of theyr enterpryse And whylest Ferdinando referreth the matter to the trial of the lawe they marche forwardes with their armie and the fourtene day of May chauncing to mete with theyr ennemies which were twelue thousand foote men they shotte of theyr ordinaunce and put them to flyght besydes the towne of Lausene in the lande of Wirtemberge The generall of Ferdinando his armie was Philip Counte Palatine who at the same battell had his hele stryken of with a great pece In the chase many were drowned in the Ryuer of Neccar wher into they ran headlong for feare of their ennemies that pursued them Whan the battell was done all men for the moste parte of the Dukedome of Wirtemberge yelded them selues to their naturall Prynce Ulrichus Asperge situated vpon a verey hyghe mountayne standyng alone also Urach Tubinge and Nipha all stronge castelles of nature in fine rendred also Ferdinando the fyrst of Maye set forth a proclamation that no man shoulde ayde that faction but that al men should resiste them to the vttermoste of their power and had wrytten to the Protestauntes his seueral letters touching the same matter And likewise had the Emperour done a litle before and openly no man did assiste them And al men marueled to what end this stiring wold grow to About the tyme of this warre the archbyshop of Mentz George Duke of Saxon the Lantgraues father in lawe sought the reconcilement of kyng Ferdinando and the Prince Electour of Saxon. And at Cadamea town of Boheme the last day of Iune sauing one they concluded a peace with those cōditions For religiō no force to be attempted nor any sute in the lawe commensed and the same peace that Cesar hath made to be obserued Ferdinando in the Emperours place shall brynge to passe that the Iudges of the chamber shall surcease from al proces against the Protestauntes amonges whome notwithstanding neyther Anabaptistes nor Sacramentaries nor any other suche lyke sectes be comprehended The Duke of Saxon and his fellowes shall acknowledge Ferdinādo for king of Romaines gyue him that title Ferdinando shall againe within a certen tyme deuise so with the Emperour other princes Electours that a decree be made after this sorte Whan tyme shall hereafter require to make a kynge of Romaines duryng the lyfe of the Emperour that than the Electours do first assemble and consulte whether the cause be iuste and reasonable and if it so appere that than they do proceade after the Tenure of the lawe Carroline That whiche shall be otherwyse done to be frustrate And vnlesse this decree be made within ten monethes than the Duke his fellowes not to stande bound to these cōdicions and that within the same time the Emperour shall also cōfirme the Dukes succession in the possessious of his father progenitours Ferdinando shal also endeuour that the Emperour do ratifie such compactes of matrimony as are betwixt the Dukes of Saxō and of Cleaue Whilest thei treate of these matters they take in hande also an other peace making And the Duke of Saxon offereth for the Lātgraue the Duke of Wirtemberge as their substitute that they shal ratifie what so euer they should agree vpon After muche debating the Dukedome beinge wholy recouered they cōdicioned thus Ulrich the Prince his heires males shall holde the Dukedome of Wirtemberge of kyng Ferdinando as Archeduke of Austriche and so to be his wardes and clientes if it fortune the house of Wirtemberge to be without heyres males than the Princes of Austriche to possesse that region to holde the same of the Empyre whiche they shal be bounden therunto Ulriche to acknowledge Ferdinando for king of Romaynes to make no league againste hym That the Lantgraue and Duke Ulriche restore suche goodes as they haue gotten in this tyme of warre to their owners that they doe constreyne no man to chaunge his Religion that it shall be lawefull for suche as are fled for feare or for shamefastnes to retourn home And they that lyste to take theyr goodes and goe where they wyll The peces of ordinaunce that were for the defence of Auspurge shall remaine to kyng Ferdinando the kinges debtes for his own priuate affayres he him selfe shall paye but that which was employed for the cōmoditie of the countrey the Duke shal aunswere For suche landes of the Dukedome as are holden of the kyngdome of Boheme the Duke and his heire shall holde styl of Ferdinādo his heires as kings of Boheme That Philip the Palsgraue and the residue of the prysoners be let go without raunsome that the Lantgraue and the Duke shall submitte them selues aske pardon of kyng Ferdinando either in their own persons or by their deputes than Duke Ulriche to receiue full state and possession of kyng Ferdinando Ferdinādo shall entreate that the Emperour will also forgeue thē for the charges of the warre nothinge to be required on either parte that the Lantgraue and the Duke shall sende vnto Ferdinando out of their armes fyue hondreth horse men and thre thousand fotemen whiche shall immediatly go to the sege of Munster of their cost and charge there to promyse their fidelitie to Ferdinando by an othe and if nede requyred to serue him for a thre monethes For at the same time was Munster a towne of Westphalia kept by the Anabaptistes beseged as hereafter shal be declared Wherfore king Ferdinando requyred of thē this aide for the winning of the towne Whan the Duke had by this meane recouered the countrey of Wirtemberge made his peace with Ferdinando before the yeare was ended he repaied the French king his money recouereth the possession of Mompelicarte And the lone money the king forgaue him whiche was no small somme This peace making did Peter Paule Uerger the byshops legate toke not very well And in Clements name did expostulate sore with king Ferdinando that he had taken Luther princes into his amitie And he answered that he dyd it in cōsideratiō of the time for the auoyding of further trouble What time Duke Ulriche was expulsed his sonne Christopher being a child of .iiij. yeares olde was first brought vp vnder the tuicion of his vncle Williā Duke of Bauer after that he was remoued frō thence to Insprouek a towne of Ferdinandos in the countie of Tirol And whē after the Turkes retire as I sayde before the Emperour retourned into Italy he through the motion aduise of his frendes cōueyeth him self out of the Emperours traine repareth again into Bauier For being the sole only heire this was thought to be the deuise that he sholde haue bene lead into some straūge countrey made religious but after that his father was restored he wēt into Fraūce attended vpon the frēch king When the matter was pacified the Lātgraue sent a messager with letters to the Emperour in Spain the cōditions of peace in writing craning pardon for him self for duke Ulrich
soeuer he hath promised he hath lyberally perfourmed and sōwhat more also than he was bounden But he hath not donne well who forgettyng his noble lynage and estate hathe brought hym selfe into suche bondage As concernynge hys Nece he maie knowe what her mynde and her parentes is he is in nothyng further bounden to hym Whan Themperoure had establysshed thynges in Gelderlande in the moneth of October he came to Landresey with an exceadynge greate armye Thyther came also the French kynge with hys whole force and the thynge was none other lyke but to haue commen to a battell But when the Frenche men had vytayled the Towne they went awaye by nyght so pryuely that the enemy perceiued it not before it was day light Than at the length pursuing after them they ouer tooke the rerewarde slew many And because winter came on Themperour thinking good to attempt no further whan he had sēt a certen power to the sege of Lucēburg he dischargeth the rest of hys army Duke Maurice serued themperour at Landresey of hys owne voluntarye mynde wherby he gote moche good wyll and made the way to obteyne hys frendship In the winter season the Duke of Lorayne and certen others intreate for peace but that was in vayne Themperoure retournynge home from Landersey sent Fardinando Gonzage Uiceroy of Sicilie to the Kyng of England that he might incense hym more agaynste the Frenche kynge I haue oftentymes mentioned of William Countie Furstēberge he beyng made a straūger with the Frenche kinge made suite by Granuellan to come in to Themperours fauour And to declare hys fydelytie he leuyed a certen power of foote men in hys owne Iurisdictyon and wente in the myddes of wynter to Lucemburge and ioyned hym selfe with Thēperours Armie But when the Frenche men by the conduite of the Duke of Longouile had vitayled them within he departeth without any thynge doon after that many were dead for colde and honger I shewed you before howe the counsell of th empyre was appoynted at the last of Nouember Wherfore the Protestantes assemble together at Franckfourd to consulte before what thynges they shoulde treate of in the whole assemblye And where the matter was delayd by reason of the Frenche warres the Duke of Saxon and the Lantzgraue in the moneth of Nouember addressyng their letters to themperoure do aduertise hym howe they wyll come to the counsell yf he hymselfe wyll bee there and graunte them saufecounduite for them and theyr league frēdes Wherunto Themperour aunswered frō Brusseles the x. day of Decembre that he would come doubtles and that in the moneth of Ianuarye and sendeth withall a saufconduite Howebeithe excludeth suche as are addicte to hys enemyes by promesse faythe or conuenaunte signifyinge the priuie espialles of the Frenche kynge Than in the begynnyng of Ianuary takyng hys iorney he commeth to Spire The .xxiiii. day of thys moneth was a great Eclipse of the Sonne in the daye tyme so that all men beheld it not without great wonder This yeare also were thre ful eclipses of the Moone A matter in dede to bee wondred at and the whyche as the astronomiers saye hathe not chaunced synce the tyme of great Charles Alexander Farnese Cardinall passyng throughe Fraunce spoke with Themperoure goynge towardes thassemblye and tooke hys leaue of hym at Wormes The cause of his ambassade was thought to be a treaty of peace This assemblie of Spier was exceading great For booth king Farnando and all the Prynces Electours which is seldome seene in maner all other Princes were there and amonges them also the Duke of Cleaue As the Duke of Saxony was comyng whych was the .xviii. day of February the Lantzgraue the Archebisshop of Colō Friderick the Paulsgraue and the Uiceroye of Sicilye went foorth and met hym Two dayes after the counsel began And Themperour propoundeth for what causes leauynge Spayne he is nowe retourned into Germany and hath called this conuention he hath sufficiētly declared by hys letters dated at Gene neyther is it nede to recyte howe moche he hathe euermore loued the Publyke weale that all thynges put in order at home he myghte warre agaynst the common enemye of Christendome but howe he hath ben impeached hytherto and by whom it is not vnknowen For thys last yere by the procurement of the French kyng the Turkisshe nauie is comen into the Sea of Ligurie and hath inuaded the countrey of the Duke of Sauoye a Prince of Thempire taken the Citie and hauen of Nice and with greate force beseged the Castell and vattered it ryght sore And albeit they were constrayned throughe hys Armye approchynge to leuye theyr siege yet haue they syns attempted other places of Th empyre and of Spayne also and are nowe wholy aboute to distroie all together Therfore is the matter nowe brought into an extreme daunger and vnlesse they ioyne theyr mindes and powers to helpe it it is to be feared lest Germanye shall acknoweledge and bewayle hys miserye al to late He hath often wisshed to redresse these euilles but the Frēch Kynge mouing warre agaynst hym insondry places he could neither retourne into Germanye nor Ioyne his power with theyres And that the Turke doeth so boldly inuade Germany that the warres also attempted agaynste hym haue had so euell successe hytherto the cause hathe ben fyrst that he hath ben aduertysed from tyme to tyme by the Frenche kyng of the dissention in relygion of the publycke and priuate dyspleasure of al degrees of the state of Th empyre and what thynges are donne therein Secondlye for that he seeth howe at the Frenche Kynges hand he fyndeth fauour and socour ready as it hath not been only declared by witnesse and letters but nowe also proued in dede For asmoche therfore as he styreth vp and armeth the comon and moste cruell enemye of all others agaynste the Christen publyke weale he supposeth that they shoulde esteme thys warre whyche he is constreyned to maynteyne agayste hym non otherwyse than if it were attempted agaynste the Turke trustynge moreouer that they wyll not onlye condemne hys practyse and enterpryses but also wyll assiste hym to thentente that beyng delyuered from the domestycall enemye he maye dysplaye hys whole force agaynste the Turke After thys expostulatyng that the ayd decreed for the Turkish warre was not sente accordyngly for the wante wherof the Turke hathe agayne thys laste yere preuayled and taken certen Townes and Castels in Hongarye he requyreth them that seeyng the Turke goeth about to wynne Hongarye that he maye after inuade Germanye they wolde consyder depelye so weyghtye a matter that they may haue ayde not oulye to defend but to inuade also to th ende thys moste noysō plage may ones be driuen away from theyr wyues children and natif contrie declaring moreouer how willing he is the thinges amisse shoulde be refourmed and emongs other the iudgement of the chamber The same day king Fernādo by hys ambassadours speakīg
into his handes The Frenche kyng whiche was retourned home leauing his children for pledges in Spayne sayde the conditiōs of peace were vnreasonable Wherfore sendyng Ambassadours to and fro the byshop of Rome and the Uenetians enter into league with hym the effect wherof is this That for the defence and quietnes of Italy they shall fynde an armye of .xxx. thousand fotemen of men at armes and lyghthorse men syxe thousande They shall also prouide an Nauie of two and thirtye galleys with Shippes of bourthen that what tyme they shall haue vanquyshed the enemy in Lumbardye and Italye they shall muade the kingdome of Nayles both by sea and lande which beyng ones wōne to remayne in the power of the churche of Rome yet so as .lxxv. thousande duckates be payde yerely to the Frenche kyng which claymeth a tytle in it That the dignitie of the house of medicees be maynteyned in the citie of Florence The Frenche kyng leaueth the Duckdome of Myllan to Fraunces Sfortia whome the Emperours men besegyng in the Castell of Millan constrayned to rendre and promiseth him his owne ayde and the Swycers to helpe hym also a wyfe in Fraunce of the bloud royall yet vpon this condition that he shal paye vnto him therfore yeare fyfty thousande crownes and fynde his brother Maximilian whiche is prysoner in Fraunce After this the byshop of Rome wrytyng his letters to the Emperour recyteth his benofites towards hym what goodly offers he refused at the Frenche kynges handes for his sake howe that when the kynge was taken he gaue a hondreth thousande Duckates to his captaynes vpon certayne conditiōs that he hath vttered vnto hym oftentymes the coūsels of his enemies that what time his men dyd besege Frances Sfortia in the Castel of Millan and certen men of great power moued hym to ioyne in league against hym he would not heare them For all the whiche thynges he is full euyll recompensed For his souldiours haue wrought suche iniuries shame and mysery to hym and the churche of Rome as hathe not bene hearde moreouer that neyther the condicions are fulfylled nor his money restored how it appeareth what good wyll he beareth hym whiche woulde not make hym prinie vpon what conditions he concluded with the Frenche kynge that he vtterly reiected his suite intercession made for Sfortia howe he sent the Duke of Burbon frō the siege at Marseilles to reyse vp a newe kynde of warre in Italye for the whiche causes he is of necessitie constrayned to make a league with suche as loue the quiet and wealth of Italy Wherfore if he wyl also be content to embrace peace well and good if not he shal not wāt force and power to defende Italy and the common wealth of Rome In this league was comprysed the kyng of England and with great promyses was desyred to be the protectour therof Unto this epystle Cesar aunsweryng at Granato the .xviii. of September reaccompteth his desertes and benefites done vnto hym Howe that by his sute and meanes he was made byshop of Rome howe before that tyme he gaue hym an yerely pension of ten thousande duckates out of the reuenewes of the Archebyshop of Toledo when he was legate to byshop Leo notwithstandyng that he had conspyred against hym with Albert prince of Carpes to haue dispossessed hym of Naples and Sicily When the Frenche men were dryuen out of Italy by the conducte of Bourbon he could not deny him but that he myght warre in Fraūce or els where to recouer of the Frenche kyng his owne he graunteth the kyngdome of Naples to be holden of hym not withstandynge in case sayeth he you should make any warre there you shoulde thereby lose all your right and tytle for euen for the same causes that the Cliente loseth the benefite graunted for the selfe same also doth the Patrone lose his prerogatiue Before the kyng was taken you entreated of a peace but it was to the intent you might haue inioyed the Dukedome of Millan And therfore the Uenetians and Florentines withdrewe their ayde through your motion from my captaynes against their league For the Frenche kyng confesseth openly howe throughe your prouocation he entred into a newe league before he went out of Spayne And I knowe by certayne reporte that you haue dispensed with him for his othe wherby he is bounden to me Furthermore you haue moued warre before the letters wherein it was proclaymed were vnto me deliuered seking not only to dryue me out of all Italy but also to depose me from the dignitie of the Empyre For all this am I able to proue by the letters of Ferdinando Daualle Marques of Pistare whome you would haue entysed in to your league promising hym the kyngdome of Naples I haue tytle to Millan by mo wayes than one yet for the quiet of Italye I suffered Sfortia to enioye it And whan he was greuously syck I would haue placed in his steade the Duke of Bourbon for that I sawe it pleased you well and dyuers others in Italy And the cause why Sfortia was besieged in the Castel of Millan was that he had committed treason against me by ioynyng in league with you wherof beyng detected he would not delyuer to my captaynes the Castelles of Cremone and Millan neyther make his pourgation nor come to any talke in the matter Your request was that I should forgyue hym altogether whiche I neyther coulde nor in deede ought to doe lest by an euyll example I shoulde gyue an occasiō vnto Clientes to offende against their patrones Touchyng the peace concluded with the Frenche kyng I kept nothing secret from your Ambassadours for the condicions be suche as I would not haue concealed for they tende to a publique peace and to the resistaūce of Christes ennemies But se the vnworthines of that thing Ther commeth more money yearely to Rome out of my Realmes and prouinces than doth from all other nations That is to be proued by the requestes of the Prynces of Germany what tyme they complaynyng greuously of the court of Rome desyred a reformation Whose cōplaint at that tyme I neglected for the zeale I bare to the churche of Rome Whiche thynge considered and for as muche as I haue geuen you none occasion of offence I do instantly requyre you to lay down your armies And I wyll doe lykewyse And seynge we are bothe appoynted of God as two great lyghtes let vs endeuour our selues so as the whole worlde maye be lyghtened through vs and not that by reason of dissention there should aryse an Eclypse Let vs regarde the publique weale and attempt to dryue out the Turkes to quenche the secte and errours of Luther For this appertayneth vnto Gods glorye and hereof ought we to begynne and after to debate other controuersies you shall haue me ready vnto all these thynges which if I can not obtaine but that you wil nedes perseuer to play the man of warre I do proteste here that I
heare saith he how the Frēche kyng hath requyred your ayde but not obteined which was to me great pleasure and I haue aduertised the Emperour hereof And certenly reason would it should so be For the Emperour gaue none occasion of this warre but was fully resolued this sommer to haue warred vpon the Barbarians and the ennemies of our Religion Notwithstanding the Frenche kynge immediatly after the death of Fraunces Sfortia Duke of Millan albeit he hath no right nor title therunto a composition made touchyng the whole matter certen yeares paste contrary to the conuenauntes sought to renewe warre and to recouer Lumbardy And at the same tyme passing the Alpes with a great armie inuaded the Duke of Sauoye a Prynce of the Empyre to the intent that hauing ones subdued his countrey he might haue the way open to passe further And nowe that the Emperour hath leuied an armie to resiste hym as he was in dede constreined I am informed that he craueth nowe ayde agayne of you Neuerthelesse for as muche as he breakyng his fidelitie hath commenced warres a freshe I desyre you that you doe not assiste hym Whereby you shall do the Emperour and me pleasure and preserue the quiet of your owne commō wealth In this meane while the Protestantes had sent an Ambassade to the Emperour in Italy to make their purgation in that he had charged them by letters to haue taken the churche goodes and further more to complayne of the iudges of the Emperiall chamber But before the Ambassadours were arriued the Emperoure the seuenthe of Iulye had sent letters to the Protestauntes from the Towne of Sauilie signifieng how he hath at al tymes both present and absent by his letters and Ambassadours sought the quiet of Germany and hath both promysed them peace in theyr Relygion and also perfourmed the same And nowe for as muche as the Frenche kynge against whome he is enforced to rayse an armie maye perauenture by false suggestion perswade with them that he would now take occasion to breake that treuce of Religion therfore hath he thought good to admonyshe them by his letters to beleue no suche thinge but assure them selues that he woulde obserue his promyse neyther would he moue warre vpon any man for religion nor styre vp any trouble in Germany for all this preparation of warre is to mainteyne his ryght and authoritie Wherfor let them quiet them selues and styre not what so euer they shal heare For this shall be both to hym acceptable and to them also profitable Whan the Emperours power was come altogether he marched through the myddest of Italye with a stronge armie tyll he came in to prouynce of Fraunce The kynge had incamped hym selfe at Auignion betwyxte the Ryuers of Rhosne and Druence and destroyinge the countrey Whereinto he perceiued the Emperour woulde come and kepyng hym selfe from geuynge the battell he brought his ennemies into great perplexitie and myserie For the Emperour enforced through the penurie and scarscitie of all thynges and the losse of manye thousandes whiche died for famine and pestilence and also for the death of Anthony Leuie dischargeth the reste of his Armye and retourneth to Genes An other Armie of his that warred this sommer in Uermandoys beseged the towne of Peronne by the cōduicte of Henry Erle of Nassowe but preuayling not leuied the siege about the same time that the Emperour retyred in the prouince and the reporte of eyther newes brought vnto Paris the same daye reioysed the citie exceadynglye For they were in verye great feare and the Preachers in their Sermons to the people inuehed sore against the Emperour And the kynges Lieutenauntes began to intrenche the cytie and kepte the gates with watche and warde William Furstemberge a Germane serued the Frenche kynge in this warre About the begynning of this warre ended his lyfe the Frenche kynges eldest sonne Fraunces the Daulphin eyghtene yeares of age the reporte went that he was poysoned and one Sebastian de moute Cuculo an Italian beyng had in suspicion was fyrste racked and after torne in pieces with sondrye horses at Lions And the kynge afterwardes in his letters to the Prynces of Germanye amonges other made a greuous complainte hereof against Anthony Leuie and Ferdinando Gonzage the Emperours Lieutenauntes in whome he layd all the blame Herman Archebyshop of Collon of long tyme intending a reformation of his churche holdeth at this tyme a counsell of his owne prouince callynge to it as the maner is the Byshoppes within his iurisdiction of Liege Utreicht Munster Osenbridge and Myndes Herein were decrees made of ceremonies and doctrine and after set forth in a booke compyled by Iohn Gropper wherein were al Popyshe Ceremonies for the moste parte paynted out with new colours whiche booke dyd not contente the Byshop than as hereafter shal be declared About this tyme also in the moneth of Iuly Erasmus of Roterdam departed out of this lyfe an olde man of thre score and ten yeares and was buried at Basill Howe excellently learned and howe eloquent a man he was and howe muche al learnyng is bounde to hym his own workes shall testifie By occasion of puttyng downe papistrie in Englande and suppressing of certen Abbeyes vnder thre hundreth markes of yearely valewe there arose a commotion in Lynkcolneshyre in a market towne they call Lowthe styred vp by Doctour Mackerell a false Monke who named him selfe captayne Cobblar and after that it was appeased by the Duke of Southfolke the kynges Lyeutenaunt an other began in Yorke shyre a grear deale worse For those Rebelles were manye and stronge and came as farre as Dankcaster where the Duke of Northfolke met them with the kinges power and when they should haue ioyned together in battell by the mediation of the Erle of Shrewisbury which was a man welbeloued of the commons the matter was taken vp without bloudshed Their chief Captaine was Robert Aske who was after executed for his treason with certen others of the Nobilitie his adherentes Unto the letters which the Emperour wrote in Iuly the Protestaūtes answer the nynth day of Septembre and where it pleased hym to wryte so gentle and so lyberally they shewe hym howe they conceaue great pleasure in theyr mindes for albeit they did neuer distruste his promise yet for as much as diuerse reportes of his displeasure came to their eares and agayne for that the iudges of the imperiall chamber and others makyng none accompte of the peace concluded did procede diuerse wayes agaynste them they had some cause to doubte and feare the matter But nowe that he hath wrytten againe so louingly and playnly they are out of all doubtes that he wyll perfourme the same and refuse the sclaunderous reportes of their aduersaries lykewyse wyll they doe and geue no credite vnto suche as shall otherwyse reporte of him and in al other thinges also doe according to their dutie than came they to the counsell which the
owne or of some Prince that is bound to him For he hath him self ryght ample and large dominions and in the same many goodly cities which his predecessours haue gotten by force and subtiltie he with as small fidelitie kepeth But seing there is no hope to haue a true couÌ„sel as men of witte and iudgemeÌ„t do suppose he thinketh it best that euery Magistrate in his own dominions seke the reformation of Religion And if perchaunce the Bishop should obiecte vnto them custome the same taketh no place For euen by the testimonie of Cypriane custome that is grounded vpon no counsell as he hath sayde before but if any man haue an other way that is better he wil not refuse it The Emperour remained al this yere in Spaine but his armie in Flaunders by the conduict of Counte de Bure wan by assaulte the towne and castel of Sanpulle in Artois in the moneth of Ianuary and put al to the sworde and from thence went and beseged the citie of Terowen but yet in vayne There at the length was a truce taken for ten monethes in those parties only For in PiedmoÌ„te was hote warre neuerthelesse and the town of Cherie was taken by assaulte of the imperialles who made a wonderfull slaughter both of souldiours and citezens And whan after the garrison of Turrin suffered great penury being on euery syde beseged and stopped from virtualles the Frenche kyng in haruest tyme leuied a power and sente thether his eldest sonne Henry the Daulphin and MommoraÌ„cie who making waye and entring perforce releued their present famine In the moneth of October the armie of kyng Ferdinando wherin were the horsemen of Saxony and Meissen of Franckonie and Austriche the Carinthians Bohemers and Hongarians whome the Germaines cal Hussares beseged the towne Exechium vpon the Ryuer of Draue whiche was kept with a strong garryson of the Turkes And where they tracted the tyme and were constrayned for wante of victualles to leuie the siege in the retire they fel into the lappes of their ennemies which had layd for them ambusches in the woodes and kept all the straytes that they could no way escape In this distresse firste certen Centurions and captaynes of souldiours and the Hongarians fled after also went Cacianer the kinges Lieutenaunt But the reste who detested the shame of running away exhorting them selues vnto manhode especially the horsemen of Almaigne aboade the charge and violent force of their ennemies but in fine being vaÌ„quished of the greater numbre were all for the moste parte slayne and manye of the captaynes taken prisoners and led to Constantinople in to moste miserable captiuitie The fourth Ides of Octobre the kyng of Englande had a sonne borne at Hamptoncourt Prince Edwarde by Quene Iane Semer whome he maried after the death of Quene Anne In the meane whyle the byshop of Rome for so muche as truce was taken be twyxt Fraunce and Flaunders went about to procure the like also in al other places to the entent that through this occasioÌ„ he might worke his purpose and ceased not tyll he had brought it to passe The bishops deuise was as it is reported that setting them at peace he myght stire them vp against the kyng of England whom he hated vnto the death and against the Lutherians About this tyme also Christina the Emperours nece by his syster Quene of Denmarke Duchesse of Millan leauing Italy retourneth into Flaunders through Germanye and there was a treaty of a mariage betwene her and William Duke of Cleaue but it toke not effect Than also the men of Gelderland began to rebelle against their Prince Charles Egmonde whiche was al his lyfe tyme of the Frenche parte and therfore sore hated of the Burgundians and than as it was sayd went about to make his country FreÌ„che He was so chased out by his owne people euery where in this outragious tumulte that he had scarsly a towne or two lefte hym to flye into He was alwayes a great mainteiner of the bishop of Romes doctrine and abstained not from sore punishment Paule the third in the first beginning of his byshoprike made his two yonge nephewes Cardinalles as before is wrytten For the whiche thing being euyll reported of he vouched saufe to call other worthy men also both in nobilitie and learning to the same degre of honour partly to asswage the enuie and displeasure partely to haue mete champions whiche were able to defende hym by their learnyng and eloquence amonges whome was Caspar Contarene Reginalde Poole Iohn Bellie Frederick Fregose vnto whom within a shorte space after he added moreouer Sadolete Alexander and Bembus And purposed also Erasinus as in a certen Epistle to a frend of his Erasinus himselfe reporteth There remayne also certen Epistles written of Sadolet to Erasinus wherin after he hath spoken muche of the great good wyl of the byshop towardes hym he sayth that within shorte tyme he wyl auaunce him to hyghe dignitie Contarenus was a noble man a Senatour of Uenise for his learnyng ryght famous and beyonde all expectation whan he had craued nothynge was sodaynly promoted to this dignitie ✚ The twelfth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne in the Empyre of Charles the fyste ⧠The argument of the twelfth Booke POpe Paule by his deputes ordeyned a reformation touching the abuses of the Churche as permutations voisomes benefices incompatibles Cardinalles courtiers Chaplelaynes Courtisanes Pardoners and the Colloquies of Erasmus prohibited The Protestauntes mete at Brunswycke whether came the king of Denmarke Persecution aryseth at Pans The Pope the Emperour and the Frenche kyng mete at Nice there the kynge kissed his foote A Colledge and a Frenche churche are erected at Strasborough The kyng of Englande burneth the bones of Thomas Becket The Prince Efectour of Brandenburgh aduertiseth the Duke of Saxon of the preparation of the great Turke A secte of Antmomians aryseth The conspiratie of Heldus and the Duke of Brunswycke are discouered by the takyng of his Secretary An assembly is holden at Franckeforte decrees are there made and appointment mode for a conference to be had for the peace of the Protestauntes whiche to let Duke Henry of Brunswicke leuiâ—th an armie George Duke of Saxon ennemy of the veritie dieth Henry his brother succedeth hym The kyng of Englande hauyng set forth a booke against the counsell of Uicence callseth certen articles to be made concerning Religion They of Gaunt rebell The Emperour hauing saufeconduicte passeth through Fraunce The Uenetians make peace with the Turke but certen Senatours had disclosed their secretes I Haue shewed you before how the Counsels wer deferred til the kalendes of NoueÌ„b but the same also was made frustrate Notwithstandyng the Bishoppe to the intent he myght feed men with hope and seme to do some thinge had longe before chosen out certen of his owne sect amoÌ„ges the whole numbre and had streightly
out to knowe whiche waye the Emperour went brought contrary reportes but in fine whan Lewys the Erle of Oetinge brought certen worde that he was passed with a great part of his Armie ouer the Ryuer of Wernize they followed after immediatly about two of the clocke at after none and towardes nyght pytche their Tentes not passing halfe a myle from the Emperour Hitherto came vnto them messengers from the city of Norling who seing themperour so nigh required ayde who were aunswered frankely The nex day again it was a myste The forewarde led the Duke of Saxon the Lātgraue the middle ward and George Malspurg and Rifeberg the rerewarde The Duke of Saxon marching forwarde with fiue legions with many troppes of horsemen approcheth nere vnto thennemy there was ryding pricking coursing vp down on both partes Whan it waxed clere themperour perceiuing the the vantwarde kept on the way towardes Norling that the rereward was not come yet in sight he auaunceth al his horsemen as though he would geue the battell The Lantgraue therfore being in the mids what time the whole armie of his enemies made towards him asketh coūsel some aduised him to folow the Duke of Saxō but because the reward was yet far behind which through his departure he sawe shuld be like to fal into the lapse of their ennemies he thought not good to depart but sending messēgers both to haste them forward to cal back the Duke of Saxō he kept the hilles that he was vpon stired not In the midway betwixt both armies was the Riuer of Egra which was in dede but smal yet hard to passe ouer especialy for themperour if he wold haue foughten the battel Unto this riuer was come the Erle of Bure with his power And whan it was very like that they shuld haue ioined in battel themperour calleth him back cōmaundeth him straitly to go no further Thus they returned both into their campe the protestauntes pitched not far frō Norling On the next daye certen troupes of themperours horsemen ryde nere vnto their enemies gaue thē a very hote skirmysche In this conflict was hurt Albert Brunswick the sonne of Duke Philip going vnaduisedly after he had wel tippled he was caried to Norling where he died not long after The Emperour remayning there certen dayes sendeth in the meane tyme Octauius Farnesius with his owne force and with the Almaigne fotemen and munitiō to take Donauerd Fortune fauoured the mans deuise And settyng forwarde by night whan he was come thither as sone as day appered and was auauncing his ladders to scale the townes men yelded them selues The souldiours of the Garnyson were fayne to saue thē selues by flyght This done themperour marcheth to Donauerd The protestantes intent was to haue assaulted the Emperour in his campe but his departure altered that purpose it is thought how themperour had some intelligence therof by espial In those days the Duke of Alba sent to demaūde of the Lantgraue why he kept so much the hilles and mountaynes why cometh he not downe into the plaine fielde and trye the matter in battell The Lantgraue sent him word again howe he and his fellowes were fiue dayes together in the plain fieldes before Ingolstad and offered battell why would he not fight Why did he not bicker at Norlinge where he taried for him the whole daye Whylest this was done in Sweden there fell a great alteration in Saxonie How the Emperour had deuised with Duke Maurice at Regenspurg and Ferdinando at Prage again how the Emperour commaunded him to inuade and enter in possessions of the Electours of Saxonie and the Lantgraues countreis it is before specified Wherupon Duke Maurice in the first beginning of the warre retourning home from Regenspurg calleth a conuention at Chemnice of al the states within his dominion and there cōsulteth what is nedefull to be done They counsell him to know certenly of the Emperour whether he wyll permitte them to kepe their Religion safely secondly that he and the Marques of Brandenburg Electour should make intercession And in case they may be in assuraunce for Religion and that intercession wil take no place they exhorte him that in as much as he is bounden in al other matters besides Religion to obey the Emperour he would sit quiet hire a power to defende his countrey Unto the which thing they promise him ayde chouse syx out of the whole nūber to assiste him at all times with their aduise counsel But whan themperours cōmaundemēt before said came vnto hym and king Ferdinando also mustred men in Hongary leuied a power in Boheme he holdeth another assembly of his states at Fridberg the eight day of October There he reciteth the former treaty sayth how after their aduise the Marques of Brandēburg he haue solicited the Duke of Saxon the Lantgraue to permitte that they might intreate the matter haue earnestly admonyshed them also what perill is in the thing that they would ponder it diligently How be it as yet in dede they haue receiued no conuenient aunswer and libelles are set out the matter come to hand stripes they haue bickered together haue had sondry smal cōflictes and albeit that thei haue at diuers times required his ayd yet forasmuch as themperour hath giuen him sufficiēt warraūtise for religiō therfore hath he following their coūsel stired nothing but hath kept soldiours for the defence of his prouince conferred in matters of coūsell with the six chosē But now is the time so troublesome perillous that the thosē say how thei ar not able to beare so great a burthē wherfore at their request is this assēbly called For thēperours cōmaundementes are brought vnto hym which he will shewe them that are sore and of moste importance and of such sorte that in case they be neglected the whole countrey therby is like to come in a wounderfull daunger Moreouer the Bohemers and theyr fellowes prepare warre and are comen out of their countrie al ready purposing to inuade the prouince of Duke Iohn Friderickes And albeit that he hath first by letters after by his Ambassadours last of al going him selfe also intreated king Ferdinando to the contrary yet could he obtayne nothing And in asmuche also as he supposeth that the same is done by Themperours commaundement he neither may neither lieth it in his power to resist it he would in dede right gladly that the ciuile warre being once appeased the Turkish violence might be repressed How beit they knowe in what sorte both coūtreis be lincked together in hope of succession And howe he hath siluer mines also comon with the Prince Electour And to suffer all these thinges to be plucked away from the house of Saxonie to come into a straungers handes it should be a great grief to him Moreouer the whole coūtrey lieth so intermingled by per celles that in
backe his army he intendeth to retourne home chiefly for that his ennemies haue inuaded Fraunce As concerning the complaintes of the poore people he is hartely sory Howbeit there can not be so good order taken in any Armie but that licentiouse soldiours wyll alwayes do some harme Notwithstanding he taketh moste dilligent hede that bothe as little harme be done as is possible and also that offences be moste straytely punyshed Touchyng that whiche they wryte of the Emperour and of peace he loketh certenly for at their handes Through his paynes force and dilligence Germany is released from those miseries wherewith it laye oppressed Nowe must they well forsee that they doe not dishonestly lose theyr libertie by hym restored For theyr request touchynge them of Strasburge he can not saye them naye not withstanding that what tyme he was there with his army the soldiours of that citie vsed great presumption and arrogancie towardes his men Whan the king was entred into Germany the Emperours power of the low countreis by the conduict of Marten Rosseme inuaded Champaignie in Fraunce burning and destroying all before them and toke the towne of Asteney standing by the Ryuer of Mase belonging to the Duke of Loraine but lately surprysed by the Frenchemē This was thought to be one cause why the kyng retourned with his armie another for that he misliked Duke Maurice doinges and againe for that his hope failed hym at Strasburge Whan he had remoued from Wisseburge Ambassadours came to the kyng sent from all the Swisses King Ferdinādo hath a Region ioyning to the Heluetians called Sontgouia And they of Enseme are the chiefest of all that countrey who being afrayde of their partes had intreated the Swisses that for the aucthoritie and fauour that they had with the kyng they would make intercession for them Wherfore at their request and charges takynge their iourney they commended to the king also the cities nere vnto the same Colmar Seletstat and Strasburg saying how this countrie was linked vnto them in great amitie both for the nerenes therof and also chiefly for that they serue them in a maner of all their wheat so muche as to them is nedefull so that no displeasure can be done to them whiche they shall not feele also Unto whome the kyng maketh aunswer the .xx. daye of May besides Bipont Howe he doth forgeue them of Ensem so that they wyll release suche of his soldious as they haue prisoners As touching the reste for whome they spake he neuer ment them euill And albeit that the souldiours of Strasburg receiued his men somwhat roughly before the gates and put them back that came thither to bie thinges yet wil he not forsake their amitie therfore euen for their sakes that intreate be meanes for them Nowe that he possesseth Lorayne he shall be their nere neighbour and wyll do nothing against the maner of neighbourhead And loketh again for the same good wil and dutie of them also There were before at Saberne Ambassadours sent to the king by the Senate of Basill about thesame matter vnto whome also was made a gentle aunswere I shewed before of Duke Maurice howe he departed from Lintz Kyng Ferdinando also whan the conuention was done went immediatly to the Emperour at Inspruck to infourme him of all the matter And Duke Maurice retourning to the campe marcheth with his fellowes toward Thalpes as before is said And whan he came almost there by the perswasiō of the Frēch Ambassadour he determined to set vpon the soldiours whiche the Emperour had leuied in those partes And where as ye. xvii daye of Maye he was not far from Fiessa which is a towne situated at the entring vp to the Alpes by the ryuer of Leyche he sendeth forth espialles to vnderstande of the ennemie They all in a maner bryng worde howe they kepe the straytes and narrow passages of the moūtaines and haue so fortified themselues that they can be hurt by no meanes Wherfore the Princes sende forth certen horsemen chosen out of the whole nomber whiche riding almoste to their ennemies campe intercept diuerse and bring them away to the Princes By whome they vnderstande many thynges and the next daye marching forewarde with their fotemen and hauing with them but two hōdreth horsemē only they go to Fiessa And what time thei were not farre of Rewe they come vnto the straytes whiche were kept by the Emperours soldiours to the nomber of eight hondreth and with two field peces Upō whom geuing the charge whan they were once entred into the straytes ouerthrowe their ennemies who slipping away by flight made them that incāped at Rwe to feare and tremble The Princes pursuing with spede geue charge vpon thē also finally put them to flight Wherof a thousand wer taken and slayne and drowned in the Ryuer of Leych And lost also one enseigne The next morning they go to the Castell of Erenberge wherof we haue ofte made mention And whan as fortune would they had taken the fortresse standing vnderneth the castel and had wonne the straite wayes and passages and had moreouer surprised diuerse peces of great ordenaūce furnished they clyme vp the stepe pitchell hill vnto the castell and albeit they were layde at with many weapons yet toke they it by surrender There were in the castell .xiii. enseignes of fotemen Wherof .ix. were taken and. iiii escaped of the whiche thre were of Germaines and one of Italians And they that were taken were about thre thousand where they lost but fewe of their owne men After that was Duke Maurice in great daunger For whan he woulde haue marched forewarde the soldiours that were vnder Riseberge would not vnlesse they might haue an extraordinary paye for the wynning of the castell But Duke Maurice sayd that was no reason and commaunded with al to apprehēde a seditious felowe that was more clamorouse than the rest There all the rest make towardes him not only with their pykes but also with their handgunnes in so muche that with moste spedy flighte he could hardely saue his life The .xxi. day of May two legions were sent by the Alpes to Inspruck whiche was from thence two dayes iourney Al the horsemen were left with one legion of fotemen about Fiessa and Rwe to defende and kepe the passage The next daye Duke Maurice his felowes Princes followyng after ioyne with the army of fotemen at Zirley whiche is not two great myles from Insprucke But when the Emperour heard that Ereberge was wonne he departed sodenly in the night awaye from Insprucke with his brother Ferdinādo who was lately come thither to perswade a peace as I sayd before and through the Alpes as they go to Trente tourning on the left hande he came to Uillace a towne in Carnia by the Riuer of Draue whan he had a little before set at libertie Iohn Friderick Duke of Saxon which had bene fiue yeres prisoner least his ennemies shuld ascribe this
enacted that mighte helpe the Common 〈◊〉 for the which cause he hathe sent thither Cardinall Campegius 〈◊〉 man of excellent vertue who can enfourme the Princes of his carefulnesse and 〈◊〉 towardes the Common weale and deuise with him priuately of the meanes of peace and quietnesse whereunto he exhorteth him 〈◊〉 gyue his mynde for the same thyng concerneth the prosperitie and dignitie of al magistrats And how he beareth a great good will vnto Germany hauynge good hope that they wyll not fall from their auncient vertue but helpe to eschewe publike daungers Wherfore he requireth him to shewe all good will and fauoure to hys Legate of whome he shall heare all thinges more at large At the sixe and twentie day of Ianuary the Heluetiās called a conuocation at Lucerne There was a decree made that no man shoulde mocke or contemne Gods worde whiche had bene taught these thousande and foure hundred yeares nor the Masse wherein the bodye of Christ is consecrated to his honor and comfort of the quicke the dead that suche as be of lawfull age to receyue the Lordes supper do cōfesse them selues to the priestwise in the Lent season that al men absteine from fleshe on daies forbidden and in Lent also from egges and chese That nothing of Luthers or any newe doctrine be taught priuely nor openly That suche as cary about the reliques of the holy gost the virgin Mary or of S. Anthony be not laughed at and that they do obserue all other olde customes they that offende herein to be presented to the Magistrates punished Whē Cāpegius was cōmen to Norinberge Duke Friderike was departed thence wherefore he wrote vnto hym the laste daye of February and sendinge also the Bishoppes letters he lamenteth that vnhappye chaunce that he can not speake wyth him presently hauyng many thynges to talke with him from the Bishop of Rome whiche can not so well be done by letters and messengers and be of suche sorte as maye abyde no delaye But seynge it will be no better after muche gretyng made in the Bishops name and his own he saieth that albeit the reporte be great that he should be a fauorer of these newe spronge vp Heresyes yet can not the Bishoppe hitherto nor he be so perswaded for the manyfold and excellent vertues which they perceiue to be in him And especially for that he hath bene euer a great fauourer of Religion and of the Apostolicall Churche whereupon he will not truste the iudgementes of others nother leaue the good opinion that he hath of him before he shall see cause and know it him self Germany hath bene wonderfully altered with in these fewe yeres cōcernyng Religion but he vnderstandeth howe muche the commō people do differ from the nobilitie and Princes the rulers of the lawes amonges whom he is as principal aswel by his own as also by deserte of his aūcesters which haue euermore done great honor to the church of Rome Wherfore the Bishop requireth him that in these daūgerous dayes he woulde after the example of his elders declare his vertue of stoutenes not onely in mislyking this lybertie of the people but also in extremely punishing the same for vnlesse theyr licentious boldnes and malapertenes be restrained it will bring the lyke miserie and confusion into Germany that it did before tyme into Boheme and Hongary which are not yet quieted For they that do stubberuely contemne the sacred Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Magistrate will also vndoubtedly worke their violence against the Ciuil Magistrates whom they loue not Manye are nowe glad to see the Pastours of Churches and the Courte of Rome thus troubled and dispised whiche perceaue ful litel what daunger they them selues stande in But the Byshoppe whiche as the master of a shyppe sitteth watching at the Healme doeth foresee this storme approching and hath sent hym to warne all the Princes and him especially to beware of this tempest which is like to distroy not onely the citie of Rome but also Germany it selfe And for the same cause also hath sent letters by him and willed him to treate diligently with him of all these matters to the intente the tranquilitie and quietnes of Germany might be recouered For he is purposely sent to lifte vp them that are fallen and to receiue vnto grace such as are penitēt Whereunto albeit he is not very fit yet trustynge vpon his gentlenes he wil attempt it with al diligence wherfore seing that he hath taken this wery and painefull iorney he praieth him that he maye not want his helpe and fauor herein And that he woulde write agayne shortly what he thinketh best to be done And he will do for him againe what he can in the worlde After in the Counsell of the Princes he fyrste declareth howe that no man was willyng at Rome to take this voiage into Germany at the last was he appointed as one that may thanke the Germanes for all his promotions hauing two thinges to treate of Religion and the Turkishe warre And fyrst he marueleth muche that so manye greate and worthy Princes can beare with this alteration suffer the same Religion Rites and Ceremonies wherin they were borne brought vp and theyr fathers also and progenitours dead in to be thus defared and set at naught Which thing if it be not spedely reformed wil styre vp doubtles great commotions and rebellion of the people agaynste theyr magistrates This the hyghe Bishoppe fearing and consyderyng hath sent hym to deuise a way with them howe to remedie this matter Whose diligens herein if it be refused which as a good father and pastour wissheth well to all his Children and shepe there is no cause hereafter to laye any blame in him As touchynge the Turkes he denieth not but that there was money gathered for the same purpose and brought to Rome which albeit it was not employed all that wayes yet may not the cōmon welth therfore in this calamitie of time be neglected what hurt that cruell enemie hathe done it is not vnknowen for by the negligens and cowardise of our owne men he hathe taken the Rhodes and the chiefest foretresse of Hongary The Rhodes endured an harde siege many monethes and at laste wantynge all thynges necessarye whan they saw no aide would come they yelded the like chaūce was in Hongary Which if he should subdew wholly and bringe vnder his subiection it is to be feared lest they wyll become our enemies muche worse than be the Turkes But vnlesse this contention procedynge of this new doctrine be fyrst taken away the other part of the common wealth can not in his opinion be well holpen Hereunto the Princes answere that wheras he beareth this good will vnto Germany they are glad that he came thither and amonges them all they wyll chose certeine to conferre with him supposing that he hath some order prescribed him of the Bishoppe and his cardinals which they haue willed him to folow knowyng the matter so
against the Nobilitie to scatter them Muncer albeit he had made sedicious sermons was not yet so hote as to hasarde all before the whole coūtrey were vp in armure And therfore sent letters into al places namely to such as digged in the Mines in the coūtrie of Maunsfelde exhorting thē in any wise to set vpon theyr princes without any respecte for shortely should all those that were vp in Franckonye come into these parties In the meane while Phifer that could no longer abide maketh a roode with his company and spoyleth the countrye of Isefelde hardely sacketh Castelies and Churches discomfiteth many gentlemen and casteth some into fetters And so retournynge wyth a great buttie encouraged mens herts excedinly And Mūcer supposing that all men were than in a redynes departeth out of Mulhuse with thre hundreth and ioyned with them of Francuse At the same time departed Fridericke Duke of Saxonie without Issewe for he was neuer maried leauing his brother Iohn to succede him Nowe had Alberte Countie Mūsfelde hearing of a sturre in his countrey leuied spedelye certeine bandes of horsemen and gyuynge the charge slewe two hundreth Which thinge put them in suche a feare that they remayned still at Frāckuse tariyng for more company and durst procede no further And in the meane time the Dukes of Saxonie Iohn Prince elector and George his vncle Philip Lantzgraue of Hesse Henrye Duke of Brunswike leuied a thousande and v. hūdreth horsemen and certeine bandes of foote men and marched towardes them The rebelles had incamped them on a Hill a litell without the towne and had so fensed them selues with Carriages that hardely coulde they be inuaded But they were neyther sufficiently furnished of Munition nor weapōs nor skilfull in the warres Wherfore the Princes hauing compassion sente vnto them aduised them to deliuer theyr captaines only and lay aside theyr weapons they should haue theyr pardon retorne home But Muncer fearing him selfe came forth with a sower countenaūce and made this oration You se my felowes and brethren not farre frō you Tyrraūtes which albeit they haue conspired our deathes yet are they so discouraged in their mindes that they date attēpte nothing against vs And they offere you suche condicions as be foolishe that is to torne you out of your weapons Now know you right well that I haue not attempted this thinge of my owne braine or priuate aucthoritie for I was neuer experienced in suche matters But by the commaundemēt of God And seyng it is so it shal be my dewtie and yours to obey and not to depart of this grounde were God him selfe hath placed vs. In tymes past he commaūded Abrahā to offer vp his sonne And although he was ignoraūt what shold be th ēde yet folowyng the cōmaūdemēt he refused nothing And therfore God bothe preserued his sonne also rewarded his faith with great benefits so likewise ought we that stād in the same case to cōmit the successe of the thig to god And nodoubt we shal haue our desire you your selfes shal se the helpe of god manifestly For we shal discōfit our enemies in al places God hath promised in sūdrie places of the scripture to helpe the pore toppresse the wicked Which saying apperteineth vnto vs for we are poore afflicted And because we seke to setforth and mainteine the true knowledge of God we can not doubt of the victory Again let vs cōsider the state of our enemies they are called in dede Princes but they be very tirātes they care not for you they take your goods spende thē wickedly in pride riot and voluptuousues And for light causes moue wartes which destroye all that the pore haue lefte these be theyr Princelik Uertues In the place of the Widow and Orphane they mainteine the Bishoppe of Romes aucthoritie and wickednesse of the Cleargie where youthe shoulde be brought vp in learnyng and the poore releued they establishe the marchandise of massing and other abhominations Thinke you the God wil suffer this any longer No truely but euē as he droue out the Cananites so wil he now expulse these also And as Christ whipt out the biers and sellers forth of the Temple so will he do nowe likewise with these priestes theyr Patrones mainteiners Wherefore play you the men and gratifie God in distroiyng this vnprofitable people For surely there is no suerer waye to pacifie the matter For they will not forsake theyr olde wont they wil not restore vs vnto libertie nor permit vs to haue the true Religiō seruice of God And I wis we ought rather to die then to allow theyr wickednes suffer the doctrine of the gospel to be taken frō vs For I promisse you most assuredly the God wil aide and strengthen vs and that the Uictorye shal be oures For he him selfe did so promise me he him selfe that can not lye nor be disceased commaūded me to procede on this wise to punishe the Magistrate For herein is Gods power chiefly declared whan a stronge Army is destroied by a smale handfull as appeared by the example of Gedeon Ionathos and Dauid that killed Goliah that greate Gyaunt so tyrrible to looke vpon And no doubt but this present day shal be notable by a like spectacle and spoken of whilest the worlde goeth about For albeit we are not well fournished wyth weapons and other thynges necessarye for our owne defence yet shall this engine of heauen and earth be chaunged rather thā God shal forsake vs so was the water of the Red Sea chaunged in tymes past that the Israelites beyng persecuted by Pharao might passe through Therfore feare you nothing but fight māfully against your wicked enemies be not a fraide of theyr Gunnes for all the pellettes that they shall shoute I will receaue them with my cote Beholde se you not howe mercyfull a God we haue beholde a signe token of his euerlastyng good wyll towardes vs lift vp your eies and see the Reinebow in the skie for seing we haue the same painted in our enseigne God declareth plainely by the similitude that he sheweth vs on highe that he wyll aide vs in battell and distroye the Tyrrauntes Wherfore nowe set vpon them wyth a bolde courage moste assured of Godes helpe When he had made an ende they were all for the most part afraide of the great daunger but yet there were amonges them many lewde and desperate persons ready vnto all mischief which beynge inclined of theyr nature to euyll and perswaded by his oration and chieflye by the celestiall signe supposyng it to be a most sure token of victorie more ouer hauing no smalle company to the numbre of eight thousande and the place mete ynough to be kept Cried oute that all men shoulde take theyr weapons and fight with a stout courage against their enemies singing a sōg wherby they called for helpe of the holy gost Ther was sent vnto them
before a noble yong man Whom Muncer against the lawes of Armes had slayne wherwith the princes being more displeased caused the trompettes to soūde to the battel set their mē in order Thā Philip Lantzgraue of Hesse though he were yongest of them all ryding vp downe frō one cōpany to another exhorted the soldioures to be valcaūt And although the thinges were trew wherof they were accused yet were it not lawfull for the subiectes to rebell against their princes or magistrats vnto whom God hath giuen the sword wold haue them obeyed as may be proued by sundry places of Scripture He wente not aboute to execuse eyther his owne faultes or any other Princes but to confesse theyr fault graunt that many thinges ought to be amended yet ought the people neuerthelesse to absteyne from all seditiō For where they alledge that they are not permitted to haue the doctrine of the Gospel it is no iust cause to make any rebellion Whan Peter stroke with the sworde he was rebuked of Christ if any Princes do persecute the trew religion they ought to beare with them yea suffer death rather than to resist by force of Armes They take the name of the gospell for a cloke but theyr intent is in dede to take other mens goods to sley the Magistrates to force other mens wiues that no crimes should be punished and for asmuche as they pretende the name of holynes in these so shamefull deedes there is no doubte but God wyll plage their Hypocrisie and reuenge the blasphemie of his holye name When he had with these and suche other like wordes encouraged hys men to fyght they gaue the charge on theyr enemies and fyrst wente of the ordinaunce And the other poore wretches standyng all amased and as men rauished of theyr wittes neither defended them selues nor sought theyr saftie by flight but songe in Duche mytre requiringe the aide of the holy ghost For many trustyng to Muncers promise looked for helpe from heauen When the greate peces were shotte of and that they entred theyr campe and had slayne many at the laste they fled towarde the towne of Franckuse others went againe to thother syde of the Hill and in the valley beneth skirmished wyth certeine horsemen and slewe two or three of them For the Horsemen scattered them selues when theyr enemies fledde and folowed the chase oute of a raye But when they missed of their company they wer in such a rage that to reuenge theyr felowes death they slewe fyue thousand And immediatly after the battell was the towne taken and thre hundreth there beheaded Muncer was fled into the Towne and hyd him selfe in a house not farre from the gate Hither by chaunce came a gentleman and his seruaunt goyng vp to see the house founde in a chamber aboue one lying in his bed He asketh what he is and if he be not one of the rebels that fled He sayd nay he had layue there sycke a good whyle of the Ague His Purse as it chaused laye vpon his bed that chatcheth vp the other thinkyng to haue a pece of money After he had opened it he foūd letters which Albert Countie Mansfelde had sent to Muncer admonishynge him to cease from his enterprise and styrre not vp the people to rebellion When he had red the letters he demaunded of him whether the letters were written vnto him He denied it thother threatened him then he desyred him to be content and confessed that he was Muncer Then was he led to duke George of Saxonie to the Lātz graue and beynge demaunded of them why he had thus abused the poore and simple people He aunswered that he had done nothinge but his dewtie And that the Magistrates whiche can not abyde Godes word ought thus to be punished The Lantzgraue replied and proued to him by Scriptures howe God hath commaunded the Magistrate to be honoured and obeyed howe he hath forbidden all sedition and that it is not lawfull for anye Christian to reuenge his owne wronge Wherunto he aunswered nothing And beynge examined vpon the Racke when he cried oute for paine The duke said vnto him thou art nowe Muncer in payne but remembre againe the losse of so many men as beyng wickedly abused thys day haue bene distroied Then with a greate laughter he saide they would haue it so Afterwardes being led to Helderunge a towne of the coūtie Māsseldes vpon the Pymebanke there he appeached many companions confederats of his conspiracie which were beheaded at Mulhuse and amonges others Phifer before mentioned When he should be executed he was not hable to receite his belefe but as Henry duke of Brūswicke saide it before him But when he shoulde die he acknowledged his offence and error And beynge inuironed with soldiours he exhorted the Princes that they would shewe more mercy to poore men and reade ouer diligently the bokes of Scripture that are written of kynges He had no souer spokē thus but the sword was in the neck of him and for an exāple his head set vp on a pole in the middes of the feldes What time he was banished out of Saxonie as I saide before wanderyng from place to place and at the last as it was reported purposed to come to Mulhuse Luther hearing thereof wrote his letters to the Senate admonishyng them in no case to receiue Muncer For he was a sedicious parson and imagined nothing but murther and mischiefe signifiyng what thinges he had attempted at Alstet and other places Moreouer his doctrine to be fonde and pernicious whereof he wylled them to beware for shortly would his craft be knowen with other frendly wordes which he saide if they contempted and fell after into misery he shold be without blame that had so diligently warned them and they should repente them to late Likewise before anye tumolt was in Germany And yet all thynges lyke to come to suche a passe Luther set forth a boke wherein he warned all men to abstayne from sedition declaryng that the same is not the way to refourme the tyrrany of the Clergie which shall fall and be confounded by no force of men but by the spirite of God and commyng of our Sauior Christ as appere in Daniell and sainct Paule This to be the grounde of hys opinion and to be right well assured that they that seke to redres the thinge by force of Armes shall trauaile in vayne Yet for so muche as some great tumult and daunger hāgeth ouer the Cleargie the thing requireth counsell he wyll Franckly declare his opinion And fyrst to be the Magistrates dewtie to foresee that the people susteine no hinderaunce through the fault of others And that trew religion be not defaced by false doctrine This to be theyr propre office to vse all theyr power that is giuen them to the glory of God and welth of the people But for as muche as they do the contrary and let one
auoyd the daunger they haue determined to differ the same vntil the next assemblie of the Empyre whiche they haue appointed at Regensburg the first day of April next folowyng to treate of the Turkysh warre trusting the either by that time they shal haue some better occasiō to sende or that he shal haue some intelligence of the thing in the meane time Al be it that Cesar wrote thus to the byshop of Rome his Cardinals yet wold it preuaile nothing but the cōfederatours sending vnto him Ambassadours as was agreed vpō require him to depart frō his armies to restore Sfortia Duke of Millan to receiue the money for his raunsome send home the kyngs sonnes whome he deteineth as pledges to repay the money that he borowed of the kyng of England hereunto answered the Emperour at Ualolete the .xij. of February That he cā not dismisse his armies in any short time notwithstāding he wil not refuse to take truce for thre yeres or more to sēd the armies on both partes agaīst the Turke our cōmon ennemie in the meane time to treate of peace Sfortia holdeth his landes of the Empire and is accused of treason he can not therfore be restored before his matter be examyned Wherfore let hym answere to the lawe and his accusers and he wyll appoynt hym indifferent iudges To restore the kynges chyldren vpon the receipte of the money he can not and the same is agaynste the kynges promesse othe and fidelitie Where they require him to repaie the kinge of England his money he marueleth not a litle consydering they haue no cōmaundement of him in this matter for the kyng he be such frendes as a mony matter can not breake their frendshyp Wherfore seinge the requestes be vnsitting he willeth them to bryng forth others for his part he wyl do nothyng obstinatly but shal be content to beare with many thinges for the cōmon wealthes sake Wherfore the Ambassadours thus departing without any thing concluded they renewe the warres againe with all their force power In those daies Iohn Frederick sonne heire to the prince electour of Saxony married Sibille daughter to Duke Iohn of Cleaue the lady Catharine that Emperours yongest sister was promysed him writinges made of the same But when this alteratiō of religion chaūced in Saxony they swarued frō their couenauntes And Hawnart which was then Emperours Ambassadour in Germany sayd plainly that there was no promise to be kept with Heretikes following herein as I suppose the fote stepes of the coūsel at Constance as in dede the Duke of Saxony reciteth in a certen writing Emōges others of themperours captaines was Charles Duke of Bourbon who going with a certen power to Naples by the way toke the citie of Rome sacked it the next daye after he there arriued being the sixt day of May. Clemēt the byshop the Cardinals and other prelates fleing in to Castell aungell were beseged a certen tyme being trenched in on euery syde whiche after they had endured siege seuen monethes were at the laste deliuered by the Emperours commaundement It is harde to expresse with wordes the great crueltie and oultrage of the Germanes and Spanyardes at Rome For besydes the cruell slaughters destruction spoyling and raueshynge of women they left of no kynde of contumelious reproches mockinges of the bishop and his Cardinalles The Emperour excused the facte diligently affirmyng that it was not done by his commaūdement And chiefly he wrote therof to the king of England that albeit he supposeth the thyng to haue happened vnto hym by the iust iudgement of God who auenged the wronge and iniurie done vnto hym yet he sayeth he wil so vse the matter that this same calamitie shal be the beginning and occasion of the helth of the common wealth Whan newes were brought into Spayn of the sackīg of Rome Cesar immediatly cōmaūded to cease frō playing of pageantes interludes whiche were thē set forth for ioy of his son Philip newly borne The king of Englād answe red nothīg to themperours letters and the bishop of Rome being captiue vnto whom he bare a great zeale reuerence themperours power increasing daily he fixed his mind vpō warre sending the Cardinal of yorke ambassadour into Fraunce To the coūsel of Regēsburg came the Prynces but sent their Ambassadours only Wherfore there was nothing cōcluded sauyng that they sent letters to the Emperour the xviij day of May signifiyng that for diuers causes his presence were requysite and nedefull In this tyme sprange vp a newe kynde of doctryne of suche as are called Anabaptistes They condempne the baptisme of infantes and are baptysed agayne them selues teachyng that all thynges should be common Against these wrote Luther Zwynglius and diuers others And the magistrates punished in euery place They boaste of visions dreames and at Sangal a town in Swycerlande one of them cut of his brothers head in the presence both of father and mother whome he had perswaded that God had cōmaunded hym so to do but being apprehended of the magistrate he suffered the lyke punyshment Now how muche they increased and what cōmotions they styred vp in Germany hereafter shal be declared This yeare the Senate of Strasborough decreed that none shoulde from henceforth be buried within the citie and appointed certen places for the buriall of the dead without their citie When the Frenche kynge heard that Rome was taken makyng league with the kyng of Englande he sent a great armie into Italy by the conduicte of Lautrech a Gascon to rescewe the byshop Who comming into Lumbardy and ayded by the Uenetians taketh first Alexādria and after Pauie partly by force and partly by composition but the souldiours in their rage and fury for that the king was there taken after a woūderful slaughter of the townes men spoyled the citie The .xxvij. day of Iuly Charles Duke of Burbon lately stayne in the assaulte at Rome was condempned at Paris by the court of parliamēt of treason his name and memoriall accursed his Armes plucked downe and his landes and goodes confiscated Anthony Prate Chauncelour gaue the sentence This Duke bare a mortall hatred to the kynge and what tyme he went to besege Marseilles as is mentioned before in the fourth boke for because at the same tyme the kynge of Englande toke the Emperours parte he wrote to the Cardinall of Yorke emonges other thinges that he would spare no paynes nor peryll that kyng Henry might by his helpe recouer the ryght and tytle that he hath to Fraunce For Englyshe men doe clayme all Fraunce to be theires for a two hundreth yeares since and aboue especiallye Normandye Gascoyne and Gwyne In these letters therfore did Bourbon prouoke the kynge to clayme and chalenge his ryght Whiche letters the Frenche kyng afterwardes chauncing vppon conceyued muche more hatred against hym There was in the dukedome of Bauarie one Leonarde Cesar a professour
my selfe beyng very yonge gaue the repulse to Maximilian whan he moued warre against vs wold haue done the lyke to his enemy also but that he contendeth with me rather by craft and subtyltie than he doth by power and manhood Hytherto haue I borne with this iniury as I might But thinke with your selues moste noble Prynces howe greuous a thynge it is to be cast downe out of the hyghest degree of power dignitie to the state of a priuate man I suppose there can none be found so mylde and patient that sufferyng so many iniuries woulde not loke about hym on euery syde for all the ayde he myght get Wherfore seyng that at no tyme synce I receyued the gouernment of the commō wealth I haue refused any conditions reasonable nor wyll not yet doe and had rather doe any thyng than styre vp cyuyle warre and myne aduersarye proceadeth obstinately I doe proteste that it ought not to be layde to my charge as blame worthy if for myne owne defence I seek the best meanes I can For in case the common wealth doe susteyne thereby any dommage that maye not be ascribed vnto me that hath soughte all wayes to haue peace but to myne ennemie whiche inuadeth an other mans Realme through great iniury He hathe layde dylygent wayte in all wayes and passages that nothynge be conueyed vnto you Notwithstandynge I suppose you haue hearde howe he forsoke his brother in lawe kyng Lewys vnto whome beyng ofte and earnestly requyred he sent neyther men nor munition nor any other ayde agaynst the violence of his ennemie And why for he loked after his death to be kyng Moreouer the common ayde of the Empyry appoynted for Hongary he sent to his brother to disquiet Italy Where as I sent to kynge Lewys at the same tyme my brother with three thousande men of myne owne costes and charges and woulde haue bene at the battell my selfe had I not bene commaunded by the kyng to remayne in Transiluania My brother dyed in the battel ryght valeantlye Ferdinando promysed by an othe that vnlesse he dyd fyrste recouer Belgrade and certen other castelles of the Turkes he wold not take vpon him the gouernment but his fayth fayled herein for the Turkes haue inuaded further destroyed and spoyled the coūtrey and haue wonne the castell of Iaice the chiefest fortresse of all Bosna Whiche Castel kyng Matthias with a great losse of his men recouered in times past of the Turkes mine vncle Emerick defēded the same afterwards induring a long sege the kinges haue fortified synce that time to their exceading great charges now lost by our valeaūt captaine that made so many goodly promises and I thinke not lōg to he wil for very necessite cal vpon you for ayde as though he stode in daūger for the defence of Germany but his mynde is an other waye For he intendeth not to warre vpō the Turke vnto whom he is cōtent to pay tribute yearely hath sent his Ambassadours thither for the same purpose but he myndeth with your men and money to helpe his brother in Italye to destroye me and brynge the Realme of Hongarye into bondage And seyng the matter is thus I most earnestly beseche you to forsee that this priuate iniurye donne vnto me turne not to the great hynderaunce of the common wealth And after a whyle he wrote also to the Emperour muche lyke to this in effecte exhortinge him to appease his brother And thus much for the defēce of his case but Ferdinādo grounded him self vpō the cōposition whiche themperour Maximilian had made with the Hongarians and their king Ladislaus in the yeare M. iiij C. xci by the whiche it was prouided that if Ladislaus died without heire male that then Maximilian and his heyres descending in of the right line shold possesse that kingdome Wherfore whan Lewys the sonne of Ladislaus was dead without issue as I tolde you before Ferdinando nephewe to Maximilian by his sonne Philip and Archeduke of Austriche and moreouer hauīg maried the syster of kyng Lewys affirmed the kyngdome to be his by good right And this selfe same tyme the Lantgraue of Hesse and the prince electour of Saxony mustering their mē prepared thē selues vnto warre the cause therof was this One Otto Paccius a Lawer and a gentle man borne one of the chiefest councellours about George Duke of Saxony by occasion of talke admonyshed the Lantgraue to loke to his owne thynges For nowe of late had Ferdinand the Marques of Brandenburge the Cardinall of Mentz and Salisburge George the Duke of Saxon William and Lewis Dukes of Bauer and certen byshops as Bamberge and Wirciburge made a league to destroye him the Duke of Saxon electour and Luthers religion And for the more credit of the thing he shewed him the copie of the confederacie promysing hym also the principall Whylest they leuie their Armies make preparation for the warres all men marueled muche wherfore it was and what would come of it some sayde one thynge and some an other as in suche cases is accustomed Whan they had all thynges in a redynes sendyng abroade their letters and messengers into all partes thei published the copie of the cōfederacie which was brought vnto them and wrote also vnto them whiche were thought to haue made this league and sent their Ambassadours to knowe what their intent was But they al pourged them selues euery man seueral and sending abrode their letters affirme it to be a forged matter and that it can not be proued And Duke George the Lantgraues father in law vrged him chiefly to bryng forth the partie that tolde hym whiche if he did not he wyll thynke none other wyse but that it is his own deuyse to styre vp stryfe and disturbe the quietnes of German ye Their fyrst attempt shoulde haue bene to haue set vppon the byshoppes that were next them and therfore they toke vp and waged men as many as they could get vpon suche a soden But when Paccius coulde not shewe the dede it selfe according to his promyse Than the Lantgraue begaune to waxe colde in the busynes And at the laste by the mediation of countie Palatine and Richarde Archebishop of Treer they dimysed their armies vpon condicion that the byshoppes shoulde paye vnto the Lātgraue for the charges of this warre a hūdreth thousand ducates the Archebyshop of Mentz fortie thousande Wirciburge as muche and Bamberge twenty thousande Afterwardes what tyme the Ambassadours of the prynces did mete at a day prescribed whom in dede this accusation did touche Paccius whome the Lantgraue there presented was conuicted of falsihode Yet by his meanes put at lybertie whan he had wandered in straunge countreis certen yeares at the last was beheaded at Andwerpe When the matter was thus pacified the prynces confederated of the Sweuicall league accused the Lantgraue that he had done wrong and iniury to their felowes And where a new sturre had lyke to haue growen vpon the same
nothyng ought to be taught and such places of Scripture as appeare to be some what obscure can not be better expouÌ„ded than by other more manifest places of the same Scripture therfore wyll they dwell herein endeuourynge that the bookes of the olde and newe Testament may be taught syncerely and playnly For this is the onely meane and waye that is euermore certayne sure And as for mens tradicions they are grounded on a weake foundation The decree of the last assemblie was enacted for peace and concorde but in case this decree should take effecte it would opeÌ„ the waye to muche trouble and displeasure for euen nowe all be it the decree of Wormes was suspended doe some Princes seke to make some of their subiectes to forfyte their goodes for not obseruyng that decree where of men may easely coÌ„iecture what wyll insewe if the same decree shal nowe take place agayne and that some of them wyl vse force and coÌ„pelle men to suche thinges as can not be done with a saufe conscience But that is not well spokeÌ„ that the fourmer decree was penned with suche wordes as many did abuse the same thyng tyl the counsell were called they myght doe what they lyste this is bruted of them chieflye whiche are lytle afrayde of the last iudgement whan all thynges shal come to lyght for their partes they wyll not refuse to aunswer before indiferent iudges to suche as wyll saye that they haue in anye poynte broken the same decree Whiche thynges standyng thus they can not consent to this their decree And howe they wyll aunswere the matter both openly before all men and also to the Emperour hym selfe And in the meane tyme tyll eyther a generall or els a prouinciall counsell of Germany shal be called they wyll do nothyng that shall deserue iuste reproufe Unto this protestation of Prynces certen of the chief cities laying their heades together did subscribe as Strausborough NoreÌ„berge Ulmes Constance Rutelinge Winsseme Meminge Lindane Campedune Hailbrune Isne Wysseburge Norling and Sangall And this is in dede the first original of the name of ProtestauÌ„tes which not only in Germany but also emonges foreyn nations is nowe coÌ„mon and famous Ferdinando was departed out of the assemblie of Princes before thei had protested notwithstanding that the Duke of Saxon and his felowes required him to tary a litle After this the protestantes deuise a certen appellation wherein they doe appeale from the decree made at Spires vnto the Emperour to the next lawful general or prouinciall counsell of Germany and to all iudges that be not suspected and determined also to sende Ambassadours to the Empeperour Not long after this the men of Zurick and Bernes sent forth their armies against their ennemies of the fiue townes that made league with Ferdinando declaryng why they so did by wryting And emonges sondry causes and iniuries whiche they recite this is one that what tyme certen of their Citezens came for money that was dewe vnto them the Snites whypped them naked and the UnterualdiaÌ„s had in despyte hanged vp their Armes and also the Armes of the Cities of Basil and Strausborough vpon the gallous and howe they haue all ioynctely made a league wyth kynge FerdinaÌ„do to oppresse Religion and to roote them out of the couÌ„trey wherby they haue not onlye infringed the lawe of nature but also broken the bondes that were betwene them in conspiring with their moste vtter and mortall ennemie whome to subdue they haue long and many yeares euen froÌ„ the first beginning of their league with one assent ioyned together al their force and power When both armies were ready to ioyne in battel by the mediation of their neyghbours and by them of Strausborough the matter was taken vp FerdinaÌ„do had sent theÌ„ ayde which came as farre as the Rhine emoÌ„ges other thinges it was agreed vpoÌ„ that they should haue no warre for religion and that from henceforth they should absteyne from all opprobriouse wordes vnder a great penaltie The Frenche kynge consyderynge the state of his chyldren whiche he had lefte pledges in Spayne and what euyll successe he had of his warres in Italye hauynge loste bothe his Armie and also his chieftayne Latrechus And more ouer Androwe de Aure of Genes a Captaine of the Sea moste skylfull who about the same tyme that Lantrech the Coronell dyed reuolted from the Frenche kyng to the Emperour restoryng his countrey vnto lybertie he inclined hys mynde to peace Wherfore at Cambrey a Cytie in Artoys mette the Ladye Margaret the Emperoures Aunte and Ales the kynges mother and many other Nobles and emonges others Erarde Marchiane Cardinall and Byshop of Liege whyche concluded a peace in the moneth of Auguste wherein they recite the decree which was made thre yeare before in Spayne agaynste the Lutherians whiche they newely ratified the other conditions were partely altered For the Emperour permitteth the Frenche kyng to inioye Bourgundy in case he haue a sonne by his sister And the kyng paieth vnto the Emperour for the delyuery of his sonnes tweÌ„ty hoÌ„dreth thousand crownes accompting herein the debte dewe to the kyng of Englande Not loÌ„g after the Emperoure imbarked hym selfe in Spayne and arryued at Genes At what time also Soliman the Emperour of Turkes by the prouocation of Iohn Uaynode made by his Ambassadour Hierome Laske a Hongarian a man of an excellent wytte marcheth with an armie innumerable through HoÌ„gary into Austrice and in the moneth of Septembre layeth sege to Uienna the chief citie of that countrey He assayed to vndermyne it and where as he had ouerthrowen the walles he gyueth the assaulte desperatly but seynge the Souldioues of the garnyson whiche were Germaines whose chief captaine was Philip the Palsgrane defendyng the breache moste valiauntly by the space of one moneth about the eight day of Octobre he raised his siege and departed without his purpose many thousandes of meÌ„ in his retourne partely slayne and partly lead away into myserable and vyle captiuitie At his departure he created the Uayuode kynge at Buda This yeare also was Germany sore afflicted with a newe kynde of disease called the Sweathing sicknes Men were sodainly takeÌ„ with a pestilent sweate and within foure and twenty howres eyther they died or amended And before the remedye was knowen many thousandes peryshed It began at the Ocean sea and in a very small tyme spred ouer all Germany and with vnspeakeable spede lyke a fyre conâ—â—med all thynges farre and nere it is called in Germany the English sickenes For in the first yeare of Henry the seuenth kyng of England whiche was the yeare of our Lorde M cccc lxxxvj the same death began in that Ilande and because in a new disease the remedy was not knowen it made a wounderful destruction Moreouer this yere was small plenty of wyne and corne wherfore all those thynges whiche God in his displeasure is wonte to caste vpon vnthankefull people sedition warre sycknes
after deliberation make hym 〈◊〉 full aunswere by wryting IN the first assembly at Smalcalde this emōges other thynges was agreed vppon that for as muche as their aduersaries did aggrauate the cause and profession of the Gospell with manye sclaunders and broughte it euerye where in to great hatred they shoulde wryte pryncipally to the kynges of Fraunce and of Englande that they would not credite nor be perswaded herin Wherfore the .xvj. daye of February the Protestauntes wryte their seuerall letters to them both of one effecte How they knowe vndoubtedly of the olde complaint that hath bene of long tyme concernyng the vice and faultes of the clergie whiche many notable men and of late memory in Fraunce Iohn Gerson and in Englande Iohn Colet haue sore noted reprehended the same thing hath happened of late yeares in Germany For where as certen freers wēt about with indulgences pardōs whiche they so highly cōmended to the great contumelie of Christe no lesse daunger of mens saluation that they got a shameful an vnreasonable gayne therby And being gētly admonyshed by certen good wel learned men that thei should not so do did not only abstayne from suche vsage but also cruelly condempned them for Heretykes whiche gaue them good counsell in so muche that they were constrayned to stande in the defence of the trewthe vpon whyche occasion many other thynges were espyed and reprehēded but the aduersaries whiche through their impudent marchādise gaue occasion of offence woulde neuer be in quiet tyll this doctryne whiche reuealyng their crafty iuglyng was without dewe examination condempned for wycked And to the intent they might wholy oppresse it haue brought it into great hatred with the Emperour and other kynges Neuerthesse the truthe breakyng out lyke the sonne beames discouered the faultes moste manifestly whiche of euyl customes and preposterous iudgementes were crepte in to the churche in so muche they could not be denied by the byshop of Rome hym selfe whē they had bene exhibyted before to the Emperour by the states of the Empyre in the assemblie at Wormes and after had bene treated of in all assemblies of the Empyre all men iudging for certentie that for reformation therof there were no waye better than a free and a lawfull counsell wherewith the Emperour was also content But at his commyng out of Spayne into Germany through Italy he was addicted wholy at Auspurge to quiet the matter without a counsel And so thei discourse the whole treaty at Auspurge as hath bene before rehersed and howe for the sore decree there made they were compelled to appeale to a free and Godly coūsell lest they should both haue hurt theyr conscience and offended God moste greuously Afterwardes thei confute the false opinions and sclaunders that theyr aduersaries ascribe vnto them to bryng them into hatred with all men and chieslye that the doctrine whiche they do professe is against the authoritie of Magistrates and dignities of lawes but their confession exhibited at Auspurge doth fully aunswere this matter wheren is the office and state of a Magistrate by theyr doctrine declared to be of Gods ordinaūce and agayne the people taught to owe all due obedience to the Magistrate for Gods cōmaundement and for cōscience sake so that it may be truly sayde that the learned men of this tyme and doctrine haue more hyghly commēded the dignitie of lawes and Magistrates than any former age hath done for els seing they are also appointed of God to haue rule and gouernment of others What madnes were it for thē to permitte that doctrine whiche should geue licencious lybertie take awaye obedience and styre vp the people against them Wherfore after this and dyuers other thynges they saye howe that for so much as these sclaunders are reported by them and howe it forceth very much for the cōmon wealth of christendome that they beyng kynges of such wysdome and authoritie should be ryghtly infourmed in the matter therfore haue they thought good in their owne purgatiō to wryte this much vnto them earnestly desyring them to geue no credit vnto sclaūders nor to conceaue any sinistre opinion of them but to keepe theyr iudgement in suspence tyll they may come to the place where to make theyr purgation openly whiche thing they chiefly desyre they beseche them also to exhorte the Emperour that for the weyghty importaunce of the matter and the profit of the whole churche he would call a godly and a free counsell in Germany so shortly as myght be And that he woulde worke no extremitie against them vntyll suche tyme as the cause may be lawfully decided determyned For hitherto haue they alwayes done their duty to the common wealth of the Empyre and nowe that they professe this doctrine they are brought in daunger of no selfe wyll nor obstinacie but for Gods worde and glory whereby they haue the better hope also that they wyll graunte to theyr requestes herein For it were hyghe prayse worthy if they coulde throughe theyr aucthoritie and mediation bryng to passe that these controuersies be not decided by force of armes but that an vpryght iudgement be had that abuses maye be remoued the Churches reconciled and no force or violence done vnto mens consciences Finally if they maye vnderstande by their letters of theyr good wylles towardes them it shall be to theyr great cōforte In February the Duke of Saxon summoneth all his fellowes to be at Smalcade the .xxix. of Marche to cōsulte howe to resiste the force of their ennemies if any thynge be attēpted againste them those were the Prynces and cities before mentioned But the Duke being discrased sent thether his sonne Iohn Frederick At the former meting it was agreed to sollicite Fredericke the kyng of Deumarke and the cities by the sea coaste of Saxonie touchynge their league And nowe that they met agayne rehersall was made what had bene done in the meane tyme and what aunswere euery one made And the kyng in dede saide howe he fauoured the doctrine of the Gospel but in his realme were so many bishoppes of great power and aucthoritie by reason of their rychesse clientes and noble kyndred that he coulde not enter into this league as kyng but as concernyng his other countreis lieng within the Empyre he was contēt Henry the Duke of Megelburge excused the matter for that his deputes had subscribed to the decree of Auspurge notwithstandinge he would be no ennemy to them Berninus Prince of Pomerane was not against it but that his elder brother had as yet in maner that whole gouernment They of Lubecke refused not but for as muche as they had bene at great charges in the warres they desyred that the same myght ve consydered And if it fortuned that Christerne kyng of Dēmarke whome thei had holpe to dryue out of his realme should warre against them they desyred to knowe what ayde they should looke for agayne at theyr handes The citie of Lunenbourge sayde that
loke as theyr Duke Ernest would doe so woulde they also Afterwarde they consulted about geuyng theyr voices for sodayne ayde leuieng of money for continuall ayde chousyng of Captaines and receiuing of those that would be of the same league After that they appointed theyr attourneis and aduocates to aunswere for them in the lawe if the Emperour or any other should attempte sute against them And to this parte of defence adioyned them selues George Marques of Brandēburge Norinberge Campedowne Heilprune but the league they refused It was decreed moreouer that open crymes should be punished by eche man in his dominion Before the league was made they toke the aduyse and counsell not only of lawyers but also of the diuines And Luther taught alwayes that they myght not resiste the Magistrate and set forth a boke of the same matter But where as the lawyers in this consultation dyd affyrme howe the lawes did permitte in some cases to resiste and howe it was nowe come to the same point that the lawes made mencion of Luther confessed playnlye that he knewe not this to be lawfull before but for because the Gospell doeth not impugne nor abolyshe the polityke lawes as he hathe alwayes taught And agayne for as muche as in this doubtful and daūgerous tyme many thynges may happen so as not only the lawe it selfe but also the force of conscience and necessitie may dryue vs to take weapons he sayeth howe they make a league in their owne defence whether the Emperour hym selfe or any in his name shoulde moue warre against them In a booke also set forth he declareth firste howe obstinate the Romishe syde was in the conuocation at Auspurge secondly he warneth all men in generall that they obeye not the Magistrate commaunding them to take in hande any suche warre And he reciteth manye and moste detestable errours of the Romyshe doctryne whiche he sayth are mainteined of them that warre in those campes Wherein he sayeth is great wickednes he sheweth also howe greatly mens myndes are lyghtened by the knowledge of the Gospell warnyng men to tempre them selues from entryng in to wycked warres They appoyted an other metynge at Frankefurte the fourth daye of Iune wherein they should determyne whether they of Zurick Bernes or Basyll shoulde be receyued into the league without exception of any opinion or doctrine and the cities make a determinate answer touchyng the preparation for their defence And also an aunswer was framed in the meane tyme by the Duke of Saxon to the Emperours letters wylling them to take Ferdinādo for kyng of Romanes which thynge they wil not graunte to But whylest they were yet at Smalcalde they receyued letters from the Emperoure pourportinge howe the great Turke was comyng with an exceading great Armie to inuade Germany wherfore he charged them without exception to prepare their ayde to resiste They make aunswere howe they wyll after thensample of their progenitours refuse no charge or dutie that they owe to the cōmon wealth But he knoweth what threatning wordes the Marques of Brandenburge spake vnto them at Auspurge in his name and the rest of the Prynces and what thynges were there decreed against them howe they haue both there and synce sewed vnto hym for peace and can get no graunte nor answere Wherfore to sende their ayde agaynst the Turke whan they can obtayne no peace at home but are dryuen to loke dayly for outlawyng and violence were to vnarme them selues and to cut their owne senewes Howe be it if he wyll graunte them peace and quietnes frō the lawe and ciuile warre for Religion vntyll the tyme of the counsell they wyll doe agayne for theyr partes not only in the Turkyshe warre but also in all other affayres that concerne the common wealth that thynge whiche shall be their dutie requesting him to signifie vnto them by the same Ambassadours what his mynde and pourpose is herein In the moneth of Marche Rychard Archebyshop of Treers departed out of this lyfe not without the suspicion of poyson and one of his house being racked for the same through his constance and stoutenes escaped the daaunger This byshop was of great authorite emonges the Electours for his experience and frankenes in speakyng Whan they of Ulmes had asked leaue of the Senate of Strausborough Bucer went thether set an ordre in the churches prescrybing them a forme of Religion by the aduyse and counsell of Oecolampadius and Ambrose Blanrer About this tyme the Lady Mary the Emperours syster which was maried to Lewys kyng of Hongary came into Flaunders whom the Emperour made Regent of all the base countreis in the place of hys aunte Margaret lately departed Clement the seuenth was at sute with alphonse Duke of Farrare for the cities of Rhegio Mutina at the length makyng a compromisse they put it to the Emperours arbitrement who being at the same tyme in Brabant gaue sentence with the Duke of Farrare The Frenche kyng aunswereth to the letters of the Princes and cities of Protestauntes the .xxi. of Aprill How he desyreth nothing more than the concorde of all Europe and is right glad that they do also bende the same waye and couet to haue a counsel for the same appeareth vnto hym to be not only profitable but also ryght necessary And so ofte as he chaunceth into talke of refourming the cōmon wealth He iudgeth alwayes thatthere can be no surer foundation than if that holy spyrit vtterer of all truthe myght in this case be president Whereunto if others would geue lyke consent and a place myght be assigned for the counsell voyde of all daunger and suspicion where as euery man myght speake his minde frely nothyng be chief geuen to affections than in dede there were good hope that all should be well And where as they are carefull lest he should beare them the lesse good wyll by reasons of the sclaunders of their aduersaries they nede not to be afrayde for he is not wont to credit thynges lightlye that are reported of his ennemies but seing there is so great so auncient frendshyp betwene the kynges of Fraunce and Prynces of the Empyre what vngentylnes were this of his allies and frendes to cōceaue a sinistrall opinion especiall and they not harde for how muche he setteth by this olde amitie hereby it is well perceyued that what tyme he hath warre with the Emperour yet haue the Germaynes the citezens of the Empyre free accesse into Fraunce and libertie to passe from thence againe whan their marchaundise busines is done as muche at their owne pleasure as if they were at home in so muche as Fraunce may very well be called the mansion place of the prynces and citezens of Germany And al be it these thynges be cōmonly knowen yet are they not so great but that when occasiō shall serue he wyl do muche more for them in case as they do professe they shall not refuse the decree of a
Emperour his vncle The chiefest consultation in this assemblie was about the Turkyshe warre And whan newes came daylye by letters messengers howe the Turke had sent before great bandes of horsmen to the Ryuer of Danubius and also the Ambassadours of Austriche and of other countreys nere had declared in what daunger they werein they decreed to geue their ayde so as al the states of the Empyre shuld ayde not with mony but with soldiours Wherfore the .xxvj. daye of Iuly ended this assembly and al men prepared them to warre At the Ides of Auguste the Duke of Saxon Prynce electour ended his lyfe and Iohn Fridericke his sonne did succede him Whan Solyman the Emperour of Turkes was come to Belgrade he taketh the waye on the left hande and attempteth the towne and castell of Giunte in vayne being manfully defended by Nichas Iurixe after that he sent forth Captaine Cason with fiftene thousande horsemen to spoyle the countrey who inuaded the countrey as far as Lintzie aboue Uienne and destroying all farre and nere leaueth no kynde of crueltie vnpractised but in his retourne he fel in to the lappes of our horsemen which were made out to kepe hym from the spoyle and so beyng fought with in sondry places to his vtter destruction at the lengthe hym selfe was slayne Solyman tournyng more and more on the left hande marcheth vnto Gratin a towne of Stiria Whiche thynge ones knowen the Emperour beyng than at Lintze taketh aduisement what was beste to be done At the last it was determied that he should encampe with his whole armie at Uienna abydyng his ennemie there Thus in fyne Solimā retyreth without any notable exploict done The Emperour had intreated the Frenche kyng for ayde but he made him aunswere as the Emperour that tyme reported that Germanye was able enough to resyste the Turke alone The kyng of Englande also wrote agayne somewhat doubtfullye The byshop of Rome Clement sent hym ayde by the conduicte of Hipolitus a Cardinall of the house of Medices The Swycers beyng requested by the Emperour would not for all that styre one fote This yeare was sene a blasyng Starre in Septembre and Octobre before the sonne rising After the Turke was retyred with his armie the Emperour mislykyng their aduyse that thought good to pursue the ennemye dischargeth his armie for that wynter was at hande and from Uienne toke his iourney into Italy And being at Mantua he appointeth in his letters wrytten to the states of the Empyre that his brother kyng of Romaines shall gouerne the cōmon welth in his absence he was for weightie causes gone in to Italy and there woulde treate with the byshop of Rome concerning a counsell as it was decreed at Ratisbone He wylleth all menne therfore to maynteyne the peace whiche was of late proclaymed and be as obedient to his brother as they would be to him selfe Departyng from thence to Bononie he entred into talke with Clement the seuenth deuysynge amonges other thynges of Religion and a generall counsel He maketh also a legue with hym and with the resydue of the Prynces in Italy in wordes to mayntayne the peace and quiet of Italy But in verye deede to kepe out the Frenche men The Embassadours of the Frenche kyng were sore against it but the byshop admonished them not to be so ernest priuely signifiyng that it should not long endure for the Emperour had brought with hym a great nombre of Spanyardes which the byshop wold fayne haue dispatched out of Italy And for this cause made the league obser 〈…〉 g the occasion of tyme. The Emperour shortly after sayled into Spayne in the moneth of Marche And not longe after that the byshop of Rome sendeth a legate into Germanye Hughe Rangon byshop of Rhegio And whan he came to the Duke of Saxō accompanied with the Emperous Ambassadour he made a long oration the effect wherof was this How after muche and long conference had betwene the byshop and the Emperour about the controuersie that is in Religion in fyne they concluded that for the remedy therof there is no waye better thā a generall counsell wherof they perceiued the Prynces of Germany to be also very desyrous And this to be the cause of his message euen to declare vnto hym and the other Prynces how both the byshop and the Emperour are determined to haue a counsell free and common for all men suche as the olde fathers were accustomed to haue in tymes past whose myndes vndoubtedly were gouerned by the holye ghoste prouided alwayes that suche as shall repare thyther make faythfull promesse to obserue the decrees therof for els should all their labour be spent in vayne if they should make lawes whiche none woulde obserue and kepe As concerning a place both for holsome ayre and plentye of victuall commodious the byshop thinketh either Placence or Bononie not vnmete for the purpose or els Mantua whiche is a citie of the Empyre nere vnto Germany of a goodly situatiō and plentiful of all thynges necessary of the whiche thre it shall be lawfull for them to chose one Whereunto if the kinge of Romaines he and other Prynces of Germany woulde make some reasonable aunswere Than the byshop consulting also with other kynges would cal the same within this halfe yeare to begynne within one yeare after to the intent suche as dwel very farre of may prepare thē selues to take their iorney Whan he hadde spoken this and more he deliuereth certen Articles comprysed in wryting to the Prynce Electour from the byshop of Rome Afterwardes the Emperours Ambassadour speaketh on this wyse For as muche as in al former assemblies the recōciliation of religion hath bene hetherto attēpted in vayne is supposed that by a coūsel the matter might be pacified therfore hath the Emperour of late obtayned that same of the byshop of Rome that is to say that it be holdē after the same maner time place as his Ambassadour hath declared And therfore is he sent of the Emperour to beare witnesse that the byshop of Rome is content to haue a counsell and because his Ambassadour hath spoken sufficientlye of the whole matter he nedeth to saye no more but to desyre hym to credite his tale and make hym a frendly aunswere The Duke of Saxon sayeth that because the matter is weightie he wyll take delyberation this was at Weymer After a fewe dayes the Duke aunswereth that where the Emperour and the byshop haue agreed vppon a counsell he is exceadinge glad for the state of the common wealth doth chiefly requyre such a one as oftētimes the Emperour hath promised the Germanes wherin the cause may be duely examined according to the prescripte of Gods worde Whiche if it might be he would nothing doubte but that all thinges should go wel he wil both pray vnto God to graunt this and also admonishe the people vnder his iurisdiction to do the lyke he will applie his whole studie hereūto
sayeth howe he wil go to kyng Ferdinando abiding there for their aunswere He had been before in Saxony and had spokē with Luther at wyttemberge And in his retourne to kyng Ferdinando he met with the Duke comming from thence homewarde The Protestauntes were appointed before to mete at Smalcalde the sixte of December for other matters Wherfore the .xxi. of the same they framed an aunswere for the byshops of Romes Ambassadour whiche they saye is not so exacte as the thynges requyreth yet for as muche as he desyred to haue the same with expedition playne manifest And first howe they haue declared their myndes concerning a counsell both in diuerse assemblies and also two yeare synce to the Emperours and byshop Clementes Ambassadours For they also wyshe to haue a lawfull counsel for the preseruation of the cōmon wealth and common saluation of all men and haue required this of the Emperour ioyntly with other Princes who also thought it nedefull hym selfe doubting not but all good men do desyre suche a counsell as may helpe and profite the common wealth For it greueth many good men that the true and holsome doctrine is through the wicked crueltie of certen men euery where oppressed the members of the churche tone a sondre and open crymes mainteined but suche crueltie becommeth not the Rulers of the churche Wherfore if euer there were any nowe is moste nede of a counsell that bothe the olde accustmed vyces maye be roted out and also vniuste violence and crueltie be restrayned and the churche from henceforth set in due ordre They therfore wyll not fayle the common wealth herein but wyll ryght gladlye come vnto suche a counsell as in sondrye assemblies of the Empyre hath bene agreed vpon Besechyng God that all the doinges there may redounde vnto his glory and the saluation of men And wher as the bishop hath chosen Mantua to be the place they truste assuredly that the Emperour wyll not in this poynte swarue from the decrees of the Empyre and his owne promyse also in as muche as it was prouyded that the counsell should be holden in Germany For where he sayeth it is daungerous keping of the same there the truthe is farre other wyse for what peryll can be there where all the Prynces and Cyties are obedient to the Emperoure onlye Where the Cyties be so ordered that they defende straungers from iniuries and saue them from all peryll Therfore oughte it chieflye to be kepte there to the intent that matters in controuersie might duely be debated that men might frankely speake and iudge vpryghtly and feare no force nor faction but saye theyr myndes freely Two yeares paste Clement the seuenth promysed a counsell with conditions verye captions And nowe the chiefest point is craftely left out touchyng the lybertie of the counsell and more of the treatie and partlye referred to the Byshop of Rome whose office they saye it is to call and ordre the counsell Nowe is the byshop whiche hath so ofte condempned theyr religion and doctrine their opē enemie But in case they should permitte theyr aduersary to geue iudgement than coulde not the counsell be free wherein by the aduyse of the Emperour and other Prynces Mete men should be chosen out of the whole numbre whiche accordyng vnto Gods worde might heare and determine the cause For a counsell is the iudiciall seate not only of the byshop of Rome but of all other states also for it is to be proued by the examples of the primatiue churche and also by holy scripture that Prynces and other states haue in tymes paste been admitted in counselles for the hearyng of matters But wheresome woulde haue the byshoppes power to be aboue the authoritie of the whole churche it is agaynst all reason and full of tyrannye For it belongeth as well to the Emperour and other ciuile states to set in foote in counselles and to chose experte men especiallye in suche causes where the byshoppes errours be impugned that is to wytte false doctrine and Idolatry for this thynge is permitted also by the byshop of Romes lawe And feinge that this is the vniuersall cause of all men and concerneth the whole common wealth it is the Emperours parte and other Prynces to forsee that vpryght iudgement be had For both other byshops of their owne people and also byshoppes of Rome haue in times paste bene condempned for Heresy and obstinacie of the Emperoure and the churche together And at this tyme there is contention of manie weightie matters whiche the byshop doth defende not in wordes only but also by wycked and cruell decrees punishyng most sharpely suche as obey not the same For as muche therfore as he is an aduersary and susteineth the one halfe of the sute the thinge it selfe requireth that the whole church the Emperour other kinges take in hande to prescribe an ordre for the deciding of the matter wherfore as they haue done euer so they requyre nowe also that the matter maye be handled vpryghtlye accordynge to the examples of holye wrytte and the olde primatiue churche And if it so maye be they wyll not be behynde with theyr partes trustynge that truthe shall come to lyghte and the glorye of our Sauioure Christe be aduaunced and tranquillitie be restored to the Churche but if it be otherwyse there is no doubte but greater commotions wyll arryse therof than hytherto hath bene seen for their partes they wil at no tyme neglecte the common wealth And as they can not forsake nor shrynke from the true doctrine so lykewyse in all other matters they will do all thynges for peace and concorde The kyng of Fraūce whiche was fully determined to make warre in Italy sent Ambassadour Williā Bellaye to this assemblie at Smal calde Who the .xix. daye of Decembre had there an eloquent oration And first he excuseth the kynges seueritie in punyshynge certen of his owne subiectes whiche not withstanding was nothing preiudicial or hurtfull to their cause of Religion though some euill tongues dyd reporte so no more than it was displeasure to him what tyme they with all their force did suppresse the rebellion of their commons and punyshed the Anabaptistes doing yet nothing without iust cause wherfore he distrusteth not but they be men of such wysdome and grauitie that they wyll of no lyght reporte conceaue any euill opinion of so noble a kynge that is their frende who was nowe for vrgent causes not here to be spoken of constrayned against his nature to vse extreme punishment lest hauing so large a Realme he should through ouermuche lenitie set open the wyndowe of wickednes to the temeritie of manye And touching their religion and doctrine the kyng wyll not take vpō him the persone of the iudge but in dede lyketh many thinges well the rest he leaueth vndiscussed After this he goeth about to wynne theyr fauour and confuteth theyr opinion whiche had warned them to be ware of forayne
looke with a graue countenaunce to hange downe the heade towardes the grounde to Faste to handle no Money to absteyne from Flesshe to abhorre Matrimonye to eschewe bearynge of offyce as a prophane thynge to refuse gouernemente and to professe a wounderfull lowelynes of mynde This I say is the ready way and meane to deceyue them that be also ryght wyse and the whiche couertly and priuely setteth open the way to a kyngdome But it is ouermuche impudencie for a mā to take vpō him self to be king for his fleshly luste to mary as many wyues as he fansieth this is not sure the policie of any skilful deuyl but of one that is yet rude ignorant or if he be expert thā assuredly God hath him so boūde in a chayne that he can worke no more craftely Whiche doubtles he doth for this intentethat we shoulde feare his deitie and amende our liues before he let lose that cunning deuyl whiche certenly wyll assaulte vs muche more fiersly For if this deuyl being but a symple grammarian hath styred vp so muche trouble what shal we than do whan Sathā of muche more knowledge being an expert Lawyer and a perfite diuine shall make towardes vs with full sayle Wherfore there is no great feare of this so vngoodly a deuyll I suppose also that all that be in the citie lyke not well this sport and game playe but that many are ryght sory whiche not without syghynges and teares desyre of God to be delyuered as chaunced certen yeares synce also in the sedition of the countrey men And woulde to God that in the whole worlde there were no craftier Deuyll than this of Munster So that God would not take his worde from vs I beleue there are but fewe that woulde geue any credite to so grosse and so drunken a maister And yet surely whan Gods wrath is kyndled there is no errour so absurde or vnsauery whiche the Deuill can not perswade as we see happened in the doctrine of Mahomet For albeit it is altogether folyshe yet the lyght of Gods worde beyng quenched it toke force and strengthe and is spread abroade in suche ample maner as you see And if God had not infrynged the deuise and enterpryse of Muncer the same woulde haue come to passe also in Germany For Sathan can rayse vp a great flamme through Gods permission of a verey small sparke neyther is there any better waye to quenche the fyre than by the worde of God for where as the armure of our ennemies is al together incorporate it cā neyther be subdued with tropes of horsemen nor yet by the force of munition or other warlyke furniture But our Prynces and Byshoppes go the contrary waye to worke They hynder the doctrine of the Gospell by the whiche only the myndes and hartes of men can be healed And in the meane tyme exercyse cruel punyshement to bryng the body from the Deuyll but they leaue hym the better part of man whiche is the harte and the soule whiche thyng shall haue like successe wyth thē as it had with the Iewes in times past who thought to quēche Christ by his crosse and passion But as concerning those thinges which they of Munster haue wrytten and set forth I suppose the thynge standeth thus and theyr wrytinge lately publyshed maketh me so thinke wherin they haue gallantly paynted out theyr owne furye For fyrst touchinge faythe they teache verey absurde thynges and of Christe as though he were not borne of the virgyn Mary not withstanding that they confesse howe he came of the seede of Dauid But they do not sufficiētly declare the thinges and assuredly Sathan bringeth vp some monstre This in dede doth he signifie nothinge darkely that the seede or fleshe of Marye can not delyuer vs but he laboureth in vaine for the Scripture saith that Christ was borne of the virgin Mary whiche vocable sure in al tonges is referred vnto the chyld whiche conceiued of the flesh and bloud of his mother takyng shape is brought forth into the worlde Againe where they condempne the baptisme of the tyme paste as a prophane thinge it is vnwittely done of them For they do not iudge or esteme that worke as a thyng ordeyned of God but of man only But in case euery thing ought to be dispised cast away that wicked men geue or haue I maruel surely wherfore they do not aswell contemne gold syluer and other ryches taken from the wicked and inuente some newe metall or other deuise For lyke as these are so is also baptisme the worke and creation of God Whan the wicked sweareth he abuseth the true name of God If he haue not the true name of God he offendeth nothyng He that robeth or stealeth breaketh the commaundement of God In case he haue not the true commaundemēt of God he synneth not so likewyse if the former baptisme be nothyng than suche as are washed therewith haue not erred Why thā do these fellowes detest the Christening of though it were a wycked thyng where it is nothynge at all as they them selues doe confesse If the mariages of this fourmer tyme were to be accompted for whoredome and adultery because they were contracted of suche as wanted faith as they saye I praye you do not they graunt them selues to be whore sonnes all the packe of them Nowe if they be bastardes and misbegotten tell me why doe they enioye the landes and patrymony of the citie and of theyr auncesters Reason woulde in deede that for as muche as they are of that sorte they shoulde inherite no lande but in this their newe kynde of matrimonie should prouyde them newe possessions and ryches whiche myght haue a more honest tytle For it is not semelye that so holy and Godlye people as they doe pretende to be shoulde lyue of the vnlawfull and bastardelye goodes of Harlottes muche lesse take them frō others by vyolence and playne robberye And as touchynge theyr foolyshe kyngdome there be so many and open crymes in this one thynge that it nedeth no longer discourse And certenly that whiche is sayde maye seme ouer muche and not greatly necessarye especiall seynge that all these matters are sufficiently treated and declared of others In the assemblye of the Empyre whyche Kynge Ferdinando at the requeste of the Prynces kepte by his Deputes in the Moneth of Aprill at Wormes the cities whiche hitherto had geuen no money do proteste in the beginning that their comming thether was not for the decree made at confluence but only to obeye the Emperour king Ferdinando After they had great altercatiō with the Princes about contribution At the length they condescended to giue ayde for fyue monethes twenty thousand crownes monethly they decreed moreouer that what tyme the citie should be wonne or taken the innocent people should be spared and that such good men as either be there beseged or els are fled thence should be restored to their goodes Whan
the king of Romains but stode to the conuenaūtes of Cadame Uienne that same Archebyshop of Londe was a Germayne borne and counsellour to Christierne kyng of Denmarke who beyng expulsed was also exiled and lost his byshopryke than came he agayne into Germany attended vpon the Emperour and afterwardes was made byshop of Constaunce Whylest this treaty was at Frankefurte certen bandes of Souldiours were assembled in Saxony and were commaunded by their gouernours to go lye in the countreis of the citie of Breme of the Duke of Lunenburge and others of the same Religion and there to remayne tyll the campe remoued It was kept very secrete at the first by whose conduicte or aucthoritie they were leuied but at length it was certenly knowen that they were mustred by Henry Duke of Brunswycke and his brother Christopher Archebyshop of Bremen They that were i 〈…〉 ried by them complayned in dede to the imperial chāber but it was in vayne The Protestaūtes afterwardes through their industrie lest they should do any more harme procured the same men to serue them whome notwithstanding they vsed to the iniurie of no man At the request of the Princes that wer intercessours Stephen Faber was set at libertie by the Lantgraue who gaue him passeporte He had sayde of his owne accorde that he woulde not retourne to his Prince for that he trusted hym no more But whan he was released he went streight way to him In this assemblie William Duke of Cleue by his Ambassadour did exhibite a wrytinge to the Protestauntes wherin he declared by what ryght tytle he possessed Gelderlande And prayed them that they would be meanes for him to the Emperour and to commende his cause also to the Emperours Ambassadours there The Frenche kyng had aduertised Ulrich Duke of Wirtenberge by his Ambassadour that he heard saye howe he through the motion of his confederatours was determined to make warre vppon certen Byshoppes in Germany But this pourpose did not he alowe and for his good wyll he beareth hym doth admonyshe hym that he do it not For if he did he should offende the Emperour and kyng Ferdinando vnto whome he was lately reconciled and bryng him selfe and al that euer he had into great Daunger The Duke geuyng him thankes for the good admonishement sayth he is sclaundered and howe he supposeth the same to be reysed vp by the Dukes of Bauier who hathe fasly sowen a lyke bruite of hym in Germany he desyreth hym to geue no credit to it For it is neither his entent nor yet his fellowes to styre vp any trouble or to attēpte any thyng by force of armes vnlesse they be constrayned And doubteth not also but when they shal heare therof they wyl pourge them selues herein Wherfore whan he had declared this to his fellowes at Franckefurte the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue the .xix. daye of Aprill addresse their letters to the kynge And saye howe they vnderstande by Duke Ulriche what reporte of them was made vnto hym but to be a sclaunder forged by their ennemies and euill wyllers For they entende to make no warre and how muche they desyre peace that can the Princes tell that were intercessours For albeit they are more wayes than one prouoked albeit theyr fellowes citie is outlawed and a league made of dyuerse for the defence of vniusle decrees though bandes of Souldiours by them hired for great and vnaccustomed wages are nowe spoyling the countreys of their league frendes yet are they quiet and styre not one whytte for they loue their natiue countrey and remitte all iniuries for the cōmon wealthes sake But their aduersaries are lead with a certen impudent hatred and followe no temperate wayes nor wyll admitte no lawefull reasonyng but seke only that Germany maye swymme with ciuile bloud And seyng it is thus they desyre hym not to credit these false reportes but to geue his ayde that the churche maye be quieted by godly meanes For this is properly the dutie of kynges to maynteine truthe and innocencie And where as they defende the cause of Religion it is done of none euyll pourpose but of a certen Godly dutie for they doubte not but that the doctrine whiche they doe professe is agreable vnto Gods worde whiche they maye in no wyse forsake About the ende of this assemblie the .xxiiij. daye of Apryll died George Duke of Saxony without chyldren For his two sonnes were departed before without issewe whereof the one had maried Elizabeth the Lantgraues syster and the other one of the house of Mandesfielde Wherfore Duke George by legacie maketh his heyres his brother Henry and his sonnes Maurice and Auguste vnder this condition that they alter not the state of Religion Whiche vnlesse they shall perfourme he geueth his whole landes to the Emperour and to kyng Ferdinando vntyll suche tyme as eyther he or his sonnes or the nexte kynsman of that familie doe accomplyshe this condition This wyl of his so made he sheweth first to the Nobilitie and cōmons of his countrie beinge nowe olde sickly and wylleth them to confirme the same by an othe neuer to alter this his last wyll But they fearyng leste it should be the occasion of warre betwene the kinsmē intreate him that he would be content to sende to his brother Henry For they truste that he wyll consente to alter nothing in Religion Whereupon Ambassadours were sent to perswade with him and whan they had alledged sondry reasons and especially sayd how there was muche ready Money and a great quantitie of Plate and goodly stuffe whiche should come wholy to his handes in case he would obeye his brothers wyll He aunswered them by and by thus Certenly your message semeth vnto me to resemble the same that is writtē in the Gospel what tyme Sathan promysed Christe the kyngdomes of the whole worlde so that he would falle downe and worshyp hym Doe youthynke that I sette so muche by any ryches that I would therfore forsake the truthe and pure religion Assuredly you are farre abused if you so thinke Wherfore whan they had this answere and were departed without their purpose before they came at home Duke George had lefte hys lyfe His brother Henry going immediatly to Dresda and other townes bindeth the people to hym by an othe which was the more easely done by reason he was in league with the Protestauntes Moreouer the Prince Electour of Saxony hearyng of his death hasteth home with all expedition that if nede were he myght ayde Henry The Princes of the Popysh parte for the losse of so sure a pyllour and so lucky successe of the Protestauntes were sore agreued especially the Archebyshop of Mentz and the Duke of Brunswycke as hereafter you shal heare Thus had Duke George a successour and heire cleane contrary to his wylle And he whome he hated moste of all men duryng his lyfe tyme namely Luther was sent for by the new Prince to Lipsia to preache and to alter the
Religion they do alter nothing tyll suche tyme as the matter be fully determined by a generall or a prouinciall counsell of Germany or els by some conuocation of the Empyre And not to thynke that the decree of Regenspurge concerned them any thynge at all wherof the meaning is that the catholickes should remayne in the olde and the Protestauntes in the same Religion whiche they followed at the tyme of this reconcilement tyll some one of these counselles were appointed within eightene monethes and seing it is so he may not permitte his subiectes to do any thyng to the contrary They desyre him againe at fewe wordes that the true Religion of Christe maye be auaunced and that the good preachers be not brought in daunger for otherwyse let hym neuer loke to haue any victory or lucky successe as the Turkes hande A litle after this dyed the Bysshop of Numburge in whose steade the College chose Iulius Pffugius before mentioned but the Prince Electonr of Saxon contended that they myght not doe it withoute his consente and reiectyng the Flugins substituted in his roume Nicolas Amstorfe of a noble house a doctour of diuinitie of Wittemberg whome Luther stalled in the moneth of Ianuary and after set forthe a booke of the same in dutche wherin he declareth howe the flocke of Christe ought not to be cōmitted to Pffugius as ennemie to the pure doctrine Pffugius being thus repulsed complayneth to the states of the Empyre howe wrongfully he is put from his ryght The Prynce agayne aunswereth howe the gyfte belongeth properlye to the house of Saxon and reciting many olde presidentes of great antiquitie alledgeth amonges other causes wherfore he can not suffer him to bee Byshop this also for one that he is openlye againste the confession of Auspurge After the ouerthrowe in Hongary as is said before the Emperour calleth an assemblie of the states at Spiers by his brother Ferdinando to begynne in the moneth of Ianuary and appointeth ioyneth to him for assistaunce Hughe Monforte and Iohn Nauie The Princes that were there presente were the Marques of Brandenburge Electour Fredericke the Palsgraue Albert Duke of Megelburge Ernest Marques of Baden the Byshoppes of Mentz Wormes Spier Constance Hildessem the residue sent Ambassadours What tyme they were assembled the nynth daye of February kynge Ferdinando in the Emperours absence propoundeth as the maner is the cause of that assemblie whiche was in brief to consulte howe the Turke myght be kept out of Hungary for ayde touchyng the same After the assemblie of Regenspurge whan Iohn Gropper ambassadour to the Archebyshop of Collon was retourned home he cōmended Bucer exceadingly and sayde he was metest of all others to take in hande the reformation of Religion for he was bothe well learned a louer of peace and of a pure lyfe The Byshop therfore whiche knewe Bucer well enough before and thought to vse his helpe sendeth for hym in February to come to hym to Bonna where he was verey gentlye receyued namely of Gropper who intreated hym to goe with hym to Collon And so for that tyme was lycenced of the Bishop to departe and to come agayn whan he should be sent for as I wyll declare hereafter Moreouer about this time also was beheaded Catharine Haward in Englād and for that where the king had maried her for a mayde he founde that she had troden her showe a wrye He that had defloured her was gone into Irelande and had an office there but beynge called home againe by her whan she was Quene and taken into her seruice he was beheaded after her as were also certein others partly for concealement partly for lyke offence After her deathe the kynge marieth the syxte wyfe Catherine Parre that had bene wyfe to the Lorde Latimer and syster to the Marques of Northhamton To the assemblye at Spiers the Frenche kyng sent an Ambassade the chiefe wherof was Fraunces Oliuer Chauncelour of Alenson Who in the presence of all the states whan they consulted of the Turkyshe warre the fourtene daye of Februarye made a longe Oration in the begynnyng whereof he sekynge to wynne theyr fauour reciteth howe the yeare before the kynge vnderstandynge that the Turke woulde inuade Hongarye for the loue he bare vnto Germanye sent Ambassadours immediatly to him to perswade him if he myght to the cōtrary but the Emperours men toke them in Italy as yet it is not certeinlye knowen whether theibe dead oraliue wherby not only the truces is broken but also the lawe of armes And where as certein do encourage the Germaines to warre against the Turke in the defence of Hōgary and al Christientie alledgyng that albeit he be of great power yet maye he ryght well be vanquyshed by the example of Iohn Hunniades Matthie kyng of Hongary Scanderbeg lorde of Epirus and Tamberlane Emperour of the Srythiās al the whiche haue wonne honour at his haude as also they themselues did at Uienne a fewe yeares past and vse diuerse other perswasions to pricke thē forward he contrary wyse affirmeth that those whiche geue this counsell doe not well consyder the state of Germany howe full it is of dissention nor the daunger that of this warre myght ensue For a myghtyer or crueller ennemye is not in the whole worlde nor one that is better furnyshed of all thynges belongynge to the warres Neither can this warre be finyshed with one battell or two but euer requyreth newe and freshe men continuall and marneylous greate charges The force power of Germany is in dede exceading great but yet is the Turkes ten tymes greater whiche passeth litle of the losse of two or thre hondreth thousand men where if they should lose but one battell in what daunger should the whole countrey be in before they should leuie an other in this grudge dissention of mindes therfore his aduise is that they attēpte not warre against the Turke neyther seke to recouer that he hath already gotten in Hongarye for feare of a further mischief But in case he should at any tyme inuade Germany that it should stande vpon their honours to bende all their force against him stoutely to giue him the repulse otherwyse not to medle vntill suche time as they shal be fully throughly accorded in matters of religiō in like case as they be partly already namely in the chiefest articles of iustificatiō of faith workes for certenly without a perfit cōcorde the state of Thempire can not long endure especially the Turke stil inuading The Romains became lordes of al the world not so much by power force of armes as by a certē craft policie for loke what natiō thei purposed to subdue vnto their empire thei wold euer practise to weaken by ciuile discorde for a time wold maintein th one parte of the faction till at last thei had vanquished thē both By this meane were the people of Carthage of all Asia the French men and
the Grekes supplāted thus also were the Germains deluded by Tiberius what time they moued war in Italy only Britaine which now is Englande escaped this yoke for that they vnderstode their subtill fetches always in cōmon perill powred out all their ciuile hatred vpon their ennemy And by the same meanes at the length were the Romains thē selues subdewed Philip also king of the Macedoniās by this craft conquered Grece setting together be th eares the men of Athens Corinthe Thessalie Ottoman the firste Emperour of this Turkishe nation toke Bythinia through the dissentiō that was there among Christen Princes at last by the same occasion the Turke inuaded Europe cōquered Thrace al Grece Morea yea the Turkes haue these thre hondreth yeres wonne stil through our discorde treason What time the citie of Constantinople was taken all Italy was ful of sedition whilest one sorte wold be called Gwelphiās an other Gibellines whiche were names of themperial and popyshe faction what chaunced lately at Rhodes what in Hongary by what occasion it is no nede to recite But thus indede the Turkes a poore vile barbarous nation creping out of the corners of Scithia haue increased through our dissention atteyned to so great an Empire whylest eyther the light Grekes opened thē a gate into Europe or that faithles mē of Genes haue transported thē by the sea of Helespōte or the Prynces of Peloponesus brethren falling at variaunce sent for them the one to destroye the other whilest they of Epyrus did ayde thē or the Mysians conspyred with them or the Hongarians of their owne accorde dyd moue them to come Therfore to mainteine their common lybertie they must fall to an vnitie and concorde and may not thynke that whylest they them selues sytte styll and doe neglecte it beynge denyded into sectes and factions that foreyne nations wyll take this cars in hande for them This he sayeth is the kynges aduyse and counsell whiche he desyred them to accepte in good parte and of hym to loke for all amitie and frendshyp The Byshop sente thether his Legate Iohn Morone Byshop of Mutma who beyng demaunded of kyng Ferdinando and by the Emperours deputies of the byshop of Romes mynde the .xxiij. day of Marche speaketh on this wyse The last yere whan the Emperour went into Africa passing through Italy he cōferred with the hyghe byshop concerninge the turkyshe warre and a generall counsell but sythe the matter was very weighty the Emperour made great haste nothynge was determined and Granuellan remayned in Italy with whome the case was further debated afterwarde Than he declareth howe the Byshoppes mynde is and euer hath bene to warre vpon the Turkes and that he wil sende ayde of fyue thousande fotemen in case the Emperour come to the fielde hym selfe if not halfe that nombre And lykewyse is cōtent that there shal be a counsell but that the same should be holden in Germany neyther his age can beare who both wyll and ought to be present nor also the farre iourney and alteration of the ayre wyll permitte therfore he lyketh better Mantua or Farrare Bolognia la gras or Placence whiche are all ample cities and fyt for suche a purpose howe beit if none of these wyll please them he wyll not refuse to kepe it at Trent whiche is a towne nere vnto the frontiers of Germany and woulde haue had it begonne at a Whytsontyde but for shortenes of tyme hath differred it to the Ides of Auguste praying them that al displeasure set aparte they woulde wholy applie them selues hereunto King Ferdinando with the Emperours deputies and all the Catholyque Prynces geue hym thankes and if a meter place maye not be had in Germanye as Regenspurge or Collon they saye howe they are contente with Trente But the Protestanntes doe neyther allowe the Bysshoppes counsell nor the place nor that there was anye mention made thereof in the decree and openly pronounce to the contrary Whan the Frenche kynges Ambassadours coulde not preuayle and the states were inclyned to the Turkyshe warre and sawe that the Emperours men both lothed and suspected their presence before the ende of the assemblye they departe halfe in displeasure Trent is in the Alpes by the Riuer of Athese a towne in Farnādo hys dominion thre dayes Iorney on this syde Uenise and not two from Uerona After the chauncelour of the Dutchie of Alenson was retourned home the kyng begā streight wayes to prepare for the war And albeit he had already in effecte restored the Admiral vsed hym frendly Yet lest it should be herafter preiudicial to him or his childrē he causeth the whole matter to be comprised in writing and restoreth him to his possessions dignitie and fame and protesteth that hee had committed neyther treason nor yet extortion releaseth and geueth hym the condemnation of seuen hondrethe thousande crownes commaunding that these letters should be enrolled at Paris and in other places to remayne as matter of recorde this was the twelfte daye of March Whan the French kynge was at the same tyme besydes Paris in castell Uincenne word came to him in the night of a sodē tumult as though the enemies out of themperours contrie shoulde make an incursion in to the contrie of Uermandoeis in Picardie whereuppon the princes that chaunced that time to bee there were sent thither in al hast the Dukes of Uandome Guise Aumall Niuerne and diuerse others with a great nomber of gentlemen Whan they came there al was hushte neyther saw they nor heard of any man Many men sayd how thys brute was reysed that the people might be perswaded that themperour sought warre wherof the kinge him self wold not be accōpted the author whan he had already vtterly determined the same as shal be declared herafter Forasmuch as the state of Germany was such as before I haue shewed you great ayde was decreed on commaunded that an armie should be leuied which ioyned with the power of Fernando might resist the Turkishe force and recouer that was lost The leading and ordering wherof was both by common assent and also by themperours pleasure committed in charge to Ioachim Marques of Brandenburge Prince electour who in continently departing from Spier prepareth him selfe for the Iorney For this war was gathered polle money through out all Germany and graunted that the magistrates might for this cause impose a taxe They agreed moreouer to demaund ayd of the Suises and other princes especially of the king of Denmarke and of the Italians furthermore it was decreed that all mē should obserue the peace and reise no tumult within the limites of thempire the .xi. day of April the assemblie was dissolued And in maner at the same time in Saxonie ther grew a greate hatred betwene the Prince Electour Duke Moris who than succeded Henry his father lately departed The contention was for the lymites a certen Towne And Maurice did
citie The kinge hym selfe maketh warre on an other syde and marchinge foreward with a strong Armie besegeth Parpignan a Towne of Ruscinon in the mountaynes of Pyrene Moreouer he moueth warre in Piedmount by the conduicte of William Langey and also in the borders of Flaunders by the gouernment of the Duke of Uandome So that he assayled his enemies in fyue sondry places wherby the iudgement of many it had ben better for him to haue set vpon some one prouince with his whole power as th ende also declared for both he attempted Parpignan in vayne and also whan the Duke of Orleans was retourned home the Imperialles recouered all agayne except it were Iuey By this occasion they began to fortifie Andwarpe where before it was easy to bee wonne When the kinge pourposed to haue warres he sente agayne Poline to the Turke to entreate hym that he wolde sende him a uanie into Fraunce but where it was longe or Poline came there Solyman differred the thyng vntil the next yere Duryng this warre the king setteth forth proclamations against the Lutherians Moreouer the parlament of Paris chargeth the Printers vnder a great penaltie that they shoulde neyther prynte nor sell any bookes condempned or suspected namely the booke of Caluine whiche is intituled the Institution of Christiane Religion Further more at the request of the Inquilitour as they terme hym the seuenth daye of Iuly he maketh a decree that the preachers shall admonyshe the people to doe their duty to the churche and if they know any Lutheriane or one that thinketh amisse in Religion to present hym for this is a worke to God moste acceptable And the Ministers of the churche had an order prescribed whiche they should followe in that inquirie For they were coÌ„maunded to inquyre of the promoters whether they knewe any man that would saye how there was no purgatory whan a man is dead to be eyther saued or dampned or that a maÌ„ is not iustified by obseruing of Gods commaundementes that God only must be called vpon not Sainctes that the worshipping of images is idolatry that sainctes worke not miracles that the ceremonies of the churche profite nothing that the lawes of the churche doe bynde no man that the knowledge of the Gospell is necessarye for all men without exception or that it is a fonde parte of the common people to pray to God in Latin how the priest caÌ„ not forgeue sinnes through the Sacrament of penauuce but to be only a minister to pronounce the benefite of God whiche forgeueth our synnes that the church can bynde no man to mortall synne or that it is lawfull to eate fleshe at al tymes This fourme of inquisition was geuen priuately to priestes but openly was set forth a proclamation wherin they were coÌ„maunded to be presented and accused whiche doe neglecte the Rites and lawes of the churche or suche as haue bookes contrary to the christiaÌ„ fayth and eyther geue them others to reade or purposely let them fall in the wayes as they goe that thei may be founde those that assemble in priuate houses and gardens and forge diuises against the lawes of the chruche and they that receyue suche kynde of men into their houses or gardens They that are priuie to any suche thyng are commauÌ„ded to presente them within syxe dayes to the doctours of Diuinitie chosen by the Inquisitour or els to stande accursed The Stacioners were also charged that if they had any thyng eyther prynted or wrytten that were in any point suspected or that swarued froÌ„ the custome of the churche that within syxe dayes they should bryng it before theÌ„ after none excuse to be taken The same daye that this acte was proclaymed they had a generall procession for the preseruation of the realme and of Religion And saynt Genefeua their trusty Goddes was borne about with suche solemnitie as I haue before declared in the nynth booke And in these dayes were certen brent in place Moberte for Religion At the same tyme Fraunces Landrâ—e Uicar of S. Crois in Paris taught the people syncerely and sayde no Masse for that he branke no wyne whether he did it of nature or of purpose I knowe not Against whome the Diuines had conceaued a great hatred And after thei had noted certe in thinges in his preaching they propounde vnto hym these articles The sacrifice of the Masse to be instituted of Christe and is vayleable for the quicke and dead that we must praye to sainctes that they maye be mediatours and aduocates for vs vnto Christe howe the substaunce of bread and wyne is chaunged in the consecration that only preastes may consecrate bread and wyne and that the whole supper of the Lorde apperteineth to them only Monasticall vowes must be kept that by the Sacramentes of confirmation and vnction is receiued the holy ghost by prayer fasting good workes soules are delyuered out of purgatory that the lawes of the churche concerning fastyng and choyse of meates doe bynde the conscience that there is one hygh Prelate and Byshop of the Churche whome al are bounde to obeye by the lawe of God how many thinges must be beleued and of necessitie receyued that are not expressed in the scriptures that the Byshop of Romes pardons doe release the paynes of purgatory that priestes beyng neuer so synfull and vicious doe consecrate the Lordes body that all deadly synne must be confessed to the priest and than to receyue of hym the sacramentall absolution howe man hath free wyll wherby he may doe good or euyll and ryse from synne through repentaunce howe not by fayth only but by charitie and true penaunce is obteyned the remission of synnes how the churche and counsell beyng lawfully assembled can not erre and therfore must be obeyed howe the iudgement and interpretation of Scripture apperteyneth to the churche if any thyng be in controuersye These thynges would they haue him to subscribe to and confirme with his Seale He a fewe dayes after aunswereth generally that it is good and Godly what so euer the holy catholyque churche hathe taught in these matters but they not content with this aunswere attempted greater thinges against him as afterwarde you shall heare In this tyme also one or two Freers of saint Dominickes order preached the Gospell at Metz. But whan the priestes shewed them selues sore offended diuerse citezens made petition to the Senate that they would not forbidde theÌ„ promysing al dewe obedience The ther came also William Farell who taught first priuatly in the citie and afterwardes in a certein Castell without But what tyme the Emperours letters were brought wherin he commaunded that they should alter nothyng in Religion but punyshe the offendours the people were forbodeÌ„ to heare any more sermons vnles the preacher werlicenced by the Byshop and the Senate This sommer an infinite nombre of grassehoppers came flieng into Germany and the hither parte of Italy They were of a wonderfull bignes and where
father of the comon welthe and hygh Bisshop wolde ayde the Duke of Sanoye with hys helpe counsell and of hys syngular wisdome wolde deuyse some meanes howe that cruell enemye myght be expulsed not only from Nice but also frō those places where he hathe hauens and holdes for hys refuge for thys shoulde be a thynge bothe to God most acceptable and to the whole common wealth also moste holsome and profitable with diuerse other perswations touching the same matter To this the Bishop aunswereth the .xxvi. day of February Theffect of his aunswer is thys that the castell of Nice may bee defended he wyll be no lesse carefull hereafter than he hathe ben hytherto trustyng that as they are carefull for it so wyll they be no lesse mydnfull to take paynes for the whole common welthe for this shall best become them And after a longe rehearsal of the ayde of men and captaynes which he hath sent into Hongary and Affrica agaynst the Turkes how he hath wasted his treasure in suche affayres how ofte he hath sent Ambassadours how oft traueled him self aboute the publyke weale he sayeth in fyne that lyke as they commende vnto hym Nice so doeth he commende vnto them the state of the comon welth whiche is sore afflicted and decayed And the chiefe and only waye to helpe thys matter is that the myndes of Kynges may be reconciled for out of thys welsprynge procedeth all the discommoditie that is in the comon welth And if dissention betaken awaie the fourmer beautie will come agayne For before this grudge and displeasure there were neyther heresies in Germany nor Turkee in Hongarye But so soone as the waye was made throughe ciuile discorde immediatelye sprange vp heresyes factions and hatred bothe publyke and pryuate And hitherto hath also the counsel ben letted and hyndered Therfore muste we seeke to recouer the peace that was before And after thexample of phisitions take away the fyrst cause of the disease For through peace warre and the Turk are put to flyght And by a counsel which in peace may be kepte all heresyes and what so euer is amisse may be refourmed Otherwise let them not thinke that eyther Nyce can bee defended from the enemye or any part of Christendome kept fre from daunger but that all men shal be wrapped in the same calamitie and distructiō In the moneth of March the Paulsegraue Lewis prince Electour departed out of this lyfe and his brother Fridericke did succede him The Princes electours and thother states through Themperours aduise the second day of Aprill sende letters to the Swyses to diswade them from aydyng the French kyng who to the vtter decay and ruine of Christen relygyon hathe lincked hym selfe with the Turkes and thys last yere hath conducted theyr Nauie into the sea of Lygurie where they haue warred vpon the Duke of Sauoye and taken Nice And yet remayne still in Fraunce intendiuge to worke more mischiefe to Themperour and all hys countries Wherfore they require them from hencefoorthe to suffer non of theyr men to serue the Frenche kynge who for thys wicked league with the people of Mahomet ought to be detested of all men and taken for a comon enemie And yf any be gon to hym already to call them home agayne and so to vse them selues that it maye appere they doe not neglecte the publycke preseruation Whilest they consulted of matters propounded by Themperoure The Duke the Lantzgraue and theyr confederates the fyrst daye of Aprill before Themperoure Kyng Fernando and al the states of th empyre accuse Henry the Duke of Brunswick of most heynous offences and also recite in order by wrytinge what harmes and iniuries he had done to the cytyes of Brunswicke and Goslarye theyr consortes in whose defence they wer cōstrayned to repulse that vniust violence After they reherse howe these many yeres hys whole endeuour hath ben to seeke occasyon to moue warre agaynst them proue the same by the testimonye of letters which were founde as I tolde you before whan he was expulsed in hys princypall Castell In those letters whych he had wrytten for the most parte all to the archbisshop of Mentz to the duke of Bauier and to Heldus before he was dryuē oute he wissheth oft for Themperours comyng out of Spaine And when there was any hope therof than he braggeth and threateneth And what tyme Themperour was comē and slacked the matter he complayneth of hys lyngering and delaye and be wayleth that he and hys fellowes are not satisfyed that the league made at Norinberge was neglected and layeth all the blame therof in Granuellan which is corrupted with mony by the Protestantes he raileth on hym and wissheth hym a shamfull death for his demerites and saieth how themperour is a slepe and can not be awaked And that he vseth hys name sometime only for a clooke and a terrour as Faukners are wonte many tymes to shewe foorthe a dead hauke to feare the fowle withall These and many other letters of suche lyke sorte wherin he vttereth hys mynde and affections were red openlye And moche to the same effecte had the Duke of Bauier and Heldus wrytten to him agayne And for because Henry brother to Duke George of Saxonie was in league with the Protestantes and had altered the religion as before is saide the Duke of Brunswicke had with letters messagers sollicited Themperour to take awaye hys landes trustyng that he should be set to kepe the possession of the contrie herof wer the letters also recyted Furthermore they declare hym to be a wycked mā and that he doeth contemne delude the Bisshoppes relygion which he wyll seme to maynteyne and proue it by a moste euydent testimonie Thys Duke of Brunswick had maryed the Lady Mary syster to Ulriche Duke of Wirtemberge who had a gentlewoman waytyng vpon her of an excellente beautye called Eue Trottine vpon whom her husbande doted in loue and when he had perswaded the mayde he had by her diuers children After to th entent the matter should not bee perceyued and that he myght vse her company the longer he geueth her counsel to faine as though she wold go home to her parētes And he fournissheth her of horses charyote and althynges necessarye for her Iorney She departeth and where she was thought to haue gone home she was conueyed into a Castell of hys And the captayne was made priuie to it before what thyng should be done And a woman or two appoynted to wayte vpon her whom he moste trusted This Eue within a few daies after she came thither kepeth her bed and fayneth her self sycke He had before caused to be made an Image of wood whiche dyd represente the head necke and Boulke of a dead body the other partes were made set out with lynen clothes which the wemen had stuffed and filled with earth and asshes that it might seme proportionate and so set the Image of wood and the clothe
the riuer of Uisurge and ioyne themselues vnto him Wherfore he goeth besegeth Warolbuttell the chiefe castel of his dominion constrayneth the people in all places to geue hym theyr saythe by an othe In the meanetyme the Lantzgraue at the commaundement of his fellowes gathereth in hys owne countrey to the nombre of seuen thousande men thre enseignes of foote men and aboute a thousand and sixe hundreth horsemen With thys power and with .xxiii. pieces of ordenaūce he marcheth to Northeme thither came vnto him duke Ernest of Brunswicke the sonne of Philip sent by the Duke of Saxon with a thousande horsemen and thre thousande footemen syxe thousande of them that were leuyed in hys owe dominyon and with xii felde peces When the Duke of Brunswicke vnderstode this leavynge the syege of the Castell whyche the garrison within defended manfullye he tourned an other waye and scrapynge together all the monye he myghte gette payeth the soldiours whyche were readye to slyppe asyde and after marchynge forwarde encampeth hymselfe at Calfelde whyche Uillage was a myle from the Lantzgraues campe In thys troublesome state Duke Ericus of Brunswicke and his mother a wydowe Iohn Marques of Brandenburge sonne inlawe to Duke Henry with certen others intreate for peace But the Lantzgraue and the Saxons saye howe they can doe nothynge herein but by the cōsent of theyr fellowes Therfore doe they make suite to duke Moris praying hym to perswade the Lantzgraue hys father inlaw He followeth theyr requeste and whan he came into the Campe the xvi daye of October he propoundeth the whole matter and desyreth that he myghte bee permytted to treate the peace But the Lantzgraue excuseth the matter as he dyd beefore The nexte daye certen bandes of Horsemen of the Duke of Brunsewyckes came nere vnto Northeme and skermyshed with the Lantzgraues Horsemen but beynge repulsed with shotte they retourne into they re Campe. The same daye at nyghte Duke Mauryce sollyciteth agayne the Lantzgraue And for because he hathe promysed Duke Henrye and hys frendes to take paynes in the thynge he desyreth to haue some condycyons propounded whych yf Duke Henry shall refuse he maye honestly leaue the matter The Lantzgraue than propoundeth suche condicyons as there was no doubte but they wolde be refused Duke Morys sendeth Chrystopher Ebleb and Comerstrate a Ciuilyan to make hym the offer In the meane while came worde how the Duke of Brunswycke was commyng with all hys power to gette the hille that was nere vnto the Lantzgraues Campe. But the Lantzgraue came fyrste thyther and leauynge three bandes of Horsemen and certen enseygnes of Footemen to defende the Campe he remoueth hys whole Armye vnto the same Hylle Not longe after they beganne to skyrmishe on bothe partyes Whylest these thynges were a working the Ambassadours of Duke Mauryce retourne they shew hym how Duke Henrye aunswered franckly and committeth hym selfe wholy to Duke Moris and wil no more impugne relygion from henseforth the matter beynge debates to and froe whan Duke Moris was verey ernest the Lantzgraue sheweth hym howe thys is the onlye way to haue peace that he put in sufficyente warrantyse for Relygion that he yelde hymselfe into the custodye of Duke Morys and delyuer hys whole prouince vnto hym and looke what Duke Morys shal iudge hym to paye for the charges of that warre for the harmes donne and of the controuersye betwixte hym and the Cytie of Goslarye the same to be ratifyed these condycyons dooeth the Lātzgraue permitte that Duke Morys as intercessoure shall propounde whiche yf he wyll receyue after conference had herin with the Duke of Saxon and the Cyties that bee nere he sayeth shal be concluded With thys commissyon Duke Morys sendeth agayne hys Ambassadours who whattyme they retourned bryng word that there is good hope but in this hurly burly and conflictr together ther can nothing be ryghtly dōne and therfore had nede of a trewes durynge the treatye Than was it almoste nyghte and by the Lantzgraues permission trewes was taken from that tyme tyll the nexte daye at nyghte In the meane season goeth Duke Morys and talketh with the Duke of Brunswicke that he myght perswade hym But he cleane refuseth all those condicyons and propoundeth others farre vnlyke them and in communication with some of Duke Mauryee counsellours within these three houres sayeth hee it shall appere whether the Lantzgraue or I bee Lorde of the Worlde as Haunyball sayde to Scipio He also brake the truse made geuyng the charge vpon the Lantzgraues forragers Wherfore the Lantzgraue hearyng what condicyons Duke Henrye had propounded he breaketh of all the treatye and thanked Duke Moris for his paines the .xx. day of October the Duke of Brūswicke by hys counsellours proueth againe Duke Moris and requireth that they maye mete agayne in a conuenyent place betwixt both campes but the Lantzgraue wolde not Than Duke Moris proclameth warre also agaynst the Duke of Brunsewycke which thyng he tolde hym before that he woulde doe vnlesse he agreed of the peace sendynge to hym hys letters from Mulluse After thys whan it was farre in the nyght the Lantzgraue sent before Conrade Haustē with eyght guydons of horsemen and aboute twelue thousande footemen with the ordenaunce he hym selfe with the rest of his force followeth after accompanyed with the two Dukes Moris and Ernest Whan the day began to appeare the forewarde came to a certen strayte vppon the toppe of an hill not far from the Duke of Brunswickes camp after also the Lantzgraue with the resydew of hys armye Here was a sore conflict and by reason of the straytnes of the place whych could not be passed but one way only the fyght was a good whyle doubtefull But in that same instant the Lantzgraue shotynge of hys Ordenaunce repulsed the enemye After takynge delyberation whan they had found other places also wher they might passe through the Lātzgraue auaunced some parte of hys armye and shotte amonges his enemyes with hys greate pieces There the Duke of Brunswicke sendeth a trompet to Duke Moris and desyreth a comunication but the Lantzgraue makynge no aunswer fyrst bringeth through all his armye than setteth them in order of battel and dischargeth hys peces at them Than agayne come other two messagers from Duke Henrye making the lyke request vnto whom the Lantzgraue made aunswer that other condicion of peace was there none but that the Duke and hys eldest sonne muste come and yelde themselues vnto hym If they so doe well and good yf not I wyll proue sayeth he what I can doe thys shew hym and conclude briefly Here goeth Duke Moris in hād agayne with his father inlawe all the armye sayeth he is conueyhed through Now what hope is therof peace I wil saieth the other that Henry and his sonne shall submitte themselues vnto me If they shall refuse I wyll trye it by battell Whan he had thys aunswer Duke Moris goeth agayne and speaketh with Brunswicke But the
Lātzgraue neuerthelesse prepareth for the battell and styll shoutyng of his ordenaunce approcheth nere hys enemye and stayeth aboute fyue hōdreth passes from hym and sendeth woorde to Duke Morys by Cōrade Haustē how he cānot be in quiet for that he feareth lest through occasyon of talke Duke Henry shoulde escape awaye Duke Moris sayeth how he must nedes tary till he haue spoken with him and praieth hym so longe to absteyne A little whyle after he retourneth and sheweth how Duke Henry with plentifull teares be wayleth his myserye and wyll render hym selfe and hys sonne and desyreth hym that he wolde vse no cruell wordes towardes hym When the Duke was commen and hys sonne Charles Uictor the Lantzgraue sayde vnto hym If I were in thy power as thou art nowe in myne thou woldest not suffer me to lyue longe But I wyll vse thee a greate deale better then by thy desertes what came into thy mynde that thou wouldest not obey the Emperoure refusyng the sequestration for certenlye by thys meane thouhadst wel prouyded for thee and thyne speakyng on thys wyse he appoynteth thē both vnto kepers But in thys meane whyle the Lantzgraues armye had lyke to haue bickered with the enemye and had not the Lantzgraue and Duke Moris with greate expedition runnen betwixte them there had ben a wonderful slaughter The Duke of Brunswickes armye pourposed to depart wholy to gether in one companye but because there was daunger leste by occasyon they shoulde attempte some newe enterpryse the Lantzgraue followeth them and ouertakyng them vpon a playne compelleth thē that they should teare in pieces their enseignes promiseth hym vpō theyr fydelytie that they shoulde not serue agaynste hym nor hys fellowes within these sixe monethes Than taketh he a waie from thē all theyr munition to the nomber of xviii pieces with all that therunto belongeth and marching foreward recouereth the Castel of Stēbrucke and sweareth the people to be trewe to hym and commaundeth to geue God thankes for the victorye Then he punnisheth Iohn Schamburge Otto Ritberg Erles for aydyng hys enemie and so discharging hys army retourneth home In thys tyme dyeth Albert Cardinall of Mentz and Sebastian Husestene succedeth hym And the Bishopricke of Maydenburge had Iohn Alberte hys cosen germayne whyche was hys suffragan therebe fore A reporte was afterwarde bruted by Duke Maurice as though with disceiptefull captious woordes he shoulde haue brought the Duke of Brunswicke into bondage that knowen he setteth foorthe a wrytynge and sheweth for what cause beyng requyred of the Duke of Saxō and the Lantzgraue he coulde not denye them and recyting the whole matter in order declareth that he sustayneth iniury And yet neuerthelesse intreateth that he maye be deliuered But Luther in a booke set foorthe exhorteth the Prynces that they wolde not let goe theyr prysoner For thys victorye without bludshed was geuen them of God And in maner aboute thys tyme Countie William of Furstemberge whan he had ben prisoner at Paris vntil now paying .xxx. thousand crownes for hys raunsome was delyuered and passyng through Flaunders whan he had declared hys mysfortune to Themperoure retourneth home Themperoure wylleth hym to espye out some meane whereby thys dammage may be recompensed And herin promiseth him his fauour good will Whan Henrye the Duke of Brunswicke his sōne were takē the Duke of Saxon the Lantzssaue immediatly signifye to themperour by letters the whole matter inasmoch as he contēninge all his proclamations had disquieted Germany with a newe warre they require that both he his fellowes for breaking the publycke peace may be outlawed after the fourme and condicions of the Sequestratiō before conuenaunted After thys the last of October the Lantzgraue accusing countie Ritberge to themperour making mētion of the former letters whan he had made the same request he sayeth how after the Duke of Brunswicke was taken he found sondrye letters of great importaunce of secret deuyses in hys tentes which shew well enough that he went about some great mischief eyther agaynste him or kinge Ferdinando For amonges others ther is an epistle whiche a prince electour wryteth agayne to hym how he maye not vpon such condicions come into that league cōfederacy but that it is rather his dewty to vtter such maner of counsel which doubtles he wolde haue done had he not promised him vpon his fydelytie to haue kept it close Wherfore let hym moue hym nomore in the matter from henforth for yf he doe it shal be no counsell these and suche other lyke thinges hath he to shew If now he shall thynke that anythynge concerneth hys person he maye sende some trusty man of hys he shal shew him the letters let him haue a copie of the same Themperour beyng that tyme at Bruges a Towne in Flaunders the syxte daye of Nouember sendeth to the Lantzgraue Nicolaus Conricius with this message He heareth in what sorte the Duke of Brunswicke and hys sonne came into hys hādes And albeit he wold haue wisshed that he had accepted the condiciō of sequestration yet seing the matter is cōmen to this poynt he supposeth it not nedefull to punishe hym moreouer for breakinge the publyke peace hys truste is also that he wyll so moderately vse thys victory that no man shall nede to feare hys vyolence he admonyssheth hym moreouer that accordyng to the auncyente custome of Prynces he doe intreate hys prisoners quyetlye and honestyle neyther that he enforce them to any vnreasonable condicyon or vnworthye for them but permytte that the matter maye bee frendelye and indifferentlye hearde Wherin verelye he for hys offyce and place wyll omytte nothynge And because neyther he nor hys confortes neede nowe to feare anye further daunger hee requyreth hym to dyscharge hys Armye and obserue peace And yf he haue oughte to saye to any man for the Socyetye of warre or ayde minystred he wolde trye it by the Lawe and he wyll doe herein that shall be reasonable When Conricfus had thus declared the .xviii. daye of Nouember the Lantzgraue the same day aūswered him at Cassels For asmuch as the Duke of Brunswicke and hys fellowes haue moe wayes than one broken the imperial decrees he trusteth that Themperoure wyll playnly declare in how euill parte he taketh thys theyr doyng one of the chiefest of hys adherentes is Otto Erle of Ritberge his client whō he hath punysshed therfore therbe also diuerse others of whom he myght iustely be auenged but to th entent Themperour and all men shoulde clearly see howe littell he and hys fellowes loue trouble he hathe done nothyng to them and hath discharged hys soldiours And seeyng it is thus and that he tooke in hand a nedeful defencion he desyreth ernestyle that Themperoure wolde bannishe the Duke hys fellowes for though he be taken yet are hys adherentes to bee punyshed notwithstandyng whych also wyll shew themselues styll lyke enemyes Hys prisoners are intreated metely lyberally
case foreine soldiours should inuade his Cosyns prouince it were a daunger lest his countrey shuld also sustain great hurt therby They se also how it is not good that forein nations should remaine in these parties And seing the matter is thus he desyreth them both in his own and also in his brother Augustus name that they would way the whole case diligently help him with their ayde counsell And he eftsones wyl omitte nothing that shal be his duty ta do agayne for thē The matter being debated they condescended immediatly to aduertyse the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue of the Emperours commaundement of the preparation of kyng Ferdinando and to desyre them both that for auoyding of destruction they would permitte that Duke Moris myght enter into the possessions of their countrey For so shuld they both eschew forein warre and kepe safe their Religion after whan matters appeased a great deale more easely obtayne the same agayne at his handes thā of others Therfore writing their letters to this effect the eleuenth day of October thei desire them to way with them selues the whole matter be cōformable to this counsell which is doubtles the best that may in this troublesome tyme be geuē They requyred also the Lātgraue in his letters that he would perswade the Prince Electour to take the same way Duke Moris wrote also his letters to the Lantgraue his father in lawe of much like inportaunce And because the foreine soldiour was now at hande he sayeth howe he must of necessite prouide that Saxony be not ouerrunne After that he promyseth hym muche good wyll and amitie and sheweth that he desyreth nothyng that is his He sayeth moreouer how the kyng of Polle wyl be a petitioner to the Emperour which thyng he is glad to heare of wherfore let hym so be content and not be exasperated with any wordes and lykewyse to perswade the Electour neyther that he refuse to submit him self to the Emperour For this is in maner the only waye to come to a reconcilement and that he wil also helpe to make a peace To the conuention at Fridberg Iohn William the Electour sonne of Saxonie whan he heard of the preparation of kyng Ferdinando sending Ambassadours requyreth Duke Moris that according to the league of inheritaūce he wold ioyne his force with his to saue the common countrey from daunger Duke Moris sayth again how he hath spared no payne that the matter might haue bene appeased And seing he hath takē that labour in vaine and that they be now in armure he may do nothing against the supreme Magistrate whome also that aunciēt league doth except It was song or euer the protestaūtes heard of the Emperours going to Donauerd The nex day ther purpose to go to Lawging a towne vpō the Riuer of Thonaw thre miles aboue Donauerde that by night but whan they were vncerten whether the Emperour were gone forward if they should leaue him at their back many said it was daunger lest he should take Norling and after by the vale of Remsie inuade the lande of Wirtemberg altering their purpose they remayned there one day This toke Scherteline displeasauntly as likewise other thinges going to Auspurg from the which citie he was sent forth into the warres he leadeth away the garnison that was at Lawging returneth no more to the field In the meane season themperour marching forward frō Dona uerde taketh by cōposition Dilling Hochstet shortly after Lawging Gundelfing by the riuer of Brent Wherfore hauing gotten the possession of the water of Thonawe he had great cōmodities to serue his purpose leauing algarnisō at Lawging whan he had passed ouer Brent he pitcheth his Tentes at the village at Sontheyn in the way to Ulmes which was thre myles from the same place The .xiii. day of October the protestātes at the length remouing their campe whan they heard that the Emperour kept on his iourney towardes Ulmes the nex daye came to Sieng a town by the same Riuer a litle aboue Sontheim so as the water was in the mids betwixt both armies As they staied here and had not yet pitched their Tentes they espie certen horsemen on the top of the next hyll Amongs the whiche was thēperour him self who rode forth with the Duke of Alba to escoute abroad the same day the Duke of Saxon had the forewarde and hasteth spedely toward the enemy and sendeth also worde to the Lantgraue to make haste after hym But what time the enemies fled he slacketh the matter and tarieth for the Lantgraue on the hyll There as it is thought was lost agayne a moste goodly oportunititie of well doing For there was no foorde to ryde ouer the Ryuer and but one brydge in al those parties and though the Emperour peraduenture had escaped by the same yet had his chief Captaines bene in great distresse as thei them selues afterward ar reported not to haue hid The Emperour omitting his iourney to Ulme lest that leuing his enemies behinde his back he should lose the vitall of Thonawe he goeth another way to worke and at the Ides of October in the next wood he laieth an Ambusche of thre thousand Arcubusiers And whan the Prince of Eulmone had offered them the skermysche with his light horsemē the charge being geuen infayning that he fled had allured them to the wood side thei by by breake out of thēbuschemēt discharge at them That seing the Lantgraue came streight wayes to rescue his company that were in daūger which were fowre bandes of horsemen Wherfore there was a sore conflicte all day till it was night and the field pieces were brought to the bickering This whyle the Duke of Saxon abode with the armie that in case the Emperour should in this tumulte haue assaulted their Campe he might be ready to gyue him the repulse Whan this wold take no place the Emperour attempteth the matter by a Camisade in the night and chouseth out of the whole nombre the fotemen of Almaignes and Spanyardes cōmaundeth them to put on whyte shirtes ouer their harnesse he appointeth them also horsemen and the Duke of Alba to be their Captain and sendeth them forth at night as sone as the watche was set that they myght go styll and closely to their enemies campe And he him selfe immediatly after followeth with the rest of his power Whan they came thither they perceiued that the nomber of the watchemen were increased and that they were vp in armure Wherfore this enterpryse was in vayne for as muche as they vnderstode the matter by espiall a fewe howres before For the wante of forage and vytayle the tyme of the yeare and continual rayne they died sore in themperours Campe and about this tyme also Cardinall Farnese departeth out of the Campe homeward with certen bandes of Italian horsemen The Emperour also for the same cause was compelled to chaunge his
place and retourne into his old cāpe besides Laweging the daye before the kalendes of Nouember Unto the letters of the states of Duke Moris dated at Fridberg the .xi. day of October before sayd the Lantgraue answereth the xx day of the same moneth How he is hartely sory that warre should be attempted again those countreis and muche more that in common daunger they doe ioyne their forces together after the example of their elders And where they doe not consider that this warre is against Religion that semeth to hym great maruel seing that both the Byshops letters to the Swisses and the league made betwixt him and the Emperour and shewed vnto the Heluetians by the Byshops commaundement doe opēly testifie and plainly declare the same For since that league was made great forces haue commen to the Emperour out of Italy and all the Italians that are taken do affirme this certenly that they were purposely sent to warre against the Lutherians Moreouer their fellowes of the same Religion are in this war much more cruelly handled than any others with spoyling firyng robberies That the women maydens are wickedly defloured and yong chyldren infātes haue their handes and fete cut of euen for the hatred of this doctrine Where the Emperour hath warraunted them for Religion it is but dissimulation For in case he were demaunded whether he would that Luthers Religiō should be submitted to the authoritie and decrees of the Byshops counsell there is no doubte but the craft would sone appere Wherfore let them not truste to his promesse And where they are affrayd of themperours sentence of outlawyng them he marueleth greatly where they knowe that the same is not lawfull for hym so to doe vnlesse the parties had first bene sommoned and conuicte in iudgement But the greatest grief of all is that the noble house and people of Saxonie shuld be thus deuided For if they were of one mynde and would ioyne their forces together the daunger that is so feared might easely be repulsed He hath verely talked with the Electour herein but he is nothing agreable to that waye whiche they do shewe For if he should at the chaunge of fortune require the lyke of Duke Moris he doubteth not but that both he would refuse it and they also would counsell him to the contrary Wherfore he doth not lyke theyr coūsel and the worse for that Duke Moris hath lately writtē to them both how he was sory to heare it bruted that he shuld couet to possesse his cōsyns prouince For the reporte was vntrue and iniurious to him and therfore praied them not to credit the same Whan they had receiued these letters they were contented with that excuse and thought no more of the matter And if he shold now sease vpō his coūtrey thei se what men would iudge he desireth therfore that they would impeche the thing that it were not done For otherwyse not only forreyne warre but ciuill also wil ensue vpon the same For in case he susteyne any iniury by reason of the Emperours proscription neither he nor his fellowes which stande in the same case can not but helpe him And than what wil be the ende therof it is not hard to iudge Therfore let them indeuour that the houses of Saxō and Hesse be not deuided but that Duke Maurice doe assiste him and his fellowes For this shal be chiefly for his honour and welthe also He wrote the same day also to Moris of like effect and admonisheth him not to waye the Emperours proclamations and outlawyng but cal to his remembraunce what the Electour and he haue done for him his father For where as Duke George his vncle had made his wil that themperour should possesse his whole prouince vntil his brother did forsake the Protestauntes Religion he knoweth what benefit than he receiued of them both Moreouer where Duke George gaue vnto his father a yearly pension and that ther was some feare least he woulde haue denied the same for the hatred he bare to Religion the Protestauntes than promysed hym that if it so came to passe they would of their liberalitie gyue hym asmuche yearly Wherfore let hym surcease of his enterpryse attempt nothing in the Duke of Saxons prouince without his loue and leaue For otherwyse he shall not want his fellowes ayde The Ambassadours of Pole were in dede in the Emperours Campe and haue signified to the Duke of Saxon and him what they haue done But the condicions are of suche sort as they make nothing at all for peace And of lyke importaūce the councellours of the warre wryte to Duke Moris and his states and proteste that if any force be done to that Duke of Saxon they wyll not neglecte his iniury The Electour him selfe made them none aunswere at that tyme as shall further be declared hereafter The same day also the Lantgraue and the counsellers write to the cities of Maydenburg Brunswyck Breme Hamburge Goslary Hildesseme Goting Hanobrie Embeck Minden and to the Duke of Pomerane Dukes of Luneburg and to Prince Anhalde They shew them what daunger is toward Saxonie but chiefly to the Electour vnto whose frountiers the ennemies are comen already The beginning cometh of kyng Ferdinando who hath enforced the Bohemers vnto this warre Duke Maurice taketh his parte and pretendeth a cause for that the Emperour hath outlawed him howbeit they haue sende to Duke Moris that he should not medle for than shall not the Duke of Saxon wante helpe And in as muche as that whole countrie standeth in present daunger and the Duke asketh helpe of them they can not but ayde him And were in mynde once to haue delyuered hym part of their Armie which they haue together but because their ennemie is not far of are in good hope that the matter shall shortely be tried by a mayne battell Wherin all their welthes do consist they thinck it not wysdome at this present to make them selues so muche weaker For this is the fetche of their ennemie that being molested with other warres they should not auaunce their whole force against him And seing the case standeth thus they require them that in all their names they wold sende him ayd of fotemen so sone as they can to Wittemberg and Weinmar that also the rest of the money which is dew by the league they pay vnto the Electours sonne and counsellours for the case is cōmon to them all and whan their fellowes are ouerrunne the lyke misfortune wyll the soner chaunce vnto them I haue spoken before of the Bohemers They serued Fardinando in dede howbeit full sore against their willes by reason of an aunciēt league that they had with the house of Saxon. And agayn for that they said how this war was not nedeful many thought that the Electour also had wrong But Ferdinando brought them to it sent for a power out of Hōgary Silesie so that he might constraine them whether
people and pardon his offence so that he obserue conuenauntes and from henceforth omitte not to do his dutie After them came the Ambassadours of Memming Bibrach Rauensburg Kempten Isnen and making their humble supplication desyre pardon of their fault and that they haue offended him they saye it is to be imputed partly to their owne errour partly to the occasion of others And that they flie now vnto him for refuge as vnto the welspring of mercy and beseche him that he woulde forgeue them and restore them to their olde estate and to deminishe nothing of their priuileges and fredome The Emperour than byndeth them by an othe that they be faithful vnto him from henceforth that they obeye the same lawes that other states doe that they forsake the league of the Duke of Saxon and the Lantgraue and ayde them with no kynde of thinge nor make no league against him from henceforth This done he taketh them to mercy and condēpneth the citie of Meming in fifty thousand crownes Before they came into the Emperours presence they desired to be assured not to haue their Religion chasiged But Nauius whom the Emperour vsed chiefly for interpretour in suche matters warned them in any wise to make no mention therof For incase they did the Emperour would surely ascribe it to a certen distruste they had in hym For at the beginning of the warre he declared his mynde here in sufficiently Therfore let them holde them content and requyre no further assuraunce And this was thought to be done for this intent lest if they should haue had a nay it might appere that an other thing were intended than the Emperour had published in his letters before But and if it shold be graūted them by expresse wordes the same shold offende the Byshop of Rome whose purpose was that by this warre the doctrine of the Protestauntes might vtterly be extinguished In these daies arose a rebellion at Gene against the house of Aurie the Prince wherof at the same tyme was Androwe the most expert man on the Sea that than liued and through the Emperours auauncemēt the chiefest of that cōmon welth The chief captaine and ringleader of this vprore was Counte Fliscane and in the same amonges others was murthered the Cosin of Androwe Iohannine Aurie a mā of a great courage And if the Erle of Flisca had not chaunced to slippe into the Sea and drowned it is thought that there would haue bene a blacke daye and muche euyll done But whan he was gone the fellowes of that conspiracie shranke away immediatly streightwayes after that Tempest followed a great Caulme The Emperour affirmeth the Farnesians to be the authours of this enterprise especially the Byshops sonne Peter Aloisse Duke of Placence as shal be declared in his place The sitting of the fathers at Trent whiche shuld haue ben at the ende of Iuly was adiourned vntill this tyme and the xiii day of Ianuary what tyme the fathers were assembled in the Cathedrall churche as their maner is they make a decree of the iustification of man and there are they condēned which affirme that since the fall of Adam man hath not had fre wyl that man is iustified by fayth only in that Christe imputeth rightuousnes and say that iustification is nothing els but a confidence in Gods mercie who forgiueth sinnes for Christes sake or saye it is necessary that a man beleue assuredly and doubte not but his synnes are forgeuen and that he is of the nombre of Gods elect and suche agayne as saye that a man is not able to kepe the commaundementes of God no though he be iustified whiche saye that iustification receiued is not kept and increased thorowe good workes whiche after baptisme affirme that iustifications lost is recouered by fayth only with out the sacrament of penaunce and saye that a penitent synner hath his offence wholy forgeuē and that there remayneth no punishement for the same neyther in this worlde nor in the lyfe to come through purgatory finally whiche affirme that these decrees are a derogation to Gods glory to the merites of Christe Whan the Duke of Saxō was coming with his Armie Duke Maurice fortifieth Lipsia with a garnison burneth the suburbes The same tyme came the ther aboue a thousand horsemen of the Hongarians The .xiii. daye of Ianuary began the siege but the townes men defending them selues moste valiauntly about the ende of the same moneth the enemy departeth without his purpose Howbeit the towne with the nomber of shot that went of as thicke as hayle was wonderfully rent and torne vtterly defaced The Duke of Saxon departing from thēce did not only recouer shortly after al that he had lost in the countreys of Thuring and Meyssen but also wan all Duke Maurice townes sauing only Lipsia Dresda He bringeth also into his possession the Byshoprike of Magdeburg and Halberstat making a composition with the Byshop Iohn Albert. The daye before he assayled Lipsia kyng Ferdinando commaunded the Bohemers that they shoulde take armure and goe ayde Duke Maurice They obeyed him in dede but after they retourned home without cōmaundement Wherfore the king at the ende of Ianuary cōmaundeth them again likewyse There did the commons of Prage whiche citie is of moste authoritie in those parties desire the Senate to sue to the king that he wold stay that cōmaundement which is both against their libertie suche as they can not honestly obey For there is no cause why they shuld haue warre with the Prince Electour of Saxon. And in moste thinges their religion is all one with his Moreouer he hath always shewed him selfe lyke a noble Prince and aided them against the Turkes Wherunto Ferdinando made aunswer amonges other thinges howe the warre was attempted against him not for religion but for rebellion And where they say howe he hath geuen great aide against the Turke the matter is far otherwyse For he sent messengers to the Turke a few monethes past which might procure him to moue war to Hongary and Boheme and that he shuld take no longer truce that he should infringe the same which he had graūted And to the intēt the thing might haue the better successe he would not fayle to inuade on the contrary syde Whan themperour vnderstode how the matter went in Saxony and was aduertised by sondry letters of Duke Maurice he sendeth certen bandes of horsmen and fotemen to ayde him at the leading of Marques Albert than cōmaundeth the forces of Spaniardes Italiās to follow wherof Sandey Marignane wer captains Marques Albert departeth frō Hailbrune with his cōpany the .ix. day of Ianuary Themperour also remoueth frō thēce to Ulmes by the way they of Liudaue Esling were recōciled to him Of the byshop of Rome it is told before how he gaue sentēce depriued tharchbishop of Collō of his ecclesiastical fūction Whā he thus did he gaue away al his right
wherfore the fotemen which already possessed the suburbes go to the assault of the towne with a lusty courage wynne it spoyle it and taketh the ordenaunce from the ennemy Whylest these things were thus a working Marques Albert seketh whiche way he might escape and taketh the Ryner but he was intercepted by the Duke of Luneburg brought to the prince Electour The garrison within the town was six enseignes of fotemen They putting them selues into a ringe by the helpe of the other horsmen stand to their defence but vanquished with a multitude they were taken all and striped out of their armure And whaÌ„ they had made promyse not to serue against the Duke of Saxon and his fellowes of six monethes after they were so let go without rauÌ„som The horsemen poursuing after those .iiii. enseignes of footemen that escaped ouer the bridge did slea a great numbre of them which were all for the most part Italians and Spaniards Marques Albert had what of Kyng Ferdinando what of the Emperour as good as a thousand and fiue hundred horsemeÌ„ ten enseignes of foot men and .xiiii. field pieces Thei fought from the breake of the day tyll none The Duke of Saxon lost not many of his men amonges them Wuolfie Theodorick a man of a noble courage who beyng stryken with a gunne lefte his lyfe a fewe dayes after The nombre of them that were slaine within the town was accompted a thousand without the town and in the Ryuer thre hondreth After the conflict the Electour with Albert his prisoner retourneth to Aldenburg and after signifieth the whole matter into Boheme sheweth that he wil do nothing against the league and desireth to haue those punished which had attempted against his subiectes with sword and fyre The Duke of Wirtemberg had condicioned so sone as he might for his sickenes to come make his submission to the Emperour he commeth therfore to Ulme in the moneth of Marche â—han he was not yet recouered and sitting in his saddel by the Emperours permission in asmuche as he could not remoue nor bowe him self by his couÌ„sellors kneling for him he desireth to be pardoned of his fault promising from henceforth aldew obedieÌ„ce Whan themperour hereunto had made a gentle aunswere he departeth immediatly for the war of SaxoÌ„ he goeth to Norling Whilest the Duke of Wirtemberg on this wise made his submission there was a great resort and concourse of people which hauing therof knowledge before came thither flocking thicke and threfolde In those thre forsaid places of the land of Wirtemberg the Emperour had placed garrisons a good while before for the most part all Spaniardes ✚ The nyntenth Booke of Sleidanes Commentaryes concerning the state of Religion and the common Weale during the reigne of the Empyre of Charles the fyfte ⧠The argument of the nyntenth Booke THe fathers of Trent make their seuenth sessions The Emperour hauing accorded with them of Strasburg marcheth forth with his armie Fraunces the Frenche kyng dyeth shortly after the kyng of England The counsell of Trent is diuided The Duke of SaxoÌ„ taken in battell notwithstanding his condemnation to death remayneth constant in Religion Wittemberge being rendred the vniuersitie is destroyed Suite is made for the agrement of the Lantgraue who coming to the Emperour is stayed prysoner Kyng Ferdinando appeaseth them of Prage A commotion at Naples by reason of the Spanish inquisition The coronation of the Frenche kyng is described The citie of Maidenburg is outlawed An assemblee is holden at Auspurg Peter Aloesse the Popes sonne is murthered The Duke of Somerset wynneth a great battell of the Scottes Whan the Princes of the Protestauntes were vanquyshed the cities were made afrayd Stryfe aryseth for the imprysonyng of the Lantgraue Request is made that the Fathers should retourne to Trent but the Pope and suche as were gone to Boloigne le grasse stode styf in their opinions in so muche that there is great disordre in the counsell of Trent THe third day of Marche was the seuenth Session of the fathers at Trent In this are condeÌ„pned al suche as either say there are fewer Sacramentes of the church thaÌ„ seuen or that al were not of Christes institution who deny that one is of more dignitie than an other who say they be only externall signes of grace or that rightuousnes is receiued through Christe faith who deny that grace is geuen through the receiuinge of the same who say that through Baptisme Confirmation and orders is not imprinted in the soule a spirituall token or marke that can neuer be scraped out or the al men haue lyke authoritie to minister the same or that the accustomed ceremonies of the churche in the administration of the same may be omitted or altered whiche say that the doctrine of the churche of Rome mother and maistres of al others concerning Baptisme is not sincere whiche saye that Uowes made after Baptisme are of no importauÌ„ce and are rather a derogation of the faith which they haue professed And say that Confirmation is an Idle Ceremony and was in tymes past nothing els but an instruction of youth and deny that the vertue and instinction of the holye Ghost is not present at Confirmation which ascribe the coÌ„firmyng of children not to byshops only but take it to be the fuÌ„ction of any other priest After this decrees are made of ecclesiasticall benefices That Byshops other Prelates of the church be lawfully begotten that they be of yeares maners and learning sufficient That no man of what estate or degree soeuer he be of do enioy do Byshoprickes than one and they that possesse many may kepe styll whiche of them they liste and within one yeares space shall put away the rest That suche as haue cure and charge of soules be them selues resident neyther let them substitute others in their place vnlesse it be for a tyme so as if they haue declared a cause of their absence to the Byshop and he hath allowed the same whose part it shal be to forsee that the people be not neglected and that priestes offences be punished and such vices as reigne amonges them be straitly corrected After was the .xxi. day of Aprill assigned for the next assemblie Whan king Ferdinando was come to Duke Maurice at Dresda the eight day of Marche he writeth to the Bohemers howe Iohn Friderick is prefixed to inuade them Therfore let them take hede to their matters and obeye Weittemulle whome he hath appointed his deputie in his absence The Ambassadours of Strasburg whiche as I sayde went to Ulme returning home where the Senate did not mislyke the conditions prescribed of the Emperour they are sent agayn to coÌ„clude throughly As they were traueling they fynde the Emperour at Norlyng there liyng sicke of the Gowte and the .xxi. day of Marche making their submission thei were reconciled The conditions were very tollerable For neyther the Emperour charged them with any garrison and was
prease to enter without his expresse commaundement Whan they had surrendred the Duchesse of Saxon Sibille of Cleaue going forth with her sonne and her husbandes brother cometh into the campe and making her supplication moste humblie besecheth themperour with plentifull teares to be good to the Duke her husbande The Emperour enterteined her ryght curteously put her in good comfort After he licenseth the Duke to go into the citie there to remayne eight dayes with his wyfe and his children The same daye that the souldiours issued out of Wittemberge at the Duke of Saxons commaundement whiche was the .xxiii. day of May the Emperour sent in Almaigne fotemē at the leading of Nicolas Madruce Two dayes after king Ferdinando and his two sonnes came into the towne accōpanied with the Electour of Brandenburg and Duke Maurice to see it only and making no long abode retourneth into the campe At after none also the Emperour hym selfe entreth and whan he was come into the Castel he saluteth the Duchesse again comforting her wylleth her to be of a good chere I shewed you before of the death of Fraunces the Frenche kyng Who the .xxiiii. day of May was buried in the churche of saint Denis consecrated for the buriall of kynges and with him his two sonnes Fraunces and Charles wherof the one departed .xi. yeares past and the other two yeares since as before is sayd and remayned vnburied hitherto In the meane season that the funerall was in preparing for kyng Fraunces his picture for a certen space appareled with riche array with hys crowne Scepter and other ornamentes was layde vpon his bed wherunto at certen howres both dynner and supper was serued with lyke solemnitie as was accustomed being a lyue After were these garmentes taken away and mourning apparell put on There were continually present .xlviii. Monkes suche as are commonly caled begging Freers Those sange Masses and Diriges for hym without ceasing About the dead corps were set .xiiii. great tapers and ouer against stoode two aultars wherupon from the first day light tyll it was noone was sayde Masse continually There was also a chapel iust by wherin were burning innumerable Tapers lightes About the chariot wherin the coarse was caried went .xxiiii. Freers with so many Tapers And before them went fiue hondreth poore men in mourning apparell with euery man a torche Besydes other nobles of Fraunce there were present .xi. Cardinalles The funerall Sermon made Peter Castellane Byshop of Macon of whome is mentioned before He amonges other thynges declareth howe the king was prefixed to buylde a College wherin all artes and tongues should haue bene red and taught And that sixe hondreth shuld haue bene founde there to learning And to the same vse had assigned out fiftie thousand crownes yearely I shewed you before how Duke Ericke of Brunswick went to Breme Howbeit at the .xxii. day of May he departeth from the siege to defend his owne coūtrey from spoyling The same did Urisberger whiche led an other part of the armie and they first agreed vpon a place where they should mete againe with their powers This Duke chaunceth vpō his ennemies Which was the force of Hamburge that came to ayde the Bremers They fought sore till it was within night and in fine Duke Erich being discomfited and driuen backe with his horsemen into the Riuer of Uisurge lost many of his men Neuerthelesse he him selfe escaped but lost all his munitiō and after comming to the Emperour layde all the faulte in Urisberger that came not to helpe him With the Bremers and their fellowes were Counte Albert of Mansfelde Erle Hedecke Thumserne Conrade Phenninge and diuers others But after the Duke of Saxon had cōdicioned with the Emperour al these forces slipped away Whilest these thinges are a doing the Electour of Brandenburg and Duke Maurice intreate diligently for the Lantgraue And to the intent the thing might the more conueniently be accōplished they sende for him to Lipsia but where the Emperour would in any wyse that he should submit him selfe without condicion and deliuer all his Castels and munition also he retourneth home without concluding any thing and the same day cometh to Weissefelse foure miles from Lipsia The next day by the waye ryding as he talked with Christopher Eblebe of the condicions that were propounded and of his fortune and estate If I knew sayth he that the Emperour might be intreated to suffer me to retourne home againe and to let me haue one of my Castels furnished with ordenaunce I could be content for a common quiet to Rase all the reste and deliuer all the munition accordingly Than sayeth Eblebe I wyll reporte this tale vnto Duke Maurice and within a fewe dayes wyll eyther repare vnto you agayne or aduertise you of the certētie hereof by letters in the meane season I desire you to surcease from other deuises Going therfore vnto Duke Maurice not long after he retourneth with letters to hym frō Duke Maurice and the Electour of Brandenburge bearyng date the fourth day of Iune out of the campe before Wittemberge whiche were of this importaunce That so sone as they vnderstode more of his mynde by Eblebe they became agayne peticioners to the Emperour and what they haue obteyned that doth the copie it selfe and conditions of peace whiche Eblebe bryngeth him declare And in as muche as the conditions are tollerable they doubte not but he wyll admitte the same especially considering in how great daūger he standeth Their aduise is therfore that he refuse them not but submitte hym selfe to the Emperour without condition For he nedeth not to feare lest the Emperour shuld burthē him with great thinges or deteine him prysoner for they wyll become suertie for that matter And if any thing should chaūce vnto him besydes that whiche is conteined in the copie of peace that he shall now receiue by Eblebe or if he should be deteyned styll in captiuitie they wyll not refuse to abyde the same fortune and being called vpon by his children wyl offer them selues to make him recompēce And for Religion he shall haue the same assuraunce that they and Marques Iohn haue already And seing it is so and in as muche as this composition shal be not only for hym selfe but also to the common wealth expedient they hartely require hym that he would come withall expedition and bryng with him the Duke of Brunswick and his sonne and receiue the cōditions and followe their assuraunce and fidelitie herein And let him not be afrayd that his prysoners should be taken from him by the way For they will beare him out of all that daunger and whan he shall be entred on his way he shall mete with horsemen of theirs that shall conduite him in saufetie The copie of the peace was this That he do submitte him self and his prouince to the Emperour without condition that he come to the Emperour him selfe and humbly require to be pardoned that he behaue him self to the
is reported that through his aide they might auenge thē selues but this do they deny as shall be declared hereafter And their archbishop Ihō Alberte was lately departed wherfore they promised him the gouernment of the hole prouince in case he could subdue it by wrytings laid to pledge to him iii. principal castels Thus he marching first through the coūtry of Halberstat cam after into the prouince of Maidenburge ther practising slaughter spoyling burning surpriseth the towne of Wancelebe spoyleth setteth it on fire and whan he had there attēpted the castel in vain lost diuers of his mē he marcheth forward which way so euer he wēt did exceding much harm Wherfore the people of the country villages whē they saw their goodes cattel taken and driuen away come to the Senate of Maidēburge crauing their aid succor and declare how they wyll refuse no peryl nor coste herein The Senate therfore assigned them a daye wherin they shoulde be all in a redines That was the .xxi. daye of September Than went out of Maydenburg together with the husband men the citezens iointly and the soldiours of the garrysons with thre bandes of horsemen with field pieces and other furniture and reste that night two myles from the citie In the mornyng before daye lyght auauncing their campe they marche streightwaye towardes their ennemie and when they came into his syght put them selues in order of battell In the forewarde where was thought moste daunger stode the citezens and soldiours After them were placed the countrie people The Duke of Megelburge perceyuing this order sodenly tournyng about his rankes inuadeth the husbandmen a kynde of people neyther well armed nor exercised in feates of warre and that vpō suche a soden that he gaue the charge before the others coulde tourne them selues with their ordenaunce or be able to rescewe them So therfore they casting awaye their weapons fled who myght runne fastest and breaking the rankes of their fellowes make the waye open for the ennemy to get the victory The moste part of thē all what at the geuing of the charge and what after in the chase were slayne Of the citezens and soldiours were not many loste but dyuers taken The gunnes carriage and al warlyke furniture came into the handes of the ennemies In the meane season the Emperour was very instant that both decrees made at Auspurge should be obserued and maketh a greuous complaynt of the cities of Maydēburg and Breme For they only of all the cities remayned constant albeit the Bremers were not outlawed But the Princes make intercession and require that they myght haue the hearyng of the matter And whan the Emperour had cōsented they adresse their letters to eyther citie the .xxii. daye of September and cite them to appere at Auspurge the second day of Nouember and by saufe conduicte to come aunswere in their cause sendyng their Ambassadours with full power and authoritie to conclude There was a certen woman at Auspurge a citezen of the towne who seing the priest passe by who caried the hoste to a sycke man with lyght borne before him as the maner is maruelyng therat demaunded of hym why he caried that lyght at noooe dayes For so saying she was apprehended and in great daunger of her lyfe but through the great intreaty of women and finally at the intercession of the Emperours syster beyng pardoned of her lyfe was bannyshed For Mary Quene of Hungary Regent of Flaunders was come thither boeth for other matters and also for this cause chiefly that the proclamation lately set forth in Flaūders and those parties myght be mitigated For vnlesse it were so she sayde it would come to passe that Andwarpe whiche is nowe the beste frequented marte towne in the whole worlde shoulde fall in decaye and lose her former beautie Moreouer that ther was great daunger in all places of an iusurrection in case the thinge should be put in execution The Emperour very hardly acconsented at the laste and altering those thinges that concerned marchauntes straungers taketh away the name of inquisitione abhorred of all men the residue he commaundeth to take place to be obserued Whylest the letters were cōueyed to the Bremers thē of Maidēburg the Princes states inquire of the Emperour vpon what condicions he will accorde with them Wherfore he propoundeth for the Bremers these that they submit them selues vnto his power humbly craue pardō forsake al leagues make no cōfederacy wherin he his whole familie be not comprised That they obey the chāber imperial and be contributaries to the charges therof for their portion That they agre with their Archbishop if they can not to stand to the arbitrement of suche Umperes as he shal appoint That they accorde also with the whole clergie That they restore the munition taken from Duke Erricke and recompence hym for the harmes done That none within their iurisdiction serue in the warres against him That they paie vnto him an hondreth and fiftie thousand crownes and deliuer .xxiiii. pieces of ordenaunce furnished That they obeye the decree of the former cōuention and suche as shal be now decreed And to them of May denburg he imposeth in maner the same lawes This was added moreouer that they should aunswere all men to the lawe and obeye the sentence geuen That from the tyme of theyr rebellion they commence no action against any man That they Rase their fortifications and bulwarkes That they receyue into their citie hym and his Lieftenauntes at any tyme with what power someuer they brynge without any condicion That they paye two hondreth thousande crownes That the publication of theyr goodes be ratified and the Possessours thereof not disturbed The reporte of the battell of Maydenburge was immediatly sowen abroade farre and nere and within syxe dayes was brought to the Emperour at Auspurg And where as many men thought they had now bene almoste vndone beholde they publyshe a wrytynge the fyrste daye of October wherin they recite the whole matter and saye that they haue not lost aboue two hondreth of their Citezens and souldiours And they whiche appered to nede comfort do them selues confirme others For God say thei would by this meane trie our constancie And of his infinite goodnes towardes vs we doubt nothing And albeit it be his will that we shal thus wholy perish be oppressed yet can there be no euil therin For how much better were it to abide thextreme peril than forsaking the profession of the truth to reuolte to the Romish Antichrist For such as either for feare or for a certen couetousnes ambition do relent submit them selues to the coūsel of Trēt and do admit allowe that wicked decree made at Auspurge there is no doubt but that they both in this life in the life euerlasting shall suffer most greuous tourmentes except they retourne to amendemēt We know also that God hath appointed our aduersaries boundes
maintaine theyr liberty For what time the Frenche king went out of his owne pale which was aboute the eighte day of Marche sendinge vnto them letters and messagers he desired only that they would prepare him vitaile that he might passe through theyr country with his armye promisinge all benenolence And he vsed for his minister the Cardinall Lenoncurt bishop of the Citye who setforth his good will and zeale to the Senate The conestable also wrote vnto them moste frendlye but whan he came neare vnto the citye with his force he desired to be let in and obteined the next day he was master of the gates and of al the fortifications Thither came also afterwardes the kinge him selfe at the xviii day of Aprill and there remaining four daies after he had taken thothe of the Senate and people he appoynted Mounsir Gōnorie to be theyr gouernoure and commanded their armure to be deliuered and caried into one place and the Citye to be fortified likewise doth he in the Townes before named and in Loraine and sending his messagers before to Strasburge to Haganawe and other places neare and to the bishoppe of Strasburge required to be aided with Wheate and Uitaile Whan Auspurge was taken as I said and thold Senate restored which themperoure had displaced and the liberty of geuinge of voices restored also to the people the Princes contederated marched towarde Woulmes that refused theyr league Whan they came thither the xii day of Aprill they ride aboute this Citye And whan they were shot at with the greate pieces they damaunde to be satisfied for the iniuries done them with the summe of three hondreth thousande Crownes which denied they becommed their enemies But duke Moris goinge from thence wente to Lintz a towne of Austriche that he mighte vnderstande by kinge Farnando the conditions of peace For he as I said by the Emperoures consent was a meane to intreat a peace Afterwarde the Emperoure exhorted by his letters the chiefest Princes of Germanye that they woulde assaye to quenche this fire and deuise some meanes of peace the whiche he woulde not be againste And where as diuerse required his aide for that thei were able to do nothing against so great a power comforting their myndes he answereth that he hopeth wel that the treatie of peace commenced shall haue a lucky successe if not than will he neyther faile them nor the common weale Whan Woulmes had bene beseged six daies the Princes the .xix. day of Aprill remoued to Stocach a towne of Hegouia There they receiued mony in the French kinges name for thre monethes as is conuenaunted and Gamey Marchiane the Frenche pledge was deliuered For the other Nantoliet died by the waye The Princes pledges whiche they gaue to the Frenche kyng were Christopher Duke of Megelburg and Philip the Lantgraues sonne The last of Aprill the Princes retourne to Thonaw certen myles beneth Woulmes In the meane seasō Marques Albert burneth the townes and villages belonging to Woulmes and extorteth money and taketh their castell of Helfesteyne situated on a high hill and placeth therin a garrison and the towne of Gissing nere vnto it whiche is thre myles frō Woulmes with certen villages by the same he condemneth to paye .xviii. thousand crownes Whā Duke Maurice was come to Lintz he propoundeth of deliuering the Lantgraue his father in lawe of appeasing the dissention of Religion and doctrine of wel ordering the common wealth of peace to be made with the French kyng their fellowe and confederate of the outlawes to be receiued agayne into fauour Those were the Ryngrane and others before named and also Erle Hedecke whiche in fourmer yeares gaue hym selfe into the tuition of Duke Maurice as before is sayde Howheit the Emperour had appointed no rewarde against his lyfe least he should offende Duke Maurice as it is to be thought Unto these demaundes Ferdinando with whom were Maximilian his sonne and his sonne in lawe Albert Duke of Bauier and also the Emperours Ambassadours maketh aunswere Howe the Emperour is content that the Lantgraue be set at lybertie yet so that the warre maye cease immediately Touchinge Religion and the common wealth he is well pleased that the matter be determined in the next conuention of German But the Emperour is very lothe that the Frenche kyng shoulde be herein comprised Neuerthelesse Duke Maurice may knowe of him in what sorte he wyl be accorded The outlawes may also be taken to mercie in case they wyl obeye the condition offered by the Emperour Moreouer Ferdinādo requested that whan peace were once concluded Duke Maurice would helpe him in Hongary and that the soldiours should not slippe away to the Frenche kyng Wherunto whan Duke Maurice had aunswered and sayde that that he could determine nothing without the consent of his fellowes they departed so as at the .xxvi. day of May they should mete againe at Passawe whiche is a towne betwene Lintz and Regenspurge where the Ryuers of Thonawe and Oene mete Thither should come also the Princes that were intercessours and their deputies On Maydaye the Lantgraues sonne and Iohn Albert Duke of Megelburg leade the armie of Gundelfinge there lye eight whole dayes together lokyng for Duke Maurice retourne out of Austrich Whan he was come the next daye was the armie munstred at Lawginge a towne of Otto Henry the Pausgraues For they had also recouered his prouince possessed by the Emperour and had expulsed the Byshop of Auspurge out of his countrie And verely Otto the Paulsgraue ioyned hym selfe vnto their league From thence they goe towarde the Alpes And it chaunced at the same tyme that kyng Ferdinando had obteyned of them a truce whiche beginning the .xxvi. daye of May should ende the eight daye of Iune In the meane tyme Themperour leuied a power at the fote of the Alpes whiche assembled at the Towne of Rwe In this hurly burly the Byshop of Auspurge Cardinall which before was not very ryche and had nowe susteyned great losse as I sayde went to Rome that he myght obteyne of the Byshop new promotions and benefices wherwith he might fill vp those sinkes agayne After this the iudges of the chamber imperial flie away from Spiers For by the Frenche king and the Princes in their forsaide wrytinges signified plainly a displeasure ascribed to thē in a maner the blame of all their trouble The Frenche king came with his armie by the borders of Loraine to Saberne the third day of May foure myles from Strasburg a town belonging to the bishop He had before requested them of Strasburg to ayde his armie with thinges necessary For the whiche cause Ambassadours were sent vnto him to Sarburg seuen myles from Strasburg whiche should offer him a certen quantitie of wheate wyne those were Peter Sturmie Fridericke Gotesseme and Iohn Sleidane But the Conestable accompted that as nothynge whiche they offered And albeit the Ambassadours departed from hym in suche sorte as that they would aduertyse
in this same conuention so great a matter can not be finished Neuertheles they wyshe vnfainedly that the same amitie which hath bene alwayes betwene bothe nations may remayne ferme and vnuiolable That suche priuate suites as he hath with the Emperour myght be appeased they both couet chiefly and also wyll refuse no paynes and trauell therin And where as the kyng affirmeth that the Emperour deteineth diuerse thinges that ar his and signifieth plainly that he hath thinges to lay clayme to they thinke it not against reason that he shewe what thing that is For they are mynded to preferre the controuersie to the Emperour be as meanes therin And they desire very much that the kyng would accept these thinges in good part Nowe as concerning the alliaunce betwene the Germaynes FreÌ„che men I haue spoken in the eight booke And that whiche the Frenche Ambassadour speaketh here of the house of Lutcemburge thus it standeth The Erle of Lutcemburge Henry had a sonne named Henry whiche was after made Emperour the seuenth of that name he had a sonne Called Iohn whiche by mariage was made king of Boheme Who aided Philip Ualose the Frenche kyng against the kyng of Englande Edwarde the third goyng hym selfe with hym to the fielde and the battell being foughten where the Englishmen had the victory he was slayne and amonges others lefte a sonne called Charles whiche afterwarde was made Emperour the fourthe of that name father to Wenceslaus and Sigismunde whiche were after both Emperours and this Sigismunde also kyng of Hongary and Boheme the procurer of the counsell of Constance Albert of Austriche of whome he speaketh the sonne of Raffe the Emperour whan he was Emperour he obserued perfit amitie with Philip le beau kyng of Fraunce notwithstanding that the Byshop of Rome Boniface the eight did wonderfully incense him vnto warre Duke Maurice besydes the deliueraunce of his father in lawe vrged two thynges chiefly One that of suche matters as annoyed the libertie of Germany the whiche he hym selfe had recited by name kyng Ferdinando MaximiliaÌ„ his sonne and the intercessours themselues shuld nowe forthwith examine and according to the lawes and custome of Germany determine the same Another was that peace myght be graunted to Religion and that no man should he molested therfore tyl suche tyme as the whole coÌ„trouersie were fully reconciled This way did not thintercessours discoÌ„mend but themperour by his Ambassadours declareth what lacke he findeth therin thought it reason that those which had bene faithfull to him and therfore had chaunced into extreme miserie should be first recompeÌ„sed their losse After much debating what time diuerse pointes were mittigated they agreed at the length that the third day of July the Emperour shuld answer directly that the war should cease in the meane time Wherfore thintercessours wryting their letters the .xvi. day of June exhorte themperour vnto peace Whan that castel of Ereberg was taken and afterwarde Inspruck spoyled I shewed you howe the Princes retorning through thalpes about th ende of May came backe again to Fiessa And marching froÌ„ thence the .xix. day of June pitched their tentes at Eistet which is the Byshops town bordring vpon Bauier and ther the whole army longed sore for Duke Maurice coÌ„ming not without great thought carfulnes Who comming thither at the length sheweth them in what case the matter stode and the laste daye of Iune he retourneth from thence to Passaw by post horses that he might be there at the daye appointed and his fellowe Princes remouing their campe the next morning the fourth day after came to Roteburg whiche is a towne nere vnto Francony by the riuer of Duber But Marques Albert neuerthelesse pursued his enterprise and hauing driuen the citie of Norinberge to make their peace he compelled also the nobilitie and states in these parties to be at coÌ„maundement For albeit he mainteined the common cause at the first as in the writing set forth he professed to do yet was he not of the same league and whaÌ„ the siege of Ulmes was leuied he went about his priuate affaires whether it were for that he would wynne to hym selfe alone what soeuer the chaunce of warre had geuen hym or that he myslyked Duke Maurice his doinge or els moued by the Frenche kynge was bent otherwyse Notwithstanding those that he toke the faith of he commaunded to perfourme the same fidelitie also to his felowes Afterwarde inuading the prouince of the Archâ—bishop of Mentz by the Ryuer Meyne doeth exceading muche harme with burning and spoyling and demaundeth of hym a wonderfull summe of money And where diuers made intercession neither yet could thei agree vpoÌ„ the summe The Archebyshop fyrste synkynge hys great Artylarie in the Rhyne the fyrste daye of Iuly fled awaye to saue hym selfe The selfe same tyme also Marques Albert whiche lefte nothynge vnattempted wylleth the Archebyshop of Treuers to deliuer vnto him the chiefest castell of his dominion whiche is situated where the Riuers of Rhine and Mosell mete vpon an hyghe hyll naturally strong and very commodious And he sayd howe he required this of him in the FreÌ„che kynges name He after he had conferred with his counsell sent him worde that he could not accomplyshe his request herein For as muche as the Princes intercessours in the latter part of their aunswere that they made to the Frenche Ambassadour as before is mentioned sayd howe they thought it reason that the kyng should declare what he required of the Emperour The Ambassadour by the kyng aduertised whan he was with the armie besydes Eistet the .xix. daye of Iune wryteth to them agayne how the kyng hath attempted this war for none other cause doubles but to profit the whole common wealth and chiefly to restore the libertie of Germany sore opressed what tyme certen Prynces had long and muche requested hym to the same And assuredly sought no priuate gayne to him selfe therein and that may the thing it selfe beare witnes For he had taken nothyng at al in Germany where it had not bene harde for him to haue done He permitted the Princes also to warre frely as they list And albeit that in the meane tyme that he hymselfe laye styll with his armie by the Riuer of Rhine his ennemies had inuaded Fraunce yet did he not once remoue tyll he was aduertised by Duke Maurice that suche thinges myght be obteyned by peaceable meanes for the whiche this warre was attempted Whiche thing knowen he was not a litle glad whan he sawe the thinge procede after their hartes desire For his aduise and counsell was first that the Princes should not neglect so goodly an occasion as this was neither disceiue them seluws or by others be abused as they were before Moreouer for so muche as he had shewed so notable a token of his good wyl and fidelitie that the amitie of both nations might assuredly be established to thintent that he himself may afterwardes haue better
shall chaunce to leade his armie nere vnto the limites of Duke Augustus he shall go forth without harme doing That Duke Auguste shall beware that what tyme he dischargeth his armie thei go not to the Marques ennemies Finally that the league of inheritaunce whiche is betwene the house of Saxon and of Brandenburge be renewed so shortly as may be The next day whiche was the .xii. of September Marques Albert leadeth his armie out of Brunswicke And where as he chaunced vpon his ennemies not far without the citie he geueth the charge But vanquished with the nōber especially where he had none and the Duke of Brunswick had .xx. enseignes of footemen he was discomfited and put to flight albeit he left to the ennemy a bluddy victory After the battel he retourneth to Brunswick In the meane season thei were in great distresse whome Coūte Plauie and his companions had besieged at Hoffie For where the towne was both very sore battered with shot and the Marques was vanquished in battell and no rescowe came beinge dryuen through penurie and want of all thynges they render vp the towne And Counte Plauie sweareth the townes men to be true to hym and his chyldren and leaueth there in garrison one enseigne of fotemen and the great ordenaunce We haue spoken before of the Turkishe flete Unto whome ioyned them selues certen Frenche captaines setting forthe of Marseilles and in maner in these dayes take the Iland of Corsica belonging to the state of Genes a fewe townes excepted Howe the Emperour toke the castell of Hesdine by force is before said And the same he raseth as he had done Terwen before The French king in the meane season leuieth his armie about Amiens and attendeth tyll the Swysses whiche he had sent for were come Whan Hesdine was now ouerthrowen the Emperour at the ende of Auguste was in mynde to attempte Dorlans but whan the Constable heard therof by espiall he leadeth forth a great number of horsemen and some part of footemen so spedely that he set vpon them or euer thei were aware and putteth them to flight slaying and takyng many of them And what tyme the Swisses were come about the beginninge of September a ten thousande footemen the kyng went vp the water of Some on the banke wherof standeth Amias and commeth to Corbie From thence sending out certen guidons of horsemen he runneth about the Towne of Bappam as though he would besiege it But the seuenth daye of September sendyng an Herault of Armes to Cambraye he requireth to be certified what hartes the Townes men beare towardes hym that is a very large towne belongyng to the Byshop and aunciently to the Empire and in the same warre whiche the Emperour made with the Frenche king it was a neuter town indifferent to both but at this tyme it was more of the Emperous parte The king therfore sendeth them worde that he wil do nothing against cōuenauntes so that they wyl do the same and let their citie be set open for him who is protectour of thēpire be ready to serue him in all thinges as wel as they be to themperour But when that gouernour of that town had signified the matter to the Emperour he made aunswer that for so muche as the Frenchmē had with spoyling and burning distroyed al the coūtrie that he should take them for his ennemies But before this message came againe from the Emperour the kynge making roades out began to assaie the citie certē daies But wher nothing preuailed about the middes of September he rayseth his campe and pitcheth his tentes two myles from the Emperours campe whiche was than at Ualencene a towne of Henault nere vnto the riuer of Scalde Thā he approcheth nerer and certenly the thing was like to haue come to a batell but that end was this that the king for that he had approched so nere that Emperours fortifications after he had loste very many of his men retourned with his army the .xviii. day of September At his departing he distroyed all far and nere with fire The matter was after wrytten priuatly vnto frendes the Frenchemē in dede saie howe the Emperour would not fight but this the imperials deny The king retourning home dischargeth the Swisses In this same moneth are discharged the garrison of sixe enseignes of fotemen whiche had by the Emperours commaundement bene all that yeare at Auspurge as I sayd in the fourmer boke About this tyme also met at Hailbrune the Pauls graue the Archebyshop of Mentz the Duke of Bauier and the Duke of Wirtemberge From the Archebyshop of Treuers and the Duke of Cleaue came Ambassadours There was present in the name of king Ferdinando the Byshop of Passawe This sommer the rage of that plague made a great slaughter at Paris and in the meane time diuers were burnt there also for Lutheranisme The king had a darling whose husband in tyme past had bene gouernour of Normandy The same woman being a wydowe had two sonnes in lawe at the same time prisoners Duke de Anmalle and the Mareschall Marchian as before I sayed And for the raunsome of Duke de Anmalle Marques Albert demaundeth a hondreth thousande crownes but that was aboue his habilitie Wherfore the brute went that she which might do with the king what she list to that ende she might make the monie without her owne hinderaunce had obteined that the kynge should geue her their landes and goodes that were condemned for heresie For the custome of Fraunce is that the kynge taketh not only the lyfe of suche as be condemned but their goodes also What tyme therfore this praye was obtayned many they saye were brought in daunger I wyll not certenly affirme this but it commeth to passe many tymes in Fraunce and in other places that the bloude of innocent persones is not only a pleasure but also a gaigne to many Marques Albert after his ouerthrowe in battell retourneth to Brunswicke as a little before I haue sayed but where he vnderstode by espiall that the Duke would besege the citie making no longe aboade he gathered vp what horsemen he could and commaundeth them to abide his comming in Turingia and sending to his kinsfolkes and allies for ayde Whan he was holpen of them he hasteth into Turinge and the fifth daye of October vsing great expedition beyond al mens expectation came to Weymer where he was ryght gently receiued of Iohn Fridericke and there remayning two nightes that he myght refreshe his souldiours after their trauaile that laye scattered a broade in the coūtrie he marcheth towardes Franckony That tyme the Erle Plauie and his fellowes beseged a towne of his named Birnt But hearing of his comming they leuied their siege and gote them to Bamberge But he being accompanied with no great bande of horsemen goeth forthe the .xi. day of October to espie what is done at Hosie the town lately loste The soldiours of the garrison chaunced than to be some what vn warely without the
gates for their pleasure being altogether carelesse Wherfore fynding this occasion and exhorting his men to be valiaunt ryding vpon the spurre setteth vpō them quickely and putting them to flight followeth after and entring in at the gates with them whan the towns men reioysing at his sight and presence came running to him he slewe the moste parte of them He founde there great pieces of Artillerie and certen others whiche they call field pieces but without any cariage or furniture For the enemies had caried awaye all that were furnished to make the batterie at Birnte Leauing ther an enseigne of fotemē he goeth to Blasseburg his chief castell After he came awaye from Brunswick Duke Henry beseged the citie and battered it sore with shot But the Byshoppes and they of Norinberge whiche supported all that armie sendyng hym worde that he should repayre to them Duke Henry demaundeth of the citezens about foure thousande crownes Whan they refused this and the Souldiours vnlesse they were payde their wages woulde beare none enseignes they being afrayde of their owne daunger promyse to geue hym so muche Than at the lengthe leuieng the siege whan he had appoynted his Soldiours a daye whan they shoulde be payed he taketh his iourney through Turinge That knowen the Duke of Saxon Iohn Friderick for that he was not as yet made at one with him goeth him selfe his thre sonnes to Gothe leauing his wife at Weymer for that she was not very wel in health Duke Henry being now furnished to take his iourney sending vnto him letters albeit sayeth he I haue had iust cause and good occasion also in these certen yeares past to reuenge the iniuries of fourmer time done vnto me yet for so muche as you were in the Emperours custody I haue attempted nothing against either your subiectes or children but haue permitted the thing to lawe iudgement But you not contented with fourmer iniuries haue holpen now of late also with your ayde and counsel Albert of Brandenburg the disturber of Germany and my vttermoste ennemy whiche I knowe for certentie although you wrought it secretly Wherfore in case my army now shal doe any hurte to your countrie there is no cause to cōplaine therof For that beginning is of your selfe Duke Henry was determined to haue playd the vtter ennemy with Albert Uolrate Erles of Mansfeld for the last yeres war Howbeit through thintercessiō of Duke August whō they sought vpon the matter was appeased Iohn Fridericke receiuing the Duke of Brunswickes letters began to treate with him by ambassadours to mitigate his minde so that he shuld come to Weymer with two guidons of horsemen fiue enseignes of fotemen the residue of his armie be placed in the coūtrie therabout Hither came to him from the Prince Minquice his chaūcelour declaring his cōmissiō perswaded him throughly to quietnes And where before he required a great sōme of monie the same now doth he partly remit remaining there two daies without doing any hurt departeth frendly At the .xviii. day of October began a disputation at Londō by the Quenes cōmaundement of the presence of Christ in the Sacrament of the altar as they terme it The matter was reasoned six daies not without opprobrious wordes where one of the Romsh dictrine Doctor Westō that was proloqutour demeaned himselfe disorderly what was decreed of the same and what was th end of that parliament I wyll declare here after About the end of October Michael Serueto a Spaniarde was executed at Geneua He had many yeares since set forth diuerse bookes amongest other thinges of the trinitie vtterly repugnaunt to that cōmon consent of the church And whan at the length he came this yeare to Geneua the Senate being certified of him cōmaūdeth him to be aprehended and after appointeth Caluine who before had wrytten against him other ministers of that churche to haue conference with him Wherfore there was a great and a bitter disputation amongst them where as he would many tymes tell Caluine he lied very immodestly But the Senate least any thing should be done in so weightie a matter rashely asketh counsell touching the same opinions of the Doctours of Bernes Zurick Basill and Schafusians They all make aunswer that the same thinges redounde to Gods high contumelie And where he wold not only not forsake his opiniō but also with opprobrious wordes cursed speakinges defende the same he was condēned to die Whan he came to that place of execution William Farell did exhorte hym he would not call vpon Christe the eternall sonne of God And where he she wed no token of repentaūce yet did he not defend his cause vnto the people Many men ascribed the blame of his death to Caluine But he setting forth a booke reciteth his opinion and all the matter as it was declareth that heretikes may be punished with death The laste sauing one of October Iames Sturmie a man moste iuste and wittie and the very beaultie of the Nobilitie of Germany both for his excellent gyftes of mynde and notable lerning departeth out of this life at Strasburg whā he had layne sicke of a quartaine by the space of two moneths He was past thre score and thre yeares olde In these dayes Reynold Poole an Englisheman borne a Cardinal comming from Rome goeth through Germany to the Emperour And whan he was come to the frontiers of the Paulsgraues countrie receiuing newes from the Emperour who sent vnto hym Mendoza he retourneth to Dilling whiche is a towne of the Byshops of Auspurge by the water of Thonawe and there attendeth till he shal heare more from the Emperour The Duke of Brunswicke departing from Weymer the seuenth daye of Nouember came to his fellowes Campe whiche was than at Lichtefelse a Towne belongyng to Bamberge In the whiche Towne were placed the Soldiours of Marques Albert a .ix. enseignes of fotemen the selfe same that had bene a little before at Birnthe And the Counte Plauie and his Fellowes had beseged it And what tyme the great pieces of Artillerie came from Norinberge wherwith the Towne myght be battered they makyng surrendrie the tenth of Nouember yelde them selues in their ennemies hādes Who taking certen of the Captaines let goe the reste without armure or enseignes That done they go to Colembach a Towne of Marques Albertes and batter it very sore And the townesmen perceiuing that they were not able to defende it from the ennemie carie out all their goodes and houshold stuffe into the castel of Blasse burge and after setting the houses on fire flie thether them selues also Thus in fine the ennemy entreth the towne and kylling diuerse that were founde there quencheth the fire and spoyleth the reste that was lefte Afterwardes whan Coūte Plauie had taken by surrendrie the castell of Lichteberge and the townes of Biruth and Hofie and rased the walles he besegeth the castell of Blasseburge the chiefest forte that the Marques had
of May make answer at large and addressinge theyr wryting vnto all the states both confute al thinges in ordre and verify the most thinges of him and recite vpon what conditioÌ„ they gaue Monye to Duke Moris and his fellowes and declare who is the author of the warre For euen at the same time say they that the Princes intercessoures met at Hedelberge he by his vauÌ„tcurrers leuied as muche power as he possible mighte in Saxonye and that is to be proued aswell by others as also by those letters which one of his curriers William Grumpache wrote vnto him the xxix of March Than if king Ferdinando duke Moris and the dukes of BruÌ„swicke had not imploid all theyr force yea their liues and blud for theyr country he would doubtlesse haue made an horrible destruction and waste through oute all Germany He had driuen the Byshops of Franckonie to conditions most vnreasonable but that coÌ„position the Emperor made after frustrate and gaue them leaue to recouer againe theyr owne Wherfore the Bishoppe of Bamberge wan againe certaine of his Townes and gouernments longe before that he was receiued againe into the Emperors fauor and euen than at what time by reason of his high treason not onlye his landes and possessions but his life also might haue bene taken froÌ„ him lawfully Afterward by the Emperors commaundemente we made this league for the defence of oure prouinces Than was â—e reconciled to the Emperor and obteined of him the confirmationâ— the compactes made but yet vppon condition that he should be true to him and to the Empire but he all be it the Emperor permitted him no violence in the time of the siege of Metz wrote home to hys captains that they should feare the bishops and vnlesse they wold restore that they had taken to worke force and violence So they in the monthe of Ianuary followinge makinge an inuasion recouered manye thinges by force of armes Wherefore the Bishop of Bamberge admonished his fellowes to aide him according to theyr league we neuerthelesse least we should do any thing rashly by sondrye letters and intermessagers exhorted Marques Albert to peace but he answeringe contemptuouslye and opprobriously said amongs other thinges that the mo ennemies he had the more honor and praise should he win This was in the beginning of March and not long after began that treatye at Hedelberge And whan he ther refused moste ample and large conditions his kinffolkes and allies intercessors exhorting him vnto peace he went home and leuied an army we being sollicited and moued againe by the Bishoppes did than at the last professe our selues his enemies This was the last yere the first of Aprill And wheras he him self hath moued a most cruell warre after a very straunge example and such as hath not bene heard of in Germany he goeth about to charge vs with that crime But assuredly it is vntrue neither was ther euer any such like thinge complained of vnto vs. But his soldiours haue omitted no kind of cruelty and chauncing on a time to find plowmen in the field hanged them vp both the fathers and the sonnes in a manner before oure faces and haue not only inforced women a liue but haue also digged them vp whan they haue bene dead The last yere in the moneth of May a certaine gentelman of Franconie Nicholas Eglofsten was inforced to yelde vp his castell of Conrute but he did not only burne it but also fineding ther about a fortye country men and with them the minister of the church commaunded them to be haÌ„ged vp all in an Orchard adioyning to the Castel and caried away with him his wife and his mother Prisoners He wente aboute in dede to excuse this matter by letters to the Nobility of Franconie but nothing to the purpose How he also intreated his prisonners both our men and the pledges of Bamberge whiche he haled with him into Saxonie can declare and all other such as he hath deteined in prisone For bothe he demaunded of them an vnreasonable summe of mony and mooste greuously tormented them vppon the racke and also sterued them for honger and cold so that many died and the residue hauing their limmes starke deade by reason of the cold wer faine to haue them cut of and taken away And wheras certain of them had nothing either to paye their raunsome or to liue by he forbad they shoulde haue any meate geuen them And if the souldioures of the warde being vanquished with their lamentations and pitiful cry had not somtime cast them a piece of bread that was so drye and moulded with longe kepinge that no Cattell nor brute beastes vnlesse it were for extreme honger woulde haue touched they had died all for want of meate And all be it that som of them made a piece of mony by theyr frendes yet hardly could they therfore get a little straw water Wherfore certaine were staruen for honger and thurste not onlye in the terrible darknesse but also in the stench of the prison in the mids of thordure Uermen venemous beastes And whan they had thus perished the coarses wer not than drawn out nor remoued froÌ„ theÌ„ce but lefte with them that were aliue there and increased the Prison with stench But howe gently we haue intreated his Prisonners both captaines and certen centurions and euen suche as deserued worst of vs and haue rendred them selues without condition that may be knowen by their owne testimony And howe vnwilling he is to haue peace that may well appeare by the two last treaties of Roteburge as you know moste noble Princes which either wer there your selues or sente thither your ambassadoures For althoughe we susteined by him wonderfull losse and calamity and all be it he was already outlawed yet in the former conuention we made this offer That if he wold leaue his warre and demeane him selfe well from henceforth and woulde trye the matter by the law we would also lay a part oure weapons and put the matter to tharbitrement of the Princes that were intercessours or to the iudgement of themperor and states of the Empire the same offer made the Bishoppes by the aduise and consente of the ambassadours of King Ferdinando The counselloures also of the Princes intercessoures for the loue of peace added this moreouer that if the states of Franconie that be in confederacy would promise to restore him his prouince as it was than they shoulde cease warre on both sides and kepe peace from henceforth and that the Publication in that behalf should be frustrate and the whole controuersy committed to a frendly and lawfull treaty But he in a contempt and mockery called the intercessors his enemies procurers and saide he woulde not suffer him selfe to be broughte into suche distresse neither did he couet to haue this outlawry as yet reuearsed and would also put in hazard the reaste of that he had and spake many such other like things both rashly opprobriously and with threatninges to the
set before their eyes and to remember the same tyme. For bothe the wyckednes of that deuiser was detected where as euery Prynce for his parte denied the thing by open wryting and the sclaunderer afterwarde loste his head as he deserued Whiche I truste shall nowe come to passe also that euen God beyng reuenger the authours of so wycked a deuise may be disclosed For my parte I praye God to sende them a better mynde and to confounde theyr counselles that they redounde not to the distruction of the Countrie For seinge that thys is a lyke sclaunder as that furmer was it may be easely perceiued that the authours haue forged it of the selfe same mynde that the other dyd or after the imitation of hym to haue attempted this to the intente verely that they myght nowe bringe to passe that thynge whiche he than coulde not finishe But for as muche as the intente of this Sclaunderer is that he myght perswade that the Pope and the Emperoure woulde by force of armes breake that decree made for peace in Religion and that the kyng of Englande and the Byshoppes of Germany would also ayde them herein I proteste that it is wyckedly forged and inuented for this intent verely that mens myndes beyng exasperated and displeasures increased all places myght swymme full of ciuyle bloud And although I doe not doubte but that the Emperoure and other Princes to the iniurie of whom this seditiouse and famouse libelle apperteineth wyll them selues defende theyr cause yet for duty sake I can not omitte but that I must also pourge the highe Magistrate Unfaynedly all the tyme that I remained at Rome in my presence or to my knowledge ther was not one worde spoken at Rome of that same peace of Religion It is falsely therfore ascribed to the Pope as though he should applie all hys Counsell to force and violence as though he went about to perswade hereunto the Emperoure and other kynges It is falsely I saye imputed to him neither can it be proued And seing that is so it is like wyse false that is wrytten of the Emperour For since there was no cōference nor treatie betwene them for this matter howe coulde they determine vpon warre or make a compacte betwene them for the recoueryng of the ecclesiasticall iurisdiction or subduinge of Germany This defamer sayth that truce was made betwyxt the Emperour and Frenche kyng to the intent that the soldiours being of either discharged might be led to this warre What the cause of the truce was the copie of the same declareth Againe those soldiours were not reteined of any Prynce but so many as kyng Ferdinando commaunded to be taken vp and sent thē into Hongary against the Turke those also excepted whome they of Auspurge and of Norinberge and the Byshoppes of Bamberge and Wirtemberge hired least haply they should be oppressed vpon the soden This part therfore of their deuyse falleth touchyng the Pope the Emperour and of the other Byshoppes Nowe as concerning my selfe I haue verely hitherto followed the olde trewe and catholique Religion and as it becommeth a Germayne borne I treade in the footesteppes of my elders and perseuer in the same communion of the churche that I was brought vp in as also in the last counsel imperiall I declared both by my letters and counsellours In this mynde I pourpose through Gods grace to perseuer Neither am I mynded to doe any thynge that may striue with honestie or consideration of my dutie And yet neuerthelesse I couet to be at peace with all men But where it is sayde that I haue had secret conference with the Pope with the Emperour with the kyng of Englande and with other States of the Empire and and with certen priuate men about the framyng of this war Agayne that same of the Paulsgraue the Duke of Wirtemberge and the Marques of Brandenburge to be moste false neyther that it can be proued of any man Yea they that bringe vp suche tales of me whether it be done by woorde or wrytinge I saye they be sclaunderers and ennemies of the common countrie And touching Counte Palatine thus standeth the matter The maner and dignitie of my vocation requyreth that I should maynteyne the ryght of my Byshoprike and kepe the people committed to my charge in the olde and Catholique Religion And beynge aduertysed that Otto Henry Prince Electour went aboute to make certen Townes of my Byshopryke of his Religion and had placed Preachers in them I toke this doubtles in euyll parte and had cause why I should defende me by the lawes Therfore my counsellours in my absence howbeit yet by my commaundement brought the matter in to the chāber imperiall where the matter dependeth as yet so Otherwyse not so much as in worde I neuer hurte his name nor estimation muche lesse haue I attempted any thyng against his countrie But if I coulde doe any thyng that might tourne to the commoditie of hym selfe his countrie or people I would omitte nothing and I suppose that the people of his coūtrie can beare witnes of this thing for they knowe what I haue done for them in tymes paste in their great aduersitie Moreouer I haue euermore loued the house of Palatine being readye to gratifie them by what soeuer meanes I myght And the same wil is neuer a whit chaūged In semblable wyse am I affected towardes Christopher Duke of Wirtemberge a good man wyse skylfull a louer of peacei And haue euer synce the tyme we were fyrst acquaynted borne hym great good will and haue studied also to perfourme the same in dede But that eyther he or the Paulsgraue should be dryuen out of theyr countrie the same not only came neuer into my mynde but also in case I had knowen any suche matter as myght haue tended to the losse of their estimation or goodes I would both haue bene ryght hartely sory for the same and woulde haue letted it also to the vttermoste of my power that no suche thinge should haue chaunced And hitherto in dede I haue so demeaned my selfe alwayes that I suppose they haue founde nothyng so shal I also vse my selfe from henceforth that I shall geue them a more occasion so to thynke vpon this hope verely that for as muche as I haue geuen no cause to be offended they wyll beare me the lyke good wyll And howe muche I lamented the chaunce of Marques Albert he is not ignoraunt hym selfe for what haue not I assayed what haue I not proued that this discorde myght bee taken awaye and quietnes be restored to the Empire Doubtles my trauell in that thyng hath bene so muche and my industrie so great that although I regarded herein the common wealth yet came I in suspition with many that I tendered his commodities ouermuche and sought to hynder others But howe vpryghtly I handled the matter my letters wrytten to hym can shewe Seyng therfore I am of this mynde towardes thē neyther is there any duty wantyng
The Pope woulde bye Millan Philip created kynge of Spayne A league of themp the king of England against the Frenche kyng The protest ambassad to themperor Themp. viage againste the Duke of Cleaue They of Hildisseme are accused to the emperour Themperours letters to them of Collon The Popes letters to the clergie of Colion The French king fortifyeth Landersey The turkes Nauie arriueth in the prouince The Castell of Nice beseged Batchelaurs Abooke of Caluine againste the Sorbonistes A booke of the relieques of Sainctes Two Cities full of relicies Afalsereport of the Emperours deathe The Duke of Cleaue craueth pardon of themperoure CondicioÌ„ns to him imposed The daughter of Nauaris sent to the Duke of Cleaue Laundersey beseged The preachers of the gospel thrust oute of metz The sege is leuied at Nice Dissencion in Scotland The yonge Quene of Scottes affiaunced to Kynge Edwarde The king of Denmarke warreth vpoÌ„ theÌ„ perialles The duke of Cleaue renounceth the Frenche Leage The departure of the Frenchmen from LaÌ„dersey Duke moris County willyam forsaketh the Frenchking 1544. Thre eclipses of the moone A great Assemble at Spiere The causes of the turkes prosperitie The French king compared to the Turke The Protestantes oration to themperoure The Duke of Brunsewicke accuseth the Protestauntes The French ambassade to the assemble at Spier The French Herault euil receyued at Spier The ambassadors retorne by nighte The princes letters to the Pope The Popes aunswer The meane to heale the comon welth The princes letters to the Swisses The protestantes accuse the Duke of Brunswicks The tenure of his letters The Duke of Brunsewicke conteÌ„neth hys owne religion A straunge tale of the saide Duke An Image buryed in the sleâ—e of Eue. The French victory at Carignane The Duke of Sauoye accuseth the FreÌ„ch king The swysses aunswer the Princes letters Thenglishe Nauie inuadeth scotlaÌ„d The oration of the FreÌ„ch Ambassadours Holy men haue had leagues with men of a contrarye relygyon The duke of Saxon is set throughe with kynge Ferdinando The French king hateâ— of all men for the turks societie The states of thempire decree an aide against the Frenche Kynge A decree for relygion Of the chaÌ„ber Themperoures gentlenes to the Lantzgraue The duchye of Brunsewicke committed to theÌ„peroure Themperoures Iornoy into Fraunce barbarossue retourneth The deathâ— of the Duke of Lorayns The kyngs besegeth Bollogns The deathe of the Prince of Drenge Counte willyam taken prisoner Eperney brunte The feare flyghte of the Parisians Bollon rendred A peace concluded betwixte themperour and Fraunce The condicions of the peace Three moste myghty enemyes of Fraunce The Popes letters to the Emperoure The enemies of the romish church The Pope can abide no superiour Themperoure is the Popes eldest sonne Great princes swe for the Popes fauoure The creatyon of Cardinalies A counsel is called Luthers booke of the Lordes supper The clergie of Collon to the Arche Bisshop They appeale to the Pope and Emperour An Ambassade to the Kynge of Englande Peter brulie 1545. Brulie burnte at Tourney Hys examination A conuentioÌ„ of diuines at mellon The Articles of Lovayne Luther aunswereth theÌ„ of Louayne An AsseÌ„ble at wormes The ProtestaÌ„tes make aunswer The counsel of TreÌ„t vnlawefull The deuise of the popish Princes Grinian the French ambassadour The Ualdois The cruell sentence at Aygnes Iohn Myners The Cardinal of tournon Miners presidente of Aygwes He leuieth a power agaynste the Ualdois The merindolans flee into the woodes A lamentable departynge A soldioure geueth them warnynge A Captayne defendeth the women A cruell fact of Miners Cabrier yelded A terryble example of crueltye The Swisses intreate for the Ualdois A sharpe aunswer of the kynge The confession of the Ualdois doctryne The deathe of Lewes Duke of Bauier Cardinall Farnesius his coÌ„ming to wormes Themperours Ambassadour to the kyng of Poole The kinges aunswer to themperour The pope most desyrous of war A frere obseruaunte stireth TheÌ„peroure to warre Luthers boke against the Pope Luthers themes of thre gouernmentes The wylde beaste Luthers picture against the Pope Luther a prophet The ignoraÌ„ce of Grinian The deathe of Fraunces Duke of Lorayne The birth of CharlessoÌ„ns to kyng Philyp The Duke of Brunsewicke getteth monye of the FreÌ„ch kynge Themperoure taketh truce with the Turke The clergie and vniuersitie of ColloÌ„ against their Archebishop Temperourciteth the archebishop The Pope citeth the archebishop of Colon. The decre of Auspurg The frowardenes of the Duke of Brunswick The warrâ— of Fraunce England The Protestantes send Ambassadours into FrauÌ„ce and Englande The deathe of the duke of OrleauÌ„ce The armye of the Duke of bruÌ„swick The Lantzgraue goeth against him Duke Moris intreateth a peace A skirmishe betwirte the Duke the Lantzgraue The vanitie of the Duke of Brunswick A conflicte betwixte the Duke the LaÌ„tzgraue Duke HeÌ„ry and hys son yelde themselues The deathe of the Cardinall of Mentz CouÌ„te willyam deliuered The Lantzgraues letters to theÌ„peroure Themperoure to the LaÌ„tzgraue A treatie of peate beetwirt frauÌ„ce England 1546. The king of Englande warneth the Protestants of the daunger The Palsegraue ordeineth ministers in hys Churches A brute of war against the Protestantes Granuellan his aunswer to the Lantzgraue Sebastian Scherteline The Protestantes accused of conspiracie The Lantzgraues letters to Nauius The coll 〈…〉 quie of the learned meÌ„ at RegeÌ„spurg Maluenda treateth of iustification Bucers aunswer Pflugius amonges the Presidentes The colloquie dissolued Ambassadours to theÌ„peroure for the archebisshop of Collon Gonzage go uernour of Millane The Popes Legates in the counsell of Trente Preachinge Freers A bul of perdonnes The begynnyng of the counsell The oratioÌ„ of the popes Legates TheÌ„ was 〈…〉 g of Esedras and Nehemias A decree of the Sinode redde The seconde session of the Synode Luther chosen arbiter Luther is sicke Whether we shall knowe eche other in the lyfe to come Luthers last prayer The quiet departure of Luther Luthers birthe Luther sent to Rome Luthers eloquence in the Dutche tongue The inuincible constaÌ„cie of Luther The victory and conquest of the word Iohn Diaze a Spaniard Diaze goeth to Maluenda Fewe Spaniardes loue the Gospell Marquins excuseth Diaze His brother Alphonse coeth into Germany The traytorous mind of Alphonse Alphonse retourneth to Nuburge to kill his brother The murtherer killeth Diaze Cladius Senaclyus Themperours letters for a paracide TheÌ„peroure visiteth the Lantzgraue hys daughter The Lantzgraue commeth to theÌ„peroure The Lantzgraue to theperoure What counsell the Protestantes desyred Freers be disturbers of peace The boke of reformation at Collon The Archebisshop of ColloÌ„ is accoumpted vnlearned The ignorance of the people for lacke of teachyng A communication of the LaÌ„tzegraue and others Freers vile in lyfe and learnyng Diuines stubburne obstinate Themperoure ought to compell the Pope to do his dutie The ende of Scripture The beste thinges please sewest The mynde of the Pauls graue What profit hath theÌ„peroure out of Germany The Lantzgraue is arbiter beetwirte the Dukes of
certen of the chiefest in all the citie that fauour red them moste and tell them what an heuy case is chaunced at theyr house yet do they not vtter what it is but entreate them to take the paynes to come to their seruice at night When they came and the seruice was begonne he that was a lost made a great noyse Beinge demaunded what he would and who he was he signified that he could not speake than is he commaunded to aunswere to their interrogatories by signe there was an hole made where by laying to his eare he might heare and perceyue what the coniurer sayde Than was there a table at hande wherupon being asked a question he clapped beat so that he myght easely be heard beneth Wherfore he was fyrste demaunded whether he were any of them that haue bene buried there After that rekening vp their names in order whose bodies had there bene buried at the laste they come to the Mayres wyfe there by a signe made he sheweth that he is the spirite of her Than they questioned with her whether she were dampned and for what deserte or offence Whether it were for couetousnes pryde or letchery or that she did not the workes of charitie or els for this newe sprong vp heresye and Lutheranisme Furthermore what she ment by this noyse disquietnes Whether that her body being buried within holy grounde shoulde be digged vp and caried to some other place Unto all these thinges he aunswered by sygnes in like case as he was commaunded wherby he affirmed or denied any thynge in so muche as he stroke vpon the table twyse or thryse And whē he had thus sygnified that Luthers heresy was the cause of her dampnation and that her body must be taken vp the freers desyre the citezens that were present to beare witnes of such thynges as they had sene and heard set their handes to it in wryting But they taking aduisement lest they should both offende the Mayor and bring them selues in trouble refused to subscribe Notwithstāding the freers take the pyxe with the hoste as they terme it and all the reliques of sainctes and cary them to an other place and there say their Masses Which thing is acustomably done by the bishop of Romes lawe what tyme a churche is suspended and must be hallowed againe And when the byshops iudge deputed whome they call officiall heard of this he came thether to vnderstande the matter better and associatynge hym selfe with certen honest men cōmaundeth them to coniure in his presence would haue chosen certen to go vp into the Uault to se in case any spirit doth appere there But Steuen of Aras was sore againste this thinge and exhorted them instantly it might not be sayinge that the spirite ought not to be molested And albeit the official did earnestlye vrge them to coniure before hym yet coulde he not bryng thē to it In the meanetyme the Maior makynge his frendes priuie what he would doe went to the kynge and enfourmed hym of the whole matter And for as much as that freers by reason of their priuileges refused to come vnto iudgement the kyng chose certen out of the court of Parliament at Paris to examine the matter and gaue themfull authoritie The same did also Anthony Prate Chauncelour and the Cardinal that was the byshop of Romes Legate in Fraunce Wherfore hauing no exception they were caried to Paris and constrayned to make answere but they woulde confesse nothyng Yet were they kept a parte and the Nouice whiche Fumeus a Senatour had at home with him being often tymes examined woulde vtter nothyng fearyng leste he shoulde after be murthered of them for sclaundering their ordre but when the iudges had promised hym that he should escape free should come no more in the Freers handes he declareth the whole matter in ordre and brought before the others aduouched the same They albeit they were conuicted and in maner taken with the deede yet refused their iudges and bragged of their priuileges but that was in vayne for they were condempned in open iudgement that they shoulde be caried agayne to Orleaunce and put in pryson And afterwardes brought openly to the Cathedral churche and so to the place of punishment where malefactours are executed and there shoulde confesse their owne wyckednes But euen at the same time chaunceth apersecution against the Lutherians which was the cause that the same sentence albeit it was to gentle for so great an offence was not put in execution For because the name of the Lutherians was moste odiouse they feared lest the punishment of these men should not haue bene so muche thought dewe for theyr offence as done to the reproche of the ordre And what soeuer misfortune happened vnto them many iudged that the same woulde be a moste pleasaunt syght and spectacle for the Lutherians And this ordre of Franciscanes was of the common people estemed holye And what time they were caried out of Paris certen women moued with pitie followed them vnto the gate of the vniuersitie with manye teares and syghinges After they came vnto Orleaunce and were bestowed in seuerall prysons they beganne to boaste agayne of theyr liberties and pryueleges and at lengthe after longe imprysonment they were discharged and set at lybertie without any punyshement Whylest they were prysoners they wanted nothynge but hadde all thynges ministred vnto them aboundauntly especially of women Had not these persecutions and fyrynges before mentioned letted the thing the kynge had determined as in dede it was reported to plucke downe all theyr house and make it euen with the grounde But in the Romyshe kyngdome were wonte to be very many spyrites For it was beleued certenly that dead mens soules dyd walke after they were buried Wherefore they shewed that eyther they were dampned or els for a tyme were tourmented in the fyre of purgatory and woulde sollicite their nerest kynsfolkes and frendes to sucour them And moste commonly requyred them eyther to performe their vowes and pylgrimages which they had behight to some sainct in their lyfe tyme or els to cause a trentall of masses to be sayd for thē Whiche thynge increased maruelously the opinion of Purgatory and brought the masse in to highe authoritie and was to the priestes gainful aboue measure But after that Luthers doctrine was spred abroad and knowen those spirites by lytle and lytle vanyshed cleane out of syght For Luther taught by the scriptures howe the soules of dead men were at quiet rest loking for the last daye of iudgement and that suche terrible noyses and visions were styred vp by the deuyl who letteth none occasion slyppe to confirme mens myndes with idolatrie false opinions and to quenche the benefite of our sauiour Christe Whan the Lantgraue had bargayned with the Frenche kynge in the begynnyng of the spring tyme he leuied his armie And than wrytyng their letters both vnto kyng Ferdinando they declared the cause