are newlye commytted euery daye / with monsterous lustes of the flesshe / intollerable dysceytes / inuasyons of theues and spoylers of contreyes / robberyes / burnynges / sacrilege And the Authors of soche euylls be not sowght forth wyth iuste dylygence And when they be discouered / manyfested and knowen They be not punysshed wyth dewe correction / yea they be garnysshed wyth moste noble names / honours / and rewardes They occupye the holy seate of iudgement / they be partetakers of the commmon councell / when any thinge is sayde / done / or treated of the publyke weale / of religyon / of ryghteousnes / and of the glorye of Christ the sauyoure But those men whych studye to lyue in Christ and to be farre awaye from the disceytes of Antichrist are holden and proscrybed A thing◠to be lamented of all mē that haue one dropp◠of Christ◠bloode in their bodyes for enemyes of the churche and of the publycke weale They are appoynted to be destroyed wyth blooddy decrees and the slaunder of those men whyche to accuse them falsely receyue for theyr labour the fourte parte of their goodes so that they haue nothynge any where in saffe garde / nothynge wythowte greate perrell / in so moche that they be constrayned to defende theyr lyues / theyr fame / and their goodes in pryuye corners / and they maye lyue more saffely in the dennes of wylde beastes then in the temples of Christianes / and they suppose verely and not withoute a cause that it standeth them in hande to be more myserably afrayed of the Preistes and pastours of the churche then of the Turkes and Tartarians The contynuall cryinge one with an other of them that be oppressed / banyshed / driuē owte of theyr contreys / spoyled / noted wyth markes of infamye wyth owte deseruynge / tormented wyth the boocherly exeqution of the hangemen in prysons and dongeons is euen now gone vp in to the eares of the lorde of Sabaoth Yea euen now theyr lamentable gronynges and moste greuous syghes do occupye the eares of the lorde whyche alone by hym self fe considereth Psal ix theyer paynes and sorrowes so that the prayers of Hypocrytes cryynge vnto hym can not be herde There standeth in the syght of the lorde a watterpot fylled with the teares of wydowes / of fatherles childerne of them that be naked / of oulde men that haue loste theyer childeren / of them whiche are put from theyer heritage / and are vtterly forlorne / of those congregations whiche beynge destitute of faythfull flockefeders are destroyde by the bypathes of deathe And it maketh that the moste mercifull eyes of god ower father doth not beholde ower miseryes Many and often tymes yea euen daylye do men headed wyth swordes / strangeled with halters / drowned wyth waters / tayed or cheyned to postes / burnte with fyer / buryed quycke ascēde vp to the celestial felowship aboue which maketh god sore displeased angrye with vs / and all his angelles and other sayntes / and also they styrre vp agaynste vs heuen / erthe / fyers / sees / floodes / wyndes stormes / tēpestes / and in conclusion all the worlde For whye It is not the crueltye and tyrānye of the Turkes that fyghteth agaynste vs but the wrath of god from aboue is sore kyndeled and waxeth cruell vpon vs by a cruell people The Turkes brynge not in warres vpon vs so that ower garisons of men and con̄cell may not turne them awaye but god the Lorde of powers and the maker and gowernoure of heauen and erth fyghteth agaynste vs. The hande of god / the plages of god are strycken into vs. Solimanne is onely the whyppe with the whych the holy and Solymāne now Emperoure of the Turkes is a scourge sent of God for owre trāsgression ryghteous Lorde dothe beate and scourge vs for owre vicious lyuynge He is the rasoure wyth the whych he hath determyned to pare vs to the quycke He is the sworde wherewith all the transgressors of Gods lawes be slayne He is the fell and vengeable instrument wherwith we muste ether be amended / or els be vtterly destroyed And to hope for an ende of those plages beinge indued with soche euyll maners / soche peruersyte / and soche hardenes of mynde as can not repent the nature or disposition of god / the thretenynges of god the warkes of god / and the examples of all tymes doth so greately forbyd it that it can not also be right to desyer it For truly it wolde growe vnto a sure and moste greuous destructiō / because that in processe of tyme we sholde be confirmed in ower mischeuous dedes and wicked auncient customes and ordinaunces and in a lyffe fyghtynge clene contrarye with gods preceptes And we sholde be perswaded that god were the alower of ower moste vngratious actes Nather sholde any thowght or consideration / no not the lest that might be / come in to owre mynde of chaungynge the wayes of ower moste corrupte lyuynge What proffyt therfor sholde the captyued Christianes take of ower victories whiche by owre example wolde turne the fredome of theyr bodyes delyuered from bondage in to the licence and facultye of carnall luste / pleasure and concupiscence What proffyt sholde the Mahumetanes take being ouercomne or losinge the victorye whiche beyng wrapped in no lesse tyrannye and more profounde superstitions sholde be made the chyldrē of helfyer more by doble then they were before What Mat. xvi sholde it proffit vs to wynne all the hole worlde and to loose ower soules ▪ How moche sholde the knowlege and glorye of Christe the kynge be promoted by owre vyctories and prosperous fortune whyche also maketh werye and ouercometh the hartes of wyse men seynge that vnder the hande and rodde of the lorde / and the wonders of nature also makinge vs a ferde / and that with manifeste significations of greuous calamytyes hangynge ouer owre heades / that I may in the meane tyme kepe sylēce of the lordes most louyng requestes / wyllyng vs to the contrary we lede ower lyues in soche saffegarde and intemperancye that we declare not ower selffe any thinge at all for to regarde the studye or exercyse of the Christen doctryne of syncere godlynes / and the deuoute exercysing of vertues and innocencye But yfit were owre mynde to be turned to the lorde correctynge vs and to come agayne in to the kynges hye waye whiche ledeth vnto felycyte / from the whiche we haue strayed Mat. vij very far of vpon the right hande and Deut. ◠the lefte hande / and that we were pleased to haue the doctrine of Christe the Lorde and of all his Apostles and moste holye Prophetes the onely rule bothe of true vnderstandynge and also of lyuynge well and vertuously / whych thinge as it is necessary / so is it also easye / moste sure and worthy for the Christen professiō we sholde sone haue experience what greate dyuersite there is
cotages of husband men in the contrey / the howses of ryche men / of merchants / of preistes / nether wyll I compare the ordinaunces of ower enemyes to ower instytutions / whose howses it were conuenient to be as churches and the habytations of holy men Onely do yow behowlde the order and maner of greate men and of the Christen nobylytie in theyer howsehowld kepynge Let yowr eyes be caste abowte by the hawles of prynces / by the companye of studentes / by the colleges off preistes / by the cloysters off monkes / by the cowrte off ower moste holye father / the secrete chambres of hys blooddy red carnalles and the palaces and houses of owre Bisshopes moste reuereÌ„de fathers in god And you shall thinke yow to see soche a blyssed companye and soche an order and prouision of thiÌ„ges concerninge howseholde as the Poete Horatius doth paynte in these verses Horatius Nos numerus sumus fruges coÌ„sumere nati SpoÌ„si paenelopes nebulones Alcinoique In cute cur aÌ„da plus aequo operata iuueÌ„tus Horatius That is to saie we are a noÌ„bre borne to coÌ„sume the frutes of the erthe The husbandes of penelope / very vicious lyuers and yet men of greate Authoritye / In pamperinge of the flesshe / yongeth doth hys parte more then right requireth In conclusion to coÌ„pare the offices and dutyes of all ower men those thynges whiche be contrarye to honestye and vertu by all maner off wayes with the maners of the Turkes / it were an infinite labor I wyll therfor towche the matter coÌ„pendiously yet wyll I do it so largely as shall be sufficient to discerne the truthe There is in the Turkes a certen manifeste manlynes and wyse takynge hede / The wyse pollicie of the Turkes before the beginninge of theyer warres and circumspectioÌ„ in goinge a bowte theyer busynes For before they begynne theyer warres or any other matter it is theyer propretye to councell to gether in the wysdome of wordes / whiche done / they do prosequte theyer purpose and folowe soche thinges as they take in hande very ernestly with stronge and mightye dedes Nether ar there any labors so greuous and paynefull whiche they do not almoste suffer with incredible patience In ower men allthowgh ther be no excellencye wantynge nether of wytt nor mynde yet I caÌ„ not tell howe or by what meanes that ether to moche cowardenes or faynte herted sluggyshenes spryngeth vp amonge them when they muste take vpoÌ„ them any harde enterprise / honeste / and proffytable to the bublike weale Or elles we be carryed vnaduysedlye after the maner of wylde beastes into grete perelles which chaunseth many tymes vnto vs thorow ower owne rashe folysshenes and the lacke off good coÌ„syderatioÌ„ in tyme. And therfor beynge stryckeÌ„ with greate impacieÌ„cye / thowght and care / we The lake of good coÌ„sideration in tyme bryngeth the Christiannes in to greate daungers beginne to shitte the dore wheÌ„ the stede is stowlne and to ban and curse the matter so vnhappely ended whiche we had before so folyshely begun And one reprehendith an other if any thinge fortune otherwise then accordinge to theyr opinion expectacion where as the fawte is coÌ„mon and partayninge vnto them all I wyll speake no thinge of owre greate intemperaÌ„cye in sportes / in playes / in wordes / in lyuynge / in the filthy affayers of ladye Venus / in playner inglysshe called lecherye luste of the bodye or carnall concupisceÌ„ce Nother myll I saye any thinge of ower apparell whiche we chaÌ„ge dayly after the maner of apes so that no thinge offereth it selfe so folysshe worthy to be lawght at / so that it seme to be a new trycke / whiche we do not delyte to folowe I wyll saie no thinge of ower pryde and ower bostynge and crackynge not of that vertue and good thinges whiche we haue in dede But wiche we falsely fayne for to haue Some men are so greatly gyueÌ„ vnto vayne glorye that they reioyse in misscheffe and be well pleased / for that they be pore in vertu and voyde os all goodnes I will passe ouer many soche other thinges of the same kynde / in the which the honestie of the Turkes is sene to be greater theÌ„ of the common sorte of Christianes a miserable thinge and yet ah lase for pittye it is to trwe But yow peraduenter wyll saye that the Turkyshe princes and emperoures do burne with ambition that is to saye the immoderate luste and desyer of dominion / and they wrastle â–ª as thowgh they were shytte vp in some narrowe straytes amoÌ„ge the large moste wyde landes of so many kingedoms / and they ceasse not to enlarge the costes of theyr empyre It is very trwe / they do so in dede / but I wolde to God that they were syke alone of that same disease and that a greate nombre of proude and ambitious meÌ„ were not to be fownde amoÌ„ge those disciples that are named after Christe / to whome it is sayde Except Mat. ◠〈◊〉 yow wyll receyue the kyngedome of god as lyttle children yow shall not entre in to it To whome it is sayde God â— of Pe. â— resisteth the prowde and gyueth grace to the lowly For that I maye passe ouer with syleÌ„ce the greate contentioÌ„ that is amonge cyttezynnes who sholde be takeÌ„ as cheiffe / and how euerye man studyeth to exalte hym self fe That I may holde my peace speake neuer a worde how princes drawe owt theyer swordes one agaynste another / not onely for the coÌ„queste of dominioÌ„ but also for the vayne and vsurped names and tytles of rule and authorite Good god what thurste is there of vayne glorye / honor dignite what feruent desyer of promotion what gredy and hungrye huntinge after ge and sellynge and in theyr bergaynes made hyther and thyther What is in the more parte of ower men to whome the Lorde sayde ernestly except yower ryghteousnes Matthe v. shall be more abundant then of the scrybes and Phariseys yow can not entre in to the kingdome of heauen I am a frayed leste ower tyme be the same wher of ower sauioure sayde whan the sonne of maÌ„ shall come suppose yow that he shall Luk. xviij fynde faythe in the earthe And one brother shall be traye an other vnto deathe / and a mannes ennemyes shall be they of his owne house Whyles nation shall ryse vp agaynste nation / and people agaynste The greate abhominatioÌ„ reyguing in the worlde / vertu beyng baÌ„pisâ—hed righteousnes put to tâ—ghte people / ryghteousnes is put to flyght / and bannysshed owt of the coÌ„trey And in hir stede ther is cumme gyles / fraudes / dysceytes / vsurye / false barganynge / circumuentioÌ„ of pore wydowes fatherles children / corruption of marchaundyse or makynge of false wares / iniquitye in sellynge withe false weyght and measure / false performation of hyred worke and labor / losse of rewarde wyth drawynge
⧠A Godly consultation vnto the brethren and companyons of the Christen religyon By what meanes the cruell power of the Turkes / bothe may / and ought for to be repelled of the Christen people / Theodore Bibliander beinge the Author ⧠Thow shalt also fynde here most gentle Reader of the reasons wher wyth a firme and sure concorde and peace in the Churche / and the Christen publyke weale may be constytuted / and of the fyrst begynnynge and increacementes of the Turkes domynyon / and also of the superstytyous and damnable lawe of the Mahumetanes / and of other certen thynges moste worthy truly to be red and consydered The horse is prepared agaynste the days of batayle / but the Lorde alone gyueth the victorye Prouerb xxi To hys moste deretly beloued bretherne the faythull worshyppers of oure Lorde Iesus Christe / Theodore Bibliander wyssheth grace and peace from God the father WHen of late dayes the sadde tydynges of the destruccyoÌ„ of huÌ„garye had brought greate sorowe vnto all good men that thinge which ChristeÌ„ godlynes dyd requier / and that I coulde onely do in suche greate calamytyes I dyd it / that is to weit I was very sory for the mysfortune of oure men And I besought the Lord he wolde spare his people / whiche he had redemed with te bloud of his onely begot teÌ„ sonne / that he wolde not procede on styl to be reuenged vpon vs / accordinge to oure deseruinges Afterwarde I dyd begynne to consider in my mynde one thinge of an other / by what meanes we might resyste these euylles waxynge feruent so to heale the wouÌ„de receyued / that here after more deadely woundes be not gynen vnto vs Wherfore when all the speche of te vulgare people was coÌ„sumed in these vrgeÌ„t euylles And the cheiffe men rulars of cytyes dyd holde manye councells to conserue the publycke weale / I dyd suppose it not to be a thinge alienate agenâ—â—e the â—â—yce of those men that do applye â—eriâ—nâ—e and namely the holy scripture yf they dyd descrybe some firme sure reasons of holdynge warre agaynst the Turkes lying so greuously ouer Germany / that is to saye the towre of ChristeÌ„ Mathematicall masters are whych be cunnyng in Aulgry me / Musyke / Geometry aÌ„d Astronomye dome Although the Mathematycall clerkes and masters of Astronomye do take vpon them the fore knowlege of warres thorow the trientall Quincuncial aspectes of Iupiter / Saturne / and Mars / of other Planetes / and expresse the causes chaunces of them / and accomplisshe the same wyth a natural sharpenes of wytte / as men experte in some certeÌ„ vse of thinges yet wold AlexaÌ„der dyscrete sharpe AlexaÌ„der in correction the moste noble Prynce in the feates of warre / cheifely vse the councell of the olde excercysed souldioures Neuer the lesse I do iudge moche better councels to be requyred by ryght of those men that be studyous of deuyne scriptures For the deuyne lawes befuge forth the Leuyte euen the mynyster of relygyoÌ„ in to the former parte of the hoste / they Nume i. Deute xx Nume x. do sett hym betwene the multytudes now standynge rownde aboute in theyr araye / and wyth the hoorse sounde of the trumpettes they do mynister a 〈…〉 â—â—â—ce to the warres waxyng whote / that it may be prynted in the hartes of all good men / not to be chaunce and blynd fortune / not to be inconstant or slypper Mars whych Mars is fayned of poetes to be the god of battell and it is also one of the planetes rasshely myxeth togyther the troubles of warre / but that it is God the gouernoure of heaueÌ„ and erth / which by iudgement sure reason gyueth vnto some meÌ„ merye victorye / turneth an other sorte vnto flyght And that religioÌ„ wyth oute the whiche no thynge can be goueÌ„rned well and happely hathe in batell the chefeste vse / as in the moste daunger of the publyk weale Also many sermones of the Prophetes dispute of the causes chauÌ„ce of warres and eueÌ„ thys matter as a thing propre or specyally pertaynyng vnto diuynyte doth Hieremye knowlege vnto Hananiah the sonne of Azur / saying / the prophetes which were before me and the / Hiere xxviij from the begynnynge / dyd prophecye vpon landes and greate kingedomes / of warre and troble and honger / or ells of peace / were proued by thys / yf God had sent them in very dede wheÌ„ the thynge came so to passe whiche the Prophet tolde before More ouer many mynysters of Constantine holy doctryne / after the comynge of oure lorde dyd not abhorre from the pollytyck rules of kepynge warre for that I may passe by How that in the teÌ„tes of ConstaÌ„tyne Constantyne the greate / euerye pauylyon of the souldyers had lerned meÌ„ in holy thinges how â–ª Bernharde the abbot was the author Bernard of bearynge harnes agaynste the Saracecens That I may holde my peace of the Innocencianes / and the Eugenianes and soche other troÌ„pet blouwers of oute laÌ„dysh warres Saynte Augustyne the greateste Augustyne master of diuinite in his questions to the booke of Iosue doth allmoste explicate the whole reason to kepe battell godly saynt Hierome also writynge in Bethlem the Hierome same tyme wherein the Turkes dyd waste moste cruelly the lesser Asia / a parte of Syria / and at the laste had kylled all Syria / Arabye and Egypte with feare / dyd showe that the synnes of the Christen people were the cause of that plage / and that there was no sure victorye aÌ„d health to be looked for / before there were a returne vnto vertu and righteousnes The councel of the whche moste wyse and also moste holy man if oure fore fathers wolde haue vsed a great whyle ago We sholde haue had all Germanye fre at thys daye from all the feare and weapons of the Turkes and also all Europe Neyther sholde the secte of Mahumet haue obtayned the greateste parte of the worlde inhabyted And Christe the wisdome / righteousnes power of God / sholde haue bene preached in those places / where as now lyinge falshed and madde superstition doth excedingly reioyse and triuÌ„phe Therfore I folowyng the exaÌ„ple of soche men all though wyth a loÌ„ge space betwene / haue iudged it a proffitable thinge / if I sholde bringe vnto my bretherne not so moche a new couÌ„cell as to renue an olde Whiche thynge shall worthely haue now the more weyght or be the better pondered after that it is knowne by a proffe so manye euylles beynge ouercomme what skill it is to obey hym that gyueth good warnynge But my oration was to be aplyed some thinge more nerer vnto ower tymes / and the descriptioÌ„ was to be made of those reasons / with the whyche a sure and contynu all concorde myght be constituted in the Christen congregation Of the firste begynnynge and increasynges of the
and vyces of owre men / takynge an example at the Apostles and Prophetes / whyche many tymes by such a compeÌ„dyous waye dyd brynge the folowers of godlynes into a more inwarde knowledge of theÌ„selfe / so that they might make theÌ„ to beholde in the lyfe of other strauÌ„ge nacyons / as it hath bene in a glasse what is foule or honeste / what is good or euell in men clokyd / cowled / and hoodyd wyth tytles of names of holynes / and how moche euery thynge consysteth in hys awne kynde / for by the demonstratyon of comparyson it is more euidently sene what so euer they wolde knowe or not knowe eyther by ignorauÌ„ce or dissimulatyon / lokynge vpon the preceptes and iudgynge them selues to fauorablely Therfore yf it shal be knowne the same vngracyous dedes whyche we abhorre in the Turkes / or ells suche lyke / ye or greater myscheffes to be done amongste Christianes / that frely or wythoute any punyshment Agayne those vertues whych are prescrybed of oure master great Emperour Iesus Christ to be more gentlely nourished excercysed amoÌ„gste the parte takers of Mahumets superstytion enemyes of Chrystes crosse then amoÌ„gste fayned false Chrystianes it muste nedes be graunted as I suppose this ferce and cruell nation by the ryghteous iudgemente Marke this well for it toucheth the quyck of God to be styred vp and brought vpon vs / whiche myght reproue oure peruersite and take iuste vengeaÌ„ce vpon vs / because we haue contemned and troden vnderfote The pouer aÌ„d vertu of the ChristeÌ„ relygyon the lawe of oure god and Christen relygion And therfore at the same relygion must I begynne to declare my mynde whose power is knowne to be very great in all degrees bothe in magistrates and The poetes do say â—e that because Or oâ—notheâ—s has made a man of claye and 〈◊〉 â—â—er 〈◊〉 froÌ„ heaueÌ„â—â—â— lyfe into hym Iupiter sent Pandora a woman with a boxe full of alkyndes of dyseases vnto hym / but he refused it / whose brother Epsmetheus opened it / aâ— then all maner of syknesses flewe abrode pryuate persons / in warre and peace and in euery age and condycion of men The whyche also whyles it is kepte whole inuyolate deliuereth kyngdomes / natioÌ„s and cyryes and all men from euyll But beyng corrupte / it openeth as it were the boxe of Pandora and powreth abrode all maner of myscheffein to the world More ouer as we knowe that there is but one onely holy and true euerlastynge and lyuynge God / so do we confesse that there is but one onely holy and true relygion / whyche of Christe the sonne of God of the virgyn Marye the onely medyatour betwene God and man is called Christiane And it contayneth an euerlastyng couenaunte that the Lorde is oure God and we agayne hys people holy and consecrated / wyth oute the whych felouship or cummunion of sayntes with Christe beste and greateste / there is not graunted of God vnto men any felycyte or promisse of blysed lyffe But the wrathe of God The diffinycyon of â— relygion and all maner of calamityes with deathe at the laste and extreme miserye Nether can I for the medyocrite or lytle quantite of my vnderstondynge in fewe wordes better defyne relygion then to be as I myght call it a lyffe or a lyuynge nature and a vertuous dysposicioÌ„ put in to men by the worde of God / whiche maketh meÌ„ to be truly myse good / blyssed / for why it bryngeth moste true and sure knowlege of the greateste goodnes and also of the onely good God and his true worship and maketh vs pleasant and acceptable vnto hym / and styrrethe vp the mynde wyth holy affectyons towardes God and men and also calleth vake oure myndes from those thinges whyche be contrarye to godes diuine plesure therfore ought they to be taken as fylthye and vnhoneste Furthrmore it maketh constancye to gro we in oure brestes / lest we taken with the loue of the vayne flatterynge kynde or shadowe of good thinges or elles with the feare of any mysfortune haÌ„ging ouer oure heades / myghte be caryed awaye / The pray se and coÌ„mendacioÌ„ of religioÌ„ with euerye wynde from those thinges that be very vertuous and good in dede / oute of the whiche fountayne of religion floweth and cometh all offices and noble actes / and all that integryte or innoceÌ„cye of lyuyng / vertu and conuenieÌ„cye which is called holynes Thys gyueth power and goodnes to the lawes This gyueth Authoryte vnto the magistrates and maketh the people to be iustely obedieÌ„t / wheÌ„ at the commaundement of theyer celestiall father and lorde of heauen and erthe / they gyue vnto euerye man what so euer is dew / whether it be honoure or tribute custome or rent or any other thinge Religion alone makethe a good Kinge / a good consull / a good alderman and counceller / a good minister and doctor of religion / a good cittizynne / a good souldier a good marchant / a good husbandman / and a good workeman Relygion coupleth men to gether with moste holy bondes / bothe the magistrates and the people committed vnto them / the parentes and the children / the husband and the wyffe / the cyttizynne with the cyttizynne to be freÌ„des and felowes / and bindeth the souldiours to theyr captaynes the people in whose name the batayle is holden with moste holyeste leages and othes to suffre to gether strongely and lyke men what so euer fortune chaunceth vnto them And that I may ons in few wordes vtter my hole mynde Religion is an infinyte treasure Religion brefely diâ— fined of all good thinges whyche no portion of mannes lyffe may wante no more theÌ„ the bodye may be with oute the soule whiche is the onely cause wherby it moueth / or the worlde may lacke the light of the sonne Therfor howe many so euer haue All godly men of all worldes were chrianes benein any worlde or in any nation / good and wyse men and the frendes of the immortal god / in conclusioÌ„ adscribed and noumbred to dwell amongst sayntes They were euer Christianes whyche truly by the worde and sonne of god / by the wisdome and truthe and goodnes of the celestiall father haue by eleccion and fre gyfte obtayned bothe wisdome and goodnes and that same thinge wiche is called blyssed euerlastynge lyffe Nether are those men forbydden or prohibyted from the felouship of Christianes whiche were not marked with the outward badge that is to saye were not baptysed in the name of Christe or Messias / seynge that Adam and after hym the wother Patriarkes eueÌ„ the moste holy men truly were called in the holy scriptures the true worshippers of the lorde and the seruaÌ„tes of god / but yet not Christianes Nether maketh it any matter by what way or by what meanes the sonne of god was declared knowne vnto the heitheÌ„ / whether it were by
owte crye O vnworthy dede and most vngracyous worlde the decrees of holy fathers of councelles / of so many lerned men / obserued and kepte so many worldes muste now be called backe agayne to scoles and altercatioÌ„ Owte vpon heauen and erthe / what a wycked a cursed thynge is thys Owre moste holy father of Rome Goddes awne â—icare in erth / and hys blessed college of Cardynales are vtterly contemned by a sorte of bag aboundes and brayneles gallowclappers Theyr holy lawes and ordinaunces made wyth good iudgemet / and receyued by the consent of the churche a great whyle a go shall they now be retracted We wyll not suffer it to be rent in peces with wylde horses we wyll rather fight as obedyeÌ„t childreÌ„ ought to do / not with argumentes and dysputatioâ—â— But wyth sworde and with all maner of boucherly instrumentes for the statutes / Actes / libertye / dignite and amplytude of ower moste holy mother and Apostolyâ—â— church of Rome agaynste the runagateâ—â— agaynste the reperypes / agaynst the herâ—tykes / and agaynste the seditious / busye and manifeste enemyes of peace and relyâ—gion both of god and all good men So 〈◊〉 I pray yow / what will yow do Remembre youre selfe well / and be not so hastyâ— for it is sayde that soche men want no woo where are yow become whyther are you gone what iustyce do yow vse wher is the lawe of owre Lorde and Sauyoure Christ / whyche Petre doth expresse the Prynce of the Apostles and the buylder as it is sayde of the church of Rome some fyme the flower of syncere fayth / and yet as I truste hathe now in store some relyques of the same / though many do counte it to be but a cage of vnclene byrdes â–ª Apo. xviii what doth the Apostle saynt Peter commaunde I praye you in hys fyrste epistle vnto the Christianes Sanctyfye sayeth â— Petr. iij he the Lorde Iesus in yowre hartes beinge readye all wayes to gyus aâ— answere to euery man that asketh a 〈…〉 son of the hope that is in yow / and that wyth mekenes and feare hauyng a good conscyence That lawe beinge gyuene by the holye goste as it owght not to be corrupted with any cursed and craftye interpretation euen so is it confirmed by the examples of moste godlye men and of the sonne of god for whye Christe by the authorite of the holy scryptures / of Moses and of the wother prophetes and with the dedes of moste holye men agreable to the scrypture dyd proue and confirme his doctryne whiche he had browght owte of heauen froÌ„ the father / and dyd declare it by myracles not onely to hys dyscyples / but also to the enemyes of the truthe the Scrybes and Pharyses How dylygeÌ„tly / how holylye / and wyth what moderatioÌ„ doth Origene dyspute agaynst Celâ—us one of the sophysters of the secte of the Epycures Tertulliane agaynste the Iewes / the gentyles and the heretykes / Augustyne agaynst Pelagius / Donatus Manicheus and whother Those olde hys-shopes of Christes churche whych ioyned to gyther the greateste lernynge wyth The mâ—â—uer conâ—dâ—tyon of the olde bysshops of Chrisâ—tes church moste holy lyuyng / men neuer suffyciently praysed / callynge a congregation for newe heresies ether waxing rype or elles spryngynge vp as of Arrius / Macedonius / Donatus / Pelagius / Nestorius and soch other were accustomed euermore syâ—fie to behowlde soche peruerse doctrynes very inwardely and to trye them by the rule of diuine scripture and then afterward with good aduisement they dyd denye them wyth sufficient testymonyes and euident demonstration and dyd cut theyr throtes in sondre wyth most weyghtye senteÌ„ces by the sworde of the spryte / whiche is the worde of god But the Authors and folowers of those euyll opinyons 〈◊〉 vi they dyd sludye to reduce bryng agayne to the knowledge of the truthe and felowshyppe of the churche Laste of all they dyd orden punysshementes by the lawes / concluded those venymous dyseases to be cut of thorowe the prouydence of the polytyke and cyuyle magistrates / leste they shholde crepe any farther vnto the destructyon of the people of God How lyke are yower maners and yower dedes agaynst the reueÌ„gerâ— proctours and attourneyes of the catholyke fayth / which make promyse that they wil To depraue is wheÌ„ a senteÌ„ce â—ell spoken is otherwyse alterâ—â— aÌ„d â—ade 〈◊〉 playnely proue the doctryne of Christ tâ— be depraued in many partes / the maners of the churche to be degenerate and fallen owt of kynde / superstityoÌ„s to be brought in wyth intollerable bourdens not to be borne / and those men to be oppressâ—â— whom Christ made fre / so that a place â—ayâ— be assygned / Audience maye be gyuen / and a tyme prescrybed fyt and conuenient / and that shortelye Truly â— yow Christen men I am greatly moued and I shake euery ioynte of me as often as I do behoulde the state and condytyon of thys tyme / into the whyche yet neuerthelesse the holy good prouydence of God hath preserued and kepte vs moste myserable wretches They knowlege their awne selffe / whych are no frendes but fenâ—es / not the pastors / but the wasters of the holy church / that there be many thinges in the rytes / the Sacramentes / the ceremonyes and maners as well of the common The 〈…〉 of the truths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be 〈◊〉 of ordrâ— people as of their heades clene out of frame and wrasted far awaye from theyr first institution / and their conscience heareth them recorde that there be diuerse abuses aboute soche thynges / whiche alsâ— many tymes doth bewraye them self in the face of all the worlde / and yet for all that a conuenient place and a mete tyme can not be appoyntyd that they myght â—nâ—â—ake councell / and caste theyr heades togyther / whych waye at the last the churche myght be refourmed How longe hath the churche now beinge afflycted owre gentle and louyng mother worthy to be honoured of all good men ten 〈…〉 requyred and made supplication in moste lamentable wyse by Maximiliane the emperowre of most noble memorye and other prynces before hym and after / that she might be delyuered from the greuous The godly petytion of oure mother the church vnnto hyr chyldren and importable burthen of to moche oppressed and sore trobled consciencys / that she myght be losed from the bandes of symonye / that she myght put awaye those fowle pockes and scoâ—â—es where wyth they haue defyled hir and made hir euyll fauored warse then with a leprosye / that she myght receyue agayne hyr former bewâ—ye hir oulde simplycite / integrite dygnyte / that she myght be gouuerned withe the lawes of Christe hir sauioure lorde and husbande But what dyd ower mother bosted and crackte of some men with greate and goodly wordes / whych how moche they regarde hir / they declare by theyr dedes many maner of wayes What dyd
as they be many feste to the iudgemeÌ„tes of men Therfore what vertu wyll ye showe in the men of owre tyme / which is not more louyngly fauoured amonge the Turkes What thynge can yow allege to be done of the Turkes vntruly / cruelly / proudely / and immoderately / wherof there is not a lyke or a worse example in ower men Therfore There is none other thinge the cause â—tower euilles but ower owne misâ—cheâ—â—e the mouynges of the celestiall circles or planates are not the pareÌ„ts of owre calamities / as the vanyte of ower Mathematycall masters do tryfle / nether hath the prechinge of the gospell and as some euylle mowthed slaunderes saye the new sectes of the Lutherans and Zwynglyans browght forthe bothe these other euyles / and also these destructions and iuiuryes done vnto vs by the Turkisshe Mahumetanes But ower manifeste my kednes / but ower coutenmynge of godes worde But ower dissolute / corrupte and abhominable lyuynge / declaringe vs to be epicures rather then Christianes / hath caste vs in to these miseries / the lorde callinge vs backe in vayne / that the stepe dauÌ„gerouse wayes of perdition auoyded we myght entre in to felicite by a waye that is playne / saffe Easye / Ye and to the louers of christe also iocouÌ„de and pleasant Show me the worlde that hath bene at any tyme more vngratious then owers Showe me the people whiche beynge defyled with the vyces of ower tyme / hath eskaped the wrathe and punisshement of god The longanimyte or the prolonged pacience of god wyll not suffer hym self fe to be euermore despisyd And he hath warned vs a greate whyle / he hath gentlely exhorted vs / he hath fered vs with wonderfull signes and terrible tokens / bothe in the heauenes aboue and in the erthe benethe The cause whâ— god casttâ—th in his 〈◊〉 and bringeth hâ—â— plage vpoÌ„â—s But we beynge obstinate / harde harted / styffe necked / do still resyste the holy goste and will not amend ower vicious lyuinge wherefore ower righteous / holy / well willinge father casteth in his rodde amoÌ„ge vs that by the smarte therof we may know the stryker / whiche coulde not / or elles rather wolde not be ameÌ„dyd whith any more gentle softer handleynge More ouer by what enemyes sholde we be punisshed more iustly then by the Turkisshe Mahumetanes / whome the sinnes of ower forefathers cheiffely the perfidie / that is to saye the false breakynge of promysys in fallynge awaye from the trwe Christen faythe theyer vniuste dealinge both with god maÌ„ / hath browght owte of the rokes of Caucasus hath lyfte them vp from smale beginninges and begerly pouertye vnto the empyre dominion of Asia Hath made them lordes and Asia / Africa / Europe / be those .iij. partes of the worlde / into the whych Cosmographers haue deuyded the whole eaâ—rth rulars in Affrica / and in conclusion hath gyuen them power / strength and lybertie to inuad Europe with theyr shippes and galleys by that parte of the see that is called Hellespont We do still norysshe them / and that they may go on forwarde and attempte all thinges merely as they haue begunne â–ª we leauynge to the vices of ower elders do minister vnto them courage audacite / so that by the ryghteous iudgemeÌ„t of god we way come at length vnto lyke confusion captiuite and bondage Whe abhorre the name of a Turcke so that we iudge them as the moste vngracious and wycked enemyes of god relygion / and worthy to be slayne with euerlastinge punisshement â–ª Agayne they on the other syde perceyuyng the fylthynes of lyuynge that is amonge Christianes / ather by heresaye / or ells by that they haue sene with theyer owne eyes beyng present amoÌ„ge vs / are so coÌ„firmed in theyr superstitioÌ„ That theyr iudgemeÌ„t is they sholde be the children of hell fier / if they wolde change the receyued maner of theyr lyuinge with the Christen relygion that they had rather suffer deathe then to come in to ower churches on euerye It abhorreth the Turks tâ— to se and perceyue owre abominatioÌ„s syde polluted with Maumettes and Idoles that they beynge browght by some trayne or chaunce in to the howses of ower moste reuerend fathers / and beholdinge the pumppe of theyr pestiferous moste stynckinge vyces / do take them to theyr legges / and they flye awaye frome them as it were from the burninge of Sodome 〈…〉 and Gomorre that they do suppose they can not gyue vnto god any greater honoure / or do hym better seruise / then to endeuer them self fe / to theyr vttermoste power / to destroye ower pride / to murdre ower people / to waste ower contreys to spoyle ower kingedoms / to ouerthrow ower cyttyes / and laye them flatt wyth the grounde The Turkes therfor do ryse vp into iudgement before the seate of Mat. xii â–ª god the iudge Gouernoure bothe of heauen and erthe with the Christen generation so greately degenerate and falne owt of kinde / and they do accuse them for to be onely Christen men in theyr names and wordes But with theyr dedes to denye all maner of godlynes The Turkes I saye bere wytnes agaynste vs / that they beynge made and fasshyoned after the lawes of Mahumet / haue more vertues and lesse vices then we whome therfore we do heare Agayne of saynte Paule â–ª In Roma ij that thow iudgest an other / thow condemneste thy self fe because thow doste Lukeâ— xiâ— the same thinges We heare of ower lorde God thow euill seruaÌ„t I iudge the euene of thyne owne mouthe and of thyne owne wordes I do condemne the. The Turkes beynge righteous men in comparyson of the vayne braggers of the Chrysten religioÌ„ are alowed and destinated of God for to punishe his churche so fowly disfigured and to correcte hir with soche punisshement as is dew for a woman taken in aduowtrie / For why she hath brokeÌ„ hir wedloke and violated the couenauÌ„te confirmed with Christes blood in folowynge of false gods in whome she hath put hir truste She whyche is Christes spouse is no thinge affrayde to hurte hym with spytefull iniuries with fallse breakinge of promyse / and with moste greate vnkyndenesâ— And therfor do ower enemies truely dispoyle and take awaye ower ryches whiche we denyed to the pore / yea rather to Christe requiringe them in the pore Whiche we dyd rather gyue to Idoles and to scoffynge knaues and raylers and we owerselffe vsurped them to the greate superfluite of ower carnall luste pleasur not to the necessarye vse of ower lyuinge They waste ower laÌ„des / they lede vs awaye prisoners owte of ower owne swete coÌ„treies in the whiche we regarded not to worship god truly or to seke diligently for the kingedome of heaueÌ„ In the whiche we dyd not studie for the conseruacion of the publycke weale /
Rome it selfe was ouercome by them of Bothlande For Rufinus a Frenche man borne Rufinuâ— whome Theodosius had ordeyned to be the cheiffe rulare of the courte of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople / the defence of his sonne Arcadius the Easterly empyre beynge coÌ„mitted vnto hym dyd trayteroufly procure the Gothians to vexe GrekelaÌ„de / aÌ„d he moued the Caucasiane inhabiters to inuade Asia wyth fyer and sworde and other calamites the which warre doth by his owne swynge brynge with it And some wryters do name those destroyers of Asia Isaures / some to be HunnyaÌ„s Hieronimus Hieromâ— â–ª the which beynge at that tyme at BethleeÌ„ was in a maner the noter or marker of all those calamytyes / and he promysynge in the Epitaphye of Nepotianus that he wolde remembre the vnluckye chaunces whiche men had suffred with in two yeares doth reherse the deathe of Rufinus / Timasins and Abundantius and the destruction and wastynge of Asia and India by the newe and that moste crell enemye / whiche cam from the caucasiane rockes But the Hunians and Isaures had now a lyttle before destroyde or spoyled the Romane prouinces And Rufinus his treason beynge knoweÌ„ was slayne at Thessaloma by the souldiours of Archadius whiche lately had bene the retayned warryours and followed the banners of Theodosius and so receyued the rewarde of his treason in the selffe same yeare wherein he inuaded by his foxysshe wylynes the dominion of rchadius / and opened the gates to the caucaseane Turkes / shewed the waye vnto them and by his promyses styrred them vp to destroye the Cristen people Neuer thelesse by this his very vyle vnhappye death he hath lefte an example behynde hym whiche the folowers of the same his falsehed maye suerly looke for / that is to saye / they shall be the porcion of foxes and rewarded with Psal lxiii the betrayers of theyer owne contrey / of libertye / Iustice / relygion / and of the churche of Christe ower kyng sauiour But Gildo vnto whose trusty defence Theodosius Gildo had commytted Aphrica parte of the westerly Empyre whyles he attempteth to take it vnto hym wrongfullye was shortly slayne by his brother Mestezel Mestezel at the commandemeÌ„t of Honorius the Emperour whiche had also commaundyd Stilico and his sonne Eucherius for to be Eucherius headed two yeares before the Gothians had takeÌ„ Rome For Stilico whome The odosius had ordined to be the Gouernoure of the westerly cowrte and to be the defender of Honorius and of the Romane kyngedome had by a cruell craftynes the longer kepte secrete his treason mayntay nynge the Gothians in Italye to the intent that the Kyngedome beynge extorted or taken a waye by violence from Honorius by meanes of the warre / he might delyuer it to his sonne Eucherius the whiche from hys yougth dyd pretende the destruction of the Christen fayth Therfore o yow Christen men marke and prynte diligently in yower mynde this yeare thre hondreth fower score and xix in the whyche Theodosius the right godly prynce beynge taken owte from thys worlde dyd leaue hys Empyre deuyded / and his sonnes beinge far vnlyke Arcadius Of whom Arcadius was so folysshe and destytute of all goodnes vertues / mete for a Christen kynge / that his wyfe named Eudoxia mouynge hym vnto it he Eudoxia bannyshed the greate clercke and moste holy man Iohn Chrysostome beynge byshop of the churche of ConstaÌ„tinople And Honorius receyuinge newes at Raueâ—na Honorius that Rome was loste merueled greatly that Rome his play fellowe had so shortly loste the victorye with whom the daye before he had mexely played This worde playefellowe cam more redelye into his mynde then the towne of Rome the whiche now longe afore had suffred very greate assaulte In the same yeare thre not defenders or gouernoures but traytours receyuynge the comoÌ„wealth dyd myngle or myxe all thinges with maÌ„slaughter and spoyles that theyr tyrannye myght be made stronge vnto them / euen as it were with sure bulwarkes and brasen walles In the whiche moste wycked inuentions Rufinus Rufinus Gildo and Gildo yet neuer thelesse were by aÌ„d by oppressed And in the same yeare the Caucasean gates were vnlocked and set wyde open the gates of warre the gates of greateste calamityes And the turkes beynge called owte of the hydeous rockes / dyd begynne with owte any certen captayne / with owte lawes / and with owte lerninge to spoyle robbe through Asia The same yeare god showed fourth his wrathe by the heauens and dyd prycke men forwarde to amendment of lyffe beynge the onely and moste suer waye to eschue the euills hangeynge ouer theyer heades For truly the elemeÌ„t was sene to burne And the erth trembled with Prodygiâ—us signes aÌ„d woÌ„der full tokens greate mouynges by many dayes to gether Also before Theodosius dyd orden before haÌ„de that Honorius his sonne sholde be constitute in the same place where in he had fyrste wylled Arcadius to be partetaker of the kyngedome the sonne sodenly loste hys lyght Furthermore abowte the deathe of Valentinianus to Valentinianus whome Theodosius bequethed his sonne Arcadius by .xxx. dayes continually a fyrye doue appered in the elemeÌ„t For God whiche willeth not the deathe of a synner but rather that he sholde be conuerted and lyue / doth styrre men by wonders and significations of euylles / that in tyme they sholde marke theyerlyfe / how that it doth agre or varye from godes coÌ„maundementes / and that they sholde consider the nature of god / and the worde and the examples showed agenste incurable synners / and that therby they sholde lerne what sholde be necessarie for them to do / and that they may eschwe the vengeauÌ„ce to come For what doth it appertayne vnto me to speake of the haynous dissemblinges or of the backbytynges of the rulars of the churche and of the moste corrupte maners of the ChristeÌ„ people in this tyme seynge that the same may be knowne by the tenth booke of the ecclesiastical historye whiche is called tripartyte And also by the wryghtynges of Ierome / Ambrose / Augustyne / Orosius Chrisostome and other whiche do often and greuously rebuke the synnes of these tymes Therfor the Turkes affayres seme conuenient and necestarye for to be towched here and there as it were by leapes / yea that brieffely vntyll ower tymes For wheÌ„ the Turkes abowte the space of two hondereth yeares had inuadyd the scatered regions of the christeÌ„ men / and after the maner of theues with owte dominion / with owt lernynge and lawes / with owte any captayne and therfor by an vnknowne name when they had I saye by startes inuadyd prouincyes and beynge laden with theyer praye returned home at the laste in the tyme of Mauricius the emperoure theyer name was knowne in Mauricius Europe and Asia For Mauricius a man full vngodly holdynge the empyre of constantinople / a greate conteÌ„tion than stirred vp amongste the patriarchs
people in to the same / and the wonderfull successe of The dyuersyte betwene the Christen churche aÌ„d the Turkes church at this present tyme Cantic i. fortune in victoryes / in riches / in other temporall thinges doth vpholde and commeÌ„de the religioÌ„ of Mahumet where as the Christen church lieth in the duste appereth owtewardely very euyll fauored / sluttysshe / nedie oppressed and filled with diuerse and moche people weake feble faynt in the fayth / with many vngratious men / with many traytours And all hir beutye lyeth hyd inwardely / that is to saye fayth / the knowlege of god / holynes and righteousnes by Christe / euen as the spouse of god speaketh in the balletts of SalomoÌ„ I am blacke / but yet am I well fauored / eueÌ„ as the bagynges of SalomoÌ„ the pauilioÌ„s of Cedar And it is songe in the Psalmes that all the beutye and apparell Ps xliiij of the kinges doughter was set inwardely wrowght aboute with gowlde and curious nedle worke of diuerse coloures And ther for vnto spirituall batayle the Turkes brynge sharpe and obstinate myndes / so that a Turke beyng a proselyte is very seldome sene in the Christen churche / were as many of vs lyke false apostatataes which is a shamefull thinge greately to be lamented do forsake owre religion and fall a waye vnto them Now partely thorowe the prescription of theyr lawe whiche commaundeth theÌ„ with warres to sprede abrode theyr relygion or ells at the leste waye to make men of a contrarye religion trybutaries vnto them / and partly thorow ambition whiche is a kyns woman to slesshely dispositions / and can kepe no measure wheÌ„ the mater cometh to passe after hir owne mynde and supposerh the wynnynge or To holde the woluâ— by the cares / is tâ— be in doble aÌ„d douteful dauÌ„ger / lyke as is that man why che holdeâ—â— a wolâ—e by thâ—eares / for yf he shot de lethim go / it is daÌ„gerous â— to holdâ— hym stylâ— it is dangerous also takinge awaye of one newe kingedome / onely to be a steppe or a Grece to inuade other the Turkes also do stryue with vs for dominion / and they gape after ower temporall goodes / so that we playnely after the prouerbe may holde as it were the wolue by the eares For a substancyall sure peace can not be betwene the ChristiaÌ„s the Turkes so longe as they do obserue the law of Mahumet Wher for to abstayne from warres owght not so moch to be called a peace as a breathinge / a sekyng of some better aduantage And therfore we must praye vehemently to the Lorde owre God that he wyll wit saffe to open the eyes of the Turkes vnderstondiÌ„ge that they maye beholde the vanyte of theyr superstition and the sure and eternall truthe of the Christen relygion For why by that meanes in conclusion an holy / a good / a saffe / an honeste and houlsome coÌ„corde bothe to them and vs might be optayned Agayne to kepe batayle with the Turkes is a thinge full of greate perrell and of moche difficultie whiche way so euer we turne vs in the worlde / For why that dominioÌ„ of theirs is opened very wyde by Asia / Affrica / Europa / and it is abundaÌ„t with the multitude of meÌ„ and of all other thinges that warre hath nede of And there be leages or bondes of peace made betwene Solymanne and the moste mighty polytyke rulers of the ChristeÌ„ name as men saye Whiche thinges how moche they helpe ower enemie how greate oportunities they do brynge vnto hym / or how moch they do hurte ower affayers I holdynge my peace all meÌ„ do vnderstoÌ„de What sholde I speake of the conscripte and ordinarie multitudes of horse men and fote men and of men pertaining to theyr shippes and galyes What of they supplementes or store of artilerye as of bowes / gunnes / harnesse and of other soche lyke thinges in a maner beynge infinite What of theyer arays / vittle / lernynge / experience / prouidence / and concorde What of theyer perseuerance / theyer sufferaunce / and obseruation of dominion All whiche thinges are better knowen vnto those meÌ„ to whome the knowlege of soche thinges belongeth / then to me Nether can they be comprehended at one tyme in any consultation / seynge that many times in the former parte of the hoste / in the batayle and euen sodenly a good captayne muste take newe couÌ„cell But this thinge owght not to be dissembled that the Turkes are ower moste cruell enemyes and are beste instructe and prepared in all thinges And that ower power agaynste them is very lyttle / weake / feble and in a maner worthye to be despysed except ower healpe be looked for in the name of the lorde whyche made heauen and erthe / greate / incomparale / inuincyble / and at all tymes ready for them that feare the same lorde / and hope for healthe in his mercye Chapt. xvij NOw trulye by what meanes we maye get and optayne the same thinge and vse it euermore I wyll from henseforth tell and delcare / trustynge no thinge at all vnto myne owne witt whiche is very smale nether yet vpon anye syngulare wisdome But I wyll folowe the steppes of gods worde and the demonstration of those storyes whyche vnto soche as make dilygent inquisitioÌ„ do many festly expresse accordinge to the course of all worldes / what hath at any tyme ether proffited or hurte the churche / what god hathe done and wrowght / and with what instrumentes / or ells by what meanes / in the churche / ether before the word of god was incarnate or afterwarde And yf I do coniecture truly the lorde hath warned vs wyth a wondefull token that a sorowfull and bytter destenye hangeth ouer the churche and for what causes / and howe and by what meanes she may escape it / the fyfte yere before the Turkes dyd fyrste muade Asia Rufinus the traytour callynge theÌ„ forthe when by the space of .xxx. dayes to gether a fyerie doue dyd apere in the element / and was sene of all men Truly Prodygyous signes and woÌ„ders ought nether with conrempte to be neglected nor yet superâ—tytyouâ—ly to be obserued as wonderfull signes and straunge syghtes fasshions of thinges not acustomed to be sene owght not to be obserued superstitiously no more then dreames and other soche lyke thinges euen so lykewyse those thinges owght not to be despised whiche the maker and gouuernoure of nature hath obiected or caste in betwene the heathen and the companions of trwe relygion / as often as he wolde brynge forth any noble warke and prouoked men more inwardely to consider theyer lyuinge and also to pondre the Iudgementes of god / so that in tyme they myght flye from the euylles hangynge ouer theyr heades Wherfore the Lorde in the gospel Maâ— xxiiij of S. Luke speakynge of the destruction of the Iuysshe nation /
And to set the fortune of other men a syde it shall be anowgh and sufficient for vs to wryght of the diuerse and contrarye endes and successe of the â–ª iij. late consulls or magistrates of the christen publike weale / well worthy I warrant Abundantius yow for to be promoted vnto soche authorite Abundantius beynge nedye / beggerly or fallen in pouertye was banisshed at Bithynye Ruffinus heade was Ruffinus borne vpon the poynte of a spere or a darte vnto Constantinople / and his ryght hande beynge cut of it was carryed from dore to dore and holdeÌ„ forth to begge his meate vnto the opprobrye and shame of his insaciable couetousnes Timasius sodenly Timasius beynge throwne downe as it were headelynge from the moste hygh toppe â— degre of his dignite thowght hym self fe to haue escaped because he lyueth in shamefull myserye with â—wte all glorye and worshyppe at Asca I tell not the calamityes of men miserable but the frayle state of mannes condicion My mynde is of a fraide and I quake by euerye Ioynts of me for to remeÌ„bre aÌ„d to show forth the falles of ower tyme. It is but a lyttle more then tweÌ„tie yeares a go that betwene Constantinople and the mountanes of Italye called Iulius Alpes the bloode of the Romans was dayly shed forthe The fiers and Barbarouse nations named Gothi / Sarmate / Quadi / Alani / Hunni / â—aÌ„dali / and Marcomanni dyd waste / spoyle and plucke awaye violently / Scythia / Thratia / Macedonia / Dardania / Dacia / Thessalonia / Achaia / Epyrus otherwyse called Albanye / Dalmacia / all the kingdome of Hungarye with certen partes of Germanye annexed ther vnto And truly I can not nombre how manye natioÌ„s / how manye virgyns of god and gentle fre and noble bodyes haue bene made laughynge stockes vnto these beastely cruell destroyers Byshops haue bene taken / Preistes haue bene slayne and the offices and duties of diuerse clerkes destroyde / churches caste downe flatt to the grounde and horses hath bene stabled at the altares of Christ / the reliques of martyrs were digged vp / shrines robbed / euery where wayling weping with wringing of ces the Turkes haue the victorie and thâ— Christen army is ouercomne in the playne felde aÌ„d put to shamefull flyghte And yet as thowgh all these miserable murthers and greuous slaughters were not sufficient the ciuile betayles amonge owre selues haue almoste consumed mo men at home then the swerde of owre forren enemyes hath done abrode Wretched Israelytes were they in the comparyson of whom Nabuchodosor is called a seruant Vnhappie are we which so greately greuouslye displease god that his wrathe muste with so greate indignation be poured forth vpon vs by the furious woodnes of these cruell bloodthursty and barbarous heathen Turkes Ezechias did repent aÌ„d Esap 37. an hondereth .lxxx. and fyue thowsand of his enemies the Assirians are in one nyght destroyed of one Angell Iosephat dyd call vpon the name of god syngynge ij Pa. xx laude and prayse to his diuine maiestye / and the lorde for hym so praysynge dyd ouercome his aduersaryes immediatlye Moses fawght agenst Amelech not with Exo. xvii swerde but with prayer and dyd optayne the victorie Therfor yf we wyll be lyfted vp to stande faste and sure let us repent with the Niniuites Let vs with them be throwne downe flatte vpon the erthe aÌ„d crye for mercye Ah lasse and fye for shame how folysshe is ower mynde how prone and redye vnto vnbelelefe The Romans hoste some tyme the ouercomer aÌ„d lorde of all the worlde is ouercomen of them / feareth them / yea and trembleth at the syght of theÌ„ which yet were neuer able before this tyme for co inuade theÌ„ Neuer the lesse now yf they shall ons but to wche theyer lande they rekeÌ„ them selues as deade men And yet vnderstondenot we these wordes of the Prophet Esay Esai 〈◊〉 A thowsand shall flye one maÌ„ persuynge them Nether yet do we cutt of the causes of ower disease that the syknes it self fe also might there withall be taken a waye So that we might see theyer Arowes by aÌ„d by for to giue place vnto ower dartes / theyr veluet bonets vnto ower salletes / and theyr cartehorses vnto ower Iustynge stedes Thus endeth The consultacion of Theodorus Bibliander translated qwte of Latine in to Englysshe and printed at Basill by Radulphe Bonifante in this troblouse tyme ragynge with warre and batayle by all the partes of Christendome / the yere of ower Lorde M. D. XIII Men. of Auguste