the true religion of Christ deliuered to the Church by Christs Apostles or a feigned fable of satan brought purposely into the Church by the popes that they might either vtterly extinguish the desire to read the sacred scriptures or at least that they might both be of like authoritie Surely we hope that no man doubteth but that the pope is already conuict most manifestly of false and forged religions and therefore if he excommunicate the king of Nauarre and Prince of Condie out of the communion of his Church which maintaineth these monsters he doth not exclude them out of the Church of Christ but out of the iakes of Dominicans or rather out of the synagog of satan Which thing that it may more plainly and firmely be confirmed we will cite out of the same Antoninus a like inuention of the popish church For in the chapter following he writeth thus Dominic saith he being one night earnest Pag. 190. in praier saw at the fathers right hand the sonne rise vp in his anger that he might slea all the sinners on the earth and destroy all that wrought wickednes And he stood in the aire being terrible to behold and he shaked three lances or iauelings against the world that was set vpon wickednes the first whereof shoulde pearce through the out stretched necks of the prowd another should let out the bowels of the couetous the third should bore through those that were giuen to the lusts of the flesh Whose wrath when no man could resist the mild virgin his mother met him and imbracing his feet besought him that he would spare those whom he had redeemed and that he would temper his iustice with mercie To whom hir sonne made answer Seest thou not saith he what iniuries are done to me Then said his mother Thou knowest saith she which knowest all things that this is the way by the which thou shalt bring them backe vnto thee I haue a faithfull seruant whom thou shalt send into the world that he may preach thy words to them and they will turne to thee the sauiour of all men Also I haue another seruant whom I will adioine to him to be his helper that he may worke likewise The sonne said Lo I am pacified and haue accepted thy face but shew mee whom thou wilt assigne vnto so great an office Then our Ladie his mother offered to Iesus Christ S. Dominic and the Lord said to his mother He will do that which thou hast said well and carefully Also she offered him S. Francis whom in like sort the Lord praised Then S. Dominic marking his fellow well in the vision whom before he knew not on the morow he reknowledged him by those things which he saw in the night and kissing him with holie kisses and imbracing him sincerely he said Thou art my fellow thou shalt run with me And a little after Dominic praied by night in the church and lo the hand of the Lord was suddenly vpon him and was rapt in spirit before God and he saw God sitting and his mother who sate at his right hand clothed in a cope of a saphire color And looking about him he saw reioicing in the sight of the most highest infinite multitudes of spiritual fathers out of euery nation that had begotten both sons and daughters to Christ of holie religions And when he saw none of his sonnes there blushing and being pricked at the hart he wept most bitterly Therfore being abashed with the glorie of Gods maiestie he stood a far off and durst not draw neare to the countenance of glorie and to the excellencie of the virgin But our Ladie beckened to him with hir hand that he should come to hir But he trembling and fearing presumed not to draw neare vntill in like sort the Lord of maiestie called him Then came the man being pricked and of an humble spirit and contrite with his teares and did most lowly and humbly throw downe himselfe at the feet of the son and his mother But the Lord of glorie the comforter of those that mourne said to him Arise Who when he was risen and stood before the Lord he asked him saieng Why weepest thou so bitterly Who said Bicause I see in the presence of thy glory men of al religions but of the sons of mine order alas for wo I see here none To whom the Lord said Wilt thou see thine order But he said That is my desire Lord. Then the sonne putting his hand vnder his mother the virgins cloke he said to him I haue committed thine order to my mother And when he continued in this godlie affection desiring to see his order the Lord said to him againe Wouldest thou so gadly see them He answered This do I earnestly desire And lo the mother of the Lord pleased hir sonne and opening wide hir golden cope wherwith she seemed to be couered and holding it open before hir mourning seruant Dominic and this was so large and huge a garment that it did sweetly contain the whole countrie of heauen by imbracing it Vnder this couering of securitie in this bosom of godlines that beholder of high things viewer of the secrets of the Lord Dominic saw an innumerable multitude of the friers of his order Then his mourning was turned into ioy and his sorrow into solace Thus writeth Antoninus Ridiculously blockishly and absurdly peraduenture some man will say Who denieth it But as we said before of Bernardo his trifles of what sort soeuer these be yet are they both approoued by the authoritie of the pope and also receiued by the church of Rome and therefore séeing religion is vndiuisible for as M. Tullius saith either take away religion quite or else preserue it wholie they must be counted in the place and number of oracles of al those which wil giue their name to the church of Rome a heauie decrée being added that he that shall thinke otherwise be counted an heretike schismatike forasmuch as by these inuentions allowed by the pope as well Dominic as Francis is registred in the number of the Saints of the church of Rome as the same author Antoninus doth witnes By which we Tit. 23. §. 17. fol. 197. vnderstand first for how manie for how iust causes most Christian kings princes and magistrates haue condemned the papacie for impietie and forged religion Secondlie what authoritie this execrable declaration ought to haue in the Parlement of France which was published by Sixtus the fift a frier lately vncowled in which the most excellent princes aforesaide were pronounced heretiks for none other cause saue onely bicause they thought that they ought not to make like account of such inuentions as of the holie Scripture For as they did oftentimes professe before and at this day they do professe so much as in them lieth before all sortes and orders of men yea they do openly denounce séeing the church of Rome hath religion mixed and confused with such inuentions and fables those things
mine owne eies touching me out of heauen vnder which I knew I was cleansed from leprosie For who séeth not that this inuention is of the same sort whereof those be which we read euerywhere in the booke of the Conformities of Francis or in the life of Dominick The ninth bicause it is not likely that pope Syluester and his deacons would be so improuident that they would baptize Constantine a most deadly enimie to Christians and especially to the church of Rome so soone and suddenly after he had told them his dreame and would not first teach him the mysteries of Christ and religion as they vse to do to those whom they catechize Moreouer Zosimus an enimie to Christian religion as I said reporteth that he was taught that religion by a certaine Spaniard and learned how great the force therof was in blotting out mens sinnes and that then he banished out of his court soothsaiers and flamines and other priests of the Romish superstitions The tenth bicause principall authors and historiographers do witnes that Constantine onely a little before his death and in the yéere of his age 65. was baptized and that not at Rome neither yet by Syluester the pope who was dead almost fiue yéeres before but at Nicomedia by Eusebius of Nicomedia in a great assemblie of bishops Thus writeth Eusebius in his fourth booke of his life Hierome in his Chronicles Rufinus in his first booke and eleuenth chapter Socrates in his first book chapter 39. Theodoret in his first booke chapter 31. Ambrose in his booke of the death of Theodosius Neither must we giue credence to Nicephorus who in his seuenth booke 35. chapter when he writeth that he was baptized at Rome addeth afterward that he followeth the church of Rome therein as his authour Especiallie séeing Vincentius in his 24. booke of histories feared not to write according to S. Hierome that Constantine did truellie murder his wife Fausta and his son Crispus and that in the later end of his life he was baptized by Eusebius bishop of Nicomedia The eleuenth bicause it is not likelie if Constantine had appointed to cure his disease with the warme blood of infants either that he would haue their throtes cut openlie by the priests of the Capitolium or that he néeded so much blood that a whole cesterne might be filled therewith No more credible is that that Constantine did so long oppugne christian religion but that he had hard somwhat of Peter and Paul most famous Apostles of Christ and that he was not so vnskilfull in christian affaires that after he was raised out of that dreame he should aske of Siluester what gods they were that were called Peter and Paul for though he had learned nothing saue the vision only it is not likely that Peter Paul did boast themselues before him for gods The thirtéenth bicause it had bin a wicked thing to haue acknowledged that he had receiued the benefite of his health rather at the hands of Peter who was Gods messenger than from God himselfe from whom Peter was sent to him Secondly to Peter alone rather than to Peter Paul iointly For he vseth these words And by the benefits of the same Peter I felt the health of my bodie returne most fully and perfectly Also that is more absurde that is written that Constantine hauing fiue sons did notwithstanding according to the sentence of all his dukes which word is altogither new geason and vnused in the lawes and moniments of the emperors of Rome and of his whole senate and nobles and of all the people that was in subiection to the Romane empire gaue halfe his empire to a seelie poore priest séeing al men know that the senate of Rome retained their countrey superstitions not onely at that time but also vntill the empire of Valentinian which we vnderstand by the epistle of Simmachus writtē to the emperors Valentinian Theodosius and Arcadius * wherein in the Lib. 10. Epist. 54. name of the senate of Rome he praieth them that superstition and worshipping of Idols may be restored againe in the citie of Rome whom S. Ambrose in two epistles written to the same emperor Valentinian and Aurelius Prudentius in godly and fine verses answereth As absurd is it and altogither vnméete for a christian bishop which followeth that Constantine did not onely giue power equall with his imperiall power to pope Syluester but also greater principalitie of power than saith he our princely soueraigntie is knowne of all men to haue And shortlie after Giuing him power and dignitie of glorie strength efficacie and honor imperiall Touching which matter and the ambition of the popes it is woorth the paines to heare the iudgement of Barnard abbat of Clareuall written to Eugenius the pope in his second booke of consideration Learne saith he by the example of the prophets to sit as chiefe not so much to beare rule as to do that which time requireth Learne that thou hast need of a weedhook not of a scepter that thou maist do the worke of a prophet Also Admit thou dost take these things thy self by som other meanes yet not by apostolike right For Peter could not giue thee that he had not that he had he gaue carefulnes for the churches Did he giue lordship Heare what he saith Not as ouer Gods heritage but being a patterne to the flock And least thou think it to be spoken onely in humilitie and not in truth it is the voice of the Lord in the Gospell The kings of the nations reign ouer thē but you shal not do so It is plain the apostles are forbidden lordship Therfore go thou vsurpe greedilie to thy selfe either lording it apostleship or being apostolike lordship Thou art flatlie forbidden to do either If thou wilt haue both togither thou shalt loose both No more tollerable is it that he addeth that he giueth to the pope of Rome principalitie ouer foure principall seas of Antiochia Alexandria Constantinople and Hierusalem Wherein we finde not onely manifest but also ridiculous falsehoode First bicause there was not as yet anie Constantinople which began to be builded afterward in the tenth yéere of the empire of Constantine as Nicephorus witnesseth * Lib. 8. cap. 4. and all the citizens were for the most part giuen to idolatrie at that time So far off is it that there was there either any church or any mother-citie of the churches or prerogatiue Also that is lesse tollerable that followeth that the pope of Rome is placed ouer all churches in the whole world For I omit that which we shewed in another place that this is a most true most certain mark of antichrist whē any man taketh to himselfe principality ouer al churches But we plainly sée notorious madnes of the popes in this place which also we touched briefly in another place séeing they auouch out of this instrument that they had that principalitie by the gift of Constantine which notwithstanding in infinite other
being frée and at libertie he might detest that which he had done being inforced by violence and feare It followeth He hath often raised vp heretiks rebels and seditious persons to beare armes against the most Christian king against him and the rest of the catholikes This Latin of the popes agréeth with the rest of his subtilties The king of Nauarre raised heretiks against the most christian king against him and the rest of the catholikes But let vs rather marke the meaning of these words For the king of Nauarre did neuer beare weapon against the most Christian king but against the popes conspirators and the companions of the popes tyranny his adiutors and ministers and finally against the authors of periurie and treacherie as the king himselfe hath most plainly testified in very many edicts tending to pacification Therefore our chiefe cowled frier doth wicked iniurie in this place to the most mightie kings of France séeing he durst charge their maiestie with lieng by whom it hath béen so often declared in edicts tending to pacification that those that tooke part with the king of Nauarre prince of Condie made war not against them but that it was taken in hand for preseruation of their dignitie and state It followeth He hath compelled his subiects with threatnings and strokes * to take the same capescere impietatem impietie To take the same impietie is a kind of popish eloquence But that any man was inforced these twenty yéers to change his religion either by those that tooke part with the King of Nauarre or Prince of Condie is as true as it is certaine and sure that neuer any beast in the brothel-houses of Rome was more impudent than Sixtus the fift in powring out lies Though it be well and we must thanke this pope that he accuseth those by whom silly captiues were inforced by threatenings and stripes to change their religion For as Lactantius wrote most truly religion cannot be inforced the thing must be done rather by words than stripes But bicause Lactantius doth so dispute in that place that he séemeth purposely to handle the cause both of the king of Nauarre and also of the French churches it is woorth the paines to heare his reasons The aduersaries saith he do feigne that they giue counsell to godlie men and that they would call them backe to a good mind Do they then seeke to do this by any speech or by any reason they render No surely but by violence and torments O strange and blind madnes it is thought there is an euill mind in them which go about to keep faith but in the hangman a good Is there an euill mind in those which are pluckt in peeces contrarie to the law of humanitie against all right Or rather in those which do these things to the bodies of innocents which neither most cruell robbers nor most angrie enimies nor most furious barbarians haue at any time done And by and by after And bicause they can do nothing by violence for the more the religion of God is depressed the more is it increased let them rather deale by reason and exhortations Let the bishops and such as are priests and prelates of religions come foorth Let them call vs togither to an assemblie These are the daily requests of the king of Nauarre and such as haue often béene deliuered to the king of France Let them draw out the sharpnes of their wit If their reason be true let it be brought we are readie to heare if they teach vs. Surely we giue no credence to them so long as they keepe silence as we yeeld not one inch when they rage Let them imitate vs or let them lay downe the reason of the whole matter For we do not intise as they obiect but we teach allow shew Therefore we retaine no man against his will For he is vnprofitable for God which wanteth faith and deuotion And yet no man departeth the truth hir selfe retaining him Let them teach thus haue they any confidence of the truth let them speake learne I say let them be so bold as to dispute any such thing with vs surely the old women whom they contemne and our boies shall now laugh at and mocke their error and follie What fitter thing and more appertinent to the state of these our times could Lactantius write for the king of Nauarre and French churches He procéedeth Butcherie and godlines are greatly contrarie neither can either truth be ioined with violence or iustice with crueltie Thus far goeth Lactantius wherby appéereth plainly how well the lawes of those old churches and of our churches agrée togither It followeth in the bul He sent a certaine deere friend of his being furnished with wicked pollicies without the borders of France by whom he imparted his wicked counsels with the chiefe heretiks and he prouoked their forces and arms against the catholike religion and the power of the bishop of Rome It is nothing appertinent to declare whom our frier meaneth in these words onely we will say thus much Though he whom he calleth the déere friend of the king of Nauarre holdeth a place méete for his birth among the greatest noble men of France and pope Sixtus the fift came of late out of the beggerie and filth of friers yet will not that noble man disdaine to charge him with an impudent lie and to send him sir reuerence of the hearers this paper of defiance if he will haue anie taken out of the 51. leafe of his conformities The diuell tempted Ruffine saieng Thou art damned and Francis himselfe is damned whosoeuer followeth him is deceiued Which when Ruffinus had told Francis Francis answered If he appeere againe and say any thing againe tell him namely the diuell Open thy mouth and I will vntrusse a poynt in it Afterward as Ruffinus did pray the diuel appeered to him again in the likenes of Christ saieng Brother Ruffinus did not I tel thee that thou shouldest not beleeue the sonne of Peter Bernardo Why dost thou vex thy selfe and streightway Ruffinus said to him Open thy mouth and I will vntrusse a poynt in it Then the diuell being displeased departed from him in a rage and with a tempest Sir reuerence as we said before of the hearers But the impudent mouth of that frier should haue béen stopped with this short answer For neither did that noble man at any time make any mention of making war before either any kings or princes but onely of establishing loue and brotherlie good wil amongst the reformed churches Though who doth not sée how profitable it is for all Christendome that that wicked and bloodie murtherer of the Church of Christ that author and defender of feigned religions that he who is conuict of treading vnder foote the maiestie of kings and the most certaine firebrand of our countrie should be quite rooted out of the land of the liuing It gréeueth him indéed to be robbed of so great tributes which héertofore he had
sentence Giuen at Rome the fift of the Ides of Septemb. Anno 1585. Psalm 109. O Lord they shall curse and thou wilt blesse those which shall rise against me shall bee confounded but thy seruant shall reioice THE BRVTISH THVNDERBOLT of Pope SIXTVS the fift against HENRIE the most noble King of Nauarre and the most excellent HENRIE BORBON Prince of Condie Togither with the protestation and declaration of the manifold nullitie or inualiditie of the same WHeras of late there was a declaration pronoūced by Pope SIXTVS the fift of that name being a Franciscan Frier and it was shortly after published and printed that Henrie the most noble King of Nauarre and also Henrie Borbon the most excellent Prince of Condie should first be excommunicate as notorious heretiks from among Christians and also that they should be put from their empires honors and al dignities and principally from hope of succéeding in the kingdome of France secondly that their subiects and vassals should be absolued from the oth of alleageance wherewith they were bound to them last of al that they shuld be set vpon by force sword arms and camps by the most mightie king of France the most excellent and noble Princes aforesaid haue thus protested touching that matter that with the good leaue of all Catholikes and without anie hurt of the cōcord of both religions which the same princes do greatly desire to be kept intire in France that proscription or declaration of the pope being a Franciscan Frier was pronounced published diuulgate against all lawes diuine and humane and that for that cause it is in law none and to be accounted for none that all that furious curse is nothing but a brutish thunderbolt of the Romane papacie whose force is friuolous vain and of none account that principally for fower causes namely for the incompetencie of the rash iudge the falsenes of the allegation the want of iudiciall order and for the foolishnes of the forme wherein it is written wherof we wil héerafter intreat in the same order wherein they are set downe Of the incompetencie or insufficiencie of the iudge THerefore the first cause of Nullitie is the incompetencie of a rash iudge which appéereth therby bicause the papacie of Rome which hath taken this iudgement vpon it against so great princes hath long ago béene condemned for seuen most grieuous crimes by the most part of Christendome namely England Scotland Denmarke Sweueland the most part of Germanie and also the most part of Heluetia namely for impietie for exercising tyrannie in the Church for corrupt religion sacrilege treason rebellion and forgerie And it is certaine that although the popedome had not béene condemned for so great crimes but had béene onelie found guiltie yet notwithstanding I do not saie that it is not lawful for it to be a iudge but not so much as to accuse the basest or simplest man of anie crime of offence vntill it haue fitly purged it selfe of all crimes so far off is it that in this so great a state of matters the pope can condemne so great and so famous and mightie princes of so great wickednes especially being vnheard and before their cause is tried a l. neganda 19. c. de publ iudic Which the Canonists themselues doe teach b 4. quaest 1. c. 1. 25. q. 1. c. omnes 24. q. 1. ca. ait duobus cap. seqq And which more is séeing in this cause of the foresaid princes the matter and state of the paparie it selfe is handled none either ciuill or natural reason doth suffer the pope to sit as iudge in his owne matter and to giue sentence for himselfe in his owne cause c l. qui iurisdictioni D. de iurisd l. 1. c. ne quis in sua causa iud l. Julianus 17. de iud But and if the pope be not a fit iudge in this matter but an vncompetent and vnfit iudge as it shall plainly appéere by those things which we shall héerafter speake it followeth that the sentence pronounced by him is none in law that of it selfe and without any appeale it falleth to the ground And we cannot doubt but that l. 1. pass ca. si a non compe iud l. 6. § quod si quis D. de iniust rupt test the iudgement and authoritie of the most part of Christendome aforesaid shall be of great importance with magistrates and orders and principally with the Parleament of France séeing it is euident that this is the law of all nations that in deliberations especially being hard weighty iudgement be alwaies giuen according l. item si vnus 17. § vlt. l. seq D. de recep arbit to the sentence and opinion of the most part especially where the more part is iudged not onelie by the number of persons but also by the maner and quantitie of the vniuersall order as when of thrée parts of iudges two make a departure suppose eight of twelue but that England l. 3. de decret ab ordin fac l. 3. l. 4. D. quod cuiusque vniuer l. nominationum 46. c. de decurio l. quod maior 19. D. ad municip Scotland Denmark Sweueland the most part of Heluetia and part of high and low Germanie are two parts of thrée of Christendome and that therfore they shal haue great weight and authoritie with the orders and Parleament of France we neither can nor ought to doubt for our singular iudgement of their wisedome Moreouer it séemeth that we ought not to let slip euen that that the pope is reiected for an vnméete and incompetent iudge not onely of the most part of Europe but also of those Churches and nations which in Africa Egypt Syria the East Asia and Grecia do professe their name among Christian Churches The manifold crime of impietie and first for arrogating to himselfe the Godhead THerefore the first crime wherof the papacie is conuict and condemned of the most part of Europe we saie is impietie and that thréefold the first bicause the pope doth get to himselfe a certaine Godhead secondly he derideth and mocketh Christian religion last of all he bringeth in into the Church false and forged religions The testimonies of the first impietie are these The pope doth both reioice and boast that he is called God * where it is written thus It is sufficiently declared dist 96. satis that the pope cannot at all be either bound or loosed by the secular power who as it appeereth euidently was called of the most godlie prince Constantine God seeing that it is manifest that God cannot bee iudged of men Which place Augustine Steuche a most earnest defender of the pope and the kéeper of his librarie in the booke of the donations of Constantine pag. 141. praising and reciting addeth this Doest thou heare that the highest bishop was called of Constantine God and that he was taken for God This was done when he adorned him with that excellent edict He
Stella a Venetian written vnto the patriarch of Aquileia being cardinall priest of the church of Rome of the title of Saint Marke Last of all saith he he was made pope of Rome through the deuill his assistance Yet vpon this condition that after his death he should be wholie his both in bodie and soule by whose crafts he had attained vnto so great dignitie After this Syluester asked him how long he should liue pope He answered thou shalt liue vntill thou shalt say masse in Hierusalem Last of all in the fourth yeere of his popedome when as in the Lent-time in the solemne feast of the holie crosse he song masse in Hierusalem at Rome he knew foorthwith that he should die by destiny Wherefore repenting himselfe he confessed his fault before all the people and he praied them all that they would cut in quarters and peeces his body that was seduced by the deuils pollicie and being cut and torne a sunder they would lay it in a cart and that they woulde burie it there whither the horses should carie it of their owne accord Therefore they say that the horses came by Gods prouidence that wicked men may learne that there is place left for pardon with God so they repent in this life of their owne accorde to the church called Lateranensis and that he was buried there Thus writeth Stella the Venetian There is extant also a certaine sermon made in the Easter time by Iohn Gerson gouernour of the Vniuersitie of Paris wherin he left it written that pope Iohn the xxij did holde that the soules of the wicked are not in paine before the day of iudgement Which heresie of his the schoole of Sorbona in the same Vniuersitie did stoutlie condemne and caused that pope to recant his errour Of the same sort of impietie is that which we will set downe in the wordes of Raphaell Volaterane out of his fift booke of Geographie where speaking of pope Sixtus the fourth whose name this our Quintus tooke and whose godlines also he doth follow he writeth thus The pope being priuie and helping thereto the conspiratours come to Florence and they meete all togither in the church of S. Reparata at the masse and sacrifice in the morning In the meane while Saluiatus departing the church priuilie with his confederates being armed he goeth into the court that he might speake vnto the banner-bearer feigning that he had some other busines Yet to this end and purpose that when the murder should begin in the church he might be present and readie to set vpon the court and magistrate Therefore when the watch word was giuen in the Eleuation time marke the notable testimonie of the popes holines The watch word saith he being appointed in time of the Eleuation Bandinus did stick Iulian de Medicis brother to Laurence Antonie which was desirous to be chiefe setteth vpon Laurence on the other side behinde his backe and smote him a little below the throte When as he forthwith turning himselfe vnto crieng did auoide the stroke he fled with speed from him as he was about to strike again into the vestrie of the church that was neere to him Then the popes ambassador who gaue that watch word to commit the murder in the time of the Eleuation being caught by the citizens and led by them out of the church into the court was committed to ward and was handled as he had deserued In the meane season Saluiatus bishop of Pisa who of set purpose did protract his speech with the banner-bearer that he might see the ende was foorthwith caught and was the same day hanged vp at the court windowes which message when it came to the popes eares he did excommunicate Laurence de Medicis who as we haue said was faine to saue himselfe by flieng bicause he had laid hands on Gods priests and legate and he proclaimed open war against the Florentines Thus writeth Volateranus Whereby euerie man may sée what great account the popes vse to make of their Eucharist And yet notwithstanding they will haue all Christian religion placed in worshipping carieng about reuerencing and honoring with all maner honor the same But we must bring foorth another argument For what more certaine thing can be brought to shewe the impietie of the popes than that which is common in euery mans mouth that the order at Rome is so often as the popes go on progresse that that Eucharist being laid vpon some leane carrian iade about whose necke a bel is hanged is committed to some horse-kéeper and is sent before amongst the scullions and drudges and other cariage as a messenger to shew the pope was cōming For in the booke of the popes ceremonies 1. sect cap. 3. it is thus written After them is led by a friend of the Sextins clothed in red and carrieng a staffe in his left hand a white horse being gentle carrieng the sacrament of the Lords bodie hauing about his necke a shrill little bell Next after the sacrament rideth the Sextin who as the other prelates hath an horse all couered with buckerom c. Also sect 12. ca. 1. After them is led a white horse trapped gentle and faire hauing a shrill little bell about his necke which carrieth the coffer with the most holie bodie of the Lord. Also cap. 4. Before the pope is alwaies carried the crosse by the Subdeacon and after the crosse is carried the bodie of Christ vpon a white horse with a little bell c. And these are the ordinances of the popes pompe but they are but ordinances For those which frequent Rome do with great consent witnes both concerning the iade that is sent before and also touching the sending of him amongst other carriage There is a booke extant written by Iohn Monlucius bishop of Valentia who was often sent ambassador to Rome for the king of France which booke was written touching religion to Quéene mother whose words are these * being Pag. 101. turned out of French into Latin Quoties Papa c. So often as the pope goeth on progresse least he seeme to giue too much honor to his Eucharist he doth not carrie it in his hands but he sendeth it away before him three or fower daies before he himselfe goeth out of the citie being laid vpon an horses back wherwith he sendeth to beare it companie singers mulitors horse-keepers and other such of his garde of his court that is cookes kitchingboies and curtisans these are his words Then the pope who saith that he is his vicar followeth afterward garded and trouped with cardinals bishops and other such peeres When he commeth to the towne then that which he calleth the bodie of Christ which hath rested it selfe a while there is brought out of the towne to meet him and straightway they salute one another by becking saieng not one word And then he sendeth it before him againe but with how great honor The pope is carried into the citie vnder a rich canapie the bodie
of Christ is carried open What need was there to bring that out of Rome and to carrie it into another citie seeing there is no parish that is not full of this sort What need is there to send it away three fower sixe ten daies before the popes comming If the pope haue instituted that to this end that it may be brought to meet him to accompanie him and to set forth his entrance into the towne there is no towne so simple or poore where there are not such bodies to bee found If it must needs be brought out of Rome why doth not the pope himselfe bring it foorth or at least giue commandement that it be carried with him rather than send it before him amongst packe horses and his scullerie But if for obtaining of rain as they vse to do at Paris and in other places they carrie the image of any Saint or Saintesse from one church to another they vse to do it with great pompe and assemblie of men they haue torches banners crosses and other ornaments borne before them Nay for the most part those which carrie those images are naked and only clad in linnen or at least they go bare foote And the pope will not be ashamed to send that before him which he will haue men to beleeue to be the bodie of Christ with a little lanterne and shut vp in a pixe being laid vpon an horse and accompanied with the riff raff of his court Who wil think it to be a thing like to be true that he that professeth himselfe to be head of the church would commit so great an offence if he had verily beleeued that the bodie of Iesus Christ was corporally vnder that sacrament Thus writeth Monlucius Wherunto we may also adde that which is approoued by the authoritie of many popes and is openly receiued in the Romish church out of the booke of the Conformities of S. Francis As Frier Francis Fol. 72. was saieng masse he found a spider in the chalice which he would not cast out but drank hir with the bloud Afterward as he rubbed his thigh and scratched where he felt it itch the verie spider came out of his thigh without doing the Frier any harme Also One named Fol. 67. Bonelus would not beleeue that the consecrated host was the bodie of the Lord and he said that his asse would eate the hosts which when S. Anthonie heard he said masse and brought a consecrated host to the asse and shewed it hir Forthwith the asse kneeled downe and bowing downe hir head did worship it Which when Bonelus saw he became a catholike Doth it not séeme that the pope learned in the schoole of this asse that wherof we spake before that when the Eucharist is brought to him he vseth to becke and bow downe his head and so to salute it Of feigned religions THe third argument of the popes impietie remaineth For although we haue both a forme of Christian religion and also to worship God prescribed both by Christ and also by his apostles and though we haue the same deliuered vnto vs in the bookes of the new Testament and God doth accurse those so often which bring in feigned religions into the Church yet the papacie hath brought in new inuentions of religion so absurd and rediculous that in so great calamitie we must notwithstanding giue thankes to the immortall God that he hath suffered so great wickednes to befall the dull wits alone The inuentions of religions are these in a maner first the innumerable troupes of Munks as Augustinians Battuti Benedictines Bernardines Carmelites Capuchines Cartusians Caelestines Dominicans of ignorant Friers Franciscans Hieronymitans Maturines of which euerye order hath his particular forme of cowléd gownes distinct from the rest and of diuers colors euery one of them haue their proper and seuerall prescript forms to worship their Gods and as they say in plaine words their prescript forms of their religion their rites and ordinances far vnlike to the rest Yet there is such a multitude of them that in our Europe the number is thought to amount to fiue hundred thousand Which we may easily coniecture For Sabellicus hath left in writing * that the sect of Franciscans did Ennead 9. li. 6. so swarme throughout the whole world that there were of them fortie prouinces and that vnder euerie one there were sundry kéepers of the conuent Wardons they call them and thréescore thousand men So that the maister of the whole order which they call their generall hath oftentimes béen heard promise the pope at such time as he was to set out an army against the Turke of the familie of the Seraphicall Francis thirtie thousand men of war which coulde play their parts stoutly in the wars without any hinderance of the holie seruice Againe their inuentions of miracles and doctrines are so false that now the most of them are not onelie wearie but also ashamed of so great follie Neither would it séeme to be a thing like to be true in any mans iudgement at this time that the vanitie of mankind was so great in times past and that the darknes of religion was so great vnlesse there were proofes héerof extant more cléere than the sunne For no man in déed denieth that amongst the Romans and other profane nations there were most absurd inuentions of religions but sillie men liued then in cruell and darke clouds and as it were in a night when the moone shineth not that is without any moniments of holie scripture But when as the same bookes of scripture were extant where Christ gaue light to mankind as the sunne beame who would thinke that sathan and the pope could preuaile so much by their messengers that in so great light they should notwithstanding blind mens eies and as it were kéepe them fast bound with bands Go to then let vs also fet out of the moniments of the Franciscans and Dominicans some examples of this kind of forgerie For séeing this pope Sixtus came out of that crew and sinke we must sée what maner forme of religion he bringeth vs out of that schoole Therfore let be ranged in the first ranke that common oracle which we wil prooue out of the booke of the Conformities of Francis to be commonly receiued and approoued in the church of Rome that Francis sonne of Peter Bernardo was in a trance conioined with Christ and had as many stripes marks and was pricked by Christ in the selfsame places as Christ had when he hanged vpon the crosse and that for this cause he was called the Typicall Iesus that is as it were a type and figure of Christ crucified So that as the seale or print maketh a marke in the wax so Christ did imprint his wounds in the bodie of Francis like Iesus Christ is the image of the father so is Francis the image of Christ finally that Christ appéereth in the bodie of Francis as the image in the glasse Wherupon commeth that wicked
our hands the fearfull decrées of the popes wherein they most sharply forbid that no man presume to doubt of the credit of these histories and they decrée that they be receiued in the catholike Church of Rome that if any man thinke otherwise he be counted an heretike and a schismatike For in the same booke * Dist. 22. c. omnes it is thus written Pope Gregorie the 9. hath made sundry buls of the holines Fol. 234. col 3. of S. Francis and his marks wherein he affirmeth that S. Francis had truly in his bodie imprinted by Christ the marks of the L. Iesus And he commandeth all the faithfull to hold this and to beleeue it and that the wise man opposing himselfe against it be punished for an heretike The Lord Alexander the fourth who saw the marks of S. Francis with his owne eies whiles S. Francis was yet aliue speaketh thus in his bull The eies that sawe faithfully saw and the most sure fingers of those that handled felt the marks in the bodie of the same S. whiles he was yet liuing Thirdly the L. pope Nicolas the 3. gaue the like bul Fourthly the L. pope Benedict the 12. And forasmuch Dist. 11. in fi dist 12. c. 1. seq dist 22. c. reputatur dist 22. ca. omnes in fine as the determination of the holie Church of Rome is most true and certain for the Church of Rome must be followed as a mistresse in all things and he that speaketh against hir is counted an heretike * 24. q. 1. bicause she hath neuer erred frō the path of the apostolike tradition * dist 11. c. palam dist 12. c. praecep 24. q. 1. c. quoties 11. q. 3. episcop § Sola 17. q. 4. nemini vnto which we must haue recourse in doubtful and hard matters * and she is of force to iudge all and none is permitted to iudge hir * and the same church of Rome hath declared that S. Francis was marked by Christ as it appeereth by the foresaid buls Wherefore this must be holden most firmly as true and he that holdeth the contrarie must be despised of all as an heretike and especially seeing the foresaid two popes Gregorie and Alexander did not onelie see it with their owne eies but do also expressely say that it hath beene witnessed by witnesses woorthie of credit And streightway Sixtly Col. 3. the marking of S. Francis is made authenticall euen by the testimonie of the wicked spirits of whom we haue spoken before Thus far out of Fol. 234. the booke of the Conformities so that all men may now plainly sée that it is not for nothing that we do so greatly vrge these things For our frier the excommunicator of kings and princes will not suffer these things to be counted but trifles especially séeing he hath tumbled so long in the filth of the Franciscans and doth now professe himselfe to be a patrone and defender of that order and commandeth that they be counted heretikes which will not beléeue and highly estéeme of the church of Rome in all points Whereof that no man may doubt these things are taught not in one place of that booke that is fol. 234. but euen in the verie entrie of the booke also * Fol. 3. in these words In what saint was the monstrous marking made Surely in none other but in our holie father Francis as the church of Rome doth auouch and commandeth the faithfull to beleeue Secondly pope Benedict also granted the order a feast to be celebrated and kept for the marks Moreouer Antoninus bishop of Florence saith thus Pope Alexander the 4. anno 1254. taking into his speciall Lib. hist. 3. tit 24. § 10. protection immediately the mount of Aluerne bicause of the impression of the holie marks made there in the bodie of S. Francis and making the same subiect to the church of Rome and giuing S. Francis great commendation he gaue an effectuall commandement that the friers should neuer forsake that holie mountaine The same yeere being at Anagnia he sent a seruant to carrie letters to the faithfull seruants of Christ according to the tenor of Gregorie the 9. touching the holie marks of Saint Francis wherein he affirmeth that he saw them with his owne eies Also he sent other letters to the Archbishop of Genua commanding that he should personally cite and call before him those that had maliciously put out the marks of the image of S. Francis in the church of S. Marie and ministerie of S. Xistus to be punished as they had deserued inhibiting vnder danger of cursing that no man heereafter should attempt to do the like Nicolas the third being pope about the yeer 1280. sent letters to al the faithfull seruants of Christ containing a certaine testimonie of the holie marks of Francis Thus writeth Antoninus So that no man ought now to doubt but that all Christians especially so long as this Franciscane frier beareth rule in the Church must prepare themselues either to abide the punishment appointed for schismatikes and heretikes or else to imbrace these inuentions of the Franciscanes for diuine oracles giuen by the church of Rome And that we may haue other and more commodious store of choice it séemeth not vnappertinent to cite out of the same booke of Conformities certaine other notable things such as is that A certaine citizen Fol. 66. saith he slept and was rapt vp into heauen where he saw Christ and S. Marie and other Saints all which went as they go on procession giuing reuerence to Christ and his mother But when he saw not S. Francis he said to the Angell that led him where is S. Francis with his crue in this place The Angell answered Tarie and thou shalt see S. Francis and in what state he is and he saw and behold Christ lifted vp his right arme and out of the wound in his side came Saint Francis with the banner of the crosse displaied in his hands and after him a great multitude of friers and others Then that citizen gaue his goods to the friers and he became a frier minor Also S. Francis Fol. 2. making a representation of the natiuitie had Christ in his armes and whiles he praied the virgin that she would grant him comfort of hir sonne Iesus the most beautifull virgin hir selfe stood by him and gaue him to S. Francis to hold in his armes and kisse from the euening till it was day Some will say these are toies and very bables but these trifles as it was somtimes said are counted among them matters of weight Also by these we vnderstand how wickedly these former popes haue mocked the Church of Christ in feining religions vsing the helpe of one Bartholomew Pisanus in patching these fables togither and in forcing them vpon the vnskilfull multitude in stéed of holie scripture What Whether may we call these trifles or rather detestable and execrable things which are written in these words Francis
he is neither dead but liueth an euerlasting and blessed life and séeing he is perpetually present in his church hée doth alwaies execute the office of the chiefest pastor and priest Moreouer we may 1. Pet. 2. Mark 16. 20. Psal 110. Heb. 2. 4. 7. 9. adde that also without any doubting that no bishop can be called the successor no not of Peter or of any other Apostle as the canonists vse to call the pope Peters successor Apud Decium in l. qui per successionem D. regul iur in Decius where when the lawiers vse to say that The heire of an heire that is the Testator is the heire of the testator though he be heire by the longest succession the Canonists reason that euery pope is the successor of Peter though there came manie betwéene For no bishop hath his cause from Peter or any other Apostle but from the choice made by the authoritie of Christ neither doth the place sea or chaire make the succession but the continuance of the doctrine of Christ when as the religion receiued of Christ is continually deliuered by all the successors as by hands to the Christian people Wherefore those new shifts of certaine of the popes clawebacks make nothing against vs who being mooued by hope of some benefice dispute thus that the pope of Rome is not the spirituall head of the catholike church but the ministeriall bicause like as Christ doth gouerne particular churches that is particular dioces by particular bishops his vicars in like sort the same Christ doth gouerne his vniuersall Church by some one vniuersall vicar of his namely the pope of Rome who kéepeth in doing their duty those inferior and particular bishops that are subiect to his iurisdiction For we answere this obiection thrée manner of waies First that this principalitie is not onely not ordained of Christ but also that it is brought in by the pope of Rome by ambition and desire to lord it For when Christ sent his twelue Apostles about to preach his Gospell he gaue not to som one some singular and principall commandement but the like one to them all thus Go ye into all coasts of the earth and preach the Gospell among all people and nations And therefore in the Reuelation the heauenlie Ierusalem is not said to be founded vpon one and a particular piller or especially vpon one of all the rest but simplie vpon twelue and when as vpon the day of Pentecost the holie Ghost was powred out vppon the twelue Apostles he was not powred out vpon some one of them especially and chiefly but he was simply powred out vpon all Last of all when Paul describeth the functions and offices of the pastors of the Church he doth not giue to any one the principalitie or lordship ouer the rest but he expoundeth to them the same in plaine words Christ is gone vp on high he hath led captiuitie captiue and hath giuen gifts to men For he hath made some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some pastors and teachers for the restoring of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie to the edifieng of the bodie of Christ. The other answere is that if Christ or Peter had ordained any principalitie and one ministeriall head in his Church no doubt the primitiue Church would haue retained that ordinance being so fresh in memorie But on the contrarie we sée that the most ancient generall Synods of all namely the Nicene that of Constantinople of Ephesus and Chalcedon did ordaine that ouer euery citie should be appointed a bishop that done that euery prouince should haue an Archbishop or patriarke hauing all like dignitie authoritie iurisdiction power degrée besides that it was granted to the Archbishop of Rome that for the antiquitie and honor of the city he should sit in the first place but yet not in an higher place and next him should sit the Archbishop of Constantinople for the selfe-same cause bicause he was bishop of new Rome being the emperors citie wheras if they had had regard of the more ancient Church that first or else the second place shuld haue béen due to the bishop of Antiochia then the bishop of Alexandria of Hierusalem afterward the thrée archbishops of Iustinian made by the emperor Iustinian for most light causes shuld take place in like seats which causes we will shew afterward vnder the crime of forgerie where we will reckon vp the forgeries cossenages and corruptions deuised by the pope of Rome to fill vp this his ambition The third answer is that séeing Christ did appoint his Apostles to be messengers and preachers of his commandements to go throughout diuers coasts of the earth we read not that any one of them was appointed to be an Archmessenger especially to be mute and to be at ease that he might lie busking and loitering at Rome and harken after those things that were done in other places of the world wheresoeuer and might in the meane season serue his ambition For bishops are nothing else but messengers of Christ and proclaimers of his commandements ordained in euery citie like as in times past the emperors of Rome were woont to giue things in charge to the Proconsuls and Presidents as all those that are students of the law and antiquities of the Romans do affirme Therefore he that is dumbe either by nature or will that is he that kéepeth silence and doth not execute the office of a messenger herald and doth not preach the Gospell he is not only not woorthy of the authoritie but not so much as of the name of bishop or archbishop But bicause the popes in their decretals do in euery third line inculcate that song Bicause it was said to Peter Feede my sheepe and Vpon this rocke it is woorth the paines to set downe the true and naturall interpretation of those places For Augustine in his 124. tract vpon Iohn When saith he it was said to Peter I will giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon earth he ment the vniuersal church that is founded vpon the rocke From whence euen Peter tooke his name For the rocke was not called Petra of Peter but Peter of Petra or the rocke as Christ tooke not his name of Christians but Christians of Christ. For therefore the Lord saith Vpon this rocke will I build my Church bicause Peter had said Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Therefore vpon this rocke saith he which thou hast confessed will I build my Church For Christ was the rocke vpon which foundation euen Peter himselfe was builded For no man can lay any other foundation than that which is alreadie laid which is Iesus Therefore the Church that is founded in Christ receiueth from him the keies of the kingdome of heauen in Peter that is power to bind and loose sinnes For the same which Christ is in the Church by propertie the same is Peter in the rocke by
statutes sometimes aduancing their empire sometimes depressing it a little and a little But to what end saue onely that by little and little they might put all things vnder their feete both heauenly things as also earthlie things both temporall and also spirituall things as they call them as they do openly boast Let the second author come foorth which is Iohn Peter of Ferrara in whose publike practises which hée wrote aboue an hundred and fiftie yéeres ago we find it thus written This desire did In formula act confess so increase that not onely the lay men but also the high priests and clerks are throughly infected with such an infection and vice For thou seest him that should follow the footesteps of Iesus Christ as his true vicar possesse and seeke with a strong hand to detaine the iurisdiction vpon earth in cities and townes and places which belong naturally both by the creation of the world and also by the ordinance of Christ to the empire of Rome according to that Giue to God that which is Gods and to Caesar that which is Caesars Yea the pope himselfe endeuoreth to haue the superioritie ouer the emperor which to speake is ridiculous and to heare abhominable Also * Note how and how manie In forma resp rei conuen nu 10. waies these clerks do insnare the laymen and inlarge their owne iurisdiction But alas for you sillie emperors and secular princes which endure this and other things and make your selues slaues to the popes and see the world vsurped by them infinite waies and do not seeke to remedie these things bicause you giue not your selues to wisedome and knowledge Therefore marke and remember what Hierom saith Perusing old histories I cannot find that anie did diuide the Church and seduce the people from the Lords house saue those that were made priests to God Thus wrote that practitioner an hundred and fiftie yéeres ago as we said fréely stoutly and couragiously wheras notwithstanding about that time the Church of Christ was most of all oppressed with the tyrannous lordship of the popes Why should any man therefore maruell at this time if we detest the impietie of Sixtus the fift in defending the feigned religions of his Francis his crueltie in renting in péeces the kingdome of France so often his madnes in treading vnder foote the maiestie of kings his robberie and sacrilege in taking away church-goodes Let vs heare another saieng of the same practitioner * where he In formu rei con §. Praes saith thus Italie shall neuer be in quiet vntill the church do not possesse all cities or castels and vntill the Donation made by Constantine be quite reuoked by some good and mightie emperour seeing the Psalter harpe do not well agree togither neither was it granted by Christ or S. Peter that they ought to possesse such things but let that be giuen to Caesar that is Caesars and let that be giuen to God that is Gods Also * Men saith he may In formu sent indefinit §. sed ad quemcunque appeale to the pope omitting any meane Which promise was put in for this cause that they might draw suites to their court and satisfie their couetousnes which notwithstanding they will neuer do bicause the minde desire indeuour of clearkes aboue the rest is in heaping vp money contrarie to common honestie and their promise made to God giuing none attendance not bending their studie to good maners nor to the scriptures of God Also * Thou ignorant In for libel quo agitur ex sub §. ex suo corpore lay man thou must know that the empire had sometime both swords namely the temporall and the spirituall and so consequently that at that time the emperours gaue al ecclesiasticall benefices throughout the whole world and they did ouer besides choose the pope as it is in c. Adrianus 13. dist not at Innocent in c. 2. de maior obedient The emperours granted a priuilege that the goods of those that betooke themselues to lead a munks life should be applied to the monasteries by reason of which priuilege monasteries haue bin multiplied and an infinite number haue bin founded throughout the whole world in times past for deuotions sake though at this day for spoile and couetousnes sake in so much that they haue destroied the world and haue annihilated the state of the empire and of all the laitie Therefore those places whether made or to be made may woorthily be called nets to catch the goods of lay men Therefore let a good emperour arise let al men say Peace be in thy strength and abundance in thy towers The crime of Treason IT followeth that we come to the crime of treading vnder foote maiestie For why should we say that it is hurt or diminished Séeing the papacie for the space of these foure hundred yéers hath so proudly contemned all both emperors kings and potentates of Europe that it accounted them not onely vassals and feudataries but also most base bondslaues Of which furious pride these are most sure Extrauag de maior obedientia testimonies first in c. vnam sanctam Vpon necessitie of saluation we must beleeue that euerie creature is subiect to the pope of Rome Also that The bishop of Rome is placed ouer nations and kingdomes * The pope hath superioritie c. 1. Extrauag de consuetud ouer the empire and when the empire is vacant he succeedeth the emperor Clement Pastoralis de re iudic The pope can translate the empire from nation to nation * The pope c a. venerabil de elect c. 2. de re iud may depose the emperor * The pope of Rome hath the monarchie of both powers both spirituall and temporall he hath the principality of the priesthood and he is the head of Christian religion * Looke how much the sun doth surpasse c. fundament de elect in 6. the moone so much doth the pope surpasse the emperor * Al men of what dignitie and preeminence c. solit ext de maior obed soeuer they be so soone as they come in the popes presence standing a good way off they must kneele thrise before him and kisse his feet In the first booke of the popes ceremonies * When the pope climeth vp the lader Sect. 3. c. 3. to take horse the greater prince that is present yea though he were a king or emperour he must holde the popes styrrop and then leade his horse by the brydle a little way If the emperour or king were alone that is there were not another king they must leade the horse alone with the right hand But if there were another king then the more woorthy should holde the brydle on the right hand and the other on the left hand But if the pope were not carried vpon an horse but in a chaire or litter also if the emperour or a king were present they must carrie the chaire or litter and
Francis the first that if any would imbrace the reformed religion they might be burnt aliue hauing their toongs cut out and hauing fire put vnder them Among the king of France his constitutions there be extant the edicts of that king published in the yéere 1534. and also in the fortieth and againe in the 42. by the authoritie whereof the Senators of the Parleament shed so much blood and yet with so great godlines and constancie of the martyrs that it séemeth that the posteritie will scarce beléeue it What these hellish fiends gained by this crueltie it is woorth the knowing by the testimonie of him thā whom no more plentifull witnes can be brought foorth in this kind That is king Henrie the second the father of these latter kings a prince as most men may remember most famous both at home and in war For his edict written at Castrobriant in the moneth of Iune 1551. is extant the words wherof are these All men might see before this with what studie and with how great contention our father whom God absolue king Francis being a most Christian king and most catholike endeuoured greatly during all his life time to roote out heresies which budded out in his realme against our holie faith and catholike religion and how manie lawes and constitutions the same king with the same mind and purpose did publish as the varietie and necessitie of times did require Notwithstanding that so great studie and indeuour did no great good For that disease was so spred through al the most noble families of our realm that it did infect like a certaine contagion the families of all sorts and orders Thus saith he in his edict which containeth six and fortie articles being all of them written most bitterly and sharply to stop the course of that religion Moreouer shortly after that is in the yéere 1547. there was another edict published by the same king wherin by name he professeth in manie words and doth plainly denounce that he hath omitted no labour no indeuor no diligence in suppressing that religion Onely so Nay surely saith he the more carefully and painfully we labored to do this so much the more that doctrine gat the vpper hand Surely we may coniecture what was his indeuor and trauell euen by that that all men know that there died of that miserable and bitter kind of punishment a great number of all sorts of men There succéeded these kings to wit the grandfather and father king Francis the second his edicts to wit sixe in number were most sharpe and vehement besides innumerable broad seales and letters patents which he sent continually through all parts of his kingdome with so great heate of mind and stomach that aboue thrée hundred men were in lesse than thrée moneths space tormented scortched burnt and as it was commonly written in the decrées of the senate brought into ashes by the decrées especially of the senate of Paris and Tholosa This so great abundance of blood that was shed might peraduenture satisfie euen the most bloodie tyrants such as the report goeth Cyclops Busiris Siron Phalaris Tython Gyges were in times past But so great crueltie cannot satisfie the pope of Rome whom we may rightly tearme a rebell against mankind It is woorth the hearing what good he did For there is extant a decrée of the same king Francis the second published at Ambosia in the moneth of March anno 1559 in these words which we would haue the kings Counsellers to read very attentiuely and to consider of what weight it is We to the end we might answere and satisfie our princely office were inforced to vse diuers kinds of punishments and paines as the state of things and times did require But by the instruments of criminall causes it is knowen and reuealed that a great number of men women ages kinds and of all orders were present at vnlawful and priuy sermons suppers baptizings administred by those for whom it was not lawfull to do that But and if euerie one of these should be put to torture as the rigor of our authoritie and lawes doth require there should woonderfull much blood be shed of men women virgins yong men of florishing age whereof some being induced and suborned other some being persuaded through a certaine simplicitie and ignorance other some inticed rather with a certain curiositie than of malice haue fallen into such errors and discommodities Which things if it should come to passe we should be greatly and continually sorie neither should that well agree either with our age or nature both which do inuite vs to vse clemencie gentlenes and mercie in this kinde Therefore we will haue all men know that when this whole matter was in due time handled by our Counsellers in our presence we are not determined to leaue this first yeere of our reigne famous to our posteritie as cruel bloodie and full of the murders of our silly subiects though they had greatly deserued this yea after the example of our heauenly father we are determined to spare the blood of our people and to bring backe our subiects to the way of saluation and to preserue their life hoping that through the Lords mercie it will come to passe that we shall do more good by the way of gentlenes and clemencie than by the rigor of punishments Therefore according to the opinion of our foresaid Counsellers we say appoint ordain that heerafter our subiects be not molested for the cause of crimes that are past which concern faith religion by our iudges of what sort and condition soeuer they be neither in iudgement nor without iudgement Moreouer we declare that we grant to our subiects a general pardon remission absolution for such crimes as concerne faith religion And shortly after By the authority of the king who was chiefe in this counsel according to the sentēce of the lords cardinals of Bourbon of Lorraine of Chastillon the dukes of Montpensier of Guise of Niuernois and of Aumale Thus far goeth Francis the second plainly as it appéereth declaring and testifieng that the tortures and punishments of former times did nothing at all auaile to extinguish this religion What did then the fiends and enimies of mankinde the popes of Rome What did they So soone as they perceiued that some of the nobles of that realme and furthermore that some of the princes of the blood roiall had tasted of that religion and had reiected the deceits of Bernardo and Dominick so soone as they foresaw that France would by little and little winde hir selfe out of the bondage of the papacie into Christian libertie finally so soone as they saw that so fat a praie would be taken out of their iawes they began to cast new firebrands of ciuill war throughout all parts of France That done when this would not serue they appointed furious massacres and butcheries to the euerlasting discredite of the name of France last of all when they perceiued that euen this way they
to pope Innocentius and praied him to confirme his order of predicants The pope shewed himselfe at the first hard to be intreated but vpon a certaine night in a reuelation shewed him by God he saw in his sleepe that the ioints and couplings of the Laterane church were as it were loosed and did threaten that it would shortly fall Which when he beheld trembling and also sorrowing the man of God Dominic came to preuent it who setting to his shoulders he did vphold all that frame that was like to fall at the strangenes of which vision whiles he did woonder and wisely vnderstanding also the signification thereof he did ioifully accept the petition of Dominic anno Domini 1210. Thus saith he But what if the Dominicans also who haue now more than thrée hundred yéers with their shoulders vnderpropped the papacie that is like to fal do also begin to faint and to be weakened There is another helping piller found For the Iesuits are risen of late that they being sound fresh may aide the wearie Dominicans So that the matter is now brought to the third rank as it is in the prouerbe Who being now weakened the pope is descended to the vaine thunderbolt of excommunications mistrusting the principall matter It followeth in the bull That not onely the times of our seruice but also all times to come may bring peace to all parts of Christendome We spake before of this kind of seruice Which we prooued to consist therein that kings and emperors do hold the popes stirrop when he alighteth from his horse that they wait vpon him when he entreth into cities like pages that they giue him diuine reuerence worship as he sitteth in his princely throne and that lieng prostrate vpon the ground and lieng at his féet for testifieng their bondage they kisse his shooes But what words are these At this time we condemne heretiks that the times to come may bring peace to Christendome Would our Sixtus vnles he had béen full gorged well whitled and starke drunke not rather haue writen That in time to come we may bring peace to Christendome But let vs procéed to the rest of the oracles of this bull For he addeth afterward In the realm of France Christian religion hath at all times beene in force and so great hath been the godlines faith and deuotion of those kings so manie haue been their good deserts toward the church of Rome that they had from it the sirname of most Christian. If alwaies Christian religion hath béen so greatly imbraced by the French kings why haue so many popes so and so often molested so manie kings of France with these most mad curses and proscriptions of theirs Surely this was the reward and thanks which the popes haue repaied for so great merits of the French kings toward them and their sea For what power soeuer the popes haue it is euident they had all that by the benefits and great liberalitie of the French kings and especially of king Pipinus Charles the great and Ludouike sirnamed Pius as we shewed before It followeth We are compelled to exercise our weapons that are not carnall against two Sonnes of wrath Henrie somtime king of Nauarre and Henrie somtime prince of Condie Surely if any man do not remember by the sword of Iulius the second whereof we spake before that the weapons of the popes are not carnall or fleshly but of iron and as Boniface the eight saith materiall yet shall he knowe this by these words of the same Boniface * Surely saith he he that denieth that Peters in c. vnam sanctam Extra de maiorit obedient sword is temporall he doth ill marke the word of the Lord who saith Turne backe thy sword into thy sheath Therfore both swords are in the power of the Church namely the spirituall and the materiall sword Was there euer any Sannio more ridiculous in any comedie than Bonifacius who saith that Peters sword which inasmuch as he was a fisherman he then peraduenture had at his girdle was such a sword as Paul writeth was giuen by God to magistrates that they might punish wicked and condemned persons Furthermore what great doltishnes is this bicause Christ forbiddeth Peter to vse his sword and commandeth him to put vp his sword into his sheath which he had drawen to reason thus That therefore it is lawfull for the popes to vse the materiall sword Therefore let our Sixtus looke about him how he can winde out himselfe out of this repugnance that the popes weapons are not carnall and that the pope hath power of the temporall sword the material sword the iron sword That the popes weapons are not of iron but that the king of France is commanded by the pope to pursue the king of Nauarre his néerest kinsman with sword armes and camp and to execute this his sentence in such sort that all France may be filled with burnings and murders For this is the very same which Boniface writeth in the same place that The spirituall sword is exercised by the church the temporall for the church the former by the hand of the priest the latter by the hand of kings and soldiers but at the beck and sufferance of the priest These be the words of pope Bonifacius written out in as many letters * least any man ex d. c. 1. de maior obed should doubt but that kings must be ready in arms at the popes becke as fencers at the becke of the maister of fence and that they must lay down their weapons when he beckeneth to them againe that no man I say may doubt but that the most cruell and fierce tyrant pope Sixtus the fift who in this place calleth the king of Nauarre and the prince of Condie by a new and strange kind of reproch Sonnes of wrath denounceth to al French men sword fire torture torment plague destruction and finally an vtter ouerthrow We are all indéed by nature sonnes of wrath as saith Paul Rom. 3. and Ephes 2. But the pope is a sonne of wrath by iudgement malice and will But what is that which he doth often repeate in this bull Sometime king We shall afterward sée more touching his kingdome But by what right hath our Henrie lost his name of king by the same whereby a Sharuebug a scholler of Francis Bernardo doth in this bul cal himselfe the monarch of the church Wo to thy head detestable vile-thiefe and most holie Antichrist Thou doest boast reioice that thou art called God as we haue shewed before Thou hast kings and emperors in stead of bondslaues thou desirest to haue diuine honor giuen thée by them If anie man denie to thée that seruile idolatrie shall he loose the name of a king or prince Let vs heare how greatly Saint Bernard detesteth this Antichrist in his sixt sermon vpon the CXCI. psalme The very offices saith he of the dignitie of the holie Church are gone into filthie gaine and the busines
pope that may be better Which historie the same Boerius recorded in the same 20. councell Therefore let thus much be answered to that exprobration of the dispensation For as concerning the last part of the popes declaration wherein the foresaid princes are iointly crushed with the popes potguns are excommunicate proscribed and their kingdoms dominions dukedoms principalities and iurisdictions adiudged to him that can first get them we haue sufficiently declared before that the most part of Christendome maketh like account long ago of this kinde of trifles as the most professors of the popes religion make of the miracles of Bernardo and Dominic at this day which religion notwithstanding is so staied vp with the orders of the Franciscans and Dominicans as with most strong pillers that if they should suffer those pillers to be vndermined they might thinke that their religion were quite vndone But it séemeth that we must speake somwhat more largely of those vain thunderbolts of the popes long ago contemned and counted as nothing Of the vaine and contemptible thunderbolst of the popes FOr to cite a few of many testimonies when pope Boniface the eight had proscribed with this same ancient boldnes Philip the faire king of France the king hauing assembled a parlement did decrée according to the sentences of the orders that the filthie legates of the pope being reproched and ill intreated should be banished out of the borders of his kingdome Boniface the pope saith Laurentius Valla who deceiued Celestine with trumpets that he had put into a wall depriued the king of France of his kingdome of France and iudged that the kingdome it selfe as if hee would execute the donation of Constantine was and is subiect to the church of Rome What with what minde did king Philip suffer this his madnes It séemeth more fit to hear the whole matter out of the words of Platina himselfe Boniface saith Platina sent the archdeacon of Narbon to tell the king that he should set at libertie the bishop of Apame If he would not do that he should say in the hearing of all men that the kingdome of France was turned ouer to the church and that he should adde a curse and should absolue all the French men from their oth taken to the king Is not this the very same forme of proscription which our mad headed Sixtus hath vsed in proscribing the king of Nauarre and prince of Condie Platina procéedeth But in the meane season saith he Philip king of France taking the arrogancie of pope Boniface impatiently holding a great assemblie of ecclesiasticall persons and noble men at Paris and setting downe the iniuries that he had receiued at Bonifacius his hands and his ambition and wicked subtilties to get the popedome which he held vniustly he appealed vnto the sea apostolike which was at that time as he said vacant and vnto the next councel that should be held Wherwith Boniface being smitten holding a generall councell he maketh Philip and his kingdome subiect to Albertus the emperor whom he had reiected and put backe in the beginning of his popedome But then Philip willing to tame his pride sent Sarra Columniensis knowen in part of Massilia and redeemed from pyrates with Nogaretius a most faithfull French knight to Rome for this cause as he did openly declare that they might publish his appeale For he had another purpose in his head For Sarra entring into Italie apparelled like a seruing man hauing gathered togither his friend out of all parts sendeth Nogaretus before to Terentine with two hundred horsemen being French men and hired out of the campe of Charles Valesius that they might aide him from thence if need should be But entring by night secretly into Agnania hauing the Gibellines to aide him whom Boniface had long and greatlie vexed he caught the pope in his fathers house fearing no such thing after he had brok vp the gates he bringeth him captiue to Rome where 35. daies after he died for sorow Thus writeth Platina where he addeth also that of Iohn Andreas Baldus that he is as a dead dog who entred like a fox and ruled like a lion * In which place Bald. in c. 1. de nat feud it séemeth we ought not to omit that which our cowled frier hath left in writing in his booke of conformities * in these words Fol. 103. Pope Vrbane the fift swore to destroy our order but he died shortly after pope Bonifacius the eight caused manie buls to be made all of one tenor that the friers minors should be dispatched as the tēplars that our whole order might be destroied in one day Before he could send them he was taken prisoner the buls were burned and the pope himselfe died miserably But omitting trifles let vs sée to other things Surely by these things we vnderstand that euen at that time that is in the yéere M. cccvj these mad and furious proscriptions of the popes were contemned of the French kings counted as nothing Neither was the vertue and courage of king Charles the sixt inferior about the yéere M. ccccxviij For as we vnderstand by the records of the senate of Paris both French and Germane chronicles so soone as Martinus the fift was made pope in the councell of Constance being not content with so many and so great tributes vpon which two former Antipopes and also thrée former Antipopes and a little before fower Antipopes relieng had nourished deadly wars amongst them almost for the space of fortie yéers he began to command moreouer new tributes in the churches and especially of France Which message after the king had receiued he determined foorthwith to haue a parlement according to the custome In that assemblie after the matter had béen long time hard and debated a decrée was made that that new kind of the popes exactions should be inhibited Which so soone as pope Martin knew he sent foorthwith legates from his traine into France to inhibite principally all the citie of Lions from all holie things This was woont to be the force of those inhibitions of the popes in that time of darknes if happilie any man knew it not that they shut vp all the church doores there was no masse saide there was no vse or exercise of any religion there was also no ringing of bels Onely so Yea surely those that were dead might not be buried in churchyardes Wherewith it cannot in words be vttred how greatly mens minds infected with superstition were terrified What did they then Foorthwith according to the authoritie of the publike assemblie the decrée of the senate of Paris it was pronounced that that curse should be counted as nothing Let them remember let thē think vpon let them meditate vpon these things if there be any in our country of France either so ignorant and vnskilful of things or so euil affected towards mightie princes that they thinke that this foolish and ridiculous proscription of our cowled frier is of any
this was the cause that Ferdinando did cast out the king his neighbor though he did also pretend another bicause both the king of France and those that did aid him were pronounced accursed by the popes edict and their kingdoms were made common Thus writeth Ferronus whereby we may coniecture what great danger hangeth ouer the most noble princes of Germanie and so consequently ouer all the kings of Europe by reason of that so néere a conspiracie of the popes and the Spanish inquisition For by this short cut any munke so he be of a craftie and subtill nature hauing taried some time in Spain as this our Sixtus and hauing béene conuersant with the inquisitors of Spaine may make such a bargain and league with them that if through their fauor and commendation he may obtaine the popedome then he may pronounce what king or prince soeuer he will a schismatike or heretike taking to him any occasion he may adiudge to them his kingdom opened and committed as a fée to the sea of Rome Therefore we are to wish that we may once haue some king giuen vs that may be of a valiant courage that he may thrust this whoore of Babylon out of hir seat and may at length rid the Church of Christ from so long and miserable seruitude and restore hir to hir former libertie and dignitie which courage that king of ours Ludouike the twelfth who was called the parent of the countrie being wearie of that bondage tooke vpon him when after that furious curse of pope Iulius he commanded French crownes to be coined in France with this inscription Ludouike 12. by the grace of God king of France duke of Mediolanum And then on the other side the armes of France and Mediolanum ioined togither with this inscription I will destroy Babylon Of which name if happily any man be ignorant let him read the Reuelation of Iohn ch 17. and Hierom in his catalog where he maketh mention of Mark and writeth plainly that Peter did figuratiuely vnderstand Rome by Babylon in his former epistle * Ch. 5. Also in the prolog of his booke touching the holie Ghost where he doth plainly call Rome Babylon and that purple whoore which is described in the Reuelation Which thing he doth likewise confirme vpon Esay c. 14. and againe c. 47. and vnto Aglasia in the 11. question For which cause Paula also and Eustochium in that epistle which they wrote vnto Marcellus do in like sort call Rome Babylon and no whit more obscurely Hierom in his epistle When I was at Babylon saith he a citizen of the purple whoore c. The conclusion of the former protestation THese things therefore being thus set down it remaineth that we conclude this reason Séeing pope Sixtus the fift hath béen condemned by the most part of Christendome of seauen most gréeuous crimes namely of impietie of vsing tyrannie in the Church of corrupt religion sacrilege treason rebellion and forgerie and séeing that hauing followed the insolencie boldnes and crueltie of those that went before him he hath published this most mad decrée contrarie to all lawes diuine and humane vsing false allegations and that without any iudiciall order yea foolishly blockishly impudently against the most excellent king of Nauarre and most noble prince of Condie and hath burdened them with filthie and geason reproches of words forasmuch as he called them sonnes of wrath obstinate heretiks notorious relapsed such as lie tumbling in filth rebels against the most Christian king persecutors of the Church a detestable issue traitors against God and man and did for these causes depriue them of their principalities dukedoms lordships fées and all honors and of the right of lawfull succession in the realme of France and forasmuch as this his old and outragious boldnes of abiudging and adiudging of kingdoms doth plainly appertaine vnto all kings princes and potentates of Europe and it is to be feared least those that shall be desirous of other mens kingdoms will lay wait for peaceable and quiet princes héerafter by this policie of excommunications or proscriptions for these causes the foresaid princes protest that the same pope Sixtus the fift is to be counted a wicked periured sacrilegious person a tyrant an author of feigned religions a cruell and bloodie murderer of the Church of Christ an importunate and wicked enimie of religion and to be most assuredly Antichrist and that al monarchs of Christendome kings princes potentates and those that haue any gouernment or lawful power are to be requested and earnestly intreated that they will helpe these most roiall princes to suppresse the furie of this fierce tyrant and to breake in péeces his cruell and furious assaults and that they will lay their heads togither and ioine togither their forces to extinguish that plague of mankind and to deliuer the Christian commonwealth from that monstrous and deadly monster In the meane season that the foresaid pope Sixtus the fift ought for his intollerable reprochfull words which he hath powred out against our foresaid princes with a beastly mind to be accounted and called of al Christians a most hidious monster a most filthy monster and a monster not woorthie to be bestowed euen in the farthest parts of the world but such a one as ought to be banished out of the coasts and borders of mans nature as a most certaine notorious and manifest Antichrist to whose accursed head all Christians ought to wish an euill plague ruine and destruction that so long as any breth shall remaine in his accursed bodie so long he may be to all the godlie Anathema Maranata as saith the holie Ghost And least happily any of vs do thinke this to be a new and vnwoonted kind of curse we will desire the readers that they will first of all remember those places which we cited before specially out of the books of Saint Bernard where the papacie of Rome is flatly plainly by name called Antichrist the sonne of perdition the man of sinne a diuell not onely of the day but also of the noone day who is not onely transfigured into an angell of light but is extolled aboue al that is called God or that is worshipped Now Hierom calleth Rome Babylon and the purpled whoore Secondly that they read and attentiuely consider the most holie sanction of the popes decrée * where it is ordained In c. 2. dist 23. c. si quis pecunia dist 79. that He which by monie or fauor of men such as it is manifest this frier had in the west parts or by tumult of the people or by anie pollicie that is by ambition and euill arts shall attaine to the papacie let him be accounted not apostolicall but apostaticall and let him togither with his fautors and followers be cast out of the bounds of the holie Church of God being thence separated as Antichrist and as an inuader and destroier of all Christendome Whereto the canonists durst with great consent subscribe and openly professe thus
a band-dog or Cerberus than this But as I haue alreadie said this boldnes of the pope against the king of Nauarr is not greatly to be woondered at séeing such was his vnbridled furie against the most mightie king of France Wherefore let vs heare rather other testimonies of like and the same pride for it is not for man to contend with satan in railing spéeches and it shall be sufficient to vse that curse of Michael the archangell The Lord Jude 1. 9. rebuke thee Therefore to returne to our purpose we must not passe ouer that testimonie of the same popish seruice which is reported touching the same Boniface who in the yéere 1300. when there was great concourse of people at Rome by reason of the Iubilie in the first solemne day the pope shewed himselfe to the people in his Pontificalibus the day following hauing on the attire of the emperor he commanded a naked sword to be borne before him crieng with a lowd voice I am the pope and emperor and I beare rule in earth and heauen And a few daies after hée proudly reiected Albertus created emperor by the electors of Germanie when he came to craue his confirmation denieng that the election had without his authoritie ought to be counted firme séeing he alone had the authoritie of both swords After some good space he confirmed him vpon condition that with al expedition he shuld make war against the French king whose kingdome he gaue him for a pray and reward of his victorie Which things are witnessed by Cuspianus in the life of Albertus in the chronicle of Vsperge and by the writers of the French chronicles But to what end do we prosecute these light and trifling things We haue before declared that the pope of Rome doth claime by the donation of Constantine the empire of al the west parts These be but bare words Wherefore let vs looke into the thing it selfe For we denie that there is any king in the west I meane of France Spaine Aragon Portugal Hungarie Bohemia England Scotland Denmarke Sueueland Ruscia Croatia Dalmatia whom the papacie of Rome will not haue to be vassall and feudatarie to it as if he had receiued his kingdome from him as a fée and benefit and ought for that cause to ow allegeance and to do homage to him It is much that we say and almost incredible to be spoken but the truth shall appéere by instruments that we wil bring to light and by testimonies that we will vse For we wil touch euery realme according to the order of the letters Of that of England AVgustine Steuchus the maister of the popes librarie doth witnes in his book of the donation of Constantine that in 2. pag. 138. that librarie of the popes there is extant a register of pope Alexander the 3. wherein is found an epistle to William king of England For as we vnderstand by that booke of Steuchus the maister of the librarie all the actes of euerie pope are written in seuerall registers to the which what credit we ought to giue the verie rule of the law doth show wherein it is said that a priuate writing must be beléeued but onely against the writer himselfe Therfore this was Alexander his epistle Your wisedome knoweth that the kingdome of Englande sithence the time that the name of Christ was there glorified hath bin vnder the hand and tuition of the chiefe of the Apostles For as you know full well the Englishmen were faithfull and in respect of godly deuotion and knowledge of religion they gaue a yeerely pension to the apostolike sea wherof some part was giuen to the bishop of Rome some part to the church of S. Marie which is called the schoole of the Englishmen to the vse of the brethren These things are cited out of Steuchus But I finde these testimonies in other places besides Steuchus Flauius Blondus in his 6. booke Decad. 2. Then saith he Iohn king of England fearing that he was not of sufficient force to deale with the French king fled to the mercy of Innocentius the third pope of Rome for making England and Ireland feudataries to the church of Rome by league he promised to pay for either Iland an hundred markes in gold yeerely Antonie of Florence saith * Iohn king of England of his own accord Hist. part 3. tit 19. §. quinto anno 1223. by the counsell of his princes offered and did freely grant to God and his most holie Apostles Peter Paul and to the holie church of Rome and to the lord Innocentius the third being pope all the kingdome of England and also of Ireland with all their rights and appurtenances and he hath done and sworne homage for the same kingdomes to the saide Innocentius the pope that he should hold them hereafter as a feudatarie of the said pope and his successours Whereof also Polidore Virgill maketh mention in his 15. booke By this instrument of the pope if as I said we may giue credence to a priuate writing the realme of England is feudatarie to the pope Go to let vs sée the rest Of the kingdome of Arragonia STeuchus in the selfe same booke * saith Pag. 193. Peter king of Arragonia in the third yeer of the L. Innocentius the third being pope came to Rome to the same Innocentius and he receiued from him solemnely an honorable knighthood and he offered willinglie to S. Peter and to the holie church of Rome his whole kingdome and there he had for his fee the same kingdome Also he appointed to pay a certaine summe of money for the kingdome of Sardinia Of the kingdome of Croatia and Dalmatia STeuchus in the same booke * in the register of Gregorie the seauenth we reade thus In the name of the lord of the holie Pag. 191. and indiuisible Trinitie in the yeere of the Lords incarnation one thousand seuenty sixe in the 14. indiction of the moneth of October I Demetrius which am also called Suinumir by the grace of God duke of Croatia and Dalmatia being made and constituted by thee L. Gebizus hauing the power of Pope Gregorie by the ambassage of the apostolike sea by the synodall and generall election of the whole cleargie and people in the Solantine church of S. Peter and being inuested and appointed king in the gouernment of the kingdome of the Croatians and Dalmatians by the banner sword scepter and crowne to thee I vowe and promise that I will vnchangeably fulfill all things which thy reuerend holines shall inioine me that I may keepe mine oth to the Apostolike sea in all things and that I may keepe irreuocably whatsoeuer as well the sea apostlike as the legates thereof haue or shall establish in this realme that I may execute iustice and defend the church also I appoint to pay to S. Peter yeerely in the resurrection of the Lord the tribute of two hundred Bizanties of al my consulships and primacies for the kingdome granted to me Furthermore seeing to
do homage to them and also pay a yéerelie tribute to the sea of Rome for the kingdome newly gotten When this couenant and conspiracie was concluded foorthwith the prince that held on the other side was proclaimed an heretike and schismatike and his kingdome was adiudged to him that did first get possession thereof By which shifts it cannot be told how manie fires the popes haue kindled in all parts of Christendom within these fower hundred yéeres how many kings and princes they haue made vassals tributaries and stipendaries to them and their filthie stinking sea Concerning which matter bicause we haue spoken at large a little before it shall be sufficient to speake of those two kings of France and England Therefore when there arose contention betwéen them pope Innocentius the third sent first from his consistorie into France two legates that they might both terrifie the king with threatening curses and that they might raise his subiects to rebell against him and that they might secretly consult and talke with the bishops and priests of France That done he did so quickly and sharply raise the emperor Otho the fourth and also Ferdinandus earle of Flanders and many other princes of other countries to beare armes against the French king that vnlesse he had happily with a valiant and stout hart contemned those threatenings and beastly buls of that pope he had lost not onely that part of his kingdome but also in a short time all the rest The remembrance whereof is extant not onely in our French chronicles but also in the Canonists * For that decretall shall be a in c. nouit 13. extra de iudic perpetual moniment of the popes hatred and rebellious mind against our kings and countrie Therfore we suppose that it is apparent to all men by these things and other that we haue shewed before what authoritie the orders and Counsellers of the realme of France ought to giue to this declaration of pope Sixtus whom we haue prooued by most manifest testimonies to haue béene not onely accused by the most part of Christendome of most notorious crimes but also to haue béene conuict and condemned But if happily there be anie that dispute that like as bicause two parts of thrée parts of Europe haue put downe the pope the third part must giue him none authority so séeing two parts of thrée parts of France would haue his authority reserued to him it is méete that his authoritie be preserued in France we haue a double answer in readinesse The first bicause out of that number of French men which taketh part with the pope all cardinals archbishops bishops priests innumerable crues of munks and clerks and other sharuebugs of the same sort the popes vassals finally all dogs which licke the popes tribunal seat must be culled out bicause of the rule of the law wherein we saie In what busines soeuer any mans matter is handled bicause in some respect §. sed neque Inst de testam ordi l. nullus 10. D. de test l. omnibus 9. C. eodem l. 1. §. in propria D. quand appell sit it concerneth him he is not a méet witnes in that busines The second is that when as these are culled out of the number no small part of the rest which follow the old custome of religion in France do that not with iudgement and willingly but being compelled with threatenings and terror that they are no more to be numbred amongst the clients of the papacie than as the lawiers say witnesses or Gardans retained in any busines by violence and feare are numbred among fit witnesses and authors of whom Vlpian writeth finely those that are present at any act or l. 1. §. vltim D de tutel l. qui testament 20. §. vlti D. qui testamen fac l. nouiss 7. §. 1. quod fals tutor auctor l. 2. D. de iud busines against their will they séeme to be no more present than if they had béene in that place being asléepe or oppressed with the falling sicknes Finally all men perceiue that if the French men had like libertie to vse and exercise both religions scarce the fourth part of the people of the realme would continue in the religion of the sea of Rome In which place it liketh vs wel to recite that old saieng of Bartholus who in the preface of the Digests * num 14. where disputing about Constantines donation and rekoning vp the opinions of other doctors when he commeth to his owne he saith thus Lo we are vpon earth of the church for he taught at Bononia and therefore I say that that donation was of force Where notwithstanding he writeth many things afterward flatly against that donation And in like sort when the canonistes did dispute that it was not lawfull for the emperor to condemne any man of rebellion that did follow the popes faction Bartholus making mention of the sentence of Henrie the emperor wherein he had condemned Robert king of Sicilia of rebellion and of the contrarie sentence of pope Clement the fift whereby he had absolued the same Robert he sheweth surely that he dare not oppose himselfe against the pope But he dissembleth not to allow the emperors sentence with which Bartholus the canonists were therefore greatly displeased which vse that verse of the pope and Caesar calling the pope their Iupiter Caesar with Iupiter doth diuide The empyre reaching far and wide Moreouer Bartholus disputeth in the same place that it was so far off that Robert was the popes vassall as the pope auouched against the emperour that he testifieth that when Robert was dead Aloysius his heire did sweare alleagance to the emperor in the name of Sicilia in the city of Pise he being there present Concerning which matter we must repaire to the constitution of Henrie Ad reprimendam Qui dicant rebel and the contrary In Clem. Pastoralis de iud constitution of the pope abrogating and reprochfully reuersing that But if we thinke it méete to speake any thing of the ecclesiasticall rebellion of popes it shal not be amisse to bring to light the testimony of one that was somtime a most famous Senator of Paris called Cosma Guymerius who vpō the preface of the pragmatical decrée writtē at Bituriga the author wherof was king Charles the seuenth reckoneth vp some things which are greatly appertinent to know the madnes of these Romish Alastors About the yeere of our Lord saith he M. cccxxc after the death of Gregorie the eleuenth when the cardinals were to proceed to choose another to succeed they were threatned by the Romanes that they should die if they would not choose some Italian Therfore they chose the archbishop of Bare who was then at Rome making knowne to him that they chose him to auoide danger or rather they did feigne that they did choose him but afterward when opportunitie was offered they did freelie intend to choose another Therefore when they had chosen him that was called
of darknes Neither is the saluation of soules but riot of riches sought for in these For this they will be bounsed for this they frequent churches they say masses they sing psalms They striue impudently for bishoprikes archdeaconries abbats places and other dignities so that the reuenues of the Churches are wasted vpon the vses of superfluitie and vanitie It remaineth that the man of sin be reuealed the sonne of perdition a diuell not onely of the day but also of noone day which is not onelie transfigured into an angell of light but is extolled aboue all that is called God or that is worshipped By which words our Sixtus is shewed to be Antichrist not yesterday or to day or somtimes but to day to morrow the next day and so long as he shall retaine his tyrannie which he exerciseth in the Church of God wickedly and vngodlily It followeth in the bull He followed errors and heresies from his youth vntill such time as being by the exhortations of manie conuerted to the church of Rome as it was thought he abiured publikely all his heresies in the church at Paris What words be these From his youth Séeing that he receiued that religion in a maner from his cradle and almost with his milke which this our hangman dare call heresie But that is much more absurd He which was falsely thought to be turned from heresies condemned those heresies For how can he be said to haue changed his former opinion who is falsely thought to be conuerted And wheras our cowled Frier bableth of abiuring we must make that a little more plaine The yoong man being scarce one and twentie yéers old being lodged by the king his cosin was called out of his bed naked long before day he was brought amongst fearfull swords and such as were wet with blood he did and pronounced quiuering and shaking those things which he was commanded to do and pronounce he told pope Gregorie those things by his legats which he was commanded to tel him Was that law receiued euer in any part of Barbarie that those things that were thus done should either be counted firme and sure or that they should be thought to be done from the hart That is an old and a true saieng of doctor Baldus The holie Ghost put this into the mouth of the praetor That which is done through feare will I not count firm Also that The presence and much more the threatening of a prince and mightier man causeth true feare Thus writeth Angel * And also Abb. Sicul. in his 3. cons in cons 223. cons 378. vol. 2. Therefore the holie scripture doth witnes that Peter the apostle being terrified by the voice of a sillie woman did denie God euen with all cursing but forsomuch as it was euident that that was done through feare and terror he did easily obtaine pardon at the hands of God The Canonists report that pope Marcellinus being terrified with the feare of the painims did burn incense in the idol sacrifices but yet that it repented him afterward of his fact heinous offence * Why C. nunc autem dist 21. shall that which is done for feare be excused in the pope who professeth himselfe to be the piller of Christian religion and shal it be counted firme in a yoong man compassed about with fearefull swords dropping as it were with blood It followeth in the Bull The same Gregorie giuing credence to the letters of the king of Nauarre as of a king absolued him from the censures giuen vpon him taking from him all inhabilitie The pope would haue these words to be of importance As of a king as if the authority of kings letters letters patents and edicts ought to be most firme In which place we would gladly know of him whether he were alwaies an author and perswader that the letters and edicts of kings should alwaies continue firme Of which thing there shall alwaies continue in all nations and amongst all people of the world shall I say a remembrance or a most shamefull infamie But séeing pope Gregorie the thirtéenth is said to haue béen so great a doctor and professor of law ought he not to haue remembred that no authoritie ought to be giuen to letters and instruments wroung out by violence and feare * It followeth He dispensed that notwithstanding l. si donationis 7. c. de his quae vi metu causs l. interpositas 13. C. trans the lets of the third and peraduenture of other degrees of consanguinitie between them they might contract matrimonie togither as they did contract it in the face of the church It can scarce be vttered how many tokens of follie and popish fondnes appéere in these few words The first is in that that he saith that the king of Nauarre his matrimonie was contracted through his grant and dispensation after that the same king had abiured religion Let vs returne vnto the computation of the time The cardinall of Bourbon vncle to the same king in the yéere 1572. the seauentéenth day of the moneth of August after a masse celebrated in the chief church of Paris with great pompe and solemnitie yet at fower of the clocke after noone did celebrate that matrimonie in the presence of the king of France Charles the ninth and of his two brethren and in a great assemblie of princes Then followed the massacre of Paris vpon the feast day of S. Bartholomew that is vpon the fower an twentith day of the same month of August But the king of Nauarre did abiure many daies after But some peraduenture wil say the dispensation of pope Gregorie was brought after that abiuring at the intreatie of the cardinall of Bourbon Whether was it then brought that it might be lawful to contract the matrimonie which was contracted and ended so long before or rather that being not lawfully contracted before it might nowe be confirmed by the popes authoritie and dispensation If to the end it might be Libro aduersus Faustum 25. lawfull to contract it the popes power is greater than that which the diuines philosophers lawyers do grant to almighty God that things that be past can be changed that that which is done can be made vndon as witnesseth Augustine * Lib. de legi 2. Plato * Arist moral ad Nicomachum 6. c. 2. Nouel de aequalit dot §. 1. l. in bello 12. §. facta D. de captu l. verba C. de testam l. verum D. de reg iur Aristotle * I wil speak boldly saith Hierom that though God can do all things yet he cannot raise a virgin after her fall * c. si Paulus 32. quaest 5. Therefore as I said there is greater power granted to the pope than to God who causeth that matrimonie alreadie contract finished celebrated and ended was yet notwithstanding neither contract nor celebrated But if the pope dispensed that wicked matrimonie and such as was contract contrarie to the lawes of the church
the cause of faith as in the same gloss And if it so fall out that these men defend themselues by their temporall power they may be bridled for the fact euen by secular power * Thus saith Zabarella But Baldus * writeth more bréefly thus Against the pope abvsing his authoritie we must first vse words that is admonitions then herbs that is threatenings thirdly stones and that where the nature of vertue is not sufficient the aid of armes must be of force there And to the like effect writeth Iason in his 95. councell requisitus col 4. It is lawfull saith he to resist the pope when he offendeth the church and he is not to be borne with * c. etsi illa 1. q. 7. c. sunt quidam 25. q. 1. Also Innocentius * in c. inquisitionis de sent excom in c. quanto de consuetud And the Abbat * in c. cum teneamur de appellat Also Hierom speaking of the pope * in c. non omnes episcopi 2. q. saith that Vnsauerie salt is good for nothing but to be cast out at doors to be troden vnder foot of hogs Thus writeth Iason with as good corage it séemeth as either Ludouike of Rome or Zabarella though notwithstanding they wrote these things in Italie and in so great darknes of the church of Christ And to the same effect speaketh Philip Decius in his councell 151. maximi ponderis num 4. vol. 1. When saith he the pope is incorrigible in any notorious crime by reason whereof the church is offended glo in terminis in c. si papa 40. dist he holdeth that the pope may be accused and out of that glosse there was a great foundation laid against Eugenius the fourth in the councell of Basil and that glosse is commonly holden by all as the abbot saith in c. significasti * de elect in disput episcopus quidam rector where he saith that the whole world approueth that glosse and Ludouicus of Rome approoueth that glosse by many reasons * in concil 523 First bicause the pope that persisteth in a notorious crime and will not be reformed falleth into suspicion of heresie * 38. dist c. fin 86. dist c. si qui sunt c. fin de poenit But the pope may be accused for heresie * d. c. si papa Therfore for such a crime Secondlie bicause a bishop is remooued from a particular church that the offence may be taken away as Innocentius noteth * in c. cum pridem de renun it seemeth we may saie the same of the stronger in the highest bishop in whom the vniuersal church is in danger Thirdlie by the authoritie of the Gospell If thine eie or thy foote offende thee Whereupon the text saith finelie in c. illud sanè 24. q. 3. For it is expedient that one man die for the people and that all the people do not perish Therefore let that pope that cannot be reformed die ciuilly that all the church do not perish bicause the pope being set to gouerne the people ought not to be their fal as the text saith * 11. q. 3. in c. ta corporis For he is woorthy as manie deaths as he sendeth examples of perdition to those that are his * 11. q. 3. Which things séeing they are so we conclude againe without delay that not onely the excommunication of the foresaid pope Sixtus the fift is to be counted as nothing by reason of the insufficiencie of the rash iudge the allegation of a false cause the want of iudiciall order and the follie of the sencence conceiued but also to the end the curses of the same pope Sixtus may turn vpon his own pate he is conuict of seauen most heinous faults and that by most assured testimonies and therefore ought to be héerafter accounted of all Christians an execrable and detestable Anathema Maranata Amen THE DECLARATION OF OVR MOST HOLIE LORD POPE SIXTVS Against HENRIE BORBON the supposed King of NAVARRE and also HENRIE BORBON the pretensed Prince of Condie being heretiks and also against their successors And the deliuerance of their subiects from all dutie of fidelitie and alleageance For the perpetuall memorie of the thing THe authoritie granted to Saint Peter and his successors by the infinite power of the eternall king surpasseth all the powers of earthlie kings and princes and standing vpon a firme rock and being not turned aside from the right course with anie contrarie or prosperous blasts it vttereth such iudgement against al men as cannot be shaken doth diligently prouide especially that Gods lawes may not be broken and if it finde any resisting Gods ordinance it doth sharply punish them casting downe from the kinglie seat euen those that are more mighty it throweth them downe euen to the lowest part of the earth as ministers of proud Lucifer Wherfore according to that care for all churches and people and nations that lieth vpon our shoulders that the saluation of their soules may especially be prouided for and that not onelie the times of our seruice but also all times to come being purged from wicked and detestable monsters may bring peace and rest to all parts of Christendome and especially to the most ample realme of France wherein Christian religion hath so florished alwaies and so great hath beene the godlines faith and deuotion of the kings thereof so many haue bin their deserts toward the church of Rome that they by full good right had from the same the most glorious sirname of Most Christian and also that we may neuer be accused before God for neglecting the care of our office we are at this time compelled to exercise the weapons of our warfare which are not carnal but mightie through God to throw downe strong holds against two sons of wrath especially Henrie Borbon somtimes king of Nauarre and Henrie Borbon somtimes prince of Condie For that king quondam hath followed from his verie youth the errors and heresies of Caluin and hath so long shewed himselfe a stubborne patrone thereof vntill being conuerted as it was thought vnto the catholike and apostolike faith of Rome by the godlie and often exhortations of Charles the ninth of famous memorie king of France of our most deerely beloued daughter in Christ Queene Katherine his most godlie mother and also of our welbeloued sonne Charles of the title of S. Chrysogonus cardinall priest of Borbon his vnkle and of Ludouike duke of Mompenser and by most manifest exhortations of diuines of excellent learning and vertue he did openly in the church at Paris condemne all hereticall opinions contrarie to the catholike faith he accursed them and abiured them did openly professe the catholike faith and hauing sent sundrie times his letters to pope Gregorie the thirteenth our predecessor of blessed memorie wherin he now acknowleging the same our predecessor to be supreme hed of the church humbly besought him that he would
vouchsafe to accept the confession of his repentance conuersion and obedience and to grant him pardon for those things that were past and also the grace of remission firmly promising that he would continually keepe soundly and inuiolably the catholike faith To the which letters as being a kings letters our predecessor giuing credence and being mooued with the bowels of fatherlie loue and also being perswaded with the most graue testimonie of the king of the Queene his mother of the cardinall and duke aforesaid touching such his conuersion absolued him confessing his former errors and humbly crauing pardon from the crime of heresie and from the ecclesiastical censures which he had therefore incurred and he admitted him into the bosom of the holy mother the church and into the fellowship of the faithfull taking from him all incongruitie Nay furthermore that he might be bound with a more strait and firm bond he dispensed with him and Margaret sister to the said king Charles who being borne of that most Christian stocke and being well brought vp was thought to be able easily to keepe hir husband in his dutie and in obseruing the catholike religion that notwithstanding the lets of the third and peraduenture of other degrees of consanguinitie betweene them and also of spirituall kindred they might contract matrimonie betweene them as they did contract it in the face of the church and that done after a few moneths he sent Iohn Lord of Duratium his orator to our said predecessor that in his behalfe he might promise concerning his repentance conuersion faith and constancie in presence of the sea apostolike after that a publike and solemne consistorie was made for him in the kings hall according to the custome in the assemblie of the cardinals and prelates of the holie church of Rome and in a great concourse of others hauing professed all the foresaid things the same Henrie was admitted as a king lately conuerted to the faith and as catholike the whole citie reioicing and triumphing and giuing great thanks for the sheep that was found recouered But he as he was of a diuers and inconstant mind falling awaie shortly after from the catholike faith and from due obedience toward the apostolike sea and from other things professed by him expressely and with an oth and turning backe to that filth wherin he tumbled before withdrawing himself secretly from the most christian king hauing gathered togither in a place a good way distant from the kings court so great a multitude of wicked heretiks and of wicked men of that stampe as he could he openly reuoked there all those things which he before had done concerning the detestation of Caluinisme the abiuring of all heresies and the profession of the catholike and apostolike faith of Rome testifieng that he did professe Caluinisme as he professed it and hath alwaies sticked to that heresie with an obstinate and hardened mind and liuing therein vntill this day he hath raised vp sundrie times heretical rebels and seditious persons whose head captain and defender he hath alwaies been in France and also a most earnest fauorer of outlandish heretiks to beare armes against the foresaid Charles and also against our most deerly beloued sonne in Christ Henrie the most Christian king though he ought to haue reuerenced him as his king and maister to haue loued and followed him as his wiues brother I saie forgetting all dutie and godlines he hath raised them vp against him and all catholikes he hath gathered most deadly armies hauing gotten vnto him heretiks of other nations by whom all places euerie where are defiled with the bloodie murders of godly men holie temples are polluted and pulled downe priests and religious men are slain with torments furthermore he hath taken the cities fortresses of the catholiks partly by policie and partly by force and armes and in them hath he forbidden and taken away the rites of the catholike church he hath appointed heretical ministers preachers he hath inforced the citizens inhabitants to tread in the steps of the same impietie euen with threatnings stripes But thinking with himself that he had not yet don ynough amongst others he sent a certaine deere friend of his furnished with his wicked subtilties without the borders of France to diuers places by whom he imparted his wicked counsels with certaine chiefe heretiks and he prouoked their strength and forces against the catholike religion and the power of the bishop of Rome also he caused certain secret conuenticles of heretiks to be kept in diuers prouinces at some whereof whiles those most vniust leagues against the catholike faith and principally against the churches clergie and all the catholikes of the realme of France were handled he himselfe was not onely present but also a principall actor therein And as for Henrie Borbon prince of Condie hauing two heretiks for his parents forasmuch as they during their whole life had obstinately cherished the deadlie opinions of Caluin and the ministers therof he following the heresies of the same his father and mother did commit like offences being but a yongling afterward with like indeuor as the other Henrie vsed taking the way of truth through repentance and humblenes of hart so much as could be gessed and detesting likewise and abiuring publikely all errors and dotings of heretiks he professed the catholike faith as is said before Which things being brought to the same popes eares and like intercession being made for him the same our predecessor absolued from heresie and such censures him and Marie somtimes of Clieue his pretensed wifc being at that time infected with the same crime of heresie being in like sort penitent detesting and professing and he receiued them into the bosome of the catholike church and companie of the faithfull yea moreouer he dispensed with them according to the abundance of his fatherlie loue that they might contract matrimonie betweene themselues notwithstanding the let of the second degree of consanguinitie wherewith they were holden both of them But he shortly after returning vnto his old impietie and entring that most wicked waie wherin the footsteps of Ludouike of Condie his most wicked father a persecutor of the catholike church had troden and walking in the same footesteps he likewise shewed himselfe a captaine and defender of the same heretiks and wicked persons of the said realme of France and also an author of ciuill wars and seditions he conueied into France bands of hereticall soldiers being strangers he assaied to besiege townes and cities he ouerthrew churches he did profane and destroie holie things he did most cruelly murder priests appointing in their places ministers of wickednes he commanded their peruerse doctrine to be published retained and finally he vsed all kind of crueltie and sauagenes as well against Gods ministers as also against other professors of the catholike faith All which things forasmuch as they be manifest publike and notorious and forasmuch as we do fully perfectly know especially