a band-dog or Cerberus than this But as I haue alreadie said this boldnes of the pope against the king of Nauarr is not greatly to be woondered at séeing such was his vnbridled furie against the most mightie king of France Wherefore let vs heare rather other testimonies of like and the same pride for it is not for man to contend with satan in railing spéeches and it shall be sufficient to vse that curse of Michael the archangell The Lord Jude 1. 9. rebuke thee Therefore to returne to our purpose we must not passe ouer that testimonie of the same popish seruice which is reported touching the same Boniface who in the yéere 1300. when there was great concourse of people at Rome by reason of the Iubilie in the first solemne day the pope shewed himselfe to the people in his Pontificalibus the day following hauing on the attire of the emperor he commanded a naked sword to be borne before him crieng with a lowd voice I am the pope and emperor and I beare rule in earth and heauen And a few daies after hée proudly reiected Albertus created emperor by the electors of Germanie when he came to craue his confirmation denieng that the election had without his authoritie ought to be counted firme séeing he alone had the authoritie of both swords After some good space he confirmed him vpon condition that with al expedition he shuld make war against the French king whose kingdome he gaue him for a pray and reward of his victorie Which things are witnessed by Cuspianus in the life of Albertus in the chronicle of Vsperge and by the writers of the French chronicles But to what end do we prosecute these light and trifling things We haue before declared that the pope of Rome doth claime by the donation of Constantine the empire of al the west parts These be but bare words Wherefore let vs looke into the thing it selfe For we denie that there is any king in the west I meane of France Spaine Aragon Portugal Hungarie Bohemia England Scotland Denmarke Sueueland Ruscia Croatia Dalmatia whom the papacie of Rome will not haue to be vassall and feudatarie to it as if he had receiued his kingdome from him as a fée and benefit and ought for that cause to ow allegeance and to do homage to him It is much that we say and almost incredible to be spoken but the truth shall appéere by instruments that we wil bring to light and by testimonies that we will vse For we wil touch euery realme according to the order of the letters Of that of England AVgustine Steuchus the maister of the popes librarie doth witnes in his book of the donation of Constantine that in 2. pag. 138. that librarie of the popes there is extant a register of pope Alexander the 3. wherein is found an epistle to William king of England For as we vnderstand by that booke of Steuchus the maister of the librarie all the actes of euerie pope are written in seuerall registers to the which what credit we ought to giue the verie rule of the law doth show wherein it is said that a priuate writing must be beléeued but onely against the writer himselfe Therfore this was Alexander his epistle Your wisedome knoweth that the kingdome of Englande sithence the time that the name of Christ was there glorified hath bin vnder the hand and tuition of the chiefe of the Apostles For as you know full well the Englishmen were faithfull and in respect of godly deuotion and knowledge of religion they gaue a yeerely pension to the apostolike sea wherof some part was giuen to the bishop of Rome some part to the church of S. Marie which is called the schoole of the Englishmen to the vse of the brethren These things are cited out of Steuchus But I finde these testimonies in other places besides Steuchus Flauius Blondus in his 6. booke Decad. 2. Then saith he Iohn king of England fearing that he was not of sufficient force to deale with the French king fled to the mercy of Innocentius the third pope of Rome for making England and Ireland feudataries to the church of Rome by league he promised to pay for either Iland an hundred markes in gold yeerely Antonie of Florence saith * Iohn king of England of his own accord Hist. part 3. tit 19. §. quinto anno 1223. by the counsell of his princes offered and did freely grant to God and his most holie Apostles Peter Paul and to the holie church of Rome and to the lord Innocentius the third being pope all the kingdome of England and also of Ireland with all their rights and appurtenances and he hath done and sworne homage for the same kingdomes to the saide Innocentius the pope that he should hold them hereafter as a feudatarie of the said pope and his successours Whereof also Polidore Virgill maketh mention in his 15. booke By this instrument of the pope if as I said we may giue credence to a priuate writing the realme of England is feudatarie to the pope Go to let vs sée the rest Of the kingdome of Arragonia STeuchus in the selfe same booke * saith Pag. 193. Peter king of Arragonia in the third yeer of the L. Innocentius the third being pope came to Rome to the same Innocentius and he receiued from him solemnely an honorable knighthood and he offered willinglie to S. Peter and to the holie church of Rome his whole kingdome and there he had for his fee the same kingdome Also he appointed to pay a certaine summe of money for the kingdome of Sardinia Of the kingdome of Croatia and Dalmatia STeuchus in the same booke * in the register of Gregorie the seauenth we reade thus In the name of the lord of the holie Pag. 191. and indiuisible Trinitie in the yeere of the Lords incarnation one thousand seuenty sixe in the 14. indiction of the moneth of October I Demetrius which am also called Suinumir by the grace of God duke of Croatia and Dalmatia being made and constituted by thee L. Gebizus hauing the power of Pope Gregorie by the ambassage of the apostolike sea by the synodall and generall election of the whole cleargie and people in the Solantine church of S. Peter and being inuested and appointed king in the gouernment of the kingdome of the Croatians and Dalmatians by the banner sword scepter and crowne to thee I vowe and promise that I will vnchangeably fulfill all things which thy reuerend holines shall inioine me that I may keepe mine oth to the Apostolike sea in all things and that I may keepe irreuocably whatsoeuer as well the sea apostlike as the legates thereof haue or shall establish in this realme that I may execute iustice and defend the church also I appoint to pay to S. Peter yeerely in the resurrection of the Lord the tribute of two hundred Bizanties of al my consulships and primacies for the kingdome granted to me Furthermore seeing to
serue God is to raigne in steed of S. Peter and of our lord pope Gregorie and after him insteed of his successors in the apostolike sea I commit my selfe to thine hands and in committing my self I establish this fidelitie with an oth I say I Demetrius which am also called Suinumir by the grace of God and the gift of the apostolike sea being from this day and heretofore king shall be faithfull to S. Peter and my L. pope Gregorie and his successors that enter canonically As for the kingdome L. Gebizo that is giuen me by thy hand I shall faithfully keepe it and I shall not take away the same and the right thereof from the apostolike sea by anie meanes or policie at any time I shall honorablie receiue and honestly handle send back my L. Gregorie the pope and his successours and ambassadours if they come into my dominion and I shall humble serue them what seruice soeuer they shall appoint vnto me These things writeth Steuchus Whereby we may know what eloquent and learned scribes the popes vse to haue which cannot onely set downe in writing the déedes and famous factes of Francis and Dominic but also write the instruments and witnessed briefes of inuested feudataries Of the kingdome of Denmarke STeuchus in the same 2. booke * The Pag. 189. kingdome of Denmarke saith he doth properlie belong vnto and is the tribute of the holie church of Rome which thing the true monuments of the popes do witnes Alexander the holie bishop the holie L. to his beloued sonne Sueuis king of Denmarke sendeth greeting and the apostolike blessing We admonish your wisedome that you prouide to send to vs and our successours the tribute of your kingdome which your predecessours were woont to paie to the church of the apostle yet so that it be not laide as an oblation vpon the altar but that it be offered aswell to vs as to our successours presentiallie that it may be more certainlie approoued Of the kingdome of France THere is extant in Nicolas Gillius a french man and a Chronicle writer an excellent epistle of pope Boniface the 8 which we will set downe Boniface the seruant of the seruants of God to Philip the french king Feare God and keepe his commandements We will haue you know that in spirituall things and temporall things you are subiect to vs there appertaineth to you no bestowing of benefices and prebends and if you haue the keeping of anie that are void reserue the profit therof for the successors and if you haue bestowed anie we decree that the gift thereof is voide we count those fooles that beleeue otherwise Geuen at Laterane 4. of the Nones of December in the 6. yeere of our popedome This instrument of pope Boniface is without doubt set downe in his register according to the custome by the kéepers of the librarie but let vs heare what the other partie answereth For we shall know by the kings answer what credence and authoritie we ought to giue to these registers of the popes Philip by the grace of God king of France to Boniface that carrieth himself for the chief bishop sendeth smal greeting or none at all Let your great follie know that in temporal things we are subiect to none that the bestowing of any churches or prebends that are vacant doth belong vnto vs by our princely right and to reape the fruits thereof against all possessours to maintaine our selfe profitablie and as for those that thinke otherwise wee count them doltes and mad men These things are cited out of the Britaine Chronicles of Armorica the 4. booke ch 14. and out of Nicolas Gillius in the french Chronicles whereby we may easilie coniect that howsoeuer we grant that these furious letters aforesaid were sent vnto kings by the popes yet did they sharpelie and vehemently represse their boldnes and rashnes And yet the same Steuchus the master of the popes librarie as we haue saide trusting to his register durst in the same book of his * write thus Pag. 198. and cause it to be printed at Lyons Boniface the 7. against Philip the king of France bicause hee did exalt himselfe against the Church when the pope had vnfolded to him the old monuments whereby he taught that France was subiect to the church of Rome both in holie and prophane things for which it was necessarie that he should reuerence and worship the pope as Lord of his kingdom when he despised him he did excommunicate him Of the empire of Germanie THe same Steuchus writeth nothing touching this empire by reason of the great power of Charles the fift whom Steuchus was afraide to offend But we haue else where verie manie testimonies First in the canonists * wherin is contained c. tibi Domino dist 63. the oth of the emperor Otho which he gaue to the pope Which pope Clement affirmeth to be the oth of alleageance in c. de iureiur in Clem. which vassals do giue to their patrones when they receiue a fée Whence the Canonists do stoutly dispute and reason that the emperor is the popes vassall and that he holdeth of him his empire by the name of a fée but also pope Innocentius the 3. writeth * that the right to choose the emperor in c. venerabilem extra de elect c. 2. de re iud in 6. in c. 1. ext Ne sed vacan came vnto the princes of Germanie from the apostolike sea And * that the emperor may be deposed by the pope And * that the pope when the empire is void is emperor And héerupon rose that boldnes of pope Innocentius the second that hée painted in the Laterane church at Rome the emperor Lotharius as a vassall lieng prostrate at his féete and receiuing the imperiall crown at his hands and did write these verses vnder the same picture Rex venit ante fores iurans prius vrbis honores Pòst homo fit papae sumit quo dante coronam The king before the doores did come The cities honors first he sweares That done the popes man he is made Of whom he takes the crowne he weares The memoriall whereof is extant in the chronicles of Hirsaug in the life of the abbat Hartuing in Radeuic * And when as lib. 1. num 9. 10. the same day the emperor Friderike had reasoned with the legates of pope Adrian Radeuic writeth that they answered thus Of whom thē hath he the empire if not from our Lord the pope Moreouer there is extant in Iohn Auentine * an epistle of pope Adrian vnto Lib. 6. pa. 636. the archbishops of Treuirs Moguntine and Colen written thus The Romane empire was translated from the Grecians vnto the Almaines so that the king of the Almaines was not called emperor before he was crowned by the Apostle Before the consecration he was king after the consecration emperor From whence then hath he his empire but from vs By the election of his princes he hath the name
Marcellinus Paulus Diaconus and others so that euery man may plainely sée that that is false which the popes do hold that their ancetors had their lordship either in Italie or in the citie of Rome by the gift of Constantine séeing that lordship began only in the eight hundred yéere of our saluation by Christ by the liberalitie of Pipinus and Charles the great who gaue the Exarchate which they tooke from the Longobards togither with the citie of Rome to pope Stephen the second as Platina Volateranus and all other do witnesse but especiallie Sabellicus who besides the rest writeth Ennead 8. li. 8. that Constantine the fourth the emperour of the east sent ambassadours vnto Pipinus into Italie to intreat him to restore to their emperor Rauenna and the rest of the places of the Exarchate which were belonging to the empire so saith Sabellicus and not to the pope And that Pipinus made answere that he went to war neither for Constantine neither yet for any man saue onely for the church of Rome and that for that end and purpose he had put on armes that he might saue the Apostolike sea from the iniurie of all mortall men and that he might bring in subiection to the church of Rome Rauenna and whatsoeuer the Longobards had subdued by force and weapon So that the Grecian Orators returned home hauing vnended their matter Thus writeth Sabellicus But Platina saith that the Exarchate was taken from Astulphus a Longobard and was giuen to pope Stephen anno 756. and also that he gaue the name of emperor to Charles the great sonne of Pipinus which the emperors of the East did hardly maintaine in those times that is anno 801. touching which matter Albertus Krantzius writeth thus Some do attribute to In Saxon. lib. 2 c. 1. Constantine the great that donation of Italie that was made to the church of Rome of Italie and Germany and I wot not of what prouinces to which let them looke It was Charles who with the victorie of the Longobards enriched the church of Rome wheras long before both the Goths had giuen somwhat in their time and the kings of the Longobards somwhat also The fourth bicause the popes themselues speake contraries touching this donation and also such things as do greatly disagrée among themselues For séeing that in this place that is in d. c. Constantinus dist 96. they confesse that they receiued the Roman kingdome and that of Italie and of all the West from Constantine and in the yéere of Christ 338. they do notwithstanding in another place commend Ludouicus Pius sonne of Charles the great as the author of this benefit of theirs out of the yéere of Christ 835. The impudencie of which falsehood and forgerie that it may the better appéere we will compare two instruments of that donation togither the which the popes and canonists haue published for vs. For Volateranus saith thus The maister of the librarie Lib. Georg. 3. saith much of the godlines of Ludouicus Pius toward the popes of Rome reckoning vp the cities which he gaue them I likewise haue written out a copie out of the copie of the old booke which is at this day kept in the vatican library where his donation is recorded The edition of the instrument by Volaterane I Ludouike Emperor do grant to S. Peter the chiefe of the Apostles and by thee to thy vicar the Lord Paschalis the chiefe bishop and to his successors for euer the citie of Rome with the iurisdiction thereof and with all the lands about it cities hauens and places lieng neere to the sea of Hetruria Finally in it the old middle earth city Balneoregium Viterbium Saona Populonia Rosells Perusium Mathuranum Sutrium Campania toward Nepe Auania Signia Ferrentine Alanum Patricum Frusinonum with all the townes and villages there about and also the whole exarchate of Rauenna like as our father of godlie memorie Charles and also Pipinus our grādfather let the reader note that heere is not a word of Constantine did of late grant it to S. Peter Namely Rauenna Bonicum Aemilia the common place of the people the common place of Iulius Fauentia Imola Romania Ferraria Comadum Adria Seruia In March Pisaurus Fanus Senogallia Ancona Oximum Numana Esium Forum Sempronij Feretrum Vrbinum the territorie of Valne Callium Luceoli Eugubium In Campania Sorum Aquinum Arpinum Thranum Capua also the patrimonies appertaining to our dominion that of Beneuenta Salernita that of the lower and higher Calabria and the dukedom of Naples Moreouer Spoletinum Tuderotreculum Haruia and the rest of that dominion Also the ilands of the lower sea Corsica Sardinia Cicilia all which our grandfather of godlie memorie named Pipinus and also Charles the emperor our father haue by their writing granted to S. Peter and his successors by Athenius and Mainardus the abbats being sent willingly for this purpose and we also do allow and grant the same Furthermore we will that the Councell of Rome haue power to choose the pope so it be done without discord afterward after the consecratiō there be ambassadors sent to vs our successors the kings of France to make procure loue amity as the custom was in the time of the L. Charles our gret grandfather of Pipinus our grandfather last of al of Charles our father Therfor we confirme this our wil by writing and oth and we haue sent it by our ambassador S. R. E. Theodor to the L. Paschalis I haue subscribed it with mine own hand I LVDOVIKE Also his three sons subscribed ten bishops eight abbats fifteen earls the keper of the library the Mansionarie one porter the yeere frō the incarnation was 835. The decretall edition of the instrument I Ludouike Emperor of Rome Augustus do appoint and grant by this couenant of our confirmation to S Peter the chief of the Apostles and by thee to thy vicar the Lord Paschalis the chiefe bishop and to his successors for euer like as from our predecessors vntill now yee haue kept them in your power dominion and haue disposed them the citie of Rome with the dukedome therof and the suburbs and with al little villages and hillish territories thereof and the sea shores and hauens or with all cities castels towns and villages in the parts of Tuscane Also when by the calling of the Lord the bishop of this most holie sea shall depart this life let no man of our kingdome either French man or Longobard out of any part that is vnder our dominion haue leaue to meet against the Romās either priuatly or publikely or to make an election and moreouer let no man presume to do any euil in the cities or territories belonging to the power of S. Peter the Apostle but let the Romans with al reuerence and without all molestatiō bury their pope honorably let it be lawfull without any doubt or contradiction to consecrate him after the canonicall order whom all the Romanes
of king by our consecration he hath the name of emperor and of Augustus and of Caesar Therefore by vs he reigneth our sea is at Rome the emperors at Aquis nigh Arduenna which is a wood of France The emperor hath all that he hath from vs. As Zacharie translated the empire from the Grecians to the Almains so we may translate it from the Almaines to the Grecians Lo it is in our power to giue it to whomsoeuer we will being therefore set ouer nations and kingdoms to destroy and pluck vp to build plant Thus writeth the pope of the Germane empire boldly ynough as it séemeth séeing he sendeth him to Aquisgranus and into the wood Arduenna as if he were some shéepherd or neatheard Shall there be any of the Counsellers of the most victorious emperor that can abide that fierce importunate voice of that tyrant But let vs heare more Of the kingdome of Spaine STeuchus in the same second booke Gregorie Pag. 133. the seuenth saith he writing to the kings and princes of Spaine saith thus You know that of old the kingdome of Spaine belongeth to the church of Rome And shortly after out of the register of Epistles of the same pope which he affirmeth to be kept religiously in his librarie he setteth down this epistle Gregorie the bishop the seruant of the seruants of God to the kings earles and other princes of Spaine greeting We will haue it knowne to you that the kingdome of Spaine was giuen by the ancient decrees to S. Peter and the holie church of Rome for their right and propertie and so foorth Of the kingdome of Hungarie COncerning the same there is a testimonie of like sort extant in the same maister of the librarie Gregorie the holie bishop Pa. 186. the holy lord to his beloued sonne Salomon king of Hungarie greeting As thou maist learne of the ancients of thy countrie the kingdome of Hungarie is proper to the holie church of Rome being in times past offered and deuoutly deliuered by king Stephen to S. Peter with all the right and power thereof And againe The same Gregorie writing to Geusus king of Hungarie we beleeue thou knowest that the kingdome of Hungarie as also other most noble kingdoms ought to be in the state of their owne libertie and to be in subiection to none other king of any other realme saue onely to the holie and vniuersall mother the church of Rome Of the kingdome of Polonia ALbertus Krantz in Wandal lib. 8. ca. 2. Lakoldus was duke of Cracouia at this time and he that bare rule throughout all Polonia He had from Iohn bishop of Rome the crowne bicause he did 〈…〉 Lodwik lawfull emperor bicause the pope did curse and excommunicate him For the popes were now come to that maiestie which secular princes cal presumption that they made kings citing the words of him that was first pope after Christ Behold saith Peter heer be two swords Against which the princes interpret the words of the eternall bishop Put vp thy sword into the sheath of the carnall humane and secular sword as if it were not lawfull for the pope to fight with it But Lakoldus being named and consecrated king by the pope made al the kingdome tributary to S. Peter that there should be paid yeerly for euerie one a penie which pence are called Peter-pence Of the kingdome of Ruscia STeuchus in the same booke * Also the Pag. 1â—â— kingdom of Ruscia is of right and destraint of the church of Rome as appeereth by the same ancient moniments Gregorie the seuenth writing to the king and queene of Ruscia To our beloued children saith he Demetrius king of Ruscia and to the queene his wife greeting and the apostolike blessing Your sonne visiting the shrines of the Apostles came to vs and bicause he would obtaine that kingdome by the gift of S. Peter by our hands he craued it with deuout petitions hauing giuen due alleageance to the same S. Peter the Apostle affirming vndoubtedly that that petition of his should be confirmed and established by our consent if he might be rewarded with the grace and defence of the Apostolike authoritie to whose petitions we gaue consent and we gaue him the gouernment of our kingdome in the behalfe of S. Peter namely with that intention of loue that S. Peter should defend you and your kingdome by his intercession to God Of the kingdome of Sicilia CLement the fift * Againe we must not In clem pastoralis de sent reiud passe ouer with silence that the king of Sicilia himselfe being our knowne subiect and the subiect of the church of Rome by reason of the foresaid kingdome and being a liege man and vassall hath his continuall abode in the same kingdome Of the kingdome of Scotland POlydore Virgil writeth thus in his seuentéenth booke In the meane season Boniface the pope being wearied by the Scots with their petitions forbad king Edward that hee should not heereafter trouble the Scots with war bicause that realme was before committed by the Scots to the tuition and made subiect to the power of the pope of Rome And therfore he auouched that it was in his power alone to giue it to whomsoeuer he would or to take it from whomsoeuer he would Hitherto haue we reckoned vp all the kingdoms of Christian kings which the pope auoucheth they hold and possesse as a fée or benefit receiued from him By euerie one whereof and by them all in generall we leaue it to men of courage to iudge whether this séemeth to be the humilitie of a modest pastor of the church so greatly commended of Christ or rather boldnes and hawtines of a fierce and intollerable giant Also we would haue them thinke with themselues whether this so great proud speaking of the popes came not from the same spirit from whence that oration of the tyrant Nero came which is left by Seneca to the posteritie in his first booke of Clemencie Of al mortal men I was liked and chosen to serue in the place of the Gods vpon earth I am to the nations the iudge of life and death It is in my hand what condition and state euery man hath What thing soeuer fortune would haue giuen to any mortall man she pronounceth it by my mouth People and cities conceiue causes of ioy by our answer No part doth any where florish saue onely when I am willing and fauourable These so manie thousands of fencers which my power doth suppresse shall be girded at my becke It is my iurisdiction what nations ought to be quite cut off which ought to be transported to whom libertie ought to be granted from whom it ought to be taken what kings ought to be bond-slaues and vpon whose head the princely crowne ought to be set what cities shal come to ruine and which shall florish The crime of Rebellion THe fourth crime followeth whereof we said the pope of Rome was long ago not onely accused by the
do homage to them and also pay a yéerelie tribute to the sea of Rome for the kingdome newly gotten When this couenant and conspiracie was concluded foorthwith the prince that held on the other side was proclaimed an heretike and schismatike and his kingdome was adiudged to him that did first get possession thereof By which shifts it cannot be told how manie fires the popes haue kindled in all parts of Christendom within these fower hundred yéeres how many kings and princes they haue made vassals tributaries and stipendaries to them and their filthie stinking sea Concerning which matter bicause we haue spoken at large a little before it shall be sufficient to speake of those two kings of France and England Therefore when there arose contention betwéen them pope Innocentius the third sent first from his consistorie into France two legates that they might both terrifie the king with threatening curses and that they might raise his subiects to rebell against him and that they might secretly consult and talke with the bishops and priests of France That done he did so quickly and sharply raise the emperor Otho the fourth and also Ferdinandus earle of Flanders and many other princes of other countries to beare armes against the French king that vnlesse he had happily with a valiant and stout hart contemned those threatenings and beastly buls of that pope he had lost not onely that part of his kingdome but also in a short time all the rest The remembrance whereof is extant not onely in our French chronicles but also in the Canonists * For that decretall shall be a in c. nouit 13. extra de iudic perpetual moniment of the popes hatred and rebellious mind against our kings and countrie Therfore we suppose that it is apparent to all men by these things and other that we haue shewed before what authoritie the orders and Counsellers of the realme of France ought to giue to this declaration of pope Sixtus whom we haue prooued by most manifest testimonies to haue béene not onely accused by the most part of Christendome of most notorious crimes but also to haue béene conuict and condemned But if happily there be anie that dispute that like as bicause two parts of thrée parts of Europe haue put downe the pope the third part must giue him none authority so séeing two parts of thrée parts of France would haue his authority reserued to him it is méete that his authoritie be preserued in France we haue a double answer in readinesse The first bicause out of that number of French men which taketh part with the pope all cardinals archbishops bishops priests innumerable crues of munks and clerks and other sharuebugs of the same sort the popes vassals finally all dogs which licke the popes tribunal seat must be culled out bicause of the rule of the law wherein we saie In what busines soeuer any mans matter is handled bicause in some respect §. sed neque Inst de testam ordi l. nullus 10. D. de test l. omnibus 9. C. eodem l. 1. §. in propria D. quand appell sit it concerneth him he is not a méet witnes in that busines The second is that when as these are culled out of the number no small part of the rest which follow the old custome of religion in France do that not with iudgement and willingly but being compelled with threatenings and terror that they are no more to be numbred amongst the clients of the papacie than as the lawiers say witnesses or Gardans retained in any busines by violence and feare are numbred among fit witnesses and authors of whom Vlpian writeth finely those that are present at any act or l. 1. §. vltim D de tutel l. qui testament 20. §. vlti D. qui testamen fac l. nouiss 7. §. 1. quod fals tutor auctor l. 2. D. de iud busines against their will they séeme to be no more present than if they had béene in that place being asléepe or oppressed with the falling sicknes Finally all men perceiue that if the French men had like libertie to vse and exercise both religions scarce the fourth part of the people of the realme would continue in the religion of the sea of Rome In which place it liketh vs wel to recite that old saieng of Bartholus who in the preface of the Digests * num 14. where disputing about Constantines donation and rekoning vp the opinions of other doctors when he commeth to his owne he saith thus Lo we are vpon earth of the church for he taught at Bononia and therefore I say that that donation was of force Where notwithstanding he writeth many things afterward flatly against that donation And in like sort when the canonistes did dispute that it was not lawfull for the emperor to condemne any man of rebellion that did follow the popes faction Bartholus making mention of the sentence of Henrie the emperor wherein he had condemned Robert king of Sicilia of rebellion and of the contrarie sentence of pope Clement the fift whereby he had absolued the same Robert he sheweth surely that he dare not oppose himselfe against the pope But he dissembleth not to allow the emperors sentence with which Bartholus the canonists were therefore greatly displeased which vse that verse of the pope and Caesar calling the pope their Iupiter Caesar with Iupiter doth diuide The empyre reaching far and wide Moreouer Bartholus disputeth in the same place that it was so far off that Robert was the popes vassall as the pope auouched against the emperour that he testifieth that when Robert was dead Aloysius his heire did sweare alleagance to the emperor in the name of Sicilia in the city of Pise he being there present Concerning which matter we must repaire to the constitution of Henrie Ad reprimendam Qui dicant rebel and the contrary In Clem. Pastoralis de iud constitution of the pope abrogating and reprochfully reuersing that But if we thinke it méete to speake any thing of the ecclesiasticall rebellion of popes it shal not be amisse to bring to light the testimony of one that was somtime a most famous Senator of Paris called Cosma Guymerius who vpō the preface of the pragmatical decrée writtē at Bituriga the author wherof was king Charles the seuenth reckoneth vp some things which are greatly appertinent to know the madnes of these Romish Alastors About the yeere of our Lord saith he M. cccxxc after the death of Gregorie the eleuenth when the cardinals were to proceed to choose another to succeed they were threatned by the Romanes that they should die if they would not choose some Italian Therfore they chose the archbishop of Bare who was then at Rome making knowne to him that they chose him to auoide danger or rather they did feigne that they did choose him but afterward when opportunitie was offered they did freelie intend to choose another Therefore when they had chosen him that was called
by the processe made in the time of the same pope Gregorie our predecessor of blessed memorie by manie other documents most graue testimonies that Henrie sometimes king and Henrie of Condie aforesaid are guiltie of the notorious and inexcusable crime of heresie and that they are relapsed into heresie and also that they are guiltie of fauoring heretiks We being inforced to drawe the sword of vengeance against them according to the dutie of our office are verie loth to do it bicause we must for these offences turne it against this detestable and degenerate issue of the noble house of Borbon wherin there hath alwaies appeered sinceritie of sincere religion worship of vertue and obedience toward the apostolik sea Therfore being placed in this high seat and fulnes of power which the King of kings and Lord of lords himselfe hath giuen vs though vnwoorthie by the authoritie of almightie God and of Peter Paul his Apostles and by our owne authoritie and by the councell of our reuerend brethren the cardinals of the holie church of Rome we pronounce and declare that Henrie somtimes king and Henry of Condie aforesaid haue been and are heretiks relapsed into heresies and impenitent also captaines and fauorers and manifest publike and notorious defenders of heretiks and so to be guiltie of treason against the maiestie of God and to be such enimies of the true and sound Christian faith that they can defend themselues by no cunning shift or excuse and that therfore they haue damnably incurred the sentences censures and punishments contained in the holie canons and constitutions apostolike and in the lawes generall and particular and such as are due to relapsed and impenitent heretiks and specially that the same haue been and are depriued in law Henrie somtimes king namely of the pretensed kingdome of Nauarre and of the part thereof which hee hath as yet enioied and also of Bearne and the other Henrie of that of Condie and either of them and their posteritie of all and whatsoeuer other principalities dukedoms lordships cities places and fees and also of such goods as they haue taken to keepe promising to make them better than when they had them and moreouer of dignities honors functions and offices and princely pallaces and iurisdictions and rights which they hold de facto and wherto they haue had right by anie maner of means or do pretend right that they haue therfore made thēselues vnwoorthie therof and that they haue been are incompetent and vncapable to retaine them and heerafter to obtain any such And also that they are in law depriued vncapable disabled from succeeding in whatsoeuer dukedoms principalities lordships and kingdoms and specially in the kingdom of France wherein they haue committed so manie cruell and wicked crimes and in lordships annexed to the kingdome it selfe in iurisdictions and places and in the rest of the goods and things aforesaid and to get them by anie other meanes whatsoeuer like as also of our abundant power so much as is needfull we depriue them and their posteritie for euer to wit Henrie sometimes king of the kingdome of Nauarre and of that part therof and of Bearne and the other Henrie of that of Condie and either of them their posterity of al other principalities dukedoms lordships fees and of all other goodes and substance and also of the right of succeeding and getting and of all and singular the other premisses and also we make them and their posteritie vnable for euer for them and to succeed in anie principalities dukedomes lordships fees and kingdoms and by name in the kingdome of France and in all the foresaid things annexed therto supplieng all defects of right or fact if any have happened in the same And also that the nobles feudataries vassals subiects and people of the realmes dukedoms principalities other lordships aforesaid euen such as acknowledge none other superior and all the rest which haue by any maner of meanes sworne to them are absolued from all such oth and altogither from al perpetual dutie of lordship fidelitie and allegeance as we by the authoritie of these presents do absolue and deliuer them all as well generally as particularly and we command and forbid that all and euery of them that they presume not to obey them and their admonitions lawes and commandements those that shal do otherwise we insnarle in the sentence of excommunication by the verie same But as for our most welbeloued sonne in Christ Henrie the most christian king of France we exhort beseech and also admonish him by the bowels of the mercie of Iesus Christ that being mindfull of the most excellent faith and religion of the kings his auncetors which he hath receiued from them as an inheritance far better than the kingdom it selfe that being likewise mindfull of that oth which he solemnlie tooke at his coronation touching the extirpation of heretikes he imploie himselfe by his authoritie power vertue and courage altogither princely to execute this our so iust a sentence that in this likewise he may shew himselfe thankfull to almightie God and may performe due obedience to his mother the church Furthermore we command charge all our reuerend brethren the primates archbishops and bishops throughout the realme of France Nauarre Bearne and other places aforenamed in the vertue of holie obedience that so soone as the copies of these letters shall come to their hands they cause thē to be published to be brought to effect so much as in them lieth And we will that the same our present letters be set vp and published vpon the doore of the cathedrall church of the chiefe of the apostles and in the side of the fielde of Flora of the citie as the custome is And that there be like credite giuen both in place of iudgement elsewhere in all places to the copies thereof being printed and signed with the publike notories hand and sealed with the seale of the ecclesiasticall prelate or with the seale of that court which shuld be giuen to these presents if they were exhibited or shewed Therefore let it not be lawfull for any mā at al to infringe this writing of our pronountiation declaration priuation inhabilitation suppletion absolution liberation commandement inhibition innodation exhortation request admonition mandate and will or to contrarie the same with rash boldnes And if anie man presume to attempt this let him know that he shall incur the indignation of almightie God and of his blessed apostles Peter and Paul Giuen at Rome at S. Marks in the yeere of the incarnation of the Lord one thousand fiue hundred fowerscore and fiue the fift day before the Ides of September in the first yeere of our popedome A. de Alexijs Ego Sixtus cath Ecclesiae Episcopus Ego Io. Anto. Episc Tusc Card. Sancti Georgij Ego M. S. Car. ab Altaemps Ego Iu. Aua. Car. de Arag Ego P. Car. Sanctacruscius Ego Gulielm Car. Sirletus Ego Mic. Bo. Car. Alex. Ego Lud. Car. Madrutius Ego N. Card. Senonensis P. Card. Deza Ego Ant. Card. Carafa Io. Ant. Card. SS Quatuor Io. Ba. Card. S. Marcelli Aug. Car. de Verona Ego Vin. Car. Montis Regalis Ego M. Car. S. Stephani Scipio Car. Lancelotus Ego Fer. Car. de Medicis Phil. Vast. Card. Cam. Iul. Ant. Sanctorius Car. Seuerin P. Card. Caesius Ego Hier. Card. Rust. Ego Io. Hie. Car. Albanus Ego Vincē Car. Gonzaga Ego Fr. Car. Sfortia S. Nic Alex. Card. de Montealto In the yeer since the natiuitie of the Lord one thousand fiue hundred fowerscore and fiue the thirteenth indiction and in the 21. day of the moneth of September in the first yeere of the popedome of the most holy father in Christ and our lord L. Sixtus the fift by the prouidence of God pope these letters were written out set vp and published in the Cathedrall church of the chiefe of the apostles of the citie and in the side of the field of Flora by vs Hierom Lucius and Nicolas Talliet Cursitors to our most holie lord the pope Io. Andreas Panizza Mag. Curs Ioannes Caijanus Cur. Card. Camerariae Apostolicae Ibotus Ful. Faults escaped The first number signifieth the page the second the line Pag. 2. Lin. 2. clients 7. 2. the Clementines 9. 19. Pope Symmachus 17. 10. Church and 23. Lateran 38. 13. bring serious effects 39. 19. At Perouse 41. 27. Antonine 62. 14. the archbishop of Toledo was suspected of heresie by the Spanish inquisition 74. 17. when 92. 19. markets 98. 9. Pope Pius 100. 17. curses 112. 11. prouiso 127. 16. Cuspinianus 133. 4. feudall inuestitures ibid. 12. read Alexander the seruant of the seruants of God 137. 18. Trier and Mentz 138. 2. At Aquae in Arduenna ibid. 13. Aquisgranum 145. 22. but how woorthie a king 147. 1. counsell ibid. 8. Millaine 159. 3. in the territorte 164. 9. Furies 183. 14. by Theodore legate of the holie church of Rome 184. 23. Melchiades 186. 17. in Paris 191. 24. giue 193. 6. Not as Lords ouer
sentence Giuen at Rome the fift of the Ides of Septemb. Anno 1585. Psalm 109. O Lord they shall curse and thou wilt blesse those which shall rise against me shall bee confounded but thy seruant shall reioice THE BRVTISH THVNDERBOLT of Pope SIXTVS the fift against HENRIE the most noble King of Nauarre and the most excellent HENRIE BORBON Prince of Condie Togither with the protestation and declaration of the manifold nullitie or inualiditie of the same WHeras of late there was a declaration pronoūced by Pope SIXTVS the fift of that name being a Franciscan Frier and it was shortly after published and printed that Henrie the most noble King of Nauarre and also Henrie Borbon the most excellent Prince of Condie should first be excommunicate as notorious heretiks from among Christians and also that they should be put from their empires honors and al dignities and principally from hope of succéeding in the kingdome of France secondly that their subiects and vassals should be absolued from the oth of alleageance wherewith they were bound to them last of al that they shuld be set vpon by force sword arms and camps by the most mightie king of France the most excellent and noble Princes aforesaid haue thus protested touching that matter that with the good leaue of all Catholikes and without anie hurt of the cōcord of both religions which the same princes do greatly desire to be kept intire in France that proscription or declaration of the pope being a Franciscan Frier was pronounced published diuulgate against all lawes diuine and humane and that for that cause it is in law none and to be accounted for none that all that furious curse is nothing but a brutish thunderbolt of the Romane papacie whose force is friuolous vain and of none account that principally for fower causes namely for the incompetencie of the rash iudge the falsenes of the allegation the want of iudiciall order and for the foolishnes of the forme wherein it is written wherof we wil héerafter intreat in the same order wherein they are set downe Of the incompetencie or insufficiencie of the iudge THerefore the first cause of Nullitie is the incompetencie of a rash iudge which appéereth therby bicause the papacie of Rome which hath taken this iudgement vpon it against so great princes hath long ago béene condemned for seuen most grieuous crimes by the most part of Christendome namely England Scotland Denmarke Sweueland the most part of Germanie and also the most part of Heluetia namely for impietie for exercising tyrannie in the Church for corrupt religion sacrilege treason rebellion and forgerie And it is certaine that although the popedome had not béene condemned for so great crimes but had béene onelie found guiltie yet notwithstanding I do not saie that it is not lawful for it to be a iudge but not so much as to accuse the basest or simplest man of anie crime of offence vntill it haue fitly purged it selfe of all crimes so far off is it that in this so great a state of matters the pope can condemne so great and so famous and mightie princes of so great wickednes especially being vnheard and before their cause is tried a l. neganda 19. c. de publ iudic Which the Canonists themselues doe teach b 4. quaest 1. c. 1. 25. q. 1. c. omnes 24. q. 1. ca. ait duobus cap. seqq And which more is séeing in this cause of the foresaid princes the matter and state of the paparie it selfe is handled none either ciuill or natural reason doth suffer the pope to sit as iudge in his owne matter and to giue sentence for himselfe in his owne cause c l. qui iurisdictioni D. de iurisd l. 1. c. ne quis in sua causa iud l. Julianus 17. de iud But and if the pope be not a fit iudge in this matter but an vncompetent and vnfit iudge as it shall plainly appéere by those things which we shall héerafter speake it followeth that the sentence pronounced by him is none in law that of it selfe and without any appeale it falleth to the ground And we cannot doubt but that l. 1. pass ca. si a non compe iud l. 6. § quod si quis D. de iniust rupt test the iudgement and authoritie of the most part of Christendome aforesaid shall be of great importance with magistrates and orders and principally with the Parleament of France séeing it is euident that this is the law of all nations that in deliberations especially being hard weighty iudgement be alwaies giuen according l. item si vnus 17. § vlt. l. seq D. de recep arbit to the sentence and opinion of the most part especially where the more part is iudged not onelie by the number of persons but also by the maner and quantitie of the vniuersall order as when of thrée parts of iudges two make a departure suppose eight of twelue but that England l. 3. de decret ab ordin fac l. 3. l. 4. D. quod cuiusque vniuer l. nominationum 46. c. de decurio l. quod maior 19. D. ad municip Scotland Denmark Sweueland the most part of Heluetia and part of high and low Germanie are two parts of thrée of Christendome and that therfore they shal haue great weight and authoritie with the orders and Parleament of France we neither can nor ought to doubt for our singular iudgement of their wisedome Moreouer it séemeth that we ought not to let slip euen that that the pope is reiected for an vnméete and incompetent iudge not onely of the most part of Europe but also of those Churches and nations which in Africa Egypt Syria the East Asia and Grecia do professe their name among Christian Churches The manifold crime of impietie and first for arrogating to himselfe the Godhead THerefore the first crime wherof the papacie is conuict and condemned of the most part of Europe we saie is impietie and that thréefold the first bicause the pope doth get to himselfe a certaine Godhead secondly he derideth and mocketh Christian religion last of all he bringeth in into the Church false and forged religions The testimonies of the first impietie are these The pope doth both reioice and boast that he is called God * where it is written thus It is sufficiently declared dist 96. satis that the pope cannot at all be either bound or loosed by the secular power who as it appeereth euidently was called of the most godlie prince Constantine God seeing that it is manifest that God cannot bee iudged of men Which place Augustine Steuche a most earnest defender of the pope and the kéeper of his librarie in the booke of the donations of Constantine pag. 141. praising and reciting addeth this Doest thou heare that the highest bishop was called of Constantine God and that he was taken for God This was done when he adorned him with that excellent edict He
answered him that he did it bicause he knew not what the holding of stirrops meant bicause that was the first time that euer he held any Which things séeing they are so and the pope hath taken to himselfe so great lordship ouer the most mightie princes of the world yet it is pleasant to heare that our pope Sixtus the fift doth call that lordship by the name of seruice For in the beginning of his declaration against the king of Nauarre he vseth these words That he doth therefore excommunicate the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Condie that during the time of his Seruice there may be peace and quietnes heretiks being taken away What maner seruice is this with a mischiefe which is spent in possessing the empire of the earth in treading vnder foot the maiesty of kings and emperors Of the same sort of seruice is that which the same pope Adrian wrot to the same Friderike We woonder not a little at your wisedome that you seeme not to giue to S. Peter to the holie church of Rome so much reuerence as you ought For in your letters which you sent to vs you put your owne name before ours wherein you incur the note of insolencie I will not say of arrogancie Touching which thing the same Nauclerus Genes 39. * doth testifie But now we must come to the chiefest and principal testimonie of the popes pride and of his treading vnder foot the maiestie of kings For after that Alexander successor to the same Adrian had terrified the foresaid emperor Friderike with his vsuall excommunication in those cruell clouds and darknes of the Church of Christ and Friderike being infected with the superstition of those times was desirous to be absolued from the same the pope appointed him a day in which he should be present in Venece in the chiefe church When he was come thither as great store of cardinals and bishops stood by him the pope denied to release him of his proscription vnlesse he would first fall downe at his féete and humbly craue forgiuenes of him Which after he had done then the pope lifted vp one of his féete and set it vpon the necke of the emperor as he lay prostrate and then commanded his priests to sing that verse out of the psalms of Dauid Thou shalt walke vpon the adder and cockatrice the lion and dragon shalt thou tread vnder foote Of which â—antish crueltie there be plentifull testimonies extant in the same Nauclerus in Barnus of the Genes 40. life of popes and Funcius in his chronicles Is there any of so great a number of the Senators Counsellers of the French king that can desire any greater or more sure testimonie of treason or treading maiestie vnder foote Though peraduenture some man will say Why was so great an emperor and so mightie a monarch so cowardly Surely this was the fatall superstitioÌ„ of these times which did possesse the minds of men in so great darknes concerning which kind that of Titus Liuius is known writing of the Bachanals Nothing is more deceitfull to looke to than false religion when as wickednes is cloked with the power of the Gods For men are afraid least in punishing the falsehood of men some point of the diuine authority mixed among be violate Thus writeth he But now we must fetch some other testimonies of the popes Seruice out of the maiestie of our kings that is troden vnder foote wherby it may more easily be vnderstood how that the boldnes which is in this pope Sixtus being streÌ„gthned with so great antiquitie is not to be woondered at séeing that he durst giue the most excellent king of Nauarre and most renowmed prince of Condie this title as to call them Sonnes of wrath ministers of proud Lucifer patrons of heretiks and heresies that they lie wallowing in mire and filth that they be heads captaines and chiefe defenders of heretiks that they be most earnest fautors of strangers that they make war against their king against him and also catholiks that they be murtherers of religious men that Condie a part had heretiks for his parents and that he continueth in the footesteps of his father being a most wicked persecuter of the catholike church that he is an author of ciuill wars and seditions and that he doth execute all kinde of fiercenes and crueltie And that both of them are a detestable and degenerate issue and guiltie of treason against God and enimies to the true Christian faith But an euill plague light on thée most holy Antichrist which darest belch out these things and vomit out this poison of thy bitternesse against such and so great Princes But as I haue already saide why do we woonder at so great insolencie of the pope against these two most renowmed Princes séeing that he vsed as great boldnes in times past against Philip the Faire the most mightie king of France For in the yéere 1286. it is reported that Boniface the eight was so proud that he did auouch that he was subiect to his gouernement not onely in spirituall things but also in temporall things Onely so Yea he proclaimed him a schismatike and heretike and hauing cursed him with all curses he did excommunicate him But the king being very couragious thought that he ought not to yéeld to this his so great boldnes yea as it became a valiant prince he brake and did beat down that fiercenes and madnes For he appointed that inquisition should be made of his wicked facts that he should be made answer for the same so soon as he found him to be conuict by manifest testimonies then he made him be apprehended at Rome and cast in prison in which prison to vse the words of Baldus and Platina he that had reigned like a lion died like a dog which historie is recorded by most French chronicle writers besides Platina Such was sometime the magnanimitie of our kings in despising and repressing the impudencie of popes For shall any in all France either noble man or of the common sort either with gouernment office power or also priuate man be thought to beare a good mind toward the kings maiestie in whom this so great pride of that tyrant of Rome will not prouoke lothsomnes and detestation And we woonder that our Sixtus being thus taught by satan being hardened by such antiquitie of crueltie durst in this his declaration pronounce that He doth depriue Henrie king of Nauarr and Henrie prince of Condie and all their posteritie of kingdoms principalities dukedomes lordships cities places and fees and also of dignities honors and princelie offices for these be his words Also To declare them to be vncapable and vnable to succeed in all dukedoms principalities lordships and kingdoms and specially in the kingdome of France What with a mischiefe what tragicall and Thyesticall cursing is this and furious pride of Antichrist and of an impudent frier Was there euer any that heard more outragious barking of
arme his hallowed hands that are yet hot with working at the altar against the Lords familie that with a mind more thā murderous he shuld seeke to put out the top of the christian name namely a most christian king in the blockish world and that he should somtimes shake that mysticall sword edgeling and foyningly in his angrie purpose as we thinke that he should sometimes borrow of Mars that bloudy speare or iauelin and should also seeke to put those to death whom with cruell curses he had cast down which peraduenture did turne vpon him Lo what hands what feet thou dost willinglie kisse from which thou oughtest to plucke backe thy mouth though bloudie and polluted O wretch that thou then art Iulius and carried with distemperature which thoughtest that thou oughtst to obey thy blind anger so far forth that thou wast carried with furious blindnes of minde and not to respect either thy selfe or the comelines of most blessed maiestie through hatred but carrieng headlong with thee against their will for the most part and euen murmuring against thee that most honourable order that reuerend senate being famous with chiefe reuerence the glorie of Libanus thou shouldest seeke to oppresse vs with the fall of the tower of the church and so consequently thy selfe that thou shouldest also change in a maner the whol world being shaken with those thunderbolts which thou hast raysed and shot against it that thou shouldest behold vs with these firie eies which are inflamed with hatred and enuie and also burne with fire shouldest not now cease but fall vpon our king as he did burne thou hauing obtained thy purpose O immortall God! was it lawfull for wickednes perswading euill things to throw downe by right or wrong from the top of the sanctuarie so great a man being euen stung with the waspe of reuenge more than that of Atrius that he should hasten to destroy euen his bodie and soule in the graue of his enimies Was it not sufficient for his most furious wrath to haue driuen vs backe againe into our owne coasts being terrified with a thunderbolt departing from the possession of Italie which we deadlie loued and that with griefe and sorrow vnlesse he should moreouer haue made vs fight for our altars and fires as they say and finallie to feare most extreme examples When as in the meane season vnder that bloudie fenser almost all this whole countrie did fight with vs with a most deadlie enuious minde where was then that zeale of the Lord which is iust anger reuenging the maiestie of God being hurt or diminished For it is lawfull for the holie armies to go into the battell with this standerd-bearer alone if at anie time it be lawfull Did he then I praie you fet aide out of that tower of Loue or chappell of Faith or crossed standerds Was he anie whit ashamed to call himselfe the Seruant of the Seruants of God when as he did boast that he made France which was alwaies the beautie of Christians and temple of the popes and fortres of religion famous with the graues of french men Seeing that a priest being seauentie yeeres of age the ambassadour of Christ the authour and parent of peace did offer sacrifice to Bellona the goddesse of war to whom he stroue to offer sacrifice with great losse of mankinde And euen at such time as the profane multitude did make their praiers before the altars of peace and concorde with a pitifull shew Surely a spectacle woorth the beholding To see a father not onely most holie but also reuerend in respect of his age and white haires stirring vp his soldiers whom he had called out with the fame of Bellona as it were to procure tumult in France not reuerently attired in his kirtle and carrieng his gorgeous armes not holie with his pontificall mace or scepter but clad with a mantell and in barbarous attire but girt with furious boldnes that I may so call it glistering with these beastly and vaine thunderbolts hauing the crueltie of his spirits appeering in his sterne countenance and apparell Vndoubtedly we haue seene in a few yeers manie things which our posteritie will thinke to be incredible The ioints of ecclesiastical authoritie and discipline being dissolued in this winde and tempest how should the right faith haue continued vnlesse it had been fastened with the iron and eternall pins and vnlesse it had once been affirmed and established in the holie moniments Thus far goeth Budeus a man as I said before that loued his countrie and which deserued al praise Who though he knew not as yet fully what difference there was betwéen Christ and Antichrist yet could he not being inforced with loue of his countrie but set downe in writing that crueltie and barbarous fiercenes of the pope to the eternall reproch of the papacie that al posteritie might vnderstand with how enuious and rebellious a mind our * Alastor was the companion of Sarpedon king of Lycia whome Vlisses slew at Troie Alastores wer also certaine fiends that did sowe plagues famin and calamitie among men Alastors raged in the time of Budeus in France Go to let vs heare another testimonie of the same rebellion against the kings of France being not a little more ancient No man is ignorant that almost halfe the realme of France was in times past in the possession of the kings of England for the space of more than thrée hundred yéers When as king Philip who was afterward sirnamed Augustus did séeke to recouer that region in war it cannot in words be expressed how prowdly and furiously pope Innocentius the third did set himselfe against him We do not thinke that any man is so void of humanitie that he is ignorant that in times past this was the policie of the Romans to bring vnder them other nations that if they did perceiue any contention to be risen amongst neighbors or kings or people they did carefully nourish the same and did offer friendship felowship to the one partie by the most honorable decrées of the senate and did also promise that partie aide against the other After that by these shifts they had ouercome and subdued the one side they found afterward within short time very easie opportunitie to opprèsse the other Our people saith M. Tullius De Repub. hath now gotten the whole world by defending their companions The popes following this selfe same way of their ancestors that is as Iohn the munke a noble Canonist doth interpret it the way and footesteps of rouers and murderers so soone as they know any discord arise among kings and princes that were neighbors they began to increase and nourish the same by their messengers the cardinals and also to couenant with the one of them that if by their meanes they could obtaine the kingdome of their aduersarie then they should confesse that the sea of Rome was the author of so great a benefit and that they should be sworne to them to
Francis the first that if any would imbrace the reformed religion they might be burnt aliue hauing their toongs cut out and hauing fire put vnder them Among the king of France his constitutions there be extant the edicts of that king published in the yéere 1534. and also in the fortieth and againe in the 42. by the authoritie whereof the Senators of the Parleament shed so much blood and yet with so great godlines and constancie of the martyrs that it séemeth that the posteritie will scarce beléeue it What these hellish fiends gained by this crueltie it is woorth the knowing by the testimonie of him thā whom no more plentifull witnes can be brought foorth in this kind That is king Henrie the second the father of these latter kings a prince as most men may remember most famous both at home and in war For his edict written at Castrobriant in the moneth of Iune 1551. is extant the words wherof are these All men might see before this with what studie and with how great contention our father whom God absolue king Francis being a most Christian king and most catholike endeuoured greatly during all his life time to roote out heresies which budded out in his realme against our holie faith and catholike religion and how manie lawes and constitutions the same king with the same mind and purpose did publish as the varietie and necessitie of times did require Notwithstanding that so great studie and indeuour did no great good For that disease was so spred through al the most noble families of our realm that it did infect like a certaine contagion the families of all sorts and orders Thus saith he in his edict which containeth six and fortie articles being all of them written most bitterly and sharply to stop the course of that religion Moreouer shortly after that is in the yéere 1547. there was another edict published by the same king wherin by name he professeth in manie words and doth plainly denounce that he hath omitted no labour no indeuor no diligence in suppressing that religion Onely so Nay surely saith he the more carefully and painfully we labored to do this so much the more that doctrine gat the vpper hand Surely we may coniecture what was his indeuor and trauell euen by that that all men know that there died of that miserable and bitter kind of punishment a great number of all sorts of men There succéeded these kings to wit the grandfather and father king Francis the second his edicts to wit sixe in number were most sharpe and vehement besides innumerable broad seales and letters patents which he sent continually through all parts of his kingdome with so great heate of mind and stomach that aboue thrée hundred men were in lesse than thrée moneths space tormented scortched burnt and as it was commonly written in the decrées of the senate brought into ashes by the decrées especially of the senate of Paris and Tholosa This so great abundance of blood that was shed might peraduenture satisfie euen the most bloodie tyrants such as the report goeth Cyclops Busiris Siron Phalaris Tython Gyges were in times past But so great crueltie cannot satisfie the pope of Rome whom we may rightly tearme a rebell against mankind It is woorth the hearing what good he did For there is extant a decrée of the same king Francis the second published at Ambosia in the moneth of March anno 1559 in these words which we would haue the kings Counsellers to read very attentiuely and to consider of what weight it is We to the end we might answere and satisfie our princely office were inforced to vse diuers kinds of punishments and paines as the state of things and times did require But by the instruments of criminall causes it is knowen and reuealed that a great number of men women ages kinds and of all orders were present at vnlawful and priuy sermons suppers baptizings administred by those for whom it was not lawfull to do that But and if euerie one of these should be put to torture as the rigor of our authoritie and lawes doth require there should woonderfull much blood be shed of men women virgins yong men of florishing age whereof some being induced and suborned other some being persuaded through a certaine simplicitie and ignorance other some inticed rather with a certain curiositie than of malice haue fallen into such errors and discommodities Which things if it should come to passe we should be greatly and continually sorie neither should that well agree either with our age or nature both which do inuite vs to vse clemencie gentlenes and mercie in this kinde Therefore we will haue all men know that when this whole matter was in due time handled by our Counsellers in our presence we are not determined to leaue this first yeere of our reigne famous to our posteritie as cruel bloodie and full of the murders of our silly subiects though they had greatly deserued this yea after the example of our heauenly father we are determined to spare the blood of our people and to bring backe our subiects to the way of saluation and to preserue their life hoping that through the Lords mercie it will come to passe that we shall do more good by the way of gentlenes and clemencie than by the rigor of punishments Therefore according to the opinion of our foresaid Counsellers we say appoint ordain that heerafter our subiects be not molested for the cause of crimes that are past which concern faith religion by our iudges of what sort and condition soeuer they be neither in iudgement nor without iudgement Moreouer we declare that we grant to our subiects a general pardon remission absolution for such crimes as concerne faith religion And shortly after By the authority of the king who was chiefe in this counsel according to the sentēce of the lords cardinals of Bourbon of Lorraine of Chastillon the dukes of Montpensier of Guise of Niuernois and of Aumale Thus far goeth Francis the second plainly as it appéereth declaring and testifieng that the tortures and punishments of former times did nothing at all auaile to extinguish this religion What did then the fiends and enimies of mankinde the popes of Rome What did they So soone as they perceiued that some of the nobles of that realme and furthermore that some of the princes of the blood roiall had tasted of that religion and had reiected the deceits of Bernardo and Dominick so soone as they foresaw that France would by little and little winde hir selfe out of the bondage of the papacie into Christian libertie finally so soone as they saw that so fat a praie would be taken out of their iawes they began to cast new firebrands of ciuill war throughout all parts of France That done when this would not serue they appointed furious massacres and butcheries to the euerlasting discredite of the name of France last of all when they perceiued that euen this way they
or to sing and say their masses furnished and armed with brest-plates helmets tergats swords with other weapons Onely so Yea saith he as the emperor his power is adorned with diuers offices of chamberlaines door-keepers and garders so we wil haue the holie church of Rome garded and adorned and that they ride vpon horses most white and that like as our senate vseth shooes with latchets * so let them be clad in most white linnen Is there any of so great a number of the Senators of the king of France who when he remembreth the humilitie and modestie of Christ and his apostles doth not with all praiers detest this pride and hautines of the popes Moreouer he saith that if the pope will choose any of Constantines senators into the order of the clergie let them not proudly refuse that honor With a mischiefe what tyrannous barbarisme is this that it is lawful for any college of clerks to choose at their pleasure any one of the order of the senators whom they will also make a clerke or munke against his will He procéedeth and that the lawiers may remember that a doubled spéech hath greater force he saith again that he giueth both his pallace and citie of Rome and the prouinces places and cities of all Italie and of the west countries to all the popes of Rome vntil the end of the world Moreouer he adioineth the forme of his grant and deliuery that he may afterward translate himselfe vnto the East countries hauing left the empire of the West in the popes possession and that he may place the sea of his empire in Bizantia adding moreouer a very fit cause Bicause saith he it is an vnmeet thing that an earthly king should beare rule in that countrie where the head of Christian religion and the principalitie of priests is placed by the king of heauen He did excellently make himselfe the beginning of this sentence for in the time of Constantine that is two hundred yéeres before Iustinian the deliuerance of the emptie possession was requisite to make a donation but there be many other things that do disturbe the matter First bicause if Constantine gaue to Syluester the emptie possession of that countrie he could not afterward in his will leaue it to his sonne Constantius séeing the alienation of any thing made among those that are aliue doth leaue no place for making anie will l. 6. c. de test l. sequens 52. D. de leg 2. thereof * But if the donation were made after that diuision made among his sons it was plainly void and of none effect bicause the diuision that a father maketh among his sonnes hath the force of a testament l pen. l. vlt. C. fam excisc cum similibus and therefore of a last will Secondly with what godlines could Constantine who had thrée sonnes and two daughters do so great iniurie to his children as to depriue them of halfe their inheritance and to giue the same to a stranger especially to a wretch and vile person For that is a pretie saieng of Augustine Whosoeuer he be that will disinherit his sonne and make the church his heire let him seek another to take it than Augustine Where also the fact of that 17. q. vlt. c. vlt. bishop is cōmended who restored al again to a certaine testator who hauing no children left his goods to the church then afterward had children contrarie to his hope and expectation Which selfe same thing is set downe 13. q. 2. c. si quis irascitur But nothing is so ridiculous as is that reason of his purpose which the counterfet Constantine addeth That it is vnmeet that in the same citie wherein a priest sitteth as chiefe the emperor should haue the sea of his empire Wo to thy head most holie hangman For what shall we say of Salomon of Aza of Iozia and other godlie kings of the Israelites who placed the sea of their kingdome at Ierusalem What of Theodosius who had his at Mediolanum But that we may not go far for examples what shall we say of Constantius sonne to Constantinus who according to his fathers testament did not onely exercise his empire and iurisdiction at Rome but also he put from the popedome and thrust out of Rome pope Liberius for taking vpon him the defence of Anastasius a bishop a certaine magician sacrilegious person as Theodoricus Zozomenus and Ammian Marcellin lib. 15 haue left it written But now let vs returne to our purpose for last of all there is a fearfull decrée set downe If any saith he of our successors shall be a violater or contemner let him be subiect to eternall damnation being insnarled and let him burne in the neathermost hell with the diuell and the wicked But Constantine brought this curse first vpon himselfe who as we said euen now in his last wil gaue the empire of the West to his eldest son finally he was bound with the same curse whosoeuer possessed as his owne either the West or any part of the West either by the name of king or duke or by any other name And by this reason there hath béene none that hath béene king either of France or Spain héertofore that burneth not in the neathermost hel with the diuell and all the wicked And now can we find any so ignorant of the Latin toong that séeth not that the maner of spéech which the writer of the same instrument vseth is far vnlike to the custome of that age Which part of reprehension Platina did not omit in that Syluester But Laurentius Valla a man of most sharpe iudgement in this kinde did more at large prosecute it Whereto we will adioine this one thing if anie man consider the maner of phrase wherein the lawes of Constantine are written in the booke of Theodosianus and Iustinian he shal soone perceiue without any great ado that this instrument came out of the same shop which we shewed before out of the Conformities of Francis or out of the life of Dominick And we must not passe ouer with silence another cosoning knacke of a certain latter pope of Leo the 10. as it séemeth who to the end he might with some color couer that corruptiō of spéech basenes of stile he heaped falsehood vpon falsehood For he suborned a certaine hungrie Grecian called Bartholomew Picernus and afterward Augustine Steuchus the maister of his librarie to saie that they found in I cannot tell what librarie of the popes that instrument written in the Gréeke toong and that then they translated it somwhat more fitly into the Latine toong Which inuention Gregorie the 13. hath now of late confirmed in the last edition of the decrée of Gratian. But all the lawes of Constantine are extant in the foresaid bookes of Theodosianus and Iustinian written in the Latin toong though they were published both at Constantinople and in a citie of the Grecians and among the Grecians Furthermore Eusebius in his thirde booke
vnder the garment of the virgin Marie touching more and greater miracles done by Dominic and Francis than either by Christ or his Apostles which are such wicked hainous and vngodlie blasphemies that the minds of al the godly do abhor the rehearsal therof Secondly bicause hauing taken to himselfe lordship and princely power ouer the whol church and vsing ministers and officers dukes and purpled cardinals to defend him and furnish him he professed himselfe to be the captaine and prince of a new faction and synagog Last of all bicause being about fower hundred whole yéers ago requested by the praiers of al Christian princes and admonished to admit some amendement and reformation he did prowdlie reiect their request and precepts Of which not to fet testimonies far surely the memorie of our fathers and grandfathers may be a witnes out of the councell of Constance Basil Florence and Trent in which last false and erronious doctrines were not only not taken away but also more and more confirmed so that no man can now doubt but that these thrée markes whereby we said a little before an heritike is discerned from one whose iudgement is sound do most euidently appéere in the pope of Rome Which things séeing they are so we thinke that it is now euident enough of what importance this accusation of pope Sixtus ought to be with the counsellers of the French king whereto the most part of Europe hath subscribed it selfe also we vnderstand of what authoritie this accusation by him made against the king of Nauarre and prince of Condie ought to be with them For to cut his throat as they saie with his owne sword lo in his owne decrées 24. distinct 1. it is euerie where in manie testimonies set downe that he that is fallen into heresie cannot depriue any man of his office or insnarle him in any sentence as in c. acasius If therefore a bishop saith he be fallen into an heresie alreadie condemned being condemned by an ancient excommunication he cannot condemn others For he that is excōmunicate cannot excommunicate others Which self-same thing is confirmed in that which followeth by this reason being added thereto For the power to binde or loose was giuen by the Lord to true not to false priests And in the chapter following Peters priuilege remaineth wheresoeuer sentence is giuen according to his equitie Hereto belongeth that which Iason writeth in his 145. councell requisitus num 3. vol. 2. That the pope cannot depose any man placed in dignitie without cause bicause the power granted to Peter to feed the sheepe of Christ is not extended to kill them c. in nouo 21. dist for Peters power continueth so long as he iudgeth truely and doth not erre with the keies * The self-same writeth d. c. manet c. Abba * Also Iason writeth more plain in in c. vlt. col pe vlt. de confi vtil vel inut in c. constitutus col 3. de relig dom in c. vlt. de postul praelat in c. de multa de praebend his 95. councell requisitus vol. 4. When as saith he the pope is guiltie of heresie seeing he may for this crime be deposed c. si papa 40. dist by this he ceaseth to be pope seeing he is without the catholike church according to the notes by Innocentius in c. ex parte de verb. sig in like sort when the pope shal be a notorious criminal person intangled in greeuous crimes so that he doth offend the church c. Also col 3. But the old glosse held more strōgly than the whole world alleageth in d. c. si papa that the pope may be accused for another fault as symonie or adulterie which is notorius and the pope being admonished cannot be reformed so that he offendeth the church of God seeing he is counted as an heretike and so the pope may be accused and punished not onely for the cause of heresie but also for anie other crime wherein the pope committeth excesse offending the church if it be notorious and the pope cannot be reformed bicause notable disobedience is counted heresie wherefore as the pope may be accused for heresie and condemned so likewise for any notorious crime wherein he is incorrigible Moreouer Felinus saith * The pope which is not canonicallie in c. Ego N. de iureiur elect is a deuill not hauing the keies of the kingdome of heauen but of hell The third Nullitie by reason of the want of iudiciall order LEt vs now come to the third cause of nullitie which we said to be the want of forme iudiciall order For as in times past the great orator saide what is more vnséemely than that iudgement should be giuen of his life and of all his goods who was neither commanded to be present nor yet cited nor accused We shewed before that this forme and order of ecclesiasticall iudgement was appointed by Christ and his Apostles in iudging heretikes first that they should be sometimes conuict of their error then if they would not obey not one but many and often admonitions of the church but would as saith Augustine stubburnely resist and perseuere in their error then they should be counted as enimies and profane persons Therefore admonitions are necessarie and a solemne and lawful hearing of the cause God was not ignorant what Adam and Eua had committed against his commandement or inhibition Yet he called both of them foorth and made as it were a question and hearing of the cause and then at length he gaue sentence against them after they were conuict The same God being a most seuere punisher of wickednes was not ignorant with how great and how vile wickednes the Sodomites and Gomorrheans had defiled themselues But yet notwithstanding that he might shew an example of equitie to mortall men that are iudges he tooke vpon him to heare the cause and he said that he would descend and know Which thing likewise the canonists haue in many words euery where deliuered in 1. q. 2. but specially in c. Deus omnipotens But moreouer the same scripture doth in another place testifie that the elders of the people of the Iewes who iudged matters at the foote of the mount Sinay gaue not sentence before they had heard both parties and vntill both parties had laied downe their matter Moreouer the Iewes though they did malitiously séeke to put Christ to death and to destroie him yet they kept the vsual order of iudgements so that they accused him before Caiphas the highest priest and a competent iudge and then they did bring him before the iudgement seat of the same high priest after they had caught him and also they did bring foorth witnesses for their accusation Therefore both sides laid downe their cause and the opinions of those that sat with the highest priest were asked and then at length iudiciall order being kept the condemnation was pronounced But what néed more testimonies When the woman was taken in adulterie as
to pope Innocentius and praied him to confirme his order of predicants The pope shewed himselfe at the first hard to be intreated but vpon a certaine night in a reuelation shewed him by God he saw in his sleepe that the ioints and couplings of the Laterane church were as it were loosed and did threaten that it would shortly fall Which when he beheld trembling and also sorrowing the man of God Dominic came to preuent it who setting to his shoulders he did vphold all that frame that was like to fall at the strangenes of which vision whiles he did woonder and wisely vnderstanding also the signification thereof he did ioifully accept the petition of Dominic anno Domini 1210. Thus saith he But what if the Dominicans also who haue now more than thrée hundred yéers with their shoulders vnderpropped the papacie that is like to fal do also begin to faint and to be weakened There is another helping piller found For the Iesuits are risen of late that they being sound fresh may aide the wearie Dominicans So that the matter is now brought to the third rank as it is in the prouerbe Who being now weakened the pope is descended to the vaine thunderbolt of excommunications mistrusting the principall matter It followeth in the bull That not onely the times of our seruice but also all times to come may bring peace to all parts of Christendome We spake before of this kind of seruice Which we prooued to consist therein that kings and emperors do hold the popes stirrop when he alighteth from his horse that they wait vpon him when he entreth into cities like pages that they giue him diuine reuerence worship as he sitteth in his princely throne and that lieng prostrate vpon the ground and lieng at his féet for testifieng their bondage they kisse his shooes But what words are these At this time we condemne heretiks that the times to come may bring peace to Christendome Would our Sixtus vnles he had béen full gorged well whitled and starke drunke not rather haue writen That in time to come we may bring peace to Christendome But let vs procéed to the rest of the oracles of this bull For he addeth afterward In the realm of France Christian religion hath at all times beene in force and so great hath been the godlines faith and deuotion of those kings so manie haue been their good deserts toward the church of Rome that they had from it the sirname of most Christian. If alwaies Christian religion hath béen so greatly imbraced by the French kings why haue so many popes so and so often molested so manie kings of France with these most mad curses and proscriptions of theirs Surely this was the reward and thanks which the popes haue repaied for so great merits of the French kings toward them and their sea For what power soeuer the popes haue it is euident they had all that by the benefits and great liberalitie of the French kings and especially of king Pipinus Charles the great and Ludouike sirnamed Pius as we shewed before It followeth We are compelled to exercise our weapons that are not carnall against two Sonnes of wrath Henrie somtime king of Nauarre and Henrie somtime prince of Condie Surely if any man do not remember by the sword of Iulius the second whereof we spake before that the weapons of the popes are not carnall or fleshly but of iron and as Boniface the eight saith materiall yet shall he knowe this by these words of the same Boniface * Surely saith he he that denieth that Peters in c. vnam sanctam Extra de maiorit obedient sword is temporall he doth ill marke the word of the Lord who saith Turne backe thy sword into thy sheath Therfore both swords are in the power of the Church namely the spirituall and the materiall sword Was there euer any Sannio more ridiculous in any comedie than Bonifacius who saith that Peters sword which inasmuch as he was a fisherman he then peraduenture had at his girdle was such a sword as Paul writeth was giuen by God to magistrates that they might punish wicked and condemned persons Furthermore what great doltishnes is this bicause Christ forbiddeth Peter to vse his sword and commandeth him to put vp his sword into his sheath which he had drawen to reason thus That therefore it is lawfull for the popes to vse the materiall sword Therefore let our Sixtus looke about him how he can winde out himselfe out of this repugnance that the popes weapons are not carnall and that the pope hath power of the temporall sword the material sword the iron sword That the popes weapons are not of iron but that the king of France is commanded by the pope to pursue the king of Nauarre his néerest kinsman with sword armes and camp and to execute this his sentence in such sort that all France may be filled with burnings and murders For this is the very same which Boniface writeth in the same place that The spirituall sword is exercised by the church the temporall for the church the former by the hand of the priest the latter by the hand of kings and soldiers but at the beck and sufferance of the priest These be the words of pope Bonifacius written out in as many letters * least any man ex d. c. 1. de maior obed should doubt but that kings must be ready in arms at the popes becke as fencers at the becke of the maister of fence and that they must lay down their weapons when he beckeneth to them againe that no man I say may doubt but that the most cruell and fierce tyrant pope Sixtus the fift who in this place calleth the king of Nauarre and the prince of Condie by a new and strange kind of reproch Sonnes of wrath denounceth to al French men sword fire torture torment plague destruction and finally an vtter ouerthrow We are all indéed by nature sonnes of wrath as saith Paul Rom. 3. and Ephes 2. But the pope is a sonne of wrath by iudgement malice and will But what is that which he doth often repeate in this bull Sometime king We shall afterward sée more touching his kingdome But by what right hath our Henrie lost his name of king by the same whereby a Sharuebug a scholler of Francis Bernardo doth in this bul cal himselfe the monarch of the church Wo to thy head detestable vile-thiefe and most holie Antichrist Thou doest boast reioice that thou art called God as we haue shewed before Thou hast kings and emperors in stead of bondslaues thou desirest to haue diuine honor giuen thée by them If anie man denie to thée that seruile idolatrie shall he loose the name of a king or prince Let vs heare how greatly Saint Bernard detesteth this Antichrist in his sixt sermon vpon the CXCI. psalme The very offices saith he of the dignitie of the holie Church are gone into filthie gaine and the busines
pope that may be better Which historie the same Boerius recorded in the same 20. councell Therefore let thus much be answered to that exprobration of the dispensation For as concerning the last part of the popes declaration wherein the foresaid princes are iointly crushed with the popes potguns are excommunicate proscribed and their kingdoms dominions dukedoms principalities and iurisdictions adiudged to him that can first get them we haue sufficiently declared before that the most part of Christendome maketh like account long ago of this kinde of trifles as the most professors of the popes religion make of the miracles of Bernardo and Dominic at this day which religion notwithstanding is so staied vp with the orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans as with most strong pillers that if they should suffer those pillers to be vndermined they might thinke that their religion were quite vndone But it séemeth that we must speake somwhat more largely of those vain thunderbolts of the popes long ago contemned and counted as nothing Of the vaine and contemptible thunderbolst of the popes FOr to cite a few of many testimonies when pope Boniface the eight had proscribed with this same ancient boldnes Philip the faire king of France the king hauing assembled a parlement did decrée according to the sentences of the orders that the filthie legates of the pope being reproched and ill intreated should be banished out of the borders of his kingdome Boniface the pope saith Laurentius Valla who deceiued Celestine with trumpets that he had put into a wall depriued the king of France of his kingdome of France and iudged that the kingdome it selfe as if hee would execute the donation of Constantine was and is subiect to the church of Rome What with what minde did king Philip suffer this his madnes It séemeth more fit to hear the whole matter out of the words of Platina himselfe Boniface saith Platina sent the archdeacon of Narbon to tell the king that he should set at libertie the bishop of Apame If he would not do that he should say in the hearing of all men that the kingdome of France was turned ouer to the church and that he should adde a curse and should absolue all the French men from their oth taken to the king Is not this the very same forme of proscription which our mad headed Sixtus hath vsed in proscribing the king of Nauarre and prince of Condie Platina procéedeth But in the meane season saith he Philip king of France taking the arrogancie of pope Boniface impatiently holding a great assemblie of ecclesiasticall persons and noble men at Paris and setting downe the iniuries that he had receiued at Bonifacius his hands and his ambition and wicked subtilties to get the popedome which he held vniustly he appealed vnto the sea apostolike which was at that time as he said vacant and vnto the next councel that should be held Wherwith Boniface being smitten holding a generall councell he maketh Philip and his kingdome subiect to Albertus the emperor whom he had reiected and put backe in the beginning of his popedome But then Philip willing to tame his pride sent Sarra Columniensis knowen in part of Massilia and redeemed from pyrates with Nogaretius a most faithfull French knight to Rome for this cause as he did openly declare that they might publish his appeale For he had another purpose in his head For Sarra entring into Italie apparelled like a seruing man hauing gathered togither his friend out of all parts sendeth Nogaretus before to Terentine with two hundred horsemen being French men and hired out of the campe of Charles Valesius that they might aide him from thence if need should be But entring by night secretly into Agnania hauing the Gibellines to aide him whom Boniface had long and greatlie vexed he caught the pope in his fathers house fearing no such thing after he had brok vp the gates he bringeth him captiue to Rome where 35. daies after he died for sorow Thus writeth Platina where he addeth also that of Iohn Andreas Baldus that he is as a dead dog who entred like a fox and ruled like a lion * In which place Bald. in c. 1. de nat feud it séemeth we ought not to omit that which our cowled frier hath left in writing in his booke of conformities * in these words Fol. 103. Pope Vrbane the fift swore to destroy our order but he died shortly after pope Bonifacius the eight caused manie buls to be made all of one tenor that the friers minors should be dispatched as the tēplars that our whole order might be destroied in one day Before he could send them he was taken prisoner the buls were burned and the pope himselfe died miserably But omitting trifles let vs sée to other things Surely by these things we vnderstand that euen at that time that is in the yéere M. cccvj these mad and furious proscriptions of the popes were contemned of the French kings counted as nothing Neither was the vertue and courage of king Charles the sixt inferior about the yéere M. ccccxviij For as we vnderstand by the records of the senate of Paris both French and Germane chronicles so soone as Martinus the fift was made pope in the councell of Constance being not content with so many and so great tributes vpon which two former Antipopes and also thrée former Antipopes and a little before fower Antipopes relieng had nourished deadly wars amongst them almost for the space of fortie yéers he began to command moreouer new tributes in the churches and especially of France Which message after the king had receiued he determined foorthwith to haue a parlement according to the custome In that assemblie after the matter had béen long time hard and debated a decrée was made that that new kind of the popes exactions should be inhibited Which so soone as pope Martin knew he sent foorthwith legates from his traine into France to inhibite principally all the citie of Lions from all holie things This was woont to be the force of those inhibitions of the popes in that time of darknes if happilie any man knew it not that they shut vp all the church doores there was no masse saide there was no vse or exercise of any religion there was also no ringing of bels Onely so Yea surely those that were dead might not be buried in churchyardes Wherewith it cannot in words be vttred how greatly mens minds infected with superstition were terrified What did they then Foorthwith according to the authoritie of the publike assemblie the decrée of the senate of Paris it was pronounced that that curse should be counted as nothing Let them remember let thē think vpon let them meditate vpon these things if there be any in our country of France either so ignorant and vnskilful of things or so euil affected towards mightie princes that they thinke that this foolish and ridiculous proscription of our cowled frier is of any
of Nauarre his kinsman and subiect For in the yéere M. DXI. at which time that war whereof we spake before waxed hot betwéen pope Iulius the second and Ludouike the 12. king of France who was called father of his countrie and that same furious tyrant went about to terrifie him with his vaine thunderbolts and had made his kingdome a praie and spoile to him that could get it Iohn great grandfateer to this our Henrie reigned in Nauarre He forasmuch as he both was in the realme of France and was neighbor to the French king and also by reason of the great fées he had in his realme was his client and vassall was requested by king Ludouike that he would aide him against his enimie according to the right of senioritie and ordinances of seruiceable clientships The king of Nauarre being not vnmindfull of his dutie toward the king hauing with all spéed mustered and gathered bands of footemen and horsemen in his kingdom he brought so great an armie into the borders of France that he left his realme in a maner naked and destitute of men Which thing being knowen pope Iulius determined foorthwith to deale by messengers with Ferdinando king of Spaine to whom he then first of all gaue the sirname of Catholike anno 1492. that with all spéede he should make readie an armie and should inuade the dominion of the king of Nauarre who was absent and he promiseth that for his part he would both proscribe Nauarre for an heretike and schismatike and would also giue him his kingdome for a reward Ferdinandus hauing gotten so fit an opportunitie to do an exploit determined not to be wanting to himselfe After the curse was pronounced and published against the king of Nauarre he assembled his forces and entering the borders of the king his neighbor being absent he tooke first the principall citie of the kingdome named Pompiopolis and then afterward the most part of the whole realm hauing as we said pope Iulius for his author a good one and without all doubt a fit one if in the rule of the law wherin it is written that He possesseth vniustly which possesseth hauing the pretor for his author it were written the pope for his author in stead of the pretor for his author Soone after the king of France being not ignorant that the senior ought to deliuer his vassall from the danger of that euent which thing euen Bellaius Langaeus somtimes a most excellent light of France doth plainely testifie in his first booke of commentaries sent his armie to recouer Pompiopolis ouer which he set as captaine Dunosius chiefe gouernor of Aquitania and duke of Longouilla But it séemeth more conuenient to defer vntil some other time what happened both at that time and many yéeres after and to set it downe in a booke written of those things For it is sufficient for vs to vnderstand at this time that the king of Nauarre great grandfather to him that now is was spoiled of his kingdome for none other cause saue onely bicause he aided as he ought the king of France his neighbor his senior being excommunicate by pope Iulius proscribed and pronounced to be an heretike and schismatike Whereof not onely the French historiographers are witnesses and amongst these Arnoldus Ferronus and Bertrandus Helias but also the Italians and Spaniards and chiefly Stephen Garibaius in his 29. book Francis Tarapha and Anthonie Nebrissensis in his booke concerning the war of Nauarre * In which places me thinks we 1. c. 1. 2. 3. should not omit the arrogancie of a Spanish peasant as we say commonly who railed vpon and slandered the most wise and moderate king of France that euer was and that in these words Ludouike saith he the French king a man most inconstant Ch. 2. after the maner of his nation being not content to kéepe himselfe within his owne little skin that is within the borders of his own kingdom set his mind toward Italie And shortly after Therefore pope Iulius the second being angrie tooke the sword out of Peters hands and drew it against the rebellious and stubborne he declareth them to be schismatiks and therefore heretiks he maketh their goodes common for the execution of which sentence he calleth vpon Christian princes chiefly vpon our prince Also chap. 3. Therefore the gouernor of the countrie of Spaine fearing the rage of the French men doth exhort Henrie king of the Britans to whom Aquitania did belong to require it againe by war and that he might haue iuster cause to aske it againe the apostolike authoritie commeth betweene whereby he depriueth the French king of Aquitania let the senators and kings counsellers in France marke and giueth it to the king of Britane to possesse and enioie And by and by in that place where he bringeth in the pope conferring with his cardinals The king of Spain saith he must be holpen We must draw out both our swords against the common enimies of all good men the kings of France and Nauarre and whiles that we whet the one that is the secular in the meane season let vs bend the other namely the spirituall against the necks of schismatiks Therfore by the common decree of the cardinals the king of Nauarre was declared to be a schismatike and therefore an heretike bicause being often admonished he was waxen stubborne and he did openly professe that he was French He was fined in his kingdome and all his goods not onely he but also his wife and his sonnes with all their posteritie and all his right of being king was translated vnto Spain The Spanish Nebrissensis saith thus in as manie words wherby we vnderstand by what right by what author and for what cause the king of Nauarre was robbed of his kingdome Indéed Guicciardin in his 11. booke of his Italian historie setteth downe his iudgement touching this matter in these words When the king of Spaine saith he could not affirme that he did lawfully possesse the kingdome of Nauarre for any other cause or by any other title he reasoned that he had possession by the right of the popes commandement and authoritie of the holie sea For the pope being not well content with things that fell out happily in Italie had a little before published a decree against the king of France wherin calling him no more most Christian but most noble he made him and all that tooke his part subiect to the penalties of heretiks and schismatiks and hauing granted power by right to take and enioy their goods kingdoms and all that they had he declared them to be condemned To the same effect also writeth Arnoldus Ferronus a most learned historiographer in matters of France and sometimes senator of the Parleament holden at Burdeaux in these words Ferdinandus saith he king of Spaine so soone as he vnderstood of the league made betweene the kings of France and Nauarre turned his forces prepared against the French king against the king of Nauarre and
this was the cause that Ferdinando did cast out the king his neighbor though he did also pretend another bicause both the king of France and those that did aid him were pronounced accursed by the popes edict and their kingdoms were made common Thus writeth Ferronus whereby we may coniecture what great danger hangeth ouer the most noble princes of Germanie and so consequently ouer all the kings of Europe by reason of that so néere a conspiracie of the popes and the Spanish inquisition For by this short cut any munke so he be of a craftie and subtill nature hauing taried some time in Spain as this our Sixtus and hauing béene conuersant with the inquisitors of Spaine may make such a bargain and league with them that if through their fauor and commendation he may obtaine the popedome then he may pronounce what king or prince soeuer he will a schismatike or heretike taking to him any occasion he may adiudge to them his kingdom opened and committed as a fée to the sea of Rome Therefore we are to wish that we may once haue some king giuen vs that may be of a valiant courage that he may thrust this whoore of Babylon out of hir seat and may at length rid the Church of Christ from so long and miserable seruitude and restore hir to hir former libertie and dignitie which courage that king of ours Ludouike the twelfth who was called the parent of the countrie being wearie of that bondage tooke vpon him when after that furious curse of pope Iulius he commanded French crownes to be coined in France with this inscription Ludouike 12. by the grace of God king of France duke of Mediolanum And then on the other side the armes of France and Mediolanum ioined togither with this inscription I will destroy Babylon Of which name if happily any man be ignorant let him read the Reuelation of Iohn ch 17. and Hierom in his catalog where he maketh mention of Mark and writeth plainly that Peter did figuratiuely vnderstand Rome by Babylon in his former epistle * Ch. 5. Also in the prolog of his booke touching the holie Ghost where he doth plainly call Rome Babylon and that purple whoore which is described in the Reuelation Which thing he doth likewise confirme vpon Esay c. 14. and againe c. 47. and vnto Aglasia in the 11. question For which cause Paula also and Eustochium in that epistle which they wrote vnto Marcellus do in like sort call Rome Babylon and no whit more obscurely Hierom in his epistle When I was at Babylon saith he a citizen of the purple whoore c. The conclusion of the former protestation THese things therefore being thus set down it remaineth that we conclude this reason Séeing pope Sixtus the fift hath béen condemned by the most part of Christendome of seauen most gréeuous crimes namely of impietie of vsing tyrannie in the Church of corrupt religion sacrilege treason rebellion and forgerie and séeing that hauing followed the insolencie boldnes and crueltie of those that went before him he hath published this most mad decrée contrarie to all lawes diuine and humane vsing false allegations and that without any iudiciall order yea foolishly blockishly impudently against the most excellent king of Nauarre and most noble prince of Condie and hath burdened them with filthie and geason reproches of words forasmuch as he called them sonnes of wrath obstinate heretiks notorious relapsed such as lie tumbling in filth rebels against the most Christian king persecutors of the Church a detestable issue traitors against God and man and did for these causes depriue them of their principalities dukedoms lordships fées and all honors and of the right of lawfull succession in the realme of France and forasmuch as this his old and outragious boldnes of abiudging and adiudging of kingdoms doth plainly appertaine vnto all kings princes and potentates of Europe and it is to be feared least those that shall be desirous of other mens kingdoms will lay wait for peaceable and quiet princes héerafter by this policie of excommunications or proscriptions for these causes the foresaid princes protest that the same pope Sixtus the fift is to be counted a wicked periured sacrilegious person a tyrant an author of feigned religions a cruell and bloodie murderer of the Church of Christ an importunate and wicked enimie of religion and to be most assuredly Antichrist and that al monarchs of Christendome kings princes potentates and those that haue any gouernment or lawful power are to be requested and earnestly intreated that they will helpe these most roiall princes to suppresse the furie of this fierce tyrant and to breake in péeces his cruell and furious assaults and that they will lay their heads togither and ioine togither their forces to extinguish that plague of mankind and to deliuer the Christian commonwealth from that monstrous and deadly monster In the meane season that the foresaid pope Sixtus the fift ought for his intollerable reprochfull words which he hath powred out against our foresaid princes with a beastly mind to be accounted and called of al Christians a most hidious monster a most filthy monster and a monster not woorthie to be bestowed euen in the farthest parts of the world but such a one as ought to be banished out of the coasts and borders of mans nature as a most certaine notorious and manifest Antichrist to whose accursed head all Christians ought to wish an euill plague ruine and destruction that so long as any breth shall remaine in his accursed bodie so long he may be to all the godlie Anathema Maranata as saith the holie Ghost And least happily any of vs do thinke this to be a new and vnwoonted kind of curse we will desire the readers that they will first of all remember those places which we cited before specially out of the books of Saint Bernard where the papacie of Rome is flatly plainly by name called Antichrist the sonne of perdition the man of sinne a diuell not onely of the day but also of the noone day who is not onely transfigured into an angell of light but is extolled aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped Now Hierom calleth Rome Babylon and the purpled whoore Secondly that they read and attentiuely consider the most holie sanction of the popes decrée * where it is ordained In c. 2. dist 23. c. si quis pecunia dist 79. that He which by monie or fauor of men such as it is manifest this frier had in the west parts or by tumult of the people or by anie pollicie that is by ambition and euill arts shall attaine to the papacie let him be accounted not apostolicall but apostaticall and let him togither with his fautors and followers be cast out of the bounds of the holie Church of God being thence separated as Antichrist and as an inuader and destroier of all Christendome Whereto the canonists durst with great consent subscribe and openly professe thus