So did the Saracens easily recover againe Ierusalem Here also is to be marked that the Popes of Rome who were too prodigall of Christian mens blood continually instigating them to lead armes to Asia for the recovery of the Holy Land yet did they esteeme so much of their owne glory that they preferred it to the Holy Land and the liues oâ— all the Christians that were in Asia as evidently appeareth in the doings of Bonifacius the 8. who had the fairest occasion offered to him of all others of recovering the Holy Land For Cassanus Prince of the Tartarians had conquered Syria from the Saracens and left Governours in it with expresse commandement that they should binde vp a covenant of friendship with the Princes of the West and get support from them for the keeping of Syria in the Christians possession But the Bishoppe of Rome puft vp with pride was so busie to tread vnder his feet the King of France that hee neglected this ocasion the like whereof was never offered in any time following And this negligent dealing was the cause why Capcacus made defection to the Souldan of Egypt CENTVRIE XIV Albertus the first AFter the slaughter of Adulph Albert the first Duke of Austria was made Emperour and raigned ten yeeres and in the end was killed by his Brothers sonne In his dayes sprang vp Otthoman the first King of the Turkes who being a conragious warriour by spoyles and robberies enriched himselfe and subdued a great part of Bythinia and of the countrey lying about Pontus Euxinus and tooke vpon him the name of a King to be called the King of the Turks Henricus the seventh NExt to Albert raigned Henrie the 7. A Prince wise iust honest and beloved of all men neither puft vp with pride in his prosperity neither deiected in mind for any kind of adversity After hee had pacified the countrey of Germany hee tooke his iourney toward Italy to reforme the abuses there but was hastily cut off by the wicked malice of the Florentines as is supposed for they hyred a certaine Monke to poyson the Emperour which thing hee performed and mixed poyson with the bread of the Eucharist wherewith the noble Emperour was impoysoned in the Castell of Bonconvent after hee had raigned foure yeeres and eight moneths Ludovicus the fift Lewis the fift was chosen Emperour after the death of Henry the 7. and raigned 32. yeeres Hee was Duke of Bavaria against whom others had elected Fredericus Pulcher Duke of Austria to be Emperour which was the ground of cruell warrs betwixt the two new chosen Emperours but Fredericke was vanquished in battell and taken prisoner himselfe During the time of these warres the burgesses of Vren Switz and Sylvania or Vnderwalden assisted Lewis of Bavaria and would not acknowledge the Emperour Fredericke Duke of Austria for which cause they were continually vexed by him so that at last they assembled themselues in the towne of Vrania and there entered into a mutuall league of perpetuall society amongst themselues To whom afterward were ioyned Lucernates then Tugani then the Tigurines then the Bernates The last almost of all were the Basilians after whom followed other seven pages who now by a generall name are called the Switzers or the Cantons or Pages of Helvetia The Emperour Lewis after hee had subdued his competitor fell into a greater trouble for hee was excommunicate by Pope Clement the sixt and the Princes Electors were commanded to choose another Emperor which commandement they also obeyed and assembled themselues at a certaine towne of the Diocie of Trevers called Bens and chose Charles the fourth sonne to Iohn King of Bohemia Carolus the fourth CArolus the fourth was chosen Emperour after that his predecessor Lewis was excommunicated by the Pope and raigned 32. yeeres In his time Amurathes the King of the Turkes passed over Hellespontus and tooke the townes of Cestus and Callipolis which was the first beginning of the conquest of Thracia and all other regions of Europe which are now subiect to the Turke This Charles procured at the hands of the Princes Electors that his sonne Vinceslaus should be proclaimed King of the Romans in his owne time Vinceslaus TO Charles the fourth succeeded his sonne Vinceslaus and raigned two and twenty yeeres A man very vnlike his father for hee was sluggish and carelesse more enclined to ryot excessiue drinking and voluptuous pleasures then to any princely vertue In his time Baiazeth King of the Turkes fought a cruell battell against the Christians at Nicopolis a towne of Thracia at the side of Ister and albeit many moe of the Turkes were slaine then of the Christians yet at length the Turkes prevailed against the Christians and put them to flight This is that King of the Turkes who afterward was overcome by Tamberlaine King of the Sythians and being inclosed in a cage of yron was carried about all Asia as a mocking stocke to men and as a spectacle of the wrath of God against all cruell Tyrants The Emperour Vinceslaus for his beastlines was depriued of his Emperiall dignitie by the Princes Electors and Rupertus Duke of Bauaria chosen to be Emperour in his steed In the East during the raigne of those foresaid Emperours ruled Andronicus the sonne of Michael Paleologus and after him Michael and after him Andronicus the younger after whom followed Ioannes Catecunzenus and Calo Ioannes and his sonne Manuellâ— these are all the things worthy of rememberance are left in writing CENTVRIE XV. Rupertus VIncesâ—aus the Emperour for his Cowardize vnhonest life was deposed Rupertus Duke of Bauaria was advanced to the Emperiall authoritie by the Electors of Germanic and ruled 10. yeeres This Emperour went vnto Italie against Galiatius of Millan but hee preuailed nothing In his time Mahomet the Turke when hee had killed his brother obtained alone the kingdome who after the death of Tamburlan the Tartarian recouering againe his fathers dominion vexed with extreme murther and slaughter the Bulgares and Vallaches and tooke the citie of Hadrianopolis which he made his Seat royall Sigismundus AFter Rupertus Sigismund sonne of Charles 4. and brother to Vinceslaus being King of Bohemie and Hungarie was ordained Emperour and reigned 27. yeares Hee was a prudent wittie learned and noble Prince but in warre and deeds of armes vnfortunate for hee was oftentimes ouercome and chased of the Turkes and other enemies By the procurement of this Emperour a great councell was holden at Constance for the vnion of the Church which continued for the space of 4. yeeres In this councell Iohn Husse was burned for preaching against the Bishop of Rome Also Hieronymus of Prague was condemned by the same councell and burned after whose burning in Bohemie was great tumult sedition and ciuill warre For the common people that fauoured Iohn Husse gathered together in great number and choosed a certaine valiant man named Zisca to be their Captaine a man verie witty and
of the Iewes but the honourable name of a King he received from Augustus Caesar this was ratified for his further assurance by the Senate of Rome for which cause Herod to testifie his thankefull minde towards Antonius builded a Castle in Ierusalem very neere to the Temple called Arx Antonia And to the honour of Augustus he builded Caesarea Palestinae sometime called the tower of Straton Now a forreiner and stranger of his fathers side an Idumean of his mothers side an Arabian and an aliant both from the stock of David and also from the Common-wealth of Israell was raigning in Iudea and the Sceper was sliding from Iuda now I say was it time that Shiloch should come according to Iacobs prophecie to whom the people should be gathered Now was it time that the promised Mâ—ssias should come sit in the Throne of his father David and of his Kingdome there should be none end And indeed how can the Kingdome of Christ haue an end who acquireth a new title and right of gouernment by death which is the last period of other Kings governments and in death they leaue a vacant roome to a successour but Christ Iesus by dying and rising againe hath a right to rule both over dead and quicke Yea in the very death it selfe hee was practising his kingly office in most effectuall manner and and trampling Satan vnder feet and vndoing the power of death In Augustus time also Ioseph was admonished in a dreame to take the babe and his mother and to flee into Egypt Sozomen not content with the certainty of Scripture addeth a particular nomination of the towne Hermopolis in Thebaida whereinto Christ soiourned vntill the death of Herod the great This hee had by the vncertainty of tradition The miracle of the huge and high tree Prestis that bowed the toppe lowly to the ground and worshipped her Maker Christ and afterward had a medicinable vertue in fruit leafe and barke to cure diseases rather derogareth credit to that Egyptian tradition then assureth vs of the verity of that report Herod before his departure from this life had put to death three of his sonnes Aristobulus Alexander and Antipater and by testamentall legacy had divided his dominions amongst his remanent sonnes Archelaus Herod Antipas and Philip which testament being ratified by Augustus Iudea Samaria and Idumea were alloted to Archelaus the Tetrarchie of Galilee to Antipas and Iturea and Trachonitis to Philip. Ioseph being returned from Egypt when he heard that Archelaus did reigne in Iudea in stead of his father Herod feared to dwell in Iudea but beeing warned of God in a dreame went to the parts of Galilee and dwelt in a Citty called Nazaret All this was done in the dayes of Augustus After hee had reigned 56. yeares or as Iosephus writeth 57. yeares viz. with Antonius 14. yeares and after hee overcame Antonius and Cleôpatra Queene of Egypt in sea-warfare over against Epirus hee had the Imperiall soveraignty himselfe alone all his dayes and died in the 77. yeare of his age Tiberius AFter Augustus raigned Tiberius Nero 22. yeares seven moneths seuen dayes The Romane Deputies that were sent to Iudea in the time of his raigne were Valerius Gratus Pontius Pilat and Vitellius Valerius Gratus for loue of gaine remooued the Priests of the Iewes from their offices at his owne pleasure Ananus Ismael Eleazarus Simon the sonne of Camithus all these were denuded of their priestly dignity when as two of them viz. Eleazarus and Simon had continued scarce one yeare in office In end Iosâ—phus Caiphas is advanced to the Priesthood This is the cause wherefore the Evangelist Iohn calleth Caiphas the high Priest of that same yeare Matters of religion were now come to an horrible abuse and were not ordered according to Gods holy ordinance but according to the appetite of the Roman Deput ies After Gratus Pontius Pilate was sent to be Deputy in Iudea a man vigilant and actiue in all civill affaires as the blood of the Galileans mixed with their sacrifices clearely proueth but in the cause of Christ remisse negligent and slacke After the issue of ten yeares Vitellius is appointed Deputie in Iudea and Pontius Pilate addresseth toward Rome By gratifying of the Iewes of a matter of small importance he obtained great fauour The priestly garments were wont to bee kept in the Castle called Antonia but Vitellius gaue commandement to the Captaine of the Castle to let the high Priest haue the vse of them when hee pleased and to chuse what place he liked best for the custodie of the priestly garments Hee disauthorized Caiphas following as appeareth the example of Valerius Gratus and gaue his office to Ionathan the sonne of Ananus sometime high Priest In the 15. yeare of the raigne of Tiberius Christ our Lord and Saviour was baptized by Iohn in Iordan was led to the wildernesse fasted forty dayes was tempted of the divell and began to preach In the 18. yeare of Tiberius the Lord was crucified and offered a sacrifice for our sinnes which hath a perpetuall vertue to saue such as beleeue Hee arose againe the third day from death The high Priests and Rulers of the people gaue money to the souldiers to obscure the glory of his resurrection yet it was sufficiently knowne not onely to Christs Disciples by his frequent apparitions to them but also to Pontius Pilate the Romane Deputy himselfe who had given out a sentence of death against Christ. Pilate by letters signified to Tiberius the miracles of Christ his resurrection and that hee was supposed of many to be God But the Senate of Rome refused to acknowledge the divinity of Christ because hee was worshipped as God before his Godhead was approved by the Senate of Rome The words of the Apostle Paul had performance in the Romane Senate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darknes when they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles The very smoke that riseth from the furnace seemeth to be somewhat at the first but when it mounteth vp into the aire the higher it ascendeth the more it scatereth and the sudden dispartion of it declareth it is but a vaine thing Such was the wisedome of the Romane Senate when they mounted vp so high as to iudge of diuine things farre surpassing the reach of the naturall vnderstanding of man they prooued starke fooles and people destitute of true vnderstanding and Pilate himselfe ouerladen with many heauy calamities in the dayes of Caius put hands into himselfe and so ended his wretched life Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 7. Caius Caligula CAius Caligula successour to Tiberius raigned three years and nine months Hee was a proud Tyrant enemy to all righteousnesse the very childe of the diuell I insist only vpon Church matters Hee was an hatefull enemy to the Iewes dwelling at Ierusalem and at Alexandria For
the Arians sent to fil his place Valens was filled with wrath against the Fathers conucened in the councel of Lampsacum this is a towne neere vnto the straite forth of Hellespontus because they adhered fast vnto the Nicene faith In Constantinople he not only banished the Homousians but also the Novatians their B. Agelius because they would not consent with the Arrian in the matter of faith In Edessa a towne of Mesopotamia the Emperour gaue commandement to slay the Homousians who were assembled together in the church but the seruent zeale of one woman that ran in hast through the rankes of souldiers drawing with her her yong and tender child together with her couragious answere to the Captaine staied the rage of the Emp. wonderfully for she counted it a sweet fellowship that she and her babe should be found amongst the number of these who were counted worthy to suffer death for the name of Christ. Neuertheles the Emp. banished of men who dwelt in Edessa especially of such as were in spiritual offices to the number of fourscore whom he commanded by two two to be dispersed through Thracia Arabia and Thebaida The inuincible courage of Basilius Bishop of Caesarea in Capadocia the peaceable death of Athanasius which hapned in the verie time of Persecution of this Arrian Emperour Valens together with the furie and madnesse of the Arrian Bishop Lucius intruded in Alexandria All these things God willing shall bee touched in their owne places Amongst al the facts of vnspeakeable cruelty committed by Valens one fact ouerwent all the rest While the Emp. was at Nicomedia fourescore Ambassadours were directed vnto him amongst whom Menedemus Vrbanus Theodorus were the chiefe These complained to the Emperour of the manifold injuries done to the Homousians The Emperour gaue commandement to Modestus the Gouernour of his armie to embarke them into a ship as if they were to be banished vnto some remote and far distant place but secret direction was giuen vnto the ship-men to set the ship on fire and to retire themselues into a boat So it came to passe that these fourscore Martyrs circumvented by the craft of Valens glorified the Name of Christ by patient suffering of many deaths at one time both tormented by fire and drowned in water Terentius and Traianus two worthy Captaines vsed some liberty in admonishing the Emperour to abstaine from persecuting of innocent people because his fighting against God procured good successe to the Barbarians but the Lord was minded to destroy him therefore he could receiue no wholesome admonition for a number of the Nation of the Gothes whom he entertained as souldiers meete to defend his Dominions against the invasion of forrainers and strangers they began to waste the Countrey of Thracia and they fought against the Emperour Valens and preuailed against him so that he fled and was overtaken in a certaine Village which the Gothes set on fire So this Emperour died miserably burnt with fire by his enemies without succession and left his name in curse and execration to all ages after he had raigned 15. or 16. yeeres as Sozomenus reckoneth Now to returne to the Emperour Valentinian Hee was a defender of the true Faith and was so highly offended against his brother Valens that hee would make him no support against the invasion of the Gothes for hee sayd it was an impious thing to strengthen the hand of a man who had spent his dayes in warfare against God and his Church In his dayes the Samaritans invaded the bounds of the Romane Dominions Valentinian prepared a mighty army to fight against them but they sent vnto him Ambassadours to entreate for peace When the Emperour saw that they were but a naughty people hee was moved with excessiue anger whereby he procured the rupture of some arters or veines wherevpon followed great effusion of blood And so he himselfe died leauing behinde him two sonnes Gratianus whose mother was Severa and Valentinian the second whose mother was Iustin Gratianus Valentianus the second and Theodosius GRatianus the sonne of Valentinian after the death of Valens his fathers brother had the government both of West and East His brother Valentinian the second was his associate in the government of the West But when he perceived that the waighty affaires of the Kingdome required the fellowship of a man who was ripe in yeeres hee chose Theodosius a man of Noble parentage in Spaine to whom hee committed the government of the East contenting himselfe and his brother Valentinian with the government of the West Gratianus in the beginning of his raigne reduced from banishment those Bishops whom the Arrian Persecuter Valens had banished Hee was slaine by Andragathius Captaine of the army of Maximus who vsurped the Empire of the West This Andragathius not by valour and might but by circumvention fallhod and treason overthrew the good Emperour Gratian for hee made a report to passe in Lions where the Emperour Gratian had his remayning that his wife was comming to him and hee in simplicitie went forth to meete his wife beyond the riuer Rhonne but Andragathius who was couertly lurking in a chariot stepped out and slew Gratianus after he had raigned with his father with his brother and with Theodosius fifteene yeares His brother Valentinian young in yeeres was seduced by the intising speeches of his mother Iustina after the death of her husband in whose dayes shee durst not presume to avow the Arrian Heresie yet after his death shee entised the flexible minde of her sonne to persecute Ambrose Bishop of Millaine because hee would not consent to the Arrian doctrine The zeale of the people affectioned to their faithfull Pastor hindered the cruell purposes of Iustina Likewise the miracles wrought at the sepulchres of Protasius and Gervasius opened the mouthes of the people to glorifie God and to magnifie that Faith which Protasius and Gervasius had sealed vp with their blood these holy men of God were martyred in the second great Persecution mooved by the Emperour Domitian The dolorous tithings of the death of Gratianus and the neere approaching of the Tyrant Maximus to Italy compelled Iustina to leaue the persecuting of Ambrose and to flie to Illericum for safety of her owne life and her sonnes life Theodosius being mindefull of the kindenesse of Gratianus towards him led an army against the Tyrant Maximus The Captaines of Maximus army terrified with the rumour of the might of Theodosius army delivered him bound into the hands of Theodosius and hee was iustly punished vnto the death Andragatius who slew the Emperour Gratian as is sayd seeing no way to escape threw himselfe head-long into a river and so ended his wretched life About the same time Iustina the mother of Valentinian the second shee died her sonne was peaceably possessed in his Kingdome and Theodosius returned to the East againe But within few
transported to Rome These same vessels Gensericus King of Vandales when he spoyled Rome transported to Carthage and Belisarius after hee had conquered Carthage hee brought them to Constantinople againe but Iustinian sent them to Ierusalem to bee disposed vpon according to the wisdome of the Christian Bishops in those bounds The third warfare against the Goths for recovering Italy out of their hands was the greatest of all the rest and endured longest time to wit eighteene yeeres wherein Belisarius and Mundus and after them Narses all valiant Captaines were imployed It was brought on vpon this occasion as Evagrius following Procopius in whose time this warfare was intended doth record Aâ—alasunta the daughter of Theodoricus had the government of Italy Astalarichus her sonne before hee came to perfect age died Theodatus a kinsman of Theodoricus had the government by the mariage of Aâ—alasunta but he rendered vnto her evill for good and thrust her into prison and slew her In Theodatus time came Belisarius to Italy to fight against the Gothes but seeing Theodatus was more meet for Philosophy then for warfare he gaue place to Vitiges to haue the governmeÌ„t Belisarius recovered the Isle of Sicile he came to Rome and the ports were opened to him and hee was gladly received he tooke Vitiges King of the Gothes and carried him captive to Constantinople Mundus another Captain overcame the Goths in Dalmatia recovered the Countrey to the Romanes but in the mids of this victory hee was slaine through too hasty and furious pursuing of his enemies who had slaine his sonne In the absence of Belisarius for the Emperour had sent for him to fight against the Persians the Gothes chose Theudebaldus and after him Attaricus who continued but short time Finally Totilas was chosen to bee their King who recovered againe the towne of Rome and the most part of all the principall townes of Italy Belisarius albeit hee was sent backe againe to Italy and recovered Rome the second time yet the Persian warre continually was the cause of reducing him backe againe from Italy In the end Narses a valiant man was sent to Italy who overcame the Gothes draue them out of Italy and brought it againe vnder the soveraignty of the Romans What good recompence for so great service was rendered to Belisarius and Narses many writers haue recorded I passe it over with silence Narses mooved with indignation against the Empresse Sophia the wife of Iustinus the younger the successor of Iustinian he sent for the Longobards who came out of Pannonia and possessed themselues in that part of Italy which is vnto this day called Lombardy It is one of Iustinians chief praises that he caused the great Ocean Sea of the Romane lawes to bee abriged into short compend and to be comprised within the compasse of fifty bookes vulgarly called Pandectis or Digestis having short titles prefixed vnto them rather then prolix and tedious coÌ„mentaries subioyned vnto them Also he gathered a generall Councell in Constantinople about the 14. yeere of his raigne to pacifie if it were possible the contentious disputations that were mooved about the writings of Origen Theodorus and Ibas but this I referre to its owne place Iustinus the younger IVstinus was nephew to Iustinian Hee governed sixteene yeeres Hee governed alone twelue yeeres and with Tiberius whom hee associated three yeeres and eleven months All things succeeded vnprosperously in his time Alboinus King of the Longobards possessed himselfe and his people in Italy Cosroes King of Persia with his Captaine Adaarmanes tooke the towne of Apamia and burnt it with fire and the towne of Circesium and put garrisons into it and miserably wasted the bounds of the Romane dominions When these things were reported to Iustinus who would credite no true information before now is stricken with madnes and astonishment of minde being grieved for this that the state of the Romane Empire should haue decayed in his time and through his default For remedy whereof Tiberius a wise and valiant man by the advice of Sophia was associate to Iustinus to governe the affaires of the kingdome Evagrius describeth at length the Oration of Iustinus to Tiberius when he clothed him with all Emperiall ornaments and how hee exhorted him not to be bewitched with the splendor of those garments as he had beene but with vigilancy and wisedome to governe the estate of the kingdome This he spake after he was recovered of his disease and in presence of all the noblemen of his Court so that they were compelled to shead abundance of teares when they heard at one time so cleere a confession of his owne miscariage and so prudent counsell given to his associate Tiberius TIberius raigned three yeeres and eleven months in coniunct authority with Iustinus and after his death hee raigned foure yeeres himselfe alone so all the time of his government was seven yeeres and eleven moneths In his time Cosroes King of Persia was puft vp with such insolencie in regard of his former victories that hee would not admit the Ambassadours of Tiberius to his presence but commanded them to follow him to Caesarea of Cappadocia there to receiue their answer for hee had taken Daras a towne of Mesopotamia in the borders of the Romane Empire builded by the Emperour Anastatius and called Daras because about this place Darius had his last overthrow by Alexander of Macedonia After the taking of Daras hee marched toward Armenia in the Summer time and from thence entended to addresse toward Caesarea Cappadocia expecting none encounter or resistance of the Roman army But Tiberius had prepared a well appointed army consisting of mo then an 100. and fifty thousand men to resist Cosroes whose forces when Cosroes could not match he fled and for very heart-griefe hee died and gaue advice to the Persians not to make warre against the Roman Empire in any time to come The estate of the Church was the more peaceable vnder his raigne because the Vandales in Africke and the Gothes in Italy were already vtterly subdued The Longobards whom Narses brought out of Pannonia to Italy were the more insolent to afflict Christians because Tiberius was occupied in the Persian warfare against Cosroes The Nation of the Gothes had as yet full sway in Spaine and they were miserably addicted to the Arrian heresie insomuch that Lemugildus King of the Gothes caused his owne naturall son Elmingildus to be slaine because he forsook the Arrian faith Also their number was augmented by returning of many Vandales to Spaine who had escaped the hands of Belisarius Mauritius MAuritius was Captaine of the Army of Tiberius to whom Tiberius gaue his daughter in marriage with his kingdome for he found himselfe sicke vnto the death He raigned 20. yeeres hee fought against the Persians and prospered in that warfare and after that peace was bound vp amongst them Chaianus King of Avares Hunnes and Slavonians fought against
and Constantine had caused their father Romanus to bee shauen and thrust into an Isle called Prote And Constantine after the issue of 26. yeeres wherein Romanus and his sonnes raigned he laied hands on Stephanus and caused him to bee shauen and sent vnto the isle Mytelene and his brother to the Isle of Samothracia Thus the Lord who will not suffer iniquitie to escape vnpunished rendered to the sonnes of Romanus a iust recompence of their vnkindlie dealing with their father Otto Primus OTto the first after the death of his father Henrie was chosen Emperour and raigned 36. yeeres Hee was molested with many forraine and domestique warres but hee prospered in all his enterprises yea and Lyndolphus his owne sonne conspired against him for the marriage of Adelphed the relict of Lotharie sonne to Hugo who contended against Berengarius for the kingdome of Italie This Adelphed the Emperour Otto not onely relieued from her distressed estate but also married her The mother of Lindolphus was daughter to Edmont King of England after whose death it displeased him that his father should marrie Adelphed But when hee made warre against his father he was ouercome and besieged at Ratisbon and in the end was reconciled to his father The tyrannie of Berengarius the second enforced the Romans to implore the assistance of the Emperour Otto who led an armie to Rome at diuerse times The first time hee gathered a Councell at Rome and deposed Ioan. 13. whom others call Ioan. 12. and placed Leo 8. in his steed Likewise hee subdued Berengarius and his sonne Albertus did flie to Constantinople and so the Emperour recouered againe his owne dignitie to be king of Italie and that no man should bee chosen Pope without consent of the Emperour Againe the inconstancie of the Romans in reiecting Leo 8. and receiuing againe Ioan. 13. or 12. compelled the Emperour to returne to Rome and to punish the authors of that sedition to the death After hee had declared his sonne to be Emperour he died and was buried in the Church of Magdeburg which he had builded in his owne time In the East after Romanus the son of Constantine had raigned 3. yeeres Necâ—phorus raigned 6. yeeres a man more magnanimous in warfare then wise in government He was murthered by the Counsell of his owne wife Theophania and Zimisces raigned in his steed Otto Secundus OTto the second after his fathers death raigned ten yeeres he was a vertuous Prince but not like vnto his father Henrie Duke of Bavare contended against him for the title of the Empire but Otto prevailed Likewise Lotharie the King of France invaded the countrie of Loraine onely belonging to the Emperour But Otto gathered a strong armie recouered the Countrey of Loraine and pursued Lotharie to Paris burning and destroying all the Countrey whether hee went The third great conflict was against the Eretians assisted with the Saracons for the Countries of Apulia and Calabria These countries did appertaine of old to the Emperour of the East But Basilius with his brother Constantine willing to recouer these Countries againe did fight against the Emperour Otto and discomfited his armie and the Emperour himselfe hardly escaped in a fisher boate faining himselfe to bee but a simple Souldier and payed his ransome Afterward hee conuerted all his wrath against the Italians who had trayterouslie forsaken him and were the chiefe cause of the discomfiture of this armie hee died at Rome and was buried in the Church of S. Peter Basilius Emperour of the East raigned 50. yeeres and recouered the Isle of Candie from the Saracens and the Countryes of Apulia and Calabria from Otto as is said after whom his Brother Constantine raigned 3. yeeres Otto Tertius OTto the third was young in yeeres when his father died For hee exceeded not eleuen yeeres old notwithstanding he was chosen Emperour and raigned 19. yeeres Hee was wise aboue his yeeres and was called Mirabile mundi that is the admirable thing of the world The Italians continuallie breaking soueraigntie advanced one Crescentius to bee Emperour The Emperour Otto for suppressing such seditious attempts pearced into Italie with an armie at three diuers times and pardoned Crescentius twise But when hee made no ende of his seditious attempts the third time hee hanged him Likewise Iaon 18. whom the Seditious Romanes had advanced reiecting Gregorie the fift who was made Pope with the Emperours consent his eyes were plucked out and hee was throwne headlong from the Capitol By the prudent aduise of Otto Gregorie the fift appointed Seuen electors of the Emperour to wit the Bishops of Mentz Collen and Treer with Count Palatine the Duke of Saxonie and the Marquis of Brandenburgh and in case of contrary opinions the King of Bohemia Which custome doth continue even to our dayes One thing was lacking in the felicity of this noble Emperour that his wife Mary of Arragon was a notable and barren harlot and the widow of Cresentius and had almost bewitched his noble heart Shee being alwayes disappointed of her expectation sent vnto the Emperour a paire of impoysoned gloues which procured his death and hee was buried in Aken CENTVRIE XI Henry the second AFter Otto the third Henry the second Duke of Bavaria by the Princes Electors was declared Emperour hee raigned two and twenty yeeres Platina assigneth vnto him onely eighteene Hee was a wise valiant and godly Emperour He subdued all his rebells He received the Imperiall crown from Benedict the eight Hee expelled the Saracens out of Italy In this Emperours time Sueno King of Denmarke invaded England and subdued it to his obedience A savage Prince in whom if power had not lacked to performe his designes his cogitations were highly bended to extirpate all profession of Christian religion in England Likewise about this time Calipha of Egypt one of the Saracen Princes destroyed some of the temples of Ierusalem and poluted the rest but in speciall he overthrew the Temple builded about the Lords Sepulchre His mother was a Christian woman when that was obiected to him in way of exprobation as if hee had favoured Christians for his mothers sake hee bended all his might against the Christians destroyed and poluted their Temples and massacred in most cruell manner all them who were in spirituall offices This was the first ground of the terrible warfare which afterward ensued vulgarly called Bellum sacrum Conrad the second AFter Henry the second succeeded Conrad the second and was elected Emperour three yeares after the death of Henry In this inter-raigne many cities of Italy desirous of libertie made desertion from the subiection of the Emperour But Conrad was a wise and valiant warriour and reduced the cities of Italy in short time to subiection He was the first Emperour who made a law that the perturbers of the common peace in Germany should be punished vnto the death Hee received the Imperiall crowne from Pope Iohn 21. and raigned 15. yeeres In whose dayes
yet when the Electors of Germanie condescended to make Frederike the sonne of Henry Emperour the Pope agreed thereto because hee had a more deadly hatred at those who touched the apple of his eye that is S. Peters patrimonio as they call it then at any other sort of people In the East Alexius Ducas otherwise called Murzulfus raigned a short time for hee was taken by the Venetians and Frenchmen who had restored againe Isacius to his kingdome and they threw him headlong ouer a steepe place because hee had murthered his Master for ambitious desire of his kingdome These Venetians and Frenchmen set vp Baldwine Count of Flanders to bee Emperour of the East Thus was the Empire of the East translated to the French nation for a time as the Empire of the west had beene before in the dayes of Charles de maine After him raigned Henry his brother 2 yeeres who hauing no male children left the kingdome to Petrus Antisiodorensis his sonne in law who was cut off by the fraud of Lascharis after hee had raigned two yeeres After him his sonne Robert raigned 7 yeeres hee was crowned Emperour by the Bishop of Rome as the Germane Emperours were accustomed to be To him succeeded his young sonne Baldwine in whose time the Empire returned againe to the Grecians And Theodorus Lascaris sonne in Law to Alexius Commenus who plucked out the eyes of Isacius was saluted Emperour and raigned eight yeeres after whom Ioannes Ducas his sonne in Law raigned 33. yeeres Fredericus Secundus AFter the death of Otto Frederike the second sonne to Henry the sixt obtained the Empire and râ—igned 38. yeeres Hee was by inheritance king of Naples Apulia Calabria and Sicilia His father obtained shortlie after he was borne of the Princes Electors that they should choose his sonne Frederike Emperour after his death which they did crowning him Emperour at Aquisgraue when he was about 20. yeere old From thence hee passed with his nobles and Princes to Rome and there with great solemnitie was consecrated called Augustus by Pope Honorius the third After his consecration he gaue by his charter to the Church of Rome the Dukedome of Fundanuus for by the insatiable couetousnesse of the Roman Bishops this wicked vse and custome grew that except the Emperours Elected and crowned would giue vnto them such great and large gifts they could not obtaine of them their consecration and confirmation which for that intent they deuised Furthermore the said Emperour willing to shew himselfe more bountiful towards the Church of Rome gaue and admitted those constitutions which the Pope himselfe would desire by which doing he gaue a sword in their hands to cut his owne throat for hee did grant to the Canon of proscription devised by the Pope and his adherents that whosoever were excommunicate for diminution of the liberties of the Church and so continued a yeeres space that this person should be within the danger of his proscript and should not bee relaxed before hee had made satisfaction and was admitted by the Pope to the Church and Congregation of good men againe But this liberty of Fredericke was well required by Hononorius for soone after his returning to Germany hee heard of certaine who begun to raise and make new factions against him amongst whom were found Thomas Richard the brethren of Innocentius the third Earles of Anaquinos that held certaine Castles in the kingdome of Naples against him by force which Castles hee besieged and beat downe Richard also hee tooke and sent him prisoner to Sicilia But Thomas escaped and came speedily to Rome where hee was not onely received by Honorius but also when the Emperor began to expostulate with him for the vnseemlinesse of this deed the Pope was so chased that without further delay he thundred out against him like a tyrant his cursings and excommunications After this fell out a ground of a new debate between the Emperour and the Pope For the Christians that were in Asia were so weakened that Iohn surnamed Brennus King of Ierusalem came himselfe to the Emperour and to the Pope to seeke helpe for the distressed Christians who were in Asia This Iohn gaue his daughter Ioel in mariage to the Emperour with the title of the Kingdome of Ierusalem in dowrie with her The Emperour on the other part promised that with all possible expedition hee would leade an armie into Asia against the Turkes wherevpon and by the meanes of Iohn King of Ierusalem the Emperour and the Pope were reconciled againe But before the Emperour tooke his iourney to Asia Honorius died in whose roome succeeded Gregorius the ninth who excommunicated the Emperour a new againe because hee was compelled by sicknesse to come backe from his iourney to Asia and to remaine a space in Europe for the recouering of his health againe The next yeere after to stop the mouth of the slanderous and cruell Pope and to declare to the world that the last yeere hee did not leave off his iourney by his owne voluntary will but by necessity hee set forward with a great army and arrived at Ioppa The Saracens were so troubled with his arrivall that they were content to render to Fredericke the towne of Ierusalem with all the possessions that were scituate betweene it and Ptolemaide and the greatest part of Palestina and the Cities of Tyrus and Sydon which were in Syria and all other territories which Baldwin the fourth at any time had occupied there Also they were content to set at liberty all the prisoners who were in their hands and finally to conclude peace for the space of ten yeeres In the meanetime while the Emperour is thus occupied in Asia Pope Gregory the ninth in the Emperours absence made it knowne to the whole world for what cause he was so earnest to chase him away to the East not that he cared for the welfare of the distressed Christians in Asia but to the end hee might worke him some trouble in his absence as appeared by all these subsequent practices For hee invaded the kingdome of Naples and the rest of the dominions which pertained to the Emperors inheritage and subdued a great part of these dominions to himselfe Likewise he had a secret dealing with Henry the Emperours son to stirre him vp against his father and prevailed so farre in this divellish treason that by the Popes counsell hee put from him his trustie Counceller Ludovicus Duke of Boioria whom his father had ordained to be guider of his sonne in his absence Likewise when the Emperour sent letters out of Asia declaring the good successe that God had given him and therewith desiring the Pope and Christian Princes and people to give thanks to God for the same These letters so grieved the Popes minde that hee rent them in peeces cast them vpon the ground and trode them vnder his feet to the great admiration of the Emperours Legats Againe to colour the rage of his impotent minde with some
their garrisons were remaining supposing vnder the shew of Frenchmen to be let in But the Captaines mistrusting their hasty comming and misdoubting their visages not like to the French-mens shut the gates against them whereby they returned frustrate of their purpose Yet afterward Damiata was rendered to the Saracens as a part of the Kings ransome which citie being twice won and twice lost by the Christians the Souldan afterward caused vtterly to be razed downe to the ground It is to bee noted in this Tragedy that the Pope of Rome was the chiefe ground of all this lamentable calamity For the King wisely considering what great helpe hee might haue gotten by the concurrance of the valiant and wife Emperour Fredericke travailed for reconciliation between him and the Pope before hee vndertooke his voyage but all his travails were spent in vaine and so the King of France went alone to this dangerous enterprise taking with him the Popes blessing as is sayd before But like as Fredericke before prospered not the worse thate he was cursed of the Pope so it may be perceived that Lewis King of France prospered not the better albeit the Pope blessed him Before wee speake of the sixt voyage of his age it is to marked that God raised vp Mango King of the Tartarians to make warre against the Saracens he was baptised and professed the name of Christ and sent his brother Halâ— to fight against the Saracens Who overhailed Persia Assyria Mesopotamia and in the end came to Syria and conquered Damascus appointing his sonne Abaga to bee Governour of the same for hee returned himselfe to inherit the kingdome of his brother Mango whom hee heard to be dead Also Abaga afterward hearing of the death of his father Halo returned to gouerne his fathers kingdome leaving behinde him ten thousand horsemen to support the Christians in the hands of Guirboca who also favoured the Christians for a time vntil they slew his Nephew and then hee also became an enemie vnto them and invaded the towne of Caesarea and set it on fire At this time Nelethinus the sonne of Turqueminius Souldan of Egypt fearing the dominion of the Tartarians in Syria provoked Guirboca to fight and destroyed him and his army and they that escaped of the Tartarians fled to Armenia Thus the small comfort which the Christians had by the Tartarians was first turned into hatred and afterward was vtterly taken away by their destruction The sixt voyage was vnder the King of France and Henrie King of England who sent Prince Edward his sonne to Palestina in his place and Charles Duke of Angeow who was declared by the Pope to be King of Sicile and King of Ierusalem In this voyage the one part of the army to wit French-men arrived at Africa and besieged the towne of Carthage and tooke it also they besieged Tuenetum sixe moneths at which time the army was troubled with a grievous pestilence whereof the King himselfe and the Popes Legat both died But Charles King of Sicile came with a fresh army Mulet the Prince in those parts entreated for peace which was granted vpon these conditions First that if any in Africke would professe the Christian religion they should bee permitted so to doe without molestation Next that the Christians who were detained in captivity should be set at liberty And thirdly that there should bee payd yeerely to the King of Sicile forty thousand crownes The other part of the army vnder the conduct of Edward Prince of England came to Syria where Edward was circumvented by a deceitfull Saracen who came with letters to him from his master and wounded him with an invenomed knife whereby hee was in great danger of his life but being cured by skilfull Physitians he escaped death Also hee staied in Ptolemais vpon the arrivall of the rest of the army out of Africke but when hee had long waited in vaine hee was compelled to returne back againe to his owne countrey In this voyage it is to be noted that the Pope of Rome miserably abused the Christian people for the armies raised against the Turkes and Infidels hee caused to serue the covetous appetite of his bloody heart as plainely appeareth in the French army which Guido Bishop of Altisiodorum conducted to Viterbium Vrbanus Quartus sent his army against Manfred King of Sicile to subdue vnto him Sicilia and to roote out the ofspring of Fredericke which he deadly hated and when this enterprise succeeded not to his hearts contentment Clemens his successor stirred vp this Charles Duke of Angeow who vsurped the kingdome of Sicile destroyed the posterity of Fredericke and at the Popes desire vndertooke this voyage to Asia whereof wee haue last spoken The seventh voyage of this age was vndertaken by the Emperour Rodolph who according to his promise made to Pope Gregory the tenth was willing to raise an army and succour the Christians in Asia but hee was so impeded by the warres hee had with the King of Bohemia that hee could not in his owne person goe to Syria but hee sent Henrie Prince of Mechelburg with a strong army to supply his place who comming to Ptolemais wasted and burnt with fire the region round about Damascus The Barbarians durst not encounter with him in open battell but circumvened him and vpon a time as hee was leading away a great prey they lying in wait for him arose and brought him to the Souldan where hee was detained in captivitie 26. yeeres After this the Christians in Asia were brought to vtter wracke for the Saracens invaded Antiochia and tooke it and destroyed the Christians there Afterward vnder the conduct of Aphir their Souldan they besieged Tripolis and tooke it and razed it to the ground Also Tyrus was rendered vpon condition that the Christians there should safely depart with so much of their substance as they could transport with shippes or drawe with beasts And finally all the townes and holds which the Christians had in Syria were taken by the Saracens onely Ptolemais excepted which afterward was taken by Araphus the Souldan the Christians therein being put to the sword and the citie it selfe vtterly razed to the ground in such sort that there was not so much as a monument of it left vndestroyed Now when all was lost the Christians obtained some new and fresh comfort by the conversion of Cassanus Prince of the Tartarians to the Christian religion who expelled the Saracens out of Syria and repayred the temple and towne of Ierusalem and restored it to the Christians and set at liberty Henry Prince of Mechelburg who had been detained captiue a long time Also he tooke the towne of Damascus and appointed Capcacus to be Governour there like as Molais was left to defend Ierusalem But after the returne of Cassanus to his owne countrey Capcacus revolted to the Souldan of Egypt and Molais finding himselfe alone vnable to resist the force of the Saracens departed to Mesopotamia
dissolue the army of Cassimire Notwithstanding the army of the Germanes and French-men entered into France vnder the conduct of the Prince of Condie and Cassimire and came forward to Charossium a towne in Borbon not farre from Molins where Alauscon the Kings brother ioyned with them and the whole army being mustered was found to bee of horsemen and footmen thirtie thousand The King of Navarre about the same time departed from Court and returned to his owne countrey whereby the feare of the King and Queene mother was greatly encreased In conclusion the army approached dayly neerer and neerer to Paris yet no battell was fought because the Queene mother listened more to the instructions shee had given to Alauscon her sonne then to the doubtfull successe of battell and force of armed men and indeed a more sure way to obtaine their purpose For messengers being sent to the King to treate for peace the Queene mother perceived that all other conditions how ample soever they had beene might bee easily eluded and broken but if the townes of Metis Tullion and Verdum were in the hands of a potent stranger it would be a great abandoning of the Kings power in all time to come Therefore the matter was so brought about that Cassimire was content to receiue from the King a great summe of money in stead of those townes which should haue beene put in his hands and libertie was granted to the Protestants to exercise their owne religion openly and freely without exception of places the Court and the towne of Paris with a few leagues about onely excepted Also they were declared to bee capable of places in Parliament and places of Iustice Courts all iudgements which were made against them for any enterprise whatsoever was declared voyd The cruell day of Sant Bartholomew disavowed and for better assurance and performance of the conditions they had eight townes delivered vnto them with the conditions of their governments Aques Mortes Bencaire Perigneux Le mas de verdun Nâ—ons yissure La grand tour Thus was the edict of pacification proclaimed through the countrey in the moneth of May 1576. and an end was put to the fift civill war in France for religion In this Emperours time Solyman being now stricken in age came notwithstanding into Hungarie againe with a great army and besiedged Zigeth In the meane time of the siege Solyman dyed but his death was so secretly concealed that the siege continued after his death and the towne was taken by force Likewise Selim the sonne of Solyman was in haste sent for to come from Constantinople to Hungarie all this was done before the death of Solyman was knowne either to his owne army or to the Emperour Maximilian This new Emperour of the Turkes Selim tooke Famagusta in the Isle of Cyprus which belonged to the Venetians and did fight a cruell battell by Sea against the Christians in the gulph of Lepanto of olde called Sinus Corinthiacus in the which the Turkes Navie was overcome and Haly Bassa the chiefe Governour of the Turkes was slaine and his head was set vp vpon the top mast of his owne shippe to the great terrour and astonishment of the Turkes This battell was fought the seventh day of October Anno 1571. Don Iohn de Austria was Generall commander of the Navie of the Christians the number of the Turkes that were slaine is supposed to haue beene fifteene thousand men and thirteene thousand Christians were delivered from the captiuity of the Turks Onuphrius writeth that an hundred and seventeene shippes were taken with thirteene gallies and thirty two thousand Turkes were slaine in this battell Rodulphus AFter the death of Maximilian Rodulphus his sonne was made Emperour In his time the warres in France which seemed to be well quieted by the last edict of pacification began to kindle vp againe with greater flame For the adversaries of religion besought the Kings Maiestie to restraine the pernitious liberty of the edict of peace but perceiving him not to bee sufficiently moved to breake the peace and to take knife in hand they began to assemble at Perone Anno 1576. and to binde vp a league amongst themselues for the extirpation of the Protestants and for the revocation of the edict of peace wherein they swore obedience and service to the Generall thaâ—â—hould bee appointed over this fellowship ingaging their liues and honours never to seperate themselues for any commandement pretence excuse or occasion whatsoever There were two things that greatly animated the Leaguers to proceed in their association to wit First that the Protestants yeelded not vp the townes which they had gotten for their assurance for the space of sixe yeeres The sixe yeeres being ended they complained to the King that conditions were not kept vnto them and that for the abolishing of warres and setling of peace in France it was needfull that they should haue those townes a longer time in their maintenance whereto the King condiscended This grieved the Leaguers but another thing grieved them more that Alauscon the Kings brother for griefe of the hard successe of his affaires in the Low Countries died at Chasteau Thierry And the King himselfe having no children the feare that they conceived of the King of Navarres succession to the Kingdome caused the Leaguers rage While the flame issued out of this furnace the King of France easily perceived that the drift of all the Leaguers enterprises was against his life and crowne and to set vp another whom it pleased them in his place For the Leaguers pretended warre against the Hugonots and yet they seazed vpon the best townes of the Catholikes in all the Realme The religion was preached in Guyen and they went to driue it out of Picardie The Hugonotes were in Rochell and the Leaguers army marched straight to Paris They are at Montpelliere and the league set vpon Marseille Likewise the pasquells and libells without names dayly throwne downe in the towne of Paris and the disdainfull speeches dayly vttered of the King speaking of him as a Sardanapalus and a Prince drowned in his pleasures and delights and for his third crowne which hee looked for in heaven promising him one made with a rasour in a Cloyster all these things presented to the Kings minde a sufficient vnderstanding of the resolution and purpose of the Leaguers Notwithstanding feare so possessed his minde that in stead of couragious resisting of the Leaguers in due time hee made himselfe a slaue to their appetites The army of the Duke of Guise who was made Generall of the fellowship of the league at the first rising exceeded not the number of a thousand horsemen and foure thousand footmen which company might easily haue beene dispersed if the valorous courage of the King had not beene vtterly abashed who in stead of commanding with authority desired the Queene mother to procure that the Duke of Guise might leaue off armes and to assure him of his favour
piece of drie timber budded and flourished yet was he an idiot and an vnlearned man Remaclus Bishop of the same Towne and borne in Burdeaux of France left his Episcopall office and went to the Wildernesse where hee led an Heremiticall life defending his insolent fact by the example of Moses Abraham Elias Heliseus and Christ himselfe who were all found to haue beene in the Wildernesse But if hee had beene a man of deepe vnderstanding hee might haue alledged more pertinently the example of Narcissus bishop of Ierusalem who in going to the Wildernesse forsooke his Episcopall office for a time than the example of Christ who went vnto the Wildernesse to enter into the holie office of Preaching after preparation of fasting praying and fighting with spirituall armour against the prince of Darknesse Notwithstanding hee is thought both in his life time and also after his death to haue wrought miracles In Austume a Towne of France called in Latine AugustodunuÌ„ Leodegarius is thought to haue retained his voice the benefite of distinct speaking after that his tongue was cut out and that manie miraculous works were wrought after his death if credite can bee giuen to Vincentius The miracles of Andoenus Bishop of Rowen who also writ a booke of the miraculous deliuerance of the soule of Dagobertus king of France and an infinite number of other lying miracles all confirming superstition of purpose I leaue them as fables superaboundant in the writings of Vincentius Concerning Isidorus Hispalensis occasion will be offered to speake of him in the sixt Councell of Toledo The vaine disputation concerning the diuersitie of the keeping of Easter day in Scotland and England betwixt Colmannus and Wuilfridus it is as vnnecessarie to be written as it was vnnecessary with heat and contention to haue beene disputed CENTVRIE VIII Popes of Rome AFter Pope Sergius succeeded Iohn the 6. and continued 3. yeeres and 3. months After him Pope Ioannes 7. continued 2. yeeres and 7. monthes hee liued in the dayes of Iustinian the 2. who sent Ambassadors vnto him for procuring an vnion betwixt the churches of the East and west because they differed in opinions concerning the Canons of the sixt generall Councell wherein prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices was dissallowed and the Patriarch of Constantinople was equalled in autoritie to the Patriarch of Rome These Ambassadors aforesaid returned from Pope Iohn the seuenth without any answere with proud carriage or as others thinke a cowardlie forme of dealing all writers doe reproue After him succeeded Sisinius who continued not about 20. dayes in his Popedome After Sisinius succeeded Constantine the first and gouerned 7. yeeres and 20. dayes his Popedome was vnder the raigne of Iustinian the second Philippicus and Anastasius The Emp. Iustinian supported him against Foelix Bishop of Ravenna who had refused to pay to the B. of Rome the summe of money imposed vnto him in time of his ordination so that Foelix was taken prisoner by the Emperours admirall and sent to Constantinople where his eyes were put out he was baÌ„ished to Pontus Against the Emp. Philippicus he contended as one hauing authoritie to raze the name of the Emp. out of charters as had bin already declared This is the Pope who was Iudge betwixt the B. of Ticinum and Millane who contended for superioritie and Constantine exemed the shop of Ticinum from the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Millan but in such way as he should be subject to the Church of Rome The Emperour Iustinian the second sent for Pope Constantine who came to Constantinople and from thence went to Nicomedia where he met with the Emperour and the Emperour kissed his feete Marke the growing and daylie increasing pride of the Roman Antichrist After Constantine succeeded Gregorius the second and continued sixteene yeeres nine months and eleuen dayes Hee liued vnder the raigne of the Emperour Leo Isaurus whom he rashly excommunicated for abolishing of images Also he drew away from the obedience of the Emperour the countries of Hesperia Aemilia Liguria and other parts of Italie forbidding them to pay tribute to the Emperour expresse contrary to Christes commandement Matth. 22.21 where He saith Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars c. and this Christ spake concerning paying of tribute Gregorie the third gouerned ten yeeres eight monthes and twentie foure dayes and followed the foote steps of his predecessor both in aduancing the doctrine of worshipping of images and in with-drawing the people of Italie from the obedience of the Emperour More-ouer he gathered a Councell at Rome wherein the worshipping of images had allowance And the Emperour Leo was both excommunicated and likewise so farre as in him lay depriued of his Emperiall dignitie So early did the beast of Rome euen in ciuill matters vsurp autority ouer the Princes and Monarches of the world In his dayes the towne of Rome was besieged by Luitprand king of Lombardis But Carolus Martellus a noble prince in France beeing sollicited by letters of Gregorie to support the distressed estate of the Church of Rome hee perswaded Luitbrand to desist from molesting besieging the towne of Rome After Gregorie the third succeeded Zacharias the first coÌ„tinued ten yeeres foure months and foure dayes In antichristian pride hee surpassed all his predecessors distributing the Kingdomes of the world at his pleasure For he procured that Pipinus the sonne of Carolus Martellus who was but a subject and ruler of the kings house should bee anointed king of France and that Childericus the lawfull successour of the kingdome should haue his head shauen and be thrust into a Monasterie Likewise he procured that Carolomâ—nnus the elder brother of Pipinius should be a Monke of the Order of Saint Benedict in the Monasterie of Cassinates Rachis also king of Lombardes after hee had raigned 4. yeeres gaue ouer his kingly authority and entered to a Monasterie and exhorted his wife and children to do the like and so his brother Aistulphus obtained the kingdome Pipinus was anointed king of France by Bonifacius at the commaundement of Pope Zacharias anno 750. or as Platina reckoneth Anno 753. What recompence of reward Pipinus rendered to the chaire of Rome for this beneuoleÌ„ce or rather this manifest iniquitie of Zacharias it will be declared in the description of the life gouernememt and carriage of Stephanus the second if the Lord please After Zacharias succeeded Stephanus the second and ruled fiue yeeres and one month In his time Aistulphus King of Lombardes besieged Rome at two diuers times and Stephanus implored the aide and assistance of Pipinus King of France at both times At the first time Pipinus besieged Aistulphus in Papia the chiefe Citie of residence of the kinges of Lombardes and compelled him to restore to the chaire of Rome all the townes and lands which by violence hee had taken from them But at his second comming he not only
the Bishop of Rome Likewise in the cause of Rhotardus Bishop of Soission whom Hincmarus deposed and removed from his office Nicolaus the first Bishop of Rome absolved him Hadrian 2. gaue him commandement to excommunicate C. Calvus King of France his soveraigne Lord but he refused to performe such an vnlawfull commandement and writ vnto the Pope to be circumspect and not precipitate rashly his sentences of excommunication The question whereunto Hadrian 2. was so serious was about division of lands betwixt C. Calvus and his brother Lotharius C. Calvus denyed that he did vniustly invade any of his brothers lands but lands duely belonging to himselfe by paction and covenant And the Nobles of the country said that it was a strange and an vnaccustomed thing that the Pope would take vpon him to be iudge in a controversie concerning the Titles and Rights of kingdomes because he could not be both a Bishop and a King CENTVRIE X. Popes of Rome TO Thedoricus succeeded Pope Iohn the tenth hee abrogated all the decrees of Pope Stephanus the sixt and allowed the decrees of Formosus whereupon great tumult and vprore arose in Rome For this cause the Pope fled to Ravenna and gathered a Councell of 74. Bishops also Carolus Simplex King of France was present at this councell There hee ratified the decrees of Formosus and damned the decrees of Stephanus Here let vs marke that the Bishops of Rome doe both mocke God and the world in saying that their Councels are guided by the holy Spirit and cannot erre in the meane time one of their Councels damning another and being altogether opposite one to another After hee had come backe to Rome he concluded his life having ruled two yeeres and fifteene dayes To him succeeded Benedictus the fourth and continued three yeeres and foure moneths After Benedictus ruled Leo the fift and continued not in his Popedome aboue forty dayes for he was cast into prison and bonds by Christophorus his owne domestique servant Christophorus by vnlawfull meanes attained to the Popedom and lost it againe vnworthily in the seventh moneth of his government for hee was thrust into a Monastery as the only refuge of all disasterd people Those monsters saith Platina God permitted them not long to liue After Christophorus Sergius the third ruled seven yeeres foure moneths and fifteene dayes Hee raised againe the body of Formosus out of the graue wherein hee had lien buried eight yeeres and beheaded it as if it had beene aliue and cast it into the river Tyber accounting it vnworthy of a buriall place Platina doth marke that Formosus had been his competitor and hindered Sergius from attaining to the Popedome they who are so overtaken with ambition and hatefull malice that they cannot moderate their owne affections how shall they governe and rule the vniversall Church of God Beside this barbarous cruelty he was a vile whoremonger and begate Iohn the twelfth who afterward was made Pope with Marozia the wife of Guido a famous harlot After him Anastatius the third ruled two yeers of whom nothing worthy of memory is written except this that he was not so malicious in damning the memorials of other men as his predecessors had beene Landus succeeded to Anastatius and ruled sixe moneths and 21. dayes To Landus succeeded Iohn the eleventh and ruled thirteene yeares two moneths and three dayes Hee was more martiall in exployts of warfare then religious and expert in knowledge of heavenly things For hee fought against the Saracens who had been brought into Italy by the Grecians and discomfited them But when hee returned againe to Rome hee incurred the hatred of Albericus Marquis of Hetruria who had fought with him against the Saracens and could not abide the pride of a presumptuous Bishop who in his triumph ascribed the whole praise of the victory to himselfe onely This variance was the occasion of great trouble in Italy for Albericus allured the Hungarians to enter into Italy who did greater damage to the Countrey then the Saracens had done before On the other part the Italians who could not avenge themselues by rendering like evill to the Hungarians they poured out their wrath vpon Albericus and killed him The Pope also by the souldiers of Guido was cast in prison and strangled by stopping a pillow in his throat The villany betweene him and Theodora a notable harlot I haue overpassed with silence fearing to be prolixe Leo the sixt followed and continued seven moneths and fifteene dayes After Leo followed Stephanus the seventh and ruled two yeeres one moneth and twelue dayes The two preceding Popes are supposed by Italian heights to be made out of the way by Marozia a notable harlot to the end that her sonne Iohn the twelfth whom shee had borne to Pope Sergius the third might bee promoted to the Popedome who ruled foure yeeres ten moneths and fifteene dayes Marozia was an incestuous harlot who like vnto Herodias was not ashamed to marrie two brethren namely Guido and Hugo according as the verse made thereof witnesseth Nubere Germanis satagens Herodia binis Herein appeareth the terrour of the wrath of God punishing the vngodlinesse of the Romane people they were guided by the Popedome and the Popedome was guided by notable harlots After him succeeded Leo the seventh and ruled three yeeres six moneths and ten dayes Stephanus the eight was a Germane and ruled three yeers foure moneths and ten dayes Hee was mightily troubled with the seditions of the people of Rome and was so miserably wounded that hee was ashamed to come forth vnto publique places to be seene Martinus the third succeeded to Stephanus the eight and governed three yeeres six moneths and ten dayes Platina calleth him a devout man and altogether bent to religion because he repaired old Churches that were tending to ruine and decay the substance of religion being lost the care of the fabricke of the Church and such other externall things was counted the onely devotion Agapetus the second successor to Martinus continued in his Popedome nine yeeres seven moneths and ten dayes In his time Berengarius King of Italy and his sonne Albertus tyrrannously abused the countrey not sparing those of the Clergie So that Agapetus was compelled to send messengers to Otto the first whose fame was spread abroad in all Nations and Otto without delay addressed himselfe to Italy and suppressed the insolencie of Berengarius and his sonne Albertus as hath beene already declared in the historie of the life of Otto the first To Agapetus succeeded Iohn the thirteenth and governed nine yeeres three moneths and fiue dayes A man from his very youth replenished with all kinde of abhominable vices a libidinous beast a monstrous varlet of whom I haue made so frequent mention already and the head of Councels will cast vp the filthinesse of his infamous name of new againe so that for the present I write the lesse He
protection of his sonne Fredericke the second But Innocentius followed the footesteps of Iudas but not of Saint Peter made Otto Duke of Saxon Emperour in preiudice of Fredericke who was committed to his protection But thorow the prouidence of God the spirit of dissention fell betweene the Emperour Otto and the Pope so that hee was excommunicated by the Pope and the Empire was giuen to Fredericke Also hee gathered a generall Councel at Rome called Lateranense whereof hereafter After him succeeded Honorius 3. and ruled ten yeeres 7. months 13. daies he excommunicated the good Emperour Fredericke 2. and in this age it is to be noted that almost no Pope can be found who set not out his thunderbolts of cursings against kings and Emperours Next to him succeeded Gregorius the ninth and ruled one yeere three months he caused the booke of the Popes decretalls to be compiled and had cruell warres against the Emperour Fredericke whom hee excomunicated diuers times as hath at length beene declared in the life of Fredericke Caelestinus 4. followed after him who liued not in the Popedome aboue the space of 18. dayes To him succeeded Innocentius 4. and ruled 11. yeeres 12. months 12. dayes he helde a Councell at Lyons wherein he excommunicated the Emperour Fredericke of new againe and deposed him from his Emperiall dignitie and gaue the same to William Count of Holland Hee died miserably for hee invaded the kingdome of Sicilie with an armie hoping to bring it vnder his subiection after the death of Fredericke but was disapointed and repulsed by Manfred king of Sicilie And as hee was in Naples a voyce was heard in the Popes Court saying Surge miser ad iudicium that is rise O wretched person and appeare to iudgement and the day following he was found lying dead in his bed To him succeeded Alexander the fourth who did fight against Manfred king of Sicilie vnprosperously but being ouercome in battell hee had refuge to his old armour of cursing and excommunicated Manfred He damned the Booke of William de Sancto amore which hee writ against the order of begging Friers and died in the seuenth yeere of his Popedome After him followed Vrbanus the fourth and ruled three yeeres and one month Hee stirred vp Charles Duke of Angeow against Manfred and gaue vnto him the kingdome of Sicilie and Calabria with the Dukedome of Apulia to be holden of the Pope as superior for yeerely paiment of a certaine duety to the Church of Rome which was the occasion of great troubles which after followed To him succeeded Clemens 4. and ruled 3. yeeres 9. months 21. daies He finished the worke which Vrbanus begun for hee gaue to Charles Count of Angeow not onely the Dukedome of Sicilie but also the stile of the kingdome of Ierusalem prouiding alwayes hee should pay yeerely in few-farme to the church of Rome fortie thousand crownes This Charles by instigation of the Roman Bishop first slew Manfred king of Sicilie and afterward slew Conradinus sonne to Conrad who came to Italie to possesse the kingdomes duely appertaining to him So was the kingdome of Sicilie taken from the posteritie of Fredericke and put in the hands of Frenchmen After him Gregorius the tenth ruled foure yeeres two months ten dayes He held a generall councell at Lyons whereat Michael Palcologus Emperour of Constantinople was present as will be hereafter delared God willing He made peace beweene the Venetians and the Genuans who not onely at home but also in Asia had bloodie warres one against another to the great encouragment of the Infidels Also hee interdyted the Florentines from all holy seruice because they eiected the Gibelius out of their towne whom the Pope being in France had receiued in favour and brought backe from banishment Hee was so highly displeased with them that passing by the towne of Florence vpon a time being required of his fatherly clemencie to lose them from the foresaid interditment hee vtterly refused to doe it Next after him Innocentius the fift died after hee had ruled sixe months ad two daies After him Hadrianus the fift died hauing ruled fortie dayes Ioannes 22. who succeeded to Adrian died after he had ruled 8. months Hee was smothered by the sudden fall of a chamber newly built in the place of Viturbium for his solace and pleasure and this iudgement fell vpon him immediatlie after he had foolishly promised to himselfe long life and said to his friends that he knew by the position of the starres that he would liue a long time in this world After him followed Nicolaus the third and ruled three yeeres three months fifteene daies He was a mortall enemie to Charles king of Sicilie whom his predecessours Vrbanus and Clemens advanced He tooke from him the lieutenanrie of Hetruria the dignitie of a Roman Senator Likewise hee stirred vp Peter King of Arragon to claime the kingdome of Sicilie as iustly pertaining to him by right of Constantia his wife Daughter to Manfred king of Sicilie And finally by his craft and wickednesse the countries of Flaminea and Bononia with the exarcht of Rauenna which had remained a long time vnder the Emperours iurisdiction were brought vnder the dominion of the Pope of Rome In Religion he was verie superstitious and caused cases of siluer to be made wherein he put the skulls of Peter Paul Next vnto him followed Martinus the fourth and ruled foure yeeres and one month Hee receiued Charles king of Sicilie in fauour and restored vnto him the dignitie of a Roman Senator which Nicolas his predecessour had taken from him and was so contrarious in all his doings to Nicolaus that whereas Nicolaus stirred vp Peter king of Arragon to claime the kingdome of Sicilie as belonging to him by right Martinus by the contrarie excōmunicated the king of Arragon as a spoiler of the Church-goods because hee invaded the kingdome of Sicilie Notwithstanding in this Popes time the Frenchmen who were in Sicilie being hated of the people were pitifullie destroied For they had agreed among themselues that vpon a certaine day at euening time when a signe was giuen by ringing of a bell that they should cut off in one houre all the French blood that was found in Sicilie which thing also they performed with such crueltie that they ript vp their owne countrie-women that were with child by the Frenchmen to the end there should no remnant of French blood remaine among them and from this excessiue crueltie the Prouerb yet remaineth Vesperae Siculae This Pope also tooke the Concubine of his Predessour Nicolaus and caused to abolish all the pictures of Vrses and Beares that were found in his palace fearing left his harlot by a deepe imagination and impression of these Pictures should bring forth children rough like Beares as shee had done before Honorius 4. followed and ruled 2. yeeres one month he ratified the sentence
c. 14 Soc. l. 5. c. 14 Ruffin l. 2. c. 17. Claudian de 3. consul honorii Ruff. l 2. c. 18. Theod. l. 5. c. 17. Theod. l. 5. c. 19. Sozom. l. 7. c. 23 Theod. l. 5. c. 16. Note Theod. l. 5. c. 26 Socrat. l. 6. c. 23 Sozom. l. 8. c. 28 Theod. l. 5.32 Hist. Magd. cent 5. cap. 3. Func chron Compend Theod. catalog CasaruÌ„ Platin. in vita Zosimi 1. Sozom. l. 9. c. 9. Func chron Socrat. l. 7. c. 22 Iaem lib 7. cap 42. Hist. Magd. cent 5. cap. 3. Evigr lib. 2. cap. 16. Note Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 23. Catalog Casarum Evagr. lib. 2. cap. 8. Evagr. lib. 2. cap. 8. Idem cap. 12. 13. Evagr. lib. 3. cap. 3. Idem lib. 3. cap. 5. Note Idem cap. 8. 11. Hist. Magd. cent 5. cap. 3. Note Hist. Magd. ibid. Socrat. lib. 7. cap. 8. Func chron Evagr. lib. 3. cap. 3. Note Evagr. lib. 3. cap. 32. Hist. Magd. cen 6. cap. 3. Evagr. lib. 3. cap. 34. Note Platin. de viâ—â— Hormisda Evag. l. 4. c. 4. Hist. Magd. cent 6. cap. 3. Note Evag. l. 4. c. 5. Chron. Fuâ—e Evag. l. 4 c. 10. Note Evag. l. 4. c. 17. Idem l. 4. c. 19. Platin. de vita Ioan. 1. Funâ— chron Evag. l. 4. c. 21. 〈◊〉 2. Concel Evag. l. 5. c. 23. Evag. l. 5. c. 10. Idem l. 5. c. 11.12 Evag. l. 5 c. 13. Evag. l. 3. c. 37. Evag. l. 5. c. 14. Hist. Magd. cent 6. cap. 3. Plaâ—in de vit Gregor 1. Evag. l. 5. c. 22. Commenâ— Funct lib. 8. Note Platina in vita Bonif 3. Note Paulus diaâ—â—nus lib. 18. rerum Râ—nan Hist. Magd. cent 7. cap. 3. A description of the Saracens Platinain vita Senerini Note Isai. 37.36 Hist. Magd. cent 8. cap. 3. Chron. func Hist. Magd. cen 7. cap. 3. Note Note Hist. Magd. cent 8. cap. 3. Platin. in vit Greg. 2. Platin. in vit Stepâ— 2. Funct Comment lib. 8. Note Pro. 12. Platin. in vit Greg 2. Funct Comment in chron lib. 8. Platin. in vit Greg. 4. Funct comment l. 9. Note Hist. Magd. cent 9. cap. 16. Platin. in vita Ioan. 10. Funct Comment in chronol lib. 9. Note Note Notâ— Hist. Magd. cent 10. cap. 16. Note Note The Danes invade England The occasion of BelluÌ„ sacruÌ„ Comment Funcâ—â— lib. 9. Note Hist. Magd. cent 11. cap. 3. Note â—illiam Duke of Normandy subdueth Englanâ— Note Hist. Magd. cent 12. cap. 8. Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Psal. xci 13. Note Note Note The beginning of the Tartarian kingdome Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note The Empyre voyd of an Emperour the space of 17. yeers Note Emperours of Constantinople The first Armie was led for recouerie of the holy land The second armie The third armie The forth armie The templars breaking the couenant made with the Barbarians are destroyed The fist vovage Note Mango King of the Tartarians fighteth against the Saracens The sixt army A peace concluded Note The 7. army The Christians vtterly destroyed in Asia Note The death of Albert. Otthoman first King of the Turkes Henry the 7. poysoned by a Monke Warre betwixt Lewis and Fredericus Pulcher about the Empire A league made amongst the Cantons of Helvetia Lewis excommunicated by the Pope and Charles the 4. chosen Emperour Amurath King of the Turkes conquereth Thracia The Battell of Nicopolis betwixt the Christians Turkes Baiazethes ouercome by Tamberlane and carried about in a Cage Vinceslaus depriued of his Emperiall dignitie Emperours of the â—â—ast Mahomet after the death of Tamburlan vexeth the Christians and taketh Hadrianopolis The burning of Iohn Husse the cause of a great tumult and sedition The polieie of Zisca for the ouerthrow of his enemies The prouident care of Zisca in time of his blindnes Zisca at his deâ—th appointeth a drumme to be made of his skin The Emperour warreth vpon the Hussits with bad successe Amurathes subdueth Scopia and Newmount in Seruia as also Thessalonica and Croia Ioannes Huniades an enemie to the Turkes A truce concluded betwixt the Christians and Turkes for 10 yeeres by means of the Pope broken to the ouerthrow of the Christians The battell at Varna Note The kingdomes of Ladislaus committed to three gouernors Vlricus seeketh the destruction of Huniades Vlricus slâ—ine by the Hungarians The king of Hungaria causeth the one sonne of Huniades to be beheaded the other imprisoned The death of the king of Hungaria The Germans make petition to the Empe. to be freed of the Popes burthens but in vaine The valour of George Castrioâ— named by the Turkes Scanderbege He ouercommeth Caramanus of Cilicia Asketh of Amurathes his fathers dominion of Epirus Is put off with faire words flieth from the Turke recouereth Croia and the other Cities of Epirus and maintaineth vvarre against the Turkes Mahomet the second taketh the Isle of Euboia destroyeth the towne of Calcis razeth Athens besiegeth taketh and sacketh Constantinople His crueltie against the Christians of Constantinople He causeth the Crucifixe to be carried about in derision Constantinople made the seat royall of the Turkish Emperour Mahomet is forced by Iohn Huniades to raise his siege of Belgrade Emperours of the East Maximilian taken prisoner relieved by his father He writeth an history in Latin of his own acts and feats of warre Baiazeth the 2. subdueth Modon killeth the Noblemen found there Sentencâ—s vâ—tered by Carolus quintus He subdueth the FrenchmeÌ„ taketh their King prisoner Rome sacked by the souldiers of Charles D. of Burbon and the Pope and his Cardinals besieged The beginning of reformation of religion in Germany by Martin Luther He appeareth at the conventioÌ„ of Worms Questions propounded by Eccius Answered by Luther Luther vrged to recant some things vvhich he had written refuseth The Emperours decreâ— against Luther The proceedings of the convention of Norinberg against Luther The Princes of Germanies iudgement concerning the suppression of Luthers attempts An 100. grievances collected by the Germaines and exhibited to the Bishop of Rome Note A conventicle at Ratisbone wherein articles were ratified for suppressing of Luthers doctrine Two conventions at Spiers with a rehearsall of those things which were concluded A protestation against the decrees of the a conventions of Spire Whence the name Protestants was deriued The Protestants Ambassadors roughly enâ—reated by the Emperour A league amongst the Protestants A convention at Ausbrugh The Protestants obtaine their confession of faith to be openly read The Princes Protestant Citties refuse to obey the Emperours Decree concerning the returâ—ing to the Church of â—ome Another Decree of the Emperour The Princes and Ambassadours of the Protestants meet at Smalcaldie and enter league to ayde one another Peace granted by the Emperour to the Protestants Vlricus Zuinglius Preacht at Zurik against the corruptioÌ„s of the Roman Church A disputation at Zurike The decree of the Senate of Zurik concerning the abolishing of mens traditions and purely Preaching
heard Iohn Husse desired by the Emperour to submit himselfe to the Councell His answere Iohn Hus condemned to be burnt as an Heretique Ierome of Prague writeth to the Councell Ierom imprisoned by the Councell Recanteth being compelled thereunto He maintaineth the doctrin of Wickliffe and Hus. Note Ierom of Prague condemned and burnt Hieronymus Savonarola preacheth against the evill life of the Spiritualty Hironimus silenced by the Pope He againe preacheth He is cursed by the Pope as an heretique Note Hieronymus with two others hangd burnt as heretiques Lauren Valla. Picus Mirandula Comes Angelus Politianus The invention of printing The benefit of printing Note Sixtus 4. Innocentius 8. Alexander 6. Note Charles King of France conquereth the Kingdome of Naples Ferdinand recouereth the kingdome of Naples Lewis King of France obtaineth the dukedome of Millan Alexander the sixt a favourer of his childrens vices The iust iudgement of God vpon the Pope in his death Pius 3. Iulius 2. He warreth against the Venetians and recouereth many townes from them The Venetians receiued in fauour The king of France the Emperour hate the Pope The king of France by the Popes meanes be set with enemies The Frenchmen put the Popes and confederats army to flight The Dukedom of Millan recouered from the Frenchmen Leo 10. The king of France againe obtained the Dukedome of Millane The Pope and Emperour recouer it againe Note Caiesanus sent to suppresse Luther Adrianus 6. Clemens 7. Rome taken and the Pope besieged by Charles Duke of Burbone Paulus 3. King Henry the eight cursed by the Pope A Councell ordained at Trent Note Iulius 3. England embraceth Poperie in the dayes of Queene Marie Marcellus 2. Paulus 4. He opposed himselfe against the Emperour Charles Pius 4. Queene Elizabeth would not permit the Popes Ambassadors to enter into her Realme The beginning of the reformation of religion in Scotland A Massacre in Montalto a towne of Italy by the Pope The Islie of Malta invaded by the Turkes Pius 5. The Isle of Cyprus taken by the Turkes The battell of Lepanto Gregorie 13. A new Colledge for Iesuits in Rome The massacre of Paris The king of Portugall slaine A new Calendar set forth by Gregorie Sixtus 5. He excommunicateth the king of Navarre and Prince of Condie The Pope intendeth a processe of excommunication against Henrie the third K. Henry the third killed Note Vibanus 7. Gregorius 14. Innocentius 9. Clemens 8. The King of France absolved by this Clemens Martin Luther The Duke of Saxonie Martin Luthers friend Iohn Calvin Preacher at Geneva What heresie is A difference betwixt carnal Gospellers Infidels weake Christians Heretiques 1 Cor. 3.9 Simon Magus Act 8. Note Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 13. 14. Menander Euseb. l. 3. c. 26. Simile Epiph. contra heres Ebion Euseb. l. 3. c. 27. Cerinthus Euseb. l. 3. c. 18. Nicolaitans Strom. 3. act 6. Euseb. l. 3. c. 29. Apoc. 2. Euseb. l. 4. c. 7. Gnostici Epiph. contra heres August Index haeres ad quod vult deum Epiph. contra heres Euseb. l. 4. c. 7. Note Euseb. ibid. Valentinus August Index haeres Marcus Euseb. eccles hist. l. 4. cap. 11. Cerdon Marcion August Index haeres Euseb. l. 4. c. 14. Epiph. contra haeres Note Tatianus Encratitae Euseb. l. 4 c. 28. 1 Tim. 4. Montanus Cataphryges Iohn 14. August Index haeres Euseb. lib 5. cap 14 and 16. Simil. Aquila and Theodosion rather Apostats then Heretikes Euseb. l. â— â— â— Simile Note Artotiritae Alogi Adamiani Theodosâ—â—â— Melchisedâ—ciani Bardesianistae Valesii Apostolici Origeniani Gen. 38.9.10 Epiphaen contra haeres lib. 2. Artemon Eusebâ—l 6. c. 33. Helcesaâ—tae Epiph contra â—eres lib. 2. Coment Funt in Chron. The nature of contentious spirits Note Euseb. l. 6. c. 43. Reasons why the Novatian heresie continued long in the Church â—otoâ— â—ib â—â—â—p â—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soc. l. â— c. 10. Hiâ— Magd. Câ—nt 3. 〈◊〉 â— Note Mat. 11. â—8 Notes Enseb â—â— c. 43 Hist. 〈◊〉 cenâ— 3. cap. â— 1 Ioh. 3. â— Ioh. 15.3 Sabellians Ruffin l. 1. c. 29. Nepotiani Euseb l. 7 c. 24. Samosatenus Euseb. l. 7â— c. 30. Manes and Manichei Euseb. l. 7. c. 31. Gods iustice against Manes Soc. l. 1. c. 22. Note Hieracitae Epiph. contra heres Hist. Magd. Note Meletiani Soc. l. 1. c. 6. Theod. l. 1. c. 8. Aug de heres Theod. l. 1. c 9. Arriani Theod. l. 1. c. 4. Socrat. l. 1. c. 38 Socrat. l. 2. c. 18 Sozom. lib. 2. cap. 25. Anomaie Sozom. lib 4. cap. 22. Sozom lib. 6. cap. 26. Theod. l. 2. c. 29. Basil contra Eunomium Numb 25. ver 14.15 Theod. l. 2. c. 28. Theod. l. 2. c. 25. Theod. l. 2. c. 27. Macedoniani or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soc. l. 2. c Soc. l. 4. c. 12. Photiniani Secrat l. 2. c. 19 Hist. Magd. cent 4. cap. 11. Audaei or Anthopomorphitae Gen. 1. verse 21. Theod. compend beresium Messaliani Note Theod lib. 4. cap. 11. Theod. ibid. Appollinaris Ruffin l. 2. c. 20. Marke 14. verse 34. Theod lib. 5. cap. 3. Itrom in Catal. Theod l. 5 c. 4. Sozâ—m lib. 6. cap. 25. Donatista August Epist. 152. August de heres ad quod vult Deum Collyridiani Epiph. contra beres Priscillianistae Hist. Magd. Cent. 4. cap. 11. Luciferiani Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 13. Theod. compend heresium Antidicomarianitae August de haeres Metaugismouisa Note Seleuciani or Hermiani Proclianitae Patriciani Ascitae Patalorynchitae or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aquarâ—â— Coluthiani Floriani Pelagiani Nestorius Evag. l. 1. c. 7. Note Eutychiani Euag. l. 1. c. 9. Note Simile Acephali 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 4. Iohn 4. Heb. 5.2 Originesta Agnoita Note Platin. in vit Ioan. 4. Monothelitae Falicianâ— Iconolatra Godescalcus Most part of â— this age Idolaters Ioh. 10. Note The heresie of Simon Magus renued Note Azymitae Fermentarij Petrus Abelardus Albigenses The Pope pursueth the Albigenses Note Almaricanus Patereni Gazari Fratricelli An heresie of Pope Iohn the 23. An heresie of the Councell of Basill The heresie of the Anabaptists The Anabaptists opinion Tho. Muntzerus an Anabaptist maketh insurrection is overcome and beheaded Ioh. Leidensis an Anabaptist vsurpeth a kingly authority banisheth the Citizens of Munster Cniperdolingus a false Prophet Leidensis sendeth 28. seditious Apostles who were all destroyed one excepted Ioh. Leidensis and his false Prophet taken and condemned to death David Georgius an Anabaptist affirmed himselfe to be Christ flieth to Basill and there seduceth many whose bodie was raised out of the graue and burnt Servetus a Spaniard renueth the doctrine of Arrius The Councell of Geneva coÌ„demned him to be burnt Vallent Gentilis a maintainer of the doctrine of Servetus condemned to death at Berne Gasper Suenkfeldius Andreas Osiander Stancarus Flaccius Illyricus Huberus Fancis Puccius Antichrist and his adherents Heretiques Of the Apostles Elders convention reade Acts 15.6 The Councell of Ancyra Tom. 1. Concil Canon 13. Canon 14. Tom. 1. Concil The generall Councell of Nice Euseb.
dayes hee was compelled to gather a new army and fight against the Tyrant Eugenius and his chiefe Captaine Arbogastus who had conspired against Valentinian the second and strangled him while he was lying in his bed This battell went hardly at the beginning but Theodosius had his recourse to God by prayer and the Lord sent a mighty tempest of winde which blew so vehemently in the face of Eugenius army that their darts were turned backe by the violence of the winde in their owne faces Of which miraculous support sent from aboue the Poet Claudian writes these Verses O nimium dilecte Deo eui sundis ab antris Eolus a mat as biemes cuiâ—â—â— at ather Et cominrati veniunt ad classica venti The Tyrant Eugenius fell downe at the feet of Theodosius to begge pardon but the souldiers pursued him so straitly that they slew him at the Emperours feete Arbogastus the author of all this mischiefe hee sled and being out of all hope of safety slew himselfe Like as there was no sacrifice wherein dung was not found even so the life and actions of this noble Emperour was spotted with some infirmities Against the Inhabitants of Thessalonica the Emperour was mooved with excessiue anger so that seven thousand innocent people were slaine invited to the spectacle of Playes called Ludi circenses and in the Greeke language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For this fault the good Emperour was reprooved by Ambrose Bishop of Millaine and confessed his fault in sight of the people with teares and made a lawe that the like commandements concerning the slaughter of people should not haue hastie execution vntill the tune that thirty dayes were overpassed to the end that space might be left to either mercy or to repentance In like manner he was angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia for overthrowing the brasen portrait of his beloved bedfellow Placilla The Emperour denuded their towne of the dignity of a Metrapolitan Citie conferring this eminent honour to their neighbour towne Laodicea Moreover hee threatned to set the towne on fire and to redact it vnto the base estate of a village But Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia by his earnest travels with the Emperour mitigated his wrath for the people repented their foolish fact and were fore afraid and the good Emperour moved with pitty pardoned the fault of the towne of Antiochia His lenity toward the Arrians whom hee permitted to keepe conventions in principall Cities was with great dexterity and wisedome reprooved by Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium For hee came in vpon a time and did reverence to the Emperour but not vnto Arcadius his sonne albeit already associated to his father in government and declared Augustus whereat Theodosius being offended Amphilochius very pertinently and in due season admonished the Emperour that the God of heaven also would bee offended with them who tolerated the blasphemers of his only begotten Sonne the Lord Iesus Christ. Wherevpon followed a lawe discharging the conventions of Heretikes in the principall Cities In all these infirmities it is remarkeable that the good Emperour ever gaue place to wholesome admonitions The excessiue paines hee was compelled to vndertake in Warfare hastened his death for hee contracted sicknesse soone after his returning from the the battell fought against Eugenius and died in the 60. yeere of his age and in the 16. yeere of his raigne He left behind him his two sonnes Arcadius to governe the East and Honorius to governe the West ⸪ CENTVRIE V. Arcadius and Honorius THE good Emperour Theodosius left behinde him two sonnes Arcadius to governe the East parts and Honorius the West Arcadius raigned 14 yeeres He was a meeke and godly Emperour but not couragious as his father had beene His simplicity was abused by Eudoxia his wife Ruffinus his chiefe counseller and Gania his chiefe Captaine Eudoxia was offended at the freedome that Chrysostome vsed in reproving of sinne And by the meanes of Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria procured his deposition Theophilus had gathered a Synode at the Oke of Calcedon and because Chrysostome being warned refused to appeare they convict him of contumacy and deposed him after deposition followed banishment from which the affectioned mindes of the people toward their Pastor constrained the Emperour to reduce him againe yet Eudoxia continued in her malice and procured by the meanes of Theophilus his second deposition banishment with commandement to iourney his weake bodie with excessiue travels from place to place vntill hee concluded his life Ruffiinus stirred vp Alaricus King of the Gothes to fight against Arcadius secretly presuming to the kingdome but his treasonable enterprises being espyed hee was slaine and his head and right hand were hung vp vpon the port of Constantinople Gaina of a simple souldier was made generall Commander of Arcadius his army hee waxed insolent and proud affected the kingdome being in blood a stranger of the Nation of the Goths in religion an Arrian Hee craved a petition of the Emperour that hee might haue one of the Churches of Constantinople wherein hee might serue God according to his owne forme but this petition by the prudent advice of Chrysostome given to the Emperour was reiected and the pride of Gaina for a time was something abated Honorius raigned in the West all the dayes of his brother Arcadius and 15. yeeres after his death The whole time of his government was very troublesome Gildo his Lieutenant in Africke vsurped the dominion of Africke and Mascelzer his brother who at the first detested treasonable enterprises in his brother yet afterward followed his brothers footsteps and received the iust deserved reward of his inconstancy for hee was slaine by his owne souldiers In like manner Stilico the Emperours father in law for Honorius married his daughter and the Emperors chiefe Counseller presumed to drawe the kingdome to Eucherius his sonne and stirred vp the Vandales Burgundians Almans and diverse others to invade the kingdome of France to the end that Honorius being overcharged with the multitude of vnsupportable businesse might permit Stilico to set forward to the designes of his owne heart About this time Rhadagisus a Sythian accompanied with an army of two hundred thousand Gothes came to Italy And the helpe of Vldinus and Sarus Captaines of the Hunnes and Gothes being obtained Rhadagisus was suddenly surprised himself was taken and strangled many were slaine the most part were sold whereupon followed incredible cheapnesse of servants so that flocks of servants were sold for one peece of gold in Italy The next great trouble came by Alaricus King of the Westerne Gothes who invaded Italy and camped about Ravenna with whom Honorius entred into a capitulation and promised to him and his retinue a dwelling place in France The Gothes marched toward their appointed dwelling place But Stilico the Emperours father in law followed after them and set vpon them at vnawares when they suspected none evill
and slew a great number of them By this the Emperour cleerly perceived the treason of Stilico and caused him and his sonne to bee slaine but to his owne great hurt hee appointed no generall Commander of the army in his place Alaricus and his army were enraged partly by their losse and partly by remembrance of the covenant made with them and incontinent violated Therefore they turned backe againe and invaded Italy with all their might and besieged Rome two yeeres and tooke it in the yeere of our Lord 410. or as some reckon 412. In the midst of burning slaying robbing and military outrage some fauour was showne by the expresse commandement of Alaricus to such as fled to Christian Churches for safetie of their liues Alaricus led his army from Rome and was purposed to sayle to Africke there to settle his abode but being driven backe with tempestuous windes hee wintred in Consentia where hee ended his life Alaricus in his life-time had given in marriage Placidia the sister of Honorius to Ataulphus his neerest kinsman and Ataulphus after the death of Alaricus raigned over the Gothes The Gothes vnder the conduct of Ataulphus returned backe againe to Rome Placidia through her intercession purchased great good to the towne of Rome the Gothes abstained from burning and shedding of blood and addressed themselues toward France and Spaine Theodosius 2. and Valentinian 3. AFter Arcadius raigned his sonne Theodosius the second 42. yeeres His vncle Honorius governed in the West After whose death the whole government pertained to Theodosius who associated vnto himselfe Valentinian the third the sonne of Placidia his fathers sister Theodosius in godlinesse was like vnto his grandfather in collecting a great librarie of good bookes nothing inferiour to Ptolemaus Philadelphus In collecting in one short sum the Iawes of kings and princes he tread a path whereinto Iustinian walked following Theodosius example and benefited all men desirous of learning His house was like vnto a sanctuarie for exercises of reading of holy Scripture and deuote prayers He was of a meeke tractable nature almost beyond measure his facilitie in subscribing vnread letters was corrected by the prudēt aduice of his sister Pulcheria In these two Emp. time the estate was mightily crossed troubled by strangers By the procurement of Bonifacius deputie of Africke the Vandales vnder the conduct of Gensericus their king came into Africk tooke the towne of Carthage other principall townes and settled their abode in that countrie Valentinian 3. Emp. of the West was compelled to make a couenant with the Vandales to assigne vnto them limited bounds in Africke for their dwelling place The Vandales were partly Pagans and partly Arrians whereby it came to passe that the true Church in Africke was persecuted with no lesse inhumanitie and barbarous crueltie by Gensericus King of the Vandales then it was in the dayes of the Emp. Dioclesian Attila King of the Hunnes encombred the Romane Empire with greater troubles Theodosius Emperour of the East bought peace with payment of a yearly tribute of gold to Attila Valentinian the third by the meanes of Aetius his chiefe Counseller allured Theodoricus King of the Westerne Gothes to take his part The parties fought in the fieldes called Catalaunici a great fight wherein a hundreth and fourescore thousand men were slaine And Theodoricus King of the Gothes in this battell lost his life Attila was compelled to flee Thrasimundus the sonne of Theodoricus was very willing to pursue Attila for desire he had to reuenge his fathers slaughter but hee was stayed by Aetius This counsell seemes to be the occasion of his death Valentinian commanded to cut off Aetius Attila finding that the Romane armie was destitute of the conduct of so wise a gouernour as Aetius was he tooke courage againe and in great rage set himselfe against Italie tooke the townes of Aquileia Ticinum and Millane sacked and ruined them and set himselfe directly against Rome with intention to haue vsed the like crueltie also against it But Leo Bishop of Rome went foorth and with gentle words so mitigated his mind that he left besieging of the towne of Rome Soone after this Attila died the terrour of the world and the whip wherewith God scourged many nations Valentinian the thirde after hee had raigned in whole 30. yeeres was cut off for the slaughter of Aetius Maximus vsurped the Kingdome and violently tooke vnto himselfe Eudoxia the relict of Valentinian but shee was relieued againe by Gensericus King of Vandales who led an armie to Rome and spoyled the towne and relieued Eudoxia and carried her and her daughters to Africke and gaue Honoricus his sonne in marriage vnto her eldest daughter Maximus was cut in pieces by the people his body was cast into Tyber From this time foorth the Empire vtterly decayed in the West vntill the dayes of Carolus Magnus so that Anitus Richimex Maioranus Severus Anthemius Olybrius Glycerius Nepos Orestes and his sonne Augustulus they continued so short time and gouerned so vnprosperously that their names may bee left out of the rolle of the Emperours Now to returne againe to Theodosius Emperour in the East a King beloued of God in so much that by praier hee obtained of God a wonderfull deliuerance to Ardaburius captaine of his armie When his vncle had ended his life Ardaburius was sent against a tyrant Iohn who did vsurpe the Kingdome in the West The ship whereinto Ardaburius failed by tempest of weather was driuen to Rauenna where the tyrant Iohn tooke him prisoner Aspar the captaines sonne beeing conducted by an Angell of God as Socrates writeth entred in Rauenna by the passage of the loch which was neuer found dried vp before that time the portes of the towne were patent so that Aspar and his armie entred into the towne slew the tyrant Iohn and relieued Ardaburius his father This miraculous deliuerance is thought to be the fruite of the effectuall prayers of the godly Emperour His death was procured by a fall from his horse after which hee was diseased and died an Emperour worthy of euerlasting remembrance Martianus MArtianus by the meanes of Pulcheria the sister of Theodosius was aduanced to the Kingdome with whom Valentinian the thirde of whom I haue already spoken raigned 4. yeeres Martianus albeit hee obtained the gouernment in a time most troublesome when the Gothes Vandales Hunnes and Herules had disquieted the estate of the Roman Empire out of measure yet by the prouidence of God the short time of his gouernment was peaceable for he raigned not fully 7 yeere and he left behind him great griefe in the hearts of the people because a gouernement so good and godly endured so short time Concerning the councell of Chalcedon assembled by him it is to be referred vnto the owne place Leo. AFter Martianus succeeded Leo and gouerned 17. yeeres He was godly peaceable not vnlike Martianus his predecessor He interposed his authoritie to
him and carryed away many captiues and prisoners In redeeming of the captives Mauritius was too niggardly whereby it came to passe that Chaianus slew 12. thousand prisoners which might haue beene ransomed for a small summe of money This oversight of the Emperour not onely stayned other his noble vertues but also purchased the hatred of the souldiers against him wherby it came to passe that they set vp Phocas to bee Emperour in his stead Of this calamity it is thought that Mauritius was foreseene in his dreame and that hee chose rather to bee punished in this world for his faults then in the world to come Afterward he was brought in bands to Phocas his wife and fiue children were cruelly slaine in his owne presence and finally bloody Phocas slew himselfe of whom it is reported that when he saw his wife and children put to death he gaue glory to God in his greatest calamity and said Iust art thou O Lord and righteous in all thy Iudgements CENTVRIE VII Phocas THe heresie of Eutyches continued in this Centurie from the beginning to the end thereof countenanced by the Emperours such as Heraclius and Constans Neverthelesse I haue cut off the Eutychian Persecution at the end of the sixt Centurie because Heraclius albeit hee favoured the error of the Monothelites a branch of Eutyches heresie notwithstanding hee was so employed with warres against the Avares in the West and the Persians and Saracens in the East that hee had not a vacant time to persecute them who professed another faith And Constans began to persecute but was quickly interrupted by new occasion of Sea-warfare against the Saracens wherein also hee was overcome For this cause I haue referred the Eutychian persecution rather to the former Centurie then to this Moreover in this Centurie the vniversall Bishop and the Antichrist beginneth to spring vp so that all the rest of the History must be spent in three heads First in declaring The growth of the Antichrist in the seventh eight and ninth Centuries Secondly in declaring his tyranny and prevailing power over the Romane Emperours and Monarches of the world in the tenth eleventh and twelfth Centuries And finally in declaring his discovery and his battell against the Saints especially against those who discovered him and this shall be done God willing from the thirteenth Century vnto our time In the History I am compelled to be short because it may be read in many Authors Chronologies and Compends whereby it may beâ— sufficiently knowne Phocas after the cruell slaughter of his master Mauritius was proclaimed to be Emperour by the Romaine souldiours in the yeere of our Lord 604. and he raigned 8 yeeres in crueltie drunkennesse lecherie hee surpassed beyond all men justlie was called The calamity of the Romane Empire nothing succeeded prosperouslie with this parricide Cosroes on the East-side the Auares on the West the Slauonians on the North-side inuading Dalmatia and Agilulphus king of Lumbardis in Italie adding vnto his dominion Mantua Cremona and Vulturnia all these at one time weakened the Romane Empire so farre that it could neuer attaine againe to the former strength and splendor that it was wont to haue Great strife had beene betwixt the chaires of Rome and Constantinople for supremacy The Patriarch of Constantinople thought it due to him be cause Constantinople was the seate of the Empire The Patriarch of Rome on the other part said that Constantinople was but a Colonie of Rome and that the Grecians themselues in their Letters called the Emperour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this controuersie Phocas put an end and ordained Bonifacius the third to be called Vniuersall Bishop and the Church of Rome to bee head of all other Churches This dignitie the Romane Church begged as Platina granteth and not without great conâ—ention obtained it at the handes of Phocas This is that stile which Gregorius the first counted Antichristian in the person of Ioannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarch of Constantinople In the end Priscus his owne sonne in law Heraclianus the father of Heraclius the Emperour and Phocius whose wife Phocas had vnhonestly abused conspired against him and ouer-came him and brought him to Heraclius who commanded his head feete and secret members to be cut off and the stampe of his bodie was giuen to the souldiers to be burnt with fire Heraclius AFter Phocas raigned Heraclius thirtie yeeres Cosroes king of Persia had mightilie preuailed and had conquered Syria Phenicia and Palestina and had taken Ierusalem and Zacharias the Bishop thereof and the Holie Crosse and had giuen many thousands of Christians to the Iewes to bee slaine Neither would he accept any conditions of peace with Heraclius except hee would condiscend to forsake the worshipping of Christ and worship the Sunne as the Persians did For this cause Heraclius was compelled to make peace with the Auares on his West side and to lead his Army to Asia against the Persians which indured the space of sixe yeares wherein he preuayled against Cosroes and recouered all the Prouinces which Cosroes had taken from the Romane Empire Finallie Cosroes was taken cast in prison and cruellie slaine by his owne son Siroes because he had preferred Medarses his younger sonne to Siroes his elder brother This Siroes made a couenant of peace with Heraclius and deliuered vnto him Zacharias Bishop of Ierusalem with the Holie Crosse and the prisoners whom his father had carried Captiue And so Heraclius in the seuenth yeere returned backe againe to Constantinople with great triumph After this the Emperour being circumuened by Pyrrhus Bishop of Constantinople and Cyrus Bishop of Alexandria fell into the Heresie of the Monothelites And to this fault hee added other faults such as incest for he married his owne sisters daughter and hee was giuen to curious Artes and to seeke out the euent of thinges by judiciall Astrologie and was admonished by the Astrologians to beware of the circumcised people Heraclius onely deemed that the Iewes should trouble him but it was the Saracenes in whom this prophesie had performance for in his time beganne the Monarchie of the Saracenes and the blasphemous doctrine of Mahomet The Saracenes were people dwelling in Arabia the posteritie of Hagar and not of Sara These fought vnder the banner of Heraclius in his sixt yeere warrefare against the Persians when they craued the wages of their seruice in stead of money they receiued contumelious words and were called Arabik dogs by the Emperours treasurer This contumely did so irritatate them that they choosed Mahomet to be their captaine Anno 623. inuaded Damascus and tooke it and within few yeeres conquered Syria Phaenicia Palestina and Aegypt And not content with this they inuaded the kingdome of the Persians and subdued it and cut off the kings seed The blasphemous Alcaron and alfurca of Mahomet which hee said hee receiued from heauen was a doctrine of lies containing a mixture of the religion of the Iewes Pagans and
not only allowing worshipping of images but also forbidding to pay tribute to the Emperour Leo. The Emperour on the other part irritated with the proud attempts of Gregorius the second vsed indirect meanes to cut him off but the enterprises of his deputies Marinus Paulus Eutychius and their followers succeeded vnprosperously Moreouer the Bishop of Rome sought support from the Lombardis who had beene at all times preceding enemies to the chaire of Rome yet in Leo his dayes they were bounde with the bishop of Rome in a couenant of friendship for none other cause but this onely to shake off the yoke of the Emperours obedience And when the bishop of Rome saw that the Emperour had great businesse in warres against the Saracens hee thought it a fit occasion to draw the dominion of Italie vnto his owne subjection and therefore with aduise of the Clergie hee both excommunicated the Emperour as a destroyer of the Images of the Saints and disauthorised him of his Emperiall soueraignty in Italy So earely began the increasing Grando of Antichrist to send forth the thunder-bolts of cursings against the anoynted of the Lord. In this Emperours dayes the Saracens passed over the Straits invaded the kingdom of Spaine slew Rodericus King of the Gothes and his sonne and put an end to the kingdome of the Gothes in Spaine after they had raigned 346. yeeres and being incited by Eudo Duke of Aquitania they marched towards France but through the valour of Carolus Martellus a man of noble birth in France they were so encountred that three hundred thousand and threescore and ten thousand Saracens were slaine and the countrey of France was made free of the feare of the Saracens Constantinus Copronymus AFter Leo his sonne Constantinus Copronymus raigned 35. yeeres Chytreus reckoneth onely 23. yeeres because hee hated the worshipping of Images which errour had taken deepe roote in this age The writers of the History of this time haue dipped their pens in gall and wormwood to blaspheme the honourable name of Constantinus but whatsoever Paulus Diaconus or Zonoras haue written to his disgrace his name will bee in honourable account and regard in the Church of Christ. The Senate and the people of Constantinople addicted to the worshipping of Images hated the Emperour and were glad of the false rumoured tidings of his death when he went to fight against the Arabians and they chose Artabasdus to be Emperour in his stead But Constantine returned to Constantinople besieged the towne and recovered his owne kingdome againe Hee gathered a generall Councell at Constantinople anno 755. wherein the worshipping of Images was damned as shall be declared God willing in its owne place In this Emperours dayes were warres betwixt the King of Lombardis and the Bishops of Rome but the Roman Bishops begged the helpe of Carolus Martellus against Luitprand and the helpe of Pipinus against Aistulphus and the helpe of Carolus Magnus against Desiderius all Kings of Lombardis and by continuall imploring the helpe of the Nobles and Kings of France the Lombards were vtterly subdued the chaire of Rome was enriched the revenue of the Emperour of the East was impaired and a ground was layd for the advancement of the Kings of France to the Imperiall dignity In this Emperours dayes the Turkes or Scythians invaded the Armenians and molested the Saracens and some countries of Asia minor in the end they accorded with the Saracens But this agreement could not bee perfected without condition That the Turkes in Persia should vndergoe the name of Saracens hoping thereby that they would easily embrace the Mahometan religion wherin their expectation was not frustrate In the yeere of our Lord 579. and in the 18. yeere of the raigne of Constantine a wonderfull thing fell out amongst wise men of Persia called Magi and Maurophori Pâ—â—sâ— they perswaded both themselues and others also That if a man would sell all that hee had and throw himselfe headlong from the walles of the Citie his soule should by and by be transported to heaven So prone and bent is the corrupt nature of man to leane vpon vaine hopes to beleeue promises which God hath not made Leo the sonne of Copronymus LEo the sonne of Constantinus Copronymus raigned fiue yeeres Hee followed the footsteps of his father in zeale against worshipping of Images and punished the Groomes of his owne chamber such as Iames Papias Stratâ—ius and Theophanes for worshipping of Images The superstitious writers of the History of this time such as Zonaras and Paâ—lus Diaconus reckon the aforesayd persons in the Catalogue of holy Confessors But Christ will neuer count them to be his Martyrs who fight obstinately against the truth even vnto the death neither will hee count them to be his Confessors who suffer iustly inflicted punishment for the contempt of the lawes of Magistrates being agreeable to the law of God Irene and Constantinus her sonne AFter the death of Leo raigned Irene his wife with her sonne Constantine ten yeeres Afterwards Constantine deposed his mother from her authority and raigned alone seven yeeres And Irene on the other part taking this indignity done vnto her grievously shee spoyled her sonne both of his eyes and of his Empire cast him into prison where he dyed for heart griefe and shee raigned againe 4. yeeres after her sonnes imprisonment So all the yeeres of the raigne of Irene and her son coniunctly severally first and last were 21â— yeeres This Empresse was superstitious crafty and infortunate Shee was a superstious defender of the worshipping of Images A malicious and venomous hater of the name of Constantinus Copronymus whose dead body shee commanded to be brought out of his graue to be burnt with fire resolved into ashes and to be cast into the Sea albeit Constantine was her owne father in law The mercies of the wicked are cruell Her craft appeared in bringing her forces to Constantinople in the sixt yeere of her raigne vnder pretence of fighting against the Arabians and in disarming of them whom shee knew to haue beene adversaries to the worshipping of Images and sending them in ships to the places from whence they came For before the dayes of Constantinus Copronymus the towne of Constantinople by famine and pestilence and being besieged three yeeres by the Saracens was miserably dispeopled so that thirty thousand of the people of Constantinople died But Copronymus for the repayring of that losse sent for strangers and replenished the towne with new Inhabitants These strangers she sent backe againe to the places from whence they came especially because in popular commotion they had set themselues in armes and menaced the Fathers convened in Constantinople by Irene and her sonne for allowance of adoration of Images Shee was infortunate because the Empire of the East was so extenuated in her time that it was rather like vnto a shadow then vnto an Empire So that in the subsequent History I will forget after a manner the Emperours
his life his sonne Michael with his mother Theodora governed the estate Michael raigned foure and twenty yeeres Theodora continued only eleven yeeres She persecuted those who would not worship Images albeit her husband before his departure from his life had seriously admonished her that shee should not trouble the Church for restoring of Images Ludouicus the second LVdouicus the second and son of Lotharius raigned one and twentie yeeres The intestine dissention betwixt him and his brother Charles seemeth to be like vnto an hereditarie sicknesse Howsoeuer the Emperour Lâ—douicke had dishonour thereby because the rebelles of Charles desired the Emperours protection against his owne brother which when hee had graunted the rebelles were reconciled againe with their owne King Charles and the Emperour with dishonour was compelled to retire from his brothers Dominions In the East Michael Emperour of Constantinople slew his brother Theoctistus and thrust his mother Theodora and her sisters into a Monasterie and raigned himselfe alone after his mothers deposition thirteene yeares So the whole time of the gouernement of Michael was twentie and foure yeeres He fought against the Saracenes but very vnprosperously and was slaine by Basilius who raigned in his stead seuen yeeres Carolus Caluus LVdovicus the second dying without children his brother Carolus Caluus king of France obtained at the handes of the Bishop of Rome by many liberall giftes to be annointed Emperour Hee continued Emperour not aboue two yeeres and was poysoned by one Sedekias a Iew whom hee vsed for his Physitian Carolus Crassus CArolus Crassus was the sonne of Lewis king of Germanie hee raigned ten yeeres Carolus Balbus the son of Carolus Caluus was quicklie cut off by death I herefore I haue ouerpassed his name with silence In this Emperours time the Normanes and Danes made such horrible excursions and desolations in France that the Emperour who came with a great Armie to support the distressed estate of France was compelled to make peace with them Anno 888. and assigned vnto them that part of Fraunce which lieth beyonde Seane towardes the Britannicke Ocean to bee their habitation which hath the name of Normandie vntill this day Crassus for his negligence and euill gouernement was deposed from his authoritie and Arnulphus his nephew was declared Emperour Arnulphus AFter the death of Carolus Crassus great troubles ensued in Italie by the factions of Berengarius whom the Lombardes choosed to be king of Italie on the one part and Guido Duke of Spoleto whom others choosed to raigne in Italie on the other part In the middest of these factions Arnulphus leadeth an armie out of Germanie He tooke the Towne of Bergamum and hanged Ambrose the Earle thereof vpon a Gibbet before the port of the Towne This seueritie terrified other Townes and made them to yeelde Hee addressed towardes Rome and was crowned Emperour by Formosius whose enemies he punished vnto the death From thence hee addressed to fight against Guido but hee fled and escaped the Emperoures hands The wife of Guido hauing no puissance to resist the Emperours forces shee hired some of the Emperoures seruantes who gaue vnto him a cup of poyson which brought vpon him a lethargie and three dayes sleeping continually After this he arose sicke and left the siedge for hee was besieging the wife of Guido and he died after hee had raigned twelue yeeres In the East gouerned Leo the sonne of Basilius in whose time the Saracens coÌ„quered Taurominium a towne in Sicile and the Isle of Lemnos CENTVRIE X. Ludovicus tertius AFter Arnulphus succeeded his son Lewis the 3. raigned 10. yeeres he receiued not the Emperial Diadem at Rome because BereÌ„garius by force inioyed the Kingdome of Italie At this time the Hungares a nation fierce and cruell inuaded Italy France and Germanie and made in these nations horrible desolations Likewise the Saracens invaded Calabria and Apulia in Italie and if the Lord had not pittied the distressed estate of Europe it was at this time like to be vndone for Platina writeth that while they were besieging Consentia the King of the Saracens was slaine with thunder and the Saracens terrified with this vnprosperous successe returned backe againe to Africk In this Emperours dayes a remarkable thing fell out Albert Marquis of Bamberg rebelled against the Emperour Lewis and hee had slaine Conrad the Emperours brother The Emperour seeing that by no meanes hee could prevaile against him hee was supported by the coofening treason of Hatto Arch-bishop of Mentz for he came to the noble Marquis as though he would make reconciliation betweene the Emperour and him and swore vnto him that hee would bring him backe in safetie to his owne house but his deceitfull maner of reducing was this After they had riden a short way the Bishop felt his stomach and repented they had not first dined before they had taken iourney Thus the Marquis and the Bishop returned backe againe and dined this the Bishop counted an exoneration of his promise and oath and like a traitour deliuered him to the Emperour who by and by beheaded the Marquis In the East Alexander raigned two yeeres and after him Constantine a man of good disposition but defrauded of his kingdome by Romannus Captain of his armie Cunradus primus AFter Lewis his Nephew Cunrad the first was made Emperour and ruled seuen yeeres Hee was the last of the of-spring of Charles the great who had enioyed the empire of the West 112. yeeres after whom the Empire was transferred to the Saxons When he fell sicke hee called for his brother Eberhard and desired him to deliuer the imperiall ornaments to Henrie Duke of Saxon who for his wisedome and worthinesse was most meet to gouerne the troubled estate of the Empyre which dutie Eberhard most faithfullie performed preferring fidelitie in performing his promise made to his brother before the desire of a kingdome Henricus auceps HEnrie Duke of Saxonie to whom Eberhard broght the Imperial ornaments was called Auceps because he was delighting himselfe in hauking when Eberhard came vnto him with the ornaments a foresaid He raigned 17. yeeres for wisedome and magnanimitie worthy of so high a place He made a couenant of peace with the Hungars for the space of 9. yeeres He fought against the Sclauonians the people of Dalmatia and the Bohemians and made them tributaries vnto him when the 9. yeeres were expired hee fought a great battell against the Hungares at Mersburg and prevailed against them and in testimonie of his thankfulnesse to God who gaue vnto him victorie he purged his dominions from Simonie a fault vniuersallie ouerspread in those dayes and dedicated to Gods seruice the whole tribute which the Saxons were accustomed to pay to the Hungars hee was greatly beloued of his subiects and was called Rater patriae In the East Constantine recouered his Empire againe From Romanus and his Sonnes and measured to his sonnes such measure as they had measured to their father Romanus For Stephanus
acta Corruet mundi desinet esse caput To whom the Pope answered againe in other verses Niteris incassum navem submergere Petri Fluctuat at nunquam mergitur illa ratis The Emperour moreover by his Letters and Legats giveth intelligence to all Christian princes as well of the fained crimes wherewith he was charged as also of the cruelty of the Bishop of Rome against him In all this time it pleased God to support the Emperor with some comfort which many of his Predecessors lacked For the Bishops of Germany were faithfull subiects vnto him and not onely refused to execute the Popes edicts and mandats in their Churches but also they accused and condemned Albertus Bebavus the Popes Legat as a most impudent impostor and a wiÌ„cked fellow and a most pestiferous botch and sore of the Christian Common-wealth and gaue him to the Diuell as a ruinous enemy as well of the Church as of his naturall Countrey This warre betweene the Emperour and the Pope waxed so hot that vpon a time the Emperour came to Pisas and Viterbium the Pope fearing hee would come to Rome caused a supplication to be made wherein the heads of Peter and Paul were carryed about and with a sharpe and contumelious Oration hee fought to deface the Emperour promising everlasting life and giving the badge of the Crosse to so many as would arme themselues and fight against the Emperour as against the most wicked enemy of God and his Church Now the Emperour marching somewhat neere the gates of Rome when hee saw souldiers marked with the badge of the Crosse comming out against him gaue a sharpe charge vpon them and put them soone to flight and as many as he tooke cutting off that badge from them he caused to bee hanged But the more hee prospered the more he was enuyed of the Pope who by his Legats called to a Councell at Rome all such Prelats out of Italy France and England as hee thought to favour him and his proceedings that hereby as his last shift and onely refuge hee by their helps might depriue Fredericke of the Empire as an vtter enemy to God and his Church Of all which the Emperour having intelligence and knowing that these assemblies should be but to his destruction hee determined to stop and let their passages to Rome both by Sea and Land And therefore sent out his sonne Henry with certaine Gallies to keepe the coasts of Sardinia and from thence to Pisas and with the Pisans to rigge out a Navie to meete with such as should aide the Pope of Rome The Popes associats on the other part procured that the gallies and shippes of Genua having Guilielmus Braccius for their chiefe Captaine should bee sent out for defence of the Prelats that were to repaire to the Councell Thus the Pisan army launched forth to the Sea with forty ships and gallies and betweene the Isles of Lilium and Mons Christs which lie betweene Liburnium and Corsica they met with the Genuan ships and fiercely began to boord them In which fight at length were three of the Genuan shippes sunke and 22. taken and brought away with all the riches and treasures in them In those were taken three of the Popes Legats whereof two were Cardinals Iacobus Columna Ottho Marchio and Gregorius de Romania all cruell enemies against the Emperour and many other Prelats moe besides a great number of Legats and Procurators of cities with an infinit number of Monkes and Priests as also the Genuan souldiers with diverse others Also besides the prey and booty they found many writings and letters which very much helped the Emperour in cleering his cause against his enemies Whilest this discord was between the Emperour and the Pope Orthodarius the Emperour of the Tartarians soone invaded the borders next adiacent to him and conquered Ropolanium Bodolium Mudanium with diverse other townes and villages destroying wasting and burning the countries all about killing and slaying men women children sparing none of any sex or age At whose sudden invasion the people being affrighted and troubled were glad to leaue all that they had and disperse themselues into woods and flie vnto marshes and mountaines so that by this time the Tartarian Hoste was come as farre as Wratislavia where Henricus of Polonia and the Duke of Silesia met with them but by reason of inequality both in number and forces they were easily defeated and slaine From thence they came to Moravia and from thence to the kingdome of Bohemia and Hungary at which time Belus King of Hungarie sent to the Emperour for support against the Tartarians promising that Hungarie ever after should be vnder the iurisdiction of the Emperour The Emperour on the other part was most willing to helpe the Hungarians and other Christians and sent to the Pope to perswade him that hee would take vp and conclude a peace and mitigate somewhat his wrath in regarde of the immiment danger like to ensue vpon the whole state of Christendome by reason of a civill dissention But when hee saw that by no meanes the Pope would relent his furie hee was compelled to write againe to the King of Hungarie that hee could stand him in no stead at that time because the Bishop of Rome refused all treatie of peace notwithstanding hee sent Conradus Caesar king of Bohemia and other Princes of Germame to resist and withstand the enemie so farre as in them lay Thus may bee seene the louing zeale and affection that the Pope of Rome hath toward Christian people that hee had rather bend his forces to revenge his malice vpon the Christian and good Emperour then either by himselfe to withstand or yet by concluding a profitable peace to permit others to withstand the most bloodie and cruell Tartarian But euen in the midst of this spoyle and havock of Polonia Bohemia and Hungaria was it determined that Libussa the Princes confederate with the Pope should bee assembled about the deposing of the Emperour and creating of another When Frederike saw there was none other remedie and that hee laboured in vaine to haue peace hee prosecuted the warre to the vttermost and when hee had gotten Tudetum and reconciled the same hee destroyed the Townes of Geminium and Naruia and gaue the spoyle of them to his souldiers hee gentlie receiued the yeelding vp of Siburnium and wasted all the countrey about Rome wherewith the Pope being dismaied and seeing that things prospered not so well with him against the Emperour as he looked for being in dispaire of obtaining his purpose died in great anger and displeasure Thus when the author of all this conspiracie was gone The Emperour with his armie marched forward against the Tartarians who hearing of his comming left the straighâ—way through Hungarie by which they came and returned by the riuer of Danubium to Taurica and so through the Fenns of Meotida and by the riuer of Tanaium into Sarmatia Asiatica After Gregorie Celestinus was created Pope
who died within 18. daies after to whom succeeded Innocentius In whose time the Emperour hoped for peace but was disappointed for albeit a day was appointed for their meeting together at Festennia and the Pope had promised that hee would be there before the Emperour and expect his comming yet hee mocked the Emperour and secretly in the night tooke ship and first came to Genua and from thence to Lyons in Fraunce where hee gathered a councell and excommunicated the Emperour Notwithstanding the Emperour was determinate to goe to Lyons himselfe and to conferre with the Pope both concerning this sentence pronounced against him as also about the conclusion of peace if by any meanes it could be obtained But as he was vpon his iourney newes was brought to him that Parma was taken by his out lawes assisted by the Popes Legat wherefore being out of hope of peace he set himselfe againe to the warre and besieged Parma planting ouer against it the forme of a towne which he called Victoria wherein his Souldiers camped But the citizens of Parma getting knowledge vpon a time that the Emperour was gone to hunting and his souldiers were stragling here and there without order issued out of the towne and slew a great number of them and burnt his Campe Victoria Soone after the Emperour being in Apulia in a certaine Castle called Florentinium ended his life In this time it is to be noted that there was such dissention betweene the Emperour and the Pope that the factious names of the Guelfes and Gibelins sprang vp in Italie and continued euer since almost to our owne dayes for the Guelfes followed the Pope the Gibelins the Emperour so that it came to passe that all they who followed the Pope were called by the name of Guelfes and these who followed the Emperour Gibelins Conradus Quartus AFter the death of Fredericke succeeded Conradus his sonne who with manly courage began to subdue the Townes of Apulia and of the kingdome of Naples which rebelled against him but he was hastily cut off by his brother Manfred who being couetous to keepe in his owne hand the Dukedome of Apulia which hee had invaded caused to empoyson the Emperour Conrad after hee had raigned 2 yeeres Also hee caused the testament of Conrad to be suppressed wherein hee had appointed Cunradinus his sonne to be heire of all his dominions At this time Innocentius 4. thinking it most convenient to invade the Kingdome of Sicilie and bring it vnder his dominion sent two strong armies to subdue it but they were both ouercome and driuen back by Manfred whereat the Pope was so grieued with Melancholie that hee died But Pope Clemens succeeding Innocentius stirred vp Charles Count of Angeow brother to Lewis king of Fraunce to make war against Manfred who prevailed against him and killed him and possessed Sicilia Calabria and Apulia and all that Manfred before had vnder his obedience Cunradinus the sonne of Conrad being come to perfect age came with an armie to Italie to claime his fathers Dominions and was gladly receiued at Rome soone after was ouercome in battell by Charles Count of Angeow who had slaine Manfred before and was cast into prison and afterward by commandement of the Pope was beheaded at Naples with Fredericke Duke of Austria his assister For Charles vpon a time demanded the Roman Bishop Clemens 4. what hee should doe with his prisoners to whom he answered Vita Cunradini mors Caroli that is the life of Cunradinus is the death of Charles wherevpon ensued their publike execution So the Kingdome of Naples by the crueltie of the Romane Bishop against the iust owner came into the hands of Frenchmen Wilielmus William Count of Flanders whom Pope Innocentius had declared Emperour when hee excommunicated Frederike at Lyons was yet aliue and was accounted Emperour but hee was slaine by the Frisians after hee had raigned one yeere after the death of Cunrad After whose death variance fell betweene the Electors of Germanie for choosing of the Emperour for part named Alphonsus King of Castile others Richard the brother of king Henry of England But because neither of them were receiued by the whole Empire the Emperiall authoritie was counted voyd and vacant the space of seuenteene yeeres In the East raigned Theodorus Lascaris the younger 4. yeeres Rodulphus IN the yeere of our Lord 1273. the Princes Electors being assembled together at Frank foord choosed with one consent Rodulph Count of Halsburg to be Emperour who gouerned 18 yeeres This man neuer receiued the Emperiall dignitie nor entred into Italie for hee vsed to recite to his familiars the fable of the foxe that said to the Lyon hee was affraid to enter into his denne because hee perceiued the stepps of many beasts going inward but of none that returned out againe And so he said many Emperours haue entered Italie with great Pompe and glorie but by the meanes of the Bishop they returned euill handled with great iniuries He had deadly warre with Ottiocarus King of Bohemia who had invaded Austrich and appropriated it to himselfe while as the Empire wanted an head through the variance of the Electors against him he fought a sore battell in the fieldes of Austrich and obtained the victorie and Othocarus there was slaine whose sonne the Emperour gentlie entreated giuing him Suta his daughter in marriage and giuing Agnes daughter to Othocariu in marriage to Rodulph the Emperours sonne Adolphus AFter Rodolph Adolph Count de Nassaw was chosen Emperour and raigned six yeeres he was infortunate in all things hee went about and therewith so needie and poore that when hee had receiued of King Edward of England a great summe of money to aide him against the King of Fraunce hee spent the money vpon his houshold and had not wherewith to fulfill his promise when time required Hee had great warres with Albert Duke of Austrich whom he trauelled to depriue of his Dukedome But Albert led out his armie against him in the fieldes of Spira and discomfited his hoste and killed himselfe and raigned in his steed as will be declared in the next Centurie god willing In Constantinople after Theodorus Lascaris the younger succeeded Michael Paleologus and raigned 35. yeeres He plucked out the eyes of Iohn the sonne of Lascaris and right heire of the Empire His sonne Andronicus againe who succeeded to him caused his father to bee buried in an obscure place and not in a princely Sepulchre because he had agreed with the Church of Rome Now as touching the holy Land many great armies went to Asia in this Centurie for recouering of Ierusalem first vnder the cōduct of Ludouick Duke of Bavaria Leopold D. of Austrich and Andro king of Hungarie with the Florentins and Genuans marked with the badge of the Crosse and diuers Bishops of France and Germanie raised an armie tooke the towne of Damiata in Aegypt but soone after it was lamentably lost by a deuised stratageme of the
expert in warfare as may appeare by this wittie policie which hee vsed against his enemies Vpon a certaine time his enemies set vpon him in a rough place where no battell could be fought but on foote only whereupon when his enemies were lighted from their horses Zisca commaunded the women which customably followed the hoast to cast their kirchiefes vpon the ground wherein the horsemen being intangled by their spurres were slaine before they could vnloose their feete And forasmuch as he had no walled nor fenced towne to inhabite he chosed out a certaine place vpon the riuer of Lusinitius which was fenced by nature about 8 miles from the Citie of Ausca This place he compassed with walles commanded euery man to build them houses where they had pitched their tents and named this Citie Thabor and the inhabitants his companions Thaborits because their Citie was built vpon the top of a mountaine He fought against the Emp. Sigismund and draue him out of Bohemia and although the Emperour came backe againe to Bohemia with a great armie of Hungarians and Morauians yet the second time also hee cowardly fled and Zisca pursued after him a daies iourney found great and rich spoyles and tooke the towne of Broda by force and set it on fire It is almost incredible that a man being blind as Zisca was in the time of his hottest warres for hauing but one eye he lost it at the siege of a certaine towne did so prouidently forecast all opportunities and aduantages against his enemies as if hee had seene It is reported that when hee was lying sicke and readie to die being demaunded where he would haue his body to be buried hee answered that they should pull the skin from off his dead body and that a Drumme should be made thereof which they should vse in the battell affirming that as soone as their enemies heard the sound of that Drumme they would not abide but take their flight After the death of Zisca the Emperour Sigismund assembled the Nobles of Germanie at Norinberge and leuied a great armie to enter into Boheme and pursue the Hussites or Thaborites of new againe Also Pope Martin sent Iulian his Cardinall of S. Angelie into Germanie to that same effect that is to say to make warre against the Bohemians But the Emperour had no better successe in this enterprise then hee had in the former for all his armie was striken with a sudden feare before any of his aduersaries were come in sight and fled most shamfully to the great encouragement and inritching of their aduersaries The Cardinall Iulian himselfe being present and marueling at the sudden feare went about the Captaines perswading them to put on armour to order their battells and couragiously to abide their enemies But this exhortation was all in vaine for feare had put away all boldnesse and euerie man did runne headlong away The Cardinall also although it were against his will was forced to doe the like after this the Cardinall addressed himselfe to the councell of Basile wherein he was appointed to be president in name and behalfe of the Bishop of Rome But of this hereafter Albertus NExt to Sigismund Albert Duke of Austria his sonne in law was chosen to be Emperour and gouerned eight yeeres for his liberalitie iustice manhoode in wars greatly renowned He subdued the Bohems and brought in subiection the people of Morauia In his time Amurathes Emperour of the Turkes invaded the king of Seruia from whom after long siege he wanne Scopia and Newmount and hee tooke in battel his two sonnes whom he berest of their sight but after he tooke their sister in marriage and restored Newmont Hee tooke also the famous towne of Grecia called Thessalonica being then vnder league and protection of the Venetians and the towne of Croia in Epirus but God raised vp Ioannes Huniades a valiant man in Wallachia who being aided with the power of Vladislaus the king of Polonia did infringe the puyssance of the Turke and recouered againe to the Christians the greatest part of Seruia and Bulgaria so that the Turkes was compelled to desire truce for ten yeeres But after the truce was concluded on both parts and with solemne oath also confirmed and Amarathes was returned backe againe to Asia Pope Eugenius the 4. sent Iulianus Caesarianus to the foresaid king with full dispensation to breake his oath and league with the Turke whereby it came to passe that the young king inticed by the wicked instigations of Eugenius set forward his armie against the Turke vntill he came to Varna a towne of Bulgaria where he was discomfited and slaine by Amurathes to the great hurt and greater shame of Christian people whom the Infidels might iustlie accuse of periurie and breaking of Couenants sealed by the name of Christ whom they professe to be their Sauiour This battell at Varna fell out in the raigne of Fredericke of whom we are to speake in the next place Fredericke 3. AFter Albert Frederick the 3. Duke of Austria was chosen to be Emperour and raigned 53. yeeres in whose daies much war and dissention raigned almost thorow all Christian Realmes whereby it had beene easie for the Turke to haue ouerrunne them all if the mercifull prouidence of God had not kept Amurathes occupied at this time To this Frederick came Elizabeth the spouse of Albert sometime Emperour with Ladislaus her son by whom he was nourished and entertained a certaine space till at length after the death of Vladislaus aforesaid king of Hungarie who was slaine by the Turkes in the battell of Varna the men of Austria rising vp in armour required the Emp. to giue them their young King who being restored into their hands and being yet vnder age committed his three Kingdomes to three gouernours whereof Iohn Huniades the worthy Captaine aboue mentioned had the ruling of Hungarie George Pogicbzachius had Bohemia and Vlricus the Earle of Cilicia had Austria But Vlricke had the chiefe custodie of the young King and was a great enemie to Huniades by many secret meanes seeking his destruction But Huniades being couragious and wise and circumspect easily disappointed all his fetches After the death of this worthy gouernour his two sonnes Ladislaus and Mathias gouerned Hungarie and in their time Ladislaus King of Bohemia Hungarie and Austria came into Alba a towne of Hungarie accompanied with Vlricus Earle of Cilicia and governour of Austria vnder the young king Ladislaus most gladly receiued the king but debarred from entering into the Citie 4000. armed souldiers of the number of them that accompanied the king Vlricus the Earle grudging at this and sitting in Councell required Ladislaus to appeare before him and accused him of treason for shutting the gates vpon the kings souldiers and not content with this hee tooke his sword from his Page and let a stroake flee at his head But the Hungarians hearing the noyse in the Councell brake in vpon them
corrections This booke also was impugned both by Protestants and Papists Of the Protestants Caspar Aquila a preacher in Turingia impugned it as a booke replenished with false doctrine and on the other side Robertus Abrincensis Episcopus impugned it for giuing libertie to Priests to marrie and permitting the people to haue the Sacrament vnder both formes While this great stirre and trouble was in Germanie in England by the authoritie of a Parliament the vse of the Masse was altogether forbidden and a booke made of an vniforme order of common prayers and administration of the Sacraments in the English tongue Edmond Boner Bishop of London and Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester for obstinate defending of the Roman doctrine were depriued of their Bishoprickes and cast in prison where they continued all the time of king Edwards raigne But to returne againe to the troubles of Germanie of all the Cities of the Protestants there was none that more constantly beared out the Emperours indignation as the Citie of Magdeburg For neither would they acknowledge the councell of Trident neither yet the Emperours booke of Interim but fortified their towne against Maurice Duke of Saxonie whom the Emperour made Captaine in that warre vntill at last an agreement was made vpon easie conditions When Maurice with his garrison entered into their Citie hee grieuously blamed their Preachers that both in their bookes and pictures they had done much to his reproach but yet he exhorted them to pray for the good successe of the Emperour and the generall councell of Trident. To whom they answered that they could not pray any otherwise for that Councell that was assembled to oppresse the truth but that God would soone disturbe it and breake it vp The end of the warre against the Citie of Magdeburg was the beginning of great warre and dangerous trouble against the Emperour For Maurice Duke of Saxonie perceiuing the Emp. would not stand to his promise consulteth with forraine Princes how hee might by force deliuer his wifes father the Lantgraue and when hee found that all things were in readinesse hee begun to muster his souldiers shortly after set forth a Proclamation to the states of the Empire in the which first hee lamenteth the discord of Religion secondly he rehearseth grieuouslie the imprisonment of the Lantgraue his wifes father signifying that hee was so kept against all truth and honour to the report of all Germanie Lastly he bewaileth the pittifull estate of all Germanie and oppression of their libertie protesting that the cause of this warre was to restore the old dignitie and freedome Albert Marques of Brandenburge maketh also his Proclamation and after a long rehearsall of the miseries of Germanie referreth the cause of all to the Churchmen and therefore signifieth this warre to bee chiefely against them William the Lantgraues sonne ioyned his power with Duke Maurice at Shuinforde The king of Fraunce also ioyned in this warre and led an armie vnto Germanie As they went forward they caused the Cities to submit themselues commaunded them to pay great summes of money and displaced such as the Emperour had set in authoritie and restored their old Senatours willing them to vse their priuiledges and liberties that the Emperour before had forbidden The report of this warre and the good successe of Maurice namely after the citie of Ausbrough was by him taken made the councell of Trident to breake vp and dissolue The Emperour on the other part set at libertie Fredericke the olde Duke of Saxonie as it were to signifie to Maurice that hee should claime againe the Dukedome of Saxonie and Electorship that he enioyed and thereby to put him in more feare Albert Marques of Brandenburge in this warre shewed great extremitie to diuers cities and noble personages against the mind of Maurice and the other confederates The King of Fraunce led forward his armie to Strawsburge and hearing that communication of peace was betwixt Maurice and the Emperour and that they were in good hope to haue their Princes deliuered hee to gratifie them was content to returne to Fraunce but was much displeased that Duke Maurice would enter in communication of peace without his knowledge In the end agreement passed betweene the Emperour and Duke Maurice vpon these conditions That the Lantgraue should be set at libertie That their Religion should be quiet vntill a certaine order were taken for the same in the next assemblie of of the Empire That Maurice and the Princes confederats should suffer their souldiers to serue king Ferdinand in Hungarie That the Protestants should bee admitted Iudges in the Chamber-court with diuerse such other like conditions The end of this warre was also the beginning of another cruell warre betwixt Duke Maurice and the Marquis of Brandenburg which fell out vpon this occasion The Marquis being reconciled to the Emperour and in great favour with him did many iniuries in Germany not onely to the Bishops whom hee ever deadly hated but also to diverse Princes and Cities yea and that vnder the name of religion Duke Maurice with certaine other went against him and met at the river of Visurg where Albert was overcome But Duke Maurice was so stricken with a gun that hee died within two dayes after Before this in Germanie were seene drops of blood vpon the trees and certaine other strange sights In England about this time fell out a great alteration in religion through the death of King Edward of whom the world was not worthy Lady Mary his sister succeeding to the kingdome Shee ioyned her selfe in mariage with Philip sonne to Charles the Emperour and restored not onely the Popes supremacie dissallowed by her father King Henrie the eight but also the masse and all superstitions of the Romane Church abrogated in the dayes of King Edward her brother Also shee caused the Realme of England in the high Court of Parliament to confesse their defection from the Catholike Church and to craue absolution having there in readinesse Cardinall Poole the Popes Ambassadour to absolue them What excessiue cruelty was vsed in her time no tongue can expresse The very name of Dioclâ—sian begunne to bee lesse abhorred when the name of Queene Mary came forth Her cruelty beginning at Iohn Hooper Bishop of Glocester Iohn Bradford Laurence Saunders Rowland Taylor Iohn Rogers Preachers proceeded shortly after to Ferrar Bishop of Saint Davids whose constant death amazed the people and confirmed their mindes in the true doctrine that they had learned of him This persecution raged in all parts of the Land but specially in Kent Essex and Norhfolke Some of those parts were chiefe maintainers of her authoritie and against the mind of the Nobilitie and Councell set forward her right to the Kingdome but this reward they receiued in the end at her hands The cruell martyrdome of Cranmer Bishop of Canterbury Ridley Bishop of London Latymer Bishop of Worcester Doctor Philpot and many others with the
raising vp of the bones of the men of God Bucer and Fagius out of their graues and the cruelty intended against her owne sister Lady Elizabeth all these things being so well and amply discoursed in the Booke of Martyrs the godly Reader is to be remitted to the reading of the sayd booke Now to conclude this Historie of Charles something is to be noted of his warres with the Turkes In his time Solyman the great Turke conquered the citie of Belgrade the most sure and strong garrison of the Christians and vexed the countrey of Hungarie He besieged the Isle of Rhodes and tooke it to the great shame and rebuke of Christian men who provided not support for the Rhodians that resisted the common enemy so long and so couragiously After this Solyman slew Lewis King of Hungarie and Paulus Bishop of Collen who more rashly then wisely with a small power of foure and twenty thousand men encountered the great Turke leading an army of 200000. souldiers Also hee besieged Vienna but was mightily resisted and repulsed with losse of a great number of his army all this was done before the Emperour Charles began to stirre himselfe against the Turke but when the matters of religion in Germanie were put to some point in the Councell of Ratisbon the Emperour raised an army of eighty thousand footmen and thirty thousand horsemen and compelled the Turke to raise his siege from the towne of Gunza and with speed to retyre backe to Constantinople After this Charles sayled with an army vnto Africa and restored the King of Tunis to his kingdome againe whom Barbarossa Admirall of the Turkes Navie in Africke had dispossessed and deprived of his kingdome In this same voyage he delivered 20000. captiues out of servitude Notwithstanding Solyman with vnsatiable ambition pnft vp to conquer all Europe was ever subduing townes and Isles as Corcyra Zacynthus Cythara Naxus with diverse others also the towne of Newcastle in Dalmatia and Buda in Hungarie which hee obtained by meanes of Frier Cogdridge Tutor to Stephen sonne to Iohn Vaivod of Transilvania and meanes of the relict widow of the sayd Vaivod These two sent for aide to the Turke against Ferdinand and the Turke not neglecting so good an occasion came to Hungarie discharged the Hoast of Ferdinand that was besieging Buda and got the citie into his owne hands Which done hee prevailed mightily in Hungarie and tooke the towne called Quinque ecclesiae and Strigonium Alba regalis and Vizigradum and it was an easie matter for him to haue conquered all Hungarie in respect the Emperour Charles was so busie in warres with the King of France that the common enemy of all Christian people had leave to rage at his owne pleasure and had it not beene the gracious providence of God pitying the misery of Christian people who stirred vp the Persian Sophie against Solyman and droue him backe out of Europe for a time and likewise the murther of his owne sonne Mustapha which stirred vp a peece of a Tragedie in his owne house the Christian people had no doubt beene brought to greater extremities in Solymans dayes The vnprosperous voyage of the Emperour to Argier I passe by and many conventions of Estates in Germanie kept for quieting of religion and preparation for warre against the Turkes In the end the Emperour finding himselfe troubled with sicknesse resigned the gouernment of the Low Countries into the hands of King Philip his sonne and surrendred the Imperiall crowne vnto the Electors of Germany sayled vnto Spaine where hee entered into an house of religion and gaue himselfe to meditation and prayer and there concluded his life Ferdinandus AFter that Charles the fift had surrendered the Imperiall crowne into the hands of the Electors of Germany they assembled at Frankford and there elected Ferdinand King of Bohemia and brother to the forenamed Charles the fift to bee Emperour who raigned seven yeeres The ancient manner was that he should be crowned in the forenoone at masse but because diverse of the Electors would not in any wise come to masse the coronation was solemnized in the afternoone and the masse with other like ceremonies omitted To this King before hee was elected Emperour his Nobles in the countrey of Bohemia made earnest supplication that they might bee permitted to vse the Sacrament in both kindes according to Christs institution but he strictly commanded them they attempted no alteration in religion Neverthelesse the Nobility continuing constant in the purpose of their mindes at last after many earnest suits obtained their desire In France about this time the persecution of the Protestants waxed hot and King Henry the second was sore grieved that the Parliament of Paris it selfe could not be kept free of this new doctrine as hee called it Wherefore hee caused Annas Burgeus an honourable and wise Counsellor to be taken to whom hee spoke in great wrath that hee would stand by and see his body burnt for that new religion which hee favoured But hee was wonderfully cut off before hee could get his heart satisfied with that pitifull spectacle of the burning of a noble Counsellor For God so disposed the matter that the King cloathed all in armour put a speare in one of his subiects hands and compelled him against his will to runne at him at which time the said speare broke and a small splinter of it entring at the Kings eye pierced into his braine whereby hee died Yet by his death was not the foresaid persecution relented but rather vehemently augmented for Francis the second succeeding to his father Henry in the the kingdome married Mary Queene of Scots who was descended of the linage and stocke of the house of Guise By this meanes the Guisians were in great credit and authority with the King and presumed to high things not onely to suppresse the Gospell vtterly in France but also in Scotland For at this time a great part of the Nobility and people of Scotland had shaken off the yoke of the Romane Bishop they had throwne downe Altars and Images and had forsaken all the superstitious ceremonies of the Romane Church The Guisians purposing to supresse the Scotish Nobility sent out of France into Scotland an army of 4000 men vnder the conduct of Monsieur La Broch This army assisted the Queene regent to reduce backe againe the kingdome of Scotland to the Romish religion But the Scottish Nobility obtayned helpe of the Queene of England and brought the Frenchmen to such extremity that they were compelled to accept conditions of peace and to retyre backe againe to France So this first high attempt of the Guisians against the reformed religion in Scotland was by the providence of God disappointed In France the King with advice of the Guisians had appointed a nationall Councell to bee kept in Orleance for the quieting the tumults which were like to ensue for religion in France but all was done in hypocrisie and with deceitfull
skirmishes there were killed a thousand of their enemies and scarce fortie persons of their owne Triniteus the Captain by the counsell of Truchetus an expert Warriour thought meet to besiege the Castles of Convallenses but God fought against them in all their enterprises and the Convallenses came vpon them suddenly as they were besieging a certaine Castle and slew a great number and Truchetus himselfe was first sore wounded with stones afterward was slaine with his owne sword by a poore Shepheard that was keeping cattell in the fields In the end when Triniteus was out of all hope to subdue the Angronians and their complices he advertised the Duke of Sauoy how all matters went and peace was granted to the Convallenses with libertie to vse their owne Religion providing they should render all due seruice and obedience to the Duke of Savoy their Soveraigne Lord and Master To returne againe to France After the disputation at Rossie the number of the Protestants daily increased and rumours of sedition vprores were in the mouths of all the people The Queene mother willing to prouide timely remedie for repressing of ciuill and intestine warre assembled the estates of the land at S. Germane where the edict of Ianuarie was made bearing that the professours of the reformed Religion might assemble themselues together to heare Preaching of the Word provided those assemblies were kept without the towns without armour This edict was published throughout all the land and sore grieued the hearts of the adversaries namely the Duke of Guise the Constable Mommeraunce and the Marescall Santandreus who consulted together how they might haue this act vndone againe but no way could be found out to bring this matter to passe except first the King and Queene mother were in their hands to the end that the force of the Lawes which they feared might be turned against their enemies when as they had the Law-makers in their owne hands This was also thought to be an high attempt and dangerous to be enterprised so long as the King of Navarre was their enemie and a fauourer of the reformed Religion for this cause all meanes were sought out to divert the affection of the King of Navarre from his foresaid Religion The Cardinall Ferrar being the Popes Ambassadour in France put him in hope that by the Popes trauailes with Philip King of Spaine the kingdome of Navarre should be restored to him againe if he would turne to the Catholique Religion Thus was the heart of the King of Navarre stolen away from his Religion to the great encouragement of the Duke of Guise and his complices who without further delay put hand to worke The first fruits of his martiall deeds after he raised his armie was the cruell Massacre of poore vnarmed people assembled to heare the Word of God at Vassiace a towne in the borders of Champaigne and neere vnto his dominion Those poore people to the number of a thousand and fiue hundreth being occupied as is said vpon the Sabbath day the Duke of Guise came vpon them suddenly and compassed the Church wherein they were with armed souldiers that none might escape also the Duke himselfe stood in the entry with a drawne sword in his hand and sent in his souldiers who most cruelly without compassion of sex or age martyred the poore members of Christ for hearing of his Word After this the Duke of Guise addressed himselfe toward Paris where he was receiued with ioyfull acclamations of the people and from thence he marched forward to Fonteblew where the King was and seased himselfe of the King and the Queene mother and for greater securitie transported them both to Paris On the other part the Prince of Condie went to Orleance to whom resorted a great number of the Nobles of France namely the admirall Castilion Andelot Princeps Porcianus Rupsfocald with many others who all bound themselues together to set the King and the Queene mother at libertie from captivitie wherein they were deteined by the Guisians as also to defend the true professours of the Gospell of Christ that according to the act of Ianuarie they might without molestation assemble themselues to heare the Word of God The Prince of Condie was chosen to be their Chieftaine to whom the Queene mother sent many secret Letters declaring that she was deteined by the Guisians against her heart And if the Prince of Condie could set the young King and her selfe at libertie shee would neuer be vnmindfull of so great a benefit Thus in the beginning of the Warres the Queene mother fauoured the Prince of Condie and stirred him vp with many Letters and secret advertisements to procure her and her sonnes libertie for greater euidence whereof the Letters themselues are inserted in the French Historie Many great townes in France were taken and fortified by the Protestants as namely Orleance Lion Valence Granoble Roane Bourgos Towers Poictiers Montpellier and Nimes Many of those townes were recouered againe by the Guisians namely Bourges and Roane At the siege of Roane the Prince of Navarre was slaine and receiued a iust reward of his inconstancie and leuitie And Augustinus Marlorart a faithfull seruant of Christ and Preacher of the Gospell was taken by the Guisians and afterward hanged Many great cruelties were designed against those of the Religion in this first Warre namely in Tullus Aurange Burges Roan Sens and diverse other places In Montargis belonging to the Ladie Rence daughter to Lewis the twelfth Dutches Dowager of Ferrar fell out a very remarkeable matter This Ladie was a retrait to diuers families of the Religion notwithstanding the threatnings of the Duke of Guise sonne in law to the said Ladie who sent thither one Malig corne a new Knight of the order to sease vpon the Towne and Castle who begun to threaten the Ladie with Canon shot to batter her Castle wherin were diuers of the Religion But the Princesse answered him that there was not any man in the realme except the King alone that had power to command her And if he would proceed to such boldnesse as to batter her Castle with Canon shot shee would first stand in the breach her selfe to try if he durst be so bold as to kill the daughter of a King Those words caused Malicorne like a Snaile to pull in his hornes and presently to depart Afeer this the Prince of Condie perceiuing that great preparation was made against him and the Queene mothers affection was turned away to the Guisians thought meete to send for ayde to the Queene of England and the Prince of Condie willing to ioyne himselfe with the English armie marched forward to Normandie but the Duke of Guise followed after him with so great celeritie that the Prince of Condie was compelled to ioyne Battell with the Guisians at Dreux in Normandie before he was supported of the English armie This battell was fought with vncertaine victory for on the one part
the Protestants in crauing so great liberties put the enemies in suspicion and feare that the Nobles of Fraunce had secretlie banded themselues with the Protestants About the same time Count Mongomry had returned out of England had taken some townes in Normandy but soone after he was besieged in Donfront a town of Normandy by Matigonus the kings Lieutenant in those parts to whō he yeelded himself vpon certain conditions which were not kept vnto him but he was sent immediatly to Paris to the king The Duke of Aniow had departed from France to the kingdome of Polonia the king of France was fallen sicke also many noble men in the land were highlie offended at the ambition pride and crueltie of the Queene mother who had not onely cut off the noble men of the Protestants but also intended the like crueltie against many other noblemen in Fraunce whose names were insert in the bloody roll of the Massacre albeit they professed the Roman religiō The Queene mother knowing that she was vehementlie hated in the land and fearing left this matter should tend to her vtter disgrace and abandoning of all her authoritie thought meete to prevent all the deuices of the nobilitie of France against her and begun to lay hands on those of the Nobilitie whom she most suspected and cast them in prison such as D. Alauscone her owne son whom she knew to be discontent with her forme of gouernment and the king of Navarre also Monmerance and Cassens Marescallis The Prince of Condie also was to be taken but he conveyed himselfe away secretly vnto Germanie In the meane time the king died in the moneth of May Anno. 1574. with greateffusion of blood from many parts of his body And the Queene mother had all the gouernment in her owne hand vntill the returning of her son out of Polonia whom shee aduertised of the death of his Brother Charles and desired him without all delay to returne againe to Fraunce In the meane time the cruell heart of the Queene mother thirsting for blood procured that Count Mongomrie should be condemned to death This is that noble man who had slaine king Henry the father of Charles with a speare whom king Henry would not suffer to be harmed for that cause it being done in game and against Mongomries heart Neuerthelesse when he came in the hands of this mercilesse woman he must die Before king Henry returned out of Poland vnto France the Prince of Condie had sent from Germanie to France Messengers to declare to the Protestants the great care of his minde to advance the Religion and to procure the peace and libertie of his countrie who also was chosen to be generall commaunder of all the Protestants Many Catholikes were associate with him who being of a contrarie religion notwithstanding tooke armes with the Prince of Condie to restore the countrie to the owne libertie In the moneth of December Anno 1574. the king came to Lyons where the Queene mother accōpanied with Alauscon her son and the king of Navarre and Duke of Guise were awaiting for his cōming In this towne they aduised what was most expedient to be done whether they should prosecute the war or they should quiet the countrie with new edicts of pacification The Queene mothers aduise was that the king should assault the townes of Languedok Delphine that were kept by the Protestants because the presence and terrour of the king would so astonish the peoples hearts that incontinent they would yeeld and giue ouer the townes into the kings hands This aduise was followed and the king besieged the towne of Pusinum in Viuaret tooke it also the towne of Libero in Delphin was strōgly besieged but the king was cōpelled to leaue his siege to depart from the towne which according as the name of it foretokened remained free and vnconquered by the aduersaries during the time of this siege the Cardinal of Loraine died vpon this occasion The king being in Avinion some Paenitentiaries fortuned to scourge themselues in a cold winter season the Cardinall would ioyne himselfe to their fellowship and walked barefooted in the companie of those Paenitentiaries wherby he contracted a deadlie disease and soone repented this repētance The king himselfe was content to afflict his body after the same forme which was expoūded by many to be an euil presage that he should not conquer that little towne of Libero but should be scourged from the towne leaue the siege of it with shame which truly came to passe From thence the king went to Paris to his Coronation where many Ambassadours came to the king not only from the Prince of Condie who as yet remained in Basile but also from the D. of Sauoy and the Cantons of the Switzers and from the Queene of Englād to treat for peace but al their trauels were ineffectuall for the conditions of the peace could not be agreed vpon so the war continued waxed hote In Languedoke Anvillius although he was of the Romane religion yet had ioyned himselfe to the Protestants and tooke Agnes Mortes a towne of great importance in those parts with many other townes In Delphin Mombruniris was chiefe commaunder and had so good sucesse in all his attempts that he was a great terrour to the aduersaries In the end he was sore wounded and taken beside Dia a towne in Delphine and by the commaundement of the king and Queene mother was carried to Grenoble and there was executed in the sight of the people This war was much different from the former warres wherein those that were of one religion were also on one side but now the Catholikes were mingled with the Protestāts which thing albeit it seemed for a time to augment their number yet in the end it turned to euill as shall be declared hereafter God willing The Prince of Condie had required helpe of Cassimire the sonne of Count Palatine who also had condiscended to support the distressed Church of Fraunce and very strict obligations of mutual duties were passed between them as these namely that they should not dissolue their armes vntill that libertie were obtained to the Protestants fullie to enioy their owne Religion And likewise that Cassimire should haue the townes of Metis Tullion and Verdum in his hands besides other townes in all the Provinces of France which the Protestants were to require for there further assurance and as pledges of the Kings fidelitie faithfulnesse towards them While this armie of Cassimire was marching forward towards Loraine Alauscon the kings brother departed from Court and many of the nobilitie of France resorted to him all pretending that they could not suffer the countrie to be exhausted with ciuill warres and the people to be vexed with exorbitant and vnnecessarie taxations All those tumults were found in the end to be the subtile policies of the Q. mother by the meanes of Alauscon her son to
to slay the King as he was returning from Picardie to Paris Thus vpon the 27. day of December Anno 1584 â—as the King was readie booted and spurred to returne from Picardie to Paris within a chamber at Lououre this stripling went into the chamber amongst the presse and as the King was busily occupied in receiuing his Nobles and in a princely manner kissing them for his farewell suddenly he would haue stricken the King in the bodie with a knife he had in his hand But by reason his Maiesty was very readie to take vp the Lords which were on their knees before him in his stooping he strucke him in the face on the vpper iaw on the right side therewithall cutting out one of his teeth Presently this miserable caitiue was taken and after examination vnderstanding that he was a scholler of the Iesuites the King said And must it needs be that the Iesuits must be confounded by my mouth This parricide being brought to prison freely declared all the circumstances of his euill intent discouering many of the Iesuits secret practises Amongst many other things he remembred he heard the fathers of that holy societie say that it was lawfull to kill the King that he was excommunicated out of the Church that he was not to be obeyed nor taken for their King vntill such time as he was allowed by the Pope The Court of Parliament condemning this Castile of Treason in the highest degree caused him to be brought naked in his shirt before the principall part of the Cathedrall Church in Paris holding in his hand a taper of waxe lighted there to confesse his haynous sinne asking forgiuenesse of God the King and the lawes which done he was conveyed to the place of execution carrying in his hand the murthering knife wherewith he intended to murther the King the which was there first cut off his flesh pulled off with hot burning Pincers both from his armes and thighs after that his bodie was drawne in peeces with foure horses and cast into the fire and consumed to ashes and the ashes scattered in the winde Likewise the said Court of Parliament ordeined that all the Priests and Schollers of Clermont colledge and all other of the same societie of Iesus to be holdeâ— and reputed as corrupters of youth disturbers of the publique peace enemies to the King and State and to avoyde within three dayes after the Proclamation of this edict out of Paris and all other townes and places where their Colledges are and within 15. dayes after out of the kingdome on paine if being found after the time prefixed to be punished as guiltie of the said crime of treason Besides these horrible troubles that were in France in the dayes of this Emperour Rodulph the King of Spaine prepared a great armie to invade the Realme of England This armie was counted invincible and of most admirable preparation it conteined an hundreth and thirtie Ships wherein were as many Regiments having an hundreth seuentie two Ensignes and 20000. fighting men besides the number of 1000. moe that had nothing to doe with armes also their furniture and provision was exceeding great for they had 11000. Quintals of Biscat 14170. Pipes of Wine 6500. Quintals of Bacon 3433. Quintals of Cheese 8000. Quintals of dried fish of all sorts 6320 Bushels of Beanes and Pease 11398. Roues and Measures of oyle 23870. Roues of Vineger And 11850. Pipes of fresh Water besides the victuals and necessaries of houshold that were in great number and of all sorts The armes reserued for store were 7000. Caleeuers their furnitures a 1000. Muskets a 1000. Lances a 1000. Partisants and Halbards 6000. Pikes More Pickaxes Payles and other instruments then would serue for 700. Pioners With this number and in this manner being prepared the armie departed out of Lisbone vnder the conduct of the Duke de Medina Gidonia assisted with 22. Lords of estate councell and experience But it had searce entred into the sea sailing toward the Gnongnes in Gallicia but there arose a storme with so great force that the Navie was constrained to put to land and there to stay till winde and weather serued hauing lost in that storme three Gallies of Portugalls and many of them so scattered and bruised that they were not seruiceable for that Voyage The storme being calmed and the weather good about the 22. of Iulie the Generall caused them to set saile so fortunately that in lesse then fiue dayes after they descryed the point or end of Cornwall and at the same time they were seene from Plimmouth by the Admirall of England and Sr Francis Drake Vice admirall who made them turne their faces and gaue them such a skirmish and that so neere that the Ships were in disorder and a great Gallion lost wherein was found a part of the treasures that the Armie brought with it and all the instructions which the Duke de Medina had and what he should doe having Conquered England At the last the Navie got as farre as Callis where it should haue ioyned with the Duke of Parma but the Armie of England that fought to impeach it followed it and that so nie that it was forced to leaue her Anchor-hold confusedly to flie away Their principall Gallias among other Vessels was by the streames cast vpon the sands hard by the hauen of Callis there with his Ordnance was left for the governor of Callis After this it made toward the North seas passing betweene Norway and Scotland and so toward Ireland where those northerne seas being as then risen according to the time of yeare were very tempestuous and vsed the rest of the armie very hardly for it drowned and sunke 17. great Vessels vpon the coast of Ireland and spoyled broke and ouerthrew diuers others in such manner that of 130. Shippes there were scarcely 30. that returned to SPAINE Here endeth the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE HISTORY OF the Church Containing a briefe Catalogue of the beginnings proceedings and deaths of all the Bishops Popes Patriarches Doctors Pastors and other learned men in Europe Asia and Africa since Christs dayes vntill this present CENTVRIE I. Of Apostles AFter the Lords resurrection his twelue Apostles were indued with grace from aboue and sent forth to convert all people to the obedience of Christ whose travels the Lord so wonderfully blessed that within a short time many thousands of all Nations Languages whom God had appointed to eternall life were converted to the faith of Christ. This conquest that Christ made by the Ministrie of twelue poore and contemptible men is more worthie to be called a Conquest then all the valiant exployts of Cyrus Alexander Caesar and other Conquerours For he made this conquest by a small handfull of poore and infirme Disciples also he conquered not onely the bodies of men but also their hearts to his obedience and finally he made this conquest not by shedding of peoples blood but by
relieued Rome from the siege of the Lombardes but also bestowed vppon the chaire of Rome the dominions of Rauenna and Penta-polis appertaining to the Emperour of the East and which they enjoyed since the death of Narses 170. yeeres In so doing there was such bargaining betwixt the kinges of France and the Popes as was of olde betwixt Herod and the Iewes he gratified them with the blood of Christes Apostles and they gratified him on the other part by giuing to him the glory of God Euen so Zacharias bishop of Rome bestowed vpon Pipinus the kingdome of France which duly appertained to another and Pipinus againe bestowed vpon the chaire of Rome the dominion of Rauenna Pentapolis which duely appertained to the Emp. of the East It shall not be amisse to make a particular rehearsall of the townes territories bestowed vpon the church of Rome by the donatioÌ„ of Pipinus but not of Constantine as they haue rumored most fabulously many yeares agoe In primis Rauenna Bononia Imola Fauentia Commaclum Hadria Pompilii Forum Leuii Forum Cesena Bobium Ferraria Ficoclas and Gabellum all these townes were vnder the dominion of Rauenna And in Pentapolis Ariminum Pisaurum Concha Fanum Senogallia Ancona Auximum Hummanam Aesium Sempronij Forum Mons Feretri Vrbium Balmense territorium Callas Luceolos Engubium together with the Castles and lands appertaining to these townes to wit the Prouinces called in our time Romandiola Marca Anconitana and of olde Aemilia Flaminea PicenuÌ„ Thus we see what a rich reward the chaire of Rome obtained for their defection froÌ„ the Emp. of the East and their fauour towards the kings of France Also for further confirmatioÌ„ of friendship betwixt the bishops of Rome and the kings of France Pope Stephanus the 2. procured that he should be inuited to be witnes at the baptisme of the king of Fraunce his yong son at which time as a man couetous of vaine glorie he suffered Pipinus Charles his son to kisse his feet to hold his stirrope to lead his horse by the brible and finally he was content to be mounted vp and carried vpon the shoulders of men leauing behind him an example of stinking pride to the posterity after following After Stephanus the secoÌ„d succeeded his brother Paulus the first who continued 10. yeeres and one month In antichristian pride he was nothing inferiour to his predecessours for he sent Ambassadours to the Emperour of the East Constantinus Copronymus to exhort him to restore againe the images of the Saints which hee had demolished with intermination of cursing if hee refused to bee obedient to the popes counsell In his time Aâ—stulphus King of Lombardes dyed and Desidâ—rius the last King of Lombards raigned in his stead Constantine the brother of Desiderius King of Lombardis succeeded to Paulus the first a man admitted to the Popedome before he received Ecclesiasticall orders therefore hee was hated of the people of Rome and denuded of his Papall dignity after hee had continued one yeere and one moneth Some writers affirme that his eyes were thrust out and that hee was sent to a Monasterie others affirme that hee was burnt with fire by the hatefull malice of the Romanes To him succeeded Stephanus the third who ruled foure yeeres fiue moneths and twenty seven dayes Hee gathered a Councell at Rome in the which twelue Bishops of France sent thither by Charles de Maine were present with the Bishoppes of Italy who disauthorized Constantine his predecessor and annulled all his decrees Likewise they damned the seventh generall Councell convened in Constantinople by Constantinus Copronymus wherein the worshipping of Images was disallowed But in this Laterane Councel assembled by Stephanus the third the worshipping of Images got allowance And it was thought that God and the Saints were in worser case then mortall Princes in case that Images might be made to represent mortall Princes but not to represent God and his Saints It was rumored in this Popes time that Charles King of France was of intention to marrie Bertha the daughter of Desiderius King of Lombards Stephanus fearing left this marriage should vndoe the friendship lately tracted betwixt the Bishops of Rome and the King of France disswaded Charles from the marriage aforesayd as if the marriage of a woman of the kindred of the Lombards were a mixing of darkenesse with light and of Belial with Christ. And the menacing letter of Stephanus the third prevailed so farre at the hands of Charles the Great that he repudiated Bertha the daughter of Desiderius his lawfull maried wife after he had cohabited with her one yeere and hee married another woman named Hildegarde of the Dukerie of Sweue These are the fruits of Antichristian pride to threaten the torments of hell against the Princes of the world for marriage if so be they fore-see any damage may redound to the chaire of Rome by the marriage of Princes After Stephanus the third succeeded Adrian the first and governed twenty three yeares ten moneths and seventeene dayes In his dayes Charles the Great came into Italy with an army and Desiderius King of Lombards his wife and children to Lions in France and vtterly subdued the kingdome of the Lombards which had continued in Italy 204. yeeres Now in the yeere of our Lord 776. this kingdome was abolished and vndone by Charles the Great king of France for the fauour he carried towardes the chaire of Rome Likewise hee augmented the donation of his father Pipinus and he bestowed vpon the Church of Rome the Isle of Corsica and the places lying betwixt Luca and Parma with the Dukedomes Spoleto and Benevento This being done Charles returned back againe to France carying with him Bertha his brothers wife and her children who came to Adrian Bishop of Rome hoping for favour at his hands and that he should haue anoynted her sonnes to bee Kings of France seeing Carolamannus their father was now dead but he delivered them into the hands of Charles and so Charles the Great raigned without exception as absolute Commander of France Irene the Empresse of the East during his Popedome assembled a great Councell at Nice in Bythinia where the adoration of Images was allowed In this Councell the Popes Ambassadors were present and his owne letter was read in the Councell no man gaue greater allowance to the worshipping of Images then Pope Adrian did as shall be declared God willing in the head of Councels It is to be marked that Platina writing of the death of Constantinus Copronymus is compelled to beare witnesse to the truth and testifie that the opinion of the leprosie of Constantine the Great was a notable fable and that it sprung vp by occasion of the disease of Constantinus Copronymus the father in law of the Empresse Irene To Adrian succeeded Leo the third and governed one and twenty yeeres He was hated by Pascalis and Campalus who lay in wait for him at the Church
the towne of Damascus into the hands of the Emperor Leo. Vpon this occasion saith Iohn Patriarch of Ierusalem the Prince of Saracens cut off the hand of Damascene and on the other part Damascene by humble kneeling before the Image of the Virgin Marie was miraculously cured and restored againe to the power of his hand But this is like to the rest of popish fables and lyes For Damascene writeth many notable fables for cōfirmation of adoration of Images And in case a miracle had beene wrought in his owne person by prostrating himselfe before an Image Damascene had no manner of way ouer-passed with silence the memoriall thereof But we haue to doe with adversaries who are not ashamed of lies Damascene was a diligent reader of the bookes of ancient Fathers as appeareth by his foure bookes De Orthodoxa fide but not so diligent a reader of holy Scripture which is the ground of manifold errors His history of Iosophat King of India is knowne to be a Monkish fable Paulus Diaconus of the kindred of the Lombards became a deacon in Aquileia hee was carryed captiue into France in the dayes of Charles the great who besieged Papia banished Desiderius and made an end of the Kingdome of the Lombards Afterwards he was accused of treason and conspiracie against Charles King of France His malicious and hatefull accusers were bent to haue had his hands cut off or his eyes put out but King Charles pitying him for his learning was content that hee should bee banished to the Isle of Diomedes From thence hee fled and came to Beneventum where Arachis was dwelling who had married Adelporga the daughter of Desiderius In his palace it is thought hee writ his sixe bookes De rebus gestis Longobardorum After the death of Arachis hee came to the Monastery called Cassinense where hee ended his life Beda a man borne and brought vp in England was called venerable and was in great account in his time Onely he was miserably intangled with deceitfull Antichristian errors vniversally overspred in his dayes In writing reading and praying hee was a man of incessant paines Nothing is found in him more commendable then his patient suffering of the agonies immediately preceding his dissolution with a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ. Albertus Gallus a Bishop in some part of France a learned and godly man opposed himselfe mightily to Boniface the foot-groom of the Roman Antichrist with whom concurred two learned men borne in Scotland named Clemens Presbyter and Samson and offered to prooue both by word and writing that Bonifacius was an author of lyes a troubler of the peace of Christians and a corrupter and deceiver of the people But Pope Zacharias excommunicated them before they were heard in lawfull Assembly and gaue power to his foot-groome Bonifacius to depose them and procured at the hands of the King of France that they should be cast into prison and bound with bonds as schismatickes false teachers and sacrilegious men Such reward men received who were witnesses to the truth of God and reprehended any corruption of the Romane Church In like manner Iohannes Mailrosius and Claudius Clemens learned men of Scotland sent by King Achaius to Charles King of France and the first professors of learning in the Academie founded by Charles the great in Paris these two likewise were disliked of the Roman Church because they could not assent to all the superstions of that Church in this age so miserably deformed CENTVRIE IX Popes of Rome AFter Leo the third succeeded Stephanus the fourth and ruled seuen months He was not elected with consent and allowance of the Emperour but onely by the Clergie and the people of Rome Here it is well marked by Functius that the Roman Church doth obserue their owne lawes so inuiolably that the priuiledge granted to the Emperour by Pope Leo the third it is vndone againe euen in his first successors time to wit in Pope Stephanus the fourth his time In the third month of his Popedome he journied toward France for what cause it is not certaine but it appeareth he would trie the Emperours minde whether or no he was griued for this that he had beene elected Pope without the consent and fore-knowledge of the Emperour When he returned againe finding that Ludouicus Pius the Emperour was not greatly grieued at the matter but accepted his excuse he began to make Commentaries vpon the Decrees of Hadrian the first and Leo the third to wit that they meaned not that the Emp. should bee first acquainted with the election of the Pope but rather that after his election the Emperour should be acquainted with the businesse before the Pope were anointed By such false Glosses and Commentaries they were by degrees excluding the Emperour from all kind of medling with the election of the Pope After Stephanus the fourth succeeded Pascalis the first who was elected without consent of the Emperour Hee sent Ambassadours to excuse himselfe to the Emperour Ludouicus Pius because the Clergie and people had compelled him to accept the Popedome The Emperour Ludouicus Pius on the other part seeing how this matter went and that he was troubled with the vnconstancie ambition and obstinacie of the Romane Church he gaue them libertie to choose their owne Bishop without the fore-knowledge and consent of the Emperour in time to come And Pascalis after hee had ruled seuen yeeres and seuenteene dayes he ended his course Eugenius the second succeeded Pascalis and ruled foure yeeres His Popedome was in the time when Lotharius was appointed to gouerne Italie His commendations are these great Learning great Eloquence with a mixture of great Hypocrisie Valentinus the successour of Eugenius within the space of fourtie dayes after that he was elected of a Deacon to be Pope hee concluded his life To Valentinus succeeded Gregorius the fourth and ruled sixteene yeeres Ludouicke and his sonne Lotharius were Emperours at this time without whose consent hee would not accept his Popedome Gregorie would haue seemed to haue beene a mediator betwixt Ludouicke and his sonnes but he is marked with a note of shame in the Magdeburg history as a man who encreased discord rather than quenched it What he did in the Conuention at Aken which was conueened by the authoritie of the Emperour it shall be declared God willing in its owne place To Gregorie the fourth succeeded Sergius the second ruled three yeeres He seemed to be the first Pope who chāged the name giuen vnto him in Baptisme for he was called Os porci that is the mouth of the Sowe and for the basenes of the name he called himselfe by the name of one of his antecessours Lotharius sent Ludouick his eldest son accōpanied with many Noble persons to be crowned Emperour for Lotharius thought meete to enter into a Monasterie and to lament for his by-past sinnes especially for grieuing the heart of his
hee was innocent of his slaughter Notwithstanding seeing his indignation against the foresaid Bishop was the occasion of his slaughter It was inioyned to the king of England that hee should hinder no man in his kingdome from appealing to the chaire of Rome And that in time to come no man should be declared king of England without the Popes consent Thus are the neckes kingdomes honours and liues of the mightie Monarchs of the world troden vnder the feete of the Roman Antichrist After this proud Prelat had tyrannized 21. yeeres and 29 dayes hee ended his course After Alexander the 3. succeeded Lucius the 3. and gouerned foure yeeres two months and eighteene dayes Hee was no lesse desirous to abolish the consults of Rome then his predecessours were but his attempts succeeded not so well For hee was driuen out of Rome with his complices and a number of his fauorits were punished by thrusting out their eyes Others were carried thorow the streets vpon Asses hauing their Miters vpon their heades and their faces toward the hinder part of the Asse The Pope fled to Verona where he Lurked vntill he died To him succeeded Vrbanus the third and continued one yeere ten months and twentie fiue dayes In his daies was Ierusalem recouered by Saladin a Prince of the Turkes and commander of Aegypt which tidinges so pierced the Popes heart with griefe that hee ended his life at Ferrara Gregorie the eight followed who continued not in his Popedome aboue the space of fiftie dayes To him succeeded Clemens the third and ruled three yeeres and fiue months In this time died William King of Sicilie without children and the people of the Isle elected Tancredus a bastard sonne of Rogerius to rule ouer them After Clemens succeeded Pope Celestinus the third and continued six yeeres seuen months and eleuen dayes In his time died Saladin a mighty Prince of the Turkes And Pope Celestinus thinking it was a meete time to fight against the Turkes for the recouering of the holie Land incited the Emperour Henry the sixt and the King of France to vndertake the ieopardous warfare against the Turks wherein many had spent their blood and seldome with good successe The Emperour Henry sent the Duke of Saxonie and the Bishop of Mentz with a well appointed armie to the foresaid warrefare but went not himselfe The King of France was willing to haue vndertaken a iourney toward the East but was stayed by the irruption of the Saracens who dwelt in Mauritania They had passed the straites and invaded that part of Spaine which was called Betica and conquered it The king of Fraunce then fearing left the Saracens should be puft vp in pride for their late victorie and that they should invade his dominions kept his armie at home in France for safegarde of his owne countrey The Germane armie returned againe within short time as hath beene declared in Henry the sixts life Patriarchs of Constantinople TO Nicolaus succeeded Leo Styppiota and Michael and Theodosius and Basilius Nicetas and Leontius and Dositheus of whom I thinke not expedient to write any further except simplie to insert their names Patriarchs of Alexandria IN this age the armie of Christians which went to fight against the Turkes conquered out of their hands not onely Ierusalem but also Antiochia and the region round about it Whereupon it followed that the Patriarchs were established of new againe after long intermission in Antiochia and Ierusalem Not such as were accustomed to be of olde hauing equall power with other Patriarchs within their owne bounds but rather vassals and slaues to the Bishoppes of Rome as may appeare by the Catalogue following The first of these Latine Patriarchs was Bernardus who ruled that church thirtie sixe yeeres After him succeeded Radulphus who would not be subiect to the Bishop of Rome but affirmed that both Antiochia and Rome were the chaires of S. Peter Antiochia was before and a more ancient chaire and therefore should haue the prerogatiue aboue Rome Notwithstanding of all this hee was cited by his Aduersaries to appeare before the Bishoppe of Rome and to answere to the faults that should be obiected against him Namely for violent vsurpation of iurisdiction ouer churches belonging to the Archbishop of Tyrus as Biblus Tripolis and Aradus This citation Raymond Prince of Antiochia compelled him to obey He was sent backe againe to Antiochia but the people and Clergie receiued him not Therefore hee lurked in Monasteries and in the ende was deposed from his office by a councell assembled in Antiochia After him succeeded Raimericus and ruled twelue yeeres Hee was hated of Raynoldus gouernour of Antiochia because hee disallowed his marriage bound vp with Constantia Likewise hee was misvsed by him and the balde part of his heade was ouerlaied with honey and he was compelled to sit in the time of the feruent heat of the sommer day to be molested with the flies and waspes The king of Ierusalem hearing of this pitifull demeanour of the Patriarch of Antiochia sent Ambassadors to Raynold and so the Patriarch was set at libertie who dwelt at Ierusalem forsaking Antiochia all the rest of his life-time After him Sotericus was Patriarch who continued in office short time To him succeeded Theodorus Balsamus a very ambitious man whom Isacius Angelus Emperour of Constantinople put in hope that he would promote him to be Patriarch of Constantinople if the Canons of Church did not hinder When all was done the ambitious Prelat staied stil at home for the Emperour did not sollicit him seriously but was onely trying him to see if for hope of further preheminencie he would violate the Canons of the Church To whom succeeded Almericus Patriarchs of Ierusalem THe first Latin Patriarch of Ierusalem after it was conquered from the Turkes was Dabertus sometime Bishop of Pisa. He crowned Godfrey the first King of Ierusalem with a crowne of thornes To him succeeded Gibelinus sometime Bishop of Arls. Hee was sent to Ierusalem to decide the question that fell out betweene Dabertus and Ebremarus but it happened that Dabertus about the same time dyed and Ebremarus was remooved because hee had intruded himselfe in office Therefore with vniforme consent Gibelinus was made Patriarch of Ierusalem To whom succeeded Arnulphus who for his vicious life was called Mala corona Pope Pascalis the second hearing of his bad conversation sent to Ierusalem the Bishop of Aurange who deposed him from his office Notwithstanding hereof this vitious Prelat tooke iourney to Rome and with flattering speeches and largition of mony prevailed so much at Rome that he obtained his office againe After him followed Guarimundus a man more expert in warfare then in his owne calling For hee supplyed the place of King Baldwin who was detained captiue by the Turkes And hee was a couragious Warriour at the siege of Tyrus To him continued Stephanus who continued not
Popes excommunications are not to be feared and that hee who doth feare or flie them is excommunicate of God 9. That the auricular confession is not necessary 10. That hee had mooved the Citizens to vprore and sedition 11. That hee had neglected and contemned the Popes citation 12. That he had shamefully slandred and spoken against the Pope 13. That he had taken Christ to witnesse of his naughtinesse and heresie 14. That Italy must be cleansed through Gods scourg for the manifold wickednesse of the Princes and Clergie These and such like articles were layd to their charge and reade before them Then they demanded of the said Hierom and his companions whether they would recant and giue over their opinions Whereunto they answered that thorow Gods help they would stedfastly continue in the manifest truth and not depart from the same Then were they degraded one after another by the Bishop of Wasson and so delivered to the secular rulers of Florence with strict commandement to carry them forth and handle them as obstinate and stifnecked Heretiques Thus was that worthy witnesse of Christ with the other two aforesayd first hanged vp openly in the market place and afterward burnt to ashes and the ashes gathered vp and cast into the river of Arum the 24. day of May 1499. In this age likewise sprang vp many men of great erudition and learning as namely Laurentius Valla Picus Mirandulae Comes Angelus Politianus with many others whose names for learning are worthy rememberance The meane whereby learning so exceedingly increased in this age seemeth to bee the Art of printing found out in Germany by a certaine Gold smith named Iohn Faustus in Strausbrugh and Guttemberg his copartner as some write but whosoever was the inventer of it it is certaine that this faculty was given to the vse of man by the providence of almighty God at what time the Bishop of Rome with all the whole and full consent of all the Cardinals Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Lawyers Doctors Provosts Deanes Archdeanes assembled together in the Councell of Constance and had condemned poore Iohn Hus and Ierom of Prague to death for heresie and after subdued the Bohemians and in a manner the whole world to be vnder the supreme authority of the Romiâ—h Sea In the very time so dangerous and desperate where mans power could doe no more The blessed wisedome and omnipotent power of God began to worke for the Church not with sword and target to subdue his exalted adversary but with printing writing and reading to convince darknes by light error by truth ignorance by learning So that by this meanes of printing God hath heaped vpon the proud kingdome of Antichrist a double confusion For whereas hee could not abide to haue the enormity of Prelats liues to be condemned by Iohn Hus who neither denyed his Transubstantiation nor his Purgatory nor yet spake any thing against his Masse but onely exclaimed against his excessiue and pompous pride his vnchristian or rather antichristian abhomination of life Now of late dayes God hath found a way by this faculty of printing not onely to confound his life and conversation which before hee could not abide to be touched but also to cast downe the foundation of his standing that is to examine confute and detect his doctrine lawes and institutions in such sort that albeit his life were never so pure yet his doctrine standing as it doth no man is so blinde but may see the Pope to be Anti-Christ For by this Art Tongues are knowne knowledge groweth iudgement increaseth bookes are dispersed the Scripture is seene the Doctors are read the stories bee opened times compared truth decerned falshood detected and with the finger pointed at and all as I haue said God hath wrought by the benefit of printing CENTVRIE XVI Popes of Rome AFter Paulus the second succeeded Sixtus the fourth and ruled thirteen yeeres and foure dayes Hee changed the custome of keeping the Iubilie every 50. yeere and would haue it kept every 25. yeeres After him succeeded Innocentius the eight and ruled seven yeers ten months and twenty seven dayes After him Alexander the sixt ruled eleven yeeres and eight dayes Hee was a notable tyrant and a scourg of God to all Italy and in speciall to that corrupt Colledge of Cardinals which had chosen him to be Pope not for his good graces and vertues but for the heapes of gold which hee had distributed amongst them of whom some he banished others hee caused to be impoysoned and cruelly slaine In his time Charles the eight King of France clayming right to the Kingdome of Naples entred into Italy with a mighty army and without great resistance came to the towne of Rome and from thence to Naples Alphonsus King of Naples at this time finding himselfe to be hated of all men had denuded himselfe of the Kingdome and given it to his sonne Ferdinand and hee himselfe was fled into Sicilie Also his sonne Ferdinand not being able to resist the puissant army of King Charles was likewise compelled to flie to the little Island of Istria for safety of his life and the whole kingdome of Naples was in short time ouer-run and subdued to the King of France This victorious conquest so hastily atchieved made the name of Charles to be terrible to other Princes even to the Duke of Millan and Estate of Venice who had beene his confederate friends assisters in this warfare Notwithstanding fearing lest his increasing power should in time be the overthrow of their Estates they conspired with the Pope and the Emperour and the King of Spaine against him and as hee returned backe againe to France fought against him at Fornovo not farre distant from the towne of Parma The victory was vncertaine notwithstanding Ferdinand King of Naples was so encouraged with this encounter that hee recovered againe all his kingdome which hee had lost Likewise in this Popes time Lewis the twelfth who succeeded to Charles the eight came into Italy claiming right not onely to the kingdome of Naples but also to the Dukedome of Millan He had before bound vp a covenant with the Pope the King of Spaine and the Venetians vpon these conditions that having possessed himselfe first in the Dukedome of Millan hee should give Cremona a famous towne in the Dukedome of Millan to the Venetians and hee should assist Caesar Borgia Duke of Valentinois and sonne to Pope Alexander the sixt to eiect out of Romagna the Lords presently bearing sway in that Countrey to the end that all might come vnder the Soveraignty and commandement of this Duke of Valentinois only and finally that he should divide the Kingdome of Naples betwixt himselfe and Ferdinand King of Spaine Vpon these conditions was King Lewis assisted by the Pope the King of Spaine and the Estate of Venice and so with little adoe obtained the Dukedome of Millan and carryed away Lodovick Sforce Duke of
and ruled seuen yeere In this time the Isle of Ciprus was taken by Mustapha Captain of Selims armie but with so great effusion of blood for it is supposed that 80000. Turkes were slaine in the siege of Nicosia and famogusta two principall townes of the Isle that Mustapha considering the number that were slayn violated his promise made to Bragadinus chiefe captain and defender of the Isle of Cyprus and cruelly martyred that valiant Captaine This calamitie of Cyprus made the Venetians very much bent against the Turke and they banded themselues with Philip King of Spaine and with Pius the fift Bishop of Rome by whose support and assistance a Navie was set forth to the Sea and a notable victorie was atchieued vnder the conduct of Iohn de Austria at Lepanto of which before Gregorius the thirteenth followed and ruled thirteene yeeres one month and three dayes Hee founded a new Colledge for Iesuits in Rome and bestowed great revenues vpon it chiestie for this cause to be a Seminarie of Learned Schollers to convert the countrie of Germanie to the Roman religion againe In this Popes time fell out that horrible murther of Paris in the yeere of our Lord 1572. which was well liked of by the Pope who also sent to Charles the ninth king of France the summe of 40000. Ducates to maintaine and set forward the warre against the Hugonits as they called them In his time Sebastian king of Portugal was slaine in Mauritania beyond the straits Philip king of Spaine who was his neerest kinsman obtained the kingdome after him by strong hand and by driuing out of the land Duke Anthonie whom the people had chosen to be king Gregorie also set forth a new Calendar and corrected the olde Roman Calendar which new alteration bred many contentions speciallie in Germanie To him succeeded Sixtus 5. who in the beginning of his Popedom excōmunicated the king of Nauarre Prince of Condie fearing that which indeede came to passe hereafter to witt that king H. 3. dying without children the kingdome shuld come to the house of Burboune Likewise he intēded a processe of excōmunicatiō against H. the third king of France for slaying of the Cardinal of Lorain his brother the D. of Guise at Bloyes for detaining Captiues the Cardinal of Burbon the Archb. of Lions This proceeding of the Pope encouraged others against the King so that a Iacobin Fryer called Clement came out of the towne of Paris when the king was besieging it killed the King with an impoisoned knife as hath beene declared before Yet after the death of the King when H. the fourth King of Navarre succeeded to the kingdome and besieged the towne of Paris this Pope gaue no subsidue to those of the League that were banded together against the King fearing that if the King prevailed in France he would be a strong adversary to him if he had supported his enemies whether this was the cause as Onuphrius writeth or another that mooved him so to doe yet this matter so displeased Philip King of Spaine and the Leaguers that they were minded to haue made a solemne prorestation against the Pope if he had not prevented their intention by excusing himselfe in the Consistory of his Cardinals Hee was a very vigilant and actiue Pope and vsed often to make mention of that speech of Vespasian That a Prince should die standing on his feet meaning that a Prince should be vigilant and ever doing some part of his calling He died after he had ruled fiue yeeres foure moneths and three dayes and left behinde him fiue millions of gold After him succeeded Vrbanus the seventh and ruled only thirteene dayes for he died before his inauguration To him succeeded Gregorius the fourteenth and ruled nine moneths and ten dayes After him Innocentius the ninth and ruled onely two moneths and one day After him Clemens the eight hee absolved the King of France from the sentence of excōmunication pronounced by Pope Sixtus the fift against him For that the Kings Oratours in his name had renounced and abiureed that doctrine which the King in his young yeeres had so long prosessed and after they had accepted such conditions as it pleased the Pope to impose to the King namely that hee should receiue the Councell of Trent make it be obeyed in all parts of his kingdom also that hee should deliver the young Prince of Condie a childe of nine yeeres old to be brought vp by Bishops or Abbots in the Romane religion and that hee should certifie by his letters all Catholique Princes of the abiuration of his former religion with many other conditions which were all accepted by the Kings Orators and ratified by the King himselfe Of other Doctors IN this age God having compassion of the miserie of his poore sheepe led out of the way by blinde-guides raised vp many faithfull and learned men by whose labours the clowds of grosse ignorance was remooved the vsurped authority of the Bishop of Rome that was counted the mother Church of all others was discovered to be the Synagogue of Satan Amongst whom Martin Luther a German borne in Islebia in the Countie of Mansfelt steppeth forth as it were a couragious Captaine in the forefront of the army whom God drew forth out of the very Cloyster of the Augustinian Monks to be an instrument to reforme his house The bitternesle of Pope Leo the tenth and Pope Adrian the sixt and their Ambassadours who would not suffer the corruption of the Romane Church to be pointed out afarre off in selling of pardons made this man of God more diligent in searching and more couragious in defending the truth of God so that at last the Pope tooke it to heart that his kingdome should fall if Martin Luther were not rooted out yet the Lord raysed vp the Duke of Saxonie to bee his friend by whose favourable assistance the Gospell was deeply rooted in Germany and Martin Luther himself was preserved from the fury of all his enemies till at last he dyed in Islebia the towne of his nativity in the yeere 1546. and in the 17. day of the moneth of February Iohn Calvin was borne in Noyen a towne of Picardie anno 1509. the tenth day of the month Iuly and was a Preacher of Christs Gospell in Geneva three and twenty yeers His learning and painfull travels in writing are knowne by his bookes The blessing accompanying his travels is knowne by the reformation of many Churches in France by his advice and counsell as also of the kingdome of Scotland The power of the grace of God in him is knowne by the malice of adversaries who railed against him in his life-time and after his death as if hee alone and none other had troubled the kingdome of Antichrist and finally his painfull travels in teaching his owne flocke of Geneva is knowne by the disease which he contracted by great fasting
children and that they shall be accursed who dare presume to seeke the kingly authority without the consent of the whole countrey of Spaine and the Nobility of the nation of the Gothes and that no man shal raile vpon the King or lie in waite for his life IN the yeere of our Lord 652. or as others reckon 650. Pope Martinus gathered a Councell at Rome of moe then an hundred Bishops The errour of the Monothelites obstinately defended by Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was the occasion of this Councell together with the impious edict of the Emperour Constans set out in favour of the heresie of the Monothelites In this Councell over and besides an ample confession of Faith many decrees and constitutions were made all tending to damne those who denyed the Trinity or the divine vnity in the divine nature or the manifestation of the second person of the Trinitie and his suffering in the flesh or the perpetuall virginity of the Lords mother or the two nativities of Christ one before all times and another in time by the operation of the holy spirit or the distinction of the two natures after the ineffable vnity or the distinction of wils and operations in Christ. In like manner all were damned who made opposition to the fiue preceding generall Councels In particular Theodorus of Pharatrita Cyrus of Alexandria Sergius Pyrrhus and Paulus Bishops of Constantinople were condemned as patrons and obstinate defenders of the heresie of the Monothelites There is more frequent mention of Fathers than of Scriptures in this Councell a perilous example to the posterity IN the yeere of our Lord 653. and in the third yeere of Chintilla King of the Gothes in Spaine the sixt Councell of Toledo was assembled of 52. Bishops Eugenius Bishop of Toledo being President The occasion seemeth to haue beene the renovation of old heresies and contradiction to preceding Councels After a confession of the Faith Letanies are ordained to be said as was appointed yeerly for preservation of the King It was ordained by the advice of the Councell with consent of the King and his Nobles that no man should be tolerated to dwell in the kingdome of Spaine who did not professe the Catholike Faith and that Kings in all time to come before they were placed in their royall seate should be bound by the obligation of a solemne oath to interpose their authority that this act might bee obeyed Otherwise let the King refusing to put this act in execution be counted accursed and be a faggot of the flames of everlasting fire What Ferdinandus King of Spaine did in driving out of his dominions the Iewes and the Saracens some alledge that it was done vpon the ground of this act but now it is not a fit time to examine that question No man shall presume by Simony or largition of mony to attaine to Ecclesiasticall offices If any of the Clergie obtaine a pension out of the Church-rents let him possesse it vnder the title of Praecaria lest by long possession the Church rents be diminished If any person be cloathed with a religious habite which hee hath voluntarily accepted if afterward hee forsake it let him be excommunicated if hee returne not againe vnto his order The seuenth Canon is a renewing of the foure and fifty Canon of the fourth Councell of Toledo A married man who voweth chastitie in time of sicknesse if he recouer health and haue not the gift of continencie let him cohabite againe with his wife but if shee die he is debarred from the second marriage which notwithstanding is permitted to the wife if shee haue not vowed This Canon is not set downe by precept and commandement but permissiuely through indulgence and a consideration of humane infirmitie Seruants whom the Church hath set at libertie when one Prelate dieth and another succeedeth they are bound to renew the charters of their land which they possesse else their charters shall be voyde and of none effect if they be not renewed within the space of a yeere next after the election of the new Prelate The children of them whom the Church hath set at libertie if their parents bring them vp in learning they shall be brought vp in that same Church from which their libertie did arise and shall serue the Bishop of that Church alwayes without prejudice of their libertie Let no man vpon occasion of an accusation be punished vnlesse his accuser be presented and in case he be a vile and infamous person let no sentence be giuen out vpon the ground of such accusation except in an action of treason against the life of the King He who hath committed hainous offences and fearing punishment fleeth to the enemies of his countrey for refuge let him be excommunicated Let young men honour them who are in great credite and fauour with Princes And let Seniors louingly cherish the younger sort and present vnto them profitable examples of a good conuersation The 14. and 15. Canon intreate of the reward due to them who are found faithfull seruants to the King in whatsoeuer estate especially in the Church and that rentes and landes bestowed vpon the Church shall abide firmely in their possession without reuocation In the 16.17.18 and 19. Canons there is a commemoration of the bountiful kindnesse of king Chintilla toward the Church a prouision that no Church-men should be allured by no deceitfull perswasion to take a course against the king A protestation before God his Angels Prophets Apostles Martyrs and whole Church That no man should enterprise any attempt against the King his Noble estate And they who shall presume to doe to the contrarie are appointed to eternall damnation In the end prayers are made to God to giue a good successe to their meeting and thankes are giuen to the King by whose authoritie they were assembled So it is manifest that by the authoritie of Princes Nationall Assemblies were conueened at this time IN the yeere of our Lord 662. as Functius reckoneth and in the 6. yeere of Chindasuvindus king of Spaine the 7. Coūcel of Toledo was assembled consisting of 4. Archbishops 30. Bishops and a great number of presbyters and messengers from them who could not be present The occasion of this meeting was Theodisclus Bishop of Hispalis a Graeciā borne He had corrupted the bookes of Isidorus and dispersed many errours in his Church he contended for supermacie with the Bishop of Toledo In this Councell Theodisclus was remooued from his office The prioritie of dignitie was conferred to the Bishop of Toledo In the second Tome of Councels six Canons are referred to this meeting First Laickes and men also in spirituall office are forbidden to attempt any thing against the estate of their countrie either by sedition or treason Secondlie it is appointed and ordained That in case any man ministring the Sacrament of the Lords holy Supper be hindred by