dominicans he left to the Church great store of treasure he kept diuers concubines he dyed of an ague while he was hyring one Zotus a conning painter to porâ—rature the storyes of martyrs in his newe buildinges Anno 1342. Of whom these Uerses were made Iste fuit vero laicis mors vipera clero Deuius a vero turba repleta mero About this time Iohn Stratford beinge bishop of Canterbury did greatly abuse king Edward the thirde both in defraudinge him of his treasure when he needed it most in his warres in Fraunce and refusing obstinatly afterward to come at the kinges commaundement to aunsweare vntill time place serued according to his owne pleasure Benedicts coÌ„mon sayings were these to be noted Be thou such a sonne as thou desirest to haue cosens The euil maâ— dreadeth death but the good man feareth him more Those thinges that thou hast learned keepe by reading and get by learning those thinges that thou wantest It is as great shame to haue no freindes as to chaunge them oft It is more dishonour to a Prince to be ouercome with benefits then by force of armes 139. Clement the sixt CLement the sixt borne in Lemonia by professioÌ„ a Benedictine called before Peter Rogers being abbot of Phisca succeded Benedict at Auenio This maÌ„ with his faction troubled the Romaine Empire aboue measure for he excommunicated sayth Naucler all the Princes lordes and bishops that consented to the doings of Lewis To deface the Emperour he created Uicountes and made them Uicares of the Empyre Lewis on the other side appointed other Uicares to gouerne the Church Ierom Marius in his booke called Eusebius Captiuus doth thus set out the rigour of Pope Clement Clement the sixt sayth he much giuen to women honour and auctoritye prouoked with diuelishe furye set vp bills in wrytinge vpon Church doares wherein he threatned the Emperour to be punished w t more cruell tormentes vnlesse he woulde obey the Popes minde and that within three dayes and would giue vp his right of the estate imperiall Great was the cruelty of this Clement voyde of clemency The Emperour commeth to Frankeforde and preparing with all diligence to do all that was commaunded besought the Pope by his Embassadours to pardon him and to receiue him to fauour But the Pope aunswered the Embassadours that he would neuer pardon Lewis vnlesse he would first confesse all his errours and heresyes and yelde vp the Empire and put into the Popes hand both himselfe his children goodes possessions to dispose them at his pleasure would promise that he would neuer more enioy any part thereof without the fauour of the Pope deliuered a certaine fourme of of these articles in wryting to the Embassadours coÌ„mauÌ„ding them to carye the same to Lewis The good Emperour least if he did not thus submit himselfe it mighte bee cause of slaughter and sedition receiued the order taken by the Pope and looking vpon it was content in such wyfe to saue Christian bloud and therefore he did not onely set his seale to it but gaue his oath to performe all Which when the Pope heard he waxed angrye But note whether hee toke the Emperour to fauoure and whether he shewed anye token of good will by that which followeth Lewis shewed that order to the Princes electours and oratours The Princes detested and abhorred certaine of the articles because they were deuised by the Pope to the confusion of the Empyre and therfore they promised sufficient ayde to the Emperour if as he did before he would maintaine the libertye and honour of the Empyre They sence Embassadours desiringe the Pope not to exact those articles that tended to the vtter subuersion of the Empyre and the oratours crauinge and doing nothing els came awaye againe But Clement blaming Lewis onelye for all did purpose the destruction of him and his children he cursed him cruelly euen at consecrating the Sacrament He renued all the extreame processes which Pope Iohn had giuen out against him he pronounced him to be an heretick and scismatick He charged the Princes electours to choose another Emperour He deposed the Archbishop of Mens both of his bishoprick and auctoritye of electorship because he knowing the Emperours innocencye and vngiltiues woulde not abuse his maiestye But the other electours being brybed with money by Iohn king of Bohemia as the bishop of Colen who toke viii Thousande markes the duke of Saxonye two Thousande markes did appoint his sonne Charles to be king of the Romaynes whoÌ„ this vncurteous Clement did allowe afterward in open consistorye But who is able to report the horrible bloudshed and warre that arose in the Empire by meanes of this mischiefe wroughte by Clement for kinge Edward the thirde of England slue xx Thousande Frenchmen and Iohn king of Bohemia father to Charles was slaine with many nobles But Lewis yet takinge thought because of the Popes processes not medling with the gouernment of the Empyre was by the Popes procurement poysoned in a cuppe whereof he dyed Thus wryteth Marius Lo by these kinde of treacheryes haue the prelates of Rome brought the Empyre to the low ebbe and poore estate that it is at this daye for the sayde Charles whom they against all lawe created to make his sonne to succede him did so corrupt the electours wyth bribes and fayre promises that he morgaged to them the coÌ„mon reuenues of the Empyre which they enioye to this daye and therefore the Romaine Empyre cannot aduauÌ„ce it selfe againe For then the Electours coÌ„pelled Charles to take an oath that these pledges should neuer be reclaymed whereby at length it came to passe that the Empyre being thus decayed the Turke inuaded the Church of Christ destroyed it wonderfullye and it is by the especial grace of God that Mahomets blasphemye doth not wyth fyre and sworde rage ouer all Christendome c. This Pope Clement now at the fiftye yeare renued the Iubelie beinge absent caused it to be celebrated at Rome Anno 1350. for his aduauntage and sayth PremonstrateÌ„sis there were fiue Thousande straungers comming in going out at Rome as might wel be counted dailye within the said yeare He made at seuerall times xii Cardinals whereof some were monkes some his nephewes and kinsemen beside he promoted diuers other to dignityes bestowed cost on diuers buildinges He gaue licence to the bishop of Bamberge to absolue those that toke parte wyth Lewis but vppon these conditions first that they shoulde sweare fealty to him as to the Uicar of Christe secondly that they should beleue that the Emperour hath no power neither to make nor marre the Pope thirdlye that they should acknowledge none to be Emperour whoÌ„ the Pope had not confirmed While his companioÌ„s and seruaunts went to dinner leauing onely his chamberlayne with him he fel downe sodeinly dyed of an impostume Anno 1352. This Clement sayth Marius toke vpoÌ„ him so prodigally in his Popedome that he gaue to his Cardinals in
Popes chayre But when as Otho should returne into Germany he sent Benedict to Hambrough to his Chauncelour Adaldag the Archebyshop thereof where he liued in exile and for very thought and anguishe of minde died and was buried in the Cathedrall churche Anno. 964. 70 Leo the eight LEo the eight citizen of Rome and chiefe secretary of Lateran churche was made Pope by Otho the Emperour in steade of Iohn deposed for his vilany Who being established in his Popedome Benedict deposed because he perceiued the leudnes of the Romaynes how that with threatninges with bribes and euill meanes they were still aduauncing their owne He crowned Otho and made hym vniuersall Emperour Afterward by decree of a Synode he bestowed on Otho the whole and absolute aucthoritie to electe the Pope taking it from the people and Clergie of Rome whiche saith Gratian Charles the great had geuen vnto them This he did to auoyde those seditioÌ„s which vsed to arise in the elections Otho desirous to be thankefull for this curtesie restored to the sea of Rome all whiche they forge that Constantine gaue them or that Charles or Pipin toke from the Lombardes And had bestowed on them He restored sayth Barnes those thinges whiche hee neither possessed nor was able to defende But Leo after he had raigned a yeare and three monethes died Anno. 966. 71 Iohn the. xiiij IOhn the xiiii sonne of one Iohn a bishop or as some saye of Pope Iohn the xii obtained the Popedome as it wer by his fathers righte This Pope was quietlye chosen whiche was a rare thinge and yet Peter the Liuetenaunt of Rome with the twoo consuls and twelue senatours coÌ„spired against him because he fauoured the Emperoure they apprehended him in Lateran churche and kepte him prysoner in Angel castell the space of eleuen monethes This being knowen the Emperoure hasted to Rome with his armie and dealt sharpely with the offendours some he banished some he made to forfaite their goods â–ª some he haÌ„ged on the gallowes But the Pope hauing Peter the president yelded to his will deliuered him to the hangeman who according to the Popes coÌ„maundement stripped him out of his apparell shaued his bearde and hong him vp by the hayre of the head for the space of an whole daye Afterwarde he commaunded that he should be set vppon an asse with his face to the tayle and his handes tied vnder the Asse tayle and to make him a laughing stock to all men to leade him thus about the citie and withall to scourge him with roddes this being done to dryue him out to be banished into Germany This Pope Iohn allured the kingdome of Poleland to Popery and sent thether Giles Cardinall of Thusculan to confirme the people therein to deuide dioceses to annoynte bishops and consecrate them and to accompte the Pope as supreme head of all churches After this he died Anno. 973. At this time they began to Christen belles and to geue them proper names For this Pope called the great bell of Lateran after his name 72 Benedict the sixt BEnedict the sixte succeded Iohn as well in misery as in place for he was cast into Angell castel as prisoner for certaine offences by Cynthius a Romaine a man of great power And within a while after he was strangled to death with a roape in the same pryson or as some saye pyned to death I cannot but maruell saith Platina that his death was not reuenged neither by the Romaines nor by Otho the Emperour who so tendered the estate of the church of Rome but I feare saith hee that Benedict deserued as Cynthius rewarded him seing no maÌ„ reuenged his death 73 Donus the second DOnus the seconde succeding Benedict learned by him to be more wyse and therefore did nothing at al worthy to be written Only this is mencioned that when the Polonians desyred they might be made a kingdome and haue a crowne graunted to them he denied their sute Crantzius sayth he gouerned indifferently deseruing neither great prayse nor disprayse for a yeare and sixe monethes he died Anno. 975. 74 Boniface the seuenth BOniface the seuenth was of so base birth that neither the name of his stocke nor of his countrey was knowen he getting to be Pope by leud meanes loste it leudly again For hauing obtained the seate the magistrates conspired against him whereby he was compelled to hide him selfe But perceiuing he could not tary at Rome safely hee filched and robbed Saint Peters Pallaice of the moste precious and richest treasure and iewels and so by stelth fled to Constantinople where after a whyle selling them all he made a great somme of money and returned to Rome knowyng that mony could obtaine anything But in his absence the Romaines made one Iohn the fifteth Pope in his steade But he returning enriched the citezins with money and allured to him euery rascall whereby he toke Iohn and thrust out his eyes put him in pryson pined him to death and so gat his place againe wherein shortly after he died wretchedly of y falling sickenes Whereuppon his body hauing a roape tied about his beles was haled through the streates and despitefully stabde in with daggers pikestaues iauelinges and suche like thinges and at length commaunded by the Clergie to be buried in a common place 75 Iohn the fiftene IOhn the fiftene a Lombarde was made Pope by the citezins and the Clergie while the former Boniface robbing the treasurie fled to Constantinople secretly This Iohn was a Deacon Cardinall and of great auctoritie fauoured not Boniface but as Platina saith he with certaine other honest citizens stoode against Boniface his doinges whereupon as is aboue mencioned he was made Pope the other being fled and so coÌ„tinued eight monâ—ths till the other returning did put out his eies imprysoned him and murthered him there with the â—aÌ„ke stinke of the pryson and famin and griefe of mynde together Yet some thinke that Ferrucius the father of Boniface slewe him because he withstode his sonne to be Pope so saith Anselmus 76 Benedict the seuenth BEnedict the seuenth after these was made Pope by the Layetie and Clergie He by the Emperours ayde dyd apprehende a great company of conspiratours in the citie and for their haynous offence he put them in pryson and punished them cruelly â–ª He helde a couÌ„sell at Remes against Lothariê° king of FrauÌ„ce wherin he restored Archebyshop Arnulphus who was violently deposed and he deposed condemned of heresie one Gilbert a Monke being a coniurer whome the king for his money and sorcerie had aduaunced to be Archbishop This Gilbert notwithstanding did yet afterwarde obtaine of the Emperoure Otho the thirde whome he had taughte to coniure that he might be Archebishop of Rauenna and afterwarde he was promised by the Diuell that he should at length be Pope of Rome Whereupon saith Polidor Virgill in his sixt booke of his storie of Englande Monkes and priestes at this tyme declining from the trade of their elders in all places begaÌ„
throughe Italye to Naples with an army to challenge it as his enheritaunce this Pope Alexander fearing the puissaÌ„ce of that noble king did for feare of him make a league with Alphonsus king of Naples against the French kinge planted a garison of souldiours in Rome least the king should inuade it For it is ingrafted in the Italians that they enuieng the prosperitye of the FrenchmeÌ„ do alwayes detest euen the very name of FrauÌ„ceâ— so that they swearing and vowing freindship with them are not nothing abasshed in despite of God and iustice to breake their leagues And yet notwithstandinge this the Popes power yet kinge Charles preuayled in his purpose maugre their hartes and came to Rome where for feare least he should by violence breake awaye from himselfe to their greater damage the Pope coÌ„maunded that he should be curteouslye let in and that none of the Romaine souldiours vpon paine of death should make any sturre and so did Charles likewyse commaunde his armye And yet the cowardlye Pope wyth a bande of men fled dastardlye into Angel castell but after he perceyued that quietnesse was kept in the Citye he maketh a league with Charles seÌ„ding home to Alphonsus his souldiours againe But after this when Charles had beene in Apulia and coÌ„quered it he prepared to returne home into FrauÌ„ce but the Pope forgetting or neglecting his league oath thoughte to cut him short of his purpose and to take the aduauntage of Charles while he trustinge to the league shoulde not mistrust anye such falsehoode And therefore the Pope making another league with the Vetenians Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinand king of Aragon and Lewis Sfortia prouidinge an armye laye in wait for Charles his comming at Fornonium not farre from Parma euen in the waye where he should passe But notwtstanding this ambush were fourtye Thousande men and Charles had with him but vii Thousand trayned souldiers wearyed with traueling and want of necessaryes yet the bickering continued sharpe doubtful a long time with great slaughter of the Popes armye and in the ende Charles with little losse of his part gat the victorye Thus reporteth Platina or rather the author that continueth the historye of Platina where he ended it who wrote but to the time of Paule the seconde thoughe yet he heareth the name of the whole worke for those that follow are added by other In the time of this Pope an Angell that was placed aloft in Angel castell was throwne downe by the violente force of thonder and lightninges which as some thincke mighte well prognosticate the fall of the Popes estate Iohn Tisseranus a Minorite founded at Paris an order of harlots as if Christian religioÌ„ were to be edifyed by such orders ¶ Uerses made vpon Pope Alexanders death Fortasse nescis cuius hic tumulus sict Adsta viator ni piget c. Perhaps whose tombe this is my freinde ye do not know Then pause a while if that ye haue no haste to go Though Alexanders name vpon the stone be grauen T is not that great but he that late was prelate shorne and shauen Who thirsting after bloud deuourde so many a noble towne Who tost turnde the ruthfull states of kingdomes vpsidedowne Who to enrich his sonnes so manye nobles slew And wast the world with fire and sword spoyling to him drew Defying lawes of earth and heauen and God himselfe ere while So that the sinful father did the daughters bed defile And could not from the bandes of wicked wedlock once refraine And yet this pestilent prelate did in Rome tenne yeares remaine Now freind remember Nero or els Caligula his vice Or Heliogabals enoughe the rest ye may surmise For shame I dare not vtter all away my freind wyth this ¶ Another Epitaph vpon Pope Alexander The Spaniard lyeth heare that did all honestye defye To speake it briefely in this tombe all villany doth lye ¶ Another Least Alexanders noble name my freind should the beguile Away for heare both treachery doth lurke and mischiefe vile ¶ Another Though Alexander after death did vomit matter blacke Yet maruel not he drancke the same and could not cause it packe Diuers other like ill fauoured verses accordiÌ„g to his il fauoured maners were made of him which for modesty sake are partlye to be suppressed because it is not to be doubted but that chast eares would be ashamed to heare those thinges which Pope Alexander was not ashamed to do But amonge other Iohn Functius reporteth of him out of Volateraâ— that the Cardinals which chose him did first finde him vnthaÌ„ckfull for he plagued them all with diuers myseryes thrusting some into prison and punishing some with imprysonmente He warred vpon the Vrsins and conqueringe them layed them in irons and fetters His greatest care was as Innocentius did to bestow great honours on his bastards He made one of his yongest sonnes Prince of Sicilia and another called Caesareus a Cardinall and his eldest sonne a duke in Spaine who wtin a while after was murthered in the night tumbled into Tiber. His other sonne the Cardinall after the death of his brother renounced priestcraft ranne into Fraunce with a mightye masse of gould where he maryed a kinsewoman of kinge Lewis hauing with her the towne of Valentia then by the ayde of the kinge beinge at perpetuall league with him he purloyned to himselfe great dominion in Italye being therein much furthered by the Pope his father The daughter of this Pope Alexander called Lucretia with whom the monstrous father had vsed carnall companye was maryed to 3. Princes one after another First to Iohn Sfortia duke of Pisauria then she being deuorced was matched w t Alosius of Aragon bastard of king Alphonsus he beinge slaine she was wedded to AlphoÌ„suâ— duke of Ferraria What her honestye religion and modestye was in the Court of Rome during her fathers estate it maye be gathered sufficientlye by these two Uerses made vppon her death by Iohn Iouianus Pontanus Hic iacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri filia sponsa nurus Here lyes Lucretia chast by name but Thais lewd by lyfe Who was to Alexander Pope both doughter and his wyfe ¶ The Uerses of Actius Sannazarius vpon the yeare of Iubelie kept by Pope Alexander Pollicitus coelum Romanus astra sacerdos Per seelera sedes ad Styga pandit iter The Romaine priest that promised both heauen starres to sell By treacherye and murtheringes hath made a gap to hell ¶ The Uerses of the same auctour againe Lucretia the daughter of Pope Alexander the 6. reprouing her horrible incest vvith her father Ergo te semper cupiet Lucretia Sâ—xtusâ— O fatum diri numinis hic pater est Ierom Marius in his booke Eusebius Captiuus speaking of this Pope Alexander hath these wordes What should I disclose the detestable treachery of Alexander the 6. wherof the like hath not bin heard He making a league w t the deuils of hell bequeathed
and maintayned by some other And therefore I thoughte it good in no wyse to turne it out rashlye naked vnarmed and vnprouided of rescue neither into the handes of freinde nor foe For such a meete Patrone was to be sought for who by his wit doctrine and learning should be able to maintaine a desperate cause and receiue into his tuition as it were an Orphane counted giltye and condemned by the preiudicate opinion of all men least it being desolate and berefte of all good mens ayde hauing no tutour left vnto it should together with his father haue his dying daye After I had longe debated this with with my selfe and had vewed all men rounde about with an especial and diligent care you iiii most excellent prelates of the Church came first to my remeÌ„brance in whose ayde I might safely repose my selfe that haue ofteÌ„times traueiled in this matter by longe experience haue found out and beaten downe the assaultes and strokes of oure aduersaryes So that the former booke ioyned with our historye sufficieÌ„tly fortifyed by the might of the most valiaunt Prince this booke beinge perused with my latter diligence trustinge vppon the learning and iudgemente of such men maye freelye wyth cheerefull countenaunce not be afrayde to shewe it selfe amonge the middest of his ennemyes Uerelye I am not ignoraunt that anye one of you is man good enoughe to encounter any in this deuine combate And I freelye confesse that this my litle worke is vnworthy to be dedicated euen vnto anye one of you yet notwithstanding I do not consider what you are able to do but what I ought to do Nether do I esteeme the price of the gift but I regard the most feruent zeale towards you all And though I imbrace you one after another yet I desire to pleasure you all w t this onelye gift because I haue no other and to declare the good will that I beare vnto you by this onely worke Last of all whom one Religion one Fayth one Lord one Baptisme do ioyne what hindreth vs that one Epistle maye not couple vs together wherefore I trust that you wil accept as you oughte and as you were accustomed my boldnes and presumption if there be anye which is sprong through an opinion of your curtesye not rysen of any euill will But that you maye vnderstande the matter which I request desire to be defended and cherished if you seperate your minds for a certaine season froÌ„ your graue studyes sacred busines and giue diligeÌ„t eare to heare that which I haue here purposed to declare the gift which I bestow vpon you is Papall and Pontificall And I haue declared the historye from the beginning to the endinge shewed their beginnings the race and the whole Tragedye of their gouernment deuiding the state of ther liues into three bookes The first contayneth the auncient and holy fathers not decked w t a crogier or a tripled Miter but such as were dilligent workers in adorninge the Lords Uyneyarde euen vnto Siluester from the holye Apostles which w t the great daunger of their life did faithfully labour in planting and setting forth the worde of God These maye worthelye be called the starres remayning on the right hand of Christe Apocal. 1. The second contayneth the Mitred Archbishops Patriarckes from Siluester the first vnto Boniface the third who althoughe they were not the wickedst and corruptest yet with their traditions and humaine constitutions haue made a plaine waye to Antichriste These be the starres that fell to the earth Apocal. 6. The third mentioneth the whole rablement of the Popes from Boniface the third to Paule the fourth the which being the Uicar of SathaÌ„ is said to haue auctoritye as yet at Rome These were Antichristes not departinge from the steps of their fathers in all kinde of pryde tyrannye lying and filthines these are the starres trulye as it is described in the 9. Chapter of the Apocalips which fell to the earth This thirde part is deuided into fiue neither haue we applyed them vnaptlye to the Reuelation of S. Iohn Boniface before mentioned shal possesse the first place as he deserued to Ioane the eight an harlot in the which part there are coÌ„tayned 40. Popes called them the kingdome of the great beast sometime named Sodoma sometime Aegiptus Apo. 11. From Ioane vnto Siluester the deuilish Magician that vowed gaue himselfe vnto Sathan that hee might obtaine the Popedome the kingdome of the greate harlot which sitteth on the beast doth comprehend 40. Popes Apocal. 17. From Siluester which is in the 3. place vnto Innocentius the fourth the most wicked ennemye of our Sauiour Christe who did establishe fasten the foure orders of the begging monkes which were newlye made to the intent that they might stoutlye and manfullye fight for the maintayning of the kingdome of Antichrist signifyeth the kingdome of the Dragon which is the diuill and SathaÌ„ Apocal. 20. And in this part were 40. Popes placed From this Innocentius the second that dreadfull warriour and the moste cruell destroyer of Christian men are nombred 40 Popes And this is the kingdome of the Locustes whâ—ch were vnder the gouernmente of Abadon the whâ—ch signifyeth a destroyer Apocal. 9. Then Iulius in the ende of his raigne throwinge the keyes of S. Peter into the riuer of Tiber being girded with a rusty sworde of Paule did fight against the French kinge and other Christians And the fift parte contayneth from this Iulius vnto the ende of the raigne of Paule the fourth 8. Popes and al the times of their successours vnto the iudgement of Christe And the fall of the kingdome of the Pope shal be withoute power or handes with the onely word of God and breath of the deuine spâ—rite 2. Thessal 2. To conclude I haue disposed the whole historye in such sort that I haue compared all the Romaine bishops to the 4. horses in the Reuelation of S. Iohn The godlye and auncient fathers to the white horse The archbishops and the Patriarckes to the red The Popes the Antichristes vnto Siluester the seconde to the blacke and from him to Iulius the seconde and all his companye of monkes fryers and massemongers that which with al their power strength did defend the Popes kingdome I haue coÌ„pared to the pale horse I haue propouÌ„ded this marke and methode in my booke in the which I haue chalenged nothing to my selfe but my labour in gathering describing destributiÌ„g For I knowe that a great part of this worke hath bin set forth by others as by Damasus Carsulanus Platina Stella Vuicelius and others but ofteÌ„times dissemblingly and obscurelye somtimes falsly to please mens eares To conclude verye manye most dilligent faithfull wryters of our time whom when I had perused with continuall reading I gathered togither the dispersed and disagreeing members to one body that those thinges which were scattered abroade in many places and were therefore the harder to be founde out of
Spoke v. Simon Tod one Nicolas VValker ij VVilliam Vause one Robart Dauison vj. Peter Boughe had many and so other had others In the Cathedrall Church at Chichester Iohn Champion Prebendary of VValtam had ij harlots VVilliā Crosse had one vvyfe Thomas Parker ij harlots Richard Busteld one of vvhō he begat a child Barthelmevv Cokisley i. Robart hunt had diuers Tho. Goffe had ij being other mens vvyues Iohn Hill xiij harlots Robart Moore had many Roger Barham many Iohn Bedfild many vvith others amōg that vvhich the forsaid Roger Barham and Iohn Champion vvere gilty of sinne against nature These vvere taken out of the foresaid booke Behold vvhat monsters Popery hath nourished throughout England in abbeyes and colleges Are not these foule birdes most iustlye banished vvith their most filthye Pope the Romishe Idoll In all other places as vvell in congregations as colleges the like thinges are committed and done the vvhich vvere to longe or rather to shameful throughly to declare for they gate vnto them in most places through this Popishe Religion either the French pockes or the Spanishe decease And there vvere in Englande more then xl Abbeyes of diuers kindes of mōkes beside the most vvicked nests of the begging fryers of the vvhich there vvere almost tvvo hundreth Vnto vvhom these verses do aptlye agree It is not sure a misse that monkes should fathers termed bee Sith such swarmes of their bastard brats in euery place they see There is yet a thirde matter vvhich forced mee herevnto and hauing seene and heard these thinges vehemently moued me to vvrite This is the precepte of Christe in the xviij Chapter of the Reuelation of S. Iohn For a voyce came from heauen from the right hand of the father and the euerlasting throne of Christe vvith a great voyce sounded in our eares saying Go from her my people lest ye be made partakers of her vvickednes and ye receiue part of her punishment For her sinnes are gone vp to heauen and God hath remembred her vvickednes And then commaundemēt follovveth vvhich vvas giuen against the beast vvith seuen heades Revvard her euen as she hath revvarded you and giue her double according to her vvorks and poure in double to her in the same cup vvhich she filled vnto you And forasmuch as she glorified her selfe and liued vvantonly so much poure you into her of punishment and sorrovve This is the vvorde of the Lorde declared vnto vs as vvell here as in the fiftye Chap. of Ieremy That this serpent might perish all his doinges brought to nought Yet for al this I do vvel remēber the sayings of S. Paule that al Princes ought to be honoured although they be vvicked and vnprofitable for a common vvealth because they be placed there of God neither to speake euill of them beinge but vvotmes dust and ashes Neither dare I murmur against the prouidence of God vvhich is contrary to his holy vvorde Therefore from the bottome of my hart I beseech our Lorde and Redeemer Iesus Christe that he vvould haue mercye vppon all Kinges Princes and Nations and so prouide that all nations maye be so gouerned as is most tending to his glory For vvhose reueng he hath most stoutly fortifyed mee vp in this my old age Not studying to derogate or take avvaye the honour from anye Christian Kinge but onely to inuey against the Romishe beast the Synagog of Sathan and most vvicked Antichrist vvith the vvritings and testimonye of most learned men If I shal haue said any thing sharper then thou didst loke for most gentle Reader cōsider I pray you the hudge tirāny of this most vvicked Viper of the vvorld vvhose destruction accordinge to Gods promises is at hande Great Babilon shall fall vvhich hath seduced many Nations and shall be destroyed the vvhole vvorlde marueylinge thereat If the vehemencye of my stile shall offende thee beholde the maruelous force of the holye ghoste in the Prophete Dauid and most holy king vvho in the Lordes cause most stoutlye saide I haue hated the congregation of the vvicked Psal. 25. He promiseth also aftervvarde by his Prophetes that he vvoulde destroye the brothell houses and vvicked places Ezechi 16. I vvill shevve fayth the Lord vnto all Nations thy nakednes and to al kingdomes thy shame Nahum 3. Thy dishonour and filthines shall be opened and thy reproche shall be seene I vvill be reuenged and none shall resiste mee Esay ▪ 47. VVoe be vnto those Kinges as manye as haue vvorshipped the beast or haue ayded her or haue receiued helpe of her or haue committed fornication vvith her as many as haue serued her and haue ioyned handes against the Lambe and vvaged battell for her cause because their names are not vvritten in the booke of lyfe from the beginninge of the vvorlde And the Lambe shal ouercome them at the last like a Lorde of Lordes and kinge of kinges and they shall go together vvith the beast to destruction and vtter dampnation Apocalips 17. GOD therefore giue in the hartes of Christians vvhom the x. hornes do shadovve that they maye faithfully execute this his vvill and iudgement that they maye make her desolate and leaue her naked that they maye eate her fleshe and burne her in fire that is let her abide her last punishment for the sheding of the innocent bloud of so manye faithfull Christians Be it done Be it done Amen To the Reader T. R. GENTLEMAN THe worthy wittes of elder yeares haue traueld sea and land To seeke and search the wondrous works of naturs skilful hand And mens delight hath euer bin most vgly things to vewe To looke on creatures out of kinde as monsters olde and newe If therefore thou as other men my friend affected bee And dost desire vgly things and monsters strange to see Then take the payne to seeke and searche within this little booke And here thou shalt vpon so strang a mongrell monster looke As neuer nature bread on earth whose shape is in this wyse As I shall partly portrature the same before thine eyes It is a little beast that hath ten hornes seuen heads crownets seuē Who w t his taile frō clouds to clouds swepes down the stars of heauē Upon whose backe in princely pompe and glistring gold araye And proudly pranckt in precious pearles and clad in purple gaye The stately strompet sittes that is the whore of Babilon And in her hand a golden cuppe of fornication Wherwith the world she poysond hath which dronken with her wine Hath falne downe flat vnto the beast as to a god deuine Which forced kings to leaue their crownes Keiser stoupe for awe Whyle on his royall necke the beast hath sayd his filthy pawe Who hath the mighty monarkes made to holde his stirrope lowe And caused them on humble knees to come to kisse his toe Who forced great estates to stand barefooted in the streate And proudly put the crowne on head of princes with his feete And made the sonne and subiect both against their king
the ennemy of Christe whiche neuerthelesse should speake like a Dragon like an euill spirite and should rage as vnmercifully as the firste beast did whiche destroyed Peter and Paule and great companies of fainctes whiche with her charmes should so bewitche the worlde and with monstrous workes should growe into suche admiration that none might by or sell but such as had the seale or the name of the beaste in his forehead But as touching the name of the beaste he shewes it mistically by these letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ch X St reciteth it to be discussed This saith Iohn is wysedome let him that hath vnderstanding accompt the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his nuÌ„ber is this 666. Apocal. 13. What meane thefe markes but that wee should searche the time wherein this beaste should arise from the earth and the bottomlesse pitte and should destroye the Christian common wealth But howe shall a man apply it if he haue not the certaine time when Pompeie toke the scepter from the Iewes according to the notable prophecie of Iacob entring the temple prophaned the Sanctum sanctorum But that was done as Iosephus wryteth in the time of Tullius consulship the 60. yeare before Christe was borne To these three score yeares adde six hundred vntill after the death of the sayd Gregorie the great who prophecied that he should be Antechriste whiche would be compted vniuersall bishop or head of all churches Therefore marke well what kinde of times happened in the 666. yeare after Hierusalem was taken by the Romaines Pompeie being their general and you shall se straunge matters fal out at the time that this Phocas was Emperour of whome VVilliam Stantphurdius wryteth as foloweth The Empier Phocas chokes and doth the Popedome first aduaunce By wicked writts about his Empier sent for to enhaunce And to confirme moste sure foray vnto the after age The premacy of Rome and of the dragon that doth rage Against Gods power Furthermore applie this misticall number of 666. containing highe wisedom in iâ— froÌ„ the time of Christes birth or from the tyme of his passion or from the xv yere of Domician at whiche time the reuelation was written and stil ye shal finde some moÌ„sterous thing wrought in the church But to returne to the matter of Englande In the yeare of Christe 593. Colman Harding and Fabian saye that the raigne of the seuen kinges at one time began whereby 173â— yeares after Brutus their first king the royall estate of the Brytishe king ceased For as Paulus Diaconus writeth in his fourth booke the Britaines founde tâ—at the Saxons were in steade of succourers suppressours and cruell ennemies vntrusty warring rigorously vpon them who had entertained them for ayde Anno 596. the foresaid Augustine sent from Gregorie came into Englande who at his comming did not reproue but maintaine and vpholde the wicked treasons the horrible robberies the slaughters more cruell then were Neroes whiche the Saxons coÌ„mitted Anno â–ª 600. Gregorie gaue to Augustine his byshops pall Thereby as was sayde London was spoyled of her right without all order to the destruction bothe of the commonwealth and of religion and finally the vndoing of the Brytishe kingdome and thereupon are sumptuous teÌ„ples builded Before that time the Britains had their churches dedicated to eternall God the father and to our sauiour his sonne Iesus Christe But afterwarde the SaxoÌ„s did coÌ„secrate their temples to Images and dead sainctes â–ª Anno. 604. the ChristiaÌ„ Emperour Maurice being slaine Phocas an adulterer and a murtherer obtayned the seate imperiall and in him the maiestie of the Caesars and the moste noble Empire of the Grekes decayed together As for the Romaine Empire that was weakened and empaired yea and at length brought to nothing by meanes of the Popedome whiche he had graunted and established Anno 606. in Nouember and December as Paulus Diaconus writeth in his 18. booke euen at the rising and beginning of the Popedome there appeared a wonderfull great blasing starre There were straunge sightes and monsters of the Sea shewed them selues to the terrour of many Thus in the time of this Phocas murderer of the Emperour whiche is to be noted as a misterie concerning the Popes Papistrie and Mahumets religion began bothe together at one time which corrupted darkened and weakened the doctrine of the sonne of God in many regions For in another yeare of the same Phocas as Bibliander writeth Mahumet recited the Alcoran so that saieth hee the Egles three heades awaked all at ones according to the heauenly vision in the fourth booke of Esdras that is to saye Phocas him selfe Pope Boniface Mahumet the Arabian now followeth the thirde troupe of Romishe Popes whiche is deuided into fiue partes The firste parte of this thirde troupes of the Popes or Romaine Antechristes prophecied of by the names of Sodome or Egypt Apocal. 11. vntill the time of Pope Iohn the eight 1. Boniface the thirde ABout this time the bishoppers of Constantinople endeuoured to obstaine the title of vniuersall bishop and to haue their Church called the head of all Churches vsing these fonde reasons that because the Emperour beinge chiefe of all Princes kepte at Constantinople therefore that shoulde be the chiefest Church and there the chiefe bishop This ambitioÌ„ enflamed many to speake and wryte against it but especiallye the late Gregorye who in this wyse reproued Iohn bishop of Constantinople for the same Sayinge None of my predecessors although the Emperours began first in Rome and were wont to byde there onelye and yet do keepe the title thereof durste take vppon them this title of vniuersall bishop And againe Gregorye sayd plainlye that such a one was the forerunner of Antichrist Yet notwithstanding that the Church of Constantinople with great infamye preuailed not herein because that Antichrist or the whore of Babilon according to the 13. of the Reuelation should be in the Citty builded on seuen hilles that is Rome it selfe For so diuers auctors testifye that onelye Rome is knowen to be builded on vii hils and certaine it is that when this Reuelation was written Rome was then the greatest Cittye being built on seuen hils as Mantuan testifyeth in the life of Syluester speaking of S. Blaze at the ende of the first booke And the fulnesse of that time prophecied of now drawing nighe this Boniface the thirde Anno 607. by the meanes of Phocas the Emperour an adulterer traytour and murtherer of his Lorde and soueraine Maurice the Emperour with his wife and children was aduaunced to be bishop of Rome with much hurley burley and greate tumulte and in despite of manye bishops and Churches standinge against it he is extolled confirmed and worshipped as Lorde and Prince of all bishoppes By great sute but greater bribery he obtayned of the sayde bloudye Emperour that Rome should be called the head of all Churches partlye by the same reasons that Constantinople vsed as Platina sayth that where the heade
Italy hee began to consider howe he might aduaunce the dignitie of the Popedome whiche before that the Emperour might counte him holy he refused He put downe Iohn Archebishop of Rauenna for maintaining the olde libertie of his byshoprike and brought that churche into perpetuall bondage Among many decrees he concluded that no seculer prince no not the Emperour him selfe should be so hardye as to come in among the Prelates in their counsayle onlesse they were debaiting matters of beliefe then the Emperour should execute those whome the Pope iudged to be heretikes Also he decreed that the layetie should not take vpon them to iudge the life of the Clergie neither to dispute of the Popes auctoritie power Also he decreed that Christian magistrates should haue no auctoritie ouer a prelate because saith he the pope is called God Auton Tit. 16. He coÌ„maunded that the Clergie should not be warriours but study howe to talke and perswade He commaunded agayne that diuine seruice should be sayde in Latin But yet graunted the Sclauonian and Polonians to haue it in their owne tongue by dispensation He added the Sequencias to the masse He added Gloria in excelsis to be songe to the masse on Maundy thursday He added the terme of Apostolicall auctoritie to the Popes decrees He commauÌ„ded mariage to be openly soleÌ„nised he allowed that the sacramentes might be receiued of euill ministers He firste bounde the Clergie to single life But Huldericus bishop of Augusta controlled his wickednesse herein by a sharpe epistle he died Anno. 867. 43 Hadrian the second HAdrian the seconde the sonne of Talaris a bishop was by the people and the Clergie made Pope before the Emperours Embassadours could come thether For then the Romaines did by force take vpon them the election of the Pope whiche when the Embassadours tooke in euill part they were thus aunswered that the wyll of the multitude could not be brideled in such a tumult But yet they had done happely because they had appointed such a good man The Embassadours euen of compulsion seing there was no remedie to abrogate the election did against their willes pronounce him Pope being confirmed he bestowed muche on the poore He sent three Legates bishops all Leopart Syluester and Dominicus that were bredde and brought vp in his kitchin to kepe the Bulgarians and Dalmacians within his dominion whom Nicolas had brought to the yoke before But the Bulgarians hauing had proofe of his tyranny draue out the Italian priestes and receiued the priestes of the Greke churche This enkindled hotte coales betwene the Latins and the Grecians Hadrian died Anno 873. Before whose death it rayned bloud three dayes at Brixia and all Fraunce was miserably troubled with Locusts Alfredus king of England toke his crowne of this Pope and was anoynted whiche neuer any king of Englande did before But afterwarde he was called the Popes adopted sonne 44 Iohn the ninth IOhn the ninth was excellently learned bothe in Latine and in Greke He in his soueraintie crowned three Emperours Charle the baald Charles Balbus and Charles Crassus Carolus Caluus vnderstanding that the Emperour was dead hied him to Rome to Pope Iohn whome with his bribes he allured to satisfie his desire and so was made Emperour by him and receiued the crowne Emperiall But about a yeare after he was poysoned at Mantua by one Sedechias a Iewishe phisition an enchauÌ„ter Iohn hearing of his death beÌ„t al his force to make Charles Balbus to succede his father but the Romaine Lordes withstoode him and made Charles Crassus Emperour The Pope standing obstinatly in his frowarde purpose was taken of the citezens put in prison because he would not relent but being released by his friendes helpe he fled into Fraunce And bestowing the imperiall crowne on Balbus saluteth him Emperour In the meane time Crassus hauing gotten the citie of Rome causeth Iohn with terrour to retourne from Fraunce Who returning to Rome willeth the Emperour to let him returne in safetie maketh him Emperour and setteth the crowne on his head Iohn at his being in Fraunce sommoned a counsell at Treca wherein he condemned certaine contentious persones and made many lawes to the aduauncement of Popery Afterwarde he wrote to Lewis Balbus that the priuiledges of the Church of Rome could not be abrogate without a prescription of an hundreth yeares Also he made it sacrilege to take any holy thing of any vnholy persone or any vnholy thing of an holy persone He excommunicated these that were gilty of sacrilege but in suche sorte that for money they might be dispensed withall Hee gaue to many men sainctes reliques for great iewels He confyrmed the liberties belonging to ecclesiastical persones cloysters church goodes monasteries and clarkes He prepared an army against the Saracenes and droue theÌ„ out of Italy and Sicil. He died Anno. 883. At this time the Empier was translated from the Frenchemen to the Germaines by Carolus Crassus 45 Martin the second MArtin the second was a Frencheman whose father was a Necromancier and coniuring prieste he gate to be Pope not by honest meanes but by crafte ill artes They saye that by this mans subtell enticement the foresayde Iohn was apprehended and layde in pryson and so constrayned by his frendes ayde to flye into Fraunce to saue his life At the electioÌ„ of this Martin the Emperours auctoritie was not loked for nor demaunded to his admission Thus proudly by little and little the Popes shooke of the Emperours power whereby they might the better treade them vnder their feete But he raigned not longe about a yeare and certaine monethes he died Anno. 884. 46 Hadrian the third HAdriaÌ„ the third was of such a proude stomake hawty courage that as sone as he had gotten into the Popedome he made a decree that the Emperours auctoritie should no more take place in creating of Popes but that the voyces of the people and Clergie of Rome should be euer free to do it The Emperour at that time warred against the Normans Thus saith Cranzius these Prelates and the lewdenesse of the Romaines durst contemne their Empier vntill the force and strengthe thereof decayed Whereby this one Pope was now deliuered and brought to bedde of that monster at ones trauelling wherof so many of his auncetours had traueled that is to cut cleane of the Emperours auctoritie For Nicolas the fâ—irst had attempted it but brought it not to effecte Lo here good reader howe by this decree all the Emperours right and title whiche they had ouer the Pope and citie of Rome is wrest from them whereby the Pope with great triumphe hath gotten the victory and vpperhande Thou shalt se him yet creepe hier and attempte greater matters ceasing not vntill he haue aduaunced him selfe aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped 2. Tit. 2. Whereby his flatterers may saye Who is like the beaste or who is able to fight with it Apoc. 13. But after this he lyued not longe he died
space as fourty dayes driue out the other and kepe the place him selfe Leo seing him selfe reft of the renowne and thus defaced euen by his owne familiar frend on whome he had heaped so many benefites conceiued so great thought that immediatly he died thereof 56 Christopher the first CHristopher the first was of so base linage that neither his countrie nor his fathers name was knowen Hee hauing shoued out Leo and his concubines ayding him thereto wan the Popeship by strong hande But as he gate it naughtely so was he shamefully thrust out again by one Sergius the peramour of one Marozia a notable harlotte and beawtifull concubine who sought to place him selfe in it So Christopher was put downe the vii moneth of his Popeship And as Platina sayth compelled to be a Mōke whiche thing was then become the refuge of all caytiffes And afterwarde he was againe pulled out of the Monasterie by the same Sergius and caste into a straight pryson where at length in muche misery and sorowe he died Anno 905. 57 Sergius the third SErgius the thirde when as he was but a Deacon gaue a proude attempt to aspire to the Popedome and was in dede chosen thereto with great tumult among the people when Formosus was chosen But taking the foyle he fled into Fraunce but nowe espying his oportunitie by the aide of Charles Simplex king of Fraunce and Adelbert Marques of Thuscia he returned by stelth into Rome And as it is sayde he deposed Christopher apprehended him and clapte him in pryson inuaded violently the Popes place Being setled and remembring his ranke mallice againste Formosus not withstanding the long time that had since passed and eight Popes betwene Formosus and him yet freshly to reuenge his olde grudge Hee the seconde tyme toke vp the karkasse of the sayd Formosus out of his graue after it had lyen thus long setting it in y Popes chaire did drawe him from thence agayne and as if he had bene a liue strake of his head And where as since his laste mangling he had but three fingers remaining on his right hād Sergius chopped of those also After all this he caused his body and all these peeces therof to be hurled into the riuer Tiber as if he had not bene worthy to lye amōg Christiās And yet not satisfied with this reuenge hee defaced condemned and disanulled al his actes so that it was then nedefull to admitte them a newe to their orders whome he being aliue thought mete to make priestes He compelled the Romaines to subscribe to this for feare of the Frenche king This Sergius among other newe ceremonies appointed that the people should beare candels on the daye of the purification of the Uirgin Mary whereupon it is yet called Candelmasse daye to geue their bodies vnnecessary light at noone daye because their soules wanted their necessary light at all times This lasciuious Pope begat a bastarde which was afterwarde Pope Iohn the twelfth whome he had by the moste shamelesse harlotte Marozia So Luthprandus testifieth in the thirde booke and xii chapter De gestis Imperat. This and other like prankes among harlottes and bawdes he practised euen in his Popeship At the time of whose death Anno. 913. there were sene in the element great flakes of fier running to and fro 58 Anastasius the third ANastasius the thirde after Sergius all their vnclenlye ceremonies being obserued was elected Pope But some write of him that he did neither good nor euill in his time and therefore is he more commendable They wryte that in his time the bodye of Pope Formosus was founde by certaine fyshers in the ryuer Tiber and so taken vp and with great worship buried in S Peters pallaice and as some are not a shamed to fayne the Images of the church did salute it whyle it was burying A notorius vntruthe and grosse blasphemie against God although in the tyme of suche blindnesse God might suffer Sathan to moue and sturre the Idols before these idolatours as in times past the diuel◠hath doone when he spake and gaue oracles and prophecies out of Idols Anastasius died Anno. 915. 59 Laudo the first LAudo the firste being a fruytfull Prelate in begetting children as Petrus Premonstratensis sayth hee begat Pope Iohn the xi in detestable adultrye This Popes life sayth Platina was so obscure that some do not recken him among the Popes especially Vincentius This Laudo as it appeareth spent the more parte of his chast life as chastitie went then among harlottes till at the length he was destroyed among them For one Theodora the Lady that gouerned Rome a shamelesse curtezane could not longer forbeare the company of her louer Iohn Archbishop of Rauenna who was apparent sonne to this Pope Laudo Rauenna sayth Luthprandus was two hundred myles from Rome whereby Theodora could not so often enioye the byshop her louer and therefore she caused him to giue ouer Rauenna and to vsurpe the Popes place in despite of the auncientes of Rome Here sayth Funcius a man might demaūde which of al these Popes did erre from the truth seing they were all called holy fathers and heads of the vniuersall churche Let the Popes partakers aunswere if they can 60 Iohn the eleuenth IOhn the eleuenth borne at Rauenna the bastard and adulterous sonne of his forefather Laudo as saythe Praemontratensis he obtained the Popedome by right of inheritaunce though whoredome were his ayde For thus wryteth Luthprandus in his seconde booke and thirtene chapter of Emperours Theodora an impudent harlot and the Lady of Rome burning in fleshly lust was so enflamed with the comlye countenaunce of this Iohn comming to Rome that she did not only request him but compelle him to satisfie her carnall desire For the whiche afterwarde she made him byshop firste of Bononia secondly Archebishop of Rauenna and thirdly to obtaine her filthy pleasure more conueniently she made him Pope of Rome Thus at this tyme was the holy mother churche subiect to an harlot ruled only by her and is made an whore according to the xvii chapter of the Apocalips This Iohn hauing a warlike courage played rather the warriour then the byshop For when the Sarasins wasted Calabria Apulia and Italy he putting him selfe in armour stew a number of them in these countries draue them cleane out As cōcerning the ende of this man thus wryteth Luthprandus in his thirde booke and xii chapter In the meane time Guido Marques of Thuscia began to conferre earnestly and diuise with his wife Marozia the doughter of the saide Theodora howe he might depose this Iohn Guido had many souldiours gathered together at Rome the which apprehending Pope Iohn in Lateran pallayce Anno. 928 cast him in prison and holding a pillowe to his mouthe did smother him to death very miserably After his death they set vp Iohn the twelth the bastard sonne of this Marozia whome she had by Pope Sergius Thus the young harlot Marozia for the aduauncement of her
Romaynes that he coulde do nothinge worthy remembraunce for hee was so shamefullye wounded and foulye mangled and defaced amid the broyles that for shame of his foule disfigurings he durst neuer shewe his face abroade So litle reuerence had the Popes at that time for their litle holinesse Steuen dyed Anno 944. 66. Martin the third MArtin the thirde being Pope gaue himselfe onelye to repayre the Church not in Religion but in building not in reforminge ceremonyes but encreasinge the dignitye and pompe of the Church He was very beneficial to the poore bestowed plentifully on their bellyes He was diligent in reformation of outward manners In the first yeare of this Pope a great blasing starre was seene in Italye after which saith Vspergensis followed an extreame famine and againe saith Masseus the Sunne appeared verye terrible threatninge the sequeale of Gods vengeance Martin dyed Anno 947. 67. Agapetus the second AGapetus the seconde being Pope ruled Popelike in the time of one Berengarius a Marques of Italy who was the last of that name that had that dignitye after Hughe This Berengarius is reported to haue dryuen many Monkes oute of their cloysters whiche liued idellye and gaue them selues to the pleasures of the worlde The Pope perceiuing howe he could not rule Berengarius in these and such other spiritual matters that he would not restraine his soueraignitie according to the wil of him and his Hee sent for Otho the first king of the Germaines to come into Italy promising him the kingdome of the Romaines to fight with Berengarius and so saith Sabellicus troubled the estate of that countrey And except it were the settinge of these princes together by the eares he did nothing worthy memory till his death being Anno. 954. In his time was a counsell holden at Ingelhaim but suche was the negligence of the time that no man can tell what was done there or wherefore it was 68 Iohn the thirtene IOhn the thirtene being the sonne of the foresayde Albericus sonne to Marozia obtained to be Pope partly by the bribery partly by the threatning of his father Albericus being Prince He being Pope liued not like a bishop but altogether like a ranke ruffianly roister geuing him selfe wholly to all kinde of pleasure as to whoredome adultery incest masking momming hunting maygames playes robberies fyring of houses periury dyce cardes blaâ—ing robbing of churches and other villanies euen froÌ„ his youth he misused his cardinalles in cropping their noses thrusting out their eyes chopping of their fingers and handes cutting out their tongues gelding them and vsing diuers diuersly For before the Emperour Otho in an opeÌ„ Sinode it was layde to his charge as Luthprandus wryteth in his sixt booke that he neuer sayde Mattins that in celebrating the masse he him selfe had not communicated that he made Deacons in his stable among his horses that he had committed incest with two harlots being his owne sisters That hee played at dice prayed to the diuell to sende him good lucke that for money he admitted boyes to be bishops He had rauished virgines and straunge womeÌ„ He had made the holy pallaice of Lateran a stewes brothell house That he had defloured Stephana his fathers concubine and one Rainera a wydowe besyde one Anna an other wydowe and her niece that he had put out the eyes of Benedict his ghostly father vsed common hunts that he woare armour and set houses on fyre brast open dores and wyndowes by night that he tooke a cup of wyne dranke to the diuell and neuer blessed him selfe with the signe of the crosse these and many more odious articles were layde to his charge Whereupon the Emperour by the consent of the Prelates deposed him And Leo the eight was set vp in his steade But as sone as the Emperour was gone those harlottes that had bene his companioÌ„s inueigled the nobles of Rome promising theÌ„ the treasures of the church to depose Leo and place Iohn againe whiche they did out of hande and so Leo whom the Emperour appointed was deposed and Iohn established againe Who in his Popeship decreed that the Emperour should euer be crowned at Rome by the Pope But as he was solacing him self with out Rome on a certaine night with the wyfe of one that was a valiaunt man he was taken by him euen in his adultery and so sore and depely wouÌ„ded with a dagger that he died thereof within eight dayes in the tenth yeare of his Popedome as Mantuan witnesseth Of this Pope Iohn S. Dunstane a Nicromancier and a coniuring MoÌ„ke archbishop of Caunterbury in Englande receiued at Rome coÌ„firmation and pall to be metropolitan Anno. 960. This Dunstane did shamefully snaffle king Edgar For the king had deflowred a certaine Noonne for the which cause DuÌ„stane did so taunte and rate him that the king fell downe flatte before him offering to submitte him selfe to any satisfaction and obayed this that was commaunded him by Dunstane first because he was yet vncrowned he charged him that he should not take the crowne vpon him for seuen yeares and that during this time he should fast twyse in the weke distribute his treasure to the nedy builde a Noonnery at Shaftesbury and last of al that he should driue out all maried ministers calling them adulterous priestes Cronicon SaxonicuÌ„ ecclesiae VVigorniensis But as other stories testifie they were shortly after restored againe the moÌ„ks who had encroched their places were depriued Also he purchased of him for a great somme of money a coÌ„mission to disanulle and coÌ„demne the mariage of the Clergie and to constrayne them to single life or els to depriue them of ecclesiasticall benefites So writeth Iohn Capgraue and Polidor Virgil. in his sixt booke of the history of Englande Hereupon he being emboldened by the auctoritie of king Edgar ioyning to him selfe in the same commission Oswalde bishop of Yorke Ethelwalde bishop of Winchester and Monkes of the like disposition did violently thrust out of the cathedrall churches the Curates and Ministers whiche would not forsake their wiues and planted in them Monkes with their counterfaited chastitie whiche they kept vntill the time of the moste renowmed Prince kyng Henry the eight But many there were that stoutly stoode in defiance of this wicked doing especially a certayne Scot did bitterly speake against it Of this Pope Iohn came this prouerbe As mery as Pope Iohn 69 Benedict the fift BEnedict the fift after the departure of Otho the Emperour with his armye and depriuing of Leo being but a Deacon and Cardinall was made Pope by Iohns frends in a tumultuous time But Otho would not suffer Leo whome he had appointed to take this iniurye and therefore returning to Rome with his armie hee plonged the Romaines diuers wayes to make them yelde this Benedict into his handes and to restore Leo. Therefore after they had kept the gates lockt twoo monethes they yelded Benedict vnto the Emperour and receiued Leo and established him solemly in the
decrees and to coÌ„firme that auctoritye which the Church had gotten Amonge many other enormities he coÌ„cluded that no priests sonne shoulde be capable of orders He made the archbishop of Toledo primate of Spaine vppon condition that he should sweare fealtye to the Pope so by that meanes he broughte Spaine vnder his winge He cursed the kinge of Fraunce for imprisoning a bishop He caused all that should take order to sweare with this clause So God helpe me and the holye Euangelistes finally he standing in awe of one Iohn Pagan a Romaine did hide himselfe for two yeares in the house of one Peter Lion where he dyed Anno 1099. And his bodye was conueyed by nighte ouer Tiber for feare of his foes the same yeare also dyed Clement the thirde who had seene in his time the death of three Popes Of the former Hildebrand and this Vrban his scholler Theodor Bibliander writeth thus to Princes of al estates Hildebrand sayth he by sturringe vp the Greeke Emperour against the Turkes did sowe the seede of the voiage of Gog Magog vppon-whom the bloude of the Church cryeth vengeaunce that was shed wyth the sworde of his tongue But this Vrban by causinge Christians to goe warre vppon Pagans with vaine colour of fighting for the holye Lande for Christes Sepulcher hath caused more Christian bloud to be shedde of all Nations then can be esteemed and did it onelye to oppresse Clement the second and his faction the while to restore himselfe to be Pope In the time of this VrbaÌ„ VVilliam Rufus kinge of England was sore combred with the proude prelate Anselmus archbishop of Canterbury who wheÌ„ he was commaunded to aunsweare to his misbehauiour did auoide it in appealinge to the Courte of Rome both against the liking of al the bishops in Englande and in spite of the kinges harte went to complaine to the Pope 101. Paschal the second PAschal the seconde was an Italian called before Rainerus hee was made Cardinall of S. Clements by Hildebrande his Scholemaister succeded Vrban He when he sawe he shoulde be chosen woulde not take the place vppon him vntil the people had cryed thre times S. Peter choseth thee worthie man Raynarde Then hauinge a purple roabe vppon him and a Miter on his head he was brought vppon a white horse vnto Lateran where hee receyued the Popes Scepter and had the gyrdle put about him wheron are hanged seuen keyes and as manye Seales All the time he raigned he was continually busyed in warres and â—editioâ—s attemptinge by all meanes possible to aduaunce yet hier the estate of the Popedome He draue out furiouslye from their places all those bishops and abbots that were established by the Emperour At this time there was a certaine prelate called Fluentinus who seinge the greate enormityes that presently choaked the Christian Church held opinion that Antichrist was incarnate and borne and that he was reuealed herein And therefore sayth Sabellicus the Pope held a councel against him with the bishops of Italy and Fraunce in Rome amonge other canons he concluded it heresye to denye obedience to the Pope and made a canon for paying of tenthes to priestes concluding it siane against the holye Ghoste to sell the tenthes He renued and published the excommunication against the Emperour and caused the bishop of Mentz of Collen and of VVormes to thrust him froÌ„ his estate taking his Crowne from him with al princelye title dignitye and honour Yea and which is horrible to be heard not content with this he did prouoke and arme his onelye sonne Henry the fifte to rebell against him being his naturall father A lamentable and pitifull case to see the onelye child of so good noble a father not beinge prouoked by any iniurye on the fathers part not onely to despise to forsake and reuolt from his father denying to ayde him but also to assault hym by force of armes to enclose him with his armye as he did and toke him entrapped by treason spoyled robbed him of his royal estate and forced the wretched and miserable man captiue to his owne child to dye a double and dolefull death Thus could the Pope put the sworde in the sonnes hand forsing him to sheath it in his fathers bowels Neither could this vnnaturall death of the good olde man cause the vnnaturall rancour to dye in the Popes breast but for further reuenge he coÌ„maunded that the Emperours carkasse should not be buryed but first be cast out of the Church and be caryed from Leodos to Spira where it rotted fiue yeares without any Christian burial But lo what a wonder God wrought in the meane time To testify sayth Abbas Vspergensis the Popes tyrannye it rayned bloud at Spira It were a lamentable thing to tell at large the maner of the Popes vnmerciful dealing with this good Emperour For first the forenamed bishops comminge to him to Hilgeshem they coÌ„maunded him to deliuer vp his Diademe his Purple roabes his Signet and other like ornaments belonging to the Empyre WheÌ„ he required a reason thereof they aunsweared partly for sellinge spirituall liuinges but chiefely for the Popes pleasure Wyth that the good Emperour sighing saide Ye know you receyued your bishoprickes at my hande that I gaue them freelye and am giltye of no suche cryme and yet do you thus quite my curtesye But the vnthankful prelates moued neither with allegeaunce oath nor benefite prosecuted their purpose and first yelding him no reuerence they plucked froÌ„ him sitting in his place of estate his Crowne Emperial and his Purple roabe and his Scepter He beinge thus stripped out of his royaltye and forsaken sayde pacientlye Let God see and iudge They leauing him bestowed these things vppon the sonne creating him causing him forthwith to pursue his father forcing him to flye but wyth ix parsons to the Dukedome of Limborough where the duke beinge his deadly ennemye did also make speede to apprehende him The Emperour perceyuing himselfe thus entrapped and fearing death submitted himselfe to the duke beseaching him rather to shewe mercye then vengeaunce Herevpon the noble harted duke thoughe the Emperour had whilom displaced him of his Dukedome yet pityinge his miserye he both forgaue him entertayned him curteously in his Castel and w t an armye conducted him to Collen where he was well receyued But the sonne hearinge thereof besieged the Citye but the father fled by night to Leodium where so manye louinge hartes resorted to him that he bad his sonne a battaile and ouerthrewe him and still desyred that if his sonne were taken he should be saued harmelesse Yet the sonne ceased not but renuinge the battaile preuayled and so dispossessed his father whoe in the ende was brougth to such penurye that he craued of the bishop of Spire to giue him but a prebende to liue vppon in the Church But the earle forgetting the benefites receyued of him in his prosperitye denyed him flatlye and said by ladye ye get none here Thus after he
oute of Rome This Arnold perswaded the Romaynes to recouer their libertye of choosinge theyr Maiestrates and when the people withstoode the presumption of the Pope it wroughte greâ—te strife This Hadrian a man of loftye courage forthwith did excommunicate the Romaynes vntil they should driue out Arnold and compell theyr Consulles to leaue theyr offices yeild the gouernemente of the Citye freelye vnto him In the meane time Fredericke the Emperour hasted him to Rome with an armye to put downe the rebels the Pope and his clergye went out to meete him whereby the Pope thought to get oportunitye to be reuenged by the Emperours ayde vppoÌ„ his ennemyes The Emperour meeting with the Pope alighted from his horse and went on foote and attendinge on the Popes parson when he should alight the Emperour helde the lefte stirope for the which the Pope scorned him for mistakinge the stirope and sayde vnto him Ye shoulde haue held mee the right stirope The Emperour takinge it paciently aunsweared him smilingly I haue not quoth hee learned to holde a stirope and you holye father are the first to whom I euer did this seruice And quoth the Emperour because he sawe the Pope angrye that he aunswered I would know of you whether this be my dutye to do it of force or of my owne curtesye If a man offer it of curtesye how wil you rebuke him for negligence If it be not of dutye what neede ye care on which side hee come vnto you that commeth to do you worship Such sharpe talke passinge betweene them they departed both full of wrath But on the morowe the Emperour beinge a man of wisedome neglected all that he had heard and seene touchinge the Popes statelye and proude minde and sent for him desiringe him to come to his pauilion The Pope came and the Emperour went forth to meete him and as he was tought the daye before against the Pope should alight he held the right stirope and so conducted the Pope in As they sate together Pope Hadrian beganne to talke in this maner Princes quoth hee in olde time which came to craue the Crowne were wonte to recompence the curtesye of the Church of Rome wyth some excellente benefite that as it were preuenting the Popes blessinge and the crowne that they should receiue by their dutifulnes might notifye theÌ„selues to all men by their noble deede For so Charles deserued his Crowne by conqueringe the Lombardes Otho his by asswaging the Berengarians Lotharius his by suppressinge the Normans Therefore your worthines may restore Apulia to be territorye to Rome which nowe the Normans withholde then will we afterward sone do y which is our dutye The Princes therefore perceyuing that the Pope would not crowne Fredericke vnlesse he should first winne Apulia from VVilliam kinge of Sicill by his owne coste charge they promised it should be performed with a newe armye out of Germanye as sone as the other armye were growne out if so be he would crowne the Emperour Thereupon the next daye he was crowned with the Crowne Emperiall by the Pope in S. Peters Pallaice and afterward hauinge executed aboue a thousande of the rebellious CitizeÌ„s he prepared to returne into Germany After the Emperours departure the Pope beinge disapointed of his ayde purposed to set vpon Apulia to winne it froÌ„ the king of Sicill with such force as as he could make first he excommunicated the kinge because he woulde not yelde it vp and discharged his subiects of theyr alleageaunce to make them to rebell against him But because these thinges preuailed but little against kinge VVilliam he set Emanuel the Emperour of Greece vppon him because hee knewe that he had beene a mortal ennemye to king VVilliams father VVilliam fearinge this sought for peace promised to yelde all to the Pope but the Pope by the couÌ„cell of certaine Cardinals hopinge to gaine more by the warre then peace refused the offer proclaymed warre against him King VVilliam perceyuinge this to preuent the daunger in time gathered an armye in haste out of all Sicill and sayled to Apulia wher he fought with Emanuel and ouerthrewe him Afterwarde hee assaulted the towne Beneuent where the Pope and his Cardinals weare in such sort that they dispayring to escape craued peace VVilliam graunted it and so was reconciled to the Pope who then pronounced him king of both Sicils making him first to sweare that he should hurt nothinge that belonged to the Church of Rome Thus the Pope returned to Rome w t foule shame where contrarye to his expectation hee was troubled with ciuill discention for the Consuls began to reclayme their libertye and auctoritye which he had taken awaye and because he coulde not preuaile with his vaine thonderboltes of excoÌ„munication he departed to Arminy While these thinges were doinge the Emperour abydinge at home remembred with himselfe howe the Pope had taken from the Emperours the former right of inuestinge of prelates and by his Legates had summoned all nations together had sowed the seede of rebellion through all his Empyre taken homage fealtye of all the bishops in Germanye Hereuppon he commaunded that if the Popes Legates came into Germanye without his commauÌ„dement they should be kept out He forbad that anye of his subiectes should appeale to Rome he set his owne name in wrytâ—nge before the Popes wherevppon the Pope was so wroth that he sente letters to the Emperour rebuking him sharpelye for it The copye whereof for the better vnderstanding of it it thus Hadrians letter to the Emperour HAdrian bishop seruaunt to the seruaunts of God sendeth greeting to Frederick themperour and apostolicall blessinge As the lawe of God promiseth longe life to them that do honour their parentes so doth it threaten death to them that dishonour their father or mother The truth teacheth vs that euerye one that exalteth himselfe shal be brought downe Therfore right wel beloued sonne in the Lorde vvee do not a little marueile at your vvysedome that ye do not so much dutye as becommeth you to S. Peter and the holye Church of Rome For in your letter sente vnto vs yee haue set your name before ours whereby you do bewray your vanitye I will not say your pride VVhat shall I speake hovve little ye obserue your fealtye which ye are bounde by oath and promise to performe to S. Peter and vs Seing ye requier honour and allegeance of them that are Gods and of al our honourable sonnes bishops I meane And ye wrap their holye handes within yours settinge your selfe manifestlye against vs Ye shutte not onelye the Churches but also the Cities of your dominion against the Cardinal sent from our owne side VVhat shall I saye Repent therefore repent we aduise you for we feare least your noblenes whyle you deserue of vs to haue both blessing and Crowne vvill loose that vvhich vve haue grauÌ„ted you by taking vppon you that which we haue not graunted Fare ye well The aunsweare of Fredericke themperour
by night to Caieta afterward to Beneuent last of all in the 17 yeare of his Popeship he came to Venice disguised in the apparell of one that was his cooke where lurking in an abbey he became a Gardener A while after he was bewrayed and knowne and there vpon calling a councell by the commaundement of duke Sebastian he was receyued with great honour and brought into S. Maryes Church w t pontificall pompe The Emperour hearing that the Pope was at Venice desyred the Venetians to yeld to him his ennemye being likewyse the ennemye of the common wealth The Venetians denyed to do it therefore the Emperour sente his sonne Otho with a nauye of souldiours to demaund Alexander of them but he charged him withall that he should attempt nothing in any case till he himselfe were come vnto him But Otho being a lustye yonge Prince ful of courage and desirous of renowne neglecting his fathers commaundement would needes encounter the Venetians whereby hee was ouercome taken prisoner bounde brought to Venice Herevpon Alexander began to set vp his crest and put out his hornes and woulde not take peace with the Emperour in anye case vnlesse the Emperour would come to Venice take suche conditions of peace as hee woulde offer him Whereuppon the good and carefull father to prouide for the infortunate miserye of his sonne promised hee woulde come at the time appointed and so came where they commoned vppon conditions of peace But the Pope woulde not absolue the Emperour of excōmunication till he came to S. Markes Church where before all the people Pope Alexander commaunded the Emperour to prostrate himselfe on the ground and to craue pardon The Emperour did as hee commaunded him then the Pope trode on the Emperours necke with his foote sayinge it is written Thou shalt walke vppon the serpent and adder and shalt treade downe vnder rhy feete the Lion and dragon The Emperour disdayninge this reproche aunswered It was not sayd to thee but to Peter The Pope then treadinge downe his necke againe sayde Both to mee and to Peter The Emperour then fearing some daunger durst saye no more so the peace was concluded The conditions wherof are these that the Emperour should vphold Alexander to be true Pope that he should restore all that did belonge to the Church of Rome which had beene taken away in the warres Thus the Emperour departed with his sonne The Pope to shew himselfe thankfull to Venice bestowed of his liberality giftes vppon duke Sebastian the Senate First he gaue them a white Taper which onely the Popes vsed to Beare Secondlye he lycensed them to seale theyr letters with leade and he graunted theyr Duke the third seate in the Popes Theatre Fourthly he graunted that on Ascention daye they should haue whole and perfit pardōs for euer at S. Markes Church Fiftly he gaue the Duke viii banners of silke and an attier for the head like an hat Afterward Alexander depriued the bishop of Papia of his Pall exempted him of the dignitye of caryinge the Crosse because he toke the Emperours part He made many Canons in a councel at Lateran as that an archbishop should not receyue his Pall vnlesse he had sworne first to be true and obedient to the Pope And that a man should not marrye his brothers wyfe beinge wydowe that they that toke orders should vowe chastetye that a bastarde should not be made a bishop that the canonizinge of Saincts belonged onlye to the Pope that such sainctes should haue deuine honour Amonge other he made Thomas Becket archbishop of Canterbury a rancke traytour to his prince but stoutlye vpheld therein by the Pope a sainct He bounde kinge Henry the seconde of Englande excusing himselfe of the death of Thomas that his subiectes should franklye freely appeale frō him to the Court of Rome that afterward none should be king of England vnlesse he were first called king by the Pope This arose vppon the quarel betwene the king and Thomas Becket who so vexed and disquieted his soueraigne prince with all the nobles and prelates of this Realme with cursinges excommunications interditinges threatninges mouing both French kinge Pope to moleste the kinge in his behalfe and finallye as then Pope Alexander played the incarnate deuill against the Emperour so did Becket rage like a subdeuill against the kinge in England till certaine not able to endure his arrogante seditious and trayterous doinges in great despite therof slue him at Canterbury He decreed that a mā shoulde not be deuorced frō his wyfe though she had the Leprosye Also that those that could be proued vsurers shoulde neyther be admitted to the Communion nor buryed in the Church after these other like deedes he dyed Anno 1181. Robert Montēsis Chronicle hath that Lewes king of Fraūce and Henry kinge of Englande wayted on Pope Alexander as his gentlemē vsshers and footemen the one leading his horse by the bridle on the right syde and the other on the left throughe the whole City Taciacū to Legeris In this Popes time the Sunne was Eclipsed and earthquakes were euery where Also there were certaine called VValdenses who defended manye articles against the Pope and his doctrine as transubstantiation Purgatorye c. 112. Lucius the thirde LVcius the thirde borne in Thuscia of an honourable stocke succeded by consente of all the Cardinals But the Romaynes so vexed him that hee was driuen oute of the Citye and manye of his frendes and companye taken by the Romaynes some were set vppon Asses with their faces towardes the tayle and Miters on their heades and so ledde throughe the Citye in mockadge some vsed despitefullye otherwyse Some had their eyes put oute by the Romaynes in a madnes othersome murthered for this cause onelye that he wente about to take away the name of Consuls in the Citye The Pope sufferinge this great shame wente to Verona where in a councell he condemned the Romaynes doinges and euen then when the Christians were persecuted in Asia which pretence of holines wrought the perill of many that they might be succoured because the ennemyes were emboldned to wast the bolye lande vnder their Captaine Saladinus presuminge for that our Princes were at discētion This Pope being mindfull of his coūtrye Thuscia bestowed large giftes vppon it and obtayned of the Emperour that the Hetruriās should haue the selfe same coyne that the Lucēsians amōg them had euen as the Lombards had onelye the money of Papia with the Emperours coyne Valerius Anselmus wryteth that this Pope contrarye to other allowed the Sacraments that were done by whoremaister chapleins he dyed in Verona Anno 1185. In his time were greate earthquakes which did destroye diuers notable Cityes in Sicil were destroyed thereby fiue and twentye thousand parsons The Armenians being at this time at greate debate with the Greeke Church did for hatred thereof become subiect to the Church of Rome 113. Vrbanus the thirde VRbanus who because of his
addition to Vspergensis sayth After the Pope had depriued and excommunicated both Frederick his sonne Cōradus Frederick did so shake and worrye the Pope and the Church of Rome that some marked w t crosses set themselues in battaile againste him when hee came to batter downe the gates and walles of Rome where he encountred with a mightye armye of these crossed fellowes But ouer comminge them and takinge them prisoners some of them he hewed a fonder w t foure square woundes in forme of a Crosse of some he cleft their sculs a crosse in 4. parts some he marked on the forhed with a crosse cut and as for the clergye hee caused their shaued crownes to be pared a crosse When the said Henry Landsgraue of Thuringe was chosen kinge of the Romaynes and Frederick deposed by this fourth excommunication then the bishoppe of Strosborough like a peaceable prelate of that time to gratifye the Pope tooke part with the Landsgraue and assisted him with such power strength as he coulde both against the father and Conradus the sonne for he assaulted wan diuers townes some he sacked and razed to the grounde some he burnt with fier which townes and Cityes themperour had recouered to the Empyre in Alsatia On the other syde Conradus the sonne of Frederick gathered an armye against Henry but was easely ouerthrowne and manye of his armye being slaine diuers of his nobilitye were taken prisoners But soone after this Henry beinge thus foysted into the Empire by the clergy grew into cōtempt with them that liked not his election whereupon he was in mockadge termed King of clarkes Prince of priestes but the Pope did straitly charge by his Legates al the Almaine Princes to obeye Henry as their soueraigne and to defye Frederick his sonne In the meane time this Hēry dyed and yet the Pope ceased not but sent a Legate into Germanye one Peter Caputius a Cardinall who summoninge the Princes at Collen caused them to electe one VVilliam Earle of Holland a readye man to maintaine any quarell by the sworde In the ende the Emperour beinge in Apulia one hired by the Pope gaue him poyson by meanes whereof he was daungerouslye sicke but seemed to recouer it but was smothered to death with a pillowe by Manfredus his bastard sonne who as some thinke was allured by bryberye and fayre promises of the Pope to do it The truth hereof is written in sixe bookes of Epistles written by Peter of the Uine Anno 1250. Frederick dyed and as some write in his last will and testamente he gaue a summe of moneye for satisfaction to the Church of Rome and bequeathed his estate and the order of all thinges to his sonne Conradus This Will was brought to the Pope to be approued but the Pope did whollye disanull and frustrate the Will sayinge that the Prince whom he had deposed could make no Wil and so it was voide Within a while after a yonge Prince to whom the Emperour by his sonne Kinge Henry was graūdfather was murthered but by whō no mā could tell About this time before the death of Frederick there were certaine preachers in Sweueland who stoutlye and openly preached against the Pope and his Cardinals iustifyed the doinge of Frederick and his sonne Conradus sayinge bouldly that the Pope his bishops and Cardinals had no auctoritye because they were al stayned with that one blot of simony and that their power depended not vppon Christ that a priest committing deadly sinne coulde neither binde nor loose nor consecrate that no man in the world might forbid a Christian to execute diuine functions that they should be hearde celebrated without any difference And in the ende of their Sermons this pardon quoth they which we do pronounce vnto you wee do not declare it to you as forged by the Pope and his prelates but procedinge from Almightye God These preachers were maintayned by Conradus and therfore he incurred almost danger of his life In the former councell helde at Lions it was decreed that the Cardinals should ryde on their trapped Gennets throughe the streates and weare red hattes and crimsen roabes to signifye sayth Parisius that they are readye to spend their bloud for the Catholicke fayth and the safetye of the people but as Platina sayth for the honour of their estate Also in that councell Innocentius decreed amonge manye matters that the Pope mighte depose the Emperour He did greatly fauoure the order of begging fryers and bestowed on them manye priuiledges and benefittes He preferred the Dominicans to dignityes Ecclesiastical and aduaūced the Franciscās to be the Popes confessours He adopted the White fryers and Augustine friers to be his sonnes wher as they liued before in deserts he brought them into Cityes teachinge them to begge their breade w t idlenes By the helpe of the Dominicans he reformed the rule of the Whitefryers mitigated it and finallye with his blessinge confirmed it that as the sayd rule sheweth they should hope to be saued not onlye by Christ He graūted these the begging fryers lycence to preach to dispute and to shriue people Also he exempted them from all power iurisdiction of kinges and bishops whereupon they crammed the worlde ful and chaoked it with their gloses vpon Sentences decretals cannons wich their commentaries vpon Aristotle their Sophisms Repertories Sūmaries Tables Trinies Quatrinies Conclusions Questions Distinctions Quidities Quodlibets Myracles of the dead Legendaryes Saincts liues Martyrdoms Uisions Dreames Reuelatiōs Exorsisms Concordances Discordāces Marials perspectiues Aphorismes wyth a thousande vaine and combrous pamphlets full of grosse deceitful heresyes and then nothing was counted deuinitye nor lawe but their fansyes and canons And in these dayes the world was fallen into such grosse blindnesse ignorance and barbarousnesse that not onelye knowledge in diuinity but also other learning was almost decayed the knowledge of the tongues as Greeke and Hebrew buried in ignoraunce though some rubbishe of the latine tongue were left yet it was rustye corrupte and broken stuffe as appeareth yet by theyr wrytings that the like barbarousnesse is not in any tongue But to returne to Pope Innocent he canonized diuers makinge them saincts that for his aduauncemente had played the traytours and rebels against theyr owne Princes as one Edmond Archbishop of Canterbury and other of sondrye places Till the time of this Innocentius the 4. sayth Bibliander it was not an article of fayth nor a law of the Church that men should worship the breade and the wyne in the Sacrament therefore sayth he the Pope as a creator brought forth a newe God Mauzis by transubstantiation This Pope offred to sell to king Henry the third of England the kingdome of both Sicils to the vse of his sonne Prince Edmond and yet Conradus kinge thereof was lyuinge He vexed and polled the Churches of England with myserable exactions for money he maintayned and licensed anye wickednes amonge the clergye suffering worser matters in his bastards
Canon that the Emperours appointed in Germany although they bare the name of the king of Romaynes should yet receiue of the Pope the title right and name of Empire and that the Emperour being dead all the time the Empyre should be voide the Pope should haue iurisdiction ouer those townes in Italye that are tributaryes to the Emperour So much of Marius Clement being an open whoremōger and maintayner of harlots appointed the Popes Courte to be at Auenio for his owne pleasure He rooted out the Iewes called Templars in a councell at Vienna Anno 1311. In the same councell be decreed that all religious orders exempted shoulde be subiect vnder the commō lawes as other were but the Cistercian monks did purchase of him to be priuiledged and gaue large bribes to him for it Also the Franciscan friers offered him fortye Thousande Florences of golde beside other siluer that they might against their rule haue a dispensation for landes and possessions the Pope thereupon willed them to bring the money hauing taken assurance for it of certaine marchaunts which they brought he both toke the money tould the fryers that he would not nor could not breake S. Frauncis rule for any money thus he beguiled the fryers He aduaūced S. Iohns knights ▪ called the knights of the Roades because they had won the Roades frō the Saracens He cōmaunded the master of the Tēplars to be burned w t one of his fellowes at Paris in presence of the Cardinals and made certaine decrees to bridle the disorder of the Iewes confiscating their goodes He appointed punishmēt for such of the clergye as should busye themselues in secular affayres or be costlye apparelled and depriued monkes of hunting and hauking He excommunicated the Venetians the Florentines and Lucians and cōfirmed Corpus Christi daye for an holye daye He commaunded that the reliques of Saincts should be reuerentlye honoured He gouerned Italye by his deputyes two Cardinals he made Celestine the fift a confessor Sainct finally after diuers decrees of superstition he dyed of the bloudye flixe panged and pained somtime with a collicke sometime payned in the guts the sides and the stomacke at Rocca Maura a tent vpon Rodanus Anno 1314. His body was caryed to Carpentorate in Vascony the seate was voyde 3. yeres This same yeare also dyed Henry Lutsenburg the Emperour poysoned by a monke called Bernad by the cōspiracy of the Guelphes because he wēt about to take vpō him by force the kingdome of Sicill beinge moued thereto by the Sicilians for this cause the sayd monke who had long dissembled frendship good will to the Emperour wrought his destruction in most sinfull and blasphemous manner For against the good godlye Emperour should come to receiue the Sacrament of the bodye of Christe the cursed monke had prouided tempered one hoaste w t such rancke poyson that the Emperour perceyued forthwith the horrible treason and yet the godlye Prince as soone as he felt himselfe poysoned gaue the trayterous monke warning to escape awaye with these woords Sir conuaye your selfe awaye for if the Dutchmen perceiue this and oure godlye frendes ye shall dye the death The monke therefore goinge to Sene receyued the reward which was promised him and yet he did not by this treason deliuer his fryerlye brethren for many of them in Thuscia Lombardy and other places both men houses perished with fyer and sworde This Pope Clement toke displeasure with the Venetiās and furiouslye yelded them as a pray and spoyle to all that would make hauocke of them and theirs They therefore sent to him a noble man of Venice called Dandalus to sue for fauoure and for the safety of their Citye and to obtaine pardon this noble Frauncis Dandalus was fayne to yelde himselfe bounde in a chayne about the necke and to couch at the Popes feete vnder his table and there like a dogge to feede of the scrappes bones that the Pope did cast vnto him ere he could asswage the Popes fury as Sabelicus declareth Enned 9. lib. 7. 137. Iohn the xxiii IOhn the xxiii a Frenchman borne called Iacob Caturcensis bishop and Cardinall of Portua after the seate had beene voyde through the discorde of 23. Cardinals ii yeares was chosen Pope at Lions from thence remouinge his Court to Auenio he created viii Cardinals amonge whō was Iacob Caturcensis the yonger his sisters sonne and Iohn Caietan of the house of Vrsine He deliuered Hugh Gerard bishop of Caturcia to a seculer Courte beinge disgraded and spoyled of his pontifical araye to be tormēted his skin fleed from his bodye then to be burned to death because he had as he saide conspired against his parson He was so new fangled that he made much chopping and chaunginge erecting and supplanting of bishoprickes abbeyes and such like dignityes He made two Thomasses Saincts the one bishop of Hertford in England the other Thomas Aquinas a dominican beside sondrye other Hee ordayned that belles should be ronge thrise in the day that the people fallinge on their knees euen as they go in theyr waye shoulde saye Aue Maria thrise He condemned them for obstinate heretickes that defended that Christ and his Apostles possessed nothing priuatly and sent commaundement to the Uniuersities that no scholers should presume to dispute therof He condemned the wryting of one Peter a franciscan fryer who wente aboute to encourage men to follow the pouertye of Christe for the which thinge many were condemned burnte He exempted the white fryers from all iurisdiction reseruing them onelye to S. Peters auctoritye his deare children and made diuers of them bishops for by the suggestion of Sathan as surely it maye be well thoughte he had a wonderfull straunge vision before he came to be Pope as he him selfe testifyeth in a certaine bull that is this That the Uirgin Mary deliuered him from his ennemyes amonge great debate of the Cardinals and made him Pope but vpon this condition that he should saue from Purgatorye these his bretherne This Pope Iohn taught certaine errours namelye that the soules departed from the bodye do not see God till the day of Iudgemente for so sayth Massaeus his father taughte him being deluded with the false visiō of one Tundalus an Irishman He sent to Paris twaine the one a dominicke the other a franciscan to preach the same heresye but one Thomas VValleis an English fryer dominick withstoode the Pope in his heresye whom the Pope committed to prison Durandus of S. Porcian VVilliam of Callis and other wtstoode the Pope likewyse Touching the errour grosse heresye of this Pope Iohn he was charged with it in the councell of Constance by these wordes Pope Iohn sayde and stubbornely beleeued that the soule of man dyeth together with the body is consumed to nothing like the soule of brute beastes whereof he neuer would purge him selfe Furthermore because that Thomas Vvalleis an Englishman was imprisoned by the Pope for reprouinge his heresye the kinge of Fraunce
the conditioÌ„s though the Pope sente thether his stoute champion Peter Vincent to challenge them and his Secretarye with him Also he deposed George Boebracius kinge of Bohemia from his kingdome for fauouring Iohn Husse bestowed it vpon Mathias but because the Emperour Frederick woulde not plant this Mathias therein great warre ensued thereof to the subuersion almost of the said Emperour After this Innocentius being wearyed with warres gaue him selfe to pretensed peace and applyed him selfe whollye to ease and idlenesse which breedeth al wickednesse He following the example of Sixtus did erect a Colledge of sâ—cretaryes for his greater gaine encreasing the nomber of them He beutifyed the Papacye with a newe Pallaice He did openlye lauishe out reâ—hes and treasures vpon his bastards giuing them honours without all shame for he bestowed vpon one FrauÌ„cis his bastard certaine townes adioyning to the Citye gaue a great dowrye w t his bastard daughter Theodorina maryed to an exceeding wealthye Genewaie He made his base begotten children his chamberlaynes his companions Cardinals He sould pardons for the quick and the dead He bestowed great treasures superstitiously on diuers Churches in Italy and on religious houses He grauÌ„ted leue by his bul to those of Norway to say masse wtoute wyne He diuising a new trade to fishe for money because that neither the aduauÌ„tages of his pardoÌ„s nor of his Iubelie nor the taxe against the Turke coulde suffice him he found out the title that was set vp ouer the Crosse of Christe by Pilate written in three tongues Iesus Nazarenus rex Iudeorum which was hidden within a wall also he found out the iron head of the speare where withal the side of our Sauiour was wounded and ere a man mighte see or kisse these Iewels he must paye well for it But after long sicknesse this Pope dyed Anno 1492. Of whom this Epitaph was made Quid quaeris testes sit mas aut foemina Cibo Respice natorum pignora certa gregem Octo recens pueros genuit totidemque puellas Hunc meritò poterit dicere Roma patrem Spurcities gula auaritia atque ignauia deses Hoc Octaue iacent quo tegeris tumulo About the yeare of our Lord 1464. Baptist Mantuan being then xviii yeres old wrote his ix Eglog calling it Post religionis ingressum entreating of the corrupt maners of the court of Rome his tenth Eglog of the controuersye of the fryers Obseruants and not Obseruants Also he wrote a Diolog in prayse of the blessed life In his ix Eglog he painteth out the treacheryes of Rome saying that all kinde of naughtye parsons are had in honour and are promoted at Rome and that none are there aduaunced but such villaines as deserue rather to be imprisoned and driuen out His sayinges are partlye thus Quo magis approprias tanto magis omnia sordent ¶ And after he addeth Fama est Aegyptum coluisse animalia quaedam Et pro numinibus multas habuisse ferarum Ista superstitio minor est quám nostra ferarum Hic aras habet omne genus contraria certè Naturae res atque Deo qui dicitur olim Preposuisse hominem cunctis animaÌ„tibus vnum c. 160. Alexander the sixt ALexander the sixt was a Spaniard borne in Valentia called first Rodericus Borgia succeeded Innocentius his deedes were so opprobrious and wicked as hath beene sildome heard He was a very royotous tyrauÌ„t in league with the deuil to obtaine the Papacye He being long vice-chauncelour in his Cardinalship did search and boult out all the estate and trade of the Court of Rome and all the councelles and secretes of all the Princes and encorporations of Italye And therefore being Pope by the helpe of of his bastarde Valentinus whom of a Cardinall he made captaine calling him Caesarius he did almost destroy them all and rooted out and banished the most mightye and honourable houses of Rome so that afterward he stoode not in awe of anye of them Iuâ—the which bickeringe sayth Valerius the garrison of Frenchmen and Heluetians being murthered both man and woman this proud Captaine Caesarius beinge by meanes of his wyfe duke of Valentia purposing to get a bootye of money gaue to certaine Cardinals a pocioÌ„ of Aconita wherof his father also drancke so that he fell a sleepe with the rest and then the sonne with the stroke of a weapon quenched the vndeserued honour of both This AlexaÌ„der held the Iubelie at Rome Anno 1500. whither infinite multitudes of people resorted but for those that either would not or could not come the Pope by his bull imparted to them the blessing and benefite of the Iubelie if they woulde giue moneye for it He spared no shamefull shifte to make money withall and therefore he did found yet another newe colledge for clarkes of briefes for so were they called that write the abridgements of all matters these were in nomber foure score of the which euery one payd for his place vii huÌ„dred crownes He cited al Princes by auctoritye of his bull to come to the Iubelie and appointed standings in euery countrye in the streates whither the people should resorte to send their money thether By his Legate Iohn Borgia he crowned Alphonsus king of Naples and sayth Platina made him sweare to be true to Rome in paying his yearely tribute faithfullye He bestowed infinite riches in repayringe and garnishing Churches Castels towers hyewayes and houses in Rome Volateranus sayth that he murthered manye vertues by his notorious vices which are not to be named onlye sayth he I will touche those that were knowen in the eyes of the people If he were at anye time at leasure he had no regarde what kinde of recreation he vsed withoute respecte of his estate He flitted often to Adrian castell because he might the better come out openlye to behold such shewes and delightes as maskers mommers daunters harlots and strompets and other worse kinde of people vsing these braueryes vpon hollydayes and other times he delighted much to see the lasciuious coÌ„medyes of Plautus and other like enterludes played At the mariage of one of his doughters he procured extraordinarily to haue it solemnized with running at the tilt and hunting Fensers roisters were neuer so suffered in Rome neither the Citizens so bridled as in his time Beside the Citye was much encombred with vagaboundes so that men coulde neither walke safe in the Citye by night nor without the Citye by daye Now was Rome become a slaughterhouse which hath somtime beene a refuge and defence for men All these sayth Volateran he suffered for his bastards sake to whoÌ„ he graunted all thinges at pleasure c. But as ye haue heard before he dyed in the ende of the same poyson which he caused his sonne to prouide for other farther of his doiÌ„ges and of his sonnes warres by him procured maintayned Volateran wryteth at large Platina sayth howe that when Charles the eight king of Fraunce should passe
pleased God otherwyse to prouide his owne brother Paulus Vergerius bishoppe of Iustinople had not escaped his rigour â—e sent out his marcials as cruel persecutours on all sides who tormeÌ„ted the Gospellers with fyre sword burning and drowning banishing and imprysoning confiscating their goods pyning their carkases euen to death The â—â—iefe of these tormentours were Alexander Farnesius Cardinall Octauius his brother duke of Parma who were the sonnes of the forsaid Peter Aloysius the sonne of this Pope These two wyth great blustring and threatnings came out of Italye entred into Germanye Anno 1546 vauntinge and boasting verye arrogantlye that they would shed so much bloude of the Dutche Lutherans that their horses should be able to swim in the streame thereof In the meane time the wicked Pope at home was more pleasaunt with his daughter Constantia then the vse is beside this like a sinnefull wretche he prouoked to incest and most detestable whoredome another beinge his nyce a yonge gentlewoman in time past commended as well for womanlye modestye as beautye He had a booke kept of 45. Thousande harlots who for the libâ—rtye of their stewes did paye vnto him a monthlye tribute These dames sayth Eusebius Captiuuâ— are had in great honour wyth the Pope these kisse his feetâ— these haue familiar communicatioÌ„ wyth him these are his companions both by daye and by night In the time of this Pope Anno 1534. the Franciscan monkes played a cruel and bloudye pageant at Orleans in Fraunce in despite of a dead woman beinge the Maiors wyfe of the Citye who in her life desired that she might be buryed without any funerall pompe The woman beinge dead the monkes in whose Church shee was buryed receyued of her husband vi crownes and because the gifte was not greater they grudged much at it And therefore they set a certaine nouice aloft on the roofe of the Church who shoulde in the nighte time counterfaite to be the womans spirite and should crye out and say that she was dampned perpetuallye for Luthers doctrine At the leÌ„gth the matter came before the kinges councel at Paris where in presence of the Chauncellour Antonius Pratensis these two Coleman Steuen Atrebatensis being found giltye conuicted of this villanye were condemned to be put to open shame One Vulteius Remensis wrote these Uerses against this illusion Cum clamat laruas furiosa caterua leonum Infestare suam nocte dieque domum Res vera est falsi laruati denique fratres Quos vestis sanctos prodigiosa facit Sunt lemures â–ª larue furiae vulpesque lupique Qui infestant vitijs seque suamque domum One Pontacus a Popeling in his Chronicle set out the last yeare being the yere of our Lord 1573 printed at Louany by an Englishe fugitiue called Iohn Fowler reporteth in the 153. leafe thereof that this Pope Paule the third did openlye excommunicate curse the most renowmed Prince R. Henry the eyghte donauit regnum primum occupaturo gaue his kingdome to him that woulde first inuade it Nowe followeth it to speake of Peter Aloysius duke of Parma Placentia and bastarde sonne to Pope Paule the thirde who because he was proud cruell and a most lasciuious tyraunte was murthered by his owne nobles Anno 1548. the tenth day of August When this wretched villaine as both Vergerius SleidaÌ„ report out of certaine Italian historyes beinge lieâ—etenaunte generall of the Romaine armye arriued at Fane and founde there Cosmus Cherius bishop of the same Citye being aboue thirtye yeares old a man of great wysedome learning and of godlye lyfe he committed vppon him such an horrible villanye that I thincke since Sodom Gomorra were by the hande of God for the same sinne destroyed wyth showers of fier and brimstone rayninge from heauen the like hath not beene hearde of For euen by force and violence hee caused his vassals and pezauntes to holde the bishoppe while he mauger his hart in the meane time without all shame committed that deede which shame wil suffer no ciuill pen to put in wryting This treacherye infamous filthines strake such a griefe in the harte of the good bishop and was such a corsey to the innocent man that for sorrowe shame together he dyed within three dayes after And as some thincke the same Aloysius perceyuing how greuouslye he toke it gaue him poyson to dispatche him out of the waye least he should haue made complaint thereof to the Emperour For so vnaduisedlye in greate anguishe of minde he had threatned Aloysius Beside this Aloysius beinge priuye to the incest of his father presumed to committe the same deede ofteÌ„ with his sister ConstaÌ„tia And thus while his father was Pope hauing power as he thought of heauen and hell he presumed that he might do any thing lawfullye without feare and thereupon bye licentious luste did oft defile him selfe with eyther kinde He committed manye robberyes and murthers spoylinge of Churches and thondring out his blasphemyes against the maiestye of God And notwithstanding all this the Pope made of his sonne as his deare darlinge and whollye endeuored himselfe to aduaunce him to honour and when any made complaint of his wicked conuersation the Pope would litle or nothing be moued therewith but would saye after a smyling maner that He learned not this of his father Other correction of his sonne he vsed none no not for that notorious crime vpon the bodye of Cosmus O what a miserable estate is this that he who couÌ„teth himselfe to be the vicar of God that is ielous ouer the least sinnes and a seuere reuenger of iniquitye vppon his owne elected people should thus against the maiestye of that God as it were in defiance of his iustice wincke at such an horrible treacherye and suffer it to be vnpunished which Paganes and heatheÌ„ led onely by the light of reason haue loathed Yea euen the brutishe beast taught of nature coÌ„mitteth not and as I maye plainlye say if the deuil himselfe hath any remorse to be touched wyth the hydiousnes of sinne I am sure he would detest abhorre such an acte most of all If anye man be so vaine to repose his Religion vpon man and to measure the truth of doctrine by the conuersation of the person As many misled by Popishe traditions refuse the sinceritye of the Gospell for the corruption of them y professe it If those kinde of parsons loke vppon this one Pope a mightye piller of their Religion I hope they would roote out that affiauÌ„ce in his doctrine which is plaÌ„ted in their breastes or els be taught to measure the power and truth of the Gospell not by the frailtye and weaknes of man But if this waywarde reason be so beaten into their braynes that it cannot be digged oute but that they will still affirme the doctrine is not true and saye I wyll not accept of it because the professours thereof are wicked men Then let them beholde this Pope Paule a mightye
patrone of their vndoubted Religion and they shal be compelled by their reason to say and speake with their tongue as the foole sayd in his hart Surelye there is no God no Iesus Christe no holye Ghost no Gospell no heauen nor hell I will not beleeue anye such thinge because that euē the Pope himselfe the great professour hereof is become a sincke of sinne and a puddle of all filthines to commit in his owne parsō adulterye and incest and to foster those euils in his sonne and suffer him to be as it were Prince of Sodom c. Thus I say if a man wil iudge Religiō by men he shall be so farre from attayning to the knowledge of God from faythfull seruinge of him that he shall rather defye vtterlye his glorious maiestye thincke that there is no God at all But thus we see that as no people haue attayned so much to the true vnderstanding of God as they to whom it hath pleased the mercye of the father to reueale him selfe by his sonne Iesus Christe so againe no people haue at anye time swarued farther from his holye wil and pleasure and bin more fowlye polluted stayned with all kinde of abhominable wickednes But to returne to the historye of Peter Aloysius This outragious villanye against the sayd bishop together with other matters of iniurye extorciō crueltye but this chiefelye emboldned diuers parsons of all estates to grudge his doings And amonge other he being on a time at his owne Citye Placentia sone after this former facte Anno 1547. he did cease into his owne hands al the goods of sondrye parsons and amonge them one Ierome Palauicinus and when as he to auoyde the daūger of displeasure fled to Crema a towne subiect to Venice Peter Aloysius apprehended the wyfe and children of the sayd Ierom and imprysoned them all This being a matter wherof greater trouble might ensue the Cardinall of Trent bearinge good will to the Fernesians wrote his letters to Aloysius in the behalfe of Ierom but Aloysius gaue him a lighte aunswere Afterward Octauius sonne to the sayd Peter came from the Emperours campe to Trent purposing to returne home The Cardinall of Trent came vnto him and coulde him the whole matter touchinge Ierom and desired him to be a meanes to his father for him Hee made him promise to do it and afterwarde sente woorde to the Cardinall that Ierom shoulde be receiued into fauour if he himselfe woulde come and craue his owne pardon in humble manner But because it was feared that promise beinge broken he shoulde be put to some greuous punishmente therfore the Cardinall with a trayne of men went to Crema and called for Ierom. He mistrusting treason would not appeare tyll he had good proofe that the Cardinal was come in deede After they had longe talked in counsell together and the Cardinal had at large promised his helpe they toke their iourney together The Cardinall sent one of his men before to geue knowledge to Aloysius that hee and Ierom were comminge by whom Aloysius returned this message contrary to that whiche his sonne Octauius had shewed before that if they came he coulde not restore Ierom. And although that bothe diuers Legates besides other wise and graue men did bothe intreate and vse perswasions to appease his wrath yet he persisted obstinately in his purpose And now certaine of the nobilitie that had hated him for his former pranckes conspired to murther him They hauing entertayned for their purpose certaine ruffians for their sauegarde watched a conueniente tyme for theyr purpose and being garded with this their traine they diuidinge them selues into diuers companies came now and then out into the streates euery man pretending that it was done for priuate quarrels towching him selfe and therfore euery man demaunded of those whom he had hyred to attende on him whether they woulde faythfully take parte with him to reuenge his iniurie whiche he had susteined at the hands of Duke Aloysius the seruing men made aunswere againe that they would do their endeuour not onely to reuenge an iniurie on hym but further if it were to kill him About this time Pope Paule the third wrote to his sonne Peter Aloysius willinge him to take heede to him selfe and to beware of the tenth day of September for he saide that the starres did thretten great mischiefe towarde him for this Pope by constant reporte was skilful not onely in Astrologie but also in Necromancie vpon the sighte of these letters Aloysius was very sad and pensiue for feare And when the same tenth day came he passed out of his castell being borne in a horselitter and accompanied with a great trayne to viewe the fortifiyng of the citie which he had appoynted to be doone The conspiratours were also there in a redinesse but because they coulde not then obteine their purpose therfore they made no slurre at al but when he shoulde returne home they gaue attendaunce on him and as it were for duetie towarde him they went before him .xxxvi. in al and when he with his horselitter was entred into the castell forthwith they drewe vp the bridge after them for it was a drawe bridge so that none other coulde follow them in where euen presently they set vpon hym with their swordes and after they had rated him and vpbrayded him bitterly with his tyranny they slew him in his litter and a certaine prieste beside the groome of his stable and fiue Germaines This beinge doone they ran vp and downe in the castell and made spoyle of al thinges where among other things they founde an hewge masse of money which he had laide in store to mainteine the charge of fortifiyng the citie In the meane time the people of the citie ran thither demaunding what the matter should be because they harde such criynge weeping and howlinge within the castell The murderers spake out to them againe saying we haue slaine the tyrant and recouered the libertie of our citie But because that matter could hardly be credited vpon the warrant of the people promisinge to saue them harmelesse the murderers tyed the deade body of Peter Aloysius to an iron chaine and so hong him out ouer the castel wall in sight of all the people and after they had there let him hang a while they threwe him downe into a dike As sone as he was downe the people ranne thither drew him out stamped on him and spurned him with their feete and thrust their daggars into his bodie so desirous they were to woorke their mallice on his hatefull carkasse This being done the people forthwith submitted them selues to the obedience of the Emperour to whom they vttered the shameful demeanour of Aloysius and causes of his death as hath ben saide Thus he whom the Pope his father fostred in his villanie was plagued both with losse of life in his own person and alienation of his dominion from his children So alwaies the iustice of god awaketh when the iustice of man