great change that was made in the Publick Religion and the Laws betook themselves to Germany some to Wesel and others to Franckfort and Strasburg John Alasco a Polander of Noble Birth and great Learning who was the Brother of Jerome before this Winter began went thence to Denmark but being not so kindly entertained there on the account of his differing from them in the Point of the Eucharist and being denied an Habitation on the same score in the Lower Saxony at length he went to Emden a City of Friseland and there he setled The Fourth Day of March the Queen put out a Book of Articles or Injunctions wherein she commanded the Bishops and their Vicars not to admit any man into Holy Orders who was suspected of Heresie That they should extirpate Heresies suppress and destroy hurtful and pestilent Books That they should prescribe certain Rules to all School-Masters and Preachers and suppress those who did not conform That they should deprive all Married Priests and punish them as their wickedness deserved but that those who with the consent of their Wives should promise to divorce themselves and to abstain for the future should be treated with more gentleness and that they should restore all those that would do Penance for this Offence to their Livings again That all Publick Prayers should be in the Latine Tongue and according to the ancient Forms That all the ancient Holy-days Fasts and Ceremonies should be again observed That all Children already Baptized when they grew up should be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed And that they should be taught in the Schools how they are to minister to the Priest in the Mass at the Altar When Henry the Eighth abolished the Papal Supremacy in England as I have observed in the Ninth Book of this History he passed an Act of Parliament that no man should be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity unless he had first taken an Oath in which he acknowledg'd him and his Successors Supream Head of the Church of England and that the Pope had no Authority over the Church nor was better than a Bishop of Rome with whom they would have nothing to do This Oath the Queen even now remitted and commanded the Bishops not to exact it of any man and thereby did tacitly restare the Pope's Supremacy That which concerns the Publick Prayers went thus Henry the Eighth had commanded them to be said in the vulgar Tongue and in them amongst other things they prayed that God would deliver them from the Seditions Conspiracies and Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and this Printed Form of Prayer was by this Order of the Queen abolished Soon after this Elizabeth the Queens Sister a Lady of great Learning was committed to the Tower because she was suspected to have had an hand in Wiat's Rebellion In the End of March the Enemies of Albert Marquess of Brandenburg returned to the Siege of Schweinfurt In April there came over into Germany Sir Richard Morison Knight whose Embassie I have mentioned in the Book before this Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Cheeke Knights both the King's Schoolmasters and Men of great Learning and these all afterwards travelled into Italy And soon after Dr. John Poinet Bishop of Winchester came over also who together with many other Bishops was about this time displaced by reason of this Change of Religion The Forces of the Duke of Florence and the Pope besieging Siena about this time Peter Strozza who defended that City in the Name of the King of France learning something of their state by his Spies on a sudden made a Sally upon them and slew a great number of their Souldiers but they recruited their Army and continued the Siege for all that Loss whereupon the King of France levied Three Thousand Swiss for the relief of that Place The Duke of Florence also marries his Daughter to Ascanio the Pope's Nephew and the Methods of advancing his Fortunes by this Marriage were taken into consideration About this time also Ferdinand Gonzaga Governor of the Duchy of Milan came into Flanders to the Emperor Baptista Castaldus whom the Emperor had sent some years since into Hungary as I have said came also about this time to him About the middle of April Sir Thomas Wiat was executed at London He declared that neither the Lady Elizabeth nor Courtney Earl of Devonshire were acquainted with the Rebellion About the same time Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Hugh Latimer Bishop of London were removed first to Windsor and then to Oxford and a Disputation being mannaged against them by the Students both of Oxford and Cambridge the 16th 17th and 18th of April concerning Transubstantiation and the Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass and they continuing stedfast in their Former Opinion they were again committed to Prison At the same time there was a Parliament sate in England wherein the Queen especially recommended to the States her Marriage and the restitution of the Pope's Supremacy The first of these she carried upon certain Conditions but the latter was so vigorously opposed by the Upper House that she could not then bring it about In the mean time Cardinal Poole having spent some time with the Emperor in Flanders went to the King of France and endeavoured to bring these Princes to make a Peace but his Mediation had no good success In the end of April Albert of Brandenburg having received 60000 Crowns set Aumale his Prisoner at Liberty A little before this time Holansperg another of his strong Places was taken from him by the Confederates Not long after this the Emperor being then at Brussels by his Letters confirmed the Outlawry decreed the last Winter in the Imperial Chamber of Spire against the Marquess of Brandenburg in which having complained that the Marquess had with impunity committed such Ravages and made such Devastations in the Empire he in the next place severely commands all the Princes and States and especially those that lay next him to execute the said Sentence against the Marquess There had before this been two Meetings at Rotenburg a City of Franconia upon the River Tauber in order to the putting an end to this War but they being both frustrated the Emperor put out this Decree against him which was set up in all places and soon after there was a Diet of the Circle of the Rhine holden at Worms concerning this Business I have often mentioned the General Diet which was summoned in August but the Emperor being hindred from being present in it both by Sickness and Wars Ferdinand his Brother at his Request undertook the management of it and sollicited the Princes to meet who excused their Appearance there on the account of the troubled state of Germany The Emperor had already sent thither some of his Council and amongst them the Cardinal of Ausburg but none of the Princes coming thither for the Causes aforesaid it was deferred to a fitter opportunity Albert had
the Popes Bull was not sufficient nor authentick She answer'd that it was too late to complain of the Bull now since they had approv'd it so long before And when the Dispute began to grow warm the Pope's assistance was desir'd to determine the Matter The Queen had miscarried several times neither did any of her Children live excepting the Princess Mary The Pope therefore undertook the Cause and delegated the hearing of it to the Cardinals Campegio and York And after a long debate when the King had hopes given him from Rome that things should go on his side Campegio by the Pope's Order when he was just upon the Point of the Sentence began to draw back and to throw in delays This Turn they say was occasioned by the death of General Lautrech and the loss of the French Army before Naples Andrew Auria likewise happening to revolt from Francis at the same time which made the Pope conclude that the Emperor Catharines Nephew by her Sister who was now so prosperous in Italy ought not in prudence to be disoblig'd Campegio therefore at last leaves England without bringing the Affair to any point at which the King was extreamly dissatisfied But that he might not seem to do any thing rashly he dispatch'd away several Agents into France Italy and Germany to Collect the sense of the Divines concerning his Marriage The Parisians and most of the rest seemed to declare for the unlawfulness of it though they were suspected to be bribed into their opinion Now there was one Anne Bolen in the Queens Service an incomparable handsome Maiden-Lady This Person the King began to set his Affections upon and discover'd intelligibly enough that he had a mind to marry her As soon as Cardinal Woolsey who was most intimate with the King and as they say moved first for the Divorce understood this design he changed his Resolution and writing to the Pope advised him not to null the Marriage for if he did another Woman infected with Lutheranism would succeed Catharine When the King was acquainted with the Cardinals proceedings by his Embassador at Rome he was very much offended with him and not long after removed him from his Office of Lord Chancellor and deprived him of two of the three Bishopricks which he held At last being reduc'd to a private Life and letting fall some passionate indecent Expressions importing a desire of revenge The King commanded him to dismiss the greatest part of his Servants and to come to Court with a small Retinue The Cardinal not being able to avoid it sets forward but before he reached the King he fell into an acute Distemper contracted by the dissatisfaction of his mind and died upon the way Now the Pope that Campegio might have some pretence for coming away revokes the Cause to himself at Rome And foreseeing the Marriage with Anne Bolen would be of very ill consequence to himself he plies the King with Admonitions and sometimes with Threatnings to give over his design But not being able to prevail there upon the 24th of March this year to oblige the Emperor he gave Judgment on the Queens side When the King was already divorc'd from her had declar'd his Daughter Mary Illegitimate and married the other Lady above a year since As soon as the King understood that Sentence was pronounced against him he began to hate the Pope mortally and immediately passeth an Act in which he declares himself Head of the Church of England next after Christ denies all manner of Obedience to the See of Rome and makes it death for any one to maintain the Pope's Supremacy He likewise refuseth to pay the yearly Tax which the Pope's Collector used to receive and forbids the Conveyance of any Mony to Rome under severe Penalties all which Injunctions were confirmed by the States of the Realm which they call a Parliament Francis the French King is thought to have struck a Considerable stroak in this Divorce that he might make an irreconcilable Breach between Henry and the Emperor As concerning the Tax which I mention'd the Case stands thus Ine King of England in the year 740. out of a sense of Piety made his Kingdom Tributary to the Pope as the History of those times informs us and charged every house with the payment of a peny From that time the Popes sent their Collectors thither yearly to receive this Duty which was commonly call'd Peter-pence This payment having been made by the English without any Interruption from the first Grant this Henry was the first who forbad the Continuance of it any longer I have given an account in the Fourth Book how Luther and Erasmus wrote against each other concerning the Subject of Free Will. This year the Pique between them broke out again For Luther in a Letter to a Friend takes occasion to charge Erasmus very high as if he ridiculed the Christian Religion and expos'd it to question and contempt and cites several places in his Writings to make good his Accusation He also objected that the other had an equivocal two-handed way in expressing himself and made a Tyrannical use of his Elocution And in regard he takes the liberty to play with religious Arguments at that ambiguous rate when he both can and is obliged to be more clear he ought always to be construed in the worst sense This Letter was afterwards answer'd by Erasmus and smartly too who was more sensibly concern'd for nothing than to keep up the Reputation of his own Writings About this time the Franciscans made a strange tragical piece of Work of it at Orleans in France The thing was thus The Provost's Wife of that Town had order'd in her Will to be buried without any Ceremony or noise For when any one dies in France it 's the Custom for Funeral Cryers who are hired for this purpose to go about the principal Streets in the City and call the common people together with their hand-Bells When they have done this they tell the Name and Quality of the Person deceas'd and exhorting the Company to pray to God for his Soul they let them know when and where he is to be buried When the Corps goes to the Grave the Mendicant Friers are usually invited to attend it and a great many Torches are carried before the Hearse In these Solemnities people commonly strive to out-do one another for the more expensive the Funeral is the greater Crowd there is to see and admire it But this Woman I spoke of would have none of all this Her Husband therefore who loved her entirely perform'd this part of her Will and burying her by her Father and Grandfather in the Franciscans Church presented these Gentlemen with no more than six Crowns whereas they expected a much greater Sum. Afterwards when he felled a Wood and sold it they desired him to give them some Timber but were denied They took this very heinously which with their former Disgust made them resolve to
both in his Letters and by his Embassadors to call a Council as soon as was possible in a safe and convenient place Therefore he would have them be of good chear and not despair of an Accommodation in Religion for he was resolv'd not to spare any pains and desired only to know what they would have him do for them with the Pope Afterwards he proceeds to take off the other Objection where he owneth that contrary to his custom and temper he had been forc'd upon rigorous Methods by some bold and flagitious Persons who under a colour of Religion endeavour'd the ruine of the Kingdom Therefore to stop this Plague of disloyalty from spreading he had punish'd them severely as his Ancestors had also had done in the like cases And if any Germans had been taken among them they should have been served all alike For if any of his own Subjects had committed the like Crimes in their Dominions he should not have been against their punishing of them with the utmost severity But to his great satisfaction there was never a German engaged with this wicked Cabal and therefore that Nation should be as welcome to his Kingdom and to his Court too as the French-men themselves But he is sensible what the Authors of these Calumnies drive at they misrepresent him on purpose that they may break off the Correspondence there is between France and Germany which is a very politick design without question for by creating such Misunderstandings they have a better opportunity to compass their own Ends and make themselves Masters of both In the beginning of the Spring the Lantgrave went to King Ferdinand to compleat the Reconciliation according to agreement the last year Peter Paul Vergerius was then lately return'd from the Pope to Ferdinand and took this occasion to acquaint the Lantgrave with his Instructions concerning the Council in the manner above mention'd To which he received no other answer than that his Proposals should be consider'd within such a time After this Vergerius went as he was order'd to the rest of the Princes and negotiated with them Now some few months after the Lantgrave had been with King Ferdinand Duke Vlrick made his appearance before him too And because they were not both of them there at the same time Ferdinand excused them the condition by which they were oblig'd to ask his Pardon in a petitioning way But Vlrick stomach'd that Article extremely which made him a Homager to the House of Austria and was very angry with the Lantgrave and with the Elector of Saxony who interceded for complying with it insomuch that he was in suspence a great while whether he should ratifie the Peace or not At last being perswaded by his Friends he took a Journey to King Ferdinand as the Treaty oblig'd him In April the Emperor set Sail from Barcelona and landed an Army in Africk where after he had taken Tunis and the Fort of Gouletta he restor'd Muley Hazem a Mahumetan who was King of that Country and had been dispossess'd by Barbarossa the Turkish Admiral And having put this Prince under Contribution and fortify'd Gouletta with a strong Garrison he sailed back into Sicily Pope Paul fitted out several Gallies for the Emperor towards this War under the Command of Virginius Vrsinus and likewise gave him the liberty to demand the Tenths of all the Clergy in Spain Barbarossa by the negligence and ill Conduct of the Christians stole away to Bone and from thence to Argiers where he rigg'd out his Fleet and sailed for Constantinople There was at this time in England two very eminent and learned Men John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More The Bishop has several Books now Extant against Luther And More when he was Lord Chancellor which is the highest Office in that Kindom was very severe upon those whom he suspected to be Lutheans These Persons did not approve the King's Divorce and much less that Act of Parliament in which he threw off the Pope's Supremacy and delcared himself Head of the Church of England Being committed therefore and persisting in their opinion they were beheaded this year in July The Pope made Rochester a Cardinal when he was in the Tower which it's thought did but provoke the King the more against him About the end of October Francis Sforza Duke of Milan died leaving no Issue behind him This accident was the occasion of a new War as will appear afterwards In the mean time the Emperor left Sicily and arriv'd at Naples and from thence wrote to the Protestants upon the last of November acquainting them that he was resolv'd to stand to the Pacification at Nuremburg but he was inform'd that they had seiz'd upon the Fortunes of the Roman Catholicks and when they were sued upon this account they pleaded the Nuremburg Treaty in their excuse and refus'd to return the right Owners their Estates again Now this he thought was unreasonable and could not choose but take it ill at their hands Much about this time the Elector of Saxony went into Austria to King Ferdinand and after he had dispatch'd his business he came to Prague the Capital of Bohemia in his return home where he was accosted by Peter Paul Vergerius whom the Pope sent Nuncio into Germany to settle the Affairs about the Council as hath been mention'd already Vergerius relates his Commission to the Duke and tells him That now the time was come for the celebrating a Council which had so often been wished for in regard his present Holiness the Emperor and King Ferdinand made it their principal Concern to consider how the Glory of our Saviour and the Salvation of Men might be most effectually promoted and the same pious disposition was apparent in other Princes The Pope likewise had sent his Embassadors into all parts not for a colour but in good earnest For it was not his way to make large Promises as some had done and then act quite contrary to what was pretended but he was solicitous about nothing so much as that they might come to the Point as soon as was possible that a religious Council might be held and free for all People to come to As to the place the Pope for very good reasons thinks none proper but Mantua concerning the Form and Method of proceeding that may be better adjudg'd when they are conven'd than now The Protestant Princes have always hitherto desir'd a lawful Council and had lately publish'd some Papers about it which he was glad to see And now the Pope comes up to their Proposals and offers them what they would have and the Emperor and King Ferdinand will omit nothing which may expedite the Affair Now if his Electoral Highness should be the only Person who refuses to comply most people would conclude that no sort of Method could please him Clement the Seventh charg'd his Offer with some Conditions which his present Holiness hath not done and therefore there is
what I have now declared to you And therefore I trust you will not be wanting to me on your parts that both their sauciness may be curbed and that you may recover your ancient Dignity If you do so you may expect from me all good will and kindness and of this I shall make a more ample Declaration if you send me any Embassadour to that purpose The Emperour wrote also to the Duke of Wirtemberg to the same effect and the very same day the Letters were written Granvell and Naves sent for the Deputies of the Cities I mentioned and having discoursed them severally much to the same purpose told them that this War was not designed against the free Cities but against some Rebels who were guilty of High Treason had contemned the Emperour's Authority invaded the Estates and Possessions of some Princes and Bishops and who if occasion did offer would not spare the free Cities neither That therefore they advised them to be true and faithful to the Emperour and not assist his Enemies that the Emperour might have no cause to be offended with them to whom he wished well that they should with all expedition acquaint their Principals with these things and exhort them to continue in their duty and that the Emperour would himself write and send Embassadours unto them The same day a Decree pass'd at Trent that a Divinity Lecturer should be established in the Abbeyes and Monasteries of Canons Regular and Monks and that some Benefice should be annexed as a Stipend to the Office but that no man be admitted to that place but he whose learning good life and conversation the Bishop or Abbot is assured of and because the preaching of the Gospel is no less necessary than the reading of Divinity the Bishops and all other Guides of the Church are enjoyned to teach the People or if any lawful impediment hinder them that they substitute another in their place Pastors and Curates are likewise commanded that every Lord's-day at least they instruct the People in those things that are necessary to Salvation exhort them to Vertue and deter them from Vice A Penalty is appointed for those that neglect their duty and the Bishops are admonished to be diligent in examining what Doctrines are taught and that if perhaps Heresies or erroneous Opinions be broached they take a course according to Law to prevent the danger of them Then a Decree is made touching Original Sin all the guilt whereof they say is washed away by Baptism That in those who are baptised there remains indeed a disposition to sin or concupiscence and that though St. Paul call that sometimes sin yet he does it not as if it were really and properly sin but because it inclines men to sinning But that the Virgin Mary is not to be comprehended in the Decree and that as to that particular what Sixtus IV. heretofore defined is to be observed And to conclude the nine and twentieth of July is appointed to be the day for the next Session Now Sixtus IV. in the thirteenth Year of his Pontificate made a Decree whereby he excommunicates as Hereticks those who teach that the Virgin Mary was conceived in Original Sin and that the Festival of her Conception appointed by the Church of Rome was not to be observed which Decree is extant in the Extravagants of the Canon Law. In this Session of the Council the French Embassadour Peter Danes made a Speech wherein having extolled the Merits and Zeal of the Kings of France towards the Church of Rome from Clouis the first Christians King and downwards he enlarged in the Praises of King Francis who being descended of such Ancestors was inferiour to none of them in dutifulness to that See having entertained a constant friendship with Leo Adrian Clement and now with Paul III. And in all this tempest and agitation of Religion suffered no alterations within his Dominions because he would have the decision of the whole matter referred to the Church for though he was naturally a most gracious and merciful Prince yet had he inflicted most severe Punishments upon those who through private rashness had presumed to disturb the state of the Church by which strict care and animadversion he had gained this point that now he could put all France into their hands in a peaceful and quiet state For in it there was no strange nor new Doctrines nor any thing but what had been introduced and setled by ancient custom and discipline and since it had been always his opinion that there was nothing more beneficial to the Publick than that the Pope of Rome as Successour of St. Peter should be Head of the Church to whom all others should submit and refer themselves he had always been careful that none should impeach his Supremacy And that though he had been many times sollicited by large offers to do other ways and follow the example of another who had done so yet nothing could ever shake him in his resolutions but that so soon as he had heard that some Fathers were met to celebrate the Council which was lately called he had presently ordered some of his select Bishops to repair hither and that when the Decrees made in some Sessions were brought into France he had dispatched hither him and his Colleagues to declare his will and pleasure unto them First then That it was his desire that once for all they would establish what ought to be followed and believed by all men in general in matters of Religion In the next place That they would prescribe to all Church-men a most strict and austere Rule of Life and Manners assuring them that whatever they decreed in those matters should by the King's command be punctually observed all over France That moreover because the Kings of France had merited very much of the Church of Rome they would not suffer any alteration or diminution to be made in those Rights and Priviledges which the Kings of France had constantly enjoyed from the time of Louis the Debonnair the Son of Charlemaigne Lastly That they would confirm all the Rights Priviledges and Immunities of the Gallican Church the protection whereof was transmitted to him from his Predecessors June the twenty-fourth Lazarus Schuendi came from the Emperour to Strasbourg with the Letters we mentioned a little before and other more ample Instructions having met the rest we named on his way But the Senate having dismissed him not long after writ back to the Emperour acquainting his Majesty that the reason why they did not presently give their answer to Lazarus was because of the difficulty of the Matters proposed which concerned not them alone but others also that what his Majesty was pleased to say of his good Intentions towards Germany they gave him their most humble thanks praying him to continue in the same mind and not to listen to those who would incite him to a Civil War that it was a
several Towns for the Protestants 388. Routed by Duke Maurice 504. Taken into the service of Duke Maurice Assists the Magdeburghers 514. Henry the VII Emperor refuses to pay Allegiance to the Pope 38. Henry the VIII Writes against Luther 50. Is called defender of the Faith Ibid. Is Pensioner to Charles the V. 51. His Daughter Mary is Betrothed to Charles Ibid. Writes to the Princes of the House of Saxony against Luther 65. Receives a Golden Rose from the Pope 75. Writes a Scornful answer to Luther's Letter 101. Makes a League with France in the absence of King Francis 102. Makes a League with Francis against Charles 112. His answer to the Protestant Princes of Germany 150. Is dissatisfied about his Marriage with Catharine 169. Sues to be Divorced Ibid. They are Dilatory at Rome Ibid. He Marries Anne Boleyn 170. Is declared in Parliament head of the Church Ibid. Revokes Peter Pence Ibid. Sends Fox Bishop of Hereford Ambassador to the Protestants at Smalcald 188. His Ambassadors winter at Wittemberg 205. His Letter to the Protestants Ibid. He beheads Anne Boleyn 206. Quells a rising in England 209. His Reasons against the Council of Mantua 231. His Reasons against the Council at Vicenza 250. He enacts in Parliament several things about Religion 251. Marries Anne of Cleve Ibid. His Answer to the Elector of Saxony's Ambassador 255. Beheads romwel Earl of Essex 267. Is divorced from Anne of Cleve Ibid. Marries Catharine Howard Ibid. Burns Papists and Protestants for Religion 269. Beheads Catharine Howard for Adultery 289. Marries Catharine Parr Ibid. Makes a successful War in Scotland 324. He makes an Expedition into France 327. Takes Bologne Ibid. Makes a Treaty of Peace with France 355. Forewarns the Protestants in Germany of their danger 356. Dies 418. Henry of Zutphen suffers for Religion in Germany 75. Henry Duke of Saxony refuses to change his Religion to gain the Dutchy 249. But gains it by George's Death 250. Henry Dauphin of France has a Daughter 382. Henry the II. of France succeeds to Francis the I. 424. Is Crowned 435. The Ceremony of it Ibid. Persecutes the Lutherans severely in France 456. Enters Paris in State 484. Crowns his Queen Ibid. Persecutes the Lutherans Ibid. Makes a League with the Switzers Ibid. Regains several Places from England 485. Publishes another Edict against the Lutherans 492. Sends a Letter to the Pope about his assisting Octavio Farnese 514. He declares War against the Emperor with his reasons 517. Justifies himself from Leagues with the Turk 518. Sends the Abbot of Bellozane to Trent with a Letter to the Council Ibid. He Publishes an Edict against the Pope 521. And another against the Lutherans Ibid. Answers the Emperors Declaration 522. Hinders the Switzers from sending Ambassadors to the Council of Trent 528. He sends Ambassadors to Duke Maurice 529. Makes Peace with the Pope 548. He declares War against the Emperor 553. Calls himself Protector of the Liberties of Germany 554. He takes Toul Verdun Metz 555. Takes an Oath of Allegiance from the People of Metz Ibid. His Treaty with the Strasburghers 557. His answer to the Princes Ambassadors 558. The reasons of his leaving Germany 559. His answer to the Switzers Ibid. He Wastes Luxembourg 563. His Ambassadors Speech at the Treaty of Passaw 564. He Sollicites again by Letters from Aichstadt 567. He brings his Men from Luxembourg back into Artois 571. Is offended with the Pacification at Passaw 572. Writes to the Emperor 576. Sends a Declartion to the States of the Empire 577. Carries on the War in the Low Countries 603. But is beaten in Tuscany in the Sienese War 604. His Letter to the Diet at Francfort Ibid. Takes Casal 613. Carries on the War into Montferrat 617. Hereford vide Fox Herman vide Cologne Hesse vide Philip Landgrave Hildesheym a City in the Dutchy of Brunswick embraces the Protestant Religion 300. they are accused by their Bishop to the Emperor 313. Hogostratus James a Dominican writes against Luther 4. Commissioned by Maximilian to Examine Jewish Books 30. Writes against Reuchlin Ibid. Is cast by the Bishop of Spire Ibid. Appeals to Rome Ibid. Leaves his Cause Ibid. Examines two Augustine Friars at Brussels 63. Holland an Inundation there 137. Hooper John Bishop of Glocester burnt for his Religion 607. Huberine Caspar an Interimist Preaches at Augsbourg 535. Hugh Capet makes himself King of France 150. Huglie John a Protestant burnt for Religion by the Bishop of Constance 105. Hungarians beg for assistance at the Diet of Spire 324. Their Horse join Duke Maurice 409. Husse John Preaches Wiclef's Doctrine 46. Appeals from the Pope to Christ Ibid. Went to the Council of Constance with safe Conduct 47. There burnt Ibid. Hutton Ulricus a Noble Man of Franconia 65. Favours Luther and dies Ibid. I JAmes the V. of Scotland Marries King Francis's Daughter 209. His Queen dies 230. Makes a War with England unsuccessfully 304. Dies Ibid. Jerome Bishop of Brandenbourg 2. Jerome of Prague burnt at the Council of Constance 47. Jerome Bishop of Ascoli summons Luther by P. Leo's Order to appear at Rome 5. Jews compared with Roman Clergy 29. Illyricus Matthias Flaccius Writes against the Adiaphorists 498. Imperial Chamber Vide Protestants is set up again in the Diet at Augsbourg 466. The Judges fly from Spire for fear of the Confederate Princes 557. They answer Marquess Albert's Deputation about the Franconian Bishops 577. They decree in Favour of the Bishops 578. Indulgences Preacht up in Germany 1 2. Confirmed by Pope Clement's Decree in the Extravagants 9. Why granted 273. Indult vide P. Paul the III. P. Innocent the III. Decreed to the Electoral Princes a right of chusing the Emperor 21. His decree de Majoritate Obedientia 107. Inquisition its Original 434. Inquisitors about the Emperor's Edict of Religion in the Netherlands how they proceed 498. Interim drawn up at Augsbourg 454. The heads of it 458. Often Revised and Corrected 459. Sent to Rome ibid. The Electors differ in their Opinion about it ibid. Those who draw it up are rewarded 468. It is disliked on both sides Ibid. Confuted by the Saxon Divines 481. Joachim Elector of Brandenbourg sends an Embassie to the Elector of Saxony 242. Sends Agents to Eysenach 244. Made Geneali ssimo against the Turks 292. He Strikes in with the Papists in the War against the Smalcaldick League 375. Interposes for a Peace 418. With the Landgrave Ibid. Intereedes for Saxony 427. And his Life was spared at his Intercession 428. Intercedes for the Landgrave 429. Remonstrates to the Emperor for him at Hall 433. Calls Bucer to Augsbourg 454. Angry with him for not subscribing the Interim 457. Receives the Interim 461. Acts with Duke Maurice in the Magdeburgick War 505 506. He sends Ambassadors to the Conncil of Trent 526. His Ambassadors with those of D. Maurice Sollicite the Emperor about the Landgrave 531. John XXII P. vide Aquinas John King of Denmark overthrows the Swedes 62. Dying leaves his Son
IOANNES SLEIDANVS PATRICIVS ARGENTORATENSIS Natus Sleidae A. D. MDVI Legatus in Anglia pro Protestantibus A. D. MDXXXXV Legatus Argentorat in Concilio Trident. A. D. MDLI. Obijt II Kal Novemb A. D. MDLVI Printed for Henry Bonwicke and Abel Swalle THE General History OF THE REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH From the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of ROME Begun in GERMANY By Martin Luther With the Progress thereof in all Parts of Christendom From the Year 1517 to the Year 1556. Written in LATIN By John Sleidan L. L. D. And faithfully Englished To which is Added A CONTINUATION To the End of the Council of Trent in the Year 1562. By EDMUND BOHUN Esq LONDON Printed by Edw. Jones for Abel Swall at the Vnicorn and Henry Bonwicke at the Red Lion in St. Pauls Church-Yard MDCLXXXIX The Testimony of the Reverend and Learned Doctor Burnet in the Preface of his Celebrated History of the Reformation of the Church of England Pag. 1. wherein he gives an Honourable Character not only of Sleidan but also of Thuanus and Father Paul two of the Authors Cited below THe Changes that were made in Religion in the last Century have produced such Effects every where that it is no wonder if all persons desire to see a clear Account of the several Steps in which they advanced of the Counsels that directed them and the Motives both Religious and Political that inclined Men of all Conditions to concur in them Germany produced a Sleidan France a Thuanus and Italy a Frier Paul who have given the World as full satisfaction in what was done beyond Sea as they could desire And though the two last lived and died in the Communion of the Church of Rome yet they have delivered things to Posterity with so much Candour and Evenness that their Authority is disputed by none but those of their own Party Jac. Aug. Thuanus Historiar Lib. xvii pag. 542. Sub Exitum Octobris c. The last day of October in the year 1556 John Sleidan when he had brought down his History to that time with an Exact Faith and Diligence died of the Plague at Strasburg in the One and Fiftieth year of his Age. He was born at Sleidan a Town in the Dukedom of Juliers near Duren and from thence he took his Name He was a Person who for his Learning and great Experience in Affairs was much esteemed by that Age He had spent the greatest part of his Youth in France and being entertained in the Family of Bellay had both Learned and done great things in the Service of Cardinal John Du Bellay but a sharp Persecution arising in France against those who were suspected of Lutheranisme he went and lived at Strasburg and served that Free City and being by his own publick Employments well informed of the Carriage of Affairs he added to what he had seen what he had learned from Men worthy of Credit and Wrote his Commentaries Joannes Bodinus Method Ad facilem Historiar Cognitionem pag. 66 67. Sleidanus Franciscum Regem c. John Sleidan greatly and truely commends Francis I. King of France the Duke of Saxony Bellay and Alenzon and yet declin'd all odious Comparisons And if he at any time was forced to set down any thing which tended to the Dishonour of any Man he either proved it by good Arguments or put it in the Number of the Rumors or Reports He notwithstanding Imitated Guicciardin Plutarch Machiavel Tacitus and many others in the disclosing the Counsels and Conceal'd Frauds of Men for Sleidan was Interpreter to Francis I. and was Employed in many Embassies for the City of Strasburg after which resolving to Write the History of Religion as he was a Pious and Religious Man he has comprised in it not only a vast number of Speeches and Letters but has also some times abridged the Books which were written on both sides which though it may seem very tedious to some Men yet on the contrary those that are true Lovers of Antiquity and desirous to be throughly informed concerning the great Changes which then happened in Christendom think nothing the less honourably of him on that Account Pietro Soave Polano Hist del Concilio Tridentino pag. 1. Il Proponimento mio c. My purpose is to Write the History of the Council of Trent for though many famous Historians of our Age have made mention in their Writings of some particular Accidents that happened therein and John Sleidan a most Diligent Author hath related with Exquisite Industry the Causes that went before yet notwithstanding all these things put together would not suffice for an intire Narrative This Author supposeth his Reader well Acquainted with Sleidan's History and on that account gives a very short and imperfect Relation of the Rise and Progress of the Controversies which necessitated the calling of that Council so that it is scarce possible throughly to understand that History without having first Read Sleidan's TO THE QUEEN MADAM THIS Work was design'd and begun when Our Church was in the Lowest degree of Danger out of a belief that it might contribute something to her Preservation in that Storm which lay so heavy upon her the Duration of which could then be known to none but God. I thought That a seasonable time to Imitate the Divine Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews and to set before us that Cloud of Illustrious Persons who had with an Heroick Courage baffl'd the Rages of former Persecutions by their Faith and Patience The Reflections I had in private made to my self on the many Deliverances the Holy God has in these last Ages so often wrought for his distressed Church when she seem'd ready to be swallowed up by Popish Fury and Fraud was so great a support and comfort to me in those Melancholy days that I passionately wished I had had some means of communicating them to others To that End was undertaken the Translating this Excellent History as the best means I could think of to raise the same Thoughts in others And as Your Majesty was ever in our Minds I wish'd I might have some favourable opportunity of laying it at Your Feet tho' I could then have no prospect of that Happiness Since then the late Wonderful Revolution has put so sudden and unexpected an End to our Sufferings and our Sorrows and brought Your Majesty back to England to be the Defender of our Holy Faith and the Deliverer of our oppressed Church I humbly beg Your Gracious acceptance of this History which is due to Your Majesty as the chief Patroness of the Reformation That God would for many years continue us under Your most Auspicious Government and at last reward Your Piety and Virtues with a more Glorious Crown in Heaven is and ever shall be one of the most fervent Prayers of Madam Feb. XX. 1688-89 Your Majesties most Dutiful Loyal Faithful and most Devoted Subject Edmund Bohun The Author of the Continuation to the Reader containing an account of
they might prove of great use to others as well as to himself who was exceedingly pleased with them but that there was one thing that he would have him admonished of and that was That more might be done by a civil Modesty than by Transports and Heat that he ought rather to thunder against those who abused the Authority of Popes than against the Popes themselves that about inveterate things which cannot be suddenly pluck'd out it is better to dispute with pithy and close Arguments than to assert positively and that in this Case the Passions and Affections must be laid aside That he gave him this Admonition not that he might learn what he was to do but that he should proceed as he had begun Luther's Doctrine having in this manner caused much Strife and Contention and raised him many Enemies there was a Disputation appointed to be at Leipsick a Town in Misnia belonging to George Duke of Saxony Cousin-german to the Elector Frederick thither came Luther and with him Philip Melanchthon who the Year before came to Wittemberg being sent for by Duke Frederick to be Professour of the Greek Language there thither came also John Eckius a bold and confident Divine On the Day appointed which was July 4 the Disputation was begun by Eckius who having proposed some Positions to be debated made this his last That they who affirmed that before the time of Pope Silvester the Church of Rome was not the first of all Churches did err for that he who attained to the See and Faith of S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles was always acknowledged for the Successor of S. Peter and the Vicar of Christ upon Earth The contrary Position to this was published by Luther to wit That they who attributed Primacy to the Church of Rome had no other Ground for it but the bare and insipid Decretals of the Popes made about four hundred Years ago but that these Decretals were repugnant not only to all Histories written a thousand Years since but also to Holy Scripture and the Council of Nice the most Famous of all Councils Eckius then entring upon the Dispute laid hold of that last Position and would begin the Debate about the Authority and Primacy of the Pope of Rome but Luther having made a short Preface said That he had rather that that Argument as being very Odious and not at all Necessary might have been waved and that for the sake of the Pope that he was sorry he should have been drawn into it by Eckius and that he wished now his Adversaries were present who having grievously accused him and now shunn'd the Light and a fair Tryal of their Cause did not do well Eckius also having made a Preamble declared That he had not raised this Bustle and Stir but that it was Luther who in his first Explication of his Theses had denyed That before Silvester's time the Pope of Rome preceded the rest in Order and Dignity and had averred before Cajetane That Pope Pelagius had wrested many Places of Scripture according to his own Pleasure which being so that all the Fault lay at his Door The first Debate then was about the Supremacy of the Pope of Rome which Eckius said was instituted by Divine Right and called Luther who denyed it a Bohemian because Huss had been heretofore of the same Opinion Luther to justifie himself from this Accusation proved That the Church of Christ had been spread and propagated far and near twenty Years before S. Peter constituted a Church at Rome that this then was not the First and Chief Church by Divine Right Afterwards Eckius impugned Luther's other Positions of Purgatory Indulgences Penance the Pardon of the Guilt and Remission of the Punishment of Sin and of the Power of Priest At length on the fourteenth Day ended the Dispute which had been appointed not upon the account of Luther but of Andrew Carolstad though Luther came to it in company of Carolstad only to hear but being drawn in by Eckius who had procured a Safe-Conduct for him from Duke George he entred the Lists of Disputation for Eckius was brisk and confident because of the Nature of the Subject wherein he promised himself certain Victory Luther afterwards published the whole Conference and Debate and by an ingenious Animadversion upon the Writings and Sayings of his Adversaries gathered several Heads of Doctrine downright Heretical as he said That so he might make it appear That whilst they spoke and wrote any thing in Favour of the Pope and were transported with the Zeal of defending their Cause they interspersed many things which being narrowly inspected contained a great deal of Errour and Impiety Vlrick Zuinglius taught at that time at Zurich in Suitzerland whither he came upon a call in the beginning of this Year having before preached at Claris and in the Desert of our Lady as they call it Not long after Fryer Samson a Franciscean of Milan came thither also being sent by the Pope to preach up Indulgences and squeeze Money from the People Zuinglius stoutly opposed him and publickly called him an Imposter CAROLVS V. AVSTRIACVS D.G. ROMAN IMP SEMPER AVG REX HISPAN Natus Gandavi Ao. MD. Die. XXIV Febr Electus Ao. MDXIX XXVIII Iunij Ferdinando Frat Imp Commisit VII o Sept. MDLVI Obijt XXI Sept MDLVIII THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK II. The CONTENTS Luther by the advice of Charles Miltitz writes to the Pope and presents him with his Book of Christian Liberty The Emperor departs from Spain and passes through England into the Low-Countries Luther writes a Book which he calls Tessaradecas and another about the Manner of Confession a third about Vows His Opinion concerning the Communion in Both Kinds To this his Adversaries object a Decree of the Council of Lateran under Julius II of whose Actions you have a large Account In the mean time the Divines of Lovain and Cologn condemn Luther's Books In his Defence the Opinions of Picus Mirandula the Questions of Ockam and the Controversie of Reuchlin with the same Divines are recited Seeing himself attack'd by so many Enemies he writes to the Emperor soon after to the Archbishop of Mentz and Bishop of Mersburg The Elector Frederick finding that he had lost his Credit at Rome upon Luther's account endeavours to clear himself by Letter Luther likewise does the same The Pope Excommunicates him and he appeals again from the Decree of the Council of Mantua and puts out his Book of the Babylonish Captivity The Emperor is Crown'd at Aix la Chapelle The Pope again sollicites Frederick but not prevailing causes Luther's Books to be burnt Which when Luther understood he burnt the Popes Bull and the Canon Law and gives his Reasons for it He Answers Ambrose Catarino who had written against him IN the former Book an Account has been given of what relates to Charles Miltitz and his Negotiation at the Court of the Elector
Campegio who had full Power and Commission from the Pope in that Affair did will and command that that Edict and the Decrees lately made in the Diet should be observed throughout all their Dominions and Jurisdictions That the Gospel and all other Scriptures should be taught in Churches according to the Interpretation of Antients who were conspicuous for purity of Life and confirmed their Doctrin by Sufferings and Martyrdom That all who taught old Heresies or any thing else that was reproachful to Christ his Mother or the Saints or which tended to Sedition should be punished according to the Tenor of the Edict That no Man should be admitted to Preach without a Licence from the Bishop That they who Preach'd already should be Examin'd and that no Place should be given to private and clandestine Sermons That the Ecclesiastical Regulations made by Campegio with common consent against Vice and for reforming of Manners when once they were published should be observed That 〈◊〉 Alterations should be made in the Sacraments Mass and other Rites of Worship but all things done as formerly in the times of their Ancestors That they who without Confession and Absolution received the Lord's Supper they who on days prohibited did eat Flesh and other forbidden Meats all Monks and Nuns who forsook their Order and all Priests Deacons and Subdeacons that Married should be severely punished That nothing should be Printed without the Magistrates leave but especially that none of the Books of Luther and his Adherents should be Published or Sold That those within their Dominions who studied at Wittemberg should within three Months after they had notice of this Decree return home or go some where else where Luther's poysonous Doctrin had not reached That they who were disobedient herein should be deprived of all their Benefices and lose their Inheritance That they who continued in that University should be incapable of any Church-Living or of the Privileges of Teaching Youth And that for the more effectual putting these things in execution some fit Men should be commissioned to make diligent enquiry into all Matters and therein assist the Governors of Places That the guilty should be committed to Prison and punished according to their Deservings That they who should be proscribed and banished should have no place of refuge within their Territories And that if any Stirs or Insurrections happened within any of their Limits by reason of this Decree that they should mutually help and assist one another but so that it should be no derogation to any League that they might have with others Moreover because as they said the vicious Lives of the Priests had given cause to Luther's Heresie by the Advice of the Legate Campegio they made these following Laws for Reformation of the Clergy That they should live Vertuously be cloathed Decently not Traffick avoid Taverns and Publick-Houses not be Covetous nor extort Money for administration of holy Things That such as kept Concubines should be turned out of Place And that the number of Holy-days should be moderated Campegio had a great mind to have had these things enacted in the Diet of the Empire but seeing he could not accomplish that by reason of the aversion that some had to Popery he held this separate Convention When Luther understood that the Emperor and most part of the Princes urged the execution of the Decree of Wormes he bewailed the state of Germany which being so often admonished neglected its own Interest He expostulated also with the Princes themselves that being so palpably and grossly cheated by the Popes of Rome they should so zealously maintain their Dignity and attempt the Destruction of him a single Man who wish'd their Welfare and Prosperity Wherefore in regard of their high Ingratitude and inexcusable Obstinacy he said there was a dreadful Tempest hanging over Germany He admonished them also not to be rash in engaging in a War or contributing Money against the Turk who in Counsel and Moderation far exceeded our Princes That while our Lives and Manners were such there was no Victory to be expected That it was a very ridiculous and absurd thing for the Emperor who could not add a minutes time to his own Life to call himself Defender of the Faith and Church That the King of England was guilty of the like boldness in taking to himself the same Title But that he prayed God to set such Magistrates over his People as might prove zealous in promoting the Glory of his Divine Majesty The Pope sent the Golden Rose which he had lately consecrated as the Custom is three Weeks before Easter to Henry King of England as a certain Pledge in token of his singular Good-will and favour towards him At this very time came forth a Treatise written by Erasmus concerning Free-will which Luther afterwards answered in a Book entituled de Servo Arbitrio or Bond-will The King of England and Cardinal of York put Erasmus upon the handling of that Subject as he himself acknowledges in a Letter to the Cardinal which is printed Now also Anthony Duke of Lorrain ordered by Proclamation That since Luther's Doctrin was condemned by the Pope and Emperour and by the most famous Universities none of his Subjects should in their Sermons teach any such Doctrin that they also who had any of Luther's Books should bring them in by a Day prefixt or otherwise incur a Penalty by him appointed This Year Henry of Zutphen was for preaching the Gospel put to a sad and painful Death at Dietmarsh upon the Borders of Germany he had gone thither upon a Call after he had preached two Yers at Bremen We told you before of a Dyet that in November was to be held at Spire but that Design was altered and when the Emperour knew of the Decree which appointed it he wrote from Spain to the States of the Empire on the thirteenth of July and blamed them very much for so doing For that since some Years before he had with the Advice and Consent of all the States in the Dyet of Wormes solemnly condemned the Doctrin of Luther as pestilent and Heretical and had commanded his Books which upon due examination had been condemned by the Pope to be burnt he could not he said but think it very strange and be troubled that they should only prohibit Scandalous Books and Pictures to be sold as if the Edict of Wormes had been illegally made That he was also somewhat more troubled that they should both desire to have a Council in Germany and also make address to the Legate Campegius to write to the Pope about it as if that did not concern the Pope or him more than them for if they thought it so much for the Interest of Germany to have a Council why did they not make their Application to him that he might obtain it from the Pope That now though he was sensible how much that Decree of theirs entrenched both upon the Pope's Authority and his own
grievously informed against him by some of that Faculty though unjustly and without a Cause That then he had appointed some great Men eminent for Learning to inspect his Books and Writings for which he stood accused But that they having carefully perused and examined them all had given him a very ample and honourable Testimony That seeing it was so and that he was had in gread Reputation by the Italians and Spaniards for the opinion they conceived of his Learning and Virtue as he hath since learnt he would therefore take it ill if that innocent Man should be molested or exposed to any Danger And seeing that if at any other time so now especially he would have Justice strictly administred throughout all his Kingdoms And again because for the future he intended by all ways to favour Men of Learning therefore he commanded them That if any Process had been commenced against them since his Departure they should make report of the fame to his Mother who managed the Government that he might be certified thereof by her and that they might expect his Will and Pleasure therein and not to proceed any farther but to supersede all Action until either he should return which he hoped by the Blessing of God would shortly be or else some Order should be taken in the matter by himself or his Mother These Letters dated at Madrid in Spain November the twelfth were delivered to the Parliament of Paris the eight and twentieth day of the same Month. It was a thing almost natural to the Divines of the past Age to teaze and molest learned Men and the reason was because they saw themselves despised for their Ignorance This Year there happened a change in the State and Government of Prusia a Province in the utmost parts of Germany upon the Baltick-Sea Let us trace the matter a little farther back During the Empire of Henry VI the Son of Frederick Barbarossa when the Christians were in War for the Recovery of Jerusalem the Knights of the German or Teutonick Order were instituted who because they fought for Religion wore a white Cross upon their Cloaths as a Badge and cognizance of their Profession This happened in the Year of our Lord eleven hundred and ninety The first Master of that Order was chosen as is reported in the Camp before Ptolemais Afterwards these Knights subdued Prusia in the time of the Emperour Frederick II And after that being grown strong they had for some time waged War with the Kings of Poland they were overcome in Battle and swore Allegiance to Casimire king of Poland the Father of King Sigismund From the first Master to Marquess Albert of Brandenburg there had been three and thirty Masters Now Albert was chosen in the Year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and eleven For the space of two Years he had a bloody War with Sigismund King of Poland and in the Year one thousand five hundred and twenty one a Truce was made for four Years In the mean time Marquess Albert often sollicited the Emperour and States of the Empire for Aid and came himself in Person to the Dyet of Norimberg We mentioned before where he took his Place as a Prince of the Empire for the cause of the War was because he refused to swear Allegiance to the King of Poland But now when the Emperour was ingaged in a War with France the Turk invaded Hungary and Germany was so embroiled by the Rebellion of the Boors that no help was to be expected from thence the Truce being likewise expired he made Peace with the King of Poland swore Allegiance to him as to his chief Magistrate and imbraced the Reformed Religion Hereupon he changed his Order challenged Prusia as his own and being before but Master was now by the King's consent inaugurated Duke of Prusia and some time after married the Lady Dorothy Daughter to the King of Denmark founding also the University of Coningsberg By this means he got the whole Order upon his Top For although he was in Possession of Prusia and under the Protection of the King of Poland yet by common consent Walter Cronberg was chosen in his place who retained the Name and represented the old Dignity of the Order and in all Dyets grievously accused Albert as you shall hear in the proper place But he having published a Manifesto gave his Reasons for what he had done and declared That being forsaken of the Empire he was driven by extream Necessity to submit himself to the King of Poland The Letters of Pope Leo X to Sigismund and Albert are extant wherein he exhorts them to Concord and either refer the Difference they had to his Legate whom he would send or submit it to the Determination of the Council of Lateran because it was most convenient that the Debates of Kings should be decided by a Council THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK VI. THE CONTENTS Luther-writes to the King of England and George Duke of Saxony to regain their favour But both reject him Now he had been put on to do so by Christiern King of Denmark The sickness of the French King who was Prisoner hastened the Treaty at Madrid The King having obtained his Liberty two of his Sons are left Hostages While the Princes of Germany meet in the Diet at Spire the Emperor of the Turks marches streight into Hungary A Disputation begun at Baden The Pope and Venetians make a League with the French King. The Emperor and King make bitter Complaints of one another Rome being taken by the Duke of Bourbon the King sends Lautreck into Italy The Errors of the Anabaptists begin to spread A Disputation appointed at Berne about Reformation of Religion A Context between King Ferdinand and the Vayvode of Transilvania Berken suffers Death at Antwerp The Emperor sends a Herald with a Challenge to the French King. Lautreck Besieges Naples but the Plague rages in his Camp. Mass is abolished at Strasburg A Dissention arises at Basil about Religion The Catholick Switzers make a League with Ferdinand A Dyet held at Spire and from thence the Name of Protestant had its Original A Civil War among the Switzers A Treaty at Cambray Solyman Besieges Vienna A new Disease breaks out in Germany The Protestants frame a League Erasmus his Book against Protestants Sforza is again received into favour with the Emperor WE gave an Account before of the King of England and Luther's clashing by Letters But Luther in the mean time having heard of some things that sounded to the King's Praise and Commendation was mightily rejoiced at the News and wrote very submissively unto him That he doubted not but that he had highly offended him by the Book he published but that he had not done it so much of his own accord as at the instigation of others which made him in confidence of his Royal Grace and Condescension so much applauded by many take the boldness to write to him
it might plainly appear That the Interest of the Publick and their native Country were dear unto them At the same time the Duke of Lunenburg the Landgrave and the Counts of Anhalt and Mansfield wrote at large to the Electors to the same purpose seriously advising them that they would not offer such Injury to the Laws and Rights of their Country and the rather since it was a common Report That there were Bribes and Promises in the case which was directly contrary to the Caroline Constitutions Afterwards on the last of December both the Princes and Cities we named before wrote to the Emperour a common Letter in all their Names wherein they resumed all the Proceedings at Ausburg what Sollicitations they had made for Peace what Answer his Majesty made at length especially concerning the Actions of the Crown and what kind of Decree was afterwards made there and that though his Majesty had himself qualified that Expression of the Elector of Brandenburg by telling them that the Agreement he had made with the rest of the Princes was not Offensive but only for the Defence of himself and Cause yet nevertheless if that Authority specified in the Decree should be given to the Imperial Chamber who could doubt but that it might extend to Force and Violence Since therefore both they and their Ancestors had given evident Proofs of their Zeal and Affection both towards him and his Predecessors they prayed That as he had in Word softned that Expression of the Elector of Brandenburg's so he would also really and indeed mitigate and put a stop to those Prosecutions of the Chamber that they might have assurance until the meeting of a Free and Holy Council that they needed not be afraid of any thing And that if they could obtain this at his Majesties Hands they would hereafter as in Times past contribute their Money Aid and Assistance not only towards the Turkish War but also for the other Publick Uses of the Government In the first meeting of the Princes Electors at Cologne the Emperour gave these Reasons for creating a King of the Romans Because he himself had several Kingdoms and People to govern and could not be always in Germany Because Christendom and especially Germany was in a Troublesome and Dangerous State by Reason of the Difference in Religion the Power and Force of the Turks the late Insurrection and Rebellion of the Boors and because many things were undutifully and disobediently acted in Germany for that though by their own Advice and Consent in former Years there had been a Senate and Judicature of the Empire appointed yet it was not obeyed as it ought to have been And that therefore it seemed absolutely necessary to him for the Welfare of the State that a King of the Romans should be chosen who might under him and in his absence be as it were another Head of the Empire that he ought to be a Man of Parts Vigilant Industrious and Powerful a Lover of Peace and Concord acquainted with the Affairs of the Empire and in short altogether such as he himself might Trust and Relie upon But that he knew no Man more capable of that Province than his own Brother Ferdinand King of Bohemia and Hungary whose Limits and Kingdoms were as a Wall and Rampart for the Safety and Preservation of Germany against the cruelty of the Turks The Princes Electors after deliberation had praid the Emperour that he would not leave Germany but settle his Court and Residence in it But he persisting in his Purpose on the Fifth of January they declared Ferdinand King of the Romans The Elector of Saxony did all he could which was to make his Son give Reasons why he could not approve that Election and to protest against it as illegall Long before the Dyet of Ausburg broke up there was a Report spread abroad That Ferdinand would be promoted to that Dignity From Cologne they went all afterwards to Aix la Chapelle where King Ferdinand was Installed on the eleventh of January who presently dispatched Letters to give notice of it all over Germany The Emperour also commanded by Proclamation That all should own him for King of the Romans and wrote separately to the Protestants to the same purpose In the mean while that the Emperour was at Cologne the Protestants Letter was delivered unto him wherein they desired to be exempted from the Prosecutions of the Imperial Chamber as we said before Thereunto he made answer at Aix la Chapelle January 13 by the Mouth of Frederick Prince Palatine That they needed not to go any farther or wait longer for any Answer for that he had not as yet considered of it but that he would in time think on what answer he should give them Having done so he went into Brabant a Province of the Netherlands THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK VIII The CONTENTS The Princes assembled at Smalkalde dispatch Letters to the Kings of England and France wherein they let them understand what false Reports are gone abroad against them They solicite the King of Denmark and the Maritime Cities to joyn with them in the League as far as they shall think it convenient The Switzers are not admitted into this Confederacy The King of France returns an Answer to the Protestants Letters and the King of England does the same The Embassadors of the Cities deliver in at Franckford their Sentiments concerning the Creation of a King of the Romans and there likewise the Controversie between the Bishop of Bamburg and George Duke of Brandenburg is agitated The Emperor appoints a Diet to meet at Spiers to which the Elector of Saxony refuses to come There are some Conditions laid down upon which the Protestants do promise to make their appearance there A Civil War breaks out between those of Zurich and the five Confederate Cantons in which Zuinglius is slain Soon after OEcolampadius departs this life A Treaty is held about entring into a Peace with the Protestants till such time as a Council should sit Christiern King of Denmark is taken Prisoner Solyman the Grand Seignior invades Austria and is driven out of it again The Elector of Saxony dies The Pope sends an Embassador into Germany to propound certain Rules and Methods for the holding of the intended Council to each of which the Duke of Saxony having diligently consider'd the matter returns a very full Answer within a few days IN the former Convention at Smalkalde this among other things was agreed upon that since the Adversaries were very busie in throwing dirt upon their Cause and endeavour'd every where by numerous Calumnies to bring their Profession of the Gospel into Disgrace the Kings of England and France should in the first place be written to that they would not suffer themselves to be influenc'd by such false Reproaches Accordingly on the 16 day of Febr. the Dukes of Saxony Brandenburg Lunenburg and the Lantgrave together with the Cities of Strasburg
one or two Towns left him to retreat to He was always a zealous Roman Catholick and punished those who professed the Reformed Religion Paul the Third in the beginning of his Popedom made two of his Grandchildren Cardinals and being sensible that he had lost some Reputation upon this account he promoted several others who were eminent for their Quality and Learning to this Honour partly that he might make the promotion of his young Relations less invidious and disobliging partly that he might be furnished with Friends able to defend his Cause with their Rhetorick and Writings Those who were created were Gasper Contareno Reginald Poole John Bellay Frederick Fregosi to which were afterwards added Sadolet Alexander Bembo Besides Erasmus was also thought on as he himself relates in a Letter of his to a Friend There are extant likewise several Letters of Sadolets to Erasmus in which he tells him in a great many words what a singular esteem the Pope had for him and that he intended to raise him very shortly to the highest Dignity Contareno was of a noble Family and a Senator of Venice a Man of great Reputation for his Learning and was said to be preferr'd to this eminent Station altogether beyond his expectation and when he made no manner of Interest for it THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XII The CONTENTS Pope Paul strictly charges his Commissioners for the Reformation diligently to enquire into the numerous Corruptions of the Church and provide â—ffectual Remedies Erasmus his Colloquies are prohibited The Protestants meet at Brunswick and receive the King of Denmark into their League The Persecution of Lutheranism revived in France The Pope goes on Progress to Nice de Provence Whither the Emperor and the French King also come The French King and several of his Nobility kiss the Pope's Right-foot The French of the Reformed Religion have a Church assigned them at Strasburg The King of England burns Thomas of Canterbury's Bones The Elector of Brandenburg gives the Elector of Saxony notice of the Preparation which the Turks made for a War. The Rise of the Antinomians Eldo's and the Duke of Brunswick's Designs discovered by the Lantgrave's intercepting the Duke's Letters A Convention is held at Frankfort where at last a Conference is decreed in order to an Accommodation which Henry Duke of Brunswick endeavours to prevent and raiseth Forces for hat Purpose George Duke of Saxony a most violent Enemy to the Reformation dies and Henry his Brother succeeds him The King of England publisheth another Paper against the Council appointed at Vicenza and makes several Laws touching Religion An Insurrection at Ghent to suppress which the Emperor takes a Journey thâ—â—her through France The Venetians make a Peace with the Turk who had secret Intelligence what their Senate had decreed touching this Matter I Have already mentioned the Prorogueing of the Council till November which was still delay'd after that Term was expired However that the Pope might keep up the Expectation of the World and seem to do something he had some time since pitched upon a select Number out of the whole Body of his Clergy whom he strictly charged to make a diligent Enquiry into the Abuses of the Church and lay them before him impartially without any manner of Flattery He likewise discharged them from their Oath that they might speak their Minds freely and ordered them to manage the Affair with great Secrecy The Delegates were Jaspar Contarino Peter Theatino James Sadolet Reginald Poole Cardinals Frederick Archbishop of Salerno Hierome Alâ—ander Archbishop of Brindisi John Matthew Bishop of Verona George Vener Abbot and Thomas Master of the Holy Palace These Persons after they had debated the Point among themselves set down their Reformation in Writing and addressing themselves to the Pope they begin with a high Commendation of his Zeal for the promoting of Truth which was not prevalent enough to gain the Ears of several of his Predecessors indeed the Fault was chiefly in their Flatterers who stretched their Prerogative too far and told their Holinesses That they were absolute Lords of all things and might do whatever they pleased From this Fountain it was that so many Disorders flowed in upon the Church which had brought her into that very ill Condition she was in at present Therefore his beginning his Cure in the first Principles and Original of the Distemper was an Argument of great Prudence and Vertue in his Holiness who according to St. Paul's Doctrine Chose rather to be a Minister and Steward than a Lord. And since he was pleased to lay this Task upon them they in obedience to his Commands had according to the best of their Understandings digested the Matter into several distinct Heads relating to himself the Bishops and the Church Now because he bore a double Character being not only Bishop of the Universal Church but a Monarch of divers Towns and Countries they would only consider the Ecclesiastical part of his Jurisdiction for the State was well already and governed very prudently and unexceptionably by him And first May it please your Holiness say they We are of Aristotle's Opinion That the Laws of a Country ought not to be changed upon a slight Occasion and apply his Maxim to the Canons of the Church which ought to be strictly kept up and not dispensed with but when the Case is very weighty and important For there can no greater Mischief happen to the Commonwealth than the weakening the Force and Authority of the Laws which were esteemed Sacred and almost Divine by our Forefathers The next Expedient is That the Pope of Rome who is the Vicar of Christ should refuse to receive Money for the granting any spiritual Privilege by virtue of the Power derived to him from Christ For since all these Advantages were freely bestowed upon him our Saviour expects he should communicate them in the same manner This Foundation of Regularity being once laid there must be a Provision made that your Holiness may be always furnished with a considerable Number of Clergy-men well qualified to take care of the Church Among these the Bishops are the chief But there is a great Miscarriage in this Point for all Persons are admitted into this Order without any Distinction or Difficulty when they have neither Learning nor Probity to recommend them and oftentimes when they are Boys Hence it is that so much Scandal ariseth that such Disrespect and Contempt is shown to Religion We therefore believe it most advisable for your Holiness to appoint in the first place some Persons at Rome to examine those who offer themselves to Holy Orders and then enjoin the Bishops the same Diligence in their respective Diocesses And that you would take care that none should be received without the Approbation of his Triers or Bishop and let those young People who are designed for Church-men have a Master set over them by particular Order that so their Learning and Morals may be fit
imaginable and conduct him to their Palaceâ— When it was Evening the Emperor sent word to Andrew Doria who stay'd on Board That the King and Queen his Sister had prevailed with him to lodge in Town that Night and that he would return to his Galley the next Day after Dinner Which Notice he gave him that he might not suspect any foul Play And accordingly the next Day the Emperor put to Sea again being accompanied thither by the King and the whole Court And after they had drank together for some time in the Galley they took their Leaves with all possible Demonstrations of Friendship When this Entertainment was known in Paris and in other places of France they went in Procession to the Churches of the Saints according to the usual Custom and made publick Bonefires The Pope had endeavoured to perswade them at Nice de Provence That now since a Truce was concluded they would go in Person to the Council at Vicenza and send those Prelates they had in their Train thither and summon in those who were absent But when they excused themselves and told him they could do neither and his Cardinal Legates whom he had sent to Vicenza had acquainted him that there was no Company come thither he prorogueth the Council again till Easter following and gives publick Notice of it by his Bulls upon the Nineteenth of June when he was at Genua in order to his Return to Rome At their first Meeting the French King kissed the Pope's right Foot as he sate in his Chair Which Respect was likewise paid by most of the rest of his Nobles yet there were some in the King's Train who refused to submit to this Ceremony though the Constable put them in mind of it These Refusers were Christopher Duke of Wirtenberg William Count Furstenburg Germans Marshall la Marche a French Man and George Gluck Ambassador of the King of Denmark Just about this time Charles Count Egmond Duke of Guelderland died How he was outed of almost all his Dominions I gave an Account in the last Book And being reduced to this Extremity when he fell sick he treated with the Duke of Cleves his near Relation and with the consent of his Nobility and People bequeathed the Dutchy of Guelderland to him with the Acceptance of which the Emperor was very much offended as shall be shewn in its proper place A little before this time Erard Count Mark Cardinal and Bishop of Leige departed this Life than whom none was more severe against the Reformers He ordered a very rich Tomb to be made for him a great many years before in the Cathedral at Leige and had those funeral Dirges and Ceremonies which the Papists use for the Dead performed anniversarily for him imagining that those Services of the Priests which they account Meritorious and believe Eternal Life is due to them would do him most Good when he was alive But those who pretended to know the Man more intimately said he did all this out of a Spirit of Vanity because his ambitious Humour was pleased with the Solemnity of the Office. About this time there was an English Bible printed at Paris which the King had ordered to be sent to all the Churches in England But when it was known it was prohibited and the Printer was in some Danger about it In France the Holy Scriptures are not commonly to be met with in the Language of the Country It 's enough there to make a man suspected if he happens to read the New Testament or any thing of that Nature in French For none but Divines and such sort of People are allowed so much as to meddle with or enquire into the Scriptures As for the generality of the Laity they are altogether Ignorant The Citizens Wives when they go to Mass carry Latin Prayers to Church with them and patter them over at their rate but understand nothing of the matter being verily perswaded that this Way is much more acceptable to God than if they should pray in French. This Notion those Priests have insinuated into them who make their Advantage of the Ignorance of the People In the beginning of August the Pope returned to Rome where the Citizens received him in the most triumphant and respectful Manner imaginable for their Streets were hung and made sine every where and there was plenty of panegyrical Papers and Inscriptions to be seen in which they magnified him at a very extraordinary rate for setling Peace in the World again and reconciling the Two great Monarchs This Year there was a College or School for young People opened at Strasburg James Sturmius a Senator of considerable Note being the principal Contriver and Promoter of this Design which by the Care of those who were appointed to govern and teach gained such a Reputation in a short time that not only the most remote Germans but Foreigners also came thither in great Numbers But the Management of the Students the throwing them as it were into distinct Classes and the whole Method of Teaching was first reported to the Senate by John Sturmius and afterwards published more at large by him in Print And when a great many People were forced to leave France and the Netherlands upon the account of Religion the Senate of Strasburg assigned a Church to those who came thither and gave them Leave to incorporate themselves in a distinct Body John Calvin of Noyon was Pastor of this Church for some Years and was succeeded by Peter Brulius of whose Death I shall speak afterwards Now to go for England a little while Thomas of Canterbury had a mighty Veneration paid him by that Nation which had continued for some Ages His Body was laid in a magnificent Tomb inestimably enriched with Gold and Jewels but King Henry fetched him out this Year and burned his Bones This Thomas Sirnamed Beckett was formerly Archbishop of Canterbury who when by defending the Privileges of the Clergy with too much vehemence had very much displesed King Henry II. and was commanded to depart the Kingdom he addressed himself to Pope Alexander III. who was then in France upon the account of the Difference there was between him and Frederick Barbarossa the Emperor At last by the Intercession of this Pope and the French King Lewis VII the King of England was reconciled to him and permitted him to return home after he had been banished Seven Years But upon his growing troublesom to some of the Bishops and interdicting them for being of the King's Side in the Dispute the King was provoked again and said with some Passion That he looked upon himself as a miserable Person otherwise it would not have been in the Power of one single Priest to give him such perpetual Disturbance and seemed to bewail the Unfortunateness of his Condition that he had never a Subject that would rid him of this Plague These Words made a singular Impression upon some of his Courtiers who imagining it would not be
Here they consulted about strengthening their League with new Alliances and how to prepare for a necessary defence in case the Emperor would not allow the Treaty at Francfort They likewise debated how the Church 〈◊〉 might be best disposed of as also concerning the sending an Ambassy into England to molliâ—le the King upon the Point of the late Act of Parlament made in Relation to Religion they resolved likewise upon an Address to the French King to entreat him not to Persecute Innocent People for the sake of Opinion and also about dispatching away their Ambassadors to the Emperor as soon as they had any certainty of his being in Flanders for there was a report as if he were come thither already And because some of the Confederates were absent and others had no Authority to treat in several Cases they agreed to meet at Smalcald upon the First of March to conclude the remaining Business At this Convention the Burghers of Riga a City of Livonia were received into the League They had a difference with their Archbishop which was the Case of a great many Towns in Germany they were concerned in the Alliance no farther than to be defended by the common Advocates of the Protestants in the Chamber of Spire and upon this account they paid the Confederates a Thousand five hundred Crowns Henry Duke of Saxony Brother of George was admitted into the League Two Years without any Incumbrance charged upon him because his Fortune was but small but with this Proviso That whenever his Circumstances were enlarged he should submit to the same Condition with the rest Therefore since he had now such a noble Inheritance fallen to him they assessed him his proportion of the Charge in his Meeting which ended upon the Tenth of December The Princes were not here in person but sent their Agents The Elector had also lately sent John Dulcius and Francis Burcart his Vice-Chancellor into England to be present at the Solemnity of the King's Marriage with Ann of Cleve whose Sister Sibill was his own Dutchess as I observed in the Sixth Book These Ambassadors therefore having this occasion were enjoined at Arnstet to treat with the King in the Name of the Confederates as was lately mentioned The Emperor having received a safe Conduct set forward in November with a very small Train when he came to the Frontiers of France next to Spain he found Henry and Charles the King's Sons there who had Horses laid to meet him the sooner The Constable likewise who went a great way before the Princes was there to wait on him with a great Attendance of Nobility Being thus received he was conveyed through the middle of France and through the fairest Cities and when he came to Loches in the Dukedom of Berry the King met him who was scarce then recovered of a late Distemper From thence he travelled to Orleans and came to Paris upon the First of January which he entered being placed in the middle between the King's Sons the Constable carrying the Sword before them Neither was there any sort of festival Solemnity or Respect omitted with which its possible for the Mind of Man to be entertained There came thither also Cardinal Alexander Farnese the Pope's Legate who with Cardinal Bellay the Archbishop of the Town received the Emperor in Nostre-Dame His Imperial Majesty after a weeks stay went for Flanders the King accompanying him to St. Quintins and his Sons as far as Valenciennes a Town in Hanault The King at this time was almost sure of recovering Milan but it fell out quite otherwise as will be shown afterwards When the Emperor was with the French King they both of them sent a very splendid Ambassy to the Venetians the Emperor sent Alphonso Davalo Governor of the Dutchy of Milan and the French King Claude Hanebald Governor of Piedmont These Ambassadors made a long Harangue to the Senate to perswade them to concur with these Two powerful Monarchs who were now united and to bend all their Forces against the Turk But the Venetians after they had parted with the Ambassadors in a very respectful Manner concluded upon a full Consideration of the Case That it was absolutely their Interest to get the Turk with whom they had a Truce already throughly reconciled to them At last therefore they came to a Treaty with him and bought their Peace by the Delivery of Napoli di Romania and Malvasia into his Hands Some say the French though in publick they pressed the same Opinion with the Emperor's Ambassadors yet they gave them private Caution to take care of their State and not run themselves upon so great Danger to which they were more exposed than others Indeed the French King himself in a certain Apology of his chargeth the Emperor with ruining the State of Venice which he says he had supported by his Assistance and recovered by his Mediation The Venetian Ambassador Aloisius Baduarius who was sent to the Port to treat about a Peace with the Turk was commanded to offer all his other Conditions first reserving the Two Towns for the last Necessity But the Sultan who had the Resolution of the Senate betrayed to him reprimanded the Ambassador for not sufficiently explaining his Instructions and would not conclude anything except those Places were consigned to him Baduarius was amaz'd to see the Secrets of the State betrayed but since the thing was out he agreed to the Proposition though with regret which possibly he must have made at last of his own accord When he came home he gave an Account of the whole Matter The Senate being wonderfully surprized at it after a most diligent Enquiry apprehended some Persons and upon their being found guilty beheaded them One of the Criminals took Sanctuary as it were in the Bishop of Montpellier's Lodgings the French Ambassador upon which Officers are sent to search the House but being denied Entrance the Senate ordered some Engines to be brought out of the Arsenal to batter down the House But the French when they saw what Danger they were in delivered up the Person The Senate afterwards gave the King an Account of their Proceedings in a Letter that he might not think his Ambassador affronted When the Emperor was come into Flanders King Ferdinand took a Journey from Austria to meet him And afterwards the Protestant Ambassadors came thither as they had agreed it at Arnstet These Gentlemen after they had in the beginning of their Speech wished the Emperor all Happiness and congratulated his Return into Germany told him They heard how they had been blacken'd by their Adversaries who charged them with Obstinacy and an Aversion to the supreme Magistrate that they were of a restless and turbulent Spirit and delighted in disturbing the Commonwealth They had often wished they said for an Opportunity to purge themselves of these Crimes before his Majesty and were very glad it was now in their Power to do it And first since God was
Protestants because of their Religion The End of the Twelfth Book THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XIII The CONTENTS The Protestants make Answer to the Emperor's Demands and by many Arguments prove that they aim more at Piety and Religion in their Actions than at appropriating to themselves Church-lands and Possessions They also refute the Arguments of the King of England The Emperor having punished the City of Ghent orders a Meeting of the Protestants who answer his Letters The Pope sends his Legate Farnese the same who went with the Emperor from Paris to the Netherlands He makes a long invective Speech against the Protestants In the mean time the French King makes a League with the Duke of Cleve to whom he gives his Sisters Daughter in Marriage At this time the Pope was making War against the People of Perusia The King of England turns away Ann the Sister of the Duke of Cleve Some Points of Religion are accommodated in the Assembly of Haguenaw The rest are repriev'd to the Convention at Wormes appointed by King Ferdinand whither Granvell came and made a Speech Campeggio the Pope Legate came after who also makes a Speech The Conference is broken off and all the Negotiation put off till the Diet of Ratisbone Luther makes a smart Answer to the Book of Henry Duke of Brunswick wherein Mention is made of the dear Pall which the Pope of Rome sells The Treaty commences at Ratisbone The Emperor passes over into Barbary Granvell presents the Book called the Interim to the Conferrers The Duke of Cleve marries the King of Navarr's Daughter TO these things the Protestants April the Eleventh make Answer and in the first place say they we return our hearty Thanks to the Heer Granvell who hath always advised the Emperor to Moderation in this Affair a Virtue which deserves the highest Commendation And we pray God to confirm him in this so laudable a Resolution for what can be more glorious than to allay publick Grievances by prudent and moderate Counsels without Slaughter and Bloodshed Now we pray all Men in general not to think that we delight in the Clashings and Dissensions of Churches that we propose to our selves any private Advantage or that it is out of Frowardness that we have separated from other Nations contrary to the inveterate Custom of many Ages It was not out of Wantonness Rashness or Unadvisedness that we have exposed our selves to the implacable Hatred of our Adversaries that we have undergone so much Trouble and Toil so great Charges and Losses and the continual Dangers of so many Years No but when Division in Doctrine broke out in the Church which hath happened oftner than once of old we could not in Conscience resist the Truth for the Favour of Men and far less approve the Actions of those who with great Cruelty persecute the Innocent Nay on the contrary for so many weighty Reasons for such true and holy Causes we are constrained to oppose them and separate from them For it is manifestly known that they defend gross and intolerable Errors not only in Word but by Violence and Force of Arms Now it is the Duty of the Magistrate to protect his Subjects from unjust Force And because we hear that we lie under Suspicion as if we only minded our own Profit and Advantage and not the Glory of God nor Reformation of the Church we beseech the Heer Granvell that he would justify us in that Matter to the Emperor We are sensible enough of the Calumnies of that Nature which are dispersed far and near by our Adversaries with intent to bring our Persons and the true Religion we profess into contempt and hatred But in the Emperors honourable Council whom God hath placed in so eminent a Sphere Truth only should be enquired into and regarded and all false Informations discountenanced For the Reason why they hunt about for Pretexts to load us with that Aspersion and publickly traduce us is because they maintain a weak and unjust Cause because they see their own Errors blamed and condemned by all Men and cannot withstand the pure Light of the Gospel But it suits ill with the Character and Duty of Bishops so to urge and importune the Emperor about Lands and Revenues as if the Christian Religion stood or fell with them when in the mean time they take not the least Notice of those many and enormous Errors and Vices which they themselves cannot dissemble It ought indeed to be their first care to see Religion and the purer Doctrine preserved in their Churches But now their Thoughts are wholly taken up how they may defend their Wealth and Power their Luxury and Splendor They know well enough that the Contest is not about Church-lands and Possessions they themselves know that these are not the things we aim at but they use that as a Cloak and Veil to cover their own wicked Counsels in resisting the Truth that they may inflame the Minds of Kings and Princes to the Destruction of this Religion For no Man of our Profession hath invaded any part of Church Possessions within the Territories and Dominion of another nor deprived any Bishop of ought that was his but the Bishops themselves have slighted their Jurisdiction when the Profits thereof began to fall and indeed they know not how to administer the same Again The Colleges of the Canons Regular still enjoy all they had but they on the other hand have appropriated to themselves the Revenues of many of our Churches and discharge their People from paying us any yearly Rent And whereas they were wont formerly to allow somewhat of their yearly Revenues to the Ministers of the Church and Schoolmasters they are now so far from contributing anything that way that the Cities are necessitated to be at all the Charges And it is not like that these Cities which both lie under heavy Burthens and are exposed to great Dangers do espouse and maintain this Cause meerly for Covetousness sake But our Enemies especially such of them as hunt after Church Preferments maliciously accuse us so to the Emperor We could heartily wish that the Emperor were rightly informed of the present State of Monasteries why monastick Institutions have been change and how these Goods are employed partly for maintaining the Ministers of the Church and Teachers of the People and partly for other pious Uses We would the Emperor also understood how our Adversaries hook in to themselves all Profits and rob and spoil not only Monasteries but other Churches also so that within their Precincts many Churches are wholly slighted and the People degenerate into Paganism But before we speak any more of that Matter we beseech Granvell that in his own excellent Judgment he would weigh these things with himself For grant we might from hence reap some Advantage yet it may easily be imagined that the Controversie proceeds not from this but from a far different and more considerable Cause and that for
they began to treat of a Marriage and though the Parents at that time were not altogether for it and that the Young Lady was more averse not so much of her own Judgment or that she slighted the Person of the Man as through the Whispers and Tattles of some who despised Germany as a wild and rude Country in respect of the Pleasantness and Deliciousness of France yet being over-ruled by the King's Authority who look'd on that affinity as very advantageous to him they yielded Wherefore on the Fifteenth of June the Marriage was solemnized the King leading the Bride his Neece to Church The Cardinal of Tournon said Mass and the King gave a most magnificent Wedding Feast whereat were present the Pope's Nuncio the Ambassadors of England Portugal Venice and Saxony for the Emperor's Ambassador had excused himself Some Days after the Duke of Cleve returned home leaving his Young Wife in France whom her Mother would have to be with her until she were grown up to maturity Before the Duke of Cleve came into France the King ordered the Admiral whom we mentioned before to be set at Liberty to go Home and then in the Month of May to come to his Majesty who most graciously received him and restored him to his former Honour and Dignity raised him as it were from Death to Life and by a new and unprecedented Example annulled the Sentence pass'd against him by the Select and Chief Judges of the Kingdom partly in spight of the Constable as it was believed and partly at the intercession of Madam d'Estampes who had contracted a new Relation by Affinity with the Admiral Wherefore the Constable Montmorency who loved not the Admiral his equal and was fallen much in the King's Favour because of the Emperor's Passage through France as hath been said being besides altogether slighted and despised at Court went Home and in an uncertain Condition led a private Life whereas before he had had the King wholly to himself The End of the Thirteenth Book THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XIV The CONTENTS In the Conference of Ratisbone they treat of reforming the Ecclesiastical State and Means are proposed for accomplishing of that Diverse Opinions and Answers are here related Eckius loathing the Book offered by the Protestants accuses his Collegues Vpon the Report of the Approach of the Turk the Emperor commands the Conference to be put off till the meeting of the Council Fregoso and Rink the Ambassadors sent from the French King to the Turk are taken and slain and therefore the Bastard Son of Maximilian is arrested at Lyons and committed to Prison The Turk makes his Entry into Buda The Emperor comes to Algiers The Plague rages in Germany Austria sorely afflicted The Peers of Austria desire Leave to profess and exercise the Protestant Religion and are eluded by King Ferdinand The Christians being worsted in Hungary the Emperor calls a Diet of the States of the Empire to meet at Spire where Oliver the French King's Ambassador made a long Speech The King of England cuts off his Queens Head and marries a Sixth Wife Morono the Pope's Legate being sent to Spire declares the calling of a Council at Trent Luther publishes a little Book a Military or Camp-Sermon wherein he compares the Papacy with the Turks War breaking out again betwixt the Emperor and French King. Longueville and Martin van Rossem invade Brabant Perpignon is besieged Edicts against the Lutherans are published at Paris Farel preacheth at Metz. Locusts overspread Germany and Italy An Imperial Diet held at Nurimberg Poiet apprehended in the Night time and committed to Prison Otho Prince Palatine embraces the Protestant Religion THE Conference commenced about the end of April as we said before But Eckius grew impatient and morose for he was sick of the Book disliked his Collegues and not long after fell into a Fever so that he could not be present However his Associates went and consulted him about all Matters Some Places of the Book indeed were by common Consent corrected in the Conference and some others they could not agree upon as about the Church and the Power thereof the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ the Confession of Sins Satisfaction the Unity and Order of the Ministers of the Church Saints the Mass the Sacrament to be received in both Kinds and the single Life of the Clergy So the Book as it was corrected was delivered to the Emperor and therewith the Sentiments of the Protestant Divines in Writing concerning the controverted Points of Doctrine now mentioned this was on the last Day of May. The Emperor commended their Zeal and took it kindly entreating them to shew the like Diligence and good Inclination if at any time after the Case did so require On the Eighth of June after he made a Report of what was done and how far they had proceeded in the Session of the Princes and States That the Conferrers had carefully handled the Matter and reconciled many weighty Points of Doctrine and that the Protestant Divines had declared their Thoughts touching the rest which were not as yet accommodated Then he shewed them both the Writings desiring they would take them speedily into Consideration give their Judgment of the same and think of a way how both Church and State might be reformed That for his part he would not omit anything that might contribute thereunto and doubted not but that the Pope's Legate inclined that way too The Senate of Princes consists for most part of Bishops and therefore they who were for rejecting the Book offered by the Emperor and all proceeding by Conference carried it by majority of Voices and gave their Resolution accordingly in Writing though in Terms somewhat too harsh But seeing the Electors and some other Princes who tendered the Wellfare of the Publick did not consent to it there was another Writing drawn up and on the Second of July presented to the Emperor whom therein they advised that as Advocate and Defender of the Church he would communicate the whole Affair to the Pope's Legate according to the Decree of Haguenaw but particularly those Heads which the Conferrers had agreed upon that they might be carefully weighed if there were any thing to be found in them in Sense or Words inconsistent either with the Doctrine of Holy Interpreters or the Custom and Practice of the Church That in the next place what was said more obscurely might be explained and that he himself would be pleased afterwards to acquaint the States with his Thoughts and Resolution as to the whole and to deal with the Protestants that they would suffer themselves to be instructed in the remaining Points in Controversie or if that could not be obtained that then a General or National Council of Germany should be called to determine all Matters in debate Among the States there were some who made it their Business to obstruct the Reformation of Religion
and Rink chanced to be missing That however his Holiness himself who was chosen to be Umpire betwixt them was a Witness of his Willingness to have satisfied him in that Particular That this was the Pretext then he now used for raising new Troubles and Commotions in Christendom though it was long since he intended it That it was well enough known what Fregoso and Rink had by his Orders attempted in Italy and Turkey and what Services they had often done him That they went about to betray Christendom into extream Danger so that they had no right to the Peace of Nice who violated the publick Peace That again they scudded privily through Lombardie with a Train of Banditi's a Crime that 's capital by the Law and Custom of that Country That the Marquess of Pescara was heavily accused by him and yet he had offered to stand a Trial for it but that it was not unknown why he refused that and rejected other Satisfactions also That for his part when he thought he had been satified he passed over into Barbary and sent an Ambassador into France to recommend to him the publick Peace but that at the same time he gave the fairest Promises he was attempting several things against him in Germany Denmark and other places and laid a Design of invading Navarr That afterwards his Ambassadors at the Diet of Spire had made it their whole Business to foment the Difference of Religion promising each Party severally their Masters Frienship and Favour That he had endeavoured to disswade the States of the Empire from the Turkish War sollicited the Grand Seignior sent Forces into Italy caused Martin van Rossem in Brabant and Flanders and the Duke of Orleans in Luxemburg to make War against him before any Denunciation and then bent all the rest of his Forces towards the Frontiers of Spain That this forsooth was the Fruit of his Holiness's Tenderness who had indulged him in so many things and so often exhorted him to Peace That he should also suffer the Archbishop of Valentia to be detained Prisoner by him and several Noble-Men of Spain to be abused and affronted by the French in Avignon was in all Conscience too great a Forbearance That now therefore he must be forced to stand upon his own Defence at a time when he had least Fear of him by reason of his large and most ample Promises when he was preparing for the Turkish War and upon that account to return into Germany That the Injury and Damage was indeed great which he had done within his Territories and he and his Subjects both suffered by it but that he was not so much moved thereat as at the publick Calamity of Christendom for that as to his own private Concerns since he was always shuffling and breaking his Agreements it were far better for him to have open War than to trust to any Truce or Conditions which upon every light Occasion he could break and annul That Peace with him was for the most part a Snare since it was his Course in the mean time to hatch new Counsels pernicious to the Publick cherish and foment Factions and to make it his chief Study to disable him from resisting the Turks by harassing and tiring him out and exhausting him by Charges That this being his own Temper he made it his Care to bread his Children in the same Nature and Discipline That his Ambition and Covetousness was now grown to such a Hight that it could no longer be concealed That as his Ancestors had usurped Provence which belonged to the Empire so now also he held Savoy and part of Piedmont which he so fortified as made it apparent enough he had no mind to restore them That it had been his Design not only to invade Lombardy but Parma and Piacenza too then Luka and Siena and afterward the Patrimony of St. Peter that so he might have a Passage open into Naples and Sicily That there was no Doubt but his Project reached so far and that it might easily be gathered from the Designs and Stratagems he had on Foot in Italy That in short there was no Bounds to be set to his excessive Ambition nor was it ever to be thought that he would stand to any Agreement so long as there remained any thing for others to lose or for him to take For that he was so transported with this Disease and Restlesness of Mind as with a violent Calenture That forgeting all Religion and Piety he had made a League with the Turk and joined not only his Counsels but Fortunes also with the Enemy of Christendom making at this present mighty Braggs that Barbarossa with a Fleet would quickly be upon our Coasts That his Holiness in his own Prudence ought to consider if these were Courses to heal the Divisions of Christendom and begin a Council with That it had always been the Endeavours of the French King that no Council should be held as thinking it would prove prejudicial to his private Affairs Wherefore so soon as he had perceived that he had taken other Measures for composing the Differences about Religion in Germany and had therein Respect only to the Glory of God and the Honour and Dignity of the Church That therefore it was to be imputed to the French King who had always hindered and not to him who had taken so much Labour and Pains about a Council that there was not one sooner call'd That if then his Holiness were disposed to help afflicted Christendom he ought in Duty to declare himself an Enemy to him who was the Author of all the Disorder and Calamity who invited and allured in the Turk against Christendom and who left nothing unattempted whereby he might satiate his Ambition and boundless Revenge For that since the chief Care of Christianity belonged to him by virtue of his Pastoral Office the thing it self required that he should not suffer him to proceed any longer in these disorderly Courses but declare himself his Enemy That if he would do so it would not only be an Act most acceptable to all good Men but would prove of singular Use also for containing all other Kings within the Bounds of Duty For that it was the only Way to have a Council meet Peace restored and the Troubles of Christendom settled wherein if his Holiness did his duty he for his Part would not be wanting The End of the Fourteenth Book THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XV. The CONTENTS The Pope attempts in vain to make Peace betwixt the Emperor and French King. A hot War betwixt England and Scotland The French King suppresses a Sedition at Rochell In the Diet of Nurimberg Granvell in the Emperor's Name demands assistance against the French King who in a very long Manifest answers the Emperor's Letter Langey dieth Francis Landre and de Pensier make a publick Recantation Mention made of Marot by the bye Bucer Preaches at Bonn. The Pope offers to buy the Dutchy of
Bishops to undertake the Office of Ecclesiastick Reformation That his sending for Bucer was chiefly at the instigation of Gropper who both personally and by Letters had very much commended him to him as might be made appear That he found nothing in Bucer that was unworthy or unbeseeming an honest man And that it was a great sign he was so that the Emperour had employed him in the Conference of Ratisbonne as a learned pious and peaceable man. That he had the same opinion also of the other Ministers of the Church appointed by him Afterwards November the 18th the Clergy summon the rest of the States into the City and require them to subscribe the Appeal The same thing also they demand of all the Churches and Bishops of the Province nay of some forreign Universities also and having turned out such of their own Order as refused they grievously accuse the Archbishop to the Emperour and Pope as shall be related hereafter After the Pacification at Soissons the Emperour sends the Bishop of Arras Granvill's Son and the French King the Cardinal du Bellaye to treat joyntly of a Peace with the King of England but it proved ineffectual he refusing to restore Bauloigne At the same time also the Duke of Orleans and the Cardinal of Tournon with some Ladies of the French Court take a Progress into the Netherlands to complement and congratulate with the Emperour The Emperour sends his Spanish Forces to Winter-quarters in Lorrain and the adjacent Countries In most places throughout all the Emperours Provinces of the Netherlands many were very desirous to be instructed in the Reformed Religion but secretly for fear of the Emperour's Edicts and the punishments by them inflicted Now some people in Tournay a chief Town in those parts had invited thither one Peter Bruley a French Preacher mentioned in the twelfth Book from Strasbourg So soon as he arrived there which happened in the month of September being most kindly received by those who had invited him he began to instruct them privately and having made a Progress to Lisle a Town in Flanders upon the same account he returned to Tournay about the end of October following But the matter was now divulged and a strict search made after him throughout the whole City the Gates for that end being shut In this imminent danger seeing there was no possibility of concealing him longer on the second of November in the night-time his Friends let him down over the Town-Wall by a Rope When he had reached the ground he sate down to take a little rest but one of those who had let him down leaning as far as he could over the Wall that he might softly bid him farewel forced out a lose stone with his foot which casually falling upon him broke his leg so that whilst afflicted with pain and cold he dolefully bewailed his sad misfortune the Watch over-heard him who suspecting what the matter was came running in laid hold of him and cast him into prison So soon as the news of this came into Germany the Senate of Strasbourg interceded for him by Letters which the Deputies of the Protestants who then were at Wormes did afterwards also but that was a little too late for before the Letters which were sent in the name of the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave were delivered he was on the 19th of February put to death The manner of his Execution was severe having been burnt by a gentle and slow Fire for his greater torment He constantly professed his Doctrine even to the last breath and writing out of Prison to his Disciples who were also in many places in Bonds he exhorted them to constancy His Sentence was to be put to death for offending against the Emperour's Commands For many years before the Emperour had sent out most severe Edicts against the Lutherans of the lower Germany and the Netherlands under his Dominion which were twice a year publickly read over in those places that none might pretend ignorance When he was examined in Prison the Monks in presence of the Magistrates asked him the Question What he thought of the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it of the Mass Consecration Adoration of the Hosts of Purgatory the Worshipping of Saints Free-will good Works Justification Images Baptism Vows Confession of Sins and of the Virginity of the Blessed Mary To these he made answer That the real Body and Bloud of Christ was there received not by the Mouth but spiritually by Faith and that the substance of the Bread and Wine was not changed That when according to Christ's institution Christ's Supper is given to the Church in the Vulgar Tongue so that all may understand the use and benefit thereof that then these things are truly consecrated and that by the words of Christ for that that silent Whisper and Muttering which the Mass-Priests used over the Bread and Wine did better become Conjurers and fuglers than Christian Ministers That the Popish Mass had nothing to do with the Lords Supper but was a Worship invented by Man to the disparagement and injury of Christ. That the Adoration of the consecrated Bread was Idolatry because a Creature was there worshipped instead of the Creator That he knew not nor looked not after any other Purgatory than the Bloud of Christ which pardons not only the guilt but also the punishment due to our sins That therefore Masses and Prayers for the Dead were not only useless but impious as having no warrant from the Word of God. That Saints cannot be more truly worshipped than by imitating their Faith and Virtues that if more be done it is impious and that they when they were in the World were very far from admitting any Worship That therefore they are not to be invoked as Intercessors which is a glory belonging to none but Christ. That by Adam's Fall Mans Nature was wholly corrupted and the Freedom of his Will forfeited so that he can do no good without the grace of God but that a regenerated man moved by God like a good Tree brings forth good fruits That that is Faith which bringeth us salvation to wit when we believe the divine promises and certainly conclude that through Christ Jesus our sins are forgiven us That Traditions to which the minds of men are enslaved are not to be received That it was very dangerous to have Statues and Images in Churches for fear of Idolatry That Baptism is the sign of the Covenant that God made with us whereby he testifies that he will pardon our sins that it is also a sign of perpetual Mortification and a new Life which ought to accompany Baptism That this Sacrament is to be received by all and Children not to be barred from it seeing they also are Partakers of the divine promises That no Vow is to be made which either the Word of God does not allow or
notice of this which was the fourth day of November as he himself said he published a Paper wherein having given the Reasons why he acknowledged not the Pope for his Judge as being long ago accused of Heresie and Idolatry he appealed from that Sentence to a lawful Council of Germany wherein so soon as it should commence he promised to bring his Action against the Pope The Protestant Deputies who as hath been said met at Ulm towards the latter end of October disagreeing in thier Opinions went in November to the Camp at Giengen that there they might deliberate more freely There it was proposed That because their Neighbours of the same Religion gave no Assistance that of the Confederates the Duke of Lunenbourg and Pomerania and some others contributed nothing at all and that the other States and Cities in the Circle of Saxony but very little that they were disappointed from France and that because of the Season of the Year and other Hardships the Army was much diminished by the daily running away of the Soldiers one of three things was to be chosen either to hazard a Battel or to quit the Field and put the Army into Winter-quarters or else to make a Peace or Truce The Matter being debated it was concluded That a Proposal of Peace was the best Course they could take and for that end employed Adam Trott who in behalf of the Elector of Brandenbourg had free access to his Brother Marquess John. But when the Emperour who knew their Minds and the Streights they were reduced unto by sure Signs and good Intelligence and had lately received glad Tidings out of Saxony required of them very hard Conditions it was resolved upon That the rest of their Forces marching into Saxony a thousand Horse and eight thousand Foot should be left there to take Winter-quarters in the Country about at the Charge of the Duke of Wertemberg and the Free Cities of Upper Germany On the twenty third of November then they break up after they had past a Vote That another Embassie should be sent into France and England and that they should meet again at Frankfurt the twelfth of January And thus was the War but unluckily managed which was chiefly imputed to this That the Supreme and Absolute Power was not in the Hands of one Man For whereas the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave were equal in Authority it hapned oftner than once that whilst they were debating fit Opportunities were lost What was likewise resolved upon about distributing the Soldiers into Garrisons and Winter-quarters had no effect neither because some refused to contribute any longer So soon as the Emperour had notice of their departure he presently sent out some Parties of Horse to learn what way they took and shortly after orders the Duke of Alva and Count of Buren to follow after nay he himself also marched out with the German Horse leaving the Foot behind to stay there till further Orders The Protestant Confederates were now for most part in the Camp where they were to lodge all night And though the Landgrave led the Van that day yet he staid behind with the Duke of Saxony and both of them had no more but ten Cornets of Horse and about five hundred Musquetiers with them With these they halted upon a Hill securing themselves with what Field-pieces they had left till the Emperour retreating with his Men in the Evening they also marched forward with great silence and came to the Camp near Heidenheim a Town belonging to the Duke of Wirtemberg having so escaped a very present Danger For if the Emperour had charged them they being far inferiour in number they must all have been either taken or slain as they themselves afterwards acknowledged But the Emperour who was ignorant of their number and took them to be many more than they were acted cautiously and the same night sent Orders to the Foot to march and follow him with a purpose to fall upon them next day However as we told you they gave him the slip in the night-time and got safely to the rest of the Army in the Camp. Wherefore the Emperour returned to his Camp and staid two days there to refresh his Soldiers But afterwards conjecturing that their Design was to take their Winter-quarters in Franconia a spacious and rich Province he resolved to prevent them Wherefore having upon Surrender taken Bophinghen Nordlinghen the Country of Oetinghen and Dinkespiel he marches in great haste to Rotenburg an Imperial Town upon the River Tauber The Landgrave having left the Charge of his Men to the Duke of Saxony made a Progress to Wirtemberg from thence returned home and came on the first of December to Frankfurt But the Duke of Saxony though he was destitute of the Sinews of War yet marching forwards with his Forces he batters Gemund a Town in Schwabia which being surrendred unto him he exacts a Sum of Money of the Magistrates that was collected by a Poll. Afterwards he came to Frankfurt on the twelfth of December and of them got Nine thousand Duckets He asseseth Mentz at Forty thousand and then advancing forwards takes the same Course with the Abbot of Fulde who was very rich and some others of the Popish Religion When the Landgrave was come home he wrote to Duke Maurice his Son-in-Law That he would come to him provided he would give him a Safe-conduct for he had a Design to have negotiated a Peace betwixt him and the Duke of Saxony Duke Maurice sent him indeed a Safe-conduct but stinted with so many and such kind of Conditions that he not thinking it safe to go himself sent his Embassadors Herman Hundelsuse and Henry Lersner These did indeed very earnestly sollicite the Affair but nothing could he done since both Duke Maurice alledged that he could not treat without the Emperour's leave and the Duke of Saxony who had Forces in readiness to fight would grant no Cessation of Arms. There being no hopes then of a Peace the Landgrave ' Soldiers return home But Recrod who brought the German Foot out of France as we have already mentioned tarried with the Duke of Saxony When the Emperour was at Rotenburg he dispatched the Count of Buren with Orders to use some Means or other to suprise Frankfurt From thence afterward he wrote also to Ulrick Duke of Wertemberg on the thirteenth of December to this purpose Though because of the War said he which some Years ago you and the Landgrave waged against our Brother King Ferdinand and the seising of the Dutchy of Wirtemberg it was but just that we should have exemplarily punished both him and you yet we fully pardoned you the Offence and received you into Favour again And though lately in the beginning of this War when you deserved no such thing since you tyrannized not only over your own People but also over the Neighbouring States of the Empire and would submit to no Law nor Justice we
generous Answer immediately departed and because of the Saxon-War went to Nordlingen Whilst the Duke of Wirtemberg performed this Ceremony of Submission there was a vast Crowd of People got together who being told of it before flocked thither to see the Shew In those three Places we named before of the Dutchy of Wirtemberg the Emperour had already placed Garrisons and chiefly Spaniards THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XIX The CONTENTS The Seventh Session of the Council of Trent is held When the City of Strasbourg had captitulated and made Peace with the Emperour he orders his Army to advance Shortly after the Death of the King of England Francis King of France dies The Fathers that were at Trent go to Bolonia The Duke of Saxony is taken in Battel and though he was condemned to die yet with undaunted Courage he professed the Reformed Religion Wirtemberg being surrendred the University is dissolved Duke Maurice and the Elector of Brandenburg earnestly intercede for the Landgrave who being come to wait on the Emperour is detained Prisoner King Ferdinand by Letters to those of Prague appoints a Convention of States A great Commotion raised at Naples because of the Spanish Inquisition as they call it Henry King of France is Crowned and the Solemnity of the Coronation described The Emperour by Proclamation puts the City of Magdenburg to the Ban of the Empire He sollicits the Suitzers to enter into a new League A Diet is held at Ausburg Petro Aloisio the Pope's Son is assassinated in his own House The English overcome the Scots in a great Battel The Protestant Electors are prevailed with and the Free Towns terrified A Contention ariseth about the Imprisonment of the Landgrave Means are used for recalling the Fathers to Trent but they who had removed to Bolonia firmly persist in their Opinion and Resolution so that there is nothing but Confusion in the Council of Trent THE Seventh Session of the Council of Trent was held the third day of March. In it were condemned all who maintain either that the Sacraments of the Church were fewer than Seven or that they were not all instituted by Christ who deny that one is of more Dignity than another who affirm that they are only outward Signs of Grace or Righteousness received by Christ who deny that they confer Grace who hold that no spiritual and indelible Character or Mark is by Baptism Confirmation and Orders stamped upon the Soul and that all have like power to administer them or that the usual Ceremonies of the Church may be omitted or altered in the Administration of the same who say that the Doctrine of the Church of Rome the Mother and Mistress of all others concerning Baptism is not sincere That Vows made after Baptism are of no force and derogate from the Faith they have professed who assert That Confirmation is but an idle Ceremony and was no more in ancient Times but an Instruction of Youth who deny the Virtue and Influence of the Holy Ghost to be conferred in Confirmation and who assign the Office of Confirmation not to Bishops solely but indifferently also to any Priest Then they make Decrees concerning Ecclesiastical Benefices That Bishops and other Rulers of the Church be lawfully begotten of due Age and conspicuous for Good Manners and Learning That no Man of what Quality he be do by any Title whatsoever possess more than one Bishoprick and that such as have Pluralities keep which of them they please and resign the others within a Year That those who have the Cure of Souls reside upon the Place and substitute no others to officiate for them unless for a time and so as that they have made appear to their Bishop that they had a lawful cause of Absence which is to be allowed of by him who is to take care that the People be not neglected that the Faults of Priests be punished and what is amiss amongst them reformed And then the one and twentieth of April is appointed for the Day of the next Session King Ferdinand being at Dresden with Duke Maurice on the eighth day of March writes to the Bohemians acquainting them That Duke John Frederick was resolved to invade them That therefore they should be upon their Guard and obey Sebastian Weittemull whom he had appointed to be his Vicegerent in his absence The Deputies of Strasbourg who as we told you went to Ulm being come back with the Conditions prescribed by the Emperour which the Senate did not dislike are sent back again to transact and make a final Conclusion Setting out upon their Journey then they find the Emperour at Nordlingen taken ill of the Gout and having March the one and twentieth made their Submission are received into Favour They had pretty tolerable Conditions for the Emperour put no Garrison upon them was satisfied with Thirty thousand Florins and did not exact above twelve Pieces of Ordnance of them The Elector of Brandenburg in the mean time bestirred himself affectionately in behalf of the Landgrave and applied himself also to King Ferdinand But very hard Conditions were proposed which were these That he approve without exception all the future Decrees of the Diet of the Empire That he give one of his Sons in Hostage That he dismiss Duke Henry of Brunswick and his Son and submit to the Emperour's Decision as to the Difference betwixt them That he send the Emperour a Supply of some Troops of Horse and eight Companies of Foot against the Elector of Saxony and the Confederates and that he pay them for six Months That he submit himself to the Emperour and openly confess his Crimes But he rejected the Conditions and acquainted his Friends by Letters That unless they were mitigated he had rather seeing he could not in Honour condescend to them undergo the worst of Fortunes The day the Emperour transacted with the Strasburgers he parted from Nordlingen to go to Norimberg And next day upon the Road having dispatched Letters to the States of Duke Maurice he tells them That forasmuch as that Outlaw John Frederick flying to his own Home had not only regained what the Prince Elector Maurice had by his Orders taken from him but those Places also which King Ferdinand his Brother possessed in that Country as Dependents on Bohemia he was now upon the march to come and repress his Boldness Wherefore he charged them in the first place that they should take care that in those Places through which he was to march with his Army nothing might be wanting that was necessary and that the Soldiers might be kindly used In the next place That they should despise the Threats of John Frederick and shew all Love and Duty to their Prince as they had hitherto done since the main Design of the present War was to daunt his insolent Fierceness and to settle Peace and Quietness amongst them The very same day he wrote to the Council and Magistrates
King Henry the Eight and that also somewhat increased the suspition But the envy and emulation of another great Lady was thought to have contributed much to this disaster The Bishop of Strasburg again enjoyns the Clergy to obey the Emperours Edict Now there is in that City a Church dedicated to St. Thomas the yearly Revenues whereof were by the Senate allotted for stipends to the Ministers of the Gospel and the other learned Men who had the Education and Instruction of the Youth Those chiefly he urged to tell him within what time they would satisfie the Emperours Decree and Expectation then what fit Men they had for that purpose and what Ornaments of the Church were yet in being But they took time to advise with Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Primate of England a Man of excellent Learning who made it his whole business to revive and promote Piety and Learning Wherefore when he saw in what state Germany was and the danger learned Men there were in by frequent Letters he solicited Bucer chiefly and Paulus Fagius one most expert in the Hebrew Language to come over into England assuring them of all love and friendship wherefore by permission from the Senate on the first of April they set out upon their Journey that they might go thither and sow the Seed of pure Doctrine Their coming was very acceptable not only to the King but to most of the Nobility also and the People And after they had been for some time with the Archbishop of Canterbury they were both sent to teach in Cambridge On the first of April Prince Philip of Austria with a most splendid Pomp made his entrance into Brussels where his Father was The Ambassadours of Duke Maurice and the Elector of Brandenburg were there being sent to solicite the intercession of Prince Philip and the Cardinal of Trent who was a great Friend to Duke Maurice But though they put the Landgrave who then was at Oudenard in good hopes yet nothing could be effected and not long after when the Landgrave for his healths sake would have eaten Flesh the Captain of the Guard coming in threw down the Dish Meat and all that was brought him upon the Ground At the same time the Bishop of Strasburg after eight years takes at length Orders and says Mass and holding a Convocation of his Clergy at Saverne made such Decrees as suited their purpose Then he requires of the Senate of Strasburg by Messengers that they rebuild the Altars restore to him the liberty of appointing the Ministers of the Church absolve the Clergy from their Oath restore their Priviledges and produce all the Ornaments of the Churches But the Professors he strictly charges to give him a positive answer whether they would obey the Emperours Edict or not They having spoken at large of their submission and deference to the Emperour and then of their several Charges and Employments openly declare what it is they teach and do that being Divines Philosophers Logicians and Rhetoricians and Men of the like Profession they were not only useful but also necessary in the Church and Schools then they shew by whom they were admitted into the College with the Approbation of the Senate and after a long Declaration of their Case they humbly and lovingly pray that he would not disturb an Order so well established nor put them upon minding of other Affairs that were not near so necessary The Agents on the other hand make answer that that College was not Instituted for such kind of Scholastick Employments and that the Antient Order ought not to be changed That if there were any among them that thought themselves grieved and could not with a good Conscience comply the Bishop was not the Man that would persuade them to any thing against their wills But that they were free to give place and as the common Proverb is Either to drink or be gone For that if the Senate had a mind to have Professors of Arts and Sciences in the Town it was but reasonable that they should be maintain'd out of the Publick Treasury and not by the Rents and Profits of the College which was appointed for other uses That the Bishop and the Predecessors had for many years past been hindred in the Exercise and execution of their Right but that he would not suffer it any longer After a long debate about the Matter they depart without coming to any conclusion and when the Senate came to know of it they interceded with the Bishop by most kind and friendly Letters praying and beseeching him that he would have some regard at least to the Youth who were much improved in Parts and Learning by the Endeavours and Education of that School In this manner was the Matter long tossed to and again by Messengers and Letters till at length by the interposition of Mediators it was taken up and compounded as shall be mentioned hereafter It was thought that the Bishop who had been always look'd upon as a Man of a mild and peaceable Nature that loved his ease did not act thus so much out of his own inclination as at the instigation of his Friends who represented to him that this occasion of recovering his Jurisdiction was not to be slighted and that unless he prosecuted it he might also incur the Emperour's displeasure In all these Transactions he made use of one Christopher Welsinger a Civilian who had sometimes studied at Wittemberg But the Chapter of the Cathedral Church of Strasburg employed as their Advocate one John Tischell a Doctor of the Laws The last Book mentioned how that after the promulgation of the Decree about Religion Wolfgang Duke of Deux-ponts was sent for to come to Ausburg The Emperour had pressed him by several Letters to obey the Decree and because he had referred the matter to the Bishops the Emperour put the Question to him whether or not he himself approved the Decree And if he would turn out the Ministers of the Church who did not conform thereunto He therefore wrote to the Emperour in French resuming in a few words what had been done the Summer before at Ausburg and telling His Majesty That upon his return home he had intimated to his people and commanded them to observe that part of the Decree which related to the keeping of Holy days and the eating of Flesh that he had also several times carefully read over the whole Decree about Religion wherein he confessed there were many things that agreed with that Faith whereby he expected Salvation and many also that were inconsistent with it But that nevertheless he had charged the Ministers of the Church to weigh seriously all the Points of it and afterwards make their Report to him how they thought the matter might be ordered that since all of them with one voice affirmed that they could not with a safe Conscience approve it in all points he thought it not
fair promises of his Zeal and good inclinations towards Religion and the welfare of the Publick That so soon as this came to his knowledge he had thought that so fair an occasion of acting ought not to be slighted especially since the safety and preservation of Germany depended on it That therefore a course was to be taken that those things which had been decreed in the last Dyet and begun should be perfected and accomplish'd And then that care should be taken both that the causes of Division be removed and some obstinate and rebellious persons quelled That for these causes he purposed to hold a Dyet of the Empire and therefore charged and commanded all whom it concerned not to fail to meet at Ausburg the twenty fifth day of June and that nothing should hinder them from coming but sickness and of that also they should make Faith upon Oath And that they send their Deputies and Representatives with full Power and Instructions to treat of all things relating to the Publick that no delay nor hinderance may obstruct the Deliberations THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH BOOK XXII The CONTENTS A Peace is concluded between England and France The Magdeburgers refute the Crimes objected to them and prove them to be the Calumnies of their Adversaries The Emperours Edict against the Lutherans is published which astonished many Whil'st the Dyet is held at Ausburg for continuing the Council of Trent Granvell dies The Emperour takes Tripoly a Town in Africa George Duke of Meckleburg puts all to Fire and Sword in the Country of Magdeburg Duke Maurice and some others also takes up Arms against the Magdeburgers Pope Julius Emits a Bull for calling of the Council Duke Maurice commanding in chief against the Magdeburgers offers them Conditions of Peace The Clergy also publish an odious Paper against them to which they make a large Answer and refute the Crimes objected Osiander broacheth a new Doctrine concerning Mans Justification The Emperour makes a Decree at Ausburg for safe Conduct to be given to those that would repair to the Council Bucer dies Three Suns and as many Moons are seen in Saxony The Pope by a Bull heavily accuses Octavio Farnese and the Emperour publishes also an Edict against him In the mean time the King of France justifies him to the Pope The captive Duke of Saxony helps and comforts the Ministers proscribed by the Emperour The Council of Trent revived and an account given of the form and order of the publick Sessions The manner of framing Articles of Faith is set down The King of France publishes an Edict against the Pope A Relation of the beginning of the War of Parma ABOUT this time the Ambassadours of England and France after long and tedious Debating concluded a Peace and they were the more inclinable to it because both of them perceived the Advantages that some were like in time to make of their Enmity and Dissension Therefore the English restore to the French Boloigne that had been now whole six years almost in their possession at which many wondered though the French paid Money for it and the Scots were also comprehended in this Peace The two Kings having afterward sent Ambassadours mutually to one another confirmed this Peace by new marks of Friendship for the French King was made Knight of the Garter and the King of England one of the Order of France which amongst great Princes is as it were a Badge and Cognizance of Amity The Magdenburghers being severely lashed by the Emperours many Edicts publish again March the Twenty fourth another Manifesto addressed chiefly to their Neighbours First they alleadge that neither by the Law of God nor Man could they be convicted of Rebellion then they declare that they who take up Arms against them make War against Christ himself In the third place they refute the Crimes objected to them and affirm them to be Calumnies of their Adversaries And though say they the Emperour at their instigation hath Outlawed us yet we may truely affirm that we never as yet refuted any Reasonable Conditions provided the Doctrine of the Augustane Confession and the Liberty left us by our Ancestors were allowed us we are still of the same mind nor do we decline the performance of any kind of Duty that either the Emperour or Empire can justly challenge of us and we call God to witness that we have not given any cause of War or Commotions but are above all things desirous to entertain peace with all Men and by the help of the true Religion and Worship to attain Life Everlasting which is indeed the cause of all this hatred that is raised against us Now it is established by Law that as the Inferior Magistrate is not to impeach the right of the Superior so also that if the Magistrate transgress the bounds of Authority and command any thing that is wicked he is not only not to be obeyed but if he use force to be resisted also For that all Power is of God we think no Man will deny and if any Edict or Decree be made against him it is not to be doubted but that they may be rejected and disobeyed Now the Decree made at Ausburg concerning Religion is of that nature and therefore we cannot obey those who forcing it upon us depriveus of the Light of the Gospel and offer us the Idol of Popery that they may draw us into Eternal Damnation Which being so we cannot justly be accused of any Rebellion Besides it is obvious to any Man how unlawful it is to use violence against us since it is not we that are only struck at but that the great design is utterly to destroy the Professors of the true Doctrine and through our side to wound Christ himself and all the Godly for we are all the Members of Christ and therefore what else can they expect who defile themselves by so impious a Crime but the Vengeance of God Almighty In a former Declaration we took notice of some Castles and Villages sezed by us and it is needless here to repeat what was there said for so soon as we have assurance of peace we shall restore them to the Right Owners It is also reported by our Adversaries that unlawful and Promiscuous Lust is tolerated amongst us but it is a most Impudent Lye. We therefore beg of you by all that is sacred that you would not pollute your selves with Innocent Bloud but pray to God with us that he would confound the Bloudy Counsels of the Wicked and if any War happen to break forth that you will not deny your assistance Afterward in the Month of April the Ministers of the Church publish a Paper wherein they exhibit a Confession of their Faith and prove that it is lawful for an Inferior Magistrate to resist a Superior that would constrain their Subjects to forsake the Truth And here they address themselves to the Emperour beseeching him that he would not
King yet this at his Trial was never or very little at most urged against him and in the Sentence or Judgment pronounced against him it was never mentioned We have said above how Peter Martyr the Florentine about six years since was sent for into England by the late King Edward and upon his Arrival made Professor of Divinity at Oxford He was much honoured and esteemed both for his signal Virtue and Learning but then there were others who did no less envy and hate him Upon the Death of the King he was commanded not to depart or carry away what he had without the leave of the Magistrates and severely threatned if he did any thing to the contrary he readily obeyed this Order at first but when he perceived Delays were made use of he wrote to the Council and acquainted them with the Condition he was in and desired that if any thing were laid to his Charge he and his Accusers might be heard face to face before the Council When by this means he had obtain'd their leave to be gone he went to London There he found the Archbishop of Canterbury his good Patron and Friend who by the Preachers was at the instigation of the Roman Catholick Bishops represented as one that was unsteady that the Mass was restored at Canterbury by his Order that he himself was to say Mass at the King's Funeral and that he had promised the Queen he would do so And at the same time there was a great noise of a Disputation that was soon after to be So soon as the Archbishop heard this he put out a Paper to vindicate himself wherein he confesseth That a certain Priest without his knowledge or consent had said Mass at Canterbury The other Report concerning the King's Funeral he denied adding that if the Queen would grant him her Leave he would prove that the Communion-Service and the Articles of Religion set out and established by King Edward concerning the Lord's Supper and several other things were consonant and agreeable to the Holy Scriptures but on the contrary the Papal Mass was contrary to the Institution of Christ To the proof of which Assertion he did not need the Aid and Assistance of many but only desired that Peter Martyr and a few others might be permitted to be his Companions and Seconds in this Affair And whereas they of the Church of Rome made great Boasts of the Antiquity of their Religion and pretended it had stood above Fifteen Hundred years he said they could never prove this but he undertook to shew that the Religion which was setled here under Edward the Sixth and which was yet the established Religion of England was the genuine and truly ancient Religion which was delivered to us by Christ and his Apostles This Manifesto being by him made publick at London about the Fifth Day of September Peter Martyr came about the same time from Oxford to him and being by the Archbishop acquainted with this Paper he commended it and said he would not decline any labour or danger that could befal him in the defence of it Whilst they were expecting a Disputation the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishop of London Worcester and some others were for their Religion and for some Sermons they were said to have Preached against the Queen by the Order of the Council before she was proclaimed Queen sent to the Tower the Fourteenth of September Hugh Latimer was also taken up whom King Edward had delivered out of Prison his Father having confined him on the account of his Doctrine In the mean time though Peter Martyr saw clearly the danger he was in yet having done nothing contrary to the Laws of England he relied upon his Innocence and would not depart without a Passport or publick Dismission When therefore he had obtained this Signed by the Queens own Hand he arrived first at Antwerp and from thence went to Cologne and so to Strasburg from which place he went when he was sent for into England and here he found Bernard Ochin who was come thither not long before him It was reported in Germany that the Emperor had advised Queen Mary his Cousin that she should govern her People with great Clemency and not change the Religion she found setled nor marry a Stranger he himself having learn'd by sad experience the great dangers which attended a Change in Religion Whether this were so or not I cannot affirm but the Event seems to prove the contrary for she having commanded all the Protestants which were Foreigners to depart the Kingdom and imprisoned many of the Natives quickly resetled the Roman Catholick Religion as I shall shew hereafter the first of October the Queen was Crowned and the Tenth of the same Month a Parliament began The Emperor had summoned a Diet to meet the Thirteenth of August as I have said in the beginning of this Book which was first Prorogued to the First of October and afterwards to the Month of January After the Battel in which Maurice of Saxony was slain Henry Duke of Brunswick and Albert Marquess of Brandenburg began each of them to recollect their scattered Forces and to levy more the Bishops and Norimbergers supplied Henry with Money for that purpose But then all men wondred from whence Albert had these Nerves of War And there was a Report that Mary the Emperor's Sister furnished him with Treasures which was again denied by the Imperialists and they pretended too to wonder that men should be so silly to think so But the Moneys coming in somewhat slowly to Henry and this being known to Albert he reduced him to great danger by solliciting his Souldiers to a defection who bore the delay of their Pay with great impatience but the Tenth day of September in the very moment of time when the Soldiery was in their Ferment and just entring into a Mutiny the Remedy came and all that Tempest was quieted And Henry for the better supporting his Interest made a Peace with Erick his Kinsman who had till then served under Albert against him The King of Denmark some time before this had sent Ambassadors into Saxony to promote the Interests of Augustus his Son-in-Law and they being assisted by the Ambassadors of the Elector of Brandenburg made a Reconciliation between Albert and Augustus The Conditions were That Augustus should not prosecute the War begun by his late Brother nor send Succors to the Enemies of Albert And Albert promised the same for his part and that if the necessity of the War enforced him to march his Forces near the Territories of Augustus he would do him no dammage Augustus was to take great care that none of his Souldiers when they were disbanded should enter the Service of Albert's Enemies and lastly That the ancient League between the Houses of Saxony and Brandenburg should be renewed assoon as could be The next Day which was the Twelfth of September Albert marched his
and be under an honest Discipline the Glory of God and the Consciences of men being in Safety That of late years a National Council of Germany had been often propos'd as extreamly accommodated to the present state of things but forasmuch as the Name Mode and Form of it was not in his opinion so well known and by use established he therefore would not at present determine any thing concerning it The third way by Conferences and Disputes had been often tried and though hitherto no good fruit had proceeded from thence yet many things might by this means have been discovered and the principal Differences might have been determined if they had been managed with a truly pious Affection and if there had not on both sides been too great an Attachment to their private Interest which Affirmation he nevertheless desired might not be extended to the injury of any man. That therefore this way was to be further considered And although the faithful Council and Design of the Emperor was some years since misunderstood and so became ungrateful to both the Parties yet if they thought so fit he did still think that way might be useful if the contending Parties would act sincerely and if they would lay aside their Passions and discharge all Obstinacy and seek nothing but the Glory of God and the Salvation of Men that then he would assist them in it with fidelity and industry That for the present he could not bethink him of any other convenient and useful Way But that if they could find out any one that was more fit and easie they should have his good leave to produce it The next Thing to be considered of as he said was the Peace of the Empire That the Emperor and they too thought That the Measures they had then taken for the preservation of the Publick Peace had been such as would certainly have had a good effect but then since the Event has shewed them all that they were mistaken in this because they had agreed that Rebels and Seditious Persons should not be condemned or outlawed till they had first been cited and convicted according to the Forms of Justice which in the interim gave them time and opportunity of ruining many innocent men It was also then Agreed That if any Force were employ'd against any man his Neighbors should assist and defend him But then you are now abundantly convinc'd what variety of Impediments may intervene to hinder this That therefore they should deliberate and seriously consider how these two Heads of the Laws may be amended That unquiet men might be kept in Aw and that those who were faithful to the Empire might be well assured that they should not fail of Assistance in time of need That this might now be dispatched with so much the greater ease because the Foundations of such a Regulation had been laid by the late Conventions at Worms and Franckfurt and they should do well to prosecute the Consultation which had been begun there and bring it to a good end He desired also that they would consider of the constituting the Publick Justice of the Publick Contributions of the Money and all other things relating to the Government That they should direct all their Thoughts to the finding out ways for the total abolishing their intestine Evils Contentions Riots Seditions and unjust Force and Violence That in all these Deliberations they should in the first place consider the State of the Empire and reflect upon the great Danger which now threatned Germany not only from the devouring Turk but also from some nearer Enemies who sought the Ruine of the Empire as much as the Turks did That therefore they should deeply consider what great Advantages their Enemies took of these Offences and Civil Broyls which they craftily stirr'd up and nourished that in this division of the States they in the Interim might do their Wills and when time served they might with great Forces fall upon the Empire and enslave it to them That the Neighbour-Nations which had been thus conquered and circumvented by them ought to be a Caution to Germany and excite in it a mighty care to pursue those Counsels by which the Tempest and Ruine which now hung over her Head and threatned her might be averted That the Authority and Strength of the Empire might be preserved and that all external Force might be no less valiantly resisted now than heretofore That whatever Help or Counsel the Emperor or He were able to contribute they should not fail of doing it with all willingness and in such manner too that all men should from thence understand how greatly they loved their Country and of this he desired they would rest certainly assured When this Speech of King Ferdinand's came once to be spred over Germany it was attended with a Report That he had banished about 200 Ministers out of Bohemia and it was also said That the Cardinal of Moron would be sent from Rome to this Diet who was to try if he could not make Germany follow the Example of England and do what Pool had already done for that the Pope and all his Patry was thought to have been so exalted by the reduction of England that they had thereupon entertain'd vast but deluding Hopes For because the Thing went as they desired therefore they concluded That God was now appeased and was become the Defender of their most just Cause and that their Church could not be convinced of any Error for thus at this time they boasted more than they were wont And when they send any Legates into Germany at any time they do it not to confess any Offence they have committed but as they pretend that they may heal the Infirmities of men About the End of February Albert Duke of Mecklenburg whom we have mentioned above as an Ally to Maurice Duke of Saxony and whom Henry Duke of Brunswick the last year whilst he carried the War into Saxony very much afflicted married the Daughter of Albert Duke of Prussia About this time also I received an Account out of England That Bradford whom I have mentioned above to be condemned was kept a Prisoner anâ— that the Minds of many were much astonished and stupified with the Constancy of those who had Sacrificed their Lives Bradford was burnt in July following The End of the Twenty Fifth Book THE HISTORY OF THE Reformation of the Church BOOK XXVI The CONTENTS England submits to the Church of Rome The Castle of Blaffeburg taken and levelled with the Earth Augustus Elector of Saxony excuseth his not coming to the Diet. The Prince of Saxony writes to the Emperor Cardinal Pool endeavours to make a Peace between the Emperor and the King of France The Emperor writes to the States of the Empire The Turk besiegeth Piombino a Town in Italy The Town of Vulpiano destroyed by the French. The Parliament of Paris answereth the King's Edict against the Lutherans A Controversy about the County of Catzenellobogen Charles
the Emperor resigns the Government to his Son. The Answer of the Roman-Catholicks to the Demands of the Lutherans Those Bishops that change their Religion are to be removed A Parliament in England Libells against the Spaniards spread about London John Gropper offered a Cardinal's Hat which he refused The Deputies of Austria ask of Ferdinand a Liberty to embrace the Reformation The Duke of Prussia professeth the Augustan Confession Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Burnt The Bavarians desire to embrace the Reformation A Truce between the Emperor and King of France The Cardinal of Ausburg's Apology The Diet opened at Ratisbone Transylvania revolts from King Ferdinand The Emperor and his Sisters set Sail for Spain The Death of John Sleidan the Author of this History I Have given an account how England returned under the obedience of the See of Rome in the last Book when the account of this Revolution which was sent with the utmost Celerity came to the Knowledge of that Court there was a vast Joy expessed in the City and extraordinary Processions were made to the Churches and the twenty fourth of December the Pope published a Declaration to this purpose After I had heard saith he that England which has now for some Years been separated and torn off from the Body of the Church was by the immense Mercy of God and the extraordinary Diligence Faith Study and Labour of King Philip Queen Mary and Reginald Cardinal of England reduced to the Communion of the Church and the obedience of this See My Mind was filled with a mighty Joy and as was fit I forthwith rendred to Godâ—s great Thanks as I could nor have I since omitted any thing which might tend to the Communicating the Fruit and Benefit of this my Joy to the whole City But then as the Father in the Gospel who received his Prodigal Son was not satisfied with an inward Exultation and private Joy but invited others to his Feast that they too might rejoice with him and make merry So that the whole Earth may understand the greatness of my Joy I will and Command that publick Thanksgivings and Prayers be made And also by the Authority and Power which I have I allow every Man the Liberty to chuse what Priest he likes best and that having rightly confessed his Sins to him I allow also that Priest a Faculty to remit all sorts of Sins how abominable soever they be even those Sins which belong only to me to remit and which are wont by Name to be excepted And that he shall not only remit the Guilt but the Penalty or Pain due to those Sins which are so confessed That he shall impose what satisfaction he thinks fit and relax all Vows except those of Chastity and religious Orders and so as they be commuted into other works And trusting in the Mercy of God and the intercession of St. Peter and St. Paul I grant a full and intire remission of all Sins which is only granted at the Determination of fifty years at other times to all those who with an humble and contrite Heart shall turn to God and perfectly confess their Sins as soon as they hear of this my Bull and shall twice or thrice in a Week endeavour to appease God by Fasting Alms and other Pious Exercises and shall after this receive the Holy Eucharist with Thanksgivings beseeching God in their Prayers that he would illuminate those that walk in the darkness of Error with the Light of his Countenance that he would send us Peace and incline the Hearts of Kings to Concord And I grant the same Benefit to those who are hindred by Age or Sickness from performing what is above required And that these our Letters may be every where Published I command all Patriarchs Archbishops and the like so soon as they receive the Copy hereof that they forthwith divulge it throughout their several Provinces and as it is a free Gift that they propose it every where without any gain I have said in the former Book that Blasseburg was the principal Fortress the Marquess of Brandenburg had in all his Country and that it was surrendred to the Confederates These Princes considering that being by one means or another recovered it might be the occasion of greater Mischiefs and about this time entirely ruined and demolished it to the great Exasperation of the whole Family of Brandenburg and of all the Kindred of it In the Interim Ferdinand King of the Romans both before he left his Territories and after he arrived at Ausburg for the holding the Diet did continually by his Envoys and Letters sollicit the Princes to hasten thither as I said in the last Book His first and greatest Care was to perswade Augustus Elector and Duke of Saxony He had before this alledged for his Absence the unsettled State of Saxony and now again sent his Deputies to the Diet with the same Excuses and occasionally mentioning the Turks he endeavoured to shew the great danger Germany was exposed to which heretofore having been Potent and formidable to her Enemies was now almost exhausted and depopulated by the many Mischiefs and Wounds she had suffered He said this Calamity received a great Improvement from the disaffection and distrust which the States of the Empire laboured under That the Emperor and his Majesty had omitted nothing which might procure a Remedy against this Disease But that hitherto all their Labour had been in vain for that the Minds of Men were so Exasperated and such ways were open to the admitting new offences that it was not reasonable to expect any mitigation His Brother Maurice some years since he said had commanded that some Ceremonies and other things of an indifferent Nature should be retained in the Churches of his Provinces but then this Command was not only slighted and disobeyed but was attacked by many Libels and rude Reproaches so that afterwards it was not in his Power to re-establish those things unless he would have exposed himself and that by this means some other Princes had been deterred from attempting any thing of this Nature But now those who are of the other Party and oppose the Augustan Confession have given apparent Signs that they intend not the least Pious and Legal Reformation by the Actions of the former times when this affair was considered either in Councils or Conferences Seeing therefore after so many fruitless Labours the loss of many Years and the disappointment of many Councils no way to an Agreement and Union could be found out because perhaps it was the Pleasure of God thus to punish the Sins of Men therefore he desired very earnestly that the Confession of Faith delivered in at Ausburg as a Sum of the Christian Religion might not be thought by his Majesty an impious Book but that it was a pure and a Pious Writing which shew that the Son of God was the Author of Salvation that the Doctrine of it did exactly agree with the
Robert Boet Eustace Bellay lately a Member of the Court of Parliament but then Bishop of Paris and Anthony de Nouchy to try the Members of Parliament which had been imprisoned Du Bouâ—g being interrogated by Saint Andre refused to answer None of the Members of that Court being to be Tryed but by the whole Court. Whereupon Bourdin obtained a new Commission from the King commanding Du Bourg to plead before these Delegated Judges and if he refused that they should take him for Convicted and Guilty of Treason He being thus deprived of his Priviledge lest he might seem to despise the King's Authority and making a Protestation to save the Priviledge of others the third Day after answered in such manner to all the Questions proposed that he seemed to differ very little from the Lutherans and Calvinists so without any other Witnesses produced he was by the Bishop of Paris declared an Heretick judged unworthy of the Sacerdotal Character and delivered up to the Secular Power From which Sentence he Appealed to the Archbishop of Sens. Whilst these miserable Men were thus persecuted for their Religion and their Favourers Friends and such as had presumed to speak freely were by Informers also brought in Question there was a sad Face of Affairs in France and a sullen silence The Court in the interim was never more Jolly the Preparations for a great Marriage filling it with Mirth and Bravery which in a short time too had as lamentable a Conclusion Among other things there was a Tilt prepared and a Yard made for that purpose not far from the Bastile in which the Members of the Parliament were then imprisoned Some Days being spent in this Divertisement June 29. the King would needs run against the Count of Mongomery and they breaking their Lances the Sight of the King's Helmet by accident flying up he received a Wound in the Eye and falling from his Horse was latched by some of his Servants and carried into a Tower belonging to the Bastile It is said whilst they carried him thither he looked up and remembring the Members of Parliament which he had committed there said He feared he had done wrong to those Innocent Men. The Cardinal of Lorrain who was present angry at it reply'd That Thought was put into his Mind by the Devil the Enemy of Mankind That he ought to be careful of his Motions and continue constant in his Faith. Whether this were so or no I will not affirm saith Thuanus my Author because I am resolved to write nothing without good Authority The Physicians saying too That in these kinds of Wounds the Speech is lost At the Report of this Accident Andrew Vesale a Famous Physician was presently sent from Brussels by King Philip that he might however shew his Good-will to this Prince But he came too late the King dying July 2. when he had lived forty Years three Months and eleven Days and reigned twelve Years and three Months The Marriage between Margaret his Sister and Philbert Duke of Savoy was hereupon hasted that it might be finished before his Death and Celebrated it was without any Pomp or Magnificence There was great variety of Opinions some extolling his Life beyond Reason as Martial and Brave and his Conquests by which he had enlarged his Kingdom adding to it a great part of Italy Scotland and Corsica That having obtained a Victory against Charles V at Renty he had reduced that Great Prince to the Thoughts of a Retreat to a Private Life That out of his rare Respect to the Church of Rome not regarding his Oath he had renewed the War and succoured Paul IV. That recalling his Army out of Italy he had been able to defend France against the united Forces of King Philip and Mary of England and at last had ended the War at least by an useful Treaty and by the Marriages of his Daughter and Sister had secured the Publick Peace Others said he had violated the Glory of his Just Arms by breaking the Truce and involved himself by the Fault of others in an unjust and unprosperous War spent vast Treasures and lost the Flower of his Kingdom That the Peace was Desirable but very Dishonourable and the Marriage only a Covering for the infamy of the Concessions And that as he delighted too much in War so he perished dishonourably like a common Soldier His Misses who reigned rather than he his Prodigality and Luxury were not forgotten And the abundance of Poets then in France was taken for an Instance of the Corruptions of the Times To speak freely without Love or Hatred he was a Warlike Prince and too little affected to the Arts of Peace but then he was soft and easie and governed too much by others Wise Men then thought there would follow a War his Children being very yong his Wife Ambitious and the Court divided by Faction And this accordingly came to pass and brought forty Years of great Calamity upon France But I shall for the future be very short in the French Affairs referring the Reader to Davila and other Writers of the Civil Wars of France The Reader may be pleased to know That I have in all this followed Thuanus abridging him in some Places and in others transcribing him at large The King being crowned and the Dominion of the Queen Dowager as Guardian and of the Guises as Prime Ministers established to the great Dissatisfaction of the Princes and Nobility of France the next Care was to carry on the Persecution against the Protestants Oliver the Chancellor was imployed against the Members of the Parliament which were imprisoned at the time of the King's Death and S. Andre and Anthony de Mouchy against the rest of the People who that they might spread the terror of their Names over the whole Nation thought fit to begin with Paris Their principal Blood-hounds were Russanges and Claude David two Mechanicks and one George Renard a Taylor who had all three professed the Reformed Religion and were now imployed as best acquainted with these Men. They drew in two Apprentices shortly after who had deserted their Masters And these to gain the greater Applause confessed not only that they had Nocturnal Meeting but which saith Thuanus was a notorious Lie that they at them used promiscuous Conjunctions after the Candles were put out And this Impudent Story created a great Detestation of the Protestants in the Minds of the deluded Catholicks whose Ears were open to these kinds of Misrepresentations This lye was carried on with great Industry and these two Wretches were led first to the Cardinal of Lorrain and then to the Queen to communicate this rare Secret no Man daring to contradict it The Queen who was never a Friend to the Protestants from henceforth was more than ever enraged against them But Oliver the Chancellor suspecting the Story examined these Lads separately and by their Varying and Contradicting each other found it to be a mere Lye. But
Though the Edict of July had forbidden all Meetings of the Protestants yet their Number daily increasing and with it their Confidence not only Sermons were openly made but the Priests were in many places forcibly expell'd and the Churches seized for the use of the Ministers which gave being to the Edict of the 3d of November for the Restitution of those Churches upon pain of Death which by the Perswasion of the Ministers themselves was obeyed throughout the Kingdom But when notwithstanding Men seem'd rather enraged than appeased by the Edict of July and the Conference of Poissy was broken up without any effect there being every day news brought of new Commotions they began to think of some more effectual Remedy which that it might meet with the greater approbation and by consequence be the more universally executed the Presidents and some chosen Members of all the Parliaments of France were summon'd before the King to St. Germain by whose Advice it was to be drawn and Moddel'd Upon which the Cardinal of Lorrain and the Duke of Guise left the Court conceiving the thing would do it self now Montmorancy and the King of Navar had espoused that Interest About the same time there was a dreadful Tumult at Dijon whil'st the Protestants were assembled at their Sermon the Rabble thought fit to make themselves the Executioners of the Edict of July and having procured a Drum to beat before them they marched against the Huguenots but the Meeters made use of their Weapons and repell'd Force with Force The Rabble thereupon turn'd their fury against the Private Families and plundered several Houses There were also some Tumults at Paris on the same score and towards the end of the year all things tended to a general Revolution Having thus represented the State of Religion in all the rest of Christendom as shortly and as well as I can I return now to Scotland The Messengers they had sent into France to procure the Royal Consent to the Acts they had made in their last Parliament were no sooner return'd with a positive denial and a dreadful Reprimand which frighted and exasperated the Nation both at once but they had the Joyful News of the Death of King Francis II. to their great satisfaction and the no less affliction of the French Faction in that Kingdom On the other side the Nobility who had lent their Assistance to the Expulsion of the French immediately met at Edinburg and after a Consultation sent the Lord James to their Queen to perswade her to return into Scotland Lesley however prevented them and got to her some days before the Lord James She was then at Vitrie in Campaigne whither she was retired to lament her Loss His business was to bespeak her favour to the Catholick Party and return into Scotland The first she readily promised and as for the other she ordered him to Attend till she had resolved what to do It was soon after resolved that she should leave France so that the Lord James found her fixed to return when he came into France yet his Assuring her of the great desires the Nobility of Scotland had to see her there again much confirm'd her So she sent him back with Orders to see that nothing should be attempted contrary to the Treaty of Leith in her absence In March following M. Giles Noailles a Senator of Bourdeaux arrived at Leith with three Demands from the new King of France 1. That the old League between France and Scotland should be renewed 2. That the late Confederacy with England should be dissâ—lved 3. That the Church-men should be restored to all they had been deprived of But the Council replied That it did not befit them to treat of things of that Consequence before the Assembly of the States which was to be held the 21st of May when the Lord James made answer That the French and not the Scots had broke the old League by endeavouring to enslave them 2. That they could not violate the Treaty made with England and as to the third That they did not acknowledge those he interceded for to be Church men and that Scotland having renounced the Pope would no longer maintain his Priests and Vassals About the same time the Earls of Morton and Glencarn returned from England whither they had been sent with Assurances That the Queen would assist them in the Defence of the Liberties of the Kingdom if at any time they stood in need of her Help which was heard with much Joy. As the Lord James returned into Scotland he waited upon Queen Elizabeth and advised her to stop Queen Mary if she came by England as he expected she would 'till he had secured the State of Religion in Scotland for tho' she had promised She would continue all things in the State she found them ye he would not intirely rely upon her Promise having so often heard the old Maxim from the late Regent To make sure work therefore he procured an Act to be passed in this Convention for the Demolishing all the Cloysters and Abby Churches which were yet left standing in that Kingdom the Execution whereof as to the Western Parts was committed to the Earls of Arran Argile and Glencarn as to the North to the Lord James and as to the Inland Counties to some Barons that were thought the most Zealous Whereupon ensued a most deplorable Devastation of Churches and Church-buildings saith Spotiswood throughout all the Kingdom for every one made bold to put to their Hands the meaner sort imitating the Example of the greater and those who were in Authority No difference was made but all the Churches were either defaced or pulled down to the ground The Church Place and what ever Men could make Money of as Timber Lead and Bells were put to sale and the Monuments of the Dead the Registers of the Churches and Libraries were burn'd or destroyed and what escaped the Fury of the first Tumults now perished in a common Shipwrack and that under the colour of publick Authority John Knox is said to have very much promoted this Calamity by a Maxim he published That the sure way tâ— drive away the Rooks was to pull down their Nests which in probability he meant only of the Monks but now their Hands were in was extended to all the Church Buildings Noailles was then in Scotland and carried the News of this dreadful Reformation to the Queen into France She was much enraged at it and said to some of her Confidents that she would imitate Mary Queen of England but however she had wit enough to dissemble her Resentment for the present In order to her return she left Vitri and went to Paris and having waited upon the King and Queen-Regent to take her leave of them she took her Journy towards Calais Queen Elizabeth had sent the Earl of Bedford to condole the Death of Francis her late Husband and to desire her Ratification of the Treaty of
to have the Articles considered by the Council who that they might elude this pursuit made some Decrees which had some respect to those things the French had desired but which aimed at the granting a Liberty and Immunity to the Clergy against all the Laws Privileges Liberties and Jurisdictions and Lawful Authorities of all Kingdoms States and Princes which being seen by La Ferriere and Du Faur the King's Ambassadors at Trent they by their Master's Order opposed the said Decrees The 27th of September the King by a Letter having commanded his Ambassadors to insist upon their first Demands and to assure the Council that as none of the Christian Princes should exceed him in the fervor of true Piety and a desire to promote the Affairs of the Council so if they still went on to cure the desperate wounds of the Church with a light hand or rather to plaster them over and conceal than cure them whilest they omitted the proper and most necessary remedies and instead of considering the Reformation of the Church turn'd the edge of their Authority against the Power of Princes and the Decrees of Councils he would not have the Presence of his Ambassadors add Authority to such unjust Decrees to the great prejudice of his Royal Dignity and to the Damage of the Liberties of his Kingdom He said also that he had been informed that the Council had entertain'd a design to declare the Marriage of Anthony de Bourbon King of Navarr and Joan his Queen unlawful and to declare Henry his Son a Bastard and he commanded them not to be present at any such Act. Lastly he commanded them to repeat their former demands and if the Fathers of the Council would not grant them then to leave Trent and go to Venice and stay there till they had further Orders from him He told them also that his principal desire was by a serious Reformation of Church-affairs and manners the corruptions in which had caused so many to make defection from the Church of Rome by the Authority of a General Council to unite the divided minds of men in the matters of Religion That his Ambassadors and Proctors had often treated with the Pope and the Fathers of the Council about this and to that end had exhibited the said XXXIV Articles to which no satisfactory return had been made but on the contrary they having lightly touched the business of Reformation had exercised an Authority which belonged not to them against the Rights Liberties and Power of Soveraign Princes That they neither could nor ought to inquire into the Civil Administration which was not subject to their Court nor to derogate from those Constitutions and Customs which had been long enjoyed by Princes nor to Anathematize Kings all which things tended to Sedition and the interruption of the publick Peace That he would not suffer that Authority which he had received from his Ancestors to be weakned by their unjust censures Yea he commanded them to tell the Fathers That if they presumed any more to undermine the Authority of Kings and the Prerogatives of their Betters that they should then also protest against their proceeding and leave Trent Advising the Bishops and Divines of France who were in the Council to promote the Reformation of Religion as much as was possible for the good of his divided Kingdom and to that end to stay still at Trent But then the King did trust to their wisdom and conscience that they would not approve of by their presence or consent to any thing which was prejudicial to the Royal Authority Prerogative or Dignity of the King or Kingdom of France But however the Council still persisting in their former Methods La Ferriere came into the Council and made a sharp Oration against the Pope and the Council Polano in his History of the Council of Trent has the sum of this Oration and Thuanus saith it was pronounced the 22d of September But however I will not trouble the Reader with it here because of its great length this Oration pleased none of the Fathers the French themselves not excepted because he set Princes as the Ministers of God above the Anathema's of the Clergy and made both their persons and revenues subject to the Laws and Authority of Kings telling them too plainly of their great prevarications obstinacy and unwillingness to reform or be reformed But however all the Fathers could do was to bring the Faith of the Ambassadors in question which they soon discuss'd by producing their Instructions This failing they cavell'd at the parts of the Oration and end eavoured to pervert the sense and meaning of it so that Ferriere was forced to publish an Apology for it And soon after this they mended the matter by a sharper Oration in which amongst other things they told the Council plainly That Hadrian the Sixth was in the right when he told the world That what care soever was taken of the lower members of the Church that body could not be restored to its health if the Head also the Pope were not reformed Towards the end they said They protested only against Pius the Fourth They Venerated the Apostolick See the great Pontiff the Holy Church of Rome for the increase of whose Dignity their Ancestors had so often shed their blood and of late had fought in France but it was against the Soveraignty of Pius the Fourth that they protested all whose Decrees and Sentences they refused and despised and seeing there was nothing done at Trent but all was dispatched at Rome and what was here published was rather the Dictates of Pius the Fourth than the Decrees of a General Council they denounced and testified That whatever was decreed in that Convention or should hereafter be decreed or published they being only the Decrees moved by Pius the Fourth they should not be approved by the Most Christian King nor the French nor be taken for the Acts of a General Council And then commanded all their Archbishops Bishops Abbots and Divines to return into France till God should restore to the Catholick Church the ancient form and liberty belonging of right to General Councils and to the Most Christian King his just Rights Thuanus saith he can hardly believe this Oration was made tho' he finds it Printed in the Commentaries of Jacques de Bourdin Secretary of State. But however it shews the sense great men had of the Council of Trent at that time when it was best understood A little before this time the Emperor being about leaving Inspruck discovered that they consulted at Rome and Trent about proceeding against Queen Elizabeth of England and he wrote to the Pope and the Legates that if the Council would not yield that fruit which was desired that they might see an Union of Catholicks to reform the Church yet at least they should not give occasion to Hereticks to unite themselves more which they would do in case they proceeded against the Queen of England
Landgrave The Landgrave again speaks to the Emperour The ignorance of the Archbishop of Cologne observed by the Emperour The Emperour to the Landgrave The Conferences of some Princes Granvell speaks The Landgrave answers Granvell's words Divines are awkward and obstinate The Landgrave's words The Opinion of Paphnutius about the Lord's Supper and marriage of Priests Granvell speaks after the Landgrave The Landgrav's Answer The Elector Palatine's Opinion in this Conference Granvell's Answer The Landgrav's Speech The Landgrave Arbitrator betwixt the Dukes of Saxony The Emperour advises the Landgrave to come to the Diet. The Emperour thanks the Landgrave The Landgrave's Answer to the Emperour The Emperour to the Landgrave The Landgrave to the Emperour The Emperour to the Landgrave The Landgrave's Answer Spede's soppishness The Landgrave takes leave of the Emperour An Assembly of the Protestant Deputies at Wormes They of Ravensbourg enter into the Protestant League The third Session of the Council of Trent and the Acts of it The Speech of Don Francisco de Toledo in the Council The Pope's Letters to the Bishops of Switzerland The Switzers highly commended The Archbishop of Cologne excommunicated by the Pope The Emperour 's coming to Ratisbonne Diazi's murder unrevenged The Emperour's Speech at Ratisbonne Truce with the Turk by the mediation of the French King. A Division amongst the Electors The Protestants opinion of the Council of Trent A constant report of a War against the Protestants The Cardinal of Trent is sent to Rome to sollicit the promised assistance The Preparations of War. Albert and John of Brandenbourg take charge under the Emperour The Landgrave's Segacity The Protestants ask the Emperour the warlike preparations The Emperour answers the Protestants The Emperour's Letter to the Protestant Cities The Emperour writes to the Duke of Wirtemberg Granvell and Naves discourse the Deputies of the Protestants Cities A Decree of the Council of Trent The Office of Pastors Decrees concerning Original Sin. The Decree of Sixtus IV. concerning the Virgin Mary The Speech of the French Embassador He means the King of England The Demands of the French King. The Answer of those of Strasbourg to the Emperour Duke Maurice had a private Conference with the Emperour The Protestant Deputies return home The Emperour's Embassie to the Suizers The Duke of Wirtemberg and the Towns of Vpper Germany rise in Arms. The first of the Protestant Commanders Balthazar Gutling's Speech to the Soldiers A Meeting of the Protestant Deputies at Vlme Their Letters to the Venetians the Nobility of Germany the Grisons and those of Tyrol The Emperour's League with the Pope against the Reformed The Church Revenues in Spain given for maintaining a War against the Lutherans Peace betwixt France and England Henry the Dauphin of France has a Daughter The Cardinal of Scotland killed The Pope's Letter to the Suizers The Embassadours of the Protestants to the Suizzers Wolffembottel is demolished The Prince Palatine enquires after the cause of the War. The Elector Palatine desires to reconcile the Protestants to the Emperour Saxony and the Landgrave arm The Protestants Letters to the Emperour The Authors of the War against the Protestants The Emperour's Letter to the Archbishop of Cologne The Protestants send Ambassadors to the Kings of England and France Saxony and Landgrave publish a Declaration concerning the War. The Bishop of Ausbourg a great Incendiary The Protestants Letters to the Marquess of Brandenbourg Brandenbourgs Answer A Manifesto against Brandenbourg The Forces of the Landgrave The Landgrave sends his Son to Strasbourg The Duke of Brunswick offers to betray the Papists Councels against the Protestants The first Exploit of the Protestants Fiessen taken Erenberg is taken by Scherteline Francis Castlealto Dilinghen and Donawert taken by the Protestants These of Ausbourg furnish the Emperour with Money The Emperour's Forces at Ratisbonne The Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave Outlawed by the Emperour The Marriages of Bavaria and Cleves amidst the noise of War. The Session of the Council is put off The number of the Fathers of the Council of Trent Titular Archbishops Olaus Magnus of Vpsale and Venant a Scot. The King of Sweden reforms Religion The Archbishop reduced to poverty dies Duke Maurice his Progress to King Ferdinand The Emperour's Letters to Duke Maurice and to his Brother Augustus wherein he desires them to take possession of the Inheritances of the Duke of Saxony and Landgrave and so prevent others The Protestants Letters to the Duke of Bavaria A great Misfortune occasioned by Lightning at Mechelin The Suitzers Answer to the Protestants The Protestants Demand of the Suitzers The Protestants declare War against the Emperour The Emperour refuses to receive the Protestants Letters The Emperour's Answer to the Protestants Messenger A Dispute about what Title should be given to the Emperour The Protestants march to Ratisbonne The Pope's Forces come to the Emperour The Officers of the Pope's Army The Horse of the Duke of Florence and Ferrara A bloody Saying of Farnese The Commanders of the Emperour's Army German Princes in the Emperour's Camp. The Princes in the Protestants Camp. The Emperour marches to Ratisbonne A Skirmish betwixt the Landgrave's Men and the Spanish Garrison The Spaniards break into the Protestants Camp. The Count of Buren marches with his Forces to joyn the Emperour The Landgrave's bold and good Advice The oversight of the Protestants in not laying hold on their oppertunity was the beginning of their miscarriage in the War. The Emperour 's great Courage The Answer of the Suitzers to the Emperour The Pope and Emperour pretended not the same Cause for the War of Germany The Emperour's Letter to the Protestant Suitzers The Protestant Cantons Answer to the Emperour The Protestants Address to the Bohemians The Protestants Declaration concerning Incendiaries and Poysoners sent out by the Pope The Protestants Answer to the Instrument of Proscription The Emperour's Expression about the subduing of Germany * Who had refused the Empire when it was offered unto him The Protestants raise their Camp. The Count of Buren joyns the Emperor The French King refused to send the Protestants Assistance The Protestants grosly deceived by Stroza an Italian The Protestants write to the Reformed Suitzers The Suitzers Answer The Catholick and Protestant Camps near one another The River Egra Albert of Brunswick dies of his wounds Donawert surrendered to the Emperor The Duke of Alva insults over the Landgrave A change of affairs in Saxony Duke Maurice consults against the Protestants The Letters of Duke Maurice's Friends to the Protestants Duke Maurice writes to the Landgrave to the same purpose The Embassie of John William of Saxony to Duke Maurice Scherteline leaves the Protestant Camp. The Emperor Master of the Danube The Protestants lose an opportunity of taking the Emperour A Stratagem A Skirmish betwixt the Landgrave and Prince of Sulmona Another Stratagem used by the Emperor The Plague in the Emperors Camp. Farnese with some Troops returns home The Landgrave's Answer to the Mauricians The Landgrave's
mouth of his Chancellor The Landgrave rises from off his knees unbidden The Landgrave's Captivity The Remonstrance of Duke Maurice and Brandenburg's Counsellors to the Emperour The number of great Guns taken from the Protestants Ebleben dies for grief The City of Magdeburg alone did not satisfie the Emperour Sebastian Vogelsberg raising Men in Germany King Ferdinand calls before him the Citizens of Prague in the Castle of Prague and there severely expostulates with them The Bohemians subdued and fined by King Ferdinand Caspar Pflug condemned of High-treason A Sedition at Naples because of the Spanish Inquisition The Reason of the first Institution of the Spanish Inquisition The Pope's Legat in France grants many things Charles of Guise made Cardinal The Pope and King of France make a Match between their Bastards A Diet at Ausburg Some Towns of Saxony are reconciled to the Emperor The Emperour publishes his Pacification with the Landgrave Duke Maurice graciously receives the Divines of Wittemberg The manner of the French King's Coronation Twelve Peers of France The Emperour squeezes Money from the States of the Empire The Sum of Money which the Emperour got Counts whom the Emperour would not pardon Magdenburg proscribed King Ferdinand and the Cardinal of Ausburg obtain vast Sums of Money from the Free Towns. The Emperour sollicits the Suitzers into a League An Armed Diet at Ausburg A Truce between the Emperour and Turk The Expiation of Churches Michael Sidonius a Champion for the Mass The Opening of the Diet at Ausburg Pietro Aloisio the Pope's Son is assassinated at Piacenza Jerome Palavicini turned out of House and Lands Pope Paul III. an Astrologer and Necromancer Those of Piacenza submit to the Emperour The detestable wickedness of Aloisio the Pope's Bastard The Council of Trent divided The German Bishops Letter to the Pope A Victory of the English over the Scots The Opinions of the Catholicks and Protestants differ about the Council of Trent The Protestants are sollicited to submit to the Council Some Protestants drawn in or over-awed assent to the Council The Free Towns scrupulous to assent to the Council The Emperour's Answer to the Speech of the low Towns. The Emperour's Embassie to the Pope for the continuation of the Council Letters to the States in behalf of the Landgrave The Emperour's Excuse to the States concerning the Captivity of the Landgrave The States acquaint Maurice and Brandenburg with the Emperour's Relation The Emperour is not wrought upon by Intercessions De Lire sent to the Landgrave desires up all Obligatory Letters that he had Peter Martyr goes into England The Reformation of the Church in England The Cardinal of Trent's Speech to the Pope in the Consistory of Cardinals The Speech of the Emperour's Embassador to the Pope The Cardinal of Lorrain's Harangue to the Pope The French King hunts after a fit occasion The Pope's Answer to the Cardinal of Trent and Mendoza The Pope's Letter to his Legate in the Council The Legat's Answer to the Pope The Pope's Answer to the Emperour's Embassadour Mendoza sends the Pope's Answer to the Emperour 1548. The Pope's Answer to the Bishops of Germany The Emperour's Embassadours sent to Bolonia The Pope's Legate to the Emperour's Embassadour De Vargas the Emperour's Embassadour his Speech to the Fathers The sawciness of the Cardinal de Monte. The form of the Protestation against the Council The King of Polands Embassy in behalf of Albert of Brandenburg The Harangue of the Polish Ambassador in the Diet of Ausburg The Institution of the Teutonick Order Casimire King of Poland subdues the Teutonicks Albert of Brandenburg refuses to do Homage to the King of Poland Albert makes Peace with the King of Poland The Master of Prussia's Answer to the Speech of the Polish Ambassador The Original of the Tuetenick Order Conrade Duke of Muscovy afflicted by the Prussians Prussia converted to the Christian Religion A Pacification betwixt the King of Poland and Matter of Prussia The King of Poland takes 70 Towns from the Master of Prussia The Articles of the Peace betwixt Casimire King of Poland and the Master of Prussia How long Prussia continued under the Empire The death of Sigismund King of Poland The Popes haughty Speech to the Emperours Ambassador The Pope taxes Mendoza as having transgressed his Commission The Popes Expressions concerning his perpetual resolution of calling a Council His comparing himself with the Emperour The singular purpose of the Pope The Emperour's Report to the States The Interim is made Bucer being sent for by the Elector of Brandenburg comes to Ausburg The English Declaration to the Scots Sebastian Vogelsberg is condemned to die and two Captains with him A Persecution in France The Ceâ—emony of Investing Duke Mâ—â—rice into the Electorship Bucer rejects the Interim Brandenburg angry with Bucer The Archbiship of Cologne's first Mass The King of Tâ—nis comes to Ausburg The Heads of the Book called the Interim The Interim often reviewed and corrected before it could pass The Interim sent to Rome The Popes Animadversions upon it The Elector's opinions about the Interim vary The Archbishop of Mentzs his craft in approving the Interim and giving thanks to the Empeâ—â—â— The Emperour desires Money to be raised and put into a publick Treasury King Ferdinand craves Money from the States Maximilian marries his own Cousin german The Naapolitan Horse are a great burden to the people about Strasburg Marquess John of Brandenburg approves not the Interim The Electors of Brandenburg and Palatine receive the Interim The constancy of the Duke of Deux-Ponts Musculus went from Ausburg to Bern. The labours and dangers of Brentius Brentius his Judgment of the Interim The ingratitude of the People of Hall who banish Brentius and his Family The Duke of Wirtemberg secretly received Brentius The Preachers are forced to fly Wirtemberg receives the Interim The constancy of Saxony the Prisoner Severity towards captive Saxony Letters spread abroad in the Landgrave's Name Whil'st the Mass triumphs in Germany it is run down in England The Bishop of Winchester is committed to Prison The Emperours Ecclesiastical Reformation The Bishops approve this Regulation Those of Strasburg are urged to receive the Interim The Answer of those of Strasburg Granvell's Speech to the Strasburghers The Strasburghâ—â—s Answer to Granvell Granvell's Reply The Strasburghers insist The other Cities are also urged The Emperours Answer to the States about the disbanding of the Soldiers The States consent to the Constitution of the Imperial Chamber A Decree of the Dyet of Ausburg concerning a free Council The Composers of the Interim are bountifully rewarded The Emperours Letters to the Princes about the receiving of the Interim The Veneratians Proclamation The Popes Legats in the Courts of Princes The prudence of the Venetians in the business of Religion The Venetian Inquisition against Sorcerers and those that have commerce with the Devil French Auxiliaries sent to the Scots They who served in the Protestant Arms Proscribed by the Emperour The Duke of Vendâ—smâ—s Marriage The
Duke of Aumales Marraige Louis d' Avilaâ— History of the German War. Islebius brags of the Interim The Bishop of Auranches writes against the Interim So does Romey the Dominican The constancy of the Sons of the Duke of Saxony The Duke of Saxony avows to the Emperour his rejecting of the Interim The Deputies of Constance with the Emperour Their humble Letters to him The Bishop of Constance dies of an Apoplexy which he had imprecated unto his People Maximilian's War against the Switzers The Emperour changeth the Senate of Ausburg The Companies are abolished The Emperour gives sentence in favour of Nassaw against the Landgrave The Spaniards march privately to Constance Alfonsus Vives was killed and the Spaniards draw off without success A Custom of the Switzets The Letter of the Strasburgers to the Emperour Their Judgment of the Interim The Emperours answer to those of Strasburg The people of Constance proscribed They pray some Princes and the Suitzers to intercede with the Emperour for them The Emperous answer to the intercessors Those of Lindaw receive the Interim The Strasburgers consult about the Interim Many of them renounce their freedoms in the City and depart The Senate of Vlm changed The constancy of four Divines of Vlm The Ministers of Vlm put into Chains The Emperour comes to Spire The Popes Legats sent to Germany The Duke of Saxony and Landgrave carried Prisoners into the Low Countries The Deputies of Strasburg with the Emperour The Bishops of Strasburg's Letter to the Clergy about the observation of the Decree Their Letter to the Emperour The Deputies of Strasburg are dismissed and ordered to agree with their Bishop The Emperour keeps the Duke of Saxony with him The Landgrave he sends to Oudenard The Reformation of the Chamber The Duke of Brunswick brings an Action against the Protestants and so do some others The people of Constance give themselves up to the house of Austria King Ferdinand upon Conditions takes them into his protection And then lays his Commands upon them The Marriage of Duke Augustus of Saxony A Sedition at Bourdeaux The Bourdeaux-men receive the Constable and his Soldiers The Punishments inflicted by the Constable at Bourdeaux The Bells are taken from them and their Charters burnt The dead Body of the King's Lieutenant being by the Citizens scraped out of the ground with their Nails is splendidly buried The horrible History of Francis Spira John Caso Archbishop of Benevento the Pope's Legate at Venice Spira falls sick and also into despair admitting of no comfort He dyes despairing of Salvation Vergerio The strange Conversion of Vergerio to the reformed Religion Vergerio writes a Book against the Apostates of Germany John Baptista Vergerio Bishop of Pola The Inquisitors against Vergerio An Invective against Vergerio The Inquisition of Pola and Justinopolis Grisonio's exhortation against the Lutherans Vergerio goes to Trent to justifie himself in Council But is deny'd a place in it Vergerio preached the Gospel against the Grisons from thence was called to Tubingen Vergerio's Brother dies not without suspition of Poyson The Book of an Archbishop on the praise of Sodomy Marriages contracted by the Ministers of the Church of Cologne are annulled and declared to be incestuous The Custom of the Province of Treves The Interim is in vain pressed upon the Landgrave's subjects Siâ—onius consecrates a new the Churches of Franckfurt The Queen of Scots carried over into France Philip the Emperour's Son passes through Italy to the Low Countries Philip is magnificently received at Genova 1549. As also at Milan The Count of Buren dies A Convention of States in Saxony A Form of Religion is drawn up for Saxony The Emperous Son comes to Germany The Duke of Arescot is sent to meet him Duke Maurice's intercession for the Landgrave his Father-in-Law Troubles in Africa Upon what occasion the Cardinal of Lorrain was made Bishop of Metz. The City of Strasburg's Letter to the Emperour The People of Magdenburg exposed as a prey because of Religion The Preachers of Vlm freed out of Prison Tumults in Engâ—and The Admiral of England beheaded The Bishop of Strasburg enjoyns the Clergy to obey the Emperours Edict The diligence of Archbishop Cranmer in Promoting Piety Bucer and Fagius go over Sea to England The Emperours Son makes his entry into Brussels Intercession made for the Landgrave but in vain The Bishop of Strasburg says Mass The Plea of the Professors of Strasburg to the Bishop The Answer of the Bishops Agents to the Professors of Strasburg The intercession of the Senate of Strasburg for their Professors Christopher Welsinger a Civilian The Duke of Deux-ponts is again urged to approve the Decree His Letter to the Emperour The Ingenuous Confession of the Duke of Deux-ponts The refutation of the Interim by those of Lower Saxony The beginning of the divisions in the Churches of Saxony The Hamburghers Letter to Melaâ—chton about indifferent matters Melanchton's Answer The Electoral Archbishops held Provincial Synods The Heads of their Decrees Of Consecrations and Exorcisms The manifold use of Holy Water Salt in Baptism The Churching of Women 1589. The Ceremony of the Dedication of a Church The Consecration of Bells The way of Consecrating Altars The making of Oyl and the Chrism The Popish Ceremonies brought into contempt through the preaching of Luther A Papal Decree concerning the use of Holy Water The Pope's Legates to the Emperour The Pope's Indulgence The Power of the Bishops delegated Of Monks fallen into Heresie Of the Communion in both kinds Of the Profits of Church Lands The Subdelegation of the Bishops Delegate The Emperour sends the Pope's Indult to the Bishops of Germany The Archbishop of Mentz sends the Pope's Indult to the Landgravians A godly Answer of the Preachers A Dispute at Oxford in England about the Lord's Supper The Coronation of the Queen of France The King and Queen of France make their entry into Paris A Persecution in France Solemn Processions and Prayers at Paris Luther and other Hereticks to be rooted out of France Monsieur Vervine beheaded A League betwixt the Switzers and French. Duke Maurice's Letters to his Subjects The Landgraves Wife dies An Insurrection in England The French King recovers some Places from England The Duke of Somerset committed to Prison The Emperour makes the Low-Countries do Homage to his Son Prince Philip. The Senate of Strasburg agree with their Bishop The danger of the Republick of Magdeburg by reason of the Emperours Proscription Their Apologetick Declaration Two Reasons why they cannot obtain Peace Gordius the Martyr The Marriage of Francis of Mantua The death of Paul III. A Book against Paul III. The Murders of Paul III. Paul's Sister being a Whore makes him a Cardinal He murders another Sister His Lusts The Funeral Charges of Paul III. A description of the Conclave of Rome 54 Cardinals in the time of Paul III. The way of chusing the Pope How many Voices every Cardinal may give Three Factions of Cardinals The Conclave full of chinks Pool upon
to their demerits July the tenth the Elector Palatine sent this Answer of the Emperour 's which he had received the day before to the Duke of Saxony the Landgrave and Duke of Wirtemberg and laying before them the danger that hung over Germany especially from strangers if the War should rise to any height He besought them to condescend and grant what possibly they could for though the countenance of Affairs looked very sad and dismal yet it was his opinion that if they would submit to the Emperour and comply with him in some things it would be a very fair way towards an Accommodation That he understood the Emperour might be appeased if they would first beg his Pardon for their Offences next if what had been done amiss by any of them were reformed and lastly if that they possessed any thing of other mens they would refer it to the Emperour or any body else that might be judged proper to determine the matter wherein if he could do them any service he promised to use all his endeavours In the mean time the Duke of Saxony and the Landgrave who were much surprized and alarmed at this so sudden and unexpected a revolution especially seeing the Emperour had gone lately from Spire in a most friendly manner having got certain Advice how all things went with great diligence raise Forces themselves and write to their Confederates to do the like and not to suffer themselves to be taken off by the crafty Councels of some Having met also to consult about their Affairs they wrote to the Emperour to this effect We have learnt from our Deputies say they whom at your Command Most Gracious Soveraign we sent to Ratisbonne that when those of our Profession and League had heard of the Preparations that were making for War they made their earnest Address to your Majesty That you would take care that Germany should not suffer and though you made such an Answer then that we might have very justly entertained some suspitious upon it yet still we were in good hopes that the War was not designed against us nor any other State of the Empire because that being by your Majesty summoned to come to that Diet we sent Deputies thither with full and ample Commissions who both consulted about your Demands and freely gave their opinions so that we did not apprehend there was the least cause given of displeasure Besides Sir your Answer given then has no relation to what is past but only to the future whilst you declare your resolution to settle the Commonwealth and by vertue of your Authority to punish those that are refractory and disobedient wherefore we had no reason in the World to think that before you made known your Demands and received our Answer you were preparing for War but when by several conjectures especially your Letters to some Princes and free Towns and the Speeches of Granvell and Naves we came at length to know that your design was to punish some disobedient Princes and that it was the general report that the whole stress of the War was intended against us it grieved and troubled us very much as it ought indeed and therefore we thought fit to write to your Majesty in our own justification And in the first place Sir we can truly affirm that we and our Confederates have always born the publick Burdens imposed upon us more than others when some were even exempted besides we used our endeavours that you should obtain the Supplies which you demanded in the last Diet of Spire and contributed to them our selves and now that after all these offices performed we should be accused of disobedience we cannot but be much grieved and troubled at it We could have wished and indeed it was but reason that we had been accused first and brought to a Hearing before it should have come to a War and our Accusation have been made publick for so we might easily have cleared our Innocence and refuted the Calumnies of those who have in this manner informed you against us It is well known how kindly you treated both of us lately at Spire and five Years since at Ratisbonne so that no Rebellion or base Practice can be objected unto us We insist not upon this that at your Request we put the Dutchy of Brunswick under Sequestration a year ago and thereby run a great risk of our Lives and Fortunes nor are you neither ignorant Sir when you were Created Emperour at Franckfort how you bound your self to the Empire what you promised by your solemn Oath and how the Laws of the Empire are to have their effect against those that are accused of the Crimes which you object to us but now that without a Hearing you are preparing to use open force against us we will refer that to God and when we come to understand what it is you accuse us of shall so answer that all men may know that we are wronged and make it appear that you at the instigation of the Roman Antichrist and of the impious Council of Trent have undertaken this War for the oppression of the Gospel and of the Liberty of Germany and for no other Cause whatsoever The condition of our Affairs does require that we should represent this unto you and so you are to take it For it would have been far more agreeable to us to have pleased you by all the Testimonies of sincere Duty and Affection July the seventh the Emperour by Letters acquaints the Archbishop of Cologne That for the welfare of Germany that is that the Publick Peace Right and Justice the Dignity of his own Character and the Liberty of the Empire might be recovered all which some seditious People had almost already overturned and unless they were restrained would certainly do so he was forced to take Arms that he might reduce them to their Duty And because he was told that they made it their whole Business to allure the Archbishop and others into their Confederacy he commanded him in the first place that he should make Proclamation throughout his whole Province and use his endeavours that no Subject of his served in these Wars unless under the Emperour himself or his Commanders who should for that effect shew authentick Commissions In the next place That if any were already gone into the Wars he should forthwith recal them and command them to live at home expecting the Emperour's Pleasure That he should severely punish those that did not obey and so behave himself that the Emperour might perceive that he loved the Peace and Quiet of Germany but that if he did otherwise he threatned him with great Dangers and the loss of all he had So soon as the Archbishop received these Letters he published them in all places and commanded that they should be obeyed ordering Publick Prayers also to be said in all Churches That God would avert the Judgment that was hanging over Germany About the same time the
Protestants send Ambassadors to the Kings of England and France who as has been said had lately made Peace to sollicite them for Succours In the mean time after that the Duke of Saxony and Landgrave had written privately to the Emperour as we said before they publish a Declaration July the thirteenth wherein they alledge That this War was a War of Religion and that it was the Emperour's Design under a certain colour and pretext of Rebellion and as if he intended but to punish a few to divide and break the Confederates that so he might afterwards more easily destroy them one after another For confirmation of this they bring several Proofs and give a Relation of what King Ferdinand Granvell Naves and others had privately said at Ratisbonne to wit That the Contempt of the Council was the cause of this War. They affirm also That the Emperour had sent Letters to the Magistrates of Ravensberg who had lately received the Reformed Religion That they should within a few days desist from their Enterprise else he threatned to give their Town and Lands to be plundred by his Soldiers but that the Messenger was recalled with his Letters when he was upon the Rode leâ—t it might become publick that Religion was the Ground of the War. That the Archbishop of Cologne also was for attempting a Reformation excommunicated by the Pope and deprived of all his Ecclesiastical Possessions and Dignities and is threatned almost with the very same by the Emperour What was that if not a plain Declaration of the Cause of the War For it was no light Report that went about That the Cardinal of Ausbourg a great Incendiary in these Troubles was by force to be put into his place That it was also given out by some That when they were once vanquished and subdued Forces should be dispersed all over Germany to see that the Decrees made in the Council concerning Religion should in the Emperour's Name be obeyed and put into execution Moreover that many Letters gave an account That the Archbishop of Toledo chiefly and many other Prelates of Spain did contribute vast Treasures for the carrying on of this War which they would not certainly do if any Secular Interest were the cause of it That it was known besides what sort of a Decree it was that past at Ausbourg sixteen years since when the Emperour declared That he could not endure that Sect and Doctrine of Luther but that he and his Friends would hazard all they had Life Strength Blood and all that he might destroy it Root and Branch For should they indeed be subdued which God forbid then would it soon appear that no favour was to be shewn to this Religion but that rather having killed their Ministers ravished their Wives and Children they would again restore Monks and Friars and the rest of that filthy Rout That it was not lawful for the Emperour to use violence against any State nor to proscribe any Man without a Trial nor yet to call into Germany Strangers or Forreign Forces nor indeed to aspire to any Hereditary Right or Succession to the Empire because to these Conditions he was bound by a sacred and solemn Oath For could he in right do otherwise there would be no lasting Form of Government in the Common-wealth That they could not imagine what the Cause of his Quarrel was For as for my part saith the Duke of Saxony all the Difference that he and his Brother King Ferdinand had with me was two years ago wholly ended at Spire and to cement our Friendship Eleanor the Daughter of Ferdinand was freely promised to my eldest Son provided we could agree about Religion The Emperour approved of that then and when I was returning home from the Diet he sent Granvell and Naves to my Lodgings to complement me in his Name and to assure me of his Kindness and of his Good-will towards my Person Children and whole Country What Crime can I have been guilty of since that time that he should from such cruel Resolutions against me But the truth is this is our Case as we said before we refuse the Pope's Counsel and therefore incur his Hatred However he had no reason to act so nor to design such things against the House of Saxony for he knows that after the Death of Maximilian this Imperial Dignity being offered to my Uncle Frederick he by his Vote and Interest secured it to him not to mention many other good Offices which at several times the Family of Saxony have done to the House of Austria But if perhaps he be offended that I turned Julius Pflugg out of the Bishoprick of Numburg as to that I both asserted my Right in a Publick Manifesto and referred my self to any unsuspected Judges and Arbitrators that the Emperour might appoint Now as for my part saith the Landgrave I was fully reconciled unto him five years ago at Ratisbonne and if that some years past I intended to make War against the Bishops and did after assist my Cousin the Duke of Wirtemberg in the recovering of his own for all that and whatever also I might have publickly or privately acted against the Statutes and Written Laws of the Empire I had a Pardon in due form What then should be the Cause of Prejudice or Animosity I cannot at all imagine Besides when I was to wait upon him lately at Spire he was so gracious and obliging to me both in Countenance and Speech that I could not perceive the least sign of Displeasure in him It was stipulated betwixt us five years since at Ratisbonne That if at any time he should attempt any thing against the Duke of Cleve I should not at all meddle in the matter He made War afterwards against him and I performed what I promised and when afterwards he received the Duke of Cleve into favour again which was before Venlo he pardoned all that had served under him or assisted him in his Wars But if he be offended at our Absence and that we did not come to Ratisbonne both of us made our Excuses the Duke of Saxony by Ambassadors and I personally in a Conference at Spire But what Liberty or Form of Government is there then in Germany if that should give a good Cause for War when not only in former Diets but in the very same Diet also of Ratisbonne several Princes were absent And as for the War of Brunswick we cannot be blamed for it is lawful for all Men to withstand Force by Force We frequently moved and earnestly desired in several Diets That a Restraint might be put upon his Boldness but unless it were fair Words and Letters we could obtain nothing And nevertheless the Publick Letters which at our desire King Ferdinand wrote to Duke Henry were accompanied with other Private ones whereby Duke Henry was given to understand that he was not to obey them These Letters under the King 's own Hand were found in Wolffembottel and if need were could be
Leith but this she said she could not do 'till she had consulted with the Nobility of Scotland and when the Ambassador replied They could not but approve of what they had made she replied They did but not all and when I come amongst them it will appear what mind they are of The Duke of Guise and the rest of the great Men of that Family attended her to Calais and the Marquess of Elboeuf and Francis Grand Prior of France went with her She took Ship the 14th of August and arrived at Leith in Scotland the 20th She was much concerned for fear Queen Elizabeth might intercept her in her way home and therefore sent again for the English Ambassador but when he still insisted to have the Treaty of Leith ratisied she delayed it Her Uncle the Cardinal of Lorrain advised her to leave her Jewels and Treasures in France 'till she were safe in Scotland but she said It was folly to be more concerned for her Jewels than for her Person which she must hazard The truth is her Fear was well grounded for Queen Elizabeth sent a Fleet to way-lay her but the two Navies passed by one another in a dark foggy day unperceived and she safely arrived at Leith the 21th of August The beginning of her Government was very gracious and she condescended to grant That no Change or Alteration should be made in the present State of Religion only she said she would use her own Religion apart and have a Mass in private which was and by many was thought very reasonable she having been Educated in the Roman Church and being a Sovereign Princess Yet the Preachers in their Sermons publickly condemned that Toleration of their Queen as unlawful and the Earl of Arran being exasperated by his Imprisonment on the account of Religion in France by the Order of the Guises from whence he made his Escape replied That he did neither agree to Publick nor Private Mass which highly displeased the Queen And Archimbald Douglas Provost of Edinburg put out an Order commanding all Papists to be gone for which the Queen committed him to the Castle of Edinburg And one of the common sort of Men broke the Tapers in the Court which were prepared for her Chapel and a Tumult had ensued to the Ruine of the other Preparatives for her Chapel if some wiser Men had not interposed amongst whom the Lord James was one of the greatest and forwardest to suppress this insolent Disorder On the other side the Marquess of Elboeuf was much offended to see the Protestant Religion exercised openly in Scotland and the Earl of Huntley a vain Man proffer'd the Queen his Service to reduce all the North Parts of Scotland to the Popish Religion which was wisely rejected In the middle of September the Duke of Aumarl and the rest of the French which had come home with the Queen went back to France but the Marquess of Elboeuf who stayed with her all the Winter She sent William Lord Maitland to Queen Elizabeth with Letters full of kind and friendly Expressions and desiring the like Returns from her And amongst other things that she would declare her the lawful Heir to the Crown of England in case she Queen Elizabeth should dye without Issue which Queen Elizabeth denied but said She would never wrong her nor her Cause if it be just in the least point and that she knew not any whom she would prefer before her or who if the Title should fall to be controverted might exclude her The Queen of Scots caused a new Provost of Edinburg to be Elected changed the Common Council and put out a Proclamation That all her good and faithful Subjects should repair to and remain within the Birgh at their pleasure for doing their lawful Business which was in opposition to the Provost's Order She kept her Masses too more publickly and with greater pomp of all which the Ministers complain'd in vain in their Sermons The Nobility had divided the Church Lands amongst them and had now another Game to persue and were striving who should be most in the Queen's Favour The Queen's Expences being soon found too great for the poor Revenues of the Crown of Scotland to maintain The Remainder of the Church Lands was divided into three parts one was assigned to the Queen one to the Ministers and the third was left to the Bishops and Parsons of the Romish Communion which they were forced to yield to to prevent the loss of all they now subsisting merely by the Queen's Favour The Earl of Huntley to be made Lord Chancellor turned Roman Catholick again which encouraged one Winyet a Priest to write a Book against the Reformation for which he was censured and forced to leave Scotland Not long after which she created the Lord James her Brother first Earl of Marr and then of Murray the Lord Ereskin claiming and at last obtaining the Earldom of Marr which much offended Huntley which had enjoyed both these Titles ever since the death of James the Fifth This made Huntley enter into many base and unworthy Designs to murder Murray which were all by one means or other discovered and at last ended in the Death of Huntley and the Executiou of John Gordon his eldest Son a hopeful young Gentleman in the Year following The beginning of the Year 1562 was very unquiet in France The King had called an Assembly of the Delegates of all the Parliaments of France in the end of the last year which was to meet at St. Germain the 17th of January of this year to consider of the means of appeasing these Broils and preserving the Peace of France The King opened this Assembly with a short Speech which was seconded by a larger made by the Chancellor who having given a short account of the several Edicts that had been made before in the business of Religion and shewn how they had all by one means or other been defeated He added That Laws were of no use if they were not Religiously observed But then said he if the Question is put Why are not the Laws executed Must not you that are the Judges bear the blame For if they excuse themselves and say That it was not in their power to execute them I will accept the Answer upon condition they will ingenuously confess That neither was it in the King's power And that this Affair of Religion by a secret Judgment of God for the Castisement of our Luxury Indevotion and Neglect of his Glory is so disposed that we may by the severity of the Punishment be brought to Repentance In the year 1518 when these Commotions first began there is no Man but knows how corrupt the Manners and how loose or rather profligate the Discipline of the Church was throughout the World For to omit the Court of Rome in which there was nothing right and sound we had here in France a young King brought up in Pleasures tho' he afterwards was
much improved but he was then very dissolute nor was Henry of England any better And after all the Judgments God has sent from Heaven upon us we have not repented or amended and therefore there is no wonder that this sad difference of Religion cannot be composed and the Peace of the Church restored No on the contrary it is now apparent that our Enemies are become so numerous that they are almost able to oppress us As to those who pretend that we have encreased them by our Connivance I can answer That during the minority of the King they are bolder and I would have them consider too that for our Sins God has set a Child over us There are some who would have the King arm one part of his Subjects against the other which I think is neither Christian nor Human. After very much to the same purpose he told them the Thing proposed by the King to their Consideration was Whether it was the best way for the King to Suppress the Meetings or to Tolerate them Thereupon followed a very great Debate between these Deputies of the several Parliaments of France but at last they came to a Resolution to remit something of the Severity of the Edict of July and to allow the Protestants the liberty of Publick Sermons and accordingly a new Edict was made which was called The Edict of January the principal Heads of which were these That the Protestants should restore the Ecclesiasticks to their Churches Houses Lands Tithes and other goods whatsoever which they had taken from them forthwith and suffer them peaceably to enjoy their Images Crosses and Statues without any molestation or endeavouring to destroy them or doing any other thing that may disturb the publick Peace upon pain of Death without any hope of Mercy That the Protestants should have no publick Meetings Sermons and Prayers or administer any Sacraments publickly or privately by Night or by Day within any City in any manner whatsoever Yet in the mean time till the Controversies of Religon shall be composed by a General Council or the King shall otherwise order it Those who shall go to or frequent their Sermons shall not be molested provided they be had without the Cities And the Magistrates were accordingly commanded not to disquiet but to protect and preserve them from all Injury That all Seditious Persons of what Religion soever they were should be severely punished and all should be bound to discover and deliver them up to Justice a thousand Crowns being imposed upon any person who should receive abet or conceal such Riotous Offender and the Offender to be whipp'd if not able to pay the Penalty That the said Meetings should be without Arms and that no person should Reproach another on the account of Religion or use any Factious Names That the Protestants Ministers should admit none into their Number till they had diligently examined their Lives Conversations and Doctrines That the Magistrates might freely go to their Meetings to see what was done or to apprehend any Criminal who should be treated according to their Dignity and obeyed That the Protestants should hold no Synods Conferences or Consistories but in the presence of a Magistrate That they should create no new Magistrates or make any Laws or Statutes And if they desire any thing by way of Discipline it should be referred to their Authority or if need be be confirmed by them There shall be no Levies of Men or Monies made by them nor any Leagues entered into for their private Defence And as to Alms they shall only take them of such as are willing to give The Civil Laws especially those concerning Holy Days and the Degrees of Consanguinity and Affinity in Marriages shall be observed That their Pastors shall give Security to the Magistrates for the Observing this Edict and promise That they will not preach any Doctrine contrary to the Nicence or Apostles Creeds or the Books of the Old or New Testament nor use any Reproaches against the Catholicks in their Sermons And the same is injoyned the Catholicks in relation to the Protestants No man shall publish any Libels to desame another or sell or cause them to be sold Lastly the Magistrates are hereby commanded to be very diligent in case any Sedition happens to search out the Offenders and punish them without any Appeal to be allowed to such Offenders A Debate being made concerning the Worship of Images these Propositions were published by the Queen by the Advice of the Bishops of Valence and Seez and Monsieur Bouthillier d' Espence and Picherel That seeing Errors are according to St. Augustin rather to be rooted out of the Mind of Men than out of Churches and other places the Bishops should take order with the Curates to have the People well Instructed and diligently Admonished concerning the right use of them that all Offence or Scandal might be prevented both by the Royal Authority and that of the Church and that if any opposed this he should be treated as a Violater of the Royal Edicts and of the publick Peace That all Figures of the Holy Trinity should be immediately removed out of all Churches and all other publick and private Places as being forbidden by the Holy Scriptures the Councils and Testimonies of the Fathers and only Dissembled or Tolerated by the Sloth of the Bishops and Pastors That the Picutres of all prophane Persons and others who were not to be found in the Authentick Martyrologies of the Church all lascivious and dishonest Pictures and those of Brutes shall be abolished That no Crowns Garlands or Vestments shall be put upon any Images nor Incense nor Candles burnt before them nor shall they be carried in Processions nor any Prayers or Oblations be made to them nor shall they be worshipped with bended Knees because all these things are parts of Worship That all Images but that of the Venerable Holy Cross shall be taken from the Altars and either placed on the Valves or Walls of the Churches so that from henceforth they may neither be saluted kissed prayed to or presented with Gifts That all Images which were wont to be carried on the Shoulders of Men in the Churches and Streets should according to the late Canon of Sens be for ever abolished Beza opposed the retention of the Cross as brought into use by Constantine the Great and one N. Mallard Dean of the Sorbonne in Paris tho' he confessed some ill things had crept into the Church yet he was of opinion that all this Worship of Images ought stoutly to be defended and retained and put out a Book to that purpose so the Thing fell This Order was made the 14th of February The same Month but some few days before it the King of Navar wrote a Letter to the Elector Palatine in which he testified his great desire to promote a Reformation and that he hoped to have found a way to reconcile Differences by the Conference of