ANno 1107. Pope Pascal the second gathered a Council at Troyes in France to throw out of the hands of the Emperour Henry V. the right of Investiture of Bishops In the beginning of this Century Great Hugh of France was buried at Tarsus in Cilicia Duke Guelpho at Paphos in Cyprus Diemo the Arch-Bishop of Saltzburgh saw his own Heart cut out and Martyred by the Turks at Chorazin so many thousand Souldiers were consumed with Plague Famine and the Sword that Conrade Abbot of Vrspurg Urspurg in Chronico p. 38 39. who went and wrote this Voyage saith God manifested by the event that this War was not pleasing to him Rabbi Solomon-Jarchi a learned French Jew who hath commented on the whole Bible to whom Lyra is beholden for the Hebrew dyed Anno 1105. Philip King of France having resigned his Crown to his Son Lewes at Orleans and caused him to be Crowned King dyeth at Melun Anno 1109. Calixtus the second before called Guido of Burgundy descended of the Kings of England and France succeeded Pope Gelasius He was chosen Pope at Clugny in France by a few Cardinals whom Gelasius had brought with him yet was Pope Gregory alive whom the Emperour himself had created Calixtus besiegeth Satrium a Town where Gregory was and having taken the Town and his fellow Pope he caused him to be set upon a Camel with his Face to the Camel's Tail so he was brought through the streets of Rome holding the Tail in his hand instead of a Bridle and afterwards being shorn he was thrust into a Monastery This Pope Calixtus was the first that established the decrees of the Papal See against the Emperour He held a general Council at Rhemes and decreed that Priests Deacons and Sub-Deacons should put away their Concubines and Wives and whosoever was found to keep his Wife should be deprived of Benefice and all other Ecclesiastical living whereupon a certain English Writer made these Verses following O bone Calixte nunc omnis Clerus odit te Quondam Presbyteri poterant Vxoribus uti Hoc destruxisti postquam tu Papa fuisti Ergo tuum meritò nomen habent odio He sate five years and ten months Honorius the second succeeded him In the time of this Honorius Arnulph a singular preacher of Christian Religion flourished Hugo Platina and Sabellicus say he was Bishop of Lions in France Trithemius saith he was a Priest whose History I will briefly set down Arnulph was a devout and zealous Man a worthy preacher Coming to Rome he rebuked in his preaching the dissoluteness incontinency avarice and pride of the Romish Clergy provoking all to follow Christ and his Apostles rather in their poverty and pureness of Life by reason whereof this man was well accepted and liked of the Nobility of Rome for a true Disciple of Christ but of the Cardinals and Clergy he was no less hated than favoured of the other insomuch that privily in the night season they took him and destroyed him This his Martyrdom saith he was revealed unto him before by an Angel he being in the desert when he was sent forth to preach Whereupon he thus spake unto them publickly I know saith he ye seek my Life and will destroy me privily because I preach to you the truth and blame your pride avarice incontinency with your unsatiable greediness in getting and heaping up riches therefore you are displeased with me I take here Heaven and Earth to witness that I have preached unto you that which I was commanded of the Lord but you contemn me and your Creator who by his only Son hath redeemed you And no marvel if you seek my death being a sinful man preaching to you the truth whereas if St. Peter were here this day and rebuked your vices which do so multiply above measure you would not spare him neither And as he was saying this with a loud voice he added for my part I am not afraid to suffer death for the truth's sake but this I say unto you that God will look upon your iniquities and be avenged of you You being full of all impurity play the blind guides to the people committed to you leading them the way to Hell Thus the hatred of the Popish Clergy being incensed against him for preaching they conspired against him and killed him Sabellicus and Platina say Fox Act. Monum ad ann 1131. that they hanged him and others that they drowned him All the Clergy were defamed for his death the Pope took it ill but he revenged it not Hildebert forementioned Arch-Bishop of Tours about this time wrote many Epistles in one unto an Earl going in Pilgrimage he condemneth Pilgrims for visiting of Monuments And speaking of the Romanists he saith their business is in ease their prey is in peace their fighting is in fleeing and victory in cups they regard no man nor order nor time they are in Judgement Scythians in Chamber vipers at Feasts peasants in understanding stones in respect of anger fire to forgive iron in discretion pratling Daws in friendship Panthers in deceit Foxes in pride Bulls to devour Minorants He wrote to Honorius II. refuting appellations to Rome because it was a novelty contrary to the Scripture and very hurtful to the Church He sheweth the condition of Rome briefly in two Verses Morn in Myst Vrbs foelix si vel Dominis urbs illa careret Vel Dominis esset turpe carere fide He was apprehended and imprisoned at Rome King Lewes called a Council of the Lords and Bishops of France at the City of Orleans where of the Bishop of the same place he was solemnly anointed and Crowned but not without the grudging of the Arch-Bishop of Rhemes The French begin to fall from their obedience and rebellions are kindled in divers places of his Realm and the places near unto Paris began these first revolts his Reign was very troublesome He had crowned his eldest Son Philip who going to take the Air on Horse-back an Hog passed under the Belly of his Horse which being scared threw him down and bruised him so that within few days after he dyed Then King Lewes marrieth his Son Lewes to the Heir of Guienne He made Henry his third Son Bishop of Beavois another Philip Arch-Deacon of Paris Peter Earl of Courtney Robert Earl of Dreux and married his only Daughter Constance to Reimund Earl of Tholouse and St. Giles Lewes the gross having thus settled his Children dyed Anno 1137. His Son Lewes VII succeeded him and reigned three and forty years his long reign was nothing happy and contains in it nothing that was memorable but that the foundation was laid for a long calamity for France After the death of Baldwin King of Jerusalem Baldwin de Burgo his Kinsman was chosen King This Baldwin was a proper Personage and of able body born nigh Rhemes in France Son to Hugh Count of Roster He was very charitable to the poor and pious toward God witness the brawn on his hands
company with a base Saracen-Jester whom she preferred before a King The Emperour and the French King besiege Damascus but some of the Christians corrupted with Turkish Money perswaded the King of France to remove his Camp to a stronger part of the Walls which they long besieged in vain and returned home at last leaving the City and their honours behind them The French Proverb was verified of this Voyage Much bruit and little fruit Many thousand Christians perished in this adventure The French King coming homeward was taken prisoner by the Fleet of the Grecian Emperour and rescued again by Gregory Admiral to Roger King of Sicily When he was arrived in France his Wife was in open Parliament divorsed from him He gave her back again all the Lands in France which he had received with her in portion Herein he did nobly but not politickly to part with the Dukedoms of Poictou and Aquitain which he enjoyed in her right for hereby he dismembred his own Kingdom and gave a torch into the hands of Henry II. King of England who afterwards married her to set France on fire St. Bernard was condemned among the vulgar sort for the murtherer of those that went this Voyage and it was an heavy affliction for his aged back Bern. de consider li. 2. ca. 1. to bear the reproach of many people In his book of Consideration he maketh a modest defence of himself whither we refer the Reader Upon the departure of the Emperour Conrade and King Lewes Noradine the Turk much prevailed in Palestine Peter de Bruis a priest at Tholouse preached in sundry places against the Popes and the Doctrine of Rome calling the Pope the Prince of Sodom and Rome he called Babylon the mother of Whoredoms and confusion He preached against the corporal presence of Christ in the Sacrament Morn myst Iniqu against the sacrifice of the Mass he condemned the worship of Images prayers to Saints single life of priests pilgrimages multitude of Holy-days c. The fore-named Peter Abbot of Clugny wrote against him This Peter de Bruis began to preach about the year 1126. Guilerm lib. 3. ca. 5. After him his Disciple Henry a Monk continued preaching the same Doctrine Guilerm an Abbot writing the life of St. Bernard saith of this Henry That he denied the grace of Baptism unto Infants he despised the prayers and oblations for the Dead the excommunication of Priests the pilgrimage of Believers the sumptuous buildings of Churches the idleness of Festival-days the consecration of chrism and oyl and all the ordinances of the Church He sheweth them that the people sent for Bernard to come against him but he refused until Albericus Bishop of Ostia was sent Legate against him and he perswadeth Bernard to go with him to Tholouse And then Bernard wrote his 240. Epistle unto Hildefonsus Count of St. Giles against this Henry Certain it is as the proverb is Bernard saw not all things and howbeit he wrote bitterly against him yet he commendeth him as a learned man and he was so reverenced that the people did follow him De Bruis was burnt at Tholouse and Albericus carried Henry into Italy Their Books were burnt In Palestine King Baldwin was poisoned by a Jewish Physician And Almerick Brother to King Baldwin succeeded to the Crown In the Church of Jerusalem one Almerick was Patriarch a French-man born though little fit for the place King Almerick against his promise invadeth Egypt but his perjury was punished with the future ruine of the Kingdom of Jerusalem and himself dies of a bloody-flux Baldwin his Son the fourth of that name succeedeth This Baldwin IV. had excellent Education under William Arch-Bishop of Tyre a pious man and excellent Scholar skilled in all the Oriental Tongues besides the Dutch and the French his Native Language Tho. Fullers Hist Holy War li. 2. ca. 38. a moderate and faithful Writer For in the lattter part of his History of the holy War his eye guided his hand till at last the taking of the City of Jerusalem so shook his hand that he wrote no more Treasurer he was of all the Money 's contributed to the holy War Chancellour of this Kingdom employed in several Embassies in the West present at the Lateran Council the Acts whereof he did record Cardinal he might have been but refused it Lewes the French King caused his Son Philip to be crowned at Rhemes at the Age of 14 years Anno 1179. He betrothed him to Isabel the Daughter of Baldwin Earl of Henault King Lewes having thus disposed of his affairs died Anno 1180. The Title of Augustus was given to Philip his Son and successour In the beginning of his Reign he purged the corruptions that were then prevalent among the people viz. Blasphemies Plays Dicing-houses publick dissoluteness in infamous places Taverns and Tipling-houses He expelled the Jews dispersed throughout his Kingdom and given to griping usury and albeit they obtained a return for Money yet in the end he banished them out of all the Territories of France The Patriarch of Jerusalem being arrived in France Anno 1184. with the Prior of the Hospital of Outremer Rigordus de gestis Philippi Augusti and the Grand Master of the Templars to demand succour of King Philip Augustus against the Saracens he sent out a Mandamus to call a general Council of all the Arch-Bishops Bishops and Princes of the Realm which was holden in the City of Paris Philip also calls a Parliament at Paris they diswade him from the Voyage but he fighteth against all difficulties Great charges were imposed upon such as went not the Voyage to pay the tenth of all their revenues both Temporal and Spiritual called for this occasion the Saladines Tenths Richard I. King of England and King Philip of France laying aside their private dissentions unite their forces against the Turks King Richard was accompanied with Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Hubert Bishop of Sarisbury Robert Earl of Leicester Ralph de Glanvil late Chief-Justice of England Richard de Clare Walter de Kime c. His Navy he sent about by Spain and with a competent number took his own Journey through France Roger Hovedon in Ricard 1. At Tours he took his Pilgrim's Staff and Scrip from the Arch-Bishop His Staff at the same time casually brake in pieces which some construed a token of ill success Likewise when He and the French King passed over the Bridge of Lyons on the fall of the Bridge this conceit was built That there would be a falling out betwixt these two Kings which accordingly came to pass At Lyons these two Kings parted their Trains and went several ways into Sicily At Messana in Sicily these two Kings meet again where King Richard beheld his Navy safely arrived Tankred a Bastard born was at this time King of Sicily who secretly applyeth himself to the French which King Richard easily discovered Mean time the Citizens of Messana did the English much wrong wherefore
King Richard took Messana by assault seized on most Forts in the Island Tankred gave to our King what rich conditions soever he demanded to pacifie him Worse discords daily encreased betwixt the Kings of England and France King Richard slighting the King of France his Sister whom he had promised to marry King Philip hasted presently to Ptolemais Richard followed with more leisure and took Cyprus in his way Cursac reigned then in Cyprus who killed the English that landed there But King Richard speedily over-ran the Island bound Cursac with silver fetters The Island he pawned to the Templars for ready money and there took to Wife his beloved Lady Beringaria Daughter to the King of Navarr The City of Ptolemais was taken the Houses which were left with the spoil and Prisoners were equally divided betwixt Philip and Richard Here the English cast down the Ensigns of Leopold Duke of Austria who had fought so long in assaulting this City till his Armour was all over gore-blood save the place covered with his belt But King Richard afterward paid dearly for it King Richard caused seven thousand of his Turkish Prisoners to be put to death and Saladine in revenge put as many of our Captives to death But the French King reserving his Prisoners alive exchanged them to ransom so many Christians Philip the French King Odo Duke of Burgundy Duke Leopold most of the Dutch all the Genoans and Templars side with King Conrade King Richard Henry Count of Champaigne the Hospitallers Venetians and Pisans take part with King Guy But King Conrade's side was much weakned by the departure of the French King About that time Conrade King of Jerusalem was murdered in the Market-place of Tyre Now King Guy exchanged his Kingdom of Jerusalem for the Island of Cyprus which he had redeemed from the Templars to whom he had pawned it Henry of Champaign was chosen King by the procurement of King Richard who after many notable exploits done in Palestine and a peace made with Saladine in his return passing through Germany in a disguise was taken Prisoner in Austria sold and sent by Duke Leopold to Henry the Emperour At last he was ransomed for an hundred and forty thousand marks a sum so vast in that Age that to raise it in England they were forced to sell their Church-plate to their very Chalices After this Money Peter of Blois made an Apostrophe to the Duke or Emperour sending this good prayer Bibe nunc Avaritia Dum puteos argenteos Larga diffundit Anglia Tua tecum pecunia Sit in perditionem And now thou basest Avarice Drink till thy Belly burst Whilst England pours large silver showers To satiate thy Thirst And this we pray Thy Money may And thou be like accurst King Richard after eighteen Months imprisonment returned into England And in Austria the Duke with his Money built the Walls of Vienna But God punished the Dominions of Leopold with fire and water and by famine for the Ears of Wheat turned into Worms A Gangreen seized on the Duke's body who cut off his Leg with his own hand and dyed thereof who by his Will caused some thousand Crowns to be restored again to King Richard Soon after Henry King of Jerusalem as he was walking in his Palace fell down out of a Window and broke his neck Roger Hoveden tells us that near about this time there was in the City of Tholouse a great number of Men and Women whom the Pope's Commissioners viz. Peter Cardinal of St. Chrysogon and the Pope's Legate with the Arch-Bishops of Narbon and Biturium Reginald Bishop of Bathe John Bishop of Pictavia Henry Abbot of Clareval c. did persecute and condemn for Hereticks of whom some were scourged naked some chased away some compelled to abjure Now sprang up the Doctrine and name of them which were then called Pauperes de Lugduno which of one Waldus a chief Senator in Lyons were named Waldenses they were also called Leonistae Insabbatati about the year of our Lord 1170. It happened on a day as divers of the principal men of the City assembled together consulted upon divers matters that one of the company fell down and dyed suddenly the rest of the company looking on This Waldus being terrified at the sight of it was converted and presently reformed his Life He ministred of his Goods large Alms to the Poor he purchased a Bible studied the Scriptures instructed himself and his Family with the true knowledge of God's word He admonished all that resorted to him to repentance and amendment of Life He gave out to them that were ready to learn certain rudiments of the Scripture which himself had translated into the French Tongue for he was both Wealthy and Learned The Popish Prelates threatned to excommunicate him but he neglecting their threatnings said God must be obeyed rather than Man At length they drave both Waldus and all his adherents out of the City The Articles of the Waldenses I find in order and number to be these 1. That only the Holy Scripture is to be believed in matters pertaining to Salvation c. 2. All things to be contained in Holy Scripture necessary to Salvation 3. That there is one only Mediator that other Saints are in no wise to be made Mediators or to be invocated 4. They rejected purgatory asserting that all men either by Christ are justified to Life or without Christ be condemned and besides these two neither any third or fourth place to be 5. That all Masses viz. such as be sung for the dead be wicked and are to be abrogate 6. That all Mens Traditions are to be rejected at least not to be reputed as necessary to Salvation c. That constrained Fasts difference of Meats such variety of degrees and orders of Priests Fryars Monks and Nuns superfluous Holy-days so many sundry benedictions and hallowing of Creatures vows peregrinations with all the Rabblement of Rites and Ceremonies to be abolished 7. The supremacy of the Pope usurping above all Churches and especially above all politick Realms and Governments not to be acknowledged neither that any degree is to be received in the Church but only Bishops Priests and Deacons 8. The Communion under both kinds to be necessary to all people according to the Institution of Christ 9. That the Church of Rome is Babylon spoken of in the Revelation and the Pope is Antichrist 10. They reject the Pope's pardons and indulgences 11. They hold the Marriage of Priests and Ecclesiastical persons to be pious and necessary in the Church 12. That such as hear the Word of God and have a right Faith are the true Church of Christ John Arch-Bishop of Lyons excommunicated Waldus and all his followers They were dispersed into divers places of whom many remained long in Bohemia who writing to their King Vladislaus to purge themselves against the slanderous accusations of one Doctor Austin gave up their confession with an Apology for their Christian profession defending with strong and
feared wherein that sentence was alledged Quòd virtus reddit non copia sussicientem Et non paupertas sed mentis hiatus egentem That great riches stop not the taking of much but a mind contented with a little 6. They added that great riches would cause factions among the Romans and taking of sides and parties so that by great possessions sedition might follow to the ruine of the City 7. That though they would oblige themselves to that contribution yet their Successours would not be so bound nor yet ratifie that bond of theirs 8. They desired the Legat that the zeal of the Universal Church and of the Church of Rome would move him for if this oppression of the Church should be Universal it were to be doubted lest an Universal departing might follow from the Church of Rome which God forbid said they should happen The Legat hereat excused himself that he being in the Court never agreed to this exaction and that the Letters came not to him before he was in France and as for him he would stir no more in the matter before it were proved what other Countries would say and do therein King Lewes passing with a great Host by Bourges and Nevers marched to Lyons and from Lyons to Avignon which for disobedience to the Church of Rome had stood accursed by the Pope for seven years The Citizens of Avignon shut their gates against the King and his Army not suffering them to come within the City Wherefore the King assaulted the City Fabian's chronic and lost there many of his Men among which Guy Earl of St. Paul and the Bishop of Lemerick and others to the number of two and twenty thousand there were slain In the end they submitting to the King's pleasure and the correction of the Pope an agreement was made and the King and his Army were received into the City and the Citizens received absolution from the Pope's Legate King Lewes to avoid the pestilence that was in his Camp went into an Abbey not far off where shortly after he dyed and was carried to Paris where he was interred Anno 1226. Near unto this time Gulielmus de Alta Petra Bishop of Paris wrote a Book de Clero wherein he thus speakerh of the Clergy of his time No godliness or Learning is seen in them but rather all devilish filthiness and monstrous vices they are not the Church but Babylon and Egypt and Sodom the Popish Prelats build not the Church but destroy it they mock God and they and their Priests do prophane the body of Christ they lift up to the Heavens with all manner of Ecclesiastical honour the limbs of the Devil in a word they bring Lucifer into the Church of Christ He taught also that there is no Law belonging to the salvation of man but the Gospel of Christ King Lewes IX called St. Lewes succeedeth his Father in the Kingdom of France being but twelve years old and was Crowned at Rhemes There is extant a constitution of this King Lewes bearing date Anno 1228. sub Tit. de Taliis wherein he regrateth the Avarice of Popes saying that exactions and grievous burthens of Moneys are laid on the Churches of our Kingdoms by the Court of Rome whereby the Kingdom is miserably exhausted We will therefore that these be levied upon no condition nor gathered except only for a reasonable pious and most urgent necessity and by our express and willing consent and with the consent of the Church it self of our Kingdom At that time the Senate of Paris did present unto John Santroman the King's Advocate the Pope's Bull to be read and answered He replyed saying The greatest confusion of all things would arise upon the accepting of that Bull for by authority of such in former times the French people had in great numbers gone out of the Kingdom to Rome of whom some became slaves or clients to the Cardinals and some living more liberally had idly wasted their Patrimony Brut. Fulmen ex Chronic. Britan. Armoric li. 4. and others in the City or by the way had perished with the badness of the Air and frequent pestilence and so France was exhausted of Subjects especially of Learned men He sheweth also how vast sums of Moneys were carried away for vacancies ad Advouzons of Bishopricks and Abbeys and other Titles in the Church so that sometimes ten or twelve Bulls were sold for one Priesthood And if this custom shall continue saith he it shall come to pass that who hath any store of Moneys will send to Rome and buy a Priesthood unto his Son or Cousin The Rector of the University of Paris spake to the same purpose and having protested at length against the Bull he appealeth from the iniquity thereof to the next Council The Pope's Legate having raised an immense sum of Money in France Lewes prohibited that the Money which was yet in France should be delivered to the Pope's Assigns or transported out of the Kingdom King John Bren resigneth the Kingdom of Jerusalem to Frederick the second Emperour There was also a Peace with the Turks concluded for eight years John got now more in a twelve-month than in seven years before P. Aemil. in Phil. 2. going from Country to Country In France besides rich gifts left to himself he had the managing of sixty thousand Crowns the Legacy which Philip Augustus the King on his Death-bed bequeathed to the Templars and the Holy War In England he received many presents from King Henry III. though afterward he proved but unthankful for them Math. Paris p. 627. In Spain he got a rich Wife marrying Beringaria the Daughter of the King of Castile In Italy he tasted largely of the Pope's bounty but at last perfidiously raised rebellions against Frederick his Son-in-Law by the Pope's instigation It is conceived that the Pope provided that match for Frederick to employ him in Palestine whilst he at home might play his game at pleasure Frederick recovereth all Palestine and Jerusalem without expence of time or blood and concluded a ten years truce with the Sultan without the Pope's consent And on Easter-day tryumphantly entring Jerusalem crowned himself King with his own hands For Gerard Patriarch of Jerusalem and Oliver Master of the Templars with all the Clergy absented themselves neither was there any Mass sung in the City so long as the Emperour being excommunicated remained there In the Interim the Christians every where build and repair the Cities of Palestine being now resigned into their hands Joppa and Nazareth they strongly fortified the Walls of Jerusalem were repaired the Churches adorned But short were the smiles of this City which groaning under God's old curse little joyed her self in this her new bravery About the year 1232. the Greeks recover their Empire from the Latines who had made an hard shift to hold Constantinople almost sixty years under five succeeding Emperours 1. Baldwin the first Earl of Flanders 2. Henry his Brother 3. Peter Count
loss of a limb to the transgressors thereof for which certain Executioners shall be appointed that so our jurisdiction being resuscitated may revive again and those who have enriched themselves by our poverty among whom God for their pride hath raised up prophane contentions may be reduced to the State of the primitive Church and living in contemplation may shew us those miracles which are fled out of the World long ago and we in the mean time lead an active life as it is fitting The Historian adds the Pope having heard these things sighed with a troubled mind and desiring to appease their hearts and break their courage after he had admonished them he frighted them with threats but he did no good for all that Tho. Fullers holy War li. 4. The Christians were now plagued with Bendocdar the Mammaluke Prince in Egypt who succeeded Melechem and every where raging against them either killed or forced them to forswear their Religion The City of Joppa he took and burnt and then won Antioch slaying therein twenty thousand and carrying away captive an hundred thousand Christians These woful tidings brought into Europe so wrought on the good disposition of Lewes King of France that he resolved to make a second Voyage into Palestine to succour the Christians And to that end he provideth his Navy and is accompanied with Philip and Tristram his Sons Theobald King of Navarr his Son-in-Law Alphonse his Brother and Guido Earl of Flanders there went also Edward eldest Son to Henry III. King of England Lewes having now hoised up sail it was concluded that to secure and clear the Christians passage to Palestine from Pirates they should first take the City of Carthage in Africa by the way This Carthage long wrestled with Rome for the Soveraignty till Scipio crushed out her bowels with one deadly fall Yet long after the City stood before utterly demolished at last by the counsel of Cato it was quite destroyed it being within a days Sail from Rome Out of the ruines of this famous City Tunis arose which was not then considerable in bigness great only in mischief being seated betwixt Europe Asia and Africa and so became a worse annoyance to Christian Traffick than a whole Countrey of Saracens elsewhere The siege of Tunis being begun the Plague seized on the Christian Army Sir Walt. Ralegh Hist part 1. li. 5. ca. 3. whereof thousands dyed among others Tristram King Lewes his Son and he himself of a Flux followed after Many good Laws he made for his Kingdom that not the worst He first retrenched his Barons power to suffer parties to try their Titles to Land by duels He severely punished Blasphemers searing their Lips with an hot Iron And because by his command it was executed upon a rich Citizen of Paris some said he was a Tyrant He hearing it said before many I would to God that with searing my own Lips I could banish out of my Realm all abuses of Oaths He loved more to hear Sermons than to be at Mass yet was he somewhat superstitious as appeareth by some Instances For about the year 1240. Baldwin keeping by force the Empire of Constantinople which the French and other pilgrims of Syria had surprized and held it by right of conveniency being in great want of Money writ to King Lewes IX that the Holy Crown of Thorns of our Saviour was found and if he would help him with a sum of Money he would send it to him This King being of easie belief treated with the said Emperour for a great sum of Money and bought that crown which was put in the holy Chappel of Paris with great solemnity Shortly after the Venetians having bought a piece of the true cross as they said for two thousand and five hundred pounds sold it again to the same King Lewes for double the price The King himself carried it bare-headed and bare-foot to our Lady of Paris and the Pope gave to it fourty days of pardon His body was carried into France there to be buried and was most miserably tossed He was Sainted after his Death by Pope Boniface VIII and the 25th day of August on which day in his first Voyage to Palestine he went on Ship board is consecrated to his Memory Tunis was surrendred on conditions the French return home whilst Prince Edward valiantly setteth forward for Palestine Philip the third called the bold or the Hardy succeedeth to the Kingdom of France At the return of Philip Anno 1271. Queen Isabel his Wife dies in Sicily And his Unckle Alphonse with his Wife the Countess of Tholouse dye soon after at Bologne without any children so as according to the contract of the Marriage the Earldom of Tholouse should be incorporate to the Crown Richard Son to Henry King of England is traiterously slain by Guy of Montfort the Son of Simon of whom we have spoken walking in St. Laurences Church at Viterbo a City of the Pope's Pope Clement IV. born in Languedoc being dead the Cardinals disagree about the Election of a new Pope and continued in this contention two years nine months and one day as Platina reporteth The causes of so long a dissention are variously reported by several Historiographers But the chief were as follow Hist of Cardinalâ— part 3. lib. 1. The first and most forcible of all was the contrariety in the Natures of the Cardinals which were present at the Election at Viterbo who were eighteen in number all obstinate and untractable and had sworn each of them never to yeild to his companion in the least All of them believed themselves worthy of the Papacy and every one negotiated for himself without speaking a word of other pretenders so that it was not possible among eighteen several competitors to come to any resolution But that impediment being removed in which the Cardinals continued obstinate for above ten Months there arose another which lasted above a year and was the second occasion of the tediousness of the Election and that is that the Cardinals were divided into two Factions one of them Italians the other French These would have a Pope of their own Nation and the Italians would have him of theirs neither of them complying with the other and the number of the French being equal to the Italians there being no way to gain the two thirds of their Votes they remained divers weeks obstinate and doing nothing but the heaping dissention upon dissention The other reason was that this delay growing tedious to the Princes and particular to Philip King of France and Charles King of Sicily these two Princes resolved to come in person to Viterbo and solicite the Cardinals to expedite the creation of the Pope Upon this occasion the Cardinals which were adherents to these two Crowns having notice of their Resolutions would do nothing till they were arrived who when they did come served for nothing but to protract the election though their desire was to hasten it each of them
Robert a French-man by name and Nation a Franciscan by profession the longer he was in that Order he loved the Fryars the worse A Treatise in his name is Printed with the Prophecies of Hildegardis Pope Clement VI. sent a Letter to the King of England in behalf of the French-men whilst he lay at the siege of Calais which siege he continued from the third of September Anno 1346. till the third day of August next ensuing upon which day it was yielded up to the said King Edward and subdued unto the Crown of England The King of England returneth an answer to the aforesaid Letter of the Pope Then by the intercession of two Cardinals Ambaldus and Stephanus a Truce was concluded betwixt England and France for a time In the year 1350. dyed Philip King of France after whom succeeded his Son John in the Kingdom Petrarch Epist 18. Petrarcha vir omnium soeculorum memoria dignissimus Pignor Symbol Epist 14. At this time flourished Francis Petrarch a Florentine Arch-Deacon of Parma a sententious Poet and Oratour He calleth Rome the Whore of Babylon the School and Mother of Errour the Temple of Heresie the nest of Treachery and seemeth plainly to affirm that the Pope was Antichrist declaring that no greater evil could happen to any Man than to be made Pope In one of his Epistles he directeth his Speech to Babylon in France that is to Avignon thus Shall I call thee a famous or infamous Whore who hast plaid the Harlot with the Kings of the Earth Indeed thou art the same that the Evangelist saw in the Spirit sitting upon many Waters the people and the Nations are the Waters upon which thou fittest Whore know thy habit a Woman cloathed in purple and Scarlet and Gold and pretious Stones having a Golden Cup in her hand full of abomination and uncleanness of Fornication Dost thou not know thy self Babylon unless that deceive thee which is written in her Fore-head Great Babylon and thou art little Babylon little indeed in compass of Walls but in vices and compass of infinite lusts and passions and multitude of all evils thou art greatest And what followeth agreeth unto thee and no other Babylon the Mother of Fornications and abominations of the Earth If thou wilt yet dissemble mark what followeth And I saw the Woman drunken with the Blood of the Saints and with the Blood of the Witnesses of Jesus Why art thou silent either shew another drunken with this Blood or deny that thou art drunken if thou canst for the Vision must be true The life of Petrarch is written by Papirius Massonus Many resorted to him from France and all Italy About this time Hayabad a Franciscan preached in Avignon before Pope Clement that he was commanded by God to declare Catal. Test verit li. 8. that the Church of Rome is the Whore of Babylon and that the Pope and his Cardinals are the very Antichrist and that his predecessours Benedict and John are condemned When the Pope challenged him he said he was commanded in a Vision to speak so and therefore he durst not fail to speak it John Rochetalada another Franciscan preached the same and is said to be one of them who were burnt at Avignon Anno 1353. At the same time Gregory de Arimino opposed the Doctors in the Articles of Justification by works and of free will At Paris he taught that man hath free will to do evil but no good without special grace and that we are justified by Faith only And he said the Schoolmen deserve to be called Semipelagians Andreas de Castro and John Buridan two famous Men at that time agreed with him Then Eudo Duke of Burgundy perswaded the French King that he should not receive into his Realm the new Decretals and Extravagants His sage advice is extant among the Records of France A new War arose between King John of France and Edward the third King of England The Pope sent the Cardinal of Peregort to these two Princes being ready to fight to calm this storm John being the stronger demanded that Edward should give him four Hostages and as one vanquished should remain at his mercy and discretion Edward was content to yield up all that he had taken from him but without any blemish to his honour Edward encourageth himself and prepares to fight the French and vanquisheth them at Poictiers King John is taken prisoner and his Son Philip by Edward the Black Prince Son to Edward the third King of England they are brought to Burdeaux and from thence sent into England where they are lodged in the City of London in the Duke of Lancaster's house under a sure Guard Many others of the Nobles of France were also taken Captive 1700 Gentlemen were slain in this Battle among which were 52 Lords King John continued five years a prisoner for he was taken in September Anno 1356. and delivered in May Anno 1361. There hapned in France a certain contention between the French Prelates and the Fryars of Paris The French Prelates assembling in the City of Paris caused by the Bedles to be called together all the Students Masters and Batchellors of every faculty with the chief heads of all the Religious Houses and Fryars of the University of Paris Who being all congregated in the Bishop of Paris his house where there were present four Arch-Bishops and twenty Bishops the Bishop of Biture preached to the Students of Paris against the Fryars He told them that true charity would compel them to provide for their flocks to withstand errours that they were bound to give their lives for the flock committed to their charge That no Man ought to busie himself with what belonged not to his Office For thereby saith he all Ecclesiastical Order is dissolved He shewed how the Dominican and Franciscan Fryars did usurp what belonged to the Prelates They charged the Fryars for preaching against their wills throughout all their Diocesses and for hearing confessions saying that they have the Pope's priviledge to bear them out therein Then stood up another in the publick place and read the priviledges of both the orders and afterwards read the constitution of Pope Innocent III. written in the fifth of the Decretals Which constitution was repugnant and contrary to the aforesaid priviledges Then rose up the Bishop of Ambian a great Lawyer who discoursing from Article to Article there proved by good Law that the said constitution stood in it's full force and vigour and ought not to be infringed by the Fryars priviledges in any part and therefore by vertue of that constitution the Fryars ought not so misorderly to hear confessions enjoyn pennance and preach in Churches without special licence of the Bishop of the Diocess and leave from the Curate of the Parish unto whose words none of the Fryars replyed at that time So the Bishop proceeding to the conclusion desired the University to assist them in that case wherein they were all determined to stand
by Sir Philip Sidney and at his request finished by Arthur Golding He published a Treatise containing the reasons why the Council of Trent could not be admitted in France He was sent by the King of Navarre to the National Synod of Vitray in Bretagne where he was joyfully received by the whole Company He was likewise present in the General Assembly of the Protestants held at Montauban by the King's permission Anno 1584. Where he was desired by the Assembly to draw up the form of their Complaints against the violation of the Edict for Peace which He together with the Count de la Val presented afterwards to the King at Blois When the League of the House of Guise brake forth which was formed first against the King under pretence of the Defence of the Catholick Religion and afterwards declared against the King of Navarre and the Protestants That famous Declaration in the name of the said King was Penned by Du Plessis In the following Civil Wars for Religion he did many important services for the King of Navarre and the Protestants both with his Sword and Pen having answered a virulent Book published by the League against the King of Navarre called the English Catholick In the year 1590. he built a Church for the Protestants in Saumur and obtained a Grant from the King for the instituting an University there which was afterwards confirmed by a National Synod held in the same place Anno 1593. he wrote a large Letter to the King who then had changed his Religion desiring the continuance of his favour to the Protestants and withal expostulating that sudden change Anno 1598. he Printed his Work of the Lords Supper The Jesuites of Bourdeaux Petitioned the Parliament there that it might be burnt Jacobus August Thuanus is a most faithful Historian He wrote an History of things done throughout the whole World from the year of Christ 1545. even to the year 1608. in a most elegant style He is highly commended by divers Learned men Suae aetatis Historiam summo judicio fide sine odio gratia ad Dei gloriam publicam utilitatem prudentissimè conscripsit opus styli elegantiâ gravissimarum rerum copiâ ac majestate cum quibusâ—is sive veterum sive recentium in eo genere scriptis conferendum Lans Orat. pro Gallia Inter multa quae in te admiratura est posteritas ego illud unicè obstupesco unde tibi modo in fori arce modo in summâ Republicâ versanti otium unde vis indefessa animi ut res tot ac tantas aut scribendas cognosceres aut cognitas scriberes Grot. Epist 16. Jac. Aug. Thuano Quem ego virum divinitus datum censeo saeculo isti in exemplum pietatis integritatis probitatis Casaub Epist Append. Vir immortali laude dignus Historicae Veritatis lumen Montac Antidiat Vir non minus eruditione quà m officij dignitate Nobilis siquis alius Veri studiosus Morton Causa Regia Isaac Casaubon was a great Linguist a singular Grecian and an excellent Philologer He hath written in twelve Books of his Exercitations Animadversions on those twelve Tomes of Baronius his Annals Scaliger in an Epistle to Casaubon commends his Bok de Satyra and in another his Theophrastus his Characters He is thus styled by Salmasius Incomparabilis Vir seculi sui decus immortale Isaacus Casaubonus nunquam sine laude nominandus nunquam satis laudatus Salmas Praefat. ad Hist August script The Marriage between the King and Queen Margarite being pronounced void and a Contract past between him and Mary of Medices the Duke of Florence's Daughter She being blessed of Aldobrandino the Pope's Legate at Florence went from thence and arrived at Marseilles from wheâ—ce being every where Royally entertained she came to Lions and there after eight daies stay met with the King where in St. John's Church the Nuptial solemnity was performed to this Couple by the Legate On September 27. 1601. the Queen was delivered of a Son which was named Lewes The King blessing him put a Sword in his hand to use it to the glory of God and the defence of his Crown and people The Pope sent presently unto the King and Queen to congratulate with them of this Birth and to carry unto the young Prince swadling bands bearing clothes and other things blessed by his Holiness Then the Pope granted a Jubilee and pardons to all the French that should go visit the Church of St. Croix at Orleans doing the works of Christian Charity An infinite number of people went thither from all parts of France the King and Queen went thither with the first and gave means to help to build this Church which had been ruined during the fury of the first Civil wars The King laid the first stone of this building Then the King did forbid the superfluous use of Gold and Silver in Lace or otherwise upon garments and made an Edict also against Usury and another against Combates Not long after the Duke of Biron's Conspiracy was discovered who was sometimes heard say he would die a Sovereign Refusing to submit hiâ—self to the King's Clemency he is seized on at the King's Chamber door and his Sword being taken from him is carried Prisoner to the Bastille There uttered he those passionate words That if they desired to put him to death they should dispatch him that they should not brag they had made him to fear death that they should speedily drink themselves drunk with the blood which remained of thirty five wounds which he had received for the service of France The King sent his Letters to the Court of Parliament to make his Process In the end being found guilty the Chancellour pronounced the sentence of death whcih was inflicted on him in the Bastille which he took most impatiently King James of happy memory before his coming to the Crown of England sent expressions of Royal favour to the Consistory of Paris who chose the forementioned Du Moulin to address their humble thanks by Letters to his Majesty And when his Majesty publisht his Confession of Faith against which Coeffeteau since Bishop of Marselles writ an eloquent Book Du Moulin undertook the defence of the King's Confession and wrote a French Book with that Title which was most welcome to the King and to the English Clergy and his Majesty made Royal and bountiful expressions of his acceptance And because other Adversaries besides Coeffeteau had writ against the King Du Moulin wrote another Book in his defence in Latine entituled De Monarchia Pontificis Romani The Duke of Bovillon having been accused by those which had been examined in Council upon the Conspiracies of the Duke of Biron being sent for refuseth to come to the King but afterwards in the year 1606. he made his peace and came to the King being then at Dunchery on April 11. The King with the Queen Princes of the blood and other Officers of the Crown
John King of England lost all his holds and possessions in Normandy through the force of the French King The Pope had Excommunicated King John not only for the paricide of his Nephew Arthur but also for the ill usage of his Clergy King John sends confiding men in all hast to Pope Innocent IV. beseeching him to protect him against the King of France promising thereupon to bind the Realm of England and Seigniory of Ireland to hold of him and his successours and in sign of obedience to pay him a yearly tribute of a thousand marks of silver Innocent sends his Legat presently to absolve him to pass the contract and receive the homages of Fealty as well of himself as of his Subjects John is absolved and having laid down his Crown Scepter Cloak Sword and Ring at the Legats feet he doth him homage for the Realm of England kissing his Feet as his Tributary and binds the English to the like duty by a solemn Oath He was willing also to discharge what he had taken from his Clergy This was done Anno 1215. Then the Legat returning into France requireth Philip in the Pope's name that he should suffer John to enjoy his Realm of England in peace and freely to possess the Lands which he held by homage of the Crown of France Moreover that he should satisfie the great complaints which the Clergy of his Realm had made against him restoring that which he had exacted from them during the Wars upon pain of Excommunication if he did not obey presently Philip promiseth to submit himself and before the Legat's departure he frees the Clergy of his Realm of the Tenths which he had exacted for the charge of the Wars according to the decree of a National Council held at Soissons King John being freed by the Pope and pressed by him to perform his command oppresseth his Subjects by extraordinary impositions and Tyrannical exactions The English Nobility therefore reject John and offer the Realm to King Philip who sendeth his Son Lewes giving him a train fit for his person in so great an exploit Lewes having taken Hostages of the English for assurance of their Faith passeth into England and so to London Math. Westm Il. 2. sub anno 1215. where he is joyfully received In the mean time complaints come to Philip from Pope Innocent who in a general Council held at Rome did Excommunicate Lewes the eldest Son of Philip Augustus with all his adherents King John dyeth and the English receive Henry the Son of John and dismiss Lewes of France King Philip instituted the Provost of Merchants and the Sheriffs at Paris for the politick Government thereof he caused the City to be paved being before very noisome by reason of the mire and dirt he built the Halls and the Louvre He Walled in Bois de Vincennes and replenished it with Dear and other Wild Beasts he finished that sumptuous building of our Ladies Church In his Testament he ordained many notable things he left towards the winning the City of Jerusalem III. C. M. pounds of Paris Money to the Hospital in Mountfort one C. M. pounds and to be distributed among the poor Commons of his Land he gave XX. M. pounds But a pound of Paris Money was then but two shillings six pence sterling King Philip dyed and was buried with great pomp in the Monastery of St. Dennis Anno 1223. and Lewes VIII his Son succeeded him who was crowned at Rhemes Pope Innocent III. having gathered together an Army of one hundred thousand pilgrims set forward for the final extirpation of the poor Albigenses The best Champions for the Pope herein were the Duke of Burgundy the Earls of Nevers St. Paul Auxerre Geneva Poictiers with Simon Earl of Montfort Of the Clergy Milo the Pope's Legat the Arch-Bishops of Sens and Rovan the Bishops of Clermont Nevers Lysieux Bayeux Chartres with divers others every Bishop with the Pilgrims of his jurisdiction to whom the Pope promised Paradice in Heaven but not one penny on Earth Their work was to destroy the Albigenses which were in great numbers in Daulphinè Tho. Fullers holy War li. 3. ca. 21. Provence Narbon Tholouse and other parts of France Their commission also extended to the rooting out of all their friends and favourers whether detected or only suspected such as were Reimund Earl of Tholouse Reymund Earl of Foix the Vice-Count of Besiers Gaston Lord of Bern the Earl of Bigorre the Lady of la Vaur with divers others The first piece of service these Souldiers performed was in sacking the City of Besiers and Burrough of Carcassone in which many of the Papists dwelt and promiscuously were slain with the Albigenses Yea Priests themselves were cut in pieces in their Priestly Ornaments and under the banner of the Cross As for the City of Carcassone which was not far from the Burrough whilst the City was besieged they escaped out by the benefit of a Vault under-ground and so shifted abroad for themselves Hitherto this War was managed by the Pope's Legat. Simon Earl of Montfort is now chosen Captain of this Army who swears to vex the Lord's enemies After he was seized of the Vice-County of Besiers he took many other Castles and Cities When the Quarantine or forty days service of this Army was expired the time the Pope set them to merit Paradice in they would not stay any longer but ran away And though the Bishops perswaded some few to stay yet could they little prevail which was no small advantage to the Albigenses The Earls of Tholouse Foix and Comminge and Prince of Bern sheltred themselves under Peter King of Arragon whose homagers they were receiving investiture from him though their Dominions lay on this side the Pyrenean Hills This King suspected the greatness of the Earl of Montfort therefore he fomented a faction in them against the Holy Army he charged Earl Simon for seizing on the Lands of good Catholicks for supposed Hereticks and complained that the Vice-Count of Besiers who lived and dyed firm in the Romish Faith was lately trained into the Legat's hand and against Oaths and promises of his safe return was kept Prisoner till his death and his Lands seized on by Earl Simon A pitcht Battle was fought near the Castle of Moret where the King of Arragon being wounded to death fell from his Horse and immediately his Army ran all away Simon pursued them to the Gates of Tholouse and killed many thousands The Fryars imputed this Victory to the Bishop's Benediction and adoring a piece of the Cross together with the fervency of the Clergyes prayers that remained behind in the Castle of Moret Yet within few years the face of this War began to alter for young Reimund Earl of Tholouse exceeding his Father in valour and success so bestirred himself that in few months he regained what Earl Simon was many years in getting And at last Earl Simon besieging Tholouse with a stone which a Woman let fly out of an