haue had ere nowe in Englande Prouincial Synodes and haue gouerned our churches by home made Lavves What shoulde one saie more Of a truthe euen those greatest councelles and where moste Assemblie of people euer was whereof these menne vse to make sutche an exceedinge rekeninge compare them with al the churches whiche thoughout the worlde acknowledge professe the Name of christe and what els I praie you can they seeme to bee but certaine Priuate councelles of Bishoppes and Prouincial Synodes For admitte peraduenture Italie Fraunce Spaine Englande Germanie Denmarke and Scotlande meete togeather if there wante Asia Graecia Armenia Persia Media Mesopotamia Egypte Ethiopia India and Mauritania in al whiche places there bee bothe many christian menne and also Bishoppes howe can any man beinge in his right minde thinke sutche a councel to be a General councel And where so many partes of the worlde doo lacke howe can they truely saie they haue the consente of the whole worlde Or what manner of councel weene you was the same laste at Tridente Or howe might it bee termed a General Councel whereas out of al Christians Kingedomes and Nations there came vnto it but onely fourtie Bishoppes and of the same somme so conninge that they might be thought meete to bee sente home againe to learne theire Grammare and so wel learned that they had neuer studied Diuinitie M. Hardinge Your waitinge for a general Councel was not vncertaine For at the settinge foorthe of your Apologie it was farre and wel entred and almost ended VVhat so euer successe thereof should folow ye ought not to haue refused it beinge in al respectes lawful Your assurance of Gods wil is none That is but your common biewoorde as it hath alwaies benne of Heretikes Ye ought to haue shewed good euidence for your beinge sure of Gods wil before ye attempted these greate and dangerous changes in Religion Neither becommeth it you to cal the determinations of a General Councel the iudgementes of mortal men so mutche as concerneth declaration of necessarie pointes of faithe but the promptinge and teachinge of the Holy Ghoste As for your prouincial Synode it was none Synodes cannot be keapte without Bishops Before ye claime the name of a Synode for your packinge and hudlinge togeather ye muste proue your selues Bishops whiche ye are not able to doo VVhat so euer ye saie there were neuer good men nor Catholike Bishops that kepte prouincial Synodes contrarie to approued and lawful General Councels as your Synode is moste contrary Neither can ye pretend that ye folowed any olde fathers puttinge thinges in experience before the comminge to an Vniuersall Councel Your Councel prouincial holden in Germanie by Charles the greate againste the seconde Nicene Councel general is a false forged matter as the Booke againste Images is whiche one Eli Phili the man in the Moones sonne Caluine Illyricus and other Heretikes haue fathered vpon that moste godly and Catholike Emperoure The Councel whiche you meane was a Godly and a Catholike Councel holden at Franck forde by Pope Adrian and Charles the greate againste the wicked Councel of the Heretikes named * Imagebreakers whiche they helde a litle before that at Constantinople whiche of those Heretikes was called the seuenth and general of the Catholikes Pseudosynodus that is to saie the false or forged Councel Of bothe these Councels thus writeth Abbas Vrspergensis so mutche commended of Melanchthon The Councel whiche a fewe yeeres before was assembled at Constantinople in the time of Irene and Constantine her sonne of them called the seuenth and Generall in this Councel holden at Frankforde was repealed and put awaie by consente of al as voide and superfluous so as from thence foorthe it shoulde be named neither the seuenth nor ought els If you beleue not this as the witnes of a Catholike writer then beleue Anselmus Rid an erneste professour of your owne the newest Gospell VVho writeth that Adrian the Bishop of Rome and Kinge Charles at the Councel holden at Frankforde execrated and accursed as Heretical the Councel of the Empiere of Constantinople and of the Greekes whiche they helde for thabolishinge of Sainctes Images Those be his very woordes Beleue Peucerus Philip Melancthons sonne in lawe writinge that the Councel of Nice was kepte by common consente of the Greeke Emperoure and of Charles If the seconde Councel of Nice whiche was altogeather for Images was holden by consente of Charles howe helde he a Councel in Germanie for puttinge awaie Images againste the Councel of Nice Beleue Carion and specially Pantaleo of Zurich a man of your owne the moste Euangelical Religion who vpon warrante of thauthoritie of Regino writeth that the Councel of Frank forde abrogated and disanulled the Greekes Councel that was againste the woorship of Images Briefely howe falsely you and sundrie other of your secte haue herein belied that woorthy Prince Charles the greate it maie easely appeare by that Paulus Aemylius writeth of him That he sente twelue Bishops out of Fraunce to the Councel then holden at Laterane in Rome in whiche the Imagebreakers false named and forged Councel was abrogated VVhere of General Councels ye make priuate and prouincial Synodes ye doo bisides learninge reason and custome of the Churche A Councel is not accompted general bicause Bishops of al Countries vnder Heauen be assembled but bicause many be assembled and al be lawfully called Els in times when Heresies raigne the Churche should neuer haue the necessarie remedie of a general Councel for alwaies Heretikes woulde refuse to come to it as ye haue to come to the late Councel at Trente In Persia Media Egypte Mauritania I wene ye finde fewe Bishops at this daie nor many in the other Countries whiche ye recken and those in manner altogeather ignorant and schismatikes Yet the Patriarkes of Assyria or Syria Orientalis and of Armenia who of late yeres were at Rome haue for theire Prouinces bothe subscribed to the Councel of Trente and receiued the whole Decrees of the same for theire peoples Your reporte of fourty Bishops onely present at the Councel of Trent and of their slender lerning is as true as your Doctrine contrary to that Councel is that is to saie in plaine termes starke false It is wel knowen there were at this late Councel of Trent in this Popes time wel neare two hundred Bishops The B. of Sarisburie What hope wee might conceiue of your Late Chapter of Tridente wée were sufficiently warned by the former holden vnder Pope Paulus 3. and Pope Iulius 3. wherein notwithstandinge your many yéeres studie and greate conference of so many and so Learned and so excellente and so mutche a doo yet in the end yée were neuer hable neither to suppresse your open stewes nor to auoide your Priestes Concubines nor to cause your Bishoppes to be residente vpon theire Charge and to doo theire deuties nor to resolue vs whether the Pope be aboue the Councel or the
Pope Bonifacius and that Kinge that if he did not onely excommunicate him but also offered gifte of his Kingedome to Albert the Emperour as Platina your Authour herein writeth he maie seeme therein to haue done not altogeather so euill as ye pretende For as bothe AEmilius and Platine doo witnesse the cause of their fallinge out was that whereas the Pope being first sued vnto by Cassanus a Christian Prince and a greate Conquerour in the Easte to ioine with him for the recouery of the Holy lande sente the Bishop of Apamea to the Frenche Kinge for his necessary aide in that so common a quarell of al Christendome he beinge offended either that the sute was not firste made to him either for that the saide Bishop had done his Ambassade with she we of more Auctoritie then the Kinge thought it became him or vpon some other priuate grudge did not onely vtterly refuse to sende any healpe towarde the voiage but also contemptuously beside common order and cruelly committed the Popes Legate to Prison and there kepte him vntill suche time as through the Popes interdict the Kinge was compelled to set him at libertie Nowe of geuinge awaie his Kingedome this chiefe Frenche Historiographer maketh no mention And if the Pope so did why maie he not seme to haue done it rather to feare him and to reclaime his minde from disobedience Verely Platina writinge it declareth howe before the Pope proceded to that extremitie the Frenche Kinge did what in him laie to withdrawe the people of Fraunce from the obedience of the Churche and See Apostolike The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye stammer in your tale and knowe not wel what to saie If the Pope gaue awaie the Kingedome of France from the Prince he did it ye saie to the intent to feare him A prety diuise to fraie a Kinge to pulle the Crowne Emperial from his heade Firste this Pope Bonifacius is he of whom it was saide Intrauit vt Vulpes Regnauit vt Lupus Mortuus est vt Canis He entred into the Popedome as a Foxe He reigned as a Woulfe he died in prison as a Dogge In Solemne Procession he wente attired with the Crovvne Emperial and Robe of Maiestie as an Emperoure and commaunded the Naked svverde to be borne before him In the Storie of his Life ioined with his owne Booke named Sextus Bonifacij 8. it is written thus Moritur hoc modo Bonifacius qui Imperatoribus Regibus Principibus Nationibus Populis terrorem potiùs quà m Religionem inijcere conabatur Thus died Pope Bonifacius a man that sought more to strike terroure into Emperours Kinges Princes People and Nations then true Religion This Bonifacius saithe Sabellicus sente to the Frenche Kinge for monie as he pretended towardes the recouerie of Hierusalem The Bishop of Apamea beinge his Legate in that behalfe vttered certaine greate woordes in the presence of the Kinge and threatened him onlesse he woulde graunte it The Kinge not quietly bearinge sutche presumptuous boldenesse commaunded the Apostolique Legate vnto warde This iniurie so inflamed the Popes choler that immediately he sente the Archebishop of Narbon to the Kinge to require him to set his Legate at libertie otherwise to tel him that for his wickednesse the righte of his Kingedome was fallen to the Churche of Rome Thus Sabellicus in fauoure of the Pope thought it good somewhat to shadowe the mater But others thereof haue written thus Bonifacius 8. mandat Regi se esse Dominum in Spiritualibus temporalibus in vniuerso Mundo Vtque Rex recognoscat Regnum Franciae à se Contrarium enim sentire tenere Haereticum esse Bonifacius 8. sente vnto the Frenche Kinge and tolde him that he was Lorde bothe in Spiritual and also in Temporal maters throughout the worlde and therefore that the Kinge shoulde holde his Kingedome at his hande For otherwise to thinke and holde he saide it was Heresie This is it that in the name of the Pope is noted in your Glose Quicunque praeceptis nostris non obedierit peccatum Idololatriae Paganitatis incurrit Who so euer obeieth not our commaundementes falleth into the Sinne of Idolatrie and Infidelitie Hereof Vrspergensis writeth thus Habes Roma quod sitisti decanta Canticum quia per malitiam non per Religionem orbem vicisti O Rome thou haste nowe that thou haste so longe thirsted after Nowe singe menly For by thy malice not by Religion thou haste conquered the worlde The Kinge beinge moued herewith commaunded that none of his Cleregie shoulde comme to the Popes Councel He openly burnte the Popes vvrites He commaunded the Popes Legate to departe out of his Realme He forebade that any monie shoulde be made thence to the Pope He gaue out Proclamations that none of his Subiectes shoulde goe to Rome And in the Synode at Parise he charged the Pope with Pride Ambition Murder Simonie and Heresie Thus mutche of the dealinge of the Crowne of France vnto a stranger that is to saie of the Faithe and Reuerence that the Pope beareth to Kinges and Princes Here folowed sommewhat of the spoilinge of the Duke of Sauoie and of the alteringe of the state of Florence whiche thinges I thought it beste to passe ouer as not woorthy of any Answeare The Apologie Cap. 5. Diuision 4. Wee are accloied with Examples in this behalfe and it should be very tedious to reckē vp al the notorious practises of the Bishoppes of Rome But of whiche side were they I beseche you that poisoned Henrie the Emperoure euen in the receiuinge of the Sacramente Whiche poisoned Victor the Pope euen in the receiuinge of the Chalice Whiche poisoned our Kinge Iohn Kinge of England in a Drinkinge Cuppe Whoe so euer at least they were and of what secte so euer I am sure they were neither Lutherans nor Zvvinglians M. Hardinge The Findes of Hell were not yet let loose that begate Lutherans Zwinglians and Caluinistes And hereof we vnderstande the youthe of your Churche whiche hauinge diuided it selfe from the olde and Catholike Churche is no other but the malignante Churche and Synagoge of Satan To answeare your demaundes VVho so euer they were that poisoned these greate personages if they were poisoned at all good men were they not neither the doers nor the counsailours Henry of Luxenburg it was who was poisoned by reporte VVhome your Latine Booke printed amonge the Huguenots calleth Henry the seuenth M. Doctor Haddon in his answeare to Osorius accompteth him the fourthe in bothe your Englishe translations that I haue seene he is called onely Henry As he laide siege to the Citie of Florence and had now brought the Citizens to despaire of their safetie when manly courage might not serue they betooke them to cowardly malice Firste they poysoned as it is saide the minde of a frier Dominican with Golde that afterwarde he shoulde aduentere to poison the Emperours body with Venime Paulus Aemilius saith that
as he seethe the Pope he woorshippeth him with bare heade touchinge the grounde with his knee Againe when he commeth to the foote of the Popes throne he kneeleth downe Laste of al when he commeth vnto the Popes Feete he kisseth them deuoutely in the reuerence of our saueour This is ordered as a special Ceremonie and appointed vnto the Emperoure as parte of his duetie Likewise it is written of the Empresse as concerninge her duetie Imperatrix Coronata mox osculatur Pedem Pontificis The Empresse beinge Crowned immediately kisseth the Popes foote Againe of the Pope him selfe it is written thus Papa nemini omninò mortalium reuerentiam facit assurgendo manifestè aut Caput inclinando seu detegendo The Pope him selfe geeueth no manner of reuerence to any man aliue either openly by standinge vp or by bowinge downe or by vncoueringe his Heade But the Pope saie you humbly for his owne personne refuseth sutche honoure and hereby teacheth Kinges and Emperours and al their Subiectes to be humble A strange case to teache Humilitie in the Schole of Pride Sutche Humilitie taught Iulius Caesar Diocletian and Maximinus Iulius Caesar raughte oute his foote for Pompeius Poenus to kisse that folkes might sée his Golden Slipper sette with stoanes Pomponius Laetus saithe Diocletianus edicto sanxit c. Diocletian commaunded by Proclamation that al menne shoulde fal downe and kisse his Feete whereunto also be added a certaine reuerence adourninge his shoes with Golde and Diamondes Maximinus also afterwarde did the like Sutche Humilitie shal Antichriste teache auancinge him selfe aboue al that is woorshipped or called God Sutche Humilitie yâ— Diuel tooke vpon him to teache when he saide to Christe I wil geue thee al these thinges if thou wilte fal downe and woorship me Thus maie the Pope cal him selfe Lorde of Lordes Kinge of Kinges and sette his foote on Emperours neckes and yet neuerthelesse if he can frame a newe title and saie He is Seruus Seruorum Dei The Seruante of Goddes Seruantes it is no Pride it is but Humilitie Antoninus saith Non minor honor debetur Papae quà m Angelis Vnde Papa recipit à Fidelibus Adorationes Prostrationes Oscula pedum quod non permisit Angelus à Iohanne Euangelista sibi fieri There is no lesse honour dewe vnto the Pope then vnto the Angels of God Therefore the Pope suffereth the Faitheful to VVoorship him to fal downe before him and to kisse his Feete whiche thinges the Angel of God woulde not suffer S. Iohn the Euangeliste to doo vnto him This M. Hardinge is no maliceous Railinge as yée cal it nor Spite nor Poison nor Vntruthe stuffed with false and cankered sclaunders By the reporte of your owne Doctours and by your owne Confession it is the Truthe The Porphyrie Stoole of easemente serueth ye saie to put the Pope in minde of his Humanitie that is to saie that he maie remember him selfe in the middes of al his glorie to be a man No no M. Hardinge your owne Authours and stories can tel you that stoole serueth to put the Pope in remembrance of his Virilitie that the worlde maie knowe he is no woman But let your imagination stande for true Yet maie wée thinke your Popes are so forgeatful or so dulheaded or so blockishe that they haue neede to be taught by so vile examples to knowe them selues Certainely this is a Mystical kinde of Stoole of Easemente Wée cannot lightly lacke Mysteries at his handes if so homely a place be so ful of Mysteries Kinge Alexander the Greate vnderstoode him selfe to be a Man Mortal for that he was sommetimes of natural necessitie forced to sléepe But Christes Vicare Peters Successoure The Doctoure of al Doctoures The Father of al Fathers The Maister and Teacher of al the worlde were it not for a stoole of casemente woulde quite forgeate his owne Humanitie and coulde neuer remember him selfe to be a Man The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 3. What is he that commaundeth the Emperoure to goe by him at his horse bridle and the Frenche Kinge to holde his stirope M. Hardinge VVhat he is we knowe not * nor you neither Sir Defender This we knowe that in these woordes moste impudently you belie the Pope For neuer was there Pope that commaunded either Frenche Kinge or Emperoure to doo the seruice you speake of Parte of that I haue readen perteininge hereunto I will here recite The woorthiest and greatest Prince that euer was in Earthe Constantine the Greate to witnesse openly the reuerence whiche he bare in his harte to Christe our Sauiour and to S. Peter whose Successoure the Pope is as likewise Christes Vicar in Earthe disdained not to honour S Syluester Pope in his time with doinge the office of a footeman to him and with leadinge his Horse by the Bridle VVherein he seemeth as firste of all Emperours he professed the Faithe of Christe openly so firste of all Princes to haue geuen to the posteritie an example of Humilitie That no man doubte of it this muche I finde recorded by an olde Father of the Greeke Churche Matthaeus Hieromâ—nac hus as vttered by Constantine him selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhiche â—n Englishe is this muche Submittinge our selfe to the office of a foote man and holdinge his Horse by the Bridle wee leade him foorthe out of his sacred Palais in the woorship and reuerence of S. Peter That sithens bothe Emperoures and Frenche Kinges of Humilitie and deuotion and to witnesse their humble obedience to Christe in his Vicar haue donne the like seruice yea though the Pope shewed him selfe neuer so vnwillinge thereto wee finde it reported in sundrie good recordes But that he euer commaunded any suche seruice to be donne vnto him ye can neuer she we it by any indifferente and credible witnesse Paulus Aemylius an Italian of Verona in the seconde Booke of his Chronicles whiche bothe diligently and eloquently he wrote of Fraunce describeth howe honorably Pipine that woorthy Kinge of Fraunce receiued Steuen the Pope that succeded Zacharias when he came into his Realme He bothe killed his feete and wente by him at his Horse bridell The like honour of holdinge the Stirope would Charles the fifthe the late greate Emperoure haue downe at Bâ—nonâ—a to Pope Clement the seuenth had not the Pope with mutche adoo put him from it The B. of Sarisburie This thinge Sir Defender knoweth notwithstandinge you M. Hardinge dissemble it cunningely and wil not be knowen that ye knowe it Neither dooth Sir Defender as you saie by these woordes impudently belie the Pope For trial hereof he referreth you to the Popes owne Booke of Holy Ceremonies wherein in it is particularely appointed and laide out in order to auoide confusion what eche estate ought and is bounde to doo Thus therefore it is appointed Cùm Papa per scalam ascendit c. When the Pope taketh his staires to mounte on Horsebacke the greattest Prince that is
Sanctuarie to turne light into darkenesse and darkenesse into light and yet neuerthelesse to binde him to his promisse Al menne be liers but God onely is true and preuailethe when he is iudged God knoweth his owne Christe wil be euermore with his Churche yea although the whole Churche of Rome conspire against him But why doo you so mutche abate your rekeninge Why make you not vp your ful accoumpte of fiftéene hundred thréescoare and sixe yéeres as ye were woonte to doo Ye haue here liberally and of your selfe quite striken of fiue hundred thréescoare and sixe yeeres that is to saye the whole time wherein the Apostles of Christe and Holy Martyrs and other Learned Fathers and Doctours liued in whiche whole time it appeareth by your owne secrete Confession the Churche of God might wel stande bothe without youre Priuate Masse for then was there none and also without many other your like fantasies Neither ought you M. Hardinge so déepely to be greeued and to calle vs Apostates and Heretiques for that wee haue reformed either our Churches to the Paterne of that Churche or our selues to the example of those Fathers Verily in the iudgement of the godly fiue hundred of those firste yeeres are more woorthe then the whole thousande yeeres that folowed afterward Therefore I wil aunsweare you with the woordes of S. Hierome Quisquis es assertor â—ouorum Dogmatum quaeso te vt parcas Romanis â—uribus parcas Fidei quae Apostolico ore laudatur Cur post quadringentos annos docere nos niteris quod anteà nesciuimus Cur profers in medium quod Petrus Paulus edere noluerunt Vsque ad hunc diem sine ista Doctrina Mundus Christianus fuit Thou that art a Mainteiner of newe Doctine what so euer thou be I praie thee spare the Romaine eares spare the Faithe that is commended by the Apostles mouthe Why goest thou aboute nowe after foure hundred yeeres to teach vs that Faithe which before wee neuer knewe Why bringest thou vs foorthe that thinge that Peter and Paule neuer vttered Euermore vntil this daye the Christian world hathe benne without this Doctrine The Apologie Cap. 4. Diuision 7. For yf the Popes woulde or els if they could weigh with theire owne selues the whole mater and also the beginninges and procedinges of our Religion howe in a manner al theire trauaile hathe come to nought no body driuinge it forewarde and without any worldly healpe and howe on the other side our cause againste the wil of Emperours from the beginninge againste the willes of so many Kinges in spite of the Popes and almoste maugre the head of al menne hathe taken encrease and by little and little spredde ouer into al Countreis and is come at length euen into Kinges Courtes and Palaces Theise same thinges me thinke the might be tokens greate yenough to them that God him selfe doth strongly fight in our quarrel and dothe from Heauen laughe at theire enterprises and that the force of the Truethe is sutche as neither Mans Power nor yet Helle gates are able to roote it out M. Hardinge It is wel that ye vse the terme of the beginninge and procedinges of your Religion For in deede of late yeres it beganne not at Ierusalem but at Wittenberg Neither was it first deliuered vnto you by an Apostle but by an Apostata Stil it procedeth and the farther of from the end And wel may ye name it your Procedinges for there is no staie in it VVhat likethe to day mislike the tomorowe The seely begiled soules that folowe it be as S. Paule saithe ouer learninge and neuer reachinge to the knowledge of the Truthe Did not your Religion beginne firste of Coâ—etise and grew it not afterward of rancour and malice whiche Martin Luther conceiued against the Dominican Friers in Saxonie because Albert the Archebishop of Mentz and Electour of the Empire had admitted them to be Preachers of the Pardon of a Croisade against the Turkes coÌ„trary to an Ancient custome whereby the Augustine Friers of whom Luther was one had of longe time ben in possession of that preserment Is it not wel knowen what afstirre Frier Luther made against Iohn Tetzet the Frier of S. Dominikes order for that the said Tetzet was made chiefe preacher of a Pardon wherein was greate gaine and thereby him selfe was bereft of that sweete Morsel whiche in hope he had almost swallowed downe Where you saie your Religion is spred abroade and hath taken so mutche encrease against the willes of Princes and almost maugre the head of al men that is as false as your Religion is Did not the greate slaughter of your hundred thousand Boures of Germanie signifie to the world your cause to haue had the helpe of man VVhat maie weindge of the great League of Germaine Princes made at the diere of Smalcald for defence of your Lutheran Gospel The troubles and tumultes of Fraunce raised by your Brethren the Huguenots and the lament able outrages committed there for your Gospels sake be they not a witnes of fresh memorie that your Religion is maintained set forthe and defended with power and helpe of men That it is nowe at length come euen into Kinges Courtes and Palaices it mouethe wise men no lesse to suspect it then to praise it The B. of Sarisburie Ye make your selfe game M. Hardinge for that the Preachinge of the Gospel issued first out of Wittenberg and not from Rome Notwithstandinge Wittenberg is a noble and a famous Vniuersitie so generally frequented out of al foreine Countreis and so mutche commended for al kindes of tongues and liberal knowledge as not many the like this day in Christendome But be it that Wittenberg were so simple a burrough as M. Hardinge imagineth Yet were it not more simple then was the Towne of Nazareth in whiche poore Towne notwithstandinge firste appeared the most glorious and greattest Light of the world Christian modestie would not disdeigne the Truthe of God in respecte of place That rather becommethe the Proude lookes of the Scribes and Phariseis They despised Christe and his Disciples and called them Nazarenes in despite of his Countrie And there hence it is likely first grewe that scorneful question vsed by Nathanael Nunquid ex Nazareth potest aliquid esse boni Can any good thinge come from Nazareth so poore a Towne So Celsus the Heathen despised the Religion of Christe bicause it came not from Rome or Athens but from the Barbarous Iewes For thus Origen reportethe of him Dogma Christianuns affirmat à Barbaris cepisse ortum hoc est à Iudaeis He saithe the Doctorue of the Christians had his beginninge onely from a Barbarous Nation that is to say from the Iewes But this is the mighty hande and power of God He chusethe the weake thinges of the world to confounde the strong and the foolishe thinges of the world to confounde the wise He ouerthrowethe the greate Goliath with a seely
iura commisit Christe hath committed vnto Blessed Peter the Keiebearer of Euerlastinge life the righte bothe of the worldly and also of the Heauenly Empiere This is it that somme are so bolde to saie Papa totius Mundi obtinet Principatum The Pope hath the Princehoode of al the whole Worlde And that somme others haue saide Papa est Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium The Pope is Kinge of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes And that Pope Adrian saithe of him selfe as it is alleged before Imperator quod habet totum habet à nobis Ecce in potestate nostra est vt demus Imperium cui volumus What so euer the Emperoure hath he hath it of vs. It is in our power to bestowe the Empiere vpon whom wee liste This M. Hardinge is that Diuine Povver that as you saie is geuen to the Pope But as S. Iohn S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and S. Gregorie saie the selfe same Diuine Povver is geueÌ„ also to Antichriste And therefore it is wel noted in your owne Glose Papa stupor Mundi The Pope is the vvoondermente of the VVorlde that is to saie the Pope maketh al the worlde Fooles But if it séeme so greate a mater for a Pope to depose a Kinge I doubte not but ye maie wel remember that Emperours sommetimes haue deposed Popes The Emperoure Constantius an Arian I graunte but yet an Emperoure deposed Pope Liberius and afterwarde restoringe Liberius deposed Pope Foelix The Emperoure Otho the firste deposed Pope Iohn 13. The Emperoure Iustinian deposed twoo Popes in order firste Pope Syluerius and afterwarde Pope Vigilius And al this did they without leuieinge of armie without raisinge of power without disquiet or trouble of the people And a Doctoure of your owne seeminge fully to determine the mater by a Booke case saithe thus Imperator requisitus à Cardinalibus debet procedere contra Papam The Emperoure beinge required by the Cardinalles is bounde to procede to depriuation againste the Pope An other saithe thus Si quando Imperialis Legatus mitteretur à Principe vt Romanus Pontifex proficisceretur Constantinopolim ad Imperatorem omni neglecta occasione ibat etiamsi pro certo sciret se iturum in exilium If at any time the Emperours Embassadoure had benne sente from his Prince to wil the Pope to comme to Constantinople to the Emperoure al occasions set aparte he wente streight waie notwithstandinge he certainely knewe he shoulde be bannished Vrspergensis saithe Henricus Rex Italiam ingressus tres Papas indigne constitutos synodaliter deposuit Henry the Emperoure comminge into Italie deposed three Popes vnlawfully made by order of Synode Now M. Hardinge if you with your Rhetorical furniture maie crie oute O what a Diuine Povver had the Pope that thus coulde depose a Kinge why maie not wée likewise saie O what a Diuine Power had the Emperoure that thus could depose so many Popes But that ye maie the better see this woonderful Diuinitie and Heauenly povver wherewith ye would so faine enfeaffe the Pope a witnesse of your owne saith thus Quod dicitur Papam deposuisse Regem FrancoruÌ„ loco eius instituisse Pipinum Glosa ordinaria exponit Deposuit id est deponentibus consensit Non enim legitur quòd Papa Zacharias Regem Franciae deposuerit Where as it is saide that the Pope deposed the Frenche Kinge and placed Pipinus in his roume The Ordinarie Glose expoundeth it thus He deposed him that is to saie He consented to them that did depose him For wee reade not that Pope Zacharie in deede euer deposed the Frenche Kinge The truthe of the Storie is this For as mutche as Chilpericus the Kinge séemed voide of Princely grauitie and had geuen him selfe ouer to pleasure and wantonnesse and Pipinus his Lorde Marshal a man ful of Wisedome and actiuttie had the Gouernmente and burthen of al the Realme the Nobles of France hauinge agreed emongest them selues to depose the one and to set vp the other sente vnto Pope Zacharie as vnto a wise man to haue his answeare to this question VVhether vvere meeter to be Kinge He that carried onely the name and did nothinge Or he that bare the burthen of the vvhole The Pope was soone persuaded to geue sentence with Pipinus the Lorde Marshal againste the Kinge Whereupon the Kinge was shorne into an Abbie made a Moncke Pipinus auanced vnto the state gaue the Pope the Exarchate or Princehoode of Rauenna in parte of recompense of his good wil. Whether the kinge hauinge niene yéeres ruled his Realme were afterwarde depriued by right or by wronge I wil not reason Fasciculus Temporum saithe The kingedome was remoued from the right Heires The Line of Kinge Pipine endured and florished a longe while And that ye saie was no obscure argumente of Heauenly Approbation and Diuine Prouidence By sutche Approbation and Prouidence the Turke maie claime For he hath bothe longer continued and mutche more floorished and encreased his estate then euer did the house of Pipine But Cato was woonte to saie Multum est caliginis in rebus Diuinis There is greate darkenesse in Goddes maters Yet leste any man of ignorance happen herein to be deceiued this was the very true descente and floorishinge Fortune of Kinge Pipines race The Firste thereof was Charles the Greate In his time saithe Benuenutus Imolensis Laceratum est Imperium The state of the Empiere was torne in sunder The Seconde was Ludouicus Pius Againste him his owne Sonne Lotharius arose and caused him to be shorne as a Moncke and to be thruste into an Abbâ—e and his owne Mother the Empresse to be made a Nonne The Thirds was Lotharius He oppressed his owne Brethren by violence and afterwarde was deposed and made a Monke The Fourthe was Ludouicus 2 He was vnfortunate in al his dooinges and was shamefully conquered by his Brother The Fifthe was Ludouicus 3 Whom for his doughty déedes they commonly calle Ludouicus Nihili which is as mutche to saie as Levves Nobody The Sixth was Carolus 2. named Caluus as Benuenutus saithe Vir lepore timidior A man more feareful and more cowardely then a hare He was shortly slaine with poison The Seuenthe was Carolus 3 as Benuenutus saithe Vir deficiens animo Corpore A man wantinge bothe strength of Body and wisedome of Minde that is to saie bothe a Cowarde and a Foole. The Eighth was Arnulphus He was eaten vp with Life The Nienthe was Ludouicus 3. by the reporte of Benuenutus a man of no better Fortune then his Father In him that house had an ende This is that Noble Pipines race M. Hardinge that coulde not so stande and floorishe as you saie without special Heauenly Approbation and Diuine Prouidence M. Hardinge Concerninge that ye saie of Kinge Philip surnamed Le Bel if we maie beleue Paulus AEmylius the beste writer of the Frenche Chronicles the cause was suche betwene
Verus Dominus Temporalium ita vt possit auferre ab alio quod aliâs suum est tenet factum eius licet peccet Sed Praelati coeteri Principes non sunt Domini sed Tutores Procuratores dispensatores They saie that onely the Pope is the right Lorde of Temporal Possessions so that he maie put any man frō his owne And although he offende in so dooinge yet his dooinge taketh place But other Bishoppes and Princes be not Lordes but Ouerseers Bailifes and Stewardes Therefore Pope Adrian namely thus auanced him selfe aboue the Emperoure Fredericus 1. Imperator per nos imperat Vnde haber Imperium nisi à nobis Ecce in Potestate nostra est vt demus illud cui volumus Proptereà constituti sumus à Deo super Gentes Regna vt destruamus euellamus aedificemus plantemus By meane of vs the Emperoure is Emperour For whence hath he his Empiere but of vs Beholde it is in our hande to bestowe the Empiere vpon whome we liste And to that ende are we placed by God ouer Nations and Kingdomes that we should destroie and plucke vp and builde and plante Sutche proude vauntes the Pope maketh of him selfe without either shame of the worlde or feare of God The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 9. Whiche of the Anciente Learned Fathers with so precise and Mathematical Limitation euer surueied and determined you to be seuentie and seuen times greater then the Mightiest Kinges M. Hardinge Some mery felowe or other whiche thought he might be bolde to speake Mathematically so he kepte him selfe within compasse and without iuste reprehension For where as the spiritual power so farre passeth the Temporal as the Soule doth excelle the Body and the Heauens surmounte the Earth as S. Clement saithe and Gregorie Nazianzene you shoulde not so greatly be offended with the seuenty and seuen times greater dignitie and we neede not condemne him as an Heretike whiche woulde be pleasaunt in his algorisme especially Ioannes Andreae in the same place referring the mater to the Astronomers The B. of Sarisburie Somme Mery felovve I vvarrante you ye saie And thus nowe in mirthe nowe in sadnesse ye haue of longe time mockte the worlde and forced Kinges and Emperours to be your selaues As for youre Newe Doctours Iacke of Andrevve and Sir Clement as you euermore cal him the Apostles felovve we weighe them none otherwise then they be worthy But touching Gregorie Nazianzene it is true that he saith The Truthe and Might of Goddes Worde infinitely passeth al wordly Power But what maketh al this for the Pope that walloweth onely in his Temporalties and worldly cares and as wel in Preachinge Goddes Woorde and Ministring the Sacramentes as also in other Spiritual exercises is as farre inferioure to any meane Prieste as the Earth is inferioure to the Heauens Howe be it that it maie appeare what prety Mirthe ye haue made herewith one of youre owne Felowes saithe thus Ecclesiastici debent iudicare per contemptibiles id est per Laicos Secundum tenorem debitum Terreni Iuris The Ecclesiastical Officers or Bishoppes ought to iudge by them that be Vile and Contemptible that is to saie by the Laie Magistrates according to the tenoure and order of the Temporal Lavve Here in your Mirthe and pleasance in comparison of your selues ye cal Princes and Temporal Magistrates Vile and Contemptible Againe ye saie Patet Regnum siue Regimen Regale non esse acceptum à Deo Sed ipsum solùm permisit indignatus Et magis esset acceptum Deo quòd per solum Papam Mundus in omnibus regeretur It is plaine that the state of kingedome or kingely gouernement came not from God For God onely suffered it in his anger And it were more acceptable vnto God that the whole world were in al thinges gouerned by the Pope alone It were good ye should tel vs whether ye speake this onely in Mirthe and Game or els in earneste and good sadnesse Verily when yee so proudely compare the Pope to the Sonne and the Emperoure to the Moone youre meaning is that as the Moone hathe no light but onely from the sonne so the Emperoure hathe no Authoritie but onely that he receiueth from the Pope Notwithstandinge in this comparison Isidorus youre owne Doctour saithe yee are sowly ouerseene For thus he writeth Per Solem intelligitur Regnum per Lunam intelligitur Sacerdotium By the Sonne is meante Kingely Dignitie and by the Moone is meante Priesthoode Now therefore Iacke Andrevve youre mery man by this reckening maie caste youre coumptes backewarde saie The Emperoure is seuentie and seuen times greater then the Pope The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 10. Whiche of the Anciente Fathers euer saide that more ample Authoritie is geeuen to you then to the residue of the Patriarkes M. Hardinge The Fathers of the Nicene councel by witnes of ‡ Iulius the firste who then liued ‡ and those of the Councel of Sardica ‡ Athanasius and the Bishops of Aegipt Thebaida and Lybia and the Fathers of certaine other Councelles Aboue al other moste specially the firste Christian Emperoure Constantine the great VVho being fully instructed of the moste godly and learned Bishops of his time * what authoritie the successour of Peter had by * commission of our Sauiour Christ thought good by his * Emperial Commaundemente and decree to confirme ratifie and for his own persone to yelde vnto blessed Syluester then Pope and to his successours Bishoppes of Rome the same Authoritie and Superioritie not onely ouer Bishoppes and Patriarkes but also Power and Honour higher and greater then that of Kinges and Emperours The wordes of his solemne decree in that behalf made are these whiche as they are found in sundrie other Greeke writers so moste plainely in Matthaeus Hieromonachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVhiche in oure tounge is this mutche to saie VVe geeue in decree and commaundemente to al Lordes and to the Senate of our Empire that the Bishop of Rome and the successour of S. Peter chiefe of the Apostles haue Authoritie and Power in al the worlde more then that of the Empire is and that he be honoured and worshepped more then the Emperoure and that he be Head of the foure Patriarchal seates and that thinges apperteininge to the right faithe be of him iudged and determined Iustinian the Emperour likewise made an expresse decree that the moste holy Pope of the elder Rome for these be his very woordes be taken accordinge to the determinations of the holy councels to be the firste and principal of al Bishoppes It were not hard to alleage mutche more for proufe hereof of good and sufficient authoritie but in a matter not doubtfull this may suffise The B. of Sarisburie This is a folie of al folies Yet is there no folie so greate but by wordes and countenance it maie be maineteined