with great care conscience lest that scandals offences might arise in the Church whereby either the quiet and good estate of the Church at home might be disturbed or the enemie might haue any occasion to slander the profession of Religion Neither stayed he here but beside this publike care and labour hee also was daily well occupied in more priuate matters for where euer he saw obserued or heard of any dissensions sutes in law or controuersies amongst Christian neighbours hee was exceeding carefull to end and compasse them and for that end as he had a ripe wit and a good conceit and deepe insight so hee would imploy them all to the finding out the trueth and state of the cause and hauing found it hee would vse all his authority yea he would make himselfe beholden to men on condition they would yeelde one to another and 〈◊〉 in peace In a word his whole course of life sauoured of grace and did shew him to to be a sanctified man yet doubtlesse he thoght himselfe borne not for himselfe but for God and for the Church and he thought no time so well spent nor any busines so wel dispatcht as that wherin not any priuate gain or pleasure to himselfe was sought or obtained but only Gods glory aduanced his Church edified religion maintained and the good worke of Gods grace confirmed in himselfe and others CHAP. XXVII Being aged he falleth into a long and languishing sicknesse ANd thus he liued at Geneua many yeres full of ioy and quietnes comfort and contentment farre from all worldly ambition and as it were forgetting what he was what he was borne to in this world onely respecting what he was to inherite in the world to come as he had begun so he continued in a loathing and detestation of all popish superstition and impieties But with this great quietnes of mind and conscience there wanted not some outward and corporal vexations for after his long peace new afflictions storms came vpon him wherby the Almighty would yet better trie him and make his faith his hope his patience and perseuerance to shine more gloriously that so afterward he might receiue a more excellent reward and a more glorious crowne For first of all he fell sicke of a grieuous doubtful dangerous disease which had bred vpon him by abundance of rheume wherby he became so short winded that he could hardly draw his breath by force of such weakenes he was exceedingly tormented night and day for the good gentleman was constrained oftentimes to sit vp whole nights together and was faine to be remoued from roome to roome and from one place to another to see if by any meanes he might take some sleepe which by the vehemency of this disease was almost quit gone from him This disease had growen vpon him by reason of his many and long and sore iournies which he had taken by sea and by land for his conscience sake and of the great distempers and alterations of the state of his body which for his soules sake he had vndergone CHAP. XXVIII A new temptation assaults him a Iesuite is sent from his friends in Italy to reclaime him by offring him great summes of money and to make his yonger sonne a Cardinall but he valiantly scorneth it all and sends him backe with shame BVt this languishing sickenesse did not so much afflict his weake and aged body as Satan laboured by another deuice and a new temptation to trouble and vex his righteous soule For it came to passe that about the same time when this disease had seazed vpon him there came to Geneua out of Italy a nephew of his the naturall sonne of his owne sister with letters to him from his former wife Victoria the Marchionesse as also from his eldest sonne the yong Marquesse vnto which letters this yong gentleman being also a scholar added many words of his owne to little purpose labouring to perswade and allure him with much and vaine babling that now at the last he would acknowledge his error and returne home againe to his owne countrie to his former Religion and to his ancient inheritance that goodly Marquesdome The principall cause both of their writing and his comming so farre was this because that if he would now at last returne againe hereby he said that out of all doubt he might aduance his yongest sonne Charles either to the princely State of a Cardinall or at least to be some great Bishop For saith he whereas your sonne is now admitted into holy orders and is for his great friends and alliance and for his special towardlines in possibility of so great preferment your pertinacy and obstinate peruersenes in following and defending a new found and vpstart Religion and condemned as he said by al the great estates of Italy is the very only hindrance of your sons preferment These kind of news how highly they offended the holy and Christian soule of this thrice noble Galeasius who from his hart abhorred and in his soule detested those vaine and vngodly and prophane dignities in the popish Church I leaue it to be iudged by the Christian reader And therfore hauing with much griefe of mind hard thus much of this vnsauory and vnpleasant message and not ablelonger to forbeare lie first of all tooke the letters and before his face that brought them threw them into the fire and then briefly but grauely wisely and zealously hee shaped him his answere by word of mouth thinking so badde and base a message vnworthie the time and labour of writing And first of all hee tolde him that there could not haue come to him more heauie and vnwelcome newes of his sonne then these that hee was so blind a Papist that for the hope of this worldly aduancement he would venture the ruine and subuersion of his soule And bad him tell his sonne that he would hinder him in that vngodly course by all meanes he could and hee said hee knew not whether it more grieued him to see the vanity of his sons proceeding then it reioyced him that it lay in his power any waies to hinder him in the same Yea saith he know thou and let that my seduced sonne know that you could haue vsed scarce any argument vnto me so forcible to make me persist in my Religion and to detest Popery as this that in so doing I may hinder my sonne from the abominable dignities of the Popish Church and therefore saith he returne my son this answere that in stead of helping him to these preferments I will pray for euer to the Lord for him who is the father of his soule and mine that he would open his eyes to see the truth and that he may haue grace after the example of me his father to see the horriblesuperstitious idolatries impieties of Popery seeing thē to abhor detest them renouncing the vanities of al worldly pomp and honor to direct his foote steps to the Lord
Verona there he found the Marquesse his fafather who receiued and vsed him kindly though he could not but manifest in his countenance the inward anger and griefe ofhis heart After a few salutations the father began with all his cunning to deale with him about his returne home againe laying open to the ful that perpetuall in famy which was sure to fall on his house and posterity vnlesse that Galeacius did preuent so great a mischiefe which saith he thou easily maiest doe and of right oughtest to doe and I know thou wilt doe if there be in thee but one sparke of naturall affection to father wife or children Galeacius the sonne with such reuerence as was due to his father answered with all subâ—â—â—sion that his bodie and estate is his fathers but his conscience is the Lords and tels him he can by no meanes returne home but he should make shipwrack of a good conscience he proues it to him by good reasons and such as his father could not resist and therefore humblie intreats his father that seeing his desire is onely to obey the Lord and saue his soule that therefore he would not vrge him to respect more the good estate of his children then the glory of God and his owne soules health The Marquesse perceiued he laboured in vaine to remoue his sonne from his resolution which he iudged to be nothing but a peruerse stubbornnesse against the Catholike Religion as he thought and therefore with griefe ofminde ceased that sute and imparted to him the cause ofhis iourney to the Emperour strictly enioyning him that he should not returne to Geneua but abide in Italy till he had obtained his sute at the Emperours hand and was returned out of Germany which thing Galeacius promised and performed for he a bode in Italy vntill August at what time he had notice that his father had preuailed in his sute bfore the Emperour During which time one Hieronymus Fracastorius a notable Philosopher Physition and Poet being procured and set on by the Marquesse dealt with Galeacius with all his might and eloquence to perswade him to yeelde to his father adding withall that that new sect as he termed was false and deceitfull and not worthy to be beleeued Galeacius heard all he could say and answered him point by point and finally by the pure simplicity of the word of God he so satisfied him though he was both wise and learned that he willingly held his tongue and at last friendly intreated him that he would not be angrie for that his importunitie and boldnesse with him CHAP. XVII Of his returne to Geneua where he founded and setled a forme of discipline in the Italian Church THus Galeacius hearing of his fathers successe returned with a ioyfull heart towards Geneua for that he saw his father deliuered from the feare of that infamy which the confiscation of his goods and forfeiture of his lands might haue brought vpon his family and therefore he hoped he would be the lesse moued against him Whereuppon setling himselfe downe againe at Geneua and deuising how to spend his time in doing good he began to consider seriously of setling the discipline in the Church of the Italians which was then at Geneua for thither had a great number of Italians transported themselues and their families for Religions sake flying the tyranny of the vnholy inquisition And about that time it fell out fitly that Calume going Embassadour from Geneua to Basill in causes of Religion and other matters intreated Galeacius to beare him company whereunto he willingly condescended At Basill he found an Italian called Celsas whose right name was Maximilian and was descended of the noble house of the Earles of Martinongo in Italy this man had got a great name in Italy amongst the Papists for his eloquency speech and lately by the mercy of God was escaped out of the mite of popish superstitions Galeacius right glad of him perswaded him to breake off the purpose that he had for England and goe to Geneua with him where he might liue in the fellowship of a great number of his country men Italians and inioy the benefit of the company conference and familiarity of many worthy men but especially the most sweete acquaintance of that great Caluin and al those with the liberty of a good conscience The good gentleman yeelded and so they comming to Geneua by their industry and good meanes together with the helpe and direction of Caluin in all things that forme of discipline was established in the Italian Church which at this day standeth florisheth in the same church remaineth recorded in a book for that purpose Maximilian the Earle of whom we spake afore was the first Pastor elect of that church vndertooke the charge purely to expound the word of God and to administer the Sacraments that Christ left behinde him and to watch ouer that flocke and people certaine Elders were ioyned as assistants to him to whom was committed the care of the Church to looke to the puritie of doctrine and life in all estates the principall of the Elders was Galeacius himselfe vnto whom the honour is due of bringing to passe so worthy an enterprise and the rather for that by his authority diligence and watchful care he preserued the same in good and sure estate all his life time and after him it hath continued being deriued to others to the great good and profit of many soules And thus he passed this yere 1554. withioy and comfort CHAP. XVIII The third temptation to drawe him away liberty of conscience offered him by his vncle Pope Paul the fourth which after many temptations of flesh and blood to the contrary at last by the assistance of Gods grace he refused NExt succeeded in order the yere 1555. wherein Satan assauted him with new stratagems and deuices for that yere his vncle which was Paulus quartus his mothers brother attained the feate of the Papacy of Rome whereby the Marquesse his father conceiued good hope by this meanes either to draw his sonne home againe or at least to procure him liberty of conscience and leaue to liue in some Citie of Italy where he might inioy the society of his wife and children and they of him Whereupon hauing occasion of businesse to trauel that way hee sent letters to his sonne to Geneua commaunding him to meete him at Mantua in Italy and for his easier dispatch hee sent him prouision of money for the iourney Galeacius obeying againe his fathers will tooke his iourney from Geneua and came to Mantua the fifteenth of Iune where hee was entertayned by his father with more then ordinarie kindnesse and in more louing maner then heretofore was accustomed And at last hee opened his minde vnto him the substance and effect whereof was that hee had obtained of his vncle who now was Pope a dispensation for him whereby liberty was granted him to liue in any City within the iuristiction of the Venetians
the Paradises of Naples Naples the Paradise of Italy Italy of Europe Europe o the earth yet all these Paradises were nothing to him in comparison of attaining the celestiall Paradise there to liue with Iesus Christ If any Papists musing as they vse and measuring vs by themselues do suspect the story to be some fained thing deuised to allure and intise the peoples minds and to set a flourish vpon our Religion as they by a thousand false and fained stories and mirables vse to doe I answere first in the generall farre be it from vs and our Religion to vse such meanes either for our selues or against our aduersaries No we are content the Church of Rome haue the glory of that garland Popery being a sandie and a shaken a rotten and a tottering building needs such proppes to vnderset it but truth dare shew her selfe and feares no colours But for the particular I answere cunning liers as many Monkes were framed their tales of men that liued long agoe and places a farre off and vnknowen that so their reports may not too easily be brought to triall But in this case it is far otherwise the circumstances are notorious the persons and places famously knowen Vicum Naples Italy Geneua are places wel knowen Calantonius his father Charles the fist his Lord and Master Pope Paul the fourth his vncle were persons well knowen examine either places or persons and spare none truth seekes no corners disproue the story who can we craue no sparing neither is the time too farre past but may soone be examined He was borne within these hundred years and died at Geneua within these twenty yeares and his sonnes sonne at this day is Marquesse of Vicum Let any Papist doe what he can he shall haue more comfort in following the example then credit in seeking to disproue the storie In the course of my poore reading right Honourable I haue often found mention of this noble Marquesse and of his strange conuersion but the storie it selfe I first found it in the exquisit Library of the good gentleman Master Gee one that honours learning in others and cherisheth it in himselfe and hauing not once red it but often perused it I thought it great losse to our Church to want so rare a iewel and therfore could not but take the benefit of some stolne houres to put the same into our tongue for the benefit of my brethren in this Realme who want knowledge in Italian and Latine tongues And now being translated I humbly offer and consecrate it to my holy mother the Church of Fngland who may reioyce to see her Religion spredding it selfe priuily in the heart of Italy and to see the Popes nephew become her sonne And next of all vnto you right Honourable to whom I am bound in so many bonds of duety and to whom this story doth so fitly appertaine You my honourable good Lord may here see a noble gentleman of your own rank in descent birth education aduancements like your selfe to be like you also in the loue and liking of the same holy Religion And you good Madam may here conceiue iudge by your selfe how much more happy this noble Marquesse had bin if his Lady Madam Victoria had bin like your selfe I meane if she had followed and accompanied her Lord in that his most holy and happy conuersion And you all right Honourable in this noble Marquesse as in a crystal glasse may behold your selues of whom I hope you wil giue me leaue to speake that which to the great glory of God you spare not to speake of your selues that you were once darknes but now are light in the Lord Blessed be that God the father of light whose glorious light hath shined into your hearts Behold right honorable you are not alone behold an Italian behold a noble Marquesse hath broken the ice and troden the path before you In him you may see that Gods Religion is as well in Italy as in England I meane that though the face of Italy be the seat of Autichrist yet in the heart thereof there is a remnant of the Lord of hosts You may see this noble Marquesse in this story now after his death whom in his life time so many noble Princes desired to see His body hath lien in the bowels of the earth these seuenteene yeares but his soule liues in heauen in the bosome of Iesus Christ and his Religion in your hearts and his name shall liue for euer in this story Accept it therfore right honourable and if for my sake you will vouchsafe to read it once ouer I dare say that afterwards for your owne sake you will read it ouer and ouer againe which if you do you shall find it wil stir vp your pure minds inflame your hearts with a yet more earnest zeale to the truth and wil be an effectuall meanes to increase your faith your feare of God your humility patience cōstancy and al other holy vertues of regeneration And for my part I freely truely professe I haue bin often rauisht with admiration of this noble example to see an Italian so excellent a Christian one so neere the Pope so neere to Iesus Christ and such blessed fruit to blossome in the Popes own garden and to see a noble man of Italy forsake that for Christ for which I feare many amongst vs would forsake Christ himselfe And surely I confesse truth the serious consideration of this so late so true so strange an example hath bin a spur to my slownes whetted my dul spirits and made me to esteeme more highly of Religion then I did before I know it is an accusation of my selfe a disclosing of my own shame to confesse thus much but it is a glory to God an honour to Religion a credit to the truth and a praise to this noble Marquesse and therefore I will not hide it And why should I shame to confesse it when that famous renowned man of God holy Caluine freely confesseth as in the sequell of this story you shall heare that this noble mans example did greatly confirme him in his Religion and did reuiue and strengthen his faith and cheere vp all the holy graces of God in him And surely most worthy Lord and honorable Ladies this cannot but confirme and comfort you in your holy courses and as it were put a new life vnto the graces of God in you when you see what not the common people but euen such as were like your selues haue suffred for Religion and when you see that not only the poore and baser sort of men but euen the mighty and honourable as your selues are doe thinke themselues honored by embracing Religion Pardon my plainenes and too much boldnes with your honors vouchsafe to accept it as proceeding from one who much tendreth your saluations and reioyceth with many thousands more to behold the mighty gracious work of God in you Goe forward right noble Lord in the name of
deuices she could labouring to mooue him by teares and complaints and by all kinds of intreaty that a wife could vse to her husband and withall sometimes vrging him with such vaine and fond reasons as commonly women of that Religion are furnished withall What a vexation this was and what an impediment to his conuersion such may iudge easily who are cumbred with husbands or wiues of a contrary Religion And no little griefe and temptation was it to him besides all these that the most part of the noble men in and about Naples being either of his blood or kinred or his familiar friends vsed continually to resort vnto him to follow their old and ordinary sports and pleasures Alas how hard a thing was it to shake off all these on a sudden and to take vpon him a direct contrary course of life to that he had ledde with them afore which he must needs doe if he would goe on as he had begun And further it was no little vexation to his soule to liue in the Court when his office and place called him thereunto for there hee might heare of any thing rather then of Religion and not a word by any meanes of Gods word but talke enough of common and worldly preferments and pleasures and deuising of meanes for the most cruell handling and dispatching out of the way all such as should depart from the Romish faith Any Christian heart may easily conceiue how deepely those temptations and hinderances vexed his righteous soule in this his course towards God insomuch as a thousand to one they had turned him backe againe and doubtlesse they had done so indeed had not God assisted him with speciall grace CHAP. VII How he escaped the snares of the Arrian Anabaptists and after of the Waldesians and of his resolution to leaue his countrey hono urs and liuings to enioy the liberty of Gods Religion BVt aboue all these Satan had one assault strongest of all whereby he attempted to seduce him from the true and sincere Religion of God About that time the Realme of Naples was sore pestred with Arrians and Anabaptists who daily broched their heresies amongst the common people colouring them ouer with glorious shewes These fellowes perceiuing Galeacius not fully setled as yet in Religion nor yet sufficiently groūded in the scripture tried al meanes they could to intangle him in their errours and blasphemous fancies wherein the mightie worke of God was admirable towards him for he being a youth a gentleman but a meane scholar and little studied and but lately entred into the schoole of Christian Religion who would haue thought that euer he could haue resisted and escaped the snares of those heretikes many of them being great and grounded scholars and throughly studied in the Scripture Notwithstanding by the sincere simplicity and plainnesse of Gods truth and the inspiration of the holy Ghost hee not onely descried the fondnesse of their heresies but euen vntied the knots and brake their nets and deliuered himselfe and mightily confuted them yea such was the working of God as being sometime in their meetings hee was strongly confirmed in the doctrine of the truth by seeing and hearing them Thus by Gods mercie he escaped and was conquerour in this sight But the diuell had not so done with him for another and more dangerous battell presently followed The Waldesians of whom wee spake before were at that time in Naples in good number With them did Galeacius daily conuerse their courses of life and study being not farre vnlike These disciples of Waldesius knew as yet no more in Religion but the point of Iustification and misliked and eschewed some abuses in Popery and neuerthelesse still frequented Popish Churches heard Masses and were present ordinarily at vile Idolatries Galeacius for a time conuersed with these men and followed their way which course doubtlesse would haue spoiled him as it did a great sort of them who afterwards being taken and committed for the truth were easily brought to recant their Religion because they wanted the chiefe and the most excellent points nor were sufficiently setled and yet afterwards againe not daring to forsake their hold in Iustification and therefore comming to it againe were taken as relapsers and backsliders and put to extreame torments and cruell death In the like danger had Galeacius beene but that the good prouidence of God otherwise disposed and better prouided for him for his office and place that he bare in the Emperours Court called him into Germany and so withdrew him from his companions the Waldesians for the Lord had a greater worke to worke in him then the Waldesians were able to teach him for there in Germany hee learned that he neuer knew afore that the knowledge of the truth of Iustification was not sufficient for saluation whilst in the meane time a man wittingly defiled himselfe with Idolatry which the Scripture cals spirituall whordome and of no man did he reape more sound and comfortable instruction then of Peter Martyr of whom we spake afore whom God had lately called out of Italy and confirmed him in the truth This Martyr instructed Galeacius soundly in the way of the truth and made it plaine vnto him by priuate conferences as well as publicke reading for he was at that time publick professor of diuinity at Stransbrough in Germany Galeacius furnished with those holy instructions returned to Naples and presently resorting to his companions the Waldesians amongst other points conferred with them about the eschewing of Idolatry and deliuered his iudgement therein But they not induring scarce to heare it presently forsooke him for they would by no meanes entertaine that doctrine which they knew was sure to bring vpon them afflictions persecutions losse of goods and honours or else would cause them to forsake country house and land wife and childe and so euery way threatened a miserable estate to the professors thereof Now this their forsaking of him and telling him of the danger of this profession was another strong temptation to keepe him wrapped in their Idolatry and to make him content himselfe with their imperfect and peeced Religion But GOD which had in his eternall election predestinate him that he should be a singular example of constancy to the edification of many and the confusion and condemnation of luke-warme professors gaue him that excellent resolution and that heauenly courage as he escaped at last conquerour ouer all those temptations and assaults of Satan and nothing could suffice or content him but the pure Religion and also the profession of it and therefore seeing no hope of reformation in Naples nor any hope to haue the Waldesians ioyne with him and seeing plainely that he could not serue God in that countrey he resolued vndoubtedly that hee would forsake the countrey and seeke for Christ and his Religion wheresoeuer hee might find them and that hee would rather forsake father wife children goods and lands offices and preferments to winne Christ then to enioy them all
wheresoeuer he would without any molestation to be offred him about his Religion or conscience His father tels him that if he doe this this will bee a greater solace to his olde age then his departure and absence hath beene griefe vnto him besides all this the good old man most earnestly intreated him though hee was the father and spake to the sonne that hee would gratifie him in this his request and added many beseechings who in any lawfull thing might by his authoritie haue commanded him and euery word that he spake was so seasoned as comming from the affection of a father and at last with many strong reasons perswaded him not to reiect this so extraordinary a fauor offered him by the Pope in so speciall and rare clemency whereby he might without hurt of his conscience liue more commodiously then euer afore and be restored to his former honour and place and estate and recouer the former loue and estimation of all his friends yea and of many strangers who hearing of this his obedience to his father would loue him for it vnto which obedience to me saith the father to his sonne thou art bound both by the bond of nature and by the law and word of God which thou so much talkest of and vrgest to me therefore saith he if there be in thee either sparke of naturall affection or any Religion and conscience of thy duety thou wilt yeelde vnto me in this especially seeing thou maist doe it without hurt or endangering of thy conscience and Religion This talke and request of the Marquesse diuersly affected Galeacius for the thing he requested and the reasons he vrged seemed to be such as he could with no good reason contradict them and yet he durst not presently entertaine the motion besides that the presence authority and reuerent regard of his father the vehemency and affection of his mind and especially the naturall bond and obligation wherein the son stands tied to the father in things law full and indifferent especially when by that obedience no violence is offred to good conscience all these did greatly moue him Also naturall and carnall reason for their parts assaulted him no lesse violently with such kind of arguments as for the most part preuaile with all men For his father offred him yearly reuenues competent and fit for his estate the solace of his children and society of his wife which two things he desired aboue all other in the world So that to this motion and request of his father the Marquesse Galeacius knew not well what to answere on the sudden but stood for a time musing and doubtfull what to say and the rather for that he then wanted his speciall friend faithfull Caluine with whom he might consult in so waighty a cause It seemed to him impious and vngodly not to yeeld to his father in so lawfull and reasonable a request and he saw no way how he might denie it but he must needes incurre and vndergoe his fathers extreame displeasure and yet how hee might yeelde to it with safety of conscience he much doubted for he feared that more danger to his profession and Religion and consequently more hurt to his soule might hereupon insue then he could presently perceiue so that he stood altogether vnresolued in his owne reason what to doe therefore in this extremity he denied himselfe and renounced his owne wit and in humble and feruent prayer betooke himselfe in this difficulty to the blessing and direction of his God and Sauiour the author and true fountain of wisedome and constancy humbly crauing of the Lord to assist him with his holy spirit that in this extreamity hee might aduise and resolue of the best and safest course for Gods glory and his owne sound comfort O how truely sung that sweete singer of Israel King Dauid when he said How happy and blessed are they that feare God for God will teach them the way they should walke Galeacius found it most true in his owne experience for vpon this his submission and prayer the Lord from heauen resolued him in this sort That seeing the Pope did Antichrist-like directly oppose himselfe to Christ and his Religion and Church that therefore he might by no meanes sue for or accept any fauour at his hands nor be by any meanes beholden to him at all Because what shew of seruice soeuer was done to him by the enemy of Christ seemed to bee taken from Christ himselfe Further Gods spirit perswaded him it caried too great a shew of Apostasie or backsliding to forsake the company of godly professors and the fellowship of Christs Church and to liue amongst Idolaters in the midst of all abominations The same spirit of God set before his eyes that scandall and offence which this fact of his would breed in the minds of the faithfull which would thinke that he had taken his farewel at Religion and would now shake hands again renue his acquaintance with his old friend the world that he had lightly esteemed the spirituall blessings heauenly iewels of graces which God distributeth daily in his Church and would now betake himself again to the olde affections of his flesh The same spirit resolued him that thus to forsake the ordinary meanes and depriue himselfe of the true vse of the word and Sacraments and to liue in a place where was nothing but Idolatrie was to tempt God in the highest degree God likewise opened his eyes that he perceiued the sleight of Satan by this his fathers dâ—â—t namely to entangle him againe in the net of worldly cares to wrappe his mind in the snards of Italian pleasures and so to dazle his eies with the honours and pleasures and sensuall delights which once he had bin brought vp in that his Religion might decay by little and little and that all godlinesse might by the heat of these new pleasures fall and melt away like as waxe before the fire and lastly the Lord vpon his prayer granted him the wisedome of his holy spirit to answere al his fathers obiections and confute all his arguments And amongst many other he earnestly intreated his father that he would not do that vnto him which afterward hee would repent that euer hee had done namely that he would not be a meanes to make him a prey to the Papists which had confirmed for a law and ratified it by many examples that promise faith nor oath is to be kept with any man whom they call heretikes Whereupon said he it is better for me and more ioy to you to liue as I doe with this poore estate then with hope of better to endanger my life and so our whole posterity By these and such like perswasions it pleased God so to worke vpon the Marquesse that hee was ouercome in this sute wherein he supposed to haue preuailed and therefore he yeelded against his will and so with a sorrowfull heart he returned to Naples And as he went he certified the Pope the obstinacy
of his sonne and so the father and the vncle bewailed together their ill successe CHAP. XIX Of his acquaintance with Franciscus Portus and the Religious Dutches of Ferrara in his returne home to Geneua BVt in the meane time Galeacius after he had accompanied his sorrowfull father somewhat on the way returned with a full glad heart and came to the city of Ferrara where he was ioyfully receiued of Franciscus Portus a noble and renowned man for learning and who afterwards taught publikely at Geneua many yeares and read the Greeke Lecture with great profit to the audience and praise to himselfe This Portus bought Galeacius into acquaintance with the noble Dutches of Ferrara who entertained him honourably and after much conferrence had with him of the alteration of his Religion of the successe of his long voyages and tedious iourneies of the Church of Geneua of Caluine and of many chiefe points of Christian Religion she dismissed him and left him to his iourney but not without all courtesies that she could affoord him and namely for one to relieue the length and tediousnes of the way she lent him her owne chariot and thus Galeacius was conueyed in the chariot of so great a Princesse as far as to the towne of Francolium from whence hauing a pleasant tide down the riuer of Po or Padus he came by water into Venice where taking shippe and crossing the sea he went thorow Switzerland to Geneua and thither came the foureteenth of October in the same yeare the whole congregation and especially his chiefe friends reioycing with ioy vnspeakeable for the safety of his returne And thus this cruell tempests thus being ouer-blowen and now quieted and Satan seeing he preuailed not by any of those forcible assaults yet thought to trie him with one more and therefore came vpon him a fresh like as a second fitte of an ague stronger then the first and by this Satan feared not but to giue him the ouerthrow and to bring him home againe into Italy and thus it was CHAP. XX. The fourth assault that Satan vsed to bring him backe againe was by his wife who by her letters won him to come and meete her in Italy which he yeelded vnto and gaue her meeting HIS wife Victoria burned in long loue and hearty affection toward her husband Galeacius so that it cannot be vttered how vehemently she desired his company wherupon shee neuer ceased writing to him and intreating him to returne againe to her and his children But when shee saw her womanly arguments and vaine scribling did no good at last shee in all earnest manner desired him to meete her in some City within the territorie of the Venetians not farre from the kingdome of Naples To this motion Galeacius yeelded and thus the husband and wife promised to meet but the ends that they aymed at were diuers she hoped by her slattery and faire speeches her teares and lamentations to winne her husband home againe on the other side he was much more busie in deuising how he might perswade her to deliuer her selfe out of the filth of Popery and come and dwell with him With these resolutions they both going forward shee came to Vico to her father in law the Marquesse He came from Geneua to Laesina a citie in Dalmatia This Laesina is distant from Vicum an hundred Italian miles by water and standeth iust ouer against Vicum and the sea called the Venetian gulfe lieth betwixt them Galeacius here abode and expected his wife but at that time she came not as she had promised and he expected Yet he could neuer learn the cause of her staying at that time nor what it was that moued her so to disappoint him yet though she came not her selfe she sent two of her eldest sons to their father whose sight was most welcome their company most cōfortable to Galeacius but one way it grieued him the more because the sight and company of them more affected him with the absence of his wife for whose sake and company especially he had taken so long a iourney therefore sending them soone after home againe he went away sorowfull to Geneua Where he had rested but a few daies but another packet of letters came posting from his wife beseeching him not to thinke much at her former negligence and to vouchsafe once againe to come to the same place where without all faile she would most gladly attend him and solemnly vowed with largeprotestations she would not disappoint him The request was very vnreasonable it was a hard case for Galeacius thus to spend his time and wearie his mind and body in so long and dangerous iournies and to so little purpose as hitherto he had Notwithstanding one thing mooued him to yeelde euen to this motion also namely a perswasion that he had that when he first forsoke his country he did not fully discharge his duety in labouring to winne his wife to haue gone with him by explaining to her the chiefe heads of Christian doctrine whereby she might possibly haue receiued some tast and so haue taken some liking of true Religion desiring therefore now if it were possible to make amends for his former negligence he yeelded to goe And so obtayning for his better security in going and returning a pasport or safe-conduct from the high Court of Rhoetia he departed from Geneua the seuenth of March in the yeare 1558. and came to Laesina in Dolmatia ouer against Vicum where he had intelligence that the Marquesse his father his wife his children and his vncles sonne he of whom we heard before were already come to Vicum with purpose to haue beene by that time at Laesina with Galeacius but they could not by reason that a mariner of Venice had broken promise with them and disappointed them by reason whereof and of other dangers of the sea they could not as yet take shipping nor durst venture ouer the water Whereupon Galeacius not induring patiently so long delayes resolued to goe himselfe ouer to Vicum Such was his faith in the Lord and his loue to his friends that hee respected not the imminent danger but constantly relied on the Lords protection knowing that no fleshly affections droue him to his iourney but a sincere zeale to Gods honour and the soules health of his kinred and the discharging of his owne duety vnto them whereunto he was perswaded that he had a speciall calling CHAP. XXI Of his arriuall at Vico his fathers chiefe house and his entertainment there and what meanes were vsed to seduce him and how his wife refused not onely to goe with him but euen to lie with him because he was an heretike being thereto as she said commanded by her Confessor AND so arriuing by Gods mercy on the coast of Italy not farre from Vicum he gaue intelligence of his approch to his father the Marquesse who presently sent his children to meete their father and all his retinue to attend him into the castle at
apparēt yet al which he saw he must leaue for Christ sake But one thing pierced his heart to see his wife and children and other his alliance standing on the shore who when they could not speake to him looked at him and when they could not see him ceased not to looke after the shippe as long as it was in sight neither could hee refraine but with a wofull countenance looke at them againe as long as hee could discerne them and withall he called to minde the bitter words and heauy farewell which the Marquesse his father gaue him at his departure all which cogitations running in his head did doubtlesse wring from his sorrowfull heart many a deepe sigh and heauy grone and many a bitter teare from his watrie eyes and yet notwithstanding all these the spirituall strength and courage of his minde was constant and inuincible And euen as a good Pilot in a raging sea when clouds and darkenesse thunder and lightnings storme and tempest runne together and tosse the shippe from waue to waue as lightly as a ball from hand to hand yet for all that he sits still at the helme with vndanted courage and markes his compasse and by his courage and skill together keepes on a right and stedfast course thorow all the rage of sea and weather euen so this our thrice noble Galeacius taking hold of the holy and heauenly anchor namely a liuely faith in Christ and a stedfast hope in God he surmounts the clouds and fixeth those anchor-holdes in heauen and looking stedfastly with a spirituall eye at the true load starre namely Christ Iesus and the hope of eternall happinesse he directs his course towards the same with an heroicall spirit and heauenly resolution thorow the tempestuous waues of those fearefull temptations and the shippe that caried his body did not so fast transport him from delicate Italy towards Dalmatia as the shippe of heauenly constancy and loue of God withdrew his minde and meditation from all naturall respects and worldly delights and made it mount alost in holy contemplation And thus the presence and grace of Gods spirit hauing ouercome the power of naturall affections he began to cheere vp himselfe after this tempest and first of all bending the knees of his heart to the eternall father in heauen hee yeelded his Maiesty most hearty thankes for that he had furnished his soule with such a portion of his grace as to withstand and conquere Satan in such a perillous battell and for that hee had deliuered him from the danger of Popish thraldome from the inquisition and from that perpetuall imprisonment both of conscience and body which the Popish Church would haue brought him vnto had he not thus escaped their hands Hee likewise praised God vnfainedly that he vouchsafed to giue him time opportunity and grace to discharge that duety to his wife the yong Marchionesse which at his first departure he had omitted and which oftentimes he had with great griefe bewailed and that he had enabled him to omit nothing which might haue perswaded her to haue left Sodome and to haue vndertaken with him this blessed pilgrimage towards the heauenly Ierusalem The remembrance of these things much refreshed his troubled minde It also much contented and satisfied his conscience that vpon that monstrous and vndutifull behauiour of his wife towards him spoken of before hee had made that protestation which hee did namely that he would vse the lawfull meanes to be diuorced from her who had first of al diuorced cut off her selfe from him by denying that duety of loue which the wife may not denie to the husband nor the husband to the wife he perswaded himselfe that this protestation would worke well with her and make her more confirmeable to her duetie when she had aduisedly thought of it CHAP. XXIII Of his iourney home againe by Venice and thorow Rhoetia Switzerland and his safe arriuall at Geneua and of the great ioy he brought to the Church by his safe returne REuiuing his troubled spirits with these cogitations he arriued at Lasina in Dalmatia which is the countrey ouer against Italy from whence he passed in a very quiet passage and calme sea to Venice where hee found many faithfull seruants of God and good Christians who hauing heard afore that he was gone to Vicum were exceedingly afraid for that imminent and ineuitable danger they saw he was in either to haue his conscience a slaue to Popish vanity or his person a prisoner to Popish cruelty therefore they ceased not to pray for him night and day and yet for all that they feared greatly what would become of him But when now at last they saw him returne both sound in conscience and safe in person such a glorious conquerer ouer Satan and ouer so many strong temptations with which the world and naturall affections had assailed him their feare was turned into comfort their sorrow into ioy and they all glorified the Lord for him And so after mutuall comfort giuen and receiued he departed from Venice and trauelled thorow Rhoetia and Switzerland where he visited the Churches of the Protestants and comforted them greatly with his presence and by telling them what great things the Lord had done for him and so by the good hand of his God vpon him he came in safety to Geneua the fourth of October in the yeare 1558. His safe arriuall brought exceeding ioy to the whole Church there but especially to the Italian Congregation for his long absence had brought them into some suspence and doubt not of any alteration of his Religion but of some cruell and false measures to haue beene offred him by the deceitfull Papists But when they saw him so safely returned vntoucht in conscience and vnhurt in his person and that he had passed so many pikes of temptations which they knew had beene pitcht against him they gaue great thankes to the Lord for him But when he had discourst vnto them particularly the whole course of the proceedings first what a strong battry of temptations and assaults the diuell and the world had planted against him then how manfully he fought and withstood and at last ouercame them all they fell into admiration of so rare constancy and thought him worthy of all honour to whom it is giuen as the Apostle saith to suffer so much for Christ and for Religions sake and in all earnest manner they magnified the singular grace and mercy of God towards him and towards the whole Church in him which had not suffred his seruant this noble Galeacius to be seduced out of the way of that holy calling whereto the Lord had called him and who had deliuered him from so subtile a traine laid by the policy of the enemy Satan to haue intrapt his soule and conscience by ouerturning him in the race of his Religion and they all acknowledged that this noble and godly Gentleman found it verified in himselfe which the kingly Prophet saith in the Psalme Because
he hath trusted in me therefore I will set him free I will be with him in his troubles I will deliuer him and crowne him with honour and in another place he that trusteth in the Lord shall neuer be confounded And thus the Church receiued a double benefit by him for first his practise was an example vnto them all of a most extraordinary and heauenly constancy in the loue and profession of true Religion secondly the mercifull dealing of the Lord with him was a notable confirmation of their faith and an encouragement to them to perseuere and stand to the truth with assurance that the Lord himselfe would stand by them CHAP. XXIIII Certaine yeares after his returne to Geueua he begins to feele in himselfe a necessity of marriage he deliuers his case to Caluin who refused to consent the matter is referred to the Churches of Switzerland and by them he is resolued that he is free from his first wife and may marry againe AND thus with vnspeakeable contentment in his owne conscience and with publike ioy and thankesgiuing of the whole Church he setled himselfe at Geneua in his former priuate and quiet life Where after a few yeares he began to find in himselfe some reasons which perswaded him to thinke it needefull for him to liue in the estate of marriage and therefore hauing thus long waited and expected a more wise and duetiful answer from his wife and perceiuing by her not answering that she still persisted in that monstrous and vnnatural wilfulnes which her blinded Popish mind had formerly vndertaken by the perswasion of her blind and Popish guides he therefore purposed to take such course for his remedie as by the law of God and his Church should in that case seeme allowable namely to be diuorced from her who for her part had broken the bond and vntied the knot of matrimonie And first of all he imparted his mind and purpose to M. Caluine and craued his godly and wholsome counsel in a case of so great importance His counsell was first of all that it was more conuenient and lesse scandalous to the enemies of Religion if he could abstaine But the Gentleman replied that the case was so with him as he could not abstaine and gaue him many weighty reasons which drew him to marriage and withall participated vnto him some secret reasons for the which he affirmed it was altogether necessary for him to marry Holy Caluine as he was a man indued from God with sharpenesse of iudgement and a wise and discerning spirit so he foresaw plainely that many would speake euill of the fact others would take offence at it some would plainely condemne it and speake euill of Religion for it and the rather because as he truely said very few did rightly conceiue the full truth in the doctrine of diuorcement but fewest of all would or could know the whole circumstance of this particular fact He likewise wisely considered that the like president was seldome seene especially in the Italian Church whereof this Gentleman was a principall member and of speciall account both for his nobility birth and descent and for his zealous loue to Religion All which considerations with diuers other made reuerend Caluine not too easily to subscribe to this purpose and motion of Galeacius Notwithstanding when the Gentleman vrged him out of the word of God and good conscience with arguments which he saw and confessed he could not sufficiently answere therefore lest he should burden and trouble the conscience of so good a man which alledged for himselfe that he was driuen by necessity to that course he yeelded thus farre to him that if he would repaire vnto the learned and reuerend Diuine Peter Martyr and aske his opinion and the opinions of all the learned and chiefe Diuines of Rhoetia and Switzerland and desire them seriously to consider of it as in a matter of such moment and of so great consequence it was requisite and then set downe their iudgements in the matter and the reasons mouing them thereunto he promised that he would also subscribe vnto them and most willingly yeelde vnto him what liberty soeuer they did allow him alwaies prouided that he also should submit himselfe vnto their censure and stand to the triall of their iudgements in this case Galeacius most willingly yeelded hereunto as who desired nothing but that which the Lord by his word and by the voyce of his Church should allow vnto him and so taking the course that Caluine had aduised him he caused letters to be drawen and sent to Zurich Berue and other the Churches of Switzerland opening the whole circumstance of the matter and expounding the case truely and fully and humbly craued the iudgement of the Church in a case of conscience so great and doubtfull The chiefe Preachers and most learned Diuines yeelded to his honest and godly request and assembled about it the matter was much and long debated and argued at large on both sides and after mature deliberation and sufficient consultation had it was concluded and agreed on by them all with one consent̄ that he might with safe conscience depart from that wife which had first of all on her owne part broken the bond and dissolued the marriage knot and for the proofe of this their opinion many causes and reasons were alledged and laid downe out of the Scriptures Fathers Councels and out of the Ciuil law which is the law almost ofal countries in Christendome All which both their conclusions their reasons were put in writing and are registred and safely recorded and are kept to this day ready to be shewed to whomsoeuer and whensoeuer neede shall so require for it was thought good by the Church so to doe both for that the case was extraordinary and would be sinisterly spoken of and censured by many who knew not sufficiently how it stood and especially for the preuenting of any slander or cauill which the enemies might obiect against our Religion CHAP. XXV By publike sentence of the Church and iudgement of the law he is diuorced from his former wife and after a time he marrieth a French Gentlewoman a widow of about fortie yeares of age himselfe then being about three and fortie GAleacius hauing thus laid his foundation proceeded further but still with the consent of the Church and obseruing the due forme of Law and the ordinary course of Iustice in such cases he craued publikely of the Magistrate that he might be diuorced that is that he might bee pronounced to be free and discharged from that wife who had already cut off her felfe from him The Magistrate considering the trueth and circumstance of the case together with the iudgement of the Diuines wherunto also was agreable the iudgement of the Law graunted vnto him as by his aduocates it was required so in publik Court and by sentence definite and irreuocable he was diuorced and was pronounced to be free and discharged of his former wife Victoria and that