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
first time before the Councell of Constance in the most famous place in the presence of the Pope the Pope beeyng president And finally in the presence of all others which will come to that most famous place and that whosoeuer hath any suspition of me that I haue eyther taught or defended anye thyng contrarye vnto the fayth of Christ let hym come thether also let hym declare there before or in the presence of the Pope and all the Doctors of Diuinitie what erroneous or false doctrine I haue at any tyme followed or holden More if hee shall conuince me of any errour or prooue that I haue taught anye thing contrarie vnto the Christian fayth I will not refuse to suffer whatsoeuer punishment shall be due for an hereticke But I hope and trust euen from the bottome of my hart that God wyll not geue the victory to vnfaithfull and vnbeleeuing men the which do willingly kicke and spurne against the truth The same time Iohn Hus sente his procurers to the Lorde Byshop of Nazareth ordeyned by the Apostolicke Sea Inquisitour of heresie of the Citie and Dioces of Prage requiring hym that if he had found any errour in him he would declare it openly But the sayd Bishop before the sayd procurour and the publike Notary wyth many other credible witnesses aunswered that he had often talked with Iohn Hus and that he neuer knew anye thing in him but as becommeth a godly and faithful man and this his testimonie of Iohn Hus he approoued by his letters the copie whereof is heere vnder written The Byshop of Nazareth hys testimoniall WE Nicholas by the grace of God Byshop of Nazareth and Inquisitor specially deputed by the Apostolicke seate for heresies both of the Citie and Dioces of Prage by these presents we do it to be knowne vnto all men that wee in times past haue often communed and talked with that honorable man mayster Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie of the famous vniuersitie of Prage and haue had diuers and sondry conferences with hym both of the Scriptures and diuers other matters and in all hys sayings doyngs and behauiour we haue prooued and found him to be a faithfull and a Catholicke man finding no maner of euill sinister or by any meanes erroneous doings in him vnto thys present We doo witnesse and protest moreouer how the sayd Iohn Hus of late in the Cathedrall Church of Prage and in other both Collegiate and Parish Churches and in the Colledges of the Vniuersitie of Prage and in the gates and porches of the most noble Prince and Lord the Lord Wenceslaus King of Romaines and of Boheme Also in the gates of the reuerend father the Lord Conrade Archbyshop of Prage Legate of the Apostolicke Sea and Chauncelour of the Vniuersitie of Prage and of other Princes and Barons then being in the Citie of Prage hath set vp his letters written both in Latine and in the Bohemian tongue containing sententially in effect how the foresayd Mayster Iohn Hus would appeare before the reuerend father the Lord Conrade the foresayd Archbyshop of Prage and all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kingdome of Boheme that shall bee congregated and called together by the sayd Archbyshop at the day appoynted in the sayd Citie of Prage readie alwayes to satisfie euery man that shall desire and require him to shew a reason of his fayth and hope that he holdeth and to see and heare all and euery one which could prooue any obstinacie of errour or heresie lawfully against him vnder the payne to receyue the like punishment vnto whome altogether he would by Gods helpe aunswere in the Councell of Constance which was now at hand before the sayd Lord Archbyshop and vs with all other Prelates and there in Christes name according to the decrees and Canons of the holy Fathers to declare and shew foorth his innocencie After the which letters as is aforesayd by the sayd maister Iohn Hus openly set vp there did no man appeare before vs the which would accuse the sayd Maister Iohn Hus of any errour eyther of any heresie For the euident witnesse of all whyche things we haue commaunded these present letters to be made and confirmed the same with the setting too of our seale Dated in Prage xxx of August an M. iiij C. xiiij Vpon which matter also a publicke instrument was drawne testified with the hand and seale of the publicke Notary named Michel Pruthatietz The copie of whych instrument heere vnder followeth ¶ An Instrument of Recognition or protestation of the Lord inquisitor of Heresies IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of hys natiuitie 1414. the thirtith of August in the fift yeare of the Byshoprike of the most holy Father in Christ Iohn by the grace of GOD Pope the three and twentith of that name in the vppermost parlor of the house of the famous man the Lord Peter of Zwogsta called Znirglits maister of the mynte of the most famous Prince and Lord the Lord Wenceslaus Kyng of Romaines and of Boheme in the greater Citie of Prage about the Abbey of Sainct Iames the Apostle in the presence of me the publique Notary heere vnder written and certayne witnesses heere within written specially called for that purpose There was personally present Mayster Iohn Iessenitz mayster of Art procuror in the name of the honourable man Mayster Iohn Hus Bacheler formed in Diuinitie of the Vniuersitie of Prage He most humblie and earnestly requyred the reuerende father in Christ and Lord Nicholas Byshop of Nazareth Inquisitour of Heresies for the Citie and diocese of Prage specially appoynted by the Apostolike Sea beeing there also present sayeng Reuerend father doe you knowe any error or heresie in Mayster Iohn Husnetz otherwise called Hus. The which sayd Lord Nicholas not compelled or constrained but of his owne will and accord freely and openly did there recognise sayeng these or the like words in the Bohemian tongue I haue often and many times bene conuersant with Mayster Iohn Hus and haue eaten and dronke with him also I haue bene often present at his Sermons and diuers of his collations which he hath made vpon diuers places of the scripture and I neuer found or perceiued in him any errour or heresie but in all his words and deedes I haue found him alwaies a true and a Catholike man neither haue I found any thing that doth sauour of any errour or heresie Againe the said maister Iohn his procurer in the behalfe as aboue required and asked the said Lord Nicholas Byshop and inquisitour whether any man haue accused the said maister Iohn Hus of any heresie before him being inquisitour for heresie and hath conuicted him of heresie He aunswered that since the time he knew Iohn Hus and that he was made inquisitour for heresie in the Citie and diocese of Prage as is afore saide neuer anie man accused either conuinced the said maister Iohn Hus of any heresie before him vnto this present time Adding moreouer that he the
few witnesses vpoÌ„ the same agaynst him but as hee was about to apen his mouth to aunswere all this mad heard or flocke begaÌ„ so to cry out vpon him that he had not leasure to speake one onely worde The noyse trouble was so great and so vehemeÌ„t that a man might well haue called it a brute or noyse of wild beasts and not of men much lesse was it to be iudged a coÌ„gregatioÌ„ of men gathered together to iudge and determine so graue and waightie matters And if it happened that the noyse and cry did neuer so litle cease that hee might aunswere anythyng at all out of the holy Scriptures or Ecclesiasticall Doctours by and by he shoulde here these goodly replyes vpon him That maketh nothyng to the purpose Beside all this some did outrage in wordes agaynst him other some spitefully mocked him so that he seing him selfe ouerwhelmed with this rude and barbarous noyses cryes that it profited nothing to speake he determined finally with himselfe to hold his peace keepe silence FroÌ„ that tyme forward all the whole route of his aduersaries thought that they had wonne the battaile of him and cryed out altogether now he is duÌ„me now he is dumme This is a certaine signe and token that he doth consent agree vnto these his errours Finally the matter came to this poynt that certaine of the most moderate honest among theÌ„ seing this disorder determined to proceede no further but that all should be deferred put of vntil an other time Through their aduise the Prelates others departed froÌ„ the Councell for that present appointed to meet there agayne the morrow after to proceede in iudgement The next day which was the vii of Iune on whiche day the sunne was almost wholy eclipsed somwhat after about vii of the clocke this same flocke assembled agayne in the cloister of the Friers Minors and by their appointment Iohn Hus was brought before them accompanyed with a great number of armed men Thether went also the Emperor whom the gentlemen master of Dube Clum and the Notarie named Peter which were great friendes of the sayd Hus did folow to see what the end woulde be When they were come thether they heard that in the accusation of Michael de Causis they reade these wordes folowing Iohn Hus hath taught the people diuers and many errours both in the chapell of Bethleem and also in many other places of the Citie of Prage of the which errours some of them he hath drawen out of Wickleffs bookes and the rest he hath forged and inuented of his owne head and doth maintaine the same very obstinately and stifly First that after the consecration and pronunciatioÌ„ of the words in the supper of the Lord there remaineth materiall bread and this is prooued by the witnesse of Iohn Protiwate parishe Priest of s. Clements in Prage Iohn Pecklow preacher at s. Giles in Prage Benise preacher in the castle of Prage Andrew Brod Chanon of Prage and diuers other Priestes Unto thys Iohn Hus takyng a solemne othe answered that he neuer spake any such worde but thus much he did graunt that at what time the Archbishop of Prage forbad hym to vse any more that terme or word bread he could not allow the bishops commaundement for so much as Christ in the 6. chapter of Iohn doth oftentimes name himselfe the bread of angels which came downe from heaueÌ„ to geue life vnto the whole world But as touching materiall bread hee neuer spake any thing at all Then the Cardinall of Cambray taking a certaine bill in hys hand which he sayd he receiued the day before sayd vnto Iohn Hus will you put any vniversalities a parte rei.i. as touching the thing When Iohn Hus aunswered that he wold because S. Anselme and diuers other had so done the Cardinall did proceed to gather his argument in this maner It followeth then sayde he that after the consecration is made there remaineth the substance of materiall bread that I do thus proue That the consecration being done whiles the bread is chaunged transubstanciated into the body of Christ as you say either there doeth remaine the common substaunce of materiall bread or contrariwise If the substance do remaine then is our purpose at an end If contrariwise then doth it folow that by the decision of the singularitie the vniversall ceaseth any more to be Iohn Hus answered truely it ceaseth to be in this singular materiall bread by meanes of this traÌ„substantiatioÌ„ wheÌ„ as it is changed transubstanciated into the body of Christ but notwithstanding in other singularities it is made subiect Then a certaine English man by that argument woulde proue out of the first positioÌ„ that there remained materiall bread Then sayd Iohn Hus that is a childish argument which euery boy in the schooles knoweth and thereuppon gaue a solution Then an other English man wold proue that there remained materiall bread in the sacrament because the breade after the consecration was not anihilate Unto whom Iohn Hus answered Although said he that the breade be not anihilate or consumed yet singularly it ceaseth there to be by meanes of the alteration of hys substance into the body of Christ. Here an other English maÌ„ stepping forth sayd Iohn Hus semeth vnto me to vse the same kinde of crafty speach which Wickleffe vsed for hee graunted all these things which this man hath done yet in very deede was fully perswaded that material bread remained in the sacrament after the coÌ„secration The whych when Iohn Hus had denied saying that he spake nothing but only sincerely vprightly according to his conscience the English man proceeded to demaunde of hym againe whether the body of Christe be totally and really in the sacrament of the altar Wherunto Iohn Hus answered verely I do thincke that the body of Christ is really and totally in the sacrament of the alter the which was borne of the virgine Mary suffered died rose againe and sitteth on the right hande of God the father almighty When they had disputed a good while to and froe as touching vniuersalities the English man whych before would proue that material bread remained in the sacrament because that the bread was not anihilate interrupting and breaking theyr talke sayd to what purpose is this disputation vpon vniuersalities the which maketh nothing to the purpose as touching faith for as farre as I can perceiue or here this man holdeth a good opinion as touching the Sacrament of the aultare Then an other English man named Stoâ—kes sayd I haue seene at Prage sayd he a certaine treatise the whych was ascribed vnto thys man Iohn Hus wherein it was plainely set foorth that after the consecration there remained materiall bread in in the SacrameÌ„t Uerely said Iohn Hus sauing your reuerence that is not true Then they returned againe vnto the witnesses of them
Christ the sonne of God came not to be ministred vnto but to minister to serue how then can his vicar haue any dominion or be called Lord as you Panormitane will affirme forsomuch as the disciple is not aboue his maister nor the seruaunt aboue his Lord. And the Lord himselfe saith be yee not called maisters for so much as your only maister is Christ and he which is the greatest among you shal be your seruant Panormitane being somewhat disquieted with this aunswere the councell brake vp and departed The next day there was a generall congregation and they returned all againe vnto the chapter house after dinner whereas the Archbishop of Lyons the Kings Orator being required to speake his minde after he had by diuers and sundry reasons proued Eugenius to be an hereticke he bitterly complained detesting the negligence and ignauie of those that had proferred such a man vnto the papacie and so moued all their harts which were present that they altogether with him did bewaile the calamities of the vniuersall Church Then the Byshop of Burgen the Ambassadour of Spaine diuided the conclusions into two parts some he called generall othersome personall disputing very excellently as touching the three first cōclusions affirming the he did in no point doubt of them but only that the additiō which made mention of the faith seemed to be doubtfull vnto him But vpon this point he staied much to proue that the Councell was aboue the Pope The which after he had sufficiently proued both by Gods law and mans lawe he taught it also by Phisicall reason alledging Aristotle for witnesse He said that in euery well ordered kingdome it ought specially to be desired that the whole realme should be of more authoritie then the King which if it happened contrary it were not to be called a kingdome but a tirannie so likewise doth he thinke of the Church that it ought to be of more authoritie then the Prince thereof that is to say the Pope The which his Oration he vttered so eloquently learnedly and truly that all men depended vpon him and desired rather to haue him continue his Oration then to haue an end thereof But whē as he entred into the other cōclusions he semed to haue forgottē himself to be no more the same mā that he was for neither was there the same eloquēce in his wordes neither grauitie in Oration or cherefulnes of countenance so that if he could haue sene himselfe he would peraduēture greatly haue marueiled at himselfe Euery man might wel see perceiue thē the power force of the truth which ministred copy of matter vnto him so long as hee spake in the defēce therof But whē as he begā once to speak against hir she tooke away euē his naturall eloquence frō him Notwithstanding Panormitane and the Bishop of Burgen shewed this example of modesty that albeit they would not confesse or grant the last cōclusions to be verities of faith yet they would not that any mā should folow or leane vnto their opiniō which wer but meane diuines but rather vnto the opinions of the Diuines But the king of Aragons Amner being a subtill crafty man did not directly dispute vpō the conclusions but picking out here and there certaine argumēts sought to let and hinder the Councell Against whome an Abbot of Scotland a man of an excellent wit disputed very much and Thomas de Corcellis a famous Diuine alledged much against him out of the Decrees of the sacred Councell and with a certaine modest shamefastnes alwaies beholding the ground did very largely dispute in the defence of the conclusions But now to auoide tediousnes I will only proceed to declare arguments wherby the conclusions were ratified and confirmed not minding to intreate of th v. last cōclusions which cōcerne the person of Eugenius but only vpō the three first whereunto I wil adioine certaine probable argumēts gathered out of the disputation of the fathers In the first cōclusion is the greatest force and first to be discussed touching the which two things are to be required examined The one whether the generall Councel haue authoritie ouer the Pope The other whether the Catholike faith commaundeth it to be beleued As touching that the Pope is subiect to the generall Councell it is excellently well proued by the reason before alledged by the Bishop of Burgen For the Pope is in the Church as a king in his kingdome and for a king to be of more authority then his kingdome it were too absurd Ergo neither ought the pope to be aboue the Church For like as oftentimes Kings which do wickedly gouerne the cōmon wealth exercise cruelty are depriued of their kingdome euē so it is not to be doubted but that the Bishops of Rome may be deposed by the Church that is to say by the generall Councels Neither do I heere in allow them which attribute so ample and large authoritie vnto kings that they will not haue them bound vnder any lawes For such as so do say be but flatterers which do talke otherwise thē they think For albeit that they do say that the moderation of the law is alway in the Princes power that do I thus vnderstād that when as reason shall perswade he ought to digresse from the rigour of the law for hee is called a King which careth and prouideth for the common wealth taketh pleasure in the commoditie and profite of the subiectes and in all his doings hath respect to the cōmoditie of those ouer whom he ruleth which if he do not he is not to be counted a King but a tyraunt whose propertie it is onely to seeke his owne profit for in this point a King differeth from a tyraunt that the one seeketh the commoditie and profit of those whom he ruleth and the other only his owne The which to make more manifest the cause is also to be alledged wherefore Kings were ordeined At the beginning as Cicero in his Offices sayth it is certaine that there was a certaine time when as the people liued without kings But afterward when lands and possessiōs began to be deuided according to the custome of euery natiō then were kings ordeined for no other cause but only to exercise iustice For when as at the beginning the common people were oppressed by rich mighty men they ran by and by to some good and vertuous man which should defend the poore frō iniurie ordeine lawes whereby the rich and poore might dwell together But when as yet vnder the rule of Kings the poore were oftentimes oppressed lawes were ordeined and instituted the which should iudge neither for hatred nor fauour and geue lyke eare vnto the poore as vnto the riche whereby we do vnderstand and know not only the people but also the King to be subiect to the lawes For if we do see a King to contemne and despise the lawes violently rob and
king and to put him beside his cusshion And although for a time he dissembled his wrathfull mood till he might spye a time conuenient and a world to set forwarde his purpose at last finding occasion somewhat seruing to his mind he breaketh his hart to his two brethren to witte the Marques Mountacute the Archbishop of Yorke conspiring with them how to bring hys purpose about Then thought he also to proue a farre of the mind of the duke of Clarence king Edwards brother likewise obteined him geuing also to him his daughter in Mariage This matter being thus prepared agaynst the kyng the first flame of this cōspiracy began to appeare in the north country Where the Northrenmen in short space gathering thēselues in an open rebellion finding certaines of their wicked purpose came down from Yorke toward London Against whom was appoynted by the king W. lord Harbert Earle of Penbroke with the Lord Stafford and certayne other Captaynes to encounter The Yorkeshyre mē geuing the ouerthrow first to the lord Stafford thē to the Earle of Penbrok and his company of Welchmē at Banbery fielde at last ioyning together with the army of the Earle of Warwicke and Duke of Clarence in the dead of the night secretly stealing one the kinges field at Wolney by Warwick killed the watch and tooke the king prisoner who first being in the castle of Warwicke then was conueyed by night to Midleham Castle in Yorkeshyre vnder the custody of the Archbishop of Yorke where he hauinge loose keeping and liberty to go on hunting meeting wyth syr William Standley syr Thomas of Brough and other his frendes was to good for his keepers and escaped the hands of his enemies and so came to York where he was well receiued from thēce to Lankester where he met with the Lord Hastinges his Chamberlayne well accompanied by whose helpe he came safe to London After this tumult when reconciliation could not come to a perfect peace vnity although much labor was made by the nobility the Earle of Warwick raiseth vp a new war in Lincolnshyre the captaine wherof was Sir Rob. wels knight who shortly after being taken in battell wyth hys father and sir Thomas Dunocke were beheaded the residue casting away their coates ran away and fled geuing the name of the field called Losecoat field The erle of Warwicke after this put out of comfort and hope to preuayle at home fled out of England An. 1470. first to Calice then to Lewes the French king accompanyed with the Duke of Clarence The fame of the Earle of Warwicke and of his famous actes was at that time in great admiration aboue measure and so highly fauoured that both in England Fraunce all men were glad to behold his personage Wherfore the comming of this Earle of the Duke of Clarence was not a litle gratefull to the French king and no lesse oportune to Queene Margaret King Henryes wife and Prince Edward her sonne who also came to the Frenche Courte to meete and conferre together touching their affayres where a league betwene thē was cōcluded moreouer a mariage betwene Edward prince of Wales Anne the secōd daughter of the Erle of Warwick was wrought Thus all things fasting luckely vpō the Erles part beside the large offers and great promises made by the Frenche king on the best maner to set forwarde their purpose the Earle hauing also intelligence by letters that the harts almost of all men went with him and lōged sore for his presence so that there lacked now but onely hast with al speed possible to returne he with the duke of Clarence wel fortified with the French nauy set forward toward England For so was it betwene them before decreed that they two should proue the first venture and then Queen Margaret with Prince Edward her sonne should folow after The ariuall of the Earle was not so soone heard of at Dartmouth in Deuonshyre but great cōcourse of people by thousands went to him from all quarters to receiue welcome hym who immediatly made proclamation in the name of kyng Henry the sixt charging all men able to beare armour to prepare themselues to fight agaynst Edwarde Duke of Yorke vsurper of the Crowne Here lacked no freendes strength of men furniture nor pollicy conuenient for such a matter When king Edwarde who before not passing for the matter nor seking how either to haue stopped his iāding or els straight wayes to haue encountred with him before the gathering of his frendes but passing forth the time in hunting in hauking in all pleasure daliance had knowledge what great resort of multitudes incessantly repaired more and more dayly about the Erle and the Duke began now to prouide for remedy when it was to late Who trusting to much to his friendes and fortune before dyd nowe right well perceiue what a variable and inconstant thyng the people is especially here of Englād whose nature is neuer to be contēt long with the present state but alwayes delighting in newes seketh new variety of chaunges eyther enuying that which stādeth or els pitying that which is fallen Which inconstant mutability of the light people chaunging with the winde and wauering with the reede did well appeare in the course of this kinges story For he through the people when he was down was exalted now being exalted of the same was forsaken Wherby this is to be noted of all princes that as there is nothing in this mutable world firme and stable so is there no trust nor assurance to be made but onely in the fauor of God and in the promises of his word onely in Christ his sonne whose only kingdome shall neuer haue ende nor is subiecte to anye mutation These thinges thus passing in England on the Earles side agaynst king Edward he accompanyed with the Duke of Glocester his brother and the Lord Hastings who had maried the erle of Warwicks sister and yet was neuer vntrue to the king his maister and the Lord Seales brother to the Queene sent abroad to all his trusty frendes for furniture of able souldiors for defence of his person to wtstand his enemies Whē litle rescue few in effect would come the king himselfe so destitute departed to Lincolneshyre where he perceiuing his enemyes dayly to encrease vpon him all the countryes about to be in a tore making fiers singing songs crying king Henry king Henry a Warwicke a Warwicke and hearing moreouer his enemyes the Lancastrians to be within halfe a dayes iourney of him was aduised by his frendes to flie ouer the Sea to the Duke of Burgoyne which not long before had maryed king Edwardes sister ¶ Here might be thought by the common iudgement and pollicy of man peraduētnre that king Edward as he had in his handes the life of king Henry of his Queene and Prince so if hee had dispatched them out of the way
Churches to the Romains one to the Corinthians two to the GalathiaÌ„s one to the Ephesians one to the Philippians one to the Colossians one to the Thessalonians two Moreouer he wrote to his Disciples to Timothie two to Titus one to Philemon one The Epistle which beareth the title to the Hebrues is not thought to be his for the difference of the stile phrase but either iudged to be written of Timothie as Tertullian supposeth or of S. Luke as other do thinke or els of Clement afterward Bishop of Rome who as they say was adioyned with Paul and compiling together his sayings and sentences did phrase them in his stile and maner Or els as some do iudge because S. Paul wrote vnto the Hebrues for the odiousnes of his name among that people therefore he dissimuled and confessed his name in the first entre of his salutation contrary to his accustomed condition And as he wrote to the Hebrues he being an Hebrue so he wrote in Hebrue that is in his own tongue more eloquently And that is thought to be the cause why it differeth from his other Epistles and is after a more eloquent maner translated into the Greeke then his other Epistles be Some also read the Epistle written to Laodicea but that is explosed of all men Thus much Hierome As touching the tyme and order of the death and Martyrdome of S. Paule as Eusebius Hierome Maximus and other authors doe but briefly passe ouer So Abdias if his booke be of any substaÌ„tial authoritie speaking more largely of the same doth say that after the crucifying of Peter the ruine of Simon Magus Paule yet remayning in free custody was dimissed and deliuered at that time from Martyrdome by Gods permission that all the Gentiles might be replenished with preaching of the Gospell by him And the same Abdias proceeding in his story declareth moreouer that as Paule was thus occupied at Rome he was accused to the Emperour not onely for teaching new doctrine but also for stirring vp sedition against the Empire For this he being called before Nero and demaunded to shew the order and maner of his doctrine there declared what his doctrine was to teach all men peace and charitie how to loue one an other how to preuent one an other in honor rich meÌ„ not to be puft in pride nor to put their trust in their treasures but in the liuing God Meane men to be contented with foode and rayment and with their present state Poore meÌ„ to reioyce in their pouertie with hope Fathers to bring vp their children in the feare of God Children to obey their parents Husbandes to loue their wiues Wiues to be subiect vnto their husbands Citizens and subiects to giue their tribute vnto Caesar and to be subiect to their magistrates Maisters to be curteous not currish to their seruaunts Seruants to deale faithfully with their maisters And this to be the summe of his teaching which his doctrine he receiued not of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ and the father of glory which spake to him from heauen the Lord Iesus saying to him that he should goe and preach in his name and that he would be with him and would be the spirit of life to all that beleued in him and that whatsoeuer he did or said he would iustifie it c. After that Paule had thus declared vnto the Emperour shortly after sentence of death was pronounced against him that he should be headed Unto whose executâ—oÌ„ then Nero sent two of his Esquiers Ferega and Parthemius to bring him word of his death They comming to Paule instructing then the people desired him to pray for them that they might beleue Who told them that shortly after they should beleue and be baptised at his Sepulchre as Abdias writeth This done the souldiours came and led him out of the Citie to the place of execution where he after his prayers made gaue his necke to the sword Abdias reporteth that as his head was strokeÌ„ off in stead of blood issued out white milke and that at laying downe his head he signed himselfe with the signe of a crosse in his forehead but this being found in no other historie Abdias semeth either to adde of his own or els to borow out of the Legend as he doth many other things beside wherof more shal be sayd Christ willing hereafter Although the same miracle of milke flowing out of his necke is referred also vnto Ambrose who in his sermon 68. if it be not counterfaited seemeth to affirme the same Of the tyme and yeare when these blessed Apostles did suffer histories doe not all agree They that follow the commoÌ„ opinion and the Popes decrees say that both Peter and Paul suffred both in one day and in one yeare which opinion semeth to be taken out of Dionysius bishop of Corinth Hierome in his booke De viris illustr affirmeth that they suffred both in one day but he expresseth not the yeare So doth Isodorus and Eusebius Symon Metaphrastes bringeth in the opinion of some which thinke that Paul suffred not with Peter but after Peter Prudentius in his PeristephanoÌ„ noteth that they both were put to death vpon the same day but not in the same yere and saith that Paule followed Peter a yeare after Abdias aboue mentioned recordeth that Paule suffered two yeares after Peter Moreouer if it be true which Abdias saith that after the crucifiyng of Peter Paul remained in his fyare custody at Rome meÌ„tioned in the Actes of the Apostles which was as Hierom witnesseth the 3. or 4. yere of Nero then must it be x. yeare betwixt the Martyrdome of Peter and of Paule for as much as it is by all writers confessed that Paule suffered the 14. yeare which was the last yeare of Nero. And so Abdias seemeth neither to agree with other authors nor with himselfe And thus much of the first persecution The second Persecution THe first Romaine persecution beginning vnder Nero as is aforesaid ceased vnder Vespasianus who gaue some rest to the poore Christians After whose raigne was mooued not long after the second persecution by the Emperor Domitian brother of Titus Of whome Eusebius and Orosius so write that he first beginning mildly afterward did so farre outrage in pride intollerable that he commaunded himself to be worshipped as God and that images of gold and siluer in his honour should be set vp in Capitolio The chiefest nobles of the Senators either vpon enuy or for their goodes he caused to be put to death some openly and some he sent into banishment there causing them to be slaine priuilie And as his tiranny was vnmeasurable so the intemperancie of his life was no lesse He put to death all the nephewes of Iuda called the Lordes brother and caused to be sought out and to be slayne all that could be found of the stocke of Dauid as Vespasian also did
to saue himselfe beyng promised also of his friendes to bee safely conueyed awaye if he would thereto agree To whome Edwyne said whether shall I flee which haue so long fleene the handes of myne enymies through all prouinces of the Realme And if I must nedes be slayne I had rather that he should doe it then an other vnworthy person Thus he remayning by himselfe alone solitarie sitting in a great study there appeared vnto him sodainely a certaine straunger to hym vnknowne and saide I knowe well the cause of thy thought and heauines What wouldest thou giue him that should deliuer thee out of this feare should recoÌ„cile king Redwald to thee againe I woulde gyue him saide Edwyne al that euer I coulde make And he saide agayne And what if he make thee a mightier king then was anye of thy Progenitours Hee aunswered againe as before Moreouer saith he and what if hee shewe thee a better kind and way of life then euer was shewed to any of thine aunceters before thee wilt thou obey him doe after his counsell yea said Edwyne promising most firmely wyth al his hart so to do TheÌ„ he laying his hand vpon his head when said he this token hapneth vnto thee then remember this time of thy tribulation the promise which thou hast made and the word which now I say vnto thee And with that he uanished out of his sight sodainely After this so done as Edwyne was sitting alone by him selfe pensiue and sad his foresaid friend which moued him before to fle commeth to him bidding him be of good chere for the hart said he of king Redwaldus which had before intended thy destruction was nowe altered through the counsell of the Queene and is fully bent to keepe his promise wyth you whatsoeuer shall fall thereupon To make the story short Redwaldus the King although Fabian following Henry Huntyngton saith it was Edwyne with al conuenient speed assembled an host wherwith he sodainly comming vpon Ethelfride gaue battaile vnto him aboute the borders of Mercia where Ethelfryde king of Northumberlande also with Reyner Redwaldus sonne was slaine in the fielde By reason wherof Edwyne his enimies now being destroyed was quietly placed in the possessioÌ„ of NorthumberlaÌ„d All this while yet Edwyne remained in his old Paganisme albeit his Queene being as is aboue declared king Ethelbertes daughter a Christen woman with Paulinus the byshop ceased not to stirre and perswad the king to christian fayth But he taking counsell with his nobles and counsellers vpon the matter was hard to be wonne Then the Lord who desposeth all things after his purpose to bring al good things to passe sent an other trouble vpon him by meanes therof to cal him For by affliction God vseth coÌ„monly to call them whom he wil saue or by whom he wil worke saluation vnto other So his diuine wisdome thinketh good to make them first to knowe themselues before they come to know him or to teach him to other so it was with Paule who was striken downe before hee was lyfted vp with Constantinus Edwynus and many moe Howe long was Ioseph in prison before he bare rule How hardly escaped this our Queene nowe being Queene Elizabeth by whoÌ„ yet notwithstanding it hath pleased god to restore this his gospel now preached amongst vs In what conflictes and agonies inwardly in his spirite was M. Luther before he came to preach the iustification of Christ openly And so be all they most commonlye which come to anye liuely feeling or sensible working of Christ the Lord. But to returne to Edwyne againe The occasion of hys trouble was this Quicelinus with Kynegilsus his brother Kings of Westsaxons as aboue is mentioned in the table of the Saxon kings conspiring the death of Edwyne now king of Northumberland vpon enuy and malice sent vpon an Easter day a swordman named Emner priuelye to slay the said Edwyne This swordman or cutthrote came to a Citie beside the water of Darwent in Darbishire there to waite his time and lastly founde the king smallye accompanied and inteÌ„ded to haue runne the kiâ—â— through with a sword inuenemed But one Lilla the kinges trustye seruaunt disgarnished of a shield or other weapon to defeÌ„d his maister start betwene the king the sword and was strikeÌ„ through the body and died and the king was wouÌ„ded with the same stroke And after he wounded also the third which was a knight so was taken and confessed by whom he was sent to worke that treason The other knight that was secondly wounded died and the king lay after long sicke or he were healed After this about whitsontide the king being scantlye hole of his wounde assembled his host intending to make against the king of westsaxons promising to Christ to be Christened if he would giue him the victory ouer his enimies And in token therof caused his daughter borne of Edelburge yâ— same Easter day when he was wouÌ„ded named Eufled to be baptised with xij other of his familye of Paulinus Thus Edwyne proceded to the battel against Quicelne and Kynegilsus with his sonne Kenwalcus and other enimies who in the same battell being al vanquished put to flight Edwyn through the power of Christ returneth home victorer But for all this victory other things gyuen to him of God as he was in wealth of the worlde forgat his promise made and had little mind therof saue only that he by the preaching of Paulinus forsoke his maumentry And for his excuse saide that he might not clearly deny his olde lawe which his forefathers had kept so long and sodeinly to be Christened without authority and good aduise of his counsaile About the same season Pope Boniface the 5. sent also to the sayd Edwyne letters exhortatory wyth sundrye presentes from Rome to him and to Edelburge the Queene But neither would that preuaile Then Paulinus seyng the king so hard to be conuerted poured out his praiers vnto God for his coÌ„uersion who the same time had reuealed to him by the holy ghost the oracle aboue mentioned which was shewed to the King when hee was with Redwaldus king of the Eastangles Wherupon Paulinus comming afterward to the king on a certaine day and laying his haÌ„d vpon the kings head asked him if he knew that tokeÌ„ The king hearing this remembring wel the token was ready to fall downe at his feete But Paulinus not sufferyng that did lift vp hym againe saying vnto him behold O king you haue vanquished your enimies you haue obteined your kingdome now performe the third which you haue promised that is to receaue the faith of Christ and to be obedient to him Wherupon the king conferryng with his Counsell his nobles was baptised of the said Paulinus at Yorke with many of his other subiectes with hym Insomuch that Coyfi the chiefe of the Prelates of his olde maumentry armed him selfe wyth hys other Idolatrous Bishops and bestrode
had read with me this which so happened I thinke they would not be so rash in their doing and iudging fearyng at least the Lordes commaundement Doe not iudge that ye be not iudged And S Paule sayth Who art thou that iudgest an other mans seruant Either he standeth or falleth to his owne maister but he shall stand for the Lord is mighty and able to make him stand Therfore let your holynes cease to compell and enforce those whom onely ye ought to admonish least through your owne priuate commaundement which God forbid you be found contrary as well to the olde Testament as to the new For as S. Augustine sayth to Donatus this is onely that we do feare in your iustice lest not for the consideration of christian lenitie but for the grieuousnes and greatnesse of transgressions committed you be thought to vse violence in executyng punishment of that which onely we do desire you by Christ not to do For transgressions are so to be punished that the lyfe of the transgressours may repent Also an other saying of Augustine we would you to remember which is this Nil nocends fiat cupiditate omnia consulendi charitate nihil fiat immanâ—ter nihil inhumaniter That is Let nothing be done through the greedines of hurting but all things through the charitie of profiting Neither let any thing be done cruelly nothing vngently Item of the same Augustine it is written In the feare and name of Christ I exhort you which of you soeuer haue not the goods of this world be not greedy to haue them Such as haue them presume not to much vpon them For I say to haue them is no damnation but if ye presume vpon them that is damnation if for the hauing of theÌ„ ye shal seeme great in your owne fight or if ye do forget the coÌ„mon condition of man through the excellencie of any thing you haue Vse therfore therin due discretion tempered with moderation the which cup of discretion is drawen out of that fountaine of the Apostolike preaching which sayth Art thou loose froÌ„ thy wife Do not seeke for thy wife Art thou bound to thy wife Seke not to be loosed from her Where also it followeth Such as haue wiues let them be as though they had them not and they that vse the world let them be as not vsing it Item concerning the widow he sayth Let her marry to whoÌ„ she wil only in the Lord. To marry in the Lord is nothing els but to attempt nothing in coÌ„tracting of matrimony which the Lord doth forbid Ieremy also saith Trust not in the words of lies saying The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord. The which saying of Ieremy Hierome expounding saith thus this may agree also be applied vnto such virgins which brag vaunt their virginitie with an impudent face pretending chastitie when they haue an other thing in their conscience and know not how the Apostle defineth the virgin that she should be holy in body and also in spirit For what auayleth the chastitie of the body if the mind inwardly be defloured Or if it haue not the other vertues which the prophetical Sermon doth describe The which vertues for as much as we see partly to be in you and because we are not ignorant that this discretioÌ„ although neglected in this part yet in the other actioÌ„s of your life to be kept honestly of you do not dispaire but you dispaire but you wil also soone amend the little lacke which is behind And therfore with as much grauitie as we can we cease not to call vpoÌ„ you to correct and amend this your negligeÌ„ce For although according to our common calling a bishop is greater then a Priest yet Austen being lesse then Hierome notwithstaÌ„ding the good correctioÌ„ proceeding froÌ„ the lesser to the greater was not to be refused or disdained especially when he which is corrected is found to striue against the truth to please meÌ„ For as S. Austen faith writing to Boniface the disputatioÌ„s of all meÌ„ be they neuer so Catholick or approued persoÌ„s ought not to bee had in stead of the Canonicall Scriptures So that we may disprooue or refuse sauing the honor reuerence which is due vnto theÌ„ any thing that is in their writings if any thing there be found contrary to trueth and what can be found more contrary to the trueth then this When as the trueth him selfe speaking of continency not of one onely but of all men together the number onely excepted of them which haue professed continencye sayth He that can take let him take the which saying these men mooued I cannot tell by what occasion doe turne and say he that cannot take let him be accursed And what can bee more foolishe amongest men then when anye Byshoppe or Archdeacon runne themselues headlong into all kinde of lust to adultery and incest and also Sodomitry yet shame not to say that the chaste mariage of Priestes doe stincke before them And as voyde of all compassion of true righteousnesse doe not desire or admonish their Clerkes as their fellow seruauntes to abstayne but commaund them and enforce them as seruauntes violentlye to abstayne Vnto the whiche imperious commaundement of theirs or counsell whether you will call it they adde also thys foolishe and filthy suggestion saying that it is more honest priuily to haue to doe with many women then apertly in the sight and consciences of many men to bee bounde to one wife The whiche truely they would not say if they were eyther of hym or in him which saith wo to you Phariseis which do all thinges before men And by the Psalmist because they please men they are confounded for the Lord hath despised them These be the men who rather ought to perswade vs that we should shame to sinne priuily in the sight of him to wheÌ„ all things be open theÌ„ to seeme in the sight of men for to be cleane These men therfore although through their sinful wickednes deserue no counsell of godlines to be giuen theÌ„ yet we not forgetting our humanitie cease not to giue them counsell by the authoritie of Gods word which seketh al mens saluation desiring theÌ„ by the bowels of charitie saying with the wordes of Scripture Cast out thou hypocrite first the beame out of thine owne eye and then thou shalt see to cast out the mote of the eye of thy brother Moreouer this also we desire them to attend what the Lord saith of the aduouterous woman which of you that is without sinne let hym cast the first stone against her As though hee would say if Moses bid you I also bid you But yet I require you that be the competent ministers and executors of the law Take heede what yee adde thereunto take heede also I pray you what you are your selues for if as the Scripture saith thou shalt well consider thy selfe thou wilt neuer defame
Iacob Vikyll Iuchell All which kings after they had geuen their fidelitie to Edgar the next day following for a pompe or royaltie he entred with these aforesaid kings into the riuer of Dee Where he sitting in a boate tooke the rule of the helme and caused these 8. kings euery person taking an ore in hys hand to row him vp and downe the riuer to and from the Church of S. Iohn vnto his palace agayne in token that he was maister and Lord of so many prouinces whereupō he is reported to haue sayd in this maner Tunc demum posse successores suos gloriari se Reges Angliae esse cum tanta praerogatiua honorum fruerētur But in my mynd this king had sayd much better if he had rather said with S. Paule Absit mihi gloriari nisi in cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi And thus ye haue heard hetherto touching the cōmendation of king Edgar such reportes as the old Monkish writers thought to bestow vpon him as vpon the great patron of their monkish religion who had builded so many monasteries for them as were Sondayes in the yeare as some say or as Edmer reporteth but 48. Now on the other side what vices in him were raigning let vs likewise consider according as we find in the sayd authors described which most write to his aduancement Wherof the first vice is noted to be crueltie as well vpon others as namely vpon a certaine Erle being of his secret counsaile called Ethelwold The story is this Ordgarus Duke of Deuonshire had a certaine daughter named Elfrida whose beautie beyng highly commended to the king he being inflamed therwith sent this foresaid Ethelwold whom he especially trusted to the partie to see and to bring him word againe if her beautie were such as was reported willing him also to make the match betwene them Ethelwold wel viewing the partie and seing her beautie nothing inferior to her fame and thinking first to serue his owne turne tolde all things contrary to the king Wherupon the king withdrawing his mynd otherwise in the ende it came to passe that Ethelwold hymselfe did marry her Not long after the king vnderstanding further by the complaints and rumors of certayne how he was preuented and beguiled set a faire face vpon the matter before Ethelwold and merily iesting with hym tolde hym how he would come and see his wyfe in deed appointed the day when he would be there Ethelwold the husband perceauing this matter to go hardly with hym made hast to hys wife declaring to her the comming of the king and also opening the whole order of the matter how he had done desired her of all loue as she would saue his life to disgrace deforme her selfe with garmentes and such attyre as the king might take no delighting in her Elfrida hearing this what did she but contrary to the request of her husband promise of a wife against the kings commyng trimmed her selfe at the glasse decked her in her best aray Whom when the king beheld he was not so much enamoured with her as in hatred with her husband who had so deceaued him Wherupon the king shortly after making as though he would goe to hunt in the forest of Harwood sent for Ethelwold to come to him vnder the pretence of huntyng there ran him thorow and slew him After this the bastard sonne of Ethelwold comming to him the king asked hym how he liked that hunting Who aunswered againe that which pleaseth the king ought not to displease him For the death of which Ethelwold Elfrida afterward builded a Monastery of Nunnes in remission of sinnes An other fault which Malmesbury noteth in hym was the comming in of strangers into this land as Saxones Flemmings Danes whome he with great familiaritie retained to the great detriment of this land as the forsaid story of Malmesbury recordeth whose wordes be these Vndè factum est vt fama eius per ora omnium volitante alienigenae Saxones Flandritae ipsi etiam Dani huc frequenter annauigarent Edgaro familiares effecti quo rum aduentus magnū prouincialibus detrimentum peperit Inde meritò iureque reprehendunt eum literae c. That is wherby it happened that diuers straungers out of foraine countreys allured by hys fame came into the land as Saxones Flemmings and Danes also all which he retained with great familiaritie The comming of which straungers wrought great dammage to the realme and therfore is Edgar iustly blamed in stories c. with the which reprehension all the Saxone stories also do agree The third vice to him obiected was his incontinent lasciuious lust in deflouring maides as first of a Dukes daughter being a Nūne and a virgin named Wilfrida or Wilftrude of which Wilfride was borne Editha a bastard daughter of Edgar Also of an other certaine virgin in the town of Audeuar who was priuily conueied into his bed by this meanes The lasciuious king commyng to Andeuar not farre from Winchester and thinking to haue his pleasure of a certayne Dukes daughter of whose beautie he heard much speaking commaunded the mayde to bee brought vnto him The mother of the virgine grieued to haue her daughter made a concubine secretly by night cōueyed to the kings bed in stead of her daughter an other mayden of beauty and fauour not vncomely who in the morning rising to her worke and so beyng known of the king what she was had graunted vnto her of the king such libertie and freedome that of a seruant she was made mistresse both to her maister and also to her mistresse Ex Mat. Paris lib. de Regib An other concubine he had also besides these aforesaid which was Egelfleda or Elfleda called Candida the white daughter of duke Ordinere as Guliel Malmesb. recordeth she beyng also a professed Nunne of whom he begot Edward in bastardy For the which he was enioined by Dūstane 7. yeares penance After which penance beyng complete then he tooke to him a lawfull wyfe as Malmesbury sayth Elfritha the mother of Edmund and Ethelred or otherwise called Egelred whereof more shall be sayd the Lord willing hereafter Ouer and besides all these vices noted and obiected to king Edgar in our monkish storywriters I also obserue another no lesse or rather greater vice then the other afore recited which was blynd superstition and idolatrous mōkery brought into the church of Christ with the wrongfull expulsing of lawful maried priests out of their houses Whereupon what inconueniences ensued after in this realm especially in the house of the Lord I leaue it to the consideration of them which haue heard of the detestable enormities of these religious votaries The occasiō wherof first and chiefly began in this Edgar through the instigation of Dunstane and his fellowes who after they had inueigled the kyng had brought him to their purpose they caused him to call a Councell of the Clergy where
Constantinus an 340. Syricus to Theodosius Anno. 388. Gregorius to Mauritius An. 600. Hilarius to Iustinian An. 528. Adrianus and Leo to Carolus Magnus An. 801. Paschalis and Ualentius to Ludouicus Pius an 830. Sergius 29. vnto Lotharius An. 840. Benedictus the 3. and Ioannes the 9. vnto Ludouicus sonne of Lotharius an 856. But against this obedience and subiection Hildebrād first began to spurne and by his example taught all other Bishops to do the like In somuch that at length they wrought and brought to passe to be lawful for a fewe curtisans Cardinals cōtrary to auncient ordinance and statutes decretal to chuse what Pope they list without any consent of the Emperor at all And where as before it stoode in the Emperors gift to geue and graunt Byshoprikes Archbishoprikes benefices and other Ecclesiasticall prefermentes within theyr owne limites to whom they lift now the Popes through much wrastling warres and contention haue extorted al that into their owne hāds and to their assignes yea haue pluckt in all the riches power of the whole worlde And not cōtent with that haue vsurped and preuailed so much aboue Emperors that as before no Pope might be chosen wtout the cōfirmation of the Emperor so now no Emperor may be elected wtout the confirmation of the Pope taking vpon them more then Princes to place or displace Emperours at their pleasure for euery light cause to put downe or to set vp when whom they lifted as Fridericus Primus for holding the left stirrup of the popes sadel was persecuted almoste to excommunication The which cause moueth me to straine more diligence here in setting out the history actes and doings of this Hildebrand from whom as the first patron and founder sprang al this ambition contention about the liberties dominion of the Romane church to the intent that such as cānot read the Latine histories may vnderstand in English the original of euils howe and by what occasion they first began and how long they haue continued And first howe this Hildebrand hetherto had behaued himselfe before he was Pope I haue partly declared For though he was not yet Pope in name yet he was there Pope in deede ruled the Pope and all their doinges as him listed Item what waies and fetches he had attempted euer since his first comming to the Courte of Rome to magnifie and maintaine false libertie against true authoritie what practise he wrought by Coūcels what factions and conspiracies he made in stirring vp Popes against Emperours striuing for superioritie and what warres followed therof I haue also expressed Now let vs see further by the helpe of Christe the worthy vertues of this princely prelate after he came to be Pope as they remaine in histories of diuers and sondry writers described The tragicall historie of Gregorie the vij otherwise named Hildebrand THe words of the latine historie be these Hactenus pontifices Rom. comitijs curiatis calatis a sacerdotibus equitatu plebe Senatu c. In English Hetherto the Byshoppes of Rome haue bene elected by voyces and suffrages of all sortes and degrees as well of the Priests and the Clergy as of the nobilitie people and Senate all conuenting and assembling together And this election so I finde to stande in force if so be it were ratified and confirmed by the consent of Romane Emperors who had authoritie to call and to assemble all these as well as Byshops together vnto councels as case required Under the authoritie and iurisdiction of these Emperours were contained both in Germany Fraunce Italy and through the whole dominion of Rome all Patriarches Bishops masters of Churches and Monasteries by the decree of Councels according to the olde custome of our aunceters as is declared in a certaine storie in the life of Carolus Magnus The holy and auncient fathers like as Christ our Lorde with his disciples and Apostles both taught and did honoured and esteemed their Emperours as the supreame potestate next vnder God in earth set vp ordained elected and crowned of God aboue all other mortall men and so counted them and called them their Lords To them they yelded tribute and paide their subsidies Also prayed euery day for their life Such as rebelled against them they tooke as rebelles and resisters against God his ordinance and christian pietie The name of the Emperor then was of great maiestie and receiued as geuen from God Then these fathers of the Church neuer intermedled nor intangled themselues with politike affaires of the common weale muche lesse they occupied Martiall armes and matters of cheualrie Onely in pouertie and modestie was all their contention with other Christians who shoulde be poorest and most modest amōgst them And the more humblenes appeared in any the higher opiniō they cōceiued of him The sharpe and two edged sworde they tooke geuen to the Churche of Christ to saue and not to kill to quicken not to destroy and called it the sworde of the spirite which is the word of God the life and light of men and reuoketh from death to life making of men Gods of mortall immortall Farre were they from that to thrust out any Prince or Kyng though he were neuer so farre out of the way yea an Arrian from his kingdome or to curse him to release hys subiects from their oth and their allegeance to change and translate kingdoms to subuert empires to pollute themselues with Christen bloude or to warre with their Christian brethren for rule principalitie This was not their spirite maner then but rather they loued obeyed their Princes Again Princes loued them also like fathers and fellow princes with them of the soules of men Now this Gregorius the seuenth otherwise named Hildebrandus trusting vpon the Normains which then rufled about Apusia Calabria and Campania trusting also vpon the power of Machtilda a stout woman thereabout Rome partly again bearing himself bold for the discord among the Germains first of all other contrary to the maner of elders contemning the authoritie of the emperour inuaded the Cathedrall sea of Rome vauncing himselfe as hauing both the ecclesiastical and temporal sword committed to him by Christ that fulnes of power was in his hande to bind and loose what so he listed Wherupon thus he presumed to occupy both the regiments to chalenge all the whole dominion both of the East West church yea and all power to himself alone abiding none to be equal much lesse superior to him derogating from other and arrogating to himselfe their due right and honor setting at light Cesars kings and Emperours and who raigned but by his owne godamercy Bishops and Prelates as his vnderlings he kept in awe suspending and cursing chopping of their heads stirring vp strife and warres sowyng of discord making factions releasing othes defeating fidelitie and due allegeance of subiects to their princes Yea and if he had offended or iniured
Lord and to reforme the same and not only to reforme and amend his fault but also to satisfy it to the vttermost if the law shall so require him Wherfore seing he is so willing to recōpēce satisfy the iudgemēt of the church in al things appertaining to the church refusing no order that shal be takē but in al thīgs submitting his neck to the yoke of Christ with what right by what canon or reason can you interdict him or vse excommunication against him It is a thing laudable a vertue of great cōmendation in wise men wisely to goe with iudgement and reason and not to be caried with puffes of hasty violence Whereupon this is the onely and common petition of vs all that your fatherly care will diligently prouide for your flocke and sheepe committed to you so that they miscary not or runne to any ruine through any inconsiderate or to much heady counsell in you but rather through your softnes and sufferance they may obtayne life peace and security It doth moue vs all that we heare of late to be done by you agaynst the Byshop of Salisbury the Deane of the same church prosperously as some men suppose against whom you haue geuen out the sentence of excommunication and condemnation before any question of their crime was following therein as seemeth more the heat of hastynesse then the path of righteousnesse This is a new order of iudgement vnheard of yet to this day in our lawes and canons first to condemne a man and then to enquire after of the fact committed Which order least ye should hereafter attempt to exercise in like maner agaynst our soueraigne and king or agaynst vs and our Churches and Parishes committed to vs to the detriment of the Pope and the holy church of Rome and to the no little confusion of vs all therefore we lay here agaynst you for our selues the remedy of appellation And as before openly in the publicke face of the Church with liuely voyce we appealed to the Pope for feare of certayne perils that might haue happened So now agayn in writing we appeale to the same assigning the terme of our appellation the day of the Lordes Ascention Most humbly and reuerently beseching your goodnesse that you taking a better way with you in this matter will let your cause fall sparing herein both the labours and charges as well of your selfe as ours also And thus we wish you right well to fare reuerend in the Lord. The rescript or aunswere agayne of Thomas Becket to all his suffraganes not obeying but confuting their counsayle sent FRaternitatis Gestra scriptum quod tamen prudentia Gestra cōmuni consilio non facilè credimus emanasse nuper ex insperat◠suscepimus c. Your brotherly letters sent albeit not by the whole assent of your wisedomes written as I suppose of late I receiued vpon a sodayne the contentes whereof seeme to contayne more sharpenesse then solace And would to God they proceeded more of sincere zeale of godliness or affection of charity then of disobedience or froward wilfulnesse For charity seketh not the thinges that be his owne but which appertayne to Iesus Christ. It had bene your duety if there be truth in the Gospel as most vndoubtedly there is and if you would faythfully haue accomplished his busines whose person you represent rather to haue feared him which can cast both body and soule to hell then him whose power extendeth no further then to the body rather to haue obeyed God then man rather your Father then your Maister or Lord after the example of him who was to his Father obedient vnto the death Which dyed for vs leauing vs example to follow hys steps Let vs dye therefore with him and lay downe our liues for the deliueraunce of his Church out of the yoke of bondage and tribulation of the oppressor which Church he hath founded and whose libertye he hath procured with his owne proper bloud Least if we shall do otherwise it may happely fall vpon vs whiche is written in the Gospell Who so loueth his owne life more then me is not worthy of me This ye ought to know that if it be right which your captayne commaundeth your duety requireth to obey his will if not ye ought then rather to obey God then men One thing I will say if I may be so bolde to tell it vnto you I haue now suffered and abstayned a long space wayting if the Lord had geuen you to take a better hart vnto you which haue turned away cowardly your backes in the day of battayle or if any of you would haue returned againe to stand like a wall for the house of Israel at least if he had but shewed himselfe in the field making but the countenaunce of a warrier agaynst them which cease not dayly to infest the Lambe of God I wayted and none came I suffered and none rose vp I held my peace none would speake I dissembled and none would stand with me in like semblance Wherefore seing I see no better towardnesse in you thys remayneth onely to enter action of complaynt agaynst you and to cry agaynst mine enemies Rise vp O Lord and iudge my cause reuenge the bloud of the church which is wasted and oppressed The pride of them which hate his libertye riseth vp euer neyther is there any that doth good no not one Woulde God brethren beloued there were in you any minde or affection to defend the libertye of the Churche for she is builded vpon a sure rocke that although she be shaken yet she can not be ouerthrowne And why then seek ye to confoūd me Nay rather your selues in me then me in you A man which hath taken vpon me all the peril haue sustained all the rebukes haue sustained all the iniuries haue suffered also for you all to the very banishment And so it was expedient one to suffer for that Church that thereby it might be released out of seruitude These thinges discusse you simply with your selues and weigh the matter Attend I say dilligently in your mindes for your partes that God for his part remouing from your eies all maiesty of rule and impery as he is no accepter of persons may take from your hartes the veile that ye may vnderstand and see what ye haue done what ye entend to do and what ye ought to do Tell me which of you all can say I haue taken from him since the time of my promotion either Oxe or Asse if I haue defrauded him of any peny If I haue misiudged the cause of any man wrōgfully Or if by the detrimēt of any person I haue sought my owne gaine let him complayn I will restore him fourefolde And if I haue not offēded you what then is the cause that ye thus leaue and forsake me in the cause of God Why bend ye so your selues agaynst me in such a cause that there is none more speciall belonging to the
you the Church the king and the kingdome from that miserable yoke of seruitude that you doe not intermedle or take any part concerning such exactions or rentes to be required or geuen to the sayd Romaynes Letting you to vnderstand for trueth that in case you shall which God forbid be found culpable herein not onely your goodes and possessions shall be in daunger of burning but also in your persons shall incurre the same perill and punishmēt as shall the sayd Romish oppressors themselues Thus fare ye well ¶ Thus much I thought here to insert and notifie cōcerning this matter for that not onely the greedy and auaritious gredines of the Romish church might the more euidently vnto al Englishmen appeare but that they may learne by this example how worthy they be so to be serued plagued with their owne rod which before would take no part with their naturall king agaynst forreine power of whom now they are scourged To make the story more playne In the raygne of thys Henry the third who succeding as is said after king Iohn his father raygned sixe and fifty yeares came diuers Legates from Rome to Englande First Cardinall Otho sent from the Pope with letters to the king lyke as other letters also were sent to other places for exactions of money The king opening the letters and perceiuing the contentes aunswered that he alone coulde say nothing in the matter which concerned all the clergye and commons of the whole Realme Not long after a Councell was called at Westminster where the letters beyng opened the forme was this Petimus imprimis ab omnibus Ecclesijs Cathedralibus duas nobis praebendas exhiberi vnam de portione Episcopi alteram de capitulo Et similiter de Coenobijs vbi diuersae sunt portiones Abbatis conuentus a conuentibus quantum pertinet ad vnum Monachum aequali facta distributione honorum suorum ab Abbate tantundem That is We require to be geuen vnto vs first of all Cathedrall Churches two Prebendes one for the Byshops part one other for the Chapter And likewise of Monasteryes where be diuers portions one for the Abbot an other for the Couent Of y◠Couent so much as appertayneth to one Monke y◠portion of the goods beyng proportionly deuided Of the Abbot likewise as muche The cause why he required these prehendes was this It hath bene sayth he an old slaunder and a great complaynt agaynst the Church of Rome to be noted of insatiable couetousnes which as ye knowe is the roote of all mischiefe and al by reason that causes be wont commonly not to be handeled nor to proceed in the Church of Rome without great giftes and expense of mony Wherof seyng the pouerty of the Churche is the cause and why it is so slaundered and ill spoken of it is therefore conuenient that you as naturall children should succour your mother For vnlesse we should receaue of you and of other good men as you are we shoulde then lacke necessaryes for our lyfe whiche were a great dishonour to our dignitie c. When those petitions and causes of the Legate were propounded in the foresayde assembly at Westminster on the Popes behalfe the Bishops Prelates of the realme beyng present aunswere was made by the mouth of maister Iohn Bedford on this wise that the matter there proponed by the Lord Legate in especiall concerning the kyng of England but in generall it touched all the archbishops with their Suffraganes the Byshops and al the prelates of the realm Wherfore seing both the king by reason of his sickenes is absent and the Archbishop of Caunterbury with diuers other Bishops also were not there therefore in the absence of them they had nothing to say in the matter neyther could they so doe without preiudice of thē which were lacking And so the assembly for that tyme brake vp Not long after the sayd Otho Cardinall De carcere Tulliano comming agayne from Rome cum autentico plenariae potestatis indicted an other Councell at London caused all Prelates Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors and other of the clergy to be warned vnto the same Councell to be had in the Church of S. Paules at London about the feast of S. Martin the pretence of whiche Councell was for redresse of matters concerning benefices and religion but the chiefe principal was to hunt for money For putting them in feare and in hope some to lose some to obtein spirituall promotiōs at hys hand he thought gayn would rise thereby and so it did For in the meane time as Parisiensis in vita Henrici 3. writeth diuers pretious rewardes were offered him in Palfreis in rich plate and iewels in costly and sumptuous garments richly furred in coyne in vitals c. In so much that onely the bishop of Wintchester as the story reporteth hearing that he woulde winter at London sent him L. fat Oxen an C. come of pure wheat 8. tunne of chosen wine toward hys house keeping Likewise other byshops also for their part offred vnto the Cardinals boxe after their habilitie The time of the Councell drawing nye the Cardinall commanded at the West end of Paules Churche an high solēne throne to be prepared rising vp with a glorious scaffold vpon mighty and substantiall stages strongly builded and of a great height Thus agaynst y◠day assigned came the sayd archbishops Bishops Abbotes and other of the prelacy both farre and neare throughout al England weried and vexed with the winters iorny bringing their letters procuratory Who being together assembled the Cardinall beginneth his sermon But before we come to y◠sermon there happened a great discord betweene the 2. archbishops of Caunterbury and of Yorke for sitting at the right hand and left hand of the glorious Cardinal for the which the one appealed agaynst the other The Cardinall to pacifie the strife betwene thē both so that he would not derogate from eyther of them brought forth a certayne Bull of the Pope in the middest of which Bull was pictured the figure of the crosse On the right side of the crosse stoode the image of S. Paule and on the left side S. Peter Loe saith the Cardinall holding open the Bull with the crosse here you see S. Peter on the left hand of the crosse and S. Paul on the right side and yet is there betwene these two no cōtention For both are of equall glory And yet S. Peter for the prerogatiue of his keyes for the preheminence of his Apostleship and Cathedral dignitie seemeth most worthy to be placed on the right side But yet because S. Paul beleued on Christ when he saw him not therfore hath he the right hand of the Crosse for blessed be they sayth Christ which beleue and see not c. And from that tyme forth the Archbishop of Canterbury inioyed the right hand the archbishop of Yorke the left Wherein yet this Cardinall is more to be
sute and petition herein At Dominus Papa sayth Pariens qui rebellem Imperatorem super omnia aestuabat deijcere tantis promissionibus exhileratus trahitur ad consensum That is But the pope sayeth the author which boyled with desire aboue all measure to haue the Emperour his ennemie cast downe being cheared wyth so great promises graunted his consent to them who sitting then in his consistorie had these wordes as here followe There hath come a late to our intelligence the election of a certaine Monke named Walter to be Archb. of Cant. whereupon after that we hard and aduised as wel those things which the said Monke hath saide for himselfe and for his election as also on the contrary side the obiections exceptions of the bishops of England alleaging against him and against his election Namely of the bishop of Chester the bishop of Rochester and Iohn Archdeacon of Bedforde We vpon the same committed the examination touching the person of the man vnto our reuerende brethren Lorde Cardinall Albany L. Cardinall Thomas de Sabina and master Peter And when the foresaid elect comming before them was asked of them first concerning the Lordes descending into hel whether he descended in flesh or without his flesh he aunswered not well Item being asked touching the making of the body of Christ on the aultar he answered likewise not soundly Being asked moreouer howe Rachell wept for her children shee being deade before hee aunswered not well Item being asked concerning the sentence of excommunication denounced against the order of law he answered not well Againe being required of matrimonie if one of the maried parties be an infidel and do depart he answered therto not well Vpon these articles he was as is sayd diligently examined of the Cardinals to the which we say he aunswered not only not well but also very ill For so much therefore as the Church of Cant. is a noble churche and requireth a noble prelate a man discrete and modest and such as ought to be taken out of the bosome of the church of Rome and forasmuch as this new elect whom not onely here we pronounce to be vnworthy but also should say more of him if we would proceede with hym by the rigour of the law is so insufficient that he ought not to be admitted to such a roume we do vtterly infringe annihilate and euacuate his election alwaies referuing to our selues the prouision of the sayd church Haec ex Math. Paris ad verbum Thus the election of Walter being frustrate and dissolued the kings procurators bringing forth the letters of the king and of the suffraganes of the Church of Cant. presented the same vnto the pope for the ratification of Richarde Chancellor of Lincolne to be appoynted Archb. of Cant. whome they with great commendation of woordes did set forth to be a man of profound learning and knowledge of an honest coÌ„uersation which was greatest of al that he was a man much for the profite of the church of Rome as also for the realme of England And thus the saide Richard being commended to the Pope by the letters procuratorie of the king and of the bishops had the consent of the pope and of the Cardinals and so was made Bishop of Cant. before he was elected Whereupon the said pope Gregory in his behalfe directeth downe his letters to all and singular suffraganes of the church of Cant. declaring thus and beginning first with a lie that for so much as by the fulnes of ecclesiastical power the charge of pastorall office is committed to him in general vpon al churches he therefore for the sollicitude he beareth as wel to all other churches in generall as in speciall to the Metropolitan church of Cant. repudiating and disanulling the former election of Walter the Monke vpon iust causes hath prouided for that See a man as in all other good giftes perfect and excellent by the report of them that know him so for that function very fit and commodious and willeth and commaÌ„deth them and all other by his authority Apostolicall with all deuout reuerence to receiue him and humbly to obey him c. which was An. 1229. Ex Paris These things thus finished at Rome the pope not forgetting the sweete promises made of the English siluer which he so greedily gaped for omitting neither time nor diligence in all spedy wise sendeth to the king of England M. Stephen his own chaplein trusty Legate to require collect the foresaide tithes of all the moueable goods both of England Ireland and Wales which were promised to him before therew t to maintaine his warre against Fredericke the Emperor And to the intent he might inflame all christeÌ„ realmes wyth the like hatred which he bare against Frederike the Emperor sendeth also with the sayde Stephen special letters ful of manifold complaints and greuous accusations against the said Emperor whereof more Christ graunting shall be shewed hereafter Upon the comming of this Stephen the legate the king assembled all his erles and barons wyth the Archbishops byshops abbots priors templaries hospitalers parsons vicares and other such as held of him in capite to appear before him at Westminster to heare and to common of the matter In the assembly of whome the Popes patent letters were brought forth and red wherin he required the tenths of all the moueables in England Wales and Ireland as wel of the clergy as of the laitie to maintaine his expedition against the foresaid Frederike the Emperor The which expedition as he pretended to atchieue to take in hande for the cause of the vniuersall Church and happely had begon the matter already and for so much as the richesse of the Apostolicke See did not suffice for the accomplishing of so great an enterprise he therfore enforced by mere necessity did implore the aide and helpe of all the true obedient and natural chickens of the church of Rome least the members thereof together with the head should be subuerted These letters of the Pope to this effect being openly recited and explaned by the Popes chaplaine which hee with much more allegation and perswasion of words did amplifie to his vttermost the king sayth mine author in whoÌ„ al men did hope an helpe to their defence became then as a staffe of reede For as much as he had obliged himselfe to the same before for the election of his archb now could say nothing against it but held his peace The Earles Barons all the laitie vtterly refused so to bind their Baronies to the Church of Rome but the Bishoppes Abbots Priors wyth other Prelates of the Church first requiring space and respite to deliberate for 3. or 4. dayes at length for feare of the popes cursse although they durst not vtterly wythstande had brought to passe to haue concluded for a summe of money much lesse had not Stephen Segraue one of the kings counsailers â—raftily conuented
his indeuour leuieth an army and prepareth his furniture and other necessaries for the deliuerie of the Christians so mightely oppressed as ye heard by the Turke or Tartarians Who hearing of the comming of the Emperour left the straight way thorough Hungarie whyche they came returned by the riuer of Danubium to Taurica and so through the fennes of Meotida and by the riuer Tanaum into Sarmatia Asiatica When the Cardinals had nowe a long time protracted the creation of the Pope and would not agree vpon the same The Emperor put them in remembrance of their duty and blameth them for their disagreeing and exhorteth them to be more carefull for the christian common wealth His 2. Epistles touching this matter are extant Wherby appeareth that only for the care and desire of peace he had to the christian vnitie and state he did the same and for that peraduenture the cardinals refused to make peace with him before they had created a newe Pope The one for more breuitie I haue omitted and here the other inserted An Epistle Inuectiue of the Emperour vnto the Cardinals for that they cannot agree vpon the creation of the Pope VNto you I write Oh you children of Ephraim which euill haue bent your bowes and worse haue shot your arrowes filthely turning your backes in the day of battaile Vnto you I speake O you children of Belial and disperpled flock You insensible people and assistents of the great iudge Vnto you I wryte O you diseÌ„tious Cardinals who the world for your deserts doth hate for whose causes the whole world being at variance is euill spoken of Doubtlesse I cannot speake vnto you but to your detractatioÌ„ because I am worldly and you spiritual I am vnperfect wherfore I must do as the vnperfect worlde doth neither can the parte be dissonant to the whole nor I contrary to my selfe that wryteth Attend ye therfore my rude Epistle wanting the dignity of Rhetoricall stile My prouoked tounge brasteth foorth into wordes before my conceiuing spirit hath deliuered the same and so not attending to the higher regiment hath hastened to expres my words not fully conceiued or premeditate Thus I say troubled minde oftentimes doth beget vnordered talke and vntimely vttereth the same This therfore is that our heart hath conceiued that we beleeue and all men confesse that Iesus Christ the mediatour betweene God and man which came from heauen to make peace vpon the earth is not deuided and at variaunce being also the maister and Lorde of the Apostles But Sathan being deuided in himselfe that blustering prince is amongest you as those to whome he ministreth He euen he the perswader of discorde and dissention that mankiller father of lies and spirite of darkenesse that hath deuided your tonges and set dissention amongst your selues Neither ye doe good one to another nor yet to the world being by you in so perillous a state brought And the little shippe of Peter which is tossed vppon the sea by vehement windes you nothing regarde which shippe though it neede not in deede vtterly to feare drowning yet suffereth it by your negligence many great stormes and perillous tempests Doubtlesse if yee woulde diligently consider howe the nations and people whome ye were wont to iudge in scorne shake their heades at you euery one of you would be ashamed of an other And to say the truth they can not doe too much to detect your so detestable opporobrie for whilest euery one of you aspireth to the chaire euery one is at variance with his fellowe and whilest one of you cannot agree with another none is promoted whilest none is promoted the Cathedrall dignitie vanisheth And thus by your discorde the peaceable state and concorde of the Churche is confounded and the perfection of the faith and Religion whereby yee should liue perisheth And surely through your default it perisheth so that where as nature hath placed the sense and vnderstanding to be that partly like a monster remaineth with you both senselesse and headlesse And no maruell for why your hearing is impaired and that sounde of the mouth that shrilly was heard throughout the whole earth is vtterly dombe and become a scoffing Eccho For why the toundâ—ings of Peter and Paule are now no more heard the Preachers are become dumme dogges and are commaunded to silence Perhappes you haue handes readie to receiue but there be no bribes For why those that were wont to come from Saba and bring golde with them nowe come no more seeing the Lord is not in the maunger and the celestiall shining starre refusing to be their guide Moreouer yee want feete to walke withal for seeing there is no man to geue you ought you will not remoue one foote for any mans pleasure Fie shamelesse people the least and simplest beast may learne you obedience for the birdes haue their Captaine and the sillie Bee their King but you will come vnder no gouernment c. The Emperour yet after thys at the request of Galdwinus the Emperour of Constantinople who came to Fredericus to Parma released the Cardinals out of pryson thinking thereby not onely to gratifie the Emperour Baldwinus but also thinking that therby things would haue the better growne to publique tranquillitie on euery side When the Cardinals were all assembled at Auignia they made Simbaldus a Genues Pope whome by a contrary name for that he had determined as I suppose to be hurtfull to the common wealth they called Innocentius the 4. Of which election when Fredericke vnderstoode be was well pleased therewith And for that he had in all this troublous time bene his friend he well hoped that the Christian common wealth should by him haue ben brought to much peace and coÌ„cord Wherfore he sent both his legates and letters gratulatorie vnto him letting him to vnderstand howe wel it contented and pleased him that he was made Pope what peace quietnes therby he promiseth as it were to himselfe he maketh full relation thereof offring againe vnto him obseruaunce helpe and aide in all things commeÌ„ding his dignitie to the publique state and quietnesse of the christian common weale and Empire c. Hee also wrote hys letters to Otho Duke of Boioria who a little before was reconciled to the Emperor that he which was elected pope was a good man a louer of peace and studious as well for the tranquilitie of the christian coÌ„mon wealth as of the Empire The Legates of Fredericke also with the furtherance of Baldwinus the Emperor of Constantinople laboured very diligently for the conclusion of the promised peace And to be briefe euery man was in good hope and looked for no lesse But farre otherwise fell the matter out and contrary to al their expectations For the Pope set on and incouraged by the Cardinals and other against Frederick secretly and amongst themselues wrought contrary to that they openly pretended and not a little disappoynted both Fredericke and others of
perisheth in the Church of God for want of preachers all that shal be demaunded of them at the day of iudgement As Iacob confesseth to Laâ—an whose sheep he fedde Genesis 31 I did restore all thy losse and that which was stolne I made aunswere for I will demaund his bloud at thy handes Ezechiell 3. This is sayd to the Pastor or Prelate But if the other thinges which we haue spoken of before could not mooue the Prelates and Cardinals this at the least should mooue them Because that then the spirituall power which doth consist for the most part in the exercise of preaching in hearing confessions enioyning of penaunce shall be taken away froÌ„ them by litle little For by piece mele doth the wolfe dâ—nour the poore needy man 3. q. cap 1. when the authority Ecclesiasticall therfore shall be quite taken from them and disposed to other such as either by their order or Apostolicall grauÌ„t do challenge to haue the same Then doubtles shall neither the iurisdictioÌ„ of ciuile causes and pleadings nor any authority that such Prelates haue yet remaining neither yet the possessions of the temporall goodes of the Church any longer remayne amongest them Shall suche haue the temporall goods of the church which minister not the spirituall treasure thereof 1. Cor. 9. Know ye not that they which kill the sacrifice ought to eate of the sacrifice they that serue at the aultar are partakers of the aultar For as the body without the soule cannot stand so corporall thinges without spirituall things cannot continue 1. q. 1. if any shall take away the same Thus haue you had the 39 arguments for the which both he was coÌ„demned and his bookes burned In the dayes of this Guilielmus there was a most detestable and blasphemous booke set forth by the Friers mentioned also in Math. Parisiens which they called Euangelium aeternum or Euangelium spiritus sancti That is the euerlasting Gospell or the Gospell of the holy Ghost In which book many abhominable errors of the Friers were conteyned so that the Gospell of Iesus Christ was vtterly defaced which this booke sayd was not to be compared with this euerlasting Gospel no more then the shell is to be coÌ„pared with the carnell then darknes to light c. More ouer that the Gospell of Christ shal be preached no longer but fifty yeares and then this euerlasting Gospell should rule the Church c. Item yâ— whatsoeuer was in the whole Bible was in the saide Gospell contayned At length this Friers Gospell was accused to the Pope and so 6. persons chosen of the whole vniuersitye to peruse and iudge of the booke as Christianus Canonicus Baluacensis Odo de Doaco Nicholaus de Baro Ioannes de Sicca Vella Anglus Ioannes Belim Gallus Among whom this Guilielmus was one who mightely impugned this pestiferous and deuillish booke These 6. after the perusing of the booke were sent vp to Rome The Friers likewise sent their messengers withall where they were refuted and yâ— errors of the booke condemned but so that the Pope with the Cardinals commaunded the sayd booke to be abolished and condemned not publickly tendering the estimation of the religious orders as of his own most chiefe champions but that they should be burned in secret wise and the books of the foresayd â—uilielmus to be burnt with all Besides other his bookes 2. Sermons we haue of his yet remayning one vpon the Gospell of S. Luke of the Pharisy and the Publicane the other vpon the Epistle redde in the Church on May day where in the first he resembleth the Phariseis to our Monkes and that he proueth by all the properties of the Phariseis described in the Gospell The Publicane he resembleth to the Laity such as for because the sooner they are reduced to acknowledge their sinnes the more hope they haue of mercy The other because they stand confident in their own righteousnesse are therefore farther from their instification In the latter sermoÌ„ he setteth forth and declareth what perils and dauÌ„ders be like to fall vpon the Church by these religious orders of Monkes and Friers Among the other besides of that age which withstood the bishops of Rome his Antechristian errors was one LaureÌ„ce an Englishman and maister of Paris An other was Petrus Ioannes a Minorite Of whome the foresayde Laurence was about the yeare of our Lord. 1260. who in his teaching preaching writing did stoutly defeÌ„d yâ— part of the forsayd Guilielmus the rest of his side agaynst the Friers Against the which Friers he wrote 2. bookes One in the defence of William afore meÌ„tioned the other vpoÌ„ this argument and title To beware of false prophets c. Certayn other things also he wrote wherin by diuers proofes and testimonies he argued proued that Antichrist was not farre of to come The other Petrus Ioannes was about the yeare of our Lord. 1290. which taught and maintained many things agaynst the Pope prouing that he was Antichrist and that the sinagogue of Rome was great Babilon He wrot vpon Mathew vpon the Epistles and vpon the Apocalips Mention of this Petrus Ioannes is made in Nicholaus Emericus in Lib. Inquisitionum c. And sayth moreouer that Miâ—hael Cesenas of whoÌ„ Christ willing shall followe hereafter took of him a great part of his opinioÌ„s And because the pope could not burne him aliue after his death he caused his bones to be taken vp and burned To these and with these aboue specified is to be added Robertus Gallus who being borne of a right noble parentage for deuotion sake was made a Dominicke Frier about the same yeare of our Lord aboue touched an 1290 This man as appeareth by his writing had diuers and sundry visions whereof part is annexed with the visions and prophecy of Hildegardis His visions al tend against the spiritualty of Rome where in the fift chapter he calleth playnely the Pope an Idoll which hauing eyes seeth not neither lusteth to see the abhominatioÌ„s of his people nor the excessiue enormity of ther voluptuousnes But only to see to the heaping vp of his own treasure hauing a mouth speaketh not but sayth I hane set good men ouer them which is sufficieÌ„t for me to do them good either by my selfe or by some other And foloweth in the same chapter wo to that Idoll woe to the mighty and proud who shall be equall in all the earth to that Idoll He that exalted vp his name in earth saying who shall bring me vnder Is not my house compared with the mighty Potentates of the land I am higher then Dukes Knightes on their horsebacke do seruice vnto me That which my Fathers had not before me yâ— haue I done to me My house is strowed with siluer gold and pearle are the pauement of my palace c. Agayn in the 12. chapter and also in the first vnder the name of a SerpeÌ„t he paynteth out the Pope whom he
your letters or by any other indulgences to what persoÌ„ or persoÌ„s soeuer of what estate dignity or place soeuer vnder any maner or forme of words grauÌ„ted hereafter by the sea Apostolicke by the which indulgences the effect of the said prouision may be by any maner of waies hindered or deferred yet of our certayne knowledge we will that they shall want theyr strength in the prouision made or to be made for the sayd Frederick in the Church of Lincoln And if any vpon the premisses or any of them shall alleadge agaynst the foresayd Fredericke or his procurator That you will cause them to be cited on our behalfe so that they being cited peremtorily shal within the space of two monethes of your citation personally appere before vs there according to the law to make aunswere to the sayd Fredericke vpon the premisses Any priuiledges or indulgeÌ„ces what soeuer geuen and graunted either generally to the king dome of England or peculiarly to any other person of what state degree and place soeuer graunted by the foresaid sea vnder what soeuer maner forme of words for them not to be called vp beyond the sea or out of their owne City or Dioces by letters Apostolicall vnder whatsoeuer forme of wordes obtayned to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding All which priuiledges and indulgences we will in no case shall stand in any force or effect to the sayd partes Moreouer the day and forme of the citation we will that ye faythfully do intimate vnto vs by your letters containing the tenor therof And if both of you can not be present at the execution hereof yet we will notwithstaÌ„ding that one of you do execute the same without fayle Dated the 7. Kal. Febr. the 10. yeare of our Popedome As theâ—e is no maÌ„ which hath any eies to see but may â—asely vnderstand in reading this letter of the Pope how vnreasonable his request is how impudently he commauÌ„deth how proudly he threatneth how wickedly he oppresseth and racketh the Church of God in placing boyes and straungers in the ministery cure of soules also in making them his prouisors to rauen vp the Church goodes So is it no great maruell if this godly Bishoppe Robert Grosted was offended therwith who in my mind deserueth herein a double commendation not onely that he so wisely did discerne error from sincerity and truth but also that he was so hardy and constant to stand to the defence therof agaynst the Pope according as in this his answere to the Pope agayne may appeare as foloweth The aunswere of Robert Grosted SAlutem Pleaseth it your wisedome to vnderstand that I am not disobedient to any the Apostolicke precepts but both deuoutly reuerently with the natural affectioÌ„ of a sonne obey the same And also am an vtter enemy to al those that resist such Apostolick precepts as a childe zelous of his fathers honor And truly I am no lesse then bound therunto by the precept and coÌ„mauÌ„dement of God For the Apostolick preceptes are none other nor can be then consonant and vniforme to the doctrine of the Apostles and of our Sauiour Christ being the maister and Lorde of all the Apostles whose type and person specially in the consonant and vniforme hierarchie of the Church the Lord Pope semeth to beare the same our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe saying whosoeuer is not with me the same iâ— agaynst me Therefore agaynst him neither is nor can be the most diuine sanctitye of the sea Apostolicall The tenour then of â—our foresayd Apostolicall letter is not consonant to true sanctity but vtterly dissonaÌ„t and disagreeing to the same First for that vpon the clause of this your letter many such other letters like which clause alwayes ye so much do vrge Non obstante induced and brought in vpon no necessity of any naturall law to be obserued doth swarme and floweth with all inconstancy boldnes pertinacy impudency lying deceiuing and is also a sea of mistrust in geuing credit to no man Which as it swarmeth with these so in like maner with innumerable other vices which hang and depend vpon the same mouing and disturbing the purity of Christian religion and lyfe agreable to the same as also the publique tranquility of men Moreouer next after the sinne of Lucifer which shal be in the latter time to wit of Antichrist the childe of perdition whome the Lord shall destroy with the breath of his mouth there is not nor can be any kinde of sinne so repugnant and contrary to the doctrine of the Apostles â—nd holy scripture to our sauiour Christ himselfe more hatefull detestable and abhominable then to destroy and kill mens soules by defrauding them of the mistery of the pastorall office which by the ministery of the postorall cure ought to saue and quicken the same Which sinne by most euident places of the Scripture such men are discerned knowne to commit which being in the authority of the Pastorall dignity do serue their owne carnall desires and necessaries with the benefit of the milke and wooll of the sheep and flocke of Christ and do not minister the same Pastorall office and charge to the benefite and saluation of those theyr sheep The same therefore by the testimony of the Scripture is not the administration of the Pastorall ministery but the killing and destruction of the sheep And that these two kinde of vices be most vile and wicked although after a differryng sorte and farre exceeding all other kinde of wickednesse hereby it is manifest For that the same are directly contrary to two vertues most chiefely good although differring in themselues and vnlike together For that is called most wicked which is contrary to a thing most best So much then as lyeth in the offenders the one of their offences is directly agaynst the deity which of himselfe is alwayes essentially and supernaturally good The other is agaynst the deification and the Image of God in man which is not alwayes but by the participation of Gods lightsome grace essentially and naturally God And forasmuch as in thinges being good the cause of good is better then the effect like as againe in euill things the cause of euill is worse then the effect of euil proceeding therof hereby it is manifest That the inducers of such wicked destroyers of Gods Image and deification in the sheep of Christ that is the church of God are worse theÌ„ those chief destroiers to wit Lucifer Antichrist And as in these degrees of wickednes how much more excellent such be who hauing a great charge committed to them of God to edifâ—ication and not to destruction are more bound to keep away and exclude such wicked destroyers from the church of God So much is it also of that that this holy seat Apostolicall to whom the Lord Iesus Christ hath geuen all maner of power to edification as the Apostle sayth and not to destruction can commaund or will to goe about
successors But if thou haue geuen any we iudge the gift to be voyde and call backe how farre so euer thou hast gone forward And whosoeuer beleueth otherwise we iudge them heretickes Vnto this letter of the Pope king Phillip maketh answere agayn in maner order as followeth which is this ¶ Phillip by the grace of God King of Fraunce to Boniface not in deedes behauing himselfe for Pope little friendship or none TO Boniface bearing himselfe for chiefe Byshop little health or none Let thy follishnes know that in no temporall things we are subiect to no man and that the giftes of prebendes and many benefices made and to be made by vs were and shall be good both in time past and to come And that we will defend manfully the possessours of the sayd benefices and we thinke them that beleue or thinke otherwise fooles and mad men Geuen at Paris the Wednesday after Candlemas an 1301. After these aforesayd and other writinges passing to and fro betweene the French kyng and the pope within a yeare and a halfe after the king sommoneth a Parliament sending downe hys letters to his Sheriffes and other officers to summon the Prelates and Barons of the Realme vnto the sayd Court of Parliament according to the tenor of the kinges letters here following PHilip by the grace of God king of Fraunce c. Whereas we would take counsaile with the Prelates Barons and other our faythfull about weighty matters and hard and suche as belong greatly to our right and touching our honour state liberties and lawes of this our Realme Churches and Ecclesiasticall persons and would also go forward and proceede in the foresayd matters according to their counsayle We commaund you that ye dilligently in our behalfe require straightly charge all the Prelates in your baliwicke and also all and singuler Abbots and Priors of the same your foresayd baliwicke to certayne of the whiche we haue directed downe our special letters for the same cause that as they fauour our honour the good state both of the realme of théselues and of the Church they repayre to vs in their own persōs all lets and delayes set aside and all other busines left of Shewing to them moreouer that we can iudge none of them to be eyther to vs faythfull subiects or friendes to the Realme which shall faile herein or withdraw himselfe in the foresayd busines counsayles and helpes in tyme. Wherin if peraduenture any shall slack or refuse to resort and come toward vs within 8. dayes frō the tyme of this charge geuen by you or your commaundement That then you to seise all hys temporall goodes into our hand so seised to holde them vntill you receiue other commaundement from vs. Geuen at Paris the Monday before the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist in the yeare of our Lord. 1303. ¶ A declaration of maister William Nagareta made against Pope Boniface the eight with his appellation also made at Paris afore the kyng and his Counsaile in the Church of Paris IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of our Lorde 1303. Indictione secunda the 12. day of March and the ix yeare of the Popedome of the most holy father the L. Boniface the 8. by Gods prouidence pope and in the presence of vs common notaries and witnesses written vnder the noble man maister William Nagareta knight a worshipfull professour of the lawes standing afore the most excellent Prince the Lord Philip by the grace of God most noble king of Fraunce spake with liuely words and gaue in writinges these thinges that follow There haue bene false Prophetes among the people as there haue bene also among you false teachers c. S. Peter the glorious prince of the Apostles speaking to vs by the spirite tolde vs thinges to come that likewise as there were false Prophetes afore tyme so there should come among you false teachers bringing in sectes of destruction by the which the way of trueth shall be defaced and couetously they shall make marchandise of you with fayned wordes and further addeth that such maisters did follow the way of Balaam of Bosor whiche loued the reward of wickednes and had hys bridled Asse to correct hys madnes whiche speaking in a mans voyce did stop the foolishnes of the Prophet All which thinges as they be shewed to vs by the greatest Patriarch himself Your eyes see them fulfilled this day according to the letter For there fitteth in S Peters Chaire the mayster of lyes causing himselfe to be called Boniface 1. a well doer where he is notable in all kinde of euill doyng And so both he hath taken to himselfe a false name and where he is not a true ruler and maister he calleth himselfe the Lord Iudge and mayster of all men And comming in contrary to the common order appoynted by the holy fathers and also contrary to the rules of reason and so not entring in at the doore into the Lordes shepefold is not a shepheard nor hierling but rather a theefe robber For he the true husbād of the Romish church yet liuing deceiued him that was delighted in simplicitie entised him with fayned flatterings gifts to let him haue his spouse to be his wife let no man separate at length laying violent handes vppon hym perswading him falsely that thing which the deceiuer sayd to come from the holy spirite was not ashamed to ioyne to himselfe with wicked practise that holye Church which is maistresse of all Churches calling hymselfe to her husband where as he cannot be for Celestinus the true Romish Byshop agreed not to the said deuorce being deceiued by so great subtiltie nothing is so contrary to agreeing as errour and deceit as mans lawes beare witnes that I neede not to speake of his violence But because the spirite inspireth where he will and he that is led with the spirite is not vnder the lawe the holy vniuersall Church of God not knowing the craftes of that deceiuer stumbling and doubting whether it came from the holy ghost that Celestinus should leaue of his gouernment and the sinnes of the people deseruing it for feare of a schisme suffered the foresaid deceauer although according to the doctrine of our Lord by hys fruites he might be knowne whether he came to the say'd regiment by the holy ghost or otherwise his fruites as it is playnely here written beneath are now manifest to all men by which it is apparaunt to the worlde that he came not in by God but otherwayes and so came not in by the sheepefould His fruites are most wicked and hys ende is death and therefore it is necessary that so euill a tree according to the Lordes saying should be cut downe and cast into the fire This cānot auaile to his excuse which is said of some men that is that the Cardinals did agree vpon him agayn after the death of the sayd Celestinus the pope seing he could not be her husband whom
it is manifest that he defiled by adultery her first husband yet liuing she beyng worthy to haue the promise of mariage kept vnto her Therefore because that whiche is done agaynst the Lord turneth to the wrong of all men and specially in so great a mischiefe by reason of the consequence by which she is iudged of the people both a woman adultres or defamed I like a bridle Asse by the power of the Lord and not by the voyce of a perfect mā being not able to bear so great a burdé take in hand to rebuke the madnes of the sayd false Prophet Balaam whiche at the instaunce of kyng Balaac 1. of the Prince of deuils whom he serueth and ready to cursie the people blessed of the Lord I beseeche you most excellent Prince and Lord Phillip by the grace of God king of Fraunce that like as the Aungell of God in tyme past mette in the way with a sword drawne the prophet Balaam goyng to curse Gods people so you whiche are vnwilling to execute iustice and therefore like the Aungell of the Lorde and minister of power and office woulde meete with a naked sworde this sayde wicked man whiche is farre worse then Balaam that he performe not that euill whiche he intendeth to the people First I propound that the foresayd man that nameth himselfe Boniface is no Pope but wrongfully keepeth the fear which he hath in deede to the great damage of all the soules of Gods holy Church I say also that his entring was many waies faulty and he entred not in at the doore but otherwaies and therfore is to be iudged a theefe a robber 2. I propound also that the sayde Boniface is a manifest hereticke and vtterly cut off from the body of the holy Church because of many kindes of heresies whiche are to be declared in conuenient tyme and place 3. I propound also that the sayde Boniface is an horrible simoniacall such a one as hath not bin sithens the beginning of the world and the mischiefe of this sinne in him is so notorious to all the world whiche thing is manifest to all that will playnly vnderstand in so much that he beyng openly slaūdered said openly that he could not commit simony 4. I propound also that the sayd Boniface being wrapt in infinite manifest haynous sinnes is so hardened in thē that he is vtterly not possible to be corrected and lying in doungeon of mischiefe so deepe that he may not be suffered any longer without the ouerthrow of the state of the church His mouth is full of cursing his feete and steps are swift to shed bloud He vtterly teareth in peeces the Churches which he ought to cherishe wasting wickedly the goodes of the poore making much of wicked men that geue hym rewardes persecuting the righteous and among the people not gathering but scattering bringing in new sectes of destruction that haue not bene heard of Blaspheming the way of truth and by robbery thinking himselfe equall to that Lord Iesus Christ which is blessed for euer And he beyng most couetous thirsteth for gold couereth gold by some deuise getteth gold of euery people vtterly not regardig the worshipping of God with sayned wordes sometimes by flattering sometimes by threatning sometime by false teaching and all to get mony withall he maketh marchādise of vs all enuying all thinges but hys owne louing no man nourishing warre persecuting hating the peace of his subiectes He is rooted in all vnspeakeable sinnes contrarying and striuing against all the wayes doctrines of the Lord. He is truly the abhomination of the people which Daniel the Lordes Prophet described Therfore I answere that lawes weapons and all the elemēts ought to rise against him which thus ouerthroweth the state of the Church for whose sinnes God plagueth the whole world And finally nothing remaineth to hym being so vnsatiable to satisfie him wtall but onely the vnsatiable mouth of hell and the fire that cannot be quenched continuing for euer Therfore seing that in a generall coūcel it so becommeth and I see this wicked man to be damned which offendeth both God and al men I aske and require as instantly as I can and beseech you my Lord and King aforesaid that ye would declare to the prelates doctours people princes your brethren in Christ chiefly to the Cardinals and all Prelates and call a Councell In the which when this foresaid wicked man is condemned by the worshipfull Cardinals the church may be prouided of a shephearde for that Councell I offer my selfe ready lawfully to pursue the foresaide things And where as the saide man being in highest dignity in the meane time cannot be suspended of hys superiour therefore he ought to be taken suspended in deede for the things aforesaid seing his state is called into iudgement by the meanes aforesaid I beseech and require the said Cardinals by you and I presently require them the church of God that this wicked man being put in prison the Church of Rome may be prouided of a Vicar which may minister those things that shall appertaine vntil the Church of God be prouided of a bishop vtterly to take away all occasion of a schisme And least the saide wicked man should let and hinder the prosecuting therof I require these things of you my Lord king aforesaid affirming you to be bounde to doe this for many causes First for faithes sake Secondly for your kingly dignitie to whose office it belongeth to roote out such wicked men Thirdly for your oth sake which ye made for the defence of the Churches of your Realme which the foresaid rauener vtterly teareth in peeces Fourthly because ye be the patron of the Churches therfore ye are not bound onely to the defence of them but to the calling for againe of their goodes which the foresaide man hath wasted Fiftly ye following the footesteps of your auncetors ought to deliuer your mother the Romish church from so wicked a hand wherein by oppression shee is tied bound I require that a publike instrument may be made of these requestes by the notaries here present vnder the witnes of the worshipfull men that be here present These things were done and spoken as is aforesayd at Paris in the Kings hous◠of Lupara After this protestation of master Nagareta immediatly insued the appeale of the king pronoūced and published against the sayd Boniface in forme as foloweth The appeale made by the king and the louers of the Realme against Boniface IN the name of God Amen In the yeare of our Lorde 1303 Indictione prima 13. day of Iune and the 9 yeare of the Popedom of Boniface Pope the 8. By the tenour of this publique instrumēt be it vnto all men knowen that the most noble prince and Lorde Philip by the grace of God king of Fraunce the famous and reuerend fathers in Christ Archbishops Bishops religious men Abbots and Priors here vndernamed in
honour of him and the realme and sayde that hee was certaine that it was knowen to the whole worlde and that hee did maintaine in this matter a iust cause as hee had learned by the agreeable sentence of doctours in Diuinitie and maisters of both Lawes that were borne within his Realme and others which among the Doctors and cunning men of the world were counted of the learned sort and more famous Therefore he required vs all and euery one both Prelates and Barons and other earnestly as our Lord he prayed and gently begged as a friend to consult and take diligent paine that he might ordeine wholsome things both for the keeping of their olde libertie the honour and state of the realme and of the inhabitants therof for the easing of the griefes aforesaid for redressing of the realme and the French Church by our counsaile and his Barons to the praise of Gods name the encrease of the Catholike faith the honour of the vniuersall church and promoting of Gods religion specially seing such griefs were done by his officers others of the Realme to the Churches and churchmen for the which hee purposed a remedy of wholesome correction afore the comming of the foresaid Cardinall would nowe haue put it in execution effectually but that hee might be thought to haue done that for feare or at your commandement which thing ye cannot ascribe to your self Furthermore he wold spend not onely his goodes but also his realme yea his children if the case required and therfore we should regard to be ready with counsell and helpe in season as we are bounde by the duety of fidelitie in these things wherein it is manifest that as all and euery mannes case is handled generally and particularly their cause is promoted and euery mannes owne interest is touched And then hee demaunded by and by to be answered plainely and finally in these things of all and euery one Then the Barons sitting aside with the officers and Proctors aforesaid at the length after they had taken counsell comming to our foresaid Lord the king and praising greatly and hartely thanking him for his laudable purpose and good will answered wyth one voice that for those things they were ready not only to spēd their goods but offered the same goods riches also their persons to death and not to flee any kinde of torment And sayd further with one voice that if our foresaid Lord the king woulde as God forbid suffer or els willingly passe ouer those they thēselues would in no case suffer it Then when answere was asked of vs afterward although we desired longer respite of deliberatiō of the king himself our Lord and of the greatest of the forsayd Barons and that for this intent that in the meane while the Popes letters might haue comen to our Lord the king we answered that we would not offend against the libertie of the realme or by some meanes to innouate thinges contrary to the kings honour in this behalfe We went about also to informe him with many godly words with earnest persuasions and with many kindes of helpe and by sundry wayes to bring him to keepe the speciall bande of vnitie which is knowen to haue continued to these present dayes betwixt the holy Romish church and his predecessours But when we were denied any longer delay and it was plainely and openly tolde to all men that if any man were of a contrary minde from thenceforth he should be manifestly counted for an enemie of the king the realme We considering warely seeing plainely that except our lord the king and the Barons aforesaide were content with our aunswere beside other dangers great offences wherof there could neither be number nor end and that the deuotion both of the Romish and French church and also the whole obedience of the laitie and all the people from thence foorth should be taken away without recouerie not without great feare doubt we thought good to aunswer thus That we would helpe our Lorde the king with due counsaile and conuenient helpe for the preseruing of his person and of his earthly honour and the liberty and lawes of the sayd realme like as we were certaine of vs by the duetie of allegiaunce bound to him which hold of him Dukedomes Earledomes Baronies fees and other noble partes of the saide Realme by the fourme of the othe as all other doe yet wee made humble sute to the same our Lord the king that seeing we were bound to obey the Popes holinesse and your holy feete he would suffer vs to go according to the tenour of your foresaid calling Then on the Kings and Barons behalfe followeth aunswere that in no case they would suffer vs to go out of the Realme and that by no meanes they woulde beare to be handled so daungerously yea rather to be altogether wasted Then we considering so great an anger trouble so ieopardous so great that none could be greater both of the King the Barons other lay people of the realme now knowing plainely that the olde enemie of peace which goeth about from the beginning of his fall with sowing of Darnel to breake the vnitie of the Church by troubling of peace would breake charitie and infect the sweetnesse of good workes with the poyson of bitter enuie and would ouerthrow mankinde vtterly and woulde trouble with wickednesse the band of louely vnitie singular frendship which hitherto haue had a happie encrease betwixt the Romish Church and our Lorde the King and his predecessours and the realme to the praise of the highest God the encrease of Christian faith and the setting foorth the honour of the Church of the king and the realme But nowe alas a dore was open to the lamentable breaking and pitifull separating of great offences to rise on euery side dangers are attempted against Churches and Church-men to spoyle their goods and richesse with ieoperdie of life seeing that the laitie nowe doe abhorre and vtterly flee the obedience of clearkes vtterly banishing them from their counsails and doings and haue taken courage to condemne the Ecclesiasticall censure and processe All which ieoperdies with other sundry and diuers daungers which neither toung is able to tell nor wryting can declare wee seeing at hand◠thought good in this poynt of greatest necessity to run with weping voyce lamentable sighes to the circumspect wisdome of your holinesse Beseeching your fatherly mildenes and humbly praying you that some wholesome remedy may be prouided in the premisses By which the sounde profitable agreement and mutuall loue which hath continued so long time betwixt the church the king and the realme myght be maintained in that olde sweete concord the state of the Frenche church might continue in godly and quiet peace that ye woulde vouchsafe to foresee how to withstand the daungers and offences aforesaid that we and our states may be prouided for by the foresaid commaundement of your calling by the studie of your Apostolicall
38. Item the foresayd Officials call by Citation afore thē the honest wedded aswell man as woman charging thē that they haue committed adultery to the perpetuall infamy of theyr husbands and wiues And for nothing els but by extortion to wring mony from them 39. Item mention must be made of the multitude number of Proctors which eate and deuoure vp all the world with their citations catching vp clientes and keeping abroad in the countryes courts and Assises who for mony returne not the citations which by extortion they receiue of them which are cited 40. Item there be many other griefes and enormityes which the Chapiters Abbotes Priors Prouostes and other ecclesiasticall persons in the Realme of Fraunce practise agaynst the people As whē they cause to be cited before them many of the kinges burgesies other in diuers places being priuiledged that is to say Baiocēses Manmectans in Britaine Lugdons Masticous with other more But specially the Prouos of hospitals vse more cōmonly this trick then any other do wherby the people is much endamaged and wil be euery day more and more if remedy be not had therein 41. Item ecclesiasticall magistrates labor to haue cognition of causes of iniury in whatsoeuer cause it be whether the iniury be committed by word or fact Likewise they take vpon them to heare the causes of maried clerkes and of their wiues although they both vse marchaundise And if at any time such couples be taken by the secular Magistrates the Officiall causeth a suspension to be denounced in that Parish by force of the councell Siluanecten 42. Item they chalenge to haue cognition concerning widowes goods both moueable and vnmoueable And if it happeneth at any time that a Marchaunt widow in any the kings peculiars by way of rest procureth any temporall man to be conuented before the secular iudge and the matter so farre trauised that he should haue bene condemned by the sentence of the secular iudge then come to the eare of the ecclesiasticall magistrates how before whom the widow did conuēt him The sayd temporal iudge shal be constrayned to withdraw the same And by their monitions and censures to correct the same and this oftē times happeneth 43. Item many of the tenaunts inhabitours of the Bishops landes calleth one an other to the court of the Officials by a kinde of appellation By vertue wherof the Officials take vpon them to proceede in the same and to haue cognition thereof to the preiudice of the temporall iurisdiction of our soueraigne Lord the king 44. Item if any man be apprehended by secular iustice in shedding of bloud by thē if he be Lay he is to be ordered If he be a Clerke he is to be restored to the Ecclesiasticall iudge But whether he be a temporall man or clerke that is so takē and appealeth to the Officials court They will be so bold to haue cognition therof requiring herewith amends of the secular court which enterprised the foresayd apprehension If this be suffered the malefactor shal neuer be punished For by and by they will appeale and immediatly after the appellation flye and auoyde away 45. Item when they cause many of Office to be cited before them they will admit them to haue no Proctors To whom when they come at the day of appearance they obiect the crime of vsury And except they answer as the promotors wil thēselues they are trodē vnder feet although they be mere lay and shall not be dismissed before they fine euen as the Officials list themselues although they be no vsurers But if any be vsurers they take of them satisfaction and bribes and so be permitted to vse their vsury no lesse then before So that they may haue their olde fees and bribes 46. Item they procure theyr officers to apprehend clerks in whatsoeuer soile they be foūd albeit by iustice they may appeal therefro But if by any they be let of their will here in they do forthwith by sentence of excommunicatiō cause them to desist therfore 47. Item as often times as any temporall Magistrate doth apprehēd any person which afterward being required of the clergy is quietly deliuered vnto them yet for all that the Officials causeth those Magistrats to be denoūced excommunicate by law 48. Item the Prelates geue order of Tonsures aswell to men of 30. yeares as vpward as also to maried men whē they come vnto them for feare of imprisonment punishment due vnto them for their criminal offences before cōmitted And this is often times put in practise 49. Item if it happen any of the kings seruants or any other to be excommunicate would fayne be absolued being glad to pay reasonably for the same The Clergy will not receiue but such satisfaction as shall please thē wherby many of them remayne still excommunicate 50. Item when two persons haue bene at strife and law together for the possessiō of land and the matter contentious be put into the handes of the king by some seruant or officer of the king for the taking vp of the matter then do the Prelates admonish the one part not to trouble the other which is in possession Otherwise if he do they do excommunicate him 51. Item the foresayd Prelates Deanes Chaplens and other the rout of the Clergy putteth the kinges officers to so much trauaile and expenses in trying out the kinges vsurped iurisdictiō as they terme it that often times many of them spend and consume in the trauaell of the right and title thereof all that they haue and more to 52. Item if any secular iusticer in a true and iust cause at the request of the party putteth in his helping hand cōcerning the inheritaunce of Clerkes the Ecclesiasticall Iudges and their Ministers sendeth out monitiōs in writing agaynst the sayd Iusticer yea vnder payne of excōmunication forfeiture to take away his hand and leaue of Enioyning him further to suffer the other party quietly to enioy the sayd things Otherwise they denounce him excommunicate shall not be absolued before he haue well paid for it euen as pleaseth maister Officiall to the high preiudice of the authority of our soueraigne Lord the king 53. Item the Ecclesiasticall magistrates so soone as they heare any rich or fat Cob to dye or thinke that he will not liue long send out forthwith letters vnder seale to theyr chaplain commaūding him in any wise not to presume to bury him although he made his Testament and receiued the rites of the Church And when afterward the frendes and kinsfolkes of the dead resort vnto them to know the cause of their inhibition they declare vnto thē that he was an vsurer and that he kept not the commaundementes of holy Church And so long keep they the corpes of the dead vnburyed while the frendes of him buy it out with good store of mony heaping hording by these meanes aboūdance of riches 54. Item if there be any
thee out of thy clothes All thy fayre and beautifull iuels shall they take from thee and so let thee sit naked and bare c. Here is playnely to be seene what shall happen to the church and followeth more in the sayd chapter Thine eldest sister is Samaria she and her daughters vpon thy left hand But the yongest sister that dwelleth on thy right hand is Sodoma with her daughters whose sinnes were these pride fulnesse of meate aboundāce and idlenesse neither retched they theyr hand to the poore And yet neither Sodoma thy sister with her daughters hath done so euill as thou and thy daughters Neither hath Sumaria that is the Sinagoge done half of thy sinnes yea thou hast exceeded them in wickednesse Take therefore and beare thine owne confusion c. Agayne in the 23. chapter of Ezechiel After the Prophet had described at large the wickednesse corruption and punishment of the Sinagoge turning to the Church sayth And when her sister saw this the raged and was madde with lust loue of riches and folowing voluptuousnes Her fornication and whoredome she committed with Princes and great Lordes clothed with all maner of gorgeous apparell so that her puppes were brused and her brestes were marred And then speaking of her punishment sayth Then my hart forsooke her like as my hart was gone from her sister also And moreouer repeating againe the cause therof addeth Thy wickednesse and thy fornications hath wrought thee all this c. The like we finde also in Esay Ieremy Ezechiel and in all the other Prophetes who prophesying all together in one meaning and almost in one maner of wordes Do conclude with a full agreement and prophecye to come that the Church shall fall and then bee punished for her great excesses and to bee vtterly spoiled except she repent of all her abhominations Whereof speaketh Oseas chap. 2. Let her put away her whoredome out of her sight and her aduoutry from her brestes least I strip her naked and set her euen as she came naked into the world that is in her primitiue pouerty So if she do not it it shal folow of her as in the prophet Nahum chap. 3. For the multitude of the fornication of the fayre and beautifull harlotte which is a maister of witchcraft yea and selleth the people through her whoredome and the nations through her witchcraft And followeth vpon the same Behold I will vpon thee sayth the Lord of hostes and will pull thy clothes ouer thy head that thy nakednes shall appeare among the heathen and thy shame among the kingdomes c. Wherefore by these it is to be vnderstand that vpon this Church the primitiue iustice of God is to be reuealed hereafter And thus much of the first of the foure members aboue fore touched Now to the second member of my theame Iuxta est concerning the nearenesse of time Although it is not for vs to knowe the momēts and articles of time yet by certaine notes and signes peraduenture it may be collected and gathered that whiche I haue here to say For the tractation whereof first I grounde my selfe vpon the saying of the Apostle Paule 2. Thessal 2. where he writeth That vnlesse there come a defection first c. By the whiche defection Ierome vltima quaest ad inquisitiones Ianuarij gathereth and expoundeth allegoricallye the desolation of the monarchy of Rome Betweene the which desolation and the persecution of the Church by Antechrist he putteth no meane space And now what is the state of that common wealth if it be compared to the maiesty of that it hath bene iudge your selues An other glose there is that sayth how by that defection is ment that from the Church of Rome shall come a departing of some other Churches The second note and marke is this when the Church shal be worse in maners then was the Sinagoge as appeareth by the ordinary glose vpon the 3. of Ieremy where it is written The backslider Israell may seeme iust and righteous in comparison of sinfull Iuda That is the Sinagoge in comparison of the Churche of God Whereof writeth Origenes saying Thinke that to be spokē of vs what the Lord sayth in Ezech. 16. Thou hast exceeded thy sister in thine iniquities Wherefore now to compare the one with the other First ye know how Christ rebuked the Phariseis who as Ierome witnesseth were then the Clergye of the Iewes of couetousnesse for that they suffered doues to be solde in the temple of God Secondly for that they did honor God with their lips and not with theyr mouth because they sayd but dyd not Thirdly he rebuked them for that they were hypocrites To the first then let vs see whether it be worse to sell both Church Sacramentes then to suffer doues to be solde in the Temple or not The second where as the phariseis were rebuked for honouring to God with their lips and not with hart there be some which neither honor God with hart nor yet with lips And which neyther do well nor yet say well neither do they preach any word at all but be domb dogs not able to barke impudent and shameles dogs that neuer haue enough such pastors as haue no vnderstanding declining straying all in their owne way euery one geuē to couetousnes from the highest to the lowest And thirdly as for hipocrisy there be also some whose intollerable pride malice is so manifest and notorious kindled vp like a fire that no cloake or shadow of hypocrisy can couer it but are so past all shame that it may be well verified of them which the Prophet speaketh Thou hast gottē thee the face of an Harlot thou wouldest not blush c. The 3. signe and token of tribulation approching neare to the Church may well be taken of the to much vnequall proportion seene this day in the church Where one is hungry and statueth another is dronke By reason of which so great inequality it cannot be that the state of the Church as it is now can long endure For like as in good harmony to make the musick perfect is required a moderate and proportion at equality of voyces which if it do much exceed it taketh away all the sweet melody So according to the sentence of the Philosopher by to much immoderate inequality or dispariety of citizens the cōmon wealth falleth to ruine Cōtrary where mediocrity that is where a mean inequality with some proportion is kept that pollicy standeth firme more sure to continue Now among al the politicke regiments of the gentlle I thinke none more is to be found in histories wherin is to be seene so great and exceeding oddes then in the pollicye of Priestes Of whom some be so high that they exceed all Princes of the earth some agayne be so base that they are vnder all rascals so that such a pollicy or common wealth may well be called
semeth to haue no remedy but that as other thinges other kingdomes haue theyr endes and limittes set vnto them which they cannot ouerpasse 80 it must needes be that such a domination gouernment of the Church haue an end by reason of the demerites and obstinacyes of the gouernors prouoking and requiring the same like as we reade in the Prophet Ieremy cap. 8. There is no man that taketh repentaunce for his sinne that will so much as say wherefore haue I done this But euery man runneth forth still like a wilde horse in a battell And the Prophet Ieremy in the 13. chapter of his prophecy Like as the man of Inde may chaunge his skinne and the Cat of mountayne her spottes so may ye that be exercised in euill doe good Whereunto also accordeth that which is written of the same Prophet chap. 17. speaking of Iuda signifying the Church The sinne of Iuda sayth he is written in the table of your hartes and grauen so vpoÌ„ the edges of your altars with a penne of Iron and with an Adamant claw which is as much to say as indelible or which cannot be raced out as also Ezechiell speaking of the punishment chapter 21. sayth I the Lord haue drawne out my sword out of the sheath and cannot be reuoked Notwithstanding all these signifye no impossibility but difficulty because that wicked men are hardly conuerted for otherwise the Scripture importeth no such inflexibilitye with God but if conuersion come he will forgeue So we read in the Prophet Ionas cap. 3. Who can tell God may turne and repent and cease from his fierce wrath that we perish not And to the like effect sayth the same Lord in Ieremy cap 26 Looke thou keepe not one word backe if peraduenture they will harken and turne euery man from his wicked way that I also may repent of of the plague which I haue determined to bring vpon them because of their wicked inuentioÌ„s c. For the further proofe wherof Niniuy we see conuerted and remayned vndestroyd c. Likewise the Lorde also had reuealed destruction vnto Constantinople by sundry signes and tokens as Augustine in a certayne Sermon doth declare And thus for the third part or member of my deuision Fourthly and lastly remayneth to declare some wholesome concluding now vpon the causes preceding That is if by these causes and signes heretofore declared tribulation be prepared to fall vpon the Church then let vs humble our mindes mildely and wisely And if we so returne with hart and in deed vnto God verely he shall rescue and helpe after an inestimable wise and will surcease from scourging vs as he promiseth by his Prophet Ieremy 18. If that people agaynst whom I haue thus deuised coÌ„uert from their wickednesse immediately I will repent of the plague that I deuised to bring vpon them speaking here after the maner of men c. Now therefore for so much as tribulation and affliction is so neare comming toward vs yea lyeth vpon vs alreadye let vs be the more diligent to call vpon God for mercy For I thinke verely these many yeares â—here hath not hene so many and so despightfull hartes and euill willers stout and of such a rebellious hart aganst the Church of God as be now adayes neither be they lacking that would worke all that they can agaynst it and louers of new fanglenes whose hartes the Lord happelye will turne that they shall not hate his people and worke deceipte agaynst his seruauntes I meane agaynst Priestes whom they haue now in little or no reputation at all Albeit many yet there bee through Gods grace good and Godly But yet the furye of the Lord is not turned away but still his hand is stretched out And vnlesse ye be conuerted he shaketh his sworde he hath bent his bowe and prepared it readye Yet the Lorde standeth wayting that he may haue mercy vpon you Esay 30. And therefore as the greatnesse of feare ought to incite vs so hope of saluation may allure vs to pray and call vpon the Lord especially now toward this holy and sacrat time and solemnity of Christes natiuity For that holy and continuall prayer without intermission is profitable and the instant deuotion and vigilant deprecation of the iust man is of great force And if terreine kinges in the day of celebration of their natiuity be wont to shew themselnes more liberall and bounteous how much more ought we to hope wel that the heauenly king of nature most benigne now at his natall and byrth day will not denye pardon and remission to such as rightly call vnto him And now therefore as it is written in Iosue chap. 7. Be you sanctified agaynst to morow c. And saw vnto him as it is written in the first booke of Kinges chap. 25. Now let thy seruaunts I pray thee finde fauour in thy sight for we come to thee in a good season Moreouer ye may finde that ye aske if that ye aske that which he brought in the day of his Natiuity that is the peace of the Church not spirituall onely but also temporall which the angelicall noyse did sounde and experience the same time dyd proue testifyed by T. Liuius Plinius and other heathen storywriwriters which all maruelled thereat saying that such an vniuersal peace as that â—ould not come on earth but by the gift of God For so God did forepromise in the Prophet Esay chap. 66. Behold I will let peace into Ierusalem like a waterfloud c. And in the Psalme 71. In his time righteousnesse shal florish yea and aboundance of peace c. Therefore now O reuerend fathers in the Lord you here in this present assembly behold I say the day of life and saluatioÌ„ Now is the oportune time to pray vnto god that the same thing which he brought into the world at his byrth he will graunt in these dayes to his Church that is his peace And like as Niniuye was subuerted ouerturned and not in members but in maners so the same wordes of my theame Iuxta est iustitia mea vt reueletur may be verified in vs not of the primitiue iustice but of our sanctification by grace so that As to morow is celebrated the natiuity of our Sauiour our righteousnesse may rise together with him and his blessing may be vpon vs which God hath promised saying My sauing health is neare at hand to come c. Whereof speaketh Esay the Prophet chapte 51. My sauing health shall endure foreuer c. This health graunt vnto vs the Father Sonne and holy Ghost Amen This SermoÌ„ was made by maister Nicholas Orem before Pope Urbane and his Cardinals vpon the eueÌ„ of the Natiuity of the Lord being the fourth Sonday of Aduent in the yeare of our Lord 1364. and the second of hys Hopedome In the 5. yere of this forenamed Pope Urbane began first the order of the Iesuites And
or otherwise considering so great a porcion of the reuenewes of his realme was by this meanes conueyed awaye and employed either to the reliefe of his enemies or mayntenaunce of the forreners Amongst whiche number the Cardinals of the courte of Rome lacked not their share As may appeare by this which followeth The Lord Fraunces of the title of S. Sabyne Priest and Cardinall of the holy Church of Rome doth hold and enioy the Deanry of the Cathedrall Church of Lichfield whiche is worth in the iurisdiction of Lichfield fiue hundreth marks by the yeare And the Prebend of Brewood the personage of Adbaston to the same Deanry annexed which prebend is worth by the yeare foure score marks and the personage twenty pound which deanry with the prebendes personage aforesayd hee hath holden and occupyed by the space of 3. yeres And one maister de in gris a straÌ„ger as proctor to the saide Cardinall doth hold and occupy the same Deanry with other the premisses with thappurtenances by name of Proctor during the yeares aforesayd and hath taken vp the fruites and profites to the sayd Cardinall dwelling not in the Realme L. William Cardinall of S. Angelo a straunger doth holde the Archdeaconrye of Suff. by vertue of prouision Apostolicall from the feast of S. Nicholas last past he is not resident vppon his sayd Archdeaconry And the sayd Archd. together with the procuratioÌ„s due by reason of the visitation is worth by yeare Lxvi li.xiii.s.iiii.d And maister Iohn of Helinington c. doth occupy the seale of thosficiall of the said Archdeaconry c. L. Reinnald of S Adriane Deacon Cardinall hath in the said County the personadge of Godalmonge worth by yeare xl pound and one Edward Teweste doth ferme the sayd personadge for ix yeares past The L. Anglicus of the holy Church of Rome prieste and Cardinall a straunger was incumbent did holde in possession the Deanry of the Cathedrall Churche of Yorke from the 11. day of Nouember Anno. Dom. 11366. and is yearely worth according to the true valor thereof iiij C.li. and maister Iohn of Stoke Canon of the sayd Churche doth occupy the said Deanry and the profites of the same in the name or by the authoritie of the sayd L. Deane c. But the said Deane was neuer resident vppon the sayd Deanry since he was admitted thereunto Item L. Hewgh of our Lady in Deacon and Cardinall a straunger doth possesse the Prebend of Dristild in the sayd Church of Yorke from the 7. day of Iune Ann. Do. 1363. from whiche day c. Iohn of Gisbourne and George of Conpemanthorpe c. doe occupy the said Prebend worth by yeare C.li. the sayd L. Hewgh is non Resident vpon the sayd Prebend Item L. Simon of the Title of S. Syxt priest and Cardinall c. doth possesse the Prebend of Wystow in the sayd Churche of Yorke worth by yeare C.li. And the foresaid maister Iohn of Stoke doth occupy the foresayd Prebend and the profites thereof c. But the sayd Lord Symon is not resident vpon the said Prebend Item L. Frauncisce of the Tytle of S. Sabyne Priest and Cardinall a straunger doth possesse the Prebend of Stransall in the sayd Church of Yorke worth by yeare C. markes And mayster William of Merfield c. doth accupy the sayd Prebend c. but the sayd L. Fraunces is not resident vpon the sayd Prebend L. Peter of the title of S. Praxed priest and Cardinall a straunger doth hold the Archdeaconry of York worth by yeare C.li. and M. William of Mecfeld c. for fermers The Deanry of the cathedral church of Sar with churches and chappels vnderwritten to the same Deanry annexed doth remayne in the hands of L. Reginald of the title of S. Adrian deacon and Cardinall and so hath remayned these 26. yeares and is neuer resident his protector is Laurence de ingris a straunger is worth by yeare CCLiiii li xiij s.iiij.d Richard Bishop doth hold vycaradse of Meere to the sayd Deanry annexed and hath holden the same for xix yeares worth by yeare xl li Robert Codford fermer of the Churche of heightredbury to the same annexed worth by yeare l.li. The Church of Stoning and the chappell of Rescomp to the same Deanry annexed worth by yeare lxx markes The Chappell of herst to the same Deanry annexed worth by yeare xl li The Chappell of wokenhame to the same Deanry annexed worth by yeare xxxvi li The Chappell of Sanhurst worth by yeare xl.s. The Church of Godalininge to the same Deanry annexed in the dioces of Winchester worth by yeare xl li The dignitie of Treasorer in the Church of Sar. with Church and Chappels vnderwritten to the same annexed is in the haÌ„ds of L. Iohn of the title of S. Mark priest Cardinall and hath so contained 12. yeares who was neuer resident in the same worth by yeare Cxxxvi. li.xiij.s.iiij.d The Church of Figheldon to the same annexed worth by yeare xxvj li.xiij.s.iiij.d The church of Alwardbury with the chappell of Putton worth by yeare x li. The Prebend of Calue to the same Treasorer annexed worth by yeare C.li. The Archdeaconry of Berck in the Cathedrall Church of Sarisbury with the the church of Mordon to the same annexed is in the hands of Lord William of the title of S. Stephen who was neuer resident in the same worth by yeare viij score markes The Archdeaconry of Dorset in the Church of Sarisbury with the Church of Gissiche to the same annexed in the handes of L. Robert of the title of the xij Apostles priest and Cardinall and is worth by yeare Ciij markes The Prebende of Woodforde and Wyuelefforde in the Church of Sarisbury is in the handes of the Robert Cardinall aforesayd and is worth xl markes The Prebend of Heiworth in the Church of Sarisbury is in the handes of the L. Cardinall of Agrisolio who is neuer resident and is worth by yeare lxxx li The Prebend of Netherbarnby and Beinynster in the Church of Sarisbury one Hewgh Pelgrini a stranger dâ—d hold xx yeares and more and was neuer resident in the same worth by the yeare viij score markes The church Prebendary of Gillinghame in the noonery of Salisbury lately holden of L. Richard now Byshop of Elye is in the hanhs of the Lord Peter of the title of S. Praxed priest and Cardinall c. worth by the yeare lxxx li L. William of the holy Churche of Rome Cardinall a straunger doth hold the archdeaconry of Canterbury and is not Resident the true valor of all the yearely fruites Rentes and profites is worth seuen hundreth Florens The L. Cardinall of Caunterbury is Archdeacon of Welles hath annexed to his Archdeaconry the churches of Hewish Berwes and Sowthbrent which are worth by yeare with their procuration of visitations of the sayd Archdeaconry C threescore pound Item the L. Cardinall is treasorer of the church of wels and hath the moyty of
thus vnto Eugenius I feare no other greater poyson to happen vnto thee then greedy desire of rule and dominion This Wickliffe albeit in his life time had many greeuous enemies yet was there none so cruell vnto him as the Clergy it selfe Yet notwithstanding he had many good frends men not onely of the base and meanest sort but also nobility amongst whom these meÌ„ are to be nuÌ„bred Iohn CleÌ„bon Lewes Clifford Richard Sturius Thomas Latimer William Neuell Bohn Mountegew who plucked downe all the Images in his Church Besides all these there was the Earle of Salisbury who for conteÌ„pt in him noted towardes the Sacrament in carying it home to his house was enioyned by Radulph Ergom Bishop of Salisbury to make in Salisbury a crosse of stone in which all the story of the matter should be writteÌ„ and he euery Friday during his life to come to the crosse barefoot and bare-head in his shyrt there kneling vpon his knees to do penance for his fact Ex Chron. Mon. D. Albani in vita Ric. 2. The LoÌ„diners at this time somewhat boldly trusting to the Maiors authority who for that yeare was Ihon of NorthamptoÌ„ Took vpoÌ„ them the office of the Bishops in punishing the vices belonging to Ciuill law of suche persons as they had found and appreheÌ„ded in committing both fornication and adultery For first they put the womeÌ„ in the prison which amongst theÌ„ then was named DoliuÌ„ And lastly bringing them into the market place wher euery man might behold them cutting of their goldeÌ„lockes from theyr heads they caused them to be caryed about the streets with bagpipes and trumpets blowne before them to the intent they should be the better knowne their coÌ„panyes auoyded according to the maner then of certayne the eues that were named Apellatores accusers or pechers of others that were guiltles which were so serued And with other such like opprobrious and reprochfull contumelyes did they serue the men also that were taken with them in coÌ„mitting the forenamed wickednesse and vices Here the story recordeth how the sayd Londiners were incouraged hereunto by Iohn Wickeliffe and others that folowed hys doctrine to perpetrat this act in the reproch of the Prelats being of yâ— clergy For they sayd that they did not so much abhoâ—re to see the great negligence of those to whom that charge belonged but also their filthye auarice they did asmuch detest which for gredynes of money were choked with bribes and winking at the penaltyes due to such persons by the lawes appoynted suffered such fornicators and incestuous persons fauourably to continue in their wickednes They sayd furthermore that they greatly feared least for such wickednes perpetrated within the city and so apparantly dissimuled that God would take vengeance vpoÌ„ theÌ„ destroy their city Wherfore they said that they could do no lesse then to purge the same least by the sufferaunce thereof God would bring a plague vpon them or destroy theÌ„ with the sword or cause the earth to swallow vp both them and theyr City Haec ex Chron. Mon. D. Albani This story gentle Reader albeit the author therof whom I folow doth geue it out in reprochfull wise to the great discoÌ„mendation of the LoÌ„dyners for so doing Yet I thought not to omitte but to commit the same to memory which semeth to me rather to tend vnto the worthy coÌ„mendation both of the Londiners that so did to the necessary example of all other Cityes to follow the same After these things thus declared let vs now adioyne the testimoniall of the Vniuersity of Oxford of Iohn Wickliffe * The publicke testimony geuen out by the Vniuersity of Oxford touching the commendation of the great learning and good life of Iohn Wickliffe VNto all and singular the Children of our holye Mother the Church to whom this present Letter shall come the Vicechauncellor of the Vniuersity of Oxford with the whole congregation of the Maisters wish perpetuall health in the Lord. Forsomuch as it is not commonly seene that the Actes and Mmonumentes of valiaunt men nor the prayse and merites of good men should be passed ouer and hidden with perpetuall sileÌ„ce but that true report and fame should continually spread abroad the same in straunge farre distant places both for the witnes of the same and example of others Forsomuch also as the prouident discretion of mans nature being recompensed with cruelty hath deuised and ordayned this buckeler and defence against such as do blaspheme and slaunder other mens doings that whensoeuer witnes by word of mouth can not be present the penne by writing may supply the same Hereupon it followeth that the speciall good will and care which we bare vnto I. Wickliffe sometime childe of this our Vniuersity and professor of Diuinity mouing and stirring our minds as his maners and conditions required no lesse with one mind voyce and testimony we do witnesse all his conditions doings throughout his whole life to haue bene most sincere commeÌ„dable whose honest maners and conditions profoundnes of learning and most redolent renowme and fame we desire the more earnestly to be notified known vnto all faithful for that we vnderstand the maturity and ripenesse of his couuersation his diligent labors and trauels to tend to the prayse of God the helpe sauegarde of others and the profite of the Church Wherefore we signify vnto you by these presents that his coÌ„uersatioÌ„ euen froÌ„ his youth vpwards vnto the time of his death was so praise worthy and honest that neuer at any time was there any note or spot of suspition noysed of him But in his aunswering reading preaching and determining he behaued himselfe laudably and as a stout and valiaunt champion of the fayth vanquishing by the force of the Scriptures all such who by theyr wilfull beggery blasphemed and slaundered Christes Religion Neither was this sayd Doctor conuict of any heresy either burned by our Prelates after his buriall God forbidde that our Prelates should haue condemned a man of such honesty for an hereticke who amongest all the rest of the vniuersitye had written in Logicke Philosophye Diuinitye Moralitye and the Speculatiue art without peere The knowledge of which all singular things we do desire to testify and deliuer forth to the intent that the fame and renowne of this sayd Doctor may be the more euident and had in reputation amongest them vnto whose handes these present letters testimoniall shall come In witnes wherof we haue caused these our letters testimonial to be sealed with our coÌ„mon seale Dated at Oxford in our congregation house the fift day of October in the yeare of our Lord. 1406. The testimony and wordes of Maister Iohn Hus as touching maister Iohn Wickliffe VErely as I do not beleue neither grauÌ„t that M. Iohn Wickliffe is an horeticke so do I not deny but firmly hope that he is no hereticke For so much as in all matters of doubt I
Heldad and Medad were prophesying in the tentes a childe ranne vnto Moises and tolde him saying Heldad and Medad do prophecye in the Tentes and by and by Iosue the sonne of Nunne the seruaunt of Moyses which he had chosen out amongst many sayd my maister Moises forbid them and he sayd why enuiest thou for my sake would God that all the people could prophecy and that the Lord would geue them his spirite O woulde to God the Pope and Bishops had the affection which this holye man the frend of God had Then would he not prohibite the meeke Deacons and Ministers of Iesus Christ to preach the Gospell of Iesus Christ. The like affection had the blessed man Gregory which in his 22. booke of Morals writeth vpon these wordes of Iob. And I haue afflicted the soule of his husbandmen he sayth thus the husbandmen of this earth are these which being set in small authority with as feruent desire as they can and with as great labor as they may doe worke by the preaching of grace to the erudition of the holy Churche the which husbandmen of this world not to afflict is not to enuy their labors and doinges neither ought the ruler of the Church albeit he doe chalenge vnto himselfe alone the title of preaching through enuy gainesay others which do preach truely and vprightly For the godly mind of the pasture which seketh not his owne glory amongest men desireth to be holpen the which thing also the faythfull preacher doth wish if it might by any meanes be brought to passe that the trueth which he alone caÌ„ not sufficieÌ„tly expresse all meÌ„s mouthes might declare Wherefore when as Iosue woulde haue resisted the 2. which were prophecying in the host why doest thou enuy sayd he for my sake for he did not enuy that good in other which he himselfe had this writeth S. Gregory Also the meeke ministers of Christ haue by a speciall gift of God knowledge and minde to preach the Gospell but neither is it lawfull for the Pope or Bishop or any other man to let or hinder them least thereby they should let the word of God that it haue not his free course Ergo this article is true for the king doth not so much rule ouer the goods of his subiects no not of his owne sonnes but that they may geue almes to whom they will muche more the bishop hath not so great authority ouer the knowledge of the meeke minister with his other giftes of God but that he may frely vnder the title of spirituall almes frely preach the gospell vnto the people Ergo forasmuch it should seme straunge that a Bishop should forbid any man to geue any corporall almes to the poore that are a huÌ„gred much more strauÌ„ge and maruelous would it be if that he should prohibite the spirituall minister of Christ to geue spirituall almes by the preaching of the gospell of the word of God Item no catholicke man ought to doubt but that a man able for the purpose is more bounde to teache them which are ignoraunt to councell comfort the weake in spirit to correct such as are vnruly to forgeue those that do theÌ„ wrong theÌ„ to do any other work of mercy forsomuch then as he that hath sufficient is bound vnder paine of daÌ„nation to geue corporall almes as it appeareth Math. 25. much more he which is able is bound to doe spirituall almes And this alms S. Barnard writing vnto Eugenius in his 3. book perceiued to be very necessary for the Bishop of Rome where as he said thus I feare no greater poysoÌ„ nor greater sword or mischiefe will happen vnto thee theÌ„ this vnsatiable desire of dominion With what face then caÌ„ the faythfull minister withdraw or keepe back the spirituall almes from the Pope and any other euen without the speciall licence of the Pope or of the Bishop which licence through the far distance from the Pope the ministers can not so easily obtaine or come by For all prohibition of anye Prelate beeing broken through necessitye is not to be blamed 11. Quest. 3. Intercessor and also in the chapter folowing Item all authoritye of preaching geuen vnto deacons and Priestes in theyr consecration were but vayne except that in 〈◊〉 of necessitye without any speciall licence they might prâ—ach the gospell It is euident forsomuch as it is not lawfull for them to vse that authority by their aduersary without a speciall liceÌ„ce Ergo it is geueÌ„ them in vain The consequent is euident by the common saying of the Philosopher that power is but vayne wherof proceedeth no vse of action But forsomuch as this Article doth as it were depend vpon the article before passed therefore this shall suffice spoken therof at this present But agaynst the affirmations oâ— both these Articles this is obiected out of the 16. quest 1. All faythfull people and specially all priests deacons and all others of the clergy ought to take heede that they doe nothing without the licence of theyr bishop It is also obiected out of the 5. book of Decretals Titulo de hereticis cap. cuÌ„ ex iniuncto Where it is no man ought to vsurp to himself indiffereÌ„tly the office of preaching forsomuch as the Apostle sayth how shall they preach except they be sent Where as also Innocentius doth declare that it is not sufficieÌ„t for a man to say that he is sent of God to preach except he do shew the same As touching the first poynt the Glose doth sufficiently aunswere vpon this word without licence that is to be expounded sayth he without generall licence the which is obtayned and geuen when as a bishop doth appoynt any priest to gouern the people For therby sayth he it semeth a bishop is thought to geue him generall power to minister vnto the people and to rule the church Thus much in the glose And to the same end and purpose it is sayd in the 7. quest 1. chap. Episcopi Bishops or Priestes if they come vnto the church of an other Bishop for to visite the same as it is said glose 1. in honore suo Let them be receiued in their degree and desired as well to preach the word as to do any other consecration or oblation Secondly it is to be noted that which is uery wel spoken in the same place no man ought to vsurpe vnto himselfe the office of preaching as a thing indifferent For to vsurpe is vnlawfully to vse any thing ergo the same deacon or priest doth then vsurpe the office of preaching as indiffereÌ„tly who liuing viciously coÌ„trary vnto the law of Christ or being ignorant of the law of God doth preach either for gayne or couetousnes of lyuing either for his belly or dainty life or for any vaynglory but he whiche doth liue according vnto the lawes of Christ being moued with the affection of sincere charity intending purely the honor of God and the saluatioÌ„ of him selfe his neighbors doth
of warres among the Christiās in any case to be lawful for he himself before hath opēly protested the contrary But that his purpose is to proue the Pope in all his doings teachings more to be addicted to warre thē to peace yea in such cases wher is no necessity of war And therin proueth he the Pope to be contrary to Christ the is to be Antichrist Now he proceedeth further to the second part which is of mercy In the which part he sheweth how Christ teacheth vs to be merciful because mercye as he sayth proceedeth frō charity and nourisheth it In which doctrine of mercye he breaketh not the law of righteousnes for he himself by mercy hath clensed vs from our sinnes from which we coulde not by the righteousnes of the law be clensed But whom he hath made cleane by mercye vndoubtedly it behoueth those same to be also merciful For in the v. chapiter of Mathew he sayth Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtaine mercy And againe in the 6. of Mathew If ye forgeue vnto men their sinnes your father will forgeue vnto you your sinnes And againe in the vij chapter of Mathewe Iudge not ye shal not be iudged condemne not and ye shal not be condemned with what measure ye measure with the same shal it be measured vnto you againe In the xviij chap. of Mathew Peter asked the lord saying Lord how often shal my brother sinne agaynst me and I shall forgeue him seuen times Iesus sayd vnto him I say not vnto thee seuen times but seuentie times seuen tymes Therefore is the kingdome of heauen likened vnto a certaine king which would take accōpt of his seruants And when he had begun to reckē one was brought vnto hym which ought him tenne thousand talents And because he had nothing where withal to pay his maister commaūded him to be solde and his wife and his children and all that he had and the debt to be payd The seruaunt therefore fell downe and besought him saying haue pacience with me and I wil pay thee all And the Lord had pity on that seruant and loosed him and forgaue him the debt But when the seruant was departed he found one of his fellow seruaunts which ought him an hundred pence and he layed handes on him and tooke him by the throte saying pay me that thou owest and his fellowe fell downe and besought him saying Haue pacience with me and I will pay thee all But he would not but went and cast hym into prison till he shoulde pay the debt And when his other fellowes saw the things that were done they were very sorye and came declared vnto their maister all that was done Then his maister called him and said vnto him O thou vngratious seruant I forgaue thee al that debt when thou desiredst mee Oughtest thou nor then also to haue such pity on thy felow euē as I had pity on thee And his lord was wroth and deliuered him vnto the Iaylers till he should pay all that was due vnto him So likewise shall my heauēly father do vnto you except ye forgeue from your hartes eche one to his brother their trespasses By this doctrine it is most plaine and manifest that euery Christiā ought to be mercifull vnto his brother how often soeuer he offendeth against him Because we so often as we offend do aske mercy of God Wherfore for asmuch as our offence agaynst God is farre more grieuous then any offence of our brother agaynst vs it is playne that it behooueth vs to be merciful vnto our brethren if we wil haue mercy at Gods hand But contrary to this doctrine of mercy The Romish bishop maketh confirmeth many lawes which punishe offenders euen vnto the death As it is plaine by the processe of the decrees Distin 23. quest 5. It is declared and determined that to kill men ex officio that is hauing authority and power so to do is not sinne And againe the souldiour which is obediēt vnto the higher power and so killeth a man is not guilty of murther And againe he is the minister of the Lord which smiteth the euil in that they are euill and killeth thē And many other such like thinges are throughout the whole processe of the question determined That for certayne kinds of sinnes men ought by the rigour of the law to be punished euen vnto death But the foundation of their saying they tooke out of the olde law in which for diuers transgressions were appointed diuers punishments It is very much wōderful vnto me why that wyse men being the authors makers of lawes do alwayes for the foundation of their sayings looke vpon the shadow of the lawe and not the light of the gospel of Iesus Christ for they geue not heede vnto the fygure of perfection nor yet vnto the perfection figured Is it not written in that 3. of Iohn God sent not his sōne into the world to iudge the world but to saue the world by him In Iohn the 8. chap. The scribes and phariseis bring in a woman taken in adultery and let her in the middest and sayd vnto Christ Maister euen nowe this woman was taken in adultery But in the lawe Moises hath cōmaunded vs to stone such What sayest thou therfore This they sayd to tempt him that they might accuse him But Iesus stouped downe and with his finger wrote on the ground And while they continued asking him he lift himselfe vp and sayd vnto them let him that is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her And agayne he stouped and wrote on the ground And when they heard it the went out one by one beginning at the eldest so Iesus was lefte alone and the woman standing in the midst When Iesus had lift vp himselfe agayne he said vnto her where be they which accused thee hath no man condemned thee She sayd no man Lord. And Iesus sayd vnto her Neyther do I condemne thee Goe thy way and sinne now no more It is manifest by the scriptures the Christ was promised he should be king of the Iews vnto the kings pertained the iudgements of the law but because he came not to iudge sinners according to the rigor of the law but came according to grace to saue that which was lost in calling the sinner to repentaunce it is most playne that in the comming of the law of grace he would haue the iudgement of the lawe of righteousnes to cease for otherwise he had dealt vniustly with the foresayd woman forasmuch as the witnesses of her adultery bare witnes against her Wherfore seeing the same king Christ was a iudge if it had bene his will that the righteousnes of the law shoulde be obserued he ought to haue adiudged the woman to death according as the law commaunded whiche thing forasmuch as he did not it is most euident that the iudgementes of the righteousnes of
called vnto him the Archbishop of Yorke Richard London Henry Winchester Robert Chichester Alexander Norwich the noble prince Edmond the Duke of Yorke Rafe Earle of Westmerland Thomas Beaufort Knight Lord Chancellour of England and the Lord Beamond with other noble men as well spirituall as temporall that stood and sate by whome to name it would be long Before whome the said Iohn Badby was called personallie to answere vnto the Articles premised in the foresaid instrument Who when he came personallie before them the articles were read by the Officiall of the court of Cant. and by the Archb. in the vulgare tong expounded publikely and expresly and the same Articles as he before had spoken and deposed he still held and defended and said that whilest he liued he would neuer retract the same And furthermore he said specially to to be noted that the Lord duke of Yorke personallie there present as is aforesaid and euery man els for the time beeing is of more estimation and reputation then the Sacrament of the aulter by the priest in due forme consecrated And whilest they were thus in his examination the Archbishop considering and waying that he would in no wise be altered and seing moreouer his countenance stout and hart confirmed so that he began to persuade other as it appeared in the same These things considered the Archprelate whē he saw that by his allurements it was not in his power neither by exhortations reasons nor arguments to bring the said Iohn Badbye from his constant truth to his Catholique faith executing and doing the office of his great maister proceeded to confirme and ratifie the former sentence giuen before by the Bishop of Worcester against the said Iohn Badby pronouncing him for an open and publique hereticke And thus shifting their hands of him they deliuered him to the secular power and desired the sayd temporall Lords then and there present verie instantlie that they would not put the same Iohn Badby to death for that his offence nor deliuer him to be punished or put to death in y◠presence of all the Lordsabone recited These things thus done and concluded by the Bishops in the forenoone on the afternoone the Kings writte was not far behind By the force wherof I. Badby still perseuering in his constancie vnto the death was brought into Smithfield and there being put in an emptie barrell was bound with iron chaines fastened to a stake hauing drie wood put about him And as he was thus standing in the pipe or tonne for as yet Cherillus Bull was not in vre among the bishops it happened that the Prince the kings eldest sonne was there present Who shewing some part of the good Samaritane began to endeuour and assay how to saue the life of him whome the hypocriticall Leuites and Phariseis sought to put to death He admonished and counsailed him that hauing respect vnto himselfe he should spedelie withdraw himselfe out of these dangerous Laberinths of opinions adding oftentimes threatnings the which might haue daunted anie mans stomacke Also Courtney at that time Chancellor of Oxford preached vnto him and enformed him of the faith of holie Church In this meane season the Prior of S. Bartlemewes in Smithfield brought with all solemnitie the Sacrament of Gods body with twelue torches borne before and so shewed the Sacrament to the poore man being at the stake And then they demanded of him how he beleeued in it he answering that he knew well it was halowed bread and not gods body And then was the tunne put ouer him and fire put vnto him And when he felt fire he cried mercie calling belike vpon the Lord and so the Prince immediatelie commanded to take awaie the tunne and quench the fire The Prince his commandement being done asked him if he would forsake heresie to take him to the faith of holie Church which thing if he would doo he should haue goods inough promising also vnto him a yearelie stipend out of the kings treasurie so much as should suffice his contentation ¶ The description of the horrible burning of Iohn Badby and how he was vsed at hys death This godly Martyr Iohn Badby hauing thus consummate his testimony and martyrdome in fire the persecuting Bishops yet not herewith contented and thinking themselues as yet eyther not strong inough or els not sharpe enough agaynst tht poore innocent flock of Christ to make all thinges sure and substantiall on theyr side in such sorte as this doctrine of the Gospell nowe springing should be suppressed for euer layd theyr conspiring heads together hauing now a king for theyr own purpose ready to serue theyr turn in all poynts during the time of the same Parliamēt aboue recited yet cōtinuing the foresayd bishops and clergy of the realme exhibited a Bul vnto the kings maiestie subtily declaring what quietnes hath ben mayntayned within this realme by his most noble progenitours who alwayes defended the auncient rites and customes of the Church and enriched the same with large gifts to the honor of God and the realme and contrariwise what trouble and disquietnes was now risen by diuers as they termed them wicked and peruerse men teachinge and preachinge openlye and priuilye acertayne new wicked and hereticall kinde of doctrine contrary to the Catholicke fayth and determination of holye Church whervpon the king alwayes oppressed with blynd ignoraunce by the crafty meanes and subtile pretences of the clergie graunted in the sayd Parliament by consent of the nobilitie assembled a statute to be obserued called Ex officio as followeth The Statute Ex officio That is to say that no man within this Realme or other the kinges maiesties dominions presume or take vpon him to preach priuily or apertly without speciall licence first obteyned of the ordinary of the same place Curates in theyr owne parishe Churches and persons heretofore priuiledged and others admitted by the Canon law onely excepted Nor that any hereafter do preach mayntayne teach informe openly or in secret or make or write any booke contrary to the catholique fayth and determination of the holy Church Nor that any hereafter make anye conuenticles or assemblies or keepe and exercise anye maner of schooles touching this sect wicked doctrin and opinion And further that no man hereafter shall by any meanes fauour anye such preacher any such maker of vnlawfull assemblies or any such booke maker or writer and finally any such teacher informer or stirrer vp of the people And that all and singuler persons hauing anye the sayd bookes writinges or schedules contayning the sayd wicked doctrines and opinions shall within forty dayes after this present proclamation and statute really and effectually deliuer or cause to be deliuered all and singuler the sayd bookes and writinges vnto the ordinary of the same place And if it shall happen anye person or persons of what kinde state or condition soeuer he or they be to doe or attempt anye manner of thing contrarye to this
body The Lord Cobham asked how they could make good that sentence of theirs They aunswered him thus For it is agaynst the determination of holy Church Then sayd the archbishop vnto him Syr Iohn we sēt you a writing concerning the fayth of this blessed Sacrament clearely determined by the church of Rome our mother and by the holy Doctors Then he sayd agayne vnto him I know none holyer then is Christ and his Apostles And as for that determination I wore it is none of theyrs for it standeth not with the scriptures but manifestly against them If it be the Churches as ye say it is it hath bene hers onely since she receaued the great poyson of worldly possessions and not afore Then asked they him to stop his mouth therwith If he beleued not in the determination of the Church And he sayd vnto them No forsooth for it is no God In all our Creede this word in is but thrise mentioned concerning beleue In God the father in God the sonne in in God the holy Ghost three persons and one God The byrth the death the buriall the resurrection and ascension of Christ hath none in for beleue but in him Neyther yet hath the Church the sacramentes the forgeuenes of sinne the latter resurrection nor yet the life euerlasting nor anye other in then in the holy ghost Then sayd one of the Lawyers Such that was but a word of office But what is your beliefe concerning holy Church The Lord Cobham aunswered My beliefe is as I sayd afore that all the scriptures of the sacred Bible are true All y◠is grounded vppon them I beleue throughly For I know it is Gods pleasure that I shuld so do But in your Lordly lawes and idle determinations haue I no beliefe For ye be no part of Christes holy churche as your open deedes doth shew But ye are very Antichristes obstinately set agaynst his holy law and wil. The lawes that ye haue made are nothing to his glory but onely for your vayne glory and abhominable couetousnes This they sayd was an exceeding heresie and that in a great fume not to beleeue the determination of holye Church Then the Archbishop asked hym what he thought of holy Church He sayd vnto him my beliefe is that the holye Churche is the number of them which shal be saued of whō Christ is the head Of this churche one part is in heauen wyth Christ an other in purgatorye you say and the thyrd is here in earth This latter part standeth in three degrees in knighthoode priesthoode and the communaltie as I sayd afore playnely in the confession of my beliefe Then sayd the Archbishop vnto hym Can you tell me who is of this church The Lord Cobham answered Yea truely can I. Then sayd Doctor walden the Prior of the Carmelits It is no doubt vnto you who is thereof For Christ sayeth in Mathewe Nolite iudicare presume to iudge no man If ye be here forbidden the iudgement of your neighboure or brother much more the iudgement of your superiour The Lorde Cobham made him this aunswere Christ sayth also in the selfe same chapter of Mathew that like as the euill tree is knowne by hys fruit so is a false Prophet by his works appeare they neuer so glorious But that ye left behind ye And in Iohn he hath this text Operibus credite belecue you the outwarde doinges And in an other place of Iohn Iustum iudicium iudicate when wee knowe the thing to be true we may so iudge it and not offend For Dauid sayd also Rectè iudicate filij hominum Iudge rightly alwayes ye children of men And as for your superiority were ye of Christ ye shoulde be meeke ministers and no proud superiours Then said Doctor walden vnto him ye make here no difference of iudgementes Ye put no diuersitie betwene y◠euill iudgementes whiche Christ had forbidden and the good iudgementes which he hath cōmaunded vs to haue Rash iudgment and right iudgement al is one with you So swift iudges alwayes are the learned schollers of Wicklisse Vnto whom the Lord Cobham thus aunswered It is wel sophistred of you forsooth Preposterous are your iudgementes euermore For as the Prophet Esay sayth ye iudge euill good and good euill And therefore the same prophet concludeth that your wayes are not Gods waies nor Gods wayes your wayes And as for that vertuous man wicklisse whose iudgementes ye so highly disdayne I shall say here of my part both before God and man that before I knew that despised doctrine of his I neuer abstayned from sinne But since I learned therin to feare my Lorde GOD it hath otherwise I trust bene with me so muche grace coulde I neuer finde in all your glorious instructions Then said Doctor Walden agayne yet vnto him It were not well with me so many vertuous men liuing so many learned men teaching the scripture being also so open and the examples of fathers so plenteous If I thē had no grace to amend my life till I heard the deuil preach S. Hierome sayth that he whiche seeketh suche suspected Maysters shall not finde the midday light but the mid-day deuill The Lord Cobham sayd Your father 's the old Phariseis ascribed Christes miracles to Belzebub and his doctrine to the deuil And you as their natural children haue still the selfe same iudgement concerning his faythfull followers They that rebuke your vicious liuing must needs be heretickes and that must your doctors proue whē you haue no scripture to do it Then sayde he to them all To iudge you as you be we neede no further go then to your owne proper actes Where do ye find in all Gods law that ye shold thus sit in iudgement of any Christen men or yet geue sentence vppon any other man vnto death as ye doe here dayly No grounde haue ye in all the Scriptures so Lordly to take it vppon you but in Annas and Cayphas which sat thus vpon Christ and vppon his Apostles after hys ascension Of them onely haue ye taken it to iudge Christes members as ye doe and neither of Peter nor Iohn Then sayd some of the Lawyers yes forsooth syr for Christ iudged Iudas The Lord Cobham sayd No Christ iudged him not but he iudged himselfe and thereupon went forth so did hange himselfe But in deede Christ sayde woe vnto him for that couerous act of hys as he doth yet still vnto many of you For since the venune of him was shed into the church ye neuer followed Christ neither yet haue ye stande in the perfection of Gods law Then the Archbishop asked him what he ment by that venune The Lord Cobham sayd your possessions and Lordeships For then cried an aungell in the ayre as your owne Chronicles mentioneth wo wo woe this day is veuime shed into the church of God Before that time all the Byshops of Rome were martyrs in a manner And
Excellentissimo c. And yet notwithstandyng out of these same preambles forefrontes of statutes other inditementes which cōmonly rising vpō matter of informatiō runne onely vpō wordes of course of office and not vpō simple truth a great part of our Chroniclers do oftē take their matter which they insert into their stories hauyng no respect or examination of circumstaunces to be compared but onely following bare rumours or els such wordes as they see in such fablyng prefaces or inditementes expressed Whereby it commeth so to passe that the younger Chronicler followyng the elder as the blind leadyng the blind both together fall into the pit of errour And you also maister Cope followyng the steppes of the same do seeme likewise to erre together with them for good felowshyp And thus concernyng the face of this statute hetherto sufficiently Now let vs cōsider and discusse in like maner first the coherence then the particular contentes of the said statute As touchyng the which coherence if it be well examined a mā shall finde almost a Chimera of it In which neither the head accordeth with the body nor yet the braunches of the statute well agree with themselues Wherein he that was the drawer or first informer thereof seemeth to haue forgot his Uerse and art Poeticall Atque ita mentitur sic veris falsa remiscet Primum ne medio medium ne discrepet imo For where as the preface of the statute standeth onely vpon matter of treason conceiued by false suggestion and wrong information The body of the sayd statute whiche should follow vpō the same runneth onely vpō matter of heresie pertaining to the Ordinaries as by euery braūche therof may appeare For first where he sayth at the instaunce request of the ordinaries or their cōmissaries c. Hereby it appeareth this to be no cause of treasō nor felony For that euery man of duety is boūd and by the lawes of the Realme may arrest apprehend a traitour or a felō if he cā where otherwise by this statute an officer is not bound to arrest him which offēdeth in case of this statute without request made by the ordinaries or their commissaries and therefore this offence seemeth neither to be treason nor felonie Secondly where it foloweth that the same ordinaries and commissaries doe pay for their costes c. This allowance of the officers charges in this sort proueth this offence neither treason nor felonie Thirdly where the statute willeth the king to bee answered of the yeare day wast c. By this also is proued the offence not to be treason Or els in cases of treason the whole inheritance I trow maister Cope speaking as no great skilfull lawyer is forfait to the prince The fourth argument I take out of these words of the statute where as such lands and tenements which be holden of the ordinaries are willed wholy to remaine to the king as forfait c. wherby it is manifest that the Prelates for their matter of Lollardie onely were the occasioners and procurers of this statute and therefore were barred of the benefite of anye forfetrising thereby as good reason was they should And thus it is notorius that the preface running specially and principally vpon treason and the statute running altogether vpon points of heresie do not well cohere nor ioine together Fiftly In that such persons indited shal be deliuered vnto the Ordinaries of the places c. It can not bee denied but that this offence concerneth no maner of treason For so much as Ordinaries can not be iudges in cases of treason or felonie by the lawes of our Realme Bracton in fine 1. Libri Sixtly by the inditements prouided not to be taken in euidence but onely for information before the Iudges spirituall c. it is likewise to be noted to what end these inditements were taken to wit only to informe the ordinaries which can not be in cases of treason Lastly where it foloweth toward the end of that statute touching escape or breaking of prison c. by this it may lightly be smelt whereto all the purpose of this statute driueth that is to the speciall escape of the L. Cobham out of that Tower to this end to haue his lands possessiōs forfait vnto the King And yet the same escape of the Lord Cobham in this statute considered is taken by Maister Iustice Stanford in Lib. primo of the plees of the crowne cap 33. to be an escape of one arrested for heresie where he speaketh of the case of the Lord Cobham Moreouer as touching the partes of this foresaid statute how will you ioine these two braunches together where as in the former part is said that the lands of such persons connict shall be forfait to the king not before they be dead And afterward it foloweth that their goodes and possessions shall be forfait at the day of their arrest to that king But heerein standeth no such great doubt nor matter to be weied This is without all doubt and notoriously euidently and most manifestly may appeare by all the arguments and whole purport of the statute that as well the preamble and preface thereof as the whole body of the said statute was made framed procured onely by and through the instigation information and excitation of the Prelates the Popish Cleargie not so much for any treason committed against the king but only for feare and hatred of Lollardy tending against their law which they more dreded abhorred then euer any treasō against the Prince And then to set the king all the states against them whereby the more readily to worke their dispatch they thought it best and none so compendious a policie as pretely to ioine treason together with their Lollardry Wherein the poore men beeing once intangled coulde no wayes escape destruction Papae concilium callidum This M. Cope haue I said and say againe not as one absolutely determining vpon the matter At the dooyng wherof as I was not present my selfe so with your owne Halle I may and do leaue it at large but as one leadyng the reader by all coniectures and arguments of probabilitie and of due circumstances to consider with themselues what is further to be thought in these old accustomed practises and procedings of these prelates Protesting moreouer M. Cope in this matter to you that those Chroniclers which you so much ground vpon I take them in this matter neither as witnesses sufficient nor as Iudges competent Who as they were not themselues present at the deed done no more then I but onely folowing vncertaine rumours and words of course and office bringing with them no certaine triall of that which they do affirme may therein both be deceiued themselues and also deceiue you and other which depend vpon them And hetherto concerning this statute enough Out of which statute you see M. Cope that neither your Chroniclers
haue ordeined a speciall iudgement as they should thinke good yet when hee was before atteinted by the outlawrie they could not lawfully varie from the common iudgemeÌ„t of â—reason At least how could or should the iudgement of Sir Roger Acton Maister Browne and Iohn Beuerley who were iudged in the Buildhall before and without the Parliament vary from the said common iudgement of Traytors if they had truly committed and bene conuicted of such high treason Adde this moreouer to the foresaid Notes that if Sir Iohn Oldcastle after his escape out of prison had bene culpable and so atteinted of that high treason wherby his lands had bene immediately forfait vnto the King by the processe of his outlawry What needed the king then in the second yeare of his raigne in the Parliament after holden at Leycester haue made that prouiso to haue his lands forfaite to him by vertue of Parliament vpon his escape on the day of his arest when as the lands and cattaile of his had bene forfeite before by the processe of the outlawry as is before specified Thus you see Maister Cope how little aduantage you can wrast out of this Commission and inditement against the Lord Cobham and his fellowes to proue them traytors And admit the said Lord Cobham was attainted of treason by the Acte and that the King the Lordes and the Commons assented to the Act yet it hindeth not in such sort as if in deed he were no Traytour that anye man may not by search of the truth vtter and set forth sincerely and iustly the very true cause whereby his death hapt and followed Thus then hauing sufficiently cleared the Lord Cobham and his parteners from all that you can obiect vnto them out of records and statutes let vs now come to your English Chroniclers wherwith you seeme to presse me to oppresse them whome ye name to be Robert Fabian Edward Halle Polydor Virgilius Thomas Cooper Richard Grafton with other briefe Epitomes and Summaries c. Concerning which authors as I haue not to say but to their commendation in this place so if that you had auonched the same to the commendation rather then to the reproofe of other I would better haue commeÌ„ded your nature and beleued your cause But now like a spidercatcher sucking out of euery one what is the worst to make vp your leystall you heape vp a donghill of dirtie Dialogues conteining nothing in them but malicious railing virulent slanders manifest vntruths opprobrious contumelies stinking blasphemies able almost to corrupt infect the aire Such is the maladie cacoethes of your pen the it beginneth to barke before it hath learned well to write Which pen of yours notwithstanding I do not heere reproch nor contemne as neither do I greatly feare the same God of his mercy keepe the sword out of the Papists hand it is not the pen of the papists I greatly passe vpoÌ„ though xx Copes and so many surplesses were set against the booke of Monuments were I so disuâ—sed Maister Cope to dally or as the Breckes do say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to repay againe as I am prouoked But in despightful railing and in this Satyricall sort of barking I geue you ouer and suffer you therin to passe not only your selfe but also Cerberus himself if ye will the great bandog of Pluto Mildnes and humanitie rather beseemeth and is the grace of the Latine phrase If ye could hit vpon the vaine therof it would win you much more honestie with all honest men But the Lord hereafter may cal you which I beseech him to do and to forgiue you that you haue done In the meaue time seeing this your pratling pen must nedes be walking yet this you might haue lerned of these your own authors whom you aledge more ciuilly to haue reÌ„pered your fume in exclaiming against theÌ„ whose cause is to you not perfectly known And now briefly to answer to these your foresaide wryters as witnesses produced against these men there be 2. things as I take it in these chronicle wryters to be coÌ„sidered First the grouÌ„ds which they follow secondly in what place they serue As touching the order and ground of wryting among these Chronicles ye must consider and caÌ„not be ignorant that as none of all these by you forenamed was present at the deede nor witnesse of the fact so haue they nothyng of theÌ„selues herein certainely to affirme but either must follow publike rumor and hearesay for their autor or els one of them must borrow of another Whereof neither seemeth to me sufficient For as publike rumor is neuer certain so one author may soone deceiue an other By reason whereof it commeth oft to passe that as these story wryters hit many times the truth so againe al is not the gospell that they doe wryte Wherefore great respect is heere to be had either not to credite rashly euery one that wryteth stories or els to see what groundes they haue whome we doe followe Now to demaund M. Cope of you what authoritye or foundation hath your Robert Fabian hathe Polydore Uirgil Edward Hal and other of your authors to prooue these men to be traytors What authority do they auouch what actes what registers what recordes or out of what court do they shewe or what demoÌ„stration do they make And do you thinke it sufficient because these men doe only affirme it wythout any further probation wyth youre 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therfore we are bouÌ„d to beleue it Take me not so M. Cope that I do here diminish any thing or derogate from the credit of those wryters you alledge whose labors haue deserued well and serue to great vtilitie but coÌ„ming now to triall of a matter lying in coÌ„trouersie betwene vs we are now forced to seeke out the fountaine and bottome of the truthe where it is not enough to say so it is but the cause is to be shewed why it is so affirmed And what though Robert Fabian Polydore Uirgile and Edwarde Hall should all together as they do not agree in the treason of sir Iohn Oldcastle and of the rest yet neither is this any sufficient surety to prooue them traitors Considering that wryters of stories for most part folowing either blind reporte or els one taking of an other vse commonly all to sound together after one tune tanquam Dodonaei lebetes so that as one sayth all say and if one erre all do erre Wherfore you see M. Cope howe it is not sufficient nor sure to sticke onely to the names and authorities of Chronographers vnlesse the ground be found substantial wherupon they stand themselues Which yet in none of these whome you haue produced doth appeare Secondly in alleaging and wryting of Chronicles is to be considered to what place and effect they serue If yee would shew out of them the order course of times what yeres were of dearth and of pleÌ„ty where kings kept their
first written in Greeke by Gregory the 3. and afterward translated out of Greeke into Latine by pope Zachary vide supra pag. 130. Likewise that worthy and Imperiall sermon iâ—â—tuâ—ed Eusebij pamphili Sermo ad Conuentum Sanctorum hath to thys day wrongfully borne the name of Eusebius Where as in very truth it was made by the good Emperour Constantinus himselfe in his owne heroicall stile in latine and afterward translated out of Latine into Greeke by Eusebius as he himselfe confesseth in hys worke De vita Constant. lib. 4. But as touching this sermon although the name be chaunged so godly and fruitful it is that it â—attereth not much vnder whose name it be read yet worthy to be read vnder the name of none so much as of the Emperor CoÌ„stantine himselfe who was the true author and owner therof Briefly except it be the bookes onely of the new Testament and of the olde what is almost in the popes church but either it is mingled or depraued or altered or corrupted either by some additions interlased or by some diminutioÌ„ mangled and gelded or by some glose adulterate or with manifest lies contaminate So that in theyr doctrine standeth little truth in theyr Legendes Portues masse-bookes lesse trueth in their miracles and Reliques least truth of all Neyther yet doe theyr sacramentes remayne cleare and voyd of manifest lyes and corruption And specially here commeth in the mayster bee whiche bringeth in much sweet hony into Popes hiues the maister lye I mean of all lyes where the P. leauing not one cromme of bread nor drop of wine in the reuerent communion vntruly and idolatrously taketh away all substaunce of bread from it turning the whole substaunce of bread into the substaunce of Christes owne body which substaunce of bread if the Pope take from the sacrament then muste he also take the breaking from it for breaking and the body of Christ can in no wise stand litterally together by the scripture Thus then as this is proued by the word of God to be a manifest lye so thinke not much good Reader hereat as though I passed the bondes of modestie in calling it the Archlye or maister lie of all lies Because vppon this one an infinite number of other lyes and erroures in the popes churche as handmaydes doe wayte and depend But forsomuch as I stand here not to charge other meÌ„ so muche as to defende my selfe ceasing therefore or rather differing for a time to stir this stinking pudle of these wilfull and intended lyes and vntruthes whiche in the Popes Religion and in papistes bookes be innumerable I will now returne to those vntruthes and impudent lies which M. Cope hath hunted out in my history of Actes Monuments first beginning with those vntruthes which he carpeth in the storye of the foresayde syr Iohn Oldcastle and syr Roger Acton Browne and the rest And first where he layeth to my charge that I cal them Martyrs whiche were traytors and seditious rebels agaynst the king and theyr Country to this I haue aunswered before sufficiently Now here then must the reader needes stay a little at M. Copes request to see my vanitie and impudencye yet more fully and amply repressed in refuting a certain place in my Latine story concerning the kinges statute made at Leiceister whiche place and wordes by him alledged be these pag. 1â—7 Quocirca Rex indicto Lecestriae concilio quòd fortâ—ssis Londini ob Cabhami fautores non erat tutum proposito edicto immanem denunciat poenam his quicunque deinceps hoc doctrinae genus sectarentur vsqueâ—deo in eos seuerus vt non modo haereticos sed perduelliones etiam haberi aâ— pâ—o inde gemino eos supplicio suspendio simul inceÌ„dio afficiendos statueriâ— c. Eâ— mox Adeo ille vires rationesque intendebat omnes aduersus Wicklenianos Wicleuiani ad temporis decebantur quicunque Scripturas Dei sua lingua lectirarent Vpon these wordes out of my foresayd Latine booke alledged maister Cope perswadeth himselfe to haue great aduauntage agaynst me to proue me a notorious lyer in three sondry pointes First in that whereas I say that the king did hold his parliament at Leicester adding thys by the way of Parenthesis quod fortassis Londini ob Cobhami fautores non erat tutum c. here he concludeth thereby simpliciter and precisely that the Lord Cobham and syr Roger Acton with his fellowes were traytors c. Whereby a man may soone shape a cauiller by the shadowe of mayster Cope For where as my Dialysis out of the texte speaketh doubtfully and vncertaynely by this word fortassis meaning in deede the king to be in feare of the Gospellers that he durst not hold his Parliament at London but went to Leiceister he argueth precisely therfore that the Lord Cobham sir Roger Acton and his fellowes went about to kil the king Secondly where I affirme that the king in that Parliament made a grieuous law agaynst al such did hold the doctrine of Wickliffe that they should be taken hereafter not for heretiques but also for fellons or rebels or traytors and therefore should sustayne a double punishement both to be hanged and also to be burned c. Here coÌ„meth in maister Momus with his Cope on his backe and prouing me to be a lyer denyeth playnly that the king made any suche statute vid. pag. 835. line 6. where hys wordes be these Atqui quod haeretici pro perduellionibus deinceps geminatas poenas suspeÌ„dij incendij luerent vt nugatur Foxus nullo modo illic traditur c. First here woulde bee asked of maister Cope what hee calleth patriae hostes et proditores if he call these traytours then let vs see whether they that followed the sect of wycliffe were made traytours heretiques by the kings law or not And first let vs heare what sayth Polydore Virgil his owne witnes in this behalfe whose words in his xxii booke pag. 441. be these Quare publice edixit vt si vspiam deinceps reperirentur qui eam sequerentur sectam patriae hostes haberentur quò sine omni lenitate seuerius ac ocyus de illis supplicium sumeretur c. That is wherefore it was by publique statute decreed that whosoeuer were founde hereafter to follow the sect of Wyckliffe should be accounted for traytors whereby without all lenitie they shoulde be punished more seuerely and quickly c. Thus haue you maister Cope the playne testimonie of Polydore with mee And because ye shall further see your selfe more impudent in carping then I am in deprauing of histories you shall vnderstand moreouer and heare what Thomas Walden one of your owne catholique brotherhode who was also himselfe aliue a doer in the same Parliament being the prouincial of the Carmelites saith in this matter writing to Pope Martin whose very wordes in Latine here follow written in
not to be proued either by you or any other that statute to be law or warrant sufficient to burne anye person or persons committed to the seculare power by the Clergy And that I proue thus for although the same statute of king Henry the fourth in the bookes printed appeare to baâ—e law and authority sufficient by the ful assent both of the king of the Lordes and of the coÌ„mons yet being occasioned by M. Cope to search further in the statutes I haue found that in the Rolles and first originals of that Parliament there is no such mention either of any petitioÌ„ or els of any assent of the commons annexed or contained in that statute according as in the printed bookes vsual in the Lawyers handes to craftely and falsely foysted in as by the playne wordes thereof may well appeare For where the said statute an 2. Henry 4. chap. 15. beyng thus intituled in the Rolles Petitio cleri contra haereticos and assented vnto in this forme hath these wordes Statut. an 2. Henri 4. cap. 15. Intituled in the Rolle thus Petitio Cleri contra heteticos and assented vnto in this forme QVas quidem petitiones praelatorum cleri superius expressatas do noster Rex de consensu magnatum aliorum procerum regni sui in praesenti Parliamento existentium concessit in omnibus singulis iuxta formam effectum eorundé ordinauit statuit de caerero firmiter obseruari and so forth according to the petition and moe wordes are there not in the statute Rolle Wherfore wher as the statute booke printed hath thus Super quibus quidem nouitatibus excessibus supereus recitatis videlicet in the petition of the Prelates clergy praelati clerus supradicti ac etiam communitates dicti Regni in eodem Parliamento existen dicto Domino Regi supplicarunt c. Qui quidem Dominus Rex c. ex assensu magnatum aliorum procerum eiusdem Regni c. concessit ordinauit c. These wordes Ac etiam communitates dicti Regni c. are put in further then the Rolle doth warrant and seemeth to be the practise of the clergie to make that as an Acte of Parliament and to seeme to haue the force of a law which was neuer assented vnto by the commons And thus you see howe this foresayd statute Printed both in English and in Latine among the Prouincial councels of Oxford by the vertue whereof so many good men haue bene burned so long in England doth vtterly ouerthrow it selfe for that it swerueth from the recorde bothe in forme and in matter and lacketh the assent of the commons Which doubt I thought at this present to propound vnto you mayster Cope for that you haue so vrged me to the searching out of the statutes by your declayming agaynst the Lord Cobham Moreouer vnto this statute aforesayd ioyne also with all an other Memorandum of like practise done an 5. Rich. 2. In the which yeare where as a statute was concluded yâ— parliament an 5. Rich. 2. chap. 5. agaynst certayne preachers specified in the same statute which going about in certaine habites from place to place did drawe the people to sermons And commissions were made and directed in the sayd parliament to the shrines to arrest all such preachers and to imprison the same at the certifications of the Prelates Here is then to be noted that the same statute an 5. Rich. 2. cap. 5. was reuoked by the king in the parliament an 6. Rich. 2 vpon the wordes of the commons being these videl Forasmuch as the same statute was neuer assented ne graunted by the commons but that which therein was done was done without their assent and now ought to be vndone for that it was neuer their meaning to be iustified and to bind themselues and their successors to the prelates no more then their auncetours had done before them Ex Rotul And yet thys foresayd reuocation notwithstanding in Queene Maryes tyme they inquired vppon that statute In searching of these statutes as you haue accasioned me to find out these scruples so being fouÌ„d out I thought here not to dissemble them for so muche as I see and heare many now a dayes so boldly to beare themselues vpoÌ„ this statute and thinking so to excuse themselues do say that they haue done nothing but the law the law to the intent that these men seeing now how inexcusable they be both before God and man hauing no law to beare them out may the soner repent their bloudy and vnlawfull tyranny exercised so long agaynst Gods true seruauntes yet in time before that the iust law of God shall finde out their vniust dealinges which partly he beginneth already to do and more no doubt will doe hereafter In the meane tyme this my petition I put vp to the Commous and to all other which shall hereafter put vp any petition to the ParliameÌ„t that they being admonished by this abuse wil shew theÌ„selues heare after more wise circumspect both what they agree vnto in Parliamentes also what commeth out in their name And as these good Commons in this time of king Henry 4. would not consent nor agree to this bloudy statute nor to anye other like For so we read that the Commons in that bloudy time of king Henry 4. when an other like cruell byll was put vp by the Prelates in an 8. Hen. 4. against the Lollards they neither consented to this and also ouerthrow the other so in like maner it is to be wished that the commons in this our time or such other that shall haue to do in parliaments hereafter following the steppes of these former times will take vigilant heede to such cruell billes of the Popes prelacy being put vp that neither their consent do passe rashly nor that their names in any condition be so abused CoÌ„sidering with themselues that a thing once being passed in the parliament cannot afterward be called back And a litle inconuenience once admitted may grow afterward to mischiefes that cannot be stopped And sometime it may so happen that through rashe consent of voices the ende of thinges being not well aduised such a thing being graunted in one day that afterward many dayes may cause the whole realme to rue But I trust men are bitten enough with suche blacke parliamentes to beware of afterclaps The Lord Iesus onely protector of his church stop al crafty deuises of subtile enemies and with his wisedom direct our Parliamentes as may be most to the aduauntage of his word and comfort of hys people Amen Amen And thus much hauing sayd for the defence of the Lord CobbaÌ„ of syr Roger Acton knight maister Iohn Browne Esquier Iohn Beuerly preacher and of other their fellowes agaynst Alanus Copus Anglus here I make an ende with this preseÌ„t Interim till furthur leysure serue me here after Christ willing to pay him the whole Interest which I owe
good is not forbidden or that which is mere ill is not commaunded but is meane or indiffereÌ„t betwene both Which mean or indifferent thing yet notwithstanding by circumstances of time place or person may be either good or euill 4 Item that euery one shall sweare confesse by his oth that the opinions of Wickliffe and others touching the 7. sacraments of the church and other things aboue notified being contrary to the sayd church of Rome be false 5. Item that an othe be required of them all that none of them shall hold defend or maintaine any of the 45. articles of Iohn Wickliffe aforesayd or in any other matter catholick and especially of the 7. Sacraments and other articles aboue specified but only as doth the Church of Rome and no otherwise 6. Item that euery ordinary in his dioces shall cause the sayd premisses contained in the 1.2.3.4 articles aforesayde to be published in his Sinodes and by his preachers to be declared to the people in the kingdome of Boheme 7. Item that if any Clerke student or lay man shal with staÌ„d any of the premisses that the ordinary haue authority if he be conuicted therof to correct him according to the old lawes and Canons and that no man shal dâ—â—end such one by any meanes for none but the ordinary hath power to correct such a man because the Archbishop is chauncellour both of the kingdome and vniuersity of Prage 8. Item that the songes lately forbidden being odious â—auÌ„derous and offensiue to others fame be not long neyther in streetes tauernes nor any other place 9. Item that maister Iohn Hus shall not preach so long as he shall haue no absolution of the court neither shal hinder the preaching in Prage by his presence that by this his obedience to the Apostolicall sea may be knowne 10. Item that this Councell doth appeare to be good and reasonable for the putting away of ill report and dissentioÌ„ that is in the kingdome of Boheme 11. Item if maister Iohn Hus with his complices will performe this which is conteined in the 4. former Articles then we will be ready to say as they woulde wishe vs and haue vs whensoeuer need shall require that we do agree with them in matter of fayth otherwise if they wyll not so doe we in geuing this testimony should lye greatly vnto our Lord the King to the whole world And moreouer we will be content to write for them to the Court of Rome and do the best we can for them our honors saued This counsell and deuise being considered amongest the head of the vniuersity of Prage the foresayd administrator named Conradus presented to the king and to the barons of the realme and also to the Senate of Prage Whereof as soone as word came to Iohn Hus and his adherents they likewise drew out other Articles in maner and forme of a councell as foloweth For the honor of God the true preaching of hys gospell for the health of the people and to auoyd the sinister false infamy of the kingdome of Boheme and of the Marquiship of Morauia of the city and vniuersity of Prage and for the reforming of peace vnity betweene the clergy and the scholers of the vniuersity 1. First let the right and iust decrement of the princes and of the kinges councell be holden and stand in force which betwene the L. Archbi Suinco on the one party and betwene the rector maister Iohn Hus on the other party was made proclaimed sâ—aled and solemnly on both parts receiued and allowed in the court of our soueraigne Lord the king 2. Item that the kingdome of Boheme remain in his former rites liberties common customes so as other kingdomes landes do enioy that is in all approbations condemnations and other actes concerning the holy mother vniuersall church 3. Item that maister I. Hus agaynst whom the foresayd Lord Suinco could obiect no crime before the couÌ„cell that the sayd Iohn Hus may be present in the congregation of the Clergy and there whosoeuer will obiect to him either heresy or error let him obiect binding himself to suffer the like payne if he do not proue it 4. Item if no man will set himselfe on the contrary part against him then let the coÌ„maundement be made by our soueraigne Lord the king through all his Cittyes and likewise let it be ordeined and proclaimed through all villages and townes that maister Iohn Hus is ready to render account of his fayth and therfore if any will obiect vnto him any heresy or errour let him write his name in the chauncery of the Lord Archbishop and to bring forth his probations openly before both the parties 5. Item if no such shal be founde to obiect or which will write his name then let them be called for which caused to be noised rumored in the Popes Court that in the kingdome of Boheme in the Citty of Prage and in the Marquesdome of Morauia many there be whose harts be infected with heresy and error that they may proue who they be and if they be not able to proue it let them be punished 6. Item that commaundement be directed to Doctors of Diuinity and of the Canon law and to the Chapter of Cathedrall churches and that it be required of them all and of euery one particularly that they wil bring forth his name if they know any such to be an heretick or erroneous And if they deny to know any such then let them make recognition therof before the publike Notary confirming the same with their seales 7. Item these things thus done premised then that our soueraigne Lord the king also that the Archb. will geue commaundement vnder payne that no man shall call one another hereticke or erroneous vnles he will stand to the probation of that heresy or error as it becommeth him 8. Item after these thinges obteined that our soueraigne lord the king with the consent of his Barons will theÌ„ leuy a subsidy or collect of the clergy direct an honest ambassy to the Popes court with the which embassadors let theÌ„ also go vpoÌ„ theyr owne proper charges or expenses for theyr purgation which haue caused this kingdome falsly greuously to be infamed in the Apostolicall court 9. Item in the meane season for the presence of master I. Hus no Interdict ought to be made as it was made of late contrary to the order and determination of our holye mother church c. As this matter was thus in altercatioÌ„ betwene the two parts the one obiecting the other answering in articles as is aforsayd In the meane time it happened by the occasioÌ„ of Ladislaus king of Naples who had besieged the Popes townes and territories that Pope Iohn raising vp warr agaynst the sayd Ladislaus gaue ful remission of sinnes to all them which would warre of his side to defeÌ„d the church When this Bul of the popes indulgeÌ„ce was come to Prage and there published
and graunts to that I say that this safeconduct stood not only vpon the Emperour but also vpon the consent of the Pope himselfe vide infr page And admit that to be true that the councell had power to make this decree to breake promise wyth hereticks yet this can not be denied but that Iohn Hus was condemned and iudged before that decree in the xix Session was made Finally when Cope hath prooued by what scripture the councels haue power to defeat the authoritie of their Emperours in such secular causes touching safeconductes and outward safetie then will I answere him more fully heerein But to the purpose againe of the story Iohn Hus seeing so many faire promises and the assurance which the Emperour had geuen vnto him sent answere vnto the Emperour that he would come vnto the Councell But before hee departed out of the Realme of Boheme and specially out of the towne of Prage he did write certaine billes long inough afore as well in Latine as in the Bohemian language and Almaine and caused them to be set and fastened vpon the gates of the Cathedrall Churches and parish Churches Cloysters and Abbayes signifieng vnto them all that he would go to the generall Councell at Constance wherof if any man haue any suspition of his doctrine that he should declare it before the Lord Conrade or Bishop of Prage or if he had rather at the generall Councell for there he would render and giue vp vnto euery one and before them all an accompt and reason of his fayth The example of his letters and intimations set vp were these the copie where of here followeth ¶ The Letters of Iohn Hus set vp in common places of the Citie of Prage MAister Iohn Hus Bacheler of Diuinitie will appeare before the most reuerend father the Lord Conrade Archbyshop of Prage and Legate of the Apostolicke seate in the next conuocation of all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kyngdome of Boheme being ready alwayes to satisfie all men which shall require him to giue a reason of hys fayth and hope that he holdeth And to heare and see all such as will lay vnto his charge either any stubburnes of errour or heresie that they should write in their names there as is required both by Gods law and mans And if so be that they could not lawfully prooue any stubbornes of errour or heresie against him that then they should suffer the like punishmentes that he should haue had vnto whome altogether he will aunswer at the next generall Councell at Constance before the Archbyshop and the Prelates and according to the decrees and Canons of the holy Fathers shew foorth his innocencie in the name of Christ. Dated the Sonday next after the feast of Sainct Bartholomew ¶ The Intimations folowing were drawne out of the Bohemian tongue I Maister Iohn Husnerz do signifie vnto all men that I am ready to come and stand before the face of my Lorde the Archbishop and to aunswere to all things whereof I am falsely accused in the next conuocation of Bachelers and chefly to this point that in many places they doo report me an hereticke not hauing respect vnto iustice or to law neither yet to my merits or deserts Therefore since that you which do neuer cease to selaunder and backebite me with your words doo vnderstand and knowe these things come foorth openly before the face and presence of the Lord Archbyshop and with an open mouth declare and shew foorth what false doctrine or other things you haue heard me teach contrary to Catholicke fayth and if that I shall be found faultie in neuer so small a matter contrary or against the faith of Christ or in any false doctrine and that I do choose that or other things contrary to the faith of Christ then I will hold my peace and suffer punishment as an hereticke And if there be no man that will resist against me or accuse me in this point once againe I say vnto you that I am ready to appeare at Constance in the famous congregation to the end that I may stand in the company of the Diuines euen before the face of the Pope Therefore whosoeuer knoweth any false doctrine contrary to the faith of Christ in me let him come thether and shew it forth boldly if he haue any thing to lay against me and for my part I will not be slacke if I may vnderstand or knowe it to answere as well to small as great as touching the truth which I haue receiued of God and desire to be defended All you good men therefore which loue the truth say now whether by these my words I do thinke or go about any thing either contrary to the law of God or man If I be not admitted then to be heard be it knowne and manfest vnto all men that it hapneth not thorough my fault the same day This Epistle which followeth was set vpon the gates of the Kings Palace translated into Latin out of the Bohemian tongue VNto the Kings maiestie the Queene and to all such as are of his Councell and to all other Rulers and Magistrates which now are in the Kings Court I Iohn Hus doo signifie and publish that I haue vnderstand not by any vayne rumor or tale that there be letters brought from the Pope to the Kings Maiestie the contents whereof is this That the Kyngs Maiestie shoulde bring to passe that the heretickes which were now lately sprong vp in hys kyngdome and dominions should not take any firme or strong roote For so much as without any desert as I trust by Gods grace the fame or noise is sproong and blowne abroade it shall bee our part to foresee and take heed that neyther the Kyngs Maiestie neyther the noble Kyngdome of Boheme should bee driuen to beare or suffer anye reproche on slaunder for mee Wherefore now of late I haue sent my letters too and fro whych I haue with great labour and diligence caused to be openly set vp to thys intent that I myght thereby cause the Archbyshop to be carefull and diligent about the matter signifyeng openly that if there were any man in all Boheme which did knowe mee to be a follower of anye false or corrupt doctrine that he should professe hys name in the Archbyshop hys Court and there to shew foorth and declare what he thought And for asmuch as there would none be found or come foorth which would accuse me the Archbyshop commaunded me and my procurers to depart in peace Wherefore I require and desire the Kings Maiestie which is the defender of the truth also the Queene and theyr Counsellers and all other Rulers and Magistrates that they woud geue me a faithfull testimoniall of this matter For somuch as I haue oftentimes willed and attempted this and no man hath eyther accused mee or troubled mee I doo it moreouer to bee knowne vnto all Boheme and to all nations that I wil bee present euen at the
said maister Iohn Hus did openly set vp his letters patents this present yeare afore said in the said moneth of August vpon the porches of the Cathedrall Church of Prage and other Collegiate and parish Churches of the Citie of Prage and vpon the gates of our saide Lord our Lord the King and the Archbyshop of Prage conteining in them this effect how that he would appeare before Conrade Archbishop of Prage and all the Prelates and Cleargy of the kingdome of Boheme which should be congregated and called together at a certaine day of the moneth aforesaid ready alwaies to satisfie all men as touching the faith and hope which he helde and to see and heare all and singuler that woulde laye anye obstinacie of error or heresie vnto him that they should determine themselues there to suffer the like punishment according to the extremitie both of Gods lawe and mans lawe vnto whome altogether he would answere in his owne right before the saide Archbishop of Prage and the sayd Lord Nicholas Bishop and inquisitour aforesaide and the Prelates euen in the next generall Councell of Constance and there according vnto the Canons and decrees of the holy Fathers declare and shewe foorth his vprightnes and innocencie vpon all and singuler which proceedings maister Iohn de Iesenitz procurer and in the procurours name or behalfe as afore required and desired that he might haue one or many publique instruments made vnto him by me the publique Notary heere vnder written These things were done the yeare indiction day monthe houre place and byshopricke as is afore saide in the presence of these noble and famous men the Lords William de Zwirgelitz Baron of the Kingdome of Boheme Peter his sonne the Lord Hlawaczion de Renow likewise Barron Wenceslaus de Lunarx Vnssone de Miekoniz Burgraue of the Castell of Liechetenburg Cztiborius de Bodanetz Esquier and William de Dupore Knight of the saide diocese of Prage with manye other woorthy and credible witnesses which were specially desired and required vnto the premisses And I Michaell sometimes the sonne of Nicholas de Prachatitz of the diocese of Prage and by the Imperiall authoritie publique Notary was present with the witnesses afore named at the affaires afore said at the request demaund aunswere and petition and all and singuler the dooings within written and did see and heare all these things to be done in foresayd maner and fourme But being busied with other matters I haue caused this to be faithfully drawne and written and subscribing the same with mine owne hand haue published and reduced it into this forme and haue signed it with my seale and name accustomed being called and required to beare witnes of all and singuler the premisses After this as all the Barons of Boheme were assembled in the Abbay of Sainct Iames about the affayres of the Realme where as the Archbyshop of Prage was also present There the sayde Iohn Hus presented supplications by the whiche he most humbly desired the Barons that they woulde shewe hym thys fauour towards the sayde Archbyshop that if the sayd Archbyshop did suspect him of any errour or heresie that he woulde declare it openly and that he was ready to endure and suffer correction for the same at hys hands And if that he had founde or perceiued no such thing in hym that hee would then gyue hym a testimoniall thereof through the which he being as it were armed he might the more freely go vnto Constance The sayde Archbishop confessed openly before all the assembly of Barons that he knew not that the sayd Iohn Hus was culpable or faulty in anye crime or offence and thys was hys onely counsell that the sayd Iohn Hus should purge himselfe of the excommunication he had incurred this report which the Archbishop had giuen of Iohn Hus doth appeare by the letters which the Barons of Boheme sent vnto the Emperour Sigismund by the said Hus in the towne of Constance Finally all the Prelates and Cleargie assembled together in the Towne of Prage in the Archbishop hys Court where as appeared personally the worshipfull maister Iohn Iesenitz Doctour of decretals and procurer in the name and behalfe of the honourable man maister Iohn Hus requiring that either the sayde mayster Iohn Hus or that hee in the name and behalfe of hym might bee suffered to come into the sayde Archbishops Court to the presence of the Archbishop and the Prelates which were there congregated together for so much as maister Iohn Hus is readye to satisfie all men which shall require hym to shew any reason of his faith or hope which he holdeth and to see and heare all and singular whych were there gathered together that is to saye the Lord Archbyshop and Prelates or any of them whych would lay any maner of obstinacie or errour or heresie vnto hym that they should there write in their names and according both vnto Gods lawe and mans and the Canon law prepare themselues to suffer lyke punishment if they could not lawfully prooue any obstinacie of errour or heresie against him vnto whome altogether he would by Gods helpe aunswere before the sayd Archbyshop and the Prelates in the next generall Councell holden at Constance and stand vnto the law and according to the Canons and Decretals of the holy Fathers shewe foorth and declare hys innocencie in the name of Christ Vnto the which maister Iohn of Iessenetz Doctour one called Ulricus Swabe of Swabenitz Marshall of the sayde Archbyshop comming foorth of the sayd Court did vtterly deny vnto the sayd maister Doctour and his partie all manner of ingresse and entrance into the Court and to the presence of the Archbishop aforesayd and of the Prelates there gathered together Pretending that the Archbyshop with the Prelates aforesayd were occupied about the Kings affaires requiring the sayde maister Doctour that hee woulde tary in some place without the sayd Court that when the Archbyshop and the Prelates had finished the Kings affaires hee might then returne and haue libertie to come into the Court there The said maister Iohn Hus and the Doctour of lawe tarried a while intreating to bee admitted into the Archbyshops Courte But seeing hee coulde preuayle nothyng he made there a solemne protestation of hys request that both hee and also maister Iohn Hus and his part could not be suffered to come into the Archbyshops Court to the presence of the Archbyshop and the Prelates Requiring of the foresayde Notarie publicke instruments to be made of the same which also was done And these were the things which were done before Iohn Hus tooke hys iourney to the generall Councell of Constance the which I minded briefly to rebarse whereunto I will also annexe somewhat as touching his iourney thetherwards About the Ides of October 14.14 Iohn Hus being accompanied with two noble Gentlemen that is to wit Wencelat of Duba and Iohn of Clum he parted from Prage and tooke hys iourney towardes Constance And in euery place as hee passed
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
with the Nobles and Lordes here present most instantly required and desired that as touchyng his safe conduct they would foresee and haue respect vnto his honour And that the sayd Maister Iohn Hus might be openly heard for so much as he would render and shew a reason of his fayth and if he were found or conuicted obstinately to affirme or maintayne any thyng agaynst the truth or holy Scripture that then he ought to correct and amend the same according to the instruction and determination of the Councell yet could hee neuer obtayne this But the sayd Maister Iohn Husse notwithstandyng all this is most greuously oppressed with fetters and yrons and so weakened with thinne and slender diete that it is to be feared least that his power and strength beyng hereby consumed and wasted hee should be put in daunger of his witte or reason And although the Lordes of Boheme here present are greatly slaundered because they seyng the sayd Maister Iohn Hus so to be tormeÌ„ted and troubled contrary to the kyngs safe conduct haue not by their letters put the kyng in mynde of his sayd safe conduct that the sayd Lord and kyng should not any more suffer any such matters for so much as they tend to the contempt and disregard of the kingdome of Boheme which froÌ„ the first originall and begynnyng since it receaued the Catholicke fayth it neuer departed or went away froÌ„ the obedience of that holy Church of Rome yet notwithstandyng they haue suffered borne all these thynges patiently hetherto least by any meanes occasion of trouble or vexation of this sacred Councell might arise or spryng therof Wherfore most reuereud fathers Lordes The Nobles and Lordes before named do wholy most earnestly desire require your reuerences here present that both for the honour of the safe conduct of our sayd Lord the kyng also for the preseruation and encrease of the worthy fame and renowne both of the foresayd kyngdome of Boheme your own also that you will make a short end about the affayres of M. Iohn Hus for so much as by the meanes of his straite handling he is in great daunger by any loÌ„ger delay cueÌ„ as they do most specially trust vpoÌ„ the most vpright consciences iudgementes of your fatherly reuereÌ„ces But forasmuch as most reuereÌ„d fathers and Lordes it is now come to the knowledge and vnderstaÌ„ding of the Nobles Lordes of Boheme here present how that certaine backbiters and slauÌ„derers of the most famous kingdom of Boheme aforesayd haue declared told vnto your reuerences how that the Sacrament of the most precious bloud of our Lord is caried vp downe through Boheme in vessels not coÌ„secrated or halowed and that Coblers do now heare confessions minister the most blessed body of our Lord vnto others The Nobles therfore of Boheme here present require and desire you that you will geue no credit vnto false promoters tale tellers for that as most wicked and naughty slaunderers backbiters of the kingdome aforesaid they do report tel vntruthes requiring also your reuerences that such slanderous persons of the kingdome aforesaid may be named knowne And the lord the king together with your reuereÌ„ces shal well perceiue and see that the Lordes of Boheme will go about in such maner to refell and put away the false fâ—â—uolous slaunders of those naughty persons that they shall be ashamed to appeare hereafter before the lord the kyng and your reuerences As soone as this their supplication was red that byshop of Luthonis rising vp said Most reuerend fathers I well perceiue and vnderstand that the last part of this writing doth touch me my familiars frends as though the kingdom of Boheme were slaundered by vs. Wherfore I desire to haue time space of deliberation that I may purge my selfe from this crime that is laid against me The principal of the counsel appointed him the 17. day of May at the which day the lords of Boheme should be present again to heare both the aunswer of the councell and also the excuse of the bishop of Luthonis yâ— which thing in dede was afterward performed for the 17. day of May which was the 4. day before the whitsontide they met there againe where first of all a certaine bishop in the name of the whole councel answered by worde to the nobles of Boheme the contentes of whose aunswer may easely be known by the secoÌ„d supplication which the Bohemiams put vp to the councel But first I haue here in these few wordes following shewed how the bishop Luthonis defended himselfe agaynst that which is before written ¶ The aunswer of the Bishop of Luthonis to the last part of the supplication which the nobles of Boheme presented vnto the Councell MOst reuerend fathers and noble Lordes as Peter de Mladoneywitz bacheler of Arte in the name of certain of the nobles of the kingdome of Boheme in his writings amongest other thyngs did propounde how that certaine slaunderers and backebiters of the sayd kyngdome haue brought to the eares of your reuereÌ„ces that the most precious bloud of Christ is caried vp and downe in Boheme in bottels that Coblers do heare confessions and minister the body of Christ vnto others wherupon most reuerend fathers and Lordes Albeit that I together wyth the other prelates doctors maisters and other innumerable catholikes of the sayde kingdome the whych doe desire as much as in them lieth to defend the faith of Christ haue laboured for the extirpation rooting out of that most wicked and detestable sect of Wickliffes which nowe alas for sorow beginneth to spring and rise in the sayd kingdome as it is well knowne Notwythstanding here in thys my oration not for any shame or reproofe but for the honour of the kingdome aforesayd I haue propounded and declared a certaine new sect whych is nowe lately sprong vp in the sayd kingdome the folowers whereof do minister communicate the sacraments in many cities townes places of the said kingdom vnder both kindes both of breade and wine and doe constantly teache the common people bothe men and women that it is so to be coÌ„municated obstinatly affirming the same and that the clergy which do repugn or say nay vnto it are to be counted church robbers as by the wrytings of their assertions being directed and presented hether shall openly appeare Moreouer by the report and fame whych goeth here abroade by the wrytings which were sent ouer vnto me I haue propouÌ„ded that it came to my knowledge that the bloud of Christ is caryed about in vessâ—ls Is not consecrated approuing the foresaide erroneous assertion of the Wicleuists that affirme it necessary for saluation that the people shuld communicate vnder both kindes of bread and wine and that it is necessary as the body of Christ is caryed in the pixe or boxe so the bloude of Christ should be caryed in bottles or other necessary vessels from
place to place and specially about the ministration of the sick Also I declared not of my selfe but I hearde it to be declared by others both great and credible persons that there was a certaine woman a folower of that secte the which taking by violence the body of Christe out of a priests handes did communicate vnto her selfe and affirmed that all men oughte to doe so if the Priests would denye them the Communion And the same woman amongst many other errours of the whych shee was conuicted did affirme that a good lay woman myght better consecrate and geue absolution then an euill priest affirming that an euill priest can neyther consecrate nor absolue But I know that neyther I neither any of my assistance in this matter haue broughte thys at any time into your cares that coblers in the sayde kingdome doe heare confession or minister the sacrament of the body of Christ as is alleaged by the sayde Peter in the behalfe of the sayde supplicantes Notwythstanding that we did feare if meanes were not founde to recounter or stoppe the offences before named that thys would immediatly folow vpon it Wherfore most reuerend fathers least that the kingdome mighte hee defamed any more by such pestiferous sectes and that the Christian faith myght happen to be indaungered with all reuerence and charity I do desire you euen by the bowels of mercy of our Lord Iesus Christe that thys most sacred Councel would prouide some speedy remedy for this kingdome as touchyng the premisses Moreouer whether be they backbiters and slanderers or wicked and false enuiers of the kingdome of Boheme the which do let the errors aforesaid many others more which are sowen by the Wicleuists in the sayd kingdome and also els where whych also both do labor and haue laboured for the extirpation and roting out of those errours out of the kingdome aforesayd and as catholicke men for the zeale of their faith haue manfully put forth themselues against the maintainers of the sayd errours or such as doe maintaine and defend the teachers of those errours This answere I haue here presented before your reuerences alwaies wholy submitting my self and assistance vnto your iudgement and to the definition of this most sacred councell of Constance ¶ The answere of the nobles of Boheme THe day before whitsontide the nobles of Boheme dyd confute this theyr aunswer made 2. dayes before in the Councel to their former wryting as here foloweth Most reuerend fathers and Lordes for so much as vpon thursday it was answered in the behalfe of your reuerences to the requests of the nobles and Lords of Boheme that the sayde Lordes were misinformed of diuers poynts contained in the declaration of their said vil therfore the foresayd Lords haue now determined and decreed to declare their former propounded requests more at large vnto your reuerences not mineding hereby to argue or reprooue your fatherly wisedomes and circumspections but that youre reuerences theyr desires being partly on thys behalf fulfilled might the more effectuously distinctly discerne and iudge as touching thys matter And first of all where as the Lordes alleaged and sayd how that maister Iohn Hus was come hether vnto Constance freely of his owne good will vnder the safe conduct of the Lorde the king and the protection of the sacred Empire It is aunswered on the behalfe of your reuerences how that the said Lords are misinformed as touching the safe conduict and that you haue vnderstand by such as are worthy credit that the frends and fauorers of the sayd M. Iohn Hus did first procure and get his safe conduicte 15. dayes after hys imprisonment The Lords of Boheme and specially the Lorde Iohn de Clum heere present whome thys matter doeth chiefely touche doeth aunswere that not onely the 15. day after but euen the very same day that Iohn Hus was apprehended and taken when as our reuerende father the Pope in the presence of all his Cardinals demaunded of M. Iohn de Clum whether M. Iohn Hus had any safeconduict from the king hys sonne he answered most holy father Cardinals knowe ye that he hath a safe conduict and when he was asked the question againe the second time he answered in like maner Yet notwithstāding none of them required to haue the safeconduict shewed vnto them and againe the thirde day following the Lord Iohn de Clum complained vnto our Lord the Pope how notwythstanding the safe conduict of oure soueraigne Lorde the king he detained and kept M. Iohn Hus as prisoner shewing the said safeconduict vnto many And for a further truth herein he referreth hymself vnto the testimonies and witnesses of diuers Earles Byshops knightes gentlemen and famous Citizens of the city of Constance the whych altogether at this present did see the said safe conduict and heard it read whereupon the sayde Iohn de Clum is ready to binde hymselfe vnder what penalty shal be required euidently to proue and cōfirme that which hee hath promised who soeuer say to the contrary Moreouer the Lordes of Boheme referre themselues vnto the knowledge of certaine Princes electors other Princes Byshops many other noblemen which were present before the kings maiestie where and when as the said safe conduct was graunted and geuen out by the speciall commaundement of our sayd Lord the king Hereby your fatherly reuerences may vnderstand and perceiue that the sayd Lordes of Boheme are not euill informed as touching the saide safe conducit But rather they which by such reportes haue falsly and vntruely informed your reuerēces And first of al they haue offended agaynst the Lord our king and hys chauncellours Secondarely against the Lords and nobles of Boheme as thoughe we had priuely by stealth purchased the sayde safe conduict Wherefore the Lords aforesaid most humbly require desire your reuerēces that you wil not so lightly beleue such as be not worthy of credit but rather hearing the contrary part to labour and discusse that the trueth may the more euidently appeare Secondly where as the Lordes aforesayde alleaging how M. Iohn Hus cōming vnto Constance of his owne free will being neither condemned nor heard was imprisoned your reuerences haue made aunswer therunto that he the sayd M. Iohn Hus in the time of Alexander 5. was infamed and slandered vppon certaine heresies and thereupon cited personally to apeare in the court of Rome and there was heard by hys procurers And for somuch as he refused obstinatly to appeare he was excommunicated in the which excommunication he continued as you affirme by the space of fiue yeares for the whych he was iudged and counted not onely a simple and plaine hereticke but an heresiarke that is to say an inuenter and sower of newe and straunge heresies and that he comming towarde Constance did preache by the way openly To this the Lordes aforesayd do aunswere that as touching hys slaunder and citation they can affirme nothing but by report But as touching
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
honour as no great renowne and glory vnto me Howbeit my enemies may in derision say vnto me that according to their willes pleasures I am exalted and honored Wherfore this article is wholy throughout false and vntrue Unto these articles aboue prefixed were other articles also to be annexed which the Parisians had drawne out agaynst M. Iohn Hus to the number of 19. The chiefe author wherof was Iohn Gerson Chauncellour of the vniuersity of Paris a great setter on of the Pope against good men Of these articles Iohn Hus doth often complayne in his Epistles that he had no time nor space to make answere vnto them Which articles being falsly collected and wrongfully depraued although Iohn Hus had no time t◠aunswere vnto yet I thought not vnfit here to set downe for the reader to see and iudge ¶ Articles formally contayned or picked out of the Treatise of Iohn Hus of Prage which he intituled of the Church folowing in this part or behalfe the errours they terme them of Iohn Wickelyffe THe first article No reprobate is true Pope Lorde or Prelate The errour is in the fayth and behauiour and manners being both of late and many times before condemned as well agaynst the poore men of Lions as also agaynst the Waldenses and Pikardes The affirmation of which error is temerarious seditious offensiue and pernitious and tending to the subuersion of all humaine policy and gouernance forasmuch as no man knoweth whether he be worthy of loue or hatred for that all men doe offend in many poyntes and therby shoulde all rule and dominion be made vncertayne and vnstable if it shoulde be founded vpon predestination and charity neither shoulde the commaundement of Peter haue bene good which willeth all seruauntes to be obedient vnto their maisters and Lordes although they be wicked The 2. article That no man being in deadly sinne whereby he is no member of Christ but of the Deuill is true Pope Prelate or Lord. The error of this is like vnto the first The 3. article No reprobate or otherwise being in deadly sinne sitteth in the Apostolicke seate of Peter neither hath any Apostolical power ouer the christian people This error is also like vnto the first The 4. Article No reprobrate are of the Church neither likewise any which doe not followe the life of Christ. This error is agaynst the common vnderstanding of the doctors concerning the church The 5. Article They onely are of the church and sit in Peters seat and haue Apostolicke power whiche followe Christ and his Apostles in their life and liuing The error hereof is in fayth and maners as in the first article but contayning more arrogancy and rashnes The 6. article That euery man which liueth vprightly according to the rule of Christ may and ought openlye to preach and teach although he be not sent yea although he be forbidden or excommunicate by any Prelate or Bishop euen as he might and ought to geue almes for his good life in liuing together with his learning doth sufficientlye send him This is a rash and temerarious errour offensiue and tending to the confusion of the whole ecclesiastical hierarchy The 7. article That the Pope of Rome being contrary vnto Christ is not the vniuersall Bishop neither hath the church of Rome any supremacy ouer other Churches except peraduenture it be geuen him of Cesar and not of Christ. An error lately and playnely reproued The 8. article That the Pope ought not to be called most holy neither that his feet are holy and blessed or that they ought to be kissed This error is temerarius vnreuerently and offensiuely published The 9. article That according vnto the doctrine of Christ heretickes be they neuer so obstinate or stubburne ought not to be put to death neither to be accursed or excōmunicated This is the error of the Donatistes temerariously and not without great offence affirmed agaynst the lawes of the ecclesiasticall discipline as S Augustine doth proue The 10. Article That subiectes and the common people may and ought publickly and openly to detect and reproue the vices of their superiours and rulers as hauing power geuen them of Christ and example of Saynt Paul so to doe this error is pernitious full of offence inducing all rebellion disobedience and sedition and the curse and malediction of Cham. The 11. article That Christ onely is head of the church and not the Pope It is an errour accordyng vnto the cōmon vnderstanding of the Doctors if all the reason of the supremacy and of being head be secluded and taken away from the Pope The 12. article That the onely church which comprehendeth the predestinate and good liuers is the vniuersall Church whereunto subiectes do owe obedience And this is consequent vnto the former article The error is conteined as in the former articles The 13. article That tithes and oblations geuen vnto the Church are publicke and common almes This error is offenciue and contrary to the determination of the Apostle 1. Cor. 9. chapter The 14. article That the clergy liuing wickedly ought to be reproued and corrected by the lay people by the taking away of theyr tithes and other temporall profites A most pernicious errour and offenciue inducing the secular people to perpetrate sacriledge subuerting the ecclesiasticall liberty The 15. article That the blessinges of such as are reprobate or euill liuers of the clergye are maledictions and cursinges before God according to the saying I will curse your blessinges This error was lately reproued of Saynt Augustine agaynst Saynct Cyprian and his followers neither is the maister of the sentences allowed of the maysters in that poynt that he semeth to fauor this article The 16. article That in these dayes and in long tyme before there hath bene no true Pope no true Church or fayth which is called the Romishe Churche whereunto a man ought to obey but that it both was and is the sinagogue of Antichrist and Sathan The errour in this article is in this poynt that it is deriued and taketh his foundation vpon the former articles The 17. article That all gift of money geuen vnto the ministers of the Church for the ministration of any spirituall matter it doth make such ministers in that case vsers of Simony This errour is seditious and temerarius for so much as some thing may be geuen vnto the clergy vnder the title of sustentation or mayntaynyng the minister without the selling or buying of any spirituall thing The 18. article That whosoeuer is excommunicate of the pope if he appeale vnto Christ he is preserued that he need not feare the excommunication but vtterlye to contemne and despise the same This errour is temerarious and full of arrogancy The 19. article That euery deed done with out charity is sinne This errour was reproued and reuoked before this time at Paris specially if it be vnderstand of deadlye
by that meanes was it that he said those in were ready to suffer death for the truth And this sedition was hardly appeased by any benefite or help that the king could do Then the EnglishmeÌ„ exhibited the copy of a certaine Epistle which they saide was falsely conueyed vnto Prage vnder that title of the Uniuersitie of Oxford that Iohn Hus did reade the same out of the Pulpit vnto the people that he might coÌ„mend and praise Iohn Wickleffe vnto the Citizens of Prage When they had read the same before the Councell the Englishmen demaunded of Iohn Hus whether he had read the same openly or no. Which wheÌ„ he had confessed because it was brought thether by two scholers vnder the seale of the Uniuersitie they also inquired of him what scholers they were He aunswered this my frend meaning Stephen Palletz knoweth the one of them as well as I the other I know not what he was Then they first enquired of him as touching the last man where he was Iohn Hus aunswered I heard say said he that in his returne into England he died by the way As touching the first Palletz said that he was a Bohemian and no Englishman and that he brought out of England a certaine small peece of the stone of Wickleffes sepulchre which they that are the followers of his doctrine at this present do reuerence and worship as a thing most holy Hereby it appeareth for what intent all these things were done and that Iohn Hus was the author of theÌ„ all Then the Englishmen exhibited another Epistle contrary to the first vnder the seale of the Uniuersitie the effect and argument whereof was this The Senate of the vniuersitie not without great sorrow and griefe hath experimented found that the errours of Wickleffe are scattered spread out of yâ— Uniuersitie throughout all England And to the intent that through their helpe labour meanes may be found to remedy this mischiefe they haue appointed for that purpose twelue Doctours men of singuler learning and other maisters which should sit in iudgement vpon the bookes of Wicklesse These men haue noted out aboue thâ—â—umâ—â—er of CC. articles the which the whole universitie haue iudged worthy to be burnt but for the reuerence of the said sacred Councell the said Uniuersitie hath sent them vnto Constance referring and remitting the whole authoritie of the iudgement vnto this Councell Heere was great silence kept for a while Then Palletz rising vp as though he had finished now his accusation said I take God to my witnes before the Emperours maiestie here present the most reuerend fathers Cardinals and Bishops that in this accusation of Iohn Hus I haue not vsed any hatred or euill will but that I might satisfie the othe which I tooke when I was made Doctour that I would be a most cruell and sharpe enemie of all maner of errours for the profite and commoditie of the holy Catholike Church Michaell de Causis did also the like And I said Iohn Hus do commit all these things vnto the heauenly Iudge which shall iustly iudge the cause or quarell of both parties Then saide the Cardinall of Cambray I cannot a little commend and praise the humanitie and gentlenes of Maister Palletz which he hath vsed in drawing out the articles against maister Iohn Hus. For as we haue heard there are many things conteined in his booke much worse and detestable When he had spoken these words the Byshop of Rygen vnto whom Iohn Hus was committed commanded that the said Iohn Hus should be carried againe safely vnto prison Then Iohn de Clum folowing him did not a little incourage and comfort him No toung can expresse what a courage and stomacke he receiued by the shorte talke which he had with him when as in so great a broile and greuous hatred he saw himselfe in a maner forsaken of all men After that Iohn Hus was caried away the Emperour began to exhort the presidents of the Councell in this maner saieng YOu haue heard the manifold and greuous crimes which are layd against Iohn Hus which are not onely prooued by manifest and strong witnesses but also confessed by him of the which euery one of them by my iudgement and aduise haue deserued and are worthy of death Therefore except he do recant them all I iudge and thinke meete that he be punished with fire and albeit he doo that which hee is willed and commanded to do notwithstanding I do counsell you that he be forbid the office of preaching and teaching and also that he returne no more into the kingdome of Boheme For if he bee admitted againe to teach and preach and specially in the kingdome of Boheme hee will not obserue and keepe that which he is commaunded but hoping vpon the fauour and good will of such as be his adherents and fautours there he will returne againe vnto his former purpose and intent and then besides these errours he will also sow new errours amongst the people so the last errour shall be worse than the first Moreouer I iudge and thinke it good that his articles which are condemned should be sent vnto my brother the king of Boheme and afterward into Pole and other prouinces whereas mens minds are replenished with his doctrine with this commandement that whosoeuer do proceed to hold or keepe the same they should by the common ayde both of the Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill power be punished So at the length shall remedy bee founde for this mischiefe if the boughes together with the roote be vtterly rooted and pulled vp and if the Byshops and other Prelates which heere in this place haue laboured and trauelled for the extirpating of this heresie be commended by the whole voices of the Councell vnto the Kings and Princes vnder whose dominion they are Last of all if there be any founde heere at Constance which are familiars vnto Iohn Hus they also ought to be punished with such seueritie and punishment as is due vnto them and specially his scholer Hierome of Prage Then saide the rest when the maister is once punished we hope wee shall finde the Scholer much more tractable and gentle After they had spoken these wordes they departed out of the Cloystev where they were assembled and gathered together The day before his condemnation which was the sixt of Iuly the Emperour Sigismond sent vnto him foure Bishops accompanied with maister Wencelate de Duba and Iohn de Clum that they should learne and vnderstand of him what he did intend to do When as hee was brought out of prison vnto them Iohn de Clum began first to speake vnto him saieng MAister Iohn Hus I am a man vnlearned neither am I able to counsell or aduertise you being a man of learning and vnderstanding notwithstanding I do require you if you know your selfe giltie of any of those errours which are obiected and laid against you before the Councell that
to haue had diuers prophetical reuelations shewed to him of God Certaine of which his letters and predictions I thought here vnderneath to insert in such sort as neither in reciting all I will ouercharge the volume too much nor yet in reciting of none I wil be so brief but that the reader may haue some taste and take some profit of the Christian wrytings and doings of this blessed man Firste beginning with the letter of the Lorde Clum concerning the safeconduct of Iohn Hus. A letter of the Lorde Iohn de Clum concerning the safeconduict of Iohn Hus. TO all and singulare that shall see and heare these presentes I Iohn de Clum doe it to vnderstande howe maister Iohn Hus Bacheler of diuinitie vnder the safeconduicte and protection of the renowned prince and Lorde Sigismund of Romaines semper Augustus and king of Hungarie c. My gracious Lorde and vnder the protection defence and safegarde of the holy Empire of Rome hauing the letters patent of the said my Lorde king of Romaines c. came vnto Constance to render a full counte of hys faith in publicke audience to al that would require the same This the saide M. Iohn Hus in this Imperiall Citie of Constance vnder the safeconduict of the said my Lord king of Romaines hath bene and yet is deteined And although the Pope with the Cardinalles haue bene seriously required by solemne Ambassadours of the sayd my Lord king of Romaines c. in the kings name behalfe that the said maister Iohn Hus should be set at libertye and be restored vnto me yet notwythstanding they haue and yet do refuse hitherto to set him at liberty to the great coÌ„tempt derogation of the safeconduct of the king of the safegard and protection of the Empire or Emperial maiestie Wherefore I Iohn aforesaide in the name of the king do here publish and make it known that the apprehending and deteining of the sayde M. Iohn Hus was done wholy against the wil of the fornamed king of Romains my Lord seeing it is done in the contempt of the safeconducte of hys subiects and of the protection of the Empire because that the sayde my Lord was then absent farre from Constance and if he had ben there present woulde neuer haue permitted the same And when hee shall come it is to be doubted of no man but that hee for this great iniury and contempt of this safeconducte done to him to the Empire wil greuously be molested for the same Geuen at CoÌ„stance in the day of the natiuitie of the Lord 1414. ¶ In this instrument aboue prefixed note gentle reader 3. things First the goodnes of this gentle Lord Iohn de Clum being so feruent and zelous in the cause of Iohn Husse or rather in the cause of Christ. Secondly the safeconduct graunted vnto the sayde I. Hus vnder the faith and protection of the Emperor and of the Empire Thirdly here is to be sene the contempt and rebellion of these proud prelates in disobeying the authority of their high Magistrate who contrary to his safeconduct geuen and the mind of the Emperor did arest and imprison this good man before the comming of the sayd Emperor before that Iohn Hus was heard Let vs nowe as we haue promised adioyne some of the epistles of this godly man An Epistle of Iohn Hus vnto the people of Prage in his owne vulgare speeche GRace and peace from our Lorde Iesus Christ that you being deliuered from sinne may walke in his grace and may growe in all modesty and vertue and after this may enioy eternall life Derely beloued I beseeche you which walke after the law of God that you cast not away the care of the saluatioÌ„ of your soules wheÌ„ as you hearing the word of God are premonished wisely to vnderstand that you be not deceiued by fals apostles which do not reprehend the sinnes of men but rather doe extenuate and diminish them which flatter the priests and doe not shewe to the people their offences which magnify themselues boast their own workes and maruelously extol their owne worthines but follow not Christ in his humility in pouerty in the crosse and other manifold afflictions Of whome our merciful sauiour did premonish vs before saying false Christes and fals Prophets shal rise and shall deceiue many And when he had forewarned his welbeloued disciples he said vnto them beware and take hede of false Prophets which come to you in shepes clothing but inwardly are rauening wolues ye shal know them by their fruits And truth it is that the faithful of Christ haue much neede diligently to beware and take hede vnto themselues For as our sauiour himselfe doth say the elect also if it were possible shal be brought into error Wherefore my welbeloued be circumspect and watchful that ye be not circumuented with the crafty trains of the deuil And the more circumspect ye ought to be for that antichrist laboureth the more to trouble you The last iudgement is nere at hande death shal swallow vp many but to the electe children of God the kingdome of God draweth nere because for them he gaue his own body Feare not death loue together one an other perseuere in vnderstanding the good wil of God without ceasing Let the terrible horrible day of iudgement be alwaies before your eies that you sinne not and also the ioy of eternal life wherunto you must endeuor Furthermore let the passion of our sauioure be neuer out of youre minds that you may bear with him for him gladly whatsoeuer shal be laid vpon you For if you shal consider well in your mindes his crosse afflictions nothing shal be greuous vnto you patiently you shal geue place to tribulations cursings rebukes stripes and prisonment and shal not dout to geue your liues moreouer for his holy truth if nede require Knowe ye welbeloued that antichrist being stirred vp against you deuiseth diuers persecutions And many he hath not hurte no not the least heire of their heads as by mine owne example I can testify although hee hathe ben vehemently incensed against me Wherefore I desire you all with your praiers to make intercessioÌ„ for me to the lord to geue me intelligence sufferance patâ—ence and constancie that I neuer swarue from his diuine verity He hath brought me now to Constance In all my iourney openly and manifestly I haue not feared to vtter my name as becommeth the seruant of God In no place I kept my selfe secrete nor vsed any dissimulation But neuer did I finde in any place more pestilent and manifest ennemies then at Constance Which enemies neither should I haue had there had it not ben for certain of our owne Bohemians hypocrites deceiuers who for benefits receiued and stirred vp with couetousnes with boasting and bragging haue perswaded the people that I weÌ„t about to seduce them out of the right way But I am in good hope that through the mercy of our God and
thinges shall come to passe and be brought by little and little in order of times dispensed of God for the same purpose And this God doth and will do for his owne goodnes and mercy and for the riches of his great longanimity and pacience geuing time and space of repētance to them that haue lōg line in theyr sins to amend and flye from the face of the Lordes fury whyle that in like manner the carnall people and carnal priestes successiuely and in time shall fall awaye and be consumed as with the moth c. ¶ An other letter of Iohn Husse MAister Martin my deare brother in Christ I exhorte you in the Lord that you feare God keepe hys commaundementes and flee the company of women and beware of hearing their confessions least by the hipocrisie of women Sathan deceiue you trust not their deuotion You know how I haue detested the auarice and the inordinate life of the Clergy wherefore through the grace of God I suffer now persecution which shortly shal be consummate in me neither doe I feare to haue my hart powred out for the name of Christ Iesus I desire you hartely be not greedy in seeking after benefices And yet if you shal be called to anye cure in the country let the honour of God the saluation of soules and the trauaile therof moue you therunto and not the hauing of the lining or the commodities thereof And if you shall be placed in any such benefice beware you haue no yong womā for your cook or seruant least you edifie and encrease more your house then your soule See that you be a builder of your spirituall house being gentle to the poore and humble of mind and waste not your goodes in great fare I feare also if you do not amend your life ceasing from your costly and superfluous apparell least you shal be greuously chastised as I also wretched mā shal be punished which haue vsed the like being seduced by custome of euill men and wordly glory wherby I haue bene wounded agaynst God wyth the spirite of pride And because you haue notably knowne both my preaching and outward conuersation euen from my youth I haue no neede to write many thinges vnto you but to desire you for the mercy of Iesus Christ that you do not followe me in anye such leuitie and lightnes whiche you haue in seene in me You knew how before my priesthoode whiche greueth me nowe I haue delighted to playe oftentimes at chesse and haue neglected my time and thereby haue vnhappily prouoked both my self and other to anger many times by that play Wherfore besides other my innumerable faultes for thys also I desire you to inuocate the mercy of the Lord that he will pardon me and so directe my life that hauing ouercome the wickednes of this present life the flesh the world and the deuill I may finde place in the heauenly country at the least in the day of iudgement Fare ye well in Christ Iesus with all them which keepe hys law My gray coate if you will keepe to your selfe for my remembraunce but I thinke you are ashamed to wear that gray colour therfore you may geue it to whō you shall thinke good My white coate you shall geue the minister N. my scholer To George or els to Zuzikon 60. groates or els my gray coate for he hath faythfully serued me ¶ The superscription I pray you that you doe not open this letter before you be sure and certayne of my death The consolation of Mayster Hierome to Mayster Hus. MY maister in those thinges which you haue both written hetherto and also preached after the law of God agaynst the pride auarice an other inordinate vices of the Priestes goe forward be constant and strong And if I shall know that you are oppressed in the cause and if neede shal so require of myne own accorde I will folow after to helpe you as much as I can BY the lyfe actes and letters of Iohn Hus hetherto rehearsed it is euident and playne that he was condemned not for any errour of doctrine which they coulde well proue in hym who neyther denyed their popishe transubstantiation neither spake against the authoritie of the church of Rome if it were well gouerned nor yet the 7. Sacraments also sayd masse himself and almost in al their popish opinions was a papist with them but onely of euil wil was accused of his malicious aduersaries because he spake agaynst the pompe pride and auarice other wicked enormities of the pope Cardinals Prelates of that Church and because he could not abide the high dignities liuings of the Churche and thought the doinges of the pope to be Antichristlike For this cause he procured so many enemies false witnesses agaynst him Who strayning and picking matter out of hys bookes and writinges hauing no one iust article of doctrine to lay vnto him yet they made hym an hereticke whether he would or no and brought him to hys condemnation This can hatred and malice do where the charitie of Christ hath no place Whiche being so as thy charitie good reader may easely vnderstand in perusing the whol course of hys story I beseech thee thē what cause had Iohn Cochleus to write his 12. bookes agaynst Iohn Hus and Hussites In which bookes how bitterly intēperately he misuseth hys penne by these few words in hys second booke thou mayst take a little tast which wordes I thought here briefly to place in English to the ende that all English men may iudge thereby with what spirite and truth these Catholickes he caryed Hys wordes be these Lib. 2. Hist. Dico igitur Ioan Huss neque sanctum neque beatum habendum esse sed impium potius c. That is I say therfore Iohn Husse is neither to be counted holy nor blessed but rather wicked and eternally wretched insomuche that in the day of iudgement it shal be more easie not onely with the infidell Pagans Turks Tartarians and Iewes but also with the most sinfull Sodomites the abhominable Persians which most filthily doe lye with their daughters sisters or mothers yea also with most impious Cain killer of hys owne brother with Thyestes killer of hys own mother and the Lestrygones other Andropophagi which deuour mans flesh yea more easie with those infamous murderers of infants Pharao Herode then with him c. These be the words of Cochleus Whose rayling books although they deserue neyther to be read nor aunswered yet if it pleased God it were to be wished that the Lord would stir vp some towardly yong man that hath so much leasure to defend the simplicitie of thys Iohn Hus whiche cannot now aunswere for himselfe In the meane tyme something to satisfie or stay the readers mynde agaynst thys immoderate hyperbole of Cochleus in like fewe wordes I wyll bryng out Iohn Hus to speake and to cleare hymselfe agaynst this slaunder whose wordes in
thinges which he most eloquently profoundly Philosophically had spoken in the sayd audience neither can anye tongue sufficiently declare the same wheerfore I haue but onely touched here the superficiall matter of his talke partly not wholly noting the same Finaly when as by no meanes he might be perswaded to recant the premisses immediately euen in his presence the sentence iudgement of hys concondemnation was geuen against him read before him ¶ The burning of maister Hierome of Prage The which sentence so geuen before his face ended A great lōg miter of paper was brought vnto him painted about with red deuils the whiche when he beheld and saw throwing away his hood vpon the ground amongest the Prelates he tooke the miter and put it vpon his head saying Our Lorde Iesu Christ when as he shoulde suffer death for me most wretched sinner did weare a crowne of thorne vpon his head and I for his sake in stede of that crowne will willingly weare this miter and cappe Afterward he was layd hold of by the secular power After that he was ledde out of the sayde Church to the place of execution when he was going out of the Churche with a cherefull coūtenance a loud voyce lifting his eyes vp into heauen he began to sing Credo in vnum Deum as it is accustomed to be song in the church Afterward as he passed a long he did sing some Canticles of the Church The which being ended in the entring out of the gate of the city as men go vnto Gothlehem he did sing this himne faelix namque And that respond being ended after he came to the place of execution where as Maister Iohn Hus before had suffred death innocently kneeling downe before an image which was like vnto the picture of M. Iohn Hus which was there prepared to burne M. Hierom he made a certayne deuout prayer While he was thus praying the tormentors tooke him vp and lifting him vp from the ground spoyled him of all his garmentes and left him naked and afterward girded him about the loynes with a linnen cloth and bound him fast with cordes and chaynes of Iron to the sayde Image whiche was made fast vnto the earth and so standinge vpon the ground when as they beganne to lay the woode about him he songe Salue festa dies And when the himne was ended he songe agayne with a loude voyce Credo in vnum Deum vnto the end That being ended he sayde vnto the people in the Germaine toung in effect as foloweth Dearely beloued children euen as I haue now song so do I beleue and none otherwise And this Creede is my whole fayth notwithstanding nowe I dye for this cause because I would not consent and agree to the councel and with them affirme and hold that maister Iohn Hus was by thē holily and iustly condemned For I did know well enough that he was a true preacher of the Gospell of Iesu Christ. After that he was compassed in with the wood vp to the crowne of the head they cast all his garments vpō the wood also and with a firebrand they set it on fire The which being once fired he began to sing with a loud voyce In manus tuas domine commendo spiritum meum when that was ended and that he began vehemently to burne he sayd in the vulgar Bohemian tongue O Lord God father almighty haue mercy vpon me and be mercifull vnto mine offēces for thou knowest how the sincerely I haue loued thy trueth Then his voyce by the vehemency of the fire was choked stopped that it was no longer heard but he moued continually his mouth and lips as though he had still prayed or spoken within himselfe When as in a maner his whole body with his beard was burned round about and that there appeared through the great burning vpon his body certayne great bladders as big as an egge yet he continually very strongly stoutlye moued shaked his head mouth by the space almost of one quarter of an houre So burning in the fire he liued with great paine Martyrdome whiles one might easily haue gone from S. Clementes ouer the bridge vnto our Lady Church he was of suche a stout and strong nature After that he was thus deade in the fire by and by they brought his bedding his strawbed his bootes his hood all other thinges that he had in the prison and burned them all to ashes in the same fire The which ashes after that the fire was out they did diligently gather together and cary thē in a cart and cast them into the riuer of Rheine which ran hard by the City That man whiche was the true reporter hereof and which testified vnto vs the actes and doinges about the condemnation Maister Hierome and sent the same vnto vs to Prage in writinge doth thus conclude All these thinges sayth he I did beholde see and heare to be done in this forme maner And if any man do tell you the contrary do not credite him for al those things which happened vnto him when he came toward Constance and also at his first comming vnto Constance of his own free well and afterward when he was brought bounde vnto Constance as is aforesay I my selfe did see and perfectly beholde and for a perpetuall memory thereof to be had for euer I haue directed the same vnto you not lying or falsifying any poynte thereof as he which is the searcher of all mennes hartes can beare me witnesse willing rather to sustaine the note of ignoraunce rudenesse of stile to beare witnesse vnto the trueth then I would by any meanes bee compelled by tickling or flattring the cares of the hearers with fayned and cloked speach to swerue or goe aside from the truth Thus end the tragicall histories of M. Iohn Hus and M. Hierom of Prage faythfully gathered and collected by a certain Bohemian being a present witnes and beholder of the same written and compiled first in Latine so sene by the said Bohemian into his country of Boheme and agayne translated out of the Latine with like fidelitye into our English toung In the meane time while Maister Hierome was in this trouble and before the Councell the nobles and Lordes of Boheme and of Morauia but not a little agreeued thereat directed theyr letters vnto this barbarous Councell of popishe murderers in tenour and forme of wordes as followeth ¶ The letter of the 54. Nobles of Morauia written vnto the Councell of Constaunce in the defence of Mayster Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage ☞ To the right reuerend Fathers and Lordes in Christ the Lordes Cardinals Patriarkes Primates Archbishops Bishops Ambassadours Doctors Maysters and to the whole Councell Constaunce We the Nobles Lordes Knightes and Esquyres of the famous Marquesdome of Morauia wishe the desyre of al goodnes and the obseruation of the commaundementes of our Lord Iesu
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
thou sayest so thou geuest offence Luke 11. The 16. Article is that they in many places lende money or goodes to haue treasure or vsurie and they haue in cities and townes yearely paiments and perpetual reuenues as great Princes and Lordes Wherein they doe against the Gospel which sayth do not ye possesse gold nor siluer And wheras they lend for gaine and vsury againste that speaketh the Lord Deu. 24. Lend not to vsury to thy brother c. Ye honest discrete and well beloued Lords all the foresaide Articles we wil prooue against the Pope and all his priests with many testimonies of the holy Scripture which for breuities sake we haue not here mētioned But note ye chiefly these 4. Articles for which wee striue and desire to defend them to the death The first Article is that all publicke and customably mortall sinnes ought to be forbidden and prohibited to all Priests and lay men according to the commaundement of the holy Scripture The seconde Article is that richesse ought to be taken from the Pope and all hys Priestes from the hyghest to the lowest and they ought to bee made poore as the Disciples of our Lord Iesus Christ were who had nothyng of their own neither possessiōs in this world neither worldly power The third Article is that the word of God ought to be free for euery mā appointed and ordained therto to preach and read in al places whether they shal come without resistance of any man or without any inhibitiō of either spirituall or earthly power openly or manifestly The fourth article is that the body of our Lord Iesus Christ ought to be deliuered to euery christian as our lord hath ordained it and as the holy Euangelists haue wrytten We haue also vnderstood that there shal be a Councell in Basile Wherfore let no mā be exalted but let them diligētly kepe their wiues their daughters and their virgins from Byshops Priests and Monkes And do not thinke that there is made any holy assembly of Bishops and Priests for the common commodity and profit of Christendom but onely to thys end that they may hide their secret vices and heresies with the cloke of hypocrisye and let and hinder the righteousnesse of God which is muche contrary to them and for this cause consider ye diligently that they will not make an holy assembly but the congregation of Sathan And take ye heede that it be not done as some did at Constance who tooke money of Bishops and Prelates suffered them to sleepe with their wiues Ye welbeloued and honest Lordes if ye finde any thing in these aforesaide Articles or wordes wrytten somewhat sharply we did it not to offend or contemne you but to the ende that ye shoulde diligently consider and deuise howe Christendome is so ill kept and led by the Priests of this present age Our Lorde Iesu Christ keepe you both in body and soule Amen In the yeare of our Lord. 1430. Preropus Smahors Conradus Samssmolich Capitaines of Bohemia Nowe to prosecute the warres of the Bohemians againe after Zisca was dead wherof we did intreat before there was great feare sorrow and lamentation in the army the soldiers accusing fortune which gaue ouer such an inuincible captaine to be ouercome with death Immediatly there was a diuision in the host the one parte chusing Procopius Magnus to be their captaine the other parte saying that there was none could be found worthy to succede Zisca whereuppon they chusing out certaine to serue the warres named themselues Orphanes Thus the Thaborites being deuided into two armies the one part retained their olde and accustomed name and the other by meanes of the death of their captayne named themselues Orphanes And all be it that oftentimes there was dissension betwene them yet when soeuer any forein power came towards them they ioyned their powers together in one campe and defended themselues They seldome went vnto any fensed townes except it were to buy necessaries but liued with their wiues and childrē in theyr campe tents They had amongst them many cartes the which they vsed as a Bulwarke For when so euer they went vnto battell they made two wings of them whyche closed in the footemen The winges of the horse men were on the out side and when as they sawe their time for to ioyne battell the wagon men which led the wings going forth vnto the Emperors standerd and compassing in such part of their enemies as they woulde did close themselues in together whereby the ennemies being inclosed so that they could not be rescued they were partly by the footemē partly by the men that were in the carres with their dartes slaine The horsemen fought without the fortification and if it happened that they were oppressed or put to flight by and by the carres opening themselues receiued them as it were into a fensed Citie and by this meanes they got many victories for so much as their enemies were ignorant of their pollicies These 2. armies went foorth the one into Slesia and the other into Morauia and returned againe wyth great pray before their enemies knewe of their comming After this they besieged the towne of Swetley in Austrich where as the Thaborites and the Orphanes two nightes continually assaulted the walles wythout ceasing but Albert Duke of Austrich comming with his hoste to aide the Citizens they fought by the space almost of foure houres the valiauntest warriers being slaine on both partes At the length the battaile was broken of and the Thaborits lost their carres and Albert was put out of his camp tents Within a while after Procopius Magnus came agayne and inclosed the citie of Rhetium in Austria with a notable siege They of Prage were in his army and Boslaus Cygneus of whome we spake before was slaine there with a dart the city of Rhetium was taken by force sacked and burnt The Burgraue of Malderburge Lord of the towne was also taken and caried vnto Prage where also hee dyed in prison These thinges thus done the Emperour sent for the nobles of Boheme which went vnto him vnto a town of Hungary called Posonium in the borders of Austria vpō the bāks of the riuer of Danubius but they wold not enter into the towne but remained wtout the towne in their tents whether as the Emperoure going out vnto them communing muche with them as touching his right title and the recouering of his fathers kingdome promising if there were any cause which did alienate the Bohemians minds from him that he would take away al the occasion therof They made answer that he had made warre vpon them without cause and that he had suffred their countrey men cōtrary to his promise to be burnt at Constance not being heard and the kingdom to be contumeliously interdited and the Nobles of Boheme to be condemned by the church of Rome as heretickes and that he should thincke the force
forced to obiure and suffred like penance as the other before had done THomas Moone of Ludney was apprehended and attached for suspition of heresy agaynst whom were obiected by the Bishop the articles before written but specially this article that he had familiarity communication with diuers heretickes and had receiued comforted supported and mayntayned diuers of them as sir William White syr Hugh Pye Thomas Pert and William Callis Priestes with many other more vpon the which articles he being coÌ„uict before the bishop was forced to abiure and receiued the like penance in like maner as before In like maner Robert Brigges of Martham was brought before the Bishop the 17. day of February in the yeare aforesayd for holding and affirming the foresayd articles but especially these hereafter folowing That the sacrament of confirmation ministred by the Byshop did auayle nothing to saluation That it was no sinne to withstand the ordinaunces of the Church of Rome That holy bread and holy water were but trifles and that the bread and the water were the worse for the conturacions characters which the priestes made ouer them Upon which Articles he being conuict was forced to abiure and receiued penance in maner and forme as the other had done before him The like also albeit somewhat more sharp happened vnto Iohn Finch of Colchester the 20. day of September who albeit he was of the dioces of London being suspecte of heresye was attached in Ipswich in the dioces of Norwich brought before the bishop there before whom he being conuict of the like articles as all the other before him was enioyned penance three displings in solemne procession about the Cathedrall Church of Norwich three seuerall Sondayes three displinges about the market place of Norwich three principall market dayes his head necke and feet being bare his body couered onely with a short shirt or vesture hauing in his handes a taper of waxe of a pound waight which the next Sonday after his penance he shoulde offer to the Trinity and that for the space of 3. yeres after euery Ashwednesday Maundy Thursday he should appeare in the Cathedrall Church of Norwich before the Bishop or his Vicegerent to do open penaunce amongest the other penitentiaries for his offences There were besides these men which we haue here rehearsed diuers and many other who both for the concordaunce of the matter and also for that theyr Articles punishmeÌ„ts were all one we haue thought good at this time to passe ouer especially forsomuch as their names be before recited in the Catalogue The burning of Rich Houeden Nicholas Canon of Eye NOw to proceed in our story of Norfolke and Suffolk in folowing the order of yeres we finde that in the yere of our Lord. 1431. One Nich. Canon of Eye was brought before the Bishop of Norwich for suspicion of heresy with certayne witnesses sworne to depose against him touching his maners and conuersatioÌ„ which witnesses appointing one William Christopher to speak in the name of them all he deposed in maner and forme folowing First that on Easter day when all the parishners weÌ„t about the church of Eye solemnely in processioÌ„ as the maner was the sayd Nicholas Canon as it were mocking deciding the other parishioners went about the Church the contrary way and met the procession This article he confessed and affirmed that he thought he did well in so doing Item the sayd Nicholas asked of maister Iohn Colman of Eye this question Maister Colman what think you of the Sacrament of the aulter To whome the sayde Colman aunswered Nicholas I thinke that the SacrameÌ„t of the aultar is very God and very man the very flesh and very bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ vnder forme of bread and wine Vnto whom Nicholas in decision sayde Truly if the Sacrament of the aultar be very God very man and the very body bloud of our Lord Iesu Christ then may very God and very man be put in a small roome as when it is in the priests mouth that receiueth it at mas And why may not we simple men as well eate flesh vpon Fridayes and al other prohibited dayes as the priest to eat the flesh and the bloud of our Lord euery day indiffereÌ„tly The which article the sayd Nicholas denied that he spake vnto Maister Colman but vnto a Monke of Hockesney And furthermore he thought he had spoken well in that behalfe Item that on Corpus Christi day at the eleuation of high masse when all the parishioners other straungers kneeled downe holding vp their handes and doing reuerence vnto the sacrament the sayd Nicholas went behinde a piller of the church and turning his face from the high aulter mocked them that did reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he also acknowledging affirmed that he beleued himselfe to do well in so doing Item when his mother would haue the said Nicholas to lift vp his right hand and to crosse himselfe froÌ„ the craftes and assaults of the deuill forsomuch as he deferred the doing therof his mother tooke vp his right haÌ„d crossed him saying In nomine patris filij spiritus sacti Amen Which so ended the sayde Nicholas immediately deciding hys mothers blessing tooke vp his right hand of his owne accord and blessed him otherwise as his aduersaryes reporte of him This Article the sayde Nicholas acknowledged to be true Item that vpon Alhallowen day in the time of eleuation of high masse when as many of the parishioners of Eâ—e lighted many torches and caried theÌ„ vp to the high aultar kneling down there in reuerence and honor of the Sacrament the sayd Nicholas carying a torche went vp hard to the high aultar and standing behind the priestes backe saying masse at the time of the eleuation he stood vpright vpoÌ„ his feet turning his back to the priest and his face toward the people and would do no reuerence vnto the sacrament This article he acknowledged affirming that he thought he had done well in that behalfe All which Articles the Byshops coÌ„missary caused to be copied out word for worde to be seÌ„t vnto M. William Worsted Prior of the cathedrall church of Norwich and to other doctors of diuinity of the order of begging Friers that they might deliberate vpon them and shew their mindes betwene that and Thursday next folowing Vpon whiche Thursdaye being the last of Nouember the yeare aforesayd the sayd Nicholas was agayne examined before M. Barnam and diuers other vpoÌ„ two other articles which he had confessed vnto I. Exetor notary Tho. Bernsten bacheler of diuinity and others Whereof the first Article was this that the sayd Nicholas Canon being of perfect minde and remembrance confessed that he doubled whether in the Sacrament of the aulter were the very body of Christ or no. This article he confessed before the Commissary to be true Item that he beyng of perfecte minde
punishment vpon them for their bloudy cruelty But before I remoue from the sayde story of the foresayde Duke and of the proud Cardinall his enemy I will hers by the way annexe a certaine instrument by the kyng and aduise of his counsayle made agaynst the sayde Cardinall taking vpon him to enter into this realme as Legate froÌ„ the Pope contrary to the old lawes and customes of thys realme as by the wordes of the sayd instrument here in Latine may well appeare In Dei nomine Amen Per presens publicum instrumentum cunctis appareat euidenter quod an Dom. 1428. Indictione septima pontificatus Sanct. in Christo pat D. nostri D. Martini c. Ego Richardus Candray procurator nomine procuratorio Christianissimi principis Domini Henrici Dei gratia Regis Angliae Franciae Domini Hiberniae Domini mei supremi de assensu pariter aduisamento Illustris potentis Principis Humfridi Ducis Gloucestriae Comitis Penbrochiae protectoris defensoris regni Angliae Ecclesiae Anglicanae caeterorum dominorum meorum de consilio suae Regiae celsitudinis ac consiliuÌ„ eiusdem facientiuÌ„ hac vice representantiuÌ„ dico allego in his scriptis propono quod dictus Christianissimus princepsdominus meus supremus suique inclytissimi progenitores dicti regni Angliae Reges fuerunt sunt tam speciali priuilegio quam consuetudine laudabili legitimeque praescripta nec non a teÌ„pore per teÌ„pus cuius contrarij memoria hominum non existat pacifice inconcusse obseruata sufficienter dotati legitimeque muniti quod nullus Apostolicae se dis Legatus venire debeat in regnum suum Angliae aut alias suas terras dominia nisi ad Regis Angliae pro tempore existentis vocationem petitionem requisitionem inuitationem seu rogatum Fueruntque sunt dicti Christianissimus princeps dominus meus supremus ac sui inclyti progenitores huiusmodi Reges Angliae in possessione quasi iuris facti priuilegij consuetudinis praedictorum absque interruptione quacunque toto omni tempore supradicto pacificè quiete Romanis pontificibus per totum tempus supradictum praemissa omnia singula scientibus tolerantibus iisdem consentieÌ„tibus tam tacite quam expresse ac extra omnem omnimodam possessionem quasi iuris facti LegatuÌ„ huiusmodi vtpraefertur in regnum Angliae aut alias suas terras et dominia mittendi nisi ad vocationem petitionem requisitionem Rogatum Regis Angliae pro tempore existentis Et quia reuerendis in Chri. pat D. D. Henricus Dei gratia c. sancti Eusebij praesbyter Cardinalis sanctaesedis Romanae Legatum se affirmans more Legati insignijs Apostolicae dignitatis vtens absque vocatione petitione requisitine inuitatione aut rogatu Christianissimi domini nostri Regis praedicti inclytum regnum Angliae de facto est ingressus protestor igitur palam publico in his scriptis nomine vice quibus supra ac omnium ipsius domini nostri Regis subditorum quod non fuit aut est intentionis praefati Christianiss principis domimini supremi ac dictorum dominorum meorum de coÌ„silio in derogationem legum iurium consuetudinum libertatum priuilegiorum dicti D. nostri Regis ac regni ingressum huiusmodi dicti reuerendiss patris vt Legati in Angliam authoritate ratificare vel approbare seu ipsum vt Legatum sedis Apostolicae in Angliam contra leges iura consuetudines libertates priuilegia praedicta quouismodo admittere seu recognoscere aut exercitio legationis suae huiusmodi aliquibusue per ipsum vt Legatum sedis Apost actis seu agendis attentatis seu attentandis aduersus praemissa leges iura consuetudines libertates priuilegia in aliquo consentire sed dissentire sicque dissentit dictus dominâ— noster Rex atque dissentiunt dicti domini mei de consilio per presentes c The summe and effecte whereof in Englishe is this that in the yeare of our Lord. 1428. as the King with Duke Humfrey Lord protectour the rest of the counsayle were in the Dukes house in the Parish of S. Bennets by Paules warfe one Richard Candray procuratour in the kinges name and behalfe did protest and denounce by thys publicke instrument that where as the kyng and all hys progenitours kinges before him of thys realme of EnglaÌ„d haue bene heretofoâ—e possessed tyme out of mynde with speciall priuiledge and custome vsed and obserued in thys Realme from tyme to time that no Legate from the Apostolicke sea should enter into thys land or anye of the kynges dominions without the calling petition request inuitement or desire of the kyng and for so much as Henry byshop of Wint. and Cardinall of S. Eusebius hath presumed so to enter as Legat from the Pope beyng neyther called sent for required or desired by the kyng therfore the sayd Richard Candray in the kynges name doth protest by this instrument that it standeth not with the kinges minde or intent by the aduise of hys counsayle to admit approue or ratifie the coÌ„ming of the sayd Legate in anye wise in derogation of the rightes customes and lawes of this hys realme or to recognise or assent to any exercise of this hys authoritie Legantine or to anye actes attempted or hereafter by hym to be attempted in this respect coÌ„trary to the foresayd lawes rightes customes and liberties of this Realme by these presentes c. And thus much as an Apendix annexed to the story of Duke Humfrey and the Cardinal of Wint. extracte out of an olde written volume remaining in the handes of maister William Bowyer ¶ The benefite and inuention of Printing IN following the course and order of yeares we find this foresayd yeare of our Lord. 1450. to be famous and memorable for the diuine and miraculous inuention of printing Nauclerus and Wymselingus folowing him referre the inuention thereof to the yeare 1440. In paralipom Abbatis Vrsp. it is recorded this facultie to be found an 1446. Auentinus and Zieglerus do say an 1450. The first inueÌ„tour thereof as moste agree is thought to bee a Germayne dwelling first in Argentine afterward Cittizen of Mentz named Iohn Faustus a goldsmith The occasioÌ„ of this inuention first was by engrauing the letters of the Alphabet in mettal who then laying blacke incke vpon the mettall gaue the forme of letters in paper The man being industruous and actiue perceiuing that thought to proceed further and to proue whether it woulde frame as well in words and in whole sentences as it did in letters Which when he perceaued to come well to passe he made certayne other of his counsaile one Iohn Guttemberge Peter Schafferd binding them by their othe to keepe silence for a season After x. yeares Iohn Guttemberge compartner with Faustus began then first to broch the matter at Strausbrough The Arte beyng yet
fallen from him The Christian shippes of the Ligurians for money were hyred to conduct them ouer taking for euery souldiour a peece of gold Ex Pucer alijs Thus the Turkes armye being conueyed ouer by the Grecianssea called Hellespōtus first got Callipolis wyth other townes and Cityes bordering about the sea there planting themselues and preparing shippes of theyr own for transporting theyr munitions out of Asia aduaunced their power further into Thrasia and there wanne Philip polis then gotte Adrianopolis which was not farre from Constantinople there Amurathes made his chiefe seat Then beganne Paleologus the Emperour at lenth to bewayle his offer couenaunt made with Amurathes Whē the Turkes had expugned thus a greate part of Thrasia they extended forth theyr armye vnto Mysia whiche they soone subdued from thence proceding and conquering the Bessos and Triballos they entred into Seruia and Bulgaria where they ioyning battell with Lazarus Despota prince of Seruia and with other Dukes of Dalmatia and Epirus wanne of them the field put them to the worse where Lazarus Despota being taken and committed to prison ended his life This Lazarus had a certayne faythfull client or seruaunt who to reuenge his maisters death with a bolde courage although seing death before his eies yet ventred his life so far that he came to the tyraūt thrust him through with his dagger This Amurathes reigned 23. yeares and was slayne in the yeare of our Lord 1372. Baiazetes the 4. after Ottomannus THe power of the Turkes began to encrease in Europe what time Baiazetes the first of that name after the death of his father entred the possession of the turkes kingdome This Baiazetes had 2. brethrē Solimānus Sauces Whiche Sauces had his eyes put out by his father for striuing for the kingdome Solimānus was slayne of hys brother Thus Baiazetes beginning his kingdome wyth the murther of his brother reduced his Imperiall seat frō Prusia a city of Bithynia vnto Adrianople entēding with himself to subdue both Asia Europe to his own power First he set vpon the Seruians and Bulgarians thinking to reuenge his fathers death where he gaue the ouerthrow to Marcus Despota with all the nobility of the Seruians and Bulgarians and put all those partyes vnder his subiection vnto the fines and borders of the Illyrians All Thracia moreouer hee brought likewise vnder his yoke onely Constantinople and Pera excepted That done he inuaded the residue of Grecia preuaylyng agaynste the countryes of Thessalia Macedonia Phocides and Attica spoyling and burning as he passed without anye resistaunce and so returning with innumerable spoyle of the Christians vnto Adrianople layd siege to Constantinople the space of viij yeares and had expugned the same but that Paleologus beyng brought to extremitye was driuen to craue ayde of the frenchmen and of Sigismund the Emperour Who being accompanyed with a sufficient power of Frenchmen Germaynes came downe to Hūgaria toward Seruia agaynst the Turk Baiazetes hearing of theyr comming raised his siege frō Cōstantinople and with 60000. horsemen came to Nicopolis where he encountring with them ouerthrew all the Christian army tooke Iohn the Captaine of the French power prisoner Sigismundus which before in the Councell of Constance had burned Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage hardly escaped by flieng Baiazetes after the victory got carried away Duke Iohn with fiue other in hands into Prusia where before his face he caused all the other christian prisoners to be cut in peeces Afterwarde the sayde Iohn beeing raunsomed wyth 200000. crownes was deliuered Some authors referre this story to the time of Calepinus as followeth heereafter to be seene Baiazetes the cruell tirant after this victory wonne tirannie shewed vpon the Christians returned againe to his siege of Constantinople fully bending himselfe to cōquere and subdue the same whiche thyng no doubt he had accomplished but that the prouidence of God had founde such a meanes that Tamerlanes King of Parthia wyth an 100. thousand horsemen and swarmes of footemen like a violent floud ouerrunning Asia and pressing vpon Siria and Sebastia had taken Orthobules the sonne of Baiazetes prisoner and afterward slue him exercising the like crueltie vpō his prisoners as Baiazetes had done before vpon the Christians insomuch that he spared neither sexe nor age of the Turkish multitude of whome he caused xij thousand at one time to be ouerriden and troden downe vnder his horses feete By reason whereof Baiazets the tirant was enforced to raise his siege from Constantinople to returne his power into Asia where he neere the hill called Stella pitched his tents there to encounter with Tamerlanes The fight betweene these ij was long great on both sides which was in the yeare of our Lord 1397. and the second yeare after the slaughter of our Christians at Nicopolis in Ponnonia but the victorie of this battaile fell to Tamerlanes at lēgth In the which battaile as Munsterus writeth were slaine 2000000. Turkes Among whome Baiazetes the tirant hauing his horse slaine vnder him was takē prisoner and to make a spectacle of his wretched fortune was bounde in golden fetters and so beeing enclosed in an iron grate whome before all Grecia could not holde was ledde about and shewed through all Asia to be skorned laught at and moreouer was vsed in stead of a footestoole to Tamerlanes or a blocke as often as he mounted vpon his horse Some adde also that he was made like a dogge to feede vnder Tamerlanes table The tirannie of which Baiazetes against the Christians as it was not much vnlike to the crueltie of Ualerianus the Romaine Emperour aboue mentioned pag. 73. so neither was the example of his punishment much discrepant for as Sapores King of the Persians did then with Ualerianus in time of the eight persecution of the primatiue Church so likewise was Baiazetes this persecutor worthely handled by Tamerlanes king of the Parthians as in maner abouesayd Tamerlanes after thys conquest passed wyth hys army into Mesopotamia to Egypt and all Syria where he victoriously subduing the Cities and munitions of the Turkes at length also conqured Damascus In his sieges his maner was the first day to go all in white attire the seconde daye in red the third day in blacke signifieng thereby mercie the first daye to them that yeelded the seconde day the sword the third day fire and ashes At last after great victories and spoiles gotten of the Turkes he returned into his Countrey againe and there dyed anno 1402. Seb. Munsterus writing of this Tamerlanes recordeth that he had in his army 200. thousand men and that hee ouercame the Parthians Scythians Hiberians Albans Persians Medes and conquered all Mesopotamia and after he had also subdued Armenia passing ouer the riuer Euphrates with sixe hundred thousande footemen and 4000000. horsemen he inuaded all Asia Minor conquering and subduing from the floud Tanais vnto Nilus in
with the Sherifte and that the one shall teach them Gods law and the other mans law as ye heard in King Edgars lawes before Many other lawes both Ecclesiasticall and temporall besides these were enacted by these and other Kings heere in England before the Conquest but these be sufficient to geue the vnderstanding Reader to consider how the authority of the Bishops of Rome all this while extended not so farre to prescribe lawes for gouernement of the Church but that Kings and Princes of the Realme as they be now so were then full gouernours heere vnder Christ as well in causes Ecclesiasticall as temporall both in directing orders instituting lawes in calling of Synodes and also in conferring Byshoprickes and benefices without any leaue of the Romish Bishops Thus Odo Dunstane Oswold Ethelwold Aldelinus and Lancfrancus although they fet their palles afterwarde from Rome yet were they made Bishops and Archbishops by Kings only not by Popes And thus stoode the gouernement of this Realme of England all the time before the Conquest till Pope Hildebrand through the setting on of the Saxons began first to bring the Emperour which was Henry 4. vnder foote Then followed the subduing of other Emperours Kings and subiects after that as namely heere in England when Lancfrancus Anselmus and Becket went to complayne of their Kings and gouernours then brought they the Popes iudiciall authority first from Rome ouer this land both ouer Kings and subiects which euer since hath continued till these latter yeares Albeit the sayd Kings of this Realme of England being prudent Princes and seeing right well the ambitious presumption of those Romish Byshops did what they could to shake off the yoke of their supremacie as appeareth by the lawes and Actes of their Parliaments both in king Edward the thirds time King Richard the 2. and King Henry the 4. aboue in their Parliament notes specified yet for feare of other foreine Princes and the blind opinion of their subiectes such was then the calamitie of that time that neither they could nor durst compasse that which faine they would till at last the time of their iniquitie being complete through the Lords wonderfull working theyr pride had a fall as in the next Volume ensuing the Lord so graunting shall by proces of hystorie be declared The Image of the true Catholicke Church of Christ. ¶ The proude primacie of Popes paynted out in Tables in order of their rising vp by little and little from faythfull Byshops and Martyrs to become Lords and gouernours ouer King and kingdomes exalting themselues in the Temple of God aboue all that is called God c. 2. Thessalonians 2. IN the Table of the primitiue Churche aboue described hath bene gentle Reader set forth and exhibited before thine eies the greeuous afflictions and sorowfull tormentes which thorough Gods secret sufferance fell vpon the true Saints and members of Christes Church in that time especially vpon the good Bishops Ministers and teachers of the flocke of whome some were scourged some beheaded some crucified some burned some had their eies put out some one way some another miserably consumed which daies of wofull calamitie cōtinued as is foreshewed neare the space of CCC yeares During which time the deare spouse and elect Church of God being sharply assaulted on euery side had small rest no ioy nor outward safetie in this present world but in much bitternes of hart in continuall teares and mourning vnder the crosse passed ouer their daies being spoiled imprisoned contemned reuiled famished tormented and martired euerywhere who neither durst well tarie at home for feare and dread and much lesse durst come abroade for the enemies but onely by night when they assembled as they might sometimes to sing Psalmes and Hymnes together In all which their dreadfull dangers and sorrowfull afflictions notwithstanding the goodnes of the Lord left them not desolate but the more their outward tribulations did increase the more their inward consolations did abound and the farther off they seemed from the ioyes of this lyfe the more present was the Lorde wyth them wyth grace and fortitude to confirme and reioyce theyr soules And though theyr possessions and riches in this world were lost and spoyled yet were they enriched wyth heauenly giftes and treasures from aboue an hundreth fold Then was true Religion truely felt in hart Then was Christianitie not in outwarde appearance shewed but in inward affection receaued and the true image of the Churche not in outwarde shew pretensed but in her perfect state effectuall Then was the name and feare of God true in hart not in lippes alone dwellyng Fayth then was feruent zeale ardent prayer not swimming in the lippes but groned out to God from the bottome of the spirite Then was no pride in the Church nor laysure to seeke riches nor tyme to keepe them Contention for trifles was then so far from Christians that well were they when they could meete to pray together agaynst the Deuill authour of all dissention Briefly the whole Churche of Christ Iesus wyth all the members thereof the farther it was from the type and shape of this worlde the nearer it was to the blessed respect of Gods fauour and supportation ¶ The first rising of the Byshops of Rome AFter this long tyme of trouble it pleased the Lord at length mercifully to looke vpon the Saints and seruauntes of his sonne to release their captiuitie to release their miserie and to binde vp the old Dragon the Deuill which so long vexed them whereby the Church began to aspire to some more libertie and the Bishops which before were as abiects vtterly contemned of Emperours through the prouidence of God which disposeth all things in his time after his owne willy began now of Emperours to be esteemed and had in price Furthermore as Emperours grew more in deuotion so the Bishops more and more were exalted not only in fauour but also preferred vnto honour in so much that in short space they became not quarter maisters but rather halfe Emperours with Emperours Constantinus the Emperour embrasing Christen Byshops By which words of S. Paul we haue diuers things to vnderstand First that the day of the Lordes cōming was not thē nere at hand Secōdly the Apostle geuing vs a tokē before to know whē that day shall approch biddeth vs looke for an aduersary first to be reuealed Thirdly to shew what aduersary this shal be he expresseth him not to be as a common aduersary suche as were then in his time For although Herode Annas and Cayphas the high Priestes and Pharasyes Tertullus Alexander the Coppersmith Elymas Symō Magus Nero the Emperor in Paules time were great aduersaryes yet here he meaneth another besides these greater thē all the rest not such a one as should be like to Priest King or Emperor but such as farre exceding the estate of all kinges priests and Emperors should be the prince of priests should make kings to
pontif Lib. 4. Ex Roger. Ho 〈◊〉 Eabia c. Anno. 1116. Assemble of the nobles at Salisbury Thurstine refuseth to professe subiection to the Arch. of Cant. Thurstine promiseth to renounce hys archbishopricke Anno. 1118. Pope Calixtus breaketh promise with the king Thurstine sacred archbishop of Yorke by the Pope agaynst the kinges minde Concision Rhemense Actes of the councell of Rhemes The Actes sent to the Emperour The Emperour agreeth not to the popes inuesting The councell deuided Ex Rog. Houed Henry the Emperour excommunicated Agreed that England shoulde haue no other Legate from Rome but onely the Archb. of Cant. England spoyld by the popes legates All the custome of the Realme graunted of the pope Anno. 1120. The popes letter to the King The king compelled to receaue Thurstinus for feare of the popes curse Thurstinus restored Anno. 1122. Wil. Archb. of Cant. The gray Friers first came into England Anno. 1125. Priestes payd for their wiues Ex Roger. Houed El Guliel GisburneÌ„si Ex Henrie Hunting lib. 7. The Abbey of Gilburne bailded S. la ues hand Reading Abbey fouÌ„ded Matilde daughter of K. Henry heyre to the crowne Geffry PlaÌ„tagenet Henry 2. borne of Matilde the Empresse Anno. 1130. The priorie of Norton founded Three terrible visioÌ„s of the king Three vowes made of King Henry Anno. 1131. Danegelt released The Church relieued Iustice rightly administred Bishoprike of Carlile newly erected by king Henry The Citie and Paules Church of London burned Honorius the 2. Mathaeus Partsiensis A romishe statute concerning priestes wiues and Concubines Mariage forbid to the seuenth degree The Popes Legate geuing preceptes of chastitie was found with an harlot Lotharius Emperour Arnulphus Martyred at Rome The history of Arnulphus Arnulphus Martyr Ex Tretimio A booke called Tripartitum written 400. yeares agoe Number of holy dayes Curious singing in Cathedrall Churches The world ouercharged with begging Religions Promotion of euill prelates Supersluitie of apparell in Bishops families Byshops seales abused to get mony Non residentes in benefices Rash bestowing of benefices Wastefull spending of the Church goods Old bookes of Councels lost by the negligence of the clerkes The vnchaste lyfe of priestes condemned by the nature of the storkes Amendment of lyfe ought first to begin with the priestes The realme of Fraunce interdited King of Portingale deposed The Knights of the Rhodes and Templars Pope 〈◊〉 centius the second Hurly 〈◊〉 betweene Popes The pope curse proclaymed agaynst 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 any priest The death of K. Henry Anno. 1135. Periury iustly punished Ex Chris. Anglico in certi autâ—ris The Bishop of Sarum and of Lincolne takeâ— prisoners of the king and led with ropes about their neckes Roger. â—eued in 〈◊〉 Steph. Ex Fabian In vita Step. Anno. 1136. K. Stephen Building of Castles in England The cruelty of the Scots agaynst the Englishe man Anno. 1140. Maude the Empresse came into England agaynst Steuen King SteueÌ„â—ken prisoner What it is for princes to be hard and straite to their subjectes K. Stephen and Robert Erle of Glocester deliuered by exchaunge Ex incerti autoris chronise The decease of Geffry Plantagenet Henry Duke of Normandy Henry entereth into England Theobalde Archbishop of Cant. Peace betwene king Steuen and Duke Henry concluded The death of K. Steuen S. William of Yorke Gracianns the compiler of the popes decrees Petrus Lombardus maister of the sentence Petrus Comestet Hugo de sancto Victore Bernardus Clareualensis Hildegare Ioannes detemporibus The fewes crucified a christen body at Norwich The order of the Gilbertines The Lordes prayer and the Creede in Englishe Matthaeus Pariensis lib. Chron. 4. Steuen king of England Cursing with booke bell and candle Anno. 1138. Pope Lucius the ij warring agaynst the Senators Spirituall excommunication abused in temporall causes Hadrianus a Pope an Englishman Anno. 1154. King Henry the second Thomas Becket chauncellor of England Anno. 〈◊〉 Gerhardus Dulcinus Preaches agaynst Antichrist of Rome Ex 〈◊〉 Gisbaron si Anno. 11â—â— Fredericus Barbarosa Emperor The pope displeased that the Emperour did not held his right stirrup The Emperour holdeth the Popes stirrup The Popes old practice in setting Princes together by the eares War more gaynefull to the Pope then peace Warre stirred vp by the Pope The pope driuen to entreate for peace The godly proceedings of Frederick the Emperour agaynst the pope A letter of Pope Hadrian to the Emperour Fredericke The Emperours name before the Popes A seditious and proud letter of the pope to the Bishops of Germany Well bragged and like a Pope Scripture well wrasted Ex Radenuico in appendice Frisingensis See the ambitious presumption of a proude priest Note here a couragious hart in a valiaunt Emperour An example for all princes to follow Note The order of Erenuâ—â— Anno. 1159. The saying and iudgement of P. Adrianus of the papall sea The popes rather successors to Romulus then to Peter Pope Alexander the third Alexander curseth the Emperour Anno. 1164. Volateran â—ken with a â—tradiction Concilium 〈◊〉 The clergie â—ounde to â—he vowe of â—hastitie Papiâ—tes are not so much in pro 〈◊〉 chastitie as in desining chastitie Tho. Becket Archb. at Cant. Becket no martyr Herberturde busebam Ioan. Charnot A lanus Abbot of Tenchbury Gulselmus Cantuariensis Tho. Becked described What commeth of blinde zeale destitute of right knowledge The life of Tho. Becket Polydorus mistaketh the mother of Becket Ex Roberto Criâ—eladensi Ex Florilego 〈…〉 The 〈◊〉 of vanâ—â— recited betweene 〈◊〉 king 〈◊〉 Archb. The kings custome Out of an Englishe Chronicâ—â— as it appearreth 〈◊〉 en cured Frenchâ—â— Erle â—â—lord 〈◊〉 The lawes of Claredoun Beckets additioÌ„ Saluo ordine suo The Bishop of Chichester The stubberne wilfulnes of T. Becket T. Becket relenteth to the king Becket yeldeth to the king Saluo ordine left out in the composition Becket repenteth of hys good deede A letter of pope Alexander to T. Becket Becket enterprising agaynst the king◠〈◊〉 to flye out of the realme Becket taunted of the king Ex Rogero Houed prâ— parte historia continuas a post Bedam The kinge to be the Pope Legate The ceâ—sty dissimulation of the Pope The popes secret letters to Becket More then an C. murthers done by the clergye Guliel Neuburg lib. 2. ca. 16. Becket cited to Northampton The Archbish. condemned in the Councell of NorthamtoÌ„ in the loâ—â—e of all hys moueables Becket required to geue an accompt The verdite of Winchester The counsell of the Bishop of London Canterbury Winchester Chichester Moderate counsell Lincolne Exceter Worcester Becket the Archbishop replyeth agaynst the Byshops A great â—â—ielle growen in the church because that Byshop may noâ—â—â— aboue 〈◊〉 and prince Becket destitute and forsaken Becket 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 nes when he should appeale A masse of S. Steuen 〈◊〉 saue hym from hys enemies Becket answere to the Bishops â—â—câ—â—t appealeth to Rome London appealeth from the Archbish. A masse to charme away persecutors Becket caryeth with hym the sacrament going
Henr. Coldyron answereth to the 3. article Iohn Pollomarius answereth to the 4. article Certayne chosen on both sides to determine the matter The oration of Cardinal 〈◊〉 Nicolas the 2. propounder charged by the Cardinall for the commeÌ„cing of Ioh. Wickliffe A prudent answere of the Bohemians to the Cardinall Iulian. The Ambassadours of the Bohemians return without agreement The coÌ„ming of the Legates to Prage Ioh. Rochezanus speaketh Ex Cochleo hist. lib. 7. Polomas answereth to the Bohemians The Bohemians reply againe to Polomar Polomar extolleth the Councelles Generall councelles may erre and haue erred Ex Cochleo hist. lib. 7. The Ambassadours of the councel and the Bohemians could not agree A declaration of 3. articles promised to the Bohemians by the Councell A declaration of the Councell to the Bohemians concernyng the first 3. articles The 2. proposition propounded by the Bohemians with the declaration from the Councell Punishing of publicke offences how and by whom Note here the popes addition The 3. article of the Bohemians with the declaration from the councell Liberty of preaching how farre and to whom at extendeth The 4. article of the Bohemians with the declaration from the Councell Temporal possessions in the clergie mens handes The papists staÌ„d hard for their temporal Lordships The Bohemians take a deliberatioÌ„ of the fourth article A declaration of the councel touching the fourth article of the communion Consecrat dist 2 quia pissus This is to set vp the church aboue the scripture The holie communion requireth amendment of lyfe Holy things nothing profit the wicked The reuereÌ„t receiuing of the sacraments Receiuing vnder one kinde for auoiding two perils Error grounded vpon errour Causes why to minister vnder one kinde Receiuing in both kindes permitted to the Bohemians The condition annexed Doubtes or questions of the Bohemians Aunswere Permission of both kindes granted to the Bohemians not of sufferance but by full authoritie Punishing of offences considered How and by whom offeÌ„ders ought to be punished To doe that God commaundeth is obedience and no sin though it be extraordinary The Israelites dyd steale from the Egyptians without sinne Sampson killed himselfe without sinne Of extraordinary commaundementes no generall lawes to be made Obiection Aunswere How the laitie hath power ouer the clergie and wherin The Pope wil be iudged by his own law Obiection Aunswere Obiection Aunswere Abuse of prelates in inhibiting true preachers Remedie of appeale Obiection Aunswere Actes of secular dominion to be exercised of the clergie after a double respecte â—el per se â—el per alium Obiection Aunswere Coactiue power whether in belongeth to the clergie and how The goods of the church in whose possession they be properly 12. q. 1 cap. expedit The clergie be administratours not Lordes of the temporalties of the Church The agreement betweene the Bohemians and the Councell Anno. 1438. Certaine petitions of the Bohemians put vp to the CouÌ„cell Anno. 1438. The communioÌ„ in both kindes to be generally graunted To haue a good and lawfull pastor and Bishop Free communioÌ„ vnder both kindes to be permitted to all princes The Gospells Epistles to be read in the vulgare tongue The scriptures read in the Slauons tongue of olde time Incorporations to be graunted to vniuersities an vnlawfull request A request for necessary reformation discipline The coÌ„ception of our Lady brought into the Church The visitation of our Lady brought in Vowsons giftes of benefices before they were voide debarred by the couÌ„cell which vowsons here ar called expectatiue graces IncoÌ„uenieÌ„ces that rise by vowsons of benefices No controuersies to be brought to Rome beyond 4. daies iourney from thence No fâ—â—uolous appeales to be made to the Pope Against the superfluous number of errours Against the popes first fruites Pragmatica Sanctiâ— per Carolum 7. An Acte made for the conuersion of the Iewes An Acte for studying the Hebrue Latine and Chaldey Against priestes that kept Concubines An Epistle of Martin Meyr to Aeneas Siluius translated into Englishe the â—atine wher of inextant in the former edition of this booke Ex Orth. Grat. The corruption of the Church of Rome detected The authoritie of the councell of Basill expended The epistle of the Cardinall Iulian to the Pope in the commendation of the councell of Basill Thambassadors of the Councell are returned from Egra What the church is Eugenius prouoketh the Church A strong argument against Eugenius The cause of the long delay of the Prelates The councel of Sene. An epistle of Eneas Siluius in defence of the councell of Basill The tâ—â—â—nal seate standeth not in one Bishop The authoritie of the Councell of Basill maintained by the Emperour and the French king so long as they liued The practise of Pope Eugenius to vndoe the Councell of Basill The Pope stirreth vp warre The Dolphin driueâ— away by a few Germaines The dissolution of tho Councell of Basill Fredericke of Austrich crowned Emperour great grand father to this Ferdinando The Legaâ— of the Greekes coÌ„descend first to the popes law The Greeke Churches refuse the Popes doctrine The inconuenience of discorde Ex Cochleo lib. 8. hist. Hussit Ex Antonin 3. part tit Ex hist. Cas pari Peucer lib. 5. Maruelous feare fallen vpon the popes army Gods holy angels pitch their tentes about them which feare him Psal. The cruell deceite and wicked facte of Mainardus against the souldiours of Boheme Certaine thousandes of the BohemiaÌ„ souldiors brent Ex Aenea Silu. lib. de hist. Boem cap. 51. England noÌ„ted of crueltie Burning slaying in England Anno 1439. R. Wiche Priest Martir Ex Fabian part 7. Ex antiquo alio Chronico Ex Regist. Hen. Chicheslei The bishops coÌ„sult to abolish the lawe of Premuniri facias The king aunswere to the bill of the Clergy touching the law of Premuniri A briefe aunswere to Cope concerning Lady Eleanor Cobham To the third obiection Vid. Centu. 8. Ral. ca. 4. To the 4. obiection M. Coperay leth without a cause See the former edition pag. 371. The 5. obiection The story of the Ladie Eleanor and Rog. Onley here pretermitted A question whether Eleanor the Duches was culpable in treason agaynst the king Certaine coniectures of the crime not to bee true 1. Coniecture 2 Coniecture 3 Coniecture 4 Coniecture 5. Coniecture 6. Coniecture 7 Coniecture 8. Coniecture 9. Coniecture 10. Coniecture A briefe aunswer to Maister Copes cauillations concerning Duke Humfreyes wyfe The contention betwene the Cardinall of Wint. Duke Humfrey Lorde protectour Anno. 1440. Eâ— Polycâ—ra Wint. presumeth to be Cardinall against the minde of his king Wint. incurreth the law of premuniâ—i Wint. intrudeth himselfe to be the kings gouernour The Cardinall defraudeth the king of his iewels The Cardinall deliuereth the K. of Scottes vpon his owne authoritie The Cardinall playeth the marchant The Cardinall a defrauder of the king The Cardinall taketh vpon him like a king The Cardinall traytour to the crowne The Card. a purchaser of of the kingâ— landes Peruerse counsaâ—le of
preached After theyr death and Martyrdom it pleased the Lord to prouide a generall quietnes to his Church wherby the number of hys flocke began more to encrease In this age then followed here in the sayd land of Britayne Fastidius Niuianus Patricius Bacchiarius Dubricius Congellus Kentigernus Helmotus Dauid Daniell Sampson Elnodugue Asaphus Cildas Heulanus Elbodus Dinothus Samuell Niuius and a great sort moe whiche gouerned the Churche of Britayne by Christen doctrine a long season albeit the ciuil gouernours for the tyme were then dissolute careles as Gildas very sharply doth lay to theyr charge and so at length were subdued by the Saxons All this while about the space of foure hundred yeares Religion remayned in Britayne vncorrupt and the word of Christ truely preached till about the comming of Austen and of hys companions from Rome many of the sayd Britayne preachers were slayne by the Saxons After that began Christen fayth to enter spring among the Saxons after a certayne romish sort yet notwithstanding some what more tollerable thē were the times which after folowed through the dilligent industry of some godly teachers which then liued amongest them as Aidanus Finianus Coleman Archbishop of Yorke Beda Iohn of Beuerlay Alcuinus Noetus Hucharius Serlo Achardus Ealredus Alexander Neckam Negellus Fenallus Alfricus Sygeferthus such other who though they erred in some few thinges yet neither so grossely nor so greatly to be complayned of in respect of the abuses that followed For as yet all thys while the error of Transubstantiation and leuation with auriculer confession was not crept in for a publicke doctrine in Christes Church as by theyr owne Saxon Sermon made by Aelfricus set out in the second Volume of this present history may appeare pag. 1114. During the which meane time although the Bishops of Rome wer had here in some reuerēce with the Clergy yet had they nothing as yet to do in setting lawes touching matters of the Church of England but that only appertayned to the kings and gouernours of the land as is in this story to be seene pag. 754. And thus the Church of Rome albeit it began then to decline a pace frō God yet during all this while it remayned hitherto in some reasonable order till at length after that the sayd Bishops began to shout vp in the world through the liberalitie of good Princes and especially by Mathilda a noble Duches of Italy Who at her death made the Pope heyre of all her landes and indued his sea with great reuenewes Then riches begot ambition Ambition destroyed Religion so that all came to ruine Out of this corruption sprang forth here in Englād as did in other places more an other romish kind of Monkery worse then the other before being much more drowned in superstition and ceremonies which was about the yeare of our Lord. 980. Of this swarme was Egbertus Aigelbert Egwine Boniface Wilfrede Agathon Iames Romayne Cedda Dunstane Oswold Athelwold Athelwine Duke of Eastangles Lanfrancke Anselme and such other And yet in this tyme also through Gods prouidence the Churche lacked not some of better knowledge and iudgement to weigh with the darcknes of those dayes For although king Edgar with Edward his base sonne being seduced by Dunstane Oswold and other Monkish Clerkes was thē a great author and fautor of much superstition erecting as many Monasteries as were Sondayes in the yeare yet notwithstanding this continued not long For eftsoones after the death of Edgar came king Ethelrede and Queene Elfthred his mother with Alferus Duke of merceland and other peeres and nobles of the Realme who displaced the Monkes againe and restored the maryed Priests to their old possessions and liuings Moreouer after that followed also the Danes whiche ouerthrew those Monkish foundations as fast as king Edgar had set them vp before And thus hetherto stode the condition of the true Church of Christ albeit not without some repugnance and difficultie yet in some meane state of the truth veritie till time of pope Hildebrand called Gregory 7. which was nere about the yeare 1080. And of Pope Innocentius 3. in the yeare 1215. By whome altogether was turned vpside downe all order broken dissipline dissolued true doctrine defaced Christian faith extinguished Instead whereof was set vp preaching of mens decrees dreames and idle traditions And whereas before truth was free to be disputed amongest learned men now libertie was turned into law Argument into Authoritie Whatsoeuer the Byshoppe of Rome denounced that stode for an oracle of all men to be receaued without opposition or contradiction whatsoeuer was contrary ibso facto it was heresie to be punished with fagot and flaming fire Then began the sincere fayth of this English Church which held out so long to quayle Then was the clerre sunne shine of Gods word ouershadowed with mistes and darcknes appearing like sacke-cloth to the people which neither could vnderstand that they read nor yet permitted to read that they could vnderstand In these miserable dayes as the true visible Church beganne now to shrinke and keep in for feare so vpstart a new sort of players to furnish the stage as schole Doctours Canonistes and foure orders of Friers Besides other Monasticall sectes and fraternities of infinite variety Which euer since haue kept such a stirre in the Church that none for them almost durst rout neyther Caesar king nor subiect What they defined stode What they approued was Catholicke What they condemned was heresie whom soeuer they accused none almost could saue And thus haue these hetherto continued or raigned rather in the Church the space now of foure hundreth yeares and odde During which space the true Church of Christ although it durst not openly appeare in the face of the world oppressed by tyranny yet neyther was it so inuisible or vnknown but by the prouidence of the Lord some remnaunt alwayes remayned from tyme to time which not onely shewed secret good affection to sincere doctrine but also stode in open defence of truth agaynst the disordered Churche of Rome In which Catalogue first to pretermit Barthramus and Barengarius which were before Pope Innocent 3. a learned multitude of sufficient witnesses here might be produced whose names neyther are obscure nor doctrine vnknowne as Ioachim Abbot of Calabria Almericus a learned Byshop who was iudged an hereticke for holding agaynst Images in the time of the sayd Innocentius Besides the Martirs of Alsatia of whome we read an hundred to be burned by the sayd Innocentius in one day as writeth Hermanus Mutius Adde likewise to these Waldenses or Albigenses which to a great number segregated themselues from the Church of Rome To this number also belonged Reymundus Earle of Tholose Marsilius Patiuius Gulielmus de S. Amore Simon Tornacensis Arnoldus de noua villa Ioannes Semeca besides diuers other preachers in Sueuia standing agaynst the Pope Anno. 1240. Ex Cranz Laurentius Anglicus a Mayster of
Parris anno 1260. Petrus Ioannis a Minorite who was burned after hys death anno 1290. Robertus Gallas a Dominicke Frier anno 1291. Robert Grosthead Byshoppe of Lincolne which was called Malleus Romanorum anno 1250. Lord Peter de Cugnerijs anno 1329. To these we may adde more our Gulielmus Ockam Bongratius Bergomensis Luitpoldus Andraeas Laudensis Vlricus Hangenor Treasurer to the Emperour Ioannes de Ganduno anno 1330. mentioned in the Extrauagantes Andraeas de Castro Buridianus Euda Duke of Burgundy who counselled the french king not to receiue the new found constitutions and extrauagantes of the Pope into his realme Dante 's Alligerius an Italian who wrote agaynst the Pope Monkes and Fryers and agaynst the donation of Constantine anno 1330. Taulerus a Germayne preacher Conradus Hager imprisoned for preaching agaynst the Masse an 1339. The author of the booke called Poenitentiarius Asini compiled about the yeare 1343. Michael Cesenas a gray Fryer Petrus de Corbaria with Ioannes de Poliaco mentioned in the Extrauantes and condemned by the Pope Ioannes de Castilione with Franciscus de Arcatara who were burned about the yeare of our Lord. 1322. Ioannas Rochtaylada otherwise called Haybalus with an other Frier martyred about the yeare 1346. Franciscus Petrarcha who called Rome the whore of Babilon c. an 1350. Georgius Ariminensis an 1350 Ioannes de Rupe Scissa emprisoned for certayne prophesies against the Pope an 1340. Gerhardus Ridder who also wrote against Monks and Friers a book called Lacryma Ecclesiae an 1350. Godfridus de Fontanis Gulielmus de Landuno Ioannes Monachus Cardini Armachanus Nicholaus Orem preacher an 1364. Militzius a Bohemian which then preached that Antichrist was come and was excommunicate for the same an 1366. Iacobus Misnensis Mathias Parisiensis a Bohemian borne and a writer against the Pope an 1370. Ioannes Mountziger Rector of the Vniuersitie of Vlme anno 1384. Nilus Arch. of Thessalonica Henricus de â—ota Henricus de Hassia c. I do but recite the principall writers and preachers in those dayes Howe many thousandes there were which neuer bowed their knees to Baall that is knowne to God alone Of whome wee finde in the writings of one Brushius that xxxvi Citizens of Maguntia were burned an 1390. Who following the doctrine of the Waldenses affirmed the Pope to be the great Antichrist Also Massaeus recordeth of one hundred and fourty which in the prouince of Narbon were put to the fire for not receiuing the decretalles of Rome besides them that suffered at Paris to the number of xxiiij at one time anno 1210. and the next yeare after were foure hundred brent vnder the names of Heretiques Besides also a certayne good Heremite an Englishman of whome mention is made in Iohn Bacon Dist. 2. Quest. 1. who was committed for disputing in Paules Church agaynst certaine Sacramentes of the Church of Rome an 1306. To discend now somewhat lower in drawing out the discent of the Churche What a multitude here commeth of faythfull witnesses in the time of Iohn Wickleffe as Ocliffe Wickliffe an 1376. W. Thorp White Puruey Patshall Payne Gower Chaucer Gascoyne WilliaÌ„ Swinderby Walter Brute Roger Dexter William Sautry about the yeare 1400. Iohn Badby an 1410. Nicholaus Tayler Rich. Wagstaffe Mich. Scriuener William Smith Iohn Henry W. Parchmenar Roger Goldsmith with an Ancresse called Mathilde in the Citie of Leicester Lord Cobham Syr Roger Acton knight Iohn Beuerley preacher Iohn Husse Hierome of Prage Scholemaister with a number of faithfull Bohemians and Thaborites not to be told with whoÌ„ I might also adioyne Laurentius Valla and Ioannes Picus the learned Earle of Mirandula But what do I stand vpon recitall of names which almost are infinite Wherfore if any be so farre beguiled in his opinion to thinke the doctrine of the church of Rome as it now standeth to be of such antiquitie that the same was neuer impugned before the time of Luther and Zuinglius now of late let him read these histories or if he thinke the sayd historie not to be of sufficient credite to alter his perswasion let him peruse the Actes and Statutes of Parliamentes passed in this realme of auncient time and therein consider and conferre the course of times where he may finde and read An. 5. Regis Richardi 2. in the yeare of our Lord. 1380. of a great nuÌ„ber which there be called euill persons goyng about from town to town in freese gownes preaching vnto the people c. which preachers although the wordes of the Statute do terme there to be dissembling persons preaching dyuers Sermons contayning heresies notorious errours to the emblemishment of Christen faith of holy Church c. as the words do there pretend yet notwithstanding euery true Christian reader may conceaue of those Preachers to teache no other doctrine then nowe they heare theyr owne Preachers in Pulpits Preache agaynst the Bishoppe of Rome and the corrupte heresies of his Churche Furthermore he shall finde likewise in Statut. An. 2. Henr. 4. Cap. 15. in the yeare of our Lord. 1402. another lyke company of good Preachers and faythful defenders of true doctrine agaynst blynd heresie and errour Whom albeit the wordes of the Statute there through corruption of that time do falsely terme to be false and peruerse Preachers vnder dissembled holines teaching in those dayes openly and priuely new doctrines and hereticall opinions contrary to the faythe and determination of holy Churche c. yet notwithstanding whosoeuer readeth histories and conferreth the order and discent of times shall vnderstand these to be no false teachers but saythfull witnesses of the truth not teaching any newe doctrines contrary to the determination of holy Church But rather shall finde that Churche to be vnholy which they Preached agaynst teaching rather it selfe hereticall opinions contrary both to antiquitie and veritie of Christes true Catholicke Churche Of the lyke number also or greater of lyke true faythfull fauourers and followers of Gods holy worde we find in the yeare of our Lord. 14â—2 specified in a letter sent from Henry Chichesley Archbishop of Canterbury to Pope Martin 5. in the fift yeare of his Popedome where mention is made of so many here in Engand infected as he sayde with the heresies of Wickleffe and Husse that without force of any army they could not be suppressed c. Whereupon the Pope sent two Cardinals to the Archbishop to cause a tenth to be gathered of all spirituall and Religious men and the money to be layde in the chamber Apostolicke and if that were not sufficient the residue to bee made vppe of Chalices Candlestickes and other implementes of the Churche c. What shall neede then any more witnes to proue this matter when you see so many yeares agoe whole armyes and multitudes thus standing agaynst the Pope who thoughe they bee termed here for heretickes and schismatickes yet in that which they call heresie serued they the
with Lordes and cities neither wil they begin to teach you the true foundation of the truth For they do as a dogge which as long as he holdeth a bone in his mouth and knaweth it so long he holdeth his peace cannot barcke Euen so as long as they haue this bone of pleasaunt riches it wyl neuer be well in the world Wherfore all kinges princes and imperiall Citties should doe a great worke of godlines and mercy if by them they were compelled to do this as the dog is when the boane is takeÌ„ from hym And therfore ye noble men Kinges princes Lordes imperiall Citties and all the communaltie both riche and poore if ye haue bene a sleep yet now awake and opeÌ„ your eyes and behold the subtiltie of the deuill how he hath blinded the Church of Rome and take agayne that is youres and not theirs And if you wil make a good memoriall for your soules then do as the wyse man saith Eccle. 19 Lay vp almes c. The 6. article is that they are full of pride and of high mynde which is manifestly knowne by their long costlye and superfluous garmentes wherein they walke very vnlike to Christ our Lord who had a garmeÌ„t without a seam and to the welbeloued Iohn Baptist who had a garment of Camels heare and they wyl be honoured and worshyped and they preach and say that Priesthood ought to be honoured and so it ought in deede to be but there is none that do so much sclander and abase it as they themselues with their euill works gay apparell and with their euil words wherein they passe all other men Paul sayth the i. to Tim. the 3. chapter Let the Elders that gouerne wel be honoured with double honour chiefly they that labour in the word and doctrine of the Lord. Consider that he sayth they that gouerne well The 7. article is that they are couetous from the highest to the lowest and for couetousnes they preach many folish deedes manifest lies sell the holy sacramentes whiche is a great heresie for God commaunded that they shoulde geue freely Paule writeth in the first to Timothy Couetousnesse is the roote of all mischief wherunto many haue ben geuen and therefore they are separated from the fayth and haue denyed the truth The viii article is that they commonly are called notorious whoremongers This is manifestly seene in theyr concubines and children which walke openly in all mens sight and make many mens wiues whoores or corrupte their daughters being virgins and make theÌ„ priests harlots and rybauldes The ix Article is that they are ful of deuilish enuy and especially in al Monasteries they haue great enuy and hatred amongest themselues because when any thing is geuen or disposed to one Monastery or Colledge then there are others that hate it and enuy at it and woulde more gladly haue it themselues Like as among dogs when any thing is geuen to the one and not to the other which the other seing enuyeth hys fellow the other likewise wil rather deuour all himselfe then geue any part to his fellowe Wherefore it were well that they were brought from that great sin of enuy in geuing nothing vnto theÌ„ And it were better that their possessions were takeÌ„ from them and that they should do that which the Lord spake to hys disciples saying Go ye and preach the Gospell to all men The x. article is that they are idle and chiefly the Byshops Chanons and other Prelates which wil not labor dilligently in the holy Scripture wherewith they might cure the miseries of Christendome wherto they haue bouÌ„d theÌ„selues and they eate the bread therof in idlenes because when other men watch and labour to mayntaine themselues and their little ones theÌ„ are they with their lemmons or els they walke in some Cittie carying hawkes on their fistes or els they sit at the good wyne with their Concubines and there they sing and play the Lucians eat of the best and therfore al that willingly bring and geue to them shal be made partners of that curse whiche is geuen them of God because they eate their bread vniustly whereof Paul writeth in the 2. to the Thess. the 3. chapter He that laboureth not let him not eate The 11. article is that they are notorious liers becaâ—â—e to the end that they may please men they tel many tales lies which in the holy Scripture haue no foundation nor proofe Of such wryteth Iohn in the Apoca. 21. The 12. article is that they doe not rightly giue or minister to the people the body of our Lord Iesus Christ and they geue it not as God hath instituted it and commanded This is a great a deuilish sinne and to great malapertnesse Heerein we woulde ouercome them wyth the testimonies of the Euangelistes I say we woulde ouercome the Pope and all his Priestes with the authorityes of Marke Luke and Paule Rom. 13. and we woulde suffer that Kinges Princes Lordes and all that are willing to heare should heare it The 13. Article is that they sit in spiritual iudgement and then many times they iudge according to fauour and not according to the righteousnesse of God and they take bribes giuing sentence for hym which in Gods sight hath the wrongfull cause Wo be to such senteÌ„ces as it is wrytten in Isay 5. Wo be to ye that c. The 14. Article is that they sit hearing coÌ„fessions and when there come to them vsurers raueners and theeues they take bribes of them of their ill gotten goodes to spare them and they willingly suffer them in cities and towns And likewise of adulterers and other notorious whoremongers and whores and they neuer let or stay them in their great sinnes to the end that the scripture may be fulfilled in them which sayeth Giftes and the loue of money do draw to hell and do blinde the eyes of iudges The 15. Article is that they receiue tithes of men and will of right haue them and preache and say that men are bound to giue them tithes and therin they say falsly For they can not proue by the new Testament that our Lorde Iesus Christ commanded it and his disciples warned no man to do so neither did themselues receiue them But although in the old Testament it were commanded to geue tithes yet it can not thereby be prooued that christian men are bound thereto For this precept of the olde Testament had an end in the first yeare of our Lord Iesus Christ like as the precept of CircuÌ„cision Wherfore welbeloued consider and see how your bishops seduce you and shut youre eyes with things that haue no proofe Christ sayeth in the 11. of Luke Geue almes of those thinges that remaine but he said not geue the tenth of the goodes which yee possesse but geue almes But when they heare the word they may say as the lawyer said to Christ Maister when