Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	crown_n	king_n	son_n	5,450	5	5.2450	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02895	The pageant of popes contayninge the lyues of all the bishops of Rome, from the beginninge of them to the yeare of Grace 1555. Deuided into iii. sortes bishops, archbishops, and popes, vvhereof the two first are contayned in two bookes, and the third sort in fiue. In the vvhich is manifestlye shevved the beginning of Antichriste and increasing to his fulnesse, and also the vvayning of his povver againe, accordinge to the prophecye of Iohn in the Apocalips. ... Written in Latin by Maister Bale, and now Englished with sondrye additions by I.S.; Acta Romanorum pontificum. English	Bale, John, 1495-1563.; Studley, John, 1545?-1590?	1574 (1574)	STC 1304; ESTC S100602	276,183	440

Italy hee began to consider howe he might aduaunce the dignitie of the Popedome whiche before that the Emperour might counte him holy he refused He put downe Iohn Archebishop of Rauenna for maintaining the olde libertie of his byshoprike and brought that churche into perpetuall bondage Among many decrees he concluded that no seculer prince no not the Emperour him selfe should be so hardye as to come in among the Prelates in their counsayle onlesse they were debaiting matters of beliefe then the Emperour should execute those whome the Pope iudged to be heretikes Also he decreed that the layetie should not take vpon them to iudge the life of the Clergie neither to dispute of the Popes auctoritie power Also he decreed that Christian magistrates should haue no auctoritie ouer a prelate because saith he the pope is called God Auton Tit. 16. He coÌ„maunded that the Clergie should not be warriours but study howe to talke and perswade He commaunded agayne that diuine seruice should be sayde in Latin But yet graunted the Sclauonian and Polonians to haue it in their owne tongue by dispensation He added the Sequencias to the masse He added Gloria in excelsis to be songe to the masse on Maundy thursday He added the terme of Apostolicall auctoritie to the Popes decrees He commauÌ„ded mariage to be openly soleÌ„nised he allowed that the sacramentes might be receiued of euill ministers He firste bounde the Clergie to single life But Huldericus bishop of Augusta controlled his wickednesse herein by a sharpe epistle he died Anno. 867. 43 Hadrian the second HAdrian the seconde the sonne of Talaris a bishop was by the people and the Clergie made Pope before the Emperours Embassadours could come thether For then the Romaines did by force take vpon them the election of the Pope whiche when the Embassadours tooke in euill part they were thus aunswered that the wyll of the multitude could not be brideled in such a tumult But yet they had done happely because they had appointed such a good man The Embassadours euen of compulsion seing there was no remedie to abrogate the election did against their willes pronounce him Pope being confirmed he bestowed muche on the poore He sent three Legates bishops all Leopart Syluester and Dominicus that were bredde and brought vp in his kitchin to kepe the Bulgarians and Dalmacians within his dominion whom Nicolas had brought to the yoke before But the Bulgarians hauing had proofe of his tyranny draue out the Italian priestes and receiued the priestes of the Greke churche This enkindled hotte coales betwene the Latins and the Grecians Hadrian died Anno 873. Before whose death it rayned bloud three dayes at Brixia and all Fraunce was miserably troubled with Locusts Alfredus king of England toke his crowne of this Pope and was anoynted whiche neuer any king of Englande did before But afterwarde he was called the Popes adopted sonne 44 Iohn the ninth IOhn the ninth was excellently learned bothe in Latine and in Greke He in his soueraintie crowned three Emperours Charle the baald Charles Balbus and Charles Crassus Carolus Caluus vnderstanding that the Emperour was dead hied him to Rome to Pope Iohn whome with his bribes he allured to satisfie his desire and so was made Emperour by him and receiued the crowne Emperiall But about a yeare after he was poysoned at Mantua by one Sedechias a Iewishe phisition an enchauÌ„ter Iohn hearing of his death beÌ„t al his force to make Charles Balbus to succede his father but the Romaine Lordes withstoode him and made Charles Crassus Emperour The Pope standing obstinatly in his frowarde purpose was taken of the citezens put in prison because he would not relent but being released by his friendes helpe he fled into Fraunce And bestowing the imperiall crowne on Balbus saluteth him Emperour In the meane time Crassus hauing gotten the citie of Rome causeth Iohn with terrour to retourne from Fraunce Who returning to Rome willeth the Emperour to let him returne in safetie maketh him Emperour and setteth the crowne on his head Iohn at his being in Fraunce sommoned a counsell at Treca wherein he condemned certaine contentious persones and made many lawes to the aduauncement of Popery Afterwarde he wrote to Lewis Balbus that the priuiledges of the Church of Rome could not be abrogate without a prescription of an hundreth yeares Also he made it sacrilege to take any holy thing of any vnholy persone or any vnholy thing of an holy persone He excommunicated these that were gilty of sacrilege but in suche sorte that for money they might be dispensed withall Hee gaue to many men sainctes reliques for great iewels He confyrmed the liberties belonging to ecclesiastical persones cloysters church goodes monasteries and clarkes He prepared an army against the Saracenes and droue theÌ„ out of Italy and Sicil. He died Anno. 883. At this time the Empier was translated from the Frenchemen to the Germaines by Carolus Crassus 45 Martin the second MArtin the second was a Frencheman whose father was a Necromancier and coniuring prieste he gate to be Pope not by honest meanes but by crafte ill artes They saye that by this mans subtell enticement the foresayde Iohn was apprehended and layde in pryson and so constrayned by his frendes ayde to flye into Fraunce to saue his life At the electioÌ„ of this Martin the Emperours auctoritie was not loked for nor demaunded to his admission Thus proudly by little and little the Popes shooke of the Emperours power whereby they might the better treade them vnder their feete But he raigned not longe about a yeare and certaine monethes he died Anno. 884. 46 Hadrian the third HAdriaÌ„ the third was of such a proude stomake hawty courage that as sone as he had gotten into the Popedome he made a decree that the Emperours auctoritie should no more take place in creating of Popes but that the voyces of the people and Clergie of Rome should be euer free to do it The Emperour at that time warred against the Normans Thus saith Cranzius these Prelates and the lewdenesse of the Romaines durst contemne their Empier vntill the force and strengthe thereof decayed Whereby this one Pope was now deliuered and brought to bedde of that monster at ones trauelling wherof so many of his auncetours had traueled that is to cut cleane of the Emperours auctoritie For Nicolas the fâ—irst had attempted it but brought it not to effecte Lo here good reader howe by this decree all the Emperours right and title whiche they had ouer the Pope and citie of Rome is wrest from them whereby the Pope with great triumphe hath gotten the victory and vpperhande Thou shalt se him yet creepe hier and attempte greater matters ceasing not vntill he haue aduaunced him selfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped 2. Tit. 2. Whereby his flatterers may saye Who is like the beaste or who is able to fight with it Apoc. 13. But after this he lyued not longe he died

that they knew what was done both East West South and North in the corners of the world eyther touching warres or the death of Princes And therefore manye had theyr cunninge in greate reuerence and did attempt dilligently to learne of them and gatte theyr skill especiallye one Hildebrand Who forsaking an abbey where he was placed did so follow this trade that he excelled his maysters and was wonderfull busye in pestilent practises by meanes of his magicall artes as the Church by the fruite thereof did afterwarde feele sayth Benno But to returne to Benedict who after the death of Conradus conspired wyth his former counsellers to disherite his sonne Henry the thirde of the Empier and to plant in his steede Peter king of Hungarie and therefore he sent the crowne of the Empier to him with this Uerse Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa coronam The rocke to Peter gaue Rome the towne The Pope to thee Peter giueth the crowne But Henry at the first conflict ouercame Peter and toke him prisoner and purposed to set forward to Rome which beinge heard Benedict being terriblye afraide soulde his Popeship to his companion Iohn Gratian who payed for it fiftene hundred poundes was afterward called Gregorie the sixt But in the meane time the Romaynes deposinge Benedict for his negligence and slouth Anno. 1045. did place in his steede Iohn bishop of Saba calliÌ„g him Syluester the thirde For this sale sayth Platina Benedict was accused of all men and coÌ„demned by deuine sentence and at the length by Gods iuste iudgemente he was strangled to death by a deuill in the woods Anno. 1056. The Historiographers write that this Benedict or Theophilact was seene of a certaine Hermite in a most ouglye and gastlye shape hard by a Mill for his bodye was all rough and hairye like a beare wyth head and tayle like an asse And being asked of the Hermite how he was thus traÌ„sfigured He aunsweared I waÌ„der in this shape because in the time that I was Pope I liued without reason without lawe without God and defiled the sea of Rome with all kind of villanye In his time the Cardinals that began of little grew to be great in dignitye 88. Syluester the thirde SYluester the third a Romaine first called bishop of Saba obtayned to be Pope partly by his owne briberye partlye by the tumult and vprore of his countreymen after the expulsion of Benedict as some say but as it is rather to be thought by the magicall sorcerye of his father Laurence the famous coniurer For thus sayth Benno After Benedict was driuen out and that Popeship sould Iohn Gratian being in the place Iohn bishop of Saba was thrust in vppon him and called Syluester the thirde and thus these iii. Popes beinge at once it rente the Church of Rome a sonder and deuided it into diuers factions thus wyth cruell warres and great bloudshed the Church was torne in peeces foulye mangled with sciesmes choaked with errors while vnder the colour of wine it gulled in poyson Thus wrote Benno of that wretched time But sayth Platina Syluester enioyed the rowme but a while for within xlix dayes the frendes of Benedict with great tumult restored Benedict to that which he had first both lost and soulde The Popeshippe saith Platina was now brought to this passe that he that was of greatest wealth and beste able to giue bribes and most ambitious not most godlye or best learned he onelye good men being oppressed and reiected obtayned that dignitye which trade sayth he I woulde to God they had not continued euen vnto our time but these are but small matters for we are like to see worse vnlesse God amende it Thus muche doth Platina complayne of theyr leude liues who otherwise flattered the Sea of Rome and extolled theyr doctrine But as touching Syluester the Emperour Henry draue him from the Popeshippe caused him to returne to his owne bishopricke wherein he continued as before he was Cardinall and bishop of Saba In the time of the foresaid Benedict the sixte daye of April Anno 1039. there was seene a mighty beame of fire burninge in the Element as Masseus wryteth in his sixte booke Anno Domini 1041. Pope Benedict made one Cazimirus a monke in Clunace abbey and a deacon kinge of Poleland on this coÌ„dition that for euery head in Poleland he should pay yerelye to the Pope and his successors an ordinary summe of money And furthermore that they should not let the heyre of theyr heade to grow longe and that they of Poleland shoulde remember for euer howe that this polling had giuen them a shaueÌ„ king out of an abbey 89. Gregorie the sixt GRegorie the sixt an Italian first called Iohn Gratian learned the magicall sciences of Syluester the seconde He bought the Popeship of his kinseman Benedict the ix and at the length obtayned it He after sciesmes and sedition being made Pope sayth Premonstratensis perceyuinge that certaine filchers purloyned the goodes of the Church that straungers were robbed on all sides began to haue a regard vnto the riches and first admonished them afterward he excommunicated them and last of all he warred on them that contemned his threatnings and thus he did both recouer the Church goodes wyth encrease and also executed and put to death the wasters thereof The Cardinals being moued with this cruelty called him Simnist murtherer and bloud sucker and on a time while he was sicke they saide hee was vnworthye to be buryed in the Church Whereunto among other thinges he aunswered thus I haue warred vppon other that wyth the damage of the laietye I might purchase glorye to the clergye and thus ye recompence mee and sone after he recouered his health The troublesome tragical broyles which these Popes wrought at this time are thus described by Otho Frisgensis Godfri Viterbiensis and other auctors While saye they Benedict the ix was Pope Syluester the thyrd and soone after Gregorie the sixt did inuade the seate And in the 7. yeare of the Emperour Henry the third these 3. Popes made themselues 3. seueral seates in Rome wherby they brought in a detestable sciesme euerye one endeuoured that he might not yelde to other in sedition impietye and villanye Benedict he sate as Pope in Lateran Pallaice the rest the one at S. Peters the other at S. Maries made his pontificall throne While these thre Popes did at once to the perill of the whole estate possesse comber the Citye Iohn Gratian a priest came vnto them perswading them euery one to take a peece of moneye and giue ouer their title of Popeship and so it came to passe and for this cause the Romaynes created Gratian Pope as one that had saued the commoÌ„ wealth Henry the Emperour hearing of these sturres in haste came to Rome helde a Synode wherein those three Benedict Syluester Gregorie were condemned and the fourth Pope created in theyr steede called Clemens the second And thus

to estimation and many straunge monsters were seene and diuers terrible earthquakes 83. Iohn the 20. IOhn the 20. called Fasanus after that Iohn the 19. was poysoned by magicke coniuringe gat to be Pope For from the foresaid Syluester till Gregorie the seuenth a notorious parson all the Popes were famous enchaunters by theyr charming they sturred vp walking spirits bugs goblins fierye sightes diuers terrible goasts shapes of thinges with howlinges and gro aninges aboute deade mens graues perswadinge the simple people that they were deade mens soules And those spirites beinge coniured vp by priestes deluded men dessemblinge that they were the soules of the dead complayning theyr vntollerable paynes in Purgatorye fyre and craued to be released by the meritorious deedes of theyr frendes kindred bestowinge dirges masses and trentalles on them But to returne to this Pope Iohn hee sayth Platina beinge giuen to idlenesse did nothinge worthye remembraunce He dyed after he had beene Pope .iiii. yeares Anno 1009. 84 Sergius the 4. AFter this Iohn came Sergius to be Pope by the like meanes who also in his Popedome exercised the same sorcerye still by which he obtayned the seate Yet some of the flatterers of Rome do highlye commende him as one that in all his Popedome did no one thinge to be misliked An vnmeete prayse for the prelates of that corrupte time wherein the light of the Gospell was extinct without the which nothinge can be pure and perfite Amonge other praises this is one that he had he was a very pleasaÌ„t meerye and familiar companion In his tyme was great pestilence and famine in Italye and in Loraine a fountaine turned into bloud He dyed Anno 1012. 85 Benedict the eight BEnedict the eight was borne in Thusca the sonne of George bishop of Portua brother to Albericus and Iohn was a layman He had a nephew called Theophilactus which was the scholer of Syluester and by the magical charmes of this Theophilact Benedict gatte to be Pope and obtayned the place so longe as Henry Bauarius liued whose ayde defended him because he had bestowed on Henrie the crowne Emperiall But after his death the Cardinals enuyinge him deposed him and set vp another and herevppon arose a cruel debate Yet afterward he compounded for money with his aduersaries and so the vsurping Pope being put out again Benedict is restored w t great pompe He graunted to the foresaid Henrie as Barus testifyeth to make at Bamberg builded by Henry a cathedral Church but with this condition that the same Church should paye to the Pope yearely vnder the name of tribute an hundred markes in siluer with a white horse furnished with trappings He dyed Anno 1023. Peter Damianus cardinall of Hostia sheweth as it is also written by Platina Carion and others that this Benedict or an euill spirit in his likenes appeared rydinge on a blackehorse and came vnto a bishop of his familiar acquaintaunce who amazed at this sight asked him Art not thou Pope Benedict whom wee know to be dead He aunsweared I am the same vnhappy Benedict And howe do you sayd the bishoppe I am cruellye tormented but I may be eased quoth Benedict And therefore go to my brother Iohn who nowe is Pope and bidde him repayre to such a place naming it and take the treasure that is there hiddeÌ„ and distribute it to the poore And likewise he appeared to Pope Iohn saying I hope to be deliuered and I would to God that Odilo would pray for mee Thus the deuil deluded this age bearing them in hande that the distribution of moneye and not the death of Christe might bringe saluation to soules to the great aduauncement of Purgatorye and masses 86 Iohn the xxi IOhn the xxi brother of the former Benedict and sonne of Gregorie bishop of Portua beinge as yet but a laye man yet likewyse by the enchauntmente of his nephewe Theophilact gat the Popedome as Benno a Cardinall wryteth For the coniuring and charmes of these meÌ„ Theophilact Iohn Gratian Laurence Malsitan Brazutus and other like wrought and ruled all thinges at Rome according to the deuils appointmente the aucthor of theyr artes For sayth Benuo Theophilact vsing to do sacrifice to deuils in woods on mountaynes caused women to runne after him whom he with his enchauntments bewitched to loue him And this appeareth to be true by certaine bookes of his which after his death were founde in his chamber This Pope Iohn crowned Conradus Emperour and was by him defended from the violence of the Romaynes who had longe troubled him the Emperour threatned to destroy the Romaynes vtterly if they should practise ought agaiÌ„st the Pope and by this meanes he continued Pope xi yere The latine Church doth highly commend him but shewe no good workes that deserued it He commaunded Princes to keepe a solemne kinde of geuinge almes he appoynted priestes to say masse and the people to fast In his time began the superstitious fastes of S. Iohn Baptist S. Laurence Of the counsell of Triburia Anno 1030. began in Fraunce a sect of fasters who said that it was reuealed to them from heauen that to fast Saturday with breade and water was sufficiente for remission of all sinnes if so that they had made a vowe to keepe it But the bishop of Camera did ouerthrowe this blasphemye as derogatorye to the passion of Christe Pope Iohn dyed Anno. 1034. 87. Benedict the ix BEnedict the ninth who before was called Theophilact the sonne of Albericus and nephewe as is said to the former Pope Benedict Pope Iohn as he by coniuring and diuelishe artes did first aduaunce his vnkles so nowe by his magicke he brought to passe that he succeded them He beiÌ„g Pope did greatly aduauÌ„ce eueÌ„ next to himselfe as his chiefe and secret counsellers Laurence Iohn GratiaÌ„ for that they were notorious coniurers broughte vp with him vnder Pope Syluester He with these companioÌ„s had vsed before he was Pope accordiÌ„g to the cursed ceremonyes of their sorcery to call vppon theyr euill spirites in woods and forrests and to bewitch by his cunning any woman that liked him to couet his carnall companye But sayth Benno as on a time he wyth these his mates was comming from the woods to the Church a nomber of birds beinge together a sparowe made a merye and pleasaunt kinde of chirping This Laurence being both captaine coniurer also a southsayer curious in the obseruation of byrds was demaunded what it was that the birde prated The byrde quoth hee calleth other birds to the great gate where a countreymans carte is broken and his meale spilte which was caried in it and therefore she wyth her much chattering biddeth them to come thither to eate and fil themselues Which being harde diuers of them that stoode by ranne in all poast hast to the gate to try the matter and wheÌ„ they came there they found it so in deede as Laurence had sayd Theyr cunninge in south saying and coniuringe was such

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 CoÌ„modus 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 communioÌ„ 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 coÌ„munioÌ„ 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 coÌ„maundement 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 froÌ„ Rome to the Isle Sardinia where after many miseries and sore tormeÌ„tes 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 writteÌ„ 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 seueÌ„th 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 theÌ„ of their deede afterward O the abooÌ„dant spirite of Christ that was in this byshop O worthy minister of the Gospel for although this maÌ„ of God Cornelius was caried away into banishemeÌ„t yet he neuer fayled the churche of Christ. But as a valiant champioÌ„ in the maintenauÌ„ce 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

sodainly Anno. 886. 47. Steuen the fift STeuen the fift gat to be Pope at such time as Fraunce was inuaded by the Normans England by the Danes Pannonye by the Hunnes and Italy by the Sarracens He liued in much trouble and anguish of the mind all the time of his being Pope because Italy was so vexed with warre and the Romaines were not at his commaundemente enoughe yet he employed himselfe to the most of his endeuour daily to encrease their Babilonical trumperye and that none of his decrees might be defaced for as Gratian writeth Distinct. 6. Enimuero he decreed that all the CaÌ„nons of the Church of Rome ought of necessity to be kept The same Pope sayth he forbad anye Christians to condemne any to be put to death with hot iron or scalding water which was theÌ„ vsed Cau. 2. quest 4. He caused a lawe to be made howe to order such parents as do either ignorantly smother their children in theyr beddes with theÌ„ or els do choake them or murther them He dyed Anno 892. 48. Formosus the first FOrmosus the first being bishoppe of Portua fearing the crueltye of Iohn the ix forsoke Rome because hee was thought to be giltye of Iohns imprisonmente this name Formosus signifying beutifull whiche beinge made Pope he choose and toke vppon him sheweth sayth Cranzius that he was a proude parson This Formosus for those former causes vowed and sware an oath that he would neuer returne to his bishopricke nor to Rome both which he had forsaken so he gaue ouer his orders forsoke priestcraft and became a layeman but the nexte that succeded did absolue him froÌ„ the oath which he had sworn to Pope Iohn and for moneye did restore him After the death of Steuen this Formosus so monied the matter that hee purchased Peters chayre but as not with out bribes so not without great brauling by meanes that one Sergius a deacon wrestled for the same place For the appeasing wherof he calling Arnulphus sonne of Carolomannus into Rome made him Emperour who to gratify him for his curtesy stroke of the heades of them that were his chiefest aduersaries He raigned vi yeres did almost nothing he died Anno 896. And at the length for these quarrels coÌ„tinuing amoÌ„g his successors his bodye and bones were taken vp by Sergius the third the ninthe Pope after him and throwne into the riuer Tiber. After this Formosus the Popes did so dispatch one another that within nine yeares there were xi Popes 49. Boniface the sixt BOniface the sixte was Pope but a while after Formosus and therefore he could not shew of whether faction he was in such great debate among the Cardinalles the people He liued but 25. dayes Pope as Anselmus saith to be remembred for nothinge but for his quiet election happye in nothing but in raigning but a while 50. Steuen the sixt STeuen the sixt succedinge Boniface was so enflamed against Formosus that at the first hee disanulled his decrees cancelled his actes And althoughe Formosus had beene beneficiall vnto him before in making him bishop of Agnina yet this curtesye could not cause this vnthankful prelate to forbeare his malicious purpose but because that this Formosus had before preueÌ„ted him in the Popedome and by getting it disapointed him would not suffer him to keepe concubines he conceyued such deadly rancour against him euen after his death that to reuenge his quarrel vppon the dead bodye he sommoninge a counsaile first toke the karkasse of Formosus out of his graue then put al the Popes pontificall robes and attyre vppon it and plucked it of againe and so as it were spitefullye to disgrade him put on layemans apparell vppon him finallye cutting of those two fingers of the right hande wherwith hee vsed to hold the Sacrament and throwinge them into Tiber he commaunded to burye his bodye againe but not among spiritual mens bodyes but among laye men Thus after one yeares raigne he dyed Anno. 897. 51. Romanus the first ROmanus a Romaine by name and byrth though some thincke he were a Spaniard did nothinge worthye of remembrance but whereas he fauoured Formosus he allowed his doinges and did abrogate the decrees actes of Steuen But because he liued not longe hee coulde not proceede farre in his factious doinges which tainted the Romaine prelates shamefully at this time especiallye He dyed the third month of his Popeship Anno. 898. 52. Theodorus the second THeodorus the second euen at his entrauÌ„ce followed the examples that Romanus had set to him But there is no notorious thing mentioned of him because he liued but a while sauinge that as Stella Venetus sayth he also walked in the seditious pathes of his forefathers He had no regarde of Gods cause but was a maintayner and vpholder of Formosus quarell and cherished those that were of that faction but his shorte time preuented his farther doinge He dyed the xx daye of his Popeship Anno. 899. 53. Iohn the tenth IOhn the tenth succeded Theodorus as well in manners as in place for wheras these seditions were almost buryed he in his time renued the scab againe and made it sorer then before Iohn sayth Barnus mindinge to restore Formosus doinges whollye he sturred a great tumult because the people did resist and withstande it and when hee sawe that it woulde brast into open warre he gotte him to Rauenna and sommoning thither a conuocation of 74. bishops he restored all Formosus his decrees euen to the vttermost and did openlye condemne the actes made by Steuen because he had done so reprochfullye against the dead carcasse Also he burnt al the writings that were to be gotten of that Synode against Formosus but he proceeded no further in these broyles for wante of breath Hee dyed Anno. 901. 54. Benedict the fourth BEnedict the fourth is reported to haue done no notable thinge in these iarres and braules In this age sayth Stella it happened that as wel through the hedds meaning the Popes set all on sedition as by the bodye addicted to slouth al vertue withered away Likewyse sayth Platina when the Church through her wealth wexed wanton and riotous and none of the head of the clergye coÌ„trolled vice then forthwith wickednes hauing gotten liberty brought forth and yelded vs these Popes being as it were moÌ„sters and mongrels which encroche Peters place by ambition and briberye Benedict dyed Anno. 904. 55 Leo the fift LEo the fift being made Pope euen in his dignitie was taken by strong hande and cast into prison violently by one Christopher seking to make him selfe Pope being but a prieste and chapleine to Leo one whom he had brought vp in his owne house Whiche thing sayth Platina coulde not be done without great seditioÌ„ and the slaughter of many And of what auctoritie the place was now it may wel appeare when as firste harlottes bare sway and ruled the Popes then a priuate persone durst and could thus within so shorte a

space as fourty dayes driue out the other and kepe the place him selfe Leo seing him selfe reft of the renowne and thus defaced euen by his owne familiar frend on whome he had heaped so many benefites conceiued so great thought that immediatly he died thereof 56 Christopher the first CHristopher the first was of so base linage that neither his countrie nor his fathers name was knowen Hee hauing shoued out Leo and his concubines ayding him thereto wan the Popeship by strong hande But as he gate it naughtely so was he shamefully thrust out again by one Sergius the peramour of one Marozia a notable harlotte and beawtifull concubine who sought to place him selfe in it So Christopher was put downe the vii moneth of his Popeship And as Platina sayth compelled to be a MoÌ„ke whiche thing was then become the refuge of all caytiffes And afterwarde he was againe pulled out of the Monasterie by the same Sergius and caste into a straight pryson where at length in muche misery and sorowe he died Anno 905. 57 Sergius the third SErgius the thirde when as he was but a Deacon gaue a proude attempt to aspire to the Popedome and was in dede chosen thereto with great tumult among the people when Formosus was chosen But taking the foyle he fled into Fraunce but nowe espying his oportunitie by the aide of Charles Simplex king of Fraunce and Adelbert Marques of Thuscia he returned by stelth into Rome And as it is sayde he deposed Christopher apprehended him and clapte him in pryson inuaded violently the Popes place Being setled and remembring his ranke mallice againste Formosus not withstanding the long time that had since passed and eight Popes betwene Formosus and him yet freshly to reuenge his olde grudge Hee the seconde tyme toke vp the karkasse of the sayd Formosus out of his graue after it had lyen thus long setting it in y Popes chaire did drawe him from thence agayne and as if he had bene a liue strake of his head And where as since his laste mangling he had but three fingers remaining on his right haÌ„d Sergius chopped of those also After all this he caused his body and all these peeces therof to be hurled into the riuer Tiber as if he had not bene worthy to lye amoÌ„g ChristiaÌ„s And yet not satisfied with this reuenge hee defaced condemned and disanulled al his actes so that it was then nedefull to admitte them a newe to their orders whome he being aliue thought mete to make priestes He compelled the Romaines to subscribe to this for feare of the Frenche king This Sergius among other newe ceremonies appointed that the people should beare candels on the daye of the purification of the Uirgin Mary whereupon it is yet called Candelmasse daye to geue their bodies vnnecessary light at noone daye because their soules wanted their necessary light at all times This lasciuious Pope begat a bastarde which was afterwarde Pope Iohn the twelfth whome he had by the moste shamelesse harlotte Marozia So Luthprandus testifieth in the thirde booke and xii chapter De gestis Imperat. This and other like prankes among harlottes and bawdes he practised euen in his Popeship At the time of whose death Anno. 913. there were sene in the element great flakes of fier running to and fro 58 Anastasius the third ANastasius the thirde after Sergius all their vnclenlye ceremonies being obserued was elected Pope But some write of him that he did neither good nor euill in his time and therefore is he more commendable They wryte that in his time the bodye of Pope Formosus was founde by certaine fyshers in the ryuer Tiber and so taken vp and with great worship buried in S Peters pallaice and as some are not a shamed to fayne the Images of the church did salute it whyle it was burying A notorius vntruthe and grosse blasphemie against God although in the tyme of suche blindnesse God might suffer Sathan to moue and sturre the Idols before these idolatours as in times past the diuelâ— hath doone when he spake and gaue oracles and prophecies out of Idols Anastasius died Anno. 915. 59 Laudo the first LAudo the firste being a fruytfull Prelate in begetting children as Petrus Premonstratensis sayth hee begat Pope Iohn the xi in detestable adultrye This Popes life sayth Platina was so obscure that some do not recken him among the Popes especially Vincentius This Laudo as it appeareth spent the more parte of his chast life as chastitie went then among harlottes till at the length he was destroyed among them For one Theodora the Lady that gouerned Rome a shamelesse curtezane could not longer forbeare the company of her louer Iohn Archbishop of Rauenna who was apparent sonne to this Pope Laudo Rauenna sayth Luthprandus was two hundred myles from Rome whereby Theodora could not so often enioye the byshop her louer and therefore she caused him to giue ouer Rauenna and to vsurpe the Popes place in despite of the auncientes of Rome Here sayth Funcius a man might demauÌ„de which of al these Popes did erre from the truth seing they were all called holy fathers and heads of the vniuersall churche Let the Popes partakers aunswere if they can 60 Iohn the eleuenth IOhn the eleuenth borne at Rauenna the bastard and adulterous sonne of his forefather Laudo as saythe Praemontratensis he obtained the Popedome by right of inheritaunce though whoredome were his ayde For thus wryteth Luthprandus in his seconde booke and thirtene chapter of Emperours Theodora an impudent harlot and the Lady of Rome burning in fleshly lust was so enflamed with the comlye countenaunce of this Iohn comming to Rome that she did not only request him but compelle him to satisfie her carnall desire For the whiche afterwarde she made him byshop firste of Bononia secondly Archebishop of Rauenna and thirdly to obtaine her filthy pleasure more conueniently she made him Pope of Rome Thus at this tyme was the holy mother churche subiect to an harlot ruled only by her and is made an whore according to the xvii chapter of the Apocalips This Iohn hauing a warlike courage played rather the warriour then the byshop For when the Sarasins wasted Calabria Apulia and Italy he putting him selfe in armour stew a number of them in these countries draue them cleane out As coÌ„cerning the ende of this man thus wryteth Luthprandus in his thirde booke and xii chapter In the meane time Guido Marques of Thuscia began to conferre earnestly and diuise with his wife Marozia the doughter of the saide Theodora howe he might depose this Iohn Guido had many souldiours gathered together at Rome the which apprehending Pope Iohn in Lateran pallayce Anno. 928 cast him in prison and holding a pillowe to his mouthe did smother him to death very miserably After his death they set vp Iohn the twelth the bastard sonne of this Marozia whome she had by Pope Sergius Thus the young harlot Marozia for the aduauncement of her

Romaynes that he coulde do nothinge worthy remembraunce for hee was so shamefullye wounded and foulye mangled and defaced amid the broyles that for shame of his foule disfigurings he durst neuer shewe his face abroade So litle reuerence had the Popes at that time for their litle holinesse Steuen dyed Anno 944. 66. Martin the third MArtin the thirde being Pope gaue himselfe onelye to repayre the Church not in Religion but in building not in reforminge ceremonyes but encreasinge the dignitye and pompe of the Church He was very beneficial to the poore bestowed plentifully on their bellyes He was diligent in reformation of outward manners In the first yeare of this Pope a great blasing starre was seene in Italye after which saith Vspergensis followed an extreame famine and againe saith Masseus the Sunne appeared verye terrible threatninge the sequeale of Gods vengeance Martin dyed Anno 947. 67. Agapetus the second AGapetus the seconde being Pope ruled Popelike in the time of one Berengarius a Marques of Italy who was the last of that name that had that dignitye after Hughe This Berengarius is reported to haue dryuen many Monkes oute of their cloysters whiche liued idellye and gaue them selues to the pleasures of the worlde The Pope perceiuing howe he could not rule Berengarius in these and such other spiritual matters that he would not restraine his soueraignitie according to the wil of him and his Hee sent for Otho the first king of the Germaines to come into Italy promising him the kingdome of the Romaines to fight with Berengarius and so saith Sabellicus troubled the estate of that countrey And except it were the settinge of these princes together by the eares he did nothing worthy memory till his death being Anno. 954. In his time was a counsell holden at Ingelhaim but suche was the negligence of the time that no man can tell what was done there or wherefore it was 68 Iohn the thirtene IOhn the thirtene being the sonne of the foresayde Albericus sonne to Marozia obtained to be Pope partly by the bribery partly by the threatning of his father Albericus being Prince He being Pope liued not like a bishop but altogether like a ranke ruffianly roister geuing him selfe wholly to all kinde of pleasure as to whoredome adultery incest masking momming hunting maygames playes robberies fyring of houses periury dyce cardes blaâ—ing robbing of churches and other villanies euen froÌ„ his youth he misused his cardinalles in cropping their noses thrusting out their eyes chopping of their fingers and handes cutting out their tongues gelding them and vsing diuers diuersly For before the Emperour Otho in an opeÌ„ Sinode it was layde to his charge as Luthprandus wryteth in his sixt booke that he neuer sayde Mattins that in celebrating the masse he him selfe had not communicated that he made Deacons in his stable among his horses that he had committed incest with two harlots being his owne sisters That hee played at dice prayed to the diuell to sende him good lucke that for money he admitted boyes to be bishops He had rauished virgines and straunge womeÌ„ He had made the holy pallaice of Lateran a stewes brothell house That he had defloured Stephana his fathers concubine and one Rainera a wydowe besyde one Anna an other wydowe and her niece that he had put out the eyes of Benedict his ghostly father vsed common hunts that he woare armour and set houses on fyre brast open dores and wyndowes by night that he tooke a cup of wyne dranke to the diuell and neuer blessed him selfe with the signe of the crosse these and many more odious articles were layde to his charge Whereupon the Emperour by the consent of the Prelates deposed him And Leo the eight was set vp in his steade But as sone as the Emperour was gone those harlottes that had bene his companioÌ„s inueigled the nobles of Rome promising theÌ„ the treasures of the church to depose Leo and place Iohn againe whiche they did out of hande and so Leo whom the Emperour appointed was deposed and Iohn established againe Who in his Popeship decreed that the Emperour should euer be crowned at Rome by the Pope But as he was solacing him self with out Rome on a certaine night with the wyfe of one that was a valiaunt man he was taken by him euen in his adultery and so sore and depely wouÌ„ded with a dagger that he died thereof within eight dayes in the tenth yeare of his Popedome as Mantuan witnesseth Of this Pope Iohn S. Dunstane a Nicromancier and a coniuring MoÌ„ke archbishop of Caunterbury in Englande receiued at Rome coÌ„firmation and pall to be metropolitan Anno. 960. This Dunstane did shamefully snaffle king Edgar For the king had deflowred a certaine Noonne for the which cause DuÌ„stane did so taunte and rate him that the king fell downe flatte before him offering to submitte him selfe to any satisfaction and obayed this that was commaunded him by Dunstane first because he was yet vncrowned he charged him that he should not take the crowne vpon him for seuen yeares and that during this time he should fast twyse in the weke distribute his treasure to the nedy builde a Noonnery at Shaftesbury and last of al that he should driue out all maried ministers calling them adulterous priestes Cronicon SaxonicuÌ„ ecclesiae VVigorniensis But as other stories testifie they were shortly after restored againe the moÌ„ks who had encroched their places were depriued Also he purchased of him for a great somme of money a coÌ„mission to disanulle and coÌ„demne the mariage of the Clergie and to constrayne them to single life or els to depriue them of ecclesiasticall benefites So writeth Iohn Capgraue and Polidor Virgil. in his sixt booke of the history of Englande Hereupon he being emboldened by the auctoritie of king Edgar ioyning to him selfe in the same commission Oswalde bishop of Yorke Ethelwalde bishop of Winchester and Monkes of the like disposition did violently thrust out of the cathedrall churches the Curates and Ministers whiche would not forsake their wiues and planted in them Monkes with their counterfaited chastitie whiche they kept vntill the time of the moste renowmed Prince kyng Henry the eight But many there were that stoutly stoode in defiance of this wicked doing especially a certayne Scot did bitterly speake against it Of this Pope Iohn came this prouerbe As mery as Pope Iohn 69 Benedict the fift BEnedict the fift after the departure of Otho the Emperour with his armye and depriuing of Leo being but a Deacon and Cardinall was made Pope by Iohns frends in a tumultuous time But Otho would not suffer Leo whome he had appointed to take this iniurye and therefore returning to Rome with his armie hee plonged the Romaines diuers wayes to make them yelde this Benedict into his handes and to restore Leo. Therefore after they had kept the gates lockt twoo monethes they yelded Benedict vnto the Emperour and receiued Leo and established him solemly in the

and that he that had deuorced other men from theyr wiues and honest matrimonye liued in whoredome with another mans wyfe Also this Gregory iudged to death three men before they were conuict or confessed theyr cryme without the sentence of anye seculer Iudge and caused them to be hanged forthwith Another time he cast Centius the sonne of a Senatour into prison being his especial friend caused him to be tormented rolled in a barrel of sharpe nayles till he was almost dead But Centius escaping apprehended the sayde Hildebrand and mighte haue quitted his quarrel yet the people disappointed him but the Pope ere he were deliuered sware openlye that he would forgeue him and the rest that had apprehended him But being at libertye contrarye to his oath he reuenged it causing Centius and ix of his company to be hanged for it the other he condempned to banishment and among them the sonne of a widow who after the yeare of his vanishment was expyred did returne was led with an halter about his necke by his mother to Gregorie whoÌ„ the mother for full satisfaction desired to take her sonne and deliuer him againe as a new purged maÌ„ But Gregorie had hanged him but that the Iuâ—tices â–ª coÌ„sidering the penaunce that he had done were more iuste and wyse and refused to do it and therefore Gregorie in a rage commauÌ„ded one of his feete to be cut of wherof the yongmaÌ„ dyed wythin fiue dayes to the great griefe of the poore wydowe his mother Abbas Vspergensis other write thus It is manifest say they that this Hildebrand was not chosen by God but intruded himselfe by money guile who tossed the ecclesiastical estate vpside downe and troubled the kingdome of Christen Empier practised to murther the quiet Prince defended oath breakers fostred debate sowed discentioÌ„ raysed offences made deuorcemeÌ„ts and disordered euery thing that seemed to be well among the godlye He was the first that put the ministers of the Church from their wyues by excommunicatioÌ„ He moued broyles through Fraunce Germany and Englande tedious to be tolde This deuorcement of ministers wiues did offende a great nomber of learned men at that time for in Germanye and Fraunce there were yet xxiiii and more bishops who wyth the clergye of theyr Diocesse were then maryed and did stoutly maintayne theyr mariage still beside those that were in England Italye Amonge other things Gregorie commaunded the Saturday to be fasted He canonized Pope Liberius sainte who was an ArriaÌ„ heriticke also he apointed an holye daye in reuerence of him He toke awaye the Crowne from the kinge of Poland He condemned Berengarius opinion againste reall presence was the first that is noted to haue established the doctrine of transubstantiatioÌ„ He condemned a layman of sacrilege that should reape the commoditye of tenthes as of impropriat parsonages but condemned him of heresye that inuested a priest and him of Idolatrye that should take a benefice of a layman These and other like attemptes gaue Hildebrand whereby hee made the Popes leaden blade to hew asonder almost the Emperours iron sworde Many of the clergye as 14. Cardinals beside diuers bishops other did so abhorre the detestable treachery of this coniurer Gregorie that they forsoke him for shame his villanyes were so manye and so monstrous encreasinge dailye In steedâ— of God he serued the deuill of Princes whom he shoulde honour hee made worse then slaues finallye as his name was Hildebrand so in deede he was an helly brande to all Christendome tormoyled by his meanes with rebellions treasons murders c. But at the length Henry the Emperour began to set himselfe against the Popes practises and in the yeare of Christ 1083. in a Synode at Brixia layinge his treacheryes to his charge hee did depriue him of his place and appointed another in his steede whom hee called Clement the thirde He sent his armye to Rome to driue out Gregorie and to establishe this Clement and by his longe siege he brought Rome to so great penurye that they were compelled to sue for peace But Hildebrand because he would not come in the Emperours sighte beinge reiected forsaken of the Romaynes fled to Salerne wher he ended his wretched life in great miserye Anno 1086 Antonius and Vincentius shewe that this Hildebrand euen at the latter gaspe called to him a certaine Cardinal and confessed to him that he had haynouslye offended because at the deuils enticemeÌ„ts he had sturred vp hurlye burlies hatred and warres among many and bad the cardinal go to desire the Emperour to pardon him Diuers meÌ„ wrote against him his vile life as CaÌ„didus a Cardinall VValramus bishop of Niemburg Venericus bishop of Vercellen Rowland priest of Parmen Sigebertus Gemblacensis Also of this Gregorie it is said that he neuer weÌ„t without a booke of coniuring about him 99. Victor the thirde VIctor the third abbot of Cassa was made Pope not by the election of the Romaynes or Cardinals but was thrust in by the ayde of his harlot Mathilda and the Normans that were of his faction He being established began to defende Gregories prankes against the Emperour and Clement appointed by him but the hastines of hys death shortened his mallice who as Hermannus Contractus Carsulanus Praemonstratensis and sondrye other testifye was poysoned by his deacoÌ„ who at masse time put the poyson into the challice against that Pope should receiue it Diuers wonders are reported to haue happened at that time as of tame birds geese cockes hennes pigions pecocks flewe into the mountaynes and became wild houge store of fishe died in the Sea diuers Cityes were so shaken w t earthquakes so as the greater Pallas at Syracuse falling downe did slaye all that were then in the Church sauing a couple 100. Vrban the second VRban the seconde an Hetrurian borne called Otho before was made Pope by the harlot Mathilda and the Norman Lords in Apulia in dispite of the Emperour This is a scholer of Hildebrand whom for followinge his maisters steppes Benno calleth a blind guide a sciesmaticke an heriticke and companion of Liberius the Arrian hereticke He watred those graftes of mischiefe which Gregorie had planted and was therefore called the turmoyler of the world by descantinge of his name and in steede of Vrban calling him Turban He excommunicated Clement the seconde established by the Emperour and also the Emperour for establishinge of him procured manye forsworne rebels both nobles and commoners to conspire againste him and likewyse the same Clement as being Pope did againe excommunicate him as an vsurper wherevppon it moued many reasonings amonge both spirituall temporall who should be right Pope And these controuersyes were tossed both in Germanye and other countryes But when Vrban would absolue none whom Gregorie had excommunicated he was fayne for feare of his life to flie by stealth from Rome He held fiue couÌ„cels in sondrye places and all for the establishing of Gregories

decrees and to coÌ„firme that auctoritye which the Church had gotten Amonge many other enormities he coÌ„cluded that no priests sonne shoulde be capable of orders He made the archbishop of Toledo primate of Spaine vppon condition that he should sweare fealtye to the Pope so by that meanes he broughte Spaine vnder his winge He cursed the kinge of Fraunce for imprisoning a bishop He caused all that should take order to sweare with this clause So God helpe me and the holye Euangelistes finally he standing in awe of one Iohn Pagan a Romaine did hide himselfe for two yeares in the house of one Peter Lion where he dyed Anno 1099. And his bodye was conueyed by nighte ouer Tiber for feare of his foes the same yeare also dyed Clement the thirde who had seene in his time the death of three Popes Of the former Hildebrand and this Vrban his scholler Theodor Bibliander writeth thus to Princes of al estates Hildebrand sayth he by sturringe vp the Greeke Emperour against the Turkes did sowe the seede of the voiage of Gog Magog vppon-whom the bloude of the Church cryeth vengeaunce that was shed wyth the sworde of his tongue But this Vrban by causinge Christians to goe warre vppon Pagans with vaine colour of fighting for the holye Lande for Christes Sepulcher hath caused more Christian bloud to be shedde of all Nations then can be esteemed and did it onelye to oppresse Clement the second and his faction the while to restore himselfe to be Pope In the time of this VrbaÌ„ VVilliam Rufus kinge of England was sore combred with the proude prelate Anselmus archbishop of Canterbury who wheÌ„ he was commaunded to aunsweare to his misbehauiour did auoide it in appealinge to the Courte of Rome both against the liking of al the bishops in Englande and in spite of the kinges harte went to complaine to the Pope 101. Paschal the second PAschal the seconde was an Italian called before Rainerus hee was made Cardinall of S. Clements by Hildebrande his Scholemaister succeded Vrban He when he sawe he shoulde be chosen woulde not take the place vppon him vntil the people had cryed thre times S. Peter choseth thee worthie man Raynarde Then hauinge a purple roabe vppon him and a Miter on his head he was brought vppon a white horse vnto Lateran where hee receyued the Popes Scepter and had the gyrdle put about him wheron are hanged seuen keyes and as manye Seales All the time he raigned he was continually busyed in warres and â—editioâ—s attemptinge by all meanes possible to aduaunce yet hier the estate of the Popedome He draue out furiouslye from their places all those bishops and abbots that were established by the Emperour At this time there was a certaine prelate called Fluentinus who seinge the greate enormityes that presently choaked the Christian Church held opinion that Antichrist was incarnate and borne and that he was reuealed herein And therefore sayth Sabellicus the Pope held a councel against him with the bishops of Italy and Fraunce in Rome amonge other canons he concluded it heresye to denye obedience to the Pope and made a canon for paying of tenthes to priestes concluding it siane against the holye Ghoste to sell the tenthes He renued and published the excommunication against the Emperour and caused the bishop of Mentz of Collen and of VVormes to thrust him froÌ„ his estate taking his Crowne from him with al princelye title dignitye and honour Yea and which is horrible to be heard not content with this he did prouoke and arme his onelye sonne Henry the fifte to rebell against him being his naturall father A lamentable and pitifull case to see the onelye child of so good noble a father not beinge prouoked by any iniurye on the fathers part not onely to despise to forsake and reuolt from his father denying to ayde him but also to assault hym by force of armes to enclose him with his armye as he did and toke him entrapped by treason spoyled robbed him of his royal estate and forced the wretched and miserable man captiue to his owne child to dye a double and dolefull death Thus could the Pope put the sworde in the sonnes hand forsing him to sheath it in his fathers bowels Neither could this vnnaturall death of the good olde man cause the vnnaturall rancour to dye in the Popes breast but for further reuenge he coÌ„maunded that the Emperours carkasse should not be buryed but first be cast out of the Church and be caryed from Leodos to Spira where it rotted fiue yeares without any Christian burial But lo what a wonder God wrought in the meane time To testify sayth Abbas Vspergensis the Popes tyrannye it rayned bloud at Spira It were a lamentable thing to tell at large the maner of the Popes vnmerciful dealing with this good Emperour For first the forenamed bishops comminge to him to Hilgeshem they coÌ„maunded him to deliuer vp his Diademe his Purple roabes his Signet and other like ornaments belonging to the Empyre WheÌ„ he required a reason thereof they aunsweared partly for sellinge spirituall liuinges but chiefely for the Popes pleasure Wyth that the good Emperour sighing saide Ye know you receyued your bishoprickes at my hande that I gaue them freelye and am giltye of no suche cryme and yet do you thus quite my curtesye But the vnthankful prelates moued neither with allegeaunce oath nor benefite prosecuted their purpose and first yelding him no reuerence they plucked froÌ„ him sitting in his place of estate his Crowne Emperial and his Purple roabe and his Scepter He beinge thus stripped out of his royaltye and forsaken sayde pacientlye Let God see and iudge They leauing him bestowed these things vppon the sonne creating him causing him forthwith to pursue his father forcing him to flye but wyth ix parsons to the Dukedome of Limborough where the duke beinge his deadly ennemye did also make speede to apprehende him The Emperour perceyuing himselfe thus entrapped and fearing death submitted himselfe to the duke beseaching him rather to shewe mercye then vengeaunce Herevpon the noble harted duke thoughe the Emperour had whilom displaced him of his Dukedome yet pityinge his miserye he both forgaue him entertayned him curteously in his Castel and w t an armye conducted him to Collen where he was well receyued But the sonne hearinge thereof besieged the Citye but the father fled by night to Leodium where so manye louinge hartes resorted to him that he bad his sonne a battaile and ouerthrewe him and still desyred that if his sonne were taken he should be saued harmelesse Yet the sonne ceased not but renuinge the battaile preuayled and so dispossessed his father whoe in the ende was brougth to such penurye that he craued of the bishop of Spire to giue him but a prebende to liue vppon in the Church But the earle forgetting the benefites receyued of him in his prosperitye denyed him flatlye and said by ladye ye get none here Thus after he

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

addition to Vspergensis sayth After the Pope had depriued and excommunicated both Frederick his sonne CoÌ„radus Frederick did so shake and worrye the Pope and the Church of Rome that some marked w t crosses set themselues in battaile againste him when hee came to batter downe the gates and walles of Rome where he encountred with a mightye armye of these crossed fellowes But ouer comminge them and takinge them prisoners some of them he hewed a fonder w t foure square woundes in forme of a Crosse of some he cleft their sculs a crosse in 4. parts some he marked on the forhed with a crosse cut and as for the clergye hee caused their shaued crownes to be pared a crosse When the said Henry Landsgraue of Thuringe was chosen kinge of the Romaynes and Frederick deposed by this fourth excommunication then the bishoppe of Strosborough like a peaceable prelate of that time to gratifye the Pope tooke part with the Landsgraue and assisted him with such power strength as he coulde both against the father and Conradus the sonne for he assaulted wan diuers townes some he sacked and razed to the grounde some he burnt with fier which townes and Cityes themperour had recouered to the Empyre in Alsatia On the other syde Conradus the sonne of Frederick gathered an armye against Henry but was easely ouerthrowne and manye of his armye being slaine diuers of his nobilitye were taken prisoners But soone after this Henry beinge thus foysted into the Empire by the clergy grew into coÌ„tempt with them that liked not his election whereupon he was in mockadge termed King of clarkes Prince of priestes but the Pope did straitly charge by his Legates al the Almaine Princes to obeye Henry as their soueraigne and to defye Frederick his sonne In the meane time this HeÌ„ry dyed and yet the Pope ceased not but sent a Legate into Germanye one Peter Caputius a Cardinall who summoninge the Princes at Collen caused them to electe one VVilliam Earle of Holland a readye man to maintaine any quarell by the sworde In the ende the Emperour beinge in Apulia one hired by the Pope gaue him poyson by meanes whereof he was daungerouslye sicke but seemed to recouer it but was smothered to death with a pillowe by Manfredus his bastard sonne who as some thinke was allured by bryberye and fayre promises of the Pope to do it The truth hereof is written in sixe bookes of Epistles written by Peter of the Uine Anno 1250. Frederick dyed and as some write in his last will and testamente he gaue a summe of moneye for satisfaction to the Church of Rome and bequeathed his estate and the order of all thinges to his sonne Conradus This Will was brought to the Pope to be approued but the Pope did whollye disanull and frustrate the Will sayinge that the Prince whom he had deposed could make no Wil and so it was voide Within a while after a yonge Prince to whom the Emperour by his sonne Kinge Henry was grauÌ„dfather was murthered but by whoÌ„ no maÌ„ could tell About this time before the death of Frederick there were certaine preachers in Sweueland who stoutlye and openly preached against the Pope and his Cardinals iustifyed the doinge of Frederick and his sonne Conradus sayinge bouldly that the Pope his bishops and Cardinals had no auctoritye because they were al stayned with that one blot of simony and that their power depended not vppon Christ that a priest committing deadly sinne coulde neither binde nor loose nor consecrate that no man in the world might forbid a Christian to execute diuine functions that they should be hearde celebrated without any difference And in the ende of their Sermons this pardon quoth they which we do pronounce vnto you wee do not declare it to you as forged by the Pope and his prelates but procedinge from Almightye God These preachers were maintayned by Conradus and therfore he incurred almost danger of his life In the former councell helde at Lions it was decreed that the Cardinals should ryde on their trapped Gennets throughe the streates and weare red hattes and crimsen roabes to signifye sayth Parisius that they are readye to spend their bloud for the Catholicke fayth and the safetye of the people but as Platina sayth for the honour of their estate Also in that councell Innocentius decreed amonge manye matters that the Pope mighte depose the Emperour He did greatly fauoure the order of begging fryers and bestowed on them manye priuiledges and benefittes He preferred the Dominicans to dignityes Ecclesiastical and aduauÌ„ced the FranciscaÌ„s to be the Popes confessours He adopted the White fryers and Augustine friers to be his sonnes wher as they liued before in deserts he brought them into Cityes teachinge them to begge their breade w t idlenes By the helpe of the Dominicans he reformed the rule of the Whitefryers mitigated it and finallye with his blessinge confirmed it that as the sayd rule sheweth they should hope to be saued not onlye by Christ He grauÌ„ted these the begging fryers lycence to preach to dispute and to shriue people Also he exempted them from all power iurisdiction of kinges and bishops whereupon they crammed the worlde ful and chaoked it with their gloses vpon Sentences decretals cannons wich their commentaries vpon Aristotle their Sophisms Repertories SuÌ„maries Tables Trinies Quatrinies Conclusions Questions Distinctions Quidities Quodlibets Myracles of the dead Legendaryes Saincts liues Martyrdoms Uisions Dreames ReuelatioÌ„s Exorsisms Concordances DiscordaÌ„ces Marials perspectiues Aphorismes wyth a thousande vaine and combrous pamphlets full of grosse deceitful heresyes and then nothing was counted deuinitye nor lawe but their fansyes and canons And in these dayes the world was fallen into such grosse blindnesse ignorance and barbarousnesse that not onelye knowledge in diuinity but also other learning was almost decayed the knowledge of the tongues as Greeke and Hebrew buried in ignoraunce though some rubbishe of the latine tongue were left yet it was rustye corrupte and broken stuffe as appeareth yet by theyr wrytings that the like barbarousnesse is not in any tongue But to returne to Pope Innocent he canonized diuers makinge them saincts that for his aduauncemente had played the traytours and rebels against theyr owne Princes as one Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury and other of sondrye places Till the time of this Innocentius the 4. sayth Bibliander it was not an article of fayth nor a law of the Church that men should worship the breade and the wyne in the Sacrament therefore sayth he the Pope as a creator brought forth a newe God Mauzis by transubstantiation This Pope offred to sell to king Henry the third of England the kingdome of both Sicils to the vse of his sonne Prince Edmond and yet Conradus kinge thereof was lyuinge He vexed and polled the Churches of England with myserable exactions for money he maintayned and licensed anye wickednes amonge the clergye suffering worser matters in his bastards

an anchoresse in S. Albons abbey had this terrible visiion she heard an old man of graue countenaunce crye thre times VVo wo to all that dwel on the earth and then faded away againe Anno 1258. Richard Earle of Cornewall sonne to king Iohn of EnglaÌ„d was choseÌ„ king of Almany for his great treasure and the Pope procured that he was chosen Emperour but he did that closely because he had likewyse for the same matter taken a bribe of Alphonsus kinge of Spaine Whereupon a certaine Poet made this Verse Nummus ait pro me nubet Comubia Rome Thus money sayth for loue of me Cornewal with Rome shal lincked be Beside these shiftes made for money this Pope AlexaÌ„der vsed another notorious knacke he abusing deluding the simplicitye of the king of England made him beleeue that he would make his sonne Edmond king of Apulia if hee woulde sustaine the charges thereof to maintaine the warres appertayning to it wherupon the king caused his sonne forthwith to be proclaymed king of Apulia and sent to the Pope all the treasure and riches that he could make in his Realme And thus was the king and his sonne deluded and the Realme wonderfullye impouerished by the Popes craft It were to long to discouer all the superstitious wicked deuises of this Pope who at length going to Viterbium Anno 1262. to make peace betweene the Genewaies Venetians according to his owne fansye and because he coulde not haue his will therein he dyed there for anger 125. Vrban the fourth VRban the fourth borne in Fraunce and as some saye was first called Pantaleon being patriarch of Hierusalem As sone as he was Pope by and by he commauÌ„ded souldiours out of Fraunce to subdue Manfred the ennemy of the Church for the furtherance therof hee requested Lewes kinge of Fraunce to send his brother Charles the Earle of Anteganor w t an oast into Italye and made him king of both Sicils After many conflictes the said Charles ouercame and slue Manfred at Beneuent and receyued of the Pope against all lawe and right the kingdome of Sicill w t the dukedome of Calabrie and Apulia whereuppon arose many great slaughters While this Pope was froÌ„ Rome at Pruse the Romaynes coueting their olde libertyes made a newe kinde of officers callinge them Branderesies who had power of life and death in their handes they chose one BraÌ„caleo a priuate parsoÌ„ of Bononia to be Senatour whoÌ„ banished late before they restored But touching Vrban it was not much more then this that he did sauinge that hee ordayned an holye daye namelye Corpus Christi daye the fifte day after Trinitye sonday vpon this occasion as some and most likely do write namelye Arnold Bostro Petrus Praemonstratensis Anno 1264. as they saye a certaine woman called Eue in a Religious house in Leodia with whom the Pope in time past had beene well acquainted had a reuelation which she signifyed by wryting to the Pope beseeching him that the sayd day might be kept holye in the honour of the Sacrament of the altar to whom the Pope according to her desire returned his aunsweare with this Bull to confirme the holy daye The Bull of Pope Vrban to Eue the Anchoresse for the establishing of the holy day called Corpus Christi daye BIshop Vrban seruaunt to the seruauntes of God sendeth greeting and apostolicall bleshing to Eue our beloued daughter in Christe VVe know O daughter that thy soule hath longed with greate desire that a solemne feast day might be appointed for the bodye of oure Lord Iesus Christ in Gods Church to be celebrate of all faithfull Christians for euer And therfore for thy ioye we signifie vnto thee that we haue thought it good for the establishing of the catholicke faith that beside the dailye remembraunce which the Church maketh of so wonderfull a Sacrament there should be more special and solemne recorde appointing a certaine daye for it namelye the fifte daye after Whitsontyde next ensuinge that on the said daye the faithfull flocke do gather together to the Churches deuoutlye and effectuallye and let that daye be to all ChristiaÌ„s ioyfull with new holines and holye with much ioye as is more set out in our apostolicall letters sente for this cause through the world And know ye that we haue caused this feast daye to be solemnized with all oure brethren Cardinals bishops and archbishops and other prelats then being at Rome to giue example of celebratinge the same to all that shal see or vnderstand the same Therfore let thy soule magnifye the Lorde and thy spirite reioyce in God thy sauiour for thine eyes haue seene his saluation which we haue prepared before the face of al people Moreouer reioyce because almighty God hath giuen the thy hartes desire and the fulnes of the heauenly grace hath not disapointed the of the will of thy Iippes c. This Vrhan sate more then three yeares betweene the Guelphes Gibelines and prouoked their quarrels to be tryed by the edge of the sworde to the confusion of manye through Italye He being on a time vpbrayed that he was of base linage aunsweared that no maÌ„ was noble by byrth but that to be made noble by vertue is true nobility finallye beinge at Pruse because in great attemptes he had not his desired successe he dyed for griefe Masseus sayth that a blazing starre appeared three nights before the death of this Pope and ceased the same night that he dyed 126 Clemens the fourth CLemens the fourth called before Gui Fulcodius borne in Narbonie ere he came to be Pope was a maryed man and had 3. children by his wyfe a sonne two doughters He as his predecessour began continued in sheddinge of bloud he sent for Charles Earle of Angeow to bringe an armye into Italye where he slew Manfred and was made kinge of Sicill and Hierusalem but vppon this condition that he should paye yearelye to the Pope fortye thousande Crownes This bargaine beinge made betweene them great slaughter bloudshed was committed in diuers places for the said Pope betrayed Conradinus sonne to Conradus kinge of Sicill and inheritour of the kingdomes to the former Charles so that as he passed through the fieldes of Viterbie with an oast of Germaynes wher his abode was at that time the Pope by report sayd that the sayd Conradinus was as a lambe brought to the slaughter shewing therby that he was of councell to the treason Afterward when he foughte with Charles about Naples at the first conflict had sufficient victorye yet then the treason reuealing it selfe Conradinus Frederick duke of Austria were taken being myserablye vsed in their captiuitye mocked and flouted were in the ende beheaded by the Popes commaundement because Conradinus claymed the kingdome which his auncetours possessed Thus the kingdome of Naples came into the hand of the Frenchmen and the dukedome of Sweuia decayed and came to nought by the wickednes of the Pope In the time of

poorest At this time the Venetians spoyled the AnconitaÌ„s because they vsinge trafique into Dalmatia woulde paye them no tribute yet the Pope would not defende them as he ought to do beinge tributaryes to the Church and though in words he were hasty yet in his doinges a slouggarde and dastard The Anconitans therefore being destitute of the Popes ayde gathering themselues together brast out of the Citye vppon the Venetians besieging it draue them awaye with great damage But the Pope vsinge the aduise of Iohn Caietan who theÌ„ ruled all because by his ayde he came to be Pope he sent his Embassadours both to Michael Paleologus the kinges of the West to moue them in his name to make peace amoÌ„ge themselues and to prouide to send their powers against the Sarracens which if Paleologus would not do keepe the vnitye promised he woulde giue his Empyre from him to Charles kinge of Sicill He prophesyed by the course of the starres that he him selfe should liue longe and tould this to euery man in his vanitye as one whose wante of discretion was euident to euery man But behould while he thus vaunted his cunninge in prophecyinge and constellations openlye in a certaine chamber which for his pleasure hee had builded in his Pallaice at Viterbium the fourth day after fell downe sodainlye Anno 1277. After this ruine wherein he perished myserablye he was founde the seuenth day after hauinge raigned viii monthes Valerius called the place which fell downe Gamesters hall and Stella calleth it the precious Chamber for the Pope had builded it so gorgeouslye for his pleasure After his death the seate was voide through great contention vi monthes 129. Nicolas the thirde NIcolas the third a Romaine called first Iohn Caietan after vi monthes with great discention and brauling of the Cardinals obtayned the seate Charles king of Sicil was as Senatour president in their consistorye who was very vrgent to choose some Frenchman Pope and therefore this Nicolas hauing gotten the place purposinge to abate the power of Charles toke from him the Vicarship of Hetruria filled Italye full of broyles And for his owne lucre hee perswaded Peter kinge of Aragon to clayme the kingdome of Sicill sayinge that it belonged to him by the inheritaunce of his wyfe Constance which liked Peter but note the sequeale Peter with a great nauye went to Sardinia and there wayted wheÌ„ some motions should arise in Sicill for the Sicillians making a conspiracy against Charles and the Frenchmen appointed a daye that as soone as at eueninge a bell should be tould the Frenchmen shoulde be forthwith murthered both man woman child wherein they were so cruell that they slue euen women with child But this horrible deede was not doone vnder Pope Nicolas but in the time of his successour Martin the fourth Also this Nicolas toke to himselfe the Senatourship which Clement the fourth had bestowed on Charles and forbad for euer that any Prince or kinge should be so hardy to desire or take vppon him that dignitye By his falsehoode it came to passe that Flaunders Bononia the royaltye of Rauenna which longe time were vnder the Emperour became subiect to the Pope Amonge other buildinges that he made aboute Rome he enclosed a warrante of hares w t hye walles wherein euen in his Popeship he vsed often to hunt He bestowed syluer cases for the Apostles heades he was reproued of many for making his nephewe Berthold Earle of Romundiala for another of his nephewes beinge a Dominican Cardinall because he sente him Embassadour into Hetruria For Platina and Stella and other complaine that he loued his kindred to well so that he bestowed withoute lawe on them that which he had filched froÌ„ other for he toke perforce from some nobles of Rome certaine Castels and bestowed them on his freindes He made the Gibelines being seditious meÌ„ magistrats at his owne lust in Florence and els where to defende and maintaine his tyrannye Also he purposed to make two kinges of the stocke of Vrsines the one in Lombardye the other in Hetrury but while he purposed this he dyed sodenly of an Apoplexye without speakinge any worde Anno 1281. in the fourth yeare of his Popeship and yet it was thoughte by his goed complexion he should haue liued much longer Some saye that one foretolde the death of this Pope by the rysinge of the riuer Tiber which then happened The report is that of a concubine he begat a sonne that had hayre and clawes like a beare it is written in Iohn Noueomagus in illustrationibus Bedae 130. Martin the fourth MArtin the fourth a Frenchman called before Simon was nexte made Pope by the Cardinals of Fraunce who then were the greater nomber He woulde not be Crowned at Viterbium because he thoughte that Citye was excommunicated because they had made a tumult against the Cardinals for the Viterbians entring into the consistorye apprehended the Cardinals and put them in prison dryuinge out and contemninge the house of Vrsins therefore Martin going to an olde towne called Oruietus did there kepte all his solemnitye made viii Cardinals the same daye to strengthen his power Also hee did not onelye entertaine curteouslye kinge Charles comminge to him but also restored to him the dignitye of Senatorship which Pope Nicolas had taken froÌ„ him which thinge displeased many because it should make seditioÌ„ in the Citye the Vrsine being now returned and their ennemyes driueÌ„ out for Charles for the hatred conceyued against Nicolas was sore bente against the Vrsines But Pope Martin meaninge to worke warelye did much set by Matthew de Aquisporta a FranciscaÌ„ of the house of the Vrsines a Cardinal bishop of Portua He excoÌ„municated Peter king of Aragon who went about to inuade the kingdome of Sicil w t his nauy against Charles also he gaue his kingdome for a â—ooty to one that did desire to enioy it He released his subiectes from their allegeaunce callinge him an vsurper of Church goodes But Peter defyinge all this did by the helpe of Paleologus obtaine the kingdome of Sicill the Sicilians also beinge able no longer to sustayne the pride Iust of the FrenchmeÌ„ at the perswasion of Iohn Prochita conspired against Charles and ringinge the belles did at once without anye regarde murther all the Frenchmen Pope Martin amonge other thinges graunted to the Romaynes libertye to chose two Senatours of the nobilitye and excommunicated Paleologus He made warre against the Forolinians He bestowed great pryuiledges vpon the begging fryers and as he was taking his accustomed recreation with his chapleins as Carsulan testifyeth a certaine secrete disease came vppon him which after hee had sayd it panged him extreamlye he dyed Anno 128â— and yet the Phisicions coulde finde no token of death in him Some write that this Pope in the first yeare of his Popeship receyued into his familiarity the concubine of his predecessour Nicolas but to auoyde the like chaunce 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

pleased God otherwyse to prouide his owne brother Paulus Vergerius bishoppe of Iustinople had not escaped his rigour â—e sent out his marcials as cruel persecutours on all sides who tormeÌ„ted the Gospellers with fyre sword burning and drowning banishing and imprysoning confiscating their goods pyning their carkases euen to death The â—â—iefe of these tormentours were Alexander Farnesius Cardinall Octauius his brother duke of Parma who were the sonnes of the forsaid Peter Aloysius the sonne of this Pope These two wyth great blustring and threatnings came out of Italye entred into Germanye Anno 1546 vauntinge and boasting verye arrogantlye that they would shed so much bloude of the Dutche Lutherans that their horses should be able to swim in the streame thereof In the meane time the wicked Pope at home was more pleasaunt with his daughter Constantia then the vse is beside this like a sinnefull wretche he prouoked to incest and most detestable whoredome another beinge his nyce a yonge gentlewoman in time past commended as well for womanlye modestye as beautye He had a booke kept of 45. Thousande harlots who for the libâ—rtye of their stewes did paye vnto him a monthlye tribute These dames sayth Eusebius Captiuuâ— are had in great honour wyth the Pope these kisse his feetâ— these haue familiar communicatioÌ„ wyth him these are his companions both by daye and by night In the time of this Pope Anno 1534. the Franciscan monkes played a cruel and bloudye pageant at Orleans in Fraunce in despite of a dead woman beinge the Maiors wyfe of the Citye who in her life desired that she might be buryed without any funerall pompe The woman beinge dead the monkes in whose Church shee was buryed receyued of her husband vi crownes and because the gifte was not greater they grudged much at it And therefore they set a certaine nouice aloft on the roofe of the Church who shoulde in the nighte time counterfaite to be the womans spirite and should crye out and say that she was dampned perpetuallye for Luthers doctrine At the leÌ„gth the matter came before the kinges councel at Paris where in presence of the Chauncellour Antonius Pratensis these two Coleman Steuen Atrebatensis being found giltye conuicted of this villanye were condemned to be put to open shame One Vulteius Remensis wrote these Uerses against this illusion Cum clamat laruas furiosa caterua leonum Infestare suam nocte dieque domum Res vera est falsi laruati denique fratres Quos vestis sanctos prodigiosa facit Sunt lemures â–ª larue furiae vulpesque lupique Qui infestant vitijs seque suamque domum One Pontacus a Popeling in his Chronicle set out the last yeare being the yere of our Lord 1573 printed at Louany by an Englishe fugitiue called Iohn Fowler reporteth in the 153. leafe thereof that this Pope Paule the third did openlye excommunicate curse the most renowmed Prince R. Henry the eyghte donauit regnum primum occupaturo gaue his kingdome to him that woulde first inuade it Nowe followeth it to speake of Peter Aloysius duke of Parma Placentia and bastarde sonne to Pope Paule the thirde who because he was proud cruell and a most lasciuious tyraunte was murthered by his owne nobles Anno 1548. the tenth day of August When this wretched villaine as both Vergerius SleidaÌ„ report out of certaine Italian historyes beinge lieâ—etenaunte generall of the Romaine armye arriued at Fane and founde there Cosmus Cherius bishop of the same Citye being aboue thirtye yeares old a man of great wysedome learning and of godlye lyfe he committed vppon him such an horrible villanye that I thincke since Sodom Gomorra were by the hande of God for the same sinne destroyed wyth showers of fier and brimstone rayninge from heauen the like hath not beene hearde of For euen by force and violence hee caused his vassals and pezauntes to holde the bishoppe while he mauger his hart in the meane time without all shame committed that deede which shame wil suffer no ciuill pen to put in wryting This treacherye infamous filthines strake such a griefe in the harte of the good bishop and was such a corsey to the innocent man that for sorrowe shame together he dyed within three dayes after And as some thincke the same Aloysius perceyuing how greuouslye he toke it gaue him poyson to dispatche him out of the waye least he should haue made complaint thereof to the Emperour For so vnaduisedlye in greate anguishe of minde he had threatned Aloysius Beside this Aloysius beinge priuye to the incest of his father presumed to committe the same deede ofteÌ„ with his sister ConstaÌ„tia And thus while his father was Pope hauing power as he thought of heauen and hell he presumed that he might do any thing lawfullye without feare and thereupon bye licentious luste did oft defile him selfe with eyther kinde He committed manye robberyes and murthers spoylinge of Churches and thondring out his blasphemyes against the maiestye of God And notwithstanding all this the Pope made of his sonne as his deare darlinge and whollye endeuored himselfe to aduaunce him to honour and when any made complaint of his wicked conuersation the Pope would litle or nothing be moued therewith but would saye after a smyling maner that He learned not this of his father Other correction of his sonne he vsed none no not for that notorious crime vpon the bodye of Cosmus O what a miserable estate is this that he who couÌ„teth himselfe to be the vicar of God that is ielous ouer the least sinnes and a seuere reuenger of iniquitye vppon his owne elected people should thus against the maiestye of that God as it were in defiance of his iustice wincke at such an horrible treacherye and suffer it to be vnpunished which Paganes and heatheÌ„ led onely by the light of reason haue loathed Yea euen the brutishe beast taught of nature coÌ„mitteth not and as I maye plainlye say if the deuil himselfe hath any remorse to be touched wyth the hydiousnes of sinne I am sure he would detest abhorre such an acte most of all If anye man be so vaine to repose his Religion vpon man and to measure the truth of doctrine by the conuersation of the person As many misled by Popishe traditions refuse the sinceritye of the Gospell for the corruption of them y professe it If those kinde of parsons loke vppon this one Pope a mightye piller of their Religion I hope they would roote out that affiauÌ„ce in his doctrine which is plaÌ„ted in their breastes or els be taught to measure the power and truth of the Gospell not by the frailtye and weaknes of man But if this waywarde reason be so beaten into their braynes that it cannot be digged oute but that they will still affirme the doctrine is not true and saye I wyll not accept of it because the professours thereof are wicked men Then let them beholde this Pope Paule a mightye

one of the Cardinals moued withall sayd vnto him Most holy father it is time for you to take the cuppe drincke Whereby he fulfilled the ould sayings Asperius misero nihil est qui surgit in altuÌ„ And againe Corde stat inflato pauper honore dato Claw a churle c. But greater vnkindnes hee shewed in the ende both vnto this duke Queene Iane his wyfe for by his meanes Otto was taken and murthered and Iane also committed to prison and therein miserablye strangled to death by one duke Charles who contrarye to his oath by procurement of this Vrban violentlye wrested from them that had broughte him vp y kingdome of Sicill with their liues for furtheraunce whereof Vrban sould the proprieties and lands of Churches and Monasteryes in Rome beside great store of siluer and golden challecies crosses images and such like monuments turned into wyne and giuen to Charles to the summe of fourescore Thousand FloreÌ„ces to maintaine his warre against the foresaid Princes in recompence whereof Charles should bestowe vpon a cowardlye wretch Francis Butillus nephewe to Vrban the dukedomes of Capuan and Amalsitan and manye noble Earledomes in the kingdome of Sicil. Vrban being enstalled warned the clergye of their dutye hee charged all the bishops with periurye because they were not resideÌ„t lying in the Court of Rome and not in their bishoprickes sayth Theodericus of Nyem and seemed that he would purge his Court of idle parsoÌ„s He warned the Cardinals diuers times to take heede of simonye and to contente themselues with their porcions he commaunded them to ryde wyth fewer horses that quoth he we maye euen from our hartes be a paterne to the people and quoth he as touchinge that ye speake of returninge into Fraunce ye knowe that I will continue still in Rome Then viii of them being Frenchmen wente first to Anagnia and afterwarde to Fundum because they feared his seueritye where they conspiring among themselues affirming that he was not true Pope but violently thrust in by the Romaynes they chose to themselues another Pope the xx day of SepteÌ„ber called Clement the seuenth whervpon arose a sciesme which was more perillous and lasted longer then euer did anye for it lasted almost xl yeares Theodoricus sayth lib. 1. cap. 11. that ClemeÌ„t being chosen manye prelats offieials courtiers did on al sides flye to him froÌ„ VrbaÌ„ so that he was left alone almost as for those y taryed w t him or resorted to him in hope of preferment or about any suetes yet they misdoubted the estate therof and murmured dailye still doubting what to do which when Vrban sawe he wept bitterlye repenting his roughe regimente the cause of all and to salue his sore and to allure the fauoure of men for his owne strength hee made xxvi newe Cardinals out of al sort of men and gaue other offices and lyuinges franckly by meanes wherof many begaÌ„ to repayre to him from diuers places hoping to speede wel in being partakers with him in this diuision Theodoricus in the 33. Chapter of his first booke reporteth that Francis Butillus nephewe to this Pope Vrban did rauishe a virgin being a Nunne in Naples keeping her perforce certaine dayes in his lodging but what marueile is it sayth he seinge the filthye will still be filthye for he was euer giuen to glotony leachery slouth and royat And yet the Pope woulde not rebuke his nephewe for this villanye but beinge told thereof and of his licentious life he vsed to aunsweare Tushe he is a yong man And yet saith Theodoricus Butillus was at this time fourty yeres old But vpon this fact there was a great murmuring among the people saying the like prancke was neuer played before in Naples And yet the Pope did not onely defende his nephewe being for it condempned to death by the kinge but also with crackes threates made the king glad to bestow a noble virgin of his owne bloud vpon the sayd Butillus threscore and tenne thousande Florences yearely with the castle of Luceria This Pope Vrban as Stella sayth was a crafty man one that would remember an iniurye and seke to reuenge Crantzius sayth he was a churlishe cruell and vnmerciful man who taking vpon him the Popedome soughte not to make peace as he should haue done amonge Christians but rather bent himselfe to reueÌ„ge the iniuries of his Cardinals and of Iane Queene of Sicill and therefore to make the Florentines to take his part he absolued them from the excommunication of Pope Gregorie and sent Iohn Hawcuth an EnglishmaÌ„ captaine of them against the Queene Furthermore he being of nature giuen to wraÌ„gling strife cruelty creating certaine new Cardinals at Nuceria he cast vii of the old Cardinals into prison because they had coÌ„spired with Clement the seuenth against him and fiue of those vii he layde vpon great stones and in despite of Clement drowned them which kinde of death also one Adam an Englishman being a Cardinal did hardly escape at the same time And of those newe Cardinals being xxix they were all Neapolitans and his cosens sauing three This Pope proclaymed warre against Charles of HuÌ„gary king of Naples because he woulde not make a nephewe of his Prince of Campania he gouerned the Church with all tyrannye that might be and to shewe his rigorous rage more openlye thus wryteth his friende Platina of him Vrban sayth he being deliuered from the terrour of Fraunce gone to Naples desireth the king to make his nephew king of Campania which wheÌ„ he could not obtaine this fellow vnder preteÌ„ce of a iust and honest man being one whom no man neither loued nor liked began forthwith to threat and crake the king whereby he so offended the kinge that for a while he commited him to the charge of certaine parsons and suffered him not to come abroade But the Pope dissembling his malice for the time departing with the kings good will to Nuceria because of the heate of the weather as he fayned and fortifying the Citye sufficientlye he doth both make newe Cardinals and imprysoneth seuen of the olde because as he sayde they had conspired with the king and Pope Clement against him Furthermore he sente out a processe against the king and a citacion accordinge to the custome the kinge aunsweared that he would shortlye come to Nuceria and aunsweare his accusations both by word and by sword So he came to Nuceria with a greate army and besieged the Citye Ramond Balsian being moued with this discurtesye beinge Prince of Tarent presuming of his power and conueying Vrban w t all his Court to the next shoore he put them into three Galleyes of Genewaies prouided for that purpose wherby while the Pope is transported to Genua he drowned fiue Cardinals fastened to rockes of those seuen which he toke at Nuceria Furthermore in the yere after the death of Charles he passed to Ferentine to see Naples as he sayde but in deede of this minde to depriue

of their inheritaunce the yonge Princes Ladislaus Iohn being but a child the sonnes of Charles This Vrban graunted to the sect of begging fryers that they might chaunge theyr vowes to commit another vnhonest act and challenge as it were to restore to righte vnlawfull goodes being in controuersy He dyed in Rome Anno 1390. poysoned as some thincke after he had misgouerned the Popedome x. yeares and fewe or none were sorye of his death The yeare before his death his Mule fel vnder him as he was rydinge where withall he was soore hurt and brosed so as he did neuer recouer it til his death he being dead his nephewe Frauncis was thrust from all his lyuing and came to Rome poore and despised no man shewing him good countenance according to the old saying Cum moritur praeful cognatio tota fit exul When as a prelate goes awaye then all the kindred do decaye And so this Francis with sorrowe and anguishe forsooke Rome at length and went to Sicill This same yeare sayth Funcius this couetous miser Vrban brought vp the yeare of Iubelye because he sawe it would proue gaineful to him and to the Romaynes He also appointed annuities to be payed out of priestes landes vnder pretence of waginge an armye against the Paganes the Englishmen withstanding this constitution calling a Parliamente did decree that the Pope should haue no iurisdiction beyonde the limits of the Ocian Sea but the bishops prelats like traytours to their countrey did take vpon them afterward to paye y pention It would aske a great volume to touche euery vilanous practise of this Pope Vrban Certaine comming to meete him on a time did first kisse the ground three times then his feete with al humility He had giuen him by a certaine Ladye a precious Miter and certaine garments valued at more then xx Thousand Florences He caused a Cardinal in one daye to depose to racke to tormente to spoile imprison all the prelates of Sicilia because they did not mauger their Prince assist him against Clement and made in their steede 32. newe bishops and archbishops and sayth Theodoricus there was not a clarke in al Naples so deltishe and beggerly but that he was made eyther a bishop archbishop abbot prior or some prelate if he woulde take it vppon him to take part with Vrban He vsed the seruice of Charles king of Sicill on a time going before him as his vssher and bearinge the Popes target following with his armye into a towne called Auersa He put sixe Cardinals in a dongion with their feete set in the stockes and caused them to be myserably tormented and racked onlye for suspition of falsehoode against him and so kept them in prisoÌ„ where they pined through famine thirst and cold hauinge also wormes and life breedinge in their bodyes yet they stoode stoutly in their innocencye But no humble and importunate sute neither of them nor anye other coulde euer moue the stonye hart of Vrban to pitye their cases but saith Theodoricus the more he was entreated the more wrathfull he was so that his eyes would sparkle his face burne and glow his throte waxe dry for anger And after sondry examinations he sent vnto them againe Theodoricus the writer of this historye other to examine them in a vaute of the castle where they laye then sayth Theodoricus the Cardinall of Sanger was first broughte vp vnto vs with a paire of iron shakles on his feete and a short mantel about him because it was a colde and windy prison Who when he came to the ende of the cellar and sawe aboue him the roapes hanging wherewith he should be racked and was by y wayters striped out of his apparell leauing him scarcelye his shirt on and bound very hard to the racke Frauncis the Popes nephewe stoode by and laughed at this miserable sight without all measure but I that loued this Cardinal of ould was sore greeued thereat but I could not departe the place But to be short the said Cardinall was an aged man of a corpulent bodye comlye and taule of stature and being bounde he was thrise lifted from the grounde by the stronge pulling of those that racked him so that he waxed verye feble which when I behelde when hee was let go to the grounde againe I said to him softly O deare father do you not see how your bloud is sought for I beseech you for Gods cause confesse something to deliuer your selues for this time from these tormentours He aunswered I cannot tell what I shal say And when they would haue â—acked him againe I bad them cease for he hath satisfyed mee as I wil certifye the Pope in wrytinge so they loseâ— him caryed him out to take ayre who comming to himselfe said vnto vs heauilye Behould my brethren the time hath beene as ye know that I liued in the pompe and royaltye of this world but now I am become a moste myserable caytife and despised wretch And I woulde to God this were graunted to me as a singuler benefite that I hauing nothinge might begge my breade from place to place but out alas this trouble sorrow are iustly by Gods iudgemeÌ„t fallen vpon me because euen in this kingdom of Sicil I was so cruel an executor of the Popes coÌ„maundemeÌ„t in deposing without fauour the archbishops bishops abbots and other of the clergye without respect of age or degree hoping herein to haue pleased his minde The next daye after this Pope Vrban called vnto him one Basilius to be chiefe tormentour of these Cardinals which liked him verye well for hee was a malicious man and hated the clergye naturallye and was a persecutour of God and his seruauntes a notable pirate and a plaguer of Christians whom he vsed to take captiue from his youth at the first he lyued by theft and robbery but when that fayled and he became a begger he sought succour of Pope Vrban who not for deuotion but to obtaine a priorship of an hospital in Tinacria made him a fryer To this fellowe Vrban gaue charge to torment on the next day the Cardinal of Venice and to continue rackinge him vntill such time as Vrban himselfe might heare him crye for paine So when Basilius and we came to the prison wher the Cardinal of Venice was Basilius taking him out bringing him to a certaine hall in the Castle did stripe of his apparell and hauinge the roapes fastened aloft hanging downe to the ground he tyed him hard to them And although the Cardinall were an ould man brokeÌ„ and diseased and weake of complexioÌ„ yet he tormented him vppon the racke most cruellye from morninge till dinner time continuallye but the sillye man euer as he was haled vp cryed stil saide Christ hath suffered for vs c. In the meane time Pope Vrban walked in a garden belowe and read on a booke so loude that wee mighte heare him which he did to this ende that Basilius might the better loke

which was saide to be S. Andrewes head beside he wroughte diuers other Popishe pranckes He powred out riches vpon diuers vaine sumptuous and prodigall buildinges He made Corsian the towne wher he was borne to be a Citye calling it after his owne name Pientia buildinge a statelye Churche of wrought stone in it In the ende he dyed of an agew at Ancona goinge thether aboute his warres He was muche troubled with diseases while he liued as with the coughe the stone and the goute Volateranus sayth that ambition did ouerwhelme manye vertues in him for he was euer greedye of promocion and therefore he toke great paynes and sought the fauour of Princes This Epitaphe was founde written of him in an olde booke Frigida membra Pij retinet lapis iste loquacis Qui pacem moriens attulit Italiae Summe Deus quantum mortalibus alme dedisti Fulmine cum tetigit hoc caput aequa manus Vendiderat precio gentes crimina multa Virtutis â—pecie gesserat ille Pius Impius hic fuerat quamuis sub nomine pulchro Crediderit falsis posse iuuare fidem Nunc fidi comites scelerataque turba clientum Ingemuere Pium nam scelus orbis erat CONCLVSIO Impius hic situs est crudelis raptor iniquus Aeneas fatue quem genuere Senae Platina and Sabellicus do testifye that among other his prouerbiall sentences he lefte this in writinge There is a great cause why the clergie shoulde be depriued of mariage but greater cause why they should be suffered to marrye He hath the same sayinge also in his seconde booke of CouÌ„saile Perhaps sayth he it should not be worse if most priestes were wedded because that in maryed priesthoode manye shoulde be saued that in vnwedded priesthoode are dampned This Pius the second saith Coelius secundus did breake vp diuers nooneryes coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to come out of their cloister and to burne no longer in coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce and not to play the strompets secretelye vnder pretence of Religion Iohn Maria Polutianus sayth that in these dayes the Minorites and Bullistes in Italye fell out bitterlye stryuing whether of them should visite keepe and rule the nunnes 157. Paule the second PAule the second was borne in Venice called first Peter Baâ—bus nephewe to Eugenius the fourth he beinge Cardinall of S. Marke succeded Pope Pius He before his Papacye purposed to fall to the trade of marchandize but when hee heard that his â—nckle Gabriel was created Pope he began to applye his minde to his booke and so arose from one degree to another till in the end he gat the Papacye He was a man of a goodlye parsonage but of a hautye minde he was verye couetous and bestowed benefices for rewardes Touchinge his pontifâ—call pompe ye neede not doubte sayth Platina that he furnished it in such sort as he excelled all his predecessours especiallye in his royall kingdome Touching his Miter he bestowed infinite treasure thereon procurinâ—e to haue broughte to him froÌ„ euery place of great price Diamants Saphyrs Carbuncles Chrysolits Iasperstones Pearles and all other kinde of precious stones He being thus royallye attyred like Aaron with Iewels shewed himselfe abrode in such a maiestye as neuer did anye earthlye creature Then his desire was to be gazed on to be worshipped and for this cause he stayed straungers often in the Citye shewinge his handkerchiffe in the streate that the greater companye might behold him He commaunded also that none shoulde presume to weare a scarlet hat but the Cardinals on whom hee bestowed much cloth of the same colour in the first yeare of his Popeship to make them trappinges for their horses and Mules saith Platina He practisinge both by worde by sworde to aduaunce the maiestye of his seate did nothing all his life time but moue warre in Italye sodenlye when he spyed his aduauÌ„tage Amonge diuers others Cityes hee assaulted Arminium and caused both Suburbes and Citye to be myserablye shaken rente and torne with force of gunneshotte and other engins He abhorred euen from his harte the decrees and deedes of his predecessour Pius He restored the regular Canons whom Calixtus had expulsed out of Lateran abbey and bestowed greate buildinges at S. Markes at Vatican He condemned all chose to be heretickes that should make any mention of vniuersityes for he was a very doult and of grosse capacitye and therfore he loued neither learning nor vertue He being whollye addicted to ambition royotousnes and pleasure spent the whole daye eyther in feasting as Volateranus sayth or in takinge vp his money or els in searching oute and vewing of olde coynes images or Iewels His greatest care was that the Citye shoulde neuer lacke victuals Finallye after he had created tenne Cardinals whereof Frauncis Ruerius was one and assured himselfe to liue longe Anno 1470. he dyed of an Apoplexie sodenly by him selfe alone after he had supped meerelye After his death his cosins the Cardinals bestowed on him a woÌ„derfull riche and costlye tombe From this time forward the estate of the Papacye begaÌ„ to impaire and decay Stanislaus Ruthenus reporteth this one notable thinge of this Pope Paule in these wordes VVhen Pope Paule had seene certaine latine Verses written against him and his daughter it is reported that he wept and cryed out against the hardnes of the lawe of single life amonge his frends Because that he who ought to be not onlye the head of the Church but also of chastlife shoulde see his doughter liue in the face and countenaunce of the Citye with great shame and disdaine who although she were verye beutifull yet it greued his harte that it should be said he begat her in whoredome because he knewe that there was a law of God whereby she mighte haue beene borne in wedlocke vnlesse this lawe of single life had disanulled it They saye therefore that he toke councell how he mighte restore againe the mariage of the clergie but beinge preuented by death he coulde not attaine to his purpose 158. Sixtus the fourth SIxtus the fourth was borne at Sauona in Liguria called Frauncis Ruerius before and generall minister of the Franciscans succeded Pope Paule He being at a time of solemnitye caryed in an horselitter to Lateran there arose a sodein tumult so that the Pope was in great daunger of loosing his life being so pelted with stones so that the dryuers did almost forsake him in the Litter This Pope vsed to graunte one benefice to diuers and sondry parsons He loued his frendes so well that to gratifye them he did manye things against all law and equitye He promoted his companion Peter Ruerius both of his owne order and couÌ„trye whom with his brother Hierome he broughte vp for purpose to be a Cardinall a man otherwise borne to wast riches for within the space of two yeres after then which time he liued not longer he spent of himselfe alone by his royotous lyuing â–ª two hundreth thousand Crownes beside this he endebted himselfe three score Thousand and spent

in siluer three hundred poundes He dyed beinge wasted through his incontinent life when he was but xxviii yeares old Anno 1474. His death was most hinderaunce to handicraft men for he euer filled their shoppes with store of knackes Iohn Textor in his officine sayth thus Peter a priest and Cardinal in the time of Sixtus the fourth wasted about vanityes luxuriousnes three hundred Thousand Crownes within the space of two yeares Againe Iohn Riueus in his booke De erroribus pontisiciorum sayth the Fulgosus reporteth of the incredible prodigality of the said partye It were to longe to rehearse all his woordes for breuitye sake these fewe may suffice which I thinke is the least to be spoken of namely that he ware goulden roabes at home in his house that he had his couerlets of gould for his beds his Chamber stooles and pottes of siluer Also he prouided for his concubine Tyresia shoes couered wyth Pearles By this a man maye gesse the rest of his vnmeasurable pompe and prodigalitye But Hierome brother to the saide Peter beinge made chiefe of Liuius court and Cornelius court after him did rule and order the matters of the Church being a man of more seuere nature and lesse lasciuious sauinge one waye not to be named After these Sixtus aduaunced the childreÌ„ of his bretherne and sisterne amonge whom he made one Iulian Cardinall and his brother Iohn PresideÌ„t of the Citye and Prince of Sora Seuogallia He loued sayth Platina his kindred aboue measure bestowing and lauisshing on them that which beloÌ„ged both to man and God against all iustice And by the iudgement of manye he plonged all Italye with bloudye broyles that without cause Therefore sayth Volateranus when he was driuen to necessitye hauing wasted his wealth vpon these tumults he was the first that began to practise this shifte He deuised to picke oute certaine Colledges Againe Agrippa sayth of him thus amonge the bawdes of late yeares that set vppe and builded stewes Pope Sixtus the fourth was most famous who builded a notable stewes at Rome and as he sayth in his declamatioÌ„ to the Louanians he sheweth at large not onlye for harlots but otherwise horrible to be thought vpon He following the example of Heliogabalus did maintayne his traine of harlots and bestowed them on his frendes and seruauntes Beside he had his fee comming into his treasure of that moneye which the harlots earned by their misdemeanour to the enrychinge of his cofers for the strompets of Rome do yet paye theyr Iuly tribute as it is termed euery weeke to the Pope which in yearely reuenues hath oftentimes amounted to xx Thousand ducates and now by report ariseth to fourtye Thousande And so the treasurers of the Church are bound to make accompte as well of harlots tribute as of the Church landes VVesselus Groningensis called the light of the world in the discourse of the Popes indulgences wryteth of this Pope Sixtus that at the sute of the foresaid Peter then Cardinall of S. Sixtus and Patriarke of Constantinople and of his brother Hierome he graunted the whole familye of the Cardinall of S. Lucia who in his former yonge yeares had in like maner yelded himselfe to the detestable lust of Pope Paule the second to file theyr bodyes lawfullye in most vnlawfull vnnaturall and vnspeakable maner for 3. hot monthes Iune Iulye and August which he graunted with this clause Fiat vt petitur Doe accordinge to your requeste O horrible and monstrons men more saluage then brute beastes weare it not but that malice of Antichrist and the deuill sparing no blasphemye to slaunder the Church of Christe dryueth me to detecte their loathsome treacherye and nakednesse I would rather helpe to burye these villanyes in silence then to vtter these their filthines which I caÌ„not but with blushing remember Loath were I to plucke of the sheete of theyr shame to reueale their ribaldrye but that vnder such roabes lurketh hiddeÌ„ so manye foule soares enfecting Christian soules and deceauing their simplicitye with an outward visard of innocencye And yet while I for beare euen for honesty ciuilitye sake to discouer their filthye commedyes and stewishe pranckes at large as they themselues are not ashamed to doe sportinge thereat with ballades songes and sonets and other vnhoneste wayes Mantuan and other haue spoken and vttered thereof enoughe to much wryting of this Pope Sixtus and his nephew of Alphonsus But as touching Sixtus sayth Volateran he being disposed to exercise him selfe in warrefare wherunto he was of nature more enclined then to religioÌ„ moued quarrels of warre as he might right or wronge He inuaded without any cause Vitelius Tiphernates the Florentines the Venetians the Columnians Ferdinand king of Sicilia the duke of Calabria and other nations and Princes It was his chiefe delighte to haue Christian Princes at commaundemeÌ„t whom at his pleasure he did both set vp and put downe He set his confederates the Heluetians with fyre and sworde vpon the Lombardes whom he had cursed and gaue the Heluetians a pardon and an ensigne to encourage them to the slaughter of the Lombardes He aduauÌ„ced his cosins bastardes to the shame of the Church to all that he mighte for he made two of his nephewes Leonarde Iohn to be Presidents of the Citye by course one after another beside other dignities diuers and many that he bestowed on sondrye of his kindred among other one Raphael his sisters sonne was made Cardinal But one Laurence Medices honge vp the saide Raphael and Saluatus Pisanus and diuers other because they had murthered his brother He was verye beneficiall to the begging sect of religious roages grauÌ„ting them reuenues in this life and heauen in the life to come He is counted as it were a newe builder of Rome He bestowed cost of pauinge the streates repayring the wayes appointing skauingers to loke to the streates beside diuers other lesse necessary more vaine and superstitious deedes about Churches Chappels and Pallaces In the xv yeare he celebrated the Iubelie for the encrease of his lucre and gaynes and to pleasure his frendes He diuised many polling bribing offices of scribes abridgers sollicitours waighters and notaryes of the escheaker to enriche hys cofers which offices are to be bought of the Pope He made diuers newe holly dayes and diuers Saintes and manye decrees to enriche the clergye He excommunicated and cursed to hell Laurence Medices of Florence for hanging his nephew Raphael In the ende he being sicke of the goute dyed throughe rancour and malice the soner because the duke of Ferraria had takeÌ„ peace with the Venetians against his will Anno 1484. And therefore diuers men made these Epitaphes of him Â¶ Of his death Non potuit Seuum vis vlla extinguere Sixtum Audito tandem domine pacis obit No force was forceable enoughe to make Pope Sixtus dye But when the name of peace was heard it kild him by and by Of the peace that ensued

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