vnto conscience doth edefy vnto eternall damnation As it is said as touching the restitutioÌ„ of the spoyled goods Chap. Literas porro But to omit the hearing of the word of God for feare of excommunicatioÌ„ of men is a thing which is done against conscience Therefore to omit the hearing of the worde of God for excoÌ„munication doth edefy vnto eternal damnatioÌ„ And therfore coÌ„sequeÌ„tly ought not to be done for feare of any excommunication Wherfore a woman being iudged vnto a man whom she knoweth to be within the degrees of coÌ„sanguinity which Gods law hath prohibited ought not to obey that iudgement least that she offend against God but meekly patiently to sustain the excommunication as it appereth in the chapter before alledged So likewise all true christians ought rather then to offend agaynst God meekly to suffer the excoÌ„munication of men theÌ„ to omit the hearing of the word of God To this purpose also serueth that which is spoken in the 11. quest 3. He that feareth the omnipoteÌ„t God will not presume by any meanes to do any thing contrary vnto the gospell or apostles either contrary vnto the Prophetes or the institutions of yâ— holy fathers By these premises the 2. part o. this article is manifest that all such as do omit the hearing of the word of God for feare of excommunication of men they are already excommunicated And forsomuch as all christians being of lawfull age not repenting at the end shal be counted in a maner as traitors of Christ in the day of iudgement because that they were vnfaythfull seruauntes of Christ. Therefore they which through feare omit the preaching hearing the word of God for the excommunication of men shall be counted as trayers of Christ and shall render account therof vnto the Lord whereupon Chrisostome touching both those sorts in the 41 Homely shewing how the Lord woulde haue some to be teachers and other some to be disciples sayth thus For vnto those which he would haue to be teachers he speaketh thus by his Prophet Esay Ye priestes speak in the harts of the people for if the priestes do not manifest all the truth vnto the people they shall reÌ„der accouÌ„t therof at the day of iudgemeÌ„t And likewise if the people do not learne the truth they shal also geue an account at the day of iudgemeÌ„t It is also made more euideÌ„t by him vpoÌ„ the tenth of Mathew Do not feare them which kill the body least that through the feare of death you do not frely speak that which you haue heard neither boldly preach that vnto all meÌ„ which you alone haue heard in your eares So that hereby alone it is euideÌ„t that not onely he is a betrayer of the truth which transgressing the truth doth openly speak lyes in the stead of truth But he also which doth not freely pronounce or doth not freely defend the truth which he ought boldly to defeÌ„d is also a traytor vnto the truth For like as the Priest is a debter to preach the truth which he hath heard of the Lord eueÌ„ so the lay man is bound to defend the truth which he hath heard of the minister approued by the scriptures which if he do not then is he a traytor vnto the truth For stedfast beliefe with the hart preuayleth vnto righteousnes the confession which is made with the mouth helpeth vnto saluation Thus much writeth Chrisostome Who together with the people meekely bearing the excommunication of the Bishops freely preached truth and the people heard him and so by hys word and his workes he freely taught the truth least he should be a Traytor vnto the truth consequently be counted as a Traytour vnto our Lord Iesu Christ in the day of iudgement And thus the third part of the Article aforesayde is manifest ¶ The defension of the xv Article of Iohn Wickliffe by Iohn Husse IT is lawfull for any Deacon or Priest to preach the worde of God without the authority of the Apostolicke Sea or of his Catholickes Fir I vnderstand here by the authority of the Apostolicke Sea properly his speciall consent authorising And likewise I vnderstand by authority of the Bishop a speciall consent of the Bishop authorising the sayde Deacon or Priest to preach Now as touching the truth of this Article I thus argue like as after matrimony once complete the man and wife may lawfully without any speciall liceÌ„ce of the Pope or Bishop procreate carnall children So likewise Deacons or Priestes by the motion of God through the Gospell of Iesu Christ may lawfully without any speciall licence either of the Pope or Bishoppe generate spirituall children Ergo this Article is true and the antecedent is thus proued For as it is an acceptable worke vnto God for man and wife without the speciall licence of the Pope or Bishop to generate carnall children so it is acceptable vnto him that Deacons or Priests by the motion of God through the Gospel of Iesu Christ should lawfully generate spirituall children without the speciall licence of the Pope or of any other Byshop Ergo the assumptio is true But if any man wil deny this similitude let him shew the diuersitye Yea seing it is worse not to receiue or to choake the seed of Gods word then the carnall seed So contrarywise is it better to receiue and sow abroad that seed of the word of God whereby children might be raysed vp vnto God then to receiue or geue such seede whereby carnall children may be gotten Whereupon our Sauiour in the 10. of Mathew sayth thus whosoeuer doth not receiue you neither heareth your wordes wype of the duste from your feete verelye I say vnto you that in the daye of iudgement it shal be more better vnto the Lande of Sodome and Gomer then to that City Also a Deacon or Priest being sturred by the spirite of Iesus Christ may preache the word of God without the speciall licence of the Pope or Bishop Ergo it is lawful for him so to do The consequent is thus manifest for so much as the spirite of God mooâ—ing the Deacon or Priest vnto the preaching of the Gospell is of greater force then anye prohibition of Pope or Bishop inuented by man Ergo according vnto the rule of the Apostles they ought infallibly to be obedieÌ„t vnto the spirit of Christ which doth so moue them therunto and rather to obey God then man Actes 5. Also by like reason as Heldad and Medad vpon whom the spirit of God did rest did lawfully prophecy without requiring any licence at Moyses handes as it is written Numery 11. by the same reason may the meeek minister of Christ vpon whom the spirite of God doth rest without the requiring any licence either of the Pope or Bishoppe may lawfully preache the worde of God vnto the people And would to God in this behalfe all Prelats had the spirite of Moyses for it is sayd Numeri 11. That when as
thus as if he had beâ—e wroth he sayd to one of his clerkes Fetch hether quickly the certification that came to me â—roÌ„ Shrewsbury vnder the 〈◊〉 seale witnessing the errors and heresyes which this Losel hath venunously sowne there Then hastely the clarke tooke out and layde forth on a cupbord diuers rolles and writinges among which there was a litle one which the clarke deliuered to the Archbyshop And by and by the Archbishop read this roll conteyning this sentence The third sonday after Easter the yeare of our Lorde 1407. William Thorpe came vnto the towne of Shrewsbury and thorow leaue graunted vnto him to preache He sayd openly in S. Chaddes church in his sermon that the sacrament of the aulter after the consecration was materiall bread And that images should in no wise be worshipped And that meÌ„ should not go on pilgrimages And that priestes haue no title to tithes And that it is not lawful for to sweare in any wise ¶ And when the Archbishop had red thus this roll he rolled it vp agayne and sayd to me Is this wholesome learning to be among the people ☞ And I sayd to him Sir I am both ashamed on theyr behalf and right sorowful for them that haue certified you these thinges thus vntruelye for I preached neuer nor taught thus priuily nor apertly ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me I will geue credence to these worshipfull men which haue written to me and witnessed vnder theyr scales there amoÌ„g them Though now thou denyest this weenest thou that I will geue credence to thee Thou Losell hast troubled the worshipfull communalty of Shrewsbury so that the Balifes and comminalty of that towne haue writteÌ„ to me praying me that am Archbishop of Cant. primate and Chancellor of England that I will vouchsafe to graunt them that if thou shalt be made as thou art worthy to suffer open iouresse for thine heresies that thou may haue thy iouresse openlye there among them So that all they whome thou and suche other Losels haue there peruerted may thorow feare of thy deed be reconciled agayne to the vnity of holy Church And also they that stand in true fayth of holy Church may thorow thy deed be more established therein And as if this asking well pleased yâ— Archbishop he sayd By my thrift this harty prayer and feruent request shall be thought on But certaynely nother yâ— prayer of the men of Shrewsbury nor the manassing of the Archbishoppe made me any thing afrayd But in rehearsing of this malice and in the hearing of it my hart greatly reioysed yet doth I thank God for the grace that I then thought and yâ—t think shall come to all the Church of God here thorow by the speciall mercifull doing of the Lord. And as hauing no dread of the malice of tyrantes by trusting stedfastly in the helpe of the Lord with full purpose for to knowledge the sothfastnes and to stand therby after my cunning and power I said to the Archbishop Sir if the truth of Gods word might now be accepted as it should be I doubt not to proue by likely euidence that they that are famed to be out of the fayth of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places also are in the true fayth of holy Church For as theyr wordes found and theyr workes shew to mans iudgement dreading and louing faythfully God theyr will their desire ther loue theyr busines are most set to dread to offend God to loue for to please him in true faythfull keeping of his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes And agayne they that are sayd to be in the faith of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places by open euidence of their proud enuious malicious couetous lecherous and other foule words workes neither know nor haue wil to know nor to occupy their wits truely and effectuously in the right fayth of holy Church Wherefore all these nor none that folow theyr maners shall any time come verely in the fayth of holy church except they inforce them more truely to come in the way which now they despise For these men and women that are now called faithfull and holden iust nother know nor will exercise theÌ„selfe to know of faythfulnes one commaundement of God And thus full many men and womeÌ„ now and specially meÌ„ that are named to be principall lims of holy church styree God to great wrath deserue his curse for that they call or hold them iust meÌ„ which are full vniust as their vicious wordes their great customable swearing and theyr slaunderous and shamefull works shew openly and witnes And therfore such vicious men vniust in theyr own confusion call them vniust men womeÌ„ which after their power and cunning busy themselues to liue iustly after the coÌ„maundement of God And where sir ye say that I haue distroubled the coÌ„minalty of Shrewsbury many other men and women with my teaching If it this be it is not to be wondred of wise men since all the communalty of that City of Ierusalem was distroubled of Christes own person that was very God and man and most prudent preacher that euer was or shal be And also all the Sinagoge of Nazareth was moued agaynst Christ so fulfilled with ire towards him for his preaching that the men of the Sinagoge rose vp and cast Christ out of theyr City led him vp to the top of a mouÌ„tayn for to cast him down there headling Also accordingly hereto the Lord witnesseth by Moises that he shall put dissention betwixt his people and the people that coÌ„trarieth and pursueth his people Who sir is he that shall preach the truth of Gods word to the vnfaith full people and shall set the sothfastnes of the Gospell and the prophecy of God almighty to be fulfilled ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me It foloweth of these thy wordes that thou and such other thinkest that ye do right well for to preach and teach as ye do without authority of any Bishop For ye presume that the Lord hath choseÌ„ you onely for to preach as faythful disciples and speciall folowers of Christ. ☞ And I sayd Syr by authority of Gods law and also of Sayntes and Doctors I am learned to deme that it is euery Priestes office and duty for to preach busilye freely truely the word of God For no doubt euery Priest should purpose first in his soule couer to take the order of priesthood chiefly for to make knowne to the people the word of God after his cunning and power approuing his words euey to be true by his vertuous works and for this intent we suppose that Bishops other Prelates of holy church should chiefly take and vse their prelacye and for the same cause Bishops should geue to Priestes their orders For Bishops should accept no man to Priesthood except that he had good wil and fâ—â—l purpose were wel disposed and wel learned to preach
write or do any good but either by flattering a man must offend the Godly or by true speaking procure hatred with the wicked Of such stinging Waspes and buszing Drones I had sufficient triall in my former edition before who if they had found in my book any iust cause to carpe or vpon any true zeale of truth had proceded agaynst the vntruths of my story and had brought iust proofes for the same I could haue right well abide it For God forbid but that faultes wheresoeuer they be should be detected and accused And therfore Accusers in a Common wealth after my mind do serue to no small stead But then such Accusers must beware they play not the dog of whom Cicero in his Oration speaketh which being set in Capitolio to fray away Theeues by night left the Theeues and fell to barcke at true men walking in the day Where true faultes be there to bay barcke is not amisse But to carpe where no cause is to spye in other strawes and to leape ouer theyr owne blockes to swalow Camels and to strayne gnattes to oppresse truth with lyes and to set vp lyes for truth to blaspheme the deare Martyrs of Christ and to Canonize for Sayntes whom Scripture would scarce allow for good Subiectes that is intollerable Such barcking Curres if they were well serued would be made a whyle to stoope But with these brauling spirites I entend not at this time much to wrastle Wherefore to leaue them a while till further leasure serue me to attend vpon them thus much I thought in the meane season by way of Protestation or petition to write vnto you both in generall particular the true members and faythful Congregation of Christes Church wheresoeuer either coÌ„gregated together or dispersed through the whole Realme of England that forsomuch as all the seeking of these Aduersaryes is to do what they can by discrediting of this History with slaunders sinister surmises how to withdraw the Readers froÌ„ it This therfore shal be in few wordes to premonish and desire of all and singuler of you all well minded louers and partakers of Christes Gospell not to suffer your selues to be deceiued with the big brags and hyperbolicall speeches of those flaundering tongues whatsoeuer they haue or shall hereafter exclame agaynst the same But indifferently staying your iudgement till truth be tryed you will first peruse then refuse measuring the vntruthes of this Hystory not by the scoaring vp of theyr hundreds and thousandes of lyes which they geue out but wisely weying the purpose of theyr doinges according as you finde and so to iudge of the matter To read my bookes I allure neither one nor other Euery man as he seeth cause to like as he list If any shall thinke his labor to much in reading this history his choyce is free either to read this or any other which he more mindeth But if the fruite thereof shall recompence the Readers trauell then would I wish no man so light eared to be caryed away for any sinister clamour of Aduersaryes who many times depraue good doinges not for the faultes they finde but therefore finde faultes because they would depraue As for me and my history as my will was to profite all and displease none so if skill in any part wanted to will yet hath my purpose bene simple and certes the cause no lesse vrgent also which moued me to take this enterprise in hand For first to see the simple flocke of Christ especially the vnlearned sort so miserably abused and all for ignoraunce of history not knowing the course of times and true discent of the Church it pittyed me that part of diligence so long to haue bene vnsupplyed in this my countrey Church of Englande Agayne considering the multitude of Chronicles and story writers both in England and out of England of whome the most part haue bene either Monkes or Clientes to the sea of Rome it grieued me to behold how partially they handled theyr storyes Whose paynefull trauell albeit I cannot but coÌ„mend in committing diuers thinges to writing not vnfruitful to be knowne or vnpleasant to be read yet it lamented me to see in theyr Monumentes the principall poyntes which chiefly concerned the state of Christes Church and were most necessary of all christen people to be knowne either altogether pretermitted or if any mention thereof were inserted yet were all things drawn to the honor specially of the Church of Rome or els to the fauor of theyr owne sect of Religion Wherby the vulgare â—ort hearing and reading in theyr writinges no other church mentioned or magnified but onely that Church which here florished in this world in riches and iollity were drawne also to the same persuasion to thinke no other Church to haue stand in all the earth but onely the Church of Rome In the number of this sort of writers besides our Monkes of England for euery Monastery almost had his Chronicler I might also recite both Italian and other countrey authors as Platina Sabellicus Nauclerus Martinus Antoninus VinceÌ„tius Onuphrius Laziardus Georgius Lilius Pollid Virgilius with many more who taking vpon theÌ„ to intermeddle with matters of the church although in part they expresse some truth in matters concerning the Bishops and sea of Rome yet in suppressing an other part they play with vs as Ananias and Saphira did with their mony or as Apelles did in Pliny who painting the one halfe of Venus comming out of the sea left the other halfe vnperfect So these writers while they shew vs one half of the B. of Rome the other halfe of him they leaue vnperfect vtterly vntold For as they paynt him out on the one part glistering in welth and glorye in shewing what succession the Popes had from the chaire of S. Peter when they first began and how long they sate what Churches and what famous buildings they erected how farre theyr possessions reached what lawes they made what councels they called what honour they receiued of Kynges and Emperours what Princes and Countryes they brought vnder theyr authority with other like stratagemes of great pompe and royalty so on the other side what vices these Popes brought with them to theyr seat what abhominatioÌ„s they practised what superstition they mainteined what Idolatry they procured what wicked doctrine they defended contrary to the expresse word of God to what heresies they fell into what diuision of sectes they cut the vnity of christian Religion how some practised by Simony some by Necromancy and Sorcery some by poysoning some indenting with the Deuill to come by theyr Papacy what hypocrisy was in theyr liues what corruptioÌ„ in theyr doctrine what warres they raysed what bloudshed they caused what treachery they trauersed agaynst their Lordes and Emperours imprisoning some betraying some to the Templaryes and SaraceÌ„s in bringing other vnder theyr feet also in beheading some as they did with Fredericus and Conradinus the heires and ofspring of the house of Fredericus
are vnprofitable seruants ye haue done but what your bound duety was to doe Luc. 17. Againe here also is to be vnderstand that where such rewardes be ascribed vnto mens deedes it is not for the worthines of the deede it selfe but for the faith of the dooer which faith maketh the worke to bee good in Gods sight for els if an infidell should do the same worke that the christian doth it were nothing but meere sinne before god In that therefore the christian mans worke is accepted be it neuer so small as to giue a cup of cold water the same is onely for his fayth sake that doth it and not for the worke which is done Whereby againe we may learne how faith onely doth iustifie a man and that three maner of wayes First it iustifieth the person in making him accepted and the child of God by regeneration before he begin to doe any good worke Secondly it iustifieth a man from sinne in procuring remission and forgiuenes of the same Thirdly it iustiâ—ieth the good deedes and workes of man not onely in bringing foorth good fruites but also in making the same workes to be good and acceptable in the sight of God which otherwise were impure and execrable in his sight The office therfore of faith and works is diners and must not be coÌ„founded Faith first goeth before and regenerateth a man to God iustifieth him in the sight of god both in couering his yll deedes and in making his good deedes acceptable to God clyming vp to heauen there wrastling with God and his iudgement for righteousnes for saluation and for euerlastins life Workes and charitie folow faith and are exercised here vpon the earth glorieth onely before man but not before God in shewing foorth obedience both to God to man Further then this our good works doe not reach nor haue any thing to doe in the iudgement of God touching saluation I speake of our good workes as S. Paule speaketh Rom. 7. as they be ours imperfect For els if our workes could be perfect according to the perfection of the lawe as Christ wrought them in the perfection of his flesh that is if we could perfect them as it is sayd Qui fecerit ea viuet in eis But now seeing the imbecilitie of our flesh cannot atteine thereto it foloweth thereof that all glory of iustifying is taken from workes and transferred onely to faith And thus much concerning the principall contents of S. Paules doctrine Wherein the Church of the auncient Romanes first was grounded planted and so continued in the same or at least did not much alter during the prymityue state of the Church Likewise the same forme of doctrine the latter Romanes also that followed shoulde haue mainteined and not haue fallen away for any mans preaching but hold him accursed yea if he were any Apostle or an Angell from heauen teaching any other doctrine besides that institution which they haue receaued Gal. 1 for so were they warned before by the Apostle S Paule to doe And yet notwithstanding all this forewarning diligent instruction of this blessed Apostle of the Gentiles what a defection of faith is fallen among the Gentiles especially among the Romanes whereof the sayde Apostle also foretold them so long before forepropheciyng That the day of the Lord shall not come except there come a defectioÌ„ before and that the man of sinne should be reuealed the proude aduersary of God c. Thei 2 meaning no doubt by this defection a departing and a falling from that faith which the holy ghost had then planted by his ministery among the Gentiles As we see it now come to passe in the Church of Rome Which Church is so gone from the faith that S. Paule taught that if he were now aliue and saw these decrees and decretals of the Bishop of Rome these heapes of ceremonies traditions these masse bokes these Portuses these Festiuals and Legendes these Processionals Dymmes and Sequences these Beades and Graduals the maner of their inuocation their Canons Censures latter Councels such swarmes of superstitious Monkes and Friers such sectes of so many dyuers religions the Testament of S. Fraunces the rule of S. Benedict of S Brigit of S. Anthony c. the intricate subtelâ—ies labyrynthes of the scholemen the infinite cases and distinctioÌ„s of the Canonistes the Sermons in Churches the assertions in schooles the glory of the Pope the pride of the clergie the cruelty of persecuting Prelates with their officials and promotors he woulde saye this were not a defection but rather a plaine destruccion and ruine of fayth neyther that this were any true Church of Christ but a newe found Religion or paganisme rather brought in vnder the shadow of Christianity wherin remaineth almost no thing els but the name onely of Christ and the outwarde forme of hys religion the true vayne and effect whereof is vtterly decayed as to them which list to examine all the parts of this new Romish religion may some appeare For saue onely that they pretend the solemne forme and wordes of the Crede and are Baptised confessing the name of the father the sonne holy ghost As touching all other points and true sincerity of the Christian faith which they outwardly professe they are vtterly degenerated from that which S. Paule the word of God first had taught them First they coÌ„fesse the father in word but his will in his word expresed they renounce his grace they acknowledg not his benefits and promisses giuen vnto vs in his sonne they receaue not the vigor of his law they feele not the terrour of his iudgements earnestly they feare not his commaundementes they obserue by the traditions and commaundements of their owne Likewise the name of Christ his sonne in worde they confesse but his office indede they deface and deminish his glory they seeke not but vnder his name they do seke their owne the power of his bloud and passion they know not or els dissemble it who neither they admit to be the head of his Church alone nor sauiour alone nor only to be our patrone aduocate but match with him our Lady and other patrons so that euery Parish almost in christendome hath his peculiar patrone besides Christ to hold by In like maner they confesse the name of the holy Ghost But God himselfe knoweth how farre they are from the comfort knowledge and tast of the holy ghost as wel may appeare by their councels by their expounding of Scripture by their superstitious ceremonies by their outward worshipping and Idolatrous inuocation to stockes and stones and dead creatures by their scrupulous obseruatioÌ„ of dayes tunes places numbers gestures And no lesse also by their doctrine which defraudeth the poore harts of simple Christians of their due consolation ioy and liberty in the holy Ghost kepeth them still in a seruile bondage and a doubtfull incertainty of their
wherein they haue made manifest defection from the old faith of Rome as in depriuing the Church of one kinde of the Sacrament in taking from the people the knowledge and reading of Gods word in praying and speaking to the people and administring sacramentes in a tongue vnknowne in mistaking the authoritie of the keyes in their vnwritten verities in making the authority of scripture insufficient in vntrue iudgement of the Churche and the wrong notes of the same in the supremacy of the sea of Rome in their wrong opinion of Antichrist But because these with all other partes of doctryne are more copiously and at large comprehended in other bookes both in Latine and Englishe set foorth in these our dayes I shall not need further herein to trauell especially seeing the contrariety betweene the Popes Church and the Church of Christ betweene the doctrine of the one and doctrine of the other is so euident that he is blind that seeth it not and hath no handes almost that feeleth it not For briefely in one note to comprehende which may suffice for all where as the doctrine of Christ is altogether spirituall consisting wholy in spirite and veritie and requireth no outwarde thing to make a true Christen man but onely Baptisme which is the outwarde profession of fayth and receauing the Lordes supper let vs now examine the whole religion of this latter Church of Rome and we shall finde it wholy from toppe to toe to consist in nothing els but altogether in outwarde and ceremoniall exercises as outward confession absolution at the Priests hand outward sacrifice of the Masse buying of pardons purchasing of obites externe worshipping of Images and reliques pilgrimage of this place or that building of Churches founding of Monasteries outward workes of the law outwarde gestures garments colours choise of meates difference of times and places peculiar rytes and obseruauncies set prayers and number of prayers prescribed fasting of vigiles keeping of holidayes comming to Church hearing of seruice externe succession of Bishops and of Peters sea externe forme and notes of the Church c. so that by this religion to make a true Christian and a good Catholike there is no working of the holy Ghost almost required As by example to make this matter more demonstrable let vs here define a Christen man after the Popes making whereby we may see the better what is to be iudged of the scope of his doctrine A Christen man after the Popes making defined AFter the Popes Catholike Religion a true Christen man is thus defined first to be baptised in the Latine tongue where the Godfathers professe they can not tell what then confirmed by the Byshop the Mother of the childe to be purified After he be growen in yeares then to come to the Church to keepe his fasting dayes to fast the Lent to come vnder benedicite that is to be confessed of the Priest to doe his penance at Easter to take his rites to heare Masse and diuine seruice to set vppe candels before Images to creepe to the Crosse to take holy bread and holy water to go on processiō to cary his palmes candle and to take ashes to fast the Ember daies Rogation daies vigiles to keepe the holy dayes to pay his tithes and offeringe daies to go on pilgrimage to buy pardons to worship his maker ouer the Priestes head to receaue the Pope for his supreame head and to obey his lawes to receaue S. Nicolas Clerks to haue his beades to giue to the high altar to take orders if he will be Priest to saye his Mattens to sing his Masse to lift vp fayre to keepe his vow and not to marry When he is sicke to be anneeld and take the rites of holy Church to be buried in the church yard to be rong for to be song for to be buried in a Fryers coule to finde a soule Priest c. All which pointes being obserued who can denie but this is a deuoute man and a perfecte Christian Catholike and sure to be saued as a true faithfull childe of the holye mother Church Now looke vpon this definition and tell me good reader what faith or spirite or what working of the holye Ghost in all this doctrine is to be required The grace of our Lord Iesus giue the true light of his Gospell to shine in our hartes Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ The first booke contayning the 300. yeares next after Christ. THese things before premised hauing thus hitherto prepared the way vnto our story let vs nowe by the grace and speede of Christ our Lord enter into the matter that as we haue heretofore set forth in a generall descriptiō the whole state as wel of the primitiue as of the latter times of this Church of Rome so now consequently to discourse in particular sort the Actes and doings of euery age by it selfe in such order as is afore prefixed First to declare of the suffering time of the Church which conteineth about the time of three hundreth yeares after Christ. Secondly the florishing growing time of the same conteyning other 300. yeares Thirdly the declining time of the Church and of true Religion other 300. yeares Fourthly of the time of Antichrist raigning raging in the Church since the loosing of Sathan Lastly of the reforming time of Christes Church in these latter 300. yeares In the tractation of all which things our chiefe purpose and indenor shal be so neare as the Lord will giue vs grace not so much to intermedle with outward affaires of Princes or matters ciuile except somtime for example of life as specially minding by the helpe of the Lorde to prosecute such thinges which to the Ecclesiasticall state of the Church are appertaining as first to entreat of the stablishing of Christian faith then of the persecutions of tyraunts the constancy and patience of Gods Saintes the first conuersion of Christen Realmes to the faith of Christ namely of this Realme of England Scotland first beginning with king Lucius and so forwarde following the order of our English kings here in this land to declare the maintenaunce of true doctrine the false practise of Prelates the creping in of superstition and hipocrisie the manifold assaultes warres and tumults of the princes of this world against the people of God Wherein may appeare the wonderfull operation of Christes mightie hand euer working in his church neuer ceasing to defend the same against his enimies according to the verity of his owne word promising to be with his Church while the worlde shal stand so as by the proces of this story may welbe proued and be testified in the sequell thereof In the traction of all which things 2. especiall pointes I chiefly commend to the reader as most requisite and nenessary of euery Christen man to obserue to note for his owne experience and profite as first the disposition nature of this worlde secondly the nature
the holy spirit of god whose writings and works yet to this day remaine Out of which the reader may receiue great profite knowledge of thinges as concerning the first creation of the worlde end of the same with al other things necessary to be knowne of euery true Philosopher which wil giue credite vnto them Neither in their teaching they do vse any demonstration as being more certaine o◠themselues then that they neede any such demonstration to be made For asmuch as the accomplyshing and the end of things both paste now present constraineth vs of necessitie to beleue the words and doctrine which they taught which men not only therefore are to be beleued but also for their miracles and wonders done are worthy of credite for that they both preached of God the maker and creator of all thinges And also did prophecye before of Christ his sonne to be sent of him The which the false Prophets being seduced with false and wicked spyrits neither haue done nor do but onely take vpon them to worke certaine prodigious wonders for men to gase at setting out thereby to the worlde false vncleane spirites But then afore all thinges make thy prayer that the gate of light may be opened vnto thee for otherwise these things cannot be attained vnto of euery man but onely of such to whom God and his Christ giueth vnderstanding These thinges with much more which now leasure serueth not to prosecute after the foresaid old father had declared vnto him he departed exhortyng him well to follow the things which he had spoken And after that Iustine as he himselfe witnesseth saw him no more Immediatly after thys Iustine being all inflamed as with fyre kindled in his breast began to conceiue a loue zeale toward the Prophets and all such as were fauoured of Christ. And thus he reuoluing in his mind more and more these wordes found only this Philosophie among all other professions both sure and profitable and so became he a Philosopher in time by these meanes afterwards he was made a Christian and Baptised But where he receiued this holy Sacrament of Baptisme it is not read of nor yet by what occasiō he left his country and came to Rome This only we read in Ierome that he was in Rome there vsed certaine exercises which he called Diatribas disputing there with Crescens a Cinycal philosopher as is before touched But this is certaine how that Iustine after he had receaued the professiō of Christian Religiō became an earnest defēder of the same traueiling and disputing against al the aduersaries thereof fearing neither peril of life nor daunger of death whereby he might maintaine the doctrine of Christ against the malicious blasphemers and also augment the number of Christian beleuers As may appeare by his vehement disputations against the heathen Philosophers Also moreouer aswell appeareth in that long disputatiō which he had with one Tripho at Ephesus as also in his confutations of heretikes Furthermore his conflictes and Apologies which with great courage security he exhibited against the persecutors of the Christians both the Emperour and the Magistrates yea and the whole Senate of Rome doe testifie the same Of the which Apologies the first he wrote to the Senate of Rome and after to Antoninus Pius the Emperour as is before mentioned where in the fyrst writing wyth great liberty to the Senate he declared that of necessitie he was compelled to write and vtter his minde and consciēce to them For that in persecuting of the Christians they did neglect their duety and highly offended God and therfore neede they had to be admonished And further writing to Vrbitius liefetenaunt of the Citie sayd that hee put men to death and tormentes for no offence committed but for the confession onely of the name of Christ which proceedinges and iudgementes neyther became the Emperour nor hys sonne nor the Senate defending moreouer in the sayd Apology and purgyng the Christiās of such crimes as falsely were layd and obiected agaynst them by the Ethnikes And likewise in hys second Apology writing to Antonius the Emperour and his successours with like grauity and free libertie declareth vnto them how they had the name cōmonly beyng reputed taken as vertuous Philosophers mayntayners of iustice louers of learning but whether they were so their actes declared As for him neither for flattery nor fauour at their hands he was cōstrayned thus to write vnto them but onely to sue vnto thē and desire a serious righteous kind of dealing in their iudgements and sentences For it becommeth Princes to folow vprightnes pietie in their iudgements not tiranny and violence also in playne wordes chargeth as wel the emperour as the Senate with manifest wrong For that they did not graunt the Christians that which is not denied to all other malefactors iudging men to death not conuicted but onely for the hatred of the name Other men which be appeached said he in iudgement are not condemned before they are cōuicted but on vs you take your name only for the crime when as indede you ought to see iustice done vpō our accusers And againe saith he if a Christian being accused onely denie that name him you release beyng not able to charge him with any other offence But if he stande to his name onely for his confession you may cast him where indeede it were your duety rather to examine their maner of life what thing they confesse or denye and according to their demerites to see iustice done And in the same further he saith you examine not the causes but incensed with rash affections as with the spur of fury ye slay murder them not conuicted without any respect of iustice And further he addeth Some peraduenture wil say certaine of them haue bene apprehended taken in euill doinges as though saith he you vsed to enquire vpō them being brought afore you not commonly to condemne thē before due examination of their offence for the cause aboue mentioned Where also in the ende of the said Apology after this maner he reprehendeth thē You do degenerate quoth he from the goodnes of your predecessours whose exāple you followe not for your father Adrian of famous memorye caused to bee proclaymed that Christians accused before the iudge should not be cōdemned vnles they were found gilty of some notorious crime I finde that all his vehement and graue Apologie stādeth vpon most strong firme probations denying that the christians ought by conscience at the will commaundement of the Emperour Senate to doe sacrifice to the Idols For the which they being condemned affirme that they suffer open wrong approuing moreouer that the true only Religion is the Religion of the Christians whose both doctrine and conuersation hath no fault Iustinus although with these and such like perswasions did not so preuayle with the Emperour to cause him to
fast of xl dayes was obserued long before Telesphorus by these wordes that followe In the dayes sayd he either of Lente or in the time of other lawfull fastinges he that abstaineth not as well from the eating meate as also from the mixture of bodies doth incurre in so doing not onely pollution but also cōmitteth offence which must be washed away with the teares of repentaunce Agayne Apollonius affirmeth that Montanus the heretike was the first deuiser and brynger in of these lawes of fasting into the Churche which before was vsed to be free Euseb. Lib. 5. cap. 18. but especially by Socrates wryter of the Ecclesiasticali story who lyued after the daies of Theodosius maye bee argued that this vij wekes fast is falsely imputed to Telesphorus For Socrates in his first booke speaking of this time hath these wordes Romani namque tres ante Pascha septimanas praeter Sabbatum Dominicam continuas ieiuuant that is the Romanes saith he doe fast three weekes continually before Easter beside the Sabbaoth and the Sonday And moreouer speaking of the diuers and sundry fastings of Lent in sundry and diuers Churches he addeth these words And because that no man can bring forth any commaundement written of this matter it is therefore apparant that the Apostles left this kind of fast free to euery mans will and iudgement least anye should be constrayned by feare and necessitie to doe that which is good c. With this of Socrates agreeth also the wordes of Sozomenus liuing much about y◠same time in his seuenth voke where he thus writeth The whole fast of Lent saith he some comprehend in sixe weekes as doe the Illyrians and the west churches with al Libia Egipt Palestina some in vij weekes as at Cōstantinople the parties bordering to Phoenicia other some in three weekes next before the day of Easter some againe in ij weekes c. By the whiche it may be collected that Telesph neuer ordained any such fast of vij wekes whiche otherwise neither woulde haue ben neglected in Rome in the west churches neither againe woulde haue bene vnremembred of these auncient Ecclesiasticall writers if any such thing had bene The like is to be thought also of the rest not onely of his constitutions but also of the other auntient Byshops Martyrs which followed after him as of Higinus an 142. who succeding him dying also a Martyr as Volateranus Lib. 22. declareth is saide or rather fained to bring in the creame one Godfather and Godmother in Baptisme to ordayne the dedication of Churches when as in his time so far it was of that anye solemne Churches were standing in Rome that vnneth the Christians could safely conuent in their own houses Likewise they distincting the orders of Metropolitanes Byshops and other degres sauour nothing lesse then of that tyme. After Higynus followed Pius who as Platina reporteth was so precisely deuout aboute the holye misteries of the Lords Table that if any one croome therof did fall downe to the grounde he ordained that the Priest shoulde doe penaunce xl daies If any fell vpō the Superalter he should doe penaunce iij. daies if vpon the linen Corporas cloth iiij daies if vpon any other linnen cloth ix daies And if any drop of the bloude saith he should chaunce be spilled wheresoeuer it fell it should be licked vp if it were possible if not the place should be washed or pared so being washed or pared should be burned and layd in the vestry All which toies may seeme to a wise man more vaine and trifling then to fauour of those pure and straight times of those holy Martyrs This Pius as is reported was much conuersaunt with Hermes called otherwise Pastor Damasus saith he was his brother but how is that like that Hermes being the disciple of Paule or one of the lx disciples could be the brother of this Pius Of this Hermes of the reuelations the foresaid Pius in his Epistle decretall if it be not forged maketh mentiō declaring that vnto him appeared the aungel of God in the habite of a shepherde commaunding him that Easter day should be celebrated of al men vpō no other day but vpon a sonday whereupon saith the Epistle Pius the Byshop by his authoritie Apostolicall decreed and commaunded the same to be obserued of al men Then succeeded Anicetus Soter and Eleutharius about the yeare of our Lord. 180. This Eleutherius at the request of Lucius king of Britanes sent to him Damianus and Fugatius by whom the king was conuerted to Christes saith and baptised about the yeare of our Lorde 179. Nauclerus Lib. Chro. Gen. 6. saith it was an 156. Henr. de Erfodia saith it was 169. in the xix yeare of Verus the Emperour some say it was in the vj. yeare of Commodus which shoulde be about the yeare of our Lorde 185. Timotheus in his storye thinketh that Eleutherius came himself but that is not like And as there is a variaunce among the writers for the count of yeres So doth there rise a question among some whether Eleutherius was the first that brought the faith from Rome into this lande or not Nicephorus Lib. 2. cap. 4. saith that Symō Zelotes came into Britaine Some other alledge out of Gildas de victoria Aurel Ambrosi that Ioseph of Aramathie after the dispersion of the Iewes was sent to Philip the Apostle from Fraunce to Britaine about the yeare of our Lord 63. and here remained in this land al his time and so with his fellowes laide the first foundation of christian fayth among the Britaine people Whereupon other preachers and teachers cōming afterwarde confirmed the same increased it more And therefore doth Petrus Cluniacensis call the Scotishmen so doth count them as more auntient Christians For the confirmation hereof might be alledged the testimonie of Origene of Tertulian and the wordes also of the letter of Eleutherius whiche importe no lesse but that the faith of Christ was here in Englande among the Britaine people before Eleutherius time before the king was cōuerted but hereof more shal be spokē hereafter Christ willing when after the tractation of these .x. persecutiōs we shal enter the matter of our English stories About this time of Commodus aforementioned among diuers other learned men and famous teachers whō God stirred vp at that time as he doth at all other times rayse vp some in his church to confound the persecutors by learning and writing as the Martirs to confirme the truth with their bloud was Serapion Byshop of Antioche Egesippus a writer of the Ecclesiasticall historye from Christes Passion to his time as witnesseth Hierome Eusebius Lib. 4. cap. 8. 22. which bookes of his be not nowe remayning And those that be remaining which be 5. de excidio Hierosol be not mentioned neither of Hierome nor of Eusebius Miltiades which also wrote his Apology in defence of christian Religion
face of the harlot as she was kissing him and so got he the victorie by the constant grace of the Lord assisting him An other like example of singular chastitie is written of the virgin Theodora and an other souldiour by Ambrose Lib. 2. De virginibus At Antioche this Theodora refusing to do sacrifice to the Idols was condemned by the Iudge to the stewes which notwtstanding by the singular prouidence of god was wel deliuered For as there was a great company of wanton yong men ready at the doore to prease into the house where she was one of the brethren named Didimus as Ado sayth mooued with fayth and motioÌ„ of God putting on a souldioures habite made himselfe one of the first that came in who rounding her in the eare tolde her the cause and purpose of his commyng beyng a christiaÌ„ as she was his counsaile was that she should put on that souldiors habite and so slip away And he puttyng on her garmentes would there remaine to abide their force And so did whereby the virgine escaped vnknowen Didimus left vnto the rage and wondring of the people beyng a man in stead of a woman was presented vnto the President vnto whom without delay he vttered all the whole matter as it was done professing him so as he was to be a christiaÌ„ and therupon was condemned to suffer Theodora vnderstanding thereof and thinking to excuse him by accusing her selfe offred her selfe as the partie guiltie vnto the Iudge clayming and requiring the condemnation to light vpon her the other as innocent to be discharged But the cruell Iudge crueller then Dionysius which spared Damon Pithias neither considering the vertue of the persons nor the innoncency of the cause vniustly and inhumanely proceded in execution against theÌ„ both who first hauing their heads cut off after were cast in the fire Ambros. Ado. Although what tyme or in what persecution these did suffer in the authors of this narration it doth not appeare Agathon a man of armes in the Citie of Alexandria for rebuking certaine lewd persons scornefully deridyng the dead bodies of the Christians was cried out off and rayled on of the people Afterward accused to the iudge was condemned to loose his head Erfordiensis The sayd Erfordiensis also maketh mention of Paulus and Andraeas whome the Proconsul of Troada gaue to the people beyng scourged and after drawne out of the Citie they were troden to death with the feete of the people Hen. de Erford Among other that suffered vnder this wicked Decius Bergomensis also maketh mention of one Iustinus a Priest of Rome and of an other Nicostratus a Deacon To these Vincentius also addeth Portius a Priest of Rome whom he reporteth to be the conuerter of Phillip the Emperor afore mentioned Of Abdon and Sennas we read also in the foresayd Bergomensis and Vincentius two noble men who because they had buried the christians whom Decius had brought from Babylon to Corduba and there put them to death were therfore accused to Decius brought to Rome where they beyng commaunded to sacrifice to dead Idols would not obey and for the same were geuen to the wilde beastes to be deuoured but when the wild beastes more gentle then the men would not touch them they were at length with the sword beheaded Bergom Vincent Lib. 11. cap. 4 Albeit to me it seemeth not vnpossible nor vnlike this Abdon and Sennas to be the same whome in other storyes we finde and before haue mentioned to be Ammon and Zenon One Secundianus was accused to Valerian a Captayne of Decius to be a Christian which professioÌ„ when he stoutly did maynetayne was commaunded to prison By the way as the souldiours were leading him to the gaile Verianus and Marcellianus seing the matter cried to the souldiours asking them whether they drew the innocent At the which worde when they also confessed them selues to be Christians they were likewise apprehended and brought to a Citie named Centumcellas â— where being willed to sacrifice they did spit vpon the Idols and so after sentence and iudgement geuen first they were beaten with wasters or trunshons after that were hanged and tormented vpoÌ„ the gibbet hauing fire set to their sides Vincentius addeth moreouer that the tormentors some of them falleÌ„ sodainly dead other some being taken with wicked spirites the Martyrs with sword at length were beheaded Vinc. Lib. 11 cap. 31. To prosecute in length of history the liues and sufferings of all them which in this terrible persecution were Martyred it were to long almost infinite briefly therefore to rehearse the names of such as we finde alledged out of a certaine briefe treatise of Bede intituled De temporibus cited by Henricus De Erford it shal be at this time sufficient Under Decius suffered Hyppolitus and Concordia Hiereneus and Abnudus Victoria a virgine being noble personages of Antioche Bellias Byshoppe of the Citie of Apollonia Leacus Tyrsus and Gallinetus Nazanzo Tryphon in the Citie of Egypt called â—anais Phileas Bishop Philocomus with many other in Perside Philcronius byshop of Babylon Thesiphon Byshop of Pamphilia Nestor Byshop in Corduba Parmenius Priest with diuers moe In the Prouince called Colonia Circensis Marianus and Iacobus In Africa Nemesianus Felix Rogatianus priest â—elicissimus At Rome Iouinus Basileus also Ruffinâ— and Secunda Uirgines Tertullianus Valerianus Nemesius Sempronianus and Olympius In Spayne Teragone at Verona Zeno Byshop At Caesarea Marinus and Archemius In the towne of Miliane Priuatus Byshop Theodorus surnamed Gregorius Byshop of Pontus Haec Beda Vincentius in his xj booke maketh also mention citing Ex Hugone of certaine children suffering Martyrdome vnder the same persecution in a Citie of Tuscia called Aretium whose names I finde not except they be â—â—rgentius Laurentius mentioned in Equilinus Lib. 5. cap. 80. Nowe that I haue recorded of them sufficiently which vnder this tempest of Decius constantly gaue their liues to Martyrdome for the testimonie of Christ it remaineth that a fewe wordes also be spoken of such that for feare or frailtie in this persecution did shrinke backe slide from the truth of their confession In the number of whome first commeth in the remembraÌ„ce of Serapion an aged olde man Of whom writeth Dionysius Alexandrinus vnto Fabius declaring that this Serapion was an olde man which liued amongest them a sincere and vpright life of long time but at length fell This Serapion oft and many times desired to be receaued againe but no man listened to him for hee had sacrificed before After this not long after he fell into sickenesse where he remained three dayes dombe and benummed of all his seÌ„ses The fourth day following beginning a litle to recouer he called to him his sisters sonne saide how long how loÌ„g my sonne do ye hold me here Make hast I pray you that I were absolued Call hether some of the ministers to me and so saying no more
and innumerable multitudes and congregations assembling together in euery citie and the notable coÌ„curses of such as dayly â—locked to the common Oratoures to pray For the which cause they beyng not able to be conteined in their old houses had large and great churches new builded from the foundation for them to frequent togither In such increasement saith Eusebius by processe of tyme did the church of christ grow and shout vp daily more and more profiting and spreading through all quarters which neithâ—r enuie of men coulde infringe nor any deuill could inchaunte neither the craftie policie of mans wit coulde supplant so long as the protection of God his Heauenlye arme went with his people keeping them in good order according to the rule of christian life But as commonly the nature of al men being of it selfe vnruly and vntowarde alwaies secketh desireth prosperity and yet can neuer wel vse prosperitie alwaies would haue peace and yet hauing peace alwaies abuseth the same so here likewise it happened with these meÌ„ which through this so great libertie prosperitie of life began to degenerate languishe vnto idlenes delycacy one to worke spite and coÌ„tumely against an other striuing and contending among theÌ„selues for euery occasioÌ„ with railing wordes after most despitefull maner bishops against bishops and people against people mouing hatred and seditioÌ„ one against an other besides also cursed hipocrisie and simulation with all extremity encreasing more and more by reason wherof the iudgemeÌ„t of god after his wonted maner whilist yet the congregatioÌ„ began to multiply began by a litle and litle to visite our men with persecution fallyng first vpon our brethreÌ„ which were abroad in warfare but wheÌ„ that toucht the other nothing or very litle neither did they seeke to appease gods wrath call for his mercy but wickedly thinking with ourselues that god neither regarded nor would visit our transgressions we heaped our iniquities daily more and more one vpon an other they which semed to be our pastors refusing the rule of piety were inflamed with mutual contentions on against an other and thus whilest they were giuen onely to the studye of contentions threatnings emulations mutual hatred dyscord euery man seeking his owne ambition and persecuting one another after the maner of tirany Then then I say the Lord according to the voice of Ieremy tooke awaye the beauty of the daughter of Sion the glory of Israell fell downe from heauen neither did he remember the footstoole of his feete in the day of his wrath And the Lorde ouerturned all the comely ornaments of Israell destroyed all her gorgeous buildings and according to the saying of the Psalme subuerted and extinguished the Testament of his seruaunt and prophaned his sanctuary in destruction of his churches and in laying wast the buildinges thereof so that all passingers spoiling the multitude of the people they were made an obloquie to al the dwellers about For he hath exalted the strength of his enimies and turned away the helpe of his sword from her nor ayded her in the battayle but ceased from the purging of her and her seate He stroke downe to the ground and deminished her daies and ouer all this poured vppon her confusion All these things were fulfilled vpon vs when we saw the temples rased from the top to the ground and the sacred scriptures to be burnt in the open market place and the Pastours of the church to hide themselues some here some there some other taken prisoners with great shame were mocked of their enimies wheÌ„ also according to the saying of the prophet in an other place Contempt was poured out vpon the Princes and they caused to goe out of the waye and not to keepe the straite pathe The x. Persecution BY reason whereof the wrath of God being kindled against his church ensued the tenth and last persecucion against the christians so horrible and greeuous that maketh the pen almost to tremble to writ vpon it so tedious that neuer was any persecution before or since comparable to it for the time it continued lasting the space of tenne yeares together This persecution although it passed thorow the handes of diuers tyrantes and workers moe then one or two yet principally it beareth the name of DioclesiaÌ„ who was Emperour as is aboue noted next after Carus Numerianus Thys Dioclesian euer hauyng an ambitious minde aspired greatly to be Emperour To whom Druas his Concubine sayd that first he should kill a wilde Boore before he should be Emperour Hee taking effect at these wordes vsed much with handes to kill wylde Boores but seeing no successe to come thereof vsed this prouerbe Ego Apros occido alius pulpamento fruitur that is I kill the Boores but other doe eate the fleshe At length the sayde Dioclesian beyng nominate to be Emperour and seeyng Aper who had killed Numerianus the Emperour standing thereby sware to the souldiers that Numerianus was wrongfully killed and forthwith runing vpon Aper with his sworde slew him Vopisc After this he being stablished in the Empire and seeing on euery side diuers and sundrie coÌ„motions rising vp against him which he was not well able himselfe to sustaine in the first beginning of his raign he chuseth for his Colleage Maximianus surnamed Herculius Father of Maxentius Which two Emperours because of diuers warres that rose in manye prouinces choose to theÌ„ two other noble men Galerius Constantinus whome they called Caesars Of whome Galerius was sent into the East partes against the Persians Constantinus was sent ouer to Britannie to this our country of England to recouer the tribute Where he toke to wife Helena the daughter of king Coil which was a maiden excelling in beautye and no lesse famously brought vp in the study of learning of whome was borne Constantinus the great All this while hitherto no persecution was yet stirred of these 4. princes against the church of Christ but quietlye and moderatly they gouerned the common wealth wherfore accordingly God prospered their doings and affaires and gaue them great victories Dioclesian in Egipt Maximinian in Aphricke and in Fraunce Galerius in Persia Constantinus in England and in Fraunce also By reason of which victories Dioclesian and Maximian puâ—te vppe in pride ordeyned a solemne triumph at Rome after which triumph Dioclesian gaue commaundement that he woulde be worshipped as God saying that he was brother to the Sunne and Moone and adourning his shooes with golde and precious stones commaunded the people to kysse hys feete And not long after by the iudgement of God for certaine enormities vsed in the church aboue touched began the great and greuous persecution of the Christians moued by the ragious cruelty of Dioclesian which was about the nyneteenth yeare of his rayne who in the Moneth of Marche when the feast of Easter was nye at hande commaunded all the churches
horrible for the which we are all worthy to be burned alyue meanyng of the Sacrament of the body of Christ which Sacrament Hildebrand when he thereof inquired a diuine aunswer agaynst the Emperour and would not speake threw into the fire and burned it contrary to the perswasion of the Cardinals that were present and would haue resisted the same In the second holy day in the Easter weeke when the clergy the people were assembled at S. Peters Church to heare masse after the Gospell he went vp into the pulpit as he was in his pontificall attire and in the presence of diuers bishops Cardinals a great company both of the Senate and the people of Rome beyng gathered together openly preached among manye other wordes of diuination that the kyng whose name was Henry should die without all peraduenture before the feast of S. Peter next ensuyng or els at least wise that he should bee so deiected from his kingdome that he should not be able any more to gather together aboue the number of vj. knights This he preached to the bishops and cardinals and all that were present crying out of the pulpit in these wordes Neuer accept me for Pope any more but plucke me from the aulter if this prophesie be not fulfilled by the day appointed About the same tyme he went about by helpe of priuy murtherers to kill the Emperour but God preserued him And many there were eueÌ„ at that tyme which thoght Pope Hildebrand to be guiltie and to bee the deuiser of the treason because that then he before the deed put in execution presumed of the death of the kyng beyng by him falsly prophesied of before which wordes of his wounded many mens hartes And it came to passe that Hildebrand by his wordes was openly condemned in the congregation which as is sayd gaue iudgement of himselfe to be no Pope neither that he would be counted for Pope any longer but thought to be both a belyer and a traitour vnlesss that before the feast of S. Peter next comming the Emperour should dye or els should bee depriued of all kingly honour In so much he should not be able to make aboue 6. knights on his part And thus by the appoyntmeÌ„t of God it came to passe that by his owne mouth he was condemned for an heretike Thus sayth the Lord The prophet which of arrogancie will prophesie in my name those things I haue not commauÌ„ded him or els will prophesie in the name of other Gods let him be slaine And if thou shall say with thy selfe how shall I know what thyng it is that the Lord hath not commaunded to be spoken This token shalt thou haue to know it by Whatsoeuer thing the Prophet in the name of God shal prophesie the same come not to passe that mayest thou be sure the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath imagined through the hautinesse of his owne mynde therfore thou shalt not be afrayd of him When the tyme was expired that Hildebrand in his diuination had set and that neither the king was dead neither the power of the Empire empayred and fearing least by the wordes of hys owne mouth he should be reprehended and condemned subtleâ—y turned his tale saying and perswading the ignorant people that he ment not of the body of the king but of his soule as though the soule of the king had lost all sauing 6. of his knights or souldiours or els had bene dead during that space and thus by these sleights he beguiled the ignorant people Against such Prophets S. Gregory vpon Ezechiel sayeth Betwene true Prophetes and false this difference there is that true Prophets if they speake any thing vpon their owne mynd they be soone rebuked but the false prophets both they tell lies and not hauyng the spirite of truth they perseuere in their falsitie Ouer and beside the sayd Hildebrand iudged to death 3. men before they were conuict or els confessed their crime wythout the sentence of any secular iudge and caused them to bee hanged vpon a paire of gallowes ouer against the Church of S. Peter in a place called Palatiolum without any delay or aduisement contrary to the lawes which commaund that euery publike offender should haue 30. dayes space before he be put to execution Which thing euen amongst the Paganes is in vre and obserued as teacheth the authoritie of S. Ambrose and the Martyrdome of holy Marcelianus and Marcus He cast Centius the sonne of Stephen the Alderman into prison beyng before his trusty friend and in a vessell being thick set with sharpe nayles he tormented him to the poynt of death who after that he was escaped apprehended the sayd Hildebrand Of this apprehension before he was let at liberty he openly forgaue all the conspiratours Which thing afterwardes contrary to his fidelitie he brake and reuenged caused Centius to whome he had forgeuen all offences to be taken and hanged him 9. of his men vpon the gallowes before S. Peters porch There was at the apprehension of Pope Hildebrand a certain widowes sonne to whom and others moe for their penaunce he enioyned a yeares banishment Which tyme beyng explete or run out the widow in tokeÌ„ of more ample satisfaction thinking therby to haue appeased the mynd of Hildebrand put a halter about her sonnes necke and drawyng her sonne by the rope to the foot of Hildebrand sayd My Lord Pope at your hands will I receaue agayne my sonne which one whole yeare hath endured banishment and other penaunce by your holynesse enioyned Then the sayd Hildebrand for that instant because of those which were with him in company dissembling his wrath deliuered her her sonne very churlishly saying get thee hence woman I bid thee and let me be in rest After this he sent his officers appreheÌ„ded the widowes sonne and gaue commaundement to the Iustices to put him to death who altogether makyng aunswer sayd that they could no more condemne or meddle with him for that hee had for his crime committed appealed once to the Pope abidden the banishment and done the penaunce by him enioyned Hereupon this glorious Hildebrand beyng displeased wyth the Iudges caused the foote of the widowes sonne to be cut off makyng neyther repentaunce nor the lawes and ordinaunces to be of any estimation with hym And thus his foote beyng cut off he dyed within three dayes after with the payne thereof Many other wicked deedes did this Hildebrand vpon whom the bloud of the church cryeth vengeance shed by the sworde that is the miserable trecherie of his tong For which things and that iustly the church refused to communicate with him Haec Benno An other Epistle of Benno to the Cardinals TO the reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome and to hys beloued in Christ and to his brethren that shall for euer be beloued Benno the Cardinall of the Churche of Rome wisheth faythfull seruice
affection then prudence to allow approue what soeuer they do yet for me to iudge vpon this reuerend man verily I think not his doings acts to be prayse worthy or to be allowed Forasmuch as therof came no vtilitie but onely the anger and stirring vp of the king whereupon afterwarde sprong so great mischiefes although the king that he did might proceede of a certayne laudable zeale like as in the blessed Prince of the Apostles in that he taught the Gentiles by his example to play the Iewes Paule the doctor of the Gentiles did declare him therein to be rebukeable albeit it cannot be denyed but that he did it of good affection c. And in the same author in an other place it followeth to the like effect in these wordes Literas has in Angliam ad suspensonem Episcoporum praemissas ipse sequebatur zelo iustitiae feruidâ—s vâ—rùm an plene secundum scientiam nouit Deus Nostrae enim paruitati nequaquam conceditur de tanti viri actibus temerè iudicare Puto enim quòd in molli ad huc teneraque regis coÌ„cordia minus prouidè egisset ea quae sine fidei Christianae periculo tolerari potuissent ratione temporis coÌ„peÌ„satione pacis dissimulanda dixisse+ iuxta illud propheticum prudens in tempore illo tacebit quia tempus malum est Itaque quod a venerabli pontifice tunc actum est nec laudandum esse iudico nec vituperare praesumo sed dico si vel modice in huiusmodi a sancto viro per zeli immoderatioreÌ„ impetuÌ„ est excessuÌ„ hoc ipsuÌ„ est sacrae quae coÌ„secata noscitur igne passionis excoctuÌ„ Ita quippe saÌ„ccti viri vel amaÌ„di vel laudaÌ„di suÌ„t a nobis qui nos illis loÌ„gè impares esse cognoscimus vt ea in quibus homines fuerunt vel fuisse noscuntur nequaquam vel amemus vel laudemus sed ea tantuÌ„ in quibus eos sine scrupulo imitari debemus Quis enim eos dicat in omnibus quae ab ipsis fiant esse imitabises Non igitur in omnibus quae faciuÌ„t sed sapientèr cautè debent laudari vt sua Deo praerogatina seruetur in cuius vtique laudibê° nemo potestesse nimius quantumcunque laudare conetur c. That is in English The letters which were sent before for the impending of the Bishops hee pursued with burning zeale of iustice but whether according to knowledge god knoweth it It is not for my rude and slender witte to iudge of the doings of such a perioÌ„ But yet thys I suppose that he did not behaue himselfe so circumspectly as hee ought considering the tyme and that the concorde betwene him and the king as yet was but soft and tender Who for the consideration of the time and for the recompeÌ„ce of peace might haue forborne or dissembled such things which without any perill of Christian religion might be tollerate wel inough according to the propheticall saying A wise maÌ„ in his time wil keepe silence because the tyme will not serue him wherfore as the doings of that reuerend Prelate I iudge in that behalfe not to be commeÌ„ded so neither did I presume to discommend them But this I say that if that holy man thorough immoderate violence of zeale did exceede in a part therin the same was excocted again and purged by the fire of his suffering which afterward ensited And so far holye meÌ„ are to be loued or praised of vs which know our selues much inferiour to their vertues that in such things wherin they haue bene men also knowne to be men therein we neyther hold with them nor commend them but onely such thinges wherein without all daunger or scruple we ought to imitate theÌ„ For who is able to say that they are to be imitated in all that they doe and therefore are not to be esteemed and praysed in al things generally whatsoeuer they do but considerately with aduisement wherin they deserue prayse so that the onely prerogatiue in this behalfe be reserued to God in whose prayse no man can exceede how seruent foeuer he be in his praysing c. And heare yet more what the sayde author writeth in the same cause of the kinges wrath Beckets faults Plusquam 100. homicidia a clericis commissa sub Hen ij dicuntur In quibus plectendis rex aliquanto vehementior Sed huius immoderationis regiae nostri temporis Episcopos tantum respicit culpa quantum ab eis processit causa Cumenim sacri praecipiuÌ„t canones clericos noÌ„ solùm facinorosos grauioribus irretitos criminibus verùm etiam leuiorum criminum reos degradari tot millia talium tanquam innumeras inter pauca grana paleas Ecclesia Anglicana contineat tamen quam paucos a multis retro annis clericos in anglia contigit officio priuari Nempe Episcopi duÌ„ defendendis magis clericorum libertatibus vel dignitatibus quam corum vitijs corrigendis tesecandisque inuigilantâ—arbitraÌ„tur obsequiuÌ„ se praestare Deo Ecclesiae sifacinorosos clericos quos pro officij debito canonicae vigore censurae coercere debeant contra publicam tucantur disciplinam VndeÌ„ clerici qui in sortem domini vocati tanquam stellae in firmamento coeli positae vita verbo lucere deberent super terram habentes pro impunitate agendi quodcunque libuerit licentiam libertatem neque Deum cuius iudicium tardare videtur neÌ„que homines potestatem habeÌ„tes reuerentur cum Episcopalis circa eos sollicitudo sit languida seculari eos iurisdictioni sacri eximat ordinis praerogatiua That is More then 100. murders are sayd to be committed by the Clergy vnder king Henry the 2. In punishing of whoÌ„ the king was somewhat to vehement but the fault sayth he of this immoderate dealing of the king resteth most in the Bishops of our tyme for as much as the cause thereof proceedeth of them For where it is de creed and commauÌ„ded by the Canon law concerning the spirituall men of the clergy that not onely such as be notorious but suche as be spotted with lighter crunes should be disgraded wherof haue we so many thousandes and whole swarmes of such now in England as innumerable chasse among the little good grayne and yet how few do we see these many yeares in England depriued of their office For why the Byshops while they labour more to mayntayne the liberties and dignities of Church men then to correct their vices thinke they do God and the Churche great seruice if they rescue and defend the enormities of the Church men agaynst publike discipline whome they ought rather to punish by the vertue of the censure ecclesiasticall Whereupon the Church men such as be sorted peculiarly to the Lord and ought like starres to shyne in earth by worde example taking licence and libertie to doe what they iust neyther reuerence god whose iudgement seemeth to tary neyther men set in authoritie when
them And thus much concerning Fulco Not long after this it befell that a certaine noble personage Lord of Lemonice in litle Britaine Widomarus by name found a great substance of treasure both of golde and siluer hid in the ground wherof a great part he sent to king Richard as chiefe Lorde and Prince ouer the whole countrey Which the king refused saying he would either haue all or none for that he was the principall chiefetaine ouer the land But the finder woulde not condescende to that Wherefore the king laide siege to a Castell of hys called Galuz thinking the treasure to lie there But the keepers and warders of the Castel seeing themselues not sufficient to withstand the king offered to him the castell desiring to depart with life and armour To this the king woulde in no wise graunt but bid them to reenter the castell againe and to defende it in all the forceable wise they coulde It so befell that as the King with the Duke of Brabant went about the castel vewing the places therof a souldiour wythin named Bertandus Cordoun stroke the king with an arrow in the arme whereupon the yron remaining and festering in the wound the king within 9. daies after died who because he was not content with the halfe of the treasure that another man founde lost all his own treasure that he had The king being thus wounded caused the man that stroke him to be brought vnto him and asked the cause of him why he so wounded him Who answered againe as the storie sayeth that he thought to kill rather then to be killed And what punishment soeuer he should susteine he was cōtent so that he might kil him which had before killed his father and brethren The king hearing his words frely forgaue him and caused an hundreth shillings to be geuē him Albeit as the story addeth after the death of the king the duke of Brabāce after great torments caused hym to be hāged Ex historia Regis Richardi 2. cui initium De patre istius Bruti c. The storie of Gisburne sayeth that the killer of king Richarde comming to the French king thinking to haue a great rewarde was commanded to be drawen a sonder with horse and his quarters to be hanged vp An other story affirmeth and Gisburn partly doth testifie the same that a litle before the death of K. Richarde 3. Abbotes of the order Cistercian came to him to whome he was confessed And when he sawe them somewhat stay at his absolution had these wordes that he did willingly commit his body to the earth to be eaten of wormes and his soule to the fire of Purgatory there to be tormented til the iudgement in the hope of God his mercy Ex Iornalens Gisburn alijs About the raigne of this king the sayd Iornalensis maketh mention of Roger archbish of Yorke which put out of his Churche the Monkes and placed for them seculare Priests saying that he woulde rather with Ecclesiasticall benefices to be geuen to wanton Priests then to abhominable Monkes that Thurstinus did sinne neuer worse in al his life then in building that house for monks c. Another story I haue which sayth that this was the Byshop not of Yorke but of Couentrie The king not long after departed without issue and Iohn his brother reigned after him in whome although some vices may worthely be reprehēded especially for his incontinent and too much licentious life yet was he farre from that deseruing for the which he hath bene so il reported of diuers wryters who being led more with affection of Poperie then with true iudgement and due consideration depraued his doings more then the sincere trueth of the historie will beare them Concerning which historie after so many wryters we thought also to bestowe a little labour although in this matter we can not be so long as I would and as the matter requireth Kyng Iohn AFter the death of king Richarde called Coeur de Lyon reigned his brother Iohn Earle of Morton Afterward the Archbyshop put the crowne on his head and sware him to defend the churche and to maintaine the same in her good lawes and to destroy the euil And except he thought not in his minde to do this the Archb. charged him not to presume to take on him this dignitie And on Saint Iohn Baptists day next following king Iohn failed into Normandy came to Roan where he was royally receiued and truce concluded betweene him the French king for a time And thether came to him the Earle of Flaunders and all other Lords of Fraunce that were of K. Richards band and frendship and were sworne vnto him Not long after this Philip the French king made Arthur Knight and tooke his homage for Normandie Britaine and al other his possessions beyond the sea and promised him helpe against K. Iohn After this King Iohn and the French king talked together wyth theyr Lordes about one houres space And the Frenche King asked so much land for himself and knight Arthur that king Iohn would graunt him none and so departed in wrath The same yeare a legate came into Fraunce and commaunded the King in paine of interdiction to deliuer one Peter out of prison that was elect to a Bishoppricke and thereupon he was deliuered And after that the Legate came into England commaunded K. Iohn vnder paine of interdiction to deliuer the Archb. which he had kept as prisoner 2. yeares which the King denied to do till he had payd him 6000. markes Because he tooke him in harnes in a field against him and sware him vpon his deliuerance that he should neuer weare harnesse against any Christen man This time diuorce was made betweene K. Iohn and his wife daughter of the Earle of Glocester because they were in the iii. degree of kinred And after by the counsell of the French king King Iohn wedded Isabel daughter of the Earle of Anguilla and then Arthur of Britaine did homage to king Iohn for Britaine and other At this time fell strife betwene K. Iohn and Geoffrey the Archbishop of Yorke for diuers causes first because he would not suffer and permit the Sheriffe of Yorke in such affaires as he had to do for the King within his Diocesse Secondly because hee did also excommunicate the sayde sheriffe Thirdly because he would not saile with him into Normandie to make the mariage betwene Lewes the French kings sonne and his niece c. After this in the yeare of our Lorde 1202. Phillip the French king in a communication betwene K. Iohn and him required that the saide K. Iohn should depart with all his landes in Normandy and Pictauia which he had beyond the sea vnto Arthur his nephew and that incontinent or els he would warre against him and so did For when king Iohn denied that request the next day folowing the French king with the sayde Arthur
keping of Kaira Babylonia It folowed now after the taking of Diamata that the soldan of Babylon accused the Prince which had the custodie thereof before his nobles of prodition as giuing the Citie vnto the Christians Who notwithstanding in indgement did sufficiently cleare himselfe declaring how he was certified that the king would land at Alexandria and therfore bent all power to preuent the kings ariuall there But by distresse of weather he missing of his purpose and the king landing about Damiata by reason therof the city was taken vnprouided he notwithstanding with his company resisting as well as they might till they could no longer and so departed out cursing said he Mahomet his law At which wordes the Soldan being offended commanded him to be had away as a traytor and blasphemer and to be hanged albeit he had sufficiently purged himselfe by the iudgement of the court His brother which was the keper of Kayra and Babylonia being therewith not a litle agrieued and bearing a good minde to the Christian religion deuised in him selfe bow to giue the said city of Kayra with Babylonia to the French king so in most secrete wise sent to the king shewing his ful purpose and what had happened and furthermore instructing the king in all things how and what he should do moreouer requiring the SacrameÌ„t of baptisme meaning in deede good sayth and sending also away all the Christian captiues which he had with hym in prison The king being glad hereof sent in al hast for william Longspath promising a full redresse of all iniuries past who vpon hope of some good lucke towardes came at the kings request and so ioyned with the French power agayne * The lamentable ouerthrow and slaughter of the French armey fighting agaynst the Infidels through the sinister councell of the Popes Legate TO make the story short the king setting forward from Damiata directed his iourny toward Kayra slaying by the way such Saracens as there were set to stop the vitailcs from Damiata The Soldane in the meane tyme hearing of the couragious comming of the French host as beyng in great hope to conquere all sent vnto the king by certayne thrt were next about him offering to the Christians the quyet and full possession of the holy land with al the kingdome of Ierusalem and more besides other infinite treasure of gold and siluer or what els might pleasure them onely vpon this condition they would restore again Damiata with the captiues there and so would ioyne together in mutuall peace and amitie Also they should haue all their Christian captiues deliuered home and so both couÌ„tries should freely passe one to an other with their wares and traficke such as they lifted to occupy Furthermore it was also firmly affirmed spokeÌ„ that the Soldan with most of hys nobles were minded no lesse then to leaue the filthy law of Mahomet and receaue the fayth of Christ so that they might quietly enioy their landes and possessions The same day great quietnes had entred no doubt in all Christendome with the end of much bloudshed and misery had not bene for the pope and hys Legate who hauing commaundement from the Pope that if any such offers should come he shoulde not take them stoutly frontosè as the words be of the story coÌ„tradiceÌ„s in no wyse would receaue the conditions offered Parisiens fol. 233. Thus while the Christians vnprofitably lingered the tyme in debating this matter the Soldan in the meane tyme got intelligeÌ„ce of the compact betwene the Tribune of Kayra and the French king whereupon he sent in all hast to the Citty of Kayra to apprehend the Tribune till the truth were fully tryed which seemed to him more apareÌ„t for that the Christian prisoners were already deliuered Hereupon the Soldan being in some better hope and lesse feare refused that which before he had offered to the Christians albeit they with great instaunce afterward sued to the Soldan and could not obteine it Then the Soldan beyng wholy bent to try the matter by the sword sent to the East partes for an infinite multitude of souldiours geuing out by Proclamation that whosoeuer could bring in any Christen mans head should haue x. talentes besides his standing wages And whosoeuer brought his right hand should haue fiue He that brought his foote shoulde haue 2. talentes for his reward After these thiuges thus prepared on both sides to the necessitie of warre the king commeth to the great Riuer Nilus hauing gotten together many boats thinking by them to passe ouer as vpoÌ„ a sure bridge On the other side the Soldan pitcheth himselfe to withstand his comming ouer In the meane tyme happened a certayne feast amongst the Saracens in which the Soldan was absent leauing hys tentes by the water side Whiche beyng foreseene by a certayn Saracen lately conuerted to Christ seruing with the Earle Robert the kings brother and shewing them withall a certayne shalow foorde in the Riuer of Nilus where they might more easily passe ouer the sayd Earle Robert the Mayster of the Temple with a great power esteemed to the third part of the armey issued ouer the Riuer after whome also followed William Longspath with hys band of English souldiours These beyng together ioyned on the other side of the water encountered the same day with the Saracens remayning in the tents and put them to the worse After this victorye gotten the FreÌ„ch Earle surprised with pride and triumph as though he had conquered the whole earth would needes forward deuiding hymselfe from the mayne host thinking to winn the spurres alone To whome certayne sage men of the Temple geuing contrary counsell aduised him not so to do but rather to returne and take their whole company with them and so should they be more sure agaynst all deceites and daungers which there might be layd priuely for theÌ„ The maner of that people they sayd they better knewe and had more experience therof then he Alledgists moreouer their weryed bodyes their tyred horses their famished souldiours the insufficiency also of their number which was not able to withstand the multitude of the enemies especiall at this present brunt in whiche the aduersaries did well see the whole state of their dominion now to consist eyther in winning all or losing all with otâ—er such like wordes of perswasion Which when the proud Earle dyd heare being inflated with no lesse arrogance then ignoraÌ„ce with opprobrious tauntes reuiled them calling them cowardly bastardes and betrayers of the whole countrey obiecting vnto them the common report of many whiche sayd that the land of the holy Crosse might be wonne to Christendome were it not for the rebellious Templarics with the Hospitalaries and their fellowes c. To these contumelious rebukes when the Maister of the TeÌ„ple answered againe for him and his felowes bidding him display his ensigne when he would where be
Margaret the daughter of our progenitour Henry the third at our Citty of Yorke in the feast of Christmas at whiche tyme the sayd Alexander dyd hys homage to our sayd progenitour who reigned in this Realme 56. yeares And thereford betweene the homage made by the sayd Alexander king of Scotland and the homage done by Alexander sonne to the sayd king of Scots to vs at our coronation at Westminster there was about 50. yeares At which tyme the said Alexander kyng of Scottes repayred to the sayd feast of our coronation and there did he his duety as is aforesayd ¶ Besides these letters of the king the Lordes temporall also in the name of the whole communaltie and Parliment wrote an other letter to the pope answering to that where as the pope arrogated to hym to be iudge for the title of the realme of Scotland whiche the king of England claymed to hymselfe whiche letter I thought also here to annexe contayning as in the wordes of the same here foloweth to be read and seene * The Lordes temporall and the whole Baronie of England to the Pope THe holy mother Churche by whose ministery the Catholicke fee is gouerned in her deedes as we throughly beleeue and holde proceedeth with that ripenes in iudgement that she will be hurtfull to none but like a mother would euery mans right to be kept vnbroken as well in other as in her selfe Whereas therefore in a generall Parliament called at Lincoln of late by our most dread Lord Edward by the grace of God the noble kyng of England the same our Lorde caused certayne letters receaued from you to be read openly and to be declared seriously afore vs about certayne businesses touching the condition state of the realme of Scotland We did not a little muse and maruaile with our selues hearing the meaninges concerning the same so wondrous and straunge as the like we haue not heard at any time before For we know most holy father and it is well knowne as well in this realm of England as also not vnknowne to other persons besides that from the first beginning of the Realme of England the certayne and direct gouernement of the Realme of Scotland in all temporall causes from tyme to tyme belonged to the kynges of the same Realme of England and Realme of Scotland as well in the times both of the Brittaines as also of Englishmen Yea rather the same Realme of Scotland of olde tyme was in see to the Auncetours of our foresayd Lordes Kynges of England yea and to hymselfe Furthermore the Kynges of Scottes and the Realme haue not bene vnder any other then the kynges of England and the Kinges of England haue answered or ought to aunswere for theyr rightes in the foresayd Realme or for any hys temporalities afore anye Iudge Ecclesiasticall or secular by reason of free preheminence of the state of hys royall dignitie and custome kept without breach at all tymes Wherefore after treatie had and dilligent deliberation of the contentes in your foresayd letters this was the common agreeing and consent with one mynde and shall be without fayle in tyme to come by Gods grace that our foresayd Lord the Kyng ought by no meanes to aunswere in iudgement in any case or shoulde bring hys foresayd rightes into doubt nor ought not to send any proctors or messengers to your presence specially seeing that the premisses tend manifestly to the disheriting of the right of the Crowne of Englande and the playne ouerthrow of the state of the sayd Realme and also hurt of the liberties customes and lawes of our fathers For the keeping and defence of whiche we are bounde by the duety of the othe made And we will mayntayne them with all power and will defend them by Gods helpe with all strength And farther we will not suffer our foresayd Lord the king to doe or by anye meanes to attempt the premisses being so unacustomed vnwont and not heard of afore Wherefore we reuerently and humbly beseech your holines that ye would suffer the same our Lord king of Englande who among other Princes of the worlde sheweth himselfe Catholicke and deuour to the Romishe Churche quietly to enioye hys rightes liberties ' customes and lawes aforesayde without all empayring and trouble and let them continue vntouched In witnesse whereof we haue set our seales to these presentes aswell for vs as for the whole communaltie of the foresayd Réalme of England Dated at Lincolne in the yeare of our Sauiour 1031. anno Edwardi primi 28. The yeare following which was from Christ an 1303. the sayd Pope Boniface the eight of that name taking displeasure with Phillip the Frenche king did excite king Edward of Englad to warre against him promising hun great ayd thereunto But he as mine author sayth little trusting the Popes false vnstable affection toward him well proued before put him of with delayes Ex Rob. Auesb. wherupon the French king fearing the power of king Edward whom the Pope had set agaynst hys friendship restored vnto him agayn Wascone which he wrongfully had in his hands deteined Concerning this variaunce here mentioned between the Pope and the French kyng how it begā first and to what end it fell out the sequell hereof Christ willing shall declare after that first I haue finished the discourse begon betweene England and Scotland In the yeare 1303. the foresayd Willa Waleys which had done so many displeasures to the king before continuing still in his rebellion gathered great multitudes of the Scottes to wtstand the king til at length the yeare following he was taken and sent vp to Londō and there executed for the same After which thinges done the king thē held his Parliament at Westminster whether came out of Scotland the Bishop of S. Andrewes Robert Bruse aboue mentioned Earle of Dunbarre Earle of Acles and Syr Iohn comming with diuers other The which volūtarily were sworne to be true to the king of England and to keep the land of Scotland to his vse agaynst at persons But shortly after the sayd Robert Bruse who as is sayd maried the second daughter of Earle Dauid forgetting his othe before made vnto the king within a yeare or two after this by the counsell of the Abbot of Stone and Bishop of S. Andrewes sent vp vnto Pope Clement the 5. for a dispensation of his othe made unsinuating to him that King Edward vexed and greued the realme of Scotland wrōgfully Whereupon the pope wrote vnto the king to leaue of such doinges Notwithstanding whiche inhibition of the Pope the king prosecuting hys owne right after he had the vnderstanding of the doings of the Scots of the mischiefe of Robert Bruys who had slayne with hys owne handes Syr Iohn Comyng for not consenting with him and other Lordes at hys Parliament areared his power strength of men preparing himselfe toward Scotlād where he ioyning with the said Syr Robert and all the power of Scotland in a
friers preachers Syward Parris Langley Item 4. minorites Foluile Carlel Frisley Bernwel Item Augustine Friers foure Ashborne Bowkyn Woldley Hornyngton Item Carmelites 4. Glanuile Dis Loney Kynnyngham Item Monkes 4. Wels Ramsey Bloxam Marton Item doctours of the Canon and Ciuill lawe 14. Appelby Waltrom Baketon Chadesden Tregision Stow Blaunchard Rocombey Lidford Welbourne Flayneburgh Motrum Brandon and Prophet Item Bachelers of Diuinitie 6. Humbleton Pickweche Lindlow Wich Chiselden Tomson The Articles of Iohn Wickleffe heere aboue specified wherof some were 10. which were by these Friers cōdemned as heretical y◠rest as erroneous here in order follow and are these Although it may be thought that some of them were made worsse by their sinister collecting then he ment them in his owne workes and wrytings ¶ The articles of Iohn Wickliffe condemned as hereticall 1. THe substance of material bread wine doth remaine in the Sacrament of the aulter after the consecration 2. The accidents doe not remaine wythout the subiect in the same Sacrament after the consecration 3. That Christ is not in the Sacrament of the altar truly and really in hys proper and corporall person 4. * That if a Byshop or a Priest be in deadly sinne hee doth not order consecrate nor baptise 5. That if a man be duely and truely contrite penitent all exteriour and outer confession is but superfluous and vnprofitable vnto hym 6. That it is not found or stablished by the Gospell that Christ did make or ordaine masse 7. If the pope be a reprobate and euil man consequently a member of the deuill he hath no power by any maner of meanes geuen vnto him ouer faithfull Christians except peraduenture it be geuen him from the Emperour 8. That since the time of Urbane the 6. there is none to be receaued for Pope but to liue after the manner of the Greekes euery man vnder his owne law 9. To be against the Scripture that ecclesiasticall ministers should haue any temporall possessions ¶ The other Articles of Iohn Wickleffe condemned as erroneous 10 THat no Prelate ought to excommunicate any man except he knew him first to be excōmunicate of God 11. That hee which doeth so excommunicate any man is therby himselfe either an hereticke or excommunicated 12. That a Prelate or Bishop excommunicating any of the clergy which hath appealed to the king or to the counsel is thereby himselfe a traytor to the king and realme 13. That all such which do leaue of preaching or hearyng the worde of God or preaching of the Gospell for scare of excōmunication they are already excommunicated and in that day of iudgement shal be counted as traytors vnto god 14. That it is lawful for any man either deacon or priest to preach the word of God without the authority or licēce of the Apostolicke sea or any other of his Catholickes 15. That so long as a man is in deadly sinne he is neyther Byshop nor Prelate in the Church of God 16. Also that the temporal lordes may according to theyr owne will and discretion take away the temporall goodes from the Church men whensoeuer they do offend 17. That tenthes are pure almose and that the Parishioners may for the offence of their curates deteine and keepe them backe bestow them vpon others at their own wil and pleasures 18. Also that all speciall praiers applied to any priuate or particular person by any Prelate or religious man do no more profite the same parson then generall or vniuersall prayers doe profite others whych be in lyke case or state vnto hym 19. Moreouer in that any man doeth enter into any priuate religion whatsoeuer it be hee is thereby made the more vnapt and vnable to obserue and keepe the commādements of God 20. That holy men which haue instituted priuate Religions whatsoeuer they be as well such as are indued and possessed as also the order of begging Friers hauing no possessions in so doyng haue greeuously offended 21. That religious men beyng in their priuate religions are not of the Christian Religion 22. That Friers are bounden to get their liuing by the labour of their handes and not by beggyng 23. That whosoeuer doth geue any almose vnto Friers or to any begging obseruaunt is accursed or in daūger therof ¶ The letter of the Archbyshop directed to the Byshop of London agaynst Wickleffe and his adherentes WIlliam by Gods permission Archbyshop of Canterbury Metropolitane of all England and of the Apostolicall sea Legate To our reuerend brother by the grace of God Byshop of London salutation The Prelates of the Churche ought to be so much the more vigilant and attentiue about the charge of the Lordes flocke committed vnto them how much the more they shall vnderstand the Wolues beyng clothed in sheepes apparell fraudulently to goe about to woory and scatter the sheepe Truly by the continuall cry and bruted fame which it greeueth me to report it is come to our knowledge that although by the canonicall sanctions no man beyng forbidden or not admitted should either publickely or priuily without the authoritie of the Apostolicall sea or Byshop of that place vsurpe or take vpon him the office of a Preacher Some notwithstandyng such as are the children of damnation beyng vnder the vale of blynde ignoraunce are brought into such a dotyng mynde that they take vppon them to Preache and are not affrayde to affirme and teach diuers and sundry propositions and conclusions here vnder recited both hereticall erroneous and false condempned by the Church of God and repugnaunt to the decree of holy Churche whiche tend to the subuertyng of the whole state of the same of our prouince of Canterbury and destruction and weakenyng of the tranquilitie of the same and that as well in the Churches as in the streetes as also in many other prophane places of our sayd prouince generally cōmonly and publikely do preach the same infecting very many good Christians causing thē lamentably to wāder out of the way frō the catholick Church without which there is no saluation We therfore considering that so pernicious a mischiefe whych may creepe amongest many wee ought not to suffer and by dissimulation to passe ouer which may with deadly contagion slea the soules of men least their bloud be required at our hands are willing so much as God wil permit vs to do to extirpate the same Wherefore by the counsaile and consent of many of our brethrē and Suffraganes we haue conuented diuers and sundry Doctours of Diuinitie as also professours and other Clerkes of the Canon and Ciuill lawes the best learned wythin the Realme and of the most soundest opinion and iudgement in the Catholicke faith to geue their opinions and iudgements cōcerning the foresayde conclusions But for as much as the sayde conclusions and assertions being in the presence of vs and our fellowe brethren and other conuocates openly expounded and diligently examined and in the end found by common counsaile
Archb. Who there required day and place to deliberate vpon the conclusions aforesayd and to geue their answere vnto the same in wryting And also required to haue a copie of the sayde conclusions to be deliuered vnto them The which copy the sayd Nicholas Philip being openly read vnto them receiued Also the foresayd M. Iohn Ayshton lykewise was examined and iudicially admonished by the said Archbishop by vertue of his othe that hee setting aside all sophisticall words suttelties he fully and plainly would say his minde vpon the conclusions aforesayd And being asked moreouer by the said Archbishop whether he would haue a further day to deliberate vpon his answers as the foresaid Nicholas and Philip had before said expresly that he would not but would answer presently to those coÌ„clusions And so for finall aunswere sayde as concerning all these conclusions containing them all together that hys iudgement was in this behalf to hold his peace Wherfore the foresaid Archbishop reputing the saide Iohn herein to be suspected admonished him in form of words as foloweth We admonish thee Iohn Ayshton whome we repute to be defamed notoriously suspected of heresie the first the second and third time that in our prouince of Canterbury hereafter thou do not preach publickely or priuately wtout our speciall licence vnder paine of the greater curse which we denouÌ„ce here by these presents against thy person if thou obey not our monitions for nowe as for then And consequently for as much as the sayd Iohn being asked of the Archb. confessed that hee had heard before of the publication of the Archbyshops Mandate wherein was inhibited that no person prohibited or not sent should preach hereafter the foresayde Archb. assigned to him Friday next folowing which was the 20. day of the same moneth after dinner to appeare before hym either at Lamheth or in the same place to say for himselfe wherefore he myght not be pronounced for an heretick for such a one to be denounced through hys whole prouince Also the said Archbishop assigned to the foresaid Nicholas and Philip the saide day place to answer peremptorily and to say fully plainly to the conclusions aforesayde all sophistication of woordes and disputation set a part ¶ The names of the Friers that sate vpon them Friers preachers 7. Thom. Barnwel William Swynherd William Pitworth Tho. Whatley Laurence Grenham Iohn Leigh Iohn Haker Carmelites 3. Walter Dish Iohn Kinningham Iohn Louey Augustine Frier Thomas Ashborne Doctour In the 20. day aforesaid of the said month of Iune the yere and place aboue prefixed before the foresayde Archbyshop sitting in his tribunall seat in the presence of diuers Doctours of Diuinitie and lawyers both Ciuil and Canon personally appeared M. Nicholas Herford Phillip Repindon Bachelers of Diuinity and Iohn Ayshton maister of Arte. Where the foresaid Nicholas and Philip being required by the sayd Archb. to answere and say fully and plainly their iudgements vppon the conclusions prefixed whereunto the sayde Archbyshop had assigned to the sayd Nicholas and Philip the same terme did exhibite to the sayd Archbyshop there iudicially sitting certaine aunsweres in wryting contained after the maner of indeÌ„ture the tenour whereof here vnder is contained and after the same forme answered to the sayd conclusions The tenour of which Indenture containing the foresaide conclusions vnto them moued as afore foloweth in these wordes ¶ The protestation of Nicholas Philip and Iohn with their Articles and aunsweres to the same WE protest here as before publikely in these preseÌ„ts that we intend to be humble and faithful children to the church and holy scripture and to obey in all things the determinations of the Church And if it shall chaunce vs at any time which god forbid to swarue from this our intention we submit our selues humbly to the correction of our reuerend father Lorde Archbishop of Cant. and primate of all England and of all other which haue interest to correct such swaruers This protestatioÌ„ premised thus we answere to the conclusions aforesayd That the substance of material bread and wine remaineth in the Sacrament of the aulter after consecration After the sense contrary to the Decretall beginning Firmiter credimus we graunt that it is heresie That the accidents doe not remaine wythout the subiect after consecration of the Sacrament Aâ—ter the sense contrary to that Decretall Cum Marthe We graunt that it is heresie That Christ is not in the sacrament the selfe same truly and really in hys owne corporall presence Although this conclusion as the words stand sound to be probable and intelligible yet in the sense coÌ„trary to the decretal in Cle Si dudum We graunt that it is heresy And briefly concerning this whole matter of the Sacrament of the aulter as touching also all other thyngs we professe that we will both in worde and sense holde wyth the holy Scripture with the determination of the holy church and sayings of the holy Doctours Obstinatly to affirme that it hath no foundation in the Gospell that Christ ordained the Masse We graunt that it is heresie That God ought to obey the deuill In this sense that God in hys owne person or essence ought to obey the deuil with the obedience of necessity We graunt that it is heresie If a man be duely contrite that all externall confession is to him superfluous and vnprofitable We graunt that it is heresie If the Pope be a reprobate an euill man and consequeÌ„tly a member of the deuil He hath no power ouer the faithful of Christ giueÌ„ to him of any vnleast it be of Cesar. We graunt that it is heresie That after Pope Urbane the 6. none is to be receyued for Pope but that wee ought to liue after the maner of the Grecians vnder our owne lawes We graunt that it is heresie To say that it is against the holy Scripture for ecclesiasticall persons to haue temporall possessions If obstinacie be ioyned withall wee graunt that it is heresie That no Prelate ought to excommunicate any man vnles he know him before to be excommunicate of God We graunte that it is an errour Understandyng thys knowledge to meane an experimental knowledge so that heerewith may stand the Decree of the Church 11. q. 3. Nemo Episco That he which doth so excommunicate is thereby an hereticke or excommunicate After the sense agreeing with the other before we graunt to be an errour That a Prelate excommunicating a clerke whych appealeth to the king or counsell of the realme in so doing is a traitor to God the king and the realme We graunt it is an errour That they whych leaue off to preache or to heare the word of God the gospel preached for the excommunication of men are excommunicate and in the day of iudgement shal be counted for traytors to God Understanding this coÌ„clusion vniuersally so as scripture and lawes do vnderstand such indefinit propositioÌ„s We graunt it is an errour To
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
mekely without any offence suffer thys affliction of the Emperor why should not any of the clergy when they do offend mekely sustaine punishment at the kings or rulers hands vnder whom he is boūden to be subiect When as the true vicar of Christ sayth the 1. of Peter and 2. chap. Be ye subiect vnto euery creature for Gods cause whether it bee vnto the kyng as most excellent or vnto the rulers as men sent of God for the punishing of the wicked and to the praise of the good for so is the good will of God Wherupon Pope Leo leaning vnto thys rule submitted him self vnto Ludouicus the Emperour as it is wrytten the 2. quest 7. Vnder these words if we haue done any thing incompetently or that we haue not obserued the vpright path and way of equitie amongst subiects wee will amende the same either by your owne iudgement either els by the aduise or iudgement of those whych you shal appoynt for that purpose For if we which ought to correct and punish other mens fauts doe commit more greuous our selues we are not then the disciples of the trueth but as with sorow we speake it we shal be aboue al other the masters of error And in the 10. distinction hee wryteth thus as touching the obedience vnto the Emperour as concerning the precepts and commandements of our Emperors and our predecessors bishops the which the glose nameth Emperors which are annoynted after the manner of Bishops to be obserued kept vnbroken wee do professe our selues by all meanes possible as much as in vs lieth or that wee may and can by the helpe of God preserue and kepe them both nowe and euer And if peraduenture any man do informe or hereafter shall informe you otherwise know you him assuredly to be a lier and slaunderer Marke how this deuout and holy Pope calling the Emperors bishops submitted himself according to the rule of S. Peter the apostle vnder the obedience and also punishment of the Emperor Wherfore then should not the clergy of the kingdome of Boheme submit themselues vnder the obedience of their king for Gods cause for to be punished if they do offende and not onely submit themselues vnto the king but also vnto the rulers and not onely vnto the rulers but vnto euery other creature For by how much they do so humble and abase themselues in this world for Gods sake so much the more shal they be exalted with him but what is the let therof but only pride wherby Antichrist doeth exalt hym selfe aboue the most humble and meeke Lord Iesu Christ Also it semeth to appere by that which is aforesayd vpon the taking away of the temporallities out of the prophecie of Hildegardis the virgin the which he wryteth in his bokes vnder Eugenius the Pope in the councel of Treuerse approued allowed by many bishops of France Italy Almany which were there present whereas also S. Bernard himselfe was present the which virgin prophecying spake in this manner The kings other rulers of the world being stirred vp by the iust iudgement of God shall set themselues against them run vpon them saying we wil not haue these men to raigne ouer vs with their rich houses great possessions and other worldly riches ouer the which we are ordeined to be Lords and rulers and how is it mete or comely that those shauelings with their stoles and chisils shuld haue more soldiers or more or richer armour or artillery then we So is it not connenient that one of the clergy should be a man of warre neither a soldier to be one of the clergy Wherefore let vs take away from them that which they do not iustly but wrōgfully possesse And immediatly after shee sayeth thus The omnipotent father equally deuided all things that is to say the heauens he gaue vnto heauenly creatures and the earth vnto the earthly And by thys meanes was there a iust deuision made betweene the children of men that the spiritualty shuld haue such things as belongeth vnto them and the secular people such things as are mete necessary for them so that neither of these 2. sorts shuld oppres eche other by violēce for God doth not cōmand that the one sonne or child should haue both the cloke and the cote and the other should go naked but he willed that the one shuld haue the cloke and the other the cote Wherefore the seculer sort ought to haue the cloke for the greatnesse of their worldly cares and for their children which daily increase and multiply The cote hee geueth vnto the spiritualty that they shuld not lacke clothing that they should not posses more then necessity doth require Wherfore we iudge and thinke it good that al these aforesaid be deuided by reason equity And whereas the cloke and the cote are both found there the cloke be taken away geuen vnto the nedy that they do not perish for lacke or want These aforsaid spake the virgin Hildegardis plainly for shewing the taking away of the tēporalities from the clergy by the seculer Lords and shewing for what cause they shall be so taken away And what manner of deuision shal be made of those thinges that are taken away that they be not consumed and spent vnprofitably For so much as mention is heere made of Hildegardis it shall not seme impertinent moued by the occasiō hereof to geue forth vnto the reader such things as we haue found in certen olde volumes touching her prophecie of the comming of certaine false Prophets onely meaning as it seemeth the begging friers whych sprang vp shortly after her time The tenour wherof is this worde for word as we finde it wrytten In those daies there shall rise vp a people without vnderstanding proud couetous vntrusty and deceitfull the which shall eat the sinnes of the people holding a certaine order of folish deuotion vnder the fained cloke of beggery preferring themselues aboue all other by their fained deuotion arrogant vnderstanding and pretended holines walking without shamefastnes or the fear of God inuenting many new mischiefs being strong stout but this order shal be accursed of al wise men and faithful Christians they shal cease from labour and geue them selues ouer vnto idlenes Chusing rather to liue thorow flattery thē by begging More ouer they shall together study howe they may peruersly resist the teachers of the trueth And slay them together wyth the noble men how to seduce and deceiue the nobility for the necessitie of their liuing and pleasures of thys worlde for the Deuill will graft in them foure principall vices that is to say flatterie enuie hypocrisie and slaunder Flatterie that they may haue large giftes geuen them Enuie when they see giftes geuen vnto other and not vnto them Hypocrisie that by false dissimulation they maye please men Detraction that they may extoll and commend them selues and backbite others for the praise of menne and seducing of
body are lacke of meat that is to say hunger and lacke of drinke called thirst and briefly all misery is the want of something which is desired Also these are bodely miseries nakednes lacke of harbour sicknesse and imprisonment All the miseries therfore being nombred together are but one of the soule the which is folly and lacke of wisdom and 6. of the body the which the Lord in the 25. of Mathew doth plainly reherse There are also commonly appoynted 7. bodely almes that is to say to feede the hungry to geue drinke vnto the thirsty To clothe the naked to harber the stranger or haberles to visit the sick to bury the dead the which altogether are cōteyned in these verses Visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo condo The which verse is thus Englished word for word Visite the sicke the hungry feede Geue drinke to the thirsty cloth the naked Bury the dead the captiue redeme The harbourles receiue to thy lodging There be also 7. other spirituall almes appoynted whych are these to teache the ignoraunt to councell him that is in dout To comfort him which is in heauinesse To correct the offender To forgeue him which hath offended against thee To beare those which are greeuous And to pray for all men the which are also conteined in these verses following Consule castiga solare remitte fer ora The which verse is thus Englished word for word Instruct the ignorant the weake confirme Comfort the heauy hart and correct sinner Forgeue the offender beare with the rude Pray for all men both euel and good So that notwithstanding vnder the same counselles and doctrine be comprehended Thus writeth Thomas in the 2. part of the 2. quest 32 article 2. Secondly it is to be noted that in this present article our intent is only to intreat of bodely almes the which as Thomas writeth in his 2. part 2. questi 32. Arti. 1. according vnto some mens mindes is this defined Almes is a worke whereby any thing is giuen vnto the needy of compasiō for Gods sake And for so much as this definition serueth as well for the spirituall as for the corporall almes Therefore to the purpose almes is a worke whereby any thing is giuen vnto the needy in body for compassion for Gods sake Or that is giuen of compassion or pitie vnto the bodely needy for Gods sake Whereupon it is manifest that almes as S. Augustin other holy men say is a worke of mercy as also to geue almes As it appeareth by the name for in the Greeke it is deriued frō this word Misericordia which is mercy for as in the Latine this word Miseratio which signifieth pitie is deriued of Misericordia which is mercy so this word Eleemosyna which signifieth almes is deryued of the Greeke word Elemonia which is to say mercy and of the word Sina which is to say commandement as it were a commaundement of mercy or otherwise of this word Elemonia By this letter I which is to say God and this worde Sina which is commaundement As if it were said the commaundement of God as Ianuensis in his booke intituled Catholicō affirmeth For our Sauiour doth commaunde in the xj of Luke to geue almes saying geue almes and behold all thinges are cleane vnto you least that in this point there may be any equiuocation it is supposed presently that the almes giuē of mē is a corporal almes giuen simply vnder the name of almes Secondly it is to be noted that Tythes in this effect are the tenth part of goods of fortune giuen by a man simply vnder the name of almes for Gods sake These things being thus noted and supposed the article is thus proued Euery gift of fortune or temporal gift simply giuē vnder the name of almes is almes But some tiths are the gift of fortune or temporall gift vnder the name of almes Therfore some tithes are almes This consequent is manifest of his selfe The Maior appeareth by the first supposition And the Minor by the seconde Item euery gift geuen by a man euen of loue to relieue and helpe the miserable out of his misery is an almes The 10. part of the goodes of fortune geuen by a man simply vnder the name of almes for Gods sake is geuen by the same man euen of loue to helpe the miserable out of his misery Therefore the 10. part of the goods of fortune being geuē by any man simply vnder the name of almes for Gods sake is almes The consequent is manifest The Maior appeareth by this that euery such gift is either a spirituall or bodely almes The Minor seemeth hereby true for so much as many holy men haue geuen and do geue euen for loue to relieue the miserable out of his miserie Neither is it to be doubted but that such kinde of tithes are almes For S. Augustine vppon these words of the Lord in the Gospell wryteth thus Woe be vnto you Pharisies which do tithe minte and anise If they cannot be clēsed without they beleeue in him he which doth clense his heart thorow faith to what purpose is it that hee sayth geue almes and beholde all things are cleane vnto you Let vs geue care and peraduenture he doth expound it himselfe They did take out the 10. part of all their fruites and gaue it for almes the which any Christian mā doth not willingly Then they mocked him whē he spake these words to them as vnto men which wold do no almes Thys the Lord forknowing said Wo be vnto you Pharises which tithe mint and rue and al kind of herbs And passe ouer the iudgement charity of God for this it is to do almes if thou dost vnderstād it begin with thy selfe For howe canst thou be mercifull vnto an other which art vnmercifull vnto thy selfe This wryteth S. Augustine in plainly saying that tithes are almes Also in his Enchiridion 76. chap. vpon these wordes of Luke in the 11 chapter Notwithstanding that which is more then sufficient geue in almes and all things shall be cleane vnto you hee sayth thus when he had rebuked them that they washed thēselues outwardly and inwardly were full of iniquity abhomination admonishing them what and howe a man ought first to bestowe almes vpon him self and first to clense him self inwardly he sayth That which doth remaine geue in almes beholde all things are clean vnto you Afterward that he might the better declare what he had geuen them warning of what they neglected to do that they shuld not iudge him ignorant of their almes he sayth Wo be vnto you Pharisies as though hee shoulde say I verely gaue you warning that you shuld geue such almes wherby al things might be cleane vnto you but wo be vnto you which do tith mint rue and all kinde of herbes for I do know these your almes that you shuld not thinke with your selues that you had geuē me warning therof and neglect
charity into the snare of the deuill If thou shalt keepe pacience he shal be ashamed of his doing and thou maist bow bend hym to repentaunce and take him out from the snare of the deuil and cal him backe againe to charity If thou resist and perchaunce by resisting doest strike againe his fury shal be the more kindled hee being stirred vp to greater wrath peraduenture shal either slay thee or thou him Touching thy self thou art vncertaine if thou go about to make resistance whether thou shalt fall from charity and then shalt thou goe backwarde from the perfection of Christes commaundement Neither doest thou knowe but that it may happen thee so greatly to be moued as that by the heate violence of wrath thou shalt slay him Whereas if thou wouldest dispose thy selfe to pacience as Christ teacheth thou shouldest easily auoide all these mischieues aswel on the behalfe of thy brother as also of thyne owne parte Wherefore the obseruing of charitie as the precept of pacience is to be obserued Fifthly I do maruel why that for the alowing of thys corporall resistaunce he doth say in the same Chapter that Paule did not fulfill the precept of the pacience of Christ when as he being stroken in the place of iudgement by the cōmandement of the high Priest did say God strike thee O thou painted wal Doest thou sit to iudge me according to the law and doest thou cōmand me to be striken against the lawe It is manifest that Paule made resistance in nothing though he spake a word of instruction to the Priest who against the law commanded him to be striken And if Paul had ouerpassed the bounds of pacience through the grief of the stroke what of that Must the deede of Paules impaciencie for this cause be iustified and the commandement of paciēce taught by Christ be left vndone for Pauls deede and corporal resistance be allowed God forbid For both Paule and Peter might erre But in the doctrine of Christ there may be found no errour Wherefore we must geue more credence beliefe to Christes sayings then to any liuing mans doings Wherefore although Paule had resisted which I do not perceiue in that Scripture it followeth not therof that corporall resistance must be approued which is of Christ expresly forbidden I much maruel that alwayes they seeke corners and shadowes to iustifie their deedes Why doe they not marke what great thyngs Paule reciteth hymselfe to haue suffered for Christ And where I pray you haue they found that hee after his conuersion stroke any man that did hurt him Or where doe they finde that he in expresse word doth teach such a kinde of corporal resistance But as touching pacience he sayth in plaine words to the Romanes Be not wise in your owne conceits Render ill for ill to no body prouiding good things not onely before God but also before all men if it be possible Be at peace with all folkes as much as in you lieth not defending your selues my most dearely beloued but geue you place vnto anger For it is wrytten vengeance is mine I will recompence them sayth the Lorde But if thine enemie shal be an hungred geue hym meate If he be a thirst geue him drinke For thus doing thou shalt heape coales of fire vpon his head Be not ouercomen of euill but ouercome thou euill with good To the Corinthians the 5. as touching iudgement and contention whych are matters of lesse weyght then are fightings thus he wryteth Nowe verely there is great faulte in you that you be at lawe amongst yourselues Why rather take yee not wrong why rather suffer yee not deceit And generally in all his Epistles he teacheth that pacience shuld be kept and not corporall resistance by fighting because charitie is pacient it is curteous it suffereth all things I maruaile howe they iustifie and make good the warres by Christians sauing onely the warres against the deuill and sinne For seeing that it is plaine that those things whych were in the olde Testament were figures of things to be done in the new Testament Therfore we must needes say that the corporall warres being then done were figures of the Christian warres against sinne and the deuill for the heauenly countrey whych is our inheritance It is plain that it was wrytten thus of Christ. The mighty Lord and of great power in battaile hath girded himselfe in force and manlynesse to the warre and he came not to sende peace into the earth but warre In thys warre ought Christian people to be souldiours according to that manner whych Paule teacheth to the Ephesians the last Put vpon you the armour of God that you may be able to stande against the deceites of the deuill For wee haue not to wrastle against flesh and bloude but against princes potestates against the rulers of these darknes of the world against spirituall wickednesse in heauenly things whyche are the high places Wherefore take yee the armour of God that yee may be able to resist in the euil day and to stand perfectly in al things Stande you therefore girded about in truth vpon your loynes hauing put vppon you the brest plate of rightuousnesse and your feete shoed in a readinesse to the Gospel of peace in all things taking the shield of faith wherwith you may quēch all the firy darts of that wicked one And take vnto you the helmet of saluation and the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God By these thyngs it is plaine what are the warres of Christians and what are the weapons of theyr warfare And because it is manifest that this Testament is of greater perfectiō then the former we must now fight more perfectly then at that time For nowe spiritually then corporally nowe for an heauenly euerlasting inheritance then for an earthly and temporall now by pacience then by resistance For Christ sayeth blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse for theirs is the kingdome of heauen He saith not blessed are they that fight for righteousnes How can a man say that they may lawfully make warre kill theyr brethren for the temporall goodes whych peraduenture they vniustly occupy or vniustly intende to occupy For he that killeth an other to gette these goods whych an other body vniustly occupieth doeth loue more the very goodes then hys owne brother And then hee falling from charitie doth kill hymselfe spiritually If he goe forwarde without charitie to make warre then doeth he euill and to hys owne damnation Wherefore he doth not lawfully nor iustly in proceeding to the damnation of his own selfe his brother whome though he seeme vniustly to occupy his goods yet he doth intend to kil And what if such kinde of warres were lawfull to the Iewes thys argueth not that now they are lawfull to Christians because that theyr deedes were in a shadow of imperfection but the dedes of Christians in
nor you can take any great aduantage to proue any treason in the Lord Cobham or in his felowes as hath bene hetherto aboundantly declared in the premisses It remaineth further that for asmuch as you in your fixt Dialogue with your author Edward Halle do alledge the records Et publica iudicij Acta to dissame these men for traytours although what records they be you bring forth neuer a word I therefore in their defence do answere for them whiche can not now aunswere for themselues And because you to accuse them do mention a certaine recorde and yet do not shew vs what record it is and peradueÌ„ture can not if ye would I haue taken the paines therfore for the loue of them whom you so hate to search out such Recordes whereby any occasion can be raised against them And first will declare the commission granted then the inditement commensed against them The which commission and inditement albeit in countenance of words will seeme to minister much suspition against them to the simple Reader before he be better acquainted with these subtile dealings and practises of Prelates yet trusting vpon the goodnesse of the cause which I see here so falsely and sleightly to be handled I nothing feare nor doubt to produce the same out of the Records in Latine as they stand to the intent that when the craftie handling of the aduersaries shall be disclosed the true simplicitie of the innocent to the true harted Reader shall the more better appeare The words first of the Commission here folow vnder written which when thou shalt heare let theÌ„ not trouble thy minde gentle reader I besech thee before thou vnderstand further what packing and subtile conueyance lieth couered and hid vnder the same ¶ In Rotulo patent de anno primo Henrici quinti. R. Dilectis fidelibus suis Willielmo Roos de Hamlak Henrico le Scrop Willielmo Croiomere maiori Ciuitatis suae London Hugoni Huls Iohanni Preston Ioanni Mertin salutem Sciatis quòd cum nos plenius A informemur ac notorie manifeste dinoscatur quôd quam plures subditi nostri Lollardi vulgarie nuncupati ac alij mortem nostram contra ligeanciae suae debitum proditorie imaginauerunt ac quam plura alia tam in fidei catholicae quà m status dominorum magnatum regni nostri Angl. tam spiritualium quam temporalium destructionem proposuerunt ac diuersas congregationes alia conuenticula illicita pro nephando proposito suo in hac parte per implend secerunt in nostri exheredationem ac Regni nostri destructionem manifestam Nos huiusmodi Lollardos ac alios praedictos iuxta eorum demerita in hac parte castigari puniri volentes ac de fidelitate circumspectione vestris plenius confidentes assignauimus vos quinque quatuor tres vestrum quorum vos praefati maior Hugo duos esse volumus Iustic nostros ad inquirend per sacrum proborum legal hominum de ciuitate praedicta suburbijs eiusdem ac de Com. Midd. tam infr libertates quam extr per quos rei veritas melius sciri poterit de omnibus singulis proditionibus insurrectionibus per huius modi Lollardos in ciuitate suburbijs com predictis factis perpetratis nec non de omnimodo proditionibus insurrectionibns rebellionibus felonijs in ciuitate suburbijs com praedictis per quoscunque qualitercunque factis siue perpetratis ad easdem proditiones insurrectiones rebelliones felonias audiend terminand secundum legem consuetudinem Regni nostri Angl. Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ad certos c. quos c. quorum c. ad hoc prouideritis diligentes super premissis fac inquisitiones premissa omnia singula audiatis terminetis in forma praedicta facturi c. Saluis c. Mandauimus enim vicecomitibus nostris Lond. Midd. quod ad certos c. quos c. quorum c. eius seire fac venire facietis coram vobis c. quorum c. tot c. de Balliua sua tam infr libertates quam extra per quos c. inquiri In cuius c. T.R. apud Westm. B x. die Ianuarij Peripsum Regem By these high and tragicall wordes in this commission sent downe against the Lord Cobham Sir Roger Acton and their felowes It may peraduenture seeme to the ignorant and simple reader some hainous crime of treason to rest in them for conspiring against God the Churche the kyng their countrey But what cannot the fetchyng practise oâ— the Romish Prelates bring about where they haue once conceiued a malice Wherfore maruel not good trader at this nor iudge thou accordinge to the woordes which thou hearest But suspeÌ„d thy iudgemeÌ„t a while till the matter be more opened vnto thee ExaÌ„ples of like hâ—Ì„dling be not so rare but thou maist soone iudge by other tymes the like also of these George Egle of whom meÌ„tion was made before did but preach in time of Queene Mary anâ— yet coÌ„missioÌ„ was directed against him as in case of raising vp a coÌ„motion against the Queene AdaÌ„ Damlip in Cahce did but preach the receiuing of one poore crowne 2. yeares before at Rome was inough to make him a traitor In the time of K Henry the 8 onâ— Singleton chaplein to Queene Anne the Queenes maiesties mother that now is did but preach 〈◊〉 Gospel moued by zeale as I haue credible witnes of his owne scholer that heard him speake it being with him yeâ— by vertue of coÌ„mission it was obiected to hym for raysing vp commotion agaynst the kyng yea and also for killing of Pakington suffered for the same as a traytor So here what matter or maruell is it if the kyng â—â—censed or rather circumuented by the wrong information of the Prelates whom he beleued gaue out his coÌ„mission agaynst thynges neuer wrought nor thought Wherfore I exhort thee Christian Reader as I sayd before iudge not by and by the truth by the wordes of the CommissioÌ„ but iudge the wordes rather of the Commission by the truth Neither measure thou the lyne by the stone But the stone rather by the line At least yet differ thy sentence till both the Commission and the InditemeÌ„t beyng layd together thou mayest afterward see and perceiue more what is to be iudged in the case In the meane season marke well these wordes of the kyng in this Commission A Cum nos plenius informeâ—ur c. By the which wordes it is easie to be vnderstand that the kyng himselfe had no certaine knowledge thereof but onely by information of others of Byshops no doubt Prelates thereupon gaue forth his Commission aforesayd And then how will this stand with our Chroniclers other Epitomes and Summaries whoÌ„ Maister Cope doth alledge For if it be certaine that Robert FabiaÌ„ sayth that the kyng himselfe beyng in the field tooke
the contents of whych his wrytings do folow Hubertus Dei gratia Cant. Archiepiscop totius Angliae primas dilectis in Christo frat Episco per prouinciam Cant. Sal grat benedictionem D. Papa sicut ex literis ipsius manifestè perpéditur de conuersatione meritis moribus b. Gilberti magistri ordinis de Sempringham miraculis a Deo per eum factis per testes testimonia sufficienter instructus de consilio fratrum Cardin. ipsum mag Catalogo sanctorum decreuit ascribi solemnitatem eius constituit mandauit per Cant. prouinciam solemniter celebrari Insuper corpus eius cum requisiti fuerimus praecepit ad honorem Dei gloriam eleuari Vestra igitur vniuersitas huic mandato cum deuotione congaudeat secundum formam in ipso mandato praescriptam praedicti confessoris Domini depositionem annuam faciatis cum reuerentia solemniter obseruari vt apud Dominum ab illo vestra debeat possit deuotio commēdari necnon ipsius sancti supplex intercessio vobis proficiat ad salutem Valete The summe of the whiche wryting of the Archb. tendeth to thys effecte That forsomuch as the Pope hearyng of the life and myracles of Gilbert Maister of the order of Sempringham by sufficiēt witnes and testimonies hath in his letters commanded him by the aduise of hys Cardinals that the sayde Gilbert should be canonised ascribed in the Cataloge of saintes and that his solemnity shoulde be celebrate solemnely throughout al the prouince of Canterb And also hys body to be taken vp and shrined to the honour and glory of God He therefore at the Popes commaundement wryting vnto them wylleth all the Suffraganes within his prouince of Canterb. yearely to solemnise and cause to be solemnized reuerētly the deposition of the sayd Saint Gilbert Confessor to the entent that theyr deuotion may be commended of the Lord and of him And also that the humble intercession of the sayd Saint may profite them to their saluation Furthermore for the more full canonising canuising I had almost sayd of this new made saint the saide Pope Innocent writing to Hubert aforesayd adioyneth withall a collect of his owne making which is this Plenam in nobis aeterne saluator tuae vertutis operare medelam vt qui praeclara beati Gilberti confessoris tui merita veneramur ipsius adiuti suffragijs a cunctis animarum nostrarum languoribus liberemur Quiviuis regnas c. That is worke in vs O eternal sauior full remedy of thy vertue that we which worship the worthy merites of blessed Gilbert thy confessour being succoured by his suffrages may be deliuered from all languors diseases of our soules who liuest and raignest c. The cōsecration of this one Saint who perhaps was not the worst I thought here to cōmemorate to the intent that the reader measuring by this one the Canonisation of al the rest may iudge the better vpō this cōparison of master Cope whether of vs doth vendicate more impudent authoritie the Pope in his Callender or I in mine or to make the comparison more fit whether is more impudent the pope in his Callendar or els maister Cope in his Dialogues more doltishe But briefly to make an end of this matter with you to canonise or to authorise any saintes for man it is presumptuous to prescribe any thing here to be worshipped beside God alone it is idolatrous to set vp any mediatours but Christ onely it is blasphemous And whatsoeuer the pope doth or hath done in his Calendar my purpose in my Calendare was neither to deface any old saint or to solemnise any new In my booke of Actes and Monuments entreating of matters passed in the churche these latter fiue hundreth yeares I did regulate out a Callendare not for any Canon to constitute Saintes but onely for a table of them which within the same time did suffer for the testimony of the word whom I did and doe take to be good and godly men If any haue other iudgement of them I binde no man to my opinion as the pope doth to his The day will come which shall iudge both them and you In the meane season it shall be best for you M. Cope in my iudgement to keepe a good thing in your head and to quiet your rayling mode A hard thinge it is to iudge before the Lord. Mans iudgement may faile and is vncertayne the iudgement of God is alwayes sure Best is therfore either to be sure by the word and iudgement of God before what you do say or els to say the best Of such slaunderous and intemperate rayling can come no good neither to whome ye rayle vpon nor to your selfe whiche rayleth nor to the church of God that heareth you rayle For them you can not hurt they are gone To your selfe and thoughe your matters be true yet little honesty it will bring to be counted a rayler and if it be vncertayne your state is daungerous and if be false most miserable And as to the Church what great edification can proceede of suche contentions brawling and barkinge one against an other I doe not greatly see And if the zeale of the bishop of Romes church haue so much swallowed you vp that ye cannot but stamp and stare at traytours when ye see them put in Calenders first M. Cope be ye sure first that they be traytours wisdome would whome you call traytours And if ye can so proue thē as ye haue not yet then let your Irenaeus or Critobulus tell me why doth not this flagrant zeale of yours as hote as purgatory burne out and flame as wel against your owne traytors hauing so many in your own Calendare and Church at home And if there be such a Catholicke zeale in you that hath set your gentle brest on such a pelting chase why then is not this your Catholicke zeale equally indifferent Why take ye on so fell on the one side agaynst sir Iohn Oldcastle sir Roger Acton M. Browne c A man wold think you played Hercules furens in Orchestra On the other syde agayne ye are Oleo tranquillior What indiffirencie maister Cope call you this Or what zeale make you this to be Albeit your zeale I iudge not as I know it not Swifte iudgement shall not become me which go about to correct the same in you But this I exhorte you to beware maister Cope that by your owne fruites and doinges euident ye do not bewray this zeale in you to be Non secundum scientiam nor such a zeale as fighteth Pro Domo Dei sed pro demo Pontificis As I sayde I iudge you not You haue your iudge to whome ye stand or fall My counsayle is that ye do not so zeale the Byshop of Rome that for his sake ye lose your owne soule Ye remember the olde vulgar voice it is not good Ludere cum sanctis worse it is Illudere
Lord Iesus they be murtheres and theeues Then sayde the Cardinall of Cambray beholde both this and all other articles before rehearsed he hath written much more detestable thinges in his booke then is presented in hys articles Truely Iohn Hus thou hast kept no order in thy sermons and writings Had it not ben your part to haue applyed your sermons according to your audieÌ„ce For to what purpose was it or what did it profite you before the people to preach agaynst the Cardinals when as none of them were present It had bene meeter for you to haue told them theyr faults before them all then before the laity Then aunswered Iohn Hus reuerend father for so much as I did see many prieste other learned men present at my sermons for their sakes I spake those wordes Then sayd the Cardinal thou hast done very ill for by such kinde of talke thou hast disturbed and troubled the whole state of the Church The 18. Article An hereticke ought not to be committed to the secular powers to be put to death for it is sufficient onely that he abide and suffer the ecclesiasticall censure These are my wordes That they might be ashamed of their cruel sentence and iudgement specially for somuch as Iesus Christ byshop both of the old and newe Testament would not iudge such as were disobedient by ciuill iudgement neither condemne them to bodily death As touching the first poynt It may be euidently seene in the 12. Chapiter of S. Luke And for the second it appeareth also by the woman which was taken in adultery of who it is spoken in the 8. chapter of Sainct Iohn And it is sayde in the 18. Chapter of Sainct Mathew If thy brother haue offended thee c. Marke therfore what I do say That an hereticke whatsoeuer he be ought first to be instructed and taught with Christian loue and gentlenes by the holy scriptures and by the reasons draâ—ne and taken out of the same as S. Augustine and others haue done disputing agaynst the heretickes But if there were any which after al these gentle and louing admonitions and instructions woulde not cease from or leaue of their stiffnes of opinions but obstinately resist agaynst the truth suche I say ought to suffer corporall or bodily punishment As soone as Iohn Hus had spoken those thinges the iudges red in hys booke a certayne clause wherein he seeined greeuously to enuey agaynst them which deliuered an hereticke vnto the secular power not being confuted or contricted of heresie and compared theÌ„ vnto the high priestes Scribes and Phariseis which sayd vnto Pilate it is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death and deliuered Christ vnto him And yet notwithstanding according vnto Christes owne witnesse they were greater murtherers then Pilate for he said Christ which hath deliuered me vnto thee hath committed the greatest offence Then the Cardinals and Bishops made a great noyse and demaunded of I. Hus saying who are they that thou dost compare or assimule vnto the Phariseis Then he sayd all those whiche deliuered vp anye innocent vnto the ciuill sworde as the Scribes and Phariseis deliuered Iesus Christ vnto Pilate No no sayd they agayne for all that you spake here of doctors And the Cardinall of Cambray according to his accustomed maner sayd Truly they which haue made and gathered these articles haue vsed great lenitie and getlenes for his writings are much more detestable horible The 19. article The Nobles of the world ought to coÌ„strayne and compel the ministers of the Church to obserue and keepe the law of Iesus Christ. I answere that it standeth thus word for word in my booke Those which be on our part do preach and affirme that the church militant according to the partes which the Lord hath ordayned is deuided and consisteth in these partes That is to say Ministers of the Church which should keepe purely and sincely the ordinaunces and commaundementes of the sonne of God and the Nobles of the world that should compel and driue them to keepe the commaundementes of Iesus Christ and of the common people seruing to both these partes and endes according to the institution and ordinaunce of Iesus Christ. The 20. Article The ecclesiasticall obedience is a kynd of obedience which the priestes and monks haue inuented wtout any expresse authority of the holy scriptures I answer and confes that those words are thus written in my book I say that there be three kindes of obedience spirituall secular and ecclesiasticall The spirituall obedience is that which is onely due according to the lawe and ordinance of God vnder the whiche the Apostles of Iesus Christ dyd lyue and all Christians ought for to liue The secular obedience is that which is due according to the Ciuill lawes and ordinances The ecclesiastical obedience is such as the Priestes haue inuented without any expresse authoritie of Scripture The first kinde of obedience doth vtterly exclude from it all euill as well on his part which geueth the commandement as on his also which doth obey the same And of this obedience it is spoken in the 24. chap. of Deut. Thou shalt do all that which the priestes of the kindred of Leuy shall teach and instruct thee according as I haue coÌ„maunded them The 21. Article He that is excoÌ„municated by the pope if he refuse and forsake the iudgement of the Pope and the generall Councell and appealeth vnto Iesus Christ after he hath made hys appellation all the excommunications and curses of the Pope cannot annoy or hurt hym I aunswere that I do not acknowledge this proposition but in deede I did make my complaynt in my booke that they had both done me and such as fauoured me great wrong that they refuse to heare me in the popes court For alter the death of one pope I dyd appeale to hys successor and all that did profite me nothing And to appeale from the P. to the Councell it were to long that were euen as much as if a man in trouble should seeke an vncertayne remedy And therfore last of all I haue appealed to the head of the Church my Lord Iesus Christ for he is much more excellent and better then any pope to discusse and determine matters and causes for somuch as he cannot erre neyther yet deny iustice to him that doth aske or require it in a iust cause neither can he condemne the innocent Then spake the Cardinall of Cambray vnto hym and sayd wilt thou presume aboue S. Paule who appealed vnto the Emperour and not vnto Iesus Christ Iohn Hus answered for somuch then as I am the first the do it am I therfore to be reputed counted an hereticke And yet notwithstanding S. Paule did not appeale vnto the Emperoure of hys owne motion or will but by the will of Christ which spake vnto hym by reuelation and sayd be firme and constant for thou must go
maiesty doth heere vse it Then sayde the Cardinall of Florence Iohn Hus you shall haue a forme of abiuration which shal be gentle and tollerable inough written and deliuered vnto you and then you will easily sone determine with your selfe whither you will do it or no. Then the Emperour repeating againe the wordes of the Cardinall of Cambray said thou hast heard that there are two waies layd before thee First that thou shouldest opēly renounce those thy errors which are now cōdēned and subscribe vnto the iudgement of the Councel wherby thou shouldest try and find their grace and fauour But if thou proceed to defend thy opiniōs the Councell shal haue sufficient wherby according to their lawes ordinances they may decree and determine vpō thee To whom Iohn Hus answered I refuse nothing most noble Emperour whatsoeuer the Councell shall decree or determine vpō me This only one thing I except that I do not offend God and my cōscience or say that I haue professed those errors which was neuer in my mind or thought for to professe But I desire you al if it may be possible that you will grant me further libertie to declare my mind and opiniō that I may answere as much as shall suffice as touching those things which are obiected against me and speciallie cōcerning ecclesiasticall offices and the state of the ministerie But when as other men began to speake the Emperor himselfe began to sing the same song which he had song before Thou art of lawfull age said the Emperor thou mightest haue easily vnderstand what I saide vnto thee yesterday and this daye for wee are forced to giue credit vnto these witnesses which are worthy of credit for so much as the Scripture saith that in the mouth of two or three witnesses all truth is tried How much more then by so manie witnesses of such worthy men Wherfore if thou be wise receiue penance at the handes of the Councell with a contrite hart and renounce the manifest errors and promise by an othe that from henceforth thou wilt neuermore teach or preach againste them The which if thou refusest to do there are lawes and ordinances whereby thou shalt be iudged of the Councell Heere a certain very old Bishop of Pole put to his verdict He saide the lawes are euident as touching hereticks with what punishment they ought to be punished But Iohn Hus constantly answered as before in somuch that they saide he was obstinate and stubborne Then a certaine well fed priest and gaily apparelled cried out vnto the presidents of the Councell sayeng he ought by no meanes to be admitted to recantation for he hath written vnto his frends that although hee do sweare with hys tong yet he will keepe his mind vnsworne without othe wherefore he is not to be trusted Unto this slander Iohn Hus answered as is said in the last Article affirming that he was not guilty of any errour Then said Palletz to what end is this protestation for so much as thou saiest that thou wilt defend no error neyther yet Wickliffe and yet doest defend him When he had spoken these words he brought forth for witnes 9. Articles of Iohn Wickliffes and red thē openly afterward he saide When as I and M. Stanislaus in the presence of Ernestus of Austrich duke of Prage preached against thē he obstinately defended the same not only by his sermōs but also by his bookes which he set forth The which except you do here exhibite we will cause them to be exhibited So said the Emperor also Unto whome Iohn Hus answered I am very well contented that not onely those but also all other my bookes be brought forth and shewed In the meane time there was exhibited vnto the Coūcell a certaine Article wherein Iohn was accused that he had slaunderously interpreted a certaine sentence of the Popes the which he denied that he did saieng that he neuer sawe it but in prison when as the Article was shewed him by the Commissioners And when he was demaunded who was the authour thereof he aunswered that hee knew not but that he hard say that maister Iessenitz was the author thereof What sayd they then do you thinke or iudge of the interpretation thereof Then aunswered Iohn Hus what should I say therunto when as I said I neuer saw it but as I haue heard it of you Thus they were all so greuous and troublesome vnto him that he waxed faint wearie for he had passed all y◠night before without sleepe through the paine of his teeth Then was there another Article read in the which was conteined that three men were beheaded at Prage because that through Wickleffes doctrine and teaching they were contuinelious and slanderous against the Popes letters and that they were by the same Hus with the whole pompe of the Scholers and with a publike conuocation or congregation caryed out to be buryed by a publicke Sermon placed amongst the number of Saints And the same Doctour Naso of whome you haue heard certaine testimonies already recited affirmed the same to be true and that he himselfe was present when as the king of Boheme commanded those blasphemers so to be punished Then said Iohn Hus both those partes are false that the King did command any such punishment to be done and that the coarses were by me conueyed with any such pompe vnto their sepulture or buriall wherefore you do both iniury vnto me and the King Then Palletz confirmed the affirmation of Doctour Naso his fellow with this argumēt for they both laboured to one end and purpose That it was prouided by the Kings commaundement that no man should once speake against the Popes Bulles And these three spake against the Popes Bulles Ergo by vertue of the kings commaundement they were beheaded And what Iohn Husse his opinion and mind was as touching these men it is euident inough by hys booke intituled Of the Church wherein he writeth thus I beleeue they haue read Daniell the Prophet where as is said And they shall perish with sword and fire and with captiuitie and many shall fraudulently craftely associate themselues vnto thē And afterward he saith how is this fulfilled in these two lay men who not cōsenting but speaking against the fained lies of Antichrist haue offred their liues therfore and many other were ready to do the same and many were fraudulently associate vnto them which being feared by the threatnings of Antichrist are fled and haue turned their backes c. When these things were read one looking vpon another as though they had bene all in a maruellous strange study they held their peace for a certaine space For this Palletz the foresaide Doctour Naso had also added that Iohn Hus in an open Sermon had inflamed stirred vp the people against the Magistrates in so much that a great number of the citizens did openly set themselues against the magistrates and
destroyed This most holy and godly labour O most noble Prince was reserued only for thee vpon thee it doth only lye vnto whome the whole rule and ministration of iustice is giuen Wherfore thou hast established thy praise renowne euen by the mouthes of infants sucking babes for thy praises shall be celebrate for euermore that thou hast destroied ouerthrowne such and so great enimies of the faith The which that thou maist prosperously happely perfourme bring to passe our Lord Iesu Christ may vouchsafe to grant thee his grace help who is blessed for euer euer Amen When this Sermon was thus ended the Procurer of the Councell rising vp named Henricus de Piro required that the processe of the cause against Iohn Hus might be continued and proceed vnto the difinitiue sentence Then a certaine Byshop whych was appointed one of the Iudges declared the processe of the cause which was pleaded long since in the Court of Rome and elsewhere betweene Iohn Hus and the Prelates of Prage At the last he repeated those articles which we haue before remembred amongst the which he rehearsed also one article that I. Hus shoulde teach the two natures of the Godhead and manhead to be one Christ. Iohn Hus went about briefly with a word or two to aunswer vnto euerie one of them but as often as he was about to speake the Cardinall of Cambray coÌ„manded him to hold his peace saieng heereafter you shall answere to all together if you will Then said Iohn Hus how can I at once aunswere vnto all those things which are alledged against me wheÌ„ as I cannot remember them all Then sayde the Cardinall of Florence we haue heard thee sufficiently But wheÌ„ as I. Hus for all that would not hold his peace they sent the officers which should force him therunto Then began he to intreate pray and beseech therâ—â—hat they woulde heare him that such as were present â—ight not credite or beleeue those things to be true which were reported of him But when all this would nothing preuaile he kneeling downe vpon his knees committed the whole matter vnto God and the Lord Iesus Christ for at their handes he beleeued easely to obtaine that which he desired When the articles abouesaid were ended last of all there was added a notable blasphemy which they all imputed vnto Iohn Hus. That is that he saide there shoulde be a fourth person in diuinitie and that a certaine Doctour did heare him speake of the same When Iohn Hus desired that the Doctour might be named the Bishop which had alledged the article said that it was not needefull to name him Then said Iohn Hus O miserable and wretched man that I am which am forced and compelled to beare such blasphemy and slaunder Afterward the Article was repeated how he appealed vnto Christ and that by name was called hereticall whereunto Iohn Hus answered O Lord Iesu Christ whose word is openly condemned heere in this Councell vnto thee againe I do appeale which when thou wast euill intreated of thine enimies diddest appeale vnto God thy father committing thy cause vnto a most iust Iudge that by thy example we also being oppressed with manifest wrongs and iniuries should flee vnto thee Last of all the Article was rehearsed as touching the contempt of the excommunication by Iohn Hus. Whereunto he answered as before that he was excused by his aduocates in the court of Rome wherefore he did not appeare when he was cited and also that it may be proued by the actes that the excommunication was not ratified and finally to the intent he might cleare himselfe of obstinacie he was for that cause come vnto Constance vnder the Emperours safeconduct When he had spoken these words one of them which was appointed Iudge reade the definitiue sentence against him which followeth thus word for word The sentence or iudgement of the Councell of Constance geuen against Iohn Husse THe most holy and sacred generall Councell of Constance being congregate and gathered together representing the Catholike Church for a perpetuall memory of the thing as the veritie truth doth witnes an euill tree bringeth forth euill seuite hereupon it commeth that the man of most damnable memory Iohn Wickleffe through his pestiferous doctrine not through Iesu Christ by the Gospell as the holy Fathers in times past haue gotteÌ„ faithfull children but coÌ„trary vnto the holesome faith of Iesus Christ as a most venemous roote hath begotten many pestilent wicked children whome he hath left behind him successours and folowers of his peruerse and wicked doctrine against whome this sacred Synode of Constance is forced to rise vp as against bastards and vnlawfull children and with diligent care with the sharpe knife of the Ecclesiasticall authoritie to cut vp their errours out of the Lords field as most hurtfull brambles and briers least they should growe to the hurt and detriment of others For somuch then as in the holy generall Councell lately celebrated and holden at Rome it was decreed that the docrine of I. Wickleffe of most damnable memory should be condemned that his bookes which coÌ„teined the same doctrine should be burned as hereticall this decree was approued confirmed by the sacred authoritie of that whole CouÌ„cell neuertheles one Iohn Hus here personally present in this sacred Councell not the Disciple of Christ but of Iohn Wickliffe an Archheretike after and contrary or against the coÌ„demnation and decree hath taught preached affirmed the Articles of Wickleffe which were condemned by the Church of God and in times past by certaine most reuerend fathers in Christ Lords Archbishops and Byshops of diuers kingdomes Realmes Maisters of diuinitie of diuers Uniuersities especially resisting in his open Sermons and also with his adherents and complices in the scholes the condemnation of the said Articles of Wickleffes oftentimes published in the said Uniuersitie of Prage and hath declared him the said Wickleffe for the fauour and commendation of his doctrine before the whole multitude of the Cleargy and people to be a Catholicke man and a true Euangelical Doctour He hath also published and affirmed certaine many of his Articles worthely condemned to be Catholicke the which are notoriously conteined in the bookes of the said Iohn Hus. Wherfore after diligent deliberation full information first had vpon the premisses by the reuerend fathers and Lords in Christ of the holy Church of Rome Cardinals Patriarkes Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates Doctours of â—â—â—nitie and of both lawes in great number assembled and gathered together this most sacred holie Councell of Constance declareth determineth the articles aboue said the which after due conference had are found in his bookes written with his owne hand the which also the said Iohn Hus in opeÌ„ audience before this holy Councell hath confessed to be in his bookes not to be Catholicke neither worthy to be taught but that many of
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
excluded out of the land The crowched Friers The knights of S. Iohn called the knightes of the Rodes Templaries burned at Paris to the number of â—â— The order of the Templarie put downe The horrible sect of the Templaries Cistercian Monkes for money redeme their exemptions of the pope The Fryers minorites deceiued of Pope Clement Ex Chron. Thâ— Wals. One thiefe be guileth mother Pope ClemeÌ„t excommunicateth the Venetians for making a duke The pryde and tyranny of Pope Clement 5. FrauÌ„cis Dádulus humbleth him selfe for his countrey Out of Sabellie and is alleaged in the booke named the Image of tyranny The pietie of Dandulus to his countrey Pietie thaÌ„kfully rewarded Rob. Winchelsey returned home from banishment Anno. 1311. The counting of the yeare was in the old time from Michaelmas to the same day againe Ex Chron. The. Wals. The Archb. of Cant excommunicateth the Bish. of Couentry for holdyng with Peter Gaueston Peter Gaueston taken of the nobles The kyng entreateth for Gaueston Guy of Warwike Peter Gaueston againe apprehended by Gwy of Warwike Peter Gaueston beheaded The corpes of Peter Gaueston buryed in the kinges Manor of Langley The Nobles of England cared not for the popes letters The Popes Legates not admitted of the Nobles of England Anno. 1312. The kyng ruled by foreine counsayle Makebates about the kyng Mediation for making peace The king reconciled againe with his nobles Anno. 1313. What diâ—cord doth in a common weale The Scotâ— rebel against the realme of England English men ouercome by the Scottse Pope Clement neuer late in the sea of Rome Ann. 1314. Miserable death and famine in England A description of an horrible famine in the realm of England Ex Chron. Tho. Wals. in vita Edwardâ— 2. The Scottes driuen out of Ireland Anno. 1317. The white battaile of the spiriâ—â—al men in Yorkâ—â—ire The two Spensers Two legates seat from Rome The Popes pillage The Popes legates spoiled of all their yl gotten treasure The Popes curse coÌ„temned of the Scottes The Clergie of Englande denyeth to contribute to the popes legates A prohibition against strange taxes impositions A prohibition for paying the Popes Peter pence Reade before so the liues of king Offa and kyng Adelwulfe The pryde of the Spensers Anno. 1321. That Thomas Earle of Lancaster came of Edmund younger sonne of K. Henry 3.22 of the greatest nobilitie of the realme put to death by the kyng Anno. 1322. The cruell reioysing of the kyng Anno. 1323. The king distressed again in Scot. land Polydoru Virgilius an Itallan wryter of our English stories Anno. 1324. The queene put to her pension The queene sent to F. Ser Prince Eâ— Prince Edward made duke of Aqutaine and Earle of PoÌ„â—at The queene the prince resuse to returne into England The queene the prince proclaymed â—â—â— tours in England The King coâ—spired priuely the death of the Queene and of his sonne Anno. 1325. Prince Edward betrothed to the Erle of Heynawdes daughter The queene returneth to England The landing of the queen Anno. 1326. The k. destitute of help and soldiors The answer of the Londiner to the kyng The liberties of the citie of London in going out to warre The kings proclamation The Queens proclamation The Queenes letter The Bishop of Exeter beheaded of the common at the staderd in Cheâ—pâ— The 〈◊〉 builded in Oxford 2. Colledges Exeter Colleage and Hart hall whose name was Guâ—lter Stapletâ—â— Hugh Spenser the father takeÌ„ and hanged in chayne The king taken in Wales Hugh Spenser the sonne taken and executed A bill exhibited in the parliament house against king Edward the secoÌ„d King Edward deposed by consent of the parliament house and his sonne Edw. chosen kyng Michael house in Cambridge founded Henry StauntoÌ„ founder of Michael house in Cambridge Nicolicus de Lyrd Guilielmus Ocham Tyranny odious to the people A spiritual Bul. called and areâ—ted before a leculat iudge Ex Tho. Walsing The â—ormâ— of wordes when any Bish doeth chalenge the priuiledge of the church against a secular iudge The Bishop rescued by the Clergie The K. proceedeth in iudgement against the B. the priuilegies of the church notwithstanding to the contrary Simon Mepham archb of Cant. Pope Iohn 22. a Monâ—â— Cidercâ—an A new solid heresie Heresy with the Pope to say that Christ the Apostles had no proper poâ—â—eâ—sions here Strife betweene the pope the Emperour Tâ—e Empeâ—â—â—r crowned against the will of the pope Pope Beneâ—â—tus 12. a Monke of Benedictes order Ludouicus the Emperour depriuel and deposed by Pope Benedict 12. A councel at Frankford The Emperours proteâ—â—ation to the councell of Germany Ex Hieroâ— Mario Elex CraÌ„â—â—â— Eâ— Chron. de â— mundi â—lalibus inâ—iâ—ulâ—s Râ—dimentum â—â—â—itiorum Pope Clement 6. The trouble of Ludouick â—he Emp. Heresie of the Popes making obiected against the Emperour The proude heart of the Pope Lewes the Emperour accused by the Pope for an hereticke A good faithfull Archbish. of Mentz Bribers corrupted with mony The pope sowet of discord and bloudshed The pope again stirreth vp war Charles the new Emperor put to flight by the Englishmen Ludouike the right Emperour resigneth vp hys Empyre Ludouike the Emperour impoysoned 1 Iudouicus Emperor martyr Gunterus de Monte Nigro made Emp. Gunterus the right Emperour poysoned The ruine of the Germaine Empire and the first cause thereof The yeare of Iubilei reduced to the L. yeare Pilgrimes in the yeare of Iubilei at Rome The abhominable blasphemous bull of pope Clement The pope commaundeth the Angels O blasphemy of the Pope Ex bulla Clementis Ex ChroÌ„ Wals. in vit Edu 3. The king resistâ—th the pope The tenthes of Church goods giuen to the kyng Anno. 1326. Oriall colledge and S. Mary hal in Oxford builded by K. Ed 2. A story of the commotion betweene the towne and Abbey of Bury Ex latiâ—â— quodam â—sgisâ—râ— The Abnet robbed The Abbot stolne away to Brabante The Abbot restored againe King Edward the 3. Anno. 1327. The defiance of the kyng of Scots The K. and Queene at Yorke with an army of â—000 men readie to meete the K. of Scottes entring the realme The great fraye in Yorke Carlile and new Castle then the keyes of England Northward â—ept with Garisons The Scots priuely passe ouer the riuer of Tine burning and spoyling the countrey all about The kings armie and the Scottes are so neare that eche seeth other The Scots thorough treason escape out of Englande vnfought withall The prouision left in the Scots campe The king returneth to London The mariage of K. Edward solemnised A parliament at Northampton The Ragman role deliuered vp to the Scotâ— The black crosse of Scotland The Bâ—râ—â— geue vp their titles in ScotlaÌ„d A parliament at Salisbury Eâ—rle Henry of Lancaster refuseth to come to the parliamâ—nt The Earle of Kent put to death giltles The Queene with childe by sir Roger Mortimer Sir Roger Mortimer Earle of March. arrained condemned and put to execution The queene put in