it confirmed with letters geuen there vpon The yeare M. CC. xxxviij Whan Fridericke went agayn into Italy they of Milan rose agaynst him and many other strong cityes To Milan dyd Friderick great harme for the which cause the city es makynge an aliance wyth the byshop of Ro. con spired against Friderick the Emperour whome for this cause Gregorius the Romysh byshop doth excommunicate the third time and condemneth him for an heretike stearing also the Venecians to war vpon him Friderick with opē writynges dyd complain of the iniury done to hym and in the meane tyme dyd he also humbly require absolution of the byshop of Ro. Ther were many of the Cardynals whiche alowed not the bysh of Romes counsels But whan Frederick could by no meanes optayne pardon of Gregorius necessitye compelled Frederyck to defende hymselfe he had also his faction or diuision For at that tyme was Italy diuyded in Guelphies and Gibelines the Gibelini were for the Emperoure and the Guelphi were wyth the Byshop of Ro. Ether name beynge brought vp in Germany was translated and brought ouer into Italy For the kynred of the Guelphi had continuall hatred agaynst Fredericks bloude Whereof also they were called Guelphi as alwaye hatefull enemyes of Fredericke As for the spring of Fredericks kynred was of the Weiblings whereof they are called Guiblings which the Italians chaunginge the name do call Gibelini The bysh of Ro. constrayned by great necessitie dyd proclayme the crosse and pardon agaynst Friderick the Emperoure as though he were manyfestly vngodly and destroyer of the religion Friderick toke that very euell he besyeged Rome but drue back agayne wythout takyng it and toke the citye Rauennas The yeare of Christ M. CC. xlv Innocentius the iiij holding a councel at Lyons in Fraunce deposed Friderick of the empyre vsynge therto the Frenchmens ayde and by letters he shewed the princes Electors to choyse another Emperoure But they made Emperoure Henry the Landtgraue of Thuringen The same was slayne before the citye Vlme wyth an instrument of warre Friderick buylded a new citye in Italy whiche was called Victoria Whan he wanted syluer he caused to make a coyne of lether y ◠he mighte haue where wyth to pay his men of warre but so soone as he had gotten syluer he shulde geue them good and lawful mony for the lether coyne which thing he dyd liberally But now whā he could loke for no more ayde out of Germany and that besydes thys hys sonne Encius was taken who also dyed in the preson he was sore distressed and went into Apulia were he also dyed the yeare M. CC. l. Some wryt that he was poisonned Yee surely the moost holy fathers coulde not rest without they sawe the good prince clene rydde out of the waye The kingdome of Naples left he to hys sonne heyre Cunradus As for Italy remayned alwaye after diuyded For one part helde wyth the empyre another wyth the byshop of Rome vntyl the powers of the Venecians and of them of Mylane beganne after to growe and increase Honorius the .iij. succeded Innocentius the .iij. of whome Friderick the .ii. was crouned and after warde excommunicated Gregorius y ◠.ix. was after Honorius of whome was Friderick lykewyse accursed After Gregorius was Celestinus the .iiij. bysh of Rome After Celestinus was Innocentius the .iiij. Thesame deposed Friderick from the empyre and accursed hys sonne Cunradus Cunradus the .iiij. the xxv Germane Emperour THe yeare of Christ M. CC. l. raigned Conradus the sonne of Fridericke after hys fathers deceasse but he was excommunicated by Inocentius the .iiij. Henry the Landtgraue of Thuryngen ouercame hym by Francoforde whyle hys father Frederick was yet alyue Some wryte that thys warre was after hys fathers death by Wyllyam the Landtgraue But whan Conradus perceaued that he was destitute of the Germane princes ayde he gat him into his hereditary kyngdome Naples and there he dyed the yeare M. CC. liij The ende of the dukes of Schwaben CVnradus of whome we haue now spoken had a wyfe of the Baiers bloude of the whiche he had a sonne Conradinus who was nouryshed and brought vp in hys hereditary duchy of Schwaben and after hys fathers deceasse wolde go to Naples hys heredytary kyngdome But Clemens the bishop of Rome called Charles the Frenche kynges brother into the realme of Naples agaynst hym Conradynus for so muche as he was duke of Schwaben had a greate bende and hooste of Germanes about hym and at the begynnynge had he greate vyctoryes But at the laste were Conradinus the sonne of Conradus and Fryderyck duke of Eastenriche taken by a trayne Besydes thys were they entreated more vnsemelye than was pertaynynge and put to shame At the laste were they beheaded throughe the counsell of the Romyshe byshop O notable crueltye He must be euen as harde as a stone verely whome the examples of so great cruelty dyd not moue namelye so noble a kynge borne ofso many Emperoures to be so shamefullye put to death by Clemens the Romysh byshop without any ryghte or reason Ther are yet euen at thys houre writinges which were written at that time in the which the good prince complayneth of the iniury and rehearseth at length the whole matter orderly so that it is no doute the bishoppes of Rome haue vsed playne tiranny against Conradinus Wiliam the xxvi Germane Emperour THe yeare of Christ M. C. C. liiij was chosen Emperoure Wylyam counte of Holland It is sayde he was an honest manered prince and of notable innocency of life but he was slayn by the Friselanders the yerre 1256. Vacation of the Empyre WHan thys Wiliam was dead the empire stode with out a certayne emperoure seuentene yeares and that not wythout great destruction of the Germane nacion Thys mischaunge grewe by the cyuyl warres that were raysed in the empyre by the bysh of Ro. Now whan the debate was rysen amonge the Electors for the choyse some chose Alfonsus kyng of Spayne Emperoure because he was a very wyse man and endued with notable vertues As for thys Alfonsus is he who not only had hys pleasure in the science of Astronomye but also augmented and amēded the study thereof with many bokes wrytten Thoughe Alfonsus was admonyshed by the byshop of Rome to take vpon hym the Emperyall maiestye yet refused he it earnestly because of the vncertayn faythfulnesse and vnstable concord of the Romysh Byshops wyth the Emperours The other parte of the Electors chose Richard the king of Englandes brother and brought hym vntyll Basyll but he was not accepted of the Empyre Alexander the .iiij. succeded after Innocentius At thys time lyued Albertus the greate and Thomas Aquinas Vrbanus the .iiij. was after Alexander Clemens the .iiij. succeded Vrbanus Thyssame caused Conradynus Conradus sonne to be beheaded Whan Clemens was deade was the see voyde two yeares through the dissension of choysynge a Byshop at the last was Gregorius the .x. chosen
that he hath the full power and aucthoritie to make and depose not onely kynges but also all Emperoures at hys pleasure By thys it maye be gathered easely that the Romyshe byshop vsed so greate hatred agaynste the Emperoure for no very weyghty cause There were also about that tyme some learned men whiche openly blamed the Romyshe byshops writynges amonges these was Occam one ▪ the princes of Germany euery one as wel ecclesiasticall as of the nobilitie helde with the Emperour at the last were some compelled by the byshop of Rome to fall back and also to choyse another Emperoure Lewis had very greate vproures in Italy Galeacius of Milan and the counsayll of Rome longed for Lewis commyng into Italy Wherfore he went thether with the Emperesse which also was delyuered of a chylde at Rome that was called Lewis the Romane and was afterwarde by the Emperoure made marques of Brandenborowe At Milan was Lewis crowned of the bysh there and at Rome of the Cardinall de Columna He made also Peter of Corbaria byshop of Rome who was not longe after caried bounde to Auinion in Fraunce to Iohannes the .xxii. who cast hym into pryson wherein he dyed But whyle allthys was adoynge Lewis by no requestes coulde optayne to be released of the excōmunicacion by the byshop of Rome But forsoeth the Romysh byshop brought that to passe wyth his busy laboure at length that in an assembly or daye holden at Lucelburg the byshops of Mentz Trier and Colen the kyng of Bohemy and duke of Saxon dyd choyse another Emperour There was chosen Charles the fourth erle prouincial of Morauia the sonne of the kyng of Bohemy The same was then confirmed by Clemens the .vi. byshop of Ro. But for as muche as the cities of Aken and Colen would not knowe hym for an Emperoure he was crowned at Bon. Of Nicolaus Augustus that is Nicolas the noble that was at Rome ABout this tyme happened at Rome an example of a notable folye There was at Rome one Nicolas a towne clarke or recorder of Rome of suche power and aucthoritie that one would haue sayde he had the rule of the whole citie for at that tyme were the Romysh Byshoppes yet in Fraunce This Nicolas called hymself Tribunus Augustus that is the noble hygh officer and with open scriptures wytnessed that Rome is yet the true heade of the empyre and therfore by y e citie of Romes aucthoritie had he the hyghest power to handle maters of the empyre And by reason of this aucthoritie called he Lewis and Charles to appeare before hym and to cōmitte their matter to his arbitremēt or iudgement Lyke folyshnesse vsed he oft agaynst other cities and kynges y e space of two yeares At the last this pore Augustus being driuē out by the byshop of Romes partie fled to Charles the fourth But Charles sent the rash man to the byshop of Rome at Auiniō of whom he was kept in pryson The yeare of Christ M. cccxlv died Lewis the Bayer And then came Charles with a great hoost out of Bohemy to Regenspurg where he was knowen for an Emperoure From thence was he also receaued at Norenberg for Charles made thē beleue he had gotten a fauourable absolution of the bishop of Rome to put out the great offences wherwith they had offended in that they were adherent to Lewis When they of Basyl sent out their Burgemaisters to Charles that he in the name of the citie should aske absolution he answered he thought they had not done amisse in that they had Lewis for an Emperoure nether thought he that Lewis was an heritike yet in the meane tyme if they could be absolued of their trespasses he wold be content And thus were they absolued The yeare of Christ M. cccxlviij when Lewis was now deade there rose yet a greater discorde the byshop of Mentz the counte Palatine the marques of Brādenburg and the duke of Saxony his sonne that hath chosen Charles Emperoure assembled and refusyng the election of Charles they chose Edward the third kyng Englande to take vpon hym the maiestie Emperiall but he refused it as a thyng ful of cumbraunce After that chose they Frederick Erle prouinciall of Misen But he also forsoke that title of the empyre for he would not fyght and warre with his neyghbours the Bohemies to vndoe his countrey Guntherus Erle of Swartzburg is chosen Emperoure THe yeare of Christe M. cccl. was chosen Emperoure at Franckforde Gunterus Erle of Schwatzburg yet not with consent of all the Electors Thesame accepted the gouernaunce of the empyre and garnyshed with all defence to retayne the empyre he was armed ynough againste the force of Charles who then abode at Mentz But shortly after died Gunterus at Frāckforde sodenly poysoned Wherefore Charles was Emperoure alone He came to Franckforde and was receiued for an Emperoure After Clemens the .v. became Iohannes the xxii byshop of Rome who without a iuste cause dyd excommunicate the good Emperoure Lewis Benedictus the .xi. was made byshop of Rome after Iohannes The same neuer alowed the action of Iohannes against the Emperoure Lewis and when he was made byshop of Rome he had frely absolued hym had not the kynges of Fraunce and Naples with their threatenynges withstande hym When in the relacion the orators or embassadors of the kinges alledged that Lewis had enterprysed many haynous thynges against the byshop of Rome Benedictus answered yea we haue done against hym He liued not long in the byshopricke therefore dyd al the causes hang vndispatched Clemens the .vi. was made byshop after Benedictus The same renewined the thonder boltes cast against Lewis and persued hym moste fearcely though in the counsayll of Vienne in Fraunce were treated in the meane tyme of the condicions of peace and that Lewis declared hymselfe humble This Clemens bought the citie Auenion of Ioanna quene of Sicily and so hath the byshop of Ro. aucthoritie vpon this citie Moreouer at this tyme went about here therin in Germany and Fraunce a great nomber of men whiche did beate themselues with roddes Many of them came to Spire when the day or parliamēt was holden there pretending great holynesse For their holinesse sake were they bidden to the meales of the citesens And as the deceate of the erroure dyd not differ from the Anabaptistes supersticious opinion euen so was that secte no lesse daūgerous in those daies But at the last it was condemned Innocentius the .vi. succeded Clemens In his tyme was Charles the .iiij. crowned at Rome Charles the .iiij. the .xxxij. Germane Emperoure THe yere of Christ M. cccl. began Charles y ◠iiij to raigne after y e death of Guntherus of Schwartzburg He was a prince of y e bloud of Lucelburg the sonne of Ihon kyng of Bohemy for Iohn was y e sonne of Henry of Lucelburg Frō this yere of M. cccl. reigned Charles xxvii◠yeres The yeare M. ccclv went Charles downe into Italy
the callynge a general councell Wherefore by the consent of the byshop of Ro. Ioannes the Emperoure and also the kynges of Fraunce Spayne and England was the councell of Constance begonne the yeare M. C C C C. xiiii to the whiche came Ioannes the Byshop of Rome hymselfe The Emperoure Sigismundus came to Constance before Christmasse and at masse songe he the gospell as Deacon Ther went oute a commaundemente from Augustus the Emperoure c. Afterwarde was ther treated of Ihon Husse and hys doctryne beyng condemneth he was burneth wyth Hieronimus of Praga After that treated they to a peace the diuisyon and deposyng the byshoppes of Rome Ioannes the .xxiij. Gregorius and Benedictus was chosen in the see Othode Columna who was called Martynus the fyfte But whan it repented Ioannes the .xxiii. that he had consented frelye to the renouncynge of the Byshoprycke of Rome he wente aboute to flye pryuelye wyth the ayde of Frederyck duke of Eastenryche But in the flyghte Ioannes was had backe agayne by the Emperoures men And the duke of Eastenryche was bannyshed by the Emperoure and some of hys townes taken in hys duchye At the last was the debate layed downe of thys wyse It was coūselled Frederyck that he frely yeldyng to the Emperoure all hys landes shulde humblye requyre forgeuenesse of hys offence Wherefore by the Emperoures gentlenesse and fauoure he was restored in the duchy of Eastenryche But Ioannes the byshoppe of Rome was delyuered to the counte Palatyne to be kepte Thesame caried him int y e castel Māheym not farre frō the citye Heidelberg there was he kepte the space of thre yeare After y t was he receaued to grace by Martinus the Romish bish and made a Cardinal Whan of this wise that hurteful diuision that was betwene the bishops of Rome was anoyded peace and reste was restored to the churche and that by the endeuoure and procurement of Sigismundus the Emperoure who therefore deserued greate prayses The residue that were done in that assemble or councel is no nede to rehearse for whole bokes are wrytten thereof Of the prouincial erles of the marqueship of Brandenburg THe yeare of Christ M. C C C C. xvii the fyrste sondaye after Easter dyd Sigysmundus the Emperour in the councell geue to the mooste prayse worthy prince Fridericke Burgraue of Norinberg the ryghte of Imperyall election and the prouincyall marqueshyp of Branbenburge and that for hys excellent vertues and greate truste that he had shewed in dispatchinge great causes of the empyre But truely it were long to rechearse here how noble princes haue ben both before thys dignitye was gotten also afterward in this progeny of Burgraues yee and before hath oft ben made mēcion of them But after that they were made Electors they were diligente euer in treatynge the greateste and mooste weightyest matters of the empyre for the whyche thynges sake shalbe oft made mēcion of thē hereafter Wherfore in the histories of our time is Albertus the Marques praised before al other who for his vertues sake is surnamed y ◠germane Achilles It is also not vnknowen in oure dayes y ◠Marques Ioachim of Brandenburg Elector my moost gentle lorde and his brother Albert Cardinal and Elector Archebyshoppe of Mentz and Magdenburge c. are garnyshed with hygh wysedome and all princely vertues and that therfore theyr counsel ayde is requyred before other in hyghe and harde matters not only concernynge the empyre but also to y ◠whole Christiantie Nother cā it other wyse be in gouernaunces and dominions y ◠whych so longe as they haue theyr beynge must be deserued and maynteyned by the wysedome of men of greate authoritye whiche thynge the Wysedome her selfe wytnesseth in holye scriptures sayenge By me kynges do raygne Whan the councell was broke vp many settyng forth were appoynted agaynst the seditions and euell disposed men whiche spoyled and robbed both churches monasteryes after Ihon Husses death Theyr captayn was called zyscha Greate manslaughter was of both sydes of the Bohemes and Germanes which went against them yet was not that brunt of vproure so quenched Sigismundus as we sayd before had prepared brought vntill Adrianopolis a verye greate army of Germanes Frenchmē Italians Hungarians against y ◠Turkes In this setting forth were most greatest princes y ◠Emperour Sigismundus Philippe duke of Burgundion But by reason the Frenchemen stroue sayenge they must haue the foreward in the army y ◠orders were broken not without an incredible losse of Christen men for theyr enemyes vanquyshed them and the duke of Burgundy was taken Sigismundus the Emperour fled to Constan tinople After longe season after was the duke of Burgundy delyuered A mery story is recited of Sigismundus He had a seruaunt y ◠was many yeares familiar wyth him whom he had not greatly rewarded though in the meane season he was a liberal free prince which thing Leonardus Aretinus also doth write who sawe Sigisinūdus the Emperour had done many messages to him on the bysh of Ro. behalfe It fortuned that whā he was ridden into a water hys horse dyd stalle Whyche thinge whan the seruaunt that went strayght before the Emperoure did see he sayd in sporte The horse was of lyke nature that hys lorde was The Emperour hearyng it by chaunce maruayled commaunded to shewe him what he saide The seruaunt aunswered The horse pourech out water into the ryuer where as is water ynough alredy Euen so is the Emperour lyberall to those whych haue ryches plenty nede them not greatly Sigismundus the Emperoure perceaued that he was aduisedly touched or taunted that he had not rewarded hys olde seruaunt with some peculyar or greate rewarde and sayd He neuer wanted the wyll to recompense but that princes gyftes are not properlye theyrs that deserue them but theyrs that they are appoynted by Goddes prouydence and dysposycyon The same sayde he that he woulde proue wyth the dede so soone as he shulde be at leasure and reste Afterwarde whan the Emperour had gotten leasure he caused to make two boxes of one bygnesse and fashion In the one he put golde in the other leade of lyke weyght and callyng the seruaunt he bad hym take one of the boxes The seruaunt being abashed weyed now the one boxe than the other douting y ◠whiche he myghte rather take at the laste he toke y ◠boxe wherein the leade was Which whan he had opened the Emperour sayde It may be sene openly that hys wyli was not in the faute why he was not rewarded hetherto but hys misfortune This dede wythnesseth verely that the Emperoure dyd wysely consyder that the fortunable prosperity of thynges commeth of God Sigismūdus the Emperour had no heyre mankynne he gaue hys only doughter to Albert duke of Eastenryche who became kyng of Hungary and Bohemy by that meanes The yere M. CCCC xxxiiii whyle Sigismundus was yet alyue began the councel of Basil For
is much elder it is supposed that the same was also founde in Germany by a frear the yeare M. ccc lxxx Maxi milianus the .xxxviii. Germane Emperoure THe yeare of Christe M. ccccxciiii began Maximilianus hys raygne when his father was deade with whome he gouerned the empyre his lyfe tyme .viii. yeres But after hys fathers deceasse raygned he .xxv. yeares Though the begynnynges of the empyre were lowe and weake yet at the last turned they to hygh auauncement and encrease of the Germane kyngdome In the begynnynge of Maximilanus raygne brought Charles wyth the crooked backe an army into Italy and toke Naples But a yeare after when he was returned into Fraunce gat FerdinaÌ„dus the yonger Naples agayne with ayde of Maximilian dryuynge the Frenchemen out of Italy whiche the Frenche kynge had left at Naples for a garryson Maximilian had many and great battails First in low Germany Flaunders and Brabant in the whiche it is sayd he dyd many noble actes with his owne hande where of I haue herde some but I know not the very truth thereof And would God there would once come one that is sure of such thynges who would writh all those histories in a coÌ„plet boke to the prayse of so greate a prince and myght auaunce worthely before the worlde the puyssaunce and vertues of so doughty an Emperoure I myselfe haue herde of Pyrcamer of Norenberg that Maximiliane hymselfe had written some of his dedes for certayne yeares For he sayde He sayled from Lynda to Constance with Maximilian the Emperoure and when Maximilian was nowe at leasure in saylyng he called his Scribe to hym and rehersed to hym in Latine hys dedes of one yeare in a moste feate order with the declaracion of all the circunstaunces and occasions But when Pyrcamer thought the Scribe should note some secrete thynge and therefore would auoyde the Emperoure coÌ„maunded hym to remayne and lysten Yea and at euening he toke it to Pyrcamer that he had rehersed to rede and asked whether that souldiours Latine dyd lyke hym and should haue sayde moreouer He were mynded to comprehende those thynges so brefely and clerely that afterwarde learned men might declare them so muche the more diligently by their causes and circumstaunces And Pyrcamer sayde that no Germane history writer had vsed so pure a stile as was that of Maximilian And that after maximilianus death he had asked after this writynge but he coulde not obteine it But let this suffyse to be spoken of low Germany The yeare M. ccccxcv was in the parliament holden at Worms of the earldome of Wirtenberg made a duchy and erle Ebrarde was made the fyrst duke The yeare Mccccxcix toke the Switzers warr against their neyghbours them of Eastenrich the whiche to rescue Maximiliane came haystely out of Gelderlande where at that tyme he had to do al so Wherefore hauing many skyrmyshes of both sydes it is certayn that .xx. thousand meÌ„ were slayn at the last was an agrement made The yeare MDi. were euery where figures of crosses sene vpon mens garmentes But suche lyke was oft happened before also The yeare MDiiij was the warre of Baierlande wherein the Emperoure Maximilianus defended the princes of Baier agaynst Philip count Palatine of the Rene and duke Ruperte sonne to Philippe the Palatine For the same maryeng the daughter of George duke of Baier woulde haue Landshut and thatsame parte of Baier to be geueÌ„ ouer to hym by a tytle of inheritaunce But Rupertus dyed with his spouse whyle this warre was in hand the count Palatine was put besyde a great parte of his lordeshyppe by the Emperoures men and them of Wirtenberg Yea and a great army of the Bohemyes that came to helpe the count Palatine were ouerthrowen of the Emperoure At the last neuerthelesse Maximilian vsyng no lesse wysdoÌ„ than fauoure toke the count Palatine to mercy lest any perturbacion myght be raysed in the ryght of the election in the empyre that long sence was alowed and approued The yeare MDv. besyeged the army of the Emperoure the duke of Gelders in the citie Arnheym and constrayned hym to yelde hymselfe The yeare MDvi. died Philippe sonne to Maximilian kyng of Spayne and duke of bourgundy beyng of age .xxviii. yeares The yeare MDvii beganne Maximiliane the warre againste the Venecians no lesse greate then durable in the whiche befell both many bloudy battails and wonderfull mutacions Lewis kynge of Fraunce was first with the Venecians afterwarde fell he from them to the Emperour Contrary wyse the byshop of Rome Iulius was first of the Emperoures syde afterwarde toke he parte with the Venecians The Venecians lost in this warretheir best cities Verona Pauy Teruas other many Howbeit when the Romysh byshop deciuered and fell to the Venecians the Frenche kyng began to warre vpon hym also seyng he had yet the Emperours souldiours in Italy Now feared the Emperoure lest if he had the victory he shuld fall into Naples also and do also some euell at Rome to the empyres destruction Wherfore he sent the Cardinall Matheus Langius bishop of Saltzburg one of his counsaill to Iulius the byshop of Ro. to demaunde peace before the Ro. byshop and the Frenche kyng had foughten a felde Iulius for asmuch as he was very well appoynted with the ayde of Spaniardes and Italians he thought to be sure of the victory therfore refused he the peace The battail was vpoÌ„ Easter daie the yeare MDxii by Rauennas The byshop of Romes host lay vnder there were slain in that battaill syxtene thousand Nether is there red of a more greuous felde to haue ben about this tyme wherein men haue fought so fearcely But after this victory lost dyd Iulius frely demauÌ„de peace Howbeit lest the French kyng enterprisedought farther in Italy dyd Maximilian and the bysh of Rome set the kyng of Englande Germany and the Switzers against hym and of this wyse was the Frenche kyng at the last constrained to leaue Italy The Venecians were afterwarde reconciled to to the Emperoure also The yere MDxix dyed Maximilian the Emperoure and thatsame yere the princes Electors Albert Cardinall byshop of Mentz Herman byshop of Colen erle of Wida Richarde byshop of Trierlorde of Grieffenklau the deputie of Lewis kyng of Bohemy Lewis couÌ„t Palatine of the Rene. Frederick duke of Saxony Ioachim marques of Brandenburg did chose lawfull and with great wisdom at FraÌ„ckford Charles duke of EasteÌ„ ryche and Bourgundy and kyng of Spayne the xxviii daye of Iune Pius the iij. was bysh of Ro. after alexander the vi The same died shortely after Iulius the .ij. succeded Pius Against him wrote Bernardinê° the Cardinal in the tyme of the Venecian warre of kepyng a counsail The matter shuld haue geuen an occasion of a diuision had not Maximilian preuented it by his syngulare wisedome Leo the .x. sonne to Laurence Medices was made byshop of Rome after Iulius In the tyme of this Leo
ease allthough by the reason of theyr foolyshe Phantasyes and hardened hartes they coulde not nor yet woulde not perceyue it vntyll they were vtterlye destroyed For notwythstandyng that the sayed syege pressed them and an horrible and importunate famine as was mencioned before in the last yeare reygned among them Yet were they by the comfortable persuasyons of theyr false Prophetes so hardened that they mynded nothynge lesse then to yelde by the Towne and saue theyr lyues notwythstandynge that thereunto they were often tymes requyred wyth lyberall and gracyous promyses But contrary wyse they defended themselues the longer the fearcer and shot out of the Towne with ordinaunce as though the deuell had bene among them to the great auoyaunce of their aduersaries in so muche that not a fewe valiaunt warriours in the Campe were slayne with their ordinaunce And to declare the madnes of the said Anabaptistes I haue thought it mete not to omitte a folysh acte done by a certayne woman among them Forasmuche therfore as they within the towne had this opinion of the saied towne of Mynster that it was that new Ierusalem mencioned in the Apocalipse thorough the whiche all the heathen should be destroied so that the christians should reigne in peace a thousand yeres whiche sayeng although they must be vnderstande spiritually were they expounded by them carnally the said folysh woman would counterfette the acte of Iudith which slewe holofernes and deliuered her Citie Wherefore she made her boaste that if she myght be costely arayed and decked she woulde go furth if she were permitted into the hooste of her aduersaries and easely ouercome the byshop Whyle nowe the kyng the other in the town were so foolysh and made not only to beleue her but also to further her in the said affayres trustyng that their deliueraunce was at hand she went out and behaued her selfe in all pointes as though she had bene escaped and fled out of the citie But her dissimulacion beyng espied perceyued she was taken and brought before the Byshop and after her confession rewarded wit death accordyng to her deseruyng For asmuche nowe as the saied craft and practise bad no good successe the Anabaptistes within the citie ought to haue consydered that there was no fortune in their doyng seyng they were yet oppressed to the vttermost But they dyd herein resemble the Iewes in their last destructiōat Ierusalem for the more God plaged them with famine and dissention among them selues the more hard harted and stifnecked they were vntill at the last one escaped priuely out of the saied citie and brought in certaine of the byshops souldiours at the gate called the holy crosse gate which souldiours after they had slain the watchemen opened the gate and so made away into the citie for the other Thus was the citie of Mynster taken in again and deliuered from the powere of the Anabaptistes at the feast of S. Iohn the baptiste in the night And the next day folowing whatsoeuer would make any resistaūce being slayn with the sworde the kyng with his chief counsayllours craftyng and knipperdulling were taken prisoners These three were aftewarders for the space of certayne monethes caryed about in the countrey from place to place for a spectacle and example to all men And at the last on S. Vincentes day in the yere of our lorde MDxxxvi they were put to death with fyry tonges and their dead bodies hanged vp in yron baskettes or grates out of the steple of S. Lamberts Churche within the saied citie of Mynster the kyng in the middes somewhat hyer then his said two coūsailers for a perpetual memoriall and warning to all commocioner raysers of tumulte rebelles against y e lauful magistrates ordeined of God Thus toke this kyngdom of the Anaba pristes a shameful ende according to their desertes In Denmarke raged the duke of Oldenborough with the capitaines of Lubeke as he had begonne the yere before but the moste part of the germayne counsayll chose Christiane Duke of Holston to be kyng in Denmarke desyring hym to assiste them against the saied duke of Oldenborough and them of Lubeke While nowe the said request was easy to be graunted and the said duke of Holston had taken Iudland in possession all ready whiche is no small porcion of the kyngdome of Denmarke abutting vpon the lande of Holstone he passed with his army into the Ile of Funa ▪ otherwyse called Fion and ouercame the citie of Asnites But when the duke of Oldēborough with them of Lubeke assaulted him with an hoost of men well appointed both on horsebacke and on foote the said Christian obtayned the victory so that the duke of Oldēborough lost much people where among other was slayne Iohn count of Hoya and an Erle of Teckelburgh in Westphale and euen the same daye whiche was the .xi. daye of Iune they of Holstone toke from them of Lubeke an Armada of shippes and put the men of Lubeke whiche they founde in the same in captiuitie In somuche that the said Christiane had the ouerhande on euery syde whiche was vnto him a witnes from God that he should be kyng in Denmarke In Hungary and Austrich were diuers louedayes kept betwene Ferdinando and Iohn Weyda kinges of Hungary and the Turkes imbassadour to wete if Hūgary might be brought to apeaceable estate neuer theles there was nothing concluded that was notable and profitable Also in this yere 1535. there was a mariage cōcluded betwen y e king of Poles the king of Boheme For Sigismonde kyng of Poles maried Sigismūde his sonne to Elisabeth the daughter of Ferdinando kyng of Bohemy whiche in the yere of oure Lorde MDxliij folowyng was celebrated with great solempnitie as shalbe mentioned hereafter in place conuenient In the moneth of Nouember the second day the duke of Mylan departed out of this world And immediatly after Frauncis the Frenche kyng prepared hym selfe with all his power to recouer the dukedome of Mylan and entred into the land of Sauoy whereof ensued great warres the yere next folowyng in those quarters Frederike Duke of Baier Palatine by the Rene now electour imperiall toke to wyfe the right excellent princesses Dorothee daughter to Christierne late kyng of Denmarke whiche he had begotten of Izabel syster to Charles themperour the solempnitie whereof was kept at Bruxelles in Brabant In England in the moneth of Iune the byshop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More which had bene lorde chauncellour of Englande and in great aucthoritie vnder the kyng was beheaded for denieng the kyng to be supreme heade of the churche of Englande And in this yeare were there thre monkes of the Charter house executed in Englande for the same offence In the partes of Shlesy about and within the the towne of Olse arose the same yeare on Sainct Gyles day an horrible tempest in suche sorte that the bookes whiche were newely prynted were taken out of the Iewes houses
departed homeward to his owne syr Ierome Bomegardener a learned maÌ„ y â— feared god being sent to the said couÌ„sail froÌ„ the towne of NurreÌ„ myght haue ouercome subdued all Fraunce with out any notable losse of his men For the warriours of the Frenche kyng were become so faintharted y t they durst in no place resist their enemies To the which act themperour might haue ben greatly aduaunced by the meanes that the kyng of Englande saye also in Fraunce with a great power Howbeit through great intreataunce mediation of y e chiefe lordes of the parliamen at Paris the duke of Orleans the kinges sonne who did specially fauoure y e Emperour the matter was brought to a staye but on what coÌ„dicion I haue no certaintie of knowledge as yet for somuch as some say one thing some another Wherfore I wil rather write nothing theÌ„ I shuld therof affirme any thing vncertaine In this yere chaunced foure horrible Eclpses or darkenings The first of the Moone the .x. daye of Ianuary about .vi. of the clock in y e morning which lasted .iii. houres .xxviii. minutes the Moone was hidden .xii. pointes .xlvi. minutes The second of the SuÌ„ne the .xxiiii. day of Ianuary about ix of the clock before noone lasting .ii. houres .vi. minutes â–ª the SuÌ„ne was darkened about .xi. pointes .xvii. minutes when this darkenes was at the hiest it was so darke euerywhere as it is coÌ„monly at night wheÌ„ the Sunne is newely set insomuch that all fowles cattaile whiche were mery before became still sad as though they had mourned had compassion with the Sunne being darkened The third Eclipse was of the Moone the .xiiii. day of Iuly about half an houre after eight whiche lasted .iii. houres .xlii. minutes the Moone was darkened â–ª xvii â–ª pointes and .xxv. minutes The fourth was of the Moone the .xxix. day of december in the morning about half an houre befor seuen lasted .iii. houres .xxxvi. minutes the mone being depriued of her light by the shadowe of y e earth about .xiiii. pointes and .xviii. minutes But what effecte and operation the sayde Eclipses and darkenynges brought with them maye euery wyse man partely perceyue by the contentes of the Story of the yere next folowyng and partely by the dayly discourse and exercyse bothe of magistrates and of subiectes For without special alteration of earthely creatures suche constellacions are not wont to passe as experience doth sufficiently teache and declare This yere henry the eight king of England sent an armye into Scotlande in the moneth of May whiche landed at Lyth in Scotlande and so went burnyng and destroyeng the countrey about sparyng nether castel towne pyle nor vyllage vntyll they had ouerthrowen and destroyed many of theÌ„ as the borough and towne of Edenborough with the Abbey called Holy Rodehouse and the kynges Palice adioyned to the same The towne of Lyth also with the hauen and peyre The castell and vyllage of Cragmyller the Abbay of Newbottell and parte of Muskelborowe towne the Chappel of our lady of Lawret. Preston towne and the castell Harintowne wyth the Freres and Nunery and castell of Oliuer Sancklers the towne of Dunbar Laurestone wyth the Graunge with many other townes castels vyllages and pyles Also this yere thesayd kynges maiestie prepared an army into Fraunce thither he went his owne person beseged the stroÌ„g towne of Bullen in Fraunce and there wanne the watch toure otherwyse called the olde man the .xxviij. day of Iuly And the .xxix. day of the same moneth Basse Bullyn was wonne the .xiij. day of September the towne of hygh Bullyn was victoriously coÌ„quered by the said kyng of England whiche after the entreaty humble peticion made of the French men gaue them licence to take bag bagage with them so departe the .xiiij. day of SepteÌ„ber at .iii. of the clocke at after none y e towne gate was opened the people began to come out they helde on vntill .vij. of the clocke at night And there were in nombre of men women children iiiâ— M. of them .xv. C. able meÌ„ of warre they had with them as muche as they could cary both men women children that was able to beare any thing and their horses kine were loded with as much stuffe as they could beare away And they had .lxxv. wagens laden with them IN the yere of our lord 1545. was another couÌ„cell kept at Wormes where many thinges were discussed entreated as the breakyng vp of the same publyshed maketh mencion There was also coÌ„cluded as touching matters of religion that a coÌ„munication disputacion shuld be kept at Rainsburgh the next yere whereunto y e estates of the Gospel or Euangelical princes shoulde appointe viiâ— learned men on their partie and likewise the Papistes eyght men on theyr syde whose mutuall agreementes and conclusyons shoulde bee propounded and declared vnto the Emperoure That afterwarde he might coÌ„sulte vpon suche thinges as shuld seme to make for an vnitie concorde Whyle these and suche other matters were debated and determined at Wormes in the presence of the Emperoure and the kyng of the Romaines the ryght high and myghty Prince and lorde Frederike Palatine and Electour Imperiall by the Rene coÌ„sideryng pondring the necessitie of his princely graces poore subiectes wherein they lay miserably captiuated and clogged vnder the yoke of that wicked and detestable Papacy and how many soules might be lost and brought to dampnacion or euer such vnitie as should be made at Raynsburgh could be brought to passe And also howe many consultacions and disputacions had bene kept before this tyme wherein alwaies the papisticall secte had bene conuinced and ouercome â–ª and yet neuertheles had alwayes persisted in their Idolatry and defended it the longer the more violently whereby it myght be easely perceiued and concluded what hope of amendement or agreement there was to be loked for He determined and coÌ„cluded with hymselfe furth with to forsake all popysh abhomination and not to tarye the yssue or ende of the sayde conuocacion and disputacion but in asmuche as thorough the grace and mercy of God he had obtained knowledge of the truthe and lyght of the Gospell to canse the same without delay to be ministred and declared to his poore subiectes Wherefore he ordeyned and constituted in all his iurisdictions that the Popish abhominacion should be put downe and that in stede of the same the Gospell of Christ should be frely preached that his pore coÌ„mons might be taught and brought into the right and true way of saluacion Our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christe preserâ—e hym and all the fauourers of his worde to procede and go forwarde in the settyng furth of hys wyll to the glory of his blessed name Amen This yere also died the doughter of kyng Ferdinando whiche was maried to Sigismunde the younge king of Pooles
whiche was no small grefe to the kyng her father But of what death she dyed I could neuer heare no certayntie as yet only this is manifest that she was not very well entertayned of the kyng her husbande although it was a synguler grefe to the olde kyng his father When the Emperour the conuocation at Wormes beyng expired came downe into the lower partes of Duchlande he proued the good byshop of Collyn diuers maner of wayes yf he myght by any meanes haue caused hym to forsake and renouÌ„ce the Gospell and haue brought hym agayn to the obedience of the Pope But the good christeÌ„ father remained vnmouable hitherto as a rock surely couched vpon Christ the true fundacion God preserue hym to the ende vouch saue also to illuminate the Emperours maiestie that he may knowe the truth and be deliuered from the snares of Antichrist After this themperour toke in hand to make peace betwene the kyng of Englande and the Frenche kyng For the king of Englande lay yet strongly in campe against the Frenche kyng but to what effect the said matter was brought shall appeare in tyme conuenient In the meane season Henry of Brunswike which before thre yeres had bene expelled out of the land gathered an hoste of men as preuely as he coulde And when he had assembled a competent nombre of men in the bishopriche of Werden he marched with xv C. horses or more and .viij. M. LauÌ„ceknightes towardes Rottenburgh into the byshoprike of Breme trustyng there to obtaine the byshoppes greate ordinaunce But when they of the citie of Breme had knowledge of his coÌ„ming they sent a certayne noÌ„bre of souldiours for the defence of RotteÌ„burgh which hindred the duke of bruÌ„swike of his purpose When he perceiued that his enterprise toke no better successe he went with all his power into the laÌ„d of LuneÌ„bourgh where he dyd sore endamage the poore people and so proceded to recouer his lande from whence he was expelled First he recouered Stonebridge which yelded vnto him without any great nede From thence he toke his way towards Woluesbutell in his going he wrought much wo to the citie of Brunswike roauing and burnyng in her suburbes villages land markes inrisdictions wherupon he wrote to diuers townes to make an agrement with him he did also require money of one of Electours of certain byshops attempting partely as it were by threatenings minaces to coÌ„pell theÌ„ to do hym this pleasure And while the duke raged thus about BruÌ„swike his ministers Otho counte of Rithberg Alhard of Hoord with other brought at their Lordes commaundemeÌ„t into the Countie of Deckelenburg about .viij. C. some saye M. horses about .iii. M. launceknightes which inuaded the said counte in his dominions because he fauoured the Gospel troublyng and spoylyng the poore people with burnyng and raunsaking to piteously After this the sayd hoste marched towardes the water called the Weser where they endamaged certayne gentelmeÌ„ and fermers of the LaÌ„dgraue And after that they had constrained a certayne officer belonging to the Byshop of Minster and of Minden whiche dwelled in the place vpon the hyll to disburse vnto them a certayn summe of money they departed from theÌ„ce to Duke Henry before Woluesbutell In the meane season had the said Duke Henry caused the countrey to receiue hym agayne as their Lorde with due solempnities according to the custome and maner in that behalfe done accordingly the towne of Shennigen whiche was garnysshed wyth souldiours by the confederates of Smalcalde onely except After this he beseged the towne of Woluesbutell with both the sayde armyes and caused the water to be conuayed out of the diche that compasseth the Castell whiche lytell preuayled hym For they that kept the Castell defended them selues manfully and with skyrmysshing and shutyng they vexed and harmed their enemies very sore stoppyng also and fyllyng the diches and sluses whiche their aduersary had digged to let out the water Besydes this God sent a rayne whereby their for saide dyche was soone fylled with water againe Whyle nowe Duke Henry was troubled in his affaires Philip LaÌ„dgraue of Hessen as a Capitain of the Euangelicall confederacion establyshed at Smalcalde prepared hymselfe hauyng also men sent hym from the Electour of SaxoÌ„ whose Capitayne was Duke Ernest of Brunswike Duke Philippes Sonne and also from all the Estates of the sayde confederacion To hym came also duke Maurice of Saxon with a 1000 horses 4000. 500. lauÌ„ceknightes a competent tyre of ordinauÌ„ce at hys owne charges to helpe the sayde Electour and the Landgraue When the sayde Landgraue therfore had a competent nombre of warriours in a readynes he went furth and pytched hys Campe by the towne of Northeim where bothe the aboue named princes came vnto hym But when the sayde Duke of Brunswyke had knowledge of thys commyng of the Landgraue he lefte Woluesbutell and went to mete the Landgraue pitching hys Campe besydes Bierbergh in a vyllage called Calfelde a good duche myle from the Landgraues Campe. And on Saturdaye the .xvij. daye of October certayne horsemen wyth certayne launceknyghtes of the Brunswykers shewed them selues vpon the hil of Northeim and schirmysshed with the Landgraues men whiche were soone repelled with the smal ordinaunce and turned backe agayne to their Campe In the meane season Duke Maurice at the request of Marquis Iohn who had a daughter of Brunswyke to wyfe and of certayne other Princecely persons sought meanes to make a peace and agreemeÌ„t betwene the Duke of Brunswyke and the Landgraue But whyle the Landgraue durst conclude nothyng wythout the counsayll and consent of the other confederates the matter was delayed vpon this the sonday next folowyng whyche was the .xviij. daye of October Duke Henry brake vp with his army to take and recouer a certayne hyll and a Cloyster from whence he myght haue done notable hurt to the Landgraue with his ordinaunce But when the Landgraue perceyued this he caused that hole to be stopped For the thre princes with all their power except a small quantitie of horsemen and a certaine nombre of launce knyghtes whiche were left in the Campe to kepe the ordinauÌ„ce toke in the sayde hyll before hym In so muche that there was muche shutyng on both parties in whiche conflycte many good men and horses were endamaged and hurted on both sydes And whyle this skyrmyshing and shutyng endured duke Maurice proceded to auoyde muche sheding of bloude if it were possible to set a stay in the matter by the whiche his earnest labour he brought to passe that a truce was taken froÌ„ that hoâ—re vntyl the monday at nyght In the meane whyle dyd Maurice coÌ„men w t the duke of Brunswike howbeit there coulde no certainte be gotteÌ„ at his hand but he went without any respect of the said truce caused his horsmen to spoyle and take xâ—iij wagens sent for prouandâ—r with horses and all their
byshop succeded Ioannes The yeare of Christ vi C. lxxxvii IVstinianus the son of Constantinus the lxii Emperour raygned xvi yeres but not contynually For whan he had ruled ten yeare he was put downe and driuen out by Leontius who raigned thre yeare after that Iustinianus was chaced oute Leontius was taken prisoner of Tiberius Apsimarus who raigned after him seuen yere But thenceforth was Iustinianus restored agayn and dyd tread both vpon Leontius and Tiberius that were prisoners beyng cast downe before hym and caused openly to be cried out Thou shalt tread vpon the serpent aspis and the coccatryce Afterward were they beheaded Sergius the lxxxvii bishop of Rome was after Conon and than was great dissencion for the election In his tyme lyued Beda in England Ioannes y â— vi was after Sergius y â— lxxxviij bish Ioannes the vii was after Ioannes the vi Zosimus the xc bysh succeded Ioannes the vii Constantinus was byshop after Zosimus The yeare of Christe vij C. xiii PHilippus Bardesanes y â— lxv Emperour raigned one yeare and sixe monethes Beyng taken of his marshall was depriued of the Empyre and hys eyen put out The yeare of Christe vii C. xv ANastasius the lxvi Emperoure raygned one yeare thre monethes The same was also taken of his captayn Theodosius and depriued of the empyre and that he mighte lyue solitarely was he putt into a monastery The yeare of Christe vii C. xvii THeodosius the lxvii Emperour raigned only one yeare He forsoke the empyre whan he perceaued that he was inuaded of Leo and mystrusted he coulde not kepe the Empyre He became a monke and dyed in a priuate lyfe The yeare of Christ .vij. C. xviij LEo the .iij. the .lxviij. Emperour raigned twenty yeares He was surnamed Iconomachus that is assaulter of ymages because he had coÌ„maunded to take oute of the tempels the ymages of saynctes and to burne them The citye Constan tinopole was besyeged viij yeare longe of the Saracens in his time y t which suffered great misery in that fyege by reason of the greate hunger and pestilence Yee and were also slayn of the Bulgaries whych ayded the emperoure Besydes that also were the Saracens shippes burnt wyth fyre that was craftely made vnder the water After Constantinus was Gregorius the second made the .xcij. byshop of Rome in the tyme of Leo Iconomachus Gregorius the .vij. succeded Gregorius the .ij. The yeare of Christ .vii. C. xlii COnstantinus the sonne of Leo the .lxix. Emperoure raygned thyrty yeare he was surnamed Copronymus because that at his baptysynge he dyd hys casement in the founte He also was a destroyer of ymages The yeare of Christ .vii. C. lxxvii LEo the .iiij. the sonne of Copronymus the lxx Emperour raygned fyue yeare The yeare of Christ .vii. C. lxxxiii LOnstantinus Leo the fourth sonne the lxxi Emperoure raygned wyth hys mother Irene ten yeares She was of Athens and ruled moost sagely aboue the vnderstandyng of woman kynne and wyth the alowance of euery man After her raygned her son fyue yeares she beynge put from the gouernaunce But they of Constantinople not sufferyng hys wickednesse called the mother agayne from the aexile whych raygned after warde thre yeare Of thys wyse were Irene and Constantinus gouernynge the empyre together xviij yeares vntyll the yeare of Christ .viij. C. and i. But though the Christen Emperours were allwaye at Constantinople whiche called themselues Emperours of Rome also vntyll at the last the citie was taken in of the Turkes yet in y e meane season whan the power of the empyre began so to faid that the Emperours were notable to defende nother theyr tytle nor Italy the Romanes were constrayned to seke ayde at the Frankes whose power was than the greatest Wherefore came the maiestie of the Emperours name to Carolus And because oure Emperours haue alwaye maynteyned and defended Italy wyth stronge hande we wyll aduysedly passe ouer here the Greke Emperours for some were tangled with want on pleasure effeminate and wholy vnapt to haue gouernaunce recite orderly our Emperours which are worthy to be coÌ„meÌ„ded for their notable vertues prowesses Zacharias was the .xciiij. bish after Gregoriê° y e iij. This same wynkyng at the matter was the olde Hilderichus kyng of Fraunce pryued of the empire and put into a monastery and Pipinus was made kyng in his stead For all the power was come to y e princes by reason the kynges were enpoueryshed In the tyme also of thys zachary dyd S. Bonifacius preache in Germany Stephanus the ii succeded zachary The same prouoked Pipynus into Italy agaynste the Lombardes whose kynge he besyeged and compelled him to require peace Paulus the fyrste was after Stephanus the xcvi byshop Stephanus the thyrde was after Paulus In hys tyme happened greate stryfes and rumors at Rome for the chosynge of theyr byshop One Constantynus was chosen byshop by force and agayne putte downe and all they that he had consecrated were destitute and forsaken Adrianus the fyrste succeded Stephanus The same enticed Carolus the great to come into Italy agaynste Desiderius kynge of the Lombardes Leo the thyrde the .xcix. byshop folowed after Adrianus Whan a seditious vproure was raysed against him at Rome he fled to Carolus the great or Charlemayne by whom he was restored And the same ordeyned Charlemayne Emperoure and crowned hym ⸪ ¶ Of the Germanes Emperours Charles the greate The yeare of Christ viij C. i. The yere of the worlde .iiij. M. vii C. xlv The yeare of Rome M. v. C. li. CArolus magnus was crowned Emperour of Leo the iij. the very Christmasse daye Thys was the begynnynge of translatinge the empyre to the Germanes and by this translatynge happened vnto Italy and the Best kyngdome a moost mightye heade and a moost sure fortresse For though the Emperours of Germany were not alway of lyke power as in no kyngdome the kynges were alwaye of lyke power or lyke fortunate yet in prowesse were they such somtyme that they dyd rydde Italy out of daungers and preserued not onely in the Weste quietnesse in the commune welth but also kept the Christen religion sound in the churche And if ye wyll ponder the feates dedes and maners of oure Emperours ye shall iudge them to haue ben excellent wyse princes and not barbarous and in nothing to be estimed lesse than those excellentand allowable Emperours Augustus Traianus Adrianus and Constantinus yee yf ye do aduisedly ponder all thynges ye shall saye that ther hath bene more honestye and modestye in oure Emperours than in them Thys shall ye fynde also that ours haue enterprysed no warre of any ambicion or priuate profyte but only of necessitie to mayntayne religion to defende the liberty of the empyre and the sauegarde of the subiectes As for me beynge certayne of myne owne vnablenesse though I can not iudge nor speake of the vertues of greate men acrording to theyr
the C. xxvii byshop after Ioannes the .xi. Stephanus succeded Leo. After Stephanus was Ioannes the .xii. the. C xxix byshop Leo the .vii. succeded Ioannes the. xii Stephanus the â–ª viij a Germane the C. xxxi â–ª byshop succeded Leo. Otho the .i. the .x. Germane Emperoure OTho the fyrst the sonne of Henry the Fowler beganne hys domynyon the yeare of Christ .ix. C. xxxviii and raigned .xxxvi. yeares He toke the emperyall crowne at Aken of the byshop of Mentz In the begynnynge of Othes gouernaunce rose thre greate and daungerous vproures at one tyme. The doers of the fyrste vproure were Eberardus the Palatine and Giselbert prince of Lorain These because they were of the posteritie and linage of Charles the greate affirmed that the empyre came from the Saxons to the Frankes by right of succession and that such enterpryses myght seme to be more ryghtfull they drew on their syde Henry the elder brother of Otho vnder the pretence that by reason of the age he oughte to gouerne the empyre and not Otho Thys warre wyth the counte Palatine Eberardus and duke Giselbert lasted syxe yeares and many feldes were foughteÌ„ in the mean season Herman duke of Scwaben and Conradus duke of the Frankes toke the Emperours parte This Conradus of Worms called the wyse was cosyn to Eberardus These fought the last against y e enemies by Andernak with a great camp wherin Eberardus countye Palatine was slayne and duke Giselbert in the flighte was drowned in the Rene. It is a dreadfull example wherein we may be aduertised that the endeuoure of sedition remayneth not vnreuenged euen in greate princes also But whether thys Eberardus be he y t we haue sayde of before to haue broughte the Emperyall crowne to Henry the Fowler it is not specifyed for a trueth For the hystorye wryters of the Germanes were grosse and vnlearned men ignoraunt of these thinges whyche are necessary to be obserued in wrytynge of hystoryes But after thys victory was not the stryfe yet alayed which Otho the emperoure had wyth Henry his brother and besyde that wyth the byshop of Mentz Henry was besyeged at Mersburg but he seynge that hys interpryses were inuayne and that hys defence beganne to be feble he hymselfe came knelynge to y e Emperoure desyryng pardon for his offence was receaued to mercy by Otho and not long after the duke of Baier deceassynge wythout heyre male Otho the Emperoure gaue hys brother Henry the duchy of Baierland As for that Henry the Emperoure whyche is buryed at Bamberg was thys Henryes sonnes sonne as we shall shewe hereafter Afterwarde was Mentz besyeged and taken in by the Emperoure and the byshop taken also but shortly after was he letten louse agayn The thyrde rysynge agaynste Otho was many yeares after by his owne son Ludolfe by this occasion Otho had fyrste a quene out of Englande called Edyth or Ide which is buryed at magdeburg Of the same had he hys sonne Ludolphe After the same was deade toke he another quene of the Burgundyon bloud which thynge Ludolphe dyd not alow But what happened farther that is vnknowen For the Germane hystory wryters dyd in maner expresse no thynge wholye by theyr occasyons and circumstaunces nether ruely could they do it seyng they were monkes lyuynge in priuate idelnesse â–ª beynge somtyme farre from all thynges that be done in gouernynge the commune welthe I passe ouer that they were to sâ—outhfull also to search enquyre the causes and occasions of great matters of other men as y e duety of a true hystory wryter is to do Yet do they make mencion of this that Ludolfus kept an assemble at Salfelde to haue conspyred agaynst hys father and that place Salfeld is called a deadly place for counsels Ludolfus had neuerthelesse in the meane season most great princes y â— were partakers wyth hym in thys conspiracy and counsel among the which also was Conradus the wise duke of the Frankes But in y â— meane tyme that thys was in bruynge was the father in Italy who besieged hys sonne at Mentz so sone as he cameinto Germany Ludolfe escapyng fled vntyl Regenspurge but the father folowyng besyeged Regenspurg also straytly two moneths In that syege dyed not a few men among y e which was the chefe Arnolde the yonger duke of Bayer After hys deathe Ludolfe requyrynge peace frelye came barefooted knelynge befoore hys father and lyenge vpon the grounde he desyred pardon for hys trespasse very humblye Wherfore the father toke hym to mercy and a verye stronge peace was made No Emperoure in a maner dyd dispatche euer anye more greater and daungerous busynesses than the Emperour Otho so farr as I can marke But in all them was he in the meane season luckye not wythout the incredible fauoure of God For whyle he had these warres he ouercame the Bohemes the Hungarians and Frankes besyde that made he quyet the troublous state of Italy which thynge we shall brefely shewe He vanquyshed the Hungarians by Augsburge neare the floude Lycus and weakened he the strenght of them so that they durste neuer after come into Germany In thys battayll dyed Conrade the Wyse and. S. Udalricke byshop of Auguspurg was wyth the Emperoure in the hooste Moreouer whan Otho enuironned euery wherwith greate peryls the Frenchmen trusted easely to bryng the empyre to them agayn but here was it founde in Otho that it is inuayne for men to sett themselues agaynste him whome God fauoureth Innumerable enemyes had compassed Otho about the Bohemes the Frankes the Hungarians Italyans the Frenchemen but the power of all these coulde not breake and oppresse the vertue of thys good prince The Frenchemen threatened to brynge into Germanye so greate an hooste as neuer had ben sene afore Whereto it is reported Otho shuld haue aunswered That such vayn mynaces became not wyse princes seyng it is euident that y e victory fortun of warr is in Goddes hand He aunswered thys also that he wolde brynge so many couered with strawe hattes into Fraunce as they neuer had sene before and therefore had all they that were in the hooste strawe hattes whych hooste he broughte vntyll parys For Hugo prince of Fraunce had taken the kynge his lorde prisoner and entended to take to him Fraunce and the dignyty of the empyre Thyssame Hugo was taken of Otho in the citye of Paris and delyuerynge Lewis his brother in Lawe restored him to y â— realme of Fraunce agayne For Gerberga the syster of Otho was maryed to Lewys Otho restored than to to the Germane empyre lowe Germanye Lorain and Burgundye The Hungaryans had many skyrmyshes also in Italy but some Emperoures before Othoes tyme were so occupied in Germany that they could'not ayde Italy Whan now the princes of Italy were dryuen to extreme necessity for to resist the Hungarians it happened that Berengarius prince of Foroiulium gat hym a great wonderyng at his prowesse
byshop not longe after Philippe sonne to Barbarossa the .xxii. Germane Emperour THe yeare of Christ M.C.xcviii was chosen Emperour Philippe the sonne of Barbarossa duke of Schwaben and gouernour of Italy on y ◠Emperours behalfe he raygned ten yeares In hys tyme rose greate vproures in Germanye For whan Henrye was deade haystynge out of Italy Philippe dyd admonysh the princes electors of the election had of hys yonge cosyn made Emperoure And that the empyre shulde haue no alteracyon ether they shulde cōmitte to hym the admynistracyon or make hym Emperoure and none other prince But whan Innocentius the Bysh of Rome smelled that he dyd earnestly procure by the princes electors that another Emperour shulde be chosen shewyng openly he coulde not brouke Philippe for he was displeased wyth hym because that whan he was gouernoure in Italye he had done I wote not what agaynst the Byshop of Rome wherefore also he was excommunicated of Innocentius But nowe had alegat absolued Philippe of the excommunication wo also was punyshed therefore of the Byshopp of Rome But what nede many wordes The byshop of Ro. hated all Fredericks kinred intended ▪ to rout it out Wherefore was chosen by the electors Emperour Bertholdus duke of zaryngē who besyde y t he was riche was worthy noprayse in a maner Philipp was in the toune Mulhausen where were come also many princes as of Bohemy Saxony Baier Schwaben of whome he was made Emperour But whan the duke of zeryngē knewe that he was weaker than Phlippe of pussaunce and power he came frely to him and yelded himselfe as to his lyege lord refusing to take vpon him the naming of the Emperiall maiesty But the byshopp of Ro. ceassed nothyng the more of his forepryse but broughte to passe that the prince of Brunswich Otho the fourth of that name sonne to Henrye that fled was made Emperoure of the bysh of Colen and county af Palatine The same dyd Innocentius confirme and crowne cursynge and excommunicating Philippe Wherefore went from hym to Otho not a fewe princes the prince of Bohemye the erle of Thuringen Herman and the byshop of Argentine or Strasburg But yet dyd God in the meane season prosper Philips affaires insomuche that he gouerned the empyre all the tyme of hys lyfe Fyrst goynge in Alsace he toke in Strasburg and compelled the byshop of Strasburge to yelde hymselfe In the meane tyme was Otho come tyll Spyre but he also was dryuen backe by Philippe into Saxony and as Philippe folowed now vpon hym into Thuryngen thether came the kynge of Bohemy and y e erle of Thuryngen But they refusyng to geue battayl yelded thēselues to Philppe Afterwarde besyegynge the citye Colen also he compelled the bysh to yelde himselfe who though he had crowned Otho before yet crowned he Philyppe also at Achen wyth the Emperyall crowne Not longe after Otho strengthened wyth the succourse of some byshops he forsoke the byshoppe of Colen because he was fallen to Philippe but than returned Philippe to Colen and fought some feldes wyth Otho and gat the victory but Otho fled into Englande At the laste whan the princes sawe that Othoes parte was weakened and that Phylippe kept the empyre who also made hym selfe familiar with the princes He had to wyfe Irene doughter to the Emperour of Constantinople of the which he had foure doughters whereof he maryed the one to the kynge of Bohemes sonne another gaue he to the prince of Brabant Than I saye whan the princes sawe all these thinges they deuised to make an accorde To the bishop of Rome wer Legates sent to make an atonement betwene him and Philippe and also that Otho shuld be taken in fauoure Wherefore the Bysh of Rome sendyng embassiadours into Germany Phylippe the Emperoure was absolued of the excommunicatyon The agrement was made also that Otho shulde marye one of the dougdters to the intent the bande of the concorde and familiaritye made myght the better be kepte betwene both partees All thys was done But whan this agrement and leage was made Philip dwelt afterward at Bamberg And vpon a day whan he was lettē bloud and the good prince suspected now no harme and had in hys chamber no more wyth hym than the Chaunceler and hys karuer of Walpurch ther came in to him Otho of Witelspache whose kynred Friderick the first had made honorable famous by geuynge him the duchy of Baier The same whan he sawe that the Emperour was alone without any company or ayde he fell sodenly vpon hym not thinkyng any thing and stroke a greate wounde in the Emperoures necke The Karuer came runnynge to helpe hys prince but the murtherer by reason of hys swyftnesse escaped Thys woūd was deadly to Philipp and as he was deade he was buryed at Bamberg But afterwarde was the bodye dygged vppe and brought to Spyre by Fridericke the .ii. Vpon the stone that lyeth on the graue is written Philipp of Bamberg Nether wanted Otho of Wytelspache the murtherer finally his worthy punyshment for he hym selfe was slayne also not longe after Of the institution of the freres beggynge ordres IN the tyme of Philippe founded Dominicus and Franciscus the Orders of beggynge Freres For the monkes or chanons that were ryche the same beynge now become mighty lordes despising the seruice of teachynge in the Churche or congregacyon went to warre wyth y e Emperoures and princes Therfore beganne these two men than to preache and toke to their companions sobre and peaceable men as men geuen to learnynge and thus beganne that thinge After that began more orders after the example of these as it commeth moost communely to passe as oft as new thynges begynne to be wondered at But as nothyng remayneth stedfast alway and durable in his degre in mens affayres euen so do we se the orders of Freres and monkes to lose theyr state and doctrines Otho the fourth the .xxiii. Germane Emperoure THE yeare of Christ M.CC.ix. after that Philippe was deade fell the maiestye of the empyre to Otho prince of Brunswich who was chosen Emperoure afore also agaynste Philipp He raygned after Philips decease foure yeares But wythin these foure yeares went he fyrst to Rome and receaued the Imperiall crowne of Innocentius In Italy vsed he a very kynglye and mooste costly apparelynge and shewed a notable grauitye toward all princes and cityes insomuch that they all dyd humbly worshyp hym After hys coronacion toke he some imperyall cityes whyche the Romysh bysh dyd possede but thys was an occasyon of the breche of frendeshyp with the bysh of Rome Wherefore Innocentius dyd accurse Otho euen whan he was yet present in Italy and before Otho came agayne into Germany he sent ambassadours to the princes that they should choyse another Emperoure namely Frederick the seconde sonne to Henry the vi It was very proudly and cruellye done of the Bysh of Rome so to excommunicate and accurse the Emperoures nether
tethe and yet resembled not the swynes in any other parte But the moost part of them were Lyons The Crosse the Camell and the Lyon whose head the Cocke dyd eate were sene last of all Henrye the eyghte oft hat name kynge of Englande whan he was by the Pope excōmunycated for makyng dyuorse wyth hys wyfe which was hys brothers wyfe before called the nobylytye and beste learned of hys Realme together and consulted wyth them In the whych consultatyon or parlyamente it was concluded that the Pope hadde none authorytye nor power ouer hym nor yet ouer the Churche of hys Realme but that the kynge hym selfe was both kynge of his Royalme and also supre me heade and defender of the same Churche Werefore he dyd vttterlye forsake the Pope and fell from hym He dyd also set furthe a booke of the authority and power of Christen Princes ouer their Churches agaynste the vsurped authorytye of the Pope and hys detestable abhomynatyon and procured afterward to be ioyned in confederatyon wyth the Euangelycall Prynces and townes agaynste the Pope and specyally wyth the towne of Lubeke Whithin a littel whyle after this his deputye in Irelande fell from hym and caused the whole Ilande to rebell agaynst theyr Prince In thesayed yeare the fyue and twentiest daye of September dyed Pope Clement the seuenth of that name beyng old syxe and fyftye yeares and foure monethes After hym was elected and chosen the twelft daye of October Paule the thyrde a verye olde man whyche before was called Alexander Farnesius a Romayne borne and had ben byshop of Ostia What Romysh touches the same hath wrought and vsed shalbe mentioned hereafter in place conuenient Whyle thys was a doynge in the Weste the bloudthurstye Mars was busy in the Easte For the moost myghty Sophy kynge of the Persyans inuaded the Lande of Armenia agaynst the Turke wyth a myghty army Wherefore the Turke sent hys chyefe Capytayne called Imbrai Bassa wyth a stronge hoost to defend Armenia from and agaynst the Persyans But whan they met by the Ryuer of Eufrates Imbrai Bassa wyth the moost parte of his hoost was slayne Then Soliman the Turky she Emperoure intendyng to reuenge the sayde losse receyued at the handes of the Persyans went out of the cytye of Epiphania whyche lyeth in the ende of the lande of Cilicia and abutteth vpon Syria wyth a great nombre of men well appointed and had a prosperons iorney and a lucky paspassage vntill he approched nygh vnto the costes of Armenia But as soone as he hadde attayned vnto it he was vnwarres enuyronned compassed and besyeged rounde aboute of the Persyans in the mountaynes on euerye syde in suche wyfe that thesayd Soliman had muche to do to saue hys lyfe and to escape wyth a fewe of hys men into Syria Whylest Solyman was thus pestered and busyed wyth the Persyans a certayne Pyrate or Sea roauer whome the Lombardes and the people of Mauritania do call Barbarossa rose vp in Grece and gate vnto hym a Turkyshe Armad a well appoynted intendynge to inuade and ouertunne the kyngedome of Tunise lyenge in Affrica where sometyme Carthago was buylded and at hys arryuynge he pilfered and spoyled syrste the Cytye of Ostia lyenge not farre from Roome After that he kept the sea aboute Genua a good whyle and whan they of Affrica suspected least of all they were of hym inuaded In so muche that he subdued vnto hym selfe all the lesser Affrica and expelled kynge Altzachenus from Tunise Thus hath thys Tyraunt ouercome Affrica wherein he reygned and tryumpheth yet at thys daye wyth greate pryde and arrogancy The fyfte daye of Iulye in the sayd yeare of M. CCCCC xxxiiii were burned at Breda in the lande of Brabant nyne hundreth and thre score houses by a sodayne fyre In the begynnyng of the Winter arose manye horryble and tempestuous Westerly and also Southerly wyndes wherby certayne quarters in lowe Duchelande and thinhabitauntes of Sealande dwellynge nygh the sea syde sustayned notable losses and dammages In the lande of Pole were all waters and ryuers so excedingly increassed that they brooke downe at Crakowe and at Casymyre myghtye stonebridges and walles wyth many other strong buyldynges notwythstandynge that in a maner thoroughoute all Europa besydes all waters were verye small and partely dryed vp thorough the greate heate of the same Sommer Thys yeare the Duke of Millan maryed the doughter of Cristerne captyue kyng of Denmarke whych was borne vnto hym of Izabell syster to the Emperour Charles IN the yeare of our Lorde 1535. the Emperoure Charles prepared hym selfe wyth greate power and made out a myghty Armada or nauy furnyshed wyth all maner of necessaries and thoroughlye manned wyth Duche French and Spanyshe warriours wherewyth he sayled fyrste oute of Spayne into the Ile of Sardinia From thence into Sicilia and from thence he sayled into Affrica in the moneth of Iune and recouered the cytye and kyngedome of Thunise agayne whyche Barbarossa had taken before whome the Emperoure expelled agayne from those quarters and restored the olde kynge Altzachenus agayne to hys kingedome on thys condytyon that he shoulde yearelye paye a certayne trybute to the Emperoure But the Castell of Golleta dyd themperoures Mayeste reserue to hys owne vse whyche he furnyshed also wyth men retaynynge the same onelye from the kyngdome of Tunyse All the residue of the sayde kyngdome dyd he delyuerer to the sayde king Thys battayll and affayres beynge ended themperoures Maiestye returned agayne wyth hys Nauy into Sicylya and arryued wyth a prosperous course at Palerrno whyche sometyme was called Panormus Whyle the Emperoure was busy to sett all thynges in ordre in the kyngdome of Tunise Barbarossa inuaded the Ile called Mynorca whyche is the leaste amonge the Iles of balearis destroyenge the same by spoylynge and burning very piteously Also the Affrycanes in the kyngdome of Thunyse dyd not behaue themselues verye faithefullye towardes themperoures Mayesty For when they woulde saue them selues from hys power and some of them wente aboute to make an insurrectyon The Emperoures Maiestye sente hys chiefe Capytayne Andrewe de Aurea vpon the sea towardes Affryca to punyshe and correcte the rebelles for the better establyshemente of all thynges in the kyngdome of Tunyse In the lowest partes of Ducheland dyd the Secte of the Anabaptistes myghtelye increase Wherefore the townes by the sea syde feared a great destruction on there behalfe Among the whych Secte some were so deuelysh and shameles that they dyd not onelye wythoute anye conscyence and shame take manye wyues but also went altogether naked euen as they were borne in thys worlde Suche is the ordre where the Deuell is Capytayne that neyther nurtour honestye nor yet the feare of God is regarded But they that were wythin the Towne of Mynster and had ben nowe more then a yeare therein besyeged were not very well at
dominiōs of thesaid Electour which mē did first inuade Voyt land there toke the townes vilages and liberties pertaining tothe Electour piteously spoyling roauingburning destroieng many men young olde And specially therwas an execrable madnes murther cōmitted vpō an honest Curate minister that feared God at Newechurche whom when thesaid husbād mē had mostcruelly martyred murthered and sawe that he was fatte they cut him in peces after the maner of a fatte Swyne casting the peces from one to another and sayeng Lo brother there hast thou a good roastyng pece of an hogge Of whiche innocent bloud are gilty all they that do helpe or consent to the sayde murtheryshe and intestine warres whereof doutles God wyll take vengeaunce in tyme conuenient Nowe when the matter as it was fyrst begonne and purposed against the Electour his dominiōs for Duke Maurice had bene first with the kynge in Bohemy toke effect and apeared euidently as though the kyng woulde ouercome and take in all the Landes and dominions of the Electour Duke Maurice exalted hymselfe with his army and first toke the townes lyeng to warde the mountaynes and then he went with thesayde Bohemians and husband men to besege the towne of Zwickowe But least I be demed to stande to muche in myne owne conceite and to take vpon me to Iudge other wise than it becometh me in this matter I will set hereafter the true Copye of his lettres whereby he required and admonyshed the towne of the Electour to yelde them selues vnto hym by the cōsentes whereof men of honestie and vnderstanding may easely perceyue what good grounde and sure foundacion he pretended in these affaires By the grace of God we Maurice duke of Saxō Land graue of During and Marquis of Myssene aduertyse you our welbeloued and trusty counsayl and commons of Saron c. That forasmuche as the myghty Prince our Cosyn Duke Iohn Frederike the Elder hath ben founde negligent in doing of hys dutie and it is manifest that men are about to bryng you from the house of Saxon into the power of straungers and we beyng a borne prince of Saxon hauing also parte in the lande wyth our for sayd Cosyn and be charged by earnest commaundement of the Emperoures Maiestie our moste gracious lorde for the auoydyng of greuous penalties and corrections and also by the losse of our Regaltie and preeminēce our seiues to take the same land in possession or elles to permitte and suffre other to do the same whereby oure owne Landes and dominions must nedes come in daunger and destruction Wherfore we require you to sutmitte your selues vnto vs as Prince of Saxon and to receyue vs accordingly with due solempuisation And we are prone graciously inclined to desen de you in the Christen religion wherein ye bee and lyke mayer your bodyes goodes and possessions and to leaue you by youre olde liberties and priuiledges And when the matter or controuersy betwene the Emperoures Maiestie the Romyshe kynges Maiestie and our forsayde Cosyn shall come to an agreement we shalbe ready as touchynge the landes whiche we shall haue taken in possession of hys by the knowledge and wyll of their Maiesties and as muche as maye be done without their preiudice thorough our owne dominions to be intreated ordered accordyng to ryght and reason But yf ye should refuse so to do it should apeare vnto vs as though ye would wylfully be put from the house of Saxon whiche may not be suffered of vs. Wherefore we require herein your directe aunswere by the bearer of the letter in hast whyle oure enemy is at hande that we may auoyde the daunger Geuen in our Towne of zwickowe the syxt daye of Nouēber Anno a thousand fyue hundreth fourty and syxe Duke Maurice of Saxon. Manu propria When zwickowe had yelded vnto him the syxt day of Nouember he toke also the townes lyeng there about and consequētly Aldenbourgh Ilenbourgh Grymme Torgawe c. the .xvi. day of Nouember duke Maurice sent a Trompetter with two lettres the one to the Deputie and the other to the Communaltie of Witten bourgh directed betwene thre foure of the clocke at after none before the Elue gate but before the lettres were receyued the suburbes were set on fyre whereby was sygnifyed that they intended to stande to their defence The same daye dyd he also aduertise thinhabitauntes of Torgawe whiche lay in gareson for the defence of Wittenburgh that oneles they woulde come home by the next daye before Sunne set he would sende their wyues and chyldren after them and besydes that depriue them of all their goodes The ende of the Appendix or addition compyled by Maister Iohn Funke Brefe Annotations added vnto the premisses gathered out of dyuers historiographers IN the sayd yere of our lorde MD. xlvi apeace was concluded betwene Englād and Fraunce whiche on Whitsondaye was proclaimed For conclusion whereof the Viscount Lisse high Admiral of England with the Byshop of Duresine and a goodly company of Gentylmen went out of Englande into Fraunce after whose retourne Monsure Denball high Admirall of Fraunce the Byshop of Eureux and two Erles came into Englande with the Sacre of Depe and .xij. galleyes and were honorably receiued The saide yere also in lent before was the Stewes at London put downe and abolysshed by the kynges commaundement the .ix. daye of Iuly was burned at London in smithfielde Anne Askew a gentill woman Iohn lassels of the kynges preuy chambre Iohn Adlam tayler of Suffolke and Nicolas Belenyam priest for opinions consonaunt to the trueth and contrary to the acte of the syx Articles At whiche tyme al so Doctour Nicolas Schaxton somtime Byshop of Salisbury recanted and denied the trueth whiche before he had professed Whiche thing also one Doctour Crome whiche had bene a great and famous preacher had done at Paules Crosse the xxvij daye of Iune before affirming openly that he had bene seduced by noughty bookes c. In England also in Nouember was the duke of Northfolke and his sonne the Erle of Surrey attaincted of treason for the which his sonne was put to execution in Ianuary after and hym selfe cōmitted to the Towre where he doeth yet remayne IN the yere of our lord God MD. xlvij there were in Germany dyuers and wonderfull innouacions of thinges chaūces of warres chaūges of fortune yeldynges of Princes ouerthrowinges and subuersions of townes and castelles fallinges of great men conuocatiōs of Synodes and counsayles which I do here omitte partely to auoyde prolixite and partely for that the certaintie of suche thinges taken by heare say onely is oftentimes deceiuable Trusting to haue occcasion and oportunitie hereafter to declare and set furth the same matter at large The inhabitauntes of the countie of Tiroll and Isebredge were this yere sore plaghed with wonderfull locustes and grashoppers both creping and flyeng whiche were there in suche aboundaunce that the creping sorte couered all
gaue a newe onset and without any notable fyght discomfited the Scottes and obtayned the victory At this tyme were slayne of the Scottes betwene thirtene and fourtene thousand and not passyng an hundred Englyshemen After Michâ—lmas a Parliament was holden in England wherein chaunteries were geuen into the kynges handes to be altered and disposed at hys pleasure It was also ordeined that the sacrament or communion should be receiued of all men vnder bothe kyndes of breade and wyne This yere also anone after the kynges coronatioÌ„ Maister Hughe Latimer a famous preacher who had bene long detayned in miserable captiuite for y e Gospels sake by the procurement of the Popishe by shoppes was deliuered and set at lybertie In this yere the last day of Marche FrauÌ„cis the Frenche kyng ended his lyfe in the .xxxiii. yeare of his reigne after that he had admonyshed his onely sonne Henry of the thynges pertaining to his kingdome and commended hym to true officers and seruauntes After whome succeded the same Henry being the seconde of that name His body was caried after .x. dayes to the brydge of S. Clodoalde and from thence to the suburbes of Paris into the Churche called the virgine of the fieldes where by the commaundement of the kyng were brough the bodyes of Frauncis the Dolphyne Duke of Britaigne who dyed in the yere of 1536. before in the moneth of August And of Charles his brother Duke of Orleans whiche dyed in the yere of our lorde 15 45. in the moneth of September that they myght accompany the body of their father to his buriall And so were the sayde thre bodyes brought with great pompe and solempnitie into the Churche of the blessed virgin at Parys and from thence to S. Denis where they were buried the body of the father being layde betwene his sonnes This Frauncis the Frenche kyng was hyghly commended for diuers singular giftes bothe of the mynde and of the body wherewith he was endued but chiefly for his humanite and clemencie whiche he vsed towardes all men He was beneficiall to meÌ„ endued with vertue and liberall to men of lernyng For by his benefite were the Latine Greke and He brue tonges restored agayn to their puritie in FrauÌ„ce whereof he entertained norished publike professours ordeining for them most ample stipendes â–ª his other actes are here omitted to auoide prolixâ—â—e In the moneth of December at Paris was S. Michaels bridge broken by the great power violence of the waters so that the East part thereof fel downe quite the houses which were built theron were ouer throwen with a great parte of them that were annexed vnto them IN the yere of our Lorde 1548. in the moneth of Iuly themperour sent an army of Spanyardes priuely to inuade the citie of Conitaunce â–ª while the legates of Constaunce that were sent to August vnto themperour to intreate for peace were not yet retourned homewarde For he intended quite to extinguish the citie because they professed y â— Gospell Wherfore the sixt day of August early in y â— mornyng the said army inuaded y â— citie ouercame the basse towne which ioyneth to y â— great bredge coÌ„monly called Peter housen When this was obtayned and ouercome at their first assaulte some fell to spoiling and rouing some to deflouring of virginâ—s and honest matrones some gat theÌ„ to the bridge and there made a bartaill with the citesens whiche were constrained to reâ—ule back into the citie being ouerpressed with the multitude of their enemies vnto whoÌ„ they barred y â— gates of the bredge The bridge was ful of Spanish warriours against whoÌ„ the citesens could nothing preuayle vntil many peces of artillery whiche kept the bridge being losed by chaunce but yet not without the will of God per sed the gate ouerthrewe the enemies put theÌ„ in such feare y t they fled euerychone setting the bridge on fyre also Peterhousen least the citesens should haue folowed pursued after them So that Constaunce sawe in one daye y â— iuste punishmeÌ„t of pride the singular benefite of God towardes his electe would to God they had not vnthankefully forgotten this great benefite Themperour after that he had in Germany set all thinges in ordre propounded a certain fourme in religion after the prescripte whereof they should liue while a counsaille were decreed hauing committed the Landgraue of Hessen in safe custody re retourned into Flaunders bringing with hym the Duke of Saxon captiue Thither came Leonora Themperours sister late Quene to the Frenche king departed This yere Maximiliane the first sonne of Ferdinandus king of the Romaines toke to wife themperours daughter This yere also y â— king of Spayne leauing his brother Maximiliane as gouernour in his absence departed out of Spayn into Italy went froÌ„ thence to Trident into Germany so at y â— last came into FlauÌ„ders to his father theÌ„perour The same yere towardes the spring time the first begotteÌ„ sonne of y â— Turke which was gone ouer to y â— king of y â— PersiaÌ„s because he thought his brother should be by his father promoted before hym to the Empyre assembled an army of Persianes and made insurrection against his father and inuaded the borders of Turkie nere vnto the lande of Persia and had ouercome many places vntyll his father beyng armed with fyue hundred thousande souldiours came thither and caused the Persianes being striken with feare to recule But they hauyng set on fyre all the townes and villages by the whiche they fled the space of fyue dayes brought their enemy whiche folowed and pursued after them too greate pennury in so muche that an hundred thousande of his men being dead thorough pouertie famine and pestilence he was constrained of necessitie to returne thither agayne from whence he came â–ª A certayne king in Aphrica toke Argieres and the other places there about with certayne castels and strong holdes whiche themperoure vsed for the defence of Spayne and also certaine strong holdes in the coastes of Portingall towardes the sea occeane In Englande at Easter was there a great coniunction of rustikes in Cornuall by pâ—pysh priestes There was also great disputation in the ParliameÌ„t that yere for putting downe of the masse And Images were put downe in al churches thorough out Englande to auoyde Idolatry This yere the last daye of Iuly Stephen Gardiner byshop of Winchester in Englande was committed to the Towre of London for papisme and this sedicious opinion that the kynges maiestie in his minoritie or none age coulde not make or ordeine any lawes in his Realme as did Iosias other godly vertues princes and gouernours in their dominions This yere the mariage of priestes was graunted lawfull in England by the Lawes of God to the vtter abolyshement of all Papisticall sodomitry This yere in august was a great insurrection of rustikes at Norwiche one kite a rustike beyng their
of Quene Iane The kyng of Scottes marieth the daughter of Fraunce The coÌ„quest of the kyng of Portingals Indes The ChristeÌ„ faith planted in the kyngdome of CaÌ„baia The heath of Erasmus A preuy conspiracy in Germany against the Gospell Henry the younger duke of Brunswyke The death of George duke of Saxon Popâ—râ— abolyssed in the â—â—nde of 〈◊〉 The â—â—oole 〈…〉 gh restâ—â—â—d Heding beseged taken The lady regeÌ„t inuadeth Picardy S. Paule beseged and destroyed Turwyne beseged 〈…〉 Iohn Crisp◠〈…〉 Aâ— hoâ—â—â—ble 〈…〉 Misfortunes happened harmes done by the meanes of the teÌ„pest A collection for the pore Frere Forest A cousiâ—ltaâ—â—on holden at Rome against the Turke The Emperours â—â—â—raunâ—â—â—â—to â—icâ— The entraunce of the Pope into Nice described the religious rablâ— The Emperoure kisseth the Popes 〈…〉 e. A peace concluded betwene the Emperour FrauÌ„ce â–ª Leonora 〈…〉 N◠〈…〉 ded Barbarossa Bisana taâ—en The shipwrach of Barbarossa The Castell N 〈…〉 urg â—â—ylord Thâ— Marquea of BraÌ„denburg The death of y e duke of Gelders Auarice punyshed The lorde marquish of exâ—ter â— the â—â—rd moÌ„tacute beheaded Barbarossa robbeth y e â—e â—eâ—â—aÌ„s Italians goodes vpoÌ„ y e see Barbarossa b 〈…〉 th Câ— â–ª stelâ—ouâ— The dalmacians flye to y e Turckes betrai their felowe soudiars y e Castel Barbarossa wynneth Castel nouo The spaniat des Italyans feight maÌ„fully TheeÌ„peroures wiâ—dieth An insurreccioÌ„at Gent â–ª Embassadoures out of Fraunce into Spayne The â—perour coÌ„meth into FlauÌ„derstho â—ou Fraunce An aÌ„bassage out of osteÌ„ricke into beam Latine Wrâ—tislauya The Turcke carieth away lxxx thousaÌ„d christeÌ„ meÌ„ into turckye A blasynge sterre The laerned in Turcky acknowledg our Christen relligioÌ„ to be y â— best The â—urch headeth â–ª priestes A miracle The Emperour at paris The freÌ„ch kyng craftily seketh y e eâ—perour dâ—â—t * or be rowed * or boote * stpâ—â—an * or shippe The â—p râ—rs coÌ„plaint to y â— â—iâ—h of Ro. The Emperoure coÌ„meth to Gent. â— castel builded in Gent. FerdinaÌ„dus cometh to y â— Emperoure in to flauÌ„ders 〈…〉 A coÌ„municacion at Wor Phil. MelaÌ„ Ioh. Ecke Wheter ther remain sines in y t saintes ChristiaÌ„s after baptisme Rom. viii A day at haganouwe The Emperour◠〈…〉 ly forbedeth good bokes to be readde But what is woÌ„ne â—â— persecutyon The marque s 〈…〉 â—â—aÌ„daÌ„ 〈…〉 recea 〈…〉 y â— word â—â— God God befenheth his flock The 〈…〉 of y â— burning mortherers 〈…〉 clipse 〈…〉 Wyne both 〈…〉 good cheape Vnderstand The true king of Hungary kynge Iohn The kyng of Hungary dyed * Latine Bâ—da Ferdinandê° would take in the kyngdome of HuÌ„gary The Emperour comith to Norenberg The parliament holden at Regensburg 〈…〉 Dâ—â—â—s iâ—â—ter 〈…〉 The Pope 〈…〉 hall One of his croked piâ—pes hyndereth all that thegodly had goâ—e about â— greate while before and those meâ— of greate nobilitie besydes the excelent learned The princeâ— that receaue the worde of God after y e parliament holden at Regensburg Doctor Eckius vse â–ª hâ—he â—cuel his masters conning that is lying â–ª The beuâ—ls 〈…〉 â—â—â—al 〈…〉 â—owes 〈…〉 es 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â— is proâ—â—dâ—â—â—r â–ª Money is geuen to seÌ„d an armye against the Turke Iohn Weyda kynge of Hungary dyâ—â—â— The Turkeâ— Bassa â—esegeth Pest * â—â—â— Albâ— â–ª greca â–ª A notable 〈…〉 ordi 〈…〉 lost 〈…〉 Hungary Willyam of Rogendorpe 〈…〉 â–ª The Turke â–ª â—eweth lxxx Christians in peeces for a pastyme The Turke breaketh hys promesse and excercyseth tyranny 〈…〉 an 〈…〉 l yeare The turcke â—â—â—eth â–ª â—xx thousand meÌ„ 〈…〉 The Turke geueth â—aleÌ„ tyne Teâ—eck his reward The Turke taketh certayn Castels in â–ª The Turke assaulteth the citie of fyuechurches The Turck hathaâ—armâ— in Pelopoâ—e so The Emperour and the Pope to gether at Luke The Emperoures passage to Algier Duke Henry of Saxon dieth 〈…〉 s 〈…〉 r 〈…〉 〈◊〉 in Histrâ—â— is taken in An armye against the Turck Pest is beseaged of our men Duke Maurice in Ieoperdy of takynge â—â—e of Duke Maurice Ie 〈…〉 en 〈…〉 eth maÌ„fully to delyuer his master A sicknesse in the Camp The grenousâ—ieâ— of y e sicknes in Duga â—â— Warre betwene y e Duke of Saxon Brunswick The duke of Brunswyke flyeth Woluenbutel is beseged Woluenbutel is vntapled for .iii. peares The mening was y â— they shuld at the length repeÌ„t them of their ioznep and go hom and winue no thing They fly out of the Castel ouer the walles ditches The Gospel is preached in the land of Brunswick 〈…〉 prâ—nces and 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Gospell Duke William â—â— Baier 〈…〉 th to v 〈…〉 Grassehoppers A earthâ—â—aâ—e in 〈◊〉 An earthquaâ—e in 〈…〉 ye â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—◠〈◊〉 〈…〉 ple The Bra 〈…〉 〈…〉 ll â—â—to the land of Gulick The kyng of Scotland dyeth A Councell kept at Nureâ—burg Another counsel appoynted at Spyer An army sent by them p 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 land 〈◊〉 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 The city of Tremetz taken The French king and the Duke of 〈…〉 leâ—e pro 〈…〉 their marshial affaires The Ladye Mary sendeth an army againste the Duke of Cleue The Cleueuers approche towardes â–ª the Brabanders 〈…〉 nflict 〈…〉 e the Câ—eueâ—ers 〈…〉 ders The victory of the Cleueners The slepe of themperour The s 〈…〉 〈…〉 f the 〈…〉 e 〈…〉 he 〈…〉 e 〈…〉 nd 〈…〉 th 〈…〉 〈…〉 d◠〈…〉 de Hungary inuaded by the Turke The death of doctor 〈…〉 A woÌ„derfull birth besides Basell â–ª Wonderfull visions senâ— The interpretacion oâ— the vision The councel of â—pâ—re 〈…〉 〈…〉 With their ordinaunce The kyndnes of Switchers A counseâ—lour oâ— Nurrenburgh taken 〈…〉 Scotland â—â—uaded by â—â—gâ—â—thmen Bullyn beseged 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 The Palatine a fauorer of Goddes worde Popery paâ—â— downe the Gospel preached in the palatines iurisdiction 〈…〉 g 〈…〉 Poles 〈◊〉 〈…〉 p 〈…〉 o 〈◊〉 〈…〉 pro 〈…〉 〈…〉 d and 〈…〉 e. Henry duke of Brunswike goeth about to recouer his land The â—ountâ— of Deckelenbourgh inuâ—ded for the Golpell 〈◊〉 â—â—ll beseged Philip Landgraue of Hessen Capitaine of the Euangelicall confederation Duke Maurice of SaxoÌ„ Duke Maurice seketh â— â–ª meanes to make a peace 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 by 〈…〉 i 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 The Landgraue 〈…〉 quiâ—eth an othe of duke Hen 〈…〉 coÌ„pany The lande of Brunswike taken in againe and sworne of newe to y e confederatioÌ„ The Erle of ShaueÌ„burgh deposed Rithbergh geuen vp 〈…〉 th of 〈…〉 che 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 The Ruler of 〈…〉 har◠〈…〉 ed by y e Marquis of Brandenburgh The fury o the Turke The death of the Duke of Orleans Wonderfull apparitions and visions A conuocatioÌ„ at Franke forth The death of Maâ—ten Luter The buriall of doctor Martine Luter Alphonse dia si a trayterousmurther The good doctor Iohn Diasy murthered The Emp 〈…〉 com 〈…〉 Rai 〈…〉 sburgh The 〈…〉 ion beg 〈…〉 at Rainsburgh The begynnyng of the emperours warres agaynst the Germanes Duke Maurice prepareth 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 A cruel murther Duke Maurice â—â—gmâ—â—â—â— to 〈…〉 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 A peace betwene Englande and Fraunce The stewes put downe in London ☠☠Anne Askewe Iohn Lassels burned Shaxton recanted Thomas duke of Northfolke Henry his sodne attainted A plague of locustes and grashoppers A godly commaundement A prodigious grape A wonderful miracle A wonderful â—ision The Erle of Surrey beheaded The death of kyng Henry the eight of England â–ª c. Edward the syxt byng of England Images and beades put downe abolysshed in England A recantacioÌ„ of Doctor Smith Processions lâ—â—t in Englande An hoost of men sent out of Englande into ScotlaÌ„d Chaunteries geuen to the â—â—ng of England The CoÌ„mumoÌ„ ordeined to be receiued in both kindes Latimer set at libertie The death of the â—renche King 〈…〉 â–ª The Emperour retourneth out of Germany into FlauÌ„ders The Duke of Saxon captiue Leonora retourned to themperoure The sonne of Ferdinando marieth them perours daughter The eldest sonne of the Turke 〈…〉 keth insurrâ—â—tion agâ—ynst his father Argiers takeÌ„ 〈…〉 A â—â—mâ—â—ocioÌ„â—â— corâ—â—â—all The masse Images put downe in Englande The byshop of Winchester committed to thei our of â—o 〈…〉 The mariage of priestes graunted lawfull An insurrection at Norwiche The rebelles in Cornwal 〈◊〉 Deuonshere subdued The byshop of London deposed and coÌ„mitted to prison The duke of Somerset coÌ„mitted to the tour of LoÌ„doÌ„ The death of the Pope A wonderful vision sene besydes Brunswyke Capitayne Gambold slayne 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 The duke of Somerset delyuered out of 〈…〉 A generall p 〈…〉 â—etmene Englande â— Frannce Bullayne delyuered 30 one Boocher A wonderful miracle oftor ue fallyng downe from the element A moste â—â—â—nnicall persecution A moste Tâ—annicall persecution
was gently receaued of the cities At Ro. the senate all the best metyng Charles did receaue hym with all reuerence He likewyse to declare to the Romanes his gentlenesse lyghted from his horse receaued on fote the yelding of the citie Afterward was he crowned of the cardinal of Hostia The cities of the bysh of Rome in Italy that were rebels subdued he to do the Romysh byshop a pleasure so that they repyned nomore I fynde none other thynges that he dyd in this iourney They yeare M. ccclx. he ouercame and spâ—yled Ebrardus erle of Wirtenberg with a great army But at the last was the debate layde downe by the byshop of Ausburg Strasburg and Spire The yeare M. ccclxvi went Charles agayne in to Italy in the whiche iourney he assuaged and subdued some cities desyrous of vproure Charles besyeged also y â— citie Vlme but I reade no where for what cause For oure Germanes not knowyng the propertie of histories haue not taken hede to the circumstaunces and causes of thynges Charles hath deserued greate thankes for the golden bulle that he made wherein he hath handsomly comprised many thynges that make to entertayne common peace He did chefely endeuoure procure the affayres of Bohemy He ordeined the vniuersitie of Praga Some there are that disalowe that he gaue the French kyng ryghtes in the kyngdome of Orleaunce The yeare M. ccclxx caused Charles his sonne Wenceslaus to be made Emperoure To his other sonne Sigismundus gaue he the Erldome of the marques of BraÌ„denburg the which he had bought of Lewis the Romane The yere M. ccclxxvii fought Vdalricus Erle of Wirtenberg mishappely before the citie Rutlingen In that battaill dyed many and noble men Switzer league ABout this tyme began the Switzer league and first the citie Lucerna then Berna at the last Tzurich dyd ioyne themselues to the Switzers and the noble prince Lupoldus duke of Eastenriche was ouercome and slayne by the Switzers the yere M. ccclxxxv But for as muche as there are in mans handes euery where histories of the Switzers dedes I reken it neoelesse to make longe rehersall of their actes in this lytle boke Vrbanus the v. succeded Innocentius the vâ— Gregorius the xâ— was byshop of Rome after Vrbanus The same remoued y â— see out of Fraunce to Rome agayne the yeare MCCCLXXVI A diuision AFter Gregorius the xi rose a greate diuisioÌ„ in the spiritualtye The Italians made an Italian Byshoyp of Rome called Vrbanus the vi and the same remayned at Rome The Frenchmen also chose a Byshop of Rom. in Italy whome they called Clemens the vii The same gat hym to Auinion Thus was Rome diuided and ther were two byshoppes of Rome the one dyd accurse the other Truely Italy Germany and Hungary dyd hange to Vrbanus the byshops of the Romanes Thys diuision lasted vntyll the councel of Constance .xxxix. yeares Wenceslaus the .xxxiii. Germane Emperoure THe yeare of Christe M. ccc lxxviij after Charles deceasse began Wenceslaus his sonne to raygne and raygned after hys fathers death .xxii. yeares At thys tyme began Ihon Husse opeÌ„ly to teache at Praga agaynst the byshop of Romes pardones and by thys occasion rose hurteful insurrections in Bohemy agaynst prestes and religious men Wenceslaus was at the laste taken by hys brother Sigismundus and kept at Vienne in preson Other thinges do I not fynde of this Wenceslaus that I iudge worthy to be put in writynges Rupertus the xxxiiij Germane Emperoure THe yeare of Christ M. CCCC was Rupertus the counte Palatine made Emperour He raigned tenne yeares But seynge the Emperours had now ben long from Italy the power of the kynred of Galeacyus was waxen greate at Milan and the Florentins were become ryche also and warred agaynst them of Milane The Florentins asked ayde of Rupertus the Emperoure to represse the power of the Galacians Wherefore Rupertus went vppe into Italy to helpe the Florentius and toke Galeacins Howbeit Rupertus beyng destitute of the assistaunce of the duke of Eastenriche and bishop of Colen was to weake than that he coulde haue brought so greate thynges to passe and though he had assayed many thinges yet was he constrayned to returne agayne into Germanye hys bussinesse beyng not disâ—pâ—rched Bonifacius the .ix. was made bishop at Rome after Vrbanus And against him was made bish after Clemens y e .vii. Petrus de Luna called Benedictus the .xii. After Bonifacius was Innocentius y â— vii made byshop at Rome After InnoceÌ„tius was Gregorius the xii made byshop at Rome The same promysed y â— he woulde renounce the byshoprycke yf Benedictus lykewise dyd not refuse to renounce also But whaÌ„ Benedictus fled into Spayne leauyng Auinion Gregorius reuoked hys promise concernyng to resigne the byshoprycke Wherefore was a councell gathered at Pysis whereyn bothe Gregorius and Benedictus were deposed of the byshoprycke and in theyr steade was the thyrde Romysh byshop chosen Alexander the .v. Gregorius fled to Ariminum where he remayned vntill the counsel of Constance was Alexander the .v. dwelt at Bonony for the Hungarians hauing than taken in Rome vsed incredible tiraÌ„ny warred with the Frenchmen for Naples After Alexander the .v. was Ioannes the .xxiii. made byshop of Rome at Bonony And of this wise were a lyue vntil the general councel of Constance thys Ioannes the .xxiii. at Bonony Gregorius at Ariminum and Benedictus in Spayne But they were all thre set besyde y â— Romyshe byshopryck in that councel Of Tamerlanes the tyraunt of Tartaria IN the time of Rupertus the Emperour lyued the passynge cruell tyraunte Tamerlanes the Tartarian who by greate spoylynge wente aboute nearehande al y â— East and Asia with an armye of tenne hundreth thousande men He spoyled the Perseans Armenians and Syrians He inuaded also the lesse Asia and toke Paiasetus the Turkysh Emperoure and caryed hym in a cage as a byrde aboute wyth hym for a wonder and mockage Sigismundus the .xxxv. Germane Emperoure THe yeare of Christe M. CCCC after Rupertus the Emperours deceasse was Sigysmundus made Emperoure He was the sonne of Charles the fourthe marques of Brandenburg kynge of Hungary and Bohemye He was Emperour seuen and twentye yeares He was a moost famous prince in wisedome learnyng and honestye suche one of stature as was semynge a lyke prince His countrefaytoure very connyngly made is to be sene yet this daye by the erle Hoier of Mansfelde He had greate warres in Hungary agaynst the Hungaryans of the whyche he was taken He fought oft agaynst the Turkes But whan he was made Emperoure he made a greate settyng forth agaynst the Turkes with the ayde of all nacions whereof we shall speake hereafter Of the councell of Constance IN the beginnynge of Sigismundus raygne he went vp into Italye and toke counsell with Ioannes the bysh of Ro. of callinge a generall councel for to auoyde the diuision He went also to the Frenche kynge and compelled hym to agre to