The Brutish Thunderbolt, Declaration 2
THE DECLARATION OF OVR MOST HOLIE LORD POPE SIXTVS, Againſt HENRIE BORBON the ſuppoſed King of NAVARRE, and alſo HENRIE BORBON, the pretenſed Prince of Condie, being heretiks, and alſo against their ſucceſſors: And the deliuerance of their ſubiects, from all dutie of fidelitie and alleageance.
For the perpetuall memorie of the thing.
THe authoritie granted to Saint Peter and his ſucceſſors by the infinite power of the eternall king, ſurpaſſeth all the powers of earthlie kings and princes, and ſtanding vponupon a firme rock, and being not turned aſide from the right courſe with anie contrarie or proſperous blaſts, it vttereth ſuch iudgement againſt al men, as cannot be ſhaken: & doth diligently prouide eſpecially that Gods lawes may not be broken, and if it finde any reſiſting Gods ordinance, it doth ſharply puniſh them, & caſting downe from the kinglie ſeat euen thoſe that are more mighty, it throweth them downe euen to the loweſt part of the earth, as miniſters of proud Lucifer. Wherfore according to that care for all churches, and people, and nations, that lieth vponupon our ſhoulders, that the ſaluation of their ſoules may eſpecially be prouided for, and that not onelie the times of our ſeruice, but alſo all times to come being purged from wicked and deteſtable monſters, may bring peace and reſt to all parts of Chriſtendome: and eſpecially to the moſt ample realme of France, wherein Chriſtian religion hath ſo floriſhed alwaies; and ſo great hath beene the godlines, faith, and deuotion of the kings thereof; ſo many hauehave bin their deſerts toward the church of Rome; that they by full good right had from the ſame the moſt glorious ſirname of Moſt Chriſtian; and alſo that we may neuer be accuſed before God for neglecting the care of our office, we are at this time compelled to exerciſe the weapons of our warfare, which are not carnal, but mightie through God to throw downe ſtrong holds, againſt two ſons of wrath eſpecially, Henrie Borbon ſomtimes king of Nauarre, and Henrie Borbon ſomtimes prince of Condie. For that king quondam, hath followed from his verie youth the errors and hereſies of Caluin, and hath ſo long ſhewed himſelfe a ſtubborne patrone thereof, vntill being conuerted (as it was thought) vntounto the catholike and apoſtolike faith of Rome, by the godlie, and often exhortations of Charles the ninth of famous memorie king of France, & of our moſt deerely beloued daughter in Chriſt Queene Katherine his moſt godlie mother, and alſo of our welbeloued ſonne Charles, of the title of S. Chryſogonus, cardinall prieſt of Borbon his vnkle, and of Ludouike duke of Mompenſer, and by moſt manifeſt exhortations of diuines of excellent learning and vertue; he did openly in the church at Paris condemne all hereticall opinions contrarie to the catholike faith, he accurſed them, and abiured them, & did openly profeſſe the catholike faith; and hauing ſent ſundrie times his letters to pope Gregorie the thirteenth our predeceſſor, of bleſſed memorie, wherin he now acknowleging the ſame our predeceſſor to be ſupreme hed of the church, humbly beſought him, that he would vouchſafe to accept the confeſſion of his repentance, conuerſion, and obedience, and to grant him pardon for thoſe things that were paſt, and alſo the grace of remiſſion: firmly promiſing that he would continually keepe ſoundly, and inuiolably the catholike faith. To the which letters, as being a kings letters, our predeceſſor giuing credence, and being mooued with the bowels of fatherlie louelove, and alſo being perſwaded with the moſt graue teſtimonie of the king, of the Queene his mother, of the cardinall, and duke aforeſaid, touching ſuch his conuerſion; abſolued him, confeſſing his former errors and humbly crauing pardon, from the crime of hereſie, and from the eccleſiaſtical cenſures which he had therefore incurred; and he admitted him into the boſom of the holy mother the church, and into the fellowſhip of the faithfull, taking from him all incongruitie. Nay furthermore that he might be bound with a more ſtrait and firm bond, he diſpenſed with him and Margaret ſiſter to the ſaid king Charles, who being borne of that moſt Chriſtian ſtocke, and being well brought vp, was thought to be able eaſily to keepe hir husband in his dutie, and in obſeruing the catholike religion, that notwithſtanding the lets of the third, and peraduenture of other degrees of conſanguinitie betweene them, and alſo of ſpirituall kindred, they might contract matrimonie betweene them, as they did contract it in the face of the church; and that done, after a few moneths he ſent Iohn Lord of Duratium his orator to our ſaid predeceſſor, that in his behalfe he might promiſe concerning his repentance, conuerſion, faith, and conſtancie in preſence of the ſea apoſtolike; & after that a publike, and ſolemne conſiſtorie was made for him in the kings hall according to the cuſtome, in the aſſemblie of the cardinals and prelates of the holie church of Rome, and in a great concourſe of others hauing profeſſed all the foreſaid things, the ſame Henrie was admitted as a king lately conuerted to the faith, and as catholike, the whole citie reioicing, and triumphing, and giuing great thanks for the ſheep that was found & recouered. But he as he was of a diuers and inconſtant mind, falling awaie ſhortly after from the catholike faith, and from due obedience toward the apoſtolike ſea, and from other things profeſſed by him expreſſely and with an oth, and turning backe to that filth wherin he tumbled before, withdrawing himſelf ſecretly from the moſt chriſtian king, & hauing gathered togither in a place, a good way diſtant from the kings court, ſo great a multitude of wicked heretiks, and of wicked men of that ſtampe as he could, he openly reuoked there all thoſe things which he before had done concerning the deteſtation of Caluiniſme, the abiuring of all hereſies, and the profeſſion of the catholike and apoſtolike faith of Rome: teſtifieng that he did profeſſe Caluiniſme, as he profeſſed it, and hath alwaies ſticked to that hereſie with an obſtinate and hardened mind; and liuing therein vntill this day, he hath raiſed vp ſundrie times heretical rebels, and ſeditious perſons (whoſe head, captain, and defender he hath alwaies been in France, and alſo a moſt earneſt fauorer of outlandiſh heretiks) to beare armes againſt the foreſaid Charles, and alſo againſt our moſt deerly beloued ſonne in Chriſt Henrie the moſt Chriſtian king, though he ought to hauehave reuerenced him, as his king and maiſter, to hauehave loued and followed him as his wiues brother, I ſaie, forgetting all dutie and godlines, he hath raiſed them vp againſt him and all catholikes, he hath gathered moſt deadly armies, hauing gotten vntounto him heretiks of other nations, by whom all places euerie where are defiled with the bloodie murders of godly men, holie temples are polluted and pulled downe, prieſts and religious men are ſlain with torments: furthermore, he hath taken the cities & fortreſſes of the catholiks, partly by policie, and partly by force and armes; and in them hath he forbidden and taken away the rites of the catholike church, he hath appointed heretical miniſters, & preachers, he hath inforced the citizens inhabitants to tread in the ſteps of the ſame impietie, euen with threatnings & ſtripes. But thinking with himſelf that he had not yet don ynough, amongſt others he ſent a certaine deere friend of his, furniſhed with his wicked ſubtilties, without the borders of France to diuers places, by whom he imparted his wicked counſels with certaine chiefe heretiks, and he prouoked their ſtrength and forces againſt the catholike religion, and the power of the biſhop of Rome; alſo he cauſed certain ſecret conuenticles of heretiks to be kept in diuers prouinces; at ſome whereof (whiles thoſe moſt vniuſt leagues againſt the catholike faith, and principally againſt the churches, clergie, and all the catholikes of the realme of France were handled) he himſelfe was not onelyonly preſent, but alſo a principall actor therein. And as for Henrie Borbon prince of Condie, hauing two heretiks for his parents, foraſmuch as they during their whole life had obſtinately cheriſhed the deadlie opinions of Caluin, and the miniſters therof, he following the hereſies of the ſame his father and mother, did commit like offences being but a yongling: afterward with like indeuor as the other Henrie vſed, taking the way of truth through repentance, and humblenes of hart (ſo much as could be geſſed) and deteſting likewiſe, and abiuring publikely all errors and dotings of heretiks, he profeſſed the catholike faith, as is ſaid before. Which things being brought to the ſame popes eares, and like interceſſion being made for him, the ſame our predeceſſor abſolued from hereſie and ſuch cenſures, him, and Marie ſomtimes of Clieue his pretenſed wifc, being at that time infected with the ſame crime of hereſie, being in like ſort penitent, deteſting, and profeſſing; and he receiued them into the boſome of the catholike church, and companie of the faithfull: yea moreouer he diſpenſed with them, according to the abundance of his fatherlie louelove, that they might contract matrimonie betweene themſelues notwithſtanding the let of the ſecond degree of conſanguinitie, wherewith they were holden both of them. But he ſhortly after returning vntounto his old impietie, and entring that moſt wicked waie, wherin the footſteps of Ludouike of Condie his moſt wicked father, a perſecutor of the catholike church had troden, and walking in the ſame footeſteps, he likewiſe ſhewed himſelfe a captaine and defender of the ſame heretiks and wicked perſons of the ſaid realme of France, and alſo an author of ciuill wars and ſeditions: he conueied into France bands of hereticall ſoldiers being ſtrangers, he aſſaied to beſiege townes and cities, he ouerthrew churches, he did profane and deſtroie holie things; he did moſt cruelly murder prieſts; & appointing in their places miniſters of wickednes, he commanded their peruerſe doctrine to be publiſhed & retained: and finally he vſed all kind of crueltie and ſauagenes, as well againſt Gods miniſters, as alſo againſt other profeſſors of the catholike faith. All which things foraſmuch as they be manifeſt, publike, and notorious: and foraſmuch as we do fully & perfectly know eſpecially by the proceſſe made in the time of the ſame pope Gregorie our predeceſſor, of bleſſed memorie, & by manie other documents, & moſt graue teſtimonies, that Henrie ſometimes king, and Henrie of Condie aforeſaid are guiltie of the notorious and inexcuſable crime of hereſie, and that they are relapſed into hereſie, and alſo that they are guiltie of fauoring heretiks; We being inforced to drawe the ſword of vengeance againſt them according to the dutie of our office, are verie loth to do it, bicauſe we muſt for theſe offences turne it againſt this deteſtable and degenerate iſſue of the noble houſe of Borbon, wherin there hath alwaies appeered ſinceritie of ſincere religion, & worſhip of vertue, and obedience toward the apoſtolik ſea. Therfore being placed in this high ſeat, and fulnes of power, which the King of kings and Lord of lords himſelfe hath giuen vsus though vnwoorthie, by the authoritie of almightie God, and of Peter & Paul his Apoſtles, and by our owne authoritie, and by the councell of our reuerend brethren the cardinals of the holie church of Rome; we pronounce and declare, that Henrie ſomtimes king, and Henry of Condie aforeſaid, hauehave been and are heretiks, relapſed into hereſies, and impenitent; alſo captaines and fauorers, and manifeſt, publike and notorious defenders of heretiks, and ſo to be guiltie of treaſon againſt the maieſtie of God, and to be ſuch enimies of the true and ſound Chriſtian faith, that they can defend themſelues by no cunning ſhift or excuſe, and that therfore they hauehave damnably incurred the ſentences, cenſures, and puniſhments contained in the holie canons, and conſtitutions apoſtolike, and in the lawes generall and particular, and ſuch as are due to relapſed and impenitent heretiks, and ſpecially that the ſame hauehave been and are depriued in law, Henrie ſomtimes king, namely, of the pretenſed kingdome of Nauarre, and of the part thereof, which hee hath as yet enioied, and alſo of Bearne: and the other Henrie, of that of Condie, and either of them, and their poſteritie of all and whatſoeuer other principalities, dukedoms, lordſhips, cities, places, and fees; and alſo of ſuch goods as they hauehave taken to keepe, promiſing to make them better than when they had them; and moreouer, of dignities, honors, functions, and offices, and princely pallaces, and iuriſdictions, and rights, which they hold de facto, and wherto they hauehave had right by anie maner of means, or do pretend right; & that they hauehave therfore made thēſelues vnwoorthie therof: and that they hauehave been & are incompetent and vncapable to retaine them, and heerafter to obtain any ſuch. And alſo that they are in law depriued, vncapable, & diſabled from ſucceeding in whatſoeuer dukedoms, principalities, lordſhips, and kingdoms, and ſpecially in the kingdom of France, wherein they hauehave committed ſo manie cruell and wicked crimes, and in lordſhips annexed to the kingdome it ſelfe, in iuriſdictions, and places, and in the reſt of the goods and things aforeſaid, and to get them by anie other meanes whatſoeuer, like as alſo of our abundant power, & ſo much as is needfull we depriue them and their poſteritie for euer, to wit, Henrie ſometimes king, of the kingdome of Nauarre, and of that part therof, and of Bearne, and the other Henrie of that of Condie, and either of them & their poſterity of al other principalities, dukedoms, lordſhips, fees, and of all other goodes and ſubſtance; and alſo of the right of ſucceeding and getting, and of all and ſingular the other premiſſes: and alſo we make them and their poſteritie vnable for euer for them, and to ſucceed in anie principalities, dukedomes, lordſhips, fees and kingdoms, and by name in the kingdome of France, and in all the foreſaid things annexed therto, ſupplieng all defects of right or fact, if any have happened in the ſame. And alſo that the nobles, feudataries, vaſſals, ſubiects, and people of the realmes, dukedoms, principalities, & other lordſhips aforeſaid, euen ſuch as acknowledge none other ſuperior, and all the reſt which hauehave by any maner of meanes ſworne to them, are abſolued from all ſuch oth, and altogither from al perpetual dutie of lordſhip, fidelitie, and allegeance, as we by the authoritie of theſe preſents do abſolue and deliuer them all, as well generally as particularly; and we command and forbid that all and eueryevery of them, that they preſume not to obey them, and their admonitions, lawes, and commandements: thoſe that ſhal do otherwiſe, we inſnarle in the ſentence of excommunication by the verie ſame. But as for our moſt welbeloued ſonne in Chriſt, Henrie the moſt chriſtian king of France, we exhort, beſeech, and alſo admoniſh him by the bowels of the merciemercy of Ieſus Chriſt, that being mindfull of the moſt excellent faith and religion of the kings his auncetors, which he hath receiued from them, as an inheritance far better than the kingdom it ſelfe, that being likewiſe mindfull of that oth which he ſolemnlie tooke at his coronation, touching the extirpation of heretikes, he imploie himſelfe by his authoritie, power, vertue and courage altogither princely, to execute this our ſo iuſt a ſentence, that in this likewiſe he may ſhew himſelfe thankfull to almightie God, and may performe due obedience to his mother the church. Furthermore we command & charge all our reuerend brethren the primates, archbiſhops, and biſhops, throughout the realme of France, Nauarre, Bearne, and other places aforenamed, in the vertue of holie obedience, that ſo ſoone as the copies of theſe letters ſhall come to their hands, they cauſe thē to be publiſhed, & to be brought to effect ſo much as in them lieth. And we will that the ſame our preſent letters, be ſet vp and publiſhed vponupon the doore of the cathedrall church of the chiefe of the apoſtles, and in the ſide of the fielde of Flora of the citie, as the cuſtome is. And that there be like credite giuen both in place of iudgement & elſewhere, in all places, to the copies thereof being printed and ſigned with the publike notories hand, and ſealed with the ſeale of the eccleſiaſticall prelate, or with the ſeale of that court, which ſhuld be giuen to theſe preſents if they were exhibited or ſhewed. Therefore let it not be lawfull for any mā at al to infringe this writing of our pronountiation, declaration, priuation, inhabilitation, ſuppletion, abſolution, liberation, commandement, inhibition, innodation, exhortation, requeſt, admonition, mandate and will, or to contrarie the ſame with raſh boldnes. And if anie man preſume to attempt this, let him know that he ſhall incur the indignation of almightie God, and of his bleſſed apoſtles Peter and Paul.
Giuen at Rome at S. Marks in the yeere of the incarnation of the Lord, one thouſand, fiue hundred, fowerſcore and fiue, the fift day before the Ides of September, in the first yeere of our popedome.
A. de Alexijs.
Ego Sixtus cath. Eccleſiae Epiſcopus.
Ego Io. Anto. Epiſc. Tuſc.
Card. Sancti Georgij.
Ego M. S. Car. ab Altaemps.
Ego Iu. Aua. Car. de Arag.
Ego P. Car. Sanctacruſcius.
Ego Gulielm. Car. Sirletus
Ego Mic. Bo. Car. Alex.
Ego Lud. Car. Madrutius.
Ego N. Card. Senonenſis.
P. Card. Deza.
Ego Ant. Card. Carafa.
Io. Ant. Card. SS. Quatuor.
Io. Ba. Card. S. Marcelli.
Aug. Car. de Verona.
Ego Vin. Car. Montis Regalis
Ego M. Car. S. Stephani.
Scipio Car. Lancelotus.
Ego Fer. Car. de Medicis.
Phil. Vast. Card. Cam.
Iul. Ant. Sanctorius Car. Seuerin.
P. Card. Caeſius.
Ego Hier. Card. Rust.
Ego. Io. Hie. Car. Albanus.
Ego Vincē. Car. Gonzaga.
Ego Fr. Car. Sfortia S. Nic
Alex. Card. de Montealto.
In the yeer ſince the natiuitie of the Lord one thouſand fiue hundred, fowerſcore and fiue, the thirteenth indiction, and in the 21. day of the monethmonth of September, in the first yeere of the popedome of the moſt holy father in Chriſt, and our lord L. Sixtus the fift by the prouidence of God pope, theſe letters were written out, ſet vp, and publiſhed in the Cathedrall church of the chiefe of the apostles of the citie, and in the ſide of the field of Flora, by vsus Hierom Lucius, and Nicolas Talliet Curſitors to our most holie lord the pope.
Io. Andreas Panizza Mag. Curſ. Ioannes Caijanus Cur. Card. Camerariae Apoſtolicae Ibotus Ful.
Faults eſcaped.
The firſt number ſignifieth the page: the ſecond the line.
Pag. 2. Lin. 2. clients. 7. 2. the Clementines. 9. 19. Pope Symmachus. 17. 10. Church. and 23. Lateran. 38. 13. bring ſerious effects. 39. 19. At Perouſe. 41. 27. Antonine. 62. 14. the archbiſhop of Toledo was ſuſpected of hereſie by the Spaniſh inquiſition. 74. 17. when. 92. 19. markets. 98. 9. Pope Pius. 100. 17. curſes. 112. 11. prouiſo. 127. 16. Cuſpinianus. 133. 4. feudall inuestitures. ibid. 12. read. Alexander the ſeruant of the ſeruants of God. 137. 18. Trier. and Mentz. 138. 2. At Aquae in Arduenna. ibid. 13. Aquiſgranum. 145. 22. but how woorthie a king. 147. 1. counſell. ibid. 8. Millaine. 159. 3. in the territorte. 164. 9. Furies. 183. 14. by Theodore legate of the holie church of Rome. 184. 23. Melchiades. 186. 17. in Paris. 191. 24. giuegive. 193. 6. Not as Lords ouer.
End of the text · François Hotman, The Brutish Thunderbolt (1586)