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life_n	bless_a	jesus_n	lord_n	4,865	5	3.3913	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08486	A famous and godly history contaynyng the lyues a[nd] actes of three renowmed reformers of the Christia[n] Church, Martine Luther, Iohn Ecolampadius, and Huldericke Zuinglius. The declaracion of Martin Luthers faythe before the Emperoure Charles the fyft, and the illustre estates of the empyre of Germanye, with an oration of hys death, all set forth in Latin by Philip Melancthon, Wolfgangus Faber, Capito. Simon Grineus, [and] Oswald Miconus, newly Englished by Henry Bennet Callesian.; Historia de vita et actis Martini Lutheri. English	Melanchthon, Philipp, 1497-1560.; Bennet, Henry, fl. 1561, compiler and trans.; Capito, Wolfgang, 1478-1541. De vita Oecolampadii. aut; Grynäus, Simon, 1493-1541. De J. Oecolampadii obitu. aut; Mykonius, Oswald, 1488-1552. De H. Zuinglii vita et obitu. aut	1561 (1561)	STC 1881; ESTC S120757	69,569	198

in him He exhorted to peace disswaded war He medled not priuate care with ecclesiastical causes ther by to enrich himself or aduaunce hys friendes I iudge this to be so great wysdome vertue that by humayne diligence it cannot onely be procured but it behoueth high vehement subtil mindes as it appeareth Luthers was to be brydeled diuinely What shal I saye of other his vertues I often tymes came vnwares vpon hym when he wyth teares berayning hys chekes prayed for the vniuersal Church He prescribed certayn houres euery day to recite some Psalmes and in pronouncing them he expressed his affection wyth mourning teares He rebuked euer those that through negligence or other domestical busines sayde they serued God sufficiently in makyng a secret zelous prayer declaring to them that we haue fourmes set foorth by diuine counsell to th end that in reading we may awaken our myndes and wyth voyce testify what God we call vpon And when occasion was offered to enter in consultacion about imminent daungerous we alwaies obserued hys marueilous constancy of courage neyther would he lurke appalled neyther represent anye face ef feare wyth the terrour therof He leaned alwayes to the Lord as to hys holye ancre and neuer waued in anye poynt of hys fayth Further he was so ingenious that alone he considered what was necessary to be done in doubtful cases Neither was he as many suppose negligent in the consideracion of the publicke weale neyther ignoraunt of the myndes and inclinaciōs of other but he wel vnderstode the state of the common weale no man better perceyued most prudently the natural dispositions and wylles of them with whō he was cōuersant And albeit he was of a ioly politicke head yet he moste gredely red the Ecclesiasticall Wryters old and new all the histories the examples whereof he conuerted wyth a syngular dexterity to the profite of mans lyfe and present affaires Of hys eloquenc●e we haue euerlasting testimonies wherein certaynly he was equiualent to any that excelled in arte Oratory Then wyth good cause we may lament the lacke of hym who in wysedome and lyuelynes of spirite was so excellent so garnished with doctrine ▪ so exercise ▪ wyth vie so adorned with many those heroyical vertues so elected of God for the restauration of the Curch and finally with so paternal affection louyng and embracing vs we are lyke Orphelius depriued of a faythful and famous father And albeit necessarelye we must obey diuine order yet let vs endeuour the memory of hys benefites vertues may remayne immortal wyth vs. And let vs reioyce that presently he is in the blessed swete company of God his welbeloued Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ the Prophetes and Apostles whose so 〈…〉 etye throughe the fayth he had in the sonne of God he hath dayly desyred and attended Whereas now he heareth hys labours onely approued by the iudgement of God and the testimonye of all the heauenlye Church whyche he susteyned for the propagation of the Gospell but also taken out of thys mortal body as out of a pryson and entred into a schoole adourned wyth more excellent doctrine he beholdeth the essence of god the two natures cōioyned in the sonne and al the couns●● of h 〈…〉 creation and redemption of the church The which diuine m●ste●●es ●●r●ked and wyth compendious oracles proponed he cōsidered here only by fayth out nowe more ●u●●●nt y veholdyng them he reioyceth feruently enflamed wyth the loue of God he rendreth thankes for this so great singular benefyt There he learneth wherefore the sonne of God is called the woord and Image of the eternal Father how the holy ghost is the band of mutuall loue not onelye betwyxt the eternall Father and the Sonne but also betwyxt them and the Church For he had learned the ru●●mentes and principles of thys doctrine in thys mortal lyfe and mencioned oftentimes these celestiall matters the difference betwyrt true and false inuocation the true knowledge of God beholdyng the diuine manifestacions the discernynge of the true God from foreged and inuented Gods these matters he disputed very wisely graue●● Many in thys Auditory haue heard hym at certayn times expressing this sentence Ye shal see the heauens opened and the Aungels of God ascendyng and descending vpon the sonne of man In the exposicion of thys he exhorted hys Auditours to plant in theyr hartes thys syngular consolacion the whyche affirmeth that the heauen is opened that is to say way made open for vs to passe to God the barre of Gods wrathe remoued from suche as haue recourse to the Sonne that God is familiarlye conuersaunt wyth vs now and that he receyueth gouerneth and conserueth such as inuocate hym He admonished that that decree of God which the Atheistes exclame to be fabulous ought to resyst al those humaine doubtes dreades whyche keepe backe the wanderyng myndes that they dare not innocate God and repose in hym Further he sayd that the Aungels ascending and descending in the body of Iesus Christ wer the Ministers of the Gospel Who first by Christ their Guide ascended to God receiued of hym the lyght of the Gospell and the goly Ghost Then after they descended that is to say thei had the charge to professe and enstruct among men He added thys interpretacion that the very heauenly spirites which we commonly cal Angels beholding the sonne are instructed r●●oy●e in this merueylous con●unction of twoo natures for that they war vnder the Lord for the defence of the Churche they be also gouerned by hys hand He presently beholdeth these so excellent thynges and as before he ascended and descended among the Ministers of the Gospell by the conduction of Iesus Christe so nowe he seeth the Aungels sent by hym hath equal fruicion wyth them of the contemplacion consideracion of the diuine wysdome and marueylous workes of God We remember wel what incredible pleasure he conceiued in recityng the policies of the Prophetes theyr counsels daungers and deliueraunces and how learnedlye he conferred al tymes of the Church that he wel declared wyth what burnyng desyre he longed to be in the societye of these excellent personages He embraceth these now reioyceth to haue mutual conference in lyuelye voyce These salute their louyng companiō newly repayred to them and ioyntly yeld thankes to God that he assembleth and conserueth hys Church Let vs not doubt but that Luther is in happy blessed estate let vs lament the losse ●acke of so vertuous heauely a father as duty byndeth vs to obey the wyt of God who hath reft vs such a rare ●ewel so let vs vnderstand Gods pleasure is we should cōsecrate to etern●●● y● memory of his vertues and benefites Let vs ●hen in thys apply ou● diligence let vs imitate as we be able his vertues which is expediet for vs to know that is the feare of God fayth feruecy

in praier cleannes in ministerye chastity diligence to eschew counsels tendyng to sedicion and desyre to learne And as it behoueth vs to remēber the other faythful gouernours of the Churche whose histories we reade as Ieremy Iohn Baptist S. Paule So let vs consider oftentymes the doctrine and order of thys reuerend father herewyth let vs adde prayer and action of thankes as it becōmeth vs now to do in thys assembly WE render thankes vnto the O most puissant God eternal father of our Lord Iesus Christ founder of thy Church together with thy sonne coeternall our Lorde Iesus Christ the holye ghost wyse good mercyful ryghteous iudge mighty hauing power ouer althings for that thou ga●her●st vnto thy sonne an enheritaunce conse●uest the ministery of the Gospel now by Luther hast restored the same And we pray thee with feruent affection that thou wilt conserue and gouerne henceforth the church seale in vs thy true doctrine as Esay prayeth for his Disciples that thou wylt illumine our vnderstāding by thy holy ghost that in truth we may cal vpon thee and lyue holyly Furthermore because the decease of excellent gouernours is oftē a presage or foreshewing of great inconue niēces to come to such as shal succede I and al those that professe ministery require you to consider the daungers wherunto the whole world is subiect The Turkes inuade of one side on the other domestical enemies threatē intestine wars Ther ●urke also eueri where licencious insolent heades who after they shal cease to feare Luthers censure seuere correction wil not stycke audaciously to corrupt this doctrine of vs faythfully taught Finally that God may withdraw such inconueniences let vs apply our diligence to lyue wel to study let vs retein this setēce alwaies impressed in our mindes that as long as we shal conserue heare learn loue the pure doctrine of y● Gospel we shal be the house church of God as the sōne of God sayth If any loue me he wyll obserue my word and my father wyl loue him we wyll come to hym and make our abode with hym Let vs be allured with thys singular promyse to learne the heauenly doctrine let vs be throughly perswaded that mākinde ciuil gouernments are cōserued because of the church Let vs pōder this in our minde be encouraged with y● imortality y● is cōming to the whych God hath called vs who truely hath not in vayne manifested himself vnto vs by so many testimonies nor with out good respect sent hys sonne but tenderly loueth careth for suche as make accompt of his inestimable benefites I haue sayd ¶ A famous godly history contaynyng the liues and actes of Iohn Ecolampadius and Huldericke Zuinglius excellent Diuines set foorth by Wolfangus Faber Capito Simon Grineus and Oswaldus Miconius and Englyshed by Henry Bennet Callisian ¶ Anno. 1561. The last of Nouember ⸫ To the ryght honourable and his syngular good Lord the Lord Montioy hys humble Oratour Henry Bennet Callesian wysheth long lyfe with encrease of honour ⸫ THAT vertue and felicitye haue theyr begynnyng of laborious and daungerous attempts Demetrius the Pagan Philosopher abundantly declares For if blessed estate is accident to none but to such as fast and endure aduersity those that lyue in pleasure perpetual rest are estemed inglorious Epicures whō God neglectes iudgeth vnworthy to cōten●e wyth calamity How famous excellent were the auncient Greekes and victorious Romaines ryght honorable my syngular good Lord whose vertuous dedes notable exploictes not without great perils honorable death atchieued ●ystify to al posterity their incredible desyre as well to enlarge the ●●myts of theyr 〈…〉 and illustrate with victories their florishing publicke weales as also their intollerable paynes prudent consideracions to attaine to felicity by the ragged hyls sharpe thorny wayes whych lead to vertue Hercules worthely Prince of all Grecia what labors susteyned he What ougly Monsters dyd he ouercome and with what magnanimitye dyd he penetrate the gresly denne of Pl●toes ghastly kingdome By what other counsayle dyd Homexe ●udged of y● learned diuine set before our eyes wandring Vlisses as an absolute Image of wysdom tossed with many ●rksome trauayls but to signify thys to be the ready way to clyme to the palaice of al felicity and commendable vertue Such wer Epaminundas Alcibiades Phociō Alexander the great Cam●llus Scipio Paulus Aemilius Pompeius Augustus Brutus Cato Cicero no ●es ornamentes of their Country then expresse paternes of vertue These worthi personages as thei shined in glory and lyue in the learned monumentes of vertuous writers So y● infamous and in glorious Princes as Heliogabalus Sardanapalus Nero Caligula Cōmodus haue not onely eclipsed the bryght sunne of theyr honors by lasciuious liuing coward dread but obscurely lurke in the depe ●onge on of lothsome obliuion It is then apparēt that nothyng in this world can establish our seate in securiti but onely vertue the whych with incredyble trauayl is procured If these excellet Orators and Poetes haue celebrated the memory of these princes that onely endeuored to gratefy theyr Coūtry common weale What shal we worthe lye write in the commendacion of Iohn Ecolampadius and Huldericke Zuinglius who wyth theyr monumentes of diuine sapience haue confirmed our myndes in y● feare of God fed vs wyth Euange●ical foode and preached to vs y● doctrine of saluaciō I may iustly say they were not onely equiualent but also excelled y● other The one a man of such innocencye of lyfe so sincere in preachyng professyng the Gospell so readye to oppose hym self to al worldly daunger as no age can obliterate his memorye The other so magnanimous in thaduaūc● mēt of Christes glory and his blessed Gospell so willinglye bent to dye in quarel of y● right merites more praise then to be set fourth with foyle of my rude pen. Their liues are no lesse mirrours for vs vertuouslye to lyue then theyr blessed departures comfortable preparatiues teaching vs to dye godly Thus desirous to gratefy your honour wyth some token of my goodwyl I haue englished this history the which for mani your vertues goodli ornamēts I dedicate vnto your good Lordship Which vertues heauenly giftes your honour hath not of lats acquired but naturally are engraffed in your person Ther is none at thys present that ●auoreth of any learning but hath red the cōmendacion of your most noble Graundfather Wylliam Lord Montioy Who besides nobility of race was adorned with such piety good litterature as he excelled many noble men in England For albeit thys victorious Realme ▪ flourished at those daies with many learned instructors yet the excellency of his courage could not be contented vnles he wer taught of the famous incomparable Clark Erasmus of Roterdam by whose industry he was so aduaunced in letters of humanitye that not onely in hys natiue Country but in many

foraine regions hys glory and fame eternally shineth Suche is the mutual loue of learned men to consecrate one another in their lucubrations to immortalitye And to passe in silence many other his vertues I wil approch nigher Your honorable father Charles lord Montioy folowing the lyuely steps of his father was instructed of the notable learned man Andrew Hyperius a Germain Who not onely in tyme of peace was diligently incūbent t● good studies furdered good learnyng but in the late famous warre a●●iege of Boloigne shewed his magnanimity inuincible courage wher death enuying his glori claimed her iust debt of him not without the lamentable griefe and in credible sorow of a great mani Your honor degenerateth nothing frō their lawdable steppes entertayning with lyke zealous affection Heliseus Bomelius a Germain who readeth vnto your honour the liberal sciences whom Phillip Melancthon hath in familiar letters praysed highly for erudicion godlynes Albeit hys learned workes published geue due testimony therof I pretermit many other your worthy vertues which iustly to set forth I leaue to such as with greater vessels cā more aptly wade in this sea Ouely I wil end with your piety which is so great y● you cānot bear with any ●ice that mai offend God in your honorable house your vnstayed hand to relieue their wantes whom you thynke woorthye to receaue your rewardes your zeale towardes true religion which many to your syngular prayse pronounce In sort y● when the Patrons of Christian religion ar celebrated with iust encomys among men your honor is not ▪ vnremēbred Thus hūbly desiring your good lordship to beare with the rudenes of my trāslacion I commit the same the most vertuous Lady your honorable wife to the tuicion of the holy Ghost ¶ At London the last of Nouember 1561. your honors most humble H. B The historye of the Lyfe of Iohn Ecolampadius setfoorth by Wolfangus Faber Capito ⸫ ¶ To the Christian Reader I Wyshe thee fauourable Reader to encrease in y● knowledge vnderstandyng of our Lord Iesus Christ raignyng in glory Our friende Simon Grineus as well floorishyng in eloquence and ornate style as learned in sacred knowledge and sence of y● scrip tures hath by hys letters faythfullye signified vnto vs the true decease of the very organe of Christ my welbeloued brother Iohn Ecolampadius The whych information two Counsellers of Basile mē of syngular grauity and good fame haue wyth theyr aduertisment verified to be true who expressed in suche maner vnto vs the woordes and gesture of the deceased that me semed I beheld and heard the lyuely woordes he pronounced at the point of death These Counsellers were euer present with the Ministers so long as occasion spared them from publike affaires and specially when he was ready to geue place to nature ▪ They enfourmed he intermitted no time whyle he was sycke to cōmende the sincere doctrine of fayth peace mutual loue and diligent care of the Churches to hys brethren wherof al hys life studious then he was y● more earnestly moued yea enflamed when hys sycknes was most impacient and do●orous Pondering also with hymself what occasion of contencion and diseord the enemy wold minister to y● selected Christian flocke destitute of the goueruaunce assistence of theyr true Pastor And fullye I resolue hys prayers auayled muche for that after hys departure his Successor in moste sharpest time of seuerity persecutiō gouerned the sterne ryghtlye was not displaced in sorte that the poore Christiās sequestring them selues for a tyme dispersed abroad in the end assembled in lyke order as in fewe yeres before established their Church and abode Our part is to render harty thanks to the ramous and learned man Simon Grineus who with compendious clegancy and syngular erudicion hath deseriued the decease of thys godlye man by whose example we haue perfecte president to learne howe to behaue our selues at the latter houre The rest of Ecolampadius lyfe is no lesse myrrour whych Grineus hath required me fullye to setfoorth Aprou●nce I confesse farre passyng my power especially in thys miserable and croked age also skyl if any wer at al wyth tract of yeares lothsome sycknes and daylye exercise empayred and decayed And certes I could none other then encurre worthy note of ingratitude if the glory of Christ whych shined in thys holy man if thy desyre fauorable Reader proceding of a zelous affection finally if Grineus earnest request a man of approued learnyng and god lynes moued me not to descriue the hystorye of Ecolampadius lyfe and comprise in fewe woordes those matters whych I perfectlye vnderstande Thou shalt therefore heare of me the very trouth and no pay 〈…〉 historye barrayne of eloquence and phrases the truth I repea●e will knowen to many credible persons fra●●ng ●rast if I should disclose doubtful matters and which I could not warrant to deserue worthely 〈…〉 and staine of credit Attend therefore to this briefe discours● of Ecolampadius life from the begynnyng to the ●at●er end Ecolampadius was borne in Germany in the yere of our Lord. 14●2 in a lytie Village called Viesperg in that Territory which the auncient latins called Cherusci ●ys Parentes according to the Country very rich hys Mother much renowmed for her integrity of lyfe and holynes Who for her liberality towards the poore and good nature was well regarded and reported among her neighbours And when God had refte them of all their Children sauyng thys they endeuoured with al sedulity diligence to haue hym instructed and from the very brest nourished in learnyng and godlye feare Beyng growen somewhat elder his Father determined to make hym a Marchaunt but hys Mother procured longer exhibition for hys continue in study When he learned hys ru 〈…〉 me●ts beyng very yong he represented such a tokē of towardnes that all those that knewe hym ma●ueyled much thereat for y● Lorde ripened hym the ry●e●●er y● he might employe hym in hys seruice Whych was the cause hys Father eyther ouercome with hys Wyues prayer or wonne wyth the towardnes of the Childe foreced for no charges After he had tasted the first foundacions of learning his Father sent him to Helteprune Heidelberge to aduaunce hym to the study of the liberall sciences There he profited so wel that at the .xii. yeare of hys age he wrate cōmendable Verses and wythin twoo yeares after he obtained the degree of Bacheler as they terme it And thys whyle be fructified no lesse in y● feare of God and innocency of lyfe then in g●od litterature Being graded Maister of Arte he went to Boloigne in Italy according to his fathers mind to study the Ciuil law vnder a Reader therof for hys excellencye in that knowledge muche renowmed But wythin one halfe yeare after he was forced to returne as well for the ayre of Italy which he could not brooke as for the fraudulency of a Marchant vnto whom hys father had

❧ A famous and godly history contaynyng the Lyues Actes of three renowmed reformers of the Christiā Church Martine Luther Iohn Ecolampadius and Huldericke Zuinglius The declaracion of Martin Luthers faythe before the Emperoure Charles the fyft and the illustre Estates of the Empyre of Germanye ▪ wyth an Oration of hys death all set forth in Latin by Phillip Melancthon Wolfangus Faber Capito Simon Grineus Oswald Miconus Newly Englished by Henry Bennet Callesian ⸫ ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdely dwellyng in lytle Brittaine Streete by great Saint Bartelmewes ▪ Anno ▪ 1561. ¶ Encomy of Martine Luther A head where Pallas misteries wer fraight A face where ●oumy brigh●lye dyd appeare An eye that could discerne ech mynde ● sleight And eares contēpning priuate ●au● to heare A tong that dyd pronounce the sacred truth A prareirs pen that paynted well the same A zeale that moued Tigrish hartes to ru●he And could to vertue mild●●s mindes enflame A mynde aspiring ay to wysdomes throne A hart that neuer drad the Tirantes might A rocke that wold remoue from truth for none Disdayning death in quarell of the ryght These golden gifts in Luther shined bright For which he now receiues immortal light ¶ Psalme .cxvi. ¶ The death of the iuste is precious before the syght of God To the right honorable ▪ and his syng●good lord Thomas Lord Wentworth prosperous health and perpetual fel citye ⸫ NOT without immortal prayse euerlasting renowme ar the actes and monumentes of learned men cōmended to posterity For if life wtout litterature is as Seneca sayth a death or sepulture of the lyuely man the body as Plato wytnesseth no body but a sepulture cohibiting the minde from hys natural vigour how much excelleth he ryght honorable and my syngular good Lord in thys frayle estate who wyth studies of humanitye garnished wyth diuine knowledge adorned hath not onely enriched his natural vnderstāding but also made the same almost equiualent to Aungels comprehēding the glorious misteries of the eternal Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ Among these how much Martine Luther excelled his holy woorkes prophane monumentes besides the learned testimonies of many famous Clarkes abundantly deciare Reading therefore of late tyme the history of hys Lyfe and Actes setfoorth by the incomparable ornament of good learnyng Phillyp Melanethon I was therein maruaylously delighted efrsones perusing the same I was rauished with incredible desyre to bestow somtime in the translation therof Many vrgent causes moued me whereof y● principal be these Fyrst hys integrity of life godly conuersacion zelous affection towardes the propagacion of Gods holy word Secondly his animosity professyng Christ hys Maister hys learned conference wyth the temporall Ecclesiastical Estates of Germany his contempt of al worldly felicitye transitori pompe in respect of Christ hys Maister whom he purely professed and sincerely preached Lastly y● lamentable verses funerall Oracions of diuers bewayling the losse of this pearle of Christianity the traduction of this present historye into the Germaine Frenche Spanish Italian tonges by certayn godly persons exiled their natural country and dispersed in sundry Christian Territories wher Gods word is purely preached and all papistrye abolished By whyche it appeareth he was no lesse treasure and glory of hys Countrye spectacle and absolute Image of godly wysedome then terrour to all Papisme and such as builded the laud of theyr lyfe on the s●nde of ambicious seekyng My rude translacion symple trauayle I dedicate vnto your good Lordship as to the very Patron and fauourable Mecenas of all poore Studentes Whose honorable personage to pouder with condigne praise ●● a thing more due to your desertes the easy for my rude pen and more appertaineth to my duty then it stādeth wyth myne ability For who knoweth your Lordship and is ignoraunt of the rare gyftes that harbor in your head of the natural bountye that so brightly shineth in your countenaūce Who hath not hearde the renowmed brute of your constancye in Christian religion euen in these late wretched dayes whose noble hart neither tedious and long imprisonment neyther flowing heapes of worldly aduersity could fraight with feare or mooue to deflect to any sinister way and whose vertuous mynde in greatest troubles euermore aspired to the hygh temple where God in glorye is in throned I passe in silence your bounty towards al such as professe God vnfaynedly publishe abroade the fruites of theyr studies All which most heauenly desertes do not onely merite to be registred in the booke of Fame but also ministre ample occasion for your honorable personage whē the fatal Ladies shal spyn out the thre● of mortal life to be calendred in the Catalogue of those vertuous wyghtes Who for sundry their prowesses woorthye exploictes goodly graces and syngular giftes were by antiquitye consecrate to immortality And though your honour whose lyfe lightneth hys profession and whose profession purelye aduaunceth the glory of God and his sacred word disdayneth to be setforth wyth my rude penne yet your Lordshyp must beare with him that of good wyl pronoūceth this of your good deseries I coulde wade further in your honours commendacion but that I haue a certayn reuerence to trouble wyth my prolixitye your grauer affaires And partlye feare pulleth me back least I be spoiled with the nose of adulacion whose honorable eares abhorres to hear your proper praise and whose iudgement woulde condempne my temerarious attēpt herein Therefore sparing to speake that inwardly I conceiue I remyt this argument of blasing your heroiacal vertues to such excellent Rethoricians as far surmounting me in eloquence good lytterature as Phebus wyth hys bryght beames the lesser celestiall bodyes Thus humbly besechyng your honour to take in good parte the base and symple trauayle of a poore Callisian and also vouchsafe the Patronage of thys Christian history or rather myrrour of Christian lyfe Vnder whose protection I publyshe the same abroade I beseche the eternall God and hys Sonne Iesus Christe to preserue your Lordshyppe and the ryght honourable and vertuous Lady your Wyfe sende ye encrease of muche honour and graunt ye the accomplishment of your gentle hartes desyre From London thys ●● of Nouember 1561. ⸫ ¶ Your honours most humble Oratour Henry Bennet ❧ The hystory of the Lyfe and Actes of Martine Luther Doctour of Diuinitie Faythfully set foorth by Phillip Melan●thon ¶ THE reuerende Father Martin Luther promised in hys fatall tyme to publyshe aswell the discourse of hys lyfe as causes of hys conslicts whych he resolued to do yf death to greedy of her pray had not reft vs the society of hym and the heauens accelerated to place thys incomparable Iewell among the elect organes and vessels of God the father Therefore I iudge it necessary that the consideracion of hys particular lyfe be luculently set forth Since the same aboūded with manye good examples that may corroborate in syncere mindes the fear of god not

and prooue the contrary wyth the testimonies of the same Then leauing Luther they departed and reported to the Archbishop of Triers that he had promised to submyt hys wrytings in certayn articles to the next Coūcel and in the meane space he would kepe silence whyche Luther neuer thought who neyther wyth admonicions ne yet menaces could be induced to denye or submyt hys bookes to the iudgements of mē he ha● so fortified them with cleare manifest authorities of the scripture vnlesse the● coulde prooue by sacred Scripture and apparent reasons he had erred It chaunced then by y● special grace of god that the Archbishop of Triers sent for Luther resolued presently to heare hym And when he perceiued otherwise then Peutinger the Doctor of Bade had tolde hym he affirmed that Luther should not haue reuoked for a great deale that he had sayd vnles he had heard him speake but that straight he would haue gone to the Emperour and declared what the Doctors had reported Then the Archbyshop treated and conferred wyth Luther very gently fyrst remouyng such as wer present as well of the iudgement of the Emperor and Empire as of the sentence of the next general Councell In this conference Luther conceled nothyng from the Archbishoppe affirmyng it was daungerous to submyt a matter of so great importance to them who after they had called hym vnder safe-conduct attempting hym wyth newe commaundementes condempned his opinion and approued the Popes Bull. Moreouer the Archbyshop bedding a friend of hys drawe nygh required Luther to declare what remedye myghte bee ministred to helpe thys Luther aunswered There was no better remedy then suche as Gamali●l alledgeth in the fy●te ▪ Chapter of the Apostles wytnes Saynte Luke saying If thys councel or this worke procede of men it shall be dyssolued but if it be of God ye cannot dissolue it And that the Emperour and the Estates of the Empyre myghte aduertyse the Pope that he knewe certaynelye yf thys hys enterpryse proceeded not of God it woulde be abolished wythin three yea wythin two yeares The Archbishoppe enquired of hym what he would do if certain articles wer taken out of his bookes to be submitted to the generall Councell Luther aunswered So that they be not those which the councel of Constāce condempned The Archbishop sayd I feare they wyll be the very same but what then Luther replied I wyl not nor I cannot hold my peace of suche for I am su●e by their decrees the the woord of God was condempned Therfore I wyl rather lose head and life then abandon the manyfest word of my Lord God Then the Archbishop seing Luther would in no wyse submit the word of God to the iudgement of men gently bad Luther farewell who at that instant prayed y● Archbishop to entreate the Emperours Maiestye to graunt hym gracious leaue to depart He answered he would take order for hym and speedelye aduertise the Emperours pleasure And within a smal whyle after the Archbishops Offical in the presence of the Emperours Secretarye who was Maximilians Chauncelour said vnto Luther in his lodging by the cōmaundement of the Emperour that syn●e he had ben● admonished diuersly of the Emperial Maiesty the Electors Princes Estates of the Empire and that notwythstandyng he would not return to vnity concord there remayned that Themperour as aduocate of the Catholike faith shuld procede further And that it was the Emperours ordinaunce he shoulde wythin .xx. dayes returne securely● vnder safeconduct and be safely garded to the place whence he came so that in the meane whyle he stirred no commocion among the people in hys iorney eyther in conference or Sermons Luther hauing vnderstanded thys aunswered very modestlye Christianly Euen as it hath pleased God so is it come to passe the name of the Lorde be blessed He sayd further he thanked most humbly the Emperors Maiesty all the Princes Estates of the Empire that they had geuen to hym benigne gracious audience and graunted safeconduct to come to returne Finally he said he desired none other in them then a reformacion accordyng to the sacred woorde of God and consonancy of holy scriptures whych effectually● in hys hart he prayed Otherwyse he was prest to suffer al accidentes for the Emperiall Maiesty as lyfe and death good fame and reproch reseruing nothyng to hym selfe but the onely woorde of God whych he would constantly confesse to the latter end humbly recommending hym to the Emperours Maiestye and to all the Princes and other Estates of the sac●e● Empyre The morrowe after whyche was the .xxvi. daye of Apryll after hee had taken hys leaue of suche as supported hym and other hys ben●uolent friendes that o●t●n tymes visited hym and broken hys fast at ten of the clocke he departed from Wormes accompanyed wyth suche as repayred thyther wyth hym The Emperours Heraulde Caspar Sturme followed and ouertooke hym at Oppenhim beyng commaunded by the Emperonr to conduct hym safely home ⸫ ¶ The prayer which Martyne Luther was accustomed dayly to say COnfyrme O God in vs that thou haste wrought and perfect the woorke that thou haste begone in vs to thy glorye So be it ❧ An intimacion geuen by Philip Melancthon to hys Auditorye at Vitteberg The yeare 1546. Of the decease of Martyne Luther ⸫ THE Scholers assembled to heare the Lecture of the Epistle to the Romaynes Phyllip Melācthon recited publikly thys that foloweth at nyne of the clocke before noone aduertisyng he gaue thys informacion by the counsayle of other Lordes for that the Auditors vnderstandyng the expresse truth for so much as the lords knew certainly Fame woulde bl●we sclaunderous blastes euery where of the death of Luther should not credit flying tales and false reportes My friendes ye know that we haue enterprised to expound Grammatical lye the Epistle to the Romaynes in the which is contayned the true doctrine of the Sonne of God the which our Lord by hys singular grace hath reuealed vnto vs at thys present by the reuerend Father our dearelye beloued Maister Martin Luther Not withstanding we haue receiued heauy newes which haue so augmented my dolour that I am in dout if I mai continue hencefoorth in scholasticall profession and exercise of teachyng The cause wherefore I commemorate thys thinge is for that I am so aduised by other Lordes that ye may vnderstand the true sequele of things least your selues blase abroade vayne ●ales of this fatal chaūce or geue credit to other fables which cōmonly ar accustomed to be spred euery where Wedensday last past the. 17. daye of February Doctor Martin Luther syckned a litle before Supper of hys accustomed malady to say the oppression of humors in the orifice or opening of his stomacke wherof I remēber I haue senhim oft diseased in this place Thys sickenes occupied him after Supper with the which vehemētly contending he required secesse into an next chamber there he rested on bed two houres whiles the

delyuered money for hys maintenaunce Then he came backe to Heidelberge where geuing ouer the Ciuil law he applyed his mind to Diuinity cō●oygning therwith good learnyng the tongs Pleas and ciuil contencions seemed to base for the excellency of hys wyt He was so careful and studious to vnderstand the truth that the ambiguity ve●acion of questions vayne sophistry which pull many pregnaunt natural good wyts from the cast of holy scripture coulde not discourage hym to leaue hys purpose After he had red Thomas of Aquine he gaue hym selfe to Richard aboue al the scolastical writers He redde diligentlye Gerson because he semed more apt to nourish the feare reuerence of God He made none accompt of Scotus al beit he was subtile he stayed not as one musyng on euery subtile questiō as hys companions dyd but hastened to attain to the somme of thys profession And this while he cōferred with certayne the fruites of hys study and contemned euermore the publick disputacion of suche as in cōmon places would contend esteming the same to be a meane to corrupt marre the toward wyts good natures of younge men with pride arogancy noise and braw●es He more desyred to learne then to wynne Fame by knowledge which was repugnant to the nature of hys tender yeres the institucion of his Maisters You would haue said he● had bene the suckyng Infant of sacred Verity not the Scholer of doltysh Schoolemaisters He attempted diligently as hys capacity serued to vnderstand playnly all the secretes misteries of learned truth which was the cause that honest people commen ded hym singularly both for learning and vertue Yea Philippe Palatine most illustre Prince and Elector of y● empire encouraged with his renowme made him Instructor of hys Childre which was the ready way to grow to great welth if he had delited to sauor of the pompe brauery of the world but the vertue of hys mynde borne to embrace godlines drew him an other way Wherfore with al celerity he abandoned the Court and returned to prosecute hys godlye studies agayne Finally for that hys Parentes people very deuout were fullye resolued to employ theyr wealth on Gods seruice and this their onely Sonne hauing no further care nor hope of any issue cōsideryng he was of a weake complexion and apt to proue a notable Preacher they founded in the Towne where they were borne by the aduise and consent of theyr sayde sonne a Benefice hauyng the charge of Preacher annexed and employed theron the principall part of theyr reuenue And therefore Ecolampadius was first assigned Gouernour of that Churche where hauyng resided syxe weekes he procured liberty to return to Heidelberg to encrease his studies thynking hym selfe not then able to dyscharge the office of a Preacher whych he wel weyed to be no tryuial matter But fyrst of al he cam to Tubinge and at Stulgarde he conferred wyth Capnion a man at those dayes very perfect and skylful in the knowledge of the tounges Who in sewe dayes gaue hym some 〈◊〉 of Greke whych he augmented after wyth priuate study that at his returne to Heidelberg he wrate a Grammer which he intitu●ed Dragmata the whyche synce was imprinted And at y● tyme he learned the Hebrue tong of a Spaniard who somtyme was my scholemaister a peruers mā and or an euill conuersacion for he hated vs because we studied that holy tonge Euen thē I was Preacher at Bruschel and followed the Bishoppes Court about whose affaires I had occasion oftentymes to visit Heidelberg which ministred opportunity to enter in familiarity wyth hym and to entertayne the same with gratifiyng one an other as tyme required This friendshyppe florished betwyxt vs without violacion or semblant of vnkyndnes tyll the latter day For eche of vs was participant of others affayres and we disposed and ordered all our actes and intentes with mutual aduise and counsell sauynge when he attempted the Monkysh estate which was contrary to my wyl And now that he is departed out of thys mortal lyfe I will not omit to loue hym the which Christe helpyng me I wyl largely declare in hys Children cōmitted to my tuiciō Then he thought good to repayre to his habitacion to discharge his office and preserue the same from all contagion whyche myghte happen to hys Church by the frequency of such preposterous and vayne heads as ●u●ked in great nombers in the Vniuersities During whych tyme I was called to Basile there to preache and then he preached Christ in his Coūtry to the great admiracion of al faythful learned people albeit then he entermedled many thinges of the auncient supersticion yet some affirmed he was a very seuere Preacher because he rored not out in the Pulpit with pleasaunt g●sture could not moue laughter among hys gloming ▪ Auditors as was the best●al ●onkes custome for he euer obserued modestye grauitye in his ●●●eraunce This their corrupt peruerse iudgement gaue hym occasiō to write vnto me one litle treatise intituled the ●asti●●● of passeouer ▪ wherin be expressed hys mynde ●●●ye learnedly and as I 〈◊〉 ▪ not ▪ 〈◊〉 ▪ yeares past Then I 〈◊〉 wyth al sedulity to allure such a companion of studye and godlynes to Basi●● iudging it vnworthy that suche a toward wyt and hope of Christian Religion should l●●ke in a s●●●et 〈◊〉 of hys Country I entreated Christopher of V●●nhim Bishop of Ba●●●● ▪ to sende for hym and to ●●●owe hym wyth par●●h●all 〈◊〉 of the Cathedral Churche He brought wyth hym si●e Christian Tra 〈…〉 s I remember not y● argumentes of them al but of one ●●●●s I ●rr● wrytten of the Virgin Mary And these Tragedies pleased wel the iudgement of al learned Readers He gaue hym self much to wryte Greeke and Latine verses The argumentes of hys Tragedies were not conformable to the rule of fayth for that he wound hym self out of the errors vsed in the Church slowly and deliberatelye obeyng rather the iudgement of an apparent established religion then the vayne affections of other whyche was the cause hys Tragedies were not imprinted In this broyle Erasmus of ●otero●ame came to Basile of purpose to haue hys Annotacious vpon the new Testamēt imprinted to accelerate the same he required Ecolampadius to ayde hym As he plainly confesseth he was ayded of hym namyng Ecolampadius a perfect and true deuine and an excellent myrrour of holynes in lyfe and in the knowledge of the three tonges He was graded Doctor through the impo●run●tye coaction of hys friendes who iudged hys parsonage worthy to be garnished wyth such a title the common people much applaudyng the same It was hyghe tyme the lord should be serued of such a Minister so instructed and ready therefore the Chanons of the great Church in Auspurg sent for hym to preache there but the haruest of the Lord was not yet rype and the Euāgelical corne not whyte inough

before your eyes Men preach the truth in vain and litle preuaile wordes for if we wil subdue Sathan if we determine to shape this world after Christ this specially that now is we had neede of a cleare and holy lyfe of a heauenly courage and mynde See ye not what cloudes appeare what tēpest begins to noise what alienacion of myndes what impiety raigne yet ye must be constāt and couragious assured the Lord wil dispose al in iust order O the I myght be with you in your tribulacions and expose thys my lyfe for the truth but it may be so for as muche as the loue of godly men and the band in Christ is indissoluble and haue all thynges common amonge them Suche discourse hadde Ecolampadius concernyng religion generally with vs his brethren and then he began to touch hym selfe Where I am sc●aundered sayth he that peruerslye I haue corrupted the truth I force not for praised be god I depart to appeare before the throne of Christ in pure consciēce there shal I truly knowe if I haue seduced the Churche I leaue you wytnesses of thys myne opinion and attestacion the which I mayntayne and confirme in these my last sighes And when he had sayd thys the brethren gaue hym theyr handes and faithfully promised to take care for y● church The morow after which was the. r● day he had layed sycke he commaunded his Children to be brought before hym and fyrst he tooke them by the hand then he stroke them on the head notwithstanding their tender yeres could not conceiue the fathers mynde for the eldest was but thre yeres old Go to fayth he Eusebie you Irena and you Alith●a my deare Children i●u● ye God your father And when theyr Mother hadde made a sygne of graunt ●he would fulfyl his cōmaundement he vended hys eyes towards hys wy●● hys mother in law other hys 〈…〉 saying I haue wyth thys my last restament bound ye that ye end 〈…〉 my Children be such as I sayd euen now and as I haue euer desyred that is fearing God peaceable meeke and true And after all those that were present had geuen agayne consent and faythfull promise to obserue hys request he caused hys chyldren to be re 〈…〉 ed from hym Thys was the last nyght and all the br●●hen were wyth him wyth whom it semed hauing de 〈…〉 ●o rest he conferred very ly 〈…〉 A certayne friend of his came in againe that went foorth whom he required to ●●l s●m newes the other aunswered he knew none But I wyll tell thee newes sayth Ecolampadius Euery man was silent to heare what thys myght be I shall be shortlye sayth he wyth Christe my Lord. Anon after one demaunded hym if the lyght hurted hym not and laying hys hande on hys stomacke aunswered here is lyght inough The daw●ing of day appeared and the Sunne began wyth hys radiaunt beames to cleare the whole worlde when hys fatall houre approched Hys last prayer whych we could vnderstand and which he pronounced wyth great payne yet casye to be vnderstanded was the .li. Psalme of Dauid which contayneth Dauids penitent prayer for hys synnes the which thys godlye man recited at large in the presence of vs with sighes drawen from hys diuine brest Thys done he paused a while and as one sodaynelye awakened sayde thys prayer Iesus Christ saue me Thys was the last voyce that issued out of that venerable mouthe We were ten brethren kneelyng rounde about hys bed and lyf●ynge vp oure handes wee made oure prayer vnto God It was uowe cleare and perfect day● ▪ and the su●ne ascended our horisont when thys holy mā rendred his ghost to God hys Creatour so meekelye humbly with such affiaunce in Christ hys Lord that al good people wer no lesse comforted wyth hys godly ende then they had bene edefied by hys vertuous lyfe Thus Ecolampadius ended hys dayes whose lyfe shied in integrity and innocencye The cause recited in the beginning moued me yea truely me that haue bene a luculent witnes wyth diuers credible persons of all these thynges wrytten not to swarue from testification of the truthe but faythfully to aduertise the same And now my deare friende Capito synce you haue exhorted me to set forth hys fatal end reduce you to memorye the order of hys lyfe For you know what pleasure the godly shall receyue and what prouocacion thys shal be for thē to imitate hys godly steppes I do not in vayne require you to attempt this for no man can more lyuely descriue the same then you ▪ with whō all hys syfe tyme he had great familiaritye and learned conference Then seyng thys ample occasion is offred vnto you to satisfy the thurstye expectacion of the godly and gratefy the gredye desyres of all honest and vertuous people I doubt not and the rather at the contemplation of my request you wyll publysh to the whole world the great abundaūce of grace it pleased the Lorde to poore in thys man who is worthy to be calendred in the Catalogue of famous and godly pyllers of the Christiā church Farewel ▪ ¶ The history of the Lyfe and Death of Huldericke Zuinglins Wrytten by Oswa●d Mi●●●●●s ⸫ ¶ Oswald Miconius wysheth perfect health to hys friende Agathius Ber●●●●● YOVR request is deare friend Agathy I should publysh a matter as worthy notice as surmounting the compasse ●●ing skyll For great thynges requyre supportacion of great power as yet I haue ramforced onely For I am bothe weake to attaynd to high matters and naturally giuen to atchieue low enterprises Think you this is a triuial argumēt to discourse I wyl not say descriue the historye of Zuinglius lyfe for suche is not your desire weying the sterility of my skyl and eloquence Tully the Prince of al good learning the famous Plutarche might with their greatest vessels wade in thys large sea without eclipse of their glorious cunning and elegant style So great is Zuinglius among his sincere friendes so s●●lly estemed among hys illiterate prophane enemies herof springeth your doubt There be some you allydge that in praysing him make the same a myrour of godlynes and some in contemning hym paint him out lyke an horrible and monstrous wyght whych moueth you to maruaile the yearth canne sustaine so facinerous a creature Thus the laud of hys friends alluryng you to reuerence the sclaūder of his foes prouoking you to abhore his lyfe and actes You seme to suspende your resolute iudgement of him and hys learned woorkes and therfore requires to be credibly enformed by some his familiar friendes of his demeanure and cōuersacion that such is your zelous affection as hys excellent monumēts shine in al Christianity and sincere doctrine so they maye receyue condigne credit and godlye reporte of all Christian people I maye ryghte boldlye affirme I knewe Zuinglius familyarlye who was my Mecenas with whom I had learned conference for the which I am obliged vnto hym manyfoldly But