apply his whole mind to y e vttermost of hys power for the performaunce of so noble an enterpryse and leaue nothyng vndone that shall seme expedient for the brynginge about therof Doubte ye not but the tyme is at hande when wee maye reuenge our olde iniury agaynst God And for asmuch as he would not suffre vs beiÌ„g most worthy creatures to bee felowes with hym in heauen wee wyll brynge to passe by our industrye that the vilest manne and moste cast awaye in the worlde shal be aboue hym in earthe And nowe that euery one of you in hys degre maye the more cherefully applye hymselfe about thys busines I promise you ye nede not doubt but you maye bee well assured that we shall in shorte space brynge the thyng to passe that we desier For in thys poynte wee haue God hymselfe fauourable vnto vs whoe in sondrye places of scripture prophecied that there should an Antichrist come and nowe is the tyme expired wherin that wycked head of Christendome ought to come into the world Then yf God wyll not be made a lyar it is necessary that at the last he come and be disclosed to the whole worlde For with thys whyppe God wyll scourge and punishe the false christians Who because they woulde not beleue the trueth God of hys rightfull iudgement wyll that they shall beleue lyes and bee worthely deceyued as Paule hathe wrytten There were neuer nor neuer shal be more shynynge cerimonies neither more beawtifull wherby to allure men vnder a coloure of holines then those shal be whyche Antichriste and his membres shall deuise to be vsed amongest menne And know ye more ouer for a confirmacion of their doctryne and liuynge that they maye be more easly deceyued God wyll suffer many woÌ„ders many signes and miracles to be shewed by vs by reason of whom euen the very chosen shall be seduced if it were possible as Christe hym selfe hath prophecied I am sure ye haue in remembrauÌ„ce how that in the beginning of the churche of Christ when it was moste pure a longe ceason after there were chosen aswel in Rome for to be Bishoppes such men as were moste godly best learned in Goddes holye scriptures and as most diligently and faithfully laboured to auaunce goddes true word and his glory but afterwarde when good discipline began to decaye and we had powred ambicion darnel and discencion into the worlde then were chosen to be Byshoppes by their owne procuremente not suche as were most godly but suche as were most worldely most ambitious and craftie seking more their owne glory and lucre then the auauncement of godâ—es glorye and the exercise of their office rather pluckyng from the shepe their mylke than fedyng them with good pastures So that the name of a Byshop now is no more the name of a verye paynfull office as it was in tymes paâ—â— but of a great pompe dignitie Furthermore they haue ordeyned accordinge to the example of the olde Patriarches Abraham Isaac Iacob thre newe Patriarches one of Antioche in Asia another of Alexandria in Affrik and the thyrd of Europe in Rome Of a like sorte ye know that a long ceason all Christian men in the church of Christ haue ben taken for spiritual sanctfied religious meÌ„ as they bee called in the scriputure and as they are in dede for asmuche as they be halowed in baptisme dedicated to god to be his children and to bee led by his spirite But the infidels whiche bee not of the church of Christ as meÌ„ vtterly without Christ be accouÌ„ted as they be iÌ„ dede prophane hetheÌ„ vngod i. But now of late dayes only a sort of cloysterers disguysed men in apparel and lyuinge from other men begin to bee taken for spirituall religyous and holy menne though they bee neuer so vicyous All other Christian menne be they neuer so godly and replenished with the heauenly spirite yet bee they iudged prophane and vnworthy to touche theyr holy garmentes with theyr lytle fynger Thys wonderfull dignitie and magnificence shall set out the royaltie and glorye of oure Monarchie and sole kyngdome not a lytell Beleue me deare bretheren wee haue a mete tyme and oportunitie for our triumph for our glory and victory God for thauauncement and for thincrease and establishment of hys churche gaue to it the holye scripture for a rule to lyue by for euer likewise for the increase the inlargynge and confirmation of our churche we will giue vnto it oure decrees and Cannons which although they bee for the moste parte prophane and wicked yet shall they neuertheles not only seme good and holy but also they shal be takeÌ„ for the veray squire and rule wherbi the holy scripture shal bee tryed Furthermore because God knewe right well that his holy word is a thing most necessary aboue all other he commaunded his Apostâ—es that they shoulde preache throughe out the worlde the voyce of the gospell which in dede is the trew chief office of them whiche wil be taken for the trewe ministers of Christe For although baptisme as all men knowe be a ceremonye ordeined of God both holy and necessary yet was the Apostle Paule so diligent and busied with preaching the worde of god that he christened very few with his owne handes but left that office to other ministers But nowe shall the tyme come yea and it is at hand wherin the chiefe headdes of this our kingdome shall not onely chalenge to be the successors of thapostles but also of Christ him selfe they shal be striken with such a madnes that they shall thinke it a vile shamefull thynge for them to preache the gospell therfore shall they substitute vnder them symple Sir Iohns who for the fashions sake shal pretende and doe the outward ceremonye of preachinge but the doctrine wherwith they shall instructe the people shal be handeled and infected after theyr owne fashion And as for the byshops they shal bee giueÌ„ al together to esteme thinges of the world and of the fleshe And yet to th ende that they may appere before menne as though they were byshops in dede at certayne tymes of the yere they shall set forthe sundry ceremonies with a great shew to the people which shal be no lesse colde dumme and folishe than wicked and supersticious whiche shal be framed and wrought in our workehowse of hel But brefely to comprehende an endles sea of matters in fewe wordes know ye my brotherne that this kingdome of ours shal be so pestilent abhominable that it shall not only infecte hurte the church of god the holy ceremonies constitucions trew worshippinge of god the sacred scripture it selfe but it shall also destroy ouerthrow other lyberaâ—l artes sciences Belzee When I consyder howe shorte the lyfe of man is it semeth to me a thinge vnpossible that one byshop of Rome in so shorte a space shoulde bring to passe so many mischefes Luci. Brother me thinketh
A tragoedie or Dialoge of the vniuste vsurped primacie of the Bishop of Rome and of all the iust abolishyng of the same made by master Barnardine Ochine an Italian translated out of Latine into Englishe by Master Iohn Ponet Doctor of Diuinitie neuer printed before in any language Anno Do. 1549 ¶ To the moost myghtye and moste excellent Prince Edwarde the syxte by the grace of God Kynge of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendor of the faithe and in earth Supreme head of the churche of England and Irelande Bernardinus Ochinus Senensis wisheth all felicitie ALthough god of his mere goodnes hath geueÌ„ to your Maiestie moste rich treasures moste large kingdomes speciall grace and loue of al people moste high nobilitie of bludde moste singuler ornamentes bothe of the body and of the minde partely commyng onely of God and partely through hys fauour obtayned also by your industry beside other innumerable graces whiche it hathe pleased god to endue youre hyghenes withall Yet neuertheles all these thinges ought not nor cannot bee compared to that benefite whiche he hathe shewed vnto you in geuing vnto you in such a darke world and in so tendre age suche clere light of Christ that albeit in thys worlde he was poore lowe dispiced and crucified and your Maiestie is so riche so highe in so great honour and all kyndes of felicitie Yet not only you knowleadge and take hym for youre Lorde and maister but also you loue hym and that in suche sorte that for the loue whiche you beare vnto hym you haue suche a godly hatred to his enemies that folowing the blessed memory of your father fyrste with the fauour of god and than with the aduise of your most derest vncle the lorde Protector and of other youre trusty and faithfull Counseylours you haue dryuen hym out of your Realmes and Dominions hym who among all the wicked hathe the highest place and is moste aduersary to Christ and therfore is he and may wourthely be called Antichriste Now remayneth nothing behinde but that with hym you dryue away also as you haue begon his lyes errours Hypocrisy Symonye Robbery supersticion Idolatrye and all wickednes And than if Pirrus Alexander magnus Anibal Scipio Affricanus and Iulius Cesar had noble victories and tryumphes in thys world howe much more shall your noble actes farre passe al them and theyr actes in the sight of God aungelles and men for asmuch as you being yet but almost a babe shall ouerthrowe the most mighty most crafty most wycked and cruell tyraunte that euer was or euer shal be in the worlde deliuering your subiectes from a longe and miserable bondage and captiuitie And yet forasmuche as many suche as bee blynd and doe take hym for theyr god in erthe where as they ought most hyghly to commende youre Maiestie for your godly proceadinges peraduenture will speake euill of so excellent an acte I thought it my parte for the duetye that I owe to god and to your Maiestie to shewe vnto such men the beginnynge of thys their Papacie and howe it encreased and came into so hyghe estimacion amonge the blinde people So that they perceauinge theyr weake false ruinouse and deuilishe foundacion maye leaue theyr faytâ— whiche they haue in hym and geue glorye to God and to your Maiestie to whome I praye god to â—â—unte a longe and moste blessed lyfe ¶ The parties that doe speake in thys Dialoge are these i. Lucifer and Beelzebub ii Boniface the third Doctour Sapience secretary to the Emperour iii. The people of Rome The churche of Rome iiii The Pope mans iudgement and the people of Rome v. Thomas Massuccius the master of the horse Lepidus the popes chaÌ„berlain vi Lucifer and Beelzebub vii Christ and Michaell and Gabriell archangels viii Kinge Henry the viii and Papista and Thomas Archbisshop of Cantorbury ix Kyng Edward the vi and the lorde Protector ¶ A Tragoedie or Dialoge of the vniust vsurped primacie of the Byshop of Rome of the iust abolishinge of the same made by master Barnardine Ochine an Italian and translated out of Latine into Englyshe by Master Iohn Ponet Doctor of Diuinitie Lucifer and Beelzebub MY deare faithful brethren and most enttierly beloued frendes for asmuche as I knowe howe muche profite ariseth of the labour paines that ye take in the world be ye well assuered that I woulde not haue wylled you to assemble here together in Hell at thys present were there not some great profyte to our common wealth arising of the same that moued me so to doe Ye know right wel my brethren frendes howe wrongfully and vniustly our enemy God without any our fault or deseruing hurled vs downe out of heauen hedlonge and also ye knowe what greuouse torment miserye and calamitie we haue susteyned euer sinâ—e that tyme. And althoughe he wyll nedes reigne alone in heaueÌ„ cannot abyde felowe to be ioyned with him in that kingdome but doeth vsurpe it whole to hym selfe alone yet yf he woulde haue left to vs some dominion in earth this torment and misery of ours might better haue bene borne But wheras we had by muche trauayle and busynes obteyned and inioyed as it were by oure prescription of many yeares the dominion of the world se you not howe he hath sent y e same sonne of his whome they call Christe to marre all that euer we haue made and vtterly to destroy that we haue buylded doe ye not perceaue how that fellow Christ beynge nayled vpon the crosse droweth all men to him and doe ye not perceaue what a number of meÌ„ which before were of our syde be nowe fled to him there to be souldiars vnderneth his banner Yf his Apostles beyng but twelue made such a commotion throughe out the whole world what a ruffell thinke ye wyll so many thousandes make whome they by theyr teaching haue turned Certainly by coniecture it shoulde seeme that the matter wyll daylye waxe worse and worse oules this great mischiefe â—e wyselye prouided for inseason elles wyll it at lengthe come to passe that our scepter royall shal be plucked out of our handes and our dominion vtterlye taken away from vs. But after longe consultinge and dyuising there is now come into my head a very handsome imaginacion wherby we may destroy the kingdome of Christ and stablysh our kyngdome for euer Yf we attempte to oppresse the members of Christe with persecucion and tirrannye we shall that waye but increase more and more our owne sorow For as we be sufficiently taught by longe experience they bee so persed and led with a zeale to y e glorye of god so carried with a vehemeÌ„t heuenly spirit that they contempne all thinge sauinge Christ onely And this one thing semeth much to be maruailed at that whaÌ„ they be spoiled for y e glory of Christ or baÌ„nished in to exile or lose their honour their contrey their substaunce yea or their lyfe also yet they earnestlye triumphe and be
merye and they esteme it as a game wonne and a ioyfull victorie to suffer all kyndes of misfortune for Christes sake so that y e more sorow we doe vnto them the more glorious famous they be and we remayne in more misery and confusion And againe there is one other thing both more hurtefull to vs and more to be lamented that is the resâ— of the people perceauinge them to beare suche ignominie and rebukes with so meruelouse pacience so ioyfull heartes and so constant a corage be compelled to thinke thus with them selues say Truly God lyueth and worketh in theÌ„ meruelously yf they had not an experience and a tast by a secrete mouing of the holy spirite of another lyfe in Christe muche better and happier then this present is they woulde neuer be so desierous to be ridde of this present life And yf it so be that we kyl one Christian man as the fable is of the cutting of one of the heades of Hydra the serpent there springeth as it were of the ashes of him a hundreth immediately in his place When we intende to bringe the kingdome of Christe to nothinge then we make it more nobâ—e riche and gloriouse Nowe yf we shoulde attempte to ouercome this our auncient enemyes kyngedome by reasons and argumentes we shall doe nothinge elles but increase our owne rebuke shame No man can withstande their wysedome wherwith if our reasons be compared truely they bee very folishenes Therfore it is expedient and necessary seynge that we can not ouercome them in playne felde with open warre to attempt their ouerthrowe by arte policie diligence crafte subteltie gyle and prodition I haue conceaued in my head a deceyt of suche weight and importaunce that yf I maye bringe it aboute after suche sorte as I haue deuised it there was neuer maÌ„ sawe nether yet in the worlde was there euer anye that deuysed the lyke bothe for the straungenes and for the force thereof I haue deuysed with my selfe to make a certaine newe kingdome replenished with idolatry supersticion ignoraunce error falsehode deceit compulâ—ion extorsion treason contencion discorde tiranny and crueltie with spoylinge murder ambicion filthines iniuries factions sectes wickednes and mischiefe in the which kingdome all kyndes of abhominacion shal be committed And not withstandinge that it shal be heaped vp with all kindes of wickednes yet shall the Christian men thinke that to be a spirituall kingdome most holy and most godly The supreme head of this kyngdome shal be a man which is not onely sinfull and an abhominable robber and thiefe but he shal be synne and abhominacion it selfe and yet for all that shall he be thought of Christian men a God in earthe and his members beynge most wicked shal be thought of men most holye God sent hys sonne into the world who for the saluacion of all mankynde hath humbled him selfe euen to the deathe of the crosse and I wyll sende my sonne into the worlde who for the destruccion and condempnacion of mankynde shall so auaunce hymselfe that he shall take vpon hym to be made equall with God Thys is our counsell and wittie inuencion and it is not to be doubted but that if the matter come to passe as I woulde haue it as my trust is that it will we shall in short space see a reuenging of that our olde iniurye Beelze Whan I beholde you moste redoubted prince and ponder your wordes seuerally with myselfe ye woulde not beleue howe muche I am comforted me thinketh that I am nowe so satisfied and that I fele my selfe so presently eased as thoughe I my selfe had powred out all the boylynge poyson of my stomacke agaynste God There was neuer creature that had a more wittie a more noble or a more worthye deuise if the matter myght take lyke effect as me semeth it cannot For who would beleue that the christian menne whiche excell in wisdome and iudgement could be brought to this poynt to beleue that the kingdome of the deuill is the kyngdome of God And that the supreme heade of that kingdome being the very greate deuill of hell ought to be adored and wurshypped for a God in earthe and his membres honored for saynctes Luci. O howe goodly occasions manye tymes men lose and howe goodly interprises come not to suche effecte as they were purposed for by the meanes of the weake fearefulnes of mennes stomakes in that they dare not take the thing in hande whiche they be affrayed they shall not atcheue Such as be of hault courage auaunce their mynde studeing and attempting thinges of great aduenture and so with witte industrie diligence care and earnestnes at the last they brynge thynges to passe that bee very harde to compasse My hope is therefore that euen as God hath saued the worlde by Christ so in despite of hym I shall destroye the same that vnder the pretence colour of thesame Christ by the meanes wherof men maye bee the easelier deceyued I wyl styrre vp the chiefe captaynes of my kyngdome that they maye so by craft and diligence shadow and couer supersticion and ydolatry with a fayre face and beautye of fayned holy ceremonies and of good intente as they call it that menne shall be made so dronken and so amased with thys outwarde pompe and shewe that they theâ—selues shall not be hable to descerne trueth froÌ„ falshod when they be drowned in the middes of the floude of ydolatrye and supersticion More ouer I haue determined so to extoll and sette vp the carnall man in thys my kingdome and the lyght of nature and the strength of mannes fre wil and his workes that I shall bee habâ—â— to cast downe Christ out of his place and to bury his great benefit and so to minish the profit of his grace his righteousnes and meryte euerlastinge And furthermore I wyll bring men into that madnes that they shall thynke themselues not onely hable by their owne power and might to inioye the prayse of ryghteousnes before God but also that the eleccion and choyse of their saluacion shall depende wholye vpon themselues All these thinges will I persuade to men vnder a pretence of a more perfect ryghteousnes and honestie and vnder a shadowe of a better setting forthe the glorye of the name of God And although the principall heades of thys kyngdome be full of darkenes of ignoraunce of heresie errour fraude and lyes yet shall they shamelesly take vpon them the vsurpacion of authoritie to make newe and wicked articles of the fayth wrasting the holy scriptures to their croked purpose and yet shal they thynke themselues to be in a great clearenes of lyght and trueth For I can easely persuade vnto them that their churche is the churche of Christ although it be nothiÌ„g elles in dede but a very assembly of Satan I wyll persuade vnto them that they be the disciples of Christe and the successours of Sayncte Peter when in dede wee be their chyefe masters and they our
vicars supply oure roumes and serue our cures in yearthe Finally when in dede we reigne in them they shall thynke they haue the holy gost within them so that although they be in a continuall errour yet shall they persuade menne that they are inspired with a heauenly spirite and cannot erre Oh lorde what a numbre of mischiefes and abhominacions shal be committed in thys kyngdome by reason of the wicked and sinnefull decrees which shal be made of gouernours of the same when they shall glorye that they haue power to bynde the conscience of manne euen of lyke sorte as thoughe they were hayle felowe with God or rather better and all thys vnder the shadowe of religion and holines I wyll cause them to bee moste cruell tyrantes and bochers of Christe and hys chosen membres and that vnder a pretence of a zeale to the house of God They shall attempte to hyde their vncleanes and fylthye behauiour vnder a gaye name of sole lyfe and shall couer their wickednes and abhominacion with an exceding wyde cloke of hypocrysie and with a gloryous shynyng tytle of religion and holynes But what nedeth so many wordes The chiefe head of thys kyngdome shal be directly quite contrarye to Christe and the membres of it shall bee open aduersaries to the chosen of God But one thyng my frendes ye must diligently coÌ„sidre that this thing of necessitie bee alwayes kepte secrete elles yf menne shoulde perceyue by any meanes thys our counsell all our labors should be lost and all oure enterpryse frustrate Dout ye not deare brethren but that yf the thynge come to passe that I intende there shall be suche horrible and wycked viciousnes in thys kyngdome that the chiefe captaynes themselues coulde not abyde them if they knewe them to be so abhominable as they shall be Wherfore it is necessary that the greatter the wyckednes shal bee the more craftilier and coninglye they bee anourned and set furthe with some pleasaunt beautyfull face of religion and a gaye paynted vayle of holynes Belze All these thinges we alowe ryght well and be also redy to obey your counsell and to bestowe all the powers of our wytte and myght to set forwarde thys noble enterpryse howebeit first and formest we thynke it very expedient that ye disclose playnly vnto vs all your intent and purpose that we maye direct al oure labours and study to that ende and so to brynge this noble enterpryse aboute euen as we wil with the common consent of vs all Luci. Euen as vpon Christe dependeth the whole saluacion of all mankynde so is it necessary for vs to deuise a supreme head vpon whom maye depend the whole condempnacion of all mankynde And as the sonne of God for the saluacion of the worlde dyd abase hymselfe from the hyghe state of hys diuinitie and endued hymselfe with mannes nature of a lyke sorte is it nedefull for the destruccion of the worlde that there be some man which shal auaunce hymselfe aboue Christ and aboue God hymselfe that menne beyng blinded by stynkynge and filthye supersticion maye feare honour and obey a mortall manne more then the very lyuyng lorde And more ouer it is necessary that thys man be so furnished with all wickednes and iniquitie that I maye worthelye saye of hym thys is my well beloued sonne in whome is my onely delyte heare him Euen as the heauenly father longe agone dyd testifie of hys sonne Christ. Beelze Me thinketh that I heare the liuely image of Antichriste hymselfe handsomly and properly described of you Luci. It is euen so in dede as thou sayest Beelze But who is I praye you so shamelesse to receyue so wicked a dignitie Luci. Receyue it quod he Thys dignitie shall be honoured and sette forthe with so muche ryches so much pleasure and so much habundaunce of thinges so greatly befrended with noble menne so decked with honour and greate welthe of thys present lyfe that all the prynces of the earthe shal be desirous to atteyne thereunto And as for thabominacions of thys hyghe seate they shall so be couered with a gay gloryous outwarde showe of holines that they theÌ„selues whiche shall sitte in the same shall not be hable to knowe their owne wickednes No a manne woulde scasely beleue it they shal thinke themselues very gods in earth As farre as my wit wil serue me I thynke the Bishoppe of Rome the moste mete instrument to bringe about the thynge that we intend Because that Rome is the heade citie of the worlde it shal be no hard thynge to persuade menne that the bishop therof is the head of all christian menne and the churche of Rome to be mother of all other churches And agayne thinsaciable ambicion of the Romans their crafte their malice and gyle wherwith they be naturally infected shal not be the only thyng that shall helpe forwarde our purpose but also the fauoure and grace that they obtayne at the Emperoures handes of Rome Furthermore it is not vnknowen vnto you that by reason of the manyfolde heresies which we haue sowen in Affrike and in the east parâ—es of the worlde what a numbre of bishops haue fled to Rome for succoure of the Emperoure The byshop of Rome as a manne that gapeth for this honour of the highest place intertaineth al men very frendly declaryng tokens of kyndnes and loue towardes euery body in so much that some of a meâ—e simplicitie and other some by crafte and fraude will be so desirous of the election and apointment of this highe dignitie that they wyll bee very glade to gyue theyr voyce to the byshop of Rome Who on the other parte is so replenished with deceyt and suttelty with such a botomles desier to be a Prince that it shal be easy for him with the helpe and fauour of our spirite to attayne to this moste highe dignitie namely because as ye know they be sufficiently furnished al ready with learning and also holpen by the power and workiÌ„g of our spirit The churches of the East-part of the world wereeasly infected with the heresies that weresowen abrode because theyr heresis be now knowen to all menne they can not infect thother churches of Christe whiche bee more syncerelye instructed But as for this churche of Rome it muste be infected by litle litle not in the outward showe but in the inwarde bowelles and that so extremelye vntyll it cannot be made more wicked thoutwarde pompe and shewe and a certayne forme of the church of Christ beyng preserued that by the meanes therof it maye brynge all other churches more easly into errour and may be the onely chiefe bredyng mother of errour and wickednes lyke as it shal be taken for the mother of all other churches Thus haue I declared vnto you deare brethren and frendes all my whole inuencion and imaginacion and I haue opened also and set before your eyes the ende wherunto we must direct all oure labours and study It resteth now iÌ„ you that euery one
tyranny shall brynge with it Yf all the tyrantes whiche euer haue bene were ioyned together they al neuer dyd so much mischiefe to the world as this one is like to doe I see plainly that thys matter is a thyng most pernicious and hurtful wherof I ought neyther to thynke nor speake but onely to put away so great a myschiefe from christian mens neckes Yet because I haue made promyse I wyll see what the Emperour wyll saye to it and will talke earnestly with hym of the matter forasmuche as this ambiciouse bragger did declare plainly that he woulde see me well rewarded if I woulde doe that lay in me to helpe the matter forwarde Besides this because he is named to be our countremaÌ„ one of the Romans I am bownde to promote hys sute and purpose And who knoweth what he wyll doe shortely after for my sake if he obteyne this dignitie by my procurement Truly it is not lyke that he wil forget so great a benefit receaued at my hand And bee it that there arise contencion amongest the byshoppes what is that to me Naye the more they stryue amongest themselues the more shal they nede themperors helpe with whome I am chief and so my vantage shal be the fatter Therfore will I bring this thinge about and that with as muche celeritie and spede as is possible Bonâ— Sence I disclosed my mynde to Doctor Sapiens I haue been wonderfully troubled And who knoweth whether he will in so weighty a matter as this is kepe counsell or not accordinge to hys promes He hathe a number of frendes whome he wil put in trust with some of my matters And what if he opeÌ„ somewhat of my wyl in declaring the matter to the Emperor but beit that he doe none of all these thinges yet can it not be but that Cesars maiesty of him self as he is replenished with wisdome excedingly practised in suche kynde of feactes shal by and by suspecte that this arrowe came out of my quiuer and that the matter was altogether of my diuisinge and so my crafte shal be espied and I put to shame Furthermore if it so chaunce that he obteyne not my sute at the Emperors hand what haue I then els done but disclosed vnto hym my botomles ambicion to no purpose But if he obteyne as I pray god he maye all men will say with one accorde that I haue brought it to passe with muche labor industry and so shall the thing be lefte in writinge to the posteritie And so shal I be both to menne of this present age and to theÌ„ which shal be in time to come a lawghing stocke and a iestyng stole All men good and euell will haue theyr eyes set vpon me and as it were poynt me out with theyr finger I shal be haÌ„pered in a thousand snares And oâ—â—e thinge is greatest mischief of all I alone shal be the first beginner and the chiefe original of all thabominations which my successors shall coÌ„mytte in al the whole world by the reason of thys tyranny But why trouble I my selfe any longer with a rablement of reasons The die is caste happe what happe will and I canne not sauinge myne honour drawe backe agayne from my purpose therefore me thinketh it more mete to stand to the matter stoutly tarying to see the ende Yf the matter come to passe as I would haue it as I trust it will I will fynde a meanes quickly how I maye fynde frendes plentie The matter of it selfe telleth daylye experience sheweth that all men hunte for the frendshippe of them who excell in riches and authoritie all thoughe they be very tyrannes And to thintente that men shall the more imbrace and magnifye me thinkinge me to be a Christ in earth I will cause it by letters to be blowen abrode ouer al the worlde that this high dignitie chaunced to me bothe not lokinge for it and all together vnwilling to receaue it and that I woulde haue receaued it in no wyse had not the zeale that I haue to the house of god compelled me that is to saye to prouyde a remedy for heresies factioÌ„s and an infinit number of other mischiefes by the whiche the churche of Christ is oppressed But Master Sapience is come and hys iourney is towardes me with spede he semeth very mery no dout he bringeth me some good newes Sapi. You re moste reuerent hyghenes should not maruayle that I haue differred and prolonged the time for answere to the matter which I know to be to vs bothe very pleasant longer then either of vs bothe did suppose Truly the cause why I dyd so was no negligence but rather that I might bringe the thing to passe more diligentlye and more effectuouslye I choase my time and place when I might best for our profyt declare thys matter to the Emperor Yester night after supper me thought hys Maiestie was merier then he was wont to be he walked forth into a gardene and being there alone he called me to him a parte There he beganne to declare vnto me hys power hys ryches and to extolle and magnifie the greatnes of his Empier dignitie and further he opened vnto me certayne secret counselles wherby he thought to increase his ryches to cause hys whole dignitie roiall to be the more estemed And I perceauinge this thinge to make sumwhat for our purpose did not only confirme and approue hys intente but also added this thynge more ouer that he now had such occasion and oportunitie gyuen hym to increase his honour as neuer other Emperor had before him so that he would speake but one worde Nowe because these wordes pleased him wonderfully he desiered me earnestly to declare vnto hym how and by what meanes thys thyng might be brought to passe Then sayed I yf your imperiall Maiestie would attempte to subdewe the dominions of other princes ye maye not thinke that it would be brought to passe without muche bludshed without greate daunger and difficultie But ye haue now an occasion offered vnto you of god whiche if it will please you to take when it is offered ye shal not onely without difficultie but also with muche ease and fauour of al partes subdew all Christian regions So that those people whiche be furthest of shall come and submitte themselues to youre Maiestie gladly and willingly WheÌ„ I perceaued y t he gaue very good hede to my talke whyles I shoulde open thys hyd mystery fyrste I declared vnto him howe the churche of Christe was shaken and tossed with sundry miseries and calamities and for none other cause but that it lacked one supreme spiritual and vnyueâ—sall heade in earthe whereunto all menne that were afflicted with anye kynde of mysery myght resorte as to a common refuge and that all menne bothe knewe and desiered this thinge I declared also howe thys heade for the opinioÌ„s sake of religion whereunto al men be naturally inclined shoulde easely bee receaued of all the whole worlde And more
a heuy thing for me if Rome shoulde be turned into Troy The curche Besides this noble dignitie of our byshop I am to muche occupied with an infinite number of matters of ceremonies of sutes and controuersies of other prophane thiÌ„ges that I haue no time left to scratch my head wherfore now wil I forsake you But I wyll tel you one thyng yet before I goe Sence this man was created pope I haue ben wonderfully vexed and sicke bothe in body and soule euen as though I had dronke a pocion of poyson And I canne not well tell whether I gat thys sycknes of to muche ioy wherewith I was replenyshed by the reason of the greatnes of my promocion or elles of thintollerable burden of businesses which grow towardes me dayly Nowe haue I nothinge elles to saye but that I offer my newe kindes of marchandise to bee solde to you before other and that better chepe than any straunger shall haue them The people I thanke you for youre marchant lyke ciuilitie and agayne I offer vnto you my fauor and all my strength and power to defend and increase the greatnes of your honour The Pope Mans Iudgement The people of Rome The Pope AT the last we be come to thys highe honor whiche we haue so much desired and that is more to bee wondered at by the whole consent of all the people of Rome I would neuer haue thought suche a numbre of the nobilitie woulde haue come to gratifie me and to increase my ioye They thynke verely that thys oure promocion shall increase and amplifie their ryches and power not a litle But I am informed for a certayntie that many foren churches were muche vexed therwith namelye suche as bee of the East partes Wherfore we vnderstande that they sende embassadors what they bee I can not tell to replye agaynst the thynge and it maye so be that they wyll dryue the matter to a disputacion Now is it therfore necessarie for vs to arme our selues for oure defence and as in a matter of great weyghte and importaunce to vse a wittie counsell Wherfore mans iudgement who art one of my pryuye counsell with thee I thynke it best to consult Mans iudge Truely sir I haue tossed turned al this matter in my minde agayne and agayne after long and earnest fantasyinge I conclude that there is no more presente remedie to preserue increase and establish thys your promocion kingdom and authoritie then to contend and earnestly to stand in it that it is not the ordinaunce of man but of God So that it is Christ hymself who hath ordeined you to be supreme head of the churche and that with a whole fulnes of power otherwyse shall ye hange alwayes vpon the Emperour who hath placed you in this highe estate of honoure by that meanes as he once gaue it you so maye he agayne take it awaye from you Moreouer your Empier and authoritie cannot be stretched out further then the coastes of the Empier of Rome extendith besydes thys all ChristendoÌ„ wyll laugh to scorne thys fayned and conterfect dominion Crying out that Christe is the supreme head of his churche and that he alone is able ynoughe to gouerne it well with out the helpe of an other head or of any other deceyptfull manne as he hath by hys ministers gouerned it hetherto But yf ye contende earnestly that it is Christ who hath put you in thys place ye shall bothe be deliuered from hanging vpon the Emperour and shall also be as farre aboue hym as holy and spirituall matters are to be preferred to matters prophane and worldely So that your authoritie being by thys meanes established ye shall enter into all the coastes of the yearth There shal be no Christian men in the worlde but when they shall bee persuaded that Christe was the author of thys ordinaunce who hath made you his vicar of whome ye haue receyued thys highe authoritie but they wyll come to you of their owne swynge as thoughe they would wurship this Godhead of yours in earth and wyll glorye that they maye obey you The Pope I woulde alowe thys counsell of yours very well yf it might be brought to passe by any meanes that I coulde persuade so manifest a vanitie to the worlde Mans iudge The folishenes of manne is growen so farre nowe accompanied with a wonderfull deceyt and wickednes I of my selfe am so subtile craftie that me thynketh it a thyng easie to persuade yea and that I nowe see the meanes howe The Pope I desire of all loues that ye wyll tell me by some inkeling what thyng it is that ye euen nowe mused vpon for ye may well know that it is my ioy to talke of suche thynges Mans iudge Yf there coulde bee one iote founde in the holy scripture wherupon wee myght leane for a profe that Paule the Apostle was ordeyned of God to bee supreme and vniuersall head of the churche militant yea thoughe it semed writhed and wrasted with the braakes of your authoritie and drawen by violence to our purpose agaynst the naturall sence yet so that there were some likeâ—yhod therin the victorye were ours For it is euident by the worde of god that Paule was some tyme at Rome thoughe he were then in prison yet shall wee persuade by all meanes possible that he was made Byshop of thys Citie whose office and dignitie you haue by inheritaunce and succeâ—syon obteyned I haue occupied my fantasie to and fro and haue chewed thys question diligently and so at the last I perceyue that there be many wordes in the holy scripture whiche with a litle wrasting woulde make the blinde ignoraunt common people gyue credite to thys vayne opinion that Paule was the chiefe of all the Apostles and vniuersall head of all the churches of Christe And yet shall we not therfore obteyne all our purpose For the selfe same holy scripture is in other places directlye and in playne wordes againste vs. Forasmuche as it is euident that Paule thapostle was none of the twelue Apostles of Christ yea and when Christ was here in earthe he was his enemie and persecutor and afterwarde also a certayne space Neither is it lykelye that Christ woulde ascende into heauen but woulde first well forsee to his churche and leaue vnto it one certayne head to be hys vicar occupie hys rowme Thys thyng was very necessary for him to doe This last reason must we alleage earnestly and defende it stoutly yf we intende to obtayne oure purpose But nowe haue I deuised a farre better waye There bee many places in the gospell whiche may easly be writhed to oure purpose That is to saye wherby some likelyhod maye be alleged that Peter thapostle was pronounced chiefe of the apostles by Christ his owne mouth and was created supreme head of his church militant Nowe yf we coulde bring hym to Rome make hym Byshop of thys citie it shall bee an easie thing to persuad that you be
authoritie at Christes hand y t they should be chief byshops gouernours of al other bishops as you say al churches and theyr byshops with theÌ„ the church of Rome onely excepted had ben from the deathe of christe vntill thys daye euer styll heretikes and scismatikes because they neuer acknowledged hym to be theyr supreme heade And moreouer all counsels whiche hathe ben holden vntill this day should haue bene but deuelish metynges because they neyther alowed neither declared the byshoppe of Rome to be Christes vicar and the supreme head of hys church But Nicene counsell chiefly shoulde haue ben deuelysâ—e not onely because it gaue not the fyrste place to the byshope of Rome but the fourth but also much more because they toke so greate and so heauenly a power awaye from hym the best parte whereof they gaue to oure byshoppe of Alexandria who had the charge committed vnto hym of the churches in the Easte parties vnto whome he was appoynted gouernor And the counsell of Affrike should haue passed all other in heresie wherein it was establyshed that the byshop of the fyrste seat ought not to be called the heade priest chiefe byshoppe neither by anye such lyke tytle but chiefely because there was an ordinaunce made in expresse wordes that the byshop of Rome by name muste not be called the vniuersall byshop This is very certayne if the byshopes receyued thys monarchie of god then were these counselles deuelyshe whyche toke thys diuine power away from them Cyprian also shoulde hauebene an heretike not onelye because he callethe the Byshop of Rome brother in hys epistles which he wrot vnto him but muche more because he maynteyneth with S. Augustine that there is none which is byshop of other byshops and that it is a greate tyranny to desier to be lorde ouer other byshoppes And also youre S. Gregory shoulde not onely not haue ben a sayncte but also an extreme wicked and a condempned parsone For he wryteth expresly that he which woulde bee byshop of all other byshoppes shall not haue the place of Christ in earthe but of Lucifer and shal bee very antichriste hymselfe And further he bryngeth in a number of inconueniences whiche shoulde insewe yf the byshoppe of Rome shoulde take vpon hym the dygnitie of the chyefe byshoppe as thoughe it were by the lawe of god Then thus he sayed Seing then that thys your primacie is not godly nor of God ye must of force grauÌ„t that it is either of manne or els of the deuill But it is not of manne as I wyll proue by stronge reasons wherfore it is of the deuyll That it is not of manne thys wyll I proue The Emperour hymselfe can not gyue vnto you anye spirituall power For you youre selues graunte that thys dignitie whiche ye haue is not geuen you of the Emperour but of Christ. Wherfore ye must acknowledge Christ to be your supreme head as all other Byshoppes doth who confesse not that they receyued thys spirituall authoritie that they haue either of the Byshoppe of Rome or elles of the Emperour but of Christe onely So that the Emperour can not gyue vnto you any dominion or power sauinge that whiche is temporall and that onely in suche countreyes as be vnder hys gouernaunce Seing then he hathe no dominion either in Asia or eles in Affrike He caÌ„ not make you superiours to vs neyther haue we anye nede to haue you to be our gouernours the princes that we haue be sufficient for our tuicion He maye gyue vnto you some temporall power but yet only in such prouiÌ„ces as be vnder him in Europa but he can not gyue you the chiefe place onles he will willingly forsake his empire sette you in hys place and make you aboue hym selfe Ye crye and saye that ye be Christes Uicars truely yf ye bee Christes Uicars ye would indeuour your selues earnestly to folowe hym When the Iewes would haue made hym a kynge he fled and woulde not receyue that dignitie But you be farre from folowynge hys example whose Uicars ye seme to be that ye procured wonderful ambiciously thys chiefe supreme dygnitie contrary the expresse worde of Christ who perceyuing the Apostles to conteÌ„d which of them should be aboue other he sayed vnto them playnly he would not haue them stryue to be lordes and beare rule as the princes of thys world but rather to serue Christ him selfe as longe as he was here in earthe woulde take no temporall dominion vpon him that he might holly be bent to the sauinge of soules and that no let shoulde hinder him in settinge forthe the Gospel But you as though ye were superiours to Christ will like tyrauntes with the offence of all the whole worlde chalenge vnto you an vniuersall dominioÌ„ Seing theÌ„ thys primacie of yours is neither of God neither of manne ye must nedes graunt that it is of the deuil Wherfore we all as many as be here together protest with one assent and voyce in the name of oure churches that we wyll not admit thys primacie we alow it not neither wil grauÌ„t we theruÌ„to But vtterlye and exepresly we condempne it we wyll not obey it but wil withstaÌ„d this vnbridled terannye of yours to the vttermost of our powers Then arose master Gooplanus a stout proctour of the Pope thus he began Our chiefe bishop quod he hath not takeÌ„ this high dignitie vpon hym to the intent to offende you spoile you or to excercise any teraÌ„ny ouer you but onlye to defende you to endewe you with honor and to profit you and to enriche you with benefices titles dignities priuileges immunities benedictions stacions absolucioÌ„s dispeÌ„sacioÌ„s pardoÌ„s suffrages Iubilies in the whiche thynges he wyll serue you all he wylbe the seruauÌ„te of the seruauÌ„tes of god wherfore ye ought not to withstande hym in a thynge so profitable vnto you To thys the same imbassador aunswered saying As longe as ye can not proue by vnaunswerable argumentes that youre Byshoppe is equal with Christ in spirite and loue we wyll neuer assent that he shal be oure Byshoppe and supreme head Yf ye wyll haue vs to acknowledge hym not onely to be our chiefe Byshoppe but also oure chiefe prince as by youre argumentes ye appeare to goe about and that we ought to beleue that he may chalenge vnto hym both the authorities ecclesistical and ciuill ye must of necessitie first shewe that he is aboue Christe in wysdome power and loue bycause it is well knowen that Christ woulde in no wise take vpon hym any ciuile gouernaunce in thys worlde We be affrayed of so monstrous and horirible a head Wherfore we can not allowe this authoritie neither that he shoulde be oure superior Yf you intende to admit hym take heede ye be not to hastie for ye shall perceyue to your vtter vndoinge that he is no shepeherd but a bloudie woulfe Then arose master Thrasibristus so sodenly so fearslye that it appeared he coulde staye hym selfe no
they be y â— churches of Christ thoughe they be ours neuer so muche We wyll persuade also that the churche of Rome is without spot and worthye to be as a glasse and ensample to all â—ther churches Beelze Yea of all abhominacion Luci. All shall folowe after her as after a chiefe ladye maysters that can not doe amisse who hath full power vnto whom all may appele and from whom none maye appeale vnto whome men must ruÌ„ne for refuge in matters of weight as it were to god because she maye be iudge to all other and be iudged of none other and maye call agayne her sentences as oft as her listithe chaunge statutes made in counselles and pronounce hym an heretike whiche darreth speake one word against it whose seat dignitie authoritie is hyghest by the whiche authoritie she may gather general counselles together by whom all doctrines shal be alowed or disalowed who onely may determine stablishe controuersies in religioÌ„ of what matter so euer they began Who only maye expounde the olde canons and the holy scriptures as it pleaseth her And that all menne maye honour and obeye her thoughe the thynge she commaunde seme neuer so wrongefull and intollerable Nowe if the churche of Rome haue once so large authoritie and yet be vnder the pope euen as the wife is in the subiection of her husband consider then with youre selues how greate authoritie our high bishop of Rome shall haue For besides all these thynges rehersed he may bringe to passe that the sentence whiche he hath once geuen and alowed for good maye be vayne and of none effecte he onely shall haue authoritie to establish new religions al such ordinaunces as he shal make must be receaued with no lesse reuerence then though they had ben spoken with gods own mouth Because that his goodnes shal bee the helthe of men and may haue none other iudge but god alone and that it is not necessary that he should pourge himself of his fault when he is accused by other because Peter hath left to all byshops of rome by continuall succession not onely al his merites but also his innocencie and because he hathe authoritie ouer iustice and also because hys power is of god themperours of the pope and hath authoritie ful and whole in earth to apoynt and determine what him listeth in all coÌ„trouersies that come in question in matters of religion for he hathe the solutions of all controuersyes hid within hys breste and he is the heyer of all thempier and of the kingdome of the Romanes and therfore may he doe what he will for he hathe as muche authorytie as euer had Peter Beelze This onely thing excepted that he can not rayse deade men to life againe as Peter once dyd Luci. He only hathe thauthoritie to canonize Sainctes he only is aboue al couÌ„selles ordinances he only may dispence agaynst iustice he only may change gods definitiue sentence And if it were so that al the whole world should speake against the pope yet must y e minde of the pope onely bee alowed He only hath y e knowledge of the church and that after such a sorte that he only caÌ„ chaunge the nature of thinges make somwhat of nothing In him only must the will onely be estemedfor the best reason that can be deuised not so hardy that any man should say vnto him why doe you this or this thing after this or that fashioÌ„ For he can make rightuousnes of wronge amend all thynges as he shal thinke good he caÌ„ expound chaunge lawes make al square thinges rounde as one that is neither pure god neyther pure manne Beelz Then shall he be a deuell or elles some kind of brute beast But I thinke it no very harde thinge to perswade all thys geare to hym hys mynd is so woÌ„derfully puffed vp with ambicion Yet can I not see howe menne maye be made beleue that the Pope is their God in earth Luci. Yea ye knowe not that it is an easie thynge to deceyue the common sort of the vnlearned namely in maters of religioÌ„ You knowe right wel y t they be naturally enclining to al kindes of supersticioÌ„ There is none so shamefull a lye nor no deceypt so farre out of frame that the worlde wyll not reedely receyue yf it be deliuered them by anye authoritie with some colour and lykelihod of a trueth What christian man is he whiche wyll not wyllyngly beleue that Christ is ascended vp into heauen and hathe left hys Uicar here in earth indwed and furnished with a ful power and authoritie to doe all maner of thynges At the least wyse that faultes myghte be amended whiche amongest a numbre of matters readely arise in the churche by the reason of hys absence And that especially when the worlde hathe conceaued a wonderfull good opinion of their lyfe and learnynge whiche shal be the setters forthe of the matter And more ouer we wyll accurse hym what so euer he be and declare him an Apostata a blasphemer agaynst the holy gost irregular worthye to bee suspended and disgraded that wyll aduenture to speake but one worde agaynst our Popehod And yf it fortune that he be a Byshoppe or a priest that committe thys fault we will haue hym declared excomunicate deliuered into the power of Satan an heretyke a defamed person an infidell a committer of Sacriledge a Sismatike a dampned and a cursed body Who is that wyll not be affrayed of these wordes When the very sounde of them being spoken is so feareful Yf these threteninges wil not be sufficient then in dede wyll we attempt moste cruel persecucions men shal be cast in prisoÌ„ shal lose bothe life and goodes There shal bee no fault in the worlde more heynously punished then thys one of disobedience agaynste our Popehod Menne shall heare God blasphemed and some deny the myght of God and some mocke God and yet shall all menne laughe make a game therat as though it were but a trifelyng matter But yf any manne shall attempte to deny the Popes power or to deminish thesame neuer so lytle he shall be burned alyue with longe tormente More ouer we wyll cause all the bokes to be burned as manye as shall seme to make any thinge agaynste our pophod Yea and we will forbid men that they shall not haue the holy scripture in thyr handes nor in theyr sight vnder the payne of fyer and rope Beelze This thinge woulde they doe very gladly because the scriptures be against them But it wold be so manifest and open sacriledge and wickednes that it can not well be cloked with no color pretence fraude or craft Truly it shal be enough to corrupt the scriptures and violently to writhe it to theyr croked purpose without al feare or shame Luci. They shall not alow nor suffer any bookes to be red but such as maynteyne this craft falshod So that euen as the simple shepe
folow theyr shephearde so shall the Christen men theyr heades we will so indeuor our selues to blynde menne that they shall not onely beleue and magnifie thys hyghe byshop for theyr priuat commoditie but they shall also defende it tothe and nayle euen to the very deathe Beelze But howe maye it be brought to passe that they shall not see so manifest a lye they beinge the heades of the churche Luci. We wyll iuggle their eyes with proud tytles highe dignities offices benefices the reuenewes of whom shal be fat stipendes that they maye make gaudes triuÌ„phe w t all abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of pleasure We wil also make lawes y t the people shall not only reuerence them but shal also esteme them as goddes for theyr religions and popish holynes And againe y t men shal alway studie occupie al y â— wittes in theyr heads to preserue increase this dignitie whereunto there may apeare some hope y t they shall atteyne all shall hange vpon the popes sleue not for feare only of losse of theyr office benefices yerlie reuenewes promotions but also vpon hope to get more Now maye you easely iudge whether they will apply the powers of their strength wit or not for y e settinge forthe establyshing of our pope hod the earnester they will be in this poynte the more necessary profytable a thinge it wil be to them to defend thesame For if the popeshippe once fall they should all sterue for huÌ„ger because they haue none honest craft or exercise to take them to Yea and I will cause the pope to forbid them al honest kindes of exercises and that vnder a couler of religioÌ„ holines lest peradueÌ„ture y e handes consciences of spirituall meÌ„ should be fouled with laboringe they shall all bee occupied suche shal be the bosting about y e helth of soules So great shall they be that they shall disdayne to preache gods worde neither shall they be otherwise occupied then in celebrating againe agayne their colde and supersticiouse ceremonies and that with such a pompe and glory that it shall be a shewinge and a settinge fourthe of themselues Beelze In what kynde of exercise then shall they occupie themselues all theyr life tyme for it is a very paynefull thinge to be allwayes ydell Luci. They shall not bee alwayes ydell good syr but shal haue somethinge adoe alwayes in disynge cardinge bankettinge in wantonnes contencion and other such lyke courtly pastymes And that they may be more diligent in the maynteyninge of thys popeshipe I will prouyde for them vnder a pretence of an ecclesiasticall lawe y t they shal be disbordened and fre from all exactions of princes of thys worlde More ouer I will make a lawe whereunto shal be sworne all byshoppes and Doctors that they shall not onely attempt no thing agaynst this popehod but also shal maynteyne and defende it to the vttermoste of theyr power And also for the stablishement of oure Antichriste it shall be sâ—ablyshed by a law that these wicked wretches moued thereunto by oure spirite shall sometyme congregate them selues together in theyr wicked counselles onelye to kepe downe and extinguish by a common consent the treuth of the gospel By meanes of the which congregacion they shall retayne all the princes and magistrates of the earthe to confirme theyr tyrannye and to defende thys detestable abhominacion of the Pope And we wyll make the worlde beleue that suche counselles canne not erre whiche thinge wil be easy to compase men shal be so blynd and ignorant We will also deuise for the popes pleasure a newe kinde of diuinitie altogether vaine supersticiouse voide of learning heretical wicked ful of vanities and darknes of mans inueÌ„tions doubâ—es questions contencions the mother of all sectes errours and abhominations Thys euill kynde of diuinitie shall brynge in suche a darkenes that it shall hurte and deceyue verye good wittes There shall bee no scole neither vniuersitie whiche shall not be hurted and infected with this Antichrist of ours Good letters shall be banyshed and so shall they lacke all good learnynge in so much that their children though they be baptised and therfore dedicated to God they shall learnenothinge â–ª els in their scoles but vayne and fylthye tales And furthermore that the tiranny of thys Bishoppes empire may be the more stronglye and surely established the Popes beinge inspired with oure spirite shall wryte decrees and decretalles that is to saye prophane wicked and abhominable sentences And yet not withstanding the worlde shal be in suche a blindenes that they shall thynke them very holy decrees And to conclude in fewe wordes thoughe God onely bee to bee wurshypped and prayed vnto with a trewe louynge intiernes of myndes yet by my craftes wyll I bryng it to passe that the Pope shall commaunde menne to praye not onely to Angels and Saynctes and to such as were most wicked and yet by hym canonized but also vnto their Images pictures and reliques and that with as stinking a kinde of supersticioÌ„ as may be Beeze Uerely I can not perceyue howe euer it wil come to passe that christian menne maye fall into so manifest vices wickednesses and ydolatry Of a truethe if there woulde come suche a tyme wherin these detestable vices myghte bee committed that ye haue now spokeÌ„ of I thinke the christian men would haue moe ydoles then euer had either the Iewes or the gentiles and woulde excede with their wickednes and ydolatry all other nacions of the worlde Luci. But I promise you that we may easely bringe it to passe by the meanes of thys oure head that men shal fall both into these al other kyndes of abhominacions Yf ye doubt how this thing may be brought to passe I wyll tell you that ye maye helpe to sette it forwarde to the vttermost of your powers It is not vnknoweÌ„ vnto you y t they haue a custome in y e church of Christ when any christian man suffrereth martyrdome the rest of the Christian congregacion doethe what they caÌ„ to haue their bodies honorably buried as it is a thynge bothe honest and godlye And their Bishoppes yerely vpon thesame daye that those martirs suffered be wont to make mencion of their constancie and victorie to thintent that menne shoulde be incouraged not onely to folowe the example of the Saynctes that they maye bee stronge to dye for the glorie of Christ yf the thyng so require but also for a witnes of the resurreccion that is to come to bring menne in a contempt of thys lyfe whiche shortly wyll faade and perishe into the hope of lyfe euerlastynge Whiche deuocion God hath soundrye tymes approued and confirmed with soundry miracles Now wil we moue and stirre menne vnder a pretence of religion and holines to rip and cutte vp theyr dead bodies to put their bones in vesselles of Christall siluer or golde to set theÌ„ vpoÌ„ aulters where the lordes supper is acustomed to be ministred as
welbeloued spouse whome I my selfe haue redemed washed and clensed with myne owne proper bloude Mich. We see all together and meruayle truely very much howe ye could suffer now aboue foure hundreth yere suche horrible abhominacions Christ. Althoughe the iudgementes of god be for the most parte hid from the knowledge of humayne creatures yet must they be taken as they be in dede to be righteous and holy For the wyll of God as it is moste ryght of necessitie it is not onelye impossible that it shoulde erre it selfe but also it is a rule of all other willes and therefore muste euery creature take it for beste reason And yet one cause canne I brynge whye god woulde suffer so muche euell to reigne so longe space Mich. We take the vnkyndnes of manne to haue deserued these great mischiefes that so it ought to be y e god should suffer theÌ„ so to fall as they haue falleÌ„ into so great euill darkenes heresies and michiefes bicause they loued not thee as they ought thou being the chiefe lyght trueth wisdom lyfe and ryghteousnes neither woulde they obey thy worde Christ. There be many causes why god hathe so suffered thys longe space But the chiefe is that he woulde make his glory more notable And you know that durynge the reygne of thys Antichrist not one of the electes haue perished Seinge they be in the handes of me and my heauenly father none shall take theÌ„ from me neither canne anye of them perishe And ye knowe also that thys wicked abhominacion with all hys malice craftes fraude suttelties errours deceytes prodicions offences euyl examples michiefes promises flatterynges rewardes thretnynges slanders persecucions tormentes and deathes haue not hurte any whit in any one poynt the soule of any one of my choseÌ„ But their malice hath rather made mine more gloryous in that their vertue hath ben tried as golde in the fornace and those that be false christians by thys profe be declared to be hypocrites And therfore whether he wyll or not I haue vsed hym as an instrument and a seruaunt for the larger setting forth of goddes glory And more ouer God woulde haue all the deuilles of hell and all euil menne to abuse thys head of theirs to the distruccioÌ„ my of kyngdom by deceate and violence that I being moued by that occasion shoulde withstande ouercome and destroye thys head of abhominacion and triumphe worthelye of hym as ye shall shortly see by the whiche victorye I myght set forthe more clearely the power and wisdome of God Marke therfore now and ye shall see how that in destroyeng of hym y t he may be destroyed w t more ignonimie I wyll not vse my power but the bare worde of my ministers wherby I wyll disclose these great mischiefes and wyll lighten their mindes with the knowledge of the trueâ—he I knowe that menne wyll then open their eyes and when they shall perceyue that they haue bene so longe tyme buried in such darkenes of ignoraunce in that they haue wurshipped abhominacion it selfe in stede of God they wyll humble themselues vnder the stronge hande of God and shall know what a miserable creature manne is and what he canne doe when he is destitute of God into howe many daungers he fallethe headlonge and howe necessary a thing the grace of god is for hym Nowe be all mischiefes and abhominacions come euen to the hiest state and degre that they canne come the measure is full their wickednes excedeth and is spread ouer all therfore must I no longer suffer For as I haue promised I muste and wyll shorten these wofull dayes of malice for the loue of my choseÌ„ I must disclose thys wycked head of this abhominacion to hys confusion and goddes glorye For as I haue sayed before there is nothyng hidden but must be reueled Ye shal see y t when as I toke maÌ„hod vpon me and appeared visible into the world althoughe synne reygned stirred vp by the lawe and ruled all with a great force and power yet I in dyinge vpon the crosse had the victory and ouercame valiantly all the enemies of God euen so nowe wyll I triumphe of thys shameles and wycked head of abminacion Fyrst and formost I wyll destroye the tyraÌ„nicall dominion whiche he hathe wrongfully vsed in the simple consciences of menne and afterward will I take awaye from hym hys temporall power And to hys further rebuke Euen as the worlde hath taken him for a god in earthe thys long space so wyll I nowe cause the worlde to acknowledge hym to be the moste wicked tyrant that euer was or euer shal be amongest menne You myne angels that bee appoynted to the ministery of my chosen ye shall doe your dewties diligently And to the Gabriel as thou wast sent to Daniell to tell hym the tyme of the coÌ„minge of Messias and afterwarde also to zacharie to signifie vnto hym the commyng of my fore runner Iohn the Baptist and laste of all to my mother to declare vnto her my concepcioÌ„ so shalt thou now goe to Henry the eighte kinge of Englande in whose heart thou shalt prynt and perswade that all delayes set a parte he dryue thys cruell tyrant out of all his realmes and dominions Gabri Forsouth we wyll gladlye o lord and with a swyftenes of spirit performe your coÌ„maundemeÌ„t Christ. Ye shall vnderstande that Henry the eyghte shall deliuer hys dominions from the tiranny of thys mischieuous robber and he shall not vtterly clense it from ydolatry superstcion whose rotes be further enteryd in to the heartes of menne then that they can be pulled out agayne at the first plucke For he shall not long lyue after thys valiant interprise attempted But I wyll gyue hym a sonne named Edwarde the sixte and because he shal be one euen after myne own heart indwed with sundrye godly giftes as one that shall loue me vnfaynedly and shall perceyue howe manye and dyuerse wayes he is bounde to God he shall not abide this great and rancke enemie of mine Therefore folowynge hys fathers steppes he shall pourge all hys kyngdomes and dominions from all the supersticion and ydolatry of Antichrist I wyll be allwayes with hym neither shall he want of my fauour grace and defense at any time and he shal haue a Christian protectour whom I will vse as a meane and instrumente and very fyt messenger betwixt me and the kinge to performe thys my purpose whome I wyll geue vnto hym a very valiant manne both in noblenes and in vpryghtnes of mynde and a singuler louer and frende of right religion By whose wisdome and grauitie I wil haue myne Edwarde to be instructed and brought vp euen from hys chyldhod that all the dayes of hys lyfe he may haue continuall warre with al thinges that shal desplease god This chosen instrument of myne shall be the fyrst that shal bende his speare agaynst the fornamed myne vnpardonable enemy Whose wonderfull example moste worthye to be folowed of all other
the reste of the princes of Christendome shal be astonied to beholde and shall applye them selfes to folow his enterprise beinge incoraged by hys worthye vertue Neyther shall it be nedefull for hym to vse any violence wherby to purge his kingedomes of these michiefes lyes heresies supersticions Simonies ydolatries wickednesses betraying of â—oules wherwith y e whole worlde was replenyshed by the meanes of thys abhomynable thefe For all these thynges thoughe they bee very haynouse shall vanyshe awaye sodainly and be brought to nothing at the commyng of the lyght of my worde whiche he shall allwaye vse as a continuall burninge light bothe in this and all other his doinges Happy therfore shall you Englishe men bee in that ye shall frame all youre affayres earnestly to goddes glorye to the saluacion of hys chosen electes and my worthye triumphe Mich. So shal it be Henry the eyght Papista Thomas Archebishoppe of Cantorbury Henry WE haue sent for you in to oure prsence as for men whiche haue more knowledge in y e scriptures and olde writers then the rest of oure realme to resolue vs of a dout that is come to our minde Therefore two thynges we requier of you the one that euerye of you saye hys mynde frankelye and frely what he thinketh without respecte of fauoure or displeasure to any manne lyuynge And the other that ye kepe it secrete and disclose not one worde of the thinges that shal be here reasoned For it is a matter of great weight toucheth our honour wherfore we charge you so longe to keepe counsell vntill the truethe bee knowen and that you haue lycense of vs to open it There is a thought entred into oure head which we bee perswaded coÌ„meth of god That the Pope who heretofore hathe bene taken for a god in earth is very Antichrist and if we had certaine knowledge that this thinge were trewe we would as we are bouÌ„d bannishe him out of al the coastes of oure kingdome not onely because he should no more robbe vs of our threasure but muche rather leste he shoulde any longer exercise tyranny in mens consciences and bring suche a number of soules in daunger of euerlastinge damnacion Yf he were the vycar of Christe in dede we woulde be his louyng children from hence forth as we haue bene in tymes past Saye nowe euery of you youre myndes soberlye and trewlye what he thinketh Papi I can not but meruayle very muche when I heare youre princely maiestie make a doubt question of matters that bee moste cleare questionles and certaine I can not perceaue y t it is lawfull to thinke muche lesse to speake of suche a matter without doinge God open wronge For such holy thinges as the popehod is ought to be worshipped and not douted vpon and called in question Hen. A trueth if it be a truth the diligentlier it is discussed and examined the clerer the bryghter and more plaine it appeareth Therfore when we dispute of thys matter trueth hathe no wronge but rather a benefit Therfore if the pope bee in dede Christes vicar in earthe the more seriously this trueth is reasoned of the more pleÌ„tifully shal it be published abrode and all men shal more gladly redely receaue it So that we will neither do the pope wronge neither the truth but shal rather shew theÌ„ both a singular pleasure And it is not to bee douted but y t heaueÌ„ly thinges must be worshipped but now here is the question whether the popeship be a heaueÌ„ly thing or not thys is y e matter which we desâ—er to haue discussed Papi Peraduenture your maiestie doeth minde to accuse al our forefathers al kinâ—domes al ChristeÌ„ men of heresie by whose iudgement the pope hathe alway bene and is to this day taken of Christes vicar in earthe Hen. That the trueth coÌ„meth to light is not y e cause that maketh men heretikes but rather deâ—iuereth theÌ„ from all error deceyte heresie and betrayinge And truely we desier nothing els then to haue the truthe boulted forthe by all meanes possible In the ende of our disputacion yf we shal be assuered that the pope is Christes vicar we wyll so take hym as we haue done hetherto and we shal be muche more strengthened in that opinion without hurâ—e of any creature But if we shall perceaue the contrary and be assured that he is Antichriste in dede then surely wiâ—l we indeuour our selues to ridde vs froÌ„ his tyranny wherin we haue lyued hetherto taking him to be a certaine god in earthe And also all other errors and incoÌ„modities muste be taken awaye whiche sprynge out of this counterfecte belefe and more ouer we wyl indeuour oure selues to ridde other men also from thesame So that I se not what can come of this dispuputation but that shal be good and godly Papi Trewly we might worthely bee noted of a temerous arrogancie if we should thinke our selues hable to knowe and iudge better then a number almost infinit of worthie men both in religion and doctrine who without al question beleued the popeship to be a heuenly thing And more ouer what opinion shall we conceaue of an innumerabe sorte of christiaÌ„ meÌ„ which either now be or els hath ben in times past and haue died in this fayth or liue therein this daye Surelye in so weyghtie a matter it behoueth vs to leue of disputing and fall to beleuinge Hen. Yf such as beleued that the popeship was an heuenly thinge were deceaued it is playne that they were neither lerned nor holy in that point And therfore ought we in a matter of so great importaunce to open oure eyes and be wiser then they As for y e blind multitude I thynke must not be folowed who receyueth that manifest errour for an article of their fayth but yf suche as beleued that the pope was Christes Uicar in earth were not deceyued but being in thys opinion thought well Surely we wyll take them both for learned and holy We minde not by thys our disputacion to take from them one iote either of their wisedom or holynes but we shall rather bee confirmed and strenghtened in thesame good opinion which we haue coÌ„ceyued bothe of theÌ„ and of the Popeshyp Yf our intent be to ouercome them with the lyght and knowledge of the trueth to goddes glorye puttynge not our trust in our owne strength but in the onely goodnes of god our godlye studie muste not be called a temerous boldnes Neither doe I allowe the sayinge that we ought simply to beleue it that is to saye grossely for then shoulde the Turkes and Heritykes be excused But as Paule sayeth we must proue all take onely that is good Papi Surely as for my part I can not persuad my selfe in my conscience that I maye put my tongue in heauen and despute of the Popeshippe as though I doubted of so great a matter Hen. Your diuines be not affrayed to put their mouthes and tongues bothe in heauen and to dispute in their
he hath brokeÌ„ the power both of the other hornes and also of the empire of Rome and hath preuayled agaynst the godlye The same thyng Paule the Apostle confirmeth sayinge before Antichrist be reueled and apeare very stronge there muste be a departinge or goinge awaye that is to saye the people must fall awaye or departe from thobedience of the Empier of Rome as al holy men take it wherfore of necessitie it must be grauÌ„ted that he must haue his seate at Rome for he shal succede the Emperour of Rome Moreouer Iohn in hys Apocalipse setting forthe the churche of Rome vnto vs to bee not the spouse of Christ but of Antichrist sayth that he saw a certaine whore the mother of all vncleannes abhomynation of all the worlde gorgeousely arayed with golde and stone holdinge a cuppe of gold in her hand with whose migled liquour al the dwellers of the earthe shoulde bee made dronke from the highest to the loweste And further thys whore shal be made dronke with the blude of Sainctes of the martyrs of Christ. And vpon her forehed she had wrytten Babilonia And leste any man shoulde doubt whether Iohn spake of Rome or not he sayeth playnely that the whore sat vpon seuen hilles which thinge is wel knowen to be agreable to Rome wherupon it is called the citie of seuen hilles Wherefore hys seat must be at Rome Whiche thynge is euident bothe by holy scripture and also by Hierome in an epistle that he wrot to Fabiola agaynste Ioninian to Marcella to Algasia in the .47 Chapter of hys commentaryes vpon Esay and in the second Chap. vpon Osee. Thesame thinge is confirmed by thauthoritie of Tertulian wryting against the Iewes and the gentiles in a boke of the resurrecâ—ion of the body And of S. Augustine also in hys bokes de ciuitate Dei In thesame opinioÌ„ also is Nicholaus de Lyra vpoÌ„ Daniell many other besides And if we wil way Paules wordes diligently we shall also knowe the tyme wherin Antichrist muste be disclosed to the worlde For wryting to the Thessalonians that thought Christ should shortlye come to iudgement and mindynge to brynge them out of that opinion sayeth that there shall a departinge come before the daie of iudgement That is to saye that men must fal from the Empier of Rome as Hierom Anselme Theophilact Bede Dionise almoste all the rest of the interpreters take it Trewe it is that Paule spake thys thynge darkely leste he should offende mens myndes Therefore then sayth Paule that great wycked bodye shall shewe forthe him selfe Yea and he shall not onely succede especially at Rome in hys owne strength but also as Daniell writeth he shall destroye and bringe to nothynge the reste of the hornes and strength of the Empier of Rome So that we nowe see playnely enough that the people hathe not only shronke from the obedience of the Emperoure of Rome but also that themperours haue had no dominion in Rome more theÌ„ this seuen hundreth yere The byshoppes haue occupied the place in the stead of the Emperours by the which byshoppes chefelye themperoures power hathe bene minished Wherefore we muste graunt that they bee ryght antichriste Besides this Christe himselfe hath expressed and paynted forthe Antichriste and al his qualities in holye scriptures with so lyuely colours that who so seeth the pope hath neuer so litle light of knowledge and seeth his properties can not chose but he muste also knowe that he is very Antichriste And to speake sumwhat of hym generally Euen as Christe is the heade of all hys electes so shall Antichriste be the head of al them that be reiected of god whiche bee falsely named Christians As in Christe all thresours of knowledge and wisedome of god be hidden So in antichrist shal be hidden with a couer of hipocrisie al mischefes craftes and deceites giles and falsnes whiche be in the great deuell of hel himself And moreouer as the holy gost is geueÌ„ to Christ and powred into hym without measure and not heÌ„med in with any boundes or limites and as Christe is full of grace and truethe yea in hym dwelleth all fulnes of perfecte vertue and perfection So there dwelleth in Antichriste all vices wickednes abhominations deceytes and lyes without all measure So that as Christe is the very trewe and lyuelye ymage of God so shall Antichriste bee the very trew and lyuely ymage of the deuell Wherefore Esaye calleth hym the wycked one Dauyd also wryteth hym to bee the heade of all wyckednes Danyell and Christe hymselfe call hym abhomynacyon it self Paule calleth hym the wycked manne the childe of perdition not onelye because he shal bee loste hymselfe but because he shall also destroye all them that shall folowe hys steppes and doctryne And also Saincte Iohn called hym Antichrist that is to saye a contrary enemye and a repugninge aduersarye to Christe and beecause he especyallye aboue all other creatures shall shewe hym selfe to bee an enemy and an aduersarye to Christe therefore in that hys excedynge contraryousnes agaynste Christe he is called Antichriste Nowe as Christ was conceaued of the holy gooste and borne of the vyrgyne Marye So shall antichriste be conceaued of the spirite of the deuil borne of Simony ambition which shal be in the mindes of theÌ„ y t shal declare him pope Then shal y e pope be created of y e most corrupt infected congregation of people that is whom they cal Cardinalles who as thoughe they were the very pillers of mischiefe shal sustayne al the worlde and all the wickednes therof vpon their shoulders They saye thys order was created of god when he sayed The pyllers of the earth be of the Lorde and vpon them he layed the foundacion of the worlde hereby it is easie to bee sene whether they vnderstande rightly the holy scriptures or els wryth theÌ„ violently to their croked purpose Who so shall reade their histories and will diligently consider by what craft hipocrisie dissimulacion fayre promises gyftes deceyt and prodicion and suche lyke wicked meanes they haue achiued to thys Popeshyp whiche they so muche desired he shal easely peceaue of what spirite they were both conceyued and begotten Yea they haue gyuen themselues wholye to the deuill so y t they might once come to the Popeshyp As it is playnely written of Siluester the seconde He that could see by what spirite the Popeshyp was conceyued in the myndes of menne and appeared to the worlde shoulde soone knowe whether it be a thynge of God or of manne or of the the deuyl Foure hundreth and foure score yeres after the birth of Christ that litle horne of Daniel that is to say the Byshoppe of Rome had but litle strength and power of manne because they had none authoritie but onely in their owne dioceses as other Bishoppes haue But a bout the yere of our Lorde .480 Odoacer reigninge in Rome