of one that so they might live in an Anarchy or tumultuous cōfused State but it was their vnspeakeable comfort that since the blessed God had takē vnto him her who was their most gracious Lady he had another in store whō they might serve in peace follow in warre frō the bottome of their harts pray for in both So hath the word of God seasoned the harts of old yong amōg v◅ with true subiectiō Christian obsequiousnes to the higher power Now for Germany when was it in the Electours other Princes more flourishing thē of late Whē were the governmēts of the Pals-grave Duke of Saxony Laurgrave of Hasse others of the religiō more in riches or setled trāquillity thē now And if the Empire it selfe be weakened the strength therof be pulled on the knees that is not the fault of the Gospell there professed for that errour was longe since runne into by o Ha◅lan Histo◅ l. 15. Charles King of Bohemia and Emperour who to get the Empire to his sonne released to the Electours and Princes the tributes other revenewes Imperiall And when they had once tasted the sweetnes therof they would never part with it againe Scotland was never more prosperous in deeper peace surer trafficke thē it is at this day And if heretofore there have bin any tumultuous it was the fault of some humorous persons and not of Religion as may appeare by the cōparing of that time with this when neverthelesse now the same doctrine is there professed The Cantons of Suitzerland the Protestants about thē do all well maintaine their States governments And the Vnited Provinces doe make a prety shift to keepe that which they had it wholy seemeth to be in such a cōplete order that the King of Spaine knoweth not wel what to make of it Then certainly al States and kingdomes be not quite destroyed by vs but those countries which harbour the Gospell live in as good reputatiō as other their poore neighbours do by them 18 But somewhat els there is in it The low Coūtries have shoken of the yoke of the Spanyards service Some of them indeede have but so many of their p Apolog. Prin◅p Aur◅ Vid◅◅ter lib 1 Dino◅h lib. 1. Apologies and other Defences published to the Christian world shew that it was not hastely vnadvisedly done They have let it be vnderstood that the Duke of Burgūdies government over them was not so absolute as the power of other cōfining Princes is over their Subiects That there is a very great reciprocal duty of his parte toward them even by the Positive Orders of their coūtry That their first submission of themselues to their Dukes then being French and afterward to the house of Austria was ever on that cōdition sworne vnto that the◅ Privileges should be kept Among them those which are the liberties of Brabant are the cheefe Now as these Hollanders say for thēselves whē King Philip the 2. tooke that harsh coūsaile to govern thē by Strāgers to over-rūne thē by his Spaniards to brīg in the Inquisitiō to behead their Nobles burn vp their people to erect new Bishopricks for a bloudy purpose in a word without ◅bling or cōsul◅g the Stats to alter by the sword the whol face of those Provinces they sēt oft to the Court in Spaine they vsed ◅nfinite supplications which would not be heard intercessions of neighbour Princes many pawses and sta◅es hopes at last being driven by extreme necessitie they proceeded farther even proclaiming that he had lost the Interest which formerly he had over them Nothing made them so averse as their vnderstanding by a q Meterr lib 2 letter intercepted that there was a proiect in the King to vse diverse of their Nobles well at first and afterward to destroy thē This letter was writen from Fran◅cus Alava Embassadour for the K. in Fraunce to the Lady Governes the Duchesse of Parma But when all this is said your Papists were every way Actours in this as farre as any other they did ioyne with the rest and were most forward for the maintenance of their Privileges And this so farre appeared that they iointly would have submitted all to r Meter l 12 Henry the 3. of Fraūce a Prince of the Romish religiō which in very deede formerly they had done to s Lib 10 Mounsieur the Duke of Alansō choosing him to be their Duke of Brabāt when he gave no other signification but in his faith to be Popish Yea the case of these Low-coūtry-mē seemed to mē of al sortes so iust reasonable that first s Lib 8 Mathias and afterward t Libr 17 Ernestus Archdukes both of Austria both kins-mē of bloud to King Philip both of the Romane faith did come personally into those parts and were Governours of the forces of those vnited Provinces which in the eies of every indifferēt mā doth leaue a strōg impressiō that the dealing of the Spanyard was more discōmēdable toward thē thē theirs was toward hī And I do verily beleeve that if matters were now fresh to begin the King Catholike who now is his very wise sage councel would be wel advised before that they would vndertake any courses so apparātly offensiue to the whol body of that people Notwithstādīg I do leave this whol questiō of the Low-coūtries to the vnderstāding cōsideration of the wise to that which time shal farther discover The rising of the u Sleidan Comment Lib 4 5 Cōmōs in Germany was not caused by Religiō for those of greatest fame who professed the religiō as Luther namely did disswade them from it and wrote against them but it was such a mutiny as sometimes Subiectes make in other Nations and the like whereof of late the olde u Peda de historias King of Spaine had in Arragon and so had England in the daies of Kinge Richard the second by Iacke Stravve VVat Tiler and other such noble companions and another such in the raigne of King Edward the sixt Of such insurrections vvhat opinion vvee have may partely bee seene by that treatise of Sir Iohn Cheeke The true subiect to the Rebell partly by our preachings writings since We dislike it we detest it we condemne it we pronounce it to be Rebelliō In the stirres which were in Scotland there is no doubt but there were many errour◅ on both sides If the ambition of some whither in Parliamēt or otherwise or the disorderly tumult of some multitudes did sway to farre let thē be are their owne blame But this did not overthrow the kingdom no we know that it stādeth to this day in great glory albeit perhaps that be not wholy to be ascribed vnto thē who in their chāges did as much looke to seeming ciuil pollicy as to the veritable approovable rules of religiō We doe not hold it to be the power or pleasure of
of our Lord 1471. By this story it is manifest that both noble and learned of high account were of that Christian beleefe which Iohn Hus taught and vvere contented to adventure all things which they had in the world for the maintenance of the same 21 Perhaps here it may be asked but how shall we know that Iohn Hus and his followers did embrace that Religion which is now professed in England We finde in Aeneas Sylvius some opinions of theirs which peradventure will scant be reputed currant among all English Protestantes He rehearseth these fowre of theirs e Histor. Bohem ca. 50. That they would receiue the Sacrament in both kindes that Civill dominion is inhibited to Cleargy men that preaching of the vvords was to bee permitted to all men that publike crimes are in no sort to bee tolerated I answere truth it is that he there mentioneth onely those whither he relateth them truely or no it may be doubted as anon I shall shewe by laying open the custome of the enimies of the Gospell in mis-reporting their doctrine But elsewhere he delivereth other opinions of theirs as f Epist. 130. against the Supremacie of the Pope against Purgatorie against Invocation of Saints and such like matters If wee returne to Cochleus who was best acquainted with their matters wee shall finde much more As thus g Cochl Hist. lib. 1. Hus translated all the bookes of Canonicall Scripture into the Bohemian tongue the people did most diligently read them They would haue the holy Scripture to bee the only iudge in matters of Controversie They held that al Bishops and Priests are the successours of the Apostles That not the Pope but Christ is the head of the Church neither are the Cardinals the body but all that beleeue in Christ. That the Pope is not a member of the Church but of the Devill and his Synagoge That one Pope was a womā Yea Hus did preach that the Pope is an abomination and Antichrist Also h Lib. 2. he called the Generall Councel at Cōstance the Synagoge of Sathan Another of his Articles was i Lib. 3. The Pope is the beast in the Apocalyps His scholers after his death broke downe the k Lib. 4. Images in Churches and Monasteries Yea Zisca did cast downe all the l Lib. 5. Churches which were dedicated to the Virgin Mary or to any Saint as if it were lawfull to build a Church onely to almighty God In his time the Professours began to be distinguished into two companies The one of them did not so much dissent from the Pope as the other Those which in fewer matters differed from the Bishop of Rome retained stil the name of Hussites they which disagreed in more were called Thaborites of Thabor the Citty which Zisca built for them And these were the greater number and the stronger There is in Cochleus a m Professio fidei antiquae c. Confession of faith by one Iohannes de Pr◅bram a Bohemian who was but a Hussite and not well affected to the Thaborites because he accounted them as a kinde of Precisians or Puritanes in comparison of himselfe Yet this more milde man doth wishe and begge of God to see a reformation of the Church that there might be redressed n Artic. 57. Simonyes through all the worlde most detestable most wicked setting to sale of all Sacramentes most insatiable avarice most impudent fornications most putrified vncleannesses rottennesses most abominable Co◅ubines-keeping most polluted manners most dissolute most corrupt gestures behaviours harlotry every where too too much multiplyed in the Cleargy wherewith alas the whole earth lyeth corruptly filthy Also the Lucifer-like pride of the Cleargie vvhich is exalted above God their dainety and dayly banquets their aboundant riches and rich aboundance their disquietnesse most litigions being the cheefe roote of the quarrels of the world their curiosity most vai◅ their most vnseemely pompe of apparell their conversation most secular-like their most open transgression of all the commaundements of God their most remisse care of soules their most negligent regard of the word of God This he saith for himselfe but concerning the Thaborites who indeede came neerer to the purity of the Gospell hee witnesseth of them that they held o Articul 5◅ That materiall bread doth re◅ine in the Sacramēt◅ that the Saints now triumphant are not to be called vpon that there is no Purgatory that no suffrages or praiers are to be made for the dead◅ Also they allow not of the holy da◅es almost of al the Saints nor of the Eves or Uig◅s that go◅ before them Nor the consecrations of visible thinges as salt oyle holy-water belles and such like They have a s◅bismaticall celebration of their Masses that is a severall sort of Church-service and refuse the most celebrsou◅ service of the Churc◅ and th◅ r◅es and administrations of almost all the Sacraments Let our Papists now speake whether they wee do not agree in the same doctrine altogither For I doubt not but they who had received so much grace from God as to see all these things were also partakers of farther knovvledge in the mysteries of Salvation 22 VVhile I have spoken thus largely concerning these good Christians in Bohemia let not any man imagine that Christes faithfull flocke was restrained within the compasse of that countrey so that godly men were else no-where to bee found For certaine it is that betweene the time of Iohn Hus who was burnt in the yeere 1415. the first standing vp of Martin p An. 1517. Luther were very many other who in that darkenes did see what belonged to the light of the Gospell Among these may be reckoned as verie memorable the Waldēses who about the yeere 1508. do make q Responsio ad Doctorē Augustinū an answere in de◅ce of thēselues therin as they testifie that they thē had Priests of their own so they speake against Purgatory and most op◅ly against Trāsubstātiatiō The same touching Trāsubstātiatiō they do in a r Waldensium Confessio in fasciculo ◅erum expetend ◅ugiend Cōfessiō of theirs where also they impugne Adoration of the Eucharist There also they name the Prelates vnsav◅ry salt avouch that the execrable naughtines which was in thē by the instinct of the Devil did drive thē away frō the Sea of Rome For the Papists in their Sermon◅ did cal one another schismatikes heretikes sacrilegious false Prophets ravening wolves the beast and whore in the Revelation Of s Sleidan Lib. 16. these there were many in one part of Fraunce who time out of minde had refused to beare the yoke of the Pope and therefore in the daies of Frauncis the first king of Fraunce by a bloudy decree of that king but by the execution of one Minerius a most cruell person Merin◅ol and Cabriers with some other villages about them were sacked and destroyed men women and children being slaine Yea diverse of them
Bohem ca. 35. He who first raised vp the opinions of the Hussites had them from Oxford carying thence into Bohemia Wiclefs bookes De Realibus Vniversalibus Cochleus who by his good will would bee taken for a vehement defender of Popery giveth yet a larger testimony For he saith n Histor. de Hussitis li. 1. that as a Bohemian brought first into Bohemia Wiclef booke De Realibus Vniversalibus so there was afterward one Pâ—ter Paine a scholer of Wiclefs who after the death of his Maister came also into Bohemia and brought with him Wiclefs bookes which were in quantitie as great at Saint Austens workes o Ibidem Many of these bookes did Hus afterward translate into their mother tongue In plaine tearmes after this the Authour delivereth it that p Lib. 2. the Hussites and Thaborites were branches of Wiclef And in the same booke Hus did commit spirituall fornication with many strangers with the Wiclefists the Dulcinists c. And in the next he avoucheth that q Lib. 3. Hus and Hierome tooke their heresies from Wiclef And once againe he tearmeth the Protestant Germanes r Lib. 6. new Wiclefists What an opinion of this man Iohn Hus had may be fully seene by that wish of his wherin hee praied s Lib. 2. that hee might there bee where the soule of Wiclef was Now what VViclef did teach may be easily gathered if by nothing else yet by the deadly hatred which the Romanists did cary toward him The s Session 8. Councell of Constance did define him to be an Heretike long after his death and commaunded that his bones should be taken vp and burnt Also t Cochl li. 1. Pope Iohn the 23. in a Generall Councel at Rome did before that time condemne him for an heretike which the Hussites did but laugh at But no man had a harder conceipt of him then Cochleus who sticketh not to affirme that u Lib. 2. he thinketh the torments of Wiclef are greater in hell then those of Iudas or Nero. If God Almighty had no better opinion of him the man were in an ill case But the best is this cholerike Criticke is not the Iudge of all the world He was angry beâ—â—ke in behalfe of Transubstantiation concerning which he citeth this Article of Wiclef There was never a greater heresie then that which putteth the Accident without a Subiect in the Eucharist But he might haue named more pointes wherein that holy man did differ from the Church of Rome The u Session 8. Councell of Constance picketh out fiue and forty Articles of his Positions which the learned Reader may finde there Yet doubtlesse many of them are fasly reported which is a matter common with enimies of the truth to perverâ—… and mis-construe that so they may more freely defame There was one x Respo ad â—…8 artic Wiclef In â—…ase rer ex petend 〈◊〉 Wideford who tooke on him to answere eighteene Articles said to be Wiclefs whence a maÌ„ may gather some of his doctrine But that al things there laid against him were not true may wel be obserued out of the same Answere declaring that he had many things coÌ„cerning Wiclef but only by y In fine Articul 10. fame report And z Virgil. Aeneid 4. that is not the most certaine Relater What positioÌ„s indeed he held may be seene in M r. Foxe reporting his life actions as also in the a Lib. 18. Catalogus Testium veritatis And those who be not learned may esteeme of them by the doctrine of Iohn Hus before rehearsed who by the testimony of the Papists themselues as I haue shewed maintained the opinions of Wiclef 25 Now that this worthy champioÌ„ preacher of the Gospell of Iesus Christ went not alone but had many English men and women who in his life time after his death beleeved as he beleeved professed as hee professed is in the next place to bee shewed Among the chiefe of his fautours were Iohn of Gaunt as b Apolog. Hieâ—…arch ca 1. Parsons the Iesuit confesseth and Lord Henry Percy the one of them Duke of Lancaster the other Marshall of Englande Master Foxe citeth out of a c Ex Regist G. Courtney Register of the Arch-bishoppe of Canterbury a Mandate mentioning that the Conclusions of Wiclef were preached in diverse and sundrie places of the Arch-bishoppes Province generally commonly and publikely The same also is manifested by a letter of that Arch-bishoppe to the Bishop of London and in a Monition directed to d Ad Cancellar Ox. Oxford where it is said that certaine Conclusions hereticall and erroneous were generallie commonly preached and published in diverse places of the Province of Canterbury There be extant also e Ad 〈◊〉 Cant. Cancel Oxon. letters of King Richarde the seconde directly signifying so much But there is nothing vvhich maye more amply testifie the spreading of his doctrine then an Acte of Parliamente in the beginning almost of that younge Kinges dayes vvhere it is related that there vvere f Anno 5. Rich 2. ca. 5 diverse preaching dayelie not onelye in Churches and Church-yardes but also in markets fâ—…res and other open places where a great congregation of people is â—…verse sermons containing Heresies and â—…etorious errours This putteth mee in minde of a written booke which once g In manu M r. Guâ—…el Wirley I sawe being a Chronicle compiled by a Monke of Leicester Abbay who writing of the time of the saide K. reporteth at large that the people in faires markets riding by the way almost every where would talke of the Scripture and reprove the customes of that time as also the Priests to the exceeding greate trouble and offence of the Clergy This they might the rather doe out of the word of God because the Scriptures were then translated into English as may bee seene by diverse copies vvritten and remayning to this day supposed to bee so turned by UUiclf And it is very probable that in Leicestershire there were many of those of vvhome the Monâ—…e Leicestrensis spake since at Luâ—…erworth a towne in thâ—…t Counâ—…e Iohn UUiclâ—…f vvas beneficed But the greatest parte of this learned mans abode was at the first in the Vniversitie of Oxford vvhere hee was both a Doctor and Reader of Divinity and therefore is to bee conceived to have many learned men partaking with him in his opinions h In fine R. Edward 3. Maister Foxe saith out of the Chronicle of Saint Albaneâ—… that hee had a benefice in Oxford of vvhich he was deprived by Simon 〈◊〉 Arch-bishop of Canterbury It may be this was nothing else but the Maister-ship or Chiefe Governours place in Baâ—…oll College vvhich I am perswaded that he had since there are yet two auncient writings in the Treasurie of that i In Archivis Colleg. Baâ—…ol College vvhich I have seene who vvere made in the name of Iohn Vviclif Maister of that house
Seminaries lacke writers wheÌ„ they set you vp to be one but like lips like lettice like cause like advocate You powshâ—… through like blinde bayard as if all were right when heere bee a great many propositions which you should proove good maÌ„ you are not able to goe through with the least of them We first require of you to make good that such certaine and vndoubted miracles as were wrought by holy men in the Primitiue Church were done by Persons of that Romane professioÌ„ which nowe you hold We vtterly deny this affirme that if those good Christians did now live saw the Chaos of your Popery they would cry out that you are a degenerate bastardly successioÌ„ even as AbrahaÌ„ would have said to those h Iohan. 8â—… 33 Iewes who craked in the preseÌ„ce of our Saviour Christ himselfe that they were AbraliaÌ„s seed SecoÌ„dly you must proue that since Christs time no miracle was wrought by any which was not of the true Church VVhere by the way I hartyly pray you to take that text with you i Mat 7. 22 Many will say to 〈◊〉 in that day Lord have 〈◊〉 not by thy name prophecied by thy name cast ouâ—… Devils â—…y thy name done many great workes And then will professe to theÌ„ answereth our Saviour I never knew you departe froÌ„ 〈◊〉 yee that worke iniquity Thirdly you must assure vs that these straÌ„ge things that you wil bring for the coÌ„firmatioÌ„ of your Popery are true narratioÌ„s for I doubt not but to make it plain to every intelligeÌ„t body that a large coÌ„pany of those whoÌ„ you meÌ„tion are but a rable of foolish fables You may not take on you to be of an estate as high as Antichrist your maister you must come a little shorte of him lying k 〈◊〉 Thes. 〈◊〉 91 wonders are his parte and wondrous lyes are yours Fourthly you must tell vs who gave you a licence to talke so wide of your miracles as that all approved vvritters and those eie-witnesses doe deliver so much for you and that these testifiers especially your late Legendary writers to whome anone you must haue recourse are worthy to bee sorted with the witnes of the Gospell the Actes other the holy Scripture A coÌ„parison right worthy of you I wishe you no hurte but if you should be apprentice to a Tankard-bearer in London till you had proved these pointes there would nothing but death parte you and your maister That Masse hath beene saide in England it as certaine as that the l Matth â—…4 〈◊〉 abhomination of desolation was in the holy place That warres haue bin long yet in Hungary are coÌ„tinued betweene Turkes and Christians wee deny not as also that there be East and West Indies but that your assertions are as evident as these there is none which will say but your selfe neither would you affirme it but since the time that you have lefte blushing Wit or learning or shame or honesty if all vvere not asleepe would keepe you more within compasse But while you do thus this is the benefit which you gaine that with fooles you make some shewe but wise folkes even among Papists will dispise you and bee ashamed of you Their cause is naught and you still make it worse Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You doe well to set a face vpon a bad matter T. HILL IN the second age were wrâ—…ght those woÌ„derfull miracles by the Christian Teâ—…t in lib ad Scap in Apol. c. 5. Euseb lib 5. hist. c 5. Oros. lib. 7. hist. c. 15. souldiâ—…rs in the army of M. Antonius which Tertullian Eusebius Orosius the Emperour himself haue recorded In the third age were the miracles of Gregorius Thaumaturgus witnesses S. Basile lib de spiritu â—…aÌ„cto c. 29. Gregory Nyssene in vita eius Hierom. de viris illustrib Ruâ—…inus l. 7. hist. c. 25 In the 4. of S. Anthony Hilarion Martine Nicolas of others In the 5. those which S. Austen setteth downe l. 22. de civit c. 8. In the 6. those which S. Gregory maketh mention of lib. 3. dial c. 2. 3. In the 7. those which were done in England in the coÌ„version therof written by the same Greg. l. 9. â—…p 58. And by venerable Bede l. 1. hist. c. 31. In the 8. the miracles of S. Cutbert S. Iohn 〈◊〉 England also Bede l. b. 4. hist. 5. In the 9. the miracles of Tharasius written by Ignat. Nicen. of others In the 10. the miracles of S. Romuald recorded by S. Peter Daâ—… of S. Wenceslaus of others which Surius writeth In the 11. the miracles of S. Edward K. and vir of S. Ans. and of others In the 12. the miracles of S. Mal. S. Barn and of others In the 13. the miracles of S. Fran. S. Dom. S. Bonavent S. Celest. and of others In the 14. the miracles of S. Bernardine S. Katherine of Sienna and of others In the 15. tâ—…e the miracles of S. Viâ—…c S. Ant. and of others And last of all in this 〈◊〉 16. age are the miracles of the glorious S. Fran. de Paulâ—… of the holie Iesuite Zavâ—… 〈◊〉 the Indies and of many 〈◊〉 G. ABBOT 3 THe first miracle that you cite was that vnder M. Aurelius as m Locis supra citatis Tertullian and Eusebius call him Orosius termeth him M. Antoninus Verus he himselfe in his Epistle which is to be seene in some Copies of Iustinus Martyr M. Aurelius Antoninus but none of them hath M. Antonius The matter vvas that in Germany he with all his army was like to perish for want of water and in an extremity when all other meanes did fatle a legion of the Christians which afterward was ther-vpon called Legio Fulmiâ—… did ioine in instant praier to their God and presently there fell aboundance of raine to their exceeding comfort and withall there were thundrings and lightnings which fel among their enemies and desolated them Gregorius Thaumaturgus first was called n Hier devi ris illustrio Theodorus but now vseth to be termed also Gregorius Ponticus or Neocaesariensis he was a scholler to Origen and of him it is o Basil de spir Sanct. cap 29 written that he had power against Divels yea as Socrates affirmeth by sending p Lib 4 22. letters concerning that businesse he could cast them out he cured the sicke he turned the course of rivers he dryed vp a marish converted diverse to Christianity and fore-told many things Anthony the Monke was a meere ignorant man devoide of all knowledge of letters he could foretell somethings as q Lib 1 13. Sozomen saith and did divers wonders as r Lib 1 17 Socrates hath Of Hilarion the Heremite s In vita Hilarionis Hierome reporteth that by praier he procured a barren woman to haue a childe healed diverse which were extreamely sicke dispossessed some of Divels Of Martine I find in s Lib 3 13
Sozomen that it is beleeved of him that he raised vp a dead man and did show other signes not inferiour to the wonders of the Apostles The tales of t zach Lip pel in vita Nicolas Nicolas are that when he was a sucking childe he knew what it was to fast and therefore on Wednesdaies and Frydaies would not touch the brest till night When he was a man he foresaw a tempest at sea and when it came with his praier he alayed it He appeared in a vision to the Emperour by night and caused him to pardon three innocent men whom he intended to execute Saint Austen u De civit Dei li 22 8 mentioneth that at Milaine neere the bodyes of Protasius and Gervasius a blinde man was restored to his fighte That at Carthage when hee himselfe was in the house Innocentius a chiefe officer of that citty was by prayer miraculously cured of a very fearefull sore Also that Innocentia was healed of a canker in her brest and a Physitian of his gowt by being baptised with divers such other matters For the sixth age that whichis cited out of u Dialog li 3 ca 2 3 Gregory is that when Iohn the Pope had rode on the horse of a Noble-woman the horse would not any more endure a vvoman on his backe no not his olde mistresse that the same Iohn had at Constantinople made a blinde man see and that Agapitus another Pope caused one who was dumbe and lame both to speake and go The wordes of x Li 9. Epi. 58 Gregory about the conversion of Englande are onlye those in generall that God by Augustine the Monke had there shewed great miracles and that hee should not be prowde thereof Bede y Hist lib 1 cap 31 citeth the Epistle of Gregory vnto Augustine and addeth nothing of his owne Of z Lib 4 28 Cuthbert he rehearseth that whereas sprites did haunt a place at his comming thither they gaue over that by prayer he got a well to spring vp in dry grounde that by his meanes barren lande did grow to plentifull fertilitie Of a Li 5 22 3 4 Iohn that he caused a dumbe boy to speak and healed a Nunnes arme that was much indaungered by vnseasonable letting of blovd and such like b Lippeloo in vitis SaÌ„ctor feb 25 Thatasius Archbishop of Constantinople vnder Constantine and â—…ene vvas a great defendour of the erecting and vvorshipping of Images in Churches The miracles related of him out of Ignatius the monke are that after his death at his tumbe vvas cured a woman vvhich vvas troubled vvith an issue of bloude a man that had a sore eie an innumerable multitude of such as were infested vvith fovvle spirites and oflame men and of blinde folkes 4 The c Nova legend Ang. in vita Ruwoldi legende hath of S. Romuald that as soone as he vvas borne hee did speake Divinity and forthwith being baptized did preach high pointes of doctrine lived in all but three daies at his tombe in Buckingham many lame blind were restored Of d Lippeloo Septem 28 è Surio WeÌ„ceslaus it is said that being but a very weak maÌ„ and entring combat with Radâ—…s a most valiant Generall by signing himselfe with the signe of the crosse and by the helpe of Angels attending him hee caused his enemy to fall prostrate downe vnto him Also that the Emperour saw Wenceslaus garded with a couple of Angels King e Idem in â—…anuar 5. Edward who marrying the Earle Godwines daughter did togither with her by consent of them both keep perpetual virginity is recounted to haue cured a lame Irish man by carying him on his back to the Church Also to haue healed the very sore throate of a woman to haue giveÌ„ sight to divers blinde men and to haue helped at his tombe many very ill affected The tales of f Nova legend Angl 〈◊〉 Anselm Anselme be that when once he laked meate for his company he did bid one cast a net into the next river and he caught a great troute that being with a noble man and neither of them seeing what was done or comming he told him that one was bringing a sturgeon vnto him Another noble man being leprous was clensed by drinking the water wherwith he had washed his hands at the Masse At Winchester the towne being on fire he made a crosse with his haÌ„d immediatly the flame ceased He caused a well to spring vp suddainly on the top of a rock At LyoÌ„s divers eating of the remainder of his meat were healed of sundry diseases With his blessing he freed a womaÌ„ possessed of the Devil A souldiour that had the dropsie by putting on the girdle of Anselm was recovered g Bernard vita 5. Mal. Malachy was by birth an Irish man with the annointing of holy oile he healed a boy that was lunatike He so restored hearing to a deafe maÌ„ that when he put his fingers into his eares there seemed to come out of either of theÌ„ a pretty pig He cured one Michael of a bloudy flixe by sending him meat froÌ„ his table Some who came to seeke his life were destroyed by lightning One who spoke ill of him had his tongue eaten vppe with vvormes Hee vtterlye expelled a Devill vvhich remooved out of one vvoman into another and many other such matters hee did Saint h In vita Bernard l 1 10 Bernarde as it is reported of him laide his hande on his vnckle Galdricke beeing sicke and bad his fever departe and it did so He freed of his trouble a man much molested with the Devill by laying him neere the aultar and putting the Eucharist vnder his head At Milaine i Lib 2 4 he droue a Divell out of a woman A boy k Lib. 4 5 also that was a foole and lame deafe and dumbe was made perfectly whole by him and divers other matters of like nature Saint Frauncis when his preaching was despised by the l Mat. Paris in Hen. 3. Romanes went into the fields there charged the crowes and kites and pies to listen to his doctrine which they did for halfe a day without any noise or chattering And thus he did for three dâ—…ies togither Fifteene daies before he dyed there appeared in his hands and feete wounds dropping with bloud as it was with our Saviour Christ hanging vpon the crosse And he had such a hole in his right side that a man might see the in most secrets of his hart But when he was dead none of the wounds appeared vpon him Of S. Dominicke m Ibidem Matthew Paris n In Greg 9. Platina and o Chro. l 4. Genebrard do say that he was canonized for a Saint but they name not his speciall miracles But the p Lippeloo in August 4. abridger of the Legend of Surius who never faileth at any iumpe telleth of him that when the Albingenses did cast a booke of his
many therfore were attainted and accordingly received punishment If they should be well examined the Visions which are fathered on Philippus Nerius of whom I spake before and who not 〈◊〉 many 〈◊〉 An 1595. yeares since dyed at Rome would proue to be of this quality Divers of his friends g Eius vitae l 1 An 1556 dying are said to appeare vnto him he saw their soules immediatly passing into the kingdome of heaven Nay h An 1559 Christ himselfe was seene of him And as he saw Visions for other so other saw some for him whence we may learne that false laddes neede no other brokers then themselues This Philip and his fellowes had pretended to go into India to convert soules but one i An 1557 Augustinus Ghettinus a Monke and confederate of his saw Iohn the Evangelist in a Vision who told him that Rome must be Philips Indies that he was chosen to dresse Gods vineyard there Thus they packed togither that their credit might be saved and yet they might sleep at home in a whole skinne also Since that time Father Weston alias Edmundes the Iesuite and his fellowes the Priestes haue made great vse of Visions in England especially by the meanes of one Richarde Mainy who since by confession on his k A declaration of Popish Impostures Confes. ofâ—… Mainy oth hath discovered all to be but an impure and most cousening iuggling devise It was long beleeved touching him that he saw a glistering light come from the thumbs and fore fingers of the Priests at sundry times which was devised to make the world beleeue that those thuÌ„bs and fingers were most holy matters being annointed with holy oyle when they were made Priests In a traunce of his he said he was in Purgatory and reported many strang things thereof Also he foresawe that from that time till Good-Fryday he should haue Visions every Sunday and this with like frawde was accomplished sometimes it being prophecied that Papists should sustaine great persecutions in England and sometimes it beeing related that Christ with great multitudes of Angels or the Virgin Marie with traines of blessed Virgins were present in the Chamber and then downe the staÌ„ders by must on their knees to worship theÌ„ pray to theÌ„ One part of Mainies fore-sightes was that on the Good-friday he should dye but when that day came he was warned that it must be otherwise so indeed the deade maÌ„ is aliue yet hath disclosed the whol devise Yet the shamelesse Iesuite aboue named wrote a whole quire of paper concerning these Visions of his and many a silie Papist both be hither and beyond the seas haue beene bobbed with the strang reports of these counterfeit RevelatioÌ„s perhaps have beleeved them as they would do their Creed Many examples more in this kind might be produced which may teach men not to be too credulous in these coÌ„ceits which evermore originally come vpon the report of one person for he it is who must tell his owne dreame or Vision and easie it is for some reporters themselues to be deluded by the Devill as easie for some other to delude as many as wil giue credite vnto them Then since both Divinity and humanity doe shew this to be a matter most suspecte let Papistes accept this for a weake reason of their vnsound beleife wee for our partes will haue nothing to doe with it 9 And yet it is not amisse before the shutting vp of this Chap. to obserue that they are alwaies beateÌ„ with their own rodde For if we may attribute any thing to those whoÌ„ in the last ages they hold for the greatest Prophets most autheÌ„tical seers of VisioÌ„s Popery is al naught For we scaÌ„t find any who in a general speech is reported to haue had that gifte but a great parte of his other talke hath bin against the Papacy Clergy therof l Catalog â—…estium veâ—…at lib 15 Hildegardis was by many held to be a Prophetisse and she did not only taxe the lewde life of the Romish Priests but their neglect of Ecclesiastical duty their horrible destroying of the Church of God Among other words she hath these TheÌ„ the meter of the Apostolike honor shal be devided because no religioÌ„ shal be fouÌ„d in the Apostolicalorder for that cause shal they lightly esteeme the dignity of that name shal set vp vnto theÌ„selues other meÌ„ Arch-Bishops so that the keeper of the see Apostolik at that time by the diminishing of his honour shal scant haue Rome a few things adioyning vnder his miter About the same time also which is more theÌ„ 400. yeeres agone lived m Ibideâ—… Mechâ—…hildis reputed al so for a Prophetisse And she speaking of coÌ„tentioÌ„s which shold be in Germany for religioÌ„ addeth that theÌ„ the church of Rome should wholy apostate opeÌ„ly froÌ„ the faith of Christ that there should remaine in Germany a poore afflicted company who should serve God religiously purely There was also one n Ibidem Elizabeth a maiden attendant on Hildegardis who is recorded to have such predictions invectiues against the Romanists The Prophecies of Ioachimus Abbas Anselmus termed Episcopus Marsicanus are lately o An. 1589 put out at Venice by Paschalinus Regiselmus there is the Pope still pictured in his triple crowne and he hath part nay seemeth to be the cheefe in al the iniquity there intended Brigit who lived about the yeere 1370. is by our Papistes helde for a famous Prophetisse and by the Pope she is Canonized for a Saint In her p Catalogs lib. 18. Revelations she calleth the Pope a killer of soules the disperser tearer of the sheepe of Iesus Christ. Shee saith that hee is more abhominable then the Iewes more cruel then Iudas more vuiâ—…st then Pelate worse and viler then Lucifer himselfe That the seate of the Pope shall be drowned in the deepe like a heavy stone That those who sit with him shall be burned in fire of brimstone which is not to be quenched Thus did shee and many other scowre the Church of Rome which as it seemeth Doctour Hill knevve vvell inough and therfore suppressed the names of these least he shold be thought to mention those who flattered the Popedome Savanorola by the confession of vnpartiall Iudges was a man who fore-prophecied many things He fore-tolde the comming of Charles the 8. the FreÌ„ch King into Italie how there he should prevaile Philippus q De bello NeapolitaÌ„ lib. 3. Comineus spake with him in person at such time as the Venetians had thought with their armye to haue entercepted Charles returning home-ward with no great forces And Comineus saith of hi that hiÌ„self coÌ„miÌ„g new froÌ„ the heÌ„ch army yet was by him informed of many thiÌ„gs there doÌ„e Savanorola knowing theÌ„ better beiÌ„g abseÌ„t theÌ„ he did who was preseÌ„t And he told Comineus that albeit Charles his master were hardly laid to by