by their profound wisedom that there was no meanes to be had for the reestablishment of their first Domination because the nations of the North most strong and warlike had made proofe that the corporall strength of Italians was farre inferiour to theirs and that it was impossible to bring them euer so low againe by armes or force to yéelde them that obedience they had done in former time yet the Italians lay other ambushes for them and begin to deceiue these people to bring them vnder againe by a victorie altogether spiritual voluntarie and nothing at all carnall tastiug nothing but a spirituall gouernment and such a one as might guide men to life euerlasting and to lay the foundation stones of this Domination they must vphold that there is none other meane to be brought for the confirmation of the christian Church but by establishing of a soueraigne Heade and vniuersall Bishop in like manner forsooth as it is in the Monarchies and Empires of the world Perswading themselues that if they had carried awaie this pointe once they might verie well preuaile in the rest séeing that Rome had béene the seate of the rulers and Emperours of the earth they might rather then any other nation com by this prerogatiue to dispose of christian people vnder the cloake and authoritie of their vniuersall Bishop at their owne will and pleasure so that they might without euer striking stroke or shedding bloud be kinges and make money come apace from al prouinces which should protest to hold y e christian part And for a fairer shew and more credit of the matter it were verie méete to publish by word of mouth by reporte and writings that Rome had béene the seat of S. Peter and that he suffered martiredome there so that thereby he had planted in that citie a more excellent dignitie and prerogatiue then in anie other citie of the world Cap. 12. How in creating an vniuersall Bishop at Rome the Italians entred into possession of a farre more excellent Domination then that which they had lost before THese two pointes being once granted them the Italians might verie well dispose at their pleasure of all christiandome putting on but the cloake and authoritie of their vniuersall Bishops This was an easie way for them to hold for the recouerie of a more excellent Domination being now spirituall and heauenly then the first which they had lost and by this prerogatiue might they make the purest and most precions golde and siluer of all christianitie to flie to Rome It was most easie of all to make this currant among other Bishops perswading them that all this did but encrease their dignitie and profit and inuest them with a power to make heade against the kinges of the earth to cast of their yoake and neglect all their magistrates By reason whereof this inuention was found good and passed quickly without any contradiction but there was onely a little strife betwéene the Bishop of Rome and him of Constantinople for the superioritie of them two But yet on the Italians side there was no meane to make them forgoe this dignitie they would in no wise lay it downe because they foresaw that therby they could make what doctrin they listed currāt throughout all churches and their constitutions to be receyued euerie where as the decrées of their soueraigne and heauenly Court they could make them selues redoubted and feared of the kinges and princes of the earth as though they were the onely Porters of heauen gates and that no man coulde come in there but by their leaue meane and fauour To make the rest of the Clargie receiue this inuention there was no more adoe but to performe it with a smell of the augmentation of their dignitie and profit and they straight waies embraced it with all ioy and gladnesse for whilest that men are liuing here in this earth verie few are found but will suffer themselues to bee infected with such plagues which as Galen saith are Auarice and Ambition which bring vnto the soule that which the falling sicknesse doth bring to the bodie And if there be anie found anie found amongst the rest which haue the glorie of God and the saluation of men in greater regarde it is in so small number that the greater part shall soone ouercome the better and bring them quicklie to a contrarie bow Cap. 13. How the people follow none other religion but that which their Pastors teach them and how the Romanes giue vs one according to their owne nature TOuching the people by whom I comprehend Nobles Citizens and Pesants in matter of religion they will embrace that which their Pastors shall preach vnto them or that wherein they haue béene brought vp without making any further choice So that if a man be of the Empire of Tartarians he will frame himselfe to the forme of diuine seruice that is there established in like manner will hée doe that is borne among Turks Iewes Lutherians and Catholiks the worst is when he is grounded in one he wil take no knowledge nor make none examination of anie other but will haue them all in detestation and shall be as glorious in his owne as if he had found some pretious treasure of inestimable valour especially when he hath his eyes dimmed by sensible terrestriall and humaine religion The Italian is not here to séeke how to deale with him he can handle the matter so well that he will fetch some substance from him without any warre or violence and at his owne pleasure and to effect the same he hath no more to doe but to winne to his side the Doctours and Priestes which instruct the people who may teach them a religion which is altogether agréeable to their owne nature But here is the point of controuersie which hath and shall be euer betwoone God and men that God wil be honoured with a seruice agréeable to him selfe and of the qualitie of his owne nature to wit spirituall diuine and heauenly and wee humaine creatures cleane contrarie will serue him with a seruice that is nearest and best agréeing to our owne nature for it is his will that when we adore and inuocate his holy name we should lift vp our spirits aboue the heauens and we desire to finde him here below on earth in our Temples vnder some visible forme which we may sée and touch because that our earthly nature taketh farre greater delight in that which it séeth with the bodily eyes then to transport it selfe in spirit aboue the azured heauens so farre distant from vs. In like manner those which will make their prayers to the saintes of Paradice take great pleasure to haue their images here below on earth sauing a long iourney to goe into the kingdom of heauen to séeke them God will haue his diuine seruice procéeding from his diuinitie and such a one whereof he himselfe is the authour and we take more delight in that which is humaine and procéedeth from our owne braine
in y e sacraments to content our selus simply with the ordinance that he hath giuen vs in instituting them and neuer to go further for the matter Cap. 54. That this light reproueth those who detaine men in worshipping images and the workes of their owne handes to seeke God by them THis same Preacher also reproueth the spirit of me of a most brutish errour when men being drawne by him to the knowledge of the most high God by an eleuation of their spirits towards the highest heauens they turne their backe to him séeking him here in earth in buildings made by the handy worke of men forgetting the lesson of S. Steuen the first Martyr which was that God did not inhabite in Temples made with the handes of men Which the Sunne can likewise proue vnto vs by an argument á Minore ad Maius Thus if it be so that all the forces of men are not able to build an house big inough to enclose and containe me how is it then that they are so foolish and presumptuous to thinke to lodge him that is infinite and hath his dwelling in the inaccessible light of the which I am but a sparke how dare they thinke that he may be contained nor comprised in houses made by men and that the temples built by them and that their tapers and candles are more agréeable to him then we his great lightes who without waxing old or consuming do distribute continually to the world so great and admirable a light For as for their temples they are but earth and grant that they be vawted with stone couered with bricke leade or state yea were it with gold and siluer all that is taken out of the bowels of the earth So that all your buildings stand you in no more stéed then earthes and holes do to the Foxes that is to preserue you from the iniuries of the vehement heate raine and cold but you are not in any wise by their meanes the néerer to God nay rather when you are in his temple of the world they let you that you cannot behold his wondrous workes putting as it were a barre betwéene heauen and you And as for the images that ye place within them in contempt of vs by your most detestable ingratitude séeing that God doth preserue you by me and the rest of the celestiall lightes and doth bestow on you all kinde of blessings is it not then a great ouersight in you that in forsaking vs who are the workemanship of the Creator ye will preferre before vs images made by the deuise of men albeit they approach in nothing neither in matter greatnes qualitie nor effects to those that are the handie worke of God For first they are made of an earthly and dead substance which commeth nothing néere our greatnes without any mouing or operation and without the heate and light which we haue Moreouer they are but lying Doctors as Ieremy the Prophet saith For they haue no power life wisedome light nor bountie neither can they sée any thing is it not then falsly done to go about to represent by them Almightie who is the welspring of life light and him who is all goodnes it selfe afterward to translate vnto them the honour that appertaineth vnto him Further one is pictured that he is thrust into the side and blood issuing out which was neuer so another sheweth a laughing countenance and neuer laugheth Other are pictured with eyes and they sée not some with eares and they heare not and others with a mouth and yet they speake not at all Whereby appeareth that there is no veritie in their witnesse and that all that they can do is but to transport the mony aut of our purses into the Italians handes or to some other of their supposes emploied in their seruices onely Nor we for our parts being the true celestiall images do not represent any lye to your eyes and the testimonie that we yéeld to the Almightie is most true wée haue not required any oblations of your gold or siluer nor any other seruice or adoration as the Italians haue done by their dead images and nothing els do we request at your hands but that you will yéeld to the Almightie the glorie and honour of all things as apperteineth to him not giuing away any part thereof to any creature that euer was or is at this present vnder the firmament Sée here briefly what is the instruction and lesson of him who marcheth as King among other Plannets Cap. 55. How that Italians are prooued to haue abused the world in making men go to Ierusalem by the forme of the firmament COme we now to this great gilden and azured Heauen whose spéech is all one as before publishing from one Pole to the other and ouer all the world that what account soeuer men make of their earthly Temples they come nothing néere it in beautie greatnes long continuance and lust For the greatest tempell that euer was built was but of halfe aleague in lenght and the Astronomers afferme that their is fiftie nine Millions of leagues from the earth vnto they starry Heauen and from they other side as much wherby it should follow that my roundnes should containe verie néere thrée hundred fiftie and fowre Millions of leagues and yet for all that cannot containe the infinite essence of God How then doe men suffer themselues to bee abused worse then brute beasts by the Romans and their Italian Councell who make them beléeue that they can shut him into there pipes in their Temples to behold him therein and to carrie him vnder their Canapes to th ende to rob you by this meane of your mony and altogether to begiule you They same heauen being round and equally distant in all partes from they earth doth manifest vnto men that their is no one place more nere to him or his heauenly glorie then another In this he conuinceth of a shamefastlie and falsehod the Roman Counsell and those that mainetaine it who to approch to God caused in times paste great toupes of men to trot so farre as Ierusalem and Rome to goe the soner into God almighties Paradice although indéede this was but a maske and shift found out and practised by the Italians to aduance and increase their Domination and so to fish mony out of Iudea Syria notwithstanding by this consinage they haue caused to perish in these voyages that they made them to vndertake both Christian Kings and Princes and more then two millions of men speaking not of their great trauels perils maladies and other sorrowes besides that they haue made them endure whose chaunce it was to returne from so long a vyage These are then they goodly and they Celestiall lessons which are giuen vs from aboue as most excellent preseruatiues against the craft and cautelous dealing of the Italians by the which if we be not al together out of our wites we shal be by them set at all libertie and winde our neckes out
haue not onely for that it is leuied with such wonderfull celeritie and vnusuall spéed For when they purchase any collection of mony or any other Bull of an Abby or a Bishoppricke they spare no Horse flesh to gather vp the summes taxed hauing gotten them vp once they must go in post and chaunge Horse so often that it séemeth the Flie with a Swallowes wings no height of mountaines no rough narrow stéepe stony hellow crooked nor raggie waies no depth of snowes nor hardnes of yse or frostes no riuers that can staie or stop the passage of this mony it must to Rome it must flie it must not créepe on the face of the earth and sure it is of a wonderfull swiftnes in comparison of the heauines delaie and long time that the monies of Kings Princes and other great Estates are in getting into their coffers whē oftētimes before they can get it in they must force the good wil of their subiects be driuen to chuse out men that shall sit vpon their Subsidies other Imposts others to collect the same they which will not take such charges vpon them but by great constraint and being vrged by necessitie and then the poore people paie such summes sore against their will putting it of as long as they may Then must there be straining of moueables and much heauing shouing to haue them againe hatred despleasure anger ill will much adoo and great delaie on euery side so that it will aske commonly thrée or foure moneths at the least to collect and deliuer in these Deniers to the receipts although it might easily be carried thither in thrée or foure houres and in verie déede may be saide to march but with wodden legges in respect of the swift course and great celeritie of that which is transported to Rome This may verie well shew that the qualitie and nature thereof is farre more excellent and pretious then of that coine which the Kings and Princes of the earth possesse Yet some may peraduenture reply that that which commeth by the sale of offices approcheth verie néere the nature thereof I will confesse so but I will also answere that such trafficke is but an Italian tricke and inuention for that by all lawes and ordinances both of God and man all such sales are forbidden as most pernicious and greatly damageable to the common wealth and matters most vnworthie vnbeséeming all good Christians that haue the feare of God before their eyes Cap. 25. A description made by learned men which hath alwaies feared the Councell of Rome and the causes why I Thinke I haue said inough of the Domination and filching of mony wherewith the Italians haue a great while preuailed to fill their pockets to master the world Now must I speake of the meanes wherwith they serue their turn to maintaine thēselus in their estate to make it good against al other And albeit in inuention and deuising the yare so cunning and can passe and make séeme good to euerie one that which they haue inuented and deuised yet are they farre more expert in kéeping their estate and can remoue and preuent all lets that may endamage them to hold their owne Foreséeing then that they had intangled the people of Europe within their Domination vnder the pretence and cloake of religion there was no more likelihood that the people might euer pull their neckes out of their yoake being farre grosser and harder to receiue anie chaunge then the people of Affrike séeing also that all that they feared was lest that some addicting themselues to the contemplation of Gods workes to the studie of Philosophie and to the reading and perusing of the holie scriptures in the language wherein they were written might view all the religions that are vsed vnder the scope of the heauens and séeke out the first causes principles and inuentors thereof and hauing curiously examined all might make these conclusions viz. that all religion is either diuine or humane that the diuine is procéeded from God the other from men that by the diuine there is nothing required at our hands but to offer our selues soules and bodies to God to do that which is his will which is to follow vertue and to flie vice to call vpon him and adore his holie name and for our sinnes I haue recourse vnto the mercie that he offereth vs in Iesus Christ the which he offereth vs fréely without our mony or riches onely enioyning vs charitably to helpe and loue one another On the other side casting their eyes vpon humane religion they shall sée that all religions that men haue whether they be Pastors of the church or who soeuer they be for their authours tend onely but to get rule to draw away the substance of those that embrace them and are fitter to tye men by the féete to this earth then to carrie them vp to heauen where the seate of God is Concluding likewise this that that religion is best by the which God is best serued then it must néedes follow that following his will declared by his word he is better serued then by the traditions of men wherefore we must not go beyond that as being the onely obiect of faith and as being the onely thing which agreeth with his Doctours and Preachers in all the partes of the world to wit the Firmament with his admirable greatnes and beautie almost incomprehensible the Planets placed betwéene it and vs the ayre and that which is engendred therein the earth the water and the creatures which liue and moue in the same altogither setting forth from the one ende of the world to the other the greatnes maiestie wisdom prouidence power and bountie of God the Creator and preseruer of the same On the other side seruing to conuince vs of weakenes of spirit of ignorance of blindnes and vncapablenes to comprehend his essence his profound wisedome and the meane wherby he hath created all these things how he conserueth them in their being and how he worketh euery daye in the diuersitie of so many things which we sée before our eyes to learue vs thereby that it is an intollerable auragancie and presumption in men to thinke to be his councellers to make lawes like lictle Kings in his Church which he calleth the Kingdome of heanen and his Spowse to there great shame which name themselues seruants in the same by whome agreat ouersight and rashnes not to be borne with all goe about to establish in it certaine humaine Constitutons as though they weere to commād and not to obay For séeing that it is his Spowse seruantes must not be so saucie as to make Lawes for her to bee at their checke Séeing then that hée is the soueraigne King and him before whome all things are present no man may enterprise such things without encroching vpon his kingdom reputing himselfe of greater wisedome then hee who is his creatour which are greuous offences deseruing very great punishments and cleane
of the other prophets who haue endured greuous persecutions and neuer moued any of ther dissiples to persecute againe or take any vengeance at all nor of all the sectes of philosophers as of Socrates Plato Pythagoras Aristotle and others who alwayes laboured all the could to wine men to peace quietnes goodnes gentilnes and mildnes whereas this fellow will imprinte in there hartes all rage crueltie outrage and madnes whereby appeareth that he is a very limme and instrument of this olde and subtile Dragon who made Cayne conceaue in his harte the murther of his owne brother Abell the same which moued the preists of Ierusalem vnnaturally to sawe in twayne in the middest this heauenly and diuine Prophet Esaye and to persecute the processe and condemnation of Ieremie He sheweth himselfe seton by a more blooddy spirit then euer were Marius and Silla who shed so much of there owne Citizens boodes but rather more like to Phalaris Catiline Nero Commodus and other such cruell and saluage beastes al together voyde of all humanitie towardes there owne countrymen His shamelesse impudencie and his so insatiable thirst after blood is so apparant that it is not to be hid for he representeth himselfe as a Standerbarer of Christs catholike church who ought to here his voyce and doe after his commandements who pronounceth in the fifth of S. Mathewes Gospell that The mercifull pittifull and peace makers are blessed and that we must forgiue if we wil be forgiuen And the Apostle S. Paule writing to the Romans teacheth vs To haue peace withall men without taking any vengeance which belong onely to God And that if our enimie hunger we shonld giue him to eate and if he thirst we should giue him drinke surmounting his malice by our mildnes and mercy And last of all S. Iohn in his first Catholike Epistle saith That he which hateth his brother is in Darkenes and cannot tell whether hee goeth because the Darknes hath put out his eyes Cap. 35. How this false Catholike Englishman voide of all humanitie transformeth himselfe into all crueltie and rage SOme were then to examine this bloodie booke wherewith he would infect all Christendome with the rage and rancor that possesseth his furious stomack wherby he goeth about to set the people of France togither by the eares to destroy one another like fierce Dragons and cruell Tygers it argueth his cowardly most dastard effeminate spirit for these are things that are neuer in a man that hath any magnanimitie or greatnes of courage in him Wherein he sheweth that he is the verie disciple and trumpet of the maligne spirit the diuell that in shape of a filthie and stinking hée-Goat vseth the like spéeches vnto sorcerers witches who hauing forsaken Iesus Christ go vnto his sabboths to do him homage where he giueth them none other lessons but to put in practise vengeance murthers and cruelties whose footesteps he followeth right pretending to ouerthrow in man all the cléere light of reason and vnderstanding vtterly to extinguish that which maketh him foresée in his actions whether they tende to his honour profit and securitie or no before he vndertake them to abse and make him stoupe to blinde beastlie and furious passions so to make men flie one at another like mad dogs cruel beasts when we sée any aduantage of the side that we take for his drift is to make the Catholikes roote out the Hugonots as a people not to be tollerated in religion yet there is no people vnder heauen that agreeth so well with them as they be the Iewes Turkes or Tartarians against whom thou shouldest rather scum of the froth of thy furie and heate to combat and employ the floud and force of thine eloquence then conspiring the total ruine of Christians against those who receiue and allow of all the bookes of the Bible the foure first Councels with whom hauing none other quarrell but for humane Constitutions thou oughtest rather to take part And furthermore I say that the truest and best Catholikes and Protestantes are for the most part the surest and best friends that any Citie or common wealth hath there is but the Cockle which groweth among this good wheate and other dogs and hogs who smelling out any commodious profite by the Italians and their supposes much like himselfe who for rewarde of his forged crimes and lies smelleth out some Crosiers staffe miter or Abby vnder a false maske and shew of religion passing not to be recognished for the true sonne of the father of lies and auncient slaunderer the diuell when maliciously and vntruly he bringeth the mightie Princesse Elizabeth for an example of wonderfull crueltie against Catholikes to make our French Nation conceiue a great hatred and feare of our King wherein I thinke that his father the diuel would haue béen ashamed himselfe to haue published such impudent lies for as much as this gracious Princesse the Quéene of England and our King of France whom he representeth as her imitator haue neuer béen accused of any blame and reproach but to haue béen too mercifull and pittifull towards such pestiferous mates and seditious spirits as is hée himselfe whom I should haue made knowne for the most pernicious and damnable enemy of all Christendome that euer was on any side whatsoeuer as him that hath fastened the authour of his hope vpon a particular and temporall commoditie caring nothing at all to be cause of the subuersion of the common weale and to depriue himselfe of life euerlasting But because I am preuented by others that haue answered the booke I will not enter further to confute any particularitie thereof I thinke now by a most manifest and briefe description I haue set before the face of the Readers as wel the meanes as instruments by the which the Italians know how brauely to conserue and maintaine their Domination to the great shame and dishonour of those that are subiected thereunto as slaues wherfore it is now conuenient to manifest and propound the remedies by the which all noble and gentle spirites louers of their owne libertie may easily deliuer themselues from their slauery and thraldome Cap. 36. The first remedy by ouerthrowing the foundation stone vpon the which the Romane Domination is builded AS it were a smal matter for a Phisition to be able brauely to discourse of the causes beginnings augmentation and nature of any disease if he should not giue remedies to cure the same so it shal be requisite to set downe the meane whereby men might as well in times past as also hereafter throw away this Italian yoke kéep their mony in their purses without enriching strangers with it for this matter I will begin at the foundation stone vpon the which they haue built augmented and eleuated there so great and loftie Dominatious that it hath no boundes here on the face of the earth as haue the kingdomes and empires of Emperours and Kings but being eleuated if we will belieue them
as high as heauen gates shutteth openeth them euen as they do the doores of the Consistorie at Rome In some this foundation stone is that Saint Peter had his Apostles seate at Rome and there was martired whereof followeth that the Romane Bishop is his successour and hath vniuersall charge ouer the whole world For the first I deny séeing that neither the Acts of the Apostles nor any other of the Epistles of S. Paul hath made mention therof that he himselfe witnesseth that he was the Apostle of the Iewes called to those that were of the circumcision For the second y t he was martired there I cōfesse for that those of Rome and their Emperours to make a triumph of Iesus Christ and of his doctrine to quench their insatiable crueltie against Christians had caused S. Peter to be transported to Rome from another place where he was detained first prisoner to put him to death ignonimiously and make him a publike spectacle to the world But for hauing by this crueltie and iniustice depriued the world of so famous excellent seruant of God that they should be reputed his successours there is no reason at all nay contrarie I will stand to it they ought therfore altogither to be disinherited for was there euer any man so impudent that for hauing murthered another would dare to challendge his succession And if he had béen borne at Rome and appointed Apostle to the same place which he was not neither they haue made themselues vnworthie of all successorie right and title For this were a prettie matter that for vsing all crueltie and committing bloodie murthers against the seruants of God men should get domination and principalitie as well in earth as in heauen it were farre wide to say so and the greatest absurditie in the world that men might imagine Nay contrarie Christ menaceth great punishment for the like matter when he cried out Ierusalem Ierusalem thou which killest the Prophets thereby denouncing her ruine and ouerthrow by the fire of Gods vengeance foretelling her destructiō to come and the miserable estate wherein she is at this present houre If then this were sufficient to depriue Rome of her succession yet furthermore were she worthie to be depriued for her rebellion against the Gospell and the doctrine of S. Peter wherein she hath perseuered since the death passion of Christ hauing brought foorth the most detestable monsters for Emperours as Tyberius Nero Calligula Commodus and Heliogabalus which haue euer béen remarked to liue vnder the vaute of the heauens who as cruell beasts estranged and degenerat from all Christian blood by reason of y e enormitie of their liues could not suffer any such cleare light to shine there néere them being also set on by their sacrificing Priests Pagans and Idolaters who only taught publikely at Rome soone to extinguish the same But if there were any good Bishops there they laie close and did not openly discouer themselues and were no part of the bodie of this people being indéed sent thither from diuers other partes personages of great learning and eloquence rather to make residence there then in any other part for that this citie was stil replenished with learned men cunning Philosophers and Pagan Oratours against whome it had not béen for Pastors meanely learned to haue disputed without ouerthrow and conuiction Yet all this hath nothing eleuated the Italians aboue any other people of Christentie for hauing Domination ouer them but rather it bringeth lower and abaseth them as a testimonie of their great resistance and rebellion to the truth and the teachers thereof Cap. 37. Constantine the Great King of England apposed himself against the tyrannous persecutours of Christians that Italy brought forth BVt if ye come to aske me what Nation hath more right to haue the Sea of an vniuersall Bishop erected in it then Italy I answere that as Italy hath made it selfe vnworthie by bringing forth the murtherers of S. Peter and of other tyrannous and persecuting Emperors hauing a long time made resistance to the Gospell so those haue best deserued it who being pushed forward with an holie zeale of Gods glorie and of the saluation of men hauing abandoned their liues kingdomes and treasures to make passage for the Gospel throughout the whole worlde in destroying the doctrines of Pagans and all idolatry which had raigned before more then two thousand yéeres all ouer the world except only among the Iewes Now what nation hath that béen of so hautie and magnanimous courage which hath done God so signall a péece of seruice Surely it was England which hauing brought forth that great and thrise sacred Constantine who of a Pagan that hée was making profession of the Christian faith and receiuing Baptisme straight began to warre vpon Maxentius the Romane Emperour a most cruell murtherer and a great persecutor of Christians whome he vanquished and planted the true Gospell and kingdome of Christ not onely in the I le his natiue countrie that bred him but also at Rome the receptacle of all Idolatrie and from thence made passage for it vnto Alexandria the capitall Citie of all Affrica to Constantinople and all that countrie bordering towards Asia enlarging the kingdome of the sonne of God farre and wide which séemed at that time to be banished out of this worlde by the continuall warres of the Romans destroying and ouerthrowing wheresoeuer he went that of Sathan shewing himselfe to be the Executour of that which Iesus Christ had foretold in the twelfth of S. Iohn saying Now is the iudgement of this world now shall the Prince of this world be cast out O that the wonder of thy holie and almost diuine enterprises do make thée go farre beyond all humane creatures for the light that thou madest to shine in the world surmounteth as much that of the holie Kings of the old Testament as doth the light of the Sunne the cléernes of the Moone And as for that which the Apostles and other faithfull Pastors which went before thée it was alwaies diuined and entermingled with the darknes of superstitious Idolaters which had full course among the Emperours and Kings of the earth but thou great Instrument of the Eternall thou hast chaced farre out of thy sight all the sacrifices seruices that men did dedicate vnto the diuil according to the witnes of S. Paul who saith that the Gentiles did sacrifice vnto him And more then this it is thou great Monarke that hast so firmely planted and established this light in the world that what assaults so euer haue béen made to extinguish it yet could it neuer altogither be put out and defaced If then one so great and diuine a benefite had procéeded from Rome as is from England who could imagine how great prerogatiues and honours almost diuine they would challenge from other people whereas neuertheles the Emperour sprung out of Italy haue euer béen the most signall persecuters of Iesus Christ and of his Martirs for all
haue them For that among them there are few or none who are accaustomed at such an instant readylie to contradict and resist But it goeth not so with Maiestrates the greatest number whereof being brought vp and exercized to plead in contradictorie iudgement will not suffer themselues so easily to be caried away but can tell how to withstand one another what studie soeuer any partye hath employed and come neuer so well prouided Wherefore it is a dangerous case to repose any confidence in the decisions of Ecclesiasticall Assemblies which in the olde Testament neuer wrought anie other effect but kindled the fire of persecutions first against the Prophets and afterwards against Christ himselfe his Apostles and infinite others of his martirs and so conclude such Assemblies haue neuer bine but a plancke for the Italians to passe to establish all there new Constitutions such as are not yet altogether receaued in all parts of Christendome thereby to sway ouer and gnaw to the bone all Christen people it followeth then hereby that to take away the occasion of this abuse we must haue recourse to Soueraigne Princes and to there Maiestrates when it comes to the question of establishment of the Christian Church for so God did himselfe as we finde in the olde Testament and not to rune to Pastors who being once out of the true way will alwayes goe worse and worse and euer come into it againe Cap. 50. That all Christians are agreed of the place of ioye and happines whether they must goe but disagree concerning the wayes that must leade them thither BVt because the Italian is so quick and pliable that there is no good order so well established but hee can alter and bring to confusion either by séede of diuisions or by corrupting persons by flattery giftes and remuneratorie promises as well Magestrates as other protectors of the people employing their vnto some Ecclesiastickes or others we must néedes séeke out and vse some surer and perpetuall Remedy against them And because as I haue proued that there Domination and great somes of mony they dreine out of other countries hath no foundation but the bare cloke of Religion by reason wherof to preuent lest they surprise vs we must be very carefull and diligent to choose out the truth for that the derill transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light and is an Ape to the workes of God to rob and deceaue vs. But not to bee deceaued we must at the first consider and examine curiously al that is proffered and presented to vs for the way of saluation of what side soeuer it bee to choose the best otherwise our choise shall alwayes be doubtfull hauing no knowledge of neither of the wayes which we might take For in matter of Relligion all haue one desire and shoot at one and the same marke which is to come the ioyes of heauen and in this they all agrée but they disagrée of the waies and the forme of seruices that they ought to follow And because they Counsell of Rome teacheth one kinde of waie and maketh manie take that roowte with a goodly forwardnes that they set them in thitherward and an externall forme of seruice which with great delight féedeth humane sences very much practizing all kind of murthers and cruelties on those that séeke to climbe to heauen any other waies There is also an other sort of men who by liuely reasons and great persuasions go about to fetch backe from them as many as they can to lead them thither by other paths but the Romanes to preuaile in this matter say that y t way whih they teach is the broad and wide way wherein the Fathers haue passed the which is also more common to a great number of people The others they say that this great way whereof they estéeme so much is that which leadeth to perdition and many there be that enter in And that the way of saluation is verie narrow and straight and few there be that go that way And if that they which follow the great and large way finde it to be the better they will not hinder them for going that way but yet requisite at their handes that they will suffer them peaceably to go by their straight and narrow way which they take to be the surer passage Cap. 51. That men being contrary in opinions cōcerning the way of their saluation they must receiue instruction of the Ecclesiasticall bodies NOw in this conflict if we looke onely but vnto men and to that which is on earth we shall find our selues much troubled and thinking to chuse the best way we shall take y e worst and neuer reach thither whither we minde to go And if in this iudgement we depend vpon Ecclesiastical Pastors one shal allow one way others shal teach another grounding thēselues diuersly on places of the scriptures and the Doctours of the Church In such diuersitie what should it then be néedful to do we must lift vp our eies cogitations thoughts vpon on high to other Maisters Preachers who teach vs not by the eares as mortall men do but by the eyes of a visible certaine immutable language and aske neither gold nor siluer nor domination ouer vs for their paines but fréely offer vs their instruction with great bountifulnes and blessings towards vs if we take it thankfully and we neuer néede to make any long and tedious pilgrimages to finde them out But it sufficeth to but go forth of our habytacles builded by the workemanship of men to enter into the great Pallace and Temple of the liuing God made with his owne hand in the midst whereof he hath placed vs to know and admire the wonderfull excellencie of his workes and to yéeld him the glorie and honour that he deserueth In doing this to make our selues worthie beholders of the same when we shall comprehend with all admiration the omnipotencie wisedome and bountie of their framer who shineth in the same most gloriously and although that vppon the earth and in the waters of the sea his sagesse vertue power and bountie is most amply proued vnto vs yet would hée giue vs more ample testimonies in the concauitie and extendue of the heauens to draw vs néerer vnto him hauing set there two great lightes the one lower the other higher to the ende that by them as by the Ladder of Iacob we should go to finde him out in his heauenly Tabernacle to do him homage and to yéeld him all the loyaltie wherein we are bound vnto him as holding our life al our goods besides of him putting our selues still vnder his protection And therefore to carry all reuerence and due obedience towardes his lawes and commandements hauing our recourse vnto him when we are oppressed or that we fall into any necessitie or sicknes giuing him thankes so oft as euer he bestoweth any benefits vpon vs in celebrating the praises that the greatnes of his workes deserue By the consideration whereof we
shall perceiue our owne infirmitie to learne thereby to humble our selues before his diuine Maiestie and still to haue in admiration the superexcellencie and depth of his wonderous workes Cap. 52. That the lights of heauen do draw vs to seeke God in heauen and do witnesse that their Creator is infinite and incomprehensible ALthough that the lightnings thunders cloudes raine snow and haile which are engendred in the middle region of the aire yéeld such ample testimonies of the power bountie and prouidence of God yet mounting a litle higher to the torches of heauen whereof the néerest vnto vs is the Moone kéeping continually the course that God hath assigned her to giue light in the night and to moysten all bodies and from her let vs mount higher by degrée and degrée to euerie Planet till we come to Saturne eleuated highest of all and from him to the starry firmament and we shall sée a number of those that are farre bigger for we cannot contemplate the firmament with his blazing torches infinite almost in number may wée cannot behold at one time the one halfe but we shall be rauished to admire the force and greatnes of the maker who hath framed a péece of worke so excellent aboue al other wondrous things Now we haue béen ledde so high with our bodely eyes which can go no higher we must haue recourse to the eyes of our vnderstanding the which being lightned and conducted by the brightnes and light of Gods word shal make vs mount yet higher into two other heauens to come where S. Paul by a traunce and rauishment of the diuine spirit saw Iesus Christ the sonne of Iustice and many other vnspeakable things in the glorie of God hauing full confidence and beliefe that in his essence being diuine infinite omnipotent glorious quickning all things according as Dauid witnesseth comprehendeth in him all things without being comprehended of any and that in his perfect light and glorie all Angels and blessed spirits are lightned and liue But because that his infinitie maiestie glorie and brighnes cannot be beholded of vs for that it would rauish all our sences and our sight is not able to endure so pure and bright a light whereof Eliseus Isaias being great Prophets hauing beheld but one onely beame haue béen throwne downe to the ground and not able to stand to behold it any longer But I must returne from this bottomlesse sea of glorious brightnes and come againe to the torches of heauen which hée hath set in his great Pallaice wherein he hath placed vs créeping vpon the earth to receiue instruction at their handes and for breuities sake I will go no further then the cleare and pure Sunne as the most perfect accomplished image of his Creator and maker which representeth best vnto men the wonderfull profoundnes of his great vertues Cap. 53. Of the Sunne the very portraiture of his Creator what are his workes and operations ANd first I say that euen as men cannot comprehend the quanty of his essence being a thousand times greater then it appeareth to our eyes as by demonstrations all Astronomers proue nor likewise the qualitie thereof nor the manner how it casteth his heat and light ouer the whole world So also can we conceiue neither by our vnderstanding nor exteriour secnes the greatnes or qualitie of the diuine essence nor how it hath produced it operations in the creation of the world in the conseruation of the same nor the manner how it worketh to create in the faithfull the new man which fighteth against the flesh Likewise as this great celestiall light is in perpetuall operation and mouing to runne his great race about the whole world alwaies doing good and bringing infinit commodities to other creatures so God is alwaies watching and in action for the benefit and preseruation of his creatures Moreouer as when a thicke cloude hath depriued our sight of his beames for a moneth togither or more and that this let being taken from vs we begin to sée his beames againe which bring a certaine ioy or gladnesse vnto vs and driue the cold far from vs so the faithfull neuer séeke to behold God in his works and vertues but that they receiue great pleasure and delectation And besides as when this diuine image retireth back from vs into Capricorne the Caldes comming from the North-parts and from the frozen sea comming to afflict all liuing creatures spoyling our mother the earth of all her trimme and good ornaments and making her naked and vgly to behold so when God angry at our sinnes taketh his holie spirit from vs the prince of this world of the aire the God of this age the ruler of darkenes which is the diuel commeth to assaile and enuiron vs to tempt vs and bid vs battell and to annoy vs many other waies But as this great celestiall light goeth not from vs to forsake vs but to distribute his light to the people which liue vnder the North Pole and that by his long absence wée know better the benefites that wée receiue by his presence so God sometime holdeth his face from vs to the end that desiring him we should séeke for him shewing vs his countenance againe we should taste better what a benefit it is to enioy alwaies his presence For as this blazing torch comming towardes being leaped backward to approach vnto Cancer beginneth to renue the face of the earth and to beautifie her with gréennesse and with an infinit number of hearbes and floures of diuers colours giuing life to many hundreth thousand millions of little Annimals to serue for foode to birdes and fishes to féede their young withall who by an harmonious melodie full of all ioy and gladnes celebrate the bountie of their soueraigne the Sun which they receiue by such instrumēts as it pleaseth him to vse to heate againe that part of y e earth from whence he had absented himselfe so farre wherein he magnifieth the omnipotencie bountie and wisedome of his maker which hath attributed to him so many vertues to the end that we should wonder at him in his so beautifull and perfect workemanship so also he pulleth downe our presumption for that we cannot shew any such like péeces of workemāship nay we cannot so much as conceiue by our vnderstāding how he giueth life to so many liuing things and how one onely floure is cloathed with such diuersitie of colours If it be so then the greatest and quickest vnderstandings are surmounted by the operations of one of the creatures of the Almightie how shall wée comprehend those of the diuinitie whereas it worketh in vs of it selfe as in Baptisme the water of regeneration or in the Lordes Supper in the eating of the bodie of Iesus Christ or in the vnitie of the thrée persons in one onely diuine essence Wherby appeareth that this celestiall bodie is to vs of it selfe a most excellent Preacher to make vs leaue of the vaine disputes of the maner hwo God worketh
of their Domination and by they same meanes will kéepe our mony in our purses to helpe vs at our néede and also to doe our freinds good and these that we shall sée stand in any great necessitie Cap. 56. The harmonie of they holy Scriptures of the Bible and of the heauenly creatures to humble man to geue glorie onely to God and to seeke him aboue in heauen BVt to the one that we may be armed on euery side God hath not onely prouided for vs these heauenly instruction but also to instruct vs more familiarly hee hath left vs his Apostles and Prophets to teach vs all after one manner and by the same lessons of they number of which if we will take the most heauenly to wit King Dauid in his Canticles I saie they Prophet S. Luke and S. Iohn in their Gospels S. Paul to the Romans and to they Galathians and S. Peter in his first Epistle we shall finde they swetest harmony and goodlyest Concordance that may be deuised to be found amongst all the Preachers of his worde that are in the world And sée this is the true touch stone wherby we must examine all they writings and doctrines of men that is to wit whether they agrée with they testimonies that God giueth of himselfe by his creatures which as they publish that all things are procéeded from a supreme and former cause that doth maintaine and preserue them so also must hee giue him the hommage of all his benefits and to haue recourse to him as to a bottomeles fountaine to lade out of him all blessings as well spirituall as temperall confessing his greatnes bountie and excellencie in respect of his great and admirable workes to humble vs and to tame this pride growing in vs by nature in exalting him as the giuer of all that which wee haue to depend wholy on his good pleasure and most holy will And to make proofe of this great concordance the royal Prophet Dauid speaketh vnto the eternall to this effect Call vpon me when thou art in trouble and I will helpe thee and thou shalt worship me Wherein we see a strict commaundement to call vpon God and to gine him thankes as an act properly due to the diuinitie and incommunicable to all the rest of his creatures as hee speaketh in another place To thee O God who art aboue in the heauens we lift our eies For to shew vs the forme of calling vpon him which is not to haue our spirites fixed heere in earth in the workes of mens hands but to eleuate them towardes the heauens as Christ himselfe vsed saying Our Father which art in heauen and so foorth And as for faith that it onelye ought to looke vp to God this Prophet verie well prooueth In God is my soule well pleased he onely is my safegard and the rocke of my defence he is my sauing health and my strong fortresse so that I shall not fall for hee holdeth me vp And if we regard well a great part of the Psalmes and amongest the rest the 104. and 118 to what do they tend but to magnifie the excellence beuty and greatnes of the workes of God And surely there is no thing so excellent for man to practise as to exercise himselfe in the contemplation of them to giue the praise and honour therof vnto his Creatour And all the rest of the Psalmes tend but to extoll the admirable vertues of the liuing God as his bountie power mercie iustice liberalitie and clemencie Moreouer there are certaine principall verses amongst the rest which by the riches of an immitable eloquence do praise set forth and aboue all things aduance his holy and diuine lawe shewing that the soueraigne felicitie of man consisteth in the mediation therof day and night forcing himselfe with all his heart thorowly to obserue the same But after that hee hath thus spoken of God of his workes and of his law what saith hee I pray you concerning men and of his owne person when he saith What is man hée is a thing of naught and all that he worshippeth is but vanitie in another place the same kingly Prophet saith All are gone out of the way they are all corrupt there is none that doth good no not one And speaking of his owne person although hee were the most holy king that euer raigned ouer Gods people he saith Be mercifull to me O God a pore sinner c. and that his mother hath conceiued him in sinne praying God to wash him and to purge him from all his iniquities as him onely that could doe it Now hauing thus much spoken of man and of his doings to abate and pul down his pride and presumption and not to leaue him there but to prepare him to séeke all that which he wanteth in the person of his redéemer imbracing him by a true and liuelie faith as being him that to satisfie the diuine iustice shuld carrie all our transgressions and sinnes vpon his owne backe as Dauid describeth in the 22. Psalme and the Prophet Esay in the 53. Chapter of his prophecie which they did set downe before the comming of Christ and after his death his Apostles wel I haue prooued by a most admirable consent and vnity He that wil then no more submit himselfe vnder the Italian yoke to be raunged vnder their Domination let him read quicklie the aforesaid bookes and consider and ponder them well in his mind weighing diligently euerie word and euerie sentence one after another and conferring aduisedly the beginning with the middle and the end Let him examine this doctrine with other instructions that God doth giue vs particularlie both in heauen and in earth not to approoue and make them serue to our fantasies and opinions but laying all them wholie aside to take their instructions and simplie to follow their lessens In this doing he shall learne that we are all Burgesses and felow-Citizens of the great Temple and sumptuous pallace of our God and that by the consideration of our vicious and poore nature he shall be taught to mount aboue the heauens to inuocate vpon God and to obtaine by this meane all things wherof he shall stand in need And from thence comming vnto his most holy and sacred word magnifiyng it as the onely instrument of our saluation and a perfect declaration of the counsell and will of God towards men and hauing the knowledge of these thinges no man shall be able to withdrawe vs from this way of warshipping GOD on high to séeke him in Temples buildings and other places of this earth but if we goe to those places that shall be onely to make profession of our faith to bée assistant at publicke praiers to heare the word of God to examine whether the Doctrine that is taught vs be conformable to these Doctors of whome I haue now spoken which when we shall finde we shall imbrace as diuine and of God and putting vs againe in mynd and confirming those things which the
because it most consisteth in visible things to be beholded with these our bodily eyes as are sumptuous and goodly Temples glistering with costly glasse windowes triumphantinges liuely pictures images exquisitely carued forth most precious clothes of Arras Chalices Crosses of the finest Ducket gold height of Piramides Copes of crimsin veluet others of cloth of gold and siluer which are thinges most pleasant to the eies to behold And to delight the hearing with songs of Mnsicke noyse of Organs and sound of Belles al these things are delectable in déed and haue some shew of humane wisdom for all that haue they not God for any Authour neither did Iesus Christ nor his Apostles euer institute or occupie the like rather they taught vs to despise the world and all that is therein to aspire vp to heauen instructing vs to renounce our selues and all the lustes of the flesh to do the holie and perfect will of God to take vp our Crosse and wade thorow many tribulations into the glorie of God And this cannot we abide we must haue a religion which wil helpe to augment our dignities and earthly riches that we may liue here in all voluptuousnes and securitie And because the Gospell taken in his puritie is quite contrarie to that there is nothing in the earth that this nation hateth more then to heare speake thereof farre preferring a worldly felicitie present which by no meanes they will forgo vpon hope of any eternall absent and hidden ioyes which are to come Cap. 14. A comparison of the diuine seruice inuented by the Italians with the counsell of some subtill Phisition HE that would thorowly examine the forme of Religion planted by the Italians by the authoritie of their soueraigne high Priest shall finde all these things afore truely obserued amongst them So that flying therby with wings swifter and stronger then the wings of any Engle they are able to beate downe to the ground those that are so sawcie as to withstand in any thing or gainsay in any wise the formes of their seruices which they haue introduced to fetch vnder their subiection the greatest Potentates of the earth and to draw thereby deniers and reuenues from them imitating herein some craftie Phisition who preferring a good bootie of siluer before the health of the sicke patient will learne what meate and drinke pleaseth best his appetite and hauing found that he loueth claret wine aboue all things and sugar to make it haue a daintie taste which he taketh imagine that he goe visit the patient who will straight begin to tell him how he can get no recouerie of his sicknes albeit he hath vsed much blood letting taken many pilles and other phisicke which hath brought him verie low and put him to much paine this same impudent Phisition that tell him that all that serued but to weaken him to take away his stomacke and by mouing a question to the sicke patient shall aske him if he loue not well good claret wine He answering with all his heart this Phisition shall reply that he will warrant him to recouer his health againe if hée leaue taking these hard medicines and those pilles so bitter in swallowing and to get some daintie wine of most delicious taste if he should send his man ten miles for some to haue alwaies at the least thrée or foure good bottles in his Celler in store And bid him besides least the vapours should sume too much to intoxicate his head to take Coriander comfits at the end of his repast assure him that this wil make him more lustie againe then all the phisicke in the world I let you iudge with what audacitie the sicke shall dare to imbrace this counsell But if it chaunce after he hath béen verie ill and his sicknes begin to grow away he come to recouer straight here vpon how will he honour this Phisition he shall neuer be able sufficiently to set foorth his praise But in the seruice of God it is otherwise we must eate the bread of affliction and sorrow drinke the water of bitternes which are verie bitter and loathsome drugs to swallow as things much offending our taste whereas in the seruice inuented by the Italians there is nothing but y t which is verie pleasant to our humane senses and which doth verie well agrée with our carnall nature and therefore do ignorant men imbrace with a most ardent desire all that they inuent which when they haue once receiued is hard to be rooted out of them because their eye sight is not quicke inough to discouer the marke whereat they shoote which is only to beare rule and to share and make boote of the money which they get from them Cap. 15. That they care not at Rome for any diuersitie of Religions so they tend only to maintaine their Domination THis is most manifest for if any man inuent any new form of religion neuer knowne before in the world apparelling himselfe after a straunge fashion neuer séene before vsing iestures altogither rediculous and foolish liuing after a most austere to cruell and brutish maner as do the Capuchians Fucillians and such like foolish orders of Friars all shall be approued and receiued by the Italians with great plaudities so that such religions will serue them for a wall and defence for their kingdome and gaine but if any one appeare or come neare them that dare speake against such abuses and touch them to the quicke a litle leaning vpon the pillar of that doctrine which hath béen giuen from the terrestriall Paradice they will shake a heauen and earth and remoue all a world to stop his mouth and kill him with great exclamations that he went about to sow new doctrines and begin some new sect of religion whereby we may cléerely sée that vnder this cloake of religion they do but aspire to be rulers and to finger mony from other peoples and nations and that all the warres and ciuill broyles which haue so long troubled Germany Swicerland all Flanders and France haue byn broched and begun by them for such matters albeit those who had the conduct thereof enterprised them for the zeale they bore to their owne religion Cap. 16. That the Romanes are not contented to staie themselues with that which is spirituall but would also dispose the kingdomes of the earth at their pleasure THat the Italians shoote at this marke also I bring euident proofe that when they had set their matters in so good forwardnes that the Emperour and the other Christian kings had graunted this title of soueraigne high Priest and vniuersall Bishop to their Prelate of Rome for to be a greater staie and pillar of the Christian Church and to kéepe the other Bishops and Pastours in better order and within the compasse of their dutie they are not content to rest with that passe further and cause to preach and publish by word and writing that their Bishop is Christes onely Lieftenant on earth to whom all Scepters and
Crownes must yéeld humble obeisance and be subiect hauing full power to take them from whom he list and giue them againe to others as it may best please his Holines And touching the kingdome of heauen hée hath it so at commandement that he hath power to open it to some and to shut it to other some as he that kéepeth the keyes of heauen gates in his owne handes as for Hell his power serueth him as well to send thither whole Cart loades of soules no man so bolde for his life as to aske him why nor wherefore These things made Kings Princes so sore astonished that the Emperours at their Coronation abase themselues so low as they promise to serue the Pope for Subdeacon to hold the stirrope while he get on horsebacke and to leade his Horse by the bridle a litle while A worthie péece of homage for the Italians to remember who haue exalted their Sea and Bishop to so great preheminence Of which act they may be well ashamed as also of the dispossessing of Childericke descended from Pharamond of the Crowne of France to inuest Pipin great Maister of the Pallace whome he had sent with his Army to succour the Romanes against other Italians in recompence of his conquestes which hée forgaue the Pope and the people of Rome which was a reward out of other mens purses for it cost Childericke full deare He learned not this by the succession of the Apostles neither did he herein imitate Iesus Christ for he himselfe paide tribute to Caesar and he whose heire and successour he saith he is teacheth him another lesson in his first Epistle Feare God Honour the King And S. Paul writing to the Romanes willeth that euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers and that in resisting them they resist the ordinance of God Likewise S. Iohn Chrisostome interpreting this place saith that by these words Euerie soule is meant Apostles Prophets Euangelists Bishops Monkes none excepted In like manner the high Priestes representing the person of Iesus Christ did neuer enterprise to make such braueries against Dauid Salomon their successours kings of Ierusalem Is it then likely that a Bishop or poore Monke should go about such high enterprises of his owne motion wée may easily iudge that it is the Italians of Rome who vnder the couering of their names and by their subtill meanes extort from them such things to make themselues rulers and get mony vnder the maske of their authorities from other peoples and nations of the earth Cap. 17. That to make the kings of the earth vassalles tributary to the Romanes they sow warres amongst them and vse Censures ALthough the Italians hauing aduanced their capitall Citie and high Priestes to so high dignitie and soueraigntie ought to haue rested content without encroching any further yet such is the naturall inclination of this nation that hauing an inch granted them they will take an ell they begin now to cast about and deuise some meanes to winde vnder their armes the neckes of Christian Kings and Princes to bring them to be their tributarie vassals To make way to this considering that from the beginning the Popes were not admitted in the election of Emperors or the Kings of France by reason wherof they could not so well master them nor turne and winde them at their pleasure because they durst not enterprise against them so fréely the Councell of Rome taketh away this obstacle and worketh so wel in the matter that the election is translated to the Priests of Rome who are my Lordes the Cardinals That once dispatched séeing themselues greatly aduanced thereby they contriue other meanes which they sée more fit to effect their purposes whereof one is to stirre vp warres and debates betwéene Christian Kings Potentates wherby they may destroy and weaken them selues by their owne proper armes and bow more at ease their neckes vnder the Italian Domination The other is by the Popes censures to set them together by the eares with domesticall and ciuill quarrels and in the meane time while they iarre to get some prouince or kingdom from them into their owne handes it is long since the Romanes vnderstood this practise yea a good while before the domination of Caesar For desiring to bring Greece in subiection wherein there were two inuincible leagues to wit of the Achayans and Ethobians who held so fast together that it was impossible to vanquish them any way by armes they found out this hole to enter in to make them fall to warres and diuisions among them selues so to ruinate their owne countrie that they might more easily set foote into their prouinces And if we looke well vnto the violeries that Caesar won on this side the mountaines the Italians redoubting the Switzers more then any nation in the world as Cicero saith in his Philippickes we shall sée that Caesar charged them by surprise at great disaduantage and against the law of armes they hauing passed the one halfe of their armie ouer the riuer Soane and the other remaining on the other side of the riuer could not come to fight being as yet then no declaration made of open warre betwéene the Switzers and him Besides he tooke Ariomistius chiefe Captaine of the Almanes and all his troupes at vnawares and assailed them in time of truce after to couer his sport and to make the matter good he saide that he had discouered how they went about to surprise him By meanes whereof hauing furnished his armie with two strong and warlike peoples and hauing by diuisions that he sowed euerie where got most of the Gawles on his side being beside verie skilfull to kéepe good order of militarie discipline it was an easiie matter for him to ouerthrow all other peoples Amongst the rest the English withstood him most couragiously at the first and gaue him repulse but he went another way about with them for before he departed he kindled such quarrels and diuisions among them in the which they were verie hote one against another before he returned to set vpon them againe wherefore it was an easie mater for him to vanquish and conquest them afterwardes Cap. 18. The Councell of Rome setteth kinges and christian princes together by the eares and the way how they discouer all their counsels and enterprises THe Romane Councell hath got some more aduantage by this their pollicie and deuice since the creation of their Pope for pretending to bring all kinges peoples and princes of christianitie Catholikes as well spirituall as temporall vnto their subiection vnder cloake of their Bishops they haue spunne the thred of all the warres which haue béene betwéene the Emperours and other christian princes so to bring them on their knées and to vndermine them that waies that they must still of force haue recourse to them as to a place of refuge and protection the onely meane to pull downe their hautie stomakes and to set the Italian farre aboue them To passe ouer this plancke well