edition should bee preferred before all and allowed yet so as that it should bee corrected by the originall and all men forbid to make any other only that should be amended and the others extinguished and so all inconueniences caused by new interpretations which haue iudiciously been noted and reprehended in the Congregations would cease Andrew de Vega a Franciscan Friar going as a Mediator betweene these two opinions approoued that of Saint Hierom that the qualities of an interpreter are not any Propheticall or other speciall diuine spirit which giueth them infallibilitie and the opinion of the same Saint and of Saint Austin to correct the translations by the texts of the originall tongue But added that it was not contrary to this to say withall that the Latin Church holdeth the vulgar edition for authenticall because it is thus to bee vnderstood that concerning faith and manners there is no errour in it though in some small matter or expression of wordes there may be a mistaking it being impossible that all the words of one language should bee transplanted into another but that there will bee some restriction or inlargement of significations or metaphore or other figure That the vulgar edition hath beene examined heeretofore by the whole Church during the space of 1000. yeeres and knowne that there is no errour in it in matter of faith or manners and in this account it hath beene held and vsed by the ancient Councels and so ought still to bee held and approoued and declared as authenticall that is that it may bee read without danger not hindering those that are more diligent to haue recourse vnto the Hebrew and Greeke originals but forbidding so great a number of whole translations which beget confusion About the Article of the sense of the holy Scripture the doctrine of Cardinall Caietan gaue occasion to speake diuersly who taught and practised the same himselfe that new conceits when they agree to the text and Discourses about the exposition of the Scripture are not aliene from other places of the Scripture and doctrine of faith are not to be reiected though the streame of the Doctors runne another way in regard the Maiestie of God hath not tied the sense of the Scripture to the old Doctors otherwise there would remaine no more power to those that liue now nor to posteritie then to transcribe the same things againe which some of the Diuines and Fathers approoued and some opposed To the first it seemed a spirituall tyrannie to forbid the faithfull to make vse of their proper ingenie according to the grace which God hath giuen them and that this was iust a prohibition to exercise the talent giuen vs by God That men ought to bee inticed with all allurements to the reading of the holy writ from which when that pleasure which nouitie bringeth shall bee remooued all men will euer abhorre it and such strictnesse will make men apply themselues to other studies and abandon this and by consequence all studie and care of pietie That this varietie of spirituall gifts belongeth to the perfection of the Church and is found amongst the Fathers in whose writings there is great diuersitie and oftentimes contrarietie yet ioyned with assured charitie Why should not that libertie bee graunted to this age which others haue inioyed with spirituall fruit The Schoole-men though in the doctrine of Theologie they haue no disputes about the meaning of the Scripture yet they haue as many differences in points of religion and no lesse dangerous That it is better to imitate antiquitie which hath not restrained the exposition of the Scripture but left it free Those of the contrarie opinion sayd that popular licence being worse then tyrannie it was then fit to curbe the vnbrideled wits otherwayes they could not hope to see an end of the present contentions That anciently it was allowed to write vpon the holy Bookes because there was neede in regard there were but few expositions And the men of those times were of an holy life and setled minde from whom no confusions could bee feared as now And therefore the Schoole-men seeing there was no more neede of other expositions in the Church and that the Scripture was not onely sufficiently but aboundantly declared they tooke another course to treate of holy mysteries and seeing that men were inclined to disputings they thought good to busie them rather in examining of the reasons sayings of Aristotle to keepe the holy Scripture in reuerence from which much is derogated when it is handled after a common fashion and is the subiect of the Studies and exercises of curious men And this opinion went on so farre that Richard of Mans a Franciscan Friar sayd that the doctrines of faith were now so cleered that wee ought no more to learne them out of Scripture which it is true was read heretofore in the Church for instruction of the people whereas now it is read in the Church onely to pray and ought to serue euery one for this end onely and not to studie And this should be the reuerence and worship due from euery one to the word of God But at the least the studying of it should bee prohibited to euery one that is not first confirmed in schoole Diuinitie neither doe the Lutherans gaine vpon any but those that studie the Scripture Which opinion wanted not adherents Betweene these opinions there went two others in the middle One that it was not good to restraine the vnderstanding of the Scripture to the Fathers onely in regard their expositions are allegoricall for the most part and seldome literall and those that follow the letter fit themselues to their owne time so that the exposition agreeth not to our age That Cardinall The opinion of Cusanus that the exposition of the Scripture must be fitteâ— to the time Cusanus a man excellently learned and honest said iudicially that the vnderstanding of the Scripture must bee fitted to the time and expounded according to the current Rites and that it is not to bee maruciled at if the Church in one time expoundeth in one fashion at another in another And this was the meaning of the Lateran Councell when it decreed that the Scripture should bee expounded according to the Doctors of the Church or as long vse hath approoued that new expositions should not bee forbidden but when they varie from the common sense But Dominicus Soto a Dominican Friar distinguished the matter of faith and manners from the others saying it was meete in that onely to keepe euery wit within limits but in others it was not inconuenient to let euery one so that pietie and charitie bee preserued to abound in his owne sence That the Fathers desired not to bee followed of necessitie but onely in things necessary to beleeue and to doe Neither did the Popes when in their Decretals they expounded some passage of the Scripture in one sense meane to canonize that so that it should not bee lawfull to vnderstand it
his proper concubine that hee might not ensnare the chastity of honest women adding that though it seemed a ridiculous decree yet it was necessarily to be made nor could bee changed vnlesse that as much as was constituted in fauour of keeping Concubines were at that present conuerted vnto lawfull matrimony 48 The stirring of the Bishop induced the Dominicans to preach against The Dominicans preach against Zuinglius whereby he is stirred vp the more the doctrine of Zuinglius and him to defend himselfe Wherefore he wrote and published 67. conclusions which contained his doctrine and touched the abuses of the Clergy and of the Prelats Whereupon much confusion and dissention arising the Senate of Zuric began to consult how to appease the tumults and called together all the Preachers and Doctors of their iurisdiction They inuited also the Bishop of Constance to send some man of wisedome and learning to assist at that conference to the end they might pacifie the troubles and order some thing which might bee for the glory of God The Bishop sent his Vicar Iames Faber who afterward was Bishop of Vienna and the day Faber sent by the Bishop of Constance to assist in composing the controuersies appointed for the meeting being come and a great multitude assembled together Zuinglius reproduced his conclusions offered to defend them and to answere to whosoeuer would contradict them After many things were spokē by diuers Dominican Friars and other Doctors against Zuinglius and by him answered Faber said that that time and place were not fit to treate of such a matter that the discussing of such propositions belonged to the Councell which would be called very soon for he said the Pope had so agreed with the Princes and greater Magistrates and Prelates of Christendome Which gaue subiect to Zuinglius to fortifie himselfe saying that these promises were made to feede the people with vaine hopes and in the meane space to lull them asleepe in ignorance that the things which were certaine and cleere in the holy Scripture and in the vse of the Primitiue Church might very well bee handled at that time though they expected a more exact declaration from the Councell of the points that were doubtfull and alwayes vrging him to say what he could against his conclusions Faber told him that hee would not Who will not answere in words but in writing treat with him in words but would answere his conclusions in writing Finally the assembly ended with a Decree of the Senate that the Gospell should bee preached according to the doctrine of the old and new Testament not The decree of the Senate of Zuric according to any humane Decree or Constitution 49 It being therefore perceiued that the labours of the Doctours and Prelates of the Church of Rome and the Popes decree who proceeded to an absolute condemnation and the Emperours Bando so seuere not onely could not extinguish the new doctrine but that notwithstanding it made euery day a greater progresse euery one beganne to thinke that these medicines were not proper for such a malady and that in conclusion it was necessary to come to such a kinde of remedy which being vsed in times past in the like occasions seemed had appeased all troubles which was the celebration of a Councell Wherefore this was desired by all sorts of men as a wholesome and the A generall Councell was thought to bee necessary onely remedy 50 It came to be considered that these nouelties had not had any other beginning but from the abuses which time brought in and from the negligence of the Pastors and therefore that it was impossible to remedy the confusions sprung vp but by remedying the abuses which caused them and that there was no other way to prouide against them with concord and vniformity but by an vniuersall Congregation And this was the discourse of godly and well disposed men Notwithstanding there wanted not diuers sorts of persons who thought the Councell would be profitable for their ends and desired it should be regulated with such conditions that it could Diuers sorts of persons desire the Councell for diuers ends not be but in their fauour and not contrary to their interests First those that had embraced Luthers opinions desired the Councell with condition that therein all might be decided and gouerned by the Scripture all the Pope his constitutions and schoole learning being excluded For so they assured themselues not onely to defend their owne doctrine but also that onely theirs should be approoued But a Councell that should proceed as the vse was 800. yeeres before they would not and would be vnderstood that they referred not themselues to that censure And Martin was vsed to say that in Wormes hee was too faint hearted and that he was so well assured of his doctrine that it being diuine he would not submit it so much as to the iudgement of Angels yea that with it he was to iudge all both men and Angels The Princes and other gouernors of the Countreys regarded not much what the Councell might determine concerning doctriens but desired it might bee such a one as might reduce the Priests and Friars to their beginning hoping that by that meanes the regalities and temporall iurisdictions would returne vnto them which in such abundance and plenty were passed into the Ecclesiasticall order And therefore they said that it was in vaine to call a Councell where the Bishops and other Prelates onely should haue a deliberatiue voyce because they ought to bee reformed and it was necessary that others should haue the charge thereof who could not be deceiued by their proper interests nor constrained to resolue against the common good of Christendome The meaner sort though they had not much knowledge of the affaires of the world desired that the Ecclesiasticall authority might be moderated and the poore people not burthened with so many exactions vnder pretence of Tithes Almes and Indulgences nor oppressed by the Bishops Officials vnder colour of corrections and sentences The Court of Rome the most principall part desired the Councell that it mighe restore obedience to the Pope which was taken from him approued such a one as might be gouerned according to the formes vsed in the last ages But that it should haue power to reforme the Papacy and to take away those introductions from which the Court receiued so many emoluments and by which a great part of the gold of Christendome was glued together in Rome this pleased them not Leo the Pope being as it were in a strait betweene both the parties knew not what to desire 1522 ADRIAN 6. CHARLLS 5. HENRY 8. FRANCIS 1. Pope Leo knoweth not what to resolue about the Councell What benefit the Lateran Councell brought to the Papacy He saw that euery day his obedience was diminished and that whole countreys separated themselues from him and desired a Councell for remedy But when hee considered that it would bee worse then
the Legates knowing how much it concerned the reputation of the Councell entertained them partly by saying they had not power to giue leaue and partly by giuing hope that the Councell should begin within few dayes Caesars Ambassadour returned to his Ambassage at Venice vpon pretence of indâ— position leauing the Legates doubtfull whether it were by the Emperours commission vpon some tricke or for being wearâ— to bee idle and incommodated Hee promised a speedie returne adding that in the meane while the Ambassadours of the King of the Romanes remained there to assist the seruice of God and yet hee desired the Councell should not bee opened vntill his returne But in the end of the next moneth the greater part of the Bishops moued some by pouertie and some by incommoditie made grieuous complaints and raised as it were a sedition among themselues threatning that they would depart and had recourse to Francis Castel-Alto gouernour of Trent whom Ferdinand had appointed to hold his place together with 〈◊〉 Gineâ—a This man came before the Legats and desired them in the name of his King that now at last they would begin it being plaine how much good would ensue by the celebration and how much euill by temperizing thâ—â— The Legats held themselues offended herewith because they thought it was to shew the world that which was contrary to the trueth and to attribute to them the delay which proceeded from the Emperour And though they among themselues resolued to dissemble and to answere in generall termes yet the Cardinall Monte could not bridle his libertie but in making answere concluded in the end with perswasion to expect Don Diego who had more particular commissions then hee It was hard to entertaine and comfort the Prelates who ill endured that idle delay and especially the poore ones who wanted money and not wordes Wherefore they resolued to giue at the Popes charge fortie Ducats a yeere to the Bishops of Nobili Bertinoro and Money is giuen to the poore Bishops Chioza who complained more then the rest and fearing that the munificence might giue pretence hereafter they declared themselues that it was for a subsidie and not for prouision They gaue the Pope an account by letter of what they had done shewing him the necessitie to assist them with some greater ayde but telling him withall that it was not good to giue it as a firme prouision that the Fathers might not seeme the stipendaries of his Holinesse which would cherish the Protestants excuse not to submit themselues to the Councel because it was composed only of those that depended on and were obliged to the Pope At the same time the Emperor in Wormes cited the Archbiship of Collen The Archbishop of Collen is cited by the Emperour in Wormes to appeare before him within thirtie dayes or to send a Proctor to answere to the accusations and imputations layd vpon him commanding him in the meane space not to make any innouation in Religion and Rites but to reduce the things innouated to their former state Hermannus Bishop of Collen desiring to reforme his Church in the yeere 1536. called a Councell of the Bishops his Suffragans where many Decrees were made and a booke printed composed by Iohn Groperus a Canonist who for seruice done to the Church of Rome was after created Cardinall by Pope Paul the fourth But whether the Archbishop and Groperus himselfe were not satisfied with the reformation or whether hee changed his opinion hee assembled the Clergie and Nobility and chiefe men of his state in the yeere 1543. and established another reformation This though it were approoued by many pleased not the whole Clergie yea the maior part opposed it and made Groperus their head who before had giuen counsell for it and promoted it They entreated the Archbishop to desist and expect a generall Councell or at the least an Imperiall Diet which not being able to obtaine in the yeere 1545 they appealed to the Pope and to the Emperour as supreme aduocate and protectour of the Church The Archbishop published by a writing that the appeale was friuolous and that hee could not desist from that which belonged to the glory of God and amendment of the Church that hee had not to doe either with the Lutherans or others but that hee obserued the doctrine agreeable to the holy Scripture The Archbishop going on in his reformation and the Clergie of Collen insisting vpon the contrary the Emperour receiued the Clergie into his protection and cited the Arch-bishop as hath beene said This newes comming to Trent gaue matter to passe the time at the least with discourses The Legates were much mooued and amongst the Prelates which were present those that were of any vnderstanding blamed the Emperour for making himselfe Iudge of faith and reformation the most gentle word they spake was that the Emperours proceeding was very scandalous They began to know they were not esteemed and that to bee idle was to be scorned by the world Therefore they did discourse that they were constrayned to declare themselues to be a Councel lawfully called and to be beginne The Emperor is blamed for the Citation by the Fathers of Trent the worke of God proceeding first against the foresayd Archbishop the Elector of Saxony the Landgraue of Hassia and likewise against the King of England They grew into so great spirits that they seemed not the same who a few dayes before thought themselues confined in prison The Ministers of the Archbishop of Mentz abated this heat putting them in minde of the greatnesse of those Princes and their adherents and the danger to make them vnite themselues with the King of England and so to make a greater fire in Germanie and the Cardinall of Trent spake in the same forme The Italian Bishops thinking it a great matter to meddle in such eminent subiects said it was true that all the world would be attentiue at such a processe yet that all the importance was to begin and ground it well They incited one another saying it was necessary to redeeme the slownesse past with celerity hereafter That they should demand of the Pope some man of worth to perorate against the accused as did Melehior Baldassino against the Pragmatique in the Laterane Councel beeing perswaded that to depriue Princes of their States had no other difficultie then to vse well the formes of Processes But the Legates as well for this as for other occurrences knew it to be necessarie to haue such a Doctor and wrote to Rome to be prouided of one The Pope vnderstanding the Emperors action was astonished and doubted The Pope was wonderfully distasted with the Citation whether to complaine or be silent To complaine when no effect would succeed he thought friuolous and a demonstration of his small power And this mooued him exceedingly But on the other side considering well how much it imported him not to passe ouer a matter of that moment hee resolued not to giue words
letter written from Trent weighing the inconueniences that would follow if hee kept the Councell at anchor with the ill satisfaction of the Bishops that were there and the mischiefe that might arise if the reformation should begin In fine perceiuing that it was necessary to put something to the hazard and that it was wisdome to auoid the greater euill he resolued to write backe to Trent to begin the action as they had aduised admonishing them not to broach any new difficulties in matter of faith nor to determine any of the things controuersed amongst the Catholiques and to proceed slowly in the reformation The Legates who vntill then had in the Congregations entertained themselues in generall matters hauing receaued power to goe on proposed in the Congregation of the 22. of February that the first foundation of faith beeing established they ought in the next place to handle another more ample which is the holy Scripture wherein are points belonging to the doctrines controuerted with the Lutheranes and others for reformation of those abuses which are most principall and necessary to be amended and so many that perhaps the time vntill the next Session will not bee sufficient to finde a remedy for all They discoursed of the controuersies with the Lutherans in this subiect and of the abuses and much was spoken hereof by diuers Prelates The Diuines who were thirty in number and almost all Friars had vntill then serued in the Councell onely to make Sermons on Holy-dayes in exaltation of the Councell and the Pope and to make light skirmishes with the Lutheranes but now that controuerted doctrines were to bee decided and the abuses of learned men rather then of others to bee reformed their worth The Diuines begin to be esteemed beganne to appeare And order was taken that in the points of doctrine to be decided articles should be extracted out of the bookes of the Lutheranes contrary to the orthodox faith to bee studied and censured by the Diuines that euery one speaking his opinion of them the matter might bee prepared to frame the Decrees which being proposed in the Congregation and examined by the Fathers when euery mans voyce was knowen that might bee established which was to bee published in the Session And for the abuses euery one should call to mind what hee thought worthy of amendment together with the remedy fit for it The articles for matter of doctrine drawen out of the Lutheranes bookes were 1. That the necessary doctrine of Christian faith is wholy conteyned in the holy Scripture and that it is an humane inuention to adde vnto them vnwritten Traditions as left vnto the holy Church by Christ and his Apostles deriued vnto vs by meanes of the continuall succession of Bishops and that it is sacrilege to defend that they are of equall authority with the old and new Testament 2. That amongst the bookes of the old Testament none should bee reckoned but those that haue beene receiued by the Iewes and in the New the sixe Epistles that is that vnder the name of S. Paul to the Hebrews that of S. Iames the 2. of S. Peter the 2. and 3. of S. Iohn one of S. Iude and the Apocalyps 3. That to vnderstand the Scripture well or to alledge the proper words it is necessary to haue recourse to the texts of the originall tongue in which it is written and to reprooue the Latine translation as full of errors 4. That the diuine Scripture is most easie and perspicuous and that to vnderstand it neither glosse nor comment is necessary but onely to haue the spirit of a sheepe of Christs pasture 5. Whether Canons with Anathematismes adioyned should be framed against all these Articles Vpon the two first the Diuines discoursed in foure Congregations and in the first all agreed that the Christian faith is contayned partly in the Scripture and partly in Traditions and much time was spent in alledging for this places of Tertullian who often speakes of them and many were numbred out of Irenie Cyprian Basil Austin and others yea some said more that Tradition was the onely foundation of the Catholique doctrine For the Scripture it selfe is not beleeued but by tradition But there was some difference how this matter might fitly be handled Vicenzo Lunello a Franciscan Friar was of opinion that in regard the holy Scripture and traditions were to be established for ground of faith they ought first to treat of the Church which is a more principal foundation For the Scripture receiueth authority from it according to the famous saying of Saint Augustine I would not haue beleeued the Gospel if the authoritie of the Church had not compelled me and no vse can be made of traditions but by grounding them vpon the same authority For if a controuersie Discourses about the authoritie of traditions arise about a tradition it will bee necessary to decide it either by the testimony or by the determination of the Church But this foundation being laid that euery Christian is bound to beleeue the Church one may securely build thereon He added that they should take example from all those that haue substantially written against the Lutherans as Fryar Siluester and Ecchiâ—s who haue more alleadged the authoritie of the Church then any other argument neither is it possible to conuince the Lutherans otherwise That it is contrary to the end proposed that is to lay all the foundations of Christian doctrine to leaue out the principall and perhaps the onely ground but certainely that without the which the residue cannot subsist This opinion had no followers Some opposed against it that it was subiect to the same difficulties which it made to others For the Synagogues of the heretiques also would arrogate to bee the true Church vnto whom this authoritie was giuen Others holding it to be a thing most knowen and vndoubted that by the name of the Church the Cleargie ought to bee vnderstood and more properly the Councell and the Pope as head said they ought to maintaine that the authority of the Church is already decided and that to treat of it now were to shew there was difficultie or at the least that it was a thing newly cleered and not most ancient euer beleeued since Christianitie began But Anthonius Marinarus a Carmelite Fryar thought fit to refraine speaking of traditions and said that for decision of the first Article in this matter it was meete first to determine whether the question were facti or iuris that is if the Christian doctrine haue two parts one which was written by the will of God and the other which was forbidden to bee writ but onely taught by word of mouth or if in the whole body of doctrine it hath accidentally happened that all hauing beene taught some part hath not beene committed to writing Hee added that it was a cleere case that the Maiestie of God ordaining the law of the Old Testament appointed it should be necessary to haue it in writing and therefore
wrote the Decalogue in stone with his owne finger commaunding it should be laid vp in the Cabinet called the Arke of the Couenant That he often commaunded Moyses to write the precepts in a booke and that one copie should bee kept in the Arke and the King haue another to reade it continually This fell not out in the Gospell which the Sonne of God wrote in the hearts for which neither tables nor chest nor booke is necessary yea the Church was most perfect before any of the Apostles wrote and though they had writ nothing the Church would haue wanted nothing of its perfection But as Christ founded the doctrine of the New Testament in the hearts so hee forbad it not to bee written as in some false Religions where the mysteries were kept secret nor was lawfull to write them but onely to teach them by word of mouth And therefore that it is an vndoubted truth that whatsoeuer the Apostles haue written and whatsoeuer they haue taught by word of mouth is of equall authority because they wrote and spake by the instinct of the holy Ghost which notwithstanding as by assisting them it hath directed them to write and preach the trueth so it cannot bee said it hath forbidden them to write any thing to the end to hold it in mysterie wherefore the Articles of faith cannot bee distinguished into two kinds some published by writing others commaunded to bee communicated onely by voyce Hee said that whosoeuer thought otherwise must fight against two great difficulties the one to tell wherein the difference is the other how the Apostles successors haue beene able to write that which was forbidden by God adding that it was as hard to maintaine the third that is how it hath accidentally happened that some particulars haue not beene written because it would derogate from the prouidence of God in directing the holy Apostles to compose the Scriptures of the New Testament Therefore The Fathers neuer made traditions of equall authority with the Scripture hee concluded that to enter into this treatie was to saile betweene Scriptuâ—e and Caribdis and that it was better to imitate the fathers who serued themselues of this place onely in case of necessitie neuer thinking to make of it an Article of competition against the holy Scripture Hee added that it was not necessary to proceede now to any new determination because the Lutherans though they said they would be conuinced by the Scripture onely haue not made a controuersie in this article and that it is good to keep themselues onely to the controuersies which they haue promoted without setting new on foote exposing themselues to the danger of making a great diuision in Christendome The Fryars opinion pleased but few yea Cardinall Poole reprehended it The opinion of Marinarus was very distastefull and said it better beseemed a Colloquie in Germanie then a Councell of the vniuersall Church that in this they should ayme at the sincere veritie it selfe not as there where nothing is handled but the according of the parties though to the preiudice of the truth that to preserue the Church it was necessarie that the Lutherans should receiue all the Romane doctrine or that as many of their errors as was possible might be discouered the more to make manifest to the world that there was no agreement to be made with them Therefore if they haue framed no controuersie concerning traditions it was necessary to frame it now and to condemne their opinions and to shew that that doctrine not onely differeth from the true in that wherein it doeth purposely contradict it but in all other parts that they should endeauour to condemne as many absurdities as can be drawen out of their writings and that the feare was vaine to dash against Scilla or Caribdis for that captious reason whereunto whosoeuer gaue earâ— would conclude there was no tradition at all In the second Article they all agreed in this that a Catalogue should bee Concerning the canon cal bookes of the Scripture made as it was in former times of the Canonicall bookes in which all should be registred which are read in the Romane Church euen those of the Old Testament which were neuer receiued by the Hebrewes And for proofe of this they all alledged the Councell of Laodicea Pope Innocence the first the third Councell of Carthage and Pope Gelasius But there were foure opinions Some would haue two rankes made in the first onely those should be put which without contradiction haue beene receiued by all in the other those which sometime haue beene reiected or haue had doubt made of them and it was said though formerly this was neuer done by any Councell or Pope yet alwayes it was so vnderstood For Austin maketh such a distinction and his authority hath beene canonized in the Chapter In Canonicis And Saint Gregorie who was after Gelasius writing vpon Iob sayeth of the Maccabees that they are written for edification though they bee not Canonicall Aloisius of Catanea a Domican Fryar said that this distinction was made by Saint Hierome who was receiued by the Church as a rule and direction to appoint the Canon of the Scriptures and he alleadged Cardinal Caietan who had distinguished them following Saint Hierom as an infallible rule giuen vs by the Church and so hee wrote to Pope Clement the seuenth when hee sent him his exposition vpon the Historicall bookes of the Old Testament Some thought fit to establish three rankes The first of those which alwayes haue beene held for Diuine the second of those whereof sometimes doubt hath beene made but by vse haue obtained Canonicall authority in which number are the sixe Epistles and the Apocalyps of the New Testament and some small parts of the Euangelists The third of those whereof there hath neuer beene any assurance as are the seauen of the Old Testament and some Chapters of Daniel and Hester Some thought it better to make no distinction at all but to imitate the Councell of Carthage and others making the Catalogue and saying no more Another opinion was that all of them should bee declared to bee in all partes as they are in the Latine Bible of diuine and equall authoritie The Booke of Baruc troubled them most which is not put in the number neither by the Laodiceans nor by those of Carthage nor by the Pope and therefore should be left out as well for this reason as because the beginning of it cannot be found But because it was read in the Church the Congregation esteeming this a potent reason resolued that it was by the Ancients accounted a part of Ieremie and comprised with him In the Congregation on Friday the fifth of March aduise being come The Bishop of Bitonto assisting in Councell is in danger of excommunication in Rome for not paying his Pensionaries that the Pensionaries of the Bishop of Bitonto had demanded in Rome to be paide and for this cause had cited him before the Auditor
otherwise though with reason And S. Paul ment so when hee said that prophecying that is interpretation of the Scripture should bee vsed according to the analogie of faith that is with reference to the Articles thereof And if this distinction were not made they must needes fall into notable inconueniences by reason of the contrarieties which are found in the diuers expositions of the ancient Fathers which doe oppugne one another The difficulties were not so great but that the vulgar edition was approued The vulgar edition is approoued almost by a generall consent the discourse hauing made deepe impression in their mindes that Grammarians would take vpon them to teach Bishops and Diuines Some few thought it fit in regard of the reasons brought by the Diuines to leaue the point for that time but seeing the resolution was otherwise they desired them to consider that hauing approued it they should command it to be printed and corrected and in that case that it was necessary to frame a copie by which to make the impression Whereupon sixe were deputed by common consent and commanded to be diligent in making that correction that it might bee published before the end of the Councell reseruing power to themselues to augment the number if amongst those that were to come any were fit for the worke But in giuing voyces vpon the fourth Article after Cardinall Pacceco had said that the Scripture was expounded by so many and so excellent men in goodnesse and learning that there was no hope to adde any good thing more and that all the new heresies sprang from the new expositions of the Scripture and therefore that it was necessary to bridle the saucinesse of moderne wits and to make them content to be gouerned by the ancients and by the Church and that if any had some singular spirit he should be enforced to conceale it and not to confound the world by publishing it almost all runne into the same opinion The Congregation of the 29. was all spent in the fift Article For the Diuines hauing spoken irresolutely and with reference to the Synod to which it belongeth to make Statutes the Fathers were doubtfull also To leaue out the Anathema wholly was to make no decree of faith and in the very beginning to breake the order set downe to handle the two heads together To condemne euery one for an heretike who would not accept the vulgar Edition in some particular place perhaps of none importance or should publish some inuention of his owne vpon the Scripture through vanitie of minde seemed too rigorous After long discussion they found a temper which was to frame the first Decree and comprehend in it that onely which concerneth the Catalogue of the holy Bookes and the Traditions and to conclude that with an anathema Then in the second which belongeth to reformation to comprehend the translation and sense of the Scripture as if the Decree were a remedie against the abuse of so many interpretations and impertinent expositions It remayned to speake of the other abuses of which euery one had collected The abuses are spoken of a great number and many wayes to redresse them as humane weaknesse and superstition vseth holy things not onely beyond but also contrary to that for which they are appointed Of inchantments to find treasures and to bring lasciuious deseignes to passe or to obtaine things vnlawfull much was said and many remedies proposed to roote them out Amongst inchantments some put carying the Gospel about one names of God to preuent infirmities or to be healed of them or to bee kept from euils and mischiefes or to bee prosperous likewise to reade them for the same ends and to write them with obseruation of times In this catalogue were numbred Masses said in some Countries vpon red hot Iron vpon boyling waters or vpon cold or other matters for vulgar purgations to recite the Gospel ouer Armes that they may haue more force against the enemies In this ranke were put the coniurations of dogges to make them not bite of serpents to make them not offend of harmefull beasts in the field of tempests and other causes of the barrennesse of the land requiring that all these obseruations might bee condemned forbid and punished as abuses But in diuers particulars there were contradictions and disputes For some defended as things deuout and religious or at the least permitted and not damnable which others did condemne for wicked and superstitious The like happened speaking of the Word of God by casting of lots or diuinations or extracting schedules with verses of the Scripture or obseruing those they met when they opened the booke To vse sacred words in scandalous libels and other detractions was generally condemned and much was sayd of the meanes how to remooue the Pasquins of Rome wherein the Cardinall of Monte shewed great passion in desiring a remedie because he was often made a subiect of the saucinesse of the Courtiers tongues by reason of his naturall liberty and pleasantnesse of wit All agreed that the Word of God could neuer bee reuerenced enough and that to vse it to mens commendations though Princes and Prelates is not seemely and generally that all vaine vse of it is a sinne But yet the Councell ought not to busie it selfe in this in regard they were not assembled to prouide against all faults neither was it to beforbid absolutely to draw the words of the Scripture to humane matters because S. Antoninus in his storie condemned not the Sicilian Ambassadors who asking pardon of Martin the fourth deliuered their Ambassage in no other termes but saying three times Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis Nor the Popes answere who likewise said thrise Aue Rex Iudeorum Et dabant illi alapas Therefore that it was the malice of the Lutherans to reprehend the Bishop of Bitonto who in his sermon made in the publike Session said that to him that refused the Councel it might bee replied Pap 〈…〉 lux venit in mundum dilexerunt homines magis tenebras quam lucem So many Congregations were spent heerein and the number so increased and the weakenesse of the remedies proposed did so much appeare that the common opinion inclined to make no particular mention of any of them nor to descend to the proper remedies or particular punishments but onely to forbid them vnder generall heads and leaue the penalties to the discretion of the Bishops Of the abuses of the Prints there was not much to be spoken for all agreed that the Printers should bee brideled and prohibited to Print any sacred thing before it was allowed but for this the Decree of the last Lateran Councel was sufficient But about readings and preachings there were terrible controuersies A great contention betweene the Regulars and Prelats about readings and preachings The Regulars beeing already in possession of them as well by the Popes priuiledges as by the practise of 300 yeeres laboured to preserue them
it in a Mercuriall so they call the iudicature instituted to examine and correct the actions of the Counsellors of Parliament and Iudges of the King held in Paris the 15. of Iune where they were to treate of Religion after the Congregation was assembled entred in person Hee said hee had established peace in the whole world by the marriages of his sister and daughter that hee might prouide against the inconueniences bred in his Kingdome about Religion which ought to bee the principall care of Princes Therefore vnderstanding they were to treat of this subiect hee exhorted them to handle Gods cause with sinceritie And hauing commaunded them to prosecute the things begun Claude Viole one of them spake much against the manners of the Court of Rome and the bad customes growen to bee pernicious errours which haue caused the new sects Therefore it was necessary to mitigate the seuere punishments vntill the differences of religion were remooued and the Ecclesiasticall discipline amended by authority of a Generall Councell the onely remedie for these euils as the Councels of Constance and Basil haue iudged commanding that one should bee celebrated euery ten yeeres His opinion was followed by Ludouicus Faber and some others Anne du Bourg did adde that many villanies were comitted condemned by the Lawes for punishment whereof the rope and fire were not sufficient as frequent blasphemies against God periuries adulteries not onely secret but euen cherished with impudent licence making himselfe to be plainely vnderstood that hee spake not onely of the Grandies of the Court but of the King himselfe also adding that while men liued thus dissolutely diuers torments were prepared against those who were guilty of nothing but of publishing to the world the vices of the Church of Rome and desiring an amendment of them In opposition of all this Egidius Magister the prime President spake against the new sects concluding that there was no other remedie but that which was formerly vsed against the Albigenses of whom Philippus Augustus put to death sixe hundred in one day and against the Waldenses who were choked in the caues whither they retired to hide themselues When all the voyces were giuen the King said he had now heard with his owne eares that which before was told him that the contagion of the Kingdome doth hence arise 1559 PIVS 4. FERDINAND PHILIP 2. ELIZABETH HENRY 2. And coÌ„mandeth some of the Counsellors of Parliament to bee imprisoned that there are in the Parliament who doe despise the Popes authoritie and his that he well knoweth they are but few but the cause of many euils Therefore hee exhorted those who are good subiects to continue in doing their duety and immediatly gaue order that Faber and du Bourg should be imprisoned and afterward caused foure more to bee apprehended in their houses which did much daunt those who embraced the new religion For the Counsellors of Parliament in France beeing reputed most sacred and inuiolable who notwithstanding were put into prison for deliuering their opinion in publike Assembly they concluded that the King would pardon none But examples of great feares are alwayes ioyned with others of equall boldnesse 15â—9 The Reformatists hold a Synod in Paris For at the same time as if there had beene no danger at all the ministers of the Reformed for so the Protestants are called in France assembled in Paris in the suburbes of Saint German made a Synode in which Franciscus Morellus the chiefe man amongst them was President ordayning diuers constitutions of the manner of holding Councels of remoouing the domination in the Church of the election and office of Ministers of censures of marriages of diuorces of degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie that throughout all France they might not onely haue an vniforme faith but discipline also And their courage did increase because the fame of the seuerity vsed in France comming into Germanie the three Electors and And are encouraged by the intercession of the Protestant Princes of Germanie other Protestant Princes sent Ambassadours to the King praying him to proceede with pietie and Christian charitie against the professors of their Religion guiltie of nothing but of accusing the corrupted manners and the discipline peruerted by the Church of Rome which had bene done more then an hundred yeeres since by other godly Doctors of France For that Kingdome beeing now in quiet the differences of Religion may easily bee composed by the disputation of able men desirous of peace who may examine their confession by the rule of holy Scripture and of the ancient Fathers suspending in the meane time the seueritie of the sentences which they will receiue as a thing most gratefull and remaine much obliged to him for it The King gaue a courteous answere in generall wordes promising Which did them no good to giue them satisfaction and to send one expresly to signifie so much vnto them Yet he remitted nothing of the seueritie but after the Ambassadours were parted hee deputed foure Iudges of the body of the Parliament in the causes of the prisoners with the Bishop of Paris and the Inquisitor Antonie de Mocares commaunding them to proceede with all expedition The Pope vnto whom all these things were knowen as hee was much discontented with the progresse of the new doctrine in the States of both the Kings so hee was pleased that those Princes did thinke of it and mooued them by his Nuncij and by their Ambassadours residing with him to doe so still But hee would not haue any other meanes then that of the Inquisition which he thought the onely remedie as he said vpon all occasions iudging that the Councell would doe as formerly it had done that is reduce all into a worse state While he was possessed with these cogitations and weake of body the King of France died the second of Iuly by a wound in the eye running at Tilt for which hee seemed very sorrowfull and was so indeede For although hee suspected and with reason the intelligence betweene the 1559. PAVL 4. FERDINAND ELIZABETH FRANCIS 2. Henry the second dyeth the second of Iuly two Kings yet hee had still hope to separate them But the one being dead he saw he was at the discretion of the other alone whom he more feared because he was more offended by him and was of a more close nature hard to be sounded Hee feared also that in France a gate would be set wide open to let in sectes which might bee confirmed before the new King could get so much wisedome and reputation as was necessary to oppose so great difficulties Hee liued some few dayes afflicted with these cogitations but now laying aside all hopes which had vntill then kept him aliue hee died the eighteenth The Pope Iyeth the 18. of August recommending to the Cardinals nothing but the office of the Inquisition of August recommending to the Cardinals nothing but the office of the Inquisition the onely meanes as he said to
some fewe that are most notable In the Congregation of the â—4 of Iuly in the afternoone Georgius di Ataide a Diuine of the K. of Portugall sought to ouerthrow all the grounds The discourse of Georgius di Ataide of the other Diuines layd to prooue the sacrifice of the Masse by the holy Scripture and said first that it could not be doubted that the Masse was a sacrifice because all the Fathers haue said it in plaine words and replyed it vpon euery occasion and hee began with the Latins and Greekes of the ancient Church and with the Martyrs and came from time to time vntill the present age affirming that there is no Christian writer who hath not called it a sacrifice Therefore it must certainely bee concluded that it hath beene so taught by an Apostolicall tradition the force whereof is more then sufficient to make Articles of faith as this Councell hath maintained from the beginning But this true and solide foundation is weakened by those who would build in the ayre seeking to finde in the Scriptures that which is not there giuing occasion to the aduersaries to calumniate the trueth while they see it grounded vpon such an vnstablesand And hauing thus spoken hee proceeded to examine one after another the places of the old and new Testament alledged by the Diuines shewing that no expresse signification of the sacrifice could be drawen from them To the fact of Melchisedec he answered that CHRIST was a Priest of that order as hee was the onely begotten eternall without predecessor father mother or genealogie And this is prooued too plainely by the Epistle to the Hebrewes where Saint Paul discoursing at large of this place doeth handle the eternitie and singularity of the Priesthood and maketh no mention of the bread and wine He repeated the doctrine of Saint Austine that when there is a fit place for any thing to bee spoken and it is not spoken an argument may bee drawen from the authoritie negatiuely Of the Paschall Lambe he said that it could not be presupposed for a thing so euident that it was a sacrifice and perhaps to him that would take vpon him to prooue the contrary the victory would necessarily bee yeelded and also that it was too hard a metaphor to make it a Type of the Eucharist and not rather of the Crosse Hee commended those Theologues who hauing brought the place of Malachie added that of Saint Iohn To worship in Spirit and trueth because indeed the one and the other did formally speake of the samething and were to bee expounded alike that no difficultie might be made concerning the word Adorare which certainely doth signifie also a sacrifice and the woman of Samaria tooke it in the generall signification But when CHRIST added That God is a Spirit and will bee worshipped in Spirit no man that is not willing to expound all things in an vnproper sence will say that a Sacrament which consisteth of a thing visible and inuisible is purely spirituall but composed of this and the Elementary signe Therefore he that will expound both those places of internall adoration cannot be conuinced and shall haue probability on his side the application being plaine that this is offered in all places and by all Nations and is purely spirituall as God is a pure Spirit And he proceeded and said that the words This is my body which is giuen for you and the blood which is shed for you haue a more plaine meaning if they be referred to the body and blood in their naturall eslence then in their Sacramentall as when it is said CHRIST is the true Vine which bringeth foorth the wine it is not meant that the significatiue vine doth bring foorth Wine but the reall So this is my blood which is shedde doth not signifie that the Sacramentall and significatiue blood was shed but the blood naturall and signified And that which Saint Paul saith of taking part of the Sacrifice of the Iewes and of the table of Deuils is vnderstood of the Rites which GOD did institute by Moyses and of those which the Gentiles did vse in sacrificing so that it cannot hence bee prooued that the Eucharist is a sacrifice that it is plaine in Moyses that in the votiue sacrifices the oblation was all presented to GOD and a part burnt which was called the Sacrifice and that which remained belonged partly to the Priest and partly to him that offered which they did eate with whom they pleased neither was this called to sacrifice but to participate of the thing sacrificed The Gentiles did imitate the same yea that part which was not consumed vpon the Altar was sent by some to bee sold and this is the table which is not the Altar The plaine meaning of Saint Paul is that as the Iewes eating the part belonging to him that offereth which is a remainder of the sacrifice doe partake of the Altar and the Gentiles likewise so we eating the Eucharist are partakers of the sacrifice of the Crosse And this is it which CHRIST said Doe this in remembrance of mee and which Saint Paul said As often as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of this Cup you shall professe that the Lord dyed for you But whereas it is said that the Apostles were by the words of the Lord ordained Priests to offer sacrifice when hee saith Doe this without doubt it is vnderstood of that which they had seene him to doe Therefore it must be manifest first that he hath offered which cannot be because the opinions of the Diuines are various and euery one confesseth that both the one and the other is Catholique and those who denie that CHRIST hath offered cannot conclude by those words that hee hath commanded the oblation Then hee brought the arguments of the Protestants by which they prooue that the Eucharist is not instituted for a sacrifice but for a Sacrament and concluded that it could not bee said that the Masse was a sacrifice but by the ground of Tradition exhorting them to rest vpon this and not to make the trueth vncertaine by desiring to prooue too much Then hee came to resolue the Protestant arguments and gaue his Auditors ill satisfaction therein for hee recited them with force and good appearance and answered weakely so that hee did rather confirme them This was ascribed by some to the shortnesse of time which remained vntill night and others thought he was not able to expresse himselfe better and Giueth bad satisfaction to the Prelates the most intelligent were of opinion that those answeres did not satisfie himselfe The Fathers murmuring hereat Iacobus Paiua another Portugall Diuine repeated in the next Congregation all his arguments and resolued them with satisfaction of his hearers saying in excuse of his Colleague that he was of the same minde and the testimonies of the Ambassadours and Prelates of Portugall of his honestie and soundnesse of doctrine caused the Legates not to be offended with him Notwithstanding hee
who yeelded to referre it to his Legat vnto whom the iudicature thereof was committed with instruction that if he could discouer any hope of repentance in Martin he should receiue him into fauour promising Luthers cause referrred to Card. Caietan the Popes Legat him pardon of all his errours past together with honours and rewards referring the whole to his wisedome but in case he found him incorrigible he should desire Maximilian the Emperour and the other Princes of Germany that he might be punished 23 Martin went to the Legat to Ausburg vnder the safe-conduct of Maximilian Luther commeth to the Legat with the Emperors safe-conduct where after a conuenient conference vpon the controuersed doctrine the Cardinall hauing discouered that by tearmes of Schoole-diuinity in the profession where of himselfe was most excellent Martin could not be conuinced that he alwaies serued himselfe of the holy Scripture which is vsed but a little by the Schoolemen he declared that he would dispute no more with him but exhorted him to a retractation or at least to submit his Bookes and doctrine to the iudgement of the Pope shewing him the danger he was in if he persisted and promising him fauours and benefits from his Holines Martin not answering to the contrary he thought it not fit to wring from him a negatiue by pressing him too much but rather to giue space that the threats and promises might make impression and therefore gaue him leaue Luther had leaue to depart to depart for that time He caused also Friar Iohn Stopiccius Vicar generall of the order of the Heremites to treat with him in conformity hereof 24 Martin beeing returned once more the Cardinall had much conference with him concerning the heads of his doctrine rather hearing what he said then disputing to gaine himselfe credit by the proposition of accommodating the busines Whereunto when he descended exhorting him not to let slip so secure an occasion and so profitable Luther answered him with his accustomed vehemencie that no composition could be made to the preiudice of the truth that he had offended no man nor had neede of the fauour At his returne he was more vehement then before of any that he feared no threats and that if any thing were vnduly attempted against him he would appeale to a Councell The Cardinall who had heard that Martin was secured by some Grandies that they might hold a bridle in the Popes mouth suspecting that he was perswaded to speake in that sort disdained at it and descended to bitter reprehensions and base tearmes and concluded that Princes haue long hands and so bid him bee gone Martin beeing parted from the Legats presence remembring Iohn Hus his case went from Ausburg without saying any more From whence when he was a good way distant thinking better of his owne case he wrote a letter to the Cardinall confessing he had been too sharpe laying the blame Luthers letter vpon the importunity of the Pardoners and of those that wrote against him promising more modestie hereafter to satisfie the Pope and not to speake any more of Indulgences with condition that his aduersaries should doe the like Yet neither they nor he could be kept silent but one prouoked the other whereby the controuersie grew more sharpe 25 Wherefore the Court in Rome spake disgracefully of the Cardinall attributing The Cardinall is blamed in Rome for vsing Luther with base termes all the mischeife to the seueritie and base termes vsed against Luther they blamed him for not hauing promised him great riches a Bishopricke and euen the red hat of a Cardinall And Leo fearing some great innouation in Germanie not so much against Indulgences as against his owne authoritie made a Bull vnder the date of the 9. of Nouember 1518 wherein he set forth the validitie of Indulgences and that himselfe as successor of Peter and Vicar The Bull of Leo for the doctrine of Indulgences of CHRIST had power to grant them both for the liuing for the dead and that this was the doctrine of the Church of Rome which is mother and mistris of all Christians which ought to be receiued of whosoeuer would be in the communion of the Church He sent this Bull to Cardinall Caietan who being at Lintz in vpper Austria published it and caused many authenticall copies to be made thereof sending them to all the Bishops of Germany with commandement to publish them and seuerely and vnder great penalties to enioyne all men not to haue any other faith 26 By this Bull Martin saw cleerely that from Rome and from the Pope he could looke for nothing but condemnation and as before he had for the most part spoken reseruedly of the person and iudgement of the Pope so after the publication of this Bull he resolued to reiect it Wherefore he set forth The Popes Bull made Luther appeale to a Councell an Appeale wherein hauing first said that hee would not oppose himselfe to the authoritie of the Pope when he taught the truth he added that he was not exempt from the common conditions of being subiect to erre to sinne alleadging the example of S. Peter sharpely reprehended by S. Paul But hee said it was an easie thing for the Pope hauing so great riches and retinue to oppresse whosoeuer was not of his opinion without respect of any vnto whom none other helpe remained but to flie vnto a Councell by the benefit of appeale because all reason perswadeth that a Councell ought to be preferred 1519 LEO 10. MAXINIL 1. HENRY 8. FRANCIS 7. before him This Appeale went throughout all Germany and was read by many and esteemed reasonable Wherefore Leo his Bull extinguished not the fire that was kindled in those parts 27 But it hauing giuen courage to the Court in Rome as if the flame had been quenched Friar Samson of Milan of the order of S. Francis was sent to preach the same Indulgences amongst the Suisses who hauing published them in many places and collected the summe of 120000. crownes came finally The occasion why Zuinglius began to oppose the Pope to Zuric where Vlricus Zuinglius a Canon in that Church was professor who opposing himselfe to the doctrine of this Friar the Pardoner there grew great disputation between them passing also from one matter to another as it happened in Germanie Whereby it came to passe that Zuinglius was hearkened vnto by many and gained credit and was imboldned to speake not onely against the abuse of Indulgences but against the Indulgences themselues and euen against the authoritie of the Pope who granted them 26 Martin Luther perceiuing that his doctrine was esteemed and that it Luther passeth to other points passed also into other countreys became more couragious and set himselfe to examine other articles and in the matter of Confession and of the Communion he forsooke the opinion of the Schoolemen and of the Church of Rome approouing rather the Communion of the
sins of the communion of Indulgences of Excommunication of the power of the Pope of the authoritie of Councels of good works of Free-will of Purgatory of pouerty all which he saith are respectiuely pestiferous pernicious scandalous offensiue to pious eares contrary to charity contrary to the reuerence which is due to the Church of Rome contrary to obedience which is the sinew of Ecclesiasticall discipline wherefore being willing to proceede to sentence he with the Cardinals genetals of the regular orders with other Diuines and Doctours both of the one and the other law hath made diligent examination of them Therefore hee condemneth and reiecteth them respectiuely as hereticall scandalous false offensiue to pious eares deceitfull to godly minds and contrary to the Catholike trueth Hee prohibiteth vpon paine of excommunication and infinite punishments that no man should dare to keepe them defend them preach them or fauour them And because the same assertions are found in the bookes of Martin therefore he condemneth them commanding Luthers bookes are condemned to the fire vnder the same paines that none may reade or keepe them but that they ought to be burned as well those which doe containe the foresaid propositions as all the rest Concerning the person of Martin himselfe he saith he The Pope giueth an admonition to Luther and his followers hath many times admonished cited and called him with promise of safe conduct and prouision for his iourney that if hee had come hee would not haue found so many errours in the Court as hee saide and that himselfe the Pope would haue taught him that the Popes his predecessors haue neuer erred in their constitutions But because he hath endured the censures for the space of a whole yeere and hath dared to appeale vnto a future Councell a thing prohibited by Pius and Iulius the second vnder the punishments due to heretikes hee could proceed to condemnation without any more adoe notwithstanding forgetting these iniuries hee admonisheth the said Martin and his protectors to change their opinions cease to preach and in the terme of 60. dayes vpon the same paines to reuoke al the foresaid errors and burne the bookes which in case they doe not hee declareth them notorious and obstinate heretiques After he commandeth all vnder the same paines that they keepe not any booke of the same Martin though it conteine not the like errours Then ordaineth that all men ought to shunne as well him as his fauourers yea commandeth euery one to apprehend them and bring them personally before him or at least chase them out of their Lands and Countreys hee interdicteth all places whither they shall goe commandeth that they bee euery where made knowen and that his Bull ought to bee read in euery place excommunicating whosoeuer shall hinder the publication thereof he determineth that the exemplifications ought to be beleeued and ordereth that his Bull be published in Rome Brandeburg Misna and Mansperg Martin Luther receiuing newes of the condemnation of his doctrine and The Popes admonition cruseth Luther to make a solemne Appeale bookes set foorth a writing repeating the Appeale made to the Councell and making replication thereof for the same causes Furthermore for that the Pope had proceeded against a man not called nor conuinced nor the controuersie of the doctrine heard preferring his owne opinions to the word of God and leauing no place for the Councell he offereth to demonstrate all these things praying the Emperour and all Magistrates to accept this his Appeale for defence of the authority of the Councell thinking that this decree of the Pope bindeth not any till the cause be lawfully discussed in a Synod But men of vnderstanding seeing the Bull of Leo marueiled at it for many causes First concerning the forme that the Pope should proceede to a The Bull of Leo censured declaration with clauses of the palace in a matter which ought to be handled with the words of the holy Scripture and especially vsing periods so intricate and so long and prolixe that it was scarcely possible to draw any sense from them as if he had been to giue sentence in a feodatary cause And it was particularly noted that one clause which saith Inhibentes omnibus ne praefatos errores asserere praesumant is so drawen out in length with so many inlargements and restrictions that betweene Inhibentes and Praesumant there are placed more then foure hundred words Others passing on a little further considered that to haue proposed and condemned as hereticall scandalous false offensiue to pious eares and deceitfull to simple minds 42. propositions without declaring which of them were hereticall which scandalous which false but onely with a word respectiuely attributing to euery one of them an vncertaine qualitie caused a greater doubt then was before which was not to define the cause but to make it more controuersed and to shew more plainely that another authority and wisedome was necessary to determine it Some also were filled with admiration for that it was said that amongst the 41. propositions there were errours of the Grecians condemned long agoe Others thought it a strange thing that so many propositions in diuers points of faith should be decided in Rome by the aduice of the Courtiers onely without participating them to other Bishops Academies and learned persons of Europe But the Vniuersities of Louain and Collen being pleased that there was a colour giuen to their sentence by the Popes Edict publikely burned the bookes of Luther Which gaue cause that he also in Wittenberg all that Schoole being The Popes Bull and the Decretals burned in Wittenberg assembled iudicially and publiquely made to be burned not onely the Bull of Leo but together also the Popes Decretals and after gaue an account to the world of that action in a long manifest published in writing noting 521. LEO 10. CHARLES 5. HENRY 8. FRANCIS 1. A Councell was thought to be necessarie for two causes the Papacie in tyrannie of the Church peruersenesse of Christian doctrine and vsurpation of the power of lawfull magistrates But aswell for Luthers appeale as for these and other considerations euery one became of opinion that a lawfull Councell was necessarie by which not onely the controuersies might bee decided but the abuses also long since brought into the Church might bee redressed and alwayes the necessitie hereof appeared the more by how much the more the contentions increased writings being set forth continually both by the one part and the other For Martin failed not to confirme his doctrine by diuers writings and accordingly as he studied hee discouered more light euer passing some step further forward and finding articles of which in the beginning hee had not thought Which hee sayd he did for the zeale of the House of God But hee was constrained also by necessitie For the Romanists hauing laboured effectually in Collen with the Elector of Saxonie by the mediation of Hierom Aleander that he would deliuer Martin
against the Magistrate that they propose no new opinions which haue no foundation in the holy Scripture but preach the Gospell according to the interpretation approoued by the Church without touching other things that be disputable expecting the determination of the Councel where all shall be lawfully decided 107 The Elector of Saxonie and fiue Princes more opposed themselues to this Decree saying that they ought not to forsake the Decree made in the Is opposed former Diet by which euery one might exercise his owne religion vntill the Councell which Decree being made by the common consent of all could not without the same consent bee changed That the originall cause of the dissentions was very clearely perceiued in the Diet of Noremberg and the same Pope vnto whom the demands were sent and the hundred grieuances expounded confessed it yet for all this no amendment was seene That in all the consultations it was euer concluded that there was no way more conuenient to remooue the controuersies then by a Councell In the meane space while this is expected to receiue their Decree were to denie the pure and vndefiled word of God and to allow the Masse were to renew the disorders They said they commended that part that is to preach the Gospell according to the interpretations approoued by the Church but that there remained a doubt which was the true Church That to establish a Decree so obscure was to lay open a way to many tumults and controuersies therefore would not by any meanes giue consent vnto it That they would giue account to all men and euen vnto Cesar himselfe of this their opinion And that vntill the beginning of the Councell either generall of all Christendome or nationall of Germanie they will doe nothing that may iustly be reprooued 108 To this declaration foureteene principall cities of Germanie adhered How the name of Protestants began and from hence came the name of Protestants by which they are called who follow the doctrine renewed by Luther For these Princes and Cities gaue out their protestation and appeale from that Decree vnto Cesar and to a future Generall Councell or Nationall of Germanie and to all iudges not suspected 109 And because mention is made of the difference in opinion between Luther and Zuinglius in matter of the Sacrament it is fit to shew heere how the The difference in opinion betweene Luther and Zuinglius renouation of doctrine being begun in two places by two persons independent the one of the other that is by Luther in Saxonie and Zuinglius in Zuric they consented in all the heads of doctrine vntill the yeere 1525. and then in the explication of the mysterie of the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist though they both agreed in saying that the bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ are in the Sacrament onely in vse receiued with the heart and faith yet Luther taught that the words of our Lord This is my body ought to be receiued in a naked and plaine sence and on the contrary Zuinglius taught that the words were figuratiuely spiritually and Sacramentally and not carnally to be vnderstood And the contention alwayes increased and became euery day more bitter especially on Martins side who treated after a sharpe manner against the aduerse partie And this gaue matter to the Catholikes in this yeeres Diet of Spira to be able as hath beene said to put distrust and distast betweene the parties But the Landgraue of Hassia who hauing discouered the cunning of the aduersaries kept his side in peace with hope to reconcile the contrary opinions as Well to maintaine his promise as to withstand future dangers procured a conference sollicited the Suisses to send The conference of Marpurg 1529 their men and assigned Marpurg for the place of the disputation and all the moneth of October of the same yeere 1529. There came out of Saxonie Luther and his two schollers and out of Suisserland Zuinglius and Ecolampadius Only Luther and Zuinglius disputed and the disputation continued many dayes yet Luther and Zuinglius could not agree for all this it was impossible for them to agree whether it were because the controuersie being passed on so farre it seemed that the honour of the Authors was in question or because as it happeneth in verball contentions the smalnesse of the difference nourisheth the obstinacie of the parties or because as a little after Martin wrote to a friend seeing much tumult raysed he would not by Zuinglius his forme of words which the Romanists so much abhorred make his Princes more odious and expose them to greater danger But bee the cause what it will one more vniuersall is very true that it pleased the Maiesty of God to vse this difference of opinions for diuers effects which followed after It was necessarie to end the colloquie without conclusion but that by the meanes of the Landgraue they agreed in this that being of accord in all other points they ought heereafter to abstaine from bitternesse in this particular praying God to shew some light of agreement Which conclusion though resolued on with wisedome and as they said with charitie being not followed by their successours hindered very much the progresse of the reformed Doctrine For in cause of religion euery sub-diuision is a strong weapon in the hand of the contrary part But the league betweene the Pope and Emperour being concluded as hath beene said and the order set downe for the Coronation the Citie of The Pope and Emperour met at Bologna about the coronation but treated of diuers other matters Bolonia was appointed for the place For it seemed not conuenient to the Pope that this solemnitie should bee performed in Rome in the presence of those who had sacked it but two yeeres before This was acceptable also to Charles because it made the ceremonies more short which he desired that he might passe into Germanie so soone as might bee Therefore the Pope as the greater person arriued first in Bolonia and afterwards the Emperour the fifth of Nouember where hee taried foure moneths and remained in the same pallace with the Pope Many things were treated of by these two Princes partly for the vniuersall quiet of Christendome and partly for the priuate interest of the one and the other The principall were the generall peace of Italie and the extirpation of the Protestants in Germanie To speake of the first belongeth not to the subiect that is handled but concerning the Protestants it was proposed by one of the Emperours Counsellors that considering the nature of Germans who are tenacious of libertie it were better by faire meanes and sweet representations by dissembling the knowledge of many things to cause the Princes to returne to the obedience of the Pope For this protection being taken from the new Doctors the residue would easily bee remedied And to doe this a Councell was the true and proper remedie as well because it was desired by
he made the confutation of it to be read in which many of their opinions being taxed it was confessed in the end that in the Church of Rome there were some things fit to bee amended against which hee promised that prouision should be made 〈◊〉 therefore that the Protestants ought to referre themselues vnto him and returne to the Church assuring them to obtaine all their iust demands but in case they did otherwise he would not faile to shew himselfe protector and defender of it The Protestant Princes offered to performe whatsoeuer could bee done with a safe conscience and if out of the holy Scripture any errour in their doctrine were shewed to correct it or to make a further declaration in case it were necessarie And because some of the points proposed by them were granted in the confutation and some reiected if a copie of the confutations were giuen them they should be expounded more cleerely After many treaties seuen Catholikes and seuen Protestants were chosen A Colloquie between the Protestants Catholikes to conferre together to find out a meanes of composition who not being able to agree the number was restrained to three a piece And though some few small points of doctrine and other petty things belonging to some rites were agreed on yet in conclusion it was perceiued that the conference could produce no concord at all because neither partie was willing to grant to the other any thing of importance Many dayes being spent in this treatie the refutation of the Cities confession was read whereunto their Ambassadors answered that many Articles of their writing were repeated otherwise then The answer of the Protestant Ambassadors to the confutation they were written by them many other things proposed by them drawne to a bad sence to make them odious vnto all which obiections they would haue answered if a copie of the confutation had beene giuen them in the meane time they prayed them nor to beleeue any calumnie but to expect their defence They denyed to giue them a copie and sayde that the Emperour would not suffer that the points of Religion should bee put into disputation The Emperour assayed by way of canuase to perswade the Princes telling them that they were but few their doctrine new that it had been sufficiently confuted in this Diet that their boldnesse was great to condemne of errour heresie and false religion the Imperiall Maiestie and so many Princes and States of Germany with whom themselues beeing compared made not a number and which is worse to esteeme also for heretikes their owne fathers and ancestours and to demand a Councell and yet to goe on still in the errours These perswasions auayling nothing because they denied theirs to be new and the rites of the Romane Church olde the Emperour imploying other remedies vnto which he was aduised by the Legat Campeggio caused euery one to be treated with apart proposing vnto them some satisfaction in their proper interests and laying before them diuers oppositions and crosses which he would haue raised against their proceedings in case they persisted in their resolution not to reunite themselues to the Church But whither those thought to bring about their owne designes by perseuering or preferred the preseruation of their Religion before all other interest the perswasions though very potent produced none effect Neither could the Emperour obtaine of them to grant the exercise of the Romane religion within their territories vntill the time of the Councell which he promised should bee intimated within sixe moneths because the Protestants had discouered that this was the inuention of the Popes Legate who not being able to obtaine his purpose for the present thought it sufficient if by the establishing the Romane doctrin in euery place he put confusion among the people who were alienated already whereby away might be opened to those accidents which might giue occasion to roote out the new For concerning the promise to intimate a Councell within sixe moneths he well knew that many impediments might bee pretended in the very nicke and finally all expectation deluded It being impossible to conclude any thing the Protestants departed in the end of October and the Emperour made an Edict to establish the ancient rites of the Roman Catholike religion which contained in summe The Edict of A 〈…〉 that nothing should be changed in the Masse in the Sacrament of Confirmation and extreame vnction that the Images should not bee taken out of any place and those restored that were taken away already that it should not be lawfull to denie free-will nor to hold opinion that onely faith doeth iustifie that the Sacraments Ceremonies Rites Obsequies of the dead should be obserued in the same manner they were before that Benefices should bee giuen to fit persons and that the marryed Priests should forsake their wiues or be banished all sales of Church goods and other vsurpations made voyd that in preaching and teaching no man should passe these tearmes but the people should be exhorted to heare Masse to inuocate the Virgin Mary and the other Saints to obserue the feasts and fastings that the Monasteries and other sacred Edifices which haue beene destroyed should be rebuilt and the Pope should be requested to intimate a Councell within sixe moneths in a conuenient place and after to beginne it within a yeere at the most that all things remaine firme and constant and no appeale or exception to the contrary take place and that euery one ought to imploy all his forces possessions life and blood to preserue this Decree and that the Imperiall Chamber proceed against whosoeuer shall oppose it The Pope hauing receiued aduice from his Legat of what was done in the Diet was touched with an inward griefe of minde discouering that The Pope was displeased with the Emperour for meâ—ling in religion but especially for promising a Councell though Charles had receiued his counsell by vsing his authority and threatning violence yet he had not proceeded as aduocate of the Church of Rome vnto whom it belongeth not to take knowledge of the cause but to bee a meere executor of the Popes Decrees whereunto was quite contrary to haue receiued the confessions and caused them to bee read and to haue instituted a conference to accord the differences Hee complayned beyond measure that some points were agreed vnto and especially that he had consented to the abolition of some rites thinking that the Popes authoritie was violated when things of so great moment were treated of without his priuity at the least if his Legates authoritie had beene interposed it had beene tollerable After he considered that it was a great preiudice to him that the Prelates had consented to it But the promising of a Councell which hee so much abhorred pressed him aboue all in which though honourable mention were made of his authoritie yet to subscribe sixe moneths to call it and a yeere to beginne it was to meddle with that which was proper to
himselfe for his owne part would willingly make present answere to the things proposed but because there are many Princes which haue receiued the same confession in the Diet of Ausbug it was not fit nor profitable for the cause to answere alone but an assembly being intimated against the 24. of Iune hee desired hee would bee contented to grant this short delay that he might receiue a more common and resolute conclusion The ioy and hope of the Nuncio was much increased The Nuncio is pleased with the delatory answere The answere of the Protestants assembled in Smalcalde who desired the delay had been rather of yeeres then moneths But the Protestants assembled at the aforesaid time in Smalcalde answered thanking the Emperor that for the glory of God and safetie of the common-wealth hee had taken paines to cause a Councell to bee celebrated which would bee in vaine if conditions were not obserued necessary for the curing of the diseases of Germanie which desireth that her controuersies may be defined with due order and hopeth to obtaine it for that the Emperour hath in many imperiall Diets promised such a one which by the mature deliberation of the Princes and States hath been resolued should be celebrated in Germanie in regard that many errors being reuealed by occasion of the Indulgences published in Sermons Pope Leo condemned the doctrine and the Doctors who discouered the abuses But that sentence was opposed by the testimonies of the Prophets and Apostles Whence did arise the controuersie which cannot be decided but in a Councell where the Popes sentence or the power of whosoeuer may not preiudice the cause and where iudgement may be giuen not according to the Popes lawes or opinions of the Schooles but according to the holy Scripture If this be not performed this so great a labour would bee taken in vaine as may appeare by the examples of some other Councels celebrated before Now the propositions of the Pope were contrary to this end to the petitions of the Diet and promises of the Emperour For though hee propose And their exceptions against the propositions of the Pope a free Councell in words yet in effect hee would haue it tied so that vices and errors may not be reprehended and himselfe may maintaine his power That that was not a reasonable demand that any man should bind himselfe to obserue the decrees before he know by what order maner or forme they are made whether the Pope desire to haue the supreme authoritie in him and his whether hee will haue the controuersies discussed according to holy writ or according to humane lawes and traditions That that clause also seemed captious that the Councell should bee made according to the old custome For it being vnderstood of that old when all was determined by the holy Scriptures they would not refuse it But the Councels of the next preceding age were much different from the other that were more ancient where too much was attributed to the Decrees of Popes and other men That the propose was glorious but it tooke absolutely away the libertie which was demanded and was necessary for the cause That they desired the Emperour to bee a meanes that all might passe lawfully That all men were in attention and stood in hope of a Councell and demanded it with vowes and prayers which would bee turned into great sorrow and vexation of minde if this expectation should bee deluded by giuing a Councell but not such a one as is desired and promised That there is no doubt but that all the States of the Empire and other Kings and Princes also will bee of the same opinion to auoid those snares and bonds with which the Pope thinketh to binde them in a new Councell to whose will if the managing of the affaires shall be permitted they will referre the whole to God and thinke of what they haue to doe Yet for all this if they shall bee cited with good and lawfull assurance in case they see themselues able to doe some thing for the seruice of God they will not refuse to appeare but with condition not to consent to the Popes demands nor to a Councell which is not conformable to the Decrees of the imperiall Diets In the end they prayed the Emperour not to take their resolution in ill part and to endeuour that the power of those be not confirmed who long since haue waxed cruell against the innocent The Protestants resolued not onely to send the answere to the Pope and the Emperour but to print it also together with the Nuncio his proposition which by the same Pope was iudged indiscreete and too open Therefore The Pope recalleth Hugo Rangone B. of Rheggio his Nuncio and putteth Vergerius in his place vnder colour that hee was old and vnable to beare that charge he recalled him and wrote to Vergerius Nuncio with King Ferdinand that he should take vpon him that place with the same instructions admonishing him to remember not to swarue by any meanes from his will or to giue eare to any 1534 CLEMENT 7. CHARLES 5. HENRY 8. FRANCIS 2. moderation though the King desire it that vnaduisedly he cast him not into some strait and constraine him to call a Councell which was not profitable for the Church or for the Apostolicall Sea While these things were in handling the Pope who fore-saw the answere which would come out of Germany before in Bolonia had conceiued but small confidence in the Emperour wholly aliened himselfe from his friendship For in the cause of Modena and Rheggio betweene his Holinesse and the Duke of Ferrara referred to him by the parties hee pronounced for the Duke For all which causes the Pope negotiated a confederation with the French King the which was concluded and established also by the mariage The confederation betweene the Pope and the French King is confirmed by marriage of Henry the Kings second sonne with Catherine de Medici the Popes great grand-child And to giue a compleat perfection to the whole businesse hee went to Marseilles in person to speake with the King But vnderstanding that this iourney was reprehended by all as not addressed to any publike respect but onely to make his house great hee iustified himselfe by saying hee vndertooke it to perswade him to fauour the Councell and to abolish the Lutheran heresie And t is true that there beside other treaties hee perswaded his most Christian Maiestie to deale with the Protestants especially with the Landgraue of Hassia who was to come to him into France to cause them to desist from demaunding a Councel proposing vnto them that they would seeke out any other way to accommodate the differences and promising his owne faithfull and effectuall helpe when time should serue The King did thus negotiate but could obtaine nothing For the Landgraue alleadged The French King treateth with the Landgraue of Hassia at the Popes request about the Councell that there was no other meanes
to the world because so much mischiefe proceeded from it Vergerius said that it was too great a selfe-loue and too great a conceipt of ones owne worth when a man would trouble the whole world to sowe his owne opinions If you haue innouated in the faith said Vergerius in which you were borne and bred vp 35. yeeres for your conscience and saluations sake it was sufficient to keepe it within your selfe If the loue of your neighbour mooued you why did you trouble the whole world vnnecessarily seeing that without it men did liue and God was serued in tranquillity Hee added that the confusion was gone on so farre that the remedie could not be deferred The Pope is resolute to applie it by calling a Councell where all the learned men of Europe meeting together the trueth shall bee cleered to the confusion of vnquiet spirits and for the place hath destinated the Citie of Mantua And although the chiefest hope consisteth in the goodnesse of God yet putting to that account the endeuours of men it was in Luthers power to make the remedie easie if hee will bee present treat with charitie and oblige to himselfe also the Pope a munificent Prince who taketh speciall notice of persons of merit Hee put him in minde of the example of Eneas Siluius And proposeth vnto him the example of Aentas Siluius who following his owne opinions with much slauery and labour could get no further preferment then to be Canon of Trent but beeing changed to the better became Bishop Cardinall and finally Pope Pius the second Hee called to his memorie Bessarion of Nice who of a poore Caloier of And of Bessarion Trapizonda became a great renowmed Cardinall and wanted not much of being Pope Luthers answers were according to his nature vehement and fierce Luthers answere saying that hee made no account of the esteeme which hee had with the Court of Rome whose hatred hee feared not nor regarded their good will that hee applied himselfe to the seruice of God as much as hee could though vvhen he had done all he vvas but an vnprofitable seruant that hee savv not hovv the seruices of God vvere ioyned vvith those of the Papacy but as darknesse vvith light that nothing in all his life vvas more profitable to him then the rigor of Leo the rigidity of Caietan vvhich he could not ascribe to them but to the prouidence of God For not being as yet in those times illuminated in all the trueth of Christian faith but hauing onely discouered the abuses of Indulgences hee was ready to haue kept silence in case his aduersaries had done the like But the writings of the master of the holy palace the insulting of Caietan and the rigor of Leo constrained him to studie and to descriemany other lesse tolerable abuses and errors of the Papacie which he could not dissemble nor refraine to declare them vnto the world with a good conscience That the Nuncio had ingenuously confessed that hee vnderstood not Diuinitie which appeared cleerely by the reasons which hee proposed because none could call his doctrine new but hee that beleeued that CHRIST the Apostles and the holy Fathers liued as now the Pope Cardinals and Bishops doe Neither can any argument be drawen against the doctrine from the seditions happened in Germanie but by him that hath not read the Scriptures and knoweth not that this is proper to the word of God and the Gospel that it stirreth vp troubles and tumults euen to the separation of the father from the sonne wheresoeuer it is preached That this was the vertue of it to giue life to them that hearken to it and to bring greater damnation to whosoeuer reiecteth it Hee added that it was a great fault of the Romanists to establish the Church with gouernements taken from humane reasons as if it were a temporall State That this is that kind of wisedome which S. Paul saith is accounted foolishnesse with God as not to esteeme those politique reasons by which Rome doth gouerne but to trust in Gods promises and to referre to his Maiestie the managing of the Church affaires is that humane folly which is wisedome with God That to make the Councell take good effect and to bee profitable for the Church was not in the power of Martin but of him that can make it free that the Spirit of God may rule there and guide it and the holy Scripture may bee the rule of the resolutions not bringing thither interests vsurpations and artifices of men which in case it should happen yet himselfe would there vse all sinceritie and Christian charitie not to binde the Pope or any other vnto him but for the seruice of Christ and peace and libertie of the Church But that hee could not hope to see so great a good so long as it appeared not that the wrath of God was appeased by a serious conuersion from hypocrisie That no sound argument could bee taken from the assembling of learned men seeing that so long as the anger of God is kindled there is no error so absurd and vnreasonable which Satan cannot perswade especially to those great wise men who thinke they know much whom the Maiestie of God will confound That nothing can be receiued from Rome compatible with the ministery of the Gospell That the examples of Eneas Siluius and Bessarion mooued him not For hee esteemeth not those cloudy glitterings and in case hee would exalt himselfe he might truely reply that which facetely was spoken by Erasmus that Luther beeing poore and base maketh rich and aduanceth many That it was well knowen to the Nuncio himselfe not to goe farre that the last May himselfe had a great part in the creation of the Bishop of Rochester and was the totall cause of the creation of Scomberg That if the life of the first was so soone taken away this was to bee ascribed to the prouidence of God Vergerius Vergerius could not moue Luther could not perswade Luther to remit any thing of his constancie who so stedfastly maintained his doctrine as if it had beene apparant to the eyes and said that the Nuncio yea and the Pope himselfe should sooner embrace his faith then he would abandon it Vergerius assaied also to perswade some other Preachers in Wittenberg and elsewhere in the iourney according to the Popes commission but found no inclination as hee thought hee should but rigiditie in all that were of account Not any of the other Lutherans except some few of small esteeme The answere of 15. Printes and 30 Cities assembled in Smalcalda Mantua is refused by the Germans and those that rendred themselues were of small worth and pretended much so that they were not for his purpose But the Protestants vnderstanding Vergerius his proposition there beeing fifteene Princes and thirtie Cities assembled in Smalcalda answered that they had declared their resolution concerning the Councell in many Diets and last of all to the Nuncio of Pope Clement and the
for greater reuerence to receiue it againe and examine it and make answere afterwards These things being done according to the rite of the Roman Ceremoniall all kneeled downe to pray softly as the vse was in all the Sessions and then they sayd aloud Adsumus Domine c. Sancte Spiritus c. Which the President spake with an high voice in the name of all The Letanie being sung the Gospel was read by the Deacon Si peccauerit in te frater tuâ—s c. And lastly the hymne Veni Creator spiritus beeing sung and all sate downe in their places the Cardinall of Monte pronunced the Decree with interrogatorie words reading whether it pleased the Fathers for the praise of God extirpation of heresies reformation of Church and people depression of the enemies of Christ to determine and declare that the holy Tridentine and Generall Councel should begin and be begun whereunto all answered first the Legates then the Bishops and other Fathers by the word Placeâ— He then added whether in regard of the Feasts of the old and new yeere it The decree for opening the Councels and holden the next Session pleased them that the next Session should be the seuenth of Ianuary and they answered likewise that it pleased them This being done Hercules Seuerallo Speaker of the Councel desired the Notaries to make an instrument of all The himne Te Deum laudamus was sung and the Fathers putting off their Pontificall habits and putting on their common accompanied the Legates the Crosse going before These ceremonies being vsed in the Sessions following shall be repeated no more Germany and Italy were very curious to know the first actions of this assembly which was begun with so many difficulties the Prelats in Trent and those of their family were charged by their friends to aduise them of it Therefore immediatly after the Session a copie of the Legats admonition and of the oration of Bitonto was sent into euery place which were quickly printed Whereof that I may the better tell what was commonly spoken it is necessarie to relate briefely the contents of the Oration It began with shewing the necessitie of the Councell because it is an hundred yeeres since that of Florence and because things of difficultie belonging to the Church The contents of the oration made by the Bishop of Ritonto cannot well be handled but in it For in them the Creeds haue beene made heresies condemned manners amended Christian Nations vnited armies sent to conquer the holy land Kings and Emperours deposed and schismes rooted out And that for this cause the Poets introduce the Councell of the Gods And Moyses writeth that they were conciliarie voyces the Decree to make man and to confound the tongues of the Giants That Religion hath three heads Doctrine the Sacraments and Charitie and that all these three call for a Councell Hee declared the corruptions entred into them for restauration of which the Pope by the fauour of the Emperour Kings of France of the Romanes and of Portugall and of Christian Princes hath assembled the Synod and sent his Legats He made a long digression in commendation of the Pope and another not much shorter in praise of the Emperour then he praised the three Legats deriuing their commendation from the name and surname of each of them and added that the Councel being assembled all ought to meet in it as in the Troian horse Hee inuited the woods of Trent to sound foorth through the world that all should submit themselues to that Councel which if they doe not it will be iustly sayd that the Popes light is come into the world and men haue loued darknesse better then the light He lamented that the Emperour was not present or at the least Don Diego who represented him He congratulated the Cardinall Madruccio that the Pope had assembled in his City the dispersed and wandering fathers Hee turned to the Prelats and sayd that to open the gates of the Councel was to open the gates of Paradise from whence would descend liuing water to fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord. Hee exhorted the fathers to amendment and to open their hearts as dry ground to receiue it adding that if they doe it not yet the holy Ghost will open their mouths though their mindes bee possessed with an euill spirit as hee did the mouths of Caiphas and Balaam lest if the Councel should erre the Church should erre also Hee exhorted them to lay aside all passion that they may truely say It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs. Hee inuited Greece France Spaine Italy and all Christian Nations to the Marriage In fine hee turned himselfe to Christ praying him by the intercession of Saint Vigilius the turelarie Saint of the valley of Trent to assist that Councell The Legats admonition was accounted pious Christian modest and The censure of the oration worthy of Cardinals but the Sermon of the Bishop was iudged farre otherwise His vanitie and ostentation of Eloquence was noted by all But men of vnderstanding compared as an holy sentence to a wicked those ingenious and most true words of the Legats that without a good inward acknowledgement the holy Ghost would in vaine be called on with the saying of the Bishop quite contrary that without that their mouth should bee opened by the holy Ghost though their heart remained replenished with a wicked spirit It was thought arrogancy to affirme that in case those few Prelates erred all the Church would erre as if other Councels of seuen hundred Bishops had not erred and the Church refused their doctrine Others added that this was not conformable to the doctrine of the Romanists who grant not infallibilitie but to the Pope and to the Councell by vertue of the Popes confirmation But to compare the Councell to the Troian horse an insidious inuention was noted of folly and reprehended for irreuerence To haue retorted the words of the Scripture that Christ and his doctrine the light of the Father is come into the world and men haue preferred darknesse before the light making the Councell and doctrine thereof to bee the Popes light appeared to the world which if it were not receiued it should be said men haue loued darkenesse more then light was esteemed a blasphemie and it was wished that at the least hee had not taken the formall words of the holy Scripture that hee might not haue shewed so openly to haue disesteemed it But in Trent the beginning being made neither the Prelates not Legats The Legates not knowing how to proceed write to Rome themselues knew what should bee handled nor what order obserued Therfore the Legates wrote to Rome a letter worthie to bee repeated at large to giue an account of what was done before First they said they bee appointed the next session the day after the Epiphanie as a terme which could not bee taxed neither of too long delay nor too much breuitie that in the
themselues with spirituall weapons and that their diligence may haue both beginning and progresse from the grace of God it determineth to begin from the confession of faith imitating the examples of the Fathers who in the principall Councels in the beginning of the actions haue opposed that buckler against the heresies and sometimes haue conuerted the infidels ouercome the heretikes with that alone in which all that professe Christianitie doe agree And here the whole was repeated word by word without adding any other conclusion And the Archbishop asked the Fathers whether the Decree pleased them All answered affirmatiuely b 〈…〉 some with conditions and additions of no great moment yet such as displeased the Cardinall of Monte who liked not they should descend to particulars in the Sessions fearing that when some matter of weight was to bee The eighth of Aprill is appointed for the next Session treated of some inconuenience might arise Afterwards the other Decree was read intimating the Session for the eighth of Aprill alleadging for a cause of the delay that many Prelates were in a readinesse to come and some were in the iourney and for that the deliberations of the Synod will be more esteemed when they shall bee strengthened by the counsell and presence of of more Fathers yet so as that they would not deferre the discussion and examination of what seemed fit to be handled presently The Court of Rome who stood all amazed at the very name of reformation was well pleased to heare that the Councell entertained it selfe in preambles hoping that time would bring foorth some remedie And the Courtiers that had intemperate tongues exercised their gibing publishing diuers bitter Pasquins as then the custome was in all accidents some commending Pasquins made against the Session the Prelates assembled in Trent for making a most noble decree worthy of a generall Councel and some exhorting them to vnderstand their owne worth and knowledge The Legates in giuing the Pope an account of the Session held sent also aduise that it would be hard to oppose and ouercome those who desired to finish The Legates giue the Pope an account of the Session the title with the representation of the Church vniuersall yet they would endeauour to remooue the difficulties But that it was impossible to entertaine the Prelates any more without comming to and doing some essentiall matter and therefore that they expected the order and instruction which they so often had demanded That for their parts they thought it fit to handle those points of the holy Scripture which were in controuersie betweene them and the Lutherans and the abuse brought into the Church in that matter which things would much satisfie the world and offend no man and they would expect an answere for this there beeing space enough to examine those matters and many occasions to driue out the time vntill the beginning of Lent But though the Councell was then opened and still celebrated the affaires of Germanie continued the same In the beginning of the yeere the Elector The affaires of Germanie continue the same And the Palatine embraceth the reformed religion Palatine brought in the vse of the Chalice the popular tongue in publique prayers the marriage of Priests and other things which were reformed before in other places And those that were appointed by the Emperour to bee present in the meeting to finde out a way to compose the differences of Religion met together at a Colloquie in Ratisbon The Emperor deputed for Presidents the Bishop of Eicstat and the Conte of Furstemberg but no good fruit grew thereof by reason of the suspicions which one part conceiued against the other and because the Catholikes omitted no occasions to giue greater iealousies to the other side and to faine them of their owne which finally made the Colloquie to dissolue The fifteenth of February Martin Luther died also These newes being Martin Luther dieth sent to Trent and Rome there was not so much griefe for the change of Religion in the Palatinate as ioy that the Colloquie succeeded not well but tended The Romanists reioyce at his death and at the dissolution of the Colloquie without fruit to dissolution and that Luther was dead The Colloquie seemed another Councell and gaue great iealousie because if any thing had beene accorded they saw not how the Councell could after reiect it and if it had beene accepted it would seeme that the Councell receiued lawes from another place And by all meanes the Colloquie being on foote and the Emperours ministers there present it brought small reputation to the Councell and the Pope The Fathers in Trent and the Court in Rome conceiued great hope seeing that so potent an instrument to contradict the doctrine and rites of the Church of Rome was dead who was the principall and almost the totall cause of the diuisions and innouations introduced and held it for a presage of the good successe of the Councell and the rather because that death was diuulged throughout Italy with many prodigious and fabulous circumstances which were ascribed to miracle and the vengeance of God though there were but the vsuall accidents which doe ordinarily happen in the deaths of men of sixtie three yeeres of age for in that age Martin Luther Fables raysed vpon Luthers death died But those things that happened afterwards euen vntill our age haue declared that Martin was onely one of the meanes and that the causes were more potent and secret The Emperour beeing arriued in Ratisbon complained grieuously that The Emperors letters concerning the Colloquy were laughed at the Colloquie was dissolued and wrote letters thereof throughout all Germany which were laughed at because it was too much knowne that the separation was wrought by the Spaniards and Friars and by the Bishop of Eicstat whom hee had sent And when the workemen are knowne it is not hard to iudge whence the beginning of the motion doth proceed But the wise Emperour was willing to vse the same thing to satisfie the Pope and the Councel and to finde an occasion against the Protestants which the euent shewed to bee true For the same complaints beeing renewed in the Diet and meanes of agreement beeing sought by those that were assembled the Ministers of Ments and Triers separating themselues from the other Electors and adhering to the other Bishops approoued the Councell and desired the Emperour to protect it and to cause the Protestants to be there and submit themselues to it But they did resist and remonstrate that that Councell had not those qualities and conditions so often promised and desired that the peace might bee kept and the differences in religion accorded in a lawfull Councel in Germanie or in an Imperiall Diet. But in the end the maskes The prouisions for warre were knowne were remooued and the prouisions for war could no longer be hid whereof mention shall bee made in its proper place The Pope considered very much of the
with all their might and the Prelates alledging that they belonged to them and were vsurped pretended restitution And because the contention was heere not of opinions but of profit they vsed on both sides not onely reasons but deedes also Which differences were set on foote that at the time of the Session nothing might be decided Therefore the Legates resolued to deferre these two points vntill another Session Two Decrees were framed as formerly was resolued and were read in the last Congregation and approoued yet with some exceptions in the point of the vulgar Edition In the ende heereof the Cardinall of Monte after hee had commended the learning and wisedome of them all admonished them of the seemely behauiour which was fit to vse in the publique Session shewing one heart and one minde in regard the points were sufficiently examined in the Congregations and the Congregation beeing ended the Cardinall Santa Croce assembled those that had opposed the vulgar Edition and shewed they could not complaine because it was not prohibited but left free to correct it and to haue recourse to No errors of faith in the vulgar Edition the originall but that onely it was forbid to say there were in it errors of faith for which it ought to be reiected The eight of April appoynted for the Session being come the Masse of the holy Ghost was said by Saluator Alepus Archbishop of Torre in Sardinia and the Sermon was made by Friar Austin of Aretium Generall of the Serui the Pontificall habiliments put on the accustomed letanies and prayers made and the Decrees read by the Archbishop that said Masse The first conteined in substance that the Synode ayming to preserue the purity of the Gospel promised by the Prophets published by Christ and preached by the Apostles Two Decrees read in the Session as the fountaine of all trueth and discipline of maners which trueth and discipline are contained in the bookes and vnwritten traditions receiued by The contents of the former the Apostles from the mouth of Christ and dictated to them by the holy Ghost and passed from one to another doeth according to the example of the Fathers receiue with equall reuerence all the bookes of the old and new Testament and the traditions belonging to faith and manners as proceeding from the mouth of Christ or dictated by the holy Ghost and preserued in the Catholique Church And setting downe the Catalogue of the bookes concludeth that if any will not receiue them all as Sacred and Canonicall in all parts as they are read in the Catholike Church and contained in the vulgar Edition or shall wittingly and purposely despise the traditions let him be Anathema that euery one may know what ground the Synode will vse in confirming the points of doctrine and reforming of maners in the Church The substance of the second Decree was that the vulgar Edition should be The substance of the second Decree held for authenticall in publike Lectures Disputations Sermons and expositions and that none should dare to refuse it That the holy Scripture cannot bee expounded against the sense held by the holy Mother the Church nor against the common consent of the Fathers though with purpose to conceale those expositions and that the offenders should be punished by the Ordinaries that the vulgar Edition should be most exactly printed That no bookes of religion bee printed sold or kept without the authors name and that the approbation appeare in the frontispice of the booke vpon paine of excommunication and pecuniary punishment constituted by the last Lateran Councell That none should dare to vse the words of the holy Scripture in scurrility fables vanity flatteries detractions superstitions inchantments diuinations castings of lots libels and that the transgressors should bee punished at the discretion of the Bishops And it was determined to hold the next The next Session is to be heâ—d the 17. of Iune Session the 17. of Iune Afterwards the Commission of Don Diego de Mendoza and Francis de Toledo the Emperours Ambassadors was read by the Secretarie of the Councel The Commission of the Emperours Ambassadors is read Don Diego was absent and the other hauing in the Emperours name saluted the Fathers in few words said in substance That all the world knew that the Emperour thought nothing to befit him more then not onely to defend the flocke of CHRIST from enemies but to free it from tumults and seditions therefore that he reioyced to see the day when the Councell published by the Pope was opened and that being willing to fauour that occasion with his power and authoritie he had sent thither Mendoza vnto whom in regard of his indisposition himselfe was ioyned So that nothing remained but to pray God vniformely that he would fauour the enterprise of the Councell and which is the Principall would preserue peace betweene the Pope and Emperour for the establishing of the trueth of the Gospel restoring the Church to her puritie weeding the cockle out of the Lords field Answere was made by the Councell that his Lordships comming was most acceptable both for the dutie they did owe the Emperour and for the fauour hee promised them hauing also much hope in the realtie religion of his Lordship That they imbraced him with all their heart and did admit as farre as they could with reason the mandates of Caesar That they were sorry for the indisposition of his Colleague and thanked God for the peace betweene the Pope and the Emperour praying him to fauour the desires of them both for the increase of Christian religion and peace of the Church These things being done with the vsuall ceremonies the Session ended the Decrees whereof were sent to Rome by the Legates and a little after printed But after they were seene especially in Germany they ministred great A few Prelats and not learned do decide the greatest points of religion matter of discourse Some thought it strange that fiue Cardinals and 48. bishops should so easily define the most principall and important points of Religion neuer decided before giuing Canonicall authoritie to Bookes held for vncertaine and apocryphall making authenticall a translation differing from the original prescribing and restraining the manner to vnderstand the word of God neither was there amongst these Prelates any one remarkable for learning some of them were Lawyers perhaps learned in that profession but of little vnderstanding in Religion few Diuines but of lesse then ordinary sufficiencie the greater number Gentlemen or Courtiers and for their dignities some were onely titular and the maior part Bishops of so small Cities that supposing euery one to represent his people it could not be said that one of a thousand in Christendome was represented But particularly of Germany there was not so much as one bishop or Diuine Was it possible that amongst so many no man should be sent Why did not the Emperour cause some of them to goe who assisted in the
The Protestants are cōfirmed in their opiniō by this sentence there was no remedie hee thought it follie to complaint in vaine That sentence produced another bad effect because the Protestants tooke occasion to confirme their opinion that the Councell was intimated only to insnare them For if the controuersed doctrine of faith ought to bee examined in the Councell how could the Pope before the definition thereof proceede to sentence and condemne the Arch bishop of heresie Therefore it appeareth that in vaine they should goe to that Councell where the Pope domineereth who cannot dissemble though hee would that hee esteemeth them as men condemned That it was manifest also that the Pope made no account of that Councell because after it was begun hee proceeded definitiuely in that which belongeth to the Councel without imparting any thing vnto it The Duke of Saxonie signified this to the Emperour by his Ambassadours and after sayde vnto him that the Popes minde being now made manifest it would bee high time to prouide for Germany by a Nationall Councell or by handling seiorusly the points of Religion in a Diet. But to returne to the businesse of the Councell there remained as hath beene sayde as remnants of the things handled before in the last Session the two points to prouide for the Lectures of the holy Scripture and preaching of the word of God For this was handled in the first Congregation and to begin the matter of faith it was proposed to treat likewise of originall sin Wherunto the Spanish Prelats opposed and sayd that to prouide against the abuses of preaching reading was matter enough for one session Which opinion also was followed by the Italian Prelates who were on the Emperors side And the Legats thought they had discouered that this was plotted by Caesars ministers who at the very instant had seriously treated with those Prelats Therfor they sent aduice thereof to the Pope from whom they had answere that they should take heed to go on warily vntil he were able to giue them a resolution Therefore they vsed artificiall diligence entertaining themselues with part of the Abuses without comming to the conclusion of them and without making demonstration whether they would proceede in the matter of originall sinne And thus the case stoode vntil Easter Which being past the Pope wrote they should proceede and propose Don Francis of Toledo perswadeth that the reformation should be handled without doctrine that matter This being deliuered the second of May came to the know ledge of Don Francis who going to visite the Legats vsed much arte sometimes making shew to giue them counsell sometimes proposing his opinion for the prosecuting of the reformation onely to know their mindes and to perswade them obliquely to embrace his deseigne But seeing that did no good hee began to speake as plainely as was needfull that hee had letters from the Emperour by which hee was charged to be a meanes that they should not enter into the points of doctrine but should handle the reformation only The Legats brought many reasons to the contrary amongst others they said they could not doe it without contradicting the Popes Buls which proposed these two things together and that which was established in the Councell that they should goe forward cheeke by iowle adding that they had written to his Holinesse that they would begin eight dayes after Easter Diuers discourses and replyes were made on both sides and in conclusion the Legats said they were commanded by the Pope and could not be wanting to their duetie Don Francis sayd it was the dutie of good ministers to maintaine amitie betweene Princes and sometimes to expect the second Commission This was not denyed by the Legates but they answered that more was not to be expected from them then they were able to doe with their honour They gaue the Pope an account of all this adding that the Cardinall of Trent told them that if the Article of originall sing were proposed the Emperor would be discontented and therefore on the one side being desirous to make peace and concord and on the other to obey his Holinesse commandements they thought good to send away this aduise in diligence beseeching him not to let them erre adding that if no other aduise came they would follow his last commandement and would labour to perswade Don Francis and the Cardinall of Trent that this Article of originall sinne was no more questioned in Germany but accorded as was manifest by the last Colloquie of Ratisbon where his Maiestie for the first Article to bee accorded caused that of iustification to be taken But to giue as much more time as is possible they will entertaine themselues as many dayes as they honestly can in dispatching that which remaineth of the last Session A Congregation was made for this onely to giue a better forme how they should more orderly proceede then they formerly had done as well in handling the doctrine of faith as the matter of reformation And they distinguished two sorts of Congregations one for Diuines to discourse on the matter of faith which should be proposed whose opinions should bee written by one of the Notaries of the Councel to whom should bee added A forme to proceed in Councell is set downe Canonists when reformation was spoken of which Congregations were to bee held in the presence of the Legates in which any of the Fathers that would might be present Another sort of Congregations should consist of Prelates to frame the heads of Doctrine and reformation which beeing examined and set in order according to the most common opinion should be proposed in the generall Congregation to vnderstand euery ones voyce that by the determination of the maior part the decrees might be established which are to be published in the Session According to this order they treated of Lectures and Sermons framing The diff 〈…〉 between the Prelates and Regulars about lectures and sermons doth returne and reforming diuers draughts of Decrees neither was it possible to finde a way to please al because the Prelats that were much interessed to desire that all might depend vpon the Episcopall power without exemption of any But on the other side the Legates desired to maintaine the priuiledges giuen by the Pope especially to the Mendicants and Vniuersities And after many disputes when the matter was sufficiently debated they thought that in the Congregation of the tenth of May all would agree But it prooued to the contrary for though it lasted till night yet in some points they could come to no conclusion for the diuersitie of opinions amongst the Prelats themselues and in others because the Legates would not yeelde to the generall opinion to remooue or at the least to moderate the priuiledges They alledged against the Bishops that they were more moued by their proper interest then by reason that they made none account to preiudice the regulars that they were too bold in correcting the former
is iust and honest to please the Pope but he knew wel that in a Nationall Councel he should neither be able to reconcile the parties nor find whom to make iudge The Ambassadour of Mentz and Triers diuided themselues from the other foure and being vnited with all the Catholikes approoued the Tridentine Councell and besought Caesar to protect it and to perswade the Protestants to goe thither and submit themselues vnto it They answered that the Councell in Trent was not free as was demanded and promised in the Imperiall Diets they desired againe that the Emperour would obserue the peace and ordaine that Religion might be established in a lawfull Councell of Germanie or an Imperiall Diet Job a Colloquie of learned men 〈◊〉 both 〈◊〉 In this Interim the Emperour had made secret prouision for warre which not being able longer to concedles 〈…〉 knowen to the Protestants in the Diet and because peace was concluded with the French King and The prouisions for warre against the 〈◊〉 Protest 〈…〉 〈◊〉 no longer be concealed truce with the T 〈…〉 euery one did easily perceiue the cause especially for that a fame was spread 〈…〉 the Pope also and Ferdinand did arme whereby all was in confusion And the Emperour seeing hee was discouered the ninth of Innosent the Cardinall of Trent Post to Rome to demand of the Pope the succours 〈◊〉 promised and sent Captaines with money into Italie and Flanders to leuie Souldiers and sollicited the Princes and Protestant German Captaines not combined with those of the league of Smalcalda to follow his colours affirming and promising bee would not make warre for Religion but suppresse the rebellion of some who vnder that pretence would not acknowledge the Lawes nor the Maiestie of the Prince By this promise he quieted many of the Cities who before had receiued the renouation in the Rites of the Church promising all beneuolence to the obedient and securitie for their Religion But in the Councell there being no more difference amongst the Fathers concerning the things discussed and the decrees of faith and reformation being framed the Emperours Ambassadour being not able any longer to resist the Legats resolution the seuenteenth of Iune being come the day appoynted for the Session Alexander Pichalhomini Bishop of Pianza sang Masse Marcus Laureus a Dominican Friar preached and when the vsual ceremonies were ended the decree of faith with fiue Anathematismes was read 1. Against him that confesseth not that Adam by transgressing hath The Decree of faith with 5. a 〈…〉 t 〈…〉 in the Session lost sanctitie and iustice incurred the wrath of God death and thraldome to the Deuill and is infected in soule and body 2. Against him that auerreth that Adam by sinning hath hurt himselfe onely or hath deriued into his posteritie the death onely of the body and not sinne the death of the soule 3. Against him that affirmeth that sinne which is one in the beginning and proper to euery one transmitted by generation not imitation can bee abolished by any other remedie then the death of CHRIST or denieth that the merit of CHRIST is applied as well to children as to those that bee of ripe yeeres by the Sacrament of Baptisme ministred in the forme and rite of the Church 4. Against him that de 〈…〉 eth that children which are newly borne ought to be baptized though the sonnes of Christians or saith they are baptized for remission of sinnes but not because they haue contracted any originall sinne from Adam 5. Against him that denyeth that by the grace of Baptisme the guilt of originall sinne is remitted or saith that all is not remooued which hath the true and proper nature of sinne but that it is razed and not imputed concupiscence still remaining in the baptized for an exercise which cannot hurt but him that consenteth to it the which beeing called sinne by the Apostle the Synod declareth that it is no true and proper sinne but is so termed because it ariseth from sinne and inclineth to it That the Synod meaneth not to comprehend in the decree the blessed Virgin but that the constitutions of Sistus 4. ought to be obserued which it doth renew The Decree of the reformation containeth two parts one in matter of the Lectures the other of the Sermons For the Lectures it was ordered that in the Churches where there is a stipend allotted for reading Diuinitie the Bishop should prouide that the holy Scripture should bee read by the Stipendary it he be fit and not being fit the Bishop should depute a substitute The Decree of reformation to performe the charge but for hereafter that the benefice should not bee conferred but vpon a sufficient person That in the Cathedrall Churches of populous Cities and collegiate Churches of great Castles where no such stipend is assigned the first Prebend that falleth void should bee applyed to that vse or some simple benefice or a contribution of all beneficed men to institute the Lecture That in poore Churches there should bee at the least a Master to teach Grammer who shall enioy the fruits of some simple benefice or haue a stipend from the Capitular or Episcopall table or the Bishop shall finde some other way to effect it That in the Cloysters of Monkes there should be a Diuinitie Lecture if it may bee wherein if the Abbats shall bee negligent they shall bee constrained to doe it by the Bishop as the Popes Delegate That in the Conuents of the Regulars there should bee deputed Masters of sufficiencie to performe this charge That in publique studies where a Diuinitie Lecture is not instituted it shall bee instituted by the charitie and pietie of Princes and Republiques and where it hath beene instituted and neglected it shall bee restored That none shall bee made a Lecturer either publike or priuate before hee bee approoued by the Bishop as fit for his life manners and knowledge except those that reade in the Cloysters of Monkes That the priuiledges granted by law to Publique Readers in Diuinitie and schollers for the enioying of the fruits of their benefices in their absence shall be preserued Concerning Sermons the Decree containeth that the Bishops and Prelates bee bound if they bee not hindered to preach the Gospel in person and if they bee to substitute men of sufficiencie That the inferiour Curates ought to teach things necessary to saluation either by themselues or others at the least on Sundayes and solemne Feasts whereunto they shall bee constrained by the Bishops any exemption notwithstanding And the Curates of the Parishes subiect to Monasteries which are in no diocesse shall be constrained to the same by the Metropolitanes as Delegates of the Pope in case the Regular Prelate shall be negligent That the Regulars shall not preach except they be approoued for their life maners and knowledge by their superiours and in the Churches of their Order they shall demand the benediction of the Bishop before the Sermon begin but in other Churches they
that the first beginning of saluation proceedes from the vocation of God He auoyded these straits by a distinction that they were preparatory a farre off but not neerely as though giuing a remote preparation to the force of nature the first beginning was not taken away from the grace A new distinction inuented by Soto of God The Franciscans thought that not onely this kinde of workes were good and did truely and properly prepare to iustification but also that they were truely meritorious in the sight of God Therefore Scotus the authour of their doctrine inuented a kinde of merit which hee attributed to workes done by the force of nature onely saying that in congruitie they deserue grace by a certaine law and infallibly and that a man by naturall power only may feele a sorrow for sinne which is a disposition and merit of Congruity to abolish it approouing a common saying of his times that God neuer The doctrine of the Franciscans concerning meritorious works faileth him that doth as much as hee is able And some of that Order passing those bounds did adde that if God giueth not grace to him that doth what he can hee would be vniust vnrighteous partiall and an accepter of persons They clamoured with much stomacke and indignation that it would bee a great absurdity if God made no difference betweene one that is naturally honest and another drowned in all vices and there would be no reason why hee should rather giue grace to one then another They also alledged that Saint Thomas was of this opinion and that otherwise a man is put into desperation and made negligent to doe well and wicked men may excuse their bad workes and attribute them to the want of the assistance of God But the Dominicans did confesse that Saint Thomas was of this opinion when hee was yong and after did retract it when he was old They did reprehend Is contradicted by the Dominicans it because in the Councell of Orange it is determined that no kinde of merit goeth before grace and that the beginning should bee attributed to God saying that the Lutherans hauing made such exclamations for this congruous merit it ought wholly to be abolished as indeede it was neuer heard of in the Church in ancient times in so many controuersies with the Pelagians That the holy Scripture doth attribute our conuersion to God and that it is not fit to leaue the forme of speach which it vseth For the preparations there was no difference in the substance of the doctrine All held that after God doth stirre vs vp feare and other considerations of the malignity which is in sinne doe arise They said that the opinion that these things are bad was hereticall because God exhorteth the sinner yea mooueth him to these considerations and it must not be sayd that God mooueth to sinne and which is more it is the office of a preacher to terrifie a sinner by these meanes and because by the same meanes all passe from the state of sinne to that of grace it seemed very strange that one cuuld no tpasse from sinne to iustice without the meanes of another sinne But for all this they could not free themselues from the difficultie on the contrary part because all good workes may stand with grace but that feare and other preparations cannot and therefore are sinnes Friar Antonius Marinarus thought the difference was verball and said that as passing from a great cold to a heat one must passe by a lesse degree of cold which is neither a heat nor a new cold but the same diminished so one goeth from sinne to iustice by terrors and attritions which are neither good workes nor new sinnes but old sinnes extenuated But he was compelled to retract because all were against him Of the workes done in grace there was no difficulty amongst them For they all sayd they were perfect and merited saluation and that Luthers opinion that they are all sinnes is wicked and sacrilegious and holding it to be blasphemie to say that the blessed Virgine hath committed the least veniall sinne they could not endure to heare that shee sinned in euery action and said that the earth and hell would open themselues against so great blasphemies For censure of the 22. and 23. Articles in the point of the essence of Diuine grace it was a common consideration that the word Grace in the first All agreed to condemne Luther concerning works after grace signification was vnderstood for a beneuolence or good will which when it is in him that hath power necessarily bringing foorth a good effect that is a gift or benefit which is also called Grace That the Protestants thought so meanly of the Maiesty of GOD that it could doe no more then make vs partakers of his good will but his omnipotencie required that we should haue the benefit thereof in effect And because some man might say that the diuine will onely which is GOD himselfe can haue no greater thing to bestow and that to haue giuen vs his Sonne was the greatest benefit and that Saint Iohn to shew the great loue of GOD towards the world alleadged nothing else but that he had giuen vs his Sonne they said that these benefits are common to all and that it was fit he should bestow a particular present to euery one Therefore the Diuines haue added an habituall grace giuen to euery iust man in particular which is a spirituall qualitie created by GOD infused into the soule whereby it is made gratefull and acceptable to the diuine Maiesty wherof though the Fathers speake not in expresse termes nor the Scripture yet it is cleerely deduced from the word Iustifie which being effectiue doth necessarily signifie to make iust by the impression of reall Iustice which reality because it is no substance can bee nothing else but a qualitie and habite And vpon this occasion there was much spoken against the Lutherans who will not haue the verbe Iustificare to be effectiue but iudiciall and declaratiue grounding themselues vpon the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsadak and the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie to bee pronounced iust and vpon many places of the New and Old Testament and that it is vsed in that signification in the Latine translation alleadging for it places to the number of fifteene But Soto excluded all those of Saint Paul which spake of our iustification which he said must needes be vnderstood in an effectiue sense whereupon arose a great dispute betweene him and Marinarus who said one should not ground himselfe vpon so light a matter But he said the Article of habituall Grace could not be doubted of as being decided in the Councell of Vienna and by the common opinion of all Theologues that this was to make sure foundations which cannot be destroyed and not to say that Saint Paul to the Romanes when he saith that GOD iustifieth doth not meane declaratorily for it is manifestly against the Text
it is a cause for that the effect doeth follow not by any vertue of its owne but by the promise of God to giue grace at that time as the merite is cause of the reward without any actiuitie This they prooued not onely by the authoritie of Scotus and Saint Bonauenture their Diuines but by Saint Bernard also who saith that grace is receiued by the Sacraments as a Canon is inuested by the booke and a bishop by the ring The reasons were expounded on both sides with great prolixitie and sharpenesse And they censured one another The Dominicans said that the other opinion was neere to Lutheranisme and the others that theirs being impossible gaue occasion to the heretikes to calumniate the Church Some good Prelates desired though without effect to make peace saying that in regard they agreed in the conclusion that the Sacraments conteine and are cause of grace it did little import in what manner and that it was better not descending to particulars to stand in the generall But the Fryars replied that they spake not of words but of establishing or annihilating the Sacraments There would neuer haue been an end if the Legate Sancta Croce had not giuen order that they should passe to that which remained and that afterwards they should returne to examine whether it were necessary to decide the point or to leaue it The Legates called vnto them the generals of the orders and prayed The Legates vse meanes to represse the dangerous libertie of the Fryars them to cause the Fryars to treat with modestie and charitie without partialitie to their owne sect shewing they were called to speake against heresies and not to make new arise by disputes And they wrote thereof to Rome shewing how dangerous the libertie was which the Friars did assume and to what it might come And they told the Pope that a moderation was necessary For there being a fame spred of those dissensions and censures which one partie pronounced against the other it must needs raise scandall and small reputation of the Councell It was thought fit to omit the fifth Article as decided in the former Session But Friar Bartholmew Miranda called to minde that Luther by that paradox of his that the Sacraments doe not conferre grace but by exciting faith drew also a conclusion that those of the old and of the Euangelicall law are of equall vertue which opinion was to bee condemned as contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers and the Church all hauing said that the olde Sacraments were onely signes of grace but the new conteine it and cause it No man did contradict the conclusion but the Franciscans proposed that it should not bee sayd of the old Law but of Moses Law in regard that Circumcision it selfe did cause grace but it was not a Mosaicall Sacrament for CHRIST also said it was not of Moses but of the Fathers and also because other sacrifices before Abraham did conferre and cause grace The Dominicans replyed that Saint Paul sayd plainely that Abraham had receiued the Circumcision onely for a signe that hee being the first vnto whom it was giuen it is as much as to say it was instituted onely for a signe And the questions of the manner of conteining and causing grace returned into the field Friar Gregorie of Padua said hereupon that it was a cleere case in Logique that things in the same kinde haue identitie and difference among themselues If the old Sacraments and ours had onely difference they would not all bee Sacraments but equiuocally if onely identitie they would bee absolutely the same thing Therefore they must beware to put difficultie in plaine matters for some diuersitie of wordes and that Saint Augustine had sayd that these and those are diuers in the signe but equall in the thing signified And in another place that they were diuers in the visible species but the same in the intelligible signification and that else where he puts a difference that those were promissiue and these demonstratiue which another doth expresse in another terme that those were prenunciatiue and these contestatiue Whence it plainely appeareth that they agree and differ in many things which no sensible man can deny and therefore it was wisedome not to put that Article in the beginning neither was it to any purpose to touch it in the present Decree Another opinion came forth that the opinion of the Lutherans and Zuinglians was to bee condemned without descending to the particulars For they say there is no difference betweene the old and new Sacraments but in the Rites But it hath beene shewed that there are other differences and therefore they are to be condemned for this onely without descending to shew what those differences are But the sixt was censured by the Dominicans who said it was proper to the Euangelicall Sacraments to giue grace and that the old did not giue it but onely by the vertue of deuotion and that this was the opinion of Saint Thomas They alleadged for a principall ground the determination of the Florentine Councell that the Sacraments of the old Law did not cause grace but did figure that it must bee giuen by the passion of CHRIST But Because S. Bondaenture and Sootus did maintaine that the Circumcision did conferre grace Ex opere operato Scotus adding that immediatly after the sinne of Adam a Sacrament was instituted in which a grace was giuen to babes by vertue of it that is Ex opere operato the Franciscans said the Article was true and could not be censured and that if as Saint Thomas said children before CHRIST were saued by the fathers faith the state of Christians was worse For now the fathers faith doth not helpe the children without Baptisme and Saint Austine saith that the childe that is caried by the father to be baptized if hee die in the way is damned So that if faith onely did then suffice the condition of the sonnes of Christians is now worse In these difficulties many did propose that the Article as probable should bee omitted To leaue out the seuenth and eighth there was a great agreement But in Concerning the Character imprinted by the Sacrament the ninth of the Chalacter Friar Dominicus Soto endeauoured to declare that it hath foundation in the holy Scripture and hath euer bin held in the Church for an Apostolicull Tradition and though the name hath not been vsed by the Fathers yet the thing signified is most ancient Others did not grant him so great a scope because it did not appeare that Gratian or the Master of the Sentences had made any mention thereof Yea Iohn Scotius said that it was not necessary by the words of the Scripture or of the Fathers to affirme it but onely by the authority of the Church a thing vsuall with that Doctor to denie things with a kinde of courtesie It was worth the knowing what thing they meant it should be and where situated in such multiplicity of Schoole-opinions some
therefore that hee will lodge in the Confines of the Empire 〈…〉 hee can And hee admonisheth the Electors Princes and States of the Empire especially the Ecclesiastiques and those who haue made innouation in Religion that they prepare to bee there well instructed that they may bee inexcusable himselfe taking care that all shall passe lawfully and in order and that euery thing bee handled piously and Christianly according to the holy Scripture and doctrine of the Fathers And for the transgression of the Decrees of the Inter-religion and Reformation being assured that it was impossible to ouercome the difficulties and that as o 〈…〉 o things grew worse to the end that greater confusion may not arise hee calleth vnto him the cognition of the transgressions post yet enioyning the Princes and orders of the Empire to obseruance hereafter The world seeing this Decree thought it as it was a iust counterpoise Which seemeth to bee a counterpoise to the Popes Bull. of the Popes Bull in all parts The one will direct Councels the other will take care that all bee done in order and iuridically the one will preside and the other will haue the decision according to the Scripture and the Fathers the one will continuate and the other will haue power giuen to euery one to propose according to his conscience In summe the Court could not digest this affront and complained that it was another Conuocation of the Councell But the Pope according to his vsuall pleasanthesse sayd the Emperour hath been euen with mee for the publication of the Bull made without him The yeere 1551. being begun the Pope applying himselfe to the Councell intimated had two principall ayes to send trustie persons to preside 1551 and to bee at as little charge as was possible To auoyde charge hee The Presidents of the Councell are named thought to send but one Legate but that was too great a burthen for one because there would bee none who had the same interests on whom hee might safely relie and because hee should bee esteemed the onely authour of whatsoeuer was done For which respects it was necessary to lay the burden on more mens shoulders The Pope found a middle way to send one Legate and two Nuncij with equall authoritie thinking that so hee should bee better serued because hope maketh men more diligent Casting his eye on all the Cardinalls hee found none more trustie and withall more worthy then Marcellus Crescentius Cardinall of S. Marcellus to whom hee ioyned for Nuncij Sebastianus Pigbinus Archbishop of Siponto and Aloisius Lipomannus Bishop of Verona of the former hee made choyce for the great confidence hee had in him before his Papacy of the other for the fome of his great pietie goodnesse and loyalty Hauing had many secret parlies with these three and opened veto them the sinceritie of his heart and instructed them fully hee gaue them an ample Mandate to be present in the Councell in his name the tenor whereof was It belongeth to the father of a family to substitute others to doe that The tenor of their Mandat which hee cannot commodiously doe himselfe Therefore hauing reduced to Trent the Generall Councel intimated by Paul hoping that the Kings and Princes would affoord their fauour and assistance hee cited the Prelates who vsually haue voyce therein to bee there the first of May to resume the Councel in the state it was But not beeing able to bee personally present according to his desire in respect of his old age and other impediments that his absence might not bee an hinderance he appointeth Marcellus a zealous wise and learned Cardinall for Legate and the Bishops of Siponto and Verona famous for knowledge and experience as Nuncij with speciall Mandate and fit clauses Sending them as Angels of peace giuing them authoritie to resume direct and prosecute the Councell and to doe all things meete and necessary according to the tenor of his and his predecessours letters of the Conuocation The Emperour whom the Councel did more The Emperor giueth a safe conduct to the Protestants concerne holding it to be the onely meanes to make himselfe absolute Master of Germanie send a safe conduct in an ample forme to all the Protestant Orders of that Empire for themselues their Ambassadours and Diuines But while these foundations were layd in Rome and Ausburg to build the Councell of Trent vpon them webs were spunne in other places which obscured The Pope restoreth Parma to Octauius Farnese the dignitie and authoritie of that Synode and Engines were framed which did shake and dissolue it The Pope immediately after his assumption to preforme what he had promised in the Conclaue restored Parma to Octauius Farnese which the Pope had taken into his hands in the name of the Church and assigned to him two thousand crownes a moneth to defend it Octauius in regard of the enmitie of Ferrante Conzaga Vice-Duke of Milan and of many arguments which he had that the Emperour meant to be Lord of that Citie the Pope also hauing taken from him the prouision of two thousand crownes doubting that hee was not able to defend it with his owne forces treated with the Pope by his brother the Cardinall either to assist him or giue him leaue to prouide for himselfe by the protection of some other Prince able to maintaine him against the Emperour The Pope without thinking more of it answered that hee should doe for himselfe the best he could wherefore Octauius by meanes of Horatius Who receiueth a French Garison 〈◊〉 the Citie his brother sonne in law to the French King put himselfe vnder the protection of France and receiued a French Garison into the Citie This displeased the Emperour his vncle who perswaded the Pope that it was against his honour who was supreame Lord of that Citie and Duke Therefore the Pope published a seuere edict against him citing him to Rome and declaring him traytor if he did not appeare and demanding the Emperours Which occasioneth a war betweene the Emperour the French 〈◊〉 assistance against him who declared that hee did approoue the Popes cause and would defend it with his armes This was a beginning of a manifest warre betweene the Emperour and the French King and of great distasts of this King against the Pope And in Saxonie vpon the Riuer Albi discourses beganne betweene the Saxons and those of Brandeburg to make a league against the Emperour that he might not wholly subdue Germany as shall be said in its place Notwithstanding these seedes of warre which in Italie in the beginning of April began to spring the Pope would haue the Legate A confederation is made in Germany against the Emperour and Nuncij goe to Trent and gaue them commission to open the Councel on the first of May the day appointed with those who were there yea though there were none at all by the example of the Nuncij of Martinus the fifth who opened the
no T 〈…〉 tion but an hypostaticall vnion of the humanitie and of the substances of the Bread and Wine so that it may bee truely sayd this Bread is the Body of CHRIST and this wine is the Blood of CHRIST 4. That the Eucharist is onely for remission of sinnes 5. That CHRIST ought not to bee worshipped in the Eucharist nor honoured in feasts not carried in procession nor to the sicke and that the worshippers are truely Idolaters 6. That the Eucharist ought not to bee saued but spent and distributed immediatly and that he that doth not so doth abuse this Sacrament and that it is not lawfull for any to giue the Communion to himselfe 7. That in the particles which remaine after the Communion the Body of our LORD doth not remaine but onely while it is receiued and neither before nor after 8. That it is de iure diuino to giue both kinds to the people and children and that they sinne who force them to vse one onely 9. That so much is not contained vnder one as vnder both neither doth hee receiue so much who communicateth with one as hee that doeth communicate with both 10. That onely faith is a sufficient preparation to receiue the Eucharist neither is confession necessary but free especially to the learned neither are men bound to Communicate at Easter After these Articles a precept was added in this forme That the Diuines Who are prescribed an order how they shall proceed ought to confirme their opinions with the holy Scripture Traditions of the Apostles sacred and approoued Councels and by the constitutions and authorities of the holy Fathers that they ought to vse breuitie and auoyd superfluolis and vnprofitable questions and peruerse contentions That this shall bee the order of speaking amongst them first those that are sent by the Pope are to speake then those that are sent by the Emperour and in the third place the Secular Diuiries according to the order of their promotions and lastly the Regulars according to the precedencie of their orders And the Legate and Presidents by the Apostolique authority granted them gaue faculty and authority to the Diuines who are to speake to haue and reade all prohibited bookes that they may finde out the trueth and confute and impugne false opinions This order did not please the Italian Which doth displease the Italian Diuines Diuines who sayd it was a nouitie and a condemning of Schoole diuinitie which in all difficulties vseth reason and because it was not lawfull to treate as Saint Thomas Saint Bonauenture and other famous men did The other doctrine which is called positiue and consisteth in collecting the sayings of the Scriptures and Fathers was onely a faculty of the memory and a painet in writing and was old but knowen to be vnsufficient and vnprofitable by those Doctors who for these three hundred and fifty yeeres that deâ—â—d the Church and that this was to yeeld the victory to the Lutheranes For when the point shall stand vpon variety of reading and memorie they will euer ouercome in regard they know many congues and reade 〈◊〉 Authours where unto he that will bee a good Diuine can not apply 〈◊〉 who must exercise his wit and make himselfe able to weigh things and not to number them They complayned that this was to shame themselues before the Dutch Diuines who beeing accustomed to contend with the Lutheranes are exercised in this kinde of Learning which is not vsed in Italy who if they were to speake according to true Theologie it would appeare they knew nothing But the Presidents being willing to please them haue done this shame to the Italians Though many complained hereof yet it preuailed but little because generally the Fathers desired to heare men speake with intelligible tearmes not abstrustly in the matter of iustification and others already handled And it is certaine that this order did 〈…〉 the expedition In diuers Congregations all the voyces were comfortable For the first Article that it should becondemned for hereticall as formerly it had beene Opinions are deliuered concerning the articles In the second there were three opinions Some said it was to bee omitted for that no heretique doeth denie the Sacramentall Communion Others held it onely for suspected and some would haue deliuered it in clearer tearmes The common opinion was that the third was hereticall but that it was not fit to condemne or speake of it because it was an opinion inuented by Robertus Tutciensis more then foure hundred years since and neuer followed by any therefore to speake of it would contrary to the precept of the wise man mooue the euill which beeing quiet hurted not They added that the Councell was assembled against the moderne heresies and therefore that they were not to take paines in the old Concerning the fourth Article there were diuers opinions Some said that the word onely beeing taken away the opinion was Catholique to say that the Eucharist is for the remission of sinnes and that word was not put by any of the heretiques and therefore they thought this Article might to omitted Some sayd it was hereticall though the word onely were remooued because the Sacrament of the Eucharist as not instituted for the remission of sinnes In the fift all agreed and many amplifications were vsed to perswade the worship and many new wayes proposed to enlarge it as the deuotion of euery one had found out Likewise they allagreed in the sixt except in the last part that is that it is not lawfull to giue the Communion to himselfe Some said that it being vnderstood of the Laiques it was Catholique and therefore it must bee expressed that it is to bee condemned onely in regard of the Priest Others sayd that neither in regard of these it was to bee condemned for hereticall because in the sixt Councell the hundred and one chapter it was not condemned Others would that for the Laiques also the case of necessity should be excluded In the seuenth all powred themselues out into 〈…〉 ctiues against the moderne Protestants as inuentors of a wicked opinion neuer heard of before in the Church Vpon the eight all made long discourses though all to the same purpose Their principall reasons to condemne it were because our Sauiour in the foure and twentieth of Saint Luke did blesse the bread onely to the two Disciples and because in the Lords Prayer wee aske our dayly bread and because in the Actes of the Apostles in the second and twentieth Chapters Bread onely is spoken of and Saint Paul in the ship in the seuen and twentieth blessed nothing but the Bread Authorities of the ancient Doctors and some examples of the Fathers were brought but they grounded themselues principally vpon the Councell of Constance and the custome of the Church as also vpon diuers figures of the Olde Testament and drew many prophecies also to this sence And concerning the children all agreed that perhaps it might formerly bee done by some particular
Baptisme and of the Communion of the flesh of CHRIST What other spirituall things are there beside these And if there were how can hee who is partaker of these which are the chiefest be sayde absolutely in generall termes to be vncapeable of spirituall things But they sayd that the Minor was false also that causes appropriated to the Episcopall iudicature are spirituall For all either delicts or contracts which considering the qualities giuen by the holy Scripture to spirituall things are as farre from being such as earth is from heauen But the opposition of the better part could not ouercome the greater and so vpon the spirituall power giuen by CHRIST to the Church to binde and loose and vpon the institution of Saint Paul to compose contentions betweene Christians without going to the tribunall of Infidels in much time and by many degrees a temporall tribunal hath beene built more remarkeable then euer was any in the world and in the midst of euery Ciuill gouernement another instituted not depending on the Publike which is such a kinde of Common-wealth as not one of as many as haue written of gouernments would haue imagined could subsist I will omit to speake how the paines of so many besides the obtaining of the wished end To make themselues independent of the publike haue before they were aware raysed an Empire there being a more difficult opinion sprung vp taking root with admirable progresse which giueth to the Pope of Rome as much at once as hath in 1300. yeeres beene gained by so many Bishops by such extraordinarie meanes not making the power to binde and loose the foundation of iurisdiction but the power of feeding and so affirming that all iurisdiction was giuen the Pope by CHRIST in the person of Peter when he sayd to him Feede my sheepe For so it will be said in the third reduction of the Councell when great tumults were raised by this opinion which shall then be recounted But by that which hath been now declared euery one may of himselfe conceiue what remedies were necessarie to giue a tolerable forme to a matter broken out into so great corruptions and compare them with these that were proposed In Trent there were two defects considered that is that the charitie of the superiours was turned into domination and the obedience of the inferiours into complaints subterfuges and lamentations and they first thought of prouiding in some sort against them both But in prosecuting the first which is the fountaine from whence the second is deriued they vsed onely an exhortatorie remedie to the Prelates to take away domination and restore charitie And for the inferiours many subterfuges beeing mentioned to delude iustice three heads onely were taken Appeales absolutorie graces and complaints against the Iudges Iohannes Groperus who assisted in that Councell as a Diuine and a Lawyer spake honourably of Appeales and sayd that while the heat of faith remained in the brests of Christians Appeales were not heard of But charitie in the Iudges waxing colde and place being giuen to passion they entred into the Church for A discourse of Iohannes Groperus concernâ—ng Appeales the same reasons which brought them into the secular Courts that is for the ease of the oppressed And as the first iudicatures belonged not to the Bishop onely but to him with the councell of his Priests so the Appeale was not deuolued vnto one man but vnto another Congregation But the Bishops taking away the Synods did institute Courts and officers like the seculars Neither did the mischiefe stoppe there but passed to greater abuses then in the Secular court For there the first Appeale is onely to bee immediate superiour neither is it lawfull to leape to the highest nor permitted in the articles of the cause to appeale from the Decrees of the Iudge which they call interlocutories but it is necessarie to expect the end But in the Ecclesiasticall Courts one may appeale from euery acte which maketh the causes infinite and immediately to the highest Iudge which carryeth them out of the Countreys with great charges and other intolerable mischiefes This hee said hee did declare to conclude that if they would reforme this matter which is wholly corrupted and doeth not onely hinder residencie as in the Congregations of so many worthy Doctours and Fathers was considered but corrupteth the whole discipline and is a grieuance charge and scandall to the people it was fit to reduce it to its beginning or as neere to it as might bee setting a perfect Idea before their eyes and ayming at that to come as nigh to it as the corruption of the matter doth comport That the well instituted monasticall religions haue forbidden all appeale that this is the true remedie Hee that hath not beene able to goe so high hath moderated them granting them within their order and forbidding them without which succeeding well as appeareth to keepe those gouernments in order it would worke the same effect in the publike gouernments of the Church if the Appeales were confined within the same Prouince And to effect this and to bridle the malice of the litigants it is sufficient to reduce them to the forme of the Common lawes forbidding the Leap that is to go to the highest without passing by the intermediate superiours and by forbidding Appeales from the Articles or the interlocutory Decrees with which prouisions the causes will not goe farre will not be drawne in length will not cause excessiue charges and other innumerable grieuances and that the sentences may passe with sinceritie to restore the Synodals which are not subiect to so great corruptions remouing those officers by whom the world is so much scandalized because it is not possible that Germany should endure them This opinion was not willingly heard except by the Spaniards Dutch-men But the Cardinall the Nuncio of Siponto were displeased that hee went so farre For this was to take away not onely the profit of the Court but the honour also no cause would goe to Rome and by degrees euery one would forget the superioritie of the Pope it beeing an ordinary thing with men not to esteeme that Superiour whose authoritie is not feared or cannot be vsed Therefore they caused Iohn Baptista Castellus of Bolonia to speake in the next Congregation in the same matter in such sort as that without contradicting Groperus the appearance which the reasons alleadged by him did make should bee darkened Hee beganne with the prayses of the ancient â—n opposition whereof Iohannes Baptista Castellus maketh another discouâ—se by direction of the Presidents Church yet dexterously touching that in those same times there were imperfections in some part greater then in the present He thanked GOD that the Church was not oppressed as when the Arians did scarce suffer it to appeare and said that antiquitie ought not so to be commended as that something in the latter age may not bee reputed better Those who praise the Synodall iudicature haue not seene their defects
being curiously The Decrees are censured in Germany read in Germany and else-where raised much speech in many things concerning the Eucharist First because treating of the manner of the existence it said that it could hardly be expressed in wordes and yet affirmeth after that it is properly called Transubstantiation and in another place that it is a most fit terme which beeing so one cannot doubt but that it may bee properly expressed It was further noted that hauing declared that CHRIST after the benediction of Bread and Wine said that that which hee gaue was his Body and Blood it came to determine against the opinion of all the Diuines and of the whole Church of Rome that the wordes of consecration were not those that is this is my body because it doth affirme that they were spoken after the consecration But to prooue that the body of our LORD is in the Eucharist before the vse because CHRIST in giuing of it said before it was receiued by his Disciples it was his Body did shew that they did presuppose that the giuing of it did not belong to the vse the contrary whereof was apparantly true The manner of speach vsed in the fifth point of doctrine saying that diuine worship was due to the Sacrament was noted also for improper seeing it is certaine that the thing signified or conteined is not meant by the Sacrament but the thing signifying and containing and therefore it was well corrected in the sixt Canon which said that the Sonne of GOD ought to bee worshipped in the Sacrament That also in the third Anathematisme was noted that all CHRIST was in euery part after the separation because it seemeth one may necessarily inferre from hence that it was not in euery part before the diuision The Priest complained of the reformation and sayd that the Bishops authority The Priests complaine of the reformation was made too great and the Clergie brought into seruitude But the Protestants seeing the point where it was said that they desired to bee heard in foure Articles onely did much wonder who should make that request in their name seeing they had said and repeated so often in publique Diets and by publique writings that they desired a discussion of all the controuersies nor would receiue any of those things which were already determined in The Protestants dislike the reseruation of y e points of doctrine And the form of the Safe Conduct Trent but would haue all to be reexamined They thought also that the forme of the Safe Conduct was very captious because as well in the Decree to grant it as in the tenour therof there was this clause of reseruation as farre as belogneth to the Synode for no man demaundeth of another but that which belongeth to him to graunt But this affected diligence to expresse and repeat it was a signe that they had inuented a meanes to goe against it and to excuse themselues vpon others And they doubted not but that the ayme of the Synode was to leaue a gate open for the Pope that he might doe with his owne and the Councels honour what hee thought seruiceable for them both Besides the treating to depute Iudges for things hereticall committed or to be committed seemed to them a kinde of net to catch those that were vnwary and euen the very Pedants did laugh at it that the principall verbe was more then an hundred and fifty wordes distant from the beginning The Protestants did vniformely agree not to bee content with it or trust vpon it but to desire another iust like that which was giuen by the Councell of Basill to the Bohemians which if it were granted they did obtaine one great point that is that the controuersies should be decided by the holy Scripture and if it were not granted they might excuse themselues with the Emperour The day following the Session there was a generall Congregation to set downe how to treate of Penance and extreame Vnction and to continue the reformation It was considered that the manner of discussion prescribed was exceeded by the Diuines whence contentions did arise for which they could not be vnited against the Lutherans and therefore it was thought necessary to renew the decree not â—uffer any to vse the reasons of the schools but to cause them to speake positiuely and also to obserue the order which they thought fit to establish againe as well because the not obseruing of it had bred confusion as because the Flemings did complaine that none account was made of them as did also the Diuines which came with the Prelates of Germanie To handle Penance and extreame Vnction was decided already and something was said in matter of reformation and Prelats were deputed who with the Nuncio of Verona were to make the Articles in matter of faith and with the Nuncio of Siponto in matter of reformation In matter of faith twelue Articles were framed vpon the Sacrament of Penance drawen Verbatim out of the booke of Martin and of his Schoolers to be disputed by the Diuines whether they were to bee held for hereticall and condemned for such which in framing the Anathematismes after the Diuines had giuen their voyces were so changed that no iot of them remaining it is superfluous to recite them To these Articles were added 4. more of extreame Vnction answereable in all points to the soure Anathematismes established In Three Decrees are made concerning the manner of proceeding in Councell the same page where the Articles were set downe three Decrees were added That the Diuines ought to giue their opinions out of the holy Scripture Traditions of the Apostles holy Councels Constitutions and authorities of Popes and holy Fathers and out of the consent of the Catholique Church That the order of speaking should be thus that first they should speake who were sent by the Pope secondly those who were sent by the Emperour thirdly those of Louaine sent by the Queene fourthly those Diuines who came with the Electors fiftly the Secular Clergie men according to their promotions sixtly the Regulars according to their orders That there should be two congregations euery day one in the morning from the foureteenth houre vntill the seuenteenth another in the afternoone from the twentieth houre vntill the three and twentieth The Articles of Reformation were in number fifteene all which answered the points which were after established except the last in which a propose was made to constitute that Benefices should not be giuen in Commenda but to persons of the same age which the law required in those who might haue them in title which Article when it was spoken of was easily buried in silence because it hindered many Prelates to renounce their Benefices to their Nephewes The Pope who as hath been said wrote letters to the Catholique Suisses inuiting them to the Councell did still make the same instance vnto them by his Nuncio Ieronymus Francus wherein also hee was assisted by the Emperour The French
held wherein the dilation made vntill the comming of the Protestant Diuines should be published and Fathers elected who together with the Nuncio of Sponto should make the Decree the Protestation and Safe Conduct The Emperours Ambassadours desired to haue the draught of the Safe Conduct before it was published to shew it the Protestants that if it did not giue them satisfaction it might be so amended that they might not haue occasion to refuse it as they did the other The dayes following were spent in the things aforesaid which beeing An exhortation of the Emperours Ambassadour Pictauius to the Protestants finished the Emperours Ambassadours called the Protestants to them and the Ambassadour Pictauius hauing made an eloquent encomiastique oration of the goodnesse and charitie of the Fathers and exhorted them to giue some little part of satisfaction to the Councell as they receiued much from it told them that it was concluded to receiue their Mandats and persons and to heare their propositions and to deferre the conclusion of the points of doctrine though already discussed and digested to expect the Diuines and heare them first That they should haue a very ample Safe Conduct as they desired whereof the draught was made And hee was copious in shewing that these were memorable fauours and graces saying it was necessary to yeeld something to the time and not to desire all at once that when they shall bee entred into the businesse occasion will make them obtaine many things which before seemed hard that the Fathers doe desire the comming of the Diuines that themselues the Emperours Ambassadours haue matters to propose of great moment and doe stand onely expecting that the Protestants should beginne that afterwards they may come foorth themselues also For this cause he prayed them to proceed slowly in their demand that the Pope should submit himselfe to the Councell For the Fathers doe know that there is some thing to bee amended in the Papall greatnesse but withall that they must goe on cunningly that themselues haue dayly experience what dexterity and Art must bee vsed in treating with the Popes Ministers Likewise the reexamination of the things already concluded was not to be proposed in the very beginning because it would bee too great an infamy and dishonour to the Councell Therefore let their Diuine come who should haue a conuenient audience in all things and when they shall see themselues wronged it shall euer be free for them to depart The Protestants retyring themselues and considering the draught of the safe Conduct were not content because it was not like to that of Basill in which foure things more were granted to the Bohemians 1. That they should haue a decisiue voyce 2. That the holy Scripture the practise of ancient Church the Councels and Interpreters conformable to the Scripture should bee Iudges 3. That they might exercise their religion in their houses 4. That nothing should be done in contempt and disdaine of their doctrine Of Who are not content with the forme of the Safe Conduct these foure the second was different from that which was graunted in this draught and the three others were totally left out They suspected also because the Councell did not promise them security in the name of the Pope and Colledge of Cardinals as did that of Basil Yet they resolued not to make mention of this but to demand the inserting of the other 4. clauses and told the Emperours Ambassadours plainly that they could not receiue it in this forme because they had this expresse commission in their instructions Toledo shewed some disdaine that they should not content themselues with that which he and his Colleagues had obtained with so much paines that the chiefe importance was in the security of comming and departing and that the residue appertained to the maner of their negotiation which might more easily be concluded by the presence of the Diuines that it was too much obstinacie to yeeld in nothing and to desire to giue lawes alone to the whole For which cause Toledo the Emperors Ambassadour is offended Church But it not being impossible to remoue them with these reasons from their resolution they said in the end that they would referre it to the Fathers to whom they restored the draught of the safe Conduct with the additions which were required The Legate and presidents vnderstanding the request and resolution of the Protestants shewed the Emperours Ambassadours how vniust and vnmeet their demands were For in the forme or that of Basil they neuer found that it was granted to haue a decisiue voyce in the Councell but that the Scripture practise of the Church Councels and Doctours who ground themselues on it should bee Iudges is sayd because the practise of the Church is called by the name of Apostolicall Tradition and when it is said the holy Fathers it is vnderstood that they ground themselues on the Scripture because they haue no other gounds The third to exercise their Religion in their owne houses is vnderstood with condition that it bee not knowen and done without scandall The prohibition that nothing shall bee done in contempt of them is expresse when it is promised that by no meanes they shall bee offended Therefore that it did appeare that they complayned without cause onely to cauill and in regard there is no hope to content them there doeth remaine nothing but to giue them the Safe Conduct as it is made and to leaue them to their liberty to make vse of it or not The Earle of Mountfort replied that nothing could bee more seruiceable to the publique cause then to take from them all pretences and cauils and to make them vnexcusable to the world therefore in regard there was no reall difference betweene the Safe Conduct of Basil and this to stoppe their mouthes that might bee copied out Verbatim changing onely the names of the persons places and times The Presidents mooued with that subtile and strict answere looked one vpon another and the Legat taking the matter vpon him answered that it should be referred to the Fathers in the Congregation and resolued according to their determination The Presidents did recommend the cause of GOD and the Church euery one to his familiar friends To the Italians and Spaniards they said that it was great iniury to bee compelled to follow a company of Schismatiques who haue spoken vnaduisedly and contrary to Christian doctrine and bound themselues to follow the Scripture onely But vnto all in generall they sayd it would be a great indignitie if the Councell should so speake as that an inextricable dispute should presently arise For in setting downe what Doctors doe ground themselues vpon the Scripture they should neuer agree that it was honourable for the Councell to speake plainely and that the expression made was iust the declaration of the Councel of Basil And such perswasions they vsed as that almost all were resolued not to change the draught hoping that though the Protestants
desired it should bee better yet they would bee content when they saw all was done All being in order the foure and twentieth day the generall Congregation The Protestation of the Councel concerning the admission of the Protestants was made in which the Electors and all the Fathers met in the Legates house as also the Ambassadours of the Emperour and of Ferdinand who were not wont to be present in such kinds of Congregation The Legat began breifly and said they were assembled to beginne an action the most doubtfull that euer happened to the holy Church therefore they were to pray GOD for good successe with more then vsuall deuotion and hauing inuocated the name of the holy Ghost as the custome is in the Congregations the Protestation was read by the Secretary whereunto all the Fathers hauing giuen consent the Speaker desired it should bee registred in the actes and a publique instrument made of it The tenour whereof was thus in substance That the holy Synode not to hinder the progresse of the Councell by the disputes which would arise when it should be duely examined what sort of persons should appeare in the Synode and what sort of Mandats and Writings bee presented and in what places men should sit doth declare that if any be admitted for himselfe or as a deputie which ought not to bee receiued by the disposition of the law or vse of the Councels or set not in his right place or if Mandats Instruments Protestations or other writings which doe or may offend the honour authority or power of the Councell bee presented it shall bee vnderstood that the present or future generall Councels shall not bee preiudiced it being the Synods meaning to restore peace and concord vnto the Church by any meanes so that it bee lawfull and conuenient Afterwards the Saxon Ambassadours were brought in where beeing entred Badehornus one of the Saxon Ambassadours maketh an oration in the generall congregation and hauing made their obeisance to the assembly Badehornus spake vsing these titles Most reuerend and most worthy Fathers and Lords The substance of his speach was this That Maurice Electour of Saxony wishing them the assistance of the holy Spirit and a happy issue of the action did let them know that hee had long since resolued that if euer a generall free and Christian Councel were celebrated where the controuersies of Religion might be decided according to the holy Scripture and all might speake securely and a Reformation bee made in the Head and the members to send his Diuines thither That now thinking they are assembled to this end hee hath called his Theologues together commanding them to choose some to carry their Confession to that Synod which was not yet done in regard of a certaine constitution of the Councell of Constance that faith or safe Conduct giuen by the Emperour Kings or others to heretiques or persons suspected ought not to bee obserued and of the example of the Bohemians who would not goe to Basill without securitie from the Councell Therefore that the Elector desired that such a safe Conduct should bee giuen to his Diuines Counsellors and their families that not long since a certaine forme of safe Conduct was presented to him much different from that of Basil so that the Diuines thought it dangerous to come hither with it because by some Decrees made in Trent and already printed it did appeare that they are accounted heretiques and schismatiques though they neuer haue beene either called or heard Therefore the Prince demaundeth he sayd that his men may be excused and a safe Conduct granted in the forme of that of Basil and that vnderstanding that they would proceede to the conclusion of the controuersed Articles it seemed vnto him a thing preiudiciall and contrary to all law of GOD and Man in regard his men were lawfully hindered for want of a safe Conduct Who therefore prayeth them that all may be deferred vntill his Diuines be heard who be but sixty Dutch miles distant That afterwards it being related to him that the Protestants may not be heard concerning the controuersed Articles defined the yeeres past the greater part of which containe grieuous errours the Prince desireth that they may be reexamined and his Diuines suffered to speake and that determined which shall bee conformable to the word of GOD and beleeued by all Nations of the Christian world For the things determined haue beene handled by very few of those who ought to assist in the generall Councell as doeth appeare by the printed Catalogue it beeing essentiall to a generall Councel that all Nations should bee admitted and freely heard That the Prince also doeth remember that many controuersed Articles doe concerne the Pope and the Councels of Constance and Basil hauing determined that the Pope in points of faith and which concerne himselfe is subiect to the Councell it is fit the same should be done in this place as also which was constituted in the third Session of the Councell of Basil that all persons of the Councell should bee absolued from the oathes of Obligation to the Pope as farre as concerneth the causes of the Councell Yea that the Prince is of opinion that without any further declaration by vertue of the constitutions of those Councels all are free from those bonds Therefore prayeth the assembly that they would first repeate approoue and ratifie the Article of the superiority of the Councell aboue the Pope especially in regard the Cleargie hath need of reformation which hath beene hindered by the Popes For the abuses cannot bee amended if the persons of the Councell depend on the Popes nod and bee bound by vertue of oath to preserue his honour state and power and if it might bee obtained of the Pope to remit the oath willingly it would be praise-worthy and gaine great fauour credit and authority to the Councell because the Decrees would bee made by free men who might lawfully treat and iudge according to the word of CHRIST That in conclusion the Prince desireth that his propositions may be taken in good part being moued to tender them for the zeale of his owne saluation charitie towards his Countrey and peace of all Christendome Hauing this discourse in writing he presented it and it was receiued by the Secretary and the Speaker said in the common name that the Synod would consider of it and make answere in due time After these those of Wittenberg were heard who presented the Mandate of And so do the Ambassadors of the Duke of Wittenberg their Ambassage Which being read they briefly said that they were to tender the Confession of their doctrine and that Diuines would come to defend it and handle the same things more at large so that iudges might be indifferently chosen by both sides to take knowledge of the controuersies For their doctrine being repugnant to that of the Pope and the Bishops his adherents it was vniust that either the Plaintife or the defendant should be
iudge desiring therefore that what was done in the Councel the yeeres past might not haue the strength of a law but that the discussion of euery thing already handled should begin again it being not iust that when two contend in law what is done by one the other beeing lawfully absent should bee of forces and the rather because it may be cleerely demonstrated that aswell in the last actions as in those of the yeeres before Decrees haue been published contrary to the word of GOD. And they presented their doctrine and discourse in writing all which was receiued by the Secretary but the doctrine was not read The Speaker answered in the name of the Fathers that answere should be giuen in time conuenient When this was done the Electours and Ambassadours departed the The Fathers resolue not to alter the Safe Conduct Prelates remaining with the Presidents to giue order for the Session First the Decree was established and then the Safe Conduct proposed adding the causes why the Protestants were not content And consulting whether that which they desired should bee added to the forme they did easily agree all in one opinion that nothing should be added to auoide inextricable disputes and ineuitable preiudices The next day the 25. of Ianuary deputed for the Session they went to the The Session Church with the vsuall Ceremonies but with more Souldiers called by the Presidents to make ostentation of the greatnes of the Councel and with many strangers who came thither thinking the Protestants should be receiued publikely and with singular ceremonies The B. of Catanea sang Masse and Iohn Baptista Campeggio B. of Maiorica preached and the vsuall Riâ—es being obserued the Decree was read by the Masse Bishop the substance whereof was That the Synod to performe the things already decreed hauing exactly handled The Decree whatsoeuer belongeth to the Sacrifice of the Masse Sacrament of Order to publish in the Session the Decrees concerning them and the 4. Articles of the Sacrament of the Eucharist deferred thinking that the Protestants vnto whom they had giuen safe Conduct would haue been arriued by this time in regard they are not come but haue made supplication that all should be deferred vntil another Session giuing hope that they wil come long before the celebration thereof hauing receiued a safe Conduct in a more ample forme the Synod desirous of quiet peace beleeuing that they will come not to contradict the Catholike faith but to vnderstaÌ„d the truth that they wil be satisfied with the Decrees of the holy mother the Church hath put off the next Session vntill the nineteenth of March to giue light to and publish the things aforesaid granting them to remoue all cause of greater delay a safe Conduct of the tenour as shall be recited determining to handle in the meane while the Sacrament of Matrimony and to prosecute the reformation that they may publish the definitions of this together with the definitions of the things aforesayd The substance of the safe Conduct was That the Synod adhering The Safe Conduct to the safe Conduct already giuen and amplifying it doeth make faith to all Priests Princes Nobles and persons of what condition soeuer of the German nation which shall or are already come to the Councell Safe Conduct to come remaine propose and speake in the Synode to handle and examine what they thinke fit giue articles and confirme them answere the obiections of the Councell and dispute with those whom it doth elect declaring that the controuersies in this Councell shall bee handled according to the holy Scripture Traditions of the Apostles approoued Councels consent of the Catholike Church and authoritie of the holy Fathers adding that they shall not be punished vpon pretence of Religion or offences committed or which will bee committed so that there neede not bee any cessation from Diuine Seruice by reason of their presence either in the iourney or in the Citie of Trent or in any place else and shall returne when it shall seeme good vnto them without let with safety of their robe honour and persons but with the knowledge of the deputies of the Synode that prouision may bee made for their security granting that in this safe Conduct all those clauses bee held to bee included which are necessary for reall and full assurance adding that if any of them either in comming or in Trent or in returning shall commit any enormity which shall nullifie the benefit of this publike faith hee shall be punished by their own Iudges so that the Synod may be satisfied and on the other side if any other in comming hither remaining here or returning shall commit any thing which may violate this Safe Conduct hee shall bee punished by the Synode with the approbation of the Germans themselues who shall be present in Trent the forme of the assicuration remaining still in force giuing leaue to their Ambassadours to goe out of Trent to take the ayre and returne to send and receiue aduises and messengers as often as they shall thinke fit yet accompanied with the Deputies for their scecurity which Safe Conduct shall remaine in force so long as they be vnder the care of the Synode in comming to Trent in their abiding there and twenty dayes after they shall aske leaue to depart or after it shall bee granted to them that they may bee rendred in a secure place at their election which things it promiseth faithfully in the name of all faithfull Christians of all the Princes Ecclesiasticall and Secular and likewise of all other persons Ecclesiasticall and Secular of all conditions faithfully promising withall that the Synod shall not seeke occasion publikely or secretly that any thing bee attempted in preiudice of this Safe Conduct nor to violate the same will vse or suffer any to vse any authority power right statute or priuiledge of Lawes Canons or Councels especially that of Constance and of Siena which things in this behalfe and for this time it doth disallow And if the Synod or any person in it or any that belong to them shall violate the forme of this Safe Conduct in any point or clause whatsoeuer and punishment bee not inflicted to their approbation let them thinke that the Synode hath incurred all the punishments which the violaters of such Safe Conducts may incurre by the law of GOD or man or custome without admitting excuse or contradiction These things being read the Session was ended It is certaine that the Presidents doubtfull what might ensue were willing to bee prepared if the winde were prosperous to decide the matter of the Sacraments all in one Session and therefore hauing in a readinesse all that belonged to the Communion the Masse and Sacrament of Order they were desirous to digest also and put in order all that concerned Matrimonie that they might put all into one bundle and to handle succinctly in another Session Purgatorie Indulgences Images Reliques and such small matters for so they
the fifth and in the meane while if hee had commission from his Master to depart he might doe it and protest what he thought fit Therefore the Ambassador hauing made his protestation departed Who hauing made a protestation departeth from Rome And although Charles died the same yeere the 21. of September yet it was impossible to remooue the Pope from this resolution The number of those who call themselues Reformed being now increased in France their courage did increase also and there being a custome amongst the people of Paris in the Summers euenings to goe out of the Suburbes of S. German in great multitudes to take the fresco and to folace themselues with diuers kindes of sportes those of the new Religion in stead of doing so began to sing the Psalmes of Dauid in French verses The multitude first laughed at the nouitie then leauing the sports ioyned themselues vnto the singers And the number of those who came to that place began to increase more then vsually The Popes Nuncio told the King of this nouitie as of a thing pernicious and dangerous because the ministeries of religion vsually celebrated in the Church in the Latin tongue by religious men onely were put into the mouth of the common people in the vulgar language which was an inuention of the Lutherans telling him that if he did not resist the beginnings in a short time all Paris would be Lutheran The King gaue order that the principall authors should bee proceeded against wherein they went not very far hauing found Antony king of Nauar and his wife in that number But for hereafter it was forbid vpon paine of death The Religion in England was also much changed this yeere The Queene 1558 PAVL 4. FERDINAND PHILIP 2. ELIZABETH HENRY 2. Mary Queene of England dieth And Elizabeth is crowned died the seuenteenth day of Nouember and Cardinall Poole the same day which stirred vp many who were not satisfied with the former gouernement to restore the reformation of Edward and to separate themselues wholly from the Spaniards which they did the rather because King Philip to hold a foote in England had treated to marrie Elizabeth sister and successor of Mary to Charles his sonne and when there was little hope of the life of Mary hee had also cast foorth diuers words that hee would take her for his owne wife But the new Queene being wise as shee shewed her selfe to bee in all her gouernement did first secure the Kingdome by oath that she would not marrie a stranger and was crowned by the Bishop of Carlile an adherent to the Church of Rome not making any open declaration what doctrine shee would follow disseigning so soone as shee was setled in her gouernement to establish it by the counsell of the Parliament and of learned and godly men and to make a constant reformation of the state of Religion Therefore shee exhorted the chiefe of the Nobilitie who desired a change to proceede without tumult assuring them that shee would not enforce any Shee caused presently an account to bee giuen to the Pope of her assumption with letters of credence written to Edward Cerne who was Ambassadour to her sister and was not departed from Rome But the Pope proceeding according to his vsuall rigour answered that that Kingdome was held in Fee of the Apostolike Sea that shee could not succeede beeing With whom the Pope doth presently contest illegitimate that hee could not contradict the declarations of Clement the seuenth and Paul the third that it was a great boldnesse to assume the name and gouernement without him that for this shee deserued not to bee heard in any thing yet beeing desirous to shew a fatherly affection if shee will renounce her pretensions and referre her selfe wholly to his free disposition hee will doe whatsoeuer may bee done with the honour of the Apostolike Sea Many did beleeue that as he spake thus by his own inclination so he was incited by the French King who fearing a marriage betweene her and the King of Spaine might be made by the Popes dispensation thought fit to assure himselfe by cutting off the practises in the very beginning But the new Queene vnderstanding the Popes answere and wondring at the mans hastie disposition thought it not profitable either for her or the Kingdome to treate any more with him So that the cause ceasing shee gaue the Nobilitie leaue to consult what was fit to bee done for the seruice of God and quiet of the Kingdome A disputation was held in Westminster in presence of all A disputation is held in Westminster in matter of religion the States betweene learned men chosen on both sides which began the last of March and lasted vntill the thirtieth of April and a Parliament being assembled to this end all the Edicts of Religion made by Mary were abolished those of her brother Edward restored obedience taken away from the Pope the title of the Head of the Church of England giuen to the Queene the reuenues of the Monasteries confiscated and assigned some to the Nobilitie and some to the Crowne the Images taken out of the Churches by the people and the Romane Religion banished Another accident happened also For in the Diet of Ausburg it appearing by the actes of the Colloquie the yeere before dissolued without fruit that there was no hope to doe any good by that meanes Ferdinand tolde them hee would procure the generall Councell to be restored exhorting all to submit themselues to the Decrees thereof as beeing the way to remooue differences The protestants answered that they would consent to a Councell called not by the Pope but by the Emperour to bee held in Germanie in which the Pope should not preside but should submit himselfe to the iudgement thereof and release the Bishops and Diuines of their oath in which also the Protestants Ferdinand promiseth to procure a generall Councell should haue a deciding voyce and all should bee determined according to the holy Scripture and whatsoeuer was concluded in Trent should be reexamined which if it cannot be obtained of the Pope yet the peace of Religion should be confirmed according to the agreement of Passau hauing knowen by too manifest experience that no good can bee drawen from any Popish Councell The Emperour knowing the difficultie to obtaine of the Pope a grant of the things proposed and that now hee had no meanes to negotiate with him in regard of the controuersie about the resignation of Charles and his succession he confirmed the accord of Passau and the Recesses of the Diets And confirmeth the accord of Passau following The Pope hauing cut off all meanes to treate with the Emperour and Germanie knew not what to say to this Yet hee was more displeased with Wherewith the Pope is much displeased their discourse concerning the Councell then with the libertie granted by the Recesse beeing resolute not to call any Councell but in Rome whatsoeuer should happen In
voyce deliuered in the Congregations and of all the voyces of others which were any way remarkeable Of this number 34. came into my hands in that forme as they were deliuered and of the others I haue vnderstood the conclusion onely but here nothing is to be related but that which is of note The Patriarke of Ierusalem said That this Article had been handled and The Suffrage of the Patriarke of Ierusalem concerning Residence discussed in the first Councell and concluded that to cause residence there are two prouisions One to constitute punishments for those who doe not reside another to remooue the impediments which doe hinder residencie The first was fully ordered in the sixt Session neither can any thing bee added in regard the losse of halfe the reuenues is a very great pecuniary punishment then which a greater cannot be imposed without making the Bishops beggars If the contumacie bee excessiue there can bee no greater punishment except depriuation which requiring one to execute it which must needs be the Pope in regard the ancient vse of the Church was to reserue to that Sea the hearing and determining of the causes of Bishops that sixt Session referred it to his Holinesse to finde a remedie either by meanes of a new prouision or otherwise and bound the Metropolitane to aduise him of the absence For the second they beganne to make prouision and in that and other Sessions many Decrees were made to take away many exemptions which hindered the Bishops to exercise their charge Therefore it now remaineth onely to continue and to remooue the residue of the impediments electing a certaine number of Fathers as then was done to make collection of them that they may bee proposed and prouided for The Archbishop of Granata added that a more potent and effectuall remedie The suffrage of the Arch-bishop of Granada was proposed in that Councell that is that the obligation of Residence was by the Law of God which was handled and examined tenne moneths together and that if that Councell had not been interrupted it would haue beene decided as a necessary yea as a principall article of the doctrine of the Church and was then not onely discussed but the reasons vsed by diuers were put in print also so that the matter is prepared and digested and nothing now remaineth but to giue it perfection When it shall be determined that residencie is de iure Diuino all hinderances will cease of themselues the Bishops vnderstanding their duety wil thinke on their owne conscience they will not be reputed hirelings but Pastors who knowing that the flocke is giuen to them by God to whom they must make an account without laying the fault on others and being assured that dispensations wil neither saue nor helpe them they will apply themselues to performe their duety And he proceeded to proue with many authorities of the New and Old Testament Is approved by the maior part and exposition of the Fathers that this was the Catholike truth This opinion was approoued by the maior part of the Congregation the maintainers whereof laboured to bring authorities and reasons Others did reiect it and said it was new neuer defended neither by antiquity And reiected by others nor by this age before Cardinall Caietan who set the question on foote and maintained that part which notwithstanding hee did abandon in his old age because hee tooke a Bishopricke and did neuer reside that the Church hath euer held that the Pope might dispense that Non-residents haue alwayes beene punished and reprehended as transgressors of the Canons onely and not of the Law of God that indeede it was disputed in the first Councell but the disputation was held to be so dangerous by the Legats men of great wisedome that they did cunningly cause it to bee buried in silence that this example ought to be followed and that the bookes which haue beene written since haue giuen great scandall to the world and made knowen that the disputation proceeded from partiality For the authorities of the Scripture and Fathers they are onely exhortations to perfection neither is there any substantiall proofe but out of the Canons which are Ecclesiasticall lawes Some held opinion that there was neither place nor time nor opportunity to handle that question that no good could come by the determination of it but danger of many inconueniences that the Councell was assembled to extirpate heresies not to make Schisme among the Catholiques which would happen by condemning an opinion followed if not by the greater part yet by one halfe at the least that the authours of that opinion haue not inuented it for trueths sake but the more to vrge men to reside with small ground of reason in regard that the Lawes of GOD are not more diligently obserued then the Lawes of the Church that the precept for keeping of Lent is more strictly obserued then those of the Decalogue that if to confesse and communicate at Easter were commanded by GOD The lawes of the Pope are more strictly obserued then the lawes of God more would not doe it then now doe that to say Masse with Copes is an Ecclesiasticall law and yet no man doth transgresse it hee that doth not obey the penall commands of the Canons will transgresse much more when hee feareth onely the iustice of GOD neither will any Bishop be mooued with that determination but it will giue occasion to plot rebellions against the Apostolique Sea to restraine the Popes authority and as some haue been heard to whisper to depresse the Court of Rome that that was the ornament of the Clergie which is respected in other places onely in regard of it that if it should be depressed the Church would euery where be lesse esteemed and therefore that it was not fit to handle such a businesse without imparting it to his Holinesse and Colledge of Cardinals to whom it doeth principally belong The opinion of Paulus Iouius Bishop of Nocera is not to be omitted who The Suffrage of Paulus Iouius Bishop of Nocera said in substance That certainly the Councel was assembled to cure a great wound which is the deformation of the Church the cause whereof as all are perswaded is the absence of the Prelats from their Churches which beeing affirmed by all is perhaps not sufficiently considered by any But it is not the part of a wise Physician to take away the cause before hee be well assured that the remoouing of it will not cause greater diseases If the absence of Prelats hath beene the cause of the corruptions there will bee lesse deformation in those Churches where they haue resided The Popes for these hundred yeeres haue continually sate in Rome and vsed all diligence to instruct the people yet we doe not see that that citie is better gouerned then others The great capitall Cities of Kingdomes are most out of order where the Prelats haue alwayes resided on the contrary some poore cities which haue not
the Communion of the Cup but much more because those Iesuites howsoeuer they were the first would bee excepted both from the generall orders with so much petulancie They called to minde the stirres raysed by them in the Session and Torre was particularly noted by Simoneta for hauing written against Catharinus in fauour of residence that it is de iure diuino with insolent termes as the Cardinall sayd Therefore the Congregation beeing ended hee told his Colleagues that it was fit to represse this boldnesse and giue example to others and they agreed so to doe vpon the first occasion In the discussions of the Diuines all were vniforme in condemning the The discussion of the Articles Protestant opinions of heresie in the Articles proposed and did quickly dispatch the others The discourse of euery one was long in prouing the Masse to be a sacrifice in which Christ is offered vnder the sacramentall elements Their principall reasons were That CHRIST is a Priest according to the order of Melchisedec but Melchisedec offered bread wine therefore the Priesthood of CHRIST doeth require the sacrifice of bread and wine Moreouer the Paschall Lambe was a true sacrifice and that is a figure of the Eucharist therefore the Eucharist also must bee a sacrifice Afterwards the prophecie of Malachie was alleadged by whose mouth God reiected the sacrifice of the Iewes saying his Name was holy great amongst the Gentiles and that in euery place a pure oblation is offered to him which cannot bee vnderstood of any thing else which is offered in euery place and by all Nations Diuers other congruities and figures of the old Testament were produced some grounding themselues vpon one and some vpon another In the new Testament the place of Saint Iohn was brought where CHRIST sayth to the woman of Samaria that the houre is come in which the Father shall bee worshipped in Spirit and in trueth and to worship in the holy Scripture doeth signifie to sacrifice as appeareth by many places And the woman of Samaria asked him of the sacrifice which could not be offered by the Iewes but in Ierusalem and by the Samaritans was offered in Garizim where CHRIST then was Therefore they sayd the place was necessarily to bee vnderstood of an externall publike and solemne adoration which could be no other but the Eucharist It was proued also by the words of CHRIST This is my body which is giuen for you which is broken for you This is my blood which is shed for you Therefore there is a breaking of the body and an effusion of blood in the Eucharist which are actions of a sacrifice Aboue all they grounded themselues vpon the words of Saint Paul who putteth the Eucharist in the same kind with the sacrifices of the Iewes and of the Gentiles saying that by it the body and blood of CHRIST are participated as in the Hebraisme he that eateth of the hoast is partaker of the altar and one cannot drinke the Cup of the LORD and eate of his Table and drinke of the cup of Deuils and bee partaker of their table But that the Apostles were ordayned Priests by CHRIST they prooued plainely by the words spoken to them by CHRIST our LORD Doe this in remembrance of me For better proofe many authorities of the Fathers were adduced who doe all name the Eucharist a sacrifice or in more generall termes doe testifie that a sacrifice is offered in the Church Some added afterwards that the Masse was a sacrifice because CHRIST offered himselfe in the supper And they brought this reason for the most principall and prooued the ground thereof because the Scripture saying plainely that Melchisedec offered bread and wine CHRIST could not haue beene a Priest after that order if hee had not done the like and because CHRIST sayd that his blood was a confirmation of the new Testament but the blood which doeth confirme the old was offered in this institution therefore it followeth by a necessary consequence that CHRIST himselfe also did offer it They argued also that CHRIST hauing sayd Doe this in remembrance of me if hee had not offered we could not doe it And they sayd the Lutherans haue no other argument to prooue the Masse to be no sacrifice but because Christ hath not offered and therefore that opinion was dangerous as fauouring the hereticall doctrine It was also more effectually prooued because the Church singeth in the office of the body of our LORD CHRIST a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedec hath offered bread and wine And in the Canon of the Ambrosian Missal it is sayd that instituting a forme of perpetuall sacrifice hee hath first offered himselfe as an hoast and hath first taught how to offer it Afterwards many authorities of the Fathers were produced to prooue the same On the other part it was said with no lesse asseueration that CHRIST In which the Diuines are much diuided in the supper hath commanded the oblation to bee made for euer in the Church after his death but that hee hath not offered himselfe because the nature of that sacrifice did not comport it And for proofe heereof they sayd that the oblation of the Crosse would haue beene superfluous because mankinde would haue beene redeemed by that of the supper which went before That the sacrifice of the Altar was instituted by CHRIST for a memoriall of that which hee offered on the Crosse but there cannot bee any memoriall but of a thing past therefore the Eucharist could not be a sacrifice before the oblation of CHRIST on the Crosse They alleadged also that neither the Scripture nor the Canon of the Masse nor any Councell euer sayd that CHRIST offered himselfe in the supper and added that the places of the Fathers before alledged ought to be vnderstood of his oblation on the Crosse They concluded that hauing to define the Masse to bee a sacrifice as indeed it was it might most effectually bee done by proofes out of the Scriptures and Fathers without adding such weake reasons This difference was not betweene many and few but diuided aswell the Diuines as the Fathers into almost equall parts and occasioned some contention The former went so farre as to say that the other opinion was an errour and required that it should bee silenced by an Anathematisme condemning of heresie those that say that CHRIST hath not offered himselfe in the supper vnder the sacramentall elements The others said it was not a time to ground ones selfe vpon things vncertaine and vpon new opinions neither heard not thought of by antiquity but that one ought to insist vpon that which is plaine and certaine both by the Scripture and by the Fathers that is that CHRIST hath commanded the oblation All the moneth of Iuly was spent by the seuenteene who spake vpon the first Articles the latter they dispatched in a few dayes rather with iniurious tearmes against the Protestantes then with reasons It is not fitte to relate the particulars but onely
not handled with any discussion but with declamations against the Lutherans who depriue the Ghurch of commerce with GOD and of the meanes to appease him making it a confusion without gouernement and bereauing her of all her beauty and comelinesse Friar Adamantius of Florence a Diuine of this ranke belonging to Cardinall Madruccio said that the greatest part of those who had spoken had alleadged onely probable reasons and conueniencies which when Articles of faith are discussed doe not onely not force the aduersaries but confirme them more in their opinions and for proofe hereof hee brought a direct place of Saint Austin Hee added that discussions in Councell should differ from disputations in Schooles For in those how much the more things are minced and curiously handled the better it is but it doth not become a Councell to examine any thing but that which may bee cleered and made plaine Notwithstanding many questions were disputed the knowledge whereof cannot in this life in which GOD doth not suffer all to bee discouered possibly bee attained For this Article it is abundantly sufficient that the Church hath an Hierarchie that the Hierarchie consisteth of Prelates and Ministers that these are ordained by Bishops that Order is a Sacrament and that Seculars haue no part herein Petrus Romirius a Franciscane Friar following the doctrine of Iohn Scot said that Order ought not to bee called a Sacrament because it is inuisible and permanent whereas all the Sacraments are necessarily visible and except the Eucharist consist in action Therefore to auoyde all difficulties one must not say that Order but that Ordination is a Sacrament But hee was much opposed because all the Diuines and which is of no lesse importance the Councell of Florence also doe call Order a Sacrament And it would bee a great boldnesse to taxe all the Doctours a generall Councell and the whole Church for speaking improperly In the third ranke there was no lesse varietie of opinions concerning the Of the holy Ghost giuen in Ordination fift Article For howsoeuer all agreed that the holy Ghost is giuen and receiued in Ordination yet some said hee was giuen in his proper person and others in the gift of grace onely They disputed much on both sides but those especially who affirmed grace Another question was whether grace of Iustification bee conferred or onely a gift to exercise the office For the former was alleadged that all the Sacraments giue grace of Iustification for the later that a man cannot without repentance receiue grace and yet may receiue Order For the Character as they all agreed that it is imprinted in Of the Character Priesthood so they dissented in all the rest For some said it was imprinted in the holy Orders onely and others in all the seuen both which opinions Saint Bonauenture doeth thinke to bee probable Some were better pleased with the distinction of Durandus that vnderstanding by Character a power to worke a Spirituall effect the Priesthood onely hath it which onely can consecrate and remit sinnes and the others haue it not in regard their actions are corporall which a Lay-man without any the least veniall sinne may doe as well as they But if by Character be vnderstood a deputation to a speciall office so all the Orders haue a proper Character Others opposed that it was a Lutherane opinion contained in the first Article and said that therefore it was necessary to affirme a proper and indeleble Character in all And some said it was in the first Tonsure also because it was not reiterated in those who are degraded as would be necessary if a Character were not imprinted and because by it one is inuested in the Clergie and made partaker of Eclesiastical exemptions and immunities Neither would it bee possible to maintaine that Clerkeship and the immunities thereof were de iure Diuino but by saying that the first Tonsure is a Diuine institution Concerning the degree of Bishops the controuersie was greater and the question was reuiued whether it bee one of the Orders For hauing two properactions so famous to confirme and ordaine a Spirituall power is necessary to it which is a Character without which ordination and confirmation would bee to no purpose The auditors were weary with hearing so many difficulties and did willingly giue eare to those who said they ought to omit them and speake onely in generall termes But the Friars grumbled and were angrie to see in them a disposition to define Articles and pronounce Anathemaes not vnderstanding the poynts and abhorring those who would informe them In the sixt Article they all condemned the Lutherans for detracting from vnctions and ceremonies vsed in conferring Orders Some desired that those which are necessarie and belong to the substance of the Sacrament as was done in the Councell of Florence might bee distinguished from the rest and him declared to bee an heretique who should say that Order might bee giuen or receiued without them and for the others that hee should bee condemned in generall termes who did call them pernicious Hereupon a great contention arose which were necessary and which were added for ornament or deuotion Melchior Cornelius a Portugall seemed to speake What ceremonies be necessary 〈…〉 ferring Orders much to the purpose who sayd the Apostles did vndoubtedly vse imposition of hands in Ordination so that none is mentioned in the holy Scripture without that ceremony which in succeeding ages was thought to be so essentiall that Ordination was called by that name Notwithstanding Gregorie the ninth saith it was a rite brought in and many Diuines doe not hold it to be necessary howsoeuer others be of the contrarie opinion It appeareth also by the Decretall of Innocentius the third in this point that vnction was not vsed in all Churches And the famous Canonists Hostiensis Iohannes Andreas Abbas and others doe affirme that the Pope may ordaine a Priest with these words onely Be thou a Priest and which is of more importance Innocentius Father of all the Canonists sayth that if the formes had not been inuented it had beene sufficient if the Ordainer had vsed these words onely Be thou a Priest or others equiualent because they were instituted by the Church afterwards to be obserued For these reasons Cornelius gaue counsell not to speake of necessary Ceremonies but onely to condemne those who hold them to be superfluous or pernicious Although the Congregations of the Diuines did take vp almost all the time yet the Prelates did more intend and discourse amongst themselues of reformation some promoting and some declining it then of the points of doctrine discussed by the Theologues so that the frequent and publique speeches which were heard throughout all Trent cherished by the Ambassadours of the Emperour and French King induced the Legates to thinke it necessary to make shew they were not auerse from it especially because they had promised to propose it so soone as the matter of Order was discussed and vnderstood that a
needes bee a power of iurisdiction Concerning Order hee said a Bishop was of an higher degree then a Priest hauing all the power of him and two powers more yet notwithstanding cannot bee called his superiour as a Subdeacon is foure degrees higher then a doore-keeper yet not superiour vnto him Hee prooued this his opinion by the generall vse of the whole Church and all Christian Nations and alleadged diuers authorities out of the Fathers Finally hee came to the holy Scripture citing many places of the Prophets to shew that this authority is called the authority of a Pastor saying that the vniuersalitie of it was giuen to S. Peter when CHRIST said Feede my Lambes and some of it imparted by Peter to the Bishops when he bad them Feede the flocke which they haue in their custodie And this opinion had great applause But before those of this fourth ranke made an end of speaking the Spanish Prelates resoluing the point should bee handled whether Bishops are instituted by CHRIST after they had consulted together did conclude that it was better the first motion should begin in the Congregations of the Diuines that themselues might with more shew of reason resuming the things spoken before discourse vpon them and compell others to doe the like Therefore in the Congregation of the first of October Michael Oroncuspe a Diuine of the Bishop of Pampelona said to the seuenth that being to qualifie or condemne a proposition which hath many significations it was necessary to distinguish them and afterwards to examine them one by one and hee thought the proposition whether Bishops bee superior to Priests to be such For one must distinguish whether they be superiours de facto or de iure That they are superiours de facto it cannot be doubted because present experience and the Histories of many ages doe shew that Bishops haue exercised superiority and Priests obedience Therefore this Article being without question the other de iure remaineth to bee discussed Wherein there is another ambiguitie also whether Iure Pontificio or Diuine In the first sense the case is cleere that they are superiours there beeing so many Decretals which say it expressely which howsoeuer it bee true and certaine yet the Lutherans are not in this regard to be condemned for heretiques because that cannot bee an article of faith which is grounded only vpon the law of man and deserue to be condemned for denying the superiority of Bishops onely in case it bee dâ—iure Diuino He added that he thought this point very cleere and that he could euidently prooue it and resolue anything alleadged to the contrarie saying hee must not proceed further beeing prohibited to speake of it And here he shewed that the Ministery of Confirmation and Ordination is proper to Bishops And hauing spoken vpon the eighth Article in conformitie of the others he ended his discourse Iohannes Fonseca a Diuine of the Archbishop of Granata followed who The institution of Bishops is discussed entred brauely vpon the matter saying it neither was nor could be forbidden to speake of it For the Article being proposed to be discussed whether it be hereticall or no it is necessary to vnderstand whether it bee against fayth against which it cannot be if it doe not repugne to the Law of GOD. He sayd hee knew not whence the report came that one might not speake of it because by the very proposition of the Article it was commanded to be discussed And here hee proceeded to handle not the superiority alone but the institution also affirming that Bishops are instituted by CHRIST and by his diuine ordination superiours to Priests He said that if the Pope be instituted by CHRIST because hee hath said to Peter I will giue thee the keyes of the Kingdome and Feede my Lambes Bishops are likewise instituted by him because he hath said to all the Apostles That which you bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whose sinnes you remit they are remitted saying to them afterwards Goe into the whole world and preach the Gospel And which is more he said vnto them As my father hath sent me so I send you And if the Pope be successour of S. Peter the Bishops are successors of the Apostles alleadging many authorities out of the Fathers that the Bishops are successours of the Apostles And in particular he recited a long discourse of S. Bernard in this point to Eugenius the Pope and a place of the Actes of the Apostles where S. Paul saith to the Ephesians that they were made Bishops by the holy Ghost to gouerne the Church of GOD. Hee added that to bee confirmed or created by the Pope did not conclude that they were not instituted by CHRIST or had not authority from him For the Pope himselfe is created by the Cardinals and yet hath his authoritie from CHRIST and Priestes are created by the Bishop who doeth ordaine them but receiue their authoritie from GOD So the Bishops receiue the Diocesse from the Pope and authoritie from CHRIST Their superiority ouer Priests he proued to be iure diuino by authoritie of many Fathers who say that Bishops doe succeed the Apostles and Priestes the seuenty two disciples Concerning other particles of this point he said the same things which others had spoken before Cardinall Simoneta was impatient and turned often to his Colleagues and was about Which vexeth Cardinall Simoneta to interrupt the discourse but being entred into vpon so good reason and heard by the Prelates with such attention hee knew not how to resolue After him followed Antonius Grossetus a Dominican Friar who hauing briefly passed ouer the other articles insisted vpon this Hee stood much vpon the wordes of Saint Paul spoken to the Ephesians in Miletum exhorting them to haue a care of the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost had made them ouerseers vpon which place hee made many obseruations He sayd it was first necessary to declare that Bishops haue not commission for their office from men for so they would be hirelings to whom the Lambes doe not belong because the man who had committed the care vnto them beeing satisfied they had no more to thinke on But Saint Paul sheweth that the commission to gouerne the people of GOD is diuine giuen by the holy Ghost to conclude that they could not be excused by any dispensation of man He alleadged the famous passage of Saint Cyprian that euery Bishop is bound to giue an account of CHRIST onely Then he added that the Bishops of Ephesus were not of those who were instituted by CHRIST our LORD while hee was in the flesh but by Saint Paul or some other Apostle or disciple yet no mention is made of the ordainer but all is attributed to the holy Ghost who hath not giuen authority to gouerne but diuided a part of the flocke and consigned it to be fed And here hee made an inuectiue against those who a few dayes before sayd that the Pope doeth disturbe the flocke
of the French men with their owne He said hee was glad that Italy was all in peace and that Spaine did gouerne the Helme but that France was fallen and scarce held it with one finger Hee added that if they will demand who hath caused this tempest and fortune hee can say nothing but this that this fortune is come by our owne meanes cast vs into the Sea Therefore that there was need of boldnesse and courage to looke vnto themselues and the whole flocke In the end he said hee had ended his Legation and that the Ambassadours would say the rest but himselfe and the Prelates who came with him did protest that after God they would bee subiect to the most blessed Pope Pius acknowledging his Primacie on earth aboue all Churches whose commands they will neuer refuse that they doe reuerence the Decrees of the Catholike Church and of the generall Synod that they did honour the Legates offer concord and vnion to the Bishops and were glad that the Ambassadours were witnesses of what they sayd all for the honour of the diuine Maiestie Hauing made an end of speaking the Cardinall of Mantua in few words commending him for the pains he had taken for the seruice of God said that The answer all the Synode was glad of his comming made honourable mention of his brothers who in their profession shewed no lesse readinesse in the seruice of God and the kingdome and referred himselfe to the answere which the Arch bishop of Zara deputed hereunto should make in the name of the Councell Who said that the Synod was sory to heare of the seditions and differences of religion in France whose quiet and tranquilitie was alwayes deare vnto them and the more then because by the narration of his Excellencie they were so liuely set before their eyes but hoped that shortly the King imitating the vertue of his predecessors would be able to represse them that the Synode will labour by all means to make the true worship of God knowne to reforme maners and restore tranquillitie to the Church which end they might more easily attaine if they were assisted by his Excellencie and the Prelates who came with him Hee spake largely in commendation of the Cardinall and concluded that the Synode thanked God for his comming and gaue him ioy of it and offered to giue care to whatsoeuer should be deliuered by the Ambassadors in fit time and place not doubting but that it would bee for the glorie of God benefit of the Church and great dignitie of the Apostolique Sea Afterwards the Ambassador de Ferrieres spake He began with the commendation The speech of de Ferrieres the French Ambassadour of the Kings disposition inclined to Religion which appeared more by the comming and discourse of the Cardinall by whom it might be knowne how great care France did take of the good of the Catholique Church because euery on might see that most potent reasons had induced the King to send him in regard he had euer imployed him in his counsell in the greatest affaires of the Kingdome that the King could appease all the seditions in three dayes and keepe all his Subiects in their naturall obedience if he aimed onely at his owne good and did not desire to maintaine the Catholique Church and retaine the dignitie and authoritie of the Pope in France for which hee exposeth to danger the Kingdome his life and the goods of all the Grandees and Nobles And descending to the requests he added that they would not be troublesome nor obstinate in them that they did demand nothing but that which all the Christian world demandeth that the most Christian King doth request that which Constantine the great requested of the Fathers in the Councell of Nice that all his demaunds are contained in the holy Scripture in the old Councels of the Catholique Church and in the ancient Constitutions Decrees and Canons of the Popes and Fathers that the most Christian King doth demand the restitution of the Catholique Church to its integritie by meanes of them the Fathers constituted by CHRIST as the chiefe iudges not by a Decree with a generall clause but according to the forme of the expresse words of that perpetuall and diuine Edict against which neither vsurpation nor Prescription can take place so that those good orders which the deuill hath taken away by force and concealed a long time may bee restored as it were out of captiuitie to the holy city of God and to the sight of men He exemplified in Darius who composed the tumults of Iudea not by armes but by executing the ancient Edict of Cyrus in Iosias who reformed Religion by causing the booke of the Law to bee read and obserued which had been concealed by the malice of men Then hee spake acutely and sayd if they shall demand why France is not in peace hee could answere nothing but that which Iehu say to Ioram How can there be peace there remaining and concealed the words following but added you know the text Then he said that if they doe not seriously labour in the reformation the assistance of the King of Spaine of the Pope and of other Princes will be in vaine and the blood of those who perish though iustly for their owne sinnes will bee required at the hands of them the Fathers Hee concluded that before they would descend to the particulars which they meant to demand they desired that the things which they had begun to handle might bee dispatched quickly that they might as soone as was possible apply themselues to other matters of more weight and of greater necessity in that time The biting liberty of this Ambassadour did no lesse displease then that of his Colleague Pibrac at their first comming to Trent but the feare they had of the French-men made them forget all The next day the Congregations were continued and the first was all spent by Friar Iaspar of Casal Bishop of Liria who to informe the Cardinall of Loraine of all the reasons of the Spaniards did recapitulate with great eloquence whatsoeuer they had said in this matter He added besides that nothing was more in fauour of the Lutherans then to say that Bishops are instituted by the Law of man that by this meanes their nouitie is approued in making Preachers or Predicants or Ministers to gouerne the Church in stead of Bishops instituted by CHRIST He said that to him that readeth the Epistles of Saint Gregorie to Iohn of Constantinople and to others against him for calling himselfe Vniuersall Bishop it doth plainely appeare that it cannot be said that the institution of the Pope is from Christ if it be not said that the institution of Bishops is from him also The Cardinall of Loraine made a congregation of Prelats and French Diuines in his owne house to vnderstand their opinion concerning the Iurisdiction of Bishops in which it was vniformely resolued amongst them that they did receiue it from GOD and that it did
and without feare and that the Kings protection was sufficient to maintaine him This beeing reported to the Legates was a cause that they were heard with much patience though they said that the institution and iurisdiction of Bishops The French opinion concerning the Popes authoritie was de iure diuino as well as that of the Pope and that there was no difference but in degree of superioritie and that the Popes authority is confined within the limits of the Canons relating and commending the stile of the Parliaments of France that when any Popes Bull is presented which containeth any thing contrary to the Canons receiued in France they pronounce it to bee abusiue and forbid the execution This libertie made the Papalins vse more respect in their speaches though the prouerbe pleased them so well that sometimes some of the merrie Prelates could not forbeare to vse it The pretence for the absence of the Cardinall of Loraine was the aduice of the death of the King of Nauarre which came to Trent that day This The death of the King of Nauar made a great change in Trent and in France Prince wounded with a bullet at the siege of Roan in September was neuer well cured and at the last died Neere vnto his death hee receiued the Communion after the Catholique manner at the perswasion of his Physitian Visentius Laurus and afterwards wauered towards the doctrine of the Protestants and so died the tenth of Nouember This accident made a great mutation in the Councell and Loraine did suddenly change all his desseignes For that King had a principall hand in the Commissions giuen to the Cardinall at his departure so that hee was vncertaine whether after his death the Queene and others would continue in the same heat Besides he saw a manifest change in the whole gouernement and therefore desired to bee in France that himselfe might beare part of it also For the Prince of Conde beeing in open dissention distrusting the Queene and those who had power with her the Cardinall of Bourbon vncapable Montpensier in small credit the Constable old of whom many also were emulous hee had a great conceit that his brother might bee the Chiefe for Armes and himselfe for counsell And hee ruminated these things in his minde thinking but little of the Councell and of Trent where hee was The other Frenchmen sayd openly they ought to thanke God for the death of the King because he began to wauer and to ioyne his owne interests with those of his brother and of the other Hugonots The next day being the eighth of December was all spent in ceremonies for the election of Maximilian King of the Romanes The Arch bishop of Prague sang the Masse of the holy Ghost with the assistance of the whole Councell the Bishop of Tininia made a sermon in commendation of the Prince and the Cardinals and Ambassadours were inuited by Prague So soone as the Diet was assembled in Francfort the Prince of Conde sent not onely to demaund assistance from the Protestant Princes but also to treat an vnion of the Hugonots with those of the Confession of Ausburg and in particular to make a ioynt demand for a free new Councel in which the resolutions of Trent might bee examined the French-men of the old Catholike Religion giuing hope also that they would agree vnto it because it had been promised to the Ambassadour of France who afterwards was created Cardinall della Bordissiera that it should be done But the Dutch Protestants were most auerse from the Councell so long as Germany might bee in peace without it And therefore a booke was printed in Francfort full of excuses and reasons why they neither would nor could come to Trent with protestation of the nullitie of all that was and would be done in that place The King was first anointed and crowned King of Bohemia in Prague The coronation of the King of Bohemia in presence of his father the Emperour by that Arch-bishop who went from Trent into Bohemia to performe that ceremonie that the King might haue a voyce in the Imperiall Diet. Beeing come to Francfort they were forced to expect vntill the Canons of Colon had elected their Arch-bishop because that Sea was then void so that the Princes had much time to handle many matters expecting still in that place that the number of seuen might bee full by the Coronation in Bohemia and the election in Colen They were troubled in Rome with these thimgs and afraid that the Diet would send to Trent to protest and that some new forme would bee vsed in the coronation and the old abolished which would shew an inclination to depart from the ancient Rites or that some promise would bee made by the new King preiudiciall to the Popes authoritie But the Emperour and the King vsed much arte to diuert the handling of points of Religion before the Election which was made the 24 of Nouember and the coronation the last The election of the King of the Romanes of that moneth In which the Electors and other Protestant Princes stood at the Masse vntill the Gospell was read and then they went foorth This onely was new But the Popes Nuncio tooke place aboue the Electours and Ambassadours The coronation being past the Emperour beganne to practise with some of the Protestants that they would adhere to the Councell of Trent who not to bee preuented assembling themselues together presented to the Emperour the answere promised 20. moneths before to his Ambassadours in the assembly at Namburg which was deferred vntill then Conditions required by the Protestāts of Germany before they would assist the Councel In which hauing declared the causes why they had inmany Imperiall Diets appealed and did appeale againe vnto a free Councell they added the conditions which they held to bee necessary with which they offeredto assist in a future generall Councel 1. That it should bee celebrated in Germanie 2. That it should not bee intimated by the Pope 3. That hee should not preside but bee part of the Councel subiect to the determinations thereof 4. That the Bishops and other Prelates should bee freed from their oath giuen to the Pope that they may freely and without impediment deliuer their opinions 5. That the holy Scripture might bee iudge in the Councel and all humaine authority excluded 6. That the Diuines of the States of the Augustan Confession sent to the Councel might not onely haue a consulting but deciding voice also and might haue a Safe-conduct both for their persones and for the exercise of their religion 7. That the decisions in Councel should not be made as in Secular matters by pluralitie of voices but the more sound opinions preferred that is those which were regulated by the word of God 8. That the acts of the Councel of Trent should bee made void because it is partiall celebrated by one part onely and not gouerned according to promise 9. That if a concord in
proportion of the Diocesse should preach euery Sunday and Holyday in Lent on fasting dayes and in Aduent and as often as it shall bee fit 10. That the parish Priest should doe the same as often as hee hath auditors 11. That the Abbat and Conuentuall Prior shall reade the holy Scripture and institute an Hospitall so that the ancient Schooles and hospitality may bee restored to the Monasteries 12. That Bishops Parish Priests Abbats and other Ecclesiastiques vnable to performe their charge shall receiue Coadiutors or leaue their Benefices 13. That concerning the Catechisme and summarie instruction of Christian doctrine that should be ordayned which the Emperour hath proposed to the Councell 14. That no man should haue more then one benefice taking away the differences of the quality of persons and of Benefices compatible and incompatible a new diuision not heard of in the ancient Decrees and a cause of many troubles in the Catholique Church and that the regular Benefices should bee giue into regulars and secular to seculars 〈◊〉 That he who now hath two or more shall retaine that only which he shall choose within a short time or shall incurre the penalty of the ancient Canons 16. That to take away all note of auarice from the Clergie nothing bee taken vpon any pretence whatsoeuer for the administration of holy things but that prouision be made that the Curates with two Clerkes or more may haue whereon to liue and mainetaine hospitality which may bee done by the Bishops by vniting benefices or assigning tenths vnto them or where that cannot bee done the Prince may prouide for them by 〈◊〉 or collections imposed vpon the Parishes 17. That in parish Masses the Gospel be expounded cleerely according to the capacity of the people and that the prayers which the Parish-Priest maketh together with the people bee in the vulgar tongue and that the sacrifice being ended in Latine publike prayers bee made in the vulgar tongue likewise and that at the same time or in other houres spirituall hymnes or Psalmes of Dauid approoued by the Bishop may bee sung in the same language 18. That the ancient Decree of Leo and Gelasius for the Communion vnder both kinds bee renewed 19. That before the administration of euery Sacrament an exposition bee made in the vulgar so that the ignorant may vnderstand their vse and efficacie 20. That according to the ancient Canons benefices may not bee conferred by the Vicars but by the Bishops themselues within the terme of sixe moneths otherwise that the collation may bee deuolued to the next Superiour and by degrees to the Pope 21. That the Mandats of Prouision expectatiues regresses resignations in confidence and commendaes bee reuoked and banished out of the Church as contrary to the Decrees 22. That the resignations in fauour be wholly exterminated from the Court of Rome it being as it were an election of ones selfe or a demanding of a successour a thing prohibited by the Canons 23. That simple Priories from which the cure of soules is taken away contrary to the foundation and assigned to a perpetuall Vicar with a small portion of tithes or of other renenue bee restored to their former state at the first vacancie 24. That benefices vnto which no office of preaching administring the Sacraments nor any other Ecclesiasticall charge is annexed may haue some spirituall cure imposed vpon them by the Bishop with the councell of the chapter or bee vnited to the next parishes because no Benefice ought or can bee without an office 25. That pensions bee not imposed vpon benefices and those abolished which are imposed already that the Ecclesiasticall reuenues may bee spent in maintaining the Pastors and poore and in other workes of pietie 26. That Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction throughout the whole Diocesse be restored to the Bishops all exemptions being taken away but of the chiefe gouernors of the Orders and Monasteries subiect vnto them and those who make generall Chapters to whom exemptions are granted by a lawfull title but yet with prouision that they bee not exempted from correction 27. That the Bishop may not vse iurisdiction and handle matters of great weight concerning the Diocesse without the counsell of the Chapter and that the Canons may reside continually in the Churches bee of good conuersation learned and at the least 25. yeeres of age in regard the lawes not giuing them the free disposition of their goods before that time they ought not to bee made counsellours to Bishops 28 That the degrees of affinity consanguinity and spirituall kindred be obserued or reformed and that it may not bee lawfull to dispence therein but with Kings and Princes for the publique good 29. That in regard many troubles haue risen by meanes of images the Synode would make prouision that the people may be taught what they ought to beleeue concerning them and that the abuses and superstitions if any be vsed in the worship of them may be taken away and that the same be done concerning indulgences pilgrimages reliques of Saints and of companies or confraternities 30. That the publike and ancient penance in the Catholike Church forgrieuous publike offences be restored and brought into vse as also fastings and other exercises of sorrow and publique prayers to appease the wrath of God 31. That excommunication be not decreed for euery sort of offence or contumacie but onely for the greatest and in which the offender doth perseuere after admonition 32. That to abbreuiate or quite take away suits of law for benefices by which the whole Clergie is blemished the distinction of petitorie and possessorie newly inuented in those causes may bee taken away nominations of Vniuersities abolished and a commandement giuen to Bishops to giue benefices not to those that seeke them but to those that auoid them and are worthy of them and their merit will be knowen if after their degree receiued in the Vniuersitie they shall haue spent some time in preaching with the consent of the Bishop and approbation of the people 33. That there beeing a suit for a benefice an Economique may bee created and arbitrators elected by the litigants which in case they refuse to doe that the Bishop may nominate and that these may determine the controuersie within six moneths and that no appeale may lie from them 34 That the Episcopall Synods may bee held once a yeere at the least and the Prouinciall once in euery three yeeres and the Generall if th ere bee none impediment euery tenth yeere The first of Ianuarie Vintimiglia arriued in Rome hauing made the iourney The negotiation of the Bishop of Vintimiglia in Rome in seuen daies Hee presented the letters to the Pope and declared his credence relating the cogitations and diuers ends and humours which were in the Councell and in what sort the Legates and other good seruants of his Holinesse thought the difficulties ought to bee managed The Pope held a congregation the third day and gaue account of the relation of Vintimiglia
howsoeuer Morone said it was superfluous and that nothing was to be done but to delay the answere without troubling his Holinesse In the negotiation of Princes especially those which doe not touch the substance of their State it happeneth that howsoeuer they do change opinion by the change of occurrences yet by the perswasions made before the change things contrary to their new will do fall out And so it was that the perswasions made by the Queene mother to the King of Spaine before she resolued to giue totall satisfaction to the Pope concerning the Councell did produce the effect of that Letter of the King Therefore Morone who did penetrate the bottome did not hold that esteeme of it as some thought The fifteenth of â—une Morone proposed in Congregation that the fifteenth of Iuly might bee appointed for the determinate day of the Session Segouia and some few others said they saw not how the difficulties which were vpon their hands could be resolued in so short a time of Hierarchie of Order of the institution of Bishops of the preheminence of the Pope and of Residence and that it was better to decide the difficulties first and afterwards to appoint a short terme for the day of the Session then to appoynt it now and afterwards to prolong it with indignitie But the contradictors being but few the proposition was established as it were without difficultie The next day Laynez Generall of the Iesuites in giuing his suffrage bent all his forces The suffrage of Laynez to answere whatsoeuer had beene said by others not conformable to the dectrine of the Court with so great affection as if his saluation had beene in question In the matter of dispensations he was exceeding copious saying it was spoken without reason that there is no other power of dispensing but interpretatiue and declaratiue for so the authoritie of a good Doctor would bee greater then of a great Prelate and that to lay the Pope cannot by dispensation disoblige him who is obliged before God is nothing but to teach men to preferre their owne conscience before the authority of the Church which conscience because it may bee erronious as it is for the most part to referre men to that is nothing but to cast euery Christian into a bottom lesse pit of dangers that as it cannot be denied that CHRIST had power to dispence in euery law nor that the Pope is his Vicar nor that there is the same tribunall and consistory of the Principall and the Vice-gerent so it must bee confessed that the Pope hath the same authority that this is the priuiledge of the Church of Rome and that euery one ought to take heede in regard it is heresie to take away the priuiledges of the Church because it is nothing but to denie the authority which CHRIST hath giuen it Then hee spake of reforming the Court and said that it is superiour to all particular Churches yea to many ioyned together and if it doeth belong to the Court of Rome to reforme each Church which doeth appertaine to euery Bishop in Councel and none of them can reforme the Roman because the scholar is not aboue his master nor the seruant aboue his Lord it followeth by necessary consequence that the Councell hath none authority to meddle in that businesse that many did call those things abuses which if they were examined and sounded to the bottome would be found to be either necessary or profitable that some would make the Sea of Rome as it was in the time of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Church without distingushing the times not knowing what doth belong to those and what to these that it is a plaine case that by the prouidence and goodnesse of GOD the Church is made rich and that nothing is more impertinent then to say that God hath giuen riches and not the vse For Annates hee sayd that it is de iure diuino that Tythes and first Fruites should bee payd to the Cleargie as the Iewes did to the Leuâ—â—es and as the Leuites payd the Tenthes to the high Priest so ought the Ecclesiasticall order to the Pope the rents of Benefices being the Tythes and the Annates the Tythes of the Tythes This discourse displeased many and particularly the French-men and there were Prelates who noted some things which they meant to answere if occasion serued when their turne was to speake The Spaniards and French-men thought that that Father spake thus by Fauours done vnto him order or by consent of the Legates alleadging for an Argument the many fauours which were done vnto him vpon all occasions and especially because whereas other Generals were wont to stand on their feete and in their place when they gaue their voyce Laynez was called into the middle and made to sit downe and many times a congregation was made for him onely to giue him commoditie to speake what hee would and howsoeuer none was euer halfe so prolike as hee yet he was praysed and those against whom hee spake could neuer bee so briefe but they were reprehended for being too long But Laynez knowing what offence the French-men did pretend His excuse to haue receiued sent his companions Torre and Cauillone to make an excuse to Loraine saying that his redargutions were not meant of his Excellencie or any of the French Prelates but of the Diuines of the Sarbone whose opinions are not conformeable to the Doctrine of the Church This beeing related to the Cardinall in a Congregation of Giueth distast to the French-men French-men held in his house the excuse did much distast the Prelates some saying it was petulant and others scornefull and those few Diuines which remained were sensible of it so that Hugonias himselfe whom they had bought did thinke it vnsufferable Verdun thought hee was touched in particular and obliged to reply and prayed the Cardinall to giue him leaue and occasion Hee promised to speake modestly and to shew that the doctrine of the Sorbone was orthodoxe and that of the Iesuite new and neuer heard of in the Church before that is that the key of authoritie is giuen by CHRIST without the key of knowledge that the holy Ghost giuen for the gouernement of the Church is called by the holy Scripture the spirit of trueth and the operation thereof in the gouernours of the Church and Ministers of CHRIST is to leade them into all trueth that for this cause CHRIST hath made his Ministers partakers of his authority because hee hath withall imparted to them the light of doctrine that Saint Paul to Timothie writing that hee is constituted an Apostle doeth expound it thus that is a Doctor of the Gentiles who in two places prescribing the conditions of a Bishop saith he must bee a Doctour that obseruing the vse of the primitiue Church it will appeare that the faithfull did goe to Bishops for dispensations and declarations because those onely were assumed to that charge who were most of all
there be not hope that hee may bee worthy of holy orders and from the last of the minor Orders vntill the Subdeaconship there shall be the interposition of a yeere if the Bishop shall not iudge otherwise for the good of the Church The twelfth None shall be ordained Subdeacon before the age of two and twenty yeeres Deacon before three and twenty Priest before sixe and twenty Neither shall the Regulars haue any exemption herein The thirteenth Subdeacons and Deacons shall bee first proued in the minor Orders shall haue hope to liue continently shall serue the Church to which they are ascribed and shall thinke it very conuenient to receiue the Communion on Sundayes and solemne Feasts when they serue at the Altar Subdeacons shall not passe to a higher degree vntill they bee exercised one yeere in their owne but two holy degrees shall not be giuen in one day by vertue of any priuiledge whatsoeuer The fourteenth None shall be ordained a Priest but a Deacon which hath been exercised in that ministery a whole yeere at the least and found sufficient to teach the people and administer the Sacraments and the Bishop shall take care that they celebrate the Masse euery Sunday and holy day 〈◊〉 in case they haue cure of soules they shall satisfie their charge and if any be ordained to the superior Orders before the inferior the Bishop may dispense if there be a lawfull cause The fifteenth Howsoeuer Priests receiue power in their ordination to absolue from sinnes yet none shall heare confessions who haue not a Parochiall Benefice or is not approued by the Bishop The sixteenth None shall be ordained before hee bee ascribed to some particular Church or pious place to exercise the ministery of that Order and if hoc abandon the place without consent of the Bishop the ministery shall be prohibited vnto him and no strange Clerke shall bee admitted to the exercise of the Ministery without the letters of his Ordinary The seuenteenth To bring againe into vse the functions of the Orders from a Deacon to an Ostiarie which being vsed from the time of the Apostles haue been intermitted in many places that they may not be derided by the heretikes as idle these Ministeries shall not be exercised but by those who haue receiued the Orders appertaining and the Prelates shall restore those functions and in case they haue not continent Clerkes for exercise of the minor Orders they may take married men so that they haue not been twice married and be in other respects apt for that exercise The last article was for the institution of Seminaries in which it was constituted that euery Episcopall Church should haue a certaine number of boyes brought vp in a Colledge neere the Church or in another conuenient place the boyes shall bee twelue yeeres olde at the least legitimate and distributed into formes by the Bishop according to their number age and progresse in Ecclesiasticall discipline They shall weare the habit and tonsure learne Grammer Musicke Ecclesiasticall computation the holy Scripture to reade the Homilies of the Fathers know the Rites and Ceremonies of the Sacrament and especially that which belongeth to hearing confessions And to defray the charge thereof where there is any reuenue deputed for education of children it shall bee applied to this Seminarie and to supply that which remaineth the Bishop with foure of the Clergie shall detract a portion from all the Benefices of the Diocesse and apply simple Benefices also to this vse and compell those who haue Schoole-houses or other charge to reade or teach in the Schooles of the Seminarie by themselues or by sufficient substitutes and Schoolemasters places shall not bee giuen hereafter but vnto Doctors or Masters in Diuinity or in the Canon law And if in any Prouince the Churches be so poore that a Seminary cannot bee erected in them one or more shall bee appointed in the Prouince and in the Churches of the great Diocesse the Bishop shall erect one or more if hee thinke fit besides that of the Citie which notwithstanding shall depend on that of the Citie In the end the Decree intimating the next Session for the sixteenth of September was read expressing that then the Sacrament of Matrimony was to bee handled and other things pertaining to the doctrine of Faith as also the prouisions of Bishoprickes Dignities and other Benefices and diuers other articles of reformation The Session continued from nine vntill sixteene a clocke with great content of the Legates and Popish Prelates that matters did passe so quietly and with such a generall consent And they commended the Cardinall of Loraine aboue all confessing that he had beene the most principall cause of this benefit No act of this Councell was seene with more desire then this of this Session The censure of the actes of this Session euery one being curious to know what that was which held in contention so many Prelats in Trent and all the Courts of Christian Princes in businesse ten moneths together But it prooued to be according to the prouerbe The trauaile of mountaines and the natiuity of a mouse No man could finde how it could deserue not onely so great and long paines of so many great persons but euen the least employment at all And those who vnderstood Theologie did desire that it should be once declared what the Councell did vnderstand by the power of retaining sins which was made one part of the Sacerdotall power because they had declared the sence of the other which was to remit sinnes And others wondered at the declaration that the inferiour Orders are onely degrees vnto the superiour and all vnto Priest-hood in regard it doth appeare in the ancient Ecclesiasticall Storie that those who were ordained to any ministery or charge were for the most part perpetually entertained in the same and the ascending to an higher degree happened very seldome and was vsed onely in case of necessitie or great vtilitie None of the seuen Deacons instituted by the Apostles ascended any higher and in the ancient Church of Rome it selfe it doth not appeare that the Deacons whose office was to heare the confessions of Martyrs did passe to the title of Priesthood The ordination of Saint Ambrose to bee a Bishop of Saint Hierome Saint Austin and Saint Paulinus to bee Priests and of Saint Gregorie the Great to be a Deacon is described without mention of any passage by other degrees They did not blame the vse begun in later times but they marueiled that they did alleadge it as a thing alwayes vsed whereas the contrary was manifest The Decree that the ministeries of the Orders from a Deacon to an Ostiary should not bee exercised but by persons promoted to those proper Orders made a faire shew but it seemed a thing hard to bee obserued that in no Church none might ring the bels or open and shut the doores but the ordinarie Ostiaries nor light the lamps and candles but the Accolites who were to exercise
those manuall functions that they might ascend to Priest-hood And it seemed some contradiction to haue determined absolutely that those ministeries should not bee exercised but by persons ordained and afterward commanded the Prelats to restore them as much as conueniently they could For obseruing the absolute Decree it is very necessary that where persons ordained cannot be had for exercise of those functions they must not be exercised at all and if they may bee exercised without Orders in places where persons ordayned cannot bee found the absolute definition might haue better been omitted In the Decree of the ordination of Priests it was thought very conuenient to prescribe that condition that they should he able to teach the people but this did not seeme very coherent with that other doctrine and vse that cure of soules is not essentiall to Priesthood so that to bee able to teach the people is not necessary to those Priests who meane neuer to take that cure vpon them And to make to a necessary condition in the minor orders to vnderstand the Latine tongue was to shew that this was not a Generall Councell of all Christian Nations in regard this Decree could not be vniuersall and binde the Nations of Africa Asia and of a great part of Europe where the Latine tongue neuer had place The sixth Anathematisme was much noted in Germany in which an Article of faith was made of Hierarchie which word and signification thereof is aliene not to say contrary to the holy Scriptures and though it was somewhat anciently inuented yet the authour is not knowne and in case he were yet he is an Hyperbolicall writer not imitated in the vse of that word nor of others of his inuention by any of the ancients and following the stile of CHRIST our LORD and of the holy Apostles and Primitiue Church it ought to be named not Hierarchie but Hierodiaconia or Hierodoulia And Peter Paul Vergerius in Valtelina did make this and other obiections against the Vergerius maketh obiections against the Councel doctrine of the Councell the subiect of his Sermons relating the contentions betweene the Bishops and detracting as much as hee could not onely by words but by letters also to the other Protestant and Euangelicall Ministers which they read in their Churches to the people And howsoeuer the Bishop of Como by order from the Pope and the Cardinall Morone vsed all meanes and in a very extraordinary manner also to cause him to depart out of that Countrey yet they were not able to effect it Concerning the Decree of Residence of which euery one discoursed and expected some good resolution because there was so much spoken and writen of it tha nothing seemed to bee more in voice then that 〈◊〉 marueiled that in the ende that was pronounced for a decision of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was plaine to euery one that is that not to reside was 〈◊〉 except there were a lawfull cause as if it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all by the law of 〈◊〉 ture that whosoeuer doeth absent himselfe from his charge of what 〈◊〉 soeuer it be without a lawfull cause doeth s 〈…〉 The successe of this Session to 〈…〉 away the indelligence◠held vntill then◠The Spanish Prelats complaine of the Cardinall of Loraine betweene Loraine and the Spaniards For these complained that they w 〈…〉 abandoned in the matter of the Institution of Bishops and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hee had very often told them that hee was of their opinion and promised to labour effectually to cause that doctrine to bee decreed without making any condition They added that there was no hope he would bee constant in any other promise and that the Pope by making him beleeue hee should bee Legate of France had wonne him And other things they said which were little for his honour On the other side hee iustified himselfe saying that the offer was made vnto him to make his friends mistrust him and that his answere was that hee would not hearken vnto it before areformation were made in Councell Notwithstanding it was not beleeued that hee would perseuere in the same opinion no not so much as in this matter The Legates desirous to finish the Councell did so soone as the Session was done vse meanes to facilitate the residue which for matter of faith was Indulgences inuocation of Saints and Purgatorie And to this end they elected tenne Diuines two Generals of Friars and two for euery Prince that is for the Pope France of which there were but a few remaining Spaine and Portugall charging them to consider how the Protestants opinion in this matter might briefly bee confuted And themselues beeing resolued meant to propose their owne opinions in generall Congregation by which the Canons might be composed at the same time when Matrimonie should be handled that they might quickly dispatch those matters without hearing the disputes of the Diuines as formerly they had done In matter of reformation they treated with the Cardinall of Loraine the Emperours and Spanish Ambassadours to bee content that the reformation The reformation of Princes of Princes might bee proposed also who saying it was fit that abuses should be remooued wheresoeuer they were the Articles were collected and hope conceiued that all that remained might bee decided in one Session onely But the Spanish Ambassadour for many respects of his King did not like that haste and therefore did crosse it with many difficulties First hee proposed that it was necessary before the Councell ended to vse meanes to bring the Protestants thither alleadging that it would be labour in vaine if the Decrees were not accepted by them and that there was no hope they would accept them if they were not present in Councell The Legats answered that the Pope had done for his part whatsoeuer was fit wrote letters and sent expresse Nuncij to them all so that nothing could bee done to make their contumacie more manifest The Count answered that hee did not desire it should be done in the name of his Holinesse because that would not onely not cause them to come but make them more auerse but in the name of the Councell with conuenient promises and intercession of the Emperour Whereunto the Legats replying that they would consider on it they gaue an account thereof to the Pope that he might use meanes in Spaine to diuert such discourses and to perswade the ending of the Councell The Count desired also that the Diuines might speake publikely according to the vse concerning the particulars of Indulgences and of the other matters perswading the Prelats that the order might not be changed nor the reputation of the Councell diminished by omitting the examination of those things which had more neede of it then any other The Pope was much troubled with these aduises and the rather because Don Lewis d' Auila and Vargas the Ambassador resident with him had giuen their words that the King would be content that the Councell should end And calling
and authoritie of Kings and Princes may bee deferred vntill the next and that nothing may be decreed therein before they the Ambassadours bee heard who haue giuen account to the King of those and other things which they had to propose But howsoeuer they proposed these difficult matters yet they said indifferently to all and with affectation that it might be published that they would not be earnest in any thing but that which concerneth the rights and Secular affaires of their Kingdome The Venetian Ambassadours proposed that the Article of Patronage might be so accommodated that it might not giue occasion of nouitie concerning those who belong to their Republique and Prince The Ambassadours also of Sauoy and Tuscane made the same instances At this time the Imperialists receiued commission from their Prince to mediate as they did with the Legats that in the reuiew of the Index of the bookes mention might not bee made of the Recesses of the Diets in Germanie formerly prohibited by Paul 4 and the Emperors order was somewhat sharpe that in stead of handling of Ecclesiasticall matters they would not giue a forme to the policie of Germanie and occasion to the people who are gouerned by such Lawes to aliene themselues from the Church of Rome against their wills Answere was made that the Bishop of Prague one of them who was chiefe of the Congregation might know whether any speech were made of it and if there was not his Maiestie might trust to his Ambassadour who in all causes concerning him should bee fauoured both by them and by the Pope The seuenth day the Spanish Ambassadour presented his writing in which hee said he was well satisfied with all the Articles and would not demand any thing but onely the change of some words which seemed vnto him to be superfluous or that they may be expounded better And hee touched almost all things which did enlarge the authoritie of Bishops so moderating the words that the alteration did not seeme to be substantiall but that indeed he did rather restraine then augment it Hee made request also that they would treat of the Conclaue saying that the King did much desire it as also that the part concerning fecular Princes might be deferred vntill another Session After he had exhibited his writing hee desired the Legates that so soone as voices were giuen concerning the things proposed they would depute Fathers of euery Nation to collect what they should thinke necessary for reformation of their Countreys that all might bee determined with a generall satisfaction Morone answered in the name of all that they could not consent to proceede otherwise then they had done hitherto in other matters Wherein many things being said by both parties by the Count to intimate the Councell was in seruitude and by the Cardinall to shew the libertie Morone added that no man could complaine that hee was hindered in his libertie of speaking The other replyed that he could not beleeue that any thing of worth had beene done by them and did not forbeare to tell him that there was a great murmuring in the Councell for the particular congregations assembled a few dayes since and that it was supposed that they were made to get voices The Legates said it was their duety in the diuersitie of opinions to vnderstand the trueth and to accommodate the differences that matters may bee determined with vnion The Count replyed that it was well if it were so but that Italians onely were called except two or three Spaniards and as many Frenchmen who differed from others of their Nations The Legats defended themselues that they were not called in proportion because there were an hundred and fiftie Italians in Councell and not aboue threescore of all other Nations The Count seemed to be satisfied and being parted said to his Prelats that the Legats hauing begun a discourse to shew that esteeme ought not to bee held of Nations had concluded it shewing that they had euer held esteeme of them The next day the Legats and two Cardinals consulted about the aduertisments of the Ambassadours and how to amend the Articles of reformation to be giuen to the Fathers and of the maner to bee held in speaking on them In which Loraine hauing receiued new letters from France and order that both himselfe and all the other French Prelats should fauour the Popes affaires wholly bent to satisfie the Legats perswaded them not to suffer so many points to be handled at once but to diuide them into parts according to the subiects and when one part was ended to propose another and to hasten the Session omitting all the things which had any difficultie and concluding those onely in which all or the greatest part would agree and particularly not to propose in the beginning those in which the Ambassadours did not consent The eleuenth day the Congregations began to be celebrated to establish the Anathematismes and decrees of Matrimonie The proposition of the French-men was handled to make mariages voide contracted by children without consent of parents in whose power they are And the first that gaue voice did differ in opinion The Cardinall of Loraine did approue it alleadging places of the Scripture which giue to the Fathers power to marry their children examples of mariages of the Patriarkes Isaac and Iacob adding the Imperiall lawes of the Institutions and the Code made by Christian Princes of famous memorie as also the Canon vnder the name of Euaristus and another of the Councell of Carthage produced by Gratian. And hee related the inconueniences arising herein The Arcbishop of Otranto was of the contrary opinion saying that this was to giue authority to Lay-men ouer the Sacraments and make them beleeue that the authoritie in making them voide doeth depend on the paternall not on the Ecclesiasticall Besides it would be a decree directly contrary to the holy Scripture which expressely faith that a man shall leaue father and mother and cleaue to his wife And for inconueniences it will cause more referring the sonnes to their fathers in matters of conscience And if a father would not consent to the mariage of a sonne who hath not the gift of continencie hee would be infinitely perplexed Nine and twentie spake in that Congregation and twentie were of opinion to omit that matter Of the others some approoued the decree so generally and some restrained it in sonnes to the age of twentie yeeres and of eighteene in daughters In the end of the Congregation the Venetian Ambassadours caused a The Venetian Ambassadours doe exhibite a petition cōcerning diuorces in the Greeke Church demaund of theirs to bee read concerning the Anathematismes of diuorces which did continue in substance That their Republique hauing the kingdomes of Cyprus Candie Corfue Zante and Cephalonia inhabited by Grecians who haue from all antiquitie vsed to put away their wiues for fornication take another for which Rite well knowen to the whole Church they were neuer condemned nor reprehended by any
of heresie and others said it was much to bee suspected at the least and others that it was offensiue to godly eares They said hee had taken occasion to doe it in absence of the Cardinall of Loraine who would neuer haue endured those termes and that his end was to dissolue the Councell that hee did attribute to Kings more then belongeth to them that hee inferred that the Popes authority is not necessary for the vsing of Church goods that hee made the French King like to the Queene of England But nothing did so much offend as that hee said that the authority of the French Kings ouer persons and goods Ecclesiasticall was not founded vpon the Pragmatique Concordates and priuiledges giuen by Popes but vpon the law of Nature holy Scripture ancient Councels and lawes of the Christian Emperours The French Ambassadours were reprehended also because they did not follow the steps of the Emperours and Spanish Ambassadors who though they had the same interests made not such a commotion because they knew there was no reason for it De Ferrieres defended himselfe said that the Legates had promised the Cardinall of Loraine that this matter should not bee spoken of but with such moderation as that it should not touch the affaires of France which was not performed that the Kings instruction had beene imparted to the Cardinall who if he had beene present would not onely haue consented to but counselled Protestation that those were great Ignorantes who hauing seene nothing but the Decretals Lawes of foure hundred yeeres did thinke that there were 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasticall lawes before them that if any would reforme the King by the Decretals he would reforme them by the Decrees and lead them also to more ancient times not onely of Saint Austine but of the Apostles also that he did not make the French King as the Queene of England but did oppose them who haue begunne long since to enlarge their owne authority by di 〈…〉 ing the Kings that if those Articles did so much damnifie the Emperour and Catholique King as they doe France they would neuer haue beene proposed and therefore he was not to take example by those who haue not equall interests The Arch-bishop of Sant and the Abbat of Claraual were distasted most of all who went vp and downe saying that the Ambassadours had done ill to protest and that their end was to make a confusion and giue occasion for a Nationall Councel in France that they were men not well affected creatures of the King of Nauarre sent by him to the Councel for his owne deseignes had protested without the Kings commission that it was fit to make them shew their instructions to frame an Inquisition against them as not hauing a good opinion in matter of faith Where in great differences did arise between the Ambassadours and them The next day the Ambassadors gaue the King an account of the causes why they had deferred the protestation vntill then and how they were forced at that time to come vnto it adding that they would deferre the registring of it in the acts of the Councell vntill his Maiesty had seene it and commanded them what they should doe The Legats not hauing a copie of the Oration made a collection of it by the memory of those who had beeene most attentiue to send it to the Pope of which de Ferrieres hauing gotten a copie complained that many things were expressed against his intention and in particular where hee named Ecclesiasticall lawes it was repeated spirituall lawes and that Kings might take Church goods at their pleasure whereas hee had sayd onely for necessary cause By this he was forced to giue foorth his Oration and sent a copie of it to Rome to the Cardinall of Loraine excusing himselfe for not hauing vsed words of such acrimony as he was commanded in the last instructions and in the first which are reconfirmed in those adding also that he thought it necessary to obey the King and was not willing to vndergoe the reprehensions of the Counsellors of Parliament who would haue taxed him if in a Generall Councell matters of so great importance had beene determined against that which hath beene by them so exactly maintained besides the Kings authority which hee defended hauing beene vpheld foure hundred yeeres by the Kingdome of France against the war in opposition of it made by the Court of Rome it was not iust that the Fathers of the Councell the greater part of whom are Courtiers should be Iudges of the ancient differences which the kingdome hath with that Court He gaue a copie of the oration to the Ambassadors also and to as many as did desire it and some saide that he had pronounced it otherwise then it was written Whereunto hee replyed that that could not bee said by any that had any meane vnderstanding of the Latine and that howsoeuer it was the same pronounced and written yet if they thought otherwise they must remember that the stile of the Synod was neuer to iudge of things as they were deliuered in voyce but as they were exhibited in writing and therefore they should moue no controuersie herein or if they would himselfe was to bee beleeued before any other The oration being published it was answered in the name of the Synod And answered by a namelesse man Hee said that the French Ambassadours had reason to compare themselues to the Ambassadours of the Iewes because they had both made an vniust complaint against GOD and that the same answere might be giuen them which the Prophet gaue to that people in the name of GOD that if they had fasted and lamented so many yeeres or ate and drunke all was for their owne interests that the Kings of France were cause of all the abuses of that Kingdome by naming to Bishoprickes vnlearned persons ignorant in Ecclesiasticall discipline and more inclined to a lasciuious then to a religious life that the French-men would not haue a resolution in the controuersies of faith that Christian doctrine might allwayes be vncertaine and place might be giuen to new masters who might rub the itching eares of that vnquiet Nation that they spared not to say in those turbulent times that it belonged to the King though very yong as yet to dispose of all the gouerment of the Church that they had sayd with asseueration that beneficed men had onely the vse of the reuenues whereas in France time out of mind they haue carried themselues for Vsufructuaries making Testaments and receiuing inheritances from their kinsfolke who die intestate that to say the poore are owners of the reuenues was much contrary to another saying in the same oration that the King is Patron of all Ecclesiastical goods and might dispose of them at his pleasure that it was a great absurdity to say that the King might not bee reprehended by a generall Councell seeing that Dauid was reprehended by the Prophet Nathan and tooke it in good part that it did
a little sauour of heresie to taxe Bishops of these later times as if they were not true Bishops In the end hee spake at large against the saying of the Ambassador that Kings are giuen by GOD confuting it as hereticall condemned by the extrauagant of Boniface the eight Vnam sanctam if hee did not distinguish that they are from GOD but by mediation of his Vicar The Ambassadour published an Apologie in answer of this writing as if Which causeth him to make an Apologie it had beene made to the Synod saying that the Fathers could not answere them as the Prophet did the Iewes for they demaunded a reformation of the Cleargie principally in France knowing the defects of it and not as the Iewes to whom the cause of their fasting and lamentation was imputed because they were ignorant of their owne defects that the Fathers ascribing the cause of the Ecclesiasticall deformation to their Kings should take heede they did not like Adam who layd the blame vpon the woman which God had giuen him for company saying it was a great fault in the Kings to present vnworthy Bishops but a greater in the Popes to admit them that they had desired the reformation before the doctrine not to leaue it vncertaine but because all Catholiques consenting therein they thought it necessary to begin with corrupted manners the fountaine and source of all heresies that he was not sorry hee had said that in the Articles proposed there are many things repugnant to the ancient decrees yea he would adde that they did derogate also from the constitutions of the Popes of later times that hee had said that Charles the great and Lewis the ninth had constituted Ecclesiasticall Lawes by which France had beene gouerned not that the present King did meane to make new and if he had he had spoken conformably to the holy Scripture the ciuill lawes of the Romans and to that which the Ecclesiasticall authors Greeke and Latine doe write before the booke of the Decrees for saying that beneficed men had onely the vse of the reuenues hee asked pardon because he should haue sayd that they were onely Administrators and that those who take his saying in ill part must complaine of Ierom Austin and the other Fathers who did not say onely that the Ecclesiasticall goods did belong to the poore but that Clergy men like seruants did gaine all for the Church that he neuer said that the King had free power ouer Ecclesiasticall goods but that all did belong to the Prince in time of instant and vrgent publike necessitie and he that knew the force of those words did vnderstand well that in such a time neither request nor authoritie of the Pope could take place that he had reprehended the Anathema against Kings in that manner as it was set downe in the Articles and did grant that Princes and Magistrates might bee reprehended in that sort as Nathan did but that they should not bee prouoked with iniuries and maledictions that hauing incited them by the example of Ezekias to make a reformation according to the paterne of the ancient times it could not bee inferred that he did not thinke the Bishops of the last times to be lawfull knowing very well that the Pharises and Popes sit in Moyses chaire that in saying the power of Kings commeth from God he hath said absolutely and simply as the Prophet Daniel and Paul the Apostle haue written not remembring the distinction of mediate immediate nor the Constitution of Boniface of which if hee being a French-man had thought he would haue repeated what the Stories say of the cause and beginning of that extrauagant This Apologie did not diminish the bad opinion conceiued against the Ambassadours but increased it rather it being as they sayd not an excuse The gouernmēt of France is taxed by the Fathers of the error committed but a pertinacie in maintaining it And many discoursed not so much against the Ambassadours as against the Kingdome They sayd it did plainly appeare of what mind they were who managed the affaires of France They noted the Queene Mother that shee gaue credit to the Chastilons especially to him that had quitted the Cardinals Cap that the Chancellor and the Bishop of Valence had too much power with her at whose instance that vnluckie checke had beene giuen to the Parliament of Paris with the detriment of Religion that she had inward familiaritie with Cursor and with his wife whom in respect of their Religion shee should not haue endured to looke vpon That the Kings Court was full of Hugonots exceedingly fauoured that sollicitation was still vsed to sell Ecclesiasticall goods to the great preiudice of the Church and other things they sayd of this nature But while the Councell was in this motion by meanes of these differences the Count of Luna according to his vse to adde difficulties to those which were proposed by others made instance for the abrogation of Proponentibus Legatis A thing which did much trouble them because they knew not how to content him without preiudice of the formed Sessions For not onely the reuocation but euery modification or suspension did seeme to bee a declaration that they had not lawfully proceeded in the things past But the Ambassadour seeing nothing done concerning his demand so often The abrogation of proponentibus Legatis is promoted againe made said that hitherto he had negotiated modestly but should bee forced to alter his course and spake more boldly because the Pope vpon his former instances had written that they should doe that which was conuenient and did wholly referre himselfe vnto them The Legates to be quit of his importunitie answered that they would leaue it in the liberty of the Councell to make the declaration if he thought good and so the name of libertie of the Councel did serue to couer that which did proceed from others For the Legates did at the same time vse strong perswasions with the Prelates their friends that a delay might bee interposed to referre this particular to the end of the Councel and to enioy the benefit of time that some ouerture might bee made to some course lesse preiudiciall But the Count hauing discouered the practises prepared a protestation desiring the Emperours French and Portugal Ambassadours to subscribe it who perswaded him not to bee so earnest at that time For Morone hauing promised the Emperour that prouision should bee made herein before the end of the Councel vntill it were vnderstood whether that would be performed or not they knew not how hee could protest concerning the other And Cardinall Morone to pacifie the Count sent Paleotto often to negotiate with him in what maner his request might be granted which himselfe did not well vnderstand because his meaning was not to preiudice the decrees past and with this condition it was hard to finde a temper In conclusion the Legates gaue the Count theirword that the declaration should be made in the next Session
is idolatrie to inuocate them to pray for vs though singularly That it is repugnant to the word of God contrarie to the honour of CHRIST and a foolishnesse to pray vnto them either with heart or voyce That the bodies of Saints for whose sake God doeth giue vs many benefits ought not to bee worshipped That their reliques and sepultures ought not to bee honoured And that it is in vaine to make mention of them to obtaine assistance Concerning images that those of CHRIST of the Virgin and of Saints Of Images ought to be kept in the Churches and to haue due honour giuen them not that there is any divinitie or vertue in them but because the honour redoundeth to the thing represented CHRIST and the Saints being worshipped by the images whose simisitude they beare as hath beene defined by the Councels especially in the second of Nice That for histories the mysteries of religion expressed in pictures are taught to the people and the Articles of faith called to their mind and not onely the Benefites of CHRIST are suggested to them but the miracles and examples of Saints are euen put before their eyes that they may thanke God for them and imitate them anathematizing those that teach or beleeue the contrarie Afterwards it addeth that desiring to take away the abuses and occasions of pernicious errors it doeth ordaine that if there because to make an image of the Diuinity to declare the Historical pictures of the holy Scripture the people be taught that it is not done because it can be seene with bodily eyes that all superstition in inuocation of Saints worship of relikes and vse of images be taken away that all dishonest gaine bee abolished all excesse auoided images not pictured nor adorned lasciuiously nor banquets made in the Feasts of Saints or visitation of reliques that no vnusuall image be put in any Church or other place but approoued by the Bishop that no new miracles be admitted or new reliques receiued and in case of any doubt or abuse hard to be remooued or great difficultie the Bishop shall expect the opinion of the Prouinciall Councell neither shall any thing new or vnusuall in the Church be decreed without the consent of his Holinesse The Decree of the reformation of the Regulars did containe two and The Decrees of Reformation of Regulars twentie heads with these particular precepts in summe 1. That all shall obserue the rule of the profession especially in regard of the perfectioÌ„ which consisteth in vowes and essentiall Precepts as also in regard of their common foode and apparell 2. None shal possesse goods mooueable or immooueable as their owne neither shall their Superiours grant immooueables so much as for vse gouernement or Commenda and in the vse ef mooueables there shall be neither superfluitie nor want 3. The Synode granteth to all Monasteries though Mendicant except the Capuchins and the minor Obseruants to possesse immoueable goods with command that the number of religious in the Monasteries may bee established to containe as many as can be maintained by the rents or vsuall almes neither shall such places bee built hereafter without licence of the Bishops 4. No religious person shall goe to the seruice of any place or person without leaue of his Superiour nor depart from his Conuent without his command 5. Bishops shall haue care to restore and preserue the enclosure of the Nunnes exhorting Princes and commanding Magistrates vpon paine of excommunication to assist them Nunnes shall not goe out of the Monasteries and none shall enter vpon paine of excommunication without exception of sex condition or age except it bee with licence The Cloisters of Nunnes which are without the walles of the Cities and Castles shall be brought within 6. That elections bee made by secret scrutinie and titulars shall not bee created to this effect or the voyce of the absent supplied otherwise the election shall be voyde 7. In the Cloisters of Nunnes the Superiour shall bee fortie yeeres of age and eight yeeres professed or where this cannot bee of thirtie yeeres of age at the least and fiue yeeres professed No woman shall haue superioritie in two Nunries and he that is to ouersee the Election shall stand without the gates 8. The Monasteries immediatly vnder the Apostolique Sea shall be reduced into a Congregation and shal giue order for their gouernement and their superiours shall haue the same authoritie as others haue which haue beene formerly reduced into a Congregation 9. The Monasteries of Nunnes subiect immediatly to the Apostolique Sea shall bee gouerned by the Bishops as Delegates 10. The Nunnes shall confesse and communicate once a moneth at the least and besides the ordinarie Confessor one extraordinary shall be giuen twice or thrice a yeere and they shall not keepe the Sacrament within the Monastery 11. That in Monasteries which haue cure of the soules of Secular men those who doe exercise it shall be subiect to the Bishop as farre as concerneth the ministerie of the Sacraments except the Monasterie of Clugni or where the Abbats Generals or Heads of the Orders doe reside or where the Abbats haue Episcopall or temporall iurisdiction 12. The Regulars shall publish and obserue the Papall and Episcopall censures and interdicts as also the feasts which the Bishop shall command 13. The Bishop shall bee iudge of all controuersies for precedence betweene Ecclesiasticall persons whether Secular or Regular and no appeale from him shall lie and all shall bee bound to goe to publique processions except those who liue in strict inclosures 14. The Regular who resideth in the Cloister and committeth an excesse abroad shall be punished by his Superiour when the Bishop shall appoint who also shall bee certified of the punishment or otherwise the delinquent may be punished by him 15. Profession made before the age of sixeteene yeeres compleat and a yeere of probation shall be voyde 16. No ronunciation or obligation shall bee of force except it bee made within two moneths before the profession and with licence of the Ordinarie and the time of probation beeing ended the Superiours shall admit the N 〈…〉 to the profession or send them out of the Monasteries but not meaning to comprehend the Iesuites The Monasterie shall not receiue any thing of a Nouice before the profession except foode and apparell and at his departure all shall be restored that belongeth to him 17. No virgin shall receiue the habit or make profession except shee bee examined by the bishop and her will well vnderstood and that shee hath the conditions required by the rule of that Monasterie 18. That all such bee anathematized of what condition soeuer who shall except in lawfull cases force any woman to enter into a Monasterie receiue the habit or make profession as also those who shall without iust cause hinder those who would enter willingly The Penetenti or Conuertite are Nunnes who haue beene Courtisâ—us except the Penitenti or conuertite 19. Hee that shall pretend