true causes of our iustification after the doctrine of S. Paule Concerning which causes this distinctioÌ„ furthermore by the way is to be added that as touching the originall causes of our saluation which be diuers and sondry some are externall without vs some are internall and within vs. Of the external causes which are without vs the first and principal is the mercy grace of god Of this foloweth predestination and election TheÌ„ coÌ„meth vocation The last and next cause to vs is the deth and bloudshed of christ wherby we are redemed al these be external causes because they are without vs. Of internall causes that be in man through the gift of God there is but one no mo in scripture apointed that is out faith in Christ which is the gift of God in vs. Beside this there is no gift of God giuen to man vertue work merite nor any thing els that is any part or cause of saluation but only this gyft of fayth to beleeue in Christ Iesu. And this is the cause why we hold that faith onely iustifieth meanyng that amongst all the workes deedes actions labours and operations whatsoeuer man doth or can doe there is nothing in that man that worketh saluation but onely his fayth gyuen to hym of God to beleeue in Christ his sonne following therein the trade of S. Paules teaching who in precise wordes so ascribeth iustification to fayth that he excludeth all other actions of man works of the law And therefore in the same Epystle to the Romanes S. Paule resoning of the glory of iustifiyng asketh this question how this glory is excluded whether by the law of works and concludeth no ascribing onely the glory thereof to the law of faith And consequently vppon the same he inferreth Colligimus enim iustificari hominem per fidem sine operibus legis We hold that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the law And how then can that he accounted for any part of our iustification which S. Paule vtterly debarreth and excludeth in that behalfe of which like exclusiues and negatiues the whole course of S. Paules doctrine is full where he still concludeth Sine operibus absque operibus legis non exoperibus Dei donum est non ex operibus ne quis sed secunduÌ„ misericordiaÌ„ glorietur Ephe 2. Non ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos sed secunduÌ„ propositsi suum gratiâ—m c. Titi. 3. Non secundum opera nostra c. Timot 1. That is to say It is the gift of God not of works that no maÌ„ should glory c. Not of the workes of righteousnes which we haue done but of his own mercy c. Not after our workes but after his owne purpose grace which is giuen to vs c. Agayne Gal 2. Non iustificatur homo ex operibus c. That is A man is not iustified by works c. Item Ei qui non operatur credenti auteÌ„ in euÌ„ qui iustificat impium fides imputatur ad iustitiam c. Rom. 4. To him that worketh not but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed to righteousnes c. By these exclusiues and negatiues in Sainct Paules doctrine what doth he els meane but vtterly to seclude all kinde of mans merits and works of the law from the office dignitie of iustifying And although he expresseth not the word Onely yet vpon his exclusiues and negatiues this exceptiue must needes be inferred For in all Logike the coÌ„nsequent is necessary and formall as one man is suffered to come into the house and no person els is suffered but one Ergo one man only is suffered to enter into the housé And thus much concerning faith in Christ prooued to be the onely meane or instrumentall or conditionall cause of our saluation and no other besides the same alone by the doctrine of S. Paule taught to the ancient Romanes 5. The fift branch which I note in S. Paules doctrine is this that after he hath thus established vs in certeinty of our saluation through faith in Christ then after that he exhorteth vs vehemently and with all instaunce of good workes shewing the true vse and ende of good workes which is first to shewe our obedience and dutifull seruice as we may vnto God who hath done so great thinges for vs. Secondly to relieue our neighbours with our charitie and kindes as God hath bene kinde to vs his enimies Thirdly to stirre vp other by our example to praise God to embrace the same Religion to do the like For requisite it is that as God hath bene so merciful to vs and gratious in eternal giftes we should be merciful likewise to other in temporall coÌ„modities And seeing it hath pleased him of his fatherly goodnes of our partes so litle deserued to call vs to so high a vocation to giue the bloud of his sonne for vs to forgiue vs al our sinnes to deliuer vs from this present wicked worlde to make vs Citizens of heauen yea his children more then seruaunts little then can we doe and well may we thinke those benefites ill bestowed if we forgiue not our neigbours and shewe some thing againe worthy that holy calling wherewith he hath called vs in mortifying our worldly lustes here studying after heauenly things and finally if we being prouoked with such loue kindnes reder not againe some loue for loue some kindnes for kindnes seeking how to walke in the steps which he hath prepared for vs to walke in seruing him so much as we may in holines righteousnes all the daies of our life And though our obedience shall alwaies be imperfect doe the best we can yet reason would that some obedience we should shew as louing children to such a louing father And this is the cause why S. Paule is so vehement vrgent to call vpon good workes not that workes should iustifie but that we being iustified so mercifully tenderly through his grace should not abuse his grace in vayne but endeuour our selues to our vttermost to render our seruice againe to him in such conuersation of life as may most make to his glorye and profite of our neighbour And though the words of our sauiour seme in some places to attribute to our obedience and charitie here in earth great rewards in heauen that is of his owne free grace goodnes so to impute small matters for great deserts and not for vs to claime any meede thereby or thanke at hys hande as by any worthines of our dooings no more then the seruaunt when he commeth from the plough and seruing the cattell in the field serueth first his master at home and waiteth vpon his table the master is not bound saith Christ to thanke his seruaunt therefore and bid him sit downe So you saith he when you haue done that is coÌ„manmanded you say ye
as foloweth How that in the beginning when he heard of these things was nothing at all afrayd nor disquieted in mynd but purposed to haue taried stil in the Citie till beyng perswaded by the intreatie of theÌ„ that were about him which desired him instatly that he would conuey himselfe away hid himselfe in a grange or village not farre of from the Citie and there abidyng with a fewe more in his company did nothing els night nor day but abode in supplication wherin he made his humble petitioÌ„ for the obtaining of peace vnto all the congregatioÌ„s through out the world For that was his accustomed maner so to doe And as he was thus making his prayers three dayes before he was apprehended in a vision by night he saw the bed set on fire vnder his head and sodainly to be coÌ„sumed And when he awaked he told by and by expounded vnto them that were present his vision and told them before what thing should come to passe that is how that in the fire he should lose his life for Christes cause It is further mentioned that wheÌ„ they were hard at hand which so narowly sought for him that he was inforced for the affection and loue of his brethren to fleet into an other village to which place notwithstanding within a little while alter the pursuers came and when they had taken a couple of children that dwelt therabouts they so beat one of them with whips that by the bewraying or confession of him they were brought to the Inne where Polycarpus was And they say that the pursuers making no great hast to enter found him in the vppermost place of the house from whence he might haue escaped into other houses if he would but this he would not do saying the wil of God be done Furthermore wheÌ„ he knew that they were come as the said history sheweth he came downe and spake vnto them with a very chereful and pleasant countenaunce so that it was a wonder to see those which a while agone knew not the man now beholding viewyng his comely age and his graue constant countenaunce lamented that they had so much employed their labour that so aged a man should be appreheÌ„ded To conclude he commaunded that straightway without any delay the â—able should be layd for them and persuaded theÌ„ that they would eate and diâ—e well and required of them boldly that he might haue an houres respite to make his prayers Which thing after it was graunted he arose and went to pray so being replenished which the grace of God that they which were present and hearyng the prayers that he made were astonied at it and now many of them were sory that so honest and godly an aged man should be put to death After this the foresaid Epistle or letter prosecuting the historie addeth more as followeth After he had made an end of his prayers had called to his remeÌ„brance al those things which euer hapned vnto him and to the vniuersal catholike church throughout all the world whether they were small or great glorious or els inglorious and that the houre was now come in which they ought to set forward they set him vpon an Asse and brought him to the Citie vpon a solemne feast day And there met him Irenarchus Herodes and his father Nicetes which causing him to come vp into the chariote where they sate persuaded him sayd What hurt I pray thee shall come thereof to thee if thou say by the way of salutation My Lord Caesar and to do sacrifice and thus to saue thy selfe But he at the beginning made them none aunswere Till that when they inforced him to speake he sayd I wil not do as ye counsail me I should When that they sawe he could not be persuaded they gaue him very rough language of purpose molested him that in goyng doune the chariot from them he might hurt or breake his legs But he forcing very light of the matter as though he had felt no hurt went merily and diligently forward making hast vnto the place appointed And when there was such vprore in the place of execution that he could not be heard but of a very few there came a voyce from heauen to Polycarpus as he was going into the Stage or appointed place of iudgement saying be of good cheare Polycarpus and play the man No man there was which saw him that spake but very many of vs heard his voyce And when he was brought in there was a great noise made by them which vnderstood that Polycarpus was apprehended The Proconsul asked him wheÌ„ that he was come whether his name was Polycarpus or not and when he said yea it was he gaue him counsail to deny his name and said vnto him be good vnto thy selfe and fauour thyne old age and many other such like words which they accustome to speake Sweare saith he by the Emperours good fortune looke vpoÌ„ this matter say thou with vs Destroy these naughtie men Then Polycarpus beholding with constant countenance the whole multitude which was in the place appointed and geuing a great sigh looked vp to heauen saying Thou thou it is that wilt destroy these wicked naughty men And the Proconsul thus being earnestly in hand with him sayd take thine othe and I will dyscharge thee desye Christ Policarpus aunswered fourescore and syxe yeares haue I beene his seruaunt yet in all this tyme hath he not so much as once hurt me how then may I speake euill of my king souereigne Lorde which hath thus preserued me Then the Proconsull againe inforced him and sayd Sweare thou I aduise thee by Caesars prosperity Policarpus replieth if thou require of me this fonde word of vaine boasting teyning not to know as thou saiest who I am I doe thee to wit that I am a Christian And if thou desire to know the doctrin of Christianity appoint a day thou shalt heare Perswade the people to this said the Proconsul Truly sayth Policarpus I haue thought it my part thus to say vnto you for so much as we are commaunded to giue vnto the gouernours powers ordayned of God the honor meete due to them and not hurtfull vnto vs but as for those I doe iudge them vnworthy to purge my self vnto them Hereupon the proconsul stode vp I haue saith he wilde beasts to whom I will throwe thee vnles thou take a better way Whereunto Policarpus answered let theÌ„ come we haue determined with our selues that we will not by repentance turne vs from the better way to the worse but rather conuenient it is that a man turne from the thinges that be euill to that which is good and iust Agayne sayth the Proconsul I will taine thee with fire if that thou set not by the wilde beastes nor yet repent Then said Policarpus you threaten me with fyre which shal burne for the space of an
them that robbe them It belongs also to my care to prouide necessary things to the ministers of the Churches to the flockes of the Monkes to the company of virgins and to prouide for their peace and quiet The examining of all whose maners belongeth vnto vs whether they liue chastly if they behaue themselues honestly towarde them that be without whether they be diligent at Gods seruice if they be earnest to teache the people if they be sober in eating and drinking if they keepe measure in apparell and if they be discreete in iudgement If ye had regarded these thinges with a triall of them O reuerende fathers by your leaues I speake suche horrible and abhominable thinges of the Clearkes shoulde not haue come vnto our eares I omit to speake how their crowne is not broad nor their rounding conuenient the wantonnesse in your life your pryde in your gesture the filthinesse in your wordes doe declare the euill of the inward man Furthermore what negligence is in Gods seruice when scarce they will be present at the holy vigils And when they come to masse they seeme rather to be gathered to play and laugh then to sing I will tell that that good men be sory for and the euil laugh at I will speake with sorrow if so be I may expresse it how they be riotous in banquetings in chambering dronkennes and vnshamefastnes that now clerkes houses may be thought to be a stewes of harlots and a couent of players There be dice there is dancing and singing there is watching to midnight with crying and shouting Thus the goods of kinges the almes of princes yea and that more is the price of that precious bloud is not esteemed Haue our fathers thē spent their treasures for this purpose Hath the kinges cofers decayed by taking awaye many reuenues for this cause Hath the kinges liberalitie geuen landes and possessions to Christes Churches for this intent that Clarkes harlots shoulde be decked with the same that riotous feastes might be dressed that houndes and haukes and such other toyes might be gotten The souldiours crye out of these thinges the people grudge minstrels sing and daunce and yet ye regard it not ye spare it ye dissemble it Where is the sworde of Leuy and the zeale of Simeon whiche killed the Sichemites and the Circumcised which bare the figure of them that defile Christes Churche with filthy deedes because they abused Iacobes daughter as a harlot Where is Moyses spirite whiche spared not hys owne kinsfolke that worshipped the head of the Calfe Where is Phinies the priestes dagger which pacified Gods anger by his holy zeale when he killed him that plaied the harlote with the Madianite Where is Peters spirite by whose power couetousnes is destroied simonical heresie is condemned Be earnest ye Priests be earnest to followe the waies of the Lord the righteousnes of our God It is time to doe against them that haue broken the law of God I haue Constantines sword and yee haue Peters sworde in your hands let vs ioyne right hands let vs couple sword to sword that the lepers may be cast out of the tēples that the holy place of the Lord may be purged and the sonnes of Leuie may minister in the temple who said to his father and mother I know you not and to his brothers I know not you Goe to diligently I pray you least we repent to haue done that that we haue done to haue geuen that that we geue If we shall see that to be spent not in Gods seruice but on the riotousnes of wicked men through vile and corrupt liberty of life for lacke of chastisement let the reliques of holy saintes which they despise and the holy altars before which they play the madde men mooue you Let the great deuotion of our ancetours moue you whose almes the madnesse of the Clearkes doeth abuse My great graundfather as yee know gaue the tenth parte of all hys landes to Churches and Abbeys My greate greate graundfather Alfredus of holy memorie thoughte it not meete to spare hys Treasures his goodes no costes nor rentes that he might enriche the Church My grandfather the elder Edward your fatherhoode is not ignoraunt howe great things he gaue to the Churches It becommeth you to remember with what gifts my father his brothers did enrich Christes altars O father of fathers Dunstane beholde I pray thee the eyes of my father looking on thee from that bright place of heauen Harken his complaining words sounding in thine eares thus pitifully lamenting O father Dunstane thou thou I say geuest me counsell to builde Abbaies and Churches thou wast my helper and fellow worker in all things I chose thee as a shepheard and bishop of my soule and a keper of my maners Whē did I not obey thee what treasures did I preferre in respect of thy counsels What possessions did I not despise if thou badde me If thou thought meete to geue any thing to the poore I was ready If thou thought meete to geue any thing to Churches I deferred not If thou complained that Monkes or Clearkes wanted any thing I supplied Thou saidest that almes lasted for euer and that there was none more fruitfull then that which was geuen to Abbeis or Churches For with that both Gods seruaunts are sustained and that which remaineth is geuen to the poore O worthy almes O worthy price of the soule Oh wholesome remedie for our sinnes which nowe doeth stincke in the sweete furres of priests lemmans wherwith they adorne their eares decke their fingers apparelling their delicate bodies with silke and purple O father is this the fruite of mine almes is this the effect of my desire and of thy promise What wilt thou answer to this complaint of my fathers I know I know when thou didst see a thiefe thou runnest not with him neither hast thou put thy portion with adulterers Thou hast rebuked thou hast exhorted thou hast blamed them but wordes haue bene despised Nowe we must come to stripes of correction thou hast here with thee the worshipfull father Edward bishop of Winchester Thou hast the reuerend Prelate Oswold bishop of Worcester I commit this businesse to you that both by Bishoply correction and the kings authority the filthy liues may be cast out of the Churches and they that liue orderly may be brought in c. In this Oration of K. Edgar aboue prefixed 3. things are chiefly to be noted considered to them that haue iudgements to marke and vnderstand to witte The religious zeale and deuotion of kings both in geuing to the church also in correcting the maners of churchmen 2. Secondly the dissolute behauiour and wantonnesse of the clergie then abusing the great donatiōs and patrimonies of princes bestowed vpon them 3. Thirdly the blinde ignorance and superstition of that time in both states as well Ecclesiastical as temporal in esteeming Christes religion chiefly to consist in geuing to Churches and in
obserued Christ hath fulfilled the lawes morall of the old testament because that the morals and iudicials were ordained that one person should not do iniury to an other that euery man should haue paid him that is hys Now they that are in charity wil do no iniury to others neither do they take other mens goodes away from them Nay it seeketh not her owne things For charitie seeketh not the things that be her owne Wherfore much lesse by a stronger reason it ought not to seke for other mens goods And wheÌ„ as the iudicials morals were ordained Christ did not by the workes of the law iustifie the beleuers in him but by grace iustified them froÌ„ their sins And so did Christ fulfill that by grace that the lawe could not by iustice Paule to the Romaines declareth in a godly discourse and to the Galath likewise that none shall be iustified by the workes of the lawe but by grace in the faith of Iesu Christ. As for the morals ceremonies of the lawe as circumcision sacrifices for offence and for sinnes first fruites tenthes 〈◊〉 diuers sortes of washings the sprinkling of bloud the sprinkling of ashes abstaining from vnclean meats whych are ordeined for the sanctifying and clensing of the people froÌ„ sinne no nor yet the praiers of the priests neither the preachings of the prophets could clense a man from his sin For death raigned euen from Adam to Moises and sinne from Moises to Christ as Paule declareth to the Romaines in the 5. chapter But Christ willing to haue mercy and not sacrifice being a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech an high Priest of good things to come did neither by the bloud of goats or calues but by his owne bloud enter in once vnto the holy places when as euerlasting redemption was founde neither did Iesus enter into the holy places that were made wyth handes which are the examples of true thynges but into the very heauen that now he may appeare before the countenaunce of God for vs. Nor yet he did so that he should offer vp himselfe oftentimes as the high Byshop entred into the holy place euery yeere with straunge bloud for otherwise he must nedes haue suffred oftentimes sithens the beginning of the world but now in the latter end of the world hath he once appeared by his owne sacrifice for the destruction of sinne And like as it is decreed for men once to die and after that commeth iudgement euen so was Christ once offred vp to coÌ„sume away the sinnes of many The second time shall hee appeare without sinne to the saluation of such as looke for him For the law hauing a shadow of good things to come and not the very image or substaunce it selfe of the things can neuer by those sacrifices which they offer of one selfe same sort continually yere by yere make them perfect that come vnto her Otherwise men would leaue of offring because that those worshyps being once clensed should haue no more prâ—â—â—e of conscience for sinne afterwardes But in them is their remembrance made of sinnes euery yere For it is impossible that by the bloud of goats bulles sinnes should be taken away Wherfore he entring into the world doth say as for sacrifice and offring thou woldst not haue but a body hast thou framed vnto mee And sacrifices for sinne haue not pleased thee then said I behold I come In the head or principall part of the booke it is wrytten of me that I should do thy wil O God Wherfore he said before that sacrifices oblations and burnt offerings and that for sinne thou wouldest not haue neyther were those thyngs pleasaÌ„t to thee whych are offred according to the law then sayd I behold I come that I may do thy wil O God He taketh away the first that he may stablish that that folowed In whych will we are sanctified and made holy by the offering vp of the body of Iesus Christ ones And verely euery Priest is ready euery day ministring oftentimes offring the self same sacrifices which neuer can take away sinnes But this man offering one sacrifice for sinnes doth for euer and euer sit at Gods right haÌ„d looking for the rest to come till that hys enemies be placed to be his footestoole For with one offering hath hee for euer made perfect those that be sanctified By which thinges it plainly appeareth that Christ by one offring hath clensed hys from their sinnes who could not be clensed from the same by all the ceremonies of the law and so did fulfill that which the priesthoode of the law could not Wherfore onely the morals and iudicials he fulfilled by the lawe of charitie and by grace and the ceremonials by one offering vp of hys body in the aultar of the crosse And so it is plaine that Christ fulfilled the whole lawe Wherfore sithens that the holy things of the law were a shadowe of those things that were to come in the time of grace it were meete that all those thynges should vtterly cease amongest Christians which should either be against charity or the grace of Christ. Although in the time of the lawe they were lawfull and not vtterly contrary to it but were figures of perfections in Christes faith yet it were meete that they should cease at the comming of the perfection whych they did prefigurate as circumcision the eating of the paschal lambe and other ceremonial points of the law Wherupon also Paul to the Hebrues the 7. chapter sayeth thus If therfore the making vp of the perfection of all was by the Leuiticall priesthode for the people receiued the law vnder hym why was it necessary besides that an other Priest should rise vp after the order of Melchisedech not be called after the order of Aaronâ— For wheÌ„ the Priesthode is remoued it must needes be that the lawe also be remoued For he in whom these things are spokeÌ„ is of an other tribe of which none stoode present at the aulter Because it is manifest that our Lorde had hys offspring of Iuda in which tribe Moises spake nothing of the Priests And besides this it is manifest if according to the order of Melchisedech there doe rise vp an other Priest which was not made according to the law of the carnal commaundement but according to the power of the life that cannot be losed For thus he beareth witnes that thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech so that the coÌ„mandement that went before is disalowed for the weakenes vnprofitablenesse thereof For the lawe hath brought no body to perfection By which things it appeareth that Christ making an end of the priesthode of Aaron doth also make vp a full end of the law belonging to that Priesthode Wherupon I maruell that your learned men doe say that Christen folkes are bound to this small ceremonie of the paiment of tithes and care nothing at all
liuing Lord within the Arke of his true spirituall and visible Churche And where is then the friuolous bragge of the Papistes which make so muche of there paynted sheath would nedes beare vs downe that this gournment of the Church of Rome which nowis hath bene of such an old standing time out of minde euen from the primitiue Antiquitie that neuer was any other church demonstrable here in earth for men to follow besides the said only Catholick mother church of Rome whē as we haue sufficiently proued before by the continual descēt of the Church till this present tyme that the sayd Church after the doctrine which is now reformed is no new begunne matter but euen the olde continued Churche by the prouidence and promise of Christ still standing which albeit it hath bene of late yeares repressed by the tyranny of Romayne Byshops more then before yet notwithstanding it was neuer so oppressed but God hath euer maintayned in it the truth of his Gospell agaynst heresies and errours of the Church of Rome as in thys history more at full is to be seene Let vs now proceede farther as we began deducing this descent of the Churche vnto the 1501. yeare In which yeare the Lord began to shew in the partes of Germany wonderfull tokens and blody markes of his Passion as the bloudy Crosse hys nayles speare and Crowne of thornes which fell from heauen vpon the garments and cappes of men and rockes of woman as you may further read in this booke pag. 816. By the which tokens almighty God no doubt presignified what grieuous afflictions and bloudy persecutions shoulde then begin to ensue vppon his Churche for hys Gospels sake according as in this history is described wherein is to be seene what Christen bloud hathe bene spilt what persecutions raysed what tyranny exercised what tormentes deuised what trechery vsed agaynst the poore flocke and Church of Christ in such sort as since Christes tyme greater hath not bene seene And now by reuolution of yeares we are come from the time of .1501 to that yeare now present 1570. In which the full seuenty yeares of the Babilonicall captiuitie draweth now well to an ende if we count from the first appearing of these bloudy markes aboue mentioned Or if wee recken from the beginning of Luther and hys persecution then lacketh yet xvi yeres Now what the Lord wil do with this wicked world or what rest he will geue to hys Church after these long sorrowes he is our father in heauen his will be done in earth as seemeth best to his diuine maiestie In the meane time let vs for our partes with all patient obedience wayt vpon hys gracious leysure and glorifie his holy name and edifie one an other with all humilitie And if there cannot be an end of our disputing and contending one agaynst an other yet let there be a moderation in our affections And for asmuch as it is the good will of our God that Sathan thus should be let lose amongst vs for a short time yet let vs striue in the meane while what wee can to amende the malice of the tyme with mutuall humanitie They that be in errour let them not disdayne to learne They whiche haue greater talentes of knowledge committed instruct in simplicitie them that be simple No man liueth in that common wealth where nothing is amisse But yet because God hath so placed vs Englishmen here in one common wealth also in one Church as in one shippe together let vs not mangle or deuide the shippe which being deuided perisheth but euery man serue in his order with dilligence wherein he is called They that sitte at the helme keepe well the poynt of the needle to knowe how the ship goeth and whether it should Whatsoeuer weather betydeth the needle well touched with the stone of Gods word will neuer fayle Such as labour at the oares start for no tempest but doe what they can to keepe from the rockes Likewise they whiche be inferiour rowmes take heede they moue no sedition nor disturbance agaynst the rowers and mariners No storme so daungerous to a shippe on the sea as is discord and disorder in a weale publique What countryes and nations what kingdomes and Empyres what Cities townes and houses discord hath dissolued in storyes is manifest I neede not spend tyme in rehearsing examples The Lord of peace who hath power both of land and Sea reach forth hys mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sincke to keepe them vpp that stand to still these windes and sourging seas of discord and contention among vs that wee professing one Christ may in one vnitie of doctrine gather our selues into one Arke of the true Church together where we continuing stedfast in fayth may at the last luckely be conducted to the ioyfull porte of our desired landing place by hys heauenly grace To whome both in heauen and in earth be all power and glory with his father and the holy spirite for euer Amen The vtilitie of this Story SEyng the worlde is replenished with such an infinite multitude of bookes of all kinde of matters I may séeme perhaps to take a matter in hand superfluous and needles at this present to set out such Uolumes especially of histories considering now a dayes the world is so greatly pestered not only with superfluous plenty therof but of all other treatises so that books now seeme rather to lacke Readers then Readers to lacke bookes In which multitude of bookes I doubt not but many doe both perceiue and inwardly bewayle this insatiable boldnes of many now a dayes both in writing and printing which to say the truth for my part I do as much lament as any man els beside and would therefore no man should thinke that vnaduisedly or with rashnes I haue attempted this enterprise as one being not onely doubtful but also both bashfull and feareful within my self for setting the same abroad And why first I perceaued howe learned this age of ours is in reading of bookes neither could I tell what the secret iudgementes of readers woulde conceaue to see so weake a thing to set vpon such a weighty enterprise not sufficiently furnished with such ornamentes able to satisfie the perfection of so great a story or sufficient to serue the vtility of the studious and the delight of the learned Which abilitie the more I perceiued to be wanting in me the lesse I durst be bold to become a writer But agayne on the other side when I weyed with my selfe what memorable Actes and famous doynges this latter age of the Churche hath ministred vnto vs by the patient suffringes of the worthy martyrs I thought it not to be neglected that so precious Monumentes of so many matters meet to be recorded and regestred in books should lie buried by my default vnder darkenes of obliuion Me thought somewhat was to be sayd of them for their well deseruing and something agayne of our partes for benefites by
and thieues like vnto himselfe against the Church But the Apostle renting his garmēts and with great lamentation said I haue lett a good keper of my brothers soule Get me a horse and let mee haue a guide with me which being done his horse and man procured hasted from the Churche as much as he could and comming to the same place was taken of theeues that watched But he neyther flying nor refusing sayd I came for this same cause hither lead me sayd he to your captayne So he being brought the captaine all armed fiercely begā to looke vpon him And eftsoones comming to the knowledge of him was stroken with confusion and shame and began to flie But the olde man followed him as much as he might forgetting his age and crying My sonne why doest thou flie from thy father an armed man from one naked a yong man from an olde man Haue pitie on me my sonne and feare not for there is yet hope of saluation I will make an answer for thee vnto Christ I will dye for thee if neede be as Christ hath died for vs. I will giue my life for thee beleeue me Christ hath sent me He hearing these things first as in a mase stood still and therewith his courage was abated After that he cast downe his weapons by and by he trembled yea and wept bitterly and comming to the old man embraced him and spake vnto him with wepyng as well as he could beyng euen then baptised a fresh with teares only his right hand beyng hid and couered Then the Apostle after that he had promised and firmly ascertained him that he should obtain remission of our Sauiour and also prayed falling downe vpon his knees kissed his murdering right hand which for shame he durst not shew before as now purged through repentaunce brought him to the congregation and when he had prayed for him with continuall prayer and daily fastings and had comforted and confirmed his mynde with many sentences went not from him as the author reporteth before he had restored him to the congregation againe and made him a great example and triall of regeneration and a token of the visible resurrection Moreouer the foresayd Irenaeus in Lib. 3. cap. 3. and Eusebius Lib. 3. cap 28. and Lib. 4. cap. 14. prosecuting the historie of Iohn declare in these wordes saying that there were certaine which heard Policarpus say that Iohn the disciple of our Lord goyng into Ephesus to be washed seyng Corinthus within he leaped out of the bathe vnbathed because he feared the bathe should haue fallen seing that Cerinthus an enemy to the truth was within Such feare had the Apostles saith Irenaeus that they would not communicate a word with them that adulterate the truth And forasmuch as we are here in hand with the story of Iohn the blessed Euangelist commeth in matter and occasion not geuē by him but takē of other of a great doubt and difficulty such as hath occupied all the Catholike subtile illuminate and seraphicall Doctors of the Popes Catholike Church these 500. yeares The difficultie is this that for so much as auricular confession hath bene is yet receiued in the Popes Catholike Church for an holy and necessary Sacrament extending vniuersally to al singular creatures Christian. Here then riseth a question who was our Ladies confessour or ghostly father But that is decreed and confessed with full consent of all the Catholikes to bee S. Iohn Whosoeuer denieth or doubteth of this is straight wayes ipso facto an heretike This then so determined ariseth an other question or doubt that seeyng our Lady was without all originall sinne and also actuall or mortall what need then had she of any Confessour or what should she confesse vnto him For if she had confessed any sinne when she had none then had she made herselfe a lyer so had sinned in deede Here therefore gentle Reader in this perplexitie these our illuminate Doctours stād in neede of thine ayde to helpe at a pinch Magnus Albertus the great diuine denieth not but that she in deede although most pure yet was confessed to her ghostly father to keepe the obseruances of the law appointed for such as had that neede which she had not And therfore sayth he necessary it was that she should confesse with mouth But then here is to be asked what did she say in her confession when she had nothing to confesse To this Albertus aunswereth agayne and telleth vs plainely what she sayd in her confessiō which was this that she had receiued that great grace not ex condigno that is not of any dignitie of her own but yet notwithstanding of congruitie And this was it sayth Albert that she sayd in her confession Albert cap. 74. super Euang Missus est c. Moreouer to helpe this case out of all doubt commeth in famous Thomas of Watring thus looseth the knot much after like effect saying that as Christ although he did owe nothing to the law yet notwithstanding receiued he Circumcision to geue to other example of humilitie and obedience In like maner would our Lady shew her selfe obedient to the obseruaunce of the law albeit there was no cause why she had any neede thereof And thus hast thou gentle Reader this doubtful questiō mooued and soluted to the intent I would reueale to thee some part of the deep diuinitie of our Catholike Maisters that haue ruled and gouerned the Church in these their late Popish dayes But breaking of this matter to returne againe where we left that is to this foresayd 2. persecutiō vnder Domitianus In which persecution besides these afore mentioned and many other innumerable godly Martyrs sufferyng for the like testimonie of the Lord Iesus was Flauia the daughter of Flauius Clemens one of the Romaine Consuls which Flauia with many other was banished out of Rome into the Isle Pontia for the testimony of the Lord Iesus by the Emperour Domitianus Euseb. Lib. 3. This Domitianus feared the comming of Christ as Herode did therefore commaunded them to be killed which were of the stocke of Dauid in Iewry There were remaining aliue at that tyme certayne of the Lordes kindred which were the nephewes of Iude that was called the Lordes brother after the flesh These when the Lieuetenāt of Iewry had brought vp to Domitian to be slayn the Emperour demaunded of thē whether they were of the stocke of Dauid which when they had graūted he asked againe what possessions and what substaunce they had They aūswered that they both had no more betweene them in all but xxxix acres of grounde how they gat their liuing sustained their families with the hard labours of their hādes shewing forth their hands vnto the Emperor being hard and roughworne with labours to witnes that to be true which they had spoken Then the Emperour inquiring of them concerning the kingdome of Christ what maner of kingdome it
in this persecution by the names of Martyrs within the space of 30. days 17. thousand persons beside an other great number and multitude that were condemned to the mettall mines and quaries with like crueltie At Alexandria with Peter the Bishop of whom I haue made mention before were slayne with axes 300. aboue as Sabellicus declareth Gereon was beheaded at Colonia Agrippina with 300. of his fellowes as saith Henricus de Erfordia Mauritius the Captaine of Christian religion with his fellowes 6666. Victor in the citie of Troy now called Xanthus with his fellowes 360. were slayne as sayth Otto Phrinsigensis Lib. 2. cap 45. Reginus reciteth the names of many other Martyrs to the number of 120. And for as much as mention here hath bene made of Mauritius and Victor the perticular description of the same history I thought here to insert taken out of Ado other story writers as insueth Mauritius came out of Syria into Fraunce and Italy beyng Captaine of the bande of the Theban souldiours to the number of 6660. beyng sent for of Maximianus to goe agaynst the rebellious Bangandes but rather as it should seeme by the treason of the â—irant which thought he might better in these quarters vse his tiranny vpon the Christians then in the East part These Thebans with Mauritius the Captaine after that they had entred into Rome who were there of Marcellus the blessed bishop confirmed in the fayth promising by othe that they would rather be slayne of their enemies then forsake that faith which they had receaued who followed the Emperours hoste through the Alpes euen into Fraunce At that tyme the Caesarians were incamped not farre from the towne called Ottodor where Maximianus offred sacrifice to his deuils and called all the souldiours both of the East and West to the same straightly charging them by the aultars of his Gods that they would fight against those rebels the Bangandes and persecute the christian enemies of the Emperors Gods which his commaundement was shewed to the Thebanes hoste which were also incamped about the riuer of Rode and in a place that was named Agawne but to Ottodor they wold in no wise come for that euery man did certainly appointe and perswade with themselues rather in that place to dye then either to sacrifice to the gods or beare armour against the Christians Which thing in deede very stoutly and valiantly they affirmed vpon their othe befor taken to Maximianus when he sent for them Wherwith the tyrant beyng wrathfull and all mooued commaunded euery tenth man of that whole band to be put to the sworde whereto striuingly and with great reioysing they committed theyr neckes To which notable thing and great force of fayth Mauritius himselfe was a great incourager who by by with a most graue Oration exhorted animated his souldiours both to fortitude coÌ„stancie Which beyng again called of the Emperor answered in this wise saying We are O Emperour your souldiours but yet also to speake freely the seruants of god We owe to thee seruice of war to him innoceÌ„cie of thee we receaue for our trauell wages of hym the beginning of lyfe But in this we may in no wayes obey thee O Emperour to deny God our author and Lord and not onely ours but your Lord likewise will ye nill ye If we be not so extreemely enforced that we offend him doubtles as we haue hitherto before we will yet obey you but otherwise we will rather obey hym then you We offer here our handes agaynst any other enemies but to defile our handes with the bloud of innocentes that we may not doe These right hands of ours haue skill to fight agaynst the wicked and true enemies but to spoyle and murder the godly and Citizens they haue no skill at all We haue in remembraunce how we tooke armour in hand for the defence of the Citizens and not agaynst them We fought alwayes for iustice sake pietie and for the health of innocentes These haue bene alwayes the rewardes of our perils and trauell We haue fought in the quarrell of fayth whiche in no wife we can keepe to you if we doe not shewe the same to our God We first sware vpon the Sacramentes of our God then afterward to the king and doe you thinke the second will aduaile vs if we breake the first By vs you would plague the Christians to doe which feate we are onely commaunded by you We are here ready to confesse God the author of all thinges and beleue in hys sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. We see before our eyes our fellowes and partakers of our labours and trauailes to be put to the sword and we sprinkled with their bloud of which our most blessed companions and brethreÌ„ their end and death we haue not bewayled nor mourned but rather haue bene glad and haue reioyced thereat for that they haue bene counted worthy to suffer for the Lord their God The extreeme necessitie of death cannot moue vs agaynst your maiesty neyther yet any despiratioÌ„ O Emperour which is wont in ventrous affayres to do much shal 〈◊〉 vs agaynst you Behold here we cast downe our weapons and resist not for that we had rather to be killed then kill and guiltles to dye then gilty to liue What soeuer more ye will commauÌ„d appoynt and inioyne vs we are here ready to suffer yea both fire sword and whatsoeuer other tormentes We confesse our selues to be Christians we cannot persecute Christians nor will do sacrifice to your deuilish Idols With which their aunswer the kyng beyng altogether incensed and mooued commaunded the second tyme the tenth man of them that were left to be in like case murdered That crueltie also beyng accomplished at length wheÌ„ the christian souldiours would in no wise condescend vnto his mynde he set vpon them with his whole host both footemen and also horsemen and charged them to kil them all Who with all force set vpon them they making no resistance but throwyng downe their armour yelded theyr lyues to the persecutors and offered to them theyr naked bodies Victor at the same tyme was not of that bande nor yet then any souldiour but one beyng an old souldior and dismissed for his age At which tyme he comming sodainly vpon them as they were haketting and making mery with the spoyles of the holy Martyrs was bidden to sit downe with them and first asking the cause of that their so great reioysing and vnderstanding the truth therof detested the guestes and refused to eate with them And then being demaunded of them whether happily he were a Christian or no openly confessed and denied not but that he was â— christian and euer would be And therupon they rushing vpoÌ„ him killed him and made him partner of the like Martyrdome and honour Beda in his history writeth that this persecution beyng vnder Dioclesian endured vnto the seuenth yere of Constantinus and Euseb Lib 8. cap. 6 sayth that is lasted vntill the
wyth Zoe hys wyfe Tranquillinus wyth Martia his wyfe Traglinus Claudius Castor Tiburtius Castullus Marcus and Marcellinus wyth other moe Basilius in an other Sermon also maketh mention of one Barlaam being a noble and famous Martyr which abode al the torments of the executioners euen to the point of death which thing when the tormentors sawe they brought him and laid him vpon the altar where they dyd vse to offer sacrifices to their idoles and put fire frankensence into his right haÌ„d wherin he had yet some streÌ„gth thinking that the same his right hand by the heate force of the fire would haue scattered the burning incense vpon the aultar and so haue sacrificed But of that their hope the pestiferous tormentors were disapointed for the flame eate round about his hand and the same indured euen as though it had bene couered with hote embers when Barlaam recited out of the Psalmes this saying Blessed is the Lord my God which teacheth my handes to fight To this narration of Basilius touching the Martyrdome of Barlaam we will anexe coÌ„sequently an other story of Ambrose Hee making a certaine exhortation to certaine virgins in the same Oration coÌ„mendeth the martirdomes of Agricola Vitalis who suffered also in the same persecution vnder Dioclesian and Maximinian as they so affirme at Bononie This Vitalis was seruaunt to Agricola who both togyther betweene themselues had made a compact to giue their liues wyth other Martyrs for the name of Christ. Wherupon Vitalis being sent before of his maister to offer himselfe to Martirdome feâ—l first into the hands of persecutors who laboured about him by all maner of meanes to cause him to deny Christ. Which when he would in no case do but stoutly persisted in the confessioÌ„ of his faith they began to exercise him with all kinds of torments So vnmercifully that there was no whole skinne left in all his body So Vitalis in the middest of the agonie paineful torments after he had in a short praier coÌ„mended him selfe to God gaue vp his life After him the tormentours set vpon Agricola his Master whose vertuous manners gentle conditions bicause they were singularly wel liked and knowen to the enimies his suffring therfore was the longer deferred But Agricola not abyding the long delay and driuing of and prouoking moreouer the aduersaries to quicker speede at length was fastned vnto the crosse and so finished his martirdome which he so long desired Ambros in Exhortatione ad Virgines No lesse worthy of commemoration is the lamentable Martyrdome of Vincentius whose historie here followeth This Vincentius was a Spaniard and a Leuite most godly and vertuous who at this time suffered Martyrdom at Valence vnder Dacianus the President as we may gather by Prudentius in his hymne Bergomensis in his supplement reciteth these words concerning his martyrdome out of a certaine sermon of S. Augustine Our heart conceiued not a vaine and fruitles sight as it were in beholding of lamentable tragedies but a great sight marueâ—lous certainly and there with singulare pleasure receiued it when the paineful passion of Victorius Vincentius was read vnto vs. Is there any so heauye harted that will not be mooued in the contemplation of this immooueable Martyr so manly or rather so godly fighting against the craft and subtilty of that Serpent against the tiranny of Dacianus against the horrors of death by the mightie spirite of his God conquering all But let vs in few wordes rehearse the degrees of his tormentes though the paynes thereof in many wordes can not be expressed First Dacianus caused the Martir to be layde vpon the torture and all the ioyntes of his body to be distended and racked out vntill they crackt againe This being done in most extreme and cruel maner al the members of his painful and pittiful body were greuously indented with deadly woundes Thirdly that his dolors griefes might be augmeÌ„ted they miserably vexed his flesh with yron combes sharpely filed And to the end the tormentors might vomit out al their vengeaÌ„ce on the meeke milde martyrs fleshe the tormentors themselues also were vily scourged at the Presidentes commaundement And lest his passion through want of paines might seeme imperfect or else to easie they laid his body being all out of ioint on a grate of iron which body when they had opened with iron hookes they seared it with firie plates with hote burning salt sprinkling the same Last of all into a vyle dongeon was this mighty Martir drawen the floure whereof first was thicke spredde wyth the sharpest shels that might be gotten his fete then being fast locked in the stockes there was he left alone without all worldly comfort but the Lorde his God was with him the holye spirit of God whose office is to comfort the godly afflicted fulfilled his hart with ioy gladnes Hast thou prepared a terrible racke O cruell tyraunt O deuouring Lion for the Martirs bed the Lorde shall make that bed softe and sweete vnto him Rackest thou his bones and ioyntes al a sunder His bones his ioints his heares are al numbred Tormentest thou his flesh with mortal wounds the Lord shal poure abuÌ„dantly into al his sores of his oyle of gladnes Thy scraping combes thy sharpe fleshookes thine whote searing yrons thy parched salte thy stincking prison thy cutting shelles thy pinching stockes shal turne to this patient Martyr to the best Altogether shall worke contrary to thine expectation great plenty of ioy shall hee reap into the barne of his soule out of this mighty haruest of paines that thou hast brought him into Yea thou shalte proue him Vincentius indede that is a vanquisher a tryumpher a conqueror subduing thy madnes by his mekenes thy tiranny by his patâ—ence thy manifold meanes of tortures by the manifold graces of God wherewith he is plentifully enriched In this cataloge or company of such holy martirs as suffered in this foresaid tenth persecutioÌ„ many mo and almost innumerable there be expressed in authors beside theÌ„ whom we haue hetherto comprehended as Philoromus a man of noble byrth great possessions in Alexandria who being perswaded by his friendes to fauour himselfe to respect his wife to consider his children and familie did not onely reiect the counsels of them but also neglected the threates and torments of the Iudge to keepe the confessioÌ„ of Christ inuiolate vnto the death losing of his head Euseb. Lib. 8. cap. 9. Niceph. Lib. 7. cap. 9. of whome Euseb. beareth witnes that he was there present himselfe Of like estate and dignitie was also Procopius in Palestina who after his conuersion brake his images of siluer and golde and distributed the same to the poore and after al kinde of torments of racking of cording of tearing hys flesh of goring and stabbing in of fiering at leÌ„gth had his head also smitten of as witnesseth Niceph. Lib. 7. cap. 15. To this maye be ioyned also
wrath of her bloudy enemy wringing his handes crieth out saying I am vndone O that the executioner draw out thy sword and doe thyne office that the Emperour hath appoynted thee And when Agnes saw a sturdy and cruell fellow to behold stand behinde her or approaching neere vnto her with a naked sword in his hand I am now gladder sayth she reioyce that such a one as thou being a stout fierce strong and sturdy souldiour art come then one more feable weake faynt should come or els any other yong man sweetly enbalmed and wearing gaye apparell that might destroy me with funerall shame This euen this is he I now cōfesse that I do loue I wil make hast to meet him and will no longer protract my longing desire I wil willingly receaue into my papes the length of hys sword and into my brest will draw the force therof euē vnto the hilts That thus I being maryed vnto Christ my spouse may surmount and escape all the darckenes of this world that reacheth euen vnto the skyes O eternal gouernour vouchsafe to opē the gates of heauen once shut vp agaynst al the inhabitantes of the earth and receaue oh Christ my soule that seeketh thee Thus speaking and kneeling vpon her knees she prayeth vnto Christ aboue in heauen that her necke might be the redyer for the sword now hāging ouer the same The executioner then with his bloudy hand finished her hope at one stroke cutteth off her head by such short swift death doth he preuente her of the payne therof I haue oftentimes before complayned that the stories of Sayntes haue bene poudered and sawsed with diuers vntrue additions and fabulous inuentiōs of men who either of a superstitious deuotion or of a subtill practise haue so mingle mangled their stories and liues that almost nothing remayneth in them simple and vncorrupt as in the vsuall Portues wont to be read for dayly seruice is manifest and euident to be seene wherein few Legendes there be able to abide the touch of history if they were truely tried This I write vpon the occasiō specially of good Katherine whome now I haue in hand In whom although I nothing doubt but in her life was great holines in her knowledge excellency in her death constancy yet that all thinges be true that be storyed of her neyther dare I affirme neyther am I bound so to thinke So many strange fictions of her be fained diuersly of diuers writers wherof some seeme incredible some also impudent As where Petrus de Natalibus writing of her conuersion declareth how that Katherine sleeping before a certaine picture or table of the Crucifixe Christ with his mother Mary appeared vnto her And when Mary had offered her to Christ to be his wife he first refused her for her blackenes The next tyme she beyng baptised Mary appearing againe offered her to mary with Christ who then being liked was espoused to hym and maryed hauing a golden ring the same tyme put on her finger in her sleep c. Bergomensis writeth thus that because she in the sight of the people openly resisted the Emperour Maxentius to hys face and rebuked hym for hys crueltie therfore she was commaunded and committed vpon the same to prison which seemeth hetherto not much to digresse from trueth It followeth moreouer that the same night an angell came to her comforting and exhorting her to be strong and constant vnto the Martyrdome for that she was a mayd accepted in the sight of God and that the Lord would be with her for whose honor she did fight and that he would geue her a mouth and wisedome which her enemies should not withstand with many other thinges mo which I here omit As this also I omit concerning the 50. Philosophers whom she in disputation conuicted and conuerted vnto our religion and dyed martyrs for the same Item of the conuerting of Porphyrius kinsmā to Maxentius and Faustina the Emperours wife At length saith the story after she proued the racke and the foure sharpe cutting wheeles hauing at last her head cut off with the sword so she finished her martyrdome about the yeare of our Lord as Antoninus affirmeth 310 Symeon Metaphrastes writing of her discourseth the same more at large to whome they may resort which couet more therein to be satisfied Among the workes of Basill a certayne Oration is extant concerning Iulitta the martyr who came to her martyrdome as he witnesseth by this occasion A certayne auaricious and greedy person of great authoritie and as it may appeare the Emperour his deputy or other like officer who abused the decrees and lawes of the Emperour agaynst the Christians to hys own lucre and gayne violently tooke from this Iulitta all her goodes landes cattell and seruaunts contrary to all equity and right She made her pittifull cōplaint to the Iudges a day was appointed when the cause should be heard The spoyled woman and the spoiling extorcioner stode forth together the woman lamentably declareth her case the man frowningly beholdeth her face When she had proued that of good right the goods were her owne that wrongfully he had dealed with her the wicked bloudthirsty wretch preferring vile worldly substaunce before the precious substaunce of a Christen body affirmed her action to be of no force for that she was as an outlaw in not seruing the Emperors Gods since her christian faith hath bene first abiured His allegation was allowed as good and reasonable Whereupon incense fire were prepared for her to worship the Gods which vnles she would do neither the Emperors protectiō nor lawes nor iudgment nor life should she enioy in that cōmon weale When this handmaid of the Lorde heard these wordes she saide farwell life welcome death farwell ryches welcome pouerty All that I haue if it were a thousand times more would I rather loose then to speake one wicked blasphemous word against God my creator I yeeld thee thanks most harty O my God for this gift of grace that I can contemne despise this frayle and transitory world esteming Christian profession aboue all treasures Hence forth whē any question was demaunded her aunswere was I am the seruaunt of Iesus Christ. Her kindred acquaintaunce flocking to her aduertised her to chaunge her minde But that vehemently she refused with detestation of their Idolatry Forthwith the Iudge with the sharpe sworde of sentēce not only cutteth of al her goodes possessions but iudgeth her also to the fire most cruellye The ioyfull Martyr imbraceth the sentence as a thing most sweete and delectable She addresseth her selfe to the flames in countenaunce iesture and wordes declaring the ioy of her hart coupled with singular constancy To the women beholding her sententiouslye shee spake Sticke not O sisters to labour and trauell after true piety and godlines Cease to accuse the fragilitie of feminine nature What are
health and communion with the seruaunts of the catholicke Church Of the which communion discipline and power he vaynely braggeth yâ— by the presumption of hys authoritie shal vniustly bynd or lose any maner of persoÌ„ And he doth vniustly bynd what soeuer he be that curseth any man being willing to make satisfaction and bewayling hys boldnes beyng also vncoâ—â—â—et and not confessing the crime but rather cursing that party in vayne he curseth and condemneth himself turning his weapon vpoÌ„ his own persoÌ„ to destructioÌ„ O straunge and new found trechery proceeding from the sanctuary nay rather from 〈◊〉 whiche as high Priest seemeth to rule the church to be a Iudge ouer the Iudges Hildebrand was earnestly in hand with the Emperor that he should depriue those Bishops which came in by simonie The Emperour thinking as a zelous Prince that this commission had proceeded from the throne of God without delay obeyed the same and forthwith without any consideration or iudiciall order depriued certayne Bishops and thought that by this his obedience to Hildebrand be 〈◊〉 an acceptable sacrifice to God not knowyng the 〈…〉 But Hildebrand then agayne placed those whom the Emperour for 〈◊〉 at his commaundement had before deposed and those whom by that meanes he made to beaâ—â— a hatefull heart to the Emperour he reconciled agayne vnto himselfe in great familiaritie and by many and great othes taken of theÌ„ for their fidelitie towards him he promoted aboue al the rest And thus by these prankes the Imperiall seat of the king beyng shortly after empaired destitute almost of frends he craftily purchasing the friendship and fauor of the greatest princes the better to bring his matters to passe sodainly agayne without any lawfull accusation without any canonicall vocation without all iudiciall order excoÌ„municated the Emperor so obedient alwayes vnto him set the Princes of the Empire all agaynst him And notwithstandyng as the Apostle sayeth that no man ought to circumuent his brother in his busines as much as in him lay he rather mortified and killed him then brotherly corrected him Thus the Emperor beyng many wayes circumvented as excommunicate besides the canonicall order and by the consent and counsail of Hildebrand spoiled of the greatest part of his Imperiall honour and ouercharged with great warres and slaughters of hys owne subiects in vayne desired he and sued for to haue the Canon read and heard causing him by force and violence at Canusium in the presence of Hildebrand to accuse himselfe by his owne confession Say you now I pray you all such as loue iustice and loue not to leane either vpon the left hand or els the right hand in the fauour of any person Say your mindes whether that such a confession beyng inforced vpon neuer so poore a man much lesse vpon an Emperor ought at such a tyme to be preiudiciall or not Or whether he which extorted the same confession is guilty of the Canon Or els he which beyng so peruersly iudged suffered the iniury of a most peruerse iudge Which also most paciently and publikely suffred this violence with lamentable affliction vpoÌ„ his bare feete clothed in thinne garments in the sharpe winter which neuer was vsed and was three dayes together at Canusium made a spectacle both of angels and men and a ludibrious mocking stocke to that proud Hildebrand Neuer trust me if that 14. Cardinals the Archdeacon himselfe and he that is called Primicerius beyng all wise and religious men besides many other of yâ— clarks of Laterane to the iudgement and priuiledge of whose holy seat the whole world is obedient waying and considering his intollerable apostasie departed not from participating and refused from communicating with him This glorious Hildebrand his affinitie by their new authoritie breaking the decrees of the Calcedone Councel not onely in wordes but also in publike writings haue agreed that it is tollerable both to baptise and communicate beyng out of the church of God and how blynd these men were and also what heretikes they be their own writings do declare What a mischiefe is this saith Benno they presume to iudge of the Church which swarme them selues in all errours who also esteeme the veritie but as a lye and least their poysoned falshood both in words writings should appeare they haue like subtill poysoners the sooner to deceiue mixed hony therwithall A lye sayth S. Augustine is euery thing pronounced with the intent of deceauing other It were too long and tedious here to recite all the detestable doyngs and diabolicall practises of coniurings charmes and filthy sorceries exercised betwene hym and Laurentius Theophilact otherwyse named Pope Benedict the 9. wherof a long narration foloweth in the foresayd epistle of Benno to the cardinals to be seen to whom the reader may repaire who so hath either laisure to read or mynd to vnderstand more of the abhominable partes and diuelish artes of this Hildebrand Thus hauing sufficiently alledged the wordes and testimonies of Benno and Auentinus concerning the actes and factes of this Pope Now let vs proceed in the order as followeth in his story to set forth the miserable vexation which the vertuous and godly Emperour sustayned by that vngodly person About what time Hildebrand was made Pope Henricus the 4. Emperour was incombred and much vexed with ciuill dissention in Germany by reason of certayne greuances of the Saxons against him his father Henricus the 3. Whereupon the matter growyng to sedition sides were taken great warres ensued betwixt 〈◊〉 Duke of Saxony Henricus the Emperour This 〈◊〉 tyme seemed to Hildebrand very opportune to worke his feates whose study drift was euer 〈◊〉 the beginning to aduaunce the dominion of the Romish fear aboue al other bishops and also to presse down the authoritie of the temporall enters vnder the 〈◊〉 men of the Church And although he went about the same 〈…〉 traynes and actes set forth to 〈…〉 he thought more effectuously to accomplish his purposed intent after that he was exalted thether where he would be And therefore now bearing himselfe the bolder by the authority of S. Peters throne first he began to pursue the acte set out by his predecessor as touching simonie cursing and excommunicating whosoeuer they were that receiued any spirituall liuing or promotion at lay mens hands as all such as were the geuers therof For this he called than Simonie that vnder that colour he might defeat the temporal potestates of their right and so bring the whole clergy at length to the lure of Rome And forasmuch as yâ— emperour was the head thinking first to begin with him he sendeth for him by letters and Legates to appeare in the councel of Laterane at Rome But the Emperour busied in his warres against the Saxones had no laysure to attend to councels Notwithstanding Gregorius the Pope procedeth in his councel rendring there the cause and reason before the bishops why he had excommunicate diuers of
newe to honour the Priestes and with great reuerence to defend them after the example of the godly prince of most happy memory 4 Constantinus which sayd when a complaint of the Clergy was brought to him You said he can be iudged by no secular iudge which are reserued to the only iudgement of God And for so much as we doe read that the holy Apostles and their successors appoynted by the testimonie of God cōmanded that no persecution nor troubles ought to be made nor to enuie those which laboure in the fielde of the Lorde and that the stewardes of the eternall King shoulde not be expelled and put out of their seates Who then doubteth but that the Priestes of Christ ought to be called the fathers and maisters of all other faithfull princes Is it not a miserable madnesse then if the sonne shoulde go about to bring the 5 father vnder obedience or the scholer his maister and by 6 wicked bondes to bring him in subiection by whome he ought to beleue that he may be bounde and loosed not only in earth but also in heauen If you be a good and a catholike king and will be such a one as we hope or that we rather desire you should be be it spoken vnder your licence you are the childe of the church and not the ruler of the Church You ought to learne of the priestes and not to teach them you ought to 7 folow the Priests in ecclesiasticall matters and not to goe before them hauing the priuiledge of your power geuen you of God to make publike lawes that by his benefites you shoulde not be vnthankfull against the dispensation of the heauenly order and that you shoulde vsurpe nothing but vse them with a wholesome disposition Wherfore in those things which contrary vnto that you haue through your malitious counsel rather then by your own mind wickedly vsurped with all humilitie satisfaction speedily geue place that the hande of the most highest be not stretched out against you as an arrowe against the marke For the most highest hath bended his bowe openly to shoote against him that will not confesse his offences Be not ashamed whatsoeuer wicked men say vnto you or that traitors do whisper in your eare to humble your selfe vnder the mightie hande of God For it is he which exalteth the humble and throweth downe the proude which also reuengeth himselfe vpon Princes he is terrible and who shall resist him You ought not to haue let slip out of your memorie in what state God did finde you howe he hath preferred honoured and exalted you blessed you with children enlarged your kingdome and established the same in despite of your enemies In so much that hetherto in a maner all men haue sayd with great admiration that this is he whome God hath chosen And howe will you reward or can you reward him for all these things which he hath done vnto you Will you at the prouocation and instaunce of those which are about you that 8 persecute the Church and the ecclesiasticall ministers and alwaies haue according to their power persecuted them rendring euil for good bringing oppressions tribulations iniuries and afflictions vpon the Church and church men do the like Are not these they of whome the Lorde speaketh he that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eie Verely forsaking al that thou hast take vp thy crosse that thou maist folow thy God our Lorde Iesus Christ. Yet wil it scarsely be or not at all that thou shalt appeare a thankefull recompencer of the benefits receaued at his hand Search the scriptures of such as are learned and you shall vnderstande that 9 Saul albeit he was elect of the Lord pearished with his whole house because he departed from the waies of the Lord. Ozias also king of Iuda whose name is spoken of and spread ouer all through the manifould victories geuen him of God hys heart was so puffed vp to his destruction because the Lorde did helpe and strengthen him in euery place that he contemning the feare and reuerence of the Lord would vsurpe vnto himselfe that which was not his office that is to say the priesthoode to offer incense vpon the altar of the Lord for the which he was stricken with a leprosie and cast out of the house of the Lorde Manie other kings and holy men of great substaunce because they haue walked aboue their estate in the meruails of the world presuming to rebel against God in his ministeries haue perished and at the last they haue founde nothing of their substance in their power Also king Achaz because he did vsurpe the office of Priesthoode was likewise striken with a leprosie by God Oza also albeit he was not king yet for somuch as he touched the arke and held it when it would haue fallen by the vnrulines of the Oxen which thing perteined not vnto him but vnto the ministers of the Church was striken by the wrath of God fell downe by the Arke O king it is a famous prouerbe that a man forewarned by an other mans misfortune will take the better heede vnto himselfe For euery man hath his owne busines in hand when his neighbours house is on fire Dearely beloued king God woulde haue the disposing of those things which pertaine vnto the church to belong only vnto priests and not vnto the secular power Do not chalenge vnto thy selfe therefore another mans right neither striue against him by whom al things are ordained least thou seeme to striue against his benefites of whome thou hast receiued thy power For by the common 10 lawes and not by the seculare power and by the bishops and priests almighty God would haue the cleargie of the christen religion to be ordered and ruled And Christian Kings ought to submit al their doings vnto ecclesiastical rulers and not to preferre themselues for it is written that none ought to iudge the bishops but onely the Church neither doeth it pertaine vnto mans law to geue sentence vpon any such Christian princes are accustomed to be obedient vnto the statutes and ordinaunces of the church and not to prefer their owne power A prince ought to submit himselfe vnto the bishops not to iudge the bishops for there are two things wherwith the world is chiefly gouerned that is to say the sacred authoritie of bishops and royall power 11 In the which the bishops charge is so much the more waighty in that they shal at the latter iudgement render accompt euen of the kings themselues Truely you ought to vnderstande that you depend vpon their iudgement and can not reduce them vnto your owne will for many Bishops haue excommunicated both Kinges and Emperours And if you require an especiall example thereof Innocentius the Pope did excommunicate Arcadius the Emperour because he did consent that Iohn Chrisostome should be expulsed from his seate and S. Ambrose also did
hys subiectes Thus peace after a sort concluded betwene the king him the Archb. after sixe yeares of his banishment returned to England where he was right ioyfully receiued of the church of Cant. albeit of Henry the yong king he was not so greatly welcomed In somuch that comming vp to London to the king he was returned back to Canterburye and there bid to keepe hys house Roger Doueden maketh mention in hys Chronicle that the Archbishop vpō Christmas day did excōmunicate Robert de Broke for cutting of the tayle of a certayne horse of hys the day before In the meane tyme the foure bishops before mentioned whom the Archb. had excōmunicate sent to him hūbly desiring to be released of their censure To whō when the archb would not graunt clearly and simplye without cautels and exceptions they went ouer to the king declaring to him and complayning of their miserable state and vncurtuous handling of the archbishop wherupō the K. conceaued great sorrow in hys minde and displeasure toward the party In so much that he lamented oft sundry times to thē about him that amōg so many that he had done for there was none that would reuenge him of his enemy by the occasion of which wordes certayne that were about the king to the number of foure hearing him thus to cōplayne and lament addrest thēselues in great heat of hast to satisfye the agreeued minde and quarrell of their prince Who within foure dayes after the sayde Christenmas day sayling ouer to England hauing a forward and a prosperous wynde in their iorney being in the deepe of winter came to Caunterbury where Becket was commaunded to keepe After certayne aduisement and consultation had among themselues they preased at length into the pallace where the archbishop was sitting with his companye about hym first to assay hym with wordes to see whether he would relent to the kinges minde come to some conformitie They brought to him sayd they commaundement from the king whiche whether he had rather openly there in presēce or secretly to be declared to him they had hym chuse Then the company being bid to auoyde as hee sat alone they sayd you are commaunded from the Kyng beyond the sea to repayre to the king here is sonne and to do your duety to him answering to him your fidelitie for your baronage and other things to amend those things wherein you haue trespassed agaynst him whereupon the archbishop denying to sweare and perceauing their intēt called in his company again and in multiplying of words to and fro at length they came to the bishops which were excommunicate for the coronation of the king whom they commaunded in the kinges name he shoulde absolue and set free agayne The archbishop answered that he neither suspended nor excommunicated them but the pope wherfore if that were the matter that greued them they should resort to the Pope he had nothing to doe with the matter Then sayd Reignald one of the foure although you in your own persō did not excommunicate them yet through your instigation it was done To whom the Archbishop sayd againe and if the Pope said he tendring the iniuries done to me and my Church wrought this reuenge for me I confesse it offendeth me nothing Thus then sayd they it appeareth wel by your own words that it pleaseth you right well in contempt and contumely of the kinges maiesty to sequester his bishops from their ministery who at the commaundement of the king did seruice in the coronation of hys sonne And seeing ye haue so presumed thus to stād against the exaltation of this our soueraigne our new K. it seemeth likely that you aspired to take his crown frō him to be exalted king your selfe I aspire not sayd he to the crown name of the K. But rather if I had 4. crownes to geue him more I would set them all vpon him suche good will I doe heare him that onely his father the king excepted there is none whose honour I more tender and loue And as concerning the sequestring of those Bishops this I geue you to vnderstand that nothing was done in that behalfe without the knowledge assent of the king himselfe To whom when I had made my complaynt at the feast of Mary Magdalen of the wrōg and iniury done to me and my Church therein he gaue me his good leaue to obtayne at the Popes hand suche remedy therein as I could promising moreouer his helpe to me in the same What is this quoth they that thou sayest Makest thou the king a trator and betrayer of the king his owne son that when he had commaunded the bishops to crown his sonne he would geue thee leaue afterward to suspend thē for so doyng certes it had bene better for you not to haue accused so the king of this prodition The Archb. sayde to Reignald that he was there presēt at that tyme and hard it himselfe But that he denyed and swore it was not so and thinke you say they that we the kinges subiectes wil or ought to suffer this And so approching nearer to hym sayd he had spoken inough agaynst hys own head wherupon followed great exclamation and many threatning wordes Then sayd the archb I haue syth my comming ouer sustayned many iniuries and rebukes conceruyng both my selfe my men my cattel my wynes and all other goodes notwithstanding the kinge writinge ouer to hys sonne required hym that I shoulde lyue in safety and peace and now besides all other you come hither to threaten me To this Reignald answering agayn said if there be any that worketh you anye iniury otherwise then right is the law is open why do you not complayn To whom said Becket should I complaine To the yong king sayd they Then sayd Becket I haue complayned inough if that would helpe and haue sought for remedy at the kinges handes so long as I could be suffered to come to his speach but now seeing that I am stopt from that neither can find redresse of so great vexations and iniuries as I haue and do dayly sustayne nor can haue the benefite of y◠law or reason such right and law as an archb may haue that will I exercise and let for no man At these wordes one of thē bursting out in exclamation cryed he threatneth he threatneth what will he interdict the whole realme vs altogether Nay that he shall not sayth an other he hathe interdicted to many already And drawing more neare to hym they protested and denounced him to haue spoken wordes to that ieoperdy of hys own head And so departing in great fury and many high words rushed out of that dores who by the way returning to the Monkes charged them in the kings name to keep him forth comming that he shold not escape away What quoth the archb thinke ye I wyll flee away Nay neyther for the king nor any man alyue will I stirre one foot from you
Upon Herefordshyre Gloucestershyre Wyrcestershyre Salopsshyre 5. Upon Wiltshyre Dorcetshyre Somercetshyre Deuonshyre Cornwall 6. Euerwickshire Richmondshire Lancaster Copland Weshnarland Northumberland Cumberland In the which yeare also Richard Archb. of Caunterbury made 3. Archdeacons in his dioces where as before there was but one About which tyme also it was graunted by the kyng to the popes legate that a Clerke shoulde not be called before a temporall iudge except for offence in the forest or for hys say see that he holdeth Item that no Archbishop or Bishoprick nor Abbey should remayne in the kings handes ouer one yeare wtout great cause It chaunced the same yeare that this was done there was at Canterbury one elected to be Abbot in the house of S. Austen named Albert who made great labor and sute vnto the Archbishop that he would come to hys Church and there consecrate him Abbot of S. Austens To whome the archb sent word agayne that he was not bound to come to him but rather the other should repayre to the Metropolitane church of Caunterbury there to receiue hys consecration Whereupon controuersie rising betwene them the foresaid new Elect appealed vp to the audience of the Pope and so laboured vp hymselfe to Rome Where he so handled the matter by what meanes I cannot tell vnles with his golden bottle wherewith he queÌ„ched the popes thirsty soule for Abbots neuer trauel lightly without far purses to Rome that with short dispatche he procured letters from Alexander the pope to Roger bishop of Worcester Signifying to hym that he had geuen in charge and commaundement to the archb of Cant. in the behalfe of hys deare sonne Albert that he should consecrate hym within hys own monastery which monastery properly and soly without mediation belonged to the iurisdiction of Rome and so likewise should do to his successors after him without any exaction of obedience of theÌ„ Which thing further he sayd if the archb woulde refuse to do within the terme appoynted that then he the foresayd B. of Worcester should by the authoritie committed vnto him execute the same al maner of appellatioÌ„ or other decree whatsoeuer should come notwithstaÌ„ding This letter being obtayned the Abbot that would be returneth home supposing with hymselfe all things to be sure The archb vnderstanding the case and seeing hymselfe so straightly charged and yet lothe to yeld and stoupe to the Abbot took to him pollicy where authoritie would not serue and both to saue himselfe and yet to disapoynt the Abbot he watcheth a tyme when the Abbot was about busines of hys house And comming the same tyme to the monastery as he was coÌ„maunded to do with all things appointed that to suche a busines appertayned called for the Abbot pretending no lesse but to geue him his consecration The Abbot beyng called for was not at home The archb fayning hymselfe not a little agreued at his labour good wil so lost departed as one in whome no redy diligence was lacking if in case that the Abbot had bene at home Wherupon the Abbot being thus disapoynted was fayne to fill his siluer stagon a fresh make a new course to Rome to hys father the pope of whome he receiued his consecration and so came home agayne with as much witte as he went forth but not with so much mony peradâ—enture as he went withall We haue declared a little aboue pag. 175. touching the actes and doynges of this Pope Alexander the 3. howe he had brought the Emperours head vnder hys foote in S. Markes Church at Uenice at which time and place peace was concluded and a composition made betweene the P. and the sayd Fredericke the Emperor Which pacificatioÌ„ Rog. Houedenus and Gualterus Gisburgensis referre to this tyme beyng the yeare of our Lord. 1177. bringing in two seuerall letters sent from the sayd Pope to Richard Archbishop of Canterbury and to Roger Archbishop of York and Hugh byshop of Duresme Out of the whiche letters so much as serueth to our purpose I haue taken and here inserted The letter of Pope Alexander sent to Roger Archbyshop of Yorke and to the Byshop of Duresme ALexander seruaunt of the seruaunts of God to his reuerend brethren Roger Archbishop of Yorke and Hugh Byshop of Duresme greeting and Apostolicall blessing The obsequy and seruice of your kinde deuotion which hitherto you are knowne to haue geuen bothe deuoutly and laudably to vs and to the Church requireth that we should describe to you as to our speciall frendes the prosperous successe of the Churche and to let you know as spirituall children of the Churche what hath happened to the same For meete it is conuenient and also honest that you whome we haue had so firme and sure in our deuotion should now be cherished and made ioyous in the prosperitie of vs and of the Churche And about the end of the Epistle it followeth thus The next day following which was the feast of S. Iames the sayd Emperour so requesting we came to the foresayd Churche of S. Marke there to celebrate our solemne Masse where as we were comming in the way the sayd Emperor met vs without the Church and placing vs agayne on his right hand he brought vs so into the sayd Church After the masse was done placing vs agayn on his right hand he brought vs to the Church dore And moreouer when we should take our palfrey he held our stirrup exhibiting to vs such honor and reuerence as hys progenitours were wont to exhibite to our predecessors Wherefore these shal be to incite your diligence and study towardes vs that you reioyce with vs and the Church in these our prosperous successes and also that you shall open the same effect of peace to other deuout childreÌ„ of the church that such as be touched with the zeal of the house of the Lord may congratulate reioyce also in the Lord for the great working of peace which he hath geuen GeueÌ„ at Venice in the deepe riuer the xxvi of Iuly This yeare the contention reuiued agayne spoken of little before pag. 173. betwene the 2. archbishops of York and Canterb. The occasion whereof was this The maner and practise of the pope is when he beginneth to lacke money he sendeth some limitting Cardinall abroad to fetch his harnest in So there came this yeare into EnglaÌ„d as lightly few yeares were without them a certayn Cardinall from Rome called Hugo or as Houedenus nameth him Hugezun who would needes keepe a Councell at Westin To this Councel resorted a great coÌ„fluence about middle of Lent of Bishops Abbots Priors Doctors such other of the Clergye As euery one was there placed in his order and after his degree first commeth the archb of Yorke named Roger who thinking to present the other Archbishop came something sooner straighway placed hymselfe on the right hand of the Cardinall Richard the Archbishop of Cant. following shortly after and seing the first place
to Northhampton where he held his Parliament saluting him sayd they came from the Pope of Rome to reforme that peace of holy church And first sayd they we monish you in the popes behalfe that ye make full restitution of the goods of the land that ye haue rauished holy church of and that ye receiue Stephen the Archb◠of Cant. into his dignity and Prior of Cant. and his monkes And that ye yelde agayne vnto the Archb. all his landes and rentes without any withholding And sir yet moreouer that ye shall make such restitution to them as the Church shall thinkk sufficient Then aunswered the K. as touching the Prior and his Monkes of Cant. all that ye haue said I would gladly do and all thing els that ye would ordaine but as touching the Archb. I shall tell you as it lieth in my hart Let the Archbishop leaue his bishopricke and if the pope then shal entreat for him peraduenture I may like to geue him some other bishopricke in England And vpon this condition I will receiue and admit him Then sayd Pandulph vnto the K. holy Church was wont neuer to disgrade Archb. without cause reasonable but euer she was wont to correct princes that were disobedient to her What how now quoth the K. threaten ye me Nay sayd Pandolph but ye haue now opēly told vs as it standeth in your hart and now we will tell you what is the popes will and thus it standeth He hath wholy interdicted cursed you for the wrongs ye haue done to the holye church and to the Clergy And forasmuch as ye will dwell still in your malice and will come to no amendement ye shall vnderstand that from this time forward the sentences vpon you geuen haue force and strength And all those that with you haue commoned before this time whether that they be Earles Barons or Knightes or any other whatsoeuer they be we assoyle them safely from their sins vnto this day And from this time forward of what condition soeuer they be we accurse them openly and specially by this our sentence that do with you common And we assoyle moreouer Earles Barons knightes and all other maner of men of theyr homages seruice and sealties that they should do vnto you And this thing to confirme we geue playne power to the B. of Winchester and to the B. of Norwich And the same power we geue agaynst Scotland to the B. of Rochester of Salisbury And in Wales we geue the same power to the Bishops of S. Dauid and of Landaffe and of S. Asse Also Sir K. quoth Pandolph all the kinges princes and the great Dukes christened haue labored to the pope to haue licence to crosse themselues and to warre agaynst thee as vpon Gods enemy and winne thy lande and to make K. whom it pleaseth the pope And we here now assoile all those of their sinnes that will arise agaynst thee here in thine owne land Then the K. hearing this answered What shame may ye do more to me then this Pandolph agayne we say to you in verbo Dei that neither you nor any heir that you haue after this day shall be crowned So the king sayd by him that is almighty God if I had known of this thing before ye came into this lād and that he had brought me such newes I should haue made you tary out these xii monthes Then aunswered Pandolph Full well we thought at our first comming that ye would haue bene obedient to God and to holy church haue fulfilled the popes commaundement which we haue shewed and pronounced to you as we were charged therewith And now ye say that if ye had wi lt the cause of our comming ye would haue made vs tary out a whole yere which might as well say that ye would haue taken a whole yeares respite without the popes leaue But for to suffer what death that ye can ordeine we shall not spare to tell you all the popes message and will that he gaue vs in charge In an other chronicle I finde the wordes betwene the King and Pandolph something otherwise described as though the king should first threaten him with hanging if he had foreknown of his comming in To whom pādolph againe should answer that he loked for nothing els at his hand but to suffer for the Churches right Wherupon the K. being mightely incēsed departed The k. the same tune being at Northhampton willed the shirifs and bailifes to bring foorth all the prisoners there that such as had deserued shoulde be put to death to the entent as some thinke to make Pandolfus afraide Among whome was a certaine Clerke who for counterfaiting the kings coyne was also condemned to be hanged drawn quartered And moreouer by the king was commanded therby to anger Pandolfus the more as may be thought to be hanged vp hiest aboue the rest Pādolphus hearing therof notwtstanding he somwhat began to feare least he should be hanged himselfe yet with such courage as he had he went to the church to set out booke bel and candle charging that no man vnder pain of accursing should lay hands vpon the cleark Vppon this the K. and the Cardinall departed in no litle anger And Pandolfe went to Rome reported to the pope and the Cardinals what had bene done Then the pope summoned al the bishops abbots and clarkes of England to come and repaire to Rome to consult what was to be done therein This councel began the first day of October In the which councel it was decreed by the pope and his assembly that Iohn king of England should be accursed with all such as helde with him euery day so long as that Councel endured Albeit this was not yet graunted that the people shoulde be crossed to fight against him because as yet he had shed no bloud But afterward the sayd Pope Innocent seeing that K. Iohn by no meanes would stoupe vnder his subiection nor vnder the rule of his popish see he sent vnto the French king vpon remission of all his sinnes and of all that went with hym that he should take with him all the power he might and so to inuade the realme of England to destroy K. Iohn This occasion geuen Pope Innocent yet once againe commanded in paine of his great curse that no man shuld obey King Iohn neither yet keepe company with him he forbad all persons to eate and drinke with him to talke with him to commune or coūsell with him yea his owne familiar houshold to do him any kinde of seruice either at bed or at boord in church hall or stable And what folowed therof The greater parte of them which after such sort fled from him by the ordinance of God of diuers and sundry diseases the same yeare died And betweene both nations English and French sell that yeare great amitie but secret subtil and false to the bitter betraying of England Neither was the pope
you the Church the king and the kingdome from that miserable yoke of seruitude that you doe not intermedle or take any part concerning such exactions or rentes to be required or geuen to the sayd Romaynes Letting you to vnderstand for trueth that in case you shall which God forbid be found culpable herein not onely your goodes and possessions shall be in daunger of burning but also in your persons shall incurre the same perill and punishmēt as shall the sayd Romish oppressors themselues Thus fare ye well ¶ Thus much I thought here to insert and notifie cōcerning this matter for that not onely the greedy and auaritious gredines of the Romish church might the more euidently vnto al Englishmen appeare but that they may learne by this example how worthy they be so to be serued plagued with their owne rod which before would take no part with their naturall king agaynst forreine power of whom now they are scourged To make the story more playne In the raygne of thys Henry the third who succeding as is said after king Iohn his father raygned sixe and fifty yeares came diuers Legates from Rome to Englande First Cardinall Otho sent from the Pope with letters to the king lyke as other letters also were sent to other places for exactions of money The king opening the letters and perceiuing the contentes aunswered that he alone coulde say nothing in the matter which concerned all the clergye and commons of the whole Realme Not long after a Councell was called at Westminster where the letters beyng opened the forme was this Petimus imprimis ab omnibus Ecclesijs Cathedralibus duas nobis praebendas exhiberi vnam de portione Episcopi alteram de capitulo Et similiter de Coenobijs vbi diuersae sunt portiones Abbatis conuentus a conuentibus quantum pertinet ad vnum Monachum aequali facta distributione honorum suorum ab Abbate tantundem That is We require to be geuen vnto vs first of all Cathedrall Churches two Prebendes one for the Byshops part one other for the Chapter And likewise of Monasteryes where be diuers portions one for the Abbot an other for the Couent Of y◠Couent so much as appertayneth to one Monke y◠portion of the goods beyng proportionly deuided Of the Abbot likewise as muche The cause why he required these prehendes was this It hath bene sayth he an old slaunder and a great complaynt agaynst the Church of Rome to be noted of insatiable couetousnes which as ye knowe is the roote of all mischiefe and al by reason that causes be wont commonly not to be handeled nor to proceed in the Church of Rome without great giftes and expense of mony Wherof seyng the pouerty of the Churche is the cause and why it is so slaundered and ill spoken of it is therefore conuenient that you as naturall children should succour your mother For vnlesse we should receaue of you and of other good men as you are we shoulde then lacke necessaryes for our lyfe whiche were a great dishonour to our dignitie c. When those petitions and causes of the Legate were propounded in the foresayde assembly at Westminster on the Popes behalfe the Bishops Prelates of the realme beyng present aunswere was made by the mouth of maister Iohn Bedford on this wise that the matter there proponed by the Lord Legate in especiall concerning the kyng of England but in generall it touched all the archbishops with their Suffraganes the Byshops and al the prelates of the realm Wherfore seing both the king by reason of his sickenes is absent and the Archbishop of Caunterbury with diuers other Bishops also were not there therefore in the absence of them they had nothing to say in the matter neyther could they so doe without preiudice of thē which were lacking And so the assembly for that tyme brake vp Not long after the sayd Otho Cardinall De carcere Tulliano comming agayne from Rome cum autentico plenariae potestatis indicted an other Councell at London caused all Prelates Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and other of the clergy to be warned vnto the same Councell to be had in the Church of S. Paules at London about the feast of S. Martin the pretence of whiche Councell was for redresse of matters concerning benefices and religion but the chiefe principal was to hunt for money For putting them in feare and in hope some to lose some to obtein spirituall promotiōs at hys hand he thought gayn would rise thereby and so it did For in the meane time as Parisiensis in vita Henrici 3. writeth diuers pretious rewardes were offered him in Palfreis in rich plate and iewels in costly and sumptuous garments richly furred in coyne in vitals c. In so much that onely the bishop of Wintchester as the story reporteth hearing that he woulde winter at London sent him L. fat Oxen an C. come of pure wheat 8. tunne of chosen wine toward hys house keeping Likewise other byshops also for their part offred vnto the Cardinals boxe after their habilitie The time of the Councell drawing nye the Cardinall commanded at the West end of Paules Churche an high solēne throne to be prepared rising vp with a glorious scaffold vpon mighty and substantiall stages strongly builded and of a great height Thus agaynst y◠day assigned came the sayd archbishops Bishops Abbotes and other of the prelacy both farre and neare throughout al England weried and vexed with the winters iorny bringing their letters procuratory Who being together assembled the Cardinall beginneth his sermon But before we come to y◠sermon there happened a great discord betweene the 2. archbishops of Caunterbury and of Yorke for sitting at the right hand and left hand of the glorious Cardinal for the which the one appealed agaynst the other The Cardinall to pacifie the strife betwene thē both so that he would not derogate from eyther of them brought forth a certayne Bull of the Pope in the middest of which Bull was pictured the figure of the crosse On the right side of the crosse stoode the image of S. Paule and on the left side S. Peter Loe saith the Cardinall holding open the Bull with the crosse here you see S. Peter on the left hand of the crosse and S. Paul on the right side and yet is there betwene these two no cōtention For both are of equall glory And yet S. Peter for the prerogatiue of his keyes for the preheminence of his Apostleship and Cathedral dignitie seemeth most worthy to be placed on the right side But yet because S. Paul beleued on Christ when he saw him not therfore hath he the right hand of the Crosse for blessed be they sayth Christ which beleue and see not c. And from that tyme forth the Archbishop of Canterbury inioyed the right hand the archbishop of Yorke the left Wherein yet this Cardinall is more to be
Lord. 1237. that Germanus Archb. and Patriarch of Constantinople wrote to the sayd Pope Gregory 9. humbly desiring him to study and seeke some meanes of vnity how the seamelesse coat of the Lord Iesus thus lamentably rent not with handes of soldiours but by discord of Prelates may be healed agayne offering this moreouer that if he will take the paines to stirre out he for his part notwithstanding his old age seeble body would not refuse to meet him in the mid way to y◠intent that the truth on both sides being debated by y◠scriptures the wrong part may be reduced the slaunder stopped and vnity reformed betwene them This request of the Patriarke as it was both godly reasonable so it had bene the bishops part again with like humility to haue condescended to the same and glad with all his might to helpe forward the reformation of christian vnity in the church of Christ and so to haue shewed himselfe the sonne of peace But the proud Byshop of Rome more like the sonne of discord and dissention standing still vpon his maiesty refused thus to do but writing agayne answere to his letters with great disdayne seking nothing els but only how to aduance his sea aboue all other churches and not onely that but also shortly after sēt forth his preaching Friers to moue all Christians to take the signe of the crosse to fight agaynst the Grecians no otherwise then against the Turkes Saracens In so much that in the Isle of Cyprus many good men and Martyrs were slayne for the same as by the letters of the said Germanus Patriarke of Constantinople is to be seene The tenour of the which letter to the Pope with the popes answere agayne to him being long and tedious to read are extant in the history of Math. Paris there to be sene and found fol. 111. The summary effect whereof notwithstanding I thought here briefly to notifye for the simple vnlearned multitude which vnderstanding not the Latine may hereby perceiue the fault of this schisme not so much to rest in the greek church as in the church of Rome as by the contents of his letter may appeare The effect of the Patriarch of Constantinople his letter to Pope Gregory 9. IN the which letter the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople writing to Pope Gregory first after his reuerend salutation and preamble following vpon the same entring thé toward the matter sheweth the occasion of his writing which was by 5. obseruaunt Friers repayring that wayes whom he gently receiuing into his house had conference with them touching this discord betwene the two Churches how it might be reduced again to vnity and afterward perceiuing the sayd Friers to make theyr iourney towardes to Rome he thought therefore by thē to write his letters Wherein he first lamenting this diuision in the house of God and reciting the inconueniences which come therof by the example of Iuda and Israel Ierusalem and Samaria Cain and Abel Esau and Iacob also of other such like both priuate publicke societies where brother sighteth agaynst brother like as among fishes the greater deuoureth the lesser he procedeth then further gently to exhort Pope Gregory to the study of vnity And for so much as the Pope had accursed belike those Churches of the Greekes before he therefore taking his groūd vpon the wordes of S. Paule Gal. 1. where he accurseth euery such person and persons whatsoeuer they be either man or Angell of heauen that shall preach any other Gospell then hath bene preached c. willeth the Pope to stand with him vpon the same ground of the Apostles accurse so that if the stroke of that curse haue light vpon him or his churches he desireth him to shew the wound and to helpe to wipe away the bloud to minister some spirituall emplaister to binde vp the sore and to saue his brethré from perishing which lay in daunger according to the saying of the wise man A brotherly frend is tried in aduersity c. But if we sayth he of the Greeke Church be free from the stripe of this accurse of the Apostle and that you Italians of the Latine Church be stricken therewith and lye thereby in daunger of destruction I trust that you through ignoraunce and wilfull obstinacy will not so suffer your selues to be separated from the Lord but rather will suffer a thousand deathes before if it were possible for a man so often to dye And as touching this great discord betwene vs if either cōtrarietie of doctrine or sweruing frō the ancient Canons or diuersity of rites receiued of our forefathers be any cause thereof we here take heauen and earth to witnesse that we for our partes are ready and desire also vpon due triall of profound trueth by Gods word and inuocation of the holy Ghost to ioyne hands with you or you to ioyne with vs. But to say the very trueth and to tell you playne this we suppose that many mighty and noble potentates would sooner encline to your obedience were it not that they feared your vniust oppressions your insatiable exactions and inordinate oppressions wherewith you wring your subiectes By reason whereof haue risen amongst vs cruell warres one fighting agaynst an other desolation of Cittyes Bulles and Interdictions set vpon Church dores diuision of brethren and Churches of the Grecians left without seruice where God should be praysed So that now onely one thing lacketh which I beleue to be predefined and appoynted from aboue long before to vs Grecians the time I meane of martirdome which also now hasteneth fast vpon vs that the tribunall of tyrauntes should be opened and the seats of torments be set that the bloud of Martyrs should be spilled we brought to the stage of Martyrdome to fight for the crowne of glory This that I doe speake and wherefore I speake it the noble Iland of Cyprus doth already know and feele which hath made many new Martyrs and hath seene valiaunt soldiours of Christ which of long time before passing by water and teares of sorow now at last haue also passed through fire and so entred into the heauenly rest How say you be these good and seemely O holye Pope the successor of S. Peter the Apostle Is this the bidding of that good Peter the meeke and humble disciple of Christ Doth he thus instruct the Seniors and Elders in his Epistle where he writeth in this wise The Elders which are amōgst you I beseech which am also a fellow Elder with them and witnesse of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shal be opened feed the flocke of God which is amongest you hauing care sight ouer it not of a coaction as compelled agaynst your willes but willingly of your owne accord nor for filthy lukere sake but freely and hartily neither as bearing dominion and Lordship ouer the Church but shewing your selues as
declareth to extoll himselfe aboue measure and to oppresse yâ— few that be godly and to haue many falâ—e prophets about him which neglecting the word and the name of Christ do preach extoll him only obscuring the name of Christ. The church of Rome and the Pope he describeth in these words I was praying sayd he on my knees looking vpward to heauen nere to the aulter of S. Iames in Paris on the right side of the aultar saw in the ayre before me the body of a certain high bishop all clothed in white silke who turning his backe on the East lift vp his hand toward the west as the Priestes are wont in theyr Masse turning to the people but his head was not seene And as I was considering aduisedly whether he had any head or no I perceiued a certayne head in him all dry leane withered as though it had bene a head of wood And the spirit of the Lord sayd to me This signifieth the state of the Church of Rome Moreouer the same author in his visions well describing the maner of the schole sophisters and Sorbonists addeth in this wise An other day as I was in like conteÌ„plation as before I beheld in spirit and beholde I saw a man apparelled like to the other before which weÌ„t about hauing fine bread and excellent wine that hanged about him on both sides And the same hauing in his hand a loÌ„g and an hard flint stone was gnawing hungerly vpon the same as one being hungry is wont to bite vpon a loafe of bread Out of the which stone came two heads of two serpentes the spirit of the Lord instructing me and saying This stone purporteth the friuilous intricate curious questions wherein the hungry do trauaile and labor leauing the substauntiall foode of their soules And I asked what these two heads did meane And he sayd The name of the one is vaine glory the name of the other is the marring and dissipation of religion Also concerning reformation of the church this vision he declareth It happened as I was sayth he in the same City in the house of a certaine noble man a Britaine and was there speaking with certayne I saw a crosse of siluer very bright much like to the Crosse of the Earle of Tholouse But the 12. apples which did hang beside in the armes of the crosse were very vile like the apples which the sea is wont to cast vp And I sayd what is this Lord Iesu and the spirit answered me This crosse which thou seest is the church which shal be cleare and bright in purenes of life and shall be heard and known all ouer through the shrill voice of the preaching of sincere verity Then being troubled with the apples I asked what these apples so vile did signify and he said it is the humiliation of the Church c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certain chroâ—ticle is declared how God would punish the simony and auarice of the clergy with such a plague that riuers should runne with bloud c. It is sayd that there is remayning a great volume of his visions whiche are not yet abroad for these that be abroad are but a briefe extract out of hys visions and reuelations After yâ— we haue thus loÌ„g straid in these forrein stories of Fredericke and in the tractation of other matters pertayning to other countreys Now after this sufficient disgression it is time that we returne to our own country agayne where in folowing the continuatioÌ„ of time course of the Church we will now adioyne to these good fathers and writers the history of the learned Bishop of Lincolne named Robert Grosted a man famously learned as that time serued in the three toungs both Latin Greeke and Hebrue also in all liberall sciences whose works Sermons yet this day are extant which I haue seene in the Queenes Maiestyes Library at Westminster wherin is one speciall Sermon writteÌ„ and exhibited in foure sundry skrolles to the pope and to other foure Cardinals beginning Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Nicolas Triuet in his chronicle writing of this bishop affirmeth that he was borne in Suffolke in the Dioces of Northfolke who geuing him the prayse to be a man of excellent wisedome of profound doctrine an example of all vertue witnesseth that he being maister of Arte wrote first a Commentary in librum posteriorum of Aristotle Also that he wrote Tractations de sphera de arte comput And that he set forth diuers books concerning Philosophy Afterward being Doctor in Diuinity and expertly seene in all the 3. tongues drew out sundry Treatises out of the Hebrue gloses also translated diuers works out of the Greeke as namely the Testamentes of the xij Patriarches the bookes of Dionisius commenting vpon the new translation with hys owne glose Haec ille Many other workes and volumes besides were written by the said Grosted as De oculo morali de Dotibus De cessatione legalium paruus Cato Annotationes in Suidam in Boetium De potestate pastorali expositiones in Genes in Lucam with a number moâ— besides diuers Epistles Sermons and Inuections sent to the Pope for his vnmeasurable exactions wherwith he ouercharged oppressed the Church of England This godly and learned Bishop after diuers conflicts and agonies sustayned agaynst the Bishop of Rome after the example of Fredericke of Guiliel de sancto amore of Nico Gallus and other after minded at length after great labors and trauells of life finished his course departed at Buckdone in the moneth of Octob. an 1253. Of his decease thus writeth Mat. Parisiens pag. 278. Out of the prison and banishmeÌ„t of this world which he neuer loued was takeÌ„ the holy bishop of Lincolne Robert at his manor of Buckâ—one in the euen of S. Dionise who was an open reprouer of the Pope and of the King a rebuker of the prelats a corrector of the Monkes director of the Priestes instructor of the clerkes fauâ—or of scholers a preacher to the people persecutor to the incontinent a diligent searcher of the Scriptures A malle to the Romaines and a contemner of theyr doings c. Haec Mat. what a malle hee was to the Romaines in the sequele hereof Christ willing shall better appeare The story is this It so befell among other dayly and intollerable exactions wherein Pope InnoceÌ„t was greuous and iniurious manifold wayes to the Realme of England he had a certaine cosin or nephew so Popes were wont to call theyr sonnes named Fredericke being yet youÌ„g vnder yeres whom the said Innocent the Pope would needs preferre to be a Canon or Prebendary in the church of Lincolne in this time of Robert Bishop of the sayd Church And vpoÌ„ the same directed down letters to certayn his factors here in England for the execution thereof The copy of which letter by chaunce yet not by chaunce
his assistaunts here assembled alledging the first Epistle of Peter the 2. chapter where he sayth Feare God honour the king By which wordes the holy Apostle S. Peter teacheth vs 2. things First that loue feare obedience is due vnto God for the mightinesse and puissaunce of his Maiesty saying Feare God Secondly how speciall honor reuerence is due to the King for the excellency of his dignity saying Honor the King But note you by the way how the Apostle placeth his woordes First he sayth that feare is due vnto God because principally and in chiefe we ought to feare GOD For if the King or any other should commaund things contrary to God we ought to haue no regard ther of but to contemne the King feare God For it is written in the 5. of the Actes of the Apostles we ought rather to obey God then men and also in the 7. chap. of Machabes the 2. booke where it is sayd I will not obey the commaundements of the king but the law The reason whereof S. Augustine geueth both in the glose vpon the Romaines also in the 11. quaest 1. He that resisteth the superiour power resisteth the will and ordinaunce of God But put case thou art commaunded to do that which thou maist not do or to do not that which thou oughtest to do Doubtlesse thou must neglect the lesser power and feare the higher learning the degrees of worldly thinges As for example be it so that a Proctour commaundeth thee any thing which if the same be agaynst the Proconsull thou oughtest not to follow it Yea and further put case the Proconsull commaundeth one thing the Emperour an other and God willeth the third Thou must not care for thē but obey God for God is the greater power For they may threaten thee with prison but GOD may threaten thee with hell fire they may slay and kill thy body but God may send thee body and soule to perpetuall hell fire And therfore worthely it is put first Feare God And here the place in the last of Ecclesiasticus is to be adioyned where it is written Feare God and keep his commaundements And me thinketh that man is boūd to feare God chiefly in three sorts That is to say First in the bountifull bestowing of his giftes and benefites Secondly in the euident promoting of his seruauntes And lastly in the full rendring and restoring vnto man that is his First I say in the bountifull c. and for this cause the Emperour Iustinian writeth although there is nothing to be accompted good which doth exceede and is to great yet for a prince to be stow accordingly vpō the church it is very good For why the king and Emperour is bound to bestow so much the more substaunce how much the more God hath geuen to him to bestow the same both franckly and especially to famous Churches wherein the best greatest measure is of the Lordes giftes that is a great gift And to this end Gregory enacteth a law cap. i. extra de donationibus that nobility ought in maner to prescribe this law to himselfe to thinke himselfe bound to geue whē he geueth freely vnlesse he increase in geuing still to think that he hath geuen nothing Wherfore Abell as appeareth in the 4. chapter of Genesis who offered of the best to the Lord was blessed of God And therefore other Kinges the more they offred to God the more they were both spiritually and temporally blessed of him As we read of Iosua Dauid Salomon other in the booke of the Kings and therefore it is so written in the 18. of Numbers And ye shall separate vnto the Lordes treasury thinges that be chiefest and most principall As likewise Dauid sayth in the first of Paralipomenon last chapter I haue geuen all this with a glad hart euen with a good will and now haue I had ioy to see thy people which here are present offer with a free will vnto thee And no maruell for Dauid sayth in that place For of thy hand we haue receiued all and to thee we geue And therefore it seemeth to me that because the Kynges of Fraunce and Barons of the same more then anye other hath geuen to GOD and his Church therefore they were happy and blessed aboue all other kinges and the more they did geue to God the more they receiued at hys handes Examples wherof we haue of Clodoue Charles and S. Lewes the more one geueth to God the more he receiueth of him For he in the 6. of Luke hath promised geue and it shal be geuen vnto you wherfore a gift that a Prince bestoweth vpon the Church is rendered agayne with triple encrease and that no lesse in time of warr then in time of peace I say in warre time because victory proceedeth of no other but onely of God for it is writtē in the 1. Machabecs the 3. Chapter The victorye of the battayle standeth not in the multitude of the boast but the strength commeth from heauen And likewise in the 17. Chapter of Exodus it is declared that when Moyses held vp hys handes Israell had the victory but when he let down his handes Amalec had the victory To this end also serueth the last chapter Machabes 2. where Iudas being at the poynt to haue the victory thought he saw Amon and Ieremy which had bene high Priestes and very vertuous men holding vp their handes toward heauē and praying for theyr people and all the whole Citye c. Likewise in peace time now the long dayes of the king and of hys sonnes their peace prosperity obedience by the prayer of the Church is mayntayned supported in the realme For as long as Salomon was bent and geuē in building the house of God so long he had peace who thus in the 16. chap. of the Prouerbes teacheth vs. when a mans wayes pleaseth the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be hys frendes And also in 1. Esdras 6. chapter where it is read how the Priestes were commaunded to offer sweet fauors to the God of heauen and pray for the kinges life and hys children And well therefore may it be called a gift both fauorable irreuocable wherby victory is geuen life graūted and peace with security conserued To serue therefore God liberally to geue toward the worshipping of him is the chiefest signe and token of diuine feare loue Eccl. cap. 2. O ye that feare the Lord beleue him your reward shall not be empty Secondly cōcerning the feare of God I do you to vnderstand that among the precepts of the Lord the first and chiefest commaundement of the second table is To honor thy father which precept is very well expoūded to y◠Hebrues in the 12. chapter where it is not onely ment of the fathers of our bodies but also of the father of spirites For as spirituall
decided in iudgemeÌ„t contradictory many of the Barons dissenting not coÌ„seÌ„ting therunto is much therby confirmed This custome I say of the church hath bene fast established by the coÌ„sent and assent of the Prelats and then confirmed by the kings of FrauÌ„ce your predecessors and so peaceably obserued of the Church And yet may the church chalenge this by prescription For that there are but 3. things which are required in prescription that is to say title true dealing and continuance of time And it is without doubt that the Churches both purely hath and in time past had a good title as appereth by thy priuiledge grauÌ„ted of Theodosius the Emperor confirmed by Charles Who gaue in commaundement to keepe the same inuiolably which title it hath both by diuine natural and humaine law as before is mentioned Wherfore it must needes haue true dealing when so many great and cleare titles are knowne to condescend therunto Also concurreth such continuance of time that euen against Ius fisci it is prescriptible For it hath not onely continued by the space of 100. yeares but also more then 600. yeares last past Neither is this alwayes true that this law is imprescriptible especially of the church the which in as much as it appertayneth to the spiritualty is not subiect to the king but is much more noble and farre excelleth Euen no lesse then the Sunne doth the Moone golde lead and heauen the earth And this is certaine and no lesse reason that the higher equall may duely prescribe law against him that is either equall or lower in degree As one king may do to another Wherfore it appeareth that the church may prescribe this although it were Ius fisci as in deed it is not Finally this is proued by priuiledge grauÌ„ted by Carolus the great king of Fraunce as before by Ludouicke the second and by Philipp your vncle and Ludouike and Philip your kinsemeÌ„ which priuiledges we haue here redy to shew But perhappes you will say that these things cannot agree that the Church hath this iurisdiction both by law custome priuiledge which all cannot well hang together For if the church haue it by one of these it should folow that the church lacketh it by another But this may I answere two maner of wayes First that the priuiledge may be double one as a bringer in of a new law thus it cannot be reconciled The other as a confirmatiuâ— and declaratiue of the old law and this way it may well be agreed which distinctioÌ„ may also take place in custome Wherfore it may thus be answered that although this incudiction is due vnto the Church by lawe it appertaineth also vnto the same by priuilege and custome but yet not by suche kind of custome and priuiledge which induceth new law but which declareth and confirmeth the olde law And â—any will reply demanding wherfore the church of Fraunce shuld more chaleÌ„ge this then any other churches in other realmes which haue no such prerogatiue I can soone answer them If the kings of Fraunce whome God wyth singular grace honour and priuilege farre aboue al other Princes hath blessed and endued them for 3. speciall causes to wit for their great faith deuotion vnto God for their honor reuerence to the Church and for theyr good iustice shewed vnto the people hath graunted to the church special liberties or haue permitted those which before wer graunted peaceably to be kept and obserued Why then they should haue them it is no meruaile Yea and further theyr deuotion vnto the Church hath bene suche that the nearer the Churches were vnto them the more liberties they enioyed and yet had these princes neuerthelesse therfore but rather the more whych is euident and redoundeth to the great honor and nobilitie both of the king and his realme I haue oftentimes heard of other howe that 4. or 5. things doth especially habilitate and adorne this realme First their sincere and inuiolable faith for it was at no time red that the kings of Fraunce since the receiuing of the faith did euer swarue from the same Secondly the nobility of bloud which descended from Priamus the king of the Troianes and successiuely from Carolus and other royall kings Thirdly the vnitie and peace of concord which especially aboue all other raigned and florished in the Realme of Fraunce Fourthly the solemnity and pompe of the prelates and Clergie Fiftly the good disposed readinesse of the Barons and subiects to obey If therfore the prelates of this realme shâ—â—ld not haue this law and priuiledge but shuld be depriued therof then should the king his realme lose one of hys noble estates wherby they are highly magnified I meane the brauerie solemnitie royaltie of the prelates For then they should not onely be neither poÌ„peous nor royal but more beggerly miserable then any other the most part of their liuing consisting herein I do coÌ„clude therfore to be proued both by deuine law natural law canon law ciuil law custome and priuiledge that the right of determining such teÌ„porall matters of the Churche may of right appertaine to the Church of Fraunce and soâ—â— returne the Lorde Peters theame against himselfe Besides this will I propounde that which is most plaine and manifest that what so euer thynges be offered vp to the Church and are conuerted to the dominion and property of the same be Gods appertaineth to him For so much as they are saide to be dedicacated sanctified by hym as sufficiently throughout the Leuites may appeare as is declared in the 21. cap. 1. Regum concerning the bread offered to God where it is sayde I haue no common bread vnder my handes to eate but holy bread Wherfore it was not lawfull for the Laity to eat of the same bread but in time of great neccesity which is also proued in Daniel 5. chapter where it is read Because king Balthazar and his Lordes with his Queen â—ronke in the golden and siluer vessels which his father Nabuchodonoser had taken out of the temple of Ierusalem In the same very hour there appeared fingers as it had bene of a mans hand writing right ouer the candle sticke vpoÌ„ the playne wall in the kinges pallace And the King saw the palme of the hand that wrote and that which was writteÌ„ was Mane Thetel Phares the interpretation wherof is this as there it appeareth Mane God hath numbred this kingdome and brought it to aâ—end Thetel thou art weyed in a ballaunce and art found to light Phares thy kingdome is delt in partes and geuen to the Medes and Perses The very selfe same night was Balthazar the king of the Caâ—des slayne and Darius succeeded in the kingdome of the Medes the Monarchy of the Assirians being then trâ—â—slated vnto the Medes Whereby it appeareth that these things which are offered vp to the church belong to God so dedicated to him that
theyned vp all this while for the space of a thousand yeares beginneth about this time to be losed and to come abroad according to the forewarning of S. Iohns Reuelation Therefore to conclude the fourth Booke wherein sufficiently hath bene described the excessiue pride and pompe of Antechrist florishing in his ruffe and securitye from the time of William Conquerour hitherto now Christ willing assisting vs thereunto we minde in these latter Books hereafter following in order of history to expresse the latter persecutions and horrible troubles of the Church raysed vp by Satan as in his minister Antechrist with the resistaunce agayne of Christes Church agaynst him And so to prosecute by the mercifull grace of Christ the proceeding and course of times till we come at length to the fall and ruine of the sayd Antechrist To the intent that if any be in such errour to thinke that Antechrist is yet to come let him consider and ponder well the tragicall rages the miserable and most sorrowfull persecutions murders and vexations of these latter 300. yeares now following and I doubt not but he will be put out of all doubt to know that not onely Antechrist is already come but also to know where he sitteth how he is now falling apace the Lord Christ be thāked for euer to his decay and confusion THE FIFT BOOKE CONTEYning the last 300. yeares from the loosing out of Satan THVS hauing discoursed in these former Bookes the order and course of yeares from the first tying vp of Sathan vnto the yeare of our Lorde 1360. I haue a little ouerpassed the stint of time in the Scriptures appoynted for the loosing out of hym againe For so it is wrytten by S. Iohn Apocal. 20. that after a thousande yeares Satanas the olde Dragon shal be let loose againe for a season c. For the better explanation of the whych mysterie let vs first consider the context of the scripture afterward let vs examine by history and course of times the meaning of the same And first to recite the wordes of the Apocal. the text of the Prophecy is this cap. 23. And I saw an Aungell descending from heauen hauing a kay of the bottomlesse pitte and a great chaine in his hande And hee tooke the Dragon the olde Serpente whych is the deuill and Satanas and bounde hym for a thousand yeares and put hym in the bottomlesse dungeon and shutte him vp and signed him with hys seale that he should no more seduce the Gentiles till a thousande yeares were expired And after that he must be loosed againe for a little space of time And I sawe seates and they sate vpon them and iudgement was geuen vnto them and the soules I sawe of them which were beheaded for the testimonie of Iesus c. By these wordes of the Reuelation heere recited three speciall times are to be noted 1. First the being abroade of Sathan to deceyue the world 2. The binding vp of him 3. Thirdly the losing out of him againe after a thousand yeares consummate for a time Concerning the interpretation of whych times I see the common opinion of many to be deceiued by ignorance of hystories and state of things done in the church supposing that the chaining vp of Sathan for a thousand yeares spoken of in the Reuelation was meant from the birthe of Christe our Lorde Wherein I graunt that spiritually the strength and dominion of Sathan in accusing condemning vs for sinne was cast downe at the passion and by the passion of Christ our sauiour and locked vp not onely for a thousande yeares but for euer and euer Albeit as touching the malitious hatred and furie of that Serpent against the outward bodies of Christes poore saints which is the heele of Christ to afflicte and torment the Churche outwardly That I iudge to be meant in the Reuelation of S. Iohn not to be restrained til the ceasing of those terrible persecutions of the primitiue Church At what time it pleased God to pity the sorrowfull affliction of his poore flocke being so long vnder persecution the space of three hundred yeares and so to asswage their griefes and torments Which is meant by binding vp of Sathan worker of all those mischiefes vnderstanding thereby that for so much as the Deuill prince of thys worlde had now by the death of Christ the sonne of God lost al his power and interest against the soule of man shoulde turne his furyous rage malice which he had to Christ against the people of Christ which is meant by the heele of the seede Genes 3. in tormenting their outward bodies Which yet shuld not be for euer but for a determinate time when as it shoulde please the Lord to bridle the malice and snaffle the power of the olde Serpent and geue rest vnto his Church for the terme of a thousand yeares Which time being expired the sayd serpent should be suffred loose againe for a certaine or a small time Apoc. 20. And thus to expound this Propheticall place of scripture I am led by three reasons The first is for that the binding vp of Sathan and closing hym in the bottomles pit by the Angell importeth as much that hee was at libertye raging and doyng mischiefe before And certesse those so terrible and so horrible persecutiōs of the primitiue time vniuersally through the whole world during the space of three hundreth yeares of the Church do declare no lesse Wherein it is to be thought and supposed that Sathan all that time was not fastened and closed vp The second reason moouing me to thinke that the closing vp of Sathan was after the ten persecutions of the primitiue Church is taken out of the twelft chapter of the Apocalips Where we read that after the woman meaning the Church had trauailed foorth her man childe the olde Dragon the Deuill the same time being cast downe from heauen drawing the thirde part of the starres wyth him stoode before the woman with great anger and persecuted her that is the Church of God with a whole floude of water that is wyth aboundance of all kindes of torments and from thence went moreouer to fight agaynst the residue of her side and stoode vpon the sands of the sea wherby it appeareth that he was not as yet locked vp The thirde reason I collect out of the Apocalyps thirteenth Chapter where is wrytten of the beast signifying the Emperiall Monarchie of Rome that hee had power to make warre fourtie and two monethes By the whych monethes is meant no doubt the tyme that the Dragon and the persecuting Emperours should haue in afflicting the Saintes of the primitiue Church The computation of which fortie two monethes counting euery moneth for a Sabboth of yeares that is for seuen yeares after the order of Scripture riseth to the summe counting from the passion of the Lord Christ three hundred yeares lacking sixe at what time Maxentius the last
thee out of thy clothes All thy fayre and beautifull iuels shall they take from thee and so let thee sit naked and bare c. Here is playnely to be seene what shall happen to the church and followeth more in the sayd chapter Thine eldest sister is Samaria she and her daughters vpon thy left hand But the yongest sister that dwelleth on thy right hand is Sodoma with her daughters whose sinnes were these pride fulnesse of meate aboundāce and idlenesse neither retched they theyr hand to the poore And yet neither Sodoma thy sister with her daughters hath done so euill as thou and thy daughters Neither hath Sumaria that is the Sinagoge done half of thy sinnes yea thou hast exceeded them in wickednesse Take therefore and beare thine owne confusion c. Agayne in the 23. chapter of Ezechiel After the Prophet had described at large the wickednesse corruption and punishment of the Sinagoge turning to the Church sayth And when her sister saw this the raged and was madde with lust loue of riches and folowing voluptuousnes Her fornication and whoredome she committed with Princes and great Lordes clothed with all maner of gorgeous apparell so that her puppes were brused and her brestes were marred And then speaking of her punishment sayth Then my hart forsooke her like as my hart was gone from her sister also And moreouer repeating againe the cause therof addeth Thy wickednesse and thy fornications hath wrought thee all this c. The like we finde also in Esay Ieremy Ezechiel and in all the other Prophetes who prophesying all together in one meaning and almost in one maner of wordes Do conclude with a full agreement and prophecye to come that the Church shall fall and then bee punished for her great excesses and to bee vtterly spoiled except she repent of all her abhominations Whereof speaketh Oseas chap. 2. Let her put away her whoredome out of her sight and her aduoutry from her brestes least I strip her naked and set her euen as she came naked into the world that is in her primitiue pouerty So if she do not it it shal folow of her as in the prophet Nahum chap. 3. For the multitude of the fornication of the fayre and beautifull harlotte which is a maister of witchcraft yea and selleth the people through her whoredome and the nations through her witchcraft And followeth vpon the same Behold I will vpon thee sayth the Lord of hostes and will pull thy clothes ouer thy head that thy nakednes shall appeare among the heathen and thy shame among the kingdomes c. Wherefore by these it is to be vnderstand that vpon this Church the primitiue iustice of God is to be reuealed hereafter And thus much of the first of the foure members aboue fore touched Now to the second member of my theame Iuxta est concerning the nearenesse of time Although it is not for vs to knowe the momēts and articles of time yet by certaine notes and signes peraduenture it may be collected and gathered that whiche I haue here to say For the tractation whereof first I grounde my selfe vpon the saying of the Apostle Paule 2. Thessal 2. where he writeth That vnlesse there come a defection first c. By the whiche defection Ierome vltima quaest ad inquisitiones Ianuarij gathereth and expoundeth allegoricallye the desolation of the monarchy of Rome Betweene the which desolation and the persecution of the Church by Antechrist he putteth no meane space And now what is the state of that common wealth if it be compared to the maiesty of that it hath bene iudge your selues An other glose there is that sayth how by that defection is ment that from the Church of Rome shall come a departing of some other Churches The second note and marke is this when the Church shal be worse in maners then was the Sinagoge as appeareth by the ordinary glose vpon the 3. of Ieremy where it is written The backslider Israell may seeme iust and righteous in comparison of sinfull Iuda That is the Sinagoge in comparison of the Churche of God Whereof writeth Origenes saying Thinke that to be spokē of vs what the Lord sayth in Ezech. 16. Thou hast exceeded thy sister in thine iniquities Wherefore now to compare the one with the other First ye know how Christ rebuked the Phariseis who as Ierome witnesseth were then the Clergye of the Iewes of couetousnesse for that they suffered doues to be solde in the temple of God Secondly for that they did honor God with their lips and not with theyr mouth because they sayd but dyd not Thirdly he rebuked them for that they were hypocrites To the first then let vs see whether it be worse to sell both Church Sacramentes then to suffer doues to be solde in the Temple or not The second where as the phariseis were rebuked for honouring to God with their lips and not with hart there be some which neither honor God with hart nor yet with lips And which neyther do well nor yet say well neither do they preach any word at all but be domb dogs not able to barke impudent and shameles dogs that neuer haue enough such pastors as haue no vnderstanding declining straying all in their owne way euery one geuē to couetousnes from the highest to the lowest And thirdly as for hipocrisy there be also some whose intollerable pride malice is so manifest and notorious kindled vp like a fire that no cloake or shadow of hypocrisy can couer it but are so past all shame that it may be well verified of them which the Prophet speaketh Thou hast gottē thee the face of an Harlot thou wouldest not blush c. The 3. signe and token of tribulation approching neare to the Church may well be taken of the to much vnequall proportion seene this day in the church Where one is hungry and statueth another is dronke By reason of which so great inequality it cannot be that the state of the Church as it is now can long endure For like as in good harmony to make the musick perfect is required a moderate and proportion at equality of voyces which if it do much exceed it taketh away all the sweet melody So according to the sentence of the Philosopher by to much immoderate inequality or dispariety of citizens the cōmon wealth falleth to ruine Cōtrary where mediocrity that is where a mean inequality with some proportion is kept that pollicy standeth firme more sure to continue Now among al the politicke regiments of the gentlle I thinke none more is to be found in histories wherin is to be seene so great and exceeding oddes then in the pollicye of Priestes Of whom some be so high that they exceed all Princes of the earth some agayne be so base that they are vnder all rascals so that such a pollicy or common wealth may well be called
reforme theyr liues Whereby it appeareth that if euery of the fiue and forty Articles conteyneth in it wholly the thing that is false and vntruth the same is either playnelye or darckly condemned in the holye Scriptures Secondly it followeth by the sentence and minde of this holy man that if the condemation of the fiue and forty Articles be profitable the same is founde in the holy scriptures And where as agayne Saynt Augustine writeth vnto Saynt â—ierome in his â—ight Epistle and the ninth Distinction I sayth he haue learned to attribute this honor and reuerence vnto those writers onely which are called Canonicall that I dare affirme none of them to haue erred in theyr workes or writinges As for all other writers I doe so read them that although they abound wyth ueuer so much holynesse or excell in doctrine I do not by and by thinke it true because they themselues do so iudge but if they can by other Canonicall Authors or probable reasons perswade or proue that they doe not degresse froÌ„ the trueth Also the sayd Augustine in his booke De vnico Baptismo Lib. 2. sayeth thus Who doeth not knowe or vnderstande that the holy canonicall scripture to be contayned in hys owne bondes and limittes and the same to be preferred before all other letters and decrees of Bishops c. And a litle after he hath the like saying as for the letters of other Bishops which haue bene written or be written after the Canon being confirmed they may lawfully be reprehended and reproued both by the word of them that be more skilfull in that matter and also by the auncient authority of other Bishops or by the prudeÌ„ce and wisedome of such as be better learned or more expert or els by generall couÌ„sels if it so chaunce that they in any poynt haue erred and gone a stray from the sincere truth By these sayings of S. Austen and other like c. The Vniuersity of Prage hath concluded and determined that they will not receiue the condemnation of the fiue and forty Articles made by the Doctors in their councel house as iust and true except they which condemned them will proue theyr condemnation by the holy Scriptures and probable reasons vpoÌ„ euery of the fiue and forty Articles Wherefore for the dew examination of the foresayd coÌ„demnation whether it be effectuall or no we will at thys present take in hand the fouretenth Article of the number of the fiue and forty which Article is this They which leaue of preaching and hearing of yâ— word of God for feare of excommudication of men are alreadye excommunicate and in the day of iudgement shal be counted the betrayers of Christ. This Article conteineth first that all priests omitting the preaching of the word of God for feare of the excommunication of men they are already excommunicate Secondly it conteineth that all such as doe omitte the hearing of the word of God for feare of excommunicatioÌ„ are already excommunicated Thirdlye that both these sortes of men in the daye of iudgement shal be counted traitors of Christ. As concerning the first poynt it is presupposed that the preaching of the word of God is commaunded vnto the Apostles and theyr followers as it appeareth in Mathew the tenth where it is sayd Iesus sent his xii Disciples commaunding them and saying goe and preach that the kingdome of heauen is at hand Also in the last of Mathew and the tenth of Luke Whereupon Peter the Apostle of Christ acknowledging this precept and commaundement for himselfe and for the other Apostles and successors in the 10. of the Actes sayth thus he commaunded vs to preach and to testifye that it is he which is ordayned of God the iudge both of the quicke and the dead This commaundement also the other Apostles did acknowledge specially the chosen vessell pronouncing vnder a great threatning in the first Corinthians 9. chap. Wo be vnto me if I do not preach the Gospell And Pope Nicholas considering that great threatning in 43. Distinction sayeth the dispensation and distribution of the heauenly seade is commaunded and enioyned vnto vs. Woe be vnto vs if we doe not sow it abroode or if we hold our peace Whiche thing when as the vessell of election did feare and cry out vpon how much more ought all other inferiours to feare and dread the same To the same purpose doth S. Gregory write in his pastorall in the distinction Sit rector It is also euident by many other doctours and holy men as by S. Augustine Hierome Isidore Bernard whose words it were here to long to rehearse As touching the second poynt that the hearing of the word and law of God is commaunded vnto the people it is euident both by the olde and new law for it is sayd in the 28. of the Prouerbes he that turneth away his eare will not heare the law of God his prayer shall be cursed And our Sauior rebuking the Scribes and Pharesyes concludeth thus in the 8. of S. Iohn saying he that is of God heareth Gods word But forsomuch as you are not of God therfore you heare not his word Thirdly it is to be noted that excommunication is a seperation from the Communion the 11. Question 3. Nihil cap Canonica And 27. question first Viduas 34. Question 3. Cum sacerdos And this excommunication is double that is to say either secret or manifest The secret excommunication is whereby a man is seperated from the misticall body of Christ and so from God through sinne according vnto the 59. Psalme Your iniquities haue made seperation betwene your God and you And with this excommunicatioÌ„ doth the Apostle excommunicate euery man which doth not loue the Lorde Iesu Christ. Saying in the first Corinth and the last Chapter If any man do not loue the Lord Iesu Christ let him be accursed The manifest and apert excommunication may be deuided into a manifest excommunication by God Whereof it is spoken Math. 25. go ye curied c. And often times els in the lawe of God Also into a manifest excommunication by men whereby the Prelate doth either iustly or vniustly cast out any man from the participation of the Communion of the Church Whereof this shall suffise at this present Then as touching the first part of the article it is thus argued c. Whosoeuer forsaketh or leaueth the commaundemeÌ„ts of God vndone they are excommunicate of God But the Priestes which leaue of the preaching of the word of God for feare of the vniust excommunication of men do leaue the coÌ„maundement of God vndone Ergo those Priests which do leaue of preaching of the word of God are excommunicated of God The first part of this Article is true The maior appereth by the Psalme Cursed be they which doe decline and swarue from thy preceptes The Minor is euident by the first proposition which proueth that the preaching of the word of God is the
they shall be declared after my maner and fashion it shal playnely appeare what my opinioÌ„ iudgement is concerning all matters that I am accused of But because I am ignoraunt unlearned I wil get me vnder the mighty defences of the Lord. O Lord I will remeÌ„ber thine onely righteousnes God the father almighty vncreate the maker of heaueÌ„ and earth hath sent his sonne that was euerlastingly begotten into this world that he should be incarnated for the saluation and redemption of mankind who was coÌ„ceiued by the holy ghost euerlastingly proceeding from the father and the sonne and was borne of Mary the virgin to the end that we might be borne a new He suffered Passion vnder PoÌ„tius Pilate for our sinnes laying down his life for vs that we should lay down our life for our brethreÌ„ He was crucified that we should be crucified to the world and the world to vs. He was dead that he might redeeme vs from death by purchasing for vs forgeuenes of sinnes He was buried that we being buried together with him into death by Baptisme and that we dead to sins should liue to righteousnes He desceÌ„ded into hell therby deliuering man froÌ„ thraldom and from the bondage of the Deuill restoring him to his inheritaunce which he lost by sinne The thyrd day he rose from the dead through the glory of his father that we also should walke in newnes of life He ascended vp to the heauens to which no body hath ascended sauing he that descended from heaueÌ„ eueÌ„ the sonne of man which is in heaueÌ„ He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty vntill his enemies be made his footstoole He being in very deed so muche better then the Aungelles as he hath obteyned by inheritaunce a more excellentname then they From thence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead accordingly to theyr workes because the father hath geuen all iudgemeÌ„t to the sonne In whose terrible iudgement we shall rise agayne and shall all of vs stand before his iudgement seat and receiue ioy as well bodely as spiritually for euer to endure if we be of the sheepe placed at the right hand or els punishment both of bodye and soule if we shall be fouÌ„d amongst goates placed on the left hand c. Iesus Christ the sonne of God very God very man a king for euer by stablishing an euerlasting kingdome breaking to ponder all the kingdoms of the world Dan. 2. a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech wherby also he is able euermore to saue such as by him come vnto god alwayes liueth to intreat for vs. Hebr. 7. He offring one sacrifice for our sins hath made perfect for euer by one oblation those that be sanctified Heb. 10. Being that wisedome that cannot be deceiued the trueth that cannot be vttred he hath in this world taught the will of the godhead of his father which will he hath in worke fulfilled to the intent that he might faithfully instruct vs and hath geueÌ„ the law of charity to be of his faythfull people obserued whiche he hath written in the hartes and mindes of the faythful with the finger of God wher is the spirit of God searching the inward secrets of the Godhead Wherfore his doctrine must be obserued aboue all other doctrines whether they be of Angels or of men because that he could not nor would not erre in his teaching But in mens doctrins there chanceth oftentimes to be error and therfore we must forsake theyr doctrines if clokedly or expresly they be repuguaunt to the doctrine of Christ. Mens doctrins being made for the peoples profit must be allowed and obserued so that they be grounded vpon Christes doctrine or at least be not repuguant to his words If the high bishop of Rome calling himself the seruant of the seruauntes of God and the chiefe vicare of Christ in this world do make maintaine many lawes contrary to the Gospell of Iesu Christ then is he of those that haue come in Christes name saying I am Christ haue seduced many a one by the testimony of our sauiour in Math. cap. 24. and the idoll of desolation sitting in the Temple of God and taking away from him the coÌ„tinuall sacrifice for a time times and halfe a time Which idoll must be reueled to the christian people by the testimony of Daniel Wherof Christ speaketh in the Gospell When you shall see the abhomination of desolation that was tolde of by Daniell the Prophet standing in the holy place let him that readeth vnderstand and he is the pestiferous mountayn infecting the whole vniuersall earth as witnesseth Ieremy chap. 51. not the head of Christes body For the auncient person in yeares honorable in reuerence he is the head the prophet teaching lies is the tayle as Esay alledgeth chap. 9. And he is that wicked and sinnefull Captayne of Israell whose foreappointed day of ininuity is come in time of iniquity who shall take away Cidarim and take awaye the crowne Ezech chap. 21. to whom it was sayd Forasmuch as thy hart was exalted and did it say I am a God sittest in the seat of god in the hart of the sea seing thou art a man and not God and hast geuen thine hart as if it were the hart of God therfore behold I will bring vpoÌ„ thee the most strong and mighty straungers of the nations they shall draw theyr swords vpoÌ„ the beauty of thy wisedom shall defile the commaundements kill thee and pul thee out thou shalt dye in the destruction of the slayne and it foloweth In the multitude of thine iniquities of the iniquities of thy marchandise thou hast defiled thy sanctification I will therfore bring forth a fire from the midst of the whole earth will make thee as ashes vpon earth Thou art become nothing neuer shalt thou be any more Eze. cha 28 Furthermore he is the idle shepheard forsaking his flock hauing a sworde on his arme an other sworde in his right eye Zach. 11. sitting in the temple of God doth aduaunce himselfe aboue all thing that is called God or whatsoeuer is worshipped by the testimony of Paule to Thes 2. epist. 2. chap. And in the defection or falling away shall the man of sinne be reueled whom the Lord Iesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth For euery kingdâ—â—e deuided in it selfe shall be brought to desolation He â—â—â—so besides the beast asceÌ„ding vp out of the earth hauing two hornes like vnto alambe but he speaketh like a dragon as the cruell beast ascending vp out of the sea whose power shall continue 42. monethes He worketh the things that he hath geuen to the image of the beast And he compelled small and great rich and poore freemen and bondslaues to worshyp the beast and to take his marke in theyr forehead or theyr hands Apo.
because it hath thus pleased thee And in an other place I am come to iudgement into this world that they which see not may see and that they which see may be made blinde And Paule saith that God hath chosen the weake things of the world to coÌ„found the mighty that no man shal boast in him selfe but that al meÌ„ should geue the honour to God It was commaunded to Esay bearinge the type of Christ Go and say to this people Heare ye with your hearing and do not vnderstand Beholde ye the vision and yet knowe ye not the thing that ye see Make blinde the hart of this people make dull their eares and shut their eyes least that perchaunce with their eyes they should see and with their eares they shoulde heare and with their harts they should vnderstand and bee conuerted and I should heale theÌ„ And I sayd how long Lord And he sayd vntill that the cities be made desolate without inhabitants and the house without any person within it Also in Esay thus it is written And the multitude of all nations which shall fight against Ariel and all persons that haue warred and besieged and preuailed agaynst it shall bee as a dreame that appeareth in the night as the hungry person dreameth that he eateth but wheÌ„ he shall awake out of sleepe hys soule is empty And lyke as the hungry person dreameth that hee eateth and yet after that hee shall awake he is still wearye and thirstye and hys soule voyde of nourishment euen so shall it bee wyth the multitude of all nations that haue fought agaynst the mount Sion Be you amased and haue great wonder reele ye to and fro and staggre ye be ye druncken and not with wyne staker but not through drunckennes for the Lorde hath myngled for you the spirite of drousines He shall shut your eyes he shall couer your Prophets and Prynces that see visions And a vision shal be to you all together lyke the wordes of a sealed booke which when hee shall geue to one that is learned he shall say Reade here and he shall aunswere I cannot for it is sealed And the booke shal be geuen to one that is vnlearned and knoweth not his letters and it shal be sayd vnto him Reade And he shall aunswere I knowe not the letters I am vnlearned Wherefore the lorde saith For asmuche as this people draweth nigh me with their mouthes and glorifyeth me with their lips but their hart is farre from me and they haue rather feared the commaundements of men and haue cleaued to their doctrines Beholde therefore I will ad besides and bring such a muse and maruell vpon this people which shal make men amased with marueling For wisedome shal perish from their wise men and the vnderstanding of their prudent persons shal be hidden And soone after it followeth in the same place yet a litle while and Libanus shal be turned into Charmell and Charmell counted for a cops or groaue and in the same day shall the deafe folkes heare the worde of this booke and the eyes of the blinde changed from darkenes and blindnes shall see Nabuchodouoser enquiring of Danyel said Thinkest thou that thou canst truely declare mee the dreame that I haue sene and the meaning thereof And Danyel sayd As for the mistery whereof the king doth aske neyther the wise men magitiens southsayers nor enchaunters can declare to the king But there is a God in heauen that discloseth misteries who will declare to thee O king Nabuchodonosor what things shal come to passe in the last times of all To me also is this sacrament or misterie disclosed not for any wisedome that is in mee more then in all men liuing but to that the interpretatioÌ„ might be made manyfest to the king that thou shouldest know the cogitagions of thy minde It was also sayd to Daniel And thou Daniel shut vp the wordes seale vp the booke vntill the time appointed Verely many people shall passe ouer and many folde knowledge shall there be And Daniel sayde to the man that was clothed with lynnen garments who stode vpon the waters of the floud How loÌ„g wil it be before the end shal come of these marueilous thinges And I heard the man that was clothed in linnen apparel who stode vpon the waters of the flouds when he had lift vp his right haÌ„d and his left hand into heauen and had sworne by him that liueth for euermore that for a time tymes and a halfe tyme. And when the scattering abroad of the hand of the holye people shal be accomplished then shal al these things be finished And I heard and vnderstoode not and I sayd O my Lorde what shall bee after these things and he sayd Go thy wayes Daniel for this talke is shut sealed vp vntil the time that is before appointed All these thinges haue I written to shew that he that hath the key of Dauid who openeth and no man shutteth shutteth and no man openeth doth when and how loÌ„g it pleaseth him hide the mysteries and the hid secrets of the Scriptures from the wise prudent and righteous and other whiles at his plesure reuealeth the same to sinners and lay persons simple soules that he may haue the honor glory in all things Wherefore as I haue beforesaid if you shall finde any good thing in my wrytinges ascribe the same to God alone If you shal finde otherwise think ye the same to be written of ignorance and not of malice And if any doubt or errour be shewed me in all my wrytynges I wil humbly allow your information fatherly correction But why that such maner of matters are moued touching the disclosing of Antichrist in this kingdome more then in other kingdomes and in this time also more then in time past the aunswere as concerning the time of the motion is that it is the last coniunction of Saturne and Iupiter in the signe of the Twins which is the house of Mercury being the signifyer of the Christian people which coniunction seemeth to me to betoken the secoÌ„d comming of Christ to reforme his Church and to call men agayne by the disclosing of Antichrist to the perâ—ection of the Gospell from their Hethenish rytes and wayes of the Gentiles By whom the holy citie was trampled vnder foote for 42. monethes euen as the coniunction of the sayd two planets being inclosed in the signe of the Virgine which is also the house of Mercury dyd betoken the first commyng of Christ for the saluation of all people that were perished of the house of Israel wherby to call theÌ„ through the same comming to the full perfection of the Gospell As touching this calling of the Heathen speaketh Christ in the Gospell I haue also other sheepe that are not of this folde and those must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one shepefolde one shepeherd For although the Gentiles be conuerted from
the light of perfection It was not said vnto them All people that shal take the sword shal perish with the sworde What if Iohn the Baptist disallowed corporal fightings and corporall warfare at such time as the souldiours asked him saying And what shall we do Who sayth to them See that you strike no man neither picke ye quarels against any and be yee contented with your wages Thys saying of Iohn alloweth not corporal warfare amongest Christians For Iohn was of the Priests of the olde Testament and vnder the law neyther to hym it appertayneth to follow the lawe but to warne the people to the perfect obseruation of the lawe For he being like wyse demaunded of the publicanes what they should doe sayde vnto them Doe no other thyng then is appoynted vnto you But Christ the author of the newe Testament and of greater perfection then waâ— the perfection of the old law which gaue newe things as it plainly appeareth by the Gospel So that Christians ought to receiue information of Christ not of Iohn For of Iohn also doth Christ speak Uerely I say vnto you there hath not risen amongest the children of women a greater then Iohn Baptist but hee that is lesse in the kingdome of heauen is greater then he In which saying Christ sheweth that those that be least in the kingdome of heauen in the tyme of grace are placed in greater perfection theÌ„ was Iohn which was one of them that were the elders he liued also in that time of the law in greater perfection And wheÌ„ as certain of Iohns disciples sayd vnto him maister he that was beyoÌ„d Iordan to whoÌ„ thou gauest witnesse beholde hee baptiseth and all people come vnto him Iohn answered and sayde A man cannot take any thing vppon him vnlesse it shall bee geuen him from aboue You your selues doe beare me recorde that I sayde I am not Christ but that I was sent before hym He that hath the bride is the bridegrome as for the bridegromes frende who standeth and heareth him reioyceth wyth greate ioy to heare the voyce of the bridegrome Thys therefore my ioy is fulfilled he must increase and I must bee diminished Hee that commeth from an hie is aboue all Hee that is of the earthe is earthy and speaketh of the earthe Hee that commeth from heauen is aboue all folkes that which hee hath seene and heard the same doth he witnesse and yet his witnessing doth no body receiue But he that receiueth his witnessing hath put to his Seale that God is true For he whome God hath sent speaketh the wordes of God By whych things it plainely appeareth that credence is to be geuen neither to Iohn nor yet to angell if he teach any thing that is not agreeable to Christes doctrine For Christ is aboue the Aungels because that God infinitely passeth them in wisdome Nowe if Moses the seruaunt of God a minister of the old testament was so much to be beleued that nothing could be added nor yet any thing diminished from the commandements that were geuen by hym for so Moses had sayd the thyng that I commaund thee that do thou onely to the Lorde neither adde thou any thing nor diminish How much more ought we not to adde nor to take away from the commandements geuen by God himselfe and also the sonne of God In the primitiue Churche because the Christians had seruent loue and charity they obserued these precepts as they were geueÌ„ but their feruent charitie afterward waxing luke warme they inuented gloses by drawing the commaundementes of God backe to their own deedes which they purposed to iustifie and mayntayn that is to say warres against the infidels But that they by warres should be conuerted to the fayth is a fact faithlesse inough because that by violence or vnwillingly no body can beleue in Christ nor be made a christian neither did he come to destroy them by battaile that beleued not in him for he said to his disciples you knowe not what spirite you are of The sonne of man came not to destroy mens liues but to saue them Then to graunt pardons and forgeuenes of sinnes to those that kill the infidels is to much an infidels fact seducing many people For what greater seducing can there be then to promise to a man forgeuenes of sinnes and afterwarde the ioye of heauen for setting himselfe against Christes commaundementes in the killing of the Infidels that would not be conuerted to the fayth where as Christ doth say not euery one that sayth to me Lord Lord shal enter into the gidgdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen this person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen Now the will of the father is that we should beleue in his onely sonne Iesus Christ and that we would obey him by obseruing of those thinges which he himselfe hath commaunded Wherefore Christes preceptes of pacience must be fulfilled Warres fightinges and contentions must be left because they are contrary to charitie But peraduenture some man wil thus reason against Christ The saintes by whome God hath wrought myracles do allow warres as well against the faithfull people as also against the infidels And the holy kings were warriours for whose sakes also miracles haue bene shewed as well in theyr death as also in their life yea in the very time wherin they were a warfare Wherfore it semeth that their factes were good and lawfull For otherwise God would not haue done miracles for them To â—â—is agayne I say that we for no miracles must do contrary to the doctrine of Christ. For in it can there be no errour but in myracles there oftentimes chaunceth error as it is plaine as well by the old as by the new testament God forbid then that a Christian should for deceiuable miracles depart from the infallible doctrine of Christ. In Exodus the 7. chapter it is manifest howe that the wicked wise men of the Egiptians through the inchauntments of Egipt and certayne secret workinges threw theyr wands vpon the earth which were turned into Dragons eueÌ„ as Aaron before time in the prefeÌ„ce of Pharao threw his wand vpon the earth which by the power of God was turned into a serpent In the third of the kinges the 22. chap. Micheas did see the Lord sitting vpon his throne and all the hoste of heauen standing about him on the right hand and on the left And the Lord sayd who shall deceaue Achab the king of Israel that he may go vp and be slayn in Ramoth Gilaad And one sayd this way and an other otherwise now there went forth a spirit and stood before the Lord said I will deceiue him To whoÌ„ the Lord spake by what meanes And he sayd I will go forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophetes And the Lord sayd thou shall deceiue him and preuaile go thy wayes forth and do euen so Thus also is it
written in Deuteronomium If there shall arise a Prophet amongest you or one that shall say hee hath seene a dreame and shall foretell a signe and a wonder if that shall come to passe that he hath spoken and he shall say vnto thee Let vs go and follow straunge Goddes whom thou knowest not and let vs serue them thou shalt not harken vnto the wordes of that Prophet or dreamer for the Lord your God tempteth you to make it known whether ye loue him or no with all your hart and with all your soule In Ieremy the 12. chap. Are not my wordes euen lyke fire sayth the Lord and like an hammer that breaketh the stone Therfore behold I wil come against the Prophets whiche haue dreamed a lye sayth the Lorde whiche haue shewed those things and haue seduced the people through theyr lies and their miracles when as I sent theÌ„ not neyther commanded them which haue brought no profit vnto this people sayth the Lord. In Marke the 13. chapter sayth Christ For there shall arise false Christes and false Prophetes and shall shewe great signes and wonders to deceiue if it were possible euen the very elect Paule in hys second Epistle to the Corinthians the xi chap. Suche false Apostles are deceitfull workers transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ and no maruayle For euen Sathan transformeth himselfe into an angell of light therefore it is no great thing though his ministers transforme themselues aâ— though they were the ministers of righteousnes whose end shal be according to their works In the Apocalips the 13. chap. Iohn saw a beast ascending vp out of the earth and it had two hornes like a lamb but he spake like the Dragon and he did all that the first beast could do before him and he caused the earth and the inhabitantes therof to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed and did great wonders so that he made fire come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men and deceiued theÌ„ that dwell on the earth by meanes of the signes which were permitted to him to do in the sight of the beast By these thinges it is most manifest and playne that in miracles this manifold errour oftentimes happeneth thorough the working of the deuill to deceiue the people wtal Wherfore we ought not for the working of miracles to depart from the commaundements of God I woulde to God that they which put confidence in miracles would geue heed vnto the word of Christ in the 7. chap. of Math. thus speaking Many shall say vnto me in that day Lord Lord haue we not in thy name prophecied and in thy name cast out deuils and in thy name done many great workes c. I wil professe vnto them I neuer knew you depart from me all ye which worke inquitie By this saying it is most manifest that the seruauntes of Christ are not discerned by the working of miracles but by the working of vertues departing from iniquitie and obeying the coÌ„maundements of God Wherfore it is woÌ„derful that any in this life dare presume to preuent the day of the iudgement of God to iudge by meanes of miracles that some are Saints whom men ought to worship whoÌ„ peraduenture God will in the last iudgement condemne saying depart from me all ye which worke iniquitie If any man could here on earth iudge sinners to be condemned then if this iudgement were certayne Christ shoulde not iudge the 2. tyme and what soeuer such iudges bynde in earth the same ought to be bound in heauen But if such a iudgement be vncertayne then it is perillous and full of deceit when as by it men on earth may in steede of saintes worship suche as are damned with the fellowship of the deuils and in prayer require their ayde who euen like as the deuils their companions are more ready and more of might to euill then to good more to hurt then to profite I wonder they marke not what Christ sayd when his kinswoman came vnto him desiring and requiring something of him and saying Commaund that these my two sonnes may sit one vpon thy right hand and the other vpon thy left hand in thy kingdome But Iesus aunswering sayd Ye know not what ye aske can ye drinke of the cup whiche I shall drink of they sayd vnto him we cna He sayd vnto them Of my cupp in deede ye shall drinke but to sit at my right hand or at my left it is not mine to geue but vnto whom it is prepared for of my father Christ being equall vnto the father according to his God head exceeding all maner of men according to his manhode namely in goodnes and wisedome sayde to sit my right hande or at my left is not mine to geue but vnto whome it is prepared of my father If it were none of his to geue to sit at the right hand or at the left c. How then is it in the power of anye sinnefull man to geue vnto any man a seate eyther on the right hand or on the left in the kingdome of God whiche sinnefull man knoweth not whether suche haue anye seate prepared for theÌ„ of the father in his kingdome They much extoll themselues which exercise this iudicial power in geuing iudgement that there are some sayntes which ought to be honoured of men by reason of the euidency of dreames or of deceitfull miracles of which men they are ignoraunt whether God in hys iudgement will condemne them or not together with the deuils for euer to be tormented Let them beware for the vnfallible truth sayth that euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low By these thinges is gathered that the warres of Christians are not lawfull for that by the doctrine and life of Christ they are prohibited by reason of the euidency of the deceitfull miracles of those whiche haue made warres amongest the Christians as well agaynst the Christians as also agaynst the infidels Because Christ could not erre in his doctrine for as much as he was God And forasmuch as heauen and earth shall passe awaye but the wordes of Christ shall not passe away He therefore whiche establisheth his lawes allowing warres and the slaughter of meÌ„ in the warre as well of Christians as of Infidels doth he not insâ—â—ie those thinges which are contrary vnto the gospell law of Christ Therefore in this he is against christ and therfore Antichrist seducing the people making men beleeue that to be lawfull meritorious 〈◊〉 them which is expressedly prohibited by Christ. ¶ And thus much concerning the first parte touching peace and warre wherin he declareth Christ and the pope to be contrary that is the one to be geuen al to peace the other all to warre and so to proue in conclusion the Pope to be Antichrist Where in the meane time thou must vnderstand gentle reader his meaning rightly not that hee so thinketh no kind
the law was iustified for by the workes of the law shall no flesh be iustified Galat. 2. And agayne in the same epistle cap. 3. that by the lawe no man is iustified before God it is manifest for the iust man shall liue by his fayth the law is not of fayth but whosoeuer hath the workes therof shal liue in them And agayn in the same chap. If the law had bene geuen which might haue iustified then our righteousnesse had come by the law But the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise might be sure by the fayth of Iesu Christ to all beleuers Moreouer before that fayth came they were kept and concluded all vnder the law vntill the comming of that fayth whiche was to be reuealed For the law was our schoolemaister in Christ Iesu that we should be iustified by fayth Also the sayd Paul Rom. 5. sayth that the law entred in the meane time whereby that sinne might more abound Where then sinne hath more abounded there hath also grace superaboūded that like as sinne hath raigned vnto death so that grace might raigne also by righteousnes vnto eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Whereby it is manifest that by the fayth which we haue in Christ beleuing him to be the true sonne of God which came downe from heauen to redeme vs from sinne we are iustified from sinne and so do liue by him which is the true breade and meat of the soule And the bread which Christ gaue is his flesh geuen for the life of the world Iohn 6. For he being God came downe from heauen and being true carnall man did suffer in the flesh for our sinnes which in his diuinity he could not suffer Wherefore like as we beleue by our fayth that he is true God so must we also beleue that he is a true man And then do we eate the bread of heauen and the fleshe of Christ. And if we beleue that he did voluntarily shed hys bloud for our redemption then do we drinke his bloud And thus except we eate the flesh of the sonne of man and shall drinke his bloud we haue not eternall life in vs. Because the flesh of Christ verily is meate and hys bloud is drinke in deed and whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud abideth in Christ Christ in him Ioh. ca. 6. And as in this world that soules of the faythfull liue and are refreshed spiritually with this heauenly bread and with the flesh and bloud of christ So in the world to come the same shall liue eternally in heauen refreshed with the deity of Iesus Christ as touching the most principall part therof that is to wit intellectū For as much as this bread of heauē in that it is God hath in it selfe all delectable pleasātnes And as touching the intelligible powers of the same as well exteriour as interior they are refreshed with the flesh that is to say with the humanitye of Iesus Christ which is as a queene standing on the right hand of God decked with a golden robe of diuers coulours for this queen of heauen alone by the word of God is exalted aboue the company of all the angels that by her all our corporal power intellectiue may fully be refreshed as is our spirituall intelligence with the beholding of the deity of Iesus Christ and euen as the Aungels shall we be fully satisfied And in the memory of this double refectiō present in this world and in the world to come hath Christ geuen vnto vs for eternal blessednes the Sacrament of his body and bloud in the substaunce of breade and wine as it appeareth in Mathew chapter 26. As the disciples sat at supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed it brake it gaue it vnto his disciples and sayd Take eate this is my bodye And he tooke the cup and thanked and gaue it them saying Drinke ye all of this this is my bloud of the new Testament which shall be shed for many for the remission of sinnes And Luke in his Gospell chap. 22. or this matter thus writeth And after he had taken the bread he gaue thankes he brake it and gaue it vnto them saying Thys is my body whyche shall be geuen for you doe you this in my remembraunce In like maner he tooke the cup after supper saying Thys is the cup of the new testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you That Christ said this is my body in shewing to them the bread I firmely beleue know that it is true That Christ for so much as he is God is the very trueth it selfe and by consequence all that he sayth is true And I beleue that the very same was his body in such wise as he willed it to be his body for in that he is almighty he hath done what so euer pleased him And as in Cane of Galile he chaunged the water into wine really so that after the transubstantiation it was wine and not water so when he sayd This is my body If he would haue had the breade really to be transubstātiated into his very body so that after this chaunging it should haue bene his naturall body not bread as it was before I know that it must needes haue beene so But I finde not in the Scripture that hys will was to haue any such reall transubstantiation or mutation And as the Lord God omnipotent in his perfectiō essential being the sonne of God doth exceed the most purest creature and yet when it pleased him he took vpō him our nature remaining really God as he was before was really made man so that after this assumpting of our substaūce he was really very God very man Euē so if he would when he sayd This is my body He could make this to be his body really the bread still really remayning as it was before For lesse is the difference of the essence betwene bread and the body of a man then betwene the deity humanity because that of the bread is naturally made the body of a man Of the bread is made bloud of the bloud naturall seede and of naturall seede the naturall substaunce of man is ingendred But in that that God became man This is an action supernatural Wherefore he that could make one man to be very God and very mā could if he would make one thing to be really very bread his very body But I do not finde it expresly in the Scripture that he would any such Identitye or coniunction to be made And as Christ sayd I am very bread not chaunging his essence or being into the essence or substaunce of bread but was the sayde Christ which he was before really and yet bread by a similitude or figuratiue speech So if he would it might be that when he sayd This is my body That this should really haue bene the bread as it was before and
that looke for him to their saluation For the lawe hauing a shadowe of good thinges to come can neuer by the Image it selfe of thinges which euery yeare without ceasing they offer by such sacrifices make those perfect that come therunto for otherwise that offering should haue ceased Because that such worshippers being once cleansed from theyr sinnes should haue no more conscience of sinne But in these commemoratioÌ„ is made euery yere of sinne for it is impossible that by the bloud of Goates and Calues sinnes should be purged and taken away Therfore comming into the world he sayd Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldst not haue but a body hast thou geuen me peace offeringes for sinne haue not pleased thee Then sayd I behold I come In the volume of the booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O God Saying as aboue because thou wouldest haue no sacrifices nor burnt offeringes for sinne neyther doest thou take pleasure in those things that are offered according to the law Then sayd I behold I come that I may doe thy will O God He taketh away the first to stablishe that which followeth In which will we are sanctified by the oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once for all And euery priest is ready dayly ministring and oftentimes affering like sacrifices which can neuer take away sinnes But this Iesus offering one sacrifice for sinne sitteth for euermore on the right hand of God expecting the time tyll his enemies be made his footstoole For by his owne onely oblation hath he consummated for euermore those that are sanctified All these places haue I recited which Paule writeth for the better vnderstanding and declaration of those thinges I meane to speak By all which it appeareth manifestly how the Priesthood of Christ differeth from the legall priesthood of Aaron and by the same also appeareth how the same differeth from all other priesthood Christian that immitateth Christ. For the properties of the priesthood of Christ aboue recited are founde in no other Priest but in Christ alone Of the third priesthood that is the Christian priesthood Christ by expresse wordes speaketh but litle to make any difference betwene the priests and the rest of the people neither yet doth vse this name of Sacerdos or praesbiter in the Gospell But some he calleth disciples some apostels whom he sent to baptise to preach in his name to do miracles He calleth them the salt of the earth in which the name of wisedome is ment and he calleth them the light of the world by which good liuing is signified For he sayth So let your light so shine before meÌ„ that they may see your good workes and glorify your father which is in heauen And Paule speaking of the Priestes to Timothe and Titus seemeth not to mee to make any diuersity betwixt the Priestes and the other people but in that he woulde haue them to surmount other in knowledge and perfection of life But the fourth priesthood is the Romaine priesthood brought in by the Church of Rome which Churche maketh a distinction betwene the clergy and the lay people after that the clergy is deuided into sundry degrees as appeareth in the decretals This distinction of the clergy from the laitye with the consure of clerkes began in the time of * Anacletus as it doth appeare in the Chronicles The degrees of the clergy were afterward inuedted distincted by their offices and there was no ascentioÌ„ to the degree of the priesthood but by inferior orders and degrees But in the primitiue churche it was not so for immediately after tht conuersion of some of theÌ„ to the fayth baptisme receiued they were priests bishops made as appeareth by Ananias whom Marcus made of a taylor or shomaker to be a bishop And of many others it was in like case done according to the traditions of the church of Rome Priests are ordeined to offer sacrifices to make supplication and prayers and to blesse sanctify The oblation of the priesthood onely to Priestes as they say is congruent whose duties are vpon the aultar to offer for the sinnes of the people the Lords body which is coÌ„secrated of bread Of which saying I haue great maruell considering S. Paule his wordes to the Hebrues before recited If Christ offering for our sinnes one oblation for euermore sitteth on the right hand of God and wyth that one oblation hath coÌ„suÌ„mated for euermore those that are sanctified If Christ euermore sitteth on the right hand of God to make intercession for vs what neede he to leaue here any sacrifice for our sinnes of the Priestes to be dayly offered I do not finde in the scriptures of God nor of his Apostles that the body of Christ ought to be made a sacrifice for sinne but onely as a Sacrament and commemoration of the sacrifice passed whiche Christ offered vpon the aultar of the crosse for our sinnes For it is an absurditye to say that Christ is now euery day really offered as a sacrifice vpon the aultar by the Priestes for then the Priestes should really crucify him vpoÌ„ the aultar which is a thing of no Christian to be beleeued But euen as in his supper his body his bloud he deliuered to his Disciples in memorial of his body that should be crucified on the morrow for our sinnes So after his asceÌ„tion did his Apostles vse the same when they brake bread in euery house for a SacrameÌ„t and not for a sacrifice of the body and bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. And by this meanes were they put in remembraunce of the great loue of Christ who so entirelye loued vs that willinglye he suffered the death for vs for the remission of our sinnes And thus did they offer theÌ„selues to God by loue being ready to suffer death for the confession of his name and for the sauing health of theyr brethren fulfilling the new commaundement of Christ which sayd vnto them A new coÌ„mauÌ„dement do I geue vnto you that you loue one another as I haue loued you But wheÌ„ loue began to waxe cold or rather to be frosen for cold thorow the anguish anxiety of persecution for the name of Christ then Priests did vse the flesh and bloud of Christ in â—â—tad of a sacrifice And because many of them feared death some of them fled into solitarye places not daring to geue themselues a sacrifice by death vnto God through the confession of his name sauing health of theyr brethreÌ„ Some other worshipped Idols fearing death as did also the chiefe Bishop of Rome and many other mo in diuers places of the world And thus it came to passe as that which was ordeined and instituted for a memoriall of the one onely sacrifice was altered for want of loue into the realitye of the sacrifice it selfe ¶ After these thinges thus discussed he inferreth consequently vpon the same an other briefe tractation of women
But touching the temporal gouernment of the City of Rome it is fallen alreadye and so that the other also for the multitude of her spiritual fornicatiōs shal fall The Emperours of this city gaue themselues to Idolatry and would haue that mē should honour them as Gods put al those to death that refused such idolatry by the cruelty of their torments al infidels gate the vpper hand Hereupon by the image of Nabuchodonosor the empire of the Romaines is likened to yron which beateth together and hath the mastery of all mortals And in the visiō of Daniel wherein he saw the foure windes of heauen to fight in the mayne sea and fower great beastes comming out of the sea The kingdom of the Romaynes is lykened to the fourth terrible and maruelous beast the which had great yron teeth eating destroying and treading the rest vnder his feete this beast had ten horues as Danyell sayth he shall speake words agaynst the most highest and shall teare with his teeth the Saynts of the most highest and he shall thinke that he may be able to chaunge times and lawes and they shall be delyuered into hys power vntill a tyme tymes and halfe a time In the Apocalips Saine Iohn sawe a beast comming out of the sea hauyng 7. heads and 10. hornes and power was geuen to hym to make monthes 42. So long time endured the Empire of the Romaynes that is to say from the beginning of Iulius Cesar which was the first Emperor of the Romains vnto the ende of Fridericus whych was the last Emperour of the Romaines Under this empire Christ suffred other Martirs also suffred for his name sake And here is fallen Rome as Babylon which is all one accordyng to the maner of speakyng in the Apocalips as touchynge the temporal and corporal power of gouerning And thus shall she fall also touchynge the spirituall power of gouerning for the multitude of the iniquities and spirituall fornication and merchaundise that are committed by her in the Church The feete of the image which Nabuchodonezor saw dyd betoken the Empire of Rome part of them were of yron and part of clay earth The part that was of yron fell and the power therof vanished away because the power therof was at an end after certaine monthes That part of clay and earth yet endureth but it shal vanish away by the testimony of the Prophets whereupon saint Iohn in the Apocalips After that he sawe the part made of yron rising out of the sea to which eche people tribe and tong submitted themselues And he saw an other beast cōmyng out of the earth which had two hornes like to the hornes of a Lambe and he spake like a Dragon and he vanquyshed the first beast in his sight This beast as seemeth me doth betoken the claye and earthē part of the feete of the image because hee came out of the earth For the by terrene helpe he is made the high chief priest of the Romaines in the church of Christ so from alow he ascended on hygh But Christ from heauen descended because that he which was God author of euery creature became man and he that was Lord of Lords was made in the shape of a seruant And although that in the heauens the company of angels minister vnto him he himselfe ministred or serued in earth that he might teache vs humilitie by which a man ascendeth into heauen euen as by pride a man goeth downe into the bottomlesse pyt This beast hath two hornes most like a Lambe because that he chalengeth to himselfe both the priestlye kingly power aboue al other here in earth The Lambe that is Chryst which is a king for euer vpō the kingly seat of Dauid he is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech but hys kingdome is not of this world but the kingdome of thys beast is of this world because those that be vnder him fyght for him And as Iesus is Christ two maner of waies because that Christus is as much to say as Vnctus He verelye was annoynted king annointed priest so this beast saieth that he is chiefe king priest Wherefore doth he call himselfe Christ because that Chryst knowing that afore sayd Many shal come in my name saying I am Chryst and shall decyue many And thus because that he is both king priest he chalengeth to himselfe the double sworde that is the corporall sword and the spirituall sworde The corporal sword is in his right hand and the spiritual sword is in his right eye by the testimony of Zachary But hee speaketh subtilly like a Dragon because that by the testymony of Christ he shal deceiue many as the Apoc. witnesseth He did great wonders that also he might make more fire to come from heauen into the earth in the sight of mē that he might deceiue those that dwel vpon the earth because of the wonders that are permitted hym to do in the sight of the beast hee ouercame the first beast which ascended out of the sea For that beast challenged vnto himself authoritie of gouernment of that whole worlde He hath put to death tormented those that resist his commaundements and would be honored as a God vpon the earth The byshop of Rome sayth that that whole world ought to be in subiectiō vnto him those that be disobediēt vnto his commaundements he putteth in prison and to death if he can If he cannot he excommunicateth them and commaundeth them to be cast into the deuils dūgeon But hee that hath no power ouer y◠body much lesse hath he power ouer the soule And truely his excommunicatiō nor the excommunication of any priest vnder him shall at that time little hurt him that is excommunicat so that the person of him that is excommunicate be not first excommunicat of God through sinne And thus it seemeth a trouth vnto me that God thus turneth their blessinges into cursinges because they geue not due glory vnto his name So when that they vniusty excommunicate curse he turneth their cursings into blessings Also the bishop of Rome doth make me to worshyp him as God because that the special sacrifice that God doth require of vs is to be obedient vnto him in keping of hys commaundements But now the Popes commaundemēts be commaunded to be kept and be kept in very deede but the commaundements of Christ are contemned and reiected Thus sitteth the Byshop of Rome in the Temple of God shewing himselfe as God and extolleth himselfe aboue al that which is called God or worshipped as God But in his fall he shal be reuealed because that euery kingdome deuided in it self shal be made desolate He teaching a truthe is the head of the Churche but the Prophet teaching a lye is the tayle of the Dragon Hee seducyng the worlde shal be acknowledged to be the veritie of the doctrine of Christ
to the relation of these foresayd coÌ„stitutious of that clergy meÌ„ here coÌ„meth in more to be said and noted touching yâ— foresayd Statute ex Officio to proue the same not onely to be cruell and impious but also to be of it selfe of no force and validitie for the burning of anye person for cause of Religion for the disprofe of whiche statute we haue sufficient authoritie remayning as yet in the parliament Rolles to be seene in her maiesties Courte of Recordes which here were to be debated at large but that vpon speciall occasioÌ„ we haue differed the ampâ—e discourse therof to the cruell persecution of the Lord Cobhame hereafter ensuing as may appeare in the defence of the sayd lord Cobham agaynst Nicholas Happeffield vnder the title and name of Alanus Copus And thus referring them for the examination of this statute to the place aforesaid let vs now returne to Thomas Arundel and his bloudy constitutions aboue mentioned The stile and tenour wherof to the intent the rigour of the same may appeare to all men I thought hereunder to adioyne in wordes as followeth * The constitution of Thomas Arundell agaynst the followers of Gods truth Thomas by the permission of God Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of all Englande and Legate of the see Apostolicke To all and singuler our reuerend brethren fellow Bishops and our Suffraganes And to Abbots Priours Deanes of Cathedrall Churches Archdeacons Prouostes and Canons also to all persons vicares chaplaynes Clerkes in Parish Churches and to all lay meÌ„ whome and where so euer dwelling win our prouince of Canterbury greeting grace to stand firmely in the doctrine of the holy mother Church It is a manifest playne case that he doth wrong and iniury to the most reuerend councell who so reuolteth from the thinges being in the sayd Councell once discussed and decided And whosoeuer dare presume to dispute of the supreme or principall iudgment here in earth in so doing incurreth the payne of sacrilege according to the authoritie of ciuill wisedome and and manifest tradition of humayne law Much more then they who trusting to theyr own wittes are so bold to violate and with contrary doctrine to resist and in word and deede to contemne the preceptes of lawes and Canons rightly made and proceeding from the kaybearer and porter of eternall life and death bearing the rowme and person not of pure man but of true God here in earth which also haue bene abserued hitherto and of yâ— holy father 's our predecessoures vnto the glorious effusion of theyr bloud voluntary sprinkling out of theyr braynes Are worthy of greater punishmeÌ„t deseruing quickly to be cut off as rotten members from the body of the Church militent For such ought to consider what is in the old testament written Moses and Aaron among hys Priestes that is were chiefe heads amongst them And in the new Testament among the Apostles there was a certayne difference And though they were all Apostles yet was it graunted of the Lord to Peter that he should beare preeminence aboue the other Apostles And also the Apostles themselues woulde the same that he shoulde be the chiefetayn ouer all the rest And being called Cephas that is head shold be as Prince ouer the Apostles Unto whome it was sayd Thou beyng once conuerted confirme thy brethren as though he wold say If there happen any doubt among them or if anye of them chaunce to erre and stray out of the way of fayth of iust liuing or right conuersation Doe thou confirme and reduce him in the right way againe Which thing no doubt the Lord would neuer haue sayd vnto him if he had not so minded that the rest should be obedient vnto him And yet al this notwithstanding we know and dayly proue that we are sory to speake howe the olde Sophister the enemy of mankinde foreseeing and fearing left that sound doctrine of the church determined from ancient times by the holy forefathers should withstand his malices if it might keep the people of god in vnitie of faith vnder one head of yâ— church doth therfore endeuour by al meanes possible to extirp the sayd doctrine feyning vices to be vertues And so vnder false pretences of veritie dissimuled soweth discorde in catholike people to the intent that some goyng one way some an other He in the meane time may gather to himselfe a Church of the malignant differing wickedly from the vniuersall mother holy church In the which Satan transforming hymselfe into an Angell of light bearing a lying and deceitfull ballaunce in hys haÌ„d pretendeth great righteousnes in contrarying the ancient doctrine of the holye mother church and refusing the traditions of the same determined and appoynted by holy fathers perswading meÌ„ by fayned forgeries the same to be nought and so inducing other new kindes of doctrine leading to more goodnes as he by his lying perswasions pretendeth although he in very truth neither willeth nor mindeth any goodnes but rather that he may sow schismes wherby diuers opinions contrary to themselues being raysed in that Church fayth thereby may be diminished and also the reuerend holy misteries through the same contention of words may be prophaned with Paganes Iewes and other infidels and wicked miscreantes And so that figure in the Apos 6. is well verified speaking of him that sate on the blacke horse bearing a payre of balaunce in hys hand by that which heretiques are vnderstand Who at the first appearaunce lyke to weightes or ballance make as though they would set forth right and iust thinges to allure the hartes of the hearers But afterward appeareth the blacke horse that is to say their intention full of cursed speaking For they vnder a diuers shew and colour of a iust ballance with the tayle of a blacke horse sprinkling abroad heresies and erroures do strike And beyng poysoned themselues vnder colour of good rayse vp infinite slaunders and by certayn persons fitte to doe mischiefe do publish abroad as it were the sugred tast of hony mixt with poyson therby the sooner to be taken working and causing through their slight and subtiltyes that errour shoulde be taken for veritye wickednes for holines and for the true will of Christ. Yea and moreouer the foresayd persons thus picked out do preach before they be sent and presume to sow the seede before the seede discreetely be seperate from the chaffe Who not pondering the constitutions and decrees of the Canons prouided for the same purpose agaynst suche pestilent sowers do preferre sacrifice Diabolicall so to terme it before obedience be geuen to the holy Church militant We therfore considering and weying that error which is not resisted seemeth to be allowed and hee that openeth hys bosome to wyde whiche resisteth not the viper thinking there to thrust out her venome And willing moreouer to shake off the dust from our feete and to see to the honor of our holy mother Church whereby one
father and to the sonne Ouer this I beleue that through counsell of this most blessed Trinity in most cōuenient time before ordeined for the saluation of mankinde the second person of this Trinity was ordeined to take the forme of mā that is the kinde of mā And I beleue that this secōd person our Lord Iesu Christ was conceiued through the holy ghost in the wombe of the most blessed virgin Mary without mans seed And I beleue that after 9. monethes Christ was borne of this most blessed virgine without any payne or breaking of the closser of her wombe and without filth of her virginity And I beleue that Christ our Sauiour was Circumcise◠in the eight day after his birth in fulfilling of the law and his name was called Iesus which was so called of the Angel before that he was conceiued in the wombe of Mary his mother And I beleue that Christ as he was about xxx yeare olde was Baptised in the floud of Iordane of Iohn Baptist and in the likenes of a Doue the holy Ghost descēded there vpon him a voyce was heard from heauen saying Thou are my welbeloued sonne in thee I am full pleased And I beleue that Christ was moued then by the holy ghost for to go into desert and there he fasted 40 dayes 40. nightes without bodely meat and drink And I beleue that by and by after his fasting when the manhood of christ hūgred the fiend came to him and tempted him in glottony in vayne glory and in courtise but in all those temptations Christ concluded the fiend and withstood him And then without tarying Iesu began to preach and to say vnto the people do ye penaunce for the Realme of heauen is now at hand I beleue that Christ in all his time here liued most holity and taught the will of his father most truly and I beleue that he suffered therfore most wrongfully greatest repriests and despisinges And after this when Christ woulde make an end here of this rēporal life I beleue that in the day next before that he would suffer passiō in the morne In forme of bread and of wine he ordeined the Sacrament of his flesh and hys bloud that is his owne precious body gaue it to his Apostles for to eat cōmaunding them and by them all their after commers that they should do it in this forme that he shewed to them vse themselues and teach and comō forth to other men and womē this most worshipfull holyest sacrament in mindfulnes of his holyest liuing of his most true preaching of his wilfull and patient suffering of the most paynefull passion And I beleue that thys Christ our Sauiour after that he had ordeined this most worthy Sacrament of his own precious body he wēt forth wilfully agaynst his enemies and he suffered them most paciently to lay their hands most violently vpō him and to binde him and to lead him forth as a theefe to scorne him and buffet him and all to blow or file him with their spittinges Ouer this I beleue that Christ suffered most meekly and paciently his enemies for to ding out with sharp scourges the bloud that was betwene his skinne and his flesh yea without grudging Christ suffered the cruell Iewes to crowne him with most sharpe thornes and to strike him with a reede And after Christ suffered wicked Iewes to draw him out vpon the crosse for to nayle him thereupon hand and foote And so through his pitifull nayling Christ shed out wilfully for mans life the bloud that was in his vaynes And then Christ gaue wilfully his spirit into the hāds or power of his father so as he would whē he would christ died wilfully for mās sake vpon the crosse And notwithstāding that Christ was wilfully paynefully most shamefully put to death as to the world there was left bloud and water in his hart as before ordeined that he would shedd out this bloud this water for mās saluation And therefore he suffred the Iewes to make a blinde knight to thrust him into the hart with a speare and this the bloud and water that was in his hart Christ would shed out formans loue And after this I beleue that Christ was taken downe from the crosse and buried And I beleue that on the third day by power of hys Godhead Christ rose againe from death to life And the xl day therafter I beleue that Christ ascēded vp into heauen and that he there sitteth on the right hand of the father almighty And the fifty day after this vp going he sēt to hys Apostles the holy ghost that he had promised them before And I beleue that Christ shall come iudge all mankind some to euerlasting peace and some to euerlasting paines And as I beleue in the father in the sonne that they are one God almighty so I beleue in the holy Ghost that he is also with them the same God almighty And I beleue an holy church that is all they that haue bene and that now are alwayes to the end of the worlde shal be a people the which shall endeuour them to know to keepe the commaundements of God dreading ouer all thing to offed God and louing and seeking most to please him And I beleeue that all they that haue had yet haue and all they that yet shall haue the foresayd vertues surely standing in the belief of God hoping stedfastly in his mercyfull doinges continuing to theyr end in perfect charitye wilfully paciently and gladly suffering persecutiōs by the example of Christ chieflye and his Apostles all these haue theyr names written in the booke of life Therfore I beleue that the gathering together of this people liuing now here in this life is the holy Church of God fighting here on earth agaynst the fiend the prosperity of the world and theyr fleshly lusts Wherfore seing that all the gathering together of this Church before sayd and euery part therof neither coueteth nor willeth nor loueth nor seketh any thing but to eschew y◠offēce of God to do his pleasing will meekly gladly and wilfully with all mine hart I submit my selfe vnto this holy Church of Christ to be euer buxome obedient to that ordinaūce of it of euery member therof after my knowledge and power by the help of God Therfore I knowledge now and euermore shal if God will that with all my hart and with all my might I wil submit me onely to the rule and gouernaunce of them whō after my knowledge I may perceiue by the hauing and vsing of the before sayd vertues to be members of the holy Church Wherfore these articles of belief and al other both of the olde law and of the new which after the commaundement of God any man ought to beleue I beleeue verely in my soule as a sinful deadly wretch of my cunning and power ought to beleue praying the Lord God for his holy
prists neither ruling the people mainteining ne defending fro enemies as it falleth to knights neither traueling on the earth in diuerse craftes as it falleth to labourers Whan the day of rokening commeth that is the end of this life right as he liued here withouten trauaile so he shall there lack the reward of the pense that is the endles ioie of heauen And as he was here liuing after none state ne order so he shall be put than in that place that no order is in but euerlasting horror and sorow that is in hell Herfore eueriche man se to what state God hath cleped him and dwell he therin by trauaile according to his degree Thou that art a laborer or a crafty man do this truelly If thou art a seruaunt or a bond man be suget and lowe in drede of displeasing of thy Lord If thou art a marchaunt disceiue nought thy brother in chaffering If thou art a knight or a Lord defend the poore man and needy fro handes that will harme them If thou art a Iustice or a Iudge go not on the right hand by fauour neyther on the left hand to punish any man for hate If thou art a priest vndernine praye and repreue in all maner patience and doctrine Vnderuime thilke that ben negligent pray for thilke that bene obedient reproue tho that ben vnobedient to God So euery man trauaile in his degree For whan the euen is come that is the end of this worlde than euerye man shall take reward good or euill after that he hath traualled here The wordes that I haue taken to make of my sermon be thus muche to say Yelde reconing of thy bayly Christ autour of pitye and louer of the saluation of his people in the proces of this gospell enfourmeth euery man what is his baylye by maner of a parable of a bayly that he speaketh of to aray him to answer of the goodes that God hath taken him when the day of straight reconing shall be come that is the day of dome And so I at this tyme throwe the helpe of God folowing him that is so great a maister of autoritie because that I know nothing that should more drawe away mans vnreasonable loue fro the passing ioy of thys world then the minde of the dreadfull reconing As much as suffice I shall shewe you how ye shall dispose you to auoide the vengeaunce of God when ther shal be time of so straight doome that we shall geue reconing of euery idle word that we haue ispoken For than it shal be said to vs and we shall not flee it Yelde reconing of thy bayly But for forther proces of this first party of this sermon yee shall wete that there shall be three bay lifes that shall be cleped to this straight reconing Twaine to answer for them selfe and for other that bene priests that haue cure of mens soules temporal mē that haue gouernayle of people and the thirde baylyf shall acount onely for himselfe and that is euerye Christen man of that he hath receiued of God And euery of these shall aunswer to three questions To the first question how hast thou entred The second how hast thou ruled And to the third how hast thou liued And if thou canst well assoile these three questions was there neuer none earthly Lord that euer so well rewarded his seruant without comparison as thy Lord God shal reward thee that is with blisse and ioye and life that euer shall last But on that other side and thou wilt now be recheles of thine owne welfare and take none heede of this reconing If that day take thee sodainly so that thou passe hence in deadly sinne as thou worst neuer what shall fall thee all the toungs that euer were or euer shall be mow not tell the sorrowe and wo that thou shalt euer be in and suffer Therefore the desire of so great ioy and the dread of so great paine thoughe loue ne dread of God were not in thine hart yet should that make thee afeard to sinne for to thinke that thou shalt giue reconing of thy bayly Therefore as I say to thee the first question that shall be proposed to the first bayly that is a prelat other a Curat of mens soules is this How hast thou entred Math. xxij Friend how entredst thou hether Who brought thee in to this office Truth or Symony God or the Deuill Grace or mony The flesh or the spirit Giue thou thy reconing if thou canst If thou canst not I rede that thou tary for to learne For vp hap ere night thou shalt be cleped And if thou stande dombe for vnkunning or els for confusion of thy conscience thou fall into the sentence that anon followeth Binde his handes and his feete and cast him in to the vtter warde of darknes there shall be weeping and grenning of teethe Therfore I rede thee that thou aduise thee how thou shalt answer to this question How hast thou entred whether by cleeping or by thine owne procuring for that thou wouldest trauaile in Gods gospell other for thou wouldest be richly arayed Answere now to thy owne conscience as thou shalt answer to God thou that hast take now the order of prieste whether thou be curate or none who stirred thee to take vpon thee so high an estate Whether for thou wouldest liue as a priest ought to do studying of Gods law to preach and most hartely to pray for the people or for to liue a delicious life vpon other mens trauayle and thy selfe trauaile nought Why also setten men theyr sonnes either their cousins to schole Whereto but for to get them great aduancements or to make them the better to knowe howe they shoulden serue God This men may see openly by the sciences that they set them to Why I pray you put men their sonnes to the law ciuill or to the kings court to write letters writs rather thā to Philosophy or Diuinity but for the hope that these occupations shoulde be euer means to make them great in the world I hope that ther wil no man say that they ne shoulde better learne the rule of good liuing in the booke of Gods law than in any bookes of mans worldly wisedome But certes now it is so the that Iohn Chrisostom saith Mothers be louing to the bodies of their children but the soule they despise they desire them to wel fare in this world but they take none hede what they shall suffer in the tother Some or deinen fees for their children but none ordeine them to godward The lust of their bodies they wol deere by but the health of their soule the reke nought of If they see them poore or sicke they sorrow and sigheth but though they see them sinne they sorrowe not And in this they shew that they brought forth the bodies but not the soules And if we take heede truly what abhominations be scattered and
poore mens brethren but they wene to passe them in kind as they passeth in worldly worship that is but winde of which God faith by the prophet they hauen raigned but nought of me they haue bene princes but I knowe nought So we reade of Roboam that was the son of king Salomon what time he was first king the people of Israell comen to him and sayd Thy father in his last dayes put on vs great charge We pray thee some deale make it lighter and we willen serue thee And the king tooke counsayle of the olde wise men and they counsailden to answer them faire and that should be for the best But he left these old wise mennis counsayle and did after the counsayle of children that were his playferen and sayd to the people when they came agayne My left finger is greater then my fathers riegge My father greeued you somewhat but I will echen more thereto And the people heard this and rebeleden to him and tooke them another king and fithe the kingdome came neuer whole againe And therefore it is good that euery ruler of cominalties that they be not lad by follies ne by none other eare rowner that he ne haue an eygh of loue to the comontie that he hath to rule For were ye well be he neuer so high that he shall come afore his higher to yelde reconing of his bayly The second question is How hast thou ruled the people and the office that thou haddest to gouerne Thou that hast bene a Iudge in causes of poore men how hast thou kept this hest of God Thou shalt not take heede to the person of a poore man to bee to him the harder for his pouertie ne thou shalt not behold a rich mans semblance to spare or to fauour him in his wrong for his riches O Lorde what abusion is there among officers of both lawes now adayes If a great man pleadeth with a poore man to haue ought that he holdeth euery officer shall be readie to hye all that he may that the rich man might haue such an end as he desired But if a poore man pleade with a ritch man than there shall be so manye delayes that though the poore mans right be open to all the Countrie for pure faute of spending he shall be glad to cease Shriues and Bayliffes willen retourne poore mens writs with tarde Genit but gif they feelen meede in their hands And yet I heare sale men that hauen seyen both lawes that ilke court that is cleeped Christes court is much more cursed Therefore it is writ giftes they taken out of mens bosoms to ouerturne the right way of dome But it is to dread the word of Christ In what dome ye deeme ye should be demed when ye comen to yelde a reconing of your bayly The third question is Howe hast thou lyued thou that deemest and punishest other men for their trespas A great doctor saith thee behoueth to flee the wickednes of other men that thou chastieest them for their trespas For if thy selfe do vnlawfullich in deeming other men thou damnest thy selfe sythe thou doest that thou damnest And Poul saith why teachest thou nought thy selfe that thou teachest other Why stealest thou that teachest nought other men to steale Saint Gregorie saith He shall not take gouernaile of other that can not go before them in good liuing And when anye man stand before him in dome he must take heede to fore what Iudge he shall stand him selfe to take his dome after his deedes But it is to dread that manie fareth as the twe false priests that woulden haue damned to death holie Susan for she would not assent to their leacherie Of the which it is writ they turned awaie their eyen for they would not see heauen ne haue mynde of rightfull domes So it happeth ofte they that were more woorthie to bee hanged damneth them that be lesse woorthye as a clarcke telleth of Socrates the Philosopher sayth hee vpon a day a man asked of hym why hee laughed And hee sayd for I see great theeues leaden a little theefe to hanging I pray thee whether is hee a greater theefe that bynimeth a man hys house and hys land from hym and from his heyres for euermore other hee that for making of great neede stealeth a sheepe or a calfe Whether trow wee nought that it happeth such extortioners to be other whyle Iudges and demeth men thus But I read thee that thus deemest other thinke on that dome thou shalt come to to yelde the rekening of thine bayly The third Baylife that shall be cleped to this dreadfull a count shall bee euerie Christian man that shall geue rekening to his Lord God for goods that he hath had of hys And heere I wyll speake but of the first question that is this How entrest thou And heere by the waie yee that haue goten anie worldly good other take by extortion by rauayne by vsurie other by disceit Wo shall be to him at this dreadfull daie as Sainct Austen sayth If he be cast into the fire that hath nought giuen of his owne good where trowest thou shall he be castin that hath reued other mens from them And if he shulle brenne with the send that hath nought clothed the naked where trowest shall he brenne that hath made him naked that was earst clothed But as Sainct Gregorie sayth two thinges maketh men to liue thus by rauaine of other neighbours that they desire heynes and drede pouertie and what vengeaunce falleth of this sinne of couetise I may see by figure in holy writ whan the Angell sayd to Prophet Zacharie Rere vp thine eyen and see what is that goeth out And the Prophet sayd what is it Then the Angell sayd this is the pot going out this is the eize of hem on all the earth And there was a weihgt of lede I bore and there was a woman sitting in the middle of this potte And the Angell sayd this is impietie And he tooke her and cast her into the middle of this pot and he tooke the gobette of leed and caste it into the pots mouth And the Prophet lift vp his eye and he saw twoo women comming out and spirites in her wing is like two kytes other gledes and they are rid vp this pot betweene heauen and the earth and than the Prophete spake to the Aungell whider wol these beare this pot And he sayd into the lond of Sennaar This pot is couetise For right as a pot hathe a wide open mouth so couetise gapeth after worldly good and right as the licour in the pot profiteth nought to the pot but to men that draweth and drinketh thereof so worldlie good ofte profiteth not to churlles but to other that commeth after as it is written He that hath money shall haue no frute of it And this couetise is the eye of couetous men for they ben blinde to
accepted and thereupon the Archbyshop thomas Arundell wyth hys other bishops and a great part of the clergye went straight waies vnto the king then remaining at Keningston And there laid forth most greuous complaints against the sayd Lorde Cobham to his great infamy and blemish being a man right godly The king gently heard those bloud thirsty Prelates and farre otherwise then became his princely dignitie notwythstanding requiring and instantly desiring them that in respect of hys noble stocke and knighthode they should yet fauourably deale with him And that they would if it were possible without all rigor or extreme handling reduce him againe to the Churches vnitie Hee promised them also that in case they were contented to take some deliberation hys selfe would seriously common the matter wyth him Anone after the king sent for the saide Lorde Cobham And as he was come he called him secretely admonishing him betwixt him and him to submit himself to his mother the holy church and as an obedient child to acknowledge himselfe culpable Unto whome the Christen knight made this aunswer You most worthy Prince saith he I am alwaies prompt willing to obey for somuch as I knowe you a christen king the appoynted minister of God bearing the sworde to the punishment of euil doers for safegard of them that be vertuous Unto you next my eternal God owe I my whole obedience submit thereunto as I haue done euer all that I haue eyther of fortune or nature ready at all times to fulfil whatsoeuer ye shall in the Lord commaund inc But as touching the Pope and hys spiritually I owe them neither sure nor seruice forsomuch as I knowe him by the Scriptures to be the great Antichrist the sonne of perdition the open aduersary of God the abhomination standing in the holy place When the king had heard thys with such like sentences more he would talke no longer with hym but left him so vtterly And as the Archbyshop resorted againe vnto hym for an answere he gaue him his full authority to cite him examin him punish him according to their deuilish decrees which they called the lawes of holy church Then the sayde Archb. by the counsaile of his other Byshops and Clergy appoynted to cal before him Sir Iohn Didcastle the Lord Cobham and to cause hym personally to appeare to aunswere to such suspect Articles as they shoulde lay agaynst hym So he sent forth hys chiefe Sommoner wyth a very sharpe citation vnto the castle of Cowling where as he at that time dwelt for his solace And as the sayd Sommoner was come thether hee durst in no case enter the gates of so noble a man wythout his licence and therfore he returned home againe hys message not done Then called the Archbish. one Iohn Butler vnto him which was then the doore keper of the kings priuy chamber and wyth him he couenaunted through promyses and rewards to haue this matter craftly brought to passe vnder the kings name Whereuppon the sayde Iohn Butler tooke the Archbyshops Somner with him and went vnto the saide Lord Cobham shewing him that it was the kings pleasure that he should obey that citation and so cited him fraudulently Then saide he to them in few words that he in no case would consent to those most deuilish practises of the Priestes As they had informed the Archbyshop of that aunswere and that it was for no man priuately to cite him after that without pearil of life he decreed by by to haue him cited by publique processe or open cōmandement And in all the hast possible vpon the Wednesday before the Natiuity of our Lady in September he commaunded letters citatorir to be set vppon the great gates of the Cathedrall church of Rochester whych was but 3. English miles frō thence charging hym to appeare personally before him at Ledis the 11. day of the same moneth and yeare all excuses to the contrary set apart Those letters were taken down anone after by such as bare fauor vnto the Lord Cobham and so conueyed aside After that caused the Archbish. new letters to be set vp on the natiuity day of our Lady whych also were rent downe and vtterly consumed Then for somuch as he dyd not appeare at the day appoynted at Ledys where her sate in Consistorie as cruell as euer was Cayphas with his court of hypocrites about him he iudged him denounced him and condemned him of most depe contumacy After that whē he had bene falsly informed by his hired spies and other glosing glauerers that the sayd Lord Cobh. had laughed him to scorn disdained al his doings maintained his old opinions contemned the churches power the dignity of a Bishop the order of priesthood for all these was he than accused of in his mody madnes wtout iust profe did he openly excommunicate him Yet was not withal this his fierce tiranny satisfied but commanded him to be cited a fresh to appeare afore him the Saterday before the feast of S. Mathewe the Apostle with these cruel threatnings added thereunto that if he did not obey at the day he wold more extremely handle him And to make himselfe more strong towardes the performāce thereof he compelled the lay power by most terrible manasings of curses and interdictions to assist hym against that seditious apostata schismaticke and hereticke the troubler of the publike peace that enemy of the realme and great aduersary of all holy Church for al these hateful names did he geue him Thys most constant seruant of the Lorde and worthy Knight sir Iohn Didcastle the Lorde Cobham beholding the vnpeaceable furie of Antichrist thus kindled agaynst him perceiuing himself also compassed on euery side wyth deadly daungers He tooke paper and pen in hand and so wrote a Christen cōfession or rekening of his faith whych followeth heereafter both signing and sealing it wyth his owne hand Wherein he also answered to the 4. chiefest articles that the Archbyshop laid against him That done he tooke the copie with him and went therewith to the king trusting to finde mercy fauour at his hande None other was that confession of his then the common beleue or summe of the Churches faith called the Apostles Creede of all Christen men than vsed with a brief declaration vpon the same as here vnder ensueth ¶ The Christen beliefe of the Lorde Cobham I Beleue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesu Christ hys onely sonne our Lorde which was cōceiued by the holy ghost borne of the virgin Mary suffred vnder Ponce Pilate crucified dead and buried went downe to hell the thirde day rose agayne from death ascended vp to heauen sitteth on the ryght hande of God the father almighty and from thence shal come again to iudge the quicke the dead I beleeue in the holy ghost the vniuersal holy Church the communion of Saints the forgeuenesse
few witnesses vpoÌ„ the same agaynst him but as hee was about to apen his mouth to aunswere all this mad heard or flocke begaÌ„ so to cry out vpon him that he had not leasure to speake one onely worde The noyse trouble was so great and so vehemeÌ„t that a man might well haue called it a brute or noyse of wild beasts and not of men much lesse was it to be iudged a coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of men gathered together to iudge and determine so graue and waightie matters And if it happened that the noyse and cry did neuer so litle cease that hee might aunswere anythyng at all out of the holy Scriptures or Ecclesiasticall Doctours by and by he shoulde here these goodly replyes vpon him That maketh nothyng to the purpose Beside all this some did outrage in wordes agaynst him other some spitefully mocked him so that he seing him selfe ouerwhelmed with this rude and barbarous noyses cryes that it profited nothing to speake he determined finally with himselfe to hold his peace keepe silence FroÌ„ that tyme forward all the whole route of his aduersaries thought that they had wonne the battaile of him and cryed out altogether now he is duÌ„me now he is dumme This is a certaine signe and token that he doth consent agree vnto these his errours Finally the matter came to this poynt that certaine of the most moderate honest among theÌ„ seing this disorder determined to proceede no further but that all should be deferred put of vntil an other time Through their aduise the Prelates others departed froÌ„ the Councell for that present appointed to meet there agayne the morrow after to proceede in iudgement The next day which was the vii of Iune on whiche day the sunne was almost wholy eclipsed somwhat after about vii of the clocke this same flocke assembled agayne in the cloister of the Friers Minors and by their appointment Iohn Hus was brought before them accompanyed with a great number of armed men Thether went also the Emperor whom the gentlemen master of Dube Clum and the Notarie named Peter which were great friendes of the sayd Hus did folow to see what the end woulde be When they were come thether they heard that in the accusation of Michael de Causis they reade these wordes folowing Iohn Hus hath taught the people diuers and many errours both in the chapell of Bethleem and also in many other places of the Citie of Prage of the which errours some of them he hath drawen out of Wickleffs bookes and the rest he hath forged and inuented of his owne head and doth maintaine the same very obstinately and stifly First that after the consecration and pronunciatioÌ„ of the words in the supper of the Lord there remaineth materiall bread and this is prooued by the witnesse of Iohn Protiwate parishe Priest of s. Clements in Prage Iohn Pecklow preacher at s. Giles in Prage Benise preacher in the castle of Prage Andrew Brod Chanon of Prage and diuers other Priestes Unto thys Iohn Hus takyng a solemne othe answered that he neuer spake any such worde but thus much he did graunt that at what time the Archbishop of Prage forbad hym to vse any more that terme or word bread he could not allow the bishops commaundement for so much as Christ in the 6. chapter of Iohn doth oftentimes name himselfe the bread of angels which came downe from heaueÌ„ to geue life vnto the whole world But as touching materiall bread hee neuer spake any thing at all Then the Cardinall of Cambray taking a certaine bill in hys hand which he sayd he receiued the day before sayd vnto Iohn Hus will you put any vniversalities a parte rei.i. as touching the thing When Iohn Hus aunswered that he wold because S. Anselme and diuers other had so done the Cardinall did proceed to gather his argument in this maner It followeth then sayde he that after the consecration is made there remaineth the substance of materiall bread that I do thus proue That the consecration being done whiles the bread is chaunged transubstanciated into the body of Christ as you say either there doeth remaine the common substaunce of materiall bread or contrariwise If the substance do remaine then is our purpose at an end If contrariwise then doth it folow that by the decision of the singularitie the vniversall ceaseth any more to be Iohn Hus answered truely it ceaseth to be in this singular materiall bread by meanes of this traÌ„substantiatioÌ„ wheÌ„ as it is changed transubstanciated into the body of Christ but notwithstanding in other singularities it is made subiect Then a certaine English man by that argument woulde proue out of the first positioÌ„ that there remained materiall bread Then sayd Iohn Hus that is a childish argument which euery boy in the schooles knoweth and thereuppon gaue a solution Then an other English man wold proue that there remained materiall bread in the sacrament because the breade after the consecration was not anihilate Unto whom Iohn Hus answered Although said he that the breade be not anihilate or consumed yet singularly it ceaseth there to be by meanes of the alteration of hys substance into the body of Christ. Here an other English maÌ„ stepping forth sayd Iohn Hus semeth vnto me to vse the same kinde of crafty speach which Wickleffe vsed for hee graunted all these things which this man hath done yet in very deede was fully perswaded that material bread remained in the sacrament after the coÌ„secration The whych when Iohn Hus had denied saying that he spake nothing but only sincerely vprightly according to his conscience the English man proceeded to demaunde of hym againe whether the body of Christe be totally and really in the sacrament of the altar Wherunto Iohn Hus answered verely I do thincke that the body of Christ is really and totally in the sacrament of the alter the which was borne of the virgine Mary suffered died rose againe and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty When they had disputed a good while to and froe as touching vniuersalities the English man whych before would proue that material bread remained in the sacrament because that the bread was not anihilate interrupting and breaking theyr talke sayd to what purpose is this disputation vpon vniuersalities the which maketh nothing to the purpose as touching faith for as farre as I can perceiue or here this man holdeth a good opinion as touching the Sacrament of the aultare Then an other English man named Stoâ—kes sayd I haue seene at Prage sayd he a certaine treatise the whych was ascribed vnto thys man Iohn Hus wherein it was plainely set foorth that after the consecration there remained materiall bread in in the SacrameÌ„t Uerely said Iohn Hus sauing your reuerence that is not true Then they returned againe vnto the witnesses of them
number if thorough me it should come to passe that those things which they haue hetherto knowne to bee most certaine and sure should now be made vncertaine Should I by this my example astonish or trouble so manye soules so manye consciences endewed with the most firme and certaine knowledge of the Scriptures and Gospell of our Lord Iesu Christ and his most pure doctrine armed against all the assaults of Satan I will neuer do it neither commit any such kinde of offence that I shoulde seeme more to esteeme this vile carcas appoynted vnto death then their health and saluation At this most godly worde he was forced againe to heare by the consent of the Bishops that hee did obstinately and maliciously perseuere in his pernicious and wicked errours Then he was commanded to come downe to the execution of his iudgement and in his comming downe one of the seauen Bishops afore rehearsed firste tooke awaye the chalice from him which he helde in his hand saieng O cursed Iudas why hast thou forsakeÌ„ the counsell waies of peace and hast counsailed with the Iewes we take away froÌ„ thee this chalice of thy saluation But Iohn Hus receiued this curse in this maner but I trust vnto God the father omnipotent and my Lorde Iesus Christ for whose sake I do suffer these things that hee will not take away the chalice of his redemption but haue a stedfast and firme hope that this day I shall drinke thereof in his kingdome Then followed the other Bishops in order which euery one of them tooke away the vestiments from him which they had put on eche one of them geuing hym their curse Whereunto Iohn Hus answered that hee did willingly embrace and beare those blasphemies for the name of the Lord Iesus Christ. At the last they came to the rasing of his shauen crowne But before the Bishops would go in hand with it there was a great contention betweene them with what instrument it should be done with a rasour or with a paire of sheares In the meane season Iohn Hus turning himselfe toward the Emperour saide I maruell that forsomuch as they be all of like cruell minde and stomacke yet they can not agree vpon their kinde of crueltie Notwithstanding at the last they agreed to cut off the skinne of the crowne of his head with a paire of sheares And when they had done that they added these words now hath the Church taken away all her ornaments and priuilegies from hym Now there resteth nothing else but that he be deliuered ouer vnto the secular power But before they did that there yet remained another knacke of reproch For they caused to be made a certaine crowne of paper almost a cubite deepe in the which were painted three deuils of wonderfull ougly shape and this title set ouer their heads Heresiarcha The which when he saw he sayde My Lord Iesus Christ for my sake did weare a crowne of thorne why should not I then for his sake againe weare thys light crowne be it neuer so ignominious Truly I will do it and that willingly When it was set vpon his head the Bishops saide now we commit thy soule vnto the deuill But I sayde Iohn Husse lifting his eies vp towardes the heauens doo commit my spirite into thy handes O Lord Iesu Christ vnto thee I commend my spirit which thou hast redeemed These contumelious opprobries thus ended the Bishops turning themselues towards the Emperour said This most sacred Synode of Constance leaueth now Iohn Husse which hath no more any office or to do in the Church of God vnto the ciuill iudgement and power Then the Emperour commaunded Lodouicus Duke of Bauaria which stoode before him in his robes holding the golden apple with the crosse in his hande that he should receiue Iohn Husse of the Byshops and deliuer him vnto them which should do the execution By whome as hee was led to the place of execution before the Church doores hee sawe his bookes burning whereat hee smiled and laughed And all men that he passed by he exhorted not to thinke that he should dye for any errour or heresie but only for the hatred and ill will of his aduersaries which had charged him wyth most false and vniust crime All the whole Citie in a maner being in armour followed him The place appointed for the execution was before the gate Gorlebian betweene the gardens and the gates of the suburbs When as Iohn Husse was come thether kneeling downe vpon his knees and lifting his â—ies vp vnto heauen he praied and saide certaine Psalmes and specially the 50. and 31. Psalmes And they which stoode by heard him oftentimes in his praier with a merrie and chearefull countenance repeate this versâ— Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit c. Which thâ—â—g when the lay people beheld which stood next vnto him they said what he hath done afore wee knowe not but now wee see and heare that hee doth speake and pray very deuoutely and godly Othersome wished that he had a Confessor There was a certaine Priest by sitting on horsebacke in a greene gowne drawne about with red silke which said he ought not to be heard because he is an hereticke Yet notwithstanding whilest he was in prison he was both confessed and also absolued by a certaine Doctour a Monke as Hus himselfe doth witnes in a certaine Epistle which he wrote vnto his frendes out of prison Thus Christ raigneth vnknowne vnto the world euen in the middest of his enimies In the meane time whilest he praied as he bowed his necke backward to looke vpward vnto heauen the crowne of paper fell off from his head vpon the grounde Then one of the souldiours taking it vp againe said let vs put it againe vpon his head that he may bee burned with his maisters the diuels whome he hath serued ¶ The description of the burning of Iohn Hus contrary to the safeconduict graunted vnto hym Then was the fire kindled and Iohn Hus began to sing with a loud voice Iesu Christ the sonne of the liuing God haue mercy vpon me And when he began to say the same the third time the winde droue the flame so vpon his face that it choked him Yet notwithstanding he mooued a while after by the space that a man might almost say three times the Lordes prayer When all the wood was burned and consumed the vpper parte of the body was left hanging in the chaine the which they throwe downe stake and all and making a newe fire burned it the heade being first cut in small gobbets that it might the sooner be consumed vnto ashes The heart which was founde amongest the bowels being well beaten with staues and clubbes was at last pricked vppon a sharpe sticke and roasted at a fire a parte vntill it was consumed Then with great diligence gathering the ashes together they cast them into the riuer of Rhene that the least
faithfully do stand for righteousnes to whom the Lorde God shall geue in the kingdome of Boheme to knowe the truth For the following of which truth necessary it is that they returne againe into Boheme setting apart all vaine glory following not a mortall and miserable king but the king of glory which geueth eternall life O howe comfortable was the geuing of the hande of Lorde Iohn de Clum vnto me which was not ashamed to reache foorth his hand to me a wretche and such an abiecte hereticke lying in fetters of yron and cried out vpon all men Nowe peraduenture I shall not speake much hereafter with you Therfore salute in time as you shall see them all the faithfull of Boheme Palletz came to me into prisone His salutation in my vehement infirmitye was this before the Commissaries that there hath not risen a more perillous hereticke since Christ was borne then was Wickliffe and I. Also he sayd that al such as came to heare my talke were infected with this heresie to thinke that the substance of bread remained in the sacrament of the altare To whome I answered and sayd O maister what a grieuous salutation haue you geuen me and how greatly do you sinne Behold I shal die or peraduenture to morow shall be burnt And what rewarde shall be recompenced to you in Boheme for your labour This thing peraduenture I shoulde not haue wrytten least I might seeme to hate him I haue alwayes had this in my heart trust not in princes c. And againe cursed be the man whiche trusteth in man and maketh flesh to be his arme For Gods sake be you circumspecte how you stand and how you returne Carie no letters with you Directe your bookes not all by one but diuersly by diuers frendes Knowe this for certaine that I haue had great conflictes by dreames in such sort as I had much a doe to refraine from crying out For I dreamed of the Popes escape before he went And after the Lord Iohn had told me therof immediately in the night it was told me that the Pope shuld returne to you again And afterward also I dreamed of the apprehēding of maister Hierome although not in ful maner as it was done Al the prisonments whether and howe I am caryed were opened to mee before although not fully after the same fourme and circumstance Many serpents oftentimes appeared vnto me hauing heads also in their taile but none of them could bite me and many other things more These thinges I wryte not esteeming my selfe as a prophet or that I extoll my selfe but onely to signifie vnto you what temptations I had in body and also in mind and what great feare I had least I shoulde transgresse the commaundement of the Lord Iesus Christ. Nowe I remember with my selfe the wordes of maister Hierome which sayde that if I shoulde come to the Councell hee thoughte I shoulde neuer returne home againe In like maner there was a good and godly man a tailor which taking his leaue of me at Prage spake to me in these words God be wyth you said he for I thinke verely my deare and good maister Iohn that you shall not returne again to vs with your life The king not of Hungarie but of heauen rewarde you with all goodnes for the faithfull doctrine which I at your hands haue receiued c. ¶ And shortly after the writing hereof he sendeth also vnto them an other propheticall vision of his to be expoūded touching the reformation of the church written in his 44. Epistle the contentes whereof be these ¶ An other letter of Iohn Hus sent to the Lord Iohn de Clum I Pray you expound to me the dreame of thys nyght I sawe how that in my churche of Bethleem they came to rase and put out all the images of Christ and did put them out The next day after I arose and sawe many painters which painted and made more fairer Images many more then I had done before which Images I was very glad and ioyfull to behold And the painters wyth much people about them sayde let the bishops and priestes come now put vs out these pictures Which being done much people seemed to me in Bethleem to reioyce and I with them And I awaking therewith felt my selfe to laugh c. ¶ This vision Lorde Iohn de Clum and Iohn Hus himselfe in his booke of Epistles in the 45. Epist. semeth to expounde and applyeth these Images of Christ vnto the preaching of Christ and of his lyfe The which preachyng and doctrine of Christ though the Pope and his Cardinals should extinguish in him yet did he foresee declare that the time should come wherin the same doctrine shuld be reuyned againe by others so plenteously that the pope with al his power shuld not be able to preuaile against it Thus much as cōcerning this visiō of Iohn Hus. Wherunto doth wel accord the Prophesie of Hierome of Prage printed in the coyne called Moneta Hussi of the which coyn I haue my selfe one of the plates hauing this superscriptiō folowing printed about it Centum reuolutis annis Deo respondebitis mihi That is After a hundreth yeres come and gone you shal geue a count to God and to me Wherof God willyng more shal be sayd hereafter Furthermore in 48. Epist. the sayd I. Hus seemyng to speake with the like spirit of Prophecy hath these wordes folowing Sed spero quod quae dixi sub tecto praedicabuntur super tecta That is but I trust that those thinges which I haue spoken within the house hereafter shal be preached vpon the top of the house And because we are here in hand with the Prophesies of Iohn Hus it shall serue well in place here moreouer to recorde his wordes in a certayne treatise by hym written De Sacerdotum Monachorum carnalium Abhominatione wherein the sayd Iohn Hus speaking prophetically of the reformation of the Church hath these wordes following Ex istis vlterius aduerte incidentaliter quod Dei ecclesia nequit ad pristinam suam dignitatem reduci c. That is in english Moreouer hereupon note and marke by the way that the church of God cannot be reduced to his former dignitie or be reformed before all thinges first be made new The truth whereof is playne by the Temple of Salomon Like as the Clergie and Priests so also the people and laity Or els vnless all such as now be addict to auarice from the least to the most be first conuerted and reclaymed as wel the people as the clergy and Priests Albeit as my mind now geueth me I beleue rather the first that is that then shall rise a new people formed after the new man whiche is created after God Of the which people new Clerkes Priestes shall come and be taken whiche all shall hate couetousnes and glory of this life hasting to an heauenly cōuersation Notwithstanding all these
forced to obiure and suffred like penance as the other before had done THomas Moone of Ludney was apprehended and attached for suspition of heresy agaynst whom were obiected by the Bishop the articles before written but specially this article that he had familiarity communication with diuers heretickes and had receiued comforted supported and mayntayned diuers of them as sir William White syr Hugh Pye Thomas Pert and William Callis Priestes with many other more vpon the which articles he being coÌ„uict before the bishop was forced to abiure and receiued the like penance in like maner as before In like maner Robert Brigges of Martham was brought before the Bishop the 17. day of February in the yeare aforesayd for holding and affirming the foresayd articles but especially these hereafter folowing That the sacrament of confirmation ministred by the Byshop did auayle nothing to saluation That it was no sinne to withstand the ordinaunces of the Church of Rome That holy bread and holy water were but trifles and that the bread and the water were the worse for the conturacions characters which the priestes made ouer them Upon which Articles he being conuict was forced to abiure and receiued penance in maner and forme as the other had done before him The like also albeit somewhat more sharp happened vnto Iohn Finch of Colchester the 20. day of September who albeit he was of the dioces of London being suspecte of heresye was attached in Ipswich in the dioces of Norwich brought before the bishop there before whom he being conuict of the like articles as all the other before him was enioyned penance three displings in solemne procession about the Cathedrall Church of Norwich three seuerall Sondayes three displinges about the market place of Norwich three principall market dayes his head necke and feet being bare his body couered onely with a short shirt or vesture hauing in his handes a taper of waxe of a pound waight which the next Sonday after his penance he shoulde offer to the Trinity and that for the space of 3. yeres after euery Ashwednesday Maundy Thursday he should appeare in the Cathedrall Church of Norwich before the Bishop or his Vicegerent to do open penaunce amongest the other penitentiaries for his offences There were besides these men which we haue here rehearsed diuers and many other who both for the concordaunce of the matter and also for that theyr Articles punishmeÌ„ts were all one we haue thought good at this time to passe ouer especially forsomuch as their names be before recited in the Catalogue The burning of Rich Houeden Nicholas Canon of Eye NOw to proceed in our story of Norfolke and Suffolk in folowing the order of yeres we finde that in the yere of our Lord. 1431. One Nich. Canon of Eye was brought before the Bishop of Norwich for suspicion of heresy with certayne witnesses sworne to depose against him touching his maners and conuersatioÌ„ which witnesses appointing one William Christopher to speak in the name of them all he deposed in maner and forme folowing First that on Easter day when all the parishners weÌ„t about the church of Eye solemnely in processioÌ„ as the maner was the sayd Nicholas Canon as it were mocking deciding the other parishioners went about the Church the contrary way and met the procession This article he confessed and affirmed that he thought he did well in so doing Item the sayd Nicholas asked of maister Iohn Colman of Eye this question Maister Colman what think you of the Sacrament of the aulter To whome the sayde Colman aunswered Nicholas I thinke that the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar is very God and very man the very flesh and very bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ vnder forme of bread and wine Vnto whom Nicholas in decision sayde Truly if the Sacrament of the aultar be very God very man and the very body bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ then may very God and very man be put in a small roome as when it is in the priests mouth that receiueth it at mas And why may not we simple men as well eate flesh vpon Fridayes and al other prohibited dayes as the priest to eat the flesh and the bloud of our Lord euery day indiffereÌ„tly The which article the sayd Nicholas denied that he spake vnto Maister Colman but vnto a Monke of Hockesney And furthermore he thought he had spoken well in that behalfe Item that on Corpus Christi day at the eleuation of high masse when all the parishioners other straungers kneeled downe holding vp their handes and doing reuerence vnto the sacrament the sayd Nicholas went behinde a piller of the church and turning his face from the high aulter mocked them that did reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he also acknowledging affirmed that he beleued himselfe to do well in so doing Item when his mother would haue the said Nicholas to lift vp his right hand and to crosse himselfe froÌ„ the craftes and assaults of the deuill forsomuch as he deferred the doing therof his mother tooke vp his right haÌ„d crossed him saying In nomine patris filij spiritus sacti Amen Which so ended the sayde Nicholas immediately deciding hys mothers blessing tooke vp his right hand of his owne accord and blessed him otherwise as his aduersaryes reporte of him This Article the sayde Nicholas acknowledged to be true Item that vpon Alhallowen day in the time of eleuation of high masse when as many of the parishioners of Eâ—e lighted many torches and caried theÌ„ vp to the high aultar kneling down there in reuerence and honor of the Sacrament the sayd Nicholas carying a torche went vp hard to the high aultar and standing behind the priestes backe saying masse at the time of the eleuation he stood vpright vpoÌ„ his feet turning his back to the priest and his face toward the people and would do no reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he acknowledged affirming that he thought he had done well in that behalfe All which Articles the Byshops coÌ„missary caused to be copied out word for worde to be seÌ„t vnto M. William Worsted Prior of the cathedrall church of Norwich and to other doctors of diuinity of the order of begging Friers that they might deliberate vpon them and shew their mindes betwene that and Thursday next folowing Vpon whiche Thursdaye being the last of Nouember the yeare aforesayd the sayd Nicholas was agayne examined before M. Barnam and diuers other vpoÌ„ two other articles which he had confessed vnto I. Exetor notary Tho. Bernsten bacheler of diuinity and others Whereof the first Article was this that the sayd Nicholas Canon being of perfect minde and remembrance confessed that he doubled whether in the Sacrament of the aulter were the very body of Christ or no. This article he confessed before the Commissary to be true Item that he beyng of perfecte minde
say in case of faith the bishops ought to iudge vpon Christian Emperours and not Emperours vpon Bishops Neyther doe we admit their petition but vpō most vrgent causes Notwithstanding we heard them paciently and willingly whiles that they did speake euen so long as they would But now if any of our part would speake by and by he is interrupted troubled and letted What honesty is this What modesty or grauitie is it lawful so to do in the councell◠Where is the decree of the Councel of Tholose now become where are our decrees which do not only prohibitie tumultes but also all small bablinges talk They say it is because we contemne them but they are they which not onely conteme the Councell but also resist the same The patriarke spake but one small worde agaynst them that of no euill intent or purpose and by and by they complayned the their liberty was broken but they when as they do inforce the councell when as they forbid the President to speake and will not suffer the ordinances to be read doe not iudge that they doe any thing contrary to the liberty of the Councell They say they are the Councell themselues and yet they intreat the Councell These thinges doe not I vnderstande for if they be the Councell why doe they intreat thēselues If they be not the Councell why do they not suffer the Councel for to speake Why do they not look for an answere of him to whom they make their petitiōs Truely this is to much violence and certes our paence is also to much to suffer such excesse euen in the face of the Church But this doth most of all greeue me and thys do I most maruell at But this doth most of all greeue me and thys do I most maruell at that Panormitan a man of singular wit and doctrine did cōclude without any discussing or deciding of the deputies and without the examination of the 12. men or any rite or order The which except mine eies had behold seene I would scarsly beleue if any other mā should report it vnto me of him Neither do I yet know whether I may sufficiently credite my selfe the matter seemeth so horrible for I do not see by what authoritie his cōclusion doth stande except it be by the authoritie of hys king whom he sayth will haue it to But you most reuerēd fathers take heed that ye bring in no such custome for so it shall come to passe that in all matters a few froward prelates shall haue me to conclude for them And albeit Parnormitan hath proued as he thinketh by strong reasons that the veritie ought to be deferred yet notwithstanding I do require you most reuerend fathers to follow the example of the Apostle who as Arelatensis hath very wel declared would not geue one houres respite vnto Peter when he swarued frō the truth of the Gospel The sayth is speedely to be relieued holpen neither doth any thing sustaine more danger by delayes thē faith doth For heresies except they be rooted out at the first whē they are once growne are hardly taken away Wherfore I desire you speedily to helpe and ayd Hoyse vp your sayles launch out your ores What should we tary looking for either the Prelats or the princes You are now in conflict I ouely desire that you would hasten vnto the victory Regard not the threatnings of those Princes neyther the opprobries of those contumelious persons for you are blessed sayth the Lord whē as men curse you persecute you speaking all euill agaynst you making lyes and slaunders vpon you for my sake reioice and be glad for great is your reward in heauen What is it I pray you that the princes do so much obiect agaynst vs Is not our Lord God able to take vs out of the furnace of hote burning fire and deliuer vs out of the hands of those princes I beseech you most reuerend fathers and louing brethren haue no lesse hope in Iesus Christ thē Sidrach Misach and Abednago had which feared not that old king Nabuchodouosor and let the princes know that the most high ruleth ouer the kingdomes of men and geueth them vnto whom he pleaseth God beholdeth all thinges from aboue he is I say in the midst amongst vs wherefore are ye then afrayd Be of good courage and shew yourselues as a strong wall for the church of God suffer not the sayth to perish vnder your handes The almighty God is present with you He is present that will defend you Feare not them which seeke onely to kill the body Do iustice and equitie and be assured that he wil not deliuer you ouer into the handes of the bachiter and slaunderer Againe I say vnto you show yourselues valiant and stout Defend your mother the Church And vnto thee O thou president I say that thou oughtest rather to please God then man for if thou depart thence without a finall conclusion know assuredly that thou shalt render accompt in the straight iudgment of God and thus without any more wordes he sate downe in his place In the meane tyme many graue and ancient men had exhorted Panormitan that he shuld geue ouer his conclusion The bishop of Burgen was very instant and earnest with him that he should make vanitie and concord amōgst the fathers and went about to make an vuitie with al mē But neither the fathers of the Councell were determined to depart without a conclusion neither Panormitan was minded to aulter his intent and purpose All thinges were disturbed neither did the prelates sit in their seats as they were accustomed but as euerye mans affection led hym Some went to the Cardinall Arelateusis some vnto Panormitan and exhorted them as if they had bene princes or rulers of armies Then Arelatensis knowing the matter to be in danger and that there was no ready way to make a cōclusiō thought to vse some policie to appease the tumult Most reuerend fathers said he we haue receiued nowe letters out of Fraūce which declare vnto me marueilous thinges that there are incredible newes syrong vp there which if you will geue me willing audience I wil declare vnto you By this meanes there was a sodayne silence throughout the whole Councel by this marueilous policie he made al men attentiue to heare When as he saw he had free liberty to speake without either fable or history of any letters sent he opened the whole order of the matter as it is requisite in an Orator came by little and little to the principal poynt saying that Eugenius his messengers filled all France preaching a new doctrine and extolling the authoritie of the bishop of Rome aboue the generall Councels agaynst whom except speedy remedy were founde it would come to passe the man woulde geue credite vnto thē and therfore the sacred Councell ought of necessitie to prouide remedy and of necessitie to conclude vpō the
sette downe to be seene The copie of an Epistle which Iulian Cardinall of S. Angen and the Popes ambassadour into Germanie wrote marueilous boldly and frely vnto Eugenius B. of Rome for that he went about to dissolue the couÌ„cel of Basil. Most blessed father after the deuout kisses of your blessed fete NOw shall the whole worlde vnderstande and know whether that your holines haue in you the bowels of fatherly loue charity and the zeale of the house of God whether you be sent to make peace or discord to congregate or disperse or whether you be that good shepheard which geueth hys life for his sheepe Beholde the doore beginneth now to be opened whereby the lost sheepe may returne againe vnto their owne folde nowe is there good hope euen at hand of the reconciliation of the Bohemians If that your holinesse as it is your duety do helpe and further the same you shall obtaine greate glory bothe in heauen and earthe But if peraduenture you goe about to lette the same whiche is not to be hoped for at your handes all menne will reprooue you of impietie Heauen and earth will conspire againste you all men will forsake you For how is he to be folowed wich wyth one worde may restore peace and quietnes to the church and refuseth to do it But I coÌ„ceiue a better hope in you how that your holines without any excuse wil with your whole hart mind fauor this most sacred couÌ„cel giue thankes vnto almighty God this great goodnesse that this congregatiou hath not departed Behold the ambassadors of this sacred councell are returned with great ioy and gladnes from Egra reporting how that thorow the grace of the holy Ghost they haue firmly concluded with the ambassadors of the Bohemians that is to say of the Prages Orphants and Thaborites amongs whome was also present the captaines of their ennemies and specially Procopius That a solempne ambassade of all the states of the realme should come vnto the councell of Basill After that a safe conduite is sent vnto them by the sayde councel in fourme conditioned which shall be done with speede This sacred congregation is marueâ—lously exhilerate and ioyfull For those our ambassadours affirme that all things were handled with such charitie at Egra that they did see such things amoÌ„gs the Bohemians that not without cause they doe conceiue great hope of their reconciliation And at the last gentlely imbrasing one another eueÌ„ with teares of gladnesse they departed from Egra The Bohemians requiring our ambassadors that the matter might be ended wyth all expedition They reporte also that manie thinges happened in that Treatie whyche if any manne hearde and didde not weepe for ioy he might well thinke him self to be but smally affectioned vnto Christ. As for 3 of the 4. articles they seeme not to make any great difficulty vpon As touching the 4. that is of the communion vnder both kindes there is good hope that they wil followe the iudgement of the councel Who is it then that dare councell your holines to perseuere any loÌ„ger in the purpose of dissolution for if the councell had not ben appoynted at all for so great hope and necessity it ought to haue ben appoynted in this place How worthy prase and commendation should your holines doe if that you woulde leaue Italy and all other affaires and come hether in your owne person Although you shoulde neede to be caried in a wagon or litter The keping defence of the temporal patrimony of the church may well be disposed and done by legates and vicares This is the true patrimonie of the church to winne soules For the church is not a heap of stones and walles Christ hath not made you a keper of castles fortes but a pastor of soules Therfore you shuld do that in your owne person which is most necessary and acceptable vnto Christ and al other things be your substitutes For so did the Apostles which to the inteÌ„t they might the more frely intend to the preaching of the word of God did institute 7. to serue the tables and for the ministration of other inferior things I heare that by the grace of God your holinesse doth daily recouer and amend â— if â—o be as it is said you do visit some churches on fore ye may also come hether on horsebacke for you can not go vnto any thing more profitable or coÌ„cordant to your office then to go vnto that place whereas innumerable benefits and goodnes may spring Let your holines vnderstand and consider wherin Christ whose vicar you are and S. Peter whose successor you are and the apostles and holy bishops did exercise occupy themselues and as you do succede them in office so succede them in maners But if per aduenture your holines can not come hither I doe councell you that for so great a benefite you would send the more part of the reuerend Lords Cardinals of the court of Rome and command al other prelates to come hether doe not let or hinder them that are willing to come as it is reported you do but rather allure them to come hither Your holines may beleue me that only charity mooueth me to councell you in this sort be ye not seperate from your members nourish your children as the henne doeth her chickens vnder her wings And if so be that you will doe nothing els yet speake this only word Placet That is to say that it pleaseth you that the couÌ„cel of Basil shuld go forward For a few daies past there came newes hither for the which your holines ought alltogether to cease from your dissolution The reuerend father the Archb. of Lyons hath wrytten vnto the councell and vnto me also howe that the Prelates of France haue assembled togither in the city of Beturia and there after long and exacte examination haue concluded that the councel is lawfully coÌ„gregate in this place And that it is necessary that it shuld be holden and celebrate here at this present and how the Prelates of France shuld come vnto it he also directed hither the cause which moued them so to conclude the copye whereof I suppose is sent vnto your holinesse by some other Wherupon then doth your holines stay You haue gone about as much as in you lay by your messengers letters diners meanes to draw backe the Prelates and haue laboured with al your endeuor to dissolue the councell yet notwithstanding as you do see it is increased day by day And the more it is forbidden the more is all mens minds inflamed to the contrary is not this then to resist the wil of God Why do ye prouoke the church to anger Why do ye stirre vp the Christian people vouch safe I pray you so to doe that ye may gâ—t the loue and fauor of the people not the hatred for all nations are greatly offended when they heare these your doings Suffer not your holines to be seduced
siege After this discomfiture the saying is that Amurathes to keepe his vow made before after his victory at Uarna gaue himselfe into a religious order liuyng a contemplatiue life with certaine other Priestes ioyned vnto him in the forest of Bithynia renouncing the gouernement of his realme to the handes of Haly one of his Princes for thou must vnderstaÌ„d good Reader that the Turkes also be not without their sondry sectes of Religion no more then we Christians are without our Friers and Monkes In the meane tyme while Amurathes this Turkishe tyraÌ„ne was cloystered vp in his Monkish Religion Ioannes Huniades in the kyngdome of Hungary and Castriotus Scanderbeius in Grecia kept great styâ—re against the Turkes By reason wherof Amurathes was takeÌ„ againe from his Monkish vow and profession brought agayne into the field For first Huniades had rescued the whole couÌ„trey of Hungary and had propulsed moreouer all the might of the Turkes farre froÌ„ Seruia And although the peuishe practise of Grgins Prince of Servia had oft tymes disclosed his counsailes vnto the Turkes whereby twise he was brought in daunger yet notwithstandyng through the Lordes gracious protection he was preserued and deliuered by the sayd George vnto the Hungarians agayne after that manfully vaÌ„quished the Turkes so that they had no resting place about those parts of Seruia and Bulgaria so long as he liued On the other side in Grecia Castriotus ScaÌ„derbeius so foyled the Turke in defence of his couÌ„trey Epirus and Macedonia and kept Amurathes so short that not ouely he was not able to wynne any great Towne in all Epyrus but also commyng from Epyrus in the straites was so intaÌ„gled by Castriotus that he was forced to geue battaile In the which battaile he was so vanquished most part of his army slayne that for grief and sorrow conceaued he fallyng into a rauyng sicknesse was traÌ„sported out of his pauillon vnto Adrianople and there in fury madnesse dyed after he had reigned 34. yeares which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1450. This Amurathes first ordained the order of Ianizarites Which were the men children of such Christians as he conquered tooke captiue whom he forced to renounce the faith of Christ wherein they were Baptized brought them vp in Mahumetes law exercised them in the same feates of warre as he did his owne people and after that they came to mens estate he named them Ianizari that is to say souldiours of a straunge countrey and made them to garde his person They weare on their head is stead of an helmet a white attire made of the grossest sort of woll and in so manifolde aboute their head that it can not bee pierced with a sword It haÌ„geth downe on the backe with a taile and before on the forehead it is garnished with golde and siluer They were woont to vse bowes and launces in the fielde but nowe they vse dagges as oure horsemen do At the first institution there were but 8000. in theyr garrison but now they be twise so many This of all bondage and seruitude that the Christians suffer vnder the Turke is most intollerable and greatly to be of all true Christians lamented For what can godly mindes behold more to their griefe then to see their children pulled from the faith of Christ wherein they were baptised and by whose bloud they should eternally be saued and to be instructed and nourished with the blasphemous doctrine of Mahumet and to be professed enemies of Christ and hys Churche to make warre against heauen and to perish euerlastingly And finally what a lamentable thing is it to see and beholde our owne children borne of our owne bodies to become our mortall and cruell enemies and to cut our throtes with their owne hands This seruitude of minde is farre greater then death it selfe which if oure Princes would well consider it would cause them the rather to agree and bende their whole force and power against this cruell enemy ¶ Mahumetes second the ix after Ottomanus AMurathes left behind him three sonnes Mahumete borne of the daughter of Despota Prince of Seruia being twentie yeares of age the second sonne called Turcines the third named Calepinus This Turcines being an infant and but eighteene moneths old was strangled at the commandement of the Turke by his seruant Moses himselfe being there present and beholding the horrible murther And when Moses the executour of the murther had desired him not to pollute his handes with the bloud of his brother he answered that it was the manner of all the Ottoman Turkes that all the other breethren being destroied none should be lefte aliue but one to gonerue the Empire Wherefore Moses was commaunded by the tirant there presently and in his sight to kill the infant This horrible fact when the mother of the childe vnderstoode she crieng out and almost mad for sorrowe cursed the tirant to his face But he to mitigate the rage of his mother at her request being desirous to be reuenged vpon the executour of her sonnes death deliuered the said Moses bound into her hands who then in the presence of the tirant thrust him to the hart with a knife and opening his side tooke out his liuer and threw it to the dogges to be deuoured The third sonne called Calepinus which was but sixe moneths old the foresaid Amurathes his father commended to the custody of Halibassa one of his Nobles who to gratifie and please the tirant betraied the infant brought him vnto him and thereupon he at the tirants commandement was strangled Some affirme that in the stead of Calepinus another child was offered vnto the tirant and that Calepinus was conueied to Constantinople and after the taking of Constantinople was caried to Uenice and then to Rome to Pope Calixt where he was baptised and afterward came into Germany to Fridericke the Emperour and there was honorably enterteined kept in Austrich during his life Where note how the mercifull prouidence of God whom he list to saue can fetch out of the diuels mouth And note moreouer touching the foresayde Halibassa the betraier of the infant how he escaped not vnreueÌ„ged For Mahumet vnderstanding him to be a man of great substance and richesse thorough forging of false crimes with great torments put him to death to haue his richesse for this tirant was geuen to insatiable auarice Thus this bloudy Mahumete began his regiment with horrible murther after the example of other cursed tirants his predecessours Although this Mahumete notwithstandyng that hee came of a Christen mother being the daughter of Despota prince of Seruia and by her was brought vp and instructed from his childhood in the precepts of Christian religioÌ„ and maners yet he soone forgetting all gaue himselfe to Mahumetes religion and yet so that he being addicted to neyther Religion became an Atheist beleeuing and worshipping no God at all but onely the Goddesse of
first beast heere in this prophesy of the Apocalypse described Fourthly it foloweth more And he causeth the earth and all the inhabitants therein to worship and honour the first beast which had a deadly wound and was cured c. The interpretation of this part as also of all the other parts of the same chapter standeth vpon the definition of the first beast for being graunted as it can not be denied that the first beast signifieth the Citie and Empire of Rome it must consequently follow that the Bishop whome we call the Pope of the same Citie of Rome must be vnderstoode by the second beast for somuch as neither Turke nor any other but only the Bishop of Rome hath holden vp the estimation and dignity of that Citie which began to be in ruine and decay by the Uandalians Gothes Herulians and Lombards about the yeare of our Lord 456. but afterward by the Bishop of Rome the pristine state and honor of that Citie reuiued againe and flourished in as great veneration as euer it did before And that is it which the holy Ghost seemeth heere to meane of the first beast saieng That he had a wound of the sword and was cured For so it followeth Fiftly And he caused all the inhabitants of the earth to make the image of the beast which had the stripe of the sword and liued And it was geuen to him to giue life to the image of the beast and to make the image thereof to speake and to cause all them that worshipped not the image of the beast to be killed forcing all persons both little and great rich and poore bond and free to take the marke of the beast in their right hand or in their forheads and that none might buy or sell but they which had the marke or the name of the beast or the number of his name c. By geuing life to the image of the beast and making it to speake is to be presupposed that the beast was at a neare point of death and lay speachles before insomuch that the Citie of Rome began to lose and change his name was called a while Odacrie of Odacer King of the Herulians which by dent of sword surprised the Romans and yet notwithstanding by the meanes of this Romane Prelate the said Citie of Rome which was then ready to geue the Ghost so recouered his maiestie and strength againe that it is hard to say whether Rome did euer ruffle and rage in his tirannie before in the time of Nero Domitian Diocletian and other Emperors more tragically then it hath done vnder the Pope or whether that Rome had al Kings Queenes Princes Dukes Lords and all subiects more vnder obedience and subiection whē the Emperors raigned or now in the raigne of the Pope And therefore it is said not without cause of the holy Ghost That it is geuen to him to geue life and speach to the image of the beast causing all them to be slaine which will not worship the image of the beast c. As for example heereof who seeth not what numbers and multitudes of Christian men women and children in all Countreys haue bene put to the fire and sword Stories of all times will declare what hauocke hath bene made of Christen bloud about the preheminence and maioritie of the Sea of Rome what Churches and Countreys both Greekes and Latin haue bene excommunicated what Kings haue bene deposed and Emperors stripped from their Imperiall seate and all because they would not stoupe and bend to the Image of the beast that is to the maiesty and title of Rome aduanced vp so highly now by the Bishop thereof as it was neuer higher before in the raigne of Nero or Dyoclesian Wherefore taking the first beast to signifie the Empyre of Rome which can not be denyed it is playne that the second beast must necessarily be applied to the Pope and not to the Turke for as much as the Turke seeketh nothing lesse then the aduancement of that Empire but rather striueth against it to plucke it downe The sixt and last argument is grounded vpon the number of the name of the beast expressed by the holy Ghost in the same Prophecie by the letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In which letters a though there lyeth great darcknesse and difficultie to be vnderstoode yet certaine auncient Fathers whiche were Disciples and hearers of them which heard S. Iohn himselfe as Irenaeus and other do expound the sayd letters coniecturally to containe the name of the beast and to be the name of a man vnder this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where as els no other name lightly of any person either in Greeke or Latine will agree to the same saue onely the foresayd name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Although some latter writers geuing their coniectures vpon the same doe finde the name of Lateranus in Hebrew Letters to aunswere to the same number Some fayne other names as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made wordes which signifie nothyng as Diclux or Luduuic by Romane letters c. But of all names properly signifying any mā none commeth so neare to the number of this mistery if it go by order of letters as doth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aforesayd And this much by the way and occasion of Nicolaus de Lyra Paulus Burgen Matthias Dorinkus the author of Fortalilium fidei and other Cōmentaries moe o◠the same faction who writyng vpon this xiij Chapter of the Apocalipse and not considering the circumstaunces thereof both are deceaued themselues and deceaue many other applying that to the Turke which can not otherwise be verified but onely vpon the Pope as may appeare sufficiently by the premisses Not that I write this of any incode or malice either to the Citie of Rome or to the person of the Byshop as beyng Gods creature but beyng occasioned here to entreate of the Prophecies agaynst the Turkes would wishe the Readers not to be deceaued but rightly to vnderstand the simple Scriptures according as they lye to the entent that the true meanyng therof beyng boolted out it may be the better knowen what Prophecies directly make agaynst these Turkes what otherwise In the which Prophecies agaynst the Turkes now to proceede let vs come to the 20. Chapter of the Apocalipse wherein the holy Scripture seemeth playnly and directly to notifie the said Turkes The wordes of the Prophecie be these And I saw an Angell descendyng from heauen hauyng the key of the bottomlesse pit and a great chayne in his hand and he tooke the Dragon the old Serpent which is the deuill and Satanas and bound him vp for a thousand yeares and cast him in the pit and sealed him vp that he should not seduce the people any more til the thousand yeares were expired and after that he must be let loose for a litle while c. And it followeth after And
beginneth already praise to the Lord to come graciously and luckely forward in most places ¶ A Prayer against the Turkes O Eternall Lorde God father of our Lord Iesus Christ creator and disposer of all things iust gracious wise only in the name and reuerence of thy sonne Iesus wee prostrate our selues desiring thine omnipotent maiestie to looke downe vppon these afflicted times of thy poore creatures and seruaunts reliue thy Church increase our faith and confound our enemies and as thou hast geuen thine onely begotten sonne vnto vs promising with hym life to all that shall beleeue vpon his name so encline the obedience of our faith to thy promises in him that our hearts may be farre of from all other sinnefull additions and prophane inuentions which are besides him and not in him grounded vpon thy will and promise And graunt we beseeche thee to thy Church more and more to see how terrible a thing it is to set vp any other meanes or helpe of saluation but onely in him whome thou only hast sent and sealed Reforme thy Church with perfecte doctrine and faithfull teachers that we seeing our owne weakenesse may put off our selues and put on him without whom we can do nothing So shall we stand strong when nothing standeth in vs but thy sonne alone in whome thou art onely pleased Renew in this thy Church againe the decaied faith of thy sonne Iesus which may plentifully bring foorth in vs not leaues onely but frutes of Christian life And forgeue our wretched Idolatry and blinde phantasies past wherwith we haue prouoked manifold waies thy deserued indignation against vs For our hearts haue bene full of Idoles our temples full of Images our wayes full of hypocrisie thy Sacraments prophaned and thy religion turned to superstition because the lanterne of thy worde went not before vs therfore we haue stumbled Miserably we haue walked hetherto like sonnes not of Sara but of Agar and therefore these Turkish Agarens haue risen vp against vs. Many hard and straight wayes we haue passed but the wayes of the Lorde we haue not founde Much cost we haue bestowed on bread that swageth no hunger but that bread which onely feedeth and commeth freely we haue not tasted We haue sailed farre and nere in barkes of our owne building but haue not kept within the Arke onely of thy promise and therefore these floudes haue taken vs. We haue prayed much but not in thine appoynted temple and therefore haue not bene heard Wee haue plowed and tilled but without thy haiffer and therfore this vntidie ground of ours bringeth foorth so many weedes We do fish apace and that all night but because we fish not on the right side of the boate in our fishing we catche neuer a sinne Our buildings be full of good intentions great devotiōs but because the groud worke is not surely laid vpō the rocke of thy promise the East winde riseth and shaketh them all to shiuers We walke and haue walked long after the precepts and doctrines of men hauing a shew of wisedome but not as holding the heade where lieth all our strength and therefore these Philistian Turkes haue hetherto so preuailed against vs. Briefly all the partes and bones of the body be shaken out of place Wherefore we beseeche thee O Lorde put to thy holy hand and set them in the right ioynt againe And finally reduce this same thy mysticall body againe to his perfect and naturall head whych is thine onely sonne Iesus Christ and none other For him onely hast thou annoynted and appoynted Neither is there any other head that can minister strength and nutriment to this body but he alone for asmuch as all other heades be sinnefull and are not able to stande in thy sight but make thys body rather worse then better Onely this thy welbeloued and perfecte sonne is he in whome onely dwelleth all our strength and fulnesse him onely we confesse and knowledge For whome and with whome wee beseeche thee O Lorde God of hostes graunt to thy Church strength and victory against the malicious fury of these Turkes Saraeens Tartarians againste Gog and Magog and all the malignaunt rabble of Antichrist enemies to thy sonne Iesus our Lord and Sauior Preuent their deuises ouerthrow their power and dissolue their kingdome that the kingdome of thy sonne so long oppressed may recouer and flourish ouer all and that they which wretchedly be fallen from thee may happely be reduced againe into the folde of thy saluation throughe Iesus Christe our only mediatour and most mercifull aduocate Amen IN this long digression wherin sufficiently hath bene described the grieuous and tedious persecution of the Saracens Turkes against the Christians thou hast to vnderstand good reader and beholde the image of a terrible Antichrist euidently appearing both by his own doings also by the scriptures prophecied declared to vs before Now in comparing the Turke with the pope if a question be asked whether of them is the truer or greater Antichrist it were easy to see and iudge that the Turke is the more open and manifest enemye agaynst Christe and hys Church But if it be asked whether of them two hath bene the more bloudy and pernitious aduersary to Christe and his members or whether of them hath consumed and spilt more Christian bloud he with sword or this with fire and sword together neither is it a light matter to discerne neither is it my part here to discusse which do onely write the history and the Actes of them both wherfore after the story of the Turkes thus finished nowe to teenter agayne there whereas we left in describing the domesticall troubles and persecutions here at home vnder the Byshop of Rome after the burning of Babram in Northfolke aboue declared pag 737. I signified also of an other certaine aged man mētioned in an old written Chronicle borowed of one in that tower instituted Polychron although I finde not his name in the saide Chronicle expressed which suffered the paines of burning in Smithfield about the same time which was the yere of our Lord. 1500. Ex Polycron This aged father I suppose be hee of whome I finde mention made in certaine olde papers and recordes of W. Larye Citizen all be it the day of the moneth doth a little differ wherin is thus testified that on the 20. day of Iuly An. 100. vpon the day of S. Margaret there was an olde man burned in smithfield for an hereticke the same person vpon the 10. day before he was burned wold haue stolen out of the Lolardes tower and so falling out of the tower did fowly hurt him selfe wherupon he was caried in a car◠to his death as he went to his burning In the foresaid papers of auncient recorde is furthermore declared how in the yere aboue prefixed which was An. 1499. In the time of one Perseuell many were taken for heretickes in Kent and at Paules crosse they bare faggottes and
authorised TransubstaÌ„tiation Mariage in the 3. degree forbidden The pope setteth kings and Emperours together by the eares Philip the Emperour deposed Otho the Emperour deposed The councel of Lateran Martyrs of Alsatia to the number of all 100. burned in one day Ex Herm. Mutio. Collectes sent from the brethreÌ„ of Millane to them of Alsatia Obseruant Friers begaÌ„ Dominick Friers vpholders of the popes Church The Minorite Friers discended from Sainct Fraunces Diuers sectes of Franciscans The table of all religious orders A propheâ— for the deeâ— of the Remish church â—ildegardis â—â—ophecying â—rier and â—onkes Crossebearer Fryerâ— Albingenses A letter of the Bishop Portinensis concerning the Albingenses The blind ignorance of fryers described The fruites of Antichrist Antichrist his broode Patience proueth M. Fryer The Fryer must answere according to Gods worde Friers may better breake Gods law then mans lawe There is but one religion The Frier more bound to his habite then the man to his wife If the habite make the Fryer religious as his habit weareth so doth his religion Holines of all hipocrites consisteth in clothing and outward appearaÌ„ce All Fryâ— found 〈◊〉 Fryers be dead men and 〈◊〉 beggaâ— Graâ—es 〈◊〉 for de◠〈◊〉 and noâ— courtly 〈◊〉 Friers 〈◊〉 the kingâ— liege 〈◊〉 Friers 〈◊〉 no mâ—s pâ—ers Friers graâ—ter and beter thé 〈◊〉 O vnchâ—â— table Friâ—â— Friers stealers of meâ— children Shrift anâ— burials 〈◊〉 more gaâ—full then 〈◊〉 ministring of the sacrâ—ments Poore 〈◊〉 haue no soules says my felloâ— Fryer These be they that will not â—â—ter themselues noâ— suffer otheâ— men that would The Frier getteth by In prineâ—â— yet hateth the Gospeâ— Iudas for â— pence but the priest â— Frier for 4. pence selleth Christ. A compariâ—on betwene â—uâ—as the â—rier The Frier writeth beâ—ause God â—orgetteth â— is better â— labour â—eue then â— loiter and â—g M. Frier â—lers begge â—om al men 〈◊〉 make the â—ope rich 〈◊〉 it be imâ—erfectioÌ„ to â—e rich why â—o the friers â—esire to â—ake the â—ope vnperâ—â—ct Fraunces â—der be coÌ„â—ary to Christ his â—â—stament 〈◊〉 is Franâ—s accursed He that is more holy in hand thâ— in heart is false to God A subiect to exempt him selfe from the lawes of his prince smelleth oâ— treason Friers are forced to be theeues Workes of supererogation God is the limiter of nâ—eede and reward and not the Frier Friers will not pray but for them that be of their fraternitie Friers doe make Apostataes The number of Friers are superfluous as necessary as ten fingers on one hande See so fast the Frier followeth Christ in his pouertie Friers are the letters of preaching the Gospell What holynes is in a friers coat The stouter begger the nobler Fryer Why fryers so much desire to haue rich men buryed in their frieries Friers behestes are false deceits Friers desire to be Lordes and Ladies confessors Fryers and Pharises say one and doe another Dilemma Which is the best order of Friers Friers neuer agree one with an other The Fryeâ— thinkes 〈◊〉 rule peâ—â—ter the â—â—stes beeâ—â— be leaâ—â— the one 〈◊〉 follow 〈◊〉 the other Dilemma Fryers 〈◊〉 sit in 〈◊〉 aboue the Apostles Otho the Emperoâ— set vp 〈◊〉 deposed againe by 〈◊〉 Pope A complaint of the nobles of England against the couetousnes of Rome Example reaching neuer to take part against their king with foreigne power Cardinall Otho Legat The pope requireth two prebeÌ„dships in euery cathedrall Church Note the cause why the pope is compelled to craue money of other countries A councell at London called Great rewardes giuen to the Cardinall Contention for sitting on the right hand of the Cardinall Why Saint Paul standeth on the right hand of the popes crosse Why the archb of Cant. hath the right hand and the archb of Yorke the left hande Note the theam of the Cardinall applyed to God howe he applyeth it to him selfe Scripture clerkly applyed A letter of the Cardinal to bishops and archdeacons Censure of the Church well applyed Foure markes to be paide to the Pope of euery procuration Note the craftie practise of the Romish prelats to proyle for money * Note the stile of Rome * mmo malesicium naufragiuÌ„ pecuniae Fredericke the Emperour maried king Iohns daughter The fifth part of euery spirituall mans liuing giuen to the Pope Three hundred Romanes to be placed in the best benefices of England Petrus Râ—beus the Popes ageâ— A Romish sleight of 〈◊〉 pope to geâ— English mâ—ney Exceptioâ—â— alledged foâ— not contributing to the Pope Articles exhibited in the councel of Lugdunâ— for the greuances susteined by the pope The 1. greuance The seconâ— The third The fourth The fifth He meaneth â—ercase Oâ—ho or maiâ—er Martiâ—â—s The sixte The seuenth The Babiloâ—icall captiâ—â—tie slaâ—ery of Englande vnder the Pope The letter of K. HeÌ„ry the third to the Byshops K. Henry the â— commaundeth no taxe nor tallage to be sent to the pope The popes saying against kyng Henry K. Henry againe restraineth the popes taxes The pope taketh against the king The kyng compelled for feare to gyue ouer to the pope The pope asketh the 3 part of the church goods A story of Cardinall Otho at Oxford A skirmish betwene the scholers of Oxford and the Cardinals men The Cardinall runneth away Thirtie scholers taken and had to prison Three score thousand Florens contributed to the pope in one yeare of the clergic Ludouicke the French kyng Ludouicke fighteth against Albingenses Ludouicke besiegeth Tholouse The hand of God fighting for his people Ex Mat. Pariensian vita Henrici 3. The generall of the army slaine The siege against Albingenses broke vp The expugnation of a certaine strong castle of Damiâ—ta in Egypt by the Christians Damieta taken by the christiaÌ„s The story of S. Elizabeth Elizabeth daughter of the kyng of Hungary S. Elizabeth prouoketh her husband to goe and fight for the holy lande The mother of S. Elizabeth accused of adulterye The sentence of a double meaning The 〈…〉 of a 〈◊〉 sentence Elizabeâ—â— Canâ—â—â— Saint 〈◊〉 mayne Ann. 1221. Ex 〈◊〉 pensâ—â— dius 〈◊〉 The grayâ—â—ers â—â—tred into England The 〈◊〉 Gray 〈◊〉 first câ—â—med Ioannes oâ— Egideo Alexanâ—â— de Haâ—â— Charterhouse 〈◊〉 founded by WilliaÌ„ 〈◊〉 Ela soâ—dre 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Laâ—â—â—â— Two 〈◊〉 ned at 〈◊〉 cell in Oxford Ex Nic. â—â—uet Dissentâ—â— betweene the Citizâ— of London of Wesminster Wholsome counsayle of the Maior of London refused of wilde heads Constantine executed at London for ryot Hubert lord chiefe iustice of England Ex Math. Parisiensi Discord and contention amoÌ„g church men Ex Math. Paris ex Florilego Whether the monastery of Westminster be exemted from the subiection of the bish of London or not Anno. 1222. horrible teÌ„pest in Englande A woman with 8. of her householde slaine with thunder Grantham church burned with lightning Anno. 1223. Lewes king of Fraunce The French king false of his promise Anno. 1224. Wardship first graunted to the kyng Ex Gisburnensi aelijs Magna