answered him that he did it bicause he knew not what the holding of stirrops meant bicause that was the first time that euer he held any Which things séeing they are so and the pope hath taken to himselfe so great lordship ouer the most mightie princes of the world yet it is pleasant to heare that our pope Sixtus the fift doth call that lordship by the name of seruice For in the beginning of his declaration against the king of Nauarre he vseth these words That he doth therefore excommunicate the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Condie that during the time of his Seruice there may be peace and quietnes heretiks being taken away What maner seruice is this with a mischiefe which is spent in possessing the empire of the earth in treading vnder foot the maiesty of kings and emperors Of the same sort of seruice is that which the same pope Adrian wrot to the same Friderike We woonder not a little at your wisedome that you seeme not to giue to S. Peter to the holie church of Rome so much reuerence as you ought For in your letters which you sent to vs you put your owne name before ours wherein you incur the note of insolencie I will not say of arrogancie Touching which thing the same Nauclerus Genes 39. * doth testifie But now we must come to the chiefest and principal testimonie of the popes pride and of his treading vnder foot the maiestie of kings For after that Alexander successor to the same Adrian had terrified the foresaid emperor Friderike with his vsuall excommunication in those cruell clouds and darknes of the Church of Christ and Friderike being infected with the superstition of those times was desirous to be absolued from the same the pope appointed him a day in which he should be present in Venece in the chiefe church When he was come thither as great store of cardinals and bishops stood by him the pope denied to release him of his proscription vnlesse he would first fall downe at his féete and humbly craue forgiuenes of him Which after he had done then the pope lifted vp one of his féete and set it vpon the necke of the emperor as he lay prostrate and then commanded his priests to sing that verse out of the psalms of Dauid Thou shalt walke vpon the adder and cockatrice the lion and dragon shalt thou tread vnder foote Of which â—antish crueltie there be plentifull testimonies extant in the same Nauclerus in Barnus of the Genes 40. life of popes and Funcius in his chronicles Is there any of so great a number of the Senators Counsellers of the French king that can desire any greater or more sure testimonie of treason or treading maiestie vnder foote Though peraduenture some man will say Why was so great an emperor and so mightie a monarch so cowardly Surely this was the fatall superstitioÌ„ of these times which did possesse the minds of men in so great darknes concerning which kind that of Titus Liuius is known writing of the Bachanals Nothing is more deceitfull to looke to than false religion when as wickednes is cloked with the power of the Gods For men are afraid least in punishing the falsehood of men some point of the diuine authority mixed among be violate Thus writeth he But now we must fetch some other testimonies of the popes Seruice out of the maiestie of our kings that is troden vnder foote wherby it may more easily be vnderstood how that the boldnes which is in this pope Sixtus being streÌ„gthned with so great antiquitie is not to be woondered at séeing that he durst giue the most excellent king of Nauarre and most renowmed prince of Condie this title as to call them Sonnes of wrath ministers of proud Lucifer patrons of heretiks and heresies that they lie wallowing in mire and filth that they be heads captaines and chiefe defenders of heretiks that they be most earnest fautors of strangers that they make war against their king against him and also catholiks that they be murtherers of religious men that Condie a part had heretiks for his parents and that he continueth in the footesteps of his father being a most wicked persecuter of the catholike church that he is an author of ciuill wars and seditions and that he doth execute all kinde of fiercenes and crueltie And that both of them are a detestable and degenerate issue and guiltie of treason against God and enimies to the true Christian faith But an euill plague light on thée most holy Antichrist which darest belch out these things and vomit out this poison of thy bitternesse against such and so great Princes But as I haue already saide why do we woonder at so great insolencie of the pope against these two most renowmed Princes séeing that he vsed as great boldnes in times past against Philip the Faire the most mightie king of France For in the yéere 1286. it is reported that Boniface the eight was so proud that he did auouch that he was subiect to his gouernement not onely in spirituall things but also in temporall things Onely so Yea he proclaimed him a schismatike and heretike and hauing cursed him with all curses he did excommunicate him But the king being very couragious thought that he ought not to yéeld to this his so great boldnes yea as it became a valiant prince he brake and did beat down that fiercenes and madnes For he appointed that inquisition should be made of his wicked facts that he should be made answer for the same so soon as he found him to be conuict by manifest testimonies then he made him be apprehended at Rome and cast in prison in which prison to vse the words of Baldus and Platina he that had reigned like a lion died like a dog which historie is recorded by most French chronicle writers besides Platina Such was sometime the magnanimitie of our kings in despising and repressing the impudencie of popes For shall any in all France either noble man or of the common sort either with gouernment office power or also priuate man be thought to beare a good mind toward the kings maiestie in whom this so great pride of that tyrant of Rome will not prouoke lothsomnes and detestation And we woonder that our Sixtus being thus taught by satan being hardened by such antiquitie of crueltie durst in this his declaration pronounce that He doth depriue Henrie king of Nauarr and Henrie prince of Condie and all their posteritie of kingdoms principalities dukedomes lordships cities places and fees and also of dignities honors and princelie offices for these be his words Also To declare them to be vncapable and vnable to succeed in all dukedoms principalities lordships and kingdoms and specially in the kingdome of France What with a mischiefe what tragicall and Thyesticall cursing is this and furious pride of Antichrist and of an impudent frier Was there euer any that heard more outragious barking of
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
THE BRVTISH THVNDERBOLT or rather FEEBLE FIER-FLASH of Pope SIXTVS the fift against HENRIE the most excellent King of Nauarre and the most noble HENRIE BORBON Prince of CONDIE Togither with a declaration of the manifold insufficiencie of the same Translated out of Latin into English by CHRISTOPHER FETHERSTONE Minister of Gods word Nahum 3. I wil reueale thy filthines vpon thy face and wil shew thy nakednes amongst the nations and thy shame in the kingdoms Imprinted at London by Arnold Hatfield for G. B. and R. Newbery 1586 TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE LORD ROBERT DVDLEY Earle of Leicester Baron of Denbigh Knight of the most noble orders of the Garter and of S. Michael Maister of the Queenes horse one of hir Highnesse most honourable priuie Councel and Lord Lieutenant and Captaine general of hir Maiesties forces in the Low countries THE EXPERIence of your honorable acceptation of my last simple trauell in translating Maister Caluins Commentaries vpon Saint Iohns Gospell hath imboldened me further to present your Honor with another slender fruit of the same Which though it be not of like qualitie with the former yet I doubt not but it shal prooue profitable to as manie as with diligence and indifferencie shall vouchsafe it the pervsing The Author albeit not specified heerin by name seemeth to be a man of great reading singular iudgement and excellent dexteritie in handling the matter which he vndertooke The worke a notable discouery of that Abaddon or destroieng enimie the sonne of perdition that sitteth in the temple of God as God wherein both his defacing of the glorie of the sonne of God in heauen whose vicegerent he would be counted and his trampling vnder feete whatsoeuer is called God amongst men besides his manifold violences committed against the Church and Saints of God are most liuelie depainted and set before our eies Many woorthie wits of rare gifts haue trauelled in laieng open his vsurpations villanies and outrages with the originall and processe causes and effects precedents and consequents of the same acording as they were occasioned But this man hath drawen into one entire bodie a great manie memorable points which are dispersedly found in others so that he that listeth may at once take a view as it were of such an vglie monster as would trouble the strongest fantasie in the world to imagine and the most curious hand to pourtray the like Howbeit it is not much to be hoped for that the Italianate atheists and discontented Papists of which there are such swarmes amongst vs will any thing at all be mooued with the cleere light of these most euident demonstrations to reforme their iudgements and preiudicate opinions alreadie conceiued and rooted within them touching his pretended supremacie ouer Gods Church For it is greatly to be feared least by a iust iudgement of the almightie they are become past feeling so that they grope as the blind at noone day giuen ouer to all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousnes through a strong spirit of delusion bicause they would not receiue the loue of the truth that they might be saued But howsoeuer their harts be as hard as the adamant and their eies couered with the mist of palpable darknes euen to this day yet wisedom shal be iustified of hir children Whom God hath foreappointed to be beholders of his glorie they shall in their due time be inlightened with the knowledge of his sauing truth and come out of Babylon with as great speede as euer the Israelites posted out of Egypt Yea they shall clap their hands at the ruine of that Antichristian synagog which being now tottering and readie to fall to the ground laboreth with might and maine by force and fraud by treacherous attempts by cruell practises and open inuasions as it were by mingling heauen and earth togither to vphold it selfe as may be seene in most places of Europe at this day But he that sitteth in heauen laugheth them to scorne the Lord shall haue them in derision Whose words touching the ouerthrow of Babylon cannot fall to the ground but must be fulfilled in their time For doubtles Babylon must fal be rewarded according to hir works the kings of the earth shall loath and persecute this vniuersall strumpet to make hir desolate naked to eate hir flesh consume hir with fire Thrise blessed are they that band themselues togither bend their whole forces to execute these iudgements of the Lord which he hath decreed vpon hir In which respect your H. hath great cause to magnifie the Lord for his gratious mercies toward you in that he hath vouchsafed you this honor to stand in armes against one of hir principall louers in so iust and holie a quarell as is the maintenance of his sacred religion and the deliuering of the helplesse out of the hands of the oppressor so aduisedly and necessarily vndertaken by hir excellent maiestie A thing iustifiable by the lawes of God and man of nature and nations yea warranted by the like practise of most Christian Emperors in former ages and sundrie other good presidents of antiquitie Now seeing God hath dealt so mercifully with you it is your H. part to behaue your selfe valiantly and to fight the Lords battels with courage He is on your side therefore you are on the mountaines and your enimies in the vallies he shall be a brasen wall to defend you on euerie side if you set his feare before you and repose your trust in him The garde of his holie Angels shall be a surer protection vnto you than any trench bulwarke or fortresse you can deuise The praiers of all the godlie in the land being deeply touched with an inward sympathie and fellow-feeling of their neighbors calamities are powred out continually for your safetie and happie successe in this noble enterpise and your H. may be well assured that they shall procure more fauour to you at the hands of the Lord than any either aduersarie forces or associations of the holy Tridentine league shal be able to preuaile to the contrarie Wherfore my Lord arme your selfe with Christian courage policie and warines against these vncircumcised Philistins remember that they with whom you fight are deuowed vassals to that beast which is described in this booke whose power God be thanked hath been found too weake to shake the throne of our gratious Souereigne notwithstanding his often assaults His thunderbolts of excommunications and bannings haue beene esteemed as paper-shot by those noble Princes of the house of Borbon and Vendosme in France He sitteth in his Vaticane as one at his wits end destitute of counsel knowing that the assurance of his kingdom standeth but vpon one or two such Egyptian reedes as are mentioned by the prophet of no great safetie or suretie to be leaned vpon Should not the consideration of these things increase your fortitude and magnanimitie that you neuer faint nor giue ouer before you see a blessed end of your labors Which the Lord of heauen in a
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
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
prouince whereby the priests of Christ may both wisely discerne and constantly hold equitie especially bicause it is granted to euerie one if he shall be offended at the iudgement of those that are appointed to heare causes to appeale to the councels of his prouince or also the generall councell vnlesse peraduenture there be any man which doth beleeue that God doth giue by inspiration to some one man the iustice of hearing and examining matters and doth denie it to infinit priests assembled in a synod Or how shall the iudgement giuen beyond the seas be firme whereunto the necessarie persons of witnesses cannot be brought either for infirmitie of sexe or of old age or for many other hinderances that come betweene And as concerning those thrée legats there are grieuous complaints made of them in those verie same letters and especiallie of Faustinus that they had greatly troubled the assemblie when as they feigned that they mainteined the priuileges of the church of Rome Then we sée that euen at that time the wickednes trecherie and impudencie of the pope of Rome was reuealed and that it was conuict and condemned by a generall councell Do we thinke that he did any thing hauing taken away al his enimies or familiars of out Africa and Asia that he might establish in his west parts the power that he did euen then affect And thus much hitherto touching the first cause of the nullitie and incompetencie or insufficiencie of the iudge which notwithstanding that they may be more apparent to the most excellent senators of the kings parlement and to other lawyers we will confirme them with the authoritie of the doctors And first of all with that cōmon saieng of the canonists that The pope is no méete iudge euen in the onely crime of heresie but that it ought to be iudged by others * And Philip Decius C. si papa dist 40. doth constantly auouch that in that case a councell ought not to be gathered by the popes authoritie * The same doth Panormitanus in c. cum venis num 37. extra de iudic and Decius affirme in c. significasti num 4. num 9. de elect But of al other Ludouike of Rome doth most copiouslie and constantly auouch * out of the authoritie of the decrée it selfe that he that in Concil vlt. nu 15. seqq liueth rebelliouslie and refuseth to learne and do good things is rather a member of C. nullus dist 38. in concil 95. vol. 4. Decius cons 115. the deuil than of Christ that he is shewed to be rather an infidel than a beléeuer * The same saith Iason * and Decius * The second Nullitie by reason of the falsenes of the Allegation THerefore we say that the second cause of the nullitie doth consist in the falsenes of the allegation that is in a false cause alleaged which the pope followed in cōceiuing his sentence For the rule of the law is knowen that a sentence pronounced according to false causes false allegations false instruments is voide in law and without any appeale especially where the l. 1. pass C. si ex fals instru l. si praetor 7. D de iudic l. cum vero 2. §. Subuentum De fideic libert l. Seiae 26. D. de tutor cur dat l. 1. §. haec verba D. ne vis siat ei l. 1. C. si ex fals alleg sentence had for the principall cause and foundation the falsenes of the allegation * But pope Sixtus saith that he hath therfore proscribed the king of Nauarre and the prince of Condee bicause they be as he saith notorious heretikes Finely For by this reason if those princes be notorious heretiks then they must be procéeded against with arms and war if they be not notorious heretiks then the proscription and execration is of none importance Let vs sée then for what cause and allegation the foresaid Princes are condemned for heretiks For so great a crime must not be laid to the charge euen of a man of base estate without a great and weighty cause much lesse of so great princes and the kinsmen of so great a king The emperors Gratian Valentinian and Honorius decréed that they be counted heretiks which shall be detected euen by a light argument to erre and go astraie from the iudgement and path of catholike religion * Who can l. 2. c. de haeret Manich. like of and allow that definition For Augustine doth not account those heretiks which defend their opinion though false and pernitious with no stubborne wilfulnes especially which they haue not brought foorth through boldnes of their presumption but haue receiued it from their parents being seduced and fallen into errors and do seeke the truth with warie carefulnes being readie to be reformed when they haue found it as he saith text 24. dist 3. c. dixit Againe Iohn Auentine in the third book of his chronicles left in writing that a certaine bishop of Germanie called Virgil being skilful in mathematical arts was therefore accused of heresie and was called to Rome by pope Zacharie bicause he affirmed that there were Antipodes * That is such as go with their feete toward ours The canonists decréed that he should bée counted an heretike that should not obey all and singular the popes decrées * The gloss dist 10. c. nulli dist 21. pope himselfe hath decréed that he that denieth emperors kings princes and finally euery humane creature to be subiect to the temporall and materiall sword of the bishop of Rome be counted an heretike bicause it is vpon necessitie of saluation to beléeue this that is it is one of the articles C. 1. in fin extr de maior obedient of faith * In the yéere of Christ cxc 8. Victor pope of Rome did therefore pronounce that the East churches were heretiks bicause they thought not the same concerning Easter which his church thought For which cause Ireneus bishop of Lyons did sharpely reprooue that pope as Eusebius doth witnes in his fift booke 26. and Epist 24. What néede many words He is defined to be an heretike in popery which doth not beléeue al those things which are taught for truth in the church of Rome * But we haue before C. nulli dist 19 shewed that this doctrine was deliuered to the Church of Christ of it to be beléeued by the authority and commandement of the popes that Dominic wrought more miracles than Christ and all his apostles that the same Dominic was much more excellent than Christ and all his apostles That Iohn Baptist to whom the holy scripture gaue this title that there was neuer any mortall man vpon earth greater than he was by many degrées inferior to Dominic that cosener We haue shewed furthermore that the popes haue approoued that fable touching the marks of Francis Bernardo and that it is deliuered to the church of Rome to be beléeued and that that wise man that opposeth himselfe
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
much that The pope being chosen otherwise than canonically is a diuell and hath not the keies of heauen but of hell For these be the words of Felinus * Let them furthermore In c. Ego N. de iureiur consider that all the popes cardinals and bishops which haue borne rule in the church of Rome more than an hundred yéeres came assuredly out of the seminarie of schismatiks and apostataes For it is now almost an hundred and fiftie yéers ago sithence the councel of Basill was kept and held with the great desire will of all Christian estates It is well knowen that neuer any councell was called had and kept in the church of Rome with greater solemnitie than this For it was both called by the decrée of two popes namely of Martin the fift and Eugenius the fourth and also it was held their legates being presidents Eugenius being cited and called out of the same councell after that they had solemnly heard the cause he was at length conuict of fraud iuglings craftie conueiances and factions against the libertie of that councell and so put from the popedome and disgraded as a schismatike and reuolt togither with all the cardinals and bishops which tooke his part And Amedaeus duke of Sauoy was put in his place Let vs heare what maner end this tragedie had Soone after the same Eugenius being condemned depriued disgraded was through the fauor of certain princes restored to his sea and he likewise restored with him all the cardinals and bishops that tooke his part And Amedaeus hauing though against his will a cardinals hat giuen him did resigne his popedome Let graue men and such as are of courage now consider whether according to that most holie function of the popes decrée wherof we spake euen now they be to be counted apostolicall or rather apostaticall whether they haue the keies of heauen or of hell who arising out of that seminarie of the Eugenians beare rule in the church of Rome in these times Which that it may more commodiously be iudged it is woorth the labor to heare and knowe the opinions of the doctors and lawiers who haue written somewhat touching this matter and first of all of Ludouike of Rome who was present at the councell of Basill where he wrote the last councell whose words are these * If the num 15. shepheard of shepheards offensiuely gouerning and inordinately handling the church being admonished by the church do not foorthwith repent yea continue in his insolencie of gouernment he may and ought to be put from his office For seeing he honoreth not the church admonishing him wholesomly neither shall he then deserue to be honored of the church so that it should tollerate him gouerning offensiuely and being incorrigible being an argument of that which the orator Domitius saith and Hierom reporteth in his epistle to the Neopolitanes saieng thus Why then should I count thee as my prince seeing thou dost not take me for a senator * Therefore the truth is that the pope dist 95. c. esto subiectus offending the church notoriouslye with his crimes and remaining incorrigible may be accused to the church and by the same be vncased of his popedome Which conclusion is shewed farther thus The pope standing in a notorious crime that offendeth the whole church and being vnwilling to cease of falleth into suspition of heresie * He that liueth rebelliously and refuseth c. nullus dist 38. sic dicente to learne and do good things is shewed to be a member rather of the diuel than of Christ and he is shewed to be rather an infidell than a beleeuer Thus saith Ludouike of Rome who as we said was present at the councell of Basil with great authoritie Where be those that dispute that they are and ought to be counted heretiks which set themselues against the popes tyrannie Which thinke that his outragious boldnes in proscribing kings ought not any longer to be borne with Which detest the impietie of Sixtus the fift in maintaining the feined religions of Bernardo and Dominick But now let vs cite another authoritie of the same notable man out of the same councell for shortly after * he num 17. saith thus If naturall reason tell vs that an incurable member that infecteth the whole bodie ought to be cut off for the safetie of the whole bodie in like sort ciuill reason ought to tell vs that an incurable member that infecteth the whole mistical church must be cut off that the rest of the bodie be not infected or offended and consequently the pope let vprightnes of minds be vsed in reading these things and let these words of Ludouike of Rome be compared with that our curse and detestation who though he be a principall part of the church yet is he also a member of the bodie of the church according to the glosse * Also the reason of the scripture of God in c. ecce 93. dist persuadeth this approouing the asseueration of Caiphas the chiefe priest who said It is expedient that one man die for the people and that all the people do not perish seeing that though he were pope placed to gouerne the people yet ought he not to be their ruine saith text 11. q. 3. ita corporis Yea he is worthie of as manie deaths as he sendeth ouer examples of destruction to his subiects saith text eadem caus q. in c. praecipuè For as it is a laudable and discreet thing to giue reuerence and honor to superiors so it is a point of vprightnes and the feare of God not to cast behind vs by any dissimulation the things that are in them and need any correction least the disease go through the whole bodie if the sicknes be not cured in the head saith text 2. q. 7. c. sicut inquit This conclusion is also prooued by the text in c. in canonibus 16. q. 1. and in d. c. sed illud So likewise he ought to be banished out of the church who is not amended by the admonition of the church as the Lord saith Take away euill from among you For those wounds must be launced which feele not the softening of the medicine * argum de iudic c. cum non ab hom Thus writeth 82. dist c. quia aliquanti 1. q. 1. c. reperiuntur Ludouike of Rome word for word Wherby being compared with that our detestation vpright readers may iudge whether iustly or vniustly we haue so boldly accursed the tyrannous boldnes of that pope Moreouer to that complaint of Ludouike of Rome agrée those things which cardinall Zabarella wrote about the yéere M. ccccvj in his treatise of schisme num 20. For euery notorious crime of the pope saith he if he cannot be reformed and do offend the church he may be accused bicause he is accounted as an heretike * in c. olim col pen. extra de rescrip for this incorrigiblenes not in gloss 40 dist c. si papa concerneth
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
pope so that the famous Councellers of the king of France and the Senators of the Parleament may know and vnderstand that the most part of Christendome hath for most iust and weightie causes reiected and refused the papacie But notwithstanding we will ad moreouer some other things and that especially That the pope hath so great power both in purgatorie and also in hell that he may deliuer by his indulgences and foorthwith place in heauen and in the habitation of the blessed as manie soules as he will which are tormented in those places as it is in the bull of Clement the 6. and in Ant. Florent That the pope hath so great power in heauen part 3. tit 22. cap. 6. that he may canonize and place in the number of the Saints what dead man soeuer he wil maugre the heads of al the bishops and cardinals Thus writeth Troilus in tract de canonis sanct 3. dub Maluit By which and such like we may know how true that oration of Eberard somtimes Archbishop of Salisburge was which he made two hundred yéeres ago in a publike assemblie of the Empire of Germanie which we will recite out of the 7. booke of Iohn Auentine his Chronicle printed at Ingolstade anno 1554. The chiefe priests of Babylon saith he desire to reigne alone they cannot abide an equall They will neuer haue done vntil they haue troden all vnder their feete and they sit in the temple of God and they be exalted aboue all that which is worshipped Their hunger for riches and thirst for honor can neuer be satisfied The more you grant to a greedie man the more he desireth reach out your finger and he will couet your whole hand He which is the seruant of seruants doth couet further to be Lord of lords as if he were God He speaketh great things as if he were God He changeth laws he establisheth his owne he polluteth he robbeth he spoileth he coseneth he slaieth that wicked man whom they commonly call Antichrist in whose forehead is written a name of blasphemie I am God I cannot erre He sitteth in the temple of God he beareth rule far and wide Thus saith Eberard Moreouer in the same Auentine in the same booke there is extant this complaint of Frederike the 2. being Emperor in an epistle which he wrote to Otho Duke of Bauaria The popes of Rome do seeke after lordship and diuine power namely that they may be feared of all no otherwise yea more than God For it is euident that there be manie Antichrists amongst those Romanists and that none other are the ouerthrowers of Christian religion And shortly after That man that is called the pope namely being become verie wealthie with the great losse of Christian godlines doth thinke that he may do whatsoeuer he will as tyrants vse to do He will render an account of his doings to none As if he were God He vsurpeth that which belongeth to God alone that he cannot erre or be holden with anie religion of a lie he doth require most impudently and imperiously to be beleeued Thus writeth he Moreouer Erasmus in his Annotations of the new Testament 1. Tim. c. 1. doth witnes that in his time in the schooles of the diuines these things were woont to be called in question and disputed vpon Whether the pope could abrogate that which was decreed by the apostolike writings Whether he could decree any thing which is contrarie to the doctrine of the Gospell Whether he can make a new article of the faith Whether he haue greater power than Peter or like power Whether he can command the Angels whether he can take away all purgatorie whether he be onlie man O detestable blaspemie whether as he is God he do participate both natures with Christ whether he be more gentle than was Christ seeing it is not read that he called backe anie from the paines of purgatorie Whether he alone of all men cannot erre Sixe hundred such like things are disputed in great printed bookes And that by great diuines especially famous for the profession of religion These things doth Erasmus write in as many words Annotat. pag. 663. The crime of mocking religion BVt some peraduenture will saie it is onely impietie blasphemie of words Let vs therefore bring to light the wicked factes of the same papacie a few of many as it were for examples sake that euerie one may vnderstand that the popes many yéeres ago did make but a mock and scoffe of Christian religion And first of all that of Gregorie the seauenth which we will lay downe in the words of cardinall Benno The Emperour Henrie the third saith he was woont often to repaire to praier to the church of S. Marie which is in the mount Auentine But Hildebrand who being afterward made pope was called Gregorie the seauenth when as by his spies he made diligent inquirie after all his works he made the place be marked where the Emperour was woont to praie and he perswaded one by promising him money to lay great stones vpon the beames of the church secretly and that he should so order them that he might throwe them downe from aboue vpon the Emperours head as he was at praier and so beat out his braines which thing when he that was appointed to do so great wickednes did make haste to accomplish and sought to laie an huge stone vpon the beames with the weight thereof the stone drew him downe and the boorde being broken vnder the beames both the stone and the miserable man by the iust iudgement of God fell downe into the church floore and by the same stone was he quite crushed to peeces Of which fact after that the men of Rome knew and of the order therof they tied a rope to the wretches foot caused him to be drawen three daies through the streetes for the example of others But the Emperour of his woonted clemencie caused him to be buried Thus far goeth Benno Whence we vnderstande how detestable the impietie of the pope was who hauing no regard either of the place wherein the Emperour praied and which the pope professeth to be holie to himselfe nor of the time wherein he praied but seruing his blinde furie and madnesse sought the destruction of the Emperour his prince But go too let vs cite another testimonie of impietie out of the same Benno Iohn bishop of Portua saith he who was throughlie acquainted with Hildebrands secrets went vp into Saint Peters pulpit and amongst many things in the hearing of the cleargie and people he saith Hildebrand hath done some such thing for which we ought to be burned aliue speaking of the Sacrament of the Lords bodie which Hildebrand demaunding oracles from God against the Emperour threw into the fire though the cardinals his assistants did speake against it These are the goodly testimonies of the papall pietie in Gregorie the seauenth Now let vs cite another touching Syluester the seconde out of the booke of Iohn
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
was more than Iohn the Baptist Fol. 18. bicause Iohn Baptist was onelie a preacher of repentance Francis was both a preacher and also an ordainer of the order of Repentance He was a fore-runner of Christ Francis was a preacher and standerd-bearer of Christ wherin he surmounteth Iohn Baptist. Also Francis went before Iohn bicause he conuerted more vnto the Lord and in more places namely in the whole world Iohn preached but two yeeres and a little more but Francis preached eighteene yeeres Iohn receiued the word of repentance from the Lord Francis receiued it both from the Lord and the pope that 's more It was told by an Angel to Iohn Baptists father it was declared by the holie Ghost and the prophets what a one he should be But S. Francis was declared to his mother and the seruants in the shape of a stranger by the prophets the Lord Iesus Christ and also by an Angell S. Iohn prophesied in and without his mothers wombe S. Francis foretold with ioy in the wombe that is being prisoner at Perusius that he should bee some great man S. Iohn was the friend of the bridegroome S. Francis was like the Lord Iesus Christ. Iohn was the most singular in the world for holines Francis was the most excellent of all other with Christ for the conformitie of his marks S. Iohn was aduanced in the Seraphicall order S. Francis was placed in the verie same order in the place of Lucifer What is it to mocke Christian religion and to deride the sacred historie of S. Iohn Baptist if this be not O God thou Lord of vengeāce how long wilt thou suffer these monsters of popes to mocke thy most holie maiestie so reprochfully How long wilt thou suffer them to rage in thine holie temple But surely there is another place in that same storehouse of blasphemies almost more detestable For * he saith Francis Fol. 39. is better than the Apostles bicause they forsooke onely their ship and other things but yet not their garments which they had on their backe But S. Francis did not onely forsake all earthly things but he did also cast from him his clothes and breeches and offered himselfe being cleane both in bodie and mind to the arms of the crucified which we read not of any other Saint Wherefore he might well saie to Christ I haue forsaken all and followed thee Where be those Pharaos and the woorser champions of the Pharaos which count the iuggling casts of the magitians better than the miracles of Moses and make semblance that they take delight in these munkish monsters that they may remoue the vnskilfull people from reading the holie scripture and from studieng the same and that they may abuse their subiects as beasts And yet these things were beléeued in former ages and no maruell sith Paul foretold so plainely that Antichrist should come with the effectuall working of satan with all power and signes and lieng woonders and with all fraud of vnrighteousnes in those that perish bicause they receiued not the loue of the truth that they might be saued Therfore God shall send vnto them the efficacie of deceit 2. Thes 2. that they may beléeue a lie that all that haue not beléeued the truth may be condemned The inuention of the religion of Dominic BUt let these things hitherto be spoken of the feined religions in the person of Francis Bernardo let vs héereafter sée somwhat of the inuentions of another frier called Dominic Wherin we must giue the first place to that wicked comparison wherin Dominic God the father of mercie pardon vs which are compelled to recite these blasphemies is matched with Christ being God For in Antonie bishop of Florence it is thus written The Lord In hist. par 3. tit 23. ti 24. Christ saith he is Lord absolutely and auctoratiuely Dominic possessiuely He had manie diuine visions he saw Christ once purposed to iudge and make an end of the world but the virgin Marie besought him that he would staie and send Dominic and Francis to preach And againe when he saw the heauen open and friers of all sorts in glorie and he saw not his Dominicans but it was told him by the sonne of God that they were vnder the garment of the virgin Marie whom he saw there and a certaine master of the order of the Minors which made a very great masterly booke of S. Dominic saith that in the said vision it might be said that Dominic did then see God in his essence as Paul when he was caught vp But it shall appeere that he was very like to Christ by the discourse of his life and works Therfore he was most fitly named Dominic being most like to the Lord Christ The Lord saith I am the light of the world the church singeth of Dominic You are the light of the world All the prophets beare witnes of the Lord of Dominic and his Act. 10. Zach. 11. order Zacharie said in the person of God I haue taken to my selfe two rods I haue called the one Decorem or beautie the other Funiculum or a little cord Beautie or comlines is the order of predicants the little cord is the order of the Minors bicause they are girt with a plaine rope Before Dominic was borne in the world there appeered the images of two painted at Venece in the church of S. Mark the one whereof was like a religious man in the apparell of the order of the predicants with a lilie in his hand The other was like vnto the Apostle Paul as he was woont to be painted ouer which was written Agios Paulus S. Paul and vnder the feete of the picture Per istum itur ad Christum by him men go to Christ vnder the other picture was written Agios Dominicus S. Dominic and vnder him Faciliùs itur per istum men go more easily by him And woonder not at this writing bicause the doctrine of Paul as of the other Apostles was a doctrine leading vnto faith The doctrine of Dominic a doctrine leading to the obseruations of Counsels and therefore men go more easily by him vnto Christ. 2. The Lord was borne vpon the bare ground but least the colde should hurt him too much he is placed in a manger by his mother the virgin When Dominic was borne being but a little one and committed to the keeping of his nurse he was often found gone out of his bed and lieng naked vpon the ground as if he did alreadie abhor the pleasures of the flesh 3. When the Lord was borne there appeered a bright star which guided the wise men vnto him insinuating that the whole world should be illuminate by him Dominic arose and vpon him when he was to be baptised his spirituall mother saw a star in his forehead foreshewing a new sunne beame of the world 4. The Lord being twelue yeere old was brought by his parents into the temple and there he remained alone being but a boy
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
signification by which signification is vnderstood Christ the rocke Peter the Church Thus saith Augustine which thing he repeateth in his book against Iud. paga And also in the tenth tract vpon Iohn and of the word of the Lord ser 20. Concerning which opinion Cyrillus saith He called the rocke nothing In dial de trinitate lib. 4. else but by agnomination the vnshaken and most firme faith of the disciple wherein the Church of Christ is grounded And this verie In epist. ad Eph. ca. 2. same thing doth Ambrose * In hom in Mat. 55. Chrysostom * in c. quodcunque 24. q. 1 and also the Canonists * confirm They alledge this same saieng of Augustine Bicause in the person of Peter the Church hirselfe receiued the keies Which thing is inculcate out of Hierom * in c. omnibus ead q. But Bernard inueighing bitterly against that arrogancie of the popes breaketh out at length into these words And in times past truly In epist. 230. you did rule as Lords ouer the Clergie contrarie to the Apostle Peter yea and ye ruled as lords ouer the faith of the whole world contrarie to his fellow Apostle Paule But now you haue added some new thing vsurping also ouer religion it selfe what remaineth but that you proceed to rule as lords euen ouer the holie Angels themselues And Gregorie surnamed the Great writeth thus to Mauritius Epist 30. li. 16. the emperour I say boldlie that whosoeuer he be that calleth himself the vniuersal priest or desireth to be so called doth in his pride go before Antichrist bicause in waxing proud he setteth himselfe before the rest The like wherof we may sée in many places in the Lib. 6. epi. 188. epi. 194. also lib. 7. epist 3. 74. 79. 80. same writer and vnto the said Mauritius And thus much concerning the former part of the Dilemma Now let vs sée touching the other that is the donation of Constantine Though séeing it may séem that we shall haue a fitter place to handle the same when we come to intreat of the crime of forgerie it be fitter for vs at this time in this one word to passe ouer al that disputation namely that all that instrument of the donation which the pope bringeth forth is false feigned and forged and that it came out of the same shop out of which we shewed before the volume of the Conformities of Francis came wherof bicause we shall in their place bring to light 25. most sure arguments we will now make an ende to this second crime Onelie in stéede of a conclusion we will propounde a question of this Franciscane frier of ours which will not easily be answered as I thinke Our Sixtus is pope and also a Franciscane inasmuch as he is pope he hath as we haue shewed before not onely chiefe dignitie vpon earth but also great in heauen purgatorie and hell inasmuch as he is a Franciscane no doubt according to his dutie towarde his patron he granteth that S. Francis deserueth dignitie aboue the Cherubins We say not amongst the Cherubins saith Antoninus of Florence but aboue the Cherubins and it is certaine according to the doctors that the Seraphins are aboue the Cherubins Thus writeth Antoninus Therfore the question is when this pope departing Lib. hist. 3. tit 23. ca. 1. this life shall be receiued by S. Francis whether he shall be placed aboue the Cherubins or the Seraphins For we haue shewed that the Dominicane friers onlie are placed vnder the mantle of the blessed virgin It causeth great doubtfulnes bicause as Augustine Steuchus writeth the pope is God as the Canonists dispute halfe a God But Francis as we saide before out of the testimonie of the deuill is nothing but a stout frier On the other side this our frier calleth Francis the Typical Iesus as if one should saie Another Iesus or one that is made like to the former Iesus If we should place Francis aboue the pope we should place him aboue his God or demie God which were most absurd If we should giue him a place below the pope neuerthelesse we should absurdlie make another Iesus subiect to the pope and peraduenture the Iesuites could not abide that for the high dignitie of their name What shall we saie then Bartolus was woont in hard questions to admonish his hearers to bethinke themselues We in the meane season without any preiudice of the truth will leaue to this pope that same place which Gregorie the Great giueth him which what maner one it is we shall set downe shortly after where we shall make mention of Lucifers comming to hell Of the crime of corrupt Religion HItherto haue we spoken briefely of the second crime of the papacie according to our method and order set downe It followeth that we intreat of the crime of corrupt religion For when as the pope tooke vpon him that chiefe lordship ouer Christian religion he then determined as it were by his own right to innouate new trim and transforme it at his pleasure Whereof this is the first testimonie The holie Scripture teacheth vs that there is one onely forme of religion and worshipping of God the same which is set downe in writing in the writings of the Prophets Apostles so that it is not lawfull to adde any thing thereto or to take any thing there fro no not for an Angell in heauen Therefore Christ saith In vaine do they worship me teaching doctrines which Iohn 14. 2. Tim. 3. Matth. 15. are the commandements of men And Ier. 7. Which I neuer commanded neither ascended they into mine hart Therefore Irenaeus bishop of Lyons an authour most ancient for he wrot about the yéere of Christ 198. After that saith he our Lord rose from the dead and the Apostles had the holie Ghost giuen them after that power came vpon them from aboue they were filled with all things and they had perfect knowledge of saluation Also Cha. 4. We must not seeke the truth at others seeing the Apostles haue most fully bestowed all things in the church which belong to the truth that euery one that will may take of the same drinke of life Also Athanasius in the beginning of his second booke against the Gentils The holie scripture saith he and inspired by God is alone abundantly sufficient to all instruction of the truth Thus saith he But the pope setteth downe on the contrarie that The discipline of the Church besides holie scripture so saith he in the Councell of Trent is contained in the traditions of the elders Triden concil session 4. cap. 1. which being deliuered as it were by hands came vnto vs also as being deliuered either by word of mouth by Christ or else by the holie Ghost Now let vs sée what maner traditions being deliuered to vs by our ancetors as it were from hand to hand are to be obserued And first of all let vs cite that The pope vseth vpon
a certaine and set day to make certaine little images like to a lamb of white wax tempered with oile He affirmeth that these if they be hoong about the neck do in like sort purge mens sinnes euen as the blood of Christ doth purge them he affirmeth that they driue away lightening that they helpe women in childbirth and that they saue men from burning and shipwrack What more wicked thing can be spoken or thought vpon But these are called the traditions of the elders deliuered to this pope by his predecessors as from hand to hand For in the booke of the popes Ceremonies it is written thus Balme and pure waxe with holie oile Togither mixt a lambe do make 1. Sect 7. Which gift of price and vertue great To the beloued I betake As borne of fountaine and adiured By sacred words Whose power is great For flashing lightnings it depels And euery euill away doth beat It breaketh sinne like Christs owne blood It vexeth it It doth preserue Women with childe and infant saues It giues those gifts that do deserue The fires force it will destroy And faire doth saue from flouds annoy Let this then be the first tradition of the popes which is deliuered to vs with like the same authoritie as the holie scripture There followeth another The holie scripture teacheth vs that the sacrament of baptism is the sprinkling of the blood of Christ Iesus for the remission of our sins and the Acts. 22. Rom. 6. 1. Cor. 6. 15. imputation of his righteousnes But the popes traditions doe grant baptisme to bels and the priests of the papacie do abuse so great a sacrament euery where so wickedly and vngodlily that the emperor Maximilian the first wrote a complaint concerning that matter which is extant among his grauamina or burdenings in these words Also the suffragans haue inuented that they alone and none other priest should baptise bels That done the simpler sort do beleeue the suffragans affirming the same that such bels thus baptised do driue away diuels and tempests Wherefore they haue sometimes an infinite companie of God-fathers and especially those that are of wealth are intreated In the time of which baptising they touch the rope wherwith the bell is tied and then the suffragan he singeth first as they vse to do at the baptising of infants and then they altogither make answer and do double the name of the bell and they put a new garment vpon it as they vse to do to Christians And shortly after Therefore a thing so wicked and vnlawfull ought to be abolished Maximilian saith excellently and cléerly But as the sow in wallowing so are the popes delighted in this filth and corruption And concerning this most filthy customary pollution of the In tract de super num 3. nu 9. num 14. sacrament let vs read Martin de Arles Go to now let vs prosecute other corruptions of religion The scripture teacheth vs that there is but one mediator of God and 1. Tim. 2. 1. Ioh. 2. Rom. 8. Heb. 7. Amb. in epist. ad Heb. men Iesus Christ * And therefore Ambrose saith They are woont to vse a miserable excuse saieng that by iust men we may go vnto God as by earles vnto the king Go to now is any man so mad and so vnmindfull of his safetie that he will attribute the maiestie of the king to an earle seeing that if any be found but euen to talke of this matter they may by good right be condemned as guiltie of treason And these men will not thinke those to be guiltie that giue the honor of the name of God to a creature and forsaking the Lord do worship their fellow seruants as if they could do God any greater seruice For therefore do men go to a king by tribunes and earles bicause surely the king is a man and he knoweth not to whom he ought to commit the cōmon-welth But to please and intreat God who is ignorant of nothing for he knoweth all mens merits we need no spokes-man but a deuout mind For wheresoeuer such a one shall speake he will answer nothing at all This saith Ambrose What How religiously doth the papacie kéepe this ordinance of the holie scripture and the old Church It denieth that there did euer any saint depart this life which was receiued into the place of the blessed which doth not execute the office of a mediator and intercessor Only so Nay whatsoeuer bawds Francisses Dominiks and other deceiuers and coseners they would canonize among the saints they brought vs in the same for mediators and spokesmen The scripture teacheth vs that there be onely two places for soules of the dead Iohn 5. Matth. 25. after this life heauen for the blessed hell for the cursed Therfore Augustine saith * Lib. hypognost The faith of the catholiks by the authoritie of God beleeueth the first place to be the kingdome of heauen the second hell where euerie reuolt and stranger from the faith of Christ is punished Of any third we are altogither ignorant neither do we find in the holy scripture that there is any such Thus writeth he But the papacie feigneth that there is a third place where the soules of certaine that are guiltie of light and as they terme them of veniall sinnes are purged before they go vp into heauen which place for this cause they call the fire of purgatorie as if ouer and besides the blood of Christ that was shed for our sinnes to purge vs we néed either those pictures of lambs or this supposed fire whereas notwithstanding the scripture doth euidently teach vs that our soules are purged by the onely blood of Christ and that their blots are washed away by this medicine alone 1. Ioh. 1. His blood purgeth vs from al sin And Mat. 26. My blood shall be shed for many for the remission of sinnes Finally these are the words of the Tridentine Councell that There is a purgatorie Sess 25. and that the soules that are there kept are holpen by the praiers of the faithfull and especially by that acceptable sacrifice of the altar We sée how great corruptions the papacie hath brought into Christian religion Item sess 6. ca. 30. Sess 22. ch 2. c. 3. But besides these innumerable other may be reckoned vp The scripture teacheth vs that there be onely two sacraments namely baptisme and the supper the former whereof was instituted Matt. 28. Mark 16. and the latter Matth. 26. Mark 14. Luc. 22. and 1. Corin. 11. 23. Therefore Augustine saith Christ knit togither Ep. 218. ad Ianuar the societie of the new people with sacraments in number fewest in obseruation easiest in signification most excellent as baptisme consecrate to the Trinitie and the communicating of the bodie and blood of Christ. Also The Lord and the apostolike doctrine gaue but a Lib. de doctr Christ. ca. 9. few signes as is the sacrament of baptisme and the celebration of the bodie
by the inspiration of God and intercession of S. Peter shall with one Councell and consent without any promise choose to the order of the popedome and when he shall be consecrated let ambassadours bee sent to vs or our successours the kings of the Frenchmen that they may conclude friendship loue and peace betweene vs and him By this comparison it is euident by what deceit and how wicked policies the papacie did vse to obtaine that highest lordship of Italie For as the true emperor Constantine l. scripturae 14. c. de fide instru saith in Iustinian Diuers writings and such as discredit one another can haue no l. si is qui 13. § vtrum D. de rebus dubijs l. vbi pugnam 188. D. de reg iur strength séeing that two spéeches containing contrarie things cannot bée true Therefore so often as there be manie instruments of one and the same act they must agrée togither in as many words though an error in some little mark be tollerable as if L be written for C. * But an l. Sempronius 47. D. de leg 2. error in the note of the nūber is one thing the diuersitie in the things themselues is another thing as in this place where in one instrument there be only certaine places néere to Rome named in the other besides the greatest part of Italie there is mention made of Sicilia Sardinia and Corcyra in which case bicause they be diuers donations there were diuers instruments required * Finally if Constantine l. sancimus 34. §. si quis autem C. de dona l. quingenta 12. D. de probat had giuen to the papacie the empire of the west so long before what new right could the pope get by this new donation of Ludouike Séeing that as it is commonly said There is no getting of that which is l. 4. C. de contrah emp. a mans owne Fiftly bicause the popes in another place also spake things contrarie one to another touching this same matter For in the same decrée of Gratian * there 12 q. 1. c. futuram is extant the testimonie of pope Melchias who held the popes sea before Syluester where euen then I say before the papacie of Syluester he maketh mention of this donation of Constantine made euen before his papacie in these words He gaue very great gifts and he built the frame of the temple of the first sea of S. Peter so that he forsooke his imperiall seat and he gaue it to S. Peter and his successors that it might profit them For if Constantine made that gift before the times of Melchias what argument or substance can this fable of Syluester haue who affirmeth that Constantine was both baptized by him and also that he gaue him so great an empire But now we must come néerer to the very instrument of the donation and to the words of the historiographer For who will thinke it to be a thing like to be true that a dreame was offered by God to a man that was not onely a painim and a worshipper of idols but also to a most cruell persecutor of Christian religion Or if it had béene offered who can beléeue that God would not rather haue done that by some angell according to the old and perpetuall custome as the scripture doth witnes than by the apostles that were dead Finally it is follie to beléeue any thing of dreames without the authoritie of the scripture Wherefore no man ought to doubt but that this instrument came out of the same shop whence innumerable other such inuentions fictions and lies of the papacie came such as is that in Antoninus As Dominick was at Rome and made Par. 3. tit 14. §. 3. his praier in the cathedrall church of S. Peter for the preseruation and dilating of his order the hand of the Lord was vpon him and he saw the glorious princes Peter and Paul comming to him of whom Peter seemed to deliuer him a staffe and Paul a booke saieng Go preach bicause thou art chosen of God for this ministerie Or that other of pope Stephen the second in Reginon in his chronicle anno 753. where pope Stephen to whom Pipinus gaue the Exarchate of Italie as I said a little before writeth that As he slept in the monasterie of S. Dionysius in the streete of Paris these be his words vnder the bels he saw before the altar S. Peter and the teacher of the Gentils Paul whom he knew by their scars for S. Dionysius was slenderer and taller and that The Lord Peter said This our brother desireth to be healed and that S. Paul answered He shall be healed euen now And that hee drew neere and laid his hand on the brest of the Lord Dionysius friendly and that S. Peter said merily to the Lord Dionysius Thy grace is his health And that by and by the Lord Dionysius holding in his hand a censar and palme said to the priest and deacon Begin to pope Stephen Peace be with thee brother Feare not arise vp whole And by and by saith he I was healed and I would haue fulfilled that which was commanded me and those that were there said that I was mad and so foorth Which things are so foolish and blockish that it séemeth that pope Stephen sought by that inuention to be laughed at But we are to praise God that he hath suffered so great wickednes to befall blocke-heads onely But moreouer that is not to be omitted touching the séeing of the apostles Peter and Paul in a dreame which we read in the booke of the Conformities Fol. 51. As S. Francis went to Rome he was swéetly imbraced of the holie apostles Peter and Paul and there Peter and Paul being requested by Francis did obtaine of Christ the confirmation of the rule of the Minorits The seuenth bicause it is not likely that Constantine the great was sicke of the leprosie forasmuch as neither Eusebius who wrote his life in fiue bookes carefully as I haue already said neither Zosimus who for hatred of religion doth raile vpon Constantine so much as euer he can neither Paulus Diaconus neither any other maketh any mention of that disease to omit the argument of Baptist Mantuan * who de patient 1. cap. 30. Plin. lib. 21. cap. 1. after he had taught out of Plinie * that that kind of disease was long ago extinguished in Italie he inferreth thus If therefore in the time of Plinie who florished vnder Vespasian this disease was now extinguished in Italie it is not likely that Constantine had it who reigned long time after The eight bicause there is a wicked inuention and lie added afterward in that place and such as the eares and minds of Christians doe loath that Constantine whiles he was in the font baptized by the pope saw the hand of God sent down from heauen vpon his bodie which clensed him from his leprosie Being put into the font saith he I saw an hand with