both in his Letters and by his Embassadors to call a Council as soon as was possible in a safe and convenient place Therefore he would have them be of good chear and not despair of an Accommodation in Religion for he was resolv'd not to spare any pains and desired only to know what they would have him do for them with the Pope Afterwards he proceeds to take off the other Objection where he owneth that contrary to his custom and temper he had been forc'd upon rigorous Methods by some bold and flagitious Persons who under a colour of Religion endeavour'd the ruine of the Kingdom Therefore to stop this Plague of disloyalty from spreading he had punish'd them severely as his Ancestors had also had done in the like cases And if any Germans had been taken among them they should have been served all alike For if any of his own Subjects had committed the like Crimes in their Dominions he should not have been against their punishing of them with the utmost severity But to his great satisfaction there was never a German engaged with this wicked Cabal and therefore that Nation should be as welcome to his Kingdom and to his Court too as the French-men themselves But he is sensible what the Authors of these Calumnies drive at they misrepresent him on purpose that they may break off the Correspondence there is between France and Germany which is a very politick design without question for by creating such Misunderstandings they have a better opportunity to compass their own Ends and make themselves Masters of both In the beginning of the Spring the Lantgrave went to King Ferdinand to compleat the Reconciliation according to agreement the last year Peter Paul Vergerius was then lately return'd from the Pope to Ferdinand and took this occasion to acquaint the Lantgrave with his Instructions concerning the Council in the manner above mention'd To which he received no other answer than that his Proposals should be consider'd within such a time After this Vergerius went as he was order'd to the rest of the Princes and negotiated with them Now some few months after the Lantgrave had been with King Ferdinand Duke Vlrick made his appearance before him too And because they were not both of them there at the same time Ferdinand excused them the condition by which they were oblig'd to ask his Pardon in a petitioning way But Vlrick stomach'd that Article extremely which made him a Homager to the House of Austria and was very angry with the Lantgrave and with the Elector of Saxony who interceded for complying with it insomuch that he was in suspence a great while whether he should ratifie the Peace or not At last being perswaded by his Friends he took a Journey to King Ferdinand as the Treaty oblig'd him In April the Emperor set Sail from Barcelona and landed an Army in Africk where after he had taken Tunis and the Fort of Gouletta he restor'd Muley Hazem a Mahumetan who was King of that Country and had been dispossess'd by Barbarossa the Turkish Admiral And having put this Prince under Contribution and fortify'd Gouletta with a strong Garrison he sailed back into Sicily Pope Paul fitted out several Gallies for the Emperor towards this War under the Command of Virginius Vrsinus and likewise gave him the liberty to demand the Tenths of all the Clergy in Spain Barbarossa by the negligence and ill Conduct of the Christians stole away to Bone and from thence to Argiers where he rigg'd out his Fleet and sailed for Constantinople There was at this time in England two very eminent and learned Men John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and Sir Thomas More The Bishop has several Books now Extant against Luther And More when he was Lord Chancellor which is the highest Office in that Kindom was very severe upon those whom he suspected to be Lutheans These Persons did not approve the King's Divorce and much less that Act of Parliament in which he threw off the Pope's Supremacy and delcared himself Head of the Church of England Being committed therefore and persisting in their opinion they were beheaded this year in July The Pope made Rochester a Cardinal when he was in the Tower which it's thought did but provoke the King the more against him About the end of October Francis Sforza Duke of Milan died leaving no Issue behind him This accident was the occasion of a new War as will appear afterwards In the mean time the Emperor left Sicily and arriv'd at Naples and from thence wrote to the Protestants upon the last of November acquainting them that he was resolv'd to stand to the Pacification at Nuremburg but he was inform'd that they had seiz'd upon the Fortunes of the Roman Catholicks and when they were sued upon this account they pleaded the Nuremburg Treaty in their excuse and refus'd to return the right Owners their Estates again Now this he thought was unreasonable and could not choose but take it ill at their hands Much about this time the Elector of Saxony went into Austria to King Ferdinand and after he had dispatch'd his business he came to Prague the Capital of Bohemia in his return home where he was accosted by Peter Paul Vergerius whom the Pope sent Nuncio into Germany to settle the Affairs about the Council as hath been mention'd already Vergerius relates his Commission to the Duke and tells him That now the time was come for the celebrating a Council which had so often been wished for in regard his present Holiness the Emperor and King Ferdinand made it their principal Concern to consider how the Glory of our Saviour and the Salvation of Men might be most effectually promoted and the same pious disposition was apparent in other Princes The Pope likewise had sent his Embassadors into all parts not for a colour but in good earnest For it was not his way to make large Promises as some had done and then act quite contrary to what was pretended but he was solicitous about nothing so much as that they might come to the Point as soon as was possible that a religious Council might be held and free for all People to come to As to the place the Pope for very good reasons thinks none proper but Mantua concerning the Form and Method of proceeding that may be better adjudg'd when they are conven'd than now The Protestant Princes have always hitherto desir'd a lawful Council and had lately publish'd some Papers about it which he was glad to see And now the Pope comes up to their Proposals and offers them what they would have and the Emperor and King Ferdinand will omit nothing which may expedite the Affair Now if his Electoral Highness should be the only Person who refuses to comply most people would conclude that no sort of Method could please him Clement the Seventh charg'd his Offer with some Conditions which his present Holiness hath not done and therefore there is
Here they consulted about strengthening their League with new Alliances and how to prepare for a necessary defence in case the Emperor would not allow the Treaty at Francfort They likewise debated how the Church 〈◊〉 might be best disposed of as also concerning the sending an Ambassy into England to molliâ—le the King upon the Point of the late Act of Parlament made in Relation to Religion they resolved likewise upon an Address to the French King to entreat him not to Persecute Innocent People for the sake of Opinion and also about dispatching away their Ambassadors to the Emperor as soon as they had any certainty of his being in Flanders for there was a report as if he were come thither already And because some of the Confederates were absent and others had no Authority to treat in several Cases they agreed to meet at Smalcald upon the First of March to conclude the remaining Business At this Convention the Burghers of Riga a City of Livonia were received into the League They had a difference with their Archbishop which was the Case of a great many Towns in Germany they were concerned in the Alliance no farther than to be defended by the common Advocates of the Protestants in the Chamber of Spire and upon this account they paid the Confederates a Thousand five hundred Crowns Henry Duke of Saxony Brother of George was admitted into the League Two Years without any Incumbrance charged upon him because his Fortune was but small but with this Proviso That whenever his Circumstances were enlarged he should submit to the same Condition with the rest Therefore since he had now such a noble Inheritance fallen to him they assessed him his proportion of the Charge in his Meeting which ended upon the Tenth of December The Princes were not here in person but sent their Agents The Elector had also lately sent John Dulcius and Francis Burcart his Vice-Chancellor into England to be present at the Solemnity of the King's Marriage with Ann of Cleve whose Sister Sibill was his own Dutchess as I observed in the Sixth Book These Ambassadors therefore having this occasion were enjoined at Arnstet to treat with the King in the Name of the Confederates as was lately mentioned The Emperor having received a safe Conduct set forward in November with a very small Train when he came to the Frontiers of France next to Spain he found Henry and Charles the King's Sons there who had Horses laid to meet him the sooner The Constable likewise who went a great way before the Princes was there to wait on him with a great Attendance of Nobility Being thus received he was conveyed through the middle of France and through the fairest Cities and when he came to Loches in the Dukedom of Berry the King met him who was scarce then recovered of a late Distemper From thence he travelled to Orleans and came to Paris upon the First of January which he entered being placed in the middle between the King's Sons the Constable carrying the Sword before them Neither was there any sort of festival Solemnity or Respect omitted with which its possible for the Mind of Man to be entertained There came thither also Cardinal Alexander Farnese the Pope's Legate who with Cardinal Bellay the Archbishop of the Town received the Emperor in Nostre-Dame His Imperial Majesty after a weeks stay went for Flanders the King accompanying him to St. Quintins and his Sons as far as Valenciennes a Town in Hanault The King at this time was almost sure of recovering Milan but it fell out quite otherwise as will be shown afterwards When the Emperor was with the French King they both of them sent a very splendid Ambassy to the Venetians the Emperor sent Alphonso Davalo Governor of the Dutchy of Milan and the French King Claude Hanebald Governor of Piedmont These Ambassadors made a long Harangue to the Senate to perswade them to concur with these Two powerful Monarchs who were now united and to bend all their Forces against the Turk But the Venetians after they had parted with the Ambassadors in a very respectful Manner concluded upon a full Consideration of the Case That it was absolutely their Interest to get the Turk with whom they had a Truce already throughly reconciled to them At last therefore they came to a Treaty with him and bought their Peace by the Delivery of Napoli di Romania and Malvasia into his Hands Some say the French though in publick they pressed the same Opinion with the Emperor's Ambassadors yet they gave them private Caution to take care of their State and not run themselves upon so great Danger to which they were more exposed than others Indeed the French King himself in a certain Apology of his chargeth the Emperor with ruining the State of Venice which he says he had supported by his Assistance and recovered by his Mediation The Venetian Ambassador Aloisius Baduarius who was sent to the Port to treat about a Peace with the Turk was commanded to offer all his other Conditions first reserving the Two Towns for the last Necessity But the Sultan who had the Resolution of the Senate betrayed to him reprimanded the Ambassador for not sufficiently explaining his Instructions and would not conclude anything except those Places were consigned to him Baduarius was amaz'd to see the Secrets of the State betrayed but since the thing was out he agreed to the Proposition though with regret which possibly he must have made at last of his own accord When he came home he gave an Account of the whole Matter The Senate being wonderfully surprized at it after a most diligent Enquiry apprehended some Persons and upon their being found guilty beheaded them One of the Criminals took Sanctuary as it were in the Bishop of Montpellier's Lodgings the French Ambassador upon which Officers are sent to search the House but being denied Entrance the Senate ordered some Engines to be brought out of the Arsenal to batter down the House But the French when they saw what Danger they were in delivered up the Person The Senate afterwards gave the King an Account of their Proceedings in a Letter that he might not think his Ambassador affronted When the Emperor was come into Flanders King Ferdinand took a Journey from Austria to meet him And afterwards the Protestant Ambassadors came thither as they had agreed it at Arnstet These Gentlemen after they had in the beginning of their Speech wished the Emperor all Happiness and congratulated his Return into Germany told him They heard how they had been blacken'd by their Adversaries who charged them with Obstinacy and an Aversion to the supreme Magistrate that they were of a restless and turbulent Spirit and delighted in disturbing the Commonwealth They had often wished they said for an Opportunity to purge themselves of these Crimes before his Majesty and were very glad it was now in their Power to do it And first since God was
great change that was made in the Publick Religion and the Laws betook themselves to Germany some to Wesel and others to Franckfort and Strasburg John Alasco a Polander of Noble Birth and great Learning who was the Brother of Jerome before this Winter began went thence to Denmark but being not so kindly entertained there on the account of his differing from them in the Point of the Eucharist and being denied an Habitation on the same score in the Lower Saxony at length he went to Emden a City of Friseland and there he setled The Fourth Day of March the Queen put out a Book of Articles or Injunctions wherein she commanded the Bishops and their Vicars not to admit any man into Holy Orders who was suspected of Heresie That they should extirpate Heresies suppress and destroy hurtful and pestilent Books That they should prescribe certain Rules to all School-Masters and Preachers and suppress those who did not conform That they should deprive all Married Priests and punish them as their wickedness deserved but that those who with the consent of their Wives should promise to divorce themselves and to abstain for the future should be treated with more gentleness and that they should restore all those that would do Penance for this Offence to their Livings again That all Publick Prayers should be in the Latine Tongue and according to the ancient Forms That all the ancient Holy-days Fasts and Ceremonies should be again observed That all Children already Baptized when they grew up should be brought to the Bishop to be confirmed And that they should be taught in the Schools how they are to minister to the Priest in the Mass at the Altar When Henry the Eighth abolished the Papal Supremacy in England as I have observed in the Ninth Book of this History he passed an Act of Parliament that no man should be admitted to any Ecclesiastical Function or Dignity unless he had first taken an Oath in which he acknowledg'd him and his Successors Supream Head of the Church of England and that the Pope had no Authority over the Church nor was better than a Bishop of Rome with whom they would have nothing to do This Oath the Queen even now remitted and commanded the Bishops not to exact it of any man and thereby did tacitly restare the Pope's Supremacy That which concerns the Publick Prayers went thus Henry the Eighth had commanded them to be said in the vulgar Tongue and in them amongst other things they prayed that God would deliver them from the Seditions Conspiracies and Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and this Printed Form of Prayer was by this Order of the Queen abolished Soon after this Elizabeth the Queens Sister a Lady of great Learning was committed to the Tower because she was suspected to have had an hand in Wiat's Rebellion In the End of March the Enemies of Albert Marquess of Brandenburg returned to the Siege of Schweinfurt In April there came over into Germany Sir Richard Morison Knight whose Embassie I have mentioned in the Book before this Sir Anthony Cook and Sir John Cheeke Knights both the King's Schoolmasters and Men of great Learning and these all afterwards travelled into Italy And soon after Dr. John Poinet Bishop of Winchester came over also who together with many other Bishops was about this time displaced by reason of this Change of Religion The Forces of the Duke of Florence and the Pope besieging Siena about this time Peter Strozza who defended that City in the Name of the King of France learning something of their state by his Spies on a sudden made a Sally upon them and slew a great number of their Souldiers but they recruited their Army and continued the Siege for all that Loss whereupon the King of France levied Three Thousand Swiss for the relief of that Place The Duke of Florence also marries his Daughter to Ascanio the Pope's Nephew and the Methods of advancing his Fortunes by this Marriage were taken into consideration About this time also Ferdinand Gonzaga Governor of the Duchy of Milan came into Flanders to the Emperor Baptista Castaldus whom the Emperor had sent some years since into Hungary as I have said came also about this time to him About the middle of April Sir Thomas Wiat was executed at London He declared that neither the Lady Elizabeth nor Courtney Earl of Devonshire were acquainted with the Rebellion About the same time Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury and Hugh Latimer Bishop of London were removed first to Windsor and then to Oxford and a Disputation being mannaged against them by the Students both of Oxford and Cambridge the 16th 17th and 18th of April concerning Transubstantiation and the Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass and they continuing stedfast in their Former Opinion they were again committed to Prison At the same time there was a Parliament sate in England wherein the Queen especially recommended to the States her Marriage and the restitution of the Pope's Supremacy The first of these she carried upon certain Conditions but the latter was so vigorously opposed by the Upper House that she could not then bring it about In the mean time Cardinal Poole having spent some time with the Emperor in Flanders went to the King of France and endeavoured to bring these Princes to make a Peace but his Mediation had no good success In the end of April Albert of Brandenburg having received 60000 Crowns set Aumale his Prisoner at Liberty A little before this time Holansperg another of his strong Places was taken from him by the Confederates Not long after this the Emperor being then at Brussels by his Letters confirmed the Outlawry decreed the last Winter in the Imperial Chamber of Spire against the Marquess of Brandenburg in which having complained that the Marquess had with impunity committed such Ravages and made such Devastations in the Empire he in the next place severely commands all the Princes and States and especially those that lay next him to execute the said Sentence against the Marquess There had before this been two Meetings at Rotenburg a City of Franconia upon the River Tauber in order to the putting an end to this War but they being both frustrated the Emperor put out this Decree against him which was set up in all places and soon after there was a Diet of the Circle of the Rhine holden at Worms concerning this Business I have often mentioned the General Diet which was summoned in August but the Emperor being hindred from being present in it both by Sickness and Wars Ferdinand his Brother at his Request undertook the management of it and sollicited the Princes to meet who excused their Appearance there on the account of the troubled state of Germany The Emperor had already sent thither some of his Council and amongst them the Cardinal of Ausburg but none of the Princes coming thither for the Causes aforesaid it was deferred to a fitter opportunity Albert had
such thing and that without any Declaration of War. Now this to me appears the more strange because between me and you there is not the least cause of offeuce For as to the report that I should send Succors to the Marquess of Brandenburg against you that is entirely false But then as to the favour I have of late shewn to him I have only done it upon the account of the ancient Union which I mention'd and in compliance with the hospitable Custom of the Crown of France which has ever given entertainment and protection to all afflicted Princes and in a more especial manner to those of Germany in their Distresses In truth I should have been much better pleased to have seen him flourishing at home and enjoying his own than thus to see him ruined driven out and deserted I say I should rather have desired he should not have fallen into this calamity or that at least now an end might be put to it by a just and equal Treaty But now that I see him reduced into this distress by the fault of my Adversary who first pronounced the Sentence void and yet afterwards confirmed it why am I suspected if I compassionate his Fortunes But as to the giving him any assistance against the Empire that never entred into my Thoughts and you may rest assured that I will not now do it if you do not your selves first break the League of Friendship And now I have given you assurance that you shall meet with nothing but Peace and Kindness from me I desire that you would not be so far circumvented by the Artifices of those who have as little kindness for you as they have for me as to take up Arms or to contribute Men or Moneys against me for their whole Design is to make their own private a publick Concern It rather befits you to continue the Amity and to accept of the Conditions I proffer you I desire also that you would give me a clear assurance by him who delivers you this Letter what you intend and that according to the ancient Custom and the Treaty of Passaw my Ambassadors who are to attend in the next Diet may have sufficient Pasports The Answer he received was That as to the Troops sent by the Borders of Lorrain there was no Affront intended to his Majesty but it was done to the intent that if the Marquess of Brandenburg should make any irruption into the Empire his Attempts might be hindred That as to what concerned his Ambassadors and the publick Peace they had no Commands from their Principals but they would give an Account of his Demands to them and they did not doubt but they would do what was just and fit About the end of October the Emperor delivered up to his Son by his Ambassadors according to the accustomed Ceremonies the Dukedom of Milan The King of France soon after the raising the Siege of Renty in the manner I have express'd dismiss'd the Swiss and put the rest of his Forces into Quarters And the Emperor having found a convenient place not far from the Castle of Hesdin which he took and demolished the last year began the foundation of a new Town and Fort and for the building of it with the greater security kept his Army together which in the Month of November wasted with Fire and Sword the Country of Bolonois and the Territory of Amiens Thus the whole force of the War on both sides fell on the miserable and unarmed Multitude Afterwards he dismissed the greatest part of the Army and kept only with him one or two Regiments About the same time the King of France sent some Forces into Italy and amongst them some Germans for the Relief of Siena which was then sharply besieged by the Forces of the Emperor and of the Duke of Florence The Twelfth Day of November a new Parliament began in London thereupon Cardinal Pool who was then in Brabant had some Persons of great note dispatched to him to bring him over into England the Principal of which was the Lord Paget the 24th he came to London and was honourably receiv'd wheresoever he came and was soon after restored to his former Place Honour Family and Estate by the consent of the States which had been taken from him by Attainder in the Reign of Henry the Eighth The 27th day of November he came into the Parliament and in the Presence of King Philip and the Queen he discovered the Cause of his Legation and exhorted the States to return to the Communion of the Church and to restore to the most Holy Father the Pope of Rome his due Authority who was willing to receive them with the utmost Clemency and Affection He admonished them also that they should offer up their Thanks to God who had given them such a King and Queen Then returning them his Thanks for their restoring him to his Inheritance and Family which he esteemed a very great Benefit he said he was so much the more obliged to restore them also to their heavenly Court and Countrey which he wished above all things Having said this he withdrew and the Bishop of Winchester Gardiner who was Lord Chancellor having repeated his Speech and with many words exhorted them to Union and Concord He added that great Thanks were due to Almighty God for his immense Goodness and Mercy in that he had raised up a Prophet of their own Seed to wit this great Cardinal who would wholly employ himself in the promoting of their Salvation The next day when the Upper House had approved the Cardinal's Speech there was a Bill drawn in form of a Petition wherein the States supplicate the King and Queen to intertcede with the Cardinal on their behalf In it they say that they earnestly repent of the Schism that they had denied the Obedience which was due to the Apostolick See and that they had given their Assent to Acts of Parliament against it That for time to come they would be in the power of their Majesties and do all that ever they could that all such Acts might in this Parliament be repealed and therefore they did most earnestly beseech their Majesties that they would interpose and obtain an Absolution of their Sin and a Remission of the Censures which by the Canons of the Church they had incurred That they might be received into the bosom of the Church as penitent Children that in the obedience of the See of Rome and of the Pope they might serve God to the Glory of his Name and the encreasing their Salvation The 29th day when the King Queen and Cardinal were present the Chancellor arose and openly declar'd what the States had consented to in relation to the Demands of the Pope's Legate and thereupon he delivered to the King and Queen the Petition of the States in writing Sign'd and Seal'd by them and begg'd they would receive it the King and Queen receiving and opening it they again delivered
it to the Chancellor that it might be read which being done the Chancellor ask'd the States if they ratified it Which being affirm'd by them the King and Queen rose up and presented it to the Cardinal He having read the Petition delivered to them the Bull of his Legation which was also openly forthwith read that all might know that the Pope had given him Power to absolve them after which he made a Speech wherein he shewed them how acceptable Repentance was to God and how much the Holy Angels rejoyced in the Repentance of a Sinner and having given them many Examples of this he gave God great Thanks that inspired into them a Mind desirous of Amendment This being done he arose as did also the King and Queen and their Majesties kneeled down whilst he addressed himself to God imploring his Mercy and beseeching him to look mercifully upon the People and to forgive them their sins And saying that he was sent as Legate from the Pope Christ's Vicar to absolve them he lifted up and stretched out his Hand over them as their manner is blessing all of them and absolving them at the same time From thence they went to the Chappel where solemn Thanks were again offered up to God with much Musick and all the Signs of a Festival Joy according to the Custom of the Nation They who were intimately acquainted with Cardinal Pool and had enjoyed his Conversation and knew his Customs did much admire this Action and did expect something from him very different from what they found The 18th of December the Emperor from Brussels sent a Letter to all the Princes and States of the Empire the Contents of which were these The great Causes for which Albert Marquess of Brandenburg was about a year since out-law'd by the Imperial Chamber of Spire and declared guilty of High Treason have been clearly shewn to you by the Letters of that Chamber which were publickly set up and also by those Letters and Commands you afterwards received from us And whereas I am informed that he stubbornly continues in his said turbulent and seditious Counsels and doth certainly design new Troubles that he may yet further afflict and vex Germany which is our common Countrey and lastly because he has made his Retreat and found shelter and refuge with some I think it necessary to renew the former Sentence for the Welfare of our Countrey I do this the rather because I believe there is not one amongst you who does not love his Countrey and desire that care may be taken for the preservation of himself his Territories and the People and that the ill designs of the said Marquess and his Adherents may be hindred and retarded Wherefore upon the Penalties heretofore proposed I again command That no man presume in any wise to assist him or his Adherents with Help Counsel Entertainment Money Victual or Ammunition and Arms As also I will that every of you make it his greatest care that neither he nor his Adherents may be suffered to gather any Forces or list any Souldiers in the Territories belonging to any of you and that every of you do to the utmost of his Power hinder those within his Territories from running over to the said Marquess and punish all such as shall be found Breakers of this our Order and disobedient to our Commands This Letter was Printed and sent into all Parts The Twenty Ninth Day of December Ferdinand King of the Romans came to Ausburg on the account of the Diet I have so often already mentioned but finding none of the Princes or States there two days after he sent Letters and Envoys to the several Princes representing to them That seeing that there being many things of the greatest moment to be transacted in this Assembly he to his great loss and trouble had left his Territories and was come thither that he might consult with them That they might together consider of the necessary and safe Means of relieving the afflicted state of Germany He therefore earnestly desired that they would forthwith personally come thither and not send their Deputies for such was the greatness of the Cause now under consideration that it could not be well otherwise dispatched That the Emperor his Brother had given him a full Power and that he would not detain them longer than was necessary The Sixteenth of January the Parliament of England was dissolved Amongst many other Acts passed in this Parliament after the Repeal of the Act of Attainder against Cardinal Pool the Acts made in the times of the former Kings R. 2. H. 4. and H. 5. against Hereticks and in favour of the Bishops were revived The Papal Power was entirely restored and whatsoever Acts of Parliament had been made against the See of Rome within Twenty years last past were repealed Most thought the Crown of England would in this Parliament have been given to King Philip but there was nothing of that Nature done In the beginning of February there were Five condemned to be burnt for persisting in the Protestant Religion and refusing to return to the Roman Catholick Religion John Hooper Bishop of Gloucester John Bradford Lawrence Sanders Rowland Taylor a Lawyer and John Rogers all men of eminent Learning The last of these was burnt in London where he had been a Preacher the rest were sent into their respective Countries Gloucester Manchester Coventry and Hadley who all of them suffered Death with great Constancy The 30th of March Ferrar late Bishop of St. Davids was burnt also at Carmarthen by Morgan his Successor in that See. There were also three Ambassadors sent from England to Rome to thank the Pope for his great Clemency shewn to them and promise his Holiness an entire Obedience and Fidelity for the future The Fifth Day of February King Ferdinand opened the Diet at Ausburg though few of the Princes were then arrived there by a Speech wherein he told them That they very well knew for what grand and necessary Causes this Diet had been first appointed to be held at Ulm by the Emperor who had afterwards commanded it to be opened in this City the 13th of November That he for his part desired to have begun it that day pursuant to the Desire and Command of his Brother but that he was kept at home by the necessity of Affairs that so he might secure his Countries from the Insults of a near Enemy in case any Attempt had been made upon them and that he might so order his Affairs at home in this Interval that all things might go regularly forward during his Absence That after this forced Delay he arrived here the 29th of December in order to the holding this Diet. He said The Sum of the Emperor's Desire was That whatever tended to the Glory of God and the Tranquillity of the Empire might be established by the Council of all the Princes and States That as to the Diligence Study Labour and Care which the
as Honourable Terms as he could get The 28th of July the Articles were Signed the next day there came sixty Ships and 1800 men to the Relief of the place but it was too late so the English that remain'd were sent on Board the Fleet who had the misfortune to carry this Plague with them into England and within one year there died in London only 21530 persons of this Disease There was so much joy in France for the recovery of this small place that the Chancellor of France said openly That now the most malicious must needs confess That the granting Liberty of Conscience had at once delivered France from a most destructive Civil War united the Princes of the Blood Royal and enabled them to recover too what had been seized by their Enemies during the War and that chiefly by the help of the Protestants who before were so dreadful to them whilest they fought for their Religion The Queen to cut off all pretences to the Guardianship of the King by the advice of the Chancellor resolved to have him declared out of his Minority by the Parliament of Roan pursuant to a Constitution of Charles the Fifth King of France made in the year 1373 tho' he had then entered only into the Fourteenth year of his age which was accordingly done the 19th of August when he declared again That he was resolved not to suffer his Edicts to be disputed by his Subjects as had been done during his Minority and especially the last for the peace of Religion which he was resolved to make all his Subjects obey till it was otherwise setled by a Council This Decree met with some opposition from the Parliament of Paris which pretends to be the Supreme Court of that Kingdom and said they ought to have had the honour of declaring the King of Age and no other which was soon over-rul'd The desire I had to prosecute the Affairs of France and the Story of the Council of Trent has kept me from mentioning Scotland and its Affairs so that I am behind hand with that Kingdom two years In the beginning of the year 1562 Mary Queen of the Scots took her Progress towards the North At Sterling she was Petition'd by certain Commissioners of the Church for the Abolishing of the Mass and other Superstitious Rites of the Roman Religion the punishing Blasphemy the contempt of the Word of God the Profanation of the Sacraments the Violation of the Sabbath Adultery Fornication and other like Vices condemn'd by the Word of God but not punishable by the Laws of Scotland That all Suits for Divorce should be remitted to the Judgment of the Church or at least trusted to men of good knowledge and conversation and that Popish Church-men might be excluded from places in the Session and Council This Petition being read by the Queen she replied That she would do nothing to the prejudice of the Religion she professed and that she hoped before a year was expired to have the Mass and Catholick Profession restored through the whole Kingdom And so in a rage turn'd her back and left them In January 1563. John Hamilton Archbishop of St. Andrews was committed to the Castle of Edinburgh for saying and hearing Mass the Abbot also of Corsragnal and Prior of Withern had the same treatment and divers Priests and Monks were censured for the same cause The Scots thought by these Severities to terrifie the Queen into a compliance with their Religion And it is certain that in a Parliament held at Edinburgh in May this year she passed many Acts in favour of the Reformation However certain it is some of the Protestants made her an ill requital For in August following certain of the Queens Family remaining in the Palace of Edinburgh call'd Holy-Rood House and having a Priest to attend them and perform the Romish Service in the Chapel divers of the Inhabitants of Edinburgh out of curiosity or devotion resorting thither great offence was taken at it and the Preacher began to complain of it as a disorder Whereupon some of the Citizens went thither to see if it were so these being denied Admittance they forced the Gates of the Queens Palace took several of those who were there assembled and carried them to prison the Priest and some few others escaping by a Postern or Back-door This Uproar was very great and yet it was related to the best advantage to the Queen who was then out of Town she was very much incensed as she had good reason against these Zealots and swore she would shortly make them Examples of her Royal Indignation The Earls of Murray and Glencarne however wisely interposed and appeased her anger for the present Soon after John Knox was call'd before the Council and charged as the only Author of this Insolent Sedition and likewise for stirring up the people by his Circular Letters to Tumults whenever he thought fit He answered That he was never a Preacher of Rebellion nor loved to stir up Tumults contrariwise he always taught the People to obey their Magistrates and Princes in God. As to the Convocation of the Subjects he had received from the Church a Command to advertise his Brethren when he saw a necessity of their Meeting especially if he saw Religion to be in peril And had often desired to be discharged of that burthen but stil was refused Then speaking to the Queen with wonderful boldness He charged her in the name of Almighty God as she desired to escape his heavy wrath and indignation to forsake that Idolatrous Religion which she profess'd and by her power maintain'd against all the Statues of the Realm He was going on when the Earl of Morton then Chancellor of Scotland fearing the Queen might be yet more exasperated against all the Protestants of her Kingdom by his indiscreet zeal commanded him to hold his peace and go away After this things were carried more peaceably between the Queen and the Church the Earl of Murray making it his business to propound their Petitions to her and to return her Answers to them FINIS A TABLE OF THE Principal Matters Contained in this HISTORY A. ADiaphorists who Pag. 478 481. Adolph Count Schawenburg is made Archbishop of Cologne by the Pope 417. Enters upon the Resignation of the Archbishop 418. His first Mass 457. Makes his publick Entry into Cologne 499. He leaves Trent 543. He makes a League with the House of Burgundy 560. Adrian succeeds Leo X. 50. Sends a Legate to the Diet of Nuremberg 54. And a Breve to Frederick Ibid. Writes a long Letter to the States assembled at Nuremberg 55. And to Private Persons against Luther 56. As also to the Senate of Strasburg Ibid. An account of his Life Ibid. He is chosen Pope 57. Writes to the College of Cardinals Ibid. And to the People of Rome Ibid. Goes to Rome Ibid. His Instructions to the Diet at Nuremberg 58. Desires an Answer to them 60. Dies
if the Pope would not call a General 48 49. His Speech in the States at Orleans 50. At the opening of the Conference of Poissy 60. At the opening of the Assembly of the Delegates 68. He opposeth the Declaring a War against the Prince of Conde 72. He procures Charles IX to be declared of Age 99. And ascribes the driving the English out of France to the Liberty of Conscience granted to the Protestants ibid. I. IGnatius Loyola the Founder of the Order of Jesuits his Death and Story 13. Images set up in the Streets of Paris to be worshipped 35. Ordered not to be worshipped any where 69. The Reasons why the Protestants destroyed them 84. The Images of the twelve Apostles of massy Silver lost 76. The Worship of Images and Reliques commanded by the Council of Trent 96. The Inquisition promoted by Pope Paul IV. 27 36. Desired by the Clergy of France 44. Allowed to proceed summarily against the greatest persons 92. Cites the Queen of Nawar and several of the French Prelates but is opposed by the King of France 92 93 94. K. KErsimont Governour of Britain 2. Kirkwall taken and burnt 23. Knox John stirreth the Scots to reform 37. His Maxims occasion great devastations of Church-building 66. He is accused as the Author of a Tumult 99. L. LAines the second General of the Iesuits very rude in the Conference of Poissy 61. The Protestant League 77. Leith made a French Colony 40. Summon'd by the Scotch Nobility 41. Besieged by the English ibid. Surrendred and dismantled 42. Livonia falls off from the See of Rome 57. Lorrain the Cardinal of opens the first Proposals for a Peace with K. Philip 19. Reprehends Henry II. of France 33. He is suspected the Author of a Slander 34. He reflecteth severely on Coligni 45. Designs to make a Speech for the three Estates 51. He opposeth the Progress of the Reformation 57. Procureth the Conference of Poissy 58. Disputes in it 60. Opposeth a National Council 64. Leaves the Court 65. Adviseth Mary Queen of Scots to leave her Jewels in France 66. Treats with the Protestant Princes of Germany 69. He goes to the Council of Trent 88. Visits the Emperor at Inspruck 90. He is ordered to defend the Peace of Orleans 91. He is gain'd over to the Pope's side 94. He goes to Rome ibid. Returns to Trent 96. M. MAns taken by the Protestants 74. Deserted 76. Mary Queen of England raiseth some Religious Houses 11. She joins with King Philip against France 14. Is advertised by him of the Designs of the French upon Calais 18. Makes an unfortunate attempt by her Fleet on France 21. She dies when there was a Parliament sitting 22. Mary Queen Regent of Scotland summoneth a Parliament 36. Breaks her Faith 37. She leaves Edinburg and goes to Dunbar 38. Reproaches the Lords of the Congregation for holding correspondence with the English 40. She is deposed 41. Her Death and Character 42. Mary Queen of Scotland Married to the Dauphine of France 19. Resolves to return into Scotland 65. Arrives there 66. Endeavoureth to restore Popery 67. Refuseth a Petition against it 99. Mary Queen of Hungary dies 36. Marriage of the Clergy why forbidden and continued so 97. Massacre at Vassy 70. Of Sens 74. Mills Walter the last Martyr in Scotland 24. Melancthon Philip dies 50. Minart Anthony a bloody Persecutor 30 31. He is shot dead in the Streets 34. Popish Misrepresentations of the Protestants in France 16 33 34. Montmorancy Constable of France averse to the Spanish War 14. Taken Prisoner in the Battel of St. Quintin 15. Discharged and laboureth for a Peace 22. Designed for ruin by the Guises 46. Procures the laying aside the use of the Arms of England 39. Entereth Orleans 48. He is set against the Reformation and the King of Navar by the Queen 56. Taken in the Battel of Dreux 80. He refuseth to consent to the Liberty of Conscience 84. He takes Havre de Grace 99. Montmorancy Francis Son of the former gives his Father wise advice 56. N. NAples the Kingdom of annexed to the See of Rome 9. Navar Henry King of suspected to be in the Conspiracy of Bloys 43. And in that of Lions 46. He is sollicited to come to the Assembly of the States by his Brother the Cardinal ib. Comes and is confin'd 47. Discharged and advanced ibid. Becomes terrible to the Pope 49. Favoureth the Reformation 56. Very earnest for a National Council 65. He joins with the Popish party 69. Excuseth the Massacre of Vassy 71. Is shot at Roan and dies 77. His Character ibid. The Queen Cited before the Inquisition after his Death 92. A National Council desired in France 45 64. O. OLiver Chancellor of France imployed against the Members of Parliament who were suspected of Heresie 33. Desirous of a Reformation and an hater of Bloody Persecutions 43. Obtains a Pardon for the Conspirators of Boyse ibid. He dies weeping for what he had done 44. Orleans an Assembly of the three Estates of France opened there 47 50. Surprized by the Protestants 73. Besieged 82. Ostia besieged and taken 9. Retaken ibid. Otho Henry Duke of Bavaria dies 36. Orange William of Nassaw Prince of Ambassador for Charles V. 6. Being Ambassador in France he learns a Secret 27. P. PAliano Fortified 9. Restored to King Philip 11. A Parliament in England 22. In Scotland 36. Another that setles a Confession of Faith 42. Another which confirms and settles it 66. One held at Edinburg in which Mary Queen of the Scots passed several Acts in favour of the Reformation 99. The Parliament of Paris awed by Henry II. 31. Claims the Right of declaring the King out of his Minority 99. Paul IV. Pope his Temper 7. His War against King Philip 8. He ruins his Relations 26. He refuseth to acknowledg Ferdinand Emperor of Germany 22. And Queen Elizabeth Queen of England 23. Erects many Bishopricks 27. His death and the rage of the People against him 36. Peace made between King Philip and the Pope 11. Proposed between France and Spain 19. That of Passaw confirmed 28. That of Cambray fatal 30. That of Orleans disproved by Coligni 84. And by the the Fathers of Trent 91. Perrenot Bishop of Arras 19. A Persecution in France 16. One designed in the Netherlands 27. One in France 30. In Spain 35. In Piedmont 52. In the Netherlands 55. Philbert Duke of Savoy his Marriage 33. Pius IV. Elected 36. Delays the calling of a Council 48. Is at last perswaded to renew that at Trent 62. Despiseth France 86. Afraid of the French Bishops coming to that Council 88. Is promised a victory over the Council 89. Reproached by the King of France 96. Pretends to be-free from the Obligation of all Laws ibid. Philip II. King of Spain engaged in a War against Paul IV. 8. And France 9. Leaves the Netherlands 35. He is much commended by Pope Paul IV. 31. Endeavoureth to raise the power of the Bishops and depress the Pope's in
Regular way Now the reason why they themselves are so desirous to have the matter Legally debated is not because they are afraid their Adversaries would be too powerful for them in the Field for as they design to hurt no Body so if they are threatned with any Violence they are God be thanked sufficiently prepared to defend themselves and their Right Besides they hope that he upon whose account they Engage will afford them his Assistance and Protection Indeed their Cause is so Honourable and Religious that they ought to maintain it at their utmost Peril But they are very much concerned for the ill Consequences which will happen to the State this way For though they deserve to be corrected by God Almighty yet because a Civil War will occasion a horrible desolation in Germany they desire nothing more earnestly than that the whole difference may be amicably accommodated and that all future Ages may have a remarkable Instance of their good Inclinations and Honesty transmitted to them but their Adversaries are implacably exasperated and will not be brought to any reasonable Terms neither did they foresee any other Issue of this Contest than that it would occasion the strength of the Empire which ought to be employed against the common Enemy the Turk to be perfectly wasted and torn in pieces by the mutual Slaughter of its own Subjects but these Consequences ought not to be charged upon them And whatever the Event may be there will come a time when the other Party will be obliged to admit of those Conditions which they now reject with so much Obstinacy for God will appear in the Vindication of his own Honour Upon the First of March the Ambassadors of the Protestant Princes and Cities came to Smalcald according to appointment There came also several Divines along with them viz. Jonas Pomeran Melancthon Cruciger and Bucer who were required to draw up a Scheme of Doctrine upon which they were to treat with their Adversaries about an Accommodation In this Convention they debated those Points which were left unconcluded at Arnstet as hath been mentioned already In the mean time Dulcius and Burcartus returned from their Ambassy in England and upon the Seventh of March they make a Report of the State of Religion in that Country viz. That the Act of Parliament made the last Year was not Executed very strictly but yet Hugh Latimer and the Bishop of Salisbury who where Imprisoned upon the account of Religion were not yet set at Liberty that Cromwell the first Minister of State endeavoured to mollifie the King and abate the Rigour of his Opinion And the King himself had in private Conversation told them his thoughts upon the Point which were these He conceived the Protestant Divines were not Orthodox in their Doctrine concerning the Marriage of Priests the receiving the Lord's Supper as they call it in both Kinds nor in that concerning private Masses and therefore he desires that they would write to him at large about these and other necessary Points and set down the Reasons of their Opinions and he would take care that some Learned Persons in his Kingdom should give them an Answer that so the way to Truth might be discovered It was likewise the Opinion of Cromwell and of some others that it would be proper for them to send an Honourable Ambassy to the King and Melancthon with the rest for if they could come to a tolerable Agreement in their Doctrine the King would furnish them with a vast Summ of Money towards the supporting the League which he intended to make with them not only in the Case of Religion but for defence in general Indeed his Majesty very much wondered why they confined their Alliance to Religion seeing it was likely they would be invaded upon a quite different account Some few days after the Divines gave in a Writing to the Ambassadors The summ of it was this That they ought not to depart from the Contents of the Ausburg Confession nor of the Apology which was afterwards annex'd to it This Opinion all the Divines who were absent afterwards approved by their Letters to the Convention About this time Henry Duke of Brunswick came to Ghent Upon the Sixteenth of March the Emperor gave the Protestant Ambassadors his Answer by Cornelius Scepperus the Substance was courteous enough but withal so Ambiguously worded that they could not tell whether he would secure them the Pacification or not The Ambassadors therefore with the Emperor's permission withdraw and returning presently after they entreat him that he would command the Chamber to cease their Prosecutions and grant them a Peace The Emperor replied That at present he had nothing more to say to these Requests but he would consider the matter farther This Answer was Reported at Smalcald Ten Days after and upon Easter Munday which was then the Twenty-ninth of March the Princes came thither themselves There was at that time a great Emulation and misunderstanding between Granvell and Eldo which at last occasioned Eldo's being removed from his Place upon which he retired from Court and lived privately For the other having the better Interest charged Eldo with Misdemeanors and rendered him odious because he had been too violent in his Councils and Treaties and had like to have run the Emperor upon a War against his Will when he thought nothing of it Now Granvell giving pretty plain signs of his being desirous to accommodate Matters and to settle a good Correspondence in the Empire invited the Protestants to address to him and at their request disposed the Emperors Inclinations for Peace And immediately after and as it were in his own Name he dispatcheth away Two Ambassadors to Smalcald to mediate an Accommodation viz. Theodorick Manderschitt William Nuenarius Counts Persons of great Sence and Quality though the first of these was seized with a dangerous Distemper and forced to stop by the way There demands were indeed moderate enough but then they intimated that the Emperor was almost assured that Religion was not the Protestants design neither did they heartily desire a Peace but were wholly intent upon enriching themselves with the Revenues of the Church That his Majesty had reason to suspect they were glad to see the Empire embroiled That they were disaffected to him and rather inclinable to side with those who were his open Enemies This Information against them the Emperor received partly by their Adversaries and partly by the French as it 's certainly reported For when the Emperor travelled through France and all things seemed to promise a most intimate Alliance and Endearment they say there were some Letters discovered to him which were written from the Convention at Smalcald to the French King. Some say this was done by the King himself but others lay it upon the Constable who was then the Chief Minister and earnestly desirous to bring the Two Monarchs to a good Understanding and besides not very well affected to the
Irksomness of their Condition But that they should always have in their Thoughts what St. Peter and St. Paul wrote of the Duty of Bondmen That however when they make War against Christians they should rather hazard their Lives than serve them for that they were Robbers made War against the Saints as Daniel saith and shed innocent Blood That therefore it should be their chief Care not to be partakers with them in so great a Crime and Wickedness Unto this Discourse he subjoins a Form of Prayer against the Fury of the Turks and towards the end enlarging upon the Vices of the Times which reigned amongst all Ranks and Degrees of Men he concluded that Germany which was so wholly corrupted and defiled could not continue long in Safety Now this is the Form of Prayer which he prescribes O Eternal Father we have indeed deserved to be punished but do thou thy self punish us not in thy Wrath and Displeasure but according to thy great Mercy seeing it is far better for us to fall into thy Hands than into the Hands of Men and Enemies for thy Mercy is infinite and above all thy Works We have sinned against thee O Lord and broken thy Commandements yet thou knowest O Heavenly Father that the Devil the Pope and the Turk have no Right nor Cause to afflict us for we have not wronged them but thou usest them as a Rod to correct us with who have many Ways provoked thee all our Life time They I say have nothing to charge us with but would rather that after their Example we should for ever grievously offend thee that we should sin against thy Divine Majesty by Idolatry and false Doctrine by Lying and Deceiving by theft Robbery and Rapine and by Adultery Fornication and Sorcery That 's the thing they most desire But because we worship thee God the Father and thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord with thy Holy Spirit one God everlasting that is our Crime and Wickedness for which they so hate and persecute us Should we make Defection from thee and renounce this Faith we needed not to expect any Hurt from them Look graciously towards us then O Father and help us for they are more thine Enemies than ours when they smite us they smite thee for the Doctrine we profess is not ours but thine The Devil indeed cannot endure it but would be worshipped in thy place and force Lyes upon us instead of thy Word And the Turk also would place his Mahomet in the room of thy Son Jesus Christ Now if it be a Sin to profess thee Father Son and Holy Ghost to be the only true God then certainly thou art a Sinner who teachest us so to do and requirest this Duty at our Hands And when for this Cause they persecute us they hate and afflict thee Awake then O my God and avenge thy Holy Name which they pollute and profane suffer not this Injury at their Hands who punish us not for our Sins and Trespasses but endeavour to extinguish the Light of thy Word amongst us and to destroy thy Kingdom that thou shouldest not have a People to worship and adore thy Name Now as to the Origin and Growth of the Turks since so many have writen of it it is no purpose to discourse here Their Rise hath been as great as their Beginning was small and the first of their Emperors is reckoned Ottoman who reigned about the Year of our Lord 1300. After him succeeded in order Orchanes Amurath who first crossed the Hellespont and brought an Army into Europe invading Thrace Bajazet Cyriscelebes Moses Mahomet Amurath Mahomet Bajazet Selim Solyman Much about this time Alfonso Davalo Marquess of Pescara whom we mentioned before published a Declaration addressed to the Princes of Germany wherein he Accuses and Blames the French King that in such troublesome Times he should plot and contrive new designs on purpose to frustrate and hinder the honest Endeavours of the Emperor and all the States pretending a very slight and trivial Reason for it to wit the intercepting of Anthony Rink and Caesar Fregoso after whom he had made most diligent Inquiry but could not learn what was become of them This coming to the French King's Knowledge he declared that he had a great Injury done him in that his Ambassadors had been so barbarously used That he had several times complained of it both to the Pope and Emperor and desired Satisfaction but all in vain And that therefore if he should let so unworthy an Act pass it would be to his dishonour and the greatest stain imaginable to his Reputation Afterwards on the Second of May he wrote to the Parliament of Paris to this Effect To the end said he that God may illuminate our Hearts and grant us Constancy in our Faith bring those that go astray if any such be into the right Way of Salvation again and send us Peace by means of Satisfaction for the Injuries we have received by Usurpation of our Right and Violence done to our Ambassadors or if in dispair of Peace there be a necessity of going to War that he may grant us Victory our Will is that Processions be made and Prayers in all Churches and that able Preachers be employed to give the People an account of the Cause hereof Moreover we Charge and Command that if there be any who entertain sinistrous Thoughts of our Faith and Religion and do not promise amendment that they be publickly punished for their Crime Not long after he sent the Duke of Longueville to the Duke of Cleve who having raised Men against the Summer under the Conduct of Martin Van Rossem waited for an opportunity of Action The Pope in the mean time on the First of June calls a Council and by way of preamble gives a large account how he had often before called a Council and last of all suspended its sitting till a more convenient time wherefore he clears himself of all the Blame and professes he could delay no longer though the Affairs of Christendom were still in a doubtful State. So then he appointed it to be held at Trent on the First of November whither he Summoned to appear all Patriarchs Bishops Abbots and others who had Right and Privilege to sit and Vote in Councils He exhorted also the Emperor and French King that they would either come themselves or send Ambassadors and command their Bishops to repair to it But before all others he invited the German Bishops because for their cause and at their desire chiefly all that pains was taken In the Month of July the French King declared War against the Emperor in a very cutting Stile of Language giving his Subjects free Liberty by publick Proclamation to use all manner of Hostilities against him and his Countries both by Sea and Land. Longueville and Van Rossem had a little before made an Incursion into Brabant where they put the People who were unprovided into great Terror
Cardinals therewith and in name of the whole Empire to demand the continuation of the Council at Trent He ordered Mendoza also to do the same but the Pope took time to consider of it and having thought fit to consult you about the matter obtained from you a dubious crafty and captious Answer Besides he answers the Emperour oddly and shews sufficiently by his tergiversation that he is little concerned for the Publick for the cause of the removal ought to have been proved by credible Witnesses The Emperour King Ferdinand and the Princes by Letters and most ample Embassies declared what the mind of the States was concerning the Council but the Pope believed and preferred the Report of some mean and base People before the Testimony of all these How many tedious and irksome Journeys hath the Emperour made upon the account of the Council What Charges and Expences hath he been at And must all these be lost For most weighty and necessary causes was the Council both called and begun at Trent the Emperour and Germans demanding it and all other Christian Princes consenting thereunto so that unless the publick Authority of all States intervene it cannot be translated to another place for indeed there was no cause for the Translation only something invented for an excuse as some slight Feaver and badness of Air forsooth and for that purpose some Physicians were suborned but chiefly Serving-Maids and Cooks Now what a trifling cause that was the thing it self and the event declared You say that you went away without the Pope's knowledge and advice but the Letter he wrote to you and the Answer he gave the Emperour imply the quite contrary Certainly you ought not to have departed nor changed the place but with consent of the Emperour to whom it belongs to protect all Councils but you posted away in so much haste that ye rejected the Opinion of those who said that the Emperour and Pope ought first to be consulted Now if you must needs have been removing ye ought to have observed at least the Decrees of the Holy Councils and remained within the bounds of Germany that the Germans for whose cause chiefly the Council was called might safely come to it but now ye have chosen Bolonia a Town seated in the heart of Italy and under the Jurisdiction of the Church of Rome whither it is certain the Germans will not come and therefore have you chosen it that to the great prejudice and disgrace of Christendom the Council may be either dissolved or managed at your pleasure The Emperour therefore requireth and that most earnestly that you return to that place which pleased all before especially since all things are now safe and quiet and no more cause of any fear remains But if this you refuse I do here in the name and by command of the Emperour protest against this Translation of the Council as frivolous and unlawful and that all that has been done or shall be done therein is of no force nor effect I also publickly declare That that Answer of yours is silly and full of Lyes and that the prejudice and inconveniences which hereafter shall ensue to the Publick are not to be imputed to the Emperour but to you affirming withal that you have no Power nor Authority to remove the Council And because you neglect the publick Welfare the Emperour as Protector of the Church will take the care of that upon himself in so far as it is lawful for him by Law and the Canons of Holy Church When he had read over that Protestation he delivered a written Copy of it and desired it to be entered upon Record With that the Cardinal de Monte having highly commended the pious intentions of the Fathers called God to witness that they had wrong done them saying They were ready to suffer death rather than that such a practice should be brought into the Church that the Civil Magistrate might call or controul a Council when and how he pleased That the Emperour was indeed a Son of the Church but not the Lord and Master That he and his Colleagues were the Legates of the Apostolick See and did not refuse even then to render first to God and then to the Pope an account of their Commission That after all within a few days they should have an Answer to their Protestation Much about the same time Mendoza having received Instructions from the Emperour made a Protestantion to the same effect at Rome before the Pope and Colledge of Cardinals and in presence of all the Forreign Embassadours whom according to his Instructions he had invited to be Witnesses of it THE HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH BOOK XX. THE CONTENTS In the beginning it is hotly disputed whether Prussia belong to the King of Poland or rather to the Empire The Pope makes a large Answer to the Harangue that Mendoza made before The Emperour being informed of that and seeing but very little hopes of a Council causes the Book which is called the Interim to be made The Protector of England in a very long Letter to the Scots counsels them to Peace and demands their Queen Vogelsberg is beheaded The Emperour invests Duke Maurice in the Electorship which he had bestowed upon him in the Camp before Wittemberg Bucer refuses to subscribe to the Interim The Pope also publishes a Censure of it which many of the Electors and Princes also did and many refuse it though it was published by the Emperour The Duke of Saxony though a Prisoner with great magnanimity rejects it The Landgrave by Letters which were published from the Emperours Court seems to approve it that he may obtain his freedom Whil'st the Mass is abolished in England by Act of Parliament the free Towns of Germany are solicited to accept of the Interim and especially Strasburg which is pressed by Threats to do it WE have shewn in the former Books that Marquess Albert of Brandenburg did Homage to the King of Poland and altered the Government of Prussia for which he was Outlaw'd by the Imperial Chamber As also that the King of Poland had several times solicited the Emperour and rest of the States in the Publick Diets to reverse that Outlawry because he was his Vassal and under his Protection But since to this day nothing could be obtained and that by this Victory of the Emperours some greater danger seemed to be threatned the King of Poland sends an Embassy to this Diet whereof the chief was Stanislaus Alaski He in the month of January delivered to the Emperour and Colledge of the Princes a Speech in Writing whereof the substance was That the Cause of Prussia had been some times already debated but because it had been always put off to other Diets he was commanded to open it again that the King was in good hopes because of the civil Answers he had often received from them and of the equity of his Cause they would Consider his Affair yet not as
Emperour not to be offended with me for my refusal That I retain the Doctrine of the Augustane Confession I do it for the Salvation of my Soul and slighting all worldly things it is now my whole study how after this painful and miserable Life is ended I may be made partaker of the Blessed Joys of Life Everlasting It is reported to the Emperour by some as I hear that it is not Religion I regard in what I do but vain-glory and I know not what other by-end Good now what worldly thing is it that could be more desirable to me especially being of a gross and unweildly Body than my liberty than to return to my Wife and Children than quiet and rest at home I call God to witness now and will do then when he shall call us to an account for all we have done in the Flesh that I had no other thing before my Eyes than that in serving and worshipping of him truly I might attain to the enjoyment of the Inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven And it is my hearty desire to the Emperour that he would think and believe so of me In every thing else I have always been and ever shall be ready to serve him and will discharge the Duty and Fidelity I promised him as it becomes an honest Man and one of my quality After all I beseech him that he would pardon all my offences and free me at length from this tedious Captivity that I may not of all Princes be the first who may be said to have lived and died his Prisoner When they saw that he persisted firm and immoveable in his Resolution they began to use him a little more harshly all holy Books were taken from him and he was enjoyned to abstain from Flesh on days forbidden The Preacher also whom till now the Emperour had suffered to be with him finding himself in imminent danger privately slipt away in disguise Letters were then published and these out of the Imperial Court too which the Landgrave was said to have written to the Emperour In these Letters he says that he had sent Orders to his Wife and Counsellors that they should fulfil the rest of the Conditions and satisfie those who had any cause of Grievance because of the past War Then that he had read the Book that was written about Religion and though there were some things in it which he did not throughly understand and could not prove from the holy Scriptures yet because they were backed by Antiquity and the Authority of the holy Fathers he would not be wiser than they but had approved the Writing and would also take care that it should be observed by his Subjects After that he offers him his faithful service whether he should have War with the Turk Pope other Kings or the Switzers or else if he pleased to make use of him in Germany But prayed him for Christs and all his Saints sake that he would forget his Offences and give him his Liberty That now he had been a whole year Prisoner wherein he had endured punishment enough and was redacted to great hardships Moreover that for greater security he would give his two Sons Hostages until he should be fully satisfied and that he would readily submit to what he pleased to enjoyn him Nevertheless all these Prayers did not prevail for he was by his Spanish Keepers carried about from place to place at every turn first from Donawert to Wordlingen then to Hailbrun and last to Hall in Swabia Whil'st the Emperour is busied in carrying on these Exploits in Germany the Mass is by Act of Parliament abolished in England and not long after Stephen Bishop of Winchester is apprehended for maintaining that the Laws made during the nonage of the King were of no force He had been confined to his House the year before but being lately enlarged when it was thought he had changed his Opinion he made a Sermon before the King and his Nobles wherein having told them his mind plainly he is committed to Prison The Emperour caused the Form of Reformation as they called it to be read over to the Churchmen June the Fourteenth These were the Heads of it Of Ordination of the Duties of Ecclesiastical Orders of Monasteries of Schools of Hospitals of the Dispensation of Gods Word of the Administration of the Sacraments of the Ceremonies of the Mass of Ecclesiastical Ceremonies of the Discipline of the Clergy and People of the Pluralities of Benefices of Visitation of Synods and of Excommunication The Matters therein enjoyned amongst others are chiefly these That they who sue for Holy Orders be diligently Examined as to their Faith Manners and Learning especially as to the Heresies most in vogue at that time and if they believe as the Roman Catholick and Apostolick Church believes The Inquisition into Manners is commanded to be made according to the Pattern set down by Paul in the third Chapter of the first Apostle to Timothy but that which St. Paul amongst other things advises That a Minister of the Church be the Husband of one Wife who rules his own House well and has obedient Children is left out That no Man be admitted to the Office of a Bishop unless he be a Priest or promise to take the rest of Orders with the first opportunity That Bishops take care of their own Flocks feeding them with sound Doctrine and the Sacraments That they now and then visit their Churches and be careful that the other Ministers do their Duty lest the Wolves break in among the Flock That the Monastick Life be again established in those places where it has been discontinued That nothing be taught in Schools but what agrees with Catholick Doctrine That the Latine Tongue be retained in the Administration of the Sacraments and Ceremonies lest they should fall into contempt if the People understood the Language That that which is commonly called the Canon of the Mass remain entire and be pronounced with a low Voice that the dignity of those dreadful Mysteries may be kept up That nothing be changed in the usual Ceremonies That Salt Water Hearbs the Paschal Lamb New Fruits also Churches Chalices Altars Copes Vestments and Vessels be Consecrated by Prayer against the Snares of the Devil and Charms That Wax Tapers also be lighted and Incense offered in Churches That Prayers also be made in Churches and Chapels dedicated to Saints That the Clergy live Temperately and Soberly and avoid Fornication That they put away their Concubines or be punished That the Civil Magistrate assist the Bishops in reforming Discipline and Manners and preserving entire the Liberties of the Church That Diocesan Synods be brought into use again and held twice a year and that in them the Manners and Vices of every one be enquired into That those who cannot otherwise be reformed be Excommunicated That all Men do avoid their Speech and Company And that they be not admitted again to Communion before they
Though the Edict of July had forbidden all Meetings of the Protestants yet their Number daily increasing and with it their Confidence not only Sermons were openly made but the Priests were in many places forcibly expell'd and the Churches seized for the use of the Ministers which gave being to the Edict of the 3d of November for the Restitution of those Churches upon pain of Death which by the Perswasion of the Ministers themselves was obeyed throughout the Kingdom But when notwithstanding Men seem'd rather enraged than appeased by the Edict of July and the Conference of Poissy was broken up without any effect there being every day news brought of new Commotions they began to think of some more effectual Remedy which that it might meet with the greater approbation and by consequence be the more universally executed the Presidents and some chosen Members of all the Parliaments of France were summon'd before the King to St. Germain by whose Advice it was to be drawn and Moddel'd Upon which the Cardinal of Lorrain and the Duke of Guise left the Court conceiving the thing would do it self now Montmorancy and the King of Navar had espoused that Interest About the same time there was a dreadful Tumult at Dijon whil'st the Protestants were assembled at their Sermon the Rabble thought fit to make themselves the Executioners of the Edict of July and having procured a Drum to beat before them they marched against the Huguenots but the Meeters made use of their Weapons and repell'd Force with Force The Rabble thereupon turn'd their fury against the Private Families and plundered several Houses There were also some Tumults at Paris on the same score and towards the end of the year all things tended to a general Revolution Having thus represented the State of Religion in all the rest of Christendom as shortly and as well as I can I return now to Scotland The Messengers they had sent into France to procure the Royal Consent to the Acts they had made in their last Parliament were no sooner return'd with a positive denial and a dreadful Reprimand which frighted and exasperated the Nation both at once but they had the Joyful News of the Death of King Francis II. to their great satisfaction and the no less affliction of the French Faction in that Kingdom On the other side the Nobility who had lent their Assistance to the Expulsion of the French immediately met at Edinburg and after a Consultation sent the Lord James to their Queen to perswade her to return into Scotland Lesley however prevented them and got to her some days before the Lord James She was then at Vitrie in Campaigne whither she was retired to lament her Loss His business was to bespeak her favour to the Catholick Party and return into Scotland The first she readily promised and as for the other she ordered him to Attend till she had resolved what to do It was soon after resolved that she should leave France so that the Lord James found her fixed to return when he came into France yet his Assuring her of the great desires the Nobility of Scotland had to see her there again much confirm'd her So she sent him back with Orders to see that nothing should be attempted contrary to the Treaty of Leith in her absence In March following M. Giles Noailles a Senator of Bourdeaux arrived at Leith with three Demands from the new King of France 1. That the old League between France and Scotland should be renewed 2. That the late Confederacy with England should be dissâ—lved 3. That the Church-men should be restored to all they had been deprived of But the Council replied That it did not befit them to treat of things of that Consequence before the Assembly of the States which was to be held the 21st of May when the Lord James made answer That the French and not the Scots had broke the old League by endeavouring to enslave them 2. That they could not violate the Treaty made with England and as to the third That they did not acknowledge those he interceded for to be Church men and that Scotland having renounced the Pope would no longer maintain his Priests and Vassals About the same time the Earls of Morton and Glencarn returned from England whither they had been sent with Assurances That the Queen would assist them in the Defence of the Liberties of the Kingdom if at any time they stood in need of her Help which was heard with much Joy. As the Lord James returned into Scotland he waited upon Queen Elizabeth and advised her to stop Queen Mary if she came by England as he expected she would 'till he had secured the State of Religion in Scotland for tho' she had promised She would continue all things in the State she found them ye he would not intirely rely upon her Promise having so often heard the old Maxim from the late Regent To make sure work therefore he procured an Act to be passed in this Convention for the Demolishing all the Cloysters and Abby Churches which were yet left standing in that Kingdom the Execution whereof as to the Western Parts was committed to the Earls of Arran Argile and Glencarn as to the North to the Lord James and as to the Inland Counties to some Barons that were thought the most Zealous Whereupon ensued a most deplorable Devastation of Churches and Church-buildings saith Spotiswood throughout all the Kingdom for every one made bold to put to their Hands the meaner sort imitating the Example of the greater and those who were in Authority No difference was made but all the Churches were either defaced or pulled down to the ground The Church Place and what ever Men could make Money of as Timber Lead and Bells were put to sale and the Monuments of the Dead the Registers of the Churches and Libraries were burn'd or destroyed and what escaped the Fury of the first Tumults now perished in a common Shipwrack and that under the colour of publick Authority John Knox is said to have very much promoted this Calamity by a Maxim he published That the sure way tâ— drive away the Rooks was to pull down their Nests which in probability he meant only of the Monks but now their Hands were in was extended to all the Church Buildings Noailles was then in Scotland and carried the News of this dreadful Reformation to the Queen into France She was much enraged at it and said to some of her Confidents that she would imitate Mary Queen of England but however she had wit enough to dissemble her Resentment for the present In order to her return she left Vitri and went to Paris and having waited upon the King and Queen-Regent to take her leave of them she took her Journy towards Calais Queen Elizabeth had sent the Earl of Bedford to condole the Death of Francis her late Husband and to desire her Ratification of the Treaty of