should not want a ruler At the same time also Ericius king of Denmarke Peter Instant brother to the king of Portingal and father of Iames Cardinall of S. Eustachius came vnto y◠Emperour being both very expert men in the affaires of warre which did augment the Emperours host with their aid and power Wherupon they straightway pitched their camp before Lutemperge a towne of Morauia and continued the siege by the space of ii moneths There was at that time a certaine Knight at Prage surnamed Aqua which was very rich and of great authority This mā forsomuch as he had no child of his owne adopted vnto him his sisters sonne named Procopius whom when he was of meane stature and age he caried with him into France Spayne and Italy and vnto Ierusalem and at his returne caused hym to be made Priest This man when the Gospell began to flourish in Boheme tooke part with Zisca and for somuch as he was strong and valiant and also painefull he was greatly esteemed This Procopius for his valiaunt actes was afterward called Procopius Magnus and had committed vnto him the whole charge of the prouince of Morauia and the defence of the Lutemperges who receiuing a great power by force maugre all the whole power which lay in the siege carried vittailes into the towne which was besieged and so did frustrate the Emperours siege The Emperour before this had deliuered vnto the Marquesses of Misnia the bridge and towne of Ausca vpon the riuer of Albis that they should fortifie them with their garrisons Wherupon Zisca besieged Ausca and Fridericke the Marquesse of Misnia with his brother the Lantzgraue of Turyng gathering together a greate army out of Saxonia Turing Misnia and both the Lusaces determined to rescue and ayde those which were besieged There was a great battaile fought before the Citie and the victory depēded long vncertaine but at last it fel on the Protestantes part There were slaine in that battaile the Burgraues of Misnia or Chyrpogenses the Barons of Glychen and many other nobles beside ix thousand cōmon souldiours and the Towne of Ausca was taken and vtterly rased At the last dissention rising betweene Zisca and them of Prage they of Prage prepared an army against him wher with he perceiuing himselfe ouermatched fled vnto the Riuer of Albis and was almost takē but that he had passage through the town of Poggiebras but they of Prage pursuing the taile of y◠battaile slue many of his Thaborites At the length they came vnto certaine hils whereas Zisca going into the valley knowing the straights of the place that his enimies could not spread their army he commanded his standerd to stand still and exhorting and encouraging his souldiours he gaue them battaile This battaile was very fierce and cruell but Zisca hauing the vpper hande slue 3000. of them of Prage and put the rest to flight and straightwaies tooke the Citie of Cuthna by force which they of Prage had repaired and set it on fire then withall speed he went with his army to besiege Prage and incamped within a bowe shoote of the towne There wer many both in the City and also in his host which grudged sore at y◠siege some accusing Zisca othersome them of Prage There was great tumultes in the campe the souldiours saieng that it was not reasonable that the City should be suppressed which was both the head of the kingdome and did not dissent frō them in opinion saieng that the Bohemians power would soone decay if their enimies should know that they were deuided within themselues also that they had sufficient warres agaynst the Emperour and that it was but a foolish deuise to moue warres amongst themselues This talke came vnto the eare of Zisca who calling together his armie standyng vpon a place to be heard spake these words BRethren be yee not agreeued against me neither accuse hym which hath sought your health and sauegard The victories which ye haue obteined vnder my conduict are yet fresh in memorie neither haue I broughte you at anye time vnto any place from whence you haue not come victours You are become famous and rich and I for your sake haue lost my sight and dwell in darkenesse Nothing haue I gotten by all these fortunate battailes but only a vaine name For you haue I fought and for you haue I vanquished neither do I repente me of my trauailes neyther is my blindnesse greeuous vnto me but onely that I can not prouide for you according to my accustomed manner Neither do I persecute them of Prage for mine owne cause for it is your bloud that they thirst and seeke for and not mine It were but small pleasure for them to destroy me being now an old man and blind it is your valiantnesse and stoute stomackes which they feare Either must you or they perish who whilest they seeme to lye in wait for me do seeke after your liues You must rather feare ciuill warres then foreine and ciuill sedition ought first to be auoided We will subdue Prage and banish the seditious Citizens before the Emperour shall haue any newes of this sedition And then hauing but a few of his faction left we may wyth the lesse feare looke for it better then if these doubtfull Citizens of Prage were still in our campe But because ye shall accuse me no more I geue you free libertie to do what you will If it please you to suffer them of prage to liue in quietnesse I will not be against it so that there be no treason wrought If you determine to haue warre I am also readie Looke which part you will decline vnto Zisca will be your ayde and helper When he had spoken these words the souldiours minds were changed and wholly determined to make wars so that they ran by and by to take vp their armour and weapon to run vnto the walles to prouoke their enemies to fight for the gates of the citie Zisca in the meane time prepared all things ready for the assault There is a little from Pelsina acertain vilage named Rochezana In this place there was a child borne of poore and base parētage whose name was Iohn he came vnto Prage and got his liuing there by begging and learned Grammer Logick When he came to mās state he became y◠Scholemaster of a noble mans child and for so much as he was of an excellent wit and ready toung he was receiued into the Colledge of the poore and last of all being made Priest he began to preach the word of God to the Citizēs of Prage and was named Iohannes de Rochezana by the name of the Towne where he was borne This mā grew to be of great name and authoritie in the towne of Prage Wherupon when as Zisca besieged Prage he by the consent of the Citizēs went out into the camp and reconciled Zisca againe vnto the Citie When as the Emperour perceiued that all things came
thou sayest so thou geuest offence Luke 11. The 16. Article is that they in many places lende money or goodes to haue treasure or vsurie and they haue in cities and townes yearely paiments and perpetual reuenues as great Princes and Lordes Wherein they doe against the Gospel which sayth do not ye possesse gold nor siluer And wheras they lend for gaine and vsury againste that speaketh the Lord Deu. 24. Lend not to vsury to thy brother c. Ye honest discrete and well beloued Lords all the foresaide Articles we wil prooue against the Pope and all his priests with many testimonies of the holy Scripture which for breuities sake we haue not here mētioned But note ye chiefly these 4. Articles for which wee striue and desire to defend them to the death The first Article is that all publicke and customably mortall sinnes ought to be forbidden and prohibited to all Priests and lay men according to the commaundement of the holy Scripture The seconde Article is that richesse ought to be taken from the Pope and all hys Priestes from the hyghest to the lowest and they ought to bee made poore as the Disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ were who had nothyng of their own neither possessiōs in this world neither worldly power The third Article is that the word of God ought to be free for euery mā appointed and ordained therto to preach and read in al places whether they shal come without resistance of any man or without any inhibitiō of either spirituall or earthly power openly or manifestly The fourth article is that the body of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to be deliuered to euery christian as our lord hath ordained it and as the holy Euangelists haue wrytten We haue also vnderstood that there shal be a Councell in Basile Wherfore let no mā be exalted but let them diligētly kepe their wiues their daughters and their virgins from Byshops Priests and Monkes And do not thinke that there is made any holy assembly of Bishops and Priests for the common commodity and profit of Christendom but onely to thys end that they may hide their secret vices and heresies with the cloke of hypocrisye and let and hinder the righteousnesse of God which is muche contrary to them and for this cause consider ye diligently that they will not make an holy assembly but the congregation of Sathan And take ye heede that it be not done as some did at Constance who tooke money of Bishops and Prelates suffered them to sleepe with their wiues Ye welbeloued and honest Lordes if ye finde any thing in these aforesaide Articles or wordes wrytten somewhat sharply we did it not to offend or contemne you but to the ende that ye shoulde diligently consider and deuise howe Christendome is so ill kept and led by the Priests of this present age Our Lorde Iesu Christ keepe you both in body and soule Amen In the yeare of our Lord. 1430. Preropus Smahors Conradus Samssmolich Capitaines of Bohemia Nowe to prosecute the warres of the Bohemians againe after Zisca was dead wherof we did intreat before there was great feare sorrow and lamentation in the army the soldiers accusing fortune which gaue ouer such an inuincible captaine to be ouercome with death Immediatly there was a diuision in the host the one parte chusing Procopius Magnus to be their captaine the other parte saying that there was none could be found worthy to succede Zisca whereuppon they chusing out certaine to serue the warres named themselues Orphanes Thus the Thaborites being deuided into two armies the one part retained their olde and accustomed name and the other by meanes of the death of their captayne named themselues Orphanes And all be it that oftentimes there was dissension betwene them yet when soeuer any forein power came towards them they ioyned their powers together in one campe and defended themselues They seldome went vnto any fensed townes except it were to buy necessaries but liued with their wiues and childrē in theyr campe tents They had amongst them many cartes the which they vsed as a Bulwarke For when so euer they went vnto battell they made two wings of them whyche closed in the footemen The winges of the horse men were on the out side and when as they sawe their time for to ioyne battell the wagon men which led the wings going forth vnto the Emperors standerd and compassing in such part of their enemies as they woulde did close themselues in together whereby the ennemies being inclosed so that they could not be rescued they were partly by the footemē partly by the men that were in the carres with their dartes slaine The horsemen fought without the fortification and if it happened that they were oppressed or put to flight by and by the carres opening themselues receiued them as it were into a fensed Citie and by this meanes they got many victories for so much as their enemies were ignorant of their pollicies These 2. armies went foorth the one into Slesia and the other into Morauia and returned againe wyth great pray before their enemies knewe of their comming After this they besieged the towne of Swetley in Austrich where as the Thaborites and the Orphanes two nightes continually assaulted the walles wythout ceasing but Albert Duke of Austrich comming with his hoste to aide the Citizens they fought by the space almost of foure houres the valiauntest warriers being slaine on both partes At the length the battaile was broken of and the Thaborits lost their carres and Albert was put out of his camp tents Within a while after Procopius Magnus came agayne and inclosed the citie of Rhetium in Austria with a notable siege They of Prage were in his army and Boslaus Cygneus of whome we spake before was slaine there with a dart the city of Rhetium was taken by force sacked and burnt The Burgraue of Malderburge Lord of the towne was also taken and caried vnto Prage where also hee dyed in prison These thinges thus done the Emperour sent for the nobles of Boheme which went vnto him vnto a town of Hungary called Posonium in the borders of Austria vpō the bāks of the riuer of Danubius but they wold not enter into the towne but remained wtout the towne in their tents whether as the Emperoure going out vnto them communing muche with them as touching his right title and the recouering of his fathers kingdome promising if there were any cause which did alienate the Bohemians minds from him that he would take away al the occasion therof They made answer that he had made warre vpon them without cause and that he had suffred their countrey men cōtrary to his promise to be burnt at Constance not being heard and the kingdom to be contumeliously interdited and the Nobles of Boheme to be condemned by the church of Rome as heretickes and that he should thincke the force
and power of the Bohemians not to be so small but that they would prouide for their owne honor Wherunto the Emperor answered very gently offered them a general councel wherein they might declare their innocency if they woulde submit themselues to the iudgement of the vniuersal Church but the Bohemians which were now become valiant victors in armes would not now be ouercome with wordes and so nothing being finally concluded the Emperor returned home Then pope Martin perceiuing the Gospell to increase daily more and more sent the Cardinall of Winchester an Englishman borne of a noble house into Germanie to mooue them vnto warre against the Bohemians Wherevnto the Emperor also did assiste him There were three armies prouided In the first armie were the Dukes of Saxonie and the lower cities The 2. armye which was gathered of the Franconians was vnder the conduct of the Marques of Brandenburge The 3. army was led by Otho the archbishop of Treuers whom the Rhenenses the Bauarians and the Imperiall cities of Sweuia followed These armies entring into Boheme in 3. seuerall partes after they were passed the woode they ioyned together pitched before Misna This towne a certaine learned and eloquent protestāt named Prichicho the night before had won frō the Papists wherfore the army was determined first to recouer that citie before they woulde goe any further But when as newes came vnto the host how the Protestants had gathered an army and came wtall spede towards them they fled before they saw their enemies and went vnto Thaconia leauing behind them their warlike engins with a great pray The Cardinall was not yet come into the campe but meeting them in their flight at Thacouia he maruailed at the cowardly flight of so many Noble and valiaunt men desiring them that they woulde turne againe vnto their ennemies which he sayde were farre weaker then they Which thing when he had long trauailed about in vaine hee was faine to be a companion with them in their flight They were scarsly entred the woode when as the Bohemians comming vpon thē set vpon their rereward Then was theyr flight muche more disordered and fearfull then before neither did they leaue flying before the Bohemiās left folowing Then all impediment or let being taken away they vanquished Thacouia and hauing obtained great store of warlike engines they destroyed Misna And when they would haue returned home by Franconia they had great summes of mony sent vnto them that they shuld not wast or destroy the Countreis of Bramberge and Noremberge wherby the host of the Bohemians was greatly enriched Sigismundus the Emperour hauing newes of these things went straighte vnto Noremburge and gathered there new aide and helpe Also Pope Martin sent Iulian the cardinall of S. Angel into Germany with his ambassade to make warre against the Bohemians and that hee should in the Counsell of Basill which doth nowe shortly draw on be president in the popes name He entring into Germany went straight to Norenberge to the Emperor wheras many of the nobles of Germany were assembled There was a new expedition decreed against the Bohemians against the 8. Kalendes of Iuly and Fredericke Marques of Brandenburge appoynted generall of that warre which should follow the Cardinal He entred into Boheme by the way that leadeth vnto Thopa and Albertus prince of Austrich was appoynted to bring hys armie thorough Morauia In this expedition was Albert Christopher of Banaria and Friderike Dukes of Saxony Iohn and Albert princes of Brandenburge wyth their father which was generall of those warres Also the bishops of Hyperbolis Bamberge and Eisten Also the company of the Sweuians which they called the company of S. George and the Magistrates of the imperial cities the bishops of Mentz Treuers and Colen sent their aides and wyth them the chieftaines of their prouinces It is sayd that the number of their horsemen were aboue 40000. But their footemen were not full so many for the Germains for the most part do vse to fight their battels on horsebacke Also Rhenatus prince of Loraine promised to come to these warres but being letted by his ciuill warres for somuch as hee went about to vanquish the Earle of Uandome wherby he could not keepe his promise neyther the County Pallatine of Rheine which did aide and succour the Earle of Uandome coulde not goe against the Bohemians The Cardinal staying for them deferred his iourney vntill the Kalends of August In the meane time Albert leading his armie out of Austria vnderstanding that the Cardinall was not present at the day appoynted and seeing himselfe vnable to encounter wyth the Bohemian power he returned backe againe After this the Cardinall entred into Boheme with an huge army destroyed many of the protestantes townes killing men women and children sparing neither olde nor yong notwithstanding this his tiranny was exercised in the vttermost borders of Boheme for his captaines feared to enter farre into the land The Bohemians assone as they that heard tel y◠their enemy was come made ready gathered their host with all speede and laid siege to a towre called Stiltiuerge and brought it vnder subiection In the meane season there fel such a maruelous sodein feare amongs al y◠papists throughout the whole campe y◠they begā most shamefully to run away before any enemy appearing in sight The cardinal Iulianus maruelling at this most sodein feare and what should moone so great an army to flie went about vnto y◠captains exhorting them to put on armor to order their battels coragiously to abide their enemies saying they did not fight for the glory of their kingdom or for the possessiō of lands but for their liues and the honor religion of Christ and for the saluation of soules How ignominious a thing is it saith he for the Germains to flie in battell whose courage and valiantnes all the world doth extoll It were much better for to die then to geue place to any enemies before they were seene for they can by no meanes liue in safetie wythin the walles which geue place vnto their enemy in the field for it is the weapon that defendeth a man and not the walles and except they would euen presently defend their libertie with the sworde they should shortly be in greater bōdage more miserable then any death But this exhortation was all in vaine for feare had put away all boldnes for the ensignes were snatched vp and as though there had bene no captaine in the hoste euery man ran headlong away No man regarded any commandement neither once tooke his leaue of his captaine but casting away their armour with speedy flight they ranne away as though their enemy had bene at their backes The Cardinall also although it were against his will was forced to doe the like Thus the protestants by the feare of their enemies made the more bolde and couragious pursued them thorow the
Rome Pope Iohn had his eyes put out and so put to death Pope Gregory restored Vii electours of themperors ordayned in Germany and who they be Ex Chronico Martini King Egelred Anno. 979. The life of Egelred Anno. 981. The coronation of Egelred The prophecie of Dunstane as monkishe storyes geue it The Danes recoursed to England Houeden lib. continuationum London coÌ„sumed with fire The king warred against the Byshop of Rochester An. 990. The bloudy flixe and hote feuers reigned in this land The death of Dunstane Ethelgarus Elfricus Siricius Elphegus Archb. of Canterb. An. 995. The Byshops sea of Dyrham London besieged of the Danes The Dane spoyled the land Great tribute leuied of the Englishmen Danegelt The sorrowfull affliction of the English nation What disseÌ„tion and discorde doth amoÌ„g the nobles in a realme The pride and wretchednes of the Danes toward the Englishmen Lord Dane Lurdaine Anno. 1000. Henrie Archidiat lib. 6. The first ioyning betweene the Norm and Englishe men King Egelred marieth Emma the Dukes daughter of Normandy Richard Duke of Normandy The Danes by secret coÌ„mission slayne in euery towne of England Suanus K. of Denmarke ariueth in England Exeter beat down Norwiche spoyled and wasted by the Danes Anno. 1004. A tribute payd to the Danes of xxx M. pound to haue peace The persecution of Turkillus a Dane Euill counsell about a king what hurt it doth The second returne of Suanus into England The persecution of Suanus king of Danes Caunterbury besieged Treason of a false Deacon Caunterbury takeÌ„ and brent The tything of the Monkes of Caunterbury A cruell murther of the Danes Elphegus the Archb. of CauÌ„t stoned to death Anno. 1013. King Egelred driuen 〈…〉 I le of Wigâ—â— from then 〈◊〉 Normandy The vertue of Christen mens prayer The death and end of Suanus The Abbey of S. Edmundelburie builded King Egelred returneth into England Canutus cutteth of the noses and handes of hys pledges Canutus taketh Westsaxon A lessen for all Iudges and Iustices Brybes Euill Iudges worse in a common wealth then bloudy enemies Wicked officers Agaynst wicked Iudges A wicked Iudge deposed and depriued by the king Anno. 1016. Edmund Ironside sunne of Egelred king Canutus sonne of Swanus king The battayles betweene Edmundus and Canutus A witty oration to stay bloud betweene 2. armyes Two 〈◊〉 fight 〈◊〉 to hand The 〈◊〉 murtherd king Edmund Two soâ—ne of Edmund Yâ—onside Flattery 〈◊〉 fidelity 〈◊〉 vntrueth in English Lordes False vnfaythfulnes and vnconstant mobilitie in Englishe Lordes and rewarded Duke Edrike the false traytor and murtherer of 〈◊〉 king worthely rewarded for hys wicked falshode The end of pernicious traytours The brother of Edmund Yronside banished reconciled and lastly slayne Edmund and Edward two sonnes of Edmund Yronside sent out to be slayne Canutus K. of Denmarke Canutus maryeth Emma wife before of Egelred Lawes of K. Edgar Hâ—rold Harefoot K. of EnglaÌ„d a Dane Anno. 1039. Hardecknout king last of the Danes that reigned in England Erle Godwyn The miserable wretchednes of Godwyn agaynst the Normands The Normandes tythed and yet the tenthes retithed agayn Alfredus sonne of Egelred right heyre of the crowne tormented with cruell death The cause expended why God suffered this land to be conquered by the Normandes Example of Gods righteous iudgement The death of K. Hardeknout The sonnes of Erle Godwyn The story of Alfred repeated Taken out of the english story or chronicle compiled of certayne englishe Clerkes Alfred of Alâ—red sonne of K. Egelred Ex historia ignati autoriâ— Gunilda wife to Henricus the Emperour Canutus went to Rome The hospitall builde at Rome for English pâ—â—grimes Rome shote confirmed by Canutus The Cathedral Churche of Wintchest inritched by Canutus S. Benets in Norfolke builded Bury Abbey turned to Monkes Flatterers and clawbackes about Princes Canutus chargeth the sea to stand backe but it would not be A lesson notable for kinges and Princes God onely the king of all kings and Lord of Lordes The kinges crowne put on a roode Kinges of England haue as much right in causes spirituall as temporall Certaine lawes of K. Canutus for the ordering of matters ecclesiasticall Adultresse woman to loose their eares and noses Anno. 104â— King Edward the conâ—ellour England aâ—flicted by the Danes the space of 255. yeares K. Edward crowned Holy king Edward a virgine iâ— maryage Methe iâ— Greeke signifieth drâ—kennes Aceasation of the Archbish. against Emma the kinges mother False accusation purged by hote yron A straunge thing if it were true and without false conueyance Great snow and mortalitie in England Variaunce betweene the king and Godwyn Godwyn with hys v. sonnes outlawed Godwyn reconciled to the king vpon pledges geuen William D. of Normandy came into England to king Edward Marianus Scotus wheÌ„ he liued The end and death of vngodly Godwyn Ex lorna Malmesberiensi Polydor. Fabiano alijs Gods iust punishment vpon Godwyn for the murthering of Alphred Periurie plagued Edward the outlawe sonne of Edmund Yronside sent for to England Anno. 1056. The death of Edward sonne of Edmond Yronside William Duke of Normandy admitted heyre to the crowne The enuy and discorde of brethren Vngracious children of a wicked father A place of Polydorus Virg. examined Harold taken of the Normands Harold promiseth Duke William to marry hys daughter and to keepe the realme for hys behoofe Erle Leofricus euer true and faythfull to hys prince How Couentry was made free Godina wife to Leofricus The Abby of Couentry builded by Leofricus Edward the outlaw Edgar Edeling Margaret Queene of Scottes Matilde Queene of England Dauid King of Scots The death of King Edward Westminster repayred Guliel Malmesber Ex lornalen Ex Historia Richardi 2. iussu composita The lawes of K. Edward Ex Mathaeo pariensi William Conquerour sworne to K. Edwardes lawes yet went from it Ex libro Reg. antiquorum in praetorio Londinensi The office of a king described in the lawes of K. Edward A king the vicare of God in earth The limits of the kingdome of England how farre they doe extend The office of a king farther described 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 to haue 〈…〉 iecâ—ion Anno. 1066. Harold 〈◊〉 K. of Saxons Harold king of Denmarke and Tostius slayne The Pope sendeth a banner to Duke W. vpon bone vâ—age into England Duke William landeth at Hâ—stinges Three causes why Duke William entred England Three conditions offered to Harold by D. William The fight betweene Harold and Duke William K. Harold slayne The consanguinitie betweene K. Edward and William Conquerour Murther iustly recompensed Archbishops of Caunterb Liningus Egelmothus Robertus Stigandus The decay of the Church Pope Siluester 2. Siluester the. 2 a soule sorcerer Ioannes Stella Platina Petrus Praemostratensis Nancleâ—us Antoninus Robertus Barnus Ioannes Baleus Ex Ioan Stella An admonition for sorcerers and wicked coniuâ—ers The feast of all soules brouâ—ht into the church Benedictus the 9. Gregorius the 6. A constitution no pope to be chosen but by the
Tyber which Getulus with Cerealis Amantius and Primitiuus by the commaundement of Adria were condemned to the fire wherein they were Martyred and put to death The names moreour of the seuen sonnes of this Symphorosa I finde to be Crescens Iulianus Nemesius Primitiuus Iustinus Statteus and Eugenius whom the Chronicle of Ado declareth to be put to death at the commaundement of Hadrian being fastened to vij stakes and so racked vp wyth a pulley and at last were thrust through Crescens in the necke Iulianus in the brest Nemesius in the hart Primitiuus about the nauell Iustinus cut in euery ioynte of his bodye Stateus run through with speares Eugenius cut a sonder frō the brest to the lower partes and then cast into a deepe pyt hauyng the name by the Idolatrous Priestes intituled Ad septem Biothanatos After the martirdome of whō also Symphorosa the mother did likewise suffer as is before declared Under the sayd Antoninus Verus and in the same persecution which raged not in Rome and Asia onely but in other countryes also suffered the glorious most cōstant Martirs of Lyons and Uienna two Cities in Fraunce gyuing to Christ a glorious testimony to all Christian men a spectacle or example of singular constancie and fortitude in Christ our sauiour The history of whom because it is written and set forth by their owne Churches where they did suffer mentioned in Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 2. I thought here to expresse the same in the forme and effecte of their owne wordes as there is to be seene The title of which their Epistle written to the brethren of Asia and Phrigia thus beginneth * The seruauntes of Christ inhabiting the Cities of Vienna and Lyons to the brethren in Asia and Phrigia hauing the same faith and hope of redemption with vs peace and grace and glory from God the father and from Iesus Christ our Lorde THe greatnes of this our tribulation the furious rage of the Gentiles against vs the tormentes which the blessed martyrs suffered neither can we in wordes nor yet in writing exactly as they deserue set forth For the aduersary with all his force gaue his endeuor to the working of such preparatiues as he himselfe listed against his tyrannous comming in euery place practised he and instructed his ministers how in most spitefull maner to set them against the seruauntes of God so that not onely in our houses shoppes and markets we were restrained but also were vniuersally cōmaunded that none so hardy should be sene in any place But God hath alwaies mercy in store and tooke out of their hands such as were weake amongst them and other some did he set vp as firme and immoueable pillers which by sufferance were able to abide all violent force and valiantly to withstand the enimie induring all their opprobrious punishment they could deuise to cōclude they fought this battell for that intent to come vnto Christ esteming their great troubles but as light therby shewing that al that may be suffered in this present life is not able to counteruayle the great glorye which shall be shewed vpō vs after this life And first they patiently suffered whatsouer the multitude of frantike people running vpon head did vnto them as railings scourgings drawynges and hailings flynging of stones imprisoninges what other thing soeuer the rage of the multitude are wōt to vse and practise against their professed enimies Then afterwarde they being led into the marked place and there iudged of the Captayne and rest of the Potentates of the Citie after their confession made openly before the multitude were commaunded againe to prisō vntil the returne of their chiefe gouernor After this they being brought before him and he vsing all extremity that possibly he might against them One Vetius Epagathus one of the brethren replenished with feruent zeale both towards god and his brethren whose conuersation although he were a young man was counted as perfect as was the life of Zachary the Priest for he walked diligently in al the commaundements and iustifications of the Lord and in all obedience towards his brethren blamles he hauing within him the feruent zeale of loue and spirit of god could not suffer that wicked iudgement which was giuen vpon the Christians but being vehemently displeased desired that the Iudge woulde heare the excuse which he was minded to make in the behalfe of the christians in whom saith he is no impietie founde But the people cryed againe to those that were assistentes with the chiefe Iustice that it might not be so for indede he was a noble man borne neither did the Iustice graunt him his lawfull request but onely asked him whether he himselfe were a Christian or not And he immediatly with a loude and boulde voice aunswered and sayde I am a Christian. And thus was he receiued into the felowship of the martirs and called the aduocate of the Christians And he hauing the spirite of God more plentifully in time then had Zachary the abundaunce thereof he declared in that he gaue his life in the defence of his brethren being a true disciple of Christ following the Lamb whersoeuer he goeth By this mans example the rest of the Martirs were the more animated to martirdome and made more ioious with al courage of mind to accomplish the same Some other there were vnready and not so well prepared and as yet weak not well able to beare the vehemency of so great conflict of whom x. there were in number that faynted ministring to vs much heauines lamentation Who by their example caused the rest which were not yet apprehēded to be lesse willing thereunto Then were we all for the variablenes of confession not a litle astonied not that we feared the punishment intended against vs but rather as hauing respect to the ende and fearing least any shoulde fal Euery day there were apprehended such as were worthy to fulful the number of them which were fallen In so much that of two churches such as were chiefest which were the principall gouernors of our Churches were apprehended With these also certeine of the Ethnicks being our men seruaunts were apprehended for so the gouernour commaunded that all of vs ingenerall without any respect should be taken which seruants being ouercome by Sathan and fearing the torments which they saw the Saintes doe suffer being also compelled thereunto by the meanes of the souldiers fained against vs that we kept the feastinges of Thiestes and incest of Oedipus and many such other crimes which are neither to be remembred nor named of vs nor yet to bee thought that euer any man would commit the like These things being now bruted abroad euery man began to shewe crueltie against vs insomuch that those which before for familiarities sake were more gentle toward vs now vehemently disdained vs and waxed mad against vs. And thus was now fulfilled that which was spoken by Christ saying the time will come
English men Upon the Friday folowing they which were besieged in the towne of Calis seeing the king to be retyred vpon whose helpe they trusted being also in great penury famine for lack of victuals otherwise in much misery vehemently distressed surrendered the towne to the kinges handes who like a mercifull Prince onely deteining certeine of the chiefe the rest with the whole coÌ„mons he let go with bagg baggage diminishing no part of their goods shewing therein more Princely fauour to them then they did of late in Queene Maries dayes vnto our men in recouering the sayd towne of Calis agayne After the winning thus of Calis as hath bene premised king Edward remaining in the sayd towne a certaine space was in consultatioÌ„ concerning his voyage proceding farther into Fraunce But by meanes of the foresayd Cardinals truce for a certayne time was takeÌ„ and instrumentes made so prouided that certayne noble meÌ„ as well for the french K. as for the king of England should como to the Pope there to debate vpon the Articles Unto the which king Edward for peacesake was not greatly disagreing Which was an 1347. Ex Tho. Walsingh The next yeare folowing which was an 1348. fell a sore plague which they call the first generall pestilence in yâ— realme of England This plague as they say first springing froÌ„ the East so spreading westward did so mightely preuaile here in this land beginning first at Dorcester the countryes thereabout that euery day lightly 20. some dayes 40. some 60. moe dead corses were brought layd together in one pitte This beginning the first day of Angust by the first of Nouember it came to LondoÌ„ Wheras the vehement rage therof was so hoate and did increase so much that from the first day of February til about the beginning of May in a Churchyard then newlye made by smithfield aboue 200. dead corses euery day were buried besides them which in other Churchyardes of the Cittye were layd also At leÌ„gth by the grace of Christ ceasing ther it proceded from thence to the Northparts Where also the next yeare after an 1349. it swaged After this in the next yeare insuing an 1350. the towne of Calis was by treason of the keper of the Castle almost betrayed and wonne from the English men Within the compasse of which yere dyed Philip the French king After whom king Iohn his sonne succeeded in the crowne Who the next yeare after vnder false precence of frendship caused the Constable of FrauÌ„ce Erle of Ewe to be beheaded who being taken prisoner before in warre by English men and long deteined in prison in England was liceÌ„sed by king Edward to visite his country of Fraunce In the same yere the town of Gwines was takeÌ„ by EnglishmeÌ„ while the keepers of the hold were negligent and a sleepe The yeare next folowing the Marshall of Fraunce with a great army was put to flight by Syr Roger Bentele Knight and Captayne in Britaine hauing but onely 600. Souldiours with him In this battell were taken 9. Knightes Esquires and Gentlemen 140. The French men Britaines by this victory were exceedingly discouraged and there pride cut downe In the yere after was Henry first made Duke of LaÌ„caster which before was Earle of Derby and Lancaster Also diuers good ordinaunces were appoynted in the Parliament at Westminster Which afterby auarice and parciall fauour of the head men were agayne vndone Concord and agreement about the yeare 1354. began to come well forward instruments were drawne vpon the same betwene the 2. kings But that the matter being brought vp to Pope Innocent 6. partly by the quareling of the FreÌ„ch men partly by the winking of the Pope which euer held with the French side the conditions were repealed which were these That the king of England all the Dukedome of Aquitanie with other lands there should be to him restored without homage to the French king And that king Edward agayn should surrender to him all his right and title which he had in Fraunce whereupon rose the occasion of great war and tumult which folowed after betwene the two Realmes It folowed after this the yeare of our Lord. 1355. that king Edward hearing of the death of Philip the French king that king Iohn his sonne had grauÌ„ted the Dukedome of Aquitine to Charles his eldest sonne Dolphin of Vienna sent ouer Prince Edward with the Earle of Warwick of Salisbury of Oxford and with them a sufficient number of able souldiors into Aquitania Where he being willingly receiued of diuers yâ— rest be subdued partly by force of sword partly receiued submitting themselues to his protection Not long after this in yâ— same yere word being brought to king Edward that Iohn the FreÌ„ch king was ready to meet him at S. Omers there to geue him battayle gathered his power set ouer to Calis with his 2. sonnes Leo nell Earle of Wilton and Iohn of Gaunt Earle of Richmond with Henry Duke of Lancaster c. who beyng come to S. Omers the French king with a mighty army of his francklings hearing of his coÌ„ming the nerer he approched to them the further they retyred backe wasting destroying behind them to the inteÌ„t that the english army in pursuing theÌ„ should finde no victuals By reasoÌ„ wherof king Edward folowing him by yâ— space of 9. or 10 dayes vnto HadeÌ„ wheÌ„ neither he could â—inde his enemy to fight nor victuals or forage for his army he returned vnto Calis where warre agayne being offered in the name of the king vpon vnstable conditions and yet the same not performed king Edward seeing the shrinking of his enemy froÌ„ Calis crossed the seas into England where he recouered agayne the towne of Barwicke which the Scots before by subtle traine had gotten At which time was grauÌ„ted vnto the king in Parliament 50. s. for euery sacke or packe of woll that should be caried ouer for the space of 6. yeares together By the which graunt the king might despend euery day by estimation aboue 100. marks sterling And for as much as euery yere 100000. sacks of woll were thought to be exported out of the Realme the sum thereof for 6. yeres space was esteemed to mount to 1500000. pouÌ„d sterling The same yeare when king Edward had recouered Barwick and subdued Scotland Prince Edward being in Gascony made toward the FreÌ„ch king Who notwithstanding by the way all bridges were cast downe great resistaunce made yet the victorious Prince making way with his sword after much slaughter of the Frenchmen many prisoners taken at length ioyning with the French king at Poytiers scarse with 2000. gaue the ouerthrow to the French king with 7000. men of armes and mor. In which conflict the French king himselfe and Philip hys sonne with L. Iames of Bourbon the Archb. of Senon II Earles 22. Lordes were
and thou bid in the olde law men fight for theyr countrey And thy selfe haddest two swordes in thy company when thou shouldest go to thy passion that as these clerkes seyn betokeneth a spirituall sword and a temporall sworde that thou gaue to thy vicar to rule with thy church Lord this is a sleight speech but Lord we beleuē that thou art king of blisse and that is thine heritage and mankindes countrey and in this worlde wee ne bene but straungers and pilgrimes For thou Lord ne art of this world ne thy law nether ne thy true seruauntes that kepen thy law And Lord thou were king of Iuda by enheritage if thou wouldest haue ihad it but thou forsooke it and pletedest not therfore ne fought not therfore ¶ But Lord for thy kinde heretage and mankindes countrey that is a land of blisse thou foughtest mightilich In battaile thou ouercame thy enemie so thou wonne thine heretage For thou that were a Lord mightiest in battail and also Lord of vertues are rightfullich king of blisse as Dauid saith in the Psalter But Lorde thine enemie smote the dispitesullich and had power of thee and hang thee vpō the crosse as thou haddest ben a these benomyn thee all thy clothes and sticked thee to the hart with a spere ¶ O Lord this was an hard assault of a battaile and here thou ouercome by paciē ce mightilich thine enemies for thou ne woldest not done against the will of thy father And thus Lorde thou taughtest thy seruants to fight for their countrey And Lorde this fighting was in figure itaught in the old law But Lord men holdē now the shadow of the old fighting leuen the light of thy fighting that thou taughtest openlych both in word and in deede ¶ Lord thou gaue vs a sword to fighten against our enemis for our conntrey that was thine holy teaching christen mens law But Lorde thy sworde is put in a shethe and in priests warde that haue forsake the fighting that thou taughtest For as they seyn it is against their order to ben mē of armes in thy battail for it is vnsemelich as they seyn that thy vicar in erth other hys priests shulden suffer of other mē And therfore gif any man smite him other any of his clerkes hee ne taketh it not in pacience but anon hee siniteth with his sworde of cursing and afterward with his bodylich sworde he doth them to death O Lord me thinketh that this is a fighting against kinde and much against thy teaching O Lorde whether axsedest thou after swerdes in time of thy passion to again stond thine enemies nay forsooth thou Lorde For Peter that smote for great loue of thee had no great thanke of thee for his smiting And Lorde thou were mighty ynough to haue againe stonde thine ennemies for through thy looking they fellen downe to the ground Lorde iblessed mote thou be Heere thou teachest vs that we shoulden suffren For thou were mighty ynow to haue agaynst and thine ennemies and thou haddest wepen and thy men weren harty to haue smitten O sweet Lord how may he for shame clepen himselfe thy Viker and head of the Church that may not for shame suffer Sithe thou art a Lord and sufferedst of thy subiectes to geuen vs ensāple and so did thy true seruauntes O Lord whether geue thou to Peter a spirituall sworde to curse a temporal swerd to sle mens bodies Lord I trow not for thē Peter that loued thee so much wold haue smitwith thy swerds But Lord he taught vs to blessen them that cursen vs and suffren and not smiten And Lord he fed thy people as thou bed him and therefore he suffered the death as thou didst O Lord why clepeth any man him Peters successor that hath forsaken patience and feedeth thy people with cursing and wyth smiting Lord thou saydest in thy Gospell when thy disciples knewen well that thou were Christ and that thou mustest goe to Ierusalem and sufferen of the Scribes and Pharises spittinges reprofes and also the death And Peter tooke thee aside and sayd God forbid that And Lord thou saydst to Peter goe behinde me Sathanas thou sclaunderest me in Israell For thou ne sauorest not thilke thinges that ben of God but thilke that ben of men Lord to mens wyt it is vnreasonable that thou or thy Vicar gif thou madest any on earth shoulden suffren of your suggets A Lord whether thou ordeynest an order of fighters to turne men to the beliefe Other ordeinest that knightes shoulden swear to fighte for thy wordes A Lord whether bede thou that gif a man turne to the fayth that he should geue his goodes and cattell to the Vicar that hath great Lordships and more then him needeth Lord I wot wel that in the beginning of the church men that weren cōuerted threwen adowne theyr goodes before the Apostles feete For all they weren in charitie and none of them sayd thus is myne ne Peter made himselfe no Lord of these goodes But Lord now he that clepeth himselfe thy Vicar vpon earth and successor to Peter hath ybroke thy commaundement of charitie for he is become a Lord. And he hath also broken thy commandement of mercy and also of patience Thus Lord we be fallen into great mischiefe and thraldome for our chiefetayne hath forsaken war and armes and haue treated to haue peach with our enemies A Lord gif it be thy will draw out thy swerd out of his sheth that thy seruauntes may fight therewith agaynst their enemies put cowardise out of our hartes And comfort vs in battaile or than thou come with thy sword in thy mouth to take vengeance on thine enemies For gif we bene accorded with our enemies til that time come it is dread least thou take vengeaunce both of thē and of vs together A Lord there is no helpe nowe in this great mischiefe but onely in thee Lord thou geuest vs a commaundement of truth in bidding vs say yea yea nay nay and sweare for nothing Thou geue vs also a maundement of meekenes and an other of poorenes But Lord he that clepeth himself thy Vicar on earth hath both ybrokē these commaundements for he maketh a law to compell men to sweare and by his lawes he teacheth that a man to saue his life may forsweare and lye And so Lord through cōfort of him and his lawes the people ne dreadeth not to sweare and to lye ne oft times to forswearen them Lord here is little truth O Lord thou hast ybrought vs to a liuing of soules that standes in beleeuing in thee keeping thy hestes and when we breaken thine hestes than we slen our soule And lesse harme it were to suffer bodylich death Lord king Saule brake thine hestes and thou tooke his kingdome from his heyres euermore after him and gaue it to Dauid thy seruaunt that kept thine hestes And thou saydst by Samuell thy prophat to Saule king that it
the kingdome which also bound the aunciēt citie of the Prutenitants vnto order by pledges and put the Marques of Brandenburge from the Bohemian crowne and had not onely suffered Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage to be burned at the Councel of Constance but also procured the same with all his endeuour did impugne the doctrine faith which they taught and folowed Whilest these things wee thus done Zisca hauing giuen ouer Pelzina by cōpositiō was twise assaulted by his enemies but through policy he was alwaies victor The places where they sought were rough and vnknowne his enimies were on horsebacke and all his souldiours on foote neither could there be any battaile fought but on foote Whereupon when his enemies were alighted from their horses Zisca commaunded the women which customably followed the host to cast their kerchieffes vpon the ground wherein the horsemen being entangled by their spurres were slaine before they could vnlose their feete After this he went vnto Ausca a towne situate vpon the Riuer Lusinitius out of which towne Procopius and Ulricius two brethren Papists had castout many Protestants This Towne Zisca tooke by force of armes the first night of Lent rased it and set it on fire He also tooke the Castle of Litius which was a mile off whether as Ulricius was fled and put Ulricius and all his familie to the sword sauing one only Then forsomuch as he had no walled or fensed towne to inhabite he chose out a certaine place vpon the same riuer which was fensed by nature about eight miles from the Citie of Ausca This place he cōpassed in with walles and commaunded euery man to build them houses where they had pitched their tents and named this City Thabor and the inhabitants his companions Thaborites bicause their Citie by all like was builded vpon the top of some hill or mount This Citie albeit that it was sensed with high rockes and cleaues yet was it compassed with a wall and vainnure and the riuer Lusinitius fenseth a great part of the towne the rest is compassed in wyth a great brooke the which running straight into the riuer Lusinitius is stopped by a great rocke and driuen backe towards the right hand all the length of the Citie and at the further end it ioineth with the great riuer The way vnto it by land is scarse thirtie foote broade for it is almost an Iland In this place there was a deepe ditch cast and a triple wall made of such thicknes that it could not be broken with any engine The wall was full of towers sorts set in their cōuenient meete places Zisca was the firste that builded the Castle and those that came after him fortified it euery man according to his owne deuise At that time the Thaborites had no horsemen amongst them vntill such time as Nicholas maister of the mint whom the Emperour had sent into Bohemia with a M. horsemen to set things in order to withstand the Thaborites lodging all night in a village named Uogize was surprised by Zisca comming vpon him sodenly in the night taking away all his horse and armour setting fire vpon the village Then Zisca taught his souldiours to mount on horseback to leape to runne to turne to cast in a ring so that after this heuener led army without his wings of horsemen In this meane time Sigismundus the Emperour gathering together the nobles of Slesia entred into Boheme and went vnto Grecium and frō thence with a great army vnto Cuthna alluring Cencho with many great and large promises to render vp the Castle of Prage vnto him and there placed himselfe to annoy the towne Thus Cencho infamed with double treason returned home The Citizens of Prage sent for Zisca who speding himselfe thether with the Thaborites receiued the citie vnder his gouernance In the Bohemiās host there was but only two Barons Hilco Crussina of Liturburge and Hilco of Waldestene with a few other nobles All the residue were of the common people They went about first to subdue the Castell which was by nature very strongly fensed and could not be won by no other meanes then with famine wherupon all the passages were stopped that no vittailes should be carried in But the Emperour opened the passages by dint of sword when he had geuen vnto them which were besieged all things necessary hauing sente for ayde out of the Empire he determined shortly after to besiege the Citie There was in the Emperours campe the Dukes of Saxon the Marqueses of Brandenburge and hys sonne in law Albert of Austrich The Citie was assaulted by the space of vi weekes The Emperor Sigismūd was crowned in the Metropolitane house in the Castle Conradus the Archbishop solemnising the ceremonies of the coronation The city was straightly besieged In the meane time the Captaines Rosenses Chragery which had takē the tentes of the Thaborites being ouercome in battaile by Nicholas Husse whome Zisca had sent with parte of hys power for that purpose were driuen out of their tentes and Gretium the Queenes Citie was also taken There is also aboue the Towne of Prage a high hill which is called Uidechon On this hill had Zisca strongly planted a garrison that his enemies should not possesse it with whome the Marques of Misnia skirmishing lost a great part of his souldiours For when as the Misnians had gotten the top of the hill being driuen back into a corner which was broken steepe and fiersly set vpon whē as they could no longer withstād the violent force of their enimies some of them were slaine and some falling headlong from the hill were destroied Whereupon the Emperour Sigismund raising his seege departed vnto Cuthua and Zisca with his company departed vnto Thabor and subdued many places amōgst which he subuerted a town pertaining to the captaine of Uisgrade During this tyme the Castell of Uisgrade was strongly besieged whereas when other vittailes wāted they were compelled to eate horse flesh Last of all except the Emperour did aide them by a certaine daye they promised to yeld it vp but vnder this condition that if the Emperour did come they within the Castle should be no more molested The Emperour was present before the day but beeyng ignorant of the truce taken entring into a straight vnderneath the Castle was sodenly set vpon by the souldiours of Prage where he had a great ouerthrow and so leauing his purpose vnperformed returned backe againe There were slaine in that conflict xiiij noble men of the Morauians and of the Hungarians other a great number The Castle was deliuered vp vnto them Whilest these things were in doing Zisca toke Boslaus a captaine which was surnamed Cigneus by force in a very strōg towne of his and brought him vnto his religion Who a few yeares after leading the protestants host in Austria was wounded before Rhetium and died Ther were in the territorie of Pelsina many
vsing al celeritie to meete them before they came to London gathered a power such as hee could make about LoÌ„don and first coÌ„meth to Abyngdon from thence to Marlebridge hearing that the Queene was at Bathe thinking to encounter with them before they diuerted into Wales to the Earle of Pembroke whether he thought as they in deede intended that they woulde take But the Queene vnderstanding the king to be so nie remoueth from Bathe to Bristow sending word in the meane while to the citizens of Gloucester that they would graunt her leaue safely to passe by their Citie Which wheÌ„ it could not be obteined with her army she departeth froÌ„ Bristow to Teukesbery where the D. of Somerset knowing king Edward to be at hand at his very backe willed the Queene there to stay in no wise to flie backward for certaine doubts that might be cast Although this couÌ„saile was against the consent of many other captaines who thought it best rather to draw aside while the Earle of Pembroke with his army were with them associate yet the mind of the Duke preuailed The place was prefixed the field pitched the time of battaile came the King was loked for who being within one mile of Tewkesbury with like industry policy as his enemies had done disposed his army likewise in their aray This celeritie of the King taking the time was to him great aduantage who otherwise if he had differed till they had conioined with the Earle of Pembroke had put the matter in great hazard Such a matter it is to take a thing in time Of this battayle Hall this reporteth adding more then Polidore that the D. of Somerset although he was stroÌ„gly intrenched yet through the occasion or policie of the Duke of Gloucâ—ster which had the fore ward of the kings part a little reculing back followed the chase supposing that the Lord Wenlock who had the middle ward would haue followed hard at his backe The duke of Glocester whether for shame rather then of policie espieng his aduaÌ„tage sodenly turned face to his enemies Whereupon the coÌ„trary part was estsoones discomfited and so much the more because they were separate froÌ„ their company Tho Duke of Somerset not a litle aggyeued at this so vnfortunate case returneth to the middle ward where he seeing the L. Wenlocke abiding still reuileth him and calleth him traytour and with his are striketh the braine out of his head Thus much addeth Hall besides Polydor but sheweth not his author where he had it Polydore writing of this conflict writeth no more but this that the Queenes army being ouerset with the number and multitude of their enemies and she hauing no fresh souldiours to furnish the field was at last ouermatched and for that most part slaine or taken In which battaile were named to be slaine that Earle or Deuonshire the Lord Wenlocke Lord Iohn Duke of Somerset his brother beside other Among theÌ„ that were taken was Queene Margaret fouÌ„d in her chariot almost dead for sorow Prince Edward Edmund D. of Somerset Iohn Prior of S. Iohns with xx other knightes all which were beheaded within ij dayes after the Queene only and the yong prince excepted Which prince Edward being then brought to the Kings presence was demaunded of him how he durst be so bold to stand in battaile against him To this Edward Hall addeth more and saith that after the field was finished the King made Proclamation that whosoeuer would bring Prince Edward to him should haue annuitie of an C. li. during his life and the Princes life to be saued Whereupon sir Rich. Croftes not mistrusting the kings promise brought forth his prisoner c. And so the king demanding of the Prince as is said how he durst so presumptuously enter this Realme with his banner displayed against him he answered sayeng that he came to recouer his fathers kingdome and inheritance from his grandfather and father to him descending whereat said Polydor the King with his hande disdainingly thrust him from him Other say that the king stroake him on the face with his gauntlet At the speaking of these words was present George Duke of Clarence Richarde Duke of Gloucester and the Earle Lord William Hastings Who vpon the same vncourteously falling vpon the Prince did slaye hym Queene Margaret being brought prisoner to London was afterwarde raunsomed of hir father Duke of Angeow for a great summe of money which he borrowed of the French King and for the paiment therof was faine to yeeld vnto him the title of the kingdome of Sicile and Naples c. King Edward for these prosperous warres rendred to God his hartie thanks and caused publikely through his realme solemne processions to be kepte three daies together And thus much and too much touchyng the warres of King Edward the fourth which was done anno 1471. Ex Polid. alijs The same yeare and about the same tyme vppon the Ascension euen king Henry being prisoner in the Tower departed after he had reigned in all xxxviij yeares and vi moneths Polydore and Hall folowing him affirme that he was slaine with a dagger by Rich. Duke of Glocester the Kings brother for the more quiet and sauegard of the King his brother In the history intituled Scala mundi I finde these words Quod in turri in vigilia Ascensionis Dominicae ibidem feliciter moriens per Thamesiam nauicula vsque ad Abbathiam de Chertesey deductus ibi sepultus est That is that king Henry being in the Tower vpon the Ascension euen there happely or quietly departing was brought by Thames in a boate to the Abbey of Chertesey and there buried Polydore after he hath described the vertues of thys king recordeth that king Henry the seuenth did afterwarde translate the corps of him froÌ„ Chertesey to Windsore and addeth moreouer that by him certayne myracles were wrought For the which cause the sayde King Henry the seauenth sayth he laboured with Pope Iulius to haue him canonised for a Saint but the death of the king was the let why that matter proceeded not Edward Hall writing of this matter addeth more declaring the cause why king Henries sancting went not forward to be this for that the fees of canonising of a King were of so great a quantitie at Rome more then of another Bishop or prelaâ—e that the said king thought it better to keepe the money in his chestes then with the empouerishing of the realme to buy so deare pay so much for a new holy day of sainct Henry in the Calender c. Ex Hallo which if it be true it might be replied then to the Pope Iulius that if Popes be higher then kings in the earth and especially in heaueÌ„ why then is a Pope Saint so cheape in the market place of Rome and a King Saint so deare Againe if the valuation of things in all markets and buries be according to the
1 ioyneth with the Archb. Agreement betweene the Archb. and Monkes of Cant. vpon what conditions Conditions of peace coÌ„cluded Ex libr. anoâ—imo ex hist. Geruaiij Mo â—achi Canâ—queriensis Arcb. of Cant. purchaseth of the B. of Rochester laÌ„d in Lambeth to builde his house vpon Baldewin archbishop of Cant. buildeth his house at Lambeth Three things to be obserued in this story of Canterbury Monkes aboue rehearsed Hypocrisie in Monkery Kinges made slaues vnder the Pope No concord not vnitie in Popish Churches Examples prouing what discord and how little vnitie is in the Popes Church Ex Math. Paris No vnitie in the popes Church Conclusions of the Friers condemned for erroneous by the Prelates of Paris Ex Mat. Paris sol 167. Contention betweene Friers aboâ—t the conception of our Ladie Continuall variaunce in the Popes church Anno. 1190. King Richard taketh his iourney toward the land of Hierusalem The oth of fidelitie betweene Philip second French king and king Richard the first going to the holy laÌ„d Discipline and orders set by king Richard for malefactors The French king 〈◊〉 Rich. 〈◊〉 to Lyons K. Richard commeth â—â— Marsilia K. Richard complained of the filthe Symony of the Popes Court. K. Richard departeth from Maâ—â—â—lia The kyngs ships arâ—e at Messana The comming of 〈◊〉 Richard tâ— Messana The French king 〈◊〉 in Messana The French king driue backe again by the wyâ— to Messanâ— K. Richard obtaineth his sister Ioan queâ—â— sometime â—â— Scicilia to 〈◊〉 sent vnto him K. â—ichard getteth the monastery of Grâ—â—â—â— Discord betweene the Citizens Messana of the Engliâ—â— armie The king â—oulde not â—tay the rage of the people Communication about peace amoÌ„g the kings A skirmish betweene the Citizens of Messana the Englishmen The French Kyng a bearer with straungers against the English men English men wâ—ane the City of Messana in Sicilia English armes set vp at Messana The league renued betweene K. Richard and the French king Peace coÌ„cluded betwene K. Richard Tancrede K. of Sicilia Fredericke 1. Emperour with his sonne Conrade come vp toward the siege of Achon Fredericke the Emperor drowned in a riuer going to the siege of Achon A miserable famine in the siege of Achon Gods prouideÌ„ce in time of need The siege of AAchon Ignis Graecus much vsed of the Saracens K. Richard conferreth with Ioachim Abbot about the comming of Antichrist Abbas Ioachim condemned in the councell of Laterane by Innocent 3. Henricus sonne of Fredericke standeth to be Emperour Pope Clement dyeth Celestinas 3. Pope Anno. 1191. The bountifull liberalitie of king Richard King Richard remoueth from Messana and commeth to Cathneys The honorable intertainment of king Richard by king Tancredus Philip the freÌ„ch king trayterously seeketh the destruction of K. Richard by secret letters sent to the king of Sicilia A faithfull part of Tancredus kyng of Sicilia toward kyng Richard The first occasion of discord betweene the French king and king Richard K. Richard chargeth the French king with falsehood The FreÌ„ch king quarelleth with L. Richard about marying his sister Causes alledged why K. Richard could not marry with the French kinges sister Agreement betweene the two kinges with the conditions touching the same The French king commeth to Achon Berengaria or as some do call her Bernegera daughter to the king of Nauarre brought to be maried to kyng Richard by his mother Alinor Pope Celestinus 3. Conditions required of Henricus K. of Almanes before he should be made Emperour by the Pope The Pope of Rome in the ful toppe of his pride Pope Celestine croâ—neth Herâ—cus the emperour was his seete The Pope striketh is the Emperours 〈◊〉 with his foote K. Richard moueth his Messana 〈◊〉 Achon K. Richard ouertaken with a â—â—â—pest in the Seas going to Achon Isakiuâ— king of Cyprus 〈◊〉 cruell enemy to Englishe men K. Richard maketh sure to the king of Cyprus for his souldiours in captiuitie The disâ—â—â— full 〈◊〉 answere of Isakius to K. Richard K. Richard exhorteth his men to fight against Isakius K. Richard setteth vpon Isakius 〈◊〉 of Cyprus The battaile betwene the Emperour of Cyprus and K. Rich. Isakius Emperour of the GriffoÌ„s put to flight The towne of Lymezâ—â— taken by king Rich. The king of Cyprus againe put to flight K. Richard marrieth Bernegera daughter of the king of Nauarie in the Isle of Cyprus Isakius king of Cyprus yeldeth himselfe to king Richard The king of Cyprus breaketh conditions with kyng Richard King of Cyprus againe submitteth himselfe and was kept in golden fetters K. Rich. taketh his iourney to Achon A thousand fiue hundreth Saracens sent to the rescue of Achon vanquished on the sea by K. Richard The Citie of Achon yelded to the Christians An honest part of a secret Christian in the citie of AchoÌ„ The forme of peace concluded betweene the Kings and the Princes of Achon Couenaunces made in giuing vp the citie of Achon Religion would be taught and not coacted The two kinges deuide the citie of Achon with all the spoyle therof betwene themselues CoÌ„monly seene who so taketh most paynes their part to be the least Many of the Christian soldidiours for neede were constrayned to depart from Achon K. Richard requireth of the French kyng to remaine three yeares with his army but hee would not Christian captiues slai◠〈◊〉 the Saladine The Saracen captiues slaine by k. Richard Saladine put to flight A noble victory by Gods power gotten by Kyng Rich against the Saracens K. Richard in possession of Syria The storie of William the proude Byshop of Ely Vt iustè iudicarent â—lerum populum verba hist. Foure chiefe Iustices with two Byshops appointed ouerseers of the Realme in the kings absence William Longchamp B. of Ely Lord Chauncelour and the popes Legat. The church and belles of Yorke suspended because the Lord Legate was not set in with procession Bysh. of Ely getteth the caâ—tel of Wyndsore from the b. of DurhaÌ„ Hugo Bishop of Durham vexed by W. Bishop of Ely The exceâ—siue pride and enoâ—â—â—ties of Wâ—â—shop of Eâ—â— Byshop of Ely neuer rode vnder a 1500 horse His 〈◊〉 His vsâ—ry His riotous and dâ—licate life The Bishop of Ely playeth both king priest 〈◊〉 Bish. of Ely garded with French men Fleâ—mings Anno. 1191. A generall complaint to the K. of W. Bish. of Ely Of these foure associates read the page before s Another dissention betweene Iohn the kings brother William Bish. of Ely Another broyle betweene the Chauncelor and Geffray Archbish. of Yorke the kings brother The cruell handling of Geffray Archbish. of Yorke by the B. of Ely the Popes â—egate and Chaunceler of England Geffray Archb. of Yorke deliuered out of prisoÌ„ by coÌ„mandement of Earle Iohn his brother A skirmish betweene the seruants of the B. of Ely and the seruants of Earle Iohn The nobles assembled in counsell against the B. of Ely The B. of Ely Chauncelour of the realme and Legate deposed The B. of Ely resigneth
openlye night and daye and spoyle those which doe no harme And it followeth after which if it be done by your commaundement be it so well done For a good Prince wyll neuer commaund but good things And so we wil be contented to sustaine the honor of his death This onely wee most humblye beseech your Maiestie that callyng before you and examining the authors of this tumult and cōtention then your grace would iustly iudge whether we are worthy of cruell death or quiet life And then if it be not your pleasure and that it proceedeth not by your occasion which indeede against your barbarous enimies were to badde the more a great deale we are petitioners to your hyghnes that hereafter you wyll vouchsafe to heare vs thus so vexed and oppressed with these kinde of vylanous robberies And verily our Philosophy doctryne did first among the barbarous take place which doctrine fyrst in the daies of Augustus your predecessor when it did raygne and florish thereby your Empire became most famous fortunate and from that time more and more the state of the Romane Empire increased in honor wherof you most happely were made successour and so shall your sonne to Honor therefore this Philosophie which with your Empire sprang vp and came in with Augustus whiche your progenitors aboue al other honored most esteemed And verily this is no small argumēt of a good beginning that since our doctrine flourished in the Empire no misfortune or losse happened frō Augustus time but contrary alwaies victory good and honorable yeres as euer any mā would wishe Onely among all and of all Nero and Domitian beyng kindled by diuers naughty and spitfull persons cauillingly obiected against our doctrine of whom this Sicophanticall slaundring of vs by naughty custome first came and sprang vp But your godly fathers espying the ignoraunce of these oftentimes by their writing corrected their temerous attemptes in that behalfe Among whom your granfather Adrian with many other is read of to haue wrytten of Fundayne the Proconsul and Lieutenāt of Asia And your father your own father I say with whom you ruled in al things wrote to the Cities vnder his signet as the Laersens Thessalonicenses Athenienses and Grecians rashly to innouate or alter nothing of your highnes therfore who in this case is of that sect as your predecessours were yea of a more benigne Philosophicall minde we are in good hope to obtaine our peticion and request Thus much out of the Apologie of Melito who writing to Onesimus geueth to vs this benefite to knowe the true Catalogue the names of al the autentike bookes of the olde Testament receaued in the auncient time of the prymitiue Church Concerning the number names wherof the said Melito in his letter to Onesimus declareth howe that he returning into the parts where these things were done and preached there hee diligently inquired out the bookes aprooued of the old Testament the names wherof in order he subscribeth sendeth vnto him as followeth The fiue bookes of Moses Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomi Iesus Naue The Iudges Ruth Foure bookes of Kings Two bookes Paralipomenon The Psalmes Prouerbes of Salomon The booke of Wisedome The Preacher The song of songs Iob. The Prophets Esay Hieromie twelue Prophetes in one booke Daniel Ezechiel Esdras And thus much of thys matter which I thought here to record for that it is not vnprofitable for these latter times to vnderstande what in the first times was receaued and admitted as autentike and what otherwise But from this little digression to returne to our matter omitted that is to the Apologies of Apolinarius and Melito in the story so it followeth that whether it was by the occasiō of these two Apologies or whether it was through the writing of Athenagoras a Philosopher and a Legate of the Christians it is vncertaine but this is certaine that the persecution the same time was staid Some do thinke which most probably seeme to touch the truthe that the cause of staying this persecution did rise vpon a wonderfull myracle of God shewed in the Emperours campe by the Christians the story wherof is this At what time the two brethren Marcus Antonius and Marcus Aurelius Commodus Emperours ioyning together warred against the Quades Vandales Sarmates and Germaines in the expeditiō against them their army by reason of the imminent assault of their enimies was cooped shut in within the straights and hoate dry places where their souldiours besides other difficulties of battaile being destitute of water fyue dayes were like to haue perished which dread not a little discomfited them did abate their courage Wherin this their so great distresse and ieopardy sodainely wythdrew from the army a legian of the christian souldiours for their succour who falling prostrate vpon the earth by ardent praier by by obtained of God double reliefe by meanes of whom God gaue certaine pleasaunt showers from the element whereby as their souldiors quenched their thirst so were a great number of their enimies discomfited put to flight by the continual lightnings which shooted out of the aire This miracle so pleased won the Emperour that euer after he waxed gentler gentler to the Christians dyrected his letters to diuers of his rulers as Tertullian in his Apologie witnesseth commaūding thē therin to giue thankes to the Christians no lesse for his victory then for the preseruation of him and all his men The copy of which letter hereafter ensueth ¶ Marcus Aurelius Antonius Emperour to the Senate and people of Rome I Giue you hereby to vnderstande what I intend to doe as also what successe I haue had in my warres in Germany and with how much difficultie I haue viteled my campe being compassed about with 74. fierce Dragons whome my Scottes descryed to be within ix miles of vs and Pompeianus our Liefetenaunt hath viewed as he signified vnto vs by hys letters Wherefore I thought no lesse but to be ouerunne and all my bandes of so great multitude as well my vaward mayne warde as reere warde with all my souldiours of Ephrata In whose host there were numbred of fighting men ix hundreth seuenty and fiue thousand But when I saw my selfe not able to encounter with the enemy I craued ayde of our countrey Gods at whose hands I finding no comfort and being driuen of the enemye vnto an exegent I caused to be sent for those men which we call Christians who being mustred were found a good indifferent number with whom I was in farther rage then I had good cause as afterwardes I had experience by their merueilous power who forthwith did their indeuour but without either weapon munition armour or trumpets as men abhorring such preparation and furniture but onely satisfied in trust of their God whome they cary about with them in their consciences It is therefore to be credited although we call them wicked men that they worship God in
with the rest of the multitude and perswading them what they should do and what had bene obteined for theÌ„ caused them to void the citie and not onlie them but also a great number of other mo who perswaded by him vnder that preâ—ence changing themselues in womens apparell or faming some impotencie so escapeh out of the citie At whose comming out Eusebius on the other side was readie to receiue them and refreshed their hungrye and pined bodies whereby not onelye they but the whole Citye of Alexandria was preserued from destruction Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 32. By this little historie of Eusebius and Anatholius described in the vij booke of Eusebius cap. 32. and briefly here set foorth to thee gentle Reader thou mayest partly vnderstande the practise of the Prelates what it was in those daies in the church which was then onlie imploied in sauing of life and succouring the common weales wherein they liued as by these two godly persons Eusebius and Anatholius may wel appeare Unto the which practise if we compare the practise of our latter prelates of the church of Rome I suppose no little difference will appeare The next Emperour to Florianus as is said was Marcus Aurelius Probus a Prince both wise and vertuous and no lesse valiant in martial affaires as fortunate in the successe of the same During his time we reade of no persecution greatly stiring in the church but much quietnes as well in matters of religion as also in the common wealth In so much that after his great and manye victories such peace ensued that his saying was there needed no more souldiers seing there were no moe enimies to the coÌ„mon wealth to fight against It was his saying also that hys souldiers nede not to spend corne and victuale except they laboured to serue the common wealth And for the same cause he caused his souldiers to be set a worke about certayne mountaynes in Syrinia in Messia to be planted with vines and not so much as in winter suffered them to be at rest therfore by them at length he was slayne after he had reigned the space of vj. yeres and 4. moneths an 284 Eutrop. Carus with his two sonnes Carinus and Numerianus succeeded next after Probus in the Empire the raygne of which Emperors continued in all but iij. yeares Of the which three first Carus warring agaynst the Persians was slayne with lightning Of Numerianus his sonne beyng with his father in his warres against the Persians we finde much commendation in Eutropius Vopiscus and other writers which testified to him to be a valiaunt warriour an eloquent orator as appeared by his declamatioÌ„s and writinges sent to the Senate Thirdly to be an excellent Poet. This Numerianus sorrowing lamentyng for the death of hys father through immoderate weeping fell into a great sorenes of his eyes by reason whereof he keping close was slaine not long after of his father in lawe named Aper who traiterously aspiring to the Empire dissnnuled his death with a false excuse to the people asking for him saying for the payne of his eyes he kept in from the wind and weather til at length by the stinch of his body being caried about his death was vttered In the life of this Emperor Carus aforesaide written by Eutropius in the later edition set forth by Frobenius I finde whiche in other editions of Eutropius doth not appeare that Numerianus the sonne of this Carus was he that slewe Babylas the holye Martyr whose history before wee haue comprehended But that seemeth not to be like both by the narration of Chrysostome and also for that Vrspergensis declaryng the same hystorie and in the same wordes as it is in Eutropius saith that it was Cyrillus whome Numerianus killed the story whereof is this what time Carus the Emperour in his iourney going toward the Persians remayned at Antioche Numerianus his sonne would enter into the church of the christians to view and behold their misteries But Cyrillus their bishop would in no wise suffer him to enter into the church saying that it was not lawfull for him to see the misteries of God who was polluted with sacrifices of Idoles Numerianus full of indignation at the hearing of these words not suffering that repulse at the hands of Cyrillus in his fury did slay the godlye Martyr And therefore iustly as it seemed was he himselfe slayne afterward by the hands of Aper Thus Carus with his sonne Numerianus being slaine in the East partes as is declared Carinus the other sonne raigned alone in Italye where he ouercame Sabinus striuyng for the Empire and raigned there with much wyckednes till they returning home of the army againe from the Persians who then set vp Dioclesian to be Emperor by whome the foresayde Carinus for the wickednes of hys life being forsaken of his host was ouercome at length slayne with the hande of the Tribune whose wyfe before he had defloured Thus Carus with his two sonnes Numerianus and Carinus ended their liues whose raigne continued not aboue three yeares All this meane space we reade of no great persecution stirring in the Church of Christ but was in meane quiete state and tranquilitie vnto the xix yeare of the raigne of Dioclesian So that in counting the time from the latter ende of Ualerian vnto this foresaid yeare of Dioclesian the peace of the church which God gaue to his people semeth to continue aboue 44. yeares During the which tyme of peace and tranquilitie the church of the Lord did mightely increase and florish so that the more bodies it lost by persecution the more honor and reuerence it wan daily among the Gentiles in al quarters both Grekes and barbarous in so much that as Eusebius in his vij booke describeth amongst the Emperours themselues diuers there were which not onely bare singular good will and fauor to them of our profession but also did commit vnto them offices regiments ouer countries and nations so well were they affected to our doctrine that they priuileged the same with liberty and indemnitie What needeth to speake of them which not only liued vnder the Emperors in libertie but also were familiar in the court with the Princes themselues entertained with great honour and speciall fauour beyond the other seruitures of the court as was Dorotheus with his wife children and whole family highly accepted aduaunced in the palace of the Emperour Also Gorgonius in like maner with diuers other mo who for theyr doctrine learning which they professed were with theyr Princes in great estimation In like reuerence also were the bishops of cities and Diocesse with the Presidentes and rulers where they liued who not onely suffered theÌ„ to liue in peace but also had them in great price and regarde so long as they kept themselues vpright and continued in God his fauour Who is able to number at that time the mighty
in this persecution by the names of Martyrs within the space of 30. days 17. thousand persons beside an other great number and multitude that were condemned to the mettall mines and quaries with like crueltie At Alexandria with Peter the Bishop of whom I haue made mention before were slayne with axes 300. aboue as Sabellicus declareth Gereon was beheaded at Colonia Agrippina with 300. of his fellowes as saith Henricus de Erfordia Mauritius the Captaine of Christian religion with his fellowes 6666. Victor in the citie of Troy now called Xanthus with his fellowes 360. were slayne as sayth Otto Phrinsigensis Lib. 2. cap 45. Reginus reciteth the names of many other Martyrs to the number of 120. And for as much as mention here hath bene made of Mauritius and Victor the perticular description of the same history I thought here to insert taken out of Ado other story writers as insueth Mauritius came out of Syria into Fraunce and Italy beyng Captaine of the bande of the Theban souldiours to the number of 6660. beyng sent for of Maximianus to goe agaynst the rebellious Bangandes but rather as it should seeme by the treason of the â—irant which thought he might better in these quarters vse his tiranny vpon the Christians then in the East part These Thebans with Mauritius the Captaine after that they had entred into Rome who were there of Marcellus the blessed bishop confirmed in the fayth promising by othe that they would rather be slayne of their enemies then forsake that faith which they had receaued who followed the Emperours hoste through the Alpes euen into Fraunce At that tyme the Caesarians were incamped not farre from the towne called Ottodor where Maximianus offred sacrifice to his deuils and called all the souldiours both of the East and West to the same straightly charging them by the aultars of his Gods that they would fight against those rebels the Bangandes and persecute the christian enemies of the Emperors Gods which his commaundement was shewed to the Thebanes hoste which were also incamped about the riuer of Rode and in a place that was named Agawne but to Ottodor they wold in no wise come for that euery man did certainly appointe and perswade with themselues rather in that place to dye then either to sacrifice to the gods or beare armour against the Christians Which thing in deede very stoutly and valiantly they affirmed vpon their othe befor taken to Maximianus when he sent for them Wherwith the tyrant beyng wrathfull and all mooued commaunded euery tenth man of that whole band to be put to the sworde whereto striuingly and with great reioysing they committed theyr neckes To which notable thing and great force of fayth Mauritius himselfe was a great incourager who by by with a most graue Oration exhorted animated his souldiours both to fortitude coÌ„stancie Which beyng again called of the Emperor answered in this wise saying We are O Emperour your souldiours but yet also to speake freely the seruants of god We owe to thee seruice of war to him innoceÌ„cie of thee we receaue for our trauell wages of hym the beginning of lyfe But in this we may in no wayes obey thee O Emperour to deny God our author and Lord and not onely ours but your Lord likewise will ye nill ye If we be not so extreemely enforced that we offend him doubtles as we haue hitherto before we will yet obey you but otherwise we will rather obey hym then you We offer here our handes agaynst any other enemies but to defile our handes with the bloud of innocentes that we may not doe These right hands of ours haue skill to fight agaynst the wicked and true enemies but to spoyle and murder the godly and Citizens they haue no skill at all We haue in remembraunce how we tooke armour in hand for the defence of the Citizens and not agaynst them We fought alwayes for iustice sake pietie and for the health of innocentes These haue bene alwayes the rewardes of our perils and trauell We haue fought in the quarrell of fayth whiche in no wife we can keepe to you if we doe not shewe the same to our God We first sware vpon the Sacramentes of our God then afterward to the king and doe you thinke the second will aduaile vs if we breake the first By vs you would plague the Christians to doe which feate we are onely commaunded by you We are here ready to confesse God the author of all thinges and beleue in hys sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. We see before our eyes our fellowes and partakers of our labours and trauailes to be put to the sword and we sprinkled with their bloud of which our most blessed companions and brethreÌ„ their end and death we haue not bewayled nor mourned but rather haue bene glad and haue reioyced thereat for that they haue bene counted worthy to suffer for the Lord their God The extreeme necessitie of death cannot moue vs agaynst your maiesty neyther yet any despiratioÌ„ O Emperour which is wont in ventrous affayres to do much shal 〈◊〉 vs agaynst you Behold here we cast downe our weapons and resist not for that we had rather to be killed then kill and guiltles to dye then gilty to liue What soeuer more ye will commauÌ„d appoynt and inioyne vs we are here ready to suffer yea both fire sword and whatsoeuer other tormentes We confesse our selues to be Christians we cannot persecute Christians nor will do sacrifice to your deuilish Idols With which their aunswer the kyng beyng altogether incensed and mooued commaunded the second tyme the tenth man of them that were left to be in like case murdered That crueltie also beyng accomplished at length wheÌ„ the christian souldiours would in no wise condescend vnto his mynde he set vpon them with his whole host both footemen and also horsemen and charged them to kil them all Who with all force set vpon them they making no resistance but throwyng downe their armour yelded theyr lyues to the persecutors and offered to them theyr naked bodies Victor at the same tyme was not of that bande nor yet then any souldiour but one beyng an old souldior and dismissed for his age At which tyme he comming sodainly vpon them as they were haketting and making mery with the spoyles of the holy Martyrs was bidden to sit downe with them and first asking the cause of that their so great reioysing and vnderstanding the truth therof detested the guestes and refused to eate with them And then being demaunded of them whether happily he were a Christian or no openly confessed and denied not but that he was â— christian and euer would be And therupon they rushing vpoÌ„ him killed him and made him partner of the like Martyrdome and honour Beda in his history writeth that this persecution beyng vnder Dioclesian endured vnto the seuenth yere of Constantinus and Euseb Lib 8. cap. 6 sayth that is lasted vntill the
to destroy both bodye and soule in hell fire To make the story short after manifold tormentes borne of him and suffered when the last sentence of death was vpon him pronounced which was to be beheaded Menas being then had to the place of execution said I giue thee thanks my Lord god which hast so excepted me to be fouÌ„d a partaker of thy precious death hast not giuen me to be deuoured of my fierce enimies but hast made me to remaine coÌ„stant in thy pure faith vnto this my later end And so this blessed souldiour fighting valiantly vnder the baner of Christ lost his head wan his soule Symeon Metaphrast tom 5. In the which autor there foloweth a long narration of the miracles of this holy man which here for prolixity I doe omit Basilius in a certayne Sermon of 40. Martyrs rehearseth this story not vnworthye to bee noted There came saith he into a certaine place which place he maketh no mention of the Emperours Marshall or officer with the edict which the Emperour had set out against the Christians that whosoeuer confessed Christ shoulde after manye tormentes suffer death And first they did priuily suborne certaine which should detect acuse the Christians whom they had found out or had layde wayte for vpon this the sword the gibbet the wheele the whips were brought forth At the terrible sight whereof the harts of all the beholders did shake tremble Some for feare did flee some did stand in doubt what to do Certaine were so terrified at the beholding of these engines tormenting instruments that they denied their faith Some other began the game and for a time did abide the conflict and agony of Martydome but vanquished at length by the intollerable paine of their torments made shipwracke of their consciences lost the glory of their confession AmoÌ„g other xl there were at that time younge gentlemen all souldiers which after the Marshall had shewed the Emperours Edict and required of all men the obedience of the same freely boldly of their owne accord confessed themselues to be Christians declared to him their names The Marshall somewhat amased at this their boldnes of speach staÌ„deth in doubte what was best to do Yet forthwith he goeth about to win them with faire words aduertising them to consider their youth neither that they shoulde chaunge a cruell and vntimely death â—or a sweete and pleasant life After that hee promiseth them money and honorable offices in the Emperours name But they little esteming all these thinges breake forth into a long and bolde Oration affirming that they did neither desire life dignitie nor money but onelye the celestiall kingdome of Christ saying further that they are ready for the loue and faith they haue in god to indure the afflictioÌ„ of the wheele the crosse and the fire The rude Marshall being herewith offended deuiseth a newe kinde of punishment He spied out in the middle of the citie a certaine great pond which layfull vpon the cold Northren winde for it was in the winter time wherein he caused them to be put all that night but they being merry comforting one another receiued this their appointed punishment and sayd as they were putting of their clothes we put off said they now not our clothes but we put of the old maÌ„ corrupt with the deceipt of coÌ„cupiscence We giue thee thanks O Lord that with this our apparell we may also put of by thy grace the sinfull man for by meanes of the Serpent we once put him on and by the meanes of Iesus Christ we now put him of When they had thus said they were brought naked into yâ— place where they felt moste vehement colde in so much that all the partes of their bodies were starke stiffe therewith Assone as it was daye they yet hauing breath were brought into the fire wherin they were consumed and their ashes throwne into the flud By chaunce there was on of the company more liuely and not so neere dead as the rest of whome the executioners takyng pitie saide vnto his mother standing by that they would saue his life But shee with her owne handes taking her sonne brought him to the pile of wood where the residue of his fellowes crooked for cold did lie ready to be brent admonished him to accomplish the blessed iourney he had taken in hand with his companions Basil. A lyke hystory of 40. Martyres which were maryed men we read of in Niceph. Zozomenus Lib. 9. cap. 2. which were killed likewise in a lake or pond at Sebastia a towne of Armenia vnder Licinius if the story be not the same with this Niceph. Zozom In this felowship and company of martyrs can not be left out and forgotte the story of Cyrus This Cyrus was a Phisition borne in Alexandria which fleing into Egipt in the persecution of Dioclesianus and Maximianus led a solitary life in Arabia being much spoken of for his learning and myracles vnto whose company after a certaine tyme did Ioannes borne in the Citie of Edessa beyond the ryuer Euphrates ioyne himself leauing the souldiers life which before that time he had exercised But whilest as yet the same persecution raged in a city in Egipt called Canope there was cast into prison for the confession of their fayth a certayne godly Christian woman called Athanasia and her three daughters Theoctiste Theodota and Eudoxia wyth whom Cyrus was well acquainted At whose infâ—rmities he much fearing accompanied with his brother Iohn came and visited them for their better confirmation at which time Lyrianus was chiefe captaine and Lieutenaunt of Egypt of whose wickednes and crueltie especially agaynst women and maydens Athanasus maketh mention in hys Apologies and in his Epistle to those that lead a solitarye life Thys Cyrus therefore and Ioannes being accused and apprehended of the Heathen men as by whose perswasions the maydens and daughters of Athanasia contumelyously despised the Gods and the Emperours religion could by no meanes be brought to doe sacrifice were after the publication of their constaunt confession put to death by the sworde Athanasia also and her three daughters being condemned to death This history writeth Symeon Metaphrastes Sebastian being borne in the part of Fraunce called Gallia Narbonensis was a Christian and was Lieutenaunte generall of the vawward of Dioclesian the Emperor who also encouraged many martyrs of Christ by his exhortations vnto constancy and kept them in the faith He being therfore accused to the Emperor was commaunded to be apprehended and that he should be brought into the open fielde where of his owne souldiers he was thrust through the body with innumerable arrowes and after that hys body was throwne into a iaques or sinke Ambrosius maketh mention of this Sebastian the martir in his CoÌ„mentary vpon the 118. Psalme Symeon Metaphrastes amongest oher Martyrs that suffered with Sebastian numbreth also these followyng Nicostratus
had a Britaine to their mother After the death of Aurelius who as the storie sayeth was poysoned by the crafty meanes of Pascentius sonne of Vortigernus suborning one vnder the weede of a Monke to play the Phisicion and so to poyson him next succeeded hys brother Vter surnamed Pendragon about the yeare of our Lord. 497. who fighting against Octa and Cosa tooke them and brought them to London there to be kept But they breaking out of pryson returned into Germanie for more aid In this meane time daily recourse was of Saxons with great companies coÌ„ming out of Saxonie with whom the Britains had diuers sundry conflictes sometimes winning sometimes loosing Not long after Octa Cosa renuing their power in Germany in all most speedy hast did returne againe and ioyne with the other Saxons against the Britaines Heere began the state of miserable Britaine daily more and more to decay while the idolatrous Saxons preuailed in number and strength against the Christian Britaines oppressing the people throwing downe Churches and Monasteries murdering the Prelates sparing neither age nor person but wasting christianity almost through the whole realme To these miseries it fell moreouer that Vter their king was sicke could not come out Notwtstanding being greeued with the lamentable destructioÌ„ of his people caused his bed to be brought into the campe where God gaue him victorie Octa Cosa there being slaine After this victorie in short space Vter died of poyson as is sayde put into a fountaine of water whereof the king was wont to drinke about the yeare of our Lorde 516. Hor. Hist. About which time and yeare came in Stuph and Wigarius two nephewes of Certhice king of Westsaxons wyth their companies so violently vpon the Britains that they of the West part of the realme were not able to resist them Then the merciful prouidence of almighty God raised vp for them King Arthure the sonne of Vter who was then crowned after him and victoriously raigned To thys Arthure the old Britaine historyes do ascribe xij great victories against the Heathen Saxons whose notorious famous conquests meÌ„tioned in the Britain stories I leaue them as I finde them referring them to the credite of their authors in whom they are found Notwithstanding as I do not thinke contrary but God by the foresayde Arthure gaue to the Britaine 's some stay and quietnes during his life and certaine of his successours so touching certaine of great victories conquests not onely ouer thys land but also ouer all Europe I iudge them more fabulous then that any credit should be geuen vnto them more worthy to be ioyned with the Iliades of Homere then to haue place in any Ecclesiasticall hystorie After Arthure next King of the Britaines was Constantinus the third After him Aurelâ—us Conanus Then Vortiporius after whome followed Malgo noted in storyes to be a Sodomite And after hym the last King of the Britaines was Carecius all geuen to Ciuill warre execrable to God man Who being chased out by the Britains theÌ„selues the land fell to the possession of the Saxons about the yere of our Lord. 568. by whom all the Clergy and the ChristiaÌ„ ministers of the Britaines were then vtterly driuen out In so much that Theonus Archbishop of London Thadeoseus Archbishop of Yorke seeing theyr Churches all wasted and Parishes dispersed wyth their cariages and monumeÌ„ts left theyr seas in Britaine and fled into Cambria which we nowe call Wales Touching which matter and touching also the cause of this desolation ruine of the Britaines kingdom the first fountaine origin therof partly before is declared where was shewed in the time of CoÌ„stantinus Magnus and Maximinian pag. 108. howe these noble Princes with other moe achieuing their venturous affaires in other countreis tooke with them great multitudes armies out of Britaine through the occasion whereof the land was greatly empaired and depriued of his most chiefe and principall nobles being caried away to serue in forreine warres Whyche was no small cause why the realme of Britaine being so wasted was the lesse able to helpe it selfe against theyr enemyes Although this was not the chief occasion but other causes there were greater wherfore God by his iust iudgement suffered this plague and ouerthrow to fall vpon that people as here out of an olde author and partly out of Gildas as I haue found it so I thought to annexe it in hys owne woordes first in Latine then afterwarde Englishing the same for the more credite of that which shal be alleaged in tenour as foloweth Nobiliores totius regni praedictos duces sequâ—ti fuerunt ignobiles remanebaÌ„t qui cum vicem nobilium obtinere coepissent extulerunt se vltra quod dignitas expetebat Et ob affluenciaÌ„ diuitiarum superbi coeperunt tali tantae fornicationi indulgere qualis nec inter gentes audita est Et vt Gildas historicus testatur non solùm hoc vitium sed omnia quae humanae naturae accidere solent praecipue quod totius boni euertit statuÌ„ odium veritatis amor mendacij susceptio mali pro bono veneratio nequitiae pro benignitate exceptatio Sathanae pro angelo lucis vngebantur reges non propter dominium sed qui caeteris crudeliores essent Si quis verò eorum mitior veritati aliquatenus propior videretur in hunc quasi Britanniae subuersorem omnia odia telaque torquebantur Omnia quae Deo placebant displicebant aequali lance inter eos pendebantur Et non solùm hoc seculares viri sed ipse grex domini eiusque pastores sine discretione faciebant Non igitur admirandum est degeneres tales patriam illam amittere quam praedicto modo maculabant In English thus The nobles of this realme folowing the Princes and Captaines aboue named by the reason thereof the vulgare and rascall sorte remained behinde at home Who when they had gotten the roumes and places of the nobles they aduanced them selues aboue that their dignitie required And through their aboundaÌ„ce of riches they surprised wyth pride began to fal into such so great fornication as was neuer heard of euen among the Gentiles And as Gildas the Hystoriographer witnesseth not into vice only but also into al maner of wickednes wherto mans nature is inclined and especially into that which is the ouerthrow of al good estates the hatred of the truth loue of lies imbracing of euil in stead of goodnesse regardyng of mischiefe in stead of vertue receauing of the deuill in stead of an Angell of light They annoynted kings not such as could wel rule a common wealth but those which exceeded all other in cruelty And if any might be perceaued to be somewhat more humble or meeke or to be more inclined to fauour the trueth then the residue him did euery one hate and backbite as the ouerthrower and destroyer of Brittayne All
perswaded perchance by Harding and afterward in the yere of our Lord 1135. it was brought into England by a certaine man called Espek which builded an Abbey of the same order called Merinale In this order the monks did liue by the labour of their hands They paid no tithes nor offrings they weare no furre nor lyning they weare red shoes their coules white and coate blacke all shorne saue a little circle they eate no flesh but only in their iourney Of this order was Bernardus c. This Urbanus held diuers Councels one at Rome where he excommunicated all such lay persons as gaue inuestiture of any Ecclesiasticall benefice Also all such of the Clergy as abiected themselues to be vnderlings or seruants to lay persons for Ecclesiasticall benefices c. An other Councell he held at Cleremount in France Where among other things the bishop made an Oration to the Lords being there present concerning the voiage recouering of the holy land from the Turkes and Sarazens The cause of which voiage first sprang by one Peter a monke or Hermite who being in Ierusalem seing the great misery of the Christians vnder the Paganes made therof declaration to Pope Urbane was therin a great sollicitor to all christian Princes By reason whereof after the foresaid Oration of pope Urbane 30000. men takyng on them the signe of the crosse for their cognisaunce made preparation for that voiage whose Captains were Godfrey Duke of Loraine with his two brethren Eustace and Baldwine the bishop of Pody Bohemund duke of Puell and his nephew Tancredus Raymund Erle of S. Egidius Robert Erle of Flaunders and Hugh le Graund brother of Phillip the French king To whome also was ioyned Robert Courthoyle duke of Normandy with diuers other noble men with the foresayd Peter the Deremite who was the chiefe causer of that voiage At that tyme many of the sayd Noble men layed theyr lands lordships to morgage for to prouide for the forenamed voiage as Godfrey duke of Lorayne who sold the Dukedome of Boloine to the Bishop of Eburone for a great sumine of money Also Robert Courthoyse Duke of Normandy layd his Dukedome to pledge to his brother William king of England for x. thousand pounds c. Thus the Christians which passed first ouer Bosphorus hauing to their captaine Peter the Heremite a man perchance more deuout then expert to guide an army beyng trapped of their enemies were slaine murthered in great number among the Bulgars and nere to the towne called Ciuitus When the nobles and the whole army met together at Constantinople where Alexius was Emperour passing ouer by Hellespontus goyng to Ierusalem they tooke the cities of Nicea Eraclea Tarsis and subdued the country of Cicilia appointing the possession thereof to certayne of their Captaines Antioch was besieged and in the ix month of the siege it was yelded to the Christians by one Pyrrhus about which season were sought many strong battayles to the great slaughter and desolation of the Sarazens and not without losse of man◠Christian men The gouernance of this Citie was committed to Boamund Duke of Pucil whose martiall knighthood was often prooued in tyme of the siege thereof And not long after Corbona maister of the Persians Chiualry was vanquished and slayne with an hundreth thousand Infidels In which discomfiture were taken 15000. camels Ierusalem the 39. day of the siege was conquered by the Christians Robert Duke of Normandy was elect to be king therof But he refused hearing of the death of king William of Eng. wherfore he neuer sped in all his affaires well after the same Then Godfrey captaine of the christian army was proclaimed the first king of Ierusalem At the taking of the City was such a murder of men that bloud was congeled in the streete the thicknes of a foote Then after Godfrey raigned Baldwine his brother After hym Baldwine the second nephew Then Gaufridus duke of Gaunt and after him Gaufridus his sonne by whom many great battails there were fought against the Sarazens and all the countrey thereabout subdued saue Ascalon c. And thus much hetherto touching the voyage to the holy land Now to our owne land agayne About this tyme as Mathaeus Parisiensis writeth the kinge of England fauoured not much the sea of Rome because of their impudent and vnsatiable exactiōs which they required neither would he suffer any of his subiectes to go to Rome alleaging these wordes in the author thus expressed Quòd Petri non inhaerent vestigijs praemijs inhiantes non eius potestatem retinent cuius sanctitatem probantur non imitari that is because they follow not the steppes of Peter hunting for rewardes neither haue they the power and authoritie of him whose holinesse they declare themselues not to follow c. By the same Urbanus the seuen Houres whiche we call septem horas Canonicas were first instituted in the Church Item by this pope was decreed no bishop to be made but vnder the name and title of some certaine place Item that Martins and Houres of the day should euery day be sayd Also euery Saterday to be sayd the Masse of our Lady and all the Iewes Sabboth to be turned to the seruice of our Lady as in the Councell of Turon to the which seruice was appointed the Antheme Ora pro populo interueni pro clero intercede pro deuoto foemineo sexu Item all such of the clergy as had wyues to be depriued of their order Item to be lawfull for subiectes to breake theyr othe of allegeaunce with all such as were by the Pope excommunicate Item not to be lawfull both for husband and wyfe to christen one child both together with matters many moe By the same Pope thus many chapters stand written in the Canon law Dist. 7. Sanctorum dist 31. Eos qui 1. q. 1. Si qui dist 56 praesbyterorum 11. q. 3. quibus 15. q. 6. Iuratos 16. q. 7. congregatio 19 q. 2. Statuimus 23. q. 8. Tributum 30. q. 4. quod autem c. In the 6. yere of this kings raigne Malcoline king of Scots which foure times before had made great slaughter of old yong in the North partes as is before shewed braste into Northumberland with all the power he could make and there by the right iudgement of God was slain with his sonne Edward and also Margaret his wife sister to Edgar Adeling aboue mynded a vertuous and deuout Lady within 3. dayes after The same yeare he gaue the Archbishoprike of Caunterbury after that he had detayned the same in hys owne bandes 4. yeares to Anselmus Abbot of Becke in Normandie This Anselme was an Italian in the Citie of Augusta borne and brought vp in the Abbey of Becke in Normandy where he was so straight a folower of vertue that as the story recordeth he wished rather to bee without
prospered with me but all hath gone against me In the next yeare after 1216. was Symon Langton chosen Archbishop of Yorke but that election anon arter was dissolued for informatioÌ„ was geuen to the pope that the said Simon was brother to SteueÌ„ Langton the archbishop of Cant. which had bene the occasion of all the tumults which were that time in England And the Pope had the more hate vnto him for that he had brought hym vp of nought and did finde him at that time so stuvburne wherefore he placed in hys brothers place Walter Graie the bishop of Winchester In the same yere Gualo the popes legate renued hys great curse vppon Lewes the French kings sonne for vsurping vpon king Iohn Likewise vpon Simon Langton and Gernais Hobruge for prouoking him to yâ— same and that wyth a wonderfull solemnitie for in that doing hee made all the belles to be rong the candles to be lyght the doores to be opened and the boke of excommunicatioÌ„s and interdictions publikely to be read committing them wholy to the deuil for their contumacie and contempt He also commanded the Bishops and Curates to publishe it abroad ouer at the whole realm to the terror of ad his subiects The said Simon Geruais laughed hym to scorne and derided much his doings in that behalfe saying that for the iust title of Ludowick they had appealed to the generall councell at Rome The magistrates of London and citizens of the same did likewise vilipende and disdainously mocke all that the Pope had there commanded and done And in spight both of him and hys legate they kept company with them that were excommunicated both at table and at church shewing themselues thereby as open contemners both of him and his lawes Ludowicke at London taking himselfe for king constituted Simon Langton for hys high Chancellor Geruais Hobruge for his chiefe preacher By whose daily preachings as well the Barons and the Citizens themselues being both excommunicated caused all the church dores to be opened and the seruice to be song the said Ludowicke was in all poynts fit for their handes About this time was Pandulphus then Cardinal collecting the Peter pence an olde pillage of the Pope taking great paines therin And for his great labours in those affaires of holy Church for other great myracles besides he was then made bishop of Norwich to the augmenting of his dignitie and expenses It chaunced about this time that the Uicount of Melun a very noble maÌ„ of the realme of France which came thether wyth the Prince Ludowicke to fall deadly sicke at London and also moued of conscience to cal certaine of the English Barons vnto hym such as were there appoynted to the custodie of that citie sayd vnto them I lament your sorrowful case and pitie with my heart the destruction that is comming towards you and your countrey The daungerous snares which are prepared for your vtter coÌ„fusion are hidden from you ye do not behold them but take ye hede of them in time Prince Ludowicke hath sworne a great oth 16. of his Earles and noble men are of counsel with him that if he obtaine the crowne of England he will banish all them from seruice depriue them of lands and goods as many as he findeth nowe to goe against their liege king and are traitours to his noble person And because yee shall not take thys tale for a fable I assure you on my faith lying nowe at the mercy of God that I was one of them which was sworn to the same I haue great conscience therof and therfore I geue you this warning I pittie poore England which hath bene so noble a region that now it is come to so extreme misery And when he with teares had lamented it a space hee returned againe vnto them and said my frends I counsel you earnestly to looke to your selues and to prouide the remeady in time least it come vpon you vnwares Your king for a season hath kept you vnder but if Ludowicke preuaile he will put you from all Of two extreeme euilles chose the more easy and keepe that secret which I haue tolde you of good will with that he gaue ouer and departed this life When this was once noysed among the Barons they were in great heauinesse for they saw themselues betrapped euery way and to be in exceeding great daunger And this daily augmented that feare which then came vpoÌ„ the Barons They were extremely hated of the Pope and his Legates and euery weeke came vpon them newe excommunications Daily detriments they had besides in theyr possessions and goodes in their lands houses corne and cattell wines and children so that some of them were driuen to such neede that they were enforced to seeke prayes and booties for sustaining theyr miserable liues For looke whatsouer prince Ludowick obtained by his warres either territories or castels he gaue them all to his French men in spight of their heads and said that they were but traitours like as they had warning afore whych greeued them worst of all At the last they perceiuing that they in seeking to auoid one mischief were ready to fall into an other much worse they began to lay their heads together consenting to submit themselues wholy with al humility to the mercy of their late soueraigne natural liege Lord king Iohn And for that they were somewhat in doubt of their liues for the treason afore committed many of the friendes of them which were of most credite with him made sute for them So were a great number of them pardoned after instant great suit made for them I heere omit his recouery of Rochester castle and citie with many other dangerous aduentures against the foresayd Ludowicke both at London Yorke Lincolne Winchester Norwiche other places els as things not pertaâ—ning to my purpose And now I returne to my matter againe Into Suffolke and Norffolke hee consequently iourneyed with a very strong armie of men and there wyth great mischiefe hee afflicted them because they had geuen place were sworne to his enemies After that he destroied the Abbeis of Peterborough Crowland for the great treasons which they also had wrought against him and so he departed from thence into Lincolneshire In this yeare about the 17. day of Iuly died Pope Innocent the 3. and was buried in a citie called Perusium in Italie where as hee had trauailed to make a peace betweene the Genouaies and the Pyses for his owne commoditie and aduauntage After hym anone succeeded one Ciatius otherwise called Honorius Tertius a man of very great age yet liued he in the papacy 10. yeres and an halfe more When this was once known in England greatly reioyced all they which were king Iohns enemies specially the priests yet had they small cause as will appeare hereafter They noised it al the realme ouer that this new Pope would set a new order and
more then lx M. florences of mere contributiō besides hys other auayles common reuenues out of benefices prebendaries first fruites tributes Peter Pence collatiōs reseruatiōs relaxations such marchandise c. Mention was made a little before pag. 231. and 239. of Albingenses keeping about the City of Tholouse These Albingauses because they began to smell the pope and to controle the inordinate proceedinges and discipline of the sea of Rome the Pope therefore recounting thē as a people hereticall excited and stirred vp about this presēt time yeare an 1220. Ludouick the yong French king through the instance of Phillip his Father to lay siege agaynst the sayd City of Tholouse to expugne extinguishe these Albingenses hys enemies Wherupon Ludouicke according to his fathers commaundement reared a puissant and a mighty army to compasse about and beset the forenamed city and so did Here were the men of Tholouse in great daunger But see how the mighty protection of God fighteth for hys people agaynst the might of man For after that Ludouicke as Mathew Paris testifieth had long weryed himselfe and hys men in waste and could do no good with all their ingines and artilery agaynst the City there fell moreouer vpon the French hoste by the hand of God such famine and pestilence both of men and horses beside the other dayly slaughter of the souldiours that Ludouick was enforced to retyre and with suche as were left to returne agayne home to Fraunce from whence he came In the slaughters of whiche souldiours besides many other was Erle Simon de monti forte generall of the army to whō the landes of the Erle of Tholouse was geuē by the pope who was slayne before the gate of the Citty with a stone And so was also the brother of the sayd Symon the same time in besieging a castell neare to Tholouse slayne with a stone in like maner And so was the siege of the Frenchmen agaynst Tholouse broke vp Ex Mat. Par. As the siege of these French men could doe no good against the Citty of Tholouse so it happened the same time that the christiās marching toward the holy land had better luck by the way in laying their siege to a certaine tower or castle in Egipt neare to the city Damieta which seemed by nature for the situation and difficultie of the place inexpugnable as which being situate in the middest of the great floud Nilus hard by the citty called Damieta could neither be come to by land nor be vndermined for the water nor by famine subdued for the nearenes of the citty yet notwithstanding through the helpe of God and policy of man in erecting scaffoldes and Castles vppon tops of mastes the Christians at last conquered it and after that the Citty also Damieta albeit not without great losse of Christen people In the expugnation of this City or forte among other that there died was the Lantgraue of Thuring named Ludouicke the husband of Elizabeth whom we vse to call S. Elizabeth This Elizabeth as my story recordeth was the daughter of the kyng of Hungary and maryed in Almayne where she liued with the forenamed Ludouicke Lantgraue of Thuringe Whom she thorough her perswasions prouoked and incēsed to take that vyage to fight for the holy land where he in the same vyage was slayne After whose death Elizabeth remaynyng a widow entred the profefliō of cloysterly religion made her selfe a Nunne So growing and increasing from vertue to vertue that after her death all Almayne did sounde with the fame of her worthy doynges Mat. Paris addeth this more that she was the daughter of that Queene who being accused to be naught with a certayne Archbishop was therfore condemned with this sentence pronounced agaynst her Reginam interficere nolite temere bonum est etsi omnes consenserint non ego contradico That is although it be hard in English to be translated as it standeth in Latine To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all men consent thereunto not I my selfe do stand agaynst it c. The which sentence beyng brought to Pope Innocent thus in poynting the sentence which otherwise seemeth to haue a double vnderstanding so saued the Queene thus interpreting and poynting the sentence Reginam interficere nolite timere bonum est si omnes consenserint non ego Contradico That is To kill the Queene will ye not to feare that is good And if all doe consent thereto yet not I I my selfe do stand agaynst it And so escaped she the daunger This Queene was the mother as is said of Elizabeth the Nunne who for her holy Nunny shenes was canonised of the popes church for a Sainct in Almanie about the yeare 1220. Ex Mat Parisiens And this by the way nowe to proceede farther in the yeares and life of this king Henry The next yeare following which was an 1221. the king went to Oxford where he had something to do with William Earle de Albemartia who had taken the Castle of Biham but at last for hys good seruice he had done in the realme before was released of the king with all his men by the intercession of Walter Archbishop of York and of Pandolphe the Legate About which present yeare entred first the Friers Minorites or gray friars into England and had their first house at Cāterbury whos 's first patron was Fraunciscus which dyed an 1127. and hys order was confirmed by the pope Honorius 3. an 1224. About the first comming of these Dominicke and gray Friers Franciscane into the Realme as is in Nic. Triuet testified many Englishmen y◠same time entred into their orders Among whome was Iohannes de sancto Egideo a man famously expert in the science of Phisicke and Astronomy And Alexander de Hales both Englishmen and great diuines This Iohannes making hys Sermon ad clerum in the house of the Dominick Fryers exhorted his auditory with great perswasiōs vnto wilful pouerty And to confirme his words the more by hys owne example in the middest of his sermon he came downe from the pulpite and put on hys Fryers habite and so returning into the pulpite agayne made an end of hys Sermon Likewise Alexander Hales entred the order of the Fraunciscanes of whom remayneth yet the booke intituled De. Summa Theologiae in old Libraries Moreouer not long after by William de longa spata which was the Bastard sonne of K. Henry 2. and Earle of Salisbury was first founded the house of the Carthusian monkes at Heytrope an 1222. After whose death his wife Ela was translated to the house of Hentone in Barkeshyre an 1227. which Ela also founded the house of Nunnes at Lacockes and there continued her self Abbes of the place The Byshop of London named William the same tyme gaue ouer his byshopricke after whom succeeded Eustace in that sea Flor. hist. In the towne of
durst they were as ready to folow him as he to go before thē then began William de Longspath the worthy knight to speake desiring the Earle to geue care to those men of experience who had better knowledge of those coūtryes people then he had commending also their councell to be discrete wholesom so turning to the maister of the temple began with gentle words to mitigate him likewise The knight had not halfe ended his talke when the Earle taking his words out of his mouth began to fume sweare crying out of these cowardly english mē with tailes What a pure army sayd he should we haue here if these tailes tayled people were purged from it with other like wordes of great vilany and much disdayne whereunto the english Knight aunswering agayne well Earle Robert sayd he where soeuer you dare set your foot my step shall goc as farre as yours and as I beleue we go this day where you shall not dare to come neare the taile of my horse as in the euent it proued true Ibid. fol. 236. In this meane time the French king intending to aduannce forward his army thought best to send away such as were feeble and lacked armor to Damiata by boates The Soldan hearing thereof prepared a great number of boates to be caryed by wayne and carte to the water side which meeting them by the way drowned and destroyed by wildefire euery one so that of all that company of our christians of whom some were burned some slayne some drowned not one escaped aliue saue one onely Englishe man named Alexāder Giffard who although he was sore woūded in the chase in fiue places in his body yet escaped to the French cāpe bringing word to the king what was done And this was vpon the water Now vpō the land seing Earle Robert would needs set forward weening to get all the glory to himself before the comming of the hoste first they inuaded a little village or castle which was not farre of called Mansor The coūtrey Bores and paganes in the villages by seing the christians come ranne out with such a mayne cry and shout that it came to the Soldans hearing which was nearer then our men did thinke In the meane while the Christians inuading and entring into the munition incircumspectly were pelted and pashed with stones by thē which stood aboue whereby a great number of our men were lost and the armye sore maimed and almost in despayre Then immediately vpon the same cōmeth the Soldan with all hys mayne power who seeing the Christens army to be deuided and the brother seperated frō the brother had that which he long wished for and so inclosing them roūd about that none should escape had with them a cruell fight Then the Earle began to repent him of hys heady rashenes but it was to late who then seing William the English knight dowrely fighting in the chiefe brunt of the enemyes cryed vnto hym most cowardly to flye seeyng God sayd he doth fight agaynst vs. To whom the knight answering agayne God forbid sayth he that my fathers sonne should runne away from the face of a Saracen The Earle then turning his horse fled away thinking to auoid by the swiftnes of hys horse so taking the riuer of Thasnis oppressed with harnes was there sokē and drowned Thus the Earle beyng gone the French men began to dispayre and scatter Then William de Longaspatha bearing all the force of the enemies stood agaynst thē as long as he could wounding and slaying many a Saracen til at length hys horse being killed and hys legges maymed he could no longer stand who yet notwtstanding as he was downe mangled their feete and legges and did the Saracens much sorow till at last after many blowes woūds beyng stoned of the Saracens he yelded hys life After the death of him then the Saracens setting vppon the residue of the army whom they had compassed on euery side deuoured and destroyed them all in so much that scarse one man escaped aliue sauing two Templaries one Hospitular and one poore rascall souldiour which◠brought tydinges hereof to the king These thinges being knowne in the French campe to the king and his souldiours first of their drowning which were sent to Damiata then of the ruine and slaughter of the army with the kinges brother by the towne of Mansor there was no little sorrow and heauines on euery side with great feare and doubt in themselues what was best to doc At last when they sawe no remedye but they must stand manfully to reuenge the bloud of their brethren thē the kyng with hys host past ouer the floud of Nilus and comming to the place where the battayle had bene there they beheld theyr fellowes and brethren pitifully lying with theyr heads and hands cut of For the Saracens for the reward before promised by the Soldan or Sultan to them that could bring the head hand of any Christian had so mangled the Christians leauing theyr bodyes to the wilde beastes Thus as they were sorowing and lamenting the rufull case of their Christen fellowes sodenly appeareth the comming of the Sultan with a multitude of innumerable thousandes Agaynst whom the French men estsoones prepare themselues to encounter and so the battaile being strocken vp the armyes began to ioyne But alacke for pitie what could the Frenchmen here do their number first so maymed their hartes wounded already with feare and sorow their bodyes consumed with penury and famine their horses for feeblenes not able to serue them In conclusion the Frenchmen were ouerthrowne slaine and dispatched seing there was no flying happy was he that first coulde yeld hymselfe In which miserable conflict the king with his two brethren and a few that claue vnto him were taken captiues to the confusion of all Christen realmes and presented to the Soldan All the residue were purto the sword or els stoode in the mercy of the Saracens whether to be slayne or to remayne in wofull captiuitie And this was the end of that sorrowful battaile wher in almost all the nobilitie of Fraunce was slayne neyther was there one man welneare in all the multitude whiche escaped free but eyther was slayne or taken prisoner Furthermore they that were slayne or left halfe aliue had euery one hys head and hand cut off vppon the Soldans proclamation aboue mentioned The Sultan or Soldan after the taking of the French king fraudulently suborning an army of Saracens to that number of the French army with the armes and ensignes of them that were slayne made toward Damiata where the Duke of Burgundy with the French Queene Ddo the Popes Legate and other byshops and their garrisons were remaining supposing vnder the shew of Frēch men to be let in but the captaynes mistrusting theyr hasty commyng and misdoubting their visages not like to the French men shut the gates agaynst them and
woulde geue so impudent an attempt to the blinding and deceiuing of all posterityes inserting for grounded truthes and holy decrees such loude lyes and detestable doctrine what may be thought of the rabble of the rest of writers in those dayes what attemptes hope of gayne might cause them to worke By whom and such like is to be feared the fasifying of diuers other good workes now extant in those perillous tymes writtē Thus when the Bishops had once wrested this autoritie out of the Emperours handes they then so fortified armed thēselues and their dominion that although afterwardes Fredericke the first graundfather vnto this good Emperor Fredericke the second as also Ludouicus Boius and Henricus Lucelburgensis as men most studious and carefull for the dignities of the Empire vnfeined louers and maintainers of the vtilitie of the commō weale and most desirous of the preseruatiō and prosperity of the Church did all their indeuors with singular wisedome strength as much as in them lay to recouer agayne from the byshop of Rome this the authoritie of the Imperiall iurisdiction lost most cruelly wickedly abusing the same to the destruction both of the Empyre vndoyng of the cōmon wealth and vtter subuersion of the Churche of God yet coulde they not be able to bryng the same to passe in those darck and shadowed tymes of peruerse doctrine and errours of the people and most miserable seruitude of ciuile Magistrates The same and like priuilege also in the election of theyr bishops Prelates and disposing of Ecclesiasticall offices as the Emperour of Rome had euery Prince and king in theyr seuerall dominions had the like For by the decree of the Councell of Tolerane which in the 25. canon and 63. distinction is mentioned the authoritie of creating and chusing byshops and Prelates in Hispane was in the power of the king of Hispane The like also by the Histories of Clodoueus Carolus Magnus Ludouicus nonus Philippus Augustus Philippus pulcher Carolus 5. Carolus 6. Carolus 7. Kinges of Fraunce is apparaunt and well knowne that all these kinges had the chiefe charge and gouernement of the French Church and not the byshops of Rome And by our English historyes also as you heard it is manifest that the authoritie of chusing ecclesiasticall ministers and byshops was alwayes in the kings of Englād till the raygne of king Henry the 1. who by the labour and procurement of Anselmus Archb. of Cant. was depriued and put from the same Also the Princes of Germany and electors of the Emperor till the tyme of Henry the 5. had all euery Prince seuerally in his owne dition and Prouince the same iurisdiction and prerogatiue to geue dispose ecclesiasticall functions to their Prelates at theyr pleasure and after that it appertayned to the people and prelats together And how in the raigne of Fridericke the Prelates gate vnto themselues alone this Immunitie Ioannes Auentinus in his 7. booke of the Annales of the Boiores doth describe Also it is probable that the kinges of Sicilia had the same facultie in geuing and disposing their Ecclesiasticall promotions and charge of churches Andreas de Istmia ad 1. constit Neap. nu 12. And that because Fridericke defended him against the tyranny of the bishop of Rome therfore as Fazellus sayth he was excommunicated of Honorius But that Platina and Blondus allege other causes wherfore he was excommunicate of Honorius I am not ignorant Howbeit he that will compare theyr writings with others that write more indifferently betweene Honorius and hym shall easily finde that they more sought the fauor of the Romayn bishops then to write a veritie But now agayne to the history of Fridericke Nicholaus Cisnerus affirmeth that whilest Friderike the Emperour was in Sicilia hys wife Constantia dyed at Catrana or Catana In the meane time the Christians which was a great nauy sayled into Egipt and tooke the citie Heliopolis commonly called Damatia and long ago named Pelucinum beyng in good hope to haue dryuen Sultanus the Sowdā out of Egipt had a great marueilous ouerthrow by the conueiyng of the water of the floude Nilus which then ouerflowed into their Campe were sayne to accord an vnprofitable truce with the Sowldane for certayne yeares and to deliuer the citty agayne and so departing out of Egipt were faine to come to Acone and Cyrus to the no small detriment and losse of the Christian army Wherupon king Iohn surnamed Brennus being king of Ierusalem arriued in Italy and prayde ayd of the Emperor agaynst his enemies in whō he had great hope to finde remedy of the euils and calamities before declared and from thence he went to Rome to the Pope declaring vnto him the great discomfite and ouerthrow past as also the present peril and callamitie that they were in desiring also hys ayd therin By whose meanes as Cisnerus sayth the Emperour was reconciled agayne to the Pope and made friendes together to whome also king Iohn gaue Ioell his daughter in maryage which came of the daughter of Conradus King of Ierusalem and Marques of Mounte Ferrat with whome he had for dowry the inheritaunce of the kingdome of Ierusalem as right heyre thereunto by her mother By whome also he atter obteyned the kingdome of Naples and Sicill and promised that with as much expedient speede as he might he would prepare a power for the recouery agayne of Ierusalem and be there himselfe in proper person whiche thinge to doe for that vppon diuers occasions he deferred whereof some thinke one some an other Honorius vnto whome he was lately reconciled purposed to haue made agaynst hym some great and secrete attempt had hee not bene by death before preuented vppon whome were made these Uerses O pater Honori multorum nate dolori Est tibi decori viuere vade mori After whom succeeded Gregorius the 9. as great an enemy to Frederike as was Honorius whiche Gregory came of the race whom the Emperor as before ye heard condemned of Treason which they wrought against him This Gregory was scarcely setled in hys Papacy when that he threatned hym that greatly with excommunication vnlesse he woulde prepare hymselfe into Asia according to hys promise as ye heard before to king Iohn And what the cause was why the Pope so hastened the iourney of Frederike into Asia you shall heare hereafter In effect he could not wel bring that to passe which in his mischieuous minde he had deuised vnlesse the Emperour were farther from him Notwithstanding Fredericke it shoulde seeme smelling a ratte or mistrusting somewhat as well he might alledged diuers causes and lets as lately and truely he dyd to Honorius Fazellus a Sicilian writer sayth that the special cause of the Emperors stay was for the oathe of truce and peace during certayne yeares whiche was made betweene the Saracens and Christians as you heard which tyme was not yet expired The same
He departed from thence to Brundusium committing the gouernment of his kingdome to Renaldus the sonne of Duke Spoletus and to Anselmus a Baron of Instigensis and came by sea to Cyprus with his hoste From Cyprus the Emperour with his whole nauy sayled into Ioppa which City he fortified for that the passages by land were stopped and kept of the enemies And by sea might he not passe nor trauaile by meanes of the extreme weather and tempest whereby it came to passe that within short space they lacked vitayles and were sore afflicted with famine TheÌ„ fell they to prayer and made their humble supplicatioÌ„ to God with whose teares his wrath being appealed the great tempest and long coÌ„tinued foule weather ceased whereby the seas now being calme they had both vitaile great pleÌ„ty and all other necessary things for their need brought vnto them wherby immediately it came to passe that both the Emperour his army as also the inhabitauntes of Ioppa were greatly refreshed and animated and on the other side their enemies being disappoynted of theyr purpose were greatly discouraged In so much that the king of Egipt who with great power accoÌ„panied with Scarapho his brother prince of Gaza and the Prince of Damascus their nephew with many other Dukes and nobles hauing incamped themselues within one dayes iourny of Ioppa thinking to haue besieged the same were contented vpon the comming of the Emperors Harolds vnto them to intreat of a peace Whereupon Embassadours were sent vnto them with the Emperours demaunds right profitable to the Christian common weale The Sarasens immediately consulting vpon the same graunted thereunto so that a peace for x. yeares was concluded was confirmed by solempne othe on the behalfe of both Princes according to their seueral vsages and maner the forme and condition of which peace briefly collected are these First that Fridericke the Emperour should be crowned and annoynted king of Ierusalem according to the maner of the kinges of Ierusalem before him Secondly that all the lands possessions which were situate betwixt Ierusalem and Prolomaida the greatest part of Palastina and Cities of Tyrus and Sydon which were in Syria and at other territories which Baldwinus the 4. at any time had and occupyed there shoulde be deliuered vnto him onely certayne castles reserued Thirdly that he might fortifie and builde what fortresses and castles he thought good citties and townes in all Syria and Palestina Fourthly that all the prisoners which were in the Saracens hands should be raunsomed freely and sent home and agayne that the Saracens might haue leaue without armour to come into the Temple where the Lords sepulcher is to pray and that they should holde and keepe still Chratum and the kinges mount Friderick now for that he thought the coÌ„clusion of this peace to be so necessary as also profitable for at Christians and had also gotten as much thereby as if the warres had continued he should he sent his Legates with letters into the west to all Christen kinges princes and potentates as also to the bishop of Rome declaring vnto them the circumstance and successe of his iourny and warres as partly ye haue heard Requiring theÌ„ that they also woulde praise and geue God thankes for his good successe and profitable peace concluded And desireth the Pope that for as much as he had now accoÌ„plished his promise neither that there was any cause now wherefore he should be with hym displeased that he might be reconciled and obtaine his fauor In the meane season the Emperour with all hys army marcheth to Ierusalem where vppon Easter day in the yeare of our Lorde 1229. hee was with great triumphe comfort of al his nobles and also the Magistrates of that kingdome onely the Patriarche of Cyprus the kings Legate and Oliuer the maister or captayne of the Temple with his company excepted solemnly and with great applause crowned king After this he rerdifieth the Citty and Walles thereof which by the Saracens were beaten downe and battered After that he furnisheth it with munition he buildeth vy the Churches and temples that were ruinous he fortifieth Nazarethum and Ioppen with strong garrisons vitaâ—e and all other thinges necessary Now see and behold I pray you whilest that Fredericke was thus occupyed in the kingdome of Ierusalem what practises the Pope had in Italy Not I warrant you any whit at all carefull in the affayres of the Christian commoÌ„wealth but studiyng and labouring what mischiefe and spite he might worke agaynst the Emperoure whom of a set purpose he had so occupied partly for hate and partly to enriche himselfe in Asia and Ierusalem so farre out of Italy ye may be sure First he caused the souldiours whiche the Emperour sent for out of Germany to the mayntenaunce of the holy warres to be stayde as they passed through Italy letting them of their iourney and tooke from them and spoyled them of all such prouision as they had And not onely this but he sent secretly also hys letters into Asia to those that were of his owne facâ—ion that is to the Patriarche of Ierusalem and souldiors that kept the temple and the hospitall intising and inciting theÌ„ to rebell agaynst the Emperour whiche thing Blondus himselfe that Popish Parasite or historiographer dissuâ—uleth or hideth not But that he furthermore disswaded the princes of the Saracens that they should make no league nor take any truce with Fridericke neither deliuer vp vnto hym the Crowne and Kingdome of Ierusalem Whiche letters as they were manifest testimonyes of his trecherie and treason towardes him whom God had instituted and made his liege Lord and soueraigne and mightiest potentate vpon earth so was it hys will that he should come to the knowledge therof and that those letters shoulde fall into his handes And that he kept the same letters for the more credible testimony thereof in the same his last Epistle vnto the Christian Princes he proresteth The copy of which letter amongest his other Epistles you shall haue expressed Neither were the Popes letters written to that leauened secte and factious in vayne For the Patriarche and his Collegioners which tooke their name of the Temple did mightely repugne agaynst Fredericke They raysed a tumult in Ptolomaida agaynst him they accused him and his Legates openly of treason and did malipartly boldly wtstand the right worthy and good order he made amongest them But as God would by the helpe of the inhabitantes of Pisa and the Genowayes and the Dutch souldiours both their false accusations were refelled and also their seditious purpose tumult expressed And thys was the cause that when all other men reioyced and were glad of the Emperours coronation they as wicked confederatours were heauy therefore and obtrectours of hys worthy laud and fame The Pope when he had thus conspired agaynst Fredericke and had betrayed him to the publicke enemy of all Christen men the Turke he coulde
shoulde we be accused for such an enemy of our mother the true church as is layd vnto her sonnes charge by such a Byshopp Which true and mother Church with all reuerence we honour and benignity embrace so beautified and adourned with Goddes most holy Sacraments Some singular persons notwihstanding fayning themselues to be our brethren by that mother and yet are not but of a strumpet begot such I say as are subiect and slaues to corruptible things putting thē from amongst vs we vtterly reiect Especially for that iniuries by them done are not only transitorie and mundane wherwith our maiestie is so molested vexed greued Wherefore we cannot so easily mitigate our moode neyther ought we in very dede so to do and therefore are we inforced the more to take the greater reuenge of them You therefore that are men of graue and deliberate counsail hauing the excellēt gift as from God of wisdom and vnderstāding Refuse you that raoring enemie of ours in these his proceedings whose beginnings are so wicked and detestable wisely comparing things past with those to come Otherwise you that are vnder our subiection as well of the Empire as other our dominions shall feele and perceiue both of my chiefe ennemie and persecutour as also of the princes that are his fautors and adherents what reuenge by sword Fredericus Augustus shall take vpon them God so permitting This done hee denounceth a solemne Parliament or councel of al the princes other nobilitie of the Empire at Aegra whether came Conradus Cesar Moguntinus Presul the Saxon Dukes the Lordes of Brandeburgh Misna Thuringus and the Legates of all the nobles of Brabant to aid the Emperor But the princes of Boiemus and Palatinus being dissuaded by the legates vnto whom the Austrians had ioyned thēselues refused to come to the Councel holden at Aegra And being at their wittes ends not knowing well what they might doe forsoke at last the Emperor and toke part with the pope and the other conspirators Then Fredericus Austriacus the Emperors second sonne whom he disherited as ye heard by the aid of the Boiors and Bohemians recouered againe the Dukedomes of Austria and Styria putting to flight and discōfiting the Emperors bandes and garrisons which he had there And although the Cardinals especially that honest man Albertus Boiemus had allured vnto the pope Otho the duke of Boioria as ye heard diuers other noble men of Germanie yet notwythstanding certaine bishops in Boioria as Eberhardus Iuuanensis and Sigrefridus Seginoburgensis being at that time the Emperors Chauncelour Rudicenis Ratheuiensis Conradus Frisingensis and others left not or yet forsoke the Emperor All which the foresayd Albertus not onely did excōmunicate but also by processe sought to bring them vp to Rome before the pope Geuing commaundement to their Collegioners and cloysterers that they should depriue them of their offices chuse such others in their steade as would obey the Pope All which things the Pope vnderstanding by Albertus and of thys their fidelitie to the Emperor corroborated and confirmed the same his doings commaunding them to chuse other byshops in their stedes But the bishops prelates with one consent contemning the popes mandates writs and also the curses and threatnings of Albertus accused reproued greatly blamed his temerity also tiranny which he vsurped against the churches of Germanie and especially against the good Emperor that without his consent he durst be so bolde as to meddle in churches cōmitted to the Emperors gouernment against the old auncient customes and that he had excommunicated the Emperor without iust cause that he had condemned the Emperors faithful subiects as enemies to the Church for standing with their liege and soueraigne Prince which allegiance to violate without horrible iniquitie they might not and so had sought to disquiet them likewise in their charges and administrations had also in that quarel geuen such defiance to the Emperor They accused and condemned the same Albertus also for a most impudent impostor and wicked varlet and for a most pestiferous botch soare of the christian common weale and giue him to the deuil they do as a ruinous enemie as wel of the church as of his owne natural countrey and further thinke him worthy to haue his reward with the rest of the popes pursiuants being the most wicked inuentors deuisers of mischief that were in al Germanie This done they make relation hereof to the Emperor by their letters and further they aduertise all the princes of Germanie especially those which were of the Popes faction or rebellion were the fauorers of Albertus that they should take hede and beware in any case of his subtill deceites pernitious deceiuable allurements nor that they should assist the pope for al his words against the Emperor And doutles by the counsaile of the high prelate or Archb. of Boioria whose name was Iuuanerisis and by his industry and persuasion Fredericus Austriacus was againe reconciled vnto the Emperor his father from whose aide and obedience after that by no promises threatnings bribes nor paines no nor for the execrable curses of the Popes owne holy month he would be induced or remooued But Albertus prosecuteth stil his purposed mischief alluring inciting by al meanes possible and that not amongst the worst but the best frendes to the pope enemies to the Emperor To some he gaue their tithes to fight against the Emperor to other some he gaue the gleebe landes of benefices and to other some hee gaue the spoile of such colledges and monasteries as tooke not part with the pope and to some other also he gaue the colleges monasteries themselues And assuredly I finde by Iohannes Auentinus lib. 7. annalium Boiorum that there were certen of the popes owne birdes that had their ecclesiasticall tithes taken from them and other some had the rents and reuenues of their colleges pluckt away by force to the maintenance of the Popes quarel against the Emperour Hereby was there a windowe opened to do what they listed euery man according to hys rauening and detestable lust and all things lay open vnto their gredy and insatiable desires Who listeth to heare more hereof let him reade Auentinus in his Booke before noted and there shall he see what vastation grew therby to the whole state of Germanie who largely entreateth of the same While these things were thus in working in Germanie Fredericke leauing in Lumbardie Actiolinus wyth a great part of his hoste hee passing with the rest by Apeninum came to Hetruria and set the same in a stay after that he had alaide certaine insurrections there and from thence to Pysas where he was with great amitie and honor receiued and welcomed This citie was alwaies assured and faithfull to the Emperours of Germanie The Pope vnderstanding of the Emperours comming into Hetruria and knowing what power the Emperour had also left in Lumbardie hee with
and aboue whereas the mere reuenues of the crowne came not to 30000. Of this Robert Grosted wryteth Cestrensis in his 7. booke of his historie that partly for that it greeued hym to see the intollerable exactions of the Pope in this realme and partly because he refused to admitte a certaine younge nephew of the Pope to be canon of his Church as hath bene before recited He therefore wryting to the Pope and signifying that he could not admit any such persons into hys Church which neither knewe themselues nor the tounge of the people nor the charges committed vnto them was called vp to Rome and there excommunicated who then appealing from the Pope shortly after departed which was An. 1253. It chanced within 2. yeares after his decease the sayde Pope Innocent being a slepe a certaine Bishop apparelled bishop like appeared vnto him and striking him with his staffe on his left side sayde Surge miser veni in iudicium That is Rise wretch and come to thy iudgement The next day after the Pope was found amased as a man stroken on the side with the stroke of a staffe This Robert though he was greatly commended for his sanctimony as Cestrensis sayeth for his myracles yet was he not permitted in the court of Rome to be ascribed in the Cataloge of Saintes And thus much out of Cestrensis concernyng thys matter But Math. Paris and the author of Flores historiarum prosecuting thys storie more at large addeth thys more vnto it sayth That Pope Innocent the next yeare folowing which was An. 1254. being passing angry contrary to the minde of his brethren the Cardinals woulde haue the bones of the foresayd byshop of Lincolne cast out of the Church and purposed to bring him into suche spite and hatred of the people that he shuld be counted an Ethnicke a rebell and disobedient person through the whole worlde And thereuppon caused his letters to be wrytten and sent downe to the king of England knowing that the king would gladly serue him therein to haue the spoyle of the bishop and of his church But the night following the said B. of Linc. appeared vnto him as coÌ„ming in his pontificalibus and with a seuere couÌ„tenance and sterne loke and terrible voyce speaketh vnto him being in his rest smiting him on the side with a vehement stroke with the ende of his crossestaffe thus said O thou scourfie lazie old bald lousie wretched doting Pope Hast thou purposed to cast out my bones out of the Church to the shame and slaunder of me Now commeth this rash wilfulnesse in thy head It were more meete for thee being this aduaunced by God honoured to make much of the zelous seruaunts of God although departed The lord wil not suffer thee heÌ„ceforth to haue any more power ouer me I haue writteÌ„ vnto thee in the spirit of humilitie and loue that thou shouldest correct thy manifolde errors But thou wyth a proud eye and disdainful hart hast despised my wholesome admonitions Woe to thee that despisest shalt not thou also be despised And so the Bishop departing from the Pope stroken as is said on the side leâ—t him for half dead and so lying in sorow lamentation Wherupon his chamberlains being amased hearing these things came ruÌ„ning to the pope to know what him ailed To whome the Pope much troubled and bexed in his spirit sayd that great terrors in his slepe vehemently disturbed and molested him in such sorte that he thought he should neuer recouer it nor be restored to himselfe againe Oh sayeth he howe sore is my side and howe egerly it vexeth me as being runne through with a speare Neither did the Pope eate or drinke all that day but faining himself to be sicke of a burning ague kept in And yet the indignation of the irefull hand of God sayth the story so left him not For after these wholesome admonitions geuen to hym by the seruaunt of God the Pope not regarding them but all set vpon warre suppression of his enemies and secular affaires gaue his minde wholy vnto them And yet all his labors counsailes expences bestowed vpon them could neuer prosper after that day in that he weÌ„t about For the Pope the same time hauing warre with the Apulians all his army fighting vnder the Popes nephew their captaine were slaine confounded the number of many thousands whose lamentable slaughter al the countrey of the Romains did much bewaile The Pope not yet quiet in his minde directeth his iorney towarde Naples although sore vexed in his side like a man sicke of a plurisie or sâ—itten rather with a speare Neither could any phisicke of his Cardinals help him For Robert of Lincolne sayth the story did not spare him And hee that woulde not heare him gently correcting him being aliue his stripes did he feele wheÌ„ he was dead So that hee neuer after that enioyed any luckie or prosperous day till time of his death nor yet any prosperous or quiet night vntill the morning And so continued he vnto his death which shortly after ensued he being at Naples An. 1255. or as N. Triuet recordeth An. 1254. And thus haue ye the whole discourse betweene Robert Grosted Pope Innocent ¶ In the which story is to be noted gentle reader that although in the storie of Cestrensis of Mathewe Paris and of Flor. hist. it is expresly testified and reported that the Pope was smitten with the staffe of Robert the foresaid Byshop of Lincolne yet thou must wisely vnderstand that how so euer Gods hand dealeth heere in this world in punishing his enemies or how so euer the Image of things not sene but phantasied offer themselues to the secrete cogitation of man his senses being a slepe by the operation or permission of God woorking after some spirituall influence in our imaginations certaine it is that no dead man materially can euer rise againe or appeare before the iudgement day to any man with his staffe or without his staffe to woorke any feate after he haue once departed this life After the death of this Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne great dissention fel betwene the Archb. of Cant. Boniface and the canons of the said church of Lincolne about the right of geuing prebendships and about the reuenues of the said church in time of the bishops see being now vacant Which right power the Archbishop claimed to him selfe but the canons of that Church maintaining the contrary side stood against him and for the same were excommunicated of the Archbishop AmoÌ„g whom one M. Wolf resisting the Archb. to the face in the name of all the other canons made vp his appeale to Rome where much money on both sides was spent At length after this Grosted was elected Henry Lexinton in the see of Lincolne About which time the wicked Iewes at Lincolne had cruelly crucified whipped tormented a certaine child named Hugo of 9. yeres of age An.
Basset which before was appoynted to worke that feat wyth mattockes and other instruments of yron and men prepared for the nonce neare to the monasterie of S. Andrewe did vndermine the wall of the Citie And by this meanes the wal fel downe lightly and there was made a great plaine so that in one forefront there might haue gone together on a row 40. horsemen And of this subteltie the alian Monkes that were there were thought to be the workers because they made way and entraunce for them that came in But when they that passed by saw this the kings banners were erected ready to enter in There was a great howling made the noise of the people came to the eares of the Barons they made speede to resist them but it was all in vaine because they were already preuēted of a great cōpany of their enemies But Simon Mountfort the yōger after he had valiantly fought a while in the middest of his enemies wyth Peter Mountfort and a fewe that were with him when Edward the kings sonne came was by his commaundement taken and led away prisoner But the clearks of the vniuersitie of Oxforde which vniuersitie by the Barons commandement was trāslated thether did worke against the kings men more hurte then the other Barons wyth their slings long bowes and crossebowes for they had a banner by themselues and that was set vp a hie against the king Where withall the king being greatly moued sware at his entring in that they should al be hanged Which when they hard many of them shaued their crownes they that were able ran away as fast as they coulde And when the king entred the Citie many fled in their armour into the Castell other left their horse and harnesse and ranne into churches and a few were slain and those were of the common people But there was not much bloudshed because all things were done as vppon a sodaine When the Citie was at the length set in a quiet the king commaunded his othe to be executed vpon the Clarkes But his counsellers said vnto him This be farre from thee O king for the sonnes of thy Nobles and of other great men of thy kingdome were there gathered together into the Vniuersitie whome if thou wouldest cause to be hanged or slaine euen they that nowe take thy parte would rise vp against thee not suffering to the vttermost of their powers the bloud of their sonnes and kinsfolkes to be shed And so the king was pacified and his wrath against the Clerks was stayed In the same day after little more then an houre the kings host assaulted the Castell and the new hold keepers were afraide for that they had not victuals other things necessary for their resistance therfore they sent immediatly messengers vnto the King and yeelded themselues to the kings mercy There were taken that day these Knights Barons vnder wrytten Lord William de Ferrers Lorde Peter Mountfort cōpanion of the sayd Simon de Moūtforte the yonger Lord Baldwyn de wake Lorde Adam de Newmarche Lord Roger Bertram Lord Simon the sonne of Simon a valiaunt warriour which first erected hys banner against the king Lorde Berengarius de waterwile Lord Hugo Bubiam Lord Thomas Maunsell Lord Roger Botemlam Nicolas wake Lord Robert de Newton Lord Philip de Driby Brimbald de Pauncefoote All these afore hand did the king take prisonners and many more of whom he committed some to the Lord Nicolas of Hauersam to be kept in the same Castle well defēsed some he led away with him and some he sent to diuers Castels and appointed Simon Mountfort to be cast into windfore Castell And all these things as touching the taking of Northampton were done on the Sabboth day in passion weeke being the thyrd of Aprill in the yeare of our Lord. 1264. And the king went forward euen to Notingham burning and wasting the manners of the Lords and others his enemies and there he gathered together his nobles and greatly increased hys number When this ill lucke was tolde of them that there were run away to the Earle Simon whiche was comming towardes Northampton with a great hoste he was in a great rage yet was not discouraged But immediatly going to London caused a chariot to be made him after the maner of lytters or couches wherein he might ride as though he were sicke for he fayned himselfe to be feeble and weake whereas he was in deede a stout and valiaunt warriour And there gathered to him other noble men that were cōfederate with him Earles and Barōs euery one bringing with them their seuerall armies And preparing their ingynes of woode they went to besiege Rochester for the Earle of Worcester in the kynges behalfe kept both the towne and castell When they had gotten the first gate and the bridge they were partly wounded and compelled to retire and there that valiant knight Roger de la Bourne was wounded and very il handled And whilest they continued siege there a while it was told them that the kyng was comming toward London with a mighty host And they sayd one to an other if the king at hys cōming should take London we shall be shut in as it were in a straight corner Let vs therefore returne to London that we may keep in safety both the place and the people Therefore appointing certaine persons to keepe the siege they returned to London At the length when the king came they went forth with the Citizens to meere him not with floures and palmes in their handes but swordes and speares The K. shunned them and after he had the Castell of Kingston which was the Erle of Glocesters he went from thence to Rochester where after he had killed a few he brake that siege and from thence the king went to Tunbridge And the towne and Castell now being geuen vp to him he tooke there the Countesse of Glocester put her into an Abbey not to be kept in hold but to goe at libertye whether she would And he left for the custody of the Castell and City a great part of his hoast to the number of aboue xx picked out ensignes for that it was commonly said that the Earle of Glocester would come out of hād to assault them Which being done he continued on his iourney to Winchester where he receiued to peace the seamen of the hauē townes And three dayes alter vpon the sonday following he came to the towne of Lewes and was receaued into the Abbey and his sonne Edward into the Castell Then the Barons sent letters to the king the 12. day of May the tenor wherof followeth TO theyr most excellent Lord Henry by the grace of God king of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitania hys Barons and other his faythfull subiectes being willing to keep their othe and fidelitie to God and him send greeting and due obedidience with honour and reuerence Whereas by many
Of whom onely Thomas Earle of Lancaster for the nobility of his bloud was beheaded All the other Lords and Barons were hanged drawn quartered c. which bloudy vnmercifulnes of the king toward his naturall subiects not only to him procured great dishonor within the realme but also turned afterward to his much more greater harm hinderance in his forreine warres agaynst the Scots And finally wrought his vtter confusion and ouerthrow of his seat royall as in the sequell of his end appeared and worthely After the ruine of these noble personages the king as though he had gotteÌ„ a great coÌ„quest who then in deed began first to be ouercomen and conquere himself when he so oppressed and cut of the strength and sinews of his chiualrye began to triumph not a litle with his Spensers And to couÌ„t himselfe sure as though he were in heauen to exercise more sharpe seuerity vpon his subiectes trusting and committing all to the counsell onely of the foresayd Spensers in so much that both the Queene and the residue of yâ— other nobles could litle be regarded Who as they grew euer in more contempt with the king so they encreased in more hatred agaynst the Spensers but strength hability lacked to worke ther will The next yeare the king being at York after he had made Sir Hugh Spencer Erle and Syr Iohn Baldocke a man of euill same to be Chauncellour of England he theÌ„ areared a mighty host agaynst the Scottes But for lack of skilfull guiding expert Captaynes and for want specially of due prouision of vitayles necessary for such an army the great multitude to the number reckoned of an hundreth thousand wandring through Scotland from whence the Scots had conuayed all theyr goods and cattell into moutaynes and marches were so pynched and sterued with famyne that a great part of the army there presently perished and they that returned home as soone as they tasted of in eates escaped not The king neither hauing resistance of his enemies and seing such a destruction of his subiects was forced without anye acte done to retyre But in his retiring Sir Iames Duglas and the Scottes hauing knowledge therof pursued him in such wise that they clue many Englishe men and had well neare taken the kyng himselfe After whiche distresse the king thus beaten and wearyed with the Scottes woulde fayne haue ioyned in â—ruce with the Scottes but because they stoode excommunicate by the pope he standing in feare therof desireth liceÌ„ce to entreate with them of peace the sayd excommunication notwithstanding whiche licence beyng obtayned a treaty was appoynted by commissioners on both parts at Newcastle at the feast of Sainct Nicholas next ensuing and so truce was taken for 12. yeares whereupon this is to be noted by the way gentle reader not vnworthy of obseruation that wheras in former tymes and especially of the late king Edward the first so long as the Scottes were vnder the popes blessing and we in displeasure with his holines for dealing with them so long we preuayled mightely agaynst them euen to the vtter subuersion in manour of their whole estate But nowe so soone as the Pope tooke our part the Scots were vnder his curse and excommunication Then gat they greater victories against vs then any time either before or sithence in somuch as being before not able to defend them selues agaynst vs they nowe pursued vs into the bowels of our owne country The king purposing to erect a house of Fryers Augustines within the towne of Boston in Lincolneshyre first prayed the popes licence in that behalfe Polidorius Virgilius among other histories of our English nation which he intermedleth withall prosecuting also the actes and life of this present King and comming to write of the Queenes goyng ouer into Fraunce inferreth much varietie and diuersitie of autours and story writers concerning the cause thereof Otherwise be geueth hymself no true certainty of that matter neyther yet toucheth he yâ— which was the cause in deede By reason partly that he being an Italian and a foreiner coulde not vnderstand our English toung And partly agayne being but one maÌ„ neyther coulde he alone come to the sight of all our Latine autours One I am sure came not to his perusing an old ancient Latine history fayre written in patchment but without name belonging to the library of William Cary Citizen of London In which story the truth of this matter â—out all ambiguitie is there fully and with all circumstaunces expressed as here briefly is excerpted The king of England had bene diuers sundry tymes cited vpp to the Courte of Fraunce to doe homage to the French king for the Dukedome of Aquitane other lands which the king then helde of Fraunce Whiche homage because the king of England refused to tender the French K. began to enter at such possessions as the king then did hold in Fraunce Whereupon great contention and confirtes there were on both sides At length in this yeare now present a Parliament was called at London Where after much altercation at last it was determined that certayne should be sent ouer to witte the Bishops of Winchester and Norwich and the Earle of Richmond to make agreement betwixt the two kinges For the better help and fortification of which agreement it was thought good afterward that Queene Isabell sister to Charles then the FreÌ„ch king shold be sent ouer Where is to be noted first that the Queenes landes possessions and castles a little before vpon the breach betweene the Frenche king and the Kyng of Englande were seised into the kinges handes and the Queene put to her pension c. Thus the Queene beyng sent ouer with a few to attend vpon her onely Syr Iohn Cromwell Baron and 4. knightes tooke theyr passage into Fraunce by whose mediation it was there concluded that the king of England if he would not himselfe come to do his homage he should geue to his sonne Edward the Dukedome of Aquitanie and the Earledome of Pontine and so he to come to make his homage to the king and to podesle the same This being in Fraunce concluded was sent ouer by message to the king of England with the kings letters patentes adioyned for the sate conduct of him or of his sonne Upon this deliberation was taken in the counsalle of England But the two Spensers fearing to take the Seas eyther with the king or els without the king to remayne behinde for scare of the nobles so appoynted that Prince Edward the kings sonne was sent whiche happened after to theyr vtter desolation as it followed For all thinges being quieted ordered according to the agreement in Fraunce K. Edward of England soone after Michaelmas sendeth for his wife and his sonne agayne out of Fraunce But the sending home most part of her family reinseth her selfâ— to returne For what cause it is not fully certayne whether for indignation that her possessions
continually was spoyled sackt and with fire consumed by the circuit of 20. miles round about yet the French king being distant scarse the space of one mile froÌ„ vs either would not or els durst not when he might easily haue passed ouer the riuer make any resistaunce for the defence of his countrey and people And so our king iourneying forwarde came to Pusiacke or Poisy where the French king had likewyse broke downe the bridge and keeping on the other side of the riuer would rest in no place After whose comming to Poisie the foresayd chaplain and confessor to the king named Michaell Northburgh describing the kings voyage and the actes of the Englishmen from the town of Poisie to his comming to Calis in his letters writeth in this wise ¶ A Letter of W. Northburghe the Kyngs confessor describing the kings voyage into Fraunce SAlutations premised we geue you to vnderstand that our soueraigne Lord the king came to the towne of Poisye the daye before the Assumption of our Lady where was a certayne bridge ouer the water of Seane broken downe of the enemye but the king taried there so long till that the bridge was made again And whiles the bridge was in repayring there came a great number of men at armes and other souldiours were armed to hinder the same But the Earle of Northhampton issued out agaynst them flew of them more then one thousand the rest fled away thankes be to God And at an other time our men passed the water although with much trauell and flew a great number of the common souldiours of Fraunce about the Citty of Paris and countrey adioyning being part of the French kinges army and thorowly well appoynted so that our people haue now made other good bridges vpon our enemyes God be thanked without any great losse and damage to vs. And on the morrow after the Assumption of our Ladye the king passed the water of Sceane and marched toward Poâ—ye which is a towne of great defence and stronglye immured and a maruellous strong Castle within the same which our enemies kept And when our vaundgard was passed the towne our reregarde gaue an assault thereunto and tooke the same where were slayne more then 300. men at armes of our enemyes part And the next day following the Earle of Suffolke and Sir Hugh Spenser marched forth vpon the commons of the countrey assembled and well armed and in fine discomfited them and slew of them more then 200. and tooke 60. Gentlemen prisoners besides others And after that the Kyng marched toward Graund Villers and while he was there encamped the kinges vaundgard was discried by the men of armes of the king Bename whereupon our men issued out in great haste and ioyned battell with them but were inforced to retyre Notwithstanding thankes be vnto God the Earle of Northhampton issued out and reskued the horsemen with other souldiours so that few or none of them were either taken or slayne sauing onely Thomas Talbot but had agayne the enemye in chase within 2. leagues of Amians of whom we tooke 8. and slew 12. of their best men at armes the rest being well horsed tooke the towne of Amians After this the king of England marched toward Pountife vpon Bartholomew day and came vnto the water of Som where the French king had layd 500. men at armes and three thousand foote men purposing to haue kept and stopped our passage but thankes be to God the king of England and his hoste entred the same water of Som where neuer man passed before without the losse of any of our men and after that encountered with the enemy and slewe of them more then two thousand the rest fledde to Abeuyle in which chase was taken many Knights Squiers and men at armes The same day Sir Hugh Spenser tooke the towne of Croylay where he and his souldiours flew foure hundred men at armes and kept the towne where they found great store of victuals The same night encamped the king of England in the Forest of Cressy vpon the same water for that the French kinges hoste came on the other side of the town neare vnto our passage But he woulde not take the water of vs and so marched towarde Abeuile And vpon the Friday next following the King beyng still encamped in the sayd Forest our Scuriers discried the french king which marched toward vs in foure great battelles And hauing then vnderstanding of our enemies as Gods will was a little before the euening tide we drew vnto the playne fielde and set our battelles in aray and immediately the fight began which was sore and cruell and indured long for our enemyes behaued themselues right nobly But thankes be geuen to God the victory fell on our side and the Kyng our aduersary was discomfited with all hys hoste and put to flight Where also was slayne the Kyng of Bename the Duke of Loren the Earle of Dabeson the Earle of Flaunders the Earle of Blois the Earle of Aarcot with his two Sonnes the Earle of Damerley the Earle of Nauers and his Brother the Lord of Tronard the Archbyshoppe of Myemes the Archbishop of Saundes the high Prior of Fraunce the Earle of Sauoy the Lord of Morles the Lord de Guis Segniour de S. Nouant Seigniour de Rosingburgh with sixe Earles of Almayn and diuers other Earles Barons Knightes and Squyres whose names are vnknowne And Philippe de Valoys himselfe with an other Marques which was called Lord Electour among the Romaynes escaped from the battell The number of the men at armes whiche were founde dead in the field beside the common Souldiours and footemen were 1542. And all that night the king of England with his hoste abode armed in the field where the battell was fought On the next morrow before the Sunne rose there marched towardes vs an other great hoste mightye and strong of the Frenchmen But the Earle of Northhampton and the Earle of Northfolke issued out agaynst them in 3 battels and after long and terrible fight them in likewise they discomfited by Gods great help and grace for otherwise it could neuer haue bene where they tooke of Knights and Squires a great number and flew aboue 2000. pursuing the chase three leagues from the place where the battell was fought The same night also the king encamped himselfe agayne in the forest of Cressy and on the morow marched toward Boleyne and by the way he took the town of Staples and from thence he marched toward Calis where he entendeth to plant his siege and lay his battery to the same And therfore our soueraigne Lord the king willeth and commauÌ„deth you in all that euer you may to send to the said siege victuals coÌ„uenient For after the time of our departing froÌ„ Chaam we haue trauelled through the countrey with great perill and daunger of our people but yet alwayes had of victuall plenty thankes be to God therfore But now as the case standeth we partly need your helpe to be refreshed
leue not his sinne amend him before witnes and gif he ne amendeth not men should tel to the church and gif he ne amendeth not than men shuld shone his company as a publicane or a man that is misbeleued and this lawe was yfigured in the law of lepre who that readeth it he may see the sooth But Lord God he that sitteth in thy stede hath vndo thy lawe of mercy and of loue Lord thou biddest loue enemies as our self as thou shewest in the gospell there as the Samaritane had mercy on the Iewe. And thou biddest vs also prayen for them that cursen vs and that defamen vs pursuen vs to death And so Lorde thou didst thine apostles also But he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar on earth and head of thy church he hath vndone thy lawe of loue and mercy For gif we speaken of louing our ennemies hâ— teacheth vs to fight with our enemies that Christ hath forboden He curseth and desireth vengeance to them that so doth to hym Gif any man pursueth him hee curseth him that it is a sorowe a Christen man to hearen the cursinges that they maken and blasphemies in such cursing Of what thing that I know I may beare true witnes But gif we speake of louing of our brethren this is vndone by him that sayth he is Godsvicar in earth For Christ in the gospell biddeth vs that we shoulden clepen vs no father vpon earth But clepen God our father to maken vs loue perfitlich together And he clepeth himself father of fathers maketh many religions to euerich a father But whether is loue and charity encreased by these fathers and by their religions or els ymade lesse For a Friar ne loueth not a monke ne a secular man neither nor yet one frier a nother that is not of the order and it is againward A Lord me thinketh that there is litle perfection in these religions For Lorde what charity hauen such men of religion that knowen how they mown against and sin and fleen away froÌ„ their brethren that ben more vncuÌ„ning then they ben suffren them to trauelen in the world withouten their couÌ„cell as beastes Trulich Lorde me thinketh that there is but litle charity and then is there litle perfection Lorde God when thou were on earth thou were among sinful men to drawen them from sin thy disciples also And Lord I trow thou ne grauÌ„test not one maÌ„ more kuÌ„ning then an other al for himself and I wote wel that lewd meÌ„ that ben laborers ne trauel not alonlich for himself Lord our belief is that thou ne wer not of the world ne thy teaching neither ne thy seruantes that liueden after thy teaching But all they forsaken the world and so euery christen man must But Lorde whether thou taughtest menne forsake their brethrens companie and trauell of the worlde to liuen in ease and in rest and out of trouble and anger of the worlde by their brethrens trauell and so forsaken the world A Lord thou ne taughtest not a maÌ„ to forsaken a pore estate and trauel to ben afterward a Lord of his brethren or ben a lords fellow and dwelling with Lords as doth men of these new religions Lord thou ne taughtest not men of thy religion thus to forsake the world to liuen in perfection by them selfe in ease and by other mens trauell But Lord they sayen they ben ybound to thy seruise and seruen thee both night and day in singing their prayers both for themselfe and for other men that done them good both quicke and dead and some of them gone about to teach thy people when they hauen leisure A Lord gif they ben thy seruauntes whose seruaunts ben we that cannot preyen as they done And when thou were heere on earth for our nede thou taughtest thy seruauntes to preyen thy father priuilich and shortlich And gif there had beene a better maner of praying I trowe thou wouldest haue taught it in helpe of thy peâ—ple And Lorde thou reprouest hypocrites that preyen in long preyer and in open places to ben yholden holy men And thou seyst in the gospel wo to you Pharisees hypocrits And lord thou ne chargedest not thy seruaunts with such maner seruice But thou seest in the gospel that the Pharises worshopeÌ„ thee with their lippes and their hart is farre from thee For they chargen more mens traditions than thy commaundements And Lord we lewed men han a beleefe that thy goodnesse is endles and gif we keepen thine hestes than ben we thy true seruauntes And though we preyen thee but a litle shortlich thou wilt thinken on vs and grauÌ„ten vs that vs nedeth for so thou behighted vs somtime And Lord I trowe that pray a man neuer so many quaint prayers gif he ne kepe not thine hests he is not thy good seruaunt But gif he keepe thine hestes than he is thy good seruaunt and so me thinketh Lorde that praying of long prayers ne is not the seruice that thou desirest but keping of thine heftes and than a lewd man may serue God as wel as a man of religion though that the Plowman ne may not haue so muche siluer for his prayer as men of religion For they kunnen not so wel preisen their prayers as these other chapmen But Lorde our hope is that our prayers be neuer the worse though it be not so wel solde as other mens prayers Lorde Ezechiel the Prophet sayth that whan he spake to the people thy words they turned thy words into songs into tales And so Lord men done now they singin merilich thy words and that singing they clepen thy seruice But Lord I trow that the best singers he herieth thee not most But he that fulfilleth thy wordes he herieth thee full well though he wepe more then sing And I trow that weping for breaking of thy commandements be more pleasing seruice to thee than the singing of thy words And wold God that men would serue him in sorow for their sinnes and that they shoulden afterward seruen thee in mirth For Christ sayth yblessed ben they that maken sorow for they shoulden ben yconforted And woe to them that ben merry and haue theyr comfort in this world And Christ sayd that the world should ioyen hys seruaÌ„ts shulden be sory but their sorow shuld be turned into ioy A Lord he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth hath y ordained an order of priestes to doe thy seruice in church to fore thy lewd people in singing matens euensong masse And therfore hee chargeth lewde men in paine of cursing to bryng to hys priests tithyngs and offerings to finden his priests and he clepeth that Gods part due to priests that seruen him in church But Lord in the olde law the tithings of the lewde people ne were not due to priestes but to that other childer of Leuie that ferueden thee in the temple and the
charge of the realme because it was prooued in a certaine booke which the king hath that a hundreth houses of almes are sufficient for the whole realme And thereby might peraduenture greater increase and profite come vnto the temporalitie The 8. conclusion needefull to tel the people beguiled is that pilgrimages praiers and oblations made vnto blinde crosses or roodes or to deafe images made eyther of woode or stone are very neare of kinde vnto Idolatry and farre different frō almes And albeit that these thyngs which are forbidden and imagined are the booke of errour vnto the common people notwithstanding the vsual and common image of the Trinity is most especially abhominable This conclusion God himselfe doeth openly manyfest commaunding almes to be geuen to the poore needy man for he is the image of God in more perfite similitude and likenesse then any blocke or stone For God did not say let vs make a blocke or stone vnto our likenes and image but let vs make man for so muche as the supreme highest honor which the clergy calleth Latria pertaineth only to the Godhead the inferior honour which clergy call Dulia pertaineth vnto men and angels and to none other inferior creature The corolarie is the the seruice of the crosse celebrate twise euery yere in our church is ful of idolatry For if roode tree nailes and speare ought so profoundly to be honoured and worshipped then were Iudas lippes if any man could get them a marueilous goodly relique But thou Pilgrime we pray thee tell vs when thou doest offer to the bones of the Saintes and holy men whych are layd vp in any place whether dost thou relieue therby the holy man which is already in ioy or that almes house that is so well endowed whereas they are canonised the Lord knoweth howe and to speake more plaine euery faithfull Christian may well iudge and suppose that the strokes of that same man whom they calls Thomas were no came of Martyrdome nor yet be The 9. conclusion that keepeth the people low is that auricular confession which is said to be so necessary for saluation the fained power of absolution exalteth and setteth vp the pride of priests and geueth them oportunity of other secrete talkes which we will not at thys tune talke of for so much as both Lordes and Ladies doe witnes that for feare of their confessors they dare not speake the truth and in time of confession is good oportunitie ministred of wooing or to play the baudes or to make other secret conuentions to deadly sinne They affirme and say that they are commissaries sent of God to iudge discerne of al maner sinne to pardone and clense what so euer please them They say also that they haue the keyes of heauen and hell that they can excommunicate curse and blesse binde and loose at theyr owne will and pleasure in so muche that for a small rewarde or for 12. d. they will sell the blessyng of heauen by charter and clause of warrantes sealed by theyr commō seale This conclusion is so common in vse that it nedeth not any probation The corolarie hereof is that the Pope of Rome whych fained himselfe to be the profounde treasurer of the whole Church hauing that same woorthy iewell which is the treasure of the passion of Christ in hys owne keping and custody together with the merites of all the saintes in heauen wherby he geueth fained indulgences and pardons a poena culpa Hee is a treasurer almost banished out of chariti wherby he may deliuer al captiues being in purgatory at hys pleasure and make them not to come there But heere euery faithfull Christian may easily perceiue that there is much falshode hid in our church The 10. that manslaughter either by warre or by any pretensed law of iustice for any temporall cause or spirituall reuelation is expresly contrary vnto the newe Testamēt which is the law of grace full of mercy This conclusion is euidently proued by the examples of the preachyng of Christ heere in earth who chiefly teacheth euery man to loue his enemies and haue compassiō vpon them and not to kill and murther them The reason is this that for the most part when as men do fight after the first stroke charity is broken and whosoeuer dieth without charity goth the right way to hell And beside that we doe well vnderstand know that none of the clergy neither by any other lawfull reason can deliuer any man from the punishment of death for one deadly sinne and not for an other but the law of mercy which is the new Testament forbiddeth all maner of murther For in the Gospell it is spoken vnto our forefathers thou shalt not kil The corolary is It is a very robbing of the people when Lordes purchase indulgences and pardons a poena culpa vnto such as do helpe their armies to kil and murther the christian people in soreine countreys for temporal gaine as we do see certaine souldiors which do runne amongst the Heathen people to get themselues fame renowme by the murther slaughter of men Much more doe they deserue euil thanks at the hands of the king of peace for so much as by humility and peace our faith is multiplied increased for murtherers and manquellers Christ doeth hate and manaseth he that striketh with the sword shall perish with the sword The 11. conclusion is whyche is shame to tell that the vow of chastity made in our church by women whych are fraile and vnperfite in nature is the cause of brynging in many great and horrible offences and vices incident vnto the nature of man For albeit the murther of their children borne before their time and before they are christened and the destruction of their nature by medicine are filthy foule sinnes yet they accompanying amongest themselues or with vnreasonable beastes or with any creature not hauing life doe passe to such an vnseemelinesse that they are punished by infernal torments The corolarie is that widowes such as take the mantell and the ring delitiously fed we would that they were maried because that we can not excuse them from priuate offence of sinne The 12. that the multitude of artes not necessary vsed in this our Church causeth much sinne offence in waste curiosity and disguising in curious apparell experience reason partly doth shewe the same for so muche as nature with a few actes is sufficient for mans vse and necessity This is the whole tenor of our ambassade which Christ hath commanded vs to prosecute at this time most fit and conuenient for many causes And albeit that these matters be heere briefly noted and touched yet notwithstandyng they are more at large declared in another boke with many other more in our owne proper tounge which we would should be common to all Christian people Wherefore we earnestly desire and beseeche God for his great
and protest before God and mā that you wil be the cause of Schisme and infinite mischieues if you doe not alter change your minde and purpose Almighty God preserue your holinesse in the prosperity of a vertuous man Vnto whose feete I do moste humbly recommend me From Basil the 5. day of Iune Thus endeth the Epistle of Cardinal Iulian wrytten vnto Pope Eugenius Wherein for so much as mention is made howe that the Bohemians had promised to sende their Ambassadours vnto the Councell and as before is partly touched in the Bohemian storie their commyng into Basill and propounding of certaine articles wherein they dissented frō the Pope we doe not thinke it any thing differing from our purpose to annexe a briefe Epitome declaring the whole circumstance of their Ambassade their articles disputations and answeres which they had at the sayd councell of Basil with their petitions and answeres vnto the same Faithfully translated out of Latin by F.W. In like maner Aeneas Syluius also with his owne hand and wryting not onely gaue testimony to the authoritie of thys councell but also bestowed his labour and trauaile in setting foorth the whole storie thereof Notwythstanding the same Syluius afterward being made Pope wyth hys new honour did alter and change his olde sentence the Epistle of which Aeneas touching the commendation of the sayde Councel because it is but short and will occupy but litle roume I thought heere vnder for the more satisfying of the readers minde to inserte An Epistle of Aeneas Syluius to the Rector of the Vniuersitie of Colen TO a Christian man whiche will be a true Christian in deede nothing ought to be more desired then that the sinceritie and purenes of faith geuen to vs of Christ by our forefathers be kept of all men immaculate and if at any time any thing be wrought or attempted against the true doctrine of the Gospell the people ought with one consent to prouide lawfull remedy euery man to bring with him some water to quench the general fire Neither must we feare how we be hated or enuied so we bring the truth Wee must resist euery mā to his face whether he be Paul or Peter if he walke not directly to the truth of the Gospell which thing I am gladde and so are we all to heare that your Vniuersitie hathe done in this Councell of Basill For a certaine treatise of yours is brought hether vnto vs wherein you reprehend the rudenesse or rather the rashnesse of such which do deny the Bishop of Rome and the Consistorie of his iudgement to be subiecte vnto the generall Councell and that the supreame tribunall seate of iudgement standeth in the Church and in no one Bishop Such men as deny this you so confound with liuely reasons and trueth of the Scriptures that neither they are able to slide away like the slippery Eeles neither to cauill or bring any obiection againste you These be the wordes of Siluius Furthermore as touching the autority and approbation of the foresayd Councel this is to be noted that during the life of Sigismund the Emperour no man resisted this Councell Also continuing the time of Charles the 7. the French king the said Councel of Basil was fully wholly receiued through all France But after the death of Sigismund when Eugenius was deposed and Felix Duke of Sauoy was elected Pope greate discordes arose and much practise was wrought But especially on Eugenius part who being nowe excommunicate by the Councell of Basill to make his part more strong made 18. new Cardinals Thē he sent his Orators vnto the Germains labouring by all perswasions to dissolue the councell of Basill the Germaines at that time were so deuided that some of them did hold with Felix and the Councell of Basil other some with Eugenius and the Councell of Ferraria and some were neuters After this the French king being dead which was Charles the 7. about the yeare of oure Lorde 1444. the Pope beginneth a newe practise after the olde guise of Rome to excite as is supposed the Dolphine of Fraunce by force of armes to dissipate that Councell collected against him Who leading an army of xb. M. men in to Alsatia did cruelty waste and spoyle the countrey after that laide siege vnto Basil to expel driue out the prelates of the Councell But the Heluetians most stoutly meeting their enemies with a small power did vanquish the Frenchmen and put them to sword and flight like as the Lacedemonians onely with C C C. did suppresse and scattered all the mighty army of Xerxes at Thermopylyae Although Basil thus by the valiantnes of the Heluetians was defended yet notwithstanding the Councell thorough these tumultes could not continue by reason of the princes Ambassadours which shronke away and woulde not tary So that at lengthe Eugenius brought to passe partly through the help of Fredericke being not yet Emperor but laboring for the Empire partly by his Orators in the number of whome was Eneas Syluius aboue mentioned amongst the Germans that they were content to geue ouer both the councel of Basil and their neutrality This Fridericke of Austrich being not yet Emperour but towards the Empire brought also to passe that Felix which was chosen of the Councell of Basill to be Pope was contented to renoūce and resigne his Papacie to Nicolaus the fift successour to Eugenius of the which Nicolaus the sayde Fredericke was confirmed at Rome to be Emperour and there crowned An. 1451. As these things were doing at Basil in the meane season pope Eugenius brought to passe in his conuocation at Florence that the Emperour and the Patriarke of Constantinople wyth the rest of the Grecians there present were perswaded to receiue the sentence of the Churche of Rome concerning the proceeding of the holy Ghost also to receiue the communion in vnleauened bread to admitte Purgatorie and to yeelde them selues to the authoritye of the Romish Bishop Whereunto notwythstanding the other Churches of Grecia would in no wise assent at theyr comming home In so much that with a publike execreation they did condemn afterward al those Legates which had consented to these Articles that none of them shoulde be buryed in Christen buriall whych was Anno. 1439. Ex◠Casp. Peucer And thus endeth the storie both of the Councel of Basil and of the councel of Florence also of the Emperor Sigismund and of the schisme betwene pope Eugenius and Pope Felix and also of the Bohemians The which Bohemians notwythstanding all these troubles and tumultes aboue said did rightwel and were strong enough against all their enemies till at length through discord partly betwene the 2. preachers of the old and newe citye of Prage partly also through y◠discord of the messengers captains taking sides one against the other they made their eunemies strong and enfebled themselues Albeit afterward in processe of time they so defended the cause of their
enemies ij or iij. dayes and he would follow with all possible speede with a puissaunt army Who accordyng to their cōmaundement defended the Citie with all their power but yet to litle purpose For the Citizens consulting with thēselues for their owne most indēnitie hauing no walles to defend thē thought best to take that way which seemed to thē most sure safe therfore concluded to take part with kyng Edward This was not so soone knowne abroad but the cōminaltie rāue out by heapes to meete kyng Edward to salute him as their king Wheupon the Duke of Somerset with other of kyng Henries Coūsaile hearing therof wonderyng at the sodayne chaunge of the world to shift for themselues fled away left there kyng Henry alone who the same day beyng caused by the Archbyshop of Yorke to ryde about London like a kyng was before night made captiue and reduced agayne to the Tower It was not long after these thyngs thus done at London but the cōming of the Earle of Warwicke was heard of who thinking to preuēt mischiefes with making speede came a litle to late missed of his purpose In the Earles army were Iohn Duke of Exceter Edmūd Earle of Somerset Iohn Earle of Oxford and Marques Moūtacute the Earles brother The Earle had now passed a great part of his iourney whē he hearing newes of the world so chaūged of the captiuitie of king Henry was not a litle thereat appalled in his mynde wherfore he stayd with his army at S. Albons to see what way further to take And for somuch as there was no other remedy but either he must yeld or one conflict must finish the matter he remoued to Barnet x. myles from S. Albons Against him set forth K. Edward well appointed with a strong army of piked able persons with artillerie engines instrumētes meete for the purpose bringing with him also kyng Hēry On Easter euē he came to Barnet there he embattelled himselfe In the mornyng vpon Easter day the battaile begā and fiercely cōtinued almost till noone with murder on ech side much doubtfull till both partes were almost wery with fightyng and murderyng King Edward thē desirous to see an end of or on with a great crew of new fresh souldiours set vpon his weried enemies Wherby the Earles mē although encouraged with wordes of their captaine stoutly fought but they sore woūded weried could not lōg hold out The Earle rushing into the middest of his enemies ventured so farre that he could not be rescued where he was strikē downe slayne and there lay he Marques Mountacute thinkyng to succour his brother whō he saw to be in great ieopardy was likewise ouerthrowne and slaine After that Richard Neuell Earle of Warwike his brother were gone the rest fled many were takē The number of them which were in this field slayne are iudged about x. thousand as Polydore Virgill reciteth Fabian numbreth of them that were slayne but xv hundreth The Duke of Somerset Earle of Oxford thinkyng to flye to Scotland turned to Iasper Earle of Pēbroke in Wales The Duke of Exceter hardly escaped to Westminster there tooke sanctuary For the death of the Earle of Warwike the K. was not so glad as he was sory for the Marques Mountacute whō he tooke to be his frend The corpes of these two were brought to the Church of Paules where they lay open in two coffins two dayes and then were interred Ex Polyd. alijs ¶ In the narration of this Hystory Polydore Virgill whom Hall followeth word for word doth some deale differ from Rob. Fabian Neither doe I doubt but both these had their authors by whō they were directed Notwithstādyng this I maruaile that Polydore writyng of so many thynges which he neuer saw doth not vouchsafe to cite vnto vs those writers of whom he borowed And more do I meruaile or rather lamēt if it be true that I haue heard that he not onely nameth no author vnto vs but also burned an heape of our English stories vnknowen after the finishyng of his in the dayes of kyng Henry the 8. But now to our text agayne All this while yet Queene Margaret with yoūg prince Edward her sonne was scarce come ouer beyng long let with contrary windes who at length in the moneth of Aprill arriuyng at Waymouth in Dorsetshire hearing the sorrowfull tidings of these thinges lately happened to her husbād and to the Earle of Warwike and his brother and of the prosperous successe of K. Edward was so dismayd diquieted and pierced with sorrow seyng all things contrary to her expectatiō so to frame agaynst her that she fared and tooke on with her selfe lamenting her husbād bewayling hir sonne cursing her comming and crieng out of Fortune as though blinde Fortune were she that gouerneth times and tides rewarding iust punishments to vniust deseruings of men and not the secret power and terrible iustice of almighty God Such was then the impaciency of that Queene being not able to beare the vehemency of her passion who rather should haue sorrowed the dolorous death of Duke Humfrey whome before she neglected but now she lacked that her senses failed her spirites were taken her speach decayed and life almost gone she fell to the ground as one that would rather dye then liue In this desolate case Queene Margaret learning now to know her friends frō her foes when it was too late fraught ful of heauines without solace or hope of remedy she with her son her company departed for her next refuge to a Monastery of Monkes called Beaulie in Hainshire there to take sanctuary priuiledge of the house Yet all harts were not sound nor subdued in England especially Edmond Duke of Somerset with Lord Iohn his brother Thomas Courtney Earle of Deuonshire Iasper earle of Pembroke Lord Wenlocke Iohn Longscrother being Prior of the Knights of Rhodes in Saint Iohns These hearing of the Queenes returne with speede resorted to her by whome she being somewhat quickened in her spirits and animated to warre began to take some hart and to follow their counsaile which was in all the whote hast to renew warre against King Edward being now vnprouided by reason his army was now dispersed and chiefest of his souldiours wasted Heere great hope of victory was shewed great promises made Although the Queenes mind was beeing more carefull for the yong Prince then for her selfe to sende him ouer into France before some proofe of triall made yet following the contrary counsaile of them and partly cut off by shortnesse of time which required haste she began with all expedition to gather power Likewise Iasper Earle of Pembroke posted into Wales to do the same King Edward hauing intelligence of all these doings first sendeth out certain light horsemē to espy abroad thorough the West parts what waies his enemies did take In the meane time he
Egipt and was called terror orbis the terror of the world He lefte behinde hym two sonnes who falling in discorde for theyr possessions lost all agayne that their father gotte In the meane time Baiazetes in the second yeare of his captiuitie died leauing behind him diuers sonnes Iesus or Iosua the eldest Mulsumanes Moses Celebinus or Calepinus Iesus the yonger Mustaphas and Hali of whome first Iesus the eldest was ouercome and slaine of Mulsumanes which Mulsumanes afterwarde was deliuered to Moses his brother and by him was slaine likewise which Moses had also the like ende by his brother Calepinus hauing his necke broken with a bowe string which was then the vsuall maner among the Turkes in killing their brethren The same Calepinus sparing onely the life of Mustaphas his other brother condemned him to perpetuall prison Iesus the younger was Baptised shortly after departed at Constantinople In these such disorders and diuisions among the Turkes what occasions were geuen to the Christias to haue recouered agayne of the Turkes that they had lost if they had not bene either negligent or in their own priuate warres otherwise occupied with themselues ¶ Calepinus the 5. after Ottomannus CAlepinus or Celebinus was the sonne of Baiazetes and of foure brethren the eldest who beyng all taken captiues of the Parthians he onely escaped and obteined his fathers kyngdome This Calepinus encouraged by the sloth and negligence of the Princes of Europe and by the discord of the Grecians amongest them selues and other nations neare about them long troubled and vexed the Bulgarians Seruiās and Macedonians euen to the tyme of Sigismundus Which Sigismundus seyng now Baiazetes to be ouercome and taken of Tamerlane and the power of the Turkes weakened in Europe hauing such occasion offered him as it were from heauen to destroy and vtterly to roote out not onely out of Asia but also all Europe that barbarous nation and cruell enemies to the name and Religiō of Christ and also to reuenge the great slaughter and discomfiture of his army fighting before with Baiazetes at Nicopolis a Citie in Mysia with great power made warre agaynst Calepinus at Columbatium a Towne in Seruia as is also before mentioned pag. 719. but as vnluckely and with as little successe as he did before agaynst Baiazetes his father For in that battaile were slayne of the Christiās to the nūber of xx thousand and the rest vtterly discomfited the kyng himselfe escaping so hardly that he entred not agayne into his kingdome for the space of 18. monethes after Some write that this was done vnder Baiazetes other some referre this battaile to Amurathes but howsoeuer it was most pernicious was it to the Christiās He raigned but vi yeares and dyed very young an 1404. ¶ Orchanes and Moses his vncle the sixt after Ottomanus AFter the captiuitie of Baiazetes aboue mentioned histories diuersly doe dissent The Greeke writers making no mention at alof Calepinus onely make mētion of the sonnes of Baiazetes of the contention among them vntill the time of Muhumetes The Latin stories writing of the children of Baiezetes and of their succession doe not therein agree some affirmyng that Baiazetes had two sonnes Orchanes surnamed Calepinus Mahumetes his brother which within two yeares slew the sayd Calepinus and entred his dominion Other attribute to Baiazetes moe sonnes as is aboue rehearsed Some agayne doe geue to Baiazetes onely these two sonnes Celebinus and Mustaphas and hold that Calepinus or Celebinus had two sonnes to wit Orchanes and Mahumetes and adde moreouer that the sayd Orchanes beyng somewhat yoūg was slayne of his vncle Moses who gouerned but ij yeares For Mahumetes to reuenge his brothers death slew Moses and inuaded his dominion The Greeke stories make no mention at all of Orchanes ¶ Mahumetes the 7. after Ottomannus THis Mahumetes whether he was the sonne of Baiazetes or els of Calepinus conuerted to himselfe alone the kingdome or tyrāny rather of the murdering Turks Who afflicted the Christiās with sore warres within Europe especially the countrey called Wallachia lying not farre frō the floud Danubius betwene Hungary Thracia From thence he remoued into Asia where he recouered diuers partes in Galatia Pontus Capadocia Cilicia whiche before Tamerlanes had alienated from the Turkes This Mahumetes planted his chief Imperiall seate in Adrianople not farre from Constātinople within the countrey of Thracia In some writers the conflict betwene Sigismund the great Turke wherein the Christians were so discomfited is referred rather to this Mahumetes then to Calepinus of which conflict mention is aboue made in the story of Sigismundus pag. 719. This Mahumetes reigned as some say 14. yeares dyed in the yeare of our Lord. 1419. Other affirme 17. yeares ¶ Amurathes the second 8. after Ottmannus AMurathes as Philelphus sayth was the son of Celebinus as Laonicus Chalcondiles testifieth of Mahumetes whose son soeuer he was a wretched traunt he was and permitted as a scourge of God to correct the sins of the Christians In the story of Baiazetes mentiō was made before of Mustaphas his sonne who was cōdemned to perpetual prison by Calepinus his brother This Mustaphas escaping out of his brothers prison was conueied to the Grecians where he remained long in custody til at length they vnderstanding the purpose of Amurathes set him vp with sufficient habiliments and furniture of war to fight against the sayde Amurathes his nephew But in cōclusion he being not able to make his partie good came into the hands of his enemie and had his necke broke with a bowstring after the maner of the Turkish execution The Grecians then terrified with this sinister aduersity required truce of the Turke but when that would not be graunted they procured vnto them Mustaphas the other brother to Amurathes being of the age of xiij yeares who likewise being armed of the Grecians got the City of Nice in Bithynia from Amurathes his brother Albeit it was not long but he was circumuented in the same Citie and brought to Amurathes who caused him likewise to taste of the same whip as the other Mustaphas had done before Amurathes being now out of all feare and doubt of brethren kinsfolke to rise against him conuerted all his power against the Grecians and first raunging through out Thracia where diuers Cities yelded vnto him which before belonged to the Emperour of Constantinople frō thence he set forward to the noble and famous City Thessalonica being then vnder the league and protectiō of the Uenetians This Thessalonica is a Citie in Greece bordering vpon Macedonia to the Citizens wherof S. Paule writeth foreshewing vnto them in his 2. Epistle of a defection to come before the comming of the day of the Lord 2. Thess. 2. By the which apostacie or defection what the holy Apostle doth meane this story of the Turkes maye easely declare After Thessalonica was subdued Phocis with all the countrey about
Athens Beocia likewise Aetolia Acarnauia with all the region beyond Peloponesus vnto the coast of Corinth to whome S. Paule also wrote other two epistles were brought in bondage and slauery vnto the Turke In Epirus and in that quarter that adioyneth to Macedonia named Albania reigned then one Ioannes Castriotus who perceiuing himselfe too weake to matche with the Turkes power made with the Turke this cōuention that he should haue Croia a famous Citie in Grecia and also gaue to him his three sonnes for hostages to wit Constantinus Reposius and Georgius In this George such towardnes of noble courage such vigour of minde and strength of body singularly did appeare that the Turke caused him more freely to be instructed after the Turkish religion and maner in his owne court where he being traded vp did so shoote vp as well in feates of actiuitie as in strength of body that he excelled all his equals in so much that he was named Scanderbeins which soundeth as much as Alexander Magnus After this Alexander was grown vp to mature ripenes of age and was well trained vp in feates of war he was sent out by the Turke to warre against Caramannus of Cilicia The Turkes enemy In which expedition he sped himselfe most manfully fighting hand to hande first with a footeman of Scythia then with an horseman of Persia being chalenged by them both to encounter first with the one after with the other whom he so valiantly ouerthrew the he wan great renoun with the Turk In so much that he trusting to the Turks fauour whē he heard of the decease of his father durst aske of the Turke the graunt of his fathers dominion to be giuen vnto him Which request although Amurathes y◠Turke did not denie him yet notwithstanding he perceiuing the matter to be dalied out with fayre wordes by subtill meanes and policie slipt out of the Turks court and came to Epirus his owne inheritance where first by forged letters he recouered Croia The other Cities of their voluntary minde yeelded themselues vnto him who then gathering vnto him the people of Epirus Macedonia which were not so many in nūber as with good willing minds they stucke vnto him so māfully and valiantly behaued himselfe that against all the puissance both of Amurathes and also of Mahumete he mainteined his owne repulsed their violence and put to flight their armies many yeres together But to returne againe to the course of Amurathes victories after he had thus preuailed as is before signified agaynst the East parts of Europa and Grecia and had conuented thus for the dommion of Epirus he inuaded Iluricum otherwise called now Sclauonia conteining in it Dalmatia Croacia Isiria and Liburnia which Countreys after he had spoiled and wasted he continued his course to Albania and Bosna In which regions when he had subdued a great part and had led away an innumerable multitude of captiues he moued further to Walachia and Seruia vpon hope to conquere all Pannonia There reigned at the same time in Seruia a certayne prince named Georgius Despota who made great sute to the Turke for truce peace promising to giue his daughter to mariage for by y◠Turkes lawe they may marry as many wiues as they lust It was not long after Amurathes had maried the daughter of Despota but he contrary to his league and promise made warre vpon Despota his father in law and expelled him out of his kingdome taking from him diuers Cities as Scopia Nouomonte Sophia and all Misia Georgius himselfe fled into Hungary leauing behind him his son to defed the town of Sinderonia Amurathes vnderstāding of the flight of Despoto his father in law compassed the Citie of Sinderonia with a strōg siege which whē he in few daies had expugned he tooke his wiues brother sonne of Despota and without regard of all mercy and affinitie after the barbarous tyranny of the Turkes put out his eies with a basen red hoat set before his eies and after that led him about with him in derision and despite of his cowardly father Ex Christof Rhicherio Gallo Gasp. Peuc alijs Seruia beeing thus wonne and gotten Amurathes thinking to go further into Hungary besieged the Citie called Belgradum and no doubt had also suppressed the same had not the prouidence of God found a meanes that partly through slaughter of his men partly for lacke of victuall and other forage he was compelled to raise his siege and retire In the meane time Ioannes Huniades of whom mention was made before pag. 720. had got great victories against the Turkish power and had recouered parte of Seruia and all Muldauia against whome Amurathes the Turke with a mighty army moued into Pannonia But Huniades with the power and ayde of Ladislaus King of Polonia but specially by the power of the Lord did soone infringe the puissance of the Turke and gaue him the ouerthrow recouering vnto the Christians the greatest part of Seruia and Bulgaria In this battaile Huniades had fiue sundry conflictes with the Turks vpō one day and with fiue victories put them to the worse and toward night did so discomfit and ouerthrow the great captaine of Amurathes called Bassa the Duke of Anatolia which is otherwise named Asia Minor that he slue of the Turks that day to the number of 30. thousand Amurathes although he was not a little thereat discouraged yet dissembling his feare with stout counteuace sent for Carambeius his principal stay captaine with a new power brought out of Asia to assist him in his warres Then Carambeius in the downes of Trasiluania Ladislaus the foresaid king of Polonie the Lord so working through the industrie of Ioannes Huniades so receiued with such celerity oppressed him vnprouided that all his stout sturdy army either was slaine downe right or else put to flight disparcled Carambeius the Captaine being himselfe taken prisoner in the same field These victories of Huniades strooke no little terror to Amurathes in somuch that for distresse of minde he was ready to destroy himselfe as some do write but being cōfirmed by Helibeus Bassa his coūsailer he kept himselfe wtin the streites of the moūt Rhodope Who then hearing that Caramannus inuaded the same time the countrey of Bithinia and Pontus in Asia was glad to take truce wyth Ladislaus and Huniades vpon such conditions as they listed to make themselues which conditions were these that Amurathes should depart clearely from all the region of Sernia and should remoue from thence all his garrisons which were placed in the Castles and forts of the same Also he should restore George Despota which is to say Prince of Seruia vnto his possession and set his children free whome he had in captiuitie and restore them to their inheritance Item that he shoulde make no more claime nor title to the countrey of Moldonia aboue mentioned nor to that part of Bulgrauia which he
Conneni which were of the kynges stocke by the Turke were destroyed Whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 1459. at which tyme this mischieuous Mahumete was first saluted Emperour Not long after he got from the Grecians Corinthus and Mitylene not without great slaughter of Christen men in somuch that the whole Citie of Mitylene was vtterly to the grounde almost destroyed The Isles also of Lemnus Lesbos he wanne from the Venetians In the which Ilād of Lesbos is the Citie of Mitylene aforesayd Not farre frō this I le of Lesbos and Mitylene there is a countrey in Asia toward the sea side borderyng next to Europe called Mysia or of some called Moesia wherein stode the Citie of Troye This countrey Mahumete coueting to wynne rather by policie falshode then by doubtfull daunger of warre secretly sent for the Prince therof to come to speake with him for certaine causes as he pretended which should concerne the profite and commoditie of thē both Which when the king of Mysia either for shame would not or for feare durst not denye he came to him as to conferre vpon necessary affaires in commō to them appertaining Mahumete when he had brought that to passe which he would he caused the king to be apprehended and cruelly to be slaine or rather torne in peeces and so inuading the land of Misia exercised the like tyrannie vpō all his kindred and affinitie This Misia by fraude being taken and lost Mahumere flieth againe toward Europe where he assailed the Iland Euboia otherwise called Nigroponte making a bridge of a marueilous frame ouer the sea Euripus to conuey ouer his army out of Grecia and there laide his siege to the Citie Chalcis which at length in thirty dayes he ouercame not without a great slaughter of his army who in the siege thereof is said to haue lost 40. thousand of the Turkes But the slaughter of the Christians was greater for when the City was won the tirant commanded most cruelly none to be spared within the whole citie but to be put to the sword whosoeuer was aboue the age of twenty yeares This cruelty was shewed of the barbarous Tirant for anger and fury because such a number of his Turkes were slaine at the siege therof being reckned as is said to 40. thousand In the fierce siege of this Citie it is memorable that is in stories recorded how that the women of that Citie seeing the men to begin to faint and the Citie to lie in present danger tooke the matter themselues in hand and plaieng the men went to the walles and there defended the Citie with no lesse trouble to the enemie then the men had before done and so for a space continued so long as any mans strength and diligence could do anie good A great cause of the losse of this Citie and Iland is imputed to the cowardly timidity of the Venetians nauy who being there present and hauing prosperous winde yet durst not or would not aduenture vpon the Turkes bridge which if they had done the Iland of Euboia and Chalcis had not so soone bin ouermatched of the Turks Thus all the East partes of Grecia being subdued to the Turkish tiraunt with all Achaia Attica Acarnania Euboia shortly after folowed also Peloponesus brought in like subiection to the Turke Within this Peloponesus were these prouinces conteined Achaia Messenia Laconia Argolica and Archadia c. The Venetiās in this Peloponesus had great possessions and had made vp the wall againe toward the Sea side neare to the streites of Corinth before mentioned where for the more speede of the worke they had 30. thousand workemen to the building thereof which when it came to the knowledge of the Turke he brast into the countrey of Peloponesus wyth an army of 80. thousand and first wasting the regions of the Coroneans and Methoneans and making a greate slaughter of the Venetians in short time he brought the whole dominiō of Peloponesus vnder his yoke tribute Long it is and more lamentable to recite all the victories of this Mahumete gotten against the Christiās both by land sea who after he had ouercome the Ile Lesbos aboue mentioned and had cruelly slaine Nicolaus Catalusius the Prince thereof turning his army towarde the sea of Pontus Euxinus got the countrey of Capha from the Genuans Before was declared how truce was taken betweene Georgius Scanderbeius and the Turke for ten yeares which truce being expired Mahumete leaueth no time vnspēt no diligence vnsought but maketh all his power to Epyrus Albania which he after long fatigation of siege at length ouercame and subdued In y◠which tract also he wanne from the Venetians Scodra Lysson and Dinastrum Notwithstanding when Scanderbeius the valiant Captaine had done against the Turke what in mans strength did lie yet being ouermatched with power and multitude seeing no possibilitie to make his partie good was forced to depart his countrey as an exile and went to Italy there being sent for by y◠Popes letters openly declared not to be possible otherwise to resist the furious rage of the barbarous Turkes by the strength of any one king or prince vnlesse all Europe with one cōsent shuld ioine their power force together And thus Georgius Scanderbeius a man of puissant courage being driuen out of his countrey continued his age in exile Whose courage vehemency is reported to haue bin such that in fighting against y◠barbarous enemie for very egernes of spirit his bloud was seene to burst out of his lippes It is testified also of him that being prouoked he neither denied to fight and in his fighting neuer turned his backe neyther yet was euer wounded but onely once with a lyght shaft in his foote neither euer set against the Turke wyth moe then 6000. horsemen and 3000. footemen who is said with his owne hand to haue slaine aboue 2000. Turkes whome with such violence he did strike that many of thē he did cleane asunder from the head to the middle Neither yet was the vnsatiable greedines of thys Turkish helbound with all this satisfied but still he conceiued greater things in his minde thynking to conquere the whole world and so passing forward towards Europe subdued all Illiria slaieng Stephanus the King of Bosna about the yeare of our Lord 1463. But afterwarde Mathias Coruinus the sonne of Huniades afore mentioned recouered againe the said kingdome of Bosna with many other Cities neare vnto Croacia and Dalmatia and moreouer repulsed Mahumete the Turke in his second siege of Iaiza taking his tents and munitions lefte behinde him Moreouer the sayd Mahumete passing vnto Walachia set vpon Dracula the Prince thereof by which Dracula although he had no great power of souldiours yet he so inclosed enuironed the Turke that he had almost lost his whole army of whom a great part notwithstanding was destroied and many of his ensignes taken Into Dalmatia
and by reason of their multitude ouercharged their horsemen Amongst whom was slaine the same tyme the Archb. Frier aforesayd wyth the Bishops of Strigone and Uaradine many other nobles besides Also the kyng himselfe being destitute of hys necessary aide and succour was compelled to flie into a marish where he falling from his horse being heauy loden with his harneis was not able to rise againe but there miserably perished Solyman the Turke marueiled at the foolyshnesse of Ludouike the King who wyth so small an armye woulde presume to encounter wyth such a great hoste of two hundreth thousande This battaile in Hungarie was fought Anno. 1526. After the deceasse of Ludouicke Ferdinandus succeded in the kingdome being Duke of Austria and king of Hungarie Then Solyman setting contention betwixt Ioannes Uaiuoda and Ferdinandus for the kingdom of Hungarie spedde his viage to the Citie of Buda whych also in short time he made to be yelded vnto hym vpon condition that they should escape with their liues and goodes whych cōdition some say he kept and some say he did not Besides Buda diuers places and munitiōs the sayd Turk contrary to his league made before did spoile and waste as Varadinum Quinque Ecclesias and other fortes and munitions moe bordering about the coastes of Hungary In the yeare of our Lorde 1529. Ferdinandus king of Hungarie aforesaid recouered diuers holdes gotten of the Turke before and also warring againste Ioannes Uaiuoda his enemy with whom he had variance as ye heard before expulsed him out of his kingdom Wherupon Uaiuoda flying to the Turke desired his ayde The Turke glad to take that occasion wyth great preparatiō addressed himselfe to returne into Hungary where he recouering againe the Citie of Buda which Ferdinandus had gotten from him a little before remooued his armye into Austria spoyling and destroying by the way all that came to hys handes shewing many examples of great cruelty tyranny most lamentable to here and vnderstand For of some he put out their eies of some he cutte of their handes of some their eares and noses and of their children he cut of theyr priuy members The maidens he corrupted the matroues had their brestes cut of and such as were with childe were ript and their childrē cast into the fire And these examples of horrible and barbarous tyranny thys wretched Turke perpetrated by the way comming toward Uienna a noble City in Austria besides the captiues which he tooke by the way and led into seruitude moste miserable mounting to the number of 30. thousand Among other holdes by the waye as the Turke came there was a castle called Altenburch strongly by nature situated and by art defenced which castle the Turke entending not to ouerpasse because he woulde make all thynges sure behinde him began to make hys assault and lay hys ordinance against it The warders and kepers of the Castle so soone as the Turks began to lay siege against them making no resistance of a womanly cowardnes sent their messengers to the Turke to yelde themselues ready to doe his commaundement and further him with their vitaile Amongest whome were three hundreth Bohemians who were commaunded to followe the hoste that the Turke by them might learne what strength was in the city of Uienna also where the king was and what was to be done for the winning therof Of whom when the Turke had vnderstanding howe all things stoode and how that there was but 20. thousand men in Uienna able to beare armour and that other cities of Austria would soone yeelde if that were gotten and that Uienna was vitailed but for 2. monthes and that the king was of late in Boheme thus the Turk of all things being certified hauing no doubt in hys minde of victorie made speede toward Uienna and first comming to Neapolis a city but 8. miles distant from Uienna he required them to yelde themselues who notwithstanding withstoode them and repulsed them valiantly Then the Turkes assigned a place for the pitching of their tents whych because it semed some thing too litle for such a great multitude they tooke in more ground to the compasse of 7. miles circuit The multitude of his armye which hee there planted is accompted of some to extend to 250. M. souldiours The Turke thus being planted made daily excourses ouer all the countrey of Austria specially about the citie of Uienna wasting and spoyling with great crueltye murther amongst the poore Christians Moreouer to make al things more sure toward the preparation of the siege scoutes were sent abroade and bushments were laid about the riuer side of Danubius to prouide that no aid nor victual should be brought to Uienna So it pleased the prouidence of the Lord who disposeth all things that 3. daies before the comming of the Turk Fridericus the Earle Palatine which was then assigned by that Empire to take the charge of Uienna was come downe by the riuer of Danubius with 14. M. and with a certaine troupe of horsemen well apoynted and picked for the purpose After the comming of thys Fridericke prouision also of victuall was appoynted to followe shortly after by the sayd riuer of Danubius In the meane time they which had the cariage trāsporting therof hearing how the waies were laid all the passages 10. miles about Uienna stopped by the Turkes although they knew the city to stand in great nede of vitail yet seing there was no other remedy rather then it should come to the ennemies hande thought it best to sincke theyr boats with their cariage and so they did Wherby all be it the christians wanted their reliefe yet were the Turks disappoynted of their pray purpose The captains whych had the keeping of the City which were chiefly Fridericus the Earle Palatine Gulielmus Rogendorffius and Nicolaus erle of Salme seing themselues so straightned contrary to their expectation although they had great causes to be discouraged yet calling their courage vnto them they consulted together for the best way to be taken and seing that the little city Neapolis aboue mentioned being 8. miles distaunt from them so valiauntly withstoode the Turkes that in one day they sustained 7. greuous assaultes against all the maine force of the Turkish armye by their example and manfull stāding being the more animated and encouraged thought to abide the vttermoste before they woulde geue ouer and first plucking downe all the suburbes and buildings wythout the walles wherby the enemy myght haue any succor they willed all the farmers inhabitantes about the Citye to saue themselues and to bryng in theyr goods wtin the walles Such places as were weake wythin the walles they made strong About the towers munition of the walles they prouided rampires bulwarks distant 80. foote one from another to kepe of the shot and euery man hadde hys place and standing awarded to hym vpon the wal and his office appoynted what
vnder the hilles side did so set vpon them that they slew a great number of them the rest being driuen to take the riuer whome with stones and shot likewise they destroyed and so retired backe into the Citie againe By thys victorie the Captaine Rogendorffius began to be terrible to the Turkes For in the same skirmish as after was knowen was slayne of them so many that of 5000. and 300. horsemen and footemen scarse 140. escaped aliue Solyman disdayning at this repulse thought to proue an other way so bringing his power toward the gate called the kings gate there making his trenches bulwarkes plāted his ordināce with the violence wherof the walles were so battered shaken that no man was able there to stand Wherefore the Turke seeing 2. great breaches made in the wal cōmaunded his souldiors couertly in the darck smoke of gunnepouder to prease into the City The like also was done at the scottish to wer whereby the city was inuaded in 2. sundry places at one time The Uiēnians at the first freshly began to withstand thē new souldiors still cōming in the place of them that were slaine and hurt and so this assault continuing more thē 6. houres together our mē beganne at length to languish faint not onely in strength but also in courage wherby the Citie had bene in great daunger of loosing had not the two foresaid Capitaines Rogendorffius in the one place and the Earle of Salme in the other place manfully encouraged the souldiors to abide the brunt and to beare out a while the violence of the Turkes promising that immediately they should haue ayde from Ferdinandus In the meane time the Turkes came so thicke for gredines of the victory scaling climing and fighting vpō the walles that had it not bene for the prease and throng of the great multitude of the Turkes comming so thicke that one of them could not fight for an other Uienna that same day had bene taken and vtterly lost But by the pollicy of the captaines geuing a signe within the city as though new souldiors were called for our men began to be encouraged the Turkes hartes to be discomfited When Solymannus saw his army the second time repulsed he began to attempt a new way purposing by vndermining to ouerthrow the city in the which work specially he vsed the helpe of the Illyrians of whome he had a great number in his campe expert in that kinde of feare These Illyrians beginning to breake the earth at the gate Carinthia and comming neare to the foundations of the Tower which they by strength of hand attēpted to break could not worke so closely vnder the groūd but they were perceiued by certayne men aboue which were skilfull expert in that kind of matter who cōtrariwise vndermining against thē filling their trēches as they wēt with gūpouder conueyed their traine that when fire should be set vnto it the violence thereof should brast out by the trenches of the enemies which done sodenly the ground beneath made a great shaking so that the tower did cleane asunder and all the vnderminers of the Turks woorking in their trēches were smothered and destroyed which came to the number as it was supposed afterwarde of 8000. persones in so much that yet till thys day a great number of deade mens skuls are found in the ground When Solyman saw that this way also would not serue and had priuy intelligence that the walles about the gates of Stubarium were negligently kept and that hee might haue there more easy entrance secretly he conueyeth about 10. garrisons of fresh soldiours in such sort as the townes men should not perceiue them who came so sodenly vpon them that they had filled the ditches and were vpon the top of the fortresses and munitions before that our men were aware of them or coulde make themselues ready to resist them For although there was no lacke of soldiors wythin the Citie yet for somuch as the whole brunt of the siege did lye specially at the 2. gates aforesaide from whence the soldiors which were there warding could not be wel remooued for a shifte the rescuers which wythin the Citie were ready for all sodaine aduentures were sent to the walles by whose comming those fewe whych kept the enemies of before being sore hurted and woūded were succoured and sent to surgery and thus the sayed assault continued terrible and doubtfull vntill the darcke night commyng vpon them they could not wel know the one from the other In thys vickering were counted of the Turkes to be slayne more then 5000. Then the Captaine Rogendorffius commendyng the valiant standing of his souldiours misdoubting with him selfe as it happened in dede that the Turks would not so geue ouer but would set vppon him the next day with a fresh assault prouiding wyth all diligence for the purpose made vp the breaches of the walles prepared all things necessary for resistaunce The next morning following whych was some thing darke and mistie the Turkes thinking to preuent our men with their sodain comming began again busily to bicker vpon the toppe of the walles It would require a longe tractation heere to describe the great distres and danger that the city those 3. daies following was in During all the whych time there was no rest no intermission nor diligēce lacking either in the enemies fighting against the City either in our men in defending the same For the Turkes besides the multitude of the great ordinance wherwith as wyth a great tempest of gunshot they neuer ceased still battering the walles and beating the munitions of the Citie sent also such heapes multitudes of the Turkes to the scaling and climing the walles that vnneth wyth all the ordinance and shot of the city either the violence of them could be broken or the number of them diminished til at last the soldiors of the Turkes perceiuing themselues able by no meanes to preuaile but onely to runne in daunger of life and to do no good began to wrangle among themselues grudging and repining against their dukes and captaines imputing the whole cause onely to them that the City was yet vntaken seeing there was in them neither diligence nor good will lacking and so ceased the siege for that time After this when Solymannus had purposed in hym selfe with his last and strongest siege to try against the city the vttermost that he was able to doe and had encouraged hys soldiers to prepare thēselues in most forcible wise therunto the soldyers shewed thē selues much vnwilling to returne againe from whence they were so often repulsed before by reason wherof great commotion begā to rise in the Turkes campe The rumour wherof when it came to Solymans eares he sendeth his grand captaine to kepe all the souldiers in order and obedience or if they would be stubborne to compell them whether they would or not to accomplish his commandement Who comming to the
of all the Churches plāted once by y◠Apostles are now degenerated into Turks onely a small hādful of Christiās reserued yet in these West partes of Europe of the which small residue what shall also become shortly except Christ himselfe do helpe Christ onely himself doth know How great this defection hath bene spokē of by S. Paule thou mayest soe gentle Reader in the table aboue described pag. 741. Notwithstanding this text of the holy Apostle as I afore said may be verified also with no lesse reason vpō the Byshop of Rome thē vpon the Turke both for that he is a man of sinne that is his seate Citie is a great mainteiner of wickednesse also for that he is an aduersary that is contrary in all his doynges and proceedyngs to Christ. Thirdly for that he sitteth in the temple of God and so did not Mahumet Fourthly because he is an exalter of himselfe sitteth more like a God then a man in Rome wherof see more in the booke set forth in English called the CONTESTATIONS of the Popes Fiftly for that he seduceth and hath seduced by his apostasie the most part of all Christendome from the doctrine and free promises of God into a wrong and straūge way of saluation which is not to be iustified freely before God onely by our fayth in Christ his welbeloued sonne vnto the whiche fayth the promise of God freely and graciously hath annexed all our saluation onely to no other thyng but hath taught vs to worke our saluation by an infinite number of other thynges In so much that he bindeth the necessitie of our saluation also to this that we must beleue if we will be saued and receaue him to be the Uicare of Christ in earth c. But to returne agayne vnto the Turkes among all the prophecies both of the old Testamēt of the new there is none that paynteth out the Antichristian kyngdome of the Turkes better then doth the reuelation of S. Iohn whose wordes let vs weigh and cōsider Who in the Apocalipse 9. where he speaketh of openyng the seuenth last seale which signifieth the last age of the world and there writyng of the vij trompets of the vij Angels at the soundyng of the vi Aungell saith Loose the iiij Aungels which are bound in the great riuer Euphrates And the foure Aungels were losed which were ready both day and houre and moneth and yeare to slay the third part of men And the number of horsemen were 20. thousand tymes ten thousand and I heard the number of them And thus I sawe in a vision horses and them that sate on them hauing fiery habbergions and of Iacinth stone and of brimstone and the heads of the horses were as the heads of Lyons and out of their mouthes went foorth fire and smoake and brimstone of these three plagues was the third part of men killed that is of the fire smoake and brimstone which proceeded out of their mouthes c. By the seauenth seale is meant the seauenth and last age of the world which last age of the world is from Christ to the iudgement and resurrection of the dead By the seauen Angels with their seauen Trumpets is signified the seauen plagues that come in this seauenth and last age of the world By the sixt trumpet of the sixt Angell is meant the sixte plague comming last and next before the plague of the great iudgement day which sixt plague is heere described to come by the East Kings that is by the Turkes as foloweth to be seene By losing the Angels which had rule of the great riuer Euphrates is signified the letting out of the East Kings that is the Turkes out of Scithia Tartaria Persia and Arabia by whome the third part of Christendome shall be destroyed as we see it this day hath come to passe It followeth in the prophesie Their power shall be in their mouthes and in their tayles For their tayles be like Serpents hauing heads and with them they hurt c. Meaning that these Turkes with the words of their mouthes shall threaten great destruction of fire and sword to them that will not yeald vnto them and in the end when the Christians shall yeald vnto them trusting to their promises they like Serpents shall deceaue thē in the end kill them as appeareth by the story of the Turkes aboue past pag. 752. 753. 757. The like prophesy also after the like words and sence is to be seene and read in the 16. chap. of the Apoc. where S. Iohn entreating of seauen cuppes filled with the wrath of the liuing God geuē to the hands of 7. Angels by one of the foure beasts that is in the time of one of the four Monarchies which was the Monarchy of Rome speaketh likewise of the sixt Angell which poured his viole of Gods wrath vpon the great riuer Euphrates the waters thereof dryed vp that the way of the kings of the East should be prepared c. By the sixt Angell with the sixte viole is meant as before the last plague saue one that shall come vpon the Christians By y◠Kings of the East are meant the Saracens and 12. Ottoman Turks By drieng vp the riuer of Euphrates is signified the way of these Turkes to be prepared by the Lords appointment to come out of the East to the West parts of the world to molest and afflict the Christians It foloweth more in the text And I saw three vnclene spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet for they are the spirits of deuils doing wonders to go vnto the Kings of the whole earth to assemble and gather them together to the battayle against the daye of the great God omnipotent c. And it foloweth shortly after And he assembled them together into a place which is called in Hebrue Armagedon that is a trap or trayne of destruction And immediatly it followeth in the same place And the seauenth Angell poured out his viole in the ayre and a mighty voice came from heauen out of the Throane saieng factum est It is done or finished c. Whereby it is to be vnderstoode that toward the last consummation of the world great force shall be seene and a mighty army of the enemies shall be collected and gathered against the people and Saints of the highest and then commeth the consummation with factum est c. Wherefore it is not for naught that the holy Spirite of God in the same place a little before the sixt Angell doe poure out his viole doth exhort all the faithfull sayeng Behold I come like a theefe in the night Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments least he walke naked and men see his fylthynes c. Nicol. de Lyra and Paulus Bishop of Burdens and Mathias Dorinke writing vpon
and and clemency but weâ— merueilouâ—â— enforced The Emp. enforced to make his money of leather The pope sendeth for forren ayde and is preuented The Emperour riggeth soâ—th a nauy to the sea A great victory on the sea against â—he popes consederates by the Emperours nauy The Emp. obtaineth an other victory by land at Ticinum against the pope and his confederates The Emp. thinketh to make the P. aâ—ray de The Turke inuadeth ChristeÌ„dome with a great and mightie power The vnmercifull crueltie and the great slaughter of Christen men by the Turke The K of Vngarie craueth ayde of themperour for the which he offereth him his lande The pope will graunt to haue no peace The popes fault that the Turke is not resisted The Pope had rather fight against the Emp. then against the Turke The Emperor as well in his own person as his predecessours haue triall of the Popes subtile practices The great amitie and long coÌ„tinued league betweene the Empyre and kingdome of Fraunce The K. not with out great allurement of the Pope would so haue written to the Emperour Here it should sâ—â—â— the Emp. founde 〈◊〉 fault of 〈◊〉 tradition The Frenchâ— kinges Iâ—ters coâ—â—â—ry to themselues A good Apostolicall father with a two handed sword 120020 ounces of golde as before you heard The craftie compassed â—â— their craâ—â—nes Gregorys dyâ—th for thoughtâ— curst heaâ— Câ—rolus Molineus â—pon the deâ—etâ—ls of â— Gregoâ—y â— The creation and death of P. Coeletius The Empeâ—our prepaâ—eth an army â—o fight with â—he Tartariâ—nâ— the Tarâ—â—rianâ— flye Fredericke â—gainst the Cardinals Peters ship by the disdentious Cardinals greatly afflicted Peters shrill voyee turned into a scoffing Eccho The Emperour releaseth the Cardinalls out of prison Innocentius the fourth created Pope The Emperour reioyceth of the popes election but without cause why The Pope taketh Viterbium whilest the Emperour hoped after peace The dissimulation of the subtile Pope Innocent 4. The Emperour hath too much confidence in the Pope The Pope mocketh the Emperour and goeth to Lyons where he proscribeth the Emperour The Emperour comming to make his apparance before the Pope The extremitie of the Pope to the Emperour Vengeance falleth vpon the Pope for his false iudgement Altogether in hurly burly thorougâ— the Popes malicious minde Germany spoyled by ciuill dissention through the Popes only practise against the Emperour The robbers and rebels chased out of Germany The fidelitie of Otho to the Emp. The answer of Otho to the Legates Otho excoÌ„municated for turning from the pope to take the Emperours part Caesar in daunger by Albertus Albertus 〈…〉 order of 〈◊〉 â—ery The Emperour when he had somewhat suppressed these tumults came to Cremona The Emp. thinketh to goe to Lions to the Pope Parma taken and kept by the popes legat and other friendes of his The Emp. altereth his iourney from Lions to the siege of Parma The Emp. named his campe and siege about Parma Victoria The popes army discomfited by the Emperours Lieftenant at Auximum The negligence of the souldiers offereth an occasion to the enemy The discomfiture of the Emp. at the siege of Parma The Emp. vpon suspition of treason imprisoneth diuers of his Captaynes Capras besieged and taken of the Emperor The Emperour purposeth to make some great attempt The Emp. preuented by death Fred. one of Gods elect Sundry opinioÌ„ of the death of Frederick Emp. The issue of Fredericke the Emp. Fred. a most puisaunt prince in Marshall affaires Frede. was not withâ—â— his fault of humane fragilitie The world of Pandolphus touching the prayse and dispraised of the Emp. Fredericke The popes church compared with Christ his Church 〈◊〉 as like as blacke and white Deserued commendation vpon the Epistles of Fred. Fredericke purposed with the hazard of the imperiall state to reforme the church of Rome Fre. shewed himselfe no enemy but a friend to the Church of Rome Selfe doe selfe haue the prouerb is Hope of gaine allureth many to flatter and to write vntruthes Certaine preachers in Sueuia Ex Chron. Abâ— Vrsperg CraÌ„tz lib. 8. cap. 10. Resistance against the Pope no new thing in Christes church Arnoldus de noua villa condemned of heresie Vide librum de testibus veritatis Ioannes Semeca the glose writer to the Popes decrees excommunicated Guilielmus de S. Amore. The place 〈◊〉 the Goâ—pâ—â— expounded Goâ— sell all come folow me Guliel des Amore coâ—demned of the pope for in hereâ—ike The 1. signe and token to knowe 2 false Fryer 〈◊〉 Prophet â—y True Preachers do not deceiue men with painted flattering wordes Signe 3. is that true Apostles take in good parâ— when they be reproued The 4. signe is that true preachers commend not themselues Signe 5. is that true preachers neede no letters commeÌ„datorie Signe 6. is that true Apostles preach not â—iles they be sent Signe 7. is when those false prophets preach that were neuer sent Signe 8. is that false prophetes pretende great holines in superstition Signe 9. is that when they neyther preach nor minister yet liue vpon other mens labours Signe 10. is that false prophets take that to them which pertayneth to the worde of God Signe 11. is that false prophets doe preach for gaine and not for Gods cause Signe 12. is that false prophets doe counterfaite to loue where they hate Signe 13. is that false prophets doe circumuent men to haue their goods and care for nothing els Signe 14. is that false prophets can not abide to haue the trueth preached Signe 15. is that false prophets do inforâ—e them to heare that are not willing to heare Signe 16. iâ— false prophets doe cause priâ—â—â— to hate â—â—â— punishâ—â—â— that 〈…〉 Signe 17. is that false prophets do not knowe neyther what God hath done not yet 〈◊〉 doe as true prophets â—â— Signe 18. is that false prophetes doe preach for money â— are not to be discerned froÌ„ Wolues If the Preacher do his duetie in preaching he may 〈◊〉 lawfully for his necessarye thinges Signe 19. â—â— that true Apostles doe not render euill for good as false doe Signe 20. is that true Apostles are not so well intertayned as false prophets be Signe 21. is that true preachers build not vpon an oan other mans foundation Autoritie loueth them that refuse her and yet abhorre her not Signe 22. is that true prophets are not proude and vaine glorious as false prophets be Signe 23. is that false prophets be alwayes meÌ„ pleasers Signe 24. is that true prophets eat what is set before them and geue God thaÌ„kes but that doe not the false prophets Signe 25. is that false prophets do loue more their owne estimation then that the word of God should be truely taught Signe 46. is that false prophets are not contented with necessary thinges but looke after superfluous Signe 27. is thâ—â— those that be false prophets their belly is their God Signe 28. is that true prophets reioyce not in miracles as false prophets doe Signe 29. is that true prophets seeke