Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 6 · Part 1
Complaints of the Germaines to Maximillian the Emperour, against the Popes oppression.
FIrst, the Popes think themselues not bound to obserue the Buls and priuiledges granted by their Predecessors, but will dispence with, and rebuke the same at the instance of eueryevery vile person. That the election of Prelats is oft put backe, and the election of Presidentship of mony-places obtained with great cost: as the church of Spire and Hasels, whose Bull for the election of their President, is made frustrate in the life of him that granted it.
That the greatest Ecclesiasticall Dignities, are reserued for Cardinals and Notaries.
That expectatiue Aduousons are graunted without number, so that much Money is laid out for such Aduousons, and in going to Law for them: whereupon is this prouerbe; He that will hauehave an Aduouson at Rome, must hauehave 100. or 200. péeces of Gold for the obtaining thereof, that he need no… to prosecute Law.
That yearely Reuenues are exacted without mercy, for new Offices and new Seruants: That the rule of Churches, are giuen at Rome to them that are more fit to féeds Mules: That new indulgences are graunted with reuocation of the old, to scrape Mony together.
That tenths are exacted, by pretence of making warre against the Turke and no expedition followeth thereon; and that the causes which might bee determined in Germany, are carried vntounto the Court of Rome.
That it is intollerable to the Germaines to pay so great A…mats for the confirmation of the Byshops and Arch-bishops, where the Arch-bishop of Ments was wont to pay but 10000. Florens for his confirmation, It was after augmented to 20000. Florens, then to 25000. Florens, and at last to 27000. Florens: And in one Popes time, this was seauen times paid out of the Arch-bishopprick of Ments, that the Arch-bishop hath beene faine to borrow it of Marchants, and to pay them againe, forced to exact a Subsidy vponupon his poore Husbandmen, so that our people are brought to extreame pouerty, and mooued to rebellion to seeke their libertie, greeuously murmuring against the Cleargy. Iames, Arch-byshop of Ments said at his death, he was sorry for nothing, as for that his poore Subiects should after his death be forced againe to pay a greeuous exaction for the Pall: therefore let the Pope, as a godly Father, deale more fauourably with his Children the Germaines, least men follow the example of the Bohemians, and swarue from him, especially let him be more fauorable vntounto the Bishops, that die so soone one after another: whereof there be fiftie Bishoppricks, besides many Abbots in Germany that are confirmed at Rome, otherwise Germany will want treasure and Munition of warre against their enemies, and to preserue peace, and minister Iustice to euerie man, and banish away murderers and theeues, and repaire Churches and Monasteries and Hospitals, and other necessaries.
There were besides these 100.1522 grieuances, complained vponupon to the Popes Legats, in the raign of the Emperor Charles the fift, out of which we hauehave but touched certaine which we thought to be most effectuall.
First, that many things are commaunded and forbidden by mens Constitutions, contrary to the commandement of God, as innumerable lets of Matrimony, and the vse of meats forbidden, which are created for mans vse, & are indifferently to be receiued with thanks-giuing: by which Constitutions, men are brought into bondage, vntill by Money they obtaine dispensations, so that Money maketh that lawfull to the rich, which is prohibited to the poore, by which snares of mens Lawes, great summes of Money are gathered out of Germany, and it bréeds priuate offences of the poore, when they see themselues intangled in these snares, onelyonly because they hauehave not the thornes of the Gospell, for so Christ often calleth riches.
That those that hauehave receiued Ecclesiasticall orders, being free from the punishment of Secular Magistrates, doe presume in sinning, and are maintained therein by the principall estates of the Cleargy. They attempt the chastity of Matrons and Uirgins, and by gifts and flattering, they bring to passe, and by their secret confessions, that many, which otherwise would liue honest, hauehave beene ouercome and moued to sinne: and often they keepe wiues from their husbands, and daughters from their Fathers, threatning them with fire and sword that require them. They offend liuewise daily, in robbery, murders, accusing of Innocents, burning, rapine, theft and counterfeiting Coyne; besides many other mischiefes, and the Bishops cannot openly punish them, except hee disgrade them; and they are bound by their Charters, that they dare not punnish them; therefore necessity and Iustice doth require, that the said priuiledges of the Cleargy should bee abrogated, and that they should hauehave the same iudgement as the Layty for such offences.
That Christians are excommunicated for vaine and prophane causes, for desire of filthy luker, whereby the weake in faith are burdened, and brought to dispaire, where a man ought to be excommunicated only for heresie.
That there are so many holydaies, that Husbandmen hauehave scarce time to gather the fruits of the earth, which were brought forth with so great trauell: and vponupon these holidaies innumerable offences are committed.
If any fight or shed blood in any hollowed place, it is interdicted, and cannot hauehave any more seruice done in it, vntill all the Cittizens, with great pompe and expences, hauehave caused it to be now consecrated, which charge redound vponupon the Laity, and none but the Suffragans can baptize Bels, who do affirme, that Bels so baptized, will driue away euill Spirits and T…mpests. Whereupon many Godfathers are appointed: and such as bee rich, at the baptising, hold the Bell-rope, the Suffragan speaking for them, and they all answere, and name the Bell, it hauing a new Garment vponupon it: then they goe to sumptuous banquets, to which the Gossips are bidden, the Suffragan and his Chaplaines are sumptuously fed, and yet he must hauehave a reward, that in small Uillages 100. Florens are often spent about such Christenings.
The Officialls of the Arch-bishops for the most part are vnlearned men and of euill conditions, taking thought for nothing but money, where they ought to correct the offences of the Laity, they burthen them with most grieuous offences, and spoyle and robbe them of their goods.
When causes belonging to the temporall Court are handled in the Spirituall Court, the Eclesiasti…all Iudges will by no meanes be intreated to remit them to their ordinary Iurisdiction, but if the Temporall Court ho…d any Pley which belongeth to the Spirituall Court, the Iudge shall be excommunicated, they say they may take prophane matters into their hands if the ciuill Magistrate bee negligent in executing iustice, but contrariwise they will not suffer that the like order shall be kept with them by the ciuill Magistrate if they be negligent, and for their vnsatiable desire of money, they suffer and mainetaine vsury, and they take yearely pensions to suffer the Cleargy vnlawfully to dwell with their Concubines and beget children by them, this none can deny except hee will make himselfe as blinde as a mole, and if a man and his wife bee long one from another by reason of warre or otherwise, the Officialls for money will suffer them to commit adultery, calling it suffera…ce; not without great offence and contempt of matrimony.
The Cannons Cathedrall and other Colleagiall Churches, which hauehave power to chuse their Superiour and Bishop they will choose none except he sweare and bee bound by déed insealed, that in no matter neuer so greiuous he shall be against them, and not to punish any of them if he do offend.
The Bishops and Officials in some places doe not only suffer Priests to hauehave Concubines, so they pay for them, but compell chast Priests (which liue without Concubines) to pay tribute for Concubines, affirming the Bishop to be worthy of such money, whereby it is lawfull for them either to kéepe Concubines or no.
These and many other Articles were offered vp to the Emperour, in the next assembly of the Princes and States at Wormes, the Archbishops and other States of the Clergy, but hitherto they hauehave not begunne to amend any thing.
After Nicholas the fift succéeded Pope Calixtus the third, hee ordayned at noone and euening the bell to tole the Aues to helpe the souldiers that fought against the Turkes, and for that purpose ordayned the Feast of the transfiguration of Christ, solemnizing it with like pardons and indulgences as Corpus Christi day, and contrary to the Councels of Constance and Basell, hee decreed none should appeale from the Pope to the Councell, and he Canonized for Saints S. Edmond of Canterbury, with diuers others: after him succeeded Pius secundus, which was AEneas Siluius wh…ch wrote the two bookes aforesaid of the Councell of Basill, at that time he was a man of indifferent iudgment, from which beeing Pope hee swarned, seeking by all meanes to abollish the bookes which before he had written.