of the Empyre was there shoulde be the heade Church againe the Emperours had their beginninge in Rome againe though some of them kept at Constantinople yet euer they bare the name of Rome as Romaine Emperours finallye Peter deliuered to Rome the keyes of heauen and hell A feeble reason thoughe it had bene true Thus at this time as an adulterer by treason and murther vsurped the Empyre so of the same man this ambitious Boniface obtained by briberye to be vniuersall bishop and consequentlye by the sayinge of his owne predicessour to be the forerunner of Antichrist He decreed in a Synode that vnder the paine of excommunication one Pope beinge deade another should not be chosen before the third day after Also the same penaltye for such as sought to be bishops by fauour or briberye he decreed that a bishoppe should be chosen by the voyces of the clergye and the people together and the election to be good if it were ratifyed and allowed first by the Prince or chiefe parson of the place and last of all confirmed by the Popes auctoritye and wyth these woordes of his Wee will and commaunde From this time forwarde the puritye of the Gospell decreased and superstition increased Likewise y Empâ—re was at this time mightely weakened for FrauÌ„ce Germanye Lombardye and Spaine reuolted and forsoke the Empyre beside Cosdroa kinge of Persia inuaded and wanne away many countreys and Cittyes in the East and among them Hierusalem Boniface hauinge enioyed his auctoritye scante a yeare dyed From this time sayth Vspergensis the Romain Empyre was neuer without great trouble miserye and missehap 2. Boniface the fourth BOniface the fourth borne in Marcia obtained of Phocas the Emperour that a Church in Rome called Pantheon which the heathen had dedicated to all their gods and idols should be translated from the worshipping of Idols to the seruice of Christ and be dedicate to al Saincts and so called all hallowes Churche An vngodly and blasphemous alteratioÌ„ and contrary to S. Paules doctrine that Christians should turne that to Gods seruice which was dedicate to idols He appointed the feast of alhallowes day and that the Pope on that doye should say a long masse he also appointed the corps cloth to be had at masse he gaue moncks leaue to baptize and absolue In this Popes time God punished the wickednes of Phocas who was reft both of Empyre lyfe by his successour Heraclius for hauinge his handes and feete cut of he was throwne into the sea 3. Theodatus THeodatus the first was a Romaine the sonne of one Steuen a subdeacon he deuised a newe founde aliance betwene the Godfather and the goddaughter and betwene the godmother and her godsonne calling it spirituall coÌ„sanguinitye and therefore he commaunded that neyther the godfather nor his godsonne should marrye the goddaughter and so of the godmother likewyse which is one token giuen to know Antichrist by forbiddinge and makinge vnlawful as Tacianus Montanus and other heretikes do honest mariage which God hath made lawfull At this time raigned such a straunge lothsome kinde of leprosye disfiguring men in such sort that one coulde not discerne another by the face Theodatus died Anno 618. in the thirde yeare of his Popedome Here note by the waye that none of the Popes from this time liued longe which wroughte not some notorious acte for the maintenance of the tiranny of the Sea of Rome 4. Boniface the fifte BOniface the fifte was borne in Campania he decreed the holye places shoulde be rescewes and maintenauncâ— for theeues murtherers and leude parsons making the churches churchyards chappels such others to be sanctuaryes for them and that no man should draw them away by violence that fled thether He commaunded that none but deacons shoulde handle the reliques of Saincts furthermore that a will and testament being made by commauÌ„dement of the Prince should stande in force which prerogatiues his successors did afterwarde vsurpe to themselues that no testamente should be good vnlesse it were allowed by them He dyed Anno. 623. 5. Honorius the first HOnorius borne in CaÌ„pania was a good Pope as Vvicelius saith for diligeÌ„ce in building Churches deckiÌ„g them with golde siluer but a negâ—igent pastor for ought that is read of him in feeding Christ his flocke Amonge other temples and monasteries that he founded he honge S. Peters Church w t cloth of Tissew which with the Emperours consente were taken out of Ianus Capitol or Romulus temple hee deuised holye roode daye and added to the Letanye the prayinge vnto dead saintes Sancta maria sancta Gregori c. and commauÌ„ded to go about the streates in procession euery Sabboth day This Honorius died Anno 634. in whose time Mahumet arose the auctor of the Turkishe religion 6. Seuerinus the second SEuerinus or Zepherinus the second was coÌ„firmed Pope in the name of Herachuâ— the Emperour by Isacius his liuetenaunt in Italye This Pope also was very carefull to build vp Churches of dead saints but carelesse of buildinge vp the Gospell wherevppon Isacius brake into the Church treasurye and perforce toke away the great heapes of riches the priestes to their power defending the same for then euen by Gods iust punishment the Sarracens wan from the Romaines Damascus Arabia Phoenicia Egipt and other kingdomes of the world Mahumets power encreased still against them and as for the Emperours souldiers they were driuen to great pouertye and wante of all thinges and the houge heapes of the Churches hourded treasury encreased to no bodies profit For sayth Platina in this dauÌ„ger of Mahumet the priests loked that the laitye should beare the charge of this to withstand the ennemyes of Christendome againe the laitye looked that the clergye for defence of Religion shoulde promise and giue their money for the maintenaunce of the warre and should not waste their wealth prodigallye to worse purposes as for the most part they doe spendinge plentifullye their riches gotten by almose deedes and with the bloud of martyrs vppon statelye and massye plate of siluer and goldeâ— hauinge little care of the world to come defying God and maÌ„ whom they serue only for luker sake Plat. in Boniface the 5. This made Isacius with his souldiours to burst into the Churches treasurye Seuerinus dyed Anno 636. 7. Iohn the fourth IOhn the fourth learning by his predecessours harmes howe to vse ryches better did redeme out of captiuitie with that money whiche Isacius lefte in Lateran his contreimen the Assirians and Dalmacians whome the Lombardes had taken prisoners in battell And yet least the like deede shoulde be attempted against the churche anye more euen sone after in the beginning of his Popedome he decreed that the churche goodes being so purloyned should be recompenced fower times double He wrote to Englande concerning the keping of Easter and against the Pelagian heresy Hee transported from Dalmacia to Rome the dead bodies of two martyrs Vincentius and Anastasius rather to hurt liue Christians with committing
by night to Caieta afterward to Beneuent last of all in the 17 yeare of his Popeship he came to Venice disguised in the apparell of one that was his cooke where lurking in an abbey he became a Gardener A while after he was bewrayed and knowne and there vpon calling a councell by the commaundement of duke Sebastian he was receyued with great honour and brought into S. Maryes Church w t pontificall pompe The Emperour hearing that the Pope was at Venice desyred the Venetians to yeld to him his ennemye being likewyse the ennemye of the common wealth The Venetians denyed to do it therefore the Emperour sente his sonne Otho with a nauye of souldiours to demaund Alexander of them but he charged him withall that he should attempt nothing in any case till he himselfe were come vnto him But Otho being a lustye yonge Prince ful of courage and desirous of renowne neglecting his fathers commaundement would needes encounter the Venetians whereby hee was ouercome taken prisoner bounde brought to Venice Herevpon Alexander began to set vp his crest and put out his hornes and woulde not take peace with the Emperour in anye case vnlesse the Emperour would come to Venice take suche conditions of peace as hee woulde offer him Whereuppon the good and carefull father to prouide for the infortunate miserye of his sonne promised hee woulde come at the time appointed and so came where they commoned vppon conditions of peace But the Pope woulde not absolue the Emperour of excōmunication till he came to S. Markes Church where before all the people Pope Alexander commaunded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe on the ground and to craue pardon The Emperour did as hee commaunded him then the Pope trode on the Emperours necke with his foote sayinge it is written Thou shalt walke vppon the serpent and adder and shalt treade downe vnder rhy feete the Lion and dragon The Emperour disdayninge this reproche aunswered It was not sayd to thee but to Peter The Pope then treadinge downe his necke againe sayde Both to mee and to Peter The Emperour then fearing some daunger durst saye no more so the peace was concluded The conditions wherof are these that the Emperour should vphold Alexander to be true Pope that he should restore all that did belonge to the Church of Rome which had beene taken away in the warres Thus the Emperour departed with his sonne The Pope to shew himselfe thankfull to Venice bestowed of his liberality giftes vppon duke Sebastian the Senate First he gaue them a white Taper which onely the Popes vsed to Beare Secondlye he lycensed them to seale theyr letters with leade and he graunted theyr Duke the third seate in the Popes Theatre Fourthly he graunted that on Ascention daye they should haue whole and perfit pardōs for euer at S. Markes Church Fiftly he gaue the Duke viii banners of silke and an attier for the head like an hat Afterward Alexander depriued the bishop of Papia of his Pall exempted him of the dignitye of caryinge the Crosse because he toke the Emperours part He made many Canons in a councel at Lateran as that an archbishop should not receyue his Pall vnlesse he had sworne first to be true and obedient to the Pope And that a man should not marrye his brothers wyfe beinge wydowe that they that toke orders should vowe chastetye that a bastarde should not be made a bishop that the canonizinge of Saincts belonged onlye to the Pope that such sainctes should haue deuine honour Amonge other he made Thomas Becket archbishop of Canterbury a rancke traytour to his prince but stoutlye vpheld therein by the Pope a sainct He bounde kinge Henry the seconde of Englande excusing himselfe of the death of Thomas that his subiectes should franklye freely appeale frō him to the Court of Rome that afterward none should be king of England vnlesse he were first called king by the Pope This arose vppon the quarel betwene the king and Thomas Becket who so vexed and disquieted his soueraigne prince with all the nobles and prelates of this Realme with cursinges excommunications interditinges threatninges mouing both French kinge Pope to moleste the kinge in his behalfe and finallye as then Pope Alexander played the incarnate deuill against the Emperour so did Becket rage like a subdeuill against the kinge in England till certaine not able to endure his arrogante seditious and trayterous doinges in great despite therof slue him at Canterbury He decreed that a mā shoulde not be deuorced frō his wyfe though she had the Leprosye Also that those that could be proued vsurers shoulde neyther be admitted to the Communion nor buryed in the Church after these other like deedes he dyed Anno 1181. Robert Montēsis Chronicle hath that Lewes king of Fraūce and Henry kinge of Englande wayted on Pope Alexander as his gentlemē vsshers and footemen the one leading his horse by the bridle on the right syde and the other on the left throughe the whole City Taciacū to Legeris In this Popes time the Sunne was Eclipsed and earthquakes were euery where Also there were certaine called VValdenses who defended manye articles against the Pope and his doctrine as transubstantiation Purgatorye c. 112. Lucius the thirde LVcius the thirde borne in Thuscia of an honourable stocke succeded by consente of all the Cardinals But the Romaynes so vexed him that hee was driuen oute of the Citye and manye of his frendes and companye taken by the Romaynes some were set vppon Asses with their faces towardes the tayle and Miters on their heades and so ledde throughe the Citye in mockadge some vsed despitefullye otherwyse Some had their eyes put oute by the Romaynes in a madnes othersome murthered for this cause onelye that he wente about to take away the name of Consuls in the Citye The Pope sufferinge this great shame wente to Verona where in a councell he condemned the Romaynes doinges and euen then when the Christians were persecuted in Asia which pretence of holines wrought the perill of many that they might be succoured because the ennemyes were emboldned to wast the bolye lande vnder their Captaine Saladinus presuminge for that our Princes were at discētion This Pope being mindfull of his coūtrye Thuscia bestowed large giftes vppon it and obtayned of the Emperour that the Hetruriās should haue the selfe same coyne that the Lucēsians amōg them had euen as the Lombards had onelye the money of Papia with the Emperours coyne Valerius Anselmus wryteth that this Pope contrarye to other allowed the Sacraments that were done by whoremaister chapleins he dyed in Verona Anno 1185. In his time were greate earthquakes which did destroye diuers notable Cityes in Sicil were destroyed thereby fiue and twentye thousand parsons The Armenians being at this time at greate debate with the Greeke Church did for hatred thereof become subiect to the Church of Rome 113. Vrbanus the thirde VRbanus who because of his
it shal be sufficient to declare but some of the least Theodoricus lib 1. cap. 14. sayth that Clement with his Cardinals beinge in Campania sente for their Captayne Bernard de Cazala with other men of warre oute of Gascony and Britany who should passe ouer a certaine bridge vpon Tiber nighe Rome but they that kept the bridge wtstoode them whereupon all the Citye was in an vprore many ran out disordered to defend the bridge against Bernard and his Brytaines who entred perforce and in this conflict there were slaine as some thincke 8. hundred Romaynes and the rest beaten backe into the Cittye wherof arose great howling crying lamenting through Rome But the Romaynes to reuenge themselues fel vpon al such as mighte seeme in the Citye to fauour Pope Clement as al those that were borne beyonde the Alpes both Frenchmen and Spaniards that were weake and vnweaponed in the Citye they spared neither man womaÌ„ nor childe parson nor degree some they murthered some they chained in prison the women they vsed vilanouslye without al shame bishops and noble men they spoyled robbed and long imprysoned with great misery This hurly burly continued long Yea I saw then sayth Theodoricus certaine matrones of Rome desirous to enflame the Romaine CitizeÌ„s against the courtiers strangers to iastle them ruffiantly in the streates and without al honestye to spit and slauer in the faces of the courtiers both of men and women But while the freinds of Pope Vrban did thus within the Citye molest the freindes of Clement a certaine Frenchman being Captaine of Angel Castel and keeping it to the vse of his countryman Clement and his Cardinals did leuel a certaine engine out of the Castle against the Citye discharging and shooting arrowes pellets violently into Rome amonge the Romaines and courtiers and with this shotte he ouerthrew shooke downe and fyred many houses Thus was the Citye in a myserable broyle and in these tumults were slaine diuers noble men Iohn Vrsine Rainolde his brother and one Honoratus with Angelus lieuetenant of Rome diuers other estates stept vp in armes in the quarell of Clement assaulting the Citye round about Rainold layde siege against it at S. Agnes gate a whole month so that the Romaynes were robbed of their cattell and durst not peepe out of the Citye to followe their husbandrye during this storme Whereupon Charles the Emperour and Lewis kinge of Hungary at the humble sute of Pope Vrban sent to Clement their Embassadours desiring him to yeld vp his Papacy for the ending of these sturres tending to the ruine of the Church and Christian estate but Pope Clement and his Cardinals in steede of reasonable answeares vsed the Legates vilanously keeping some of them in pryson some they racked cruelly and by this meanes all christeÌ„dome was deuided some as Almany Bohemia Thuscia Lombardy England Polony Denmarke Sweueland Norwaie Prusia Frizland with diuers other countryes toke part with Vrban and likewise many countryes with Clement Vrban made Charles king of Sicil and ClemeÌ„t set vp Lewes of Andegana against him for it to the spoyle of much bloud Manye other notable historyes are written of this Clement which for tediousnesse are ouerpassed onely I note that which Theodoricus sayth that he being Cardinall vnder Gregorie the xi was cause of the destruction and lameÌ„table spoyling of the Citye Cesanate hauing charge of the souldiours that did it as is shewed in the said Gregorie Also at the same time he sould the Citye Vercels vnto a couple of tyrants to the great confusion of the same Citye in like maner but those tyrants Caleatius and Barnabonis hauing ful possession thereof robbed this Cardinal againe of all the treasure which they had payde him But when he sate in the Papacye he was so prodigall in spendinge the Church goodes that he graunted to euerye man especiallye noble men large pentions farmes landes at an easye rent 145. Boniface the ix BOniface the ix borne in Naples was first called Peter Thomacell being but a yonker scant xx yeares old but a toughe and sturdy fellow he was made Pope by consent of those Cardinals that remayned in Rome Theodoricus sayth that he could neyther write nor singe and that when he was chosen he knewe not what belonged to the greate charge of the Papacye and when supplications were offered him he handled them so vntowardly as if he had neuer beene brought vp in the Court of Rome neyther could he vnderstand the contentes thereof When any aduocates during his gouernment moued any matter debated in his consistorye he neuer vnderstoode them but woulde bolte out an vndiscrete aunsweare to their demaundes At the first during the liues of certaine good Cardinals he durste not openlye commit simonye thoughe priuilye he vsed his brokers therein but they being dead after vii yeares he vsed it openly First he toke the first fruictes of all abbeyes and great Churches voyde and ere the lyuing were bestowed the money must be payed yea often he was heard to wishe that the money being payed the party might not enioy it that he might be payd new first fruictes againe by another This was the chiefest of those xxvi Neapolitans whoÌ„ beinge of his alleance Pope Vrban made Cardinals at Nuceria who as Crantzius sayth beinge confirmed established did forthwith confirme those things which Vrban had decreed touching the Iubely to be kept euery xiii yeare the feast of the visitation of the virgin Mary and indulgences pardons for the worshipping of Christes bodye But by his couetousnes and simonye because al benefices were sould for moneye vsurye waxed so rancke in Rome that it was counted no sinne sayth Theodoricus in his time yea oftentimes vsurye was required openlye euen in the presence of the iudges and officials And againe there was no sute made to the Pope for anye matter but that brybes must be giuen for speakinge The fifte daye of Nouember in the first yeare of his raigne hee his Secretaryes and his chamberlaynes set benefices to sale so impudently offering and trying who would giue most so that al men laughed it to scorne At which time he gaue vnder seale any benefice where soeuer were it in his disposition or no his gift to take place vpoÌ„ the death of the incumbente and this kinde of sale lasted longe in the Courte of Rome so that many poachers ran vp and downe the countrye to espye where were any olde or sicke prelate therevpon poasâ—ed to Rome to purchase a graunt of his lyuing so that sometime the Pope sould one benefice to diuers parties and vsed to set downe in the dating of it that the secoÌ„d third or the fourth graunt should stande aboue and before the rest and therefore after diuers grauntes of one benefice yet some purchased one after al with this clause to defeate the rest notwithstanding al former or after graunts and for more assurance the last should be antedated Thus the Pope played pollage so long till all men being
thincarnation 60. Paule as is sayde was prisoner at Rome who for the tyme of his abode there so planted the Gospell that at his departing from thence he left great fruite therof and suche in deede as if Peter had succeded Paule within two thre or foure yeres and there supplied the roume of a byshop Cornelius Tacitus speaking of the estate of the Christians in Rome about the yeare 67. being but seuen yeares after Paules departure should not haue had cause so soone to saye as he doth y by that tyme the Christian Religion was repressed For Vspergensis saith that in the 67. yere Nero did set Rome on fier of the whiche Cornelius Tacitus writing lib. 15. Augustae historiae sayth Ergo abolēdo rumori Nero subdidit reos c. Therfore Nero to stop the rumour of his setting the citie on fier suborned giltie persons and executed with strange punishment those whome the vulgar people detesting for their wickednes doth call Christiās That mischeuous superstition being repressed till nowe brake out againe c. Therfore first they were taken that confessed it afterward by their accusatiō an houge multitude not so much for that they were gilty of fyreing the citie as for hatred are condemned and were put to death with great despite some encased in the skinnes of wylde beastes that they might bee torne in peces with dogges some crucified some were burned to giue light in the night time c. These are the woordes of Tacitus notwithstanding as it appeareth he was a blasphemer of the name of Christe By these woordes of his it appeareth that nowe Christianitie began to reuiue and that nowe it was quenched which argueth plaine that from the former time of Paules departure til this time Peter had not supplied in Rome the place of a preaching pastour and diligēt bishop And seing this broyle against the Christians began now to be so hotte not in al places but especially in Rome howe could Peter sit quietly in this citie as bishop thereof and not be fyred out with his flocke but they saye all that he lyued after this tyme about three yeares for this was done in the eleuenth yeare of Nero who raigned almoste xiiii yeares and Peter was martyred in the last yeare of Nero as they saye all If this reuiuing of the Gospel was by Peters meanes why would Nero spare him being the head if Peter escaped by flying then he shewed him selfe to be an hierling and no true shepeherde that forsaketh his flocke when he seeth the wolfe come ¶ From the yeare 67. to the 70. of thincarnation Nowe are we come to the latter tyme of Nero in which yeres if Peter were not bishop of Rome then is it certaine that he was not bishop there at all But to come to the purpose Naucler Volu 2. generat 2. and the moste writers as Eusebius lib. 2 cap. 25 Nicephorus li. 2. cap. 34. Sabellicus Ennead 7. li. 2. agree that Paule died in the yeare of our Lorde 70. the 37. yeare after the death of Christe But it may sone appeare that Peter was not then byshop at Paules last comming to Rome for after Paule was come thether he sent for Timothie to come vnto hym shewing that he had nede of him to come to hym because he was nowe desolate and had none with hym Demas had forsaken hym nowe and embraced the worlde c. so that if this Epistle were not written at the firste imprisonment of Paule but at this latter time then was not Peter yet estalled in his Diocese for if he had bene in Rome in his pontificall dignitie I thinke Paule should not haue bene dryuen to sende to Ephesus 1000. miles frō Rome for Timothie to bryng Marke to come to minister to him In the ende of this secōd Epistle to Timothie Paule sendeth commendations from diuers but none from Peter There are xiiii Epistles whereof Paule and Seneca beare the name the one wryting to the other at this later imprysonnement and yet among them all nothing is saide of Peter and yet by occasion he might easely haue bene mencioned in them if he had bene then in Rome But if by this time Peter were not yet Pope of Rome there is no tyme left for him to come to enioye it during the raigne of Nero till whose death this present persecutiō of the church endured with all crueltie ¶ The death of Peter TOuching the death of Peter all wryters do not agree as it is sufficiently declared in the Actes and monumentes fol. 56. in these wordes They that folow the common opinion and the Popes decrees saye that bothe Peter and Paule suffred both in one daye and one yeare whiche opinion semeth to be taken out of Dionisius byshop of Corinthe Hierome in his booke De viris illustr affirmeth that they suffered both in one daye but hee expresseth not the yeare so doth Isiodorus and Eusebius Prudentius in his Peristephano noteth that they both were put to death vpon the same daye but not in the same yeare saythe that Paule folowed Peter a yeare after Abdias recordeth that Paule suffered twoo yeares after Peter Moreouer if it be true whiche Abdias sayth that after the crucifying of Peter Paule remayned in his free custody at Rome mencioned in the 28. of the Actes of the Apostles whiche was as S. Hierome witnesseth in the thirde or fourth yeare of Nero then must it be tenne yeares betwixt the martyrdome of Peter and of Paule for as muche as it is by all wryters confessed that Paule suffered in the xiiii yeare which was the last yeare of Nero. Vspergensis saithe that they were both executed in one yeare but he noteth not that they died in one daye Sabellicus sayth both in one yeare one daye Some say as Ambrose that they died together both in one place But Dionysius saythe otherwyse that the one bad thother farewel when they were parted asonder goyng to death Againe the moste writers saye that Nero was the cause therof But Linus saith Agrippa cōmaunded that Peter should be slayne because that by his persuasiō foure of the concubines of Agrippa refused to liue any longer in suche vnchast life with the king therefore for anger he cōmaunded that Peter should be crucified Finally S. Hierome and Lyra wryting vpon the 34. verse of the 22. chap. of Mathewe say that Peter was put to death at Hierusalē by the Iewes and that Christe prophecied thereof saying Lo I sende you prophetes c. and some of them ye shall kyll Many thinges might be added to disproue this dotage of Peters being bishop at Rome but because I thinke this to be sufficient I let passe diuers necessary thinges least I should be ouer tedious But if any be desirous to se this matter more suffitiently handled let him reade Vlrichus Velenus wryting purposely of this in a litle booke called Demonstrationes contra Romani Papae primatus figmētum Beside there hath bene of late set forth in Englishe a discours
preached and taught the hipocriticall life of moÌ„kes Also in his time Anno. 542. there was a terrible earthquake ouer all the world as Vspergensis sayth 28. Pelagius PElagius a Romaine aspired to the pontificall dignitie in that time when the tyrant Totila called Gods scourge to the great comfort of the Goathes being their king inuaded Italy as Procopius wryteth This Pelagius to please Totila and his companie made a publique decree that it was nedeful to haue the authoritie of the prince and consent of the people in creation of byshops He in the middest of troubles of that time hauing more regarde to aduaunce the Popedome then Christianitie decreed that the Clergie should momble euery daye seuentimes the canonicall howers Abbots should be chosen by order one magistrate should be sufficient to punishe an hereticke that in Lent priestes might say masse at nine of the clocke and that euery Prouince should contayne twelue or tenne cities at the least This man first auouched that the premacie of the churche of Rome was fette from Christe himselfe and not from men nor geneâ—all councels He buried together the bones of the firste Martyr Stephen and S. Laurences carkasse He allowed solemnities in remeÌ„braunce of the dead and for loue of gaynes he mingled them with the masse And because he sometime him selfe was accused in a libell that he had geuen occasion why Vigilius his predecessour was troubled and depriued therfore he prouided that such libelles should not be harde But it is reported that he purged him selfe from the infamy of that libell by takinge an oathe and kissing the crosse He liued in the extreame tyme when Rome was besieged died a confessour Anno. 566. About the yeare of our Lorde 557. Totila king of Gothes besieged Rome whiche being miserably oppressed with extreame famine was compelled to yelde it self to the slauery of the saluage people vnder whiche it continued tenne yeares In the time of this Pope a Pestilence raigned ouer all Italy beginning in Liguria so contagiously that the contreye was almoste destroyed of the inhabitours thereby Vrspergensis 29. Iohn the third IOhn the thirde a Romaine was an especiall friende to Narsetes the Eunuche gouernour of Italy when the Gothes were ouercome for he recouered his fauour towarde Rome when it was in displeasure and obtayned that hee was made consull for then the bishop had almoste all the swaâ—e in Rome This man decreed contrary to his predecessour that none ought to be called chiefe prieste or vniuersall bishop Distinctione 99. Nullus Furthermore taking away from the bishops chauncelours the laying on of handes graunted it only to bishops as Isidorus writeth Afterwarde turning his minde and taking delight in building he finished Philip and Iacobs churche whiche Vigilius had begonne and restored the Sainctes tombes in the citie Finally being a very olde maÌ„ taking great thought vpon occasion of straunge tempestes he died at Rome Anno 577. In his time the Armenians became Christians 30. Benedict the first BEnedict the first a Romain was bishop when the Lombarde spoyled Italy And wâ—s a good bishop because he did nothing worthy memorie as Barnus and Functius write of him But yet whiche is to be noted for the worthinesse of the dede he forbad that meÌ„ should treade on crosses made of marble stone or woode And when there was great dearth in Rome he or at the least wise Tiberius Augustuâ— in his steade brought corne out of Egypt to succour them withall He died for sorowe to se so many miseries in the citie Anno. 582. 31. Pelagius the second PElagius the seconde while the citie was besieged without the Princes coÌ„maundement coÌ„trary to the custome was made bishop Therefore to pacifie the Emperoure he sent one Gregory a monke to Constantinople afterwarde he made the cloyster of Hermes a martyr and builded vp S. Laurence pallaice from the foundacion He renewed the Canon for saying the howers and commaunded Subdeacons either to forsake their wiues or els their ecclesiasticall functions and appointed nyne prefaces to be song in the masse before the Canon Pestis inguinaria arising of great tempestes and the contagiousnes of the aire tooke awaye this bishop among many other This pestilence was cause of many supersticions for then they firste began to thinke that Gods wrath was to be pleased and the Letany of seuen partes was made by Gregorie The occasion hereof saith Vspergensis was that a great part of Italy was drowned with great flouddes 32. Gregorie the great GRegorie the great a Romaine was made byshop being before but a Monke and a Deacon He was the best maÌ„ of all these Romaine Patriarkes for learning and good life He succeded Pelagius vnwillingly refusing it and in the ende coÌ„pelled thereunto he though otherwyse he was learned and Godly yet because he was a Monke burthened the churche and religion of God aboue all other with more ceremonies then had the Iewes He turned his parentes houses into Monasteries and dedicated the firste of them to S Andrewe the Apostle He made Scholes of quiresters and made certaine songes for the church according to Ambrose maner which we call Anthemes He appointed one to be chaunter for the daye another for the night He gathered together the lawes of the holy fathers He did deuise the order of masses linked the Cannons therof together he caused the masses to be begonne with peces of Psalmes He commaunded to saye Kyriaeleison nine tymes and to chaunt Alleluia after the Graduall hee ioyned the same Alleluia for Easter tyme to the Offertories Hee added three peticions to the Cannons of the masse That is Dies nostros in tua pace c. He coÌ„maunded that the Lordes prayer should be either song or sayde with a loude voyce ouer the communion bread He commauned that masse shoulde be saide ouer the dead carkases of sainctes And added to the Canonicall howers Deus in adiutorium with Gloria patri He deuised Letanies and processions deuided theÌ„ into these seuen orders Clarkes Monkes Nonnes Boyes Laymen Widowes and maried wyues He suffered the Image of the blessed virgin Mary to be caried about withall But not to be worshipped Furthermore this Gregorie as they shamefully imagine compelled an Angeli to put vp his terrible swerde into his sheathe By his indulgences he established certaine stacioâ—s and pilgrimages vnto Images in the citie according to the peoples deuocion He solemnized the feast of the Purification of our Lady with wex candels whereof it is called Candelmas daye and appointed the solemnitie of Palme Sondaye to be kept with processions He added iiii dayes to Lent faste and hallowed the beginning thereof with Ashwednisdaye He forbad those that should faste to eate fleshe milke butter chese or egges because they seme to beare a taste of fleshe and suffered them only to eate fishe excepting also the greater sorte of fishes whereof Mantuan sayth Fastor 2. Yet was it not against the lawe to fede on fishes small For Gregorie forbad the great but time
Rome bishoprickes and benefices being then voyde in Englande wherewith the king was offended and vndid all the prouisions of the Pope within his Realme commauÌ„ding vpon paine of imprisonmente and life that no man shoulde be so hardy as to bring in any such prouisions of the Pope within his Realme any more and vnder the same punishmente charged the 2. Cardinals forthwith to auoide the Realme Anno 1343. ¶ Certaine blasphemyes gathered out of the Bull which the said Pope published for the yeare of Iubelie WHosoeuer purposeth for trauel sake to come to Rome maye choose that daye whereon he setteth forvvarde a confessour or confessours or els in his iourneye by the waye or in any other place Vnto the which confessours or ghostlye fathers wee giue ful power to giue absolution in all cases that concerne the Popes owne prerogatiue in as ample maner as if our owne parson were present Item we graunt that if anye being confessed dye by the waye that he shal be free and discharged froÌ„ all his sinnes And furthermore we commaunde the Angels of Paradise that his soule beinge fullye deliuered from purgatorye they receaue it into Paradise ¶ And in an other Bull he wrote thus WE will not that anye man be tormented in him selfe with the paine of hell and also vve graunte to all those that weare the Crosse 3. or 4. soules at their owne pleasure whom soeuer they will to deliuer them oute of Purgatorye Against these hereticall blasphemyes the Uniuersitye of Paris did then openlye detest and reproue There were an hundred Thousand poore men of the clergye in that yeare resorted to Auenio to obtaine pardons out of all countryes and to be hyred confessours 140. Innocent the sixt INnocent the sixte borne in Lenomia called Steuen doctour of both lawes being of an aduocate made bishop of Claromont and of the Cardinall of Hostia and chiefe penitenciary to the Pope was made Pope him selfe He was a man that in his Popedome was a cunning lawyer but of hauty courage wilfull minde very rigorous and one that fraÌ„ckly bestowed benefices on such as would pay for them After he was established hee did wisely abrogate certaine reseruatioÌ„s made by Pope Clement because it made more for his coÌ„moditye in time to come so to do And forthw t he decreed that al Ecclesiastical parsons as many as had any benefices should go forthw t to their charge for he sayd that the flocke ought to be kept by their owne sheapeheard and not â—y an hyrelinge He like a couetous niggarde diminished his house keping reducing stinting the parsons of his family to a certin but as Petrarcha sayth not an honest noÌ„ber Neither would he haue any to waite on him at home but such as shoulde in al pointes feede his owne humour he gaue straite charge to the Cardinals so to do saying ytâ—e all other Ecclesiastical parsons ought to be an example of life to other And for the more sparing he made cellars in his house for his auditour clarkes of the kitchin to locke vp all thinges For his table diet the wryters report of him that he was a great pincher but for the maintenaunce of warres verye prodigall He sente one Giles a Spaniarde Cardinal of Saba from his side into Italye to persecute certaine robbers and theeues and to assure the better to the Pope Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction By Peter Thomas of Aquine a white fryer this Popes Legat Bononia became subiecte to the Pope which Peter did first plante there the doctrine of the Sorbonits therefore the Pope bestowed on him the bishopricks of Pacte Mileto Coranie the archbishoprick of Crete and at length the patriarckship of Constantinople At the commaundement of this Innocent Charles the fourth was crowned Emperour by two Cardinals at Rome but vpon this condition that he should staye no longer neither in Rome nor in Italy he notwithstanding as soone as he returned home warned the archbishop of Mens to reforme the clergy in their apparel shooes hayre and all the order of their life vpon penaltye of forfeytinge all his benefices Richard archbishop of Armachane in Irelande did publishe before this Pope ix articles against the begging fryers In the first yeare of his raigne this Pope commaunded that Iohn Rochdal a franciscan fryer should be burned for speaking certaine wordes against the clergye The sayde Iohn sayth Premonstratensis did prophecye many things to come of Antechrist and of the Popes and therfore was suspected of heresye for he begaÌ„ to prophecye Anno 1354. in the time of Clement the sixte and manye of his prophecyes were found to come to passe A certaine priest hauing had a bull of this Pope the space of three yeares came in the ende and did caste it downe at the Popes feete sayinge Lo take your bull vnto you for it doth me no good for the which cause the Pope commauÌ„ded him to be apprehended and whipped and afterward committed to prison This Pope made an holye daye for the speare and hammers wherewith Christ was pearced and nayled He builded walles about Auenio and fouÌ„ded an house of Carthusian monkes without the Citye While he was preparing an army against the Turkes Anno 1362. he dyed for griefe vnderstanding that the Romaines were at ciuill discentioÌ„ There appeared so greate an Eclipse of the Sunne before the death of this Pope as hath not bene seene In his time also sayth Masseus a certain flame brandishing in the ayre after the going downe of the Sunne gaue a terrible light in the skie afterward houge swarmes of Locusts destroying and eating vp the fruites of the earth did also feede vpon the very stalkes 141. Vrban the fifte VRban the fift was also borne in Lemonia called before Grymold Grison sonne of one VVilliam a Phisition and an Englishman in profession hee was a Benedictine monke and in the ende he being absente in an Embassage was chosen Pope Being therefore called to Auenio and saluted Pope he did forthwith addict his minde to maintaine the prerogatiue of the Church in couetousnes ryot pompe with great diligence vsinge herein the assistaunce of such as were proane to this purpose especially one Giles a Spaniard whom he sent Legate in the behalfe thereof who scoured Italye and oppressed the Uicountes and other gouernours with great calamityes and slaughters and compelled them al to submitte themselues for feare to the Church of Rome Pope Vrban himselfe in the fourth yeare of his raigne coÌ„ming to Rome with his Cardinals bestowed superstitious cost vpoÌ„ idols ruinous Churches He couered the sculs of the Apostles as he thought which they had long sought for ere they could finde them and yee missed of them also in the ende in cofers of gould siluer valued at xxx Thousand Florences set them in the place where they are yet seene He repayred diuers houses of the Popes he commaunded to preach the Crosse against the Turkes he commaunded that the Nicene crede should be songe on S. Iohn Baptistes daye
he yelded soueraignity to the sea of Rome he builded scholes for those that should studye Phisicke and the Decretals Briget a woman of Sweaueland came to him to Rome because of a vowe that she had made and procured that there should be Religious parsons both men women of the order of S. Briget Afterward be returning into Fraunce made one Iohn Hawcuth an Englishmā liefetenaunt of his army in the steade of Giles that was dead that he might still defende the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction vntil he should returne for he purposed not to returne to Italye But while he wente into Fraunce hopinge to returne to his court in Rome Anno 1371. he dyed at Massilia poysoned as it is thought Sabellicus wryteth that he made great warre in Italye yea euē with the Princes that his auncetours had set vp against the Emperour he slue manye of them In this Popes time sayth Premonstratensis the archbishop of Collen had a wyfe In his time also the order of the Iesuits Scopetines orders first began as Iohn Palionedorus testifyeth in the third booke and second Chapter of his tripartite historye 142. Gregorie the xi GRegorie the eleuenth borne in Lenomony called before Peter Belfortius was Cardinall of newe S. Maryes and nephewe to Pope Clement he succeded Vrban This Gregorie sayth Platina was made Cardinall when hee was scante xvii yeares old by his vncle Clement and least he should seeme to haue more regard to his kindred then to the Church he sent him to the best learned doctours in Italye to be brought vp in learning especiallye to one Baldus whoe then read the Popes decretals at Peruse where he profited in all kinde of such learninge as Baldus coulde teache him so much that the sayd Baldus for the assurance of his owne affayres being in daunger vsed his auctoritye for his owne safetye Gregorie being Pope sent a Cardinall into Italye to ouersee according to custome the estate of the Church But because as Volaterain sayth almost all the Cityes reuolted frō him by the councell of Katherine a Nonne of Scene which afterward became a saint of Baldus his scholemaster he returned from Fraunce vnto Rome with xii galleyes Or as Sabellicus saith because that he reprouing a certaine bishop for being nonresident was by the same bishop reproued againe that he being the chiefe bishop did yet lye so farre and so long from the place of his Church Anno 1376. he excommunicated out of the Church the Florentines who were the auctours of the reuolting and had taken to their vse al the Popes townes lying about them and because they despised and defyed the terrour and vaine boults of his excommunication he warred vpon them Some other saye he returned into Italye for other causes Masseus sayth that one Briget a woman returned from Hierusalem to Rome wrote to Pope Gregorie that it was the Lords pleasure that the Popes court should returne to Rome Crantzius saith it was because a certaine bishop did sharpelye rebuke him that he woulde leaue his Church and followe the Courte Of whom the Pope receyued this aunsweare And thou quoth he beinge Pope of Rome that ought to be an example to other doest not returne to this bishopricke And therefore he did againe translate his seate from Fraunce to Rome by the perswasion of two women and one bishop in the 70. yeare after the translation thereof This Gregorie demaunded tenthes throughout the whole Empyre and repayred the walles of the City and old buildings with great pompous cost He added the eue to the holye daye of the byrth of the blessed virgin Mary In the time of this Pope king Edwarde the third of Englande made many profitable lawes abridginge the Popes pilladge vsurpation and ambition within the Realme Also certaine souldiours of this Pope Gregorie lyinge in a Citye called Cesenata did not onelye take thinges as victuals and other necessaryes refusinge to paye for it but also did beate like slaues the Citizens vpon further sturre they murthered them pityfully◠sparing neyther man woman nor child though they were sucking babes so that they filled all pittes in the Citye wyth dead karcasses for in a fewe houres vpon one daye they slue in the Citye of all ages viii Thousande and then robbed spoyled the towne and so left it desolate emptye Theodoricus lib. 3. Cap. 2. At the length Anno 1378. he dyed of extreame paine of the bladder Euen at the houre of the Popes death the report is that the Pallaice of Auenio was set on fyer coulde not be quenched till the greater part thereof were burnt Afterwarde ensued the greatest sciesme and deuision that euer happened in the Popedome Then sayth Massaeus the clergye and people of Rome complayning to the Cardinals besought them to choose an Italian not a French man Pope that the Courte mighte not go into Fraunce againe But when they began to make an election sodenlye a controuersy began for the Italians were but foure and the French Cardinals were xiii who mighte easelye haue preuayled but they durst not for the Romaynes stoode readye in armour and made a tumult Therefore on Saturdaye being the ix day of Aprill they choose Vrban the sixt to be Pope who was Crowned on Easter daye being the xviii daye of the sayde moneth Praemonstratensis sayth that in the time of this Vrban the sixte began a newe and straung sect of bedlams both of men and womē who vsed to skip and daunce against all modestye who Anno 1375. came sayth he from Aquisgran into Hannonia and so into Fraunce which might prognosticate the returne of Pope Gregorie and his Cardinals to Rome This sect of Daūcers imagined with themselues that they daūced in riuers of bloud but they that stoode by could perceiue no such thing The people thought that these dauncers were euill baptized by priestes keepinge harlots and therefore the people thoughte to haue risen against the clergye to slaye them to spoyle them of their goods vnlesse God had withstoode it sayth he by certaine coniurations 143. Vrban the vi VRban the sixt being but a poore man and very obscure borne in Naples called otherwyse Barthelmew and at length archbishop of Bare but neuer Cardinal and absent the Romaynes vrging it very sore was chosen Pope He being chosen Pope Iane Queene of Sicill bestowed great cost in tryumphing for ioye and sente to him for presentes fourty thousand dukates in gould siluer besides wynes victuals and other thinges yelding also to him her kingdome and all that she had to be at his commaundemente Likewise her husband the noble Otto duke of Brunswick and Prince of Tarentum offered him the like curtesy But sayth Theodoricus of Nyem lib. 1. cap. 7. sone after Otto after dinner amonge many great estates and Cardinals drancke to the Pope but Vrban was so proud that he suffered the noble Prince to kneele before him a great while ere he would take the cup out of his hande in so much that
not to be feared For these opinions Pope Eugenius caused him to be burned at Rome Anno 1436. This Thomas also thoughte reuerentlye of the mariage of the clergye for he wrote that it was against the safetye of manye soules if they were not suffered to marrye accordinge to the maner of the Greeke Church who haâ— not the gift of coÌ„tinencye Because at that time they were dishonest and blotted with vnlawful coniunction Of this Thomas Mantuan saith thus A certaine Frenchman called Thomas who as yet fostred in harte the zeale of old fayth went into Italye accompanied with a fewe For so it pleased God that the same countreye which in all thinges excelleth other should also enioye this parson being a mirror amonge men But God prouided not onelye for Italye but also for this holy man for he gaue to Italye such an one whose life it mighte follow and to the said man he gaue a crimsen crowne of martyrdome For while he liued well and in godlye order he was accused vnto the Pope of haynous treacherye by certaine spiteful fellowes and after he had suffred prison tormentes vexation at the length when they coulde finde nothinge in him worthye of death they sifted him more narrowlye and armed themselues stoutlye with iniquitye to fulfill that which by equitye they coulde not do And so committed him to the cursed fyre Of this man were manye Uerses and Epitaphes written to his greate prayse bewayling of the tyrannye vsed toward his innocent body Furthermore Eugenius ere he were Pope did repayre S. Agnes Church at Ancon and the gate of the Citye and in his Popedome he Crowned Sigismond Emperour at Rome He also after Boniface confirmed the annuities of all benefices At length he dyed at Rome Anno 1446. and was buryed at S. Peters He caryed the Miter of S. Syluester being brought from Auenion to Rome out of Vatican to Lateran with great worship and a procession He punished certaine priestes that had pilfred certaine precious stones oute of Peters and Paules head One Lewis Cardinall of Aquilegia was the first of his order that began first to maintaine houndes and horses in steede of the poore 153. Foelix the fift Foelix the fifte borne in Fraunce was an heremite called Amadeus before his Popeship He being first Duke of Sauoy hauinge a wyfe and two children Pope Eugenius being deposed was aduaunced to the seate by the voyces of xxvi Electours And notwithstandinge he were chosen by the auctoritye of Basil Synode confirmed in the Papall chayre yet he being hindred by the faction of the said Eugenius could neuer set foote in the Romaine seate which they call Peters chayre A sciesme rose hereupon that lasted â— yeares and many tumultes sprange in the kingdomes of Christendome because some would obeye Eugenius some Foelix and other some would be counted neuters And in this sciesme it made much controuersye because some held opinion that the Pope was vnder the iurisdiction of the general couÌ„cell and othersome maintayned the contrarye And of this arose another waightye and bitter controuersye whether the Pope were head of the Church or no which continueth to this day This Foelix being an aged man ere he came to be Pope liued to see the day that the sonnes of his sonnes matched in mariage with kings doughters And in the end geuing ouer all worldly charge â—e purposed to go into a wildernes to lead an heremites life with 6. knightes But as sone as he vnderstoode that he was chosen Pope by the auctoritye of the general couÌ„cell he shaued himselfe both crowne and chinne and came thether wyth a trayne of noble men and being consecrate Pope toke the function vppon him and did all thinges that belonged to the Pope to do to giue orders minister SacrameÌ„ts excoÌ„municate c. and played the Pope x. yeares He was so bountifull to the poore that being demaunded whether he kept any houndes and to shew them he aunswered that he would shew them another day But when they that asked this question were with him the next day he shewed them a great company of poore needye people that sate downe together at dinner saying these are my houndes which I feede dailye with the which I hope to hunte for the glorye of heauen It liked this maÌ„ at the length for vnitye sake Anno 1447. to vnpope himselfe and giue place to Nicolas the fift whoÌ„ he therefore made Legate of all Germanye and Fraunce and also Cardinall of Sabin but he dyed sone after 154. Nicolas the fift NIcolas the fifte was a Genewaie borne of a base stocke his father was a Chirurgeon called Barthelmew Sarzan and so this Nicolas was first called Thomas Sarzan In this one yeare he gatte to be bishop of Bononia Cardinall Pope of Rome This Nicolas being made Pope after the death of Eugenius did hange vp on the walles of Angell Casteli Steuen Porcarius a Romaine knighte w t other conspiratours raysing a tumult for the libertye of the Citye He celebrated the Iubâ—lie for lucre sake Anno 1450. At the time of this Iubelie while they chaunced once w t the crucifixe to returne from Vatican to the Citye it is very certaine to be true that the preace of people followinge was so great that the Mule of one Peter Bardus a Cardinall could not passe by because of those that came to fro so that the people also were so thronged that there was no passage but in the ende they fell vpon the Mule first one then another til the beast was euen perforce borne downe with the crowde and ere it was ceased two hundred parsons were troden to death and smothered vppon Adrian bridge manye fallinge beside the bridge were drowned which were about 136. men The Pope whose pompous superstitious idolatrous Iubelie had caused this miserye to fall vpon the fonde people did in this maner redresse the case He was sorye sayth Platina for the death of them that were slaine and therfore he remoued certaine cotages that made the waye to be straite and narrowe entringe to the bridge For the enryching of his cofers he spent all that whole yeare in this kinde of solemnitye he himselfe with his troupe of Cardinals did vewe the stages He prouided both by curse and wayters that roages and vagaboundes comminge to the Citye shoulde not misuse straungers and robbe them of their money In this Popes time the Turke wanne Constantinople to the great griefe of all Europe This Pope crowned Frederick the third Emperour and his wife Leonor He builded a sumptuous librarie in Vatican And reuiued with great dilligeÌ„ce learning and knowledge which was then almost drowned with grossenes barbarous sophistrye He appointed stipendes for learned men But amonge these his vertuous doinges and good affection towardes learning he had his vices withall and those notorious namely he was greatly giuen to dronkennes and so muche delighted therein that he soughte for all kinde of wynes from euery
Earles and noble men with their dominions and great Cityes through the whole countrey of Germanye beside the great commōwealthes of Heluetia Rhetia Vallis Tellina with many hūdred Thousands more of al estates in Flaūders Italye Spayne Fraūce and in the kingdome of Polonia Thus especiallye from the yeare of our Sauiours incarnation 1503. vnder Pope Iulye the seconde the credite of the Romaine Sea began to cracke and dailye ryueth more and more and shall by Gods grace so continue till it be cleane rente in peeces and torne awaye Whereof God hath giuen certaine signes tokens plainlye prognosticatinge the greate fall of this proude Babilon which with these reuoltinge of regions from him being compared may comfort those that reioyce in the aduauncing of the Gospell and in the ruine of Antichriste although it is not to be wished that any mā should ground any doctrine or point of religion barely vpon these prognostications The obseruations that the Papacye shall melt awaye decresing more and more till the daye of Iudgement are these First the forenamed Prophecye of S. Paule in the 2. Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians that Antichriste must be reuealed before Christe come with diuers other Prophecyes of the holye Scripture in the Reuelation and other places Other proofes hereof maye be those straunge thinges that haue come to passe of latter times in the Church of Rome as the Pope Iohn the 24. was wonderfullye vexed by an owle in open consistorye as is before in his life declared againe that going to Constance he fell oute of his chariot by the waye Afterwarde he was in the same councell of Constance reprochfullye deposed and it was there declared that a councell ought to be aboue the Pope and the Pope to be subiect to the controlment of the coūcel which thing gaue a great pushe to the ouerthrow of his supremacye surelye from his time and the time of Paule the second the Popes maiestye began to shrincke more more Againe in the time of Alexander the sixt by a tempest of thonder lightninge the Augell set on the toppe of Angell castell in Rome the Popes chiefe place was beaten downe into the riuer Tiber. Furthermore it appeareth that it was not so much the fonde furye of Iulye the second as fatall prouidence the Pope Iulye the second when he could not preuaile by Papal auctoritie did hurle away into Tiber S. Peters keyes as they tearme them the counterfaite euidence of his supremacye for as he cast the keyes away so other reiected his supremacie euer since Furthermore in the time of Pope Leo it came to passe that he created in one day 31. Cardinals and the same daye while Leo and his Cardinals were in S. Peters Church there fell such mightye stormes of windes thōder lightnings vpon the Church that it shooke downe a little idoll made for the picture of Christe in the lappe of the virgin Marye Also it stroke the keyes oute of the hande of S. Peters Image in the same Church These and manye other such matters as haue come to passe are to be so construed as they may best serue to the glorye of God and signification of his will which is that Antichriste shall be destroyed with the breath of his mouth that is the power of his holye word and not by the might and arme of man Ioyning therefore the successe that Christe hath giuen to his Gospel with the shaking of Antichriste his kingdome foreshewed by the spirit of God it shall not be amisse to take these signes as witnesses that God sheweth hereby that he is mindefull of his promise made to his elect that the dayes are at hand when Babilō must fall and our Sauiour Iesus Christe come againe in glorye to the subuerting of him The Lorde hasten it for his mercy sake and make vs readye to receiue it with ioye Amen Amen 162. Iulius the second IVlius the secōd was a Genewaie borne who as Erasmus wryting vpon the prouerbe A remo ad Tribunal sayth was in his youth a whirrye slaue and yet at length preased vp to the Papacye And yet sayth he not contenting himselfe with that estate as he founde it did enlarge his dominion and would haue made it larger but that death preuented his purpose Vicelius sayth that he was rather giuen to warres then to serue Christ. Iohn Functius in his Cōmentaryes wryteth thus of him Pope Iulius being borne of a base stocke rysing by degrees throughe good lucke and craftye witte attayned to the hyest He being a fellowe of a subtill and compassinge heade and most giuen of nature to play the warriour did like Nimrod enlarge his porcion by the dint of the sworde so that by his procuremente within seuen yeares were slaine and destroyed to the nomber of two hundred thousand Christians He besieged Rauenna cruellye and in the ende preuayling made it subiecte to his Empire And with the like violence he wrested Seruia Imola Fauentia Foroliuium Bononia and other Cityes from the Princes with great bloudshed Sleidā sayth that whē this Iulius was Pope he toke an oath that he would haue a councell within two yeares But when he troubled and disquieted all Italye with warres beinge enemye one while to the Venetiās another while to the king of Fraūce nowe to the Duke of Ferraria now to the Bononians certaine Cardinals ix in nomber steppinge a syde and assembling at Millen do summon a coūcell to be held at Pisana The chiefe of these were Bernardin Cruceius VVilliam of Praenoste Fraūcis Cossetinus w t whom were the proctours of the Emperour Maximilian and of Lewis the xii king of Fraunce about the same purpose This councell was called the yeare 1511. the xix day of Maye to beginne in September next following The cause hereof is sayde to be because the Pope had broken his oath and for sworne himselfe for notwtstāding he had raigned so many yeares yet contrarye to his oath they could get no hope of hauing a coūcell And furthermore for that they had heynous crimes to charge him w t all they purposed to depriue him of his dignitye which he had gottē by bribery But Iulius chargeth all men vpon paine of great punishmēt that no man should obey them summoned another coūcel to be held the yeare following in Aprill in Lateran at Rome whereunto xxi Cardinals subscribed For this from time to time hath bin the practise of the Pope when any councel hath bin assembled against his doings then to assemble another Synode against the other in some place meete for his purpose There was at this time a famous Lawyer at Papia called Philippus Decius who published a booke defendinge the doinge of the Cardinals against the Pope Diuers other wrote against him some in prose some in verse as Hulricus Huttenus in certaine Epigrams to this effect in Englishe translated verse for verse This Iulie vvho by long discent did sit in Peters seate Through nevv cōceite
stil in his Apostelship at Hierusalem and not in his pontificall dignitie at Rome But here it may be fayde that S. Hierome and diuers other whiche followe him do recken that this synode was helde Anno domini 51. and do grounde it vpō the foresaid wordes of Paule ▪ for where as Paule speaking of his conuersion at Damasco sayth that after three yeares he came to Hierusalem and then after fourtene yeres he retourned agayne to Hierusalem this is to be vnderstoode not xiiii yeares from his conuersion but from his former being at Hierusalem and so cōsequently in the xvii yere of his conuersion whiche should be also the ix yeare of the raigne of Claudius This is the computation of Hierome but this is easely disproued for in the ninth yeare of Claudius the Iewes were all banished from Rome because saith Suetonius they made tumultes Impulsore Christo by meanes of Christe And at this time Paule was at Athens as Vspergensis writeth and it appeareth like wyse by the history of the Actes for Paule departing from Athens went to Corinth where he met with Aquila and Priscilla who saith the text were lately come frō Italy because Claudius had commaunded that all Iewes should depart from Rome This being euident that Paule was at this time at Athens it is further to be considered whether he might not be at Hierusalem the same yeare at the counsell or no. Moste certaine it is that Paule was at the counsell and that it was held before his comming to Athens and that so long time that the onely consideration thereof might be sufficient to proue that the same synode was not helde the same yeare For those questiōs being discussed about which they were assembled Paule and Barnaba with certaine other returned with letters from Hierusalem to Antioche where they stayed and taried preaching and teaching for a tyme till at the length Paule agreed with Barnabas to go visite the brethren in those cities wher they had taught the gospell So that Paule passed from Antioche to Syria Cilicia confirming the churches Afterwarde he came to Derba and Lystra where he founde Timothie and hauing circumcized him he toke him with him and as they passed forth saith Luke from citie to citie they gaue vnto them the institutions of the Apostles and Elders of of Hierusalem that they should obserue them so that the churches were confirmed in faith and encreased daily Also they walked throughout Phrygia and Galacia and being forbiddē by the spirite to preache in Asia they went to Nysia from thence to Troada from thence to Samothracia then to Neaples and so to Philippis and stayed there certayne daies from thence to Thessalonica where Paule preached three wekes from thence he went to Beraea and there preached with great fruite till the Iewes came thether from Thessalonica to disquiet him and from this Berea Paule was conueied to Athens Nowe let the diligent reader cōsider all these iourneies with other circumstances as continuance of time and distance of place and Paules abiding in euery place to preache diligently and then iudge whether the forsayde synode could be held this same yeare that Paule came to Athens Waying also that many more notable cities are in these coūtreies Galacia Mysia Phrigia and the rest visited by Paule but not spokē of in the Actes Againe considering that the Apostle traueled by lande all moste altogether that by leasurable iourneyes on foote he could not finishe thousandes of miles in short time but that it were very harde for him to come to Athens the same yere Beside al this if it were to be vnderstode as Hierome maketh it then if ye accompt it in the table ye shall finde it to be one yeare further that is the yeare 52. and it is plaine to be more vntrue for then by this time Paule had continued a yeare in Corinthe and so had not bene in Hierusalē in two yeares before The conclusion therefore is that the said counsell could not be holdē according to the accompte made by Hierome ▪ and therfore S. Paules wordes must be vnderstoode as I sayde before namely of fourtene yeares after his conuersion and then it is euident that Peter was yet in Hierusalem in the yeare 49. But to procede it may be demaūded where Peter was from the time of his deliuery out of pryson at Hierusalem to the time of this synode that is from the fourth yeare of Claudius to the seuenth yere of his raigne Perhaps Peter went to Rome at some time betwene those yeares Nicephorus sayth that in the fifth yere of Claudius Peter was at Hierusalem at the death of the virgin Mary But if we weigh diligently the history of the scripture conferring one place with an other it shall appeare that although it be not specified in the actes yet Peter was at Antioche in this time For Paule in the secōd to the Gallathians saith that Peter came to Antioche whiche could not be at anye time before this time of his deliuery out of pryson as may appeare by the former part of this discourse Againe diuerse reasons there are whiche moue me to thinke that it was before the tyme of this counsell for first Peter being at Antioche Paule sayth of him self that he reproued Peter euen to his face because that he did eate with the Gentils till certaine came from Iames from Hierusalem and then Peter being afrayde to offende those circumcised did shrinke away from the Gentils And the rest of the Iewes yea and Barnabas also fell into the same dissimulation with them This dissembling of Peter is one reason to proue that it was before the counsell for it semed to Peter a doubtfull matter whether he might be conuersaunt with the Gentils whiche if it had bene as it was afterwarde by the counsell determined that circumcision was not necessary then had Peter bene out of doubt what to do therein and would haue delt plainely according to the truth which he had knowen manifestly Agayne if it had bene after the counsell the matter being discussed and agreed vpon Peter should not haue had any cause to dissemble for feare of offending them in that point that came from Iames neyther neded he to haue mistrusted that they would mislike of that whiche should haue bene allowed by the churche neither would Peter haue regarded more their vniust offēce then the decre of the counsell Last of all in the beginning of the 15. of the Actes Luke maketh mencion of suche that came from Hierusalem and troubled the churche at Antioche about circumcision and howe Paule and Barnabas stoode against them and hereupon ensued the said counsell And thus it appeareth that Peter was at Antioch at this time and hetherto therfore to the yeare of the incarnacion 49 he came not within a thousand miles of Rome ¶ Anno Domini 50. and 51. IN the latter yeare of these twayne being the ninth yeare of Claudius al the Iewes as is proued
a good pastour and painfull labourer in the Lordes haruest and at length was put to death cruelly Anno. 144. It is reported that he wrote out of a caue where he hid him selfe an Epistle touching God and the incarnation of the sonne of God 9. Pius of Aquilia PIus borne in Aquilia is reported to haue done many godly dedes in the church vnder Antonius Verus And in the end watered the churche of Christe with his bloud in martyrdome Anno. 159. 10. Anicetus ANicetus a Sirian was a diligent pastour of the churche of Rome till he was martyred Anno. 169. 11. Sother SOther borne in Campania as the valiaunt souldiour of Christe Iesus serued vnder his spirituall banner in the time of Antonius Cōmodus He employed him self moste diligently to bring the soules of the baptized to saluation in Christe both by doctrine and example of life And in the ende confirmed the Gospell whiche he had faithfully preached with his bloud in martyrdome Anno. 177. 12. Eleutherius ELeutherius a Grecian was also a carefull and vigilant pastour in his time the persecution of the tyrants did somewhat decreace many godly writers bestowed great paynes to wryte sondry learned bookes against diuerse heresies and heretikes whiche then enfected the churche And among other this Eleutherius did also defende against Titianus that no vsuall trade of life is to be reiected But not withstanding that the stormes of persecution were somewhat calmed in his time because many of the Romayne nobilitie beleued on Christe yet Masseus saythe he was beheaded Anno. 191. 13. Victor VIctor borne in Aphrica did succeade Eleutherius This man was the first that when the storme of persecution was calmed vsurping authoritie vpon straungers sought to haue an oar in an other mans boate In the former byshops saith Vincelius the spirite abounded but in these that folowe the temptacion of fleshe and bloud preuayled Policrates bishop of Ephesus and Iraeneus bishop of Lions did bouldly reproue this Victor for exempting his bretheren in Asia from the communiō because in keping Easter day they folowed not the vse of the churche of Rome So that the churche was then rent in twayne by meanes of his obstinacy He died Anno. 203. 14. Zepherinus ZEpherinus was a Romaine borne a man as writers do testifie more addicted with all endeuour to the seruice of God then to the cure of any worldly affayres Where as before his time the wine in the celebrating the cōmuniō was ministred in a cup of woode he first did alter that and in steade thereof brought in cuppes or chalices of glasse And yet he did not this vpon any supersticion as thinking woode to be vnlawefull or glasse to be more holy for that vse but because the one is more comly and semely as by experience it appeareth then the other And yet some wooden doultes do dreame that the wooden cuppes were chaunged by him because that part of the wine or as they thought the royall bloud of Christe did soake into the woode and so it can not be in glasse Surely soner may wine soake into any woode then any witte into those winie heads that thus both deceiue them selues and slaunder this Godly martyr Who in the yeare of our lorde 220. suffered martyrdome vnder Aurelius In the time of this Zepherinus the Artemonites were a secte of vaine Philosophicall diuines who as our late scholemen did corrupt the scripture with Aristotle and Theophrastus turning all into curious and subtile questions 15. Calixtus the first CAlixtus borne at Rauenna when persecution began to wexe hotte againe did like a constant Christian hide him selfe with many moe in a certaine place on the farther side of Tiber. In these daies saith Platina al thinges were kept close and hidden because the persecution was so great euery where yea their churches and places of assembly were in corners and caues for the moste parte But Anno 226. this Calixtus was apprehended by the commaundement of Alexander Seuerus and was beaten with coodgiels pent in prison afterwarde hurled headlong out of a wyndowe and then his bodie was drowned in a depe pitte 16. Vrbanus VRbanus a Romaine liued vnder that moste lasciuious wreatche Heliogabalus the Emperoure and with his sinceritie of life and excellencie in learning he drewe many men on all sides to the Gospell He was oftentimes banished the citie for the Christian faithe but being secretlye brought in againe by the faithfull he was martyred by cōmaundement of Seuerus Anno. 233. 17. Pontianus POntianus a Romaine in the time of the sayde Emperour Seuerus being one of Christes ministers and a distributer of Gods misteries suffered both banishement punishement for the Gospell and the churche sake For when they ran thicke to him to heare him preache the worde by the princes commaundement being set on by the Idolatrous priestes he is caried frō Rome to the Isle Sardinia where after many miseries and sore tormētes he was put to death Anno. 239. 18. Antheros ANtheros was borne in Grece a man of God if any wer He preached Christe stoutely euen vnder the tyranny of Maximinus the Emperour This byshop prouided first of all that the actes of martyrs should be diligently writtē by notaries least the remembraunce of Gods hardie souldiours should be lost with their liues This Antheros in the yeare 243. did with his bloude beutifie the churche whiche with his woorde he had fed before 19. Fabian AFter him came Fabius a Romain borne who as Eusebius witnesseth as he was returning home out of the fielde and with his contrimen present to electe a newe byshop there was a pygeon sene standing on his head and sodenly he was created pastour of the churche whiche he loked not for While he liued he him selfe sawe that the recordes of martyrs should be written and that burying places should be prepared for them who afterwarde vnder Decius that afterwarde dealt cruelly with his owne brethren ended his life with most glorious death Anno. 150. 20. Cornelius COrnelius a Romaine being in the time of Decius accounted the seuēth persecutour of Christe his church had a Godly care ouer the safetie of his neighbours He entertayned curteously and restored to the churche as many as hauing denied Christe in tormentes did yet repent thē of their deede afterward O the aboōdant spirite of Christ that was in this byshop O worthy minister of the Gospel for although this mā of God Cornelius was caried away into banishemēt yet he neuer fayled the churche of Christ. But as a valiant champiō in the maintenaūce of the truth did yelde his necke vnto the sworde of Decius 21. Lucius LVcius a Romain being a faithful seruant in the lordes house and driuen into banishment by Gallus Hostilianus the persecutour of Christianitie was comforted of S. Ciprian by his letters And at the lengthe after Gallus death euen by Gods wil retourned to Rome enriched the churche with healthful doctrine and afterward being purified in the lambes bloud he pearced the heauenly paradise
peace draw on the time is nie at hand That tyrants rage shal shortned be er many years be rōne This cruel kind that ioyes in bloud shal wasted be done Rome hath beheld her prelats al ēbrewd in their own gore Three cruel ones yet shal she se and then shal be no more The death of next Melchiades shal ende the bloudy age His karkas being buried then peace shal all assuage 31. Melchiades MElchiades an Aphrican being a man very religious and a leader of the Christiā flocke proceaded in preaching the Gospell and in the affaires of the truthe so farre vntill he spent his bloud for it vnder Maximinianus Galerius And in the profession thereof died Anno 314. Reade the Ecclesiasticall history of Eusebius bishop of Caesaria concerning manifolde and vnaccustomed cruell deathes of the sainctes of that time Cursulanus Platina Stella and other the Popes flatterers doe falsely father vpon these martyrs whole loades of decrees and lyes that the lewde inuentions of their ceremonies might be established by the authoritie of these men For they are not afraide for the aduauncement of the Popes trone with these vnclenly dregs to staine the bloud of sainctes and defile this beautiful face of the primatiue churche being through continuall persecution euer agreable to Christe the head therof But what wyse man can thinke that suche simple ministers and pastours of Gods worde as the bishops then were dwelling in holes dennes and corners and looking for nothing but dayly death vnder tyrantes should haue minde of pontificall pompe stately buildinges or Papisticall solemnities when as they had neither churches nor dwelling houses The churche as yet obtained no peace they liued not yet in vnprofitable idlenes neither had they the chiefe pleasures of the worlde But those were the imaginations which false prophetes according to their custome deuised for their bellies sake But Sabellicus speaking of the saluage persecution of the churche vnder Dioclesian saythe alleaging it out of Eusebius that the Christian flocke was plaged at this time by the iudgement of God because sinne began to growe vp in the churche aboue measure and the priestes seemed nowe rather to sauour of tyranny and not humilitie and therefore when this persecutiō came it was rather a reformation of the churche corrupted by ease and peace then a scattering thereof Whereby it semeth that euen then God geuing but a pauze of persecution and whyle tyranny did but staye to breathe it selfe they began to decline and growe crooked yet is it not to be thought that they were caried so farre away as yet to newe fashiō and transport with māglinges addicions the Christian religion as the Papistes dreame they did And thus is the popishe synagoge groūded on vntruthe But it were a fond matter to beleue these scoffes toyes contriued for priestes aduauntage as our forefathers haue done we should rather trie of what spirites they be as S. Iohn commaūdeth whether they be of God or no. Iohn 4. For many false prophetes haue crept into the worlde Hetherto the pastors were starres shining in the firmament of the churche as well in life and manners as in doctrine and preserued in his right hande who walked in the middest of the seuen candelstickes Apocal. 1. Hetherto they were counted Angels reuealing the euerlasting wyll of almighty God purely without mans diuices 32. Syluester the first AFter that Melchiades was put to death Syluester a Romaine succeded in the ministery of the woorde but because that the tyrant Maximinus continued his bloudy persecution against the Churche Syluester was fayne to hide him selfe and to lyue solitarily in the hille Soracte But at the length it pleased God to laye his terrible hand vpon the persecutour Maximinus forcing the tyrant to reclaime his cruel decrees against the Christians Touching the death of Maximinus who among other tyrantes was a Scorpion to the Christians it is to be noted that Eusebius writeth first in the eight booke and 28. chapter of his ecclesiastical history thus First in the secrete partes of his body arose an impostume then in his bowels grewe a fistulowe within the whiche a great swarme of woormes and magettes gnawed and deuoured his guttes wherof arose a noysome stinke so ranke that no man could by any meanes abide it beside the ougly loathsom sight of the soare it selfe so that some of his phisicions not able for the horror of it to endure to dresse him were put to death by his cōmaundement Afterward the disease increasing all his body was swollen and rankled with it so that with extremitie of his panges and fainting through honger he fel down and lay sprawling on the grounde Then all his body by the hande of God was terribly enflamed and burned exceadingly odious to beholde so that the scorched fleshe being by little and little eaten awaye pyned and consumed he was so disfigured and deformed his feauter so vaded that a man could discerne no resemblance of his former shape His gastly and naked carkasse was euen as an image of drye bones And yet the glowing heate boyled more feruently so that the marrowe fried out of his bones and his eyes all moisture being wasted dropped out of his head Thus his limmes and members through scalding heate ranke disease rotting one from an other his body laye miserably as it were a graue to the soule vntil the tormentes thereof wrested out from his cancred harte to acknowledge Christe Iesus and to repent his bloudy persecuting the cause of this his woful ende the last persecutour Eusebius lib. 10. cap. 8. Furthermore it pleased the almighty to woorke so graciously in the hart of the noble Emperour Constantine that by his procurement the churche at the length obtained peace vniuersally so that euery mā might safely returne to his owne countrey and citie whereupon Syluester returned to Rome and was the firste Romaine byshop that escaped martyrdome There are many some indifferent but moste detestable grosse and fonde decrees falsely fathered vpō this Syluester as halowing of Chrismes geuing of orders confirming of children decking of churches couering of altars making masse priestes annoynting and attiring of them and of making the howsell to be God called deifying the host of worshipping and preseruing it Also touching coyfes hoodes corporals albes mitars palles cloathes churching kerchiefes for women rochettes sacrifices ceremonies chappels anoyling of the sicke with a rablement of diuers other Iewishe and Heathen ceremonies Platina Polidor Virgill and other the Popes parasites slaunder this Syluester that he tooke vpon him in steade of a golden crowne to weare a mitar after the Phrygian fashion Touching certaine miracles whiche are also with like credit sayde to be done by this Syluester Mantuan wryteth thus Fast. lib. 12. Men talke of many miracles that Syluester hath wrought But authour yet sufficient hath neuer forth ben brought Nor witnesse good to proue the same therfore I let alone Such things as fables fondly faind for our religion Condemneth toyes
the ennemy of Christe whiche neuerthelesse should speake like a Dragon like an euill spirite and should rage as vnmercifully as the firste beast did whiche destroyed Peter and Paule and great companies of fainctes whiche with her charmes should so bewitche the worlde and with monstrous workes should growe into suche admiration that none might by or sell but such as had the seale or the name of the beaste in his forehead But as touching the name of the beaste he shewes it mistically by these letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch X St reciteth it to be discussed This saith Iohn is wysedome let him that hath vnderstanding accompt the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his nuÌ„ber is this 666. Apocal. 13. What meane thefe markes but that wee should searche the time wherein this beaste should arise from the earth and the bottomlesse pitte and should destroye the Christian common wealth But howe shall a man apply it if he haue not the certaine time when Pompeie toke the scepter from the Iewes according to the notable prophecie of Iacob entring the temple prophaned the Sanctum sanctorum But that was done as Iosephus wryteth in the time of Tullius consulship the 60. yeare before Christe was borne To these three score yeares adde six hundred vntill after the death of the sayd Gregorie the great who prophecied that he should be Antechriste whiche would be compted vniuersall bishop or head of all churches Therefore marke well what kinde of times happened in the 666. yeare after Hierusalem was taken by the Romaines Pompeie being their general and you shall se straunge matters fal out at the time that this Phocas was Emperour of whome VVilliam Stantphurdius wryteth as foloweth The Empier Phocas chokes and doth the Popedome first aduaunce By wicked writts about his Empier sent for to enhaunce And to confirme moste sure foray vnto the after age The premacy of Rome and of the dragon that doth rage Against Gods power Furthermore applie this misticall number of 666. containing highe wisedom in iâ— froÌ„ the time of Christes birth or from the tyme of his passion or from the xv yere of Domician at whiche time the reuelation was written and stil ye shal finde some moÌ„sterous thing wrought in the church But to returne to the matter of Englande In the yeare of Christe 593. Colman Harding and Fabian saye that the raigne of the seuen kinges at one time began whereby 173â— yeares after Brutus their first king the royall estate of the Brytishe king ceased For as Paulus Diaconus writeth in his fourth booke the Britaines founde tâ—at the Saxons were in steade of succourers suppressours and cruell ennemies vntrusty warring rigorously vpon them who had entertained them for ayde Anno 596. the foresaid Augustine sent from Gregorie came into Englande who at his comming did not reproue but maintaine and vpholde the wicked treasons the horrible robberies the slaughters more cruell then were Neroes whiche the Saxons coÌ„mitted Anno â–ª 600. Gregorie gaue to Augustine his byshops pall Thereby as was sayde London was spoyled of her right without all order to the destruction bothe of the commonwealth and of religion and finally the vndoing of the Brytishe kingdome and thereupon are sumptuous teÌ„ples builded Before that time the Britains had their churches dedicated to eternall God the father and to our sauiour his sonne Iesus Christe But afterwarde the SaxoÌ„s did coÌ„secrate their temples to Images and dead sainctes â–ª Anno. 604. the ChristiaÌ„ Emperour Maurice being slaine Phocas an adulterer and a murtherer obtayned the seate imperiall and in him the maiestie of the Caesars and the moste noble Empire of the Grekes decayed together As for the Romaine Empire that was weakened and empaired yea and at length brought to nothing by meanes of the Popedome whiche he had graunted and established Anno 606. in Nouember and December as Paulus Diaconus writeth in his 18. booke euen at the rising and beginning of the Popedome there appeared a wonderfull great blasing starre There were straunge sightes and monsters of the Sea shewed them selues to the terrour of many Thus in the time of this Phocas murderer of the Emperour whiche is to be noted as a misterie concerning the Popes Papistrie and Mahumets religion began bothe together at one time which corrupted darkened and weakened the doctrine of the sonne of God in many regions For in another yeare of the same Phocas as Bibliander writeth Mahumet recited the Alcoran so that saieth hee the Egles three heades awaked all at ones according to the heauenly vision in the fourth booke of Esdras that is to saye Phocas him selfe Pope Boniface Mahumet the Arabian now followeth the thirde troupe of Romishe Popes whiche is deuided into fiue partes The firste parte of this thirde troupes of the Popes or Romaine Antechristes prophecied of by the names of Sodome or Egypt Apocal. 11. vntill the time of Pope Iohn the eight 1. Boniface the thirde ABout this time the bishoppers of Constantinople endeuoured to obstaine the title of vniuersall bishop and to haue their Church called the head of all Churches vsing these fonde reasons that because the Emperour beinge chiefe of all Princes kepte at Constantinople therefore that shoulde be the chiefest Church and there the chiefe bishop This ambitioÌ„ enflamed many to speake and wryte against it but especiallye the late Gregorye who in this wyse reproued Iohn bishop of Constantinople for the same Sayinge None of my predecessors although the Emperours began first in Rome and were wont to byde there onelye and yet do keepe the title thereof durste take vppon them this title of vniuersall bishop And againe Gregorye sayd plainlye that such a one was the forerunner of Antichrist Yet notwithstanding that the Church of Constantinople with great infamye preuailed not herein because that Antichrist or the whore of Babilon according to the 13. of the Reuelation should be in the Citty builded on seuen hilles that is Rome it selfe For so diuers auctors testifye that onelye Rome is knowen to be builded on vii hils and certaine it is that when this Reuelation was written Rome was then the greatest Cittye being built on seuen hils as Mantuan testifyeth in the life of Syluester speaking of S. Blaze at the ende of the first booke And the fulnesse of that time prophecied of now drawing nighe this Boniface the thirde Anno 607. by the meanes of Phocas the Emperour an adulterer traytour and murtherer of his Lorde and soueraine Maurice the Emperour with his wife and children was aduaunced to be bishop of Rome with much hurley burley and greate tumulte and in despite of manye bishops and Churches standinge against it he is extolled confirmed and worshipped as Lorde and Prince of all bishoppes By great sute but greater bribery he obtayned of the sayde bloudye Emperour that Rome should be called the head of all Churches partlye by the same reasons that Constantinople vsed as Platina sayth that where the heade
which time it is manifest to all the world that Rome had the soueraignitye and Empyre of all the world and that it was then the great Cittie and none but it of whom this might be said neither is it knowen that anye other Cittye is or hath bene built vppon seuen hilles And that Rome is so it appeareth by diuers writers Romaines and other that report it as they haue seene it Amonge other Munster in his Topographie doth not only in the descriptioÌ„ of Rome testifie that there are seuen hilles but also sheweth the names of them euerye one which are these Auentinus Capitolinus Palatinus Caelâ—us Exquilinus Viminalis and Quirinalis hill Properâ—ius the Poet confirmeth it briefely in a verse saying thus of Rome Septem vrbs alta iugis toti quae presidet orbi the like hath Virgil in hys Georgicks Septem quae vno sibi muro circundedit arces speakinge it of Rome Mantuan in his Fast. li. 2. doth in like maner describe Rome calling it RomuleaÌ„ septem cuÌ„ Collibus vrbem So of the Grekes it is called Heptalophos wherin Hepâ—a signifieth 7. and lophoâ— an hil head or top This Vitellianus commaunded shauings and annointings of the clergye to be vsed geuing vnder these markes liceâ—s to buy and sell pardons in the Churche as was prophesyed of Antichrist after he had choaked the Church with much palcry he dyed At this time at the fulnesse of Antichrist moÌ„kery grew into superstitious estimation At this time also these two straunge thinges were wrought Abbeis were first founded for monkes kinges were shaued and made monkes 12. Theodatus the second THeodatus the second a Romaine borne was made Pope beinge but a monke He bestowed great cost to make a sumptuous abbey of that from whence he came He gaue licence to moÌ„kes to transport Benedict Nursin patriarcke of his own order with a scholesister of theirs from Cassim mount into Fraunce At this time were manye straunge thinges as a blasinge starre appearing 3. monethes continually with great raine often thonders with a strauÌ„ge Rainbowe and earthquakes suche as the like were neuer heard of And some say that the corne being beaten downe with these strauÌ„ge tempests of raine did spring vp againe and grew to ripenesse For these thinges Theodatus caused prayers often to be said and dyed Anno 675. 13. Donus the first DOnus the firste was made Pope in a miserable tyme when the fieldes and the corne were burnt vp with thoÌ„der lightninges and showers He as Popes vse beautified S. Peters porche with pillers And after he had punished certaine Nestoria heretikes he scattered theÌ„ in diuers abbeis in Italy He restored certayne olde churches he deuided the Clergie into diuers orders and aduaunced them with seuerall kindes of honour and dignitie After muche controuersie he made subiect to Rome Rauennas churche Theodorus the Archebishop therof agreing to it through the Popes flattery whiche churche before was called Alliocephalis After he had done many â—uche dedes he died Anno. 679. 14. Agathon the first AGathon the first as Gratian writeth Distinct. 19. being a Monke of Sicill coÌ„maunded that the Popes decrees should be taken for as canonicall and authenticall as the Apostles wrytings So he gaue as great auctoritie to the masse whiche was clouted together by sondry Popes But wickedly he coÌ„demned the mariage of ministers of the Latine churche He sent one Iohn a Monke and Archedeacon of Rome into Englande Anno 679. to teache them here the manner of their reading singing ceremonies in their churches And the better to vtter his knackes of celebrations and sacrifices as Beda wryteth in his fourth booke 18. chapter de Gestis Anglorum He â—ent his Oratours Iohn bishop of Portua and Iohn Deacon of the Romaine churche to the sixt Sinode of Constantinople and against the Monothelites he sent one Agathus In the whiche Sinode the Clergie of the Greke churche were allowed mariage and the Latin churche forbidden it Also among other thinges then done the eight daye after Easter Anno 681. the said Iohn of Portua did first of al say the Latin masse openly before the Prince and the Patriarke and people of Constantinople all men allowing it for nouelties sake as a newe founde thing whiche taking roote hereupon was receiued in all churches whiche helde vpon the Pope In this Popes time after straunge Eclipses both of Sunne and Moone was a Pestilence so contagious in Rome that the Pope him selfe died thereof The seate then was vâ—yde a yeare and a halfe 15. Leo the second LEo the seconde was a Monke very learned as well in Greke as in Latin and so skilfull in Musick that hee brought the notes of the Psalmes and Hymnes to better harmonie He coÌ„firmed the sixt Synode partly to establishe the masse partly because by it also the Clergie of the West churche were forbidden mariage He translated into Latin the ordinaunce of mariage He appointed that the Pax shoulde be borne aboute and be kissed of the people while masse was saying Also that if neede did require there shoulde be Christening euery daye He would haue for their sake of Rauenna no election of any bishop to stande in force vnlesse hee were first confirmed by the bishop of Rome But sayth VVicelius without payinge for his pall or anye other money which saith Platina I would it were kept still in Rome for out of this bribing at this day many mischieues aryse For as yet they durst not enterprise wholly such polling as they did afterwarde aboute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeares after Christe for in time past the vi Princes of Italye did confirme the bishops of Italy yea and the Pope him selfe Afterwarde the Emperour Constantine the fourth agreing thereunto the election was againe ratified in the handes of the Clergie and the Laitie But the Prelates of Rauenna being emboldened because that the court of the sixe states was among theÌ„ would not obey the churche of Rome but auouched that they were egall in dignitie And thus Foelix being their bishop after Theodorus went about to shake of the Popes yoke and to recouer their lost libertie But the Emperour that was then Iustinian sonne of the sayde Constantinus being set on by Leo with standeth the purpose of Foelix and after he had by assaulte wonne the towne he boared out the byshops eyes with a whot burning iron Leo before the ende of his tenne monethes died Anno. 685. in which time the moone was in a moÌ„sterous and straunge Eclipse appearing as redde as bloud all the night long diuers nightes together 16 Benedictus the second BEnedict the second whose holinesse they said moued the Emperour Constantine the fourth if they father not a falsehode on him after his death to decree that henceforth the Pope of Rome should haue authoritie ouer the people without the licence of the Emperoure or the sixe states of Italy whiche lasted not long He reedified diuers temples enriching them with vessels of golde syluer and guilt with coapes of
oute of Rome This Arnold perswaded the Romaynes to recouer their libertye of choosinge theyr Maiestrates and when the people withstoode the presumption of the Pope it wroughte greâ—te strife This Hadrian a man of loftye courage forthwith did excommunicate the Romaynes vntil they should driue out Arnold and compell theyr Consulles to leaue theyr offices yeild the gouernemente of the Citye freelye vnto him In the meane time Fredericke the Emperour hasted him to Rome with an armye to put downe the rebels the Pope and his clergye went out to meete him whereby the Pope thought to get oportunitye to be reuenged by the Emperours ayde vppoÌ„ his ennemyes The Emperour meeting with the Pope alighted from his horse and went on foote and attendinge on the Popes parson when he should alight the Emperour helde the lefte stirope for the which the Pope scorned him for mistakinge the stirope and sayde vnto him Ye shoulde haue held mee the right stirope The Emperour takinge it paciently aunsweared him smilingly I haue not quoth hee learned to holde a stirope and you holye father are the first to whom I euer did this seruice And quoth the Emperour because he sawe the Pope angrye that he aunswered I would know of you whether this be my dutye to do it of force or of my owne curtesye If a man offer it of curtesye how wil you rebuke him for negligence If it be not of dutye what neede ye care on which side hee come vnto you that commeth to do you worship Such sharpe talke passinge betweene them they departed both full of wrath But on the morowe the Emperour beinge a man of wisedome neglected all that he had heard and seene touchinge the Popes statelye and proude minde and sent for him desiringe him to come to his pauilion The Pope came and the Emperour went forth to meete him and as he was tought the daye before against the Pope should alight he held the right stirope and so conducted the Pope in As they sate together Pope Hadrian beganne to talke in this maner Princes quoth hee in olde time which came to craue the Crowne were wonte to recompence the curtesye of the Church of Rome wyth some excellente benefite that as it were preuenting the Popes blessinge and the crowne that they should receiue by their dutifulnes might notifye theÌ„selues to all men by their noble deede For so Charles deserued his Crowne by conqueringe the Lombardes Otho his by asswaging the Berengarians Lotharius his by suppressinge the Normans Therefore your worthines may restore Apulia to be territorye to Rome which nowe the Normans withholde then will we afterward sone do y which is our dutye The Princes therefore perceyuing that the Pope would not crowne Fredericke vnlesse he should first winne Apulia from VVilliam kinge of Sicill by his owne coste charge they promised it should be performed with a newe armye out of Germanye as sone as the other armye were growne out if so be he would crowne the Emperour Thereupon the next daye he was crowned with the Crowne Emperiall by the Pope in S. Peters Pallaice and afterward hauinge executed aboue a thousande of the rebellious CitizeÌ„s he prepared to returne into Germany After the Emperours departure the Pope beinge disapointed of his ayde purposed to set vpon Apulia to winne it froÌ„ the king of Sicill with such force as as he could make first he excommunicated the kinge because he woulde not yelde it vp and discharged his subiects of theyr alleageaunce to make them to rebell against him But because these thinges preuailed but little against kinge VVilliam he set Emanuel the Emperour of Greece vppon him because hee knewe that he had beene a mortal ennemye to king VVilliams father VVilliam fearinge this sought for peace promised to yelde all to the Pope but the Pope by the couÌ„cell of certaine Cardinals hopinge to gaine more by the warre then peace refused the offer proclaymed warre against him King VVilliam perceyuinge this to preuent the daunger in time gathered an armye in haste out of all Sicill and sayled to Apulia wher he fought with Emanuel and ouerthrewe him Afterwarde hee assaulted the towne Beneuent where the Pope and his Cardinals weare in such sort that they dispayring to escape craued peace VVilliam graunted it and so was reconciled to the Pope who then pronounced him king of both Sicils making him first to sweare that he should hurt nothinge that belonged to the Church of Rome Thus the Pope returned to Rome w t foule shame where contrarye to his expectation hee was troubled with ciuill discention for the Consuls began to reclayme their libertye and auctoritye which he had taken awaye and because he coulde not preuaile with his vaine thonderboltes of excoÌ„munication he departed to Arminy While these thinges were doinge the Emperour abydinge at home remembred with himselfe howe the Pope had taken from the Emperours the former right of inuestinge of prelates and by his Legates had summoned all nations together had sowed the seede of rebellion through all his Empyre taken homage fealtye of all the bishops in Germanye Hereuppon he commaunded that if the Popes Legates came into Germanye without his commauÌ„dement they should be kept out He forbad that anye of his subiectes should appeale to Rome he set his owne name in wrytâ—nge before the Popes wherevppon the Pope was so wroth that he sente letters to the Emperour rebuking him sharpelye for it The copye whereof for the better vnderstanding of it it thus Hadrians letter to the Emperour HAdrian bishop seruaunt to the seruaunts of God sendeth greeting to Frederick themperour and apostolicall blessinge As the lawe of God promiseth longe life to them that do honour their parentes so doth it threaten death to them that dishonour their father or mother The truth teacheth vs that euerye one that exalteth himselfe shal be brought downe Therfore right wel beloued sonne in the Lorde vvee do not a little marueile at your vvysedome that ye do not so much dutye as becommeth you to S. Peter and the holye Church of Rome For in your letter sente vnto vs yee haue set your name before ours whereby you do bewray your vanitye I will not say your pride VVhat shall I speake hovve little ye obserue your fealtye which ye are bounde by oath and promise to performe to S. Peter and vs Seing ye requier honour and allegeance of them that are Gods and of al our honourable sonnes bishops I meane And ye wrap their holye handes within yours settinge your selfe manifestlye against vs Ye shutte not onelye the Churches but also the Cities of your dominion against the Cardinal sent from our owne side VVhat shall I saye Repent therefore repent we aduise you for we feare least your noblenes whyle you deserue of vs to haue both blessing and Crowne vvill loose that vvhich vve haue grauÌ„ted you by taking vppon you that which we haue not graunted Fare ye well The aunsweare of Fredericke themperour
Pope that bare such rough sway ouer the Romaynes sayth Crantzius He had no learning but coueted to encrease the pompe of his estate and therfore deuised a lawe whereby he purloyned the soueraintye of the world that is that it should not be lawfull for anye of the clergye to enter on a benefice which he shoulde obtaine vnlesse he payed the first fruites to the Apostolicall excheaker or the Popes Chamber He put downe the Banderesians a noble estate amonge the Romaynes also he compelled the Romaynes by a cruell lawe to fetch home their forreine Senatour Malatesta of Pisauria He strengthened the Citye for his owne purpose with fortresses and bulwarkes but making warres with the Uicountes he loste Bononie He caused Ladislaus a yong gentleman sonne to Charles king of Naples to be Crowned kinge in his fathers Realme by the Cardinall of Florence whereupon Sigismunde kinge of Hungary thinkinge himselfe greatlye iniuried greate warres ensued to the myserable slaughter of Thousands burning and spoyling of Cittyes townes monasteryes castels in Hungarye So great a thing it is to dispossesse a kinge Boniface also canonized S. Brigit borne in Sweueland He gaue to his cosens and kinred the aduauntage and commoditye of the Iubelye He offended and sinned much in parcialitye and because he subscribed graūted certaine abhominable indulgences and pardōs he ran into great infamye He kept the Iubelye at Rome Anno 1400. where manye straungers were robbed and greate Ladyes rauished by the pezantes of the Popes court Finallye Anno 1404. he dyed of the collicke and stone The Summer before that Boniface dyed there happened horrible tempestes boisterous winds hayle thonder lightninges And in the night a certaine house new builded by Boniface of square stone very costlye wherein for the time he vsed to blesse the people had the roofe of it blowen downe by the violence of the storme and the timber hurled to the earth Also the strong pinacles of Angell castle were throwne to the grounde with much other mischiefe and ruine Also another night appeared such terrible and vehements lightning and thonder all night long that all men beinge in a desperate feare thought surely the Citye woulde haue beene ouerwhelmed withal Another time also there was in Rome an earthquake which though it did no hurt yet it amazed al men Theodoricus lib. 2. cap. 33. This Pope rooted out a superstitious sect called Albes and burnt a priest of them who came with a great traine of that sect both men and women downe from the Alpes into Italy for Boniface seing him come thus with his companye all in white for that which cause they were called Albes was afraid as some write least his Popeship should be taken from him by the said priest But some sayth Platina say that the man did purpose no harme but that the Pope did imagine this to put away the rumour that went how the priest was for spite and mallice taken and put to death 146. Benedict the xiij BEnedict the xiii was a Catalan borne and called Peter of the Moone this mā euen in the time of the sciesme duringe was chosen Pope to succede Clement by those Cardinals which continued at Auenio This fellow while he was but Peter of the Moone not Benedict Pope of Rome did dispute against the auctoritye of the Pope and of his clergye and said that it was not to be feared and for this his true saying notwithstāding he became Pope yet afterward he was and is still condemned by his successours for an hereticke While he was but Cardinall being sente by Pope Clement Embassadour to Paris and other places he vsed often to boast that if he might be chosen to succede Clement he would spare no meanes to procure that this longe sciesme mighte cease And therefore the Cardinals abused with his great protestations did chose him in deede to succeede the other but before the election they sware all and he among them that whosoeuer shoulde be chosen Pope should be cōtent at any time to resigne giue it vp againe if the Cardinals thinkinge it meete would require it But afterward whē it came to tryal he defying his oath would not yeld one iote no though the Cardinals diuers Princes did exhorte him to it and chargde him with his oath and councels conclude against him that he was no Pope But certaine estates of Fraunce moued with his troublesome obstinacy did set vpon him by force of armes toke him priner and kepte him so three yeares and yet could not make him giue ouer but that he would first dye ere he would deminishe his dignitye so that they being wearye of him deliuered him againe at the end of the three yeares By his lawes it appeareth that being Pope he woulde that euen the wronge sentence of condemnation vttered by him and his sonnes shoulde be feared Hee abode in his place sayth Crantzius till the time of the councell of Constance and he swarued much in the auctorizinge of it finally he began to be hardned being cast of in that coūcell He continued in his obstinacye with his Cardinals who also after his death endeuoured to continue and maintaine this strife by putting vp another to be Pope but they were forbidden Amonge other thinges this Pope gaue to the kinge of Fraunce Charles the vi the tenthes of the Church partly to hyre the kinge to maintaine him in his quarel partly that he might take part of this great lucre and sayth Theodoricus he sawe it stoode him vpon He at length followed Boniface his practise in bestowing benefices geuing dispensatiōs tolleratiōs exemptiōs totquots pardōs and such like enormityes according to the saying If thou sawest a theefe run thou did dest run vvith him This he did to allure men from the obedience of Boniface to himselfe the better to maintaine his quarrel against him Whē this Pope Benedict abode plāted himselfe stronglye in his countrye and auouched that he himselfe was the true vicar of Christe he was shamefullye reproued by the auctoritye of the said general councell And yet he sommoned and helde a Synode in Perpinian and created manye Cardinals At the length he dyinge at Paeniscula Anno 1424. commaunded these his Cardinals to choose another in his steede forthwith and they forthwith choose Giles Munyos canon of Barchynony calling him Clement the eight who out of hand at the motion of kinge Olphonsus did both create newe Cardinals and toke vppon him to do those thinges that appertayned to the Pope But when Pope Martin the fift came in fauoure with kinge Olphōsus this Giles at his commaundement yelded vppe all the righte and estate of the Popedome being appointed bishop of Maiory and in like maner they whom hee had made Cardinals did likewyse giue ouer their Cardinalship 147. Innocent the seuenth INnocent the seuenth was borne at Sulmo called Cosmarus of Peruse he being Cardinal of the holy Crosse while all Italye was in an vprore he was made Pope to
euil gotten To this wicked deposition of the Prince agreed all that clergye and priestes of the councell of Pise This beinge done the Pope did most vnlawfullye bestowe it on Lewes duke of Andegania The councell of Pice being dissolued this Pope went to Bononia where Balthazar Cossa Cardinall of S. Eustace was president being a moste sinnefull Sodomite filthye baude This man was confirmed Legate by Pope Alexander because that councell was sommoned by his politicke deuise and because he was the man who mighte best encounter and deale against such as durst at any time go about to gouerne the Ecclesiasticall estate And this Pope saith Platina was more wild in maners more saluage more bould and more laymanlike then became his profession His life was counted almost a warrefare he thought that souldiours and warrelicke prancks and many other wanton toyes which are not to be named became him well enoughe Amonge other decrees this Pope made bulles for S. Frauncis markes that they should be counted amonge the articles of Christen fayth made a solemne holy daye that they should be worshipped of all beleeuers ▪ because he had beene a franciscan fryer When this Pope began to be very sore sicke of a poysoned medicine which was mynistred to him by his Phisition Marcillius Parmensis receyuing of Balthazar a great bribe to do it as Baptista Panaetius sheweth in his sixe and fiftye Sermon whereby Alexander perceiued that his death drue nye he exhorted the Cardinals that came to him to mutual concord and to maintaine the honour of the clergye And being now at the last gaspe he said Anno 1411. in the viii month of his Popedome I protest by this death which I see to be at hand all that was done at the councell of Pise was good and lawfull After he had said this the company weeping and mourning he breathed out very feebelye this sayinge of oure sauiour I giue you my peace I leaue my peace with you Thus presumptuouslye durst he being euen at deathes doare take vpon him the power of Christ to giue the peace of Christ being peace of conscience though he did not so vnderstand it which he could neuer do And thus he gane vp the ghost in his sinne neuer asking mercy of God for it After this Pope had thus at his departure bestowed his charitable blessing there followed both dearth and pestilence as if that God had turned his blessing into cursing 150. Iohn the xxiiij IOhn the xxiiii was borne in Naples called Balthazar Cossa Cardinall of S. Eustace a canonist and yet most giuen to warlike feates He hauing caused Alexander to be poysoned gat to be Pope And some saye that by scuffling and manhoode he wanne the Popedome and not by free election For sayth Stella while he behaued himselfe in Bononia more like a Prince then an Embassadour and was liefetenaunt ouer a great armye the elders meeting there to choose a new Pope he threatned to trounce them terriblye vnlesse they would choose him a Pope according to his minde and thereupon many were broughte forth to him to be approued but he woulde allowe none of them Therefore he was entreated to signifye and appointe whō he would haue to be Pope hereupon giue mee quoth hee S. Peters roabe and I will bestowe it on him that shal be Pope to the which they consented He then taking it put it vpō him selfe hauīg it on his shoulders said thus as it is vsed in pronouncinge him that is elected In the name of God Amen I Balthazar Cossa am Pope This thing being done contrarye to all their expectacion they durst not yet reproue it notwtstanding they much mislyked it And thus Pope Iohn beguiled the foolishe Cardinals and bestowed liberallye the Popedome vppon his owne parson He being crowned Pope did forthwith sende into Germanye to wil them to make Sigismond Emperour according to the custome he hauing obtained his purpose held a coūcell at Rome to crowne Sigismond Emperour there In the first session or sitting of the said councell the masse of the holye Ghoste being done as the Pope sat aloft in his throne by and by an owle came in which sittinge vppon a beame of the Temple and fastning her eyes stedfastly vpō the Popes grim countenaunce did with her irksome shriking and horrible noyse salute the Pope The by standers were much amazed thereat and some of them said in their whispering Lo the holy ghost is come to whō our Pope prayed so earnestlye to ayde him accordinge to his hope Othersome lookinge one vpon another vpon the Pope fell to grinning laughing But Pope Iohn good man was in a sore perplexitye for he blushed very red he sweat he freated his greace melted within him and he chafed inwardlye aboue measure at the length because he coulde not deuise how to remedy this his foule confusiō he brake vp the councell and went awaye Then followed another sitting in the which he was in the like agonye againe and that with more distresse For the saucye owle without any sūmoning presumed to come into the coūcel place againe and could not be desired awaye with hysshing whopping and hallowinge neyther scarred nor terrifyed with coodgiels and bats so that in that Sinode likewyse nothinge was done but chasing of the owle and not yt. Hereupon manye said that such spirituall doues had long time beene the chiefe byrdes in the Church This historye is written by one Nicolas Clemanges in an Epistle of his Furthermore for the mutenyes debate that was among the Italians whereof he was author Sigismond and his traine coulde not come safelye to Rome He therefore beinge cited as Massaeus sayth by all nations almost to appointe another place for the assemble he choose Constance a Cittye in the prouince of Mens appointed the daye to be the Ralendes of Nouēber Anno 1414. Some in the meane time perswaded him not to go thether least perhaps he should be vnpoped ere he returned Notwtstāding he went thether with the most subtile aduocates lawyers to aunswere al obiectiōs that might come But in the middest of his voyage he tombled headlong out of his chariot which he toke to be a token of ill lucke to ensue Whē this Pope Iohn came to Constāce he began the general coūcel w t the consent of the Emperour and other Christian Princes Anno 1414. The Emperour Sigismond came thether vpon Christmas eue and as sone as after the first masse of the sayd night a deacon had song the Gospell beginning thus There wente forth an edict from the Emperour Augustus c. and they being set in councell in the presence of Sigismond euerye man hauing liberty graūted to him to speake freelye there were aboue fourtye haynous articles put vp and proued against Pope Iohn As that he conspired the death of his predecessour Alexander in byringe his Phisition Marcilius to poyson him c. Therefore he was compelled by the voyce of the councell to giue vp his Popeship
him selfe bodye soule vnto them if by their helpe he mighte attainâ— to the Papacye which when the deuils had perfourmed Pope Alexander began so to refourme his life that he neuer went about anye busines but that he did first take councell of the deuill Other pranckes of this Pope Alexander were partlye written in these Uerses compendiouslye Vendit Alexander cruces altaria Christum Emerat ille prius vendere iure potest De vitio in vitium de flamma transit in ignem Roma sub Hispano deperit imperio Sextus Tarquinius Sextus Nero Sextus iste Semper sub Sextis perdita Roma fuit Pope Alexander selleth Christe with aares crosses store And reason good that he should sell the thinges he bought before c. In the time of this Pope the pall of the bishop of Mentz was enhaunsed to be payde for it for euer heareafter vnto the Popes Chamber xxxv Thousand Florences Among other enormities wherewith this Alexander swarmed he poysoned Gemen brother to Baiazetes the great Turke prisoner at Rome receyuing for the same deede wherwith he was hyred by Baiazetes two hundred Thousand Crownes Furthermore to maintaine his tyrannye he ioyned league with the Turke against the French kinge and craued his assistaunce vsing both the kingdome of Naples Rome it selfe for his owne royat sake as the fortresses to the Empyre of Ottomannus Beside he coÌ„maunded the tongue of Antonius Mancinellus and both his hands to be cut of because he in a learned and eloquente oration reproued his licentious and loathsome demeanour But as he liued wickedlye so he dyed myserablye for he preparinge a feast for diuers Senatours and Cardinals purposing to poysoÌ„ them with the same bane that he poysoned Cemen but by the prouidence of God one of the wayters ignorantly gaue the Pope the same bottell wherein the poyson was wherof he drinking dyed with the reste Finallye in one thinge this Alexander matched the wickednes of his predicessours in graunting leaue to a Spaniard Petrus Mendoza Cardinall of Valentia to vse his bastard sonne Marquesse Zanatensis otherwyse then becommeth vowed chastitye but hereof enough And beside this Mendoza was well knowen greatly to dishonour the spowsall bed of his soueraigne king Ferdinand Anno 1499. one Ierom Sauonarola a dominicaÌ„ monke with other his fellowes were burned at Florence for defending the communion vnder both kindes condemninge the Popes pardons and for reprouing the loose life negligence of the clergye generallye They denyed also the Popes supremacye saying that the keyes were giuen to the whole Church and not to Peter Againe that the Pope followed Christe neither in life nor doctrine because he attributed more to his owne pardons traditioÌ„s then to the merits of Christ that his cursinges excoÌ„municaioÌ„s are not to be feared He prophecied also of certaine things to come as of the destruction of Florence and of Rome and the restoring of the true Church at length for the which Picus Mirandula calleth him an holye Prophete and defendeth him in his wryting against the Pope Also one Marsilius his neighbour and Cominoeus in his French historye do attribute to him the spirite of prophesyinge and diuers other learned men do defend that he dyed an innocent 161. Pius the thirde PIus the thirde borne in Hetruria and nephewe to Pius the seconde called first Franciscus Picolhomeneus after great debate amonge the Cardinals succeded Alexander Valentine Borgia after the death of his father purloyning his treasure did beset that Vatican with xii Thousand souldiours it beinge the place where the Pope was elected thinking by this drift to make the Cardinals stoupe to his purpose but they to auoyde this daunger did forthwith conueye themselues into the Temple of Minerua where they were forthwith enclosed by him Hereuppon a rumour ran through the Citye that the elders were apprehended that all the Citye was molested with â—laughter and spoyling so that all men were amazed This being hearde doares were shut vp men toke them to their weapoÌ„s the streat passages were stopt with timberlogs iroÌ„ chaynes and thus was all in an hurlye burlye and a great vprore as if the hoast of Hanniball had bin battringe the gates of Rome But Valentine because he sawe that he had attempted an harde matter being requested by the Cardinals to giue ouer his wilfull purpose did promise to cease by by and to obey them Then when this Pius was chosen Valentine abating his courage did thanke the Cardinals because they had chosen him Pope whom he most desired He being Pope did forthwith rayse an armye to driue out those Frenchmen that dwelt in Italye taking it in dispite that their king had subdued Apulia and a great part of Italye but the Pope hoped for a daye to gall the Frenchmen to enclose them in a trap and in the end to hunt them vtterlye out But while he purposed these thinges he dyed of an vlcer in his legge the xxvii daye after his creation Anno 1503. the same yeare also that Alexander also dyed the xv of the Calendes of Nouember And here endeth the sixt booke of these prelates contayning in it 41. Popes from Innocentius the 4. to this Pius the 3. whose corrupt liues as is partly shewed thoughe not so larglye as mighte be do argue of what spirite they were and howe farre from Christian conuersation But if their fantasticall and superstitious decrees were ioyned hereunto where withall they loaded the Church and choaked the Gospell their doctrine would appeare to men of any iudgement as vnsauorye as their trade of life but it would be ouer tedious and pertayneth not so much to our purpose THE SEVENTH Booke contayninge the fift parte of the third sort of Romaine Popes in whom appeareth the wayninge of Antichrist and imparing of his vsurped estate wexing still weaker and weaker till the ende of the worlde accordinge to the Prophecye of S. Paule in the seconde Chapter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalonians that Antichriste must be reueled before that Christe come IT appeareth by these former Popes how the Prophecies in the ReuelatioÌ„ of Iohn of Antichrist that he should be an Abadon which being an Hebrewe word signifyeth a Destroyer or Conquerour haue bin abouÌ„dantlye and in perfit measure fulfilled verifyed in them In the rest that followeth may appeare the diminishing of that seat for so much as many people in their times haue do from daye to daye renounce the Popes auctoritye Many parsons first began in Germanye openlye to detect him as Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius Melancthon with diuers other till in the ende the whole countryes forsooke him so that God be thancked at this daye a great parte of the worlde doth acknowledge him to be Antichriste and defyeth his doctrine as Englande Scotland Denmarke Sweden the dukes of Saxonie the duke of Brunswick the Palsgraue of Rhene the duke of VVittingberges the Lantgraue of Hessia the Marquesse of Brandenburg the Prince of Russia and all other
patrone of their vndoubted Religion and they shal be compelled by their reason to say and speake with their tongue as the foole sayd in his hart Surelye there is no God no Iesus Christe no holye Ghost no Gospell no heauen nor hell I will not beleeue anye such thinge because that euē the Pope himselfe the great professour hereof is become a sincke of sinne and a puddle of all filthines to commit in his owne parsō adulterye and incest and to foster those euils in his sonne and suffer him to be as it were Prince of Sodom c. Thus I say if a man wil iudge Religiō by men he shall be so farre from attayning to the knowledge of God from faythfull seruinge of him that he shall rather defye vtterlye his glorious maiestye thincke that there is no God at all But thus we see that as no people haue attayned so much to the true vnderstanding of God as they to whom it hath pleased the mercye of the father to reueale him selfe by his sonne Iesus Christe so againe no people haue at anye time swarued farther from his holye wil and pleasure and bin more fowlye polluted stayned with all kinde of abhominable wickednes But to returne to the historye of Peter Aloysius This outragious villanye against the sayd bishop together with other matters of iniurye extorciō crueltye but this chiefelye emboldned diuers parsons of all estates to grudge his doings And amonge other he being on a time at his owne Citye Placentia sone after this former facte Anno 1547. he did cease into his owne hands al the goods of sondrye parsons and amonge them one Ierome Palauicinus and when as he to auoyde the daūger of displeasure fled to Crema a towne subiect to Venice Peter Aloysius apprehended the wyfe and children of the sayd Ierom and imprysoned them all This being a matter wherof greater trouble might ensue the Cardinall of Trent bearinge good will to the Fernesians wrote his letters to Aloysius in the behalfe of Ierom but Aloysius gaue him a lighte aunswere Afterward Octauius sonne to the sayd Peter came from the Emperours campe to Trent purposing to returne home The Cardinall of Trent came vnto him and coulde him the whole matter touchinge Ierom and desired him to be a meanes to his father for him Hee made him promise to do it and afterwarde sente woorde to the Cardinall that Ierom shoulde be receiued into fauour if he himselfe woulde come and craue his owne pardon in humble manner But because it was feared that promise beinge broken he shoulde be put to some greuous punishmente therfore the Cardinall with a trayne of men went to Crema and called for Ierom. He mistrusting treason would not appeare tyll he had good proofe that the Cardinal was come in deede After they had longe talked in counsell together and the Cardinal had at large promised his helpe they toke their iourney together The Cardinall sent one of his men before to geue knowledge to Aloysius that hee and Ierom were comminge by whom Aloysius returned this message contrary to that whiche his sonne Octauius had shewed before that if they came he coulde not restore Ierom. And although that bothe diuers Legates besides other wise and graue men did bothe intreate and vse perswasions to appease his wrath yet he persisted obstinately in his purpose And now certaine of the nobilitie that had hated him for his former pranckes conspired to murther him They hauing entertayned for their purpose certaine ruffians for their sauegarde watched a conueniente tyme for theyr purpose and being garded with this their traine they diuidinge them selues into diuers companies came now and then out into the streates euery man pretending that it was done for priuate quarrels towching him selfe and therfore euery man demaunded of those whom he had hyred to attende on him whether they woulde faythfully take parte with him to reuenge his iniurie whiche he had susteined at the hands of Duke Aloysius the seruing men made aunswere againe that they would do their endeuour not onely to reuenge an iniurie on hym but further if it were to kill him About this time Pope Paule the third wrote to his sonne Peter Aloysius willinge him to take heede to him selfe and to beware of the tenth day of September for he saide that the starres did thretten great mischiefe towarde him for this Pope by constant reporte was skilful not onely in Astrologie but also in Necromancie vpon the sighte of these letters Aloysius was very sad and pensiue for feare And when the same tenth day came he passed out of his castell being borne in a horselitter and accompanied with a great trayne to viewe the fortifiyng of the citie which he had appoynted to be doone The conspiratours were also there in a redinesse but because they coulde not then obteine their purpose therfore they made no slurre at al but when he shoulde returne home they gaue attendaunce on him and as it were for duetie towarde him they went before him .xxxvi. in al and when he with his horselitter was entred into the castell forthwith they drewe vp the bridge after them for it was a drawe bridge so that none other coulde follow them in where euen presently they set vpon hym with their swordes and after they had rated him and vpbrayded him bitterly with his tyranny they slew him in his litter and a certaine prieste beside the groome of his stable and fiue Germaines This beinge doone they ran vp and downe in the castell and made spoyle of al thinges where among other things they founde an hewge masse of money which he had laide in store to mainteine the charge of fortifiyng the citie In the meane time the people of the citie ran thither demaunding what the matter should be because they harde such criynge weeping and howlinge within the castell The murderers spake out to them againe saying we haue slaine the tyrant and recouered the libertie of our citie But because that matter could hardly be credited vpon the warrant of the people promisinge to saue them harmelesse the murderers tyed the deade body of Peter Aloysius to an iron chaine and so hong him out ouer the castel wall in sight of all the people and after they had there let him hang a while they threwe him downe into a dike As sone as he was downe the people ranne thither drew him out stamped on him and spurned him with their feete and thrust their daggars into his bodie so desirous they were to woorke their mallice on his hatefull carkasse This being done the people forthwith submitted them selues to the obedience of the Emperour to whom they vttered the shameful demeanour of Aloysius and causes of his death as hath ben saide Thus he whom the Pope his father fostred in his villanie was plagued both with losse of life in his own person and alienation of his dominion from his children So alwaies the iustice of god awaketh when the iustice of man
Idolatry in worshipping them then that the saluage people should harme the dead bodies Hee died ere he had raigned Pope two yeares Anno. 638. Platina reporteth that in this mans tyme a certaine priest robbed the tombe of Rothaeris in S. Iohn Baptistes churche for sayth he they were wonte to burie certayne precious thinges with kinges bodies The like thing happened of late tyme to Cardinall Allouisius Patriarke of Aquilia for his graue being burste vp he was robbed by those whome he from very base estate had aduaunced to the dignitie of priestes and better calling 8. Theodorus THeodorus the firste was a Grecian borne the sonne of Theodorus byshop of Hierusalem hee builded manye churches in Rome and golden shrines for sainctes He â—et vp the reliques of Sainctes in golde siluer in the church He forbad that mariage made after a single vowe shoulde be broken He depryued Pyrrus byshop of Constantinople for heresy He appointed that tapers should be halowed on Easter eue for Easter time He died Anno. 646. 9. Martin the first MArtin the first a Tuderdinian borne made lawes for keping holy dayes and decking of churches suche as the Idolatours before were woÌ„t to kepe He gaue straight charge that priestes should shaue their polles and that bishops should make euery yeare as they call it an holye Chrisme and sende it to euery churche in their Diocese He burthened the Clergie with vowe of single life and appointed that a couple being married ere they lay together the bridegrome bryde should haue the priestes blessing He commaunded also that priestes houses should be buylt next to the churche That Monkes shoud not go out of the abbies without the Abbots leaue in a Synode at Rome that bishops should not transpose the churche goodes to their owne priuate vse He died Anno. 656. VVicelius sayth he was very vehement against certaine sectes excoÌ„municating them whome he ought by the scripture to haue admonished He deposed Paule Patriarke of Constantinople not admonishing him first once or twise according to S. Paule rule for the whiche he was bounde in chaynes and so brought to Constantinople by the Emperour ConstaÌ„tinus wher in banishmeÌ„t he died in great miserie An. 653. 10. Eugenius the first EVgenius the firste was a Romaine commended for his manners But VVicelius saith this Pope did neuer any notable dede but decreed that bishops should haue prisons to punishe priestes Thus by little and little they encroched the power of temporall swearde certaine letters were sent vnto him from Constantinople contayning heresie whiche were so detested that saith Platina the Clergie it selfe toke vppon them to forbidde the Pope to saye masse in S. Maries churche vnlesse he would firste burne the letters then might the Clergie controll the Popes slackenes or errour in religion 11. Vitellianus VItellianus borne in Campania being an excellent musician wrote the ecclesiasticall Canon he broughte singing and organs into the churche He accused one Iohn minister in a certaine churche in Crete vnto the bishop of that place for hauing a wife He made the Latin howers songes masses idolatry and ceremonies adding and turning all into Latine about the yeare of Christes incarnation 666. which was the number of the name of the beast spoken of in the 13. of the Apocal. Here therefore is to be noted that the nuÌ„ber of the beast agreeth vnto this time secondly the number of the yeares conteined in the name of the beaste is founde out in this woorde λατεινοσ as who would saye that Antechriste shal be a Latin or in the Latin churche who shall come to his perfection in the yeare 666. Also the letters of his name shall amounte to this number and last of all is to be noted how that beside this Lateinos expressed the Latin bishop and the time of Antechriste it agreeth with the straunge doinges of this tyme that all thinges were turned into Latin in the churche And because that this mistery of sixe hundred sixty sixe spoken of in the Reuelation may appeare euen to the moste simple to agree vnto the churche of Rome as in this place is saide it is first to be considered that the auncient father Irenaeus being immediatly after the Apostles reading this place and considering of the woordes of S. Iohn saying Let him that hath wisedome counte the nuÌ„ber of the beast for it is the number of a man and his number is sixe hundred sixty sixe Irenaeus I saye considering of these wordes did at the length finde out that this number agreed to this Greeke name λατεινοσ and therefore he sayde that surely Antechriste should be a Latin and in the Latin churche for the Grekes in whose tongue the Reuelation was written do expresse their numbers by their letters as we do by figures And in their numbringe this letter λ the firste letter of that name standeth for thirty the next letter α standeth for one the thirde letter Ï„ for three hundred the iiii letter ε for fiue the fift letter ι for tenne the sixte letter ν for fiftie the seuenth letter ο for threscore and tenne and the eight and last letter σ standeth for twoo hondred So that if these eight numbers that is thirty one three hundred fiue ten fifty seuenty and two hundred be added together they make sixe hundred sixty sixe â—umpe Againe nuÌ„ber so the letters in this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesia Italica that is the Italian churche and ye shall finde it also make iump six hundred sixty sixe For in the former worde of these two there are right letters whereof the firste is ε standing for fiue the second κ in value twenty and so the thirde is κ that is twenty the fourth λ that is thirty the fift η that is eight the sixt Ï‚ that is twoo hundred the seuenth is ι that is tenne the eight is α and that standeth for one All whiche numbers added together make 294. Nowe to coine to the latter woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Italica in it are seuen letters the firste is ι and is euer set in the Grecian numbers for ten the seconde Ï„ for three hundred the third α for one the fourth λ for thirty the fift ι for tenne the sixt κ for twenty the seuenth and last is α for one all whiche seuen numbers amounte to three hundred seuenty and two then vnto this adde the nuÌ„ber of the former word whiche was two huÌ„dred ninty foure and the whole somme is lumpe sixe hundred sixty sixe Furthermore in the same thirtene chapter and the firste verse thereof S. Iohn speaking of this beaste saith that the beaste had seuen heades And in the seuententh of the Reuelation the Angell doth expounde this mistery vnto Iohn saying the seuen heades were vii mountaines vpon which the woman meaninge the forenamed whore of Babilon doth sit and afterwarde againe he saith that the same woman whom Iohn saw sitting on the beast with seuen heades is that great Cittye which hath rule ouer the kinges of the earth At
to the Popes letter FRederick by the grace of God Emperour of the Romaynes Augustus euermore to Hadrian Pope of Rome and to al those that are vvilling to cleaue to that vvhich Christ began to do and teach sendeth greetinge The lavve of Iustice restoreth to euerye man his ovvne For vve do not dishonour our auncestours to vvhom vvithin this our kingdome vve yelde due reuerence by vvhom vve haue enherited our Crovvne and regall dignitye Is it knovvne that Syluester bishoppe of Rome in the time of Constantine the Emperour had anye kinglye poart But by his godlye graunte the Church obtayned libertye peace vvas restored and vvhat soeuer your princelye pontificality is knovvne to haue it came by the bountifulnes of Princes VVhereby vvhen soeuer vve vvrite to the Pope by good righte vve set our ovvne name former and accordinge to the rule of Iustice vve allovve it to him vvritinge to vs. Loke ouer the Recordes and if ye marked not in readinge vvhich vve auouche there ye shall finde it But vvhy shoulde vve not require homage and royal oathes tovvarde our parson of them that are Gods by adoption and possesse the royaltye belonging to vs Seing that he vvho taught both vs and you takinge nothing of a Prince but geuinge al goodnes to all men yet payde tribute to Caesar for himselfe and Peter and gaue you an example that ye shoulde do the like And so he teacheth you saying Learne of mee for I am humble and gentle of harte Therefore let them eyther graunte vnto vs that belongeth to our royaltye or els if they vvill challenge this for their more commoditye then let them paye vnto God that is due vnto GOD and vnto Caesar that is due vnto Caesar. The Churches are shut to your Cardinals and the Cityes are not open vnto them and reason good because vvee see that they are not feeders but steâ—â—ers of their flockes not kepers of peace but catchers of pence not those that amend the vvorld but that deuoure it But vvhen vvee shall see them such as the Church requireth bearinge peace giuinge light to their countreye assistinge the cause of the lovvlye in equity vve vvil forthvvith succour them vvith necessarye stipends and sustinaunce But ye do much discredit your humilitye and curtesye beinge the sauegâ—rde of all vertues vvhen ye moue to secular parsons such questions as do not much further religion Let therefore your fatherlye vvisedome prouide least vvhile ye sturre aboute such vnmeete matters yee giue offence vnto those vvhich applye themselues to giue eare to the vvords of your mouth as it vvere to a shovver of raine after Harueste For vve cannot but aunsvveare to those thinges vvhich vve heare vvhen vve see the detestable beast of pride to haue crept euen to Peters seate so long as vve purpose God vvillinge continuallye to prouide for peace and the Church Fare ye vvell Here may you discerne somwhat the dealing and spirite of the Romain bishops which I leaue to euery one 's owne indifferent consideration To returne to the matter hereuppon this Pope Hadrian did excommunicate the Emperour and by his Legates sent from Rome prouoked rebellions against him in Italye and other places and brought it secretly to passe that the conspiracye of the rebels should be made the stronger by these lawes confirmed among them by oath that none of them should take peace with him wtoute the whole consent of all the rest And againe that if this Pope Hadrian should dye they should choose none to be Pope but one of those Cardinals that were of the conspiracye against the Emperour But shortlye after God punished this Hadrian very straungelye for sayth Abbas Vspergensis in Frederico primo it came to passe that this Pope Hadrian the fourth going to Agnania to denounce the excommunication against the Emperour after he had taryed there a fewe dayes walked forth with some of his companye to coole him selfe And when he came to a certaine springe of water he drancke thereof and forthwith a flye did enter into his mouth and did cleaue to his throte in such sort that no art of the PhisitioÌ„s could get it away and so he was choaked therew t and died therof Anno 1159. in the fift yeare of his Popeship But the Italians being thus set on by the Pope deuised continuallye treasons against the Emperour amonge other practised to haue murthered him by a certaine counterfeit foole beinge in deede an excellente Musician who had surelye slaine him but that the Emperour driuen to his shift leaped out at the fifte window downe into a riuer which ranne vnder the place where he was The foole beinge taken was also throwne downe out of the same windowe and so he brake his necke After this they hyred an enchanter of Arabia who poysoned his bridle his spurres his ringes and his stirope and such other thinges that with the onlye touching thereof he should haue beene slaine But he was bewrayed and hanged vp This Pope Hadrian made king Henry the second of Englande Lorde of Irelande Carion in his Chronicle wrytinge of Conradus the thirde Emperour of Germanye sayth that it is found written that this Pope Hadrian the fourth euen a little before his death should say that there is no kind of life vpon earth more wretched theÌ„ to be Pope and to get the Popedome by bloud is not to succeede Peter but Romulus whoe for the kingdome slue his owne brother III. Alexander the thirde ALexander the third was borne in Hetruria called first Rolland Chancelour After Hadrian the fourth had his breath stopped and was choaked with a flye this man succeded him beinge farre worse then the other But because that all partyes coulde not agree to elect him nine of the Cardinals that held on the Emperours part did choose another Pope called Octauianus a citizen of Rome being a priest and Cardinall of S. Clements whom they called Victor the fourth And after the death of this Victor the sciesme and discention beinge continued three Popes succeeded in order Paschalis Calixtus and Innocentius all which withstoode this Pope Alexander and made greate turmoyles in the Church of Rome and al perished he yet lyuinge But when the Emperour sommoned a councell at Papia wherby the strife might be ended and the matter debated that he might be confirmed Pope that had the better right this Alexander defyinge the Emperours Embassadours aunswered proudlye that the Pope as he toke himselfe to be is to be iudged by no man and thus sent awaye the Embassadours with great contempte and sendinge his letters throughe all Christendome he plagued both the Emperour and this Victor with excommunications And because he might assure Rome to himselfe hee sente letters forthwith to Iohn Cardinall of sainct Peters Church who supplyed his roume there who by briberye and flatterye so curried fauor with the people that he allured the most parte of the Citye to fauour Alexander and to make those Consuls that did most leane to his part In the meane
time Alexander comminge out of Fraunce into Italy returned forth with to Rome and was curteously receyued and the Cityes of Italy being emboldned by his comminge to shake of their allegeance to the Emperour contrarye to their oath did forthwith reuolte from him king Philip of Fraunce fauouring their part The Emperour knowing of these rebellions conspiracies against him did forthwith gather a newe armye and went into Italye but when he came to Brixia one Hartman the bishop thereof beinge of the Emperours priuye councell but a false hipocrite did disswade him from the warre And perswaded him by the Popes secrete councell to make warre rather against the â—urkes ennemyes to Christian fayth then against the holye father and Christian men addinge withal that now the Soldan oppressed enioyed Hierusalem and al the holy land which his vncle had whilom coÌ„quered with greate power charges He prayed him to trye the force of his army vpon the Agarens Saracens and to recouer these landes therewith furthermore he promised the Emperour to perfourme this that the kinge of FrauÌ„ce likewise should leuye an army to ayde to conquer the Soldan kinge of Aegipt At his supplication the Emperour ledde his armye against the Paganes which he had prepared against the Pope his rebels He traueyled throughe Hungary to Constantinople and sendinge ouer his army he wan manye townes from the Turke as amonge other Philomenia and Ionicus passed into Armenia the lesse conquering all yea God so prospered his victoryes that the Soldan him selfe feared the losse of his kingdome At the length he came to Hierusalem where he suffred the Pagans to passe with life out of the Citye At length hauinge gotten great victories in Iewry he coÌ„sidered how he might defende from the Turkes that which he had wonne and repayre that which was wasted But while he was thus busye here in the East Pope Alexander was not yet quieted but both he and his conspiratours stil feared him if he should euer returne into Italye and therefore Alexander still deuised how to haue him destroyed He sent a cunning painter to go to the place where the Emperour was who the Emperour not knowing thereof shoulde drawe his picture this being perfectly done he commauÌ„ded a secret messenger to conuey it to the Soldan wrote a letter wtall to the Soldan certefying him that it was the Emperours picture and tellinge him that if he would liue quietlye he must worke the feate to haue him destroyed by som traine The Soldan hauiÌ„g receyued these letters the Emperours liuely picture deuised howe to gratifye the Pope and to slay his ennemye but he could neuer get oportunitye neither in battell nor in his tentes to haue him slaine But when the Emperour hauinge wonne Hierusalem retired wyth his army homeward he hauing no feare of himselfe did deuide his armye into diuers partes whereby they might returne the more conuenientlye for vittaile and lodginge one after another But in Armenia being on a time in a great heate and sweatinge partly with trauell partly with the heate of the Sunne mistrusting no daunger in the saluage country full of woddes he taking a fewe horsemeÌ„ with him his chaplein did step froÌ„ his armye Beinge a litle gone a side he alighted from his horse and was about to put of his apparell at a riuers side where coÌ„maunding his horsemen to depart he purposed by himselfe his chaplen alone to baath himselfe because he was exceeding hot where it so hapned that the Soldanes which had lyen in wayte for him as he trauelled negligentlye came and toke him and ledde the noble Emperour prisoner through the woods to the Soldan his horsemen not knowinge thereof attending for him in vaine at length came and sought diligentlye for him till the nexte daye The rumour was broughte to the armye that he was drowned whereuppon all the hoast lamented wepte and mourned heauilye and sought him alonge the floude almost the space of an whole month but when they could not finde him they chose them newe Captaynes and so marched homeward The Emperour being brought to the Soldan did dissemble that he was one of the Emperours chamberlaynes but the Soldan perceyuinge by the picture which he had from the Pope resembling his face that he was the Emperour commaunded the picture to be broughte forth and the leâ—ters to be read before him The Emperour beinge astonished at this treason sawe that it auayled not to denye himselfe he confessed the truth and besought the Soldan humblye to haue compassion on him After the Soldan had talked much with him and saw both by his wordes deedes that he was a worthie and noble gentlemaÌ„ in whom there was no vertue meete for so princely a parsonage wanting and hauinge him in great estimation for his wisedome his good demeanour his faythfulnes and vprighte dealinge thoughte he should purchase himselfe great glorye and renowne to deliuer him Therefore afterward he called the Emperour vnto him offered him liberty vppon conditioÌ„s and curteouslye profered him that he should laye in hostages for his raunsome paying And on this condition he let him go that he shoulde make a perpetuall league of peace with him and should paye an hundred thousand ducates should leaue his chaplen that was takeÌ„ prisoner with him to lye in pledge till it were payd so writings were drawne of the conditions and the Emperour prepared his iorney and bad his chaplen be of good courage promisinge him that he would not take his rest in Germany vntil the moneye were sent and that he saw him returned thether Then the SoldaÌ„ bestowed giftes on the Emperour prouided for his voyage and with xxxiiii horses certaine souldiours conducted him to Brixia and stayed there The Princes vnderstandinge of the Emperours returne for ioye resorted fast vnto him The Emperour loadinge the Soldanes men wyth diuers rewardes sent them backe againe and other with them to conduct them to the coast of the Empire Afterward he held a Parliament at Norimberg callinge together all the Princes of the Empyre to whoÌ„ he detected the treason of Pope AlexaÌ„der and read the traytours Epistle which he sent to the Soldan and tolde them by what meanes he escaped The Princes promised to assist him to performe his promise to the Soldan and in great disdaine against Pope Alexander traitour to the Empyre they offred to ayde him The armye was gathered hee came to Rome and not a man through out Italye withstoode him and sending his Embassadours into the Citye he demauÌ„ded of the Romaynes concealing his owne iniurye that the Church might be brought to quietnes by hearing both the Popes causes heard and that the right bishop mighte haue his place whereby the Church might be gouerned by one If they would do this he promised that he woulde graunte them not onely peace but would restore them all their righte Pope Alexander perceyuinge that by this meanes the Emperour mighte obtayne his purpose to be reuenged on him fled