widow who hath had concubines who is in a servile condition who is vnknowne Neophycus who is given to war-fare or an attender in Court who is vnlearned or hath not attained to the age of thirtie yeares who hath not proceeded to honour by ascending degrees who by ambition or bribes hath presumed to honour who hath been elected by his predecessor who hath not beene elected by the Clergie and people of his owne citie He who is approved shall be consecrated on the Lords day by all the comprovinciall Bishops at least by three of them Let Levites be of the age of 25. yeeres before their admission and Presbyters of 30. Let Bishops be vnreproveable according to the precept of the Apostle 1 Tim. 3. Let Bishops not onely haue the testimony of a Good conscience in the sight of God but also the testimony of an vnruproueable conversation amongst men Presbyters Levites whom infirmity of old age permits not to abide in their secret chambers yet let them haue witnesses of their honest conversation and remaining places Youth-hood is prone and bent to evill therefore let them that are young be all brought vp in one conclaue vnder the instruction and government of some well approved Senior But they who shall be found lascivious and incorrigible let them bee thrust into a Monastery to the end that stricter discipline may correct the proud minds of insolent youths Seeing that ignorance is the mother of all errours it becommeth Presbyters who haue vndertaken the office of teaching continually to meditate vpon holy Scripture according to the words of the Apostle Take heed to reading exhortation and doctrine 1 Tim. 4. for by meditation of holy Scripture and the Canons of the Church men are made able to instruct others in knowledge and in precepts of good manners Presbyters shal receiue from their owne Bishops an officiall booke to the end that through ignorance they doe nothing amisse neither in celebration of the Sacraments nor in their Letanies nor in their forme of comming to Councels When Presbyters and Deacons are admitted to their offices they must vow chastitie and binde themselues to their Bishops to lead a continent life and after such profession let them retaine the discipline of an holy life A Bishop Presbyter or Deacon who shall happen to be vniustly deposed if they bee found innocent by the tryall of the Synode let them be restored to their former dignities before the Altar by the hands of Bishops in this manner If hee bee a Bishop let him be restored to his Orarium with Staffe and Ring If hee be a Presbyter to his Orarium and Planeta If he be a Deacon to his orarium and Alba If he be a Sub-deacon to his Plate and Chalice and other orders let them receiue in their restitution that which was given vnto them in their ordination If any of the Clergy be found to haue cōsulted with diviners sorcerers let him be deposed from his dignity put into a Monastery to make cōtinual penance for his sacrilege Church-men who dwell in borders confining to a Nation that is vnder hostility with their owne countrey let them neither receiue from the enemies of the countrey nor direct any secret message vnto the enemies If any Church-man sit in iudgement or be iudge in a sentence of blood let him bee depriued of his dignity in the Church Let Bishoppes haue a care of such as are oppressed to reproove the mightie men who oppresse them and if the word of wholesome reproofe profite nothing let them complaine to the king to the ende that by regall authoritie impietie may be subdued Seeing auarice is the roote of all euill let Bishops so gouerne their dioceses that they spoyle thē not of their rightes but according to the determination of anteriour Councels let them haue the third part of Oblations Tithes Tributes Cornes the rest let it remaine vnto the Paroches free and vntouched That thing which one Bishop possesseth without interpellation for the space of thirtie yeeres let no man in that same Prouince be heard in an action of repetition But as concerning them who dwell in diuerse Prouinces the case standeth otherwise lest while Dioceses are defended the boundes of Prouinces be confounded A Church newly builded shall appertaine vnto that Bishop in whose diosie it is knowne that spiritual conuentions haue beene kept A Bishop shall visit yeerelie all the paroches of his diosie and in case he be hindered by infirmitie or by weightie businesse he shall appoint faithfull Presbyters and Deacons to take inspection of the fabricke of the Churches and of their rentes Whatsoeuer reward a Prelate promiseth to a man who vndertaketh any worke tending to the vtilitie of the Church let him faithfully performe his promise Seeing that a part of Church-rentes is bestowed vpon sustentation of strangers and of poore and indigent people if it shall happen at any time those persons or their children to be indigent who haue rendered any rent to the Church let them render a just deserued retribution to their bene-factors in sustaining them to whose beneuolence they are addoted The Deacons are decerned to be inferiour to Presbyters Let the Leuites be content to be cloathed with their Orarium onely vpon the left shoulder and not vpon their right shoulders and let it neither be beautified with colours nor with gold Platina in the life of Zosinus calleth it Linostima Let Clergie-men haue the vpper-most part of their heads bare and shauen and the lower-part rounded not following the example of the Readers of Gallicia who did shaue onelie a little of the vpper-most part of the haire of their head conforming themselues in so doing to the custome of some Heretikes which dishonour is to bee remoued from the Churches of Spaine No strange women shall cohabite with Church-men only their mother or sister or her daughter or fathers sister may dwell with them amongst which persons the bandes of nature permitteth not to suspect any sinne according to the constitutions of auncient Fathers Some of the Clergie who are not married are intangled with the forbidden lust of strange women let the Bishop separate them sell the women and redact the men infected with their lust for a space vnto penance If a man of the Clergy marrie a wife or a widow or a deuorced woman or an harlot without aduise of his Bishop let the Bishop separate them againe Clergie-men who haue cloathed themselues with armour voluntarilie and haue gone to warre fare let them be deposed from their office and bee thrust into a Monasterie there to remaine all the dayes of their life Church-men who are found spoyling the sepulchers of persons departed let them be deposed and be subject vnto three yeeres penance By the commandement of king Sisenandus Churchmen are exempted from all publike indictions and labours to the end
that then wee be readie to leaue all things for his sake as when hee requireth in vs after the like phrase the hatred of father and mother and of our owne liues hee biddeth vs not to dishonour our father or mother much lesse to hate them but that then when it is required we set all things behind the loue of Christ. Many other worthy workes hee compiled wherein albeit hee vttered nothing but what was truth yet notwithstanding hee was by the Antichrist and his rable condemned for an heretike exiled and his bookes burnt Of this number also was one Laurence an Englishman Master of Paris and Petrus Ioannis a Minorit who taught and maintained many things against the Pope prouing that hee was Antichrist and that the Synagogue of Rome was great Babylon whom because the Pope could not burne aliue after his death his bones were taken vp and burned Also Robertus Gallus is to be added to those before mentioned who being borne of a right noble parentage for devotions sake was made a Dominik Frier about the yeere of our Lord 1290. This man as appeareth by his writings had diuerse and sundrie visions al tending against the spirituallitie of Rome for hee called the Pope plainely an Idole who hauing eyes neither saw nor desired to see the abhominations of his people nor the excessiue enormitie of their voluptuousnesse but onely to heape vp treasures to himselfe And hauing a mouth did not speake himselfe but sayd I haue set good men ouer them which is sufficient to doe them good either by himselfe or others Hee notably describeth in one of his visions the curiositie and vanitie of the Scholastig Doctours who flourished in this age comparing them to a man who hauing good bread good wine hanging on both his sides was notwithstanding gnawing hungerly on a flint stone thereby signifiyng that they leauing the wholsome foode of their soules contained in the Scriptures busied themselues with subtile questions containing no edification in them nor comfort to the soule of man In this age also is reckoned Robert Gostred Bishoppe of Lincolne in England a man of great learning godlinesse and constancie who liued in the daies of Pope Innocentius the fourth and constantly resisted his vnlawfull request For this Pope had recommended vnto him a yong Italian boy to bee admitted to the first vacant prebendry of his diosie But Robert Gostred would not agree to the vngodlie desire of the Pope but did write backe an answere to him declaring that next after the sinne of Lucifer there is not nor can bee any kinde of sinne so repugnant and contrarie to the doctrine of the Apostles and holy Scripture and to our Soueraigue Christ himselfe more hatefull detestable and abhominable then to destroy and kill mens soules by defrauding them of the misterie of the Pastorall office which by the ministerie of the Pastorall cure ought to saue and quicken the same Which sinne by most euident places of Scripture such men are descerned and knowne to commit who being in the authoritie of that Pastoral dignity doe serue their owne carnall desires with the benefite of the milke and wool of the sheepe and flocke of Christ and doe not minister the same Pastorall office to the benefite and saluation of those their sheepe And whereas hee perceiued that the Bishop of Rome delt in all his requests imperiouslie rather commaunding nor requesting any thing to bee done hee answered in the end of this letter that the power which was giuen by God to any Bishop was to build the house of God and not to destroy it hereby blaming the Bishop of Rome as one who abused his authoritie to the destruction of the Church of God by placing young boyes in offices neither apt to teach nor wel acquainted with the maners and language of the people This ansâ—â—re being returned to the Pope hee was greatly moued with indignation and sware that except hee had beene restrained by his owne naturall clemencie hee would hurle him downe to such confusion as to make him afable a gazing stocke and a wonder to the world Not long after thus it pleased God to visit this reuerend father with sicknesse in the time whereof hee called to him a Frier of the preaching Order named Master Iohn Giles a man expert and cunning both in Physicke and Diuinitie partly to receiue from him some comfort to his body and partly to conferre with him in spirituall matters Thus vpon a certaine day the said Bishop conferring with the said Master Iohn and reciting to him the doings and proceedings of the Pope did grieuously rebuke his fellow brethren the Preaching Friers and the other Order also of the Minorites Because their Order being planted in wilfull pouertie of the Spirit to the intent they should more freely carpe and reproâ—e the vices of the mightie and not to flatter or to spare them but sharpely to rebuke and reprehend the same yet the said Friers contrarie to their profession did not boldly enough cry out and invey against the abuses of their superiours and men of power not did vncouer nor detect their faults and wickednesse And therefore the B. said I â—udge them to be no better than manifest heretickes And added moreouer demanding of Master Iohn what is heresie that hee would giue him the true definition of it Whereat when the Frier did stay and pause not remembering the solemne definition of that matter the Bishop therevpon inferreth giuing this definition in Latine by the true interpretation of the Greeke word Heresis gracè Latine electio est sententia humano sensu electa scripturae sacrae contraria palam docta pertinaciter desensa that is heresie is a sentence taken and chosen of mans owne braine contrarie to holy Scripture openly maintained and stâ—flie defended And this definition especiallie hee applied against the Romans who commit the charge of soules vnto their kinsfolkes being both in age vnworthie and in learning insufficient and so stiflie defend this their wicked opinion that if any dare presume to withstand the same hee is suspended and excommunicated and open warre proclaimed against him Therefore hee to whom the whole definition of an heretike doth agree hee is a verie heretike And euery Christian man ought to set himselfe against an heretike as farre as hee may yea and that person who can resist him and doth it not hee sinneth and seemeth to be a fauourer thereof according to the saying of Gregorie Hee lacketh not conscience of secret societie who ceaseth to resist open impietie and the Apostle writeth to the Romans saying not onely they who commit such things but also they that consent are worthie of death Therefore it may be concluded that aswell the Pope Vnlesse he cease from that vice as also the same Friers vnlesse they shew themselues more earnest and studious in repelling the same are both worthy of death that is perpetuall damnation Item sayth the Canon Decretall that vpon this
then the traditions of Bishopps and therefore by his Cardinall de Columna Iohn Husse was cited to appeare at Rome where hee appearing by his procurators was notwithstanding excommunicated as an obstinate Heretike because hee appeared not personallie at the appointed day The Bohemians notwithstanding cared litle for all this but grew in knowledge daylie In the meane time it hapned by the occasion of Ladislaus king of Naples who had besieged the Popes townes and territories that Pope Iohn raising vp warre against the said Ladislaus gaue full remission of sinnes to all them who would warre on his side to defend the Church When this Bull of the Popes indulgences was come to Prague Iohn Husse and his fellowes not able to abide the impietie of those pardons began manifestly to speake against them And albeit Winceslaus king of Bohemia who then fauoured the Pope gaue out strict commaundement that no man should speake against those indulgences yet of Iohn Husses companie were found three Artificers who hearing the Priest speaking of the forsaid indulgences did openly speake against them calling the Pope the Antichrist wherefore they were brought before the Senate and committed to prison But the people ioyning themselues in armes required them to be let loose The magistrates one the other part albeit they satisfied the people with gentle wordes and faire promises for a time yet when the tumult was asswaged they sent to the prison and secretlie beheaded the three foresaid artificers whose names were Iohn Martine and Staston The people hearing of this tooke their dead bodies and with great solemnitie buried them in the Church of Bethleem at whose funerall diuers Priests fauouring that side did sing thus These be the Saincts which for the testimonie of God gaue their bodies c. Thus the citie of Prague was divided The Prelats and greatest part of the Clergie and most of the Barons who had any thing to lose did hold with the Pope especially Steuen Pallats being chiefest doer of that side On the contrarie part the communes with part of the clergie and students of the vniuersitie went with Iohn Husse Winceslaus the king fearing lest this should grow to a tumult being moued by the Doctors and Prelats and Counsell of his Barons thought best to remoue Iohn Husse out of the citie who had beene excommunicated before by the Pope The people on the other part began mightilie to grudge and to cry out against the Prelats and Priests who were the workers hereof accusing them to be Simonits couetous whoremasters adulterers proud not sparing also to lay opē their vices to their great ignominie shame wherevpon it came to passe that the king seeing the inclination of the people being also not ignorant of the wickednesse of the Clergie vnder pretence to reforme the Church began to require great exactions from such Priests men of the clergie as were accused knowne to be wicked liuers And thus the Popish clergie while they went about to persecute Iohn Husse were intrapped themselues in great tribulation brought in contempt and hated of all men At this time were three Popes raigning together by reason whereof a generall Councell was ordained and holden at Constance in the yeere of our Lord 1413. And this councell being called by Sigismund the Emperour for the taking away of the schismaticall dissention of so many Popes ruling at one time to the great disturbance of all Christian nations it pleased the said Emperour to send vnto Iohn Husse Bacheler of Diuinitie in the countrie of Bohemia his safe conduct and letters of protection inviting him to come to the Councell and promising him a libertie of safe returning vnto his owne country without any maner of empeachment trouble or vexation Notwithstanding as soone as he came to Constance he was cast into prison before he was heard And when he was brought forth to the Councell there befell a strange and shamefull matter for his aduersaries had scarsly read one article and brought forth a few witnesses of the same against him but as he was about to open his mouth to answere all that were about him began so to cry out that he had no leasure to speake a word The noise and trouble was so great and vehement that a man might well haue called it a noyse of wilde beastes not of men much lesse was it like a congregation of men gathered together to iudge and determine so graue and weightie matters The next time he was brought foorh to the convent of the Franciscans where the Emperour himselfe was present and exhorted Iohn Husse to submit himselfe to the generall councell otherwise said he my safe conduct cannot nor should not be a protection to any who maintaine hereticall doctrin The day after which was the eight of Iune he was brought out againe to the same place and in his presence there were read thirtie nine Articles the which they said were drawne out of his bookes which were iudged by the councell to be hereticall and hee of new againe was required by the Emperour to submit himselfe to the councell Iohn Husse answered that hee would not maintaine any opinion with obstinate minde but if the Councell would instruct him clearlie that any of his Articles were repugnant to the holy scriptures of God he would renounce and forsake the same affirming also most constantlie that the most part of all those thinges that were alledged against him were falsly forged and neuer thought nor vttered by him when they saw that by no exhortation Iohn Husse could be moued to acknowledge his doctrine to be errōeous to recant the same vpon the sixt day of Iulie he was brought to the head church of the citie of Constance there in presence of the Emperour and councell was degraded of all Priestly orders and dignities and a definitiue sentence was giuen out against him wherein hee was condemned as an heretike for that hee preached and openly defended the articles of Iohn Wickliffe which were condemned by the Church of Rome and likewise had appealed to the Lord Iesus Christ as the most high Iudge which appellation they counted a great contempt of the Apostolique Sea and the Ecclesiasticall Censures and Keyes After this hee was put into the Secular Iudges hands to be burnt as an Heretique having vpon his head a crowne of paper with vgly pictures of divels painted thereupon Which rebuke as also the torment of fire hee most patiently sustained with Psalmes and spirituall Songs lauding God vntill the winde droue the fire vpon his face and choaked his breath And after his bodie was consumed with fire they cast the ashes of the burnt body into the river of Rhene Thus died Iohn Hus the faithfull Martyr of God the sixt of Iuly 1516. Now while as Iohn Hus had beene lying in prison and so hardly handled his faithfull companion Ierom of Prague came to Constance the fourth day of Aprill anno 1415. who there
occasion it hath beene alreadie declared He lacked not his owne infirmities and errours euen in doctrine He was intangled with the errour of the Chiliasts He supposed that as Christ being thirtie yeere old was baptized so likewise he began to teach when he was fortie yeere old and suffered when he was fiftie because he came to saue all and therefore he would taste of all the ages of mankinde Yet is this opinion repugnant to the narration of the foure Euangelists Clemens Alexandrinus liued in the dayes of the Emperour Commodus He was the disciple of Pantenus These two seeme to be the authors of Vniversities and Colledges For they taught the grounds of Religion not by Sermons and Homilies to the people but by catecheticall doctrine to the learned in the schooles This Clemens esteemed too much of tradition like as Papias did of whom we spake in the former Centurie whereby it came to passe that he fell into many strange absurd opinions directly repugnant to the written word of God affirming that after our calling to the knowledge of the truth possibly God may grant to them that haue sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but if we sin ofter then once or twise there is no more renuing by repentance or pardon for sin but a fearefull expectation of iudgement And in his 4. booke of Strom. as it were forgetting his own rigorous sentence against those who sinne ofter then once or twise after their illumination with the light of God he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say whether here or els-where viz. creatures do repent no place is void of the mercy of God In which words he would insinuate that those who repent either in this world or els-where that is in the world to come may possibly obtaine fauour at Gods hand nothing can be written more repugnant both to the word of God and also to his own forementioned opinion Many other worthy Preachers and learned men flourished in this Centurie whose names of purpose are pretermitted In Athens Publius Athenagoras In Corinth Primus Dionysius and Bacchilus In the Isle of Candie Philippus and Pinytus In Antiochia Hieron Theophilus Maximus Serapion In Ierusalem before the daies of the Emperour Adrian the Bishops of Ierusalem were of the nation of the Iewes But after the daies of Adrian who banished the Iewes from their natiue soile Christian Preachers of other nations were Bishops in Ierusalem such as Marcus Cassianus Publius Maximus Iulianus Capito Valens Dolichianus Narcissus the most part of all these liued in this Centurie but Narcissus with some others are knowne to haue liued in the dayes of Seuerus the fift persecuter and some space after him But to write of all other worthy Preachers Doctours in particular it were an infinite labour and far surmounting the abilitie of these ecclesiastick Writers who wrote in ancicient times and much more our abilitie who liue in a latter age CENTVRIE III. Bishops of Rome TO Victor succeeded Zephyrinus the 14. Bishop of Rome who liued in that charge eight yeeres seauen moneths ten dayes Eusebius attributeth vnto him 18. yeeres so vncertaine is the computation of the yeeres of the gouernment of the Bishops of Rome Eusebius writeth nothing of his decretall Epistles and these that are forged by late Writers are foolish and ridiculous Consecration of the holy cup to be in a vessell of glasse onely A Bishop to be accused before honest Iudges twelue in number whom the Bishop himselfe shall chuse if need be Honest and vnspotted witnesses to be heard in this cause no fewer then 72. conforme and aboue the number of those 70. Disciples whom Christ adioyned as fellow-labourers in Preaching with his Apostles And finally that no definitiue sentence should be pronounced against a Bishop vntill the time his cause were heard of the Patriarch of Rome This is but a mocking of the Church of God to attribute such smelling pride such vnaccustomed formes of Iudicatory such defencing armour fencing guarding vnrighteous men against iust deserued punishment to the simplicitie of an ancient Church humbled vnder the crosse and fighting vnder the yoke of heauie and long-lasting afflictions These false and forged decretall Epistles altogether vnknowne to the Fathers who liued before the dayes of Constantine will procure one day a decree sentence of wrath against those who haue giuen out new intended lies vnder the names of ancient and holy Fathers The canons of the Apostles albeit a booke falsely attributed to the Apostles doe agree better with Scripture then the constitution of Zephyrinus for the scripture saith That by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall be confirmed The canons of the Apostles say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Let not an Heretique be admitted to beare witnes against a Bishop neither yet one witnesse onely albeit he be faithfull because that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall be confirmed The writer of the canons of the Apostles had some remembrance of the words of Scripture but the forger of the decretall Epistles of Zephyrinus is like vnto a ship-man who hath hoised vp his saile and aduanced his ship so far into the sea that he hath lost the sight of land and townes as the Poet speaketh Provehimur Pelago terraque vrbésque recedunt Surely this lying fellow who euer he hath bin that hath written this supposititious decretall Epistle of Zephyrinus he hath hoised vp his saile and is so bent to lie that he hath lost both sight remembrance of the words of holy Scripture Callistus the 15. Bishop of Rome continued in his charge fiue yeeres Platina saith 6. yeeres 10. moneths 10. dayes The fable of Pope Damasus who affirmeth that Callistus builded a Church to the honour of the Virgin Mary beyond Tyber is reiected by Platina himselfe because the hystorie of the time cleerely prooueth that in the dayes of Seuerus and his sonnes the conuentions of the Christians could not haue beene in magnificke temples but rather in obscure chappels or subterraneall places so that the multiplied number of lies written of the Bishops of Rome who liued in this age and the decretall Epistles falsly attributed vnto them plainly proue that the garment of antiquitie vnder the lap whereof Papists would so gladly lurke is altogether wanting to them Vrbanus 1. was the 16. Bishop of Rome He continued in his office 8. yeeres Platina 4. yeeres 10. moneths 12. dayes Of his martyrdome Eusebius maketh no mention Others who record his martyrdome are not certaine in what Emperours dayes he was martyred I proceede to his successour Pontianus the 17. B. of Rome He continued in his charge 9. yeeres 5. months 2. dayes Euseb saith 6. yeeres He was banished to the Isle Sardinia where he died Of the two decretall epistles ascribed vnto him the second is general written to al men who feare and loue God the
consciences of their Church-men but prohibition of marriage which I haue prooued to be a doctrine of deuils cannot be referred to so ancient a beginning The Romane church desirous to be masked with a shewe of antiquitie they haue attributed Canons to the Apostles which are not found in their writings Yet it is a shame to the forgers of these canons to be found the principall impugners and transgressers of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say A Bishop elder or deacon who vnder pretence of religion putteth away his owne wife if he cast her off let him be excommunicated and if hee perseuere in so doing let him be deposed How can this constitution of Stephanus agree with the Canons of the Apostles Heere I appeale to the consciences of honest and vpright men if they finde not that the lie is not onely repugnant vnto the veritie but also vnto it selfe The supposititious Canons of the Apostles and the supposititious constitutions of Stephanus cannot both consist I know what they answere viz. that the Canons of the Apostles speake of those Bishops Elders and Deacons who had wiues when they were admitted to ecclesiasticall offices these should not put away their wiues vnder pretence of religion but concerning others who were vnmarried in the time of their admission the 25. Canon declareth otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to vnmarried men who are promoted to the clergie we command that if they please they shall marrie but onely readers and singers to wit shall haue this priuiledge It is an vnsufferable thing to heare such leuitie and inconstancie imputed to the holy Apostles that they debarred no man from the office of a Bishop Elder or Deacon because he was a married man O but if any man enter vnmarried to be a Bishop Elder or Deacon then hee must not marrie If marriage had beene an vncleane thing it might haue debarred men from entering into holy offices but if it be a cleane thing it cannot exclude them after they haue entred The other decreet alledged out of Gratian dist 79. Oporrebat ut haec c. that by the constitution of Peter and his successors it was ordained that one of the Cardinall Elders or Deacons should be consecrated to be Bishop of Rome no other Such stiles of preheminence are vnknown to scripture and to the antiquitie of this time Xistus or Sixtus the 2. of that name and in number the 23. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Stephanus and gouerned 2. yeeres 10. months 23. dayes And Func Chron 11. yeeres such vncertaintie is in counting the yeeres of their administration The chaire of Rome through the vehemencie of persecution was vacant without a successour 1. yeere 11. months 15. dayes as Damasus granteth and Onuphrius the corrector of Platina cannot denie If the Bishop of Rome be the head of the Church then was the Church headlesse almost for the space of two yeeres To Xistus 2 succeeded Dionysius 24. Bishop of Rome and continued in his ministration 9. yeeres according to the computation of Eusebius Damasus assigneth vnto him 6. yeeres 2. months Marianus 6. yeeres and 5. months such certaintie is in the cheife and principall ground of the Romane faith concerning the succession of the Romane Bishops that scarse two writers doe agree in one minde concerning the time of their succession To Dionysius succeeded Felix 1. the 25. Bishop of Rome and gouerned 5. yeeres He liued in the dayes of Aurelian the 9. persecuter and obtained the honour of martyrdome In the three supposititious decretall epistles assigned to him the second epistle written to the Bishops of the Prouinces of France very sollicitously careth for Bishops that they be not accused by secular men but with so many caueats as in effect exempteth them from all accusation The language wherin the epistle is indited cannot agree with the ornat stile of the Latin tongue in this age he being a Romane borne as Platina writeth Post quam ipse ab â—s charitativè conventus fuerit Ad summos primates causa ejus canonicè defertur ConciliuÌ„ regulariter convocare debebunt c. The Galilean language manifested not more euidently that Peter was a man of Galile then the first of these 3. phrases manifesteth that the foresaid epistle was compiled in a time of great barbaritie Eutychianus the 26. Bishop of Rome followed after Felix 1. HeeÌ„ continued scarce ten months in his ministrie Caius the 27. Bishop of Rome succeeded to Eutychianus and continued 15. yeeres He liued in the dayes of the persecution of Dioclesian and lurked for a time in subterraneall places In the end he was found out by the persecuters and put to death and with his brother Gabinius and his brothers daughter Susanna suffered martyrdome Here it is to be marked that many martyrs died before the edict of horrible persecution was set forth in the 19. yeere of Dioclesians raigne For Marcellinus succeeded to Caius Anno 298. but the cruell edicts of persecution of Dioclesian were not set forth before the 308. yeere of our Lord. Whereby it appeareth euidently that many Christians were put to death before the edicts of horrible persecution were renued by the Emperour Dioclesian So hard was the outward estate of Christians that they were put to death vpon the warrant of the edicts of Valerian and Aurelian before the edicts of Dioclesian and Maximian came forth To Caius is attributed the constitution of ecclesiastical orders and degrees by which men must mount vp to the dignitie of a Bishop First he must be Ostiarius next Lector 3. Exorcista 4. Acoluthus 5. Subdiaconus 6. Diaconus 7. Presbyter and last of all Episcopus This order of ascending by degrees to the dignitie of a Bishop is confidently referred to the constitution of the Apostles but I say Beatus qui non credit that is happie is he who beleeueth it not Like as within scripture there is no lie so likewise without scripture there is no truth in matters of faith ordering of maners and appointing of ecclesiastical offices all that is necessarie is contained in the written Word of God But now to performe a part of that which I promised in the end of my treatise of Antiquitie and to let eueÌ„ry man see what vnlearned Asses they haue been who haue set foorth the fained decretall epistles of the fathers of this age In the epistle written by Caius to the Bishop Felix aboue-mentioned hee saith If any man of what dignitie so euer he be delate such persons viz. Bishops Elders Deacons for faultes that cannot bee proued let him vnderstand that by the authoritie of this constitution hee shall be counted infamous This constitution hath three parts First that no ecclesiasticall 1 person should be accused before a secular Iudge Secondly if any accusation be intended against Bishop Elder or Deacon it should be qualified by sufficient probation Thirdly if the accuser succumbe
second or third day after his soule shall not be blessed but polluted Therefore the Gibeonites because they brought old bread to the children of Israel it was ioyned them to hew wood and beare water In this age also are found some learned men who detested the pride of the Bishop of Rome such as Hildebertus Archbishop of Towrs a disciple of Berengarius and an excellent Poet who made this distinchon of the towne of Rome Vrbs foelix si vel dominis vrbs illa careret Vel dominis esset turpe carere fide Bernard Abbot of Claravall borne in Burgundie was respected in his countrey aboue others who although hee lived in a most corupt age yet he was found in the doctrine of iustification as may appeare by the words which hee vttered on a time being diseased after this manner I grant saith he I am vnworthy and that I cannot obtaine the kingdome of heaven by mine owne merits neverthelesse my Lord hath a double right to it First by this right that he is his fathers heire Secondly by right of the merit of his suffering With the first right he contenteth himselfe The second he bestoweth on vs by whose free gift I claime a right thereto and am not confounded Hee detested the corruption of manners which abounded in his time as may bee knowne by the words of Hugo Cardinalis It seemeth saith he good Iesus that the whole vniuersitie of Christian people haue conspired against thee and these are the chiefe persecutors who haue the principall roomes in thy Church Hee admonished Count Theobald who bestowed great cost in building of Abbies and Churches that he would rather support them who were of the houshold of faith and that he would be carefull to build the immortall and everlasting tabernacles of God Hee subdued his body by fasting beyond all measure whereby his stomacke became so diseased that oftentimes it rendered againe the small portion of food which it had received Hee was very superstitious in receiving the reliques of the Saints In so much that when hee came to Rome and the head of the Martyr Casarius was offered to him to take of it what part hee pleased hee was content to take one tooth onely And when his associates could not draw out the tooth it was so fast fastened vnto the Iawbone Bernard counselled them to pray that the Martyr would willingly conferre vnto them one of his teeth Many visions and miracles are attributed to him but they smell so much of superstition as it is easily knowne that the most part of them are invented and forged by the deceiving teachers of this age He died in the 64. yeere of his age leaving them that were about him three testamentall lessons 1. That they should offend no man 2. That they should giue lesse credite to their owne opinion then to the iudgement of other men 3. That they should not be vindictiue nor desirous of revenge for wrongs done vnto themselues He esteemed much of the prophecies of Hildegardis a Prophetesse in France whose wordes Bernard thought to be indyted by divine inspiration In this age also flourished Anselmus Bishop of Havelburg whom the Emperour Lotharius 2. sent to Calowannes Emp. of Constantinople Hee disputed with Nichetes Bishop of Nicomedia in the temple of Sophia about the old error of the Grecians who affirmed that the holy Spirit proceeded onely from the Father and not from the Sonne Hee refuted very learnedly the obiections of Nichetes who obiected that two fountaines and beginnings were set vp in the Godhead if the holy Spirit proceeded both from the Father and the Sonne Wherevnto Anselmus answered that when the Councell of Nice sayd Deus de Deo lumen de lumine They established not two Gods nor two lights in the Trinitie Euen so when it is sayd Principium de principio there is not brought in two beginnings but one only And whosoever saith he denyeth that the holy Spirit proceedeth from the Son denyeth also that he proceedeth from the Father For the Scripture saith I and the Father are one I am in the Father and the Father in me and againe Hee that seeth mee seeth the Father From this argument they went to another concerning the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome Anselmus prooved the supremacie of the Bishop of Rome by three arguments 1. Because the Councell of Nice had preferred the chaire of Rome to all other chaires 2. Because Christ assigned superiority to Peter when hee sayd Thou art Peter and vppon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it And I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde on earth is bound in heauen and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven 3. The chaire of Rome was free of heresies when Constantinople and other Churches of the East were defiled with heresie To the first argument Nichetes answered that the Councell of Nice called the Bishop of Rome the Bishop of the principall chaire but not the principall Bishop for that dignitie hee received from the Emperour Phocas but not from the Councell of Nice To the second argument he answered that the power of binding and loosing was not given to Peter onely but also to all the rest of the Apostles And like as they were all partakers of that same heavenly grace whereof Peter was partaker in the day of Pentecost so likewise they all received that selfe same power of binding and loosing And Peter alone received not the power like as he received not the grace alone Thirdly whereas it was alledged that the Romane Church remained vnspotted with heresie when as other Churches were defiled with it Nichetes answered that it was true that Arrius Macedonius Nestorius and Eutiches did spring vp among the Grecians and they likewise were chiefly refuted and suppressed by the the Grecians And the fountaine of all heresies being humane Philosophie it was no marvell that greatest heresies sprung vp where men of greatest learning and vnderstanding were found and it is likely that the fewer heresies sprung vp in the West because they were men of lesse learning and not of so deepe vnderstanding as the people of the East CENTVRIE XIII Popes of Rome AFter Caelestinus succeeded Innocentius the third and ruled eighteene yeeres he excommunicated Iohn king of England for not receiuing of Stephen Langtowne Archbishop of Canterbury being approued by the Pope he brought the said king so low that he was in the ende constrained to resigne his crowne of England and Ireland to the Pope and to receiue the same backe againe from the Pope to him and his heires for yeerely payment of a thousand marks He confirmed the order of the Dominike or blacke friers and the order of Franciscans or begging Friers To him Henry the sixt when hee departed this life left the tuition and
was no head of doctrine howbeit plaine in it selfe which they did not obscure and darken with the mist of vaine Philosophie curious disputation And that which was more lamentable the pure foundations of the word of God were vtterlie forsaken Theologues began to reuerence Aristotle his writings as if hee had bin a Prophet of God the Apostle of Iesus Christ. Yea things coÌ„tained in the holy scripture were counted vulgar common base of little importance but they who were deeply learned in Aristotles Philosophie and in the volumes of the ancient doctors were counted excellent teachers Angelicall and Geraphicall Doctors Then were set out prolixe commentaries vpon the master of SenteÌ„ces by Albertus Aquinae Alexander and Scotus and all the schooles were filled with contentious disputations This Albertus was a Dominik frier who for his great learning was called Magnus was made B. of Ratisbon by Pope Alexander 4. but he being wearied with the painefull trauels of that calling returned home again to Colen to speÌ„d his time more quietly in reading and writing of bookes Where hee writ those commentaries vpon the Master of Sentences vpon Aristotle with many other volumes Also hee defended his owne order of friers against Guil. de S. Amore who impugned the same as shal be hereafter declared God willing before he died he pointed out a place for his owne burial and dailie visited it Et vigâ—lias pro se ac si vita sâ—nctus esset legit Thomas de Aquino otherwaies called Angelicus Doctor was disciple to Albertus Magnus and profited in Theologie and Philosophie beyond others while he was yong at the schoole he was quiet stil more inclined to heare al men then to speake was called by his condisciples Bos that is a kow because hee was so silent Neuerthelesse afterward by his penne this kow lowed louder then all his coÌ„disciples filled al nations with the sound of his Doctrine He was of the order of the Dominike or preaching Friers defended his order against William de S. Amore as Albertus his Master had done before He died in the way as he was iourneying to the couÌ„cel at Lyons was canonised by Pope Ioannes 22. and was supposed to haue wrought miracles after his death because this age was full of lying miracles Alexander Neckam was learned in Philosophie Poetrie Oratrie and Theologie obtained a glorious name to be called Ingenij MiraculuÌ„ hee was made Abbot of Excester in England vpon whose Sepulchre when hee died were written these Barbarous verses Eclipsin patitur sapientia Sol sepelitur Cui si par vnus minus esset flebile funus Vir bene discretus in omni more facetus Dictus erat Nequam vitam duxit tamen aequam Ioannes Duns otherwise called Scotus Subtilis was a man borne in Dunce a towne of Scotland who departed from his natiue countrie and ioyned himselfe to the companie of the gray friers in Oxford from thence he passed to Paris from thence to Colen where hee died being yet yong in yeeres Hee was called Subtilis from the subtilitie of his wit In his commentaries vpon the Master of Sentences hee entreateth largely of the head of the Sacrament of the supper where it may be seene that hee would neuer haue condiscended to the opinion of Transubstantiation if hee had not beene induced thereto by the authoritie of the church of Rome Likewise in this age liued Alexander de Ales an English man brought vp in Paris and expert in Philosophie Theologie who amplified the doctrine of Petrus Lombardus with many subtile arguments and was called Doctor irrefragabilis In the end hee tooke vpon him the habit and order of the Graye Friers vpon this Occasion Hee had vowed that hee should doe all things which he was required to do in the name of the blessed Virgin if so be they were possible to be done and vpon a time hee forgathered with a begging Frier seeking almes who besought him for the Loue of our Lady to ioyne himselfe to their order because they had no Master to gouerne and rule them Thus Alexander de Ales without delay tooke vpon him the habit of a graye frier and became their doctour He died at Paris and was buried in one of the Abbacees of the graye friers Now in this time of most palpable darkenesse the Lord lacked not witnesses of his truth but stirred vp many who damned the grosse ignorance and superstition of those times Of this number was Arnoldus de Nova Villa a Spainard a man famously learned and a great writer whom the Pope with his Clergie condemned among Heretikes for holding writing against the corrupt errours of the Popish Church His teaching was that Sathan had seduced all the world from the truth of Christ Iesus First That the faith which then Christian men were commonly taught was such a faith as the Deuils had Secondly That Christian people were led by the Pope to hell Thirdly That all Cloysters are voyde of Charitie and that they doe all falsifie the doctrine of Christ. Fourthly That the Diuines doe euill in mixing Philosophie with Diuinitie Fiftly That the Masses are not to be celebrated and that they ought not to sacrifice for the dead Certaine other opinions there be which the slaunderous sects of Monkes and Friers doe attribute to him as is their custome rather of envious taking then of any iust cause giuen In this number also was the worthy and valiant Champion of Christ and aduersary of Antichrist Guilielmus de S. Amore a Master of Paris and a chiefe ruler then of that Vniuersitie He in his time had no small adoe writing against the Friers and their Hypocrisie but especiallie against the begging Friers both condemning their whole Order and also accusing them as those that did disturbe and trouble all the churches of Christ by their preaching in churches against the will of the Ordinarie Pastors by their hearing of confessions and executing the charge of ordinarie preachings in their churches All the testimonies of Scripture that make against the Antichrist hee applied them against the Clergie of Prelats and the Popes spirituallie The same Guilelmus is thought to be the author of the booke which is attributed to the schoole of Paris and intituled De Periculis ecclesiae where hee prooueth by 39. arguments that Friers be false Prophets Moreouer he doth wel expound this saying of Christ. If thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast and come follow mee declaring there pouertie to be inioyned vs of Christ non actualem sed habitualem not in such sort as standeth in outward action when no neede requireth but in inward affection of heart when neede requireth as though the meaning and precept of our Lord were not that wee should cast away actuallie all that wee haue but that when the confession of the name of Christ and his glorie shall so require
vice of heresie the Pope both may and ought to be accused After this the vehemencie of his disease more and more increasing and because the nights were somewhat longer the third night before his departure the Bishop feeling his infirmitie to grow vpon him willed certaine of his Clergie to be called vnto him thereby to be refreshed with some conference or communication vnto whom the Bishop lamenting in his minde for the losse of soules through the auarice of the Popes court said on this wise as by certaine Aphorismes Christ came vnto the world to saue and to winne soules Ergo he that feareth not to destroy soules may hee not worthily be counted Antichrist The Lord created the world in six daies but in the restoring of man he laboured more then thirtie yeeres wherefore hee that is a destroier of that about the which the Lord so long laboured is not hee worthy to be accounted the enemie of God and Antichrist These and many other enormities of the Roman Church when the Godly Bishop had reproued as all kindes of Auarice Vsurie Simonie Extortion and all kindes of filthinesse fleshly lust gluttonie and their sumptuous apparell then sayth hee this old verse may be truly verified of the Court of Rome Eius avaritiae totus non sufficit Orbis Eius Luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis Afterward hee went about more to prosecute how the foresaid Court like a gulfe neuer satisfied euer gaping so wide that the flood of Iordan might run into his mouth aspired how to vsurpe the goods of them that die vntested and of Legacies beqâ—eâ—hed without forme of law whereby more licentiously to bring this to passe they vsed to ioyne the king to be fellow and partner with them in their spoiles extortions and robbings Neither sayth he shall the Church be deliuered from the seruâ—tude of Aegypâ— out by violence and force and with the bloodie sword And albeit sayth hee those be yet but light matters yet shortly more great and grieuous things then these shall be seene And in the end of this his prophecying which he scarcely could vtter with sighing and weeping his tongue and breath begun to faile And so the Organ of his voyce being stopped made an ende both of his speech and life This is that Bishop who not onely in his lifetime resisted the pride and insolencie of the Bishop of Rome but also after his death God made him a terrour to the Pope who dreamed that Robert Gostred came to him and with his staffe strake him on the side and said vnto him Surge miser veni adiudicium after the which dreame within a few dayes hee ended his life Others doe adde that a voyce was heard in the palace where the Pope lay at Naples saying Surge miser vem adiudicium as hath beene declared in the life of Innocentius Quartus Of Monkes BEcause the orders of Monkes most abounded in this age albeit they begun long before therefore haue wee casten in this treatise in this Centurie howbeit wee declare the Order of Monks that sprang vp before or at this time About the time of the raigne of Iustinus the elder as hath beene declared in the seuenth Centurie Pope Iohn the first being Bishop of Rome Benedict a father and fauourrer of Monkes gathered together all scattered religious persons and begun a peculiar order vpon the Mount Cassinus where he built a most renowned Cloister giuing them there a rule prescript and forme of liuing Afterward the same Bennet hauing much people resorting to him built 12. other Monasteries and filled them with religious men Of this order is reported to haue beene 24. Popes of Rome 182. Cardinalls 1464. Archbishopps and Bishops 15000. and 70. renowned Abbots as sayth Pope Iohn the 22. There hath beene of this Order 5655. Monkes canonised and made Saints This Bennet also invented an order for his sister Scolastica and made her Abbesse ouer many Nunnes Her cloathing was a blacke coate cloake coule and vaile and lest the scripture should deceiue her and Hers it was commanded that none should read it without the consent and permission of their superiour Here is to be seene how God is sought in all monasticall orders when as amongst them his holy word is expelled This order of Bennedictin monkes when it was nerely decaied in shaddow of Godlines was quickned againe by one Otlon or Otho and was called the order of Clumacensis Howbeit their cloathing and rule was according to the appointment of Bennet And this monkish order was richly endewed with great substance and yeerely rents by a certaine Duke of Aquitania called Guillidinus in the yeere of our Lord 913. In the yeere of our Lord 850. Pope Leo the fourth gouerning the Sea of Rome the monkish religion of Camaldinensis was devised by Romoaldus of Rauenna in the mount Apenninus Their coule and cloake and all their cloathing was white They kept perpetuall silence Euery wednesday and fry day they fast on bread and water they goe bearefooted and lie on the ground Pope Innocentius the 7. being B. of Rome the monkish order of Hieronimians began vnder the name of S. Ierome who leauing his natiue countrie went vnto Iury there not far from BetheleÌ„ builded him an house where he liued very devoutly in the later end of his life Those Apes and counterfeites of S. Ierom weare their cloathes of white and a cope platted about their coate girded with a lether girdle The order was endewed with diuers priuiledges and liberties by certaine Bishops of Rome as Gregorie the twelfth and Eugenius the fourth Pope Gregorie the first borne of a noble stocke and very rich forsaked all and became a Monke After the death of his father he builded six religious houses in Sicilie giuing them a forme and rule of liuing He built another within Rome in the name and honour of S. Andrew wherein he dwelt with manie monkish brethren which from time to time keeping his rule diligentlie are called Gregorians Their habit is a copper-colloured cloath according to their rule Pope Gregorie the sixt bearing rule Ioannes Gualbertus a Knight begun this order in a certaine mouÌ„taine called Vallis Vmbrosa that is to say a shaddowed valley vnder Bennets rule with adding thereto and changing of blacke cloathes into gray In the yeere 1038. Pope Alexander the second being B. of Rome the sect of the Grandimontensis Monkes was invented by Stephen of Auernia Their order is to lead a strict life as Monkes vse to doe to giue themselues to watching fasting and praying to weare a coate of Mailes vpon their bodyes and a blacke cloake therevpon Pope Vrban the second bearing rule Robert Abbot of Molisme in Cistert in a wildernesse or forrest in Burgundie did institute the order of Cistertians albeit some ascribe this to one Ordingus a Monke that perswaded the aforesaid Monke to the same They weare red shoes and white Rotchets on a blacke coate all shauen
neuer at Rome Eightly That the Clergie of Rome is a den of Theeues Ninthly That the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leades to eternall death In another treatise he disputes of free iustification by grace and that workes are no efficient cause of Saluation Sed causa sine qua non for the which doctrine hee was condemned by the Pope I passe by a great number who clearelie discouered the corruptions and Apostasie of the Church of Rome such as Ioannes de Gunduno Gregorius Ariminensis Andreas de Castro Dante 's an Italian Taulerus a Preacher of Argentine in Germanie Franciscus Petrarcha a man famouslie learned who in his workes in Italian verses speaking of Rome calles it the whoore of Babilon the schoole and mother of errour the Temple of heresie the nest of treacherie growing and increasing by the oppression of others Likewise Ioannes de rupe scissa who was cast in prison by Pope Innocentius the sixt also Conradus Hager a Germane of the citie of Herbipoli Gerardus Ridder Michael Cesenas Provinciall of the Gray friers Petrus de Corbaria with one Ioaxnes de Pâ—liato This foresaid Michael general of the gray friers writ against the tyrannie pride and primacie of the Pope accusing him to be Antichrist and the Church of Rome to be the whoore of Babilon drunken with the blood of the Saints He affirmed there were two Churches one of the wicked florishing wherein raigned the Pope the other of the Godly afflicted also that the veritie was almost vtterlie extinct and for this cause hee was depriued of his dignitie and condemned by the Pope Notwithstanding he stood constant in his assertions and left behind him many fauourers and followers of his doctrine of whom a great part were slaine by the Pope Some were condemned as William Ockam who writ both in defence of the Emperour Lewes whom the Pope excommunicated and likewise in defence of Michael generall of the gray friers whom the Pope had cursed for an heretike and some were burned such as Ionnes de Castellione and Franciscus de Arcatara Likewise Armachanus a Bishop in Ireland and Matthias Parisiensis Ioannes Montziger rector of the Vniuersitie of Vlme Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica Iacobus Milnensis and one Milezius Henricus de Iota and Henricus de Hassia Likewise in this most desperate time when the estate of religion was vtterlie corrupted and the onely name of Christ remained amongst Christians his true and liuely doctrine being vtterly vnknowne and turned into an heape of shadowed Ceremonies which so increased that there was no end of heaping vp of ceremonies invented by man at this time I say the Lord raised vp Iohn Wickliffe a professor of Diuinitie in the vniuersitie of Oxford who seeing that error by long vse and custome had beene so deeplie rooted in the hearts of men that it could hardly be plucked out hee medled not with all at once bâ—â— firsâ— bâ—gâ—â—nne to touch the matter of the Sacraments and discoâ—er 〈◊〉 â—rrours that men were fallen into in this head of 〈◊〉 but this byle could not be touched without the great griefe and paine of the whole world For first of all the whole rabble of Monkes and begging Friers were set on rage and madnes against him and after them the Priests and then after them the Archbishop Simon Sudburie tooke the matter in hand who for the same cause depriued him of his benefice which then he had in Oxford Notwithstanding being supported by the friendly assistance of the Duke of Lancaster sonne to king Edward the third and some other friends whom God raised vp for his protection he bare out the malice of the Friers and Archbishop Likewise Pope Vrbane was so busied with suppressing of another Pope Clement the seuenth set vp against him that he could not spare any time to suppresse Iohn Wickliffe and so it came to passe thorow the prouidence of Almightie God that the enemies of the true light with fretting minds were compelled to see the sparkles thereof not being able to quench them The chiefe heads of doctrine which hee maintained against the Roman church were these That the substance of bread remained in the Sacrament of the altar after the words of consecration That it is not found in the Gospell that Christ instituted or confirmed a masse That it is a presumptuous Speaking to affirme that the infants of the faithfull who die vnbaptised are condemned That in the time of Paul there were onelie two orders of Clerks to wit Elders and Deacons neither was there in the time of the Apostles any distinction of Popes Patriarches Archbishops Bishops but these the Emperours pryde did finde out That the causes of diuorcement for spirituall consanguinitie or affinitie are not founded on the scriptures but onely by the ordinance of men That he who is most seruicable and humble in the church and most inamored with the loue of Christ the same is the neerest vicar of Christ in the militant Church If corporall vnction were a Sacrament then Christ and his Apostles would not haue left the ordinance of that vntouched Whatsoeuer the Pope and Cardinals doe command which they cannot deduce cleerely out of the Scriptures the same is to be accounted hereticall and not to be obeyed That it is but a follie to beleeue the Popes Pardons That it is not necessarie to saluation to beleeue the church of Rome to be supreme head of other Churches A Deacon or Priest may Preach the word of God without the authoritie of the Apostolike sea The Church of Rome is the Synagogue of Sathan neither is the Pope immediatlie the vicar of Christ nor of the Apostles That the Emperour and Secular Lords are seduced who so inrich the Church with ample possessions If any man enter into any priuat religion whatsoeuer it be hee is thereby made more vnapt and vnable to obserue the commandements of God Of Monkes POpe Clement the sixt bearing rule Iohn king of France sonne of Philip invented the sect and order of those Monkes which in Latine are called Stellati whose maner is alwayes to weare a starre vpon their brest signifying thereby that there is nothing in them but the light of perfection and the cleere shining of good workes Yea that they themselues are the light of the world according to the saying of Christ vos eslis lux mundi yea are the light of the world Item That they shall rise againe at the later day all shining and glistering as the most cleere and pleasant starres according as it is written by the Prophet They that informe many into righteousnes shall be as the starres world without end In Anno 1336. Pope Boniface the ninth raigning a certaine man called Gerardus being of great learning and vertuous conversation ordained a certaine fraternitie or brotherhood of learned godlie men to teach schollers and to bring vp youth not onely in good letters but also in good maners that by those means there might be
Popes excommunications are not to be feared and that hee who doth feare or flie them is excommunicate of God 9. That the auricular confession is not necessary 10. That hee had mooved the Citizens to vprore and sedition 11. That hee had neglected and contemned the Popes citation 12. That he had shamefully slandred and spoken against the Pope 13. That he had taken Christ to witnesse of his naughtinesse and heresie 14. That Italy must be cleansed through Gods scourg for the manifold wickednesse of the Princes and Clergie These and such like articles were layd to their charge and reade before them Then they demanded of the said Hierom and his companions whether they would recant and giue over their opinions Whereunto they answered that thorow Gods help they would stedfastly continue in the manifest truth and not depart from the same Then were they degraded one after another by the Bishop of Wasson and so delivered to the secular rulers of Florence with strict commandement to carry them forth and handle them as obstinate and stifnecked Heretiques Thus was that worthy witnesse of Christ with the other two aforesayd first hanged vp openly in the market place and afterward burnt to ashes and the ashes gathered vp and cast into the river of Arum the 24. day of May 1499. In this age likewise sprang vp many men of great erudition and learning as namely Laurentius Valla Picus Mirandulae Comes Angelus Politianus with many others whose names for learning are worthy rememberance The meane whereby learning so exceedingly increased in this age seemeth to bee the Art of printing found out in Germany by a certaine Gold smith named Iohn Faustus in Strausbrugh and Guttemberg his copartner as some write but whosoever was the inventer of it it is certaine that this faculty was given to the vse of man by the providence of almighty God at what time the Bishop of Rome with all the whole and full consent of all the Cardinals Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Abbots Priors Lawyers Doctors Provosts Deanes Archdeanes assembled together in the Councell of Constance and had condemned poore Iohn Hus and Ierom of Prague to death for heresie and after subdued the Bohemians and in a manner the whole world to be vnder the supreme authority of the Romiâ—h Sea In the very time so dangerous and desperate where mans power could doe no more The blessed wisedome and omnipotent power of God began to worke for the Church not with sword and target to subdue his exalted adversary but with printing writing and reading to convince darknes by light error by truth ignorance by learning So that by this meanes of printing God hath heaped vpon the proud kingdome of Antichrist a double confusion For whereas hee could not abide to haue the enormity of Prelats liues to be condemned by Iohn Hus who neither denyed his Transubstantiation nor his Purgatory nor yet spake any thing against his Masse but onely exclaimed against his excessiue and pompous pride his vnchristian or rather antichristian abhomination of life Now of late dayes God hath found a way by this faculty of printing not onely to confound his life and conversation which before hee could not abide to be touched but also to cast downe the foundation of his standing that is to examine confute and detect his doctrine lawes and institutions in such sort that albeit his life were never so pure yet his doctrine standing as it doth no man is so blinde but may see the Pope to be Anti-Christ For by this Art Tongues are knowne knowledge groweth iudgement increaseth bookes are dispersed the Scripture is seene the Doctors are read the stories bee opened times compared truth decerned falshood detected and with the finger pointed at and all as I haue said God hath wrought by the benefit of printing CENTVRIE XVI Popes of Rome AFter Paulus the second succeeded Sixtus the fourth and ruled thirteen yeeres and foure dayes Hee changed the custome of keeping the Iubilie every 50. yeere and would haue it kept every 25. yeeres After him succeeded Innocentius the eight and ruled seven yeers ten months and twenty seven dayes After him Alexander the sixt ruled eleven yeeres and eight dayes Hee was a notable tyrant and a scourg of God to all Italy and in speciall to that corrupt Colledge of Cardinals which had chosen him to be Pope not for his good graces and vertues but for the heapes of gold which hee had distributed amongst them of whom some he banished others hee caused to be impoysoned and cruelly slaine In his time Charles the eight King of France clayming right to the Kingdome of Naples entred into Italy with a mighty army and without great resistance came to the towne of Rome and from thence to Naples Alphonsus King of Naples at this time finding himselfe to be hated of all men had denuded himselfe of the Kingdome and given it to his sonne Ferdinand and hee himselfe was fled into Sicilie Also his sonne Ferdinand not being able to resist the puissant army of King Charles was likewise compelled to flie to the little Island of Istria for safety of his life and the whole kingdome of Naples was in short time ouer-run and subdued to the King of France This victorious conquest so hastily atchieved made the name of Charles to be terrible to other Princes even to the Duke of Millan and Estate of Venice who had beene his confederate friends assisters in this warfare Notwithstanding fearing lest his increasing power should in time be the overthrow of their Estates they conspired with the Pope and the Emperour and the King of Spaine against him and as hee returned backe againe to France fought against him at Fornovo not farre distant from the towne of Parma The victory was vncertaine notwithstanding Ferdinand King of Naples was so encouraged with this encounter that hee recovered againe all his kingdome which hee had lost Likewise in this Popes time Lewis the twelfth who succeeded to Charles the eight came into Italy claiming right not onely to the kingdome of Naples but also to the Dukedome of Millan He had before bound vp a covenant with the Pope the King of Spaine and the Venetians vpon these conditions that having possessed himselfe first in the Dukedome of Millan hee should give Cremona a famous towne in the Dukedome of Millan to the Venetians and hee should assist Caesar Borgia Duke of Valentinois and sonne to Pope Alexander the sixt to eiect out of Romagna the Lords presently bearing sway in that Countrey to the end that all might come vnder the Soveraignty and commandement of this Duke of Valentinois only and finally that he should divide the Kingdome of Naples betwixt himselfe and Ferdinand King of Spaine Vpon these conditions was King Lewis assisted by the Pope the King of Spaine and the Estate of Venice and so with little adoe obtained the Dukedome of Millan and carryed away Lodovick Sforce Duke of
simple men and shauen their heads and by such meanes doe possesse their goods in respect of their covetous desire of filthy lucre let them be subiect to Canonicall or regular repentance But let those simple men who have layd downe their haire as men destitute of vnderstanding who cannot gouerne their owne affaires let them remaine in that estate which they haue once vndertaken but let the goods given by negligent Parents and received or rather reaved by avaritious Church-men be restored againe to their children heires 8. If Church men lay vp provision of come in Victuall-houses let it not be to keepe them to a dearth but to support the poore in time of need therewith 9. Hunting and hawking and the insolency of foolish and filthy iests are to bee forsaken of Church-men 10. Gluttony and drunkennesse is forbidden 11. The Bishop or Abbot must not resort to civill iudicators to plead their owne cause except it be to support the poore and oppressed Presbyters Deacons and Monkes having obtained licence from the Bishop may compeare in Civill iudgement-seats accompanied with their Advocate 12. Let not Presbyters Deacons or Monkes bee farmers or labourers of the ground 13. It is reported of some brethren that they compell the persons who are to be admitted in time of their ordination to sweare that they are worthy and that they shall do nothing repugnant to the Canons and that they shall be obedient to the Bishop who ordayneth them and to the Church in the which they are ordayned which oath in regard it is perilous we all inhibit and discharge it 14. Bishops in visiting of their Parishioners let them not be chargeable vnto them but rather comfortable by preaching the Word and by correcting things that are disordered 15. It is reported that some Arch-deacons vse domination over the Presbyters and take tribute from them which smelleth rather of tyranny then of due order For if the Bishoppe should not vse domination over the Clergie but by examplars to the flocke as the Apostle Peter writeth much lesse should these presume to doe any such like thing 16. Like as in dedication of Churches and for receiving of orders no money is received even so for buying of Balme to make Chrisme Presbyters keepers of Chrisme shall bestowe no money but Bishops of their owne rents shall furnish Baulme for the making of Chrisme and Lightes to the Church 17. It hath beene found in some places that Presbyters haue payed 12. or 14. pennies in yeerely tribute to the Bishop which custome wee haue ordained altogether to be abolished 18. The receiuing of paunds from incestuous persons and from men who pay not their Tythes and from negligent Presbyters is forbidden as a thing which openeth a doore to auarice but rather let Ecclesiasticall discipline strike vpon transgressours 19. Let people giue their Tythes to those Churches wherein their children are baptized whereunto they resort all the yeere long to heare Church-seruice 20. Let peace bee kept amongst all men but in speciall betwixt Bishops Countes whereby euery one of them may mutually support another 21. Ciuill Iudges ought to judge righteously without exception of persons and without receiuing of rewards and let their Officiars Vicars and Centenaries bee righteous men least by their auarice and greedinesse the people bee grieued and impouerished And let the witnesses be of vnsuspect credite for by false witnesses the Countrey is greatly damnified 22. The Abbots and Monkes in this part of the Countrie seeing they haue addicted themselues to the Order of Saint Benedict let them endeuour to conforme themselues vnto his institution and rules 23. The ordination of Presbyters Deacons and other inferiours is to bee made at a certaine prescribed time 24. Concerning Bishops Presbyters Deacons and Monkes who shall happen to be llaine let the Emperour giue determination to whom the satisfacton of blood shall belong 25. In many places the auncient custome of publicke repentance hath ceased neither is the auncient custome of excommunicatioÌ„ and reconciliation in vse Therefore the Emperour is to be entreated that the ancient discipline may be restored againe and they who sinne publikely may be brought to publike repentance and euery man according as hee deserueth may either bee excommunicated or reconciled 26. It is reported that in some Churches there is contention and strife for diuidng of Church rents It is ordained therefore That no Masse shall be said in those Churches vntill they who are at variance be reconciled againe 27. Neither the Sacrament of Baptisme nor the Sacrament of Confirmation should be reiterated 28. Concerning the decrees of affinitie and in what degree Marriage may be bound vp euery man is sent to the Canons of the Church to seeke resolution 29. Seing that the man and the woman are counted in Scripture as one flesh their Parentage is to be reckoned by like degrees in the matter of Marriage 30. The Marriage of seruants is not to bee dissolued which is bound vp with consent of both their masters euerie seruant remaining obedient to his owne master 31. It is rumoured that some women by negligence and others fraudulently doe present their owne children to the Sacrament of Confirmation to the ende they may bee separated from the companie of their husbandes Therefore wee statute and ordaine that such women as either negligently or fraudulently present their owne children to the Sacrament of Confirmation they shall bee compelled to doe penance all the dayes of their life neither shall they in any wise be separated from their husbandes 32. Let a sinner confesse vnto his Father-Confessor all his sinnes which hee hath committed either in thought word or deede because that hatred enuye and pride are such pestilentious botches of the soule and the more secretly that they are couched the more periculously they hurt 33. Sinnes should not onely bee confessed to God according to the example of Dauid who saith I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Psal. 32. vers 5. But also wee should confesse our sinnes to our Father-Confessor according to the precept of the Apostle Acknowledge your faultes one to another and pray one for another that yee may bee healed I at 5.16.34 In preâ—â—â—ibing of penance let fauour and hatred of any person be laide aside and let the injunctions be giuen according to the rule of holy Scripture and according to the Canons and custome of the Church following the example of the Physitions of the body who without exception of persons doe adhibit cuttings burnings and vehement remedies to perilous diseases 35. Many in doing of penance are not so desirous of remission of sinnes as of the accomplishment of the prescribed time of their humiliaon and beeing forbidden to eate flesh or drinke wine they haue the greater desire of other delicate meates and drinkes but spirituall abstinence which should bee in penitent persons excludeth all bodily delightes 36. Let no man sinne of
Councell of Basil with his Apostolike letters But after the death of the Emperour who died in the sixt yeere of the Councell Eugenius tooke vpon him greater boldnesse and first held a contrarie Councell at Ferraria and afterward at Florence pretending that he behoued to meet with the Greekes for vniting of them to the West Church who because they would no wayes passe the Alpes he was compelled for their commoditie to keepe a Councell in some neerer place The Councell of Basil although weakned by the Emperours death proceeded not the lesse to the deposition of Eugenius and elected Amedeus Duke of Sauoy to be Pope whom they called Foelix the fift To this Councell were the Bohemians and Morauians invited who after they had receiued sufficient suretie and pledges for their safe passage returning againe sent Ambassadours to the Councell by whose earnest trauels it was obtained that the Bohemians and Morauians should haue the communion celebrat vnto them vnder both kinds The Historie of this Councell was written by Aeneas Syluius who was present at the same and liked well of the proceedings and determinations thereof as may appeare by his owne writings and namely by a certaine Epistle of his written to the Rector of the vniuersitie of Colen wherein he reioyceth for a certaine treatise of the said rectors which came into his hands reprouing the rudenesse and rashnesse of such as deny the Bishop of Rome and his consistory to be subiect to the Generall Councell and that the supreme tribunall seat of iudgement standeth in the Church and not in one Bishop Notwithstanding the same Syluius who by his learned writings advanced the decrees of the Councell of Basil yet afterward being promoted to that papall dignitie himselfe turned his coat and returned againe to the old filthy pride of the Chaire of Rome which magnifieth it selfe not onely aboue the Church but also maketh it selfe companion to God himselfe IN the yeere of our Lord 1439. while as the Councell of Basil was yet sitting vndissolued Eugenius the fourth perceiuing that matters went against him in Basil he held a contrarie Councell at Florence where he brought to passe that the Emperour and Patriarch of Constantinople with the rest of the Grecians there present were perswaded to receiue the sentence of the Church of Rome concerning the proceeding of the holy Ghost also to receiue the communion in vnleauened bread to admit Purgatorie and to yeeld themselues to the authoritie of the Romish Bishop wherevnto notwithstanding the other Churches of Grecia would in no wise assent at their comming home in so much that with a publict execration they did condemne afterward all those Legats which had consented to those Articles that none of them should be buried in Christian buriall It is to be noted in this Councell that the Grecians who agreed to other opinions of the Roman Church yet could neuer be induced to beleeue their doctrine of transubstantiation Notwithstanding they were content to set forth vnto the people a Bull of agreement which they called Bulla Consensus and the difference of opinions in that point of doccrine was not thought a sufficient impediment to stay the promulgation of this agreement Howbeit afterward as it were forgetting what they had done themselues in the Coūcels of Florence their Bulla Consensus they cry out that there is no agreement vnitie amongst the Protestants because there is some difference of opinions about the Sacrament among them In the time of this Councell Iosephus Patriarch of Constantinople died Eugenius required that presently before the dissolution of the Councell another should be chosen but to this the Grecians would not agree affirming that it was not lawfull to choose a Patriarch of Cōstantinople but onely in their owne Church there The Emperour Paleologus after his returning liued not long And finallie this agreement was counted of the Grecians infortunat and an euill presage immediatly before the vtter ruine of the Orientall Empire and the destruction of the towne of Constantinople For within 14. yeeres after this agreement at Florence the famous citie of Constantinople was taken by Mahomet Emperour of Turkes the Emperour Constantine the Brother of Paleologus was slaine and the Empire of the East was cut off CENTVRIE XVI THis Councell of Trent begun in the yeere of our Lord 1546. the fourth of Ianuary in the Popedome of Paulus the third In the first session thereof an oration was made by the Popes Legat declaring the causes of the calamitie of the Church In the second Session the Articles of faith were read and confirmed and that was kept the fourth of Februarie The third Session was kept the eight of April wherein it was decreed that the old Latine translation of the Bible should onely be vsed and accounted authentike in Churches and Schooles and that the rule in expounding of the Scriptures should bee this to expound them as the Church and the ancient fathers haue expounded them before As also the number of the bookes accounted holy and Canonicke Scriptures were rehersed the fourth Session was kept the 17. day of Iune where it was decreed that all men should beleeue that originall sinne was vtterly taken away in Baptisme in such sort that the concupiscence which remaineth in our nature after Baptisme is not to be accounted a sinne vntill wee giue the consent of our minde thereto And because the Law of God plainely condemneth it and the Apostle Paul in plaine words sayeth I had not knowne concupiscence to haue beene a sinne except the Law had sayd thou shalt not covet lest they should seeme to Proclame to the world their manifest contradiction to the Scriptures they lenifie their decree againe with this distinction that the Apostle calleth it a sin not because it is a sin properlie and indeede but because it commeth of sin tendeth also thereto Howbeit with those fathers licence the Apostle Paul declareth his owne sense and meaning that hee calleth concupiscence sinne because it is a transgression of the Law so that he accounteth it a sinne properly and indeed Also in this Session they decerne that the mother of our Lord was not conceived in originall sinne In the fift Session was decerned that even after the fall of Adam and in the nature of man before his regeneration there remaineth a free-will to doe good which being wakened by God and stirred vp is a fellow-bearer with his grace In the sixt Session was concluded that man is iustified partly by faith in Christ and partly by workes and that our iustification stands not in a free forgiuenesse of sinnes and a free imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ to all them who beleeue in him The seventh Session was kept the third of March an 1547. wherein was decerned that all men should beleeue that the Sacraments of the Church were seven in number to wit Baptisme Confirmation the