The Pageant of Popes, Book 5
THE FIFTE BOOKE contayninge the thirde diuision of the thirde order of Popes or Romaine Antichristes in the kingdome of the greate Dragon, which is the deuill and sathan Apocalips 20. vntounto the time of Innocentius the fourth.
FRō Ioan the eighte (who was an harlot) for the space of 146. yeares to this yeare being the thousand yere from Christe his incarnation, Antichrist raigned like an harlot in the Churche of Rome, pretending chastity in the meanetime. Yet we see howe here the prophecye in Daniel 11. concerninge Antichriste was fulfilled, contayned in these words: And Antichrist shalbe in the cōcupiscence of women. We see in these former historyes howe these Popes hauehave liued in wantonesse, royat, whoredome (and worse thē whoredome) incest, pride, ambition, robbinge and riflinge Churches, coniuringe, treason, rebellion, discention, murders, poysoninges & such other detestable enormities. So that according to the saying of Esaie they deserue rather to be called the Princes of Sodom, thē ye elders of ye Church. Consequentlye after the thousande yeare after Christes byrth, it was prophesyed that the deuil should be let loose, and this shalbe called the kingdome of the great Dragon: wherin the actes of the Popes do wonderfully aunsweare vntounto it, both in Syluester the second, who wyth his Necromancye raysed the deuill from hell, and hauinge coniured him vp, did compounde wyth him for the Popedome. And againe in Benedict the ix. who made sacrifyce vntounto the deuill in woodes, and vppon mountayne toppes: In Hildebrand or Gregorie the seuenth, who toke counsaile of euill spirites, and vsed other diuelish charmes, beside other.