the hangman deceiued the sight of the people by some subtile sleight and craftie conueiance Not so quoth the hangman if ye suspect my dede open his mouth and diligently search the rootes of his tongue The Captaine at length being confounded with the fortitude and courage of the Martyr straightly commaundeth him to be brought backe into the prison and there to be strangled Where his sorowfull life and paines being ended hee nowe enioyeth quiet rest in the Lord with perpetuall hope of his miserable body to be restored againe with his soule into a better life where no tyrant shall haue any power Prudentius in hymnis de coronis Martyrum Gordius was a citizen of Caesaria a worthy souldiour and Captaine of an hundreth men Hee in the time of extreme persecution refusing any loÌ„ger to execute his charge did chuse of his owne accord willing exile and liued in the desert many yeares a religious and solitary life But vpon a certaine day when a solemne feast of Mars was celebrated in the citie of Caesarea and much people were assembled in the Theatre to beholde the games he left the desert and got him vp into the chiefe place of the Theatre and with a loude voyce vttered this saying of the Apostle Beholde I am fouÌ„d of them which sought me not and to those which asked not for mee haue I openly appeared By which wordes he let it to be vnderstood that of his owne accorde he came vnto those games At this noise the multitude litle regarding the sights looked about to see who it was that made such exclamation As soone as it was knowne to be Gordius and that the crier had commanded silence he was brought vnto the shiriâ—e which at that instant was present and ordeined the games WheÌ„ he was asked the question who he was from whence and for what occasion he came thether he telleth the truth of euery thing as it was I am come saith he to publish that I set nothing by your decrees against the Christian religion but that I professe Iesu Christ to be my hope and safety And when I vnderstood with what crueltie ye handle other men I tooke this as a fitte time to accomplish my desire The Shirife with these wordes was greatly mooued and reuengeth all his displeasure vpon poore Gordius commaunding the executioners to be brought out with scourges while gibbet whatsoeuer torments els might be deuised Whereunto Gordius answered saying that it shoulde be to him an hinderance and damage if hee coulde not suffer and endure diuers torments and punishments for Christ his cause The shirife being more offended with this his boldnesse commaunded him to feele as many kinde of torments as there were with all which Gordius notwithstanding coulde not be mastered or ouercome but lifting vp his eies vnto heauen singeth this saying out of the Psalmes The Lorde is my helper I will not feare the thing that man can doe to me and also this saying I will feare none euill because thou Lord art with me After this he against him selfe prouoketh the extremitie of the tormentours blameth them if they fauour him any thing at al. When the Shrife saw that hereby he could winne but little he goeth about by gentlenes and intising wordes to turne the stoute and valiant minde of Gordius He promiseth to him great and large offers if he wil denie Christ as to make him a Captaine of as many men as any other is to geue him richesse treasure what other thing so euer hee desireth But in vaine as the Prouerbe is pipeth the minstrell to him that hath no eares to heare for he deriding the foolish madnesse of the Magistrate sayth that it lieth not in him to place any in authority which he worthy to haue a place in heauen The Magistrate with these wordes throughly angred and vexed prepareth him selfe to his condemnation Whom after that he had coÌ„demned he caused to be had out of the Citie to be brent There runneth out of the Citie great multitudes by heaps to see him put to execution some take him in their armes louingly kisse him persuading him to take a better way and saue himself and that with weeping teares To whom Gordius answered weepe not I pray you for me but rather for the enemies of God which alwaies make warre against the Christians weepe I say for them which prepare for vs a fire purchasing hell fire for themselues in the day of vengeance And cease of further I pray you to molest and disquiet my setled minde Truly saith he I am ready for the name of Iesus Christ to suffer and indure a thousande deathes if neede were Some other came vnto him which persuaded him to deny Christ with his mouth to keepe his conscience to himselfe My toung sayeth hee which by the goodnes of God I haue cannot be brought to denie the author and geuer of the same for with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the toung we confesse vnto saluation Many moe such like wordes he spake but especially vttering to them such matter wherby he might perswade the beholders to death and to the desire of Martyrdome After all which with a mery and glad countenance neuer changing so much as his colour hee willingly gaue himselfe to be brent Basilius in Sermone in Gordium militem Caesariensem Not much vnlike to the story of Gordius is the story also of Menas an Egiptian who being likewise a souldiour by his profession in this persecution of Dioclesian forsooke al went into the desert where a long time he gaue hym selfe to abstinence watching and meditation of the Scriptures At length returning againe to the Citie Cotys there in the open threatre as the people were occupied vpon their spectacles or pastimes he with a loude voice openly proclaimed himselfe to be a christian and vpon the same was brought to Pyrrhus the President of whome he being demaunded of his faith made thys aunswere Conuenyent it is that I shoulde sayth he confesse God in whome is light and no darkenes for so much as Paule doth teache that with hart we beleue to righteousnes with mouth coÌ„fession is giuen to saluation After this the innocent Martyr was most painfully pinched and cruciate with sundrie punishments In all which notwithstanding he declared a constant heart and faith inuincible hauing these wordes in his mouth being in the middest of his torments There is nothing in my minde that can be compared to the kingdome of heauen Neither is al the world if it were wayed in balance able to be conferred with the price of one soule And sayd who is able to separate vs from the loue of Iesus Christ our Lord shal afflictioÌ„ or anguish And moreouer said he I haue thus learned of my Lord my king not to feare them which kill the body and haue no power to kill the soule but to feare him rather who hath power
an example to the flocke and when the chiefe Pastor shall appeare you shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of eternall glory c. And this is the doctrine of Peter as they shal se which do not obey it As for vs the other part of the sayd Epistle is sufficient Wherein he willeth thē to reioice which are in heauines through manifolde temptations that the triall of theyr sayth being much more precious thē gold that perisheth and is tryed in fire may be theyr laud honour and glory at the appearing of the Lord Iesu. c. But beare with me I pray you O holy Father and of all your Predecessors most meekest and suffer my wordes though the seme something sharpe for they be sighings of a sorrowfull hart Wherefore gird about your loynes with fortitude and light vp the candle of your descretion and seeke the groat that is lost of the vnity I meane of sayth And we will also with like compassion ioyne with your holynesse and will not spare this weake body of mine in pretending any excuse either of age or lēgth of the way For the more laborous the trauell is the moe crownes it bringeth And S. Paule sayth Euery man shall receiue reward according to his trauell c. Neither are we ignoraunt if it please your holinesse that like as we Grecians for our partes do labour in all respectes to keepe and obserue the sincerity of true sayth and doctrine not to erre ne swerue in any part or poynt from the statutes of the blessed Apostles and auncient fathers so the Church likewise of old Rome doth for her part labour also we know well to follow the sincere verity of Christian doctrine and thinketh her selfe to erre in nothing nor to neede any remedye or reformation And this we know is the iudgement and saying of both the Churches aswell of the Greekes as of the Latines For no man can see any spot in his owne face without he stoope downe to the glasse or els be admonished by some other whether his face be blotted or no. Euen so haue we many great sayre glasses set before vs first the cleare Gospell of Christ the Epistles of the Apostles and diuinitie bookes of auncient writers Let vs therefore looke in them well They will shew euery mans minde and iudgement whether he go right or wrong The God of peace tread downe Sathan speedely vnder our feet The author of peace confound the sower of discord He that is the cause of all goodnes destroy the hater of that which is good and which geueth cause of offence and slaunder And he which is God of all ioy and peace send to vs whiche are the shepheardes of his sheepe reasonable the aungell of peace and messenger of great glad tidings as he did in the Natiuitye of Christ to the shepheardes of brute sheepe and vnreasonable and make vs worthy to sing that ioyfull song of Gods prayse Gloria in excelsis Deo in terra pax hominibus bona voluntas and to receiue one an other with an holy kisse The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the peace of God the Father and the communion of the holy spirit be with you alwayes Amen ¶ An other Epistle of the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople and Primate of the Greek Church to the Cardinals of Rome AN other letter the sayd Germanus Patriarch of Constantinople wrote also the same time to the Popes Cardinals wherin he first commending them for theyr wisedome and counsell and shewing what vtility commeth by good counsell geuing for so much as God sayth he many times that he hydeth from one inspireth to an other so that that good thing which by the almighty God is sonderly dispensed to diuers through common counsell and conference spreadeth to the publicke vtility of many c. After this eftsoones he beginneth to exhort them that they like charitable ministers and discrete counsellors will take in hand the spirituall armour of God to cast downe the stoppe partition walle of the olde discord betweene the Greekes and Latine Church that they will be a meanes to the Bishop of Rome that they which so long haue bene disseuered by dissention may now be conioyned in vnity of peace in brotherly charity and communion of fayth Concerning which matter I haue sayth he already written to his holynesse And now I beseech the king of heauen whiche tooke the shape of a seruaunt to helpe his miserable seruauntes and was exalted vpon the crosse to raise them vp which were fallen into the profundity of desolation that he will vouchsafe to put from your hartes all elation of minde extolling it selfe ouer and aboue the vnity of your brethren and fellow seruauntes and to lighten your consciences with the true light of vnderstanding that we may altogether agree in one that there be no schisme amongst vs. Let vs therefore as we are instructed so abide in one minde that it be not sayd of vs as it was of the Corinthians before vs I hold of Paule I of Apollo I of Coephas and I of Christ but that all we as we holde the name of Christ and are all called Christians so may also abide in that wherein we are instructed in one minde that is to follow loue and charity in Christ Iesus hauing alwayes in our hartes the wordes of the Apostle saying One Lord one Fayth one Baptisme And now to be playne with you in that I haue to say I shal desire you not to be offended with me in vttering the trueth as a frend vnto you The wordes sayth Salomon of a wise man telling trueth be like to nayles which be driuen in deepe And truth for the moste parte breedeth enemies And therefore though I am partly afrayd yet will I simply confesse the trueth vnto you Certes this diuision of Christian vnity amongst vs proceedeth of no other cause but onely of the tiranny oppression and exactiōs of the Church of Rome which of a mother is become a stepdame and hath put her children from her whome long time she nourished after the maner of a rauening bird which driueth her yong from her which children how much the more humble and obedient they are to her the lesse she esteemeth them and treadeth them vnder foot not regarding the saying of the Gospel Who so humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Let modesty therefore something temper you and let the auarice of the Court of Rome although it can not well out of the flesh which is bred in the bone yet surcease a while and let vs together condescend to the triall of the trueth which trueth being found out on both sides let vs constantly embrace the same For why we haue bene altogether some times both Italians and Grecians in one fayth and vnder the same Canons hauing peace each with other and defending one an other and confounding the enemies of the Church At what tyme many flying out of the west
thy names sake Amen Written in prison and in bondes in the Vigill of holy S. Iohn the Baptist who beyng in prison and in bondes for the rebuking of wickednesse was beheaded ¶ Among diuers other letters of Iohn Hus which he wrote to the great consolation of others I thought also here to intermixt an other certaine godly letter writteÌ„ out of England by a faythfull Scholler of Wickleffe as appeareth vnto Iohn Hus and the Bohemians which for the zealous affectioÌ„ therein coÌ„teined seemeth not vnworthy to be read ¶ A letter to Iohn Hus and to the Bohemians from London GReetyng and whatsoeuer can be deuised more sweete in the bowels of Christ Iesu. My dearely beloued in the Lord whom I loue in the trueth and not I onely but also all they that haue the knowledge of the trueth whiche abydeth in you and shall be with you through the grace of GOD for euermore I reioysed aboue measure when our beloued brethren came and gaue testimony vnto vs of your trueth and how you walke in the trueth I haue heard brethren how sharpely Antichrist persecuteth you in vexyng the faithfull seruauntes of Christ with diuers and straunge kyndes of afflictions And surely no maruaile if amongest you since it is so almost all the world ouer the law of Christ be too too greuously impugned and that redde Dragon hauyng so many heades of whom it is spoken in the Apocalyps haue now vomited out of his mouth that great floud by whiche he goeth about to swallow vp the woman but the most gracious God will deliuer for euer his onely and most faythfull spouse Let vs therfore cofort our selues in the Lord our God and in his vnmeasurable goodnes hopyng strongly in him which will not suffer those that loue him to be vnmercifully defrauded of any their purpose if we according to our duety shall loue him with all our hart for aduersitie should by no meanes preuaile ouer vs if there were no iniquitie raignyng in vs. Let therefore no tribulation or sorrow for Christs cause discourage vs knowing this for a surety that whosoeuer the Lord vouchsafeth to receaue to be his childreÌ„ those he scourgeth For so the mercifull father will haue them tried in this miserable life by persecutions that afterwardes hee may spare them For the golde that this high artificer hathe chosen he purgeth and trieth in this fire that he may afterwardes lay it vp in his pure treasurie For we see that the time which we shall abide here is short and transitory the life which we hope for after this is blessed and euerlasting Therefore whilest we haue time let vs take paine that we may enter into that rest What other thyng do we see in this brickle life then sorow heauinesse and sadnesse and that which is most greuous of all to the faithfull too much abusing and contempt of the lawe of the Lord. Let vs therefore endeuoure our selues as much as we may to lay holde of the things that are eternall and abiding despising in our mindes all transitory and fraile things Let vs consider the holy fellowship of our fathers that haue gone before vs. Let vs consider the Saincts of the olde and newe Testament Did they not passe through this sea of tribulation and persecution were not some of them cut in peces other some stoned others of them killed with the sword Some others of them went about in pelts and goates skinnes as the Apostle to the Hebrues witnesseth Surely they all walked straight wayes following the steppes of Christ which sayde he that ministreth vnto me let him follow me whether so euer I go c. Therfore let vs also which haue so noble examples geuen vs of the Saintes that went before vs laying away as muche as in vs lyeth the heauy burden and the yoke of sinne which compasseth vs about runne forwarde through patience to the battaile that is set before vs fixing our eyes vppon the author of faith and Iesus the finisher of the same who seeing the ioy that was set before hym suffred the paines of the crosse despising death Let vs call vppon him which suffred suche reproche against himselfe of sinners that we be not wearied fainting in our hearts but that we may heartely pray for helpe of the Lorde and may fight against his aduersary Antichrist that we may loue his law and not be deceitfull labourers but that we may deale faithfully in all things according to that that God hath vouchsafed to geue vs and that wee may labour diligently in the Lordes cause vnder hope of an euerlasting reward Behold therefore brother Hus most deaâ—ly beloued in Christe although in face vnknowen to me yet not in faith and loue for distance of places cannot separate those whom the loue of Christ doth effectually knit together be comforted in the grace which is geuen vnto thee labour like a good souldiour of Christ Iesus preach be instant in word and in example and call as many as thou canst to the way of truth for the truth of the gospel is not to be kept in silence because of friuolous censures and thunderboltes of Antichrist And therefore to the vttermost of thy power strengthen thou and confirme the members of Christ whych are weakened by the deuil and if the Lord wil vouchsafe it Antichrist shall shortly come to an end And there is one thing wherein I do greatly reioyce that in your realm and in other places God hath stirred vp the harts of some men that they can gladly suffer for the word of God imprisonment banishment and death Further beloued I knowe not what to wryte vnto you but I confesse that I could wish to powre out my whole heart if thereby I might comfort you in the lawe of the Lorde Also I salute from the bottome of my heart all the faithfull louers of the law of the Lord and specially Iacobellus your coadiutor in the gospell requiring that he will pray vnto the Lorde for me in the Vniuersall churche of Iesus Christ. And the God of peace which hath raised from the dead the shepheard of the sheepe the mighty Lorde Iesus Christ make you apt in all goodnesse to doe his will working in you that which may be pleasant in his sight All your friendes salute you which haue heard of your constancie I would desire also to see your letters wrytten backe to vs for knowe yee that they shall greatly comfort vs. At London by your seruaunt desiring to be fellow with you in your labors Ricus Wiceewitze priest vnworthy ¶ An other letter of Iohn Hus to his friendes of Boheme THe Lord God be with you I loue the counsaile of the Lorde aboue gold and precious stone Wherfore I trust in the mercy of Iesus Christ that he wil geue me his spirit to stand in his truth Pray to the Lord for the spirit is ready and the flesh is weake The Lord almighty be the eternal reward vnto my Lords which constantly firmely and
such comfort as no man can vnderstand in that they say that they wil geue you forgeuenes of all your sinnes and great grace pardon to this end that you should warre vpon vs destroy vs wheras their graces and pardons are none other then great lies and a great seducing of the body and soule of all them that beleue them and put their trust in them Thys we would proue vnto them ouercome them by the holy scripture and we wold suffer that whosoeuer is desirous to heare the same shoulde heare it For the Pope and all hys priestes herein deale with you as the deuill woulde haue done wyth our Lorde Iesus Christ. Of whome Luke writeth in hys 4. chap. that be brought him vpon an high hill shewed vnto hym in the twinckling of an eye al the kyngdomes that are in the compasse of the earth said vnto him I wil geue thee c. So the deuill deceiueth the pope and all the priestes with the riches of the worlde and worldly power And they thinke they can geue grace and pardon when they wyll and they themselues shall neuer finde fauour before almighty God except they repent and make amendes because of theyr great deceauing of Christēdom And how can they geue that to others which they themselues haue not So dyd the Deuill who was rich in promising and poore in geuing And like as the Deuill is not ashamed to tell a lye so all they are not ashamed to speake that which shall neuer be found true nor be proued by the holy scriptures because for no cause they stirre vp kinges Princes Lordes and Citties to make warre agaynst vs not to the end that the Christian fayth shoulde therby be defended but because they feare that theyr secret vices and heresies shal be disclosed and made manifest For if they had a true cause a godly loue to the Christiā faith they would then take the books of the holy scripture and would come vnto vs and ouercome vs with the weapōs of Gods word and that is our chiefe desire For so dyd the apostles of our Lord Iesus Christ who came to the Paganes and Iewes and brought them from their infidelitie to the true fayth of our Lorde Iesus Christ and this they dyd in the spirite of meckenes as the Apostle Paule writeth in the 6. chap. to the Galat. Brethren if anye man be agreeued c. So ought they also to doe if they perceiued that they were iust and we vniust And if we woulde not abide instruction then they might take to them kinges Princes Lordes and imperiall citties and resist vs according to the commaundementes of the holy scripture But this is the subtile defence of all the Byshops and Priestes that they say that mayster Hus and Hierome which were burnt at Constance were ouercome of the holy father the Pope and of the whole Councell For ye must vnderstand that they were not ouercome by the holy Ghost but vniustly with wrongfull violence which God may yet hereafter greeuously punishe in all them that gaue their counsel and ayd thereto and they saye it ought not to be suffered tha we should be heard in confessing our fayth How may that be proued by the holy scripture since christ heard the deuilt as it is written in the fourth chap. of Mathewe And they l are not better then Christ nor we worsse then the Deuill If they be iust and haue the truth with them as they saye they haue and we be vnrighteous why do they feare sinc the truth ought not to be afeard of falshod as Esdras writeth in hys second booke the third chapiter Zorobabell declared that truth is of all thinges the most mightye and ouercommeth all thinges For Christ is the trueth Iohn 14. I am the way the trueth c. And the deuill is the father of lies Iohn 8. He is a lyerfrom the beginning and neuer abode in the truth there is no truth in him Therfore if the pope and hys priestes haue the truth let them ouercome vs with the word of God But if they haue lyes then they cannot long abide in al their presumptiō Wherfore we exhort and beseech al the imperiall Cities al kings Princes noble men rich and poore for Gods sake and for hys righteousnes that one of them write hereof to an other and that there may be some meanes made howe we may cōmune with you safely and friendly at some such place as shal be fit both for you and vs and bring with you your Byshops and teachers and let them our teachers fight together with the word of God and let vs heare them and and let not one ouercome the other by violence or false subtiltie but onely by the word of God And if your Bishops and teachers haue better proofes of theyr fayth out of the holy scripture then we and our fayth be found vntrue we will receiue penaunce and satisfaction according to Gospell But if your Byshops and teachers be ouercome of ours by the holy Scripture then doe ye repent and harken to vs and hold with vs. And if your Byshops teachers will cease from their spirituall pride and repent and make satisfaction then wil we helpe you according to our power and will compell them eyther to ioyne with vs or els we will expell them out of Christendome And if your Byshops and teachers will say that it is not lawfull for lay men to heare such reasoning or to be presēt at it that may you vnderstand to tend to no other end but that they feare they should be ouercome and put to shame in the sight of you For if they knew that they should ouercome therein out of doubt they would desire that euery mā should heare it thereby their glory should become the greater their fame and prayses should be encreased vpon the earth And if your Bishops and teachers coūsell you to come to no hearing with vs thē do it whether they will or no suffer not your selues at any time to be so folishly seduced with their folish pardons but tary at home in your houses with your wiues and children And let the pope of Rome come to vs with all his Cardinals and byshops and with all hys priestes with his owne person power to warre with vs let themselues deserue the absolution of sinnes grace and pardon which they preach to you for they haue great nede of forgeuenes of sinnes grace pardō by the grace of god we will geue them pardō enough as they shall neede But their subtile excuse is this they say that it belōgeth not to priestes to fight with bodily weapons true it is that belongeth not to them but it belongeth as little to them to stirre vp to counsaile to fortifie others thereto For Paule saith in the the 1. to the Rom. in the fift to the Galath that all that do such
the presence of vs common Notaries here vnder written especially called and required for this purpose as it is contained in the subscriptions heere vnder the famous noble men the Lord Lewes sonne of the French king Guido of S. Paule and Iohn Drocem Earles and William of Plesiano Lord of Vitenob knight Moued as they saide with a feruent faith with affection of sincere loue and zeale of charitie to be shewed to the holy Romish church and hauing pitie from their heart on their mother the vniuersall church which as they sayde is oppressed daungerously vnder the rule of the saide Lord Boniface and suffereth outragious defacing and losse and pitying the right faith as they say in which standes the saluation of soules which alas for pitie in their times miserably pineth away perisheth for the lacke of wholesome gouernment of the Churche through all Christendome and earnestly taking paines as they said for the repairing and enhaunsing of the Catholicke faith specially seeing it was necessary for the same church for the foundation of the faith and health of the soules that none shoulde rule the fold of the Lordes flocke but the true and lawfull shepheard and also because the same Churche was the spouse of Christ that hath no spot nor wrincle all errour offence wickednes wrong shoulde be put away and saluation peace and quietnesse through Gods mercy might be procured to the whole worlde which they say lieth in warres and darkenesse by the wicked deedes cursed workes and hurtful examples of the sayd Boniface They said and laid against the said Boniface heresie and other diuers horrible cursed faultes wherein they affirmed him to be tangled and commonly and notoriously reported the king himselfe being present with Archbishops Bishops and other Prelates and Churchmen which were assembled for to entreat of their owne matters and matters of their Churches beside Barons Earles and other noble men whose names are vnder written The said William propounded obiected against him swearing by the holy Gospell of God which hee corporally touched that he coulde prooue all and euery the premisses to be true And the sayd William of Plesiano sware further this othe that he beleued he could prooue the premisses and that he woulde pursue to the full ende against the saide Boniface in the generall Councell where when and afore whomsoeuer of right it ought to be done requiring earnestly the sayd Lord king as a champion of the faith and defender of the Church that for declaring of this truth to the praise of Gods name to the increase promoting of the Catholike faith to the honour and wealth of the vniuersall Church and of all Christen people and the congregation of the sayd generall councel that he woulde helpe and bestowe his profitable labour with souldiors and other like for the loue of men and zeale to iustice because his kingly house was euer a ruler of the trueth and that he wold earnestly require the Archbishops Bishops other Prelates and that he woulde be effectually instant with them The Earles knights themselues besought earnestly many of the same prelates as they were pillers of the Church the faith that they would helpe and effectually bestowe their labour to the calling and assembling of the said councell by all waies and meanes lawful according to the ordinances of the holy fathers and decrees of the canons But when the prelates heard fully vnderstode such obiections oppositions and requests as is aforesaid and considered that such a matter not onely was most hard but needed wise counsell they departed out of the same place But on the Friday next following i. the 14. day of the same moneth of Iune the foresaid Lord king being present and also the Lords Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and many witnesses here vnder written the same time being present and in the presence of vs common Notaries heere subscribed and being specially called and required for this purpose the foresayd William of Plesiano Knight sayde propounded affirmed obiected and read as was contained more fully in a certaine paper which he held in his hand whose tenor was after this sort I William of Plesiano Knight say propound and affirme that Boniface which now ruleth the Apostolical sea is a rancke hereticke in heresies and by heresies outragious dedes and wicked doctrines hereafter to be declared which things to be true I beleeue I am able to prooue or els such things as these shall be sufficient to prooue hym a full hereticke in a cōuenient place time and afore whom of right this can or ought to be done This thing I sweare on the holy Gospel of God presently touched of me First that he beleueth not the immortalitie of men and of christen soules but thinking much like as the Saducies did beleeue that there is no euerlasting life and the men can not get at the length ioy but all the lot and part of comfort and gladnes to be in this world and by this meanes he affirmeth that it is no sinne for the body to liue daintely in al dainties And out of the aboundance of this leuen he was not ashamed to say and opēly to cōfesse that he had rather be an asse or a dogge or any other brute beast rather than a Frenchman which thing he would not haue said if he beleued a Frenchmā had a soule that could enioy euerlasting life This thing he taught many men which knowledged this at the point of death and the common report goeth on him thus in these things 2. Also he beleeueth not faithfully that by the wordes ordained of Christ spoken ouer the hoste after the fashion of the Church by a faithfull priest that is lawfully ordered the body of Christ to be there and therefore it commeth to passe that he geneth no reuerence to it no not a litle when it is lifted up of the priest yea he rises not to it but turneth his backe to it and makes himselfe his seat to be honoured where he sitteth rather then the altare where the hoste is consecrate and he is commonly reported to doe this 3. Also he is reported to say that whoredome is no sinne no more than rubbing of the hands together thus commonly runnes the voice and brute 4. Also he saide often that to thrust downe the King and Frenchmen if it coulde not be otherwaies done he would ouerthrow himselfe the whole world the whole Church And when he had sayd so some that stode by said God forbid he answered God graunt And when good men that heard the wordes replied against him that hee should not say so because the church of God all Christen men should suffer great slaunder so he answered I care not what slaunders soeuer come so that the Frenchmen and their pride be destroied for it is necessary that slaunders offences come 5. Item he called againe allowed a booke made by M. Arnold of Newton conteining and smelling of heresie
13 chap. And thus by the testimony of all these places is he the chiefe Antechrist vpon the earth and must be slayne with the sword of Gods word and cast with the dragon the cruell beast and the false Prophet that hath seduced the earth into the lake of fire and brimstone to be tormented world without end If the city of Rome do allow his traditiōs and do disalow Christes holy commaundements and Christes doctrine that it may confirme his traditions then is she Babilon the great or the daughter of Babilon and the great whore sitting vpō many waters with whom the kings of the earth haue committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth are become dronken with the wine of her harlotry lying opē to baudry With whose spiritual whordom enchauntments witchcraftes and Symon Magus marchaundises the whole roūd world is infected and seduced saying in her hart I sit as a Queen and widow I am not neither shall I see sorrowe and mourning Yet is shee ignoraūt that within a litle while shall come the day of her destruction ruine by the testimony of the Apoc. cha 17. Because that from the time that the continuall sacrifice was taken away the abhomination of desolatiō placed there be passed 1299. dayes by the testimonye of Daniell and the Chronicles added do agree to the same And the holy City also hath bene troden vnder foot of the heathen for 42. monethes and the woman was nourished vp in the wildernes vnto which she fled for feare of the space of the serpēt during 1260. dayes or els for a time times halfe a tyme which is all one All these thinges be manifest by the testimony of the Apocalips the Chronicles therto agreeing And as concerning the fall of Babilon aforesayd it is manifest in the Apoc. where it is sayd In one day shall her plagues come death lamentation and famine and she shal be burned with fire For strong is the Lord whych will iudge her And agayn Babilon that great Citty is fallen which hath made all nations to drinke of the wine of her Whoredome And thirdly one mightye Aungell tooke vp a myllstone that was a very great one and did cast it into the Sea saying with suche a violence as this is shall that great Cittye Babylon be ouerthrowne and shall no more bee founde For her Marchauntes were the Princes of the earth and with her Witchcraft all Nations haue gone astray and in her is there founde the bloud of the Sayntes and Prophetes And of her destruction speaketh Esay in the 13. chapiter And Babilon that glorious Cittye being so noble amongest kingdomes in the pride of the Caldeans it shall be that like as the Lorde did ouerturne Sodome and Gomorre vpside downe it shall neuer more be inhabited nor haue the foundation layde in no age from generation to generation Ieremy sayeth Your mother that hath borne you is brought to very great confusion and made euē with the ground And agayne The Lord hath deuised and done as he hath spokē agaynst the inhabiters of Babilō which dwel richly in their treasures vppon many waters thine ende is come And thirdly Drouth shall fall vpon her waters and they shall beginne to be drye for it is a land of grauen imagies and boasteth in her prodigious wonders It shall neuer more be inhabited neyther be builded vp in no age nor generation Verely euen as God hath subuerted Sodome and Gomorre with her calues Pardon mee I beseeche you though I be not plentiful in pleasaunt wordes For if I should runne after the course of this wicked world should please mē I should not be Christes seruant And because I am a poore man neyther haue nor cā haue notaries hyred to testifie of these my writings I call vpon Christ to be my witnes which knoweth the inward secrets of my hart that I am redy to declare the things that I haue writtē after my fashion to the profit of all Christen people to the hurt of no mā liuing am ready to be reformed if any mā will shew me where I haue erred being redy also miserable sinner though I be to suffer for the cōfession of the name of Christ of his doctrine as much as shal please him by his grace loue to assist me a miserable sinner In witnes of al these things I haue to this writing set that seale of our Lord sauior Iesus Christ which I besech him to imprint vpon my forehed to take frō me al maner of marke of Antichrist Amen ¶ These two suppositions as they are termed in the scholes written by Walter Brute and exhibited vnto the Bishop although they conteyned matter sufficient eyther to satisfie the bishop if he had ben disposed to learne or els to haue prouoked him to replye agayne if his knowledge therin had ben better thē his yet could they worke neither of thē effect in him But he receiuing perusing the same when he neither could confute that which was said neyther would reply or aunswere by learning to that whych was truth finding other by causlations said that this his writing was too short and obscure and therfore required him to write vpon the same againe more plainely and more at large Whereupon the said Maister Walter satisfying the Bishops request and ready to geue to euery one an accōpt of his faith in a more ample tractatiō renueth hys matter agayne before declared writing to the Byshop in wordes and forme as followeth REuerend father forsomuch as it seemeth to you that my motion in my two suppositions or cases in my two conclusions is too short and somwhat darke I wil gladly now satisfy your desire according to my smal learning by declaring the same conclusions In opening wherof it shall plainely appeare what I do iudge in all matters that I am accused of to your reuerence desiring you first of al that your discretiō would not beleue that I do enterpryse of any presumption to handle the secretes of the scriptures which the holy and iust wise Doctours haue left vnexpounded It is not vnknowen to many that I am in all points farre inferiour to thē whose holynes of life profoundnes in knowledge is manifold waies allowed But as for mine ignorance and multitude of sinnes are to my selfe and others sufficiently knowen wherefore I iudge not my selfe worthy to vnloose or to cary their shooes after them Do you therefore no otherwise deeme of me then I do of mine owne selfe But if you shal finde any goodnesse in my writings ascribe it to God only who according to the multitude of his mercy doth sometimes reueale those things to Idiotes and sinners which are hidded from the holy and wise according to this saying I will prayse and confesse thee O father for that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wyse and prudent and hast disclosed them to the litle ones Euen so O father
and aduersary of S. Peter of our Lorde Iesus Christe and also the vicare of Iudas Iscarioth I aunswere the wordes of my book are these If he which is called the vicare of S. Peter walke in the wayes of Christian vertues aforesayd we do beleue verely that he is the true vicar and true Byshop of the Church whiche ruleth but if he walke in contrary pathes and wayes then is he the messenger of Antechrist cōtrary both to S. Peter and our Lord Iesus Christ. And therfore S. Bernard in hys 4. book did write in this sort vnto pope Eugenie Thou delitest walkest in great pride and arrogancie being gorgeously and sumptuously arayd what fruit or profite do thy flocke or sheepe receiue by thee If I durst say it these be rather the pastures and feedinges of deuils then of sheepe S. Peter S. Paul did not so wherfore thou seemest by these thy doings to succeede Constantine not S. Peter These be the very wordes of S. Bernard It followeth after in my booke that if the maner and fashion of his life and liuing be contrary to that which S. Peter vsed or that he be geuen to auarice and couetousnes then is he the vicar of Iudas Iscarioth which loued and chose the reward of iniquitie dyd set out to sale the Lord Iesus Christ. As soone as they had read the same those which ruled and gouerned the coūcell beheld one an other making mockes and moes they nodded theyr heades at hym The xi article Al such as doe vse Symmony priests liuing dissolutely and wantonly do hold an vntrue opinion of the 7. Sacramentes as vnbeleuing bastardes and not as Children not knowing what is the office duety of the keyes or censures rites and ceremonies neither of the diuine seruice of the Churche or of veneration or worshipping of reliques neither of y◠orders constituted and ordeined in the Church neither yet of indulgences or pardons I answere that it is placed in this maner in my book Thys abuse of authoritie or power is committed by such as doe sell make marchandise of holy orders and get and gather together riches by Symonie making fayres and markets of the holy Sacramentes and liuing in all kynd of voluptuousnes and dissolute maners or in any other filthy or vilanous kind of liuing They do polute and defile the holye ecclesiasticall state And albeit that they professe in wordes that they do know God yet doe they deny it again by their deeds and consequently beleue not in God But as vnbeleeuing bastardes they holde a contrarye and vntrue opinion of the 7. Sacramentes of the Church And this appeareth most euidently for somuch as all suche doe vtterly contemne and despise the name of God according to the saying of Malachy the first chapter Unto you O Priestes be it spoken which doe despise and contemne my name The xii Article The papall dignitie hath hys original from the Emperours of Rome I answere and mark wel what my wordes are The preeminence and institution of the Pope is sprong and come of the Emperours power authoritie And this is proued by the 96. distinction for Constantine graunted thys priuiledge vnto the Bishop of Rome and other after hym confirmed the same That like as Augustus for the outward and temporal goodes bestowed vpon the Churche is counted alwayes the most high king aboue al others so the bysh of Rome shold be called the principal father aboue all other bishops This notwithstanding the papall dignitie hath hys original immediately from Christ as touching hys spirituall administration and office to rule the Church Then the Cardinall of Cabray sayd in the tyme of Constantine there was a generall Councell holden at Nice in the whiche albeit the highest rowme and place in the Church was geuen to the Bishop of Rome for honours cause it is ascribed vnto the Emperour wherefore then do you not aswell affirme and saye that the Papall dignitie tooke hys originall rather from that councel then by the Emperours authoritie and power The 13. article No man would reasonably affirme weout reuelation neyther of hymselfe nor of any other that hee is the heade of any particular Churche I aunswere I confesse it to be written in my booke and it followeth straight after Albeit that through hys good liuing he oght to hope and trust that he is a member of the holy vniuersal Church the spouse of Iesus Christ according to the saying of the Preacher No man knoweth whether he be worthy and haue deserued grace and fauour or hatred And Luke the 17. when ye haue done all that ye can say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes The 14. Article It ought not to be beleeued that the pope whatsoeuer he be may be the head of any particular Churche vnles he be predestinate or ordayned of God I aunswere that I doe acknowledge thys preposition to be myne and thys is easie to proue forsomuche as it is necessary that the Christian faith shuld be depraued for somuch as the Churche was deceiued by N. as it appeareth by S. Augustine The 15. article The popes power as Uicare is but vayne and nothing worth if he do not confirme addresse hys lyfe accordyng to Iesus Christ and not followe the maners of S. Peter I answere that it is thus in my book that it is meet and expedient that he which is ordayned vicar should addresse and frame himselfe in maners and conditions to the authoritie of hym which did put him in place And Iohn Hus sayd Moreouer before the whole councell I vnderstand that the power and authoritie in such a pope as doth not represent the maners of Christ is frustrate and voyd as touching the merite and rewarde which he shold obtayne and get therby and doth not get the same but not as concerning hys office Then certayne others standing by asked of hym saying where is that glose in your book I. Hus answered you shall finde it in my treatise agaynst M. Palletz wherat all the assistaunce looking one vppon an other began for to smile and laugh The 16. Article The pope is most holy not because hee doth supply and hold the rowme and place of S. Peter but because he hath great reuenues I answere that my words are mutilate for thus it is written He is not most holy because he is called the vicar of S. Peter or because he hathe great and large possessions But if he be the follower of Iesus Christ in humilitie gentlenes paciēce labour and trauayle and in perfect loue and charitie The 17. Article The Cardinals are not the manifest and true successours of the other Apostles of Iesus Christ if they liue not according to the fashion of the Apostles keping the commaundementes and ordinaunces of the Lord Iesus I answere that it is thus written in my booke and it proueth it selfe sufficiently For if they enter in by an other way then by the dore whiche is the
hys booke De sacerdotum Monachorum abhominatione desolationis pag. 84. c. I beseech the reader to note Nam ista scribens fateor ê™ nihil aliud me in illis perurget nisi dilectio Dom. Nostri Iesu crusifixi c. That is For in writing these things I confesse nothinge els to haue moued me hereunto but onely the loue of our Lorde Iesus crucified whose printes and stripes according to the measure of my weakenes and vilenes I couet to beare in my selfe beseeching hym so to geue me grace that I neuer seek to glory in my selfe or in any thing els but onely in his crosse and in the inestimable ignominy of his passion which he suffered for me And therefore I write and speake these thinges which I do not doubt will like all such as vnsaynedly do loue the Lord Christ crucified and contrary will mislike not a little all suche as be of Antichrist Also agayne I confesse before the most merciful Lord Iesus Christ crucified that these thinges which I do now write and those that I haue written before neither I could haue writteÌ„ nor knew how nor durst so haue written vnlesse he by hys inward vnction had so commaunded me Neither yet do I write these thinges as of authority to get me fame and name For as S. Augustine Hierome do say that is onely to be geuen to the scriptures and writinges of the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes and to the Canonicall Scriptures which doe abounde in the fulnes of the spirite of Iesus And whatsoeuer is there sayd is full of veritie and wholesome vtilitie c. And here place also would require something to say to Aeneas Siluius to Antoninus and to Laziardus which falsly impute articles to him whiche he neuer mayntayned But because tyme suffereth not I wil proceed to the story of maister Hierom of Prage The Tragicall and lamentable history of the famous learned man and godly Martyr of Christ maister Hierome of Prage burned at Constance for like cause and quarrell as Maister Iohn Hus was 1416. THese thinges hetherto being discoursed touching the lyfe Actes and Constant martyrdom of M. Iohn Hus with part also of his letters adioyned to the same whose death was on the 6. of Iuly an 1416. now remayneth coÌ„sequently to describe the like Tragedy and cruell handeling of his Christian companion and fellow in bandes M. Hierome of Prage Who grieuously sorrowing the slaunderous reproch and diffamation of his couÌ„try of Boheme and also hearing tell of the manifest iniuries done vnto that man of worthy memory M. Iohn Hus freely and of hys own accord came vnto Constance the 4. day of Iprill an 1415. Who there perceiuing that Iohn Hus was denyed to be heard and that watche and wayte was layd for hym on euery side he departed to Iberling a Citty of the Empire vntill the next day the which Citty was a myle of froÌ„ Constance and from thence he wrote hys letters by me vnto Sigismund kyng of Hungry and hys Barons and also vnto the Councell most earnestly requiring that the kyng and the Councell would geue him a safe conduct frely to come and go and that he woulde then come in open audience to aunswere vnto euery man if there were any of the Councell that would lay any cryme vnto hym as by the tenour of his intimation shall more at large appeare When as the sayd king of Hungary was required therunto as is aforesayd being in the house of the Lord Cardinall of Cambray he denyed to geue M. Hierome anye safe conducte excusing himselfe for the euil speede he had with the safe conduct of Iohn Hus before and alleadging also certayne other causes The deputies also of the foure nations of the Councell being moued thereunto by the Lords of the kingdome of Boheme aunswered wee say they will geue hym a safeconduct to come but not to depart Whose aunsweres when they were reported vnto maister Hierome he the next day after wrote certaine intimations according to the tenour here vnder written which he sent vnto Constance to be set vpon the gates of the Citty and vpon the gates of the Churches and Monasteries and of the houses of the Cardinals and other nobles and prelates The tenour wherof here followeth word for word in thys maner Unto the most noble Prince and Lord the Lord Sigismund by the grace of God king of the Romanes alwaies Augustus and of Hungary c. I Hierome of Prage maister of Arte of the generall vniuersities of Paris Colleyn Heldeberg Prage by these my present letters do notifie vnto the king together with the whole reuerend Councell and as much as in me lyeth do all men to vnderstand and know that because of the crafty slaunderers backbiters accusers I am ready freely of myne owne will to come vnto CoÌ„stance there to declare openly before the Councell the puritie and sinceritie of my true fayth and myne innocencie and not secretly in corners before any priuate or particulate person Wherfore if there be any of my slauÌ„derers of what natioÌ„ or estate soeuer they be which will obiect agaynst me anye crime of errour or heresie let them come forth openly before me in the presence of the whole Councell and in theyr owne names obiect agaynst me and I will be ready as I haue written to aunswere openly and publikely before the whole Councell of myne innocencie and to declare the puretie and sinceritie of my true fayth And if so be that I shal be fouÌ„d culpable in errour or heresie then I will not refuse openly to suffer such punishment as shall be meete and worthy for an erroneous person or an hereticke Wherefore I most humbly beseech my Lord the King and the whole sacred CouÌ„cell that I may haue to this end and purpose aforesayd safe and sure accesse And if it happeÌ„ that I offering suche equitie and right as I do before any fault be proued agaynst me be arested imprisoned or haue any violence done vnto me that theÌ„ it may be manifest vnto the whole worlde that this generall Councell doth not proceede according to equitie and iustice if they woulde by any meanes put me backe from this profouÌ„d and straight iustice being come hether freely and of myne owne minde and accorde The whiche thing I suppose to be farre from so sacred and holy Councell of wise men WHen as yet he through such intimations copied out in the Bohemian Latine and Germayne tongue being set vp as is aforesayd could not get any safeconduct theÌ„ the Nobles Lords and Knightes specially of the Bohemian nation present in Constance gaue vnto maister Hiâ—rome their letters patentes coÌ„firmed with their seales for a testimony and witnesse of the premisses With the which letters the sayd M. Hierome returned agayne vnto Boheme but by the treason and conspiracy of his enemies was taken in Hirsaw by the officers of Duke Iohn and in Zultzbach was brought backe agayne to
thinges are worthy of euerlasting death And if yewill not determine to do any other thing then to fight against vs then will we take the Lord to our helpe and his trueth we will defend it to the death we will not be afraid for the excommunicatioÌ„ or curse of the Pope or his cardinals or of the bishops because we know that yâ— Pope is not god as he maketh himselfe that he can curse and excommunicate when he will or blesse when he will who hath now these many yeares cursed and excoÌ„munited vs yet notwithstanding God and his gratious blessing hath bene our helpe But peradueÌ„ture ye wil say that though we see that bishops and priests be euill wicked yet we caÌ„not lacke them for who should baptise our children who should heare confessions minister the holy sacraments and then also we should be wtin the excommunication of the pope of his bishops Welbeloued ye nede to take no care for these matters The excoÌ„municating of the Pope hurteth you nothing Feare ye the excommunicating of God and the Lorde wil prouide for those things wel enough If ye would banish euil bishops and priests ye shuld haue good priestes which shuld baptise your children heare coÌ„fessions and minister the holy mysteries bicause when the deuill is banished then place is made for the holy ghost So when yll bishops and priestes shall be banished then place shal be made for good priestes bishops Also your bishops and priests say that we are miscreants and hereticks that we beleue not on purgatory vpoÌ„ the virgine Mary nor vpon the sayntes wherein they say ill for we will proue by the holy scripture that we know better by Gods grace how we ought to beleue vpon Purgatory vpon Mary the mother of our Lord vppon hys welbeloued saints theÌ„ they can tell vs. Also they say that we wil not be obedieÌ„t vnto the P. Truly when he shal be come holy and iust then we know well that we ought to be obedient to him in al things and not before They say also that we destroy Gods holy seruice in that we destroy monasteries banishing thence the wicked Monkes and Nunnes Truely we dyd it thinking once that they were holy that they did the reuerend seruice of god but after that we well perceiued and considered their lyfe works then we perceiued that they were false lowly hipocrites and wicked builders on high and sellers of pardoÌ„s and masses for the dead and such as deuoured in themselues the sinnes of the people And where as they sayd that they rise at midnight when other men slâ—epe and pray for the sins of the people forasmuch as their selling of their praiers and masses for the dead for gifts is no better then hipocrisie and heresie therfore if we do speake agaynst them and destroy their monasteries we do not therin destroy the seruice of God but rather the seruice of the deuill and the schooles of heretickes And if ye knew them as we know them ye would as diligently destroy them as we do For Christ our Lord did not ordayn anysuch order therfore it must needs come to pas that shortly it shal be destroyd as our lord saith in the Gospel of S. Mathew the 15. chapter Euery plant whiche my father hath not planted shal be rooted vp We desire you also that ye woulde dilligently consider the articleâ— here written wherein your bishops and priestes are guilty The 1. article is that when your bishops will ordaine priests they do it not except he yâ— is to be made priest haue sufficient liuing eyther inheritance left him of hys parents or of benefices wheras notwithstanding Christ wold that priestes should be poore forasmuch as it is enough for the scholar to be as his maister is and for the seruaunt to be as his Lord is and the bishops wil that they should be rich v vpon earth which is vniust before the Lord. The 2. article is that bishops take mony of such as are to be ordained but S. Peter did therfore sharply rebuke Simon Magus when he would haue geuen him mony as it is written in the 8. of the actes The 3. article is that they that come to be priestes enter into priesthoode not for gods seruice sake because they mean to preach and encrease it among the ChristiaÌ„ people so as the people may be edified and made better but rather for an idle life and that they may eate well and drinke wel and that they may be honoured and reuereÌ„ced vpon earth For euery one wayteth vpon hys priest as a theefe and a robber as Iohn writeth in his x. thap The 4. article is of excommunication which the Pope and all his priestes take to themselues and therwith fetter bind all Christian people as they will and they thinke that whosoeuer they excommunicate or curse hee is accursed and excommunicate before God And we wil proue by the holy Scripture that they themselues are excommunicate accursed before God because they kepe not the commaundement of the loue of God wherof the Apostle writeth in that 1. to the Cor. the 16. chap. If any man loueth not our Lorde Iesus Christ he is excommunicate in the day of the comming of the Lord. For they cannot excommunicate you who are already bound and excommunicate before God hys saintes and therefore why feare ye their excommunication The 5 Article is that they take gifts for to pray for the dead and to say masse for theyr soules This is a wickednes and heresie before the Lord all they that contribute to them to this end do wickedly for that hereby priests become merchantes of prayers and of masses and herewyth is all the church of Rome poysoned and defiled For if they would pray for the dead and say masse for their soules yet no man ought to hire theÌ„ thereto forasmuch as they ought to take no giftes neither little nor great And euery one that taketh rewardes to this end to redeeme soules out of purgatory do therwithal cast their own soules down into hel And they that geue any thing to that end doe altogether lose yâ— which they geue And with such deuilishe subâ—lety yâ— Pope with all his priestes hath deceiued spoyled and disherited kinges princes Lordes and knights good housholders and many other of their lawful inheritaunces because their ancestors progenitours gaue it to Colledges monasteries churches that they might make memorials of theÌ„ to sing or say prayers or masses for their soules that they might be redeemed out of Purgatorye And wyth such goodes Byshops Canons and Monasteries haue made themselues so riche that now they fall at variaunce with cities princes wheras they should procure peace betwixt cities and rulers there they are the first that begin warre and as long as they haue such goodes they wil neuer cease to be at strife
worthye their vocation to laye downe their olde conuersation to gyue theyr members seruauntes of ryghteousnes to offer their bodyes vppe to God a liuelye Sacrifice c. The like example of whose teachyng if the Churches nowe reformed doe not folowe let their Sermons their Preachynges wrytinges exhortynges and lyues also beare recorde who although they can not say with Christ. Which of you can blame me of sinne yet they may say to the aduersaryes whosoeuer of you is wythout fault cast the fyrst stone of reproch agaynst vs. Wherefore Hosius Pighius wyth their fellowes doe them open wrong and slaunderously belye them in comparing them in this behalfe to Aetius Eunominus and other heretikes called Anomaei who taking the good sentences of S. Paule did abuse the same to filthy licence of the flesh and corruption of wicked life c. But to let these slaunders passe nowe what the errours be of the Church of Rome touching this part of doctryne remayneth to be declared Whose errour first standeth in this that they mysunderstanding the definition of good workes doe call good workes not such as properly are commaunded by the lawe of God but such as are agreable to the Popes law As buylding of Abbayes and churches gyuing to the high altar founding of trentales fynding of chauntries gylding of Images hearing of Masses going on pilgrimage fyghting for the holye crosse keeping of vowes entryng to orders fastyng of vigiles creepyng to the Crosse praying to Saintes c. All which are not onely reputed for good workes but so preferred also before all other workes that to these is gyuen pardon from the Pope double and triplefolde more then to any other good worke of charitie commaunded in the law of almightie God An other errour also may be noted in the Papists touching the efficient or formall cause of good workes For albeit they all confesse in their bookes that Gratia dei gratis data is the chiefe principall cause thereof and worketh in vs iustitiam primam as they call it yet the good workes after regeneration they refer to other subordinate causes vnder God as to fre wil or to habitum virtutis or ad integra naturalia nothing at all to faith when as faith onelye next vnder God is the roote and fountaine of all well dooyng as in the fruites of a good tree albeit the planter or the husbandman be the principall agent thereof and some cause also may be in the good ground yet the next and immediate cause is the roote that maketh the tree fruitefull In like maner the grace of God in a soft repentaunt mollified hart planteth the gift of fayth Fayth as a good roote can not lye dead or vnoccupied but springeth foorth and maketh both the tree fruitefull and also the tree thereof to be good which otherwise had no acceptatiō nor goodnes in them were it not for the goodnes of the roote from whence they spring So Paule although he had certeine workes in him such as they were before his conuersion yet had he no good workes before the grace of Christ had rooted fayth in him So Mary Magdelene the sinner and Zacheus the Publicane So all the nations of the Gentiles began to bryng foorth frute and especially good fruit when they began to bee ingrafted in Christ and to receaue the roote of hys fayth whose fruites before that were all damnable and vnsauery As touchyng the cause therefore of good workes there is no other in man but fayth whose office as it is to iustifie vs in heauen so the nature of it is here in earth to worke by loue as the roote worketh by the sappe For as a man seeth and feeleth by fayth the loue and grace of God toward him in Christ his sonne so begynneth he to loue agayne both God and man and to doe for his neyghbour as God hath done to him And hereof properly springeth the runyng fountaine of al good works and deedes of charitie Thirdly as they erre in the cause of good works so do they erre much more in the ende of the lawe and of good workes for where Saint Paule teacheth the lawe to be gyuen to thys vse and ende to conuict our transgressions to prooue vs sinners to shewe and condemne our infirmitye and to dryue vs to Christ they take and applye no other ende to the lawe but to make vs perfect to keepe vs from wrath and to make vs iust before God And likewise where Saint Paule prooueth al our good works to be vnperfect and vtterly secludeth them from the ende of Iustifying they contrariwise doe teache as though the ende of good workes were to merite remission of synnes to satisfye vnto God to deserue grace to redeeme soules from Purgatory and that by them the person of the regenerate man doth please God and is made iust before God For so they teach most wickedly and horribly saying That christ suffered for originall sinne or sinnes going before Baptisme but the actuall sinnes which followe after Baptisme must be done away by mens meryts And so they assigne to Christ the begynning of saluation or obteyning of the fyrst grace as they call it but the perfection or cōsūmation of grace they giue to works our own strēgth Neither can they in any case abide that we be iustified frely by the mercy of God through fayth onely apprehending the merites of Christ. Howbeit neyther doe all Papistes in this their erroue agree in one For some make distinction and say that we are iustified by Christ principaliter .i. principally minus principaliter .i. lesse principally by the dignitie of our owne deedes contrary to the eight principle before mentioned page 24. Other holde that we are made ryghteous before God not by works that go before fayth but by our vertues that follow after Some againe do thus expound the saying of Saint Paule We are iustified by faith that is say they by fayth preparing vs or setting vs in a good way to be iustified Other expoūde by it the figure Sinecdoche that is by faith conioyned together with other vertues Other thus by faith that is being formed with charytie c. Thus all these doe derogate from the benefite of Christ and attribute vnto works a great or the greatest part of our iustification directly against the true veine of Saint Paules doctryne and first institucion of the auncient Church of Rome and against all the principles of holy Scripture Furthermore as touching the sayde doctryne of the lawe and good workes they erre in misunderstanding the nature of the lawe and workes For where Saint Paule disputeth that the lawe is spirituall and requireth of vs perfect obedience of the whole power of man which wee beyng carnall are neuer able to accomplish they affirme otherwise that the lawe doth require but onely outward obedience of man and therewith is contented And this obedience they say man is not onely able
before him for feare least he were yet to come of the house of Dauid which should enioy the kingdome In the tyme of this persecutor Symeon Bishop of Hierusalem after other torments was crucified to death whom Iustus afterward succeeded in that Bishopprike In this persecution Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist was exiled by the sayd Domitianus into Pathmos Of whō diuers and sundry memorable actes be reported in sundry Chronicles As first how he was put in a vessell of boiling Oile by the Proconsul of Ephesus The Legend and Perionius say it was done at Rome Isidorus also writing of him and comprehending many things in few wordes declareth that he turned certaine peeces of wood into gold and stones by the seaside into Margarites to satisfie the desire of two whom he had before perswaded to renounce their riches And afterward they repenting that for worldly treasure they had lost heauen for their sakes agayne he changed the same into their former substance Also how he raised vp a widow and a certaine yong man from death to life How he dronke poison and it hurt him not raising also to life two which had dronke the same before These and such other miracles although they may be true are foūd in Isidorus other writers mo yet because they are no articles of our Christian belief I let them passe and only content my selfe with that which I read in Eusebius declaring of him in this wise That in the 14. yeare after Nero in the second persecution in the dayes of Domitian Iohn was banished into Pathmos for the testimonie of the word an 97. And after the death of the foresaid Domitian being slaine his actes repealed by the Senate Iohn was againe released vnder Pertinax the Emperor came to Ephesus an 100. Where he continued vntill the tyme of Traianus there gouerned the Churches in Asia where also he wrote his Gospell and so liued till the yeare after the Passion of our Lord 68. which was the yeare of his age 99. Moreouer in the foresayd Ecclesiasticall story of Eusebius we read that Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist whō the Lord did loue was in Asia where he being returned out of Pathmos after the death of Domitian gouerned the Churches and congregations Irenaeus in his second booke thus writeth And of him all the Elders do witnes which were with Iohn the Disciple of the Lord in Asia that he spake and wrote these thinges c. for there he continued with them vnto the tyme of Traianus c. Also the said Irenaeus Lib. 3. Hypothes in like wordes declareth saying The Church of the Ephesians being first founded by Paul afterward beyng confirmed of Iohn who continued in the same Citie vnto the tyme of Traianus the Emperour is a true witnesse of this Apostolicall tradition c. Clemens Alexandrinus moreouer noteth both the tyme of this holy Apostle and also addeth to the same a certain history of him not vnworthy to bee remembred of such which delite in things honest and profitable Of the which historie Sozomenus also in his Commentaries maketh mention The wordes of the author setting forth this historie be these Heare a fable and not a fable but a true report which is told vs of Iohn the Apostle deliuered and commended to our remembrance After the death of the tyrant whē Iohn was returned to Ephesus from the I le of Pathmos he was desired to resort to the places bordering neare vnto him partly to constitute bishops partly to dispose the causes and matters of the church partly to ordaine and set such of the Clergy in office whom the holy ghost should elect Wherupon when he was come to a certaine citie not farre of the name of which also many do yet remember and had among other thinges comforted the brethren he looking more earnestly vpon him which was the chiefe bishop among them beheld a yong man mighty in body and of a beautiful countenance and of a feruent mind I commend this man saith he to thee with great diligence in the witnesse here of Christ and of the Church When the Bishop had receiued of him this charge and had promised his faithfull diligence therein Agayne the second tyme Iohn spake vnto him and desired him in like maner and contestatiō as before This done Iohn returneth againe to Ephesus The Bishop receiuing the yong man commēded commicteth to his charge brought him home kept him and nourished him and at length also did illuminate that is he baptised him And in short tyme through his diligence brought him into such order and towardnes that he cōmitted vnto him the ouersight of a certaine cure in the Lordes behalfe The yong man thus hauing more his libertie it chanced that certaine of his companions old familiars being idle dissolute accustomed of old time to wickednes did ioyne in company with him Who first brought him to sumptuous riotous bankets Then entised him forth with them in the night to rob and steale After that he was allured by thē vnto greater mischiefe and wickednesse Wherin by custome of tyme by litle and litle he being more practised and being of a good wit and a stout courage like vnto a wild or an vnbrokē horse leauing the right way running at large without bridle was caried headlong to the profunditie of all misorder and outrage And thus being past all hope of grace vtterly forgetting and reiecting the wholesome doctrine of saluatiō which he had learned before began to set his mynde vpon no small matters And forasmuch as he was entred so farre in the way of perdition he cared not how further he proceded in the same And so associating vnto him the company of his companions and fellow thieues tooke vpon him to be as head and captaine among them in committing all kynd of murther and felony In the meane time it chaunced that of necessitie Iohn was sent for to those quarters againe and came The causes being decided and his busines ended for the which he came by the way meeting with the Bishop afore specified requireth of him the pledge which in the witnes of Christ and of the congregation then present he left in his handes to keepe The bishop something amased at the woordes of Iohn supposing he had meant of some money committed to his custody which he had not receiued and yet durst not mistrust Iohn nor contrary his woordes could not tell what to aunswer Then Iohn perceauing his doubtyng and vtteryng his mynde more plainely The yong man saith he and the soule of our brother committed to your custody I do require Then the bishop with a loude voice sorrowing and weeping said he is dead to whom Iohn said how And by what death The other said he is dead to God for he is become an euill man and pernicious to be briefe a thiefe now he doth frequent this mountaine with a company of villains
multitude for the causes aboue specified did not cease to disquiete and afflict the quiet people of God impuâ—ing and ascribing to the Christians whatsoeuer misfortune happened contrary to their desires Moreouer inuentyng agaynst them all false crimes and contumelies wherein to accuse them By reason whereof diuers there were in sundry places much molested and some put to death albeit as it is to be supposed not by the consent of the Emperour who of nature was so mylde and gentle that either he raysed vp no persecution agaynst the Christians or els he soone stayed the same beyng mooued As well may appeare by his letter sent doune to the countreys of Asia the tenor whereof here insueth The Epistle of Antoninus Pius to the Common of Asia EMperour and Caesar Aurelius Antoninus Augustus Armenicus Pontifex Maximus Tribune eleuen tymes Consull thrise vnto the commons of Asia greeting I am very certayne that the Gods haue a care of this that they which be such shall be knowen and not lye hid For they doe punish them that will not worship them more then you which so vexe and trouble them confirming thereby the opinion which they haue conceaued and doe conceaue of you that is to bee wicked men For this is their ioy and desire that when they are accused rather they couet to dye for their God then to lyue Whereby they are Victorers and doe ouercome you geuing rather their lyues then to bee obedient to you in doyng that which you require of them And here it shall not be inconuenient to aduertise you of the Earthquakes which haue and doe happen among vs that when at the sight of them you tremble and are afraide then conferre your case with them For they vpon a sure confidence of their God are bolde and fearelesse much more then you who in all the tyme of this your ignoraunce both doe worship other Gods and neglect the Religion of immortalitie and such Christians as worship him them you doe driue out and persecute them vnto death Of these and such like matters many Presidents of our Prouinces did write to our father of famous memorie heretofore To whome he directed his aunswere agayne willing them in no case to molest the Christians except they were found in some trespasse preiudiciall against the Empire of Rome And to me also many there be which write signifiyng their mind in like maner To whome I haue aunswered againe to the same effect and maner as my father did Wherefore if any hereafter shall offer any vexatioÌ„ or trouble to such hauing no other cause but onely for that they are such let him that is appeached be released and discharged free yea although he be founde to bee such that is a Christian and let the accuser sustaine the punishment c. This godly Edict of the Emperour was proclaymed at Ephesus in the publique asseÌ„bly of all Asia wherof Melito also Byshop of Sardis who florished in the same tyme maketh mention in his Apologie written in defence of our doctrine to M. Antoninus Verus as hereafter Christ willing shall appeare By this meanes then the tempest of persecution in those daies began to be appeased through the mercifull prouidence of God which woulde not haue hys Church vtterly to be ouerthrowne though hardly yet to growe * The fourth Persecution AFter the decease of the foresayd quiet and milde Prince Aurelius Antonius Pius who among all other Emperours of that tyme made the most quiet end followed his sonne M. Antoninus Verus with Lucius his brother about the yeare of our Lord .162 a man of nature more sterne and seuere And although in study of Philosophy in ciuile gouernement no lesse commendable yet to ward the Christians sharpe and fierce by whome was moued the fourth persecution after Nero. In whose tyme a great number of them which truely professed Christ suffered most cruel tormentes and punishments both in Asia and in Fraunce In the number of whome was Policarpus the worthy Bishop of Smyrna Who in the great rage of this persecution in Asia among many other most constant Saintes was also Martyred Of whose end and Martyrdome I thought it here not vnexpedient to coÌ„mit to history so much as Eusebius declareth to be taken out of a certaine letter or Epistle written by them of hys owne Churche to the brethren of Pontus the tenor of which Epistle here followeth The congregation which is at Smyrna to the congregation which is at Philomilium and to all the congregations throughout Pontus mercy to you peace and the loue of God our father and of our Lord Iesu Christ be multiplied Amen We haue written vnto you brethren of those men which haue suffred Martyrdome and of blessed Polycarpus which hath ended and appeased this persecutioÌ„ as it were by the shedding of his own bloud And in the same epistle before they enter into farther matter of Polycarpus they discourse of other Martyrs describing what patience they abode and shewed in suffring their torments which was so great and admirable saith the Epistle that the lookers on were amased seeing and beholding how they were so scourged and whipped that the inward vaynes arteries appeared yea euen so much that the very intrailes of their bodies their bowels and members were seen after that were set vpon sharp shels taken out of the sea edged and sharpe and certaine nailes and thornes for the Martyrs to go vpon which were sharpned and pointed called Obelisci Thus suffred they all kind of punishment and torment that might be deuised and lastly were throwne vnto the wild beasts to be deuoured But especially in the foresayd Epistle mention is made of one Germanicus how he most woorthily perseuered and ouercame by the grace of God that feare of death which is ingraffed in the common nature of all men whose notable patience sufferaunce was so notable that the whole multitude wondring at this beloued Martyr of God for this his so bold constancie and also for the singular strength and vertue proceeding of the whole multitude of the Christians began sodenly to cry with a loud voyce saying destroy the wicked men let Polycarpus be sought for And whilest a great vprore and tumult began thus to be raised vpon those cries A certaine Phrigian named Quintus lately come out of Phrigia who seyng and abhorring the wilde beasts and the fierce rage of them of an ouer light mynd betrayed his own safetie For so the same letter of him doth report that he not reuerently but more malipertly then requisite was together with others rushed into the iudgement place and so being takeÌ„ was made a manifest example to all the beholders that no man ought rashly and vnreuerently with such boldnesse to thrust in himself to entermeddle in matters wherwith he hath not to do But now we will surcease to speake more of them and returne to Polycarpus of whome the foresayd letter consequently declareth
not we created of the same matter that meÌ„ are Yea after Gods Image and similitude are we made as liuely as they Not flesh only God vsed in the creation of the woman in signe and tokeÌ„ of her infirmitie weaknes but bone of bones is she in token that shee must be strong in the true and liuing God all false Gods forsaken Constant in faith al infidelity renounced patient in aduersity all worldly ease refused Waxe wery my dere sisters of your liues lead in darkenes be in loue with my christ my God my redeemer my comforter which is the true light of the worlde Perswade your selues or rather the spirite of the liuing God perswade you that there is a world to come wherin the worshippers of idoles and deuils shal be tormented perpetually the seruauntes of the high god shal be crowned eternally With these words she embraced the fire and swetely slept in the Lord. There haue bene moreouer beside these aboue recited diuers godly women and faithfull Martirs as Barbara a noble woman in Thuscia who after miserable prisonmeÌ„t sharpe cordes burning flames put to her sides was at last beheaded Also Fausta the virgin which suffered vnder Maximinus by whome Euelasius a ruler of the Emperours palace and Maximinus the President were both conuerted and also suffered martirdome as witnesseth Metaphrastes Item Iuliana a virgine of singular beautie in Nicomedia who after diuers agonies suffered likewise vnder Maximinus Item Anysia a mayd of Thessalonica who vnder the said Maximinus suffred Metaphr ibid. Iustina which suffered with Cyprianus bishop of Antioche not to omit also Tecla although most writers doe accorde that she suffered vnder Nero. Platina in vita Caij maketh also mentioÌ„ of Lucia Agatha All which holy maides and virgins glorified the Lord Christ with their constant martirdome in this tenth last persecution of Dioclesian During the time of which persecution these bishops of Rome succeded on after another Caius who succeded next after Xistê° meÌ„tioned pag. 71. Marcellinus Marcellus of whoÌ„ Eusebius in his story maketh no mention Eusebius then Miltiades al which died martirs in the tempest of this persecution First Marcellinus after the Martirdome of Caius was ordeined Bishoppe he being brought by Dioclesian to the Idoles first yeelded to their Idolatry was seene to sacrifice wherfore being excommunicated by the Christians fell in such repentaunce that he returned agayne to Dioclesian where he standing to his former confession and publikely condemning the idolatry of the heathen recouered the crowne of martirdome suffering with Claudius Cyrinus and Antoninus Marcellus likewise was vrged of Maxentius to renounce his bishoprick religion to sacrifice with them to idols which when he constantly refused was beaten with cudgels and so expelled the city Then he entring into the house of Lucina a widow assembled there the coÌ„gregation which when it came to the eares of Maxentius the tiraunt he turned the house of Lucina into a stable and made Marcellus the keeper of the beasts and so with the stinch thereof and miserable handling was put to death Eusebius late byshop of Rome as Euseb. in Chron. saith 7. monethes Marianus Scotus saith 8. months Damasus affirmeth 6. yeares Sabellicus alledgeth certaine authors that say that he was slayne by Maximinianus but correcteth that himselfe affirming that Maximinianus died before him Miltiades by the testimony of Platina and other that follow him sat 3. yeares 7. moneths suffred vnder Maximinianus But that semeth not to be true as both Sabellicus doth rightly note affirming that the same cannot stand by the supputation of time Forasmuch as the saide Galerius Maximinus raigned but 2. yeares and died before Miltiades Also Eusebius manifestly expresseth the example of a letter of Constantine written to this Miltiades Byshop of Rome playnely conuicting that to bee false which Platina affirmeth In the booke collected of general councels among the decretal epistles there is a long tractation about the iudgement and condemnation of Marcellinus wherof the Maysters Patrones of popery in these our daies take great hold to proue the supremacy of the pope to be aboue al generall councels and that he ought not to be subiect to the condemnation of any person or persons for that there is written Nemo vnquam iudicauit Pontificem nec Praesul sacerdotem suum quoniam prima sedes non iudicabitur a quoquaÌ„ c. Although this sentence of Miltiades seemeth apparantly to be patched in rather by some Heldibrandus then by Miltiades both for that it hangeth with little order of sense vpon that which goeth before againe bicause that prima sedes here mentioned was not yet ordained nor attributed to the sea of Rome before the councell of Nice where the order and placing of byshops was first established But to let this sentence passe yet notwithstanding the circuÌ„stance proceding of this iudgement if it be rightly weyed maketh very little to the purpose of these men Neither is it true that the bishops of this councell of Sinuesse did not condemne Marcellinus for the wordes of the councell bee plaine Subscripserunt igitur in eius damnationem damnauerunt eum extra ciuitatem That is They subscribed therfore to his comdemnation and condemned him to be expelled out of the citie Moreouer by the said councell were brought in the 42. witnesses against Marcellinus In the saide councell the verdit of the same witnesses was demaunded and also receiued Furthermore Quirinus there one of the Byshops openly protested that he would not depart the councell before the malice of the bishops were reuealed what doth al this declare but that the bishop of Rome was called there and did appeare before the iudgement seat of the Councell and there stoode subiecte to their sentence authoritie by the which he was expelled out of the City As for the wordes of the councell whereupon our Papistes stand so much Non enim nostro sed tuo ipsius iudicio coÌ„demnaberis c. Item Tuo ore iudica causam tuaÌ„ c. These words import not here the authority of the Romane bishop to be aboue the councel neither do they declare what the councell could not do but what they would and wished rather to be done that is that he should rather acknowledge his crime before God them with a voluntary yelding of his hart then that the confession of such an hainous fact should be extorted from him through their condemnatioÌ„ for that they saw to be expedient for hys soules health Otherwise their coÌ„demnation should serue him to smal purpose And so it came to passe For he being vrged of theÌ„ to condemne himselfe so did prostrating himselfe and weeping before them Wherupon immediatly they proceded to the senteÌ„ce against him condemning pronouncing him to be expelled the city Now whether by this may be gathered that the Byshop of Rome ought not to be cited accused
vse of the spirituall sword are aboue the persons of them which haue the temporall sworde Besides these letters of the Archbyshoppe sent to the king the Pope also in the same cause wryteth to the king beginning after this sort Alexander Papa ad Henricum regé Et naturali ratione forma iuris dictante prouidentiam tuam credimus edoctam fuisse quòd quanto quis ab aliquo maiora suscepisse dignoscitur tanto ei obnoxior magis obligatus tenetur c. The whole tenour of the letter as 〈◊〉 wrote it to the king I would heere expresse but for treating of the time straightnesse of rowme hauing so many things els in this storie by the grace of Christ to be comprehended But the letter tendeth to this effect to exhort and charge the king to shew fauour to Thomas Becket Where in the processe of the Epistle it followeth in these wordes Ea propter seueritatem tuam per Apostolica scripta rogamus monemus exhortamur in domino nec non in remessionem peccatorum ex parte dei omnipotentis beati Petri principis Apostolorum antoritate nostra iniungimus vt memoratum Archiepiscopum pro deo ecclesia sua honore tuo nec non totius regni tui in gratiam fauorem tuum recipias c. That is therfore we desire you monish and exhort your honor by these our Apostolical wrytings and also enioyne you vpoÌ„ the remission of your sinnes in the behalfe of almighty God and of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles by our authoritie that you will receiue againe the foresayde Archb. into your fauour and grace for the honour of God his Church and of your owne Realme c. Thus you heard the Popes intreating letter nowe here is an other letter sent vnto the foresaid king wherein he doth manace him as in the tenor thereof here followeth Bishop Alexander seruant of the seruants of God to king Henry king of England health and blessing Apostolicall HOw fatherly and gently we haue oft times entreated and exhorted both by Legates and letters your princely honour to be reconciled againe with our reuerend brother Thomas Archb. of Cant. so that he and his may be restored againe to their Churches and otheâ— possessions to them appertaining your wisdome is not ignorant seeing it is notified and spred almost throughout all Christendome For so much therefore as hetherto we coulde not preuaile with you neither moue nor stirre your minde with faire and gentle wordes it lamenteth vs not a little so to be frustrate and deceiued of the hope and expectation which we had conceiued of you Especially seing we loue you so dearely as our owne dearely beloued sonne in the Lorde and vnderstanding so great ieopardie to hang ouer you But forasmuch as it written Cry out and cease not lift vp thy voice like a trumpe and declare to my people their wickednesse and their sinnes to the house of Iacob Also for as much as it is in Salomon commaunded that the sluggish person should be stoned with the dung of Oxen we haue thought good therefore not to forbeare or supporte your stubburnes any longer against iustice and saluation Neither that the mouth of the foresaid Archbishop shoulde be stopped from hencefoorth any more but that he may freely prosecute the charge of his office and duetie to reuenge with the sworde of Ecclesiasticall discipline the iniuries both of himselfe and of his Church committed to his charge And here I haue sent vnto you two Legates Petrus de ponte dei and Bernardus de Corilio to admonish you of the same But if ye wil neither by vs be aduertised nor geue eare to them in obeying it is to be feared doubtles least such things as they shall declare to you from vs in our behalfe may happen fal vpon you Datch at Beneuent the 9. day before the kalends of Iune To aunswer these letters againe there was an other certain wryting drawne out directed to the Pope made by some of the Clergy as it seemeth but not without consent of the king as by the title may appeare inueying and disprouing the misbehauior of the Archbishop The tenor whereof here followeth and beginneth thus An answere to the Pope TIme nowe requireth more to seeke helpe then to make complaints For so it is nowe that the holy mother Churche our sinnes deseruing the same lieth in a dangerous case of great decay which is like to ensue except the present mercy of the Lord support her Such is the wickednes now of schismatikes that the father of fathers Pope Alexander for the defence of his faith and for the loue of righteousnes is banished out of his countrey not able to keepe free residence in his owne proper see by reason of the induratâ— heart of Fredericke the Pharao Farther and besides the Church also of Canterburie is miserably impaired and blemished as well in the spirituall as in the temporall estate much like vnto the ship in the Sea being destitute of their guide to fled in the floudes and wrasteling wiâ—h the windes while the pastor being absent from his prouince dâ—re not there remain through the power of the king Who being ouer wise to the ieoperdie both of himselfe his Churche and vs also hath brought and intangled vs likewise with himselfe in the same partaking of his punishments and labours not considering howe we ought to forbeare and not to resist superior powers And also sheweth himselfe to vs vnkinde which with al our affections bear the burden with him of his afflictions not ceasing yet to persecute vs which stand in the same condemnation with him For betwixt him and our soueraigne prince king of Englande arose a certaine matter of contention wherupon they were both agreed that a day shoulde be appoynted to haue the controuersie discussed by equitie and iustice The day being come the king commaunded all the Archbyshops Bishops and other prelates of the Church to be called in a great and solemne frequencie so that the greater and more generall this councell was the more manifest the detection of this stubburne malice should appeare and be espied At the day therefore aboue mentioned this troubler of the realme and of the Church presenteth himselfe in the sight of our Catholicke king who not trusting the qualitie and condition of his cause armeth him with the armour of the crosse as one which should be brought to the presence of a tyrant By reason whereof the kings maiestie being something agreeued yet because hee would be deliuered from all suspition committeth the matter to the hearing of the Bishops This done it rested in the bishops to decide and cease this contention and to set agreement betweene them remouing all occasion of dissention Which thing they going about commeth in this foresayd Archbishop forbidding and commaunding that no man proceede in any sentence of hym before the king This being signified to the kings hearing his minde was greuously prouoked
partes whilest that the tyranny of the heretickes indured made their concourse to vs and were recaiued and part fled vnto you that is olde Rome as to a strong tower of refuge and so receiued they cōfort in both places and one brother was thus receiued into the bosome of an other by mutuall loue for their defence Then after when Rome had bene often distressed by the barbarous and heathen nations the Grecians were euer ready to rescue and deliuer them Did not Agapitus and Vigilius flye vnto Constantinople by reason of the dissentions then at Rome and being honourablye receiued were here desended vnder our protection ' although the like kindenes was neuer yet shewed of your part to vs agayne in our like necesities Notwithstanding wee ought to do good to them also that be vngrateful for so doth the Sea participate her sinoth and calme tides euen vnto the Pirats And so God causeth the sunne to shine vpon the lust and vniust But alas for sorow what bitter diuision is this that hath thus sequestred vs a sonder One of vs detracteth an other shonning the company one of an other as the damnation of his soule What a mortall hatred is this come amongest vs if you thinke we are fallen then do you help to lift vs vp and be not to vs as a stombling blocke to our bodely ruine but helpers vnto the spirituall resuvrection of our soules So shall we acknowledge our selues boūd vnto you to geue you condigne thankes accordingly But if the blame and first origine of all this offence proceedeth from Rome and the successours of Peter the Apostle then read you the wordes of S. Paule to the Galathians saying When Peter came vnto Antioche I withstood him in the face because he was to be rebuked c. Howbeit this resistaunce was no cause of any discord or breach betweene them but the cause rather of further search and profounder disputations prouoking temporall agrement For they were fast ioyned together in the bond of charity in Christ agreeing in faith and conformity of doctrine separated by no ambition or auarice In which poyntes would God we also were like vnto them This to vs in our mindes gendreth a great offence that your gaping so greedyly after terrene possessions scrape together all that you can scratch and rake You heap vp gold and siluer and yet pretend that you be the Disciples of him which sayd gold and siluer I haue none c. You make whole kingdomes tributary to you and kings and princes your vassals You augment your mony by vsury by feates of marchaundise You vnteache by your deedes that whiche you teach in wordes Moderate your selues therefore with more temperaunce that you may be an example to vs and to all the world You see how good a thing it is one brother to helpe an other Onely God alone needeth no helpe or counsell but men neede one to be holpen one of another And were it not that I doe reuerence the blessed Apostle Peter the chiefe of Christes Apostles the rocke of our fayth I would here put you in remembraunce how greatly this rocke was shaken and remooued from the foundation at the sight of a seely woman and Christ of his secret purpose permitted the same which by the crowing of the cock brought him agayne to remembraunce of that which was foretolde him and raysed him from the slumber of desperation Then he being thus waked washed his face with teares confessing himselfe before God and all the world to be a true paterne of repentance which before bare the keyes of the kyngdome as saying thus vnto vs May not he which falleth rise agayne Oh you whiche are fallen rise vp beholde me harken vnto me trauelling toward Paradise The gates wherof to open I haue receiued power And thus do I write vnto you not for any instruction but onely to put you in remēbraunce for I know how God hath endued you with all wisedome and knowledge As Salomon sayth Geue onely occasion to the wise and he will learne wisedome Teach the iust man and he will be glad to take instruction This one thing more I will say and so make an end There be great and mighty nations that are of like mind and opinion with vs. First the Ethiopians that inhabite the chiefest part of the East After that the Sirians and other moe of greater number thē they and more disposed to vertūe as the Hyberi Alonà Gothi Chaiari with innumerable people of Russia and the kingdome of great victory of the Vulgarians And all these are obedient vnto vs as their mother Church persisting hetherto constantly in the auncient and true orthodoxasticall fayth immouáble The God of all holynes which for our sakes became man and which onely is the head of his Church and congregation vouchsafe to gather vs agayne together in vnity and graunt that the Grecian church together with her sister church of old Rome may glorify the same Christ the prince of peace by he vnitye of faith to the restitutiō of soūd wholsom doctrine wherein many yeres agone they haue agreed and were vnited God graunt vnto you brotherlike charity and the hand of the most mighty God gouern you all holy Cardinals till that ioyfully ye arriue in the heauen of euerlasting trāquility The grace of God be with you all Amē Ex Math. Parisiens fol. 111. Shortly after the sending of these letters Pope Gregory prepared to send men of warre signed with the crosse to fight agaynst the Grecians Wherupon the Archbishop of Antioch with the said Germanus solemnly excommunicated the Pope after he first had excommunicated them Par. fol. 118. In the meane time by the tenour of these letters of the Patriarch sent to the Pope and to the Cardinals it is euident to all men that haue eies in their heads to see first how the whole vniuersall church of Christ frō the east partes to the west in auncient times were altogether vnited in one cōsent of doctrine lincked together in brotherly charity one Church brotherly to helpe an other both with temporall ayd spirituall councell as case required Neither was then any one mother Church aboue other Churches but the whole vniuersall Churche was the mother Church and spouse of the Lord to euery faythfull beleuer Under which vniuersall Church in generall were comprehended all other particular Churches in speciall as sister churches together not one greater thē an other but all in like equality as God gaue his giftes so seruing one another euer holding together the vnity of fayth and Sisterly loue And so long was it and rightlye might so be called the catholicke church hauing in it true vnity uniuersality and free consent Unity in doctrine vniuersality in cōmunicating and ioyning together of voyces cōsent in spirit and iudgement For what soeuer was caught at Rome touching fayth and saluation it was no other then was taught at Antioch
Into what city or town so euer ye shall enter enquire out those that be of good report in the same abide you with them so long as you tary in the same City or Towne Glose Your host with whom ye lodge ought to be chosen by the good report of neighbors least your preaching be euill spokē of by reason of his infamy Neither ought such men to runne frō house to house But whome shall we call worthy or of good report Glose Him who knoweth better to do other men good thē to receiue a good turne of an other and this is he which geueth willingly for Christes cause and not in respect of any commodity Also true Apostles receiue nothing of such mē as lie waltering in their sins but rather of those that are washed and clensed from their sinnes wherupon the 2. to the Cor. the 7. chap. They haue geuen themselues first to the Lord. Glose Because they now amēding their olde errors and vicious maners haue vowed themselues vnto the lord afterward gaue of that which they had to their brethren For otherwise they ought not to haue taken any thing of them because gifts do blinde the eies But those that geue where there is no cause of reproofe in their doing haue no iust cause to geue Therfore those preachers that seek how to come by dainty fare doe receiue bribes rewardes of naughty men that haue this world at will to the entent that those preachers may couer and hide their faultes and get of others what they can by subtlety which geue indeed rather to remoue the shamelesse importunity of the crauer or els for auoyding of present shame thē for any loue they haue to God are not true Apostles but false Prophets according to that in the 2◠to the Cor. the 9. chap. The Lord doth loue a willing geuer Glose He that geueth for presēt shame or els for that he may be free from the importunacy of him that asketh doth loose both his substaunce and merite wherefore he that hath respect to these thinges doth not seek the fruit and profit of the geuer but the gift it selfe as the Apostle to the Philip. the 4. chap. sayth Seeke not the gift but the fruit or benefit of the geuer The 27. signe is that true Apostles do not endeuoure themselues to seeke enioy the fruit of other mens labors that they may be fed thereby because that the belly is such mens God according to that in the 2. to the Thessa. the 3. cap. we haue heard of some amongst you which walk vnordinately not laboring at al but liuing delicately or idlely Glose of other mens labors and deserue they to be fed The discipline of the Lord cannot away with that doing for the belly is their God which prouide to haue more thē necessary dishes of meat Therefore those preachers which so do are no true Apostles but false The 28. signe is that true Apostles do not reioyce only of the miracles or other excellēt works which the Lord doth by them but they reioyce rather of the saluatiō which they looke for from the Lord then that by doing those miracles they desire any honor According to that which is written in Luke x. saying Reioyce ye not for that the spirits be subiect vnto you but because your names are registred in heauen They therfore that boast of their own miracles or of any that belong vnto them for this cause that they are saued by the doing of them as many do say seme not to be true Apostles but false The 29. signe is that the true Apostles do neuer seeke their owne glory in this life but the glory of Christ as in Iohn 7. He that speaketh of himself doth seek his own glory But he that seeketh the glory of him which sēt him that is of whom he is sent is a true Apostle Therefore those which seeke the thinges that pertayne to the glory of thys world of the which one is To be assistent to those that beare rule and authority according to that saying of Boetius De consolatione Those that do desire to be extolled either they raigne beare rule themselues or els do desire to be nere about thē that haue such dominiō Another is they desire to haue the fame and victory of that which they haue nothing at all deserued before God Whereupon is written that saying of the Apostle in the Gal. 5. Let not vs become desirous of vaine glory Glose To be desirous of vaynglory is to haue victory without any merite or desert those I say that doe such thinges seeme not to be true Apostles but false The 30. signe is That true Apostles care not for the solemnities of men neither their salutatiōs nor feastings nor any other benefite of theirs They therfore which loue seek the company and fellowship of men their feastings and other their commodities do not seeme to be true Apostles but false The 31. signe is that true Apostles do not commonly resort to other mens tables least that they should for a meals meat become flatterers as in the 2 Thessalon 3. That we should geue you an example to follow vs. Glose He that cōmeth oftētunes to an other mans table being geuē to idlenes cannot chuse but flatter him which fedeth him but Christes religion calleth men to liberty and to no such bōdage They therfore that resort oftentimes that of theyr owne mindes to other mens tables liuing idlely are not true Apostles but false The 32. signe is that true Apostles do not hate theyr enemies and such as hate them which doctrine the Lord taught Mathew 5. saying Loue your enemies do well to them which hate you But false Prophets doe both hurt defame their neighbors according as S. Ierome 14. saith The Prophets of Ierusalem haue defiled the whole earth Glossa They are not contented onely to hurt their neighbors but also whōe they before this time haue hated they defame and speak euill of in euery place they come Therfore those preachers which hate them whome they thinke are their enemies and do defame them are not true Apostles but false preachers The 33. signe is that false Prophets when they are examined proued whether they be true Apostles or liers take that very greeuously And persecute all those that can proue thē to be so And also do stirre vp and prouoke other to persecute the same men which also ioyne thēselues together by secular power euen as certain false prophets did in the primitiue Church agaynst the Bishop of Ephesus to whom the Lord sayd in the Apoc. 2. I know that is to say I do alow thy workes and thy labour that is thy tribulation because thou canst not away with those that be euill men Glossa But that thou hast a desire to amend thē or els to expell them and hast examined those which say that they are Apostles and are but lyers and also hast
experimentes it is manifest that some of your graces assistaunces haue reported to your maiesty many lyes of vs working mischiefe as much as in them lyeth not onely agaynst vs but agaynst you also and your whole Realme Be it knowne to your highnes that we haue bene alwayes willing to defend the health and sauegarde of your person with all our power and fealty due to your grace purposing to vexe to the vttermost of our power and estate not onely our ill willers but also your enemies and the enemies of your whole Realme If it be your good pleasure geue no credite to theÌ„ we shall be alwayes found your faithfull And we the Earle of Leiceister and Gilbert of Clare at request of the other for vs them haue put to our seales These letters being read and heard there was a counsell called and the king writ back to them and specially to the two Earles of Leicester and Glocester in maner and forme following HEnry by the grace of God king of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitanie c. To Simon Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and their confederates For as much as by the warre generall disquietnes by your meanes raised vp in our whole realme and also the burninges and other hurtfull enormities it appeareth manifestly that you keepe not your fidelitie to vs ward nor care any thing for our health or safety And for that ye haue inorderly greued our nobles and other our faythfull subiectes sticking faythfully and constantly to vs as you haue certified vs we accounting their losse as our owne and their enemies as ours And seing these my aforesayd faithfull subiects for the keeping of their fidelitie do assist vs manfully and faythfully agaynst your vnfaithfulnes we therefore care not for your fidelitie or loue but defie you as our and their enemies Witnes myselfe at lewes the day yeare abouesayd Also Richard king of Almaine and Lord Edward the sonne of king Henry writ also to the Barons in this wife Richard by the the grace of God king of the Romaynes alwayes Augustus and Edward the eldest sonne of the noble king of England al the other Barons and nobles constantly and faythfully in hart deede cleauing to the foresayd king of England to Simon Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and to all and singuler other their adherents in their conspiracie By your letters whiche you sent to our Lord the noble king of England we haue vnderstanding that you defie vs although before any such word your defiaunce towardes vs was apparant inough by your cruell persecution in burning our possessions and spoyling our goodes we therefore geue you to witte that we all and euery one of vs as your enemies doe defie you all as our open enemies And farther that we will not cease where soeuer it shall lye in our power to the vttermost of our force and might to subuert your persons and all that you haue As touching that you laye to our charge that we geue neyther faythfull nor good counsell to our Lord the king you say not the truth And if your Lord Simon Mountfort or Gilbert de Clare will affirme the same in our Lord the kinges court we are ready to get safe conduit for you to come to the sayd Court to try and declare the truth of our innocency and the falsehood of you both as forsworne traytors by some man equall with you in nobilitie and stocke All we are contayned with the seales of the aforesayd Lordes the Lord Richard and the Lord Edward Dated the day aforesayd Both which letters beyng read they drew neare to the king for they were not farre distant from the place whiche is called Lewes And for that there wanted to the Kinges store prouision for their horses it was coÌ„manded them on tewsday to go forth to seeke for hay and prouender Which when they were gone forth were preuented most of them of their enemies and killed but the residue returning saw their enemies comming very early on that wednesday morning and making outcries stirred vp the king his hoste to arme themselues Then the Barons comming to the full playne descended there and girding trunming their horses made fit their harnies to them And there the Earle Simon made the Earle of Glocester and Robert Deuer and many other new knightes which being done he deuided and distincted his host into foure seueral battails And he appointed noble men to guide gouern euery battaile And ouer that first battayle were ordayned Captaines Henry Mountfort the eldest sonne of the Earle Simon Buidd his brother Lord Iohn de Bruch the younger Lord Humfry de Boun. Ouer the second battaile Lord Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester Lord Iohn the sonne of Lord S. Iohn and Lord William of Mouncherisi And ouer the third in whiche the Londiners were at their request the Lord Nicholas Segraue was assigned Which required also very instanntly that they might haue that first stroke in the battayle at the aduenture come what come woulde But ouer the fourth battayle the Earle himselfe was captayne with the Lord Thomas of Pilnestone In that meane season came forth the kinges host preparing themselues to the field in three battayles of whiche Edward the kynges sonne led the first with the Earle of Warwicke and Malence the kings brother and the secoÌ„d the king of Alinaine guided with hys sonne Henry but the king with hys nobles guided the third And the fourth legion the king appoynted not by reason that he had left many of hys chiefe souldiours behinde him to keepe the Castell and towne of Tunebridge agaynst the Earle of Glocester And the most part of the kinges army were but young men for the king thought not that his BaroÌ„s had bene come so nigh hand Theyr armes being on both sides set in aray order they exhorted one an other on eyther party to fight valiantly after they buckled together the battaile was great many horsemen were ouerthrown euen in a moment But by and by Edward the kings sonne with his band as a fierce young gentlemen valiant knight fell vpon his enemies with such force that he compelled them to reâ—ule backe a great way so that the hinmost thinking by reason of their geuing backe that the foremost were slayne ran many away of them and taking water to passe ouer were almost threescore souldiours drowned a few of the being slaine all the rest fled Straight way the Londiners whiche had asked the first fight knowing not howe the battaile went tooke them to theyr hecles Whom Edward pursued with his band killing the himmost of them by the space of two or three miles For hee hated them because they had rebelled agaynst his father and disgraced his mother wheÌ„ she was caryed by barge vpon the Temse froÌ„ the tower to Windsore as is aboue touched pag. 000. Whilest that Prince Edward was thus in the chase of the LoÌ„doners who had the
wisdome and fatherly loue The almighty preserue your holinesse to his holy church a long time These things thus discoursed and done then followed the yeare of our Lord 1304. In the which yeare about the natiuity of our lady came a garison of harnessed soldiours wel appointed sent partly by the French king partly by the Cardinals of Columpua whom the Pope before had deposed vnto the gates of Anragū where the Pope did hide himself because he was borne in the towne The captains of which armie was one Shaira brother to the foresayde Cardinalles And an other William de Longarero high steward to the French king Who inuading the popes towne and finding the gates open gaue assault to the popes frontire where the Pope with his nephew a Marques and 3. other Cardinals were immured The townes men seeing all their intent strength to be bent against the Pope caused the common bel to be rong so assembling themselues in a cōmon counsaile ordeined Adulphus one of the chiefest rulers of the towne for their captaine who vnknowing to them was a great aduersary to the Pope This Adulphus bringing with him Reginaldus de Supine a great lord in Campania the 2. sonnes of Iohn Chitan a noble mā whose father the pope had then in prison at length ioyned him with the French company against the Pope and so beset his palace on euery side And first setting vpō the palacies of the 3. Cardinals which were then chiefe about the pope rifled spoiled all their goods The Cardinals by a backe-doore hardly auoided their handes but the Popes palace through munition strength of the Marques was something better defended At length the Pope perceiuing him selfe not able to make his partie good desired truce wyth Schaira his company which was to him graūted from one til nine During which time of truce the Pope priuily sendeth to the townesmen of Aruagium desiring them to saue his life which if they would doe he promised so to enrich them that they should all haue cause neuer to forget or repent their benefite bestowed To this they made answer againe excusing themselues y◠it lay not in their hability to do him any good for that the whole power of the towne was with the captaine Then the Pope all destitute desolate sendeth vnto Schaira beseeching him to draw out in articles wherin he had wronged him and he wold make hym amends to the vttermost Shaira to this maketh a playne answer signifying to him againe that he should in no wise escape with his life except vppon these 3. conditions First to restore againe the 2. Cardinals of Columpna his brethren whom he had before depriued with al other of their stocke and kinred secondly that after their restitution he should renounce his papacie thirdly his body to remaine in hys power custody These articles seemed to the pope so hard that in no case he woulde agree vnto them wherefore the time of truce expired the captaines soldiors in all forceable meanes bending themselues against the bishop first fired the gates of the pallace wherby the army hauing a full entrance fel to rifle spoile the house The Marques vpon hope to haue his life the life of his children yealdeth him to the hands of Schaira the other captaine which when the Pope heard he wept and made great lamentation After this through windowes and doores at length with much a doe they brast into the pope whome they intreated wyth words threats accordingly Vpō this he was put to his choise whether hee woulde presently leaue his life or geue ouer his Papacie But that he denied stifly to doe to die for it saying to them in his vulgar tōgue Eccle col eccle cape That is lo here my necke lo here my head protesting that he would neuer while he liued renounce hys Popedome Then Schaira went about and was redy to slay him but by certaine that were about him he was staide whereby it hapned that the pope receiued no harme although diuers of his ministers and seruants were slaine The souldiors which ranged in the meane time through all the corners of the Popes house did lade themselues with such treasure of golde siluer plate and ornaments that the wordes of my autor whom I follow do thus expresse it Quod omnes reges mundi non possent tantum de thesauro reddere infia vnum annum quantum fuit de papali palatio asportatum de palatijs trium Cardinalium Marchionis That is that all the kings of the earth together were not able to disburse so much out of their treasury in a whole yeare as then was taken caried out of the popes pallace and of the pallace of the three Cardinals and the Marques Thus Boniface bereued of all his goodes remained in their custodie 3. daies Duryng the which space they had set him on a wilde and vnbroken colte his fate turned to the horse taile causing the horse to runne and course while the Pope was almost breathlesse Moreouer they kept him so wythout meate that hee was thereby neare famished to death After the 3. day the Aruagians and people of the town mustering themselues together to the number of x. M. secretely brast into the house where the Pope was kept and so slaying the kepers deliuered the Pope by strong hand Who then being brought into the middle of the towne gaue thankes with weeping teares to the people for his life saued promising moreouer that for so much as hee was out of all hys goodes hauyng neither bread nor drink to put in his mouth gods blessing and his to al them that now would relieue him wyth any thing either to eate or drinke And heere nowe to see what pouertie and affliction can worke in a man The Pope before in all his pompe most ruffling wealth was neuer so proud but nowe was as humble lowly that euery poore simple man as mine author testifieth might haue a bolde and free accesse to his person To make the story shorte the Pope in that great distresse of famine was not so greedy of their vitails as they were gredy of his blessing Whereupon the women people of the towne came so thicke some with bread some with wine some with water some with meat some with one thing some with an other that the Popes chamber was too litle to receiue the offring in so much that when there lacked cups to receiue the wine they poured it downe on that chamber flore not regarding the losse of wine to win the popes holy blessing Thus Pope Boniface being refreshed by the towne of Aruagum tooke his iourney from thence accompanied with a great multitude of harnessed soldiors to Rome where he shortly vpon the same partly for feare which he was in partly for famine partly for sorrow of so inestimable treasure lost died After whom succeded Benedictus the 11. of
his assistaunts here assembled alledging the first Epistle of Peter the 2. chapter where he sayth Feare God honour the king By which wordes the holy Apostle S. Peter teacheth vs 2. things First that loue feare obedience is due vnto God for the mightinesse and puissaunce of his Maiesty saying Feare God Secondly how speciall honor reuerence is due to the King for the excellency of his dignity saying Honor the King But note you by the way how the Apostle placeth his woordes First he sayth that feare is due vnto God because principally and in chiefe we ought to feare GOD For if the King or any other should commaund things contrary to God we ought to haue no regard ther of but to contemne the King feare God For it is written in the 5. of the Actes of the Apostles we ought rather to obey God then men and also in the 7. chap. of Machabes the 2. booke where it is sayd I will not obey the commaundements of the king but the law The reason whereof S. Augustine geueth both in the glose vpon the Romaines also in the 11. quaest 1. He that resisteth the superiour power resisteth the will and ordinaunce of God But put case thou art commaunded to do that which thou maist not do or to do not that which thou oughtest to do Doubtlesse thou must neglect the lesser power and feare the higher learning the degrees of worldly thinges As for example be it so that a Proctour commaundeth thee any thing which if the same be agaynst the Proconsull thou oughtest not to follow it Yea and further put case the Proconsull commaundeth one thing the Emperour an other and God willeth the third Thou must not care for thē but obey God for God is the greater power For they may threaten thee with prison but GOD may threaten thee with hell fire they may slay and kill thy body but God may send thee body and soule to perpetuall hell fire And therfore worthely it is put first Feare God And here the place in the last of Ecclesiasticus is to be adioyned where it is written Feare God and keep his commaundements And me thinketh that man is boūd to feare God chiefly in three sorts That is to say First in the bountifull bestowing of his giftes and benefites Secondly in the euident promoting of his seruauntes And lastly in the full rendring and restoring vnto man that is his First I say in the bountifull c. and for this cause the Emperour Iustinian writeth although there is nothing to be accompted good which doth exceede and is to great yet for a prince to be stow accordingly vpō the church it is very good For why the king and Emperour is bound to bestow so much the more substaunce how much the more God hath geuen to him to bestow the same both franckly and especially to famous Churches wherein the best greatest measure is of the Lordes giftes that is a great gift And to this end Gregory enacteth a law cap. i. extra de donationibus that nobility ought in maner to prescribe this law to himselfe to thinke himselfe bound to geue whē he geueth freely vnlesse he increase in geuing still to think that he hath geuen nothing Wherfore Abell as appeareth in the 4. chapter of Genesis who offered of the best to the Lord was blessed of God And therefore other Kinges the more they offred to God the more they were both spiritually and temporally blessed of him As we read of Iosua Dauid Salomon other in the booke of the Kings and therefore it is so written in the 18. of Numbers And ye shall separate vnto the Lordes treasury thinges that be chiefest and most principall As likewise Dauid sayth in the first of Paralipomenon last chapter I haue geuen all this with a glad hart euen with a good will and now haue I had ioy to see thy people which here are present offer with a free will vnto thee And no maruell for Dauid sayth in that place For of thy hand we haue receiued all and to thee we geue And therefore it seemeth to me that because the Kynges of Fraunce and Barons of the same more then anye other hath geuen to GOD and his Church therefore they were happy and blessed aboue all other kinges and the more they did geue to God the more they receiued at hys handes Examples wherof we haue of Clodoue Charles and S. Lewes the more one geueth to God the more he receiueth of him For he in the 6. of Luke hath promised geue and it shal be geuen vnto you wherfore a gift that a Prince bestoweth vpon the Church is rendered agayne with triple encrease and that no lesse in time of warr then in time of peace I say in warre time because victory proceedeth of no other but onely of God for it is writtē in the 1. Machabecs the 3. Chapter The victorye of the battayle standeth not in the multitude of the boast but the strength commeth from heauen And likewise in the 17. Chapter of Exodus it is declared that when Moyses held vp hys handes Israell had the victory but when he let down his handes Amalec had the victory To this end also serueth the last chapter Machabes 2. where Iudas being at the poynt to haue the victory thought he saw Amon and Ieremy which had bene high Priestes and very vertuous men holding vp their handes toward heauē and praying for theyr people and all the whole Citye c. Likewise in peace time now the long dayes of the king and of hys sonnes their peace prosperity obedience by the prayer of the Church is mayntayned supported in the realme For as long as Salomon was bent and geuē in building the house of God so long he had peace who thus in the 16. chap. of the Prouerbes teacheth vs. when a mans wayes pleaseth the Lord he maketh his very enemies to be hys frendes And also in 1. Esdras 6. chapter where it is read how the Priestes were commaunded to offer sweet fauors to the God of heauen and pray for the kinges life and hys children And well therefore may it be called a gift both fauorable irreuocable wherby victory is geuen life graūted and peace with security conserued To serue therefore God liberally to geue toward the worshipping of him is the chiefest signe and token of diuine feare loue Eccl. cap. 2. O ye that feare the Lord beleue him your reward shall not be empty Secondly cōcerning the feare of God I do you to vnderstand that among the precepts of the Lord the first and chiefest commaundement of the second table is To honor thy father which precept is very well expoūded to y◠Hebrues in the 12. chapter where it is not onely ment of the fathers of our bodies but also of the father of spirites For as spirituall
leue not his sinne amend him before witnes and gif he ne amendeth not men should tel to the church and gif he ne amendeth not than men shuld shone his company as a publicane or a man that is misbeleued and this lawe was yfigured in the law of lepre who that readeth it he may see the sooth But Lord God he that sitteth in thy stede hath vndo thy lawe of mercy and of loue Lord thou biddest loue enemies as our self as thou shewest in the gospell there as the Samaritane had mercy on the Iewe. And thou biddest vs also prayen for them that cursen vs and that defamen vs pursuen vs to death And so Lorde thou didst thine apostles also But he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar on earth and head of thy church he hath vndone thy lawe of loue and mercy For gif we speaken of louing our ennemies hâ— teacheth vs to fight with our enemies that Christ hath forboden He curseth and desireth vengeance to them that so doth to hym Gif any man pursueth him hee curseth him that it is a sorowe a Christen man to hearen the cursinges that they maken and blasphemies in such cursing Of what thing that I know I may beare true witnes But gif we speake of louing of our brethren this is vndone by him that sayth he is Godsvicar in earth For Christ in the gospell biddeth vs that we shoulden clepen vs no father vpon earth But clepen God our father to maken vs loue perfitlich together And he clepeth himself father of fathers maketh many religions to euerich a father But whether is loue and charity encreased by these fathers and by their religions or els ymade lesse For a Friar ne loueth not a monke ne a secular man neither nor yet one frier a nother that is not of the order and it is againward A Lord me thinketh that there is litle perfection in these religions For Lorde what charity hauen such men of religion that knowen how they mown against and sin and fleen away froÌ„ their brethren that ben more vncuÌ„ning then they ben suffren them to trauelen in the world withouten their couÌ„cell as beastes Trulich Lorde me thinketh that there is but litle charity and then is there litle perfection Lorde God when thou were on earth thou were among sinful men to drawen them from sin thy disciples also And Lord I trow thou ne grauÌ„test not one maÌ„ more kuÌ„ning then an other al for himself and I wote wel that lewd meÌ„ that ben laborers ne trauel not alonlich for himself Lord our belief is that thou ne wer not of the world ne thy teaching neither ne thy seruantes that liueden after thy teaching But all they forsaken the world and so euery christen man must But Lorde whether thou taughtest menne forsake their brethrens companie and trauell of the worlde to liuen in ease and in rest and out of trouble and anger of the worlde by their brethrens trauell and so forsaken the world A Lord thou ne taughtest not a maÌ„ to forsaken a pore estate and trauel to ben afterward a Lord of his brethren or ben a lords fellow and dwelling with Lords as doth men of these new religions Lord thou ne taughtest not men of thy religion thus to forsake the world to liuen in perfection by them selfe in ease and by other mens trauell But Lord they sayen they ben ybound to thy seruise and seruen thee both night and day in singing their prayers both for themselfe and for other men that done them good both quicke and dead and some of them gone about to teach thy people when they hauen leisure A Lord gif they ben thy seruauntes whose seruaunts ben we that cannot preyen as they done And when thou were heere on earth for our nede thou taughtest thy seruauntes to preyen thy father priuilich and shortlich And gif there had beene a better maner of praying I trowe thou wouldest haue taught it in helpe of thy peâ—ple And Lorde thou reprouest hypocrites that preyen in long preyer and in open places to ben yholden holy men And thou seyst in the gospel wo to you Pharisees hypocrits And lord thou ne chargedest not thy seruaunts with such maner seruice But thou seest in the gospel that the Pharises worshopeÌ„ thee with their lippes and their hart is farre from thee For they chargen more mens traditions than thy commaundements And Lord we lewed men han a beleefe that thy goodnesse is endles and gif we keepen thine hestes than ben we thy true seruauntes And though we preyen thee but a litle shortlich thou wilt thinken on vs and grauÌ„ten vs that vs nedeth for so thou behighted vs somtime And Lord I trowe that pray a man neuer so many quaint prayers gif he ne kepe not thine hests he is not thy good seruaunt But gif he keepe thine hestes than he is thy good seruaunt and so me thinketh Lorde that praying of long prayers ne is not the seruice that thou desirest but keping of thine heftes and than a lewd man may serue God as wel as a man of religion though that the Plowman ne may not haue so muche siluer for his prayer as men of religion For they kunnen not so wel preisen their prayers as these other chapmen But Lorde our hope is that our prayers be neuer the worse though it be not so wel solde as other mens prayers Lorde Ezechiel the Prophet sayth that whan he spake to the people thy words they turned thy words into songs into tales And so Lord men done now they singin merilich thy words and that singing they clepen thy seruice But Lord I trow that the best singers he herieth thee not most But he that fulfilleth thy wordes he herieth thee full well though he wepe more then sing And I trow that weping for breaking of thy commandements be more pleasing seruice to thee than the singing of thy words And wold God that men would serue him in sorow for their sinnes and that they shoulden afterward seruen thee in mirth For Christ sayth yblessed ben they that maken sorow for they shoulden ben yconforted And woe to them that ben merry and haue theyr comfort in this world And Christ sayd that the world should ioyen hys seruaÌ„ts shulden be sory but their sorow shuld be turned into ioy A Lord he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth hath y ordained an order of priestes to doe thy seruice in church to fore thy lewd people in singing matens euensong masse And therfore hee chargeth lewde men in paine of cursing to bryng to hys priests tithyngs and offerings to finden his priests and he clepeth that Gods part due to priests that seruen him in church But Lord in the olde law the tithings of the lewde people ne were not due to priestes but to that other childer of Leuie that ferueden thee in the temple and the
in other good colours And Lorde I see thine image gone in colde and in here in clothes all to broken without shone and hosen an hungred and a thâ—ust Lorde what heryenge is it to teende tapers and torches before blinde mawmets that mowen not I seyen And hide thee that art our light and our lanterne towarde heauen and put thee vnder a bushell that for darkenes we ne may not seene our way towarde blisse Lorde what heryenge is it to kneele tofore mawmetes that mowe not yheren and worshepen them with preyers and maken thine quicke images knele before them and asken of them absolutions and blessings and worshupen them as gods and putten thy quicke images in thraldom and in traueil euermore as bestes in colde and in heate and in feeble fare to finden them in liking of the world Lord what herieng is it to fetch deed mennes bones out of the ground there as they shulden kindelich roten and shrinen them in golde and in siluer And suffren thy quicke bones of thine images to rot in prison for default of clothingh And suffren also thy quicke images to perish for default of sustenaunce and rooten in the hoore house in abhominable lecherie Some become theeues and robbers and manquellers that mighten ben y holpen with the golde and siluer that hongeth about deed mens bones and other blind mawmetes of stockes and stones ¶ Lorde here ben great abhominations that thou shewdist to Ezechiel thy Prophet that priests done in thy temple yet they clepen that thine heryenge But leue Lorde me thinketh that thâ—y louen thee litle that thus defoulen thy quick images worshippen blinde mawmetes And Lord an other great mischiefe there is now in the world an hunger that Amos thy Prophet speaketh of that there shal comen an honger in the earth not of bread ne thrust of drinke but of hearing of Gods worde And thy sheepe woulden be refreshed but their shepheards taken of thy shepe their liuelode as tythings c. and liuen them selfe thereby where them liketh Of such shepheardes thou speaketh by Ezechiel thy Prophet and seist wo to the shepheards of Israel that feden them selfe for the flockes of sheepe shoulden ben yfed of their shepheardes but yee eaten the milke and clothen you with their wolfe and the fat sheepe ye slow and my flocke ye ne fede not the sicke shepe ye ne healed not thilke that weren to broken yee ne knit not together thilke that perished ye ne brought not againe but ye ratled them with sternship and with power And so the shepe be sprad abroad in deuouring of all the beasts of the feelde And Ieremie the Prophet sayeth wo to the shepehards that disparseâ—h abroad and â—eareth the flocke of my lesewe ¶ A Lorde thou were a good shepheard for thou puttest thy soul for thy sheep but lord thou teldest that thilke that comé not in by the dore ben night theues day theues and a these as thou seest coÌ„meth not but for to steale to sleine to destroy And Zachary the prophet sayth that thou wouldest reren vp a shepherde vnkunning that ne wol not hele thy shepe that beth sick ne seek thilke that beth lost Apon his arme is a swerd and vpon his right eye his arme shall waxe dry and his right eye shall lese his light O Lorde helpe for thy shepe beth at great mischiefe in the shepheards defaute But Lord ther commeth hired men they ne fedden not thy shede in thy plenteous lesew but feeden thy sheep with sweueÌ„s and false miracles tales But at thy trewth they ne comen not For Lord I trowe thou sendest them neuer For haue they hire of thy sheep they ne careth but little of the feding and the keping of thy shepe Lord of these hired men speaketh Ieremy the Prophet and thou seyst that woorde by him I ne sende them not and they ronne bliue I ne speake vnto them and they propheciden For if they hadden stonden in my couÌ„sel and they had made my words knoweÌ„ to the puple ich wold haue turned them away from their yuell way and from their wicked thoughtes For Lorde thou seyst that thy woordes ben as fire and as an hammer breaking stones And Lord thou saist Lo I to these Prophetes meeting sweuens of lesing that haue ytolde her sweuens and haue begyled my puple in their lesing in their fals miracles when I neither sent ne bede them And these haue profitet nothing to my puple And as Ieremie sayth from the lest to the mest all they studien couetise and from the Prophet to the priest all they done gyle A Lord here is mych mischief matere of sorow yet there is more For gif a lewed man wold teach thy people trewth of thy words as he is y holde by the commaundement of charite he shal be forboden and put in prison gif he do it And so Lord thilk that haue the key of conning haue y lockt the trewth of thy teaching vnder many wardes yhid it from thy children But Lorde sith thy teaching is y come from heauen aboue our hope is that with thy grace it shall breaken these wardes and showe hym to thy puple to kele both the hunger and the thrust of the soule And then shal no shepheard ner no fals hiridman begile thy puple no more For by thy law I wryte as thou hightest some time that from the left to the mest all they shullen knowen thy wil and weten howe they shullen please thee euer more in certaine And leue Lord gif it be thy will helpe at thys nede for there is none helpe but in thee Thus Lord by him that maketh himselfe thy viker in earth is thy commaundement of loue to thee our brethren ybroken both to him and to thy puple But Lorde God mercy and pacience that beth tweyne of thy commandements beth destroyed and thy puple hath forsake mercy For Lord Dauid in the Sauter sayth Blessed beth they that done dome and rightfulnes in euerich time O Lord thou hast itaught vs as rightfulnes of heauen hast ybeden vs forgeuen our brethren as oft as they trespassen against vs. And Lord thine olde lawe of iustice was that such harme as a man did his brother such he should suffer by the law as eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth But Christ made an end of this law that one brother should not desire wracke of an other but not that he would that sinne shoulde ben vnpunished for thereto hath he ordained Kinges and Dukes and other lewde officers vnder them whilke as S. Paule sayth ne carien not the swerd in vaine for they ben the ministers of God and wrakers to wrath to them that euil done And thus hath Christ ymade an ende of this olde lawe that one brother may not suen an other himselfe for that to wreken without sinne for breaking
of charity But this charity Lord hath thy vicar ybroke and says that we sinnen but gif we suen for our right And we se I wote that thou taughtest vs sometime to geue our mantell also euer that we shoulden suen for our coate And so Lord beleueÌ„ we that we ben ybounden to don by thy law that is all charitye officers duty is to defenden vs from thilke theuery though we coÌ„plainen not But lord thy law is turned vpsedown A Lord what dome is it to sleane a theefe that take a maÌ„s cattell away from hym and suffren a spousebreaker to liue and a lecherour that killeth a womans soule And yet thy lawe stoned the â—pousebreakers and leachours and let the theeues liuen and haue other punishment A Lord what dome is it to sleane a these for stealing of a hors and to let him liue vnpunished to maintaine him that robbeth thy poore people of their liuelod and the soule of his foodeâ— Lorde it was neuer thy dome to sayen that a man is an heretike and cursed for breaking of mans lawe and demen hym for a good man for breaking thine hestes Lord what dome is it to curse a lewd man if he smite a priest and not curse a priest that smiteth a lewed man and leeseth hys charitie Lord what dome is it to curse the lewd people for tythings and not curse the parson that robbeth the people of tythings and teacheth them not Gods lawe but feedeth them with painting of stone walles and songs of Latin that the people knowen not Lord what dome is it to punish the poore maÌ„ for his trespas and suffer the rich to continue in his sin for a quantity of mony Lord what dome is it to slaine an vncunning lewed man for his sinne and suffer a priest other a clerke that doth the same sin scape a liue Lord the sinne of the priest or of the cleark is greater trespasse then it is of a lewd vncunning man and greater ensample of wickednes to the common people Lord what maner people be we that neither keep thy domes and thy rightfulnes of the old testament that was a law of drede nor thy domes and thy rightfulnes of thy new testament that is a law of loue and of mercy but haue an other law and taken out of both thy lawes that is liking to vs and remnaunt of heathen mennes lawes and Lord this is a great mischiefe O Lord thou sayest in thy law deme ye not and ye should not be demed for the same mesure that ye meten to other men men shall meten to you againeward And Lord thou sayst that by their worke we should know them And by what we knowe that thou commaunded vs not to demen mens thoughts nor their workes that were not agaynst thy law expresly And yet Lord he that saith he is thy vicar will demen our thoughtes and aske vs what we thinke not of the Lord of thy hestes for they caren little for them but of him and of his whilke they sate aboue thine and maken vs accusen our selfe or els they willen accursen vs for our accusers mowen we not knowne And Lord thou sayest in thyne olde law that vnder two witnes at the least or three shoulde stand euery matter And that the witnes shoulden euer be the first that shoulden helpe to kill them And when the schribes and the Pharises some tymes brought before thee a woman that was itake in spouse breaking and exeden of the a dome thou didst write on the earth and then thou gaue this dom He that is without sinne throw first at her a stone and Lord they went forth away from thee and the woman thou forgaue the woman her trespasse and bad her go forth and sinne no more Sweete Lord if the priestes tooke keepe to thy dome they would be agast to demen men as they done O Lord if one of them breake a commaundement of thy law he will axe mercy of thee and not a peine that is due for the sinne for peyne of death were to little O Lord how daren they demen any man to the death for breaking of theyr lawes other assent to such law for breaking of thy law they will set penaunce or pardon them and mayntayne them as oft as they trespassen But Lorde if a man ones breake theyr lawes or speake agaynst them he may done penaunce but ones and after be burnt Trulych Lord thou sayst but if euery of vs forgeue other his trespasse thy father will not forgeuen vs our sinnes And Lord when thou honge on the crosse thou prayedâ—t to thy father to haue mercy on thine enemies And yet the sain Lord that they demen no man to the death for the sain they ne mowen by their law demen any man to the death A leeue Lord euen so saden theyr forefathers the phariseis that it ne was not lawfull for them to kill any man And yet they bidden Pilate to done thee to the death agaynst his owne conscience for he wold gladly haue iquitte thee but for that they threatened him with the Emperour and broughten agaynst thee false witnesse also And he was an heathen man ¶ O Lord how much truer dome was there in Pilate that was an heathen iustice then in our kinges and iustices that woulden demen to the death and berne in the fire him that the Priests deliueren vnto them withouten witnes or prefe For Pilate ne would not demen thee for that the Phariseis sayden that gif thou ne had dest not bene a misdoer we ne would not deliuer him vnto thee for to they broughten in theyr false witnesse agaynst thee But Lord as thou saydest sometime that it should ben lighter at domes day to Tyro and to Sydon and Gomorra than to the cities where thou wrought wonders and miracles so I dred it shall be more light to Pilate in the dome then to our kinges and domes men that so demen without witnesse and prefe For Lord to demen thy folke for heretickes is to holden thee an hereticke and to brenneÌ„ them is to brennen thee for thou saydest to Paule when he persecuted thy people Saule Saule wherefore persecutest thou me in the dome thou shalt say that ye haue done to the left of mine ye haue done to me Thus Lord is thy mercy iustice foredone by him that sayth he is thy vicar in earth for he neither keepeth it himselfe nor nill not suffer other to do it ¶ The third commaundement that is patience and sufferance is also ibroken by this vicar Lord thou biddest sufferen both wroÌ„ges and strokes withouten againstanding and so thou diddest thy selfe to geuen vs ensample to sufferen of our brethren For suffering nourisheth loue and agaynstandeth debate All thy lawes is loue or els the thing that draweth to loue ¶ But Lord men teachen that men shoulden pleten for their right and fighten also therefore and els they seyn men ben in perill
and thou bid in the olde law men fight for theyr countrey And thy selfe haddest two swordes in thy company when thou shouldest go to thy passion that as these clerkes seyn betokeneth a spirituall sword and a temporall sworde that thou gaue to thy vicar to rule with thy church Lord this is a sleight speech but Lord we beleuē that thou art king of blisse and that is thine heritage and mankindes countrey and in this worlde wee ne bene but straungers and pilgrimes For thou Lord ne art of this world ne thy law nether ne thy true seruauntes that kepen thy law And Lord thou were king of Iuda by enheritage if thou wouldest haue ihad it but thou forsooke it and pletedest not therfore ne fought not therfore ¶ But Lord for thy kinde heretage and mankindes countrey that is a land of blisse thou foughtest mightilich In battaile thou ouercame thy enemie so thou wonne thine heretage For thou that were a Lord mightiest in battail and also Lord of vertues are rightfullich king of blisse as Dauid saith in the Psalter But Lorde thine enemie smote the dispitesullich and had power of thee and hang thee vpō the crosse as thou haddest ben a these benomyn thee all thy clothes and sticked thee to the hart with a spere ¶ O Lord this was an hard assault of a battaile and here thou ouercome by paciē ce mightilich thine enemies for thou ne woldest not done against the will of thy father And thus Lorde thou taughtest thy seruants to fight for their countrey And Lorde this fighting was in figure itaught in the old law But Lord men holdē now the shadow of the old fighting leuen the light of thy fighting that thou taughtest openlych both in word and in deede ¶ Lord thou gaue vs a sword to fighten against our enemis for our conntrey that was thine holy teaching christen mens law But Lorde thy sworde is put in a shethe and in priests warde that haue forsake the fighting that thou taughtest For as they seyn it is against their order to ben mē of armes in thy battail for it is vnsemelich as they seyn that thy vicar in erth other hys priests shulden suffer of other mē And therfore gif any man smite him other any of his clerkes hee ne taketh it not in pacience but anon hee siniteth with his sworde of cursing and afterward with his bodylich sworde he doth them to death O Lord me thinketh that this is a fighting against kinde and much against thy teaching O Lorde whether axsedest thou after swerdes in time of thy passion to again stond thine enemies nay forsooth thou Lorde For Peter that smote for great loue of thee had no great thanke of thee for his smiting And Lorde thou were mighty ynough to haue againe stonde thine ennemies for through thy looking they fellen downe to the ground Lorde iblessed mote thou be Heere thou teachest vs that we shoulden suffren For thou were mighty ynow to haue agaynst and thine ennemies and thou haddest wepen and thy men weren harty to haue smitten O sweet Lord how may he for shame clepen himselfe thy Viker and head of the Church that may not for shame suffer Sithe thou art a Lord and sufferedst of thy subiectes to geuen vs ensāple and so did thy true seruauntes O Lord whether geue thou to Peter a spirituall sworde to curse a temporal swerd to sle mens bodies Lord I trow not for thē Peter that loued thee so much wold haue smitwith thy swerds But Lord he taught vs to blessen them that cursen vs and suffren and not smiten And Lord he fed thy people as thou bed him and therefore he suffered the death as thou didst O Lord why clepeth any man him Peters successor that hath forsaken patience and feedeth thy people with cursing and wyth smiting Lord thou saydest in thy Gospell when thy disciples knewen well that thou were Christ and that thou mustest goe to Ierusalem and sufferen of the Scribes and Pharises spittinges reprofes and also the death And Peter tooke thee aside and sayd God forbid that And Lord thou saydst to Peter goe behinde me Sathanas thou sclaunderest me in Israell For thou ne sauorest not thilke thinges that ben of God but thilke that ben of men Lord to mens wyt it is vnreasonable that thou or thy Vicar gif thou madest any on earth shoulden suffren of your suggets A Lord whether thou ordeynest an order of fighters to turne men to the beliefe Other ordeinest that knightes shoulden swear to fighte for thy wordes A Lord whether bede thou that gif a man turne to the fayth that he should geue his goodes and cattell to the Vicar that hath great Lordships and more then him needeth Lord I wot wel that in the beginning of the church men that weren cōuerted threwen adowne theyr goodes before the Apostles feete For all they weren in charitie and none of them sayd thus is myne ne Peter made himselfe no Lord of these goodes But Lord now he that clepeth himselfe thy Vicar vpon earth and successor to Peter hath ybroke thy commaundement of charitie for he is become a Lord. And he hath also broken thy commandement of mercy and also of patience Thus Lord we be fallen into great mischiefe and thraldome for our chiefetayne hath forsaken war and armes and haue treated to haue peach with our enemies A Lord gif it be thy will draw out thy swerd out of his sheth that thy seruauntes may fight therewith agaynst their enemies put cowardise out of our hartes And comfort vs in battaile or than thou come with thy sword in thy mouth to take vengeance on thine enemies For gif we bene accorded with our enemies til that time come it is dread least thou take vengeaunce both of thē and of vs together A Lord there is no helpe nowe in this great mischiefe but onely in thee Lord thou geuest vs a commaundement of truth in bidding vs say yea yea nay nay and sweare for nothing Thou geue vs also a maundement of meekenes and an other of poorenes But Lord he that clepeth himself thy Vicar on earth hath both ybrokē these commaundements for he maketh a law to compell men to sweare and by his lawes he teacheth that a man to saue his life may forsweare and lye And so Lord through cōfort of him and his lawes the people ne dreadeth not to sweare and to lye ne oft times to forswearen them Lord here is little truth O Lord thou hast ybrought vs to a liuing of soules that standes in beleeuing in thee keeping thy hestes and when we breaken thine hestes than we slen our soule And lesse harme it were to suffer bodylich death Lord king Saule brake thine hestes and thou tooke his kingdome from his heyres euermore after him and gaue it to Dauid thy seruaunt that kept thine hestes And thou saydst by Samuell thy prophat to Saule king that it
is a mannour of worshipping of false Gods to breake thy hestes For who that loueth thee ouer all thinges and dreadeth thee also he nole for nothing breake thyne hestes O Lord gif breaking of thine hestes be heryeng of false gods I trow that he maketh the people breake thyne hestes and commaundeth that his hestes ben kept of the people maketh himselfe a false GOD on earth as Nabuchodonosor did some tyme that was king of Babilon But Lord we forsaken such false Gods and beleuen that ther ne ben no mo Gods then thou And though thou suffer vs a while to bene in disease for knowledging of thee we thanken thee wyth our hart for it is a token that thou louest vs to â—â—uen vs in thys world some penaunce for our trespas Lord in the old law thy true seruauntes tooke the death for they would not eaten swynes fleshe that thou haddest forbid them to eat O Lord what truth is in vs to eaten vncleene mete of the soule that thou hast forbid Lord thou sayst he that doth sinne is seruaunt of sinne and then he that lyeth in forswearing hymselfe is seruaunt of lesing and then he is seruaunt to the deuill that is a lyer and father of lesinges And Lord thou sayst no man may serue two Lordes at ones O Lord then euery lyer for the tyme that he lyeth other forsweareth himselfe and forsaketh thy seruice for drede of hys bodyly death and becommeth the deuils seruaunte O Lord what truth is in him that clepeth himselfe seruaunt of thy seruantes in his doing he maketh him a Lord of thy seruauntes Lord thou were both Lord and maister and so thou sayd thy selfe but yet in thy warkes thou were as a seruaunt Lord this was a great truth and a great meeknes but Lord bid thou thy seruaunts that they should not haue Lordship ouer theyr brethren Lord thou saydst kings of the heatheÌ„ men han Lordship ouer their subiectes and they that vse their power be cleped well doers But Lord thou saydst it shoulde not be so amongest thy seruantes But he that were most should be as a seruaunt Thou Lorde thou taughtest thy disciples to be meeke Lord in the old law thy seruauntes durst haue no Lordship of theyr brethren but if that thou bid them And yet they should not doe to theyr brethren as they did to thrailes that serued them But they should doe to theyr brethren that were theyr seruauntes as to theyr owne brethren For all they were Abrahams Children And at a certaine tyme they should let theyr brethren passe from them in all freedome but if they would wilfullich abiden still in seruice O Lord thou gaue vs in thy comming a law of perfect loue is token of loue thou clepedst thy selfe our brother And to make vs perfect in loue thou bid that we shoulde clepe to vs no father vpon earth but thy father of heauen we should cleape our father Alas Lord how violently our brethren and thy childreÌ„ ben now put in bodily thraldome and in despite as beastes euermore in greeuous trauell to finde proude men in ease But Lord if we take this defoule and this disease in pacience and in meeknes and kepe thine hests we hope to be free And Lord geue our brethren grace to come out of thraldome of sinne that they fal in through the desiring and vsage of Lordship vpon theyr brethren And Lord thie priestes in the old law had no Lordships among theyr brethren but houses and pastures for theyr beastes but Lord our priestes nowe haue great Lordship and put theyr brethren in greater thraldome then lewed men that be Lordes Thus is meekenesse forsaken Lord thou biddest in the Gospell that when a man is bid to the feast he should sit in the lowest place and then he may be set hyer with worship when the Lord of the feast beholdeth how his gestes fitteth Lord it is drede that they that sit now in the hyest place should be bidd in tyme comming fit beneath And that will be shame and vileny for them And it is they saying those that hyeth himselfe shuld be lowed and those that loweth themselues should be an heyghed O Lord thou biddest in thy Gospell to beware of the Pharaseis for it is a poynt of pryde contrary to meekenesse And Lord thou sayst that they loue the first sittinges at supper and also the principall chaires in churches and greetings in cheeping and to be cleped maysters of men And Lord thou sayest be ye not cleped maisters for one is your maister and that is Christ and all ye be brethren And clepe ye to you no father vpon earth for one is your father that is in heauen O Lord this is a blessed lesson to teach men to be meke But Lord he that clepeth himself thy vicar on earth he clepeth himselfe father of fathers agaynst thy forbidding And all those worships thou hast forbad He approueth them and maketh them maisters to many that teach thy people their owne teaching and leaue thy teaching that is nedefull and hiden it by quainte gloses from thy lewd people and feede thy people with sweuens that they mete and tales that doth little profit but much harme to the people But Lorde these glosers obiecte that they desire not the state of mastry to be worshipped therby but to profit the more to thy people wheÌ„ they preach thy word For as they seggeÌ„ the people will beleue more the preaching of a maister that hath taken a state of schole then the preaching of an other man that hath not take the state of maistry ¶ Lorde whether it bee any neede that maysters beren witnes to thy teaching that it is true and good O Lord whether may any maister mowe by his estate of maisterie that thou hast forboden drawe any man from his sinne rather then an other man that is not a maister ne wole bee none for it is forboden him in thy Gospell Lord thou sendest to maysters to preach thy people and thou knowledgist in the Gospel to thy father that he hath hid his wisedome from wise men and redy men and shewed it to litle Children And Lord maisters of the law hylden thy teaching foly and seiden that thou wouldest destroy the people with thy teaching Trulich Lord so these maisters seggeth now for they haue written many bookes agaynst thy teaching that is truth so the prophecie of Ieremy is fulfilled when he sayth Truelich the false points maisters of the law hath wrought leasing And now is the time come that S. Paul speaketh of where he sayth time shal come when men shall not susteine wholesome teaching But they shullen gather to hepe maisters with hutching eares and from trueth they shullen turnen away their hearing and turnen them to tales that maisters haue maked to showne their maistry and their wisedome ¶ And Lord a man shall beleue more a mans workes then hys words the dede sheweth well of these
maisters that they desiren more maistrie for their own worship than for profit of the people For when they be maisters they ne preachen not so oft as they did before And gif they preachen commonlich it is before riche men there as they mowen beare worship and also profite of their preaching But before poore men they preachen but seldem when they ben maisters and so by theyr woorkes wee may seene that they ben false glosers And Lord me thinketh that who so wole keepen thine hestes him needeth no gloses but thilke that clepen them selfe Christen men and lyuen agaynst thy teaching and thine hestes needelich they mote glose thine hestes after their liuing other els men shulden openlich yknow their hipocrisie and their falshod But Lord thou sayst that there ys nothing yhid that shall not be shewed some time And Lord yblessed more thou be For somewhat thou shewest vs now of our mischiefes that wee bene fallen in through the wisedomes of maysters that haue by sleightes ylad vs away from thee and thy teaching that thou that were thy maister of heauen taught vs for loue when thou were here some time to heale of our soules withouten error or heresie But maisters of worldes wisedome and their founder haue ydamned it for heresie and for errour O Lord me thinketh it is a great pride thus to reproue thy wisedome and thy teaching And Lord me thinketh that this Nabugodonosor king of Babilon that thus hath reproued thy teaching and thine hestes and commandeth on all wyse to kepen his hests maken thy people hearen him as a God on earth and maketh thē his thrales and his seruauntes But Lord we lewd men knowen no God but thee we with thine help and thy grace forsaken Nabugodonosor and his lawes For he is in his proud estate wole haue all men vnder him and he nele be vnder no man He ondoth thy lawes that thou ordeynest to ben kept and maketh his owne lawes as him liketh and so he maketh him king aboue all other kinges of the earth and maketh men to worshippen him as a God and thy great sacrifice he hath ydone away O Lord here is thy commaundement of meekenes mischiflich to broke And thy blessed commaundement of poorenes is also to broken and yhid from thy people Lord Zacharie thy prophet sayth that thou that shouldest be our king shouldest bene a poore man and so thou were for thou saydest thy selfe Foxes haue dens and birdes of heauen nestes and mans sonne hath not where to legge his head on And thou saydest yblessed ben poore men in spirite for thy kingdome of heauen is therein And woe to riche men for they han theyr comfort in this world And thou bad thy disciples to ben ware of all couetise for thou saydest in the aboūdance of a mans hauing ne is not his lyfelode And so thou teachest that thilke that han more then them needeth to theyr liuing lyuen in couetise Also thou sayst but gif a man forsake all things that he oweth he ne may not bene thy disciple Lord thou sayest also that thy worde that is sowne in riche mens hartes bringeth forth no fruite for riches and the busines of this world maken it withouten fruit O Lord here bene many blessed teachinges to teach men to bene poore and loue porenes But Lord harme is poore men and poorenes ben yhated and ryche men ben yloued and honoured And gif a man be a poore man men holden him a man without grace and if a man desireth poorenes men holden him but a foole And if a man be a rich man men clepen him a gratious man and thilke that ben busy in getting of riches ben yhold wyse men and ready but Lord these rich men sayen that it is both leful and needefull to them to gather riches together For they ne gathereth it for themselfe but for other men that ben needy and Lord their woorkes shewen the truth For if a poore needy man woulde borowen of theyr riches he nele leane him none of his good but gif he mow be seker to haue it againe by a certayne day But Lord thou bede that a man should send and not hoping yelding againe of him that he lendeth to and thy father of heauen wol quite him his mede And gif a pore aske a rich man any good the rich man will geue him but a little and yet it shall be little worth And Lord me thinketh that here is little loue and charitie both to God and to our brethren For Lord thou teachest in thy Gospell that what men doe to thy seruauntes they done to thee A Lord gif a poore man axe good for thy loue men geueth him a little of the wurst For these rich men ordeinen both bread and ale for Gods men of the wurst that they haue O Lord sith all good that men hath commeth of thee how dare any man geue thee of the wurst and kepe to himselfe the best How may suche men say that they gatheren riches for others need as well as himselfe sith their workes ben contratrary to their words And that is no great truth And be ye seker these goods that rich mē han they ben gods goods ytake to your keeping to loke how he wolen be setten them to the worshipping of God And Lord thou sayest in the Gospell that who so is true in litle he is true in that thing that is more And who that is false in a litle thing who wole taken him toward things of a greater value And therfore be ye ware that han gods goods to keep Spend ye thilke truelich to the worship of God least ye leesen the blysse of heauen for the vntrue despending of Gods goods in this world O Lord these rich men seggen that they done much for thy loue For many poore labourers ben yfound by them that shoulden fare febelich ne were not they and their readines Forsooth me thinketh that poore labourers geueth to these rich men more then they geuen them agaynward For the poore men mote gone to his labour in cold and in heate in wete and dry and spend hys flesh and his bloud in the richmens works vpon Gods gound to finde the rich man in ease and in liking and in good fare of meate of drink and of clothing Here is a great gift of the poore man for he geueth his owne body But what geueth the richman hym agayneward Certes feeble meat and feeble drinke and feeble clothing What euer they seggen suche be their workes and here is little loue And whosoeuer looketh well about all the worlde fareth as we seggē And all mē studieth on euery side how they may wexe rich men And euerich man almost is ashamed to ben holden a poore man And Lord I trow for thou were a poore man men token litle regarde to thee and to thy teaching But Lord thou came to geue vs a new testament of loue therefore
it was semelich that thou came in poorenes to prooue who wold loue thee and kepen thine hestes For gif thou haddest ycome in forme of a rich man and of a Lord men wold rather for they dread then for thy loue haue ykept thyne hestes And so Lord now thou might wel ysee which louen thee as they should in keeping thyne hestes For who that loueth thee in thy poorenes and in thy lownes needes he more loue thee in thy Lordship and highnesse But Lord the world is turned vpse downe men loue poore men but a litlene porenes neither But men be ashamed of poorenes and therefore Lord I trow that thou art a poore king And therefore I trow that he that clepeth himselfe thy vicare on earth hath forsaken poorenes as he hath do the remnaunt of thy lawe and is become a rich man and a Lord maketh his treasure vpon the earth that thou forbiddest in the Gospell And for his right and riches he will plete and fight curse And yet Lord he will segge that he forsaketh all thinges that he oweth as thy true disciple mete done after thy teaching in the Gospell But Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to forsaken his goodes and plete for them and fight and curse And Lord he taketh on him power to asloyle a man of all maner things but if it be of det Truely Lord me thinketh he knoweth litle of charitie For who that beth in charitie possesseth thy goodes in common and not in proper at his neighbours nede And then shall there none of them segge this is mine but it is Gods that God granteth to vs to spenden it to his worship And so if any of them boroweth a porcion of those goodes and dispendeth them to Gods worship God is apayed of this spending and alloweth him this true doyng And if God is payed of that dispeÌ„ding that is the principal Lord of those goods how dare anye of his seruauntes axen there of accountes other challenge it for dette Serten of one thing I am incerteine that these that charge so much det of worldly cattell they knowe little of Christes lawe of charitie For if Ich am a bayly of Gods goodes in the world If I see my brother in nede I am holde by charitie to part with him of these goodes to his nede and if he spendeth them well to the worshop of God I mote be well apayd as though I my selfe had spended them to the worship of GOD. And if the principall Lord is well payed of my brothers doyng and the despending of his goodes howe may I segge for shame that my brother is dettour to me of the goodes that I tooke hym to spend in Gods worship at his nede And if my brother spendeth amisse the goodes that I take him I am discharged of my deliueraunce of the goodes If I take him in charitie thilke goods at his nede And I am hold to be sory of his euill dispending ne I may not axen the goodes that I tooke him to his nede in forme of dette for at his neede they were his as well as myne And thus is my brother yholde to done to me gif he see me in nede and gif we bene in charitie little should we chargen of dette And ne we shold not axen so dertes as men that knowen not God And than we be poore in forsaking all thinges that we own For gif we ben in charitie we wollen nother fight nor curse ne plete for our goodes with our brethren O Lord thus thou taughtest thy seruauntes to lyuen And so they lyueden while they hadden good shepheards that fedden thy sheepe and robbed them nat of their lifelode as Peter thy good shepheard and thy other Apostles But Lord he that clepeth hym selfe thy vicar vpon earth and successour to Peter he robbeth thy puple of their bodylich lyfelode for he ordeneth proud shepherds to lyuen in ese by thâ—itenth party of poore mens trauell And he geueth them leue to lyuen where them lyketh And gif men no wolen wilfullich geuen them the tithinges they wolen han them agaynst their will by maysterye by cursing to maken theÌ„ riche ¶ Lord how may any man segge that such shepherdes that louen more the wolle then the sheepe and feden not thy sheepe in body ne in soul ne ben such rauenours theeues And who may segge that the mayntaynour of such shepherdes ne is not a maintenour of theeues and robbers How wole he assoyle shepherdes of their robbing without restitution of theyr goodes that they robben thy sheep of against their will Lord of all shepherdes blessed mote thou be For thou louedst more the sheepe then theeir wole For thou feedest thy sheepe both in body and soule And for loue of thy sheepe thou tooke thy death to bring thy sheepe ouâ— of Wolues mouthes And the most charge that thou gone to Peter was to feede thy sheepe And so he did truelich and took the death for thee and for thy sheepe For he came into the fold of shepe by the that were the dore And so I trowe a fewe other did as he did though they clepen himselfe successors to Peter for theyr workes showen what they ben For they robben and sleen and destroyen they robben thy sheepe of the tenth part of their trauel and feden themselfe in ease They sleen thy sheepe for they pyenen them for hunger of theyr soule to the death They destroyen the sheepe for with might and with sternship they rulen thy sheepe that for dred they beene disparsed abroade in mountaynes and there the wilde beasts of the field destroyeth theÌ„ for default of a good shepeheard ¶ O Lord gif it be thy will deliuer thy sheepe out of such sheepherdes ward that retcheth not of thy sheepe they han their wolle to make them selfe rich For thy shepe ben in great mischiefe and foule accombred with their shepheardes ¶ But for thy shepheardes wolden ben excused they haue ygeten them hyred men to feede thy people and these comen in sheepes clothing But dredles their workes shewen that with in forth they ben but Wolfes For han they theyr hyre they ne retcheth but a little howe sorilich thy sheepe ben kept For as they seggen themselfe they ben but hyred men that han no charge of thy sheepe And when the shulden feden thy sheepe in the plentuous lesewe of thy teaching they stonden betweene them theyr lesewe so that the sheepe ne han but a sight of thy lesewe but eaté they shall not therof But they fedeÌ„ them in a sorry sowre lesewe of lesinges of tales And so thy sheepe fallen into greeuous sicknes through this euill lesewe And gif any shepe breake ouer into thy lesewe to tasten the sweetnes therof anon these hyred men driue him out with hounds And thus thy shepe by these hyred men ben ykept out of their kindlich lesewe and
preach no lyes nor vayne iests or other things not authorised but only the law of Christ the minds of the holy doctors And he that doth so preach necessity occationing or mouing him therunto in case there be no Pope or Bishop or in case possible to withstand the preaching of heretickes or false preachers he in so doing doth not vsurpe the office of preaching and in suche case there is no doubt but he is sent of God and this doth also answere vnto that which is consequently sayd that if any man will peradueÌ„ture craftely answere that such preachers are inuisibly seÌ„t of God although not visibly of meÌ„ when as that inuisible seÌ„ding of God is much more better theÌ„ the visible sending of men A man may reasonably answere therunto that forsomuch as that interuall seÌ„ding is secret it is not sufficient for a man onely to say that he is sent of God forsomuch as euery hereticke may so say but he ought to proue the same his inuisible calling by the working of some miracle or by some speciall testimony of the scripture Here it is to be noted according to S. Augustine in his 65. booke of quest vnto Orosius that there is 4. kindes of sending The first is from God onely whereof we read in Moises other which were inspired by God And this kinde sending loseth from the daunger of the statute so that he whom the spirit of God hath enspired this prelate geuing thankes may proceed vnto a better life WherupoÌ„ Pope Urbane sayd 19. quest 2. There be sayd he 2. lawes the one publick the other priuate The publick law is that which is confirmed in writing by the holy fathers such as is the canon law which is only geuen for transgressions As for example it is decreed in the canons that none of the clergy shall go froÌ„ one bishoprick vnto an other without the letters commendatory of his bishop the which was ordeined onely for offeÌ„ders that no infamed persons should be receiued of any bishop For they were wont when they could not celebrate or do their office vnder their owne Bishopricke to go vnto another which now is forbidden by the lawes and precepts The priuate law is that which by the instruction of the holy Ghost is written in the hart as the Apostle speaketh of many which haue the law of God written in their hartes And in an other place Forsomuch as the Gentiles haue not the law of God but naturally doe those thinges which are of the law they are lawes vnto theÌ„selues And afterward he sayth the priuate law is much more worthy then the publicke law For the spirit of god is a law And they which are moued by the spirit of God are led by the law of God And who is he that can worthely resist agaynst the holy Ghost Whosoeuer therfore is led by the spirit of God albeit his bishop do say him nay let him go freely by our authority for the law is not appointed for the iust man for where as the spirit of God is there is liberty and if ye be led by the spirite of God ye are not vnder the law Beholde here it is affirmed that the sending by God through inspiration is not bound vnder the bondage of the law for that law is more worthye then the publicke law Secondly that the law is made for transgressors offenders and not for the iust Thirdly that whosoeuer is ledd by the spirite of God although his Bishop stand agaynst him he may proceed vnto a better life Wherby it is euideÌ„t that a deacon or priest disposed to preach and being led by the spirit of God he may freely preach the gospell of christ without the spiritual licence of his bishop It is euideÌ„t for somuch as it is good that a deacon or priest do liue well preach fruitfully Ergo he may proceede from idlenes vnto the labor office of preaching and so vnto a better life But where as it is sayde afore that for so much as the inward sending or calling is secret therfore it is not sufficient for a man barely to affirme onely the he is sent of god when as euery heretick may so say but it is necessary that he do confirme proue his inuisible sending by the working of some miracle or by some speciall testimony of the scripture Here is to be noted that there are 2. kindes of preachers some true preachers of our sauior Christ other seducers of Antechrist The first sort following the mayster Christ teach the people in truth The other sort being of a corrupt minde and reprobate touching faith resist against the verity And through couetousnes by their fained words do make marchandise of the people And these meÌ„ do geue shal geue miracles as our sauior saith Math. 24. There shall arise false Christs and false prophets the which shall shew great signes and wonders in so much that euen the elect theÌ„selues if it were by any meanes possible shoulde be brought into error And the apostle in â—he 2. to the Thes. 2. as touching their head Antechrist writeth thus whose comming shal be according to the operation of sathan with al power and signes false miracles seducing vnto iniquity those which do perish because they haue not receiued the charity and loue of truth that they might be saued Therfore will the Lord send vpon them the operation of error that they shall geue credit vnto lies That all such as haue not belued the truth but consent vnto wickednes should be iudged Behold how expressely our Sauior by himself and by his Apostle doth teach vs how the disciples of Antechrist with theyr head should shine through their great signes and woÌ„ders But the true disciples of Christ shall not so do in the time of Antechrist For as S. Isidor sayth in his first book 22. De summo bono Before that Antechrist shall appeare all vertues and signes shall cease from the Church that he may the boldlier persecute the same as an abiect For this profit shall all miracles and signes cease vnder Antechrist that thereby the patience of the holy meÌ„ might be known and the lightnes of the reprobate which are offeÌ„ded may be opened also that the cruelty of the persecuters shuld be made more scare Thus writeth S. Isidor S. Gregory in his 24. booke of Morals sayth For why by a terrible examination of Gods secret dispeÌ„satioÌ„ shall all signes of vertue or power be takeÌ„ away from the holy church before that the Leuiathan appeare in yâ— most wicked and damnable man whose shape he doth take vpon him For prophecy is hidden the gift of healing is takeÌ„ away the vertue of loÌ„g abstineÌ„ce is deminished the words of doctrine is put to silence and the wonderfull workes of miracles are extinguished which things nothing can vtterly take away but onely the dispensation of God But this dispeÌ„satioÌ„ is not so openly manifoldly
body are lacke of meat that is to say hunger and lacke of drinke called thirst and briefly all misery is the want of something which is desired Also these are bodely miseries nakednes lacke of harbour sicknesse and imprisonment All the miseries therfore being nombred together are but one of the soule the which is folly and lacke of wisdom and 6. of the body the which the Lord in the 25. of Mathew doth plainly reherse There are also commonly appoynted 7. bodely almes that is to say to feede the hungry to geue drinke vnto the thirsty To clothe the naked to harber the stranger or haberles to visit the sick to bury the dead the which altogether are cōteyned in these verses Visito poto cibo redimo tego colligo condo The which verse is thus Englished word for word Visite the sicke the hungry feede Geue drinke to the thirsty cloth the naked Bury the dead the captiue redeme The harbourles receiue to thy lodging There be also 7. other spirituall almes appoynted whych are these to teache the ignoraunt to councell him that is in dout To comfort him which is in heauinesse To correct the offender To forgeue him which hath offended against thee To beare those which are greeuous And to pray for all men the which are also conteined in these verses following Consule castiga solare remitte fer ora The which verse is thus Englished word for word Instruct the ignorant the weake confirme Comfort the heauy hart and correct sinner Forgeue the offender beare with the rude Pray for all men both euel and good So that notwithstanding vnder the same counselles and doctrine be comprehended Thus writeth Thomas in the 2. part of the 2. quest 32 article 2. Secondly it is to be noted that in this present article our intent is only to intreat of bodely almes the which as Thomas writeth in his 2. part 2. questi 32. Arti. 1. according vnto some mens mindes is this defined Almes is a worke whereby any thing is giuen vnto the needy of compasiō for Gods sake And for so much as this definition serueth as well for the spirituall as for the corporall almes Therefore to the purpose almes is a worke whereby any thing is giuen vnto the needy in body for compassion for Gods sake Or that is giuen of compassion or pitie vnto the bodely needy for Gods sake Whereupon it is manifest that almes as S. Augustin other holy men say is a worke of mercy as also to geue almes As it appeareth by the name for in the Greeke it is deriued frō this word Misericordia which is mercy for as in the Latine this word Miseratio which signifieth pitie is deriued of Misericordia which is mercy so this word Eleemosyna which signifieth almes is deryued of the Greeke word Elemonia which is to say mercy and of the word Sina which is to say commandement as it were a commaundement of mercy or otherwise of this word Elemonia By this letter I which is to say God and this worde Sina which is commaundement As if it were said the commaundement of God as Ianuensis in his booke intituled Catholicō affirmeth For our Sauiour doth commaunde in the xj of Luke to geue almes saying geue almes and behold all thinges are cleane vnto you least that in this point there may be any equiuocation it is supposed presently that the almes giuē of mē is a corporal almes giuen simply vnder the name of almes Secondly it is to be noted that Tythes in this effect are the tenth part of goods of fortune giuen by a man simply vnder the name of almes for Gods sake These things being thus noted and supposed the article is thus proued Euery gift of fortune or temporal gift simply giuē vnder the name of almes is almes But some tiths are the gift of fortune or temporall gift vnder the name of almes Therfore some tithes are almes This consequent is manifest of his selfe The Maior appeareth by the first supposition And the Minor by the seconde Item euery gift geuen by a man euen of loue to relieue and helpe the miserable out of his misery is an almes The 10. part of the goodes of fortune geuen by a man simply vnder the name of almes for Gods sake is geuen by the same man euen of loue to helpe the miserable out of his misery Therefore the 10. part of the goods of fortune being geuē by any man simply vnder the name of almes for Gods sake is almes The consequent is manifest The Maior appeareth by this that euery such gift is either a spirituall or bodely almes The Minor seemeth hereby true for so much as many holy men haue geuen and do geue euen for loue to relieue the miserable out of his miserie Neither is it to be doubted but that such kinde of tithes are almes For S. Augustine vppon these words of the Lord in the Gospell wryteth thus Woe be vnto you Pharisies which do tithe minte and anise If they cannot be clēsed without they beleeue in him he which doth clense his heart thorow faith to what purpose is it that hee sayth geue almes and beholde all things are cleane vnto you Let vs geue care and peraduenture he doth expound it himselfe They did take out the 10. part of all their fruites and gaue it for almes the which any Christian mā doth not willingly Then they mocked him whē he spake these words to them as vnto men which wold do no almes Thys the Lord forknowing said Wo be vnto you Pharises which tithe mint and rue and al kind of herbs And passe ouer the iudgement charity of God for this it is to do almes if thou dost vnderstād it begin with thy selfe For howe canst thou be mercifull vnto an other which art vnmercifull vnto thy selfe This wryteth S. Augustine in plainly saying that tithes are almes Also in his Enchiridion 76. chap. vpon these wordes of Luke in the 11 chapter Notwithstanding that which is more then sufficient geue in almes and all things shall be cleane vnto you hee sayth thus when he had rebuked them that they washed thēselues outwardly and inwardly were full of iniquity abhomination admonishing them what and howe a man ought first to bestowe almes vpon him self and first to clense him self inwardly he sayth That which doth remaine geue in almes beholde all things are clean vnto you Afterward that he might the better declare what he had geuen them warning of what they neglected to do that they shuld not iudge him ignorant of their almes he sayth Wo be vnto you Pharisies as though hee shoulde say I verely gaue you warning that you shuld geue such almes wherby al things might be cleane vnto you but wo be vnto you which do tith mint rue and all kinde of herbes for I do know these your almes that you shuld not thinke with your selues that you had geuē me warning therof and neglect
darkenesse because nothing is hid which shal not be disclosed and nothing couered that shal not be knowen And therfore the thing that was sayd in the darkenesse let vs say in the light and the thyng that we haue heard in the eare let vs preache vppon the house toppes I therefore as I haue before sayd so say that if the high bishop of Rome calling himselfe the seruant of God and the chiefe Vicare of Christ in this world do make and iustify many lawes contrary to the gospell of Iesu Christ then is he the chiefe of many whych comming in the name of Christ haue said I am Christ who haue seduced many Which is the first part of the first conclusion and is manifest For Christ is called of Hebrues the very same that we call annoynted And amongest them there was a double sort of legall annoynting by the lawe the one of kings and the other of Priestes And aswell were the kynges as the priestes called in the lawe Christes The kings as in the Psalme The kings of the earth stoode vp together and the Princes assembled them selues in one agaynst the Lorde and against hys Christ or annoynted And in the bookes of the kings very often are the kinges called Christes And our Sauiour was Christ or annoynted king because hee was a king for euermore vpon the throne of Dauid as the Scriptures doe very oftentimes witnesse The Priestes also were called annoynted as where it is wrytten Doe not yee touch my Christes that is mine annoynted ones and be not ye spitefull against my Prophetes And so was our Sauiour Christ a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Seyng then that the Byshops of Rome do say that they are the high Priestes they say also therein that they are kynges because they say that they haue the spirituall sword perteinyng to their Priesthode and the corporall sword which agreeth for a kynges state So is it playne that really in very deede they say that they are Christs albeit that expresly they be not called Christes Now that they come in the name of Christ it is manifest because they say that they are his principal Vicares in this world ordeined of Christ specially for the gouernement of the Christian Churche Therefore seyng they say that really and in very deede they are Christes and the chief frendes of Christ If they make and iustifie many lawes contrary to the Gospell of Iesu Christ then is it playne that they themselues in earth are the principal Antichristes because there is no worse plague and pestilence then a familiar enemy And if in secret they be agaynst Christ and yet in open appearaunce they say that they are his frendes they are somuch the more meete to seduce and deceiue the ChristiaÌ„ people because that a manifest enemy shall haue much a doe to deceaue a man because men trust him not but a priuey enemy pretendyng outward frendshyp may easly seduce yea those that be wise But that this matter may the more fully be knoweÌ„ let vs see what is the law doctrine of Christ that ought to be obserued of all faithfull people which beyng knowen it shal be an easy thing to see if the bishop of Rome doe make or maintaine any lawes contrary to the law of the gospell of Iesu Christ. I say then that the lawe of Christ is charitie whych is the perfect loue of God and of Christ. This thing is plaine and manifest For Christ being demaunded of a certayne doctour of the law What is the greatest commaundement in the lawe answered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy minde This is the principall greatest commandement And as for the second it is like vnto this Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thine owne selfe In these two commaundements doth the whole law and Prophets depend And in an other place Christ sayeth All maner of things therefore that you would that men should do to you the same also do ye vnto them For thys is the lawe and the Prophets And in Iohn the 13. chap. sayth Christ. And now doe I say vnto you I geue you a new commandement that you shuld loue eche other as I loued you in like maner that you also shuld loue one another In this shal all men know that you are my disciples if you shall haue loue one towardes an other And Iohn 15. chapter This is my commaundemeÌ„t that you loue together as I haue loued you Greater loue then this hath no body that a man shuld geue his life for his frendes The Apostle Peter sayth in his first Epistle 4. chapter Aboue all things hauing continually charity one towards an other for charitye couereth the multitude of sinnes Be yee harborers and intertaine ye one an other without grudging euery one as hee hath receaued grace so let him bestowe it vpon an other man as the good stewards of the manifold graces of God If any maÌ„ speak let him speake as the word of God If any man doe ought for an other let it be don with singlenes and vnfained verity ministred of God to vs ward that in all thyngs God may be honoured through Iesus Christ our Lord. Iames in his Epistle the 2. chapter If ye performe the royal lawe accordingly to the Scriptures thou shalt loue thy neighbour ye do wel But if ye be parcial in receiuing and preferring mens personages ye worke wickednes being blamed of the law as transgressors And againe so speake ye and so do ye as ye should nowe begin to be iudged by the law of libertie What shall it auaile my brethren if a man say he haue faith and haue no workes Neuer shall that faith be able to saue him For if a brother or sister be naked and haue neede of daily foode and some of you say to them goe ye in peace be ye made warme and satisfied and if ye shall not geue those things that are necessary for the body what shall it auaile Euen so faith if it haue not workes is dead in it selfe Iohn in his first epistle the 3. chap. This is the tidings whych you haue heard from the beginning that you shuld loue one another And againe we know that we are traâ—slated from death to life if we loue the brethren He that loueth not abideth in death And again herein do we know the loue of God because that he hath laide downe hys life for vs we ought to lay down our liues for the brethren He that shall haue the substaunce of thys world and shall see his brother haue neede and shall shut up hys bowelles from him howe abideth the loue of God in hym My little children let vs not loue in worde nor tounge but in deede and truth And againe 4. chap. Most dearly beloued let vs loue together For loue is of God he that loueth
Sacramentally or memorially to be his body And this seemeth vnto me most nearest to agree to the meaning of Christ forasmuch as he said do this in the remembraunce of me Then for as much as in the supper it is manifest that Christ gaue vnto his Disciples the bread of his body which he brake to that intent to eat with theyr mouthes in which bread he gaue himselfe also vnto them as one in whō they should beleue as to be the food of the soule and by that fayth they should beleue him to be theyr sauior which tooke his body wherein also he would it to be manifest that he woulde redeeme them from death So was the bread eaten with the Disciples mouthes that he being the true breade of the soule might be in spirite receiued and eaten spiritually by theyr fayth which beleued in him The bread which in the disciples mouthes was chewed from the mouth passed to the stomacke For as Christ saith whatsoeuer cōmeth to the mouth goeth into the belly from thence into the priuy Mathew chap. 15. But that true and very bread of the soule was eaten of the spirite of the Disciples and by fayth entred theyr minds and abode in their intralles through loue And so the bread broken semeth vnto me to be really the meat of the body the bread which it was before but Sacramentally to be the body of Christ as Paule 1. Cor. 10. The breade which we breake is it not the participation of the body of the Lord So the bread which we breake is the participation of the Lordes body And it is manifest that the heauēly bread is not broken neither yet is subiect to such breaking Therfore Paul calleth the materiall bread which is broken the body of Christ which the faythfull are partakers of The breade therfore chaungeth not his essence but is bread really and is the body of Christ sacramentally Euen as Christ is the very vine abiding really and figuratiuely the vine So the temple of Ierusalem was really the materiall temple figuratiuely it was the body of Christ Because he sayde destroy you this temple and in three dayes I will repayre the same agayne And this spake he of the temple of his body whereas others vnderstood it to be the materiall temple as appeared by theyr answere For sayd they 47. yeres hath this temple bene in building and wilt thou build it vp in three dayes Euen so may the consecrated bread be really bread as it was before and yet figuratiuely the body of Christ. And if therfore Christ would this bread to be only sacramentally his body and would not haue the same bread really to be transubstantiated into his body so ordeined his Priestes to make this Sacrament as a memoriall of his passion Thē do the Priestes greuously offend which besech Christ in their holy Masse that the bread which lyeth vpon the aultar may be made really the body of Christ if he woulde not haue the same to be but a Sacrament of his body And then both be they greatly deceiued themselues and also do greatly deceiue others But whether the bread be really transubstantiated into the body of Christ or is onely the body of Christ sacramentally No doubt but that the people are maruellously deceiued For the people beleue that they see the body of Christ nay rather Christ himselfe betwene the handes of the Priestes for so is the common othe they sweare By him whō I saw this day betwene the priestes hands And the people beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but at Easter or els when they lie vpon theyr death bed and receiue with their bodely mouth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. But the body of Christ admitte the bread be transubstantiated really into the body is in the Sacrament indiuisibiliter that is not able to be deuided and so immensurabiliter that is not able to be measured Ergo inuisibiliter that is not able to be sene To beleue therfore that he may be sene corporally in the Sacrament is erroneous And forasmuch as the body of Christ is the souls food and not the food of the body in this world for that whosoeuer beleueth doth eat spiritually and really at any time when he so beleueth It is manifest that they doe greatlye erre which beleue that they eat not the body of Christ but when they eat with theyr teeth the Sacrament of the body of Christ. And although it should be to the great honor of priests that the bread really were chaūged into the body of christ by the vertue of the Sacramentall words pronounced yet if Christ would not haue it to be so then they desiring to do this contrary to the will of Christ and informing the people that is to be done so contrary to the will of Christ are in great peril most daūgerously seducing both themselues and the people And then although that hereby they get a litle worldly and transitory honour for a short time It is to be feared least perpetual shame finally shall follow and insue vpon the same For Christ sayth euery one that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low Let them therfore take heed least they extolling themselues for this Sacrament aboue the company of Angels which neuer sinned for the errour which they be in for euermore be placed with the sinnefull angels vnder the earth Let euery man therfore think lowly of himself in what state or degree soeuer he be neither let him presume to doe that which he is not able to do Neither desire to haue that thing done which God would not haue done I greatlye maruell at those which were the makers of the Canons how variably contrary one to another they write of this Sacrament of the body of Christ. In the last part of the decrees where this matter is touched not only in the text but also in the proces of the matter diuers do diuersly write and one contrary to another For in the chapter that thus beginneth Prima inquit haeresis it is thus written You shall not eate this bodye which you see nor shall drinke this bloud which they shall shed which shall crucify me I will commend vnto you a certayne Sacrament spiritually vnderstood that quickneth you for the flesh profiteth you nothing at all And in the end of the same chapter it is thus written Till the world shall haue an end the Lords place is in heauen yet notwithstanding the verity of the Lord is here abiding with vs. For the body wherwith he rose ought to be in one place but his verity is in euerye place diffused spread abroad And in the chapter folowing which thus beginneth Omnia quaecunque voluit c. it is written Although the figure of the bread wine seeme to be nothing yet notwithstanding they must after y◠wordes of consecration be beleued to be none other thing then the very
and protesting before the face of the people that his comming into the Realme in the absence of the king was for none other cause but that he might in humble sort with the loue and fauour of the king and all the Lords spirituall and temporall haue and enioy his lawfull inheritance descending vnto him of right after the death of his father which thing as it pleased all men so cried they Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord But how this blessing afterwards turned into cursing shall appeare in that which followeth and also ye shall vnderstand his horrible and wicked conspiracie against his soueraigne Lord king Richard and diuers other Lords as well spirituall as temporall besides that his manifest periurie shal wel be known and that he remaineth not only foresworne and periured but also excommunicate for that he conspired against his soueraigne Lord our king Wherefore we pronounce him by these presents as well periured as excommunicate 3. Thirdly we depose c. against the said Lord Henry that he the said Lord HeÌ„ry immediatly after his entry into England by crasty and subtile policie caused to be proclaimed openly throughout the Realme that no tenths of the Clergy fiftenes of the people sealing vp of cloth diminution of wooll impost of wine nor other extortioÌ„s or exactions whatsoeuer should hereafter be required or exacted hoping by this meanes to purchase vnto him the voice and fauour of the prelates spiritual the Lords temporall the Marchants comminaltie of the whole Realme After this he tooke by force the kings Castels and fortresses spoiled and deuoured his goodes wheresoeuer he found it crieng hauocke hauocke The kings maiestie subiects as well spirituall as temporal he spoiled and robbed some he tooke captiue and imprisoned them and some he slew put to miserable death wherof many were Bishops prelates Priests and religious men Whereby it is manifest that the said Lord Henry is not only periured in promising swearing that there should be hereafter no more exactioÌ„s paiments or extortions within the realme but also excommunicate for the violence and iniurie done to Prelats and Priests Wherefore by these presents we pronounce him as afore as well periured as excommunicate 4. Fourthly we depose c. against the said Lord Henry that he hearing of the Kings returne from Ireland into Wales rose vp against his soueraigne Lord the king with many thousands of armed men marching forward with al his power towards the Castle of Flint in Wales where he tooke the king held him prisoner and so led him captiue as a traitor vnto Leicester from whence he tooke his iourney towards London misusing the king by the way both he and his with many iniuries and opprobrious coÌ„tumelies and scoffes And in the end committed him to the Tower of London and held a Parliament the king being absent in prison wherein for feare of death he compelled the king to yeeld and resigne vnto him all his right title of the kingdome and crowne of England After which resignation being made the said Lord Henry standing vp in the Parliament house stoutly and proudly before them al said aâ—â—â—med that the kingdome of EnglaÌ„d and crowne of the same with al therunto belonging did pertaine vnto him at that present as of very right and to none other for that the said king Richard by his owne deede was depriued for euer of all the right title interest that euer he had hath or may haue in the same And thus at length by right and wrong he exalted himselfe vnto yâ— throne of the kingdome since which time our commoÌ„ weale neuer florished nor prospered but altogether hath bene void of vertue for that the spiritualtie was so oppressed exercise and warlike practises hath not bin mainteined charitie is waxed cold couetousnes and miserie hath takeÌ„ place finally mercy is taken away vengeance supplieth the rcome Wherby it doth appeare as before is said that yâ— said Lord HeÌ„ry is not only periured false by vsurping the kingdome and dominion belonging to another but also excommunicate for the apprehending vniust imprisoning and depriuing his soueraigne Lord the king of his roiall crowne and dignitie Wherefore as in the articles before we pronounce the said Lord Henry to be excommunicate 5. Fiftly we depose c. against the said Lord Henry that he the same Lord Henry with the rest of his fauourers complices heaping mischief vpon mischief haue coÌ„mitted and brought to passe a most wicked and mischieuous fact yea such as hath not bene heard of at any time before For after that they had taken and imprisoned the king and deposed him by open iniurie against all humane nature yet not coÌ„teÌ„t with this they brought him to Poinfret Castle and there imprisoned him where xv daies nights they vexed him with continuall hunger thirst and cold and finally berest him of life with such a kind of death as neuer before that time was knowen in England but by Gods prouidence it is come to light Who euer heard of such a deed or who euer saw the like of him Wherefore O England arise stand vp auenge the cause the death and iniurie of thy king and prince which if thou do not take this for certaintie that the righteous God will destroy thee by strange inuasions and foreigne power and auenge himselfe on thee for this so horrible an act Whereby doth appeare not only his periurie but also his excommunication most execrable so that as before we pronounce the said Henry not only periured but also excommunicate 6. Sixtly we depose c. against the sayd Lord Henry that after he had attained to the crowne and scepter of the kingdome he caused forthwith to be apprehended diuers Lords spirituall Bishops Abbots Priors and religious men of all orders whom he arested imprisoned bound and against all order brought them before the secular iudges to be examined not sparing the Bishops whose bodies were annointed with sacred oyle nor priests nor religious men but commanded them to be coÌ„demned hanged and beheaded by the temporall law and iudgement notwithstanding the priuiledge of the Church and holie orders which he ought to haue reuerenced and worshipped it he had bin a true and lawfull king for the first and chiefest othe in the coronation of a lawfull king is to defend and keepe inuiolate the liberties and rights of the Church and not to deliuer anie Priest or religious man into the hands of the secular power except for heresie onely and that after his degradation according to the order of the Church Contrary vnto all this hath he done so that it is manifest by this article as afore in the rest that he is both periured and excommunicate 7. Seuenthly we depose c. against the said Lord Henry that not onely he caused to be put to death the Lords spirituall and other Religious men but also diuers of the Lords
thus as if he had beâ—e wroth he sayd to one of his clerkes Fetch hether quickly the certification that came to me â—roÌ„ Shrewsbury vnder the 〈◊〉 seale witnessing the errors and heresyes which this Losel hath venunously sowne there Then hastely the clarke tooke out and layde forth on a cupbord diuers rolles and writinges among which there was a litle one which the clarke deliuered to the Archbyshop And by and by the Archbishop read this roll conteyning this sentence The third sonday after Easter the yeare of our Lorde 1407. William Thorpe came vnto the towne of Shrewsbury and thorow leaue graunted vnto him to preache He sayd openly in S. Chaddes church in his sermon that the sacrament of the aulter after the consecration was materiall bread And that images should in no wise be worshipped And that meÌ„ should not go on pilgrimages And that priestes haue no title to tithes And that it is not lawful for to sweare in any wise ¶ And when the Archbishop had red thus this roll he rolled it vp agayne and sayd to me Is this wholesome learning to be among the people ☞ And I sayd to him Sir I am both ashamed on theyr behalf and right sorowful for them that haue certified you these thinges thus vntruelye for I preached neuer nor taught thus priuily nor apertly ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me I will geue credence to these worshipfull men which haue written to me and witnessed vnder theyr scales there amoÌ„g them Though now thou denyest this weenest thou that I will geue credence to thee Thou Losell hast troubled the worshipfull communalty of Shrewsbury so that the Balifes and comminalty of that towne haue writteÌ„ to me praying me that am Archbishop of Cant. primate and Chancellor of England that I will vouchsafe to graunt them that if thou shalt be made as thou art worthy to suffer open iouresse for thine heresies that thou may haue thy iouresse openlye there among them So that all they whome thou and suche other Losels haue there peruerted may thorow feare of thy deed be reconciled agayne to the vnity of holy Church And also they that stand in true fayth of holy Church may thorow thy deed be more established therein And as if this asking well pleased yâ— Archbishop he sayd By my thrift this harty prayer and feruent request shall be thought on But certaynely nother yâ— prayer of the men of Shrewsbury nor the manassing of the Archbishoppe made me any thing afrayd But in rehearsing of this malice and in the hearing of it my hart greatly reioysed yet doth I thank God for the grace that I then thought and yâ—t think shall come to all the Church of God here thorow by the speciall mercifull doing of the Lord. And as hauing no dread of the malice of tyrantes by trusting stedfastly in the helpe of the Lord with full purpose for to knowledge the sothfastnes and to stand therby after my cunning and power I said to the Archbishop Sir if the truth of Gods word might now be accepted as it should be I doubt not to proue by likely euidence that they that are famed to be out of the fayth of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places also are in the true fayth of holy Church For as theyr wordes found and theyr workes shew to mans iudgement dreading and louing faythfully God theyr will their desire ther loue theyr busines are most set to dread to offend God to loue for to please him in true faythfull keeping of his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes And agayne they that are sayd to be in the faith of holy Church in Shrewsbury in other places by open euidence of their proud enuious malicious couetous lecherous and other foule words workes neither know nor haue wil to know nor to occupy their wits truely and effectuously in the right fayth of holy Church Wherefore all these nor none that folow theyr maners shall any time come verely in the fayth of holy church except they inforce them more truely to come in the way which now they despise For these men and women that are now called faithfull and holden iust nother know nor will exercise theÌ„selfe to know of faythfulnes one commaundement of God And thus full many men and womeÌ„ now and specially meÌ„ that are named to be principall lims of holy church styree God to great wrath deserue his curse for that they call or hold them iust meÌ„ which are full vniust as their vicious wordes their great customable swearing and theyr slaunderous and shamefull works shew openly and witnes And therfore such vicious men vniust in theyr own confusion call them vniust men womeÌ„ which after their power and cunning busy themselues to liue iustly after the coÌ„maundement of God And where sir ye say that I haue distroubled the coÌ„minalty of Shrewsbury many other men and women with my teaching If it this be it is not to be wondred of wise men since all the communalty of that City of Ierusalem was distroubled of Christes own person that was very God and man and most prudent preacher that euer was or shal be And also all the Sinagoge of Nazareth was moued agaynst Christ so fulfilled with ire towards him for his preaching that the men of the Sinagoge rose vp and cast Christ out of theyr City led him vp to the top of a mouÌ„tayn for to cast him down there headling Also accordingly hereto the Lord witnesseth by Moises that he shall put dissention betwixt his people and the people that coÌ„trarieth and pursueth his people Who sir is he that shall preach the truth of Gods word to the vnfaith full people and shall set the sothfastnes of the Gospell and the prophecy of God almighty to be fulfilled ¶ And the Archbishop sayd to me It foloweth of these thy wordes that thou and such other thinkest that ye do right well for to preach and teach as ye do without authority of any Bishop For ye presume that the Lord hath choseÌ„ you onely for to preach as faythful disciples and speciall folowers of Christ. ☞ And I sayd Syr by authority of Gods law and also of Sayntes and Doctors I am learned to deme that it is euery Priestes office and duty for to preach busilye freely truely the word of God For no doubt euery Priest should purpose first in his soule couer to take the order of priesthood chiefly for to make knowne to the people the word of God after his cunning and power approuing his words euey to be true by his vertuous works and for this intent we suppose that Bishops other Prelates of holy church should chiefly take and vse their prelacye and for the same cause Bishops should geue to Priestes their orders For Bishops should accept no man to Priesthood except that he had good wil and fâ—â—l purpose were wel disposed and wel learned to preach
all your vicious liuing praying to him euer deuoutly of charitable counsel and contynuance Hoping without dout that if ye coÌ„tinue thus busying you faythfully to know to kepe his biddings that he wil for he onely may forgeue you al your sinnes And this man said to me Though God forgeue men their sins yet it behoueth men to be assoyled of priests to do the penance that they enioyne them And I sayde to him Sir it is all one to assoyle men oâ— their sinnes to forgeue meÌ„ their sinnes Wherefore sined it pertayneth only to God to forgeue sinne It sufficeth in this case to counsel men women for to lâ—aue their sinne and to comfort them that busy them thus to do for to hope stedfastly in the mercy of God And agayne ward Priestes ought to tel sharply to customable sinners that if they wil not make an ende of their sinne but coÌ„tinue in diuers sinâ— while that they may sinne all such deserue payne without any en And herefore Priests should ouer busye them to liue wel and holyly and to teach the people 〈◊〉 truly the worde of God shewyng to all folke in open preaching and in priuy counseling that the lord God only forgeueth sinne And therefore those priests that take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to assoyle meÌ„ of their sinnes blaspheme God since that it perteineth onely to the Lord to assoile men of all their sinnes For no doubt a thousand yeare after yâ— Christ was man no Priest of Christ durst take vpon him to teach the people neither priuily nor apertly that they behoued nedes to come to be assayled of them as Priests now do But by authoritie of Christes word Priests bounde indurate customable synners to euerlasting paines which in no time of their lyuing would busy theÌ„ faithfully to knowe the biddinges of God nor to kepe theÌ„ And again al they that would occupy al their wits to hate to flye al occasion of sinne dreading ouer al thing to offend God and louing for to please him continually to these men women Priests shewed how the Lord assoyleth them of all their sinnes And thus Christ promised to confirme in heauen al the binding and loosing that priests by authoritie of his word binde men in sinne that are indurate therin or loose theÌ„ out of sinne here vpon earth that are verely repentaunt And this maÌ„ hearing these words said that he might well in conscience coÌ„sent to this sentence But he sayd Is it not nedefull to the lay people that can not thus do to go shrine them to priests And I said If a man feele himselfe so distroubled with any sinne yâ— he can not by his own witte auoide this synne without counsel of them that are herein wiser than he In such a case the counsell of a good Priest is full necessarye And if a good priest fayle as they do now coÌ„monly in such a case S. Augustine sayth that a man may lawfully common and take counsel of a vertuous secular maÌ„ But certain that maÌ„ or womaÌ„ is ouerladen and too beastly which cannot bring their owne sinnes into their minde busying them night and day for to hate to forsake al their sinnes doing a sigh for them after their cunning and power And sir full accordingly to this sentence vpoÌ„ MidlentoÌ„ SuÌ„day two yeare as I gesse now agone I hard a Monk of Feuersam that men called Morden preache at CauÌ„terbury at the crosse within Christ Church Abbey saying thus of coÌ„fession That as through the suggestioÌ„ of the feend without counsell of any other body of themselues many men women can imagine and find meanes ways inough to come to pride to theft to lechery and other diuers vices In contrary wise this Monke said Since the Lord God is more ready to forgiue sinne than the feend is or may be of power to moue any body to sinne than whosoeuer wil shame and sorow hartely for their sinnes knowledging them faithfully to God amending them after their power and cunning without counsell of any other body than of God and himselfe through the grace of God all such men and women may find sufficient meanes to come to Gods mercy and so to be cleane assoiled of all their sinnes This sentence I sayd sir to this man of yours and the selfe words as neere as I can gesse ¶ And the Archbishop said Holy Church approoueth not this learning ☞ And I said Sir holy Church of which Christ is head in heauen and in earth must needs approue this sentence For loe hereby all men women may if they will be sufficiently taught to know to keepe the commandements of God to hate to flie continually all occasion of sinne and to loue and to seeke vertues busily to beleue in God stably and to trust in his mercy stedfastly so to come to perfect charitie continue therin perseuerantly And more the Lord asketh not of any man here now in this life And certaine since Iesu Christ died vpon the crosse wilfully to make men free Men of the Church are to bold and to busie to make men thrall binding theÌ„ vnder the paine of endles curse as they say to do many obseruaunces and ordynaunces which neither the liuing nor teachyng of Chryst nor of his Apostles approueth And a Clerke said theÌ„ to me Thou shewest plainly here thy deceit which thou hast learned of them that trauell to sow people amoÌ„g the wheat But I couÌ„sel thee to go away cleane froÌ„ this learning submit thee lowly to my lorde and thou shall finde him yet to be gracious to ther. ¶ And as fast then an other Clerke said to me How wast thou so bold at Paules Crosse in London to stande there hard with thy upper boundeÌ„ about thine head and to reproue in his Sermon the worthy clerke Alkerton drawing away al that thou mightest yea the same day at afternoone thou meeting the worthy Doctour in Watlyng streete calledst him false flatterer and hipocrite ☞ And I said Sir I thinke certainely that there was no man nor womaÌ„ that hated verelye sinne loued vertues heauing the SermoÌ„ of the clerk at Oxford and also Alkersons Sermon but they sayd or might iustly say that Alkerton reproued that clerke vntruely and slaundered him wrongfully and vncharitably For no doubt If the liuing teaching of Christ chiefly and of his Apostles be true no body that loueth God and his law wil blame any senteÌ„ce that the clerke then preached there since by authoritie of Gods word by approued Saints Doctours by opeÌ„ reason this Clerke approued all thinges clearely that hee preached there ¶ And a Clerke of the Archbishops saide to me his Sermon was false and that he sheweth openlye since he dare not stand forth and defend his preaching that he theÌ„ preached there ☞ And I saide Sir I thinke that he purposeth to stande stedfastly thereby or els he scaundereth fouly himself
of sinnes the vprising of the flesh and euerlasting life Amen And for a more large declaration sayth he of thys my sayth in the Catholicke Churche I stedfastly beleue that there is but one God almighty in and of whose Godhead are these three persons the father the sonne and the holye Ghost and that those three persons are the selfe same God almighty I beleue also that the second person of this most blessed Trinitie in most conuenient tune appoynted therunto afore tooke flesh and bloud of the most blessed virgin Mary for the sauegarde and redemption of the vniuersall kind of man which was afore lost in Adams offence Moreouer I beleeue that the same Iesus Christ our Lord thus being both God and man is the onely head of the whole Christian Churche and that all those that hathe bene or shal be saued be members of this most holy church And this holy Churche I thinke to be deuided into three sortes or companyes Wherof the first sort be now in heauen and they are the sayntes from hence departed These as they were here coÌ„uersant conformed alwayes their liues to the most holye lawes and pure examples of Christ renouncing Sathan the world and the flesh with all their concupiscences and euils The second sort are in Purgatory if any suche place be in the scriptures abiding the mercy of God and a full deliueraunce of payne The third sort are here vpon the earth and be called the Church millitant For day and night they contend against crafty assaultes of the deuill the flattering prosperities of this world and the rebellious filthines of the flesh This latter congregation by the iust ordinance of God is also seuered into three diuers estates that is to say into priesthood knighthood and the commons Among whom the will of God is that the one should ayd the other but not destroy the other The priestes first of al secluded from all worldlines should conforme theyr liues vtterly to the examples of Christ and his Apostles Euermore shoulde they be occupyed in preaching and teaching the scriptures purely and in geuing wholesome examples of good liuing to the other two degrees of men More modest also more louing gentle and lowly in spirite should they be then ano other sortes of people In knighthood are all they which beare sword by law of office These should defend Gods lawes and see that the Gospell were purely taught conforming theyr liues to that same and secluding all false preachers yea these ought rather to hazard their liues theÌ„ to suffer such wicked decrees as either blemisheth the eternall Testament of God or yet letteth the free passage therof whereby heresies schismes might spring in the Churche For of none other arise they as I suppose then of erroneous constitutioÌ„s craftely first creeping in vnder hipocriticall lies for aduauntage They ought also to preserue Gods people from oppressours tyrauntes and theeues to see the clergie supported so long as they teach purely pray rightly and minister the Sacramentes freely And if they see them doe otherwise they are bound by the law of office to compell them to chaung their doinges to see all thinges performed according to gods prescript ordinaunce The latter fellowship of this Church are the common people whose duery is to beare their good mindes true obedience to the aforesayd ministers of God theyr kinges ciuill gouernours and Priestes The right office of these is iustly to occupy euery man his facultie be it marchaundise handicraft or the tilthe of the ground And so one of them to be as an helper to an other following alwayes in their sortes the iust commaundementes of the Lord God Ouer and besidés all this I most faythfully beleeue the the Sacramentes of Christes Churche are necessary to all Christen beleuers this alwayes seen to that they be truly ministred according to Christes first institution and ordinaunce And forasmuch as I am maliciously most falsly accused of a misbeliefe in the sacrament of the aulter to the hurtfull slaunder of many I signifie here vnto all men that this is my fayth concerning that I beleue in that Sacrament to be contayned very Christes body and bloud vnder the similitudes of bread and wyne yea the same body that was conceiued of the holy ghost borne of that virgine Mary done on the crosse dyed that was buryed arose the thyrd day from the death and is now glorified in heauen I also beleue the vniuersall law of God to be most true and perfect and they which doe not so follow it in theyr fayth and works at one time or an other can neuer be saned Where as he that seketh it in fayth accepteth it learneth it delighteth therin and performeth it in loue shall cast for it the felicitie of euerlasting Innocencie Finally this is my fayth also that God will aske no more of a Christen beleuer in this life but onely to obey that preceptes of that most blessed law If any Prelates of the Church require more or els any other kinde of obedience then this to be vsed he contemneth Christ exalting hymselfe aboue God and so becommeth an open Antichrist Al the premisses I beleue particularly and generally all that God hath left in his holy scripture that I should beleeue Instantly desiring you my siege Lord and most worthye king that this confession of mine may be iustly examined by the most godly wise and learned men of your Realme And if it be found in all pointes agreeing to the veritie theÌ„ let it be so allowed and I therupon holden for none other then a true Christian. If it be proued otherwise then let it be vtterly coÌ„demned prouided alwayes that I be taught a better beliefe by the word of God and I shall most reuerently at all times obey therunto This briefe confession of this fayth the Lorde Cobham wrote as is mentioned afore and so tooke it with him to the court offering it withall meekenes vnto the kyng to read it ouer The king would in no case receaue it but coÌ„manded it to be deliuered vnto theÌ„ that should be his iudges Then desired he in the kinges presence that an hundred knightes and Esquiers might be suffered to come in vpon hys purgation which he knew woulde cleare hym of all heresies Moreouer he offered himselâ—e after the lawe of armes to fight for life or death in any man liuing Christen or heathen in the quarrell of hys fayth the king and the Lordes of hys Councell excepted Finally with all geÌ„tlenes he protested before all that were present that he wold refuse no maner of correction that shold after the lawes of God he ministred vnto him but that he would at al times with all meekenes obey it Notwithstanding all this the king suffered him to be sommoned personally in his owne priuy chamber Then sayd the Lord Cobham to the king that he had appeled from the
whome I shall hereafter know suspected of heresye or errors I shall effectually present or cause to be presented vnto my sayde reuerend father Lord Archbishop or to them which haue his authority so soone as I can conneniently do it and see that they be corrected to my vttermost power This abiuration neuer came to the hands of the Lord Cobham neither was it compiled of them for that purpose but onely therewith to bleare the eyes of the vnlearned multitude for a time After the whiche like fetch and subtle practise was also deuised the recantatioÌ„ of the Archbishop Thomas Cranmer to stop for a time the peoples mouthes Which subtlely in like manner was also practised with the false recantatioÌ„ of Bishop â—oper and diuers other as in their places hereafter Christ graunting shal be shewed And thus much hitherto concerning the first trouble of sir Iohn Oldcastle Lorde Cobham with all the circumstances of the true time place occasion causes and order belonging to the same Wherin I trust I haue sufficiently satisfied all the parties requisite to a faythfull history with out corruption For the confirmation wherof to the intent the mind also of the wrangling cauiller may be satisfied to stop the mouth of the aduersary which I see in all places to be ready to barke I haue therfore of purpose anexed with all my ground foundation taken out of the Archines and Registers of the Archb. of Cant Ex epist. Thom. Arund ad Rich. Lond. Wherby may appeare the manifest error both of Polydorus and of Edward Hall who being deceiued in the right distinction of the times assigne this citation and examination of the Lord Cobham to be after the councell of CoÌ„stance when as Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Caunterbury at the councell of Constance was not aliue The copy and testimony of his owne letter shall declare the same written and sent to the bishop of London in forme as foloweth * The copy of the Epistle of the Archbishop of Caunterbury written to the Bishop of London whereupon dependeth the grounde and certaynety of this foresayd history of the Lord Cobham aboue premised TO the reuerend father in Christ and Lord the Lord Robert by the grace of God Bishop of Hereford Richard by the permission of God bishop of London health and continuall increase of sincere loue We haue of late receiued the letters of the reuerend father in Christ and Lord the Lorde Thomas by the grace of God Archb. of Cant. primate of all England and Legate of the Apostolicke see vnto our reuerend brother the Lord Richard Bishop of London health and brotherly loue in the Lord. It was lately concluded before vs in the conuocation of Prelates and Clergye of our prouince of Caunterb last celebrate in our church of S. Paul intreating amongest other thinges with the sayd prelates clergy vpon the vnion and reformation of the Church of England by vs and the sayd prelates and Clergy that it was almost impossible to amende the hole of our Lordes coate whiche was without seame but that first of all certayne nobles of the realme which are authors fauourers protectors defenders and receiuers of these heretickes called Lollardes were sharpely rebuked and if neede were by the censures of the Churche and the helpe of the secular power they be reuoked from their errours And afterward hauing made diligent inquisition in the conuocation amongest the proctors of the Clergy and others which were there in great number out of euery dioces of our prouince It was found out amongest others that sir Iohn Oldcastle knight was and is the principall receiuer fauourer protector and defender of them and that specially in the Diocesse of London Rochester and Hereforde he hath sent the sayd Lollardes to preach not being licenced by the ordinaryes and Bishoppes of the Dioces or places contrary to the prouinciall constitutions in that behalfe made and hath bene present at theyr wicked SermoÌ„s greuously punishing with threatnings terrors and the power of the secular sword suche as did withstand him alledging and affirming amongest others that we and our felow brethren Suffragans of out prouinces had not neither haue any power to make any such constitutions Also he hath holden and doth holde opinion and teach as touching the sacramentest of the aultar of penaunce of pilgrimage of the worshiping of Sayntes and of the keyes contrary to that which the vniuersall church of Rome doth teach ond affirme Wherefore on the behalfe of the sayd prelates and clergy we were then required that we would vouchsafe to proceed agaynst the sayd sir Iohn Oldcastle vpon the premisses Notwithstanding for the rouerance of our Lord the king in whose fauour the sayde sir Iohn at that preseÌ„t was no lesse also for honor of his knighthood we with our fellow brethren and Suffraganes then present with a great part of the Clergy of our prouince comming personally before the presence of our Lord the king being then at hys Manor of Kenington put vp against the said sir Iohn a complaint and partly reciting the defaultes of the sayd sir Iohn But at the request of our Lord the king we desiring to reduce the sayd sir Iohn to the vnity of the church without any reproche we deferred all the execution of the premisses for a great time But at the last for so much as our sayd Lord the king after his great trauelles taken about the conuersion of him did nothing at all profite as our said Lord the king vouchsafed to certify vs both by word writing We immediatly decreed to call forth the sayd sir Iohn personally to aunswere before vs at a certayne time already passed in and vpon the premisses and sent our messengers with these our letters of citation to the sayde sir Iohn then being at his castle of Cowling vnto the which messenger we gaue commaundement that he should in no case go into the Castle except he were licensed But by the meane of one Iohn Butler porter of the kings chaÌ„ber he should require the sayd sir Iohn that he would either liceÌ„se the sayd messenger to come into the Castle or that he would cite him or on the least that he would suffer himselfe to be cited without his Castle The whiche sir Iohn openly aunswered vnto the sayd Iohn Butler declaring the premisses vnto him on the behalfe of our Lord the king that he woulde by no meanes be cited neither in any case suffer his citation Then we being certified of the premisses lawfully proceeded further First hauing faythfull report made unto vs that he could not be apprehended by personall citation we decreed to cite him by an edict to be openly set vppe in the porches of the Cathedrall Church of Rochester next vnto him litle more then three English miles distant from the sayd castle of Cowling As we had thus caused him to be cited and our edict aforesayde to be publickely openly set vpon the porches of the said
friends the Cardinals which through the instigation and motion of Palletz and Michael de Causis sent two Bishops to wit the Bishop of Augusta and of Trident and with them the Borowmaister of the towne of Constance and a certaine knight to the place where Iohn Hus lodged about dinner time which should make report vnto him that they were sent by the Pope and his Cardinals to aduertise him that hee should come to render some knowledge or witnes of hys doctrine before them as he had oftentimes desired and that they were readie for to heare him Unto whome Iohn Husse aunswered I am not come for no such intent as to defend my cause particularly before the Pope his Cardinals protesting that I neuer desired no such thing but that I would willingly appeare before the whole assemble of the Councell and there answer for my defence openly without any feare or doubt vnto all such things as should be demanded or required of me Notwithstanding said he forasmuch as you require me so to do I will not refuse to go with you before the Cardinals And if it happen that they euill entreate or handle me yet neuertheles I trust in my Lord Iesus that he wil so comfort and strengthen me that I shall desire much rather to die for his glory sake then to denie the veritie and truth which I haue learned by his holy scriptures Wherfore it came to passe that the Bishops being instant vpon him and not shewing any outward semblance that they bare any malice or hatred against him in their harts albeit they had priuily laid garrisons both in the house where they were assembled and also in other houses Iohn Hus tooke his horse which he had at his lodging and went vnto the Court of the Pope and the Cardinals When he was come thither and had saluted the Cardinals they began to speake to him in this sorte we haue heard many reports of you the which if they be true are in no case to be suffered For mē say that you haue taught great and manifest errours and contrary and against the doctrine of the true Church and that you haue sowed your errours abrode through all the Realme of Boheme by a long space or time wherefore we haue caused you to bee called hether before vs that we might vnderstande and know how the matter standeth Unto whom Iohn Hus answered in few words Reuerend fathers you shall vnderstand that I am thus minded and affectioned that I would rather choose to die then I should be found culpable of one only errour much lesse of many great errours for this cause I am the more willingly come vnto the generall Councell which is here appointed to shewe my selfe ready euen with all my hart to receiue correctiō if any man can proue any errours in me The Cardinals aunswered him againe that his sayengs pleased them very well and vpon that they went theyr way leauing the said Iohn Hus with maister Iohn de Clum vnder the gard and keeping of the armed men In the meane season they did suborne and furnish out a certaine diuine a Frier Franciscane a subtile and craftie man and a malicious hypocrite for to question with the said Iohn Hus which was compassed round about with armed men This man drawing neare in his monkishe gesture sayd Reuerend maister I a simple and rude ideot am come vnto you for to learne for I haue hard many strange and contrary things against the catholike fayth to be ascribed vnto you the which doo diuersly mooue my mind being wholy inclined to the truth Wherefore I do desire you euen for the loue which you heare vnto the truth and to all good and godly men that you woulde teache me most simple and miserable mā some certaintie and truth And first men say that you hold opinion after the cōsecration and pronuntiation of the words in the Sacrament of the altar there remaineth only materiall bread I. Husse aunswered that it was falsly attributed and imputed to him Then said he I pray you is not this your opinion No verely said Iohn Hus I do not so thinke of it When the Monke asked this question the thirde time Maister Iohn de Clum being somewhat mooued with him sayde why art thou so importunate vpon him Uerely if anye man had affirmed or denied any thing vnto me but once I woulde haue beleeued him And thou albeit hee hath shewed thee his mind so often yet ceasest not to trouble him Then saide the Monke gentle maister I pray you pardon me a poore idiot and simple Frier surely I did it of a good mind intēt being willing desirous to learne This Frier put forth another question vnto him protesting his simplicitie and ignorance what maner of vnitie of the Godhead manhood was in the person of Christ When I. Husse had heard this questiō he turned himselfe vnto Maister Iohn de Clum in the Bohemian language said truly this Frier is not simple as he doth pretend for he hath propoūded vnto me a very hard question And afterward turning himselfe to the frier he said vnto him brother you say that you are simple but as I haue heard of you I perceiue very well that you are double and craftie not simple It is not so verely said the frier Well sayde Iohn Hus I will cause you well to vnderstand that it is so For as touching the simplicitie of a man it is required in things that concerne ciulitie maners that the spirite the vnderstāding the hart the words the mouth should agree together and I do not perceiue that this is in you There is in your mouth a certaine semblance of simplicitie the which would very well declare you to be an ideot and simple but your deedes shew plainely and euidently a great subtiltie and craft in you with a great quicknes and liuelines of wit in that you haue proponed vnto me so hard and difficult a question Notwithstanding I will not feare to shew you my mind in this question And when he had made an end the Monke gaue him great thanks for his gentlenes and so departed After that the Popes garrison which were about the said Iohn Hus told him that this frier was called Maister Didace who was esteemed and counted the greatest and most subtile diuine in all Lumbardy Oh said Hus that I had knowne that afore I would haue handled him after another sort and fashion but I would to God they were all such then through the help and aide of the holy Scriptures I would feare none of them In this maner the said Hus and maister Iohn de Clum were left vnder the keeping of these men of Armes vntill foure of the clocke at after noone After which time the Cardinals assembled againe in the Popes Court to deuise and take counsaile what they should do with Iohn Hus. Then Steuen Palletz Michaell de Causis with
infect and trouble the Church of God as also concerning the occasions through the which he hath presumed might doe the same because the Prelates do abuse the ecclesiasticall censures as well the Prelates as those that are vnder them d ee not keepe and obserue the order of the churche whych is appoynted them by God whereby it commeth to passe that whylest they themselues do walke the broken vnknowne paths their flocke falleth headlong into the ditch Wherefore let our soueraigne Lord the Pope and this most sacred Councel ordaine and depute Commissioners the which may examine the sayd Iohn Hus vpon all afore wrytten and other thyngs in the presence of them whych knowe the matter Let there be also certaine Doctors and Maisters appoynted to reade ouer and peruse hys bookes which he hath written whereof some are here present that the churche may be spedily purged and cleansed from these errours Upon this hys accusation they ordeined and appoynted 3. commissioners or iudges that is to say the patriark of Constantinople and the byshop of Castle the byshop of Lybusse The which prelates being thus deputed hard the accusation the witnes which was brought in by certaine babling priestes of Prage confirmed by theyr othes afterward recited the sayd accusation vnto the sayd Hus in the prisone at suche time as hys ague was feruent and extremely vpō him Uppon thys Iohn Hus required to haue an aduocate to answer for hym the whych was plainly and vtterly denied him And the reason that the masters Commissioners brought against it was this that the plain canon doth forbid that any man should be a defender of any cause of hys which is suspect of any kind of heresy The vanity and foly of the witnesses was suche that if in case they had not bene both the accusers and iudges themselues there shuld haue needed no distinct confutation I would haue rehersed the testimonies in thys place but that I knew them to to be such as the prudent and wise reader coulde not haue red without great tediousnes Nowheit some of them shal be declared when we come to the processe of hys iudgement Afterwarde when Iohn Husse had recouered lyttle strength or health by the commandement of the three commissioners there was presented vnto hym certaine Articles many in number which they sayd they had gathered out of his booke which he made of the Churche of whych articles some were forged and inuented by maister Palletz other some were gathered onely by halues as shall be more plainly declared hereafter whē we come to speake of the iudgement pronounced and geuen against the sayde Hus. Thus Iohn Hus remained in the prison of the couent of the Franciscanes vntill the Wednesday before Palme Sonday and certaine appoynted to keepe hym and in the meane season to employ and spende his time wythall he wrote certaine bookes That is to say of the ten commandements of the loue and knowledge of God of Matrimony of Penaunce of the three enemies of mankinde of the prayer of our Lord and of the Supper of our Lord. The same day Pope Iohn the 23 chaūged his apparell conucyed himselfe secretly out of Constance fearing the iudgemēt by the which afterward he was depriued of his Papall dignitie by meanes of most execrable abhominable forfaites and doynges This was the cause that Iohn Hus was trāsported and caried vnto an other prison for the Popes seruauntes which had the charge and keeping of Iohn Hus vnderstanding that their Maister was fled gone deliuered vp the keyes of the prison vnto the Emperour Sigismund and to the Cardinals and followed their Maister the Pope Then by the whole cōsent of the Councell the sayd Iohn Hus was put into the handes of the Byshop of Constance who sent him to a Castle on the other side of the Riuer of Rhine not very farre from Cōstance whereas he was shut vp in a Tower with fetters on his legges that he could scarse walke in the day tyme and at night hee was fastened vp to a racke agaynst the wall hard by his bed In the meane season certaine noble men and Gentlemen of Pole Boheme did al their indeuour to purchase his deliueraunce hauing respect to the good renowne of all the Realme the which was wonderfully defamed and slaundered by certaine naughty persons The matter was growne vnto this pointe that all they which were in the towne of Constance that seemed to beare any fauour vnto I. Hus were made as mockyng stocks and derided of all men yea euen of the slaues and base people Wherfore they tooke counsell and cōcluded together to present their request in writing vnto the whole Coūcell or at the least vnto the foure nations of Almaine Italie Fraunce and England this request was presented the 14. day of May. an 1415. The tenour here ensueth ¶ The first schedule or Bill whiche the nobles of Boheme deliuered vp to the Councell for the deliueraunce of Iohn Hus the 14. day of May. Anno. 1415. MOst reuerēd Fathers and Lordes The Nobles and Lordes of Boheme and Pole here present by this their present writynges doe shew and declare vnto your Fatherly reuerences how that the most noble Kyng and Lord the Lord Sigismund kyng of Romaines alwayes Augustus kyng of Hungary Croatia Dasmatia c. hearyng of the great dissention that was in the kyngdome of Boheme as heyre Kyng and Lord successour willyng mynding to foresee and prouide for his owne honour he sent these Noble men Maister Wenceslate de Duba and Iohn de Clum here present that they would bryng and assure Maister Iohn Hus vnder the kyng his name and safe conduct So that he would come to the sacred generall Councell of Constance vnder the safe conduct of the sayd kyng and the protection of the sacred Empire openly geuen and graunted vnto the sayd Maister Iohn Hus that hee might purge himselfe and the kyngdome of Boheme from the slaunder that was raysed vpon them and there to make an open declaration of his Fayth to euery man that would lay any thyng to his charge The which the sayd Nobles with the forenamed Maister Iohn Hus haue performed and done accordyng to the kynges commaundement When as the sayd Maister Iohn Hus was freely of his owne accorde come vnto Constance vnder the sayd safe conduct greuously imprisoned before he was heard and at this present is tormented both with fetters and also with hunger and thirst Albeit that in tymes past at the Councell holden at Paysan 1410. yeare of our Lord the heretickes whiche were condemned were suffered to remayne there at libertie and to depart home freely Notwithstandyng this Maister Iohn Husse neither beyng conuicted nor condemned no not so much as once heard is taken and imprisoned when as neither any kyng or any Prince Elector either any Embassadour of any Uniuersitie was yet come or present And albeit the Lord the Kyng together
euery man which would beholde and looke vpon the same the forme and tenour wherof here followeth and is such ¶ The protestation of Iohn Hus. FOr so much as aboue all things I doe desire the honor of God the profite of the holy Churche and that I my selfe may be a faithfull member of our Lorde Iesu Christ which is the heade and husband of the holy Church whych hee hath redemed Therefore as heretofore oftentimes I haue done euen so now againe I make this protestation that I neuer obstinately sayd or heereafter will say any thing that shall be contrary vnto the truth and verity and moreouer that I haue alwayes holden do hold and firmely desire for to holde the very true and infallible trueth and veritie so that before that I would defende and maintaine any erroure contrary therunto I would rather chuse by the hope and help of the Lorde to suffer extreeme punishment euen vnto death yea and thorowe the helpe of God I am ready euen to offer this my miserable lyfe vnto death for the law of Christ the which I do beleue euery part and parcell thereof to be geuen and promulgate for the saluation of mankinde by the counsaile and determination of the most holy Trinitie and the saintes of God c. By the whiche his protestation and also other protestations by the sayde M. Iohn Hus being well obserued and noted it may be easily gathered and known that his whole intent and purpose was and is that hee neither would nor will haue spoken or written any thing in hys bookes treatises doctrines or publike sermones or els to haue affirmed any articles the whyche willingly and wittingly he did vnderstand or know to be either erroneous offensiue seditious hereticall or offending the godly eare All beit that these and suche like things are falsely imputed vnto hym by hys enemies But it hath alwayes bene his chiefe intent and purpose and so is that euery poynt conclusion or article contained in his bookes or articles to haue put and affirmed them to thys ende according to the truth of the Gospell the holy Doctors and wryters vppon the holy Scriptures and to that end and purpose as is before expressed in his protestations and if in any poynt he shoulde be founde to varie or goe astray or that he were not well vnderstanded of others by like information to be informed vnderstanded corrected and amended and that he wil by no meanes sustaine or defend any maner of article against the holy Churche of Rome or the Catholicke faith Wherefore most reuerende fathers the premisses notwythstanding his ennemies through the extreeme hatred whych they beare vnto him hath picked and taken out by piece meale certain articles out of the booke of M. Iohn Hus reiecting and not looking vppon the allegations and reasons neither hauing any relation vnto the distinction of their equiuocations haue compounded and made thereof certaine false and fained articles againste him to thys ende that all charitie and loue being sette aparte they might the better ouerthrow hym and bryng hym vnto death contrary vnto the safe conducte vppon good and iust occasion openly assigned and geuen vnto the sayde maister Iohn Hus by the most noble Prince the Lorde Sigismund king of the Romanes and of Hungarie for his iust defence against all the friuolous accusations and assaultes of the ennemies not onely of the sayd M. Iohn Hus but also of the famous kingdome of Boheme and for the quiete appeasing of all such tumultes and rumours rising and springing in the sayde kingdome of Boheme or else where the auoiding of which most perillous vprours the saide king of Romaines doth greatly desire and wish as the right heire and successour of the sayd kingdome Whereuppon the Barons and Nobles aforesayde most humbly desire and require the premisses being considered and respect had vnto the great infamie and slaunder which may happen by the premisses vnto the sayde kingdome and inhabitants thereof that you will put to your handes and take some order meane that maister Iohn Hus may be distinctly hearde by some famous men deuines already deputed or otherwise to be appoynted vpon all and singulare such articles as shall be laide vnto him to declare his owne minde and intent and also the minde of the doctours alleadged for his purpose with the manifolde distinctions and equiuocations in the which the drawers out of the most part of his articles haue also made equiuocations that so according vnto the disposition of witnesses of the which a great number of them are and haue a long time bene his mortall ennemies that at the friuolous instigation of his enemies when hee was miserably deteined prisoner that he should not be condemned vnheard For so muche as by the sayde declarations your fatherly reuerences might be the more better informed of the trueth hee hymselfe is ready alwaies to submit himselfe vnder the determination of thys most sacred councell For your reuerences by the craftie and fained perswasions of his ennemies are thus informed that M Iohn Hus hath bene vncurably obstinate by a long time in most perillous articles the which your reuerences may nowe plainely perceiue to be vntrue and for the more euidence heerein to be shewed there is presented vnto your reuerences an instrumente of publike recognition of the moste reuerend father in Christe the Lorde Nicholas Bishop of Nazareth and Inquisitour of heresies specially appoynted by the Apostolike sea in the dioces of Prage the which by your reuerences is more diligently to be hearkened vnto Wherefore it may please your fatherly reuerences to commaund the sayd M Iohn Hus neither conuicted nor condemned to be taken and brought out of his bondes and chaines in the which he is nowe most greeuously deteined and kept and to put him into the hands of some reuerend Lordes Byshops or commissioners appoynted or to be appoynted by this present councell That the sayd M. Iohn Husse may somewhat be releued and recouer againe his health and be the more diligently and commodiouslye examined by the Commissioners and for the more assurance the Barons and Nobles aforesayd of the kingdome of Boheme will prouide most sure and good sureties the which wil not breake their fidelity and faith for any thing in the worlde Which also shall promise in his behalfe that hee shall not flee or departe out of their handes vntill suche time as the matter be fully determined by the sayd Commissioners In the execution of the which promises wee haue determined to prouide and foresee vnto the fame and honour of the said kingdome of Boheme and also to the safeconducte of the moste worthy Prince the king of Romaines least that the enemies and detractours of the honoure and fame of the kingdome aforesayd might not a little slander and reproue the said Lordes pretending and shewing forth hereafter that they had made vnreasonable or vnlawfull requests for the withstāding of which mischiefe we require your fatherly
reuerences that you will decree most graciously consent that this our petition and supplication may be drawen out againe by your Notarie and reduced into a publicke forme and order After this supplication was read before the deputies of the 4. nations the Patriarche of Antioch answered in the name of them all vnto euery article of the sayd supplication but it was done in few wordes First as touching the protestation of Iohn Hus whether it be true or false it shal be made euident in the processe of his cause Moreouer wheras they say that the aduersaries of Iohn Hus hath peruersly drawen certaine thinges out of his bookes that also the matter it selfe shall declare in the end Where as if it shal be found decreed that Iohn Hus is vniustly vntruly accused that thē it shal come to passe that his aduersaries shall incurre perpetuall ignominy and slaunder But as touching sureties albeit there might be a thousand put in or boūd yet can it not by any meanes be that the deputies of the Councell with a safe conscience may receiue or take them in this mans cause vnto whome there is no faith or credite to be geuē Howbeit thus much they wil do vpon the 5. day of Iune next Iohn Hus shall be brought againe vnto Constance and there haue free libertie to speake his minde before the Councell that they wold louingly and gently heare him but the matter in the ende fell out farre contrary to thys promise The same day the saide Barons and Lordes presented a supplication of thys tenour vnto the Emperor Vnto the most highe and mighty Prince the Lorde Sigismund king of the Romaines alwaies Augustus king of Hungarie Croatia and Dalmatia our most gracious Lord faithful true seruice in al things and at all times Most noble Prince and gracious Lord we signifie vnto your worthinesse that we all together with one minde consent and accord haue deliuered vp vnto the reuerend fathers and Lordes the deputies of the 4 nations and to the whole sacred Councel of Constance this our supplication here vnder wrytten as reasonable iust and worthy of consideration the tenour wherof here followeth word by word and is this ¶ The copie of the supplication which was presented vnto the deputies of the councel is before written whereunto this which followeth was annexed WHerefore we most humbly require and desire your princely maiestie that both for the loue of iustice and also of the fame and renowme of that moste famous kingdome of Boheme whereof wee acknowledge you vndoubtedly the true Lorde and heire successour and also foreseeing vnto the liberty of your safe-conduct that you wil with your fauourable countenance beholding these most reasonable and iust supplications which we haue put vp to the Lordes aforesayd put to your helping hand toward the sayd most reuerend fathers and Lordes that they will effectually heare vs in this our most iust petition which we haue offered vp to them as is aforesaide least that the enemie of the renowme and honour of the famous kingdome of Boheme and such as oure slaunderers also hereafter may detracte and sclaunder vs that wee should make vnreasonable and vnlawfull requests vnto the sayde reuerend fathers and Lordes and therefore we required and desired of them that it would please them to decre by setting to their publicke hand seale to authorise our said supplication Likewise we do most hartily require your highnes that you would vouchsafe in like maner to geue vs your testimonie of the premises But what answere the Emperor made heereunto we could neuer vnderstand or know but by the processe of the matter a man may easily iudge that thys good Emperour was brought and lead euen vnto thys poynt through the obstinate mischiefe of the cardinals and bishops to breake and falsify his promise and faith whych hee had made and promised and this was their reason whereby he was driuenthereunto that no defence coulde or might be geuen either by safe conducte or by any other meane vnto hym whych was suspected or iudged to be an hereticke But by the Epistles and letters of Iohn Hus a man may easily iudge what the kings minde was Now we will procede in the historie The 5. day of Iune the Cardinals Byshops and the rest of the priests al that were almost in Constance assembled to a great number at the Couent of the Franciscanes in Constance and there it was commaunded that before Iohn Hus shoulde be brought foorth in hys absence they should rehearse the witnesses and articles which they had slaunderously gathered out of his bookes the whych articles with Iohn Husses answer we will hereafter repeate By chance there was then present a certaine Notary named Peter Mladoniewitz the whych bare great loue and amity vnto the said Hus who assoone as he perceiued that the Bishops and cardinals were already determined and appoynted to condemne the sayde articles in the absence of Iohn Hus hee went withall speede vnto maister Wencelate de Duba and Iohn of Clum tolde them al the matter who incontinent made report therof to the Emperour Who vnderstanding their intent sent Lewes the Countie Palantine of Heydelberge and the Lord Frederick Burgraue of Nuremberge to signify vnto them whych ruled the councel that nothing should be resolued or done in the case of Iohn Hus before that it wer first heard with equity and that they should send him all such articles as were said against the sayd Hus which were either false or hereticall he would do so much that the said articles shoulde be examined by good and learned men Then according to the Emperors will the iudgement of the principals of the Councell was suspended vntill suche time as Iohn Hus were present In the meane season these gentlemen master of Dube and of Clum did geue vnto the two Princes whych the Emperor had sent certaine smal treatises which the sayde Hus had made out of the which they had drawn certain articles to present vnto them which ruled the councel vnder this condition that they would render them againe when they should demand them The intent meaning of these Barons was that by thys meanes the aduersaries of Iohn Hus might the more easily be reproued the which of a naughty and corrupt conscience had picked out corrupt sentēces out of the said bookes of Iohn Hus. The bookes were deliuered vnto the Cardinals and Byshops and that done Iohn Hus was brought forth and the Princes whiche were sent by the Emperour departed backe agayne After they shewed the bookes vnto Iohn Hus and he cōfessed openly before the whole assembly that hee had made them that he was ready if there were any fault in thē to amend the same Now harken a litle to the holy proceedynges of these reuerēd fathers for here happened a straunge shamefull matter With much a do they had scarsly read one article brought forth a
the Prophette Esay Thy rulers are vnfaythâ—â—ll misbeleuers fellowes and companions of theeues they all loue bribes and followe after rewardes Beholde the Prophet calieth the rulers of the Church infidels for their offences for all such as do not keep theyr fayth inuiolate vnto theyr principall Lorde are vnfaythfull seruauntes and they also are vnfathfull children wich keepe not theyr obedience feare and loue vnto God their father Item this proposition is verified by the saying of the Apostle the 1. chap. to Titus They doe confesse that they know God but by their works they do deny him And for so much as they which are sinnefull do swerue away from yâ— meritorious work of blessednes therfore they do swerue from the true fayth grounded vpon charity for so much as fayth without workes is dead To this end doth also pertaine that which the Lord speaketh Math. 23. of the faythfull and vnfaythfull seruaunt The 4. Article These wordes of Iohn in his 22. chap. Receiue the holy Ghost And whatsoeuer you sholl binde vpon earth c. And Mathew 16. and 18. chapter for lack of vnderstanding shall terrifye many Christians and they shal be wonderfully afrayd and others shal be deceiued by them presuming vpon the fulnes of theyr power and authority The answere This sentence I do approue and allow and therefore I say in the same place that it is first of all to be supposed that the saying of our Sauiour is necessary as touching the vertue of the word forasmuch as it is not possible for a Priest to binde and loose except that binding and loosing be in heauen But for the lacke of the true vnderstanding of those wordes many simple Christians shal be made arrayd thinking with themselues that whether they be iust or vniust the Priestes may at their pleasures whensoeuer they will binde them And the ignorant Priestes do also presume and do take vpon theÌ„ to haue power to binde and loose whensoeuer they wil. For many foolish and ignorant priestes do say that they haue power and authority to absolue euery man confessing himself of what sinne or offence soeuer it be not knowing that in many sinnes it is forbidden them and that it may happen that an hypocrite do confesse himselfe or such one as is not coÌ„trite for his sinne wherof proofe hath oftentimes bene founde and it is euident for so much as the letter doth kill but the spirite doth quicken The v. Article The binding and loosing of God is simply playnly the chiefe and principal The answere This is euident forsomuch as it were blasphemous presumption to affirme that a man may remit and forgeue an euill fact or offence done agaynst such a Lord the Lord himselfe not approuing or allowing the same For by the vniuersall power of the Lord it is necessary that he doe first absolue and forgeue before that his vicare doe the same neyther is there one Article of our fayth which ought to be more coÌ„mon or knowne vnto vs then that it should be impossible for any man of the militant Church to absolue or binde except in suche case as it be conformable vnto the head of the Churche Iesu Christ. Wherefore euery faythfull Christian ought to take heed of that saying if the Pope or any other pretend by any maner of signe to binde or loose that he is thereby bound or loosed for he that doth graunt or confesse that must also consequently graunt and confesse that the Pope is without sinne and so that he is a God for otherwise he must needes erre and doe contrary vnto the keyes of Christ. This saying proueth the fact of the Pope who alwayes in his absolution presupposeth contrition and coÌ„fession Yea moreouer if any letter of absolution be geuen vnto any offender which doth not declare the circumstances of the offence which ought to be declared it is sayd that thereby the letter of absolution is of no force and effect It is also hereby euident that many Priestes do not absolue those which are coÌ„fessed because that either through shamfastnes they do cloke or hide greater offences or els that they haue not due contrition or repentance for vnto true absolution there is first required contritioÌ„ Secondly a purpose intent to sinne no more Thirdly true coÌ„fessioÌ„ And fourthly stedfast hope of forgeuenes The j. appeareth by Ezech. if the wicked do repent him c. The ij in the v. 8. of Iohn do thou not sinne any more The third party by this place of Luke shew your selues vnto the Priestes And the fourth is confirmed by the saying of Christ My sonne beleue and thy sinnes are forgeuen thee I also added many other probations in my treatise out of the holy fathers Augustine Ierome and the maister of the sentences The 6. Article The Priestes do gather and heape vppe out of the Scriptures those things which serue for the belly but such as pertayne to the true imitation and folowing of Christ that they reiect and refuse as impertinent vnto saluation The aunswere This Saynt Gregory doth sufficiently proue in his 17. Homely alledging the sayinge of Christ The haruest is great the workemen are few speaking also that which we cannot say without griefe or sorrow that albeit there be a great number which willingly heare good things yet there lacketh such as should declare the same vnto them for behold the world is full of priests but notwithstanding there is a scarcitye of workemen in the haruest of the Lord. We take vpon vs willingly priesthood but we do not fulfil do the workes office of priesthood And immediately after he sayth we are fallen vnto outward affayres busines for we take vpoÌ„ vs one office for honour sake and we do exhibite geue an other to ease our selues of labour We leaue preaching and as farre as I can perceiue we are called Bishops to our paine which do retayne the name of honour but not the verity And immediatly after he sayth we take no care for our flocke we dayly call vpon for our stipend wages we couet and desire earthly thinges with a gredy mind we gape after worldly glory we leaue the cause of God vndone and make haste about our worldly affayres busines we take vpoÌ„ vs the place of sanctity and holines and we are wholy wrapped in worldly cares troubles c. This writeth saynt Gregory with many other thinges more in the same place Also in his Pastorall in his Morals in his register Also Saynt Bernard with many other places Likewise in his xxxiij Sermon vpon the Canonicalles he sayth all frendes and all enemies all kinsfolkes and aduersaryes all of one householde and no peace makers they are the Ministers of Christ and serue Antichrist they goe honourably honoured with the goodes of the Lord and yet they do honour c. The 7. Article The power of the pope which doth not folow Christ is not
and equitie is banished the Ecclesiasticall power is iniuried and the calamitie of this Schisme bringeth in all kinde of bondage swords and violence doth rule the laitie haue the dominion concord and vnitie are banished and all prescript rules of Religion vtterly contemned and set at naught Consider most gentle Lords how that during this most pestiferous Schisme how manie heresies haue appeared and shewed themselues how manie heretickes haue scaped vnpunished how manie Churches haue beene spoiled and pulled downe how manie Cities haue beene oppressed and regions brought to ruine what confusion hath there happened in the Cleargie What and how great destruction hath bene amongst the Christian people I pray you marke how the Church of God the spouse of Christ and the mother of all faithfull is contemned and despised For who doth reuerence the keies of the Church who feareth the censures or lawes or who is it that doth defend the liberties thereof But rather who is it that doth not offend the same or who doth not inuade it or else what is he that dare not violentlie lay hands vpon the patrimonie or heritage of Iesus Christ The goods of the Cleargie and of the poore and the reliefe of Pilgrimes and straungers gotten together by the bloud of our Sauiour and of manie Martyres are spoyled and taken awaie behold the abhomination of the desolation brought vpon the Church of God the destruction of the faith and the confusion of the Christian people to the ruine of the Lordes flocke or folde and all the whole companie of our most holy Sauiour and redeemer This losse is more great or greeuous then anie which could happen vnto the Martires of Christ and thys persecution much more cruell then the persecution of anie tyrants for they did but only punish the bodies but in this schsme and diuision the soules are tormented There the bloud of men was only shed but in this case the true faith is subuerted and ouerthrowne That persecution was saluation vnto many but this Schisme is destruction vnto all men When the tirants raged then the faith did increase but by this diuision it is vtterly decaied During their crueltie and madnes the primatiue Church increased but through this schisme it is confounded and ouerthrowne Tiraunts did ignorantly offende but in this schisme many do wittingly and willingly euen of obstinacie offend There came in heretikes vsers of Symonie and hypocrites to the great detriment and deceit of the Church vnder those tirants the merites of the iust were increased But during this Schisme mischiefe and wickednes are augmented for in this most cursed and execrable diuision truth was made an enimie vnto all Christians faith is not regarded loue and charitie hated hope is lost iustice ouerthrowne no kinde of courage or valiantnes but onely vnto mischiefe modestie and temperance cloked wisedome turned into deceit humilitie fained equitie and truth falsified pacience vtterly fled conscience small all wickednes intended deuotion counted folly gentlenes abiect and cast away religion despised obedience not regarded and all maner of life reprochfull and abhominable With how great and greeuous sorowes is the Church of God replenished filled whiles that tirants do oppresse it heretikes inuade it vsers of Symonie do spoile and rob it and schismatikes go about vtterly to subuert it O most miserable and wretched christian people whome now by the space of forty yeares with such indurate and continuall schisme they haue tormented and almost brought to ruine O the little barke and ship of Christ whiche hath so long time wandred and straied now in the middest of the whorlepooles and by and by sticketh fast in the rocks tossed too and fro with most greeuous and tempestuous stormes O miserable and wretched boate of Peter if the most holy father would suffer thee to sinke or drowne into what dangers and perils haue the wicked pirates brought thee amongst what rockes haue they placed thee O most godly and louing Christians what faithfull deuout man is there which beholding and seeing the great ruine and decay of the Church would not be prouoked vnto teares what good conscience is there that can refraine weeping because that contention and strife is powred vpon the ecclesiasticall rulers which haue made vs to erre in the way because they haue not founde or rather would not finde the way of vnitie and concord Whereupon so many heresies and so great confusion is sproong vp and growne in the flocke of Peter and the fold of our Lord. Many Princes Kings and Prelates haue greatly laboured and trauelled for the rooting out heereof but yet could they neuer bring to passe or finish that most holesome and necessary worke Wherefore most Christian King this most glorious and triumphant victory hath tarried only for thee the crowne and glorie therof shal be thine for euer and this most happy victory shall be continually celebrate to thy great honour and praise that thou hast restored againe the Church which was so spoiled thou hast remoued and put away all inueterate and ouergrowne Schismes and diuisions thou hast troden downe vsers of Symony rooted out all hereticks Doest thou not behold see how great perpetuall and famous renowne glory it wil be vnto thee For what can be more iust what more holy what more better what more to be desired or finally what can be more acceptable than to roote out this wicked and abhominable Schisme to restore the Church againe vnto hir auncient libertie to extinguish and put away all Simony and to condemne and destroy all errours and heresies from amongst the flocke of the faithfull Nothing truly can be better nothing more holy nothing more profitable for the whole worlde and finally nothing more acceptable vnto God For the performance of which most holy and godly worke thou wast elect and chosen of God thou wast first deputed and chosen in heauen before thou wast elect and chosen vpon earth Thou wast first appointed by the celestiall and heauenly Prince before the electours of the Empire did elect or choose thee and specially that by the Imperiall force and power thou shouldest condemne and destroy those errours and heresies which wee haue presently in hand to be condemned and subuerted To the performance of this most holy worke God hath giuen vnto thee the knowledge vnderstanding of his diuine truth and veritie power of princely maiestie and the iust iudgement of equitie and righteousnes as the most highest himselfe doth say I haue geuen thee vnderstāding and wisedome to speake and vtter my words and haue set thee to rule ouer nations and kingdomes that thou shouldest helpe the people plucke down and destroy iniquitie by exercising of iustice thou shouldest I say destroy all errours and heresies and specially this obstinate heretike heere present through whose wickednes mischiefe many places of the world are infected with most pestilent and hereticall poison and by his meanes and occasion almost vtterly subuerted
remnaunt of the ashes of that man shoulde not be left vppon the earth whose memorie notwythstanding can not be abolished out of the minds of the godly neither by fire neither by water neither by anye kinde of torment ¶ I know very well that these things are very â—â—lenderly wrytten of me as touching the labours of thys most holy Martyr Iohn Hus with whome the labors of Hercules are not to be compared For that auncient Hercules slew a few monsters but this our Hercules with a moste stout and valiant courage hath subdued euen the worlde it selfe the mother of all monsters and cruell beastes Thys story were worthy some other kind of more curious handling but for so muche as I cannot otherwise perfourme it my selfe I haue endeuored according to the veâ—y truth as the thing was in deede to commend tho same vnto al godly mindes neither haue I heard it reported by others but I my selfe was present at the doing of all these things and as I was able I haue put them in wryting that by thys my labour and indeuor howsoeuer it were I might preserue the memory of this holy man and excellent Doctour of the Euangelicall truth What was the name of this author which wrote thys story it is not here expressed Cochleus in his 2. boke contra Hussitas supposeth his name to be Ioannes Pizibram a Bohemian Who afterward succeeding in the place of I. Hus at Prage at last is thought to relent to the Papists This godly seruaunt and Martyr of Christ was condemned by the cruel councel and burned at Constance an 1415. about the moneth of Iuly Howe grieuously this death of Iohn Hus was taken among the nobles of Boheme and of Morauia heereafter Christ willing shall appeare by their letters which they sent vnto the councell by the letters of Sigismund the king of Romaines wrytten vnto them Wherin he laboureth all that he can to purge and excuse himselfe of Husses death All be it he was not altogether free from that cruell fact and innocent froÌ„ that bloud yet notwithstanding hee pretendeth in words so to wipe away that blot from hym that the greatest part of that crime seemeth to rest vpon the bloudy prelates of that councel as the wordes of the king do purport in forme as followeth INterea inquit nobis adhuc in partibus Rheni existentibus peruenit ad Constantiam c i. In the meane time as we were about the coastes of Rhene Iohn Hus went to Constance and there was arrested as is not to you vnknowen Who if he had first resorted vnto vs had gone with vs vp to the CouÌ„cel perhaps it had bene otherwise with him And God knoweth what griefe and sorrowe it was to our heart to see it so to fall out as with no wordes can be well expressed Whereof all the Bohemians which were there present can beare vs witnesse seeing and beholding howe carefull and sollicitous we were in labouring for him In so much that wee many times with anger and furie departed out of the Councell and not onely out of the Councell but also went out of the City of CoÌ„stance taking his part vnto such time as the rulers of the Councell sending vnto vs sayde That if wee woulde not permit them to prosecute that which right required in the Councell what should they then do in the place Whereupon thus we thought with our selues that here was nothing els for vs more to doe nor yet to speake in this case for asmuche as the whole Councell otherwise had ben dissolued Where is to be noted moreouer that in Constance the same time there was not one clearke or two but there were Ambassadours for all kinges and princes in Christendome especially since the time that Petrus de Luna geuing ouer all those kinges and princes which tooke his part came to vs so that whatsoeuer good was to be done it was nowe to be passed in this present Councell c. Ex Epist. Imper. Sigismundi ad Nobiles c. ¶ By this it may appeare that the Emperour as partly ashamed and sory of that which was done wold gladly haue cleared himselfe therof and haue washed hys handes with Pilate yet he coulde not so cleare himselfe but that a great portion of that murder remained in him to be noted and well worthy of reprehension as may both appeare by his last words spoken in the Councel to I. Hus whereof Iohn Hus in his Epistles complaineth wryting to certaine of his friendes in Bohemia in his 33. Epistle as by hys wordes may appeare here following I Desire you yet againe for the loue of God that the Lordes of Boheme ioyning together will desire the king for finall audience to be geuen me For so muche as he alone saide to me in the Councell that they shoulde geue me audience shortly and that I shoulde aunswer for my selfe briefly in wryting it will be to hys great confusion if he shall not perfourme that which he hath spoken But I feare that worde of his will be as firme and sure as the other was concerning my safeconducte graunted by him Certaine there were in Bohemia which willed mee to beware of hys safeconducte And other sayde he will sure geue you to your ennemies And the Lord Mikest Dweky told me before M. Iessenitz saying Maister know it for certaine you shal be condemned And this I suppose he spake knowing before the inteÌ„tion of the king I hoped well that hee had bene well affected towarde the lawe of God and trueth and had therein good intelligence nowe I conceiue that he is not greatly skilfull nor so prudently circumspecte in himselfe He condemned me before mine ennemies did Who if it had pleased him might haue kept the moderation of Pilat the Gentile which sayde I finde no cause in this man or at least if hee had sayde but thus beholde I haue geuen him his safeconducte safely to returne And if hee will not abide the decision of the councell I will send him home to the king of Boheme with youre sentence attestations that he with his cleargie may iudge him But nowe I heare by the relation of Henry Leffl and of other that he will ordaine for me sufficient audience And if I will not submit my selfe to the iudgement of the councel he wil send me safe the contrary way c. This Iohn Hus being in prison wrote diuers treatises as of the commaundements of the Lordes prayer of mortal sinne of matrimony of the knowledge and loue of God of 3. ennemies of mankinde the world the flesh and the deuill of penaunce of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of the Lord of the sufficiencie of the lawe of God to rule the church c. He wrote also diuers Epistles and letters to the Lordes and to his frendes of Boheme And in hys wrytings did foreshewe many things before to come touching yâ— reformation of the Churche and seemeth in the prison
by your prayers I shall persiste strongly in the immutable veritie of God vnto the last breath Finally I wold not haue you ignoraÌ„t that wheras euery one here is put in his office I only as an outcast am neglected c. I coÌ„mend you to the merciful Lord Iesu Christ our true God and the sonne of the immaculate virgin Mary which hath redeemed vs by his moste bitter death without all our merites from eternall paines from the thraldome of the Deuill and from sinne From Constance the yere of our Lord. 1415. ¶ An other letter of Iohn Hus to his benefactours MY gracious benefactours and defendours of the truthe I exhort you by the bowels of Iesus Christ that now ye setting aside the vanities of this present world will giue your seruice to the eternall king Christ the Lord. Trust not in Princes nor in the sonnes of men in whome there is no health For the sonnes of men are dissemblers and disceitfull To day they erre to morrowe they pearish but God remaineth for euer Who hath his seruants not for any neede he hath of them but for their owne profite vnto whoÌ„ he performeth that which he promiseth fulfilleth that which he purposeth to geue He casteth of no faithful seruant from him for he sayth where I am there also shal my seruaÌ„t be And that Lorde maketh euery seruaunt of his to be the Lorde of all his possession geuing himselfe vnto him and with himselfe all thinges that without all tediousnesse feare and without al defect he may possesse all thinges reioycing with all Saintes in ioy infinite O happie is that seruaunt whome when the Lorde shall come hee shall finde watching Happy is the seruaunt which shall receiue that king of glory with ioy Wherefore well beloued Lordes and benefactours serue you that king in feare which shall bring you as I trust nowe to Boheme at this present by his grace in health and hereafter to eternal life of glory Fare ye wel For I think that this is the last letter that I shall write to you who to morrowe as I suppose shall be purged in hope of Iesu Christ throughe bitter death from my sinnes The things that happened to me this night I am not able to wryte Sigismund hath done all things wyth mee disceitfully God forgeue him and onely for your sakes You also heard the sentence which he awarded against me I pray you haue no suspition of faithfull Vitus An other letter to the Lord Iohn de Clum MOste gracious benefactour in Christe Iesu dearely beloued yet I reioyce not a little that by the grace of God I maye wryte vnto your honour By your letter which I receaued yesterday I vnderstand first how the iniquitie of the great strompet that is of the malignaunt congregation whereof mention is made in the Apocalips is detected and shall be more detected Wyth the which strumpet the kinges of the earth doe commit fornication fornicating spiritually from Christe and as is there sayde sliding back from the truth and consenting to the lies of antichrist thoroughe his seduction and thoroughe feare or thoroughe hope of confederacie for getting of worldly honour Secondly I perceaued by your letter how the enemies of the truth begin nowe to be troubled Thirdly I perceiued the feruent constancie of your charitie wherewith you professe the truth boldly Fourthly with ioy I perceiued that you minde now to geue ouer the vanity and the painefull seruice of this present world and to serue the Lorde Iesus Christ quietly at home Whome to serue is to raign as Gregory sayeth Whome he that serueth faithfully hath Christe Iesus himselfe in the kingdome of heauen to minister vnto him as hee himselfe sayeth Blessed is that seruaunt whome when the Lorde shall come he shall finde waking and so doing Verely I say vnto you that hee rising shall girde himselfe and shall minister to him This do not â—he kings of this worlde to their seruauntes whome onely they doe loue so long as they are profitable and necessary for their commodities c. Another Epistle of Iohn Hus wherein he declareth why God suffreth not his to perish bringing diuers examples wherwith he doth comfort and confirme both himselfe and other THe Lord God be with you Many causes there were welbeloued in God my deare frends which moued me to thinke that those letters were the last which before I sent vnto you lookinge that same time for instaÌ„t death But now vnderstanding the same to be deferred I take it for great coÌ„fort vnto me that I haue some leâ— ser more to talke with you by letters therfore I write again to you to declare testify at least my gratitude mindfull duty toward you And as touching death God doth know why he doeth defer it both to me and to my welbeloued brother M. Hier. who I trust will die holily and without blame and do know also that he doth and suffereth nowe more valiauntly then I my selfe a wretched sinner God hath geuen vs a long time that we myghte call to memorie our sinnes the better and repent for the same more feruently Hee hath graunted vs time that our longe and greate temptation shuld put away our greuous sinnes bring the more consolation He hath geuen vs time wherin we should remember the horrible rebukes of our mercifull king and Lorde Iesus and shoulde ponder his cruell death and so more paciently myght learne to beare our afflictions And moreouer that we might kepe in remembraunce how that the ioyes of the life to come are not geuen after the ioyes of this world immediatly but through many tribulaâ—ions the Saints haue entred into the kingdoÌ„ of heauen For some of them haue bene cutte and chopt all to peeces some their eies bored through some sodde some rosted some slaine aliue some buried quicke stoned crucified grineded betwixt mill stones drawne hailed hither and thither vnto execution drowned in waters strangled and hanged torne in pieces vexed wyth rebukes before their death pined in prisons afflicted in bands And who is able to recite all the tormentes and suffringes of the holy Saintes which they suffered vnder the olde and newe Testament for the verity of God namely those which haue at any time rebuked the malice of the priestes or haue preached against their wickednesse And it will be a meruaile if any man nowe also shall escape vnpunished who so euer dare boldly resist the wickednesse and peruersity especially of those priests which can abide no correction And I am glad that they are compelled now to reade my bookes in the which their malice is somewhat described and I know they haue reade the same more exactly and diligently then the holy Gospell seeking therein to finde out errours Geuen at Constance vppon Thursday the 28. day of Iune An. 1415. ¶ Another letter of Iohn Hus wherein he rehearseth what iniuries he receiued of the Councel and of the deputies IF my letter be not
definitiue condemned him to perpetuall prison After whose condemnation the sonday next folowing the recantation of Tho. Granter and of Richard Monke Priestes aboue mentioned were openly read at Paules crosse the Byshop of Rochester the same time preached at the sayd crosse The tenour of whose recantation with his Articles in the same expressed here vnder foloweth IN the name of God Before you my Lord of Canterbury and all you my Lords here being present afore you all here gathered at this time I Thomas Granter priest vnworthy dwelling in this City of LondoÌ„ feeling vnderstanding that afore this time I affirmed open errours and heresies saying beleuing and affirming within thys City that he that Christian men callen Pope is not verye Pope ner Gods vicary in earth but I sayd he was Antichrist Also I sayd beleued and affirmed that after the sacramentall wordes sayd by a Priest in the Masse there remayneth materiall bread and wine and is not turned into Christes body and his bloud Also I said and affirmed that it was not for to doe in no wise to goe on pilgrimage but it was better I sayd to abide at home and beate the stooles with theyr heeles for it was I sayde but tree stone that they soughten Also I sayde and affirmed that I held no Scripture catholicke ner holy but onely that is conteyned in the Bible For the Legendes and liues of Sayntes I held hem nought and the miracles written of hem I helde vntrue Because of which errours and heresies I was tofore M. Dauy Price Uicar generall of my Lord of London and since tofore you my Lord of Caunterbury your brethren in your councell prouinciall by you fully informed which so sayd mine affirming beleuing teaching bene open errors and heresies and contrarious to the determination of the chirch of Rome Wherfore I willing to follow and sewe the doctrine of holy chirch and depart fro all maner errors and heresye and turne with good will hart to the onehead of the chirch coÌ„sidering that holye chirch shitteth ner closeth not her bosome to him that will turne agayne ne God will not the death of a sinner but rather he ben turned liue With a pure hart I confesse detest despise my sayd errours and heresies and the sayd opinions I confesse as heresies and errours to the fayth of the Chirch of Rome to all vniuersally holy Chirch repugnaunt And therfore these sayd opinions in speciall and all other errours and heresies doctrines and opinioÌ„s â—yen the fayth of the Church and the determination of the Churche of Rome I abiure and forsweare here tofore you all and sweare by these holy Gospels by me bodily touched that from henceforth I shall neuer hold teach ne preach errour errours heresie ne heresies nor false doctrine agaynst the faith of holy chirch determination of the chirch of Rome ner none such thing I shall obstinately defend ne any man holding or teaching such maner thinges by me or an other person openly or priuily I shal defend I shall neuer after thys tyme be receitor fautor councellor or defendor of hereticks or of any person suspect of heresie ner I shal trow to him ner wittingly fellaship with him ner yeue him counseil fauour yiftes ne coÌ„fort And if I know any heretickes or of heresie or of such false opinions anye person suspect or anye man or woman making or holding priuy conuenticles or assemblies or any diuers or singular opinions from the common doctrine of the Church of Rome or if I may know any of their fautors comforters councelours or defensers or any that haue suspect bookes or quiers of such erroures and heresies I shall let you my Lord of Canterbury or your officers in your absence or the Diocesans and Ordinaries of such men haue soone and ready knowing so help me God and holydeme and these holy Euangelies by me bodely touched ¶ After this recantation at the Crosse thus published and his submission made ' the sayd Granter then was by the aduise of the Prelates put to 7. yeares prisonment vnder the custody and charge of the bishop of London After this followed in like maner the recantation of Richard Monke Also of Edmund Frith which was before Butler so sir Iohn Oldcastle Beside these aboue remembred many and diners there be in the sayd register recorded who likewise for their faith and religion were greatly vexed and troubled especially in the Dioces of Kent in the townes of Romney Tenterden Wodcherche Cranbroke Staphelherst Beninden Halden Roluenyden and others where as whole housholdes both man and wife were driuen to forsake theyr houses and townes for daunger of persecution as sufficiently appeareth in the processe of the Archb. Chichesley agaynst the sayd persons and in the certificat of Burbath his officiall wherein are named these persons following 1. W. White Priest 2. Tho. Grenested Priest 3. Bartho Cronmonger 4. Iohn Wadnon 5. Ioan his wife 6. Tho. Euerden 7. William Euerden 8. Steuen Robin 9. W. Chiueling 10. Iohn Tame 11. Iohn Fowlin 12. Will. Somer 13. Marion his wife 14. Iohn Abraham 15. Rob. Munden 16. Laurence Coke These being cited vp together by the bishop would not appere Wherupon great inquisition being made for them by his officers they were constrained to flie their houses townes shift for themselues as couertly as they might When Burbath and other officers had sent worde to the Archbishop that they coulde not be founde then he directed downe order that Citations should be set vp for them on euery Church dore through all townes where they did inhabite appointing them a day terme wheÌ„ to appeare But not withstanding when as they yet could not be taken neither would appeare the Archbishop sitting in hys tribunall seate proceedeth to the sentence of excommunication against them What afterward happened to them in the register doth not appeare but like it is at length they were forced to submit themselues Concerning sir Iohn Oldcastle the Lord Cobham and of his first apprehension with his whole story life sufficiently hath bene expressed before pag. 575. how he being committed to the Tower and condeÌ„ned falsely of heresie escaped afterward out of the Tower and was in Wales about the space of four yeares In the which meane time a great summe of money was proclaimed by the King to hym that could take the sayde sir Iohn Oldcastle eyther quicke or dead About the ende of which foure yeares beeing expired the Lord Powes whether for loue and greedines of the money or whether for hatred of true and sincere doctrine of Christ seking all maner of wayes how to play the parte of Iudas at length obteined his bloudie purpose and brought the Lorde Cobham bound vp to London which was about the yeare of our Lord. 1417. and about the moneth of December At which time there was a Parliament assembled at London for the reliefe of money the same time
to passe according vnto Zisca his will and minde and that vpon him alone the whole state of Boheme did depend he sought priuie meanes to recōcile and get Zisca into his fauour promising him the gouernance of the whole kingdom the guiding of all his hostes armies and great yearely reuenues if he would proclaime him King and cause the Cities to be sworne vnto him Upō which cōditions whē as Zisca for the performance of the couenants went vnto the Emperour being on his iourney at the Castle of Priscouia he was stricken with sicknesse and died It is reported that when he was demaunded beyng sicke in what place he would be buried he commaunded the skinne to be pulled off from his dead carkase and the flesh to bee cast vnto the foules and beastes and that a drumme should be made of his skinne which they should vse in their battailes affirming that as soone as their enimies should heare the sound of that drumme they would not abide but take their flight The Thaborites despising all other Images yet set vp the Picture of Zisca ouer the gates of the Citie ¶ The Epitaphe of Iohn Zisca the valiant Captaine of the Bohemians I Iohn Zisca not inferiour to any Emperour or Captain in warlike policie a seueare punisher of the pride and auarice of the Clergy and a defender of my countrey do lie heere That which Appius Claudius by geuing good counsell and M. Furius Camillus by valiantnesse did for the Romaines the same I being blinde haue done for my Bohemians I neuer slacked oportunitie of battaile neither did fortune at any time faile me I being blinde did foresee all oportunitie of well ordering or doing my businesse Eleuen times in ioining battaile I went victour out of the field I seemed to haue worthely defended the cause of the miserable and hungry against the delicate fatte and glotonous Priests and for that cause to haue receiued help at the hande of God If their enuy had not let it without doubt I had deserued to be numbred amongst the most famous men Notwithstanding my bones lye heere in this halowed place euen in despite of the Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ Iohn Zisca a Bohemian enemy to all wicked and couetous Priestes but with a godly zeale And thus haue you the actes and doings of this worthy Zisca and other Bohemians which for the more credite we haue drawne out of Aeneas Syluius onely his rayling tearmes excepted which we haue heere suppressed All this while the Emperour with the whole power of the Germaines were not so busie on the one side but Martin the Pope was as much occupied on the other side who about the same time directed downe a terrible Bull full of all poison to all Byshops and Archbyshops agaynst all such as tooke any part or side with Wickleffe Iohn Hus Hierome or with their doctrine and opinions The copie of which Bull which I found in an olde written monument I wish the reader throughly to peruse wherein he shall see the Pope to poure out at once all his poison The Bull of Pope Martine directed foorth against the followers of Iohn Wickliffe of England of Iohn Husse of Boheme and Hierome of Prage MArtine Bishop the seruant of Gods seruants to our reuerend brethren the Archbishops of Salzeburgen Gueznen and Pragē to the Bishops of Dlumcen Luthomuslen Bambergen Misnen Patauiē Uratislauien Ratisponen Cra. ouien Poznamen and Nitrien also to our beloued children the Inquisitours appointed of the Prelates aboue recited or where else soeuer vnto whome these present letters shall come greeting and Apostolicall benediction Amongst all other pastorall cares where with we are oppressed this chefly and specially doth inforce vs that heretikes with their false doctrine and errours being vtterly expulsed from amōgst the cōpany of Christen mē and rooted out so farre forth as God will make vs able to do the right and Catholike faith may remaine sound and vndefiled and that all Christian people immoueable and iuiolate may stande and abide in the sinceritie of the same fayth the whole vayle of obscuritie being remoued But lately in diuers places of the world but especially in Bohemia and the Dukedome of Morauia and in the straights adioining thereunto certaine Archheretickes haue risen and sprong vp not against one only but against diuers sundry documēts of the Catholike faith being landlopers schismatikes and seditious persons fraught with diuelish pride Woluish madnes deceiued by the subtlety of Sathan and frō one euill vanity brought to a worse Who although they rose vp sprang in diuers parts of the world yet agreed they all in one hauing their tailes as it were knit together to wit Iohn Wickliffe of England I. Hus of Bohemia Hierome of Prage of dammable memorie who drew with thē no small nūber to miserable ruine and infidelitie For when as those such like pestiferous persons did in the beginning of their poisoned doctrine obstinately sow and spread abroad peruerse false opinions the prelates who had the regiment execution of the iudiciall power like dumme dogs not able to barke neither yet reuenging speedely with the Apostle all such disobediēce nor regarding corporally to cast out of the lords house as they were enioined by the canons those subtill and pestilēt Archheretickes and their Woluish fury and cruelty with all expedition but suffering their false and pernicious doctrine negligētly by their ouerlong delaies to growe and waxe strōg a great multitude of people in stead of true doctrine receiued those things which they did lōg falsly pernitiously and damnably sow among them and geuing credite vnto them fell from the right faith and are intangled the more pitie in the foule errors of Paganisme In so much that those Archheretickes and suche as spring of them haue infected the Catholicke flock of Christ in diuers climates of the world and parts bordering vpon the same and haue caused them to putrifie in the filthie dunghill of their lies Wherefore the generall Synode of Constance was compelled with Sainct Augustine to exclaime against so great and ruinous a plague of faythfull men and of the sound and true faith it selfe saieng what shall the Soueraigne medicine of the Church do wyth motherly loue seeking the health of hir sheepe chasing as it were amongst a companie of men franticke and hauing the disease of the Lethargie What shall she desist and leaue off hir good purpose No not so But rather let hir if there be no remedie be sharpe to both these sorts which are the greenous enemies of her wombe For the Phisition is sharpe vnto the man bestraught and raging in his frensie and yet is he a father to his owne rude and vnmanerly sonne in binding the one in beating the other by shewing therein his great loue vnto them both But if they be negligent and suffer them to perish sayth Augustine this mansuetude is rather to be supposed
Arragon were twise present your self in the chapter house and disputed twise most subtilly and twise declared your minde what you thought in that matter What do you desire any more Also out of the territory of that Duke of Millaine there was present the Archbish. of Millaine who albeit he be no Ambassador yet howe famous a Prelate he is you are not ignorant When he had spoken these words the Archbishop being somewhat mooued sayd vnto him My Lord Cardinal you supply the roume of a president no better then I doe the place of a Dukes Oratour and began to taunt him wyth many words But the Cardinall as he was a man moste pacient and woulde not be prouoked to anger by no meanes sayd this is it that I euen now desired For if the Archb. be an Ambassador then hath the Duke no cause to complaine which had his Oratour present at the discussing of those matters I passe ouer other Princes because they doe not complaine Notwythstanding the most Christian Kynge of Fraunce had there the Byshop of Lyons a graue and sober man his Ambassadour at the disputation As for other princes I see no cause why they shuld be taried for which knowing the councel to be congregate for such matters as pertaine vnto faith do not thinke it absurd that the doutfull matters of fayth shoulde be declared in the Councell Whereunto if they had bene willing to come they would haue bene present or this Why this matter should neede so much discussing as some will haue I doe not vnderstand For if I be wel remembred Panormitane and also Ludouicus haue oftentimes affirmed in this place euē the very same thing which the conclusions signifie And if any of them now will go about to gaynsay it it will happen vnto them as it did vnto Didimus To whom when as on a time hee repugned agaynst a certayne historye as vayne and friuolous hys own book was deliuered vnto him wherin the same was written So likewise these two men meaning Panormitane Ludouicus the Prothonotary Although they be excellently learned eloquent yet may they be confuted by their owne writinges Besides this there are Synodall Epistles and decrees of this Councell whiche are full of such cōclusions What is it then whereupon any difficultie can be raysed What is it that may be impugned Shal we now bring that againe in doubt whiche hath so often bene declared affirmed and decreed But say they the princes Ambassadours are absent whiche are byshops by whose presence the decrees should be of more authority Wel they are not onely absent which are gone to Mentz but almost an infinite number of others dispersed throughout the whol world whō if we should tary to looke for nothing at any tyme should be decreed They are al called vnto the councel they might haue come if they would To those that are present power is geuen and they ought to debate these matters If any man will say that they which are absent are about the affayres of the common wealth truely we sent them not thither but they went rather agaynst the will of the Councell then with the consent therof And admit that they had bene sent by the Councel yet were not our power so much restrayned but that we might reforme the Church for otherwise there should neuer any thing be done in the Councell for somuch as alwayes some are sent out by the Councell and some are alwayes to be looked and taryed for and therfore we must eyther do nothing at all or sende out no Prelates from the Councell Where as he sayd that Prelates and specially Bishops are cōtemned that is most far from the truth for they haue the chiefe and first places They speake first and geue their voices first of all vnto all thinges and if so be they do speake learnedly and truely all the inferiors without any gaynesaying did soone follow their mynde Neither peraduenture shall it be founde vntrue that there was neuer any Synode which dyd more amplifie the power authoritie of Byshops then this For what haue the Byshoppes bene in our dayes but onely shadowes Might they not well haue bene called shepheardes wtout the sheep What had they more thē their miter and their staffe when as they could determine nothing ouer their subiects Uerely in the primitiue Church the Byshops had the greatest power authoritie but now was it come to that poynt that they exceeded the cōmon sort of priestes onely in theyr habite and reuenewes But we haue restored them agayn to their old state we haue reduced the colation of benefices agayn vnto thē we haue restored vnto thē the confirmation of elections we haue brought agayn the causes of the subiectes to be heard into their handes haue made them bishops which were none before What cause is there then that the Byshops should say they are contemned of the Councel Or what iniurious thing haue we at anye time done vnto them But Parnormitan sayth that forsomuch as most bishops are on hys parte and few agaynst hym the conclusion is not to be determined by the multitude of the inferiours but let Panormitan remember himself that this is no new kinde of proceeding This order of proceeding the Councell ordeined from the beginning neither hath it bene chaunged at any tyme since And this order Panormitan in times past hath pleased you well enough when as the multitude did followe your minde But now because they do not followe your mynd they do displease you But the decrees of the Councels are not so mutable as the wils of mē Know ye moreouer that the very same bishops which doe consent with you in word and do not consent with you in minde neither spake the same secretly which they now do openly They do fear that which you told them at home in their country that except they would follow your minde they shoulde displease the king They feare the power of the Prince to be spoyled of theyr temporalties neither haue they free libertye to speak as is requisite in Councels Albeit if they were true Bishops true pastors of soules they woulde not doubt to put their liues in venture for their sheepe neither be afeard to shed their bloud for their mother the Church But at this present the more is the pittie it is to rare to finde a Prelate in this world whiche doth not preferre hys temporalities before hys spiritualties with the loue wherof they are so withdrawne that they study rather to please Princes then God and confesse God in corners but Princes they will opēly confesse Of whome the Lord speaketh in hys Gospell Euery one sayth he that confesseth me before men I will confesse him before my father which is in heauen And contrariwise the Lord will not confesse him before his father which is afeard to confesse the Lord before men Neither is it true which Panormitan sayth most bishops to be on
may appeare that he neyther careth for GOD nor the health of the Churche Item that the preceptes and commaundementes of the pope and prelates be no otherwise but as the Councels and preceptes of Phisitions binding no further then they are founde to be holesome and standing with the trueth of the word Item that the Pope can commaunde no man vnder payne of deadly sinne except God commaund him before He sayth that the keyes of the Pope and of the prelates be not such wherwith they open the kingdome of heauen but rather shut it as the Phariseis did Concerning vowes he disputeth that such as be foolish and impossibile ought to be brokē that the hearers ought to discerne and iudge of the doctrine of their Prelates and not to receiue euery thing that they say without due examination He sheweth moreouer that the sentence or excommunication is of more force proceeding from a true godly honest simple and learned men then from the Pope as in the Councell of Constance Bernard was more esteemed then Eugenius Also if the pope with hys prelates gouern and rule naughtely that the inferiours be they neuer so base ought to resist him Writing moreouer of two Popes Pius the second and Sixtus the fourth he sayth that Pius the second dyd vsurpe vnto hymselfe all the kingdomes of the whole world that Sixtus the pope did dispense with al maner of othes in causes temporall not onely with suche othes as haue bene already but also with all suche as shal be made hereafter which was nothing els but to geue libertie and licence for men to forsweare themselues and deceiue one an other This Weselus beyng a Phrisian borne and now aged in yeares vpon a certayne time when a yong man called mayster Ioannes Oftendorpius came to hym sayd these wordes Well my childe thou shalt lyue to that day when thou shalt see the doctrine of these new and contentious diuines as Thomas and Bonauenture with others of the same sort shal be vtterly reiected and exploded from al true Christen deuines And thys which Oftendorpius then being young heard Weselus to speake he reported himselfe to Nouiomagus which wrote this story an 1520. heard it of the mouth of the sayd Weselus an 1490. Martij 18. Philippus Melanchton writing of the lyfe of Rodolphus Agricola sayth that Iosquinus Groningonsis an auncient and a godly man reported that when as he was young he was oftentimes present at the Sermons of Rodolphus and Weselus wherein they many times lamented the darckenes of the church and reprehended the abuses of the Masse and of the single life of priestes Item that they disputed oftentimes of the righteousnes of sayth why S. Paule so oftentimes did inculcate that men be iustified by faith and not by workes the same Iosquine also reported that they did openly reiecte and disproue the opinion of monks which say that men be iustified by their works Item concerning mens traditiōs their opinion was that all suche were deceiued whatsoeuer attribued vnto those traditions any opinion of Gods worship or that they could not be broken And thus much for the story of doctour Wesellianus and Wesilus By this it may be seene and noted how by the grace of God and gift of printing first came forth learning by learning came light to iudge and discerne the errors of the pope from the truth of Gods word as partly by these abouesaid may appeare partly by other that followe after by the grace of Christ shall better be seene About the very same tyme and season when as the Gospell began thus to braunch spring in Germanie the host of Christes church began also to muster to multiply likewise here in Englād as by these historyes here consequent may appeare For not long after the death of this Weselus in the yeare of our Lorde 1494. and in the 9. yeare of the reigne of K. Henry 7. the 28. of Aprill was burned a very old woman named Ioane Boughton widow and mother to the Lady Young which Ladye was also suspected to be of that opinion which her mother was Her mother was of foure score yeares of age or more held 8. of Wickleffes opinions which opiniōs my author doth not shew for the which she was burnt in Smithfield the day abouesayd My author sayth she was a Disciple of Wickleffe whome she accompted for a Sainct and helde so fast and firmly viij of his x. opinions that all the Doctours of Lōdon coulde not turne her from one of them and when it was told her that she shoulde be brent for her obstinacie false beliefe shee set nothing by theyr manacing wordes but defied them for the sayde she was so beloued of God and hys holy aungels that she passed not for the fire in the midst therof she cryed to God to take her soule into his holy handes The night following that she was burnt the most parte of her ashes were had awaye of suche as had a loue vnto the doctrine that she dyed for Shortly after the martyrdome of this godly aged mother in the yeare of our Lord 1497. and the 17. of Ianuary being Sonday two men the one called Richard Milderale and the other Iames Sturdy bare Fagots before the procession of Paules and after stoode before the preacher in the time of hys Sermon And vpon the sonday following stood other two men at Paules crosse all the sermon tyme the one garnished with paynted written papers the other hauing a Fagot on hys necke After that in Lent season vppon Passion Sonday one Hugh Glouer bare a Fagot before the procession of Paules after wyth the Fagot stoode before the preacher all the sermon while at Paules crosse And on the sonday next following foure men stoode and did there open penaunce at Paules as is aforesayd in the sermon time many of their bookes were burnt before them at the Crosse. FUrthermore the next yeare following whiche was the yeare of our Lord. 1498. in the beginning of Maye the king then being at Canterbury was a priest burnt which was so strong in his opinion that all the clerkes doctors then there beyng coulde not remoue him from his sayth whereof the king beyng enformed caused the sayd priest to be brought before hys presence who by hys perswasions caused him to reuoke and so he was burnt immediately The burning of Babram ABout which yere likewise or in the yere next folowing that xx day of Iuly was an old mā burnt in Smithfield IN the same yeare also which was of the Lord. 1499. fell the martyrdome and burning of Hieronimus Sauonarola a man no lesse godly in hart then constant in his profession Who being a Monke in Italy singularly well learned preached fore agaynst the euill lyfe liuing of the spiritualty and specially of hys own order compsayning fore vpō thē as the springes and authors of all mischieues wickednes
Vicarage in one City of our Empyre shall occupy or possesse a prebend in an other Church of the same City except he geue ouer the first within a yeares space vnto some person fitte and profitable for the Church neither that he doe by vniust quarelles vexe or trouble any man in getting of benefices neither that any man doe falsely fayne himselfe to haue bene of the Emperors houshold which hath not ben comprehended within the league and agreement made by the Princes neither that any man attempt to take away the patronages from any lay man or aggrauate the small prebendes of Curates of Churches with pensions neyther that they doe vse in getting of benefices and Bulles any fraude deceite false instrumentes corrupte witnesses and cloaked Simonye neyther that any man presume to obteyne any regresfe or other thing contrarye to the sacred Canons right honesty equity and reason vpon payne of the most greeuous offence of treason the whiche we will that not onelye they going so contrary to God and all honesty but also all theyr fauourers which doe helpe counsell harbour or geue them any thing all theyr messengers and writers proctours suretyes and other theyr friendes shall incurre and receiue condigne punyshment for so great offence and contempt of our commaundemēt From Oenopont c. ¶ Here ensueth the copye of a letter written vnto the Emperour Maximilian ¶ To our most victorious Lord Maximilian the Emperour Iacobus Selestadiensis most humble commendations MOst victorious Emperour when I had read your maiestyes Epistle and receiued instructions of your Secretary I prepared my selfe with all my whole endeuour to satisfye your maiestyes desire For euen from my youth hitherto I haue applyed all my care and study fyrst for the honour of your maiesty and consequently for the amplifying of the Germayne nation and sacred Romayne Empire Albeit I knowe my selfe farre vnable to satisfye your desire and purpose and there are many which can fulfill thys matter much better which haue greater learning and experience of these common matters There be also with other Princes and in the Senates of common wealthes many excellent learned men which can exonerate and beautify Germany and perswade to reduce all the Clergy vnto a Christian discipline and to an vnity peace of the vniuersall Church Wherein not onely your Maiesty but also your predecessours as Charles the great and his sonne Ludouicus Pius the Othoes Conrades Frederickes and Henrikes and last of all Sigismundus haue with all labour and diligence trauelled being stirred thereunto vndoubtedly throughe the zeale charity which they bare vnto almighty God thakfulnes vnto Christ for his benefites which he hath bestowed vpon mankinde and specially for the benefite of his most bitter passion For Christ became not poore for vs that we should liue in all riote and wantonnes vpon his patrimony and shew sorth our ambition and couetousnesse neither did he suffer hunger that wee should glut vp our selues or suffered labors chastity and greuous torments that we shuld liue in idlenesse wantōnes and al kind of voluptuousnesse Neither they which were contributers and benefactours to Churches induing the ministers thereof with theyr temporall riches had any suche respecte herein that the Clergye shoulde liue onely in idlenesse hauing all thinges at theyr wyll without labour Surely there was another cause why that they in times past did empouerish themselues and theirs to endow the Church veryly that they might the better attend vnto diuine seruice without care of want of liuing which they might easily get and gather out of the fieldes woodes medowes and waters and to the intent that they should liberally geue almes vnto the poore Christians Widdowes Orphanes aged and sicke persons For in the institutions of the canonicall profession whiche we suppose waa written by the commaundement of Ludouicus Pius the emperour and allowed by the counsell of the Byshoppes thus it is read The goodes of the Churche as it is alledged by the fathers and conteyned in the chapters before are the vowes of the faythfull and patrimony of the poore For the faythfull thorow the seruentnes of theyr fayth and loue of Christ being inflamed hauing an earnest desire of that heauenly kingdome haue enriched the holy Church with theyr owne goodes that thereby the souldiors of Christ might be nourished the Church adourned the poore refreshed and captiues according to the oportunitye of time redemed Wherfore such as haue the administration of those goods ought diligently to bee looked vpon that they doe not conuert them vnto theyr owne proper vse but rather according to theyr substaunce and possibility they doe not neglecte them in whome Christ is fed and clothed Prosper is also of the same minde affirmyng that holy men did not chalenge the Church goods to their owne vse as their owne proper goodes but as thinges commended vnto the poore to be deuided amongest them For that is to contemne that which a man possesseth not to possesse a thing for himselfe but for others neyther to couet the Church goods with couetousnesse to haue them himselfe but to take them with a godly zeale to helpe other That which the church hath is commō to all them which haue nothing neyther ought they to geue any thing of that vnto them sayth he which haue of theyr owne for to geue vnto them whiche haue enough is but to cast thinges away Ex Illyrico To returne nowe to the order of Popes where we left before speaking of Innocentius the eight after the sayde Innocentius next succeeded Pope Alexander the 6. In which Alexander among other horrible thinges this is one to be noted that when Gemes Peucerus named him Demes brother to Balazetes the great Turke was committed by the Rhodians to the sate custodye first of Pope Innocent then of Alexander the 6. for whose keeping the Pope receiued euery yeare 40000. crownes yet notwithstanding whē pope Alexander afterward was cōpelied to send the sayd Gemes to Charles the eight the French king for a pledge because the Frēch king should not procure the great Turkes fauour by sending his brother Gemes to him to be slayne he being hyred by the Turke caused the sayde Gemes to be poysoned who in his iourney goinge toward the French king dyed at Terracina Ex Hieronymo Mario Moreouer in the sayd Dicronymus Marius it appeareth that this Alexander taking displeasure with the foresayd Charles the French king about the winning of Naples sent to Baiazetes the Turke to fight against the foresayd Clarles Ex eodem Munsterus lib. 4. Cosmog Declaring the foresayd hystorye of Gemes something otherwise first calleth him Zizymus and sayth that he was first committed by the Rhodians to the french king And when as Ioannes Huniades afore mentioned did labor to the French king to haue him thinking by that meanes to obtain a noble victory against the Turke as it was not vnlike this Alexander the pope thorow his fraudulent flatterye gotte him of the Frenche King
that they did not yeld themselues in time Thus the turke whether they yelded to hym or not neuer spared the people and flocke of Christ. As the false cruell Turk was thus raging in Hungary and intended further to rage without all mercy and pitie of the Christians and easely might then haue preuayled and gone whether he would for that Charles the Emperour and Franciscus the french king were the same tyme in warre and hostilitie and also other Christen Princes as Henry Duke of Brunswike against Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie also Princes and rulers were contending among themselues beholde the gracious prouidence of our Lord and God toward vs who seeing the misery hauing pittie of hys poore Christians sodeinely as with a snafle reined this raging beast and brought him out of Europe into his owne country againe by occasion of the Persians who were then in great preparation of war agaynst the turkes had inuaded hys dominion By reason wherof the turkes was kept there occupyed fighting with the Persians a long continuance Whiche warres at length being atchiued and finished wherein the sayd Turke lost great victoryes with slaughter of many thousandes of his Turkes he was not onely prouoked by the instigation of certaine euil disposed Hungarians but also occasioned by the discord of Christian Princes to returne agayn into Europe in hope to subdue all the partes thereof vnto his dominion Whereunto when he had leuyed an armye incredible of such a multitude of turks as the like hath not lightly bene heard of see agayne the mercifull prouidence protection of our God toward his people And as the Turke was thus intending to set forward with this innumerable multitude against the Christians the hand of the Lorde sent such a pestilence through all the turkes army and dominions reaching from Bithynia and from Thracia to Macedonia and also to Hungary that all the turkes possessions almost seemed nothing els but as a heape of dead corses whereby his viage for that time was stopped and he almost compelled to seeke a new army Beside this plague of the Turkes aforesayde whiche was worse to them then any warre other lets also and domesticall calamities through Gods prouidence happened vnto Solymannus the great rouer and robber of the world which stayd him at home from vexing the christians especially touching hys eldest sonne Mustapha This Mustapha being hated and partly feared of Rustanus the chiefe counsailour about the Turke and of Rosa the turkes concubine after his wife was diuers times complayned of to his father accused at length so brought into suspicion and displeasure of the turke by them aforesayd that in conclusion hys father caused him to be sent for to hys pauilion where 6. Turkes with visours were appoynted to put hym to death Who comming vppon hym put after theyr manner a small corde or bowstring full of knottes about hys necke so throwing him downe vpon the ground not suffering hym to speake one word to hys father with the switch therof throtcled strangled him to death his father standing in a secret corner by and beholding the same Whiche facte being perpetrate afterward when the Turke would haue geuen to an other sonne of hys and of Rosa called Bianger the treasures horse armour ornamentes and the prouince of Mustapha his brother Bianger crying out for sorow of his brothers death phy of thee sayth he to hys father thou impious and wretched dog traytour murderer I cannot cal thee father take the treasures the horse and armour of Mustapha to thy selfe and wyth that taking out hys dagger thrust it through hys own body And thus was Solyman murderer parricide of hys owne sonnes which was in the yeare of our Lord. 1552. Wherein notwithstanding is to be noted the singular prouidence and loue of the Lord toward his afflicted christians For this Mustapha as he was couragious greatly expert and exercised in all practise of warre so had he a cruell hart maliciously set to shed the bloud of christians Wherfore great cause haue we to congratulate to geue thanks to god for the happy taking away of this Mustapha And no lesse hope also and good comfort we may conceaue of our louing Lord hereby ministred vnto vs to thinke y◠our mercifull God after these sore afflictions of his Christians vnder these 12. Turks afore recited now after this Solyman intendeth some gratious good worke to Christendom to reduce release vs out of this so long miserable turkish captiuitie as may be hoped now by takyng away these yong impes of this impious generation before they should come to worke theyr conceaued malice against vs the Lord therefore be glorified and praysed Amen Moreouer as I was in writing hereof oportunely came to my handes a certayne writing out of Germanye certifyeng vs of suche newes victory of late atchieued against the turke as may not a little increase our hope and comfort vs touching the decay and ruine of the Turks power tyranny against vs. Which newes are these that after y◠turkish tyrant had besieged with an army of 30000. men the famous strong town and castle of Iula in Hungary lyeng 40. dutch myles beyond the riuer Danubius which cittye had by the space of 6. weekes susteined many grieuous assaultes God through hys great mercy goodnes so comforted the sayd towne of Iula and the poore Christians therein at theyr earnest prayers that the Turke with all hys hoste was driuen backe by the handes of the generall called Karetshim Laslaw and his valiaunt company who not onely defended the said town but also constrayned the Turks to retyre to the great shame and confusion with a great slaughter of the turkish rable For the whiche the euerlasting God be praysed for euer The maner of the ouerthrow was this As the foresaid generall did see his aduauntage with Captayne George and other horsemen of the Sclesians and Hungarians they set on the rereward of the Turkes and killed about 8000. of thē and tooke also some of their artillery and followed them so fast y◠the Turkes were constrayned to flye into a marishe ground and to breake the wheeles of the rest of theyr artillary to saue themselues and therwith they got a very rich booty rescuing besides and taking from the Turks a great number of christian prisoners Like thankes also are to be geuen to God for the prosperous successe geuen to Magotschie the valiaunt Captaine of Erla who making toward the Turkes and recountring with the Tartarians slue of them about 8. hundreth Not long after this it happened through the like prouidence of our God a turkish Captayne called Begen accompanyed with a thousand freshe horsemen came newly out of Turky to go toward the citty named Quinque Ecclesiae or Finffenkyrchen with whome the Erle of Serin by the way did encounter and in the right setting vpon hym killed the captayne and tooke