into great distresse for want of water but was supported by the prayers of the Christian legion that was in his army For they bowed their knees to Christ and prayed for helpe and the Lord Iesus sent raine in aboundance to refresh the army of the Romans dashed the Barbarians with thunder and fire In remembrance whereof the Christian legion was after that time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fulminatrix After this victory hee asswaged his anger and wrote to the Senate of Rome to deale gently with Christians by whose prayer hee acknowledged both himselfe and his Army to haue received deliverance from God Commodus COmmodus the sonne of Antoninus raigned 13. yeares Many of the Romanes not without cause called him Incommodus He presumed to do great things and to change the names of moneths and would haue the moneth of December to be called Commodus like as the two names of two moneths Quintilis and Sextilis had beene changed in time past and called Iulius and Augustus for honour of these two welbeloved Emperours But hee was not so well favoured of the people that this ordinance could haue place any longer then during his owne life time The Church in his dayes was not altogether free of persecution for Apollonius a man of noble birth in Rome and a man of great learning suffered death because hee would not forsake the Christian religion His accuser also was punished to the death Such advantages Iudges might easily haue taken finding so many discrepant lawes some made in favour and some conceived in disliking of Christians Pertinax and Iulianus AeLius Pertinax Emperour sixe moneths Didius Iulianus two moneths Eusebius maketh no mention of D. Iulianus but of Pertinax onely to whom succeeded Severus Eseb. lib. 5. cap. 27. CENTVRIE III. Severus AFter Pertinax and Iulian Severus governed seventeene yeares and eight months Eusebius reckoneth onely twelue yeares He stirred vp the fift persecution against the Christians The crimes obiected against the Christians besides those that were obiected in the former persecution were these Rebellion against the Emperour sacriledge murthering of Infants worshipping of the Sunne and worshipping the head of an Asse which last calumny was forged against them by the malice of the Iewes This persecution raged most severely in the townes of Alexandria and Carthage like as the former persecutions had done in Lyons and Vienne in France Leonides the father of Origen was beheaded his sonne being but young in yeares exhorted his father to persevere in the faith of Christ constantly vnto the death Potamiae a young beautiful virgin in Alexandria was by the Iudge condemned to death and delivered to a Captaine called Basilides who stayed the insolency of the people that followed her to the place of execution with outrage of slanderous and rayling wordes crying out against her for this cause shee prayed to God for the conversion of Basilides to the true faith and was heard of God in so much that hee was not onely converted to the faith of Christ but also sealed it vp with his blood and had the honour of martyrdome Alexander who was a fellow labourer with Narcissus in Ierusalem escaped many dangers yet was he martyred in the dayes of Decius the 7. great persecuter Of this Emp erour the Senate of Rome sayd Aut non nasti aut non mori debuisse that is Either he should never haue been born or else should never haue tasted of death So it pleased the Lord by his wife dispensation to suffer the dayes of Traian Antoninus Philosophus and Severus Emperours renowned in the world to be more cruell against their owne people then the dayes of Nero Domitian Caligula or Commodus to the end of the poor Church might learne to be content to be spoiled of all outward comfort and to leane vpon the staffe of the consolations of God onely Many that were brought vp in the Schooles of Origen suffered martyrdome such as Plutarchus Serenus Heraclides Heron and another having the name of Serenus also Among women Rhais was burned with fire for Christs sake before shee was baptized with water in Christs name Innumerable moe Martyrs were slaine for the faith of Christ whose names in perticular no Ecclesiasticall writer ever was able to comprehend therefore it shal suffice to heare the names of a few The rest whose names are not expressed enioy the crownes of incorruptible glory as well as those doe whose names are in all mens mouthes It is the comfort of our hearts to remember that the Apostles Evangelists sealed vp with their blood the doctrine which they naught and committed to writ and no other doctrine and the holy Martyrs immediately after the Apostles dayes sealed vp with the glorious testimony of their blood that same faith which we now professe and which they received from the hands of the Apostles but they were not so prodigall of their liues to giue their blood for the doctrine of worshipping of Images invocation of Saints plurality of Mediators of intercession the sacrifice of the Masse both propitiatory and vnbloody expresly against the wordes of the Apost le Heb. 9. ver 22. and such other heads of doctrine vnknowne to antiquity The Romane Church in our dayes is a persecuting and not a persecuted Church fruitfull in murthers and not in martyrdomes glorying of antiquity and following the forgery of new invented religion This Emperour Severus was slaine at Yorke by the Northerne men and Scots Bassianus and Geta. SEverus who was slaine at Yorke left behinde him two sonnes Bassianus and Geta. Bassianus flew his brother and raigned himselfe alone six yeeres so that the whole time of his government both with his brother and alone was 7. yeeres 6. moneths Hee put to death also Papinianus a worthie Lawyer because hee would not plead his cause concerning the slaughter of his brother before the people but said that sinne might be more easily committed then it could be defended He tooke to wife his owne mother in law Iulia a woman more beautifull then chaste In all his time as hee confessed with his owne mouth hee never learned to doe good and was slaine by Macrinus Macrinus with his son Diadumenus MAcrinus and his sonne raigned onely one yeere Euseb. lib. 6. cap. 21. Antoninus Heliogabalus ANtoninus Heliogabalus raigned after Macrinus 4. yeeres He was a prodigious belly-god a libidinous beast an enemy to all honesty and good order So many villanous things are written of him that scarcely if the Reader can giue credit to the history ever such a monster was fashioned in the belly of a woman At his remouing in his progresse oft-times followed him 600. chariots laden only with bauds and common harlots His gluttony filchinesse and excessiue riotousnes are in all mens mouthes He was slaine of the souldiers drawne through the Citie and cast into Tiber. Alexander Severus ALexander Severus the adopted sonne of Heliogabalus raigned
his hand they put frankencense into his right hand thinking that hee would haue scattered the incense vpon the altar and sacrificed but hee endured the torment patiently saying the words of the Psalme Blessed be the Lord who teacheth mine hands to fight In the end Licinius made warre against Constantine and being diverse times ouercome both by sea and land hee yeelded himselfe at length and was sent to Thessalia to liue a private life where hee was slaine by the souldiers So Constantine obtained the whole Empire alone Here end the ten Persecutions CENTVRIE IV. Constantine THE Church of Christ flourished in time of the ten Persecutions as a Palme tree groweth vnder the burthen and spreads out her branches by increasing growth toward heaven Satan on the other part that piercing and crooked Serpent who striues against the militant Church of God both by might and slight when his might faileth it is time to try his slight which he did by the canker-worme of hereticall doctrine Now therefore let vs entreate of the Arrian and Eutychian Persecutors in the three subsequent Centuries Other Heretiques albeit they were fierce and cruell such as the Donatists yet their crueltie was like vnto the stighling of a fish when the water is ebbed and shee is not covered with the deepenesse of over-flowing water the more stirre she maketh the nearer shee is vnto her death But the Arrian and Eutychian Heretiques found Emperours favourably inclined to the maintenance of their errors such as Constantius and Valens protectors of the Arrian heresie Anastatius and Heraclius favourers of the heresie of Eutyches This support they had of supreame powers strengthened the arme of Heretiques and made them able to persecute the true Church of Christ. Notwithstanding betwixt the ten great Persecutions and the Arrian persecution a short breathing time was granted by God vnto his Church who will not suffer the rodde of the wicked perpetually to lie vpoÌ„ the righteous lest they put out their hand vnto inquity The dayes of the raigne of Constantine were the breathing daies of the persecuted Church Men banished for the cause of Christ by the Emperours edicts were returned from their banishment restored to their offices dignities and possessions which duely belonged vnto them The heritage and goods of such as had suffered death for the cause of Christ were allotted to their neerest kinsmen and in case none of these were found aliue then their goods were ordained to appertaine vnto the Church These beginnings of an admirable change of the estate of persecuted men wrought in the hearts of all people a wonderfull astonishment considering within themselues what could bee the event of such sudden and vnexpected alteration The care that Constantine had to disburthen persecuted Christians of that heauy yoke of persecution that pressed them downe so long was not onely extended to the bounds of the Romane Empire wherein Constantine was soveraigne Lord and absolute Commander But he was carefull also to procure the peace of Christians who lived vnder Sapores King of Persia who vexed Christian people with sore and grievous persecution so that within his Dominions more then sixteene thousand were found who had concluded their liues by martyrdome Among whom Simeon Bishop of Selentia and Vstazares the Kings eldest Eunuch and his nurs-father in time of his minority Pusices ruler of all the Kings Artificers Azades the Kings beloved Eunuch and Acepcimas a Bishop in Persia all these were men of Note and Marke who suffered martyrdome vnder Sapores King of Persia. While the cogitations of Constantine were exercised with meditation by what meanes the distressed estate of Christians in Persia might be supported by the providence of God the Ambassadours of Sapores King of Persia came to the Emperor Constantine whose petitions when he had granted hee sent them backe againe to their Lord and Master and hee sent with them a Letter of his owne intreating Sapores to bee friendly to Christians in whose Religion nothing can be found that can iustly bee blamed His letter also bare the bad fortune of the Emperor Valerian the eight persecuter of Christians and how miserably hee ended his life and on the other part what good successe the Lord had given vnto himselfe in all his battels because hee was a defender of Christians and a procurer of their peace What peace was procured to distressed Christians in Persia by this letter of Constantine the history beares not alwayes his endevour was honest and godly In Constantines dayes the Gospell was propagated in East India by Frumentius and Edesius the brother sonnes of Meropius a man of Tyrus This History is written at length by Ruffinus Theodoretus Sozomenus and many others Likewise it was propagated in Iberia a country lying in the vttermost part of the Euxine Sea by the meanes of a captiue Christian woman by whose supplications first a childe deadly diseased recovered health and afterward the Queen of Iberia her selfe was relieved from a dangerous disease by her prayers made to Christ. The King of Iberia sent Ambassadours to Constantine craving of him that hee would send Preachers and Doctors to the countrey of Iberia who might instruct them in the true faith of Christ. Which desire also Constantine performed with great gladnesse of heart Now to returne and to speake of the Dominions subiect to the Romane Empire Constantine the sonne of Constantius Chlorus began to raigne in the yeare of our Lord 310. and hee raigned 31. yeares hee gaue commandement to reedifie the Temples of the Christians that were demolished in the time of the persecution of Dioclesian This commanmandement was obeyed with expedition and many more large and ample Churches were builded meet for the conventions of Christian people Likewise the temples of Idols were locked vp better they had beene demolished and equalled to the ground then had it beene a worke of greater difficulty to Iulian the Apostate to haue restored againe Heathen Idolatry Many horrible abuses both in Religion and manners were reformed by the authority and commandement of the Emperour such as cubitus mensuralis called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Egypt whereunto was attributed the vertue and cause of the inundation of Nilus by the Egyptians therefore by the Emperors commandement this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was transported out of their Temples In Rome the bloody spectacle of Gladiatores that is of Fencing men with swords killing one another in sight of the people was discharged In Heliopolis a towne of Phoenicia the filthy manners of young women accustomed without controulment to prostitute themselues â—o the lust of strangers vntill they were maried this filthy custom I say by the commandement of the Emperour Constantine was interdicted and forbidden In Iudea the Altar builded vnder the Oke of Mambre where the Angels appeared to Abraham and whereupon the Pagans offered sacrifice in time of solemne Faires for buying and selling of
their garrisons were remaining supposing vnder the shew of Frenchmen to be let in But the Captaines mistrusting their hasty comming and misdoubting their visages not like to the French-mens shut the gates against them whereby they returned frustrate of their purpose Yet afterward Damiata was rendered to the Saracens as a part of the Kings ransome which citie being twice won and twice lost by the Christians the Souldan afterward caused vtterly to be razed downe to the ground It is to bee noted in this Tragedy that the Pope of Rome was the chiefe ground of all this lamentable calamity For the King wisely considering what great helpe hee might haue gotten by the concurrance of the valiant and wife Emperour Fredericke travailed for reconciliation between him and the Pope before hee vndertooke his voyage but all his travails were spent in vaine and so the King of France went alone to this dangerous enterprise taking with him the Popes blessing as is sayd before But like as Fredericke before prospered not the worse thate he was cursed of the Pope so it may be perceived that Lewis King of France prospered not the better albeit the Pope blessed him Before wee speake of the sixt voyage of his age it is to marked that God raised vp Mango King of the Tartarians to make warre against the Saracens he was baptised and professed the name of Christ and sent his brother Halâ— to fight against the Saracens Who overhailed Persia Assyria Mesopotamia and in the end came to Syria and conquered Damascus appointing his sonne Abaga to bee Governour of the same for hee returned himselfe to inherit the kingdome of his brother Mango whom hee heard to be dead Also Abaga afterward hearing of the death of his father Halo returned to gouerne his fathers kingdome leaving behinde him ten thousand horsemen to support the Christians in the hands of Guirboca who also favoured the Christians for a time vntil they slew his Nephew and then hee also became an enemie vnto them and invaded the towne of Caesarea and set it on fire At this time Nelethinus the sonne of Turqueminius Souldan of Egypt fearing the dominion of the Tartarians in Syria provoked Guirboca to fight and destroyed him and his army and they that escaped of the Tartarians fled to Armenia Thus the small comfort which the Christians had by the Tartarians was first turned into hatred and afterward was vtterly taken away by their destruction The sixt voyage was vnder the King of France and Henrie King of England who sent Prince Edward his sonne to Palestina in his place and Charles Duke of Angeow who was declared by the Pope to be King of Sicile and King of Ierusalem In this voyage the one part of the army to wit French-men arrived at Africa and besieged the towne of Carthage and tooke it also they besieged Tuenetum sixe moneths at which time the army was troubled with a grievous pestilence whereof the King himselfe and the Popes Legat both died But Charles King of Sicile came with a fresh army Mulet the Prince in those parts entreated for peace which was granted vpon these conditions First that if any in Africke would professe the Christian religion they should bee permitted so to doe without molestation Next that the Christians who were detained in captivity should be set at liberty And thirdly that there should bee payd yeerely to the King of Sicile forty thousand crownes The other part of the army vnder the conduct of Edward Prince of England came to Syria where Edward was circumvented by a deceitfull Saracen who came with letters to him from his master and wounded him with an invenomed knife whereby hee was in great danger of his life but being cured by skilfull Physitians he escaped death Also hee staied in Ptolemais vpon the arrivall of the rest of the army out of Africke but when hee had long waited in vaine hee was compelled to returne back againe to his owne countrey In this voyage it is to be noted that the Pope of Rome miserably abused the Christian people for the armies raised against the Turkes and Infidels hee caused to serue the covetous appetite of his bloody heart as plainely appeareth in the French army which Guido Bishop of Altisiodorum conducted to Viterbium Vrbanus Quartus sent his army against Manfred King of Sicile to subdue vnto him Sicilia and to roote out the ofspring of Fredericke which he deadly hated and when this enterprise succeeded not to his hearts contentment Clemens his successor stirred vp this Charles Duke of Angeow who vsurped the kingdome of Sicile destroyed the posterity of Fredericke and at the Popes desire vndertooke this voyage to Asia whereof wee haue last spoken The seventh voyage of this age was vndertaken by the Emperour Rodolph who according to his promise made to Pope Gregory the tenth was willing to raise an army and succour the Christians in Asia but hee was so impeded by the warres hee had with the King of Bohemia that hee could not in his owne person goe to Syria but hee sent Henrie Prince of Mechelburg with a strong army to supply his place who comming to Ptolemais wasted and burnt with fire the region round about Damascus The Barbarians durst not encounter with him in open battell but circumvened him and vpon a time as hee was leading away a great prey they lying in wait for him arose and brought him to the Souldan where hee was detained in captivitie 26. yeeres After this the Christians in Asia were brought to vtter wracke for the Saracens invaded Antiochia and tooke it and destroyed the Christians there Afterward vnder the conduct of Aphir their Souldan they besieged Tripolis and tooke it and razed it to the ground Also Tyrus was rendered vpon condition that the Christians there should safely depart with so much of their substance as they could transport with shippes or drawe with beasts And finally all the townes and holds which the Christians had in Syria were taken by the Saracens onely Ptolemais excepted which afterward was taken by Araphus the Souldan the Christians therein being put to the sword and the citie it selfe vtterly razed to the ground in such sort that there was not so much as a monument of it left vndestroyed Now when all was lost the Christians obtained some new and fresh comfort by the conversion of Cassanus Prince of the Tartarians to the Christian religion who expelled the Saracens out of Syria and repayred the temple and towne of Ierusalem and restored it to the Christians and set at liberty Henry Prince of Mechelburg who had been detained captiue a long time Also he tooke the towne of Damascus and appointed Capcacus to be Governour there like as Molais was left to defend Ierusalem But after the returne of Cassanus to his owne countrey Capcacus revolted to the Souldan of Egypt and Molais finding himselfe alone vnable to resist the force of the Saracens departed to Mesopotamia
raising vp of the bones of the men of God Bucer and Fagius out of their graues and the cruelty intended against her owne sister Lady Elizabeth all these things being so well and amply discoursed in the Booke of Martyrs the godly Reader is to be remitted to the reading of the sayd booke Now to conclude this Historie of Charles something is to be noted of his warres with the Turkes In his time Solyman the great Turke conquered the citie of Belgrade the most sure and strong garrison of the Christians and vexed the countrey of Hungarie He besieged the Isle of Rhodes and tooke it to the great shame and rebuke of Christian men who provided not support for the Rhodians that resisted the common enemy so long and so couragiously After this Solyman slew Lewis King of Hungarie and Paulus Bishop of Collen who more rashly then wisely with a small power of foure and twenty thousand men encountered the great Turke leading an army of 200000. souldiers Also hee besieged Vienna but was mightily resisted and repulsed with losse of a great number of his army all this was done before the Emperour Charles began to stirre himselfe against the Turke but when the matters of religion in Germanie were put to some point in the Councell of Ratisbon the Emperour raised an army of eighty thousand footmen and thirty thousand horsemen and compelled the Turke to raise his siege from the towne of Gunza and with speed to retyre backe to Constantinople After this Charles sayled with an army vnto Africa and restored the King of Tunis to his kingdome againe whom Barbarossa Admirall of the Turkes Navie in Africke had dispossessed and deprived of his kingdome In this same voyage he delivered 20000. captiues out of servitude Notwithstanding Solyman with vnsatiable ambition pnft vp to conquer all Europe was ever subduing townes and Isles as Corcyra Zacynthus Cythara Naxus with diverse others also the towne of Newcastle in Dalmatia and Buda in Hungarie which hee obtained by meanes of Frier Cogdridge Tutor to Stephen sonne to Iohn Vaivod of Transilvania and meanes of the relict widow of the sayd Vaivod These two sent for aide to the Turke against Ferdinand and the Turke not neglecting so good an occasion came to Hungarie discharged the Hoast of Ferdinand that was besieging Buda and got the citie into his owne hands Which done hee prevailed mightily in Hungarie and tooke the towne called Quinque ecclesiae and Strigonium Alba regalis and Vizigradum and it was an easie matter for him to haue conquered all Hungarie in respect the Emperour Charles was so busie in warres with the King of France that the common enemy of all Christian people had leave to rage at his owne pleasure and had it not beene the gracious providence of God pitying the misery of Christian people who stirred vp the Persian Sophie against Solyman and droue him backe out of Europe for a time and likewise the murther of his owne sonne Mustapha which stirred vp a peece of a Tragedie in his owne house the Christian people had no doubt beene brought to greater extremities in Solymans dayes The vnprosperous voyage of the Emperour to Argier I passe by and many conventions of Estates in Germanie kept for quieting of religion and preparation for warre against the Turkes In the end the Emperour finding himselfe troubled with sicknesse resigned the gouernment of the Low Countries into the hands of King Philip his sonne and surrendred the Imperiall crowne vnto the Electors of Germany sayled vnto Spaine where hee entered into an house of religion and gaue himselfe to meditation and prayer and there concluded his life Ferdinandus AFter that Charles the fift had surrendered the Imperiall crowne into the hands of the Electors of Germany they assembled at Frankford and there elected Ferdinand King of Bohemia and brother to the forenamed Charles the fift to bee Emperour who raigned seven yeeres The ancient manner was that he should be crowned in the forenoone at masse but because diverse of the Electors would not in any wise come to masse the coronation was solemnized in the afternoone and the masse with other like ceremonies omitted To this King before hee was elected Emperour his Nobles in the countrey of Bohemia made earnest supplication that they might bee permitted to vse the Sacrament in both kindes according to Christs institution but he strictly commanded them they attempted no alteration in religion Neverthelesse the Nobility continuing constant in the purpose of their mindes at last after many earnest suits obtained their desire In France about this time the persecution of the Protestants waxed hot and King Henry the second was sore grieved that the Parliament of Paris it selfe could not be kept free of this new doctrine as hee called it Wherefore hee caused Annas Burgeus an honourable and wise Counsellor to be taken to whom hee spoke in great wrath that hee would stand by and see his body burnt for that new religion which hee favoured But hee was wonderfully cut off before hee could get his heart satisfied with that pitifull spectacle of the burning of a noble Counsellor For God so disposed the matter that the King cloathed all in armour put a speare in one of his subiects hands and compelled him against his will to runne at him at which time the said speare broke and a small splinter of it entring at the Kings eye pierced into his braine whereby hee died Yet by his death was not the foresaid persecution relented but rather vehemently augmented for Francis the second succeeding to his father Henry in the the kingdome married Mary Queene of Scots who was descended of the linage and stocke of the house of Guise By this meanes the Guisians were in great credit and authority with the King and presumed to high things not onely to suppresse the Gospell vtterly in France but also in Scotland For at this time a great part of the Nobility and people of Scotland had shaken off the yoke of the Romane Bishop they had throwne downe Altars and Images and had forsaken all the superstitious ceremonies of the Romane Church The Guisians purposing to supresse the Scotish Nobility sent out of France into Scotland an army of 4000 men vnder the conduct of Monsieur La Broch This army assisted the Queene regent to reduce backe againe the kingdome of Scotland to the Romish religion But the Scottish Nobility obtayned helpe of the Queene of England and brought the Frenchmen to such extremity that they were compelled to accept conditions of peace and to retyre backe againe to France So this first high attempt of the Guisians against the reformed religion in Scotland was by the providence of God disappointed In France the King with advice of the Guisians had appointed a nationall Councell to bee kept in Orleance for the quieting the tumults which were like to ensue for religion in France but all was done in hypocrisie and with deceitfull
Church were the good Merchants of whom Christ speaketh who having found a pearle of vnspeakeable value were content to sell all they had for loue of gaining it they had tasted of the Well of water springing vp into eternall life and thirsted not againe for the water that cannot satisfie the heart of man with ful contentment In this second great persecution the beloved disciple of Christ the Apostle Iohn was banished to the Isle of Patmos for the word of God Flavia Domicilla a woman of noble birth in Rome was banished to Pontia an Isle lying ouer against Caieta in Italy Protasius and Gervasius were martyred at Millain concerning the miracle wrought at their sepulchres God willing wee shall speake in the third Century and in the Treatise of Reliques Chytraus writeth that Timothie was stoned to death at Ephesus by the worshippers of Diana and that Dionysius Areopagita was slaine by the sword at Pareis Domitian had heard some rumors of the Kingdome of Christ and was afraid as Herod the great had beene after the Nativity of our Lord but when two of Christ kinsmen according to the flesh the Nephewes of the Apostle Iude were presented before him and hee perceived them to be poore men who gained their living by handy labour and when hee had heard of them that Christs Kingdome was not of this world but it was spirituall and that hee would come at the latter day to iudge the quick and the dead he despised them as simple and contemptible persons and did them no harme In the end as the life of Domitian was like vnto the life of Nero so was he not vnlike vnto him in his death for his owne wife and friends conspired against him and slew him his body was carried to the graue by porters and buried without honour The Senate of Rome also decreed that his name should bee rased and all his acts should bee rescinded Sueton. in Dom. Ierom. catal script eccles Nerva COccius Nerua after Domitian raigned one yeare foure moneths And hitherto all the Emperours that ruled were borne in Italy from henceforth strangers doe rule for Traian the adoptiue sonne of Nerva his successor was borne in Spaine Nerva redressed many things that were done amisse by Domitian and in his time the Apostle Iohn was relieued from banishment and returned againe to Ephesus where he died CENTVRIE II. Traianus TRaian the adopted sonne of Nerva was the first stranger who obtained that honour to bee King of the Romanes Hee raigned 19. yeares 6. moneths A man so exceeding well beloved of the Senate and of the people of Rome that after his dayes whensoever a new Emperour was elected they wished vnto him the good successe of Augustus and the vprightnesse of Traianus Notwithstanding of this hee was a cruell persecuter of Christians And this third persecution is iustly counted greater then the two preceeding persecutions To other afflictions now is added contempt and shame It was no great dishonour to bee hated of Nero and Domitian wicked men and haters of righteousnes but to bee hated and persecuted by Traian a man counted a patterne of vpright dealing this was a great rebuke Notwithstanding Christians looked to Iesus the author and finisher of their faith who for the ioy that was set before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God Many haue more patiently endured paine in their flesh then shame and contempt in the world but Christs true Disciples must resolue to be a gazing stocke to all the world and to bee counted the off-scourings of the earth as the holy men of God did in the dayes of the Emperour Traian These were Citizens of heauen liuing in earthly tabernacles liuing vpon the earth but not fashioned according to the similitude of this world In doing great things by faith they surpassed mighty Monarches In patient suffering of evill they over-went admired Plilosophers In this persecution Simon the sonne of Cleopas an holy Apostle suffered martyrdome being now an hundreth and twenty yeares old hee was first scourged and then crucified but all this rebuke hee most patiently suffered for the name of Christ. Of Ignatius martyrdome wee haue spoke in the first Century the time of his suffering was in the time of Traianus Plinie the second Deputy in Bithynia breathing threatnings against innocent Christians persecuted great numbers of them to death In the end he was commoued and troubled in his owne mind cosidering both the number patient suffring of christians that were put to death he wrote to the Emperour declaring that Christians were men of good conversation and detested murther adultery and such other vngodlinesse onely they had conventions earely in the morning and they sang Psalmes to the honour of Christ whom they worshipped as God but they would not worship images here marke the portrait of the Ancient Apostolike Church and what conformity the Romane Church in our dayes hath with it the Lord knoweth This letter of Plinius mitigated the Emperours wrath in a part yet gaue hee no absolute commandement to stay the persecution but onely that the Iudges should not search them out narrowly but if any happened to bee presented before them then let them bee punished What confusion was in this edict it is well marked by Tertullian the one part of it repugneth to the other In forbidding to search them out narrowly hee declareth their innocency but in commanding to punish them when they were presented hee pronounceth them to bee guilty This is that Emperour for whose soule Gregory the first made supplications to God 400. yeares after his death and was heard of God as Damacen writeth This superstitious Monke of the descent of Saracens blood if he supposed Gregory to be so full of charity that hee prayed for the soule of one persecuting Emperour why would he not bring him in praying also for all the ten persecuting Emperours to the end that they being all delivered from the condemnation of hell heaven might be counted a mansion both for Christs true Disciples and also for Christs hatefull and impenitent enemies Adrianus AFter Traian AElius Adrianus raigned 21. yeares In his time Aristides and Quadratus the one a Bishoppe the other an Orator at Athens wrote learned apologies in defence of Christian Religion and did so mitigate the Emperours minde that in his time no new commandement was set forth to persecute Christians Barcochebas at this time perverted the Nation of the Iewes and called himselfe the promised Messias whom the foolish Iewes followed to their owne overthrow and destruction Tynius Rufus Deputy in Iudea besieged this man in Bethera a towne not farre distant from Ierusalem and destroyed him with all his adherents Also the whole Nation of the Iewes was banished from their natiue soyle and the towne of Ierusalem was taken from the Iewes and delivered to other Nations
The like crueltie the Arrians practised in Constantinople Paulus Bishop of Constantinople was banished to Cuculus a little towne in Cappadocia where he was strangled by the Arrians Macedonius was placed in his roome a notable Heretique who vsed no lesse crueltie in compelling the Christians of Constantinople to communicate with him then was vsed of olde to compell Christians to sacrifice to the Idoles of the Gentiles The exquisite diligence of the Arrians in procuring Councels to bee gathered for establishing of their errour shall be declared in the right place God willing Now to returne to the ciuill estate of Constantius After that Magnentius had made an end of his owne life in most desperate manner as is said and his associate Britannio had humbly submitted himselfe to Constantius and obtained pardon yet was not the Emperours estate quiet and free of trouble for there arose another Tyrant called Siluanus whom the Captaines of Constantius armie in France did hastily cut off and make out of the way Also the Iewes of Diocaesaria a towne of Palestina rebelled against him who were ouerthrowne by Gallus the Emperours coosen and the Citie of Diocaesaria was leuelled with the ground This good successe made Gallus somewhat insolent and he slew Domitianus the Emperours great Treasurer in the East therefore the Emperour gaue commandement to cut him off Finally the Germans who had assisted him in his warres against Magnentius they rebelled against him And hee sent against them his coosen Iulian the brother of Gallus who subdewed the Germans and hee likewise waxed insolent and suffered the souldiours to salute him with the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of an Emperour This was not vnknowne to Constantius who made hast to preuent all further vsurpation But by the way as hee was leading his armie through Cilicia hee concluded his life sorowing for this as Theodoretus writes that he had changed the forme of the Nicene faith Iulianus IN the yeere of our Lord 365. Iulian began to raigne and he raigned 3 yeeres Ruffinus assignes vnto him one 8. monethes only he was Constantius neere kinsman who made him Caesar and gaue vnto him in marriage Helena his sister He was brought vp in Christian Religion but was peruerted by Maximus an Ephesian Philosopher whom Valentinian the Emperour afterward punished vnto the death as a practiser of Magicall artes In the beginning of his raigne he restored those Bishops to their places againe whom Constantius had banished not for loue of Religion but to impare the fame of Constantius yet immediately after hee manifested his affection toward Heathnicke superstition and opened the doores of the Temples of the gods of the Heathen which Constantine had locked vp and incouraged others by his owne example to offer sacrifices to the gods of the Gentiles Iulian absteined for a time from crueltie and shedding of blood not for pitie and compassion of Christians but rather for enuie For he enuyed the glory of Christian Martyrs whose magnanimitie courage and constant perseuerance in the faith of Christ vnto the death was commended in the mouthes of all men But he indeuoured by subtile and craftie meanes to vndoe Christian Religion He debarred the children of Christians from Schooles and from the vse of Learning Also hee debarred them from warre fare from offices of gouerment of Romane Prouinces and from offices of heauie taxations which taxations also the auarice of the Deputies of Prouinces increased and made them more grieuous and intollerable Neuerthelesse when Christians complained of the vnrighteous dealing of the Deputies the Emperour mocked them and said their happinesse was increased according to the speech of Christ their Lord and Master Blessed are they who suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake Likewise in the market places of Cities he set vp his own Image with the Effigies of the gods of the Heathen pictured round about it to the ende that whosoeuer should doe ciuil reuerence to the Emperours Image might also seeme to worship the gods of the Gentiles And by the contrarie they who would not bow to the gods of the Gentiles might seem also to refuse all due reuerence to the Emperour When he distributed gold to his Captaines and Warriours as the custome was he vsed a forme of distributing not accustomed before to haue an altar neere vnto his Princely throne and coales burning vpon it and incense vpon a table neere vnto the altar whereby it came to passe that no man receiued gold before he cast incense vpon the coales of the altar by this subtile artifice circumuenting many who knew not that it was Iulians purpose to intangle them with the rites of ido latrous seruice In Antiochia in the Region round about he dedicated all the Fountaines to the Goddesses of the Gentiles and caused all the victuall that was to be solde in market places to be sprinckled with Heathenicke holy water Neuerthelesse Christians without scruple of conscience dranke of the water that was in the Welles and ate of the meate which they bought in the market beeing fully perswaded that to the cleane all thinges are cleane and againe it is written Whatsoeuer is solde in the shambles eat ye and aske no question for conscience sake The libertie that Iunentius and Maxentius two worthie Warriours vsed in reprouing the Emperour to his face for his Heathnike superstition moued Iulian to such wrath that hee punished them vnto the death And so by degrees the policie and wisedome of Iulian in the end breakes foorth into the fruites of crueltie and shedding of blo od Albeit no publicke mandate of Iulian was set foorth commanding to persecute Christians yet by many euident testimonies it was knowne to the people that the Emperour hated them and that no man would incur punishment for outrage and violence vsed against them Therefore in the towne of Sebaste the Sepulchre of Iohn the Baptist was opened his bones were burnt and the ashes scattered abroad Likewise the wicked men of Gaza and Ascalon killed Preachers and holy Virgins ripped their bellies filled them with barlie and cast their bodies to the swine to be eaten Cyrillus also a Deacon in Hierapolis a towne of Phoenicia at the foote of Mount Libanus who in time of the raigne of Constantine had broke in pieces the images of the Gentiles was taken by them his bellie was ript his liuer was drawne out of his bodie which with Barbarous inhumanitie they chawed with their teeth But the Lord suffered not such vnkouth crueltie to escape vnpunished for the teeth of those who commited this fact of vnnaturall inhumanitie fell out of their jaw bones their tongues rotted within their mouthes and their eyes were darkned and blinded a just and deserued punishment of brutish Sauages practised by men Marcus Arthusius had his body ouerlaid with hony and it was hung vp in hot summer weather to be molested with wasps and flies In
of the West Now Irene was deposed and banished by Nicephorus who raigned eight yeeres after her banishment CENTVRIE IX Carolus Magnus IN the yeere of our Lord 801. Charles the Great King of France was declared Emperour by Leo the third Bishop of Rome and hee raigned sixteene yeeres in his Imperiall dignity for hee continued King of France forty and six yeeres The Empire of the West had beene cut off since the dayes of Augustulus the sonne of Orestes whom Odoacer King of Rugiheruli c. had compelled to denude himselfe of the Imperiall dignity Now after the issue of 300. yeeres and after the Hunnes the Gothes the Lombards and other Nations had obtained dominion in the West all abstaining notwithstanding of their prevailing power from the name dignity and stile of Emperours Now at length I say Charles the Great is anoynted and crowned Emperor by Leo the third in the towne of Rome And this was the beginning of that evill custome which after followed to wit That Emperours should receiue their coronation from the Bishops of Rome At this time the Empire of the East was in the hands of the Empresse Irene and in the hands of the Emperour Nicephorus who had banished Irene and raigned in her stead The Empire of the East was also weake at this time as appeareth by a covenant of peace which they concluded with Charles Emperour of the West in the which no mention is made of Exarchatus Ravennae to be rendred againe vnto them onely that the Isle of Sicile and the townes and lands which lie from Naples Eastward on the right hand and from Manfredonia sometimes called Syponto on the left hand compassed about with the Seas called Superum Inferum these should remaine in the possession of the Emperours of Constantinople ' Charles a prudent and godly Emperour more sound and vpright in sundry heads of Christian doctrine then many others for hee detested the worshipping of Images as vile Idolatry as appeareth by his bookes written against the second Councell of Nice Charles was very friendly to Christians and defended them against the violence and tyranny of their persecuting enemies namely against Godfridus King of Denmarke a fierce adversary against the Christians who dwelt in Saxony Likewise hee subdued the Slavonians and Bohemians enemies to Christian Religion and was iustly called Magnus for his great exploits and valiant acts which God prospered in his hand Pipinus the sonne of the Emperour Charles was declared King of Italy who died before his father and after his death hee appointed Bernard his nephew to raigne in Italy with expresse commandement That hee should bee obedient to his sonne Ludovicke whome hee ordained to be successour to himselfe in the Imperiall office So the Emperor Charles full of dayes died in the 71. yeere of his age and was buried in Aken Ludovicus Pius AFter Charles succeeded his sonne Ludovicus Pius and raigned 26. yeeres For his gentle and meeke behaviour he was called Pius He received the Imperiall Diadem from Stephanus the fourth at Aken Bernard his brothers sonne forgetfull of the mandate of Charles the Great rebelled against Ludovicus Pius and was beheaded at Aken Likewise his owne sonnes assisted with Hugobortus Bishop of Lions and Bernhardus Bishop of Vienne and other Bishops who did excommunicate the Emperour for adherence to Iudith his wife behaued themselues very vndutifully towards their father Neverthelesse he freely pardoned his sonnes and accepted them againe into favour Also Fredericke Bishop of Vtrecht threatned to excommunicate the Emperour if hee did noâ— forsake the company of Iudith his welbeloved wife and daughter to the Duke of Bavaria because shee was his neere kinswoman to wit in degrees of consanguinity for bidden in the Popish lawe The Empresse willing to bee revenged of the Bishop shee hired two Gentlemen who set vpon him after Church service and slew him in his Priestly garments In his time also the Saracens in huge numbers like vnto Locusts swarmed out of Egypt and Africke and invaded the Isle of Sicile By cutting downe all fruitfull trees burning Townes Temples and Monasteries and by killing Bishops Priests and Monkes they brought the I le to an vtter desolation Gregory the fourth at that time was Pope and hee exhorted the Emperour and his sonne Lotharius to support the distressed estate of the Isle of Sicile They answered That albeit that matter duly belonged to Michael Emperour of Constantinople yet neverthelesse they refused not to vndertake the worke vpon the common charges of the Countrey Now whilest these things were in reasoning Bonifacius Count of Corsica and his brother Bertarius with support of the people of Hetruria arrived with a Navie at Africke and betwixt Vtica and Carthage encountred with the Saracens foure times and slew of them so great a number that they were compelled to recall their forces backe againe from Sicile like as of old the Carthaginians vexed by Scipio recalled Hanniball for the safety of his owne country So Bonifacius returned back againe with an army victorious and richly lodened with the spoyle of his enemies Nothing was more vnprovidently done by the good Emperour Lodovicus Pius then the giving ouer of that right voluntarily conferred to Charles his father by Adrian the first and Leo the third to wit That no man should be elected Pope without the consent and allowance of the Emperour This foresaid right Ludovicus gaue over to the Clergie and people of Rome onely the Romanes for keeping of friendshippe should send an Ambassadour to the King of France declaring whom they had elected to bee Pope Hereby a patent doore was opened to all mischiefe which after followed and to that horrible contention betwixt Emperours and Popes concerning investment of Bishops In his time three Emperours raigned in the East at Constantinople to wit Leo Armenius Michael Balbus and Theophilus Leo Armemenius raigned seven yeeres Hee banished Nicephorus Patriarch of Constantinople for defending adoration of Images Michael Balbus slew Leo his predecessor whilst he was praising God in the Church and raigned in his stead nine yeeres In his time the Saracens mightily prevailed a number of them issued out of Spaine and tooke the Isle of Candie Another company comming from Africke wasted the Isle of Sicile Theophilus raigned ten yeeres and fought against the Saracens who did oppresse the countrey of Asia but he had no good successe Lotharius LOtharius the sonne of Ludovicus Pius was declared King of Italy and Augustus before his fathers death He was anoynted by Pope Paschalis in the Church of Saint Peter and he raigned 15. yeeres Great hostility and bloody warres fell out amongst the children of Ludovicus Pius to wit Lotharius Lewis Charles and Pipinus fordividing of their fathers Lands In this civill dissention the Nobility of France was so miserably weakened that the Normans and Danes tooke boldnesse to invade the countrey of France which they vexed for the space of twenty yeeres In the East after Theophilus had concluded
and Constantine had caused their father Romanus to bee shauen and thrust into an Isle called Prote And Constantine after the issue of 26. yeeres wherein Romanus and his sonnes raigned he laied hands on Stephanus and caused him to bee shauen and sent vnto the isle Mytelene and his brother to the Isle of Samothracia Thus the Lord who will not suffer iniquitie to escape vnpunished rendered to the sonnes of Romanus a iust recompence of their vnkindlie dealing with their father Otto Primus OTto the first after the death of his father Henrie was chosen Emperour and raigned 36. yeeres Hee was molested with many forraine and domestique warres but hee prospered in all his enterprises yea and Lyndolphus his owne sonne conspired against him for the marriage of Adelphed the relict of Lotharie sonne to Hugo who contended against Berengarius for the kingdome of Italie This Adelphed the Emperour Otto not onely relieued from her distressed estate but also married her The mother of Lindolphus was daughter to Edmont King of England after whose death it displeased him that his father should marrie Adelphed But when hee made warre against his father he was ouercome and besieged at Ratisbon and in the end was reconciled to his father The tyrannie of Berengarius the second enforced the Romans to implore the assistance of the Emperour Otto who led an armie to Rome at diuerse times The first time hee gathered a Councell at Rome and deposed Ioan. 13. whom others call Ioan. 12. and placed Leo 8. in his steed Likewise hee subdued Berengarius and his sonne Albertus did flie to Constantinople and so the Emperour recouered againe his owne dignitie to be king of Italie and that no man should bee chosen Pope without consent of the Emperour Againe the inconstancie of the Romans in reiecting Leo 8. and receiuing againe Ioan. 13. or 12. compelled the Emperour to returne to Rome and to punish the authors of that sedition to the death After hee had declared his sonne to be Emperour he died and was buried in the Church of Magdeburg which he had builded in his owne time In the East after Romanus the son of Constantine had raigned 3. yeeres Necâ—phorus raigned 6. yeeres a man more magnanimous in warfare then wise in government He was murthered by the Counsell of his owne wife Theophania and Zimisces raigned in his steed Otto Secundus OTto the second after his fathers death raigned ten yeeres he was a vertuous Prince but not like vnto his father Henrie Duke of Bavare contended against him for the title of the Empire but Otto prevailed Likewise Lotharie the King of France invaded the countrie of Loraine onely belonging to the Emperour But Otto gathered a strong armie recouered the Countrey of Loraine and pursued Lotharie to Paris burning and destroying all the Countrey whether hee went The third great conflict was against the Eretians assisted with the Saracons for the Countries of Apulia and Calabria These countries did appertaine of old to the Emperour of the East But Basilius with his brother Constantine willing to recouer these Countries againe did fight against the Emperour Otto and discomfited his armie and the Emperour himselfe hardly escaped in a fisher boate faining himselfe to bee but a simple Souldier and payed his ransome Afterward hee conuerted all his wrath against the Italians who had trayterouslie forsaken him and were the chiefe cause of the discomfiture of this armie hee died at Rome and was buried in the Church of S. Peter Basilius Emperour of the East raigned 50. yeeres and recouered the Isle of Candie from the Saracens and the Countryes of Apulia and Calabria from Otto as is said after whom his Brother Constantine raigned 3. yeeres Otto Tertius OTto the third was young in yeeres when his father died For hee exceeded not eleuen yeeres old notwithstanding he was chosen Emperour and raigned 19. yeeres Hee was wise aboue his yeeres and was called Mirabile mundi that is the admirable thing of the world The Italians continuallie breaking soueraigntie advanced one Crescentius to bee Emperour The Emperour Otto for suppressing such seditious attempts pearced into Italie with an armie at three diuers times and pardoned Crescentius twise But when hee made no ende of his seditious attempts the third time hee hanged him Likewise Iaon 18. whom the Seditious Romanes had advanced reiecting Gregorie the fift who was made Pope with the Emperours consent his eyes were plucked out and hee was throwne headlong from the Capitol By the prudent aduise of Otto Gregorie the fift appointed Seuen electors of the Emperour to wit the Bishops of Mentz Collen and Treer with Count Palatine the Duke of Saxonie and the Marquis of Brandenburgh and in case of contrary opinions the King of Bohemia Which custome doth continue even to our dayes One thing was lacking in the felicity of this noble Emperour that his wife Mary of Arragon was a notable and barren harlot and the widow of Cresentius and had almost bewitched his noble heart Shee being alwayes disappointed of her expectation sent vnto the Emperour a paire of impoysoned gloues which procured his death and hee was buried in Aken CENTVRIE XI Henry the second AFter Otto the third Henry the second Duke of Bavaria by the Princes Electors was declared Emperour hee raigned two and twenty yeeres Platina assigneth vnto him onely eighteene Hee was a wise valiant and godly Emperour He subdued all his rebells He received the Imperiall crown from Benedict the eight Hee expelled the Saracens out of Italy In this Emperours time Sueno King of Denmarke invaded England and subdued it to his obedience A savage Prince in whom if power had not lacked to performe his designes his cogitations were highly bended to extirpate all profession of Christian religion in England Likewise about this time Calipha of Egypt one of the Saracen Princes destroyed some of the temples of Ierusalem and poluted the rest but in speciall he overthrew the Temple builded about the Lords Sepulchre His mother was a Christian woman when that was obiected to him in way of exprobation as if hee had favoured Christians for his mothers sake hee bended all his might against the Christians destroyed and poluted their Temples and massacred in most cruell manner all them who were in spirituall offices This was the first ground of the terrible warfare which afterward ensued vulgarly called Bellum sacrum Conrad the second AFter Henry the second succeeded Conrad the second and was elected Emperour three yeares after the death of Henry In this inter-raigne many cities of Italy desirous of libertie made desertion from the subiection of the Emperour But Conrad was a wise and valiant warriour and reduced the cities of Italy in short time to subiection He was the first Emperour who made a law that the perturbers of the common peace in Germany should be punished vnto the death Hee received the Imperiall crowne from Pope Iohn 21. and raigned 15. yeeres In whose dayes
Iulius Caesar did write and comprehend in Latin Historie his owne acts and feats of warre done by him In this Emperours time Baiazeth the second Emperour of Turkes after long siege tooke a strong towne of Peleponesus called Methon or Modon being vnder the dominion of the Venetians and caused all the Noblemen of the Venetians and Grecians that were found in the towne to be brought into his owne presence and there most cruelly to be slaine Carolus quintus AFter Maximilian Charles King of Spaine Duke of Austria and Burgundie and nephew to Maximilian was chosen Emperour and raigned 37. yeeres He was a Prince of singular wisedome expert in warre slow to wrath and if it had pleased the Lord to haue illuminated his heart with that true light that begun to shine in his time hee might haue beene reckoned amongst the most renowned Emperours His inclination to wisedome may appeare by these witty sentences vttered by him Like as Saturne which is counted the most supreme planet hath the slowest course of all the rest even so they that are in supreme authority ought to doe all things with greatest deliberation and advisement And like as the Sunne sendeth out his beams in like brightnesse both vpon poore and rich so ought supreme Magistrates minister iustice without partiality both to poore and rich And like as the eclipse of the Sunne is a foretoken of great commotions so likewise the errors and oversights of Princes bring with them great perturbations to countries Hee was intangled with great and dangerous warres all the time of his government either against forraine Princes or some of the Empire In his warrs against the King of France hee had better successe then he could haue looked for for as much as the towne of Millaine being already taken by the King of France and the towne of Pavie in Italy likewise besieged yet the Emperours army shortly after encountred with the French-men and both vanquished them and also tooke the King himselfe prisoner and from thence conveyed him away to Spaine where through care and griefe hee fell into sicknesse but when hee was comforted by the Emperour and put in some hope of agreement hee began to take heart vnto him and recovered and in the end a peace was agreed vpon at Madruce in Spaine and the King was set at liberty leaving for pledges his two eldest sonnes But shortly after hee revoked his oath being absolved by the Bishop of Rome and said he was forced to swear or else hee should never haue beene delivered The Emperor after the delivery of the King of France gaue to Charles Duke of Burbon the Dutchie of Millaine on condition to pay 4000. ducats and finde a number of souldiers yeerely This Charles Duke of Burbon passing through Italy to Naples afterward in the Emperours quarrell besieged Rome and in the assault was slaine but his souldiers tooke the citie spoyled it and besieged the Bishop Clement with his Cardinalls in the Mount Adrian from whence hee could not be dismissed by any meanes vntill hee agreed with the souldiers Notwithstanding this the Emperour Charles being then in Spaine and staying the thunderbolt of Excommunication which the souldiers nothing regarded did excuse himselfe by letters that hee knew not of that his men had done and therefore willed the Bishop to bee set at liberty In this Emperours dayes begun reformation of religion in Germany by meanes of the disputations writings and doctrine of Martin Luther whom the Emperour laboured by all meanes to suppresse First by gathering a convention of the estates of Germany in the towne of Worms Which convention was kept in the yeere of our Lord 1521. and Martin Luther being cited by an Herald of armes to appeare before the said Councell with a letter of safe conduct by the Emperour and Princes appeared and although many perswaded him not to adventure himselfe to such a present danger yet Luther answered that he was resolved and certainely determined to enter Worms in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ although hee knew that there were so many divells to resist him as there were tyles to cover the houses in Wormes thus being presented before all the Estates of the Empire Iohn Eccius who then was the Bishop of Triers generall officiall at the Emperours command demanded of Martin two questions First whether hee confessed those bookes which were given out vnder his name to be his or no shewing herewith an heape of Luthers bookes written in the Latin and Dutch tongues Secondly whether hee would revoke and recant them or stand to all that hee had written To the first point hee answered affirmatiuely that hee would acknowledge his owne bookes As touching the second whether he would recant any thing contained in his bookes or no he craved time to premeditate what hee should speake in that matter which was the more easily granted because they were in some hope that Luther would recant some of his writings but it fell out farre otherwise then they looked for For at the time of his next appearance hee divided his bookes into three sorts some of them opened the grounds of Christian religion simply which his very enemies had counted inculpable and therefore hee would not condemne them himselfe Another sort contained invectiues against the Papacie and others of that retinue which had with their pestiferous doctrine and pernitious examples corrupted the whole estate of Christianity which bookes if hee should revoke hee should adde more force to their tyranny and his retraction should be a cloake and shadow to all their impiety and naughtinesse The third sort of his bookes were written against certaine particular persons who with tooth and naile laboured to maintaine the Romane tyranny and to deface his doctrine and these likewise hee could not recall left by his recantation it should come to pasle that tyranny and impiety supported by his meanes should rage more violently against the people then ever it did before When no recantation could be obtained nor yet submission of his writings to the iudgement of the Emperour and his Estates Martin Luther departed from Wormes being dismissed according to his promise of his safe conduct and returned to his owne countrey Soone after this the Emperour Charles to purchase favour with the Pope because hee was not yet confirmed in his Empire provideth and directeth out a solemne writ of outlawry against Luther and all them that take his part commanding the said Luther where-ever hee might be gotten to be apprehended and his bookes burned After this another convention of the Estates of Germanie was gathered at Norinberg for the suppressing of Martin Luther to which Councell Pope Adrian the sixt sent his Ambassadour Cheregatus to desire that the sentence of the Apostolick Sea and the Emperours edict against Martin Luther should bee put in execution The Princes of Germany on the other part declared great vrgent causes wherefore they were compelled to forbeare
England by his brothers wife Whereupon the Emperour forsaking the marriage did couple himselfe with Ladie Isabell daughter to King Emmanuel of Portugall which marriage was done in the yeere of our Lord 1526. The King vpon this occasion casting many things in his minde beganne to consider the matter more deeply and finding that neither his conscience could be cleered in keeping his brothers wife nor yet the estate of the Realme firme by the succession of a daughter begotten in such a marriage he proposed the question to the chiefe Vniversities of all Christendome whose censures all agreed in one that the marriage was vnlawful Yet would not the King proceed to the divorcement without the Popes consent Who sent Campeius his Ambassadour with concurrance of the Cardinall of Yorke to be iudges in that cause The Cardinall of Yorke called Wolsey at the first was verily bent to haue the divorcemēt set forward but afterward finding that the Kings affection was bent towardes Ladie Anne Bulloigne to take her in marriage he changed his purpose sent advertisment to Pope Clement that in case King Henry the eight were divorced from Ladie Katherine then should another infected with Luthers doctrine succeede in her place to the great hurt of the Church of Rome For this cause the Pope calleth backe his Ambassadour Campeius before the Kings cause was decided Neuerthelesse the King proceeded in his purpose and was divorced from Ladie Katherine by meanes of Dr Cranmer This was the ground of that great hatred that fell out betweene the Pope and King Henry for on the one part the Pope cursed King Henry and the Realme of England for the divorcement The King on the other part abolished in his Realme the Bishop of Romes vnlawfull tyrannie with commandement that he should be called no more Pope in his Country but onely Bishop of Rome and that the King should be taken and reputed as supreame head of the Church of England haue full authoritie to reforme and redresse errours heresies and abuses in the same Now to returne againe to Germanie The Emperour was so busied with Warres all this time that he had no leisure to tarry in Germanie and although many assemblies were gathered to suppresse the doctrine of Luther he was onely present at two to wit at the first kept at Wormes the last kept at Auspurg For this cause it seemed good to the Emperour to declare his brother Ferdinand to be King of the Romanes and apparent successor to the Empire to the end he might with greater authoritie gouerne the affaires of the Empire in his absence He sent also letters to the Protestants commanding them to acknowledge him King Wherefore the Ambassadours of the Protestant Cities being gathered at Franckford concluded with the Princes that for their part they would not for this resist the Emperour for denying a title and a name only to his brother to make him more eager against their Religion But the Duke of Saxonie other Princes not agreeing thereto writ to the Emperour that because it was done against the manner and liberty of the Empire they could not allow it This seemeth to be the first ground of the warres that after followed For Ferdinand King of the Romanes expelled Vlrich of Wirtenberge from his Lordship and when no redresse could be had at the Emperours hands the Landgraue of Hesse with his cousin Vlrich gathered an Armie at Lawferme by Wirtenberg ouercame their enemies and put them to flight recouered the townes of Asperge Wrath Tubinge and Niphe and tooke prisoner Philip Prince Palatine and chiefe Captaine of Ferdinands armie Shortly after agreement was made on these conditions that Vlrich should haue againe his Lordship of Wirtenberg but so that he should hold it by the benefit of Ferdinand and the house of Austrich that if issue male did saile in the house of Wirtenberge that Lordship should returne to the heire of the Emperours house of Austrich that the Landgraue and Vlrich should come to Ferdinand and submit themselues to him The Emperour foreseeing that this diversitie of Religion that was in Germanie would in the end burst forth into some bitter fruit and great inconuenience aduised with himselfe by what means reconciliation might be made and all controversie might cease and in the end appointed a Councell at Wormes and communication of Religion and for this cause sent Granuellanus thither But the matter was so long delayed by the fautors of the Sea of Rome vntill Letters came from the Emperour againe to deferre the whole matter to the Councell of Ratisbone To which came all the Princes of the Empire except the Duke of Saxonie who came not himselfe but sent thither a noble ambassage together with Melanchthon and other Preachers Vnto the same Councell also came from the Pope Caspar Conterane a Cardinall In this disputation Fredericke the Palsgraue and Granuellane were appointed moderators Melanchthon Bucer and Pistorius Disputers for the Protestants Pflugius Eccius Gropper for the Papists Vnto these six was offered a booke conteining the definition of most Articles in Controversie which they were willed to ouer-looke and either to allow or disallow those things that they could agree vpon This booke was deliuered againe after a time to the Emperour in many points they could not agree in some they did The Protestants deliuered together with the booke their opinion concerning those controversies and their arguments to proue the same The Emperour deliuered the same to the Princes to be examined but they being most part Popish referred the whole matter to the Popes Ambassadour who exhorting the Bishops to honestie of life and suppressing of Luthers doctrine thought good it should be deferred to a generall Councell This convention which began in Aprill Anno 1541. was dissolued in the end of Iulie after that the Emperour had decreed that the communication begun and whole controversie of Religion should be deferred to a generall or Provinciall Councell of Germanie That the Protestants should teach no other points of Religion then such as were agreed vpon That Bishops should see amendment of life in their Diocesse That there should be a Provinciall Councell within a yeare and an halfe if they could not obtaine a generall Councell of the Pope That the Churches of Monasteries should not be pulled downe but reformed that the Church-goods should not be inverted that the decree of Ausbrough and all Proscriptions of the Protestants should be suspended all those conventions of estates disputations promises of generall or provinciall Councels to be kept in Germanie could not reconcile diuerse Religions but at length lurking hatred behoued to breake out into open hostilitie The first occasion whereof was offered by Henry Prince of Brunswick who by often invasion of Cities confederated with the Protestants in Germany moued the Duke of Saxonie and the Landgraue to make warre against him in name quarrell of all the Protestants confederated by the league of Smalcaldy
be a sure pledge and bond of constant peace The Admirall also was sent for and met the King at Bloyes whom the King seemed to reuerence and honour out of measure in so much that the Admiralls heart was betwitched with the Kings faire speeches supposing that he meant vprightly to bind vp indeed a bond of constant Peace with the Protestants Specially for this that the King seemed to prepare an armie for support of the Prince of Orange and the Admirall was appointed to be generall Commander of the armie The time of the celebration of the marriage drawing neere which was appointed to be solemnized in Paris by the Cardinall of Burbone the Queene of Navarre addressed her selfe toward Paris to make preparation for the marriage and the Admirall with many earnest requests of the King was sollicited to bee present at the marriage As also all the principall Noble-men of the Protestants The forerunners of the lamentable Tragedie that after followed began soone to appeare if the hearts of men had not beene setled in a deepe securitie For the Queene of Navarre as she was busied in making preparation for the marriage died hastily being cut off by empoysoned Gloues which shee receiued from an Italian the Kings Vnguentarie But the King seemed to be in such heauinesse for her death and the matter was so finely conveyed that all suspition was incontinently quenched and buried and the marriage was celebrated the eight-teenth day of August Anno 1572. Soone after to wit the twentie two day of August appeared a cleere presage of the future Tragedie for the Admirall as he went from the Loover to his house was shot with two or three Bullets in the arme This was taken in very euill part by the King of Navarre and Prince of Condie who desired libertie to depart from Paris wherein they saw so euident danger to themselues and their friends But the King with so many attestations protested the miscontentment of his owne minde in that matter and that he would diligently search and seuerely punish the authors of that deed that in some part he quieted the hearts of the complainers Likewise the King himselfe came to visit the Admirall with pittifull words lamenting the chance that was fallen out and affirming the dishonour to be done to him although the Admirall had receiued the hurt Also he desired that the Admirall would be content to be transported to the Loouer of Paris for his better securitie in case any popular commotion should fall out vntill he should be trying and punishing the authors of that fact And when the King perceiued that the Admirall made excuse of his infirmitie that he could not suffer to be transported the King appointed some of his owne Guard to attend vpon the Admiralâ— house and the Protestants were commanded to prepare their lodgings neere to the Admirals house to be a guard vnto him in case any commotion should happen in the Towne All this was done vnder deepe dissimulation to put the Protestants in securitie that they should not once imagine of the Tragedie that was to come And the Admirall sent his Letters to all parts of the Countrey where the Protestants were that they should make no stirre for that which was done vnto him for the wound was not deadly and God and the King would see the authors thereof punished The night after was the appointed time for the horrible Massacre of the Protestants that were in Paris The Duke of Aniou and the Duke of Guise having their souldiers ready armed in the streets were waiting for the signe that was to be giuen to beginne their bloudie Enterprise which being once giuen out of the Church of S. Germane the Duke of Guise set first vpon the Admirals house Those of the Kings guard of whom we spoke before that were appointed for defending of the Admirall now euidently declared the true cause wherefore they were placed in that roome for they rushed in violently and killed the Admirall and threw him downe out of a window into the close where the Duke of Guise was awaiting for that spectacle and for ioy would scarcely beleeue that it was he vntill he had wiped the blood from his face Then he encouraged all his companie and sayd This is a good beginning goe to goe to it is the kings will it is the kings commaundement What bloodie crueltie followed without all commiseration slaying men women and children no tongue is able to expresse the sounding of bells the shouting of the pursuers and the pitifull cries of the slaine all concurring together made the spectacle of that day to be verie terrible Also the Duke of Guise with Mompensier and many others passed thorow the streets encouraging the people and augmenting their furie and madnesse saving that the wicked seede of the Protestants should be vtterlie rooted out The like outragious crueltie was also practised in the Lower where the king was For the whole companie that were attending vpon the king of Navarre and Prince of Condie were commaunded to lay downe their armour and goe without the Palace where they were most cruellie slaine by armed Souldiers attending on their out-comming The king of Navarre and Prince of Condie themselues were brought before the king and threatned that except they would renounce that religion which they professed they should surely die The king of Navarre humbly requested the king to regard that new bond of friendship that was bound vp betweene them and for his religion not to vrge him so strictlie incontinent to forsake that religion wherevnto hee had beene trained vp from his very youthward The Prince of Condie added moreouer that his life was in the kings hands to dispose of it as it pleased him but as for his Religion hee had receiued the knowledge of it from God to whom also hee behoued to render account of the same and hee would not renounce it for any feare or danger of this present life Some of the Protestants then lodged in the Fobers of S. Germane as Count Mongomrie diuers others for intercepting of whom the king had giuen commandement to the Dean of Gild of Paris to haue in readinesse 1000. armed souldiers but through the prouidence of God those souldiers were not in readinesse and that by the ouersight of an inferiour captain to whom the Dean of Gild had giuen charge to execute the kings Commaundement This matter being signified to the Duke of Guise hee tooke with him a Companie of armed men to intercept in time Mongomrie and his complices But when hee came to the Port deuiding the towne from the Fobers hee was compelled to stay a while because in hast the wrong Keies had beene brought out in stead of the right keies of the Port. In this meane time Count Mongomrie Carautensis and others that were in the Fobers had beene aduertised of the cruell Massacre that was in the towne and scarcely would credit that the King
very first words of it proue it to be false forged Pontianus sanctâ— uniuersalâ—s Ecclesia Episcopus c. that is Pontianus B. of the holy vniuersal Church to al them who feare loue God wisheth welfare Such magnificke stiles as these were not as yet in vse when they crept into the Church afterward they were giuen by persons who admired the vertues of some singular and rare men such as Cyprian and Athanasius and Eusebius but no man did vsurpe such proud arrogant ti tles of dignitie in his owne writings directed to other Christians and therefore the learned reject this epistle as composed by some late vnlearned and flattering fellow After Pontianus succeeded Anterus the 18. B. of Rome to whom Eusebius assigned but one month of continuance in his ministrie Damasus assigneth to him 12. yeeres Platina 11. yeeres 1. month 12. dayes and this diuersitie of counting cannot be reconciled Next to Anterus succeeded Fabianus the 19. B. of Rome vpon whose head a doue lighted when the people were consulting concerning the election of a B. therefore with full consent of the whole coÌ„gregation he was declared to be their B. The people at this time were so farre from being secluded froÌ„ giuing their consent to the election of him who should be ordained their Pastour that the consent of the people had the sway in the election of Pastours Func Chron Commentar He suffered martyrdom vnder the raigne of Decius the 7. great persecuter after hee had continued in his office 14. yeeres 11. months 11. daies Many constitutions made by him are cited by Gratianus and inserted Tom 1. Concil One of them I cannot passe by We constitute that vpon euery Lords day the oblation of the altar shall be made by euery man woman both of bread wine to the end that by these oblations they may be deliuered froÌ„ the heapes of their sinnes First marke in this constitution that the bread and wine which the people brought with them vpon the Lords day for the ministration of the holy communion is called the oblation of the altar the table whereupon the bread and wine were laide was called the alter the bread and the wine are called the offering or the sacrifice because part of it was distributed in the holy communion to keepe a memoriall of the Lords death and the rest was giuen to the sustentation of the poore and in that respect also it was called a sacrifice as â—he scripture speaketh To do good to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is pleased The last part of the decreet is blasphemous and falsly attributed to Fabian because the sinnes of men and women who beleeue and repent are forgiuen onely for the merite of that bloodie sacrifice which the Lord Iesus offered vpon the Crosse for our sins But our furnishing of elements to the coÌ„munion sustentation of the poore cannot merite forgiuenes of sins The successour of Fabianus was Cornelius the 20. Bishop of Rome He had a great strife against Nouatus and his complices He assembled a Councell at Rome of 60. Bishops besides Elders and Deacons by whom the heresie of Nouatus was condemned and the Nouatians were separated from the fellowship of the Church Cornelius was baÌ„ished from Rome by the Emperour Decius and sent to a towne in Hetruria called Centum-cellae where hee had great comfort by the mutuall letters that passed betweene him and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage When the Emperour got knowledge of this he sent for Cornelius and accused him as a man who not onely despised the worshipping of the gods was disobedient to the Emperours commandement but also that he was a trafficker against the estate of the empire by receiuing and sending letters beyond sea Cornelius answered that he wrote matters pertaining to Christ the saluation of mens soules and not of matters belonging to the estate of the empire Notwithstanding the Emperour Decius commanded that hee should be scourged with plumbats this was a sort of grieuous whip and afterward that hee should be led to the Temple of Mars with commandement to put him to death if he refused to worship the image of Mars Thus was Cornelius beheaded for the name of Christ after hee had gouerned 2. yeeres 3. daies Or as Eusebius writeth 3. yeares Lucius the 21. Bishop of Rome was successour to Cornelius continued in the gouernement of the Church of Rome 3. yeeres 3. months 3. daies Platin. Euseb. 8. months lib. 7. cap. 2. One decretall epistle is assigned vnto him written vnto the Bishoppes of France and Spaine wherein hee braggeth that the Bishops of Rome cannot erre in matter of faith but the ineptitude of a barbarous Latine stile wherein the Epistle is dited declareth it hath beene written by an vnlearned Asse and not by Lucius Bishop of Rome Stephanus 22. Bishop of Rome ruled that Church 2 yeeres Platin. 7. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes He was greatly commoued against Cyprian B. of Carthage because that by his opinion of rebaptizing those who were baptized by Heretikes the vnitie of the Church of Christ was perturbed and rent Platina writeth that Cyprian before his martyrdome forsooke his opinion of rebaptizing and was content by imposition of hands according to the custome of the Romane Church to receiue such as had beene baptized by Heretikes The constitution concerning consecrated garments that men in spirituall offices should weare in the Church and no where else lest they incurre the like punishment with Baltasar who abused the holy vessels of the house of God in my opinion is not judiciously attributed by Platina vnto this B. Stephanus because the ordinance smelleth rather of Iudaisme then of Christian religion and the reason subioyned to the constitution is altogether impertinent It was sacriledge indeed and a proud contempt of God in the person of Baltasar to drinke common wine with his harlots in the vessels of gold dedicated to the holy seruice of God but an holy preacher to walke in the same apparell in the streete wherein he preached and ministred the communion in the Church this is no sinne nor a thing forbidden by any Apostolike precept But Platina is dreaming when he ascribeth such sriuolous constitutions to a Bishop preparing himselfe for death for Platina supposeth that he was martyred in the dayes of Galliexus Let the reader marke vpon what sandy ground of friuolous constitutions and falsely alledged Popish faith is grounded The decree of Stephanus concerning marriage bearing that the Priests Deacons Subdeacons of the Oriental Church were coupled in matrimonie but in the Roman Church no person in a spiritual office from the Bishop to the Subdeacon had libertie to marrie if it were true as it is assuredly false the Orientall Church hath a great commendation because they would not be wiser then God and they would not lay the yoke of the ordinances of men vpon the
brought vp amongst the Monkes of Palestina and Egypt In the ende he was ordained Bishop of Salamina the Metropolitane towne of the Isle of Cyprus He refuted the Heresies preceding his time in his booke called Panarium and set downe a summe of the true faith in his booke called Anchoratus He had a great regard to the poore in so much that he was called Oeconomus pauperum And like as Cyprus was naturally situated in a place neere approaching to Asia the lesse and to Syria and to Egypt and Pentapolis and not farre distant from Europe so it fell out that Christians who were disposed to support their indigent brethren they sent their collections to Epiphanius and he distributed them to the poore With all these commendable vertues there was mixed a reproueable simplicitie in him he was circumveened by Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria and tooke a dealing against Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople because he would not be suddaine in damning the Books of Origen Also he taught in Constantinople with indeuour to alienate the hearts of the people from their owne Pastour and celebrated the communion and ordained a Deacon in Constantinople without the foreknowledge and consent of Chrysostome and contrary to the Church order Chrysostome on the other part sent him aduertisement that in case he receiued any disgrace or harme in the fury of popular commotions he should blame himselfe who by his own inordinate doings was procuring the same After this Epiphanius ceased from such doings and entered into a ship of purpose to returne backe againe to Cyprus but he died by the way It is reported of him that when he entered into the ship he said he left three great things behinde him to wit a great towne a great pallace and great hypocrisie It were a matter of infinite labour and not agreeing with the nature of a Compend to write of all the worthie men of God in the Easterne parts who did fight a good fight runne a good race and kept the Faith Asclepas in Gaza Luciâ—â— in Adrianopolis Basilius presbyter in Ancyra a mightie adversarie to the Arrians vnder the raigne of Constantius and to the Pagans vnder the raigne of Iulian in whose time he was martyred Philogonius Bishop of Antiochia Hellanicus Bishop of Tripolis and Spyridion who of a keeper of cattell became Bishop of Trimythus Hermogenes Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia who was present at the Councell of Nice Iames Bishop of Nisibis in Mesopotamia in the dayes of Constantius by whose prayers the armie of Sapores King of Persia was miraculously disappointed Paulus Bishop of Neocaesarea this towne is situated vpon the bankes of Euprates and Paphnutius Bishop in Thebaida two notable Confessors who were both present at the Councell of Nice Eusebius Samosatenus to whom many of Basilius Epistles are directed and who refused to redeliuer vnto the Emperour Constantius the subscriptioÌ„s of the Arrian Bishops who consented to the admission of Meletius to be Bishop of Antiochia which subscriptions were put in his custodie And albeit the messenger sent from the Emperour threatned to cut off his right hand in case he deliuered not the subscriptions aforesaid yet he constantly refused to deliuer them and the Emperour both admired and commended his constancie Barses Bishop of Edessa in Mesopotamia Eulogius and Protogenes presbyters there vnder the raigne of Valens were banished to Antinoe in Thebaida whose travailes God wonderfully blessed to the conversion of many soules to the kingdome of God Theodulus Bishop of Trianopolis Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium in Lycaonia Pelagius Laodicenus whose name is the more famous for his insolent fact for he married a young woman and the first night after her marriage he perswaded her to preferre Virginall chastitie to matrimoniall copulation Antiochus the brother sonne of Eusebius Samosatenus could not abide the imposiâ—on of the hands of an Arrian Bishop Letoius Bishop of Meletina in Armenia who burnt the Monasteries or rather as Theodoretus writes the dennes of theeues wherein the Heretiques called Massaliani had their abiding Ephem Syrus a man borne in Nisibis brought vp in the wildernesse was counted a famous Writer in the Syrian Language The bookes shrowded vnder his name are thought for the most part to be supposititious Aeas who liued in company with Zenon Bishop of Maioma neere vnto Gaza is much reported of because he married a young woman procreated three children with her and in the end left her and entered into a Monasterie forgetting his matrimoniall couenant Zebeâ—nius Bishop of Eleutheropolis in Phaenicia to whom Sozomenus affirmeth that by diuine revelation the places were manifested wherein the bodies of the Prophets Habacuk and Micheas were buried So superstitious are Ecclesiasticall Writers alreadie become that the searching out of things nothing appertaining to eternall life are ascribed to divine revelations The judicious Reader will pardon me that I write not in particular of the liues of all the fore mentioned Bishops and Pastors because the nature of a short Compend cannot permit it to be done Bishops and Doctors in Africke IN Africke ouer and besides the Bishops of Alexandria was Didymus a Doctor of the schoole of Alexandria who through occasion of a dolour that fell into his eyes became blind from his very youth Yet by continuall exercise of his minde he became excellently learned in all Sciences But aboue all things the exact knowledge of divine Scriptures made him a terrour to the Arrians Many doe write that the very last period of time wherein Iulian the Apostate concluded his wretched life was revealed to Didymus in a dreame and that he againe tolde it to Athanasius who lurked secretly in Alexandria during the time of the raigne of Iulian. Arnobius was an Oratour in Africke afterward he became a Christian and craued to be baptized Christian Bishops lingered to conferre the holy Sacrament to a man who had beene a hater of Christian Religion of a long time Yet Arnob. freed himself from all suspition of Paganisme by writing Bookes wherein he confuted the Idolatrie of the Pagans and was baptized about the yeere of our Lord 330. About the suffering of our Lord he writes very judiciously That like as the beames of the Sunne that shine vpon a tree when the tree is cutted the Sunne-beames cannot be cutted Euen so in the suffering of Christ the diuine Nature suffered no paine Lactantius Fâ—rmianus was the Disciple of Arnobius In eloquence he was nothing inferior to his Master yet it is thought that he impugned errours with greater dexteritie then he confirmed the Doctrine of the Truth Optatus Bishop of Meleuitanum in Africke in the dayes of Valentinian and Valens set his Pen against the Donatistes especially against Parmenianus whose absurd assertion he clearely refutes First Whereas the Donatists affirmed that the Church of Christ was onely to be found in a corner of Africke He refutes it by Scripture
Bishops Gregorius flattering Epistle written to Phocas after he had traiterously murthered his master Mauritius his wife and children will be a perpetuall blot to the name of Gregorius The constitution hee made concerning prohibition of marriage to men in spirituall offices hee was compelled in his owne time to abrogate againe because it was not onely the occasion of vncleannesse but also of secret murthers of innocent babes and whereas the Apostle Paul said It was better to marrie then to burne Gregorie was compelled to say It was better to marrie then to murder The sending of the Monkes Augustine Melito and Iohannes to Brittaine was not so much to reduce them to Christian religion which they had embraced in the dayes of Lucius King of the Brittaines and of Eleutherius Bishoppe of Rome as hath beene declared in the second Centurie the second chapter as to conquer them to the ceremonies and rites of the Romane service Gregorius was the first of whom wee reade that writeth of sacrifices to be offered for relieving of soules tormented in Purgatorie and hee leaneth vpon such ridiculous fables which hee heard of one Foelix Bishop of Centum-cellae as it is a shame to rehearse them but seeing they are not ashamed of lyes let the dung of their owne inventions be cast into their owne faces hee writeth that a Presbyter of Centum-cellae went to the bath-house to wash himselfe where hee found a man vncouth and vnknowne to him but very humble and seruiceable and after he had serued him sundry dayes the Presbyter to requite his kindnesse brought vnto him two consecrated hostes as a blessing and a reward for him who had served him so dutifully but the man with sadde countenance answered This bread is holy and I am not worthy to eate it I was sometime Master and Proprietare of this house but now for my sinnes I am appointed to this seruile occupation if thou would doe a benefit to me offer them to the Almightie God as a sacrifice for my sinnes and thinke that ye are heard of God when yee cannot finde me in this place any longer Surely Popish Purgatorie soule-Masses are first grounded vpon foolish fables and afterward confirmed by dreames of foolish Monkes Patriarches of Constantinople EVPHEMIVS before he would annoint Anastatius to be Emperour who came to that honour by Ariadne the wife of the Emperour Zeno whom he married he craued a confession of his faith with a promise sealed by his hand-write that he should make no novation in Religion during his time The Emperour craued his hand-write againe which seeing that Euphemius refused to render backe againe the Emperour procured his deposition and banished him and placed Macedonius in his roome To Euphemius succeeded Macedonius to whose custodie the hand-write aforesaid was committed by Euphemius which when he would not render the Emperour banished him also and commanded to slay him at Gangra the place of his banishment To Macedonius succeeded Timotheus an vnconstant man and iustly compared to the narrow sea that runneth betwixt Baeotia and Calchis which floweth and ebbeth seuen times in 24. houres so was this Bishop wauering minded and more bent to please men than to be approued of God In witnesse whereof I haue set downe one example The Abbot of the Monasterie called Studitum refused to be ordained by imposition of his hands for he said the hands of that man who hath damned the Councell of Chalcedon shall not be laid vpon me whereunto Timotheus answered whosoeuer accuseth or damneth the Councell of Chalcedone let him be accursed and when this was reported to the Emperour Anastatius to eschew his indignation he said the contrary whosoeuer accepteth the councell of Chalcedone and alloweth of it let him be accursed Iohn of Cappadocia is not worthy that his name should be inserted in this Catalogue a proud avaritious ambitious heretique who could neuer behaue himselfe dutifully neither in a ciuill nor in a spirituall calling He was first the Emperour Anastatius his Deputie and was deposed for aspiring to an higher place Next he became Patriarch of Constantinople and aspired to the dignitie of Oecumenicke vniuersall Bishop It is true that Iohannes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsurped the title of preheminence therefore this Iohannes Cappadox was laid aside as an Eutychian heretique and the great invectiues against this vsurped authority are chiefly set against Iohannes Ieinnator But marke how Pelagius the second ere Gregorius trod vpon this pride with a proud mind as Diogenes did vpon the couering of Plato his bed he is not content to damme the decree of the Councell of Constantinople but also he affirmed that it was not lawfull to him to assemble a Councell without libertie first obtained from the Bishop of Rome which thing no man spake before him so Sathan wrought mightily in them both as he doth in the children of pride and disobedience After him succeeded Iohn called Scholasticus and continued not aboue one yeere Evagrius calleth him Iohannes Sirmiensis lib. 4. cap. 39. To Iohn succeeded Epiphanius in the dayes of Iustinian who blessed his armie which went to fight against the Vandales vnder the conduct of Belisarius he ministred sixteene yeeres as Chytreus writeth The name of Anthimus is worthy of the roll of obstinate heretiques He was Bishop of Trapezus but by the meanes of Theodora the Emperour Iustinians wife he was promoted to be Bishop of Constantinople Theodora was too busie in Church affaires and Sophia the wife of Iustinus the second was too busie in ciuill affaires The estate both of Church and Kingdome had beene in better plight if both of them had beene lesse busie Anthimus being deposed and banished for heresie succeeded Menas who kept the true faith and gouerned the Church of Constantinople sixteene yeeres Evagrius reckoneth Basilides in the roll of Bishops of Constantinople Anthimus to be Bishop of Alexandria To Menas succeeded Eutichius of whom occasion will be offered to speake in the fift generall Councell wherein he disputed iudiciously in the question Whether or no it was lawfull to excommunicate heretiques after their death His opinion concerning the bodies of the Saints after their Resurrection that they should be subtle like vnto the aire and winde and not solide and palpable was refuted by Gregorius the first who proued by the example of Christ his body after his Resurrection that the body of the Saints should not be like vnto the aire and the winde for Christ saith Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue After Eutichius followed Iohn called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ieiunator this name he obtained by the sobrietie and temperancie of his life Notwithstanding when his stomacke was emptie of meat his heart was full of pride and he followed the footsteps of Iohannes Cappadox and would be called vniversall Bishop against whom Gregorius the first
of Munster assisted with the Princes of Germany besieged the town very strictly and in the end prevailed and tooke this new made King Cniperdolingus his false Prophet aliue and adiudged them not onely to be hanged in chaines of iron but before their hanging to haue their flesh seared with hot iron pincers Thus came the authors of this most vnhappy sect vnto a most miserable and shamefull destruction Of this Sect of Anabaptists sprang vp in Holland an impudent fellow David Georgius who affirmed that hee was Christ the Messias and Saviour of the world yet for feare of punishment hee fled out of the Low Countries and came to Basile where he remained vntill the day of his death all which time hee not only obscured his blasphemous errors but also behaved himselfe in outward show so humbly and modestly that hee was in good account and became wealthy also Yet after his death it was knowne that he had seduced many with his blasphemous errours Therefore the Councell of Basile commanded that his body should bee raised out of the graue and burnt with fire in token of their detestation of his abhominable errors About the same time also sprang vp Michael Servetus a Spaniard who renewed the blasphemous doctrine of Arrius affirming that God the Father is onely the true God and that neither the Sonne nor the holy Spirit is eternall God but that the Sonne is a creature and had the beginning of existence when God created the world He was taken in the towne of Geneva cast in prison but he would not be reclaimed from his blasphemous errors Therefore the Councell of the towne thought meet with flames of fire to stoppe the breath of this blasphemous man who durst set his mouth against the heauen to blaspheme the Sonne of God After his death many were found who maintained his errors as namely Valentinus Gentilis Gregorius Blandrata a Physitian in Italy Matheus Gribaldus a Lawyer and Paulus Alciatus with many others Amongst whom Valentinus Gentilis was bold to put in print his blasphemies and he called the summe of faith set forth by Athanasius Symbolum Satanasi calling Athanasius himselfe Satanasius but after hee had blasphemed the Sonne of God a while both by word and writ in the end hee was taken in the towne of Berne where hee suffered the iust deserved punishment of death Many other sprang vp in this age who were teachers of false and hereticall doctrine but because they had few followers so that the errour died with the author thereof wee haue no great need to enroll their names and errors in this booke at large but shortly to poynt them out Gasper Suenkefeldius a man borne in Silesia maintained this errour that the outward ministerie of the Word and Sacraments was not necessarie to eternall life because that by the illumination of Gods holy spirit without the ministerie of the Word men might be saved Andreas Osiander thought that Christ was our Mediatour onely in respect of his divine nature and on the other part Stantcarus refuting Osiander fell into the contrarie extremitie that Christ was Mediatour onely in respect of his humane nature Flaccius Illiricus supposed originall sin was a substance Huberus beleeved that all men were elected vnto eternall life and Franciscus Puccius defended this opinion that all men of whatsoever religion they were should bee saved if they led not a very impious life and evill conversation Finally in this age was cleerly discovered that hee who sate in the chaire of Christ as Christs Vicar was the very Antichrist and they who depend vpon the Pope as generall Bishop of all Christs sheepe were notable Heretiques giving the glorie of Christ to Antichrist denying the sufficiencie of the written Word bowing and kneeling to Images praying to creatures and accounting them mediators of their intercession sacrilegiously imitating the holy Sacrament of the Supper and taking from the people the vse of the Cup offering dayly a new propitiatorie sacrifice for sinne as though Christs sacrifice once offered vp vpon the Altar of the Crosse were imperfect damning marriage in some persons and forbidding meates which God hath allowed to bee eaten with thanksgiving with many other errors which the Lord hath cleerly detected to haue beene a long time by-past in the Romane Church Here endeth the third Booke THE FOVRTH BOOK OF THE HISTORY of the Church containing a short Compend of all the Councels together with their severall Canons since Christs dayes to this present CENTVRIE IV. COuncels may bee divided in Generall Nationall or Provinciall and Particular Councels Generall were called Oecomenicke Councels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the greek language signifieth the world because from all quarters of the world wherein Christ was preached Commissioners were sent to these Councels and they were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperour Nationall or Provinciall Councels were such as were gathered by the authoritie of the Emperor in one Nation with the assistance of other neere approaching Nations for suppressing of heresies deciding of questions pacifying of â—chismes and appointing Canons and Constitutions for decent order to be kept in the Church The third sort of Councels were particular Councâ—ls by Bullenger called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as the Councels of Gangra Neocaesaria and many others gathered vsually by Patriarchs and Bishops in a corner of a Countrie but for the like causes that nationall Councels were assembled Let no man expect a recitall of particular Councels except at such times as some matter of great moment enforceth me to speake of them ANcyra is a towne of Galatia in this towne were assembled Bishops of diverse Provinces about the yeere of of our Lord 308. as is supposed The principall cause of their meeting was to constitute a forme of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to which they who either willingly or vnwillingly had sacrificed to Idols in time of persecution should bee received into the bosome of the Church againe when they were found penitent There were many rancks of persons who had defiled themselues with Heathenicke Idolatrie such as Libellatici Thurificati Sacrificati and Proditores The Councell of Ancyra took order chiefly with those who were called Thurificati and Sacrificati that is with them who either had cast vp incense vpon idolatrous Altars or else had eaten of meates sacrificed to Idols to whom it was inioyned to testifie their repentance a long time before they were received to the communion of Gods people some one yeere some two yeeres others three or foure yeeres some fiue or six yeeres and aboue according to the heauinesse of their transgression In this Councell it was ordained that Deacons who in time of their ordination did protest that they had not the gift of continency but were disposed to marrie if they married they should remaine in their Ministerie but they who in time of imposition of hands by
fornication of Athanasius of the hand of Arsenius of the Table Cuppe and bookes aboue mentioned but they forged new accusations against him whereunto the Emp. gaue too hastie credit and banished Athanasius to Triere Immediatly after the Councell of Tyrus many Bishops were assembled at Ierusalem for the dedication of the Temple which the Emperour Constantine had builded at the place of the Lords sepulchre Concerning the Councell of Antiochia wherein the Arrians deposed Eustatius and the Councell of Arles wherein Cecilianus was absolued from the accusation of the Donatists no further discourse is needful then is contained in the history of the liues of these two Bishops GAngra is a towne of Paphlagonia In this towne were assembled certaine Fathers to the number of 16. about the yeere of our Lord 324. The occasioÌ„ of their meeting was the heretike Eustatius who admiring the Monasticke life or as others affirme fauouring the heresie of Encratitae and the ManicheaÌ„s he spake against Marriage against eating of flesh and hee damned the publicke Congregations of Gods people in Temples and said a man could not be saued except he forsooke all his possessions and renounced the world after the forme of monkish doing These opinions were daÌ„ned in the Councell of Gangra The subscriptions of the fathers of this Councell after their Canons are worthie to be remarked These things say they haue wee subscribed not vituperating them who according to Scripture chooseth vnto themselues an holy purpose of a continent life but them onely who abuseth the purpose of their minds to pride extolling themselues against the simpler sort Yea and damne and cut off all those who contrary to Scripture Ecclesiasticall rules bring in new commandements But wee admire humble Virginity and we approue continencie that is vnder taken with chastity and Religion And we embrace the renounciation of secular businesse with humilitie And wee honour the chast boÌ„d of Marriage And we despise not riches joined with righteousnesse good workes And we coÌ„mend a simple course apparrel vsed for couering the body without Hypocrisie Likewise we reject loose and dissolute garments And we honour the houses of God assemblies that are in them as holy and profitable not debarring men from exercises of pietie in their owne priuate houses But places builded in the name of the Lord we honour and Congregations assembled in the places for the common vtilitie wee approue And good workes which are done to poore brethren euen aboue mens abilitie according to the Ecclesiasticall traditions we blesse them And we wish all things to be celebrated in the Church according to holy Scriptures and the ordinances of the Apostles IN the time of the raigne of Constantine in Eliberis a towne of Spaine were assembled nineteene Bishops of Presbyters thirty six The end of their meeting was to reforme horrible abuses both in Religion manners which in time of the ten Persecutions had preuailed in Spaine And now in time of peace such enormities and festered manners could hardly be amended Many Ecclesiasticall Canons were made in this Synode to the number of 81. Whereof wee shall rehearse but a few and such as clearely pointeth out the principall end of their meeting They ordained the Heaâ—hnicke sacrificing Priests called of old Flamines if they were content to abstaine from sacrificing to Idols and to learne the groundes of Christian Religion after three yeeres repentance they should be admitted to baptisme Likewise they ordained that Christian Virgins should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans lest in the floure of their youth they should be entangled with spiritual whooredome In like maner that Bishops should receiue no reward from men that did not communicate with the Church They ordained that nothing that is worshipped should be pictured on the wall And that in priuate houses no Idols should be found And in case the masters of houses were afraid of the violence of their seruants at least they should keepe themselues pure and cleane which if they did not they should be counted strangers from the fellowship of the Church And that if any man happen to be slayne in the action of breaking downe images his name shall bee enrolled in the catalogue of Martyrs because it is not written in the history of the Gospell that the Apostles vsed any such forme of reformation whereby they signifie that by wholsome doctrine images should be cast out of the hearts of men rather than broken with popular violence and with the tumultuary attempts of priuate men Any iudicious man may perceiue by these Canons both the time when and the cause wherefore this Councell was assembled THey who count the first Councell of Carthage to be that Councell whereinto Cyprian with aduise of many other bishops of Numidia Lybia and other partes of Africa ordained men who were baptized by Heretikes to be rebaptised againe they commit a great ouer sight to reckon the first Councell of Carthage to be holden vnder the raigne of Constantine whereas it is certainely knowne that Cyprian was martyred in the dayes of Valerian the eight persecuting Emperour But the first Councell of Carthage that was kept in Constantines dayes was that Councell whereinto the Donatistes coÌ„demned Caecilianus Bishop of Carthage whose innocencie afterward was tryed by many Iudges In it there was no matter of great importance concluded and therefore I ouer-passe it with few wordes as an assemblie of little account All these Councells aboue mentioned were assembled in the dayes of Constantine the Great Now followeth Councells gathered in the dayes of his sonnes The cause pretended for the gathering of the Councell of Antiochia in the dayes of Constantius the sonne of Constantine was the dedication of the Church of Antiochia which albeit Constantine had builded yet fiue yeeres after his death and in the seuenteenth yeere after the foundation of the Temple was laide Constantius his sonne finished and perfected the worke And vnder pretence of dedication of this Temple as said is this Assemblie of Antiochia was gathered Anno 344. but indeed of purpose to supplant the true Faith To this Assemblie resorted many Bishops to the number of 90. But Maximus Bishop of Ierusalem and Iulius Bishop of Rome neither came they to the Councell neither sent they any messenger in their name fearing as the truth was that they were gathered for euill and not for good At this time Placitus the success out of Euphronius gouerned Antiochia Now when they were meâ— together many accusations were heaped vp against Athanasius First that hee had accepted his place againe without aduise of other Bishops Secondlie because at the time of his returning backe againe to Alexandria there fell out great commotion amongst the people and some were slaine others were contumeliouslie beaten and violently drawne befor justice seates Mention also was made of the decrete of the Councell of Tyrus against Athanasius It was an casie matter for the
Bishops Elders and Deacons is recommended with abstinence euen from matrimoniall societie so earlie began men to bee wiser then God But in the twelfth Canon of the third Councell of Carthage it may bee perceiued that this constitution as disagreeable from Gods word was not regarded because Bishops in Africa married and had sonnes and daughters and these are inhibite to marrie with Infidels and Heretikes in the Canons a fore-saide The making of Chrisme and consecrating of holie Virgins is ordained onely to belong to Bishops The Canons of this Councell for the most part tend to this to aduance the authoritie of their Bishops fore-smelling as appeares the vsurpation of preheminence in the Bishops beyond sea THe third Councell of Carthage was assembled in the yeere of the Lord 399. Aurelius Bishop of Carthage seemeth to haue bin Moderatour of the Councell Augustine Bishop of Hippo was present Many good constitutions were accorded vpon in this Councell as namely that the Sacramentes should not bee ministred to the dead That the sonnes and daughters of Bishops and others in spirituall offices should not be giuen in marriage to Pagans Heretikes or Schismatikes The men in spirituall offices should not be intangled with secular businesse according to the precept of the Apostle 2. Tim. 2. verse 4. That men of the Cleargy should practise no kind of vsury That no man shall be ordained Bishop Elder or Deacon before hee haue brought all persons of his owne familie to the profession of Christian Religion That Readers who are come to perfect yeeres shall either marrie or els professe continencie That in the ministration of the Sacrament or Sacrifice to wit Eucharistike nothing should bee offered except bread and wine mixed with water of the fruites of the Cornes and Grapes That the Bishop of Rome should bee called the Bishop of the first seate but not the high Priest nor the Prince of Priestes That nothing except holy Canonicke Scripture should be read in the Churches vnder the name of holy bookes ABout the yeere of our Lord 401. vnder the raigne of Honorius was assembled againe a great nationall Councell in Carthage of 214. Bishops Augustine Bishop of Hippo was also present at this Councell Manie Canons were set downe in this Councell almost equall with the number of conueened Bishops That persons married for reuerence of the blessing pronounced to the marriage should not companie together the first night after their marriage That the Bishop should haue his dwelling place neere vnto the Church his house-holde-stuffe should be vncostly his fare should be course and vndelicate and that hee should conquiese authoritie vnto himselfe by fidelitie and vprightnesse of an holy conuersation That a Bishop should not spend time in reading the bookes of Pagans the bookes of Heretikes if necessitie required he might reade That a Bishop entangle not himselfe deepely with houshold businesse to the end hee may attend vpon reading Prayer and Preaching That a Bishop admit no man vnto a spirituall office without aduice of the Clergie and consent of the people That a Bishop without aduice of his Cleargie pronounce no sentence els it shall haue no force except they confirme it That a Bishop sitting shall not suffer a presbyter to stand That an assembly of Heretikes conueened together shall not be called Concilium but Conciliabulum That hee who communicateth with an Heretike shall be excommunicate whether he be of the number of the Laikes or of the Cleargie That such as refuse to giue vnto the Church the oblations of defunct persons shall bee excommunicate as murtherers of the poore Heere marke what is meaned by Oblationes Defunctorum not soul-masses said for the defunct but the charitie which they haue in testamentall legacy to the poore That no woman shal presume to baptize CENTVRIE V. COncerning Councels gathered in the daies of Arcadius and Honorius by Epiphanius in Cyprus and Theophilus in Alexandria vnder pretence of damning the bookes of Origen and in Constantinople first and last by the malice of Eudoxia the Emperour Arcadius wife to the deposition of Iohn Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople I hope I haue not need to make a new declaration of things which are amply declared in the preceding history ABout the yeere of our Lord 419. a great number of Bishops were assembled in the Towne of Carthage whose names are particularly expressed in their Synodicke letters sent to Innocentius the first Bishop of Rome In this assemblie they damned the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius which hath been aboue rehearsed as hereticall The answer that Innocentius returned to the Councell is intermixed with words of swelling pride as if no Decree could be firme vntill it had allowance of the Romane chaire yet the fift Councell of Carthage had pronounced Anathema against the opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius before they sent their letter to Innocentius Amongst the canons of this Councell the two last are to be remarked namely the fourteenth and fifteenth canon The one declareth that no Church was consecrated without the reliques of the Martyrs the other declareth that adoration of reliques at this time was the custome of Ethnickes supplication is appointed to be made to the Emperors that reliques which are found in Images groues or trees or such other places should bee abolished THe first Councell of Toledo in Spaine was assembled vnder the raignes of Arcadius and Honorius The yeere of our Lord wherein this Councell was gathered is much contraverted therefore I overpasse it contenting my selfe with some notice of the time of the Emperour in whose time the Councell was gathered It seemeth to haue beene assembled for confirmation of the Nicene Councell and refutation of some errours The canons concerning prohibibition of marriage to some persons are foolish and the admitting of a man to the communion who wanteth a wife and contenteth himselfe with one concubine onely is foolisher so perilous a thing it is in a iot to depart from the certaine rule of the written Word of God MIlevitum is a towne of Numidia in it many Bishops were assembled vnder the raigne of Arcadius whose names are particularly expressed in the letter sent from the Councell to Innocentius Bishop of Rome which letter is inserted in the Epistles of Augustine together with the answer of Innocentius the first Two principall causes mooved them to assemble together First to finish the work they had begun in the fift Councell of Carthage in condemning the heresies of Pelagius and Coelestius by whom as yet many were deceiued and perverted from the true faith Augustine Bishop of Hippo was not onely present but also President The opinions of Pelagius and Coelestius concerning the power of mans nature not supported by the grace of God and free-will of man to doe good of it selfe is so solidly refuted and that by arguments taken out
with great libertie they may attend vpon spirituall seruice Let Bishops have some of their owne Clergie to be rulers of their house-holde-affaires according as the Councell of Chalcedon hath ordained A man is made a monke either by his parents deuotion or by his own profession but whether he be embarked into the Monasticke life the one way or the other there is no redresse againe vnto a secular estate Persons of the Clergie who are desirous to enter into a Monasterie and to leade a contemplatiue life let not their Bishops hinder the purpose of their minde because they haue intention to enter into a better trade of living Bishops haue power to constitute Abbots to governe Monasteries and to correct enormities that shall happen to fall out amongst them but not to redact them to servile offices nor to convert the rents of the Abbie to their owne vse as a possession duly belonging to themselues The Monks who leauing their Monastery returne againe to a secular life and marrie wiues let them be brought back againe to their owne Monasterie there to doe penance and to lament for their by past sins Religious men who wander vp and downe in a Nation and are neither members of the Clergie nor Monkes of any Monasterie let the Bishops restraine their licentious libertie and appoint them either to serue in the Clergie or in a Monasterie except such as through infirmity or age haue gotten an exemption They who haue confessed the committing of any deadly sinne cannot be promoted to Ecclesiasticall honors Secular men who in receiving their penance haue been content to be shaven and to put on a religious habit if they revolt againe and will needs become Laickes and be incorrigible then let them be counted apostates and excommunicate from the fellowship of the Church Widowes who haue put on a religious habit and vowed chastitie if they marrie they haue damnation according to the wordes of the Apostle 1 Tim. 5.12 Iewes are not to bee compelled to receiue the Christian faith but these who already by constraint haue received it in the dayes of the noble King Sisebutus seeing they haue been already partakers of our Sacraments let them be compelled to persevere left the Name of the Lord Iesus bee blasphemed and the Faith which they haue embraced bee counted vile and contemptible They who receiue the bribes and rewards from the Iewes to cloake their vngodlinesse and to foster them in their infidelity let them be accursed and counted strangers from the Church of Christ. Iewes after their conversion to the Christian faith if they be found to haue circumcised their sonnes or servants by the commandement of the most religious King Sisenandus it is ordained that the circumcised children of the Iewes shall be separated from the fellowship of their parents and the servants shall bee set at liberty for the iniury done vnto their body by circumcision Iewes who are punished to death for any contempt done by them against Christ after their baptisme this punishment shall not preiudge their children from right to enioy their goods if they be faithfull because it is written The sonne shal not beare the iniquity of the father Ezech. 18.20 Let not Iewes after their conversion haunt the company of other superstitious Iewes as yet addicted to the abolished law of ceremonies left they be perverted if they transgresse this ordinance such of them as haue professed Christianity shall be given in service to Christians others shal be appointed to be publickly scourged Iewes who haue married Christian women if they will not embrace Christian religion let them be separated from their wiues company and let the children be brought vp in the faith of their Christian mothers Iewes who haue once professed Christian Faith and haue sliden backe againe from it shall not bee admitted witnesses before a Iudge albeit they professe themselues to be Christians because like as their faith is suspected so in like manner their humane testimony is to be doubted of Let no Iew be preferred to any publique office Let no Iew presume to buy a Christian servant which if hee doe the servant shall be taken from him and shall be set at liberty Bishops who haue not benefited the Church by any proper donation of their owne goods they should not impoverish their Church by setting at liberty Church-servants which thing if hee presume to doe his successour shall reduce those servants againe to the possession of the Church whom iniquity without any iust right hath absolved A Bishop who setteth a servant at liberty having first by permutation set another of the like worth and merit in his place shall deny liberty to the fore-said servant either to accuse or to beare witnesse against the Church wherein hee was a seruant else he shall forfeit his liberty and bee reduced to his former servile condition in that same Church which he would haue harmed and in the meane time the permutation afore sayd shall stand firme and stable Hee who hath augmented Church-rents either by conferring or accquiring some augmentation vnto it hath some liberty to set Church-servants at liberty prouiding alwayes they abide vnder the patrociny of the Church Because the patronage of the Church never dieth let those servants whom the Church hath set at liberty and their posterity be obedient to the Church depend vpon their patrociny If they be vnthankfull let their liberty bee forfeit and let the Church defend them from all insolency and wrong Servants who are set at so full liberty that their patrons haue kept no band of subiection over their heads if they be vnspotted and vnreproueable they may bee promoted to Ecclesiasticall offices But it is vnseemly that any man shal be received into a spirituall office who is bound vnto the servile subiection of an earthly Master In the end earnest supplications are ordained to be made to God for preservation of King Sisenandus and the Nation of the Gothes and many Anathenus are pronounced against them who shall presume to violate the oath of allegeance made to the King In the end the Acts of this Councell are subscribed by Isidorus Bishoppe of Hispalis and seventie other Bishops IN the first yeare of Chintilla King of the Gothes and about the time of the raigne of the Emperour Heracleon convened with Eugenius Bishoppe of Toledo twenty other Bishops In this Councell nothing was entreated except a mandate was given concerning the yeerely Letanies that should be made three dayes immediatly following the Ides of December and if the Lords day intervened these three dayes Letanies should be deferred vntill the beginning of the next weeke In these three dayes pardon for sins should be humbly begged at the hands of God with teares The rest of the ordinances of this Councell appoint supplications to be made to God for the preservation of the King and his
are bold without consent of Bishops to place and to displace Pastours to distribute Ecclesiastical liuings according to their pleasure And to burthen Church-men with exactions and taxations whensoeuer they please This forme of doing is ordained to be punished with excommunication And he who receiueth a Church from a Laicke person without his owne Bishops authoritie is to be debarred from the communion and in case he perseuere obstinatly in his sin he is to be depriued of Ecclesiastical orders Also Laicke persons who transfer the right of tythes to other Laicke persons they who receiue thē and deliver them not to the Church shall want the honour of Christian buriall Church-men who haue accquired riches by Church-rents howsoever they die let their goods pertaine to the Church Moreover because some Bishops are found in some parts who permit them whom they call Decani for a summe of money to exercise Episcopall iurisdiction it is ordained that hee who so doth shall bee depriued from his office and that the Bishop shall haue no power to conferre any such office Let not the votes of a few persons in the Church hinder the ordination of them who are thought meet by the most part to be ordained to Eclesiasticall offices If a question arise concerning presentations of diverse persons to one Church or concerning the gift of patronage if the foresayd question bee not decided within the space of three moneths the Bishop shal place in the Church the man whom he thinketh to be most worthy Seeing that the Church as a provident mother should provide all things necessary for the soules and bodies of the people left the poore and indigent parents want the benefite of good education in learning It is appointed and ordayned that in every Cathedrall Church a worthy benefice shall be bestowed vpon a Schoole-master to the end the teacher receiving a competent reward for his travels a patent doore may be opened to the increase of learning Diuers Churches are so heauily over-loadned with tribute and taxations by Consuls Gouernours of townes and Rulers of Provinces that the estate of Bishops is worse then was the estate of the Idolatrous Priests of Egypt in the daies of Pharaoh for the Priests had an ordinarie of Pharaoh and they did eate their ordinary which Pharaoh gaue them wherefore they sold not their ground which Pharaoh gaue them But now all charge of civill affaires are layd vpon Gods Church Therefore it is ordayned vnder paine of cursing that Governours and Rulers of Provinces desist in time to come from such doing except the Prelates vpon consideration of the great necessitie of the countrey would voluntarily consent to support the necessitie of the Laiques Seeing that Pope Innocentius the second and Pope Eugenius the third our predecessors of good memorie condemned the spectacles on market-dayes and holy-dayes for ostentation of their valure and strength skirmishing one against another in sight of the people whereby it came to passe that some were slaine and their soules were in ieopardie These spectacles are also damned by vs and if any person be slaine in them let him want the honour of Christian buriall This containeth a commandement of superstitious observation of dayes Let no men presume to alter the ancient custome of exactions without the authority and consent of Princes Persons diseased with leprosie it is permitted to them to haue their owne Church and their owne Pastor They who furnish armour to the Saracens who fight against Christians or who take Christians prisoners who are busie in their lawfull callings or who spoyle them who haue made ship wracke let them be excommunicated Manifest vsurers shall be debarred from the communion and if they repent not they shall want the honor of Christian buriall and no man shall receiue their offering Iewes and Saracens shall not be permitted to haue Christian servants in their houses no not vnder pretence of education of their children Also the testimony of a Christian against a Iew shall be admitted and if any Iew through the mercy of God be converted to the Christian religion hee shall in no manner of way be secluded from his possessions In the last Canon after a smooth preface that Pope Leo said Ecclesiastical discipline is content with a Priestly iudgment but vseth not bloody revenges Alwayes Pope Alexander in this Councell thought it lawfull to borrow the power of secular Princes to persecute those whom he called Heretiques in Gasconie Tholuse and other parts These he calleth Cathari Patrini or Publicani but out of question they were Valdenses who being driven out of Lions Pope Alexander would grant them no corner in the world to rest in But meitated by his cruell edicts all Princes Nobles Lords Governours to pursue them with fire and sword and all kinde of hostility promising to them who so doth if they bee vnder Ecclesiasticall censure indulgence and relaxation of two yeeres of the compleat time of their penance and to those who doe zealously pursue them such security in their persons and goods as vseth to bee conferred to such persons as visite the holy graue and are taken vnder the protection of the Church Others of Aragon Navarre and other places whom also hee calleth Heretiques and who practised against Christians all kinde of mercilesse in humanity neither sparing sex nor age I cannot vnderstand of what kinde of Heretiques he meaneth for their heresie is not expressed CENTVRIE XIII ABout the yeere of our Lord 1215. Pope Innocentius the third gathered a generall Councell at Rome wherein the doctrine of Transubstantiation was ratified Also the Grecians were ordayned to turne to the obedience of the Church of Rome to the end there might be one shepheard and one sheepfold and that they should desist from detesting the Priests of the Latin Church whom the Grecians so abhorred that they would not say masse vpon the Altar which the Latin Priest had touched vntill it had beene cleansed and washed Also that they should not rebaptize such as were baptized by Latin Priestes and that all these things should be observed vnder paine of cursing And finally it was concluded that an army should bee sent vnto Syria for reliefe of the Christians there and the recouery of the holy Land and that processions supplications and fastings should be kept monethly for the more easie obtaining of it LIkewise in the yeere of our Lord 1273. Gregorius the tenth gathered a generall Councell at Lions where Michael Paleologus Emperour of Constantinople was present who by the slaughter of Theodorus Luscaris sonne committed to his custody had vsurped the Empire This Michael I say being present at the Councell acknowledged the superiority of the Church of Rome wherevnto the other Grecians were so farre from condiscending that they abhorred the said Emperour and would not suffer his body to be buried amongst other Christians In this Councell also was concluded that