to Gods true children but of dangerous receit to the superstitious deuourer of nouelty and new fangled deuices of men In the Propheticall visions of Saint Hildegard a Nunne St. Hildegard the second booke of her Sciuias there are diuers particulrs touching the desolation of Rome and destruction of the Pope with intimation of the cause as not onely for throwing the durt and filth of mens inuentions into the pure waters of the riuers of Gods Church but for continuing their liues in all abominations of impiety and rowling vp together into some stupendious heape the scattered snow of superstition Relicks Altar clothes Pardons Indulgences and such like trumperies which will vanish and melt away as the snow when the sunny splendor of Gods word shineth hotly vpon them for the Prophet tells vs their best hypocrisie is but like the morning dew Hoshea 6. which is not seene within an houre or so after the Sunnes rising There is another Prophecy of Mathilda or as some St. Mathilda haue it Magdalena a holy Saint and religious woman against Rome for her apostasie and the Cardinals for their assumpted greatnesse and dangerous impietie for which cause there shall be diuisions in Germanie and the Prouinces shall neuer be accorded in religion till either the destruction or reformation of Rome be brought to passe If you did reade the Originals and would aduise vpon the congruent gradations of their writings following as it were the order of Ecclesiasticall Historie you would either wonder how such a spirit was infused in them or that the Church of Rome hath not since suppressed or abolished their inuectiues But as I said God doth worke by secret meanes and strange instruments and when he hath either a mercy or a iudgement to execute Cyrus shall be his anointed Nabuchadnezzar his seruant and very wicked tyrants and infidels his hammer to bruise the stones in peeces S. Elizabeth was also a Nunne and Prophetesse and S. Elizabeth hath her Visions too so that in the second booke you shall finde how she expostulateth the matter with the corrupt Clergie why they should preach erronious doctrine peruert the sacred Scriptures continue in abomination of life maintaine the absurdities of Traditions c. Then she exprobrateth the Bishops for their schismaticall filthinesse chargeth the Church of Rome with deadnesse and errour reproueth the Popes of simonie and vnheard of vitiousnesse and last of all she commeth vnto iudgement and threatneth them all with vtter deuastation and ruine S. Bridget had also her reuelations she was a holy woman S. Bridget religious widow and princesse of Nâ—rice in Swethland they are wonderfull both for the number and the large approbation of many learned and iudicious Papists who all commend her sanctimonious life and confirme heâ— spirituall raptures In one place she challengeth the Pope and corrupt Clergie of Rome of many enormities denouncing Gods iudgement against them In another she would haue the Scriptures to be read in the mother tongue In a third she curseth the selling of spirituall liuings and threatneth a woe if the custome be not abrogated and abolished In a fourth she is much exafperated against Rome for many aberrations especially â—weruing from her primitiue excellencie In a fift she enlarging her selfe maketh a Catalogue of infinite number of vices and errors to which Rome was subiected In a sixth she inciteth the Princes of Europe to the calling of a Generall Councell and bringing Rome into Foro publico by accusation In a seuenth shee inueigheth against the fornication of Priests protesting it were better to marry nay warranting that the prohibition of marriage was vtterly vnlawfull In another she thus presageth and ratifies it with a forcible oath that the reformation of Rome must begin with the sword and so seuen plagues shall fall vpon her as it was spoken vnto Israel In a ninth she sheweth the difference betweene Christs and the Popes Church or if you will the Popes Court enlarging the particulars by diuers circumstances and demonstratiue reasons In a tenth she contesteth against that impious opinion of mens merits in matter of saluation as a very poison to infect the heart of true religion and open a gap to let in a world of absurdities In another she wonders how that Purgatorie came into mens minds more than that it was a deuice of the deuill to make a mint for the selling of soules or at the best to coine money to fill the Popes treasurie In the last place she assureth them that God will raise vp better vine-dressers in his vineyard than were in her time or else leaue it desolate to the foxes who shall destroy it for euer What would she say then if she liued in these dayes and were acquainted with the new sect of Iesuites the Popes Ianisaries and the worlds Incendiaries with the doctrine of equiuocation and mentall reseruation with that atheisticall position of Fidesnon est seruanda haereticis and all those damnable dispensations with murders depositions of Princes incests whoredomes and such like There is neuer a Papist in the world but honoureth Katherine of Sienna for a Saint and religious woman S. Katherine Now if he will but beleeue her writings as he reuerenceth her person and exalteth her memorie let him giue eare to her Prophecies She beginneth very sanctimoniously with a praier for the reformation of the Church of Rome she proceedeth effectually to lay open the enormities of the same she continueth most seriously in discouering the mischiefes they haue done to the poore afflicted soules of Christendome and she concludeth very peremptoâ—ily that Rome shall incurre tribulation and be vtterly destroied for her abominable life and imposturing deceit That the Pope shall be disrobed and lose his triple Crowne yea be bereaued of all his pompe and glory and that the Cardinals shall cast off their scarlet gownes and run to hide themselues if they knew where but death and desolation shall follow them into their closets and their very Idols and Images shall make a fire to consume them so that their louers and friends shall crie out Heu cadit in quenquam tantum scelus tanta iniquitas yea their very enemies shall clap their hands for joy to see their filthinesse laied open to the hissing of the passengers If this be thus then answer a Gods name you that must answer before the iudgement throne of the Lambe how comes this about if the Papacie shall not come to ruine and Rome it selfe be dâ—stroied seeing Antichrist is reuealed and that sonne of perdition manifested whom God will consume with the breath of his nostrils If not so shew wherein I haue gone beyond limitation or my Authors failed in their account and I will answer both for them and my selfe what is befitting satisfaction if God haue made your hearts pliable to an humble and modest impression And thus much for Antichrists punishment Because I finde the substance of all that hath beene said in one continued
onely deceiued the world but excelled the proudest Emperors when their sinnes came to ouerflowing in State Maiestie Pompe couetousnesse tyranny and all other impieties discouered in Scripture But the Prophet goes forward with the Empires dissolution that is to say with the whole narration of the story of the Nations that infested Italy beginning with Alaricus who set himselfe vp in the 19. yeere of Honorius conquering Latium Campania Apulia Lucania Calâ—bria proceeding with Attila who in the 27. of the 3. year 410 Valentinian destroiâ—d Aquileia Verona Mantuâ— Cremona Brixia Coneordia with the new territory of Venice and ending with Genserick Odâ—acer Totila the Lombards and the intestine faction and these are the two heads and Vers 23. six wings now you must consider that in this fearefull time the proud Attila did fell the city of Rome to Bishop Leo as some report and so was contented to forsake Italy by which occasion the Popes became Masters of this great City and in processe of time wrought out their supremacy not onely ouer Italy but ouer Europe For as these Tyrants vexed one another and the successors which followed were subiect to extirpation namely Valentinian Maximus Anitus Maiorianus Seuerus Anthemias Olibrius Glycerius lxlius Nâ—pos Momilâ—us otherwise Augustulus the Popes raised their structures out of their ruines and the rubbish of the Empire serued to aduance the fabricke of the Papacy Thus the Eagles displaid wings were spread in the time of Augustus and broken and spoiled in the daies of Augustulus who was that Momilâ—us the last named and so the prophecy followeth to the 29. verse with the varietie of the warres troubles and gouernment of all the contrary feathers named before to the time of the intestine sedition which had pretence of renuing the stile of Senatus populusque Romanus but now the Bishop of Rome tampers for his supremacy and inuesteth Charles King of France Emperor and this is that which Esdras meaneth by the awaking of one of the three heads that were at rest for the Vers 29. 801 three heads personate Germany France and Spaine who shall according to the interpretation of this Vision still by one meanes or other maintaine the dignity of the Popedome though all the rest of the Kings and Princes of Europe forsake it till vtter destruction come indeed and they manifestly behold that God will câ—st this strumpet in a bed of affliction that is to say that although Papistry and the profession of the Romish Religion shall not be vtterly extinguished till the Church be triumphant in heauen yet shall the glory of Rome yea of the Pope and his Cardinalls suffer diminution if not vtter dâ—solation as shall be manifested in due place and orderly demonstration But first you must note how the Prophet proceeds the verse 31. middle head did eat vp the wings which is meant by the sword of Carclus magnus who at the Popes command came into Italy and tooke Deâ—â—derius prisoner leading him captiue into France after this Cono the Emperour falls out with Gregory the second and pâ—oiected to dislocate the Popes of Rome as intimating that their pride and tyranny would grow vlcerous and to a Gangren in the body of Europes gouernment whereupon the people were not only incensed against their Bishop but attempted a new alteration by Senators and Consuls had not the French laid a cooling card for this proceeding and established the Pope in his supreme eminency yet all is not quiet for some 150. yeeres after Alberick and Octauian his sonne contested anew with the ambitious Prelates and once againe aduanced another gouernment in Rome but see how the Pope thriues according to the prophecie Otho the great comes in his assistance banisheth the Consull hangeth the Tribunes and mounteth the Praefectus Vrbis naked on an Asse and so hee is crowned and with great derision thrust into prison and â—ormented to death but within seuen yeeres new vproares began by the tumulâ—uary incitation of Lancius had not Otho the second at a supper in the Vatican strucke off all their heads Last of all Fredericke the first with the year 1136 bloud and wounds of 2000. men established the Bishop of Rome in greater glory and euer since according to this Prophesie and discouery they haue continued secure by the meanes of these heads in all impiety and abomination but the Prophecy leaues them not so for after all this exemplification of glory and greatnesse with the manner of their rising and insolent tumors he falles to their punishment and vtter confusion This lasteth from the 36 verse to the end wherein you may obserue that the breath of God like a Lion of the Forrest shall teare this Eagle in peeces and as you haue heard in the execution of Antichrist whole armies of Prophecies and denunciations of vengeance shall be further mustred against Rome from so supreme a iudicature that no humane potency shall reuerse the doome or be able to repeale the sentence Conclusion THe conclusion then of all these things may be thus that if God out of his palace of power and mightinesse or store-house of prouidence and mercy hath from time to time exposed his secrets openly whereby his Saints and poore afflicted children haue not only beene comforted in their distresse but prepared against following mischiefes If according to the wantonnesse of times and growth of impietie he hath gone about to stop the torrent and raging inundation of wickednesse and by many predictions foretold the ruine of the kingdome of Sathan and enlargement of the bounds of his Church If he hath gone yet further to follow obstinate men and refractarie delinquents euen at the heâ—les with signes and wonders from heauen either to diuert the outragious from their immanitie or support the lowly in their humiliation Let not vs passe them ouer as things vnremarkable or be affrighted as terrors of too great vengeance and if it fall not within our reach to make cleane euery corruption yet as neere as we can to wipe away the filthinesse and wash off the deformitie of grosse and fearfull sinnes Thus shall the confidence of the ioyes to come season our present sorrowes the acknowledging of Gods attributes assure vs that he is faithfull which hath promised and so will performe the oath he sware vnto our father Abraham his sâ—ed for euer Againe if it hath pleased the same God to terrifie the world with the rumors of warre and thundrings of hostilitie â—o weaken and abate the power of mightie monarchies to strike Daniels image with a stone from heauen to peeces to put a hooke in the nostrils of Leuâ—athan and Bâ—hâ—moth to turne about the wheeles of the chariot of greatnesse O consider this ye that haue forgot God lâ—st he teare you in peeces in his wrath remember this ye that loue God lest ye abuse his mercy ouer-presumptuously But of all and exceeding all Iâ— in this latter age of the world he hath reuealed vnto vs the true historie of his Church That the Dragon shall watch the woman in the wildeâ—nesse to deuoure her childe That in the Primitiue Church was the true pattern of wholsome words That she â—ell from thiâ— puritie was polluted with the filth of mens Traditions whose daring hands out of wantonnesse case gurrmâ—â—dice ambicion auarice pâ—lâ—â—ie and imposturing deceit threw durâ— into her cleane streame and in a manner dammed vp the spring of vndeniable veritie That all this was done by Antichrist and his adherents That this Antichrist is now fully discouered not to personate one man nor be a stranger in Gods house but to sit in the Temple of God and the Church and to be the Popes of Rome the strumpet of Babylon in the Scriptures the beast with seuen heads and ten hornes in the Apocalyps the man of sinne in Timothie Lucifer in Isaiah the spirit of error in the Thessalonians with all the rest as you haue heard That notwithstanding this discouerie he hath vsurped the authoritie of Princes tyrannized ouer Kings affrighted ignorant soules captiued câ—â—dulous persons and enriched his purse to the augmentation of worldly glory That therefore God hath arraigned him and by seuerall inditements condemned and that his punishment and exâ—cution followed whereby this defiled strumpet shall be diuorced from her spouse cast in a bed of affliction demoâ—â—shed and her structures pulled to peeces set on fire to the wonder of the world and the terror of all seduced people FINIS
stole Iupiters fiers they haue with a Luciferian pride arrogated the name of God and equalled their fictions and absurd miracles with the best of the Prophets and the mightiest word of truth In the 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. c. there are three fearefull attributes 1 Tim 4. 1. 2. Forbidding meates and marriages set downe appropriate to such as forbid marriages and the eating of meat which God hath sanctified namely 1. Doctrine of Devills 2. speaking lyes through hypocrisie 3. and haue their Conscience burned with an hot iron So that reasonable soules are almost terrified with the Iudgement and cannot thinke it possible to avoyde eternall flames if they should once attempt to crosse the true meaning of the holy Ghost Yet see what man dare doe the Pope hath inuented a law of Celebacy a vow of chastitie a deuise of sequestration for Priests and a manifest opposition to this veritie denying marriage which God honoured with his presence and branding it with the tearme of filthy pollution and defiling copulation nay though that Christ esteemed and named it honourable Yet haue these Aduersaries cast a defiance in the face of the Scriptures But withall what haue they done by way of conniuency permitted Whoredome and whereas they can say in some sort Si non castè tamen cautè they haue published a greater audaciousnesse in defending their contaminated hearts and adulterate eyes For they haue not spared to put to their hands and seales to the pattents of Abbots and other religious persons wherein is this Proviso Licitum erit Domino nostro Abbatt semel in mense habere mulierem ad purgandas renes Nay if I should search them further I am affrayde of pretended villany to march arme in arme with their adulteries and fornication For by experience I alledge it that in the Orchards of their Frieries and Nunneries amongst other exornations and furnitures of comelines they haue whole trees of Sauine and to what vse that serues Physicians Sauine and Mid-wiues know too well and how it may be abused an honest mother cannot relate without teares and wringing of handes As for meates they haue not onely limited vs in their vse but made a distinction of times and set a seale vpon dayes as if it were high treason to breake open the inclosures of such institutions yea an vnanswerable offence to steppe aside from their authoritie and limitation Nay though God saâ—â— all that he made to be good and blessed vs in the fruition of his blessings though the Prophets haue cursed the obseruers of dayes and times new Moones and feasts though Christ told his Apostles that whatsoeuer went into the man did not defile him though Peters vision cleared that scruple of vncleanenesse in all meates which God had sanctified yet is it a Pontificean verdict of damnation to infringe the letter of their Lithurgie and the people are made to beleeue that the eating of white meats in Lent will open the iawes of Hell so much the wider O irrelâ—â—ious Religion and Satanicall inuention In the twentith of Lâ—uiticus God hedged in the Iewes Levit. 20. Marriage touching marriage and enacted certaine precepts of holinesse as binding voyces to all gouernments kingdomes and posteritie yet haue we not experience of the Popes repugnancie in this kinde And that many vnlawfull marriages as farre as Incest haue beene borne withall and had Apostolicall benediction yea from their very Monasteries both Fryers and Nunnes haue beene taken out to circle their heads with Câ—ronets and fill their armes with bedfellowes even contrary to their first footing in Religion and pâ—mordiall contract with professed holinesse How plaine are those words 2. Thes 2. Matth. 24. Apoc 13. That that man of sinne should be reuealed whose comming is by the working of Sathan with all power and signes and lying wonders Yet you see in despight of this or derision of the Predictâ—on the Pope of Rome dare be called Vice-deus as in the Dictates of Gregory the seauenth And Miracles the Church of Italie produce so many Miracles that diuers of their owne Diuines haue made a stop in their reading but I referre you to its proper place that is the third Inditement which I frame in this accusation onely by the way consider how aduerse this man is to the Scriptures that dare iustifie himselfe to be Antichrist in this one poynt as it were in despight of the holy Ghost In the tenth of Iohn Christ saith My sheepe heare my Iohn 10. Hearing the Word voyce and in the twentie-one of Iohn the 15. verse he biddeth Peter three times to feed his sheepe the reason is because it is apparant that without Preaching neither can faith be obtained nor God himselfe so magnified as he ought but how poorely the Church of Rome distributes this gift and in what broken Pipes the water runs from a sparing Spring I might say corrupted Fountaine if not infectious streame let the impartiall Trauellers report who haue visited the Congregations on both sides For I dare be bold to say that except some speciall Citties wherein Priests and Fryers discourse of the Legend of Saints magnifie the Popes supremacy dilate of the orders of the Câ—urch manifest the necessitie of Indulgences and pardons and talke of Purgatory and Charitie to Monasteries the Countrey villages know not what a Sermon meaneth onely Mâ—sse and Maâ—tens with some voraginous deliuery of wonders and when they iesture it in the best manner not a place of Scripture alledged nor a poynt of Diuinitie discussed but some morall Precepts against notorious impreties wherein yet the Phylosophers and melancholly Stoickes went beyonde them In the 13. of Iohn and the 35. verse Christ saith plainly Iohn 13. 35. Louing one another All men shall know that you are my Disciples if you loue one another But how well this Precept is obserued amongst the Romanists I appeale to themselues and their owne writings what bitter inuectiues betweene Scotists and Thomistes What fearefull raylings betweene Popes and Cardinals What Calumniations betweene Fryers and Monkes What desperate quarrels betweene Dominicans and Franciscans What scandalls betweene Iesuites and Seculars before euer Watsons Booke of Quodlibets and Quidlibets excited laughter in some despight in many and disâ—tastings in all I could name patience and meekenesse as a marke of the Church of God but to looke vpon the angry face of Rome and the affrightings of Clergie Commissioners when their Religion is opposed and fooleries derided is more tyrannous then the ten Persecutions in the Primitiue Church and the murthering the brethren in Turkey is but a flea-biting to the burning and torturing of Martyres In Portingall they brought one Gardner to death an Englishman with such vnheard-of crueltie that the Clergie put a Deuills-coat vpon him full of horrible shapes gagd his mouth hung him vp in chaynes and made him liue in torments when death tooke pittie vpon him How ridiculous was the burning of Paulus Fagius and Bucers bones in the beginning
Naples and Tuskany with my countrey of Hydrantum shall bee shaken in notable manner and so shall Florence be affrighted as expecting a reuenge because of her Apostate Duke with a great deale more The formerly recited Saint Vincent in most of his writings maketh as it were an agreement with the predictions which were sound in the Abbot of Clunies Library Abbot of Cluny written some 500. yeeres agoe against certaine Popes that shall follow the steps of Simon Magus and so drinke of the cup of the wrath of God and whereas there are many and large prophecies attributed to Abbot Ioachim yet they all tend to presage the reformation of the Church or confusion of her obstacles and enemies that is the Pope and his Colledge of Cardinals or the obsession and demolition of Rome There is a Prophecy of Iohannes de rupe Scissa a Francesian Diuâ—â—â— prâ—pâ—ecies Friar another of Theodoricus Bishop of Croatia another in a booke intitled Stimulus diuinae contemplationis another out of the Bishops of Limoges Library in France another of Laurentiâ—â—s Miniatensis an Astrologian of Naples and many others from as many seuerall Authours and countreys and all tending to this end and purpose that Religion must be reformed according to the Prophet Zachary where the filthy garments are to bee taken Zachary 3. away and a crowne of pure gold to bee set vpon the Priests head That Sathan shall be rebuked that is to say the hindrances of this good worke shall bee remoued that this strange exaltation of the Popes of Rome must bee abated that their pompe and supremacy must bee dissolued and that the very city shall be subiect to fire and the countrey to inuasion of enemies c. Shall tell you how Hieronymus Sauanarola expounded Sauanarola the reuelation of Saint Iohn to the people of Florence He assured them that religion must be reformed that God would accuse the Churches that were faultie their trumperies must be abolished their inuentions annihilated that God would bring a great scourge vpon all Italie especially Rome nor desisteth he so but alledgeth the cause and certaine motiues why God was so extraordinarily offended namely the pollution of the Sanctuarie the corruption of the Clergie the ill gouernment of Prelates and Priests the abuses of Officers and the pride of Bishops and Cardinals who will neither enter into heauen themselues as Christ exprobrated the Pharises nor suffer others which sinnes must needs cry from the earth vnto heauen for vengeance c. It is wonderfull to relate that Panlus secundus Grebnerus Grebnerus the German Astrologian should so long agoe for the generall foretell the vtter destruction of the Pope of Rome enlarging his inuectiues against idols temples and Churches defiled with mens inuentions authorised by humane fancies and adorned with gewgaw deuices as if they were afraid to break the necke of policy by letting her looke vp to heauen and therefore she should be troubled no further than the hangings images or painted walls of some melancholy Chappell For the particular hee prognosticated the destruction and dissipation of the fleet in 88. the murther of Henry the third of France the troubles of the King of Nauarre Henry of Burbon the preuailing of his armies and the winning of the strong towne of Groyning in Free sland But amongst others which I named before you must Abbot Ioachim needs harken vnto that famous and well reputed man Ioachimus the Italian Abbot of Flore in Calabria who foresheweth that at last both Germans and the French shall sorsake the Pope of Rome and deny the supremacie because of their monstrous corruptions and iniquities He also alledgeth that as Salomon in his age fell to idolatrie so should Rome be most contaminated when she declined and extend the violence of her filthinesse as the last act of her tragedie approached He proceedeth yet further that all Christian Princes shall not onely forsake but afflict her yea a Prince smally reputed of shall correct the Babylon of Rome Harken I pray you to a little more he resembleth the Pope to Pharo and Pilate and maketh a further comparison with her by the Babylonish whore and so concludeath that they shall all be laid in a bed of affliction and scourged againe and againe with bleeding wounds for their wickednesse and abominations I could proceed with many others but I did purpose onely an â—nchiridion and therefore I will desist from raising it to a volume yet I cannot ouerpasse those bitter inuectiues and terrible presages against Rome by Robertus a Dominican Friar who in diuers sermons likens the Pope Friar Robert to an Idoll for adoration to an Hidropick for presumption to a Beare for cruelty to a serpent which in a vision he saw in the palace of Laterane to a blacke dry and blasted body to an head of wood which was to bee cut or broken off and many other resembiances tending all to this purpose that in the end according to the time which God hath kept secret in his owne bosome Rome and the Popes of Rome shall not onely bee discouered to bee that man of sinne and Antichrist in the Scriptures but receiue the reward of adultery euen the diuorce from Iesus Christ If it bee so then answer a Gods name you that must answer before the iudgement Throne of the Lambe how comes this about if the Papacy shall not come to ruine and Rome it selfe be destroied sceing Antichrist is thus reuealed and that sonne of perdition manifested whom God will consume with the breath of his nostrils If not so shew wherein either I haue gone beyond limitation or my Authors haue failed in their computation and I will answer both for them and my selfe what is befitting to satisfaction if God haue made your hearts pliable to a modest and humble impression Antichrists punishment and Romes destruction from holy women I Perceiue For as in Peters vision the sheet was let downe and proposed vnto him full of cleane and vncleane beasts so in the Church of God the women as well as the men haue not onely beene admitted but admired for their sanctity yea as ftom the examples of Scripture the Idolatrous nations assumed a patterne of imitation falsifying Abrahams offering his sonne Isaac to the inuention of slaughtering men to the Deuill out of Samsons story they haue iustified the life of Hercules from Moses and Aarons Priesthood and Salomons Temple they haue raised their superstitious adoration of idols and Hecatombs of beasts with such like so hath the Church of Rome in resemblance of Miriam Debora Hulda Anna and many others named Prophetesses and holy women in Scripture canonized Saints of Nuns and other deuotresses whom they haue not onely reuerenced for their liues but adored for their vertues doctrine and piety amongst whom I will only name you fiue eternized to memory by the Papists themselues who shall furnish this our present banquet of predictions with the dainties and accates of the best taste
with iron teeth nailes of brasse the number as a full iury to include the rest and their noblenesse farre exceeding other inferiors as descended from the families of Iâ—lij Seruij Saluij Flauij c. Wheras all others were but composed of meane originalls or contrary nations and no natiue Romans By her three heads are meant three kingdomes which must behold the pride of Rome when her wings and feathers shall faile By the winds are vnderstood her prosperity and large extension of dominion as limiting her territories from Ganges to Gades and from the Scythian sea to Cape bona esperanza By the contrary feathers you must vnderstand certaine Kings and Princes that opposed this transcendent mightinesse of Rome but their purposes were frustrated and for the time they preuailed not till at last one was mightier than the rest yet all rested for a time for they were as embrions vnbroughtforth till this great city in her vnlimited pompe and pride with her Armies and Legions might subiugate the neighbour nations and insult ouer the best of the earth By the standing vpon her clawes c. the Priests obserued that Rome in her transcendency did nothing without counsell and good aduice wherby her Emperors kept the soueraignty with great caution and policy and obtained a renoune beyond all ciries and kings in the Vniuerse Now you must consider that what Esdras personateth by an Eagle the Prophet Daniel designeth vnder the forme of a ten-horned beast Daniel 7. berokening diuers Emperors Kings whose vnresistable â—orces should affright the world with ambition tyranny and couetousnesse and whereas he proceedeth with a race and succession of gouernors differing in shape and forme from their predecessors but gouerning with blaspheming the most High sitting in the Temple â—yrannizing ouer the third part of the world and continuingin greater rages and cruelty against the inhabitants of the Prouinces than the rest what is it any other than after the Emperors that gouernment the Popes shall challenge a supremacy and prerogatiue power ouer inferiour kings and by wonderfull subtilty that is the shadow of piety religion and sanctimonious life preuaile in elation of heart and power of soueraignty and therefore Daniel saith and he shall bee vnlike to the first yet still must Rome be called Triumphanta and Santa so that when the Eagle saw her feathers plucked and that Senat us populusque Romanus could doe no good nor Imperium Romanum preuaile by forcible intrusion she fearing some incurable disease to grow vpon her and that shee must needs saint in her weaknesse and distresse set a new Loome on worke of policy lies and deuices yea Magicke and Witchcraft and so vnder the sacred name of Ecclesia Dei Romae once againe aduanced her standard of honour and reputation and became as predominant in her spirituall gouernment as euer shee was in the warlike dilacerations of her Prouinces But the story followes in the numbring the Eagles contrary Verse 11. feathers that is to say that after Rome had ouerswaid the world and her glorious Emperors with Luciferian pride aduanced themseluâ—s as high as the Sunne there should diuers attempts be made by forraine nations and dangerous Princes to dismantell her of her Imperiall robes and vnplume her of her diuersity of colours and these were comprised vnder the mâ—mber of eight 1. The West Gothes commanded by Alaricus 2. the Huns by Attala 3. the Vandals by Genscricus 4. the remainder of them by Odoacer 5. the East Gothes by Thecdorick 6. the rest by Totila 7. The Lombards or Longobardi by Albonius 8. and the last by an intestine sedition and domesticke conspiracy which infested as much or more than all the rest I could adde as enemies the Radaguise Alani or Almans Burgonians vnder Gundibald Hungars Saracens and diuers other but the former were those principall incendiaries that set Rome on fire indeed and by manifest repugnancy pulled her walles to rubbish which lasted all the time of her ostentation with the tearme of Imperium crbis terrae but when it came to the counterchange of Mater Ecclesia then did these Princes likewise inuest her with new robes of state and magnificence and were content to take the golden cup from the Strumpets hands and carowse the dregs of abomination thus is the story of Rome epitomised euen to this houre but because the Prophecie goes forward I will follow in the strength I haue begin againe One feather arose on the right side and reigned saith the verse 12. text In those daies the great ones repined at the gouernment of Consuls and the inscription of Senatus populusque Romanus whereupon diuers families attempted the sole iurisdiction as the Corâ—ehj Marius Scilla Cateline all as noble and as well borne as Iulins but none rose on the right side but he and although it cost him his life in the enterprise as betraied by his dearest friends who ouerpâ—sing the liberty of their countrey before the ambition of an intruder taught him a new lesson that in trust was treason and there is no confidence in worldly prosperity but time will haue her vicissitude but for all this out of death sprung the life of imperiousnesse for after Octauius Anthony and Lepidus had reuenged his death and plaied the wanton Triumuiri with the greatnesse and potency of gouernment Octauius shouldred away the rest and for his happy determination of businesse and prosperous successe in all affaires reigned forty foure yeeres alone as Augustus then followed Tiberâ—us Caius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian and these are the feathers and wings of the Eagle principally named in this prophecie Now saith the Text there were other feathers but they Vers 20. put not themselues forth with that strength nor made so glorious a shew as the former that is there were other Emperours and Gouernours but they were neither so mighty in gouernment nor so illustred in birth such as Nerua Adrian Anthonius Marius Commâ—dus Pertinax Iulian Seuerus Caracalla Macrinus Heliogabalus Alexander Maximinus with others to the 3. Valentinian and so by degrees as it is in Philosophie corruptiâ— vnius generatio alterius the Empire decaying the papacy had roome in Rome for a new progression All this while you must consider there were others which were opposiâ—es and innouators but no gouernors and these saith the text were set vp but not ruled such as Vindex Piscenius niger Albinus Diadumenas Maximus Balbinus 30. Tyranni Firmus Saturninus Bonosus Proculus Aper Eugenius Quintillus Ruffinus Constantinus not surnamed Magnus Heraclianus and others who all serued to no other end but as instruments for the Almighty to hew downe the marble pillers of this Imperiall Rome and afterward to raise a new fabricke of stupendious admiration by a farre more vnnaturall gouernment of Church-men I call it vnnaturall because the Popes of Rome vnder the sanctified titles of Peters successor Vcars to the Lambe and fathers of the Church of God not