The Brutish Thunderbolt, Declaration 1 · Part 9 – Part 13
The crime of Treaſon.
IT followeth that we come to the crime of treading vnderunder foote maieſtie. For why ſhould we ſay that it is hurt or diminiſhed? Séeing the papacie for the ſpace of theſe foure hundred yéers, hath ſo proudly contemned all, both emperors, & kings, and potentates of Europe, that it accounted them not onelyonly vaſſals, and feudataries, but alſo moſt baſe bondſlaues. Of which furious pride theſe are moſt ſure Extrauag. de maior. & obedientia.teſtimonies: firſt in c. vnam ſanctam. VponUpon neceſſitie of ſaluation we must beleeue that euerie creature is ſubiect to the pope of Rome. Alſo that, The biſhop of Rome is placed ouer nations and kingdomes *. The pope hath ſuperioritie c. 1. Extrauag. de conſuetud.ouer the empire, and when the empire is vacant, he ſucceedeth the emperor. Clement. Pastoralis, de re iudic. The pope can tranſlate the empire from nation to nation *. The pope c a. venerabil. de elect. c. 2. de re iud.may depoſe the emperor *. The pope of Rome hath the monarchie of both powers, both ſpirituall and temporall: he hath the principality of the priesthood, and he is the head of Christian religion * Looke how much the ſun doth ſurpaſſe c. fundament de elect. in 6.the moone, ſo much doth the pope ſurpaſſe the emperor *. Al men of what dignitie, and preeminence c. ſolit. ext. de maior. & obed.ſoeuer they be, ſo ſoone as they come in the popes preſence, ſtanding a good way off, they must kneele thriſe before him, and kiſſe his feet. In the firſt booke of the popes ceremonies *. When the pope climeth vp the lader Sect. 3. c. 3.to take horſe, the greater prince that is preſent, yea though he were a king or emperour, he must holde the popes ſtyrrop, and then leade his horſe by the brydle a little way. If the emperour or king were alone, that is, there were not another king, they must leade the horſe alone with the right hand. But if there were another king, then the more woorthy ſhould holde the brydle on the right hand, and the other on the left hand. But if the pope were not carried vponupon an horſe, but in a chaire or litter: alſo if the emperour or a king were preſent, they must carrie the chaire or litter, and the pope a little vponupon their ſhoulders. Alſo *, The chiefe man Sect. 12. ca. 5.of the citie into which the pope ſhall enter, though he were a king, ſhall leade the popes horſe by the bridle: or if the pope be caried in a chaire or litter, he beareth the litter togither with his nobles a little way: and then when the pope commandeth him, he taketh horſe and rideth in his order *. But if it ſo pleaſe the pope d. lib. 1 tit. 2.that he will not be caried on a horſe, but in a litter: then the emperour or king, if any be there, must beare the litter vponupon his owne ſhoulders. Tit. 2. The emperour must powre water vponupon the popes handes at a feast. At the popes banquet, the emperour or king of the Romanes must beare the first diſh. in the ſame 2. Tit. The emperour is bound to ſweare to be true and obedient to the pope: the forme of which in c. 1. de iureiur. &c. tibi domino, diſt. 63.oth is extant *. Is not the intollerable boldnes of the popes ſufficiently conuict by theſe teſtimonies? Surely it ſéemeth ſo, ſpecially with thoſe iudges and ſenatours of the parleament, in whom remaineth any feare of conſcience, and of God: eſpecially ſéeing that euen the canoniſt doctors do cōfeſſe the ſame. For cardinal Zabarella, who wrote a treatiſe cōcerning ſchiſm, about the yéere of Chriſt 1406. writeth thus in that treatiſe: We must conſider vponupon doing honor and homage to the pope, least men paſſe meaſure therein, ſo that they may ſeeme not ſo much to honor the pope, as God. For he must ſo be honored that he be not worſhipped: which S. Peter did not ſuffer to be done to him: of whom we read in the Acts. 10. that Cornelius fell downe at his feet and worſhipped him: but Peter tooke him vp, ſaieng, Ariſe: I my ſelfe am a man, like to thee. Thus wrote Zarabella, wherto agréeth that of Iohn Faber *. The pope ſaith he, in words in praefat. inſtit.calleth himſelfe a ſeruant of ſeruants: but indeed he ſuffereth himſelfe to be worſhipped: which the angell in the Reuelation did refuſe. Thus writeth Faber.
But the popes fet this title and authoritie of ſo great pride from the benefite of Conſtantine the great, whoſe inſtrument is extant, firſt in Latine *: and ſecondly in in dist. 96. c. Const.Gréek, in Auguſtine Steuchus the maſter of the popes librarie, in the booke of the Donation of Conſtantine, imprinted at Lyons anno 1547. as followeth: that the empire of the weſt, that is, of Italie, Sicilia, Sardinia, France, Spaine, England, Germanie, be in the pope of Rome his power: and that he hauehave the name, like attire, like, and alſo greater dignitie, maieſtie, empire and power, as Conſtantine had: that he hauehave alſo the like troupe of horſemen to wait vponupon him: ſo that when he rideth on horſe-backe the emperor do for a time go by him as his footeman, and wait vponupon him ſome ſpace, holding his horſe by the bridle. Concerning which matter the ſame Steuchus in his ſecond booke and thréeſcore and ſixt chapter writeth thus: * Alſo that part of the edict wherin Pag. 134.the mightie emperor ſaith that he held the bridle of S. Sylueſters horſe being pope of Rome, and that he led his horſe (wherin is knowne the kiſſing of the feet) is prooued to be true, bicauſe the emperors that were ſucceſſors did the like not long after. For as the pope of Rome entred into Constantinople, Iuſtinian hauing his crown on his head, did prostrate himſelfe and kiſſed the popes feet. Alſo when pope Stephen went to Pipinus the French king, the ſame king hearing of his comming, went with al haste to meet him, togither with his wife and children, and nobles; and he ſent his ſonne Charles almost an hundred miles to meet him, togither with ſome of his nobles. Alſo he himſelfe in his pallace that is called Ponticone almost three miles off, alighting of his horſe, with great humilitie lieng prostrate vponupon the ground, togither with his wife, children, and nobles, receiued the ſame pope, on whom he waited ſtill as an vſher, vntounto a little place beſides his ſell, and brought him with glorie to the pallace. Theſe things hauehave I cited word for word out of Iuo Carnotenſis: & he (as I thinke) out of Anastaſius the keeper of the librarie. Thus writeth Steuchus: the like whereof Platina reporteth of Pipinus and Charles in the life of Stephen the ſecond. Now let vsus confer with theſe flattering and gloſing words of the pope of Rome, the modeſtie and commandements of Chriſt, whoſe ſucceſſor and vicar the pope affirmeth he is. You know, ſaith he, that the princes of the nations beare rule ouer them, and that thoſe that are great do exerciſe authoritie ouer them. But it ſhall not be ſo among you: but whoſoeuer will be great among you, let him be your ſeruant: and whoſoeuer will be chiefe among you, let him be your minister: as the ſonne of man came not that he might be ministred vntounto, but that he might minister *. I am in the middest of you as he Matt. 20.that ministreth *. Therefore ſo often as he gaue any commandement or committed Luk. 22.buſines to his Apoſtles, he did in no place prefer one before another: but he made like account of all: as being fellowes in office, and fellowes in one buſines. As when he commanded them to go into the world, and to preach the Goſpell, and to confirme that preaching by miracles *. Or Mat. 10. 7. 8. Luk. 10. 9.when he forewarneth them that it will come to paſſe, that they ſhall iudge the twelue tribes of Iſraell, he ſaith not that ſome one of them ſhall ſit in the tribunall ſeat, and the reſt in lower places *, as the Mat. 19. 30.falſe Conſtantine writeth, I grant to the pope of the church of Rome that the prieſts hauehave him to be their head in like ſort, as iudges hauehave the king for their head *. When the holie Ghoſt was ſent C. Conſt. 96. diſtdowne vponupon the Apoſtles as they were togither: when power to bind and looſe was granted to them: when they were ſent to preach the Goſpell, to which of them (I pray you) is any prerogatiue of right, or Iohn. 20. Mat. 28. Acts. 1.priuilege granted *?
And ſurely theſe are great examples of the popes inſolencie, pride, and hautines: but that is ſomwhat more and more woonderfull, which manie hiſtoriographers hauehave recorded touching the emperor Friderike Ahenobarbus: and amongſt theſe Helmodus in the eight chapter of Scl. Chronic. 1. Naucler. generat. 39. Barnus of the life of popes. When he and pope Adrian were agréed togither, that he ſhould giuegive to the pope as great reuerence as he could, as to S. Peters ſucceſſor: finally, that when he did alight, he ſhould hold his ſtirrop, it is ſaid that the emperor ſtood on his right ſide, and touched the right ſtirrop. Wherat the pope was diſpleaſed, and reprooued the emperor: but he anſwered him, that he did it, bicauſe he knew not what the holding of ſtirrops meant, bicauſe that was the firſt time that euer he held any. Which things ſéeing they are ſo, and the pope hath taken to himſelfe ſo great lordſhip ouer the moſt mightie princes of the world, yet it is pleaſant to heare, that our pope Sixtus the fift doth call that lordſhip by the name of ſeruice. For in the beginning of his declaration againſt the king of Nauarre, he vſeth theſe words: That he doth therefore excommunicate the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Condie, that during the time of his Seruice, there may be peace and quietnes, heretiks being taken away. What maner ſeruice is this with a miſchiefe, which is ſpent in poſſeſſing the empire of the earth, in treading vnderunder foot the maieſty of kings and emperors? Of the ſame ſort of ſeruice is that, which the ſame pope Adrian wrot to the ſame Friderike: We woonder not a little at your wiſedome, that you ſeeme not to giuegive to S. Peter & to the holie church of Rome ſo much reuerence as you ought. For in your letters which you ſent to vsus, you put your owne name before ours: wherein you incur the note of inſolencie, I will not ſay, of arrogancie. Touching which thing the ſame Nauclerus Geneſ. 39.* doth teſtifie. But now we muſt come to the chiefeſt and principal teſtimonie of the popes pride, and of his treading vnderunder foot the maieſtie of kings. For after that Alexander ſucceſſor to the ſame Adrian, had terrified the foreſaid emperor Friderike with his vſuall excommunication, in thoſe cruell clouds and darknes of the Church of Chriſt, and Friderike being infected with the ſuperſtition of thoſe times, was deſirous to be abſolued from the ſame: the pope appointed him a day, in which he ſhould be preſent in Venece in the chiefe church. When he was come thither: as great ſtore of cardinals and biſhops ſtood by him, the pope denied to releaſe him of his proſcription, vnleſſe he would firſt fall downe at his féete and humbly craue forgiuenes of him. Which after he had done, then the pope lifted vp one of his féete, and ſet it vponupon the necke of the emperor as he lay proſtrate, and then commanded his prieſts to ſing that verſe out of the pſalms of Dauid: Thou ſhalt walke vponupon the adder and cockatrice, the lion and dragon ſhalt thou tread vnderunder foote. Of which …antiſh crueltie there be plentifull teſtimonies extant in the ſame Nauclerus, in Barnus, of the Geneſ. 40.life of popes, and Funcius in his chronicles. Is there any of ſo great a number of the Senators & Counſellers of the French king, that can deſire any greater or more ſure teſtimonie of treaſon, or treading maieſtie vnderunder foote? Though peraduenture ſome man will ſay: Why was ſo great an emperor and ſo mightie a monarch ſo cowardly? Surely this was the fatall ſuperſtitiō of theſe times, which did poſſeſſe the minds of men in ſo great darknes: concerning which kind, that of Titus Liuius is known writing of the Bachanals: Nothing is more deceitfull to looke to than falſe religion, when as wickednes is cloked with the power of the Gods. For men are afraid least in puniſhing the falſehood of men, ſome point of the diuine authority mixed among be violate. Thus writeth he. But now we muſt fetch ſome other teſtimonies of the popes Seruice out of the maieſtie of our kings that is troden vnderunder foote, wherby it may more eaſily be vnderſtood, how that the boldnes which is in this pope Sixtus, being ſtrēgthned with ſo great antiquitie, is not to be woondered at: ſéeing that he durſt giuegive the moſt excellent king of Nauarre, and moſt renowmed prince of Condie this title, as to call them Sonnes of wrath: miniſters of proud Lucifer, patrons of heretiks and hereſies: that they lie wallowing in mire and filth: that they be heads, captaines, and chiefe defenders of heretiks, that they be most earnest fautors of ſtrangers: that they make war against their king, against him, and alſo catholiks: that they be murtherers of religious men: that Condie a part had heretiks for his parents, and that he continueth in the footesteps of his father being a most wicked perſecuter of the catholike church: that he is an author of ciuill wars and ſeditions, and that he doth execute all kinde of fiercenes and crueltie. And that both of them are a detestable and degenerate iſſue: and guiltie of treaſon against God: and enimies to the true Christian faith. But an euill plague light on thée (moſt holy Antichriſt) which dareſt belch out theſe things, and vomit out this poiſon of thy bitterneſſe againſt ſuch and ſo great Princes. But as I hauehave already ſaide, why do we woonder at ſo great inſolencie of the pope againſt theſe two moſt renowmed Princes? ſéeing that he vſed as great boldnes in times paſt, againſt Philip the Faire, the moſt mightie king of France. For in the yéere 1286. it is reported that Boniface the eight was ſo proud, that he did auouch, that he was ſubiect to his gouernement not onelyonly in ſpirituall things, but alſo in temporall things. OnelyOnly ſo? Yea he proclaimed him a ſchiſmatike and heretike, and hauing curſed him with all curſes, he did excommunicate him. But the king being very couragious, thought that he ought not to yéeld to this his ſo great boldnes: yea as it became a valiant prince, he brake and did beat down that fiercenes and madnes. For he appointed that inquiſition ſhould be made of his wicked facts, & that he ſhould be made anſwer for the ſame, & ſo ſoon as he found him to be conuict by manifeſt teſtimonies, then he made him be apprehended at Rome, and caſt in priſon: in which priſon (to vſe the words of Baldus and Platina) he that had reigned like a lion, died like a dog: which hiſtorie is recorded by moſt French chronicle writers, beſides Platina. Such was ſometime the magnanimitie of our kings in deſpiſing and repreſſing the impudencie of popes. For ſhall any in all France, either noble man, or of the common ſort, either with gouernment, office, power, or alſo priuate man, be thought to beare a good mind toward the kings maieſtie, in whom this ſo great pride of that tyrant of Rome will not prouoke lothſomnes and deteſtation? And we woonder that our Sixtus being thus taught by ſatan, being hardened by ſuch antiquitie of crueltie, durſt in this his declaration pronounce that, He doth depriue Henrie king of Nauarr, and Henrie prince of Condie, and all their poſteritie, of kingdoms, principalities, dukedomes, lordſhips, cities, places, and fees: and alſo of dignities, honors, and princelie offices: for theſe be his words. Alſo: To declare them to be vncapable, and vnable to ſucceed in all dukedoms, principalities, lordſhips, and kingdoms, and ſpecially in the kingdome of France. What with a miſchiefe what tragicall and Thyeſticall curſing is this, and furious pride of Antichriſt, and of an impudent frier? Was there euer any that heard more outragious barking of a band-dog or Cerberus, than this?
But, as I hauehave alreadie ſaid, this boldnes of the pope againſt the king of Nauarr is not greatly to be woondered at, ſéeing ſuch was his vnbridled furie againſt the moſt mightie king of France. Wherefore let vsus heare rather other teſtimonies of like and the ſame pride: for it is not for man to contend with ſatan in railing ſpéeches: and it ſhall be ſufficient to vſe that curſe of Michael the archangell: The Lord Jude. 1. 9.rebuke thee. Therefore to returne to our purpoſe, we muſt not paſſe ouer that teſtimonie of the ſame popiſh ſeruice, which is reported touching the ſame Boniface, who in the yéere 1300. when there was great concourſe of people at Rome by reaſon of the Iubilie, in the firſt ſolemne day, the pope ſhewed himſelfe to the people in his Pontificalibus: the day following, hauing on the attire of the emperor, he commanded a naked ſword to be borne before him, crieng with a lowd voice: I am the pope, and emperor, and I beare rule in earth and heauen. And a few daies after hée proudly reiected Albertus created emperor by the electors of Germanie, when he came to craue his confirmation, denieng that the election had without his authoritie ought to be counted firme: ſéeing he alone had the authoritie of both ſwords. After ſome good ſpace he confirmed him vponupon condition, that with al expedition he ſhuld make war againſt the French king, whoſe kingdome he gaue him for a pray and reward of his victorie. Which things are witneſſed by Cuſpianus in the life of Albertus in the chronicle of Vſperge, and by the writers of the French chronicles. But to what end do we proſecute theſe light and trifling things? We hauehave before declared, that the pope of Rome doth claime by the donation of Conſtantine, the empire of al the weſt parts. Theſe be but bare words. Wherefore let vsus looke into the thing it ſelfe. For we denie that there is any king in the weſt, I meane of France, Spaine, Aragon, Portugal, Hungarie, Bohemia, England, Scotland, Denmarke, Sueueland, Ruſcia, Croatia, Dalmatia whom the papacie of Rome will not hauehave to be vaſſall and feudatarie to it: as if he had receiued his kingdome from him as a fée and benefit, and ought for that cauſe to ow allegeance, and to do homage to him. It is much that we ſay, and almoſt incredible to be ſpoken: but the truth ſhall appéere by inſtruments that we wil bring to light, and by teſtimonies that we will vſe. For we wil touch eueryevery realme according to the order of the letters.
Of that of England.
AVguſtine Steuchus the maiſter of the popes librarie doth witnes in his book of the donation of Conſtantine, that in 2. pag. 138.that librarie of the popes there is extant a regiſter of pope Alexander the 3. wherein is found an epiſtle to William king of England. For as we vnderſtand by that booke of Steuchus the maiſter of the librarie, all the actes of euerie pope are written in ſeuerall regiſters: to the which what credit we ought to giuegive the verie rule of the law doth ſhow, wherein it is ſaid, that a priuate writing muſt be beléeued, but onelyonly againſt the writer himſelfe. Therfore this was Alexander his epiſtle. Your wiſedome knoweth that the kingdome of Englande, ſithence the time that the name of Christ was there glorified, hath bin vnderunder the hand and tuition of the chiefe of the Apostles. For as you know full well, the Engliſhmen were faithfull, and in reſpect of godly deuotion, and knowledge of religion, they gaue a yeerely penſion to the apostolike ſea: wherof ſome part was giuen to the biſhop of Rome, ſome part to the church of S. Marie, which is called the ſchoole of the Engliſhmen, to the vſe of the brethren. Theſe things are cited out of Steuchus. But I finde theſe teſtimonies in other places beſides Steuchus. Flauius Blondus in his 6. booke Decad. 2. Then, ſaith he, Iohn king of England fearing that he was not of ſufficient force to deale with the French king, fled to the mercy of Innocentius the third pope of Rome: for making England and Ireland feudataries to the church of Rome, by league he promiſed to pay for either Iland an hundred markes in gold yeerely. Antonie of Florence ſaith *, Iohn king of England of his own accord Hist. part. 3. tit 19. §. quinto anno 1223.by the counſell of his princes, offered, and did freely grant to God, and his most holie Apoſtles Peter, Paul, and to the holie church of Rome, and to the lord Innocentius the third, being pope, all the kingdome of England, and alſo of Ireland, with all their rights and appurtenances: and he hath done and ſworne homage for the ſame kingdomes, to the ſaide Innocentius the pope, that he ſhould hold them hereafter as a feudatarie of the ſaid pope and his ſucceſſours. Whereof alſo Polidore Virgill maketh mention in his 15. booke. By this inſtrument of the pope, if, as I ſaid, we may giuegive credence to a priuate writing, the realme of England is feudatarie to the pope. Go to, let vsus ſée the reſt.
Of the kingdome of Arragonia.
STeuchus in the ſelfe ſame booke *, ſaith. Pag. 193.Peter king of Arragonia in the third yeer of the L. Innocentius the third being pope: came to Rome to the ſame Innocentius, and he receiued from him ſolemnely an honorable knighthood: and he offered willinglie to S. Peter and to the holie church of Rome his whole kingdome: and there he had for his fee the ſame kingdome. Alſo he appointed to pay a certaine ſumme of money for the kingdome of Sardinia.
Of the kingdome of Croatia and Dalmatia.
STeuchus in the ſame booke *, in the regiſter of Gregorie the ſeauenth, we reade thus. In the name of the lord, of the holie Pag. 191.and indiuiſible Trinitie, in the yeere of the Lords incarnation, one thouſand ſeuenty ſixe: in the 14. indiction of the monethmonth of October, I Demetrius which am alſo called Suinumir, by the grace of God, duke of Croatia and Dalmatia, being made and constituted by thee L. Gebizus, hauing the power of Pope Gregorie, by the ambaſſage of the apostolike ſea, by the ſynodall and generall election of the whole cleargie and people, in the Solantine church of S. Peter, and being inuested and appointed king, in the gouernment of the kingdome of the Croatians and Dalmatians by the banner, ſword, ſcepter, and crowne, to thee I vowe and promiſe, that I will vnchangeably fulfill all things, which thy reuerend holines ſhall inioine me, that I may keepe mine oth to the Apostolike ſea in all things: and that I may keepe irreuocably whatſoeuer as well the ſea apostlike, as the legates thereof hauehave or ſhall establiſh in this realme: that I may execute iustice, and defend the church, alſo I appoint to pay to S. Peter yeerely in the reſurrection of the Lord, the tribute of two hundred Bizanties, of al my conſulſhips and primacies, for the kingdome granted to me. Furthermore ſeeing to ſerue God is to raigne, in ſteed of S. Peter and of our lord pope Gregorie, and after him inſteed of his ſucceſſors in the apostolike ſea, I commit my ſelfe to thine hands, and in committing my ſelf I establiſh this fidelitie with an oth. I ſay, I Demetrius which am alſo called Suinumir, by the grace of God, and the gift of the apostolike ſea, being from this day and heretofore king, ſhall be faithfull to S. Peter and my L. pope Gregorie, and his ſucceſſors that enter canonically. As for the kingdome, L. Gebizo, that is giuen me by thy hand, I ſhall faithfully keepe it, and I ſhall not take away the ſame, and the right thereof from the apostolike ſea by anie meanes or policie at any time: I ſhall honorablie receiue, and honestly handle, & ſend back my L. Gregorie the pope, and his ſucceſſours and ambaſſadours, if they come into my dominion: and I ſhall humble ſerue them what ſeruice ſoeuer they ſhall appoint vntounto me. Theſe things writeth Steuchus. Whereby we may know what eloquent and learned ſcribes the popes vſe to hauehave, which cannot onelyonly ſet downe in writing the déedes and famous factes of Francis and Dominic, but alſo write the inſtruments and witneſſed briefes of inueſted feudataries.
Of the kingdome of Denmarke.
STeuchus in the ſame 2. booke *, The Pag. 189.kingdome of Denmarke ſaith he, doth properlie belong vntounto, and is the tribute of the holie church of Rome, which thing the true monuments of the popes do witnes. Alexander the holie biſhop, the holie L. to his beloued ſonne Sueuis king of Denmarke, ſendeth greeting and the apostolike bleſſing. We admoniſh your wiſedome, that you prouide to ſend to vsus and our ſucceſſours the tribute of your kingdome, which your predeceſſours were woont to paie to the church of the apostle: yet ſo, that it be not laide as an oblation vponupon the altar, but that it be offered aſwell to vsus as to our ſucceſſours preſentiallie, that it may be more certainlie approoued.