against me alone calling S. Augustine S. Hierom and S. Gregorie the Iustices af the Papisticall kingdome Thus also did that proud Beza charge Origines with blasphemie adding that neither S. Chrysostome nor any of the Greeke fathers did euer declare the trueth simply charged Saint Hierom with shamles errors as inuocation of Saincts and the practise of chastitie or virginitie in the Church Musculus also said that S. Hierom did deserue rather hell then heauen Brentius did charge the first Councell of Nice with foule errors Caluine called the fathers thereof Lunatick and francticke people Musculus saith they were instigated and led by the diuill and that all Councells were pernitiouslie fallen into errors Vrbanus Regius said that in the best tymes of the Church Sathan ouerruled all Bushoppes Peter Martyr called the aunciente Fathers pratlers but no diuines Illiricus reiected the said Fathers Peter Martyr also said that as longe as men relie vpon the Fathers they must be deluded with errors Doctour Humfrie at Oxford said that Iuell gaue a great scope vnto the Papists and did himselfe greate wronge in alleadginge the Fathers for himselfe for what haue we to doe with fleash and bloud The same also Caluine and Peter Martyr wrote Whitakers also vnto Doctour Sanders answered sayinge We care not for your histories Doctour Toby Mathewe said to Father Campion If he should beleue the Fathers he could not be a protestante Beza cried out against Athanasius and the Fathers of the Councell of Nice for that saith the Athanasius found out this Tripartite god he meant the blessed Trinte He said also that he Fathers of that Councell were blinde sophists the ministers of the the beast the bond-slaues of Antechrist 4. The third cause of this mine auersion was because protestantes are hard to be reclaimed for that amouÌ„gest all the sects that euer were none were more inconstant or variable in their Doctrine then the Protestants For neither birdes or beastes as Plinie saith doe watche to breake other birdes egges or destroie others of-springe Plin. natural hist lib. 10. c. 74 as these Protestantes watche to destroye and abrogat the Doctrine which was hatched before them so as whatsoeuer the first gospeller doth settle the whelpe that comes from him doth destroye it as in steede of many examples the confession of Augusta may serue for one so called for that in that citty Colloq altenbar f. 4 39. Colloq altenb fol. 464. the Lutheranes did exhibit to Charles the 5. a booke wherein were written all the articles of their Doctrine which was 50. times chaunged and mangled as they themselues affirme in all which the last is nothinge like the first and soe they call it Cothurnum c. A dislikinge vnto all the rest notwithstandinge Luther said it to be Fundamentum quod hactenus papistis opposuimus The fundation which hitherto we opposed against the Papists the grounde of our religion according to the word of god and the onlie rule of the peace and establishinge of traÌ„quillitie in Germany saith he but in very trueth was the cause of all the warres and troubles thereof and which was abolished out of Germany yea out of Augusta it selfe and within fewe yeares became zuinglians Zuingfeldians and is in noe place accepte in Saxonie For other sectes with which that miserable Country doe abounde being in nuÌ„ber 20. as Stanislaus Rescius describeth carrienge with theÌ„ all the sway did steppe in amoungest them and so at the last Luthers Doctrine was vtterly reiected Count Palatines Country can beare witnes of this mutabilitie which from Zuinglianisme turned to Lutheranisme againe from Lutheranisme to zuinglianisme Smidlerus in vita Bullen f. 15. As also vpper Germany when one Prince or great superintendent dies the people after their death doe change their religion 5. England alsoe cannot denye this to be true which a certaine Pope many hundred yeares prophesied of them saying English men of all natâ—ons are most inconstant and waueringe in their faith the time shall come saith he that when Christendom shall haue most neede of them they shall suarwe from their faith and fall into sectes and heresies For in our daies it changed her religion 4. times within 30. yeares vnder kinge Henry the 8. kinge Edward his sonne Queene Marie and Elizabeth And as Fox saith kinge Edward beinge a childe after his fathers funerall by the instigation and settinge on of his Vncle the Duke of Somersett did abolish the religion which his Father had by lawe ordained viz. The six articles containing 1. The trueth of the Reale presence 2. That both kindes for all persons are not necessarie 3. That marriage of Priests is prohibited by the lawe of God 4. That Vowes and votaries are confirmed by the lawe of God 5. That the Masse is agreable to Christes instâ—tution 6. That Auricular confession is warranted by the word of God This kinge sett foorth two bookes of reformation afterwards a third These articles of our faith were made at one parlemente by the said kinge Henry the 8. and were abrogated as superstitious inuentions by another ParleameÌ„t Anunas menstruas fides as Hillarie and S. Basil say of the Arrians euery newe yeare and moneth a newe faith And what I pray you can be amoungst Christians more disgracefull then this For ought not our ReligioÌ„ euery article thereof to be as the same S. Basil saith eadem heri hodie in saecula to admitt noe change but to continewe his vigor aswell yesterdaye to daye as alsoe for euer According whereunto our Sauiour alsoe saith that heauen and earthe shal passe but my wordes shal not passe nor any iott nor sillable thereof till al be fulfilled Is there any Christian to be found who dares be so bould to say that our Parlament exceedeth the power of God But god by his absolute power as Aristotle and all diuines and Philosophers affirme cannot make two contradictories or contraries to be trewe because of the implication therein for if the one be trewe the other must be false and truly noe more can these opposite and contradictorie Parleaments be possiblie true 6. The 4. cause was that Protestantes make but a mockery of all religion for that they follow Nicholas Machauailes precepts holding that the Catholike religion is a hinderance to state and that Princes shoulde followe that religion though the groundes thereof be neuer soe false which doth aduance their present estate but contrarie to this S. Thomas saith that wisdome and power are companions of trewe religion which when it faileth the power of state alsoe faileth non veniat anima mea saith S. Bernard in Concilium eorum qui dicunt c. my soule shall not follow their Councells who say that the exaltation and and peace of the Empire will hunder the peace of the Church If Iustice be a vertue to giue euerie man his owne to giue to Cesar his owne and to God his owne how doth the Prince
keepe Iustice with god that takes from God his righte which is religion depriues his diuine maiestie of that worshipp reuereÌ„ce which is due vnto him This is proued for that Princes followinge this false reason of state haue beene put by God froÌ„ their state as Ieroboam the seruant of Salamon to coÌ„tinewe himselfe in the kingdome which he had taken from Roboam did alter the Religion made a false religion For he made two golden calues one at Dan and the other at Bethell and also altered the order of priestoode by ordaininge others that were not of the order of Leuie For which both he and his yssue were depriued of their kingdome and destroied of their liues The Princes of the Iewes by reason of their state put Christ to death least the Romaines shoulde come vpon theÌ„ neuerthelesse the Romaines came vpon them and destroyed them 7. Vetiza a kinge of Spaine and his successor Rodorigus fearinge the rebellion of their subiectes for their owne wicked actes destroied and rased downe all the stronge holdes of Spaine which was the cause that that Country was broughte in one quarter of a yeare in subiection by the Moores which were not expelled Spaine in 700. yeares after The kinges of Fraunce Francis the first and his sonne Henry the second the one brought in the Turcke thinckinge to bringe him in to Spaine against Charles the fift Emperour kinge of Spaine to destroy Spaine But whether did the tempest driue the Turcke but to Tolouse within France which afterwards with great a doe makinge many spoiles of that Countrie were driuen out after burninge the Cittie of Nicea other citties out of which they brought with them 5200. Christians as slaues amongest which number were 200. consecrated virgins the other did ioyne with the rebellious protestaÌ„t Princes against the said Charles by whom they were ouerthrowen and brought to subiection Kinge Henry the third of Fraunce beinge perswaded that he should neuer be obeyed of his subiectes vnles he should make away the Catholique Princes as Henry of Loren Duke of Guise and Luyes of IoreÌ„ the Cardinall his brother murthered them in the assembly of Bloys 1588. but for that he was led rather by the wicked Councell of Macheuillians and not by the lawe of God he was punished himselfe by a poore sillye friar without the procurment of any but of his owne head who thrust him thorough with a knife beinge in the middest of his army purposing to besidge Paris Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie intendinge to take the Empire from the house of Austria followed Martine Luthers Councell that he should change his religion soe that by the procurment of Luther he rebelled against his soueraigne But the frute that he reaped by this false reason was to be apprehended put in to prison depriued of his estate Dukedome and dignity of elector shipp was not Absolon destroyed by the false Councell of Architofell And Aman by his wicked plottes by which he tought to destroie Mardocheus and the chilren of Israell For there is noe wisdome or Councell of Macheuillians against God his Church Thomas Cromwel was put to death as Fox saith by the cruell lawe he made himselfe as by a certaine fatall destinie these be Foxes wordes that whosoeuer should be cast into the Tower he should be put to death without examination the said Fox calleth this Cromwell the wall and defense of protestant religion But qui hominibus placent confusi sunt quoniam Deus spreuit nos those which doe please men are confounded for God despiseth them 8. The principal and last reason or cause is for that these articles are already condemned by the generall Iudgement and verdit in soe many generall Councells as haue beene in the world specially by the last generall Councell of Trent therfore nowe they ought not to be called in question Whereupon Gelasius the Pope saith Maiores nostri diuina inspiratione cernentes c. Our Ancestours foreseinge by diuine inspiration did most earnestly pray the faithfull that whatsoeuer was decreed by any Councell against anny heresie for the faith of the Catholiks and the Catholike trueth it should neuer be broughte in question againe Also Leo the Pope did desire the Emperour Marcianus that there should be noe retractation in any thinge defined by the holy Councell and soe the said Marcianus established by lawe accordinge to his request that none should dispute of the definition of the Councell The said Leo also taught the same in his Epistle to the Councel of Chalcedon to Maximus the Bushopp of Antioch The same is also decreede in the Councell of Ephesus and in the Councell of Chalcedon S. Augustine also said that it is an insosolent madnes to disputed against any thinge that the Catholike church had defined For our Sauior saith whosoeuer heareth your heareth me and whatsoeuer they will you to doe that doe yee 5. For as much therfore as these heresies were condemned as I haue said by the generall Councell of Trent vnto whom protestantes refused to come to trye their doctrine for none euer refuseth the triall of generall Councells but heretikes therfore we ought not to dispute with them any more Which also rightly agreeth with the couÌ„cell of S. Paul vnto Titus saying A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonitioÌ„ shunne knowinge that such a one is peruerted And to Tomothy he saith these be they that craftilie enter into houses and leade captiue silly women alwaies learninge and neuer attaininge vnto the knowledge of the trueth but as Iames and Mambris resisted Moyses soe these also resist the trueth men corrupted in minde reprobate coÌ„cerninge the faith All the while that S. Augustine was an Heretick S. Ambrose would neuer dispute with him And the Empresse Placilla wife vnto the great Theodosius vnderstanding that Eunomius the Hereticke would faine reason with her husband for eschewinge danger of being corrupted by him did with great wisdome hinder the conference And Nazianzenus saith we ought to abhor Heretikes as the destructioÌ„ of the church and the poyson of trueth not carienge any hatred vnto their persons but hauing pitty of their errors Ignatius likewise saith vt siilij â—â—cis fugite diuisionem vnitatis malam haereticorum doctrinam As the children of light shunne diuision of vnitie and the wicked doctrine of Hereticks by whom the whole world is defiled resraine from those euill hearbes which Christ did neuer plant for they be not the seede of God but of the deuill Be not deceaued brethren saith he whosoeuer shall followe a seducer shall neuer possesse the kingdome of heauen and whosoeuer departes not from a false preacher shall purchase euerlastinge damnation 10. Thus he admonished that we should beware of wicked Heresies the reason of his caueat is for that Heresie as the holy Doctors saye is a certaine mischeefe of the diuill and a firebrande that cometh from hell a pestilente corrupt and poysoned aier a cancker that consumeth
destroied by the heresie of Pelagius giue a Moncke of Bangor for chastisment wherof almightie God suffred the Englishmen to turne the edge of their sworde vppon those that sent for them for their defence Vortiger was the leader of the Church when old Britans weare destroyd and dispossessed them of their Countrie and made themselues Lord thereof called Brittanie Englande by their owne name soe that heresie did soe increase in that kingdome about the tyme that S. Gregorie did send S. Augustine and other holy mounckes thither to preach the Catholick faith therein that 9. hereticall bushoppes beinge there before them no one catholick bishopp was found Ireland alsoe when the Englishe in kinge Henry the 2. gott footinge therein did little esteeme the sacred censure of holly Church Bern. in vita Malachiae Dolman Lib. 2. and the noblemen of that kingdome did vsurpe Church liuinges as may appeare by S. Bernard Edward the 3. beinge a most glorious kinge his end was pittifull his heire kinge Richard after infinitt sedition contention and blood-shedd of the nobilitie and others was deposed and made away the bloody diuision of the howse of lancaster yorcke came in and endured almoste one hundreth yeares with the ruyne not only of the royall lyne of LaÌ„caster by whom especially Iohn Wittcliffe a peruerse hereticke condemned in the Councell of Constance was fauored at the beginninge but with the ouerthrowe of many other Princes and families and most pernicious warres and garboyles continued both at home abroade with the losse of all the states and Prouinces of France Thomas Walsingham settes downe the Commotion of King Richard the 2. his time againste the nobilitie and Cleargie vnder their seditious Captaines Iacke Strawe Watt Tyler and the rest soe againe vnder other kinges whilest this heresie lasted and namly against the two most valiant Catholicke Princes Henry the 4 and 5. his sonne in the first yeare of whose rayne to witt kinge Henry the fift Iohn Stowe wryteth thus That the fauorers of Wiâ—cleefe his secte did nayle vpp scedulles vpon the Church doores of London containinge that there were an hundreth thousand readie to rise against all such as could not awaye with their secte The first tumuâ—tes of Pollardes and Wicliffians in England were Anno 1414. and hereon followed the open rebellion of Sr. Iohn old Castle and Sr. Roger Acton and others in S. Giles fâ—lde by Holborne neuerthelesse this secte could neuer take hold or preuaile in England neither then or after vntill foure pointes thereof beinge renewed by Luther and Zuinglius the later I meane Zuinglius his secte was admitted in kinge Edward hâ—s dayes 5. Did not the kinge of Denmarke bringe the people of Thretmarse which were a free state into a vilde thraldome after they were Lutheranes whereas as longe as they were Catholicks they were a free state of their owne Ces to 4. An Christi 379. S. Amb. in libris ad GratianuÌ„ Caes Baro. to 4. 379. S. Ambrose also doth proue the same as Caesar Baronius doth alleadge and saith Vna cum haeresi in regna cladem inuehi cum fide catholica salutem ferri c. that noe sooner heresie was broughte in then presentlie the kingdomes where it crepte in were ouerthrowen and quickly destroied and were againe restored and established by Catholique religion This he spake of the Empire of the easte sicque in occidente accumulari victorijs Gratianum that in the weast by the Catholique religion Gratianus the Emperor did encrease in many victories Cum in castris excubant cum gratia atque precibus Sacerdotum sancta religio when the priestes in the Campe did watch in prayers and other exercises of sacred religion Contrariewise you shall see the happie and florishinge Empire to decay and cast topsie turuie when the Emperor did fauor heretiques or at leaste when they were slacke in defendinge the Catholicque religion adeo saith he vt perspicuè intelligas claram victoriam religionem penitus consequi hereses tristes erumnas euocatas ab inferis secum ducere soe as you may plainly perceaue that by religion victorie was gotten and alsoe by heresie woe and wreake and all other dolfull calamitie and hellish confusion was broughte to the woâ—lde The like assertion hath holie Basill Basil ep 69 Caes Bar. to 4. An. Christi 363. quod enim comune est ciuitatibus omnibus vt cum semel hereticis aurem praebent mox vna cum heresi dissentiones rixae ac mala omnia sugata recta â—ide paceque subintrent ita planè Neocesarientibus accidit that which is incident to all Citties when once they giue eare vnto hereticques presently trewe faith beinge once abandoned dissentions debates and all other mischeefes will creepe in as wee see an euident example to those of Noecessaria what heresie saith he but which was contraire to the traditions of S. Gregorie the greate his wordes be these aduersaria traditioni magni reuera Gregorij 6. tomo 4. An. Christi 371. many heresies in the East The like miserie yow may read by the Epistles of those holy Sainctes videlicet Mileâ—itaâ—us Eusebius and Basilius to the Bushoppes of Italie and France and related by Caesar Baronius in which he wrote as followeth Miserandus status orientalis ecclesiae c. The state of the Easte Church is to be pitted for not onlie two or three Churches haue fallen vnto this dangerous tempest but that mischeefe of heresie hath extended her selfe from the bondes of Illiâ—ia vnto Tebaira the seede of which was first sowed by Arrius and afterwarde was gathered by wicked people who haue broughte forth wicked and pernitious fruites and discipline and doctrine of pietie and goood life is ouerthrowen all bondes and obligation of honestie and charitie is confounded and decaide none hath sway ouer others but he that is most wicked whose rewarde is the gouernment of others and he that exceedes others in blasphemies exceedes all in the episcopall dignitie The grauitie of Bishopps is lost the honestie of Pastors is gone the holy Canons of the Church are troade vnderfoote the releefe of the poore is altogether abused to their filthie vse The occasions of all such mischeefes are laide open by Saincte Optatus Milenitanus who hauinge reckoned the bloody and cruell actes of the heretickes called Donatistes he applied that place of the scripture vnto them Veloces pedes eorum ad effudendum sanguinem Cruelty of heretiques Mauritaniae videl the sea coast of Affrique next vnto Europe their feete are verie swifte to shedd blood And then addeth In Maritaniae ciuitatibus c. In the Citties of Mauritania by your procuremente they were affrighted with many garboiles Children were kilde in their mothers bellies men were murthered and torne in peeces matrons were violated infantes were slaine by riping vp their mothers bellies behould this your Church which was mantained vpholden by cruell and bloody Bishoppes whose greatest furie and vildest facte although in their estimation
great ioie of Petrocias Abbott thereof where he increased verie well in vertue and religion and especially in humilitie For beinge by the Abbott appointed to keepe sheepe which office he more willinglie accepted then the scepter when he was crowned at a certaine tyme when one of the sheepe was lame he brought her vpon his owne shouldiers vnto the feild he liued Anno 750. What shall I say of Trebellus kinge of the Bulgars who through the blessed endeuours of Pope Nicholas the first became a christian and bore such zeale to christian religion that he expelled presentlie Photinus the heretique and leauinge the kingdome to his sonne became a mouncke But vnderstandinge afterwardes that his said sonne caste off the yoke of Christ and returned to his former impietie he went out of the monasterie tooke his sonne prisoner whome he seuerlie punished by putting out his eyes perpetuall emprisonment and depriuation of his kingdome which he gaue to Albert his younger sonne and instructinge him with sound councells and blessed admonitions of Christian obseruations returned to his monasterie 7. Another memorable example is of Iohn Brena kinge of Hierusalem and Emperor of Constantinople who in his feruent praiers saw saint Fraunces offering vnto him his habitt and forthwith called his confessor and receaued the said habitt in which he liued but fewe dayes and though he came to the vieneyarde the 11. houre yet he receaued neuerthelesse his wages What kinge more famous for his great vertue and miracles then kinge Henrie of Cyprus who followed the same blessed course of life In this blessed rancke wee may enroll Iohn kinge of Armenia who resigninge his kingdome to Leo his nephew which was soe large and soe great that he had vnder him 24. kinges chose rather to be abiect and base in the house of God then to commaunde in the tabernacles of sinners But when the Turcks inuaded those kingdomes and Leo beinge not able to resiste them and seinge it was the quarrell of God he girded himselfe with the sworde leuied an armie resisted the enemies of Christ giuinge them a verie great ouerthrowe but persecutinge the course of his victorious battell he was slaine and made a blessed ende What shall I say of the sonnes of Emperours and kinges the 3. sonnes of Charles the great Emperor as Vgon Dagon and Pipine two of them became religious of their owne accorde the last was compelled to enter for that he aspired to the kingdome in his fathers life tyme but when he tasted the sweetnesse of Christe his yoke he imbraced the same willinglie they liued Anno 83. 8. Vbian kinge of Ireland had 3. sonnes all were Mouncks and great Sainctes vid. Furseus Follianus and Vltanus who leauinge their countrie came into Fraunce in the time of Clodoneus kinge of that countrie and builded the monasterie of Pontimacum which euersince was verie famous The emulation of the two sonnes of Brittaine should not be omitted for wheÌ„ Iudaellus who was next to succede in that kingdome told his brother Iodocus of his purpose in takinge vpon him a religious obseruation and that he should prepare himselfe for the gouernment thereof he craued 8. dayes to deliberate vppon the matter but when he entred in deepe discourse with himselfe what a heauie and daungerous burden he should take vppon him he preuented his brothers purpose and fled into the monasterie before he tooke any order to hinder his determination The kinge of England called Richard had two sonnes that were religious anno 802. the one was called Willebald in Mount Cassin the other Wiâ—ebad at Mardeburge in Saxonie The kinge of Fraunce called Charles had also two sonnes that were religious Clotarius and Charles the great who professed the same institution anno 841. In whose register wee ought to enroll Frederique the sonne of Lodouicke anno 962. Henry the sonne of another Lodouicke Anno 1150. Lodouicke alsoe the sonne of Charles the second Kinge of Fraunce and heire apparenâ— of the crowne thereof who beinge hostage in Spaine became a Franciscan Frier The like profession alsoe Iames the sonne of the kinge of Maiorca embraced which was the first of the royall blood that euer entred that order whose happie exaÌ„ple Peter the sonne of the kinge of Arragon followed who did not onlie proffit himselfe but was alsoe by his deuoute sermons a light to manny that walked in darcknes and in the shadowe of death 9. If I should register all the kinges Princes and Dukes which entred into religion it should require an infinitt labour although I ought not to omitt al as Algorius Duke of Aquitane with his sonne Amandus Anno 429. Also Anselmus Duke of Mantua anno 740. DiclaÌ„dus Arcigiadus Duks of Suethlande anno 815. Vigestus of Spoleta 820. Willian Duke of Guyne and Aquitane 411. another WilliaÌ„ also Duke of that place anno 912. who was soe humble that vppon a certaine time when the Abbott of Claima in which Abby the said Duke serued God bid him to bake some bread he went most willingly to the hoat furnace and hauinge not at that tyme wherwith to cleanse it he did sweepe the hoate furnace with his habit and receaued noe harme Not inferior vnto him in this religious zeale was another William Duke of Burgundie who entred into saint Frauncis his order Was there any maÌ„ found in the worlde these manny a hundreth yeares more triumphant and victorious in warre more prosperous and happie in peace then Charles the fifte Emperor who hauinge triumphed and ouercome all his mightie and potent enemies chased and draue away the great Turcke with his armie of three hundred thowsand soldiors from the dreadfull siege of the cittie of Vienna the capitall cittie of Austria and from the destruction of Christendome and supplantation of the catholique religion tooke the rebellious and seditious princes of Germanie prisoners in the oxen fielde hauinge but a handfull in respect of the great and mightie armie which he ouercame in in a sett battell which they pitched by the instigation of that fatall and ominous Apostate Luther beinge the onlie cause of all the miseries and callamities of the Christian world He tooke also Frauncis the first by his captaine generall before Pauia in Lumbardie who with 6000. soldiors came to besiege the said cittie where all his army beinge ouerthrowen was brought prisoner in his owne gallies to Madrill He tamed alsoe all Affrique with his victorious and inuincible Armies Wyone Tuins and Goleta ouerthrewe Barbarosa beinge a Pyratt and most infestuous to the Christians Extinguished that raginge and furious flame of the Spanish rebellion and all the citties and comons of the two kingdomes of Castile the kingdome of Arragon Valentia all which reuolted from him for that he placed in his owne absence a Viceroye which was not natiue of their owne countrie all the rebells although he ouercame them yet he pardoned them both in landes and goodes he tooke manny citties and fortresses in Affrique as Oran Tanges Zeita with many
at yorke 29. No. William Gibson Layman at yorke 29. No. Anno 1597. Elizab. 39. Yepes vbi supra pag. 710. ◠◠William Anlaby Priest at yorke 4. Iuly Iohn Buckley alias Iones Priest of the Order of S. Francis at S. Thomas waterings 12. Iuly Thomas Warcop Henrie Abbot Edward Fulthorpe Laymen at yorke 4. Iuly Anno 1598. Elizab 40. Christopher Robinson Priest at Carlile Peter Snow Priest at yorke Richard Horner Priest at yorke Ralfe Grimston Layman at yorke Iohn Britton Layman at yorke Anno 1599. Mathew Hayes Priest at yorke Anno 1600. Elizab. 42. Christopher Wharton Priest at yorke 18. May. Relatio 16 Mart. à Th. VV. edit Iohn Rigby Gentleman at S. Thomas Wateringes 21. Iuly Robert Nutter Priest at Lancaster in Iune Edward Thwinge Priest at Lancaster in Iune Thomas Sprot Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Hunt Priest at Lincolne in Iuly Thomas Palaser Priest at Durham in Iuly Iohn Norton Gentleman at Durham in Iuly N. Talbot Gentleman at Durham in Iuly Anno 1601. Elizab. 43. Iohn Pibush Priest at S. Thomas Wateringes 10. February Roger Filcocke Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tybur 27. Feb. Relat. 16. Mart. pag. 93. 94. Marke Barkworth Priest of the Order of S. Benedict at Tybur 27. Feb. Anne Heygham Gentlewoman widdow to master Lyne at Tybur 27. Feb. Robert Middleton Priest at Lancaster Thrustan Hunt Priest at Lancaster Anno 1602. Elizab. 44. Francis Page Priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 29. Apr. Thomas Tichborne Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Robert Watkinson Priest at Tyburne 29. Apr. Iames Ducket Layman at Tyburne 29. Apr. Mathew Harrison Priest at yorke in April Antony Battie Layman at yorke in April Anno 1603. Elizab. 45. vltimo William Richardson Priest at Tyburne 27. February Vnder King Iames. Anno 1614. Iacob Reg. 2. Laurence Bayly Layman as Lancaster in March Iohn Suker Priest at Warwicke in August Robert Grissold Layman at Warwicke in August Anno 1605. Iacobi 3. Thomas Wilborne Layman at yorke 1. August Iohn Putchering Layman at Rippon 5. Septemb. William Browne Layman at Rippon Anno 1606. Iacobi 4. Edward Oldcorne Priest of the Society of Iesus at Worcester 7. Apr. Raph Ashley Layman at Worcester 7. Apr. Henry Garnet priest Superior of the Society of Iesus in England in S. Paules Churchyard 3. May. Anno 1607. Iacob 5. Robert Drury priest at Tyburne 26. Ianuary Anno 1608. Iacob 6. Mathew Flathers priest at yorke 21. March George Geruis priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne 11. April Thomas Garnet priest of the Society of Iesus at Tyburne 23. Iune Anno 1610. George Napper priest at Oxforde 10. of Nouember Cadwalladar priest in Wales N. Roberts priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Thomas Somers priest at Tyburne 10. of December Anno 1612. N. Scot priest of the order of S. Benedict at Tyburne Richard Newport priest together with him A Compendium of the martyrs and confessors or Ireland vnder Queene Elizabeth CHAPTER III. 1. WIlliam Walsh natiue of Donbuinein the diocesse of Meath first depriued of his bushoprick and spoiled of all his goods for not conforming himselfe to the Queens iniunctious about the oath of her ecclesiasticall supremacie and other lawes made against the holy Camons of the catholique church was put into a deepe dungeo◠wherein he was many yeeres afflicted with giues and fetters vntill by the fauor of his keeper he made an escape and fled into Spaigne and so ended the remainder of his blessed dayes at Alcala 1578. 2. Thomas Leorus Bishopp of Kildare willingly resigned his bishoprick in king Edwards dayes for that he could not with a safe conscience possesse the same and being to the great consolation of his hart restored againe vnto the same in Queene Maries dayes was againe in Queene Elizabeths dispossessed therof and of all other his liuelyhood well contented rather abiectus esse in domo Deimagis quam habitare in tabernaculis peccatorum he applied himselfe being banished to Munster in Ireland in teaching yong children to reade their books and instructing them in the christiā doctrine lightly he neuer came to any mans howse butt he exhorted therin nor euer supped or dined but in the later end therof he tooke occasion to edifie the people with one exhortation or another Once being at the Earle of Desmounds howse at supper a gentle woman beinge there retourning home told to her friends as a great wounder that Bishopp Leorus preached not at the later ende of his meat as he was accustomed he neuer did forbeare to reproue and reprehend vice wickednesse in any man whatsoeuer who was reproueable and persisting still in all hollinesse and zeale of godes euerlasting trueth vntill the last gaspe of his breath he died of the age of 80. yeers at the Nasse in the prouince of Leinster in Ireland 1577. 3. Morris fitz Gibbon Archbishopp of Cashall for the like cause was spoiled of all his goodes and suffred much laboure and trauaile and at lenght fled out of the kingdome of Ireland and died in the porte of Portingall 1578. Edmond Taner Bishopp of Clone and Corcke doctor of diuinitie who first being of the societie of Iesus out of which through great sicknesse not without licence of his superiors and aduise of the phisitions was enforced to come foorth and through the importunat sute of his frinds was persuaded to take vppon him the dignitie or rather the heauie bourden of a Bishopp especially in dangerous seasons of turbulent heresies by whicn he suffred great penury and want aswell in prison as out of it he died about the yere of our Lord 1578. 4. Hugh Lacy Bishopp of Limericke did suffer great callamitie aswell vnder king Henry the 8. as king Edward his sonne in whose times he was thrust from his place and function and also compelled to fly the Real me for not yelding to the supremacie of the yong king in the spiritually regiment of the church but being restored to his former dignitie in Queene Maries dayes by Cardinall Poole his hollinesse legat in England and Ireland was in Queene Elizabeths time enforced to suffer the like reuolution aswell of his bishippricke as of all other things and so to carrie the burden of Christs crosse he liued in woe and ended the same in ioy Anno Domini 1577. 5. Nicholas Skerret Archbishopp of Thomound a man of an innocent life and most zealous in the profession of the christian faith after suffering many difficulties and hard vsuadg in prison out of which he made an escape fled into Portingall and ended his holy life at Lisborne 1583. 6. Thomas O Hierly Bishopp of Rosse a man of great fame for good life and blessed conuersation after long imprisonnent in the Tower of London out of which he was enlarged by the entreatie of Sr. Cormocke Ma-Teighe Lord of Munstre who then was at the Court in Englād and after much affliction and tribulation liuing in woodes and montaines ended
Flanders made a protestatation at Mons that his drifte was not to disturbe or vexe any priest or religious person or to offend the Catholicke Church in any thing but to deliuer Flanders from the slauerie of the Spaniardes This verie oathe he made before Mathias Arch-Ducke of Austria vnto whome he was made lieutenante generall but this lewed companion neuer kepte his worde as the histories of Flanders doe relate but became a most cruell persecutor of all ecclesiasticall and religious persons spoiled Churches violated and abused sacred virgins destroyed Alters troad vnderfoote the holy sacrament of the alter tooke away all the ornamentes which he prophaned robbed all Churches and Monasteries of their Challices and other sacred implements dedicated to the seruice of almightie God embrewed his filthie murtheringe handes with the inocent blood of most vertuous priestes and religious men not sparinge any order of personnes though neuer soe holy whervpon many of the nobility beinge offended thereat with many Citties as Mastrick Mōs Douay Arras others forsooke him and yealded themselues to the Prince of Parma 5. Of the like falshoode deceite and periurie was the bastard of Scotland called Iames detected base brother to the last Queene of Scottes by whome also he was made Regent of Scotland and aduanced by her meanes to the greatest dignitie and wealth that Scotlād could yealde Notwithstanding for all these kindnes and obligations aswell by nature as by such singuler promotions benefittes and desertes yea his vowe and promise soe often iterated and solemlye confirmed with wicked oathes yet beinge infected by Iohn Knocks an Apostate Friar and afterwards a minister instrument of Caluine to enkendle the flames of that most wicked and damnable Heresie in that Countrie the Author and instrument of all the rebellion of Scotland he conspired againste that sacred soueraigne murthered her husbande and appeached her with the ymputation of that murther who beinge most innocent thereof plotted and stirred vp such stronge rebellions by her subiectes himselfe beinge the cheefe Captaine of this combustiō as she was taken and cast into a most filthie prison where her death was threatned vnles shee would resigne the gouernment of her kingdome vnto that ouglie monster And beinge deliuered out of that prison shee was faine to flye into England where by the procuremente of that bastard shee was cast into prison which shee suffred the space of xx yeares and at lenghte beinge Queene of France and Scotland notwithstanding was putt to death Hollens in hist scholast pag. 500. 6. This bastard and the rest of his Caluinian Confederates sought nothinge at the beginninge as they pretended but libertie of their conscience which beinge graunted they protested and swoare all dutifull allegance to the Queene and state Lib. 16. pag. 590. But after they obtained what they soughte for they tooke perforce the whole ciuil gouernment into their owne handes and by their faction and combination sodainlie grewe soe stronge and insolente that they denied the same libertie of conscience vnto her her husband And as Buchanan in his Scotish historie sayeth when vpon all sainctes day the Queene would in her Chapple haue had Masse after a solemne manner the ministers of the Ghospell saith this auctor encensed the nobility against her that by force and violence they should compell her to leaue off so that she was enforced to obey a crewe of Caluinian ministers which could doe more in Scotland at that time by their newe heresies neuer in any requeste in that Countrie before then their aunciente and Catholicke religion by which they were conuerted from gentyles to be Christians which they professed soe many hundreth yeares before or the dutie of subiectes to their Prince or the power of the Prince her selfe or any feare of God or respect of his lawes diuine naturall or any humaine honestie or Ciuill modestie Where yow may perceaue what libertie this wicked and licentious heresie giues how turbulente it is what garboyles it bringeth with it vnto which dissolute and wanton youthes are most enclined wherof a number of that Countrie being in France to trye their wittes or to raise their fortunes they brought with them from Caluine this poysoned doctrine that infected all that Countrie 7. Not vnlike vnto this hypocriticall pretence of Conscience Caluine Beza and his ministers vsed to gett footinge in France although not with the like successe After they had most solemly protested that they intended nothing but onlie libertie of their conscience And soe in the assembly of Poyse they did sweare obedience to Charles the nynth and his successors and vttered these wordes Wee sweare before God and your maiestie who are our soueraigne that if any of vs hereafter shall misbehaue himselfe in kindlinge any sturr in France that wee will ourselues persecute him with fire and sworde This protestation was made by Beza which not withstanding was the only author and fire-brand of all the miserie and calamities of France as Iohn Knockes and Buchanan in Scotland by whose plottes and pollices all France was in an vprore al the nobilitie deuided by faxions the ciuill gouernment and politicall lawes of the kingdom vtterly despised the ecclesiasticall lawes and Censures of the Church quite reiected all sacred thinges prophaned Churches and monasteries burned sacred Virgins defloured many preistes and religious persons with most vnusuall torments murthered and massacred the nobilitie destroied their howses ransaked by whose cruell handes most of the blood Royall of France was extinguished as the kinge of Nauare at the siege of Roane the Duke Monepenser Rosorgomus The Prince Dellphine The Duke Memorose the Duke of Longauile The Dukes Niuer the father the sonne and the sonne in lawe the Constable of France And manny Marshalls thereof Saincta Derane Mount Moransius Mattugon Dauillan Brisarus Touanus Byron Francis Duke of Ioys besides manny thowsandes in the battells of Drintts Saint Dennys Iernan and Mount Counter and at many other townes as Roane Rochell Saincte Angell soe as in one yeare more then a hundred thousande Frenchmen were slaine Beza in praefat noui testa menti ad Reginam Angliae An. 1564. yea Beza who made the said speach before the kinge said that such as were killed in these Battells beinge rebells were blessed Martyres because saith he they were the first that shedd their blood for the restoringe of the ghospell in France And yet he with his fellow ministers gaue a solemne oath as before is recited to be true to the King Crowne and Countrie How many thousand were also killed at other tymes in France in other Ciuill warres soe often renewed by these fellowes 8. Luther alsoe saith Luther tomo in ser f. 270 An. 1553. that in seauen weekes betwixt Easter and Whittsontyde were killed of the Peasants of Germanye more then one hundred thousand besides many millions of people in other warres of that Countrie especially when Albert the Marques of Bramdeburge did destroy with fire and sworde all thinges that
was a wonderfull president and a miserable spectacle to the whole worlde Knocks and one Lindesay another reprobate assistinge him by their secrett combination with the Earle of Morton others set vpp the Bastard of Scotlande who after he was promoted to the Earldome of Moraye and Regencye of that kingdome Knox in the Scotish historie said that if princes be tyrants against God subiectes be freed from their obedience Cal. in ep Daniell ver 22. alleadged by kellys d. Replie to Sutcliffe the hugonots of France in their congregation ar 34 Luther also at Sleydan hath l. 8. ChroÌ„ Zuing. lib. 4. Epist he went about to aduaunce himselfe vnto the Royall Scepter of the kingdome boasting himselfe to be borne in lawfull weadlocke and therfore that he was the only legittimate sonne of his Father Iames the fift These impudent mates write in their bookes that by godes lawes women shoulde not be admitted to the gouernmente of kingdomes that the people of the ghospell should not be tied vnto the lawes of kinred that kingdomes should not be giuen vnto the nexte degree of fleshe and bloode and that it stoode in the power of the people to create kinges to depose or punish them at their pleasure if they giue cause of offense and this to be not onlye lawfull for all the people but for euerie one that he is prayse worthie whatsoeuer priuate person he be that shoulde kill any kinge that misgouernes himselfe that the supreame authoritie consisteth in the people and not in the kinge and this they did write only to take awaye the last Queene and her issue as it is related by Adame Blackwoode who beinge big with childe was pittifully amazed and terrified at the bloodye cruell and most horrible murther of her Secretarie Dauid Rice a man of an innocente life and a most deuoute Catholicke without lawe Blacuodaeus Apolo pro regibus cap. 2.3 4. Buchan reason or any iustice which was practised by these mens procurmente and sinister deuises in her owne sight and Chamber of presence callinge for her helpe who was not able to releeue him her selfe beinge in the like danger as being straite conueide to close prison and there taxed with an infamous reporte and imputation of her honestie shee beinge most innocent therof which was diuulged and spread abroade by their calumnious practise of slaunderous libells reportes and letters to all Princes 5. Did not these lewed mates as soone as they reuolted from the Catholicke Church rebelle alsoe against their Princes and at one instant become enemies of priests Princes soe Stephen Bosgaie the Hungarian and the Emperor Rodolphe his page noe sooner became a Caluiniste The rebellion of the low countries is knowen by their owne edic printed at Francfort 1583. then he made all Hungarie for the most parte to ioyne with the Turcke and to rebell against the said Emperor Geneua noe sooner opened the gates for Pharell and Caluine but they shutt them againste their lawfull Princes The Princes of Germany reuolted from Charles the 5. Emperor as soone as they forsooke their faith and became Lutherans Flanders hath done the like especially such as embraced these newe sects who rebelled against their lawfull kinge and against all his gouernors as againste Margaret Duches of Parma and gouernesse of the same who was threatned to be murthered if shee should in any thinge gainsay them In the same danger was her sonne the Duke of Parma by gunnpouder vilde fire which was prepared for him in a vaute to destroy him and all his traine at Antuerpe and before him Dom Iohn de Austria by the treacherie of one Boniuetius a frenchman Surius hist who was suborned by the Prince of Aurenge to murther him and missinge of their purpose they deuised his death by many other miscreantes Alsoe 1560 at Geneua Caluine and Beza conspired and combined together to murther the kinge and to ransake and destroye all the Courte of France Surius 24 and persuaded Spifamius to be the Architecte of this detestable practise beinge backt and entised therin by Otoman the Turque the cheefe instrumeÌ„tes compassers of which plotte were punished the 24. of March of that yeare Lodowick the 13. Surius 1567. They set vpp and crowned alsoe Lodouicke the Prince of Conde kinge and called him by the name of Lodouicke 13. the firste Christian kinge of the Franckes against the trewe kinge thereof this is proued by Peter Carpenters booke a hugonot who writeth that to noe other purpose were intended all the deuises and machinations of the Causaries soe he calles the hugonotts adiâ—cted to this cause then to abolishe and destroye the Queene mother with all her whelpes and therfore said he Beza chargeth and accuseth the lompishnes and slowe indeuors of the causaries through their quiett rest and peaceable disposition relented in their rancor and malice againste the papistes and the kinge and that he accused he Hugonott princes for not destroyinge and killinge the Princes of France and that in all their assemblies and meetinges they neuer once make any motion of peace of God or his religion but rather of warres troubles tumultes and sedition they alsoe complotted the kinges death at Amboise before the edict of pacification which was anno 1561. 6. The like is read of that vnluckie Luther who wrote and wished the Cittizens of Hall Sur. hist and the subiectes of the Bishopp of Mongontia to putt away or murther their Archbishoppe And called Caesar and all Christian Princes Traitors Tirantts and reprobatts Idem ibid he exhorted all those princes to wash their handes in the bloode of the people and Cardinalls Sur. hist 1568. Did not Farnar the kinges gouernor at Rochell betraie that towne assone as he was infected with Caluinisme and made the same to rebell againste their kinge by the instigation of North Beza commended deceite and that it is good to embrace it sometimes videlicet to faine one thinge and to doe another Also they soughte to murther Herrestus Archbishop of Coline and the Prince Ferdinand his brother What shall I speake of the two kinges of France Francis and Charles the 9. how often haue they rebelled against them and how often haue they soughte to murther them as they haue don Frances Duke of Guise by the instigation of Beza and by the treacherie of Poltrot for they neuer spare to plott the like tragedie when they can bringe the same to passe by whatsoeuer meanes of dissimulation deceite and hipocrisie as they write in their owne Bookes Were not the Ministers of Scotland in the fielde with the Earles of Anguish and Marre and others against his maiestie that nowe is was not their detestable plott of betraying their Countrie and Prince detected by the Earle of Gory before his death For that conspiracy did not Patricke Galoway minister of S. Iohns on Andrew Pollard subdeane of Glasco Iames Carnibel minister of Haddington Andrew Hea person of Panfroe Andrew Meluin professor of
which as it doth exceede all the heresies that euer were in ympietie of Doctrine and wickednes of life so it doth alsoe surpasse all Heretiques Infideles Turcks and Iewes in all bloody feates cruell exploites Babilonian confusion tragicall desigmentes diuelish purposes and plottes yea and strange inuented lawes newer heard of before with their most rigorous execution You see the fruite of heresie the complotters and compassers thereof the cheefe Architects of her detestable practise her effiminacye luxurious wantones her inducementes to all abhominable pleasures and licentious libertie her bloodie imbrumentes and lamentable tragedies in euerie countrie where shee was nourished and inuented which brought a masse of miserie and calamitie with it to those places that receaued her the shipwracke of whose opulente and aboundante fortunes can beare wittnesse thereof obstinate pride presumptuous and turbulent spirittes dislike and disdaininge of good order and sound discipline contempte and despising of authoritie curiositie and affectation of noueltie discontentment and disquietnes of mindes through ympatience of filthie luste and other malignante priuate humors which were neuer inspired by the spirite of God but by the suggestion of the diuill who was the cause thereof Of the miserable death and endes of such as deuised and defended the protestant Religion as also other heresies CHAPTER VII 1. THe first plotter of this heresie was Martine Luther Luthers death whose life as it was most wicked soe his ende was noe lesse miserable He after that he had surfeyted through one nightes gossopinge himselfe beinge fild intemperatlie vpp to the throate was found dead in the morninge with his wife and as it is suspected was choaked by her Henrye Zuthphan which was the first that brought Lutheranisme into Breame was afterwardes burned at Meldorphe in Thretmarsse Anno 1524. Hulderique Zuinglius an Apostate Priest in a furious skirmish beinge leader of the Tigurians whome he brought to that dolefull battle animatinge them to the combatte as surmountinge their aduersaries in multitude of souldiers were all ouerthrowen and he himselfe was found dead amoungest the dead carcases and was cast into the fire Zuinglius death Conrad in Theolog. Fox pag. 444. soe as he suffred a double death by fire and sworde Of whome the Epitaph was made thus Occul uit patrio bellator Zuinglius ense Et gressa est armis gens populosa suis Zuinglius the Warior was slaine in the fielde And the sword of his Countrie did pierce Genebrardus in Chron. 2. fol. 72. His side by many bloody batles fought His Country vnto ruine he brought CoÌ„radus a Lutheran protestant writeth that God manifested his iudgmente vppon Caluine euen in this world whom he visited in the rodde of furie and punished him horribly before the dreadfull hower of his vnhappie death Caluins dreadfull death for saith he God by his powerfull hand did soe stricke this heretique that beinge in desperation blaspheminge and cursinge the name of God and calling vppon the diuills he yelded vpp his wicked ghoaste hauinge an vglye and filthie apostume in his priuie partes out of which there issued such a number of loathsome and stinckinge woormes Carolostadius his death Epistola de morte Carolastadiâ— OecolaÌ„padus death that not any could abide to come nere him this farre the said Author Carolastadius was slaine by the diuill as the ministers of Basill themselues doe witnesse Oecolampadius also a married Mounque of the order of S. Brigget and one of the firste and principalest Architectes of the protestante religion was founde slaine in his bedd by his wyues side and that by her or rather by the diuill himselfe Luth. lib. de Missa priuata as Luther thincketh The Duke of Saxonie and the Lantgraue of Hesse which were the cheefe promotors and Patrons of lutheranisme were in battell vanquished by Charles the fifte depriued of their dominions and kepte in prison by him many yeares The Prince of Condye The prince of Condys death and the admirall of France which were the Patrones of the secte of Caluine or hugnottes in that Countrye were alsoe vanquished and ouerthrowen in the field with their kinge after many other ouerthrowes and slaughter of their adherentes the one I meane Condie was slaine in the battell of Iarnan the other was kild in a triumph at Paris his carcase beinge caste from the topp of a high howse his necke beinge broken and his body torne was drawen by a rope through the streates and hanged not much vnlike to Iezabell where also the Prince Montgomery was beheaded beinge a great defender of Caluinisme 2. The death of such in EnglaÌ„d as were â—atrons of Protestancie The same miserable end they tasted alsoe that were the patrones of this wicked ghospell in England as Queene Anne Bullen Thomas Cromell the Duke of Somersett and Thomas Cranmer Bishopp of Canterburie The first was accused arraigned and conuicted of a filthie incest her supposed Father beinge the iudge thereof and by his sentence putt to death who was so besotted of her filthie loue The next was condemned and putt to death for heresie and high treason by kinge Henry the eighte vnto whom he yealded himselfe both soule and bodâ—e before by the lawe he made himselfe videlicet whosoeuer should be cast into the tower he should be put to death without examination Fox act and monuments 563. whome he called the wall and defense of the protestant Chruch The third which was the Duke of Somersett beinge vncle vnto kinge Edward his vicar generall in all ecclesiasticall causes and protector and as it were kinge of the whole Realme was depriued of all auctoritie and publiquelie beheadded The last which was Cranmer after abiuringe his wicked heresie at Oxford by Queene Marie Robert Barnes Thomas Gerrard William Ierom beinge the first cheefe instruments that Kinge Henry the 8. had to perswade the people touching the kinges supremacie in ecclesiasticall causes were by the said kinge Henrye burned afterwards and the said Barnes beinge there at the stake and the flame readie to lay hould vppon him said these words By our meanes the kinge was made absolute kinge of England whereas before he was but halfe a kinge and for our paynes this is the rewarde wee haue Anno Domini 1540. Prince of Aurengs death 3. The Prince of Aurenge that was the author and enginer thereof in flanders was slaine with a pistole in his newe wyues lappe by Balthazer Gerard. Ludouicus Nalconius brother to the said Prince and the cheefe author of the rebellion of the said lowe Countries in the battle of Mokens which he lost the Spaniardes hauinge gotten the victory was burned in a little cottage aliue whether he fledd for safeguard In that battle also his Brother Henry perished as his brother Adolphus did perishe a little before in FrislaÌ„d William Lumenus the Earle of Mansfil after defilinge his murtheringe hands with the cruell death of many religious persons priests and Catholiques in Holland and Zeland and
Luther saith that the Zuinglian doctrine and ghospell was from the diuill that the diuill made an instrument of him and that by him he did gouerne and raygne In another place he called him Perdiabolatum indiabolatum superdiabolatum sceleratum cor mendax os habebat That he was persathanised insathanized and supersathanized and that he had a wicked harte and a lyinge mouthe So Zuinglius calles Luther a false prophett an incorrigible heretique Zuinglius tomo 2. in exegesi ad Luth. in corresponsione ad Luth. lib. de Sacra Ort. conf eccles Tiguri trac 1. f 3 5. Ibid. fol. 106. foolish arrogant blasphemous and lyinge a diuell a beast a deceauer a seducer an Antechrist Luther also said of him againe I had rather burne then to hold the opinions of Zuinglius and Oecolampadius and all other wicked bedlam companions cales them Archdiuills and so he saith I that am nowe readie for the graue God is my wittnesse and this will be my glory before his tribunall that I haue labored the condemnation of all these hellish people videlicet Carolastadius Ziuinglius Stinckfeld and those that are at Tigur and Geneua yett these are the cheefe pillers of the protestant religion Luther also did diuorce a certaine wooman beinge married to a Zuinglian and bid her to marry whome shee listed for that saith he it is not lawfull for yow to marrie an infidel Againe Colloquiū Altēburg elect 3. resp ad Saxo. Zuingl tomo 1 in exempl ar 18. It is said of Luther and Melancthon that there is asmuch difference betwixt them as betwixt Sumer and Winter Zuinglius said that nothing did greeue him so much as for being called a Lutheran Brentius saith beinge a kind of a Lutheran nos Zuinglianam c. Wee cannot ymbrace with a safe conscience the heresie of Zuinglian and Osiander 1560. Cēturici 4. Elizab. Reg. dedicata Do not the madeburgenses inueigh against the Zuinglians for denyinge the reale presence and doth not Luther saye that the holy scriptures are corrupted of the Zuinglians In the Duchy of wittenbergue where Brentius was superintendent an edict was proclaimed against the Sacramentaries The ministers of Ienua did exhibit a petitiō to the Princes there to haue an assemblie to the end they should condemne the Sacramentaries and the Ziuinglians as aduersaries And in the yeare 1560. in that Towne Hesutius printed a boooke against the Sacramentaries Caluine did also writt a booke against Hesutius William Clebitius did writt against the Lutherans with this tittle The ruyne of the papacie of Saxonie videlicet Lutheranisme Also Iohn Sturmius writt against the Lutheranes Brentius writt against Bullenger The Lutheranes of Saxonie in their Conuenticle did condemne Albert Hardenburg a Zuinglian of heresie In Transiluania Lutheranes are against the Sacramentaries and the Sacramentaries against them The people of Breme in Saxonie after they were in Lutheranisme fell to Caluinisme and banished all Lutheranes 5. Neither can they excuse themselues their debate or strife to be of thinges indifferent or of ceremonies or such like smale and trifling thinges but of the cheefest pointes and articles of our faith For Nicolas Gallus a protestant preacher of Ratisbon doth declare the same saying In suis Thesibus ita scribit Non sunt leues inter nos c. Betwixt vs ghospellers it is not in light thinges wee differ nor our variances are not of thinges of smale moment but concerninge the cheefest articles of Christian religion videlicet of the lawe of the ghospell of iustification of good worcks of the Sacraments of the vse and order of ceremonies which by no meanes can be decided or compounded Wherfore Luther saith wee esteeme seriouslie in good sadnes all Zuinglians heretiques Luther Thes 77. 1545. and alliens from the Churche of God Beza calles Lutheranes Eutichiās and Nestorians And Caluinistes doe count Lutheranes no better thē Manychees Marcionistes Monotholites who were oulde heretiques Illiricus saith Caluinistarum liturgia non vno sacrilegio viciata est Illir in confess Ang. 17. The liturgie of Caluinistes is not spotted with one only sacriledge the like censure Conradus giues of the same liturgie Oecolāpadius most bitterly writes against Lutheranes and also in the like bitternes Lutheranes write against him by Brentius Iohanes Pomeranus did also write against Brentius Did not the Duke of Saxonie punish most seuerely Zuinglians by the instigation of Luther Did not the kinge of Denmarcke expell Caluinistes out of Denmarke and did not Caluinistes expell Lutheranes out of Count pallentine his Countrie did not Weastphalus write most bitterly against Caluin and Caluine against him 1557. intituled An admonition vnto Weastphalus which if he shall not obey he shal be counted an heretique and the said Weastphalus hath these woordes no doctrine is more spatiously dispersed none with greater deuises and hipocrisie defended none that seduceth more people with greater errors then the false doctrine of the Sacrament of the Eucharist Oecolampadius saith these woords of Luther and his sect Lutheranes saith he they haue a kind of shewe of the woord of God but the right word of God they haue not and herein they followe other heretiques who relies althogether on the woord of God Did not after that Caluinisme was admitted and ymbraced in Transiluania and Hungarie Arianisme and Sabellianisme take place there En la reformation des fausses suppositions lib. 2 Brent in recognit prophetici Apostolici item in Bull. def tract 3. cap. 6. pag. 278. Bullenger contra Brent c. 1. Doth not Lannoy say that the cheefest point of all these fellowes doctrine is that Christ is not God nor by any meanes begotten of the substance of his Father Did not Brentius say that the doctrine of the Zuinglians and Caluinistes tendeth directly to Athisime Iudisme and Mahometisme Some others say that this sect of Caluine tendes to Ethnisme others to Atheisme as Iohn Whitgifte affirmeth with which saith he England aboundes And Bullenger writeth such is the dissention betwixt Zuinglians and Lutheranes that none hereafter will beleeue ought but what it pleaseth him 6. Doe not Protestantes say that the Englishmen as longe as they be of this religion Admonitio 2. ad parla vide act in Comitijs parla Londini An 1503 f. 10. 11. 12. 13. which they professe that they are not baptized nor ought to be counted Christians the ecclesiasticall regiment therof to be as vnlawfull as that of antechrist and that the Church of England is so prophaned and like Babell gouerned by the power of Sathan and not by the order of Christ that none in which there is any sparcke of Godes grace or any feelinge of conscience can liue in England and that all that liue in England and that goes to their Churches and whosoeuer that heares the sound of their belles ioynes with them in their Churches are conuocated thither by the name of Antechrist and are addicted vnto the slauerie of Babylon and Egipt
of the Crosse serueth to the mariners to saile to the birdes to flie and as Rufinus doth write the figure of the Crosse with the Egiptians in their Hieregtiphes doth signifie life euerlastinge 6. And wee must obserue that when wee expresse the signe of the Crosse vpon any thinge wee doe not meane by that signe to ympart any vertue vnto the same but only by the signe of the crosse expressed vpon the same wee implore the helpe of Christ crucified soe that it is an impudent lye of Heretiques to say that the signe of the crosse is superstitious Heretiques cry against the catholique church for makinge the signe of the crosse or the picture of Christ saying Confusion be to all those that doe worshipp any engrauen thinge qui adorant sculptilia I answere that it is ment to worshipp it as God and so Cassiodorus doth interpret it an Idoll or to make an Idol of it For as in the Tēple of Salomō there were pictures grauen Images soe in the Tēple of the Christians yet neither the one nor the other are Idolls for the picture of Christ of his Saincts of which we doe not make godes are but signes to bringe vs to remember the true God If to painte the picture of Christ were Idolatry why should S. Luke Comes Sancti Pauli in euangelio the fellowe of S. Paule in the ghospell painte both the Image of Christ and his Mother as wee reade in the fourth booke of the Sentences ca. 5. and as learned Saincts doe write S. Lucke painted the Image of Christ. Damascenus said as Thomas Waldensis reportes Accepimus Lucam Euangelistam c. Wee haue receaued that Luke the Euangelist painted Christ and his mother and that the famous Cittie of Rome hath the same picture Origines declaring in his 8. homilie vpon Iosue how that the kinge Hay was hāged vpon a double tree saith It followeth that the crosse of our Lord was a double crosse the one a visible crosse wheron the sonne of God was crucified in flesh the other was an inuisible crosse wheron inuisibly the diuill with all his power and Princes was Crucified 1. Epist Coloss as S. Paule saith he ouerthrewe the power and mightie Princes of darcknesse tryumphed ouer them on the tree of the crosse so as this crosse hath two singuler considerations The first is that which S. Peter saith that Christ was crucified leauinge vnto vs an example to followe his stepps The second consideration wherin he gott the victorie ouer Zabull wherin he was crucified therfore S. Paul saith woe be vnto me saith he if I glorie in any thinge but in the crosse of Christ by which the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world Soe as you see two effects which he doth alleadge for he saith that two contrarie thinges are crucified the vertuous liuer and the sinfull sinner the mortified bodie and the wicked world accordinge as Origines saith of Christ and of the deuill Thomas Waldensis and others here vpon doe say that the crosse is called both the woode and Christ as Hieremias saith venite mittamus lignum in panem eius Lett vs cast woode into his bread soe as he meaneth by the woode the crosse and by his bread his tender flesh Christ himselfe auoucheth the same panis quem ego dabo c. the bread I shall giue is my flesh S. Hierome saith he hath not lefte his crosse vpon the earth but he carried it with him vnto heauen and soe he shall come with his crosse so as he meant by his crosse his bodie and flesh and himselfe Of which crosse Sybilla said O ter beatum lignum in quo Deus extensus eit O thrise happie wood vpon which God was eleuated 7. S. Ambrose speakinge in the person of Hellen◠hath these wordes Quomodo me redemptum arbitror si redemptio ipsa non cernitur video quid egeris ô diabole vt gladius quo percussus es destrueretur How shall I knowe my redemption if the redemption it selfe be not seene I know ô diuill it is thy crafte to hide the sword by which thou wert ouerthrowen It is written in the booke of wisedome Benedictum est lignum per quod fit iustitia Blessed be the wood by which Iustice is don◠cursed be the hand by which an Idoll is made and also him that makes the same behold he did blesse the wood of the crosse and did curse the Idoll of impietie Was Iosue an Idolater when he said to the sunne thou shalt not moue against Gabaon neither the moone against Haylon for wee knowe that Iosue did speake vnto the Creator of them The 3. children also did singe and say benedicite sol luna O sunne and moone day and night blesse yee our Lord and so did Dauid saie to all creatures and will you charge the Church of God with Idolatrie for honoring God in his creatures And so wee saie the like vnto the greene wood and to the blessed crosse not adoringe the nature of wood herein but the liuinge crosse of him that was crucified whose grace and fauour in the same wee implore Epistola 140. 8. S. Bernard speaking of the holy crosse Confessio sanctae crucis non nisi crucifixi confessio est the confession of the holie crosse is no other then the confession of the crucified Therfore Thomas Waldensis speakinge of the inuention of this holie crosse Quid in hoc festo infestum sit what harme is in this feast but that wee giue God thanckes which procured that gratious wooman and as S. Ambrose saith Infudit ei spiritus vt lignum requirat Inspired her with his spirit to search the wood S. Iohn Chrisostome addeth in his booke of the crosse these woordes Si scire desideres charissimè virtutem crucis c. Most deere if you would knowe what vertue the crosse hath and how much I could speake in the prayse thereof know that the crosse is the hope of the Christian the crosse is the waye for people in desperation the crosse is the resurrection of the dead the crosse is the guide vnto heauen the crosse is the staffe for the lame the crosse is the comfort of the sorrowfull the crosse is the bridle of the rich the crosse is the destruction of the proude the crosse is the paine of the enuious the triumphe of deuills the tutor of youth the patience of the poore the pylott of mariners and saylers the wall of those that are beseeged the father of orphanes the defence of widdowes the comfort of martyrs the chastitie of Virgins the solace of priestes the victorie of the Romans the bread of the hungrie and the fountaine of the thirstie thus much sainct Iohn Chrisostome Iohn Chrisost homil and much more of the glorious crosse And in his homilie vpon S. Mathewe 16. Laeto animo crucem Christi circumferamus c. Lett vs with a willing mind carrie the crosse of Christ the same beinge the badge of
charitie S. Paule likewise did receaue the offringes of the faithfull I require saith he the fruite of your deuotion for whatsoeuer is bestowed vppon the church the poore are againe releeued therby And as S. Hierom saith Quod clericorum est totum illud pauperum est Of the vnhappie endes and other punishments by which God doth chastice those that presume to robb Churches or otherwise to prophane and abuse sacred things CHAPTER II. Ioseph an â—iq lib. 15. cap. 8. 12. IOsephus doth register the modest behauiour of Gn. Pompey towardes the church of Hierusalem and also the couetousnes of Marcus Crassus by which he robbed the same who was punished by God he beinge slaine and all his great armye ouerthrowen by the Parthians and that most miserably And although thorough necessitie kinge Herod did open the sepulcher of kinge Dauid thinking therby to haue great treasures the said Ioseph saith that he was attached with great calamities for his presumption Daniel c. 1 In the holie scriptures wee read that Nabuchodonosor kinge of the Assirians did robb the temple of God and afterwardes was transformed into a beaste and his sonne Balthazar for prophaninge the holie vessels that his Father brought from the temple of Hierusalem was slaine by his enemies Daniel 5. and the kingdome taken and possessed by them Kinge Antiochus was eaten by wormes for doinge the like The treasure and goulden vessels brought by Titus out of HierusaleÌ„ and by Gensericus kinge of the Vandalles brought oute of Rome vnto Affrique amoungest other spoyles and beinge tost to and fro through the handes of manny kinges aswell Romaines as Vandalls none that euer possessed them escaped an ominus end neyther the wrathe of God surceased vntill the kingdome of the Vandalls beinge vtterly destroyed by Belisarius who tooke in a most bloody battle the last kinge of them called Gibnier by the comaundement of the Emperor Iustinian they were sent backe againe to Hierusalem hauinge giuen a sore blowe to all such as polluted their handes withall Act. 5. 2. In the actes of the Apostles wee read the miserable death of Ananias and Saphira not for robbinge the goodes which others had giuen to the churche but for keepinge with themselues parte of that which once they offered vnto God wherfore said S. Peter vnto them did Sathan tempt yow to lie against the holie ghoaste and to deceaue vs of parte of the land you sould was it not in your powre not to sell it for herin you haue not deceaued men but God and soe both man and wife fell downe dead at his feete To giue vs to vnderstand what accompt wee must giue vnto God of anny thinge that is once consecrated vnto him And therfore Alaricus kinge of the Goathes when he tooke Rome comaunded vnder great penalties that none of his soldiors should robbe any church neither touch any thinge that was in them sayinge that his quarell was against man and not against God neither against his Saincts Also A certaine gentleman of the Goathes tooke a virgine that was consecrated vnto God in the church of S. Peter and vsinge great force and violence to gett of her the golden vessells and churche stuffe that was consecrated to Gods seruice she said that those were the goodes of the Apostle S. Peter and as for her parte shee was not able to defend them The said Goath beinge astonished at the virgins resolute behauiour did forbeare to lay violent handes either vpon the virgine or vpon those consecrated vessells for the said kinge comaunded Paulus Orosius as Paulus Orosius writeth that his souldiors should carrie vppon their owne backs those holie vessels with all other thinges pertayninge to the church and as manny Christians as should followe them should not be touched 3. The ecclesiasticall histories are full of the like examples yea the verie gentiles did containe themselues from spoilinge religious people or robbinge churches not so much for any deuotion but for verie feare of the wrath of God whose greeuous punishmentes was by them experienced vppon others for attemptinge the like sacrilege Iulian the vncle of Iulian Emperor the Apostate did committ a wicked robberye vpon the church of Antioch and did mingle the holly vessels with the plate of his Nephewes was therfore chastised by God publikely for the same for his entralles putrified his body was tormented with such horrible vlcers and filthie botches out of which there came vglie wormes which gnawed and consumed his carcasse by which he was exhausted and eaten and soe ended most miserablie Faelix Iulians threasurer and companion in the robberie aforesaid died vomittinge all his blood out of his mouthe Mauricius Cartularius did persuade Isacius who was the Exarcke of Italie for the Emperor Heraclius that he should robbe the church of Rome which he did not longe after the said Mauricius was emprisoned by the said Exarcke where he died most miserably the said Isacius died vppon the suddaine within a little after as Carolus Sigonius doth write Lib. 2. de regno Ital Zozo to 3 baptist Aegnat in vita Leonit Blond lib. 1. deca 2. Nicephor hist li 18. cap. 4.2 Nice in chronico ducis Bauariâ— Leo the 4. Emperor of Constantinople tooke away a Crowne of gould verie riche which the Emperor Mauritius did offer vnto the church of Sainte Sophia in which crowne there was amoungst other pretious stones a carbuncle of inestimable valoure and puttinge the same vpon his head presentlie there grewe vpon him an in apostume of which he died which was called the carbuncle 4. S. Gregorie Turonensis writeth in his historie that certeine soldiors who did robbe the church of S. Vincent of the cittie of Agence were soe chastised of God that one of them had his hand burned into the other the diuill did enter by which he was torne in peeces cryinge vnto the Sainct the other did kill himselfe by his owne proper handes Trithemius doth declare that it was reuealed vnto him that Dagobert king of Fraunce for vsurpinge the goodes of the church was accused before the throne of God and that Charles Martell a captaine of great vallor father of kinge Pepine and vncle vnto Charles the great Paul Aemil. l. 2 was also condemned for the same and that S. Eucherius Bishopp of Orleans did comaund that his sepulcher should be opened and that nothinge was found in it but a most vgly serpent of strange bignes Zurita tomo annal cap. 39. Peter the 4. king of Aragon died within 4. dayes after he had abused the picture of holie Tecla Vrraca the Queene of Spaine had her belly burste and so came to a badd end for robbinge of churches Astialpus kinge of the Longobardes and Fredericke the Emperor came likewise to a bad end De regib Hispaniae in Hono. for robbinge of churches Francis Taâ—afa writeth that when Gundericus tooke Siuill and intended also to spoile the churches thereof Ambr. de Onorales p.
at Babilon and Memphis an inumerable multitude of Monkes which were endewed and adorned with sundry giftes of the holy ghoste this is the place where the Patriarche Iosephe kept in store prouision of wheate for seuen yeares scarcity He maketh mention of Amonius the father of 3000. Monkes dwellinge neere Thebes and Paconius which liued 400. yeares after Christe which had 7000. Monckes disioined the one from the other in diuers houses Also Serapion which had 10000. vnder his gouermente whose liues were so famous for their sanctity and eminent vertues that many went in pilgramage to the desart to see them amongst whome was that holy woman Paula Epitaph epist 27. as saint Hierom reporteth Who beinge astonished with their admirable vertues forgettinge her owne sex wished to dwell amongst so many thousand Monkes who neuer went to any of their cells but she prostrated her selfe vpon her knees before each of them beleeuing she saw Christe in euerie one of them 5. Many thousand virgins imbraced this religious perfection as the ecclesiasticall histories recorde especiallie Theodorus who writeth that there were an infinite number of Monasteries and conuents of Virgins in moste partes of the easte as in Palestine Aegipt Asia Pontus Siluia Siria and Europe from the time that Christ was borne of a Virgin the swarmes of Virgins were multiplied in all which multitude both of men and weomen no irreguler or disordered confusion was practised none was impeached with any imputation of shameles or irreligious misdeameanour the cheefest consideration of theire rules and institutions as saint Hierom saith was to obay their superiours in all thinges Religiosa histor except saith he the time of publique exercise of prayers and meditations The Monkes of Aegipt liued altogether by their owne labours and what euerie one could gett by his toile and industrious acquisition sauing a small portion which he reserued for his owne sustentation and liuelie-hood they brought it to their father generall to be distributed vpon the poore so they were wonte to send ships loden with corne and prouision vnto Alexandria for the releife of the poore prisoners and other needy distressed persons for in Egipt were not such number of poore people which could consume the Almes and bountifullnes of these saintes 6. But let no man carpe or take occasion of detractinge of the religiouse persons of this time for that they doe not so labour◠for those Monkes of Egipt and Palestine had no other purpose or imployment but to serue God and to labour for their owne proper perfection not respecting their neighbours and so for the moste parte they liued in remote places and it was also prouided by their institution to labour with their bodies but the Monkes and religious orders of our tymes they are bound by the institution of their order not only to helpe themselues spiritually but also their neighbours and so they are bounde to preach and teach and heare confessions For the accomplishing of which worke to doe it well they must needes study and labour very much which cannot be accomplished or well done if they should bestow their tymes in any seruile worke 7. Europe also is bewtified and famous with these religious orders and obseruations of Italy as saint Gregory the great maketh mention in his 4. dialogues which he composed for the moste parte of the liues and miracles of many religious sainctes of that country Trithemius doth write that in his owne tyme which was about anno 1470. there were of the order of S. Benedict in the prouince of Moguntia 124. abies besides 10. that were seperated from the rest and added that there were in other places 5000. compleat abies besides many small monasteries Other authors doe write as Caesararius Bruto and the author of the beginning of the order of Cisters Montaluo and Arnoldus Abion in ligno vitae that there were 37000. monasteries of the order of S. Benedict in the world 14000. Priories Nunries 15000. that there were canonized of that order 55000. that there were popes 46. Cardinalls 300. Parriarches and Archbishops 1600. Bishops 4000. Emperours 25. Empresses 29. Kinges 54. Queenes 53. sonnes and daughters of Emperours 54. sonnes of Kinges 49. daughters of Kinges 72. doctors that wrote bookes 15000. Martirs 5270. For the space of 300. yeares all the Popes were of that order for the space of 600 yeares all the vniuersities were gouerned and directed by that order and 33. kingdomes were conuerted by that order vnto the christian religion Tertullus father to Placido the Monke bestowed vpon saint Benedict 28. prouinces 98 cities and villages all the kinges of these partes of the world for the moste parte were buried in the monasteries of the said order the Kinges of France in the monastery of saintes Denis the kinges of Englande at Westminster the kinges of Naples at S. Seuerine the kinges of Cicily at Palermo the kinges of Arragon at Poblete the kinges of Nauarre at S. Saluador the kinges of Portugall at Alcobaco the Emperours in the Monastery of Fuldense The Abbay of Floriacense with the monasteries therunto belonginge is worth a million by the yeare Bernard in vita 8. Malachiae 8. S. Bernard writeth that in Ireland there was a monastery that brought forth many thousand Monkes was the head of many monasteries a place saith he truly holy fertile of sainctes and moste aboundantly fructifyinge vnto God so as one of the children of that most holy place called Luanus was the founder of an hundred monasteries Plati de bono statu religiosi lib. 2. c. 24 Ireland saith the same saint Bernard being so inriched by these blessed people may ioifully singe the verse of Dauid Visitasti terram inebriasti eam multiplicasti locupletare eius Thou hast visited the earth and thou hast ouerflowen and abundantly inriched the same with the swarmes of these holy people who made their excursions and cast forth their beames into other places out of which came holy Columbauns into Fraunce and builded the famous monastery of Luxouia where heauenly and deuine Alleluias surceased not any instant or moment by night or by day whose blessed quire is incessantlie supplied by religious Monkes thus farre Saint Bernard Of many great and eminent men who forsooke and contemned the world to become religious CHAPTER VI. 1. BEing to speake of many great and eminent persons who contemned the world to become religious and were the flower and ornament of the catholique church the number whereof are almost inumerable I wil endeuour to exēplifie them first in the grecians and next in the latines Of these in the first ranke I may put Serapion who in the yeare 193. beinge a younge man imbraced a monasticall life and was made the 8. Patriarche of Antioch after saint Peter none in his time being soe learned or soe eloquent as he who wrote manny learned bookes After him succeeded Pamphilus anno 240. being the learnedest of his time of whose great librarie saint Hierome made
the lesse feelinge hath he to preuenent the dangerous ruyne and dismall lott of the same and a man once being ingulfed in the filthie puddle of beastlie concupiscence which euer doth insult ouer the spiritt the lesse feeling hath he of godes inspiration and the lesse swaie beareth the interior man which in carnall and beastlie people is altogether restrained from his operation by their insatiable and inextingible appetites of their fleshlie inclination and disposition to these vilde and corruptible thinges 2. When the greatest and mightiest Monarches and Potentates of this world are in this case especially if they be wantonlie trained vpp in voluptuousnes and enticed with lasciuous and wanton exercises they forgett and forgoe all spirituall motions to make themselues as it were dull and insensible to all celestiall influence and illustrations forgetfull of God obliuious of his comaundementes negligent of their charge carlesse and vnprouident of the end and marke for the which they are exalted and aduaunced to the regall scepter which is the peace and tranquillitie of the comon wealth But they not respectinge either comon good or the peaceable estate of their kingdomes abusing their powerfull force and dignitie with wanton lusts and other execrable vices and wickednes of whome it is spoken by the holy ghoast Psal 134. Gaudium hipocritae instar puncti their ioye and allacritie shall quickly be ended and they likewise eyther themselues or their posteritie shal be plunged an perplexed with the vsual troubles continuall calamities and fatall reuolutions which commonly are incident vnto such princes of whome it is said Virum iniustum mala capient in interitu The euils and mischeefe of an vniust and wicked man shall intrappe and compasse him euen vnto his destruction and vtter decaye They may for a smale tyme raigne ouer wicked natiōs for whose dreadfull and abhominable trespasses and wickednes God suffreth or rather stirreth vpp Tyrants to vexe punish and ouercharg their miserable subiects with grieuous and intollerable oppressions tyrannicall extortions impositions and irreparable callamities who euer maketh choice of wicked officers and ministers which frame and conforme themselues to please their wicked humors and are skilful architects to putt in execution their detestable plottes and purposes staues of their bellies enemies of Christs crosse captiues and seruants of the diuill whose chiefest reward and promotion for performing their dreadfull and bloudie tragedies is the gouernment of such prouinces and citties to whome they haue comitted them 3. And although Ferdinande King of Castile and Arragon father to the good Queene Katherin of England was as vertuous and iust a prince as liued in all Europe in his daies yet whē he was dienge he gaue a mournefull sigh and said he had rather ther all the kingdomes in the worlde that he were a poore lay brother in some religious order seruing in a monasterie then said he my cōscience shoulde be disburdened of the heauie and dreadfull terror of my dangerous accomptes for the heauie burden of soe manny kingdomes states Prouinces for the which I miserable wretch must aunswere being scarse able to satisfie or yelde accompt for my owne secrett and peculiar offenses much lesse for the gouernmente of all those regions committed by God to my charge and ouersight Zonarus tomo 3. After that the Empire Anno 800. was translated by Leo the 3. Pope into the West and Charles the great King of Fraunce being made Emperor some of the Emperors that succeeded him forsaking the Empire became religious as Lotharius who beinge fifteene yeares Emperor and liued a most vertuous Christian remembringe the speech that his father Lodouicke vsed in the time of his death of the vanitie of the worlde and of the miserable estate of such as are the slaues therof became a Mounck anno 865. 4. Hugo the Emperor after many victories that he had against his enemies became a Mouncke Rachisius kinge of Italie resigninge his kingdome to his Brother Astulpus became religious in the Monasterie of Mount Cassius of the which he was as it is thought Abott anno 741. Pipine kinge also of the Romanes and eldest sonne of Charles the great followed that blessed example who became a mouncke in a monasterie that he builded himselfe at Verona anno 805. In Spaine Bamba very prosperous and fortunate both at home and a broade amoungest his other victorious exploites defeated and discomfited 200. shippes of Moores that were Pyratts tooke also Paule kinge of Fraunce prisoner that came to inuade Spayne at lenght beinge moued by diuine inspiration became a mouncke anno 674. whose blessed example Verenundus kinge of Castile followed Ramiris kinge of Arragon first became a mouncke in his fathers life time who beinge dead without yssue of other Children was compelled to returne to the worlde and marrie and hauinge yssue which was a daughter returned to his monasterie againe 5. But of all kingdomes of the world England was most famous for the number and sanctitie of their religous kinges as Sigibertus kinge of Nothumberland who forsakinge the worlde tooke a religious habitt vpon him Anno 640. Ethelred kinge of the Merceans anno 704. who gouerning his kingdome with great pietie and religion resigned the same ouer to his sonne beinge but a childe and erected a monasterie of which he was made Abott But when the childe came to riper yeares he followed his fathers steppes went to Rome and receaued the habitt of Constantine the first then Pope and spent there the remainder of his dayes with great sanctitie and hollines his name was Chenredus in whose companie went Offa kinge of the East Saxons who in the prime of his youth settinge at naught the vanities of all worldlie prosperitie contemninge his opulent and rich kingdome tooke vpon him a voluntary death which was to betake himselfe to a perpetual silence banishing from his vowed and inuincible chastitie all fleshlie enticementes and prouocations Not longe after him Inas kings of the said Saxons a man of of an incomparable pietie and deuotion made his whole kingdome tributaire to the sea Apostolique went to Rome forsakinge his kingdome and became religious The same Geolfus did vnto whome Venerable Beda dedicated his historie who beinge kinge of Northumberland and considering the dangerous estate of kinges fled vnto a monasterie there to serue God with greater securitie of his saluation and resigned his kingdome to Egebert his Vncle who after that he had raigned 20. yeares followed also his Nephewe to the monasterie and died therin in that religious vocation 6. In Germanie the example of Charlemaine was famous beinge sonne to Charles Martell and beinge kinge of Austria and and Suethland came to Rome in a poore mans attire and vnknowen to any where he receaued holie orders of Zacharias the Pope and afterwards entred the monasterie in mount Zoracte which he himselfe builded but beinge disturbed by the frequēt visitation of those of his frindes retired himselfe to Mount Cassen a place more remote was there receaued with
whether shee would forgoe her faith and religion and marrie with a soldior shee most constantlie denied and was cast into the riuer and there was drowned This religious Nunne had a sister that was married and because shee lamented the death of her father and kinsmen her head was brocken by one of the soldiors and that so sorelie that the braines came foorth Other farr more detestable wickednesses were comitted by these tyrannicall reprobates in other prouinces of Flanders Holland Zeland Brabant Gelderland and Frisland which you may read in the histories of Flaunders but this I ought not to omitt that they were soe tormented with such an insatiable thirst to shedd innocent blood that in their detestable conuenticle at the towne of saint Trudan in a vaulte vnder the grounde they purposed and decreed to make a massacre of ecclesiasticall persons in all places of the 17. Prouinces in one night which God preuented afterwardes vnto whome all honnor and glorie Mense Iulij 1566. for his prouident mercie shewed therin 5. And although the hugonottes of France sought diuers times to practise their tragicall plottes in that countrie as in the times of Frauncis the first in whose raigne they nayled a libell at the court gate of Parris of their damnable doctrine printed in the yeare 1534. which being brought vnto his maiestie and perusinge part of the contenâ—es thereof he said Did I knowe my right haâ—de to be infected with that venemous doctrine I would presentlie cut it off from my bodie Henrie the second and Frauncis the second yet they could neuer performe their desigmentes vntill the beginninge of Charles the 9. his raigne who being but a childe of 12. yeares of age and soe abusinge his minoritie they watched their time and oportunitie in the yeare of our Lord 1562. when euerie one that was wickedly disposed and irreligiouslie addicted and as it were forsaken of God began openly to shewe himselfe vpon the theater wheron this wofull tragedie was plaied For first they crowned their captaine generall Prince of Condie kinge of Fraunce and called him by the name of Lodouicke the 13. and the first Christian kinge of Fraunce The cheefest rage of all their malice was practized vpon those thinges which were most sacred and holy as vpon the blessed Euchariste by treadinge the same vnder their feete and castinge it vnto their dogges and vsed that sacred and dreadfull hoast together with the holy chrisme to cleanse their tayles withall and called Christ vnder the veile of bread Iohn le Blanch White Iohn The like outrage they extended vppon Churches Monasteries Alters Chapples Oratories Images Reliques and Sepulchers which they spoiled ransacked destroied burned Vpon Priests Mounckes and religious persons which they put to the vildest and cruelest death that they could imagine vppon sacred virgins and consecrated Nunnes which they rauished and defloured vppon challices and sanctified vessells and hallowed ornaments which they prophaned and defiled 6. Of 12. that shewed themselues the ringleaders vpon this bloodie theater there were 9. of them Apostate Mounckes which Christ vomitted out of his sacred mouth the captaine and leader of them all was Beza who sould his benefice for 700. crownes and then cast forth his venime amongest the licentious courtiers whome he perswaded with his doctrine vid. that it was noe offence before God to coÌ„mit sacriledge to spoile churches to cogge deceaue lye sweare and forsweare whose doctrine herein being the religion of these newe sectaries was most plausible and pleasinge to all miscreantes and malefactors who aboundantlie resorted vnto him from all partes of Fraunce and by which he determined to robb and spoile all the churches and monafteries of that kingdome in one night in the moneth of Ianuarie and appointed people for that purpose in all places of the kingdom which was first put in execution in the Prouince of Aquitaine had not the Duke of Gays come the sooner to Parris they had not only surprised the churches monasteries there but also the cittie court kinge Thus frustrated of their expectation they fled vnto Orlians where before they were lett in by the Cittizens Vide Sur. they did solemnlie swere that they came thither by the comaundement of the kinge to keepe that cittie and that they would offer violence to none either in his person conscience or goodes and that euerie one should haue the benefitt of the edict diuulged the last of Ianuarie wherein it was decreede that the hugonotts should not spoile churches or monasteries but they noe sooner entred the cittie but they spoiled the churches and monasteries burned Images cast downe alters yea cast downe the verie walls of the churches and shewed more execrable wickednes towards all sacred thinges then the verie Turckes for they in takinge any cittie or towne from the Christians doe only vse to cast downe the Images and Alters and not destroy the churches also 7. All the holy Reliques which those hugonotts could gett they burned them they burned the reliques of S. Damianus religiouslie reserued in that place as they also did S. Hillaries reliques at Poytiers S. Ireneus at Lyons S. Iustus and S. Bonauentur and the reliques of S. Martyn At towers they burned the image of Christ in another place they trayled the same through the dirte They spared the image of the diuill burned the Corpes of S. Frauncis the second which was buried in the Chapple of the holly crosse as they did burne the bones of Lodouick the 11. The churches which they broake not downe they turned into stables and storehowses Moreouer Beza comaunded all the Priests to be murthered of whome receauing monny for their redeÌ„ption yet violated the faith and promise which he had formerly sworne and broake the oath and peace which he had before vowed most religiouslie to obserue Soe as it is manifest there were cruelly put to death fiue thousand priests of whom some were flayed aliue others were rackte till they were dead Aboue six hundreth monasteries razed to the verie earth manny others were burned they burned alsoe the holie auncient Bybles which were kept in Fraunce for rare monuments many citties were exhausted with continuall siege their citizens were murthered all the countrie was spoiled and ruinated soe as these ciuill warres of the hugonotts soe often renewed did more consume and oppresse France with greater miseries and calamities then all former warres it euer had abroade For there was no trueth respected or oath performed if any garrison did yeld themselues vnto theÌ„ vpon hope of their oathes which they neuer accomplished to saue their liues as in steede of many examples that of Petraforte alone will serue neuerthelesse contrarie to the lawes of armes to the number of two hunderth were cast downe head longe from the toppe of a mightie high Rocke all which perished with that headlong and violent fall Such crueltie as this more then Turkish they exercised vppon euerie other place where they did carrie anny sway but
of whome they suspected noe such guyle he hauing promised them their libertie yet he sent souldiers in their absence to their chambers and as they returned from supper were intertained with the bloodie edge of their swordes and soe against faith and promise and after paying their raÌ„some they were inhumanly murthered In the cittie of Montbris the Barron of Adrett caused many catholiques to be cast headlong from the topp of a high Turett and caused also souldiers to attend their miserable fall and to entertaine them with the pointes of their pikes 7. Such was the impudencie and barbarousnes of a certaine hugonott that he did weare a chaine about his necke of the eares of priests shewed the same to the chiefest captaines of the hugonittes They did ripp the bellie of a certaine priest and tooke out his bowells in steede whereof they putt oates to serue their horse for a maunger The heretiques of the cittie of Neemes in Languedoc did cast a great number of catholiques into a mightie deepe and large well of that cittie and haue filled the same twise with mens bodies halfe dead Iames Socius a wicked pirate who obtaininge letters patentes of Ioan Alberte Queene of Nauare which they call letters of mart sayling towardes the Iles of Madera and Canaria mett with a shipp of Portingall goinge towardes America which he pursued and tooke In which there were 40. of the fathers of the societie of Iesus who were sent to the Prouince of Brazill to instruct them in Christian religion but the wicked and cruell Tyrant like a deuouring woolfe seased vppon these poore religious people whome he massacred and after dismembring of them of some he cutt a legg of othersome an arme and soe he cast them all into the sea 8. Lastly Anno 1567. in the Carthusian monasterie which they call Burfowtaine in the diocesse of Suesse 5. mounks of that blessed order were murthered by the heretiques that came to robb that monasterie Iohn Motto proctor thereof a most vertuous priest Iohn MegneÌ„ priest Iohn Aurill priest Benedict Lenes lay brother and Theobald priest All these that I speake of neuer tooke weapons against them but most patientlie endured martirdome at their handes But if I should speake of soe manny as were put to most cruell death and were kild in al the Prouinces of Fraunce citties and townes thereof and such that were betrayed by theÌ„ I should make an infinitt volume but I cannot omitt that worthie and inuincible Prince Frauncis of Lorraine Duke of Gwise whose murther was plotted by Beza and executed by Poltrott These and the like examples ought to moue good christians to beware of these people 9. Before the firie and furious concupiscence of king Henry the 8. who caused that vnfortunat deuorce betwixt him and hâ—s vertuous Queene Katherine there was no realme in Europe more opulent and more abundant in all things then the kingdome of England no kingdome more peaceable at home and more glorious and prosperous abroad no king so victorious and tâ—iumphant ouer his enimies as he no courte so magnificent or so plawsible being full of cheerfull shewes and replenished with an vniuersall triumph ioy and exaltation the king liued in securitie without feare of forraine princes abroad or treason or conspiracy of his subiectes at home betwixt the one and the other there was interchangeable good offices aswell of a princely bountifulnesse towardes the subiectes as of a dutifull subiection towardes the prince the king possessed the hearts of his subiects they againe enioye the loue of their Prince But when he violated and dissolued the in dissoluble knott bond of matrimonie which no power in earth was able to disioyne as our Sauiour saith by this separation and diuorce Matt. 19. he separated himselfe also from Gods church all thinges were subuerted and turned topsy turuie all was filled which feares and suspitions at home with warres and diuisions a broad and with continuall frights and stranges allarmes of attempts and garboyles aswell in the court as in the countrie The treasures were exhausted the subiects impourished religion suppressed religious howses dissolued the vertuous oppressed the wicked aduanced and exalted the nobilitie condemned and beheaded and their goods confiscated and all vertuous people were fedd and sustained Pane lachrymarum aqua augustiae with the bread of mourning and teares and with the water of anguish and paine so as whatsoeuer the prophett Hieremy spake of Hierusalem may be applied to England after its apostacy The flourishing nation saith he is like a poore widdow Hier. c. 1. that wailes at night and her teares rune downe by her checkes her priests doe waile her virgins do complaine and she is euerie where oppressed her nobilitie are suppressed and many of her people ouerpressed with vnsufferable miseries and callamities Facti sunt hostes eius in capite eius inimici eius locupletati sunt Her enimies are promoted into her highest promotions and her aduersaries made riche by her spoyles Know yee and behold how distastfull it is to forsake God and nott to haue his feare before your eyes A seculo consregisti iugum Domini thow hast bracken and cast off godes yoake euen from the beginninge thy swoord deuoured the prophets quasi leo â— astator generatio vestra a destroieng lion is your generation And as King Henry the 8. himselfe said in this booke against Luther Eos qui pelluntur gremio matris Ecclesiae stat in furijs corripi atque agitari demonibus Such as are expulsed and thrust out of the bosome of our mother the Church are foorthwith ouercharged with the furious and raginge flames of hellish spirits and vanquished which diuills which assertion I would to God it had not bene verified of him that said it nor sutable to the purpose wherunto the same is applied But England to their great cost by experience knoweth this to be trew howsoeuer otherwise they dissemble it 6. But to retourne to him that applied the same against Luther the stroake did reboâ—nd and reflect vppon his owne neck Anno Domini 1533 Regni eius 24. for being excommunicated by Clemens 7. for putting away his married wife and for marrieng Anne Bullen tradidit se as the Apostle saith impudicitiae Ephes 4. in operem immunditia omnis in auaritiam he yelded himselfe ouer to impudicitie to the exercise of all vncleanesse couetuousnes he caused himselfe to be decreed by perleameÌ„t head of the church made it high treason in him that would not sweare precisely in his conscience this to be trew where many worthy personages both ecclesiasticall and lay people for refusing this oath or otherwise resisting it some were burned aliue as father Foster of the order of saint Frauncis Queene Cathrins confessor other some were beheaded as doctor Fisher-Bishopp of Rochester and Sr. Thomas Moore L. Chancler of England and may others were hanged drawen and quartered Yea he condemned the whole cleargie in a premunire which afterwardes they