trith p. 204. Friderike the Emperour came into Italie with a great armie and with fire and sword did many things against the Pope and Church of Rome This Pope gaue himselfe wholy to d cap. 13.7 make warre with the Saints as did also his successors For hee proceeded very bloodily c Theod. 4 21. like Lucius the bloodie Arian Bishop yea like the Dragon the heathen Empire and by as cruell lawes as euer Mahomet made to f 5. Dec. 5. f. 7. 2. haret Ad abolendum abolish all that the Church of Rome called heretickes and remitted them that did relapse into heresie or the suspition thereof to the secular power without any audience And required a corporal oath of all Earles Barones Gouernours and Consuls c. of cities and of other places to assist the Church to the vttermost of their power against such as the Church of Rome called heretiks Thus Princes bee vsed like beasts hornes to gore and kill the Saints g Geneb p. 941 942. By his Legate were many burned in Flanders which affirmed that Priests said Masse onely for couetousnesse c. Many blasphemies are obiected to them as vnto others h p. 940. Saladine with his Saracens sawed the Templars asunder and killed the Priests and preuailed much in the holy land Ann. 1185. Vrbanus the third i Geneb p. 944. excommunicated the Danes for suffering married Priests k 943. When he heard that Ierusalem was taken as he was labouring for aide hee died for sorrow l Trith 205. Ann. 1187. The Emperour preuaileth in Italie against his rebels Gregorie the eight m Geneb p. 944 wholy minded the warres for Ierusalem There was continuall discord for about fiftie yeares betweene the Romanes and Popes about the gouernment of the citie from Innocent the second to this Pope By this contention Innocent the second Calestine the second died for sorrow Lucius the second was almost killed Eugenius the third Alexander the third Lucius the third were driuen out of the citie Vrbanus the third and this Gregorie were banished till at length things were compounded by ClemenÌ„s the third By which we see that the state of Rome n cap. 13.1 is a monster compounded of diuers wilde beasts that cannot be tamed and doth not maintaine that vnitie and estimation of the Pope that they bragge of The remainder of the Christians in the East are ouerthrowne Clement the third o Geneb 946. preuailed to send aide to the holy land The Emperour and diuers Princes went signed with the crosse but the Emperour was drowned and nothing was done p Vrsp p. 299. This Emperour was most Christian triumphing in all his warres couragious gentle and forgetting wrongs euen a Lamb in the throne And thus ended the third Thunder Caelestinus 3. q Geneb p. 947 interdicted France Ann. 1191. sent aide into the holy land a Geneb p. 946 and confirmed the order or nuÌ„ber of the Teutonici whose colours were white a crosse blacke In a day night they say 200. times the Lords praier the Creed and Aue Marie He dispensed with Henricus the sixth the Emperour to marrie Constantia a Nunne of whom when shee seemed past childe-bearing was borne Fridericus the second The number or order of b p. 949. Trith p. 207. crosse-bearers beganne in Italie and the order of the Teutonici Marie these were to helpe pilgrimes and sicke persons In Denmarke the people are perswaded to allow of Priests marriage which is repressed very hardly In Asia all things are worse This c Fox Mart p. 247. Pope crowned Henricus the sixt and Constantia his wife with his feete and againe spurned off the crowne declaring thereby that hee had power to depose him againe d Trith p. 208. This Emperour recouered Sicilia and e 210. sent forces into Syria f Gob. 6.61 but returning into Italie against his enemies is poysoned g Peucer 4. p. 456. Linonia is conuerted The Fourth Thunder Ann. 1198. WHen h Beuchol the Princes of Germanie which were gone into Asia against the Turkes heard of the death of the Emperour they could by no meanes be made to stay but left the warres and came home to the election of a new Emperour By their departure all in a manner was lost in the holy land i Trith p. 210. 211. 213. When they returned some chose Philip the Emperours brother others Otho Whereupon were multiplied many euills warres fires destruction of cities and murthers of the poore Saint Dominicke instituteth the order of preaching Friers Ann. 1198. Innocentius the third k Vrsp p. 305. c. vpon the death of Caelestinus tooke part against Philip obiecting against him the cruelties which his parents and brother had done against the Church of Rome in which the Pope iudged not equally l Carion But Philip was strong and fortunate
were slaine his cariages lost and his horsemen drowned vnder the yee After this f 1424. Par. Vrsp 385. Zisca who eleuen times ioyned battaile with the enemies of the Hussites and ouercame them died of the plague But after the Hussites now calling themselues orphans still standing for their liues * Fox Mart. p. 625. c. against the Popes most cruell bulles and their fierce enemies g 1426. Buch. the Misnenses were ouerthrowne by the Hussites in battell h 1427. Buch. The Electors of the Empire entred Boem against the Hussites with an armie which they thought sufficient to ouercome all Boem But vpon the rumor that the Hussites were comming so great feare came vpon them that all that numbersome armie of Almaines and English before they saw any enemie tooke themselues to flight in stead of fighting as did the tyrant i Soc. 5. 14. Maximus the Arian when he fled from before Theodosius But the enemies of the Hussites would not thus rest For a 1431. Peuce 5. f. 170. Buch. the Cardinal Iulian had the leading of a very great army with which the Princes secular and spirituall furnished him When he entred Boem the Hussites few in number were comming against him But before the enemie came in sight the whoâ—â— armie of the Cardinall was stroken with such a feare that they most shamefully fled leauing the Hussites rich with the spoyle The b Fox Mart. p. 633. c. Cardinall with a lamentable oration sought to slay his armie but all in vaine Thus Boemia the tenth part or kingdome of the city of popish policie fell away * Pag. 645. Pope Martine called a Councell where he appointed for president his Legate Iulian to roote out heresie meaning the Hussites but presently the Pope died Ann. 1431. Eugenius c Geneb 1065. the fourth assembled a Councell at Basil for the reformation of the Church and amendment of the manners of the laytie and Clergie As also against the Hussites d Fox Mart. p. 665. 666. c. Here the Fathers seemed to make great conscience to prouide for the good of the Church In which course they were confirmed by the hand of God who visited them with a horrible pestilence For hereupon came a suddaine feare vpon the fathers yea there was great feare and trembling throughout the whole Councell which gaue glory to God swearing they would seeke nothing but the onely saluation of Christian people c. In this Councell was acknowledged that the preaching of the Gospell ought to bee free and faithfull Sinne ought to be punished The Boemians might receiue the Sacrament of the Supper in both kindes Throughout the Church apt and meete Ministers ought to be appointed which might shine in vertue and knowledge to the glory of Christ and healthfull edification of the Christian people In e Geneb 1067. this Councell was againe published the booke called Pragmatica sanctio for abridging the Popes authoritie and gaine f Mass 19. p. 262. Of which booke it is said The Pragmaticall sanction was instituted in the Councell of Constances confirmed by the Councell of Basil by Engenius Nicholaus and Calistus to the honour of God the strengthening of the Church and the prouision for good schooles That the ordinary conferrers of dignities might not be defrauded that those which were ondered might not be compelled to goe to Rome that the French mony might not serue the Italians a Par. Vrsp p. 396. The Turkes did send great presents to the Emperor now at the Councell with Oration desirous to conclude an eternall peace Thither also sent the Emperor of Constantinople his Orators wishing there might he made a perfect vnion At this Councell Eugenius the Pope was deposed because he laboured to remoue the Councell from thence and another was chosen in his stead b Geneb 106â— Bucholcerus Ann. 1438. 1439. Peucâ—â— 5. f. 118. but Eugenius held another Councell at Florence Here the Emperor of Constantinople vpon hope to get aide against the Turkes receiued the communion of the Church of Rome in the matter of the Popes supremacie purgarory confirmation c. but not transubstantiation c Caran f. 589. There presently of a sudden died Ioseph the Patriarch of Constantinople trembling and languishing as he was writing an instrument of his consent to the Pope The Grecians returning home finding the Pope to faile of his promise dissented againe from the Church of Rome more then at the first d Par. Vrsp p. 399. Buchol Ann. 1439. Synderonia formerly called Singidunum e Socrat. 1. 20. the seate of Vrsacius the Arian Bishop is taken by the Turkes f Geneb 1069. the Popesent Isidorus who againe vnited the Grecians to the Pope who attempting to vnite the Moscâ—nites to the Church of Rome was miserably slaine by the people g Buchol Ann. 1443. 1444. The Turkes now broken by the Christians make peace where to the Christians sweare on the Euangelists the Turke on his Alcaron This peace grieued Cardinall Iulian wherefore vpon the Popes letters that no peace was effectuall without his consent Iulian absolueth the Princes from their oath and that in her might bee found all the blood that is shed they fought against the Turkes at Varna Where the Christians by a miserable slaughter suffered vnspeakable losse Here also Cardinall Iulian dishonorably finished his life Nicholaus h Volatâ—â—â—â— the fifth kept a Iubile at Rome Anno 1447 where thousands were killed with horse feete and very many were drowned The Emperor of Constantinople was scâ—â—t returned againe from vniting himselfe and his Grecians to the Church of Rome but i Peucerus 5. Par. Vrs p. 405. Ann. 1553. Constantinople was taken by the Turkes who vsed there more violence then can be expressed with tongue For partaking of her sinnes they receiue of her plagues k Geneb 1073. Vpon the ruine of the Empire of Constantinople the knowledge of the Greeke tongue is brought and spread all ouer the Latin Europe from whence it had exiled 700. yeeres l Pag. 1071. About this time was perfected the late inuented laudable art of printing m Pasc Tem. f. 89. b. the art of arts and science of sciences a treasure of wisdome and knowledge to be desired This leaping as it were out of the dennes of darkenes doth enrich and enlighten the world vertue contained in infinit bookes onely found at Paris and Athens knowne to very few was by this art manifested to all nations and kindreds and tongues and people Whereupon is fulfilled that in the Prouerbes wisedome crieth in the streetes This n Bucho Volat. 22. Geneb p. 1071. Pope reuiued humaine learning seeking bookes giuing stipends to Readers students and translators entertained the learned and spread many learned men abroade in diuers places o Buchol Ann. 1454. Ladislaus being crowned King of Boem it was granted to euery one that at his pleasure he might receiue the
the Prophets be subiect to the Prophets forbidding all to beleeue or teach any thing that will not endure the censure of the Prophets The rather ought I to subiect that which I haue done herein vnto your Lordships godly and learned censure as a Father among the Prophets because I haue laboured in this kinde in a different manner from the rest of the Interpreters If your Lordship like it I haue enough If you correct me Psal 141.5 where I erre though you smite me I will take it kindly and when any shall say vnto me What are these wounds in thy hands Zach. 13.6 I will answere Thus was I wounded in the house of my friends For the better direction of your Lordships graue and learned censure I will communicate some part of my thoughts herein for mine affectation of breuitie and other reasons of consequence haue caused me to suppresse many things of good importance When I first tooke the Booke in hand to studie it I saw it was generally accused by friend and foe for inextricable hardnes But when I read the text and saw the title to be a a cap. 1.1 Reuelation which is the b 1. Sam. 2.17 cleerest and plainest kinde of teaching the c cap. 1.2 Reader to be blessed and the Booke to be d cap. 22.10 vnsealed I durst not obiect any difficultie to the Booke but began to inquire how it came to passe that it was accompted so hard The phrase though strange in appearance is meerely propheticall The method though closely couched is very Logicall Wherefore the fault must be laid elsewhere and not vpon the Booke that it seemeth so darke and difficult The reasons of the hardnes vpon diligent consideration I resolued were these amongst others First the iudgements of men haue been of long so forestalled with the doctrine that the signes of the latter day are come that the Interpreters haue laboured to finde the accomplishment of the Booke in the stories past But because many things were not yet fulfilled they knew not where they were when they tooke the booke in hand They that in this age doe straine their wits to see who can bring first newes of Christs last comming besides that they obscure this booke they would haue vs to breake the commandement of Christ when many shall say Luk. 21.8 The time draweth neere doth enioyne vs thus Follow ye not them therefore As also to violate the rule of the Apostle which is not to be troubled by any deceit 2. Thess 2.1.2 as if the day of Christ were at hand till Antichrist haue all things fulfilled vpon him which are written in this Reuelation S. Peter seemeth to giue the reason when he sheweth that the vntimely vrging of the last comming of Christ 2. Pet. 2.3.4 would be the mother of Atheisme Secondly when many doe vndertake to interpret the booke they misse in the first foundation of their labour For whereas it is most euident that the booke is meerely propheticall foreshewing the particulars of things present and to come some of the Writers haue fled from this ground vpon which onely there can be a safe building set vp and haue laboured to make it Dogmaticall containing certaine points of doctrine handled before more largely and more plainly in the rest of the Scriptures which cannot be affirmed without some aduantage to the enemies of the truth nor without some misbeseeming imputations to the holie Ghost by whose direction the booke is written Thirdly many doe labour to make the booke an Ecclesiasticall Historie from the birth or preaching or ascension of Christ but mistaking the time when to begin they put the whole storie cleane out of ioynt Besides by that proiect they commit this absurditie to say that the things which were spoken and done in the eares and eyes of all men in the time of Christ and his Apostles were in the time of S. Iohn so closely sealed Cap. 5.3 as that none in heauen nor in earth nor vnder the earth was able to open them nor looke thereon Fourthly some of the Interpreters haue laboured to reduce the Seales Trumpets and Phials to certaine numbers of yeeres but seeing the text in many places doth giue vs the knowledge of the visions by the onely diuersitie of the mutations which befall the Church wee may not tie our selues to numbers but onely where the text doth bound the mutations with numbers Fiftly when as godly men had truly found that the tyrannie and corruptions of the Church of Rome are liuely described in some parts of the booke they haue also laboured to applie all the texts to Rome which doe containe the description and properties of the enemies of the Church But because in the booke is also handled of other enemies besides that the booke is obscured by this course the enemie is aduantaged that espieth our weaknes and the propheticall spirit is very much preiudiced which being more generall is wronged by restraint Sixtly the Historians who in the iudgements of all men are to be best helpes first haue bin carelesse in setting downe the exact times of the occurrences which they write of so that somtimes it is worke more than enough to agree them And then they haue rather consulted with their friends than with S. Iohn for the heads of their obseruations For the most of them doe labour rather to magnifie their Patrones and to set a glasse vpon a faction than to deliuer the truth Hereby it commeth to passe that hee that readeth most of them shall be sure to finde much wearines to the flesh howsoeuer he may happily here and there finde a wise and vpright sentence Seuenthly there hath been found no age till of late so free from ostentation and selfe-loue but that the leaders of the times haue made it as good as mortall to reprooue the monstrous conditions of the time which are liuely described here by the true interpretation of this booke so that vpon paine of death it must be made to speake nothing at all or any thing rather than against the time whatsoeuer be the truth Eightly some also haue not let to blaspheme this kinde of studie as phantasticall and curious containing either verie little or that which God hath put in his owne and onely power and that no doctrine can be enforced out of Scriptures of this kinde Lastly these things together with the multitude of bookes to be read which neither pouertie can prouide nor weaknes studie and the want of due conference of this booke with the former prophecies to whom it sendeth his reader I take to be some of the effectuall reasons which haue impeached the labours of many herein It remaineth now that I giue an accompt how I am perswaded that the proiect which I haue laid is the onely true and easie meanes of vnderstanding the booke First the text doth say that it serueth to shew the things cap. 1.1 which must shortly be done Whereupon I
be the r cap. 12.1 Moone that is all mutable and corruptible things these shee trode vnder foote beeing ſ cap. 2.9 rich euen in pouertie t Euseb 4. 15. 8.5 6 c. For the Christians refused life honour and riches beeing offered vnto them and which some of them inioyed rather than that they would denie Christ or conceale the profession of him Her third ornament is her u cap. 12.1 cap. 3.8.10.11 crowne which is said to be twelue starres that is the doctrine of the Lambes twelue Apostles not Peters onely authoritie * Euseb 4. 14. 21. 3. 34. 5. 14. For the Bishops continually taught those things which they had receiued of the Apostles which also they deliuered to the Church as onely true x Sabel E. 7. lib. 4. The manner of the ceremonies was bare and naked hauing in them more pietie than pompe a Euseb 4. 21. Then was the Church a virgin for as yet shee was not corrupted with vaine doctrines As concerning her childe-bearing it is said shee was fruitfull in the greatest afflictions b cap. 12. ◠2.13 For shee was with childe the faithfull taking care to hold fast that onely faith which they had receiued and heard and to spread it abroad by all good meanes Shee c cap. 12.2 crieth in her trauell by the extremity of her paines as a woman readie to be deliuered d Euseb 4. 3. For when the persecutions grew extreame certaine learned and godly Christians by their Apologies laboured to pacifie the minds of the Emperours Yea the very e Euseb 3. 30. 4. 8. Gentiles as Plinie Serenius wrote in the defence of the innocencie of the Christians vnto the Emperours Traian and Adrian The partie offendent is a f cap. 12.3.9 wonderfull enemie the Diuell Sathan that old Serpent or rather a monster compounded of diuers Serpents but for the neerenesse of his shape hee is called a Dragon meaning the Romane heathen Empire which by their idolatrie worshipped the Diuell And it is here called a Dragon that there might be an allusion to the temples of idols in g Gesner bib 5Volat lib. 25. f. 300. which were Dragons worshipped h Euseb 5. 1. p. 62. b. And so the heathen idolatrie of the Romans is here the enemie vnto the Church of Christ Moreouer because these persecutions were a spiritual i Ephes 6.12 warfare in which the Romans did march against the Christians with spirituall armies by a speech taken from their temporall armies in which the Cohorts were ledde by ensignes k Vege◠2. c. 3. in which were pictured Dragons this enemie is said to be the Dragon This Dragon is said to be first l cap. 12.3.9 Greate more terrible than those of whome Strabo speaketh which were m Strab. 15. p. 479. 80. yea 140. cubits which may be by reason of his age which at first was but a n Gen. 3.1 Serpent And whereas there is a prouerb o Eras chil centu 3. Except a serpent doe deuoure a serpent he doth not become a Dragon the serpent of the Romane Empire had subdued in a manner all these countries which were held by the former Monarchs and so became very great Then this Empire being as p Ezech. 29.3 32.2 a Dragon amongst other nations and the Dragon beeing q Isid etym. 12. cap. 14. farre the greatest of any serpents or beasts this Dragon must needes be terrible both for his nature and greatnes His colour is a cap. 12.3 Gesner l. 5. Red which commeth of choler and the ouerflowing of the gall to signifie his vnappeasable fury and rage in shedding much blood of which bloody policie and those which succeeded there it is said in her b cap. 18.24 was found the blood of the Prophets and of the Saints and of all that were slaine vpon the earth For besides the great slaughters the Romaines made to become the Lords of all and the persecutions by Nero in the yeere of our Lord c Anno 74. Carion f. 114. Euseb 3. 5. 6. 74. Ierusalem was destroyed by Titus In which d Geneb p. 490. eleuen hundred thousand perished by sword and famine one hundred thousand were openly sold sixe hundred were executed Domitian also in the yeere e Anno 94. 94. f Geneb p. 492. Abb. Vrsper who first of any commaunded himselfe to be called Lord and God required all of the line g Eus 3.17 of Dauid to be diligently sought vp and killed and he put many Christians to death persecuting them after the example of Nero. h Euseb 4. 2. 6. Traian slew many millians of the Iawes as also did Adrian He hath i cap. 12.3 seauen heads k Isid etym. lib. 2. 2. somewhat representing the Hydra of which the Poets speake In all the seuen Churches hauing l Isay 9.15 Deut. 28.13 Magistrats to deuoure the Saints But they are also said to be seuen m cap. 17.9 because Rome their Citie was built vpon n Virg. Georg. 2. seuen hilles o Chron. chro which were Palatinus Auentinus Ianiculus Caelius Aesquilinus Viminalis Quirinalis And also because it seuen times changed the forme of gouernmēt p Fulke in 17. Apo. f. 99. First ruled by Kings 2. Consuls 3. Decemuiri 4. Dictators 5. Triumuiri 6. Emperors 7. Popes and Emperors He is crowned with q cap. 12.3 seuen crownes vpon his heads like herein vnto the r Isid etym. l. 12. Cockatrice For euery policie had the soueraigntie of Kings the regall power being in their own hands Wherefore it is said to the Church thou ſ cap. 2.13 dwellest where Sathans throne is And as the Serpent t Isid etym. l. 12. Cerastes hath eight so this Dragon hath u cap. 12.3 Euseb 5. 1. tenne hornes both to allure his pray and also to push the seuen Churches and all other that stand in his way But they are tenne because the Romaine Legion consisted of * Veg. l. 7. tenne Cohorts And in the Apostles time the countries subiect to the Romanes were ruled by tenne x Strab. Geog. 17. Princes which were called Decharchae The manner of the fight is diuers as are the enemies The Church doth fight with a cap. 2. 3. patience with teares and prayers for the b Euseb 3. 33. 4. 15. Saints did very willingly both manifest themselues and offer themselues to all exquisit torments which were deuised by the persecutors The manner of the fight of the Dragon is first with his tayle for with c cap. 12.4 his tayle he drew the third part of the Starres and cast them vnto the earth that the d Iob. 3.6 night might be blacke and cursed wherein the childe of the woman should bee borne And here hath this Serpent the propertie of the true Dragons who haue more force in e Isid Etym.
34.4 Agg. 2.22 religion was altered as if the heauen departed away like a scroll when it is rolled For Constantine m Eus 9.9 de vita Const passim restored libertie to the Church and by his edicts with Licinius assent decreed a most perfit law for the Christians commanded all nations to become Christians and shut vp the temples of idols The ciuill policie was also changed as if the a cap. 6.14.15 16.17 mountains and Isles were mooued out of their places whereupon all sorts of men hid themselues and grew desperate fearing that the Christians would reuenge the persecutions which were formerly inflicted on them For in b Melanct. li. 3. Constantines time was one of the greatest and most principal mutations that haue been in mankinde He c Geneb p. 547. extinguished Dioclesian who called himselfe the brother of the Sunne and Moone and would be worshipped as a God and d Poly. Inue 4. 9. caused the commons to stoope to kisse his feete He destroyed Maximinianus Maximinus Maxentius all tyrants He e Euseb 9. 9. 10. 11. rendred due vengeance vpon the heads of such great men who were the principall agents in the persecutions of the Christians As vpon Pencetius whom they called Honorable Culcianus whom they stiled Worthie Theotecnus whom they named Glorious He also plagued with infamous torments the kinsemen and children of the tyrants but especially the inchaunters and priests of the idols Yea he subiected f Euseb vit Const lib. 1. 4. vnto his Empire all the west countries to the great ocean all Scythia euen to the very north Aethiopia towards the south and the Lords and Earles as farre into the east as the Indians He restored good g Melanct. li. 3. lawes and iudgements decreed that the Christians should not onely not be hurt but also that they should be admitted to honors Thus the victorie being gotten and pursued there follow great triumphs in h cap. 12.10 heauen that is openly The Saints did i Euseb 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. publikely reioyce in the Lord their redeemer and did sing new songs vnto God of thankes giuing And Constantine k Euseb vit Const 1. 33. entred Rome with great triumph presently giuing thankes to the author of his victory and by famous inscriptions vpon pillers in the principall places of Rome published vnto all men the signe of Christ his saluation Yea l Geneb p. 556. he required all nations to forsake idols and embrace the profession of Iesus Christ by his edicts whereupon was fulfilled that in the Apocalypse Now is come saluation in heauen And thus was the Dragon and his Angels that is the diuel and his ministers a cap. 12 9.10 cast into the earth so that his place was found no more in heauen that is he doth persecute Christ no more openly but is constrained to oppose himselfe by earthly policies by the pretence of godlinesse This fall of the Dragon did b Euseb vit Con. l. 3. cap. 3. Constantine expresse in a picture which was hanged vp at the entry of his palace for euery man to behold His owne picture was made ouer his head the signe of the Lords passion the enemie and hostile beast which by the tyrannie of wicked men had persecuted the Church of God was pictured cast into a deepe sea in the shape of a Dragon and winding serpent meaning the diuel which c Esay 27.1 was thrust through with a great sword The end of the second period and battaile in heauen which was the first after the time of the returne of Saint Iohn from Patmos CHAP III. The third period and first battaile on earth betweene the Romane Empire corrupted with heresie and the Woman the Church NOw when d cap. 12.9 12.13 the Dragon saw that he was cast downe into the earth and his Angels with him he is full of wrath knowing that hee hath but a short time Wherefore he disposeth himselfe to bring wofull calamities both vpon the earth and the sea in which he had many of his Angels if by that meanes he might also further the execution of his wrath against the woman For he drifteth the destruction of the Church In the storie whereof Saint Iohn doth shew his purpose and endeuour His purpose is by foure of e cap. 7.1 his Angels to stay the foure windes that they should not blow on the earth nor on the sea nor on the trees that is to restraine a Can. 4.16 the inspiration of the holy Ghost that men neither b Gen. 6.12 neere nor c Isocr 42.10 farre off neither such as be worldly nor such as seeme d Luc. 23.30 by their vocation and profession to be godly might be led into all trueth By which meanes hee would bring in That e cap. 3.10 houre of temptation which should come vpon all the earth to trie them that dwell vpon the earth whether now that the Princes were conuerted to the Lord the Princes and people f Deut. 13.3 would loue the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soule For about this time many g Euseb vita Const lib. 3. cap. 62. 2. 61. 64. Socr. 1. 4. Ruf. 1. 5. c. damnable heresies were powred into the world namely the Arians Maniches Nouatians Valentinians Marcionires Paulians Cataphrigians c. These h Berg. in Milchiad c. rent in peeces the Churches in Rome Africa in the sea coaste yea euery where This purpose of the Dragon is stayed a while but the visions of this first battell are seene afterwards The person that doth cause the stay to be made is an i cap. 7.2 Angel which came vp from the east that is the recalling of the doctrine which first was declared in the East namely the promise made to Abraham whereunto the law was a schoolemaster which was taught by the prophets exhihited to the Iewes in Christ and spread abroade in the world by the Apostles For saluation is of the k Iohn 4.22 Iewes For when the Empire was torne in peeces by diuers heresies and contararie factions the Emperor l Euseb de vit Const 2. 65. Constantine sent abroad his edicts to stay any further contention declaring that the true light of discipline and holy religion by the mercie of almightie God did come out of the East the professors whereof he respected as captaines of the nations vnto saluation The end of the stay is till the m cap. 7.3.9 seruants of God be marked some openly as in their foreheads others by the doctrine they doe maintaine For Constantine required all men to surcease from strife Till by a generall Councell all things might be determined according to the word of God which came out of the East Those which are marked in their foreheads are such which are knowen and noted to come forth into publike action and are called a cap. 7.4 the twelue tribes
in a manner alwaies free from it And the East seemeth the third part of the Empire by a Soc. 1. 26. alii the diuiding of the Empire in three by Constātine amongst his three sonnes Constantius Constans and Constantine The manner of the fight of the woman which had brought forth the man childe is diuerse by her selfe and childe Her b Ruff. 2. 5. Soc. 3. 11. selfe keepeth her garments of the profession of Christ. Shee also treadeth still the moone vnder foote For when Iulian depriued all that would not forsake the Christian religion of their honour in his palace those which with an vpright heart did professe the Christian faith with a readie minde did put off their ornaments of ciuill honour and submitted themselues to most cruell torments rather than they would denie Christ Shee kept also her crowne For whereas libertie was often graunted to all others only c Theod. 4. 24. those which professed the doctrine of the Apostles were persecuted Now the godly would not deuise d Soc. 3. 5. 1. Ioh. 1.1.2 any new religion nor bring any such into the Church but onely confirme that which from the beginning was prescribed by Ecclesiasticall tradition that is was deliuered by the e Theod. 2. 22. Apostles and wise Christians had sought out by infallible reasons Yea shee still is fruitfull by the f Ruff. 2. 4. 6. Socrat. 4. 19. conuersion of more people where Christ was not known Her man childe also Michael the g cap. 14 1. Lambe who now is amongst his 144 000. at Mount Zijon doth wonderfully warre against these enemies by h cap. 6.2 c. his horsemen that ride on red horses c. For Arius i Socr. 1. 25. the father of the mischiefe died miserably his bowels running out and the k 2.20.27.37 Massaeus 11. p. 141. Empire was full of sedition The Persians Magnentius Britanio Nepotianus Siluanus the French Iews in the East Gallus Caesar Iulianus Caesar stirred vp warres and seditions against Constantius and the Emperour himselfe through anguish of minde died of an Apoplexie l Soc. 3. 18. The Persians proclaime open warre vpon Iulian in which warre oppressed m Mass 11. p. 146. with famine he died beeing slaine n Soc. 435. Procopius maketh insurrection against Valens yea the earth doth quake and inundations of the sea are many in diuers places shaking downe many countries and drowning diuers cities Muania the Queene of o Soc. 4. 29. Saracens maketh warre vpon him so doe the a Soc 4. 31. Gothes who pursued him into a village and burned him in the house where he was The b cap. 14.1 cum cap. 7.4 144,000 which are the number of these valiant Christians which oppose themselues against the Arians with as true fortitude as the tribes of Israel did oppose thēselues against the Cananites doe all this while accōpany the Lambe on Mount Zijon Here are they known to be by hauing their fathers name written in their foreheads that is they are marked to defend that c Ioh. 1.12 Iesus Christ is the sonne of God and in Christ themselues to be the sonnes of God By this are signified the many Councels which the Catholikes held against the Arians which denied the godhead of Christ as d Soc. 2. 16. 19. at Sardis Ierusalem e 3.5 Alexandria f Sozo 6. 12. Tyanis And also vnder Iouianus at Antiochia where the g Soc. 3. 24. most contentious Arians did subscribe to the clause of the Nicene Creede that saith that Christ is of one substance with the Father There was also one which was an Arian that denied the Godhead of Christ and a Macedonian that opposed the doctrine of the Holy Ghost by g Soc. 2. 33. 35. name Eustathius who attempted many things besides the Ecclesiasticall rites and customes For hee forbad mariage he taught to abstaine from meates and mariage whereupon hee separated many from wedlocke that had contracted matrimonie The ground of priuate masse and hee perswaded them that detested to come to Church to haue Communion in their houses He drew seruants from their masters vnder the pretext of godlinesse he ware the apparell of a Philosopher compelled his followers to vse a strange kind of apparell he forbad any prayers to be made in the houses of such as were married He commanded the publike praiers or blessings and Communion of a Minister that had a wife which hee lawfully married when he was a lay person to bee auoided as a horrible sinne c. But by a Councell held at Gangris he was depriued of his Episcopall dignitie and his opinions were accursed Yet hence doe the Papists sucke many conclusions The woman also the Church h cap 12.14 doth betake her selfe to flight from these dangers and to the woman were giuen two wings of a great Eagle that shee might flie from the presence of the monstrous beast the deputie of the Serpent For during the time i Euseb 10. 8. Soz. 1. 2. of Licinius tyrannie the godly were constrained to flie into the wildernesses and the fields woods and mountaines were their best harbor a Melan. l. 3. Constantine reedified Constantinople and translated the seate of the Empire and purity of religion thither In the time of b Ruff. 1. 7. 8. 10 20. 21. 22. 24. Carion Constantius Athanasius is a fugitiue all the world ouer there were banished Dionysius Eusebius Paulinus Rhodanus Lucifer Liberius Bishop of Rome and Miletus Bishop of Antiochia whom much people followed At that time the face of the Church was ougly to behold shee was wasted of her owne one chased another fled In the time of c Carion Iulian Athanasius and others fled again The godly and learned fathers fled from answering of the cauils which Iulian deuised and obiected against the scriptures c. and betooke themselues to praiers vnto God to deliuer the Church from so dangerous an enemie In the time of Valens the Ministers and people were banished and did flie From d Ruff. 2. 3. Alexandria 3000. fled into the wildernesse and their Pastor Peter fled to Rome Barza e Theod. 4. 16. 18. 21. 24. Pastor of Edessa beeing banished an infinite number followed him and flocked to him on all sides they all forsake the townes and meete in the fields Eleuen Aegyptian Bishops were banished c. Those of Constantinople were constrained to meete without the citie where they were beaten with the weather with stormes frost and snowe and sometimes with excessiue heate The like was the condition of the Churches in other places The successe is the safetie of the Church f cap. 12.14 who fledde for a time times and halfe a time flying not onely now but also for the most part till the time of Antichrist The godly and valiant champions called 144 000 are also safe because g cap. 7.17 the Lambe in the middest of
so did some of them acknowledge themselues to be the scourge of God wherefore they harried booties out of all places of the Empire They b Anno 410. Carion besieged Rome c Vis p. 102. tooke it and spoyled it scraped all away that could be gotten like Locustes This vexation was to the Empire as the paine that commeth by a Scorpion when d Weckerus Aut. spic lib. 1. sect 20. hee hath stung a man For it bread in them diuers afflictions of hope and feare For they oftentimes intermitted their furie and renued it againe vnlooked for Whiles e Sab. E. 7. l. 4. the Gothes vexed Italy the Vandales Sucues Alani with fire and sword and rapine doe make ougly waste in France and Spaine After the Gothes the Hunnes waste Germanie France and Italy After them the Bugiani Vandales Eruli c. The f cap 9.3.10 manner of their fight as they are Scorpions is with their tayles their false prophets and wicked religion For they transfuse their wicked doctrine into the hearts of Christians as g Plin. 11. â—5 Scorpions doe their gall or poyson into them whom they hurt For whereas they held that h Stra. 7. religious persons should not marry and that it was not lawfull to eate flesh the Christians were willing to make that to be good diuinitie And whereas they worshipped not onely as Kings but also as gods such religious persons as kept themselues in inaccessible celles and pretended to bee able to shew them the secrets of the gods so that they held i Ab. vrs p. 96. that onely to be safe that onely to be profitable that onely to be the matter of their vowes which was commaunded them by such the Popes fitted their turnes For they arrogated to themselues and perswaded these strangers that the Popes and their monkish and other clergie were the onely counsellors with God Hereby were the Popes terrible to the fiercest of them and reuerenced as Gothes priests by that nation For when Attilas k Chro. Chro. came to destroy Rome the Romanes c. did tremble with horrible feare But Leo the l Geneb Beugem Pope affrighted him by a miracle so that the tyrant obeyed the Pope whereby both Rome and Italy was saued When Attilas m A. Michon cap. 14. Viues sup souldiers scoffed at him and said that Attilas feared none but a Lyon and a wolfe meaning Pope Leo and Lupus Bishop of Trecas who likewise preuailed with him to spare that citie he answered that one in the habite of a clergie man stoode by Pope Leo with a drawen two edged sword and shaking it at him threatned to kill him and to destroy his armie except he did agree to the Popes request And a Geneb p. 608. when Gensericus with his Vandales came resolued to burne Rome the same Pope preuailed with him to spare it Totilas b Greg. dial lib. 2. 14. 15. also the King of the Gothes went to Benedict the Monke to try whether the fame of his being a prophet were true or no. This Benedict doth report many stories of the dead c. and had rules for his order to forbeare flesh c. When Totilas came before the cell he cast himselfe vpon the ground and durst not come neere But when he had heard the reproofe and prediction of Benedict he was exceedingly affrighted And when this Totilas besieged Rome at the instance of Pelagius the first who c Caranza first brought into the masse prayer for the dead a thing that these barbarians did much hearken after he d Geneb p. 6â—4 obeyed and * Cario fo 138. caused both virgins and mens liues and Church goods to be spared Againe they are said to hurt with their tayles because many of those which came afterwards became tyrants as e Sabellicus Abb. vrs p. 109. Theodoricus cruelly enforced the faith of Ariuâ— Gensericus Hunericus Gundebundus in Africa destroyed the Church c. vide Geneb p. 615. 616. The manner of the fight of the woman the Church and of her man child is by voyce and flight Her voyce is first as the sound f cap. 14.2 of many waters next as the sound of a great thunder and lastly as the voyce of harpers harping on their harpes The sound of many waters is a confused and vndistinct murmuring g Cariâ—n Vpon the incursion of the Gothes by Rhadagasus and Alaricus c. there was an exceeding great murmuring and complaining euen against Christ the sonne of righteousnesse For diuers obiected that these calamities befell the Empire because they reiected their ancient heathen gods and had receiued the doctrine of Christ Insomuch that Symachus the Lieftenant h Amb. l. 5. epist 30.31 of Rome was Legat from the Senate to the Emperor to craue the heathen rites to be restored Whereunto Ambrose made answere in the name of the Church and Christian Senators With this error also i Aug. de ciui dei lib. 1. c. 12. 27. many Christians were infected which vpon better deliberation were brought to repentance Many for feare they should fall into sinne by the terror or inticements of those tyrants did stagger in their iudgments whether they were not best to kill themselues and so preuent the mischiefe of sinning As for k Hist an t ex Paulo Diaco p. 434. example one Dagna a noble woman of Aquileia when the city was taken by the barbarians cast herselfe out of a turret into the riuer least she should be made a scorne by the barbarians and loose her chastity a Aug. de Ciuit. Dei But against such did Augustine write in his booke de Ciuitate Dei and stayed many Some also ranne to the Churches hoping there to be martyred But what by the law proclaimed to spare such as escaped to Churches and what by the godly perswasions b cap. 9.6 of learned men in those dayes men did seeke death and did not finde it and did desire to die but death did flie from them The next voyce which was heard of the Church was terrible as thunder against her hereticall enemies which were at this time very many Augustine c De ciuit dei lib. 1. confuted them that said that Christ and his Gospel was the cause of these troubles and proued by good demonstration that the Empire was spared for Christs sake The d Melanct. 3. Geneb p. 589. c. Arians Maniches Nestorians and Pelagians were vehemently and publikely confuted some by Augustine some by Ierome and others the Eutychians by Cyril c. The third voyce was as of harpers harping on their harpes that is a most heauenly harmonie of those which consented together in the true doctrine of the Christian faith singing as it were a e cap. 14.3 new song Of this song is obserued the place where it was sung and what manner of vnderstanding it required The place is said to be before f cap.
Greeke is p 2. Thess 2. named Apollyon namely that Angel or false Prophets whom the Hebrewes and Greekes doe call the sonne of perdition that is Antichrist The ende of the fourth period and of the second battell on earth and of a cap. 9.12 the first Woe to the inhabitants thereof CHAP V. Of the corruption and delusion which Sathan wrought in others in the time of these two last battels IN the two last Chapters hath beene shewed howe the Dragon by his b cap. 7.1 Angels did staie the windes that they blew c Sozo 1. 2. 7. not on the third part of the d Theod. 2. 22 Christian or Romane word e Theod. 5. 6. For onely the East was pestered with the pestilence of the Arians Now are we to proceed to shew what became of the f cap. 9.20 remnant that is the other two thirds of the Empire For euen amongst them also was the g cap. 7.3 earth hurt after the seruants of God were sealed That which is here to be considered is the h cap. 13.11 storie of another beast or kingdome or principalitie which is said to arise out of the earth into which i cap 12.9 the Dragon was cast and where he deceiueth k cap. 20.3 the world In the storie hereof is set down the rising of the beast the opposition of the Saints and the successe This beast though in many things it bee like the other beast yet in some doth it differ from that which presented the Romane Empire corrupted with heresie First whereas that beast arose l cap. 13.1.11 out of the water to wit from amongst many nations this other ariseth out of the earth Now they are said to bee of the earth which are so m earthie as earthly is opposed to heauenly So that this beast ariseth out of earthly aduancements c. For the West by the protection of Constantine was freed from the persecution of Licinius and also honoured by him For first hee n Ruff. 1. 2. refused to cenâ—ure them esteeming them as gods And o Geneb p. â—5 after enriched the Church with siluer and gold departed to Constantinople and as some say gaue the citie of Rome c. and princely ornaments to Pope Siluester and his successors Which amongst other testimonies Genebrard doeth prooue by two Rabbines The p Jdem p. 555. first Abraham Leuita thus He vz. Constantine weÌ„t out of Rome gaue it to the Iduâ—â—ean Priests meaning the Popes The other is Aben Ezra who testifieth thus Hee vz. Constantine beautified Rome which was the place of his seate and left it to that iniquitie which now is called Peter It seemeth somewhat was done this way but nothing so much as is pretended For besides that Valla a a Valla contra den Const man of singular knowledge writeth against that treatise which beareth the name of The Donation of Constantine Volateran the b Volat. 23. f. 270. keeper of the Vatican librarie and so best acquainted with the antiquities of the citie of Rome doth denie any such donation to be made by Constantine shewing that it is to be found in no old author but only in the Decrees that not in their ancient copies Crantzius c Crantz Met. l. 11. c. 24. p 772 saith the Pope was great not by the forged donation of Constantine which neuer was made but by the bountie of other Princes But such as it was the humanitie of d Eus vit Con. 4. 5â— Constantine was abused by the vnsatiable couetousnes and vnspeakable dissimulation of such as pretended themselues to bee Christians e Polychr 4.26 f. 171. From that time forward because of the great riches that the Church of Rome had it was made the more secular and had more secular businesse than spirituall deuotion and more pompe and boast outward than holines within as it is supposed It is written that when Constantine had made this gift to the Church the olde enemie cried openly in the aire This day is venome powred into the holy Church Therefore Ierome in vitis Patrum saith since the holie Church increased in possessions it is decreased in vertues And so the beast riseth out of the earth He is also said to rise out of the earth for his vnsensible manner of growing For the things which grow out of the earth are well discerned to haue growen but the manner how no man seeth And this is it that the scripture calleth priuily f 2. Pet. 2.1 bringing of damnable heresies contrarie to the declaring of the Gospel which is seene vpon an instant not onely like a swift horseman but like g Math. 24.27 lightning c. Secondly hee differeth from the other monster by his hornes which are not ten but h cap. 13.1.11 cap. 5.6 two and those like the Lamb which had eies arrogating to himselfe to be like vnto Christ representing i N.D. Warne-word En. 1. c. 2. 11. 6. 7. 8. his power and wisdome vpon earth as his Vicar or Viceroy So that in matters of iurisdiction and spiritual authoritie for gouernment of his Church vpon earth hee presumeth that Christ hath left so great power vnto his substitutes Peters successor the Pope of Rome as he may doe thereby and in his name and vertue in a certaine sort whatsoeuer his master and Lord might doe in his Church if hee were now conuersant amongst vs vpon earth Thirdly hee differeth in voice a cap. 13.11 For he speaketh like the Dragon whereas the other did roare but as a Beare or Pantheresse or Lyon He is said to speake like the Dragon for his terror For it is reported that about the b Gesu lib. 5. tower of Babel there dwell great Dragons whose voice and yelling doeth terrifie men And when Alexander went into India a Dragon with his terrible noise and hissing did terrifie his whole armie By this is meant that the Church of Rome or the Pope should from henceforth labour to rule by c 2. Tim. 3.2 cursed speaking and execrations as also by as bloodie and cruell lawes and interdictions as euer the heathen persecutors did tyrannize with For in Nero the d Aug. de Ciu. Dei 20. 19. facts of Antichrist were seene So that by those courses he should not onely fright other men but also be terrible to Monarchs and their valiant armies He is also said to speake like the Dragon because by the spirit of error he e 1. Tim. 4.1.3 bringeth in doctrines of diuels forbidding to marrie and commanding to abstaine from meates c. and diuers superstitions telling men that they f Gen. 3.4 shall not die if they transgresse Gods commandements and haue his pardon That for their skinne g Iob. 2.4 men will blaspheme God h Mat. 4.9 Offering to giue preferments to such as will fall downe and worship him beeing a i 1. Kin. 22.22 lying spirit in the mouthes of the
Anno. 369. Damasus got the seate by schisme so that the c Ruff. 2. 10. place of prayer did swim with the blood of the slaine d Danaeus in Aug. de haeres p. 259. ex Ammiano 137 carcasses of men were found in one day He e Fox Marty grew proud by a f Soz 7 4. rescript of Gratian who required that religion to bee held which Peter the Prince of the Apostles deliuered and Damasus obserued at Rome For Damasus wrote to g Caranza f. 85. b. Stephanus and an Archbishop and to the three Councels of Africa that the iudgement of the causes of Bishops and all matters of great-importance may not be determined but by the authoritie of the Apostolike seate Thus did the beast rise out of the earth But in h 1. Conc. Const can 1.2 Caranza his time it was contrarily decreed that no Bishop should confound the authoritie of bishoprickes by intermedling in another diocesse to dispose of Ecclesiasticall causes He also decreed that none should i Dist 17. huic sedi presume to vsurpe the things which were graunted to that seate k cap. 24.9.1 hac est fides It is said that to him Ierom wrote that whosoeuer should blame the faith commended by the Church of Rome should shew himselfe vnskilfull malicious and no catholike but an heretike l Plat. 〈…〉 He abolished the ancient translation of the Bible which was made by the Septuaginâ— and then was in great estimation and brought into the Church the writings of Ierome and many songs as hauing the horne of the eye of wisedome like the Lambe But it was contrarily m Con. Laâ—d can 69. Caranza decreed that no Psalmes or songes made by vulgar persons should be vsed in the Church nor any bookes read in the Church which are not of the Canonicall Scriptures of the old and new testament In this Popes time was decreed that n Con. Valen. what Clergie man confessed any mortal sinne of himselfe should be deposed an instruction for vnchaste priests * 4. Caranza Anno 388. si non castè c. Siricius the first ordained that o Berg. 9. priests should be ordered onely by Bishops In his time it was decreed that euery p 3. Con. Carth. can 49. Ecclesiasticall person that purchased any lands c. should conferre it vpon the Church It seemeth that Bishops affected very high titles For to take downe the pride of such it was decreed that q Ibid. can 26. no Bishop of the first seate should be called Princeps sacerdotum or summus sacerdos but onely the Bishop of the first seate This Pope a Plat. Berg. expelled from Ecclesiasticall offices all Clergie men that maried a widow or second wife and decreed b Cara. f. 90. b. that no Clergie man should haue knowledge of his wife because it is written those which dwell in the c Rom. 8.8 flesh cannot please God Agreeing herein with the heresies of the Maniches and superstition of the Gothes that d Stra. 7. p. 205. 206. would haue their religious persons without wiues But this his decree is contrarie to the Gangrene Councell which accuseth such as e D. 30. si quiâ— nuptiaâ— accuse the marriage bed as a let to the kingdome of heauen Innocentius the first is said to haue excommunicated the f Geneb Emperor Archadius Anno. 406. and by his Epistle to haue depriued Eudoxia the Empresse from her dignitie He as an Heracleonite decreed that g Caran f. 15â— all persons in their deadly and extreame sicknesses should be anoynted with oyle hallowed by Bishops That priests should iudge of the qualitie of the offence and penitence of men and at their discretion dismisse them He instituted the kissing of the Pax that all men might declare their consent to that which was done He after the heresie of the h Ponet Apol. pag. 105. Cataphrygians and Montanus who feigned himselfe to be the holy Ghost ordained that the custome of no Church is to be followed in diuine mysteries or doing of things but onely the Church of Rome It seemeth hee would haue Rome say as sometimes Babylon said I i Isai 47.10 am c. none else vnto whom may be said as to the Cataphrygians came k 1. Cor. 14.36 See epist Ath. 1. in Soc. 2. 29. the word of God from you or came it to you alone In his time Rome was taken by the Gothes At the instance of the African Councell he condemned the heresie of Pelagius Anno 421. Zosimus sent l Chro. Chro. Faustinus a Bishop to the Councell at Carthage to tell them that nothing ought to be done publikely without the Bishop of Rome He absolued m Fox Marty Concilium Aphricanum Apiarius an Aphrican without any examination when he stood excommunicate by an Aphrican Councell And wrote to the Bishops of Aphrica commaunding them to receiue this Apiarius by him so absolued into their communion Pretending that the Bishop of Rome had authoritie to commaund graunted vnto him by the Councell of Nicea Thus farre was the beast risen out of the earth The African Bishops sent into the East for the originall copies of the Niceau Councel by which they found the Pope to be an impostor Whereupon they doe decree that he that is n Caranza Com. Mileuit Can. 18.22 excommunicate may appeale to the Primates and Councels of his owne prouince but he that appealeth beyond the seas shall be receiued into no communion a Concil Aphr. And the African Councell wrote to Caelestine who succeeded Zosimus requiring him to bring into the Church no such foggie types of the world Bonifacius the first got possessed the seate by b Volat. schisme Anno 423. In his time are cited the stories of c Chro. Chro. Euphrosina and Marina women who tooke on them mens apparell and entred into monasteries amongst men which though it were contrarie to the d D. 30. si qua mulier Gangrene Councell yet are they called e Pet. de Nat. Anno 426. Saints Calestinus commaunded all Clergie men to studie the f Volat. Canon law As yet it seemeth it was not commaunded that the Clergie should haue diuers apparell from the people but that it began by some to be brought in For thus writeth Caelestinus of the Clergie They are to g Caranza f. 130. a. be distinguished from the people by doctrine not by apparell by conuersation not by attires by puritie of minde not by clothing c. which I see not how it standeth with that which Genebrarde saith h Geneb p. 530. that Stephanus the first instituted priests garments c. Anno 257. Sixtus the third deposed Polytronius i Gobel at 6. cap. 25. p. 169. Bishop of Ierusalem because he affirmed himselfe to be vniuersall Bishop Anno 434. to depose in these dayes signified to pronounce deposed k
his request and restored the Arians to their authoritie againe Thus the beast deceiueth them that dwell vpon the earth by reason of the signes which were giuen him to doe in the sight of the beast He at Constantinople crowned k Geneb p. 629. Iustine the Emperor who was the first Emperor that euer was crowned by the Pope so now the Pope is in the estimation of the l Morisen Papa in p. 144. Ex Caesare Druides of France that did inaugurate the Kings When the Pope returned to Rauenna Theodoricus cast him into prison and famished him to death a Massaeus 14. Greg. dial 430. Gobelinus Fasc Temp. But within ninetie eight dayes after the hangman Theodoricus died sodainly and was buried in hell A holy Eremite saw him with the hands of this Pope Iohn c. to be plagued in Vulcans pot A terror for Princes by a lying signe Ann. 527. Felix 4. as an Heracleonite commanded the b Berg. Volat. Ann. 531. sicke to bee annointed before their death belike the same thing was so often commanded because it was so little regarded that the Popes deuised c Geneb Bonifacus 2. gat the seate by schisme he decreed that in the time of diuine seruice the * Massaeus Clergie should bee in a distinct place as the quire from the people He called a Synod and decreed d Gobelinus that he might choose his successor strengthened his decree with subscriptions and oathes of others But afterwards the Bishops in a Synode dashed all Vnder this Pope many noble e Massaeus mē left the world went vnto Saint Benedict f Geneb p. 631 This Benedict famous for miracles and the supposed spirit of prophesie instituted the order of the Benedictines He despised the studie of g Greg. dial lib. 2. 1. c. good learning and deuised rules of life different from the scriptures Hee is reported to master diuels to absolue the dead c. He is compared for miracles with Moses Elias Elizeus c. h Clictonaeus homil de Benedict Him some that follow the Church of Rome doe make the father of the monkish faith as Abraham is called in scripture the father of the faithfull and doe compare the many orders and Abbies that followed him with the many nations whose father Abraham is They say that of i Volal 21. f. 239. Geneb p. 631. his order were 24. Popes 183. Cardinals Archbishops in diuers Churches 1600. Bishops 4000 Abbots famous for learning and writing 15700. From his grounds ariseth Antichrist Anno 533. Iohn 2. recured a k Geneb Greg. dial 3. 2. blinde man at Constantinople in the presence of the Emperour and people vnto him Iustinian l Sabel E◠8. 2 the Emperour sent gifts and honoured him with new dignities acknowledging him to bee in the seat of Christs onely Vicar vpon earth The Emperour seeth the Pope to haue hornes like the Lambe Ann. 535. Agapetus was m Greg. dial 3. 3. sent by Theodatus king of Gothes to the Emperour Iustinian to reconcile him whom he had displeased for killing of his Queene who was committed by her father to this Iustinians tuition In his way in the partes of Greece he healed a man that was brought vnto him dumbe and lame who neuer could speake nor goe as they say When his neighbours brought him he asked if they did beleeue that hee could cure him who answered that they hoped he could by the power of God and authoritie of Saint Peter When the Pope had prayed and celebrated Masse he stretched forth his hand vnto the lame man who presently arose in the sight of the people And putting the Hoste into his mouth had present vse of his tongue by the power of God and helpe of Saint Peter Comming therefore to the a Pet. de Nat. Sabel f. 152. Ann. 536. Emperour he was receiued with reuerence and glorie Thus is the world deceiued by her inchantments Siluerius * Massaeus was caused to be chosen by Theodotus King of Gothes wherefore he presently sent his Chancelor Vigilius to the Emperour to excuse him that he could not waite the Emperours pleasure The Empresse dealt with Vigilius for the restoring of her friend Authemius an Eutychian Vigilius answered that Pope Siluerius would in no wise consent thereto but as for himselfe hee would easily agree had hee power in his hands vz. if he were Pope The Empresse caused Siluerius to be remooued which was done by the subornation of witnesses that affirmed that Siluerius would deliuer the citie of Rome and Belifarius the Emperours Generall into the hands of the Gothes b Pet. de Nat. Ann. 537. In his banishment he miraculously healed many Vigilius vpon c Massaeus the banishment of Siluerius was thrust into the Papacie he decreed that Masse should be celebrated towards the East This manner of turning the d Polyd. Inuen 57. Ezech. 8.16 face in praier was a custome of the Gentiles and contrarie to the commandement of God In the time e Geneb of this Vigilius Rome was first taken by Belifarius After that Vitigis the f Massaeus Carion King of the Gothes doth besiege it Then there was in all the world so great a famine especially in Italie as in Lyguria in Rome now beset with enemies that the mothers were constrained to eate their children Presently followed a pestilence Thus Michael warreth when the word of God by the Benedictines was refused and the inuentions of men were adored After the citie of Rome was taken spoiled and burnt by Totilas and his Gothes c. Narses is made Generall of the warres in Italie who bringeth with him an armie of 12,000 Lombards Pelagius 1. Ann. 555. was g Caran f. 201 the first that brought into the Masse praier for the dead as an angel of the bottomlesse pit And the Pope is like h Liuid 1. lib. 1 the Pont. Max. of Numa his deuising to whom is committed the order to pacifie the Spirits in the behalfe of the dead So that now it is with the Church of Rome as the Poet saith a Virg. Eu. 5. 1. p. 230. Vinaque fundebant pateris animamque vocabant Anchisa magni manesque Acheronte remisses This Pope also b Pet. de Nat. decreed that those whom he calleth heretickes or schismaticks should be punished by the secular power as Abaddon or Apollyon c Geneb p. 643. In his time Narses the first Exarche of Rauenna finished the warres of the Gothes who brought the Lombards into Italie The successe is that d cap. 13.11 the beast doth rise out of the earth that is that the Popes by means of earthly riches and honours as also by earthly wisdome do rise to the state of such a Prince as hath the reputation to haue two hornes like the Lambe that is to seeme to represent Christ vpon earth for power and wisdome The nations also which came
first digested in a booke and commēded to the Church by many deceitfull miracles and reuelations to further the new doctrine which they say is found out of the state of the dead Herein trusting the reports of some which heard the things reported by others that some came from the dead Hereby the Poets fables become good diuinitie it beeing now acknowledged that the riuer Acherou is in hell where also a iudge sitteth like Minos Eachus and Radamanthus purgatorie in Aetna and in bathes c. that the dead might be holpen by masses burials in Churches praiers of Monkes and Priests a Lib. dial 4. cap. 41. The reason which hee rendreth why so many things are now discouered of the soules of dead men which hitherto lay hidde is that the end of the world is at hand and as it were in fight Take b 2. Thes 2.1 ◠Luk. 21.8 Isaiah 47.10 heads and be not deceiued for many will come in my name and say I am and the time draweth neere follow ye not them therefore In this booke is deliuered this doctrine As c Dial. 4. c. 5. the soule is knowne to liue in the bodie by the motion of the members so the life of the soule of the Saints when it is out of the bodie is to be esteemed by the vertue of miracles And d ibid. c. 20. that the merit of the soule sometimes is not shewed when it departeth from the body but is declared more truely after death A ready foundation for such Priests and Monkes which had the keeping of the places of burials to build vp the credit of their impostures about graues as if they were miracles And for them to obtrude vnto the world whom they liked to bee onely reputed as Saints This booke of Dialogues is so contrarie to the Reuelation of Saint Iohn that it may iustly be e 2. Thes 2.6 called the Reuelation of Antichrist This kinde of learning serued so to raise the beast out of the bottomlesse pit that some doe say that Gregory to shew this power of the beast in the bottomlesse pit recalled Traian f Pet. de Natal alij from hell baptised him and sent him to heauen A cup full of abhominations c. He was g Lib. 9. epl 9.71 angrie for breaking of images and called them lay mens bookes which were to be kept because the Gentiles vsed them to reade vpon He h Beda Eccl. hist lib. 1. C. 30. forbad to destroy the Temples of idols or to remoue the manner of the Gentiles worship i Epiph. l. 32. haeres 79. but required to continue the externall mirth to allure the people to serue God He worse then the heretikes called Collyridiani that worship the virgin Mary carried the k Mass 13. p. 180. image of the virgin Mary in procession as the Gentiles did their gods to driue away the plague He instituted the l Geneb p. 660. worship of the crosse barefoote on good friday and remitted canonicall penance and promised m Poly. inuent 8.1 cleane remission of sinnes to such as frequented Churches on set dayes that men might be allured to worship the Dragon He made a daungerous decree n Par. Abb. Vrsp in eplu Hysderi c. 1. p. 414. of this heresie that like the Maniches Electi the Clergie should not haue knowledge of their wiues but when more then sixe thousand childrens heads were brought vnto him out of his fish pond he confessed his owne decree to be the cause of this murther and condemned his owne decree He o Pet. de Nat. miraculously terrified Mauricius the Emperor by one p Otho Frist l. 5. c. 7. Mass Ab. Vrsp c. who in the habite of a Monke stoode with a drawne sworde and shaking it foretolde that he should be slaine with the sworde for persecuting of Pope Gregory from which sentence neither by almes prayers nor teares he was deliuered but was caused to drinke of the wine of the wrath of the whore and she is drunken with blood for both himselfe his wife and children were murthered by Phocas Which a Lib. 11. Epist 1. 36. 43. 44. was no sooner don but Gregory as accessary with the Clergie sung gloria in excelsis latentur cali exultet terra for ioy caried the images of Phocas and Leontia his wife into the Church of Casarius the whole Clergie shouting for ioy and singing Exandi Christe Phoca Augusto Leontia Augusta vita And as the forerunner of Antichrist wrote to Leontia to make especially S. Peter the protector and patrone of the Empire in earth and intercessor in heauen meaning that the Bishop of Rome should be in greatest estimation for the beast riseth out of the earth This Pope like the b Ang. har 46. Maniches which preferre apocrypha writings before the new Testament esteemed the foure generall Councels as the c Dist 15. sicut foure Euangelists and like Montanus the heretike d Regist lib. 12. accursed euery one which brake the least thing which the Pope commaunded and obeyed it not altogether He caused e Volat. lib. 22. f. 251. the auncient monuments in Rome to be cast into Tiber least by their beautie they should distract men from the religion newly instituted In his f Aug. Curie l. 1 Geneb p. 655. time Mahomet doth openly professe himselfe the onely Prophet of God and that whosoeuer durst gainesay his law should be slaine Many of his kinsfolkes allies friends and clients who were throughly perswaded that he was such a one indeede as he professed himselfe and would seeme to be followed him in the yeere 593. So in the West the g Geneb p. 661. Lombards English Spaniards Venetians Ligurians c. receiued the faith of the Church of Rome and followed her This Pope h Beda Eccl. hist l. 1. cap. 25.27 sent Augustine into England to conuert the English men They which were sent like those that built Babel neither vnderstoode the Scriptures nor the language of the people The first point of religion which they shewed was this They spread forth a banner with a painted crucifixe and so came in procession to the King singing the Letanie in a strange tongue and shewing some deceitfull miracles He laboured to reduce the whole land to the example of Rome as Montanus did all Churches to Pepuza and therefore became enemie to the seuen Churches of the Britones who followed the custome of the East Churches and would not submit themselues to his pride but cast him out and measured him not as a man of God because he learned not of Christ to beare his yoke who was humble and meeke He wrote to Augustine a Bed eccl hist l. 2. c. 2. dis 15. 4. denique that the Clergie should in quinquagesima abstaine from flesh milke meates and egges which b August de haeres 46. meates the Manachies electi or priests forbare There were in c Ex regist
lib. 12. f. 235. Rome such as vsed a sweete and delightsome modulation of the voyce at Masse which Gregory forbad vnder the paine of a curse Some thinke that the manner to account from d Geneb p. 562. Christ began to be of force onely about the yeere 600. Anno 604. Sabinianus an vtter e Lib. 22. Volat enemie to the proceedings of Gregory whom he blamed for spending the patrimonie of the Church to get the peoples fauour This Pope f Geneb p. 664. did nothing worth the marking but that he deuised belles and sance-belles The Greeke tongue is altogether corrupted in his time and so the tongue of the new Testament is become barbarous to these builders of their new Babylon Anno 607. g Sab. Eu. 8. lib. 6. Boniface the third hardly and with much contention obtained of Phocas the murtherer that the Church of Rome should be head as mother and lady of all other Churches that one might be set ouer the rest and haue chiefe authoritie as it was among the h Caesar belli Gal. 6. p. 138. Druides And as i Soz. 7. 2. Eulalius the Arian entreated the Arian Councell at Antiochia Cariae that he might haue the primacie for keeping vnitie Thus Phocas k Vesp p. 150. Blandi Epit. made Rome the mother of Churches and so he worshipped the beast This l Sab. 8.6 Pope opening his mouth first vsed the termes of Volumus and Iuhomus we will and command as words of the Popes approbation In Suenia m Geneb p. 662. are Churches planted Bonifacius the fourth obtained n Frisi 5. 8. Poly. Inue 6. 6. of Phocas Anno 608. the Temple built by Domician called Pantheon because is was dedicated to all the Romane gods and turned it into the Church of Saint Mary and all the Saints A fine o Fasc Temp. f. 58. similitude of euill institutions of the Paganes the supposed holy spirit knew to chuse a holy armie where the heathen worshipped diuels there the Christians worshipped all the Saints as making a medicine of a poyson so is one art deluded with another but rather this Pope declareth that Church to be the mother of abhominations that conceiueth by the Paganes The first Angel at Euphrates In his p Curiâ— lib. 1. time Cosdroe king of Persia who had maried Mary the daughter of Mauritius and for her sake was baptised detesting the disloyal falsehood and treachery of them which had elected so wicked a man as Phocas to bee their Prince seeing he was polluted with the bloudie murther of his soueraigne reputing them as accessarie to the same horrible and bloudy fact and conspiracie prepared a great armie at the instigation of his wife to reuenge the death of his father in law That in her that is Rome might be found all the bloud that is shed This Phocas a Hist an t Ex Pom. Lat. pag. 528. disposed al things in secret by his Courtiers after the Persian manner They heard Ambassadors suspended iustice gaue offices which is the worst and most miserable course that he which ruleth can take For the court smoakes are wont to hurt very grieuously They were most in his fauour which most vexed the people with vnsatiable rapine and couetousnes He was b Geneb 669. also guiltie of many rapes murthers and adulteries c. In his time c Frisin 5. â— Geneb p. 667. therefore Cosdroe soundeth an alarme entred and spoiled many of the Romane prouinces Syria Palestina Phoenicia Cappadocia Paphlagonia in the East And pursuing his crueltie with incredible successe he would not bee entreated by d Melanct. Gobel aet 6. c. 31. p. 177. Heraclius to peace except the Christians would cease to worship Christ crucified and worship the sunne as the Persians did for their tailes e cap. 9.19 Anno 615. are like vnto Serpents c Deus-dedit a Subdeacons sonne The f Blond Epit. Gobelinus Romanes are at discord for the choyce of the Pope he is said to haue clensed a leaper g Fasc Temp. with a kisse and authorised harlots and wicked persons to be witnesse in causes of Simonie The h Geneb p. 671. Duke of Bauaria the Duke Boson with his armie in Austria are baptised Anno 618. Bonifacius the fifth commaunded i Geneb p. 672. Platina Altars and Churches to be sanctuaries for murtherers c. whence they might not be drawne by force in imitation of the k Poly. Inue 3. 8. Temple of Mercy which was made in Athens by the nephewes of Hercules He required sacriledge to be punished with a curse and first commaunded l Pantaleon that Monkes being priests might binde and loose Mahomet m Geneb p. 672. maketh his first expedition for his religion and began to giue lawes Anno 623. Honorius tooke the n Geneb Blondi Epit. brasse tiles from Romulus Temple to couer Saint Peters Church o Fasc Temp. He inriched many Churches with siluer and golde he instituted the feast of the exaltation of the crosse by the example of the East Him p Geneb p. 675. Pope Adrian reporteth to haue been an heretike wherefore he was condemned in the sixth Councell of Constantinople Act. 12. 13. For defence of whom Genebrard saith it is one thing for the Pope of Rome to bee an heretike in his owne person and whatsoeuer is worse he may be or haue been and another thing in the iudgement of faith and promulgation thereof to define against the faith This last he cannot doe for the force of the chaire as he dreameth is such that it constraineth them that thinke and doe euill things to speake those things which are good and true Thus followeth be the beast As though to write letters in the approbation of a capitall heresie which Honorius did be not a definitue promulgation against the faith Ghent is conuerted Heraclius a Melanct. Saâ—â— E. 8 6. the Emperor married his neece of whom he had children incestuously and gaue himselfe to diuelish artes Mahomet b The second Angel at Euphrates Curio lib. 1. and his Saracens being robbed of their pay by the Emperors paymasters and reuiled as dogs that in Rome might be found the blood of all that were slaine gathered head and by force and doctrine by head and tayle cruelly troubled the Christians and vnto the Emperor and other Princes he sent letters sealed with this inscription Mahomet the messenger of God requiring them to submit themselues to his religion and to esteeme him the highest Bishop Which when the Emperor refused to doe hee c Fris 5. 9. Genff de Orig. 3. p. 121. Geneb spoyled the Empire slew 150,000 of the Emperors souldiers tooke Arabia Damascus Phaenicia Syria Mesopotamia Aegypt Africa and after that Persia Against whom Heraclius loosed most fierce and barbarous nations from the Caspian mountaines and seas whom Alexander the Great shut vp d Blondi Epit. Seuerus
Inuen 5. 1. hanging vp of tapers came of an old Pagane fashion of sacrifices that the Pagans offered to Saturnus and Pluto c. The r Abb. Vrsp p. 153. D. 63. Agath Popes Legat said Masse at Constantinople in Latin that one Å¿ Gen. 11.7 vnderstand not anothers language When the Emperor had consented to worship the Dragon by setting vp idolatry the Bulgarians t Geneb p. 692. inuade Panonia and Thracia ouercame the Emperours armie and much rented the Empire This Pope u Fasc Temp. f. 61. dist 19. Sic. required the Popes decrees to bee receiued as confirmed by the diuine voyce of Peter vnto * Dist 63. Agatho him the Emperor sent backe the mony which he was wont to receiue of the Popes for their confirmatioÌ„ But vnder condition that there should bee a general decree that none should bee ordained Pope without the Emperors knowledge and commandement Anno 684. Leo the second a x Geneb p. 694. skilfull musition he instituted the kissing of the Pax and brought the a Platina Bishops of Raâ—â—â—â— into obedience and subiection which before held themselues equall with the Popes He gâ—â— such good opinion that at his death al men wept for him as for their father He b Gobetâ— 6. cap. 35. by twelue compurgators cleared himselfe of certaine crimes that were obiected against him Benedictus c Geneb the second is said to haue obtained of the Emperour that whom the armie and Clergie Anno â—â—6 and people of Rome did chuse should be esteemed the vicar of Christ as if it were in man to substitute a vicar for Christ Though he wanted the consent of the Emperour or his Exarch of Rauenna He d Fasc Temp. repaired many Churches with great charges In his time e VVolphg was a great pestilence The Saracens inuade Libia Iohn the fifth appointed f Geneb the Pope to be consecrated by three certaine Bishops which custome continueth Anno 687. g Bergâ—â— 10. He wrote a booke of the dignitie of the Pall. Conon was h Pantaleon created Pope by the Exarch where was then the graunt made to Benedict two yeeres before Anno 688. the i Platina armie and Clergie chusing others He was esteemed Angel-like for his vertue The k VVolphg Emperor Iustinian receiued much damage by the Saracens Sâ—rgius the first was l Carion f. 151. made Pope by sedition Anno 689. and in his time was a great schisme in the Church both for the election of the Pope and because two m Fasc Temp. generall Councels dissented Iustinian the n Abb. Vrsp p. 154. Emperor sent the Generall of his warres to take this Pope prisoner because he would not subscribe to the Councell for correcting the sixt Councell at Constantinople but the Pope was rescued by the souldiers of Rauenna and the places adioyning and his Generall beate from Rome with contumelies and iniuries He repaired o Platina Churches and conuerted the Saxons As it is reported the p Mass 14. p. 194. Lord reuealed vnto him a case of siluer in which he found a good peece of that he supposed to be the crosse of Christ which q Abb. Vrsp p. 155. was carried into Constantines Church and worshipped of all the people As the heardsman found the sword of Mars and gaue it to Attâ—las The Romans vpon this idolatrie r Wolph beeing ouerthrowne by the Saracens the name of the Saracens encreased and the dignitie of the Romans was exceedingly diminished Ann. 702. Iohn the sixt interposed Å¿ Platina himselfe betweene the souldiers of Italie the Exarch whom the souldiers would haue slaine for fauouring the Popes more than the Emperours Ann. 705. Iohn the seauenth in his t Blond Epit. time the Lombards gaue a great donation to S. Peter of the lands betweene Genna France u Geneb p. 703 Genebrard with some others saith that he restored it But * Platina f. 102. this hath no credible author but is palea that is chaffe without wheate The x Wolph Saracens againe possesse Affrica This Pope y Bergom 10. beautified Churches with pictures and histories of the Saints Ann. 707. Sisimus held z Fasc Temp. the seate by schisme In a Geneb his time the king of Spaine a flagitious man fearing the alienation of his subiects and a rebellion by meanes of the Bishops pulled down the fortifications of his land Egypt and Affrica are wasted by the Saracens Iustinianus a Abb. Vrsp p. 155. Frisin 5. 14. the Emperour restored to his Empire apprehended them that cast him out caused them to be drawne before him in the streetes and treading hard vpon their neckes the people cried thou hast walked on the lyon and the basiliske and trade vpon the lyon and the Dragon c. Ann. 707. Constantinus was b Plat. f. 103. b so fauoured by Iustinian the tyrant that because Felix the Archbishop of Rauenna would not giue the Pope money and obedience for his ordination the Emperour burned out the Archbishops eies by causing him to looke into a bright brasse panne in the sunne and so Felix drinketh of the wine of the wrath of her fornication He c Frisin 5. 14. Geneb p. 706. sent for the Pope to Constantinople and honourably entertained him confessed his sinnes vnto him craued and obtained absolution and first of any Emperour kissed the Popes feete e Frising and confirmed the Popes priuiledges and decree worshipping the beast But f Geneb when the Pope was gone hee reuoked that confirmation * Polyd. Jan. 4. 9. f. 97. The diuellish rite of kissing the feete of the Bishop of Rome tooke his originall of the manner of the Romanes who when they were Pagans vsed to kisse the feete of the Priests and other nobles c. Dioclesian made the commons stoope to kisse his feete This Pagan example our Christian Bishop and Gods Vicar full vngodly and vngoodly doth counterfeit g Frisin 5. 15. Philippicus the Emperour holdeth a Councell reiecteth the sixt Councel at Constantinople and pulled downe images But this Pope h Platin. f. 104. a. held a Councel at Rome for images against the Emperour and excommunicated him confirmed the decree of Agatha for images decreed i Abb. Vrsp p. 156. that no money should be currant which had the name of an hereticall Emperour vpon it nor his letters name or figure receiued nor his image carried into the Church nor his name remembred at Masse Thus doth the beast labour to establish the worshippe of the Dragon and the Emperour drinketh of the wine of the fornication of the great whore k Curiâ— Roderike king of Spaine defiled the daughter of his lieftenant Iulian who for his fornication called l cap. 9. â—â— the Saraceus who subdued and possessed the greatest part of all Spaine Gregorius the second
Ann. 714. ordained to m Fasc Temp. f. 62. â— fast and say Masse the fift day of the weeke in Lent which Pope Melchiades forbad Note that about these times the Popes began to bee great in temporalties as also to translate the Empire from one nation to another For in n Frisâ— 5. 1â— his time Leo the Emperour caused the images of God and the Saints to be burned and many that resisted him herein to bee executed Wherefore a Gobel â— 6. cap. 37. Pope Gregorie perswaded Italie and Rome to depart from his Empire by open b Epit. Blâ—n d. 1. lib. 10. f. 23. b rebellion and deliberated of choosing a new Emperour deposed the c Geneb p. 709 Magistrates of the Exarchie euery citie chose them Dukes so the Exarchie continued vnder tenne Princes or hornes He excommunicated the Emperour and forbade the d Frising 5. 18. Italians to pay any tribute vnto him The Saracens besiege Constantinople but when the citizens cried vnto the Lord they departed oppressed with famine colde and pestilence whereof are reported to die 300,000 the Emperour faring nothing the worse for the Popes excommunication And whereas the Popes left the Emperours and were receiued into the league of France the e Mass 14. p. 199. Geneb Saracens came into France with their wiues and children and families spoiled Burdeux and Poictieurs Many Germanes f Platina came to Rome and are baptized by the Pope Lowe g Geneb p. 708 â—09 713. Germanie Westphalia and Frisia by the preaching of Boniface whom the Pope sent thither and by Martellus meanes receiue the faith of the Church of Rome The king of England gaue out of euery house in all England a pennie to the Pope One Syrus seduced many Iewes saying that he was Christ Ann. 730. Gregorius 3. gathered a h Epit. Blond Councel and decreed that images are to be continued in the Churches Contrarily i Platina Leo the Emperour pulled images downe whose example also Constantine and Leo his successors did follow The Pope by the consent of the Clergie of Rome depriued k Geneb 715. the Emperour of Christian communion The Emperour confiscateth the patrimonie of the Church of Rome in Sicilia In l Platina the troubles of Rome by the Lombards this Pope called in Martellus a French leauing the custome to craue aide of the Emperour For now the m Soc. 2. 29. Popes doe as the Arians were wont namely apply themselues to them that were of greatest power And because the temple n Abb. Vrsp Pp. 19.20 of Iupiter Dodonaeus was wont to be much frequented by the Gentiles for helpe which they there receiued by touching of Pyrrhus great toe there kept in a gilt boxe because miraculously it was vnburned when the rest of his bodie was consumed with fire The Pope would not haue his S. Peters any whit inferior to it For o Bergo 10. he built a chappel in S. Peters Church in which hee laid vp some reliques in a manner of all the Saints and caused Masse to bee said there euery day He also brought the clause of reliques into the Canon of the Masse The Saraceus p Geneb p. 71â— are called into France where they spoile the Churches and waste all places from Burdeux to Poicteurs q Wolph Mass 14. Ann. 741. bringing with them their families Zacharias 1. in r Mass 14 p. 200. his time Constantius the Emperour defaced images and carted the Monkes for whoredome Pipin Å¿ Frisin 5. 21. ambitious of the kingdom of France sent to this Pope to know whether it were more meete that he which sate secure at home or hee that did vndergoe the charge of the kingdome should beare the name of king For Pipius and his t Geneb p. 688. ancestours had vsurped the administration of the kingdome of France perswading the king to retire himselfe to meddle with nothing so that he was but as a cipher The Pope u Gobel at 6. c. 37. f. 186. commandeth the people of France to receiue Pipine their king and first of any Pope began to * Geneb p. 720 absolue the French men from their oath made to Childericus their king and x Gâ—bel annointed Pipine king by his Legate Boniface Thus was y Fasc Temp. Childericus deposed and Pipine aduanced because hee was most for the profit of the Church of Rome For z 15. q. 5. Alius the glosse vpon the Canon where this storie is supposed to bee cited 249. yeares before it was done saith that the Emperor a Dist 40. ca. Si Papa iâ— glosse may be deposed for any thing wherefore he is to be deposed if he be lesse profitable This Boniface a Dist 40. si â—a wrote vnto the Pope asking his aduice in many things For he held and said that if the Pope be neuer so badde neither doing nor speaking any thing that is good so that hee carrie with him innumerable soules to hell to bee tormented with the diuell none may blame him Thus doth he giue the beast power to doe what he list This Boniface complaineth in b Caran f. 30â— 304. 306. his letters of the whoredomes drunkennesse and negligence of Bishops of the heathen customes of the Gentiles continued in Rome of the grosse ignorance of Priests whereof one like the builder of Babel baptizing a childe in latine which he vnderstood not said Baptise te in nomine Patria filia spiritu sancta Hee also complaineth of c Fox Marty p. 129. the whoredomes of Nunnes and he brought in Priests vestures and ornaments Constantinus the d Mass 14 p. 260. Geneb p. 722. Emperour that pulled downe images and persecuted that kinde of worship in the East prouided and e VVolph sent a great Nauy against the Egyptian Saracens Ina king of West f Geneb p. 724. Saxons made his land tributarie to the Pope giuing his power to the beast Ann. 752. Stephanus the second was g Platina carried on mens shoulders being troubled by Aistulph king of Lombards getteth leaue of Aâ—stulph to goe into France Vpon h Fris 5. 22. his comming hee absolueth Pipine from his oath made to i Gobelin aet 6. c. 39. Childericus his Soueraigne and annointeth him king So was k Fris ibid. Gobel ae 6. c. 37 Childericus shauen and thrust into a Monasterie Hence the Bishops of Rome doe draw their authoritie of changing of kingdomes from one to another Wherefore Pipine went twice into Italie quieted the Lombards and restored to the Pope his territories In this expedition Constantine sent his Secretarie c. to Pipine with presents as organs c. desiring him to take in Rauenna to the Emperours vse Pipine answered that hee l Platina came not into Italie for his profit but for his soules health and therefore would onely gratifie the Pope the angel of the bottomlesse pit
quod and decreeth all to be hereticks that are excommunicate or deale d D. 22. omnes against the Church of Rome What e 15. q. 8. sciscitantibus wickednesse soeuer be in the Priests the sacraments of his ministring be good But if the Priest bee f Dist 32. Nullus married none must heare masse of him wherein he not onely blasphemeth them that worship in the Tabernacle of God but also is contrarie to the Gangrenâ— g Caran f. 56. Councell that condemneth Eustathius the Arian for holding that the sacraments ministred by a married Priest are not to bee touched but despised So that here the Pope decreeth that which is condemned in the Arian and here Rome conceiueth by the Arians This Pope beautified the Church of the h Platina mother of God with curious pictures i Geneb The Church of Constantinople doth openly depart from the Church of Rome The k VVolph Saracens breake into Italie for to spoile Aan 868. Adrian the second l Geneb p. 786. was honoured for miracles he was chosen without the consent of the Emperour In his first yeare he held a Councel at m Caran f. 345. a. Constantinople in which images were equalled for teaching with the bookes of the holy Euangelists Can. 3.14 and Bishops with Emperours The Bishops must giue small honour to the Emperours but receiue great honours of them While they at the Councell exalt themselues and idolatrie yea n Geneb p. 788 from the yeare 867. to 873. the Saracens made cruell warres vpon the Grecians French and most in Italie Ann. 874. Iohn the ninth decreed o 16. q. 3. Nemo that the priuiledges of the Church of Rome may not be taken away vnder a 100. yeares prescription p Geneb p 789. He crowned Carolus Caluus and two other Emperours Vnto this q 790. 791. Index Expurg Carolus Bertramus a poore man wrote his booke of the spirituall insensible and figuratiue eating of Christ in the sacrament of the Supper The question was mooued by Ferdinand a knight Iohn Scoeus wrote another booke of the same argument and to the same sense so that here this doctrine had two witnesses in the courts of the Temple It is reported r Mass 15. p. 213. that Ludouicus late Emperour being dead appeared to his sonne adiuring him to help him out of the paines of purgatorie Whereupon his sonne sent to many Monasteries and by their praiers obtained rest for his father Thus the beast beareth the world in hand that hee ruleth in the bottomlesse pit About Å¿ Fasc Temp. f. 67. a. Math. 24.12 this time charitie waxed exceeding cold in euery estate and iniquity abounded more than it was wont For now the sword and heresie for the most part did cease but ambition and couetousnesse and other vices hauing the raines loosed did more persecute the Christian saith than the persecutions of heresies In those t Trithe Hiâ—s p. 25. daies was a Iewe which by Magicke did many strange miracles in the sight both of the Princes and of any whosoeuer else By which may be gessed by what meanes the Monkes and Priests did the miracles of which they make such ostentation about these times Ann. 884. Martinus the second got a Geneb the seate by euill artes he b Massaeus is reported to haue vndermined his predecessor and caused him to be imprisoned c Carantz â—â—t c. 1. gouerned cruelly onely profitable by his short time The d Geneb p. 792 793. Saracens came into Italie tooke the Abbey Cassinense which their S. Benedictus founded slewe Bertharius the Abbot vpon the altar of S. Martine and returned laden with much spoile Carolus Crassus first dateth his writings from the birth of Christ Ann. 885. Adrianus e Platin. f. 137. b. the third enticed by the Emperours departure out of Italie to warre against the Normans in France tooke f Volat. 22. the opportunitie and did publikely g Geneb p. 794 Crantz Metro 5. 1. decree that in the creation of the Pope the Emperours authoritie should not be expected and that the voices of the Clergie and people should bee free A thing which was rather attempted than begunne by Nicolaus the first By which it appeareth that it is no good proofe of any thing to bee ancient in the Church because the Popes decreed it so It is one thing to make a decree and another to put it in generall practise euery where Ann. 886. Stephanus h Geneb p. 795 the sixt entred when France was afflicted by the Normanes England by the Danes Panonia by the Hunnes and Italie most grieuously by the Saracens Italie was i Carantz Met. 5. 1. vnquiet neither did the Romanes sufficiently obey so that hee held his seat with much labor Hitherto k Trith Hirs p. 26. 27. some Monasteries had most learned readers of the liberall sciences the holy scriptures the latine greeke hebrew and Arabian tongues requiring the reading of the Scriptures to be familiar to the Monkes Ann. 892. Formosus came l Volat. 22. Platin. in by briberie more than by vertue m Crantz M. 5. 1. The name he tooke bewraieth his pride I know n Plati f. 139. a. N.B. not by what meanes I shall say it came to passe that togither with the industrie of the Emperours who looked not vnto the election of the Popes but left them to themselues the Popes did also faile in vertue and integritie Most vnhappie times seeing such are wont to bee the people as are their Princes Of o Fasc Temp. f. â—8 a. these times Vernetus in Fasciculo temporum maketh great lamentation complaining that the colour of gold is obscured that there were wonderfull scandals in the Apostolike seate contentions emulations sects enuies ambitions intrusions persecutions that the holy failed and trueth was diminished among the sonnes of men Of these eight Popes this Formosus and his seauen successors I can say no notable thing because I haue found nothing of them but scandalous for such contention in the Apostolike sea as was neuer heard the like One against another and also against themselues p Crantz M. 5. 1. p. 291. This dissention was a pernitious example among the chiefe Bishops the Vicars of Christ most vnlike the holinesse of the fathers which were Martyrs c. a Volat. 22 253. Christopherus was depriued of his Papacie and thrust into a Monasterie for now Monasteries were places of solace for miserable persons and a refuge for bankeroupts The b Wolph Saracens inuade Apulia and Calabria The c Geneb p. 749. Caluenites in this age praise Laudius Taurinensis Bertragius Frederardus and some points of Godiscalcus In euery age they will haue some fellowes In the d Trith Hirs p. 29. yeare 896. was held a great Synode against secular men which would keepe vnder and diminish the Bishops authoritie Confusion being
the generall argument of these times we will passe ouer many things and onely insist vpon some particulars of the stories following Iohn the tenth Ann. 899. it e G.p. 802. 803 N.B. was concluded betweene the Bishops of Constantinople and Rome that he should be called vniuersall Patriarke because he was more worthy than the rest this was called vniuersall Pope because the name of Pope seemed to be more excellent and so was the question of the Primacie compounded that had long depended Benedict the fourth f Geneb p. 750 805. 806. 807. N B. The Greekes Hebrewes Ann. 900. and Arabians flourish in learning and discipline Latine lieth in obscurity Greece aboundeth with learned men because that Leo the Emperour gaue himselfe to philosophie c. But amongst the Latines it was a most vnhappy age without good wits or learning In a manner without any good Pope or famous Councel In this one thing vnhappie that for 150. yeares about 50. Popes from Iohn the 8. to Leo the 9. who was said to be another Aaron did altogether fall from the vertue of their ancestours beeing rather ciphers and Apostataes g Geneb p. 811 than Apostolicall h Plat. in Iob. 13. prodigious monsters Wherefore it is reported that there i Fasc Temp. f. 68. b. was found a monster with a dogs head and the rest of the bodie like a man liuely representing the times when as men without a head did wander vp and downe barking like dogges Yet in some k Ann. 949. Frith Hirs p. 38. 39. 40. Monasteries were the scriptures diligently and learnedly taught though in some other places the Monkes were of a most dissolute life Ann. 955. l Geneb p. 824 Iohn the thirteenth tooke to himselfe the Papacie trusting vpon the power of his father Here Genebrard sheweth that hee wilfully forgat himselfe when hee said that m p. 811. the Popes were prodigious because they were intruded by the Emperours This Pope liued in his Papacie worse than a priuate man He n Trith Hirs p. 42. Gobel aet 6. c. 48.51 p. 203. 207. openly and incestuously kept harlots and made the holy Palace a very filthy stues Hee sold spiritualities gaue orders in his stable made a boy of ten yeares olde a Bishop Hee opening his mouth to blasphemie in loue dranke wine to the diuell and called vpon Iupiter and Venus and other Gentile gods for lucke at dice and bestowed the crosses and other ornaments of the Church vpon his harlots c. The Cardinals and o Epit. Blond other Princes write to the Emperour Otho to deliuer the Church and people of Rome from the tyrannie of him and Berengarius The Emperour came to Rome and as some report was crowned by this Pope but some thinke otherwise to him the Pope voweth allegeance and as some say the Emperour a Dist 63. tibi Domino sware obedience to the Pope The Emperor departing the Pope breaketh his faith giuen to the Emperor waxeth euery day worse and gathereth forces against the Emperour VVas this the Vicar of Christ and Peters successor Otho returneth to Rome and crying as when a Lyon roareth in a great Synode by the consent of the Clergie Nobles and people of Rome deposeth the Pope as a monster and bondslaue of the diuell and placed Leo the eight in his stead causing the Romans to sweare that they would neuer depart from the obedience of Leo nor choose any Pope without the consent of the Emperour and his sonne The Emperour dischargeth his armie Iohn promiseth the Romanes that if they would kill the Emperour and the Pope Leo he would giue them all the Church treasurie The Romanes rise against the Emperour and are killed without mercie or number The Emperour taketh hostages of the rest which at the petition of the Pope Leo were restored againe When the Emperour was departed the women many in number and not altogether vnnoble who had bene harlots to this Pope Iohn perswade the Romanes to recall Iohn who vpon his returne committed many outrages While the Emperour returneth to reuenge his disorder Iohn taken in adulterie was wounded on the temples by the diuell and so died beeing taken b Mass 15. p. 216. by the diuell to hell When he was dead the Romans chose Benedict The Emperour returneth besiegeth Rome so straitly that a bushell of branne was worth 3. crownes The Romanes yield and receiue Leo c Dist 63. in Synodo who in a Councel at Rome together with the Clergie and people of Rome gaue authoritie to the Emperour and to his successors to choose the Popes accursing any that should attempt to alter that decree This decree was made because d Fasc Temp. f. 70. a. of the wickednesse of the Romanes who intruded their friends And euery mighty e Crantz M. 51. p. 301. person by ambition did striue to obtaine that dignitie Many Popes were soone murthered not without suspition of poyson Note that they were f Fasc Temp. ibid. killed as in the Primitiue Church but they bee not martyrs as they were the punishment was like but the cause farre vnlike The g histor omnes Saracens Hungarians c. doe exceedingly trouble the world especially Italie Holinesse h Fasc Temp. 691. left the Popes and very cleerely went to the Emperours Ann. 965. Iohn the foureteenth in recompence i Geneb p. 830 of a benefit bestowed on him by Otho the Emperour hee called his sonne Otho Augustus The Duke of Poland and king of Denmarke are baptized There was a great k Trith Hirs p. 44. Geneb p. 832. famine in Germanie at what time Hatto Archbishop of Ments burned in a barne a great multitude of poore men that begged willing hereby to prouide for their pouertie and the common good But hee was after killed and eaten with mice which neither by land or water could be beate from him Anno 985. Iohn the seauenteenth in l Geneb p. 838. 840. his time and his predecessors was fearefull pestilence and famine Odilo an Abbot vpon the report of a m Trith Hirs p. 51. Clicton Hom. omnium animarum Poly. Inuent 6. c. 7. monke which came from an Ermite in Sicilia supposing that he heard great lamentations of diuels at Aetna for the losse of the soules which were got from them by the praiers and oblations of their well disposed friends that liued perswaded his couent to make a general Obite of All soules our father 's receiued it as a godly institution Thus of this monkes supposition grew much superstition c. Ann. 995. Gregorius the fift a Geneb crowned Otho the third At b Fasc Temp. whose instance he was made Pope Crescentius c Crantz Met. 5. 1. a Romane set vp an Antipope but he and his Pope were taken by the Emperour and executed By d Geneb p. 840 the consent of Otho in a Synode at Rome he
confirmed the seuen Princes Electors decreeing that he whom these seauen Germane Electors did choose should be called Caesar and after his confirmation and coronation by the bishop of Rome hee should bee called Augustus The e Geneb p. 838 842. Carolines who tooke the kingdome of France from the Clodouines lost their Monarchie there because they vsed not the Clergie as they listed And in their stead Hugo Capetus inuaded and possessed it because hee gaue the Clergie their free elections c. For as many as will not worship the image of the beast nor take his name must not buie or sell Ann. 998. Siluester the second f Plat. Gobel gaue his soule to the diuell to bee Pope g Chron. Chro. The Emperour caused him to be consecrated not as a Philosopher but as a most wicked Magitian Hence many Popes are obserued to be giuen like Simon Magus to sorcerie and coniurations h Fasc Temp. f. 72. 4. An effeminate age stept vp about the yeare of our Lord 1000. In it the Christian faith began exceedingly to faile and decline from the wonted virilitie thereof In many Christian countries neither the sacraments nor Ecclesiasticall rites were kept they beeing intent to South sayings and to coniurations and the Priest was like the people The i Geneb p. 858 Grecians excommunicated the Church of Rome And because the word of God was despised by Michaels horsemē k Massaeus 16. there was so great drought that many perished by heat Benedictus the eight Ann. 1030. l Geneb p. 861 862. in his time Berengarius preached that the bread and wine in the sacrament after consecration was a figure and sacrament and not the reall bodie and blood of Christ The name of Cardinals is thought of many to haue now first began it seemeth rather first to haue beene in estimation and vse m Peucer 4. p. 303. Three most fierce seditious Ann. 1046. and wicked monsters troubling Italie and the citie of Rome by their striuing for the Papacie against the lawes giuen and confirmed by the Emperours the Emperour Henricus the third went to quiet the state In a Councel at Sutrium he deposed the three striuers and placed Clement the second Hee also roaring as a lyon by reason of the schismes and quarrels reuiued the old law that the Pope is not to be chosen without the consent of the Emperour and n Geneb p. 866. caused the Romanes to sweare that thenceforth they would choose no Pope but whom the Emperour gaue them The decree of taking from the Romans libertie to choose the Pope was the cause of such troubles and emotions that weakened both the Emperours and Empire As soone as the Emperour was gone Clement was poisoned o Crantz Met. 51. p. 300. by the magisteriall arte of the Italians a Platin. Damasus the second got the seate by violence Ann. 1048. He was b Crantz Met. 5. 1. p. 300. supposed to haue poisoned his predecessor but it seemeth the master poisoners laid the fault vpon him to cleere themselues c Volat. lib. 22. f. 253. a. The Romans because of the vices of the Clergie who chose euer Popes worse and worse craued a Pope of the Emperour The Emperour d Crantz ibid. p. 301. looked about for some fit man to supplie the Papacie When there was no bishop of Germanie that would be set ouer the poisoners of Italie hee sent an Aleman to take the place named afterwards Leo the ninth Thus are the Popes become a blasphemous beast and are so farre from repenting themselues of their idolatrie murther sorcerie fornication c. that for these things the Angels about the riuer Euphrates doe by the reuenging hand of God bring a lamentable woe vnto them and ciuil Princes doe set their fierie feete vpon them CHAP. VIII How when the Emperours had roared as a lyon the beast crieth them downe with 7. thunders blaspheming Princes and making warre against the Saints with his victorie HItherto the beast the Popes haue opened their mouthes to blasphemie beeing blasphemous in doctrine and behauiour both in word and deed prodigious monsters Hitherto also the Lord Iesus by the Emperours as by an angell in a cloud c. hath taken possession of the people by violence and of the soile by force and authoritie He also by seuere lawes had as it were cried as when a Lyon roareth threatning their destruction that would offer to exclude him from any part of that his possession It now followeth hereupon to consider how the beast behaueth himselfe in his manner of fight And this is contained in a cap. 10.3 seauen blasphemous thunders that doe vtter their voices and b cap. 13.6 in other blasphemies and warres against the Saints c. By the voices of thunders are vnderstood such strong declamations which doe breed as fearefull emotions and perill among men as a violent storme doth in the aire doth terrifie men and beat them from their places as if they were stroken with thunderbolts The Popes and such c Geneb in Siluest 1. Pio 5. alii as follow them delight to call the Popes execrations excommunications and proscriptions by the name of thunders as Fulmen papale Wherefore these thunders doe signifie such troubles as came vpon the Empire by the Popes excommunications and execrations c. These thunders are said to be d cap. 10.3.4 7. in number For howsoeeuer the Popes did excommunicate more than 7. Emperors yet did they preuaile to hurt and remooue or subdue but seauen e Curio f. 198. b All these were excommunicated in order by the Popes when as they were most mightie Caesars and very couragious and accomplished great and excellent affaires 1. Henricus the fourth 2. Henricus the fift 3. Fridericus the first 4. Philippus 5. Otho the fourth 6. Fridericus the second 7. Conradus The rest despised or escaped the danger Besides blasphemous thunders whereby godly Princes be terrified the beast doth proceede to f cap. 13.6 blaspheme the tabernacle of God that is that very worship of God which is a Heb. 8.5 Exod. 25.40 according to Gods own ordinance and word is accused to be heresie filthinesse sedition rebellion c. Like as the wicked b Eus 3.17 4. 7. 9.5.7 heathen and hereticks haue done whose steppes this beast doth follow He also doth blaspheme them c cap. 13.6 that dwell in heauen that is such which are truly faithfull professors of the Gospell of the kingdome of heauen hauing their d Phil. 3.20 conuersation and affections in heauen Vnto these are many fowle and horrible crimes obiected if they be any way opposite to their vnrighteousnes or vngodlines And herein they follow the Arians e Ruff. 1. 17. Theod. 1. 25. 27. 19. Soc. 2. 21. c. that blasphemed Athanasius Macarius c. which were enemies to their heresie and crueltie This is a good warrant to
vs to thinke that when the Popes doe curse Princes and their clients in their iudiciall proceedings and written bookes doe impute many impieties and euils to those that by the profession of the Gospell are their aduersaries these reproofes are but causeles reproaches blasphemies slaunders and lies So that still in them the diuell doth accuse the brethren as he did in the times of the heathen Emperors and Arian heretikes He doth also abuse the great authoritie which is giuen him to f cap. 13.7 Make warre with the saints namely both by persecutions when they doe submit themselues and by armes when they stand for their liues Herein following the heathen Emperors and g Theod. 2. 14. Soc. 2. 22. 23. 30. Eus 15. 1. Arian Princes whose image they be The seueritie of discipline which he hath found out is in cruell lawes of confiscation of life and goods To this purpose first h cap. 13.15 is giuen to him the Pope that false Prophet to giue life vnto the image of the beast the popish ecclesiasticall Monarchie in the hands of Bishops and popish Princes for vnto this time the Papacie was subiect to Princes and for their lewde conditions were so seuerely kept in awe that they were but dead hearted But henceforth they by the Popes meanes take vnto themselues stoute stomacks And by their stoutnes get power i cap. 13.15 that the image of the beast the popish Hierarchie should speake and make such lawes as vnder which both Prince and people should bee subiect Their first lawe is confiscation of life to k Ibid. cause that as many as would not worship the beast the popish ecclesiasticall Monarchie should be killed By this it appeareth that howsoeuer by any necessitie the Papists doe promise and sweare peace obedience and subiection to Princes or giue faith and safe conduct to others yet the resolution concluded vpon and drifted is when time and place shall serue after the example of l Curio lib. 1. Mahomet by all manner of meanes to kill Prince and people that are any impediment to their religion or tyrannie For this is a monster compounded of three such beasts as cannot be tamed by any arte of man Yea the manner of their killing is beastlike for as they fill their bellies gase on the rest and doe not suffer any thing of their pray to lye hid in the earth No more doth this popish beast suffer them that they haue slaine to be put in a cap. 11.9 graues nor any moniments but gase and stare vpon them exposing them to all men as an vnnaturall spectacle contrarie to the holy captaine Ioshuah b Iosh 8.29 and 10 27. who c Deut. 21.23 according to the lawe would not haue his enemies hang any longer than sunset and then cast heapes of stones vpon them for a memoriall The second lawe is confiscation of goods d cap. 13.17 that no man might buie or sell saue he that hath one of his three priuiledges which are these first The marke of the beast secondly The name of the beast thirdly The number of his name e Polychronicon lib. 4. cap. 25. Such kinde of lawes made the heathen persecutors against those Christians that refused their superstitions A marke or character doth signifie such signatures as men vse to brandon f Columella lib. 11. cap. 1. distinguish sortes of beasts from another or a mans owne from other mens * Geneb 〈◊〉 â—8 737. Such doe the Mahumetanes vse to set vpon men The Papists haue many sorts of them as crosses granae benedicta holy water chrisme and diuers other such superstitious signioles By many of them they distinguish as with a brand their faction from others Herein they follow the steps of the g Sozom. 7. 17 Arians whose image they be for they vsed secret markes in their letters when they seriously commended any to be receiued into communion amongst them Of this marke it is said particularlie that h cap. 13.16 he namely the Popish ecclesiasticall Hierarchie made all both small and great rich and poore free and bend to receiue a marke or character in their right hands or foreheads This is cleerely to be seene in the popish Church For first since their lawe of confirmation was made i Polyd. Inuen 5. 3. the Bishop with the Chrisme doth signe the partie in the forehead with the character of the crosse And secondly since they made their new office or sacerdotall thus they make their catechumine k Ordo faciendi Catechumenum The childe or partie is brought to the Church dores where the Priest maketh a crosse with his thumbe on the forehead of the childe saying Signum saluatoris domini nostri Iesu Christi in frontem tuam pono And at the fonte the Priest maketh the signe of the crosse in the right hand of the childe c. saying Trade tibi signaculum domini nostri Iesu Christi in manu tua dextra Yea so carefull are they this way that if any trauaile amongst them in his pasport they mention some marke of their face or hand c. as cum cicatrice in vola dextrae manus c. or some such like The word l Calepini in Nomen Name amongst the humane writers of the time in which Saint Iohn did write doth signifie glorie estimation a faction Then the phrase interpreted by the Gentiles whom this beast doth imitate doth signifie that none may buy or sell but such as will receiue glorie and estimation from him and be of his faction or make payment of money to him c. Specially by his Name are ment the Bulls and letters patents of the Popes which from this time especially begin with the Popes name Vnder the priueledge of the Popes Bull Turkes Iewes Mores c. may buy and sell though they doe not submit themselues to their superstitions by taking the marke of the beast The word Number among humane writers doth signifie diuerse orders states and degrees c. Then they may not buie c. That will not take any order in the popish Ecclesiasticall Monarchie Hitherto belong the orders of Knights Souldiers Friers c. with all these seuerall rankes of them that serue to aduance his greatnes Particularly it is said of his number a cap. 13.18 Let him that hath wit count the number of the beast for it is the number b Numerus hominis for numerus humanus an hebraisme of man peculiarly seruing to number men by and his number is sixe hundred sixtie sixe By this number 666. c Geneb p. 656 Genebrard d Reg in hunc locum and Nicolaâ—is Zegerus two Docters of the Church of Rome doe vnderstand the Militarie number of the ancient Romane Legion vnto which they say Saint Iohn doth allude to note that Antichrist here spoken of is a Legionarie Martial and bloudie king which doth establish his lawes not by preaching but by force and
armes This interpretation seemeth to bee most to the purpose For the Cohortes of the Romane legion were e Geneb p. 5. 59 called Numeri So were the f Exempla Plinij orders of Tribunes and the Leaders of a legion g Geneb p. 656 were 666. Namely h Vegetius Polybius c. 600. Decurians 60. Centurians and six Tribunes Yea there is none of the propositions which can bee made by the connexion of this word Number to any part of the sentence where it is mentioned in this prophecie but it may bee iustified by this interpretation For example to bee a souldier for the Pope is a priuiledge to buy and sell and maketh him capable of the greatest grace the Church of Rome can giue It is the number of man It is i cap. 15.2 a number ouer which the victorie may be got And as to be of a legion was peculiar to such as fought for Rome so now these souldiers are for the Church of Rome Lastly as a Vegetius lib. 2. cap. 19 in a Roman legion were schooles which required learned and wittie souldiers for the condition of the whole legion their seruices and Militarie numbers c. or paiements were more diligently written in actes then any other affaires so in poperie Let him that hath wit count the Militarie number of the beast for the seruices done for the honour and aduauncement of that policie are most carefully written vp euen in their Legend or catalogue of saints where none els doth come be he neuer so good Thus is the beast now in his pride furnished with hornes like the Lambe accounted the Vicar of Christ. He spaketh like the Dragon for terror blasphemie and doctrine of diuels he exerciseth the power of the first beast before him playing the part of an Emperor before his face admirable for deceitfull signes and lying miracles done by sorcerie and the power of the diuell Now doth he publish decrees capitall lawes and hath all priueledges of earth Purgatorie and Heauen to bestowe at his pleasure How fearefull then must be his thundrings and how bloodie his warres The Lambe who hitherto as opportunitie serued l cap. 6.2 c. warred against his enemies by the word the sworde famine pestilence c. doth still continue the same kinde of oppositions when it seemes good He also continueth to m cap. 9.13 c vexe the remnant for idolatrie murther theft fornication c. as in former times He further had vexed this Antichristian beast taking possession of the people and soyle by ciuill Princes in whom a cap. 10.3 c. he roared as a Lion as also by his two b cap. 11.3 c witnesses But now as the diuell hath aduanced the malice and greatnes of this beast so the Lambe Christ Iesus doth declare himselfe more mightie in his oppositions The ciuill Princes doe labour to keepe their authoritie and possession doe bring to light the truth of that which the thunders haue spoken deliuer the booke of the word of God to such poore Preachers as doe make a conscience of the same and are ready to suffer for it In the prophecie of discouering the truth of that which the confused and tumultuous thunders haue spoken c cap. 10.4 are these things to be considered First a desire of those of the spirit of Saint Iohn to record them as they were as he saith I was about to write them plainely for euery man to vnderstand Secondly the impediment that hindred the cleare deliuerie which was that all wise men and godly as by a voyce from heauen aduised by reason of the perils of the times to seale vp those things which the seuen thunders haue spoken truely reporting them but couered ouer with parables c. as Prophets doe the visions which are not to be vnderstoode of all Hereupon it is that the histories of these later times doe deliuer the trueth yet in such sort as very fewe can picke it out by them the face of the storie looking one way and the trueth another way Thirdly the Lord Iesus in the person of this Angell presenting the ciuill Magistracie d cap. 10.5.6 sweareth not by Idols nor supposed saints as the idolatrous beast doth but by him that liueth for euer and created all things that the time should neuer more be so perilous as then but that in the dayes of the seuenth Angell that conuerteth Kings to the gospell the mysterie of God in bringing Antichrist into the world shall be finished when it shall be as lawfull for men to preach and write the plaine trueth as euer it was declared by the seruants of God the Prophets As concerning the deliuerie of the booke of Gods word to Preachers first it is said that all godly men perceiuing a better course to consume Antichrist by than to write his storie plaine doe as e cap. 10 8. a voyce from heauen bid those of the spirit of Saint Iohn to leaue the huge volumes of Legends decrees and decretals c. and goe and take the booke of the Scriptures which is open in the Angels hand presenting the Magistracie though it be shut to all others Hereupon godly men which suffered tribulation as Saint Iohn did in Patmos doe by humble petition craue f cap. 10.9 that the Angell standing as proprietarie vpon the sea and earth gouerning people and countries would giue them the little booke of the word of God This petition is graunted but in this manner The Princes bid the Preachers g Ibid. take the booke the Bible and so studie it that they seeme to eate it vp Howbeit such are the times as yet they forewarne that the word though sweete in their mouthes as honey shall be bitter as gall in their bellies h Ezech. 2.8 3.1.14 Ier. 4.19 as to other Prophets For the word is sweete to speake and heare but when the wickednes of the times will not imbrace it but like Lions Panthers Beares c. bloodily persecute it the Preachers haue iust i cap. 11.3 cause to mourne in their bowels The two witnesses haue the courts giuen vnto them by the Angell that is are acknowledged to be the true visible church In those daies the Church is visible in the persecuted and called to preach there by the ciuill Magistrate A holy and sufficient calling in the time of these confusions Neither is it required that they haue the Canonicall admission of the popish Antichristian beast Then is the publike face of Christian religion iustly esteemed the courts of the house of God for their presence there in persecution and not for the soueraigntie of the popish Gentiles The testimonie of these witnesses is giuen a cap. 14.4 c. by innocencie of life and by preaching of their innocencie first it is saide These are they that are not defiled with women by whoredomes adulteries c. As are those which folow the popish beast but do
the glorified bodie of Christ Victor the second Anno 1054. p Bergom 11. in a Councell at Florence depriued many Bishops for Simonie and Fornication that is for receiuing spirituall preferments of laie men and for marriage And in a Councell the q Geneb p. 872 third time condemned Berengarius r Abb. Vrsp p. 21◠His Deacon poysoned him in the communion cuppe There was extreame famine Michael the Lambe auenging the persecution of the Gospell Stephanus the tenth ſ Geneb p. 872. Ann. 1057. reprooued the Emperour for abridging the Popes authoritie By his meanes t Volat. 22. f. 253. Anno 1058. the Church of Millaine is made subiect to Rome which it had not bin for 200. yeres before Benedictus the tenth u Berg. 12. was cast out by Hildebrand onely because hee was said not to come in by the dore but by gifts a Geneb p. 873 Hitherto the stories are darke henceforth by little and little they grow most cleare in appearance for poperie but indeed against it Ann. 1059. Nicolaus the second b Volat. 22. Fox Mart. p. 170. made Robertus Guiscardus to recieue the number of his name to bee tributarie and captaine generall of S. Peters lands to subdue by force of armes all that went from the obedience of the Church of Rome for the Pope is now a legionarie king He first made c Geneb p. 873. a solemne decree d D. 23. In nomine that thenceforth the Pope should be chosen by the Cardinals accursing them all as Antichristian which opposed themselues to this kinde of election e Geneb p. 939 But this decree tooke none effect till the time of Lucius the third Anno 1181 who was the first Pope so chosen By which is to bee seene that the Popes decrees tooke then no place when they were first made He also held a Councell against Berengarius and another against Simonie and fornication as his predecessor had done meaning such Priests as receiued spiritualties of laie men and had wiues Vnto f Paral. Vrsp p. 413. him wrote Hildericus Bishop of Ausburge a very graue man an excellent Epistle reproouing him for the forbidding of Priests marriage in which is auouched the testimonie of Paphnutius the martyr affirming marriage to bee honourable and that the vse of a mans owne wife is chastitie g Berg. 12. f. 180. a. Berengarius when he could not preuaile in his opinion of the sacrament gaue his goods to the poore and liued by the labour of his handes Ann. 1062. Alexander h Berg. 12. f. 181. b. the second as a Legionarie and Martiall king warred against the Pope whom the Emperour had placed at the request of some Italians And whē they had twice fought and much blood was shed on both sides the matter was compounded For now it is vsuall with the Popes which was sometimes the manner i Caesar bello Gal. 6. of the Druides to fight for the principalitie Certaine k Trith Hirs p. 71. 75. Bishops and others to the number of 7000. went for deuotion to Ierusalem whereof scarce 2000. returned This Pope l p. 91. was earnest against that which they called Simonie Wherefore hee sent for certaine Bishops to Rome whereof one so pleased the Pope with bribes that he returned honored with an Archbishops Pall whereby it appeareth the Pope was angrie against Simonie by others because hee was willing to haue all the bribes himselfe And as it seemeth for this cause would wrest the inuestiture of Bishops out of the Emperours hands and the gift of spiritualties from laie men The Saxons and Sueues m Abb. Vrsp p. 219. 220. 221. Oth. Fris Chro. 6.34 Cran. M. lib. 5. cap. 20. p. 333. both laie Princes and Bishops breed emotions against the Emperour and bring blasphemous and incredible complaints against him to the Pope and draw the Pope to their faction The Emperour by his Embassadours whom he sent for iustice to Rome against his seditious subiects receiueth letters commanding him to make satisfaction for Simonie c. And presently the Saxons breake forth in open rebellion The n Geneb p. 878 877. Turkes get in a manner all Asia This Pope continued the opposition of his predecessors against Berengarius and the gift of spirituall dignities by laie men and was so earnest against married Priests that o Fasc Temp. f. 73. b. d. 32. praetex hoc he required none to be present at their Masse vnder paine of excommunication There p Berg 12. f. 181 b. 182. a. was a horrible famine and lamentable pestilence q The order of monkes of Vallis Vmbrosa began of a lying miracle that the crucifixe bowed the head contrarie to the rule of the scripture which sheweth idols to r cap. 9.20 Ann. 1073. be vnsensible The first Thunder GRegorius the seauenth who a Abb. Vrsp p. 221. was called before Hildebrand was chosen onely by the Romanes without the Emperours consent b Oth. Fris 6. 34 36. Whereupon grew a most grieuous schisme and most violent stormes in the common wealth and Church to the danger of bodie and soule like the darknesse of Egypt For the Pope c Mass 16. p. 223. as a most valiant champion sent word to the Emperour Henricus the fourth that if hee would confirme him in his papacie hee would resist the errors of the Emperour For so he called the bestowing of spiritualities by a laie man But when the Emperour would not yeild to the Pope Gregorie in a Councel at Rome d 1. Tim. 4.1 c. giuing heed to spirits of errors and doctrines of diuels e Trith Hirs p. 92. forbiddeth the Clergie Bishops Priests or Deacons to marrie vnder the paine of the great curse c. and f Mat. Paris p. 8. by a new example and as many thinke inconsiderate against the sentence of holy fathers forbiddeth laie men to heare the Masse of him that was married For g Poly. Jnuen 5. 4. the lawes made before against the marriage of Priests tooke none effect amongst the Priests of the West till the time of Gregorie the seauenth He h De cons d. 5. Quia dies ibidem carnem also forbad all faithfull men to eate flesh on Saturdaies and commanded all monkes altogether to abstaine from flesh i Crant Met. 5. 20. In this Councel was the Emperour accused of Simonie was called to his answer k Frising de gestis Trid. 1. 1 But he appeared not beeing detained by many seditions and rebellions and warres of the Hungarians Saxons c. which were partly stirred by Pope Alexanders faction yet when al the breadth of the Empire was filthily wasted with sword and fire the Pope excommunicated him as forlorne and forsaken of his meanes The l ibid. Chro. 5. 35. Emperor was exceedingly mooued with this new proceeding not knowing before this time any such sentence to haue beene promulged
who k Trith Hirs p. 108. fighteth with Hermanus whom the rebels had set vp by the Popes commaundement where very much blood was shed and the Emperour continueth his opposition against the Pope by his Antipope Basilius a Monke l Geneb p. 889. reneweth the doctrine of Berengarius m Platina This Pope was poysoned by his Deacon in his chalice and dyed of a flixe Vrbanus n Geneb p. 891. the second in a Councell at Rome Anno 1088. altogether tooke the inuestitute of Churches from the Layitie and o Trith Hirs p. 119. denounced the Emperour an heretike Simoniake Nicholaitane disobedient and rebellious to his holy mother the Church by p 118. his letters perswaded Conradus the Emperors sonne to rebell against his Father and to take vnto himselfe the Empire Wherefore the Pope consecrated him as King and caused him to raigne in Italie and Lombardie against his Father In q Frising 7.2 Vrsp p. 229. Luk. 21.10.11 Matth. 24.7 those dayes according to the prophecie in the gospell euery where Nation did rise against nation and kingdome against kingdome There were great earthquakes in diuers places and famine and pestilence and fearefull things and great signes in heauen c. While these fearefull and prodigious signes appeared Alexius the Emperor of Constantinople by his letters importuned the Pope for aide against the Saracens There r Trith Hirs p. 120. was also one Petrus Eremita who moued in a manner all the world carrying with him a little paper which he said fell from heauen in which was contained that all Christendome should goe to Ierusalem and possesse it with the confines thereof for euer Å¿ Abb. Vrsp p. 230. The Pope calleth a Councell and most eloquently perswadeth the people of many nations and tongues blasphemously promising forgiuenesse of sinnes to all that would leaue all and goe into the holy land against the Saracens and decreed that euery one that went should receiue a character of the crosse and weare it vpon his hat or garment By the meanes of the Pope and the Eremite an incredible armie of all sortes of people and languages were assembled t Frisin Chr. 7.6 Vrs p. 231. The Pope taketh no small troupes of this expedition into Italy with him where by their helpe and by bribes he expelled the Antipope u Trith Hirs p. 120. The rest vnder the leading of Godfredus c. went through Panonia A * Vrsp p. 231. huge multitude and these Babel-like whereof one vnderstoode not anothers speech among whom were many women virgins and Nunnes in mans apparel and armor with whom the men priests and Monkes committed filthie fornication so prouoking the wrath of the iust iudge Iesus Christ that a great part of them were slaine in Panonia notwithstanding the Popes pardons a Geneb p. 892. This Pope cursed the King of Galicia and in France excommunicated such which were preferred to Ecclesiasticall dignities by lay men This Peter the Eremite a false prophet first taught b Pag. 885. the manner to pray with beades For now c Poly. Jn. 5. 7. men began to count and reckon their prayers as if God were in our debt for often begging of him At this time d Volat. 21. p. 244. â— began the Knights of the number or order of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem who repeated by the helpe of their beades the Lords prayer a certaine number of times for their canonicall houres They grew to be of most filthy and prodigious conuersation Paschalis the second e Trith p. 128. couragiously deliuered the Church of Rome from supposed tyrannie To finish f Mass 16. p. 226. this schisme Anno 1100. as a martiall and legionarie King he brought forth an army against Guibertus the antipope a decrepit man who not long after died of a feuer when he had in opposition suruiued three Popes and g Vrsp p. 237. is reported to haue been a man wise eloquent noble and a very reuerend personage h Trith Hirs p. 128. And because his fauorites did testifie that certaine diuine lights were seene at his graue the Pope like a beast that suffereth them not to be put in graues whom he hath slaine commaunded him to be digged vp and cast into Tybur After i Geneb 904. his death was elected another Antipope c. whom k Vrsp p. 241. the Emperor thought in his intended voyage to Rome to place But Paschalis in a great Synod at Rome condemned as heretikes the present disturbers of the Pope and such as despised his curse The Clergie promiseth obedience to the Pope and his successors and to affirme or deny that which the vniuersall Church meaning the Pope doth affirme or deny And the Emperor is deliuered vp to a perpetuall curse The l Fris 7. 8. Emperor appointeth his sonne Henry his successor who was consecrated by the Pope in Rome He also inuaded Saxony that held with the Pope against him But in m Trith p. 131. this expedition his sonne stole out of his campe was absolued by the Popes Legate and by the counsell of certaine Princes and all the Bishops and Abbots of Saxony began to dispose of the Empire and rebelleth against his father In a n Crant M. 5. 36. 31. 33. Synode vnder a pretence of religion condemneth his fathers doings and so pursueth his father o Frism 7.9 When the armies were in the field there was amongst many great lamentation for the vnnaturall warres Now was fulfilled that of Saint Paul p 2. Tim. 2.3 In the last dayes shall be perrilous times For men seeking their owne and not that which is Christs shall be louers of themselues c. disobedient to parents without naturall affection c. Others tooke the crosse left the field and went to Ierusalem At this time were horrible signes earthquakes and mortalities q Vrsp p. 246. 247. Geneb p. 898. At Mogunce the Emperor and his sonne deliberate of peace where the Popes Legate reuiued the denunciation of the Popes excommunication against the Emperor r Gobel ae 6. 55. p 218. and the Emperor while he suspected nothing was imprisoned by his sonne The Bishops of Mogunce Colen and Wormacia for the image of the beast haue life put into them by the Pope take from the Emperor his ornaments and gaue them to his sonne The Å¿ Trith p. 135. 136. Emperor in vaine offered all subiection but was referred ouer to the Pope and t Frisin 7.12 in vaine bemoned himselfe to Princes but in this disgrace did finish his dayes being a mercifull Prince and giuing much almes Against whom nothing is truely obiected but his standing for the right of the Empire and mariage of the Clergie other things seeme to be blasphemies u Trith Hirs p. 143. Sigebertus a Monke wrote vnto him against those that reproched the masses of married priests * Trith p. 136. Frisin 7.11 See Frism Chr. 7.
in Prologo Whether this his deposition and these contentions against him were lawfull or vnlawfull both historians and Schoolemen of this time doe doubt For they seale vp the things which the seauen thunders haue spoken a Geneb p. 901. Fluentius Archbishop of Florence said that Antichrist was borne And this was the end of the first thunder in which the Popes haue their hornes exalted The second Thunder HEnricus the fifth b Vrsp p. 247. 251. vpon his fathers death Anno 1107. was euery where acknowledged for Emperor The Pope Paschalis and his fauourites triumphed for the death of the Emperour with incredible ioy as did the Israelites when Pharaoh was drowned and the Iewes when Aman was hanged Now were the Bishops that were ordained by the Emperour cast out of their graues others that liued could not obtaine absolution till they digged the Emperour out of his graue and remoued him to some place not consecrated Whereupon the Emperour lay vnburied fiue yeeres Furthermore the c 252. Jbid. 253. Pope was comming vnto Germany but perceiuing that nation not willing to receiue his decree that it is vnlawful to receiue Ecclesiastical preferments of a lay mans hand turned himselfe into France where he held a Councell Thither the Emperor sent chalenging the right of the Empire in inuesting Ecclesiasticall persons graunted to Carolus Magnus But the Pope d Trith p. 137. there decreed that none should receiue any Ecclesiastical preferment of a lay man till the question were decided in a generall Councell The Emperor in his bed was frighted with lightning c. that strooke nailes out of his target and burnt off his swords point an euil presage When the e Fris 7.13.14 Emperour had quieted his countries in Germany he taketh his voyage to Rome there to be crowned in Italy Hauing done many things valiantly subduing many rebels c. f Vrsp p. 254. 255. In the way there met him the Popes Legates shewing him that the Pope was ready to crowne him if hee would assent to the Pope forbidding lay men to inuest any of the Clergie The Emperour consented if it might bâ—â—â—tified by the Church and ciuill Princes Wherefore comming to Rome the Pope entertaineth him in great pompe At g Mass 16. p. 226. Trith p. 139. Gobel 6.58 p. 221. S. Peters Church while they were in Councell about matters of the Church and Empire arose a great tumult by the faction of the Romanes in which many were slaine The Emperour getting the victorie the souldiers and Bishops that fauoured the Emperour captiued the Pope and Clergy stripped theÌ„ naked that they left them no breeches but only to the Cardinalls and Bishops carried them out of Rome and h Crantz Met. 5. 36. threatned to kill them except they subscribed to the Emperour For the i Mat. Paris p. 62. Emperour would hold his right as his ancestors had done 300. yeares vnder 60. Popes By the many teares of such as were in danger the Pope yeelded to the Emperour Hereupon k VVigorn ad a. 1111. p. 654. c. the Emperour tooke an oath he would deliuer the Pope and the Pope with the Cardinalles and Bishops sware to bee no more troublesome to the Empire for the matter of inuesting the Clergie which also the Pope confirmed by his Bull of priuiledge At l Trith p. 139. Visp p. 25 5. last they returne to Rome and the Romans being pacified the Emperor is consecrated and anointed .. Which done the Emperour giuing bountifully to the Pope and Clergie is honorably attended through Italie to the Alpes whence he came happily into Germany interred his father and a Frising 7.15 was terrible to all his enemies who laboured to bee reconciled to him About b Geneb p. 903 this time Princes in all places challenged the declaring of Bishops When c Visp p. 255. 256. the Emperour was gone out of Italie with his armie Paschalis endured many indignities of the Church of Rome for crowning the Emperor and for the priuiledge which he gaue him Wherefore in a Councel hee purged himselfe consented to the degrees of his predecessors Gregorius 7. Vrbanus 2 as they had done excommunicated the Emperor and retracted the priuiledge formerly giuen Hereupon arise many mutinies and seditions d Fris 7.15 The Pâ—inces at the Emperours mariage conspire openly against him whereupon the Empire is againe torne asunder most miserably by seditions rebellions murthers theftes horrible wast of townes fields abbies c. e Vrsp. p. 257. 260. 261. Those which were killed of the Emperors side were interdicted the communion of buriall and many preached abroade that the Emperor was excommunicated There were also fearefull Thunders and signes The * 261. Emperor sendeth to the Pope certaine satisfactory Legates but preuailed not the Pope answering that he had not excommunicated him but whereas others had done it he could not absolue him without their consent And f Trith p. 140. whereupon the Emperor ioyning battell with the Princes fought twice and at last the Saxons triumphed ouer him gloriously and slew his souldiers so that himselfe did hardly escape with his life g Cranz â— 6.7 The Saxons in triumph set vp a statue a man armed whom the foolish multitude worshipped The Saxons ioyne with the Archbishop of Mogunce who raged against the Emperor with both swords For he was the Popes Legate Whereupon the enemies encreasing the Emperor left his enemies and went into Italy where he did much trouble his enemies and set vp an Antipope Gelasius the second h Mas 16. p. 126. being in chusing Anno 1118. then brake in certaine Romanes and trode out the Popes bloud and beate the Cardinals with fists and cudgels But this Pope c. was deliuered from this danger The i Gob. ae 6 5â— Emperor being at Padua hasted to the Popes election but the Pope the next day withdrew himselfe from the communion of the Emperor and departed The Emperors souldiers that could not catch the Pope shot arrowes after him and the Emperor setteth vp one Mauricius an Antipope and departed Which when Gelasius knew he excommunicated the Emperor and the Antipope But the Emperor returning into Germany maketh peace with the Princes The k Geneb p 906. King of the Arabians in Spaine suffered no Christians amongst his people but compelled them to deny their saith or to become martyres Calixtus l Geneb p. 906. the second chosen in France Anno 1119. m Mas 16.227 refused to receiue the seate till he were elected by the Cardinals at Rome All n Geneb p. 907. warred vnder him to keepe Ierusalem from the Saracens The o Volat. 21. f. 244. a. Templers a number or order of souldiers or Knights began at Ierusalem Their vow was to defend Pilgrims that went to visit the sepulchre from robbers and spoylers and also to fight for the Christian religion They grew to be
of God Lethâ—rius l Trith p. 164. was againe called into Italie by the Pope against Rogerius the Prince of Apulia m Peucerus c. 35â— who had entred vpon the Church goods him Lotharius subdued and confiscated and increased the riches and dignitie of the Pope Lotharius n Vrsp p. 279. 280. beeing dead in his returne Conradus the third succeeded who was troubled with rebels by meanes of the king of Sicilia and other Princes Ann. 1144. Calestinus o Geneb p. 9â—â— Ann. 1149. the second was the first that was chosen without the voices of the people by a law made by Innocentius the second by which the people were excluded from the election Lucius the second * Geneb p. 919 920. a warriour against the Saraceus for Ierusalem and held a Councel against Abellardus * Trith p. 170. In these times was so great famine pestilence and mortalitie as was incredible to all posterities a cap. 11.6.7 For these witnesses haue power to shut heauen that it raine not in the daies of their prophecie c. to smite the earth with all manner of plagues as oft as they will Stella said he was Christ p Geneb p. 920. Mass 16.230 Eugenius the third the scholler of Bernard Ann. 1145. hee was driuen out of Rome by the Consuls c. Hee q Frisin g. Fri. â—6 caused Bernard to preach the crosse to mooue the Christians to send aide against the Saracens * Geneb who had taken Edessa and Ierusalem â—illed the Bishops and many thousands of Christians and committed many vnspeakable cruelties Whereupon r Vrsp p. 280. Conrade the Emperour and Ludouicus the French king went to the holy land with a great armie but t Massaeus 16. p. 230. did little good for their u Geneb p. 922 armies came to miserable destruction by reason of the deceipt of the Legate of the Emperour of Constantinople a Gobel ae 6.59 who mixed lime with their meale of which they should make their bread a Trith p. 170. The greater part of the armie perished by famine pestilence and sword filling the Pagans countrie with the spoiles and armie of the Romane expedition feeling the smart of the second wee from Euphrates In his time b Frisin gest Fri. 1. 46. 50. c. was very much contentioÌ„ among the diuines about the opinions of Gilbertus Poretanus a Bishop against whom was opposed S. Bernard This c Geneb p. 920 Bernard wrot a booke to this Pope De consideratione containing many imputations of Antichristianitie to the Bishops c. of his time proouing the Pope in his pompe to bee rather the successor of Constantine than Peter Though d Peuc 4 p. 357. his writings doe containe many superstitious opinions yet hee taught e Bernard de annuntiat ser 1. men to be iustified by the onely mercie of God through faith in Christ and so interpreteth S. Paul And that good works doe not merit eternall life but that it is freely giuen c. He also prooueth that where S. Paul did speake of the doctrine f 1. Tim. 4.3 of diuels in forbidding marriage and meates to be eaten that g In Cant. ser 63. prophecie was fulfilled in the votarie Priests of his time and their hypocriticall fasts Til h Peuc 4. p. 356. this time Monasteries were schooles of learning but now they became places of idlenesse and superstition and of maintaining the pride of Rome i Geneb p. 923 One in the South did preach that he was the forerunner or messenger of Christ presently to come Ann. 1153. Anastasius the fourth k Geneb p. 925 926. the politicians of France spoiled both Churches and Monasteries At this time were certaine which taught against the Church of Rome which were called or blasphemed as hereticks Publicani who some called Cathari l Trith p. 193. 194. some Patrini As also the heresie called Cardensis of the body and blood of the Lord l Trith p. 193. 194. of this opinion were disputors terrible to the learnedst They were of the opinion of Tauchelinus It seemeth at this time that the Waldenses sprung vp The person whose name they were called by was one m Fox Marty p. 233. c. Trith Hirs p. 188. Waldus a rich Citisen of Lyons who vpon a fearefull sight of the iudgement of God gaue all to the poore and professed euangelicall pouertie stirred vp himselfe and others to translate bookes of the Scripture into their mother tongue They taught that nothing is to be preached but Scripture That God onely is to be feared and no idols There is but one mediator The Temple of God is the whole world c. That n Geneb p. 938. prayer for the dead and the fire of purgatory is the inuention of couetous Priests Against images confirmation auricular confession c. o Fasc Temp. f. 77. b. These being admonished to leaue preaching answered it is more meete to obey God then man and despised the Prelats and Clergie They were spread abroade vpon a suddaine into Lombardy Boemia France and England c. p Fox Marty p. 204. Gerardus and Dulciuus with thirtie others as it seemeth of those Waldenses came into England and preached against the Church of Rome declaring it to be Babylon spoken of in the ReuelatioÌ„ Thus q cap. 14.6 an Angel flyeth through the middest of heauen hauing an euerlasting Gospel to preach saying c. Feare God and worship him that made heauen and earth c. Vnto r Trith p. 177. 178. this Pope Anastasius Hildegrade a Nonne sent answere to his letters instructing him in his life prophecying of the schisme which followed and thus foreshewed of Rome And thou O Rome saith she lying as it were in the extreamest point shalt be troubled so that the strength of thy feete vpon which thou hast stoode shall languish because thou louest the Kings daughter iustice not with feruent loue but as it were in the slouth of sleepe so that thou dost expell her from thee wherefore she will also flie from thee c. In his time was Fridericus made Emperor Adrianus a Rob. Barnes the fourth would not be consecrated Anno 1154. till Arnoldus the Bishop of Brixia whom he held for an heretike were expelled Rome c. In b Trith p. 184. his time the followers of the Church of Rome moued by the example of the ciuill law and learning of such as they called heretikes contriued the popish learning Wherefore c Geneb p. 932. 933. 934. three bastard brethren wrote three great bookes Petrus Lombardus brought in schoole diuinitie the better to confute the Grecians Aballardus Petro-bussians Gilbertus Porretanus c. This Petera Lombard affirmeth d Lib. 3. d. 19. that one way of iustification is by faith in the death of Christ as they that looked on the brasen serpent were healed
of the bitings of fierie serpents And that when the Lord said to e Lib. 4. d. 19. Peter To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen the other Apostles had the same iudiciall power yea all the Church hath it in the Bishops and Ministers c. He f Gorich in M. gram articulis then held and taught many things which the papists afterwards did not hold as that charitie whereby we loue God and man is the holy Ghost because it is said God is charitie c. Such agreement there is among them Petrus Comester wrote the scholasticall historie and Gratian the Rhapsodist digested the decrees and presented his booke to be confirmed by the Pope All g Peucer 4. p. 363. c. deuised of purpose to magnifie the Church of Rome c. The third Thunder FRidericus a Crantz Met. 6.35 the Emperor holding an assemblie of the Princes and roaring as a Lyon caused them to sweare to ioyne with him in an expedition into Italy especially that he might tame Lombardy that rebelled which without question belonged to the Empire b Trith Hirs p. 182. And gat promise that if the Archbishop of Mogunce should die they should chuse no other without his consent c Crant M. 6. 1. For the Emperour thought to recouer the right of the Empire of inuesting Bishops which Henry the fourth and fifth did striue for In d Rob. Barus Italy he subdued many enemies valiantly and seuerely and deriding the insolencie of the Romanes by e Crant M. â— 35. his approach was so terrible to the Pope that the Pope fled But being reconciled by messengers the f Rob. Barnes Pope and Emperor meete the Emperor holding the Popes left stirrop as he lighted For which though it were the first stirrop that euer be held he being reproued mendeth that fault the next time The Pope requireth the kingdome of Apulia for the crowning of the Emperor which being deferred they goe to Rome and g Fris g. Fr. lib. 2. cap. 22. there the Emperor is crowned h Gobel at 6. cap. 60. At which time one saying that the Empire is aboue the Papacie was presented to the Pope and burned and his ashes cast out a Frith p. 183. Crant 6.35 Gobel at 6. cap. 60. At Rome the Emperor saw vpon a wall the picture of Innocent the second in his pontificals giuing Lotharius the Emperor that humbly kneeled before him the crowne of the Empire which much displeased the Emperor When he was gone the Pope wrote to him in a letter that he did not repent for the benefit which he had bestowed viz. the crowne which displeased the Emperor so as that he openly said he acknowledged not any benefit giuen him by the Pope his Empire he had of God and the Electors c. b Rob. Barnâ—c The Lombards rebell againe whom while the Emperor attempted to subdue the Italians by a great summe of mony induced the Pope to excommunicate the Emperor but before he could doe it he died c Peucer p. 440. Vrsp p. 2. Anno 1156. being strangled with a flie as he was drinking Alexander the third d Vrsp p. 290. was chosen by the greater part of the Cardinals but a while refused the seate Wherefore Victor a man very â—â—â—â—gious and approued good humble and curteous who had been chosen by nine Cardinals was inthronised But after Alexander tooke the place This was the cause of a great schisme for which the Emperor taking compassion of the people at Papia called both the elected Popes not to iudge their cause but to satisfie himselfe whom hee should acknowledge e Platina Alexander refused to come and excommunicated Victor and the Emperor who fauored him And finding many enemies at Rome went to France f Geneb p. 931. where the Kings of England and France waited before him as vshers on foote g Trith p. 192. At the request of the French King the Emperor holdeth a Councell for the vnitie of the Church But Alexander would neither come thither nor permit the French King to come h Pag. 193. 194. At this time were three very sharpe disputers Arnoldus Marsilius and Theodoricus which maintained that the prelates of their time were deceiuers of soules and snares of the diuel they were named Cathari but were of the opinion of Tanchelinus eight men and two women of that opinion were burned This doctrine spread in Boem Alsatia and Thuringia and continued long There were also of the same opinion called Cardenses of the place where they liued The Pope in France doth labour to vnite other stations against the Emperor He was frighted from his Masse with fearefull darkenes and thunder returneth into Italy and breedeth new troubles i Pag. 202. While the Emperor intended to pursue the Pope and his adherents rebels in Italy with words writing and armies k Rob. Barnes he is sollicited by his Confessor to diuert his forces against the Turkes where by the Popes treason sending to the Soldan the Emperors picture with letters the Emperor while he went to wash himselfe in a riuer is apprehended and carried to the Soldan The Emperor returning discouereth to the Princes and pursueth in Italy the Popes treason a Penc 4. p. 367 In Italy now by the reading of the ciuill law reuiued by Letharius and canon law c. digested by the followers of the Popes b Geneb p. 931. the people were diuided Some were called Gibellines and stoode for the Emperor other were Guelphes and tooke part with the Pope c Trith p. 192. They of Pisa and Brixia tooke their oth to the Emperor d Berg. 12.1 Volat. 22. c. Peuc 4. p. 442. c. The Pope for feare flieth in the habit of his Cooke to Venice Whom Otho the Emperors sonne pursued to sea where beeing ouer forward to fight he was taken by the Venetians beeing brought in triumph into the citie the Pope taketh a gold ring and casteth it into the sea to espouse the sea vnto him by a rite meerely heathen and did institute that his successors should yearely doe the same which custome is yet kept The Emperour partly wearie of warres and taking compassion of Italie so rent with dissention and of the East that was ouerrunne by Saladiâ—â— and of his sonne inclined to seeke reconciliation At Venice the Pope aâ— Saint Markes trode on the Emperours necke caused the Quire to sing super aspidem basiâ—scuÌ„ ambulabis as Iustinian the tyrant had done before at Constantinople When the Emperour answered Not to thee but to Peter the Pope replied both to me and Peter So was reconciliation made e Geneb p. 932 936. Alexander in whose time all the world of Christians was hurled together by the confusion of warre hauing subdued the Emperour holdeth a Councel In which hee condemneth the Waldenses Publicani Cathari Cardenses f Mat. Paris p. 132.
in his warres which were many because of the Popes excommunication And m Vrsp p. 308. the Princes and Barones taught by the diuell cared not to breake their oath nor violate their faith but confounded all iustice taking part sometimes with Philip sometimes with Otho By n 307. the meanes of this contention the Pope made all Ecclesiasticall dignities litigious and brought them to Rome Whereupon Vrspergensis exclaimeth Reioyce our mother Rome because the sluces of all treasures are opened that whole riuers of money may runne to thee Reioyce for the wickednes of men because for the recompence of so great euils some price is paide to thee Insult for discord thy helper which came from hell to helpe thee to money by great heapes Thou hast that which thou hast thirsted for Sing this song that by wickednesse and not by religion thou hast ouercome the world Men come not to thee for deuotion and conscience but for the committing of villanies and for decision of contentions bought out with money of thee The begging Friers beganne the wicked order of which Ioachim prophecied before The first thing that the Friers did labour for was to magnifie their faction a Ex Mat. Paris p. 910. Gobelaet 6. cap. 63. Fox Mart. p. 326. To which purpose they wrote a very detestable and blasphemous booke containing the most abhominable heresies of these new sprung vp friers Nowe because the Gospel which the scripture calleth b cap. 14.6 Eternall was commonly preached to the hazzard of the papacie these called their booke The eternall Gospell and the Gospell of the holy Ghost This they said excelled that written by the foure Euangelists so much as the kernell passeth the shell and as light excelleth darkenes And therefore taught N.B. that within threescore yeares vz. 1260. the Gospel written by the foure Euangelists should cense and bee abolished and theirs should steppe vp instead thereof and continue for euer c Sibrandus Lâ—b d. Christ â—og 2. cap. 7. This booke the Friers commended to the Pope to bee canonized who esteemed it much For from hence the Popes doe continue many wicked prankes to weaken if not to abolish the authority of the Scriptures This deuice of forging a newe Gospel the Friers borrowed of their fathers the d Epiph. haeres 26. p. 27. Gnosticks It seemeth hitherto that the cup in the supper was not taken quite from the laitie * Trith p. 215. For Innocentius the third enioyning certaine knights and their seruants penance for killing the Bishop of Herbipolis saith thus They shall not presume to take the bodie and blood of the Lord but at the point of death e 215. 216. Philip putting Otho stil to the worst the Princes grew wearie of warre and sought for peace and notwithstanding the Popes excommunications are reconciled to Philip crown him againe and f 219. with the Popes Legates treate of peace and compounding the state of the Empire g Vrsp p. 310. The Pope to whom all is referred consenteth to peace vpon promise that his nephew should marry the Emperor Philips daughter And Otho likewise vpon the like condition h Pag. 309. At the same time one Fulco preached in France and moued many to take the crosse and fight in the holy land Whereupon two Earles came with their armies to the Pope who sent one of them against his owne enemies in Campania the other went as towards Ierusalem in the way the Venetians spoyle a certaine citie called Satira After the armie went to Constantinople beat a part of the citie entred and tooke many spoyles and reliques of Saints He that readeth iudge if it were not theft and if the Pope can excuse that rapine by the Isralites robbing the Egyptians i Trith p. 219. After the capitulations were made for the quiet of the Empire Philip went to pursue some rebels in Saxony and as he rested in his chamber hauing opened a veyne he was murthered by Otho Palatinus because he did not worship the beast And so was ended this fourth Thunder The fifth Thunder Anno 1208. VPon a Trith p. 219. 220. the death of Philip the Emperor was Otho chosen with one consent of all the Princes The Pope hearing thereof and that he had maried his neere kinswoman liked it and by Legates confirmed it Wherefore Otho going into Italy is honorably receiued by the Princes and Pope and is crowned At this time the Franciscan Friers began There were also great heates fearefull thundrings and lightnings And b Crant 7. 35. now while the Pope did chalenge Apulia c. to belong to the Church of Rome and the Emperor thought not there arise dissentions betweene them c Vrsp p. 313. so that the Pope pronounceth him contumacious excommunicated him and so hee was euery where denounced Whereupon the Princes elect Fridericus the sonne of Henricus the sixt Emperor as an euill diuell in Israel which election the Pope confirmeth and Fridericke is garded through Italy by the Princes of Italy In d Mass 17. p. 235. Narbâ—na 140. and at Paris 24. would rather be burned as heretikes then recant their opinions e Amicon d. 5. Sarma c. 1. 2. In 1211. appeared a great comet the yeere following the nation of the Tartarians The fourth Angel about Euphrates came out of their seates into our world f Haiton c. 16. through the Caspian sea which gaue them way miraculously as an Angel had directed them g Trith p. 221. Otho the Emperor succeeded prosperously in his warres of Apulia Calabria Wherefore h Vrsp p. 314. the Pope sent fiue times to him in short space for peace but the Emperor despising the Popes commaundements could not be stirred but that he would roote out Fridericus and be reuenged of the French King for the wrongs he had done to England Hereupon the Pope tooke courage i Pag. 317. and resolued vpon two things to recouer the holy land from the Saracens and to reforme the Church against heretikes and such as impugned the liberties thereof And so required k Trith p. 221. the Archbishop of Mogunce to declare the Emperor excommunicate and deposed The Princes that fauored Otho spoyled the cities religious houses and Churches of the diocesse of Mogunce and Otho returning into Germany subdued many rebels l Geneb pag. 957. 958. The Albingenses in the parts of Tholosa in France maintained many doctrines against the Church of Rome as against prayers to the virgine Mary c. Against whom the French both Clergie and Laytie did contend and fight with doubtfull successe almost for the space of twelue yeeres m Trith p. 221. But now the Pope preacheth the crosse and absolution from all sinnes in Austria Saxony Westphalia Phrisia and all Germany to assist his Captaine against them For the King of Arragon and diuers Earles c. tooke their parts Hereby the Albingenses were put to the worst n
Missae 17. p. 235. foure hundred of them were burned fourescore beheaded their chiefe Prince Aimericus was hanged and his Lady was cast in a pit and stones vpon her The o Trith p. 222. Pope bringeth forth Fridericus and opposeth him openly to Otho the Emperor because he labored not for absolution and peace commaunded the Princes to chuse Fridericus and to cleaue vnto him which they did The Pope also sent his a Abb. Vrsp p. 314. 315. letters to the Clergie and Princes for ayde against the Saracens in the holy land His chiefe argument to perswade by was this The Saracens from the time of Gregorius the first when they began haue continued 666. yeeres almost which time according to the b cap. 13. vlt. ReuelatioÌ„ they should certainly be rooted out So foolishly did this false Prophet vnderstand that place c Vrsp p. 319. Betweene Otho and Fridericus were warres and Otho because his friends forsooke him was constrained to giue ground awhile Fridericus pursued him and vexed his fauorites yet did Otho gather vp himselfe to fight both with Fridericus and the French King But by the French King he was put to the worse Anno 1214. d Trith Hirs p. 223. Conradus de Marpurge was by the Apostolike sea made Generall inquisitor for heresies This Dominican Frier continued nineteene yeeres and caused many to be burned as heretikes no man forbidding him For the beast hath power giuen vnto him to do what he list Aâ—no 1215. The e Geneb p. 955. Pope also held the Lateran Councell at Rome maketh the fiue bookes of Decretals consisting for the most part of the decrees of this Councell and epistles of this Pope In this volume are diuers things for the aduancement of the Church of Rome in authoritie and doctrine For the woman sitteth on the scarlet coloured beast As f 5. Decret tit 33. cap. 23. the Church of Rome hath the principalitie of ordinarie power aboue all other Churches as the Mother and Mistris of all faithfull people for she saith in her heart I sit a Queene and am no Widow g 1. Decr. tit 7. cap. 23. That the authoritie of the Pope is as the authoritie of God For he exalteth himselfe c. shewing himselfe that he is God h 3. Decr. tit 41. cap. 6. He brought transubstantiation into the Sacrament and decreed that the words in the Canon of the Masse are to bee beleeued as the holy euangelists Thus he blasphemeth the tabernacle of God i 1. Decr. tit 6. cap. 34. He decreeth that it is in the Popes power to approue that Emperour which he thinketh worthie and to reiect him whom he thinketh vnworthie They are there also made heretikes k 5. Decr. tit 7. de haresibus that teach or thinke any other thing then the Church of Rome doth teach and obserue and so maketh the Church of Rome a right Cataphrygian And generally whom so euer the Church of Rome or popish Clergie shall so iudge Such may not be suffered to haue house substance fauour reliefe counsell credit nor may buy or sell nor liue And when they be dead they deale with them l Eus 5. 1. Theod. 4. 22. 2. 14. Soc. 2. 23. as the heathen Emperors and bloody Arians did with the Christians and Catholikes for they will not suffer them to be put in graues or Monuments So that his tyrannie is worse then that of m Eus 10. Licinius Yea he also decreed n 3. Decr. tit 28. cap. 12. that the bones of excommunicated persons if they may be discerned should be cast out of their graues from Christian communion He also giueth the lands and goods of such as he calleth heretikes their fauorers or complices c. to such papists as can get them And that this beast might appeare to be the image of the Dragon the heathen Empire of whom it is said o cap. 12. 4. He stoode before the woman c. to deuoure her childe when she had brought it forth p 5. Decr. tit 7. it was decreed that the beleeuers receiuers defenders and fauorers of such whom they called heretikes should likewise be excommunicated This kinde of excommunication was taken from the q Caesar bell Gallico lib. 6. Druides For such as stoode not to their decree were interdicted from sacrifices and hereupon accounted amongst the wicked All flie their company and speech they receiue no benefit of law nor are admitted to honors r 5. Decr. tit 6. cap. 7. 8. But Saracens and Iewes may haue houses and synagogs and exercise marchandise by the Popes warrant In this Councell a 1. D.T. 31. c. 14. See N. D. Warneword was decreed that where were people of diuers rites and languages the Bishops should prouide them fit men which should celebrate diuine seruice and minister the Sacraments and preach vnto them according to the diuersitie of their rites tongues So that yet it was not concluded that the seruice of God should be in a strange tongue as the papists would perswade This Councell ended the Pope preacheth the crosse b Mat. Paris p. 263. Vrs 315. and pardon of all sinnes for aide of the holy land and c 5. D.T. 7. de haeresib against heretikes promising to those catholikes that take the crosse to roote out heretikes as large priuiledges as were graunted to them that fight against the infidels and now doe the Popes teach as d Curio 1. p. 28. Mahomet did that who died for his religion should goe to paradise Hereupon many tooke the crosse to goe against the Saracens And many orders of souldiers arose the crosse-bearing souldiers were aduanced In e Volat. 21. f. 244. Arragon were two orders of souldiers the first Saint Mary for the redemption of captiues whose colours were white a crosse blacke The other Monlesiae with a red crosse these were to defend the countrie from the irruptions of the Saracens There were also the Dominicans or preaching Friers aduanced In f Trith p. 224. those dayes were many called heretikes men and women which spread their opinions in Almania France and Italy In the citie of Argentine were more then fourescore apprehended whom Conrade the inquisitor thus examined He caused an iron to to be made red hot and whom the hot iron did hurt hee condemned for heretikes and deliuered them to be burned for the beast hath teeth of yron and nailes of brasse many beleeued he condemned many innocents In g Geneb p. 958. Alsatia many held against the Pope and the Grecians against transubstantiation So did Almericus a very learned man his bones and the bones of diuers that followed him were digged vp againe and burned at Paris for the beast suffereth not their carcasses to be put in graues h Fasc Temp. l. 80. As the Pope preached the crosse so did the diuell 20 000 boyes c. in Almania tooke the signe of the crosse to goe
to Ierusalem against the Turkes but at the shore they were either drowned or sold to the Saracens A huge company of heardesmen came from Spaine and likewise tooke the crosse and spoyled the Clergie about Paris Honorius the third i Vrsp p. 320. made such preachers as grew cold in perswading and such people as were slacke in obeying Anno 1216. to be more zealous to recouer the holy land prophecying but falsely that in his time Ierusalem should be recouered from the Saracens He k Geneb p. 961. Trith p. 225. confirmed the order of the Dominicans and Franciscans whom l Vrsp p. 318. 319. Innocentius the third approued because their vow was in all things to be obedient to the Apostolike seate and to stand for the defence of the mother Church They say m Pet. de Nat. Clictouens hom de Francisco the Pope was vnwilling to confirme their order till in a lying vision by night he saw Dominicke or as other say Francis with his onely shoulders bearing vp the Laterane Church that by mine was readie to fall They also fable that when Christ came armed with three darts to destroy the world at the instance of his Mother he was content to respite the world till she had made experience of her two champions sufficient to conuert the whole world viz. Dominicke and Francis and iudicially pronounced that if the world were not conuerted by them he would presently make an end of it Howbeit as a Prog. finis mundi parte 1. 2. Vincentius writeth Anno 1416. more then a hundred yeeres after the prefixed time that the world was worse these religious persons were abhominable rather snares and wolues then pastors And hereby the vision proueth a fable as is fitting in false Prophets b Trith 224. 225. Fridericus followeth his warres vpon Othe who being forsaken of all dieth for sorrow of a dysemerie and Fridericus alone enioyeth the Empire c Crant 7. 35. Gob. 6.63 and so was ended the fifth Thunder The sixth Thunder Anno 1217. FRidericus the second a Vrsp p. 321. 322. being elected Emperor disposeth his affaires and is crowned at Rome bestoweth many of the Imperiall lands vpon Saint Peter and taketh the crosse to fight for Ierusalem against the infidels committed his sonne to the uition of certaine Princes by whom he was crowned King of Romanes But whereas certaine Earles had taken some of his castles in Apulia he fighteth with them and doth ouercome them who flie to the Pope that protecteth them whereof the Emperor complaineth The crosse is preached in Almany whereupon the people commit many murthers and horrible facts vpon assurance of pardon for taking the crosse b Pag. 323. The Emperor subdueth the Saracens and also certaine rebels in Apulia The Christians who had taken the crosse and were come to Nilus by the great and continual confluence of new aydes tooke the impregnable citie of Damiata where they make a most miserable spectacle by the slaughter of the Paganes By the meanes of the Popes Legate c VVestmonast p. 278. who came rather to the desolation of the armie then for the consolation thereof and by meanes of Ludouicus Banarus they proudly refused a most honorable and profitable composition which the Soldan offered namely to haue restored Ierusalem and the countries about it for the citie Damiata But after by the stratagems of the Soldan they were driuen to accept of their owne liues d Trith p. 228. 230. Many Nunnes were thrust out of their cloysters for their naughtie and extreme filthie life There were at this time horrible earthquakes pestilence among cattell and such famine as hath not been heard of e Pag. 229. Then was the crosse preached againe and all appointed to follow the Emperor into the holyland f Vrsp p. 324. The Emperor calling an assembly of the Princes before his voyage is thought to be hindered by the court of Rome g Trith p. 230. And by the suggestion of the Pope the Lombards rebell against the Emperor and enterd into a league to the detriment of the Empire and hinderance of the recouery of the holy land h 3. Dec. tit 41. 10. This Pope ordaines that the Eucharist i Her Renech in Psal 1. p. 454. which as a cake made vp with dogges grease ought to be kept very cleanly and that at the eleuation and when it is caryed to the sicke the people should bow themselues and kneele It must be carried to the sicke in a decent mannerâ— with a light burning before it the people that meete it must kneele downe and say Salue lux mundi or Pater noster a Morsen 18. ex Alex. ab Alex. 5. 27. Almost in the same manner was Iupiter wont to be carried among the Gentiles b Geneb p. 963. Vpon this idolatry the dominion of the Christians was abolished in India and the Tartars there began their great kingdome of Cataia c Dec. tit 33. c. 28. Pantale This Pope did strictly forbid the reading of the ciuill law in Paris and the places adioyning He warred with the Emperor in Apulia Iohn the Emperor of Constantinople obtained of him to absolue the Emperor Fridericus the second that he might make an expedition against the Turkes who daily preuailed in Asia Gregorius the ninth d Vrsp p. 324. as a proud man in his first yeere Anno 1227. contrary to iustice began to excommunicate the Emperor Fridericus vpon friuolous and false occasions obiecting that hee went not into the holy land as he promised e Trith p. 231. which excommunication also the Pope sendeth abroad to Archbishops c. f Mat. Paris 332. 333. by his bulles in which he complaineth that the Church was indangered by the Pagans the Angels about Euphrates the Emperour the Angell that setteth his right foote on the sea and left vpon the earth heretikes the two witnesses of Christ and by false brethren godly men hid from the presence of the Serpent g Vrsp p. 324. The Emperour publisheth his Apologie and h Mat. Paris p. 335. writeth to Princes complaineth of the false imputations laid against him by the Pope shewing that the Church of Rome is so enflamed with the burning affection of couetousnesse that the goods of the Church are not sufficient to satisfie her thirst and that shee blusheth not to disinherit Emperours Kings and Princes and make them tributaries c. i Vrsp p. 325. Besides the Emperour maketh sure vnto him diuerse of the noblest Romans who while the Pope pursueth his excommunications by the assistance of the people expell the Pope out of Rome with shame and doe vexe his territories with warre The Pope stirreth vp the King of Ierusalem Mathew and Thomas Earles of Tuscia against the Emperor The Emperor resolueth to goe his voyage for the holy land and the Pope was a meanes to hinder the assemblie of the Princes with whom the
Emperor should take order for the affaires of the Empire in his absence When the Emperor was gone the Pope notwithstanding caused k Trith p. 231. him to be proclaimed excommunicate throughout all Germany which was done especially by the begging Friers l Vrsp Ibid. Besides his souldiers that tooke the crosse were spoyled by the Popes meanes In m Fox Marty Italy the Pope raised vp many rebellions against the Emperor and attempted the like against him in Asia writing to the Patriarch of Ierusalem the soldiers and the Saracens to destroy him n Vrsp p. 325. Wherefore the Emperor endured much danger by the treason of the Templars abroade and the Pope at home inhibited all ayde that would haue gone ouer to him but warred vpon and subdued many of his possessions Who is it that well considereth these things and doth not bewaile and detest them which seeme an euidence and prodigious portent of the ruine of the Church a Westmo p. 288. The Pope taking it ill that Fridericus as despising his excommunications did embrace the businesses of the Church in the holy land despayring that he would not returne to vnitie decreed to depriue him of his Empire and substitute another namely the General of his warres whom he ayded with all that the Church of Rome could doe with treasure armies pardons and solicitations of all Prelates abundantly Which when the Emperor vnderstoode he b Vrsp p. 325. Mat. Paris 344. 345. compoundeth the affaires of the holy land with the Seldan and thinking to make glad all Christendome with his good newes reporteth to them by letters what honorable composition he had made c Vrsp 325. The Pope reiecteth his letters and spreadeth rumours that he was dead by which rumor many Imperiall cities enclined to the Pope and resolue to kill the Germane souldiers which were in Italy or should returne that way from the holy land But when the returne of the Emperor was once knowen the furie slacked both Christians and Saracens cleaue vnto him and by d Trith p. 23. the valour of his Germane souldiers recouereth many of his cities againe From which time grew much enmitie betweene the Pope and Emperor e Vrsp p. 326. Yet the Emperor doth still craue absolution and by the mediation of Princes laboreth to be reconciled vnto the Pope f Trith p. 232. At last by the meanes of Lupoldus Duke of Austria c. he was receiued into communion g Paral. Vrsp p. 327. Platina when he had paid 120,000 ounces of gold to the Pope for his punishment and by his armie put the Pope in his possessions against the Romanes who labored to recouer their ancient manner of gouernment and liberties h Carion and was content to hold Sicilia of the Pope in fee. i Trith p. 232. About this time were a very great many discouered in Almany Italy especially in Lombardy and in France which held against the authoritie of the popish Church and prelates and against distinction of meates for the mariage of Priests then called the heresie of the Nicolaitanes c. against them are obiected many blasphemous things as the manner of the Church of Rome is Of these very many were burned k Pantaleon At Wormes also were many good men adiudged to the fire Now l Paral. Vrsp 327. when againe the Emperor sought to recouer Millaine and to subdue his rebels there m Trith p. 234. the Lombards did hinder Henry the Emperors sonne that he could not ioyne his armie with his father and the Pope by his bull depriueth him of his Empire The a Trith p. 235. yeere was extreame hot and dry The Emperor would pacifie seditions which were risen in his strong cities of Italy which he did with violence and burned his rebels At which time in Germany many nobles and meane persons Clerkes Monkes and Nunnes Citizens and countrie people by the giddie sentence of Conrade the Popes inquisitor were burned in the name of heretikes The same day that any one was accused whether iustly or vniustly no appeale nor defence did auaile but he was burned The b Paral. Vrsp p. 327. 328. Pope also the third time excommunicated the Emperor and did also proclaime him an heretike and stirred vp the Venetians against him The Emperour purgeth himselfe from the imputation of heresie by his letters publikely sent abroade to Princes c. and in Italy found aide of the faction of the Gibellines The c Trith p. 236. crosse is preached against the Stadingenses who stoode excommunicate for contemning the Popes authoritie many had fought against them a long time hitherto but all in vaine Now by the army of the crosse 2000. of them were slaine and so ceased the faction and confederacy against the Church of Rome d Paral. p. 328. The Pope also preacheth the crosse with pardons to all those that would fight against the Emperor Of which army as many as the Emperor tooke he crossed them with crosse woundes vpon the heads faces or bodies Then e Trith p. 236. 237. also did Henry King of Romanes rebell against the Emperor his father happily by the Popes instigation But he was subdued and taken and imprisoned by his father f Mat. Paris p. 401. who when he was somewhat enlarged seeketh meanes to poyson his father and therefore is restrained vnder the keeping of a Prince that hated him most g Trith p. 238. 239. The Emperor went into Lombardy and Italy with a puissant army subdued his rebels and caused his sonne Conrade to be elected King of Romans The Pope excommunicateth him againe and caused him so to be denounced euery where by the Minorites The h Mat. Paris p. 535. same time by the permission or procurement of Pope Gregory the insatiable couetousnes of the Church of Rome grew so mighty confounding right and wrong that all shame set apart as a common whore set on sale and lying open to all she esteemed vsury for a small inconuenience and Simonie for none at all c. i Fox Marty p. 285. About this time the East Church is deuided from the West k Mat. Paris p. 778. and from the subiection of the Church of Rome for diuers enormities of that Church especially in vsuries simonies sellings of iustice and other intolerable iniuries a Fox Marty p. 285. 286. and by name because the Pope would not admit an Archbishop there without a great summe of money The Pope sent forth his preaching Friers to moue all Christians to fight against the Grecians as it were against the Turkes and Saracens insomuch that in the Isle of Cyprus many martyres and good men were slaine for that onely cause b 5. Dec. tit 7. cap. 14. 15. This Pope forbad laie men to preach and excommunicated the Albingenses about Thelossa and the Waldenses c. c Geneb p. 964 Fasc Temp. p. 8. b. digested the fiue bookes of the decretals
in the manner now they be and d Geneb p. 96 Par. Vrs p. 3 appointed that certaine times in a day a bell should be tolled when the people should say certaine deuotions in the praise of the virgin Mary e Geffre d. truc morib 1. p. 31. as the Turkes at certaine times when their priests doe stand in the towers of their Churches and cry out that the people may heare them f Par. Vrs â— Mat. Paris p. 538. doe fall downe and doe say certaine deuotions vpon this idolatry of the Christians the Tartares doe wast the countries of the Christians Innocentius the fourth g Par. Vrsp p. 329. was chosen after long delaie Ann. 1241. because the Emperour held some of the Cardinals in prison because of discord among the Electors h Mat. Paris p. 585. He presently confirmed the excommunication of Fridericus who therefore stopped the waies of the Popes postes and hanged vp two Minorites that by stealth did carry letters to mooue sedition amongst the Nobles The Templars for hatred of the Emperour besieged and vexed the Teutonici in the holy land not suffering them to burie their dead i 588. Many Princes are alienated from the Emperour and elect the Landgraue of Thuring against him k 589. But the Emperour presently made peace with the Landgraue VVise men laboured to make peace betweene the Pope and the Emperour but the Emperour refused to submit himselfe absolutely to the Popes censure desiring to haue the causes and conditions first known neither would hee resigne the rites of the Empire l 592. The lamentable newes of the Tartars had stirred all Christendome against them had not the grieuous distraction betweene the Pope and Emperour beene the let The friers Preachers and Minorites fall out bitterly betweene themselues m 594. The Pope sendeth an Extortor into England c. with power to suspend excommunicate and punish many waies all such as would not suffer him to leauie what money he pleased For the beast is footed like a Beare a Mat. Paris p. 617. 618. VVhen the Emperour laboured for peace with the Pope in vaine the Pope as it seemed of purpose to bring the Emperour into causelesse hatred fled into Ianua where he had Gallies ready to entertaine him The Emperour smelling the Popes drift said with griefe The wicked flie when none followeth The Popes faction perswadeth the Landgraue to take the dignity of the Empire in hand make warre vpon Fridericus whom they called tyrant persecutor a confederate with Saracens For the beast doth open his mouth to blaspheme them that are called Gods c. But the Landgraues friends aduiseth him not to trust the promises of the Popes partie and the Emperour comming on a suddaine the Landgraue was alienated from that purpose and gaue gifts to the Emperour and so they parted friends b 622. The Pope sendeth abroad as to England by strange and incredible authoritie to rake money for aide against the Emperour c 623. 624. who writeth to England to staie their contribution and rather to exempt themselues from former impositions protesting his innocencie and that the Pope had reiected his submission the manner whereof hee was willing to referre to the censure of the Kings of England and France and their Barones See a Lambe in the throne d 632. The French king vpon recouerie of a desperate sickenesse voweth a voyage into the holy land e 633. After the presages of heauie things as thunders and lightenings f 635. the Pope through France causeth the Emperour to be preached excommunicate which when a Priest should denounce he said to the people I know the Pope and Emperour to be at controuersie the cause I know not but I pronounce the partie excommunicated that doth the wrong and absolue the innocent g 636. The Pope calleth a Councel at Lugdunum where his chamber was burned h 638. as it was thought of purpose to get occasion to extort money of the Prelates comming to the Councell i 642. And partly by moning his wants and partly by large promises of preferments many of the prelates bestowed incredible wealth vpoÌ„ the Pope k VVestmonâ—st whom againe he honoured with titles and dignities l Mat. Paris p. 643. 644. 645. In the Councell the Emperours proctor answered diligently for his Lord made large offers to subiect the Romane Empire to the Church of Rome to fight against the Tartars and for the holy land All which the Pope insolently reiected and refused the kings of France and England to bee sureties for the Emperours promise herein m 658. And n 6. Decr. 66. 2. tit 14. cap. 1. notwithstanding the Proctor confuted all obiections made by the Pope or others yet he proceedeth with the assistance of the prelates with candles put out to excommunicate and n 6. Decr. 66. 2. tit 14. cap. 1. depriue the Emperour forbidding him any more to be named Emperour by any which the Proctor said was the beginning of many euill daies The Pope to further his purposes a Volat. 22. f. 255. Geneb 970.971 aduanced the Cardinals For whereas before they had not that brauerie of retinue and ornaments he granted them for honour to ride on white horses and to weare red hats in token they should spend their liues for the Church of Rome like b Curio 1. p. 28. the Princes that followed Mahomet who drewe their swords and promised by solemne oath to allow of none other law but that which Mahomet should make in defence and setting forth whereof they then and there protested at all times when neede should require to spend their blood and liues c Mat. Paris 655. The Pope with large promises and bribes and supplications requesteth the Electors to choose another But Fridericus preuented him with disswasions d Pag. 658. and putteth a crowne on his own head reuiling the Pope and threatning bloodie warres before he would loose it e Gob. ae 6. c. 64 There passed sharp letters betweene the Pope and the Emperour f 235. the Emperour aduising the Pope to absolue him lest saith he our lyon which faineth himselfe to sleepe doe wake and with his terrible roaring doe driue all fatte bulls out of all lands and planting righteousnesse doe gouerne the Church rooting out the hornes of the proud g Mat. Paris p. 659. 660. And of that argument sent letters abroad which was the meanes hee had lesse regard h 662. The French king commandeth the Pope to conference about the Emperours peace and his owne voyage to the holy land i 664. and the kings brother and diuers Nobles take the crosse k 675. 676. The French king againe importuneth the Pope for the Emperours peace but still in vaine Wherefore he departeth from the Pope angrie because he found not that humilitie which he hoped for in the seruant of the seruants of God
the Emperours humiliation but desired to tread him vnder foote whom hee called the great Dragon that when hee had him vnder hee might with more ease stampe also vpon the Kings of England and France and other princes whom he called Basilisks or little kings and little serpents and might at his pleasure spoile their prelates of their treasure n p. 760. The French king taketh Damiata For o 762. which the Soldan offereth the kingdom of Ierusalem much treasure and peace so that there was hope that he purposed to become a Christian But as the pope formerly commanded all was refused by the popes Legate It seemeth that he that writeth a Annot. in Sonn 107. annotations vpon Petrarchs Sonets speaketh of this storie when he saith that the king of Spaines brother I thinke he should say the king of France his brother proclaimed the pope Soldan of Babylon which he calleth Baladac When they had refused the Soldans offer they could not afterwards intreate but found bloodie warre But b Mat. Paris 762. 763. Fridericke subdued happily many of his rebels The popes souldiers robbed them that were signed with the crosse for the holy land taking their money from them And the armie in the holy land was deuided In c 767. 768. fight the French king is taken who though at first he refused yet at last is constrained to surrender Damiata vpon hard conditions and d 772. 773. sendeth by his two brethren to the pope to relieue his shame and difficulties by the absolution of Fridericke His brethren said to the pope that it were best to absolue him els all would thinke the pope of an obstinate hatred they would remooue him from Lyons and raise all France against him Because they vrged the Pope to make peace with Fridericke as he loued the honour of the vniuersall Church and would auoid to be charged to be the cause of the losse of the holy land by his couetousnesse and marchandise of such souldiers that tooke the crosse for the aide of such souldiers that tooke the crosse for the aide of the holy land the e 777. pope craueth to be at Burdeux and groweth inexorable Then also died Fridericus the wonder of the world and so ended the sixth Thunder The seuenth Thunder COnradus a Caron the sonne of Fridericus the second Anno 1250. b Trith p. 239. who had before been chosen King of Romanes did reigne c Mat. Paris 780. In signe of the wrath of God there were exceeding horrible thunders a heauie prognostication d 781. Conrade maketh sure his prisoners that rebelled against his father and with his brethren and friends doth rise against the Pope who for the insatiable couetousnes of his whole race was hatefull to the Imperials e 783. and feared such ginnes and snares of the Romanes to recouer an inestimable summe of money from him which he caused them to lay out in his warres against Fridericke that he durst not returne to his seate in Rome f 791. Yea the hearts of many departed from the father the Pope who raged as a fierce stepfather and from the mother the Church of Rome who was cruell in persecution as a stepmother The g 792. pope departing from Lugdunum calleth the people together to bid them farwell By his Orator after other speeches concludeth that the city had receiued this benefit and almes by the Popes presence that where at his comming there were onely found three or foure whorehouses in the city he left but one and that reached from the East gate to the west Thus is the Popes courte the mother of fornications and abhominations of the earth a Mat. Prris p. 795. many heardsmen foolishly take the crosse to fight against the Turkes in the holy land The Pope setteth forth new decretals and minding peace b 798. 799. absolueth some nobles from their excommunication Whom he marrieth to his neeces by which holy marriage they which were the children of wrath become forsooth the sonnes of grace and chosen vessels But hee excommunicateth Conrade Whereupon the enemies of the Church are multiplied c Pag. 800. Conrade hauing got the fauour of many of the Princes of the Empire the Pope preacheth the crosse against him with farre larger pardons then were graunted to them that fought against the Turkes in the holy land For the fathers and mothers of such were to be pardoned that sought against Conrade When the Queene and Nobles of France saw the Pope to minde onely his ambition and to neglect their distressed King in the holy laud they tooke into their hands the goods and lands of those that were signed against Conrade bidding them liue of the Pope that fought for him The like was don in other places Hence the Pope through shame began to treate of peace with Conradus d Pag 801. There were more fearefull thunders The Pope to make peace desireth to marry a neece of his e Pag. 805. to the brother of Conradus and strengtheneth himselfe by making of new Cardinals But the Princes of the Empire conceiued much indignation against the presumption of the Pope for seeking to ignoble Princes by the marriage of his neeces William Earle of Holland being sorrowfull for his presumption in accepting the Empire resigned f Pag. 781. and hauing lost his owne Earledome and all detested the mousetrappes and promises of the Pope being constrained to begge g 808. Conrade hauing gained the fauour of all the Italians in a manner had poyson giuen him as was thought by the Popes faction but hee recouered stangely and grew into more fauour Yet would not the Pope be perswaded to crowe him least he should proue like his father h 813. but seeing the daunger of Christendome by the contention the Pope sought to make peace with his foes by giuing them his neeces in marriage Howbeit the poyson which Conrade escaped and imputed to the Pope and the contradiction of the Princes of the Empire to such presumptuous marriages gained Conrade much fauour hindred this kinde of peace and lost the Pope many friends and much credit Whereupon Conradus persecuted the Pope with fire and sworde and spoyled such as went to the court of Rome i 814. And so our father the Pope who rather followed the steps of Constantine then Peter stirred vp many calamities in the world The a Mat. Paris p. 829. Pope considering that Richard the King of Englands brother was very rich baited a hooke sweetely to catch his seruice and wealth For trusting vpon his sophistry and deceit that said All b Mat. 4.9 these things will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me caused him to be elected and called King of Apulia Sicilia and Calabria c Mat. Paris p. 832. At this time such was the couetousnes and rapine of the Pope in England that vpon a computation which the Bishop of Lincolne caused to
be made it appeared that this Pope impouerished the vniuersall Church more then all his predecessors and that in England his gaine was more then the Kings reuenue d 838. The Romanes threaten them of Perusium with sieg and desolation if they held the Pope any longer Wherefore the Pope with feare and trembling goeth to Rome fearing least the mony should be exacted of him which was dispended in the warres against Fridericke But he paliated his sorrow as well as he could and went to Rome For the beast hath a face like a Lyon that taketh scorne to looke vpon the nettes he is intangled with e 843. The Pope wrote to Grosthead Bishop of Lincolne to make a boy a Prehend at Lincolne which the Bishop refused to doe shewing that the sinne of the diuell and Antichrist was to kill the soules of men by defrauding them of ministers able to teach With f 844. which answere the Pope was enraged and sware by Saint Peter and Saint Paul were it not for the gentlenes of his owne nature his slaue the King of England should make the Bishop a fable c. The Cardinals labored much to pacifie the Popes fury partly by preferring the goodnes of the Bishop before the Pope and his Cardinals partly by aduising the Pope to winke at all least there should arise some tumult especially because it is knowen that there must come a departing from the Church of Rome g 846. 847. 848. This Grosthead on his death-bead reproued the preaching Friers and Minorites as heretikes for their negligence and the Pope of heresie for offering to place a boy ouer the soules of men and proueth that the Pope is Antichrist Of the court of Rome he deliuered this censure Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis Aegypte Sodom Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis Aegypte Sodom He also prophecied that the Church should not be deliuered from the Aegyptian seruitude in which it was but by a bloudy sword Here is the policy of Rome h cap. 11.8 called Egypt Conrade prospereth in Italy in despite of the Pope i Mat. Paris p. 850. 855. At this time ignorant persons and boyes were aduanced to Church dignities fit builders for Babel The Pope in a most furious rage purposing to auenge himselfe of Grosthead as of an infidel and rebel c. in k Ibid. Et Poly. Chr. lib. 7. cap. 36. the night Grost bead in his Bishops ornaments appeared vnto him and with a sterne countenance and angry speech said arise wretch and come to thy doome c. and smote him on the left side right to the heart with his crosse staffe so that the Pope awaked with feare and paine horribly frighted Neither did the vengance of the indignation of God so rest towards him for in his warres against Conrade he lost 4000. of his army neither had the Pope euer any good night or day afterwards The a Mat. Paris p. 861. dissention grew great betweene the pope and Conrade and the pope sorged falsely many blasphemous accusations against him as of heresie murther c. thereby to stirre vp the King of England against him b 863. 864. There was in England a miraculous thunder-clap When the pope saw that Richard the King of Englands brother would not be taken in his nettes but held his gift of Apulia c. as if he had giuen him the mone for the fetching he solicited the King of Emgland to accept it promising to turne the souldier that were signed with the crosse for the aide of the holy land to assist him This made all the princes and prelates of the holy land deteste the Romane falsehoodes c Fox Marty pag. 3. Arnoldus de noua villa taught that Sathan by popery had deceiued the world Gulielmus de sancto amore applieth all the textes of Scripture that spake against Antichrist to the pope and his Clergie d Mat. Paris p. 864. 865. The King of England with ioy accepted the popes offer of the kingdome of Sicilia c. and fed the pope with mony But vpon the resistance of Conradus the popes army failed Conrade also died e Gobel 6.65 as is reported of poyson f Mat. Paris p. 865. The pope exceedingly reioyced and laughed for the death of his two great enemies Grosthead and Conradus g 868. Shortly after the pope himselfe dying comforted his weeping friends thus do not I leaue you rich enough what would you more when he was dead he was seene by a Cardinall condemned to hell for the hurt he did to the Church Thus h cap. 10.3 c. when the Angel Christ the King by princes had reared for their possessions seuen thunders of the popes execrations vtter their voyces which the writers of the time doe seale vp by a darke kinde of deliuerie i Carian f. 203. Par. Vrs p. 332 After which time the Empire stoode without any certaine Caesar for seauenteene yeeres for feare of the danger that might befall by the popes meanes And the affaires of Asia came into great danger by the popes proceedings Thus also he maketh warre against the Saints and doth ouercome them So here is fulfilled that which is written k cap. 13. 7. 8. And power was giuen him ouer euery kindred and tongue and nation Those thunders lasted 150. yeeres For from the time of Hildebrand which was 1074. to Alexander the fourth which was 1254. is 180. yeeres From whence if we take the time of peace from Honorius the second to Adrian the fourth which was 30. yeeres the remainder will be 150. yeere CHAP. IX The beast doth principally dispose himselfe to make warre with the Saints that worship in the Tabernacle and sheweth Lyons pride and Beares feete for couetousnes tearing the earth by raking mony THus the princely Angel a cap. 10.3 who had roared as a Lyon is cryed downe by the beast whose execrations were fearefull and violent as Thunder Now the beast doth principally set himselfe against the Saints b cap. 13.7 For it is giuen to him to make warre with the Saints and to ouercome them And now he hath authoritie to make lawes as it is said c 15. it is permitted to him to speake His speciall law is now turned vpon the Saints namely d 15. to cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed For now he rageth with the bloudy lawes of the inquisition which henceforth are much increased Anno 1254. Alexander the fourth e Trith p. 246. when the seat had been almost two yeeres voyde to the perill of many soules was elected Pope and at first f Mat. Paris p. 869 seemed a holy man But yet g Pag. 875. though he were frighted by a fearefull vision he h P. 877. continued the warres begun by his predecessors against Manfred in Apulia c. i P. 881. 885. in which he
exhausted the King of Englands treasure k P. 882. 891. 895. 904. He also continued strange exactions of mony in England binding Monasteries c. to pay his creditors vpon paine of interdiction c. l P. 897. This exaction cooled mens affections towards the Pope m P. 910. In his time the preaching Friers had much dammaged the Christian saith by preaching Reade more hereof before Anno 1200. reading teaching certaine doctrines new dotings taken out of the book of Abbas Ioachim condēned by Gregorius the ninth They also had composed a booke which it pleased them to intitle The euerlasting or eternall Gospel which now they inforced to roote out the Gospell of Christ written by the foure Euangelists They also vrged many other things not to be spoken Hereupon grew so many and great scandales one preaching against the other that the vniuersitie of Paris with great counsaile and deliberation sent sixe men very excellent for learning and of noble blood to the Pope in commission for the repaire of the decay in faith The Friers sent speedy messengers to resist these great men to their faces before the Pope At length after much a doe their new Gospell is commaunded to be burned secretly without any scandall to the Friers And so was that Gospel abolished that by a false Prophecy threatned the cessation of the Gospell written by the foure Euangelists The n Geneb p. 978. Mass 17. pag. 238. Fo◠Marty 326. Speculum minorum tract 1. f. 10. b. Pope also commaunded that the booke which Gulielmus de sancto amore had written of pouertie against the Friers going vnder the name of the masters of Paris intituled a treatise of the perils of the latter times should be abolished publikely and banished him France For this Pope much fauored the Friers and o Spec. min. tract f. 7. b. wrote his bull requiring all that had disputed or preached against them to recant teach and preach the contrary vnder paine of suspension and excommunication For he esteemed the Friers as the a cap. 11.4 two golden candelstickes and two great lights that shined in the Church of God b Fox Marty 326. Yet did Laurentius a master of Paris strongly and stoutly teach preach and write in the defence of the said Gulielmus against the Popes and their Friers This Pope exceedingly encreased the bloudie lawes made against them which the Church of Rome calleth heretikes c Dec. 5. tit 2. cap. 2. He decreed that whosoeuer wittingly should bury heretikes or their beleeuers receiuers defenders or fauorers should bee excommunicate till with his owne hands openly he cast those dead bodies out of their graues againe Hee forbad lay men priuately or publikely to dispute of the Catholike faith vnder paine of excommunication as d Carion Mahomet did of his law vnder paine of death He also furnished the inquisition with many bloudy and vnmercifull lawes e 6. Dec. 5. tit 2. c. 4. denying mercy to the penitent and confiscating the goods of such as died before sentence f Par. Vrsp p. 332. One beyond the seas called himselfe Iesus by magicke he wrote prodigious miracles and many armies being vnited to him he subdued many kingdomes vnder him g Geneb p. 979 Ludouicus King of France instituted many things to the profit of the kingdome He would not haue offices and dignities sold and branded them in the forehead with a hot yron that blasphemed or sware by God in vaine he forbad stewes he thrust stage players out of his court Anno 1261. Vrbanus the fourth h Trith p. 249. Clemen 3. tit 16. de reliquijs ven instituted the feast of Corpus Christi day and to encourage the people to keepe it he gaue pardons to such as were present at the seruice a cup of abhominations i Geneb p. 982. c. The host was caryed about in a box as the arke in the time of the law and the booke of the law is among the Iewes or rather k Moris pap p. 58. as Iupiter and Isis were caryed among the Gentiles and it was worshipped l Geneb p. 982. Thomas Aquinas composed the office of this feast This m Part. 3. q. 25. an 31. Thomas wrote that images must be worshipped with the same worship as is due to them whose images they be n Trith p. 249. The Pope conferred the kingdome of Sicilia which Monfred held vpon Charles the French Kings brother and by Legates called him into Italy who draue out Monfred and possessed Sicilia not without much bloodshed The Pope also o 6. Dec. 5. tit 2. cap 9. decreed that the lawes of no place should hinder the proceedings of the inquisition In his time the p Curio Saracens draue the Christians cleane out of Syria yet q Geneb p. 985 granted the free preaching of Christ in Aphryca Anno 1265. Clemens the fourth r Trith 250. p. 251. in his time the monasteries of the order of Benedict in Germanie were filthily corrupted the Monkes and Abbots rushed violently into the very sinke of all vices Carolus the French kings brother whom Vrbane the fourth had made king and a Geneb 986. Clement annointed at Rome vnder condition to paie to the Pope yearely 42,000 crownes in name of a tribute cruelly killed Monfrede And when after him b Par. Vrsp p. 243. Conradine the next heire a very gallant gentleman went to take his inheritance in Apulia by Clement and Charles he was iniuriously repulsed taken by treason derided and by the commandement of the Pope was put to death miserably by c Carion a common executioner That as many as would not worship the beast should be killed Hee d Decr. 5. Tit. 2 c. 10. c. informeth the inquisitors to feare no man but to proceede rigorously to censure with the aide of the secular arme any preachers religious persons vniuersities or other priuiledged places that are impediment to their inquisitiō To cause all ciuill and militarie magistrates to sweare and cause all them that were vnder them to sweare to obserue the lawes made against heretickes their fauourers hearers defenders their sonnes and their nephewes Thus the beast with his hornes maketh warre with the Saints f Geneb p. 986. In his time Antioche was sacked by the Sultan And Ludouicus king of France signed with the crosse in the siege of Tunetum and one of his sonnes died of the pestilence and so the siege was raised Gregorius the tenth g Trith p. 252 worthy the honour Ann. 1271. if a mortal man can be worthy to be Christs vicar in earth who raigneth in heauen Hee h Westmon p. 403. held a Councell at Lugdunum for the holy land to which purpose he decreed that all Ecclesiasticall liuings for seauen yeares space should paie a tenth There i Geneb p. 989. was also handled the reconciliation of the Greeke Churches which was
concluded the thirteenth time Michael Paleologus the Emperour did diuersly punish the Greekes which would not receiue the faith and rites of the Church of Rome by confiscation banishment prisonment pulling out their eies whipping dismembring of them c. Thus they drinke of the wine of the wrath of the fornication of the great where The Pope k Trith p. 253. commanded the Germane Princes to elect a fit Emperour else he said himselfe would prouide for a gouernour of the Empire Hereupon Rudolphus is chosen who being admonished by the Princes at the instance of the Pope to goe to Rome to be crowned answered Italie hath consumed many Germane Emperors I wil not go to Rome I am king I am Emperour I trust I shall doe as well for the profit of the comon weath as if I were crowned at Rome Wherefore raigning neere nineteene yeares he receiued no crown of the Pope for the cause which he shewed a Geneb p. 988 This Pope instituted the vse of the conclaue whence the Cardinals may not come forth till they haue chosen a Pope b 990. The heresie of such as whipped themselues began Ann. 1276. Adrian the fifth c Geneb 990. reuoked the vse of the Conclaue appointed by Gregorie the tenth He d Trith p. 255. called Rodulph the Emperour into Italie against Charles king of Apulia who forgetting the benefit bestowed vpon him by Vrbane who tooke the kingdom from the right heires Conrade and Conradine and bestowed it vpon him did what him list at Rome thus God reuenging their wrong But the Emperour beeing otherwise let came not and the Pope died by the fall of a newe chamber vpon him A slouthfull age the Monkes cared not to write c. Ann. 1277. Nicolaus the third e Geneb p. 992 993. tooke away notaries and registers out of the court of Rome as pestilent The Sicilians impatient of the lust and pride of the French men communicating their counsell with Nicolaus the third which was displeased with Carolus with Paleologus and Petrus Aragoniae on Easter day when the bell rang to Euensong euery where killed the French aboue 8,000 in two houres with their wiues great with childe Whereupon arose a Prouerb the Sicilian vespers for suddaine slaughters The Turkes who before had beene worne by the Tartars recouer courage returne to their wonted spoile for murther among the remnant c. Martinus the fourth Ann. 1281. f Trith p. 258. by his Legate in a Councel exacted of the people the tenth pennie whereto though many Princes did condescend yet the Archbishops of Colen and Trouers did couragiously resist this new and grieuous exaction and dashed that businesse Many miracles are said to be wrought at the Popes graue Ann. 1288. Nicolaus the fourth g Fox Mart. p. 326. in his time Petrus Iohannes a Minorite maintained the Pope to be Antichrist the Synagogue of Rome to be Babylon Also Robertus Gallus a Dominican Frier declared the Pope an idol and prophecied of his destruction Iohannes was burned when he was dead by the inquisitors This h Geneb p. 996. c. Curie time the Sultan of the Saracens with lamentable slaughter by fire and sword draue the Christians cleane out of Tripolis Tyrus c. and all Syria Calestinus the fifth Ann. 1294. i Trith 263. was thought to be chosen by God himselfe and was called from his Eremitage to the Papacie to whose a Mass 17. p. 242. coronation came 200 000. people In his first consistorie while he desired strictly to reforme the Church of Rome that the Clergie thereof might be an example to others he incurred such displeasure that they whispered of him to dote and to be a foole Of whom one Benedict or blessed not indeed but in name caused one through a cane to speak like an Angel to Calestine aduising him to resigne because the burthen was too great * Bergo 23. in Bonifacio 8. when hee had resigned his successor Bonifacius the eight craftie and vngrateful shut him vp in a secret prison where he died miserably This b Geneb 998. Calestinus is reported to haue commanded that the Popes and Cardinals henceforth should not ride on horses and males but on Asses after Christs example O law prodigiously ouerthrowne Bonifacius the eight c Fasc Temp. an arrogant and craftie man Ann. 1294. d Gobel alii Of him it was said hee entred like a Foxe by deceiuing his predecessor ruled like a Lyon by crueltie died like a dogge in contempt He e Bergo 13. contemned all men f Geneb p. 1000 raised great warres in Italie g Epit. Blond persecuting and extinguishing despitefully the faction of the Gibellines h Mass 17.243 When Albertus the Emperour sent to him desiring to be confirmed by him in his Empire hee despised his request i Proemium sexti Curio He digested the Popes lawes into sixe bookes after the example of Mahomets Alcaron In his sixth booke he k 6. Dec. 5. tit 2. cap. 12. c. published many bloodie lawes and increased the inquisitors authoritie to cite arrest imprison examine and confiscate c. He l Geneb p. 1001 6. Dec. 3. tit 23 cap. 3. also excommunicated all the Clergie that paid the Prince any subsidie without the consent of the Apostolike seate But m Platina in B. 8. Buchol that you may not thinke that God was at peace with men suddainly in winter was so great an earthquake as neuer was before which ouerthrewe many houses castles c. whereby many of all sortes were slaine The Pope at Masse was frighted with the ruine of the place and beeing carried forth ranne away with the best and for feare of beeing killed with the fall of some buildings dwelt in a tent made of thin board which was set vp in a large medow There was also a comet an euill presage happily of the pride of the Pope and his superstition He n Trith 266. Mass 17. first instituted at Rome the yeare of Iubile for full remission and pardon of all sinnes from paine and guilt to bee kept from the Euen of Christs Natiuitie to that day twelue month and so to be againe kept euery hundred yeare A thing newe and neuer heard of before o Poly. Jnu. 8.1 This Iubile was made in imitation of the feasts of Apollo and Diana which the heathen kept euery hundred yeare And whereas in his decrees he had published p Extr. Com. la. cap. vnā sanct that vpon paine of damnation all must be subiect to the Pope of Rome in a Paral. Vrsp 344. his Iubile he came forth into sight one day like a Pope the next day like an Emperour with a sword carried before him and cried with a loud voice Behold here are two swords And this his triple crowne witnesseth which is called regnamundi the kingdomes of the world And b Mass 17.
p. 3â—3 wrote to the French king that himselfe was Lord of all spirituall and temporall estates through the world Thus he exalteth himselfe aboue all that is called God And said that because the French king would not take his kingdom of him hee deserued to bee depriued The French king burned his letters and despised his Legates In a Councell at Paris calleth the Pope a schismaticke hereticke and inuader of the state by the pragmatical sanctier diminisheth the Popes authoritie in France c Par. Vrsp 344. The Pope confirmeth the election of Albert vnder condition that he would take vpon him the kingdomes of Romanes and France d Fox Flores hist The king of England also couragiously withstood the Pope in the title of Scotland e Bergo 13. Trith p. 268. The French king caused him to be apprehended in his bedde and carried prisoner to Rome where hee died with sorrow c. In f Geneb p. 1004 1007. 1008. his time Ottoman the first Emperour of the Turkes arose a great plague to the professors of Christ Now the Church of Rome leaueth to reckon from the passion of Christ as before and accounteth from his Natiuitie The Mariners compasse is found out A fit instrument to spread the name of Christ where it was vnknown Clement the fifth g Mass 17. p. 244. was consecrated in France at Lugdunum going to the pallace the people thronged a wall fell Ann. 1305. and hurt many the Popes crowne fell from his head and out of it a Carbuncle esteemed worth 6000. florens An euill presage For h Trith 269. Geneb 1009. he translated the Popes seate from Rome to Auinion to the great damage of Italie Rome and all Christians i Trith 271. The Princes elected Henrie the seauenth Emperour a good man and valiant worthy the imperiall seate He k Par. Vrsp 349. sent his Orators to the Pope for his imperiall crowne And l Bergo 13. in Henr. the Pope confirmed his election vnder condition he would go into Italie to receiue his crowne according to the manner of the Emperors passing through a Par. Vrsp 349. 350. Italie he found and subdued many rebels came to Rome and is crowned and gaue out lawes concerning traitors and rebels which Rome as the head of the world and saieth in her head I sit as Queene adorned and confirmed in these words I the crown of crowns confirme vnto my Prince his power c. doe subiect vnto him cities nations of countries Eagles defend my glorie behold the Gentiles Departing from Rome he had more rebels that opposed themselues against him ouer most of whom he triumphed Then came newes to him to come into Apulia where he should finde Rupertus king of Apulia depriued and deliuered to him The Emperour went towards Apulia The b Clemen 2. tit 9. de iureiurando Pope sendeth to him to make peace with Rupertus vpon his oath of fidelitie and obedience which hee made to the Pope But the Emperour by publike instruments declareth he made no such oath Then c Par. Vrsp 350 came there a d Geneb p. 1011 Dominican Frier vnto the Emperour promising to reconcile vnto him certaine cities that stood out against him desiring to minister the Eucharist to him with which he poysoned the Emperour as e Berg. 13. in Henr. he was hired by the Florentines For that which was execrable in the Saracens f Mat. Paris p. 769. namely to poyson their prisoners is now practised by Friers against Emperours and that like the children of the mother of abhominations euen in the sacrament His death was the safetie of Rupertus and the Florentines For this murther at the place and time of the worship of God according to his word there was euery where a famine after which followed a very great pestilence The Pope in a Councell openly declareth the oath of the Emperour now murthered to bee an oath of fidelitie and obedience and requireth it alwaies so to be vnderstood g Clem. 2 tit 9. in gloss verb. futur Out of which decree is gathered that the Emperour is not Emperour before he be crowned by the Pope He h Clem. 5 tit 3. de haeres c. 1. also prouided that the walles and lockes might bee sure and that the Keepers should bee sworne where heretickes were imprisoned Hee i Clem. 3 tit 16 de vener sanct confirmed Corpus Christi day and gaue large indulgences to them that were present at the solemnitie There were at this time diuers that held many things against the church of Rome as the followers k Mass 17. p. 244. Berg. 13. f. 207. a. of Dulcinus of whom were 6000. and of them were apprehended more than 400. who were of the reliques of those whom Bernard writeth of in the Canticles vz. Petrus Abailardus c. There l Clem. 5. tit 3. c. 3. were also certaine called Begnardes that held against adoration of the Eucharist at the eleuation Moreouer very m Trith 274. 275. many euen to the number of 80,000 were of the opinion of Lolliardus who held against Transubstantiation extreame vnction c. that the Church of Rome was not the Church of Christ but of the infidel Gentiles and despised the prelates authoritie they held also against distinction of meates Of them many were burned by the inquisition The same time was a most extreame famine Buchel Anâ— 1315. Trith p. 273. that the parents restrained not themselues from the most filthie carkasses of their children and after that followed a great pestilence euery where so that in a manner the third part of mankinde was consumed Thus Michael fighteth for the word of God Many wicked things are obiected to these of Dulcinus the Begnardes and Lolliards opinion But because in the time of the heathen Emperours the diuell did accuse the brethren and in this time of Antichrist the beast doth blaspheme them that dwell in heauen their accusation may iustly be suspected to be slanderous Especially seeing they confesse that the Boemians in the time of Hus were of their sect who are very well known to maintaine none of these impieties a Paral. Vrsp 351. Arnoldus de noua villa attempted to prooue by Daniel and Sibyllaes prophecies that Antichrist and the persecution of the Church should bee betweene the yeares 1300. and 1400. b 345. 346. This Pope also put downe the Templars for their horrible wickednesse contempt of Christ and abhominable idolatrie and that they betraied Ludouicus king of France into the hands of the Soldan when he was in the holy land Hee c Berg. 13. f. 207. interdicted Venice for taking Ferrara Wherefore d Sab. En. 9. l. 7 Franciscus Dandalus a Noble man of Venice laie bound in a chaine at the Popes feete to batter his anger against Venice and to procure him to free it from interdiction The Knights of the Rhodes began Anno 1315. Iohn the twentith two
e Trith 273. 274. 275. entred when the Empire was distracted by two which the Princes deuided into factions did set vp The greater part elected Ludouicus Banarus the lesse Fridericus Duke of Austria f Par. Vrs 352. Fridericus was fauored by the Pope the French King c. It seemeth the Pope willing to aduance Fridericus whose election was not good thought to declare the Empire to be voyde that he might weaken Ludouicus of such offices in Italy c. that might stand him in stead For in his first yeere he decreed g Extr. Iho. 22. Si fratum that in the vacancie of the Empire which he said then was by the death of Henry the seuenth the regiment iurisdiction and disposing of the Empire deuolued to the Pope vnto whom in the person of Saint Peter God committed the rights of the earthly and heauenly Empire He also accursed all Imperiall offices as well spirituall as temporall that in the vacancie were not authorised by the Pope After h Par. Vrs 353. Trith p. 278. many conflicts Fridericus is ouercome and taken and by capitulation yeeldeth all to Ludouicus At this time i Trith p. 277. 278. Walter Lolliard the chiefe teacher of many against the popish Church who had written diuers treatises in the Dutch tongue applying the Scriptures to his opinions was apprehended he sharpely defended his opinions for which he was burned a Mass 18. p. 246. Michael Cesenas Generall of the order of the Minorites with the Fratricelli of the habit of Saint Francis preached that Christ and his Aopstles possessed nothing of their owne Against whom the Pope published his decree that b Extr de ver fig. tit 14. Cum inter whosoeuer held that Christ and his Apostles possessed nothing were heretiks They also taught that the Emperor is not subiect to the Pope but in spirituall causes which the Emperor beleeued and c Trith 279.280 despising the Pope who by admonition and commination required him to come to Auinion to be crowned by the Pope went into Italy requested the Pope to send some Cardinals into Italy to crowne him as Clement did for Henry the seuenth The Pope refusing so to doe d Par. Vrs 353. at Millaine the Emperor receiued his second crowne And the Emperors Chancellor vnknowne to the Emperor wrote to the Pope calling him e Reuel 13.1 the beast arising out of the sea c. Michael Cesenas wrote that the Pope was Antichrist f Fox Marty and Rome Babylon in the Reuelation Also Petrus de Carbano Iohannes de Poliaco and William Occam wrote against the Pope and his vsurped authoritie in aduancing Friers decaying purish Churches c. The * Mass 18.246 Emperor goeth to Rome and is crowned by an Antipope whom he set vp The Pope hearing hereof g Gob. aet 6. c. 68. Mass 18. excommunicated the Emperor for taking vpon him as Emperor in Italy without the Popes approbation and excommunicated Michael and all their adherents sent an armie against the Fratricelli Many were burned There h Trith 285. was a very great mortalitie euery where and such a dearth that many were famished The Syrians tooke many thousands of Christians prisoners The i Mass 18.247 Gob. ae 6. c. 71. p. 246. Pope also preacheth heresie that the soules departed did not enioy the sight of God till the last iudgement an k Geneb 1002. heresie of the Fratricelli He sent a Dominican and a Minorite to Paris l Mass 18. p. 247. to preach his heresie there Thomas Walleis an Englishman herein resisted the Pope in his publike sermons For which he was imprisoned and vexed with famine The m 246. Emperor held a Councell vnto whom Iendinus and Marcellus students of Paris doe come and comfort him confirming that the Emperor is not subiect to the Pope n Trith 279. Occam also said to the Emperor Defend me with thy sword against the iniuries of the Pope and I will defend thee with words and writing with indissoluble arguments And o Par. Vrs 354. Marsilius Patauinus wrote to the Emperour a booke called Defensor pacis maintaining that the Pope is subiect to the Emperor In this a Trith 280. Councell the Emperor deposeth the Pope as an heretike and schismatike and b Par. Vrs 354 setteth vp his appeale against the Pope c Geneb 1015. The Pope reuoked his heresie by the authoritie of the faculty of Paris He d Volat. 21. instituted a new order of Knights in Portugall of Iesus Christ and granted them the Templars goods that they might be ready to resist the irruptions of the Saracens that were next their colours were Sables a crosse gewles In the same countrie c. were the Knights of Alcantara with a greene crosse He e Extr. Con. l. 1. Supra gentes excommunicated ipso facto those that hindered the Popes Legats and messengers from being entertained and interdicted their land as long as they should stand contumacious f Trith p. 284. When he died he left an inestimable summe of gold behind him in the treasuries Anno 1335. Benedictus the twelfth g Par. Vrs 354. Geneb p. 1025. though he desired to absolue the Emperor yet for feare of the French King confirmed the censure of his predecessor * Par. Vrsp p. 355. The Emperor reiecteth the acts of Iohn the twentith two against him looking to the Canon Imperator where is required that neither the Emperor shall vsurpe the rights of the Pope nor the Pope of the Emperor and that the Emperor hath not his Empire of the Pope but of God At Franckeford in an assemblie of Princes was decreed that if the Emperor be good and Catholicke c. and that the Pope refuse to crowne him he may be consecrated by any other Catholike Bishop c. h Mass 8.447 He sent his Orator to Rome who perswaded them to administer the dignity of the senate in the name of the Church and not in the name of the King or Emperor as they had done of long How was then Rome the Popes He i Geneb p. 1027. caused the King of Hungary to restore the kingdome of Naples to Ioane from whom he had taken it because she had strangled her husband the Kings brother In reward of which restitution she gaue the city Auinion to the Pope for euer He k 1026. published a decree against this heresie of Iohn his predecessor determining against his opinion l Extr. Con. 5. de haeres c. 1. This Pope made the inquisitors the receiuers of heretikes goods and rents and to be accountable to none but the Pope * Par. Vrs 354. Dulcinus and Durandus are held to bee heretikes m Fox Marty Hagar imprisoned for preaching against the Masse Iohannes de Rupe scissa imprisoned for writing and preaching Rome was Babylon and the Cardinals were false prophets n Geneb pag. 116. Occam writeth
of the comming of Theodosius the true Christian Prince Albeit the rest of the Arians presumed and reported Theodosius to be defeated whence the Papists haue learned to spread presumptuous lying newes Howbeit at last euen for feare they giue glorie to the God of heauen These e Fox in hunc locum things do most aptly agree vnto the times of the preaching and martyrdome of Iohn Hus and Ierom of Prage c. before and at the Councell of Constance and to the effects that followed thereupon The complement Alexander the fifth a Fox Mart. p. 531. 567. was chosen Pope to take away the schisme In his time the Boemians Anno 1409. by the preaching of Iohn Hus c encreased much in the knowledge of the Gospel for before this time by the spreading of Wickliefes bookes they began to tast and sauour of it b Peuce 5. f. 156. 157. The summe of his preaching was a reprehension of the fornication couetousnes and pride of the Priests c and against the magicke consecrations of the oyle water c. He prooued his assertions by the word of God the holy scriptures vnto which alone he would reduce all doctrine Hereupon grew contentions in the Vniuersitie of Prage And when those which did striue for the Pope were not able to resist the founde testimonies of the scripture alleadged by Hus they left the Vniuersitie c Fox Mart. 532 When the Pope heard of these preachings and disputations he sent his bull vnto the Archbishop requiring him to looke that no such things were maintained and cited Iohn Hus to appeare before him Iohn Hus answereth the Bull to be contrary to the doings and examples of Christ and his Apostles and to restreine or fight against the free course of the word of God Wherefore he appealeth from this mandate to the same Pope better aduised But as hee was prosecuting of his appeale the Pope died there died also the Archbishop c d cap. 11.5 by the fire that proceeded out of the mouth of Christs witnesses c. Iohn the twentieth three e Gobel aet 6. cap. 90.94 a diuell incarnate Anno 1410. and a most profound inuentor of all sorts of infamous wickednes most rigorous He receiued of the harlots of one citie viz Bâ—nenia 300. florens euery moneth for tribute of their whoredome c. The King of Sicilia brake into Rome which the Pope not forseeing with many Curtizans was spoyled Vnto f Fox Mart. p. 567. this Pope or rather beast was Hus accused for an heretike because he seemed rather willing to preach the Gospell then the bishops traditions The Pope committeth the matter to the Cardinall of Columna who monished Hus to appeare at Rome Wenceslaus King of Romanes and Boem at the suite of his wife the whole nobilitie citie and Vniuersitie of Prage sent Ambassadors to Rome crauing the Pope to remit the citation of Hus and to determine his cause in Boem Hus also sent proctors to Rome to purge him because he would auoid that dangerous iourney The Cardinall at Rome notwithstanding the Kings petition excoÌ„municateth Hus and emprisoneth some of his proctors so that the rest returne without doing any thing Howbeit Hus notwithstanding his excommunication goeth on in preaching and appealed from the Pope to Christ. Yea a Fox Mart. 569. when the Popes bull came to Prage proclaiming full remission of sinnes to all such as would fight on his side for the Pope had warre with the king of Naples Hus and his followers manifestly spake against the Bull three lay men were beheaded for speaking against these pardons whom Hus and such Priests as fauoured him interred sumptuouslie saying These be the Saints which for the Testament of God did giue their bodies At b Peuce 5. f. 168. this time were three Popes at once euery one fighting against the other with condemnations and execrations But as c Socr. 5. 22. the Arians did not striue for religion but by reason of their ouermuch desire of honour with which their mindes were wholy possessed did fight among themselues for the primacie whereupon many of the Clergie hating the contention sprung of the desire of vaine glory departed from them to the antient faith so these did not striue for the glorie of the sonne of God or for the mending of such corruptions as were in manners and doctrine but for the principalitie Wherefore many departed from them When the Emperor Sigismund did see that these euils would be more duly reformed by a Councel than by armes hee hauing runne ouer Italy Spaine France and England with incredible speede and wonderfull patience in great labours by consent of the kings caused the Counsell of Constance to bee d 1414. deceÌ„ 3. assembled which was frequented with the presence or Legates of the Princes of all the Christian world as also thither came from Bizantium and Trapezuntium a concourse of most diuerse e cap. 11.9 people and kindreds and tongues and gentiles a Geneb p. 1059 so that there were numbred of strangers of all sorts 60,500 After b Gobel 6. c. 94 the Councell assembled the whole affaires of the Councell were committed to the determination of foure Prelates chosen out of foure Nations which much displeased the Pope and his Cardinals In this Councell they proposed to reforme the Church in the head and members c Peut 5. f. 175. Wherefore Petrus de Aliaco very grauely admonished the Councell of the most corrupt conditions of the Popes the court of Rome and of al degrees of the Romane Church for the citie is Sodom He also admonished the Councell of the many superstitions and of the tyrannie then vsed for this citie is also Aegypt d Specul Minor Tract 3. f. 167. c. There were also proposed diuerse complaints against the friers for their Sodomiticall filthie life and for their pride and crueltie who were like ruffians and cutters to kill them that admonished them of their faults e Exod. 2.11.13.14 worse then the Aegyptian that wronged the Israelite or the Israelite that reproched Moses or the Sodomites that railed on Lâ—t The like was done by other that desired reformation In this Councell f Mass 18. p. 255. Gobel 6.94 the Pope g Fox Mart. p. 604. in epist Huss whom the Preachers were wonte to call the God of the earth was conuicted of more than fortie grieuous crimes for which hee was deposed Vnto h Fox in hunc locum Mar. 1575. c. this Councell came Iohn Hus vnder the safe conduct of the Emperour and there continued vnder the warrantie of the Popes promise and thither was Hierom of Prage cited Those two were shut vp in most horrible and filthie prisons farre worse then sackcloth When Hus came to the Councell he desired leaue to answere the obiections brought against him But whereas Christ was not only permitted but also required to answere for himselfe before Pilate
whom afterwards the diuell killed in the arte of sodomie wringing his necke behind him f Moris papat He permitted the Cardinals to haue harlots g Platina in Greg. 4. Of this time Platina speaking of the lawe which Ludouicus the Emperour made to restraine the pride of the Clergie crieth out I would O Ludouicus thou didst liue in our daies For now the Church doth stand in neede of thy most holy censures The Ecclesiasticall order is giuen ouer to riot and luxurie like a harlot that thou mightest behold not onely men but horses and beasts in their scarlet and princely robes with which the harlot is arraied When they goe there waite before them great troupes of young men and of the Clergie Not on asses as Christ the author of our religion did ride who was the onely example of well liuing in the world but on great horses in their caparisons as if they triumphed ouer some enemies lately ouercome c. h In Ioan. 16. He further of this time faith that this pestilent custome was then that Priests desired the papacie c. not for religion but to fill the greedines of their sonnes nephewes and familiars c. i Poly. 8.1 Pardon 's also in this time were very rife k Geneb This Pope opened his mouth to blasphemie and condemned Georgius Podiebrachius king of Boemia for an hereticke and l cap. 13.7 as if power were giuen him ouer euery nation gaue his kingdome to Mathias king of Hungarie m Lanquet Fox But Mathias in seauen yeares warres could not put him out for his feete were as pillars of fire n Geneb p. 1080 The Turkes destroyed two Empires tooke from the Christians twelue kingdomes and 200. cities for fornication sorcerie c. of the remnant o Volat. 21. The order of the souldiers called the Minimes Iesus Maria began Anno 1471. Sixtus the fourth p Volat. 22. a man rather borne for the warres than for religion q Fox Mart. p. 701. For he stirred vp many warres and when he heard that the Princes made peace he died for sorrow He as the common baude or mother of fornications c erected stewes in Rome of double abhomination both males and females and kept multitudes of harlots for his friends and followers a Moris Pap. And as Caligula laid a tribute vpon harlots the common harlots paid to him in the yeare about 40,000 ducates b Strab. lib. 7. Geog. This coÌ„munity of women did the Church of Rome learne either of Plato the heathen Philosopher or else of the Scythians and Gothes where Plato had his example He c Ext. com de poeni remis c. 4. reduced the yeare of Iubile to 25. yeares and d ibid. cap. 1. ordained the feast of the conception of the virgin Marie giuing large indulgences to all those which should be deuoutly present at the solemnitie and yet e N.D. Warn-word the Doctors agree not among themselues whether the virgin Mary were conceiued without sinne vpon which ground the feast was instituted by the Pope f Fox He brought the vse of beades into prayer g Geneb pag. 1084. 1088. In his time the Spanish King expelleth the Mâ—â—es and Iewes out of Spaine and instituteth the Spanish inquisition whereunto he also subiecteth himselfe Of the cruell proceedings of the inquisition against the godly see h Fox p. 9â—â— Fox and other bookes of the Spanish inquisition c. For by this kinde of crueltie the woman is drunken with the bloud of the Saints Innocentius the eight i Volat 22. f. 160. b. of a slow wit Anno 1484. and farre from learning as Licinius the tyrant He first of any Pope brought in a new example of making ostentation of his bastards and violating all antient discipline he heaped riches vpon them He fawned on all but was friendly to none and passed his inbred couetousnes with iests and scoffes He as k 2. Tim. 3.4 a louer of pleasure more then of God l Crantz Met. 12. 1. p. 814. adorned the papacy with a pallace and strongly beautified the house of Solace called Bell-vedere He m Volat. 21. f 244. annexed the Knights of the order of Saint Sepulchre to the Knights of Saint Iohn with a red and double crosse n Geneb pag. 1089. 1087. The Turkes abolished the gouernment of the Paleologi and Venetians in Pelopâ—nesus Lesbos Eubuâ— and Lemnos The Spaniards finde the land of Guinnea and many other Iles. o Mass 20.268 Iohannes Langlois at Paris strooke the host and wine out of the Priests hand and stamped on them denying any reall presence to be in the Sacrament for which he was burned The diuels possessed the Monastery of the Nunnes Quersetensium in a most strange manner a See Fox Mâ—r. Very many Martyres suffer About this time died Laurentius Medicis Duke of Florence b Eucholcerus Anno 1492. who in Italy much holpe to restore tongues and arts from whence they spread into Germany By this instauration of learning the whole world in a manner began to be renewed as with a first resurrection and to be encreased and enriched with this kinde of wealth The Boemian Hussites in token that their glassie sea was mingled with fire doe rise and endanger Mathias the King their enemie and persecutor enforcing him to flie they kill the Senate and pull downe Monasteries Thus Kings begin to receiue the Gospell by whom d cap. 11.15.28.19 15.8 the kingdomes of this world are the Lords and his Christs And thus the temple the profession of the Gospell against Antichrist is open in heauen the Church notwithstanding the Gentiles the Papists be angrie CHAP. XIII Of the seuen last plagues by which the wrath of God is fulfilled vpon the inhabitants of the earth SO mightily hath the power of God appeared as that he hath kept the temple open and continued the preaching of the Gospell notwithstanding all oppositions of enemies And now that his iudgements might be made manifest according to the word of God he sendeth out his plagues to the a 2. Thes 2. consuming of the man of sinne in this third woe In the prophecie of powring out of b cap. 15.1 the plagues by which is fulfilled the wrath of God first is declared how they are prepared and secondly how they are executed Concerning the preparation it is said that the persons who are prouided to execute them are c 6. the seuen Angels the instruments of these punishments being mightie more then humane The place whence they came is out of the temple d Psal 76.23.8.9 whence the Lord doth send his blessings and plagues They are e cap. 15.6 clothed in pure and bright linnen in token of their a cap. 19.8 most righteous and holy proceedings And lastly they haue b cap. 15.6 their breasts girded with golden girdles to signifie their c Luk. 12.35
yeere So did Danie But especially Iohn hus and Ierom of Prage e Geneb p. 1109 Elias Leuita a Iew publisheth his Hebrue Grāmar to the great benefit of Christians Luther f Par. Vrsp p. 447. writeth to the Pope of indulgences Ann. 1518. complaining that the pardon-preachers to the scandall and mockerie of the Ecclesiasticall power and blasphemie of God did write and preach with insatiable couetousnesse the like whereof was neuer heard of before requiring the confessors by oth to enioyne them that confesse to them to buy their pardons terrifying all men with the name of the Pope threatning fire and the reproch of heresie to them that refused to buie their pardons He shewed that with his schedule of articles which he had set vp he onely purposed to prouoke the learned to disputations That it seemed miraculous to him that his propositions were so soone gone abroade as vpon a white horse posted in all the earth That against his will he made himself so publike that he could not recall his propositions a Par. Vrsp p. 448. Hee also answered a dialogue of Siluester Pierius teaching that b 1. Thess 5. All things are to be tryed c Galat. 1. an Angell must teach no other doctrine Fathers may erro and concludeth thus Let opinions remaine opinions and no burthens to the Church Opinions may not be equall to scripture Let the diuines be ashamed of these and such like speeches which they bolt out Thus would I speak in schooles but yet doe not tel any bodie it cānot be prooued by scripture c. Luther before the Legate a Cardinall d Par. Vrs p. 449. iustifieth his doctrine Wherefore the Pope citeth Luther to Rome and commandeth the Princes to deliuer him prisoner to the Legate excommunicating and accursing all Princes and interdicting their landes which would not bee assistant excepting none but the Emperour and giuing plenarie indulgences to them that obeyed e Mass 20. p. 273. Luther appealeth from the Pope not well informed to the Pope to be better informed and after that to a general Councell f Nou. Orb. Cortesius discouereth to the south By g Peuc 5. f. 266. b. Luthers bookes and sermons when godly men in monasteries did heare that idols were to be fled from they according to the commaundement h cap. 18.4 Come out of her my people and be not partakers of her sinnes c began to depart from that wicked seruitude and so were the monasteries left emptie i Par. Vrs 250. c. Anno 1520. There was a disputation of the Popes authoritie c at Lipsia Luther auoucheth his articles which were condemned by the Popes bull k 454. 455. and wrote against the three fortifications of poperie which are 1. The ciuill Magistrate hath no power ouer the spirituall but the spirituall Magistrate hath power ouer the ciuill 2. If they be vrged with scripture they say None can expound the scripture but the Pope c. 3. If they be vrged with a Councell they faigne that none can call a Councell but the Pope c. Erasmus writeth to the Archbishop of Mogunce of Luthers cause saying that the Monkes and Diuines doe condemne the things in Luthers bookes for heresie which in the bookes of Bernard and Augustine are read as true and godly c. They were heretofore heretikes that dissented from the Euangelists and from the Articles of faith c. Now if any dissent from Thomas hee is an heretike Whatsoeuer pleaseth them not what they vnderstand not is heresie to vnderstand Greeke to speake good Latine is heresie with them The * Buchol Ann. 1520. Geneb 1106. diuines of Louane and Colen doe adiudge many of Luthers bookes to the fire to be burned which the same yeere by the commaundement of the Pope and Charles the Emperor was done in Germany a Mass 20. p. 273. Luther at Wittenberge openly burneth the Popes lawes the decretals and decrees with the Popes bull saying b cap. 18.6 I haue done to them as they haue done to me rewarding her as she hath rewarded me c Buchol c. 1521. Luther among other bookes which hee published wrote an exhortation to the nobilitie of Germany of the reformation of the Christian affaires Luther answereth before the Emperour at Wormes where the Emperour proscribed him d Geneb 1110. This yeere began that long and bloudie warre betweene Charles the Emperour and Francis the French King both Papists and this lasted 38. yeres Thou e cap. 16.5.6 Geneb p. 11 10. Lord hast giuen them blood to drinke because they killed thy Saints f Par. Vrs p. 457. Ignatius Layolo a Spaniarde began the order af the fellowship of Iesus and Luthers bookes are burned at Antwerpe and Gant Pope Leo died as it was thought by poison And now is powred forth the fifth Phiall The fifth Phiall Henceforth to the former foure Plagues the fifth Angell powreth out the plague which he was to inflict g cap. 16.10 And the fifth Angell powred out his Phiall vpon the throne of the beast that popish Antichrist and the wonted glorious administration of his kingdome waxed darke and obscured being regarded euery day lesse then other Wherefore the Gentiles the Papists are angrie and gnaw their tongues for sorrow and griefe Yea whereas the Lord plagued them also by the other Phials a cap. 16.11 1521. they blasphemed the God of heauen for their paines and for their plague sores and repented not of their workes but became as cruell proud couetous and euery way as wicked as before though they saw their sinnes The Complement When b Eucholce the Emperor had proscribed Luther c Slei lan 1. f. 18. a. Fridericus the Elector of Saxonie consulted with Erasmus about the doctrine of Luther and standing at the glassie sea mingled with fire protested to despise all dangers for the truth Beeing satisfied by Erasmus that Luther had the truth hee committed Luther to certain Nobles whom he trusted to bring him safe to a castle where he might be vnknowne d cap. 16.10 Thus was the kingdome of the popish beast obscured Here Luther wrot many bookes and calleth the place his Patmos or wildernesse so that in him e cap. 10.11 S. Iohn doth preach againe Ann. 1522. Adrian f Par. Vrsp p. 458. the sixt acknowledging the faults of his time attempteth reformation at Rome g Lanquet ann 1522. Hee sent his letters to the Councell at Argentine charging them to see that none of Luthers bookes were printed and that they which were alreadie printed should bee burned Hee also by his Bull required Fridericke the Elector of Saxonie to maintaine the Church of Rome and by his Legate hee commanded the Princes of Germanie Lanquet anno 1523. assembled at Norimberge to proceed against Luther and his fellowes as against men alreadie heard and condemned Howbeit because the Phiall was powred on
the throne of the beast his kingdome and absolute commandement waxed obscure For the Princes deferre the cause of Luther to a generall Councell and propose an hundred grieuances which Germany did suffer by the Sea of Rome and their Ecclesiasticall persons requiring to bee eased in these things The h Buchol anno 1523. Pope appointed his Legate freely to confesse before the States of the Empire in this manner i Paral Vrsp 459. We know that in this holy seate now some certaine yeares there haue beene many abominable things abuse in matters diuine superfluities of traditions and that at last all things haue fallen to bee worse Neither is there any maruaile that infirmitie is deriued from the head to the members from the Popes to inferiour prelates We all that is prelates and Ecclesiasticall persons haue declined euery man into his owne waies nor now of long was there any that did any good a Bucholcerus He was also very liberall in promising the Princes that things should be amended The better to bring the Pope to make conscience to reforme with speed b Iouius lib. 21. p. 19. Par. Vrsp p 460. there arose a great plague in Rome in which their died an hundred thousand many corpes were seene in the streetes it seemed the citie would haue beene wasted in fewe daies But they were so farre from repenting to giue God the glorie that by the fauour of the people a Greeke one Demetrius a Magician vndertooke for 4000. ducates to staie the pestilence whereby they blasphemed the God of heauen for their paines For he by inchantment tamed a wilde bull causing the bull to digge a well promising that whosoeuer dranke of that water should be free from the pestilence Then cut he off halfe one of his hornes and with a smal thread tied about the other horne of the bull lead him at his pleasure and to the blasphemie of the name of God sacrificed him at the Amphitheatre to pacifie the God of the pestilence Also c Lanquet Millaine was afflicted with such a pestilence that it consumed 50,000 in fower moneths d Geneb p. 1114. Christiernus king of Denmarke defecteth from the Church of Rome for the kingdomes are the Lords e Fox Mart. 1523. Bucholc The Duke of Saxonie by the aduice of the Students of Wittenberge abrogateth the masse Zuinglius writeth to the whole nation of the Heluetians not to hinder the course of the Gospel f Jouius lib. 21 The Turke taking aduantage of the dissention that was among the Christian Princes which by reason of the second and third Phiall were great and bloodie besiegeth Rhodes with 200,000 souldiers The Pope diuerted those aides which came from Spaine to relieue Rhodes and sent them to Gallia Cisalpina to relieue the Emperour and so was Rhodes lost by the madnesse of our Princes a cap. 18.24 that in her might be found all the blood that was shedde b Fox Mart. The duke of Austriche setteth forth a sharpe proclamation against Luther and such as did not obey the Church of Rome For c cap. 19.19 the beast and kings make warre against the word of God d Par. Vrs p. 460. Buchol Adrian the sixth dieth not without suspition of poyson Amongst his most secret papers were found the bookes of the inchanter which vndertooke to preserue the city from the plague whereby it was suspected that the Pope came in with the mightie working of Sathan c Bâ—cholcer When the Monkes had read Luthers bookes of Vowes they dissolued their vowes and went out of their Monasteries So in many places the monasteries in a short time were left emptie and reduced to a wildernesse and cage of euery vncleane bird and other vses The Nunnes laid aside their latine Psalter and put off their habite began to leaue their cloysters to marrie and keepe house Two Monkes were burned at Bruxels for Luthers opinions Erasmus disliked this kind of proceeding Luther esteemed them as martyrs Ann. 1523. Clement the seauenth f Lanquet ann 1524. sent his Legate Campegius to the Princes assembled at Norimberge requiring them to punish the Lutherans and not to be discontented that the money which was paid out of Germanie was not bestowed against the Turkes as was promised The Princes required answer of their requests made to the Pope which were to ease them of the grieuances which they sustained by the Pope and the Clergie the Legate answered that the Pope esteemed them as hereticall and therefore not to be granted for they repent not The Indians confederate against the Portugals g Fox Mart. alii The Senate at Zurike when the Papists had refused disputations abandoned mens traditions proclaimed the Gospel of Christ to bee purely taught out of the old and newe Testament Against their Bishops minde they pulled downe images and that all fowles might be fedde with their flesh disposed of the lands of the Clergie banished the Masse The like was done in Tigurine h Geneb p. 1123. The Ethiopianâ— offer obedience to the Pope and to follow the beast i Lanquet Sharpe warres betweene England and Scotland The Bishop of Argentine summoneth the Priests before him but the Councel of the citie withstood him not suffering him to exercise iurisdiction ouer them So that the kingdome of the beast is darkened The Emperour goeth in his own person to fight against the French king a Par. Vrsp p. 460. Georgius the Marquesse of Brandenburge great master of Prussia receiueth the word of God b Geneb p. 1110 Guice Par. Vr. p. 460. The French king was taken prisoner by the Emperour whereupon the Emperour resolueth to make himselfe Monarch of Christendome c Gerardus The Turkes preuaile in Hungarie and besiege Vienna but are driuen from thence In d Peuc Par. Vr. Germanie the people affect libertie e Sleid. 6 f. 92 b. The Electors sonne of Saxonie vnto whom was espoused the Emperours youngest sister is married with the daughter of the Duke of Cliâ—ue For the Emperour departed from his promise confirmed by writings because of the change of religion and his Embassadours did openly say that Faith is not to be kept with heretickes f Geneb p. 1116. Millaine Ferrara England Venice all Lombardie g Par. Vrsp p. 472. and the Pope Clement doe make a league against the Emperour Charles the fifth But the next yeare after h Par. Vrsp p. 472. c. Guicc Iouius Rome is taken and sacked by the Emperours armie When the armie was at the siege of the citie and entring the Pope would not beleeue the newes trusting vpon his Apostolicall thunderbolt which he sent forth against the armie in these wordes We doe excommunicate Charles called the Duke of Burbon Generall of the armie with his whole armie consisting partly of Lutheranes and partly of Maranes calling the Germanes Lutheranes and the Spaniards Maranes But the armie entred and vsed
and Mâ—gog of which I purpose not to speâ—kâ— in thâ— treatise FINIS TO AS MANY AS CALL THEMSELVES CATHOLIKES AND FOLLOW THE Church of Rome and yet doe desire to know and embrace the truth WE see and lament that the multitude of those which doe beare the name of Christians is distracted into many different and contrary opinions yeâ—â—is there none of the factions which pretendeth not that he hath the onely right way Against this multiplicity ariseth the word of God which doth constantly affirme that Ephes 4 4.5.6 there is but one God one faith c. So that though 1. Cor. 9.24 many runne at the price yet but one obtaineth it The great Question is among vs all which side hath the true God and true faith and who shall get the price In this contention none are so feruent as they who call themselues Catholikes and follow the Church of Rome and they who are called Protestants and haue departed from the Church of Rome In so great opposition it is certaine both parties are not right Wherefore you that follow Rome yet loue the truth consider with me a little how we may be satisfied which of vs is out of the way and thinke no scorne to turne into the right path when we haue found it As for the rest whom Antichrist hath deluded to stoppe their eares like deafe Adders against good counsaile and to open their mouthes to blasphemie so that they crie all is but lyes before they heare or reade a letter as God hath prouided no sacrifice for their wilfull sinne so I leaue them to him that â— Cor. 5.13 iudgeth them that are without It is confessed of vs all that our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ had the truth and that he sent his Apostles abroad to preach the same which they did in their sermone and deliuered in their writings Now it remaineth to be required whether the Doctrine by them taught and recorded in the scriptures be the onely eternal and immutable truth or no Or that the Church may in time deuise more to bee added thereto other differing from it or some contrary vnto it of like authoritie and reuerence As for the Protestants they bind themselues to the written Word as a sufficient Canon to walke by acknowledging it to be Reuel 19.16 the King of Kings and Lord of Lords The Church of Rome will not be so straighted nor so subiect but wil assume she goeth right when she walketh by her Traditions which change with the times as appeareth by their seueral and opposite decrees and institutions So that she thinketh her selfe neuer out whatsoeuer she doth in abolishing the former and in deuising and inioyning such new articles as the godly in the primitiue Church neuer knew nor their fathers before them vnto which also she holdeth all men are to be subiect on paine of damnation For the decision of this great question because it is obiected to the parties themselues that they doe not pursue their arguments with that patience as is required at the hands of Christians let vs commit the moderation to such as we all agree were both truly Christians which was the Act. first name that the Disciples were called by and truelie Catholikes which was the next title they tooke Namely Athanasius and his fellowes who though they spake in another case yet it appeareth by the waight of their arguments they would speake of our Question were they at our Conference in the same sort as they did at Ariâ—â—â—â— Let vs see to which of our parties their censure were most proper if the names of the persons which they speake of were changed into the persons of our Question Their speech is recorded by Socrat. lib. 2. cap. 29. When Vrsacius and Valent had read a confession of the faith dissenting from the Nicâ—â—â— Creede as the Papists doe from the faith and doctrine of the word of God published in the raigne of Constantius Flauius and Eusebius being Consuls as that of the Papists is instituted by diuers Popes the Catholikes that disliked it rose vp and said as we also say to the Papists We came not together with you because we were destitute of faith for wee keepe that wholy which wee receiued from the beginning but that if any did attempt any new thing of that matter we might resist him AThanasius who especially disliked this innouation wrote vnto his friends almost in these words which with changing but the names of the persons whom hee nameth and are put in the margent to the Papists will be thus What I pray you was wanting in the Catholike Church vnto the doctrine of godlines that now they should enquire of the faith and should by name prefix the Consuls Popes and Councels Which were in this present time before the words which forsooth they haue set downe of the faith For the Vrsatius Valens Germanius Popish writers haue done that which was neuer done nor heard among christians For where they wrote the things which they thought were to be beleeued they haue written Consuls the Popes Councels and places moneth and lastly the day that it might be manifest to all wise men that their faith had no beginning before the beginning of the raigne of Constantius such Popes and Councels yea that which is more all of them hauing regard vnto their owne heresie haue committed their owne sentences to writing Moreouer when they pretend to write of the doctrine of the Lord they haue named another for their Lord namely Constantius the Pope For he hath opened vnto them a window vnto all their impiety And when as they did denie the word of the Sonne of God to be eternall for so farre were these enemies of Christ cast into wickednesse they haue named the Emperor decrees of the Popes to be eternall But perchance they catch an occasion to name the Consuls Popes and Councels by the example of the holy Prophets who do set downe the time in which they liued But if they shall dare to affirme so they shall exceedingly bewray their folly For albeit there be mention of the times in the prophecies of holy men as in Esaiah and Hosea which were in the daies of Ozias and Ioatham Achaz and Ezechias as in the prophecie of Ieremie who liued in the dayes of Iesias as in the prophecies of Ezechiel and Daniel who flourished when Cyrus and Darius did raigne and lastly as in other Prophets which prophecied in other times yet doe none of them lay any first foundation of pietie and holy religion For it was before their times and alwaies and before the framing of the world which God by Christ hath prepared for vs. And as for the times in which their faith began they did not designe for before those times themselues were faithfull but those were the times of the promise pronounced by them And the promise doth especially concerne the incarnation of our Sauiour That which was annexed thereunto did clearely demonstrate those things which should befall