of Iesus Christ reserued by his mother when hée was a little one and that hée had now brought it from Bethleem Hée had no sooner finished these things but all the Citty was full of the newes so that he was presently called before the Seigneury demanded whether it were true that hée had brought with him Moyses hornes and the breath of Christ and hée answered that it was true then they asked him if he were not ashamed to make men worship a paire of hornes If you said the Priest are not ashamed to make men worship and fall downe before the taile of the Asse on which Christ rode on Palme Sunday Dught I to thinke it a shame to make men worship these glorious hornes of Moyses dost thou beléeue said one of the Seigneurie that these are the very hornes of Moyses and that in this viol there is the very breath of Iesus Christ Then he answered and said I doe as verily beléeue that in this viol is the breath of Iesus Christ and that these are the hornes of Moyses as I beléeue that to be the milka of the Uirgin Mary which is in your viols which you say is hers making men reuerence and worship it as an holy Relique When hee had thus said they let him goe The 7. Apologue in which is shewed the folly of many who laugh when they should weepe and weepe when they should laugh POpe Iulius the third on the day of his coronation made a great feast especially for the Ladies of S. Peters Palace amongst which there was one who said wee women are the veriest fooles in the world and being asked why she answered because when Iesus Christ went to be crucified hee went to his soueraigne tryumph ouer sinne death and hell to the great glory of his heauenly father and to our saluation and perfect happinesse and then we wept and made great lamentation but now on the contrary at this mans coronation whence will procéede the great dishonour of God and the certaine ruine and destruction of many Christian soules we passe the time in feasts and merriment The 8 Apologue in which is shewed plainly that there is no Purgatory THere was in Rome an excellent and learned preacher of whom Pope Paul the third as of one in whom hee put great confidence demaunded on a time secretly whether he did belieue that the Pope had as men said so great power and authority ouer Purgatory that hee could thence set at liberty all the soules therein and cause that none should euer come thither againe but the preacher durst not bouldly speake his minde herein and would by no meanes say any thinge against his owne conscience and therefore remained in doubt Wherefore the Pope perceiuing it gaue him incouragement saying that he would haue him speake his mind freely without feare or rather respect Then seeing that the Pope desired to knowe the truth hee answered that he had no power at all ouer Purgatory Againe perceiuing that the Pope did greatly wonder at his words he said thus vnto him Holy Father had your Predecessors as great power and authority as you or had they lesse the Pope made answer that it was equall to his then replied the Preacher if they had as great power as you and by the same were able at any time to empty Purgatory as you suppose your selfe able to doe it is fit we belieue that among so many Popes some one was found so ful of charity to free al soules thence for euer The Pope answered that he could not tell that But said the Preacher I know this well that Iesus Christ the Soueraigne Priest hath of himselfe infinite charity and power and seeing that with his owne proper blood he hath truely and for euer purged the soules of his elect what need haue they of any other purgation wherefore I know not what that power is whereof you brag and boast so much The 9. Apologue by which is shewed the great ambition of the Popes Prelates the meanes they haue to come vnto dignity POpe Paul the third being asked of his kinsmen by what meanes hee did ascend to the Papall dignity answered and saide wee came vnto it by shewing that by the course of nature our time in this life could be but short and that we with patience had long expected it by exquisit practises by liberall promises by bragging what great friendes wee had to terrifie the Cardinalls if they did not elect vs to be Pope and finally by subtill sleights and a large conscience The 10. Apologue by which is in part discouered the auarice and superstition of the Priests and Monkes A Rich Seigneur of Paris being very sicke the thiefe of all the Religious in the citie went at seuerall times to visite him more indéede respecting the guiftes and rewards they hoped for at his hands then his soules safety And the Cordeliers exhorted him to call vpon and put his trust in S. Francis the Iacobins in S. Dominicke and the other in those Saints of whose order they were Mōks The Priest likewise exhorted him that hee would commend himselfe into the hands of S. Peter or of the Saint to whom their Church was didicated The Noble man perceiuing this diuersity caused them all to be sent for and to be assembled into his Chamber and then said thus vnto them When I first fell sicke I caused all the Phisitians in the City to come vnto mée and they could not agrée among themselues to giue me a medicine because that euery one of them to séeme more learned then the rest reproued all that the other would haue giuen mée counselled mee to take that which he would administer vnto mee Therefore calling them togither I said vnto them euery one of you would haue me take the Phisicke which he hath ordained for mée now if I should take all they would bring my body into worse estate then it is already if not kill mée and if I should resolue to take but one I know not which to choose wherefore you shall goe into this next chamber from whence you shall not come vntill you doe agrée to giue me a medicine approued of you all to be the best then the Phisitians knowing that long fasting would bring danger to their owne bodies did quickely consent and brought me physicke assuring mee that it was farre better and more agreable to my maladie then any they would before haue giuen mée Now in like manner you being come to medicine my soule are different among your selues for euery one of you doth exhort me to call vpon such a Saint and I by reason of my great sicknes and debelity of body am not able to make prayers perticulerly to so many Therefore goe you into the Phisitians Chamber and assure your selues that yée shall not come forth thence vntill you tell mee all with one accord to whom especially and onely I ought to commend my selfe for my soules safety Then the Priests and Monkes
God absolue me first and being so what would you haue me doe with your vaine Absolution When hée had thus said he departed from him The 62. Apologue whereby is shewed that in the Church of God there ought to be no Pope nor Cardinalls POpe Adrian was asked on a time why S. Paul speaking of Ministers ordained by God to gouerne his Church and saying that hée had appointd some to bée Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers had not also added as it was conuenient necessary he should that hée had ordained that there should bée one Pope and a great number of Cardinalls and hee answered that in the Primatiue Church men were so simple grosse of vnderstanding that if hee had named such kind of Creatures they would not haue vnderstood what they had meant The 63. Apologue whereby is shewed the folly of them who beleeue they shall bee saued by the Masses of S. Gregory and how the world is abused A Cerretan or Popish Marchant trauelled about the Country to vtter his commodities and wheresoeuer he came he said vnto the people when any of you is likely to dye hee ordaines by his last Wil and Testament that his friends shall after his death giue a Crowne to the Cordeliers to say the Masses of S. Gregory for him but you do not consider that before they are begun and ended many dayes doe passe away during which time yée must néedes remaine in the fire of Purgatory Now if yée will giue mee but halfe a Crowne for a man I will assure you that yee shall not come thither at all so that yée will onely weare about your necks continnually a little crosse which I will giue you and die with it about you And so many of the people receiued these crosses that the Masses of S. Gregory lost their credit wherefore the Cordeliers made all meanes they could against him calling him a seducer of the people and a preacher of lies but the Cerretan excusing himselfe said that hee had spoke nothing but the truth What said the Friers will thou affirme that thou hast authority to bring back Soules out of Purgatory If I had so said answered the Cerretan I would acknowledge my selfe the greatest sinner in the world I said indéede that I could préserue them from going thither but I spoke not a worde of bringing them backe thence Dost thou presume then said they that thou canst send them immediately into Paradice No said he then I were a foole and an hereticke but I said that if they would weare my little crosses and pay mee halfe a Crowne a man I would assure them they should neuer goe into Purgatory and my reason why I said so is that in such a case they shall be sure to goe to the Diuells in Hell because they beléeue they shall abtaine remission of their sinnes not by Iesus Christ but by paying halfe a Crowne and wearing a little piece of wood about their necks If that you would take as great héede to those thinges which you say when you preach your Indulgences Suffrages Merits Benedictions Absolutions Masses of S. Gregory as haue taken to my words so many false and faigned thinges which would neuer procéede out of your mouths to the detriment and ruine of so many simple people who giue credit to your lies after that yée haue blinded their eyes with your hipocrisie The 64. Apologue of the Cardinall of Chiety THere was two men on a time talking of the Cardinall of Chiety and one of them said that hee had a braine so dry and hard that a man could not with mattockes roote vp the superstitions which grew there much lesse imprint Iesus Christ in it and the other answered It is no maruaile if his braines be so hard and dry for heretofore the measure thereof did consume away w t his studying to bée Cardinall and since hee was Cardinall to bee Pope so that it doth wast and consume continually The 65. Apologue shewing why Pope Paul made the Bishop of Chiety Cardinall AFter that Pope Paul had made the Bishoppe of Chiety Cardinall one of his friends came vnto him and said that hee had done ill seeing that the Fishoppe was not so holy a man as the foolish world was perswaded and the Pope answered wee did not make him Cardinall because wee iudged him an holy man but that the world might iudge vs holy in that wee exalt those which are commonly thought good men Then his friend replied that the Bishop had taught some Venetian gentlemen part of Luthers doctrine wee know that said the Pope and therefore to bee reuenged on him wee made him Cardinall is it a reuenge said the other to make him Cardinal Yes very great said the Pope for whereas the world before tooke him for a Saint now euery one will account a Diuell and wee will yet make him more resemble a brast for wee will not onely not esteeme or regard him at all but also make him commit a thousand grosse and absurd errors The 66. Apologue shewing how men are abused by the Pope CErtaine Germanes beeing asked why they went not to Rome as the custome was answered that it was because they did no more giue credit to the Iubilees and Indulgences of the Pope but onely to the indulgences of Iesus Christ which through faith are offred by God in all places and to all persons when the other replied that it were good to goe thither if for no other cause but to see the Cittie of Rome which is so famous and admirable for monuments of antiquity they answered and said Seing that for a long space wee haue béene so blinde and foolish that wée haue beléeued that Antichrist was our God and vpon that confidence haue not spared our purses to buy Paradice wee are now much ashamed to goe abroad to be seene and knowne to be Germans Thr 67. Apologue wherby is declared the great perfection of the Chartreuse Friers THe Chartreuse Friers doe in vertues excéede all other religious men which is prooued first because they keepe Charity alwaies locked in their Cloisters for feare least they should loose her and neuer suffer her to enter into the Hospitall where they lay their Sicke least shee should bee infected with their diseases Againe they neuer suffer dame pouerty to come amongst them least that being a woman she should defile their chastity Thirdly because they would not offend through disobedience they kéepe themselues for the most part in their chambers to the end that no man should command them any thing Fourthly the greatest part of their time they spend in sléep that they may obserue the great vertue silence Fiftly they keepe patience alwaie prisoner least she should escape them so that there is none among them hath patience but hee that is in prison Sixtly they eate alone that they may lay vp what they leaue Lastly that they may bee humble in the lowest degree they tye their humility
this Boniface is the Vicar of Iesus Christ for first yee haue no warrant or testimonie for it from the holy Scriptures which are the word of God Againe yee know well that Iesus Christ in spirit is alwaies present with his Church so that he can well rule and gouerne it himselfe Thirdly if hée would haue another gouerne in his place without all doubt to an office and gouernment of such great importance hee would neuer haue chosen such a foolish and wicked man as this Pope Boniface is These reasons so well pleased them all and were found so sufficient that presently they droue the Pope out of Rome But indeed men were at that time wiser then any that liue in these our dayes The 22 Apologue in which is declared the impiety of them who commit the charge of soules to vnworthy persons THere was on a time at Rome a Cardinall of Germanie who intreated a learned Doctor who then liued at Rome that hee would vndertake the charg of instructing his sons offering him for his paines fiue hundred crownes by the yeare And being asked by the Doctor when hee would send them to Rome hee answered that he would not send them thither at all then said the Doctor it is vnpossible that I should be their maister for I haue determined neuer to leaue Rome I care not said the Cardinall whether you be present with them or no so that you will onely beare the name of being their Maister That condition the Doctor willingly accepted wherefore the Cardinall as one very ioyfull thereat went presently and recounted all to the Pope saying hee now thought himselfe well eased of a great charge but the Pope laughing at him said what profit I pray you will arise to your Children from such a Maister who will neuer bee with them by this you shew the small loue that you beare vnto them Then the Cardinall answered and said you shew much lesse loue to your spirituail Children in that you appoint Italians and other strangers to bee Pastours ouer the poore Germanes who notwithstanding neuer come at vs insomuch that many of them know not where their Bishoprickes lie and yet things which concerne the soule are of farre greater consequence then letters moreover I haue prouided for my children a master who is a learned man and well able to teach and instruct them but you ordaine to be Bishops ouer the People those who are not onely sinfull and wicked but also vnlearned and ignorant beasts wherefore if I in this case haue not satisfied my duety assure your selfe that you much lesse satisfie yours in placing such Pastours or rather Wolues ouer the sheepe of Iesus Christ the Pope knew not what to answer but being very angry bad him depart out of his sight The 23. Apologue by which is discouered the foolish presumption of them who teach new rules and manners of liuing like Christians POpe Iulius the second hauing caused the Church of S. Peter to be pulled downe with an intent to reedifie it after a more beautiful and stately manner commanded a pourtrait thereof to be drawne by the chiefest Architect and contriuer of buildings which was then to be found which he did so exactly that the Pope liked well of it as soone as hée saw it and gaue charge that the foundation of the building should bee laid according therevnto Now at the same time there were certaine Maister Carpenters who knew how to make nothing well vnlesse it were a Boxe or a Coffir or such small matters yet notwithstanding did so much presume of themselues that euery one of them did vndertake to drawe a seuerall Platforme of S. Peters Church which being compared with the former resembled rather little cottages then any thing else Finally euery one being desirous y t the Pope should approue his for good and build the Church according to it made such meanes that the Pope had the sight of them but hee mocking at their foolish presumption said vnto them our purpose is to build but one Church and therefore one platforme will suffice and already wee haue procured one which wee thinke to be absolute what therefore would you haue vs doe with your cabbins then the Carpenters answered and said Holy Father you know that there is but one Church of God and Iesus Christ the Soueraigne maister and builder thereof hath giuen it an absolute and most perfect forme and rule of liuing as Christians ought to doe approued euen of you Popes to be very good and neuerthelesse you receiue and approoue other rules and formes of liuing made by Basill Benet Dominicke Francis and many other who haue presumed so far at least as the Munkes would haue men beléeue as to ad their foolish inuentions humane traditiōs to the most perfect rule of the commandements of our Lord and only lawmaker Iesus Christ why therefore will not youreceiue and allow of the platformes and portraites which wee haue drawne But the Pope made answer that theirs was nothing worth because they did not serue as the other did either to the augmentation or preseruation of the Popedome The 24 Apologue wherin are condemned humane rules and commandements touching spirituall liuing together with a demonstration of the euil which proceedeth thence IN the yeare of Iubile two holy men went vnto Rome to see if it were true as they had heard that there were so many hypocrisies superstitions Idolatries and impieties And that they might bee the better resolued they went vnto Cardinall Chietie as to the fountaine of all and demaunded of him what a man ought to doe to be saued and hee answered that hée ought to enter into his religion As said they there is but one Christ one Gospell one law of God one Baptisme and one faith so there is but one true Religion which is that of Iesus Christ. Then the Cardinall answered I would haue him enter into my religion without departing from that of Christ that cannot bée replied the other for the Conuentual Friers of S. Francis the Friers of S. Francis the Friers of the Obseruance and of the loue of God the Friers of S. Clare and the Boscaines and the Cabuchines haue all one same rule of S. Francis and yet the same person cannot at the same time bee of two of these religions and then how can one at the same time be of Christs religion and yours seeing the rule of yours is repugnant to that of Christ that is as much to say as that a Dunke of S. Francis may be at the same time a Chartreuse also which is a thing vnpossible for as much as their orders are not onely different but in many things quite contrary Then the Cardinall said although the rule of my religion be different from that of Christ yet is it not contrary but said they the rule of Iesus Christ is so perfect that nothing can be added therevnto for wee ran doe no good worke to the glory of God but we are obliged vnto it
of my flesh not onely the villanies of men and women but also their members wherewith they committed them and if you haue obliged sinners to reueale all the wickednes they haue committed why should I thinke it shame to behold those parts which God hath made It hath beene ordained said the Bishop that they should doe so to the end that by the shame thereof they might merit remission of their sinnes and be moued to abstaine from the like afterward for the same reasons said the Priest ought they also to shew the instruments But where said the Bishop doe you finde in the Gospell that a man ought so to lay open himselfe doe you not remember said the Priest that Christ said to the Leper goe and shew they selfe to the Priest now the Priest would see him naked that he might iudge whether he were cleane or not and I thinke that I ought to do the like least I should iudge amisse Now I beléeue that you cannot finde in all the Gospell any place so fauorable to your confession as this is to mine The Bishop not knowing what to determine in the matter carried it with other Articles to the Councel of Trent to yéeld the Bishops matter of disputation and said that he thought it sit to bee made an Article of faith The 51. Apologue by which is shewed how easily the Popes followers deceiue the world THere came to Venice a Cerretan or Pardonmonger who hauing bought of the Pope all his authority ouer the dead did brag that he could deliuer soules out of hel and because many fooles gaue credit to his words he got great store of money but the Popes Legat vnderstanding it sent for him and asked him where he got authority to deliuer soules out of Hell and he said of the Pope and withall shewed him his Bulls the Legat hauing read them said the Pope hath giuen thée authority ouer those which are in Purgatory and not ouer those which are in hell Then the Cerretan said you are a very hereticke who would thus limit the power of the Pope tell mee I pray you is not God omnipotent may not hee doe what hee will can any one limit or bound the power of God And the Legate answered no so replied the Cerretan in as much as the Pope hath all the power of God as his Lieutenant on earth none can bound or restraine his power But said the Legate wee read that out of hell there is no redemption but that the paines thereof are eternall Doe not you know said the Cerretan that there is no rule so generall but hath some exception that which you say is to bee vnderstood thus That they cannot ordinarily bee deliuered thence as heere in the prisons of Venice the malefactors kept therein cannot come out when ther will notwithstanding the Signiory can set them at liberty when they please But said the Legate what authority haue you ouer hell The same said hee which the Pope hath ouer Purgatory but I haue gained more by Hell then by Purgatory and therefore if the Pope would follow my councell hee might quickly fill his coffers with Treasure the Legate asked him how And hee saide If hee would say that hee would deliuer Soules out of Hell which might easily bee done if only in that place of his Bulles where hee saith Deliuer soules out of Purgatory hee would also adde deliuer Soules out of Hell But the chiefe and principall matter of the businesse is said the Legate not that hée onely say so in wordes but that they bee deliuered in déed and effect What said the Cerretan neede the Pope care whether they be deliuered or no so that the world doth beléeue they are deliuered Is it not sufficient for him that hée may fill his Chests with the gaine which hee reaps thereby But said the Legate it is a very hard matter to make the world beléeue that hée can deliuer soules out of Hell nay said the Cerretan so much hath hée blinded and besotted the world that it is a very easie matter Yea if you well consider it you shall find that the Pope shall haue much lesse labour to perswade the poore world that he can deliuer Soules out of hell then that he can frée them from Purgatory For as touching Purgatory hée hath two labours the first to make men understand that there is a Purgatory the second to make them beléeue that he can deliuer Soules thence but as touching Hell whereas euery one is already perswaded that there is one there remaineth but one labour for him which is to make men beléeue that he hath power to frée the damned from their euerlasting torments These things pleased the Legat so well that he presently wrote thereof vnto the Pope The 52. Apologue whereby is condemned the little reuerence of them who beleeue that Iesus Christ is in the Host. THere was a Pope who had loued his mother dearely I therefore for a remembrance of her kept her Picture alwayes hanging in his presence Chamber now the Embassador of Florence vnderstanding of it as also in what part of the chamber it was placed hauing occasion on a time to goe to the Pope when he entred into the Chamber hee presently knéeled downe before the picture turning his backside to the Pope before hee had done his duty to him and the Pope very much disdaining at it reprehended him for the little manners and reuerence he vsed towards him but the Embassador excusing himself said we Florentines haue a custome that when we enter into our great Church of Florence incontinently we do reuerence to the Image of the mother of Iesus Christ turning our backs to her sonne who as they say is in the host and the Monkes of that Church say that it is the will of Christ wée should doe so wherefore I thought it would likewise haue pleased your Holinesse that I should haue done reuerence to the picture of your Mother before I did reuerence to you The Pope laughing at it said that indeed hee had shewed a good reason for it The 53. Apologue of the Miracles of the Diuell AS certaine Romans were talking of miracles there was one of them said when I thinke vpon Popes Cardinals Priests and Monkes and other of the irreligious their liues their workes their credit dignity and riches I am almost perswaded that the Diuell hath done more miracles then Iesus Christ. The 54. Apologue whereby is discouered the impiety of them who constraine men to worship Iesus Christ in the host THere was a Gentleman of Venice who would neuer worship the host for the which being on a time reprehended by the Popes Legate hee answered and said I haue not this long time worshipped Christ in the Sacrament neither will I euer doe it for if he bee present there at all which I will presuppose to ease you of the labour of prouing it yet as your selues say hee is not there vntill the Priest hath finished the words of