Exarchat tooke Ferrara Comachio Faenza and entred verie farre vpon Romagnia and la Marche Adrian hereupon sent an embassage by sea to Charlemaigne in Fraunce and the more to interest him in the quarrell told him That Didier would force him to annoint the sonnes of Carloman his brother that his refusall was the cause of all this trouble Adrian all this while was in a piteous plight for Didier either for or vnder colour of deuotion came before Rome gates when by meanes of an excommunication which Adrian cast out against him his priuat familie and others would not suffer him to passe anie farther But when Charles was once passed the Alpes those of Spoleto and Riete and others came presently and yeelded to the Pope Moreouer those of Didiers owne dominions fell from him by heapes so that he was forced to breake vp the siege Then came Charlemaigne to Rome where he was receiued as the sole author of the life and libertie of the Church the people singing before him by the appointment of Adrian as the children once did at the entrance of our Sauiour into Ierusalem Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna c. And after some few dayes spent in pompous deuotions Charles was requested to confirme the donation of the Exarchat Romania and la Marche which his father himselfe and his brother Carloman with all the Iudges of France had long before promised at Creci in Fraunce all which he presently accorded giuing ouer and aboue of that which was none of his the Islands of Corsica Sardinia and Sicilie the territorie of the Sabines with the Duchies of Spoleto and Tuscanie which belonged to the Lumbards reseruing alwaies to himselfe the soueraignetie of them And thus came the kingdome of the Lumbards to an end by the practises of the Popes whereas yet their Kings haue this testimonie affoorded them euen by the Historians of their greatest enemies That from the time they receiued the Christian Religion and Catholike Faith they had euer beene great Iusticers and deuoutly giuen witnesse saith Sigonius their good lawes which so seuerely punished thefts robberies rapes murders and adulteries carefully preseruing euerie man in his owne estate goods and libertie witnesse also the sumptuous Temples and ample Monasteries with which they beautified and adorned Italie the faire and goodlie Cities which they either built or repaired the honours they did to holie persons the Lordships and riches which they bestowed vpon the Popes with the great reuerence they vsed towards them insomuch that some of them at the Popes persuasions left Crowne and Kingdome to confine themselues within a cloister But the Popes ambition was great and the Lumbards payed the price of their deuotion towards that See by the finall ruine of their state and kingdome Neither is Onuphrius ashamed to vaunt Onuphr in Constant that Gregorie the second had chased the Emperour out of Italie That Gregorie the third by the helpe of Pepin had begun the warre vpon the Lumbards which being pursued by his successors must needs as it did end in the ruine of that Kingdome And this fell vpon the yeare 773. Where note also An. 773. for the more perfect view of these proceedings that about the yeare 740 the King of West Saxons in England purposing to take the Frocke vpon him first made his realme tributarie to the Pope binding it to pay yerely a pennie for euerie chimney in the land So likewise in the same Island did Offa King of Northumberland vnder Adrian the first The Author setteth downe the cause which was the feare he had to be punished for his sinnes as thinking he should neuer be able to make sufficient satisfaction to God for them though he had alreadie giuen the tenth of all his goods vnlesse he gaue other mens goods also and made the kingdome to beare the penaltie of his offences so well did the inuention of Purgatorie suit alreadie with their ambition But Gregorie the seuenth called Hildebrand Gregor 7. in ep ad Pet. Alban G. Principem Salernitanum would make the world beleeue That Charlemaigne in humble acknowledgement of S. Peters helpe in his victories vpon the Saxons had giuen the countrey of Saxonie as an offering to the Church of Rome and that he commaunded smoake pence to be payed throughout Fraunce vnto the Pope but he alledgeth no author saue onely his pretended Charters by vertue whereof he commaunded Peter Bishop of Alba and G. Prince of Saleme his Legats to make demaund of those said pence in Fraunce But the French euer laughed at such claimes and Charlemaigne was too wise to fall into such a trap About this time also was it that Boniface falsely surnamed the Martyr a great champion of the Popes and Pope himselfe published the Decree Si Papa containing That if the Pope happen to neglect his owne saluation and others c. he euer draweth with him multitudes of soules to hell Distinct 46. A great mischiefe but what remedie for it followeth This no mortall wight may presume to reproue him for his faults because he himselfe iudgeth all men and is iudged of none vnlesse he be found erring in faith Which doctrine once layed for a ground what wonder if Popes haue alwaies run so headlong to all manner of impietie And the better to see how the Apostasie from true doctrine hath alwaies encreased with the Tyrannie of the Papacie we must further note that the most grosse abuses grew vp in this lamentable time We haue said before that Gregorie the first altered the Liturgie of Rome this was now receiued in Italie by the meanes of Adrian the first in Germanie by the diligence of Boniface and in Fraunce by the authoritie of Charles and where euer they found opposition there they brought it in by force and violence The holie Supper was for the most part left off priuat Masses vsed in stead thereof the Sacrament was turned into a Sacrifice and then began the opinion of Transubstantiation to giue it the greater credit Purgatorie also now came to be vndoubtedly beleeued of the common people hence came those multitudes of foundations the Church euer parting stakes in the reuenues Now began men to flocke to Rome in pilgrimage hoping thereby to purchase remission of all their sinnes insomuch that the Bishops and Fathers of Fraunce in the Councell of Tours began to oppose against it Concil Turoni An. 813. sub Charo Magno Concil Nice 2. and to entreat the Emperour to stay the current of this abuse And lastly in the yeare 788 was held that second Councell of Nice called the seuenth Generall Councell vnder Constantine the seuenth and his mother Irene wherein after strong opposition was finally established the adoration of Images Adrian the first there assisting by his Legats whom Irene the Empresse hoped so to satisfie and content by giuing way to this Decree that by his fauour she might once more set foot in Italie OPPOSITION Neither may
Bishop much renowned for his pietie and learning in Bauaria for affirming That there were Antipodes as hee was indeed a man seeme in all sciences especially in the Mathematikes Which Boniface persuaded Zacharie a couple of scholers well met to condemne in him as Heresie and irreligion And thereupon were letters dispatched to Vtilo king of Bauiere to depose him from his charge To conclude this section we may not forget that this Adrian was the first that is said to haue sealed in lead as also that he laid the first stone of that doctrine which since that time hath beene so well practised by his successors to the cost of so many kings and princes Adrian in Epist ad Charo mag de Nicae Synod That if any man hold any Church goods if he refuse to restore them he is an Heretike The verie seed of so many excommunications spoyles and reuolts of subiects from their lawfull Lords and Soueraignes and vnder this colour did he animat Charlemaine against the Emperours of the East and hereupon also Leo the third tooke occasion to crowne him Emperour of the West and if we will beleeue Baronius to translate the Empire vpon him Now from this coronation of Charlemaine at Rome by Pope Leo Baronius after his accustomed boldnesse in this kind draweth in consequence a cruel and a bloudie doctrine wherein all Christian Princes haue their interest namely That the Bishop of Rome hath authoritie and power to translate Empires and kingdomes Baron vol. 9. â—â— 800. art 6 7 8 sequent filling with this argument six or eight pages Leo set the Crowne vpon Charlemaines head We grant what followeth Ergo saith he Leo collated the Empire vpon him translated it from the Greekes to the French did it and had right so to doe What Reader can endure such a non sequitur as this For when the Patriarch of Constantinople was wont to crowne the Emperour or when Archbishops in other places crowne their kings doe they bestow the Empire or kingdome on them or because they are instruments vsed for the performance of this ceremonie doth it implie a power or right in them of conferring kingdomes whether hereditarie or electiue No doubt neither he that did consecrate nor he that was consecrated had euer any such opinion And therefore the Emperors crowned by the Patriarches and Charlemaine by the Pope were neuerthelesse teermed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. crowned of God as appeared in Charles by the acclamation before mentioned of the people made at his coronation Charolo à Deo coronato c. But peraduenture his authorities are better than his reasons All this saith he was according as it is written Dan. 4. The most high ruleth ouer the kingdomes of men and he giueth it to whom it pleaseth him True but how doth he proue that the Pope is God or that the most high hath surrendred his place to him And againe By me kings raigne and by me princes beare rule Prouerb 8. which words Salomon spake of the eternall wisedome of God And where doth he proue that this wisedome was hypostatically and essentially residing in the person of the Pope And yet as if he had deliuered some high point of doctrine Reader saith he consider well this matter c. and what I pray you followeth of this wide gaping but meere gallerie and cogging Secondly Who doubteth saith he but God hath giuen as great authoritie to his Church as heretofore he gaue to the Iewish Synagogues And doe we not for how Samuel translated the kingdome of Saul to Dauid Elias and Eliseus from the house of Achab to the stocke of Iehu Nothing but trickes againe for where readeth he that the Synagogue had euer right to translate the kingdome that euer it did it or medled with it And if the Pope for this purpose will needs be master of the Synagogue and circumcise himselfe yet how wil he proue vnto vs that vnto this decayed Synagogue of the Iewes the Church of Rome hath now succeeded rather than that of Ierusalem of Alexandria or of Antioch or which is more where will he shew vs That God hath spoken to him and giuen him any speciall commaund either by Oracle or by myracle or by any other way Doth he not see that this worke was altogether extraordinarie wherein the High Priest was not vsed but a Prophet and vessell elected of God for this speciall purpose which should not haue beene if the office had beene properly affected to the Synagogue And shall these men be ouer suffered thus to abuse the world Thirdly saith he it was said to Ieremie Ierem. 1. I haue set thee this day ouer nations and kingdomes to plucke vp and to destroy to plant and to build And it was also said by the Prophet Haggei The glorie of this house i. of the second Temple shall bee greater than the glorie of the first And Saint Paul saith If the ministration of condemnation i. the Law was glorious much more shall the ministrie of righteousnesse exceed in glorie meaning the ministrie of justification by faith in Christ Ergo saith Baronius much more hath the Pope power to plucke vp and to pull downe to collate and to translate kingdomes Who can but grind his teeth to heare such prophane abuse and blasphemie of the word of God For was Ieremie either Synogogue or High Priest or was he to denounce and threaten the ruine of the Iewish Estate by the Babylonians as a Priest of Anatoh or as a Prophet and was it not said vnto him when he would haue excused himselfe Ierem. â— 6 9. Before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee and ordained thee a Prophet for the nations And did nor the Lord put forth his hand and touch his mouth saying Behold I haue put my words into thy mouth What can Leo and the rest of such companions alledge for themselues like vnto this And last of all doth he make no difference betweene denouncing the judgements of God as they were reuealed vnto him by speciall commaund from him and the intruding himselfe without commission to the deposing of one king and installing of another Ieremie though founded as you see vpon a greater power yet did he presume to depose Sedechias or to annoint Nabuchadnezzer in his roome Saint Ierome truely was of another mind concerning this place of Scripture who expoundeth it by another in the fiue twentieth of the same Prophet where God deliuered to the Prophet a cup to make drunke all nations with the wine of his wrath all which are there specified by their names that is to forwarne them of the plagues which God was redie to powre out vpon them And yet doe we any where find that the Prophet intermedleth with the affaires of those seuerall nations And when Saint Ierome will goe a little farther and allegorise this peece of Scripture he expoundeth these words of planting and pulling vp the one of bad doctrines which
a place in Councels to Mathilda Doubtlesse the Monke Godfrey saith plainely That being circumuented by the Pope she gaue vnto S. Peter without the knowledge of the Magistrats and rulers the Marquisat of Ancona But as touching his publike life and gouernement Gerochus his follower Gerochus in vita Hildebrand who writ the historie of his life describes him to be verie obstinat and proud in his own conceit The Romans saith he vsurpe a diuine honour they will giue no reason of their actions neither can they endure it should be said vnto them Why doest thou this and they haue alwayes in their mouthes these Satyricall words Sic volo sic iubeo sit pro ratione voluntas So I will so I command For reason my will shall stand And that indeed was his humor according to the description of all writers Sigebert who writ of those times saith That by his example and by reason of his new decrees many things were done in the Church against all lawes diuine and humane and there arose in the Church by this occasiō Pseudomagistri false Doctors who by their prophane nouelties had diuerted the people from the discipline of the Church and that he excommunicated the Emperour for this very cause that the Peeres of the Realme should withstand their King being for iust cause excommunicated Againe that the Pope meeting the Emperour in Lumbardie vnder a false shew of peace absolued him For all they who had first abiured Hildebrand adding periurie to periurie abiure the Emperour and appoint Rodolph Duke of Burgundie their King the crowne being sent vnto him by the Pope Hereby we may easily gather what opinion he had of him Another saith He receiued for accusation of the King the writings of his enemies and thereupon excommunicated him Histor Saxonica in literis Henrici ad Hildebrand Benno Cardin. in vita Hildebrand And with what furie he was caried appeareth by that his Apothegme I will either die or take from thee thy life and kingdome But Cardinall Benno noteth the manifest iudgement of God As saith he he rose from his chaire to excommunicate the Emperour then newly made of strong timber by the sudden hand of God it was strangely torn into diuers peeces to giue all men to vnderstand how many horrible schismes by that dangerous excommunication and presumption he that sate in that chaire should sowe both against the Church of Christ and the Sea of S. Peter how cruelly he should dissipate the chaire of Christ trampling the lawes of the Church vnder his feet and bearing rule with power and austeritie And another saith From hence there arose a more than ciuile warre without respect of God or man the Diuine and humane lawes were corrupted without which neither the Church of God nor common-wealth could stand and the publike and Catholike faith is violated And if you aske them where the fault was they tell you speaking of the extraordinarie submission of Henrie to Gregorie Apologia Henrici that hee omitted nothing that might mollifie the heart of Gregorie and regaine his grace and fauour insomuch that at the last for a testimonie of his reconciliation he receiued the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ Iesus at the hands of the Pope sits at table with him and so is sent backe in peace But the author addeth That peace which Iudas dissembled not which Christ left Insomuch that Leo Bishop of Ostia Leo Ostiens li. 3. Chron. Cassinen c. 48. who then flourished saith The businesse being brought to an end the Pope by the counsel of Mathilda sent one of his ouer the mountains with the crowne of the Empire to Rodolph persuading him to rebell against the Emperour And the letters whereby he incited him are yet to be read in the Historie of Saxonie Historia Saxonica Apologia Henrici yea some repeat his owne words Trouble not your selues saith he I restore him vnto you more faultie than before for the person of the King shal be more contemptible in his kingdome if satisfying he lay aside the ensignes of his kingdome and if without permission he resume his regal ornaments I shall haue the iuster cause to excommunicate him But of both the kings this is his iudgement Henry born brought vp in the kingdome by the ordinance of God succeeded his progenitors in the kingdome c. But Rodolph saith he was obedient to the Pope who had discharged him of his faith and allegiance and assured him that bearing armes against Henrie he could be no way condemned of periurie and disloialtie because being excommunicated he could be no longer King it being the dutie of all the faithfull in the Church to persecute and kill all those who fauouring Henrie the King excommunicated refuse to forsake him This was a new Doctrine saith the Authour neuer heard of before there being no other sword permitted in the Church Helmold in Historia Sclauorū c. 28. 29. 30. than that of the spirit which is the word of God But the iudgement of God acknowledged by Rodolph himselfe giues better satisfaction who being neere his end vsed this speech to some of his familiar friends You see heere my right hand wounded with this right hand I sware to my Lord Henrie that I would neuer hurt him or hinder his glorie but the commaund of the Pope and request of the Bishops haue brought me to this that laying aside all respect of mine oath I should vsurpe an honour that was none of mine But what comes of it you now see In that hand which hath violated mine oath I am wounded to death Let those therefore consider hereof that haue prouoked vs hereunto how they haue led vs least perhaps we fall into the bottomlesse pit of eternall damnation And so with these wounds and great anguish of heart he departed this life The same author addeth that the Saxons gathering heart againe chose one Herman surnamed Cluffloch king who had conquered Henrie in the field Who by the iust iudgement of God entring victoriously into a Citie the Gate fell off the hinges and killed him and diuers others Whereupon the Saxons seeing their purposes frustrated they gaue ouer the creating of a new King or to beare armes any more against Henrie manifestly perceiuing that the kingdome was reserued vnto him by the approbation and permission of God himselfe What now remaineth but that we adde the confession of Gregorie himselfe alledged before by Sigebert and confirmed by Mathew Paris That by the instigation of the Diuell he had stirred vp wrath and reuenge against mankind I willingly here omit the contradictorie writing of this age with the replications and duplications of those that tooke part with Gregorie to maintaine his excommunication who say that a Pope excommunicated Chilperick King of Fraunce for his idlenesse and vnprofitable gouernement onely and established Pepin in his place That Kings are not lesse subiect to the key of Rome then the rest of his subiects for
Bishops but because he that is Apostolicall should not wander from the Apostle we humbly in euerie particular circumstance enquire whether these words of this Apostolicall person sauoring the grauitie of the Apostle be sound and irreprehensible He promiseth Apostolike benediction to Robert but doth he commaund him to doe that that should obtayne benediction c. who hath euer persecuted the Church of God without punishment And here are alledged many examples out of the Scriptures See here the workes of iust malice that this father ordayneth for his sonnes to come to the heauenlie Hierusalem by impugning the Church of God We giue thankes to thy wisedome saith the Church for that thou hast done at Cambray who can thinke of the ruine and desolation of that Church without teares I a daughter of the Church of Rome did condole their estate for that brotherhood that was betwixt vs but now hearing that all these mischiefes haue lighted vpon them by the Apostolike authoritie I grieue the more because I feare least that should light vpon my mother Esay 10. that the Lord saith by the mouth of his Phrophet Esay Woe vnto them that decree wicked Decrees and write grieuous things to keepe backe the poore from iudgement c. That there should be such desolation of the Church such oppression of the poore and widowes such crueltie such rapine and which is worse such effusion of bloud without respect of good and euill and all this and worse than all this done by the commaund of the Pope who would beleeue it if his owne mouth had not spoken it We remaine astonished with the noueltie of these things and wee enquire from whence this new example should come that the Preacher of peace with his owne mouth and the hand of another man 2. Tim. 4. should make warre against the Church of God c. For Apostolike men improoue rebuke exhort offendors with all long suffering and doctrine c. And Christ saith Math. 8.15 If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him c. And here they alledge the example of S. Gregorie towards the Bishop of Salonne reprehending the Emperour Maximus for that he vsed force against Priscillian and his fellows He say they that condemned Itachius their accuser for the death of Heretikes doubtlesse if he were now aliue he would not commend Paschal by whose commaund so many people are murdered for the cause of Cambray c. We commaund the like to be done saith he against the excommunicat falsly called Clerkes of Liege And why excommunicated we are all baptised in one spirit into one bodie c. when hath the Church of Rome heard that there are contentions amongst vs we thinke and say of Christ one and the same thing we doe not say I am Paules I am Cephas I am Christs Are we excomunicated for this our concord c Because we keep the law of God they obiect against vs that we transgresse their new traditions But God saith vnto them wherefore doe you transgresse the commaundement of God by your traditions God commandeth vs to giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods which S. Peter and S. Paule doe likewise teach Honor the King Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers c. He that commaunds euerie soule to doe this whom doth he exempt from this earthlie power Because therefore we honour the King and serue our Lords and masters in the simplicitie of our hearts are we therefore excommunicated But we are simoniacall persons No we auoyd all such and those we cannot by reason of the time and place we tollerate and we no lesse flie those who couer their auarice with an honest title and vnder the name of charitie boast themselues to giue that freely which in effect they sell dearely and like the Montanists vnder the name of oblations they cunningly receiue gifts Alas with griefe we wonder why when and by whom we are excommunicated we know we are not excōmunicated by our Bishop by our Archbishop and we thinke much lesse by the Pope because he cannot be ignorant of that which Nicodemus saith Our Law iudgeth no man before he be heard Johan 7. Genes 18. neither had God condemned the Sodomites except he had first come downe to see whether they had done altogether according to that crie which came vp vnto him Seeing therefore he hath heard nothing of vs neither hath beene sollicited by the Bishop or Archbishop against vs who would euer beleeue that he would excommunicate vs c. But perhaps you will say that therefore he doth it because we fauour our Bishop who takes part with the Emperour This is the beginning of our sorrow and that which may make the cause of the wicked to blush because Satan being let loose and walking through the earth hath now diuided the Kingdome and the Priesthood Forasmuch therefore as the Diuell came vnto vs Apocal. 20. hauing great wroth as it is in the 20 of the Reuelation we pray to our father which is in heauen for this especially that he lead vs not into this temptation but that hee deliuer vs from the euill thereof c. But who can reprehend a Bishop for keeping his faith and loyaltie to his Prince And yet they that teare in sunder the Kingdome and Priesthood with new schismes and new traditions promise to absolue those from the sinne of periurie that break their faith to their King c. Hereby let all men iudge who of the two deserueth punishment he that giueth vnto Caesar according to the decree of God himself those things that belong vnto Caesar or he that dishonoreth his King and takes that name of God in vayne by which he plighted his faith to the King See here the reason why we are excommunicated and why we are called false Clerkes who liuing Canonically deserue by our liues and conseruations to be called Clerkes He is I say no part of Gods lot alluding to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clerkes that is to say he hath no portion in his inheritance who will exclude vs out of his inheritance where then doth he place Paschal It is an iniurie which out of his wicked heart he vomiteth against vs as old witches vse to do S. Peter teacheth vs not to rule as Lords in Clero ouer Gods heritage 1. Peter 5.3 Galla. 4.19 but that we may be examples to the flocke And S. Paule My little children of whom I trauell in birth againe in in the Lord. These should be examples for Paschal to imitate or rather admonishers and not impious raylers and slaunderers The curse of excommunication our Lord Paschal hasteneth vpon vs but aboue all we feare that which the spirit of God by the mouth of the Psalmist hath sayd Cursed are all they that decline from his commaundements That curse of excommunication that Hildebrand Odoardus and this third haue by a new
consent to the dissolution of the Councell of Basill And if any be moued at it that they are readie to aunswer actum est ne agas That hee hath that promise from the Chauncellour of Fraunce that they had heard that the kings Embassadours allured with certaine promotions made great shew that the king would consent to the dismission of the Councell but that they had resolued to resist him to his face And there we haue a Treatise concerning that matter written in the yeare 1434 by Iohn Patriarch of Antioch An. 1434. which he caused publiquely to be pronounced in the great hall of the Couent of Franciscan Friers in Basill That a generall Councell is aboue the Pope It beginneth Ad ostendendum Where out of the Fathers and by the Decrees he bringeth it to this In 3. vol. Concil in Append. Concil Basiliens ad ostendend That the Pope is the seruant of the Church to be chastised by it if he doe his duetie amisse and confuteth at large whatsoeuer is alledged to the contrarie Let the Reader see the booke it selfe in the Councels At the same time whilest the Popes boasted that the Greekes did acknowledge obedience vnto them are published two bookes of Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica against the Primacie of the bishop of Rome In the first booke he sheweth Nilus Archiepisc Thessalon de Primatu That the principall controuersies between the Greeke and Latin Church proceed from this that the Pope will not be judged by an vniuersal Councell but contrariwise as a master among his disciples will be Iudge in his owne cause whereas he ought to be ruled by the prescriptions of the Councel and contain himselfe within the Decrees of the Fathers That the bishop of Rome hath not the same power ouer other bishops as a bishop hath ouer his Diocesans but hath onely the prerogatiue of the first seat to be higher than other And here hee enlargeth himselfe to shew the commoditie and authortie of Councels In the second book he teacheh That the bishop of Rome hath not the right of Primacie from Christ nor yet from S. Peter nor from the Apostles but that the Fathers for some causes haue giuen vnto him the first seat That he is not the successour of S. Peter but inasmuch as he is a bishop by which reason also all other bishops are his successors That he is not an Apostle much lesse prince of the Apostles That in those things which pertain to the rules of faith they may haue often erred That he hath no right to alledge his Tu es Petrus because that promise respecteth the Church of Christ and not S. Peter and much lesse him whom they would haue to be his successours That though we yeeld him to be first in order yet he is not therfore to beare domination ouer others this Primacie not inferring an order aboue others but a co-ordination with others Moreouer he rejected these presumtions of the Bishop of Rome That he is the Iudge of all to be judged of none That he is not bishop of a certaine place but absolutely bishop That he alone by his owne right ought to assigne an vniuersal Councell and the like seeing that the Primacie or rather first Seat was granted to him onely propter vrbis principatum because Rome was the first or chiefest in order among cities We need not here repeat how openly and as they speake formally the greatest part of the kingdome of Bohemia opposed themselues earnestly desiring reformation of the Church according to the holie Scriptures exhibiting to this end a confession of their Faith to their King to the Emperour and to the Councell and preaching the same publikely in the Temples which by publike authoritie were then granted vnto them Also after faith was broken with Iohn Hus how stoutly they defended it by just and necessarie armes God from heauen fighting for the safegard of that poore people vtterly frustrating all the endeuours of the Emperour and of the Popes against them as we haue aboue shewed out of Aeneas Syluius for they haue continued without interruption vntill these our times But it is worth the adding That those Waldenses who some ages before had brought this light of the Gospell into Bohemia abode still in the mountaines of Languedoc and Prouence and in many places within the Alpes and there kept themselues safe from the persecution of Popes and Papists In Lombardie also as witnesseth Antonine vnder the name of Fratricelli were some knowne to the time of Eugenius But in England especially the seed of Wickliffe was largely propagated where without repeating any thing of Sir Iohn Oldeastle of whom wee haue before spoken we read of verie many to haue suffered martyrdome for the same doctrine William Taylour Priest and professor of Artes in the Vniuersitie of Oxford An. 1422. An. 1428. in the yeare 1422 and William White in the yeare 1428 Author of many Treatises vpon matters controuerted in that time was burned for thirtie articles which by word and writing he had defended He taught among other things That the Roman Church was that withered fig tree which the Lord had cursed for barrennesse of faith That the Monkes and Friers were the annoynted and shauen souldiers of infernall Lucifer That against these the Bridegroome when he shall come will shut the gate for that their lampes are out With the same mind also Alexander Fabritius in his Treatise intituled Destructorium vitiorum wrot many excellent things against the corruptions of the Romish Church against the antiquitie of which he opposed this saying of S. Cyprian If Christ alone saith he ought to bee heard we are not to attend what men before vs haue thought fit to bee done but what Christ first before all hath done If Christ had knowne that man might more easily get eternall life by the lawes of Iustinian than by the law of God he would haue taught them vs with his owne mouth and would haue let goe the law of God till another time which notwithstanding he hath taught with great diligence and wherein is contained all the doctrine requisit to saluation Againe He is a betrayer of the truth who openly speaketh a lye for the truth and he which doth not freely pronounce the truth the Pastors of the Church which refuse to pronounce the truth of the Gospell and by their euill examples slay such as be vnder them are traytors and most manifest Antichrists The Pastors and Prelats of the Church take great paines in these dayes for the obtaining of dignities one in the kings kitchin another in the Bishops Court another in seruice of his Lord but none in the Court of the Law of God Proud Priests and Prelats against the doctrine and example of Iesus Christ doe beare dominion as the kings of the Gentiles Being vniust they oppresse theirs with superfluous traditions vniust constitutions These moderne Priests doe whatsoeuer flesh and bloud reuealeth vnto them therefore are they cursed
Princes being taken prisoners by the Palatine whereupon they fell to this agreement Krantzius in Saxon. l. 12. c. 1. Naucler vol. 2. Gener. 49. That Adolph should possesse till his death the places which he had surprised and that Diether should peaceably enioy all the rest and also should succeed Adolfe whensoeuer he should decease which happened six yeares after And this was the fruit of ouerthrowing the Pragmaticall sanction which Pius said would be so profitable to the Church Neither was France better contented with the Decree of Pius the second than Germanie and so much the lesse for that Pius to gratifie Ferdinand bastard of Alphonsus had troden vnder foot the right of the Frenchmen in the kingdome of Naples He therefore sent a Legat into France for to abolish the Pragmatical sanction which was there obserued by vertue of the Councell of Basil and moued the king by letters in these words If thou be the sonne of obedience wherefore doest thou hold and defend the Pragmaticall sanction Eugenius warned thee to leaue it as not being according to God the same did Nicholas and Calixtus as the cause of great euill and discord in the Church and yet thou wouldst neuer heare the voyce of the Church And the king was somewhat moued with these words But the Court of Parliament of Paris came to him and earnestly declareth vnto him of how great importance it was for the Christian Commonweale the want whereof would most certainely bring foure principall inconueniences First A confusion of the whole Order Ecclesiasticall Secondly The depopulation of the subiects of the kingdome Thirdly An emptying the kingdome of money Fourthly The ruine and totall desclation of Churches All which they at large lay open vnto him from point to point This their admonition may be seene at large recited by Iohn Cardinall of Arles comprehended in 89 Articles in the workes of Peter Pithou which is worthie the Readers perusing There among other things they declared vnto him out of the holie Scriptures the practise of the Primitiue Church Canons of Councels Decrees of the Fathers ordinances of Popes themselues and by the lawes of Christian Emperours and Kings especially of ours That the Election of Bishops Abbots and other Prelats of the Church doth no whit depend and neuer haue depended of the Bishop of Rome That such was neuer the intention of Charlemaigne Lewis the Meeke Philip Augustus S. Lewis Charles the Wise and others who haue euer ordained and maintained Canonicall election so that whatsoeuer things are done otherwise is by meere vsurpation Then they come to speake of the pillages and buying and selling of the Court of Rome which in France alone doth amount to many millions of gold of which they set downe examples draw a roll of them and cast vp the particulars For what doe they say that in one onely Diocesse in one yeare the expectatiue graces are found to bee in number six hundred c. Whereupon the Pope was so moued Jacob. Cardin. Papiensis in Epistolis that as Iames Cardinall of Pauia writeth to king Lewis when he heard of a refusal he cried out Guerra vsque ad capillos But knowing wel that this king was diuersly intangled with many affaires and hauing found out his easie disposition that he wold do all things of his own head he could warily obserue him That thus had Constantine the great the two Theodosius Charlemaigne and many other of his predecessors gotten themselues an immortall name and a neuer-fading glorie to wit by abolishing the Pragmaticall sanction And what can be farther off from the truth and therefore what more vnworthie But principally because he heard his humor was in many things to goe contrarie to his fathers doings and wold be absolutely obeyed in what he pleased he there taketh hold Aeneas Syluius Epist 387. data Romae 26. Octob 1461. and tickleth him in that We commend saith he this among other things that without the assemblie and consultation of many thou hast resolued to take away the Pragmaticall Surely thou art wise and shewest thy selfe to be a great king which art not gouerned but doest gouerne c. Thou doest that which is meet for thee knowing that the Pragmaticall sanction is without God thou hast decreed to banish it out of thy kingdome and wilt not enter into deliberation whether those things ought to bee done or no which thou knowest are to be done This is to be a king and a good king whom good men loue and euill doe feare c. Betimes make knowne thy wisedome as to vs it is so to the whole world to the end that none may say he was a long time vnwilling because long in deliberating And if the Prelats and vniuersities require any thing of vs let them haue recourse to vs and make thee their Mediator Knowing without doubt if the matter once had come to deliberation he should surely haue had againe the repulse And he addeth Neither do we doubt but that when thou wert exiled namely when he was out of his fathers fauour as it were out of the kingdome thou wouldest often say with thy selfe O if I one day sit on my fathers throne I will doe many acceptable seruices to thee O God Surely I will not suffer thine inheritance to be spoyled by the furie of the Turkes c. But what doth he conclude of this Now shew thy slefe gratefull to his diuine goodnesse seeing he hath made thee his sonne king and hath restored the kingdome with great glorie and for so great benefits doe this againe for him take away the Pragmaticall sanction as thou hast promised our embassadour to doe and that done which is no hard thing to doe addresse thy selfe wholly to the succouring of Christian religion against the Turkes c. Thus to abrogat this law which respected onely the Canonicall election of Bishops and the restraint of the pillages of Rome was a matter of greater importance with him than the purpose or vow of making warre against the Turkes So then Lewis resolued to disannull it vnder colour that it had beene published in the time of schisme although he concealed not to encrease the benefit That it had beene concluded in a great assemblie of Prelats and with great deliberation of time and was now hardened and had taken firme footing But to what purpose he so eagrely pursued this businesse anon after appeared whereof wee haue a shew and example in the letters of Iames Cardinall of Pauia to Francis Spinola William Cardinall of Hostia saith he told vs a storie of an Abbie in France famous for wealth and religion of which there was an Abbot old and decrepit who seeing himselfe vnprofitable in his charge for conscience sake would leaue the administration of the same I know not what Bishop whose Church was farre thence requested that the Abbay should be giuen him in Commenda The Abbay as we haue sayd was of great fame in Fraunce hauing no ill in
common consent of the States George Prodebraccius a great captaine and a professor of their religion who restored the condition and sliding state of these Churches And as he constantly perseuered therein notwithstanding the threats of the Emperour and Pope hee was excommunicated by Paul the second and his Estate exposed to the first inuaders thereof Matthias king of Hungarie tooke vpon him the conquest of this Prouince by the instigation of Rodolfe the Popes Legat with the approbation of the Emperour Fredericke the third and by the fauour of many of the great men of the kingdome But after many battels fought with variable successe he could not bring his purpose to passe And in the meane time this valiant Prince was thereby hindered from the necessarie warre which he had prosperously made against the Turkes being accused of ingratitude for that he had set vpon George to whom he was verie notably obliged for hauing generously set him free out of prison without any ransome and also giuen him his daughter in mariage when he was chosen king of Hungarie In hatred of which fact euen after the death of George when Matthias was declared king by the Pope the States of the kingdome of Bohemia would neuer giue their consent vnto it but preferred before him Vladislaus sonne of Casimir king of Polonia who although he was oftentimes instigated by the Pope against George yet would neuer be persuaded to take armes against him judging it a thing vnworthy vnder pretence of the Catholike Faith to violat the faith giuen to each other And this bringeth vs to the yeare 1470. 64. PROGRESSION The Atheisme of Sixtus the fourth and his abhominable and wicked life whom Innocent the eighth succeeded both in the Popedome and in all impietie Of Alexander the sixt by what diuellish meanes he attained the Popedome and of his abhominable incestuous life and miserable death Charles the French king passeth into Italie with a mightie armie and of his valiant proceedings there NOw it was thought that the Popes were come to that height of impietie and tyrannie that they could hardly ascend to a higher step and yet by that which followeth we shall easily perceiue that they found meanes to adde both a ridge and pinnacles to that building It is beyond all beleefe especially we reporting it had we not their owne Authours to witnesse it against them In the yeare 1471 Francis de Rouere borne in Sauoy Generall of the Franciscans got the Popedome who was called Sixtus the fourth Of this man Onuphrius giues this testimonie That for his great learning as long as hee was Cardinall all questions that concerned matter of Faith were committed to him Where let the Reader note from that which followeth vpon whose faith the Catholike Faith depended At the first onset he made shew of calling a Councell at Lateran vnder a twofold pretence The reformation of the Church and The holie Warres The causes were both verie plausible both for the allaying of the grieuous gronings of good men and the freeing them of their feares But the place was not thought so fitting being that out of which there neuer came any thing profitable to the Church The Emperour Frederick desired that it might be in the borders of Germanie and at the instant request of the Archbishop of Carnie who gaue his best assistance to forward the Reformation the Emperour and Princes called an assemblie of many Bishops at Basil But Sixtus hearing thereof Stumfius in Histor Heluetia sent Angelus the Bishop of Suesse to the Senat of the citie threatening to interdict them if they sent not the Archbishop to Rome bound hand and foot accounted not the rest of the Bishops that were with him for excōmunicat persons But the Senat of Basil not enduring that so great a wrong shold be offred vnto them in a free city the Legat excommunicating them departed in choler Frederic neuerthelesse persisted in his purpose but yet the better to pacifie Sixtus he desired that the Councel might be called at Vtina in Friuli a countrey in Italie but that pleased him not neither This difficultie so soone as he saw he had ouercome withall established his seat with the mutuall Legations of Princes hee bent all his endeuours to the encrease of the honour and greatnesse of his friends and kindred Volateran Onuphr Volateran and Onuphrius say in expresse tearmes That he was accounted by the iudgement of all verie louing and indulgent towards his kindred for whose sakes hee had done and granted many things praeter fas jusque against all lawes humane and diuine Hee created therefore two Cardinals and that not without a mysterie Peter Riere whom hee had brought vp from a child with his brother Ieronimo and Iulian his brothers sonne who was afterward Iulius the second Peter being in a short time strangely inriched became so sumptuous that he seemed to be borne to spend money for he consumed in those two yeares wherein he liued a Cardinall two hundred thousand crownes in his ordinarie houshold expence left fortie thousand crownes in debts and other infinit riches and mouable goods He died weakened and worne out with pleasures But neuerthelesse a Legat a mad choyce it was in Italie It is he whose prodigious prodigalitie Baptista Fulgosius describeth to be such Baptista Fulg. dict factor memorab l. 9. Baptista Mantuanus in Alphonso l. 4. that hee vsually gaue to Tiresia his harlot pantofles wrought all ouer with pearle of whom likewise Baptista Mantua writeth these verses wherein Iupiter thus saluteth him in hell At tu implume caput cui tanta licentia quondam Foemineos fuit in coitus tua furta putabas Hic quoque praetextu mitrae impunita relinquit Sic meruit tua foeda Venus c. But thou O Bauld-pate who once mightest freely Glut thy desires with womens companie Thinkst thou thy Myter can here thy thefts defend Such hath the desert of thy leacheries been c. To the reproach and ignominie both of Pope Sixtus and himselfe Of Iulian we shall speake hereafter in his place Hauing prouided for these two that were neerest vnto him both in bloud and affection he bent his endeuours to the promotion of the rest of his kindred He made therefore his brother Ieronimo brought vp with him the Prince of Forlie and Imola whether by right or wrong hee regarded not whom he maried to Catherina the bastard daughter of the Duke of Milan hauing first bestowed a hat vpon Ascanius the Dukes sonne to get his fathers consent Presently after he raised Leonard his brothers sonne whom he maried to a bastard of king Ferdinands and made him Gouernour of Rome He made Iohn also the sonne of Cardinall Iulian Prince of Soria and Senogallia who maried Ioan the daughter of Frederick of Montefeltro Duke of Vrbin from whom came Franciscus Maria who his vncle dying without heires male obtained the dukedome and in this manner did he exalt diuers others He was so liberall say
rageth euerie where and thirsteth after the bloud of the miserable Yee can by no meanes appease this Cerberus but with a golden riuer there is no need of armes nor armies the Tenths will be of more force than troopes of horsemen and regiments of footmen It seemeth vnto me when I diligently consider the matter that a two fold way is proposed on the one side gold is demanded which superstition commandeth on the other side if we refuse it the Popes excommunication is threatned Take which way of them yee please But O foolish and superstitious opinion of them that beleeue That the God of heauen beholding all things with the eyes of iustice will be led and turned at the becke and pleasure of the Florentines will be angrie with him that giueth not and againe pacified with him that giueth The excommunication of the Vicar of Christ is not to be contemned but yet not alwayes to be feared especially when it is done for humane affections I feare the indignation of Christ but of the Florentines I feare not And now indeed is in hand the affaires of Florence not of Christ The last Summer with great expence and charges was warre made against Frauncis Duke of Vrbin who being cast out of his Dukedome but first appeased with money Laurence de Medicis succeeded in his place Iulius the second being not prouident ynough that he left no more gold there was inuented a certaine new fraud against all the Cardinals that were the richest that they had conspired the Popes death and thereupon were their goods confiscat I speake not of the Crosses erected in euerie towne propitious according to the measure of the giuers I omit the comedie of S. Peters Church full both of laughter and of indignation The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord crieth the Prophet but it is not the Temple of the Lord It is Laurence buildeth and not Peter the stones in the night wander away I faine nothing here most excellent Princes of the Roman Empire Why is the world solicited for the Church of S. Peter whereon there is but two Masons onely in that worke and one of them lame sauing that of late in the great concourse of straungers is stirred vp a tumult of artificers there running and shouting there were seene foolish painted Angels receiuing gifts from the giuer and carrying them vp on high c. Consider now what is to be done euerie day will now bring forth new care The Duke of Vrbin being hunted away the like fortune is threatned to the Duke of Ferrara and then shall wee salute Laurence de Medicis or the Florentine Duke of Tuscanie Thus haue yee now briefely the summe of the Tenths and the Ambuscadoes of the Turke to wit of the Pope by meanes of superstition robbing your verie bowels And this was then the iudgement of Germanie The other followeth A solemne Appeale of the Vniuersitie of Paris assembled the seuen and twentieth of March 1517 in which after they had protested that they intend not to speake or doe any thing against the Catholike Church or against the Popes power benè consults well counselled they declared That by this power he the Pope is not made impeccabilis exempt from sinne So that if he commaund any thing to be done that is vniust which hath bin suggested vnto him by naughtie insinuation he ought to beare it patiently if it be not done and if he decree any thing against the commaundements of God he must not be obeyed yea he may be by right resisted But if he be so ayded by the power of the Prince vpon the false suggestion or euill counsell of flatterers or deceiuers that he cannot be resisted and the remedies of resisting be taken away yet by naturall right there remaineth one thing which no Prince can take away namely the remedie of Appeale seeing it is a certaine defence competent to euerie one by diuine natural and human right which cannot be taken away by the Prince And there they approue the Councels of Constance and Basil and vrge the reformations there ordayned which they specifie in particular as the remedies against Simony a prohibition not to raise or pay Annuities and other statutes confirmed by the nationall Councell of Fraunce held at Bourges and consequently strenghthened by the perpetual Edict of Charles the seuenth In preiudice of which things notwithstanding say they Leo the tenth in a certaine assemblie held at Rome which is against vs conuocated we know not how but not in the spirit of the Lord with which nothing can be decreed or ordayned against the law of God and sacred Councells which assemblie gaping after their lusts and commodities and expecting by these meanes gold and siluer to be brought vnto them at their wish out of the kingdome and out of the territories of Dauphinie enuying these Statutes that hindred it they haue laboured to abrogate them And for proofe that this Councell to wit of Lateran is vnlawfull they alledge That against the Catholike Faith it condemned the Councell of Basill and particularly the pragmaticall Sanction and in this deed king Frauncis by cunning meanes was deceiued who then was in Italie amidst the noise of armes and that vnder pretence of certaine Concordats which he commaunded to be published not sufficiently considering how great dammage it would bring to his realme Out of which they conclude Wee the Rector and Vniuersitie of Paris feeling our selues grieued endammaged and oppressed doe appeale from our Lord the Pope not well counselled and from the abrogation of the sayd sacred Councell of Basill and of the Statutes of the pragmaticall Sanction depending vpon it and from the edition of the new Statutes and yeelding consent thereto Vnto a future Councell lawfully assembled c. Protesting instantèr instantiùs instantissimè most instantly to prosecute this Appeale by way of nullitie of abuse of iniquitie or vniustice and otherwise the best we may to reserue the election and choise vnto our selues c. And moreouer all the principalls there present vnder-signed the same in solemne maner with all the formalities requisit thereunto Professio fidei fratrum Waldensium Regi Vladislao in Hungarian missa An. 1508. Responsio excusatoria Fratrum Waldensium contra binas literas R.P. Angustani sacrae Theologiae doctoris ad eundem data Anno 1508. But besides these oppositions among themselues in the kingdome of Bohemia and Prouinces of Morauia and Silesia the Churches in great number continued and openly opposed themselues against the Papacie and by publique preachings impugned the abuses of the Romish Church These same in the yeare 1508 presented againe a confession of their faith to Vladistaus king of Hungarie together with an Apologie wherein they vehemently confuted the Calumnies vsually laid against their doctrine and plainely laid open the reasons for which they had justly and lawfully departed from the Church of Rome which are longer than can be here inserted such notwithstanding as that
satisfie thee herein if I can Thou wouldest know when Antichrist inuaded this chayre which for a long time hee coueted and now possesseth It was necessarie that the Palladium le Garde corps of the Church should first be stollen before he could be receiued before that fatall horse could be admitted The word of God the Candlesticke of the holie Scriptures must first bee hid vnder a bushell before the theefe durst creepe in or make any assault vpon the Church which still continuing in force in vaine could that sinke of superstitions besiege it but we kept it farre off from our Troy our rampiers our territories much more from the porch the Temple the Sanctuarie of the Lord. That old Dragon vnder the colour of a not written word cunningly and closely brought in Traditions to betray the Church which the wisedome of the flesh their neere alliance better agreeing with carnall reason did willingly and with good countenance receiue equalled them with the Written word the sacred oracles made them sit cheeke by cheeke with them This law of equalitie being often attempted in the seuenth age and seuenth Idolatrous Synod it was established yea and by vertue thereof Traditions preferred before the Word opposed against it Then Simon rather vnder the name than shape of Simon began to appeare by diuers cunning deuices couering his treacherie persuading vs to receiue that dangerous engine that Troian horse that Epitome as it were of all the Painims impieties into the place of our Palladium the word of God Capis then and diuers others who were of a sounder iudgement fearing their subtilties and finding them cried out to haue it burnt The most famous Fathers of the Church throughout the world foretold threatened the euill to come resisted banded themselues against it But you vnaduised or rather ill aduised ita ferentibus fatis being necessarie that the Prophesies should be fulfilled in their due time Diuiditis muros moenia panditis vrbis Et licet Vtero sonitum quater arma dedêre Diuide your walls and make them plaine euen with the ground Though foure times the armor in his bellie did sound Nothing regarding either the aduertisements of the Apostles the counsell of the Fathers of the Church or the suspitions that it gaue of it selfe But Instantes operi immemores caecique furore Hoc monstram infoelix sacrata sistitis Arce Blind with furie the more is the pitie You place this monster within your citie From thence forward he put all to fire and sword in the citie ransacked the Church polluted the holie things left nothing vntouched with the infectious hands of his Harpies powred out of that fatall horse all manner of superstitious seruices in the Church calling this horse although a marke of the Greekes the Troian horse These superstitions Catholike Orthodoxall because consecrated and hallowed these are their owne words by the Popes though from their bginning they were Heathenish and Idolatrous Now in the middest of this fire this vniuersall confusion thy neighbours house being on fire nay thine owne nay thy beard being singed thou gapest stretchest thy selfe as if thou were halfe asleepe thou cauillest and disputest where it first tooke fire where it began and in the meane time thou burnest thy selfe Wise Antenor deuout Aeneas did not so but breaking through the Grecian troupes got themselues out of the citie with their fellowes gathered together what they could and to sea they goe and putting themselues into the first ships they met with hoyse vp sayles to seeke a new countrey and find it and there they settle being stil Troians whither soeuer they went in what place soeuer they rested carrying with them their houshold gods and the ensignes of their countrey Being still Christians professors of the Catholike faith carrying with them the word of God vntouched by the fire of the Greeks keeping the Sacraments of our Lord sound and pure The Grecians are no Troians though they hold the place and possesse it whatsoeuer title they alledge neither art thou that hast yeelded thy selfe forsaken thy countrey a true Christian since the enemie is where Troy was Antichrist where Christ was furious in the middest of the Temple as once Antiochus was sacrilegious euen betweene the Altars the sacrifices Doe you yet doubt my brethren heare what S. Iohn saith Apocal. 13. v. 5. 2. Thess 2. v. 4. And there was giuen vnto him a mouth that spake great things and blasphemies S. Paule likewise Hee doth sit as God in the Temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Hearken now and behold Paul 5 your Pope at this day Lib. Benedicti de Benedictis Bononiae excusus Anno 16â—8 Jtem Thes Caraffae Neapoli excusae 1609. He is placed in the beginning of the books lately printed counterfeited as it were in a table euen to the life with this inscription PAVLO V. VICEDEO to Paule the 5 Gods Vicegerent The inuincible Monarch of the Christian Commonwealth and the most valiant Protector of the Pontificall power And in the same stile we read at Tolentine To Paul 3 The most great and excellent God on earth The scepters and diademes of Princes Kings and Emperours are his Trophes who stand about him beholding him with astonishment bowing downeward strooken with his lightning adoring him with this inscription ouer his head His countenance presageth an Empire The word of God soundeth on euery side but God knowes strangely wrested and applyed The nation and kingdome which will not serue him I will visit saith the Lord with the sword and with the famine and with the pestilence Ierem 27. That which was once foretold of Nabuchadnezzar the destroyer of the Church he like another Caiphas applyeth to himselfe and will haue it fulfilled in him the Alastor and vsurper of the Christian Church Againe He gaue him dominion and honor and a Kingdome and all the people shall serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and his Kingdome shall neuer be destroyed Dan. 7 With their faces towards the earth they shall licke the dust of thy feet Esay 49.23 That which was spoken of Christ onelie the eternall sonne of God gouerning his Church and to be applied to no man else is without blasphemy communicated to others These things were done by the commaund of the Superiors and printed at Bononia and at Naples And that not rashly or by the priuat endeuors and inconsiderat zeale of some priuat men but by a decree of the Popes Senat the matter solemnly deliberated and in Loco Maiorum in the presence of Paul himselfe in a famous assembly of Cardinals and a great concourse of people disputed and determined Here Reader thou beginnest to bend thy browes but they are not secrets that I vtter Rome knowes these things and these monsters are set out to the view of euery man And thou art a great stranger in thine owne Church if thou knowest them not a traytor to thy selfe if knowing them
haue receiued saith he his Synodall Epistle Epist 34. wherein he requireth vs not to trouble the peace of the Church and I haue likewise aduertised him of that superstitious and haughtie name of Vniuersall Bishop that he could haue no peace with vs vnlesse he did reforme the haughtinesse of this word c. otherwise saith he we corrupt the faith of the Vniuersall Church c. and not to speake of the wrong which he doth vnto vs Eleuationem if there be one called Vniuersall Bishop then must the Vniuersall Church goe to the ground if he which is Vniuersall happen to fall but neuer may such foolerie befall vs neuer may this weaknesse come vnto my eares But to Cyriacus himselfe he wrot requesting him at his first entrie to abolish that word of pride by which there was so great scandale giuen in the Church for whosoeuer saith he is desirous of honour contrarie to the honour of God shall neuer be accounted honourable by me tearming this title of Vniuersalitie a thing contrarie to God and to his honour And because Antichrist that enemie of the Almightie Epist 28. is now at hand my earnest desire saith he is that he may find nothing of his owne or anie waies appertaining to him either in the manners or in the names of the Priests And when the Emperour Maurice commanded that for a friuolous name there should no such scandale arise betweene them Consider saith he vnto the Emperour that when Antichrist shall call himselfe God the matter it selfe is but small and friuolous yet most pernitious if you looke to the qualitie of the word it consisteth only of two sillables but if you regard the weight of iniquitie which dependeth thereon you shall see an vniuersall enemie Wherefore I speake it boldly that whosoeuer calleth himselfe or desireth to be called by others the Vniuersall Priest or Bishop is in his elation of mind the forerunner of Antichrist because that in like pride he preferreth himselfe before others like I say for that as that wicked one would seeme as God aboue all men so will this man exalt himselfe aboue all Bishops And in like manner writeth he to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria Epist 30. And that no man may say That Gregorie went to take away that from another which he yet reserued as due vnto himselfe in his Epistle to the same Eulogius he thus writeth You haue beene carefull saith he to aduertise me That you forbeare now to write vnto any by those proud names which spring meerely from the root of vanitie and yet speaking to me you say Sicut iussistis i. As you commaunded Let me I pray you heare no more of this word Commaund for I know well ynough both what I am and what you are In degree you are my Brethren and in maners you are my Fathers Wherefore I commaunded you nothing onely I aduised you what I thought fittest to be done And yet I do not find that you haue perfectly obserued that which I desired to leaue deepest grauen in your best remembrance for I told you That you should not write in any such manner either to me or to any other and yet in the verie Preface of your Epistle you call me by that name of pride and vanitie Vniuersall Pope which I would intreat you to forbeare hereafter seeing that your selues lose whatsoeuer you giue vnduely to another For my owne part I seeke to encrease in vertue and not in vanitie of Titles That addeth nothing to my honour which I see taken from my brethren my honour is the honour of the Vniuersall Church and the sound vigour of my brethren Then am I truely honoured when my brethren haue euerie man his due For if you call me Vniuersall Pope you denie your selues to bee that which indeed you are in that you call me Vniuersall but God forbid let vs rather put farre from vs these words which puffe vs vp to pride and vanitie and woundeth charitie to the death Distinct 99. c. Ecce in praefatio 5. All which part of his Epistle is inserted in the Decret which Gregorie the thirteenth in his Reformation of the Canon Law knew not how to redresse but onely by giuing S. Gregorie the flat lye Now we may not for all this thinke that Gregorie would lose any thing of his owne or was carelesse to set foot and to encroach vpon another mans for it appeareth by his Epistles that he spread his wings as farre and farther than his neast would giue him leaue taking all occasions to gaine credit and to be dealing not onely in Italie but also in other more remote Prouinces of the West making himselfe sometimes arbitrator betweene parties and sometimes Iudge of controuersies betweene Church and Church and eftsoones a sanctuarie and refuge for those who had beene censured and cast out by their own Metropolitans whereof we haue but too many examples in his Epistles And if we will ground our opinion vpon certaine Epistles which goe commonly vnder his name he was the first which brought in the Pall of the Archbishops which was a certaine Mantle or Cloake which he sent vnto them in honour thereby to oblige them to the subiection of his See namely to Virgilius Bishop of Arles and by vertue thereof conferred vpon him his Vicarship ouer the Churches of king Childebert with power to watch ouer their doctrine and behauiours But it hath beene right well obserued that those Epistles are of another growth because the whole course of the Historie of Gregorie of Tours who liued in the same time with Gregorie the Great sufficiently teacheth vs That the authoritie of our Prelats and Archbishops depended not of the Popes neither did they euer heare talke of that Pall which is more than probable Greg. li. 4. Epist 51. 52. because that in so many changes of Bishops and Metropolitans as we read of we find no mention at all made thereof Wherefore those words Idem ad Interroga Augustin ca. 9. Quod iuxta antiquum morem Pallij vsum ac vices Apostolicae sedis postulasti And Cum priscam consuetudinem Fraternitas vestra repetat by which they say That Virgilius requested of Gregorie the vse of the Pall and the Vicarship of the Roman See according to the ancient custome were ill deuised And how vnlikely a thing is it that Childebert should intreat the Pope to commit the ouersight and charge of the Churches of his kingdome to the Bishop of Arles who was at that time subiect to king Gontran with whom hee might in time vpon occasion haue open warre Adde we hereunto That notwithstanding this pretended Pall Gregorie expresly forbad Augustine his Legat to exercise any jurisdiction ouer the Churches of France We saith he giue you no authoritie in the Churches of France c. Thou mayest not presume to iudge them by thine authoritie but onely by warning and speaking them faire and by making thy vertues to shine before them To
with manie others by which the cognisance of such causes is committed to the Ciuile magistrat And now what maketh all this for that absolute authoritie of the Pope Moreouer the Councell of Toledo which was held vnder King Gondemar in the time of Pope Boniface the third and that after that Decree of Phocas declareth that of Toledo to be the first See Concil Tolet. sub Rege Gondemaro not so much by vertue of anie new graunt as by the Synodall Decree of the auncient Fathers commanding all Bishops to vaile bonnet vnto him vnder paine of Anathema Which Decree of the Synod was also confirmed by the King Gondemar As for the Pope in all that long Epistle we find no one word spoken of him Baron an 610. art 14. and yet Baronius is not ashamed to auerre That the Church of Toledo had this priuiledge from Rome when as yet the Pope was not absolute Monarch in Italie itselfe for the Bishops of Istria and Venetia vnder their Patriarchs stood oâ—â— against them so also did the Bishops of Lumbardie as appeareth by that Epistle of Gregorie to Constantius Bishop of Milan Brixia ep 37. lib. 3. whom a certaine Bishop of Bresse would not acknowledge because it seemed that he as well as the Bishop of Rome derogated from the authoritie of the Chalcedon Councell But vnder his successor Sabinian the matter went a little farther Baron an 605. art 2 3 4. For we may learne out of a certaine Councell held at Mantua for which we are beholding to Baronius his Librarie That when as there was question about the choice of a new Patriarch of Aquileia and Agilulphaâ— the King of the Lumbards had caused one Iohn to be elected the Exarch of Rauenna to gratifie the Pope set vp against him one Candidian at Grado and so were there for a long time two Patriarchs of which he which sat at Aquileia would neuer acknowledge the Popes authoritie 23. PROGRESSION Of the attempt of Honorius against the Bishops beyond the Po. THe Lumbards at that time lying heauie vpon Italie on the one side and the Exarchs of Rauenna for the Emperour on the other caused the Popes to pull in their hornes and to make little vse or shew of their new title purchased from Phocas though in the meane time their ambitious humor and desire of soueraignetie and power neuer ceased to put forth vpon all occasions Honorius therefore Bishop of Rome about the yeare 623 tooke his aduantage vpon a lamentable and wretched accident The Bishops of Istria Venetia and Lumbardie as we haue alreadie said held no good correspondencie with the Bishop of Rome and it came to passe that Adelwaldus fift King of Lumbards fell somewhat distracted in mind whether by force of a poyson which is said to haue beene giuen him by Eusebius the Emperours embassador Sigonius de Reg. Ital. lib. 2. at his comming out of the Bath or otherwise it is a thing hard to say but in this case he made away twelue of the most principall men of charge in the kingdome and grew dangerous to the rest The Lumbards to preuent a mischiefe called a Councell and deposed him placing Adoaldus his brother in law in his roome yet was the kingdome hereupon drawne into factions some holding for the old King some for the new and among others they beyond the Po held for the new election as well clerkes as lay men Which Honorius perceiuing tooke presently part with the aduerse faction and dealt with the Exarch to reestablish Adelwaldus but aboue all to apprehend those Bishops and to send them safe to Rome to answere there for their offences to the end saith he that this their wickednesse may not escape vnpunished But the worst was that the Exarch was too weake a partie and not able to performe what he vndertooke and thereupon those Bishops persisted in their former resolution being now more incensed against him than before OPPOSITION If that Decree of Phocas made in fauour of Boniface the third found such opposition at home we may easily conceiue what light regard was had thereof in more remote Prouinces and Churches especially in that point which Boniface so much enforced That no prouision of a Bishop was good in law without his authoritie for the fourth and sixt Councels of Toledo at also the first and second of Bracara which were all held vnder Honorius make open shew thereof seeing that the Bishops assembled in these Councels openly professe that they were assembled by the care and industrie of Sisinandus their King Eius imperijs et iussia commoniti Chintillae salutaribus hortamentis who roused them vp by his commands to the due handling of matters concerning the discipline of the Church as likewise speake the fift and sixt By the wholesome exhortations of King Chintilla and the first of Bracara By the commaundement of King Arimire Moreouer we find the Chapter of the Greeke Synods translated by Martin Bishop of Bracara as we find them in the second Tome of the Councels authorised in that Synod for the Bishops are there prouided in full Synod by their Metropolitan who yet did nothing without the aduice of the other Bishops As for running to Rome for Buls or Pals not a word there to be found if the Pope sent it to anie it was his kindnesse but no man was bound of necessitie to accept it and if it happened vpon the accusation of anie Bishop that the Synod could not agree they neuer sent to Rome for a resolution but for a finall definition say they of this dissention this holie Synod hath thought fit that another Metropolitan of some bordering Prouince should be sent for to confirme and ratifie that opinion which he should thinke most agreeable to the Canons But here is to be noted that not long after this ordinance of Phocas made in fauour of the See of Rome the Church might plainely see in the person of this Honorius whom we now speake of how dangerous a thing it was that she should depend of one man Which Gregorie well foresaw when he said That if there should be one Vniuersall Bishop and he should happen to fall the whole Church must needs vnto the ground For the heresie of the Monothelites then rising in the Church Honorius with the first fell into it and was conuicted thereof by his owne hand writing which he had sent to Sergius Bishop of Constantinople neither was this a small heresie or of anie meane consequence for that not to acknowledge two wils in Christ is consequently to denie two natures in him also His letters were produced in the sixt Generall Councell Action 12. 13. 2. To. Concil Act. 12. 13. Concil Vniuers 6. and were there by generall consent condemned to the fire the summe of them was this That neither Gospell nor Epistle neither yet the Synods did euer teach vs these two faculties or powers in Christ That these were words inuented by some
to passe so long as he stood vpright yet Zonaras An. 718. though a Monke and a great maintainer of Images saith no such matter no more doth Cedrenus But the Popes must haue some colour for so hauâ— an enterprise Gregorie hereupon called in the Lombards against the Exarch who poasted to Rome in all hast but was repulsed by the Lombards and faine to returne vnto Rauenna and there brake off the peace betweene the Exarches and the Lombards which had continued euer since Rhotharis his time to the finall ruine of both Estates and first of that of the Exarches whose chiefe seat and citie Rauenna Luitprand king of the Lombards tooke and sacked But Gregorie liked not this sudden encrease of the Lombards power and therefore altered his course and carrying the matter verie closely got aid of the Venetians and thereby suddenly reestablished Paul in the Exarchat of Rauenna In the meane time the Emperor Leo ceased not to exhort Gregorie to forbeare the maintenance and support of Images in the Church Gregorie replied That it belonged not to the Emperour to innouat any thing in matters of faith for so he tearmed the vse of Images Neither staied he here but farther as the Histories report he solicited the Venetians and the inhabitants of Rauenna to rise in armes against the Emperour and his Exarch caused cities and townes to thrust out their lawfull magistrats Blond Dec. 1. li. 10. Sigon de Reg. Ital. li. 3. and to put others of their owne choyce in their roomes persuaded the citizens of Rome to abandon him as an Heretike if he persisted in those his opinions and in the end absolued the people of Italie from their oath and allegeance to him freed their conscience forbad them to pay their tribute or to yeeld him obedience in any kind The people feeling the reines to lye loosse vpon their neckes presently murdered Paul Exarch of Rauenna pulled out Peters eyes who was Duke of Rome killed Exhilarate Duke of Campania and his sonne Zonar p. 8. 85. to 3. Cedren p. 373. 1 filled euerie corner of Italie with sedition and bloud And in conclusion finding themselues so farre ingaged in these disorders that they saw no hope of reconciliation left them with the Emperour they shooke off and first of all the citizens of Rome the yoke of the Emperour taking a solemne oath to become liege seruants obedient in all points and to all purpose Baron 9. an 726 art 34. to the Pope And here saith Baronius was an end of those Dukes and Gouernours which the Emperours were wont to send to commaund in Rome and places neere adioyning This reuolt would he faine justifie Onuphr in Annot ad Plat. in Constant vnder colour of conspiracies made against the Pope which no Author reporteth but Anastasius a domestike of the Popes And therefore Sigonius saith also That Rome and the dukedome of Rome were translated from the Grecians to the Pope of Rome by reason of their wicked Heresie and impietie What impietie saue onely that pretended sinne against the vse of Images But he goeth on and setteth downe a beadroll of places which came to the Pope by this new conquest Rome with her castles and borough townes in Tuscanie Zonar to 3. in Leo. 3. p. 85. Port Centocella Cere Bleda Matuta Sutri Nepet Castelgalesi Orta Polimarte Ameria Tuderta Perusia Narni Oricoli and in Campania di Roma Signia Cedren pa. 373. Anagnia Ferentino Alatrio Patrico Frusigno Tiuoli and in Terra di Lauoro Sora Arces Aquino Teano and Capua whereunto we may adde That Luitprand king of Lombards who at his entrie vnto his kingdome redemanded the Cottian Alpes as a part of his demaines restored them againe and confirmed the grant of Aripert hauing as good right the one as the other to grant away that which belonged to neither of them And thus by the Bishops of Rome were the Emperours thrust out of Italie whither they neuer after looked but with a sigh Onuphrius speaking of Gregorie and this his fact saith in plaine tearmes That he was more hardie than his predecessor Constantine and that he lawfully rest out of Leo the third his hands all the Empire of Italie which was not possessed by the Lombards in the yeare 729. Thus haue we seene the ruine of the Exarches It remaineth now that we shew how they suppressed the kingdome of the Lombards of whom Gregorie stood in bodily feare because Luitprand their king comming with his armie before Rome gates Sigon de Reg. Ital. li. 3. had alreadie forced him to intreat for peace moreouer Gregorie saw that he was linked with Charles Martell at that time Maior of the kings house in France Blond Dec. 1. li. 10. who had sent vnto him his son Pepin with request that he would adopt him as his owne and in token thereof after the manner of the Lombards to cut off his lockes Aimon li. 4. ca. 57. which Luitprand accordingly had done though Aimonius saith He did it as his godfather and after the manner of the Christians Wherefore to preuent a mischiefe he sent vnto Charles a solemne embassage the Keyes of the holie Sepulchre and Saint Peters Chaines with other rich presents which as Aimonius saith had neuer beene heard of nor seene before vpon condition That he should free the Church of Rome from the present tyrannie of the Lombards and preferring heauenlie rewards before earthlie and transitorie respects should breake off all alliance and confederacie which he had with them Charles hereupon dispatched another embassage to Rome to ratifie an accord with the Pope whereof ensued the deliuerance of the Pope out of that imminent danger wherein he was Appendix Greg. Turmens 1. c. 110. and the vtter ruine of the Lombard State in Italie Gregorie in his Epistle vnto Charles bringeth in the Lombards speaking in this wise Let Charles now come with his French men and helpe thee if he can c. And againe Saint Peter could doe well ynough of himselfe but his purpose is to trie the courage of his children c. Howbeit Baronius would attribute this Epistle to Gregorie the third his successor Gregorie the second died in the yeare 731 and after him succeeded Gregorie the third An. 731. both in place and also in purpose Concerning Images hee decreed in a Synod of 93 Bishops That whosoeuer would not doe them religious honour should be cut off from the bodie and bloud of Christ and from the vnitie of the whole Church thereby putting Leo and his sonne out of all hope euer to reenter againe vpon Italie As for the Lombards it happened that Thrasamond Duke of Spoleto intended to rebell against Luitprand and for that purpose made alliance with Gregorie and to oblige him the more because his power was great in Italie hee surrendred vnto Gregorie certaine places which had beene formerly litigious betweene them and thereupon rise in open rebellion Luitprand presently came downe vpon him
and forced to crie to Gregorie for helpe Gregorie according to their articles receiued and defended him Luitprand summoned Gregorie to deliuer him into his hands An. 739. if not threatened to take him for an open enemie and when Gregorie refused to doe according to his summons Luitprand moued from Spoletum where he lay tooke by the way sundrie places of the Popes dominion and at length came and encamped before Rome gates Sundrie gentlemen of the citie growen wearie and scorning this new Church gouernment came ouer to Luitprand and offered him their seruice France was too farre off to helpe in time yet Charles intreated Luitprand by an embassador sent vnto him to raise his siege which he did holding onely in his hand what he had alreadie taken Luitprand was no sooner returned to Pauia but Thrasamond supported by Gregorie tooke the field againe surprising many of those cities and places which he had lost But shortly after all in one yeare died the Emperour Leo Charles Martel and Gregorie the Pope An. 741. After Gregorie succeeded Zacharie who redemaunded his places of Luitprand and tooke part as his predecessors had done with the rebels but seeing himselfe in danger entreated a parley and there got of this vertuous prince for so they tearme him what euer he desired who was contented at the Popes entreatie to giue ouer the action which he intended against the Exarch of Rauenna In like sort dealt hee with Rachis successor vnto Luitprand sometimes trying his patience and otherwhiles flying to his mercie but still abusing his deuotion vntill at length building vpon the foundation which his predecessors had laid hee resolued to ruine this ouer powerfull neighbouring Estate of the Lombards by a forreine power which though greater in it selfe yet was lesse dangerous to him and of lesse annoyance to his proceedings And the ambition of the French easily hearkened to such a motion Pepin succeeded his father Martel in his Mairaltie of the houshold and vnder this name in the royall authoritie But not content with the thing vnlesse he might also haue the Title sent to consult Zacharie Whether it were not reason that he which tooke all the paines in administration of all affaires of the kingdome should be king rather than he Aimon l. 4. c. 61. Sigon li. 3. Blond Dec. 2. li. 1. who contenting himselfe with the Title tooke care of nothing but onely in pleasures and pastimes pointing at Chilperic his Lord and Soueraigne whom he would faine haue pulled from his throne by force onely he wanted authoritie cloaked with deuotion Zacharis who vnderstoood by the halfe what the whole meant presently commaunded as saith Aâ—monius by his authoritie That Pepin should be created king who was accordingly that same yeare sacred by the Archbishop Boniface the subiects discharged of their allegeance and Chilperic degraded Pope Zacharie saith Sigonius anteâ—posing his Decree out of the greatnesse of his authoritie What authoritie but that which was foretold vs by the Apostle of that sonne of perdition placed in the Temple of God 2. Thessal 8.4 exaltting himselfe aboue all that is called God and carrying himselfe as if be were God God saith the Prophet to whom alone it appertaineth to set vp and to pull down kings to continue kingdomes or to translate them from one stocke vnto another And Sigonius cannot hold but must needs say That he dyed hauing carried matters more for the behoofe of the Church and of the Apostolike See than according to rules of true pietie and religion And this fell out in the yeare 750. An. 750. Pepin now owed Zacharie a good turne and quickly had occasion to requite his kindnesse Rachis king of the Lombards entring into religion Aistulphus his brother who succeeded in the kingdome set vpon the Exarch of Rauenna tooke the citie made him saue himselfe in Greece And this was the period of the Exarchat after two hundred yeares space that they had borne sway in Italie This done whether Aistulph grew more insolent than before or whether a fright tooke the Pope to see such proceedings Stephen who had now succeeded Zacharie resolued for preuention to flie to Pepin And Aistulph by his predecessors examples grew wise and would not be led with words Stephen knew not whom to trust and to passe himselfe in person ouer the Alpes had beene to runne into the diuels mouth wherefore he vsed the credit of Pepin to make faire weather with him to win him to withdraw his forces and to grant him safeconduct through his countries towards France which he did and receiued him in his journey with all honour at his Court Whence he passed into France where meeting with Pepin at Pontigon An. 754. in the yere 754 exhorted him in remembrance of the kindnesse which he had receiued of Zacharie to stand Saint Peters good friend nothing came amisse vnder so plausible a name And Pepin desired no better office both in regard saith Sigonius of the kindnesse of Zacharie in degrading Chilperic making that iust and lawfull by his sacred authoritie which otherwise seemed vtterly vnlawfull as also because he desired to haue this right of succession established by Stephen vpon his two sonnes Charles and Carloman The conclusion of all was That the next Summer Pepin should passe with his armie into Italie and force Aistolph to surrender the Exarchat and all other places which he had taken And that the Pope should spend the Winter in France to annoint and sacre his two children But vpon the holding of the Parliament in France when he saw all matters sort after his desire he went a step farther and drew a promise from Pepin That he would not restore either the Exarchat or Pentapolis vnto the Emperour of Greece who had made himselfe vnworthie thereof by his cowardise and heresie but that he would bestow them vpon Saint Peter and his successors for euer for the good of his soule and for the remission of his sinnes Which Pepin sware vnto him to performe and made his two children take the same oath and he presently deliuered him a Patent thereof signed with his owne hand Pepin had no sooner set foot in Italie but Aistulph presently promised to yeeld vp the Exarchat and what euer else he had taken for performance whereof he gaue fortie hostages which were presently conueyed into France Pepin had no sooner turned his backe but Aistulph immediatly repented him of his surrender drew his forces into the field and Pepin was faine to repasse the mountaines and to hasten backe into Italie againe Then was Aistulph faine to personne his promise with effect And when the Emperor of Greece required him to restore to him the Exarchat and Pentapolis as to him properly appertaining and not vnto the Pope his answer was That he had bestowed it vpon the Church for his soules health and for the remission of his sinnes And thereupon renewed his grant to Stephen giuing him liuerie and seisin for him and his
with vs that we will very sufficiently proue that he was lawfully and orderly accused and conuicted To conclude because you haue ouershot your selfe in what is alreadie past we now entreat you for the honour of God and in reuerence to the holie Apostles that from hence forward you send no such mandats either to vs or to our Prelats or to the great men of our kingdome least we be enforced to dishonour them and those which bring them Which we tell you of beforehand for the honour of your priuiledge because we desire to be obedient vnto you in all things that are fitting as vnto the Vicar of Saint Peter But you must also take heed that you driue vs not to take that course which is both approued and commended in the fift generall Councell concerning the Apostolike authoritie and in the Synodall Epistle of Saint Gregorie to the foure Patriarches and the foure precedent Epistles all which treat of the ordering and limiting of Ecclesiasticall powers and jurisdictions which we would not insert into these our letters till we might see whether we may bend you to mitigat the rigour of your commaunds For looke what is sent vnto vs in the name of the See Apostolike according to the holie Scriptures and the preachings of our auncestors and the Decrees of the Orthodox Fathers we know we ought to follow But what euer commeth besides come it from whom it will we know how to reiect and to controll it Last of all if in this answer there be any thing misbeseeming me or you you haue forced me thereunto Such were the letters which passed betweene king Charles the Bauld and Adrian the second though he had giuen him not long before some hope to make him Emperour though any other would giue him bushels of gold Baron vol. 10. an 871. art 79. offering him indeed an Empire but as he did in the desart vpon condition That he would fall down and worship him And this Charles was he which a few yeares before An. 853. first made a breach vpon the liberties of the French Synods when about the yeare 853 hauing held a Synod at Soissons two or three yeares after he sent the Acts thereof to Benedict the third thinking onely to gratifie him and neuer considering vnto what consequence his successors might draw the same Our French Bishops wrot much after the same maner vpon the same argument vnto Adrian being assembled in Synod at Dousy wherein they call him Primae Sedis Papam complaining That they were vtterly mistaken and casting the fault vpon his multitude of other businesses that he had not more maturely considered of their Acts which were in all points agreeing with the holie Canons As for the Excommunication which Adrian thundered out against this Charls we could wish we had his owne Epistle in answer to it but Hincmars the Archbishop of Reimes we haue who receiued command from the Pope to pronounce it and we will here produce the principall clauses thereof And first of all hauing complained of many grieuous reproofes and menaces receiued he declareth vnto him That he had imparted the tenor of his letters to the great ones and Prelats of the kingdome and which was more had caused them to be openly read in an assemblie of Bishops of France and Lorraine and had shewed Lewis king of Germanie the aboue mentioned letter wherein he was commaunded by Adrian to excommunicat by his authoritie all those who attempted any thing vpon the kingdome of Lotharius deceased I vnderstand saith he Qui de regno eius estis that like letters haue beene sent to the glorious king Lewis and to the great ones and Bishops of his kingdome which you who are his naturall borne subiect should best know But comming afterwards to the matter he letteth him to vnderstand That he is informed by diuers that the two kings had agreed to diuide this kingdome equally betweene them without which the people had long ere this beene vp in armes That therefore hee knoweth not what to doe seeing he must either disobey his commaund or disallow of the treatie and accord made betweene the two kings That whereas he saith That no man better than himselfe knoweth the great wrong which Charles doth herein he plainely telleth him That in case he did know yet would hee not thereupon doe any thing seeing that Charles confesseth no such matter of himselfe neither standeth he legally or canonically conuict thereof But rather protesteth and many there are which beare him witnesse That this part of the kingdome of Lorraine was by the consent and assent as well of the Bishops as of the great ones of the Empire giuen him by his father Lewis and confirmed to him by oath by his brother Lotharius That therefore he taketh that Canon of the Councell of Afrike to be spoken to him as well as to all other Bishops whereby men are forbidden to lay a crime to a mans charge which he is not able to euict by proofes because as S. Augustine who was there present saith Manie things are true which yet a Iudge may not beleeue without sufficient proofes That he hath no power to put anie man from the Communion for a crime neither confessed by the defendant nor proued by the informer That otherwise they should make themselues both judges and accusers which were not lawfull alledging for his authoritie the rule of the Apostle and the practise of the Church with sundrie places out of Augustin Gelasius Boniface and others And whereas he is charged by him as a partaker or rather author of this vnjust inuasion because he held his peace and stirred not as he was commaunded his answere is That Adrian should remember that it was written The cause which I vnderstood not I searched out with diligence and that Gregorie sayth That God to whose eyes all things are open yet in the verie case of Sodome sayth Descendum videbo I will goe downe and see to teach vs to be well informed before we beleeue a fault And whereas he commaundeth him to seperate himselfe from Charles and not to bid him so much as Good morrow whereas yet he desireth to be receiued to the Communion of Adrian that this toucheth him to the heart and that manie men of great sort both secular and Clergie now met at Rheimes hauing heard this commaund say that the like was neuer heard of to be sent from Rome though in their dayes there had beene warres before this time not onely betweene confederat Kings but also betweene the brothers and betweene the father and the sonnes That for his owne part he must needs thinke that this displeasure is befallen him for his other sinnes seeing it fareth better with some others who haue not doubted to call Charles into the kingdome of Lorraine That for the rest the Parliament of that kingdome sayth That Popes and Bishops excommunications are no titles to claime kingdomes by That the Scripture teacheth that
this right belongeth vnto God by whom Kings reigne and who giueth them to whom it pleaseth him That the Pope cannot be King and Bishop all at once That therefore he should doe well to leaue the disposing of state matters vnto them and not commaund them to take a king from a farre off who cannot be at hand to helpe vpon all occasion against the Painims this being a yoke which the Popes neuer before layed vpon the neckes of their ancestors and such as themselues could not beare seeing they were commanded in holie Scripture for their heritage and libertie to fight while the breath was in their bodie That one needeth not to tell them that a Bishop who excommunicateth a man contrarie to law loseth the power which he had of binding That none can take heauen from anie man saue onely from him which loseth it by his sinne That for earthlie respects none can take away the title of a Christian or lodge with the diuell him for whom Christ died to free him from the bondage of the diuell That therefore if the Pope desire peace he should do well to seeke it by quiet meanes because they neuer meane to make it an Article of their Creed That they cannot come to heauen vnlesse they will receiue for their King him whom he shall appoint them here in earth And saith he manie such like inconueniences they shew vnto vs as murders seditions warres all which will ensue if we goe to infringe the accord alreadie made betweene the Kings not sparing to vtter threats against your selfe which I will not rehearse and such as if God giue them leaue they purpose to put in execution neither can my excommunication nor the sword of anie humane tongue stay the King and his Barons from the course they haue set to run Thus it pleased this great Prelat to let the Pope vnderstand his mind as in the words and vnder the name of the Great ones which he could not handsomely doe in his owne Last of all concerning himselfe That being in the kingdome of Charles and in the chiefe Citie of his diocesse whether the king and all the princes of either kingdome vsed to resort he might not offer like an hireling to leaue his flocke and to goe hee knew not whither And that therefore he would attend vpon the king and such as were about him to the end he might passe his time in quietnesse with his flock and that the king saith His predecessors haue had this power which hee will not forgoe for any excommunication whatsoeuer and that therefore it behoueth the Bishops himselfe especially to consider how they carrie themselues towards the king seeing that Augustine expounding that place of the Apostle saith That the Apostle teacheth that euery soule must be subiect to the higher power and that we must giue to euerie one that which belongeth to him tribute to whom tribute custome to whom custome appertaineth c. This letter thus written with the aduise and counsell of all the Bishops assembled at Reimes was sent to Adrian who died the yeare following 872 and so the quarrell ended 34. PROGRESSION How the Pope conferred the Empire vpon Charles the Bald and of the donation of Constantine AFter Adrian the second according to Platina his account succeeded Iohn the ninth according to those who reject the shee-Pope Iohn the eight in the yeare 873 and in the yeare 875 died the Emperour Lewis without issue An. 873. wherefore Charles of France and Lewis of Germanie began to stirre and Italie her selfe was not quiet one calling Charles the Bald of Fraunce and others Charles the Grosse sonne to King Lewis Sigon de Reg. Jtal. lib. 5. and some there were who faine would haue established the Empire in Italie and these were the Earles of Tusculana who at that time strucke a great stroake in Rome He of France was first in a readinesse Aimoni. li. 5. c. 32. 33. who euer since the dayes of Nicholas the first had entertained secret intelligences in Italie he therefore sent embassadors to Iohn with great presents and greater promises assuring him That vpon condition he will set the Crowne of the Empire vpon his head he would protect the Church from all wrongs and leaue the Seignorie of Rome wholly in his hands Iohn who could better brooke a foreiner than a neighbor and a stranger than a domestike Emperour who peraduenture would haue dimmed his light by a greater lustre bid him come and welcome and at his comming to Rome receiued and crowned him Emperour From that day forward saith Sigonius the title of the Empire began to be a meere feoffment of the Popes Sincerum Pontificis beneficium and the yeares of the Empire to be reckoned from the day wherein they receiued their consecration from the Popes But a certaine Author of that time addeth farther That Charles of France comming to Rome renewed his couenants with the Romanes Eutropij Continuator gaue vp into their hands the rights and customes of the kingdome with the reuenues of manie Monasteries giuing them moreouer the countries of Samnium and Calabria with all the townes belonging to Beneuent with the Duchie of Spoleto and the two Cities of Tuscanie which the Duke was wont to hold Arrezzo and Chiusi so that he who before that time commaunded in Rome for the Emperour was now become as subiect vnto them quitted them from expecting the presence of his embassadors at the election of their Popes To be short sayth he he accorded what euer they demaunded as commonly men vse to be liberall of what they haue ill gotten or feare they shall not long keepe That which made Charles the more pliant to the Pope was that Lewis of Germanie inuaded him in his owne person in France and sent his sonne Charles the Grosse to crosse his designes in Italie But saith that Author this is certaine that from that day no King or Emperour euer recouered the state and Port of a King in Italie for want still either of skill or of courage and by reason of the great contentions and daily iealousies among them Here the Historians and Sigonius himselfe obserueth that whatsoeuer the Emperours predecessors of Charles gaue vnto the Pope yet they euer reserued to themselues the Proprietie Soueraignetie and Lordship euen ouer the Exarchat and Duchie of Rome it selfe which rule began now to faile in Charles though his successors sometimes redemanded their auncient prerogatiues and rights also that vntill this time the Empire euer passed as hereditarie from the father to the sonne and the suruiuor euer seised of the Empire by the death of the deceased So Charlemaigne succeeded Pepin so after Charlemaigne succeeded Lewis after Lewis Lotharius and after him Lewis the second So also vnto this time their crowning and sacring by the Archbishops of Milan for the kingdome of Lumbardie and the Bishops of Rome for the Empire serued onely for pompe and solemnitie But this Pope Iohn tooke
not beene the custome of the world in our times but these are but small matters in respect of those we shall see if God preuent it not Of Siluester he expresly saith he entred not by the gate but by the posterne like a theefe and robber And yet these were the men that managed the affaires of the Church and therein did beare rule at their owne pleasure euen to the vttermost bounds of the earth yea they disposed of kingdomes and Empires according to their own lusts that that Prophesie might be fulfilled That they should make drunken the kings of the earth with the wine of their cup. And therfore Benedict the ninth according to Glaber was not afraid to make this Decree Glaber l. 1. in fine That no man should be said or held for Emperour but whom the Pope should chuse and for his honestie and sufficiencie should thinke fit for the Commonweale and to whom he had committed the Imperiall Ensigne that is saith the same Author a golden globe or apple which he caused to be made of purpose enriched with many pretious Iewels with a crosse fastened on the top thereof The Empire likewise being vacant by the death of Conrade he offered it by his Legats to Peter king of Hungarie with a Diadem whereon was this inscription Petra dedit Romam Petro tibi Papa Coronam The Rocke gaue Rome to Peter the Pope to thee the Crowne For such Princes as were farthest from them were fittest for their purpose but yet euer with that condition that they should confirme their donations But let vs now see what the Church thought of these confusions OPPOSITION All this we haue learnt from none other but Monkes for they were the onely writers in these times and therefore their testimonie must needs be beyond all exception being taken as it were out of their owne bosome Glaber therefore the Monke of Clugnie An. 1047. and writer of these times in his historie dedicated to Odibo the Abbot brings in the Emperour Henrie the second speaking to the Archbishops and Bishpos assembled together Glaber Hist li. 6. c. 5. in these words All Ecclesiasticall degrees from the Pope to the Porter are oppressed with the price of their owne damnation and in all according to the word of our Sauiour spirituall theft is verie cruell The Author addeth And this iniquitie was not onely sprung vp among the Bishops of France but was farre worse in Italie for all Ecclesiasticall offices were at that time as vendible as other wares in a market place The Bishops astonished and confounded herewith had no other refuge but to his mercie He for their comfort gaue them this answer Glaber li. 5. c. 4. Goe your wayes saith he and what you haue vnlawfully receiued endeuour to vse lawfully and so he made a law for the repressing of such sales Of the See in particular he saith The See of Rome which is held by right to be the vniuersall Church of the whole world had for the space of fiue and twentie yeares beene miserably sicke of this aforesaid pestilent disease for there was chosen to that See an infant of twelue yeares of age against all law and equitie whom gold and siluer had more commended than age or sanctitie of life who as he had an vnhappie entrance so he had a worse departure The foulenesse of his conuersation it is a shame to relate In another place the aforesaid Glaber saith At that time the whole gouernement both of the secular power Glaber li. 4. c. 5. and Ecclesiasticall religion consisted in the person of a child For the sinnes of the people that saying of Salomon was then verified Woe be to the earth For the vniuersall Pope of Rome who was then chosen by the Romans was the nephew of two that were his predecessors Benedict Iohn a child of ten yeares of age and that by the helpe of a great summe of money who being often reiected and dishonestly receiued againe ruled with no power And as wee haue partly touched before the rest of the Prelats of the Church in those times preferred gold and siluer before merit Out and alas of these the Scripture speaketh plainely or rather the mouth of God himselfe Principes extiterunt non cognoui He speaketh likewise of Siluester the third He telleth vs in another place That the auarice of Rome was growne to such a height that it contended with ambition in such sort that about the yeare 1024 certaine Legats being come from the See of Constantinople to Rome An. 1024. with wonderfull rich presents as well of the Emperour Basilius as the Patriarches to intreat that by the consent of the Pope the Church of Constantinople might be taken for the vniuersall Church of the East as the Roman of the West there wanted but little but that Iohn the one and twentieth had yeelded thereunto And the Greekes saith the Author Glaber li. 4 c 1. with a dagger of gold had broken a wall of yron For he addeth That though auarice for a time might be called the Queene of the whole world yet she had placed at Rome her insaciable couch for they had no sooner seene the glorious lustre of those riches the Greekes brought vnto them but their hearts were wholly bent to deuise new fraudes and deuises how they might priuily yeeld vnto that that they desired But the businesse being come to the cares of diuers who opposed themselues against it the Greekes departed not doing any thing William an Englishman and Monke of Malmesburie sets before our eyes how bad the state of all things was at Rome in these times speaking thereof as of a publike robberie What shall I say saith he of that citie that was heretofore the habitation of sanctitie Willielm Malmesb l. 2. de Gestis Regum Anglor It is now the place where theeues robbers walke in open market place a wicked and a craftie generation If any man come to Rome euen with the danger of his life to visit the Churches of the Apostles he falls into the hands of these kind of people and seldome or neuer returnes without the losse either of his goods or his life Vpon the bodies of the holie Apostles and Martyres vpon the holie Altars swords are drawne and oblations are no sooner offered but their hands are vpon them who take and spend them in banqueting with their whores Such a tempest of euills troubled the Popedome of Gregorie which could not be remedied with Excommunications the Cardinals themselues withstanding him the whole time of his abode in that See Fasciculus Temporum Rolwinck in his Fasciculus Temporum speakes of the pluralitie of benefices which in those times grew to be verie common and so continued afterwards Of the lamentable ambition and simonie of the Prelats notwithstanding there were found many writings of the Fathers that bewrayed how much they had in detestation these abuses Note also that there were some poore Clergie men
where doe we read in the Scriptures of Nazarius baptized by Linus since Cardinall Baronius himselfe in his Martyrologie saith Card. Bar. in Martyrolog Iunij 19. p. 341. That he is enforced to beleeue that Nazarius and Celsus suffered vnder the Emperour Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus two hundred yeares after which the Legendaries doe likewise make good Iacob de Veragine Geruasio Prothasio and doe also tell vs that Geruasius and Protasius being twinnes were the sonnes of S. Vital and S. Valerie remaining then at Ambrun neere to S. Nazarius and therefore both liuing at one time farre from the raigne of Nero. And now after all this how will he proue that of S. Ambrose especially that S. Nazarius receiued Peters Baptisme Where doth he find in the Scripture a Baptisme of Peter Is there any other than of Christ Can it be spoken without blasphemie 1. Cor. 1.11.12.13 since Paul himselfe saith Is Paul crucified for you or are you baptized into the name of Paul shall we doubt that he would likewise haue said in the name of Peter who so sharply reprehended those that said I am Pauls I am Apolloes I am Peters This good Apostle of Rome likewise addeth That Ambrose seeing hee could not ouercome the Heresie of the Nicholaits who euer at that time heard of any such Heresie craued helpe of Pope Siricius who fot the suppressing thereof sent a Priest a Deacon and Subdeacon that they by his example in the like difficultie should seeke the like remedie By these toyes in the meane time he boasteth That he had preuailed so farre with the people that he could make them do what he would haue them that is to say for the establishment of the law of single life which we haue spoken of elsewhere hauing appointed a penance of a hundred yeares to the Archbishop which neuerthelesse for a certaine summe of money yearely to be paid he might redeeme But as Damianus saith The chiefest thing is to know of what power the priuiledge of the Church of Rome is But the matter stayed not there For he was no sooner returned to Rome but the Clergie presently recouered their libertie Erlembaldus Cotta being chosen gouernour of the people by the death of Landulph who by the instigation of Arialdus renew the sedition and sendeth againe to Damianus but he being much moued therewith spareth not Ambrose himselfe This saith he is no new thing in the Church of Milan which hath alwayes had men of diuers opinions begun at the first by Auxentius and Ambrosius It is true that Auxentius was an Arrian but what fault hath Ambrose committed that he should be accused of that fault whom lately he proposed vnto vs as a patron of his negotiations To this passe it is come that Erlembaldus himselfe went to Alexander being at Lucques in the yeare 1065 about this businesse An. 1065. of whom he obtained a Decree against the Clergie which being brought to Milan the Archbishop purposed to dispute the case vpon the day of Pentecost But so had Arialdus and Erlembaldus ordered the matter that hauing framed their faction to sedition the Archbishop could not withstand them The yeare following 1066 An. 1066. the other part became so strong that Arialdus was constrained to betake himselfe to flight but being taken as the author of all these euils he endured a miserable and shameful punishment by whose example Erlembaldus being terrified thought it the best way for him to be quiet But in the yeare 1067 An. 1067. by reason of the absence of the Bishop Erlembaldus hauing gotten more strength compels the citizens to sweare and spares neither Priest nor Archbishop in so much that the Bishop being returned to pacifie this sedition he feared not to lay violent hands vpon him and at the last that we judge of this whole Progression by the end he obtaineth another Decree from Pope Hildebrand That no Bishop should be accounted true and lawfull without the commaund of the Pope notwithstanding he were declared to be such by the Clergie the people and the King For the strengthening of which Decree he binds both the people and Clergie of Milan with an oath At which the Archbishop Wydo being astonished as being now old and desirous of rest gaue ouer his Archbishopricke and sent his ensignes of honour into Germanie to Henry the third All these things were proposed vnto the people and easily deuoured with the sauce of Simonie and Nicholaisme which whosoeuer should contradict was presently with Dathan and Abiron Iudas and Caiphas damned to the pit of hell For so saith Mainardus Bishop of Syluacandida and Iohn the Priest and Cardinall the Popes Legats and Commissaries in this businesse The Emperor therefore in the yeare 1068 bestowed that dignitie vpon Godfrey Chastillon a Milanois An. 1068. and of a noble house whom the Pope presently interdicted and Erlembaldus his partaker made him to flie the citie But the Pope after the death of Wydo gaue it to Atho a clerke of Milan brought in and receiued by Erlembald not without the great griefe of the people who now saw this dignitie to be carried and disposed according to the will and pleasure of the Romans And from hence ariseth a new controuersie with the Emperour Henrie the third for from these fained Heresies as once from that difference that fell out touching Images the Popes reaped a great commoditie that is the oppression of other Bishops and diminution of lawfull Empires But to proceed in the Progression we must not forget that there were in these times diuers Kings that made themselues tributaries to the Romish Babylon that that from time to time might be fulfilled which was foretold in the Apocalyps Of Kings that should fall down and worship the Whore and be made drunken with her cup. Cassimire therefore King of Poland in the yeare 1045 made his kingdome feodatarie and tributarie to the Pope that miserable monster Benedict the ninth and bound all his subiects to pay euerie yere a poll halfepenie in so much that neither he nor his successors could afterward free themselues from that bondage The like did Sueno King of Denmarke in the yeare 1069 Epist. Alexand. 22. ad Suenonem Regem Daniae being summoned by Alexander the second who demaunded it of him as a thing long since promised by his predecessors and therefore exacted it now as a due which by the same right in the yeare 1068 Eiusdem ad Guilielm Regem Angliae he extorted from William King of England whom he would persuade That from the time that the name of Christ was first knowne in England the kingdome had beene Sub manu tutela Petri Vnder the hand and protection of Peter that is the Popes of Rome whereas there were many Christian Kings in Britaine before Rome had heard of a Popedome And this exaction went vnder the name of Peter pence And as for Gregorie the seuenth or Hildebrand he was not slower
the Archbishop was enforced to restore him againe with all his habiliments Here saith the Author Abbas Vrsperg in Chronico in this thing we are to consider the Prelats authoritie and the Popes humilitie whilest the one contended to defend the dignitie of his office the other though his dignitie were greater yet thought it fit to yeeld to a Metropolitan in his owne Diocesse Baron an 1052. art 16.17 Idem an 1053. art 53. se But Baronius growes into choller against the Abbot and censures him and in like manner against Petrus Damianus though verie jealous of that See because he did not allow that the Pope should intermeddle with matter of armes and likewise because he durst to say That an Emperour was to doe that which became an Emperour and a Pope that which was befitting a Pope Petrus Damianus in Epist ad Firmin For saith Damianus in his Epistle to Firminus as the sonne of God himselfe ouercame all the obstacles of this furious world not by a reuengefull and strict examination but by an inuincible maiestie of vndaunted patience so he teacheth vs rather willingly to beare the furious rage of this world than to raise armes and to answer wrongs with wrongs especially since betweene a Kingdome and a Priesthood their proper offices are distinguished a King must vse the arms of this world a Priest gird himselfe with the spirituall sword which is the word of God c. And to this purpose he alledgeth many places of Scripture with other reasons and examples yea he extendeth this law euen to the Pope and particularly to Leo himself If any man shall obiect against this I haue said saith he that Pope Leo doth often trouble himselfe with warlike affaires yet I affirme that which I say to be true because Peter obtained not the chiefe place among the Apostles because he denied Christ nor Dauid was therefore a Prophet because he defiled another mans bed for good and bad actions are not iudged according to the merit of the persons but their owne proper qualities Haue we euer read that Gregorie euer did this or by his letters taught it who endured so many wrongs and violences by the raging crueltie of the Lombards Did Ambrose make warre against the Arrians who cruelly vexed him and his Church Or haue we read of any of the holie Popes that haue risen vp in armes Let the lawes therfore decide all Ecclesiasticall causes or the Edicts of Councels least that which should be determined in place of iudgement being decided by warres turne to our greater shame and reproach What then saith Baronius Baron an 1053. art 14.15.16 sequent The Maximes of Damianus are contrarie to those of the Catholike Church which condemne those of Heresie who attribute not both swords to the Pope and so of a worthie Cardinall because he diued into this mysterie he makes him an Heretike but by what judges Gregorie the ninth and Boniface the eigth who were long after him than whom there was neuer more insolent tyrans who in their owne proper causes and the heat of their furie vomited out their Decrees against the Emperours He that knowes but the principles of Logicke will here presently obiect Principij petitionem He addeth againe That the vse of the Church approueth this doctrine What will he say if we replie Not the vse but the abuse the corruption And here hee alledgeth certaine places of S. Gregorie exciting those that were called to armes by the commaund and authoritie of the Emperour against the Lombards But did he make warre with his owne powers Did he proclaime warres Did he goe into the field in his owne person He replieth Neither did Pope Leo fight but was onely present at the warres and when they came to joyne battell he withdrew himselfe out of the field where with safetie he might attend the euent and so of this his Monarch he maketh a Trumpeter or an inciter vnto warre Here let the Reader note this mans impudencie who feared not to accuse Damian of the heresie of Tertullian who dissuaded Christians from warre or rather of Iulian the Apostata who commaunded Christians according to the Gospell to suffer all manner of wrong and violence without resistance Is therefore the vocation of all Christians one and the same By that argument a Captaine may be permitted to say Masse as well as a Priest by which it is made lawfull out of Baronius for the Prince of Priests to make warres or to be a Leader in the field But the state of the Court of Rome we may no where better learne than out of Damianus who in horrour of the abhominations thereof of a Cardinall became an Hermit and being drawne from thence vpon some pretence of seruice to be done to the Pope he seemes to be brought into hel againe and expostulats this great wrong done vnto him with the Pope and Hildebrand Writing therefore to Hildebrand though he tooke part with Alexander against Honorius But it may be saith he that this flattering tyran who with a Neronian pietie condoles my estate strokes me when he buffets me handles me gently with the talants of an Eagle that is to say the Pope that he might retaine him at Rome and get him thither againe will complainingly breake out into these speeches Behold how he seekes a lurking corner vnder colour of penance forsakes Rome he goes about to gaine idlenesse by his disobedience and whilest others run into the field to fight he seekes to hide himselfe in the darkenesse of a degenerat ignoble shadow c. And he protesteth to his holie Diuell for so he calls the Pope that he will euer be readie vpon all occasions to assist him against Honorius vpon condition that he may returne againe to his hermitage What then moued him hereunto Doubtlesse if we beleeue him the lasciuious life of the Clergie of Rome from which he did flie as from a pestilent infection that inuaded his bowels his heart his mind Petrus Damianus in Epist ad Alexand. Hildeb which he expresseth in all kind of actions and speeches vnworthie Church-men From which grieuous enormities saith he if we striue either for shame or feare to free our selues presently we are iudged to be rude and vnciuile descended from the tygres of Hircania but I stay my pen. And speaking of their excesse and superfluitie There are euerie day kinglie feasts daily preparations nuptiall banquets whilest the poore abroad dye for hunger c. And that which is worse than all the rest and more than diabolicall is that hauing spent their reuenues at the warre they lay their hands vpon the tithes and make them temporall too To conclude speaking of the generall corruption It is such saith he that the Spiritualtie is discerned from the Temporaltie by the shauing of their beards onely not the sanctitie of their actions neither doe they meditate vpon the sacred Scriptures but vpon the ciuile lawes and controuersies of temporall Courts The
worshippers of false gods were woont to doe he vsurpeth both the Empire and the Popedome c. He resisteth the diuine maiestie and the most Christian King ordained from aboue and inaugurated by God himselfe he impugneth And cunningly and craftily and closely he goeth about in a sheepes skin and vnder the title of Christ to get into his hands the Empire of the whole world For these causes the Emperour the Bishops the Senat the people pronounce him deposed being vnwilling to commit the flocke of Christ to the gard and custodie of such a wolfe And so both those pretended heresies of Simonie and Nicholaisme with one consent they ouerthrew and this verie Decree not onely the Bishops of Germanie and France but of Italie it selfe in a Synod holden at Pauia did vnder their Seales and by oath confirme They writ likewise by the authoritie of the Synod of Wormes to Hildebrand that he should giue ouer the Popedome and betake himselfe to a priuat life and also to the Clergie and people of Rome that according to the Law of their auncestors they should chuse another but yet so as that they should lay no violent hands vpon the person of Hildebrand but leaue him to the iustice of God Amongst all these Bishops there was not any that contradicted the decree but Albert of Wirthsbourg and Herman of Metz who likewise were soone persuaded by the admonitions and reasons of William of Vtrecht to be of the same opinion and to subscribe with the rest Gregorie so soone as hee vnderstood hereof is nothing at all discouraged but borrowing a great summe of money of Mathilda distributeth it amongst the people with the poore mens money payed his souldiers wages flattereth the people of Rome setting before their eyes their auncient renowme and giues them hope of libertie and so calls a Councell at Rome where in a full assemblie in the name of the Synod of Wormes one Rowland a Prelat of Parma vpon the suddaine stands vp and without any duetie done vnto him speakes vnto him in these words Our most Christian Emperour and the reuerend Bishops of Italie Germanie and Fraunce commaund thee to resigne that charge which thou hast vsurped by subtilty money and fauour For it is not lawfull for thee against their willes and the authoritie of the Emperour and decree of the Church of Christ to meddle with the Sheepefold of Christ And presently turning himselfe towards the assemblie Most holie brethren saith he chuse according to your owne Law a Pastor which choice of yours the sacred Consull Tribune and your Prince according to the maner of your auncestors will authorise For this Hildebrand is neither Pastor nor Father nor Pope but a theefe a wolfe a robber and a tyran Whereupon they rushed vpon him and he wanted not much of being ouerborne by the people In the Letters which he deliuered there were these words Because thine entrie began with so many periuries and the Church of God by the abuse of thy nouelties hath beene endaungered in this so great a tempest and hast dishonoured thy whole life by thy infamous conuersation as we haue promised vnto thee no obedience so will we neuer performe any to thee Gregorie therefore returning the fault vpon themselues the day following depriued Henrie as much as in him lay of the kingdome of Germanie and Italie discharged the Princes of their oath of allegiance excommunicateth Sigefrid Archbishop of Mence and the Bishops of Vtrecht and Bamberge threatning to proceed in like maner against the rest if they came not to Rome to purge themselues In which decree let the Reader note the cunning he speakes to Peter as to his reuenger Heare me saith he O Peter Prince of the Apostles thou and thy brother S. Paule can best witnesse for me besides others that I was drawne against my will to the gouernement of thy holie Church and therefore I persuade my selfe that it pleaseth thee that I should rule the people of Christ committed by God especially to thy charge c. Being therefore confident herein for the honour of thy Church in the name of the omnipotent God the Father sonne and holie Ghost and by right of thy authoritie I interdict Henrie the King the sonne of Henrie the Emperour who by a straunge pride the like whereof was neuer heard of hath risen against the Church all the Kingdome of Germanie and Italie c. To the end all people may see and vnderstand that thou art Peter super tuam Petram and vpon thy rocke the sonne of God hath built his Church c. These selfesame words hath Sigonius and not vpon this rocke And some denying that the King could be subiect to the Popes curse or excommunications Thinke you saith he that God when thrise together he committed the charge of his Church to S. Peter saying feed my sheepe that he excepted Kings And so what he would he obtayned Thus Hildebrand being by the Bishops of Italie Germanie and Fraunce deposed in a Councell at Wormes and Henrie excommunicated and depriued his kingdome by Hildebrand and the Clergie at Rome they both endeuour to strengthen their owne part But forasmuch as such Kingdomes as are long time gouerned vnder a minoritie are seldome or neuer without factions there arose presently against Henrie many Princes of Germanie to whom Hildebrand alledged that Pope Zacharie had deposed Childerick king of Fraunce onely for his negligence and placed Pepin in his Throne Why then should it not be lawfull for him to do the like against whomsoeuer should rebel against S. Peter And they on the other side vnder his patronage are content to comfort and to flatter their consciences with these toyes Of this number was Hugh Duke of Alsatia who was growne far in debt Rodulphus Duke of Sueuia the Emperors brother in law fed with the hope of the Empire Bertholdus Duke of Zaringia his sonne in law Welfo Duke of Bauaria the Bishops of Mence Mets and Wormes and certaine Abbots eyther stroken with a feare of the excommunication or for some speciall causes bound to these Princes who with one consent reuolt from the Emperour ioyne their counsels and forces to the Saxon rebels and fill all Germanie with robberie sword and fire Insomuch that the Historiographers of those times want words to expresse the horror and abomination of that disordered confusion which by all good men was imputed to Gregorie who crie out against this vnworthie and wicked act in their sermons curse Gregorie wish all ill to Hildebrand publish him to be Antechrist vnder a shew of pietie say they he exerciseth his furies with honest words he makes shew of seeking the publike good vnder the title of Christ he playes the part of Antechrist in Babylon he sits in the Temple of God and extolleth himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as if he were God he glorieth that he cannot erre and for the greater increase of his glorie he takes vpon him to make an Emperor at his pleasure
he absolues men not of their sinnes but the Law of Christ Iesus and his Sacraments he weakneth the peace and pietie of our Religion stirres vp warres and seditions He giues himselfe to whoredome murder periurie treacheries rapines burnings And the better to hide his ambition he doth not onely find out new fables corrupt the Annales alter the Histories but he likewise adulterateth the heauenlie Oracles giues false interpretations of the Scriptures making them to serue his turne he teares in pieces the sacred Historie and amongst women discourseth of holie writ whatsoeuer he saith he will haue it to be thought the Law of God he seekes testimonies that are too weake to defend his auarice and wrests the Scriptures to his owne will against the true sence He sauours too much of the pride of the Pharisies in that he makes men beleeue that he bindes and loosseth as he pleaseth whereas with God it is not the sentence of the Priest but the life of the man that is required Moreouer Hildebrand oppugneth the Diuine maiestie resisteth the most Christian Prince ordayned from aboue and inaugurated by God himselfe To this end tend all his endeauours that the captaine of the flocke being oppressed and brought into order he might the more freely exercise his tyrannie against the poore sheepe destitute of the Emperours protection If all power be of God much more the imperiall and greatest of all other Christ Iesus when the people would haue crowned him and made him gouernour refused it and those two that were at variance for the inheritance and would haue chosen him for their Iudge he sent to Caesar to whom the Empire of the whole world was committed So likewise he commaunded the chiefe Priests of the Iewes to giue vnto Caesar those things that did belong vnto Caesar to whom they payed their customes their tribute their subsidies S. Peter teacheth vs the same Feare God honour the King The precept of Saint Paul is To keepe faith to the King c. To this man and such as are like him belongs that saying of our Sauiour to Saint Peter Goe behind me Satan thou art an offence vnto me And againe He that striketh with the sword shall perish with the sword Here let euerie man imagine what opinion all Christendome had of this pretended Apostle They in the meane time in Germanie that tooke part with Gregorie gaue him to vnderstand That these his violent proceedings had got him many enemies wherupon hiding the crueltie of his mind he writ a more moderat Epistle to those that tooke part with the Emperour the summe whereof was That if he would become a new man he should find that what he had hitherto done he had done for his good and that all former matters being vtterly forgotten which he ernestly protested he would receiue him into the Church Henrie therefore being now brought into great danger of the losse of his kingdome to the end he might take away the cause of all these euils accepteth of the condition and is content to vndergoe any manner of submission so he may pacifie the anger of Gregorie and reconcile himselfe vnto him Departing therefore from Spire with a small traine came to Bezanson passed the Alpes so came downe into Lombardie And notwithstanding all the Bishops and Prelats that tooke part with him vpon just suspition did giue him warning of that he did in the meane time neuerthelesse seeking their owne grace with the Pope yet he proceedeth in his purpose to appease the wrath of Gregorie and came neere to Canuse where the Pope was with the Countesse Mathilda who as the Authors of those times affirme did seldome part from his side There he earnestly intreateth Mathilda Azo Marquesse of Este and the Abbot of Clugni and some others whom he knew to be in the grace and fauor of Gregorie to be intercessors for him That first he might be absolued and receiued into the Church and so into the grace of Gregorie To which their earnest supplications Gregorie at the last answereth If he repent from the bottome of his heart let him deliuer vnto me in token thereof his Crowne and other ensignes of his kingdome and confesse himselfe after this his great contumacie vnworthie the name and honour of a King To which they replying that it was too heauie a sentence Let him come then saith he and purge that sinne which he hath committed against the Apostolike See by obeying the Decrees thereof And hauing obtained thus much at his hands they thought they had brought the matter to a good passe This wretched man Henrie therefore came as he was commaunded neere vnto him and being receiued within the second wall for the citie had three all his companie left without and disrobing himselfe of his princely attire bare footed in the coldest time of Winter and fasting vntill the euening he expected his answer of Gregorie William of Malmesburie addes That he came barefooted with a paire of sizzers and a scourge in his hands to signifie that he was there readie to be polled and whipped There he gaue him leaue to attend his answer within that second wall vntill the euening but had it not He came againe the second and third day and he handles him in the same manner At the last the fourth time partly moued with his constancie partly fearing he should be blamed by euerie man for his rigor he admits him to his presence The resolution was this that Henrie at a day and place appointed by Gregorie should appeare in a common assemblie of the German Princes and there answering to such crimes as should be obiected by the Pope should stand to his judgement In the meane time he should lay aside all the ornaments belonging to his princelie dignitie nor intermeddle with matteers of State hee should remoue from him the Bishop of Bamberge Vlrick of Cosheim and the rest whose counsell he had formerly followed and absolue all those that had sworne faith and allegeance vnto him all which when hee had solemnly bound himselfe by oath to performe he receiued him into the Church Neither did Henrie all this while thinke but that he had made a good market But he had no sooner trampled this Prince vnder his feet but according to the proportion of his humilitie his pride increased and the more submisse the Emperour became the more perfidious was he He dispatched therefore to his associats in Germanie especially the Saxons Bernard a Cardinall of Rome and the Abbot of Marselles to let them to vnderstand That he would not haue them to rest themselues vpon that which he had concluded with Henrie For though he were reconciled to the court of heauen yet not to his kingdome His confederats therefore joyning with his Legats An. 1077. assembled themselues at Forchame in March 1077 and by a generall consent chose Rodolph Duke of Sueuia and Burgondie and brother in law to Henrie King vpon condition That he should renounce all right to the creation
attempts his fortitude in the middest of dangers his incredible courage patience in labours counsell answerable to his magnanimitie and his diligence as farre forth as his age is capable in militarie affaires his knowledge of diuine and humane lawes an euerlasting desire of peace care of religion bountie towards the poore clemencie towards the vanquished benignitie towards his friends beneuolence towards souldiers in all which he hath excelled all the German and Roman Princes that euer were And if he had beene a wicked tyran yet it had beene our dueties to haue obeyed him not to rebell against him and all humane lawes and the decrees of our forefathers doe forbid a mans aduersaries his enemies to be his accusers witnesses and Iudges The Emperour made peace with Hildebrand in Italie whilest by the perfidious treacherie of a few Saxonie fell from him A traiterous tyran who receiued due punishment for his treacherie contemning all oathes and promises and all affinitie and kindred inuaded him At the last he concludeth No man may proceed or pronounce sentence against a man that is depriued vntill he be restored to his former estate See the booke and read the law and so he deliuered it to Wesilus Archbishop of Mence Guebhard Bishop of Saltzbourge being for his age eloquence and learning chosen Prolocutor by the Bishops that tooke part with Hildebrand was mute and answered not a word From that time forward many of the Bishops and Princes of Saxonie abiure the sect of Hildebrand that name they retained in the time of Vrban and repenting themselues of what they had done came to the Emperour Onely foureteene persist obstinat therein who being assigned to appeare the moneth following at Mence at their day of appearance came not There the rest of the Bishops of Germanie being present with the Legats of the Bishops of France and Italie by the common consent of all the sect of Hildebrand is judged to be contrarie to Christian pietie Otho called Vrban being conuicted of sacriledge and irreligion was excommunicated and those foureteene being condemned of rebellion periurie murder were deposed Moreouer Historiographers doe obserue that in one yeare all the Bishops and Princes died that had kindled those ciuile warres wherewith the whole Empire for the space of seuenteene yeares had beene set on fire and they recite them by name which was in the yeare 1090. An. 1090. Waltram in Epist ad Ludouic Comitem It was at this time that Waltram Bishop of Magdeburge writ an Epistle to the Earle Lodowick whom hee calls a glorious Prince wherein he proues out of the Scriptures that obedience is due to lawfull Kings and Princes to the end he might arme him against the imposters of that age who to women and the vulgar sort of people preached contrary doctrines setting likewise before his eyes the judgements of God vpon Rodolph Hildebrand the Marquesse Egbert and diuers other Princes who bare armes for the Pope against the Emperour Sigebert in Chron. At which time likewise Sigebert speaking of Vrban chosen against Clement and of those things that followed thereupon From hence saith he grew scandalls in the Church and diuisions in the State the one disagreeing from the other the Kingdom from the Priesthood one excommunicating another the one contemning the excommunications of the other either out of a preiudicat opinion of the cause or the person and whilest the one abuseth the authoritie of excommunicating against the other by doing it rather according to his owne lusts than with any respect of iustice he that gaue the power of binding and loossing is altogether contemned Doubtlesse this noueltie that I may not say heresie did not till now appeare in the world That his Priests who causeth the hypocrite to raigne for the sinnes of the people should teach the people That they owe no subiection to wicked Kings and though by oath they bind themselues vnto him yet they owe him no fidelitie neither are they to be accounted periured persons who resist the King but rather to be accounted an excommunicat person that obeyes the King and that man to be absolued from all iniustice and periurie that opposeth himselfe against him Others speake more confidently Then did there arise false Prophets Apostles Priests who deceiued the people with a false religion doing great signes and wonders and of some he makes instance who began to sit in the Temple of God and to be extolled aboue all that is worshipped and whilest they goe about to establish their owne power they extinguish all charitie and Christian simplicitie c. As if the decree of the immortall God kept not alwayes one course That no periured persons shall inherit the kingdome of heauen The most part of the best sort of men such as were iust and honest and ingenuous and simple haue left in writing That at that time they foresaw the Empire of Antichrist to be beginning and those things to come to passe that our Sauiour Christ Iesus had long before foretold Sigebert and Auentine after diuers others doe note Auent l. 5. That the prodigious wonders that were obserued in those times did astonish the minds of most men The heauens saith he seene many times to burne the Sunne and Moone to lose their light the starres to fall from heauen to the earth burning torches fierie darts flying through the ayre new starres neuer seene before Sigebert in Chron. Auent l. 5. pitched pauillions and armies in the ayre encountring one another and innumerable the like whereby the people were confirmed in their opininion But especially when they saw the sonne to conspire against the state and life of his father Conrade against Henrie who had appointed him to be his successor An. 1095. and that by the persuasion compulsion and approbation of Pope Vrban instigated or rather bewitched by the cunning of Mathilda his father in the meane time leauing nothing vndone that might regaine him to his duetie obedience who preuailing nothing by his just gentle exhortations was enforced in the Councels and solemne assemblies of the Empire to beg vengeance from heauen and earth euen with teares in his eyes All this in the meane time was couered vnder a pretence of that sacred and plausible expedition to Hierusalem the mysterie whereof William of Malmesburie opened before vnto vs That by that meanes Vrban might recouer his authoritie at Rome or rather diuert the minds of men imployed about remote affaires from those more necessarie businesses that touched them more neerely at home That whilest they bended all their endeuors abroad to persecute the Infidels they might neglect Antichrist freely wasting all at home in the Church Neither wanted he in that impure and darke world a bait whereby to win and allure the simple people to that war which was an absolute absolution from all their sinnes without any penance What greater encitement could there be to men who were to inuade a countrey wherein all things were left to the
immunitie to Colledges though erected by others than himselfe He noteth further that till then in Germanie Ecclesiasticall persons Bishops Priests Abbots Monkes c. had not any care of their worldlie goods but imploying themselues in the seruice of God and at their studie referred the managing of those affaires to some neighbour Lord ordayned of the Emperour who administred vnto them prouision of meat apparell and other necessaries for life and distributed also to the poore and this they called Vogt Patron or Curator which the Roman Lawes call gouernour or Steward But from that time forth the Churchmen reiected them and took the administration into their owne hands promising to giue euerie yeare to the Pope nummum aureum quem Bizantium vocant diplomata a piece of gold which the Bulls call a Bizantium nothing being more easie to Paschal than in giuing away anothers right to take neuerthelesse tribute of it And hereupon for the space of sixteene yeares all things diuine and humane were in confusion vntill in the end he had attained his purposes In Italie also his power encreased by two occasion The one was the death of the Marquesse Mathilda in the yeare 1115 An. 1115. Platina in Paschal Vrspergensis in Chronico who in the time of Hildebrand had made donation of Lumbardie and of Tuscan to S. Peter which ministred new matter of contention betweene Henrie and him because he pretended to be her heire and comming into Italie endeauoured to take possession thereof and so did of a part Blondus and Platina make the limit thereof to extend from the Riuer of Pissia S. Quirico in the Countrie of Siena vnto Ceperan betwixt the Apennine and the Sea adding thereunto Ferrara Auentine saith here that Eneas Siluius which is Pius the second saith that Mathilda bequeathed by Testament to the Bishop of of Rome that which is called Patrimonium Petri the Patrimonie of S. Peter And then was heard a voyce from heauen as I haue learned of most graue Diuines Venenū melle litum foemina propinasse Christianis that a woman had giuen Christians poyson to drinke tempered with honie The other occasion was the diminution of the Archbishopricke of Rauenna Platina ibidem which as the Histories of those times say had oftentimes till then opposed it selfe against the Church of Rome whose power to abate he caused a Councell to be held at Guastall wherein was decreed that the Cities of Romania Placentia Parma Regio Modena and Bononia should no more acknowledge the Archbishop of Rauenna Sigon de regno Jtaliae l. 10. Let vs adde yet a third That Arnulfe Patriarch of Hierusalem being accused by his Clergie was deposed in another Synod held in Syria by the Bishop of Orange by authority from the Pope who neuertheles being come in person to Rome Larga muneruus profusione by his many gifts Guliel Tyrius l. 11. c. 26. li. 9. ca. 17. l. 11. cap. 14. 15.16 saith William of Tire pleased again Paschal by him was absolued reestablished in his seat A thing neuer before seene that one of the antient Patriarches should be judged by the Bishop of Rome But this was because they that commaunded in the holie Land were Westerne Princes and to maintaine their enterprise had need of his good fauor In effect Dabert Bishop of Pisa Patriarch of Hierusalem saith William of Tire is created in an assemblie of Princes by the common consent of the people and presently after installed in the Throne There was no speech of sending to Rome The onely extremitie he found himselfe in being iniured by the King whose dissolute life he would not winke at made him take this course against Ebremarus whom he moued thereunto And as for this Arnulfe who by his gifts had saith the author circumuented the Religion of the holie See it is he who as he saith elsewhere had when hee was but Archdeacon set the whole Church in confusion Inuita Diuinitate vti credimus Gibelino substitutus created for successour saith he in another place of the Patriarch Gibeline in despite of the Diuinitie as we beleeue And such a one was it behoofefull he should be for to fit Paschals liking But let vs come againe to the principal quarrell of inuestitures for that it is the Theame of this age Paschal by setting the sonne against the father had so ruinated the credit of the Empire in Italie shaken euen in Germanie it selfe that hee thenceforth thought any thing lawfull for him And Historiographers doe particularly obserue that vnder this confusion the Cities of Italie had taken a new forme and vsurped libertie the Pope fauouring the same who had rather their forces should be diuided than vnited together vnder the authoritie of the Empire And yet thereby shall we see so much the greater disorders and ruine hereafter Paschal then being inuited to be present at Augsbourg for ordering of affaires being in good hope of this sonne whom he had authorised against his father An. 1106 resolued in the yeare 1106 to goe thither But by the way he held that Synod of Guastalla a Towne of the Countesse Mathilda where were present the Embassadours of Henrie the fourth he fore-judgeth the sayd affaires confirming all the rigours of Hildebrand Vrban and his owne prouideth absolutely for the Bishoprickes of Germanie Gebhard to Trent Conrade to Salzbourge and others to the Ecclesiasticall Colledges he giueth immunities on all Churchmen imposeth a certaine tribute Auent l. 6. and reenforceth his faction To such saith Auentine as take his part he giueth preferment without delay others if within a certaine day they change not opinion he forbiddeth their office pronounceth and will haue all men beleeue that all Lawes are resident within the closet of his breast and maketh no scruple of any lie So that he must more aduisedly he dealt withall than before and men must hold for Law whatsoeuer he saith he being resolued to destroy all that oppose themselues against him and his seat These are the Authors words This was hard newes to the Emperor who expected better for his seruices thinking at least before he had passed further he would haue conferred with him about it Which the Pope vnderstanding at Verona changed his journey and in the yere 1107 passed the Alpes An. 1107. came to Clugni and from thence to Troyes in Campania where he thought to hold a Synod more fauourably for his pretences Philip the first then raigning in Fraunce in trouble for his Concubine Bertrade and withal troubled by the Princes Barons and Prelats of his kingdome borne out namely by the king of England and therefore not in good estate to dispute himselfe for his priuiledges This was the renewing of a quarrell betweene the Pope and the Emperour wherein Henrie the fourth clearely shewed that what he had done by the Popes instigation against his father had not beene for zeale of Religion but rage of ambition seeing he now contended for the same right being
with full authoritie who without repairing to Lewis the Grosse who then succeeded to the Crowne put himselfe in possession of the Bishopricke But the said Lewis though greatly busied at his entrance Richard de Vassenburg in Chron. by the rising of the Barons of the Realme against him would in no wise approue of him but on the contrarie made himselfe to be crowned at Orleans by Giselbert Archbishop of Sens notwithstanding the complaints that Rodolph made of the wrong done to his Bishopricke and prouided and inuested Archbishop of Rheimes one Geruais chosen from among his domesticall seruants by reason whereof the citie was tossed with many troubles and for receiuing Geruais was interdicted and excommunicated This we learne of Yuo Bishop of Chartres in his Epistles namely in the 206 directed to Paschal We haue saith hee opportunely and importunatly requested the King of France to reestablish Rodolph in the Metropolitan Church of Rheimes receiuing him into fauour and that he should put out Geruais vsurper of the same Thus he spake the Popes language He hath in the end condescended to our prayers and permitted that we should bring him safely to his Court which should be holden on Christmas day at Orleans there to treat with him and with the Princes of the Realme of the affaires of Rheimes But by reason of the contradiction of the Court notwithstanding our requests and intercessions multiplied we haue not beene able to obtaine a full peace except Rodolph did yeeld fealtie to the King Yuo Carnutens Epist 206. per manum sacramentum By hand and oath such as to the Kings his predecessors from all times the Archbishops of Rheimes and other Bishops of the Realme of France haue done how religious and holie soeuer they were c. We therefore intreat thee euen with bended knees that in regard of charitie and peace your fatherlie moderation would hold for veniall that which the eternall law that is to say the law of God makes not vnlawfull but the onely prohibition of those that doe preside that is the Popes with an intention of gaining libertie Idem Epist 238. 239. And this agreeth with that which he defended afterwards against Iohn Bishop of Lions That in this inuestiture there was nothing that concerned heresie and with that which he writ to Hugh the Popes Legats in France in his 65 Epistle complaining of an Archbishop of Sens inuested by the King For as much as it hath not any force of a Sacrament whether admitted or omitted we see not how it can any way be hurtfull to faith or religion especially when we read that kings were woont to be intreated by the Popes to grant Bishoprickes to those that were canonically chosen and that the Popes deferred the consecration of those which had not as yet beene admitted by the kings And that kings intended not the gift of any spirituall thing but yeelded at the request of the petitioners temporall things onely to those that were elected which the Churches obtained from the bountie of kings For proofe whereof he alledgeth S. Augustine vpon S. Iohn in his first treatise So likewise writing to Paschal himselfe who endeuoured to alienat those of Tournay from the Bishopricke of Noyon he saith We your faithfull sonnes humbly beseech Yuo Epist 138. and aduise you to suffer the Churches of France to continue in the same state wherein they haue beene for almost these foure hundred yeres least by this occasion that schisme grow strong in France which hath alreadie taken root in Germanie against the Apostolike See c. For your Holinesse cannot but know that when the Kingdome and the Priesthood agree together the world is well gouerned and the Church flourisheth and fructifieth but when they are at discord one against the other not onely small things doe not prosper but the greatest that are doe miserably vanish and passe away And the selfe same judgement of Paschal gaue Sigebert Abbot of Gemblous in Brabant Sigebert in Chron. an 1111. a man of that singular commendation that Platina doubteth not to place him in the same ranke with S. Bernard and thought that Ageblessed wherein he liued yea in playner tearmes King Henrie saith he went to Rome to appease the discord betwixt the Kingdome and the Priesthood begun by Pope Gregorie the seuenth who was called Hildebrand and renewed by his successors Victor and Vrban and especially by Paschal who was a scandal to the whole world The king would vse the authoritie customes and priuiledges of the Emperours who since Charles the Great for three hundred yeares and vpward gouerned the Romans vnder sixtie three Popes lawfully conferring Bishoprickes and Abbies by the ring and the staffe Against this authoritie of the Elders the Popes ordained by a Synodall censure That Bishoprickes or any other Ecclesiasticall inuestiture could not nor ought to be giuen by the ring and the staffe by any lay man And whosoeuer did so receiue any such inuestiture was excommunicated Moreouer Trithemius saith Trithemius de Scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis that he made an Apologie for the Emperour against Gregorie the seuenth and another against the Epistle of Paschal in which he shewed That the Popes had no superioritie ouer the Emperors That it is heresie to absolue the subiects of their oath and allegeance to their Prince And he noteth besides in the time of Paschal many extraordinarie prodigious wonders which all the Chroniclers of those times doe likewise obserue In England Paschal proceeded in the execution of his Decree which Anselme with no good successe had begun And when Henrie the first maintained in the yere 1103 his inuestitures against Paschal protesting That he would rather hazard his kingdome than yeeld vnto Paschal Neither will I saith Paschal for the redemption of mine owne head suffer him freely to obtaine them But yet by the mediation of Anselme he mercifully dispensed with those Prelats who had receiued their inuestiture of Henrie Math. Paris in Henrie But Mathew Paris expoundeth this mercie This merciful Chaire saith he which is neuer wanting to those that bring with them either white or red reestablished those Bishops and Abbots that were suspended to their auncient dignities and receiued them with ioy Anselme thought that this office he had done vnto the king would haue bin well accepted of and he the better welcome into England But the king vnderstanding that neither Paschal nor Anselme abated any thing of their purpose therein he joyned the Archbishopricke to his owne demaines and confiscated the goods of Anselme An. 1107. whom neuerthelesse in the yeare 1107 he reestablished And in a Councell held at London it was agreed That from thenceforward no Bishop or Abbot should be inuested by the King with the ring and the staffe the Archbishop likewise agreeing thereunto and that for their homage done vnto the King they should not be depriued of their charges The letters of Paschal to Henrie are worth the noting That by occasion
doing something won the Kings heart with many persuasions to intreat the Pope to come againe into the campe and comming againe he receiued him integrato officio with intire duetie that is hee held his right stirrop Otho Frising de gestis Frederici l. 2. c. 20. But whilest they all reioyced at it thinking all matters well Adrian saith vnto them There remaineth yet one thing for your Prince to doe hee must conquer Apulia for Saint Peter which William of Sicilia possesseth by force and that done let him come to vs to be crowned And verie hardly obtained they of him to deferre this conquest till after his coronation The Acts of the Vatican produced by Baronius Baron an 1155 art 8. sequēt doe onely say That Frederick refused to hold the stirrop in the end was brought to doe it stregulam say they fortiter tenuit that otherwise Adrian would not receiue his kisse Yet this is the Adrian that said To couet the Popedome is not to succeed S. Peter in feeding the sheepe but Romulus in committing paricides because a man cannot attaine thereto without shedding the bloud of his brethren and now he is entred is as hot in the businesse as any of the rest Anton. ex Ioh. Sarisbur Halinando Part. 2. Tit. 17. c. 1. § 9. Now Frederick at the last hauing recouered his good fauour Arnold was apprehended in Tuscan by the seruants of Adrian and deliuered vnto him and was condemned vnder pretence of heresie and burned aliue and his ashes cast into the riuer Tiber. But when Frederick returned into Germanie either because of the hot season of the Canicular dayes which the Germans could not well endure or for the cold satisfaction he had receiued from Adrian or some other affaires calling him backe thither Adrian in his absence made so good vse of his opportunitie that William Duke of Calabria and King of Sicilia who had vndertaken the inuestitures of Bishops in his lands by the rebellion that he stirred vp of the Lords his subiects against him is constrained to fall downe at his feet to obtaine pardon and to acknowledge himselfe his liege vassall And so this successe besides his naturall disposition raised vp his heat against Frederick vpon the first occasion offered A Bishop of London then was taken by robbers in Germanie and it seemed vnto Adrian that Frederick stirred not in it as he ought who in the meane time was at Bezanson in Bourgondie whither he was come to marie Beatrice the Earls daughter He sendeth to him his Legats the Cardinall Rowland Bernard with his letters of complaint or rather of reproach for that he ill remembred saith he Radcuicus Canonic Frising l. 1. c. 10. Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 12. Quanto studio Imperialis Coronae insigne tibi contulerimus With what affection we haue giuen him the Imperiall Crowne beneficia and the good turnes or rather benefits Thus saith mildly Sigonius But Radeuicus an Author of that time Canon of Frisingen produceth a copie of the letters in rougher tearmes Remember thou Quantam tibi dignitatis plenitudinem honoris contulit mater tua Romana Ecclesia What ample dignitie the Church of Rome hath bestowed vpon thee and that thou hast receiued from her hand maiora beneficia the greatest benefits that might be Clauses which properly offended the Princes as if the Pope should haue said That the Emperour held the Empire by homage of him and that the Empire were his fee. And so much the more saith Radeuicus did they hold themselues to the strict interpretation of his words because they knew that the Romans rashly affirmed That the Empire of the citie and the realme of Italie had not beene possessed till then by our Kings but of the donation of Popes Which they were not content onely to say but represented in writings and pictures and so conueyed to posteritie Insomuch saith he that there was written ouer a certaine picture of the Emperour Lotharius which was set vp at the Palace of Lateran Rex venit ante fores iurans prius vrbis honores Post homo fit Papae sumit quo dante Coronam The King before his gates doth come which sweares first to the towne Whom both the Pope his seruant makes and after him doth crowne That after he had taken his oath he was made the Popes seruant and receiued the Crowne in gift of him When Frederick was told of this picture being then about Rome he complained thereof to Adrian who promised him to cause both the writing and picture to bee taken away least so vaine a thing should giue matter of strife and discord betweene two the greatest persons in the world And indeed that such was the meaning of Adrian appeareth by his owne letters to Arnulph Archbishop of Mence Fredericke of Cologne and Hillin of Treuers in these words Auent l. 6. The Roman Empire was translated from the Greekes to the Germans so as that their King was not called Emperour till after he was crowned by the Pope Before the consecration he is King after he is Emperour Whence hath he then the Empire but from vs From the election of his Princes he hath the name of King from our consecration the name of Emperour of Augustus and Caesar From vs then he hath the Empire Call to mind antiquitie Zacharie aduanced Charls and gaue him a great name that he might be Emperor to the end that frō thenceforth for euer the king of Germanie might be an Aduocat of the Apostolike See that Apulia by him reduced might be subiect to the Bishop of Rome which is ours with the citie of Rome and not the Emperours For Rome is our seat the seat of the Emperour is Aix in Ardenna All that the Emperor hath he holdeth of vs. As Zacharie translated the Empire of the Greeks to the Germans so may we from the Germans to the Greekes Behold it is in our power to giue it to whom we will and for this are we established of God ouer nations and ouer kingdomes for to destroy and plucke vp to build and to plant c. Thus you see the enterprise of Adrian it remaineth for vs to shew what Frederick doth thereupon without forgetting by the way that this is that Adrian who writing to Henrie King of England Adrian Epist ad Regem Angliae Henr. apud Matth. Westmonaster was not ashamed to say That Ireland and all islands on which Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse hath shone by right appertaine to Saint Peter and to the Church of Rome Therefore that he should honourably receiue him thither without preiudice of the said rights and namely pay him a penie pention by the yeare for euerie houshold OPPOSITION Krantz l. 6. c. 35 So soone as Frederick had seene that picture of Lotharius doing homage hee suddenly turned away his sight and fretted at it without speaking a word for there was Innocent the second sitting in his Pontificall chaire
taking him vpon the right hand leadeth him in and after diuine seruice followed him out where Alexander mounting his palfrey the Emperour holding his stirrop did him all the honour and reuerence he could But for shame he durst not tell the rest For the Emperour being prostrat before him Alexander putting his foot vpon his neeke said It is written Thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and the Basilick and shalt tread vpon the Lion and the Dragon Frederic answered Not to thee but to Peter whose successors I obey The Pope replied pressing his foot the harder Et mihi Petro Both to me and Peter This pride being in the sight of all the people neuerthelesse was patiently endured by Frederick partly fearing worser things through the great priuiledges that Alexander had bestowed vpon this Commonwealth namely The marying of the Sea euerie yeare with a ring c. and partly at the instance of his sonne Henrie who exceedingly desired the kingdome of Italie Some adde That his sonne Otho being taken by the Venetian gallies was set at libertie vpon this condition Baronius in the meane time endeuoureth to make this historie doubtfull although he relateth it at large by his owne confession out of that famous Chronicle that is kept in the Librarie at Venice and his reason is let the Reader judge whether it be otherwise that there is no likelihood that a Pope so mild and patient would commit so arrogant so insolent and so monstrous an act But first we must agree vpon that pretended equanimitie and modestie and the prodigious pride of Gregorie the seuenth in receiuing Henrie the fourth to doe penance and we shall easily giue credit hereunto But it is most certaine and the Venetian historie affirmeth it and the Iesuites themselues doe triumph therein so farre are they with Baronius from blushing at it Now the Romans in regard of this submission by their embassadors inuite him to Rome which he accepted vpon condition that the Senators chosen by them should take vpon them an oath of fidelitie to the Church of Rome before they entred into that office An. 1178. An. 1180. And so in the yeare 1178 he came into the citie and the yeare afterward 1180 he held a Councell at Lateran where he ordained That if the Cardinalls could not agree in the election of the Pope the Pope might bee chosen by two of the parts and whosoeuer being chosen by the third part should carrie himselfe as Pope should be depriued of the Communion and so he declareth the ordinances made by Victor the fourth Paschal and Calixtus the third arch heretikes to be of no force And judge the Reader into what scruple of conscience he brought by these vaine and idle ordinances the best and greatest part of Europe But he died not long after hauing more valiantly ouercome Sigon de regno Ital. l. 14. than moderatly handled his enmitie with Frederick as Sigonius saith seeming no doubt vnder these mild words to conceale that shamefull and horrible act which he was not willing to expresse Neither were this fit to be omitted being both an argument and an augmentation of the Papall authoritie That this Alexander was the authour of that law whereby the canonizing of Saints should be only in the power of the Bishop of Rome Extra de reliquijs sanctorum venerat c. 1. It is not lawfull saith he that any should be worshipped for a Saint without licence from the Pope By which law he chalenged to himselfe the authoritie of the ancient Bishops of the Panims who placed whom they pleased in the number of the gods and to giue the greater lustre he began with S. Bernard who was famous for his sanctitie then followed Thomas of Canterburie whom he pronounced Martyr because he defended his pontificall vsurpations against the kings royal authoritie in England When notwithstanding it is a thing worthie the noting that after his canonizing it was publikely disputed among our Sorbonists that he was damned for rebelling against the King the minister of God Casorius Monach in Dialog l. 8. c. 69. Another law he also made that none should weare the Archbishops pall vnlesse he had taken an oth of fidelity to the Pope Farthermore he called to this Synod all the Churches of the west but those which either for the distance of the places or through other impediment could not appeare were punished by the purse which redeemed the fault of their absence which was saith Neubrigensis more dishonestly exacted than payed Gulielm Neubrig l. 3. c. 2. We must likewise remember that he was Vicar vnto him that saith in the Gospell I will giue thee all these Kingdomes if thou wilt fall downe and worship me for he graunted to Alfonsus the first Duke of Portugall the title and dignitie of a King Baro. An. 1179. art 16. 17. vpon condition he should doe him homage and pay him yearely a reuenew of two markes of gold which by a letter from Innocent the third to King Sancius euidently appeareth finding himselfe greeued that since that time his successours had neglected the paiment thereof giuing him to vnderstand that he had taken order with his Legat Ramerius to leuy the same by Ecclesiasticall authoritie OPPOSITION This is an opposition worthie the noting against the Papall tyrrannie when so great an Emperour so great an Empire bent their wits and endeauored with the vtmost of their courages to resist and impugne it the Romans themselues shut their gates because they knew him insupportable But the opposition did best appeare when these Popes mutually striued with curses execrations to put down each other and pronouncing one another Antichrists in their Synodes but it shal not be amisse to note some of the principall Auentinus expresly telleth vs Auent l. 6. that the greater part neutrum Pontificem recipiebant would receiue neither of the Popes vsing that saying of the Apostle all things are yours be it Paul be it Apollo be it Peter one faith one God and one Father of vs all and the wordes of Christ there is but one master and yee are all brethren And furthermore he addes that Gerochus Bishop of Richemberg writ much vpon this controuersie and the title of his booke is de Antichristo This Gerochus was afterward Bishop of Halberstat deposed as Sigonius saith through the treatie of a peace with Alexander Sigon de regno Jtaliae l. 14. and Vlrich instituted into his place In England in the yeare 1164 Henrie the second assembled all the principall of his Clergie at Clarendon to confirme auitas consuetudenes An. 1164. the customes of his ancesters to the end they should serue as a barre betweene the vsurping enterprises of the Clergie and the Kings Iustices and the customes are comprehended in 16 Chapters recited by Mathew Paris the most important are as followeth Mathew Paris in Henrico 2. That the Churches which hold in fee of the King be not graunted in perpetuitie without
the cause to delay and prolong it whereupon he threatned to excommunicat him and to interdict his Realme Mat. Paris in Richardo if he did not the sooner agree Mathew Paris the author of the English Historie saith he made him this answer That he nothing feared his sentence as being vpheld with no equitie he addeth that it belongeth not to the church of Rome to punish by sentence any King especially of France if the sayd King be disposed to reuenge himselfe vpon his ill deseruing vntamed people and rebellious to his Kingdome He addeth moreouer that the Cardinal of Anagne his Legat had smelt the sterlings of the King of England by whose odour beeing attracted according to the fashion of the Romans he became more fauourable to him and therefore had the more reason to suspect him to be his iudge Moreouer the Earle Richard did hardly contayne himselfe and as hardly could the Lords hold his hands but that with his sword drawne he had furiously assaulted the Cardinall insomuch that the Cardinall retiring and hiding himselfe for feare Verba continuit ampullosa stayed his swelling words Both these Kings hoise vp saile and Richard of England arriued within the Riuer of Tiber where met him Octauian Cardinall of Ostia sent from Clement the third to whom as Roger Houenden saith he spake many reprochfull words Blaming the Simonie of the Romans that to consecrate the Bishop of Mans they had taken 700 markes Rogerus Houenden in Annalium parte posteriore and 1500 for the legation of the Bishop of Elie and besides a great summe for not deposing the Bishop of Burdeaux accused by his Clergie But he saith besides that he arriued at Messine about the same time that Philip King of Fraunce went with a desire to see Ioachim Abbot of Courace of the order of the Cistertiens a man in that age verie famous and thought to haue a propheticall spirit whom hee requested to expound vnto him and his followers the vision of S. Iohn in the Apocalyps wherein he receyued much content Apud Rogerum de Houenden Annal. parte posteriore especially when he spake of seuen Kings Whereof one was not yet come he sayd vnto him this man is Antichrist who is now in the Citie of Rome and is set on high in the Apostolike seat and of this Antichrist saith the Apostle he is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God c. The king replied vnto him I thought that Antichrist should be borne in Antioch or in Babylon of the progenie of Dan and should raigne in the Temple of the Lord at Hierusalem c. But Ioachim persisted in his exposition adding That the seuen Diademes signified the Kings and Princes of this world who should beleeue in Antichrist c. but he saith in the times of this Antichrist many of the Christians should preserue the Christian faith in the feare of the Lord in dennes and caues of the earth and in solitarie rockes and desert places euen vntill the consummation of Antichrist All this he spake notwithstanding the Archbishops of Roan Pamiers and Dauch who were there present haue endeuoured to proue the contrarie And to this purpose it was that the Abbot spake vpon Ieremie There is another fig tree who through the malediction of his preuarication is now withered The Latine Church or the little barke of S. Peter whose leaues are temporall things whereof they make breeches to hide their wicked conuersations wherewith they excuse the dishonestie and shame of their life as well of Adam the High Priest as Eue that is to say the Church subiect vnto them and miserably hide themselues in the wood of Ecclesiasticall glorie Now Baronius toucheth this historie Boron an 1190 art 2. lom 12. but hee taketh good heed for disclosing the principal clauses which expresly disciphers the Pope of Rome King Richard returning from Palestina was stayed by the Duke of Austria passing through his countrey who deliuered him to the Emperour Henrie the sixt who would not release him without a great ransome Queene Elinor his mother thinking that Pope Celestine was content to winke at this shamefull act because of the friendship that was yet betweene him and Henrie writ three letters vnto him which we may read in the Epistles of Peter of Blois the last for as much as hee seemed to neglect the former was more sharpe and in more expresse tearmes as followeth Deliuer vnto me saith she thou man of God my sonne Petrus Blaesens Epist 144.145.146 if thou be a man of God and not rather a man of bloud if thou beest carelesse and negligent in giuing libertie to my sonne that the omnipotent God may require his bloud at thy hands Oh and alas that the Soueraigne Pastor should become mercenarie that he should flie from the face of the Wolfe that he should leaue his sheepe committed to his charge yea a chosen Bell-weather the leader of the Lords flocke in the iawes of a cruell beast Hardly truely wilt thou aduenture thy soule for him for whom thou hast not dained to speake or write one word and now three times we haue beene promised Legats and yet they are not sent that to say the truth I may thinke them rather Ligati than Legati bound that they shall not come than appoynted to come If my sonne were in prosperitie they had come with all possible speed because out of his great bountie and the publicke profit they make of the kingdome they expected plentifull rewards of their Legations And what greater glorie can there be than to set free a captiue King to bring peace to the people safetie to the religious and ioy and comfort to euerie one But now they faile at a pinch The Wolfe holdeth his prey and the dogges either cannot or will not barke Is this the promise which you made vnto vs at the castle of Radolphus with so much protestation of loue and fidelitie What can it profit you to deceiue simple people and by a vaine confidence to mocke the prayers of the innocent So long since King Achab made a couenant of friendship with Benhadab but their mutuall loue had a dismall euent comparing the Pope to this Infidell King and God prospered the battels of Iudas Iohn Simion brothers of the Machabees but so soone as by their embassage they made a contract of friendship with the Romans they lost the succour and helpe of God and not once but often their mercenarie familiaritie was turned into sobs and bitter sighes c. I would to God they would remember that for the negligence of Hely their Priest ministring in Silo the glorie of the Lord was translated from Israell neither is it a parable of the time past but the time present because God forsooke the Tabernacle of Silo his owne Tabernacle where himselfe dwelt amongst men deliuered their power into captiuitie and their beautie into the enemies hands meaning the Church of Rome It was imputed to their
Italie an enemie to the Church and those that tooke his part namely the Millanois and their adherents were excluded from the communion of the Church In the meane time Innocent died in the yeare 1216 and Otho in the yeare 1218 who as an argument of repentance left by testament the ensignes of the Empire to young Frederic Krantzius speaking of the causes of discord betweene Otho and Innocent although for the most part inclined towards the Popes Krantz l. â— c. 33. 34. saith That the Emperour demaunded through Italie the auntient rights of the Empire whereof long since some of them were transferred to the Church He also challenged that great inheritance of Mathilda a woman of great estate in Italie as appertaining vnto him by a double right for he seemed to be the heyre of his Aunt who descended from the Marquesses of Saxonie and also as falling to the Empire for want of heires And hereupon Innocent saith he exhorted the Princes Electors that forasmuch as he had cast off Otho first excommunicated and then deposed to chose vnto the Empire another Prince offering vnto them Frederic of the age of 20 yeares of whom although he had the administration of his Gardenship he couerted all to his owne profit for the Continuor of the holie warre saith Frederic being yet a child and a pupill Continuator belli sacri l. 3. c. 10. was depriued by Innocent his tutor of the inheritance of his Kingdome and beeing free was made tributorie without respect either of the prayers of Henrie his father or Constance his mother or his owne promise made vnto them Blond Decad. 2. l. 6. Blondus noteth two bold Decrees of this Pope the first so often as one Prince shall offend another that the correction shal belong to the Bishop of Rome The which was done vpon the difference betweene the Kings of Fraunce and England and is inserted into the Decretals The second That two striuing for the Empire hauing voyces alike Extra de election c. Venerabilem he whom the Pope alloweth shall be preferred which is there red and put in practise in fauour of Otho the fourth and ought to be receyued as lawfull by this meanes he was made the Arbitrator of the whole world But the Bookes especially written by himselfe doe testifie how much this mysterie did pricke him forward The Bishop of Rome saith he Innocentius 3. ser in festo Syluestri Papae vseth the Globe in signe of Empire the Globe is the signe of the Empire vseth the Mytre in signe of his Popedome But the Mytre he vseth alwayes and euerie where but the kingdome neyther euerie where nor alwayes because the Papall authoritie is both the first and the worthier and further spread than the imperial for among the people of God the Priesthood went before the kingdom when Aaron the first priest went before Saul the first king Jdem Serm. 1. in festo Gregorij Papae Noah also was before Nemroth when of him the Scripture saith That Babylon was the beginning of Nemroth but Noah built an altar to the Lord and offered sacrifice vpon it But speaking of the Priests and Kings he calleth the Priests Gods and the Kings Princes From the Gods he saith thou shalt not detract and the Prince of the people thou shalt not curse and when the Apostle spake of the King All humane creatures be yee subiect euen for Gods cause to your Kings as the most excellent or to you leaders as sent by him The Lord saith to Hieremie the Priest of the Priests of Anatoth I haue appointed thee ouer Nations and Kingdomes that thou maiest pull downe and destroy build and plant c. But to Peter especially he sayd Thou shalt be called Cephas that is to say head wherin the fulnesse of the senses consist Who did euer read such Diuinitie And yet behold there is worse When our Lord and Sauiour sayd vnto S. Peter Duc in altum Jdem in Serm. 2. de festo Sancti Petri. cast into the deepe this deepe Sea is Rome which obtayned and holdeth the prioritie and principalitie aboue all the world as if he sayd Goe to Rome and transport thy selfe with all thine to the Citie there cast thy nets abroad to take In another place The Church of Rome oweth not any reuerence to any person but the Pope who hath no superior but God But yet see here his companion and corriuall The Bishop of Rome saith he hath the Church of Rome his spouse and yet bringeth in other Churches subiect vnto him This is the first that I knew that hath gone so farre as to call himselfe the spouse of the Church arrogating to himselfe the true and incommunicable title of the Lord who is the true and onely spouse of the true Church and therefore the Church of Rome cannot be the true Church if the Pope be her spouse nor the Pope her spouse Bernard ad Eugen Epist 237. if the Church of Rome be the true spouse Let vs heare what S. Bernard saith writing to Pope Eugenius It remaines now that thou take care that the spouse of thy Lord who is committed to thee be made the better by thee If thou bee a friend of the spouse thou shalt not call his beloued My Princesse but Princesse challenging nothing to thy selfe in her vnlesse if occasion were to giue thy life for her If Christ haue sent thee thou must make account thou art sent to serue and not to be serued Can a man thinke that it is sufficiently excused by that poore distinction of Bellarmine Bellarmin de Romano Pontif l. 2. 31. of a principall or subalterne spouse I omit his comparison of the two lights which God hath placed in the firmament the Sunne and the Moone the Sunne hee compareth to the Pope the Moone to the Emperour for doubtlesse he that feareth not to violat the commaundements of Christ himselfe the King of kings wee may thinke he will little spare the Princes of the earth And truely vnder the pretence of this spirituall authoritie hee required at the same time the temporall homage of the kingdome of England for there being a controuersie betweene the Bishops Suffragans of the Archbishop of Canturburie and the Monkes touching the election of the Archbishop the Monkes pretending that they onely ought to chuse him and the Bishops saying they could not doe it without them Both of them comming to Rome Innocent persuaded the Procters of the Monkes to chuse Stephen Lanthon a Cardinall Priest his seruant and albeit they protested they could not doe it without the King and their Conuent being ouerborne with his threats of excommunication hee ouercame them and pronounced sentence for the Monkes against the Bishops giuing the Monkes likewise to vnderstand that he would excommunicat them if they obeyed not his Decree King Iohn who then raigned was much offended as well because Innocent had said Math. Paris in Johan p. 216. That it was
not his manner to attend the consent of Princes touching elections celebrated in the Apostolike See as also for that hee had disannulled the election made by the Bishops of the Bishop of Norwich to whom he had giuen his consent protesting to maintaine the rights of his realme euen to death and to gard the sea that no more might goe to Rome except the Pope changing his sentence would make amends for that wrong he had done But Innocent interdicted his realme offered it as a prey to the first inuaders thereof absolued his subiects of all oathes both naturall and ciuile armed all his Clergie and the greatest part of the Nobilitie and Magistrats of the realme against him and in the end pronounced him deposed and commaunded another to be put into his place and for to execute his sentence he appointed Philip King of France his enemie promising him in reward of this seruice remission of all his sinnes giuing this realme to him and his successors proceeding so farre herein that he writ to many worthie and honourable persons into diuers nations Vt sese Cruce signent That they should signe themselues with the crosse come to assist the King of France in this expedition promising vnto them in their goods persons and soules the same prerogatiue and indulgence as those had that went to visit the holie Sepulchre And it is to be noted that it is a Monke that relateth vnto vs this historie In the meane time that Philip prepared to take hold thereof he priuily sent a Legat into England who being receiued by the Bishops caused his approaching ruine to be made knowne vnto him vnlesse he sought meanes to pacifie the Pope So that seeing himselfe beset with dangers on euerie side resigned his Crowne Matth. Paris in Johan p. 225. sequent with the realmes of England and Ireland into the hands of the Pope and his successors in the person of Pandolph his Legat confirmed vnder an authentike Charter with the generall consent of his Barons exprest in these words For the forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and the sinnes of all our kindred as well they which are liuing as those which are dead we freely grant to our Lord Pope Innocent and his Catholike successors the aforesaid kingdomes And thereupon Innocent gaue to him the said realmes to hold by faith and homage of him and his successors vpon condition to pay yearely besides the Peter pence a thousand markes sterling to the Church of Rome that is to say fiue hundred at the feast of Saint Michael and fiue hundred at Easter that is seuen hundred for England and three hundred for Ireland vnder protestation That if he or any of his should attempt any thing contrarie to this agreement should be discharged of the kingdom This Charter was signed by many of the Nobilitie and in performance thereof hee solemnely did the homage euen at Pandolphs feet In the meane time King Philip whom Innocent had stirred vp to war continued an vnreconcilable enemie to the King of England But marke the monstrous pride of the Legat in receiuing the tribute Pandolph saith he trampled vnder his feet the money which the King payed as an earnest penie in token of his subiection yet he tooke it and refused it not for God forbid he should say with S. Peter Thy money perish with thee Now as we haue often said as this Mysterie of Iniquitie did gather strength so the doctrine grew worse and worse for it was in the time of this Innocent that both the opinion and name of Transubstantiation did first come to light and at the last exprest in these words in the Lateran Synod Concilium Lateranens C. firmiter SS vna vero c. The bodie and bloud of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar are truely contained vnder the formes of bread and wine the bread being transubstantiated into the bodie and the wine into the bloud by diuine power And hereupon doe arise so many monstrous questions which wee read among the Schole-men of this age which we haue elsewhere noted more at large The ceremonies also from time to time were brought in by the Popes that followed especially by Honorius the third the successor of Innocent that ceremonie of bowing the knee at the eleuation that is when the bread is shewed in the Masse and the like But because to support such Idolatries otherwise weake and shaken they had need as it were of a pillar behold here these that arise so oportunely at this time Francis and Dominick the one an Italian the other a Spaniard the one principall and head of the Friers Minors and the other of the Preachers the one confirmed by Innocent the other by Honorius his successor both of them striuing by their clients and followers to be equall with Christ nay aboue Christ But what could be done or approued that sauoured more of Antichrist Lib. 3. de Euchar c. 17. And of these things we haue spoken more at large elsewhere but it belongeth to the course of the historie that we here briefely repeat something againe Of Francis therefore they say Liber conformitatum p. 24. p. 39 that he was greater than Iohn Baptist Iohn was the forerunner of Christ S. Francis the Preacher and Ensigne-bearer of Christ Iohn receiued the word of repentance of Christ Francis both of Christ and the Pope which is more Iohn the friend of the spouse that is to say Christ Francis like to the spouse himselfe Fol. 66. 247. Prosa de Francisco ibid. initio libri fol. 194. Fol. 144. Fol. 17. Fol. 24. Fol. 149. Fol. 13. Fol. 5. Iohn eleuated into the order of the Seraphins Francis seated in the place from whence Lucifer fell Francis was better than all the Apostles placed in heauen proceeding out of the wounded side of Christ made a tipe of Iesus by his passion who receiued in a vision the same wounds of Christ suffered the same griefes the passion of Christ renewed in him for the saluation of mankind of whom Dauid hath said Thou hast crowned him with glorie and honour and hast set him aboue all the workes of thy hands he is set as a light to the Gentiles which the Prophet spake of Christ Abraham saw that day and was glad thereof And to conclude whatsoeuer was foretold by the Prophets of Christ onely the same was pronounced of him Fol. 14. Of whom may rightly be said that which is spoken in the Gospell All things are giuen me of my father Matth. 11. Of whom it is likewise said I will be to him a father and he shall be to me a sonne And againe that which was neuer said nor interpreted by any but by Christ In whom all the vertues of the Saints as well of the old as the new Testament are put vnitiuè conjunctiuè vnitiuely and coniunctiuely Wherefore also through his merits he was made the sonne of God and sanctified by the holie Ghost Fol. 4. Fol. 3.
known multiplici experiencia by deere experience Math. Paris in Johan that the Pope was ambitious and proud aboue all men liuing and an insatiable thirster after money Et ad omnia scelera pro praemijs datis vel promissis cereus procliuus Prone to all wickednesse whatsoeuer for rewards either promised or giuen was resolued to make a benefit of this his ill fortune purposing with himselfe a reuenge of the Barons and Bishops of the kingdome with the good liking and leaue of Innocent nay he being the author Whereupon he sent Embassadors vnto him who carried with them a great part of his treasure and withall promising more sware vnto him That he would alwayes be his subiect and tributarie vnto him so that he would find some subtile occasion to excommunicat his Barons and Bishops especially the Archbishop of Canturburie for whom the Pope had so much molested him Nicholas Bishop of Tuscule his Legat came into England to release the interdict that had continued six yeares three moneths and foureteene dayes To the irreuocable losse saith the Author of the Church both in temporall matters and in spirituall Iohn gaue him this infamous resignation of his realme no more in wax as to Pandolph but sealed in gold And because there was made a question of the losses which the Bishops had receiued the Legat in fauour of the king deferred it to a farther day But Innocent who desired to gratifie the king by his Legat of all the vacant Churches to the prejudice of the Archbishop of Canturburie Intrusione magis quà m electione canonica disponit Disposed of them rather by intrusion than canonicall election Hereupon this Archbishop appealed but the Legat reiected his Appeale proceeded in his purpose and Innocent ratified the acts of his Legat speaking now of nothing but the praises and commendations of the Prince The Barons they assembled to demaund their libertie with whom also joyned the citie of London The Pope as the chiefe Lord reuoketh them and because they would not presently obey he excommunicated them and stirred vp all the subiects of the realme against them promising them remission of their sinnes and included in the same excommunication all the Bishops that delayed to publish the Anatheme But because Stephen Archbishop of Canterburie hauing lately beene his fauourite declared that hee could not publish it before he had seene the Pope and being readie to take shipping for the Councell assigned at Rome because tacita veritate sententia erat in Barones lata The sentence was pronounced against the Barons trueth it selfe being silent the Bishop of Winchester Pandolph the Legat the executioners of this sentence forbad him the Church and suspended him from the celebration of his office of so great force and efficacie was the money king Iohn powred into the lap of the Pope But besides he was no sooner come to Rome but the sentence of suspension was confirmed by Innocent These proceedings now put the Barons of England into despaire who saith the historie seeing all hope of their good to be taken away and knowing not what to doe Matth. Paris in Johan curst the fraud and infidelitie of the king Woe be to thee O Iohn say they the last of the Kings the abhomination of the Princes of England the confusion of the English Nobilitie O miserable England being now wasted and readie to be more wasted and destroyed O wofull England England that hitherto hath beene the Prince of Prouinces in all good things art made tributarie not onely subiect to fire famine and sword but to the empire and commaund of base slaues and strangers though there be nothing more vnhappie than to be enthralled to such people We read that many other kings yea and but petie kings too haue fought for the libertie of their countrey euen to death but thou Iohn of a mournefull memorie to all posteritie thy countrey that hath beene free for many yeares thou hast found the meane to bring it into bondage and employed thy endeuors to draw others with thee into slauerie thou hast first debast thy selfe being made of a free king a tributarie and a vessell of seruitude Thou hast bound the noblest of all countries with a band of eternall slauerie neuer to bee freed from seruile fetters vnlesse he hauing pitie vpon vs and the whole world vs I say whom auncient seruitude hath held vnder the yoke of sinne vouchsafe at the last to set vs at libertie Neither doe they lesse complaine of the Pope Thou say they who ought to be an example of light to the whole world the father of sanctitie the myrrour of pietie the defender of iustice the keeper of veritie consentest thou to such a thing doest thou approue and defend such a man But doubtlesse thou defendest him because hee hath exhausted the money of England exacted vpon the English Nobilitie to the end that all this might be swallowed vp in the gulfe of the Roman auarice But this cause and excuse is an offence and accusation before God In the end they resolued to make choyce of some Potent Prince to be their King who might restore vnto them their auncient possessions and liberties and this was Lewis the sonne of Philip Augustus the father afterward of S. Lewis to whom they sent twentie foure hostages to assure him the kingdome which he accepted Innocent vnderstanding hereof sent Waldo his Legat to Philip into France willing him That he suffer not his sonne to trouble England nor Iohn the King but rather to defend him as a vassall of the Church of Rome and England as the demaine thereof Philip plainely told him That the kingdome of England neuer was the patrimonie of S. Peter nor is nor euer should be and that Iohn condemned of treason against his brother Richard is not nor euer was the true and lawfull king nor could giue the kingdome although he had aspired to the Crowne by the murder of Arthur for which he was condemned in his owne Court. Moreouer no King or Prince can giue away his kingdom without the consent of his Barons who are bound to defend it And if the Pope be determined to defend such an errour he will giue a most pernitious example to all kingdomes All the Nobilitie therefore of the kingdome cried out with one voice That for this point they would fight euen to death This was at Lyons a little after Easter in the yeare 1216. An. 1216. The day following Philip gaue the Legat audience commanding his sonne Lewis to be present where all this businesse was againe disputed The Legat notwithstanding all these reasons forbad Lewis to enter into England and threatened the father vnder pain of excommunication not to permit him wherevpon Lewis departeth the Legat demaunding of Philip safe conduct for himselfe which Philip willingly granted vnto him by his letters But if perhaps saith he you fall into the hands of the Monkes of Eustachius or any other belonging vnto Lewis which keepe the
rash headlong and that by a Frier of Marpurg of the Order of Preachers who had beene appoynted by the Apostolike See generall Inquisitor of heretikes For as one writeth the same day that any man was accused whether iustly or vniustly no refuge of any Appeale or defence being able to helpe him he was condemned and cast into the cruell flames And a little before speaking of the great number of them discouered in Germanie Italie and principally in Lombardie he saith They which had beene taken at Strasbourg confessed openly before all the people and Clergie that the number of them was so great that if any of them were to goe from Cologne to Milan hee should find euerie night by the way an hoast of their sect and that they had little tokens about the doores of their houses and roofes whereby they knew how to find the dwellings of their complices Now he ascribeth vnto them the enormities aboue refuted but I pray you who wil beleeue that they would voluntarily vndergo the fire for such things None other truly but monks could write these things whom no man hardly wil be found so sottish as to beleeue At length saith Trithemius this Conrade hauing made himselfe hatefull to all both noble and ignoble especially for that hee persecuted the Earle of Seine falsely defamed of heresie he was slaine not farre from Marpurge notwithstanding his safe conduct by certaine gentlemen who had found no place of pardon or fauour with him Whereas we said that they were principally in Lombardie let vs adde thereto the testimonie of an Author of those times though an aduersarie In all the cities saith he of Lombardie and in other kingdomes and lands they had many Auditors and disputed in publike and called the people to solemne stations in a hall and in the field and preached on the tops of houses There was none that durst hinder them by reason of the power and multitude of their fauourers I haue beene often present at the Inquisition and at their examination and there hath beene reckoned vp fortie Churches infected with their heresie and in one onely Parish of Cammach were ten scholes of heretikes And this so notable an opposition happened in the time of the Councell of Lateran so famous for new inuentions and of Innocent the third whom they are woont in all qualities to compare with Hildebrand 51. PROGRESSION The voyage of Frederick the Emperour to the Holie Land and of the affaires and accidents there with the wicked practises of Pope Gregorie the ninth against him in his absence of the tumults factions in Italie stirred vp by the said Gregorie Of his malicious mind towards the Emperor and how he procured his owne sonne to rebell against him Of Innocent the fourth that he deposed the Emperor Frederick and corrupted diuers of his own domestike seruants to poyson him Of the death of the said Emperor and of his great vertue magnanimitie and prudence FRederick the second being sometimes brought vp vnder Innocent the third Apud Sigon de regno Jtal. l. 7. inter literas Frederici 2. quae apud Bononiens seruantur as soone as he came to the Empire found as little courtesie at the hands of Honorius the third Gregorie the ninth and Innocent the fourth as his grandfather and father Henrie and Frederick the first had found before at the hands of their predecessors For when as purposing with himselfe to goe into Italie in the yere 1220 he had sent before Conradus Bishop of Spires his Chancellor with a large commission Honorius construing this as an alarme and much distasting the tenor of his commission wherein he stiled himselfe King of the Romans and Sicilia directing the same to all Prelats Marquesses and Earles in Lombardie Romaniola Tuscan and throughout all Italie and declaring thereby That he had sent before Conradus his Lieutenant Bishop of Spires and Chancellor of the Empire to take fealtie of them and other rights belonging to him without appeale to any other was so exceedingly offended thereat the rather for that Conradus in his proceedings tearmed himselfe Fredericks Lieutenant generall throughout all Italie that he sought by all meanes hee could to crosse Fredericks voyage into Italie For they of Milan by the persuasion of Honorius shut the gates of the citie against him and other cities by his procurement did the like But he setting light by them passeth on to Rome commaunding the embassadours of the cities to follow him thither Now because it was not safe for Honorius to refuse the coronation of Frederick who was readie to take the accustomed oath he wrested another oath from him That by a day limited he should make a voyage to the Holie Land desiring nothing more than to keepe him farre from Italie Frederick therefore making a step into Sicilia settles that kingdome and leauing Conradus in Italie returnes into Germanie where he spent two yeares much to the Popes discontentment But in this interim Iohannes Bremensis king of Ierusalem comes to Rome desiring aid and succour from the Pope to support the declining state of the Christians in Syria The Pope embracing this opportunitie persuades Iohn to tender Yolanda his daughter vnto Frederick and to giue him with her in mariage the kingdome of Hierusalem vpon condition that he should vndertake to recouer the same from the Infidels which Frederic accepted of requiring only two yeres respite for setling the state of Lombardie This was concluded on vpon paine of excommunication which was presently denounced by the Cardinals and should actually take effect vpon Fredericks breach of couenant Now whilest Frederick for the setling of the affaires of Lombardie had assembled the Estates and to that end had sent for his sonne Henrie out of Germanie the confederat cities of Lombardie growing jealous hereof and thereupon combining themselues in a straiter league against Frederick stopt the passage of Henrie and increast their forces Honorius himselfe did much mislike hereof foreseeing that Frederick would hereby excuse the delay of his voyage to the Holie Land and at this time in the yeare 1227 died Honorius and Cardinall Hugoline An. 1227. called Gregorie the ninth succeeded him who without any respect doth so presse Frederick as he commaunds all those of the Croysado to bee readie at Brundusium on the day of the Assumption where he presently imbarkes his whole armie but falling sicke after three dayes sailing returned backe againe not without some losse of his fleet and forces Whereupon Gregorie would admit no excuse but complained to all Princes That Frederick was conuicted of periurie by breach of his contract made with Honorius therefore stood ipso facto excommunicated On the other side Frederick excused himselfe by his letters yet extant in Vrsperge complaining much that the Pope refused to giue audience to the Cardinall of Brundusium whom he sent of purpose to the Councell to make his defence Collenutius ex Ricobalâ— l. 4. It is not my purpose here to justifie
Frederick but Ricobaldus discouers the ground of this malice That wheras Gregorie was desirous to make Frederick more firme vnto him by an alliance of mariage this offer was reiected by the Emperors children and Frederick was afraid least in his absence hee should inuade the kingdome of Sicilia Abbas Vrsperg The Abbot of Vrsperge being a man of note in that age hath giuen this judgement of him This Gregorie saith he being a proud man in the first yeare of his Popedome began to excommunicat Frederick the Emperour vpon false and friuolous causes and contrarie to all order of iudicious proceeding He vpbraided him That the Church of Rome vnder the tuition of Innocent the third had been a mother vnto him Frederick answers That she was rather a stepmother being the root and fountaine of all his troubles And therefore hee sets before the eyes of Princes her rapines sacrileges simonies and iniurious attempts against kings and kingdomes alledging for instance how cruelly shee dealt with Iohn king of England and others Math. Paris in Henrico 3. concluding at the last That it was to be feared least the Church whose foundation was layed in pouertie and simplicitie should by her wealth and aboundance be brought to ruine and that therefore it is high time for them that see their neighbours house on fire to looke to their owne Let vs note by the way that the Popes earnest soliciting of this voyage to the Holie Land promising pardon of all their sinnes to such as should goe thither was suspected by those of best judgement which did not onely foresee the mischiefe that would follow thereof but felt the present euill which alreadie it had wrought Abbas Vrsperg The same Abbot saith thus Cardinall Conradus Bishop of Portua when he went Embassadour into Germanie to aduance the seruice of the Croysado as they call it and did appoint Preachers for the publishing thereof Then a certaine frier predicant called Iohn comming from Strasbourge preached daily and earnestly laying mens sinnes to their consciences with great vehemencie and for the intangling of their soules broached certaine doctrines before vnheard of which albeit in some sort they might be maintained yet it was found by experience that much euill ensued thereof being misconceiued by the hearers who were thereby incouraged to commit many enormous crimes and offences for at that time Engilbert Archbishop of Collen was slaine by his owne kinsmen and many Priests murdered For some damnable companions said I will commit villanies for by the taking of the crosse I shall be not onely absolued from them but shall also deliuer the soules of many wicked men Whereupon Auentine speaking of the same Iohn and such like saith Auent l. 7. That to incourage men to vndergoe the hazard of this dangerous warre they deliuered many strange doctrines That whatsoeuer sin a man had committed were it parricide incest or sacriledge as soone as he had sowed a crosse vpon his coat he was presently absolued both from the fault and punishment And for proofe hereof he brought many examples Let vs now returne to Frederick Gregorie vpon that day which is commonly called Coena Domini excommunicats him The Frangipanes being an honourable familie in Rome taking offence thereat incite the people against him and droue Gregorie out of Rome who retired himselfe to Perusia Now Frederick hauing setled his affaires in Sicilia with as much speed as he could to the end hee might approue his actions to the whole world vpon Christmas eue he arriued with his whole armie in Palestina and therefore Gregorie might well haue pacified his anger had not somewhat else than the zeale of Christ inflamed him But Sigonius himselfe tells vs That Gregorie was so much the more incensed against him that he durst vndertake that voyage before he was reconciled to him Wherefore taking opportunitie of his absence vnder the conduct of Iohannes Bremensis he inuades Apulia stirres vp the confederat cities of Lombardie against Frederick diuides or rather rents asunder all Italie into the factions of the Guelfes and Gibellines the one holding for the Pope the other for the Emperour that scarce any citie or towne was to be found where the higher part against the lower one quarter against another the commons against the nobilitie the nobility against the commons did not exercise hostilitie with all manner of crueltie so that this fire could scarcely be quenched without the vtter ruine of Italie Frederick for all this desisted not from his purpose which he so effectually pursued that he did not so much as thinke of Italie before he had recouered the citie of Hierusalem But so soone as he had taken the citie and caused himselfe to be crowned King of Hierusalem and had setled his affaires there being informed that the Pope played rex in his dominions for redresse thereof in the yeare 1229 he returnes into Italie Mathew Paris a writer of that age though fauouring Gregorie saith thus Matthaeus Paris in Henric. 3. Hee taking it in euill part that the Emperour of Rome being excommunicated and rebelling against him went to the Holie Land did not a little despaire of his repentance and satisfaction and returning againe to the vnitie of the Church and therefore he determined to depose him from his Empire for his contumacie and rebellion and to place in his roome some other that would bee a peaceable and obedient sonne vnto him And yet a little before he had told vs that Frederick at his arriuall in the Holie land found them in such a desperat case that the Templers Hospitallers at his comming adored him vpon their knees kissed his knees Moreouer he produceth a letter of the Earle of Aterne aduertising Frederic that Iohannes Bremensis his father in law by the instigation of Gregory had inuaded his dominions set on fire his townes and villages c. And if any man made mention of the emperor vnto him he said there was no other emperour but himselfe Your friends saith he wonder hereat most mightie emperour especially those of the Clergie vpon what ground and with what conscience the Pope can doe thus Cuspinian in Frederico Abbas Vrsperg Collenutius l. 4. Neapol Histor. and warre against Christians The Abbot of Vrsperge and some other say further that Gregorie to the end he might weaken the forces of Frederic in the holie land forbad those of the Croysado in Apulia and Lombardie to goe thither and caused the Lombardes in their journey thitherward to be ransackt and spoyled and that he might crosse the good successe of these warres scattered letters in Fredericks campe admonishing his soldiers to take heed of him moreouer that he did write to the Souldan to be of good courage and not to restore any thing to Frederic Whereupon this good Abbot breakes out into these speeches Who would not saith he both bewaile and detest these dealings which are manifest forerunners and prodigious signes of the Churches ruine He saith further
some remedie for these mischiefes they write letters to the Bishops and Chapiters with this subscription To such a Bishop or such a Chapiter Vniuersitas the whole bodie of them that had rather die than be confounded by the Romans send greeting In these letters they particularly complained That the Pope had commaunded the Bishops vnder paine of suspension that they should not giue a benefice to any home-borne of the kingdome till first fiue Romans in euery Church were prouided of benifices throughout all Dioceses to the value of a hundred pounds sterling the yeare Neither did they designe them by their names but the sonne of Rumfred or of such a one as if they would fulfill that prophesie They haue spoiled the Aegyptians for to enrich the Hebrews Wherefore seeing they had resolued with themselues to deliuer the Church the King and the kingdome from so great a tyrannie vnlesse they themselues the Bishops would feele and suffer in their goods that which they prepared for the persons of the Romans ere long to suffer they should not entermedle in their affaires In like manner they wrote vnto them that had their lands at farme That they should not pay them their yearely reuenues and their letters were sealed with a seale wherein was grauen two swords with this inscription Ecce duo gladij hic Matthew Paris in Henrico 3. heere are two swords And the matter came to that passe that their corne was taken away throughout all England freely and without contradition They distributed them in large almes to the poore and sometime cast their monies about on the ground and exhorted the poore to gather it vp The Romane Clergie-men hid themselues in Abbaies not daring once to mutter at the iniuries done them choosing rather to lose their goods than incurre the Sentence of death Vntill at length Gregorie being aduertised of these things wrote vnto the King that vnder paine of excommunication and interdict he should proceed against the Authours thereof neuerthelesse he wrote letters of recommendations to the Pope in the behalfe of Robert de Tinghe knight their head that he might more easily obtaine absolution But Gregorie gaue not ouer for all that but the next yeare after sent his Nuncio's with Legantine power into all parts one while pretending the ruine of Frederick another while for the recouerie of the holy Land for to exact money on all sides Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. Inuenting saith the Historie and multiplying argumentosas extorsiones extorsions fortified with arguments especially in England he appointed his Legats in shew simple messengers yet hauing power Legantine who as if it were for succour of the holy Land exacted very much money by preaching entreating commaunding threatning excommunicating and exacting procurations whereby infinite many in England were brought to forsake their countrey and to beg and yet the Church had neuer any aduancement therby And here he giueth vs a copie of his letters Excellent words saith he able to pierce the stonie hearts of men had they not beene followed with deeds notoriously contrarie to humilitie and iustice he would haue said had it not been for that it was meere hypocrisie of such as represented in their Buls as it were on a stage the pason of Christ and desolation of the Holy Land not so much for to moue the people as to pull out their bowells He therfore addeth To these men was giuen power to presse crossed soldiers and for money also to release them of that vow wherefore many without number crossed themselues But the Friers Preachers Minorites who had chosen with humility a voluntary pouerty were in a short time aduanced to so great Nobilitie that I say not arrogancie that they made themselues be receiued into Couents and Cities with solemne procession with banners and lighted tapers each man in his best apparell and due order and they had power to grant pardon for many daies to their auditors and such as to day were crossed for the warres in giuing money they absolued the morrow after from that vow And in a short space so great an exchange is made and exaction of money so manie waies neither could it be knowne into what bottomlesse gulfe so much money as the Popes agents did gather could be drowned so that the busines of the Holy Land went not forward and the charitie of the faithfull yea of all in generall waxed cold Cardinall Otho comming as a Legat into England at his first arriuall refuseth all gifts contrary to the custome of the Romans saith the Authour and with his gesture woon the good liking of the people but scarcely hath he giuen this tast of him but he taketh all things with both the hands from the Bishop of Winchester alone fiftie fat oxen an hundred measures of wheat eight buts of the best wine and so from the other Bishops And when there was a Councell to be held he commandeth there should be set vp in the Church of S. Paul a seat nimis fastigiosam solemnem too solemne and too high raised vp mounting with many steps There he propoundeth new inuentions to the preiudice of the Clergy and Nobility from the Nobilitie he tooke away the right of patronage seised it for the Pope and from the other he tooke away part of their benefices and gaue it vnto strangers And hence arose new complaints of the States against the Court of Rome But he taxed also all the Ecclesiasticall liuings for the succour of the Pope against the Emperour and exacteth it vnder paine of most rigorous censures and for monie absolueth from the vow of the holy Land and a certaine sum was set by the Fryers Preachers Minorites according to the rate the same voiage ouer seas might cost them Thence saith Mathew Paris a great scandall is made among the people with a schisme euen the most simple obserued the absurditie quam diuersis muscipulis by how many mouse-trappes the Court of Rome endeuoured to depriue the simple people of God of their substance requiring nothing but gold and siluer He exacted moreouer of all the Clergie the fift part of their reuenues to bee employed against Frederick and wrested it away perforce the Lords of the kingdome in vaine crying out to the King Most renowned Prince why sufferest thou England to be made a prey and desolation of strangers as a Vineyard without enclosure common to all that passe by and for the wild bores to root vp The King answering them I neither will nor dare gainsay the Pope in any thing And thereupon a lamentable despaire grew among the people We must not omit that at the same time was taken at Cambridge a certain Carthusian Monke bearing the habit and gesture of an honest and austeer life who would not enter into the Church he is brought vnto the Legat to be committed prisoner to the Tower of London and being questioned by him he saith Gregorie is not Pope is not head of the Church The Church is prophaned
diuine Mysteries ought not to be celebrated vntill first it be againe dedicated The Deuill is let loosse the Pope is an hereticke polluteth the Church yea the world Gregorie that is called Pope All this in presence of many Prelats named expresly by the Authour Againe the Legat asketh Is there not giuen from aboue a power vnto the Pope our Lord to bind and loosse soules and to execute ahe place of S. Peter on earth And whilest all men expected what he would answere beleeuing that the iudgement thereof depended on his answere he replied by way of question How can I beleeue that to any person tainted with Simonie and vsurie and perhaps with greater crimes any such power is granted as was to S. Peter who being made immediatly his Apostle followed the Lord not so much by the steps of his feet as by brightnesse of vertues At which words the Legat blushed Neuerthelesse he proceedeth for all that in his enterprise begun in so much as the Abbots of the kingdome are constrained to come to the king to make their complaint with their heads lowly bowed and their faces full of teares We are beaten verie sore and yet we dare not crie out our throats are cut and yet we may not weepe or complaine The Pope imposeth an impossibilitie vpon vs an exaction detestable to the whole world New and vnexpected seruices are daily thus and thus reuiued and inuented of the Romans so that they suffer vs not to haue neuer so little time to fetch our breath The Bishops then vniuersally gather together and fortifie themselues with reasons which they oppose against it but the Legat being borne out by the king who would gratifie the Pope he made a schisme amongst them that he might the more easily sayth Mathew seise vpon his prey Gregorie de pecuniae congreganda vigil contemplator a vigilant contemplator in gathering of money together expecting his desired prey from England signified to the Legat That he should not as before assemble the whole Clergie together least they should encourage one another and strengthening themselues with their former reasons and exceptions should flatly contradict him but rather that he should endeuour to bow euery one of them by himselfe hauing first by all meanes weakened the constancie of the king to the end that he who before stood for the Clergie and had giuen them hornes being made effeminat might be for their ruine When the Legat had vnderstood these things de docto factus est doctior ad nocendum becomming more skilfull to hurt called together afore him by the Popes authoritie the whole Clergie of England to London on the feast day of all Saint and in the end obtained his ful desire For the poore sheepe were deliuered vp as it were rictibus Luporum cruentatis to the bloudie throats of Wolues by the seducings of the Legat mellitis super oleum mollitis sweeter than oyle and honie which he afterward turned into darts The same also did Gregorie in all the other Prouinces of Europe in Scotland Denmarke and France it selfe in which notwithstanding according to the measure of his power the matter had diuers euents finding eftsoones many impediments For as wee haue seene before hauing gathered money in France when he would abuse it against the quiet rest of Christendome S. Lewis intercepted the money and made it be stayed neuerthelesse he continued in the same obstinacie vntill his death as Mathew Paris witnesseth Gregorie saith he being vnable to sustaine the griefes hee had conceiued and yet stirred vp and drawne vpon himselfe the eleuenth of the Calends of September dyed pro meritis à summo Iudice recepturus to receiue of the soueraigne Iudge according to his deserts c. The greatest griefe which more inwardly pricked the heart of Gregorie at his death was for that the Emperour anon after the feast of the Assumption had taken a certaine castle of the Popes nephewes other his kinsmen in Campania neere Mountfort c. and in signe of the subuersion thereof had left a tower halfe ruinat that the memorie as well of the fault as of the vengeance taken might not dye And in this sence it is that he may seeme justly to take to himselfe that saying of our Lord The zeale of thy house hath eaten me vp Neither are we to expect better of Innocent the fourth from new Popes proceed new exactions No sooner is he seated in his Pontificall chaire but he presently sendeth euerie where new exactors into England as into his farme he sent first one master Martin with power to excommunicat and suspend which hee so well fenced withall that he presently obtained whatsoeuer the Pope chalenged to himselfe in benefices Ad opus Clericorum consanguineorum suorum For the vse of his Clergie men and kinsmen neither was he ashamed saith he to exact and extort from the Prelats and especially of Monkes in a commaunding manner Palefridos concupiscibiles choyce palfreyes or ambling nags by letters straitly commaunding this Abbot and that Prior That he should send vnto him such horses as became a speciall Clerke of the Pope to ride vpon but such as gainesayd and pretended excuses and causes of deniall though reasonable as did the Abbot of Malmesburie and Prior of Merton he grieuosly punished by suspending them vntill such time as they made full satisfaction At length the king himselfe was wearie of these and such like extortions who after hee had yeelded all sorts of subiection to the Pope so that he placed his Legat in his owne throne could not chuse but be moued at the complaint made vnto him by the whole Church and that so much the more confidently as he knew that when the Popes chamber at Lyons was by chance set on fire that same Charter whereby king Iohn had made England tributarie to the Pope was withall burned to ashes Therefore hauing assembled a Parliament he began to set downe a most excellent order for the well gouerning of the realme and for the reforming of justice But the diuell saith Mathew Paris enemie of mankind disturber of peace and raiser vp of schismes vnhappily hindered all that by the Popes couetousnesse For the Pope beleeuing that the flexible English had alreadie submitted their neckes to the sayd contribution according to their custome as well by reason of the kings desire thereto as for the instance of his request sent à Latere suo one master Martin his Clerke whom many for his wicked rauening called master Mastife hauing a new and vnheard of power greater than euer any Legat had before him For he stretched forth his hands to exact contribution made prouisions after his owne fantasie voyd of reason ad opus ignotorum for to supply the need of vnknowne persons and violently tooke away the reuenues for to giue them to the Popes kindred being cruelly armed with the Popes authoritie whose Bulls he daily shewed new at his pleasure and according as the businesse on euery sudden
occasion fell out Whence it came that some said he had many papers vnwritten yet sealed that he might write in them what he pleased which farre be it But Iste Legatus sophisticus That sophisticall Legat commeth to the king beseeching him That he himselfe would diligently labour in the Popes behalfe that the Prelats of England might generally giue consent to make contribution to the Pope of at least ten thousand markes The king answereth That his Barons and Prelats are so often spoyled of their goods vnder diuers pretences that they neither would nor could thenceforth promise any thing They will not neither are they able to contribute either to me their king or to the Pope who yet haue promised to aid me And at this master Martin being greatly troubled departed from the kings presence And when he presented his letters to the Prelats they say vnto him The king our Lord and patron and founder and repairer of many of our Churches being destitute of treasure demaundeth ayd of vs for the strength and defence of the realme that is of the Commonwealth the same also doth the Pope instantly request vs for the king And there commeth moreouer another vnexpected demaund from the Pope so that on this side we are assailed on that side wee are distressed on this side we are troden downe on that side sorely pressed we are bruised as it were betwixt the anuill and the hammer and tormented as betweene two milstones Neuerthelesse master Martin vrgeth and is instant vigilantissimè incessantèr vigilantly and incessantly for the gathering and bestowing of reuenues in what fashion they would for the vse of the Pope and his kindred and of his saucinesse and iniurious extotion I thinke it honester and safer for reuerence of the holie Church of Rome to be silent than to offend the eares of the hearers and trouble the minds of the faithfull in rehearsing such things In the meane time the Ports of England are verie narrowly obserued that the Popes carriers might bring no more dispatches from Rome and there was one of them stayed a Douer who brought many bulls Multas abominationes de diuersis argumentis emungendi pecuniam continentes saith the Author contayning many abominations for to wrest away money so that the king detesting the insatiable couetousnesse of the Court of Rome resolued to prouide a remedie and to that end sent certaine honourable persons embassadours to the Councell of Lions in the name of the whole kingdome And to Maister Martin in the meane time is signified by one Fulke Warin that he should forthwith depart out of England he asketh from whom he hath that commaundement he is aunswered from them which of late were assemble in armes at Luithon and that if he were wise he should not tarrie three yeares longer then went he to the king and asked if that were done by his authoritie the king answereth no but that hee could hardly withhold his Barons from rising vp against him for hauing endured such robberies in his kingdome Martin trembling requesteth of him safe-conduct for the honour of the Pope the king answereth in anger The Diuell lead and carie thee into hell yet he commaunded his Knight Marshall to bring him safe to the Sea side So soone as he is come to Rome he declareth this his ill successe to the Pope And behold with what repentance he is touched The king saith he of Fraunce and the king of Aragon haue forbidden our Nuncios entrance into their kingdomes we must therfore saith he in great anger make peace with prince Frederic that we may breake in pieces these pettie kings vt hos regulos cōteramus which kick against vs for the draggon foiled or appeased the little serpents will soone be trodden down Voce sursurra saith the Historiographer oculos obliquando nares corrugando thus describeth he his choler which word being spread among the people beget a scandal of indignatiō in the hearts of many But the embassadors of the realm of Englād being arriued at the Councel of Lions partly by the words of Williā of Powerick partly by a most large letter declared quantū est extortum tributū iniuriosè how great is the tribute wrongfully extorted And after some accustomed complements to the Pope Behold say they by you and your predecessours not hauing any consideration besides the subsidies abouesayd Italians now are enriched in England of whom there is alreadie an infinit number in Churches the patronage whereof belongeth to the religious persons themselues and are called rectors of Churches leauing the foresaid religious persons whom they ought to defend altogether vndefended hauing not any care of soules but suffering most rauenous wolues to disperce the flocke and deuoure the sheepe Whence it may truely be said that they are not good Pastors for they know not their sheepe neither their sheep them they abide not in the Churches for to keepe good hospitalitie and to giue almes as is appointed yet they receiue yearely in England sixtie thousand markes and more diuers other receipts excepted they reape more profit of the mere reuenues of the Kingdome than the king himselfe who is the defender of the Church and gouernour of the Realme Now we firmely hoped and yet doe hope bearing that affiance of you that we shall reioyce by meanes of the mercie of your fatherhood that our sayd Almes deeds shall in your dayes be reformed to the due and former estate it hath beene But we cannot conceale our grieuance wherewith we are not onely grieued but also beyond measure oppressed concluding with entreatie that he would remedie the same so soone as might be especially that violent oppression intollerable griefe and impudent exaction which is committed by that hatefull clause often inserted in the Popes letters Non obstante c. But the Pope put them off to a long day for their answer neither could he dissemble the passion of his mind for that they complained to the Councell threatning among his familiars that if he had once repressed Frederic he would trample vnder his feet the English men and their King The English Embassadors then are vrgent for an answer to whom by a third he aunswereth that they could not obtayne what they demaunded And thereupon they protesting that they would neuer pay that detestable tribute he priuily sendeth secret messengers into England who made euerie bishop particularly to subscribe to that lamentable Charter of king Iohn namely as it is likely to supplie the want of the originall burnt at Lions with a copie thus made authenticall But the king hearing of it made an oath that whatsoeuer the Bishops did he would neuer pay it though it cost him his life Math. Paris And the authour addeth that in the conference that Innocent had with the king S. Lewis at Clugni he vsed all the art hee could to persuade the king to reuenge him of this jurie and to make warre against ipsum regulum Anglorum the pettie king of the
English either for to depriue him of his kingdome or to make him will he nill he submit himselfe to the pleasure of the Court of Rome which if hee would doe the Church with the Papall authoritie should to the vttermost of his power assist him But yet that the king of Frannce constantly refused him In the yere following are made new admonishments to the Pope and Cardinals by the letters of the king States and Prelats of the kingdome whereby were represented vnto them innumerable grieuances the articles of which are rehearsed by the same author These among others were new that the Pope by his letters enjoyned the Prelats that they should euerie man at their owne proper charges furnish forth one man fiue another tenne and another fifteene c. men of warre well horsed and armed for to doe him seruice wheresoeuer he should commaund to whom they should giue a yeares pay which is a militarie seruice due to the king alone and from which neuerthelesse they might be dispensed for money Also that to the end the king might not hinder it the Popes Nuncios fraudulently had forbidden the Prelats vnder paine of excommunication that they should not reueale this exaction to any in sixe moneths Innocent then was so farre off from reuoking them that in despite of the king he made a new statute in England That the goods of such as died intestate should be conuerted to his vse and appointed the Preaching Friers diligently to put the same in execution Which the king hauing intelligence of expresly forbiddeth detesting Romanae curiae augmentosam multiplicem ac multiformem auaritiam the augmenting multiplying and euerie way manifold couetuousnesse of the Court of Rome He also forbiddeth thenceforth to pay tribute to the Pope whereat the Pope being greatly moued resolueth to excommunicat the king and kingdome Hereupon Cardinall Iohn an Englishman a Cistertian Monke saith vnto him For Gods sake my Lord refraine your anger which is if I may so speake vndiscreet and with temperance bridle the passions of your will considering that the dayes are euill The holie land lieth open to daunger the Greeke church is departed from vs Frederic is our aduersarie then whom none among the Christian Princes is mightier or yet like vnto him You and we which are the highest of the church are banished from the Papall seat yea from the Citie it selfe yea from Italie Hungarie and the adiacent prouinces expect nothing but vtter ruin from the Tartarians Germanie is shaken with ciuile warres Spaine is growne to that crueltie as to cut off the tongues of Bishops Fraunce is by vs alreadie brought to pouertie and hath conspired against vs and England so oftentimes hurt by our iniuries as Balaams asse spurred and beaten with a staffe at last speaketh and speaketh against and complaineth that shee is ouermuch and intollerably wearied and vnrestoreably damnified After the manner of Ismael beeing hatefull to all wee procure all men to hate vs And when for all that the Popes mind was not appeased nor inclined to compassion or humilitie but was inflamed to punishment and reuenge there came messengers from England who mitigated the Popes mind gaping after profit assuring him that by his most speciall friends in England the kings heart was bowed so that he remitted it to the Clergie to effect his wish the ioy whereof wonderfully calmed his mind and countenance Yet whilst he waited and expected the same taking boldnesse of this hope he commandeth the Prelats of England solito imperiosius more imperiously than he was woont That they should cause to be paid him from all beneficed persons resident the third part of their reuenues and by nonresidents the one halfe with this detestable clause Non obstante c. which abolisheth all iustice And for to vrge these exactions are sent Iohn and Alexander Friers Minorites who armed with Bulls from the Pope and couering vnder sheepes clothing their woluish rauening presented themselues to the king and with a simple looke humble countenance and fawning speech entreated leaue of the king to wander throughout the Realme ad opus Domini Papae charitatem petituri to demaund a charitie for the need of the Pope promising that they would doe nothing by constraint But a while after they became proud with the gifts of the Clergie mounted vpon noble horses with golden saddles decked in most costly apparell and with souldiers shooes vulgarly called Heusees shod and spurred after a secular or rather a prodigall manner which turned to the hurt and opprobrie of their Order and profession exercising the office and tyrannie of Legats and exacting and extorting procurations and account twentie shillings for a procuration but a small matter First then they goe to the chiefest Prelats of England and shamefully exact money from them for the Popes vse vnder terrible paines setting too short a time for answer or payment and shewing the Popes thundering letters as so many threatning hornes put forth In so much that the Bishop of Lincolne who had euer protected the Order of the Minorites and was minded to haue made himselfe one of them seeing such a monstrous transformation was wholly astonied and that so much the more for that they demaunded of his only Bishopricke six thousand markes Neither yet is the Pope moued at the complaint made vnto him thereof at Lyons but although they appeale vnto him yet are they constrained with all kind of rigour But we must bring here the whole Author throughout if we should set downe all that he saith of these tyrannicall exactions it sufficeth vs here for conclusion to shew the description that he maketh of the miserable state of the Church of England vnder Gregorie and Innocent vnder Gregorie in these words In those times faith waxed cold and scarcely seemed to sparkle being almost brought to ashes For simonie was practised without blushing vsurers openly by diuers occasions did shamelesly extort money from the meaner sort of people Charitie is dead the libertie of the Church is withered away Religion is become vile and base and the daughter Sion is as a bold-faced harlot hauing no shame And of the Court of Rome he properly speaketh plentifull setting forth the iniuries thereof which he concludeth in this one word Armato supplicat ense potens He entreateth vs with a sword set to our throats It were better for vs to dye than to see the euils of our nation of the Saints But these are scourges to Englishmen they hauing committed many offences and God being angrie maketh the hypocrite raigne and the tyran rule for the sinnes of the people But vnder Innocent Heu heu Alas alas now the naturall inhabitants of the kingdome are despised men holy learned and religious and strangers are intruded that are vnworthie of all honour altogether ignorant of the letters and language of the countrey wholly vnprofitable for confessions and preachings not stayed neither in gestures nor in manners extorters of money and contemners of soules In times
past holie religious and learned the holie Ghost working with them and inspiring them were vnwillingly drawne into the Chaires which now are violently occupied per fas nefas by courtyers wranglers in law and barbarous All the houses of which the election pertaineth to the Pope are thereby destroyed Patronage is now a burden not an honour a damage not a profit O Pope Father of fathers why sufferest thou the climats of Christians to be defiled with such persons Worthily therefore worthily being chased from thine owne citie and seat as another vagabond Cain thou art forced to banishment thine enemies prosper thou fliest before the partakers of Frederick and they which persecute thee are swift and mightie Euerie where thy Bulls do shine as lightening against them that obey thee and is of no esteeme with such as rebell Prelats are euery where suspended that others may he prouided of their benefices which are vnworthie barbarous and vnknown who seeke the milke of the sheepe of the Lords fold sheere them flea them and plucke out their bowels O Lord God of vengeances when wilt thou sharpen thy sword as lightning and make it drunke with the bloud of such men In France vnder the raigne of S. Lewis Innocent spared vs not the more although he soiourned there heare what the same Author saith Hee is no sooner come to Lyons but without the consent of the Chapiter he would giue away the vacant Prebends the Canons resist him to his face threaten those to whom he giues them That if they came thither the Archbishop should not bee able to hinder them from casting them headlong into the riuer Rhosne But as the matter passed further others more entermedled in it For saith he all and euerie one saw and perceiued that the Pope did insatiably gape after money and spoyle to the dammage and impouerishment of many And many alreadie did not beleeue that he had the same power of binding and loossing as was granted from heauen to S. Peter being knowne to be altogether vnlike to S. Peter In France many noblemen conspired against the Pope and the Church which we neuer remember to haue happened before as may bee seene in this Charter written in the French tongue which is there at large expressed the summe of it is this All the confederats whose seales did hang at that writing vnite themselues together for to defend their rights and prerogatiues against the Court of Rome and there was named for heads of the league the Duke of Bourgondie the Earle Perron of Britaine and the Earles of Angolesme and of S. Paul who if any of the league haue need are to helpe them with necessarie forces and that say they because the Clergie made them of worse condition than the Heathens of whom God said Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and vnto God the things that are Gods and by these new customs abolished their ancient priuiledges whereas indeed the kingdome had not beene gotten by the pride of the Clergie but by the souldiers and men of warre Which when the Pope vnderstood fearing least that were done by intelligence with Frederick he thought it his wisest course to content them in their grieuances and to appease the chiefest by giuing them store of benefices yet neuerthelesse he sendeth the Friers Preachers and Minors to all the Prelats of France who require of them to lend him money promising to restore it them so soone as he should be able to take his breath But king Lewis suspecting the couetousnesse of the Court of Rome forbad all the Prelats of his kingdome vnder paine of loosing all their goods that none should in any such sort impouerish his land And so these sophisticall Legats of the Pope departed out of the kingdome hissed at and derided of all men Yet true it is saith the Author that after infinit extortions in France worthie of eternall silence the Pope consented to king Lewis in fauour of his voyage to the Holie land that he might collect a tenth for three yeares on condition that himselfe might also for other three yeares following receiue the like which was with such rigour extorted that the Churchman that had yearely but twenty shillings comming in and was readie to perish for hunger was constrained without all pitie to pay two of them and of this crueltie he bringeth many examples And for that king S. Lewis did permit or tollerate the Pope to make these extortions in his kingdome it was vndoubtedly beleeued that his voiage to the Holie Land tooke such vnfortunat successe Now of all these as wee haue abouesaid these new Friers Preachers and Minorites were the executors being the Popes ordinarie Publicans or Toll-gatherers who in the meane time also deuoured one another And which is terrible and of vnluckie presage saith he no Monasticke Order in the space of three or foure hundred yeares or vpwards hath growne so much and so soone neere a downefall as is their Order in twentie foure yeres that their mansions were first founded in England When any great and rich men lye at point of death they come diligently about them to draw profit and riches from them not without the hurt and hinderance of the Ordinaries and wrest from them confessions and secret testaments onely recommending vnto them their Order and preferring it before all others So that no faithfull man beleeues to be saued vnlesse he be gouerned by the counsels of the Preachers and Minorites who are carefull of getting priuiledges are Counsellors Chamberlaines and Treasurers in the Courts of Kings and Potentates Paranymphes and mariage-makers executors of the Popes extortions in their preachings either flatterers or most biting reprouers and in confessions either disclosers or vndiscreet reprehenders Who doth not here perceiue the true picture of the Iesuites And there he further setteth downe the great priuiledges giuen by the Pope for to bee serued of them which in this and other places may be read Mathew noteth That when they had discouered that the king of Norway was deuout with great industrie they prouided a certaine stone of white marble which they said they had bought for a great price wherein they fained was printed the sole of the foot of our Lord ascending vp into heauen That others of them shewed some of the bloud of Christ and milke of the Virgine Marie In those first ages of the Church gentle Reader when all things were fresher how commeth it that there is no speech of any such things And in the mean time this good Monk addeth In these dayes multi generati per incubos many children were begotten by spirits which seeing it followeth together in the same place there is none but may vnderstand what is meant thereby Gregorie attempteth to stretch forth his hands vnto the East parts and behold with what successe By reason of the conquest made of Constantinople by the Westerne people the Emperour Baldwin had submitted the Church of Constantinople to that of Rome in hope to
Italie and Germanie vexeth the people of Christ and Saints of God with an intollerable domination confoundeth together diuine and humane things and enterpriseth most wicked and execrable things What is more cleerely manifest than this Prophesie All the signes and prodigies which that our heauenly Master hath aduertised vs of are alreadie come to passe c. If this fire bee not quenched it will burne the whole world It becommeth him that first kindled it to quench it by the ruine of that monster which hitherto hath laine hid at Landelshut in the towne of Boior to the great danger of Christians And at length concludeth That this Albert the Popes incendiarie as a pestilent fellow and a Serpent should be banished by the Duke And hereupon by the joynt consent of the whole assemblie without doubt approuing those speeches sentence of proscription was giuen against him and his and about this time Gregorie died Innocent the fourth succeedeth who as aboue is shewed left nothing vnattempted against Frederic and opposed against him two Emperours one after another created at his pleasure Albert also continueth constant in his seruice till he was taken by Otho Duke of Bauaria in the towne of Pathaw which with many others he had moued to rebellion against him and being presently conuicted of perjurie sacriledge treacherie and impietie by his commaundement is flead aliue About the same time died Sigefride Bishop of Ratisbone and Eberard of Saltzbourg Innocent ordained for successour of Sigefride one Burchard de Zighenhaghen and of Eberard one Albert Pitoegius And when they of Saltzbourg refused Burchard he accepteth of Philip the Dukes sonne of Carinthia whom they had chosen but on this condition that they should excommunicat Otho vnlesse he renounced Fredericks part a part that seemed to be weakened by so many rebellions he had stirred vp in diuers parts in Germanie Otho on the contrarie declareth vnto the bishops and Prelats of the prouince assembled in Synod at Myldorff Yee haue preached vnto me saith he that the Bishop of Rome is Antichrist and I haue left the sect of the chiefe Priest to take part with the Emperour yee haue persuaded me to it I concluded peace with you and now againe warre better pleaseth you yee are more variable and mutable than an ordinarie man Why doe yee so fondly delude the Christian people with your childish sentence c. I appeale vnto Christ our sauiour who had foretold vs that we must keepe our selues from such Pharises and promiseth to blesse your cursings So that whilest of you we are condemned of Christ our Lord and God we are absolued Whom will the wicked and impious hands of this sacriligeous kind of men abstaine from which haue not spared Christ our Sauiour And who is he that burned such like Priests aliue with their wiues and children and by that famous act made so pleasing a sacrifice to God that he obtayned the kingdome of Palestina for himselfe and his posteritie Alluding hereby to Iehu king of Israell This being sayd Otho departed and hauing joyned his forces with Conrade the Emperours sonne goeth to besiege Dornberg The Prelats assembled at Myldorff concluding his words to be true determine to win his fauour and giue him absolution of the Popes excommunication And this then was the judgement they made of the Pope in Germanie Hither might be referred many things out of the Epistles of Peter de Vineis Chauncellour of Frederic but which may be thought to proceed from passion in the heat of contention betweene the Popedome and the Empire There doth Frederic reproue the Pope how vnlike or rather contrarie he is by the testimonie of all men to S. Peter That the Pharises sat in Moyses chaire That hee was excommunicated of the Pope by a key manifestly erring without hauing heard him That the Pope contrarie to Saint Peter adoreth his bellie and his money gapeth onely after richnesse and continually seeketh whom hee may deuoure That contrarie to Christ he preacheth nothing but warre and thinketh he is in the world for none other end Petrus de Vineis l. 1. Epist ca. 1. Then he exclaimeth And when this gluttonous bellie and stomacke is full gorged with wine then thou thinkest that thou sittest on the wings of the wind Then the Empire of the Romans pertaineth vnto thee then the kings of the earth bring thee gifts then the wine maketh thee admirable armies then all the Nations of the earth serue thee Let the Church our mother weepe for that the Pastour of the Lords flocke is become a rauenous Wolfe eating vp the fattest of the flocke not binding vp that which is broken nor setting in ioynt that which is loossed but as a louer of Schisme a principall authour of scandall and father of fraud against the Laws and honor of the Roman Emperour he defendeth heretikes The Lombards and men of Milan who then in great number professed the doctrine of the Waldenses which that zealous man little regarded so that he might bring his owne purposes to passe and in the meane time he leaueth Hierusalem to destruction and the land of God subiect to dogs and tributarie to Saracens whilest he troubleth that great Emperour and maketh the wayes of Sea and land cumbersome and daungerous the impious enemie Herod the stone of offence In the letters also of Frederic to the Christian Princes Petrus de Vineis Ep. 13.14 15.16.17.18.20.21.31.34 he feareth not to call the Pope hipocrite Apostata the old serpent which conuerteth the fruit of iustice into bitternesse a Pharisie annointed with the oyle of wickednesse aboue his fellowes the beast arising out of the Sea full of names of blasphemie and like vnto a Leopard the beast of which in the Apocalyps there went out another horse red and he that sat thereon tooke peace from the earth that the liuing might kill one another The Angell comming forth of the bottomelesse pit which filleth Sea and land with bitternesse the great Dragon that seduceth the whole world the Antichrist foretold should come another Balaam led with reward to curse vs a Prince by the Princes of darkenesse which hath abused the prophesies whose Cardinals are called sonnes of Belial Sathan is in the middest of them for to serue them Yet no man can impute to Frederic the opinions of the Albigenses seeing that in many places he inueigheth against them and stirreth vp the Popes to destroy them yet he giueth them a testimonie much contrarie to the loosse wantonnesse by their aduersaries objected vnto them when he describeth them to be prodigall of their life and constantly vndergoing martyrdome et quod est saith he ipso dicto durissimum superstites etiam non terrentur exemplo and which is euen hard to be spoken they which suruiue them are nothing terrified with their example Now there was giuen vnto them diuers names according to their teachers for to make thē the more odious Epist 26. 27. lib. 1. Among these Epistles also we read
words We seuerely prohibit this error Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. and excommunicat the maintainers and defenders thereof as men saith our Author that dare touch the holie hill to be oppressed with Gods glorie and that rashly endeuour to search out the inscrutable secrets of God and are presumptuously inquisitiue into the iudgements of God which are like bottomelesse depthes Afterwards the Author also noteth in diuers places how they laboured as much as in them lay to ouerthrow the Parisian Academie to whose lawes and statutes they would in no wise be subiect since they were made Confessors and Counsellors to kings The students therfore were constrained to contribute and make a collection euerie one according to his meanes to send to Rome and euerie ones weekes allowance was cut shorter But they found the Pope aduerse to their proiects as also the Cardinals of the same stampe who in the behalfe of the Mendicants augmented the number of Diuinitie Doctors that so they might be brought in by meanes of which schisme the Vniuersitie was in great danger of a dissipation What was the effect and issue of all these turbulencies will afterwards more manifestly appeare Concerning the Waldenses they did so spread abroad both in France and Germanie that throughout the course of all histories we may as it were discerne their prints and footsteps And also in Lombardie where Petrus Veronensis a Dominican vsed all rigour of Inquisition against those who were called Credentes Beleeuers indicting vpon them all kind of seuere punishment when seising on some of the principall he was found slaine in the territories of Mylan One Carinus was apprehended for this slaughter who notwithstanding the tenth day after was dismissed by the Pretor as guiltlesse and Petrus Veronensis least others should bee discouraged canonized by the Pope for a Saint But we must not omit to mention how Innocent though he imployed much labour and studie to this end and in authorizing his Decretals nor any of his successors could euer effect that the French Churches would be subiect to them As concerning the Canons they rested in the auncient collection of them which commonly is called Corpus Canonum and for the Epistles of the Popes they approued of none but til Gregorie the seconds time that is to say before Boniface Archbishop of Magunce infringed the libertie of the French Synods about the yeare 742 which was so sound and good law Johannes Andreas in Prologū l. 1. Nichol. 1. ad Episc in Gallia constitutos in Epist Bonifacij l. 3. Epist 42. that Iohn Andreas a famous Ciuilian testifies in his Prologue vpon the Decretals That whosoeuer cited any thing not conceiued within this bodie of the Canons he was to be esteemed a criminall of false testimonie The which is farre from that opinion which Pope Nicholas the first held in the nineteenth distinction aboue by vs mentioned 53. PROGRESSION Alexander the fourth succeeds Innocent He treats with Richard Earle of Cornwall and with the king of England for his sonne Edmonds inuestiture in the kingdomes of Apulia and Sicilie Conradinus pretended Emperour and Frederick Duke of Austria not much differing in yeares are both beheaded in the market place of Naples A duell appointed betweene Peter king of Arragon and Charles of Aniou Diuers succession of Popes POpe Innocent dying at Naples the Gouernour shut the gates and enioyned the Cardinals to chuse a successor This was Renaldus of Anagnia Cardinall of Hostia who was called Alexander the fourth This man whether out of the late vision mouing him or his owne natural instinct thereto enclining gaue greater hopes of better regiment which principally was conceiued from this because after his arriuall he solicited in generall by letters to make prayers in his behalfe vnto God That he might proue fit and sufficient for the gouernement of the Church For his other successors saith Mathew neuer vsed any such custome as also for that in his letters especially in those to the Bishops of Germany a copie whereof is to be seene in Auentine Auent l. 7. Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. he sharply rebuked their abuses and vices But saith Mathew giuing too much eare to the imposterous whisperings of flatterers and to the wicked suggestions of men auaricious that is to his Cardinalls his simplicitie was suddenly diuerted and misled And his Bulls which is as it were the earnest and testimonie of Papall integritie came to be tearmed vnexpected fraud although in these poynts also I cannot excuse him that relying on the aduice of some in whom hee was most confident and by the persuasion of Pope Innocent the fourth his predecessor who on his death bed animated the Cardinalls thereunto in that he powerfully determined to continue the warre begun against Fredericks partakers especially against Manfred Fredericks naturall sonne The which resolution was pretended with deuotion and pietie because Nocera a citie of Calabria was then held by the Saracens And in that it was not fit the king of England should so soone discouer the fraud intended to him a Legat was sent which by a ring inuested Edmond his sonne king of Apulia and Sicilia and this incircumspect Prince thought that hee both possessed the cities and the harts of the subiects too Wherfore he presently set forward on his journy taking care for nothing but how he might conuey his treasure through France Presently after another Legat called Rustand was sent to demand a Tenth in England Scotland and Ireland as also he had authoritie to absolue the king of his vow of going to the Holie Land so he would commence a warre against Manfred Thus this credulous Prince suffered himselfe to be deluded with these artes nay and Rustand moreouer both in London and other cities preached the Crosse against Manfred in expresse words And Christians wondered saith the Author when they heard him promise as largely vnto them for the effusion of Christian bloud as sometimes he did for killing of Infidels And the Preachers instabilitie moued mockerie and laughter As also on a certaine day at the end of a sermon not doubting to adde Be sonnes of obedience And wherein should this consist I pray you Why be bound to such or such a Merchant in such or such a summe of money But now obserue the Catastrophe Manfred defeated the Popes forces in Apulia and the subiects of the kingdome vnderstanding that the Pope had constituted them a foraine king vnknowne to their Nobilitie as also that the Croisadoes were diuerted from their first ends and imployed against them as Infidels they all repayred to Manfred yea euen they who before were of the Popes partialitie raising against him a mightie armie Wherefore saith our Author the vsuall respect and deuotion borne by the Prelats and people towards our mother the Roman Church and our Lord our Father and Shepheard the Pope was almost expired For though that Court had many times with great bitternesse of spirit terrified Christs faithfull ones yet it neuer so mortally
wounded both in generall and particular the seruants of Christ as both in this and the yeare following for innocents were enforced to idolatrtes and as Apostates to renounce truth which is God himselfe And here the Author stayes a little in declaring some circumstances which were these Prelats were sold like Oxen and Asses Behold the vttermost condition of seruitude behold the sellers which should haue beene cast out of the Temple and beene whipped But because it is a more vnworthie thing to commit an iniurie violently than to suffer innocently it may be thought that the complaining crie of this will ascend vp vnto the Lord God of reuenge But at length he concludes The Pope hath power in all those things which tend to edification not in those which lead to ruine according to Robert Bishop of Lincolne Neither did matters succeed any better with him in other places for saith he when they perceiued his actions so different from those prayers which at his first comming to the chaire he had caused to be made in his behalfe Manies deuotion grew coole towards him and diuers construed it to be meere hypocrisie and masking of his secular power therefore their former hopes conceiued of his sanctimonie fell to the ground And first at Rome Senator Brancalone of whom former mention was made executing justice at Rome without any exception of persons and the Nobilitie hardly digesting this seueritie after apprehension they put him in prison but his wife escaped out of the tumult and got to Bologna and there caused the hostages to be closely kept The Romans moued the Pope that out of his Pontificall prerogatiue he would commaund the Bolognians to deliuer them who to gratifie the Romans omitted neither threats nor intreats herein yet hee had the deniall Then the people rose against the Nobilitie and in despight both of them and the Pope restored and set at libertie Brancalone The Pope being hereunto solicited by the Nobilitie excommunicated both the Senator and all his followers that is to say the people of Rome omnes cachi nantes all of them with scorne and laughter condemned and mocked at his threatnings The Senator suppressed all the seditious not sparing the Popes friends and neere kinsfolkes and at length he vrged himselfe to forsake the citie and threatned to demolish his natural town and countrey Anagnia The matter came to this passe that will he nill he in verie submisse and humble words he was enforst by Legats to intreat them to forbeare the ruine of his naturall Citie least he should become an opprobrie to the whole world In the meane while Brancalone makes euen with the ground the Palaces of the Roman Nobilitie part of them he casts into prison and other some he hanged maimed many of which were kinsmen and nere allies to the Cardinals being as great a friend to Manfred as he was an enemie to Alexander Yea and after his death his memorie was so venerable amongst the people that in hatred and detestation of the Pope they chose his vncle Senator in his place and closing his head within a rich vrne they set it vpon a marble pillar for a monument of his integritie and justice These things turne the rather to the skorne and contempt of the Roman Court because the Pope vnderstanding of his death admonished the people That they should chuse no man Senator without his consent but they laughing hereat and dispising the Popes iniunction chose forthwith Brancalone his vncle sollemnely electing and constituting him Senator in his nephewes place These things Mathew relates whereby he proues as much as he had formerly spoken in what great contempt and skorne the Pope was held of all men for his euill proceedings and gouernement An. 1259. In Germanie about the yeare 1257 William Count of Holland retayned the Title of Emperour beeing conferred and continued in him by the Popes who retiring out of an hot battaile beeing shot through the bodie with an arrow died Conrades sonne was yet too young to be chosen Emperour Alexander notwithstanding commaunded the Archbishop of Magunza and the other German Prelats threatning them with all in verie grieuous penalties if they did elect this boy sonne to the excommunicated Emperour seeing they could not be ignorant how opposit his grandfather Frederick was to the Popes but so he highly commended vnto them Richard Earle of Cornwall of whom part of the Princes accepted especially for this respect because he was reputed to be rich in treasure and coyne whereupon grew this verse Nummus ait pro me nubit Cornubia Romae The money plainely saies it selfe Rome marries Cornewall for vile pelfe Part of the Electors made choice of Alphonsus king of Castile but the most voices concurred at last with Richard who being sent for out of England he was conducted into Germanie Alphonsus began to moue warre for the holding of his place and sollicited the Pope by Embassadours that no other might be crowned but himselfe Answer was returned from him that the custome was that none could receiue the imperiall crowne except he had formerly beene instald in the Germaine and Italian kingdomes Summa constitut Firma profecto consistit An. 1262. Sigon l. 19. de regno Jtaliae The Empire therefore hanging in doubt Germany was diuided while Octauius his Legat abusing the institution of the crosse proceeded with all kind of crueltie against the imperiall adherents and during these ambiguities Alexander died in the yeare 1261 to whom three moneths after Vrban the fourth succeeded borne of obscure parents in Troie a towne of Campania Celtica Men obserued one notable constitution of his our author cals it most cruell which was That euerie Bishop or Abbot elect was bound personally to trauell beyond the Alpes Math. Paris in Henrico 3. that is to enrich to his owne hurt nay and vtter ruine the Romans purses Vrban called a Councell at Rome not about matters of faith which now grew obsolete but about the expelling of Manfred He thought good therefore to produce against him the Croysadoes and augmented for this end their indulgences Charles Earle of Anjou brother to S. Lewis he also called into Italie out of hope to be installed in the kingdomes of Apulia and Sicilie And thus all the treasure which Henrie king of England had so vnaduisedly disbursed was sunk and swallowed vp in this ambitious gulph And Charls took counsel of king Lewis about this affaire But Vrbans death preuented his comming whom Clement the fourth prosecuting the same designe succeeded borne at Narbone elected at Perugia he presently sent Legats to Charls who commaunding his armie to follow him by land went by sea to Rome where he was louingly entertained by the Romans being created perpetuall Senator which then was the supremest dignitie of that citie And Clement in the meane while held his residence at Viterbe by reason of some controuersies that occurred betwixt him and the Romans Wherefore by foure Cardinals the inuestiture of the kingdome was
conferred vpon Charles on this condition That he should pay 40000 crownes yearely in token of homage which he reserued to himselfe as also further that he should not accept of the Roman Empire though it were imposed vpon him Collen l. 4. Charles therefore went forward into Apulia the Bishop of Constance who was Clements Legat accomganying him Giuing plenarie remission of sinnes to those that should take vp armes for Charles Neere to Beneuento he discomfited Manfred in battell who was there slaine by meanes of which victorie he presently after secured to himselfe the kingdome and did no little reuiue the factions of the Guelphes and Popes which before were prostrat and troden vnder feet ouer all Italie But the Gibellines on the other side rousing themselues vp called Conrade Fredericks nephew commonly named Conradinus out of Germanie to oppose Charles He in the later end of the yeare 1267 comming to Verona about the beginning of the Spring he went forward into Apulia and so being proclaimed Emperour by all the Gibelline faction not farre from Arezzo he by the way defeated part of Charls his forces and then going to Rome ouerslipping the Pope that lay at Viterbe he was with general voyce and acclamation receiued by all the people But not long after joyning battell with Charles in the confines of the kingdome vpon the first charge he put his armie to flight but while his men were attentiue on bootie and spoyle Charles reenforcing the fight obtained victorie and himselfe with the chiefest of his nobles being driuen to flie he fell into his enemies hands And here Clements pastorall mercie and commiseration plainely appeared Sigonius glauncingly vseth these words Conradine by Charles commaund and definitiue sentence Collen l. 4. was put to death like an ordinarie theefe because by armes he made claime to his fathers and grandfathers kingdome The Princes are at great variance amongst themselues vpon ambiguous title But the Neapolitan Historiographer and some others write freely That after Charls had kept him a whole yeare in prison he consulted with the Pope what should be done with him who briefly made this answer Conradines life is Charles his death and Conradines death is Charles his life Collen l. 4. Hist Neapolitano vnderstanding by this that he was to be put to death The Historiographer obserues That diuers of the French Nobilitie could not be brought to condescend vnto this sentence but especially the Earle of Flanders Charles his sonne in law who thought it fitter to set him at libertie and haue him obliged by some matrimoniall affinitie whose opinion the nobler sort were of especially those who were free from preiudicat passions but saith he the more cruell sentence tooke place Neither certainly hapned this to omit the law of Nations without some super-humane instinct for besides the Vespers or Sicilian Euen-song which tooke publike reuenge hereof Charles Prince of Salerno sonne to the aboue mentioned Charles hauing thirtie gallies ouerthrowne himselfe with a number of other Nobles was taken and with nine other kept close prisoners and two hundred other gentlemen had their heads cut off at Messina others also that were in durance in a popular tumult who set fire on euerie part of the prison in contempt of the Popes excommunication were burned together in the same flame And the Ciuilians of the kingdome assuming a president from the proceeding against Conradine sat in triall vpon Charles the like sentence execution he had vndergone but onely for Queene Constantia wife to Peter king of Aragon a Ladie of singular prudence and pietie who vnder pretext of conueying him into Catalogna to the king preuented this intended just reuenge for which she purchased amongst all men immortall praise and commendations To returne to our former subject Charles caused Conradine being scarce eighteene yeares of age to be beheaded in the publique market place of Naples who called God to witnesse of the injurie and injustice done vnto him herein and so throwing his gloues vp into the ayre he denounced Frederick of Castile his aunts sonne heire and successour to his kingdomes Henricus Guldelfingensis in Historia Austriaca In his view and sight Frederick Duke of Austria his inward familiar and equall in yeres had his head cut off that by his death he might the more be daunted and terrified which he tooke vp and kissed then after him eleauen other noble men Italians and Sueuians The Historiographer adds that Charles would needs haue the executioners head chopt off in the place by an other appointed to performe this office because he might not hereafter boast of the cutting off his head who was discended from so illustrious a familie as also that the Count of Flaunders in a rage slew him with his owne hand that had pronounced the sentence All Christendome held this wicked deed in most odious detestation especially all the Princes in that they remembred how king S. Lewis and this Charles his brother being taken prisoners not long before by the Souldan in Palestina were curteously and friendly entertayned And from hence it proceeds that Peter of Aragon exprobrateth to Charles in some letters of his Tu Nerone Neronior Saracenis crudelior thou art more bloudie than Nero and more cruell than the Saracens There was not any one which ascribed not this crueltie in the greatest part to Clement and the verie sentence it selfe denounced against Conradinus may testifie as much Apud Pertam de Vineis which was For disturbing the peace of the Church and falsly vsurping to himself the Royal title But I pray you was not his right good enough for the clayming of this title Furthermore we haue the same Clements owne letters that is to say the letters of this Charles king of Sicilie to Peter of Aragon ordained and deuised saith the Author by Pope Clement the fourth wherein he proudly threatens Peter of Aragon being backt by this Pope that sought to obtaine the kingdome of Naples by armes Thou most wicked man saith he didst thou not consider the inexplicable excellencie of the mother the Church who is to commaund ouer all Nations and whom the whole earth and all the people in the same doe obey Shee it is whom land Sea and skies obey worship and resound to whom all that liue vnder her Sun are bound with stooping heads to pay due duties and tribute So as he exprobrated cast him in the teeth with Conradines death for a terror to himself of whom notwithstanding he shamed not to say that he had wel deserued who being taken in fight like a theef by the just sentence of death had deserued the gibbet yet he permitted him to vndergoe the stroak of cruel death by the sword of a bloudy heads-man presaging vnto him also the same ruin which sounded not like the stile of a king or prince descended of the French royal race but of the Popes of these present times of the same vnclement Clement And thus much
and the other of Lombardie that the one with his power might euer be readie to suppresse the Germans beyond the Alpes and the other to ouer awe the French within the kingdome of Naples but against these principally he stirred vp Peter king of Arragon whom he persuaded that enioying his fauour and assistance he would set afoot againe his title that grew from his mariage with Constantia Manfreds daughter although formerly both by verie many Buls of his predecessors as also by the Decree of two Councels at Lyons all Fredericks posterity was excluded And doubtlesse some two yeres after this Peter by him incited plotted the Sicilian Vespers or Euensong so by writers tearmed on an Easter Monday euery one killing his lodger and guest And so by this meanes Peter was reduced into his kingdome by the inhabitants Here we must note that after he had taken from Charles the Vicariate of Tuscan and the dignitie Senatoriall by some priuie intelligencers of his he diued into his mind to see whether he now ought any rancor or reuenge against him who affirming That they found him no other wayes affected to the Church than before Yea yea saith he measuring the Princes nature and disposition by his owne his fidelitie he hath from the House and race of France his pregnancie of wit from the kingdome of Spaine but the grauitie and weight of his words from his often frequenting the Court Wel we may tollerat others but this man is no wayes to be endured Furthermore this good Nicholas was author of that famous Decretall which is extant in the chapter Fundamenta de electione electi potestate in sexto Ca. Fundamēta de electione electi potestate whose words run thus Peter saith he God called into the societie of the indiuiduall Trinitie to be called as he was the Lord saying Thou art Peter c. that from him as from a certaine head hee might deriue and powre forth all his gifts throughout the bodie meaning the Church That the worser men they be and the wickeder actions they enter into Ca. Fundamenta de electione electi potestate An. 1282. so much the more they might continually and impudently arrogat and assume to themselues Nicholas dying in the yeare 1282 Simon of Tours succeeded him who was called Martine the fourth the French Gardinals preuayling in number and he was consecrated at Oruetto He prosecuted the same designe which his predecessours begun of getting all Italie into his hands but by contrarie meanes for he restored the Senatorian dignitie to Charles and in fauour of him excommunicated Peter of Aragon publishing the Croisado against him and all his abettors as if the spirit that gouerned them had been quite contrarie in himselfe Iohannes Nouio dunensis in illustrationibus Beatae concurring onely with his predecessour in this that he retayned his concubine and because she brought forth to him a beare to auoid the like inconuenience he caused all the armes of the Vrsin within the Court to be rased out least by continuall beholding the same she might againe conceiue such a forme Historiographers here report that Peter of Aragon being mightily pressed by Charles his forces who intended a reuenge of the Sicilian butcherie he tooke occasion out of this mans letters to turn the warre into a duell and therefore he offered to decide the quarrell of the kingdome in a battell of a thousand to a thousand an hundred to an hundred or in single fight Charles chearefully embraced the condition of single combat a day was constituted and the field appointed at Burdeaux in Aquitane and the king of England as a kinsman to them both was to be judge of the field Blondus decad 2. l. 8. Collenu l. 4. They relate also that Martine though this seemed verie absurd consented thereunto and sent thither Gerard Cardinall of Parma to obserue both the progresse and euent of this matter Charles appeared attending there the greatest part of the day which the judge of the field did testifie but Peter of Aragon fayling of his presence he departed and left the field the Pope for this cause excommunicating Peter and denouncing him vnworthie and incapable of the kingdome of Naples as also he deposed him from the kingdome of Catalogna which then was conferred vpon Charles second sonne to Philip king of Fraunce Not long after he turned likewise the Croisado against him and in the assistance and fauor of Charles he promised plenarie remission of sins to all those that would assume this conscription military vpon them Genle Reader doe but obserue what manner of Christs Vicar this is who permitted two such mightie Princes to entertaine a duell make you any doubt but Christ did abjure him All the Sicilians beeing likewise included in the same excommunication Peters affaires obtaining hard successe in most submissiue manner they had recourse to Martine and so prostrat on the earth they were enjoyned to crie out aloud far off from him Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi dona nobis pacem Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world graunt vs thy peace which blalphemie he no wayes refused to but backe neither did these miserable soules discerne that while he shewed the hornes of the Lambe a Dragon spake out of his mouth Nicholas de Biberach Pul. Aemilius in Histor Francorum in Philip. tertio a Diuine of Erford complains of this selfesame Pope that in his young yeres at Rome he would prostitute himselfe in the detestable office of a Ganymed these are his words that he mortally hated Germanie that he often wisht it were turned into a standing mere whereupon also he framed vnto him this Epitaph Hic iacet ante chorum submersor Teutonicorum Pastor Martinus extra qui totus ouinus Nicholaus de Biberachin l. qui in scribitur occultius Et lupus introrsus cui nulla redemptio prorsus Sed sit ad inferna detrusus ab arce superna Before the Quire a restlesse enemie To German name Pope Martin here doth lye Without a sheepe within a rauening wolfe From heauen thrust downe into th' infernall gulph And hereupon many instile him Teutenicorum inimicum the Germans enemie but especially the Author of the historie of the South There succeeded him about two yeres after Iacobus Sauellus a Roman who was called Honorius the fourth who proceeded in the reduction of Romania vnder the obedience of his See and at last obtained his desire partly by subjugating in a warre Guido of Montefeltro head of the Gibelline faction that principally withstood it and partly vrging him to come to an accord who was faine to retire himselfe into the countie of Ast and so vpon this condition was receiued into grace and fauour But that which principally then set the Popes agog in Italie was Rodulphes either too great simplicitie or too great wisedome from the one side he fearing the powerfull oppositions which the Popes had raised against his
scantly satisfie their ambitious thirst to which the Legats and Mendicants were like cloukes and talons to gripe and fasten on their prey For first Princes feared their censures not so much out of religion as that they feared least their people would be abused by these stratagems or that ambitious neighbours vnder this pretext might make some vse of them for their owne auarice and greedinesse And yet there wanted not those that opposed and withstood them euen as aboue all others our king S. Lewis who shined in an example herein beyond all the rest in that his pragmaticall sanction which discreetly runnes in this manner Bochellus l. 4. Decret Gallican p. 647. We will and commaund that the pestiferous crime of simonie which defaceth and ruinates the Church be vtterly banished and extirpated out of our kingdome As also we will in no wise permit any such exactions and grieuous pecuniarie impositions laid or to be leuied vpon our Church by the Court of Rome whereby our kingdome is miserably impouerished or that hereafter shall be imposed and layd to be leuied or collected except vpon a reasonable pious and verie vrgent occasion or ineuitable necessitie and that by our owne voluntarie expresse consent as also by that of the Church of our whole kingdome He likewise reformed the location of benefices called Prouisiones according to the auncient Canons of the Church expresly forbidding the transporting of any money to Rome Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. for the confirmation of Prelats either electiue or presentatiue But the Clergie of England were yet somewhat more bold for seeing the Legats neuer came thither but to pill and poll the kingdome and the Clergie they humbly intreated the king That according to the auncient lawes and priuiledges of England no Legat might be suffered to crosse the seas without expresse leaue and permission first demaunded They likewise instantly required That the like Decree might be enacted about the Mendicants Predicants and Minorites especially those who are vulgarly called Legatos sophisticos sophistical Legats and no doubt they had obtained this suit but that they light on a king who was ready to joyne hands with the Pope that so by a common accord they might both glib and euen flea the people Rustand the Popes Legat vrging a most tyrannicall and cruell exaction whereto the king gaue his consent steeming out of the sulphurie fountaine Oh miserable of the Roman Church Fulco Bishop of London in a verie solemne assembly said Before I will agree to such a seruitude iniurie to the Church I will by intollerable oppression yeeld first my head to be cut off Then followed the Bishop of Worcester who spake in a lowd voyce Before holie Church shall be subiect to such corrodiation and vtter subuersion I will be hanged on a gibbet Rustand replied All Churches were vnder the Pope when master Leonard modestly made this exception Tuitione non fruitione in tuition not in fruition not to be ruined but preserued The king to whom the Legat had granted a share in this gaine threatned the Bishop of London with seuere punishment as he that instigated the rest when he replied and said The Pope and the King who are stronger than I may take away my Bishoprick which notwithstanding by no equitie they can doe they may take away my Myter but yet I shall haue an head-peece left All this occurred vnder Alexander the fourth to which the people added This is the Pope who at his first comming to the chaire caused prayers and supplications to be made to God for him that hee might raigne and gouerne well how can it be that he should performe worse things than all the rest God forbid But no man bore himselfe herein more stoutly than Seuual Archbishop of York of whom S. Edmond Archbishop of Canturburie out of whose schole he came had presaged so many excellent things This man perceiuing how the Pope with his prouisions left nothing throughout his whole Archbishoprick vnharrrowed he with a noble constancie oppugned his proceedings First because he placed all the Ecclesiasticall benefices in Italians that were about himselfe and so consequently were leauers of their flocks and secondly in that he commanded all the Prelats of England to passe personally ouer the Alpes to be confirmed at Rome Our Lord the Pope therefore bare an heauie hand ouer him Math. Paris in Henrico 3. and procuring him ignominiously to be excommunicated all England ouer with lighting of tapers and ringing of Bels that by this terrible and fearefull forme he might quaile and daunt his constancie but he no wayes dispaired of comfort to be sent downe to him from heauen patiently vndergoing the Popes tyrannie neither would he suffer the large reuenewes of his church to be conferred vpon vnworthie and vnknowne Transalpineans nor yet leauing the letter of strict equitie and right effeminatly stoop to the Popes will and pleasure Wherefore the more he was cursed by the Popes order commandement the more the people blessed him although closely for feare of the Romans Flying out of this worldly prison he ascended into heauen while most constantly with his whole power he stoutly defended his Church from the tyrannie of the Roman Court and so being depressed and vext with many tribulations for this earthlie life as all men firmely beleeued he purchased the kingdome of the highest heauens And here it must not be omitted that S. Edmond was euer wont to say vnto this his deare and speciall disciple O Seuual Seuual thou must leaue this world a Martyr eyther by the sword or else ouerlayed and euen killed with insuperable and grieuous worldlie afflictions Yet let him be thy comfortor who inspired that saying into his Psalmist Multi tribulationes iustorum de quibus quandoque liberabit omnibus eos Dominus Many are the tribulations of the righteous but God shall deliuer them out of all The same Author also recounteth that perceiuing himselfe approching to death lifting vp his watrie eyes vnto heauen he burst out into these words I call the Pope by appeale before the supreame and most incorruptible Iudge and both heauen and earth shall be my witnesses how vniustly he hath prosecuted and scandalized me with sundrie important oppressions Wherefore in this bitternesse of soule after Robert the bishop of Lincolns example he by letters layd down to the Pope all his enormious actions and that he would obserue his admonitions in abandoning his accustomed tyrannies and returning againe into the humble pathes of his holie predecessours For the Lord sayd vnto Peter Feed my sheepe doe not sheare or flea them doe not euiscerat and by continuall deuorations consume and destroy them But our Lord Pope scoffing and deriding hereat conceiued no small indignation that they would breake out into such a presumption and rashnesse as to dare in any wise to sollicit and moue him and therefore he stopped his eare to the healthfull admonitions both of Archbishop Seuual as also of Robert of
Potentia Papae Clauium de vtilitate vitae Monasticae de Mendicitate de sex alis Seraphim de septem gradibus contemplationis with other such like by meanes of which the mysts and darkenesse of ignorance and superstition taking further condensation euen in these our dayes the Papal tyrannie is risen to her verie top and height And here we must by no meanes omit that Michael Paleologus Emperour of Greece vpon hope to be succoured by Gregorie the tenth promised in the Councell of Lyon to make the Patriarch of Constantinople consent to the Primacie of the Bishop of Rome that whosoeuer wold he might thither appeale by a necessarie counsell saith Trithemius at his returne into Greece putting Iohn Becke and some of his neerest friends into a deepe dungeon and there detaining him a good while he wrought him to such a passe as that he by letters gaue his consent and agreement thereunto Chron. Hirsaug Nicephorus Gregoras in Histor l. 5. 6. But Michael was no sooner dead when the Bishops of Greece deposed Iohn by common consent created another in his stead and renounced all that which had formerly passed in the Councell to the preiudice of their liberties and prerogatiues so as also the Clergie of the countrey being wonderfully prouoked by this matter they denied Michael buriall in the holie Temple notwithstanding any instance and suit that his sonne Andronicus made The Waldenses still continued during all these times in diuers countries Thomas Cantipratens l. 1. c. 56 Blondus Decad. 2. l. 9. against whom the Dominicans taking vpon them the office of Inquisition they omitted no kind of rigour but burned them aliue by dozens and yet they augmented in such sort that their verie ashes by the power of God being conuerted into the seed of the Gospell the verie Bishops and Iudges which appeareth out of the Decrees and sentences that were then denounced especially in Auignion were euen amazed at their constancie and so by the inutilitie of rigorous punishments they were deterred from their crueltie These things occurred in the yeare 1283 Martine the fourth hauing the Papall dignitie An. 1283. 54. PROGRESSION An accord of peace made betwixt Charles of Aniou and Iames of Arragon by the Popes meanes is broken and reentred into againe Pope Nicholas dyes IOhn de Ascoli of the order of the Minorites succeeded Honorius being elected on Mount Auentine who was called Nicholas the fourth He presently remoued the Court to Rietto either through the intemperature of the aire which had bin verie infectious the yeare before or that he was vexed with popular seditions but being wearie of the place the yeare following he retourned to Rome The Kingdomes of Apulia and Sicilia were then the verie roots of all discord wherfore it was accorded betweene Charles the second of Anjou and Iames of Aragon that Iames should haue Sicilia wherein he should be inuested by the Pope and this Charles tooke vpon him and the Pope promised The occasion of this accord grew from a nauall ouerthrow that Charles receiued wherein he was taken and imprisoned and being set at libertie he promised to returne againe except within three yeares he made a full satisfaction and in the meane while he left Charles and Lewis his sonnes for hostages The affairs of Siria were now reduced to so miserable a passe as nothing but finall ruine and destruction was daily expected for the Souldan hauing taken in Tripoli Tyre Barut and many other important places there remained onely Ptolomaida to the Christians in all Palestine and this likewise cried out incessantly for succor These occasions excited Nicholas to conuert all the Christian forces that way and so consequently by his authority to ratifie a peace betweene Charles of Anjou and Iames of Aragon And himselfe sent fifteene hundred horse at his owne charge to Palestina but so vnseasonable and with such ill direction as imploying their first force against the Christians they filled all places with rapines adulteries whoredomes and deuastations then secondly they broke the truce with the Souldan when it was most necessary to haue beene obserued for the attending of fresh supplies and this first errour of Nicholas is specified vnto vs in the Historie of his time Another is annexed which defaced the only happinesse of his Papacie Blondus l. 8. Decad. 2. For desiring to gratifie Charles the second he broke the peace constituted betwixt him and Aragon And meaning to conferre vpon Charles the kingdome due vnto him by paternall succession he created him king of both the Siciles of that beyond and of the other of this side the Sea with this permission That for sixe yeares it should be lawfull for him to demaund the tenths The which Iames being no wayes able to digest he pressed Charles so hotly as that the Pope himselfe consenting thereunto he was enforced to his former accord which he promised within two yeres to performe but then during these protractions Ptolomais was miserably lost and whatsoeuer had beene recouered in Asia by so much toyle and Christian bloud spilt Cyprus onely excepted and the coast of Cilicia An. 1290. This happened in the yeare 1290 wherein both Pope Nicholas and Rodolphus the Emperour died Rodolphus who while he liued neuer made account of his consecration at Rome though he was often persuaded thereunto both by the Popes and by his owne Nobilitie Chronic. Hirsaug Italie said he hath ouerthrowne many Alman kings I will not goe to Rome I am a king and an Emperour and I hope I shall discharge my selfe no worse for the benefit and good of the Common-wealth than if I had beene crowned at Rome And Nicholas at his death endeauoured to propagate the Papacie Krantzius l. 8. cap. 35. in the order of the Minorites It is reported saith Krantzius that when he saw he should die he called all the Cardinals together and recounting vnto them his whole life past out of his plenarie and absolute power he discharged them of the place and dignitie they held for the remainder of their liues to liue priuatly whereat the Cardinals at the first much wondred afterwards as a man that drew nere to his end supposing him to be extaticall or frantique they left him but then be called so many Friers of his owne order on whom he imposed the Titles of Cardinals obliging them by oath That after his death they should create none Pope but of that Order nor suffer any to be admitted into their Colledge but those of that Fraternitie and so hauing made this Testament he dyed A most wonderfull thing if a true report And hereupon it is said that till Sixtus the fourths time there vsed to be a priuie Pope amongst the Minorites which failed in his person when he came to be elected Pope publikely This so singular a note of blind and precipitant ambition both in and after his death deserues thus briefly an end of this Progresse OPPOSITION Vnder Nicholas the Clergies
custodie yet reserue the fruits and profits thereof to the due successours And if you haue conferred any we denounce such collations voyd or being alreadie past we reuoke them againe and whosoeuer belieue otherwise we declare them heretikes Philips of returne were to this effect Let your grosse foolerie take notice That in matters temporall we are subiect to none the collation of certaine Churches and Prebends vacant belongs vnto vs out of our regall prerogatiue and the fruits and benefits during their vacancie shall be ours That collations formerly conferred by vs and to be conferred hereafter shal be validious and by vigour and force of those grants we wil stoutly defend their possessors against all men and whosoeuer thinks otherwise we repute them to be but fooles and mad men Euen as he was answered by Peter Flot Philips embassadour to the like menaces and threatnings Your sword is verball but my Soueraignes sword is reall And here our countrey man Iohn Tillet Bishop of Meaux is worth the hearing Let vs but behold saith he this mans impudencie who dares affirme the kingdome of France to be feudatarie to the Papall Maiestie Platina in Bonifac 8. Nauclerus vol. 2. Gener. 44. Chron. Martin manuscriptum And yet more foolish are they whosoeuer goe about to debate whether the Pope may doe thus much or no. During these controuersies the States of the kingdome assembled at Paris assisted with all the Archbishops Bishops Prelats Decretists Diuines and Masters of Faculties before all whom the Bishop of Narbon making an oration hee produced ten seuerall heads of accusation against Boniface First That he was a Symonist Secondly in that he said he could not commit simonie Thirdly That he was an homicide Fourthly an vsurer which was most manifest Fiftly That he gaue no beliefe to the ministers of the Eucharist Sixtly in that he affirmed the soule to be mortall and there was no other ioy but of this present life Albertus Argentiâ— in Chron. Krantzius in Saxon. l. 8. c. 37. Seuenthly because he was a reuealer of confessions for he enforced a Cardinall to reueale vnto himselfe a confession that was made vnto him by a certaine Bishop of Spaine which being knowne he remoued the Bishop from his place but the Pope afterwards being pacified with money he restored him againe Eighthly because he kept two of his owne neeces as concubines and had begotten children by either of them O fertile and lustie Father Ninthly because he had granted all the tenthes of Ecclesiasticall goods for an aid of warre against the French king And tenthly and lastly for that he entertained the Saracens into pay for the inuasion of Sicilia Wherefore he appealed vnto the See Apostolicall as he sayd then vacant and vnto the next Councell In the meane while it was enacted vnder grieuous penalties That no man might transport any gold or siluer out of the kingdome to the vse or seruice any wayes of the Court of Rome Wherewith Boniface bursting for anger calling a Councell at Rome hee imposed his interdiction vpon the kingdome of France excluding out of the Church the king himselfe and all his posteritie to the fourth generation sending the Archdeacon of Constance to thunder out these things in all parts whose journey notwithstanding was cut short by the apprehension of himselfe and of his Bull at Troyes And now Boniface resolued to confirme Albert in the Empire whom before he had so often repelled so he would promise to vndertake a warre against Philip and to inuade his kingdome vpon which condition he gaue him both the titles of king of Romans and king of France But Albert doubtlesse out of his wisedome and discretion refused these offers but to the end he might not make him his open enemie his answer was That he could not entertaine these offers except he would permit the perpetuation of the Diademe Imperiall to his posteritie and familie But in the meane while this warre turned into royal nuptials and so reiecting Pope Boniface his vaine and hollow counsell he embraced Philips affinitie and alliance by the mariage of his daughter And Philip seeing himself entangled with an implacable man resolued to make an end of this great altercation strife As formerly we heard Boniface had depriued the Cardinals Colonnaes of the hat their uncle Sarra wandring vp and down by sea land fel into the hands of pyrats who now had nothing left but only his wil and desire of reuenge a certaine noble man of France knew him as he was fastened to an oare with a chaine in the Tryreme of a Pyrat and so suing for his libertie he priuily conueyed him to king Philip. Now the king was formerly determined to send William Nogarete of Narbone a gentleman by birth into Italie to declare vnto Pope Boniface presentially how the king appealed from him to a Councell and whatsoeuer came of it to put vpon him such an affront as his insolencie worthily deserued Philip therefore joyned Sarra with Nogarete in commission and Nogarete made some stay at Sienna about taking vp some money out of the Bank of the Petrucci while Sarra in disguised habit visited and solicited his old friends but aboue all others he secured to his partie three hundred French horse which being remainder companies of the Sicilian warre trouped vp and downe here and there Wherefore betimes in the morning he suddenly surprised Anagnia where Boniface then was in his fathers house who vpon so sudden a tumult being ignorant what the matter should be roabing himselfe in his Pontificals hee sat on a throne and Nogarete entring in shewed him the Appeale in the kings name signifying that the Pope must come to Lyons that so afterwards he might be deposed of his dignitie in France and taking him by the necke when he made some resistance he gaue him a good blow on the cheeke with his gantlet and caused him to be carried to Rome The Historie relates That when they had taken him they set him on an vnbridled horse his face turned to the horse tayle and so they made him runne as long as he had any breath in him This Bonifacie saith the Author of Mounforts Chronicle who lately made Kings Popes Prelats and oftentimes the people to tremble and feare now suddenly in one day both feare trembling and griefe assayled and ouerwhelmed and thirsting so much after gold he now lost the same that all superiour Prelats may learne by his example not to tyrannize too insolently ouer the Clergie and people but rather be an example to their flock and to take care of those vnder their charge striuing more to be loued than feared The same Boniface Platin. in Bonifac 8. who saith Platina sought rather to strike terrour and feare into the minds of Emperours Kings Princes nations and people than there to plant religion and pietie as he that at his pleasure would giue and take away kingdomes expell and reduce men backe againe greedily thirsting after gold howsoeuer
of the sentence of excommunication which was laid vpon him for the surprizing of Pope Boniface A further clause of fauour was added by the consent of the whole Consistorie which was That neither the kings nor kingdome of France could not be subiect to any excommunication or interdict which Bull is reserued in the Treasurie of the Charters Momforts Chronicle sayes expresly That he reuoked two of Bonifaces Decrees one wherein he had written to the king That he was subiect to the Church of Rome both in spirituall and temporall things and another inserted in the sixt of the Decretals whose beginning is Clericos c. The Colonnaes were alreadie prouided for but the defacing of Bonifaces memorie remained yet to be performed being sufficiently conuicted by Philips testimonie and the absolution of the attemptors but this poynt was referred to the Councell of Vienna which began about the end of this present yeare There it was debated on the behalfe of king Philip That Boniface was to be condemned for an heretike which three Cardinals aboue all the rest vehemently argued but at last the stronger partie ouercame partly because the Cardinals by him created feared least by this meanes they should endanger their owne places and partly because Clements election wherein their hands bare the stroke might wonderfully by this proceeding bee weakened and disioynted But certaine it is that king Philip was so perseuerant in this affaire Walsingham Chronic. That by speciall messengers saith Walsingham he with much importunitie demaunded the bones of his predecessor Boniface to be burned as an heretikes And this questionlesse he did not without the consent of the Parisian Senat and of the Sorbon In this Councell three heads were propounded The affaire of the Templers The warre of the Holie Land and The reformation of the Church The Templers were condemned both of heresie and other crimes and hereupon cruelly burnt in many places proscribed ouer all Europe and spoyled of their goods And yet many Authors affoord testimonies of their innocencie as Bocatius Villanus Antoninus Nauclerus Auentinus and others Some say that greedinesse of enioying their goods brought vpon them this prosecution and herein they blame Philip and Clement himselfe who would denie him nothing Others affirme that the Popes choler was incenst against them because they detested the Court of Rome which was the onely cause of all the miseries in Christendome and of the vtter destruction of the Holie Land So as by no torments nor crueltie of punishment inflicted they could be brought to confesse the crimes imposed and layd vpon them Paulus Aemilius in Philippo pulchro And they of Germanie proued their owne innocencie in an assemblie called at Mogunce as Aemilius witnesseth They be not obscure Authors saith he which alledge that Iames Burgond Principall of that Order some call him Molanus being brought forth to dye and enuironed with a mightie multitude while the fire was a setting about him and being offered his life and release of that paineful punishment if confessing publikely that which he had deliuered during his imprisonment both of himselfe and his whole Order he vttered these words In these my last actions it being vnpardonable impietie to lye I freely and frankely confesse that I committed a great offence both against my selfe and my Order and that I haue therein deserued a most tormenting punishment because in fauour of them for whom I should not and allured with the sweetnesse of life I haue in my tortures slaunderously imposed many impieties and detractions vpon my Order which hath euer deserued well of the Christian religion I haue now no need of a life obtained by intreatie much lesse retained by lying and defamation And then being set to the pile and fire kindled about the nether parts of his feet to wring out from him some confession euen when the flames began to wast and frie his entrails he neuer swarued from the constancie of his former speech or shewed the least change or alteraion of mind neither he nor two others of his Order being of a great familie one of which was brother to the Dolphine of Vienna From hence the Reader may easily obserue and judge of the calumniations and slanders that the Popes in all ages haue imposed and laid vpon their oppugnants Some Authors of no small esteeme adde Supplementum Martini Parad in Historia Burgundica That two Cardinals were present at this execution and that this great Master summoned Pope Clement before the tribunall of the euerliuing God to answer to the judgement and sentence hee had denounced against him who some fortie dayes after died justly on the same day for this execution was the eleuenth of March and he dyed the twentieth of Aprill a moneth after the publication of his Clementines For that which concernes Palestina The crosse was published to be assumed against the Turkes with a more ample and large grant of Indulgences than euer before that is to say Whosoeuer tooke vpon them the Crosse for this expedition he could not incurre damnation in these plaine words We will not that he be subiect to the torments of hell We further granting to those that be signed with the Crosse for this end three or foure soules at their pleasure to be deliuered out of Purgatorie by their supplications and prayers Whereat the Parisian Diuines were wonderfully scandalized and so much the rather because there was a speciall clause annexed to this Bull We commaund the Angels that absolutely freeing the soule from Purgatorie they conduct it into the glorie of Paradise Conformable to a doctrine taught then by themselues and their adherents That the Pope could command the Angels as his officers and serieants And many copies of this Bull are yet reserued at Vienna Poictiers and Limoges As for Church reformation little or nothing was spoken at all as shall appeare in the section ensuing But by the conclusion and shutting vp of Clements life we shall see what manner of man he was which with such confidence tooke vpon him to dispose of Paradise These be therefore the verie words of Antoninus himselfe After the celebration of a generall Councell in the yeare 1313 Clement going from Vienna to Bourdeaux fell sicke by the way and dyed This man as Chronicles relate was too much addicted to concupiscence and for this cause the sinne of simonie so deepely detested and punished by the Canons tooke deepe root in his Court about the recommendations to benefices And whereas some say That simonie cannot concurre nor stand with the Pope S. Thomas sharpely reproues them Besides it is reported That when he was departing out of this world a certaine nephew of his whom he had sensually before affected mark well these words brought in one that was skilfull in the art of Negromancie that by his wicked art he might seeke out how his nephew should be disposed of in another life who putting in practise his skill he cause one of the Popes Chaplaines a bold
Ecclesiasticall goods Then came in priuat sacrifices sacrificing Priests sacrileges pilleries peculiarities of temples and these that we call Incorporations and Non-residencies all which may be found out in the auncient Records From this Iohn also proceeded that Decretall Supplement called Extrauagantes so called of Iohn the two and twentieth as the Clementines were of Clement And some affirme That they were both published by him because Clement perceiuing many things in his repugnant to Christian veritie Summa Constit C. cum nonnulli C. super gentes extr de consuetudine Can. Solita de maiorii obedient Clementina vnica de iureiurando Clementina Pastoralis de sententia de re iudicaâ—a C. Venerabilem de electionibus C. 2. de sententia re iudicâ—ta August de Ancona in lib. de potestate Eccles q. 36. art 2 et q. 35. art 1. 37. 38. 44. 45 46. De Rescriptis 6. ibi Glossa Decis Rote he called them in againe We read of one beside these in the Abbreuiate of Constitutions wherein he commaunds the Inquisitors to proceed against them as against heretikes in that they had associated themselues with heretikes And these were some Prouinces and townes of Italie who had followed the Emperor Lewis partie The heresie was this in that they serued their lawfull Prince against the Pope which there he sayes is in praecipitium damnationis mortis sese iminergere to throw themselues downe headlong into damnation and death And thus at length the Decretals came forth accomplished from which our fathers left vnto vs a common prouerbe That since the Decretalls had wings which is that Decretals were added to Decretals the world daily grew worse and worse Those Decretals which denounce thus vnto vs That the Pope of Rome is constituted by the Lord ouer nations and kingdomes There is as much difference betwixt Popes and Kings as there is betwixt the Sunne and the Moone That the Emperor was bound to take an oath of fealtie to the Pope That the Pope is the Emperours superior and the Empire being vacant his successor That he may depose the Emperour and if he so thinke good elect another onely of himselfe In like manner That he may appoynt him an ouerseer and so any other King or State Kingdomes he may transferre from one to another as he that is their rector and corrector All these priuiledges accruing vnto him so you will beleeue it from that saying of our Lord Omnes potestas mihi data in coelo in terra In Decret Gregorij tit 7. c. Quanto Glossa Lancelot in templo omnium Judicum l. 2. c. 1. par 4. Bald. in l. rescripta C. de praecib Imperat. offer num 7. August de Ancona de potestat Eccles q. 18 art 1. 2. 3. 5. Canonistae ad cap. Quanto de Translat Episc C. Proposuit de Concess Praebend Gloss dist 4. C. 4. August de Ancona vt supra Hostiensis in caput cum venissent de iudicijs Crauetta post Baldum Concil 566. colum 2. Rolland Concil 1. num 93 num 130. Baldus Concil 359. Crauetta Concil 241. num 3. Glossa in Can. 4. de concess Praebend Can. 3. q. 6. causa 15. Decisiê° 1. vel 447. in compilat Rebuffi edition Lugdunens ann 1555. p. â—7 Bald. in Lege vltima as also that which Dauid prophesied of Christ He shall beare rule from one sea to another And hereupon the Canonists enlarge hand ouer head in their Glosses and Decisions of the Rota The Pope vndoubtedly is Christs vicar not onely in earthlie celestiall and infernall things but further ouer the Angels both good and bad He onely hath the power and iurisdiction of all the Patriarches together a greater priuiledge than all the Saints or all the Angels haue so as he may excommunicat the Angels themselues The whole world is but his Diocesse the square he may make round right of iniurie and something of nothing He also may against lawes naturall of nations those ciuile humane and diuine determine absolutely and yet iustly Aboue and contrarie to any law aboue and contrarie to all Decrees Canons and Statutes of Councels as he whose decree and sentence is aboue all the Bishops of the earth hee being the cause of causes of whom no reason can be yeelded but himselfe and he that demaunds any other presumes to liken himselfe to the most high make himselfe equall to God and therefore the Pope is their god But heare more He may dispence against the Apostle as superiour and against the old Testament in that he is greater than all the Authors of the same Why sayes he not greater than the holie Ghost which inspired them And some say against the Gospell it selfe For the Popes will is the rule of all iustice whatsoeuer he does God holds it well done God and he haue one Consistorie Christ and he one tribunall the Pope being like to God sinne excepted so as if he might change opinion wee may as well presume that God can change opinion Item Wee cannot appeale from him to God in that vpon earth he is God and as God he iudgeth In conclusion He may command the Angels to transferre soules into Paradise and diuels out of the vigour and vertue of his Indulgences to draw them out of hell and purgatorie The bookes of this Age are full of these Axiomes and no man is ignorant thereof and now they striue who shall blaspheme highlyest for the Canonists are not only thus violently carried but euen the Authors themselues of the Glosses who should haue made a more strict examination before the yeelding of them vp for authenticall they recommending vnto vs the Pope for a god yea and that in essence if it were lawfull for vs to beleeue them The which who would euer haue beleeued if the spirit of God had not foretold as much The Glosse vpon the chapter Periculoso of the state of Regulars in Sexto tearmes him The Prince of the whole world but I suppose they call him not so in the same sence that Sathan is so called What remaines there more Cod. de sententijs rescindend ibi Lancelotus alij Lancel l. 1. c. 1. par 4. de respons Pontif. C. debetur de Appellat Lancel Conrad in Templo omnium iudicum l. 2. c. 1. but to be accounted God himselfe But Peter Bertrands addition vpon Pope Boniface the eight his Extrauagant speakes peremptorily to this purpose Iesus Christ the Sonne of God both while he was in this world and also from eternitie was naturall Lord ouer all and out of naturall right might denounce sentence of deposition and condemnation against the Emperour or any other whatsoeuer as against such persons whom he had created endowed them with gifts naturall and those of grace as also preserued them by the same reason therefore his Vicar may doe the like But did hee I pray you create or preserue these creatures In stead of any reason alledged obserue but
Clement by authoritie Apostolicall made Lucino Viconte and Ioâ—â— his brother his Vicars in Milan with absolute authoritie and power ouer all the places they held in their hands In like manner he appointed Mastinus de Scaliger to be his Vicar at Verona William Gonzaga at Mantoa and Rhegio Alberto Carrara at Padua Opizo d'Este at Ferrara Modena and Argento All which places did vndoubtedly formerly belong to the Empire Blondus Decad. 2. l. 19. The same course Benedict the twelfth entred into which beeing preuented by death he could not accomplish and finish As also Lewis out of his imperiall authoritie placed Iohn de Vico his substitute at Viterbo Galeot Malatesta and his brethren at Rimini Pesara and Fano Antonio de Montefeltro at Vrbin Gentile de Varano at Camerino Guido di Polenta at Rauenna Senabaldo Ordelaffi at Furli and Cesena Iohn Manfredi at Faenza and Lewis Alidosio at Imola places no question pretended to be Papall Now the Venetians amiddest these tumults apprehending opportunitie found meanes to rise by the ruines of the Empire As also during these dissentions one Nicholas Laurentius notarie or Chauncellour of the Capitoll at Rome attempted to expell the Senators out of Rome to inuade the Capitoll to summon the people to recouerie of libertie to whom such multitudes flocked that all Italie was onely attentiue on him and his proceedings nay diuers forrainers visited him by Embassadours he enstiled himselfe Nicholaus Seuerus and Clemens the Tribune of libertie peace and justice and the famous deliuerer of the Roman Common-wealth Machiavel l. 1. Hist Florent And Petrarch speaking of his beginnings with great admiration by and by reprehends him because he flattered the worser sort of people Where is now become saith he thy redeeming spirit Where is that same consulting genius of good actions with which thou wert supposed to haue daily conference for it seemes such things could not be performed by a man and it is verie wonderfull how this man desisted from his commendable initiations But distrusting the issue of his innouations hee stole priuily out of Rome and went into Germanie to Charles the fourth to haue some treatie with him who being of a base disposition sent him bound to Auignion to the Pope condemned to perpetuall imprisonment where the Popes yet remained as it were in an hired and borrowed habitation When Robert King of Sicilie dyed he left Ioane his neece by the brothers side his heire to whom by Testament he allotted Andrew his cousin for her husband But Ioane being married a little while grew into great detestation of him and thereupon caused him to be slayne in the Citie of Auersa and then she chose Lewis of Tarento another cousin of hers to be her husband Lewis king of Hungarie came to bee reuenged of Andrew his brothers death but Ioane not daring to attend Lewis presence consulted of flight and so she and her husband retired into Prouence committing her selfe to the Popes protection who through the intercession of Guido Cardinall of Porto her kinsman made her peace vpon this condition That he might be restored to the kingdome That Lewis her pretended husband should lay downe the stile of king and be contented vnder him with that of Prince and that the king of Hungarie after her death Pandolf Collenucius l. 5. Blondus Decad. 2. l. 10. Matt. Villani â— Annal. 1. Jac. Card. Papiensis 〈◊〉 Epistolis shold to succeed al her rights titles And that you may not suppose the Pope laboured herein in vayne behold the reward of his arbitration The Citie of Auignion together with the Countie a part of her fathers enheritance was graunted to the Pope but yet this vnder a certaine shew and color of sale as if the sale of the Citie had not counteruailed the Tribute which Ioan was yet to pay out of her kingdome since her obtaining the dignitie Blondus speaks verie plainely out of Petrarch The Pope did not all this meere gratis for he enioyed the citie and countie of Auignion her fathers Patrimonie and the payment of money was changed into the payment of a Fee or Recognition which Ioane formerly crowned had promised for her kingdome Mathew Villanus writes in deed that it cost him three hundred thousand florins whereof the discharge of the sayd pension and arrerages was a part He at would but know what valuation the Court of Rome made of this purchase let them read the Epistle of Iames Cardinall of Pauia about this matter when a motion was made of restoring it againe to the house of Anjou We must prouide by all meanes saith he Henricus Reb. dorff in Annalib that the Roman See loose not her patrimonie beyond the Alpes It is a refuge to distressed Popes an hard bit in the mouthes of the Italians to curbe them from too licentiously disturbing the Church If we cannot be quiet here in threatning onely to transferre our selues to that Citie of ours we worke our owne peace Boniface as formerly you haue heard had ordayned the Iubilie to be celebrated euerie hundreth yere promising many great indulgences and Clement knowing what profit it turned him to would needs haue one also in his time wherefore in the first yeare of his Pontificat let the Reader obserue his zeale he brought it to euerie fiftie yeare so as himselfe being absent it might be celebrated at Rome and this was done the better to reconcile the Romans to him who should be greatly enriched hereby And because it concernd him so nerely he sent thither foure Cardinals his Legats with plenarie power if need required vpon this occasion to reforme the state of the Citie of Rome His drift was indeed vnder this pretext to haue put downe the Senators but though the Roman mouthes watred at the gaine and lucre of a Iubilie yet could hee obtayne no further of them but that in the election of Senators contrarie to the auntient custome there should be this addition A Papa declarabuntur they shall be declared by the Pope In the Records of many famous Cities there is yet at this day a Bull extant which he pubisht vpon the proclamation of the Iubilie Legitur haec Bulla in Tractatu de materijs Jndulgentialibus Ioan. Phesteo Professoris Friburgensis anno 1472. wherein these clauses are expresly set downe Whosoeuer by way of pilgrimage determines to come to this citie he means Rome the same day that he goes out of his Inne onwards on his iourney he may chuse a Confessor or Confessors both on the way and in any other place whatsoeuer to which Confessours by our authoritie we giue full power to absolue all Papall interests as if we were there in proper person Item we graunt that if being trulie confest he dye in the way that he be absolutely freed and discharged of all his sinnes And no lesse we expresly commaund the Angels of Paradise that his soule being quite set at libertie out of Purgatorie they immediatly conuey it into
deuoutly or diuinely Wee read that Vrban the fift sent three of these Agnus Deies to the Emperour of Greece Ceremoniale Romanum l. 1. p. 32. 33. 37. 38. 39. Jmpress Venetijs An. 1516. with these verses vnderwritten which described both their forme and efficacie as they would haue it Balsamus munda cera cum Chrismatis vnda Conficiunt Agnum quod munus do tibi magnum Fonte velut natum per mystica sanctificatum Fulgura de sursum depellit omne malignum Peccatum frangit vt Christi sanguis angit Praegnans seruatur simul partus liberatur Dona defert dignis virtutem destruet ignis Portatus mundè defluctibus eripit vndae Where the Reader heareth blasphemie which can come forth from no other place but the deepe pit of hell That this little Idoll thus framed and enchaunted by the Pope doth breake and wipe away sinne like the bloud of Christ the immaculat Lambe of God If it be so what need haue we any more of the Lambe himselfe and yet the booke of Pontificall ceremonies dedicated to Pope Leo the tenth affirmes thus much the which I request the Reader to peruse that so he may see how full of abhominations and blasphemies they are OPPOSITION Neither wanted there in these times such as diuersly opposed themselues to the Popes Froissart vol. 1. c. 211. Froissart vol. 3. c. 24. Vnder Innocent the sixt saith Froissart there was at Auignion a certaine Franciscan Frier endued with singular wit and learning called Iohannes à Rupescissa whom the Pope kept in prison in the castle of Baignoux for wonderfull things which he affirmed should come to passe especially vpon Ecclesiasticall Prelats and Gouernours that is to say by reason of the wonderfull excesse and ambition they were giuen to The like also to happen to the kingdome of France and the mightiest Princes of Christendome because they so miserably oppressed the poore people This Iohn offered to proue all his assertions out of the Apocalyps and the auncient bookes of the holie Prophets which were reuealed to him by the grace of the holie Ghost so as he affirmed many things very hardly to be beleeued Diuers euents were obserued to happen at the same time by him foretold Neither spake he any thing as a Prophet but out of the auncient Scriptures and through the grace of the holie spirit which had imparted vnto him the knowledge of explaining all the old Prophesies by setting downe to all Christians both the yeare and time wherein they were to be fulfilled And many bookes he wrot grounded vpon deepe and great learning in one of which written in the yeare of our Lord 1346 he comprehended such admirable poynts as no man could hardly beleeue them but the effects of many of them are now euidently seene come to passe In another place after he had deplored the state condition of the Church vnder the schisme of Vrban the 6 and Clement the 7 to which the Christian Princes had no eye nor care he makes mention of the same Frier Iohn in these words In my youth saith he Pope Innocent raigning in Auignion he detained in prison a certaine Franciscan being a maruellous learned man whose name was Frier Iohn à Rupescissa this Frier as the Pope sayd and as I haue heard it reported in many places priuatly but not publikely had and did propound many notable authorities and collections especially of some aduerse and ominous euents which came to passe both in his owne time and afterwards also in the kingdome of France He plainely foretold Iohn the French kings captiuitie and expounded many things consonant and agreeable to reason which was That the Church had yet much to suffer for the enormious excesse and exorbitancies which he discerned in those which hâ—ld in their hands the staffe of Ecclesiasticall policie and gouernement And at the verie same time when I saw him still kept in prison and durance an example thereof was related to me in the Popes palace which he had recited to the Cardinall of Ostia who was commonly called of Arras and to the Cardinall of Auxerre who went to see and confute him in his words and speeches In conclusion That the same happened to the Church which in times past fell out to a goodlie faire bird who being hatched hopelesse of feathers and therefore could not flie her life was wonderfully in danger but other birds pitying her would haue couered her with their feathers Kings I meane and Princes conferring vpon the Church many goodly inheritances and patrimonies of their owne had enriched and honoured her aboue measure but when this bird saw her selfe so fledged and growne as if she wanted nothing she began to beare her head high and wax proud fluttering and striking at the others with her beke and clawes that was I say when the Church vndertooke warres and enmities with the Emperours and then the birds redemanded their feathers againe euen as no doubt Princes will one day withdraw their gifts and benefits so as at length the Church should be constrained to craue pardon which if she did not but returned to her former pride the Emperour and Christian Princes would at last take away all And here Froissart himselfe demaunds Why read you not saith he the life of S. Syluester Pope of Rome c. how and vpon what conditions the Emperour Constantine gaue goods to the Church Out of question S. Syluester ietted not all ouer the world being garded with two or three hundred horse but contained himselfe humbly at Rome leading a sober and moderat life onely amongst his Ecclesiasticall associats Then the Frier admonished them that this change would not be long a comming And this in such a manner as the Cardinalls were greatly amazed and wondered at him Faine they would notwithstanding haue taken away his life if they could but haue inuented and found out any colourable cause of death but sure there was none at all to be found and therefore they suffered him to liue as long as he could but they durst not let him out of prison because he propounded such profound arguments and searched out so deepe and mysticall Scriptures as he would peraduenture haue led the world into some errour In the meane while questionlesse many things came to passe as many affirme that obserued his speeches more precisely than I did which he foretold and writ of during his imprisonment And whatsoeuer he vttered he would alwayes confirme it out of the Apocalyps and the true proofes wherewith he was armed for his defence preserued him many times from being burnt Some Cardinals also there were who stroke with commiseration and pitie were not so rigorous and seuere towards him as they might haue beene And surely that Apologicall similitude of his of the bird by him recited was most expresly taken out of the Apocalyps cap. 17. where it is said Apoc. 17.13.16 The Kings gaue vp their strength and power to the Beast At length They
bringeth him to Naples Lib. 1. c. â—3 â—4 That Pregnan was a man giuen to all vices and of whom notwithstanding he was so exceeding fond that when his petulant loosenesse was told him he was woont to aunswer He is young and yet was he then fortie yeares old It happened among other things that he violated and rauished by force a certaine professed Nunne and recluse of the order of S. Clare of the Monasterie of S. Sauiour at Naples and descended from a Noble house her hee kept certaine dayes with him The people is moued with that wicked fact whereupon the guiltie person suddenly saueth himselfe in a Church vnder the protection of his vncle the king according to Law hauing conuicted him condemneth him to die the Pope contesteth against it that he is a superiour Lord in whose presence the king cannot punish a nobleman of his kingdome Thereupon he fortifieth the gates of his palace and gathereth his partakers about him so that this so infamous a crime remaineth vnpunished because it so pleased the Pope yea which is worse that peace might be made betweene the Pope and the king it is agreed vpon by the Cardinals procurement That Pregnan should marie the daughter of the Lord chiefe Iustice of the realme the kings kinswoman and that the king for so long time as the duke of Aniou should remaine in the countrey should pay vnto Pregnan euerie yeare in stead of the reuenewes of those dukedomes seuentie thousand Florins Of his owne accord he gaue him also the castle of Lucera with the appurtenances being between Naples and Salerne Idem c. 40. whither he with the Pope his vncle retired himselfe a place verie pleasant and safe for their persons being lodged in the castle but the towne was not so which was appointed for the Cardinals and courtiers who in a state so troubled betweene two Princes in warre together had many great alarmes L. 1. c. 42. and yet could not make him resolue to depart thence Wherefore at the instance of Cardinall Reatine it was treated amongst them out of the opinion of many Doctors If a Pope were too negligent or vnfit to gouerne and leaned so much to his owne wit that he brought thereby the whole Church into danger or were so vnbridled that without the aduice of the Cardinalls he would doe things after his owne fantasie and pleasure Whether it were not lawfull to substitute by the election of the Cardinals a Curator or some fit Curators by whose counsell and aduice the Pope should be held to dispatch all the affayres of the Church which was concluded to be lawfull But Vrban being aduertised hereof by the Cardinall of Manupello when the Cardinalls of dutie came to visit him he kept six of them whom he most feared prisoners whose goods without any order of law he presently confiscated and by that means terrified all the rest yea a few dayes after he gaue their hats to certaine vnworthie persons of Naples who knowing their owne vnworthinesse were ashamed to weare them in publike Idem l. 1. c. 45. His crueltie was such that he cast them into a dungeon commonly called the old Cisterne and without any respect of age infirmitie or qualitie put them to the racke and all manner of tortures his nephew Pregnan being present and vrging the tormentors so that here Theodorick moueth all to compassion neither yet whatsoeuer these do testifie and protest could he euer be mollified not towards the Cardinall Sangrâ— a man broken with old age and before his Legat in the realme who to please him had exercised so many cruelties and now acknowledged that he was justly punished by himselfe But when Pregnan was so proud and audacious as to seise vpon the castle of Scifatti three leagues distant from Lucera and was presently besieged by the kings seruants and forced to yeeld Charles resolued to besiege Vrban himselfe within Lucera who feeling himselfe extreamely pressed Idem l. 2. c. 45. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. led by a German called Loter of Sweâ—e fled through by-wayes of the mountaines and so saued himselfe at Salerne where he is receiued of certaine gallies of Genua prepared for him and caused the captiue Cardinalls through these incommodities to accompanie him euer by his side gaâ—ded with halberdiers and when the Bishop of Aquila broken with tortures was not able to follow him he commaunded his hangman to kill him and left his bodie in the fields without buriall Then directing his course into Sicilie which was vnder his obedience he arriued at Palermo where hauing made prouision of things necessarie he put to sea againe and came to Genua where he continually kept with him those Cardinalls in bonds all except one Cardinall Adam a poore Monke whom he gaue to Richard king of England on condition that he should euer haue a certaine Clerke of his chamber watching ouer his actions At Genua he receiueth great gifts from Iohn Duke of Milan Perhaps saith the Author that he should absolue him from the fault he had committed for that whilest Vrban remained at Naples the Duke had taken his vncle Lord Barnabo the daughter of whose cousen german hee maried by dispensation from the Pope and strangled her in a castle neere Milan and a while after he impoisoned Barnabo himselfe In the end being readie to depart from Genua to rid himselfe from the cumber of those fiue Cardinals hee made them all in one night be beheaded others say cast into the sea and others burnt in his stable Collenucius saith distinctly Collenuc l. 5. That foure were sowed vp in a sacke and cast into the water and three beheaded whose heads dried in an ouen were layd and carried vpon his sumpter moiles and so by his reckoning there should haue beene seuen but out of Theodorick his Secretarie this at least is cleere That they were neuer seene more And yet this is he whom before his Popedome he describeth vnto vs to be zealous of iustice In the last yere of his Popedome being mindfull of the great gaine that the Iubilie had brought to Clement the sixt in the yere 1350 against all reason he abreuiated the same namely to euerie thirtie three yeres An. 1350. Theodor. Ã Nyem l. 1. c. 68. 69. yet so as that it should begin at Christmas in the yeare of our Lord 1388 and should continue a yeare inclusiuely but being preuented by death he saw it not and so left that fruitfull field to be reaped by his successor Boniface An. 1388. For being departed from Genua to goe to Perouse by the fall of his mule vnder him he was bruised in many parts of his bodie and neuerthelesse hauing still an intention to returne into Sicilie he is carried to Rome where after some few dayes he died some say of poison It is here worth the noting That when Elizabeth Queene of Hungarie had caused the head of Charles Duras king of Naples to be cut off as he
was drinking in a banquet at Buda whereunto she had inuited him notwithstanding hee had yeelded vnto her all the rights of the kingdome and had sent to Vrban to gratifie him the sword yet bloudie wherewith his head was smitten off Collenuc l. 5. The historie telleth vs that Vrban receiued it with so great a pleasure that hee could not satisfie himselfe with beholding it And thus much for Vrban him of the two which by Platina Onuphrius and others is put in the Catalogue of Popes as the more lawfull For full encrease of his good deeds he caused a booke to be written by one Iohn de Therano his Chamberlaine the beginning whereof is Giue vnto Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods wherein he affirmeth That these words of Christ haue place onely for a time namely vntill his ascention but that from the time of his ascention they should be of no moment seeing that hee himselfe saith Ioh. 12. When I shall be taken vp from the earth I will draw all men vnto me that is all kings and kingdoms vnder the Empire of the Pope whom he therefore concludeth to be King of kings and Lord of lords not fearing in so weightie a matter to abuse the sacred word of God worse than the verie Pasquils As for Clement hee was the first author as Gaguin witnesseth of expectatiue graces and Annates yet because he is held for an Antipope whose acts therefore were the lesse firme the honour of them is attributed to Boniface successor of Vrban by whose care in his obedience they were receiued But Nicholas de Clemangis Archdeacon of Baieux who liued in the time of this schisme in his booke de Corrupto Ecclesiae statu of the corrupt state of the Church describeth Clement vnto vs in few words After saith he that by the insupportable burden of our sinnes the furious euill of schisme hath crept into the Church to omit the mischiefes done through the errour of such as follow the false Pope a man wholly defiled with all impuritie Was there euer man more miserable than our Clement while he liued Who so made himselfe a seruant of seruants to the Princes of France that the threatnings and contumelies daily cast vpon him by the Courtiers were hardly fit to be spoken against the basest slaue He gaue place to furie to the time and to the importunitie of troublesome demanders he fained dissembled promised largely draue off from day to day to these he gaue benefices to those words he chiefely laboured to please all flatterers iesters in the Court and by benefits to deserue well of them that by their helpe he might win the fauour of their Lords and therefore on these neat and trimme young men in whose companie he chiefly delighted he bestowed almost all the vacant Bishopricks and other chiefe dignities Lastly That he might the more easily obtaine and continue the good will of the Princes hee gaue them verie many gifts consented vnto whatsoeuer exactions they would require of the Clergie and often of his owne accord offered them vnasked In this miserable slauerie he passed more than three lustres or twelue yeares with incredible wast of the Church Moreouer there is extant horrible Bulls which these Popes published the one against the other wherein they called each other Schismatike Paulus Aemilius in Carolo Sapiente Heretike sower of tares theefe traitor tyran Antichrist sonne of Belial Iohn de Ligniaco wrot in fauour of Vrban and the Abbot of S. Vaast of Arras Counsellor of king Charles the fift in fauour of Clement After the decease of Vrban the Cardinals that were his followers elected Pope Peter de Thomacellis a Neapolitan who was called Boniface the ninth ignorant saith the Author of writing and singing and so vnfit for administration of the affaires of the Court of Rome Theodor. à Nyem l. 2. c. 6. that whilest he liued he hardly vnderstood the propositions made before him by the Aduocats in his Consistorie in so much that in his time Inscitia ferè venalis facta fuit in ipsa Curia Ignorance was welnigh set to sale in the Court it selfe And yet in all kind of simonie he so farre excelled all his predecessors that he promoted not any Cardinall or bishop without extorting a great summe of mony from them And such a one indeed had Vrban the sixt found him out to be who for his goodlie stature of a vagabond Clerke had made him Cardinall but after he discouered him to be so open an arch-simoniack that it is likely he would haue taken his hat from him if death had not preuented him Of his inuention then as Theodorick his Secretarie teacheth vs are the Annates which hee reserued to himselfe of all the vacant Cathedrall Churches and Abbies so that they which were promoted vnto them were forced beforehand to pay all before they could get the possession of the same Vsurie also whereby they which came to the Court might find money at any rate whatsoeuer which was no more accounted a sinne yea rather was oft exacted before their Iudges and Officials that the saying of the Psalme might be veried Both vsurie and guile wanteth not in their streets The Dates as they call them to wit the prioritie of the time of graces which they sold to such as gaue most and that with such impudencie that this so open a buing and selling became a mocke among the people The Expectatiues which did tread vnder feet those graces commonly Cum clausula Anteferri And innumerable subtile deceits extortions filthie and vnhonest pillages which the Author describeth in the 7 8 9 10 11 chapters of his second booke and would be too long for vs here to recite Out of which may be judged what manifest proceedings forward this Romish robbing had made vnder this Pope But the most vile of all was that of the Iubilie by Vrban appointed Theodor. à Ny l. 1. c. 68. For innumerable strangers out of the diuers kingdomes and Prouinces of his obedience came to the citie and exceeding great offerings were giuen to the Churches and Temples of the citie the greater part of which came to the hands of Boniface and of some others But Boniface himselfe not content with these offerings although they amounted to an exceeding summe for he was an insatiable gulfe and in couetousnesse none like vnto him sent his money-gatherers or chapmen into diuers kingdomes for to sell the sayd Indulgences to such as offered so much as it would cost them to go to Rome to fetch them these extorters or chapmen also subtilly extorted verie great summes of money from simple and barbarous people so that by such sales they sometime brought away out of one kingdome or one Prouince more than an hundred thousand Florins because they remitted all sinnes to all confessing them euen without penance for mony dispensed of all irregularities saying that they had all the power ouer the same that
conuersant in the Court of Rome he was reputed humble and deuout but he was no sooner setled in the Popedome but he was changed into another man he began to tyrannize ill demeaning himselfe towards those Cardinals that had chosen him and doing other outrages vnaduisedly He had a nephew called Francis Pregnan an vnprofitable member more licentious than is fit to be spoken vpon whom he would bestow many dukedomes and earledomes in the kingdome of Sicilia and intitled him vnto them and would willingly if it had beene in his power haue made him Souldan of Babylon too notwithstanding it were too apparent that he was vnable to gouerne a small familie To conclude there was no man euer in the Popedome more wicked and more cruell in so much that hee caused many Bishops and Cardinals barbarously and cruelly to be murthered Secum super hoc vt aestimo diabolo dispensante the diuell as I thinke dispensing with him for it or atleast wise ioyning with him in the execution thereof Of Boniface the ninth He was of a goodlie stature but a vicious nature For we read of none that euer bare rule in the Apostolike See that durst presume so publikely and with so little shame to commit the sinne of simonie scandalizing without respect of difference and ordaining Archbishops Bishops Prelats Clerkes and Priests and all for gaine He likewise made his brothers Marquesses Dukes Earles Of Innocent the seuenth In him vertue and vice was at variance he was a great dissembler firie in carnall affection He enriched his kindred with temporalties and tooke no care to confirme the vnion in the Church which he had promised and sworne to doe Of Gregorie the twelfth How he hath and doth carrie himselfe touching his kindred and that vnion that is to be made by him 〈◊〉 is apparent ynough And these foure gaue no almes which is a signe of damnation and though a fault in all yet worst in a Prelat because no man can be saued without charitie And this he writ being notarie of the Apostolike letters An. 1408. in the yeare 1408. There was likewise an Epistle directed to this Gregorie which he calleth delusorie of the officers of the Church of Rome wherein he is called The damnable forerunner of Antichrist Neither is Benedict his competitor forgotten therein There they protest That the world from thence forward will make no account of their excommunications but rather make a jeast of them since it manifestly appeareth that they both draw men into open perdition being the one and the other vnworthie of the Popedome especially Gregorie to whom they attributed most was a drunkard an heretike a destroyer of the Church of God a man accursed And in like manner they speake of his most familiar friends namely of Gabriel who was afterward Eugenius the fourth whom they call his first borne sprung from his raines and of the Cardinall of Raguse they say he was a Demoniacall Monke an infernall Legat and the like of diuers others The Author in the end concludeth That this schisme was come to that passe that the Princes of both parts contemned these Popes and nothing regarding their Bulls knit themselues in friendship alliances and mariages one with the other in such sort that a man might truely say that all things on both sides were doubtfull We haue neither a true Pope nor a true king of the Romans Behold here againe that succession they boast of He likewise writ a treatise of the inuestiture of Bishops and Abbots and attributeth the right to the Emperour Henrie Token Deligat of the Bishop of Magdeburge in the Councell of Basil maketh mention of him in his treatise That the Councell is aboue the Pope Here our France doth the rather offer it selfe to our consideration because one of these contendants was then resident at Auignion Clement therefore being departed the Cardinals chose Petrus de Luna called Benedict Froissard saith That the election was made vpon condition If it pleased the king of France and his Counsell otherwise he was not to be receiued yea that when he gaue the king to vnderstand of his Popedome he carelesly answered That it was doubtfull whether hee should acknowledge him to be the true Pope or no. He sent therefore vnto him some of the most learned of the Vniuersitie of Paris as master Iohn of Gigencourt master Peter Playons others to admonish him That the Christian faith was much weakned by this schisme that the Church could not long continue in that state In so much that the Vniuersitie of Paris was not of opinion that the Clergie seeking grace and fauour should send their petitions to Auignon notwithstanding that Benedict had before opened the fountaine of grace to all Clergie men which the king likewise forbad by their counsell vntill it were otherwise determined The Duke of Britaine did the like notwithstanding some Princes of France fauoured Benedict because he denied them nothing The king therefore without the knowledge of the Pope disposed of such benefices as were voyd in so much that the Cardinals began to feare least he should likewise lay hands vpon those benefices they held within the kingdome and therefore they sent a Legat vnto him to assure him That if Benedict were lesse pleasing vnto him they would enter the Conclaue againe to chuse another to his owne contentment The Legat being heard and withall a Frier Minorite who resided with the king in behalfe of Boniface Pope of Rome it was concluded in Councell not without the consent of the Vniuersitie That both the riuals should be commaunded to resigne the Popedome Froissard l. 4. c. 58. and all the Cardinals their Cardinalships and that certaine Clergiemen that were men knowne to be honest and of a good conscience should be chosen out of Germanie France and other nations who deliberating of the cause amongst themselues with good aduice and without all fraud should restore the Church to her former state and vnitie Which sentence of the Vniuersitie the king approued and so did the Dukes of Orleance and Burgundie and their Counsellors Whereupon he sent embassadous to the kings of Germanie Bohemia Hungarie and England vndertaking for the kingdome of Castille Nauarre Arragon Sicilia Naples and Scotland that they should yeeld their obedience vnto him to whomsoeuer he and his realme should grant his There was much time spent in these embassages but yet with this fruit That Richard king of England agreed to whatsoeuer the king of France thought conuenient and the Emperour Wenceslaus in the yeare 1398 with many other great Princes came to Rheimes to consider of this businesse with the king notwithstanding he pretended the cause of this his journey to bee the mariage of the daughter of the Duke of Orleance to the Marquesse son of Brandebourg There after many deliberations those great Princes being assisted with the greatest and grauest personages of their States decree That Petrus de Alliaco Bishop of Cambray should goe in
not so much as the people of Liege but they resolued to forsake Boniface at Rome and to embrace this neutralitie to whom the better to retaine them in their faith and obedience hee sent a Legat but he not daring to passe any farther stayed at Cologne and from thence by a carrier sent letters who was forbid to returne to the Legat except he loued to be cast into the riuer Mosa Thus was the miserable state of the Church knowne to the whole world And this brings vs to the yeare 1399. An. 1399. There passed many yeares in these contentions betwixt these Popes either of them intending vnion whilest neither of them embraced it and both of them in their owne jurisdictions amongst whom they were obeyed laying exactions burthens and exercising tyrannie vpon the Churches violently exacting likewise certain annuities brought in by the inuention of Boniface wheresoeuer their power did extend Whereupon there followed a Decree of our Parliament assisted by the great Councell dated the eleuenth of September in the yeare 1406 An. 1406. the Vniuersitie of Paris requesting the same by which it was forbidden to be payd to the Pope or any of his Cardinals and if afterwards they shall request it not to receiue any thing from him or to haue ought to doe with him In the narration whereof the Vniuersitie feared not to say that it is written Withdraw your selues from euerie brother that walketh inordinatly presently adding that of the Apostle I know that after my departure shal grieuous Wolues enter in amongst you Arrestum Curiae an 1406. impressum cum Nicholao Clemangis not sparing the flocke and that of the Prophet Because my flocke was spoyled and my sheepe were deuoured of the beasts of the field hauing no shepheard neither did my shepheards feed my sheep but the shepheards feed themselues and feed not my sheep therefore sayth the Lord I will cause them to cease from feeding the sheepe neither shall the shepheards feed themselues any more for I will deliuer my sheepe from their mouthes and they shall no more deuour them Which words the Vniuersitie applies to Benedict shewing likewise that Rome receiued the preheminence of her See from Constantine but yet had not therefore any power to command or to impose any thing vpon others There followeth the Edict of Charles the sixt then raigning dated the eighteenth of Februarie in the yeare 1406 whereby both his annuities and his baser seruices as they call them and innumerable the like grieuances and oppressions which are there particularly expressed are vtterly made voyd as being dangerous to the Church and Commonweale causes of pouertie amongst the people and perdition to a million of poore soules that by that meanes are destitute both of corporall and spirituall nourishment The occasion of this Edict was because the later moderne Popes being often admonished made no account thereof but hardened themselues and stopped their eares against all complaints Another cause was because the regall power for the establishing of the Church is ordained of God in so much that the celestiall kingdome may be amended by the terrestriall when the Church is destroyed by them who hold the highest places therein and are to be repressed by the seueritie of Princes to whom in such cases we are only to flie since by their oath made vnto God they are to prouide for the good of the Church otherwise to yeeld an account In this case especially wherein all the Doctors teach That we are to denie obedience to the Pope himselfe And this whole Edict is yet to be read much differing from that their axiome That the Pope hath the chiefest commaund both in heauen and on earth These things fell out in the time of Innocent the seuenth one of the competitors Gregorie his successor thought good at the first to flatter vs and by his Legat sent a Bull to the king wherein he promiseth in good earnest to doe his best endeuour to procure a vnion vpon those conditions before mentioned It bare date the eleuenth of December 1406 and is to be had in Monstrelet Whereupon the king and the Vniuersitie of Paris the matter being deliberated with the chiefe of the Clergie and Councell sent embassadours to Benedict the Patriarch of Alexandria the Bishops of Cambray and Beauvais the Abbots of S. Denis and Mount S. Michael and certaine Doctors of the Vniuersitie who should let him vnderstand That except he would doe his office and come to some reason that the king and the Dolphine would withdraw themselues from his obedience and refuse his Bulls Benedict continuing obstinat in his purposes entertained the embassadours with fayre words and in the meane time without the knowledge of his Cardinals made a constitution which he sent by speciall messengers to the king and Vniuersitie threatening grieuous punishment to all those that should withdraw themselues from the obedience of himselfe and his successors Monstrelet vol. 1. c. 33. And afterwards with doubtfull speeches sent away the Embassadours The king and his Councell began now to perceiue that these Popes abused the world both the one and the other but yet are nothing terrified therewith But the yeare following they sent Iohn de Castro morando and Iohn de Courseno Jdem 1. Cap. â—0 knights to Benedict to let him know That if the vnion were not restored to the Church by Ascention day that he the Clergie Nobles and people of his kingdome and Dolphine would no longer obey him nor his aduersarie To whom he answered without delay That he would send an answer by a speciall messenger who was a certaine man I know not who that came into the palace of S. Paul where the kings Court then was and entring into the kings Oratorie at the beginning of Masse deliuered Benedict his letters and presently departed The letters were read which contained an excommunication against the king and his subiects but the messenger vanished Wherefore the king by the counsell of his Princes and the persuasion of the Vniuersitie of Paris forsooke the Pope and withdrew himselfe from his obedience The letters are to be read in the same Authour wherein the Pope complaineth That the subiects of his kingdome rebell against the Church of Rome in appealing from him against the canonicall constitutions and that the king permitted diuers errours to be sowed therein contrarie to the puritie of the law So he calleth the reprehension of his exactions Furthermore that the vnion which he dreames of is properly a sinne and a perseuerance in a Schisme and that such as exhort him thereunto doe but abuse him Concluding that if he continue in this vaine errour besides those punishments and sentences pronounced in the law he will send constitutions comprehended in his Bull by the tenor whereof both he and all other that shall offend shal be punished These letters neuerthelesse are intermingled with some flatterie but the Bull marres all We excommunicat all those that shall appeale from vs or our
53. 54. There a certaine bishop of Arragon a great Doctour of Diuinitie in a solemne Sermon chose for his text that of the Apostle Purge the old leauen c. wherein he feared not to say That they were no more Popes than his old shooes worse than Annas and Carphas yea to be compared to the Diuels of hell Whereby let the Reader judge of those Archbishops Prelats that he ordayned and of those things that by them were done whom he ordayned The selfesame is to be read in the letters of the Embassadours of the Vniuersitie of Paris to their Lords and Masters That the neutrallitie and subtraction of obedience was good and lawfull and the processe and sentences of the competitors against those that had withdrawne themselues iustly pronounced to be of no force Approuing in all respects the sentence of the Vniuersitie As there is likewise extant the definitiue sentence against both the contendants for their horrible sinnes and a reuocation of all their acts in the yeare last past with the Epistle of Alexander the fifth to the Bishop of Paris Cap. 67. who expresly pronounced them the enemies of God and his Church for their grieuous and horrible notorious sinnes Iohn the foure and twentieth alias the three and twentieth the successour of Alexander in the yeare 1410 sent his Legats namely the Archbishop of Pisa to demaund the Tenthes due in the vacancie procurations and mortuaries An. 1410. Bochell l. 2. Decret Eccles Gallicanae p. 323.324 Jdem l. 4 p. 51.52.53 54.55.56 ex ijsdem The Vniuersitie assembled at the Bernerdins the three and twentieth of Nouember and calling vnto them such Prelats as were then at Paris concluded that those Lawes and ordinances aboue mentioned made in the yeare 1406 were to be defended that is to say That the Church of Fraunce was freed from all tenthes procurations and other subsidies and annuities whatsoeuer And if the Pope or his Legats shall constrain any man by ecclesiastical censure to pay them that it shold be lawfull to appeale from them to a generall Councell And if any of the collectors shall goe about to exact them they are to be punished with the losse of their goods if they haue any if not with imprisonment They humblie besought the king and the Councell thus to determine the matter and his Proctor generall to joyne with the sayd Vniuersitie But if the Pope should alledge some manifest necessitie of the Church that a Councell should be called wherein some charitable subsidie should be determined of which honest men chosen by the Councell should gather and being gathered by the authoritie thereof distribute it The Munday following there was called a royall Councell where the Archbishop deliuered vnto them That what he demaunded was due to the Apostolike chamber by law Diuine canon ciuile and naturall which whomsoeuer should denie to pay was no Christian Let the Reader here note the definition of a Christian The Rector interrupting him affirmed That these words were pronounced to the dishonour of the king and the Vniuersitie and consequently of the whole realme Wherefore the thirtieth of Nouember he called a generall congregation wherein it was agreed to send Orators to the king to request that the Legat might be commaunded to reuoke his words and if he should refuse to doe it that then the professours graduats of Diuinitie and Law should write against him vpon the Articles of the faith That both he and his Colleagues might according to their desart be punished That they would likewise write to all other Vniuersities and Prelats to ioyne with them in this controuersie and to the Archbishop of Rheimes likewise and others of the kings grand Councell to that purpose who haue bin sworne to the sayd Vniuersitie otherwise to be depriued that dignitie Whereupon the Popes Legats departed without taking their leaue Neuerthelesse the Pope is nothing at all herewith discomfited but sendeth his Legats againe to the king to require the Tenths imposed vpon Fraunce who pronounced in the kings Councell the duke of Aquitan being present That not only the Church of Fraunce but all others whatsoeuer were bound to this subsidie not onely by the positiue law but also by the law of God The Vniuersitie withstood it and in a congregation concluded That the manner in demaunding this subsidie was to be reproued as vniust and contrarie to the law before made in the yeare 1406 which they were resolued to defend And if the Pope or his Legats should proceed any farther that they would then appeale to the generall Councell of the Church and if the gouernours of the new king and kingdome should attempt any thing against the sayd law they would appeale to the king and the Lords of his Councell And if any of the Vniuersitie it selfe should goe about to gather these tenthes he was to lose his rights and priuiledges if other his temporalties if he had any if not to suffer imprisonment But if the Pope by way of charitie would gather this money then the Vniuersitie would beseech his Maiestie that the Prelats of the kingdome might be called to deliberat First What was to be handled in the next generall Councell Secondly What answer was to be made to the supplication of the Popes Legats Monstrelet vol. 1. c. 67. So that if a subsidy should be granted that it might be gathered by some chosen honest men of the kingdome for the vnion of the Greekes and Latines the peace of the kingdome of England the recouerie of Palestina and for the preaching of the Gospell to all creatures since these were the ends for which the Pope as his owne Legats did affirme did leuie this subsidie In all which they humbly beseech the Lords of the Parliament and the kings Proctors to yeeld them their helping hand and to joyne with them Whereupon the Archbishop of Pisa carried himselfe more humbly towards the Vniuersitie and began to flatter the principall amongst them that hee might win them to deale more mildly with him but it was to small purpose for the Vniuersitie continued still constant though the greater part of the Nobles yea the Princes themselues began to faint in their resolutions An. 1416. Here is fit place to speake of the Councell of Constance wherein in the yeare 1416 a bill was exhibited in the name of the Church of France and the Vniuersitie of Paris called Apostoli because Charles the sixt by a Decree of the Court of Parliament and an Edict following thereupon had forbid annuities to be paid It was otherwise called De Annatis non soluendis Which bill was so much the more necessarie because the Cardinals going about to put downe the Antipopes endeuoured neuerthelesse to retaine their gaineful arts and inuentions especially these annuities which their promoters with their reasons likewise defended There it was disputed by our Diuines That those annuities were not due either by the law of God or man That they were extraordinarily granted to
read in the nineteenth Session with this title That notwithstanding the safeconduct of the Emperour of Kings c. it is lawfull by a competent Iudge to enquire of hereticall prauitie The words themselues are these This present holie Synod declareth Concilium Constantiens Sess 19. That notwithstanding any safeconduct giuen by the Emperour or Kings or other secular Princes to heretikes or any suspected of heresie pretending thereby to draw them from their errours by what band soeuer they be bound it cannot nor ought to be any preiudice or hinderance to the Catholike faith or Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction and that the said safe-conduct can be no let but that it shall be lawfull for a competent and Ecclesiasticall Iudge to make iniquisition of the errours of such persons and otherwise to proceed against them and to punish them as iustice shall require if they shall obstinatly refuse to reuoke their errours notwithstanding that vnder the assurance of a safeconduct they shall come to the place of iudgement refusing otherwise to come Neither shall be that hath so promised hauing otherwise done what in him lyes from thence forward continue in any thing bound In the margent this is likewise noted A safeconduct can be no defence for an heretike obstinatly defending his heresies So that by this meanes Princes are discharged of their faith their safeconducts in this case are made voyd They that appeare vnder this assurance are deliuered to the Inquisition and they that dispence so absolutely with other mens consciences what faith can they make and being made how doe they performe it or who will take it Iohn Hus therefore died a Martyre of Christ in the yeare 1415 An. 1415. the people that were present at his death breaking out into these words What this man hath heretofore taught or done we know not but doubtlesse these are great tokens of true pietie that is to say hearing his ardent prayers vnto God touching this point turning to the Prelats that were present at this spectacle he said After an hundred yeres you shall answer to God and to me Whereupon there was money coyned in Bohemia with this inscription in Latine on the one side CentuÌ„ reuolutis annis Deo respondebitis mihi and on the other side Credo vnam esse Ecclesiam Catholicam I beleeue one Catholike Church It is likewise said that he should say You roast â—e the goose for that his name Hus signifieth in the Bohemian tongue but hereafter will a Swan come who in despight of you shall sing better and yet you shall not roast him Now iust an hundred yeares after came Luther by whose doctrine the Church of Rome being striken as it were with lightning notwithstanding all their rage and furie he died peaceable in his owne house 62. PROGRESSION The fortunat proceedings of Iohn de Trosnouie otherwise called Zischa Captaine of the distressed Christians against the Emperour Sigismund The practises of Pope Martin to destroy the Christians in Bohemia after the death of Zischa The cunning shifts of Martin the fift to auoyd the reformation of the Church at the Councell of Constance The Councell of Basil deposeth Eugenius and chuseth Amades Duke of Sauoy for Pope Of the comming of the Emperour of Greece and the Patriarch of Constantinople to the Councell at Florence Vladislaus king of Hungarie maketh peace with Amurath the great Turke which he breaketh through the persuasion of Pope Eugenius and what happened thereof Aeneas Syluius in histor Bohem. c. 35. 36. GReat was the authoritie of Iohn Hus in Bohemia whose puritie also of life commended him to be powerfull in words The people were filled with his doctrine especially at Prage the capitall citie where vpon the exceeding great Indulgences of Iohn the foure and twentieth they made this outcrie That he was Antichrist and when the magistrat had put many of them to death in prison not daring to do it openly the people seeing their bloud running vnder the gate of the palace ran thither to seek the bodies crying out These are the Saints that haue deliuered vp their bodies for the testament of God Moreouer that Epitome of Roman abhominations which was come so neere vnto them at Constance made their stinking sauor reach so far as into Bohemia the people of Sueuia complaining That in so very little space of time they had brought in with them so great a deluge of vncleannesse as could not be washed away in thirtie yeres seeing that among the traine of those Prelats are numbred of Historiographers to be foure hundred and fiftie common whores and three hundred juglers The report then of the death of Iohn Hus comming vpon this and aboue all the infamous treacherie vsed towards him exceedingly stirred vp the people yea made them so much the more beleeue the truth of his doctrine for that he had sealed it with his bloud and contrariwise moued them to abhorre the Romish whose abhominable faith could not bee maintained but only by treacherie Then therefore they entreat the king to grant vnto them Temples for the free exercise of their religion which he consented to them and they multipled and according as they encreased they require to be prouided of places necessarie Neither did queene Sophia of the house of Bauaria who gouerned the kings weakenesse shew her selfe repugnant vnto them But he being deceased of a palsie the Emperour Sigismund his brother succeeded who instigated by the Councell and after by the Pope resolueth to vse all violence against them and employeth against them all the â—tes of the Empire assembling to that end Princes Monstrelet vol. 1. c. 257. Prelats Knights Esquires and common people out of Liege Holland Zeeland Henault and other places and left nothing vnattempted that could be done either by force of warre or bitternesse of torments There rose vp at that time one Iohn de Trosnouie called Zischa because he had but one eye of a noble house but of meane fortunes yet a valiant man who gathered together the wandring and scattered people of euerie age and sex into a place of aduantage It were incredible but that the aduersaries themselues doe testifie it hee fought eleuen battels with Sigismund and euer got the vpper hand and in some of them after he had lost his eye blind of both he was no lesse fortunat a Leader of this wretched people whose murmurings often in that desperat estate was no lesse difficult a matter for him to restraine and appease than to sustaine the violent force of the enemie till at length Sigismund seeing all things succeed well vnto him and that at his onely becke all the affaires of Bohemia were swayed resolueth to ouercome and ruine him with faire words and giueth vnto him the Lieutenancie of the kingdome with chiefest authoritie and a great yearely pension on condition That he should acknowledge him king and cause all the rest also to acknowledge him Here the acclamation of Pope Pius is worthie noting Surely a great
first created Bishop of Triesté and after Cardinall by Calixtus and by degrees according to the encrease of his dignities he changed his stile as appeareth to whomsoeuer readeth his Epistles which hee himselfe hath distinguished by degree Till at length being made Pope he thought nothing better than to reuoke his former and more laudable Acts by his Bull set forth concerning that matter bearing the title of Retractation and the things which before he had seemed to detest in other Popes hee himselfe now both praysed and aduanced forward This is manifest by the Bull which beginneth Execrabilis dated in the second yeare of his Popedome whereby he forbiddeth to appeale from the sentences of the Pope to the future Councell pronounceth all such appeales of Emperours Kings Bishops c. to be voyd vaine execrable and pestiferous excommunicateth such as haue appealed not to be absolued but at the poynt of death He also subiecteth Vniuersities Colledges and other corporations to the Interdict and inflicted vpon all the punishments of high treason and heresie and the Notaries or letter-carriers witnesses and others which were at those Acts c. In another Bull also which beginneth In minoribus agentes directed to the Vniuersitie of Colonia An. 1463. in the yeare 1463 hee professeth That it repented him that hee wrot the Dialogue and other bookes for the authoritie of the Councell saying that he had persecuted the Church of God ignorantly as did S. Paul contrariwise affirming the authoritie of the Pope to bee aboue the Church by the same texts which before he had expounded in a farre other sence Wherefore hee declared That the Pope is the soueraigne Monarch of the Church whose sinnes are left to the judgement of God so that no man may take knowledge of them And neuerthelesse at the end he reuerenced saith he the Councell of Constance which had decreed the contrarie But here Bellarmine inuenteth a notable distinction That the later Sessions are approued not the first because in the first the Councel was placed aboue the Pope and yet notwithstanding in that Councell Martin the fift had beene chosen and what hee had caused to be ordained in the later tooke force and vigour onely from the first Sessions whereby it was judged That the Councell may judge the Pope arraigne him condemne depose and punish him and chuse another in his roome all which they had practised on Iohn the foure and twentieth Benedict the thirteenth and Martin the fift deposing the two former and electing the third and both the Sessions former and later proceeding from one same spirit and from one and the same authoritie But it troubleth them that they know not which way to turne themselues when they are demaunded what was the vocation of Martin Eugenius and others which hath no ground but on the onely decision of this Councell and the Councell of Basil And here we might set before the eyes of Syluius what he hath said of this Councell and that of Basil which now he condemneth and that not being a young man as he said but a man of perfect age and honoured with principall dignities Where is there in the world such a companie of Fathers Where so great light of knowledge Where the wisedome Where is the goodnesse that can be equall to the vertues of these Fathers O most perfect fraternitie O true Senat of the world c. So that these things may not honestly now be denied But as the eye of reason is other than the eye of passion so is the judgement of an vpright mind other than of corrupt desire of Syluius sitting in that most honourable assemblie which he describeth vnto vs than of Pius the second raigning in that contagious chaire And he had cast out a speech of an expedition into Asia against the Turkes in the assemblie of Mantua Bulla quae incipit Quoniam vt proxime in summa Constitution Iohan. 5. Stella in Pio 2. whither the embassadours of many Princes were come from all parts and vnder pretence thereof had imposed a tenth on the whole Clergie yea euen vpon all the profits of the Roman Court but he could not bring it to effect perhaps because he arrogated too much to himselfe with the Princes which were of greatest power For saith Stella for the augmentation of the Papall Maiestie he feared neither Kings nor Dukes neither peoples nor tyrants but if they saw any offending that is to say not obeying in all poynts his desire he persecuted them so long both by warre and by censures till he perceiued them to be recouered And for this cause became he an aduersarie to Lewis King of France who went about to diminish the libertie of the Church in his kingdome to Borsio d'Este because he fauoured Sigismund Malatesta and the affaires of France against Ferdinand He persecuted with terrible execrations Sigismund Duke of Austria for that he had chastised the Cardinall of S. Peter ad Vincula Hee deposed also the Archbishop of Mentz iudging ill of the Roman Church and set vp another in his roome He deposed likewise the Archbishop of Beneuent for attempting new matters against his will and for that he would betray Beneuent to the Frenchmen And he brought many townes of Campania into the power of the Church of Rome Neither doe histories conceale that he confirmed the kingdome of Naples to Ferdinand reuoking the Bull of Calixtus the third and that in fauour of the mariage of Anthonie Picolhuomini his nephew with the sister of the wife of Ferdinand whose dowrie was the Earledomes of Maldeburg and Celano Whereby hee began to set himselfe against the rights of our France Monstrelet addeth Monstrelet vol. 3. That it was commonly thought that Ferdinand had giuen Pius a verie great summe of gold partly to be absolued of his crimes and partly that he might peaceably enioy his kingdome But his ambition cannot not better be knowne than in his 396 Epistle where hee offereth and promiseth the Empire of the Greeks to Mahomet king of the Turkes if he would become a Christian and succour the Church that is to say his faction that hee might the more easily rend Christendome which he vexed with continuall warres presuming to persuade him that that Empire depended on him and was in his gift and that so his predecessors had giuen the Empire of Germanie to Charlemaine It seemeth that to him also is to be ascribed that extraordinarie pompe of Corpus Christi day for that which is commonly boasted of the Temple of S. Peter very fitly agreeth with the Roman superstition which neuer is brought to his full height Antoninus Campanus Bishop of Arrezzo in the life of Pius saith He celebrated at Viterbium the feast of the Eucharist with an vnaccustomed brauerie the citie being vnder foot spread with scarlet ouer head couered with linnen in which starres of gold shined as in the firmament so that the procession went not seeing the skie betweene flowres strewed an ynch thick
it for which it had need to be commended It was apparant that hee required it not for desire of good worke but for couetousnesse In comming therfore to speake their opinions the Cardinall de Porto who was next to the Cardinall of Hostia I feare Holie Father saith he that verie shortly we shall heare that al the Abbayes in France will be in Commenda so that there will not any remain that hath an Abbot for whatsoeuer we ordayne there is nothing else but Commenda's That kingdome will one day when we least looke for it rise against vs and not beeing able to endure our vnprofitable ministerie will attempt some great matter against thy seat The Pope approued his iudgement and added That from the Popedome of Calixtus till that day he thought there were more than fiue hundred Monasteries giuen in Commenda that is in lesse than nine yeares And yet in his Epitaph among his triumphes is obserued this exploit Platina in Pio 2 Pragmaticam in Gallia abrogauit hee abolished the Pragmaticall sanction Wherefore Pius beeing dead who in foure yeares space had taught Fraunce sufficiently what great dammages would ensue thereupon complaints for the Pragmaticall sanction are redoubled whereupon the king commaunded his Court of Parliament to set downe vnto him in writing the causes of this complaint which it did and deliuered them vnto him againe in eightie sixe Articles vnder this Title For the libertie of the French Church against the Court of Rome The principal Articles are the 14 15 16 17 18 in these words Whereas many things had been decreed in the holie Councels of Constance and Basill consonant or agreeable to the auntient Canons and to the royall ordinances abouesayd King Charles the seuenth the king who then was Dolphin being present together with the Princes of the bloud Royall the Prelats and the Colledges Ecclesiasticall and Scholasticall and in the hearing of the Embassadours both of the Pope of Rome and of the holie vniuersall Councell at length he receiued those Decrees and confirmed them by his Edict which commonly wee call Pragmaticall And these things were done a Bourges in the yeare 1438. This sanction therefore was euer held to be of so much the more authoritie because it had the originall from the holie Councels in which the Pope or his Legat sat President For there had beene neuer any law made in Fraunce before that time which had authoritie and force from the vniuersall Church 16. From that time forth the kingdome better prospered and had greater authoritie and glorie than ever before and more plentie and abundance of all things Guienne and Normandie can witnesse what terrour it was to the enemies out of which places they were expulsed and cast out 17. The obseruation of this sanction dured the space of twentie and three yeares and now since hath ceased these foure yeares When in the meane time men of excellent probitie and grauitie haue gouerned and ruled the Churches without molestation and disturbance of which some for the singular sanctitie of their liues after their decease were had in reputation for miracles as Michaell Bishop of Anger 's the Archbishop of Arles and many others 18. Contrariwise of the abrogation of these Canons Decrees and Constitutions innumerable inconueniences would arise which seeme may be referred to foure kinds Those same which were obserued in the admonition afore mentioned But the king being troubled either with continuall warres or with suspitions from time to time put off the businesse to a generall assemblie Yet saith Monstrelet in the yeare 1467 Paule the second being Pope Monstrelet es Chronologiques the king graunted his letters to his Legat being come from Rome in the moneth of September for the abrogation of the Pragmaticall sanction which were exhibited and published in the Chastellet of Paris without any contradiction or disturbance But he addeth on the first day of October following M. Iohn Balue who after was Cardinall came to the hall of the Palace royall at Paris to procure the publication of the same in Court Where he findeth M. Iohn de Saint Romain the kings Atturney generall who verie stoutly opposed himselfe against the execution of the said letters whereat Balue was verie much displeased Balue threateneth him That the king would not be well content with it and would displace him from his office But he despising his threats answered That the king might take away his office from him yet neuerthelesse he was resolued rather to lose it than he would either doe or suffer to be done any thing against his conscience or to the detriment and dishonour of the king and kingdome And to Balue he said That he might blush for shame for hauing vndertaken the dispatch of such a businesse And after that the Rector of the Vniuersitie of Paris and the Deputies of the same came to the Legat himselfe and appealed from him and from the effect of his said letters to the Councell and in whatsoeuer place it should be made They also went to the Chastelet where they requested that their opposition might be inregistred there These are the words of Monstrelet and it is not to be omitted That this Iohn Balua being Bishop of Eureux was made a Cardinall and a little after conuicted of treason against the king and kingdome The yeare following one M. Iohn Loyre by vertue of certaine Bulls from the Pope interdicted the citie and Diocesse of Niuers vsing the authoritie of the Officiall of Besanson But by the sentence of the Court it was decreed the twelfth of December at the suit of the kings Atturney generall and of M. Peter Chartres Doctor and Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Paris That notwithstanding the Interdict the Diuine Seruice should be continued and the Churchmen compelled vnto it being by the kings power set into their temporalties That also the said Loire and Officiall should be layd hold on and be held to procure at their owne charges the abrogation of the Bulls Neither wanted there in all places some who in the middest of the tyrannie powred forth their sighes euen before the Popes Dominicus Bishop of Brescia in Italie wrot a Treatise which he directed to Pius the second and intituled it The Reformation of the Court of Rome truely mild ynough according to the times and yet sometime not without a sting If saith he we consider the former Popes and their Acts the Cardinalls the Bishops Protonotaries and other Prelats Penitentiaries Subdeanes Auditors Clerkes of the Chamber Acolythes or vnder ministers Chamberlains Aduocates Proctors and others appointed in diuers degrees and offices wee shall surely weepe with Ieremie Lament 4. Oh how is the gold become so dimme the most fine gold is changed the stones of the Sanctuarie that is the Prelats are scattered in the corner of euerie street that is of the broad wayes which lead to destruction in the corners whereof they are as Gregorie expoundeth it Her Nazarites were purer than snow and whiter
to the contrarie but let that saying cease which is verie erronious to affirme The state of the Church was neuer in so great daunger from the beginning of the world as it is to be seene at this present There haue been indeed greater persecutions and vexations of the Church but there were euer holie and deuout men who endued with the grace of the holie spirit comforted the faithfull instructing and strengthening them And now the Chruch seemeth to be set in securitie but such holie men are nowhere to be seene Therefore the Church decreaseth in faithfull men and in kingdomes it pineth away in persons notwithstanding the libertie it hath And before when it enioyed not so great libertie but was furnished with those holie men it dayly encreased and augmented as to him that will search the Histories will plainely appeare These things Saint Barnard partly noted in his time in his foure and twentieth Sermon and vpon the 72 Psalme They are the Ministers of Christ but serue Antichrist Which places because we haue aboue coted them in needlesse here to trouble the Reader withall Stephan Brulifer de timore seruili de paupertate Christi cum sermonibus varijs apud Andream Bocord Paris an 1500. Jdem in 4. lib. sentent Bonavent Basil per Jacob. de Pfortzeim 1501 In Fraunce Stephan Brulifer Doctour of Sorbonne of the order of Franciscan Friers whose bookes were Printed at Paris and at Basill in the yeares 1500 and 1501 taught publiquely in lectures in disputations and by writings That neither the Pope nor a Councell nor the Church can prescribe an Article statute or ceremonie which bindeth the conscience of a Christian That their power consisteth onely in this to take care that the commaundements of God bee kept to preach his word to administer the Sacraments so as hee hath instituted them taking heed that they bring in nothing besides that which hee hath commaunded As touching justification which is attributed to merits that it is a diuelish doctrine seeing that the Lambe sacrificed hath satisfied Gods justice for vs of which S. Iohn crieth Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world But when the Sorbonne would not endure him he committed himselfe to the protection of Diether Archbishop of Mentz And what shall we say of Platina Platina in Marcelino that famous Historiographer of Popes not speaking of Paule the second his Master which perhaps might bee imputed to some hatred but of the Popes and Chruch in his time plainely without spleene In the life of Marceline speaking of the persecution of Dioclesian Eusebius saith he sheweth That God permitted that calamitie which they suffered because of the maners of Christians corrupted by too much libertie and indulgence principally of the Churchmen whose peruersenesse the iustice of God would bridle by this persecution seeing dissimulation to be in their countenance guile in their heart and deceit in their words For these striuing who should excell each other in enuie pride enmities and hatreds seemed to sauour rather of tyrannie than Priesthood being altogether forgetfull of Christian pietie and prophaning rather than celebrating the diuine mysteries But what thinke wee shall become of our age wherein our vices are encreased so exceedingly that hardly haue they left any place of mercie for vs with God How great is the couetousnesse of Priests and chiefely of them which haue soueraigne power how great their lust appeareth euerie where how great their ambition and pompe how great their pride and sloth how great their ignorance both of themselues and of Christian doctrine how little their religion and rather in shew than in truth how corrupt their manners which euen in prophane men whom they call seculars were detestable there is no need to speake it They commit sinnes so openly and in sight its if they sought prayse thereby There will come beleeue mee there will come the Turke the enemie of the Christian name more violent than Diocletian and Maximian he alreadie knocketh at the gates of Italie We negligent and sleepie attend a common destruction prouiding rather for priuat pleasure than for common vtilitie In the life also of Stephen the third Pietie and religion is now become so cold Platina in Stephan 3. that they will not pray to God I say not bare-footed but hardly in their hose and buskins Speaking of a certaine procession from Lateran to S. Peters They weepe not as they goe or during the time of Diuine Seruice as those holie Fathers but laugh and that impudently I speake euen of them whose scarlet robes makes them more obseruable They sing not hymnes for that seemeth to them seruile but ieasts and tales they tell among themselues to stirre vp laughter What need many words The more talkative any is and the more wanton the greater prayse he deserueth thereby in that corruption of manners This our Clergie feareth seuere and graue men Why so because they had rather liue in so great licentiousnesse than obey him that admonisheth them or constraineth them to doe well and for this cause Christian religion groweth daily worse and worse The like wee read in many places whereby he left inregistred what he judged of his times not daring so freely to doe it in the liues of them that then raigned or had left after them their creatures as they call them of whom he might receiue iniurie Let vs adde Anthonie de Rosellis a Tuscan a famous Doctor both of the Ciuile and Canon law who in his learned bookes concerning that matter teacheth That no temporall jurisdiction belongeth to the Pope and in spirituall he subiecteth him to a Councell Which bookes were printed at Venice in the yeare 1487 but by their Index Expurgatorius they haue caused them to be raced out It remaineth to say something of thee that spake openly being sequestred from the Pope Platina in the life of Paul the second telleth vs That in the towne of Poli neere Rome were detected many heretikes and the Lord of the place with eight men and six women was taken who being brought to Paul were verie ignominiously vsed And behold the heresie They were saith hee of that sect which wee say is of a peruerse opinion of mind for that they sayd That none of them which haue beene since Saint Peter was truely Christ Vicar sauing onely they who haue imitated Christs pouertie Let the Reader note here the stile of Platina which sheweth that he speaketh out of other mens judgement And as for the Bohemians in the beginning of the Popedome of Pius the second they set forth their Apologie and Confession of Faith against the calumnies wherewith they were traduced among the people which were too long here to be inserted But they are conformable to the doctrine of the reformed Churches of this kingdom and are defended by the same places and reasons both of the holie Scriptures and Fathers But this fell out well for them that after diuers miseries was chosen king with
Sic moriens nullos credidit esse Deos. As Sixtus when he liued mockt God so he When that he died beleeu'd no God to be Trithem de scriptorib Eccles Fra. Leandro Alberti de viâ—is illustribus Ordinis Praedicatorij Alani de Rupe Compend Psal terij Mariani de Myrac Rozarij liber vnus An. 1483. And yet this good man in the meane time writ bookes of the conception of the Virgine Marie authorised that execrable booke of Alani de Rupe a German and Dominican Frier forged and preached for Gospell a certaine Rosarie gathered out of the Virgine Maries Psalter and thereupon instituted a new Societie for the credit whereof Iames Sprenger Prouinciall of Germanie deuised certaine myracles which Sixtus approued and defended with his Bulls and Indulgences There was likewise a booke printed in the beginning whereof we read That the Virgine Marie entring into the cell or chamber of this Alani the doores being locked and hauing wouen a ring with her haire maried her selfe therewith vnto him offering her selfe vnto him to be kissed and her breast to bee handled and sucked in as familiar manner as a wife to her husband Many other the like blasphemies there were in that booke by which let the Reader consider in what a bottomelesse gulfe of impietie the superstitious minds of men were by these Atheists ouerwhelmed Innocent the eighth a Genowais of the familie of Cibo succeeded in the yere 1483 after such a predecessor it was a hard thing to bee thought execrable and yet he was no whit better than the former that he should fill Rome with seditions Italie with fire and sword it was nothing strange since it was a matter long since determined That there was no mischiefe that befel Italie but through the Popes He tooke from Virginius Vrsinus the gouernement of the Apostolike Palace to gratifie Cardinall Iulian who then began to shew his force whereby the citie was brought into great danger Yea he troubled all Italie by defending the Earls of Aquila against Ferdinand their King and Lord Onuphr in Innocent 8. Enforced thereunto saith Onuphrius by the counsell of men ill aduised whereby he got nothing but charge ruine and dishonour Seeking therefore a meanes to supplie his wants and to fill his treasurie he followed the steps of Sixtus He ordained fiftie two Plumbatores Bullarum Bullists by which meanes he got six and twentie thousand crownes Certis Ecclesiae prouentibus attributis As a subsidie out of the reuenewes of the Church He added six and twentie Secretaries who paid euery one as it were for a fine two thousand fiue hundred crownes which came to sixtie thousand crownes He put to sale the office of the President de Ripa and created thirtie officers who payed two hundred crownes apeece and this was said to restore the Church He made peace with Ferdinand because he could not otherwise chuse whom neuerthelesse vnder a pretence of non-payment of tribute he excommunicated depriued him his kingdome and pronounced Charles king of Fraunce who had promised him to come presently with his armie the lawfull heire which he afterward in his owne person performed grounding himselfe vpon the last will and testament of Renat king of Sicilie and of Charles the Earle du Maine his brother who transferred all the right they had vpon him But Innocent had no other purpose but by this meanes reuersing all the Bulls of his predecessours to be reuenged vpon Ferdinand As touching his priuat life let vs giue credit to Volateran though in tearms somewhat too honest he expresse his dishonestie Iohn Baptista Cibo a Genowais after the death of Sixtus sat in the chaire and was called Innocent the eight He was heretofore a poore boy brought vp with the seruants of Alphonsus king of Sicilia but yet of excellent beautie From thence he came to Rome where he was receiued into the familie in Contubernio of Philip Cardinal of Bononia Afterwards he was made Bishop of Sauona and then of Melfe and Dataire of Sixtus who made him in the end Cardinall for his sweet and ciuile cariage wherein he exceeded all men vsque ad vitium euen in vice it selfe For he many times embraced men of basest conditions Is the Popedome to be gotten by such meanes and manners He had before his Popedome sixteen children eight sonnes and eight daughters of which there were onely two lyuing when he obtayned the See whom he endeauoured to raise to the charge of the Church distributing saith the Historie a great masse of money gathered by his indulgences for an imployment against the Turke to his children and kinsfolke Others add That he was the first of all the Popes that openly made his boasts of his bastards and contemning all auntient discipline tooke care to enrich them Onuphrius saith That his sonne Frauncis and his daughter Theodorina his bastards hee enriched beyond reason To Frauncis he gaue certaine Townes neere the Citie and married him to the daughter of Lawrence de Medices and Theodorina to Gerard Vsumar of Genoa a man verie rich Hereupon saith Marullus in an Epitaph Quid quaeris testes sit mas an foemina Cibo Respice natorum pignora certa gregem Octo nocens pueros genuit totidemque puellas Hunc merito poterit dicere Roma Patrem Why seekest thou witnesse to proue Cibo a man Looke on his brats faire gages deny 't if thou can Eight bastard sonnes he got and as many daughters Worthily then may Rome count this man a Pater His Epigrams alwayes alluding to that triall of the sex ordayned after the deceipt of Pope Ioane But he concludeth Spurcities gula auaritia atque ignauia deses Hoc octaue iacent quo tegeris tumulo Vncleanesse auarice sloth gluttonie Are here Octaue intombd where thou doest lye And least there should be no place left for superstition they made men beleeue at that time when Petrus Consaluus de Mendoza repayred the Church of the holie crosse that there was a fragment of the title of the crosse of Christ written in three Tongues found inclosed in the wall This cosinage the letters themselues bewraied for in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was barbarously written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an e in the accusatiue case plurall were all those famous Roman Antiquaries blind At that verie time Baiazet the Emperour of Turkie sent vnto him for a present the poynt of that speare of Longinus wherewith the side of Christ was wounded that he might thereby win him to set a surer gard ouer his brother Gemes whom he had then in his power of that Longinus whose name they deriued from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who knowes not these fooleries and knowing them can endure them From hence there sprung a wonderfull haruest of indulgences vnder Alexander the sixt his successour Summa constitut in Bulla cuius initium admirabile sacrament Bulla cuius initium Apostolicae camerae in sum constitut Hieron Marius in Euseb cap. Onuphr
set ouer Gemes least if hee should escape he should trouble his Empire Vpon this occasion Alexander and Alphonsus giue Baiazet to vnderstand That it was the purpose of the king of France hauing setled his affaires in Naples to passe ouer into Greece which was the more easily beleeued because hee was not ignorant how many troubles the French had raised and how many slaughters they had made in Asia The warres of Charles growing hot they sent Legats againe vnto him Alphonsus making choyce of Camillus Pendon Alexander of Gregorio Bucciardo of Genoa being both skilfull in the Turkish language Bucciardo being employed before in the like seruice by Pope Innocent These promised to ouerthrow the forces of Charles so he would supplie them with some great summes of money Whereby he should redeeme the State of Greece from destruction and entertaine warre in the kingdome of another and should haue for a bulwarke of his Empire the citie of Rome and the kingdome of Naples These embassadours were honourably receiued by Baiazet and so much the rather because hee had receiued the same newes from other parts He therefore gaue thankes to the Pope speaking to Gregorie that he that had the highest place in Christendome would be pleased so friendly louingly to giue him in time admonition notwithstanding he were of another beliefe touching God and of different maners touching men He aduised him to returne into Italie his embassadour Dantius accompanying him by whom he sent money and committed other matters of secrecie vnto him to that purpose Amongst other matters giuen vnto him in charge saith Iouius there was a letter written in Greeke wherein Baiazet with great art persuaded the Pope That he should prouide that by some meanes or other his brother might be taken out of the way by poyson which if he would performe hee promised him vpon his faith two hundred thousand ducats and freely to bestow vpon him the vnfeamed coat of Christ as some few yeares before he had sent the poynt of that speare wherewith Longinus pierced the side of Christ From hence let the Reader judge with how inward a commerce of wickednesse these two were joined since he durst giue that counsell to the Pope which the most wicked men of the world practised in all manner of villanie durst not haue done one to another It fell out in the meane time that the ships wherein they passed the seas were taken neere Ancona by Iohn de la Rouere brother to Cardinall Iulian an enemie to the Pope and a friend to the Frenchmen who seised vpon all the money as due vnto him from the Pope and so Dantius was inforced to make a journey by land to Ancona to saue himselfe But Alexander being verie much moued herewith sought new meanes to continue this entercourse and agreement with Baiazet With which Papall zeale he likewise diuerted the Croysado or money gathered in Spaine vnder a pretence of bearing the crosse against Baiazet to this vse For saith Guicciardine king Ferdinand excusing himselfe That his armie by sea could not so speedily be readie for the defence of the kingdome of Naples for want of money hee consented that the money gathered in Spaine in the naâ—â— of the Apostolike sea vnder a colour of making warre against the enemies of the Faith should be employed to that vse But Charles neuerthelesse passed through all Italie without resistance being led as it were by the hand of God opening not onely the gates before him but the walls too and comming neere Rome where the Pope had fortified himselfe with the forces of Alphonsus and other his confederats hee demaunded passage and to be admitted into the citie commaunding his enemies to depart and not dissembling That if Alexander obeyed not he would make his way through the citie with his sword Alexander hereupon was much troubled in his mind Fearing least Charles presuming vpon the title of Most Christian which the kings of France doe much glorie in should with his people being a nation renowmed for their religion turne his mind to the reformation of the Church a terrible thought to him whose conscience told him by what infamous meanes he had obtained the Popedome and how with great infamie he had administred it Paule Jonij l. 2. Moreouer he feared least he should be persuaded by the Cardinals of Colonna Sabelli and others to require the publication of a Councell with which one voyce saith Iouins the Popes of Rome are more terrified than with any other human accidents whatsoeuer But partly restes himself vpon that assurance which Charles had giuen him not to attempt any thing against his dignitie and partly because being in these straits he saw no surer course to be taken he retired himselfe to his castle S. Angelo suffered the king to enter the citie and sent away Ferdinand Duke of Calabria the sonne of Alphonsus that he might not see his ruine before his eyes Charles therefore entred Rome the last day of the yeare 1494 with his whole armie his ensignes displayed and his lance vpon his thigh no otherwise than he entred Florence a few dayes before Neither must we forget that the armie of the king comming neere Ostia some twentie fadome of the wall fell to the ground euen there where the King had prepared to enter and neere about the same time there fell about fifteene fadome of the antemure or outward wall of the castle S. Angelo as if the walles themselues had inuited the king to enter Here there wanted not some that were verie earnest with the king Philip Comineus in vita Caroli 8. c. 16.17 to remoue Alexander from his seat a man odious to the whole world telling him that it would not be lesse glorious to him to deliuer the Church of God from the tyrannie of a wicked Pope than it was to Pipin and Charlemaine to deliuer the good Popes from such as did vniustly oppresse them But Alexander beeing directed by a more deuout Councell hauing by presents and promises corrupted those that could preuaile most with him they so pacified the king that he came to this agreement That Alexander should deliuer to the king the castles of Ciuita vecchia Tarracina and Spoleto vntill he had conquered the kingdome of Naples That hee should offer no wrong to the Cardinals and Barons that were subject to the Church or seeke to reuenge himselfe vpon those that had taken his part That hee should inuest Charles into the kingdome That forasmuch as there might be good vse made of Gemes Baiazets brother in the warres against the Turke he would deliuer him into his hands That he should pronounce Charles Emperour of Greece Lastly That he should leaue with the king Caesar Borgia his sonne for three moneths as an Embassadour in outward shew but in effect an hostage for the performance of these promises All which for the most part he performed because hee could no otherwise chuse but yet so as that his accustomed false faith
might alwayes appeare For when he saw that he must needs deliuer Gemes Guicciard l. 2. yet hee was verie carefull to satisfie his brother Baiazets request who saith Guicciardine had long time made good vse of the auarice of the Vicars of Christ that hee might possesse his Empire in peace and therefore he was no sooner come to Naples but he dyed not without manifest tokens of a slow poyson giuen him to drinke to shorten his life The king had demaunded for the better assurance of this treatie and the performance thereof the castle S. Angelo the Cardinals openly protesting That Alexander would not otherwise haue any respect to his faith and promise Whereupon the great artillerie was thrice brought forth of the Palace of S. Marke where the king lodged to haue beene planted against the castle but by the like art as before this purpose was altered and so returning into the Vatican Alexander receyued the king who with bended knee kissing his feet was presently admitted to kisse his cheeke And another day celebrating the Masse he hold the bason of water to wash his hands which ceremonies the Pope caused to bee paynted in a gallerie of the castle of S. Angelo As being euer the manner of the Popes to take that to be a duetie which is done of curtesie Charles therefore hauing continued at Rome three weekes he tooke his journey towards Naples and hauing in a short time broughr the kingdome to his obedience he tooke order for his returne into Fraunce But in the meane time Alexander prepared new difficulties joyning himselfe in league with Maximilian the Emperour the kings of Spaine the Venetians and Lodwick Sfortia who being terrified with the successe of this magnanimious Prince deuise how they might oppresse him in Italie to which purpose against his returne into Fraunce they raysed an armie in the playne of Fornoue of fortie thousand men which he encountred with eight thousand men or thereabout which hee chose out of the garrisons of Naples and with an incredible valour made his way through the middest of them But being returned into France and preparing for a second expedition An. 1497. Philip. Comineus in vita Caroli 8. c. 26. 51. in the yeare 1497 and in the moneth of Aprill being taken with an apoplexie he suddenly dyed Comineus reporteth That Hierome Sauanarola who was then taken for a Prophet at Florēce being asked whether the king could passe without the perill of his lyfe answered That some difficulties he should haue in his iourney but yet they should all turne to his glorie yea though he had but a hundred souldiers with him for that God by whose conduct he came into Italie would likewise return him safely into his countrie But forasmuch as he had not procured the reformation of the Church according to his duetie c. there hung a scourge ouer his head and God had pronounced a sentence against him which he would execute elsewhere Moreouer hee addeth That hee foretold many things publikely in his Sermons that the king should returne That he might reforme the Church with his sword and expell the tyrans out of Italie and that therefore this charge was imposed vpon him by God which if he did not he would sharpely be reuenged on him Which he had likewise many times by letters signified to the king and that not long before his death The scourge that Sauanarola spake of Philip. Comineus in vita Carol. 8. Philip de Comines enterpreteth to be the death of the Dolphin which strucke him to the verie heart and the sentence pronounced by God to be the suddaine death of Charles which he describeth to be verie miserable and to that end he repeats this Historie Guicciard l. 3. Alexander therefore being freed from so great a feare bends all his endeauors to the aduauncement of his children But saith the Historie not without domesticall misfortunes and tragicall examples of whoredome and crueltie horrible to the Barbarians themselues From the first entrance into his Popedome he resolued to conferre all the temporall power he could vpon the Duke of Candia his eldest sonne Caesar Borgia his younger sonne Cardinall of Valentia wholly alienated from his profession of Priesthood tooke it impatiently that this place of dignitie should be taken from him by his brother and no lesse was he moued against him for that he had a greater part than himselfe in the loue of Madame Lucretia sister to them both One euening therefore hauing supped together with their mother Zanoccia walking alone through the citie he caused him to be murdered and secretly to be cast into Tyber The report went That in the loue of Lucretia not onely the two brethren did concurre but the father also who being once Pope tooke her from her first husband be being now too base and she to great too be his wife and married her to Iohn Sforza Lord of Pezaro Afterwards not enduring her husband to be his corriuall this second marriage being consumat by the sentence of certaine Iudges chosen by himselfe and witnesses suborned to that purpose as if Iohn had been vnfit for marriage he likewise dissolued or rather brake It is Guicciardine himselfe that speakes it and therefore we haue the lesse need of the verses of Pontanus Hoc iacet in tumulo Lucretia nomine sed re Thais Alexandri filia sponsa nurus Lucrece by name in deed Thais lyes vnder this stone Alexanders daughter his sons wife and his owne Againe Humana iura nec minus coelestia Ipsosque sustulit Deos Scilicet liceret heu scelus patri Natae sinum permingere Gods lawes and mans he God himselfe denies O wickednesse that with his daughter lyes Now so long as Alexander was in doubt of the authour of the death of his sonne he was strangely moued therewith and made a shew of changing the course of his life but so soone as he was assured of the truth thereof he returned to his old vomit and thought it necessarie to dissemble the matter Onuphrius speakes more significantly Winking at that outragious sinne of paricide hee determined with himselfe at what price or perill soeuer to aduance Borgia the paricide It would be perhaps too long and to small purpose here to relate the deeds of this monster Comming one morning into the Consistorie he put off his Cardinals hat and openly professed that he would be a man of warre Hee made a voyage into France where with the leaue and good liking of Lewis the twelft who at that time needed the Popes helpe for the conquest of Milan he maried Charlotta of Albret and was made Duke of Valentia by which meanes Lewis found Alexander more willing to yeeld to that diuorce which he pretended Being returned at the last into Italie presuming vpon the authoritie of his father he attempted the ruine of all the Vicars or Lieutenants of the cities of Romania for the effecting whereof there was no kind of crueltie treacherie treason which hee put not
caetera diuina in the Church of the holie Crosse of Hierusalem said to be found in the time of Innocent the eighth Can any man doubt but that hee hereby mocked the Crosse of Christ That man who in the yeare 1494 in his rage published with his owne mouth a pardon for thirtie thousand yeares to as many as would say a certaine prayer before the Image of Saint Anne the mother of the blessed Virgine Benedicta sit sancta Anna mater tua ex qua sine macula peccato processisti c. Where were now the Dominicans who preached a contrarie doctrine This is that man who diuided the world amongst the Princes gaue to Ferdinand of Aragon and to Isabel of Castile the West Indies discouered at that time by Colombus But by what right if not by that wherewith he bound himselfe before to the Prince of the world euen to him that said vnto Christ All this will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me OPPOSITION Now in the Historie of these three Popes described by their owne friends and followers wee haue a kind of hidden or rather publike Opposition against their tyrannie For is there not here a liuelie picture of Antichrist whose name onely as Painters vse to doe they haue concealed Alâ—eric de Rozate inâ— bene a Zenon â—â—ol 6. num 18. c. de Quadrieâ—â—â—i praescriptis leauing to vs not onely to diuine who he should bee but to pronounce this verie man to be the man of sinne euen Antichrist himselfe Let vs neuerthelesse see amongst other Authors of that age whether it will not more manifestly appeare Albericus de Rozate an excellent Lawyer defendeth as many had done before That the Empire depended not vpon the Pope That the Emperour needed not his confirmation That they who thought otherwise were guiltie of treason and their goods to bee confiscated That the Popes Jdem in verbo Romae according to the present state of their affaires haue sometimes exalted sometimes depressed the Empire to the end they may get vnto themselues a power both ouer temporall and spirituall And these are his verses Curia Romana non petit ouem sine lana Dante 's exaudit non dantibus ostia claudit The Courts of Rome without the wooll refuse the sheepe Giuers they heare against no giuers the doores they keepe As likewise that of the Donation of Constantine I haue heard of men of great credit that there was then heard a voyce from heauen saying To day is the poyson of Aspes sowed in the Church of God and they say that this is to be found in the auncient authentique writings and so doth the said M. Iohn of Paris report in his booke of the Papall and imperiall power C. 21. Hieronimus Paulus Catalanus a Canon of Barcelone and Doctor of both lawes Chamberlaine to Alexander the sixt in his booke of the practise of the Apostolike Chauncetie feares not to say That the Donation of Constantine was not de facto Read Laurentius Valla and Pope Pius in his Dialogue neither haue I read any thing of any such Donation in any approued writer especially those that haue written that age or the next vnto it For neither doth Eusebius who was a diligent writer and enquirer into Christian affaires make mention thereof c. nor Ierome nor Augustine nor Ambrose nor Basil nor Iohn Chrysostome Amian nor Beda nor Orosius And it is apparent that for aboue three hundred yeares after Constantine the Emperours had the gouernement of the citie by Dukes Presidents and Exarches vntill the time of Innocent the second as it plainely appeareth in the Histories and Chronicles To which purpose he alledgeth many places out of the Digests the Code and the new Constitution And in the life of Phocas the Emperor we read that Pope Boniface obtained the Panteon of him Which is that Church that is called Maria retunda If therefore you will know from whence the Church had her lands and reuenues see the Acts of Charles the Great of Pipin and of Pius in the sayd Dialogue and the collections newly gathered by Bartholmew Platina the Liberarie keeper in one great volume wherein he hath gathered all the instruments appertaining to the state of the Church as touching their temporalties especially the acquisition of their lands reuenewes and rights vnto them vpon the reuiew whereof I haue likewise bestowed some paines Of the sayd Donation and cure of the leprosie of Constantine read that which Remus the Bishop of Padua hath writ at large in his historie of the liues of the Popes Both the one and the other the Donation and the Cure grounded vpon one and the same vanitie Hieron Marius in Eusebio Captiuo Mancinellus was yet more bold who vpon a solemne day about the houre of procession mounting vpon a white horse according to the custome made an Oration at Rome before all the people against Alexander the sixt openly reprehending his abuses his scandalous life and foule abhominations and hauing ended his speech exemplified it before their eyes Alexander therefore caused him to be apprehended and commaunded both his hands to bee cut off which were no sooner healed but vpon another feastiuall day with the like boldnesse he spake againe But by the commaundement of Alexander his tongue was presently cut out Machiauellus Historiae Florentin l. 1. whereof he died Machiauel the Secretarie of Florence in his historie saith plainly That vntill the time of Theodoricus king of Lombardie the Pope had no temporall jurisdiction yea was hardly acknowledged to haue any superioritie in causes Ecclesiasticall aboue the Church of Rauenna but that power and authoritie that it hath it got afterwards by diuers guiles and subtilties sometime taking part with the Greekes sometimes with the Lombards vntill they had ouerthrowne both the one and the other But especially their greatest power they attained vnto by the wicked abuse of their excommunications indulgences and publication of the Crosse but yet so that at what time they thundered most in countries and kingdomes most remote they were in greatest contempt at Rome hauing much adoe to reside there notwithstanding they promised not to intermeddle with ciuile causes but Ecclesiasticall onely Hee likewise saith That they were the authors of all the warres in Italie after the time of Theodoricus king of the Gothes and in his owne time of all those troubles that were in Italie That the Cardinals were but simple Curats of the Parishes in Rome increasing afterwards by little and little in wealth and honour and pride and titles and habiliments as the Popedome and the contention for the Popedome increased And in the handling of this subiect he concludeth the first booke of his Florentine historie which it shall not bee amisse for the Reader to take a view of Guicciardine also the Standard-bearer of the Church of Rome writ the like discourse in the fourth booke of his histories but the place was carefully rased out but
the defence thereof insomuch as the glosse of the Pragmaticall sanction teacheth vs that neither Sixtus nor his successors Innocent the eight nor Alexander the sixt could euer bring to effect those decrees which they made in preiudice thereof which are mentioned in the first chapter of the Extrauagant de treuga et pace Pragmat tit de collat paragr Quod si cuiuscumque status in verbo quatuor ibi Glossa But the constitutions of Lewis the eleuenth Pope Sixtus being otherwise to himselfe indulgent ynough are worthie the noting One dated the eight of Ianuarie in the yeare 1475 wherein hee sheweth that by vertue of the generall Councels of Constance and Basil approued by the Pope and Cardinals note these words it is resolued to require Pope Sixtus to hold a Councell wherein order may bee taken for prouision against the inuasion of the Turke the daunger of the Schismes the abuse of Simonie in Christendome wherefore hee commaundeth all the nobilitie of the kingdome and the Prelates with other the chiefe of the Clergie to prepare themselues and to bee readie at hand when they shall bee called This Sanction was read in the Parliament the same yeare the fiue and twentieth of Ianuarie Hee could not haue curbed his furie with a stronger bridle The verie same day there was another published whereby such as remained at Rome were commaunded within the space of fiue monethes to returne into France and to reside vpon their charges and benefices according to the Canons and if they obeyed not to bee punished with the losse of their temporalties bridling both the head and the members by the same authoritie There was likewise another the same day by which all the Gouernours of cities and other the kings magistrates were commaunded diligently to search and enquire for all such of what conditions soeuer that were returned from Rome and to cause them to deliuer vnto them their letters Bulls and other expeditions and to giue knowledge thereof to the king if there bee cause If the like should be done in these daies who would not take it for heresie There followed another in the yeare 1476 dated the third of September and the seuenth exhibited to the Parliament That no Abbot Prior Religious person or any other of what estate nation condition soeuer shall presume or dare to goe to the conuocation houses of the Cistersians Clugny Charthusians or any other either generall or prouinciall without the kingdome and those countries that are subiect to the kings obedience vnder paine to the religious neuer to obtaine or possesse any benefice to the begging Friars besides banishment the vtter extirpation of all the religious of the order of those who haue done the contrarie and that for this cause least they should practise any thing with strangers to the hurt of the Commonwealth Now I would faine know in what case they are who haue no other Generals but strangers and are bound to hold their Chapters without the realme There was another the 16 of Agust in the yeare 1478 at what time the Earle Hieronimo by the commaund of Sixtus had in vaine attempted Florence and the Florentines were interdicted for punishing the traitors Our holie Father saith he hath bewrayed his hatred too much against the Commonweales of Florence and Venice by which meanes he fortifieth the Turke and openeth the gate vnto him to inuade Christendome turnes those moneyes that were destinated to the seruice of God the defence of our faith the reliefe of the poore to the maintenance of his conspiracies and that money which he is suffered to exact in Christendome hee bestowes vpon men of base condition to encrease their greatnesse c. But see what he decrees And therfore saith he we forbid all persons as well temporall as ecclesiastical either to goe or send to the Court of Rome to procure any benefices to send thither any money or to take order by way of exchange or otherwise to pay it there vpon paine of death and losse of goods c. And moreouer we giue all their mouables houshold-stuffe and horses to whomsoeuer shall giue notice of any that shall offend in this kind Our Courts of Parliament therefore which so gladly published these constitutions yea our Sorbonists that approued them were they then all heretikes We read likewise that in the assembblie held at Tours by Charls the 8 the son of Lewis M. Iohn Rhely Doctor in Diuinitie and Canon of the Church of Paris spake in the name of the French Clergie beseeching him to maintaine the Pragmaticall sanction in all points according to the Councell of Constance and Basil not permitting any thing that might be preiudicial thereunto Whether it were by reseruations prouisions Apostolical expected graces to the preiudice of elections and prouisions of ordinaries annuities petie seruices c. or by Citations of the Court of Rome Ecclesiastical censures which distract the subiects causing them to wander and the like which he easily obtained without any resistance But that which is reported by Monstrelet Monstrelet vol. 3. in nouis Chron. touching the authority which this Charls exercised at Rome euen to the face of Alexander the sixt passeth all the rest He made knowne saith he that his power was so great in Rome that he caused three or foure gallowes to be erected and did hang and behead certaine theeues murtherers and other malefactors in Campo florido and others according to the qualitie of their offence to be beaten with rods drowned punished with the losse of their eares to shew that like a true sonne of the Church and a Christian king he had a mixt and a sole Empire at Rome no lesse than at Paris and other the cities of France Thus saith Monstrelet a writer of that time 65 PROGRESSION The preposterous election of Iulius the second his treacherous practises and cruell malitious nature and how in his owne person he marched to the besieging of Mirandula and Ferrara Of the pompe and stately coronation of Iohn de Medicis called Leo the tenth and of the monstrous abuse of Indulgences in his time ALexander being dead a new successor was to be thought vpon Borgia though he were very sick was yet a great stickler in the election relying himselfe vpon the helpe of the Spanish Cardinals But on the other side the Cardinall of Ambois presuming vpon the fauour of the French Cardinals and the power of the armie withstood him The Cardinals neuerthelesse saith Guicciardine according to their custome looking euer into their owne benefit for it is that spirit that properly beares rule in those Conclaues These therefore partly by reason of their owne auarice partly the one side hindring the other by reason of this emulation make choice of neither but chuse Francis Picolhuomini called Pius the third a man verie old and then sick rather to spend some time than that they had any hope of his Popedome for within 26 dayes after he died after whose death besides and
earnestly bent and ouer hastie that he neuer thought any thing done with speed ynough but euer kindled with furie cried out to the captaines and chose his owne lodging amongst the ordnance insomuch that in his kitchin two of his seruants were slaine with a shot whatsoeuer his Cardinals could persuade to the contrarie telling him That hereby both his owne person and the whole See were made a scandall and a laughing stocke to the whole world And therefore saith Monstrelet to this purpose He left the chaire of S. Peter and tooke vpon him the title of Mars the god of war displaying in the field his triple crowne and spending his nights in the watch How goodlie a thing it was to see the Myters Crosses and Crosier-staues flying vp and downe the field God he knoweth It is not likely any Diuels could be there where blessings were sold at so base a price Mirandula being taken he set forward with his armie against Ferrara and neglecting these conditions that the Emperor offered and the counsel of Ferdinand of Spain his friend he persisted in his determination Wherupon it was thought good to cite him to the Councel of Pisa on the one side those fiue Cardinals with the Prelats of Fraunce and Germanie vrging it as beeing a man notoriously scandalous incorrigible a stirrer vp of warres and altogether vnfit to rule the Popedome for which cause the authoritie of calling a Councell was diuolued vnto them on the other side king Lewis the twelfth being readie by force and if need were to march against him with his armie in his owne person notwithstanding he had no assistance from Maximilian who hauing made a truce with the Pope was therefore by the writers of that age condemned of inconstancie It is worthie the noting that by the commaund of Lewis there was money coyned in Fraunce which yet remaineth in the custodie of some in the one side wherof there was this mot I will destroy Babylon and in some I will destroy the name of Babylon that it might seeme no new thing to any that Rome is Babylon to vs hauing so great an Authour euen the Father of Fraunce Iulius therefore created eight new Cardinals that he might thereby win vnto him other Princes contrary to that he had promised at his election Triuultius therefore the leader of the French forces hauing freed Ferrara from feare taken Bononia publiquely fastened his placarts whereby Iulius was cited to Pisa he retired himselfe in despaire to Rome no lesse wounded in his mind that the Duke of Vrbin his Nephew had stabbed the Cardinall of Pauia his Legat and inward friend in a manner before his eyes for his many and monstrous wickednesse saith Guicciardine worthie the greatest and most grieuous punishment Then gathering heart he confirmed his truces mollified the mind of the Emperour woon him from the alliance of Fraunce and thinking now he had ouercome all difficulties he applied his thoughts onely to Lewis thundring against him with his excommunications and interdicting his kingdome But our Clergie yeelding him neuer the more obedience proceed still in setting forward the Councell of Pisa which at the last was thought to be more safe and commodious to transferre to Milan where againe these good Cardinals got no better reputation than Iulius at Rome At length Iulius with his confederats raised an armie which doubtlesse would daily encrease greater by reason of the jealousie that many Princes had of the greatnesse of Fraunce and aboue all the Spaniard for fear of the realm of Naples which the French pretended a right vnto But king Lewis seeing himselfe alone against so many enemies either open or readie shortly to declare themselues resolued to win time and commaunded Gaston de Foix his Lieutenant generall in the Duchie of Milan to omit no occasion of fighting with the Popes armie wherein if he got the victorie he should with all speed march to Rome and there assaile the Pope without any reuerence towards him Yet notwithstanding that it might be estemed he did it lawfully and by good right he doth all by the authoritie of the Councell which appointed their Legat in the armie who receiued in the name thereof the cities conquered in the warre This was the Cardinall of S. Seuerin ordayned by the Cardinals Legat of Bononia A man saith our Authour more adicted to warre Guicciard l. 10 than religion Therefore Gaston after some notable exploits of armes for to draw the Popes armie to battaile besieged Rauenna In the meane time Iulius armie came to succour it vnder the conduct of Iohn de Medicis after Leo the tenth exiled from Florence whom he had aduanced chiefely in hatred of the Florentines But Gaston marched against them and vpon an Easter day gaue them battell wherein he obtayned that so renowned victorie of Rauenna The Legat taken and the most part of the commaunders of the armie vpon the first newes thereof Iulius despairing was readie to forsake Rome but the death of Gaston interrupted the course of the victorie and so gaue him time to breath and settle himselfe in his seat And that so much the more for that the Mareschal de la Palice with the French forces which he commaunded after the death of Gaston was called backe into Fraunce to oppose themselues against the Switzers who partly in fauour of Iulius partly moued by their owne commoditie had spred themselues ouer Bourgundie Now he turned this victorie obtayned by the French men to his owne commoditie by setting before the eyes of all Princes of how great moment it was that the power of the French men should be repressed This he doth with the States of Italie chiefely the Duke of Ferrara and the Florentines to withdraw them from their league with France he blameth the kings indiscretion who not knowing how to vse his good fortune had withdrawne his succours and abandoned his confederats to his discretion And now he onely spake of shaking off the Arragonois and of driuing the Spanish forces out of Italie or defeating them by whose helpe notwithstanding he had beene maintayned in his aduersitie for to procure to himselfe the kingdome of Naples Lastly he thought himselfe in sufficient safetie by the friendship and confederacie of the Switzers Moreouer he now openly despised the Councell of Pisa which had beene translated to Milan because it was onely maintayned by the French forces who had now ynough to doe to defend their owne and taking againe courage opposed vnto it another Councell at Lateran excommunicating all them that adhered to that of Pisa and king Lewis by name from whom by his Bull set forth be tooke away the title of most-Most-Christian transferring it to the king of England whom he solicited to make warre against Fraunce the kingdome whereof by the Councell of Lateran and in an expresse Bull he exposed to him that would first inuade it But amidst such and so great thoughts saith Guicciardine and others perhaps greater more secret for nothing so
who hauing left their dwellings are constrained to flie into the desarts And moreouer with bitter deep-fetcht sighes he exhorted Leo to prouide especially for three things The peace of Italie The discipline of the Court of Rome and the reformation of Faith sicke euen to death which he better expresseth in these verses Led tria praesertim restant cura atque labore Digna tuo bellum est primum quo fessa laborat Italia pleni humano iam sanguine campi Est aliud Romana graui maculata veneno Curia quae spargit terras contagia in omnes Postremum est oppressa fides exposta rapinis Vndique in praedam populis proiecta cruentis A te haec subsidium magnis clamoribus orant Sancte Pater succurre Leo Respublica Christi Labitur aegrotatquè fides iam proxima morti Three chiefe things rest worthie thy paine and care The Warre is first wherewith Italians are All tir'd and fields with humane bloud are fild Another is the Court of Rome defil'd With venome which to all lands is conuaid Last is the Faith opprest and open layd To rapine made to bloud-succours a prey These of thee with lowd cries for helpe doe pray Helpe holie Father Leo Christs estate Doth fall and Faith lyes sicke now at deaths gate And in all these things we haue seene that Leo followed a quite contrarie course as appeareth by the judgement of many great men that liued vnder the Popedom at that time But now we come to that which was done by whole corporations Grauamina nationis Germanicae There was not any nation vnder Leo which presented not vp their grieuances against the vnlawfull proceedings of the Court of Rome which violated all Concordats refused elections reserued the principall dignities for the Cardinals vnmeasurable in distributing expectatiue graces vnmercifull in exacting annuities which measured Indulgences according to the quantitie of money redoubled the tenthes vnder pretence of making warre against the Turkes bestowed benefices and Ecclesiasticall offices to the vnworthie yea to Mule-keepers and drew all causes without difference to Rome Of which things are extant whole bookes presented to Emperours and Kings together with their necessarie remedies especially in the yeres 1516 and 1517 which are our bounds At which verie time also flourished at Paris Iohn Maioris an excellent professor of Diuinitie whose Theses we haue of the power Royall and Papall Remedium contra grauamina nationis Germanicae Ioh. Maioris dist 24. q. 3. handled at large Dist 24. q. 3. First The Pope hath not any temporal domination ouer Kings c. 2. For if thou say he succeedeth Christ Christ is Lord of all On the contrarie thou canst not proue that Christ according to his humanitie is Lord of all seeing he said to Pylat My kingdome is not of this world And that being graunted yet the consequence is of no force impossible to be proued for oftentimes the Lieutenant hath not so great authoritie as his superiour whose Lieutenant he is For Christ instituted the Sacraments gaue the law of grace and may reuoke all diuine positiue law yet this cannot the Pope do 3. If the contrarie should be granted then would follow this conclusion Constantine gaue nothing to Syluester but onely restored vnto him his due the contrarie whereof is said 96 D. C. Constantinus 12. Q. 1. C. Futurum 4. The Popes themselues confesse that temporall iurisdiction pertaineth not vnto them that they will take nothing from the right of Kings Innoc. 3. in C. Nouit de judicijs Alexand. in C. Causam Qui filii sint legitimi And in that famous chapter Per venerabilem in the same title where Innocent the third saith That the king of France acknowledgeth not any superiour in temporall things and therefore may dispence with his sonne as with his inferiour But if thou say with the Glosse he acknowledgeth not any de facto in deed but yet he ought de jure by right I hold this to be a Glosse of Orleans which corrupteth the text because if it were so the Pope had not sufficiently answered to that gentleman of Mont-pellier requiring a dispensation for his bastard that thereby the king might dispense with him For the Pope sayd The king of France is a supreame Soueraigne in his kingdome in temporall things If he had spoken de facto his answer had beene none for the gentleman might haue answered him I acknowledge not or will not acknowledge a superiour de facto 5. Many deuout kings haue beene canonized by Popes that neuer acknowledged the Bishops of Rome to be aboue them in temporall things and in this haue died Therfore it is a signe that the Bishops of Rome haue not domination ouer all in temporal things Item Kings haue not their powers immediatly from the Bishop of Rome neither doe they take any influence from him in temporall things but haue their kingdomes by the consent of the people by succession by purchase by donation or by some other title For earthlie power dependeth not of the spirituall power of the Pope as the Captaine dependeth of his Generall but as two powers not subordinat of which neither dependeth of the other For he that possesseth a kingdome is not vassall of the Bishop of Rome neither is the Emperor his subiect in any manner And these were the Maximes of the French Church at that time But of the same time we haue two notable instruments one of Germanie the other of Fraunce as for the first Leo had sent his Legats into Germanie to exact tenthes vnder colour of making warre against the Turkes and they had prepared an eloquent Oration to induce the Princes thereto But they consulting about that matter with a notable personage he declared vnto them That Germanie had alreadie been ynough and more than ynough taxed That after peace was made among Christian Princes and that they were well disposed to that holie warre it would then be time ynough to thinke on tenthes That since the time that Popes haue mixed sacred things with prophane or rather forsaken the sacred to busie themselues onely in ciuile matters there hath beene no meane nor end of miseries and calamities there hath beene no care had of the flocke of Christ and contempt of diuine things hath aboundantly growne Christ sold and the whole world polluted vnder pretence of religion and brought to extreame ruine with this filthinesse and contagion Exhortatio viri cuiusd doctissimi ad Principes ne in Decimae praestationem consentiant Will you saith he destroy the Turke I praise your purpose but I greatly feare least yee erre in the name seeke him in Italie not in Asia Against him of Asia euerie of our kings is strong enough of himselfe to defend his owne limits But for to tame the other all Christendome is not sufficient That other who hath elsewhere enough to do with his bordering neighbours hath yet done vs no harme but this man
alone to the Lambe 2. Thess 2. v. 8. to the spirit of his mouth to the brightnesse of his comming Which things are of so much the more greater weight in as much as our aduersaries the ministers of Antichrist hauing gotten the vpper hand of all haue with all diligence and industrie left nothing vndone whereby they might with continuall care and craft extinguish and deface our proofes by abolishing withholding or corrupting the instruments and writings of good men from time to time in all ages By which meanes we are forced to seeke right out of the instrument of their owne pleading out of their owne writings for to decide and defend our cause to produce witnesses out of their bosom and testimonies from their owne mouth to make seeing Gods will is so euen Balaams Asse to speake the verie beast that carrieth them to vtter their Histories Councels and Decrees to the rebuke and reproofe of themselues and their doings But it remaineth for recapitulation to set before our eyes in what state wee found both the See of Rome and Roman Bishop at first and vnto what state from that by degrees at length we haue brought him and now see him brought As touching therefore their spirituall function the Bishops of Rome in those first ages as we haue seene were indifferently called Bishops and Priests behauing themselues as brethren towards others yea by their neerest neighbours were named Brethren and Collegues they were consulted withall and did themselues also consult with others about the affaires of the Church controuersies schismes and heresies liuing simply in their profession and dying vertuously in the confession of the name of Christ they glittered not in any other purple or scarlet than with their owne bloud the Crosse was their onely glorie But not long after we might perceiue in some that spirit which from Saint Paules time wrought which vnder pretence of the dignitie of the citie drew vnto it selfe the cause of the neighbors would haue their counsels accounted for Decrees and turned the honour voluntarily offered them into right of homage seemelinesse into seruitude That sting notwithstanding of ambition was oftentimes beaten backe by the persecutions and many times also blunted by the vertuous Oppositions of the ancient Fathers But when after that by Constantine peace was restored to the Churches through the fauour of Princes they encreased in honors and riches behold this spirit continually watching ouer the worke and not loosing any moment of time gathereth heart and strength to it selfe by degrees And because that by reason of the dignitie of the citie the first Seat was willingly granted vnto it they contend That their Church ought to haue dominion ouer other Churches That like as Rome I meane the Commonwealth thereof ruled ouer other cities and Prouinces so the Bishop of Rome like as a Monarch ouer other Bishops That therefore from all parts of the world they should appeale vnto him from him expect commaundements which all men were held absolutely to obey Whereas he on the contrarie ought to depend of none might be judged of none neither yet of all together And hereof came those falsifications that wee haue seene of Councels and Decrees those suppositions of Acts and Histories those prophanations of the holie Scriptures and shamelesse wresting of them to a contrarie sence Hence are also those contestations and protestations of some of the greatest men in all ages against that domination which they arrogat to themselues ouer other Churches and Bishops which they on the other side besides and against all right diuine and humane either by none or by a false title complained to be vsurped not sticking to pronounce That it proceeded from none other and pertained to none other than the forerunner of Antichrist or Antichrist himselfe Yet thinke not for all this that they any thing slacked in their purpose By Phocas the murderer of the Emperour Mauritius his Lord was the Bishop of Rome declared Vniuersall Bishop he laboured to be so declared so farre was he off from blushing at it Now from thenceforth carried with full sayles hee maketh no difficultie of any thing As Emperours and Kings in a confused troubled world had need of his helpe or endeuour he got authoritie in their dominions Hee winneth the Archbishops to his side by alluring the most ambitious with commissions and offices and hauing woon them hee bindeth them vnto him by a Pall and that at first was sent them freely and onely as a token of good-will towards them afterward by ordinance made necessarie and a badge of subiection at length by degrees it grew to be sold taxed exacted the price thereof euerie day encreasing of which the Archbishops from time to time complayned After that hee obtained of the Princes That the Clergie the Lords lot sayth hee and inheritance should bee exempt and free from all temporall jurisdiction whereupon followed licence of all vices impunitie of all crimes and so by little and little withdrew from their lawfull and naturall Lords them whom hee had marked with his character by voluntarie seruitude yea and liege homage bound them vnto himselfe By their ministerie and meanes and not without mysterie hee sitteth and presideth in the Councels of Kings exerciseth his kingdome in their realmes and his tyrannie in the consciences of kings and their people whilest he bindeth them to his pleasures by his censures and excommunications and as he will loseth them from all duetie and obedience He setteth Princes one against the other or else bandeth their nobles and people against them and maketh many to sheath their swords in their owne bowels By which and by such like meanes hee obtained at length a Soueraigne Empire in spirituall things throughout the West And because the East yeelded not vnto him hee excommunicated those Churches and chuseth to himselfe from among his owne Patriarches of the Easterne Churches imaginarie indeed but yet future Images of his vniuersall Monarchie which hee arrogateth to himselfe who were resident with him representing the person or vizor rather of the Orientall Church Yea when hee celebrated the Masse Cerem Roman l. 3. Charta 6. 7. hee commaunded the Epistle and Gospell to bee read in Latine and in Greeke signifying both Churches but in Latine first and with seuen candles lighted in Greeke afterward with two onely lighted for to shew the supereminencie of the Latine Church Yet who knoweth not that the Greeke Testament is the originall and the Latine but a translation taken out of the Greeke At last hee pardoneth all sinnes out of his fulnesse of power thereby affecting the Maiestie of God who alone pardoneth and of Christ the Lambe of God who alone taketh away sinnes Yet truely hee giueth not those pardons but selleth and maketh merchandise of them and vnder that pretext wasteth and despoyleth the whole world Then hee instituted Iubilies at certaine set times which by degrees hee shortened being truely his generall Marts and Faires in which he
complaint against the Mendicants was reuiued they informing That these men supplanted all ordinarie Priests the Vniuersitie of Paris joyning with them herein but especially the Colledge of Sorbon Now let but the Reader judge what equitie or conscience one might expect in this Pope transported with such a violent ambition of perpetuating the Papacie in his Order Wherefore foure Archbishops and twentie Bishops together with the Rector faculties and supposists of the Vniuersitie assembled together in the Bishop of Paris hall before whom the Archbishop of Burges a profound Clerke sayth our Author generally reputed made an Oration of charitie in these words At this day charitie is waxen cold and Order Ecclesiasticall wholly confounded seeing many put their sickles into other mens corne so as the Church may now truely bee tearmed a monster For euen as in a naturall bodie we count it monstrous when one member dischargeth anothers office euen so is it in a bodie spirituall that is in the Church when the learned and prudent Friers I meane the Maiorites and Minorites vsurpe the place and office especially committed to vs though most vniustly in that no man should assume vnto himselfe this honour except like Aaron hee were called thereunto by the Lord. Because therefore we haue many times cited for this cause the Monkes personally before the king as also by the mouthes of diuers other of the Nobilitie entreated them to desist from intruding into our office yet haue they not done it but preached throughout all our diocesses against our wills and heard confessions warranting themselues herein by the Popes priuiledges We come vnto you before whom we are present hauing letters of ratification from all the Bishops in France to make complaint vnto you of the Friers great insolencie because what we are yee are one day like to be For I suppose there is not one Prelate amongst vs which was not called to his place out of this Vniuersitie After this the Bishop of Amiens rose vp who declared by many reasons how it was no wayes probable the Popes mind was that the priuiledges granted to the Mendicants should be prejudiciall to other members of the Church especially in that Decretall of Innocent the third Omnis vtriusque sexus he intreating the Vniuersitie to joyne themselues in this cause with the Prelats who were resolued to repell this iniurie though it were with the losse of their liues Exhorting likewise the Friers Mendicants to repayre to Rome for a solution of these doubts and difficulties The Mendicants by one of their societie made answer That the same Bishop of Amiens was at Rome when these priuiledges were granted them as also that the Prelats had then there both procurers and sollicitors who spared no labour nor endeuour and yet the Pope absolutely denounced Placet it pleaseth me And therefore said they what hath authentically beene granted vs wee haue no reason now to debate or call in question againe because we are no members of any Vniuersitie The day following the festiuitie of the Virgine Maries conception was celebrated at the Minorites when one of the Majorites the Dominicans I meane applied his whole sermon to this poynt There the Scripture was fulfilled which sayd That day Herod and Pylat were made friends for concerning her conception the difference was betwixt them At length in an assemblie following held at the Bernardines on Saint Thomas eue the Bishop of Amiens againe rose vp and expounding that place Propè est Dominus inuocantibus eum in veritate according to a certaine Glosse of the Decretals hee made three kindes of truthes The truth of Life the truth of Doctrine and the truth of Iustice shewing by many authorities both in Diuinitie the Canons and the Lawes as also by euident effects That there neither concurred with the Friers trueth of Life because they are conuicted of manifest hypocrisie nor veritie of Doctrine because their mouthes preach honie and their hearts harbour gall neither any trueth of Equitie and Iustice because they vsurpe and take vnto themselues other mens functions And so comming to a conclusion hee caused the said priuiledges to bee once more read with the said Constitution Thus much Godefridus de Fontibus Godefrid de Fontib in Quodlibet Sorbona who was then a Sorbon Doctor reports But Germanie neglecting the branches put her hatchet to the veâ—â—e root of the Tree For Nicholas had commaunded the Archbishops of Germanie euerie one in his seuerall Prouince to call a Councell where vnder pretext of recouering the holie-Land he demaunded againe the tenths which had so often afore bin abusiuely exacted and employed and the Bishop of Saltzburg to this end conuocated his Suffragans and Diocesans who perceiuing the Roman auarice to aime againe at the tenthes some few in behalfe of the whole assemblie made aunswer How it was an hard matter to be graunted and that with extraordinarie tribute and taxations they had beene wonderfully worne and wasted and therefore it were much more necessarie to debate of an head for the Christian Common wealth and then to reduce the Princes to loue and amitie for without their authoritie nothing could be decreed In the same Councell by the Popes commaund Meynard Count of Tyroll was excommunicated out of the Church for two causes first because he detained certaine holds within the Bishoprick of Trent by maine force and then in that vexing Henrie the Bishop with continuall warre he enforced him at last to giue ouer his Bishoprick but when he was dead Nicholas gaue this Bishoprick to Philip of Manton by whose instigation he had excommunicated Meynard He therefore protested against the injurie done vnto him by the Fathers by a publique Apologie Auent l. 7. made a defence of himselfe Vndoubtedly saith he I doe not raise but repell a warre for there was neuer any thing more deare vnto me than to maintaine peace with euerie man especially with the Bishops but that these good Fathers being corrupted with too great abundance as other men are haue cut of a disordinate desire of rule taken vp armes against vs altogether vndeseruedly and laboured to driue vs out of our hereditarie Lands Then indeed I betooke my selfe to armes recouered certaine Castles from the enemies of my Countrie that so I and my people might enioy peace without the tumult and disturbance of warre But if any man would be a securitie or pledge that I might not stand in feare of these Wolues and their treacheries and that the like outrage shall neuer be committed vpon vs by these proud and puffed vp Archisynagoguists for I doubt whether I may name them Pastours I would forthwith surrender all things againe but otherwise I neuer meane to shew my selfe so foolish to suffer my sleeue to be ript off my arme or witting to expose both me and mine for a scorne and laughing stocke to these effeminate Antichrists and prodigious Eunuches For who infringe Christian concord more than they not giuing their minds to interpret or teach
the holie Scriptures but to get children they loue wine accumulate and most eagerly affect wealth kingdomes glorie and domination For these things they contend with vs in the bloud of their sheepe Christs pouertie and simplicitie they are so farre from desiring as they deride the same and studie how to race out all memoriall thereof and therefore if these be not Antichrists what then I pray you are they Is this to feed the sheepe to loue the flocke to affect kingdomes wealth and other mens proprieties for mere glorie and dignities sake to draw the sword oppresse their flockes to kill and make warre The precepts of Christ they inuert and condemne and your coat and cloake they will take away by maine force Who is so stone dull or to speake more truely so dull and stupide patiently to beare the pride arrogancie perfidie fraud flagition wickednesse excesse and auarice of such Insolents being worse than Turkes Saracens Tartarians and Iewes in that they worship Christian integritie more than all these by infringing that libertie obtained and purchased in the bloud of Christ and drawing to themselues all authoritie and power They being borne our naturall subiects against the Lawes of Notions contrarie to the Laws Oracles and authorities diuine they themselues would rule haue their Soueraignties obey The common saying is true That the Priests by superstitious delusions cast a mist before mortall mens eyes and by ceremonies cassis carminibus ambiguous verses depraue their vnderstandings and dull their senses as it were with a potion of Mandragoras does it belong to the Shepheard to share or milke the flockes and must not a messenger aduaunce the affaires of his Lord or of those whomsoeuer for whose benefit he is sent and employed And therefore from a cruell and vniust Pope I appeale to a most iust Pastour and a most clement Father While these things daily came to the Popes vnderstanding he left this life And Celestine the fift did afterwards release Meynard of this excommunication 55. PROGRESSION After a long vacancie Peter Moron an Hermit was chosen Pope but out of his simplicitie being abused by Benedict who was afterwards Boniface the 8 he renounced the Papacie and priuily retourning to his hermitage he was in the way by Boniface intercepted and put in prison where he died as reports went being by Boniface put to death AFter Nicholas death the Cardinals by reason of the intemperature of the aire left Rome and went to Perugia and some were readie to affirme that all the disasters which Nicholas brought vpon Christendome grew from this that he was chosen at Rome in an infectious time But in deed the true cause was their owne ambition which so distracted their minds in such sort that in three moneths space they could agree vpon no successour Although Charles king of Apulia who foresaw these inconueniences remoued thither to presse them forward yet they delayed it for certaine moneths so as Benedict Cardinall of Cajeta who afterwards was Boniface the eight vrged them with many entreaties as if his words should haue enforced them But when he was gone they chose Peter Moron an hermit one that was verie old but voyced to be of a verie good life This was Celestine the fift if we may belieue Stella Stella in Pontific Platina in Celestino 5. Christianus Masseus in Chronico Henricus Erfordiensis in Chronico Auent l. 7. elected by way of skorne and derision And because it seemed straunge that any should be chosen Pope but out of the middest of the Roman pride 200000 are sayd to haue had recourse to his coronation And in the first consistorie resoluing to reforme the Roman Church after Christs example he made shew that he would ride on an Asse and that the Cardinals should doe the like which was a thing remote from their manners customs afterwards they wilfully suffered him to fall into many grosse and childish petulancies through his inexperience that euerie man might hereby plainly discern how requisit it was to make choyce of another But he senting out these stratagems began to be wearie of his imposed dignitie desiring to be cased of it though Charles persuaded him by all meanes to retain the Papacie and for this end carried him to Naples causing the Archbishop in presence of all the people to demaund his benediction and seriously adiuring him that hee would not renounce the Papacie At length Cardinall Benedicts policie carried the matter sheere away for being retourned to Rome Benedict being a verie subtile Canonist put many toyes into his head representing herein vnto him the great burthen and trouble of his function what a charge it was to giue an accompt of all the soules in the world then how the course of his saluation should be hindered if either through the infirmitie of his yeares or ignorance in affaires the Christian Church should suffer any detriment Nay further he suborned diuers who priuily in the night by a reed or trunke conueyed to his eare should admonish him as if it were from aboue Platina Stella in Bonifac. 8. Continuator Vircentij l. 37. Celestine Celestine giue ouer the Papacie if thou meanest to be saued it is a burden beyond thy strength to support that so hee might thinke himselfe persuaded and vrged thereunto by some angell This simple man therefore intended nothing else but how hee might resigne the Papacie so this scruple could be remoued That he might doe it with a good conscience wherein Benedict easily gaue him satisfaction and producing many reasons he caused a Decretall to be passed Extra de renunciatione cap. in Sexto That the Pope might lawfully giue ouer his charge And not long insisting in this he digested another like Decretall which wee find in Sexto That the Pope might freely renounce the Papacie although when Celestine was dead he passed another That it was scelus inexpiabile an inexpiable sinne to renounce the Papacie the same Cardinals affirming and denying one and the selfesame thing with their suffrages and consents Celestine therefore reuolued onely in his mind how he might renounce the Papacie and returne to his hermitage but withdrawing himselfe priuily to goe thither Boniface intercepted him in his journey cast him into a most strait imprisonment that so he might hasten his death as was thought Auent l. 7. For this subtile man much feared saith our Historiographer and not long time after it plainely appeared least the people should rather follow Peter so famous for his vnspotted sanctitie than himselfe swaruing in doctrine swelling in pride and arrogancie of mind as Pope of Rome successor to Peter and Chrsts Vicar vpon earth There was none out of doubt which did not vtterly condemne his violent imprisonment and vpon the rumor of his death diuers opprobrious and ignominious reports were openly diuulged both in the Court and Citie against Pope Boniface Thus spake Blondus Collenuc l. 5. Platina and others of the ambition impudencie insolence