and moue his fellowes also to be carefull for the same he would be glad moreouer to make a present aunswer but there be many others of the same religion who with his father Duke Iohn professed the same doctrine in the assemblie at Auspurge before the Emperour so that he can not aunswere of him selfe alone without making them priuie neither is it expedient for the cause so to doe For better it is that the same be done by comon assent And for as much as the Emperour the byshop the last wynter in their letters wrytten to the states of the Empire from Bononie put them in hope of a counsell therfore did he his fellowes appoint a day the .xxiiij. of Iune to mete at Smalcalde to consult of the whole matter wherfore he desireth thē not to be offended with this differment of time for so sone as his fellowes mete at their day prescribed they shal haue answer either by Ambassadours or by letters shortly after And he wold through Gods grace so demeane him self that not only this present age but also the time to come shold perceiue right wel that he wyshed for nothing more thā that the pure religion doctrine peace not only of Germany but of the whole comon wealth of Christendom might also floriche and that the Emperour his chiefe souereigne might haue his due honour dignitie Afterwarde whan his fellowes were come with good deliberation they framed an answere by commō assent in their letters the last of Iune Howe they gaue great thankes to the Emperour whiche for Gods glory preseruation of the cōmon wealth had taken so muche paynes of a good zeale they doubted not And therfore pray God so to confirme direct his mynde to that ende that the truthe may be set forth and embraced And false doctrine wicked worshipinge rites abolyshed and that all errours being cleane weded out of mens myndes Gods true seruice other godly vertues may agayne take place For they chiefly desire a counsel wherin the matter that is in controuersie may duely and orderly be decided Suche a counsell also the Emperour hath promysed long synce and that in all assemblies of the Empyre with great deberation hath bene decreed to be kepte in Germanye For all this dissention sprange vp fyrste of that welle that certen impudent persones ouermuche extolled indulgences and pardons At whiche tyme also other errours were perceyued and detected And all be it that byshop Leo condempned this doctryne whiche brought those errours to lyghte yet haue they hetherto impugned that condempnatiō with the testimonies of the Prophetes and Apostles And therfore hath a counsell ben alwaye thought moste nedefull as well of other Prynces and states of them wherin the cause myght be examined and openly tryed what is true and what is false for that they sawe howe many thynges were crept into Religion whiche were to be refourmed And therfore in the assemblies of the Empyre it was decreed that there should be a free and a christian counsell eyther of all nations or els of the prouince of Germany by those especiall wordes lest that eyther the sentēce of the byshop or the force and power of any other man should be preiudiciall to the cause Agayne that in all this cause iudgement should be geuen not after the byshoppes decrees and opinions of Scholemen but accordyng vnto holy Scripture For yf any mans power should be of more force than the Scriptures than due examination who doubteth But that he that shoulde contende againste the byshop shoulde lose his labour and stryue agaynste the streame Wherfore not without great considerations it hath been decreed that the counsell should be holden in Germany And the Emperour also content it shoulde so be but nowe these requestes of the bysshop to be vtterly against the decrees of the Empyre confyrmed by the seales of the Emperour and the other Prynces For all be it he speaketh of a free councel yet doubtles he intendeth an other thynge whā he goeth about to haue kynges and Prynces bounden to hym For in case he woulde haue it free what shoulde this obligation nede But nowe seyng that he is wholy bent this waye certenly this is his purpose that vnder the name of a counsell he maye maynteyne his power and aucthoritie that no man shall reprehende his faultes and errours or if any doe atttempte it that he shall not escape vnpunyshed They knowe not what other men wyll doe but surelye this demaunde of his is wrytten in suche sorte that it rather maketh them afrayde of a counsell than prouoketh them to it for who woulde bynde hym selfe after this sorte especially beynge not yet knowen what shall be the ordre of the counsell the fourme and maner whether the byshop wyll haue his adherentes to beare there moste aucthoritie or whether the controuersies shall be determined accordyng to the holy Scriptures or after the traditions and lawes of men grounded vpon no Scripture at all The lybertie of the Counsell is also restrayned in that he wyll haue it kept after the olde accustomed maner They doe not refuse the former counselles that are consonant to the Scryptures but suche as haue bene in our tyme or a lyttle before whiche haue attributed more than reason wold to the byshop of Rome and decrees of men farre differing from the auncient counselles therfore where he sayeth it shall be after the olde accustomed maner this is his crafte and policie that there shall not be that lybertye of speache and geuinge of sentences as they both desyre and also the cause requireth but that iudgement shall be geuen accordynge vnto his lawes and vsurped power whiche he taketh vppon hym as by certen of the last coūselles it is manifest but by this vsage and hadling of matters can neither the churches be pacified nor the troubled conscience quieted but are brought into further darkenes bondage wherfore seing that the bishop hath not as yet satisfied the requestes of the Emperour and states of the Empyre they ernestly desyre that Cesar considering the weightines of the cause whiche concerneth the vniuersall cōmon wealth and all nations would see that the matter might be handled indifferently For this is his office and dutie this may he doe by the lawes When in dede the byshop impugneth the truthe for it is to be forseen and prouided that the plaintife or defendaūt be not also iudge in the cause For all nations haue great hope in this counsell and doe both wyshe and pray that at the laste mens consciences troubled and sore afflicted with doubtfull dissentiō may be made free set at libertie and taught the way of saluatiō For these many hondreth yeares hath not bene so muche contention about so weighty matters as is at thys present And this stryfe aryseth of sondry errours and vices whiche haue spronge longe before our tyme But and if men be disceaued of theyr expectation and shall
to dispute the matter in anye indifferente place and to be iudged by anye indifferente hearers or elles to aunswere the matter in wrytynge Whiche request because it is reasonable and for so muche as he wyll defende none errour wyllyngly he thynketh it meete to be graunted him that at the length it maye appeare wherefore he shoulde be accompted an Heretike and what he him selfe myghte chieflye folowe For lyke as he wyll maynteine no errour willyngly and as he woulde be verye lothe to swarue from the Church of Rome euen so can he not condemne him for an Heretike tofore he be detected of errour Nowe Luther who had sene the Cardinales letters as before is sayed wrote againe to hys Prince immediatlye that where as he wente not to Caietaine before he had obtayned the Emperours saufeconduit it was done by the aduise of his freindes And that the Cardinall would haue had him to recante suche thynges as he had wrytten touchynge Pardons and faythe to be necessarye in the Sacramentes for the fyrste he dyd not muche passe but to denye the other wherein consisteth the effecte of our saluatiō he might in no wise cōsēt After he declareth what places of scripture the Papistes do depraue and wraste into a wronge sense he reciteth also what was done euery day and howe at the length the Cardinall began to threaten him vndoubtedly he wisheth for nothing more than that it might be shewed him wherein he erreth But in case they at Rome shall refuse to take so muche paine for so poore a man as he is at the least wise let them write hereof to the Duke him selfe or to Themperor or to some great Bishoppe of Germanye or elles appoynt somwhere a free disputation whiche thinges all they haue denyed him hitherto And if they will thus perseuer than is it easye to be iudged whether the faulte be in him or in them And where they exhorte him to crueltie he oughte not to be perswaded by their woordes For they that will seme to note errours might muche more easely sende them in writyng into Germany thā he to his great charges and present daunger of his life trauaile to Rome there to vnderstande his errours Finally wheras he boasteth that iudgement shall passe againste him at Rome vnlesse he eyther come thither or be exiled he refuseth not to be an exile although he knoweth full well that he can be in no place safe hauynge so many aduersaries liynge in waite for hym Moreouer it should be great griefe vnto him that any man shoulde for his sake incurre any daunger Wherefore lest they should attempte any thing he will departe out of the limittes of the whole countrey whither soeuer it shall please God to leade him Wherfore he geueth him thankes and prayeth for his prosperous health And reioyseth to him self that it hath pleased God that he should suffer some thinge for the glorie of Christes name Thē dyd the Uniuersitie of Wittenberge in the moneth of Nouembre write vnto the Duke theyr fauourable letters in Luthers behalfe Nowe they vnderstode by Luther of Cardinall Caietanes letters bothe what his request was and also what offer Luther made him at Auspurge where Luther therefore requireth that his errour maye be shewed him and submitteth him selfe to the holy Churche of Rome They beseche him that he will see to it that they do him no open wronge but shewe him if he be in erroure the way oute of holye Scripture He him selfe hopeth well in the gentlenesse of Bishop Leo but he feareth lest his aduersaries so flatter him that they will abuse him and the name of the Churche For albeit the Duke did not accomplishe the Papistes requestes but semed rather to defende Luther as tofore it maye appeare yet had he neuer read any of hys woorkes nor as yet hearde him preache as he him selfe witnesseth in letters written at Auspurge to Raphell Riare a Cardinall who for olde acquaintaunce had frindely admonished him that he shold not take vpon him the defence of Luther Whilest these thinges were in doinge Leo fearinge some alteration establissheth his Indulgences with a newe decree sayinge that this is the doctrine of the Romaine Churche which is the maistres of all others that the Bishoppe of Rome the Successour of Peter and Christes Uicare hath authoritie to graunte this so great a benefite in suche sorte as they shall profit not onely the quicke but also the deade in Purgatorie And this doctrine muste all men receyue and beleue vnlesse they will be sequestred from the Felowshippe of holy churche This decree he sent to Caietane that it mighte be published vnto all men who folowyng his commaundement publisshed the thinge at Lintz a towne in Austriche by the Riuer of Danubye or Tonoware and in decembre sendeth out copies to the Byshoppes of Germany commaunding them in Leo his name vnder a great penaltie that they should immediatly set it foorth euery man in his Dioces and commaunded it to be reuerently kept and obserued But Luther perceiuing by the Cardinals letters that sentence shoulde be geuen against him at Rome putteth vp an newe appellation the .xxviij. day of Nouembre wherin was conteined that he would not diminishe thauthoritie of the Bishoppes of Rome thinking rightly muche lesse dissent from the Churche notwithstandyng for so muche as the Byshoppe is in the same state that other mortall men be in it maye be that he maye erre and offende neither ought this to be attributed vnto him that he alone cannot erre nor be disceiued He proueth this by the exemple of Peter who for that he erred in sounde doctrine was sharpely openlye rebuked of S. Paule But and if the aucthoritie and riches of the Bishoppe of Rome be so great that he may commaunde and do what he liste and careth for no man than suche as thinke they haue wronge at his hande haue onely one remedie lefte them that is to appeale After he reciteth howe he was inforsed throughe the ouer muche asperitie of Cardinall Caietane to appeale to the Bishop of Rome in whose humanitie he had thought to haue founde some fauoure for asmuch as both he offered most reasonable cōditions and promised to do al thinges the errour beyng taken away But nowe sins that this Appellation is condemned the offers dispised lookynge for no more helpe nor health at the Bishoppes hande as he might learne by the Cardinalles letters written to the Duke of Saxonie beynge broughte thorow extreme necessitie he appealeth from the Bishoppe of Rome to the nexte general Coūsell which by al meanes ought to be preferred before him After this the Bishop of Rome sendeth Charles Meltice his Chamberlaine into Germanye to presente Duke Fridericke with a golden Roose which the Bishoppe yearely is wonte to consecrate with many Ceremonies and great pompe and solemnitie And after as a token of singular freindship to geue it vnto some mā He wrot also to Degenart Phesfinger a noble man of the Dukes counsell
do one for another we shoulde also comforte the sicke therfore he which for so many causes was so greatly bouÌ„den vnto him had for his sake gathered this litle boke beyng not otherwise able to comfort him signifiyng that like as in mans body if the head do ake it greueth the rest of the membres taking the same to apperteine priuatly to euery of them so nowe that he lieth sicke the people not with oute iuste cause are all in teares and mournyng For the greatest part of Germany doth depeÌ„de vpon him and reuerence him as their chiefe ornament and refuge Afterwarde he maketh a booke of confession where he teacheth that we ought not to leane to the trust of confessioÌ„ but to the promise of God whiche forgeueth oure sinnes And that firste of all we muste confesse vs vnto God that who so confesseth him muste hate sinne and couet to amend his life That therehersall of euery sinne particularly is not necessary nor possible to be performed with diuers other things and last of vowes wherof he wrote a seueral work afterwardes In an other certaine boke he had said that he thought it expedient if by the authority of the counsel it might be permitted that all men shuld receiue the whole supper or as they vse to speke vnder both kindes Which saying for that it was contrary to the decrees of the last counsel of Laterane did offend many and among others Ihonbishop of Misene who coÌ„maunded to be taught throughoute his dioces that the whole supper was comprised vnder one kinde and condemned Luthers boke whiche thing he vnderstanding maketh answer in such sort that he layeth not the fault thereof in the bishop but in certaine other vnlearned and troublesome persons vnto whome he saith that this wishe of his that such a decre might be made by the counsell deserued no iust reprehension no more then if he had wisshed that by a decree of the counsell it might be lawfull for pristes to haue wiues whiche Pius the seconde Bishoppe of Rome saide and wished Wherefore he oughte not to be blamed for wishyng the same He graunteth this to be a Decree of the counsell of Laterane But yet neuertheles the same to be contrarye to the fyrst and eldest counselles and the aunciente maner of the churche Agayne we dispraise the men of Boheme because they receaue vnder bothe kyndes wheras we kepe vs to the one halfe onely and yet haue they to make for them the institution of Christe and the maner obserued in the churche from the Apostels time til it was now of late daies And we haue nothing to aledge against them but the counsels of Laterane whiche is a lighte and verye weake reason for what maner of couÌ„sel that was it is wel knowen euen laughed at of the Romanes theÌ„ selues And thoughe it were of neuer so greate aucthoritie Yet for as muche as they can not proue the thinge by any reason of more antiquitie it is but a very mockery But concernyng the counsell of Laterane thus it was Iulius the seconde when he was elected Byshoppe promysed by a solemne othe with in two yeares space to holde a generall counsell this was in the yere of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundreth and three But whilest he made warre one while against the Frenche kynge another while against the Uenetians and nowe with the duke of Farrare and nowe with others and troubled all Italy Nine Cardinalles departed from him and came to Millan and called a general counsell at the Citie of Pisa the .xix. day of May the yere of our Lorde a thousande fiue hundreth and eleuen to begynne at the kalendes of September folowyng the chiefest of these was Bernardinus Cruceius William of Preneste Fraunces Cossentine wyth whome were annexed the Ambassadours of the Emperor Maximilian and of Lewes the Frenche king which intended by the same counsell to depose him from his bishopprike which he had got by briberye And nowe for as muche as he had broken his othe in that he had bene Bishoppe so many yeres and called no counsel nor pourposed to do they could suffer the christian common weale to be no lenger deluded And because these letters coulde not saufly be conueighed vnto him they set them vp in all his Townes in Italy admonishinge him to appeare there in parson at the daye appoynted Iulius vnderstandynge the matter maketh answere the fyrst of August That what time he was Cardinall he desyred nothing more than a generall counsell whiche is well knowen to kinges and princes to the whole College of Cardinals For euen for this cause was AlexaÌ„der the syxt sore offended with him And that he is still of the same minde also Howe be it that the state of Italy hath of late yeres bene so troublesome and was so lefte by Byshoppe Alexander that there coulde be no counsell called in suche aduersitie of time After he coÌ„futeth their appoyntment for the shortnesse of time and the discommoditie of the place For Pise was a Towne torne and defaced with the warres of former yeres and all the countrie aboute layde waste Neyther that men can safely repayre thither by reason of the warres betwixte the Florentines and them of Seue Moreouer howe they haue none Authoritie to call it and that theyr causes alledged be most vntrewe Wherefore he commaundeth vnder the paine of excommunicatynge that no man obeye them Then called he a Counsell agaynste the nexte yeare to begynne at Rome vpon the ninetenth daye of Aprill in the Churche Laterane Where vnto subscribed one and twentie Cardynalles For this they saye is euer the Byshoppes policie when they are afrayde of a Counsell to appoyncte an other in some place mete for theyr purpose After this he warneth the Cardinalles that were agaynste hym to leaue of theyr enterprise and come to Rome offerynge them pardon but after they would not come he bannished them the xxiiij of Octobre and namely those thre which I spake of as Heretykes scisinatykes and traitours sendynge the copie of theyr prescription to Maximilian and alother kinges And because many Byshoppes of Fraunce had ioyned them selues with these Cardinalles he bannisheth them also vnlesse they forsake them and within a certeine tyme make their pâ—â—gation Againe when the cardinals had diuerse times rised him to the counsell in vaine and had sytten eyght tymes they suspends him from al as well ciuill as Ecclestasticall iurisdiction commaunding all meÌ„ ingenerall that hereafter they obey hym not Thys was in the yeare of our Lorde a thousande fyue hundred and twelue the one twentye of Aprill The same tyme at Pauie was Philippe Decius a Euntian excellently well learned who set forthe a Booke in the defence of the Cardinalles cause againste the Byshoppe of Rome Afterwardes Maximilian forsakyng the Cardinals made a league with Iulius and with Fardinando kinge of Spaine and sent to the Counsell at Rome Mathew Lang Byshoppe of Gurce which at the sametime was
our daies and therfore desyred a counsell that the wrong beyng redressed concorde might be reteined But in this our time a Counsell is muche more nedefull for as muche as the same errours and vices do remaine in sundry places and strife and contention is arrisen and many therefore are in daunger of their lyues that be innocent persons For these therfore so weightie considerations not onely we but themperour also and the residew of the states and Bishoppes haue determined that acounsell is chiefly necessary for the Church wherin the pure doctrine might be mainteined For vnlesse it were of suche sort they sawe right well howe it would styre vp a greater confusion But behold whilest we loke for such a counsell the Bishops Buls come forth quite contrary to the decrees of th empyre And because it doth not cōcerne vs only but also the whole commen wealth of Christendom we haue thought nedefull by this publike writyng to testifie and declare wherefore we discommende this counsell For the power and Authoritie of Iudgement belongeth not onely vnto Bishoppes but vnto the churche Of which numbre verely are all kinges and all other states Wherfore al beit the Bishoppe of Rome were nothing at all accused yet were not this to be graunted him that he alone and his should be iudges excludyng other ministers of the churche but seyng manifestly that he is a partie one of the suters much lesse ought it to be permitted because it is both against Gods lawe and also the lawe of Nature But we accuse the Bishop of Rome of no smale crimes neyther do we dispute onely of his vsurped Authoritie and abhominable liuinge but we reprehende his doctrine his lawes and wicked Religion that is we accuse him as giltie of Idolatrie and Heresie Whiche crimes beyng obiected the Bishoppe ought not but the churche to geue iudgement as the olde lawes of the Bishoppes them selues do testifie Furthermore the Bishoppe is not only one of the parties but because he hath condemned oure doctrine longe before he hathe heaped vpon him selfe the greater suspition And seyng it is thus who can doubte what his iudgement shal be in the counsell concernynge our doctrine For it is not to be thought that he will contrary to his olde custome permit any other man to haue the determination of matters And wheras in his writynge he speaketh nothyng of the maner of treatie in the Counsell we haue iust cause to suspecte all thynges the more For he calleth them onely thither which are bounden vnto him diuerse wayes of whose good willes he is assured And he protesteth also this to be the cause of calling the counsel that the Heresies sprong vp of late might be weded out And albeit the same may be taken largely yet is there no doubt but he meaneth it of our doctrine For it is not credible that he speaketh of his own errours Yea after he sent forth an other writynge touchinge the reformation of the Courte of Rome wherein by expresse wordes he confesseth that the Counsell is called for this intent that the Pestiferous Heresie of Luther might be abolished And so in dede at the fyrst he couered his mynde crastely that his writte myght haue some shewe but he disclosed it afterwarde Wherfore there is doubte but that he is fullye bente to roote oute our doctrine And what madnes were it than for vs to allow this his intention For this goeth he about that suche as receiue his writyng shoulde confesse oure doctrine to be wicked and Hereticall Moreouer that Kynges and Princes whiche admitte the same shoulde be bounden to aide and asiste him Therfore seing the thing concerneth the vniuersal common wealth we beseche all men that they will consider diligentlye thys his crafte and policie For it is to be marueiled whie he conceaued his writynge with suche wordes And there is a doubt whether he did it to the intent to feare vs from the Counsel or by the approuing of the writte to haue vs intrapped But amonges vs assuredly there is no doubt but that themperours mynde is to further the common wealth neyther do we thinke that he will allowe this forme of writte But the Byshoppe hathe not onely appoynted the Counsell but hathe also pronounced sentence against vs. For he will not permitte that the matter may be tried by the Scriptures but he will aledge his own lawes custome and certen Counselles of the latter time to proue the matter But we chiefly hold affirme the mens traditions that are contrary to Gods worde oughte to be reiected For we admit the doctrine of the church but the Byshops errors tyrannie ought not to be coloured with the title of the church Tholde church neyther receiued any law cōtrarie to the Scripture nor attributed the vnmeasurable power to the Bishop of Rome which he now taketh vpon him selfe And againe y◠sorte of men which do condemne persecute by the doctrine of the gospell be not the church but paricides the generatiō ofspring of Cam. And in old time in dede godly Bishops dyd oftentimes refuse coūsels seing the same to be called not to defende the veritie but either for the main tenaūce of some wicked opinon or els to establishe some mē in Authoritie Themperor Cōstantine had assigned a counsel at Antioche But Maximus Bishop of Hierusalem albeit it was not farre of came not thither for because he knewe themperors minde what the Arrians intended And although Athanasius came to the coūsell at Tyrus yet taried he not long for that he saw the chiefest of the coūsel plaie the parts both of the accusers Iudges And for that he saw certen accusers procured against him There was holdē a great counsel at Sirmiū a town in Hungry against Photynus for the matter was weightie And albe it themperour cōmaunded the Bishops to come thither yet wold not they of the west partes obey him for that they sawe there a numbre of Arrians there encreased suspected that some false opinion shoulde there be decreed That time was Osius Bishop of Corduba a famous man whom themperor at the request of the Arrians commaunded also to come thither out of Spaine When he was come he approued that perilous counsell of Sirmie which brought afterwardes a great consusiō to the church for this cause was Osius sore reproued of Hilarie whiche came not there Cyrillus Bishop of Hierusalē neuer came at their assemblies which denied Christ to be of the same substannce with the father is accompted the fyrst that euer appealed from the counsell by writyng There was a Counsell kepte at Millan and the Bishoppes called thither by the Emperour But what time Paulinus Bishoppe of Treuers and a fewe others sawe howe Anxentius the Byshoppe of Millan and his mates went about an euill purpose they departed brake vp that Counsell After this sort did those worthy men flie at suspected counselles lest they should be made partakers of
offices of Cardinals and Bishoppes be distinct and diuerse and agree not in one person for the Cardinalles were ordeined for thys cause onely that they should remayne about you most holy father and neuer departe from your syde and should gouerne the vniuersall Churche together with you But vnto Bishoppes it belongeth to fede theyr flocke committed to them of God which in dede can not be done vnlesse they be present with them as we see the Shepardes be with their Shepe Moreouer the thynge it selfe doeth harme by that example For with what face or audacitie shall we redresse the faultes of others which are most apparent and best sene in our fellowshyppe For they may not thinke that because they are placed in dignitie they may therfore take more libertie no but let them vnderstande that they oughte rather to vse more temperauncie for because they ought to shine before others in life and maners neyther must we folow the Phariseis whiche made lawes and themselues kept them not but Christ who florished in word and worke This libertie also is a great let to good Counsels whan the minde is before possessed with lust and Auarice Besydes this diuerse cardinals frequent the courtes of kynges to obteyne of them Bishoprikes and for this cause are so addicte vnto them that they dare vtter nothynge frankely And woulde God this waye were inhibited And the Cardinals otherwise prouided for that they might honestly fynde them selues and theyr families and that Equalitie were obserued herin that the yerely reuenewes of all were egall Which thinge semeth vnto vs not harde to be broughte to passe if we could forsaking all couetousnes folowe the fotesteppes of Christ Whan these faultes are redressed and mete ministers in the Churche appointed it is chiefly to be loked to that the Bishoppes do inhabite amonges theyr owne people for they be the husbandes of the Church But what more heuie or sorowefull sighte can be shewed than euerye where to se congregations forsaken and flockes destitute of Pastors deteyned in the handes of Hirelinges Therfore oughte they to be extremely punisshed whiche leade their flockes to deserte and to be excommunicated or outlawed onely but also to lose theyr liuinges for euer vnlesse they craue pardon of you within a short tyme. For by auncient lawes it was decreed that a Bishoppe might not be aboue three wekes absent from his congregation We se also that very many Cardinals are absent from Rome and do nothynge that properlye belongeth to their office We graunt it to be expedient that certeine of them be resident in theyr owne prouinces For by them as by certein brauÌ„ches and rotes of trees stretched out farre and wide in the Christiane worlde men are kept in theyr dewtie and dewe obeidience of this our common wealth but yet were it requisite that the most parte of them were by you called againe to Rome For so shoulde they bothe execute theyr office and also theyr presence shoulde be there bothe honourable and profitable to the courte of Rome Moreouer in punyshynge of crimes and vices there wanteth a greate seueritie of discipline For suche as haue offended and deserued punishment fynde a meane wherby to conuey themselues out of the iurisdiction of their Bishoppe or iudge ordinary or in case they cannot do this than go they to the master of the Pentionaries and fyne with him for a pece of money And that do they chiefly that are of the clergie which thing doeth offende many Wherfore we beseche you in the bloud of Christ wherewith he redemed washed and sanctified his churche that this licentious libertie may vtterly be abolished For seyng that no common wealth maye longe endure wherein synne is vnpunished howe muche more ought the same to be looked to in the Churche Emonges the Monckes also are many abhominable Actes committed wherefore we thinke good that their Colledges and Couentes be dissolued not sodeÌ„ly or through violence but so that no maÌ„ from henceforth be admitted into that order For so shall they by litle and litle decay And afterwardes may honester men be placed in theyr houses Neuerthelesse we thinke mete that all yong Nouices which haue not yet professed religion by a vow solempnely made be presently remoued from thence There muste also be diligent hede taken that they be mete persons which are set to here confession And herin ought the Bishoppe to haue a vigilante eye but chiefly that there be nothinge done for money For the same free gyfte which we spake of before concerneth not you onelye but all others in like maner Moreouer in the houses of Nunnes and sacred Uirgins namely â–ª where they be gouerned of Monkes are many and that open crimes committed after a most filthy and detestable example therfore must the ouersight of suche be takeÌ„ from the Monkes coÌ„mitted vnto others of whom no perill or suspicion can be had Now wheras in many places and chiefly in Italie certen wicked opinions are disputed not onely in vniuersities but also in churches it deserueth muche dispraise Therfore the Bishoppes muste be charged that in suche places wheras vniuersities or Scholes be they admonish the teachers that they propounde no suche thynge herafter but instructe and bringe vp youth in vertue and feare of God nor that they haue any open disputations of matter of diuinitie but within theyr priuate houses Likewise muste Princes and Magistrates be admonished to giue commaundement to the Printers that they set not forthe all sortes of bokes but suche onely as be permitted There is commonly read in al scooles a boke of Colloquies compiled by Erasmus of RoterdaÌ„ wherin be many thynges whiche may beate in to younge and tender myndes vngodlynes and infecte the frayle and bryckel age Therfore this and suche other lyke bookes must be bannyshed the Scooles Further more where it is permitted to Monkes that haue professed Religion by a vowe to put of theyr owne wede and putte on other apparell we thinke it not well done for the garment is as a badge of the monasticall vowe Therfore if they ones forsake theyr cootes let them be depriued of theyr lyuinges and all ecclesiasticall function Also suche as cary about the relyques of saincte Anthony and other lyke are in our iudgementes worthy to be vtterly abolyshed for through innumerable superstitions they brynge the ignoraunt people in to erroure and playnly abuse them Oftentymes also they aâ—e permytted to marrye whiche haue taken holy orders but this ought to be graunted to no man but for vrgent causes as whan the whole stocke and defence of a Realme is brought to one man And because the Lutherians permitte all men to marry without respecte therfore must we more stifly resyste the same Nother may they be suffered to mary together which are at the seconde degree of bloud or affinitie vnlesse it be vpon moste weyghtie considerations but suche as are further of maye haue more lybertie graunted them and that to be done without
as well ciuile as ecclesiasticall maye or ought to be reformed he for hys parte will leaue nothyng vndone herein doubtyng not but the bishops legate is also inclyned to the same The Senate of Princes consisteth for the moste parte of Bisshops Therefore the nomber of them preuayled whyche bothe reiected the booke exibited by themperoure and also the whole treaty of the collocutours and the reason therof was cōprised in writing somewhat extremely but what tyme the Electours and certain other prynces that loued the common wealth would not assent therto another wryting was framed and delyuered to themperoure the second day of Iuly wherin they doo admonyshe hym that as the advocate and defendour of the churche he doe communicate the whole matter with the Bysshops Legate accordyng to the decree of Hagenaw especially those articles which the collocutours haue agreed vpon and that they bee wayghed dilligentlye whether there bee anye thynge in them that eyther in sence or in woordes is agaynst the doctryne of the godly exposytours or also the custom of the church moreouer incase any thyng be darkely spoken that it may be declared and that after that done he hymself do make reporte to the states of their opinion and what his mynde is touching the same and that he wold be in hande with the Protestantes that they woulde be contented to be instructed in the resydewe of the articles that be in controuersie or yf that can not be obtayned that than the matter be referred either to a generall counsell or els to a prouinciall Sinode of Germanye Amonges the states wer sertayne that hyndred the reformation of Relygion and it is thought that by their motion the whole treaty was referred to the Bisshops legate Themperoure aunswered to the same the .vii. day of Iuly How he had supposed that the collocutours wold haue vttered theyr myndes more playnly especially consyderyng that they had the booke so long by them but for asmoche as they stick herein he wyll follow theyr counsell and will know the legates mynd in euery poynte to th entent he will omit nothynge that conserneth hys dewtie The Protestantes also declare vnto themperour by wryting what theyr mynde is and open more at full the doctryne reconsyled and shew that it is not harde to accord the reste in lyke case and saie that they kepe thē selues to their confession at Auspurge Than touching the third request of the Emperour cōcerning the ciuil gouernment of the cōmen wealth they say howe the lawes that were made .xi. yere since at Auspurge must be put in vre execution and shew how thecclesiastical function may be restored if the gospel be taught sincerely if according to the aunciēt lawes the ministers of churches may be chosen by the cōsent of the people if the bishops doe retaine styll in their own hādes the ciuile ministration for asmuch as of an old custome they them selues neither wil nor can do it they appoint others to execute their spiritual office finde them of their reuenewes if the ministers of the churche may be frely permitted to mary If that foule bying sellyng whiche is of sondry sortes of Simon Magus is called Simony may be vtterly taken away if the goodes may be so distributed as the law made long since prescribe if chyldrē be brought vp invertue in their yougth learne the first principles of the christiā doctrine if notable offēdours be expulsed out of the cōmuniō of the church til they come again to amēdement that the Magistrate do his duty herein abolishe al idolatrie if thecclesiastical iudgemētes might be had as it were censours or maisters of maners apointed to enquire diligētli of the behauiour of the ministers people of their faultes vices Themperour as I told you before doth cōmunicate the whole matter with the bishops legate nd requireth him instantly that the state of the cōmon wealth but chiefly of the church myght be refourmed Wherunto the legate answered for as muche as the protestātes in certen opinions do swarue from the cōmon consent of the churche and yet there is some hope that in fine they wil come into the way againe he after diligent cōsideration of the whole cause thinketh mete that there be no further determinatiō made touching any matter but that the whole treaty be referred to the byshop who assuredly wyl either by a generall counsell or by some other meane fitte for the tyme deuyse that thing in this controuersie that shal profit the whole common wealth but chiefly of Germanye Afterwarde to the intent he might seme to be desirous of a refourmation he calleth home to hym al the byshops there geueth them lessons how they should demeane thē selues in al things gouerne their families haue care of the flock cōmitted to their charge how they should beware of errours appoint learned preachers to resiste them bestow their benefices vpon mete persones how they ought to imploy the churche goodes to the vse of the poore and not to spende thē in riot or in any superfluous vse howe they should se yougth brought vp in good litterature knowledge of tongues which thing the protestantes do exceadingly by that meanes allure all yougth vnto them infecte them with their doctrine how it is the dutie of the bishops to warne the parētes that thei sēde not their children to suche places where there is daunger of heresie with diuers other lyke thinges which after he delyuered in wryting to bysshops that desyred it and also themperoure Who the .xii. day of Iuly reporteth to all the states what aunswere he had made And for by cause it appeareth that there can be nomore determined in this assēbly concernynge relygion and the Turke maketh great preparation both by sea and lande to inuade Christendome he thinketh it chieflly requisite that the treaty be brought to an ende and that decrees bee made concernyng religion peace and ayde against the Turke wherfore he requireth to know theyr mindes whether they thinke it expedient that those articles of doctrine which the collocutours haue accorded shal be receyued till a generall or an other imperyall counsel to th entent the controuersy of Religion for the whiche they haue so many yeares bene tourmoyled may be somewhat abated that the residue not as yet agreed vpon may hereafter more easelye be brought to an vniformitie For he wyll go streight way to the Byshop that he may certenly knowe what to trust to as shortly as he can wyll retourne into Germany to se to the common wealth prouided always that these thinges be nothing preiudiciall to the decree of Auspurge Whan the diuines of the Protestantes had red the two forsayd wrytinges of Contarene they aunswer with one accorde and shewe that he doth them wrong and say that considering his learning they loked for much better things at his hande where also he exhorteth the Princes to punishment and
vertue and as Tullye reporteth of Cesar he maketh all wyse menne a frayde to wryte Some others haue taken in hande the same Argumente and in deede better learned than he but they doo not attayne to that fynes of perfectyon In the tenth booke is mentioned of the Archebisshop of Collon how he coueted to refourme hys churche and allowed not that Synode of hys prouynce notwithstandynge that the booke went foorthe in hys name And after that in the conuention at Regēspurge Bisshops were enioyned bothe by kinge Fernando and also by the Bisshop of Roomes Legate that euery man in hys owne dyocesse shoulde see a godly reformation to bee had he calleth a conuocatyon of hys states whych are the clergye of the cathedrall churche the Erles the Nobilitie and Ambassadours of cities The matter beyng debated they agreed all that so godly and holsome a worke shoulde be taken in hand Therefore he appoynteth certen to conceaue in writyng a draughte of the reformation that shal be and to espye out good men to bee mynisters of the churche Thys wryting he sendeth to the Diuines of Collon and wylleth them to iudge thereof by the Scriptures and to shew theyr opinion but where hys requeste was not sasatisfyed and hauing not conuenyent ministers to instructe the people he sent for Martyn Bucer at Strasburg whō both Iohn Gropper had alwayes commended vnto hym highly and he hymselfe also knewe ryght wel by familyar comunication Who commyng thither the laste yere in Decembre in the begynnyng of thys yere at the commaundemente of the prince beganne to preache at Bomia a Towne vpon the Rhine fyue miles aboue Collō After at the Ides of March the Bisshop calleth a newe assemblie of states at Bomia and requireth that they wolde consulte vpon a godly reformation But where the clergie had assigned no man for this pourpos the rest of the states desyre the Archebishop that according to hys owne iudgemente hee wolde chouse mete men for the thynge Wherfore he committeth thys charge vnto Bucer that he shoulde penne oute the articles of the christian doctrine and to th entent all thynges might the better be donne he intreateth the Prince Electour of Saxonye that he wolde Ioyne vnto hym Melancthon When he was commen and Iohn Pistor frō the Lantzgraue and that the woorke was fynished the Archebishop sent it to the clergie of the head church in Collon whych are all of noble houses and requireth them that they wolde ponder dyligently the doctryne of that booke After at the .xxii. daye of Iuly he calleth an other Synode and exhibited vnto them the booke of reformation requiring them that euery state wold chose certen whyche myght pervse that booke ouer and conferre with hys to th entent some tollerable and godly accorde myghte in fyne bee had But the clergie before sayed vrged this obstiuately that Bucet especially and certen others appoynted of late to instructe the people myghte bee dysplaced After they require a further tyme of delyberation touching the booke and refuse to conferre with the rest He albeit he knewe well enoughe for what pourpose they made thys delaye yet to th ende they should fynd no lacke graunteth them tyme to consulte in And where they spake of remouing of Bucer and hys companions he did not refuse in case any man were able to conuicte them eyther of false doctryne or of euyll lyfe And at sondrye tymes offered them lybertie to trye it beyng ready to exhibite them before any lawefull or indifferent Iudg. Whā the matter therfore stayed here they prepare a contrary booke and in title it Antididagma In the preface of the same booke after a wonderfull raylynge agaynst the Lutheranes they affirme with expresse wordes that they had rather lyue vnder the dominion of the Turkes than vnder a Magistrate that wolde followe and defend that reformation The author and diuisor of this booke as they say was Gropper For he albeit he was very familiar with Bucer two yeres before at Regenspurge Albeit that comyng home from thence he cōmended hym maruelously not only to the Archebisshop but also euerye where to all others albeit he had written him many and that most frendely letters yet whan the matter was brought vnto this poynt he forsoke his frendeship altogether and leauynge hys prince by whom he had all hys preferment he reuolted into the tentes of his aduersaries The same did Barnarde Hagie his Chauncelour which had bothe of them many fatte benefyces The diuines of Collon affailed Bucerfore and rattled hym vp with manye opprobrious wordes But he requyred that the matter might come to disputatiō and protested that he wold defende this doctrine agaynste them in all assemblies In hys defence also Melanethon set forthe a booke at the same tyme and exhortinge them vnto modestie sheweth them what shamefull errours they defende Duke Moris of Saxonye maketh certen lawes at this tyme to be obserued within hys dominiō And fyrst in dede he exhorteth the preachers and ministers of the church to execute theyr office diligently to preache the Gospel sincerely and to shyne before theyr stock with honest examples of lyfe that they exhorte men to prayer and mutuall loue that they rebuke vice sharpelye and sequester desperate persons from the communion of the church by the consent of the Magistrat vntyll they amende And suche as will not thus be refourmed to present vnto the Magistrate Secondly forasmoch as youthe is the store of the Churche and the publicke weale he founded three Grammer Scooles at Misene Merseburge and Porte And in euerye place he fyndeth a certen nombre of Scolars bothe theyr apparell and commons And payeth also yerely stipendes to theyr Scolemasters And to thys vse doeth he applye the reuenewes of the relygious houses wherin Monkes had dwelt and suche others He graunteth that the youthe shal remaine there for the space of sixe yeres of the same lands also he geueth in Augementation to the Uniuersitie of Lipsia two thousand crownes yerely and certen Rasers of wheat Moreouer he forbiddeth beggynge and appoynteth an yerelye somme of monye in certen places to releue poore householders After this for suche as defloure maydes and mary them not he appoynteth thys punishement that albeit they sett them foorthe afterwardes and marye them to others yet shall they be committed to pryson And commaundeth that aduouterers shall dye by the sworde And noble men that marie suche wyues as they haue accompanied with beefore he punnishethe thus that he taketh awaye from theyr children that were borne before the Marriage the possession and profites of suche landes as they holde of him in fee. In the meane time themperoure cōming oute of Spaine arriueth with his Nauie at Genes And the .xxvi. day of May addressyng his letters from thence to the Duke of Saron the Lantzgraue and theyr consortes For as moche as they are alreadye sufficientlye warranted by hys proclamations for publyke peace and that also
they we made our purgation to you by letters Emperour Charles of suche thynges as we are accused of And albeit reason wold that eyther you shuld haue layde a side your warlike furniture or at the least haue declared the cause of the warre and hearing vs speake lykewise shuld haue don accordyng to the custome of Th empyre and your fayth promised by an othe yet forasmuche as you doe neuerthelesse procede we are also compelled to put on armure to beare of thys vniust violence muche vnworthy your personne For that you nowe seke to extinguishe the doctryne of the Gospel and lybertie of th empyre by sondry of your actes it may be proued For you knowe youre selfe what maner of consultations you haue had nowe many yeres with that Roomish Antichryst and foreyne kynges that you myght eyther ioyne them with you or incense them agaynst vs. And agayne without the aduise of the Princes and states of Th empyre you haue taken trewes with the Turke contrary quite to youre promesse For what tyme Germany gaue you ayde two yeres paste agaynst the Frenche kyng you affirmed that the same warre beynge finished you wold goe your selfe with an armye agaynst the Turke But nowe haue you made a composition with hym verely to thintēt you myght the better accomplish the thyng which you haue intended agaynst vs. And nowe in thys conuention at Regenspurge you haue set a newe collour face of the matter speakyng much of youre owne industrie and zeale to the cōmon wealthe and countrey of Germanie and of the contumacie of certen others Whice doubtles was done of you for this intent that you might seuer vs one from another that ar confederated for relygion For you are not able to charge vs with any faulte of neglectyng our dewtie distrusting your cause you haue not sommoned vs to appere and come to our aunswer before the Senate of thempire yea you did not somuche as once name the parties and yet in the meane season wryting your letters to dyuers Princes and Cities you dissembled ful craftely as though you attempted not warre against religion but to punnishe certen rebelles But it is manifest enough that you shoote at relygion and appereth herof sufficyently in that you sollicited the Bishop for a counsell wherin besydes his clientes and adherentes no man maye haue place nor libertye to speake There were a very fewe that were somwhat franke in speakyng but a meane was founde that they were called awaye worse placed in theyr steade What maner of decrees also the fathers at Trēt haue made now it is knowen to al men wherfore this is not the coūsell that hath ben so often promised in the assemblies of Th empyre as we shewed you the laste yere at Wormes And the same thinges we sayde than we will shuld be nowe repeted Moreouer that it is your pourpos to cōpell vs to approue the counsell it is to be proued by the Bishops letters lately sent to the Heluetians wherin he complaineth sore of diuerse in Germany which reiect the authoritie of this counsel and sayeth how this is the cause for the which he attempteth warre And because you were also prefixed to warre for the same matter he sayeth howe it chaunced to hym luckely and therefore wold imploye therupon all the force and treasure of the churche of Roome and hys owne also Wherefore seeing the Bishop hathe vttered that pretensed pourpose of youres which you wold haue cloked by an other coloure who can doubt any longer but that you pricke at relygion Certenly we knowe oure selues faulty in nothyng which eyther we wold not shuld be heard openly or that we can wel aunswer but it had concerned your office after the example of your predecessours to haue called vs before the Senate of Prynces and lykewyse to haue hearde oure reasons Neyther did it become you thus to vse vs to call vs to the assemblie to propound of the common wealth to axe our aduise counsell and in the meane whyle to prepare warre agaynste vs. For what kynde of thing is thys to leaue the Turke and to bend all the furye rage of warre againste vs as thoughe we were a greate deale worse than he But we truste assuredly that God will impeche and hynder thys so vnworthy a facte For if there were any grudge or displeasure betwene you youre brother Fernando and vs the same was wholye forgeuen at Cadame Uienna Regēspurg and Spier Therfore you maye paynte and set out the matter as muche as you lyste yet knowe we for certentie that there is no other cause but that trewe relygyon shuld be oppressed and Germany lose her lybertye You wryte in dede to diuerse and go aboute to perswade as though you desiered greatly that the doctryne of the Gospell myght be auaunced but the opinions of the vniuersitie of Louayne confyrmed by your iudgement agayne the execution of Godly men within your Realmes and dominions And this confideracie made with that Romish Antichrist declare and shew well enoughe what your intente is verely euen this that you myght recouer and establysh agayne all kynde of Papistrie quenching the trew doctryne that we professed at Auspurge And seing the case is thus and that we made our league for this pourpos that we myght perseuer in thys Relygion and defende it ioyntely together although any man els shuld pretēd some other cause of displesure agaynst any of vs we were dryuen of necessitie to stande to oure owne defence whyche bothe Gods lawe and also the lawe of nature doeth permitte and graunt vs. And albeit that by reason of this your enterprise we are in nothing bounden to you and therfore neded not to declare vnto you any part of our mynd yet for a further assurance we renounce the allegeaunce and dewetye wherby we were boundē to you not that we wold deminishe the ryght and commoditie of th ēpyre but rather preserue and mainteyne the same This therefore we protest openly and that in solemuwyse that we are of this mynd that we purpose to repulse from vs thys warre of you and your fellowes For in so godly and honest a cause we ought to refuse no perill They sent these letters by a yong gentelman and a Trumpeter as the maner is to themperoure in hys campe before Landshut Whiche he did not only refuse to receyue but also cummaunded in paine of theyr life to cary it agayne where they had it And added this moreouer that if any man from hencefoorth came vnto hym from them he shoulde insteade of a chayne of golde be rewarded with an haulter Then deliuereth he vnto them the Table of prescription before saied and geueth them a most streight charge to delyuer the same to theyr princes Before they sent thys epistel it was debated howe themperoure shulde be termed or spoken to And the Duke of Saxon wolde not haue geuen hym the name of Themperoure for otherwyse it is not lawfull
Cardinalles thought mete to conferre also with the fathers of the counsell leste any thyng should be done rashely And to the intent that the decrees already made aswell that of remouing the counsell as also the reste myght wholy remayne Therfore sayeth he for so muche as I am both carefull for the welth of Germany and for the Emperours sake would haue no long delay I commaunde you that calling for the assistaunce of the holy Ghoste you declare the whole matter to the fathers And what answere shal be made to the Emperour you wryte hither with all spede Cardinall Montane as he was commaunded bryngeth the matter in counsell after wryteth agayne to the Byshop Albeit the counsell were lawfully remoued frō Trent to Bononie Albeit that in the session of the Fathers the same daie that the decree was made of remouing the Synode al mē were openly warned to repare to Boloigne Although he and the other Fathers wryting their letters after to Trent admonished thē louingly to take their iourney yet do some remaine there vntyll this daye Whiche thing verely aperteineth to the contemt of the counsell and offendeth many Therfore the Fathers do not see howe they should sauing the dignitie and estimation of the Synode consulte of their retourne vnlesse that suche as be at Trent do first come to Bononie ioyne thē selues with the residue acknowledge the authoritie of the counsel Againe it is nedefull that the Fathers be put in assuraūce that Germany will submitte it selfe to the counsell and allowe the decrees therof that either are made already or heafter shal be in such sort that they be retracted of no man Moreouer in as muche as the brute goeth that it shal be a counsell to the people agreable the fathers desyre also to haue assuraunce in that behalfe For if that should take place all order and maner of counselles synce the Apostles tyme vnto this day shuld be chaūged They desyre also to know how they shal be assured that they may all there safely and frely remayne and whan they shall thinke good departe thence no man to let them Finally this assuraunce is also requisite that whan for certen causes it semeth good to the moste part it may be lawfull for the Fathers to go some where els and remoue the counsell Furthermore whan it shall appeare those matters to be sufficiently aunswered for the whiche the counsell was called the fathers may be at libertie to surcease and make an ende These are the thinges whiche the fathers after great deliberation whan they had called for the grace of the holy spirite haue answered vnto his requestes praiyng his holines to take them in good worth Whan these letters were deliuered the Byshop the .xxvii. daye of Decēber at after Masse sendeth for the Emperours Ambassadour Mendoza into the senate of Cardinalles and sheweth him what the Synode of Boloigne hath answered whose opinion he saieth is not misliked either of him or of the Cardinalles as consonant to right and reason For his part there is nothing that he would not wyshe to do for Germany And this can the Emperour witnesse For nothing that concerned the dutie of a good pastour and a moste louing father hath bene of him omitted He perceiueth in dede what the Emperour what king Ferdinādo and the States of the Empire require but he supposeth howe they desire it in suche wyse as it may stande with the peace and commoditie of other nations and with the libertie of the churche Whan Mendoza sawe howe the Bishop toke that company at Boloigne for the counsell he was fully mynded to haue protested to the contrary immediatly But through the intercession of certen Cardinalles and the Deane of the College he was content to aduertise the Emperour of this aunswere and to awayte for his letters and differre the protestation vntill the .xx. day after Whan therfore Mendoza had signified the whole matter to the Emperour The Byshop also made aunswere to the former letters of the Germane Byshops at the kalendes of Ianuary Wherein he commendeth their vertue and interlaseth his owne prayses amonges He sheweth how desyrous he hath bene euer of a counsell and first called the same at Mantua after at Uicence last at Trente whither came many Bishoppes of other nations but fewe or none out of Germany Moreouer what holsome decres were there made and how proftable for the commō wealth and that they departed from thence without his knowledge yet doeth he defende their doinges to be lawefull Further more he defende their doinges to be lawfull Furthermore he discourseth at large what the Cardinall of Trent and Mendoza demaunded in the Emperours name whose requestes in asmuche as they were with theirs agreable he would not answere before he had aunswered the Emperour Finally where they say it is to be feared lest if he be slacke other meanes wyl be found that can not moue him for as muche as he hath omitted no part of his duty whome God hath placed in this seate of dignitie as it were in a hyge watche toure to haue charge of the whole slocke but especially of those that go astraye from the rest Againe it may be that newe deuises shal be attempted against the authoritie of the Sea of Rome For Christ him selfe the architectour therof what tyme he layd the foūdation of the church of Rome did prognosticate of great stormes but that their enterpryse should haue any lucky successe he feareth not for that Christe hath buylded the same vpon a moste strong Rocke Diuers haue heretofore attempted the lyke thinge whome God hath made an example for all men to beholde And if there be any at this day whiche are not affrayde of the plages and punishment of others set before their eyes he sore lamēteth their case for the destruction that will ensue Howbeit he exhorteth them chiefly to remayne and perseuer still in that faith vertue and constancie which they haue perfourmed hetherto And suffer no counselles to take place in their cōuentions against the dignitie of the churche Whan therfore the Byshop and Synod assembled at Boloigne dwelt stil in their opinion The Emperours Ambassadours for the same cause sent to Bononie Fraūces Uargas and Martin Uelascus the .xvi. daye of Ianuary whā they had desyred a Senate they come before the cōsistory There was present Cardinall Mountane and about .xliiii. bishops and prelates of the churche There Uargas reciteth his commission wherin the Emperour had geuen him and his fellowe authoritie to pleade whiche he had also exhibited lately before And beginning to speake was interrupted by Cardinal Montane President of the counsell In this commission and wrytyng the Emperour calleth it not the counsell but conuention of Bononie Wherfore sayeth Cardinal Mountane albeit this assemble is not bounde to heare your Oration forasmuch as your commission exhibited doth not concerne this holy Synode yet lest any man should haue any cause to complayne we refuse
committed in charge the tuition of all counselles But you went so hastely away that you reiected suche as sayd how you ought first to aske aduise of the Emperour and Byshop And if you must nedes haue remoued at the lest you should haue obserued the decrees of holy counselles and haue remayned within the borders of Germany to the intent the Germaines whose cause was chiefly in hande myght come to the counsell safely But nowe haue ye chosen Bononie a citie in the middes of Italy and subiect to the churche of Rome whether you are assured that the Germaines will not come And therfore haue you chosen the same that to the decaye and reproche of the vniuersall weale the counsel myght either be dossolued or handled and vsed at your pleasure The Emperour therfore requireth that moste earnestly that you wold retourne to the same place whiche before contented all men especially synce all thinges are safe and quiet neither remaineth there any further cause of feare Whiche thyng if you shall refuse I doe here in the name and by the commaundemēt of the Emperour proteste this remouing of the counsell to be vayne vnlawful and the whole doyng to be voyde of none effect And do also testifie the answer of yours to be fond full of lies and the the cōmodities that hereafter shal insue to the cōmon wealth ar not to be ascribed to thēbut vnto you and affirme moreouer that you haue no authoritie to remoue the counsell And in asmuch as you haue neglected the publique health of men the Emperour as Protectour of the churche wyll take charge therof so far forth as he may by the lawes and and decrees of holy fathers Whan he had red these thinges he deliuereth the copie of the Protestation written and requireth that it maye be recorded for matter of recorde There Cardinall Mountane by the consent of the Fathers speakyng grauely declareth that they are not well vsed and taketh God to witnesse and saieth howe they are ready to dye rather than to suffer suche an example to be brought into the churche that euer the ciuile Magistrate should at his wyll and pleasure comptrolle the counsell The Emperour in dede is the eldest sonne of the church but neyther Lord nor Maister But he and his colleges are Legates of the See Apostolicke refuse not presently to rēder an accompt both first vnto God after also to the Byshop of their Ambassade And that more within a fewe dayes their Protestation shal be aunswered In maner to the same effect and about the same tyme Mendoza whan letters were come from the Emperour wherby he was commaūded to procede did proteste at Rome before the Byshop and Cardinalles callyng therunto as he was cemmaunded the Ambassadours of foreine kynges and Princes ✚ The twenty Booke of Sleidanes Commentaryes concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the twenty Booke THe treaty is of a controuersie whether the lande of Prusse belong to the kyng of Poole or to the Empyre The Pope maketh an ample aunswere to the protestation before made by Mendoza Wherof the Emperour being aduertised leauing all hope of a counsell begynneth to set forth his Interim The Protectour of Englande wryting to the Scottes in ample wyse demaundeth their Quene Uogelsberge is beheaded The Emperour in his campe before Wittemberge gaue to Duke Maurice the ryght of Electourshyp and nowe createth him with all solemnities Bucer refuseth to subscribe to the Interim The Pope himselfe cōdemneth the Interim Lykewyse do some of the Electours and Prynces Certen also refuse it al though that the Emperour had caused it to be proclaimed The Duke of Saxon prysoner with great magnanimitie refuseth it The Lantgraue by letters set forth in his name maketh semblant to consent therunto to be deliuered Whilest the Masseis abolished in England the cities and townes of Germany are sollicited to accept the Interim and aboue all others Strasborough yea with threatchynges IN the fourmer bokes is declared howe Albert of the house of Brandenburge did homage to the kynge of Polle howe he altered the state of the cōmon welth in Prusse and was therfore outlawed of the chāber Againe howe the kyng of Polle in commō assemblies of the Empyre had oftentymes sued to the Emperour and other States that in as muche as he was his Cliente they would reuerse his outlawerie But where as nothynge was obtayned vnto this daye and in this great victory of the Emperour it was to be feared lest the matter should haue come to further daunger the kynge of Polle vnto this assemblie sendeth an Ambassade the chief wherof was Stanislaus Lascus He in the moneth of Ianuary deliuereth to the Emperour and Senate of Princes an Oration wrytten the effect wherof was this Howe the cause of Prusse had bene oftentymes debated But for as muche as it hath bene alwayes differred vntyll other assemblies he is nowe cōmaunded agayne to declare the same And the kinges truste is that inasmuch as they haue at al times made him gētle answers the cause it self being rightful they will haue some consideration and mynde of hym yet not not as Iudges but as Prynces worthy all honour and reuerence And first of all sayeth he I wyll speake diuerse thynges of the order of Prusse to the intent the thyng may be manifest In times pait the kynges of Polle gaue a great part of Prusseland to the order of knighthode in Dutche land vpon cōdicion that they might haue their seruice against the enemies of christendome But they very vnthankefull breakyng conuenauntes tourned their force against ther owne Lordes So had they oftentymes warre and oftentymes their conuenauntes were renewed Which by reasō of antiquitie it is not requisite to rehearse But that whiche in maner chaunced in our memory I shall recite Kyng Casimire father vnto Sigismunde subde wyng them in a great battell brought them to conditions of peace Than amonges other thinges it was accorded that from henceforth they should acknowledge the kynges of Polle for their Magistrate geuyng thē their fidelitie by an othe But afterwardes certen Maisters of that order brake conuenauntes geuynge them selues in to the tuition of others Of the whiche Albert of Brandenburge was one who being bounde by conuenaunt to doe homage vnto the kyng his Uncle within the half yeare wold not Wherfore the kyng albeit he loued peace yet was of necessitie constrayned to attempte warre And albeit they neuer ioyned in battell with their whole forces yet by Roades made fyryng spoyling and escharmoushing was much harme done in so muche that Alberte being to weake came vnto the kyng to take truce But at the selfe same tyme came a force of Germaines to ayde hym For the whiche cause he departed without concludyng the same and began to renewe warre But not long after beyng of them forsaken where he dyd but dissemble before than
is not vnknowen to them which haue bene at a few of the last conuentions for they do not only vnderstand but also know by experiēce how swete is the name of peace and how comfortable a thing it is and againe what euils warre bryngeth Moreouer it shuld be greuous and displesaunt to them if theyr neighbours should for theyr sake be in daunger or receiue any domage Furthermore they do confesse that neyther is it lawfull for them neyther is it in theyr power obstinately to resist themperour and thempire but that beyng dryuen of necessitye to defende them selues and theyrs from iniury they haue beaten downe certayne buildinges and haue taken certen holds smal townes villages in the time of warre not minding to kepe them for them selues but that they shuld not come into the hands of foraine nations neyther do they refuse to rendre the same again so that theyr neighbors do attempt nothing And that there is two causes chieflye wherefore they can not obteyne peace fyrste for that they do retain the doctrin of the gospell and refuse that Romyshe Idoll Secondlye for that the condicions of peace propounded are to them not only greuous but also intollerable and altogether such as cannot be performed For if they shuld betray theyr liberty geuen thē by themperor great Otto the first of that name and the which they haue receiued of theyr elders and maintained vnto this day it can by no reasō be defended or excused in time to come Nowe also it appeareth and is manifestly sene what thing the authoures of the booke made at Auspurge intended and where about they went for they indeuonred to plucke awaye from men the chief article of doctrine of iustification the very force of saluation They called in doubte also the Lordes supper and marriage of priestes Moreouer they teach the inuocation of deade men and what so euer dependeth of the same furthermore they go about to restore all papistry as hath bene declared of many excellent learned men certainly this so great a wickednes woulde not be winked at or passed ouer in silence yea God is to be called on with continuall praier that he suffer not the glory of his name to be thus polluted for assuredly it is an heauye and a sorowful sight that men should be violently inforced to false Religion and Idolatry the ministers of the churche cast into prison or wyth theyr wiues and chyldren dryuen into exile some also myseserablye slaine it is as much to be lamented that albeit these thinges are openly sene especiallye in the vpper partes of Germanye yet there should be men that dare affirme that Religion is not impugned Howe be it is no newes for euer synce the worlde began the state of good and godly menne hathe bene alwaies to suffer affliction Againe there be many examples both in the old and newe Testamente that declare the constancy of holy men which they vsed whan Kinges and Princes setforth theyr Proclamations contrary to Gods word For in suche cases was this alwaies of force that is wrytten in holy scriptures howe we oughte rather to obeye God than men This hathe Chrisostome Austen Ambrose and other holy men not only taught but also perfourmed in dede whan Emperoures commaunded any thinge againste the commaundementes of God in like case are they at this present They se the dāger they are in and yet may not otherwise do for they must soner abide all pearill than to praise and receiue manifest errors It is wrytten of Gordius the martir who beinge requested of his frendes whan he was caried to execution that for sauinge of his life he woulde forsake his opinion aunsweared that the tonge ought not to speake any thinge in reproche of him that made it the which thing aswel apperteineth vnto al mē For this is the opiniō bothe of the aunciente Churche and also of certaine of the fyrste Bishoppes of Rome that they do not only betray the truth whiche teache false Doctrine but also suche as dare not professe openlye and defende the truthe knowen wherefore the whole case muste be cōmitted to god nether ought they ether for that plesure of any mā or fearce of any peril to forsake the professiō of that Ueritie but to set before their eies thexample of Daniel who cōtrary to that proclamatiō of king Darius worshipped God with the windowes set open on euerye side Certes he mighte haue done the same priuatelye and closelye withoute any daunger but for as much as the same thing concerned the profession of his faith and glory of gods holy name with a great and a constant courage he called vpon God openlye and had no respect of any daunger which being procured for him by his aduersaries lighted after on theyr owne heades Wherefore they beseche all men to attempte no force nor warre againste them whiche are members of the true Churche and that they woulde followe herein the steppes of the Christiane Souldioures of former time whych in dede would not obey whan themperoures in the warres required theyr seruice againste the Christians as is to be proued by the example of Saincte Moris the martir howe greuouslye also God was offended with the Israelites for that they being afraid of the multitude of their ennemies did not healpe theyr weake felowes is expressed in the boke of iudges that it mighte be a doctrine for al men not only not to forsake in their necessitye the brethren and fellowes of their Religion but also to ayde and succoure them They doubte nothing but that good men will be moued by these thinges For God liueth is immortall which hath full oft in times past shewed the mighty power of his right hande and nowe can also declare the same They desyre them also hartely that they would cause these letters to be exhibited to the Emperor to king Ferdinando and to other princes and states and also to make intercession for them that no extremity be wrought against them for they wil refuse to do nothing that may be godly and honestly performed they require moreouer that they would commend them vnto god by their praiers to thend verely that through the xample of the Niniuites they may from the bottom of their hartes bewail their sinnes hartely sigh vnto God that they may boldly professe this doctrine of the gospel whiche hathe nowe these .xxx. yeares bene preached and may set it forth with the godlines of life that they may shew the worckes of loue vnto all men but chiefly to the ministers of the church now banished and exiled and to theyr children and wiues and suche other miserable people And that they may kepe this holsome doctrine pure and safe from the deceites of them which vnder the pretence of restoringe Ceremonies do now bryng in againe the whole rabble of the Romishe doctrin In the month of Octobre Fraunces Duke of Mātua the sonne of Duke Fridericke marieth the Lady Katherine daughter to Ferdinando Kinge of Romaines
and the decrees be red openly that done the bishops are demaunded whether they allow the same They answer all that they please them well And so the deuines declare what is theyr opinion of euery matter but the bishops only and with them a few other mitred men haue authority to determine that thing which is thus decreed they commaund to be sacred and holy and call those decrees Canons These thinges in dede are thus done outwardly but those that are better acquainted with Romish matters wil affirme that all those articles of doctrine are written before at Rome by the bishops commaunment and sent to his Legate in time that the deuines may in their reasoning folow that prescript and ordre For the Bishop finedeth ther diuers of them and many bishops also and therfore it is commonly spoken by a fond prouerbe that the holy ghost commeth many times from Rome to Trēt inclosed in a male For this cause verely that the bishop sendeth ofttimes letters in poste signifying to his Legates there what he woulde haue done The fourth day of Septembre Erle Hedeck commeth to Maidenburge by him duke Moris did so mitigate the conditions before propounded that they thought mete to proceade in the treatye In the meane while was truse taken which was after also prolonged for many daies as I shall hereafter declare The French king hauing his mind alienated from the bishop of Rome publisheth a wryting and speakinge many thinges of thiniury done vnto him of the cause of the warre of Parma and whye he receiued Octauius into his tuition commaundeth vnder a great penalty that no mony from henceforth be conueied to Rome for considering that the sinewes of warre consisteth in mony what madnes were this with his own mony his subiectes to maintaine the force of his aduersarye and strengthen his power how it is the peculiare office of the bishops of Rome to appease he controuersies of kings this verely did Paule the third who being almost worn for age came to Nice in Ligurie to make a reconcilement betwene his father and themperor but Iuly followeth cleane an other wates and hauing lately called a counsell very necessary in dede for the common weale hathe stirred vp war against him surely of a set purpose that he mighte exclude all the french church which is one of the principall so that ther can not be holden a lawful counsel wherin both therrors of the prelates and ministers of the church mighte be refourmed and their faultes amended This proclamation of the king was openlye proclaimed at Paris the vii day of Septembre whereas a few daies before ther was an other most hainous proclamation setforth against the Lutheranes whiche partly confirmed such like decrees of former yeres partly where they semed not to be diligently enough writtē sharpned them omitting nothing that concerneth great seueritye and such as wil vtter any thing are promised great rewards whiche thing in dede the king was thought to haue done for this intēt that he might bridell hereby such as in Fraunce desired to haue an alteration of Religyon leaste by reason of thys dissention of hys with the bishop they should take ouermuch libertye And againe least they whiche beare a reuerence to the Churche of Rome shuld conceiue any apinion of him that his minde should be altered concerning Religion Finally that both the bishop him self and the Senate of Cardinals might see that they might be receiued into his frendship whan they wold Than out of themperours court came forth a wryting wherin is recited the original cause of the warre of Parma and how iuste an occasion of displeasure the bishop of Rome hath against Octauius and the Earle of Mirandula and of what an vnquiet mind the Frēch king is which seketh all manner of occasions and bendeth his whole force that he maye impeche and defeat the most noble enterprises of themperor how beit themperor being nothing moued withall these thinges wil so much the more couragiously and stoutly procede Octauius pretēded as though he had come of necessity into thobeisance and tuition of the French king for thiniuries and laying in wayt of Fernādo Gonzage But that is confuted by this wrytinge For if there were any cause of feare the occasion was geuen of him selfe who hath ofttimes laid wait for the life of Gonzage After it is recited how Placence came into the hands of themperor For Peter Aloise the bishop of Romes bastard sonne whan he had obteined Pirma and Placence gouerned the common wealth cruelly and like an other Nero and accomplished his wicked lust not only vpon womē but on men also wherfore he was slain at home and murthered of his citezens which could no longer abide so great crudelitye after the townes men for that they saw a present daunger prepared against them in case they shuld come again into the iurisoiction of the Bishop and church of Rome had this only refuge to saue them if they gaue them selues to themperor especially consideringe also howe they were once fre citezens of the Empire so therefore they moued Gonzage and desired him that they mighte be receiued into themperors tuition For otherwise wold they prouide them aid and succour elsse wher Therfore it is vntrue that he shuld faine him selfe to be a fraid For themperor hath imploid many benefits vpon the Farnesians He hath chosen Octauius to his sonne in law gaue to his father Aloise the city of Nouaria for euer and honored hym with the dignity of a Marques but great hath bene their vnthākfulnes both at other times and chiefly whan through the pretence of frendship they aided him in punishing certain rebels of Germany their whole endeuor was to haue taken from him Genes and Lumbardy For verely in the same tumult was slain ful wickedly amonges others Ioannine Aurie a man of an excellente vertue whilest he both did themperor faithful seruice and repulsed pearil from his country After came forthe an answer to these thinges in the French kinges name Wherin is made mention how themperor to haue the frendship of the bishop of Rome Paule the thyrde gaue vnto his sonne Peter Aloise the title and degre of a Marques how he toke vnto him Octauius the sonne of Peter to be his sonne in law how he preferred his other sonne Alexander to many ecclesiasticall promotions how afterward he made a league with the bishop wherin it was prouided that the decre of the Senate of Cardinals that was made concerning the gouernment of Parma and Placence themperor shuld confirme to the house of the Frenesians but what time themperor made war in Germany and pretēded as though he moued not the same war for Religion but to punish the rebellion of certain this deuise was displeasaunt to the bishop for that he saw how by this meane he went about his priuate affairs and to procure to him self rule gouernment neither was he disceiued in his iudgement For the war being
and wil saye they doe it of dutie to the end that they may haue the gouernment and also the possession of the goods But wher these men saye they are bounde to admitte fellowes of their Religiō and to exclude no man out of the kyngdome of heauen It doth not excuse them for there is one only fayth whiche all that are christians ought to professe and obserue This faith in tymes past both Emperours and kynges and all Princes and Rulers of the Empire and the people also confirmed by an othe Uerely this catholique faith is the selfe same which we of Germany from the beginning vnto this time haue followed those excepted that haue reuolted from the same Wherfore there is nothing to be made newe but all thynges ought to be referred to this fayth and the mynde is to be subdued that it may obeye the catholique churche He that doeth otherwise and taketh to him selfe any priuate Religion he vnlesse he obeye admonishementes ought of his Byshop to be excommunicated and to be remoued from all function His goodes also ought by the ciuile Magistrate to be published neither is he to be suffered within the limites of the Empire For that same libertie or licenciousnes of Religion the fathers haue alwayes reiected as a certen confusion of the faith made this lawe that what thinges so euer were once determined of coūsels in matters of faith shuld no more be reasoned nor called in doubt so that it is lawful for none to ordeine or propounde any thing to the cōtrary For histories teache vs what time Ualentinian themperour admitted all kinde of sectes what trouble arose of the same Again if this shuld be receiued that whosoeuer dissenteth frō the catholique faith shuld be excused by his conscience Than should the Anabaptistes Zwinglians a Schuuenchfeldians suche other like also be excused in this peace cōprised They saye how the promesses of God wherby he promiseth vs euerlasting life apperteine to all men in generall neither ought they of thē to be restreined As though those promesses apperteined to thē only whiche be of their profession But the thing is far otherwyse For what tyme they shall swarue from the communion of the churche they are excluded from the kingdom of heauē euen by their own iudgement And where there is no saluation out of the churche howe should the kyngdome of heauen belonge to them whiche reiecte the Sacramentes of the churche and contemne the ordeining of priestes vnto whome Christe hathe geuen power to binde and lose And if there be no priestes consecrated amonges them howe obteyne they remission of their synnes And except their sinnes be forgeuen how shall they be made partakers of the heauenly kingdome Therfore those promises apperteine not to them only But rather they are to be thought to be of that nomber whome Christe sayeth he knoweth not They bragge that they are able to proue howe the Catholiques by sondry abuse both religion the churche goodes But let vs see what thing is herein to be blamed After the holy Scripture and the lawes of the fathers and counselles the churche goodes ought to be distributed to Byshops and ministers of the churche to be imployed vpon the poore vpon reparations and if the thing require so vpon the raunsomyng of them that are kept prysoners of the Turkes and Barbarians Uerely this custome hath continued a thousand and thre hondreth yeares since that the same goodes shoulde bee imployed to Godly ministers and vses Of the whiche sorte be to saye Masse to shewe Gods worde to repare and builde churches to fynde pore men also Monkes Freers and Nunnes But what do they putting out certen Byshops they make newe as they were prophane and ciuile officers vnto whome they geue as small a portion as they can possible They ioyne to them other ministers whiche bring the sely people into errour whilest both they contemne the sound doctrine and minister to the people the Sacrament whole and the bread in dede not consecrated to witte a creature in place of the creatour and vnder the colour of true worshipping committe Idolatrie They saye that from henceforth they wyll imploye the churche goodes aboute none other matters but to the vse of scholes nor wyll conuert no part therof to them selues well let it be so but by this vse the catholique religion should be polluted and vtterly oppressed And this vse shall be a great deale worse than if the same goodes were bestowed about prophane matters For these causes therfore it is not lawefull for the Catholiques to allowe this condition as it is wrytten This wryting as I sayed was extraordinary and priuatly made The Protestaūtes being aduertised hereof write against it and first shewe what is the true doctrine the same verely whiche is conteined in the wrytinges of the Prophetes Apostles Secondly they declare how muche the doctrine of the Papistes differeth from the same whiche haue so many wayes polluted the Lordes supper whiche haue brought in so filthie errours of purgatory of praying to the dead whiche take awaye and denie the remission of sinnes whilest they saye we must alwayes doubte of the grace of God whiche so muche dishonour matrimonie instituted of God which with detestable and horrible crimes are defiled in this their senglenes of lyfe euē with the same vices that Saint Paule rehearseth Of these thinges it may clerely appeare who haue forsaken the true Religion And seing it is so suche ecclesiasticall persones as either haue nowe already or els hereafter shall imbrace the pure doctrine can not be of them neglected As touching the churche goodes all thinges be maruelously defiled also Truthe it is that a benefice is geuen for dutie but it is to be considered diligently of what sorte is the office of a priest or byshop And that a consideration of scholes must also be had For euen from the tyme of the Prophetes this maner hath euer remayned And nowe the prelates of churches seke chiefly that suche thinges as are due to ministrs of the churche to teachers schollers and scholes to almouse houses and hospitalles they imploye to their own vses that they may liue in al voluptuousnes The same do thei with Abbeies Colledges Doeth not the Byshop represent a great Prince who taking first the possessiō of his byshoprike entreth the citie with two thousand horsemen And these thinges in dede they do where there is none of them all that can doe his dutie What mynde or conscience is there Can these obiecte sacrilege and extortion to others Their doctrine is in dede condemned of Freers But through their wickednes that perswade them not to reade their wrytings And that the Pope and that the rabble do condemne and despise it to be no maruell For after the same maner was Christe and his doctrine intreated of Anna Caiphas and all the sorte of Phariseis and Byshoppes They make oft mention of counselles and of the churche But it lieth not in
that he whiche is a Germain him selfe wil naturally for the coūtrie sake in so honest a matter be helpfull to an other Germaine that is in a maner oppressed and in daunger of his lyfe Besydes this intercession of his frendes Duke Fredericke deuised so with the Cardinall at Auspurge that Luther should not nede to trauayle to Rome but should come and pleed his cause before Caietane there Who comming thether in the begynnyng of October remayned there thre dayes before he spake with the Cardinall For after Duke Friderick was gone homewarde he was aduised by his frendes not to come in the Cardinalles fyght before the Emperour Maximilian had graunted him a saufe conduicte whiche obtayned he was gently receyued of the Cardinal who sayd that he would not contende with him in disputacion but frendly appease the controuersy And according to the Byshops of Roomes commaundemente he propoundeth two thinges first that he should come to amēdement and reuoke suche errours as he had published secondlye that from henceforth he abstayne from suche wrytinges as disturbe the trā quillitie of the churche Hereunto doeth Luther make aunswer that he is priuie to no errour but if he hath erred in any thyng he desyreth it maye be shewed him wherein There the Cardinall chargeth hym that he affirmeth in his questions howe the merites of oure sauioure Christe consiste not in the treasures of pardons whiche sentence saith he is against the decree of Clemēt the syxte Moreouer that vnto those that come to receiue the Sacramēt faith should be necessary wherby they myght be assured that their synnes were forgeuen neyther is this true sayeth the Cardinall Luther aunswered how he had read that decree of the Byshop shewed what his mynde is touching the same and where as mention was made of Thomas of Aquine he affirmeth that the authoritie of Scripture is to be preferred farre aboue hym Than the Cardinall extolling the Byshop of Romes authoritie preferreth him aboue all Scriptures and counselles recityng howe the coūsell whiche had determined the contrary was abrogated he condemneth also Gerson of Paris and the fauourers of his opinion Contrariwyse Luther denieth the authoritie of the byshop to be aboue the coūsell alledging emonges others the diuines of Paris to be of his opiniō After long disputacion where as they could not agree Luther asketh some deliberation The next day he retourneth And in the presence of the Secretary and certain other witnesses and foure also of the Emperours counsell he protesteth that he beareth all dew reuerence to the holy churche of Rome And if he haue spoken any thyng against the same he wyll not haue it ratified Howbeit for as much as he is admonished and commaundeth to forsake his errours and to abstayne from henceforth he supposeth that he hath spoken nothing that swarueth either from holy Scripture or the opinions of the auncient fathers the decrees of the byshoppes or also from ryght reason Yet will he not denye but that he may erre and be disceiued for so may euery man And therfore he committeth the hearing to the lawfull and holy churche referryng the whole matter to the iudgement of the same And not that only but he wil also rendre a reason of his doctrine in any place If this may not suffise he wil make aunswere in wryting to such argumentes as may be brought against him and will not refuse to stande in iudgement herein of the vniuersities of Germany and Paris The Cardinal charged him againe as he had done the daye before with the decree of Clement as though it made muche for him In fine he permitteth hym to deliuer vp a wryting theffect wherof was this What time he set vp his questions and after wrote an exposition of the same 〈…〉 had red the decree of Clement before but his mynde was not therewith satisfied For although it be established that the decrees of the Byshop of Rome should be aswell receiued as the voyce of Peter the Apostle Yet ought this so to be taken in as muche as thei be consonaunt to holy scripture and agreable to the decrees of the auncient fathers There is no doubt but the voyce of Peter is sacred and holy yet was he soore rebuked of Paule neyther coulde his doctrine be receiued tofore the consente of the Churche whiche was than at Hierusalem hadde establyshed it The wordes of all men may be hearde but all thinges must be referred to the wordes of Christ who only can not be disceaued That decrees is against sondrye places of Scripture and that was the cause whiche he at that tyme brought in the same question and afterwarde was not affraied to make an exposition to the same Euer synce that tyme he was fully resolued to stire vp no further disputation concernyng that matter but rather to heare the opinion of others but now albeit he had leuer be instructed of others especially of the Byshop of Roome Yet for as muche as he is constrained of necessitie to defende his owne he wyl proue and do the best he can to make the same decree and his questions to accorde Whan he had made this preface before him he goeth to the matter if selfe and by a certain expositiō made sheweth howe that decree maketh for his purpose but yet so as he would neither that the Bishoppes authoritie nor his owne estimation should be therby infringed After this he commeth to the seconde parte of hys accusation and alledging for his purpose many places of Scripture declareth playnly howe it is faith that maketh vs iust before GOD. Wherfore he desyreth him to deale fauourably with him shewe hym his errour For the force of thinges whiche he had alledged out of the scriptures was so muche that he beleueth them to be sufficiently groūded vpon their owne truthe whiche he can not forsake for so much as we ought rather to obey God then mē And therfore he requireth that may be released of the harde burthen of recantynge for he came not in to this contencion vpon any arrogancie or desyre of vayn glorie Yea he would wyshe for nothing more than that the truthe might be opened and that any man els myght bryng that were moore learned and godly her of he beseched him that he may not be cōpelled to hurt his own conscience The Cardinall receiued this wryting offered vnto him by Luther and whan he had red it estemed it lyghtly yet he promysed to sende it to the Byshop of Rome Than he vrged him muche to recant And vnlesse he so doe he threateneth him with the punishment appointed already by the byshop And also commaundeth him out of his sight and vnlesse he amende his maners to come no more in his presence After this threatening whiche was the .xvij. day of Octobre Luther wrote vnto him gentle letters ful of good wil and dutie For Caietane after he had thus chidden Luther sent him away wrought secretly with Iohn Stupice Prouincial of the Augustine
Rome he woulde haue hys owne oppinion to take place against the iudgement of mē Wherfore it is wittely done of him to haue no familiarytie with so pestilent a fellowe nor to alowe hys errour In the whiche thinge all graue and wise men do muche commende his vertue And chieflye he giueth God hertie thankes that he hath giuen him suche a mynde affirming moreouer that he hath suffered and borne with his rashenes a while to see if he woulde amende but now for asmuche as he hathe nothinge preuailed with gentle admonishmentes he is compelled to vse an extreme remedy fearyng lest throughe his contagion he shoulde infecte many Wherfore callyng a counsel of Cardinalles and learned men to debate the matter he hath made a decree by the instinction of that holy spirite whiche neuer faileth the Churche of Rome the copie wherof he hath sent vnto him to the intent he might see what monstrouse errours that minister of Sathan defendeth he wilieth him therfore that vnlesse he do openly and solemnely recant with in the daye prescribed he should commit him toward for so shall he put away all shame from his house and from Germany wynne muche honor and do God highe seruice The decree is ouerlonge but the summe is this Fyrst the Byshoppe Leo callynge vpon Christe Peter and Paule and other sainctes to tourne awaye the daunger hangynge ouer the Church most lamentably complayneth that now there should spring vp a doctrine conteinyng bothe the Heresies already condemned and also newe errours and great wickednes And that in Germany that was wont to do so muche for the Churche of Rome bothe longe sins and of late dayes concernyng Husse and thē of Boheme But because the numbre of Christians throughout the vniuersall worlde are committed vnto his charge by Christ he can no lenger wyncke at so great a matter After reciting Luthers opinions saieth that they be against Christian charitie and the reuerens that all men owe of duetie to the Churche of Rome and agaynste the counsell of the aunciente fathers Wherfore by the consent of his Cardinalles he condemneth both him and his works to be brought forth and burned and by the aucthoritie whiche he saieth he hath he commaundeth all Magestrates namelye in Germany to se the thing executed accordingely Then commeth he to Luther shewyng with howe fatherly a loue he sought to refourme him howe he cited him to Rome and promised him to beare his charges And howe in contempte therof he appealed from him to the coūsell contrary to the decrees of Pius and Iulius And all be it he had hereby deserued the punishement condigne for Heretikes yet did he of his clementie gyue him a longer time if happely as the prodigal child amended through his owne misery he would retourne to the bosome of the churche And to be yet also of this minde yea and moste hertely besecheth him and his adherentes to trouble the church no more promysing them great good will if they wyll cease from theyr errours Notwithstandynge he commaundeth Luther to teache no more prescribynge him .lx. dayes wythin the whiche time he shoulde amende burne his owne bokes and recante his doctrine openlye if he did not he condemneth him as an Heritike to suffer accordynge to that lawes he suspendeth him out of the Church commaunding al men to eschew his talke and his company vnder the lyke penaltie and this decree to be red in all Churches assemblies of people at certen dayes appointed Touching Pius and Iulius thus it standeth This Pius hilde a Counsell at Mantua in the yeare of our Lord M. CCCC.lix chiefely because of the Turkisshe warre And there amonges other he made a decree that no man should appeale from the Byshoppe to the Counsell for that vnder the Coope of heauen he said there coulde nothinge be founde better then Christes Uicar And not longe after he suspended Sigismunde duke of Austriche for takinge the Cardinall of Cusane prisoner The duke appealed from him to the counsell Wherfore the Byshoppe did excommunicate George Heimburge the worker herof commaunding the Senate of Norinburge to banishe him the Citie and to spoile him of his goodes Whiche decree was after renewed by Iuly to maynteyne him selfe agaynst the Cardinalles that swarued from him agaynst kynges and princes and the vniuersitie of Paris whiche vsed ofte suche refuge This Bishop Pius called before Aeneas Siluius was at the Counsell of Basill wrot euery thing praysing the decrees that there were made exceadyngly But when he was auaunced to this highe degree of dignitie he chaūged his opinion and would haue the counsell subiecte to the Byshop When Luther hearde that he was condemned at Rome he goeth to his former appellation wherin he appealed from the Bishoppe to the counsell And nowe forsomuche as the Byshoppe perseuerynge in hys wicked tyrrannye hath proceded so farre to condemne him nether called nor heard nor yet conuicte of Heresye he saieth howe he appealeth from him againe to the counsel chiefly for foure causes for that he hath condemned him at his pleasure not hearyng the controuersie for that he cōmaundeth him to denie faith to be in sacramentes necessary that he preferreth his owne decrees and dotages of men before the Scriptures and for that he leaueth no place to anye Counsell Wherefore he calleth him Tyrran a proude contemner of the Churche and fynallye Antichriste affirmynge that he will shewe and proue al these thinges whensoeuer it shall please his superiours And therfore prayeth themperour and other Magistrates to accepte this his appellation for the defence of Gods glory and the libertie of the counsell that they would bridell his tyrranny and thynke that the decree made concerned nothynge nor that they would styrre nothinge tyll the cause were lawfully decided Before he had thus appealed about the .xvij. day of Nouembre he had written a boke of the Captiuitie of Babilon in the preface wherof he saieth howe he profiteth dayely more and more in the knowledge of holy Scripture And howe a fewe yeares paste he set forth a booke of the Byshoppes pardons and that tyme wrote renerently because he stoode than in great feare of the Romisshe tyrranny and had it in great estimation but now his iudgement is farre otherwise and beynge styrred vp by the prouocation of his aduersaries he hath lerned that the See of Rome is nothynge els but the kyngdome of Babilon and the power of the stronge Hunter Niutroth Afterwardes he disputeth of the Sacramentes of the Churche and holdeth that there be but three onelye Baptisme Penaunce and the Lordes Supper and then treateth also of the other foure confirmation order Matrimonye and Unction But these he calleth no Sacramentes because they haue no sygnes annexed to the promesse other sacramentes which haue no promise to thē ioyned he saith are but vare signes therfore thinketh that Penaunce can not be coūted in the numbre of thē if we wil properly exactly
me but I ascribe to my selfe no holines nor my profession is not of life or maners but of trewe doctrine Yet wyll I retracte nothynge in these same for in so doyng I should set open a windowe to the arrogancie of manye And yet I would not be so taken as thoughe I toke vpon me that I could not erre but for so muche as it is the propertie of a man to erre and be disceaued I take for the defence of my cause that saying of our sauior who speakynge of his doctrine what time he was striken of a seruāt sayeth If I haue spoken euyll beare wytnesse of euyll Wherefore if Christ which is all perfection refused not the witnes of a most vile seruaunt against him Howe muche more I that am a synner by nature should come whan I am called to here if any man can testifie or bring forth any thing against my doctrine Wherfore I desyre you for the honour of God if any of all you haue any thynge to obiecte agaynste the doctrine that I professe he would not hide it but come forth and shew the errour by the testimony of Scripture whiche thinge done I will be so lytell obstinate that the fyrst of all men I shall caste myne owne Bokes into the fyre And hereby maye a man iudge that I am not led rashely or like one that were rauished of his wittes but to haue waied diligently the weightines of the thinge and the troubles that are ingendred by this doctrine And I reioyse greatly whā I perceyue that my doctrine is cause of so great offences For Christ him selfe saith how it is the nature of the gospell to styrre vp strife and contention euen amonges suche as be ioyned most nere in bloud Nowe therfore O noble men ye ought grauely and with greate deliberation to consyder and to foresee leste in condemnynge a doctrine throughe the syngular beuefyte of God offred you ye be not cause of muche incōuenience that may therby chaunce vnto you and all Germany You muste haue respecte also that this newe Empire of the yonge Emperor here present be not made vnlucky and vnfortunate by some vngodly and vnprofitable example for our posteriti For it is to be proued by diuerse places of the Scripture that there haue Empires fallen into greate perils what tyme the common wealth hath bene gouerned onely by counsel and mans wisedome Notwithstandyng most wyse and honourable Princes myne intent is not to shewe you what you haue to do but I speake this for the zeale I beare to Germany which is our natife coūtrie and ought to be derer vnto vs than oure owne lyues For the rest I besethe you to receyue me into your tuition and protection agaynst the forse of myne enemyes What tyme he had made an ende Eckius with a stowning comutenaunce sayd vnto him Thou answerest nothing to the purpose noyther is it thy part to call agayne in question such thinges as haue bene determined intimes past by the aucthoritie of Counsels Thou shouldest make a playne and directe answere whether thou wilte abide by thy writynges Then sayd Luther for asmuche as it is your commaud dement most mightie Cesar and most noble Princes that I shall answere directly I will obey This therfore is myne aunswere that vnlesse I be conuinced by the Testimonies of holy Scripture or by manifest reason I can not reuoke any parte of that whiche I haue written or taught for I will neuer do that thynge that should hurte myne owne conscience And as for the Bishoppe of Rome and the Counsels onely I do not beleue nor admitte their authoritie for they haue erred often tymes and set forthe thinges contrary one to another And they may erre and be disceaued When the Princes had layde theyr heades together touchyng this aunswere Then sayd Eckius thou aunswerest Luther more vnreuerently then it becommeth thee and not sufficientlye to the matter of thy Bookes thou makest a difference but in case thou woulde retract those which conteyne a greater part of thyne errours Cesar woulde suffer no iniurie to be done vnto suche as be well written Thou dispisest the Counsell of Constaunce wheras were manye noble and well learned men of Germany and renewest the errours therein condemned and wilt be conuinced by holy Scripture Herein thou doest not well but art farre abused for loke what thinges the Church hath once condemned the same maye come no more into any newe disputation for if euery man will seke for a reason of eche thinge and he that speaketh against Counsell must be reproued only by the Scriptures there shall be nothyng certeinly determined For the whiche cause the Emperour wyll haue thee to pronounce openly what thou determinest of thy Bookes I beseche you saieth Luther gyue me leaue to kepe my conscience safe and sounde I haue answered playnely and haue none other thinge to say for vnlesse myne aduersaries can shew me by trew argumentes taken out of the Scripture and take away my errour I can not be quiet in my minde for I am able to shew that they haue oftentimes and shamefully erred And for me to swarue from the Scripture whiche is manifest and cannot erre were a very wicked dede the other sayd it could not be proued that euer generall counsel had erred But Luther sayd he both could and would and so they departed at that time The next day the Emperour sent letters to the Princes syttyng in Counsell signifiyng that his progenitours had both professed the Christian Religion and euermore obeied the Church of Rome And now seing that Luther doth impugne it perseueryng obstinately in his opinion hys dutie requireth that folowynge the steppes of hys auncestours he defende the Christian Religion and succor the church of Rome Wherfore he wyll banishe Luther and his adherentes and vse other fitte remedies to quenche this fyre but touching his promise he will kepe it that he may retorne home agayne safe and sound This Epistle was muche debated and skanned amonges the Princes And there were some that saide there was no promise to be kept with him according to the decree made in the Counsel at Constance but against that were manye others and namely Lewes the Countie Palatyne Prince Elector affyrminge that it would redounde to the perpetuall shame of Germany Wherupon diuerse thought mete not only to kepe theyr promise but also not to condempne him rasshelye for that it is a weightie matter consyderyng how themperor at these yeares is soone moued and exasperated agaynst Luther by the Byshoppe of Romes ministers A fewe dayes after the Bishoppe of Treuers appoynteth Luther to come to him the .xxiiij. daye of Aprill There were present Joachin Marques of Brandenburge electour George Duke of Saxonie the Byshop of Auspurge other nobles And whan Luther was brought in by the Archebishoppes Chapplaine and the Emperours Heraulte Ueus a Lawyer of Badon sayde vnto him Where these noble Princes haue sent for thee Martin Luther it is
neuer take wages nor stypende of anye Prince to serue him in his warres After this was borne the kynges sonne Charles whome the Swyces sendynge theyr deputies Christened at the Fontestone The Heluetians or Swicesse consiste of thirtene Townes Zuricke Bernes Lucerna Ura Swite Unterualde Tugie Glarea Basille Solodure Friburge Schafusiane and Apecelle These are ioyned in a most straite leage by an othe vsynge one and the same law and gouerne as it were in common theyr common weale The fyrst of all that made this leage were the Uranites the Swyces and Unterualdians what tyme they expulsynge their nobilitie vnder whome they were oppressed procured their owne libertie This was in the yere of our Lorde M.CCC.xv After came vnto thē they of Lucerne next them the Tugians in the syxte place the men of Zuricke and last they of Bernes and of Basille Than ioyned wyth them in societie but not in the same lawes nor so great frendshippe the Rhetians Lepontians Sedunites Ueragrites Sangallians Mullusians and they of Rotuuille The Emperour beyng now past one twenty yeres of Age banisheth Luther by a common decree the eyght day of May takyng the begynning therof of his owne parson for that it was his part and office not onely to establishe and augment the Empire but also to forese that no blemishe nor Heresye should springe vp within the limittes of the same And that his Progenitours in dede haue bene diligent men herin Wherfore it is mete that he vnto whō God hath giuen so large and ample dominiōs should folow their steppes for vnlesse he should punishe nowe the Heresyes lately spronge vp in Germany he shoulde bothe hurte his owne conscience in the beginning now of his reigne sore blemisshe his name and dignitie that it is well knowen vnto all men what wicked doctrine Luther hathe spread abroade nowe these three or foure yeres agaynste the Byshoppe and Churche of Rome against the decrees of the auncient fathers and namely against the coūsel of Constance to the great reproche of thēperor Sigismūde and the Princes of Germany that were there present Wherfore syns that in hys bokes is nothing els conteined but sedition discorde warre murther and mischief so that he appereth not to be a man that wrote thē but rather a Deuil in a mans likenes He for the zeale that he beareth to the common wealth and the dignitie of the Bishoppe of Rome doth condemne and proscribe him as aucthor of Scismes as a manyfest and an obstinate Heretike commaundynge all men vnder a great penaltie so to accepte him and after thre weekes wherin he gaue him leaue to retourne to apprehende him and bringe him vnto him and al such as shall fauour or aide him in his doynges he banisheth in like case he commaundeth also his Bokes should be brent appoyntynge a greate penaltie herafter for the Stationers commaunding this decree of his which he sayeth was made by the common consent and assent of the Princes to be well obserued Men say how this decree was made by a very fewe for diuerse of the Electours confessed that they were not made priuie to it as shall be declared hereafter of the Archebyshoppe of Collē The Archbishoppe of Mentz beyng Chauncelour of the Empire maye do muche in such matters But how so euer it came to passe the Emperour hereby wanne muche fauoure in so muche that the Bishoppe of Rome cleane forsakynge the Frenche kynge made a league with him as shall be declared hereafter From the tyme of this publication Duke Fridericke appointed certein of his nobilitie whom he especially trusted to conueighe Luther out of the way in to some secrete place that he might eschewe the daūger whiche thinge was done bothe diligently and closelye In this carefulnes Luther wrote diuerse epistles to his Frendes and also bokes concernyng the abrogating of the priuate Masse whiche he dedicateth to his brethren the Austen Freres of Religious Uowes to his father Iohn Luther and a booke agaynst Iames Latomus a Doctor of Louaine The Austen Freres beganne nowe fyrste of all men to leaue of Massyng and for that cause Luther compiled this Booke for them that he might encourage the weake and confyrme the skylfull exhortinge them muche to perseuer in the same purpose Whiche thinge knowen Duke Friderick fearing that some great trouble or commotion should arrise therof commaunded that the opinion of the whole Uniuersitie herein should be knowen and brought vnto him The Uniuersitie chose iiij for the same purpose Iustus Ionas Philip Melanchthon Nyclas Amstorfe and Iohn Dulce Who conferryng with the Austen Freres brought worde what theyr intēt was And furthermore declared what an iniury was done to the lordes Supper Wherfore they beseche the Prince that he would abolish so great a wickednes not out of one Churche onely but also in all places and set vp the trew vse of the Lordes Supper accordyng to Christes commaundement and the maner of the Apostles stoutly contemnyng al the reproches of the aduersaries for it hath euerbene sene that who so taketh in hande to maynteine the trew doctrine of the Gospel must suffre many thinges and that he ought greatly to foresee that he accept reuerently this present gifte of God wherwith he is chiefly adorned by reason of the lyght of Ghospell spronge vp amonges his people Wherunto the Duke answered that he would leaue nothing vnattempted that might be for Gods glory but for so muche as the thing is ful of difficultie he thinketh good not to beto hastie for litel it is that so fewe can bringe to effect but in case the matter be grownded on the Scriptures they shall doubtles haue mo to take theyr parts And thē shall that alteration which shall seme both Godly and necessary more conueniently be brought to passe For he him selfe which is ignoraunt in the Scriptures cā not tel what time this accustomed vse of masse which you reproue came vp or when that maner that the Apostles vsed was lefte But as he taketh it the most part of Colledges and Churches were fownded for Masses whiche if they should be put downe and the landes taken awaye that were geuen for the same purpose euery man might well consyder what hurly burly would follow vpon the same Wherfore his aduise shal be that they go and consult further of the matter with the rest of good and well learned men of the vniuersitie that all theyr heades leyde together suche meanes may be foūde as maye kepe a Godly quiet These men after more deliberation had make him answer admoshing him as before to put downe thē Masse that the thinge maye be done without any tumult And thoughe it coulde not yet that whiche is righte and godlye woulde not therfore be lefte vndone that they be fewer in numbre it is no newes For euer syns the worlde began the greater part of men haue resisted the trewe doctrine moreouer that those onely shall receiue this ryght vse of the
eschewe the present daunger that hangeth ouer their owne heades Furthermore if there be any that say howe Luther was condemned before his matter was heard or that it were reason the thing shold be debated before he were executed they thinke not well for Christ hath taught vs the rule of faith Religion whose authoritie we must folowe and not reason of the articles of our faith nor inquire the cause of this or that precept He is in dede to be hearde when he is examined whether he spake this thinge or that in hys sermon whether he setforth this boke or that but touching faith and the Sacramentes we may not permit him to reason or defend those thinges whiche he hathe written thereof for in this we muste folowe the vse and custome of the Church and in no wise swarue from the same Againe sith hys doctrine is suche as hath bene heretofore condemned by generall counsels there is none accompt to be made therof Moreouer there should be no ende of cōtention if it might be lawfull for euery priuate man to call in question those thinges which wittie and great learned men haue with muche deliberation established wheresoeuer is any assēblie or felowship of mē there be certein lawes which all they are bounden to obserue howe muche more oughte the same to be done what time anye thynge is openlye establisshed in the churche But seyng these men do not onely contempne the lawes and decrees of counsels and auncient fathers but also burne them they ought suerly to be punished as breakers of the common peace quietnes Neuertheles he confesseth howe that God which is the reuenger of all wronge doeth thus plage his churche for the synnes of the ministers therof as the Scripture saieth The iniquitie of the people procedeth from the priestes and elders for certenlye saieth he they haue synned at Rome these many yeres full greuously by sundry wayes euen from the highe Bishoppe to the lowest Ecclestasticall parson and not one to be excused for the which cause callynge mekely to God for pardon He wyll endeuour to redresse the thing and see that the court of Rome which perchaunce hath bene the occasion of all this mischief be fyrst sharpely refourmed And that as it hathe bene the example of vice so it may be the begynning of amendement and Patron of vertu which he saieth he must do by lytell and litell for that al sodayne mutations be daungerous and as the common prouerbe is He that bloweth his nose ouermuche shall wringe out bloude This writing dyd Luther translate in to the vulgare toungue and set to his notes in the margente and where he sayeth by lytell and lytell Luther affyrmeth that to be the space of many mens liues But in that he so frankely bewrayed the vicious lyuyng of the court at Rome he gote no great loue of the Cardinals as it is reported Neuertheles this they say is euer the bishop of romes policie when he wil deferre the coūsel or delay the hearynge of the matter he will promise largely that whilest men trust vpon his promyse he maye fynde the meanes what by the fauoure of Princes and what by force of Armes to mainteine hys power dignitie which is like to fall in some daunger by fyre and generall counsels Whilest the Byshoppes Ambassador declared thus the Princes complained that the leagues which they had made in times past with Byshoppes of Rome were broken there diuerse wayes Whereof the Byshoppe beyng certifyed by the letters of his Ambassadour answereth them by the same that suche thynges as his predecessours dyd it lieth not in him to helpe but he misliked the handelyng of the matters at Rome when he was but a priuate man and purposed no lesse but to refourme the same thoughe no man had spoken therin and to suffer no man to susteine any wronge muche lesse them whom for the common countrey sake he coueteth chiefly to gratifie And where they desyre that their actions commenced might be retourned in to Germany so soone as the Iudges and aduocates whiche are fled oute of Rome for the Plage shall retourne he will inquire of the case and do therin that which shall seme resonable He commaunded moreouer his Ambassadour to require an aunswere of the Princes what in theyr opinion were the best way to destroy this pestiferous secte that he maye vnderstande in time what shall be his part to do therin These thinges beyng declared to the counsel the Princes and other states make aunswere Fyrste in recityng briefly his demaundes they say they are ryght glad that it hath pleased God to place him in the gouernement of the church which in this perilous time had nede of such a Pastour who beareth suche a zeale to the common wealthe and taketh suche paynes to set kynges at quietnes and emploieth hys treasure to the repressing of the Turkes violence whiche thynges they reioyse to heare of for by these ciuill warres thempire is decaied and the Turkes power increased where no man prepareth any Armye to resist him Here be the Ambassadours of the kyng and Princes of Hungary which not without great lamentation haue recited what cruell thinges they haue suffered and what daunger they stande in dayely Wherfore they desyre him which is the father Pastour of all others that he will perseuer in this most holy purpose and trauaile that eyther a suer peace or els a long treuce may be taken that in the meane time they may make preparation to withstande the Turkes violence and recouer the countreis of the Empire which are loste Whereunto they promise their aide bothe of men and money As concernyng Luther if any displeasure be growen in Germany by the meanes of his doctrine they are right hartely sory therefore as it becommeth them no lesse and desyre also to remedy the euyll knowyng it to be theyr duetie to obey both him and themperour nother wil they degenerat from their progenitours herein where he complaineth that he is not already punished according to the Emperours decree it is vpon no lyght consyderation omitted for all degrees do complayne most heinously of the courte of Rome And in maner al men are so wel instructed by the preachinges and bokes of Luther that in case the decree should be put in execution it would doubtles styre vp great sedition and many would so coustre it to be done for this intent that the trueth should be oppressed and the lyght of the Ghospell extinguisshed for the mayntenaunce of suche open crymes as were not to be borne withall which perswasion most certeinly would styrre vp a rebellion of the people against the Magistrates for it tan not be denied and he himselfe graunteth also that they lyue dissolutely vitiously at Rome to the great decay of Religion Wherefore in that he dyssembleth nothing nor clooketh the disorder of the court at Rome but promyseth a reformation it deseruith muche praise especially if he performe
in dede the thing which he hathe promised by wordes and writynge whiche they earnestly require him that he would do for otherwise there is no certein or longe quietnes to be loked for Germany is muche impouerished with warres and other charges and with tributes that be extraordinarie so that it is hardely hable to susteyne the necessary charges of the Common wealth and to gyue aide to the Hungarians and others against the Turke Nowe in what sorte the Germanes certein yeres past did permitte that their Bishops and others of the Clergie should for certein time be tributaries to the Bishop of Rome they suppose he is not ignoraunt they cōditioned at the same tyme that al that money when tyme serued should be employed vpon the warre against the Turke But nowe bothe the tyme is expired and his predecessors Bishoppes of Rome haue not put the money to the same vse that they ought to haue done for the whiche cause nowe that a subsidie is to be gathered in all countreis of the Empyre for the Turkishe warre men do grudge and mutine And think that those great summes of money which haue bene leuied in many yeres kepte for the same purposes should now serue the tourne and they to be no further charged They desyre therfore that from hence forth he demaunde not anye suche tribute but permitte the same to be broughte into the common treasure house of the Empire For thus shall many men be quieted in Germany and when nede shall require there shall not want money to ayde foreine nations agaynst the force and violence of the Turkes where he areth their counsell in this alteration of Religion consydering that the matter consisteth not onely in Luthers doctrine but also in many other abuses and errours crepte into the Churche and mayntened by longe custome of men that be of a corrupte life and iudgemente as he him self cōfesseth They cā see no better way to redres al these things Than by a free generall counsell whiche the Emperour and he beyng the chiefe Magistrates in Christendome may sommon in some citie of Germany As Mentz Straseboroughe Metz or Collen whiche they thynke also good for the cōmon wealth to begyn as shortly as mighte be and at the furthest within ayere Yet vnder this condition that as many as shal be there present of what estate or degree so euer they be shall take their othe to speake frely and not to hyde what so euer shall seme to make for the glory of God and the profit of the cōmen wealet or els it shal be suspected and do more harme then good And that this may the rather be done accordynglye they will see that Luther in the meane time shall write no mo bookes doubtinge not but that Fridericke the noble Duke of Saxonie wyll assiste them herein And that the Preachers shall teache the Gospell syncerely and reuerently after the interpretations approued by the Churche and that the Printers shall Print nothinge but the same shall be fyrste perused and aucthorised by certeine learned men appointed by the Byshoppes and all matters of controuersie to be reserued for the counselles And where amonges other thinges his Ambassador spake of priestes that maried wiues forsomuch as there is no punishment appointed for them in the Ciuill lawe they thinke it not a misse that suche as haue offended shoulde be punished after the Canon lawe Finally they beseche him to take in good part theyr opinion touching euery thyng for it doeth procede of a syncere minde which both tendereth the common weale and fauoureth also his dignitie In the same tyme chaunsed a great alteration in Denmarke And thus befel the case Christierne the fyrst of that name king of Dēmarke Norweye and Suecia had two sonnes Iohn and Fridericke Iohn did succede his father and had warre with the Suecians whiche rebelled notwithstandynge by composition the matter was appeased This Iohn had a sonne named Christierne who whan he was but syxe yeres of age was proclamed kynge his father yet lyuing and syxe and twentie yeres after that whē his father was dead he was crowned in the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.xiiij Durynge whose reigne the Suecians rebelled againe and set vp Steno Stura to haue the gouernement Christierne made all his power agaynste them and after many battels and sondry sieges he subdueth them commaūdyng that this Steno which was slayne in battell and buried shoulde be taken vp and brent This was in the yeare M.D.xx. the Suecians beynge thus vanquished Gustauus Erixonius a noble man hauing aide as it was thought of the Lubeckes stirred them vp to a new rebellion and had good fortune He pretēded fyrst to haue done it for Steno his children and for the more assuraunce maried his daughter when the king had lost this prouince and was euill beloued at home for he gouerned the common welth eruelly and offended all men when also his vncle Fridericke and they of Lubecke moued warre against him fearynge lest this broile at the length would tourne to his vtter destruction fled away with his children and his wife Isabell syster to Charles themperour whan he had reigned .ix. yeares and fyrste aryued in Selande themperours prouince Immediatly the states of the realme callynge a counsell do create his vncle Fridericke duke of Holse an aged man kynge beyng aided herin by thē of Lubecke And then sending abroad theyr letters to the Emperor to the Byshoppe of Rome and the other Princes of the Empire they rendre a reason why they dyd so they accuse him of most greuous crimes and say howe he is banisshed by hys iuste deseruinges The same thinge also doeth Fridericke and the Citie of Lubecke which is of most aucthoritie and power in al those parties But Christierne fyndynge a good wryter Cornelles Scepper a Flemmyng very well learned aunswereth to these crymes and desyreth the states of the Empire assembled at Norinberge of aide succour He had one sonne whom the Emperour toke vnto him and two doughters Dorothie and Christine The same yere his frendes attēpted warre to haue restored him but it was in vaine The Emperour beyng intangled with the Frenche warres The Ambassodor of Rome had complained of the preachers of Norinberge that they should teach euill doctrine and required that they might be layde faste by the feete But the Princes supposed how he was misse infourmed for the Preachers saye they are had in greate estimation with the people And if ought should be done to them all men would take it to be done of a set purpose to oppresse the trueth whiche thinge myght cause a rebellion Notwithstandyng they wyll appoint certein men that shall make inquisition of the whole matter and therin do as shall be reasonable What tyme the Princes had answered to all the Bishoppe of Romes demaundes they gather into certeine articles suche thynges as they would haue done by him and other Bishops in Germany which were such as infringed their liberties made
enacted that mighte helpe the Common 〈◊〉 for the which cause he hathe sent thither Cardinall Campegius 〈◊〉 man of excellent vertue who can enfourme the Princes of his carefulnesse and 〈◊〉 towardes the Common weale and deuise with him priuately of the meanes of peace and quietnesse whereunto he exhorteth him 〈◊〉 gyue his mynde for the same thyng concerneth the prosperitie and dignitie of al magistrats And how he beareth a great good will vnto Germany hauynge good hope that they wyll not fall from their auncient vertue but helpe to eschewe publike daungers Wherfore he requireth him to shewe all good will and fauoure to hys Legate of whome he shall heare all thinges more at large At the sixe and twentie day of Ianuary the Heluetiās called a conuocation at Lucerne There was a decree made that no man shoulde mocke or contemne Gods worde whiche had bene taught these thousande and foure hundred yeares nor the Masse wherein the bodye of Christ is consecrated to his honor and comfort of the quicke the dead that suche as be of lawfull age to receyue the Lordes supper do cōfesse them selues to the priestwise in the Lent season that al men absteine from fleshe on daies forbidden and in Lent also from egges and chese That nothing of Luthers or any newe doctrine be taught priuely nor openly That suche as cary about the reliques of the holy gost the virgin Mary or of S. Anthony be not laughed at and that they do obserue all other olde customes they that offende herein to be presented to the Magistrates punished Whē Cāpegius was cōmen to Norinberge Duke Friderike was departed thence wherefore he wrote vnto hym the laste daye of February and sendinge also the Bishoppes letters he lamenteth that vnhappye chaunce that he can not speake wyth him presently hauyng many thynges to talke with him from the Bishop of Rome whiche can not so well be done by letters and messengers and be of suche sorte as maye abyde no delaye But seynge it will be no better after muche gretyng made in the Bishops name and his own he saieth that albeit the reporte be great that he should be a fauorer of these newe spronge vp Heresyes yet can not the Bishoppe hitherto nor he be so perswaded for the manyfold and excellent vertues which they perceiue to be in him And especially for that he hath bene euer a great fauourer of Religion and of the Apostolicall Churche whereupon he will not truste the iudgementes of others nother leaue the good opinion that he hath of him before he shall see cause and know it him self Germany hath bene wonderfully altered with in these fewe yeres cōcernyng Religion but he vnderstandeth howe muche the commō people do differ from the nobilitie and Princes the rulers of the lawes amonges whom he is as principal aswel by his own as also by deserte of his aūcesters which haue euermore done great honor to the church of Rome Wherfore the Bishop requireth him that in these daūgerous dayes he woulde after the example of his elders declare his vertue of stoutenes not onely in mislyking this lybertie of the people but also in extremely punishing the same for vnlesse theyr licentious boldnes and malapertenes be restrained it will bring the lyke miserie and confusion into Germany that it did before tyme into Boheme and Hongary which are not yet quieted For they that do stubberuely contemne the sacred Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Magistrate will also vndoubtedly worke their violence against the Ciuil Magistrates whom they loue not Manye are nowe glad to see the Pastours of Churches and the Courte of Rome thus troubled and dispised whiche perceaue ful litel what daunger they them selues stande in But the Byshoppe whiche as the master of a shyppe sitteth watching at the Healme doeth foresee this storme approching and hath sent hym to warne all the Princes and him especially to beware of this tempest which is like to distroy not onely the citie of Rome but also Germany it selfe And for the same cause also hath sent letters by him and willed him to treate diligently with him of all these matters to the intente the tranquilitie and quietnes of Germany might be recouered For he is purposely sent to lifte vp them that are fallen and to receiue vnto grace such as are penitēt Whereunto albeit he is not very fit yet trustynge vpon his gentlenes he wil attempt it with al diligence wherfore seing that he hath taken this wery and painefull iorney he praieth him that he maye not want his helpe and fauor herein And that he woulde write agayne shortly what he thinketh best to be done And he will do for him againe what he can in the worlde After in the Counsell of the Princes he fyrste declareth howe that no man was willyng at Rome to take this voiage into Germany at the last was he appointed as one that may thanke the Germanes for all his promotions hauing two thinges to treate of Religion and the Turkishe warre And fyrst he marueleth muche that so manye greate and worthy Princes can beare with this alteration suffer the same Religion Rites and Ceremonies wherin they were borne brought vp and theyr fathers also and progenitours dead in to be thus defared and set at naught Which thing if it be not spedely reformed wil styre vp doubtles great commotions and rebellion of the people agaynste theyr magistrates This the hyghe Bishoppe fearing and consyderyng hath sent hym to deuise a way with them howe to remedie this matter Whose diligens herein if it be refused which as a good father and pastour wissheth well to all his Children and shepe there is no cause hereafter to laye any blame in him As touchynge the Turkes he denieth not but that there was money gathered for the same purpose and brought to Rome which albeit it was not employed all that wayes yet may not the cōmon welth therfore in this calamitie of time be neglected what hurt that cruell enemie hathe done it is not vnknowen for by the negligens and cowardise of our owne men he hathe taken the Rhodes and the chiefest foretresse of Hongary The Rhodes endured an harde siege many monethes and at laste wantynge all thynges necessarye whan they saw no aide would come they yelded the like chaūce was in Hongary Which if he should subdew wholly and bringe vnder his subiection it is to be feared lest they wyll become our enemies muche worse than be the Turkes But vnlesse this contention procedynge of this new doctrine be fyrst taken away the other part of the common wealth can not in his opinion be well holpen Hereunto the Princes answere that wheras he beareth this good will vnto Germany they are glad that he came thither and amonges them all they wyll chose certeine to conferre with him supposing that he hath some order prescribed him of the Bishoppe and his cardinals which they haue willed him to folow knowyng the matter so
after he is retourned home restore to the Emperour the Duckdome of Burgundy whiche the kynges of Fraunce haue kepte in their possession syns the death of Charles Duke of Burgundye by the space of fyftie yeares Moreouer he shall renounce Naples Millan Gene Aste and Flaunders He shall gyue no ayde to Henry kyng of Nauarre Charles Duke of Gelders Ulryche Duke of Wirtēberg nor to Robert Erle of Marche He shall attempte no secrete deuises or counsels in Italy When the Emperour wyll go into Italy by Sea he shall assiste him with a nauie of sixtene Galleis vitayled and fournyshed with all thynges sauing soldiours and also two hūdreth thousand crownes to arme them The yerely pension that the Emperour is bounden to paye to the kynge of Englande all shall the Frenche kynge paye to the kynge of Englande He shall restore Charles the Duke of Burbon and his fellowes to all their ryght landes and goodes permittyng them to vse the same dwellyng where they lyste For suche action or title as the Duke of Burbon hath to the Prouince of Marseilles the kyng shall abyde the ordre of the lawe at any tyme. When he had gyuen the Emperour his fayth to obserue these conditions he was set at lybertie to retourne home And departyng out of the borders of Spayn leaueth behind him his two sonnes Fraūces Henry verey yonge for pledges as it was agreed vpō And vnlesse he obserue couenauntes he promyseth to yelde hym self prysoner agayn After this the Princes of Germany assemble at Spires as I told you in the last boke it was appointed Emonges whome was Duke Iohn electour of Saxony and Philip Lantgrane of Hesse The Emperour deputes here were Ferdinando his brother Barnarde Byshop of Ttent Casimire Marques of Brandenburge Philip Marques of Baden William Duke of Bauarre and Ericus Duke of Brunswyck When they had begunne the counsell the .xxv. daye of June and had declared the causes of that assemblye they added this moreouer that the Emperour aboue all thynges wylled and commaunded that the states of the Empyre shoulde with common assent take order howe the Christian religion and auncient custome of the church of lōg tyme obserued might be still reteyned in his former estimation of al men and how they are to be punyshed that will attempt the contrary and also to be resisted if they make any force in the matter to the intent that both Cesars decre made at Wormes and publyshed fyue yeres syns and the decre of this assembly also may be obserued of al men and put in execution When certen were chosen of all degrees to treate of these matters and emonges them also the Lantgraue Iames Sturmius of Straisborourgh and Cressus of Norinberge The Emperours deputes call an assembly of all states the .iii. daye of August and saye how they vnderstande that they haue chosen a certayne nombre to conferre of these matters propounded Who as they suppose wyll first consulte of religion But to the intent that the Emperours pleasure may be accomplyshed and that they intreate of nothing which they can not determine but be a losse of time and a lette and hynderaunce to other matters therfore wyll they let them vnderstande what the Emperours commaundement is in this behalf After this they read the Emperours letters dated at Hispale the. xxiii of Marche Wherof the some was this Howe he intended to go to Rome to be inuested and also to treate with the byshop for a generall counsell but in the meane tyme he wylleth and commaundeth that the states in this assemblye decree nothynge that shall be in anye wyse agaynst the olde custome lawes and Ceremonies of the church and that in theri dommions they do establyshe all thinges according to the decre made at Wormes by their common assentes And take well in worth this delay tyll he haue deuised with the hyghe Byshop concernyng a generall counsell whiche shal be very shortly for in such priuate assemblies there is not only no good to be done but also errours and licenciouse lybertie of the people more cōfirmed About this tyme the Emperour of Turkes settyng foreward with his armie frō Belgrade whē he was passed ouer the riuers of Danubie and Saue he marched the ryght way into Hongary Wherfore king Lewys sendyng agayne his Ambassadours to Spyres requyreth ayde Further more out of Italy came certen newes that Clement byshop of Rome and the Venetians hadde made a legue with the Frenche kyng that was lately retourned home out of Spayne to warre vpon the Emperour as you shall heare afterwarde Whan the Emperours letters before mentioned were read in the assemblie the cyties for the moste parte namely of hygh Germany put vp their aduise in writing declaring how they desyred by all meanes to obey and gratifies the Emperour nowithstanding the controuersie about religion encreaseth dayly especially touchyng ceremonies and mens traditions hitherto the decre of Wormes could not be well obserued for feare of sedition and vprores but nowe is the daunger muche more as in the laste assemblye before the Legate of Rome it was also wel declared In so much that if the Emperour him selfe were here present and infourmed of the state of thinges he could iudge none otherwyse He maketh promyse in his letters of a counsell but what tyme they were wrytten the Byshop and he were frendes and nowe it is farre otherwyse seynge the byshop hath altered his mynde leuied an Armie against hym wherfore it can not synke into their heades that in this trouble some tyme they should haue any generall counsell wherfore they thynke it beste to sende ambassadours to the Emperour whiche maye informe hym of the whole matter and of the state of Germany and howe daungerous a matter it is also to delay the cause of relygion any longer and no lesse perilous to put in vre the decree of Wormes And therfore to entreate hym that for the auoydynge of a further inconueniencie he would permitte them to holde a counsell prouinciall of Germany to treate of all matters in controuersie Whiche thyng was agreed vpon at Norenberg and the place appoynted here in this same citie many of the states had made preparation for the same But when it was agayne defeated by the Emperours countremaundemēt it opened the waye to rebellion sedition and to ciuile warres al the which thinges myght easelye haue bene eschewed in case at the same tyme the cause of relygion had bene heard indifferently And if he wyll not allowe a counsell of Germany than to entreate him to differre the execution of the decree of Wormes vntyll the generall councell for otherwyse it wyll come to passe that the wounde newly healed wyll waxe rawe agayne another that shal be worse breake out Furthermore in this discorde so long as euery man is carefull for his owne estate it wylbe very harde and paynefull to collecte any money for the ayde of others Besydes this wrytinge exhibited to the Prynces the
the wardshyp of his nephewe Albert the sonne of his brother Casimire And they went about to perswade with the Lantgraue that in case he would agree vnto the Emperour Ulriche the Duke of Wyrtemberge should be restored and that an agrement myght be had by the Emperours meanes betwene hym and the Erle of Nassoe for the rule of Chattes In this Assemblie the byshop of Rome had graunted to kyng Ferdinando all maner of Plate and ornamentes of golde and syluer of all the churches in Germany for the Turkyshe warre and also to take a subsydie of the clergie but the Princes woulde not suffer it sollicityng the Emperour to make that decree frustrate The .xviij. of August Erasmus of Roterdame wryteth to Cardinall Campegius from Friburge Howe the Emperours power is in dede great but all men doe not acknowledge this name The Germanes do so acknowledge it that they rule rather thē obey Luthers doctryne is sowen abroade throughout Germany farre and neare in so muche that the chayne of this mischiefe reacheth from the Ocean sea vnto the vttermoste borders of Swycerlande Nowe if the Emperour shall attempt to accomplyshe the byshop of Romes desyre in all thynges it is to be feared lest he shall haue but fewe to commende his doinges Moreouer in what great daunger of the Turke we stande in whose power all the force of Europe is skant able to resyste And what a thynge it is to fyght with vnwyllyng souldiours it is manyfest by mo examples than one The Emperour doubtlesse is of nature inclyned to peace Neuerthelesse by a certen desteny haled and inforced to warres Fraunce and Italy haue bene sore afflicted wyth warre nowe of many yeares But this warre wyll doe more harme than all the reste if it be not well forseen Men are commonly perswaded that all these thynges are done through the instigation and counsell of the hyghe byshop But the feare is lest a great parte of the peril redounde to the Emperour him selfe Thei that loue sectes are in dede worthy of punyshement but yet ought rather a respecte to be had for the preseruation of the common wealth The state of the churche was in tymes past full miserable whan the Arrians Pagans Donatistes and the Manycheis sowed abroade their opinions and also the Barbarous nations made warre Notwithstandyng it waded out of all these daungers at the length For verely tyme it selfe wyl at laste bring remedy also vnto most daungerous diseases The Bohemers were borne with al though they did not acknowledge the byshop of Rome If the same were also permitted to the Lutheriās it were not amisse in his conceipt and all be it this were verye muche yet were it a great deale lesse euyll than warre The seuent daye of Septembre the Emperour sendeth for home to his house all the Pryntes and states catholicke about none And two houres after for the duke of Saxōs and his fellowes and commaunding all others asyde sauyng his brother Ferdinando the byshoppes of Constance and Hispalia Granuellan and Truckesse he speaketh by Fredericke Palsgraue on this wyse how he had trusted assuredly that beyng so frendly and gently warned after their confession exhibited they would haue taken his parte And all be it that his hope was in vaine yet at the request of the Princes he was content that certen should be chosen on eyther partie to conferre and to make an agrement And thus was he brought agayne in to a newe hope of a concorde But nowe he vnderstandeth to his great grief that they dissente from the others in the chiefest opinions whiche is cleane contrary to his expectation for he wold neuer haue thought that they beyng so fewe in numbre wold haue induced suche newe fanglednes against the auncient sacred custome of the whole vniuersal churche or chouse vnto them selues a seuerall religion so farre differinge frō the bishops of Romes religion his from king Ferdinandos al the princes states of the Empire yea from all the kinges and princes of the whole worlde But now for as much as their desire is to haue a generall counsel here to haue a quiet decree made he whiche chiefly coueteth quietnes wyll deuise with the byshop of Rome and other christiā Prynces to haue one called so soone as they can agree vppon a place This wyll he vndertake to brynge to passe but yet vnder this condition that in the meane tyme they shall obserue the same Religion that he and other Prynces doe For to procure a counsell and to suffer this gere to hange waueringe and not to prohibite this newe fanglednes euery man sayeth plainely howe sore and preiudiciall it woulde be to hym and others They make an delyberate aunswere that neyther they haue brought vp newe secte nor swarued frō the Christian churche In that he refused not a counsell they gyue hym great thankes desyryng hym that so shortely as is possible there maye be had in Germany a lawfull and a free counsell as in the laste and former assemblye of Spyres it was agreed vpon But to receiue again the ceremonies of the Romyshe churche ones abolished they can not with a good conscience The Emperour after long consultation aunswereth them agayne by Truckesse that he hath red ouer diligently all their disceptation and fyndeth that they swarue very muche from the Christian churche Marueylyng also at the lyghtnes of the other parte that they would graunte to so muche and agayne at their styffenes that would not take theyr offer And where they craue a counsell by the decrees of the Empyre it can take no place in them which refused the last decree protested against it and appealed from it whiche appellatiō notwithstanding he maketh none accompte of For reason woulde that the lesse parte should be comfourmable to the more But howe small an handfull are they to be compared with the great byshop and hym and with the rest of the Christian Prynces Wherfore he desyreth to knowe whether they wyl maynteyne any further talke or discourse of the matter for he wyll spare no payne nor trauayle to brynge them to an attonement whiche if they shall refuse to doe and yet perseuer in theyr purpose than muste he doe as becommeth the protectour of the churche And because it is now nere night he gyueth them leaue to take aduisement tyll the morrowe The next daye whan all the States were assembled at the howre appoynted Pontane a Ciuilian was set to aunswere for the Duke and his companions If the Emperoure in dede doe vnderstande the whole matter he wyll than geue credite to their fyrste tale and doubt not but that theyr doctryne shall be adiudged by the testimonie of a Godly and a free counsell to be agreable to Gods worde Wherfore it is the lesse to be marueyled that they dyd not receyue suche thynges as were of late offered and graunted That appellation of necessitie was obiected againste that parte of the decree where it made
graunte that theyr doctryne should be establyshed by the testimonye of Goddes worde And where of a syngular clemencie and loue of peace he hathe wylled the decree to be thus deuysed and herein hathe abased hym selfe ouer muche therfore he requyreth them that they wyll admytte the same in lyke case as other Prynces doe and consyder with them selues that vnlesse they so doe what great occasion they shall gyue to muche michief for the whiche they shal rendre a strayght accompte to God one daye Moreouer howe it was neuer set forth by no wryting that it should be lawfull to spoyle men and afterwardes to excuse it thus as though he that hath sustayned losse shoulde make no restitution And as concernynge the Apologie wrytten against the confutation he had shewed them before that he would admytte no further disputation about Relygion for as muche as he maye not nother is it any part of his office And for this cause hath he refused it For vnlesse they wyll allowe and confirme this decree he wyll doe as he shall see cause that thynge whiche shall be come his estate office The Marques sayde this moreouer howe they knewe what trauell and paynes the reste of the Prynces and states had taken that this controuersie myght be ended quietly And nowe besought them to way with them selues howe muche it were bothe for their priuate profyte and also to the common wealthes to obey the Emperour and admitte the decree whiche vnlesse they wyll do doubtlesse al the other states wyl do herein what soeuer themperour shal cōmaunde thē For they haue promysed hym already vpon their fidelititie that they wil in this quarell spende with him al their substaunce their bloud and their life also to fynishe vp the matter and he hath promysed theim againe to bende hytherwardes all his force and power and not to departe out of the limites of the Empire before he haue brought it to passe And that he was commaunded to saye this muche to them by all the Prynces and states Agayne the Protestauntes maynteyne theyr doctryne to be agreable to Gods worde whiche the gates of hell are notable to resist and the same to be further declared in the wryting lately presēte but for the decree made they can not alowe it with a saufe conscience wherfore thei desyre to haue a copie therof to the intent after good deliberation they maye frame a determinate aunswere whiche shall be as conformable as Gods worde shall permitted them And in al other causes they wyll not sticke to spende lyfe and goodes for his sake but to heare that the Princes and states haue bounden them selues to the Emperour in suche sorte they can not a little maruell consyderynge they haue giuen them none occasion so to do and that there is nothing whiche they are not ready after the example of their auncesters to do for the Emperour and when nede requyreth wyll not be the last And where as he sayed that no man ought to be spoyled of his goodes they doe confesse the same also and herein are nothynge culpable For as touchynge Religious houses they haue oftentymes protested so to vse the matter vntyll the counsell as it maye be certenly sene and perceyued that they seeke not their owne priuate lucre or commoditie After muche deliberation the Emperour aunswered them agayne by the Marques of Brandenburge that he wyl not confesse nor graunt that which they baoste of their religiō And that he hath also a regard to his conscience and his soules health as well as they and wyll cleaue to the auncient Religion of the olde fathers In the decree made there can nothyng be chaunged if they wyll allowe it well and good if not he hath an occasion gyuen hym to deuyse with the rest for an other decree to be made wherby these newe spronge vp sectes maye be plucked vp by the rotes Germany set vp at quietnes and the aunciēt Religion of the churche fayth and cerimonies be had in estimation whiche thing belongeth chiefly to his office and dutie For except they wyll be ordered he wyll declare all to the hyghe byshop and to other kynges and vse both their counsell and ayde herein Unto that where they saie they haue gyuen none occasion of offence there is much to be obiected For their preachers were a great occasion of the cōmotion rusticall warre wherin almoste an hondreth thousande were slayne And many thinges haue bene done in their dominions to the open reproche contempt and mockery of the byshop of Rome and of hym and of other states also therfore not to be so clere without blame as they would make it Moreouer that the prynces and states haue of no priuate affection but according to their duty offered their assistaunce especially seynge howe they wyll admitte no waye of vnitie and concorde Fynally he wylleth and cōmaundeth them to restore in to theyr former estate the Abbottes Moūkes and other ecclesiastical persons whiche they haue expulsed For he heareth their dayly complayntes is troubled almoste continuallye about the restitution of them After a lytle respyte the Protestantes do replie thus For as muche as they can not obtayne the Copie of the decree nor tyme to consulte of the whole matter it is but foly to make any further discoursynge thereof Wherfore they do committe the whole cause vnto God in whom thei repose the chiefe hope of their saluation But where they are charged with the sedition of the commons thei be vtterly clere in that matter for what they did at the same tyme and howe they spared neither cost peryll nor paynes it is manifestly knowen to all men And the cause originall of that sedition was declared also foure yeares synce in the assembly of Spyres Wherfore it is not well done to lay this thyng to their charge but therein they suffer iniurie for if there be any man that wyll trye the lawe with them in this or any other matter they refuse not to abyde iudgement Wherfore they beseche hym he woulde conceaue no hainous displeasure against them nor be incensed with hatred malice cōsidering that al they haue is as well at his commaundemēt as any thyng els of the other states When they had thus sayde they axed leaue and departed leauing certayne of their coūsellers for their deputes But before they went the Archebyshoppes of Mentz and Triers and also the Palsgraue sent to declare vnto them that the same that the electour of Brandenburg spake of gening their ayde and assistaunce for the defence of Religion was done without their commaundement whiche thynge also they hyd not from the Emperour shewyng him howe they had none occasion of ennemitie or displeasur against them Wherfore in case they had conceaued any euyll opinion against them they desyred them to leaue it The Prince of Saxony was content with that purgation and bad them againe to loke for al good wyll and frendshyp at his
present the best thynge that is about the house But what greater iniurye can be done than to sell a thynge that is not his owne yea and to sell it vnto those that haue moste ryght to it and to sondry men one thyng Tel me I pray the who bought the belles hanged them vp Unto whō belongeth the churche flowre Is it their patrimony no forsouthe Why than do they sel the ryngyng of the belles and the church floure so dere and so oftentymes Perauenture they wyll saye it is the right of the churche I graunt but not of that churche whiche Christe hath washed instituted and iustified but of the same wherein they walke that is replenyshed with theftes robberies and all other kynd of vice For Christe commaundeth all these thynges to be geuen frely But it is a sporte and a pleasaunt syght to see howe the Rauens wyll stryue amonges them selues for the carion For when any ryche man is dead by and by come they flockyng and swarming gaping eche man for his praye full busely especially those that are called beggyng freers For the graye freers contende with the Dominickes and the white freers with the Austen oftentimes about the buriyng a kynde of people that is idle sloughtful and not only vnprofitable but also very chargeable and worthy to be whipped out of euery good common wealth These thynges that I haue sayde can not be denied and are sene dayly and yet is this miserable worlde so assotted and mortall men so blynded that they can not vnderstande with what spyrite they are moued Whan a benefice or prebende is fallen Lord God what busie suite what gadding and prickyng vp and downe what diligent inquisition is made to knowe the yearely value what it is worthe to be absent what to be resident vpon it what profites arryse of the christenyng of childrē of mariages pilgrimages reliques of saintes what may be leuied of buriynges habites and diriges by legacies and laste willes But the moste auauntage is gotten by suche sainctes as for some notable propertie and power are sore feared as sainct Laurēce and S. Anthony S. Roche and suche other angry sainctes whiche muste be pleased with vowes and great giftes But oh ye kinges and Princes why do you wynke at so wicked and detestable thinges Why do you so longe suffer so paciently so many great enormities They wyll in dede refuse to be reformed by you and yet doubtles haue you the rule ouer them whether they wyl or no. For God hath geuē you the sword and authoritie to punyshe And why do you not vse the same than and be auenged of this moste cruell kynde of extortioners God requyreth this dutie at your handes whiche if ye do neglecte he wyll not leaue it vnpunyshed Would to God you were as diligent in auauncing his glory as they are vigilante and circumspect in handlyng of their matters for they let slyppe none occasion They kepe so good watche that nothing can escape them hauing as many eyes as had eyther Ianus or Argus If they here the sound of the bel they runne thither streight if any welthie persone be sicke they put them selues in prease and will neuer awaye tyll they haue their rewarde At euery mariage wil they be and must blesse the brides bed and saye ouer it certen praiers chast and holy men I warrant you whiche liue a sengle lyfe moste filthely to the entent they may more at libertie play their partes in all naughtines And this whiche I haue spoken here of marchauntmen concerneth also marchaunt women called nunnes wherof ther be sondry orders But it can not be expressed with wordes what idolatry and wickednes all this rabble had induced At the last arryse thou O God auenge thy self for the glory of thy name into whose league or societie no man ought to presume to come And where as this foresayd buchery began in the moneth of Nouembre In Ianuary followyng the kyng came to Paris and to appease Gods wrath he goeth a pylgrymage to diuers sainctes with an vncredible nombre and concourse of people They worshyp at Paris sainct Geneuefa a virgin aboue al other sainctes Whose image was nowe caried about with great pōpe and solempne procession Whiche is neuer wont to be done but in tyme of extreme daunger whan either Gods wrath is pacified or that they muste fyght a great battell or els when they feare great penury and skarsitie of corne and wyne For than flye they vnto her as vnto the laste ancker and only porte of theyr succour And the people are perswaded that her helpe was neuer yet desyred in vaine in so mutch as some wyll saye howe God can do verey mutche but saynct Geneuefa is the sauiour of Paris It is caried of foure butchers by an olde custome whiche prepare them selues hereunto certen dayes before by fasting and prayer and there be officers appoynted to make rowme waye whiche is not done without great payne For when the image is borne about the people runne vnto it on euery syde with great deuotion and well are they that may touche it with theyr fyngers ende or els with theyr cappe or handkerchief so that the thronge and prease of people is beyonde all reason Whan masse was done and the kyng had dyned in the byshops palace by our ladies churche in the presence of his chyldren and the foreyne Ambassadours and al his nobilitie he made an oration full of affections testifying the inward sorow which he had conceaued of the presumption and naughtines of these wicked persones Than after he had made a longe discourse concernynge his obedience to the churche he exhorted them all to beware of the pestiferous secte for none should escape without punyshement that was taken with the maner And if he knewe any part of his owne body infected with this contagion he sayed he woulde teare it away least it should growe any further But to make amendes towardes God the same daye were syx brought forth whiche beynge fastened to the engines as before is sayde in sondry places as the kynge should passe by home to his owne house were burnt the fyre beyng kyndled at the same instaunt that the kyng should go that waye by and they beseching hym of mercie and pardon It is the custome of Fraunce to doe execution at after none And there when silence is proclaimed are redde the causes of his punyshemen But whan any man is executed for heresy if it be touchyng the iustification of fayth only without respect of workes or against praying to sainctes or if he haue affyrmed that Christe only is the byshop and aduocate of mankinde or if he haue eaten fleshe on dayes forboden whiche is death with them there is no suche thyng spoken of but generally is reported to haue offended the diuine Maiestie and bene cōtumelious against the virgyn Mary other sainctes and to haue broken the lawes of our
should seme to be done in contempt of the Emperours iurisdictiō and to the reproche of the iudges whiche ar partly men of noble houses and partly of excellent learning and vertu And therfore requireth them not to hynder the lawe Unto their thirde requeste whiche is that suche also as be not comprised in the peace of Norinberge shoulde inioye the benefite therof he sayeth the Emperour can not with a safe conscience graunte it for that they haue promysed and subscribed to the decrees of the Empyre whiche are contrary to this Religion And if eche man should be suffered to swarue from his promyse whan he liste that wer the ready waye to breake the pacification of Norinberge Wherfore whan the Emperour shall knowe more certenly of their procedynges he wyll do than as shall seme ryght and reason In the meane tyme he requyreth them to obserue the peace them selues and to see that it be not broken of others whiche his truste is they wyll doe considerynge that the counsell is so nere whereof they haue wrytten to the Emperour and is the fourth thyng whiche he hath in commaundement to treate with them of And after vseth a great and long perswasiō with them that seing the Emperour and all other kynges and nations intende to be there and to further it they wyll not refuse nor be agaynst the same wherein the Emperour desyreth to vnderstand playnly their myndes For in case they should refuse take exceptions and make delaye The Emperour thynketh both that a most Godly purpose shold be stopped in the middes of the course and that straungers woulde also conceaue of them a suspicion that they loued rather the vexation of the common wealth than peace and quietnes And seyng the Emperour hath this respect only that Gods glory be set forth and the saluation of men be consydered he exhorteth and earnestly requyreth them that they would satisfie herein his desyre and the common wealthes also He hath also in commission that if anye controuersie shall happen in this matter he shall solute and appease the same wherunto his wyl and diligence shal be ready If they desyre also any further declaration of his talke with them he woulde not refuse The next daye after he had thus spoken he treateth seuerallye with the Duke of Saxony howe the Emperour beareth him an especiall good wyll but the lette that he hath declared not thesame hitherto hath bene the dissention about Religion But seing that there is great hope that all that matter shal be quieted by the counsell already called he desyreth hym to further the same and to sende his Ambassadours thether to the intente that all discorde taken awaye he may declare his good wyl towards hym For if he refuse and take exceptions what displeasure wyll come of it he knoweth well enough Moreouer for as muche as the Turke maketh great preparation to inuade Germanye he requyreth hym to sende hym the ayde decreed at Regenspurge against the Turkes force or if chaunce that the Turke come not to the field nor attempte Germany that then he woulde sende hym the same ayde agaynst the Frēche kyng who hath inuaded Sauoye a prouince of the Emperour Last for because the Emperour hath borne the whole charges of theim periall chambre of long tyme alone and hath consumed great treasure in his warres he requyreth that after the olde custome of the Empyre he would be contributary for the portion of money hereunto belōging as the residue of the Prynces haue also promysed The Duke sayeth that in as muche as these thynges concerne not hym alone but his cōsortes also he wyll take deliberation After the .xxiiij. daye of February all the confederatours make aunswere together And first wyshynge vnto the Emperour longe health and preseruation as concernynge them of Auspurge they haue heard the whole matter by their Ambassadours and say howe they can not sequestre them from theyr fellowshyp Touchyng the Emperours warre with the Frenche kyng they are not a lytle sory seyng the same to be commodious for the Turkes the ennemies of the Empyre For that the Emperour hath taken in good parte their purgation and mynded to kepe the peace made at Norinberge they are ryght glad and thanke hym But touchynge the Iudgement of the Imperiall chamber where he sayde howe sore it should greue the Emperour to stoppe the course of the lawe They shew how there was a difficultie in the thinge what time the Archebishop of Mētz the Palsgraue were intercessours How after much long deliberation there appered no surer way to establish the cōmonwelth than to graūte peace to religion to al matters annexed to the same till either a general counsell of Europe or a prouincial counsel of Germany migh be had For vnlesse it might so be except that all maner of matters that procede of religion might be cōprised together howe lightly occasion of trouble may be geuen was both than considered nowe may be also perceiued The wordes also of themperours proclamation set forth at the same time declare this sufficiently And that it was neuer their minde to pretende any other cause saue only matters of religion neither are the iudges of the counsel chāber in their opiniō able to proue the cōtrary But now where he sayth how themperour gaue them authoritie to iudge of qualitie of matters it is to them greuouse For they accōpt al those actions to concerne religion whiche in dede can not be decided vnlesse the controuersie of religion be first in a lawful counsel determined Which thing they haue many times signified both to themperour and kyng Ferdinando by letters Ambassadours For this question of Religiō is preiudiciall ought to be determined by a counsell before suche matters be examined as depend vpō the same And seing that benefites are imployed for desert dutie they can not suffer that those which wtin their dominions folowe a cōtrary religiō frō their doctrine to enioye the goodes of the church in as muche as either they wil not or can not execute their dutie And for so muche as the matter cōcerneth the cōsciēce of the mynde there remaineth no place to right of possessiō or of restitutiō And seing that whē the cōpositiō was made at Norīberg they expresseli named al actiōs sutes which hanged then eyther in the chāber or other courtes of iudgemēt exhibiting thē to the intercessours as matters of religiō who promised than to fynde the meanes that themperour should exempt thē frō iudgement The same thing also king Ferdinādo toke vpō him in thassēblie of Cadane by those wordes of proclamatiō where thēperour cutteh of all ple all authoritie to iudge of the state of matters was cleane taken away frō the iudges of that imperial chāber And although they wold not report euil of thē yet many seyng thē ready to geue sentence agaynste them wer incouraged to rather to comēce their actiōs which thing is to be prouoked
is how it ought not to be graūted thē themperour doubtles other kings in their opiniō can iudge For that the byshop of Rome hath brought errours into the churche a doctrine cleane cōtrary not only to Gods worde but also to the auncient toūselles doctours mainteineth the same that he hath also made exceading many lawes against Gods cōmaundemēt wherby the true knowledge is vtterly oppressed defaced the same vereli haue their diuines through Gods gift declared And therfore do they intēde to accuse the byshop his fellowes in any lawfull counsell of these so great matters to coudēpne thē of the same How also through euil craftes and dishonest meanes yea through force guyle they achiefe their dignities how filthie a life they leade what euil examples thei geue how they do no part of their dutie how thei neglect such as are cōmitted to their charge wallowe in all wickednes of lyfe it is so wel knowen tried that it nedeth no further declaratiō For the which causes also it is not lawfull for the bishop euen by the testimony of his owne lawe to appoint there coūsel muche lesse to be iudge in the same Neither may his sworne clientes vsurpe the persone of the iudge seing they may not in dede be any part of a lawful coūsel moreouer the place of the coūsel is appointed in Italy cleane cōtrary to the decrees of themperour states of thempire which he scornefully dispiseth Thei know not more ouer as yet whether other princes of Christendom wil allowe that place that there be weighty causes for the which it shold be daūgerous for them theirs to come thither For albeit they should haue a saufe conduicte yet for so muche as the byshop hath there his clientes euerye where which hate this doctrine most bitterly ther is great daūger of lieng in wayte priuie cōspiracies which in those parties are much to be feared Furthermore since this matter is most weighti such as vnder the sonne can arrise no greater which doubtles cōcerneth either euer lasting saluatiō or dānatiō And seing that the greatnes of the matter requireth that they should in great nūbre with the ministers of their churche preachers be there present not to cōmit so weighty a matter to their deputes proetours alone it should be a great griefe vnto thē to passe out of the limites of thempire go into Italy leauing their coūtrey people in suche grudge of mindes as is now in Germany wtout garde and their churches any long time without preachers Wherfore they moste humbly beseche that the Emperour would way with hym selfe all these poinctes diligently and seing he is the high and supreme magistrate vnto whom chiefly belongeth the setting forth of the trew doctrine that he wold applie him self wholy that the true knowledge of God might be aduaunced for they doe embrace no wicked kynde of doctrine nor seke any other thyng than the glory of Gods holy name And this aunswere concerning the counsell agreed vnto also the Ambassadours of George Marques of Brandenburge and of the cities of Norinberge Halles and Hailbrune in other thinges they medled not because they were not of the league What time the Protestantes had thus spoken Heldus the Ambassadour aunswereth by and by speaking many thinges againe of the great good will of the Emperour of the Frenche kyng whiche had conspired with the Turkes to the distruction of the cōmon wealth he cometh to that matter touching the iudgement of the imperial chambre and sayeth in deede that peace is graunted for matters of Religion no man to say the cōtrary but all the strife to consiste in this which be matters of religion which not And where as they take suche for cases of religion as others do accōpte for ciuile prophane how farre against reason is it that the thyng should not be debated the causes obiectiōs of either part be heard so procedeth further to the meaning of that same matter And as touching such as are lately receiued into their league that Emperour thiketh thus that they that be not cōprised within the peace of Norinberg are bounde al to the decrees of thempire ought to yelde to the authoritie of the coūsel And for asmuch as themperours minde is wholy addicte to peace cōcorde he requireth estsones that they wyl ayde him with men mony for the Turkish warre nedeful charges of the imperial chābre And if the Turke inuade not that thā they wold a few monthes assiste themperour with like ayde against the French king whiche if they wil doe it shall not repēt thē of that seruice wherin he desireth to know a direct answer that he may aduertise themperour therof And as concerning the coūsel they thē selues knowe what labour trauayle themperour had to bring it to passe And how his trust is that in the same shal be appeased all cōtrouersie that is in religion with quietnes the state of the cōmō wealth be reformed to the glory of God preseruatiō of men Wherfore them perour trusteth assuredly that they should make none exceptions nor swarue from the rest of men for if they should persiste herein it would be grieffull for him to heare And after he had againe vsed sondrye perswasions amonges other that the Emperour would through saufeconduicte saue them harmelesse he requyred to haue a determinate aunswere herein and besydes the names of them which are come vnto them synce the peace of Norinberge Wherein was wrytten that Marques George the cities of Norinberge Weysenburg Hailbrine Winsem and Hales were of the same Religion but not of the league Wherefore in the Emperours name he desyred to knowe what their league was and the condition of the same The selfe same daye came thether the Romyshe legate the byshop Aques with letters from the byshop of Rome to the Duke of Saxon exhorting him to come to the counsell whome the byshop of Rome sent into Germany in the place of Peter Paule Uerger hopinge well that the newe Ambassadour should some thing haue brought to passe but he also loste his labour was as little regarded in so muche that on a certen day whan he desired to speake with the Lātgraue he tolde him he was at no leasure and in maner at the same instant went to see howe Luther did who at the same tyme laye sore sycke of the stone Which thyng the Ambassadour myght see out of his lodging Uergerius had geuen this Ambassadour instructions of the whole state of Germany and how euery man in the byshops behalfe must be enterteined and vsed The fourth daye after whiche was the last of February the Protestauntes aunswer Heldus That for the Emperour him self they neuer doubted but that he woulde obserue the peace made whiche he hath also promised both in publique and priuate letters but the imperiall chamber contrary to
the olde enemye of mankynde would styre vp warre by his ministers or euer it were longe The Emperour being aduertised by the letters of his brother Ferdinando and the intercessours of the whole matter cōfirmeth the decree of Hagenawe And wryting his letters from Utrecht at the Ides of August exhorteth the Protestauntes to sende their Ambassadours diuines to Wormes at the daye assigned and sendeth saufe conduicte for them all And because of his affayres he can not be there hym selfe he sayeth he wyll sende thether some notable man of his And he doubteth not but the byshop wyl sende thether also to quiet the cōtrouersy He promiseth moreouer an assemblie of thempire whither he will come in parson vnto the which assemblie also the summe of this talke must be referred Afterwardes at the Ides of Octob. in other letters dated at Brussels he maketh Granvellan his deputie giuing him full authoritie at the communication to be had That time was Granvellā at Bizanse in highe Burgundie the towne where he was borne And beynge so occupied with other affayres that he coulde not come thither by the day writyng his letters to the Archebishop of Mentz and to the residew of the Princes appointed to this talke the seconde daye of Nouembre he sendeth before Iohn Nauie of Lucemburge to excuse hys longe tariyng For after he had wronge oute Mathew Helde as is before said he called forth this man as more obsequious and agreable to his maners and placed him in his rome In the meane time themperour calleth a counsell of thempire that in the moneth of Ianuary they should al be ready at Regenspurge After whan Granvellan him selfe came to Wormes accompanied with his sonne the Bishoppe of Arras and certen Diuines of Spaine Muscosa Maluenda Carrobello shewing fyrste his commission and the Emperours letters the xxv daye of Nouembre he made an Oration And excusynge the matter that neither themperour nor king Ferdinando were there he declareth the louing and frendly minde that themperour beareth to the common wealth who wisheth for nothing more earnestly than that this olde feastred strife might be taken awaye wherewith not onely the Church but also the common wealth is sore afflicted For he doubteth not but they them selues see the present calamitie and wil iudge that a reformation of the Churche is necessary Therfore can there nothing concerne their dewties more than throughe godly counsels to remedy this euill that it spread abrode no further For in like case as it is the part of good Citezins to quenche the fyre that happeneth by casualtie so must you do for all the worlde in this case that peace and concorde may be restored Furthermore let them wet with them selues and set before their eies what an heape of euilles haue throughe this dissention as it were ouerflowed Germany For to passe ouer murther and mischief religion is destroyed Charitie out of men herts cleane quenched all reuerence of the olde Catholike churche taken away finally the great misery can not be sufficientlye expressed by any mans eloquence In times past Germany hath florished both in Relion and in all kinde of vertu but nowe it hath very muche degenerated And is accompted the cause and author of all the discommodities of the vniuersall commune weale And vnlesse a remedye be founds for this disease all thinges will go to ruine And for asmuche as themperor hathe appoynted thys disputation to thentente that bothe the truth myght be searched out gods glory auaunced they must bring with them a mynd neyther ambitious nor couetous but godly moderat hauing only a regarde vnto Chryst who now with his armes stretched foorthe as he wold imbrace desyreth the same of all menne This is also the only wish of the high bishop of themperour most August of king Ferdinando Therfore he besecheth them for the death of Christ for all loues that they woulde amende oure lordes coate which is rent torne on euery syde remembryng the name of Christ which was geuen them in holy baptisme remembring also the noble prouince of Germany the natife countrey of them all For except they be reconsyled it is to be ascribed vnto them what mischiefe some euer shall arryse hereafter of this theyr obstioate mynde but yf they wyll handle so weyghty a matter with modestie sobrietie the same shal be bothe to God most acceptable and themperour will also accepte it in steade of a very greate benefyte who wyll afterward do his endeuour that in the nexte assemblie of thempire the matter shal be wholy accomplisshed After the death of Uayuod the tutours and rest of the nobles sent ambassadours to the Turke to commend the childe vnto hym who promiseth to defend him and with all sendeth hym giftes Fernando also when he knew therof sēdeth Hierosme Lascie which certen yeres past had forsaken the Uaynode from Hagenaw to Constantinople that by a fit man he myght appease the Turke After whē he came home he thought it best to make warre before the Quene beyng a wydow and the tutours of the infante were furnished Which knowen the Turke throweth hys Ambassadoure in pryson as moste priuie of Farnando his counsel and also sendeth ayde who not withstanding being letted by reason of the winter came somwhat to late The nexte daye after that Granuellan had hys oration They beegan to deuyse of the notaryes and scribes and on eyther syde were chosen two whyche shoulde penne and kepe althynges diligentelye By the Protestantes were assygned Caspar Cruciger Woolfangus Musculus diuines After the eyght daye yf December Thomas Campegius Bisshop of Feltre the Roomisshe Legate had an oration in the preface wherof speakyng many thynges concernyng peace whych is so greately commended vnto vs of Chryst lamentyng also the state of Germany affyrmeth that serten bisshops of rome but especially paule the thyrde haue done what they can to put of this calamitie from it and for the same cause of late called a counsell at Uicence but when certen monethes passed and no man came he was constreined to differre it tyll an other tyme but themperoure whyche is that eldest and obedient childe of the churche of Roome the Protectour also and the aduocate hathe appoynted this conference as a certen preparatiue to the treatye that shal be at Regenspurge by whose wyll and assent and by the Byshops cōmaundement he is coomen thither to intreat them that they would applye theyr whole endeuours to vnitie concorde for sertaynly the bishop of Rome will do herein what he can sauing his holines The presidents of this assemblie toke order at the beginning that no man should be made priuie to theire talke vnlesse he be of the nomber appoynted and that the actes therof should not bee published till themperoure wer first aduertised of all together moreouer they required that the Protestantes would comprise exhibite in wryting such articles as they wer fully resolued to sticke vnto Of
crueltie they reproue him therfore exceadingly and byd him not thinke that they wil euer allow such errours as thei nowe do condemne or at any time retourne vnto that churche whiche defendeth so manifest vices Whan Contarene in the meane tyme heard that his aunswere was diuersly taken by thaduise of certen he sendeth to the states the third wryting how he wil not assent the the articles newly accorded shal be receiued vntil the couÌ„sell but referreth al thinges in general to the highe Byshop The next day after the ides of Iuly the Princes Electours make answer to Themperours demaunde saye howe they are contented that the articles agreed vpoÌ„ should be receiued vntil the time of a couÌ„sel for the same is both expedieÌ„t for the auoiding of further incoÌ„uenieÌ„ces hereafter wil be also a great helpe vnto a further agrement and if there be any hope that the rest myght at this tyme be accorded they desire him to shew his fauour herin but if the shortnes of time wil not suffer it that thaÌ„ according to his fre ê“messe he wold deuise with the bishop and other kinges that there might be with al expeditioÌ„ a couÌ„sell appointed in some coÌ„uenient place of Germany either general or prouincial that he wold sende his legate thether if the same can not be obteined as they haue no truste it shall that than he wold retourne againe into Germanye and declare the same fidelitie to the countrie that he hathe doone hitherto and establisshe peace and quietnes But the Protestantes desyre themperour that he wolde commaund the articles of religion al ready accorded to be enacted and taught for so shal the truthe be opened more and more and this shal be as a waye to amende the diseases of the churche And that also he wolde take awaye and abrogate the decree of Auspurge as vnprofitable for concorde or at the lestwyse leaue it in suspence what their opinion is concernyng the counsel and how they wil not permit the bisshop or his clieÌ„tes to be iudges therof and of what sorte it ought to be they haue declared heretofore and remayne in the same opinioÌ„ and if percase such maner of counsel wil not be had and that ther be any assemblie of the states in germany by his coÌ„maundement in the same wil they declare their doctrine After the other princes amonges whom the bisshops were chief and with them the two bretherne Dukes of Bauier and Henry of Brunswicke declare what theyr aduise is to themperour seuerally which was that so many vices sectes heresies and dissentions did now not only in Germani but also in other places in maner through out christendoÌ„ ouerflow that they could not be holpen but by a counsell and that there shoulde now be any alteration of religion and ceremonies thai had so many yeares continewed they could in nowise geue theire assent especially considering that the bisshop by his legate doth promise a counsel and he him selfe will moue him herein presently and say how they are determined to sticke to the old religion couÌ„sels doctrine of their forefathers which hath continewed from the apostles tyme vnto this day And alledgeing moch other matter but to no great pourpose they thinke it most expedient to differ the cause of religion vnto the counsell especially for that the bisshops legate is of the same opinion the residew of the cities whyche were not of the nomber of Protestantes Collon Mentz Spier wormes Tully Hagenaw Regenspurg Schwinfurth Colmaria Semund Roteburg and dyuers others whan they were excluded from cousultation and that the princes wolde not geue them the copie of the aunswere they complayne herof to themperoure as they had don ofte before requestinge him that they myght not be hindered in theyr ryght and many of them were content that the articles agreed vpon shoulde be receyued Whan themperoure had hearde all mens opinions he maketh a new propositioÌ„ and recytyng euery thyng in order because the whole matter cannot be determined and they most certenly stande in great daunger of the Turke and the time is farre spente he sayeth he will referre the matter to the couusel wherof both the Bisshops legat hath put him into an vndoubted hope and he himselfe also will be in hande with the Bisshop for he promiseth also to retourne shortly into Germany and desyreth the Protestantes that they wyll in the meane tyme attempt nothyng els besydes those thinges wherin the diuines are accorded Than warneth he the Bishpops than they deuyse the meanes wherby euery one of theÌ„ maye reforme their owne churches to the intent ther be a way prepared for a coÌ„mon redresse This mind of Themperoure for the moste parte al men commended and thinke inete that the Bisshops Legate should geue also an ernest streighte charge to the Bishops that they redresse and pourge theyr churches And the Protestantes concernyng the conciliation of doctryne and all other thynges promise to do according to theyr dewtie require that it may be lawful for all other Princes ther to propounde in their churches the articles nowe accorded You haue hearde how Eckius abhorred bothe the booke exhibited of themperoure and also the Collocutours Wherefore after the conference had whan the booke was agayne restored to themperoure the matter debated in the counsel of the Princes he lying sick of a feuer sendeth an epistle to the princes of this effecte that he neuer lyked that foolyshe booke wherin he fyndeth so many errours and therfore ought not to be admitted for the custome of the olde fathers and the church layde a syde the stepes and phrasis of Melanchthon are in it well perceyued moreouer he sayeth he sawe not the booke whiche his fellowes corrected and after restored to themperoure but as he laye sycke there wer red vnto hym only certen opinions of the Lutheranes Moche lesse did he allow that wrytyng that was presented to themperoure with the boke for he neuer saw it This thing knowne Iulius Pfiugius and Iohn Gropper whiche thought how the same concerned their estimation desyre the Presidentes and hearers of the conference as witnesses of the whole matter that they would defend theyr honestie againste the sclaunders of Eckius They informe themperoure of all the matter who after in a publicke writing gaue vnto them bothe a goodly and an honorable report affirming that they haue donne herein as becoÌ„meth honest men It is before mentioned that the cause of religyon was referred to a generall or prouinciall counsell of Germany After that Contarene vnderstoode it the .xxvi. day of Iuly he wrote to the states and Princes requiryng that the last might be crossed and cancelled for the controuersies of religion ought not to be determined by suche maner of counselles but the same to belonge to the vniuersall churche and what someuer is determined in suche cases of any one nation to be of none effect wherfore they shall shew a greate pleasure to the Bisshop who
Fraunce shoulde bee theyres or the kynge shoulde be at commaundemente who had three moste myghty enemyes Themperoure the Germannes and the Kyng of Englande ✚ The sixtenth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyste ⧠The argument of the sixtenth Booke ¶ The Pope by letters admonisheth taunteth threateneth Themperoure hys sonne and maketh new Cardinalles The clergie of Colon resisteth the Archebishop Master Peter Bruly for preachynge at Tournay was brent quicke Whilest the assemble was at Woormes they of Merindolle and Cabriere named Uandois be sacked and burnt The Pope notwithstandyng the counsell by hym called burned with desyre to make warre agaynst the Protestātes Luther wryteth against hym and paynteth hym in hys collours Grignian is sente to the Protestantes to cause them to approue the counsell The Archbisshop of Colon is cited to Roome Open warre betwixte the Duke of Brunswicke and the Lantzgraue wherin the Lantzgraue had the victory the Palsgraue prince Electour receyueth the Gospell Bruites of warre are sowen agaynst the Protestantes a Colloquie was ordeyned at Regenspurge to dispute of Relygion which broken the Counsell of Trente is publysshed and the sessions beginne in the meane tyme Luther departeth oute of this presente lyfe WHan the warres were hotest the Bysshop of Roome at the eyghte kalendes of Septembre wryteth hys letters to Themperoure wherin he rebuketh hym sharpelye for vsurpinge as he sayeth hys authorytie and intermedlinge with the reformation of Relygion whiche neuerthelesse he dooeth not ascribe to hys owne nature but to the malycyous perswations of such euell men as he hathe lately made league and frendship with he threateneth him with thexamples of Dathan Abiron and Core whiche wolde haue taken vpon them the authorytye of Moyses Aaron And also of Kyng Ozias whom God strake with Leprosie for that he wolde attempte to burne incēse vpon the Aultar he telleth hym playnely that he hath nothing to doe with the reformation of Churches but the same to be longe vnto hys office chyefly whom God hath geuen authorytie to bynde and loose Than proueth he by ensamples that suche Emperours as haue aided the See of Roome and the Bisshoppes therof God hath euer rewarded with great gyftes and benefytes as greate Constantyne Theodose and Charlemaygne Agayne such as haue resisted them to haue ben punnyshed with greate misfortunes as Morys Constans Phylyp Leo Henry the fourthe and Fridericke the seconde whyche came vnto shamefull endes and were some taken some also slayne of their owne chyldren And that for suche disobedience not only kynges and Emperours but also whole nations haue ben plaged as namelye the Iewes and Grekes the one for crucifying of Chryst the sonne of God the others for contemnyng of hys vicar Moreouer he wylleth him to imitate the example of greate Constantyne who refused to be iudg in the Bisshops causes Notwithstandynge he coulde be contente to vse hym as a coadiutour in matters of relygion but herin to be head and gouernour he can not abyde hym Fynally he warneth him frō hence foorthe to treate no more of relygion in the assemblies of Th empyre but referre that vnto hys indgement and that he disanulle and abrogate all suche thynges as he hath through ouer moche fufferaunce already graunted to those rebelles and aduersaryes of the Churche of Rome or els must he be constrained to deale more roughly with him than either hys custome nature or will also can beare Yet wil he not neglect hys dewtie for the example of gods plage vpon Helithe prest is euer before his eyes Hitherto he hath vsed the clementie of a father but if thys will not serue he must feele another waye therfore let him consider whether it shal be more for hys honour to assist his olde age in recouerynge the tranqullytie of the Churche or els to fauour those that seke the desolation of the same It is thought that the Frēch king set hym on to wryte thus extremely who made the matter odious by reason of the Englysh league to incense the bysshop the more for herof cometh it that he wryteth of the Societie of euel mē For they both are wont to swe and craue hys frendship right busyly bothe by letters and ambassadours especyallye in tyme of warre and eche laboureth for hym selfe that they may bee to hym most acceptable Aboute thys tyme Stephen Bisshop of Winchester set foorth a boke agaynst Bucer verey opprobrious and bitter Wherin emonges other thinges he defendeth the sengle lyfe This yere the Bisshop created Cardinalles Christopher Madruce of the Trente and Otto Truckesse Bishop of Auspurge Germanes George Arminiack Iames Anuebald Frēchmen Fraunces Mendoza Bartholomewe Cueua Spaniardes to gratifye the Emperoure Fernando and the Frenche Kynge At the same tyme also he calleth a counsell whyche had ben hindered heretofore by reason of the warres agaynst the Ides of Marche in the yere following And because Themperour and the French king wer now at peace he vttereth greate gladnes and the writte wherewith he reneweth the connsel beginneth of that place of Scripture Letare Ierusalem-In these dayes also cometh foorthe a booke of Luthers touchyng the Lordes supper wherin he reneweth the olde controuersie and speaketh many thynges agaynste Zwinglius and the fellowes of the same doctryne Which was aunswered by them of Zuricke that ryght sharpelye I tolde you before of Clergie and Uniuersitie of Collon howe they with theyr whole force resisteth the Archebisshop in the reformation of religion But where as he procedeth they sendyng agayne Ambassadours letters requyre hym to leaue and attende the decree of the counsell yf not they must cōplayne to the higher magistrate and fynde remedy to quyet theyr conscyence and pacifye Gods wrath They are lothe to take that waye but yf he goo forewarde they muste nedes do it Whan they coulde not thus preuayle the .ix. daye of October they assemble in the head Churche of Collon and there recyte by wrytyng amonges other thynges what hath ben done at Wormes .xxiij. yeres past what Luther by the common assēt of all Princes was condemned of Themperoure what was decreed at Auspurge what at Regenspurge and what latelye at Spyer All these thynges neglected they saye how theyr Archebysshop Herman hathe gon a new waye to worke and hath sent for Bucer an Apostata and twyse polluted with incestuous mariage a sacramentary and a defendour of that opinion and to hym hath committed thecclesiasticall function and hath appointed euery where new preachers lewde and euill persons by them also was a fourme of a refourmation diuised set forth by the princes commaundement All the which thinges they haue euer to theyr powers resisted and ofte desired the Archebisshop that he woulde staye vntyll the counsell or at the leste vntill the conuention of thempire but all was in vayne And nowe forasmuche as the state of the prouince is lamentable
tendeth to greate vnquyetnes he will not be perswaded they of necessitie doe flee to the laste remedye and doe appeale to the Bisshop of Roome and to Themperoure the hyghe protectour and aduocate of Gods churche and committe all theyr thoughtes vnto theyr tuition The chief of this assemblye was George of Brunswicke Duke Henry hys brother Prouost of the same College This thynge knowne the Archebishop settynge forthe a wrytyng sayeth there is no cause of Appellation For he had done nothynge contrary to hys dewty therfore he reiecteth theyr appellation and trusteth that they wil leaue theyr enterpryses but if not he wil procede not withstanding in those thinges that concerne gods glorye and amendemente of Churches And agayne in an other wrytynge he confuteth theyr sclaunderous reporte of Luther and Bucer and affirmeth that he was neither priuie to the condemnation of Luther before he sawe it in print nor consented to the decre of Auspurge Luther was in dede condemned at Rome but his cause not hearde violently and tyrannically But in the decree of Regenspurge he and all other Bisshops were enioyned to reforme theyr Churches And he sente for Bucer throughe the meanes of Gropper who so ofte and so hyghly commended hym in whom he also could fynd nothing blameworthye And it is a greate tooken that he shoulde bee an honest man for that Themperoure amonges many chose him to be one of the colloqutours as a man godly learned a louer of peace the same iudgement hath he also of the rest of the ministers of the churche by him appoynted After the peace concluded Themperour sent the Bysshop of Arras Granuellans son and the Frenche kyng Cardinall Bellaye ioynctely to the kynge of Englande to treate a peace but it was in vayne the king refusyng to restore Boloingue In these daies also the Duke of Orleans and the Cardinall of Turnon and Ladyes of the Frenche courte came to Themperoure at Brusselles for a mutual reioysyng of the peace Themperour had appoynted the captaynes and bandes of Spaniardes to wynter in Lorayne in the contrie there aboute In Themperours prouinces annexed to the house of Burgūdye many were euery where desyrous to know the gospel but secretly for feare of Themperours proclamations punnishment In those parties is a Towne called Tournoye the chiefest amonge the Neruians Thither came a Frenche preacher from Strasburge beyng of them sente for one Peter Brulye of whom mention is made in the twelfth booke Whan he was commen thither in the moneth of September beyng gently receyued of them that sent for him he began to instructe them priuately And after for the same cause went to Lysle a Towne of Flaunders and retourneth aboute th end of Octobre agayne to Tournay but nowe was the matter brought to lyghte and searche made for hym throughout al the cytye the gates kept shutte Being therefore in present daunger and coulde be no longer hyd the second day of Nouember in the night season he was by serten of hys frendes let downe ouer the walles by acorde whan he touched the earthe and satte downe on the grounde one of them laining ouer the walle as softly as he coulde bad him a dew and whylest he thus leyned he fortuned to thruste of a stone that cleaued not fast to the morter whiche fallynge vpon hym as he sate brake hys legge who vexed partely with the ake of his legge partely for colde when he could not styrre thence satte styll and bewayled hys chaunce and miserie That That hearde the watchemen and suspecting as it was in dede came vnto hym take hym and carye hym to pryson When the brute hereof came into Germanye the Senate of Strasburge sendynge theyr letters did intreate for him the same did also afterwardes the Ambassadours of the prote stantes which wer that tyme at Wormes but that was somwhat to late And before these letters came whiche were sēt in the name of the Duke of Saxon and the Lantzgraue he was dyspatched out of the waye This was on the .xix. day of Februarye The maner of hys executiō was extreme For he was brent in a small fire that hys torment might be so mutch the greaeer He confessed his doctryne constantlye euen to the laste breathe And as he laye in prison comfortyng hys discyples by letters which were fettred in chaynes he exhorteth thē to be constāt The sentence was pronounced against him that he should suffer for transgressing themperours commaundement For many yeres past themperoure had set forth most streit proclamations in all hys dominyons there awaye agaynst the Lutheranes And they be red euery yere twyse lest any mā should pleade ignoraunce Whē he was sent for out of prison to be examined the Freers that wer diuines axe him before the magistrate what his opinion of the sacrament of the altare as they calle it of the messe of consecratiō of adoration of the host of purgatorye of the worshipping of sainctes of steewil of good workes of Iustification of Images of Baptisme of vowes of confession of synnes of the Uirginitie of our lady Wherunto he aunswered that the verey body blud of Christ is there receiued not with the mouthe but in spirit through fayth and neyther the substannce of breade nor wyne is chaunged But whan the supper is distributed to the congregation after Chrystes institution in the vulgare tongue than are they verely consecrated euen by the wordes of Chryst For that still and secret mutteryng wherwith the priestes doe treate speake to the breade and wyne belongeth rather to inchaunters and charmers than vnto Christianes The popissh masse to haue nothyng cōmon with the Lordes supper but to be a seruice inuented by men to the reproche iniurye of Chryst the adoration of the bread consecrated to be Idolatry For there is worshipped a creature in the place of the Creatour that he knoweth not nor can fynde non other purgatory sauing the bloud of chryst which forgeueth vs not the trespas only but also the payne dew for our synnes Therfore the masse other praiers which are applied vnto the dead are not only of non effect but also wicked for asmoche as they are instituted besydes gods woorde Sainctes can not be better worshipped than yf we followe theyr faythe and vertues What soeuer cometh besydes is euyll and they whylest they lyued wolde permit no worshyp to be donne vnto them Therfore ought they not to be called on as mediatours for that the same honour apperteyneth only to Chryst through Adames sinne mans nature was wholy corrupted and the wyll weakened so that withoute Goddes grace it can doe nothyng that good is Howbeit a man regenerate dooeth through Gods motion as a good tree bryng forth good fruictes How it is faith that bryngeth vnto vs saluation that is when we trust vnto gods promesses beleue stedfastlye that for Chryst his sonne sake our sinnes are forgeuen vs. Traditions whervnto the mindes of men are
Themperoure called he sayeth it muste be ascrybed to the farre and payneful iorney thys was during the assemblye of Wormes The Cardinalles hereunto make aunswer albeit they neuer doubted of Themperours zeale towardes Religion yet was thys oration of hys to them right acceptable And in as much as the Bisshop the trew vycare of Christ and successoure of Peter Prynce of the Apostelles after conference had with Themperoure hathe appoynted thys Counsell for the refourmatyon of the Publicke weale namelye of Germanye theyr truste is that the Emperoure wyll see there bee nothynge decreed at Wormes concernynge relygion but that al thynges be referred to the counsel If it shoulde be otherwise not only the auncient custome of the churche but also the lawe bothe of God and man should be infrynged Moreouer it shoulde be an euyll president and wold deface the whole dignytye of the Counsell As touchyng hym selfe hys presence and persone is to them ryghte acceptable Where therefore many were long or they came nothing was done that yere but that certen Freres made sermons to the Bisshoppes in the tyme of Aduente The Bysshop also sendynge foorthe a bull of indulgences at the Ides of December sayeth that the miserye of thys tyme is suche by reason of the ouerflowyng of heresyes that albeit he take neuer so muche laboure trauell and payne for the common welthe yet can he scarselye satyssye hym selfe therfore hath he called a counsel that the woundes of the Churche myghte bee healed whyche are made by wicked heretyckes And because the saluatyon of all men consysteth therin and agayne that the fathers of the counsell beynge holpen by the prayers of others maye to God be the more commended he exhorteth al men in generall that immediately they frame themselues to repentaunce confesse theyr synnes to the priest and that thre daies in the weke they tame theyr body with fastynge and the same dayes to be presente at the diuine seruice or in case they be sicke can not than to geue some thing to the poore and let the poorer sorte oftymes saye ouer theyr Pater noster and after receyue the Sacrament Unto al that obeye this he graunteth pardon and remission of theyr synnes and cōmaundeth all Bysshops to declare these thynges to the people After the seuenth daye of Ianuarye whan the number of Bysshoppes was wel increased they beganne the Counsell And whan all were commen into the Cathedrall Churche and masse donne the foresayde Cardinalles the Bysshop of Roomes Legates had an oration to the fathers wrytten wherin they declare howe the counsell is called for three causes chiefly that heresyes maye be weded vp by the rootes that the dysciplyne of the Churche maye be restored and that peace maye be recouered And saye howe the whole blame of all thys presente calamytie is to be imputed to the Clergie for what heresies warre or disorder soeuer there is they haue geuen the occasyon of all these euylles throughe theyr auaryce ambition and naughtie lyuynge therfore is it the iuste iudgment of God that they are nowe thus contemned troubled and afflicted yet not accordynge to theyr demerytes for there is not one of them that dooeth his dutye therefore they admonisshe euerye man to acknowledge hys faulte and studie to appease Goddes wrathe through the repentaunce and amendemente of lyfe vsyng herein the example of Esdras Nehemias and other Capytaynes who at theyr retourne admonisshed earnestly the people of Israel that confessinge theirs and their fathers offences they shoulde call to God for mercye Then come they to declare theyr owne duty whiche are Iudges in thys case howe they oughte to be free and voyde from anger hatred frendeshyp and geue nothyng to affections but to ascribe all honour vnto god only who with his aungels beholdeth thys congregation neyther can any mans thought be hidde from him therfore must they worke syncerely and exhorte the ambassadours of kynges and prynces to do the same After this oration was red the decree of the sinod by Iohn Fonsseca bisshop of Castremarine a Spaniarde In thys al christians are warned to amende theyr lyfe feare God many tymes confesse theyr synnes go ofte to churche and praie to God for publicke peace And that all Bisshops and other pristes be addicte to prayer also euerye seuenth daye at the leste whiche is called Sondaye saye masse and make intercession for the hygh bisshop for Themperoure for the whole comō wealth that they fast moreouer geue aulmouse to the poore That in the head churche there be masse songe weekelye vpon the thursedaie in the honour of the holy ghost that in masse time almen be attentife vnto the prieste and refrayne talkynge Moreouer that the bisshoppes leade a sober life and not fare sumptuously at their tables and that they do eschew all light and Idle talke and vse their familie to do lykewyse that in speakyng in apparel and al behauiour they maye shewe an honestie And in as much as the Synnode hath thys respect chiefly how the darknes of errours heresyes that haue so many yeres ouerwhelmed the earth being dryuen awaie the light of the treuth maie shyne foorth al ther be warned chiefly the learned sorte that they consyder diligentlye with them selues by what waye thys maye best be brought to passe And that in geuyng theyr voyces they follow the decree of the coūsell Toletane that they do it modestlye not clamourouselye that they be not contentious nor obstinate but pronounce all thynges temperately and quietly there was an other sitting the fourth daie of February Wherin was nothyng done sauing that they confessed the articles of the fayth and a daie appointed for the third metynge the eyght of Aprill For they hearde of moe that were cōmyng and therfore thought good to tarye for them that the Authoritie of theyr decrees myght be somuche the more Whylest thys was donne at Trent Luther was sent for to go to the Erles of Mansfelde to set an agremente betwixt them which wer at controuersie for a piece of lande he had nouer accustomed to treate of suche affayres and had onlye applyed hys studye all the dayes of hys lyfe But because he was borne at Issebie which is a Towne of the Erles of Mansfelde he coulde not but take so muche payne for them and for hys countrye Before he came to Issebie whych was in the later end of Ianuarye he felte hym selfe skant well at ease Yet did he accomplysshe the thyng he came for and sometyme preached in the churche and receyued also the communion But the .xvii. daie of Februarie he waxed sore sicke in hys stomake he had with him three sonnes Iohn Martin Paulle and certen others of his frendes emonges them also Iustus Ionas the minister of the churche at Halles And thoughe he was weake yet did he bothe dyne suppe with the reste Whylest they sate at supper speaking of sōdry thinges he moued also this questiō among others whether that
addresseth hys letters by Hierome Franch whom he sent than backe to the Swysses vnto the Bisshoppes of Sedune and Chur and to certen Abbottes in those partyes Howe he hathe called all the prelates of Christendome to a generall counsell at Trent And it is reason that they which represente the Churche of the Swisses shoulde come thyther chieflye For the people of that nation are vnto hym more derely beloued than the rest for that they be as it were the peculiar children of the See Apostolicke and defendours of the Ecclesiastical liberties and to Trēt are commen alreadye verey manye Bisshopes oute of Italy Fraūce and Spayne and the nomber encreaseth daylye Wherefore it is not semely that those which dwell so farre of shoulde preuente them that are nere hande A greate parte of theyr people are infected with Heresyes and had so muche the more nede of a Counsell Wherefore let them nowe with dilygence recompence thys slackenes and get them thyther immedyatelye all delaye set a parte vnlesse they wyll incurre the penaltye by the Lawes prescribed and the cryme of neglectynge theyr dewtie and playne dysobedyence The reste shall hys Ambassadour tell them vnto whom he prayeth them to geue credyt The clergie and Uniuersitie of Collon followed theyr suite at Roome against theyr Archebysshop verey ernestlye Wherfore the Bisshop of Roome the .xvi. daye of Aprill for asmuche as forgettyng hys owne saluatyō he hath offended diuersesly agaynst the ecclesiastical rules doctrine agaynst the traditions of the Apostles rites ceremonyes of the christiane religion in the church accustomed cōtrary to the censure of Leo the tenth setfoorth against Luther and his fellowes he doeth excommunicate him out of the communion of the church depriueth him of his Archebishopricke al others his benefices priueleges dignities and commaundeth the people of hys iurysdiction in generall that frō henceforch they obey hym not he releaseth them also of theyr othe by the whyche they are bounden to hym and commaundeth hym to sylence and awardeth hym to pay to the contrary parte costes and dōmage With them of Collon ioyned the Byshops of Liege and of Utreiche and the Uniuersitie of Louain this sentēce was after imprinted at Roome in the moneth of August When Themperour came to Regenspurge and was infourmed of the whole matter by the presydentes of the conference he toke the going awaye of the Diuines in most euill parte and dispatching hys letters throughe out Germany complayneth greatly therof and exhorteth the princes moste ernestly to come themselues From the Protestantes came Ambassadours only but thyther came Duke Moris Ericke Duke of Brūswicke Iohn Albert of Brandenburge the Bishoppes of Trent Auspurge Bamberge Wirciburge Passawe Hildesseme Aboute th ende of Maye came also kyng Ferdinando The second daye of Iune the Protestāts goe to Themperoure and complayne of the murtheryng of Diazius and desyre that the murtherer may suffer accordyngly Themperour sayeth he wyll consulte wyth hys brother Ferdinando moued also maketh the lyke aunswer With the Protestantes then were the Ambassadours of the Paulsgraue of the Archebysshop of Collon of Mūster Norinberge Regenspurge and Norling The thirde daye after Themperoure calleth before him al the states and declareth the cause of callynge thys conuention and after he hath complayned muche of the absence of the Prynces he fyndeth hym selfe no lesse greued that the Collocutours were so sodaynely broken of and departed wherefore inasmuche as he coueteth greatlye that Relygion myght be set at some staye in Germany he desyreth theyr aduise and counsell what is further to be don herein moreouer how the iudgment of the chamber maye be refourmed he vnburthened of the charges therof Fynally he sheweth them howe for the relyfe and quyet of Germany he hathe throughe the meanes of the Frenche Kynge taken trewes with the Turke for one yere but seeyng the trewes commeth oute at October nexte as his brother king Ferdinando telleth him is broken also already and he knoweth not what wylbe the ende therof he supposeth that they shal be fayne whan tyme requyreth to geue hym that ayde whych heretofore they promysed and he wyll for the defence of th empyre mynister all the helpe and counsell he is able The Princes Electours were wonte to consulte and conferre together But at thys tyme the Ambassadours of Mentz and Treuerse forsake the Ambassadours of Collon Palatyne Saxon Brandenburge reuolt to the Catholickes and after conference had with thē they approue the counsell of Trente and exhorte Themperoure that he wolde maynteyne the same and perswade the Protestantes that bothe they wolde goe thither and also submytte them selues vnto the decrees and iudgement of the Synode But the Protestantes desyre Themperoure that he wolde establyshe a fyrme peace and vpryghte iustyce that he wolde referre the cause of Religion to a laweful counsell of Germany or assemblie of th empyre or to the conference of learned men to be had vpon certen condycions and shew how the counsell of Trente is not the same that hathe ben promysed by the decrees of Th empyre Whylest they consulted aboute these matters behold it was bruted a brode that Themperoure Kynge Ferdinando and the Bysshoppe of Roome made greate preparatyon for warres For insomuche as Themperoure had peace with Fraunce and trewes with the Turke for thys yere the oportunytye of tyme semed fytte to work they re feate in Certen Bysshoppes and Themperours Confessoure with whom the Bysshop of Roome had practysed were thought amonges others to haue been a greate occasyon hereof Wherefore whan Themperoure was fullye resolued to haue warre the .ix. daye of Iune he sendeth the Cardynall of Trente in greate poste haste to Roome in message to the Bisshop to procure the ayde promysed two dayes after he dispatcheth awaye Captaynes and chieftaynes with money to goe leuie men incontinentlye He had before commaunded Marimilian the Erle of Bure to bring him out of the low countries al the force he could get bothe of horsemen and fotemen he commaūdeth also Marques Albert and Marques Iohn of Brandenburge Wulfangus the master of the order in Germany to gether bandes of horsemen And those two though they were of the Protestantes religion and Marques Iohn also in league with them yet for asmuche as themperoure sayde howe he attempted that warre not for religion but agaynst certen rebelles they promysed hym their seruice And Marques Iohn had maried the Duke of Brūswickes daughter that was prisoner with the Lantzgraue The Ambassadours of the Protestātes being troubled to heare of these matters and taking care for the cōmon daunger of Germany desyre the other states of thempire that they wold goe with thē to themperoure to intreate that he wold haue no warre but that was in vaine especially the ambassadours of Mentz Treuers vtterly refused them The Lantzgraue who had good espialles euery where sēdyng oft his letters to Regēspurge aduertised them what
man be admitted to the office of reading but of whose learning maners and lyfe the Bishop or Abbot be certayne of And because the preachyng of the Gospel is nothyng lesse necessarye than the readyng it selfe the Bisshops and al other prelates of the churche are commaunded to instructe the people or yf they haue any lawful impedimēt to substitute others that shall Moreouer the headpristes pastoures of the people are charged at the lest euery sondaye to declare vnto men those thinges that are necessary for saluation and that they exhort them vnto vertu and feare them from vice and syn And a penaltie appoynted for such as neglect their dutye The Bisshops also are admonished to note dilligentlye what thinges are taught and incase heresies or absurde opinions be sowen abrode to vse the remedie by the lawes prescribed After are decrees made of originall synne and saye that the whole spot thereof is taken awaye through baptisme And that there remayueth in dede in them that be baptised a motion to synne or concupiscence And albeit Paul sometyme calleth it synne yet is it not done because it is synne in dede and properly so but because it inclineth to sinne But the Uirgin Marye is not comprysed in thys decree and that is to be obserued which in tyme paste was ordeyned by Bysshop Sirtus the fourthe of that name Than is the nexte daie limited to sit in the .xxix. of Iune Now did this Sixtus the fourth make a decre wherin he did excommunicate them as heretickes whyche teache that the Uirgyn Mary was conceaued in oryginall synne and that the daye consecrated by the churche of Roome in the memoryall of her conceptyon oughte not to be kept holy Thys decre is written in that part of the Byshops law that is called extrauagātes In this foresayd counsell sitting Peter Danese ambassadour to the French king made an oration and speakynge many thynges of the desertes and godly zeale of the kinges of Fraunce towardes the Churche of Roome begynnynge from kynge Clodowey declareth howe kinge Fraunces descendinge of the same progenitours is in no kynde of dewtye inferyour to them who was lynked with Leo the tenth in a continuall bonde of amytie and likewyse with Adrian Clement and now with Paull the third whyche in all this tempestuous storme of Religion hathe ben well ware that no alteration hath ben within hys dominions for that he wold haue the whole iudgement of the matter to be referred to the church for albeit he be of hys owne nature moste mercifull yet hathe he put them to most greuous tormentes which by a certen priuate rashenes haue assayed to diminyshe the state of the church through the which dillygence and seueritie he hath this obteined that he deliuereth now vnto them all Fraunce in peasable wyse For in it is no new nor straūge doctryne which is not of auncient custome and olde discipline confyrmed And where he hathe alwayes thought it profytable for the publycke weale that in the church there shuld be one namely the bisshop of Roome as the successour of Peter vnto whom all others as to the head myght referre all theyr doynges he hath ben euermore carefull that thys magistrate myghte styll kepe the supremacye and albeit he hath often times with large offers ben moued to the contrary and to followe thexample that an other hathe shewed before hys eyes yet coulde he neuer bee remoued from hys pourpos and of late whan the counsell was called that he hearde howe certen fathers were there assembled forthewhich he commaunded certen of hys cheife Bisshops to repayre thyther whan after a few decrees were made brought into Fraunce he appointed hym and his fellowes to come and declare hys lykyng opinion touchyng the same Therfore his fyrst request is that they wold ones establishe in generall what thyng in relygion is to be followed and beleued And agayne that for thecclesiasticall persons they wolde prescribe a moste sharpe disciplyne of lyfe maners What so euer they shal decree let thē put no doubte but that through hys commaundement it shall be obserued in all Fraunce Moreouer for as muche as the kynges of Fraunce haue done very muche for the churche of Roome that they wolde not suffer any thyng to be dimisshed or altered the possession wherof the kynges of Fraunce haue had euer synce Lewis surnamed Pius the sonne of great Charles Finally that of all the Frenche Churches whereof he hathe the patronage left hym of hys elders they wolde confyrme all ryghtes priueleges and lybertyes With the letters before mentioned and with further credite also came Lazarus Schuendius to Strasburge the .xxiiii. daie of Iune when he had by the waye spoken with the rest of the cytyes But the Senate sendyng hym awaye not long after wrote vnto thēperoure and for that they made no directe aunswer to Lazarus they saye it was for the straungenes and difficultie of the thing which did not concerne thē only but others in lyke case Nowe where he saieth that he beareth such a loue to Germany they geue hym great thākes and besecheth hym to perseuer in the same and suffer not hym selfe to be styrred vp to ciuyll warre where he complayneth moreouer of certen that doe not theyr de wtie neither shew theyr dew obedience they were sory to heare it yet they trust that there be none of theyr Religion culpable in so greate a crime For the fault hath not ben in vs saye they that relygion hath not ben accorded For you knowe ryght wel noble Emperoure howe willinge and confyrmable we haue been to haue a recontilemente bothe fyue yeres paste at Regenspurge and also synce and before at all tymes where certen others through thaduise and perswasion of the Bishop haue refused the same and referred althinges to Roome But the Bisshop intendeth through violēce and power to reteyne styll those greate errours for the whyche arrose all thys dissentiō in the church doeth so handle the matter in al thinges that we maye not cōmit the cause vnto his iudgment wherby it may wel be perceyued that we susteyne wrong yf any man shulde lay the blame in vs that thys controuersye is not appeased And where it is obiected vnto them that they shulde seke to plucke the church goodes in to theyr owne handes vnder the pretence of relygion it is vnfrendly sayde For you haue heard and knowen Cesar why oure fellowes coulde suffer no longer that monkishe lyfe in theyr dominions which was growen so farre out of order and howe they haue conuerted the same to better vses as fyndyng of Scooles and releuing of the poore Where agayne it is well knowne howe men of the contrary relygiō heape vp the churche goodes and abuse them to all voluptuousnes yet nothyng spokē of furthermore you your selfe haue made decrees bothe at Regenspurg and lately at Spier how for a common quiet those goodes oughte to be vsed Nowe incase there
there be commaunded to remain till thei receiue further aduertisemēt The same was thought to be done for this intēt that through their meanes the Byshop might be wholy inclined to the kynges frendship and if he should fortune to dye for he was already foure score yeare olde an other myght be chosen that fauoured the kyng of Fraunce Howbeit some saide this was wrought thorowe the policie of the Conestable to get them out of the way that he might rule the king alone for they all in a maner wold be at the kinges heles whethersoeuer he went The Byshop had a litle before sent his legate into Fraunce Hierome Romane with a moste large commission to graūt many thynges whiche are forbidden also by the lawes and decrees of the counsell He created also Cardinall at the same tyme Charles of Guise the sonne of Duke Claudie Archebyshop of Rains in whom he knew the kyng delighted much Again the Frēche king to purchase further amitie offreth in mariage his bastarde doughter about .ix. yeres of age to Orace Farnese the Bishops granchilde by his sonne The Emperour remouing from Hale cometh to Bamberge that being so nere he might be a greater terrour to the Bohemers and a strengthe vnto his brother Whilest he was here the third daye of Iuly he calleth an assemblie of the Empire and cōmaundeth that all mete at Auspurg the first day of Septembre the Princes them selues in persone the residues Ambassadours with full authoritie And saieth he was letted by the warres that he helde not a cōuention at the kalendes of February last past as he had determined at Regenspurge But now that he hath the authours of trouble in his custody he would no longer differ but that the corrupt members of the commō wealth may be healed And the consultaciō shal be of suche matters as should haue bene treated vpon at Wormes and a yeare synce at Regenspurge This conuention should haue bene at Ulme but for the infectiō of the plage the place was chaunged as before is also mentioned After from Bamberge he goeth to Norinberge As he there was he receiueth into fauour certen cities of Saxony and the .xvi. daye of Iuly he publisheth a wryting wherin he declareth what hath bene done with the Lantgraue and vpon what conditions he hath pardoned him And because that he is carefull leste that many should haply through ignoraunce worke violence to his landes and subiectes therfore at his request doth he straightly charge and commaunde all men to absteyne and if they haue any matter against him to trie it by the lawe In this self same tyme Duke Maurice sendeth for Melanchthon Pomerane Cruciger diuines of Wittemberge and receiueth them ryght gently at Lipsia and speaking muche of his zeale towardes religion committeth vnto them the order both of the church and Scoole also requiring them to procede after their wonted maner he appointeth them stipendes as they them selues wryte sendeth thē away not without great rewardes For Pomerane in a litle boke that he set forth after commendeth highly his liberalitie and gentlenes The Frenche kyng that succeded his father at the kalendys of Aprill the .xxv. day of Iuly cometh to Rains to be crowned And being receiued before the cathedral churche with thr 〈…〉 Cardinalles he is led to the hyghe aultar and after he had kissed there the relickes of saintes enclosed in gold said his prayers he goeth to supper After supper retourning and making his prayers againe whan he had confessed his synnes to a priest he departeth and goeth to bedde The next day he sendeth certe◠of the nobilitie to intreate the Abbot of saint Remige that he would bring the boxe of holy oyle whiche they say came down from heauen After resorte to the churche those that are called the Douzeperes of Fraunce which are twelue in nomber The Byshop of Rains Landune Langres Beauuois Noion and Challon Than the kyng of Nauarre the Dukes of Uandome Guise Niuerne Mompenser and Anmalle These represented the Dukes of Burgundie Normandie and Guienne moreouer the Erles of Tolouse Flaunders and Champaine Of the Byshoppes were chosen two Langres and Beauuois also two Cardinalles to go fetche the kyng to the churche Whan they came into his chamber after certen prayers sayde they lift vp the kyng liyng on his bedde as the ceremony is and accompanied with a multitude of priestes leade him to the church and the Conestable beareth before him the sworde drawen The king what tyme he had prayed before the aultar was led by the Byshoppes to his seate And in the meane whyle tyl that boxe cometh the Archebyshop of Rains After he had finished the prayers conteyned in the boke of ceremonies sprinkleth with holy water the kyng and all the reste And whan worde was brought that the boxe was coming whiche in the absence of the Abbot the Prior of the monkes brought sitting vpon a white hambling palfrey and accompanied with the Monkes of hys order and the Noble mē that the king had sent for it as before is sayd the Archebyshop with the other byshops goeth to mete him at the churche dore with the crosse borne before him ther receiued of him the boxe deliuering hym a gage to restore it againe And whan he came agayn to the aultar the king rysing out of his seate doeth him reuerence After the Archebyshop goeth into the reuestrie and there being solemnely decked in his pontificalibus cometh forth and taketh his othe and fidelitie of him by the whiche after an auncient custome kynges are bounde to the churche Than is the king led to the aultar by two Byshops There putting on other garmētes he kneleth downe and is girded with a sworde which he as thei terme it hath consecrated with many prayers After this the Archebyshop prepareth the oyle in a redines whylest the other priests synge their seruice prayeth softly with the kyng lying both grusselyng on the groūd Than he annointeth the kinges head breste and both shoulders and the elbowes of either arme in saying that accustomed prayers That done the kyng hath put on him new garmentes like a minister of the church and is annointed in the palmes of his handes After he layeth both his handes on his breste and putteth on hallowed gloues as they call them But the Archebishop putteth a rynge vpon his fynger and deliuereth him the Sceptre in his ryght hande And in the selfe same moment the Chauncelour calleth forth the Douzeperes In their presence the Archebyshop taketh frō the aultar the crown of Charles the great and whan the Peres haue touched it setteth it on the kinges head and bringeth the king into a roiall throne whiche is made in an higher place the whole company of Nobles followyng And there hauing ended his prayers kisseth him Likewyse do the Peres and Nobles making a great shoute and acclamation pray all God saue the kyng and to reioyce mens hartes the Trompettes blowe After is gold
the byshops in maner beare no authoritie And in this dissolute oultrage and coÌ„fusion of things innumerable thousandes are in daunger of their saluation Briefly through this same pestilent euill is infected corrupted whatsoeuer before was clere the states of thempire plucked a sonder do obserue no frendship amoÌ„ges them selues In these so many and great euils their only refuge is to the Apostolicall churche Wherfore they hartely pray him euen for the wealth of Germany that he would restore the counsell Whiche if he would there is nothing but he myght loke for at their haÌ„des But if not they caÌ„not see from whence they should seke remedy For stormes and tempestes arrise on euery syde whiche all to repulse God hath ordained the holy churche of Rome as a certen bulwarke and rocke moste strong Let him haue therfore a consideration of their requestes and thinke no lesse but it may be except he prouide for the contrary that some other meanes and deuises may be founde to dispatche this matter For the rest they pray him to take these thinges in good parte For their duty and state of tyme compelleth them so to wryte In these dayes also the Englyshmen vanquish the Scottes in a maigne battell and slewe of theÌ„ many thousandes at the conduict of the Duke of Somerset the kinges vncle The cause of the warre was the same that was before during the lyfe of kyng Henry that is to witte for that the Scottes would not geue their Quene to wyfe vnto king Edward as their promise was After this victory the Englishe nation wan a great part of Scotlande and enlarged their limites farre Concerninge the Emperours demaundes all men were not of one opinion For the Electours that were of the clergie do vrge the counsell of Trent without conditioÌ„ But the Ambassadours of the Paulsgraue Duke Maurice and Marques of Brandenburg refused not the same sobeit it were fre and Godly wherin the Byshop should not be iudge and should release other Byshops of their othe and that their diuines also might haue licence to reason and the decrees already made be retracted But all other Princes and states were desirous that the counsell might be continued that the Protestauntes going thether by saufeconduict may be heard constrained to obey the decrees of the counsell Themperour hearing al their mindes the .xviii. day of Octob. answereth desireth them al to submit them selues to the couÌ„sell and treateth with the Paulsgraue and Duke Maurice seuerally that they shuld geue their assent And the Paulsgraue in dede was put in feare vnlesse he consented by reason of the late offence in the yeare before where as that sore was not throughly healed Duke Maurice again which both coueted that the Lantgraue his father in lawe shuld be deliuered And was also muche auaunced of late by the Emperour sawe wel he must nedes do some thing Wherfore whaÌ„ themperour had by messengers seÌ„t betwixt promised largely of his good wil towards theÌ„ and desired instauntly that they would committe the thing to his fidelitie they at the last the .xxiiii. day of October consente therto The rest were only cities whiche sawe what a daungerous matter it were to submitte them selues to the decrees of the couÌ„sell without exception With them did Granuellan and Hasie intreate longe and muche And the meane whyle it was bruted throughout the citie howe they were franticke and out of their wyttes that refused the thyng whiche all the Princes had than approued There were heard moreouer threatnynges that they should be scourged worse than they were of late In fine a meane was founde that both the Emperour was satisfied and they also assured For being called before the Emperour They saye it is not their parte to correcte the aunswers of Princes and delyuer hym with all a wryting wherin they testifie vpon what conditions they doe admitte the counsell The Emperour hearynge their tale aunswereth them by Seldie howe he is verey glad and ioyfull that after the example of others they referre the matter vnto hym and geue their coÌ„sent with the reste So did he attribute more vnto them than they desyred For they did not assente to the reside we but to auoyde displeasure they woulde finde no faulte with the sentence of the Princes And yet leste any thyng should be preiudiciall to them hereafter they declared by wryting in what sort they lyked the counsell that in tyme to come myght remayne a testimony of their myndes This was about the ende of October And the same tyme came thyther Kyng Ferdinando and after also the Electour of Brandenburge The Emperour therfore immediatly in the beginnyng of Nouember sent the Cardinall of Trente to Rome in poste to moue the Byshop to call agayne the Synode to Trente In the moneth of Nouember Christine wyfe to the Lantgraue his sonnes and certen choise counsellours in their letters wrytten to all the Princes and States of the Empyre declare by what meanes he was taken at Hale commyng thyther vnder saufe conduite And in as muche as all the condicions by the Emperour prescribed that could or ought to be perfourmed are accomplished the monie payd the Duke of Brunswick his son set at libertie al the letters of the confederates exhibited the oth of the nobilitie assurasice of the suerties made al his munition deliuered his fortes rased Moreouer in as much as thei are ready neither refuse thei to be pledges theÌ„selues vntil such time as the rest be fulfilled also they can not wout the gret grief vexatioÌ„ of mind se him in this miserable case For before he went to Hale he was in no suche case but that he might haue kept his castelles an honest tyme against the force of the ennemy And that also can the Emperours commissioners whiche sawe the thinges afterwarde testife But for the compassion he had of the people chose peace before war Wherfore they moste hartely praye them to intreate the Emperour in his behalfe and fynde the meanes that being shortly restored to libertie he may retourne home For in case he should be longer dâ—teined it would be doubtles to the vtter decaye of his health And to haue the better successe in their sute the Lantgraues wyfe came her selfe to Auspurg And both her selfe and also by Duke Maurice and the Electour of Brandenburg solliciteth the Princes to sue for him Whiche thing knowen the Emperour before intercession was made the .xxv. day of NoueÌ„ber declareth to the states that he heareth what report is made vnto theÌ„ And in as much as the talke of men is diuerse he wil declare vnto them the plain truthe of the matter so reciteth from the beginning how ofte and by whome the Lantgraue had bene sued for And howe he aunswered theÌ„ al that he shuld yelde and submitte himself without condicion rase his castels and deliuer his munition and than he tolde Duke Maurice and the Marques of Brandenburg that he should
For albeit that al papistry in a maner was therin established yet for asmuch as certē things wer permitted to the contrary part they thought it first expediēt to make the bishop priuy Who after openet 〈…〉 themperor by cardinal Stoudrate these notes or any inaduersiōs That a priest which hath takē ordres shuld mary execute stil y◠holy ministry was neuer hard of that the vse of receiuing the Lords supper vnder both kinds is abrogated nether hath any māautority to permit that liberty sauing the bishop of Rome the sinode that the folowers of the old religiō are not to be boūdē vnto these doctrins but if any Lutheranes wil forsake their opinions thei are not to be refused That of the .ii. masses ought only to be vnderstād of the Lutheranes that the singing of Psalmes ought to be restored in al places that on holy daies they must celebrate the memoriall of the patrone of the church that suche as are priestes already or hereafter shal be muste abstayne frō Mariage that a spedy restitution of the church goodes and iurisdictiō must be made For the Robbery is manifest nether must they folow herein thordinary proces of the law but determin of y◠thing that is euidēt execute the matter by regal power Whē this cēsure was inferred tharchbishops of Mētz Treuers Collen vnto whō it was deliuered answer thēperor directly after the same sort especially vrge restitutiō declaring the same to be right necessary if christē religiō shuld be maintained in places wher it is abolished shuld again be restored Moreouer the cōmon peace cā not otherwise be established wherfore it is chiefli to be prouided that religious houses be wholy restored And in as much as the spoil extortiō is manifest they must go spedeli to work that gods seruice may withal spede be recouered Finally they desire him to take these things in good part with his protectiō to defēd the mēbers of the church The .iii. other electors wer not of the same opiniō especially the Paulsgraue Duke Moris yet ether of thē had causes why they shuld not gainsai themperor The rest of the princes whiche wer for the most part bishops answer in like maner as did the iii. Archbishops As for the cities ther was no great accompt made of thē Themperour therfore at the Ides of Maye calleth all the States before him And in the preface speaking of his zeale towardes Germany saieth we perceiue by manifest arguments by the thing it self the neither the peace can be established nor law iustice ministred vnlesse the cōtrouersie of religiō the first appeased which hath now many peares sturred vp thempire muche grudge dyssention hatred discorde ciuile warres This hath bene verely the cause why by many cōuētions cōferēces we haue often sought a remedy But in the meane time not only in Germany but also into other natiōs and people of Christēdome hath this same cōtageous infection pearsed in so much that ther appereth no more present remedy than a general coūsel which at the lēgth at your request we procured to be holdē at Trēt and moued you also at the beginning of this conuentiō to submit your selues to thauthoritie of y◠same And that y◠charge might be cōmitted vnto vs in the meane seasō to deuise some godly meanes wherby they might liue quietly the meane while in Germany which cōtētatiō and cōfydēce of youres was vnto vs both thā now also right acceptable What time therfore we gaue our selues wholy vnto this carefulnes demaūded your opinions we than perceiued not without the great grief of our mynde that the disagrement in religion was thoccasion of all the former euils And vnlesse it be foresene hereafter wylbe Wherefore we thought it not good to leaue the matter in that troublesome state vntyll the decree of the counsell but that it oughte to be broughte to some moderation especially sith that oftentimes new sectes did arise Whilest we were pōdering these things certain of high degre nobility desirous of peace louers of the cōmon weale exhibite to vs in wryting theyr opiniō cōcerning religiō promise due obeisāce We than receiuing y◠wryting deliuered the same to certaine good learned deuines that they shuld among thē selues consider al things diligētly which after they had perused it made report that y◠same being wel vnderstand did not impugne the catholike religion and doctrine nor the lawes and cōstitutions of the church two opinions only excepted wherof th one is of the mariage of priestes thother of the Lordes supper but said it was wel deuised to establish the concord of Germany which thing dousles vnto vs shuld be most of all acceptable for what more ioyful thing could happē thē to se al states in mindes agreable follow one the same forme of Religion And seing it is euē so we require such as haue obserued hitherto the lawes custome of the catholike church to their great cōmendation that they perseuer in the same alter nothing as they haue promised vs heretofore And those also which haue chaūged their religiō we desire most earnestly to passe with thother states professe the same religion that they do or els to cōfyrme their doctrine after the order of this boke in euery poynt to follow the steps hereof besides that to ordaine nothing but to stay within these boundes limites and neither by wryting nor preaching to attempt any thing to the contrary but obediētly to attēd the decre of a general coūcel that the same may be had as shortly as is possible we wil indeuor with al diligēce now ar occupied in this thing wholy how to cōceaue a forme for the reformatiō of the clergie Whā he had spokē thus by his secretary as is accustomed he cōmaūded the boke to be red Ther tharch bishop of mētz which occupieth the chiefest place amōg thelectors not seking what thopiniō of stats shold be ariseth vp as it wer in the name of al the rest geueth vnto thēperor for so much trauel pain care diligēce loue of y◠coūtrey imortal thāks in asmuch as thei haue already cōmitted the thing to his fidelitie now paines hath bē takē therin he saith it is reason that they should with most willing minds acknowledg thesame obey the decre This thāks geuing did thēperor take for a cōmon assent cōfirmatiō after wold admit none excuse as I shall herafter declare cōmaundeth the boke to be set forth in print both in latin duch also The iiii day after he declareth to the stats with how much labor cost he hath restored peace vn to Germany because the thing it self requireth that it be also prouided for in time to come he supposeth it veri mete necessari some great treasure of money beleuied and in certeine places be kept the common treasurie that if it fortune at
he shall prescribe that will he be ready to accomplishe But he preuailed nothing for all these praiers was oftētimes by his kepers which were Spaniardes remoued frō place to place first from Donauerde to Norling Than to Hailbrune after to Hale in Sweuia Whilest the Emperoure attempteth these thinges in Germany the Masse is abrogated in Englande by acte of Parlaiment And not longe after was apprehended Stephen Bishop of Winchester who contended that the lawes whiche were made in the kinges noonage were of none effect He was commaūded the yere before to kepe his own house and not to come abrode but being newlye enlarged whan he was thoughte to haue thaimged his opinion he made a Sermon before the king and his counsell in the which whan he had declared his minde he was committed to warde The Emperoure the. xiiii day of Iune commaundeth to be red vnto the Cleargy the fourme of reformation as they call it In the which were contained these Chapiters following of ordeininge of the offices of the ecclesiasticall state of Monasteries of scholes of hospital houses of the ministration of Gods word of the ministration of the Sacramentes of the Ceremonies of the Masse of the Ceremonies of the Churche of the discipline of the Cleargye and laietie of the Pluralitie of benefices of visitations of Saintes of excommunication And amonges other thinges are these setfor the chiefly that such as come to take holy orders be diligentlye examined of their belief of maners and learning but especiallye of heresies spread abrode chiefly in this time and whether they beleue the same that the catholicke apostolicke and Church of Rome doth beleue The inquisition of manners is commaunded to be made as s Paule prescribeth in the thirde chapter of the firste Epistle to Timothe but that same which Paule amonges other thinges admonisheth that the minister of the Church shoulde be the husbande of one wife which could well gouerne his house and had obediēt and faithfull children is cleane omitted That no man be admitted to the office of a Bishop except he be first Priest or promise to receiue the reast of the orders so shortly as is possible That Bishops take cure of their shepe and fede them with doctrine and with the sacramentes That they also visite ofte their Churches and ouersee that other Ministers do theyr dutye that the wolues do not wortye the flocke That the monasticall life be instituted againe in places where it is left That in scholes be nothing taughte excepte it be agreable to the Catholike Church That the Sacramentes and Ceremonies of the Churche be ministred in the Latin tounge least if the people vnderstand them they should come in contempte That the Canon of the Masse remaine whole and be spoken softlye to the intente those tremblable misteries maye retaine theyr aunciēt dignitye That in accustomed Ceremonies nothinge be aultered that Salte Water Hearbes the Paschall Lambe newe frutes also Temples Churches Chappels Chalices Aultares Coopes Uestmentes and Uessels belonginge to the Churche be hallowed throughe Prayer againste the deceites of the Deuill and inchantmentes That Tapers shall burne in the Churche and Incense be sacrificed Moreouer that supplications be made at the Churches dedicated to Sainctes let the Cleargye liue temperatelye and sobrely and eschue whoredome let them put awaye their Concubines or els be punished That the ciuile Magistrate shall assiste the Byshoppes that a reformation be made of manners and Discipline And that the Ecclesiasticall liberties may be wholye mainteined let the Saintes in euerye diocesse be put in vre againe and kepte twise euerye yeare wherein shall inquisition be made of euerye mannes manners and vices suche as may not otherwise be reformed shall be excommunicated let al men flee theyr speach and companye and not to be receiued againe into the Communion before they humbly desire forgeuenesse and promesse amendment This reformation being red the day before saide the Bishoppes after a little deliberation do confirme and saye that shortlye after they be come home they will kepe Saines howe be it in diuers thinges they desire that the Bishoppe of Rome maye be moued to geue his assente This boke also was after put forthe in Printe I shewed you before of the Ambassadoures of the Cities howe they signified the matter home but whereas they of Strausburge whiche were the chiefest of them were longe or euer they aunswered The Emperoure calleth vppon them by Granuellan who the .xxviii. day of Iune sendeth for the ambassadoures whereof Iames Sturmie was the principall and there by Henry Hasy which was interpretoure saieth howe they knowe in what sorte the states requested the Emperoure and put him in truste to deuise some meane which mighte be obserued till the Counsell whiche thinge he hathe done accordinglye and hathe caused learned men to compile a Booke which al the Princes a fewe excepted and the chiefest Cities haue approued And wheras they and certaine others intreated themperoure that they might aduertise theyr Senate at home he graūted them and hathe loked euer sence for an aunswere And that he hath heard nothinge hitherto he is somewhat offended and therefore hathe commaunded him to knowe what theyr meaning is They whan they had declared the cause of their longe scilence exhibite letters addressed to the Emperoure from the Senate Howe they wished for nothing more than that they might gratify him in all thinges but they and theyr Citezens were perswaded that in case they should throughly admit this decre they shuld bothe hurt their owne conscience also osfēd God most greuously seing he of his wisedome can consider how terrible a thing that were they desire him for Christes sake that in so waightye a matter whiche concerneth not landes or goodes but the saluation of their soules and life euerlasting he would haue some consideration of thē and as he hathe done to others of the contrary parte so he woulde permit also that they mighte vse the Religion confessed at Auspurge vntill the decree of the generall counsel as ofte times in assembles hathe bene determined and not compell them to professe otherwise with their mouth than theyr heart thincketh and they wil againe foresee that in their City be nothing done vnreuerently or against Religion and that euill opinions take no place And that no cause of complaint be geuen to their neighboures Whan Granuellā had heard these letters he saieth how the Emperour hath had alwais a good opinion of their Citie and for as muche as all for the moste parte haue commended and ratified the decree made let them not thincke to be exempted For they are commaunded to admitte no suche kinde of aunswer therefore is this Supplication in vaiue wherefore let them aunswere plainely what the minde of the Senate is Hereunto they saye where the matter was committed to the Emperoure that did they and the other ambassadours vnderstand euermore of Politike matters and not of Religion for that they supposed it
to be alwaies referred to the counsell that there both partes being heard the determination might be made but in this boke are determined in a manner all articles of religion whithe if they should now admit without any due examination before had or the learned men of their part heard speake than should they be no longer in controuersy neither neade they the authority of the counsell and wher diuers Princes and states haue allowed the decree made it is no maruel for the same is for their commoditye for those haue al things permitted them safe and whole but they haue a fourme of religion prescribed them and are commaunded to forsake those opinions which haue bene euer in controuersy the matter neuer heard where notwithstanding in all assemblies that whole cause hathe bene referred to a generall counsell For certainlye to compel any man that he should do any thing against his conscience is a heauy matter yea though he be in errour before it be detected They suppose that ther be many good men on both parties which yet notwithstanding may differ in opinion and iudgement against whom no force is to be vsed but the matter to be decided by reason truthe and argumentes Wherefore consideringe that in all other thinges whiche do not concerne Religion they commit vnto the Emperoure whatsoeuer they haue they desire him that he woulde preferre vnto him this one suite of the Senate They know howe greate the Emperoures power is and what daunger they take vp on them in case he will attempt to try the matter by force wherefore vnlesse they were parswaded that God woulde be greuouslye offended with the confirmation of this decree it were starke madnes if they should not obey him herein There Granuellan whan he had repeted their former sayinges affirmeth how they at what time they were reconciled to the Emperoure promised to obserue such thinges as he should enacte for the wealth of the Empire of the which sort is this decre made by the aduise of learned men and by the moste parte approued therefore maye it not be refused forso muche as it agreeth and consenteth with the Churche and wyll they take so much vppon them that they should thincke to se more than the whole Church doeth And shoulde make a departure from the reast They ought not to haue altered Religion but by the common consent of the whole world wherefore if they haue none other commission let them know of their Senate whether they wil obey or no Where they say how they vnderstode it only of Politike gouernement whan the cause was committed to the Emperoure it skilleth not how they vnderstode it but howe the moste part of the states toke the thing Againe they saye howe they and suche other like Ambassadours were estranged and excluded in manner from all consultation neither were they called to counsell thā what time this cause was referred to the Emperoure wherefore they did not otherwise take it than before is sayed yea and certain Princes also toke it after the same sort what time they made their peace wyth the Emperoure they toke vpon them no obseruaunce for that they feared least the same should in fine be applied vnto religion which thing is not vnknowen to his sonne the bishop of Arras who then also in the Emperoures name promised that the whole cause of religion shoulde be referred to a lawfull Counsell but wher he saieth how this decree must be receiued as a common act of the Empire they do refuse no burthen of the common wealth but this presente cause do the concerne theyr soules health and life euerlasting and againe the whole burthen of the decre should reast vpon the godly people for the other multitude whiche contempne religion careth nothing what be ordeined but no man oughte to be constrained to imbrace his faithe they put no doubte in the Emperoure but he loueth peace and concorde yet neuerthelesse if this waye be taken that men shall be compelled againste their conscience to speake and do it is muche to be feared leaste so sodaine an aulteration do raise vp greate commotions That boke was in dede compiled of certen learned men of whome some had the knowledge of the truthe for the same dothe well appeare but certaine others haue intermixed many thinges which are not consonante to the scriptures and doctrine of the fathers as it is to be proued if place were permitted to speake it They haue made no separation from others but in the chiefest articles do agree with the true Churche wherfore they desire him againe that the letters mighte be deliuered to the Emperoure to the intent they might so aduertise the Senate For other thing haue not they in commission to say Than began he to speake more angerly and vrged them with the decree and made a digression to other thinges and saide howe the nobles in Fraunce made theyr boaste that they of Strausburge would not admit the decre which thinge was reported to the Emperoure and raised some suspicion the conclusion was that he said how the Emperoure required a plaine and direct aunswere and that no man is in dede to be inforced vnto any faith but that is to be vnderstand of such as are no Christians for those that do denye the faithe whiche they once professed may be compelled to it by the fire Wherevnto the ambassadoures aunswere what brute the Frenchmen haue raised they know not but certaine they are that the Senate hath as yet made no decree nor anye thing els done than this same which they now do sollicite seing therefore they refuse to deliuer their letters to the Emperoure they will no further intreat them but make reporte to the Senate by fire may a man be taken out of this life but can not be compelled thereby to beleue otherwise and thus ended theyr talke They had treated with the Ambassadours of other cities seuerallye in sort much like and menaced them with threatninges and assigned a day by the which they shoulde make answere and commaunded to tarye till they had aunswere broughte them from home but no such thinge was prescribed to the Ambassadoures of Strausburge Touching the monye which the Emperoure required to be leuied for chaunces to come the states thoughe muche againste their willes approued and promised also kinge Fernando euery yeare duringe the truse an hondreth thousand crownes but they desire the Emperoure againe that he woulde take awaye hys Garrisons and discharge his Souldiours which were placed ouer all Germanye and did much hurt both in towne and country and releue the pore that complained much thereof especially since all thing is now quiet and peaceable The Emperoure saieth there be vrgent causes wherfore he can not at this time discharge his forces and concerning the hurt done there is none to his knowledge for seing he doth paye them it is aagainste reason and his will also that they shoulde do anye man wronge suche lyke thinge hathe bene reported to
to Constance And departing from Uberlinge parte of them passe through the woodes to the intent at the springe of the daye what time they knewe the people were in the Churche at the Sermone they might inuade the City part againe remained in the woodes lokinge for the oportunity of time And it fortuned that .iii. watchmen of the Towne hearing an noyse in the wode by as they went further to see what the matter was chaunced into theyr handes Whome the Spaniardes toke and manacing them with deathe if they made anye signe or token leade them awaye with them After they couche them selues in a pece of grounde by the lake side verye closelye yet were they espied and the watche men that then were in the Suburbes beyond the Rhine geue knowledge to their Captaine that there was some ambush laid He immediatly signifieth the same to the consul this was at .ii. a clocke after midnight The consul by and by calleth the Senate commaundeth al mē to arme them selues though no man knew what the matter was In the breake of the day the Spaniards by little and little do appere yet but fewe to know what nombre of watchmen there were Ther againe the captain of the watch signifieth to the consul that he prouide in time for whē ther is dāger at hand Wherfore that matter was debated about four of the clocke were sent oute of the Citye aboute two hondreth Citezens into the Suburbes After they were come forth and found in manner nothing they begin somewhat to slack but beholde whan it was nowe daye lighte the Spaniardes with theyr ordenaunce beate downe a timber walle that deuided theyr ditche in the middes and by the same ditch being than almost dry assaulte thicke and fiersly the watchmen of the towne straightway also those whiche we saied remained in the woodes shewed them selues in like case and by great force and violence breake open one of the gates but the Citezens fought most valeauntly and shoting of theyr ordenaunce slewe their Captaine Alphōse Uiues by and by at the first incountre But whan they were scarsely able to with stand the force of so great a multitude by little and little they retire and on the bridge ouer the Rhine they foughte a longe time and hardlye at the laste were receiued againe into the City and where the ennemies battered the gate sore They discharged at them the great pieces of the walles and from ouer the gates and slue many whome they by and by tomble of the bridge into the Rhine and whan they sawe how theyr laboure was in vaine they recule back into the Suburbes and set the Bridge ende on fire to the ende the Townes men shoulde make no salt out After whan they had fulfilled theyr filthy luste they gather on a heape the dead carcases of their felowes and burne them and the suburbes together that no man should vnderstand how many were slaine of the townes men were killed aboute an hondreth Whan the alarme was geuen at Constance as the manner is the Swisses that were neare neighboures came in theyr armure to healpe them but the gouernour of theyr Country who at that time was of Lucerna called them back vnder a greate penaltye for hatred he bare to Religion Howe the Ambassadoures of Strausburge reasoned the matter with Granuellan it is before declared at their retourne home after thassēble they report the whole matter to the Senate After deliberation the Senate wryting their letters to themperor in Frenche for that he most deliteth in that tong our ambassadours say they retourning lately frō the cōuentiō haue declared vnto vs what hath ben done And had sent vs the boke wrytten of religion lōg before Their desire was most puissant Emperor before they departed from Auspurge to haue exhibited to your highnes a supplicatiō in wryting but the same wold not Granuellan receiue for the which cause we wryte vnto you at this present And first certēly we desire nothing in the world more thē to gratify you in all things but touching the decre of religion thus it stādeth calling vnto vs the deuines of our city we haue perused it ouer righte diligentlye and albeit there be things in it which do not vtterly dissent frō the holy scriptures yet in as much as they are so written that in many things a furcher declaratiō is required it shuld be very hard for vs troublesome so to receiue thē For we are most throughly perswaded that our doctrine ceremonies are agreable vnto gods word nether cā we without gods displesure hurt of our conscience forsake or alter the same before it be duely examined our men also heard For this hath bene the custome since the beginning of the primitiue church that such doutful matters as are in cōtrouersy shuld alwaies be discussed by lawful coūsels This way also semed euermore best in al conuentious of the Empire that the whole matter shoulde be permitted to a Godlye Counsell Wherefore we beseche you of all loues and for the bloude of Christe that was shedde for vs that the decrees of thēpire may take place in this thinge that we may kepe this religion vntil the thing be determined by thautority of a lawful counsel For ther can no better way be foūd nor more profitable to establish peace or lōger to indure but in case you shal refuse this our request require of vs obedience herein we desire you moste earnestly that our deuines may first be hard to thintent they may declare in what places we do iudge the same decre to swarue from the holy scripture which if thei mai be permitted to do we trust assuredly that both you shal vnderstād thequity of our cause will mitigate the same decre Certenly we do nothing frowardly or obstinatly but that feare of God consideration of our souls helth moueth vs thus to intreat you For in al other thinges we shal so demene our selues that you may rightwel vnderstand in howe greate estimation we haue your most excellent maiesty with these letters with further cōmissiō was Lewes Grempie a ciuilian sent to themperour But he maketh him such like answer as he doth to others saith there can be none other thing determined nether is now time to stād in questiō that in the coūsel they shal be hard sufficiētly Wherfore he geueth cōmaundement that within a month they shew plainly their mindes After the way before mentioned toke no place themperor in letters published doth outlaw them of Constance Ther began much busines in the city for the remembrance of the late daunger and thexpectation of the misery to come troubled thē excedingly especially sith ther appered no mans helpe nor succour Ther were diuers also of the citizens which with their leud talcke did heape on all these matters the Senate therfore cōstrained through their oportunity intreateth certaine Princes and also the Swisses by letters to be meanes for them to
with their Bishop but that he propoundeth suche conditions as if they should admit they can not retayne those thinges whiche the decree lately made at Auspurge doeth permitte and graunt them For after muche debating we haue sayeth they declared vnto him how we shall geue commaundement to our citezens that they shall obserue the holy dayes and absteyne certen dayes from fleshe Moreouer we haue bene in hande with the Ministers of the church And certen of thē we suppose wil of their owne accorde leaue the office of preaching Wherfore it shal be lawfull free for hym for all vs to establyshe Religion according to the order prescribed at Auspurge For we shal be no let vnto him and wil also commaunde our citezens to doe nothing to the contrary And seing it is thus we beseche you moste victorious Emperour that you would permitte vs ministers of the churche euē such as be maried amongest vs and put vs to no further extremitie especially considering that we wyll both shewe all moderation and geue none occasion of offence I shewed you before of them of Magdenburg how the Emperour had outlawed them And where they refused the decree of religion lately published the displeasure was augmented Where vpon the Emperour setteth forth against them new proclamations and maketh them a praye vnto all men and earnestly admonisheth the Princes and states that are their neighbours to make warre against them and to annoye them by all meanes possible It hath bene tolde you before howe the Emperour caused the preachers of Ulme to be apprehēded Thei were at the length in the seuenth moneth enlarged the third day of Marche set at libertie whā they had payd for their charges At this time that state of England waxed troublesome Edwarde Duke of Somerset that kings vncle Protectour of the Realme had a brother that was lord Admiral of whom he had cōceiued a suspiciō or at least was cōtent so to be perswaded as though he did aspire to that crown wold bring that king vnder his custody Wherfore he cōmaūdeth him to be apprehēded after examination had he was condēned to die that xx day of Marche was be He had maried Quene Catherine the laste wyfe to kyng Henry the eight and that same also increased the suspicion muche But the emulation and enuie of a woman was thought to haue bene the greatest occasion of this misauenture The Bishop of Strasburge agayne warneth the clergie to obeye the Emperours decree There is a churche of sainct Thomas the annual reuenewes wherof are by the cōsent of the Senate imployed vpon preachers and learned men whiche teache and bryng vp yougth With thē he traueled chiefly and desired to know with in what tyme they would obeye the Emperours decree and satisfie his expectation moreouer what mete men they had for this purpose and what ornamentes of the churche were yet remaining Thei take a time for a further deliberation Thomas Cranmer Archebyshop of Canturbury and primate of Englande a man of excellent learning was wholy geuē to further good learnyng and auaunce Godly religiō Who seing the state now of Germany and the daunger of learned men there sollicited with sondry letters Bucher chiefly and Paulus Fagius moste expert in the Hebrew tongue to come into England promising them all loue and frendship Wherfore by the consent and will of the Senate at the first of Aprill they take their iurney that they might there sowe the sede of pure doctrine Their comming was moste acceptable both to that kyng him self and in maner to the whole Nobilitie and people And what tyme they had staied a whyle with my Lorde of Canturbury they were both sent vnto Cambridge to be readers there The first day of Aprill Philippe of Austriche entreth into Brussels with a wonderfull pompe where his father that tyme was There were the Ambassadours of Duke Maurice and the Electours of Brandenburg sent to sollicite the suite vnto Prynce Philippe and the Cardinall of Trent who was a great frende to Duke Maurice And albeit they put the Lantgraue which was than at Audenarde in good hope yet was nothynge brought to passe And a lyttle whyle after whan the Lātgraue being sickely would haue eaten fleshe on a certen daye forbidden the Captaine that garded hym commyng in the way turneth vp the dishe botome and casteth the meat on the ground At this same tyme the Byshop of Strasburge in the eight yeare at the least taketh holy orders as thei terme it and saith Masse he calleth a conuocation of all his Clergie at Taberne and maketh Decrees commodious for theyr pourpose After thys he sendeth messengers to the Senate of Strasburge requiring them to reedifie the Aultars and to geue him libertie to appointe the Mynisters of the Churche That they woulde release the Clergie of their Othe restoore all their priuileges and rendre agayn the ornamentes of the churches But he commaundeth the Thomistes to aunswer directly whether they wyll obeye the Emperours decree or no They speaking first of the reuerence they beare to the Emperour after of their duties and vocation at large declare vnto hym what euery man teacheth and doeth that is to wytte diuines Phylosophers Logicians Rhetoricians and suche other lyke whiche are al not only profitable both for the Scole or youth but also necessary Than shewe they by whom they were admitted into the College by the consente of the Senate and after a long declaration they desyre hym very lowely and louingly that he woulde not disturbe this order so well establyshed nor wyll them to be occupied with thinges lesse nedefull Contrarywyse the Ambassadours alledge howe that College was not founded for suche exercises of Scolars neyther ought the olde order to be chaunged If there be any amongest them whiche finde themselues greued and can not obeye with a good conscience the Byshop surely is not he that wyl perswade them to do any thyng against their wylles but that it shal be lawfull for them to geue place and as the common saying is let them either drynke or departe For in case the Senate wyl haue professours of Artes learning within the citie it is reason that they fynde the same and beare their charges not of the abbey landes which were aunciently appointed to an other vse but of their common treasure The Byshop his predecessour haue nowe bene many yeares impeched in their iurisdictiō but this may no longer be suffered Thus whan they had much contended in wordes they departed without any thynge concluded And the Senate whan they knew therof make intercession to the Byshop and in their moste gentle letters desyre and praye hym that he would at the least haue some consideration of the yought who taketh great profit and rypenes of the wyt by the same Schole Thus was the matter by letters and messengers sent betwyxt long and muche debated tyll at the laste it was taken vp by arbitrement as
appertaining to faith and religion if they haue to suffer as those that are returned to their vomit he that being not conuicted but vehemently suspected of heresy shal be condēned ether tabiure or to do open penance if the same man shal be after accused of heresye he shal suffer as one that is reuolted Unto such as be spotted with heresy and stained with like crimes shal be geuen none honor nor dignity nether shall they beare anye office in the common wealth Unlesse a man bring with him a testimoniall from the Curate of the Church where he dwelt last let him not be suffered to haue any habitation or dwelling For suche ought to be had for suspected That the gouernors of peace and all other oure Clients euery man in his prouince inquire diligently for such as shall breake this law and that they assist the inquisitoures and ecclesiasticall iudges so that those whiche be founde culpable maye suffer according to che fourme prescribed excepte they so do they shall suffer for it at oure pleasure Let the common Proctoure also know whether they do their duetie and if they shal be found negligent let him commaund them to come to iudgement and if it shall appeare that they haue offended let them either be depriued of theyr office or otherwise punished as shal be thought expedient Besides this let all Bishops Archdeacons and Abbots with such other like Prelates search with all diligence if any of the Cleargy be infect with this disease and punishe it extremely They that know any man defiled with this Pestilence or in what places the Heretickes lurcke and frequent let them presente them immediatly vnlesse they do so to suffer the same punishment that the others should The promotour if the accusation be not false shal haue the one half of his goodes Which goodes in dede shall not exceade the summe of vi C. crownes For whatsoeuer shal be aboue this sōme the tenth part therof shal be alotted vnto him He that shal detect to thinquisitour priuy conticles although he were of theyr Counsell shall not be punished so that he thinke well of Religion and from henceforth refraine theyr company but he that shall present them being not of their followship shal be rewarded as before is said let the punishments that we haue appoynted be so executed accordingly nether shall it lie in any mans power to alter or mitigate the same which we perceiue is oftentimes done for the iudges that offende herein shal not escape vnpunished They that being accused of heresy and cited to appere haue fled and haue bene after outlawed whan they haue heard that the cōpanions of their offences be dead are wont to make sute that they may be suffred to make their purgation for so much as they suppose how the crime can no more be proued by this meanes it chaunceth that retourning again they sow abrode false doctrin and errors but that the same be in no wise done it is for the cōmon profit Wherfore we cōmaund that ther be no place geuen to their requests but that al such as after they wer cited haue appered but sought to saue thē selues by fleing shal be accōted for conuictes persons condemned They that shal make any sute for suspected fled banished or for Anabaptistes let them be taken for supporters of heretikes And that iudges gouernors receiue none such into fauor vnles it be ether by the permissiō of vs or of the Quenes sister Those that shal do otherwise shal be depriued of theyr gouernmēt That no printers or bokesellers do print sel or vtter any thing cōcerning the scripture but by theyr aduise consent vnto whō this charge is cōmitted for so much as there is a register of bokes which thuniuersity of Louain hath reiected let the stationers haue the same hāged vp in their shops in opē sight least after either thē selues or the biers plead ignorance again that they haue another register of al theyr bokes he that wil not obey shal lose an C. crowns Finally that no man take any children to teach vnles it be through the permission of the magistrat and the chief minister of the church authorised that he teach or instruct the youth in nothing but according to the form prescribed by the deuines of Louaine When this decre was proclamed many were sore astonied especially the high duch English marchants which occupy the traffick of marchandise in themperors townes countries especially at Andwarpe a great nōbre Wherfore they wer of this mind that vnles the decre wer mitigated thei wold remoue to another place yea mani of thē shutting vp their shops purposed to depart for thauoyding of the dāger The Senate of Andwarp also thother citezens ther which saw what a wōderful losse this wold be to thē wer in a great perplexity whē thinquisitors came thither they wtstode thē withal theyr indeuor riding to the Lady regēt declare vnto her what a losse it shuld be not to thē only but also to the whole region if this decre take place Wherfore the matter was in the same city for the which the decre was chiefly made by reasō of sōdry natiōs people there appesed for that time This decre being after trāslated into the highe duch tōg Matthie Flacie of whō mētiō is made in the former boke setteth forth most sharply tāteth Iselebie the Adiaphoristes as he termeth thē which assay to perswade the people as though religiō wer not impugned But the form of inquisition which they cal an instructiō conteineth a most ample authority For it is lawfull for them to cal before thē not only al priuate persons but the magistrates thē selues also and to compel them by an oth to answere to interrogatories to vtter what they know And the questions cōcerning religion are in nombre xxxviii wherin such ar are presented or suspected be examined amōgs others whether they beleue the sacrifice of the masse to be auailable for the dead so that they may be deliuered hereby from the pains of purgatory whether they beleue that S Peter was prince of thapostles Uicar of Christ high bishop of the church of Rome and that those also are to be accōpted for which do lawfully succede in his chaire whether they beleue that it is lawful to forsake thobedience of the high bishop being nether heriticke nor Scismatick whether they beleue that Matrimony priuely cōtracted is lawful whether they beleue the Lutherans Buceranes and suche others to be of the Churche The Cardinals of Fraunce remaind at Rome a certain space after that Iuly was elected and than they return home again Howbeit by the way whē he was come now into Fraunce before he had sene the Kinge died Ihon Cardinall of Lorayne who had bene all his life time a most pleasaunt gest and companion with king Fraunces By this occasion Robert Lenoncourt Cardinall obtained the Bishopprycke of Mentz
he hath done also the same at Boloigne Lagrasse trusting both to their industry and fidelity also and now in as much as the counsell is called and latelye the first day of May begon at Trent occasion is geuen him to wryte vnto them wher therfore their presence should be a great help and furtherance to so godly and nedeful a worke he exhorteth them very much that such prelates of the church as be within their iurisdiction and liberties be not wanting but be there at the next session the first day of Septembre the rest they shall vnderstande of S. Hierome Franch Knight his ambassadour whose faith and diligence hath of them now many yeres ben wel tried again for because the matter in hand is greatly to his contētation he wil send or it belōg one of his principal bishops which may treat with them touchinge the counsel more at large About th end of May the Emperoures sonne departing from Auspurge by Italy returneth into Spain with him wente Maximilian his Cosin and Brother in lawe to fetche awaye his wife the mother of two Children In the meane time the kinge of Fraunce to appease the Bishoppe and Senate of Cardinals declareth at Rome by his ambassadoure Mounsour de Thermes that where he hath receiued into his tuition Octauian the Prince of Parma it deserueth no reprehension For thys thing proprely belongeth vnto kings to succor thafflicted Moreouer that he hath sought no priuate commodity in that matter but whatsoeuer he hath done to haue done it for the church of Romes sake after thexāple of his progenitors which haue ben more beneficial to the same than any others many times also defēded it by force of armes For seing that Parma is the patrimony of the churche he was very careful to forsee that it shuld not come into other mens handes and for the same cause is at great cost charge daily wherfore he desireth him and that most earnestly that he wold take it in that part and leaue the opinion that he hath conceiued of him for the same shal be to the great cōmodity of the cōmon weale But if he refuse this satisfaction and chuse warre before peace he him self seeth how greatly that wil be to the damage and daunger of all Italy and Europe and that also there can be no certen treaty had in Religion that may continue wherefore concerninge the moost pearillous commotions that shal arise hereof that the counsell already called can not assemble or if it do of necessity muste be dispersed and that in this troublesome time he can sende none of the bishops of his realme vnto Trent of all these thinges ther can be no fault laid in him who is willing not only to offer conditions of peace but also to take this so protesteth so openly Howe be it the bishop trusting to thaid and promesses of themperor was nothing the mileder for thys ambassade The xvii day of Iune duke Moris graunteth againe safeconduite to them of Maidenburge that they should send vnto him ambassadours concerning peacs Who taking theyr iourney being conducted by Marques Alberte finde Duke Moris at Pirne a Towne of Meissen For he was retourned home and semed to worke slackly When they were come in themperors name he propoundeth these conditions That they should yelde them selues without any condition and humblye desire pardon They shal make no leage against themperor king Ferdinando Austriche or Burgundie they shal obserue al the decrees of th empyre They shall aunswere to the law and recompence the cleargy for domage done that they cast down theyr fortifications Rampires and admit into theyr City a garrison of a M. and CC. soldiours They shall receiue themperor Kinge Fardinando and theyr deputies at all times wyth what power someuer they brynge with them that they deliuer twelue greate pieces of ordenaunce paye an C M. Crownes and confirme all these conditions by an oth These thinges although they were not able to perfourme yet did they not vtterly refuse through thintercession of Counte Hedecke by little little some thing was remitted Themperor before this sending his letters into Germany especially to the states of the protestants religion had sufficiently assured thē by safeconduit exhorting thē to be at Trent the first day of Maye but inasmuch as for the war of Parma the day of the counsell was differred to the first of Septēbre as I said before he admonisheth them again that they come in any wise promising thē all equity faithfulnes But albeit ther were very many of the same profession yet did they not confer together which thing hath ben chiefly necessary either for that they dispaired touching the successe of the thing or els for that they feared themperors displesure or for that they waxed faint hearted as it were in the very entrance of the daunger And amonges the cities only they of Strausburge sent messagers to enquire what thinge both they that were nere and also far of wer purposed to do herein And certenly duke Moris gaue in cōmaundement to Philip Melanchton that he shuld pen tharticles of doctrine which shuld after be exhibited openly whan that boke was finished the prince commaunded al the diuines ministers of the church to mete at Lipsia the viii of Iuly wheras the same was red and approued by consēt of them al. The same ordre also toke Christopher duke of Wirtemberge who caused Brentius to compile a boke of the same argument And albeit that the sence of either wryting was all one yet wold Duke Moris haue his boke exhibited by it self least if many together should propound the same thing in common themperour might conceiue a suspition of some conspiracy made Neuerthelesse sēding their bokes to and fro both they of Wirtemberge approued the Saxons boke the Saxons the boke of Wirtemberge and the diuines of Strausburge ether of them both whan they had red the same and so it was agreed that when time shuld serue ther shuld be sent to the counsel certen to prefer and defend these things The Duke of Wirtemberge after thexample of his father made muche of Ihon Brentius for his excellent learning vsing his aide in restoring of the godly doctrine after also he restored him to the Ministration of the Church and made him president of Stutgarde The .xxv. day of Iuly the Marques Albert in thabsence of Duke Moris reiecteth such thinges by a trompetter as they of Maidenburge had answered to the conditions of peace propounded at Pirne by duke Moris The day before he had taken an ouerthrow for they bickered with greater forces than euer they did before About the viii day of August ther had like to haue bene a greate sedition in the city For letters wer brought to the soldioures wherein this was conteined how ther wer certen of the Senators which wold betray the city to thenemy and amonges them was Henry Alman Wherfore the soldiors flocking together cal for him
sore afflicted and seing the matter is thus for so much as he dealeth so sharply roughly with him which is theldest sonne of the church he protesteth as he saith is likewise done at Rome first that for the most troublesome tumultes of warre he may not send the bishops of his realme vnto Trent again that he taketh not this for a publike or general coūsel but rather for a certain priuate conuention which is not instituted for the profit of the common wealthe but for the vtilitye of a few Finally that nether he nor any man within his realme can be bounden to the decrees therof but declareth also furthermore that he wil vse suche remedies if the case so require as in a like matter his progenitors haue accustomed he will be euer of a sounde and sincere mind towardes religion and the Church of Rome neither wil he cōmit any thing worthy of iust reprehension but in as much as he is burthened with thiniuries and hatred of certain without his desert he can not otherwise do at this present Therfore let thē take this protestation in good parte and Communicate vnto him the doctrine or testimony of this action to th end he may certify other Princes and people of Christendome concerninge the whole matter But wheras he saith he wil vse the remedies of his progenitoures thus it standeth like as in all other Regions so also in Fraunce if any Bishoppricke or Abbotship be vacant such as are called Chanons or Monkes had fre election to chuse them but the meane benefices which were not electiue as they terme it the Bishops and Patrones bestowed Moreouer all maner of sutes and controuersies touching benefices or matters of the church wer decided within euery prouince But bishops of Rome as Couetousnes increased began to subuert those elections and by reseruatiōs and graces expectatiue as they name them haue deriued all the gaine to Rome and to them selues called also to Rome all sutes euen the fyrst instaunces as they call them And the beginning of this alteration chanced in Fraunce in the time of King Lewes the ninth but he resisted stoutly and in the yeare of our Lord M CC. lxvii made a law that thold custome shuld be reteined nether that any tribute shuld for that cause be paid to the bishop of Rome This law was verely of force many yeares but at the lengthe the violence of the bishops preuailed against it and so far as christendome stretcheth they published those foresaid graces and reseruations and were very chargeable to all men vntill the Synode of Basill toke away this kinde of pillage and restored the aunciente lawes of contributions and elections and prohibited firste frutes to be paid This decre of the counsel the King of France Charles the seuenth by thaduise of his Counsell did ratify and in the yeare M CCCC xxxviii confirmed by Proclamation But Eugenius the fourth pronounced this counsell to be frustrate and of none effect as I said in the first boke and the Bishops that succeded him reiected that decre and said it was Scismaticall and in dede Pius the second sendinge his Ambassadoure to Lewes the eleuenth sonne to Charles the seuenth moued him earnestly to abolish that same confirmation and the king asketh counsell of the Senate of Paris the moost famouse of all Fraunce which in a maner consisteth wholy of lawyers They repeting many thinges of great antiquity declare what the bishops of former time what the Counsels and finally what his progenitors Clodowey Charles that great Phillip Deodate Lewes the ninth Philip le Beau Lewes Hutine Ihon the first and laste what his father and grandfather haue herein determined and except thauncient lawes be obserued it wil come to passe say they that al thecclesiastical ordre shal be brought to confusion and that Fraunce shal be lesse populous whan so many shal run to Rome and shal be so much impouerished that churches and many such other sumptuous buildings in France shal be neglected and fall to ruine And as touching the mony matter vnles your fathers confirmation of the decree at Basill maye be of force there shal be caried yerely out of Fraunce vnto Rome ten C M. Crownes For to let other thinges passe in the time of Pius the second now bishop there haue bene vacant at the least twentye Bishopprickes which haue paid euery one of them aswel for their first frutes as for other charges vi M. There haue fallen abbotships about lx and euery one of them haue paied two thousand of other benefices haue bene void aboue two hondreth whiche haue paid v C. crownes a piece Moreouer within your realme are an hondreth thousand parishes and aboue out of the which an infinite quantity of gold hath bene gathered by that same deuise of the bishop of Rome Walke therfore in your fathers fotesteps swarue not from the decre of Basil Certainly this was the counsell of the Senate but the king being ouercommen with the Bishops either authority or policy would neades abolish the confirmation the chief worker of this matter was Cardinall Baluen in great fauor with the king whom the bishop of Rome had corrupted how be it both the kinges procurer and also the vniuersity of Paris whome it much concerned resisted with a stout courage and appealed frō the bishop to the counsel Afterward Lewes the twelfth had great emnity for the same cause with Iuly the secōd and the matter was brought into the counsel of Laterane and Fraunces the firste that succeded Lewes concluded at the length with Leo the tenth vpon certaine conditions at Bononie after he had taken Millan verely that when a Bishoppricke or Abbotship were vacante the Couent in dede should not haue thelection therof but that the king shoulde within .vi. monethes nominate some man to the Bishop of Rome whome he thought worthy of that office This same therfore is the thing amongs others which King Henry now by his ambassador signified vnto them of a remeady For kings are on this wise wōt to bridle the bishops when they are at dissention with them and so to put in practise the confirmation of the decre of Basil espectally at this time when their thondrebolt is not so greatly feared as it was in time paste And for so muche as the Realme of Fraunce is both most large and rich also Rome can not without great hinderance want the reuenues therof And that which he signified here that he would do the same did he not longe after as you shal hear The same remeadye also in times paste vsed the King of Fraunce Phillip le Beaw against Boniface the eight For wheras he commaunded him to war against the Sarazens and refusing his excuse forbad that he shuld take no mony of the churches within his owne Realme which the King was driuen to do for the necessitye of his warres and vnlesse he obeyed the same did suspend him out of the Church he assembleth all
almoste finished whan themperor had no great neade of the Frenesians seruice he declared plainly how he bare the bishop no great good will For euen than his lieftenants in Lumbardy fixed their eies and mindes to surprise Placence and not long after were procured certain murtherers whiche slue Peter Aloise in his chamber and before the Townes men heard of the murther committed souldioures were brought in which in themperors name did take the Castel And if themperor were not priuy to this act it had yet ben reason that after the death of bishop Paule he shuld haue restored the City to the churche of Rome but he hathe not onlye not restored the same but hath also gone about to take Parma from his sonne in law and euen than was in hand with the same deuise whan the Bishop yet liued in so muche that Paulus beinge sore vexed in his minde to thinke vpon such vnkindnes departed out of this life Afterwarde wer murtherers takē at Parma which spake it of theyr own mind that Fernando Gonzage had waged them to slay Octauius whan he therfore was brought into this distresse whan he saw how they of whome he loked for healpe and also his father in lawe laye in wait to take from him bothe landes and life also he requireth his aid and succor which he could not deny him so humbly crauing the same ✚ The xxiij Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The Argument of the xxiij Booke The fathers of Trent enter into matters and graunt safeconduit to come to the Counsell The French king accordeth not to the same pea he disswageth the Swisses from goinge thither a composition was made with them of Maidenburge vnder certaine conditions The most part of the Cities in Germany send to the Counsell The ambassadours of the Duke of Wirtemberge might not be there harde Duke Maurice hauing for the last time sent ambassadours to the Emperoure for the deliueraunce of the Lantzgraue and obtaining nothinge but delaies secreatly is resolued to make warre The Monke Bishop of Uarady by whose meanes king Ferdmando had taken Transiluania is slaiue Themperor in his letters which he sendeth to appease the Archbishops assureth him self of Duke Moris who to make fayre weather sendeth his Ambassadors to the Counsel with whome thothers ioyned and make request for a safeconduit for theyr deuines and aboue all that those which are of the contrary parte be not iudges in the Counsell But obteining nothing they departe vpon the brute of the preparation to warre that theyr Prince would make The fathers of the Counselare at discorde and after that newes came of the takinge of Auspurge they fled al Crescencethe Popes Legate fel into so terrible a feare that he admitteth no consolation at his death DUke Moris for the pacification assembleth the states of his dominion and about th end of Septembre cōmaundeth them to repaire to Wittemberge Thither also they of Maidenburge send ambassadours as it was couenaunted which the tenth day after return home at the conuoy of Marques Albert. I haue showed you before howe Duke Moris by his letters required that the deuines might haue safeconduit from the whole counsel to the Emperor therfore commaundeth his Ambassadoures to preferre the matter to the fathers and bryng it to passe Wherfore when the .xi. day of Octobre was commen ther was a sitting wherin was fyrst rehearsed the exposition of the doctrine of the corporall presence of Christ in the Sacrament of thanckes geuing of the manner of the institution therof of transubstantiation as they call it of the worshipping and adoration of this Sacrament of reseruing the hoste and cariyng it about to the sicke of the preparation that a man may receiue it worthely After al christians are forbiddē to beleue or teach any otherwise than it is here decreed Than were the Cannons recited Wherein all those theames were condempned which I said before were collected oute of Luthers workes and others Notwithstanding to gratify the Emperour they leaue foure of them vndiscussed Whether it be necessary to saluation and commaunded by Goddes lawe that all men should receiue the Sacrament vnder both kinds Whether he that receiueth but one taketh les than he that receiueth both Whether the Church hath erred in ordeining that only Priestes shoulde receiue vnder bothe kindes and not the residue Whether the sacramente oughte to be ministred vnto children also Touchinge these theames before the Synode shoulde determine any thinge they saied how the Protestantes desired to be heard and to haue safeconduit graunted them where therfore they haue longed greatlye hitherto for theyr comming and are in hope that they will returne to the auncient concord of the Church they graunt them safelye to come and safely to retourne And differ the determination of these questions to the fiue and twenty day of Ianuary that they may be fore that day repair thither and declare what they haue to say thē will they treat also touching the sacrifice of the Masse because the argument is like These thinges did they read openly in such sort as if theyr aduersaries had made request to be heard in these thinges only wheras they neuer thought of any suche matter For besides Duke Moris no man once moued the Emperoure and hys sute was framed after an other sort as before is said and the matters were much more waighty that they would haue propounded But for what intent the thing was thus pronounced a man may make a coniecture but nothinge can be affirmed How be it of two thinges the one muste neades be For either the request of Duke Moris was coldlye and slenderlye preferred vnto them or els haue they vsed the matter craftely and negligentlye which thing is more like to be true by the safeconduct that they sent For where Duke Moris would haue had the selfe same assuraunce for his men that the Bohemers had in time paste They wrote the safeconduite with a few wordes and very negligently setting to neither signe nor seale publicke How it was lawful for all the Germaines indifferentlye to repaire vnto the Counsel and of matters to be treated there either in the full assemble or with certain commissioners to propound confer and reason what they shal thinke good either in talke or wryting without contumelious wordes and reproches and after whē they wil to depart and return home for this consideration the counsell graūteth thē safeconduit as farforth as to the same apertaineth Moreouer it shal be lawfull for them that as wel for their sinnes past as hereafter to be committed although they be most heinous and sinell of Heresy they may at their owne pleasure chuse iudges for them selues The same eleuenth day of Octobre before mentioned they made certain lawes vnder the title of reformation whiche concerned theyr iurisdiction After was an other session decreed the xxv of Nouembre wherein shoulde be
that any occasion of offence shuld be geuē any mā About the .xviii. daye of December the Byshop of Wardin in Hongary lately made Cardinall was slaine at home in his owne house for suspicion of a conspiracie with the Turkes The authour of this murther was Iohn Baptiste Castalde an Italian whome the Emperour had before sent into Hongary to assiste king Ferdinando with his ayde and counsell Sfortia Palauicine was also present at the same After the Byshop of Rome heard of the murther he appointed certen to examine the matter and also doeth excommunicate the parsons aboue named Whan the wydowe of Iohn Uayuode sawe that she coulde hardely defende Transsyluania she made a conuenaunt with king Ferdinando and permitted him to haue the gouernment and deliuering him the armes and ornamētes of the Realme retourned into the lande of Poole By this meane therfore Ferdinando possesseth in a maner all Transsyluania by the helpe of the byshop of Wardin But because he appered afterwardes to attempt newe deuises and to aspire to the gouernment he lost his life I shewed you in the fourmer boke of the preachers and ministers of the churche that were expulsed frō Auspurg wherfore the moste part of the church were distitute of priests not without the great grudge of the people who supposed that the senate had caused the Emperour thus to do Where therfore it was to be feared least this heate would somtime breake out at the length whan they had sought long and much they foūd one Caspar Huberine whiche professed the fourme of doctrine prescribed by the Emperour There be certen bokes of his wrytten concerning Religion whiche were alwayes very wel commended euen of Luther him selfe But why nowe he had altered his mynde I can not affirme Who after he came to Auspurge began not to preache by and by for that he feared the mutinie of people but at Christmas after he began to the wōder of many which had red his bokes before The soldiours as well suche as beseged Maydenburg as those that defended the same wyntered in Thuringe and there aboutes and did much harme especially to men of the churche and amongest others also to the Archebyshop of Mentz whose limites reache vnto those places Tharchebyshops of Mentz Treuers Collon being herewith offended he for the damage receiued they for that they sawe also that the same chaunce might redounde vnto them determined to retourne home sending bothe letters and messengers to the Emperour of the same matter But the Emperour who desired greatly to haue the counsel continued answering the third day of Ianuary your letters saith he of the xxi of Decēber are come to my handes And bycause I had commaunded Fraunces Toletane to treate with you of suche matters as you wryte vnto me of againe for as much as the byshop of Arras had declared vnto your Procurer here certen thinges of the same sorte in my name I had thought you had bene satisfied But for so much as I heare say how for an vnpleasaūt brute reised you intende to retourne home I thought good to admonishe you by this wryting that you geue not credit to althinges that are reported For although there hath ben now for a certen tyme a brute as though it were to be feared leaste there should be some commotiō in Hessia yet am I credible informed that if there be any thing at all it is but the deuise of a fewe whiche the greater part also discommendeth wherfore it is the rather to be thought that they thē selues wil be mindful not only of their othe and fidelitie wherby they be bounde to me but also of their dutie whiche they owe both to me and to the common wealth neither trusting to thinges vncerten will take so great daunger vpon them Moreouer I haue sent intermessagers vnto all the Princes states and cities thereaboutes and haue searched diligently what the matter shoulde be and what euery man goeth about But I haue founde all men to be obsequious and to do their dutie For surely I haue geuen none occasion of offence to any man Of Duke Maurice in dede there went a reporte also not long since whiche peraduenture had his original hereof that he had bene captaine before of the same bandes whiche after the rendring of Maydenburg assembled together and did hurt in certen places But he wryting to me his letters of late sending his Ambassadours also promiseth al his endeuour And euen at this present two of his Ambassadours shal go from hence to morrowe to the coūsell at Trent Furthermore he hath signified that he him selfe will repayre vnto me for certē weightie and necessary affaires and I knowe by certen reportes that he wyll either this daye or to morrowe at the furthest take his iourney hytherwarde out of Maydenburg Finally he maketh me so large and ample promesse of his loialtie and obeisaunce that I ought to loke for nothing at his hande but that is honorable in case there be any fayth in this worlde yet remaining And seing he is both in bloud and birthe a Germayne I can not be brought to beleue that he should attempte or imagine so craftie deuises but as concerning those bandes that were at Maydenburg I haue heard many complaine certen states be carefull least they will remoue their campe worke some greater mischief But after I vnderstode that for lacke of paiment of their wages they flocke together worke this oultrage sending Ambassadours gouernours I cōmaunded thei see that in any wyse there were mony leuied to paie them And not that only but wryting my letters also to Duke Maurice became suertie for the same money that is owyng so that the soldiours may be discharged And this I did not bycause I was bounde but for that I loue chiefly the peace and tranquillitie of Germany Nowe therfore I loke in a maner euery moment that the same be done and suppose verely that they shal slippe awaye without the dammage of any man and all this mutinie and trouble be appeased but in case whan the payment is made the armie be not discharged than is it easely perceiued that there is some other deuise in hande Than shall we also take an other waye whiche we haue in our head at this present Nowe as touching other reportes that are brought vnto me whiche are many in dede but yet doubtfull and ful of contrarietie al these I suppose be imagined for the moste part of our ennemies and according to their olde maner and lightnes spred abrode to disturbe the counsell peace of Germany But I truste in God that suche priuie conspiracies shall at the last come to lyght and haue an ende according to their demerites For since the rendring of Maydenburge all thinges were quiet in Germany and all Princes and states do so louingly obediently demeane them selues towardes me that certenly I can not see what cause of any new mutinie can or ought to
doctrin and churches and all be it that many will say that he dothe these things against the wil of the fathers yet se they with what an assent he teacheth and is hard if this be thonly cause why they wer sent for hither that they might be verely a spectakle and laughing stock to others and should be compelled to hear daily thiniuries reproches of theyr doctrin ther was doubtles no nede to haue taken this iourney in hand and all these things might haue ben declared by wryting wherfore they earnestly require them according to their office and authority they would bring to passe that both the fathers would at the last declare what lack they find in the confession exhibited and that they may againe also be openly hard in all matters Those letters thambassadors receiue very gētly and say they are glad also that they haue an occasion ministred to vrge the matter to thintent that if the Legate Crescentius do refuse they may treat with his fellowes and with the fathers Than also the same Frier left reading excusing the matter by sicknesse The first day of Aprill Duke Moris and his league frends laid siege to the city of Auspurge and toke it the third day after by composition as in the boke that foloweth shal be declared The v. day of Aprill the Ambassadors of the Duke of Wirtemberge beinge sent for to the house of Toletane came and brought with them as they were cōmaunded two diuines Brentius and Ihon Marpache of Strasburge Pictaue beginneth to declare first of their owne good will and zeale after of the Legates sicknesse and how vnlesse he were present neither his fellowes nor yet the fathers wold do any thing and that the fault hath not bene in them that they do not procede and sheweth that they will also hereafter omit no manner of diligence and hereof maketh protestation Thothers whan they had consulted say that they know rightwell their good will and diligence howbeit they had loked for an other and a more certain answer to their demaundes which they might haue signified to their Magistrates but now sith the matter is thus they must take coūsel the best they can for them selues Than said he againe that the matter is not brought to that poynt neither ought it so to be taken as though ther wer no hope of any further action remaining to aduertise their Magistrates and signify vnto them in what case all thing stand it is wel done of them and according to their duty nether doubt they but they when they shal hear therof wil both maruel at this long delay and surceasing and will take it also in euill part Howbeit he requireth them to take paciently the tediousnesse of a few daies In the meane time they will trauell that they may haue a direct answer Unto this say they they will gladly for their sakes acconsent The next day with great expedition came messagers and letters that Auspurge was taken and howe the Princes marched straightway toward thalpes to stop all the wais and passages Wherefore they were commaunded to take armure in the county of Tiroll and bandes of soldiors hired and commaunded all to repair to Insprucke Now wer all the bishops of Germanye departed thence ther remained only the deputies of the bishops of Spier and Manster Whan these newes were broughte immediatly the bishops of Italy flee carying all their baggage down the riuer of Athesis Wherfore thambassadors of Wirtemberge being herewith moued what time of their own accord the councell nowe slipped away come to themperors orators and shew thē for what cause they purpose to go home with the diuines also Who in dede at the first were sore against it and say howe they may not assente therunto except themperors pleasure be knowne but when that might not preuaile they require to haue the causes of their departing deliuered to them by writing signed with their own hands to thintent they may make an excuse to themperor and to the fathers Pictaue demaunded this also if haply after theyr departure the fathers shall proceade in thaction what than shall the diuines say wherunto thambassadors conferring with the diuines vppon the matter say they wil make them answer and the viii day of Aprill early in the morning they deliuer vnto them a wrytinge In the same they recite what time the confession of their doctrine was exhibited wherfore the diuines came How they haue in vain sollicited hitherto that they might receiue an answer to their Princes demaundes How vnto that day ther appeared no hope of any action that should be Now also ther is war raised so that not only that bishops of Germany but also of Italy do depart that all states are now so intangled with troubles that they can loke for nothing at this present Moreouer the bishops of Germany being absente perauenture it were not expediente that anye progresse shoulde be made And if any time hereafter chance wherin this busines may be treated wel and ordrely they suppose how their Prince will not be wanting The diuines moreouer thinke thus that ther be many decrees made both in this and also in the former counsel which might be wel reproued in case they be lawfully hard And if the fathers do now procede herein it is to be thought that their doings wil be like the reast Neuerthelesse in case ether the decrees already made may be amended or such may hereafter be decreed as are consonant to the holy scripture ther is no doubt but the same will be receiued with most obedient harts This thing vnto them doutles will be most sorowful as in certain places of the confession exhibited hath bene declared which wryting verely they iudge to be good and godly and also whan time shal serue will declare it more at large They pray them therfore to take in good part their departure and say in dede how they might by vertue of the safeconduite depart thence what time they list and are not bounden to make any man priuy to it but for so much as they haue manye times proued their gentlenes they wold not omit this kind of duety Thus therfore taking their leaue they departe aboute none time and a fewe hours after they met with the Cardinall of Trent whiche rode in great poste hastr from Brixna to Trent And whan he heard that they were of Wirtemberge inquiring for Brentius he spake vnto him and gaue them all most gentle wordes Two daies after met them king Ferdinandoes daughters which went by Insprucke to Brunecke a towne in the Alpes bordering on the limits of the Uenetians Of the fathers I shewed you before how they drue not all by one line The Spanish bishops in dede semed of all others most diligente diuers also of the Germanes pretended as thoughe the thing required much reformation but the mind of them that thought best of al others was this that the schole of correction and maners of the
him most humblye by theyr letters and alledginge manye teasons that they might he permitted to receiue the whole Supper of the Lorde according to the commaundement and institution of Christe and custome of the primatiue Churche Unto these letters of theyrs the xxiii of Iune the king ausweringe from Uienne I had full little thought saith he that you would haue called in question that proclamation of mine and haue found cauillations therin For I mēt only that my subiectes should perseuer in thauncient and true Religion and obedience of the Catholicke church without the which no man can obtain saluation and that they should receiue this sacrament the chiefest of all others after the law and custome of the church and neither through the corrupt opinions of certain or for curiosity and pride also should swarue from that duty which they both owe to the church and also to the Magistrate This is verely the mind and effect of the same proclamation nether is it any new thing that I commaunded but an old ordinaunce which hath ben brought as it wer by hād vnto my progenitors Emperors kings and Dukes of Austrich and to me also whan I began to gouerne the common wealth was deduced and vnto this time by me diligently as becommeth a Christen Prince obserued and at sondrye times to my people also inioyned that they shoulde remayne in the same Wherfore I supposed that you would not haue attempted any thyng against this my proclamacion which in all other thinges do contende that there should be no alteraciō and that your lawes and liberties myght remaine vnto you whole For certenly that you do is a new deuise and lately of you conceaued by a certayne opinion and now also reasoned at large as though it were lawful for you to iudge of my commaundementes whiche am your chiefe and supreme magistrate or as though the same ought of ryght to be permitted you which certen yeres now diuers of you of your own accord contrary to the lawes of the church and my will haue taken vpon you priuately to vsurpe But because the question is harde ful of difficulty as you also affirme I will doubtles thincke more therupon and whan time is make such answer that it may be well perceiued that I do not tender a little the saluation of my people but in the meane time I loke for al obediēce of you and trust that you wil do nothing against my proclamation Unto this the states afterward answer again by wryting And the same say they that we haue oft times spoken before of our sauiour Christes commaūdement most puissant king we now repete again For he did institute his supper with plain and manifest words that after the same sort that he him self prescribeth it might be receiued of al men nether is it lawfull for any man mortall to alter hys institution It may be proued also that this was the manner of thauncient Churche and the same that is vsed now a daies to haue crept in by little and little For euen the counsel of Constance graunteth that the same was so instituted of Christ Wher therfore thys cōcerneth our saluation certainly neither curiosity nor pride hath moued vs here vnto Wherby we truste the rather that you will refer your consultation to the commaundement of Christ and his Apostles and consent of the primatiue Church and will not that our consciēce shuld be burthened which thing that it might please you to do we besech you for the honor of God and the glorye of his name and for oure own saluation We do acknowledge you and that moste gladlye to be our high Magistrate geuen vs of God and there is nothing in this world but that you both may ought to loke for at our hāds if it lie in vs to do But in this one matter we desire you to be fauorable to vs. In the byshop of Wirciburges dominion ther is an Abbay of Mōkes called Newstat The Abbot therof Ihon Frise after he came in suspition of Lutheranisme the fift day of May he is cited to come the vi day to Wirciburge and to answer vnto certain interrogatories And the questions were these Whether it be lawful to sweare whether anye man be bounden by his othe whether it be lawful to make a vow of Chastity pouerty and obediēce whether such manner of vowes do binde whether becometh better the ministers of the church mariage or singlenesse whether ther be one true and Apostolical church whether the same as the spouse of Christ be continually gouerned by the holy ghost whether she can alwaies discern true and holsom thyngs whether the same by reason of her head Christes vicar be called rightly the church of Rome whether all the bokes of both Testaments that be in the Cannon be lawful and true whether the holy scripture ought to be expounded after the mind of the holy fathers the doctors of the Church counsels and not after thopinion of Luther and others of the lyke sort whether that besides the Scriptures ther is nede also of other traditions as be those of the Apostles and such other like whether the same faith aucthority and obedience oughte to be geuen to the same traditiōs as to the holy scripture whether we ought to obay the ciuill magistrate in politick matters in holy things thecclesiasticall ordinary whether ther be vii sacraments of the Churche whether children oughte to be Christened whether they oughte to Christen in the Latin tounge with Salt Oile Water Charactes and exorcismes whether that by baptisme be cleane putte awaye Originall sinne in such sort that concupiscence which remaineth loseth the name of the same sinne whether the breade be chaunged and consecrated into the body and the wine into the blud of Christ by the vertue of the wordes which the Priest pronounceth whether it do so remaine althoughe it be not by and by receiued whether the Sacrament being after this sort consecrated is to be worshipped whan either it is borne aboute for the honor of Christe or caried vnto sickfolkes or also be reserued in the pix whether Christ is to be worshipped vnder the forme of bread and wine whether Christ be wholly vnderneath either kinde whether the confession of sinnes do prepare a man to the worthy receiuing of the Sacrament whether Masse be a true and continuall sacrifice whether that the Cannon of the masse is to be reteined whether the Sacramēt of confirming is to be vsed whether ther be iii. parts of penaunce contrition confession and satisfaction whether the priest may forgeue his sinnes which hath not before confessed the same whether Priestes onlye haue authoritye of the keyes whether the soules of good men do loue vs whether they pray to God for vs whether we ought to pray vnto Sainctes whether sainets Holy daies oughte to be obserued whether the relikes of Sainctes oughte to be worshipped whether the soules of the godly not yet repurged be relieued
permit euery man in generall that he maye chuse him a priest whom he list vnto whom he may confesse his sinnes rightly And geue to the same priest authority that he may forgeue al manner of sinnes be they neuer so greuous euen those whiche are reserued to my power alone and are wonte to be excepted by name that he may remit not only the trespasse but the paine also for sinnes due that he may impose such satisfaction as behoueth and may release all vowes except chastity and Religion so yet that they be recompensed by an other worke yea trusting vpon Gods mercye and the intercession of sainctes Peter and Paule I graunt full remission of all sinnes which is wont only to be geuen but euery fifty yeare to all those that with an humble hart do conuert to God and wholy confessing their sinnes whan they shall vnderstande this indulgence to be setforth by vs will twise or thrise a weke fast and geue Almose and vse other godly exercises and after receiue the Sacrament with thanckes geuing and praiers vnto God that he with the light of his countenance would illumine those that walke in darknesse that he would geue peace and moue the heartes of kinges to concord And this so great a benefite I graunt to them also which are hindred either by reason of age or sicknesse so that they can not performe the thinges before said And to the intent that these oure wrytinges may be euery where knowne I charge and commaund all Patriarches Archbishops and suche other like that so sone as they shall haue receiued a copy of the same by and by they cause it to be published euery man through out his Prouince and since the gift is fre that they set it forth without any gain In the last boke I shewed you how Blassenburge the head castell of Marques Albert wherin the hope of the whole country cōsisted by surrendry was taken And at this time least being recouered it mighte geue an occasion of further displeasure his aduersaries do subuert and rase it to the ground not without the greate displeasure of the house of Brandenburge and the Marques kinred Ferdinando king of Romaines both before he came frō home and than also when he was commen to Auspurge to the assemble by messagers and letters exhorted the Princes to make haste and come thither in parson as in the last boke hath ben said And chiefly he had sollicited the Prince elector of Saxony to come to Auspurge who had both excused him selfe before that he could not come namely for the state of Saxony not very quiet and now sending ambassadours thither excuseth the matter againe by occasion falling into the mention of the Turk sheweth in what pearill Germany standeth which in times past being mightye and feared of others is now almost destitute and void of strength hauing receiued so many displeasures and plagues And that this euill is so much the worse that there is amonge the states so greate an alienation of mindes and distrust amonges them selues And how the Emperour him self to remeadye this disease had omitted no kind of diligence but yet that al labour hitherto hath ben taken in vain For the minds of men to be so bitterly exasperated alwais so set open to displeasure that vnneth any hope of reconcilement is to be had how a few yeares past his brother Moris had ordained that certain Ceremonies and things indifferēt should be kept still in Churches of his dominion but that the same commaundement was of so little force that it was also taunted with the libels and bitter raylings of many In so much that it was not in his power to confirm it vnles he would bring him self in daunger And therfore are many afraid for attempted any thingin this behalf Now on thother side they that be on the contrary part and impugn the doctrin professed at Auspurge how little they thincke to establish any godly and lawfull reformation it is known wel inough by the doings of former time when the matter was attempted ether by talk and conference or els by counsels Consideringe therefore that after so much labour taken and counsels holden the waye of concorde can not be found God peranenture so willinge and reuenginge oure sinnes he besecheth him earnestlye that the same Booke that conteineth the some of the Christen doctrin and was in times past exhibited at Auspurge he would not take for an euill or wicked boke But know it for a certenty to be a pure and a godlye wrytinge which can shewe vnto vs the sonne of God authoure of saluation whiche in Doctrine dothe plainly agree with thauncient churche and with those foure chiefe Counsels whiche teacheth and fetteth forthe true Christen worckes and exhorteth the people to shew obedience to the Magistrate Wherefore in case a sure peace in that assemble maye be established there is no doubte but that the Emperoure and he maye haue greate aide in Germanye againste the Turke where as elsse they that are of the Protestauntes Religion and manye of theim in dede borne and broughte vp therein will perseuer constantlye in the same Religion For vnlesse such a peace may be had that may comprise bothe Religion and also the Churche goodes and if the matter as manye times it hathe bene shoulde be differred to an other assemble and delaied from daye to daye and the people be lefte in this doutfull state of thinges to be vncertaine howe pacientlye all menne woulde take it For though he and other Princes should be quiet and do their duety and shewe all obedience yet that it maye be that menne of the meaner and baser sort may raise some tumulte and maye pretende this vncertaintye of state and feare of pearill for Religion Especiallye in those places whiche geue oportunitye to attempte suche thinges Since therefore the case of the Empire is suche he earnestlye requireth him to prouide for the common tranquillity for so muche as he hathe full authoritye of the Emperoure to determine But of late yeares this condition was propounded of his brother Moris at Passawe that in case the controuersy of Religion mighte not be reconciled that yet neuerthelesse an assured peace might be had til the thing might be throughli appeased and although the Emperor would not than admit the same condition for that he saide it apperteined to all thestates of the Empire yet in as muche as at the same time he reproued it not and with expresse woordes added to the Composition that he woulde see that in the Counsell the matter shoulde bee handeled indifferentlye neyther that there shoulde be anye crafte vsed in the voices concerning Religiō he trusteth for the same cause that he will moue in this behalfe not only those whiche were that tyme at Passawe but other states also so sone as the counsel be ginneth and perswade them to peace When thambassadours had spoken to this effect the fourth daye of February the nexte daye after king Ferdinando propoundeth
not be repressed but also his violence hath so farre proceded that hauing taken in Hongary and Slauonie many townes Castels Fortes he hangeth now ouer that neckes of vs it is doubtles to be thought that this is the manifest vengeaunce of God whiche plageth vs for sinne and afflicteth vs for that we amende not our life and so in dede afflicteth vs that vnlesse his worde be receiued the amendement of life followe the losse not only of lyfe and goodes but also of eternall saluation is like to insue For although the whole worlde toke armure against that ennemie yet so long as it shall remayne in that state of lyfe there is no hope of victory but rather of destruction and slaughter as it is euident to haue chaunced some tyme to moste florishynge kyngdomes We treated of the same matter also in the laste assemblee and prayed you that we myght not be compelled to do any thyng against our conscience But you referred the matter to the counsell of Regenspurg How be it you may cōsider most mightie king howe greuouse it is to them whiche thyrste for the health of their soules to be differred to a tyme vncertē For in the meane time the mynde is in angwishe and in this angwyshe and perplexitie many thousandes of mē ende their life Doubtles the worde of God whiche through our Sauiour Iesus Christe is opened to vs should be the only rule whiche the church ought to followe And in case any thing cōtrary to gods worde haue crept in although it be grounded of great antiquitie it must be reiected For God wil be honored worshipped as he him selfe prescribeth cōmaundeth not as men wene and fayne But with how horrible greuous plages he reuengeth the neglecting of his cōmaundemēt the obseruation of mēs traditions both the Empires of fourmer time do shewe also the freshe and domesticall calamities of people next vs declare Therfore after moste diligēt searche there appereth to vs none other remedy than that those manifest errours and deprauations brought long since into the churche being caste away the pure doctrine may be receiued and frely preached to gether with suche administration of the Sacramentes as Christ him selfe did institute for to departe tourne away from the worde of God so manifest and so plaine we may not as we haue ofte shewed you at other tymes For firste we must seke for the kingdome of God Whiche being done God assisteth vs with his spirite and gouerneth our counselles and doinges To the ende therfore that he would deliuer vs from al these daungers that he would be the counseller of the warre and enseigne bearer that he may assiste vs in battel discomfite thennemies force in moste humble and earnest wyse we beseche your highnes euen for the death of Christe for our saluation and for the last iudgement that we shall abyde for as muche as this thing apperteineth to the perpetuall felicitie of you and your children and al your Realme that we which are spotted with no secte may by your leaue and permission remaine in the pure and sincere Religion vntyll a free generall counsell and that we may inioye the same benefite of peace whiche in the laste assemblee of the Empyre you haue made with the fellowes of the confession of Auspurge For seyng we be all Baptized in Christe we beseche you that our State and condicion be not worse than theirs nother that you woulde denye vs the thynge whiche you haue graunted to diuerse other of your Prouinces but that you woulde call in those Proclamations of yours sette forth concerning Religion and woulde delyuer vs from thys carefulnes wherwith we are bounde Moreouer we beseche you that you woulde set forth by proclamation that the ministers of the church that teache after the wrytinges of the Prophetes Apostels after the same maner as before is said doe minister the Sacramentes be not molested nor yet suche schomaisters Neither that they be imprisoned nor banished before they shall pleade their cause before a lawful iudge If you thus do as we trust you wil in this extreame daunger there is no doubt but God will rewarde the same moste aboundantly also the states of the Empire will sende you more ayde than they haue done hitherto And we likewise will not be behinde with our dutie but with moste willing mindes will bestowe geue what so euer shall apperteine to the cōmon defence preseruation of our coūtrie and wil throughly satisfie your demaūdes so muche as shall lie in our power and habilitie to do At the selfsame time the Ambassadours of themperour and the Frenche king had met And where the controuersie coulde not be finished by a peace the fift day of the moneth of February they take truce for fiue yeares by Sea and lande as well in Flaunders and those partes as also for Italy and all other places Euery one kepeth the possession of those thinges whiche he hath gotten in the tyme of the war Themperour excepteth the exiles of Naples Scicilie He compriseth the Pope in the first place as doth also the Frenche king afterward euery mā his frendes allies as the maner is The same truce not long after the king caused to be proclamed both throughout Fraunce and at Metz also but the Emperour somwhat later in his coūtries A brute went that the Pope toke it in snuffe that this truce was made and went about afterwarde to perswade the Frenche king to breake the same Others thought cōtrariwise that it was made chiefly through his aduise that he might make warre against the Lutherians Touching prisoners nothinge could be concluded in this truce amongest whome the chiefest were the Duke of Arescot a Bourgunnion and Monmoraūce the Conestables eldest sonne takē thre yeres before at Terwin When they of Austriche as I sayde before had on this wise the day before the Kalendes of February put vp their supplication to king Ferdinando in wryting the king the eight day after aunswereth and speaking first of his good wyll towardes the common wealth and of the common calamitie and miserie of times and of Gods wrath whilest I consider saieth he and way mine owne state and place diligently whilest I thinke howe I haue euer from my yought hitherto followed the preceptes of the christen and catholique churche after the maner of my progenitours of whome I haue receiued this Religion and discipline as it were deliuered by hand I do surely finde that I may not assent to you in that whiche you require Not that I would not gladly gratifie my people but for that I see it is not lawful that I should be preiudiciall to the Christe church shoulde alter the lawes of the same and the holsome decrees at my pleasure where I must rather heare it as Christ cōmaūdeth How beit for as much as I know by long experiēce what occasion of great euils this bitter contention about Religion
bringeth I haue doubtles with my brother that Emperour bene now these many yeares wholy occupied that they might come to a composition And therfore hath the matter bene attēpted in many counsels of the Empyre certein conferences of learned men and through our mediation hath bene begon once or twyse the counsell of Trent But where as the treatie came to no good effect that can not doubtles be imputed to vs neither is it vnknowen by what diuises and craftes the matter was than hindered Now where you require that the pure doctrine and the benefite of the peace newly made for Religion may be graūted you Like as heretofore I haue kept backe no man frō the true Religion so will I not also do it hereafter Again you are as well comprised in the same peace as are the people of other Princes For this is the meaning of the same decree that the people shall followe the Religion of their Prince And it is permitted to temporall Princes to chose whether Religiō they will for that the people ought to be content with the choise of the Prince but yet so for al that that such as shal not like that Religion whiche the Prince hath chosen may haue fre libertie to sell that they haue and go dwell in an other place without any hinderaunce or blemishe to their estimation whiche seing it is so your dutie is to perseuer in the olde and catholique Religion which I professe That the Gospel should not be purely taught after the exposition of the Apostels Martyrs fathers whiche the churche hath receiued I was neuer against The Lordes supper although it were instituted whole yet was it in the olde churche also distributed vnder one kynde as it may be declared at large Therfore it was not altered first in the time of the counsell of Constaūce but that custome had lasted many ages before Wherfore you may easely thinke how it is not lawful for me by my priuate authoritie to chaunge or abolish that lawe receiued and approued by generall counselles especially at this tyme when both now lately peace is geuen to Religiō and in the next assemblee we must treate further for a reconcilement In the which treatie doubtles I wil seke to the vttermoste of my power that dissention may be vtterly takē away But if that can not be done thā wil I take such away as may profit both your wealth and your soules health also And to the intent you may vnderstand my good wil clemencie towardes you I wil in dede staye restreine that part of my proclamatiō that cōcerneth the Lordes supper but yet vnder this conditiō that all sectes forsaken you do alter nothing of the lawes ceremonies of the churche but tary for the decree of the assemble of the Empire next cōming The ministers of the churche and scholem aisters so that they followe this order also shal not be molested as also before this time I suffered no man against right to be iniuried Seing therfore I beare you this good wil my truste is that you will desire nothing furthermore and for as muche as the publique necessitie vrgeth it shall become you to consult for the common wealth and to geue that behoueth Wherunto they make aunswer the .xii. daye of February And where in the cause of all other moste weightie whiche conteineth perpetuall felicitie and especially apperteineth to the saluation of him and his children they can obteyne nothing thei she we how they are moste hartely sory And where as say they moste mightie kyng you say that this wonted distributing of the Lordes supper was in oulde tyme receiued in the churche that same may be aboundantly cōfuted by holy scripture and also their errour detected that haue perswaded your highnes herein But where you say the meaning of the late decree made at Auspurg to be that the people should applie them selues to the Religion of their Prince Uerely for as much as a fewe yeares paste and longe before this decree we haue with common consent exhibited to your highnes supplications concerninge Religion it were lawfull for vs also in case we would dwel in the same aunswer to sell our goods and flitte with our wyues and children to some other place But what discōmoditie were herein agayne how heuie and sorowfull newes this would be to the people who seeth not When verely they shal heare that they whiche after the custome of their elders haue bene euer more ready to spende their bloud and lyfe for the preseruation and dignitie of the house of Austriche must nowe forsake their moste swete natiue countrie so many yeares inhabited and inriched by their fore fathers Therfore we admit not nor ratifie the same aunswer in this behalf but as we haue done oft heretofore for the honour of God we beseche you that you woulde permitte vs to haue that incōparable treasure of Gods worde and suffer vs to haue no let in this matter For if the condition of the cause were suche that the whole blame should be to you ascribed doubtles we could be cōtent lyke as in other thinges so in this case also to obey you willingly But since that euery man must render an accompt of his owne dedes since there is no difference of persones with God and for bycause the ende of this lyfe is euery moment at hande neither is there any thing more vncerten than life we can not but with earnest suite and labour requyre this thinge of you Wherfore we beseche you that we may haue sufficient warrauntise herein Hereunto the kyng the fourth daye after I suppose sayeth he there was no iust cause wherfore you should not be satisfied with the fourmer answer I permit that as the Apostels haue set it forth as the martirs and fathers approued of the churche haue taught and expounded the scripture it be nowe taught also I pray you what more require you herein For since God hath promysed to his churche the holy ghoste saluation is not to be sought els where You saye you are defiled with no secte of the whiche sorte be many now adayes as anabaptistes Sacramentaries Zwinglians Schnemfeldians and such other lyke This in dede is very well But if the doctrine be set at libertie and be not included within certen limites as before is sayde howe long suppose you that it wil continue pure When euery man for hym selfe wyll bragge of Goddes woorde and saye it is subiect to no creature but to God alone nor will admitte the iudgement of no man as we see it happen in many places where all is ful of trouble whylest euery mā doeth stifly mainteine his owne opinion the authoritie of the churche vtterly contemned And for as much as in your fourmer wryting you recite the laste decree of the Empire somewhat otherwyse than apperteineth therfore haue I declared how it is to be taken not that I would haue you to go dwell els where Againe to take frō you all
carefulnes I haue suppressed the parte of the proclamation touching the Lordes supper promysing hereafter all diligence that a reconcilement may be had For what causes I can not reuolte from the lawes and ceremonies of the churche I haue shewed For both Christ sayeth that the church must be heard and also the thing it selfe teacheth the fourmer age whiche renewyng nothing abode in the Religion of their forefathers to haue bene muche more quiet and fortunate in all thinges than this is nowe where all thinges are tourmoyled with sectes and dissentions and many men rauished toste hither and thither with euery wynde of doctrine Wherby I would the rather haue thought that you would not haue answered in this sorte And nowe albeit that this aunswere of yours may be throughly confuted yet for as much as we must treate of contributions and subsidies and therof shortly determine vnlesse you be determined to suffer extreme miserie I wyll not be ouer longe trusting also that you wyl doe both as the matter it selfe and also as the consideration of your dutie requyreth They agayne solicite the same thing and saye howe they can not leaue it And in case they can obteyne nothinge they saye it wyll be the cause that the same consultation of geuing him ayde wyl surely be hindered and letted For that they haue no commission to promyse any thing herein vnlesse they haue first good assuraunce for Religion and Ministers of the churche and for Scholemaisters that they may be authorised to teache frely In the moneth of February Henry Duke of Brunswick taketh to wyfe the sister of Sigismunde king of Poole About this tyme dieth Iohn Isemburg Byshop of Treuers and hath Iohn Ley his successour The .xxvi. daye also of the same moneth departeth at Alzeme Fredericke the Pausgraue Prince Electour a man of great yeares Whome Otto Henrick his brothers sonne succedeth who had lōg since receiued the doctrine of the Gospell and was in daunger therfore to haue lost al his possessions Taking an othe of his people he commaundeth by and by that no man within his dominion should say Masse or vse any other ceremonies Of the trouble that Osiander styred vp in Prusse who had brought in a newe doctrine of iustificatiō is spoken in the xxii boke But where as the moste part of learned men reprehended that opinion Albert Duke of Prusse by open wryting professeth that he wyll followe the doctrine of the confession of Auspurg He commaundeth therfore the ministers of the churche that they teache according to the same and promyseth to saue them harmeles in case they obeye And to the ende the matter might be throughly appeased Iohn Albert Duke of Megelburge sonne in lawe to the Duke of Pruse a Prince excellently learned going thither and hauing learned men about hym brought Iohn Funccius who was chief of the secte of Osiander to that poinct that both he acknowledged his errour and affirmed that he would confesse it openly and would hereafter teache after the confession of Auspurg Where as others would do the same they were agreed with the other diuines and the state of the churche was appeased The fourth daye of Marche began to shine a blasing starre and is sene by the space of twelue dayes In this moneth the Ambassadours of Princes and cities mete at Regēspurge and treate the cause of Marques Albert of Brandenburge For his aduersaries in the counsell of the last yeare had againe required the ayde of Princes against him but through the mediatiō of his frendes and that the matter should be heard by intercessours Where he therfore in the moneth of February of this yere came out of Fraūce into Germany his matter was heard the causes of thempire differred till the moneth of Aprill The Archebishop of Cantorbury already condēned after the death of Ryddley Latimer retourned to prison as before is said the .xxi. of this moneth is burnt at Oxforde Certen daies before being put in some hope of life through the perswasion of certen he had reuoked diuerse articles of doctrine neither shewed he constancie And when he sawe he must die he made an oration to the people and speaking many thinges of the amendement of life of maners to the ende he might haue his audience attētiue at the lēgth sheweth how greuously he had offended God by denying of the truthe reciting the chief articles of doctrine declareth briefly what he thought and confirmeth Papistrie to be the kingdome of Antichriste He had no so ner said so but he was had thence not without moste bitter railyng wordes to the place of execution And when he came thither stretching forth his right hand this hād saith he hath wickedly offended in subscribing to the wicked opinions which the ennemies of the truthe had propounded to me Wherfore it shall first suffer punishment Thus being tied to the stake so sone as the fire began to burne he stretched forth his hande into if as far as he coulde reache that it might first fele the torment And so was burnt the primate of Englande a man of greatest learning authoritie From the time that the Popishe marke was taken from him they call it degrading whiche is wont to be done with many cerimonies they put vpon him a most vile garmēt so brought him forth amonges the people to be laughed at But many hauing cōpassion of his vnworthy chaūce could not kepe thē frō sheding of teares although thei doubted nothing but that he should flitte out of this miserable lyfe in to the heauenly countrie and life euerlasting His promotions got Cardinall Poole made Archebyshop when he had Massed before And like as they of Austriche so also the Bauariās sollicited Albert their Duke cōcerning religiō in maner at the same time The Duke seing that kyng Ferdinando his father in lawe had permitted some thing to his subiectes he also when he exacted mony graunted some thing for a time that they might receiue the Lordes supper whole and on daies prohibited when necessitie requireth to eate flesh Howbeit he prosesseth with many wordes that he wyll not departe from the Religion of his auncesters nor alter any thing in ceremonies such other thinges for the same not to be lawfull for him to doe without the consent of his supreme Magistrate both spirituall and temporall And where he permitteth these two to be for a tyme only tyll some thing be established by publique authoritie or a reconcilement made For he wyll that his proclamations of fourmer tyme concerning Religion be exactely and stryghtly kept these two thinges only excepted He wyll procure also as muche as in him lieth that the Metropolitane and Byshops shall confirme this graunte and that they shall not for this cause seke to moleste any man This proclamation was written the daye before the Kalendes of Aprill The Metropolitan of whome he speaketh is the Archebyshop of Salisburg At this time certen noble men of
againe into talke of the manner of the treaty that should be And he affirmed verely that to procede after thordre by them lately prescribed it might not be conueniently For now they were in hand with the Masse which thinge should be next discussed which matter semed vnto him mete first to be discided and after to come vnto all the rest How be it this he saith he speaketh of him selfe priuately not that his fellowes haue so willed him Thother inferreth againe howe like as their deuines haue accustomed to debate thinges from the very beginning in ordre Of the creation Of the fall of man Of originall sinne as they terme it Of iustification Of faith Of workes and finally of the Sacraments so ought they nowe also to be permitted to vse the same ordre Moreouer the same daye wherein they deliuered them the safeconduite at the end of Ianuary theyr promise was that the deuines should be hard in all matters wher in they ought to perseuer and not to subuert and altare the nature of thinges for vnlesse the former thinges be well determined all disceptation of the last that depend of the firste is to no purpose And after they could not agre of this thinge betwene them selues he answereth touching his iourney that this may not be graunted him for themperor hath commaunded them that they suffer no mā to depart After much talcke where he alledgeth that he hathe no more to do and whatsoeuer also remaineth shoulde be done by the diuines which had commission in wryting for the same he biddeth him go to thearle Monfort and shew him the letters of commission After verye gently he biddeth him farewell and wisheth him wel to retourne Whan thearle Montfort had sene the commission he said in dede that he would his businesse so required that he might longer remain but for so much as the time must be serued he will not be against it and so letteth him frendly depart The next daye whan he was ready to depart themperors ambassadours send for him Pictaue beginneth to speake Wher yesterday they wer agreed that he might depart now they haue more diligently considered the thing and conferred their heades together they can not geue him leaue to depart for nowe is the matter brought to that passe that the frute of the time spent is to be loked for and thaction to be commenced so that if the bishops Legate were not sickly some thinge might be determined this self same day therefore muste he still remain for if he should now depart at this instaunt the fathers wold be offended which know that he hath ben certain Monethes here present Themperours commaundement also is suche as no man at all may depart and if his magistrate haue so commaunded him he ought to exhibite the letters of the same to thintent they mighte excuse it to themperor Than said he how it was not the commaūdement of the Senate but that his owne matters so required and alledging certain causes vnlesse it wer for the same he said he wold not stirre one fote for that both thauthority of the Senate whych would haue him to remain ther longer and also their honours that request him hereunto and the cause it self moreouer whiche he loueth of reason ought to obtain this of him Howbeit since that the deuines be commen he may now much better be absent especially seing this thing remaineth only that they be admitted to thaction Here be also thambassadors of Wirtemberge to assist the deuines and the cause is common to both as lately it was declared and if it so be that the matter be earnestly and constantlye handled it is possible that the Senate will substitute an other in his place whō he hath all ready aduertised of his departure hence Ther replieth he againe willing him at the least to abide so long till thaction be commenced which should be out of hand and if perchance the Legate Crescentius recouer not his health they will yet so folow the cause that his felowes in commission shal execute the thing Whan he could neither by excusing nor intreating preuaile any thing he fleeth to the last remeady which vntill that time he had purposelye reserued and said how both he and all others that wer protestants might lawfully by theyr safeconduit depart thence at any time Than at the last saith Toletane that is so in dede neither can they let or be against it but that he may depart howbeit they could not but declare what themperor hath commaunded and what also they them selues would haue done Thus therfore he departing commendeth vnto them the cause and deuines also Than were the fathers at dissention amonges them selues and not bent al one way For the Spaniards Neapolitans and Siciliās and whosoeuer wer of themperors part but chiefly the Spaniardes and themperors ambassadors wer importune that thaction might be continued but the bishop of Romes clients for that they supposed that the Spaniards wēt about a reformation of the court of Rome sought to find some let and delay and for so much as the chiefest Bishops of Germany by reason of ciuill tumults wer departed all ready They loked also for the same occasion and so much the rather for that by daily letters and Messagers it was reported how Duke Moris and his confederats were already in armure The French kinge also by the Cardinall Tournon treated diligentlye with the Bishop of Rome for peace which if it toke effect for as much as that French king had war that time with themperor No man doubted but that for his sake also the counsel should be dissolued Wherfore themperors ambassadors which knew and feared all these things laboured this chiefly that the thing which they most coueted they might bring to passe by thambassadors of the Protestantes Thys was little perceiued than but afterward certenly knowen About th end of March a certaine graye Frier expounded the Epistle of Paule to the Romaines before a great audience and oftētimes by octasion he railed bitterlly against Luther and his felowes waded so far that he said such as had no knowledge of Christ and yet liued honestly haue obteined saluatiō and that this also is the very meaning of Saint Paule in the second chapiter of the foresaid Epistle Whan certain deuines of the Protestants had heard him speke this opēly after deliberatiō takē by cōmon assent they write to themperors ambassadors the last day of Marche declaring for what intent they were sent verely to expound and defend the confession of the doctrine exhibited they complain that ther is none action commenced and that the decrees of the counsel already made haue in manner nothing els but a bitter reproch and detestinge of that doctrin which they do professe and that also this other daye a gray Frier spake not only many absurd things openly and contrary to the consent of the Church and exposition of thold doctors but also poured out great aboundaunce of railing words against their