had raigned 50 yeare in his life he lacked lyuinge and after death he wanted a graue throughe malice of the Pope Pope Paschal held a councell of Princes and bishoppes about matter of gaynes as homages and fealtyes due vnto him also he spoiled the bishop of Rauenna of his lands and toke them into his owne handes But afterwarde because he refused to confirme certaine bishops appointed by the Emperour Henry the fift the Emperour though laâ—e before he had kissed the Popes feete appreheÌ„ded him and cast him into prison where he continued vntill he had coÌ„firmed them all and should by his Seale restore the priuiledge of ratifying a bishop which was graunted to Charles the great and confirme him to be Emperour While sayth Masseus the Pope sate in his chayre after Masse beholde the souldiours cryed vnto him and his clergye Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and forthwith apprehended both him and all his clergye and caryed them out and stripped them out of their apparell so naked that they lefte them not theyr breeches on and ledde them thus haÌ„dled to Soractis mount wher they put them in prison c. This broyle being ceased and Henry being crowned Emperour Paschal renued vnto him the auctoritye of appointing bishops and pronounced openlye in the Church that they were all held accursed who soeuer would disanul the preuiledge which he had graunted Then thy sange Gloria in excelsis because of this peace betwene the Emperour and the Pope But as sone as the Emperour this being done was departed into Germanye the Pope brake al his oathes and went from his word in euerye thinge saying that hee did it not freelye and of his owne accorde but that for feare hee yelded to the Emperours desire Then was the priuiledge condemned and the Emperour excommunicated and terrible tragedyes sturred which were all blazed throughe diuers countryes Also hee by a councell diuorsed the clergye of Fraunce from their wyues as Gregorie had done in Germanye and draue diuers bishops froÌ„ their Seas because they would not leaue theyr wyues Againe to encrease the regiment of Rome he reuiued the strife for the bestowiÌ„g of bishoprickes which wrought great slaughter and bloudshed in all countreyes of Europe Anselmê° archbishop of Canterbury wyth sophistrye and cauillinge vphelde this Popes doing as he did Pope Vâ—banus being both their couÌ„celour at Rome their Uicar here in Englande This Anselmus did depriue kinge Henry the first of all auctoritye in Ecclesiastical causes and denyed to do homage to the kinge thinking and auouching it to be vnlawfall because it was due in the clergye vnto the successours of S. Peter Also he condemned in England the mariage of ministers Pope Paschal dyed Anno 1118. Matthaeus Paâ—siensis wryteth in his Chronicle that when Anselmus accused his soueraigne kinge Henry the first of England before the Pope at Rome for medling with the appointing of bishops and ministers VVilliam VVarelwarst the kinges Proctour did aunsweare stoutlye in hys Princes behalfe and amonge other thinges sayd that the kinge would not for the losse of his kingdome lese his auctoritye in appointing of prelates â–ª Whereto the Pope said If as thou sayest thy kinge to hazarde his crowne wil not forgoe his giuing of Ecclesiasticall lyuinges knowe thou preciselye I speake it before God that I will not suffer him without punishmeÌ„t no not for the price of his head Which beinge heard Anselmus besought the Pope to laye hands in despite of the kinge on those whom he had disgraded so sayth Mattheus the holye seate readye to yelde fauour to all restored them to their former dignities by the intercession of White and red But kinge Henry did depriue Anselmus of all his goodes and confiscated his Archbishopricke and defyed the Popes auctoritye Anno 1110. the Moone was darkened as if she had lost her lighte the yeare following it rayned bloud at Rauenna in Italy at Parma in the month of Iulye Anno 1114. in December the Heauen appeared sodenlye of a very fierye and ruddye colour as if it had burned and the Moone suffered an Eclipse The same yeare the riuer of Thames was drye for two dayes Anno 1 â–ª 17. there were thonders hayle great windes horrible dreadful and houge earthquakes that ouerthrewe Churches Towers walles buildinges and destroyed men 102. Gelasius the second GElasius the second called before Iohn Caietanus of a noble house was sometime a monke he succeded Paschal but not without great discention For because he was chosen withoute the consente of the Emperour one Cincius a maÌ„ of great power in Rome would not suffer this iniurye but went with a troupe of souldiours to PalladiaÌ„ minster where the Cardinals were gathered together and breakinge the gates open he rushed in vppon them and stroke at euerye one that he mette And as for the Pope with his necke wrongde awrye he threwe him on the ground stamped on him wyth his feete and cast him into prison and as the Cardinals were ruÌ„ning away he hoysed them of their Mules and horses to the grounde and vsed all the despite he could toward them But the Romaynes would not suffer this and therfore by the ayde of the Normans they deliuered the Pope made his ennemyes to submit themselues and to aske pardon wyth kissinge his feete The Emperour hearing this sent a great arâ—â—ye out of Germanye to Rome which Gelasius fearing fled by shippe wyth his companye to Caieta and there was made a priest for he was made Pope before beinge but a deacon Henry the Emperour comming to Rome in the absence of Gelasius created Maurice Burdinus archbishop of Bracharie Pope and called him Gregorie the eight and theÌ„ he returned froÌ„ Rome Gelasius hearinge thereof returneth priuilye to Rome and takinge harte to him he commeth into Praxis Church to saye masse where he was so hindred by the contrarye syde that he scant saued himselfe by running away From thence he fled into Fraunce where at the length he was entertayned by an abbot in whose house hee dyed of a pleuresye in the seconde yeare of his raigne In his life by a Legat that he sent he held a councell in Collen where he excommunicated the Emperour and decreed that the Popes of Rome should be iudged by none 103. Calixtus the seconde CAlixtus the second being before called Guido of Burgundy came of the kinges of Fraunce and Englande he succeded Gelasius And after he was coÌ„firmed at Rome he sent a messenger to the said Conon in Germanye to coÌ„tinue the excommunication of his predecessour against the Emperour Hereupon the Emperour was coÌ„pelled to summon a councell of Princes and bishops at Tybur to make peace betweene him the Pope and least the Popes part shoulde haue spoyled his dominions he toke peace vppon vnequall conditions He confirmed to his great dishonour the electioÌ„ of this Calixtus who was chosen Pope at Cluny in Fraunce by a fewe Cardinals whom Gelasius had brought wyth him and yet was the other
addition to Vspergensis sayth After the Pope had depriued and excommunicated both Frederick his sonne Cōradus Frederick did so shake and worrye the Pope and the Church of Rome that some marked w t crosses set themselues in battaile againste him when hee came to batter downe the gates and walles of Rome where he encountred with a mightye armye of these crossed fellowes But ouer comminge them and takinge them prisoners some of them he hewed a fonder w t foure square woundes in forme of a Crosse of some he cleft their sculs a crosse in 4. parts some he marked on the forhed with a crosse cut and as for the clergye hee caused their shaued crownes to be pared a crosse When the said Henry Landsgraue of Thuringe was chosen kinge of the Romaynes and Frederick deposed by this fourth excommunication then the bishoppe of Strosborough like a peaceable prelate of that time to gratifye the Pope tooke part with the Landsgraue and assisted him with such power strength as he coulde both against the father and Conradus the sonne for he assaulted wan diuers townes some he sacked and razed to the grounde some he burnt with fier which townes and Cityes themperour had recouered to the Empyre in Alsatia On the other syde Conradus the sonne of Frederick gathered an armye against Henry but was easely ouerthrowne and manye of his armye being slaine diuers of his nobilitye were taken prisoners But soone after this Henry beinge thus foysted into the Empire by the clergy grew into cōtempt with them that liked not his election whereupon he was in mockadge termed King of clarkes Prince of priestes but the Pope did straitly charge by his Legates al the Almaine Princes to obeye Henry as their soueraigne and to defye Frederick his sonne In the meane time this Hēry dyed and yet the Pope ceased not but sent a Legate into Germanye one Peter Caputius a Cardinall who summoninge the Princes at Collen caused them to electe one VVilliam Earle of Holland a readye man to maintaine any quarell by the sworde In the ende the Emperour beinge in Apulia one hired by the Pope gaue him poyson by meanes whereof he was daungerouslye sicke but seemed to recouer it but was smothered to death with a pillowe by Manfredus his bastard sonne who as some thinke was allured by bryberye and fayre promises of the Pope to do it The truth hereof is written in sixe bookes of Epistles written by Peter of the Uine Anno 1250. Frederick dyed and as some write in his last will and testamente he gaue a summe of moneye for satisfaction to the Church of Rome and bequeathed his estate and the order of all thinges to his sonne Conradus This Will was brought to the Pope to be approued but the Pope did whollye disanull and frustrate the Will sayinge that the Prince whom he had deposed could make no Wil and so it was voide Within a while after a yonge Prince to whom the Emperour by his sonne Kinge Henry was graūdfather was murthered but by whō no mā could tell About this time before the death of Frederick there were certaine preachers in Sweueland who stoutlye and openly preached against the Pope and his Cardinals iustifyed the doinge of Frederick and his sonne Conradus sayinge bouldly that the Pope his bishops and Cardinals had no auctoritye because they were al stayned with that one blot of simony and that their power depended not vppon Christ that a priest committing deadly sinne coulde neither binde nor loose nor consecrate that no man in the world might forbid a Christian to execute diuine functions that they should be hearde celebrated without any difference And in the ende of their Sermons this pardon quoth they which we do pronounce vnto you wee do not declare it to you as forged by the Pope and his prelates but procedinge from Almightye God These preachers were maintayned by Conradus and therfore he incurred almost danger of his life In the former councell helde at Lions it was decreed that the Cardinals should ryde on their trapped Gennets throughe the streates and weare red hattes and crimsen roabes to signifye sayth Parisius that they are readye to spend their bloud for the Catholicke fayth and the safetye of the people but as Platina sayth for the honour of their estate Also in that councell Innocentius decreed amonge manye matters that the Pope mighte depose the Emperour He did greatly fauoure the order of begging fryers and bestowed on them manye priuiledges and benefittes He preferred the Dominicans to dignityes Ecclesiastical and aduaūced the Franciscās to be the Popes confessours He adopted the White fryers and Augustine friers to be his sonnes wher as they liued before in deserts he brought them into Cityes teachinge them to begge their breade w t idlenes By the helpe of the Dominicans he reformed the rule of the Whitefryers mitigated it and finallye with his blessinge confirmed it that as the sayd rule sheweth they should hope to be saued not onlye by Christ He graūted these the begging fryers lycence to preach to dispute and to shriue people Also he exempted them from all power iurisdiction of kinges and bishops whereupon they crammed the worlde ful and chaoked it with their gloses vpon Sentences decretals cannons wich their commentaries vpon Aristotle their Sophisms Repertories Sūmaries Tables Trinies Quatrinies Conclusions Questions Distinctions Quidities Quodlibets Myracles of the dead Legendaryes Saincts liues Martyrdoms Uisions Dreames Reuelatiōs Exorsisms Concordances Discordāces Marials perspectiues Aphorismes wyth a thousande vaine and combrous pamphlets full of grosse deceitful heresyes and then nothing was counted deuinitye nor lawe but their fansyes and canons And in these dayes the world was fallen into such grosse blindnesse ignorance and barbarousnesse that not onelye knowledge in diuinity but also other learning was almost decayed the knowledge of the tongues as Greeke and Hebrew buried in ignoraunce though some rubbishe of the latine tongue were left yet it was rustye corrupte and broken stuffe as appeareth yet by theyr wrytings that the like barbarousnesse is not in any tongue But to returne to Pope Innocent he canonized diuers makinge them saincts that for his aduauncemente had played the traytours and rebels against theyr owne Princes as one Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury and other of sondrye places Till the time of this Innocentius the 4. sayth Bibliander it was not an article of fayth nor a law of the Church that men should worship the breade and the wyne in the Sacrament therefore sayth he the Pope as a creator brought forth a newe God Mauzis by transubstantiation This Pope offred to sell to king Henry the third of England the kingdome of both Sicils to the vse of his sonne Prince Edmond and yet Conradus kinge thereof was lyuinge He vexed and polled the Churches of England with myserable exactions for money he maintayned and licensed anye wickednes amonge the clergye suffering worser matters in his bastards
dominicans he left to the Church great store of treasure he kept diuers concubines he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter to porâ—rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero turba repleta mero About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare vntill time place serued according to his owne pleasure Benedicts coÌ„mon sayings were these to be noted Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to haue cosens The euil maâ— dreadeth death but the good man feareth him more Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest It is as great shame to haue no freindes as to chaunge them oft It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits then by force of armes 139. Clement the sixt CLement the sixt borne in Lemonia by professioÌ„ a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being abbot of Phisca succeded Benedict at Auenio This maÌ„ with his faction troubled the Romaine Empire aboue measure for he excommunicated sayth Naucler all the Princes lordes and bishops that consented to the doings of Lewis To deface the Emperour he created Uicountes and made them Uicares of the Empyre Lewis on the other side appointed other Uicares to gouerne the Church Ierom Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiuus doth thus set out the rigour of Pope Clement Clement the sixt sayth he much giuen to women honour and auctoritye prouoked with diuelishe furye set vp bills in wrytinge vpon Church doares wherein he threatned the Emperour to be punished w t more cruell tormentes vnlesse he woulde obey the Popes minde and that within three dayes and would giue vp his right of the estate imperiall Great was the cruelty of this Clement voyde of clemency The Emperour commeth to Frankeforde and preparing with all diligence to do all that was commaunded besought the Pope by his Embassadours to pardon him and to receiue him to fauour But the Pope aunswered the Embassadours that he would neuer pardon Lewis vnlesse he would first confesse all his errours and heresyes and yelde vp the Empire and put into the Popes hand both himselfe his children goodes possessions to dispose them at his pleasure would promise that he would neuer more enioy any part thereof without the fauour of the Pope deliuered a certaine fourme of of these articles in wryting to the Embassadours coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to carye the same to Lewis The good Emperour least if he did not thus submit himselfe it mighte bee cause of slaughter and sedition receiued the order taken by the Pope and looking vpon it was content in such wyfe to saue Christian bloud and therefore he did not onely set his seale to it but gaue his oath to performe all Which when the Pope heard he waxed angrye But note whether hee toke the Emperour to fauoure and whether he shewed anye token of good will by that which followeth Lewis shewed that order to the Princes electours and oratours The Princes detested and abhorred certaine of the articles because they were deuised by the Pope to the confusion of the Empyre and therfore they promised sufficient ayde to the Emperour if as he did before he would maintaine the libertye and honour of the Empyre They sence Embassadours desiringe the Pope not to exact those articles that tended to the vtter subuersion of the Empyre and the oratours crauinge and doing nothing els came awaye againe But Clement blaming Lewis onelye for all did purpose the destruction of him and his children he cursed him cruelly euen at consecrating the Sacrament He renued all the extreame processes which Pope Iohn had giuen out against him he pronounced him to be an heretick and scismatick He charged the Princes electours to choose another Emperour He deposed the Archbishop of Mens both of his bishoprick and auctoritye of electorship because he knowing the Emperours innocencye and vngiltiues woulde not abuse his maiestye But the other electours being brybed with money by Iohn king of Bohemia as the bishop of Colen who toke viii Thousande markes the duke of Saxonye two Thousande markes did appoint his sonne Charles to be king of the Romaynes whoÌ„ this vncurteous Clement did allowe afterward in open consistorye But who is able to report the horrible bloudshed and warre that arose in the Empire by meanes of this mischiefe wroughte by Clement for kinge Edward the thirde of England slue xx Thousande Frenchmen and Iohn king of Bohemia father to Charles was slaine with many nobles But Lewis yet takinge thought because of the Popes processes not medling with the gouernment of the Empyre was by the Popes procurement poysoned in a cuppe whereof he dyed Thus wryteth Marius Lo by these kinde of treacheryes haue the prelates of Rome brought the Empyre to the low ebbe and poore estate that it is at this daye for the sayde Charles whom they against all lawe created to make his sonne to succede him did so corrupt the electours wyth bribes and fayre promises that he morgaged to them the coÌ„mon reuenues of the Empyre which they enioye to this daye and therefore the Romaine Empyre cannot aduauÌ„ce it selfe againe For then the Electours coÌ„pelled Charles to take an oath that these pledges should neuer be reclaymed whereby at length it came to passe that the Empyre being thus decayed the Turke inuaded the Church of Christ destroyed it wonderfullye and it is by the especial grace of God that Mahomets blasphemye doth not wyth fyre and sworde rage ouer all Christendome c. This Pope Clement now at the fiftye yeare renued the Iubelie beinge absent caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. for his aduauntage and sayth PremonstrateÌ„sis there were fiue Thousande straungers comming in going out at Rome as might wel be counted dailye within the said yeare He made at seuerall times xii Cardinals whereof some were monkes some his nephewes and kinsemen beside he promoted diuers other to dignityes bestowed cost on diuers buildinges He gaue licence to the bishop of Bamberge to absolue those that toke parte wyth Lewis but vppon these conditions first that they shoulde sweare fealty to him as to the Uicar of Christe secondly that they should beleue that the Emperour hath no power neither to make nor marre the Pope thirdlye that they should acknowledge none to be Emperour whoÌ„ the Pope had not confirmed While his companioÌ„s and seruaunts went to dinner leauing onely his chamberlayne with him he fel downe sodeinly dyed of an impostume Anno 1352. This Clement sayth Marius toke vpoÌ„ him so prodigally in his Popedome that he gaue to his Cardinals in
lighte burden and most pleasant crosse of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe And I require this at your handes most godlye fathers that you will thincke this present calamity to be no small cause which stirred me vp to this matter and I desire for the great mercye of our Sauiour Christe that you go forwarde in that worke that you haue in hand and that you will make your prayers for England that cānot pray for it selfe that this Pope may be exempted out of the minds of all Christians Italians Spaniardes Frenchmen and Englishmen thruste out of all kingdomes and Churches broken in two and vtterlye destroyed Praye that the blind maye see the deafe heare and that those which be in darcknes and in the shadowe of death maye come to the light and knowledge of the truth For your prayers shal be of more effect with God than all the blessinges and cursinges of the detestable Pope By these thinges I trust that you vnderstande what I haue taken in hande and for what cause First the desire of my freindes compelled mee thereunto Secondly my conscience pricked mee forward hasting hereunto that I mighte communicate these thinges which I haue both heard and seene in the whole course of my life Last of all the lamentable state of Englande called mee hereunto that for the loue which I beare to my brethren I would ayde it and that the begīning of the Romaine tyrānye being read knowne and the ofspring of all the Popes they might seeke a newe way and amende their liues Also to restore the dignitye of the common wealth which was lost and to the reforminge of the Church and to the glorye of Iesus Christe the onely gouernour of the earth But not wtout great cause do I dedicate this my booke vnto you which are in this our age the greatest defendours of the Christian fayth which also do beare this greuous odious burden and for that cause do burne with the same fire of enuye which I do For truly I speake as I thincke as I beleiue because I beleiue it I cānot hold my peace If at VVitēberg Luther the vpholder of the Christian fayth at Tigur Zuinglius the inuincible defendour of the pure veritye and a professour therof vnto the death at Basil Occolampadius a lighte and lampe in the house of God had not opened the liuelye springes of the Scripture and being opened had not defēded them against the boldnes of the Philistines if others in those dayes in your places had not sustayned this oure Religion if you would not haue put to your ayde and helping hands if God had not left the seede of the truth in those Churches wherin you are Presidēts there had bin no place for Christe on the earth where hee might put his head ther should haue bin no refuge for exiles to flye vnto Christian pietye shoulde finde no place in which it might be confirmed safelye established And all those things that I haue shewed here were taught me of your pastours and writers Therefore it is meete that I should render some part thereof with gaine from whence I had it neyther do I honour worship onely your Churches as the springes of pure Religion the which with priuye passages doth flow vnto all the corners of the earth euen to vs beyonde the Ocean but all Englishe peregrins are bounde of dutye vnto you for your great benefites bestowed vppon them The which thing I would haue shewed at large in the name of all my freindes if I had not written vnto you to whom we are of dutye bound yet trulye to passe all thinges in silence and declare none of them I cannot Therefore I praye you pardō mee and let your modestye and gentlenes giue place and pardon mine affections while that of so many I declare a fewe to the intent that other men may vnderstand if I had not a iust cause to dedicate this my booke to you before al other The which thinge while I shewe briefelye as time and order doth require so I will name euery one of you not respecting your dignitye but doing after the imbecillitye of memorye and the perspicuitye of the matter Therefore that I maye declare from the beginninge ascende from the farthest vnto the nighest whereto much duty owe we to VVitenberg that most fayre marchandize of all artes they euidently declare which go thither either to behold the coūtrey or to giue themselues to studye with whose notable prayses many being styrred vppe would go thither in great companies if riches would aboūd as their good will doth to go so longe a iourneye For when they prayse other learned not withoute gratefull testifyinge of many benefites towardes them Than O Philip they do declare thy singuler curtesye maruelous facilitye and thy good wil alwayes ready to deserue wel of al men Neither without a cause For thou prosecutest al mē at home with all kinde of humanitye and at home with thy preaching louing letters doest ease the sorrowful wauering minds For it is not vnknowen what thou hast done at the councel of VVesalia in the Englishe mens behalfe who when thou sawest to take paynes for Religion sake and to be greatly moued wyth the vniust outcryes of men that helde opinion agaīst thē thou thoughtest good that the cause should be heard wythout debate or strife and not to be put oute with crye clapping of hands thou saydst that the men were to be retayned and relieued and not to be vexed and afflicted with any sharpe iudgement To this ende thou didst write to the maiestrates of Franckford so that by thy letters which I chaunced to see I am certified where thou didst thincke it meete that our men purelye thinkinge of the articles of our Christian fayth and in diuers cōtrouersyes defending their opinion with feruour of zeale accordinge to their nature to be taughte and not to be oppressed to be warned w t talke not troubled with force sith that doubtfull matters ought to be handled of the aduersaryes parte wyth obscure wordes Neither do I doubte but that the countryes bordring there about Strasburge Basil Arouia Tigurū Geneua Emdona being moued with such a notable testimonye will receiue vs more into their fauour But leuing VVittenberge I come to Basile where I will be more parciall not bicause I can not prayse him sufficiently inough but bicause I am one of them which haue felt and do daily feele the great beneuolence of the Senate ministers and the whole people least I should not seeme to be so gratefull a prayser as a deceitfull flatterer Therfore I will saye nothing of thee at this tyme moste wyse learned Sulcer nothinge of M. VVoulfangus VVisenburge that moste excellent diuine and worthy gouernour of the vniuersitie nothing of Martin Borrham the notable professor of diuinitie nothing of learned M. Iohn Iunius my faithfull companion nothing of Marcus Bersius Iames Turkenbrot Conradus Lycosthenes his deare friende Huldricus Coccius Thomas
the saying in the 17. of thapocalips concerninge the x. kinges These haue one counsell and power and shal giue their power vnto the beast THE FOVRTH BOOKE coÌ„tayning the third order of Popes in whoÌ„ Antichrist appeareth to be come toward fulnesse of hys wickednes specifyed in the 17. Chapter of the Reuelation speakinge of Antechrist in the kingdome of the greate whore of Babilon vvhich sitteth vppon the beaste vvith seuen heades and that Prophecye seemeth to maister Baale to containe these 41. Popes following to Siluester the second HYtherto from Phocas the Emperours time for the space of 247. yeares Antichrist like the beast raigned in the Church of Christians without iudgemente or consideration of heauenly spirite Hytherto the Popes euen to the forteth Pope cast theyr eyes on earthly things forgetting Gods euerlasting testament as if they onely regarded but the fleshe and not the soule All theyr delight was in newe traditions ceremonyes buildings pleasures pompe warres treasons and translations of kingdomes as appeareth so that they seemed to liue in the glorye of this worlde and in contempte with Christ so that the Church vnder their gouernment is at length become the strompet of Babilon according to the whole discours of the Apocalips The truth whereof the Lord hath most euidently reueiled in this next Pope that followeth who was a woman and an harlot whereby al men may vnderstand the misterye reuealed by Christ. THE POPES OR ROMAINE ANTICHRISTES 40 Ioan the eight IOan the eight being a woman was made Pope and because of her bringing vp vnder a certeine Englishe maÌ„ a Monke of Fulda whome she loued tenderly her name was altered and she was called Iohn Englishe She sat as Pope in the pontificall seate at Rome two yeares and syxe monethes She was a Germain of kindred and borne in Mens called at the firste Gilberta who the more to enioye her louers company and the better to auoyde suspicioÌ„ dissembled her kinde and put her selfe into mans apparell so trauailed with the Monke her peramour to Athens where after she had profited in all the sciences her louer being dead she came to Rome disguising still her selfe and counterfaiting to be a man For through the promptnesse of her wit and ready tongue shee talked eloquently in publique lectours and disputations And many had her in admiratioÌ„ for her learning She grew into so great credit was so wel liked of al that Leo the Pope being dead they chose her Pope In whiche office as other Popes did shee gaue orders made priests and deacons promoted bishops made abbots sayde masses hallowed altars and churches ministred the Sacramentes and gaue men her feete to kisse and did all other thinges belonging to Popes her doinges stode in force But in the time of her Popeship â–ª Lotharius the Emperour being an olde man became a Monke And Lewis the seconde came to Rome and receiued of â—er the scepter and crowne of the Empier with Peters blessing whereby the whore of Babilon shewed her self so mighty that she made kinges stoupe vnto her Apo. 17. Also as Houedenus saith in her time Ethelwolphus king of Englande gaue the tenth part of his kingdome to the Priestes and Monkes to praye for his soule And his sonne Ethelwaldus maried Iudith a wydow and lately his owne fathers wyfe and his stepmother But as touching Pope Ioan she was gotten with childe by one of her familiar chaplaynes a Cardinall to whome her fleshly appetite caused her to discâ—ose her selfe As she was going on procession solemly to Lateran churche in the middest of the way and in the open streate betwene Colossus Clement church she was deliuered of childe in presence of all the people and died of her trauell in the same place And for this wickednesse she was stripped and spoyled of all pontificall honour and buried without any pompe or solemnitie Whereof Mantuan wryteth describing hell in the thirde booke of Alphonsus thus Here honge the dame that erst disguised would seme a maÌ„ to be VVhose head the Roman miter ware with crest of crownettes three VVho playde a shamelesse strumpettes parte in place of Popes degree Lo this is that seate that can not erre being endued with the holy Ghost by succession or rather an euident argument of the seate of Babilon But the Popes since that time in their procession do shonne that place where she was deliuered as odious for the hap thereof Funcius sayth boldely that this was suffered by Gods especiall prouidence that this woman should be made Pope being also an harlot euen then when she should bring kinges as she did Ethelwolphus and Alphredus in subiection vnto her whereby Antichrist might be knowen for then it was the Lordes pleasure to bewraye the whore of Babilon in a Pope being an whore Whereof the holy Ghost foretold Apoc. 17. that the elect might beware of her But to auoide the like incoÌ„uenience of a woman for the time folowing they deuised that who so euer should be chosen Pope should be serched very narrowely to be tryed a man shamefull to be reported but vsed without shame among suche shamelesse shauelinges But nowe commonly they nede not when they chuse them Popes mistrust them to be women for whyle they are Cardinals they playe suche Carnall partes that they are able to bring forth bastardes of their owne begetting to proue them selues men whereof one Iohn Pannonius wrote a mery Epigram in foure Latin verses testifying the truthe of this their doing of the whiche I omitte the two first verses for ciuilitie sake it may be gathered by these latter two what is ment Cur igitur nostro mos hic iam tempore cessat Ante probat sese quilibet esse marem How hapneth that this groaping them is vsed nowe no more Because eache one doth try him selfe to be a man before 41. Benedict the third BEnedict the thirde being first tried vpon the porphyry stoole to be a man was made Pope Massaeus saith he howled out and cried miserably that he should be promoted to so great dignitie whereof he was vnworthy a rare thing among them But some thinke he did it but of hypocrysie because As Platina saith he offred his feete to be kyssed and suffred him selfe to bee worshipped lyke an earthly Idoll Then came Embassadours from Lewis the Emperour to confirme the election of him done by the Clergie and people Among many supersticious and vaine ceremonies he appointed that Dirige should be sayde for the dead that the Clergy should go soberly honestly He died Anno 859. In this time as Sigebertus and Vincentius testifie in Mens as a certaine Priest was casting holy water a certayne Diuell lurking vnder his Cappe as if he had bene a familiar to him did accuse him that he laye with a Proctours doughter that nighte 42. Nicolas the first NIcolas the firste was made Pope in the presence of Lewis the seconde Emperour after his father Lotharius But as sone as Lewis was departed out of
speake all that might be saide of this miserable man touching his hainous faces as manslaughter theft poysonings treasons tyrannies incest fornication and such other But yet it shall not be amisse to disclose a few of his practises This Paule was an Astrologian a Magician a wyzard He made one Dionysius Seruita a practiser of Geomancy that is a kinde of coniuringe with earth clay and sande or suche matter also he alwaies vsed as his familiar companions â—anricus a Portugall Cecius and Marcellus being coniurers and raysers of euyl sprites in the bodies of dead men He acquainted him selfe with these because he wold haue them to cast the natiuities and destenies of him and his children by constellations By playing the bawde he first got to be made cardinal He deliuered his sister Iulia Farnesia vnto Rodoricus Borgia a Spaniard otherwise Pope Alexander the sixt wherby he might obtaine of him to be made cardinall and byshop of Hostia and so gat money to pay his debtes By such meanes haue many fished for the fattest benefyces in the court of Rome by seruing the Popes fleshely appetite and saith Cornelius Agrippa there is no way redyer to get preferment there then this is Furthermore this vnnaturall and wicked Pope Paule coulde not with holde his mischeuous hande from his owne kinred no not from the wombe that first gaue him breath and life for he poysoned both his nephew and his owne natural mother that he might therby enioye the whole inheritaunce of the Fernesians Beside this he liued carnally wyth another sister that he had and because he perceyued that she loued other better then him which in the ende the harlot shewed openlye his iealouslye was such that to reuenge the despite as he counted it he so watched his oportunitye that in the ende he poysoned her for it He beinge Legate vnder Pope Iulius the seconde in the prouince of Ancona did villanouslye beguile a noble yong gentlewoman of the same Citye For he shifted his apparell counterfayted himselfe to be a noble man of the Legates companye resorting to her as a woer and craftelye vnder colour of mariage laye with her But in the ende when the poore gentlewoman had vnderstandinge of him what he was in deede and saw how she was deluded being made not a lawfull wyfe but a priestes coÌ„cubine according to the Popes lawe she was so greuouslye wounded with griefe hereof that she was almost mad and rauished of her wittes But she conceyued by him and was deliuered of a sonne called Peter Aloysius who afterward shewed himselfe to be the liuelye image of such an adulterous father At another time this Paule hauing a nyce called Laura Fernesia committed incest with her also but her husband Nicolaus Quercaeus toke him in the deede doing in a greate rage so wounded him that the skar thereof remayned till his death Againe he had a daughter called Constantia with whom he was so entaÌ„gled and bewitched that O most sinnefull man to enioye her the more freelye as his concubine he poysoned her husband Bosius Sfortia Such is the double corruptioÌ„ of their single life such villanye ensueth of their vowed chastitye Thus doth God giue them ouer to their owne lustes that presume vpon themselues thus doth he detect the man of sinne suffering him to come to the fulnes of iniquitye who neuerthelesse is so blinded in his owne fantasyes that wallowing in this wickednes he thinketh yet himselfe to be perfite holye and the generall Uicar of Christe vpon earth Yea for so much as he is able to forgiue vnto other as he thincks greater sinnes if greater maye be then these are why maye he not dispense wyth himselfe in the like Or rather why shoulde it be counted sinne in him For so sayth one Ennodius to speake but of one among many such sayinges The Pope together with the power of teaching hath receiued free libertye to do ill without controlment And such is their affiaunce in the holines of their chaire that the presumption thereof hath caused them thus to decree Distict 40. Non vos in Glossa Papa de homicidio vel adulterio accusari non potest vnde sacrilegij instar esset disputare de facto fuo Nam facta Papae excusantur vt homicidia Samsonis furta Hebraeorum adulteria Iacob The Pope cannot be accused of adulterye or manslaughter Therefore it was as muche as Churchrobbing to dispute of his doing For the Popes deedes are excused as the murthers of Samson the theft of the Hebrewes the adulterye of Iacob And againe it followeth in the same place In Papasi desint bona acquisita ê‘ meritum sufficient quae a loci praedicessore praestantur If the Pope lacke good deedes gotten by his owne merites the good deedes which his predicessour S. Peter did do serue his turne This being coÌ„sidered it is lesse to be marueyled at that the Pope should thus embrewe his hanâ—es with the bloud both of his freindes kindred and parentes and defyle his body most shamefullye with his owne sister nyce and daughter But to returne to the historye After that this Paule gatte the Popedome he created two Cardinals whereof the one was Alexander sonne to his bastard sonne Peter Aloysius and the other was Ascanius sonne to his bastard daughter Constantia By his tyrannye he oppressed the Perusians and in a madnesse he draue Ascanius Columna out of his kingdome He cloyned into his owne handes by vyle treacherye a towne called Camery dryuinge out and dispossessing the Queene thereof being a godlye wyse and vertuous Ladye By his crafte he so inuegled the Colledge of Cardinals that he brought to passe by their consente to chaunge Camery for Parma Placentia two noble Cityes and to make his sonne Peter Aloysius Lorde and Prince thereof But the iust vengeance of God did afterward plague this their pollitick packing for this aduauÌ„cement of Aloysius fell oute to his destruction in the ende Oftentime this Paule consulted wyth his Cardinals how he might hinder the nationall councel holden in Germanye and hee commaunded his Legates to enflame the mindes of other Princes against the king of England and he purposed to giue his kingdome awaye from him and to make it a praye and bootye to those that woulde make hauocke of it Anno 1542. he summoned a generall councell to be holden at Trent against the Gospel the preachers fautors thereof But because he coulde not there haue all things according to his owne minde he remoued it to Bononia pretending that it was done onely for choyse of better ayre which was but a shifte when as his purpose was by this meanes to defeate many of geuing theyr voyces in the sinode He oppressed wyth all force the professours of the Gospell some wyth sword some wyth fyer some wyth poyson were destroyed He spared not so much as his Cardinals if they did once but sauour of that sect wherof Cardinall Fulgosius Cantarenus felt the proofe And but that it