The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part 1 · Chapter 4
The iiii. Chapter. VVherein is set foorth, that the Church of Rome is not subiect to anie Councell: but maye approue, or disanull them, according as shee shall thinke best for her ovvne benefite: And this is confirmed by many examples and profounde reasons.
BVt nowe are there some such grosse fellowes,The Holy Church aboue all Councels. which notwithstanding they do see, that the Church is aboue the Scriptures, and aboue all the doctrine and Writinges of the olde Fathers, yet they thinke, that her power and authoritie maye be (as it were) compassed in, and paled about by the Councels: So that there should be nothing receiued for a commaundement of the church, but it must first be concluded by a Councell. And what soeuer were once there cōcluded and agreed vponupon, with that, neither the church of Rome should medle, nor the Pope hauehave anie thing to doe. Yea, mary, these good felowes, O they come in due season: they might a great deale better hauehave tarried at home. For consider, seeing that all the Prophetes and Apostles, and likewise the old Fathers altogether: yea, & Iesus Christ the very Sonne and trueth of God himself, could neuer so binde nor make subiect the holy church, that she should yeeld and submit her selfe to their writing and doctrine onelyonly: howe doe these felowes thinke then, that the Councels should hauehave greater power to bring her within their parke and pases, considering that they are men which hauehave so often times erred: yea, and swarued cleane from the trueth? Wee know… well ynough, that the Councel Ariminense, Sirmiense, and Seleucense, did in the time of Constantine the great, fortifie the heresie of the Arrians, with their Decrees. The seconde Councel of Ephesus, did cleue vntounto the Heretike Eutyches, and did blasphemously and confusedly mingle the two natures of Christe together. The councel of Carthago, in the time of Cyprian, which was holden before the first councel of Nicene, did conclude, That heretikes ought to be christened againe? But what needeth al this? Was not Christ him selfe iudged & cōdemned in a generall councel at Hierusalem, which was the chosen citie of God? And yt the councels hauehave often times erred, & may lightly erre, it appereth plainly inough, by ye witnessing of Gregorie Nazianzene, Generall councel neuer came to any good ende.who was accustomed to say, That he neuer saw coūcell that tēded to a good end. Yea, do we not see, how there hauehave bin many coūcels, whose proceedings hauehave bin flat against the doctrine & institutions set forth by our holy mother ye church: and yet would defend their doings by ye holy scripture? But what a good yere! Can ye coūcels preuaile against ye church of Rome, they hauing no power nor authoritie at all, other thā is giuē them by our holy father ye pope? How (I pray you) should yt then hang together, yt they should be placed at ye vpper end, not only aboue ye pope, but aboue the whole church? Is it not written in ye booke of the decretals,Cap signifi. ffaiunt, & de electione & electi postea. That no coūcel can in any thing forbid the holy church, nor set any commandment ouer her: considering that all coūcels hauehave bin at her appointment, and receiued their power & authoritie frō her holinesse? And that in al statutes, ordinances & decrees of the coūcels, the authoritie of the Pope is excepted & exempted? See we not likewise, yt in the councel of Lateran, it was cōcluded,In the coū cel of Lateran holden at Rome, an. 1519. & 20. in the end of the 2. ses. and 1. councell of Trent in the 2. decree of the 4. sessiō. & likewise in the last coūcel at Trent cōfirmed, That the Pope is aboue al coūcels, & the statute & ordināce of the coūcel of Basil (afore time made to ye cō trary) was cleane taken away, & abolished: Notwithstanding, Pope Nicholas consented & was willing to the making of the same. In this behalfe, it was verie wisely considered of the holy Fathers, assembled in the said Councel of Trent, Councel of Trent.whereas before they would fully conclude vponupon any article, they did send all that they had determined vponupon, in a sacke, or small packe to Rome, to hauehave of the Pope a Bull of comfirmation therevnto. For, out of that proceded a wonderful braue and pleasant melodie: because that therein our holy father the Pope did coūterfeit the personage of God the Father. And the holy councel of spiritual fathers there assembled together, were likened to the holy Ghost: so that the commō people were wont to say, that whē they sent their stuffe towards Rome, The holye ghost was shut vp in a male:The holy Ghost shut in a male. as the Poet Homer writes, that in elder dayes Aeolus the king of winds, did giuegive vntounto his good friend Vlysses, a male, wherein al the winds were shut & packt vp together, ye Westerne wind only excepted, which he must needes occupie him selfe, to bring him home. And euen so went the matter betwene the holye ghost & the wind of ye holy fathers of Trent,
And nowe, when the father and the holy Ghost were agreed in one, and that the bulles were sealed, they sent them with expedition and hast to their dearely beloued sonnes, the Kings of Fraunce and Spaine, and required of them by a Spanishe Inquisition, to procure the saide Bulles and Decrees to be thoroughly obserued & kept in their Countries. So that the father,"Or, Tyrannicall torture. the sonne, & the holy Ghost, were all one heart and one soule: And hauehave iointly receiued & established all the Decrees of the said coū cel. And how (I pray you) could it come to passe otherwise: considering that the Bishops and Cardinals, are created by their holy father the Pope, and hauehave promised, & are bounde by a strong and speciall othe, not to take vponupon them, nor to conclude anie thing, without hauing first the counsell and consent of their Creator: As it is well and precisely set forth and concluded of our holy father Calixtus, writing, That it is not in any wise permitted to the Bishoppes, Capi. Non decet. dist. 1…to withstand the Church of Rome in anie point, or to do, or attempt anie thing against the same. Yea (saith he) as the sonne did come to fulfill the will of his Father: euen so are all Christian people bounde to followe and fulfill the will of their deare mother the Churche of Rome, whereof the Pope (without all doubte) is the heade.
And this was the reason & occasion which moued ye right honourable Cardinal Reignold Poole, In the Booke of the Councel in the 14 15. and 16. quest.one of the three Lieutenāts of the Pope, in the said councel, to write with great discretion and authoritie, That the whole conuocation of the people, or comon sorte, gathered together, hauehave no authoritie in the world to conclude, determine, or decide vpō any matter, or matters, presented before the councel: but that the same belōgs properly to the Pope, who onelyonly is Gods Lieutenant or Deputie, & shepheard of the lost and straying sheepe. VponUpon this intent alone (saith he) is a councell called free, cō mon,Loke in the leafe following. or general: and not that therefore euerie one in general is free and licensed there to set forth his or their owne opinion, or to determine or conclude any thing: for that is specially forbiden by the Councell of Constance, in special and plaine wordes: That no man, In the coū cel of Constāce, in the 15. session.of what state & condition soeuer he be: yea, although hee were an Emperour, a King, Bishop, or Cardinall, shall presume, or take vponupon him to speake or dispute against anie matter which the holy Fathers (by the inspiration of the holy Ghost) are purposed and intēded to establishe, vponupon paine to be excommunicated and banished: yea, to bee cast into a dongeon.
VponUpon these considerations, was Iohn Hus and Hieronymus of Prage also burnt: because they would dispute by the Scriptures, vponupon those matters, which the holie Fathers had in hand to reason and cōclude vponupon. It is a common saying, Hee doeth wisely, that is warned by another mannes harme. And yet, notwithstanding this example of Iohn Hus, there was in the last councell of Trent, a Bishop so stout, that he presumed boldly to say, That we ought not to call the Pope, The most holie Father: but simplie, The holy Father: considering that Christ did not name his heauenly Father any otherwise, thā holy Father: Iohn 17.& for that the Pope can not be greater than God, whose vicar in earth he nameth him selfe to be.
But if ye same Bishop had not quickly stopped his mouth, that word would hauehave bin a deere word to him. For they were about to hauehave put him straight way in a hole, where he should hauehave learned to know ye popes authority better. And likewise,Read hereof Pet. Pau. Ver. who was a gret while in that coūcell him selfe. had not Petrus Paul. Verge. bishop, wt other brablers, packed away betimes, they would hauehave played the like parte with euerie one of them, as they did with Iohn Hus at Constance. For although hee was a Bishop: yea, and had before bene a Legate, and the Popes Deputie, yet he must hauehave lerned to know, that the Bishops,aThat is, Touch not the head: Prelates, and Cardinals, were not called thither to control and take vp with taunts their holy Father and creatour,bThat is, For so it pleaseth vsus the Pope of Rome: much lesse to correct Magnificat, out of Paules writing: but rather simplie, Inclinato capite, to say, Placet, vntounto that, which in the name of the holy fathers might be proponed to them: and then further, to helpe to keepe ye breade from moulding, like as a great while agoe, by a Poet was prophesied vppon them, saying: Nos numeri sumus, & fruges consumere nati, &c.
That is so say:
We are a great number,
And bellie gods borne:
Deuourers of victuals,
Consumers of corne.
Nowe, seeing that the Bishops & Prelates, hauehave no other voyces in the Councel, but bare woordes, accounted for syphers, to increase the heape: how much lesse shall anie thing be permitted or graunted to the Laie men, which are not there receiued nor seene, neither in the Brew house, nor Bake house. In summe, the Councell is not called Oicomenicum, or General;Wherefore the Councell is called General. as though euerie man might come & thrust in his nose there. Wherefore then? Because it is as an image or pageant vntounto vsus, and as a demonstratiō or shew of a play or enterlude, which doeth represent & set out before our eyes the common & generall Church of God, which hearken fully and wholy vntounto the voyce of their shepheard, namely, ye Pope of Rome: as was well noted and marked by the foresaid Cardinal Reignold Poole. And it was likewise openly set foorth, in the Bull of the said Councell of Trent, that it is, and ought to be of right, named a General or common Councel, for this occasion, because all christendome generally are bounde to holde,In the Bull De editio. of the counsels which begin thus, quum prop. and was set forth an. 1545 the 6. of Decemb. in the name of pope Paul the third. and to celebrate ye same with deuoute prayers.
And to that ende, they are by the Pope earnestlie put in remembrance, that they goe to shrift, and fast vppon the Wednesday, Frydaye, and Saturdaye: And then on the Sunday be howseled, and go prunking in the Procession, and deale their almes: or at the least say fiue Pater nosters, & fiue Aue Maries: by the vertue whereof, they shall receiue a sufficient pardon of all their sinnes, &c. What can they desire more? For as touching the sitting in the Chapter house, and there Sententiam subverbo placet proferre: that is, To saye Amen, These are the words of the Buls of Indictiōand to nodde at that, which is pronounced vntounto them: that is permitted only to such, as of right ought to doe it, or to whom it is graunted by special priuiledge: as chiefly to the right honourable, the brethren of the Pope, to witte, the Bishops & Archbishops, and his deare sonnes the Abbats, and other such like, as hee him selfe doeth set it foorth in the Bull Indictionis. Bulla Indictionis.Therefore truely were the Dukes of Germanie, & the Protestantes in a wrong boxe, when they said, That it was no Free, and Generall, or Common Councell. For a sheepe with one eye, would hauehave marked that, that it was neither forbidden them, nor no man else in the worlde, to come to Trent, there to spende their money, to holde the Councell, and celebrate it, with hearing of Masses, with Fasting, and with the saying of fiue Pater nosters, and fiue Aue Maries: yea, the whole pardon was as well graunted vntounto them, as to anie Bishoppe or Prelate, or other that was there. But that was not the place where the muscles laye: They would gladlie hauehave had manie voyces in the Chapter house, and not to hauehave declared their meaning with that woorde (Placet) onelie: but that they might likewise hauehave disputed freelie, and brought in, and alledged the Scriptures of God: yea, they would hauehave had it flatlie graunted, that the Pope of Rome should not hauehave bene head and President of the Councell: but that euerie thing should bee concluded out of the woorde of God.
But (beleeue me) the holy fathers, and the Pope, were not so foolishe: they did see more deepely into the matter. For, if they hadde once taken and put that horsse heame or collar about their neckes, then were all the fatte in the fire, and so the whole Church of Rome would not afterwardes hauehave bene worth the paring of a rotten apple. No, no, I warraunt you. They will take heede of that. For there is one point whiche you shall neuer wrest nor wring out of their handes, which is, That all Councelles are lame, maymed, creeple, and blinde: yea, vtterly voyde of anie power, vnles the holy Pope of Rome be their President, directing and gouerning the same, as he thinketh good. For he is the verie eye, and the fiue wittes of the Councelles: Therefore was it in the sayde Councel of Laterane, Read the Bull of the Councell of Laterane, set forth in an. 1512. in name of Pope Iul. 2.verie circumspectly concluded, That though all Cardinalles, Bishoppes, and Prelates were assembled, although they were barrelled vp together like herring: yet can they not holde anie Councell without the authoritie, will, consent and commaundement of the Pope, if they should otherwise doe, they should bee playne heretikes, and vngodly men: yea, they should be esteemed, thought, and taken as Chore, Dathan, and Abiram. The same was also before that, forespoken and cōcluded by the holy Father Pelagius 2. who did openly set forth,This is written in the book of Councels in the 2. booke and in the Decrees chap. multis den. dist. 17▪ That all Councels, which were holden without the Popes consent, and commandement, are not to be reputed or accompted for Councels, but for Conciliables, that is to say, for Riots, and vnlawfull assemblies.
And that is the same which the Popes, Marcellus, Iulius, Damasus, Gregorius, & other mo, did likewise iointly ordeyne and determine, as is plainly to be seene in the book of Decrees, in ye 17. distinctiō:Chap Imo dum, in the 17. dist. where it is in like maner by the Scriptures▪ confirmed: As for exāple, out of the 81. psalme, where it is written, I hauehave saide, you are Goddes. Againe, What soeuer you binde in earth, that is bound in heauen, &c. And it is also established & made sure with strōg reasons: For that worshipful brother Thomas Vio, did openly declare in the said coū cel of Laterane, That those which goe about to make the Pope subiect to the coū cels, do euen like vntounto them, Looke in the fo…said Councell Lateranen. in the 2. ses.that woulde make the father obedient to the childe: the head inferior to the foote: the captein seruant to his soldiers: & the shepeheard vnderling to his sheepe. So yt now, Christ is no more made any accōpt of in ye coūcels, nor his word any whit estemed: but ye pope hath al the charge & authoritie alone: he only is enseigne bearer, & he doth set al in order. And vponupon that occasion it was determined, That ye coūsel of Pisa, being assembled without ye Popes cōsent, was no assemblie of Hierusalem, but of the towre of Babylō, yt is to say, A curse & confusion. In sūme, it is apparant, yt al coūcels & ordinances in ye worlde, and do nothing against the Popes might, nor against the authoritie of the Church: for she hath ouergrowen the rod: She cares neither for scriptures nor Coū celles: shee hath the holy Ghost pinned on her sleeue, and may doe euen what so euer shee will.
And therefore it is, that when soeuer the Pope doeth set forth anie Bulles, then doth he commonly adde this clause or conclusion to the same: Non obstantibus constitutionibus, & ordinationibus Apostolicis, coeterisue contrarijs quibuscunque, that is to saye: Notwithstanding all constitutions, ordinances or commandements Apostolicall, nor any other thing what soeuer, contrarie herevnto.
Like as doeth specially appeare by the Bull of Pope Paule 3. set forth at the Coū cell of Trent, in the yeere 1544. the 23. of Februarie. So that he will not giuegive to all the Apostles, to all the holy fathers, nor all the Councelles, scarse one good worde: yea, rather, he mockes, & playes bo peepe with them all, and so goes on forwards with his busines: For otherwise, if the matter were not thus handled, I would not giuegive a pudding, for all the power and authoritie of the holy Church of Rome.
For, to beginne withall, these Heretikes would giuegive her a rappe vponupon the pate with the Councel of Mantua, The Coū cell of Mantua.which was holden vnderunder Pope Alexander the seconde, in the tyme of the Emperour Henrie the fourth: where was concluded: That all those, which by Simonie, that is to say, by briberie or giftes had obteyned anie spirituall promotion, or office, should be depriued.Simonie of the Clergie
Aha, the mother of God: where can you finde, nowe a dayes, any Chaplein or beneficed man, Bishop, or Cardinall, that climbeth to that preferment, without moneie or rewardes?
Secondarily, they would come & plague vsus with the Councel of Rome, Councell of Rome.which was holdē in the time of the Emperour Phocas, where was ordeined irreuocably, & neuer to be called backe againe, That all such, as with anie giftes or rewardes, or other like promises, were mounted vp, Simonie of Bishopsto weare miters, should be banished and excommunicated. Yea marie syr, it were better that ye Councels were al at the gallowes, thā the holy church should be subiect to that order.
Then after this might they come in, and dashe vsus in the teeth, with the Councell of Triburine, Triburine.which did forbid any money to be takē for buryings:Burying. what a gods name, who could digest that morsel?
And to this they would adde the Councel of Basil, Coū. of Basil the 21 ses.where was plainely and sharpely ordeined, That …he Court of Rome shall not take any money for any Dispensations, Elections, Postulations, Presentatiōs, nor any other Ecclesiastical offices, authorities, benefices, hallowings, blessings, no not for the very Pallium, or Bishops mantle: neither to be paid vnderunder the colour of bulles, seales, nor ānuales, by what colour or pretence soeuer they might be done. Aha, friend: What an Eclipse would that breede in the Popes purse?
They would also come forth with ye Councel of Mentz, Councel of Mentz.which was holden in the time of Carolus Magnus, where was ordeyned, That there should bee giuen againe, and restitution made of al the goods & lands, which by bequest, last will, or testament, had bene left to anie of the Spiritualtie, tending to anie losse or hinderance of the right heires. Goddes populorum! That were too bitter a Pill to swallowe and digest.
Then would they assaulte vsus, with the Councell of Laterane, Con. of Laterane.whereat by Pope Nicholas 2. and fourteene Bishops, was verie solemnly, and irreuocably concluded. That the Pope of Rome should be chosen by nomination, the whole common people assembled together, the spiritualtie, with the Colledge of Cardinalles present. And if it shoulde bee prooued, that any man should by rewardes, giftes, bribes, or any other indirect meanes, attaine to the same roome, the same should not onelyonly be banished, The Pope an… heretike and Apostata.but should likewise be taken for a shamelesse heretike, a backslider from Christ, and an Apostata. So that it should be lawfull to pull him out of his seat, &c. Aha, my masters, what a piece of worke were that? By that meanes they might ouerthrowe, and cleane roote out the holy Church of Rome.
Moreouer & besides, they would proue, ye pope Eugenius was by ye councel of Basil, iudicially condemned for an horrible Heretike, and a shamelesse knaue: and was deposed from his seate, as a wicked vile villeyne, who yet notwithstanding was after, by fine handling and prettie practises of simonie, and also with force holpen againe into his seate: and of him euer since, vntill this our time are al Bishops, Cardinals, & Popes, yea, and all priests in general, bred and sprung vp like a litter of pigges farrowed of a fruitful sow. Al which, one with an other, head & taile, should be banished, and esteemed for heretikes, & vngodly knaues, if it were so, that the Councels might beare any swinge, against the authoritie and estimation of the sea of Rome, and our mother the holy Church: but yt I assure you woulde be to feareful a matter. And therefore must we (of necessitie) conclude, That the Coū cels can in no wise ouerrule ye Church, nor by their cōmandments or ordinances cōpel her to any thing, no more than a Spiders web can hold or kepe fast a Pie, or a Crow. But al Councels must be subiect to the holy Church, euen as an obedient child is subiect to his mother: yea, and they must alwayes daunse after her Pype.
Therefore, when as these Heretikes and Huguenotes, do bring in a great heape of these Councels, to strēgthen their doctrine withal, agaynst the Romish Church, they do but breake their braines in vaine. They may well … auace,In the▪ 36. chapter of the councell Eliberi. that the Councell Eliberinum in Spaine, which was holden about the yeere 300. in the time of Constantine the great, did plainely ordeine, That there should bee no Images in the Churches, nor in no wise to paint, Images forbidden.or carue any thing to be prayed vntounto.
And they may alledge, that in the twelfe Councell of Toledo, in two Councels of Constantinople, the one vnderunder Constantius the fift, the other vnderunder Constantinus the sixt: and likewise, in a Councell in Fraunce, vnderunder Carolus Magnus, did all with one voyce, consent in the same. But we can not heare on that side.
They may likewise bring in apace,In the first booke of Councels. …oli. 627. chap 3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10. and so following to 25. Con Affric. can. 81 82.83. Mileuitano can. 3.4.5. and in the decrees, can placuit vt quicun que ca. quisquis dixerit gratiam de cō secra. dist. 4. and alledge, That the Concilium Auristanum, did clearly ouerthrow mans free will, and iustification by workes: teaching that all our righteousnes, all the good works that we can do, and al that is in vsus, must be imputed to the only goodnes & vndeserued mercye of God: that it is not in our natural power to prepare our selues to merciemercy: but that we must receiue al euē as beggers by mere gift through meeknes of the spirit. But in all this they do but loose their labour: and it is euen as much, as if they would cut the aire in twaine: for we do not esteeme al they can say worth a rushe.
That being done, they may bring in apace for witnesses, the Councels Affricanum, and Mileteranum, wherin saint Augustine did set forth such stuffe, as were ynough to shame them, all praying to saints vtterly ouerthrowen: for that there was by perfect proofe and expresse Scriptures proued and concluded, That neither is, nor euer hathe beene on the earth so holie a man, (Christ onelyonly excepted) which hath not bene spotted with sinne himselfe, and had neede continually to pray for remission and forgiuenesse of his owne sinnes. So farre doth it differ from that then, that the Saintes should hauehave any sparkle of deseruings remaining ouerplus. But al these authorities are not worth a nut shell: neither will we receiue their witnesses.
Moreouer, whereas they make much a doe with vsus, that the first councel of aRead the Churchly historie of Socrates, the 11. Cap. of the first booke▪ and Sozomen. in the 22. chap. of the 2. booke, & the decrees Cap. Nicena Syno dist. …1. & Con.Nicen did consent, That it was lawfull for priests to marie, and that the Councel of bGan. Can. 1.4.9.10.14. and in the decrees Si quis discernit. Di…incti. 28 ca. Si quis nuptias. cap Si quis vel virginitatem. cap. si quis proprer Deum. dist. 30. & cap. Si quis vitupera…. dist. 31.Gangren did curse and banish all such, as vnderunder the colour of any cloyster, religion, or spirituall state should forsake their wiues, or deface the state of matrimonie, cRead the decrees▪ ca. quoniam in Romano. Dist. 31.Whervnto the Councell called sexta Synodus, cō senting, did further and aboue that ordeine, That no man should require of any priest, to make the vowe of chastitie, vnles they of themselues were willing so to do. But all this is euen as much as to knocke at a deafe mans doore.
And if that they also (out of the sayde Councell of dCon. Gā. can. 2. and in the de…crees. can. Si quis carnem dist. 30Gangrensis,) and out of the Councell of eCon. Ancyrano. 27.Ancerano) kept about the same time of the Councell of Nicene, will go about to perswade vsus, that they that eat flesh vpō the Fryday, or in the Lent, should not be punished nor condemned: yea, and that in matters of fCon. Grā. in the conclusiō of the Councel.mariage, and eating of meates, we may not charge mens consciences, by the vertue of any newe lawe or bond: al that is of Dauie Duttons dreame, and wee … wise giuegive anye eare vntounto it.
Furthermore, they will bragge muche, vponupon the first Councels of gCon. Nice. in the▪ 6. Canon, like as Ruffi▪ doth set it forth in his hystorie.Nicene, and of hCon. Cō st…t. can. 2. beginning Qui vl… a quamque Dioc…sim sunt Episcopi &c.Constantinople, for that they did ordeine, That the Bishop of Rome shall not hauehave any authoritie or i…risdiction out of his owne borders, (to witte, the landes nigh adioyning to Rome.) And againe, vponupon the Councel of iAnd peruse the coū cel of Affrica, in the first booke of the councels the…e you hauehave these orders can. 92. and at the end of the coūcels, are the letters of the coūcel written to the Popes, Bonifacius and Cele…tinus.Affrica, whereas the craft and falshoode of the Popes of Rome, Sosimus, Bonefacius, & Coelestinus, were knowen and declared, (who had sought by falsifying of the Councell of Nicene, to mainteine their authorities.) Wherevpon it was ordeyned, That no man shoulde for any matter of difference appeale to Rome, or ouer the Sea. Which was also established in the Councell Mile…etano. Wee hauehave runne to long before the dogges, to be afrayde of these matters. Therefore they may go shooe the goose, and make children afrayde with that, which they bring forth out of the third Councel of lCon. Can. … Can. ….Carthago, kIn the cō. of Mil. ca. 21. Read also can. prisb. 11. quaest. 4. and can. psal. 4. vt presb. 2. quaest. ….and of the Councell of mCon. Aff. can. … and in the decrees ca. 1. dist. …9. Cap. Con. di 10. ca nulfas est dist. 1….Affrica: As that no man might take vponupon him to be called The chiefest of the Bishops: or, The chiefe Bishop: or, High Priest: yea by the Roode, well sayde: wee hauehave our aunswere readie ynough for that matter, which is, That men maye in no wise take vponupon them to keepe or holde anie Councell at all: yea, though they were neuer so well defended, both by the▪ Scriptures in the Bible: and by the holie fathers: vnlesse they doe well and fully agree with the holy Church of Rome: for she hath full power and authoritie to alter all Councels, and to make them voyde, of no value, nor effect: euen as shee shall thinke good: and to explane them as shall serue best for her purpose: yea, to tumble and tosse them topsie turuie, euen as shall best serue her turne.
And therefore, where as menne presume so muche to alledge and bring in, the ordinaunces of the Popes, Gelasius, Ca. Considimus 25. quaest. 1. canulli. 25. quaest. 1.and Hilarius, whiche saye, that the Sea of Rome is more subiect and obedient to the Councels, than anie other man: eyther the Councell of Basile, The councel of Basil aboue the Pope.wherein was determined and concluded, That the Councell is aboue the Pope: yea, and that the Councell maye depose the Pope: All that is not woorth a strawe. For all the Balles that are serued on that syde the Tenise Court, are easilye smitten backe and turned at the rebounde, with halfe a woorde speaking: to witte: Saluo in omnibus iure Romanae Ecclesiae: Which is too saye, The right and authoritie of the Churche of Rome, in all pointes reserued. For this is the verie tai…e of euerie Councell, wherewith they are turned about as with a rudder, eeuen whither the Pope will hauehave them.