known multiplici experiencia by deere experience Math. Paris in Johan that the Pope was ambitious and proud aboue all men liuing and an insatiable thirster after money Et ad omnia scelera pro praemijs datis vel promissis cereus procliuus Prone to all wickednesse whatsoeuer for rewards either promised or giuen was resolued to make a benefit of this his ill fortune purposing with himselfe a reuenge of the Barons and Bishops of the kingdome with the good liking and leaue of Innocent nay he being the author Whereupon he sent Embassadors vnto him who carried with them a great part of his treasure and withall promising more sware vnto him That he would alwayes be his subiect and tributarie vnto him so that he would find some subtile occasion to excommunicat his Barons and Bishops especially the Archbishop of Canturburie for whom the Pope had so much molested him Nicholas Bishop of Tuscule his Legat came into England to release the interdict that had continued six yeares three moneths and foureteene dayes To the irreuocable losse saith the Author of the Church both in temporall matters and in spirituall Iohn gaue him this infamous resignation of his realme no more in wax as to Pandolph but sealed in gold And because there was made a question of the losses which the Bishops had receiued the Legat in fauour of the king deferred it to a farther day But Innocent who desired to gratifie the king by his Legat of all the vacant Churches to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canturburie Intrusione magis quà m electione canonica disponit Disposed of them rather by intrusion than canonicall election Hereupon this Archbishop appealed but the Legat reiected his Appeale proceeded in his purpose and Innocent ratified the acts of his Legat speaking now of nothing but the praises and commendations of the Prince The Barons they assembled to demaund their libertie with whom also joyned the citie of London The Pope as the chiefe Lord reuoketh them and because they would not presently obey he excommunicated them and stirred vp all the subiects of the realme against them promising them remission of their sinnes and included in the same excommunication all the Bishops that delayed to publish the Anatheme But because Stephen Archbishop of Canterburie hauing lately beene his fauourite declared that hee could not publish it before he had seene the Pope and being readie to take shipping for the Councell assigned at Rome because tacita veritate sententia erat in Barones lata The sentence was pronounced against the Barons trueth it selfe being silent the Bishop of Winchester Pandolph the Legat the executioners of this sentence forbad him the Church and suspended him from the celebration of his office of so great force and efficacie was the money king Iohn powred into the lap of the Pope But besides he was no sooner come to Rome but the sentence of suspension was confirmed by Innocent These proceedings now put the Barons of England into despaire who saith the historie seeing all hope of their good to be taken away and knowing not what to doe Matth. Paris in Johan curst the fraud and infidelitie of the king Woe be to thee O Iohn say they the last of the Kings the abhomination of the Princes of England the confusion of the English Nobilitie O miserable England being now wasted and readie to be more wasted and destroyed O wofull England England that hitherto hath beene the Prince of Prouinces in all good things art made tributarie not onely subiect to fire famine and sword but to the empire and commaund of base slaues and strangers though there be nothing more vnhappie than to be enthralled to such people We read that many other kings yea and but petie kings too haue fought for the libertie of their countrey euen to death but thou Iohn of a mournefull memorie to all posteritie thy countrey that hath beene free for many yeares thou hast found the meane to bring it into bondage and employed thy endeuors to draw others with thee into slauerie thou hast first debast thy selfe being made of a free king a tributarie and a vessell of seruitude Thou hast bound the noblest of all countries with a band of eternall slauerie neuer to bee freed from seruile fetters vnlesse he hauing pitie vpon vs and the whole world vs I say whom auncient seruitude hath held vnder the yoke of sinne vouchsafe at the last to set vs at libertie Neither doe they lesse complaine of the Pope Thou say they who ought to be an example of light to the whole world the father of sanctitie the myrrour of pietie the defender of iustice the keeper of veritie consentest thou to such a thing doest thou approue and defend such a man But doubtlesse thou defendest him because hee hath exhausted the money of England exacted vpon the English Nobilitie to the end that all this might be swallowed vp in the gulfe of the Roman auarice But this cause and excuse is an offence and accusation before God In the end they resolued to make choyce of some Potent Prince to be their King who might restore vnto them their auncient possessions and liberties and this was Lewis the sonne of Philip Augustus the father afterward of S. Lewis to whom they sent twentie foure hostages to assure him the kingdome which he accepted Innocent vnderstanding hereof sent Waldo his Legat to Philip into France willing him That he suffer not his sonne to trouble England nor Iohn the King but rather to defend him as a vassall of the Church of Rome and England as the demaine thereof Philip plainely told him That the kingdome of England neuer was the patrimonie of S. Peter nor is nor euer should be and that Iohn condemned of treason against his brother Richard is not nor euer was the true and lawfull king nor could giue the kingdome although he had aspired to the Crowne by the murder of Arthur for which he was condemned in his owne Court. Moreouer no King or Prince can giue away his kingdom without the consent of his Barons who are bound to defend it And if the Pope be determined to defend such an errour he will giue a most pernitious example to all kingdomes All the Nobilitie therefore of the kingdome cried out with one voice That for this point they would fight euen to death This was at Lyons a little after Easter in the yeare 1216. An. 1216. The day following Philip gaue the Legat audience commanding his sonne Lewis to be present where all this businesse was againe disputed The Legat notwithstanding all these reasons forbad Lewis to enter into England and threatened the father vnder pain of excommunication not to permit him wherevpon Lewis departeth the Legat demaunding of Philip safe conduct for himselfe which Philip willingly granted vnto him by his letters But if perhaps saith he you fall into the hands of the Monkes of Eustachius or any other belonging vnto Lewis which keepe the
Epist 58.65 But in this cleere light in this Sun-shine wherin we liue where is the shame And for as much as he compares him in this with S. Paul 2. Thessal 2. let him heare what Paul saith The comming saith he of the man of sinne and sonne of perdition that is Antichrist of whom he foretold before is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders Which words of S. Paul are they not accomplished 41. PROGRESSION Of the factions that arose in the Popedome by the death of Gregorie the seuenth Of the rebellion of Conrade against the Emperour Henrie his father Of the diuisions and strange opinions that grew among the people through the schisme betweene Clement the third and Vrban the second GRegorie if we beleeue some Authors neither doth Baronius himselfe denie it had prouided as we see that his enterprise should not dye with himselfe for he nominated to the Cardinals those whom he thought fittest to succeed him in the Popedome which Desiderius the Abbot of Mount-Cassin failed not to giue those Cardinals to vnderstand that tooke part with him And as he was the first of the three that Gregorie had commended so all mens eyes were especially cast vpon him who whether it were out of a consideration of the greatnesse of the charge or to the end he might be the more earnestly intreated twice or thrice refused it yea and disrobed himselfe of his Pontificall ornaments and retired himselfe to his Monasterie at Cassin euen then when it was thought that he had yeelded to the persuasion of his friends Sigonius giues a little touch Sigon l. 9. de regno Ital. Eight dayes after his retire to Cassin the Countesse Mathilda aduertised him of her arriuall at Rome and that she desired much to conferre with him whereupon he returned to the citie and being by her and her armie with all duetie receiued for the space of eight dayes he continued in the Vatican Auentine speakes more plainely Mathilda and the Normans create him that is to say in hatred of Clement who neuerthelesse held the seat at Rome and was called Victor the third But as soone as Hugh Bishop of Lions one of the three that Gregorie had commended thought that Desiderius had in good earnest accepted of the Popedome he presently banded himselfe against him and in a Synod held at Beneuent he excommunicated him and with him Richard of Marselles But Desiderius liued little aboue a yeare after Gullielm Malmes b. l. 4. and if we may beleeue William of Malmesburie he was poysoned in the Chalice saying his first Masse In that short time neuerthelesse that he liued he had published new excommunications against Clement and Henrie and vnder the selfesame pretence that Gregorie did He retired himselfe to his Abbie at Cassin for the better recouerie of his health and there vpon his death-bed according to the tradition of Gregorie he recommended vnto those that were his assistants Otho Bishop of Ostia Leo Ostiens l. 3. c. 72. who had beene brought vp at Clugni for his successor in so much that taking him by the hand he peremptorily said vnto them Take him and place him in the Roman seat and vntill you haue done it hold my place Benno calls him Pedissequum the Page or Lackey of Hildebrand The Bishops therefore that tooke part with him in the yeare 1088 An. 1088. meet at Terratina to consult of a successor There were first present in the name and by the commaund of the Romans who did adhere to this part for the Clergie Iohn Bishop of Portua and for the Lay Benedict gouernour of the citie A new kind of proceeding it was because Clement held the place in the citie neither was there here any mention at all of expecting the Emperours consent herein There without any other solemnitie they nominated Otho Pope called Vrban the second who was no sooner entred into Rome but he was driuen out againe by Clements faction Hereupon saith Leo of Ostia if we will judge of the validitie of this election we must say That he was chosen by the statutes of Gregorie Leo Ostiens l. 3. c. 72. But William of Malmesburie more freely To that part that seemed to be the more iust the armie of Mathilda ioyned Herfeldens Theol. in tractatu de vnitate Eccles conseruand an 1090. Sigon l. 9. de regno Jtaliae who forgetting her sex not vnlike to the auntient Amazons led her armie into the field and by her voyce Vrban obtained the Apostolicke throne But another saith more plainely Vsing the helpe and succour of most wicked people with whom the Law of God and man had no place Sigonius confesseth that Mathilda who called her selfe the daughter of Peter tooke vpon her the protection of Vrban and that Vrban was the cause that she married Welfo Duke of Bauaria to the end he might strengthen himselfe by him against the Emperour in Germanie Not so much saith Bertholdus for incontinencie Bertholdus Constant Presbyter in Chron. as for obedience to the Pope that she might be so much the more able to giue ayde and succour to the Church of Rome against the Schismatikes therfore he presently addeth that he wholy sequestred kept himselfe free from her being more greedie of the principalitie than the woman Are these then the lawfull ends of marriage Neither is it here to be omitted that there were certaine lots drawne at Rome to know who should be successour to Gregorie the 7 which was then a thing vsuall at Rome and it was found that one Otho should succeed him Fragmentum Monastici Cadomens an 1084. whereupon Otho Bishop of Baieux and brother to William the Conqueror King of England though he were Earle of Kent and Lieutenant generall of his Realme conceyued a hope of obtayning the Popedome whereupon he sent to Rome great presents and there built great and goodlie houses and left nothing vndone with the Senators that either gifts or his other best endeauors could worke But hauing embarked himselfe for this voyage taking with him diuers of the Nobilitie king William vnderstanding in Normandie of this expedition took shipping for England meeting him in the Isle of Weight there arrested him for many offences he had committed in the carriage of his matters of State cast him into Prison The other Otho therefore Vrban the second obtained the chaire and his first exploit was in a Synod holden at Melfe to excommunicat Clement and Henrie and all those that receiued either orders of the one or inuestiture of the other to be briefe all those that in any respect had any commerce with them Moreouer he confirmed Roger Guischard of the race of the Normans Duke of Apulia and Calabria the better to retaine his friendship and fidelitie towards him But Henrie passing into Italie in the yeare 1091 got into his possession and wasted the greatest part of those Countries that belonged to Mathilda but for some
taking him vpon the right hand leadeth him in and after diuine seruice followed him out where Alexander mounting his palfrey the Emperour holding his stirrop did him all the honour and reuerence he could But for shame he durst not tell the rest For the Emperour being prostrat before him Alexander putting his foot vpon his neeke said It is written Thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and the Basilick and shalt tread vpon the Lion and the Dragon Frederic answered Not to thee but to Peter whose successors I obey The Pope replied pressing his foot the harder Et mihi Petro Both to me and Peter This pride being in the sight of all the people neuerthelesse was patiently endured by Frederick partly fearing worser things through the great priuiledges that Alexander had bestowed vpon this Commonwealth namely The marying of the Sea euerie yeare with a ring c. and partly at the instance of his sonne Henrie who exceedingly desired the kingdome of Italie Some adde That his sonne Otho being taken by the Venetian gallies was set at libertie vpon this condition Baronius in the meane time endeuoureth to make this historie doubtfull although he relateth it at large by his owne confession out of that famous Chronicle that is kept in the Librarie at Venice and his reason is let the Reader judge whether it be otherwise that there is no likelihood that a Pope so mild and patient would commit so arrogant so insolent and so monstrous an act But first we must agree vpon that pretended equanimitie and modestie and the prodigious pride of Gregorie the seuenth in receiuing Henrie the fourth to doe penance and we shall easily giue credit hereunto But it is most certaine and the Venetian historie affirmeth it and the Iesuites themselues doe triumph therein so farre are they with Baronius from blushing at it Now the Romans in regard of this submission by their embassadors inuite him to Rome which he accepted vpon condition that the Senators chosen by them should take vpon them an oath of fidelitie to the Church of Rome before they entred into that office An. 1178. An. 1180. And so in the yeare 1178 he came into the citie and the yeare afterward 1180 he held a Councell at Lateran where he ordained That if the Cardinalls could not agree in the election of the Pope the Pope might bee chosen by two of the parts and whosoeuer being chosen by the third part should carrie himselfe as Pope should be depriued of the Communion and so he declareth the ordinances made by Victor the fourth Paschal and Calixtus the third arch heretikes to be of no force And judge the Reader into what scruple of conscience he brought by these vaine and idle ordinances the best and greatest part of Europe But he died not long after hauing more valiantly ouercome Sigon de regno Ital. l. 14. than moderatly handled his enmitie with Frederick as Sigonius saith seeming no doubt vnder these mild words to conceale that shamefull and horrible act which he was not willing to expresse Neither were this fit to be omitted being both an argument and an augmentation of the Papall authoritie That this Alexander was the authour of that law whereby the canonizing of Saints should be only in the power of the Bishop of Rome Extra de reliquijs sanctorum venerat c. 1. It is not lawfull saith he that any should be worshipped for a Saint without licence from the Pope By which law he chalenged to himselfe the authoritie of the ancient Bishops of the Panims who placed whom they pleased in the number of the gods and to giue the greater lustre he began with S. Bernard who was famous for his sanctitie then followed Thomas of Canterburie whom he pronounced Martyr because he defended his pontificall vsurpations against the kings royal authoritie in England When notwithstanding it is a thing worthie the noting that after his canonizing it was publikely disputed among our Sorbonists that he was damned for rebelling against the King the minister of God Casorius Monach in Dialog l. 8. c. 69. Another law he also made that none should weare the Archbishops pall vnlesse he had taken an oth of fidelity to the Pope Farthermore he called to this Synod all the Churches of the west but those which either for the distance of the places or through other impediment could not appeare were punished by the purse which redeemed the fault of their absence which was saith Neubrigensis more dishonestly exacted than payed Gulielm Neubrig l. 3. c. 2. We must likewise remember that he was Vicar vnto him that saith in the Gospell I will giue thee all these Kingdomes if thou wilt fall downe and worship me for he graunted to Alfonsus the first Duke of Portugall the title and dignitie of a King Baro. An. 1179. art 16. 17. vpon condition he should doe him homage and pay him yearely a reuenew of two markes of gold which by a letter from Innocent the third to King Sancius euidently appeareth finding himselfe greeued that since that time his successours had neglected the paiment thereof giuing him to vnderstand that he had taken order with his Legat Ramerius to leuy the same by Ecclesiasticall authoritie OPPOSITION This is an opposition worthie the noting against the Papall tyrrannie when so great an Emperour so great an Empire bent their wits and endeauored with the vtmost of their courages to resist and impugne it the Romans themselues shut their gates because they knew him insupportable But the opposition did best appeare when these Popes mutually striued with curses execrations to put down each other and pronouncing one another Antichrists in their Synodes but it shal not be amisse to note some of the principall Auentinus expresly telleth vs Auent l. 6. that the greater part neutrum Pontificem recipiebant would receiue neither of the Popes vsing that saying of the Apostle all things are yours be it Paul be it Apollo be it Peter one faith one God and one Father of vs all and the wordes of Christ there is but one master and yee are all brethren And furthermore he addes that Gerochus Bishop of Richemberg writ much vpon this controuersie and the title of his booke is de Antichristo This Gerochus was afterward Bishop of Halberstat deposed as Sigonius saith through the treatie of a peace with Alexander Sigon de regno Jtaliae l. 14. and Vlrich instituted into his place In England in the yeare 1164 Henrie the second assembled all the principall of his Clergie at Clarendon to confirme auitas consuetudenes An. 1164. the customes of his ancesters to the end they should serue as a barre betweene the vsurping enterprises of the Clergie and the Kings Iustices and the customes are comprehended in 16 Chapters recited by Mathew Paris the most important are as followeth Mathew Paris in Henrico 2. That the Churches which hold in fee of the King be not graunted in perpetuitie without
his permission That Clerkes accused of any crime being aduertised by the Kings Iustice may come to the place appointed and answere for themselues That the Archbishops Bishops may not depart the realm without the Kings licence and without taking an oth to do nothing either in going staying or returning to his preiudice That the Archbishops Bishops and others who hold of the King in Capite and haue their possessions of the King should answere to the Iustices after the same manner as the Lords and Barons of the realme The vacation of a Church hapning the King sending for the principall persons thereof commandeth them to make choise of a successour in his Chappell with his consent and the Councell of the realme in whose presence the man chosen shall doe homage and loyaltie to the King as to his liege Lord of his life his body and of his worldly preferment except his order and that before he be consecrated and to this are sworne all Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Earles Barons and the Nobilitie of the realme viua voce in the word of truth to obserue towards the King and his successours for euer Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterburie who was the first that had taken this oth within few daies after being corrupted by Alexander the third who in a Councell held at Tours placed him vpon his right hand requested his absolution whom Alexander soone discharged both of the oth and the sinne But this is to be noted that the thing that vrged him most was That they of the Clergie that were taken in publico Flagitio in publike wickednesse by the Kings officers might bee deliuered to the Bishop without any punishment inflicted vpon them contrarie to that order the King had ordained that those whom the Bishops themselues should find faultie ought to be degraded in the presence of his officers and afterward be deliuered to the Kings Court to be punished But Thomas did heere exclaime that this was to be punished twice for one and the same thing that is to say degraded by the Bishop and punished by secular authoritie Now good Reader hee that dies for such a cause is he a Saint or a Martyr For what wickednesse will not a man iustifie if only degrading may discharge the punishment Now Thomas hauing wrought with al the Bishops of England his suffragans to renounce their allegiance without the kings knowledge passed the sea towards Alexander into France who from time to time delaied his answere vnto him fearing to offend the King his affaires then hanging but in a wauering and doubtfull manner but as the authour saith pensans periculosa tempora weighing the dangerous times granted to the Archbishop of Yorke by a Bull the office of Legat Insomuch that Thomas displeased with these delayes writing to the Archbishop of Mence Epist Thomae Cantuariens ad Archiepisc Moguntin thus complaineth Matrem Romam factam esse meritricem pro mercede prostitutam Our mother Rome is become a harlot and prostituted to whosoeuer will giue most From this wee may gather what the other Bishops of England might say when Thomas his pretended Martyr had spoken in this sort Now of this Henrie the second whom Thomas had wilfully made his aduersarie Peter of Blois Archdeacon of Bath and Chancellour of Canterburie writing to Gualterus Bishop of Palerme hath left vs this worthie testimonie No man saith he is more wise and subtill in counsell in speech more vehement more carelesse in dangers nor more constant and resolute in aduersitie c. hauing alwaies in his hands either a bow a sword or a iauelin except sitting in counsell or busie at his booke for whensoeuer he had any respite from his important and waightie affaires spent his time in priuate studie and reading or in arguing with learned men his daily life is as if it were a Schole of learning in dissoluing continually difficult questions None more mild than he in speech more temper at in eating more moderat in drinking more bountifull in gifts more liberall in almes c. Our King is peaceable victorious in warre glorious in peace c. None more gentle and meeke to the afflicted more gratious and affable to the poore none more seuere to the proud for he euer studied as it were by an image of diuinitie to beat downe the hauty and proud minded to raise the oppressed and continually to persecute the swelling loftinesse of pride c. But when according to the custome of the realme he had in elections the greatest and most powerfull part neuerthelesse hee would haue his hands euer free from all partiality and corruption For the death of this Thomas who procured his wrath through so many mischiefes and iniuries I tell you saith he in the word of our Lord and by the faith and order of a Deacon that in my conscience he was no way culpable or guilty thereof And thus much the Lord Theodinus Bishop of Port and the Lord Albert Chauncellor who came hether as Legats to examine the truth and haue knowne and reported his innocency can affirme c. which Legats after a canonicall purgation by the commandement of the Pope pronounced him cleare of this crime before God and the World Notwithstanding these Legats made benefit as the manner is of the rebellion of Henrie his sonne through certaine words that he had vttered in some choler whereby the authours of his death were emboldened to attempt the life of the said Thomas who inforced him to purchase his absolution with the hurt of his kingdome abolishing those customes that were brought in against the liberties of the Church and approuing all appellations to the sea of Rome and all this for the remission of his sinnes Mathew Paris discoursing of this Historie Math. Paris in Henr. 2. giueth vs to vnderstand by certaine circumstances that it was the pride of Alexander or at least his Legats The King and the Archbishop saith he being come to Freteuall to be reconciled they twice descended their horses and as often mounted againe and both these times the King held the raines of the Bishops bridle What dutie would the Pope haue looked for when so much was done to his Legat Againe though the King alwaies protested that he neuer commanded nor willed nor by any deuise sought the death of Thomas neuerthelesse because through some of his own words not aduisedly spoken these murtherers had taken occasion thereby to kill him this proud beast inforst him asking his absolution to submit his naked skin to the punishment of the whip and that all the religious people there assembled being a great multitude should euery man giue him three or fiue lashes which the King miserably bewitched by those Romish sorceries submitteth himselfe vnto The saying of one Gratian the Popes Legat is worth the noting in this cause to the King of England who had said somewhat vnto him in threatning manner Sir saith he threaten vs not we feare no threatnings for we
commended by all Histories for his pietie vertue clemencie forgetfulnesse of all iniuries whereby he left a desire in all men of his continuance yet no man euer endured greater more vnjust dealings by the Popes Through his death arose many molestations to his son Henrie as well in Germanie as in Italie But the thing that most troubled him was to get into his possession the kingdome of Sicilie in the right of Constance his wife by the death of William the which Pope Clement for want of an heire male challenged to belong to the church and had sent his forces to inuade it if the States and gouernours thereof had not opposed against him one Tancred the Bastard son of Roger by which meanes the inuasion of Clement being delayed Henrie had the better opportunitie to prouide for himself Thus did he obserue the promise made by his predecessor to those that went into the holie Land to defend and protect their estates and rights in that state they should leaue them Platina in Clement 3. Frederic being dead in this expedition his sonne Henrie besides the griefe for the losse of his father through so extraordinarie and vnexpected an accident was no lesse diuersly disquieted and disturbed in the kingdome of Germanie But Clement while he was endeauouring to put by Henrie from the imperiall Diademe died in Aprill in the yeare 1191 whom Cardinall Iacynthus succeeded a Citizen in Rome and was called Celestine the third By this change Henrie sped the better and with all diligence came to Rome where he was crowned by Celestine whom hee had before bound vnto him Naucler vol. 2. Gener. 40. by restoring into his hands the citie of Tusculus which had been deliuered into his protection a meanes for Celestine to gratifie the Romans because that for the space of 50 yeares before it had beene either the cause or pretence of many dissentions and brawles betweene them and the Popes Vignier ex Chron. Germā manuscr Baro an 1191. Sect 1. 10. ex Rogero authore Coaetaneo parte posteriore in Richardo primo But as soone as hee had restored it vnto them hee refrained not any kind of crueltie that he might practise against those miserable people But the manner of his coronation is worthie to bee noted After the Emperour had taken his oath to defend the Church and the patrimonie of Saint Peter and to restore whatsoeuer belonged to the Church whole and entire if any thing were withheld or detayned from it the Emperour and the Empresse are brought into the Church by the Pope and Masse being solemnely celebrated by him he annoynteth first the Emperour with words instituted to that purpose and afterward the Empresse Then sitting downe in his pontificall Chaire holdeth the imperiall Crowne betweene his feet and the Emperour bowing downe his head and likewise the Empresse receiue it from his feet And after this immediatly the Pope striking the Crowne with his foot kickes it from his head to the ground in token hee hath power if his merits so deserue to depose him then the Cardinals standing round about receiue the same Crowne and reuerently puts it vpon the heads of the Emperour and the Empresse Baronius himselfe is the Author and likewise Ranulph in the same words Ranulph in Polycr l. 7. ca. 26. Thus this proud mysterie did still rise by degrees Now by the death of the Bastard Tancred it was the easier for Henrie to make his peace with the kingdome of Sicilia But Celestine was now readie to excommunicate Henrie and also his brother Philip if his death had not preuented it by an auntient pretence wherby he had vsurped the possessions of the Countesse Mathilda though before to the end that Henrie should ruinate and destroy Tancred whom hee saw now established by the States hee had inuested the sayd Henrie into these dominions as his feudatarie But Henrie dying in the yeare 1197 left onely a sonne by Constance his wife of the age of one yeare and the troubles that euerie-where rise about the succession gaue Celestine meanes or rather a fit opportunitie to his successour Innocent the third to doe whatsoeuer they would in prejudice of the Empire For as Philip the brother of Henrie and Otho Duke of Saxonie striued for the Kingdome of Germanie Innocent taking an oath of faithfull homage of the Gouernour of the Citie of Rome inuadeth the Dukedome of Tuscane which Henrie had giuen to Philip his brother and sending to the Bishoppes of Germanie commaundeth them to deliuer the hostages which Henrie had brought out of Sicilia with him namely Sibilla the widow of Tancred his children and the Archbishoppe of Salerne Butt if Vezilus de Berco their keeper should refuse to deliuer them then they should excommunicate him by which meanes he seemed to haue composed the businesse of Sicilia to his owne desires The verie same way partly by force and partly by excommunication hee chased away Marcoaldus out of Romania and Conradus out of the Dukedome of Spoleto whom Henrie had inuested and interdicted all the Cities that any whit fauoured them and strengthened and confirmed the Cities of Lombardie in their societie to remayne free in such sort that the Emperours who afterward came into Italie found they had no authoritie left vnto them Furthermore hee enforced Constantia the widow of Henrie to take an oath to hold of him and his successours in homage Apulia and Calabria paying yearely sixe hundred squifats and for the Countrie of Mercia foure hundred vpon condition that her sonne comming to age shall take the same oath And as Constancia not long after chaunced to dye hee tooke vpon him to bee the Tutor and Gardian of the child who was Frederic the second and by these cunning sleights hath made himselfe Arbiter of the Kingdome Againe in Germanie he refused the election of Philip brother of Henrie as excommunicated by him and approued that of Otho Duke of Saxonie thereby taking from his pupill the support and helpe of the Vncle neither doth hee dissemble it that what hee did was in hatred of his predecesours who had opposed themselues against due See of Rome that is to say for defending the rights of their Empire And here the Reader may see the care they had of the affaires of the East that whilest they were bent wholly to the care of themselues all things went to ruine And here we make an end of the twelfth age OPPOSITION I willingly omit those frequent contentions betweene the Emperours and the Popes in these times contenting my selfe to haue noted here what the better sort haue thought of the Church of Rome Clement the third solicited the kings of Fraunce and England to the voyage of the holie Land who for the differences that grew betweene them thought it not fit and conuenient for them to go forward into a strange Countrie vnlesse the cause of the discord were first taken away and it seemed to Clement that Philip the second our king was
be the better aided of the Pope for the strengthening of his new Empire and there rested onely to agree the controuersies of religion Therefore Germane Patriarch of Constantinople writeth vnto Gregorie That he desired nothing more than to enter into conference about them being readie old as hee was to resort to any place where need should be to that effect But saith he because no man euer can see the spots of his owne face vnlesse hee looke himselfe in a glasse or be certified by some other whether his face be spotted or not so we haue many great and shining myrrors namely the Gospell of Christ the Epistles of the Apostles and the bookes of the Fathers let vs looke into them they will shew vs how euerie man beleeueth siue nothè siue legitimè falsely or truely The same also to the Cardinals but that he passeth further There is a scruple of offence bred in our minds that gaping onely after earthlie possessions yee gather together the gold and the siluer that yee can from any place extort yet say yee are the disciples of him to wit Peter that said Siluer and gold haue I none Yee make kingdomes tributarie vnto you yee multiplie moneyes by negotiations yee vnteach by your actions that which yee teach with your mouth Let temperance moderat you that yee may be to vs and to all the world an example and paterne c. But Gregorie answereth him with his Tu es Petrus thinking to put him downe with the onely name of Primacie And indeed Germane said vnto them The diuision of our vnitie proceeded from the tyrannie of your oppression and of the exactions of the Church of Rome which of a mother is become a stepdame To this Gregorie answereth That to him alone belongeth the decision of the questions of faith moreouer that to the Pope of Rome belongeth both the swords materiall and spirituall by the testimonie of the Gospell where it is said Ecce duo gladij behold two swords consider I pray you what a goodly course he taketh to conuert the Greeks These admonitions being heard but not yeelded to the Grecians submitted not themselues to the Church of Rome Fortè saith the Author tyrannidem auaritiam ejus pertimescentes Fearing perhaps the tyrannie and couetousnesse thereof the Pope and Cardinalls hauing a diligent treatie thereupon they resolue to turne the whole armie of crossed souldiers against them And a publication thereof being made many are crossed to goe against the Greekes and chiefely them of Constantinople He addeth This was the seed of schisme betweene the Roman and the Greeke Church A certaine Archbishop canonically chosen to a noble Archbishopricke in Greece went to Rome to be confirmed but could not obtaine it vnlesse he would promise infinitum aurum aboundance of money for the same But hee without doing any thing returned detesting the simonie of the Court and told it to all the Nobilitie of Greece And others that had beene at Rome witnessed the like and worse actions and so all in that Gregories time departed from the subiection of the Church of Rome Hereupon the Authour giueth his judgement The Greeke Church hauing seene so much malice and oppression rise vp against the Roman and expelling their Emperour obeyed onely their Archbishop Germane of Constantinople Not long after the Patriarch of Antioch also followed the same steps and proceeded so farre as to excommunicat Gregorie Solemnely preaching That he and his Church in time and dignitie was to be preferred before the Pope and the Church of Rome and that it was more excellent than the Roman Church because the Apostle Peter had first gouerned with great honour the Church of Antioch the space of seuen yeeres and there was receiued with all due reuerence and likewise established in the Chaire whereas at Rome he was manifoldly vexed with many iniuries and reproaches and at length suffered vnder the Emperour Nero a cruell death with his fellow Apostle S. Paul the speciall Doctor of the Gentiles The power of binding and loossing he rather bestowed on the Greeke than on the Roman Church which is now manifestly defamed with the spots of simonie vsurie couetousnesse and other enormities And these things passed in the East What shall we say then if the Romans themselues haue not been able to hold their peace When Gregorie went about to excommunicat them they spake against him maintaining That for no cause the citie ought to be subiect to his interdict And the Pope replied That he was lesse than God but greater than any man whatsoeuer therefore greater than any citizen yea than any King or Emperour Secondly the Magistrats and Senators exacted a yearely tribute of the Roman Church which they of new and auncient right were euer in perpetuall possession of vntill Gregories time He answered That this was a free gift which the Church vnder persecution was woont to giue for to redeeme their peace which ought not grow into a custome seeing for so many ages there had beene no persecution at Rome but that which the Popes themselues vsed against others If this right had had none other foundation who can doubt but that many ages afore that they would haue exclaimed against it and abolished it Thirdly the Romans extended their countie or bounds of their jurisdiction so that they included therin Viterbe Montalto and other towns castles which were pretended to belong to the Church He answered That this was to vsurpe another mans right and that Christ on the crosse by his bloud had made the citie of Rome so free that the gates of hell could nothing preuaile against it Note gentle Reader the pleasant diuinitie of this Pope For these causes therefore contentions being debated betweene the Pope and the Romans he with his Cardinals depart the citie and withdraw themselues to Perousa thence he thundereth forth an excommunication against them whence came as the same Author saith warres and many conflicts and great effusion of Christian bloud for many yeares And for this cause Innocent his successor set no firme footing at Rome but assigned a Councell at Lyons and also by his Embassadors requested Henrie the third king of England That he might with his good leaue soiourne at Bourdeaux because the brethren of king S. Lewis being prisoner among the Infidels did vehemently presse him to make peace with Frederick But the wisest men of England saith Mathew feared such a guest Because from thence he might soone passe by ship into England and by his presence make it worse and defile it And this is that which Cardinall Iohn the Cistertian Monke said in his admonition to Innocent aboue recited We are in exile chased from the Papall seat from Rome it selfe yea and from Italie But as in Germanie their venome did chiefly spread it selfe so it is worthie our obseruation to see what strong resistance the force of nature made against that strange force And Gregorie the ninth as we haue seene had taken vpon him to
wonder that the Pope then preached Going from thence he confirmed all the cities of Romania and Tuscan leauing Cardinall Octauiano behind in Lombardie with an armie but yet being verie doubtful in mind he delayed his entrie into Rome for the Romans through his absence augmented in reputation the Popes leauing Rome had now for many yeres held their seat in diuers other places as at Viterbe Oruietto Perugia Anagnia Assisia that there they might rule and gouerne ouer other Prouinces being vncertaine what authoritie or power they should retaine within the citie And at this verie instant the Romans called Brancalone from Bologna a man very famous for his justice and equitie to be a Senator of Rome who doubting the petulancie and insolencie of their Youth would not accept of it without being confirmed therein for three yeares and pledges giuen him of thirtie of the chiefe citizens sonnes as also they themselues bound by solemne oath to doe their vttermost endeuours that they might faithfully obey him whom he presently sent to Bologna there to be kept vnder safe custodie And questionlesse he bare himselfe so strictly in this charge as he stroke terrour into the best of them but the more authoritie was ascribed to him the more the same was extenuated towards the Pope In the meane while the Romans began to grieue that the mightie gaine which daily accrued by the wonderfull concourse to the Roman Court did now through the Popes absence both cease was otherwhere diuerted and so at length they supposed that without singular imputation they could not for so long time haue their Bishop wanting Wherefore they sent embassadours to Innocent being at Perugia to intreat him that he would returne to Rome That so he might helpe his flocke Matth Paris in Henrico 3. like a good Pastor and that Rome might enioy her Bishop as other cities enioyed their Prelats For they thought it a great abuse and errour that onely Rome which was instiled the Empresse of other cities should among so many other cities for so long time be depriued of her Prelat and Bishop For saith Mathew Paris while he liued beyond the Alpes gaping after the profit of concurrents and opening his bosome to gifts he was vagrant and altogether vnsetled by being resident amongst the Cisalpines But he framing delayes they once againe vrged him after a preualent maner Intimating to him how they greatly wondered that he would run vp and downe here and there like a wandering and instable person leauing Rome his Pontifical seat together with his sheep wherof he was to yeeld a strict account to the supreme Iudge he left them to be rent torne by the incursions of wolues himself only gaping and thirsting after coyne as also with this peremptorie clause annexed That he should either come then or neuer But when he saw that the Romans threatned the Perugians Assisians both with siege ruine if they longer detained him departing from Perugia he went towards Rome yet trembling fearefull he made his entrie because it was reported that the Romans would presently redemaund of him that money which at his instigation they had disbursed in the attempts against Frederick And in effect not long after the people required at his hands the damages which they had sustained through his absence For say they the world knew well ynough that he was neither Bishop of Lyons Perugia nor Angiers where hee did often reside but of Rome In which verie words wee may see they did not acknowledge him for vniuersall Bishop and out of doubt had not the Senator pacified the people he would haue vndergone some great troubles Now on the other side Conrade Fredericks sonne passed ouer into Italie the more to encourage his adherents and diuers times conflicts and slaughter fel out in the cities while the Guelphes rose against the Gibellines and the Church raged against the Empire both of them cruelly prosecuting and subuerting one another and the more horrible this warre was in that it fell out within the selfe-same walls and vnder one roofe and building that the like plots and examples of reuenge were neuer read of throughout all Antiquitie Afterwards marching further vp into his kingdome he tooke in Naples which had formerly yeelded it selfe to the Pope ouerthrowing his armie ouer which his kinsman William was Generall and putting to the sword foure thousand foot which were euen the flower of the Italian Youth he recouered all his cities reduced his subiects vnder due obedience and thus brought the Pope to a verie hard poynt But amidst these anxieties the Pope thought good to excite an opposit against Conrade which was Richard Earle of Cornwall brother to the king of England being a Prince according as the fame ran of him of indomptable courage Wherefore to this end and scope he offered vnto him the kingdomes of Naples and Sicily to be held in homage of him Vsing herein as the Historiographer saith his diabolicall sophistication who said All this will I giue thee if falling downe thou wilt worship me Besides his Bulls should not be spared against Conrade wherein hee should be anathematized and his subiects absolued of their oath of obedience with other like interdictions for he had formerly denounced him an heretike and the heresie was in that he obeyed not his interdict and left not the kingdome to his disposition Richard though he was earnestly sollicited by Legat Albertus who was sent to this end and purpose not remaining satisfied in words required pledges to be giuen him of the most eminent persons of his familie as also sufficient summes of money to defray the charges of the warre certaine holds also which lay on the frontiers of his kingdome he demaunded to bee deliuered into his hands whereinto being vrged he might at any time retire Otherwise said he speaking to the Legat it is as much as one should say I sell or giue vnto thee the Moon ascend and lay hold on her When therefore they could no wayes agree vpon the matter hee had recourse to the king of England himselfe Richards brother a Prince saith Mathew verie credulous and apt to embrace his owne preiudice to whom he made offer of all the Croisado forces destined for Palestina and they should serue in this expedition Hereupon grew a wonderfull discontent and murmure of the Patriarch of Ierusalem and all the Prelats of Palestina together with the Templers and Hospitalers who fell into a great detestation of the Popes delusions that hauing long time beene fed with such large hopes hee went now about not to forsake but rather to betray them Yet the king of England proceeded on and accepted of the kingdome of Sicile offered in his son Edmonds name whatsoeuer money he was able to raise either of the Christians or Iewes he sent to the Pope and gaue him authority to raise what treasure soeuer he could or at what rates soeuer any where in his name and hereunto he obliged himselfe vpon
euer read of From words therefore they came to blowes for when Charles heard of Lewis death he came to Ratisbone the Consuls themselues giuing him entrie into the citie and when the people heard of the Popes pretences they ran violently to armes himselfe was scarcely exempted from their furie so as of necessitie he must needs depart the citie From thence going to Nuremberg and being honourably entertained by the Senat the people againe expelled him and sent for Lodouikes sonne All this proceeding from a detestation of those articles imposed by Clement vpon Charles as also from the forme of a Commission granted to the Bishop of Bamberg for the vrging of such to a reconciliation to the Church who had followed Lewis partie which ran in this manner They shall sweare hereafter to hold the Catholike Faith but marke wherein it must consist to be faithfull to the See Apostolike to beleeue nor fauour no heretike That it is a condemned heresie to thinke that the Emperor may depose the Pope and create another That the Emperor is to be esteemed no Emperor except he be first approued by the See Apostolike neither were they to cleaue or adhere to the progenie or children of the same Lewis except they were reconciled to the Church And lastly That they should obey Charles king of Romans approued and confirmed in the throne otherwise they were not to be absolued from these censures and penalties Charles was aduised not to publish this forme if he meant to be louingly entertained of the people But the Bishop fearing the Popes displeasure durst not absolue any of the Interdict vnlesse hee would performe this manner of abiuration which many resisted and namely at Basil Conradus Burneueld Burgomaster who when Charls entred the citie he protested before a publike Notarie in behalfe of the whole citie My Lord of Bamberg vnderstand that we will neither beleeue nor confesse that our Soueraigne Lewis Roman Emperor was euer an heretike and whosoeuer the Princes Electors commend vnto vs or the greater part of them for king of Romans or Emperor for the same we will take him though he neuer seeke to the Pope neither will we performe any thing which may be in any sort repugnant to the royalties and iurisdictions of the Empire Yet the Bishop was counselled to remoue the Interdict and Charles by stealth left Basil comming by water to Strasbourg where he met with the like and yet more bitter distasts as also presently after at Spire and other cities where much sedition strife grew about this forme which he was driuen to moderat and qualifie At Wormes the Bishop was constrained to absolue the Interdict without any oath taken or conditions at all Charls was receiued into Magunce with this prouiso That he should not establish Gerlac constituted their Archbishop by the Pope nor suffer any patent to be publikely read in his behalfe In many places this Gerlac minding to depart all his people garding before his lodging in armes the hosts not being payed for the charges of his traine and kitchin hee was detained and namely at Wormes vpon the complaint of a publike executioner And hauing no other mâ—â—nes hee was enforst to pawne his Patent or collection Warrants to pay his hosts And all this out of doubt not properly out of any hatred to Charls but to the Pope Pontificiall exactions But the Princes yet attempt further for assembling in the greatest part at Reinsey vpon the Rhine vnder the castle of Longstein they conâ—â—â—ed about the deposing of Charles and chusing Emperour Edward king of England Lewis his neere allie to whom by embassadours they solemnely offered the Empire but after many thankes giuen he excused himselfe by reason of the warre hee had in hand with the French men Then they betooke themselues to Henrie Marquesse of Misnia Lodouikes sonne in law but for a summe of money hee yeelded his right to Charles At last they resolued on Gunther Count of Swartzburg as renowmed a gentleman for martiall prowesse as was in that age who accepted of it on this condition That in a solemne assembly of the Princes to be coâ—â—ocated at Franckfort the vacancie of the seat were confirmed by the greater part which was effected in the yeare 1349 An. 1349. So much they grudged to receiue an Emperour from the Popes hands But being sicke as our Author Albertus sayes one master Fridanck a famous Physitian ministred to him a pâ—tron which Gunther commanded him though greatly against his owne will to assay and tast of in his owne preence and presently after his assay Gunther himselfe tooke some but the Physitian who incontinently began to discolour in his countenance within the space of three dayes died and Gunther mightily swelling grew to be weake and vnable of bodie so as it was thought this Physitians seruant had put in some poyson By reason of this bodily indisposition Gunther was the readier to come to accord being also excited thereunto by diuers of the Princes his friends who looking into this discommoditie meant to aduance their owne interests both by benefits and affinities with Charles It was therefore couenanted betwixt them That for the right of his election accepting of 22000 markes of siluer and two Imperiall townes in Turingia he should renounce his title for terme of life But within a moneth after Gunther died Charles remained peaceably installed but this was by sinister meanes and to the irrecouerable dammage of the Empire For in him and by his basenesse the processe was ended to the Popes benefit commenced anciently by Gregorie the 7 called Hildebrand for conâ—â—rmation of the authority of their Sees against the liberties of the Empire being wholly exhausted of treasure and therefore to appease the townes States who were prouoked by his molestations and to be acknowledged in them Charls was constrained to acquit them of the greatest part of his taxes subsidies in such sort as the Maiesty of the Empire was scarce able euer after to recouer it self again By the same meanes the German Emperours lost all their authoritie in Italie while Lewis the fourth was at variance and strife with the Popes partly because Popes ordained Magistrats in the cities Imperiall and out of the Vicariate which they arrogated to themselues in the Empires vacancie they appointed the principall of the Guelphish faction to be their substitutes and partly also in that the Emperour being employed in Germanie to retaine still some authoritie and power he constituted the more illustrious personages of his partie who were tearmed Gibellines his deputies vicegerents in those cities that remained vnder his subiection And thus it came to passe that many of these Vicars and Substitutes grew at last to be Lords and proprietaries of the places Many cities likewise shaking off the yoke of subiection redeemed their libertie And so amidst these great agitations and disturbances the more mightie and potent deuoured and swallowed vp their weaker neighbours For thus we see that
of Iuda is written with an yron penne with the point of a Diamant as if he should say it is indelible But all these things pretend not impossibilitie but onely difficultie because the peruerse are hardly corrected or reformed For in the third of Ionas it is sayd Who knowes whether he may be conuerted and acknowledge God It is therefore said in the 26 of Ieremie Doe not withdraw the word for it may be they will heare and euerie one may be conuerted from his euill way At last he concludes with a serious exhortation to repentance conuersion and amendment of life This is that Nicholaus Oremus who by Charles the fift his persuasion our king and surnamed the Wise turned the whole Bible into the French Tongue Many copies of the same are to be found at this day in the libraries of the noble families of this land but especially there is one in the kings librarie wherein Charles testifies by his owne hand writing That this Bible was translated by his commaundement And here we may fitly set downe That Charles the Sage was the Author of a booke written by Alanus Charterius his Secretarie whose title was Somnium Viridarij The Gardens Dreame printed at Paris aboue an hundred yeares since against the Papall tyrannie both spirituall and temporall That booke stifly maintaines and so consequently our king Charles That the Roman Church from Constantines dayes had obtained prioritie through a silent and voluntarie consent of the Churches not that it had any authoritie properly ouer them as also because there did reside in that place many famous men who out of their charitie were verie carefull to admonish brotherly the other faithfull and these men againe embraced their admonitions as the rules and precepts of learned men which seemed wonderfull beneficiall and profitable They also were subiect to their censures to preserue the vnitie of the faithfull and this their voluntarie obedience was in stead of a formall election though no wayes by any diuine or humane lawes they were no more tyed to the commaunds and institutions of the Roman Church or the Pope than the Pope himselfe was to him or his Churches And the reason hereof certainely was because they had not yet ouer them any supreme Christian Prince to comprehend and keepe them within order and vnitie the which is most plaine and perspicuous because we cannot gather out of any place of the holie Scriptures That by the commaundement of Christ of any one of the Apostles or of any primitiue Councell that the Churches or Bishops in generall were subiect to the Church or Bishop of Rome no not in those things that appertaine to rites Ecclesiasticall Which in no apparance Christ and his Apostles would haue omitted if it had concerned the saluation of the faithfull much lesse in that which concernes iura coactiua lawes of constraint not onely ouer Clerkes but ouer secular Princes themselues the which the Popes take vpon them against the expresse precepts and iniunctions of Christ and his Apostles And therefore the Church and Bishops of Rome obtained prioritie out of the commendable ends aboue mentioned from Constantine the first Christian Emperour which afterwards they persuaded the world but most falsly that they held ex iure diuino by law diuine further extending the same ouer all Kings and Princes as also that they are to gouerne during a vacancie in the seat Imperial Which the later Popes haue presumed to ratifie by many Decretalls by which out of a plenarie power they pretend to create or depose kings and they not obeying their Decree in this poynt are subiect to interdict and excommunication All which propositions are sharpely refuted in that booke the Pope being reduced to these tearmes That both he and the Church of Rome had no further authoritie ouer other Churches than what by the same Churches was voluntarily conferred vpon them Hereunto let vs annex That Edward the third king of England after he had oftentimes complained in vaine to the Popes of the exactions wherewith the Churches of England were continually pressed hee at length determined to free England from that jurisdiction which the Pope vsurped in England Wherefore in the yeare 1374 he ordained An. 1374. That the Bishops afterwards should be created by himselfe and so other inferiour Ministers by the Bishops and thereupon not long after it came to passe that the Pope lost the tenthes which before time he vsed without checke or controll to impose vpon the Clergie As also it was prohibited vnder grieuous paines That for the obtaining of any benefice in England no man should repaire to the Pope wheresoeuer he were and the Peter pence which were yearely payed to Rome were quite put downe The which when Gregorie the eleuenth vnderstood he was mightily vexed and exclaimed That this was nothing else but to diuide the Christian Church to annihilat Religion and to cut off all lawes both diuine and humane Wherefore he first dealt with Edward to reuoke this law but after this Popes death Polidorus l. 19. schisme arising in the Church saith Polidore there was no other of his successors that minded this matter till Martine the fift wrot letters of great vehemencie and persuasion to king Henrie the sixt but both the one and the other receiued a like answer which was That the Decree of a Councell or Parliament that is of England could not be abrogated without the authoritie of another Councell or Parliament which he would presently cause to be summoned the which notwithstanding was neuer performed At this verie time S. Bridget and Katherine of Sienna were celebrated for Saints both supposed to haue receiued diuine reuelations from aboue and therfore they were canonized both of them notwithstanding conceiuing verie well what manner of monster the Pope was And Bridget being borne in Scotland and maried in Suethen came to see Vrban the fift who was then at Montefiascone neere Rome supposing by her journey to haue gained great Indulgences And yet in her reuelations she calls the Pope a murderer of soules the disperser and deuourer of Christs sheepe more abhominable than the Iewes more despightfull than Iudas more vniust than Pylat worse than Lucifer and that his seat should sinke like a weightie stone the Apocalyps sayes like a mill-stone and that his assistants should burne in a sulphurous and inextinguishable fire Afterwards she reprehends the Bishops and other Priests that through their default the doctrine of Christ is cleane neglected and almost abolished the diuine wisedome and knowledge was by the Clergie conuerted into wicked and vaine sciences That they were leapers and dumbe men turning all Gods commaundements into one onely saying Da pecuniam giue money To conclude she affirmes that she saw the blessed Virgine speaking thus to her sonne Rome is a fertile and plentifull field when Christ made answer So indeed it is but of Cockle and Darnell But yet she said she was admonished in a vision to go to Rome rather to
it was said they had craftily gotten into their hands Therefore thinking it best for him to rest quiet hee approueth the conuocation of the Councell of Basil and confirmeth the Legation of Cardinall Iulian and that so much the rather for that Sigismund came into Italie whose alliance with the Duke of Milan and intelligence with the Colonni he feared But this Prince otherwise great either by his owne negligence or more truely by reason of pouertie came thither in so poore a manner that hee easily put away from him all feare We haue seene him saith Valla with few followers about him liue but as for a day and he would haue perished for hunger if Eugenius had not fed him though not gratis for he wrested from him the Donation He comming to Rome to bee crowned Emperour of the Romans could not be crowned of the Pope but on condition that he should ratifie the donation of Constantine and also giue all those things anew Yea he addeth in indignation What is more contrarie than to be crowned Roman Emperour and to renounce Rome to be crowned of him whom he confesseth and as much as in him lyeth maketh Lord of the Roman Empire and to ratifie a donation which if it be true leaueth to the Emperour nothing of the Empire which I thinke children would not haue done Yea and Eugenius adiureth him before he set the Crowne on his head presently to depart Rome and to stay no longer in Italie and so hee forthwith passed the Alpes Platina in Eugenio 4. and returned into Germanie And this is it Platina hath In the beginning of his Popedome moued by the words of the Emperour Princes and Prelats he confirmed the Councel of Basil euen by his Apostolicall letters for he was so vexed with warres that he scarcely had power to breath but taking heart againe hee constantly and prudently administred all things Thus spake hee in fauour of the Popes Whereup Eugenius stoutly taketh vpon him to dissolue this Councell or to assigne another somewhere else and he publisheth his Bulls whereby he reuoketh both the Councell and Cardinall Iulian whom he had appointed to preside there who speedily returneth to him into Italie The Fathers of the Councell on the contrarie by their embassadours sundrie times beseech him That he would come and be there present himselfe otherwise by dissoluing the Councell hee would giue occasion of scandall yea they decree That reuocation can haue no place and set before him the most grieuous punishments propounded in the Councell of Constance vnlesse he would obey but if he purpose which he hideth to hold another Councell they declare openly that there can be but onely one And that if he breake it off Sess 10.11.12.26 he with his is to expect the like judgement of God as in time past fell vpon Core Dathan and Abiron schismatikes Lastly they admonish cite blame accuse and adiure him leauing no forme requisit vnobserued or done they abrogat the Cardinals by him created for to hold another Councell Sess 31.34 35. they suspend him from the Popedome depose him pronounce him a notorious schismatike periurer heretike scandalous incorrigible obstinat depriued deposed put downe and as such a one they take from him all obedience and make a Decree for the chusing another in his roome All which things in their order reach to the yeare 1439. And these things were done notwithstanding the Emperour Sigismund in the meane time was deceased who had chiefely set forward the Councell that Eugenius also with his had assigned another Councell first at Ferrara in the yeare 1438 An. 1438. and after by reason of the pestilence there transferred it in the yeare 1439 to Florence An. 1493. whither came the Emperour Palaeologus of Greece to entreat the succours of the Latines against the Turkes and for that cause as it was thought was the more pliable to the pretentions of the Romish Church But the Fathers of the Councell of Basil proceed farther to the election of a successor and prescribe beforehand the forme of the oath that hee ought to take namely To execute and obserue the Decrees of the Councells of Constance and Basil Sess 37. also to procure the celebration of generall Councels and confirmation of elections according to the Decrees of the sacred Councell of Basil They further declare the Councell of Ferrara to be vnlawfull and none at all and tearme it a Conuenticle And presently also authorise three Catholike truthes against certaine Inuectiues of Eugenius The first is That the power of a generall Councell representing the vniuersall Church Sess 38. is aboue the Pope and all other whomsoeuer is a truth of Catholike Faith Secondly That the Pope can by no meanes of his owne authoritie dissolue a generall Councell or prorogue it to another time or transferre it from one place to another without the consent thereof Thirdly That he which obstinatly repugneth the foresaid truthes is to be rudged an heretike And these they handle in a writing published expresly In the end they enter into the Conclaue and chuse for Pope Amades Duke of Sauoy absent by the name of Felix the fourth who a little before did liue an Hermits life at Ripaille vpon the lake of Lausanne In the meane time Eugenius was not idle in Italie Charles the seuenth king of France who held for the Councell of Basil had sent his gallies into the Ionicke sea for to meet Iohn Palaeologus Emperour of the East and to giue him to vnderstand in what place the lawfull Councell was held to persuade him to take land in France thence to conduct him to Basil Eugenius hauing corrupted with money the Generall of the French gallies breaketh off his course and draweth him to his part Whereupon Eugenius taketh occasion not a little to commend his Councell by the hope of making an vnion betweene the Roman and Greeke Church which notwithstanding as it seemed continued not long And so hauing dismissed his conuenticle he returneth to Rome where he is receiued with greater applause than before On the other part the Councell of Basil continuing still neuerthelesse it troubled him and truce being made betweene the kings of France and England whereby the souldiers on both parts were dismissed Eugenius taketh the occasion offered and winneth the Dolphine of France who was afterward Lewis the eleuenth who of those broken troupes gathered together to the number of thirtie thousand and more and vnder diuers pretences marcheth towards Basil but indeed with a purpose as the Historiographers of Italie doe testifie to terrifie the Fathers of the Councell for to constraine them to breake it off When these were entred on the territorie of the citie the Cantons of the Switzers ran to succour it There foure thousand Switzers sustained a violence and force neuer before heard of in a conflict that continued till night of the Switzers fighting it out euen to the last gaspe there hardly escaped an hundred and fiftie
THE MYSTERIE OF INIQVITIE That is to say The Historie of the Papacie Declaring by what degrees it is now mounted to this height and what Oppositions the better sort from time to time haue made against it Where is also defended the right of Emperours Kings and Christian Princes against the assertions of the Cardinals Bellarmine and Baronius By PHILIP MORNEY Knight Lord du Plessis c. Englished by SAMSON LENNARD Falleris aeternam qui suspicis ebrius Arcem Subruta succensis mox corruet ima tigillis LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip Anno Dom. 1612. TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCE HENRIE Prince of Wales Sonne and Heire apparent to our Soueraigne Lord the King IF the Lord du Plessis most high and mightie Prince hauing finished this his worke out of that reuerend and honourable conceit hee had of your Fathers greatnesse that vnfained loue which true religion wrought in his heart and that hope he had of his future endeuors to beat downe Antichrist thought it a sinne though a stranger to thinke of any other Patron but himselfe to whom hee might dedicate these his labours much more I his naturall subiect linked vnto your Highnesse his naturall sonne with the same bond rapt with the same admiration fed with the same hope must say hauing finished these my labours Cui dicâre debeam ambigere nefas For the same reasons that moued him must likewise encorage me your greatnesse must encourage because the same being a Princelie branch sprung from that Royall stocke your religion must encourage because the same which your worthie father and all the Fathers of the Primitiue Church haue made profession of your hopefull endeuours must encourage because the same for what he conceiues of your Princelie father the whole world expects should be performed if not by his by your hand His pen hath made way for your sword and his peace if God giue long life may farther your warres Glorious be his peace and your warres and Gods glorie the end of both His Highnesse can best iudge what is fitting we can but wish and if hee haue begged at Gods hands with Hezekiah That there may be peace in his daies we all say Amen and with one voyce we all crie out Let there be peace vpon Israel onely we wish he may neuer haue reason to say as Dauid did I seeke peace and when I speake thereof they are bent to warre they intend mischiefe And therefore renowmed Prince leauing your royall father to Gods peace and his owne hearts desire giue me leaue though altogether vnworthie in a matter of such moment to aduise yet to wish with du Plessis that I may liue to march ouer the Alpes and to trayle a pike before the walls of Rome vnder your Highnesse Standard It was my first profession oh that it might be my last The cause is Gods the enterprise glorious O that God would be pleased as he hath giuen you a heart so to giue power to put it in execution Jn the meane time whilest our hopes are in the bud let me humbly beseech your Highnesse till my sword may doe you seruice to accept of the poore endeuours of my vnskilfull penne and as it hath pleased your Highnesse not long since graciously to protect my sorie labours bestowed vpon Charron his three bookes of Wisedome so now to pardon my boldnesse in vndertaking a worke so farre vnbefitting my strength and to protect my infirmities The God of heauen euer blesse your Highnesse and euer defend you from Antichrist and his bloudie designements that you may liue and liue long euen in perniciem to the ruine of him and all his Antichristian rabble Amen Amen To your Highnesse most humbly deuoted SAMSON LENNARD TO THE RIGHT REVErend Fathers in God GEORGE Archbishop of Canturburie and Metropolitan of England and IOHN Bishop of London RIght Reuerend and my verie good Lords I am bold out of that duetie I owe to two so great Prelats and pillars of this our Church of England to present vnto your learned and judicious censures my vnlearned and simple labours bestowed vpon a worke worthie the reading in it selfe howsoeuer by my vnskilfull pen it may be disfigured I confesse I was vnfitting amongst a thousand to vndertake a worke of such consequence and yet better I as I thought than none being a Mysterie fit to be layd open to as many as can read it in their mother tongue My good Lords pardon such faults as either by too much speed or too little skill or otherwise haue slipt my pen There is nothing past that may not be amended in a second edition if your Grace shall be pleased to giue the encouragement The God of heauen as he hath multiplied his gifts and graces vpon you fit for so high a calling euen in the highest measure so euer assist you with his holie spirit in that great worke you haue vndertaken to his glorie and the good of his Church Your Graces and Lordships in all dutie to be commaunded SAMSON LENNARD TO THE READER GEntle Reader I haue once againe aduentured my selfe vpon your gentle censures with this onely request That though perhaps a curious eye may find faults ynow yea sometimes where there are none you would be pleased to doe mee this fauour that if at any time you shall find mee to disagree sometimes from the Latine copie sometime from the French not to condemne me without the examination of both because in this translation I haue followed both the one and the other as occasion was offered and as I found them agreeing in one and the same sence This is all I request and so much the rather because I know the most vnskilfull is more readie to iudge than he that can iudge iudiciously S. L. TO THE FRIENDS AND FOLlowers of the Church of Rome LEt me once againe my brethren and friends speake vnto you and though perhaps I shall seeme to importune you ouer much yet it is with the same importunitie which the Apostle commends to his disciple 2. Tim. 4. v. 2. Be instant in season and out of season yea with that wholesome and opportune importunitie wherewith we pluck those that are neerest and deerest vnto vs euen by the haires of the head out of the furious rage of fire and water wherewith we pinch and prick those euen till they bleed that are dying of a Lethargie What shall I then say vnto you To some that are floating or rather fleeting betwixt many opinions and to others that haue alreadie stept ouer the threshold gotten one foot out of Babylon the huge height and greatnesse of the Popedome like a scar-crow is obtruded She is old indeed and by how much the more strucken in yeares in so much that she lyes groueling vpon her bellie by so much the more stupendiou◠Whereas contrariwise the reformed Church being little and of small continuance either by the noueltie thereof or the pouertie is contemptible And here that common crie of the Iewes
all along giuing him fairely to vnderstand That all the Apostles were endowed with equall authoritie and certifying him onely An. 649. That he was consecrated Bishop of Carthage without euer asking confirmation at his hands only he requesteth him to recommend him in his prayers vnto God that he might wel discharge his office After this came Martin who taking occasion vpon the fame and suspition that was of the Patriarches of the East that they were Monothelites sent thither certaine Bishops and made some of those which yet remained Orthodox in the East his Vicars This was a faire attempt but the Emperour Constans hindered him in his walke for the yeare following he sent and caused him to be apprehended in Rome and to be brought prisoner to Constantinople where he died a banished man hauing beene accused for conspiring with the Sarasens against the Emperour as appeareth by his letters written to Theodorus Martinus in Epist ad Theodor 14. Sanctuâ— Audoenus in vita Sancti Eligij Sacerdotalem Concilium This Martin was a man of a hautie mind and a great vndertaker yet could not he maintaine his pretended authoritie no not in the West For when a certaine Heretike had crept into the Bishopricke of Authun the Bishop of Noion who was then in Court solicited the king and obtained of him saith Saint Ouin That by his commaundement a Councell of Priests or Bishops should be called at Orleans where the Heretike was condemned and banished the realme of France without expecting any higher authoritie So likewise vnder Pope Eugenius his next successor there was a Councell held at Chaalons vpon the riuer of Saosne which as appeareth in the verie front thereof Ex euocatione ordinatione Domini Clodouaei Regis Synod Epist ad Theodo Arelat was assembled by the conuocation and ordinance of king Clouis as also in the Synodall Epistle to Theodore Archbishop of Arles wherein they presume to declare vnto him by the authoritie of that Synod That considering the time of his penance was not yet expired he might not offer to meddle with his Bishopricke nor with the good belonging thereunto Ordaining farther Ib. can 10. That vpon a vacancie no successor might be chosen but by the Clergie and people of that Prouince that otherwise the election should be held as voyd and of none effect where you shall find no exception or reseruation at all to the Pope of Rome And in Spaine there were held at that time the 7 8 9 and 10 Councels of Toledo all which acknowledge their assembling to haue proceeded onely from their owne care and from the authoritie of the Prince namely the seuenth By our deuotion say they and by the care of king Chindasuinda the eighth By the commaund of the king Reccesuinda and the tenth By his most holie desire Sanctissimâ— Vote without any mention of the Pope at all though in those Synods the highest points of our religion were in question as namely in the eight whose Synodall Epistle hath yet onely this inscription The Decree of the Vniuersall Councell published in the name of the Prince And againe A law published in the same Councell Imperante Principe glorioso by the commandement of the renowmed Prince In all which besides those high poynts of Christian religion order was also taken against intrusions extortions and other abuses of Bishops proceeding to the punishment of some and finall deposition of others insomuch that in the tenth Synod one Pontamius Bishop of Bracara a thing neuer before heard of accused himselfe and was thereupon deposed by the Synod and Fructuosus Bishop of Duna chosen in his place with these words We doe here constitute and appoint by a common election Fructuosus to be Gouernour of the Church of Bracara to take vpon him as Metropolitan the care of all the Prouince of Galleece and of all Congregations and Bishops of that countrey Patrum sententia And this was done by the Decree of the Fathers annexed to his letters of Ordination without binding him to take a journey to Vitalian at Rome for confirmation who sat not in that pride which Popes now vse to sit in For as Anastasius reporteth when the Emperour Constans came to Rome he with all his Clergie went to meet him six miles off and there receiued they him with all tokens of submission and reuerence though he was a sacrilegious and bloudie Emperour and one which had confined Pope Martin the first to a certaine place in banishment as Baronius reporteth 24. PROGRESSION Wherein the religion of this age principally consisted and what was the purpose of the Popes when they sent Preachers into forreine Countries THe good Bishops of the Primitiue Church heeded onely the building and reedifying of the spirituall Temple of God in gathering together liuing stones but from hence forward shall you find the Histories stuffed onely with relations of materiall Edifices Oratories Images Marbles Incrustations Ouerlayings with gold and such like which the worser sort of men were euer most spendfull in thereby to shadow and obscure the memorie of their euill acts And those princes which all histories leaue vnto vs stained with dishonor recouer fame and good report of vertue pietie and religion by either building or beautifying some Church or other after their example Beda l. 1. c. 20. 26. 29. Histor Eccl. l. 4. c. 1. 2. 16. 19. Galfri Monumet l. 8. c. 4. And if any Bishops of Rome did send to make a conquest of some farre countrey as Gregorie the Great into England and after him Honorius Vitalis and others it was not principally to preach the Gospell but to broach their owne ceremonies their Singings their Seruice in Latine Houres Organs Altars Tapers Anelings and such other nifles stirring vp Princes to inforce their subiects to the vse practise of them who would faine haue kept themselues to the first institution of the Church in the puritie of the Gospell Malmesbu de gest Anglo li. 1. c. 50. And the more to win vnto themselues credit in forreine parts where euer they saw any ambitious spirit thirsting after some preheminence ouer the rest of his brethren presently their fashion was to send him their Pall either as a bare token of honour or as a liuerie of their Vicarship and to vse meanes to draw all causes vnto them yet found they not credit in all places alike but as they caried it away cleere in some places so in others they met with a balke especially in those Churches which being well planted at the first grew vp and prospered in puritie of doctrine OPPOSITION Wherefore doe they what they could yet the Churches of the East euer reiected that Decree of Phocas 2. To. Concil Epist Vitalian 2 3 4. Sigo de Reg. Italiae l. 2. Blond Deca 1. li. 9. An. 680. neither would Paule Archbishop of Candia suffer Iohn Bishop of Lampeon when he had beene condemned by his owne Synod to appeale to Rome as
writ vnto Richard Archbishop of Sens to consecrat him but Richard as we learne by the letter of Vrban himselfe refused to doe it vpon which his refusall Vrban himselfe was inforced to consecrat him commanding Richard to yeeld his helping hand to Yuo in the gouernement of the Church reseruing still his obedience to his Church Yuo Carmitens Epist 12.8 but Richard neuerthelesse would not obey him but writ saith Yuo sharpe letters and such as were derogatorie to the Maiestie of the Apostolike See Wherupon Yuo warneth him that the Scriptures pronounce him an heretike because he agreeth not with the Church of Rome I appeale vnto his owne conscience out of what peece of Scripture he proueth that But he likewise acknowledgeth ingeniously that by the hand of Vrban he had bin raised from the dunghill and therefore he held himselfe obliged in duetie to aduaunce his honour and commoditie and to that end tendes that salutation of his in a certaine congratulatorie Epistle Cum Petro pugnare cum Petro regnare To fight with Peter and to raigne with Peter that is as the Popes courtiers say to follow the Popes fortunes through what dangers so euer But here the Archbishop stayed not for he assembled at Estampes the Bishops his Suffragans namely of Paris Meaux and Troy to deliberat hereupon wherein he sheweth that this ordination was against the Maiestie royall which Yuo had greatly offended in receiuing it all of them concluding to restore Iefferay into his place and to depose Yuo whereupon he appealed to Rome to which appellation they refused to obey for which cause he complaineth to Vrban imployeth his helpe That he would be pleased to write to the Archbishop and his Suffragans in his behalfe that it was necessarie to send a Legat into France to prouide for these and the like matters But in the mean time whilest they vnited themselues together for the libertie of the French Church King Philip the first sent to the Pope for a dispensation to marie his concubine Bertrade and so withdrew his hand and commanded Yuo to be established in his Bishopricke Thus it oftentimes falleth out that the priuat vices of Princes doe greatly prejudice their publike dignities In these Epistles in the meane time it is worth the noting That Yuo doth not alwayes agree in doctrine with Vrban For whereas diuers Bishops had condemned the inuestitures of lay persons for heresie because by this means the great Prelats got vnto themselues the right and prerogatiue of lay founders and patrons An. 1099. Yuo neuerthelesse hauing gotten the Bishopricke and being out of their reach maintained against Hugh the Popes Legat the Primat of Lyons and others Yuo Carnutens Epist 235.238.239 That it was no heresie since there was nothing here that concerned faith which had nothing common with Orders This was Yuo who otherwise held with Vrban and did omit no occasion whereby he might serue him and did carefully aduertise him to assist Manasses with his authoritie for his confirmation in the Bishopricke of Rheimes Idem Epist 48. Because saith he it is necessarie that the Church of Rome should haue one in that See that should be a true and trustie seruant vnto him He armeth him likewise in such a sort with his counsels against those obstacles that may any way hinder the course of his Legats or Decrees in France that he feared not to say of himselfe I thinke of my selfe that there is no man on this side the mountaines that hath suffered greater wrongs endured more contumelies for the maintenance of your commaunds and that fidelitie that is due vnto you Yea Richard the Archbishop of Sens being dead and Daribert canonically nominated to his place Yuo being prohibited by Hugh Primat of Lyons and Legat to Vrban to consecrate him Bishop because he had not performed vnto him his due obedience Yuo deales sharpely with the Legat by letters giuing him to vnderstand That he would not obey him to the preiudice of the auncient Canons and the venerable authoritie of his forefathers he therefore bitterly reproueth him But Baronius who had hitherto approued him begins now to chide him because he had not spoken of inuestitures as was fitting Baron an 1099 art 8. That which remaineth saith he in this Epistle of Yuo is more harsh as speaking too abiectly of the auncient inuestitures yea of many things he speakes with contempt which if they were not corrected in other Epistles of the same Author would call into question that his glorious reputation which he hath gotten by defending the Apostolike See and the Catholike veritie So much doth reason and affection disagree euen in great personages An. 1093. In England Anselme by nation an Italian being chosen Archbishop of Canterburie by the consent of King William the second craues leaue of him to goe to Rome to receiue his Pall of Pope Vrban wherewith the King being greatly offended answered That no Archbishop or Bishop in his realme was subiect to the Court of Rome or to the Pope and that he had that libertie in his realme that the Emperour had in his Empire Anselme therefore was accused of high treason all the Bishops consenting thereunto except Gondoulfe Bishop of Rochester Vrban hereupon sent Gualter Bishop of Alba into England to bring him the Pall and to reconcile him to King William But Anselme being still desirous to goe to Rome King William answered him in plaine tearmes That if he would promise and bind himselfe by an oath vpon the booke neither to goe nor to appeale to Rome for any affaires whatsoeuer he should then well and peaceably enjoy his Bishopricke if not that it should be free for him to passe the seas but neuer to returne And this he spake in Common Councell He neuerthelesse went to Rome where by his counsell the Decree was renewed vnder paine of excommunication against the inuestiture of Layman Mathias Paris in Guilielmo 2. and so he continued at Lyons so long as William liued Let vs adde hereunto in these times the report of the Monke of Malmesburie touching the Romans The Romans sometimes Lords of the world Malmes l. 5. a people that goe in long gownes are now of all others the most ignorant An. 1097. selling iustice for gold and the Canons rule for siluer We must not forget that it was at this verie time that Pope Vrban granted to Roger Earle of Calabria and Sicilia those letters patents so much disputed by Baronius against the King of Spaine Baron an 1097 art 20. 21. sequent who now possesseth the kingdome both of the one and the other Sicile where in consideration of his good and loyall seruices done vnto the Church of Rome and against the Sarasens he made him the sonne of the vniuersall Church and by a speciall priuiledge he granteth vnto him and to his sonne Simon or any other his lawfull heire that they should neuer haue during their liues within their dominions
others but Frederick verie easily repressed him He also fostred incited against him the rebellions of Lombardie but these same also in the yeare 1237 An. 1237. Frederick hauing ouercome in battel at Corte noua brought them to that extremitie that he cōstrained almost al to yeeld themselues to his discretion Gregory til then could find no cause to manifest himselfe an open enemie against Frederick who onely sought but his owne But behold an occasion offered Frederick by force of armes recouered a part of Sardinia called Galura Gregorie pretendeth that all Sardinia belongeth to the Church therefore that this portion ought to be restored vnto him and we haue seene before vpon what friuolous title Contrariwise Frederick went carefully about to retaine it as being the auncient demaine of the Roman Empire and hereupon Gregorie being obstinatly bent he gaue the kinglie title thereof to Hentius his bastard Then was the Pope resolued on the day of Coena Domini to excommunicat him heaping vp together many vaine and friuolous causes which before he had not spoken of to strengthen the same Which Frederick vnderstanding being then at Padua sitting on his throne of justice declared and made his Apologie by Peter de Vineis his Chancellor who forgat nothing of the abuses and corruptions of the Pope and of the Court of Rome To the same end wrot the Emperour to the Romans and to all the other Princes cleering the equitie of his cause against all the obiections of the Pope and to shew how little account hee made of his Anathemaes he sent vnto him these verses Roma diu titubans longis erroribus acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput Rome in great errours long time tost and shaken Head of the world no more shall fall forsaken But on the other part Gregorie openly professed himselfe head of the rebels of Lombardie stirred vp new commotions in Apulia joyning to himselfe in league the Genowayes and Venetians so that daily appeared some new treasons against Frederick some new rebellions still arose notwithstanding Frederick who lost no time passed into Tuscane and drew neere vnto Rome Now was it time for Gregorie to haue recourse to Precessions in shew for to mollifie the hearts of the people but in effect to trie all extreame meanes to publish the same indulgences pardons and absolutions from all enormities to such as should crosse themselues against Frederick as were woont to be granted to them that crossed themselues for the Holie Land against the Saracens So that an armie of Croysadoes issued forth of Rome and met him in the field but were by him in the first encounter ouerthrowne with a great slaughter With like faith and deuotion Gregorie conuerted against him the money that he had exacted throughout all Christendome namely in Germanie France and England vnder colour for the Holie Land and the Friers Preachers and Minors had none other theame of their sermons but this That there was greater merit in ruinating Frederick and his than in exterminating the Saracens than whom they were farre worse This rage passeth yet further Gregorie writeth to king S. Lewis requesting that his letters might be read coram toto Baronagio Franciae Before all the Barons of France That he had deposed Frederic and set Robert his brother in his place being resolued to assist him to this effect with all the forces of the Church Whereunto answered in full Councell Circumspecta Francorum prudentia saith the Author the circumspect prudence of the Frenchmen the words deserue to be written at length By what spirit or with what bold timerity hath the Pope disinherited and cast downe from the top of the Empire so great a Prince than whom none greater neither equall among Christians being not conuicted neither confessing the crimes obiected against him And if he were to be deposed for his demerits yet he could not be iudged but by a generall Councell Of his faults his enemies ought not to be beleeued of which number the Pope was knowne to be the chiefe For our parts hee hath beene vnto vs hitherto innocent yea rather a good neighbour neither haue we seene any hurtfull thing in him in secular faithfulnesse nor in the Catholike faith Wee know that he hath faithfully made warre for our Lord Iesus Christ valiantly exposed himselfe to the dangers of the sea and of battels We haue not found so much religion in the Pope but contrariwise he which ought to haue aduanced and protected him fighting the battels of God hath endeuoured wickedly in his absence to ruinat and supplant him The prodigall effusion of our bloud against him the Romans little regard so they may satisfie their wrath And when he shall haue by vs or others ouercome him he will trample vnder feet all the Princes of the world and lift vp his hornes of boasting and pride because he hath oppressed Frederick a great Emperour But least wee should seeme to haue receiued the Popes message in vayne though it he apparent to vs that the Church of Rome hath not done it for loue of vs but for hatred of the Emperour we will send prudent embassadours vnto him which may diligently enquire of his faith and certifie vs of it and if they find nothing but sound and good wherefore should we molest him But if he or any other bee it the Pope himselfe should hold an euill opinion concerning God we will persecute him to the death which the Popes embassadours hearing departed confounded There went then solemne French embassadours to the Emperour who rehearsed to him from poynt to poynt that which they had heard from the Pope Which when the Emperour vnderstood he was astonished at so vnmeasurable an hatred and answered I am a Catholike Christian rightly beleeuing all the articles of the Orthodoxall faith my Lord Iesus Christ forbid that I should euer depart from the faith of my noble fathers and predecessors for to follow the steps of vile cast-awayes The Lord iudge betweene me and him who hath so wickedly defamed me through the world and lifting vp his hands vnto heauen with teares and sighes he cried out The Lord God of reuenges render vnto him his reward Thus writeth the Monke Mathew Paris an English Chronicler And let the Reader judge what opinion France and S. Lewis had of this Pope In the meane time the affaires of Syria waxed daily worse and worse and the Christians that last passed thither had ill successe in Damascus which gaue pretext to Gregorie to call a Councell at Lateran An. 1240. in the yeare 1240 in which Frederick consented to be present hauing made truce with him But when he heard that he had sent his Legats Iames Cardinall of Prenest and Otho of S. Nicholas beyond the Alpes vnder colour to exhort the Princes to send to the Councell but indeed to make him odious to exact money of the Churches and to abuse the Councell against him hee intreated the Princes his confederats not to send
thither and declared that hee would giue no safe conduct to such as should vndertake that journey especially for that he had vnderstood that the Pope hauing had aduertisement that his Agents had collected great summes of money in England and in Fraunce was resolued to breake truce with him Here it is good to heare the same Author speake Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. Cardinall Iohn Columna hauing beene author of the truce Gregorie receiueth letters from the Legat That in Fraunce alone hee had gathered alreadie so much money as whereby hee might bee vndoubtedly able to wage warre against the Emperour for a whole yeare Whereupon repenting and grieuing that hee had accepted the truce called for the excellent Cardinals Iohn de Columna and Raymund mediatours of the same I am ashamed in my selfe saith he to them that I granted truce to Frederic the enemie of the Church Goe then in hast thou speaking to Columna which wast the spokesman betwixt vs and tell him boldly that I will not hold it and that I will be his enemie and doe defie him God forbid answered Columna that in the mouth of so great a man such light words should be reported to so great a prince especially by vs which are of no common ranke for I cannot consent to this counsell of instabilitie and vnfaithfulnesse but doe constantly contradict the same To whom the Pope replied And I hold thee not henceforth for Cardinall Nor I thee for Pope sayd Columna and so departed and of a friend became his aduersarie But it verie fitly fell out addeth the author that the French king Lewis hauing intelligence of it made to be stayed in his kingdome all that money which had bin gleaned from the clergie by his permission Mellitis sermonibus fellitis comminationibus By honied speeches and bitter threatnings That by this meanes the Pope who is called Christs vicar on earth might be found faithfull though against his will Now it so fel out that Frederic was not vnarmed or vnprepared against him for he had at that verie time fiue armies a foot the first before Fayenza which he himselfe in person commaunded the second on the Tuscane Sea vnder Hencius king of Sardinia against the Genowayes the third vpon the frontiers of Germanie against the Tartarians vnder the conduct of Conrade king of Germanie the fourth in the Marca de Ancona and vallie of Spoletum the fift in Palestina vnder Rodolph Marshall of the Empire for to defend the kingdome of Hierusalem which he did notwithstanding the trauerses and hinderances of the Pope for the space of fifteene yeares The warre then continuing the siege of Fayenza dured a long time neither had he little cause to reuenge himselfe of the inhabitants who some time before hauing shut the gates of their citie before and behind vpon him violently assailed him and wickedly slew another disguised like vnto him in imperiall armour thinking it had been their Lord. Yet notwithstanding they imploring his mercie he gaue them their citie and the like libertie as to other cities of the empire which be spoken to them that accuse him of being prone to reuenge The Legats also returned accompanied with many Bishops for the Councell them he requested to turne towards him and promised them all safe-conduct desirous only to make knowne the justice of his cause vnto them Now they refusing it and chusing rather to commit themselues to the safegard of the Genowayes his enemies Hencius who watched to surprise them tooke them at sea and led them prisoners to Naples Collenucius l. 4. At which successe and others prosperously performed in the Marca de Ancona and in Romania Gregorie the ninth conceiued so great discontent being withall verie auntient that for griefe thereof he died It is not in the mean time to be forgotten that the Popes to colour their affaires the better had euer sounding in their mouthes the holie land that when vnder Honorius the third king Iohn of Brenna had taken the famous citie of Damieta Cardinall Pelagius the Popes Legat pretended that he was to haue the chief commaund ouer the armie whereat the king incensed retired himselfe through despite to Ptolomais whereby were lost the best opportunities to doe good and in the end after many bad successes Damieta was forsaken Againe when as vnder Gregorie the ninth Richard earle of Cornewall the king of Englands brother was bent to the holie wars with an armie at his instance for recouerie of these losses and was come to S. Giles in Languedock readie to embarke himselfe there came a Legat to him from Gregorie with the Archbishop of Arles commanding in his name that he should not passe the Seas All which was to despite Frederic wherat this prince much offended said vnto them I thought there had beene firmenesse of truth in the Apostolike words and in the preachers that he sent vnto me and now I am readie to enter on shipboord this Pope whom they call the successor and Vicar of Iesus Christ who neuer failed of his word forbiddeth me to march forward in his seruice And neuerthelesse resolued Detestans Romanae Ecclesiae duplicitatem Detesting the double dealing of the Church of Rome with great bitternesse of mind to goe imbarke himselfe at Marseille giuing the Emperor to vnderstand by Robert Tuing Knight and other his embassadours Papalem muscipulationem The iuglings of the Pope and his Legats The same had he done a little before to the crossed souldiers in France and other nations who being come to Lyons that from thence they might take their journey into the Holie Land found there the Popes Legat who made them the like prohibition and deliuered a commaundement in writing That euerie man should returne backe to his owne home This gaue occasion to exclaime Vnde haec in Romana Curia in Papa multiplicitas Whence commeth this varietie in the Court of Rome and in the Pope Is not this here both the time and place prefixed and appointed by his Legats and preaching Friers vpon their promises wee haue set forward our iourney haue sold and engaged our houses bidden our friends farewell sent our mony before c. And little wanted they from laying violent hands vpon the Legat if the discretion of some Prelats had not restrained the furie of the people To prouide for the election of a successor to Gregorie there remained but tenne Cardinals at Rome they therefore intreated Frederick to permit them two whom he kept prisoners to come to them and to be present at the election which he graciously granted vnto them yet on condition they should both returne except one of them were created Pope Now there was nominated Godfrey Bishop of the Sabins called Celestine the fourth who died seuenteene dayes after before he was consecrated The Cardinals assembled againe and as they were diuided some for the Church others for the Empire that they could not agree the two prisoners to performe their promise giuen returned till at
occasion fell out Whence it came that some said he had many papers vnwritten yet sealed that he might write in them what he pleased which farre be it But Iste Legatus sophisticus That sophisticall Legat commeth to the king beseeching him That he himselfe would diligently labour in the Popes behalfe that the Prelats of England might generally giue consent to make contribution to the Pope of at least ten thousand markes The king answereth That his Barons and Prelats are so often spoyled of their goods vnder diuers pretences that they neither would nor could thenceforth promise any thing They will not neither are they able to contribute either to me their king or to the Pope who yet haue promised to aid me And at this master Martin being greatly troubled departed from the kings presence And when he presented his letters to the Prelats they say vnto him The king our Lord and patron and founder and repairer of many of our Churches being destitute of treasure demaundeth ayd of vs for the strength and defence of the realme that is of the Commonwealth the same also doth the Pope instantly request vs for the king And there commeth moreouer another vnexpected demaund from the Pope so that on this side we are assailed on that side wee are distressed on this side we are troden downe on that side sorely pressed we are bruised as it were betwixt the anuill and the hammer and tormented as betweene two milstones Neuerthelesse master Martin vrgeth and is instant vigilantissimè incessantèr vigilantly and incessantly for the gathering and bestowing of reuenues in what fashion they would for the vse of the Pope and his kindred and of his saucinesse and iniurious extotion I thinke it honester and safer for reuerence of the holie Church of Rome to be silent than to offend the eares of the hearers and trouble the minds of the faithfull in rehearsing such things In the meane time the Ports of England are verie narrowly obserued that the Popes carriers might bring no more dispatches from Rome and there was one of them stayed a Douer who brought many bulls Multas abominationes de diuersis argumentis emungendi pecuniam continentes saith the Author contayning many abominations for to wrest away money so that the king detesting the insatiable couetousnesse of the Court of Rome resolued to prouide a remedie and to that end sent certaine honourable persons embassadours to the Councell of Lions in the name of the whole kingdome And to Maister Martin in the meane time is signified by one Fulke Warin that he should forthwith depart out of England he asketh from whom he hath that commaundement he is aunswered from them which of late were assemble in armes at Luithon and that if he were wise he should not tarrie three yeares longer then went he to the king and asked if that were done by his authoritie the king answereth no but that hee could hardly withhold his Barons from rising vp against him for hauing endured such robberies in his kingdome Martin trembling requesteth of him safe-conduct for the honour of the Pope the king answereth in anger The Diuell lead and carie thee into hell yet he commaunded his Knight Marshall to bring him safe to the Sea side So soone as he is come to Rome he declareth this his ill successe to the Pope And behold with what repentance he is touched The king saith he of Fraunce and the king of Aragon haue forbidden our Nuncios entrance into their kingdomes we must therfore saith he in great anger make peace with prince Frederic that we may breake in pieces these pettie kings vt hos regulos cōteramus which kick against vs for the draggon foiled or appeased the little serpents will soone be trodden down Voce sursurra saith the Historiographer oculos obliquando nares corrugando thus describeth he his choler which word being spread among the people beget a scandal of indignatiō in the hearts of many But the embassadors of the realm of Englād being arriued at the Councel of Lions partly by the words of Williā of Powerick partly by a most large letter declared quantū est extortum tributū iniuriosè how great is the tribute wrongfully extorted And after some accustomed complements to the Pope Behold say they by you and your predecessours not hauing any consideration besides the subsidies abouesayd Italians now are enriched in England of whom there is alreadie an infinit number in Churches the patronage whereof belongeth to the religious persons themselues and are called rectors of Churches leauing the foresaid religious persons whom they ought to defend altogether vndefended hauing not any care of soules but suffering most rauenous wolues to disperce the flocke and deuoure the sheepe Whence it may truely be said that they are not good Pastors for they know not their sheepe neither their sheep them they abide not in the Churches for to keepe good hospitalitie and to giue almes as is appointed yet they receiue yearely in England sixtie thousand markes and more diuers other receipts excepted they reape more profit of the mere reuenues of the Kingdome than the king himselfe who is the defender of the Church and gouernour of the Realme Now we firmely hoped and yet doe hope bearing that affiance of you that we shall reioyce by meanes of the mercie of your fatherhood that our sayd Almes deeds shall in your dayes be reformed to the due and former estate it hath beene But we cannot conceale our grieuance wherewith we are not onely grieued but also beyond measure oppressed concluding with entreatie that he would remedie the same so soone as might be especially that violent oppression intollerable griefe and impudent exaction which is committed by that hatefull clause often inserted in the Popes letters Non obstante c. But the Pope put them off to a long day for their answer neither could he dissemble the passion of his mind for that they complained to the Councell threatning among his familiars that if he had once repressed Frederic he would trample vnder his feet the English men and their King The English Embassadors then are vrgent for an answer to whom by a third he aunswereth that they could not obtayne what they demaunded And thereupon they protesting that they would neuer pay that detestable tribute he priuily sendeth secret messengers into England who made euerie bishop particularly to subscribe to that lamentable Charter of king Iohn namely as it is likely to supplie the want of the originall burnt at Lions with a copie thus made authenticall But the king hearing of it made an oath that whatsoeuer the Bishops did he would neuer pay it though it cost him his life Math. Paris And the authour addeth that in the conference that Innocent had with the king S. Lewis at Clugni he vsed all the art hee could to persuade the king to reuenge him of this jurie and to make warre against ipsum regulum Anglorum the pettie king of the
maleficorum Bodin alledgeth out of the booke of Iacob Sprenger Inquisitour of witches a strange dispensation of this Nicholas A certaine German bishop was sicke whom Nicholas greatly loued he vnderstood by a witch that his sicknesse came of witchcraft from which he could not be deliuered but by a contrarie charme by which the witch herselfe that had bewitched him must die He therefore sendeth in post to Nicholas entreating leaue of him to be cured by the witch which dispensation Nicholas granteth with this clause Of two euils auoyd the greater The Bull being receiued the witch vnder the Popes authoritie and at the Bishops entreatie setteth her hand to the businesse about midnight the Bishop was restored to health and at the verie same instant the disease passed into her that had bewitched him whereof she dyed And they would make vs beleeue that this Pope dyed of griefe for the losse of Constantinople but his denying of succours to the Greekes persuadeth vs to the contrarie From this shipwracke he gathered about him some learned Grecians but that was properly to build vp the sepulchres of the Prophets whom before he had suffered to be murdered But Alphonsus Borgia who succeedeth him by the name of Calixtus the third made a shew of repairing that fault and presently denounced warres against the Turkes saying that hee had made a vow to that end a long time before knowing but whence had he this prophesie that he should be Pope and shewed written and subscribed with his owne hand in a certaine booke these words following I Pope Calixtus make a vow to almightie God Platina in Calixto 3. and to the holie indiuisible Trinitie That I will persecute the Turkes most cruell enemies of the Christian name by warre cursings interdictions execrations and to conclude in whatsoeuer manner I can and yet was he alreadie decrepit with age He imposeth therefore a tenth on all the Clergie and publisheth a Croysado throughout all Europe according to custome granting full remission of sinnes to all that contributed to it so that once in his life and once at his death he were confessed yea and giuing authoritie to whomsoeuer would giue fiue ducats to absolue and dispence in many cases And there were set forth to sea onely sixteene gallies vnder the charge of the Patriarch of Aquileia Alphonsus king of Naples and Philip Duke of Bourgondie were admonished to crosse themselues for those warres which they made shew of But as the businesse was for a brunt onely with great earnestnesse stirred forwards so also it easily rested And then saith Platina ad Pontificia negotia animum adijciens Applying his mind to the affaires of the Popedome he began to canonize Saints one Edmund in England one Vincent in Spaine and others Which Bessarion seeing especially how rashly and indirectly the same was done These new Saints saith he make me doubt of the old Gulielm Langaeus in Praefat. suae Hist But it behoued them also in this to imitat the chiefe Bishops of the Pagans Moreouer for a supplie in stead of yeelding succours to the Greekes he ordaineth a bell to be tolled euerie day betweene noone and euening at the sound whereof whosoeuer did on their knees mutter ouer three Aue-maries and Pater-nosters should haue three yeares and three fortieth parts of Indulgences Also hee appointed a generall Procession or Letanie euerie first Sonday of the moneth in which whosoeuer assisted should obtaine seuen yeares and seuen fortieth part of Indulgences besides a prayer in the Masse for victorie against the Infidels which who so sayd should also merit three yeares of Indulgences In the meane time if the safetie and good of Christendome had beene seriously thought vpon there was offered a verie notable occasion Antonin part 3. tit 22. c. 14. for Iohn Vaiuode in that verie time ouercame Mahomet in that famous battell neere Belgrade whom his forces being diminished and he left of our men he could not follow But Calixtus howsoeuer forgat not to looke to his owne affaires and therefore Alphonsus king of Naples being deceased and Ferdinand his bastard hauing obtained his place he presently prouided for the chiefest Bishoprickes of the realme which he durst not doe in the kings life-time And which is more saith Antoninus by Bulls he declared Antonin part 3. tit 22. c. 16. that the realme of Naples vacant pertained to him alone as a feoffee of the Church commaunding Ferdinand to forgoe it and that neither he nor any other whosoeuer vnder paine of excommunication should call himselfe king of that kingdome but that if any pretended there any right the businesse should first be discussed by him who dissolueth all oathes of fidelitie or homage which any had yeelded vnto him He likewise wrot to the States of the kingdome That Ferdinand was not the sonne of Alphonsus but one supposed And this he did that he might transferre the kingdome to Iâ—igni Borgia his nephew or his sonne From which sentence Ferdinand moued with anger appealeth Francis Sforcia Duke of Milan his father in law was also grieuously offended protesting to leaue nothing vnattempted whereby the state of his sonne in law may be defended Pandolf Colenuc lib. 5. Donatus Bossius But thereupon Calixtus dieth who a little before had framed the office or seruice of the Transfiguration with the like Indulgences as hath the feast of Corpus Christri For it was meet that the Popish religion being meerely humane should from day to day encrease with humane inuentions Aeneas Syluius called Pius the second a man of great knowledge I would hee had beene of like conscience An. 1458. succeeded this Calixtus in the yeare 1458 but the Papall chaire soone discouered what a manner of man he was He had bin Scribe in the Councell of Basil Platina in Pio 2. Register of the Apostolike letters one of the twelue which were ordained Censors of the Councell yea had many times sat chiefe among those that had beene deputed touching matters of faith and was twice chosen amongst them which conferred benefices and if any thing of moment were to be determined by the nations he was euer chosen chiefe for Italie He was moreouer appointed embassadour in the Councels name thrice to Strasbourg once to Trent twice to Constance once to Franckford and twice into Sauoy authour or furtherer of all things that were done in this Councell the Acts whereof he writeth downe in two bookes out of which his opinion thereof is manifest ynough In so much that when Eugenius was deposed and Felix set in his place he was sent by Felix embassadour to the Emperour Frederick to declare vnto him the just causes of his election on which occasion admiring the dexteritie of his wit he drew him to his seruice He being sent to Rome by Frederic to deale with the Pope about his coronation was enticed with the delights of the Court of Rome and in fauour of Nicholas sold the renunciation of Felix Whereupon he was
belong to that Court that vseth to commaund both Emperours and Kings And Baronius hath set downe this excellent Apothegme in great letters Baron an 1169. art 11. By the pride of the seruant we may iudge the modestie of the Master Doubtlesse the wisest of this world judge otherwise of the power and authoritie of the Pope Otho Bishop of Frisinghen saith Otho Frisingens in prologo l. 4. Chron. Two persons are constituted in the Church by God the Priestlie and the Princelie the one hath the administration of the Sacraments of Christ and to exercise Ecclesiasticall descipline with the spirituall sword the other carieth the materiall sword against the enemies of the Church defending the poore and the Churches of God from the oppression of the wicked punishing euill doers and exercising secular iudgement These are the two swords whereof we read in the Passion of our Sauiour but Peter is said to vse but onely one Therefore euen as to the spirituall sword spirituall possession belong that is to say the tithes the oblations of the faithfull and others of like sort so to the materiall are subiect all worldlie dignities as Duke domes Earle-domes and the like Now God would that these things should be in his Church orderly and not confusedly that is to say not in one person alone but diuided betweene two as I haue formerly named Euen as these persons therefore that carrie the materiall sword are not to meddle with those things that are spirituall so is it not fit for the spiritual to vsurp the other And to make good this saying many testimonies of the Scriptures and of our Lord himselfe besides the example of Saints may be alledged as that Gospell that saith Giue vnto Caesar the things that belong vnto Caesar and vnto God the things that are Gods That which our Lord Iesus Christ had deliuered in words he declared also by effects when yeelding tribute to whom tribute belonged he gaue tribute for himselfe and Peter And S. Paul acknowledged that we ought to yeeld honour to whom honour belongeth considering that all power is from God who being brought to iudgement did not appeale to Saint Peter who then possest the chaire at Rome but to Nero a most impious and a wicked man ordained by the will of God King of the whole world And thus much touching the honour of Kings But he goeth about to defend the Pope by some poore weake reasons but in the end concludeth I confesse I know no other refage but this that we haue known holie men both of Apostolike faith and merit as Syluester Gregorie Vlric Boniface Lampert Gothard and diuers others that haue had these things but for my selfe to speake my owne opinion I doubt whether this exalting of the Church in these dayes be more acceptable to God than the humilitie of former times Verily it seemeth that state was the better this the happier Neuerthelesse I agree with with the Church of Rome c. That is to say to be rather temporally happie with the one than spiritually happie with the Apostles and the holie Fathers and shortly after he hides not from vs vpon what foundation he groundeth his reason That all scruple saith he of that controuersie being resolued by his authoritie and example is againe secretly signified by that which was sayd to S. Peter Duc in altum lanch into the deepe and cast your nets to take fish Luke 5. yea it is so secret that for the space of 500 of the first and best yeres none of the auntient Doctors could perceiue this mysterie Jdem l. 3. Chron. 1.3 But the same authour speakes more openly in another place After the donation of Constantine the Church of Rome affirmeth that all Realmes of the West belonged to it by the gift of Constantine this he refuteth himselfe In token whereof it doubted not to exact tribute euen to this present of all those except the two Kingdomeâ— of the French that is to say the Gaules and the Germans which hee would gladly draw into his Net if they would suffer him But in our France at the verie same time they that were called Waldenses or Albienses earnestly set against the Church of Rome condemning all the traditions thereof rejecting the ceremonies and declaring it in expresse words to be that Babylon in the Apocalyps the mother of fornications and the Pope verie Antichrist the man of sin foretold by the holie Scriptures These people maintayned the puritie veritie and simplicitie of the Christian Religion in all the Countries both on the mountaines and vallies of Daulphine Prouence Languedoc and Guyan where the corruptions and papall inuentions could not so easily penetrat no otherwise than as we see the Tongues customes and habits of nations to be preserued in Countries more remote against the inundation and mingling of the people as the originall Tongue of Spaine in the mountaines of Biscay and the auntient Tongue of the Brittons in Wales with their manners and customes also and so likewise of others For that so great a multitude of people spread from the Alpes euen to the Pirence by the instruction of Waldo had beene as it were hatcht vp in one day exceedeth all beliefe all reason Contrariwise he that would retire himselfe from the world seriously to contemplate his owne saluation it is likely he rather learned it of them and afterward taught at Lyon where for the renowne of the citie they that were his followers or affected his doctrine were called Waldenses as they who preached in the citie of Alba ware called Albienses and not many yeres before Peter Bruitzius Henrie his disciple publiquely teaching at Tholouse were called Tholousians and so likewise were they called at the Councell of Lateran held vnder Alexander the third Of this antiquitie to the end we need not doubt thereof the aduersaries themselues auouch the truth amongst whom Frier Rainerius who writ about the yeare of our Lord 1250 Among all the sects that are saith he or euer will be none can be more pernitious to the Church of God than that of Lyons An. 1250. Frater Rainerius de Waldensibus for three causes the first because it hath continued a longer time than any some say that it hath beene euer since the time of Syluester others say from the time of the Apostles that is to say inasmuch as integritie euer went before corruption and the same maintayned by them as it is said of the true Church in the Apocalyps that it was preserued euen in the desart The second because it is more generall for there is not almost any Countrie where into this sect hath not crept whereas in the meane time they aske vs where our Church then was The Third because all the other procure horrour by their blasphemies against God this of the Lionists hath a great apparence of pietie in as much as they liue vprightly before men and put their trust in God in all things and obserue all the Articles