themselues sooner beaten then assailed by those whose very first March they alwaies before despised Then after manye and light brunts with the common faith receiued in Fraunce since the sure and publicke establishmentes of Christian Religion by Berenger of Tours Abeyllard Breton Amaury of Chartres Arnold of Bresse and other followed by a great number of Sectaries as well in this Realme as else where it neuer was so earnestly assaulted as by the Vaudoios and their successors in Guienne and Countries about which they named Albigeois of the towne of Alby chiefe of Albigeois scituate betweene Languedos and Quercy Who in spight of all the Potentates of Christendome sowed about the yeare 1100. and euen since their doctrine smally differing from the Protestants at this day Not onely through Fraunce but almost all the Countries of Europe For the French Spanish English Scots Italians Germaines Bohemians Saxons Polonians Lithuaniens and other people haue mightily defended it vntill this present After that this doctrine had a while crept thorough Fraunce in the end as the heate of burning coles doth exhalate and pearce thorough by little and little the thicknesse of the Sinders not able to quench it it grew more commonly knowne by Prayers publike exhortations administrations of Sacraments and other vses the course whereof the Clergie not being able to hinder sought vnder the authoritie of the Pope aide and force at the hands of Christian Princes whome they speedely armed against the Albigeois Whom after a number of assaults battels reencounters losses ruines victories and reciprocal aduantages from the yeare 1200. For 50. yeares after euer maintaining by armes and force the outward shew of their liues their doctrine and their Countrie together vntil that the chiefe of them were defeated and empouerished other gained by faire protestations promises of better hap and all in generall together wearie with the continuance of so long Ciuil warres The Christian Princes and Prelats of the Church left as in contempt a wandering people of all parts terrified with so cruell a warre insisting in their first opinion which rather the ease of the rest they after felt caused them to chaunge then any rigour of their enemies So as all the French anon after returned to the same doctrine from which their fathers had so much swarued except such as retired themselues into the mountaines chiefely the Prouencaux Sauoyarts Dauphinois and Piemontois of whome there were many sent into Lombardie Calabria Pouille Sicille Germaine and other places to the end they might plant the fruite of that doctrine which they stoode assured was the most true auncient of Christendome Now the English was Lord of Guienne in the time of these Albigeois wars by reason that Henrie of Aniou after the death of Stephen became king of England Duke of Normandie Earle of Aniou Tourraine and Maine And afterwards grew to be Earle of Poictou and Duke of Aquitaine called Guienne by vertue of Eleonor his wife daughter to Guillame last Earle of Poictou whom king Louys le Ieune had diuourced So as sundry English men which ordinarily came into those countries either by reasons of trafique and marchandise or warre against the French had speedely enough being imbrued with the same opinions spread them abroad in their owne Countrie Which hauing beene conceiued and explaned by manie in the end fell from hand to hand into the heade of Wicklife about 50. yeares after a greatly renowned Diuine in the Vniuersitie of Oxford and Curate of Luteruorth in the Diocesse of Lincolne Who in the end being a Doctor in Diuinitie thorough his eloquence and rare Doctrine gained so farre the harts and vnderstandings of the English and chiefely of the greatest sorte as the Duke of Lancaster vncle to king Richard Henrie of Persye Lewes Clifford the Chaunlor Kegli the Earle of Sarisburie others as a long time after he preached wrought and dispersed with all libertie what best seemed good vnto him Most chiefely vnder King Edward True it is that Pope Alexander thorough the sollicitings of the chiefe of the Clergie animated Richard his successor much against him in the yere 1382 Who preuailed so farre that after sundrie disputations of the Articles of his faith hee was banished afterwards called home and dyed 1387. But 40. yeares after his decease his body was puld out of the grounde by the Popes commandement and his bones burned at Oxford 1410. before the Abbot of Shrewsberie then Chancelor And albeit that 13. yeares after his death 1401. his doctrine was vtterly condemned in open Parliament with an Iniunction to all men to seeke out those Lollards so called they such as professed that order of doctrine according vnto those of Pologne and borderers vnto it yet for all that could it not hinder the multiplying thereof as well in that Countrie as else where Chiefely in Germanie by reason of the great learning which was taught by the famous Fathers of the Vniuersitie of Oxford Wher among other a Scholer of Bohemia being much delighted in a booke of Wicklifes called The Vniuersales caried a Coppie thereof with him into his Countrie where the Vniuersitie of Prague was of great commendations In which Iohn Hus more renowned then the rest for his quicknes of spirite made himselfe for all that much better knowne after the reading of those bookes which he explaned and so much thereby encreased the doctrine which long since was spread abroad in those quarters that many of the people Scholers and of the very Nobles and Clergie themselues followed the same as a matter worthy to bee receiued among men Now among the rest of the people which for their conscience were persecuted the Bohemians had beene long before Iohn Hus by Venceslaus King of Bohemia who made great search after them roundly punished them And by the Pope who long before that had sent thither an inquisitor of the ill affected of the faith who Iohn Hus liuing was named Bishop of Nazaret Be it then that the persecutions either coolled this kinde of people thorough out Christendome or that the Princes and Cleargie made no accounte of those who standing fauoured by no great personages became all simple people and inhabitants of the Montaignes as those of Piemont Sauoye Calabria and other the Bohemians stoode at that instant most renowned and worst ment to Especially after that Hus had reformed his preaching leassons and writings by the tradition of Wicklife So as in the yeare 1414. the Counsell being summoned at Constance for the controuersie of the Popes and reformation of the Cleargie Iohn Hus a Batchelor in Diuinitie to the end to purge himselfe of the heresie which was laide to his charge was cited thither by the Pope and after hauing refused to come accounting it no safe or sure place hee was perswaded by Sigismond the Emperour that they might safely goe thether and returne againe at the request of his brother Venceslaus King of the Countrie and besides that
all the charges of the Empire beseeching him to reconcile the Princes one to another in which the staye and encrease of the Empire wholly consisted the true and nearest cause of the ruyne thereof proceeding from diuision Then that hee woulde yeelde all ayde to his Sonne Philip as a neyghbour to such an enemye as the King of Fraunce was In the ende beeyng determyned to departe hee was stayed thourough the vyolence of his diseases contratyeties of windes long staye in the preparation of his Shippes and thourough a difference fallen out in some of the townes which would by no meanes receyue his sonne the father liuing and other which woulde haue his nephewe Ferdinande seconde sonne to the King of Romanes for their gouernour Ioint the male contentment of a number of Lordes and other who hauing employed all their meanes and often times their life in his seruice vnder a hope of great recompence sawe themselues by this his dimission and departure into Spaine frustrated of all their hope which they coulde not hope for at his sonnes handes who as ordinarily newe Kinges affecte newe seruauntes woulde employe his meanes but to the aduauncement of his fauourites or in recompencing their paines and seruice towardes him of whome himselfe had beene an eye witnesse About the ende of Nouember Ferdinande King of Romanes hauing assembled together the greatest parte of his men of warre wente downe the Danube as farre as Vienne to make head against the Turke who made great preparation for his descente into Hungarie to besiege agayne Vienne in Austria as I will shewe you To open vnto you the affayres and chaunges of the Realme of Englande in fewe woordes Henry the eyghte discontented in that he had no other heyre but Mary borne of Katherine aunte vnto the Emperour whome his brother Arthur had marryed at the age of foureteene yeeres and lefte her a Virgine by the aduice of the Cardinall of Yorke and many dyuines as well Frenche as Almaines and English diuorced her and hauing in full assemblie declared his daughter Marye illegitimate marryed Anne Bullen one of his wifes maydes the which Pope Clemente the seuenth so hardly coulde digest as that he condemned this diuorce as vniust and of euill example especially for that Anne was a Lutherane and he feared least the King and all his Realme woulde confourme them selues to the like religion Whereat Henrye tooke such disdayne as hee declared himselfe head of the Church thorough out all Englande with forbidding any to aduowe the Pope for head or to transporte any money to Rome or paye Peterpence a reuennewe which euerye house yearely payde according to the ordynaunce of Inas in the yeere seuen hundred and fourtie Whereupon there ensued a great alteration of Religion thorough out the whole Realme so confirmed by Edwarde his sonne as that the catholique was cleane banished out of Englande at the least in publique which caused many Englishe men to flye the Realme to seeke in some other Countrey a place of more free conscience Seeyng that the Dukes of Sommerset and Northumberlande gouerned the roaste in the yeere 1553. Notwithstanding as after the death of the Duke of Sommerset the Duke of Northumberlande seeyng howe the King was fallen sicke of a Fluxe which fell into his stomache from the moneth of Februarie had marryed his sonne Guilforde to â—anâ— daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and cousin vnto the sicke King hee wrought so much as that the young King reiecting his sisters Marye and Elizabeth declared for his heyre and Inherittice vnto the Crowne of Englande this Iane of Suffolke to the ende that by this meanes hee mought traunsferre the Royalle into his owne House and disinherite the true Heyres of their righte and legitimate Succession This Marriage and Testamentarie declaration beeyng done in the moneth of May gaue occasion to a number to thinke that this young King whome they helde for the piller of men of knowledge and gaue great hope of future vertue was poysoned and that beeing assured of the time of his death they had caused him to doe whatsoeuer they woulde haue him well were it of poyson or of a Caterre so it is that Edwarde the sixte of that name and the one and fourtie K. of England dyed the sixt day of Iuly the seuenth yeere of his Raigne and the sixteenth of his age solemly entered at Westminster not without the teares of his subiects who saide that his death was presaged by a Comet which appeared a little before his departure and by the great stormes windes tempests and thunders which had that yeere tormented London the chiefe Cittie of the Realme as the witnesses of such troubles as shortly after ensued in England for the people hating in secrete this Duke of Northumberland held for suspected the testament of King Edward as a thing made too much to the aduantage of the Duke and many Lords of the Countrie terming him too ambitious wrote vnto Mary the eldest daughter of K. Henrie the eight encouraging her to declare her selfe Queene and offring vnto her all dutie and seruice Marye who had no great meanes durst not so soone come to London to the ende that according to the custome she might remaine ten daies in the Tower before her Coronation but went into the Countrie and Dukedome of Norfolke bordering on the Sea coast from whence shee wrote to sundrie Princes and Lords of the Countrie complayning how that Iane of Suffolk had enterprised against her and that Edward was not able to dispose of the Crowne which appertained vnto her being the next daughter vnto the late Kinge Henrie she laide before them the wrong which had beene done vnto Katherine her mother and next vnto her selfe and that none of King Henrie his children were to succeede before her protesting that shee would pursue her right by the sworde and not suffer the Duke of Northumberland to vaunt how he would dispose at his pleasure of the Realme of England These letters being brought to London at the selfe same time as Iane of Suffolke against her will was proclaimed Queene within the Tower of London caused a great chaunge of dispositions among the Lordes there present and a strange alienating of their mindes touching the case of Iane whome sundrie from thence foorth left to take Maries parte The which caused the Duke of Northumberland to send certaine troupes of men at armes into the Countrie of Norfolke thinking thereby to hinder her desseins But in the meane time shee was proclaimed Queene in Suffolke by the principall personages of the land So as hauing recouered some succours from the Emperour on the coast of Flaunders albeit that the Duke had strongly armed vppon the Seas to hinder their comming shee practised with a number of the cheefe of the Duke his armie which in the ende incorporated themselues to hers In the meane time Northumberland to playe on the surer side woulde needes haue the Duke of Suffolke Father to Iane to goe as her Lieutennant
battered vndermined taken and sacked by the Imperials Horace Farneze D. of Castres De Magny the Vicount of Martigues Moninuille Cizieux Dampierre Lusignan and others dead at Hedin The French army assembled neere Amiens and Pequigny The D. of Ascoâ— prisonner The French army in the field A new ordinance of harquebusiers mounted Bapaulme represented The dessein of Charles 5. Emperour against the French Their answere of Cambray to the King Skirmishes before Cambray Description of the towne of cambray This towne of Cambray was euer coueted of the K. of France but neuer able to be reduced to the Flower delice vntil Francis D. of Brabant Aniou and Sonne of France and onely brother to the King had by siege taken the same and so annexed by his prowes at this day to the Crowne of Fraunce The Citadell of Cambray Feeble places ought not so much as to offer to holde out against an army bringing canon Representation of the Imperials forte The order of the French army hoping to gaine the battaile neer Valenciennes An inuention of the French so to order as all their troupes in one day should fight in battaile taken from the ancient Romanes How the artillery was ordered and disposed The K. presence giueth great encouragement to the Souldiers The charge of the French Cauallerie Consultation whether the enemies were to be assailed within their own forte or no. Retraite of the French Retrait departure of the French army The Marshall S. Andre sent with part of the army to recouer the County of S. Poul Count Reingraue A marriage treated between the K. of Spaine and the infant Mary new Q. of England Cardinal Pole sent to treat a peace betweene the K. and the Emperour Birth of Mounsier The K. army assembled in diuers pleces The French entreth in 3. places within the Emperours country The army of the D. of Neuers and his exploites The difficulty of the Ardennes The fort of Linchant ruined Streame of Semois The Castle of Orcimont summoned besieged battered and yeelded vp by the flight of the Defendants Valsimont the 4 lodging of the D. of Neuers armie Streame of Vouye The Castle of Beaurin summoned Beaurin Castle yeelded Cap. Salsede commissioner generall for victuals conquered al the Castles along the riuer Mariembourg taken by the French Rocroy a small village between Maubert-fontaine and Mariembourg fortified for the safetie of the passage Their answere of Disnan to the D. Harroâ—lde and trumpeter The K. armie Bouines furiously battered and taken by assault Forts punished for holding against the K. power A chiefe of an armie ought not to be to ventrous English Scotts takeÌ„ at the ports of Giuets by the Bourguignons The Emperours armie vnder the prince of Piemont An act of a most christian K. The imperial armie followeth the French from place to place Marimont a hous of pleasure to Q. Marâ—e burned The imperials enterprises vpon the French armie Marriage of Philip of Austria Mary Q. of England Courtesie of England Iane of Suffolke and her husband with sundry other beheadded at London The K. army before Rentry and his desseines The Emperour before Renty his disseines The Emperours and K. Henries desseines before Reinty The Imperial army to giue battaile to the French The French army represented before Renty to giue battaile The D. of Guises speech to the gentlemen of his company The K. answere to the Zuizers The second combate in which the imperials were ouerthrowne Number of the dead French and Imperial The K. army dissolued Mariembourg Pope Iuly 3. deceased Pope Marcel poysoned Pope Paul 4. Iesuistes Cardinal Pole his perswasions to a peace The place appointed to treat of the Peace Captaine Saluoson The Turks scoured the coast of Tuscane D. of Sauove Isle of Corse Syene desieged by the Marques of Marignan Ciuitelle besieged by the French A Captaine punished for cowardly yeelding vp a place furnished Turkes come to the aide of the French sacke all the coast of Italy Siene besieged by the Imperials Pope Marcel more deuout then watâ—er Montalcin the retreate of the Sienois Setean taken Port of Hercule a road for the french Gallies surprised by the Marquisse Ferdinand Gonzague disapointed by the Emperour The Duke of Alua Lieutenant generall in Italy for the Emperour The Marquisse of Marignau malcoÌ„tent with the Duk of Alua retyreth to his owne home Affaires of Piemont The first exploits of the D. of Alua rigorous to astonish them of the countrie Vulpian victuaaled by the D. of Alua. Saint Iaco besieged battered lest by the Imperials The D. of Alua retireth vulpian besieged battered and assaulted yeeldeth to composition Montcaluo taken Certain captains hanged for so slightly yeelding Combat at the sharpe betweene 4. French and as many Spaniards and Italians Surprises of certain companies in Piemont Desseins of the Imperial army A notable accident The part of a Brother Appeale of the last refuge of the condemned and safegarde of innocencie Charles 5. Emperour yeeldeth vp all his estates and retireth into Spaine to liue priuately Mary Q of Hungarie Gouernesse of the Lowe Countries Grace sweetenesse the first actions of Princes Letters plaints of Mary aspiring the Crowne of England Libels against the Spanniardes in England An accorde beetweene the King and the Duke of Estampes for his clame to the Dutchie of Bretaigne Occasions which moued K. Philip Marie of England to harken to a peace Charles Cardinall of Lorraine and his vyage in into Italy Perswasions to periurie Marriage of Mareschall Montmorency eldest sonne to the Conestable The Pope the last succour to flie vnto for breach of truce and oathes The King of Spaines answere to such griefes as the K. alleadged on the Popes behalfe Particular causes of the breache of Truce by the Imperialles Iean de Lune a Fugitiue into Fraunce Plaisance rendred to Octauian D. of Parmâ—â— Point of Honour in a Cardinall The Duke of Alua beseaâ—e hâ— Rome with the Pope and cardinals so harde as he thought to famiâ—lâ—e them The meanes which the French and Italians helde to a liâ—e Rome and the Pope against the enemies attempts attending succours out of Fraunce Ostia taken by the D. of Alua. The Venetians succour not the Pope The D. of Guise matcheth to Rome with the French armie The port of Ostia rendred by composition to the Spanyardes Truce betweene the Pope and the D. of Alua. D. of Ferrara named the Defender of the Church League between the Pope the K. of Fraunce and D. of Ferrara Italie in armes upon the comming of the French The D. of Alua his disseins The first attempts of the French armie ioyned with the Mareschal Brissae Valence yeilded vp to the D. of Guise Ostia and 〈◊〉 fort there of taken 〈◊〉 Stroâ—zy Monlâ—c To vnes taken from the Spaniardes The D. of Guise taketh Counâ—â—h of what is best to be done attâ—… taking of Valence Dauid George heretique deâ—… the discourse of his life Informations proceedinges iudgementes of the
generall against Marye for hee durst not leaue London fearing least the Londiners woulde reuoulte But the Duke of Suffolke refusing to take this charge vpon him he was constrained to goe him selfe the other remayning to serue to giue counsell to his daughter within the Tower of London The mishappe notwithstanding of this poore Lord was such as of a great number of men which hee had in his trayne hee saw himselfe as it were euen in a moment left cleane destitute of them all And as one mishappe neuer commeth alone hauing for want of men sent to London for souldiours from thence to come to his succours and for some Lordes which might serue for hostages and warrant of his lyfe they were no sooner without the Cittie but they declared themselues for Marye Whereof it ensued that the Duke who hoped to see his Sonne Kinge of England sawe himselfe left of euery manne and deliuered into the handes of Marye his enemye afterwardes conueyed to London where his tryall beeing made hee then was condemned to loose his head the iudgement being executed in the moneth of September and Marie being proclaimed Queene at London by the Lords and coūcellors of the whole Realme of England as the lawfull heire apparant therevnto and in the end the miserable princesse Iane of Suffolke with her husband sonne vnto the D. of Northumberland had their heads stroken off at London for that shee would not release as some said the right which shee pretended to the Crowne Thus ceased the trouble on that side within the Realme of England Marie being thus receiued for Queene in England they propounded vnto her certaine points to effectuate as to reestablish the auncient Chatholique Religion the goods of the Church into their former estate then that it would please her to marie with some Prince worthie of her and her Realme thereby to draw a succour vnto the Crowne Whereupon to the end that better and more ready order might bee giuen vnto the first shee was counceled to send for her coussen Raynolde Pole then a Fugitiue at Rome for Religion who comming as Legate and with full power from the Pope might better aduance such a matter then any other within the Realme Pole being sent for and forward on his way with such authoritie as was required was entreated by the Emperour Charles the fift to visit him as he passed by at Bruxelles wher he so cunningly handled any Englishman as he promised him that he would further the marriage betweene his Cossin the Queene of England and his sonne Philippe Prince of Spaine which tooke such effect as you haue seene touching the seconde point which could not be so soone brought to passe The Legate being receiued with great deuotion and magnificence into his Country was in full assembly of the three estates of the Realme begon the 12. of Nouember 1554. restored vnto all his dignities goods and honours whereof he had beene depriued by K. Henrie the eight Afterwards vpon Wensday the twentie eight of that moneth the Parliament of England being assembled and in the presence of the King and Queene hee exposed his Legation and exhorted them to returne to the holy Sea of the Pope deliuering vnto them how greatly bound they were vnto almightie God who now had enlarged towards them his diuine grace hauing bestowed vppon them two such Princes as they had further he shewed vnto them how the holy Father ment to vse his benignitie and accustomed clemencye by him his Legate greatly thanking them for that they had receiued him into his Countrie and restored him in bloud where in hee had beene so long attaint and how in respect thereof hee helde himselfe the more bound to procure that they might be restored into the heauenly Court as his principall desire was That done he retyred to giue the better cōmoditie vnto the Lordes of the Parliament to resolue themselues And straight waies the Chancellour repeating the words of the Cardinall shewed vnto them how much they were to thanke God who had raysed vp such a Prophet of their owne seede to procure their saluation In such wise as al with a common accorde concluded to consent to the vnion and obedience of the Church of Rome So as on the next morrow it was ordayned that the Cardinals motion shoulde be accorded and to present with a common consent a petition to beseech their Maiesties as the head of the realme to entreate the Legate to procure an absolute remission of all their errors passed Promising to repeale all the lawes which had beene in former times established against the authoritie of the Sea of Rome The King sent the petition to the Legate and the daye after the Parliament reassembled in the place where the Kinge and Queene with the Cardinall were set There the Chauncellour rose vpp and with such greate reuerence deliuered alowde the resolution which had beene made by the Lordes of the Parliament beseeching in the name of them all that their petition might bee accepted which was written in Latine formed and sealed by the Chancelour The petition being opened by the Legate was deliuered vnto the Chancelour to publish who read it with a lowde voice and that done put it to the question which they all passed and vpon that the King and Queene arose and presented the petition vnto the Legate who read the same Afterwards hee gaue vnto them the Buls of his Legation to reade where by might appeare the authoritie which hee had from the holy Father to be able to absolue them that done he made vnto the man Oration in English shewing how much repentance was agreeable vnto God and how the Angels in Paradise make more ioye of a sinner which returneth to repentance then of nintie and nine iust And thereupon applied certaine examples out of the word to his purpose Then hauing ended his speech he arose vp and the King and Queene kneeled downe on both knees before him inuoking God and the Saints that it would please him to pardon the penitent people in the authoritie of him whose person he there represented all the faults which they had committed in times passed that done the Legate pronounced a generall absolution Afterwardes they all followed the King Queene and Legate to the Chappell where was song Te Deum And after that the Cardinall had made his triumphant entries he restored on the first Sunday in Aduent to the Bishoppes and other Ecclesiasticall persons all the power authoritie and prerogatiue which had beene taken from them On which day the Bishoppe of Winchester hauing beene before times of the Protestant Religion made a Sermon after a solemne Masse taking for his theame Nunc tempus est de somno surgere that is to say it is now time to awake out of sleepe as if he woulde saie that vnder the Raigne of Edward King of England he had alwaies beene asleepe The Queene had in the beginning sent Embassadours to Rome with commission to kisse the feete of his