punished for his vnreasonable attempts as condemned by this synode for such his presumption What more can we say vnto the Bish of Rome who violently intrudes himselfe without being sent for into all causes in all Churches taking euery occasion to intermeddle so insolently and impudently as he doth Of the same argument be the 15.21 and 22. Canons which expresly forbid all Bishops to enter vpon or meddle with ought in any Diocesse beside their owne What neede wee more Can. 6. In the Aphrican Councel there is a Prohibition that the Bishop of the first Sea be not called Prince of Priests or chiefe Priest or by any such like title as these but only Bishop of the first Sea And the 92. Canon of that Councell prouides that no appeales do stand good which are made vnto places beyond the Sea that is to the seat of Rome and if any man shall appeale he is to be excluded from communion with any within the boundes of Africa And hereof there were letters written vnto Caelestinus the then Bishop of Rome wherein the Africans intreat him that he would forbeare from thence forward to receiue into Communion with him any man excommunicated by them which should bee derogatorie to the authoritie of the Churches of Africa and the Canons of the Nicene Councell For say these Fathers very wisely and equally haue they prouided that matters be determined there and not else but there where first they had beginning That it was not to be doubted but that the spirit of grace would be in such sort present in euery prouince as to inable the Priest of Christ wisely to see the trueth and constantly to follow it being seene especially seeing it was denied none if he were aggrieued with the sentence of his Ordinarie to appeale from him to a prouinciall or to a generall Councell vnlesse perhaps a man can imagine that God can giue seuerall men discerning iudgement and deny it or not giue it vnto many conuening together in a Councell And so the first Nullitie in Excommunication Papall is the Incompetencie as they terme it of the Iudge therfore Incompetent because hee vsurpeth on an others right which the Scholemen themselues agnise as sufficient to annihilate the sentence of Excommunication vpon the 4. booke of Sentences and 18. Distinct A second Nullity is that Excommunication is by the Popes denounced against Innocents as well as Nocents For they vse to punish not them alone against whom their quarrells lie but for some one or few mens sake they rage against Cities Prouinces whole Kingdomes as is to be seene in their Bulls where Excommunicating Kings Princes or Magistrates they insnare together all their Subiects which wickednes the Lord doth condemne by his prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezech. 18.20 The sonne shall not beare the fathers sinne but the soule which hath sinned that soule shall die But this destroyer curseth downe to Hell and deuoureth to perdition not only the son for the fathers fault but onely whole families * which Augustine condemned Epist 75. but populous cities whole kingdomes for the offence if yet offence of their gouernours Wherin there is some ods betweene Christ and him whose Vicar neuerthelesse he needs wil be â—uk 19 10. For * Christ saith he came to seeke and to saue that which was lost but the Pope little priseth myriads of soules bought and redeemed with Christs bloud so be he may raigne and Lord it alone Christ proclaimeth himselfe The annointed of Iehoua Esay 61.1 to comfort such as mourn in Sion to giue vnto them beauty for ashes the oile of ioy for mourning the garment of gladnesse for the spirit of heauinesse that they might build the old waste places and raise vp the former desolations and repaire the cities that were abandoned and waste through many generations But the Pope turneth vpside downe Common-wealths setled well and in peace changing mattockes into speares sithes into swords and sheathing swords in the bowels of men Leo the 10. in whose time liued his like and was a retainer vnto that house I meane Angelus Poli who vsed to say merily vnto his fellows Let vs goe ad audiendam fabulam de Iesu Christo In effect Let go to Church forcing kings to quit their kingdomes altering states lawes times at his pleasure treading vnder foot the crownes of Emperors by pretext of excommunication forcing them to leaue their seat royall and lay their neckes vnder his feet to tread vpon The third nullity is from the causes of Excommunication For tell me whom euer for Idolatry or for Atheisme did hee excommunicate These impieties passe without controlement euen at Rome in the Popes Court which euery man knows that hath read their stories For to say nothing of Idolatry which by prescription in the Romane vse is now receiued for Religion was not that Pope a flat Atheist who in a passage of speech with Cardinall Bembo called the Gospell of Iesus Christ a fable And what I pray you cause was there at all why Henry the 111. the most Christian King of France should so be censured vnlesse for his too great zeale forwardnesse in the superstitions of Rome For as one said very truly At Rome you may be what you will So that you be a rakehell still But lest happily I seeme ouer seuere against transgressions in the first Table hearken what some ages since an ey-witnesse did write I tooke a iourney to see Rome and since I did it see I haue inough Then farewell Rome I 'le come againe to thee When Pandar Brothel Buffon or a Cynede I shall be And lest I be said to produce namelesse authours do but marke what Baptista Mantuan a Carmelite Frier hath written of the maners and customes of Rome S. Peters lust worn family in riot wast their daies Exiling far all honesty when buffons rents do raise Vpon Gods owne inheritance when hallowed altars feed Leud losels and loose Catamites within his Church do breed What maruell though they rise in wealth and houses build on high If Tyrus sends them scarlet gownes Th'arabian spicery And frankincense they vent out much temples are set to sale Priests altars praiers crownes are sold yea heauen nay God and all But what do I insist in this when as Iohannes Casa Archbishop of Beneuento and legat Apostolique with the Venetians in the daies of Iuly the 111. wrot and published a booke in Print in Italian rhythmes Taxa Cancellariae Apostolicae Luterâ—e apud Toss Dionysian â—520 therein extolling the sinne of Sodomy And to conclude The taxing of the chancery of Rome may witnesse without all contradiction in what low account be at Rome the most grieuous and capitall offences The words of that booke are these The Absolution for him who hath carnally knowen a woman in the church Grossus is the 8. part of an ounce a small fine for such a fault gross 6. The Absolution for him that hath had carnally to
Where he saith Therfore let vs keepe the feast not in the leauen of malice and iniquity but with the vnleauened loues of syncerity and truth The communion is twofold wherefrom the Excommunicate are excluded Internall Externall The Inward is that by which euery faithfull man in faith and charity is first knit vnto God then to all the Saints and the whole body of the Church with the bond of the spirit which is in the Creed called the Communion of Saints of which that place of Iohn is meant 1. Ioh. 1. That which wee haueseene that which wee haue heard do wee preach vnto you that you the faithfull might haue communion with vs and that our communion might bee with the Father and with his sonne Christ Iesu From this communion it is not the Excommunication of the Presbytery but their owne sinnes which excludeth offendours For the Prophet as the mouth of God saith Your sinnes haue diuided me and you Esay 45. But Excommunication doth declare and confirme by the Churches authority that the irrepentant sinner is excluded and cut off from this communion The saying of the Schoole to that purpose is The Church doth not damnifie any man but pointeth him out that is damnified Euen as when in the Law the Priest did forbid the infected with the leprosie to enter within the Congregation This act of the Priest did not bring the sore vpon him but only declared that he was infected and hence it is the if the key go not right as the saying is but hit vpon such as be innocent the sentence pronounced is void Externall communion is of two kindes either in Church or Common wealth This latter concerneth negotiating trading and commerce in matters of ciuill course belonging vnto this present life Excommunication doth not actually depriue a man from the benefit of this but it remaines lawfull for any in ciuill affaires to negotiate with him to doe him all duties and bounden offices such as the sonne should do the father the wife her husband the subiects their magistrate for euen to Ethnickes and Pagans such natural seruices be returnable Ecclesiastical communion is that wherein we communicate together in those things which in the Church of God concerne his seruice as publicke praier preaching of the Word participation of the Sacraments This last is cleerly and wholly forbidden the Excommunicare both vpon warrant of Christ his precept Matth. 7.6 Giue not holy things vnto dogges Cast not pearles before swine as also in regard of their fruit and effects lest happily they turne vnto their condemnation because they receiue vnworthily it being the nature of the Sacrament to profit onely the worthy receiuer Concerning the preaching of the word although the vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuers by warrant of the Scripture should haue accesse thereto He vseth this word so often as being the practise where he liued that so they may the sooner be reclamed by repentance yet their case is otherwise who by the Presbytery are giuen vp to Sathan And although that in former time they were not wholly excluded yet neither were they licenced but respectiuely as hauing need of rather correction than instruction conscience than science Concerning the end you alleadge very fitly Pope Nicolas saying That Excommunication is not poison to destroy but Physick to recure Which is true indeed and cleane cuts the throat of your killing office vnlesse perdy with you to kill and to heale are two words of one signification For without all question Excommunication and brotherly correction haue both but one end which end is this that A brother may be gained if it be possible the Church edified the glory of God therby aduaÌ„ced So saith the apostle in expresse words 1 Cor. 5. First it is his purpose to deliuer vp to Sathan the incestuous person for the mortifying of his flesh that his spirit may be saued And secondly the wicked man is reiected from Communion with the faithfull Iest the Church might happily partake in his infection His words be these 1. Cor. 5.8 Cast you out therfore the old leauen that you may be a new lumpe Know you not that a little leauen leaueneth the whole masse Hereout the third Gods glory will easily be aduanced for when mis beleeuing Infidels shall behold that wicked and notorious offendours be in no case tolerated in the Church it cannot be but they wil greatly commend the founder thereof Iesus Christ our Lord. These things premised so pregnant that they stand without contradiction let vs see their agreement and coherence with the practised excommunication in the Papacy which will appeare void and a meere nullity Brutum fulmen rather than a censure of the Church or an holy and sacred action First it is a right resting in the whole Church But the Pope claimes it absolutely for his owne peculiar so farre as he may absolue and excommunicate at his pleasure yea actually doth both bind and loose Francis Vargas in Râ—sp de iurisdict Episcop in the most remote places from him The power saith Franciscus Vargas resteth only in his hands to Excommunicate Absolue Dispence Reserue cases Conferre Indulgences Benefices and such like to make Lawes enact Statutes punish reward rule and moderate the Hier archie of the Church All which power and if there be any other of like nature hereto is thought to be deriued vpon Inferior Bishops from the chiefe Bishop alone And not only so but to rest in him as in the Originall and sure head from whom al other do receiue that whasoeuer which they haue As though Christ the springing Well of life or those Fountains from whence we are willed by Esay to draw foorth saluation with reioycing Esay 12. were dried vp and no hope to attaine eternall life but by recoursing to the Cesterns of Rome Thus neuer did the auncient Councels decree it was not their intent that all power in the Church should be confined vpon this proud Tarquine Read and obserue but these Canons The 6. of the Nicene Councell Let ancient Customes bee retained Concil Tom. 1. The Churches in Lybia Egypt and Pentapolis let them obey the Bishop of Alexandria seeing this is the vsage in the Church of Rome In like maner throughout all other prouinces let the Metropolitanes of Antioch and Ierusalem retaine their rights and priuiledges without impeachment What singular priuiledge or prerogatiue hath the Bishop of Rome bestowed on him heere beyond the other his equall Patriarchs The 13. Canon of the Councell of Antioch Concil Tom. 1. Let no Bishop dare to passe from Prouince to Prouince and giue orders in Churches there vnlesse hee bee sent for by the Metrapolitane and the Bishops that bee with him But if not beeing sent for or called at all he shall inordinately and insolently presume to goe and giue Orders make Ecclesiasticall constitutions whereto hee hath no right let there bee a Nullitie of all his acts himselfe be put vnder censure for his insolency and
it is a question meerely politicall with which the Popes should not intermeddle if they do lust to giue eare vnto Christ his Commandement Math. 20.26 or were disposed to follow his example who though inuited would not haue any thing to do with ciuill cases and legall controuersies Luc. 12. A fourth Nullitie is in that Papall Excommunication doth not only forbid the parties censured all Ecclesiasticall Communion but ouer and aboue all Politicke and Ciuill See the Bulls of Paul the iii ag Henry the viii of England of Sixtus 5. against King of Nauar and Prince of Conde and of Pius 5. against Queene Elizabeth as namely that in Mariage expresly against the Apostles decrees 1. Cor. 7.8 and lawfull subiection vnto Magistrates For it is their manner in their Bulls Excommunicatorie to absolue the subiects from their Othe of Obedience and any other bond or dutie in which they bee tied to expose the possessions and goods of Princes as a pray and a spoile to any that will seeke them so as it shall be lawfull without denouncing warre proclaiming hostilitie by secret practises or open force for any man to pursue to apprehend or murther them to depriue their issue of al right to succeed and make them infamous and vncapable to Incite the Nobilitie and Comminaltie to armes Interdict the suspended from any commerce or negotiation with other nations to determine the leagues and articulations of Princes and States made with them to be void and of no validitie and lastly to forbid them Christian buriall Which what is it else but in detestable sort to violate the law of Nature and Nations to set vp iniustice euerie where to teach children to hate their parents subiects to be periured perfidious rebellious disoobedient and practise such Papall virtues as these And therefore it was not without cause that Laurentius Valla a Putritian of Rome said That Rome was a schoole wherein men learned to lie to deceiue sweare forsweare Christ taught no such lesson Matth. 22.21 when hee bad Giue vnto Caesar the things that bee Caesars and vnto God that which belongs vnto him It is not the doctrine of Saint Paul Rom. 13.1 who willeth euerie soule to be subiect vnto higher Powers Whether Apostle or Euangelist or Prophet or whosoeuer hee bee saith Chrysostome for this subiection doth not in any case crosse our pietie Peter gaue no such command when hee willeth seruants to bee subiect in all feare vnto their Lords not vnto the good and gentle alone 1. Pet. 2 but euen the froward and peruerse Happily it will be said but not Excommunicated Surely yes if the person which stands Excommunicate be not any otherwise to bee accounted of then as an Ethnicke and a Publicane with whom in ciuill negotiations the Iewes did not refraine to communicate For liuing in and vnder an * Ethnicke state The Romans by deputies they yeelded obedience vnto thei positiue lawes and to the Publicans Farmers of the common reuenues they paied Customes and tribute mony trading also with them in other things Which right whensoeuer the Popes of Rome went about to infringe by thundring curses and Excommunications God from Heauen hath disclosed the fearfulnesse of his vengeance against the forsworne Traitors as is plaine in that miserable end of Ralfe Duke of Sweland Antoninus vita Henr. 4. Abbas Vâ—sperg Hen. 4. alij whom Gregorie the Seauenth did set vp in place of the Emperour Henrie the Fourth Which Ralph being at the will of the Pope crowned by the Arch-Bishop of Mentz wretched man that he was for in lieu of a vaine crowne which stood not long vpon his head hee vnderwent an infortunate crosse beeing vanquished in fight by his Prince who when hee yeelded vp the ghost shewed his right hand cut off in fight as a memoriall of his treachery vnto the Bishops his Instigators vsing withall these wordes See you heere that hand with which I bound my selfe by solemne oth neuer to iniurie neuer to contriue against my Lord Henrie which oth to breake your perswasion and the Apostolicall commandement hath induced mee Behold and consider in how right a course yee haue led him that was content to be ruled by you The fift Nullitie of papall Excommunication remaineth behind to bee drawen from the end of that Censure which is the sauing of his Soule in setting foorth the glorie of God procuring the good of the Church These ends how little root they haue euer taken time out of minde in the Popes of Rome all good men haue well noted and many not the worst haue deplored Roderico bishop of Zamora Roder. Zamor lib. 2 spei vitae hum ca 3. Castellane that is keeper of the Castle Saint Angelo * Castellane Referendary to Pope Paul the 2. in his booke intituled The glasse of mans life where he speaketh of the anxieties cares which do accompany al Popes hath these words Their first let and hinderance are domesticall cares then their vniust desire or to speak plaine greedie greedinesse to aduance their kindred and which flesh and blood doth reueale vnto them to perpetuate their linage kindred and name The house of Parma at this day from Paul the third a Farnescan For so haue some Popes been resolued to make themselues the rootes and raisers not of one but many noble and famous houses the first progenitors of mightie Princes Such aspiring desires want not the Presidents of ancient Popes much lesse shall they want fautors and furtherers Learned and vnlearned will perswade them to it some will cite fables some alleadge Scriptures and detorted authorities to tickle the Popes itching eares Heare him what he saith good Baronius and learne of him what counsell to giue your Pope Paul Loe will they say What man euer hated his owne flesh For Christ himself whose actions euery Pope his Vicar should follow when he loued his owne loued them vnto the end He exalted those that were allied vnto him But whether did he exalt them vnto the crosse Caesar Borgia Guicciard lib. 4. Hist Ital. And this mind doubt had Pope Alexander the sixt when he raised his sonne Caesar from a Cardinals hat to the royall dignity of Duke of Valentia by prophane chaffare of holy things For saith Nicolaus de Clamengijs speaking of Popes when exceeding great abundance of worldly plenty and insatiable auarice associated with ambition had seated themselues in Clergymen treading downe the vertuous branches of ancient better daies as it could not but fall out so it came to passe Pride made themswel desire of great place puffed them vp they wasted their daies and bodies in wantonnesse Three Lords they had cruell exactors to content Luxury first which exacted vpon them the pleasures of wine of sleepe of feastings of musicke of Iugles of pandars of whores Secondly Pride which would haue the pompous pageantly shewes of high storied houses Castels Towers Pallaces royall and gorgeous furniture gay apparrell horses retinue Thirdly
the lake of fire and brimstone Apoc. 20. and be tormented day and night for euer and euer Euen so Lord Iesu come Apoc. 22. Amen THE BVLL OF POPE PAVLVS the Fift against the Common wealth and Senate of Venice With the Protestation of the said Duke and senate PAVL Bishops Seruant of the Seruants of God To our most deare and venerable brethren the Patriarches Archbishops Bishops and our beloued Sons Vicars Abbats Priors and other Prelates aswell Secular as Regular and other persons Ecclesiasticall appointed and ordeined throughout the whole Common wealth and Seigniory of Venice Salutations and Apostolike benediction We haue beene giuen to vnderstand that the Duke and Senate of the Common wealth and Seigniory of Venice haue for certaine yeares made in their Councels many and diuers Decrees and Statutes contrary not only to the authority of the Sea Apostolike liberty and immunity of the Church to generall Councels and Sacred Canons but also to the constitutions and decrees of the Bishops of Rome And amongst others that about the 23. of May in the yeare 1602. taking occasion of certaine processe and difference moued betweene Doctor F. Zabarella on the one part and the Monkes of the Monastery of Praxilia of the order of S. Bennet otherwise S. Iustin in the Diocesse of Padoua on th' other part They had ordeined that the foresaid Monkes from thencefoorth and for alwaies after should haue no action for vnder any title or colour whatsoeuer to be preferred vpon the goods Ecclesiasticall possessed by laie persons vnder title of Emphiteuse and cannot by right of preference or re-union of the propriety with the vsufruit or of extinction of the persons comprised in the inuestiture or for any other cause challenge vnto themselues the propriety of the foresaid goods but only the right of the direct dominion declaring that this shall take place Doresnauant hereafter aswel for th' other persons Ecclesiasticall Monasteries and other religions places being in their Seigniory and territory of their obedience And about the sixteenth of Ianuary 1603. renuing as they say certaine Statutes and Decrees made by their predecessors to this effect That any be he Lay or Ecclesiastical may not build Churches Monasteries Hospitals and other places of piety and deuotion without speciall permission of the Seigniory they had againe ordeined in their Councell that the same should take place in all places vnder their subiection vpon paine to all transgressors of banishment or perpetuall imprisonment and confiscation of the ground and sale of the edifices And moreouer the said Duke and Senate the 26. of March 1605. following an other decree made by the same Senate in the yeere 1536. by the which as they affirme it was expresly forbidden that any vnder certaine penalties contained in the foresaid decree might net alienate in the same Citie and Duchie of Venice nor leaue by will and testament or donation betweene the liuing any goods immoueable for pious and religious causes nor bind ouer or pawne to such intent but only for a certaine time there expressed a thing neuer before receiued or put in practise had againe not only made the lame inhibition but also expresly prohited the alienations of the foresaid immoueable goods made in fauour of the Ecclesiasticall persons without the permission of the said Senat had moreouer extended the foresaid decree and penalties therein contained to all lands vnder their obedience and had caused it to be published throughout all places and townes of their Seigniory ordaining that all the foresaid vnmoueable goods which were sound to haue beene sold or otherwaies aliened besides the paine of nullity should be confiscate and sold and the price thereof diuided betweene the Magistrate executing the tenor of the foresaid decree his officers and the informer and others as hath beene reported vnto vs to be at large set out in the said decree and mandates of the said Duke and Senate Moreouer that the said Duke and Senate had caused to be imprisoned Scipio Sarracino Canon of Vicenza and Brandelino Valdemariuo of Fornoue Abbat of the Monastery or Abbey of Neruesa in the Diocesse of Tarrase persons placed in dignity Ecclesiasticke and this for certaine crimes which are pretended to haue beene committed by them in the towne of Vicenza and other places vnder pretence that the connisance thereof belonged vnto them and that it is of their Iurisdiction grounding themselues vpon certain priuiledges granted as they pretend to the said Duke and Senate by certaine of our predecessours Popes wherein they preiudice the right of the Church and impugne the liberty and immunity Ecclesiastical and authority of the holy Sea Apostolike And because this turneth to the great scandale of the Church and the perdition of the soules of the said Duke and Senate insomuch as hauing dared to publish the forsaid Decrees and Statutes they haue thereby incurred the Ecclesiasticall censures ordeined by the sacred Canons of generall Councels and by the decrees and constitutions of the Bishops of Rome and the penaltie of goods lands which they hold of the Church of the which penalties and censures they cannot bee absolued nor discharged but by vs or our successour the Pope for the time being and that moreouer they are vnable and vncapable to enioy the benefit of the foresaid absolution vntill they haue actually reuoked the said Statutes and Decrees by them published and returned all againe that thereof hath ensued to his former estate For that also the said Duke and Senate after many fatherly admonitions which to them haue beene made on our part they haue made no account to reuoke the said Decrees and Statutes and that they still keepe prisoners the said Canon Saracino and Abbat Brandelino and that they haue taken no order to put them as they ought into the handes of our Nuntio and of the holy Sea Apostolique Wee who must in no case suffer that the libertie and immunitie of the Church and our authoritie and of the holy Sea Apostolique be violated and despised following the Decrees of many generall councels and the examples of our predecessors Innocentius the Third Honorius the Third Gregorie the Ninth Alexander the Fourth Clement the Fourth Martin the Fourth Boniface the Eight Boniface the Ninth Martin the Fift Nicolas the Fift and other Bishops of Rome which haue held this holy Sea before vs some whereof haue reuoked the like statures as void of themselues and declared them void and of no force or vertue being made against the libertie and immunitie of the Churche and others haue yet gone further euen to excommunicate the authors of such statutes and ordinances hauing duely consulted with our most venerable brethren the Cardinals of the holy Romane Church with their counsell and consent albeit the said decrees edicts and mandates be of themselues void of none effect we haue notwithstanding anew declared them void of no force and vertue and being such declare that no man is bound to the obseruation of them
Concerning the Excommunication of the Venetians A DISCOVRSE Against CAESAR BARONIVS Cardinall of the Church of ROME In which the true nature and vse of Excommunication is briefly and cleerly demonstrated both by Testimonies of Holy Scripture and from the old Records of Christs Church Written in Latine by NICOLAS VIGNIER and translated into English after the Copie printed at Samur 1606. Whereunto is added the Bull of Pope PAVLVS the Fift against the Duke Senate and Commonwealth of VENICE With the protestation of the sayd Duke and Senate As also an Apologie of Frier PAVL of the Order of Serus in VENICE LONDON Printed by M. B. for C. B. and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the White-swan 1607. CAESAR BARONIVS his aduice vnto Pope PAVL the Fift to excommunicate the Venetians PEters office Holy Father is twofold To Feed and to Kill for the Lord said vnto him a Ioh. 21.15 Feede my sheepe and he heard a voice from heauen b Act. 10.13 Kill and Eat To Feede the sheepe is with care to watch ouer the faithfull and obedient Christians resembling Sheep and Lambes in all humility and religious piety When he hath to do not with Sheepe and Lambes but Lions and like beasts of fierce natures refractary stubborne and disobedient then Peter hath charge to Kill that is to resist fight against and root out such and that such killing should euer be in Charity he is willed to Eat that which he had slaine in effect through that Loue which he beares to them in Christ to lay them vp within him euen in his owne bowels that In Christ we may be c Galat. 3.28 one which is the Apostles owne saying d Philip. 1.8 I long after you in the bowels of Christ And so this killing is not Cruelty but Piety and syncere Charity When so by killing he saueth that which by being suffered so to liue had otherwise perished for euer And therefore as Pope Nicolas the first sheweth Excommunication is not a poison to kill but rather a e Potion Receit to recure And we see that a Father thinks well of those bands wherewith the Physitian hath bound his franticke sonne because he hopeth it will doe him good Go on then on Gods name most holy Father in your course begun and suppose not that any man can iustly tax your too great hastines in these proceedings That which S. Paul hath written to his brethren f 2. Cor. 10 6. the Corinthians that the Church is ready to reuenge all disobedience is a Command that the Church should bee forward to do it Your Holinesse happily hath beene too backward as yet not proceeding farther then to write For my owne part I professe I am glad and reioice in my spirit nay I will say with the Apostle I do g 2. Cor. 7.4 Ouer-abound in ioy seeing I see now in my h The man is about 68. years old Gregory 7. Hilachrand Alexander 3. Vide Plat. decrepit age to sit on Peters seat Gregory or Alexander the first two liuely roots from whence the dead Church-liberty began to reuiue both called from Siena the place from whence i Being named before his Papacy Camillo Borghese of Siena your Holinesse is extract to the Chaire of Peter Of which two the one gat the better of the Emperour k Henry the 4. Henry a most wilfull and peruerse man and the other by his incredible strange constancy vtterly vanquished l Frederick Barboros s a. Frederick Your Holinesse hath the like cause now in hand In your hands to borow the m Esay 3.6 Prophets words these ruines lie to reedifie the Liberty of the Church fallen downe deiected and laid low on the Earth Aduance with victory that attends you For God is with vs n Matth. 16.18 The gates of hell they be Christs wordes shall not preuaile against you You are placed in the Church Peters successor and haue the promise made to him Let corne be giuen them out of the rocke and as it is in the Prophecy of Ieremy I haue made thee a o Ier. 1.28 piller of iron and a wall of brasse Remember you are placed as p Esay 8 a rocke in the Church on which all that stumble shall be dashed in pieces But you shall continue without hurt ioined close and vnited vnto Christ who shall fight for you ouercome THE ANSWER OF NICOLAS VIGNIER vnto Caesar Baronius Nicolaus de Clamengis libro de ruina reparatione ecclae IT is an ancient speech vsed by one who was not vnacquainted with the dealings of Rome That were a Painter desirous to draw the picture of Pride his best course were to represent a Cardinall If a modest man and inwardly familiar with some Popes themselues had iust cause thus to write two hundred yeeres since how much more iustly doth it sute these times in which they want neither high-swelling wordes nor detestable impieties to effect and bring about their wicked designes Very lately there flew abroad into the world a certaine writing from Cardinall Baronius concerning the excommunicating the State of Venice directed vnto Pope Paul the fift In which the truth is so cleerly euidenced that though a man would deny the Sunne to shine at noone yet could hee not at all deny it So liuely and in such a plain sort doth the man paint out himselfe his Colleagues that in them you would sweare you saw Pride herselfe What leaueth he vndone or vnattempted to set vp his Iuppiter Capitoline an Idoll to be adorned in the place of Christ And what I pray you be his meanes Surely the same and no other whereby that Angell of darknesse deceiueth the simple counterfeiting himselfe an Angell of light For so crafty is that blood-sucker Sathan that he neuer appeareth in his natiue shape but putteth on the person of another So he assaied and deceiued Saul 1. Sam. 28.14 in apparition of graue and holy Samuel So seduced he Abab by the mouth of his Prophets 1. Reg. 22.22 So he drowned many of the Iewes in the Sea taking vpon him to lead them in the likenesse of Moses So in like sort at this day he exciteth and eggeth forward Paul the fift chiefe Bishop on earth Vicar of Christ Successor of Peter Prince of Prelates King of Kings Lord of Lords Father of Fathers head of the Church the essentiall forme of Iustice the Spouse of Christ the Christ of God as they instile him to commit murthers wage warres become an Incendiarie be the subuertor and ruiner of the state of Venice the most noble and auncient Common-wealth of the world and that in the person of a reuerend old man clad in scarlet robes a Cardinall of marke famous for learning pretending nothing but alone the word of God Peters office as you say Holy Father is twofold to Feed and to Kill Diuinitie not drempt of by our Predecessors Peters office is to Feed
Auarice vnsatiable which prouided and stored vp heaps of coine to maintaine the premised brauerie or at least if that needed not to feede their eies and giue them content in viewing the stamp of their come To fulfill the behest of these Lordes and accomplish all their desires the golden age of Saturne whereof the Poets fable would vneth suffice if againe the world might behold such times And because not any though neuer so fatte a Bishopricke is able sufficiently to content these three Harpyes they haue bethought them of other helps and furtherances in the case For the Popes perceiuing how that the profits and reuenues of the Romane Bishoprick the Patrimonie of Saint Peter greater than kingdomes though none indeed very much impaired by their negligence would not bee inough to maintaine the credit and height of that State which they as Emperors and kings of Nations were determined to exalt therfore they haue intruded vpon other mens flocks which broght forth yong in multitudes yelded plenty of wool milk Thus you see the causes which moued the Popes to trie so many waies to bring them in treasure abusing their office and pastorall charge in euery particular point thereof as if Christ had commanded them not to feed the flocke but to fleece them to flea them to bowell them to eat them For to begin with their incroachments they haue not onely seised the creation of Bishops and collations of all Ecclesiasticall dignities into their owne hands abolishing the ancient right of elections but to speake in the phrase of Nic. de Clamengijs that the golden currents might flow more abundantly from all partes of the world into their Court they haue debard depriued all Diocesans Patrons of their right of presētation or any way disposing of their benefices forbidding vpon pain of their curse see what vse they make of excommunication that they be not so presumptuously bold for in such termes their rescripts do run as to institute any man vnto any benefice vnder their charge vntill those were prouided for euery man or did refuse to accept that benefice vnto whom they had giuen any aduousins themselues in reuersion Since which time good God what swarmes haue there been in all places at all times of those that haue gaped for such presentations Men taken not from the study or from the schooles but from the plough and manuary trades to haue charge of soules and pastorall cares committed vnto them Men that vnderstood the Arabian tongue aswell as they did the Latin a perfect patern of our times that could hardly read nay more I am ashamed to speake it not able to know A from B. And these exactions not yet sufficing to satiate the rauen of the Romish Popes and Cardinals The words at creation of a Cardinall be Esto Princeps mundi frater noster ten thousand shifts were yet further inuented to get and heape money vnto their cofers whereof this is no place to speake For the Colledge of Cardinals growing daily greater the burthen grew greater vpon all countries Because it it was held an absurd thing that such as were aduanced to that place in the Church as to bee fellowes vnto kings should not bee prouided in answerable sort but stand as hungry and starueling mercenaries So that to maintaine and beare out this pride all States both Temporall and Ecclesiasticall were oppressed From hence came the retaining of so many benefices and preferments in nature repugnant one to another while the same man is both a Moncke and a Canon Regular and Secular vnder one seuerall hab it hauing enioying the Rights Degrees Offices Benefices of all Religions Orders Professions Insomuch as that speech spoken of the Iesuites A Iesuit is a man of all professions may better be fitted vnto the Cardinals Peter of Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray in his booke of Reforming the state of the Church which he wrot and presented to the Councell of Constance is very earnest to haue these abuses taken away where he calleth those Pluralities of Church-liuings a monstrous and many waies scandalous offence This is the cause why Iubilies and Indulgences be so dearely bought See the hundred grieuances of Germany grieu 3. that they draw foorth the gold godly life of whole kingdoms as the Princes States of Germany complained at the Diet at Norimberge in the yeare 1522. Their gold is purloined being by the impious Collectors of Rome transported out of the country into Rome godlinesse is banished and cleane extinct while men presuming vpon absolution let loose the reines of liberty vnto all impiety To conclude this bottomlesse pit of greedy desire hath sent foorth excommunications and cursings against Princes and Magistrates as may plainly bee euicted by these examples Gregory the ninth charged Frederic the Emperour that vpon paine of the churches censure he should with all expedition and possible speed Platina in the life of Gregory the ninth passe into Asia against the Infidels And because he was thought to make no very great haste as he had threatned he accursed him indeed Frederic appalled at this proceeding besought the Pope that he might be assoiled but could in no case obtaine it till he had paid in to the vie of the Church of Rome 120000. ounces of gold King Iohn of England standing excommunicate by Pope Innocent the 3. Paulus Aemilius Platina in the life of Innocent the 3. fearing the French King would get his kingdome from him whom the Pope had incited to warre against him that he might bee receiued into grace with his fatherhood was constrained to make England and Ireland his tributarie States and for them to pay yearely vnto Rome 100. markes of gold which Peter whose successour he vaunteth to bee I thinke would neuer haue done who so constantly refused Simon Magus money Thy money bee together with thee to perdition that supposest Gods gifts can be bought with money Their chaffaring of holy things so as they doe is proofe they succeed Simon not Peter but Magus And to draw all vnto an issue By a statute of 〈◊〉 as it were what other cause in truth is there now of this their contending with and excommunicating the State of Venice but this that the carefull wise Magistrate would restraine in some small measure that Romish rauin and insatiable rapine And so your Popes censure ô Baronius being clearely proued so many waies void ought not in any sort to be feared especially now in these daies of ours in which the light of the Gospell hath certainely disclosed what is the true vse of Excommunication which for so many ages past the Popes haue by exceeding strange illusions changed into a most impious tyranny Plinius lib. 8. ca. 16. They write that the Lion a fierce and cruell beast is exceedingly afraid of the running of cart wheeles and empty coatches but especially trembles at the sight of fire These Lions of Venice are not so who often heeretofore being deluded
the Prince of the Apostles and of our Chancery Apostolike and published in Campo de Flore as it hath beene accustomed haue as great force against the foresaid Duke and Senate and all other and you all in generall and euery one respectiuely as if they had beene personally addressed intimated and presented to euery one of them and you Giuen at Rome at S. Peters Sous l'aneau du pescheur the seuenteenth of April 1606. and the first yeare of our Popedome M. Vestrius Barbianus THE PROTESTATION OF the Duke and Senat of Venice against the Bull of Pope PAVL the Fift LEONARD DONAT by the grace of God Duke of Venice to the most Honourable Patriarches Archbishops Bishops Abbats Priors Rectors of parish Churches and other Prelates Ecclesiasticall throughout our Common wealth and Seigniory of Venice Salutations We are giuen to vnderstand that by commandement of our most holy Father Paul the Fift a certaine Briefe hath beene thundred and published at Rome the 17. of Aprill last past against our person the Senat and Seigniory and sent to you to bee published in our townes and territories of our obedience and subiection And because wee who are bound to preserue the tranquillity and peace of the State and gouernment to the which we are ordeined and appointed by God and to maintaine the authority of our Common wealth which besides the Maiestie Diuine acknowledgeth no Superiour in matters Temporall we protest by these presents before God and the whole world that wee haue omitted nothing of that which belonged to vs to make knowen to his holinesse the iustice and equitie of our lawes as well by our Ambassador ordinary at Rome and by letters by the which wee haue sufficiently answered to the former Briefes to vs directed as also by another Ambassadour extraordinarie sent by vs of purpose for this businesse But hauing vnderstood that his holinesse hath from time to time set light by our remonstrances without giuing audience vnto our most iust reasons hath decreed this briefe against all right against that which holy Scripture the doctrine of the holy Fathers sacred Canons do teach in preiudice of that power secular which God hath giuen into our hands and of the libertie of our common-wealth to the end to molest and trouble not without great scandall the life the goods and honors which our faithfull subiects do peaceably and quietly enioy vnder our authoritie we make no doubt to esteeme the said Briefe as vnlawfull and in it selfe void as well in fact and deed as in law and therfore haue thought it necessarie to take those remedies which our predecessors and other Princes of Christendome haue vsed against the Popes when they haue exceeded their power assuring our selues that you and other our faithfull subiects and all the world will so iudge thereof And as hitherto you haue diligently looked to the cure of the soules of our subiects and carefully trauelled to keepe the seruice of God in his integritie that heereafter you will continue in the same dutie of true and good pastors considering that our intention is to persist in the holie Catholique and Apostolique faith and euermore to continue in the reuerence accustomed towards the holy Church of Rome so we command you that you cause to be affixed these presents in the most open places of this town and others of our obedience to the end they may come to the knowledge of all our subiects and of all those that haue heard of the foresaid briefe so that it may come to the eares of our holy Father whose vnderstanding we desire God by his holy Spirit so to illighten that he may see the nullitie of all that he hath done against vs and that hauing vnderstood the iustice and equitie of our cause he giue vs cause to continue in the obseruance and respect which our predecessors and all the common-wealth haue hitherto rendred to the Sea Apostolique whereto they haue alwaies shewed themselues most affectionate Giuen in our Pallace the 16. of May Indiction the fourth the yeere of our Lord 1606. FATHER PAVLS Apologie for his not appearing at Rome being called thither by citation To the right Honourable Lords and most reuerend Fathers Pinello Ascalano S. Cecilie de Ciury Blanchetto Arigonio Bellarmino Sappata de Bubalis Monopolitano Cardinals of the most holy Church of Rome named Inquisitors Generall Most Noble and Reuerend Lords I Frier Paul a Venetian of the order of Seruants appeare before you by these letters and most humbly and submissiuely intreat that ye would reuoking those things that are inacted against mee in your congregations daine to accept and admit vnto due examination those my exceptions against them For about the twentieth day of September it was decreed in your congregation that a certaine booke composed by me in Italian thus intituled Considerations vpon the censure of the holinesse of Pope Paul the Fift against the renowmed Common wealth of Venice should not bee diuulged abroad or read or yet retained by any one which had it Neither also one other booke intituled An Apology for the oppositions of the renowmed and reuerend Lord Cardinall Bellarmine to the treatises and resolutions of Iohn Gerson touching the validity of excommunication Neither yet one other booke composed by me with sixe other bearing this inscription A tractate of the interdict of the holinesse of Pope Paul the Fift with some other bookes of the same Argument composed by others with all other which should afterward be published of that argument for that many things were found in them very rashly deliuered calumnious scandalous seditious scismaticall erroneous and hereticall respectiuely In the next place the thirtieth day of the moneth of October a Citation was decreed against me with Commandement that it should bee hanged in the Court at Rome with the penalty of Excommunication the sentence being denounced against me as also of perpetuall infamie and depriuation from all and singular offices and dignities and other penalties inflicted by the Canoicall constitutions and to be imposed at your pleasure that I should within the space of twentie and foure dayes appeare in mine owne person and not by a proctor to giue an account of my faith and to purge my selfe from all crimes obiected against me for that it was obiected by and vnder the lawfull oath of men of credit and manifest by other proofes that there was no safe accesse to be made vnto me as it is reported to be conteined more fully and more at large in the foresaid decrees and edicts imprinted to which c. Truely most Reuerend Lordes I am readie according to the commandement of Saint Peter to render an account of that faith and hope whereby I liue to euerie one which demandeth it and doe constantly affirm that a publique examination of our faith is most profitable and necessarie in the Church to the intent that we may not be carried about with euerie wind of doctrine and that we may not be deceiued at vnawarres
by them who vse godlinesse as a trade to gaine by But as the vse of this sacred and holy worke is very soueraigne so the abuse of it is most pestilent and pernitious when vnder pretence thereof enuie is sometimes stirred vp contrarie to all diuine and humane lawes and they which are not well backed are laden and oppressed with the hatred of others and wholesome doctrine is abandoned by which according to the instruction of the Euangelists and Apostles both the world and Common-wealths are gouerned and do endure Surely I wish and desire nothing more than to performe all subiection and obedience vnto you and to render an account of my faith neither do I flee the light who being grounded vpon the Catholique faith according to the Commandement of the Lord haue giuen to Caesar those things which are Caesars and to God those things which are Gods But such is the estate of times and many things haue come to this passe that all men may plainly see that I am to be exempted from your citation and command For when as without obseruance of any lawfull order the bookes are interdicted and forbidden before the authors of them are heard to speak for themselues neither any sentences or propositions chosen out marked and noted with speciall censures that it might be made manifest in euerie particular of what sort they either were or might be esteemed to be as the custome hath beene in former times and especially obserued in the Councell holden at Constance but the matter deliuered after a new fashion and vnheard of in an elaborate oration namely that many things in those bookes contained were very rash calumnious scandalous seditious scismaticall and hereticall respectiuely so that by reason of the obscu the oration and the vndetermined limitation of that aduerbe it can not appeare whether by all those wordes all the foresaid bookes bee condemned or what esteeme we are to make of euerie one of them in particular and this done to this end that men might reserue free libertie vnto themselues to speake when and what they would as the occasions of the future businesse might moue them and that the authors of the bookes might haue their answers to seeke for the defending of their bookes And since all bookes that might afterward be written of that argument which might containe in them the right and cause of the Common-wealth of Venice are alreadie condemned an end is put to any intended controuersie in respect of any one which would be a publisher or defender of their lawes and rights Wherefore most renouned Lordes since sentence though ambiguous and needing a manifold explication is alreadie denounced against me concerning those bookes which were composed by me after so great a preiudice brought vpon mee before I was heard speak it is not now lawful by any right that any other iudgement should be pronounced against me as if the matter were intire or that I should be called to mine answer and cited to appeare after sentence denounced against me Neither besides all this can I looke for vpright iudgement when as among the rest that worthy Lord Cardinall Bellarmine sitteth as Iudge who in a booke thus in Italian intituled An answer of Cardinall Bellarmine to a Treatise of seuen Diuines of Venice concerning the Interdict of the holinesse of our Lord Pope Paul the Fift and to the oppositions of Friar Paul of the order of Seruants against the first writing of the said Cardinall doth plainly affirme that he had beene exceedingly iniured by the foresaid Apologie and wheras he doth not answer that which was obiected against him hee heapeth vp a multitude of taunts against me and on euerie side breatheth out reuenge and therefore hee ought to haue absteined from denouncing sentence against me or else from interposing himselfe as a iudge in this matter either for feare of God or his owne conscience terrifying him or at least for the auoiding of scandall Furthermore this may bee added that sentences and censures haue beene published against our renowmed Prince the Senate and Common wealth of Venice and against their fauourers adherents and counsellers whom I of duty and with blessing from the Reuerend Father Prior generall of my order of Seruants do serue in place of a Diuine an Ecclesiasticall ciuill Lawyer as others can not dissemble their angrie minde against me so I can not but be in great feare which things seeing they be manifest to all men needed not any longer discourse But seeing that as it is auerred it is manifest vnto you by the testimonie of men of credit and other arguments that there is no safe accesse vnto mee to serue a personall citation it should bee farre more apparant vnto the same men that I should haue farre lesse safe yea most dangerous passage vnto you wherfore ye haue saued me a labour of prouing that which I purposed to haue done for if ye being mightie men bee not able to serue one citation on mee shall I the meanest of all being now absent from the Communion of you and yours looke for safe conducts shall I haue safe accesse vnto you Neither is this to bee last and least regarded that by the Edict of our renouned Prince Ecclesiasticall persons are prohibited to depart out of this dominion whom I ought in dutie especially to obey both in regard of respects common 〈◊〉 me with all others as also for that the spirituall seruice being adioined with the regular and lawfull obedience vnto the Common-wealth it is not only vnlawfull to depart out of the kingdome but euen out of the Citie without leaue obtained As for my selfe Reuerend Lordes I am readie to render an account of my faith vnto any man and to answer any not suspected Iudges and for that purpose to take a iourney to any safe places Wherefore the case thus standing I beseech you by the comming of that great and fearefull Iudge with whom there shall be no respect of persons that ye would not persecute a worme and dead dogge but as right requires ye would admit of my exceptions against the iudgements the iudges and the place of triall and pronounce them iustly made If yee doe otherwise I pronounce a nullity in the sight of God and his holy Church of your decrees and all further proceedings and commend my selfe to the protection of the almighty and cast the care of my selfe vpon his Maiestie And if I bee separated from your community as you threaten to deale with mee without all order of diuine or humane lawes God assisting me I am ready to beare it with a patient mind being certaine with Gelasius that an vniust sentence can hurt no man in the sight of God and his Church I am lesse moued with the threatned penalty of perpetuall infamie I will speake according to the saying of that most holy man Thinke of Austen what you will only let not my conscience accuse me in the sight of God S. Peter hath long since admonished vs that none should suffer as a man slaier or a thiefe or an euill speaker or a desirer of other mens goods but if hee suffereth as a Christian let him not bee ashamed I shall exceedingly reioice with the holy Apostles if I suffer reproch for the doctrine of Christ and the holy Apostle Paul But I am not ashamed that I am defamed for expounding and defending the right of a Catholike most mighty and renowmed Common wealth thorow the whole earth I will also most willingly beare the infamie which I shall suffer for defending the memory and credit of Iohn Gerson a most Christian Doctor and a man of admirable learning and pietie and exceeding good desert of the Church of Rome Trusting that through the puritie of the Euangelicall and Apostolicall doctrine and the renowne of so great a Common-wealth and the renowne and fame of that most holy Doctor the mark of vniust and vndeserued infamy shall be taken away I nothing respect the punishment of being depriued from offices and dignities which yee threaten beside excommunication I neither desire any offices or dignities neither would I receiue any if they were offered I am fully determined to applie my selfe to the seruice of God in that calling in which hee hath placed me Let those bee moued with such scarre-crowes who do account them punishments I esteeme it an especiall office and dignitie to liue all my life in this most base and low degree But in the meane time since I can not come vnto you to render by liuely voice an account of my faith for reasons aboue mentioned and others in their due place and time to be alledged by my works alreadie published and those which I shall heereafter performe I haue and will render you a full account of it and I will keepe entire that dutie obedience and faith which I haue heeretofore borne towards you especially so many yeeres as I was conuersant at Rome hoping that God will giue me opportunitie time and occasion to approue my innocencie vnto you and the whole world and heare mee in his due time and in the meane while giue mee such successe with my tentation that I shall be able to beare it But I do earnestly intreat and beseech you by the comming of Christ our Lord and your dutie and place in the Church of God if ye haue thought any sentences and propositions in my writing worthie reprehension since it can not bee coniectured from the doubtfull wordes of the former edict what they are that yee would command that they bee selected out and noted with fit markes that I agreeing to your iudgement to which I will alwaies attribute much may either expound them if they bee not cleere enough or else fortifie them with more strong reasons and arguments For in the meane time whilest they are condemned together with other writings of other men without any speciall exception with an amhiguous aduerb I protest that there can be nothing found in them worthy reprehension At Venice from the Conuent of Seruants Nouember 29. 1606.