The Theater of the Popes Monarchy, Title page – Dedication

The Theater of the Popes Monarchy · Title page – Dedication

THE THEATER OF THE Popes Monarchie: Wherein is described as well the vncleane Liues of that wicked generation, as also their Antichristian gouernment, and vsurped kingdome: Togeather with their horrible Superstition, and blasphemous religion, as it is now vsed at this present, where Antichrist the Pope & his members do beare rule.

By Phillip Stubbes.

Imprinted at London by Thomas Dawson. 1585.

To the right Honorable, Robert Lord Ritche, his singular good Lorde and Moecenas, Philippe Stubbes, wisheth all prosperitie in this life with increase of Honour and eternall felicitie in the heauenly Hyerarchie by Iesus Christ.

IN the Gospell after S. Matthewe (right honorable, and my very good Lorde) oure Sauioure Christ teacheth vsus most notably, how to knowe and discerne false Prophetes, from such as bee the true Pastours, & Ambassadours of Iesus Christ: when he saith, They shall come vntounto you in sheepes clothing, but inwardly they are rauening wolues, you shal know thē by their fruites. Then if the fruites of conuersation bee the ensignes, the badges, and cognizances to know false Prophets by (as our sauiour sayth they are) thē surely may we iudge, nay certainly perswade our selues that the Papistes are those false Prophets, Apostataes, and seducers which the word of God speaketh of: as in the further discourse of this booke shall manifestly appeare: for not only do their works & fruits conuince them heereof, but also their false, seditious erronious, and heretical doctrine doth argue the same. But they will easilye wipe away this blot: and saye that we are those false Prophets of whom Christ speaketh of. To whom I answeare, let their workes, and doctrine bee compared to ours, and bothe peyzed in the equall ballance of Gods worde (the onelyonly touchstone to trie all controuersies by) and then shall it easilye appeare whether they or wee are the false Prophetes. Doe not they come vntounto vsus in sheeps cloathing, I meane in suche habite as portendeth all kinde of austeritie, humilitie, and holinesse of life outwardlye: as namelye, in their Surplesses, Copes, Tippets, forked Cappes, Miters, Hattes, Crosiers, Hoodes, Cowles, Tunicles, Sandals, Shirtes of hayre, and a thousande other like playerlike garmentes? yea and doe they not teache that all holinesse consisteth in these ragges? Is not this to come in sheepes cloathing? But they will obiect, if thys bee so, why doe you weare some of these garmentes? I aunsweare, wee hauehave some of them in deede but that is vppon sufferaunce and permission onelyonly, not vppon constrainte or necessitie as theirs are. Besides, ours is commaunded by a Christian Queene, and therefore lawefull, theirs by Antichriste, and therefore vnlawfull. Againe we vse them as things indifferent they as things of necessitie, we repose no religion in them, they relye holy vponupon them.

And for theyr doctrine, it is so erronious, so corrupte, so seditious, nay so blasphemous, and Sacrilegious, that it would greeue a Christian manne to thinke of it: As Prayer for the dead, Iustification by good works, Purgatorie, Limbo Patrum, Inherēt Rightuousnesse, Inuocation to Saincts, Transubstantiation, Adoration of Images, their seuen coūterfait Sacramentes extreeme vnctiō, christening of Bels, hallowing of churches & churchyardes, makinge of holy bread, holy water, Auricular confesion, shrift, penāce, absolutiō, masse, mattēs, diriges, Lady Psalters, tapers, candles, bedes censings, ringings, perfuminges, & legions of like trūperies, which the word of God knoweth not: of al which pointes of doctrin of theirs I wil intreat in a book by it self god willing very shortly, wherin shal appeare whether they or we hauehave y^e truth. This is their godly doctrin which ther it com nerer to the word of God, or ours, let the world iudge. And yet notwithstanding they set a faire face on it, they stamp and stare, & beare the world in hand, that theirs is the truth. For say they, our doctrine standeth vponupon sure pillers, antiquitie, vniuersalitie, generalitie & the like. Our doctrine is proued by discent of Bishops from time to time, by consent of all nations and so foorth, but your doctrine is newe and starte vppe the laste day, &c. But whether theirs or ours bee the newer it shall appeare in the discourse following. First wee are able to proue that our doctrine is auncienter then theirs, ye as auncient as God himselfe whose truth it is. And first to begin with the diuine institution in Paradice: wee reade that God the father gaue vntounto Adam his word & commandement, to wit: Thou shalt not eat… of the tree of knowledge of good and euil, ingrauing, and as it were imprinting, this word & commandement in the heart of Adam, and in him, in all his posteritie. By the which lawe, of conscience then liued almost 2000. yeeres without any other law or word written, being guided & directed by the holy Ghost in all their actions: the 2000. yeares being ended, & men waxing dissolute, licentious & wicked, y^e Lorde (as Theophilactus witnesseth) disdayning to speake to them any longer by his spirit for that they became wicked, gaue thē a Lawe, (for before they hadde no written Lawe, God appearing to them I meane the fathers and Patryarches, in visions in apparitions, in dreames, sometime in the forme of angels, & waifaring men, sometime in one shape, sometime in an other, according as their weakenesse could beare) written by the finger of God in two tables of stone, which is the x. commaundements. Then Moses at the commandement of God committing to writing, the x. commandements with his other fiue books, as he was taughte and directed by the suggestion of the spirit of God, ruled the Israelites thereby. The old testament being thus written by the seruant of God Moses, & his faithful prophets at the commandement of God▪ continued in force til the cōming of Christ, which was in effect 2000. yeeres after. Thē our sauiour Iesus Christ, cōming in the flesh, gaue in commandement to his Euangelists, Apostles, and prophets to write the new testamēt, which they, by the direction of gods spirit, did most happily perform. These 2. testaments now, the old & the new God be thāked, we hauehave. Now let the papists disproue this if they can, or if they hauehave any other Gospell, let thē bring it forth: They cānot deny, but we hauehave the same word of god which God the father, our sauiour Christe & the holy ghost hauehave giuen to the woorlde: & this being graunted, it must needs folow, that our doctrine is true, & theirs most false Now let them deriue their antichristian doctrine lineally from suche antiquitie, & truth as this, if they can: but that they shall neuer bee able to do. For their doctrine hath bin longer in patching, then Solomons temple was in building. Yea within these x or xii. hundred yeeres, there was not a scrap of their pesteferous doctrine coyned: no the egg was not thē laid that hatched that poisoned Cocatrice. Then the truth of gods word throgh the iniquitie of time, beginning by little & little to suffer eclipse, at the last sprang vp such mountaines of heresies, & corruptiōs, cast out of the bottomles pit, & as it were spewed out of the Diuels mouth, that the truth was altogether obscured.

Then Antichrist the pope sprong vp challenging superioritie ouer all the face of the earth, and he begun the Romish religion, & so eueryevery one succeeding him put to somwhat yea eueryevery Frier, Monk, Abbot, Prior, Prouost, parson, Vicar, Cardinal, and euen al in general added to it, eueryevery one a patch. So that the papists religi- (if it may bee called a Religion) is nothing els than the shreddes, the peeces and patches, the drosse & dregs of corruptible mē: & ours the doctrine of the holy ghost. But although that it could not be proued that our doctrine is aū cienter then theirs, yet the truth of the same dependeth not vponupon the antiquity. For Christ saith in the Gospel, Ego sum via, veritas & vita: I am the way, the truth, and the life. He saith not, I am custome, I am antiquity. And therfore I say Antiquitas sine veritate est vetustas erroris: Antiquity without truth, is the aūcient of error. Custome, nor antiquity cā not make that true, whiche in the beginning was false: neither can the nouelties, or newnes of anye thing make that faise, which of it selfe is true. Hereby it is manifest, that the papistes doctrin is a doctrine of noueltie (I had almost said of diuilry) and ours a doctrine of al auncientnes the auncientest: and yet wold they carry awaye the truth with a counterfeit shew of antiquitie. And whereas also they depend so much vponupon vniuersality forsooth, god be thanked, their doctrin is not so vniuersal, as they make fare of. For if y^e nūber of thē that hauehave receiued it bee compared to the number of thē that hauehave not receiued it, they shal seeme not to bee one for a thousande, naye not one for ten thousand. For all the Easte churche neuer receyued his doctrine, the Greeke Church neuer admitted it. The greatest parte of Italy, of Fraūce, of Flaūders, Rushia, Muscouia, Denmarke, England, Scotland, Ireland, and many other countries besides, hauehave vtterly cast off his Antichristian yoke & vsurped gouernment. And therefore is not his doctrine so vniuersal as he wold perswade the world. But they will saye, who shal be iudge of the truthe of our and your Doctrine betwixt vsus, I aunsweare, the word of God according to this saying of our sauiour Christ. Verbum quod ego predicaui vobis iudicabit nouissimo die: The woorde that I hauehave preached vntounto you, shall iudge in the last daye.

But to leaue their doctrine, and to come to their liues▪ it is obiected, they liue well, and are plentifuller in good works then we, therefore their doctrine and their faithe is the truth. I aunswere there is a non sequitur or rather a mere Fallax in this argument, for good works before the world is one thing, & good workes before God is another. Those which in the eies of the worlde seeme to bee good works, may be before god most filthy & abhominable: except they spring out of a liuely faith it is vnpossible they shuld please God, as Paule sayeth. The Iewes, the Turkes, the Paganes, and Infidels doe good workes outwardly (as it shoulde seeme) but because they are wythout Faith, they please not God. And euen suche are our Papystes good woorks: if they may be called, Good works, and not rather Ciuilia opera Ciuel woorkes or woorks of office, which the Diuelles them selues may doe. Besides this, if they doe any good workes, they are most detestable and lothsome before God, because they seeke to be iustified and saued by them, yea to merite heauen, & to make God greatly indebted and beholden vntounto them. And therefore I conclude that the papists although they do neuer so many good works outwardly, yet are they but hypocritical, and no true good woorkes indeed. They erre in the nature of good works also: for those wherevpon the Lorde hath set his seale and brande of curse and malediction for euer, they call good workes: as namely the building and erecting of Abbeies, nunneries, priories monasteries, & other religious houses, guilding of Images, erecting of Idols and statuaries in churches: creeping and offering to crosses, giuing of money to buy cups chalices, copes, & other rich ornamēts of the church. To bestow largely vponupon bels, but specially vpō priests and clarks to sing masse for their soules, diriges trē talles, Ladyes Psalters, suppressing of Gods worde, slaying, murthering & killing of Gods Saintes for the maintenāce of their kingdom, & a thousād like, which they cal good works, but indeed are y^e works of the Diuel. But such as the worde of God doth commend vntounto vsus for good works, as namely, to visit those that are in prison, to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, to lodge the harbourlesse, to relieue the poore & needy, to helpe poore orphanes, widows and fatherlesse to their ryght, and such other good woorks, with them they hauehave nothing to do, or if they hauehave, they doe them in such sorte, and with such a mind, and intention, as they are not to be called good works, in respect of the end, as I hauehave shewed before. Thus we (see right honourable & most illustrious Lord) how they delude the worlde with their preten…ed shew of good works and doctrine: neyther whereof are agreeable to the word of God. For as for them, they hauehave not, nor will hauehave anye thing in the Churche but mens traditions, humaine inuentions, and vaine constitutions of corruptible men, formed and framed in the forge of their own deceiptfull brayns, whereas the Lorde speaking from heauen, saith, Hic est filius meus dilectus ipsum audite. This is my welbeloued sonne heare him, heare him. And in the Gospel after S. Matthew, our sauiour Christ saith: In vain doe they worshippe me, teaching the doctrines and traditions of men: And yet for all this they will hauehave nothing in the church, but the vaine traditiōs of men, cleane contrary to the word of God. And, as for their adulterate liues, if any man waigh thē in the ballaūce of impartial iudgment, he shal find them worse then the Sodomites, how soeuer they blanch them, and set a glosse vponupon them, to bleare the eies of the world withal. And no maruaile, that they liue most vilely. For whē they hauehave done, they hauehave a tricke of Legerdymayn to obsolue them selues a culpa & paena, that is from the fault be it neuer so haynous, & frō the punishmēt due for the fault. Al which abuses because I hauehave laid thē down more at large in the further processe of this booke, I wil referre your honor to the same.

And now (my very good Lord) to bende to bend my style towards your honour. What shal I say? May it not be woondred, with what face I hauehave presumed to dedicate this woorke to your Honourable Lordeshippe rather then to many others? Truely it maye so. But two thinges in especiall hauehave moued me thereto: y^e one, the Godly affectiō & zeale which your Lordship beareth in sacred brest to the truth of God his worde and true religion: the other the vnfayned goodwill and fidelitie which I euer hauehave and doe beare to that honorable house, the verie diademe and mirroure of true nobilitie. And to say truthe, to whom should one dedicate the fruites of his labours, but to such as be both learned themselues, and otherwise famous and illustrious? whiche thing (yf it be so) to whō shold I present these few blossōes of my immature studies rather then to your honorable Lordship? whose worthy fame not onelyonly for your incomparable curtesie, affabilitie, and gentlenes towardes all men, but also and in especiall for your singular zeale to God his sacred truth, integritie of life, liberalitie towardes them that hauehave need, valoure, prowesse, magnanimitie, or els whatsoeuer may decore or beautifie true nobilitie, is blowen throughe out all Europe. Which brute throughe the golden trumpe of fame, sounding in my eares, excited me the rather to present this my booke to your sacred honour, rather then to anye others: moste humblye beseechinge the same not onelyonly to pardon my great presumption in this my bolde attempt, but also to receiue the same into your honors patronage and protection, defending as well the author from the open violence of malicious enimies, as also the booke from the slaunderous tongues of flouting Momus, and raylinge Zoilus, to whom all good thinges are had in contempte, and I shall daylie praye to God for your honorable Lordeshippe long to continue in health, and prosperity both of body and soule with increase of much honor, reward of laudable vertue, and eternall felicitie in the heauens by Iesus Christ.

Your honours most humble to command Philippe Stubbes.

The Theater of the Popes monarchy, wherein is described as wel the vncleane liues of that wicked generation, as also their Antichristian gouernment, and vsurped kingdome: together with their horrible superstition, and blasphemous religion, as it is nowe vsed at this present, where Antichrist the Pope and his members doe beare rule.

The Speakers. Philemon and Stuperius.

Philemon.

MY friende (Stuperius) seeing it hath pleased God that we be heare mette togeather at thys present so conueniētly: let vsus spend the tyme in some suche godly talke, and communication, as both maye tend to the glory of God (for to that end chiefly was man ordeined: VVhy manne was created.) and also to the mutual edification one of another: knowing that at the day of iudgement we must rēder accounts, What accoūts wee must render at the day of iudgement.not only for al our thoughts, words, and deeds (whether they be good or bad) but also for eueryevery least moment of time that hath been lent vsus in thys life, how we hauehave spent and bestowed the same.

Stu.

I am very glad (brother Philemon) to heare you so well affected. And with all my hearte, I will obeye your good aduertisement and godly request: assuring you, that I reioyce not a lyttle of such a good companion. For indeede (as you say) all our speeches ought to tende to the glory of GOD.All our speeches ought to bee to Gods glory. And therefore when we speake, wee ought to followe the commaundement of the Apostle, who sayeth. Si quis loquitur, vt sermo Dei loquatur. That is, If any mā speake, let him speake as the word of God teacheth him. Again, we hauehave an other commandement geuen vsus by God himselfe in the sixt of Deuteronomie namely that we talke and commune of the worde of God, when wee rise vp in the morning,VVe ought alway to talke of the woorde of God. when we are at our meat, when wee lay vsus downe to sleepe, when wee walke abroade by the waye, when we are at home in our houses, or whatsoeuer wee doe els, all our communication ought to be of God, and of his wō derous workes. And the Apostle in another place willeth vsus that our communication be such, as may giuegive grace to the hearers, and not offence to anye. But now adayes the cleaue contrarye is euerye where practysed. For if anye man talke of the woorde of GOD neuer so lyttle a whyle, doeth it not mouere nauseam as it were, that is, seemeth it not lothesome, when in the meane tyme too talke of bawdrye,Filthy talke counted a creation. of filthinesse and vncleanenesse, a whole houre, a whole daye together, yea all their liues thorow seemeth a recreation (as they cal it) and an exercyse most pleasant. But if they would remember what our sauiour Christ saith in the gospel of S. Mathew 12. chap.Mat. 12.Matt 12 I think they would take heede what they said. De omni verbo otioso homines reddituri sunt raetionem nouiss…me die. That is: Men shal giuegive account of eueryevery ydle word at the day of iudgement. Againe hee telleth them that Exsermonibus suis iustificabūtur, & ex sermonibus suis condemnabuntur. A ca…eat for vncleane talkers.Of their wordes they shall be iustified, and of their words, they shalbe cōdemned. If they woulde bee mindeful of this, I doubt not, but they wold leaue off to interlace their speeches as they doe wyth bawdry, scurrilitie, wantonnesse, & blasphemy, with swearing, cursing, and banning, rather resembling heerein the infernall furies then sober wyse Christians.

Phile.

You hauehave saide well. And therefore the Apostle Iames biddeth vsus, if we be merry, to sing Psalmes, & if we be sadde or sorrowfull to pray: by whiche rule of the Apostle is forbid and condemned all filthye talke or communication contrary to the word of God, All filthy talke condemned.all vncleane woordes, wanton songues, lasciuious sonettes, bawdye ballades, and all other prophane talke whatsoeuer▪ For wherefore did the maiestie of GOD giuegive vntounto manne the vse of the tongue aboue all other creatures, VVhy God gaue man the vse of the tongue.but to this ende? namely, that he might gloryfie his Creator therewith, and edifie his Christian brethren? And therfore that wee may discharge our dueties, as well in the one as in the other, let vsus descende intoo some particular poynts, which we may handle to the glory of God, and our mutuall edification.

Stupe.

I am wel contented, proceed in Gods name, and demaund what you will.

Phile.

I pray you how many churches are there generally?

Stupe.

To speake generally there be two Churches.Two Churches. to wit, the Church of God, & the Church of the Diuel: the beloued spouse of Christ, & the whoorish sinagogue of Sathan, the Electe, and the Reprobate, the vessels of saluation, & the vessels of damnation.

Philem.

Howe many folde is the Church of God?

Stupe.

Two fold, militant, and tryumphant. Mili…nt is that, which beyng dispersed eueryevery where vppon the face of the earth,Militant churche what it is. fighteth and warreth dayly against the Diuell, the world & the fleshe. And Triumphant is that,Churche triumphāt what it is. which beeing deliuered out of this life, resteth in eternall glory. Both which Churches Militant & Triumphant, as they be mēbers of one misticall bodye (Christe Iesus) so shal they a…ter the dissolution of this life, bee vnited together as members of the same body,Churche tryumphant and militant all one. christ Iesus being their head. And albeit that they be distinct in tyme and place onelyonly, yet make they both, but one true Church of God, as many members make but one perfect body.

Phile.

Howe manye folde is the Church malignant?

Stupe.

Two fold, the wicked & reprobate, which liue here militant vppon the earth, & the wicked reprobats which are departed hence, which last may bee called the Church infernall.

Phile.

Why cal you it militant?

Stupe.

Because it fighteth & warreth against God, against Christ Iesus his worde, against his glorye and sacred trueth in al things, yea, and agaynst all godlinesse and vertue in general.

Phile.

Why cal you it the Church infernal?

Stupe.

Because it beeing dissolued, liueth in eternal paines, suffering (in the iustice of God,) the punishment of euerlasting damnation. And euē as the mylitant & triumphant Church of God, doe make but one body: so these Churches of the diuel, both which do liue here, & whiare departed hēce do make but one bodie also, the Diuel being the head thereof,

Philemon.

What doe you call the Church of God?

Stupe.

I cal the Church of God, the vniuersal number,What the church of is. & society of al Christian people, dispearsed throughout the whole worlde agreeing together in one trueth, one faith, and one hope of eternal life by Iesus Christ.

Phile.

What be the marks and tokens wherby this church is knowen, and discerned from the Church malignant, and sinagogue of sathan?

Stu.

They bee many, but especially these. The true preaching of the worde of God, the due administration of the sacramentes,The infallible narkes of the rue Church. the execution of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to the prescript rule of Gods woorde, and the like. So that where thou seest these things duely & truely practised, know thou that there is the vndoubted church of God. Upon the other side where thou seest all these things neglected (as it is in the papacie) nay cleane impugned, knowe thou, that there is not so muche as the face of the true visible Church of God but the coū terfeit church of Sathan where the Diuel maketh his continual residence.

Phile.

Seeing that the Lorde hath his Churche his beloued spouse, and chosen congregation in this worlde, whō hath he constituted the supreme head, and gouernour of the same.

Stupe.

Christ Iesus whose the bodie is, muste needes bee the heade of the Churche,Cor. 11.3. according to the saying of the Apostle. I will that you knowe that Christ is the heade of eueryevery manne.…e. 1.22. Agayne, God hath made al things subiect vnderunder his feete, and hath appointed him ouer al things to be head ouer y^e church. In another place he saith:Ephe. 4.15.Eph 4:15 But let vsus folowe the truth in louelove, and in all things grow vp in him, which is the head, that is Christ. And to the Collossians he saith plainly thus:Colos. 1.18.Col 1:18 And hee (meaning Christ) is the head of the bodie of the Churche. Againe in the second chapter following he sayth:Colos. 2.10.Col 2:10 And yee are complete in him, which is the hear of all principalitie and power. And further in the booke of Samuel he saith:2. Sam. 22.44.2 Sam 22:44 Thou hast deliuered mee from the contentions of my people, thou hast preserued me to bee head ouer nations, &c. By all which places (besides infinite the like,Christ the onlie head of his body the church▪ which, fearing least I might seeme tedious, I omit) it appeareth that Christ Iesus onelyonly is the sole, true, & only head of his body the church, and not anye other power or principalitie vpō earth whatsoeuer. And althogh that Christ bee the onelie vniuersall & peremptorie head of his Church, yet my meaning is not to denie Christian Princes that lawefull power and authoritie which y^e word of god doth alow thē:Howe princes are heads ouer the church of God. that is to be the chief heads ouer eueryevery seuerall Church or congregation, and ouer eueryevery particular person and member of the same, within theyr kingdomes and dominions as his Lieuetenaunts, and Uicegerents vnderunder hym, to rule and gouerne the people of God by the rule and scepter of his worde.

Phile.

But I hauehave harde that no christian prince can be head ouer the Church of God, but the pope onlie, what is your opinion in that?

Stupe.

In deede the Pope (I will not denie) is Supreame head ouer the vniuersall Church vponupon the earth:The pope head ouer y^e churche of Satan. but of what vniuersall Church? Of the Catholike or vniuersal church of satā (acording to my former diuisiō). Of this malignant church I confes he is the only Supreme head. But ouer the church of God,The pope no head ouer the church of god, nor any member of the same. the Spouse of Christe Iesus, hee is so farre from beeing head, that hee is not so much as a perfect member of the same: For proofe whereof, doe marke but thys one reason: he that impugneth the worde of God, and the doctrine of Christ Iesus wittyngly and willynglie is no true member of Christe Iesus. But the Pope (as the worlde beareth witnesse) in all his Actes, Dooinges, and Proceedynges generally, impugneche the woorde of GOD both wittinglye and willingly, ergo, neither hee nor any of hys Adherents are the true members of the mysticall bodie of Christe Iesus.

And notwythstandinge,The pope in pudent. that hee is conuinced both by the worde of GOD, the testimonie of his owne conscience, & the common verdict of all the woorlde, that he is so farre frō being the supreme heade ouer the Uniuersall Churche of Christe vppon the earth, that hee is not any true member thereof,The pope d…ludeth the worlde. yet hee beareth (or woulde beare) the worlde in hande, that hee is the onelyonly Supreame head ouer the Churche of GOD, that Christe Iesus hath made and constitute hym his Uicare, and Lieuetenaunt generall, to rule and reigne according too hys owne corrupt humour. But howe falsly hee arrogateth this superioritye to hymselfe, eueryevery manne (except wilfullie blynde) maye perceyue. For is not the Church of GOD,The Pope a verlet. the wyfe and Spouse of Christe Iesus? Than howe dareth he challendge to be head ouer another mans wife? Is he not a verlet, that will require it? and is not the wife a harlot that will permit it? And is not that a monstrous bodye, whiche hath moe heads then one? Therefore co conclude, Christ Iesus is the only Supreme head of the Churche,…rist Iesus, & …t toe pope is …ad ouer his …urch. and not the Pope. The Pope hath his Churche (to wit the malignant church, & Sinagogue of Satan) whereouer he is head. And as for the Church of God, hee may let it alone, for he hath no part, nor fellowship therein, except hee repent, and conuert in time.

Phile.

Who was the first of those lustie bruites, that challendged this Supremacie before all others?

Stupe.

It is saide that Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople, beganne to take vponupon him to bee called the supreme head,…ho challen…ed the name …f vniuersal …shop first. or vniuersall Bishop ouer all christendome. Then Bonifacius the thirde Bishop of Rome, seeing, that to bee called head ouer all the worlde was a glorious title, obteined of Phocas the Emperour to be called head ouer al the world. in the yeere of our Lord .680.The pope ha…ched of a C…catrices egge And thus was the egge laid, that hatched this Cokatrice, with all his filthie pewling brood.

Phile.

There hath bin & is great controuersie amongst many concerning the Pope, of whom yet hitherto, I could neuer heare a perfect description. I pray you therefore what is the Pope?

Stupe.

Are you such a simple foole that you knowe not what the Pope is? Hee is a manne as others are,VVhat the pope is. but in all kinde of mischiefe farre surpassing any: who, by blood, murder, Simonie, monie, and a thousand such like indirect means vsurpeth the Sea of Rome, where hee sitteth as Bishop generall, and head ouer all the worlde, euen as Lucifer and and Beelzebub doe in the kingdome of hell.The pope … foorth in hi… colours. But if you will hauehave a plainer description of him, hee is a blasphemer, a sacrileger, an impostor, a seducer of the people, a false prophet, an Apostatae, a teacher of lyes and fables, a father of superstition, and idolatrie, an enemie to Christ Iesus, and his word, a cruel Tartarian in sheadding of innocent blood, a homicide or murtherer, a sower of sedition and dissention among Christian Princes, a perturber of y^e whole world, And to be short, euen Antichrist himself,…he pope An…christe. the sonne of perdition, and first borne of Satan, whom Christ Iesus shal destroy with the breath of his mouth.

Phile.

This is an odde felow in deede, wherefore doth hee call himselfe by the name of pope?

Stupe.

Because hee woulde bee thought too bee some great and wonderfull thing, and to be had in admiration amongest men. For wheras the Latine woorde (Papa) in Englishe (Pope) was at the first a name common too all good Bishops,… a commō …me to all B. … fathers in … time. and fathers throughout the worlde, he like a greedie ambitious gripe, challendgeth that name properly to himselfe. And why? Forsooth because he may seeme the graund captain ouer all the worlde.…hy the pope called Papa. And therefore hee greatly delighteth to be called Papa, that is Pope, or holy father, as it were pater patrū, the father of all fathers, & head of all people.…hereof papa …mmeth. But some think (& not vnlikely) that this word papa Pope, commeth of this interiection papè, which is a word of great wonder, & admiration, for when wee heare anye straunge & vnquoth thing that greatly amaseth vsus, we crie out in admiratiō of the same (papè) oh Iesus, oh good Lord, what a wonder is this? So that by arrogating this name to himself he would beare the world in hande that hee is some strange thing, and as it were some diuine power sent downe from the heauens.

Phi.

Proceed further I pray you to declare vntounto me the glorious estate, the princely power, the large dominions, the infinit riches, the magnificēt titles, & dignity of this monster, and worlds wōder the pope, as he wil bee called, for they say, y^t in these things, as in al things els he passeth al others

Stupe.

There was neuer any earthly power, neither Emperor, king, prince, duke,No power vponupon earth comparable to the pope. Lord, nor any other Potentate, no not Alexāder y^e great cōqueror of al y^e worlde, Hanniball, Cateline, Hector, nor any other that heerein might compare with this gresie prelate: And no maruayle. For whereas their power extended no further than from Easte to West, from North to South, and frō one end of the earth to another: his power (or els the beast lyeth) reacheth not onelyonly ouer all the face of the earth, and from one ende of the worlde to another, but also from the earth too heauen (yea heauen is his owne good,The wonderfull power of the pope. to bestowe on whom he wil at his pleasure,) from heauen to hel, frō hel to purgatorie, a place which neither God nor the diuel euer knew, nor yet once hard of, tyl the pope who knoweth all secretes founde it out.

Now is it any maruaile though his power bee greater then all others vponupon earth, wheras he hath such absolute power and authoritie in heauen that the Angels are at his becke▪ in hell that the Diuels tremble and quake at his check,The Pope …reatly feared …n purgatorie. and in Purgatorie that the poore soules broyling in heate, looke for release at his handes, and feare his Maiestie a greate deale more, than the glorious Maiestie of GOD? These thynges howe absurde soeuer they be, hee blushsheth not to publish in bookes and pamphlets to the viewe of the worlde.

Phile.

What armes giues thys mightie Monarch, for seeing that his power is so great, it must needes bee, that his armes are riche, and suche as may set foorth the glory and magnificence of his Papall estate?

Stupe.

I am very vnskilfull in blasing of armes, for I was neuer herauld in all my life: but yet I wyll tel you the best that I can.The Popes armes which he giueth. The Pope giueth the twoo crosse keyes, which hee calleeh (falsly) Saint Peters keies. These keyes hee blaseth very richly in golde and siluer Scutchins, thereby the rather to perswade the worlde, that neither Emperour,None can enter into heauen without the Popes pasport. Kyng, Queene, high nor lowe, riche, nor poore, can enter in…to the kingdome of heauen without the graunt of hys pasporte, & commission, & except hee open, and vnlocke the gates. By force of these keies he perswadeth the worlde that it lyeth in his power to open heauen gates to whome hee will, and too shutte them against whome hee will,The force of the Popes keies. to sende to heauen whom hee pleaseth, and to throwe downe to hell againe whom he thinketh good.

This is a worthie knight Marshall, I trowe, and such a fellow as is too bee feared. Is it anye maruell thoughe Kynges and Princes, high and lowe, rich and poore, euen all in general hauehave trembled at the very name of y^e Pope? Thus playeth hee both the Iugler in castinge mystes before mennes eyes,The pope plaieth the iugler and the traitor together. the rather to deceiue them wyth hys Diuelish deceptions, and illusions: and also the false Traitour to GOD in stealing away the hearts of the people from the Lord.

Phile.

Howe came he by these pretensed counterfait keies, can you tell?

Stupe.

I will tell you. As hee commeth by all thinges els, that is, by vsurpation,How the pope commeth by al things. by false wresting, and wrything of Scriptures, and a thousande such like indirect meanes, which he hath coyned in the forge of his owne braine, And the better to bring hys purpose about, he pleadeth to hauehave receiued them from Saint Peter▪ who (as he falsly alleadgeth) was Pope of Rome before him. But least action bee commensed against him, his Plee proued naught and him selfe a liar, it behooueth him first of all,Doubted whe…ther Peter wer…euer at Rome▪ to proue whether Peter was euer at Rome, which is doubted of many: nay clearely proued by as learned and famous menne as hauehave writte in all tongues, that hee was neuer at Rome, muche lesse Bishoppe or Pope there. And hauing prooued that hee was there (which hee can hardly doe) it standeth hym then in hand to prooue that he was Pope there,Peter neuer pope of Rom… whiche neither hee, nor all the worlde too helpe hym with besides, shall neuer bee able too doe. Then hauing prooued that hee was there, and that hee was Pope there also, yet helpeth it him not, excepte hee can prooue that Peter gaue it him eyther by wyll, Deede of gyfte, Feaftmente, or some other lawefull graunte, whereby hee maie wyth good conscience inioye that, whiche both Christe Iesus, the blessed Apostle Saint Peter, and all the reste of the Apostles in generall did alwayes refuse.The Pope pu… to his shifts. Or yf that hee canne not dooe thys, lette hym then shewe vsus by what other hidden meanes it may come vntounto him, whether by lineal discent, by hereditarie possession, or by what other conueiance. And hauing proued al this, yet helpeth it him nothing at all vnlesse hee canne prooue that Peter had suche large power and authoritie as hee pretendeth by these keies. These thynges if eyther hee or a nye of his whelpes can prooue vntounto mee,The Popes whelpes. than wyll I say more vntounto them: in the meane time I rest perswaded that hee is so farre from hauing any power in or ouer,The no pope mēber of the church of god. the Churche of God vppon earth by reason of these keyes, or any thing els, that hee is not so muche as a member of the same. But notwythstandinge I confesse,The spiritual keies of the kingdome of heauen. that Peter receyued the Spirituall Keyes of the kingdome of heauen, that is, the power of bindyng, and loosing of sins, togeather with the power and gyfte of expoundinge, interpretynge, and explaning of the holy Scriptures to the people. And not onelyonly did Peter receiue these keyes, but also all the reste of the Apostles wythe hym, and in them, all other faithfull Preachers, Pastours, Doctours, and Ministers of the Gospell as effectually, as fully, and as amplie as the Apostles themselues.

Phile.

What is meant by these keies?

Stupe.

A key (yee knowe) is an instrument that men vse, to open, and to shut withall.VVthat is ment by the keies. Therefore is this Metaphor borrowed thereof: by which keyes is meant potestas soluendi, & ligandi, the power of bynding and loosing: as I tolde you before in the Page precedent.

Phile.

How is binding, & loocing perfourmed?

Stupe.

By preaching of the lawe, and the Gospel, as for example. When the lawe is preached, and the fearefull threates, and comminations therof thundred foorth against any impenitent sinner, then may hee bee saide to be bounden, and his sinnes to bee retained. And when the glad tidings of the Gospel is preached too the penitent, and contrite sinner,How binding and loosing is perfourmed. then may he be saide to be loosed and his sinnes to be remitted.

Again, when any one ariseth against the Maiestie of GOD, and rebelleth against his lawes and commaundements without eyther remorse of conscience, feare of God, intention of amendement, or repentaunce at all, this man is bounden, and his sinnes retayned. But vponupon the other side, if hee sinne of frailtie, and afterwarde truelie repenteth, amendeth, and turneth too the Lorde wythall hys hearte,Howe wee are saide to bee bound and loosed. wyth an intention neuer to committe the same offence againe, and constantly beléeuing in Iesus Christe trusting too bee saued and pardoned by his death, then is hee loosed, and hys sinnes cleerely put away and remitted. In this sorte, and in this case hath euerie faithfull Pastour and Preacher of the Gospell, full, absolute, and Plenarie power too binde the impenitent sinner,Howe the Ministers of the gospel hauehave power to remit sinne. that is, to pronounce hym by the warraunt of Gods worde, to be bound, and to loose him agayne, that is, to pronounce hym by the woorde of God too bee loosed when hee repenteth, and turneth to the Lorde with all his hearte, as I hauehave saide.

Thus ye see the power of the keies, that is,Binding and loosing restrained within the compasse of Gods worde. of bynding, and loosing, is restrayned within the Pale and wall of Gods woorde, and not in suche a lauish maner, and raunging sorte as pleasethe Magister noster, our greate Master the Pope too determine. For if it were true, or coulde bee prooued, that the Pope hadde this Plenarie power, too bynde and loose whome hee would wythout the warraunt of the woorde of GOD, then woulde I not blame them yf all the worlde wente after him, and not onelyonly worshypped hym as a manne, but as a GOD vppon earthe. Is it any maruaile though hee hath withe thys Sweete Bayte,The popes venemous hook and poysone bayte. and venemous Hooke, drawen vntoo hym selfe the moste Kingdomes and Nations of the woorlde? But nowe (GOD bee thanked) they beeing better instructed in the woorde of GOD, and seeynge hys horrible Blasphemie, Superstition, Idolatrie, and euen Diuelrie it selfe, hauehave the most of them made Defection, and shrunke from hym. And dayly doe they fall from his Antichristian kingdom,The most part of the popes …ingdomes are …alne frō him. and the Lord graunt that more and more may fall from hym eueryevery day and houre, tyll there be none left with him, that God may be glorified and they eternally saued in the daye of the Lord Iesus.

Phile.

Mee thinke that menne might easily spie out his doings being so detestable as they bee, and hauing spied them out, myght then eschewe them, might they not?

Stupe.

Yes: And God bee praysed, so they doe dayly, Englande hathe spied out his knaueries:Kingdomes …lne from the …pe. and therefore hath spewed hym out. Scotlande hath done the like. Fraunce hath abandoned hym. Germanie hath vtterly forsaken hym: Yea, and part of his owne countrie of Italie seeing hys abhominations, hauehave and doe dayly fall from hym, with infinite other places, Countries, and Nations, which for breuities sake I omit.

Phil.

It cānot otherwise be, but hauing the woorde of God amongest them, they must needes finde out his knaueries being so grosse, that a man with halfe an eye (as they vse to say) may easily perceiue them.

Stupe.

You saye the trueth.Gods worde the ouerthrow of the Popes kingdome. But if the worde of God shoulde once bee set a; broch, and come to light, then (he knoweth it verye well) his kingdome of ignoraunce, and darknesse woulde soone decay and come to naught. And therefore to the end that he may the better maynteine his kingdome of ignoraunce, hee clappeth vppe the Byble,The Pope forbiddeth the reading of the Scriptures. forbidding all men whatsoeuer to reade it, or once to looke one worde vponupon it, and that vppon payne of damnation: saying further that none ought to looke vponupon it, but he and his rabbynes, or such others as he shal license and authorize therto by his bulles of dispensation. This is cleane contrary to the doctrine of our sauiour Christ, who biddeth vsus searche the Scriptures saying.The Popes doctrine contrary to Christes. Scrutamini Scripturas eae sunt enim qui testificantur de me. Whiche is, Searche the scriptures, for those are they that beare witnesse of me. In an other place, he saith, Scrutamini scripturas, in eis enim speratis vitam eternam habere. Al men ought to search the Scriptures.That is, search the scriptures, for in them you hope to hauehave eternal life. This is contrary to the example of the Birreans in the Actes of the Apostles,Birreans their notable example. who searched the scriptures dayly to see whether the things preached by the Apostles were true, or not. Nowe whether it bee better to obeye Christe who commandeth vsus to search the scriptures or the Pope, who forbiddeth vsus the sight of them, iudge you. And to the ende that he may bee sure to keepe the worlde in Cymmeriis tenebris, in palpable darknesse, & grosse ignoraunce stil, (for ignorance he calleth the mother of deuotion,Ignoraunce the mother of damnation not of deuotion. whereas indeede it may well bee called the mother of damnatiō) he not only locketh vp the byble vnderunder strong lockes, & keyes, but also turneth it into a straunge tongue,Bible locked vp and in a strange toung. contrary to the doctrine both of our sauiour Christe his blessed Apostle Paul, who commandeth that al thinges be done in the Church to edification,1. Cor. 14.1 Cor 14 & in a knowen tongue: & also to the example of the Prymitiue and Apostolicall Church, who euer vsed to hauehave the bible, and other diuine bookes, in the mother tongue, which they vnderstoode. And as though this restraint were not badde ynough, he giueth in charge that no man be so bolde as to interprete or expounde the scriptures,Scripture to be no otherwise interpreted, then pleaseth the Pope. otherwise then hee shall think meet in his commentaries, gloses, and paraphrases. Thus he woulde bee thought too hauehave all knowledge in his breast (for so som of his Sorbonisis hauehave writtē of him, that in scrinto pectoris Papae cōditur omnis scientia, that is, In the chest of the popes breast, lieth hid all knowledge whatsoeuer) & to be onelyonly wise,The pope would be thought onelyonly wise. & al the world besides to be blind as betles, & to see, or know nothing. Under which gay pretēce of wisedom & knowledge, whatsoeuer he deereeth must stād for an infallible & an vndoubted truth: no man must ask any questiō of it, but what soeuer he cōmandeth be it right or wrōg, truth or falshood, it must be obeied forthwith vponupon payn of damnation. And why not?Nether the Pope nor his Father the Diuell canne erre. for whatsoeuer he speaketh, yea althogh he but dreme it, it is truth forsooth, & so m…st al mē take it: for he is the onelyonly felow vponupon y^e earth that cannot erre, neither in life, nor doctrine, no more thā the diuel himself.

Phile.

EueryEvery man may count him but an Asse in so deeming of himself, for the holy Ghost teacheth vsus, that Omnis homo mendax, solus Deus verax, that is: EueryEvery man is a lier, and God onelyonly is true. Therefore if hee bee a man (but I rather think him a Diuel incarnate) he must needes erre: For hominis est errare, labi, & decipi: It is naturally giuen to eueryevery man to erre, to fall away, & to be deceiued. But notwithstanding they holde (as I heare say) that he is not a plaine or naked man as other men be, The Pope a deyfied creature and no man.but a diuine creature, deified with the Godhead, and euen as it were a God hym selfe, and therefore cannot erre. But Peter of whom he so much braggeth, & whose successor he boasteth himselfe to be, Peter denied hys Mayster thrise.when the Lord had taken hys grace from him for a time, denied his maister, not once, nor twise, but iii. times. Christe called him an other time bar Satana the sonne of the diuell, saying come after mee sathan, thou sauorest not those thyngs whiche are of GOD, but of men. By all which reasons (with infinite the lyke which might be alleadged, if eyther tyme would permit me, or the necessitie of the cause required the same) it manifestly appeareth, that the pope not only doth erre simply both in life and doctrine, The Pope erreth in all things.but also erreth most grossely, and moste shamefully in al thinges.

Stupe.

Nay, but he hath prouided a cooling card for them that shal so iudge of him. For, be his doings, his whole life, & doctrine neuer so detestable, yet maye none be so bolde,The Popes cooling carde. as to iudge of thē. And his reason (or cooling card) is this. Qui omnium viuentium iudex constitutus est, a nemine est iudicandus, that is, He who is appointed to bee the iudge of all men, ought to bee iudged of none. No although hee draw infinite millions of men,No man may iudge of the Pope. and women to hell, by his wycked example of life, yet may no manne iudge of hym for it. Thus raigneth hee vponupon earth as one, neither fearing God, nor yet reuerencing man. And why not? For this is a maxime in his law,A maxime i… the Popes law Sic volo, sic iubeo, sic mando, est ratio praeclara, voluntas, that is, so I will, so I bidde, and so I commaunde, my will is the ballaunce of equitie, and the square rule of iustice.

Phi.

If his wil stand for law as in truth it doth, then must he neads be of a woonderfull power, and might, yea euen as a God in comparison of other menne, is hee not taken so to be?

Stupe.

Yes truly. And not without great cause, for as they say, he is of such a wonderfull power,The greate power of our Maister Pope. that of wrong he can make righte, of falsehood truth, of iniustice, iustice, of lighte, darkenesse, of darknes light, and when his holinesse is pleased he can make the swanne blacke, and the crowe white. Hee can also diuorce those whom the lawe of God hath ioyned togeather, and againe whom the law of God hath diuorced, he can ioyne together. He can dispēce either with the law of God, or of man, breaking, allowing, or disalowing what pleaseth his humor. Subiects he cā discharge frō their allegeance to their prince.The Pope must hauehave a share in eueryevery thing. He also licenseth, & dispenseth w^t al kind of the eueryevery, robbery, whordom murther, māslaughter, or els what abhomination soeuer, so that his share may be therin, which you may be sure is not the smallest parte.

Phile.

This follow seemeth rather a monster in nature then a man, that thus dareth peruerte all thinges to serue his own turne.

Stupe.

If you knew al, you would say so. For he taketh into his handes the whole power, and state of Caesar, & therfore writeth he himselfe heire apparant to the Empire.The Pope heire apparent to the Emperour. And to this purpose hee hath perswaded emperors, kings, & princes that he may & ought so to do iure diuino, that is, by force of gods law, whiche seemeth most monstrous. Wherin if any do resist him, then putteth he them in feare, & threatneth thē with his absolute power in heauen,The Popes fray bugge. earth & hel, & with excōmunication, & other his flashing thunderbolts of cōmination. Yea to this passe hath he brought it, y^t neither Emperour, king, nor Prince is lawfullye crowned, which is not crowned by him:The Pope crowneth emperours with his feete. & as thogh his holy hands were too good to set the crown vpō their heads, he crowneth thē (for the most part) with hys toes, they laying their heades downe vppon the grounde.The Pope deposeth kynges and Emperors when hee ly…t. Hee also maketh and putteth downe Emperours, kinges and princes at his pleasure. So that if any one dysplease his holinesse, he is by and by throwen downe as low as hell, deposed from his regal dignitie, his crowne plucked of his head, and scepter out of his hands, excommunicate, and an other put in hys place. And thē if it fortune that this king so deposed doe rise in armes to defende his people, his countrie, and his owne right, then rayseth he vp other kings, & Princes against hym: So that were he otherwise neuer so mightie of hymself, yet shall hee not bee able to preuayle against them all. Upon the other side, if he referre his cause to a general Counsel to be decyded there,No generall counsell can be gathered with out the Pope. it booteth not. For there is no Councell that can be gathered without his consent, and allowance of the same. Neyther maye they determine, or decree any thing but what shall sound pleasant in hys eares. And then the small end of all is,The next way for kinges to come by theyr owne at the popes hands. and the next waye for the kinges and Princes deposed, to come by their dignities again, to submit themselues, bodies, landes, goodes, people, countrey, life and all into the Popes handes, to aske forgiuenesse, and falling downe vponupon their knees, too prostrate themselues, and kisse his feete in hope of grace. This done, then peraduenture if he wil giuegive money ynough he shall bee restored to hys kyngdome agayne.Marke the cō scyence of this fellow. But yet if an other wyll gyue more then hee for it, hee goeth wythout it too, my lyfe for youres. And notwythstandyng all thys submyssion, if they please him not well, hee wyll not sticke to treade and crample vppon them, lyke dogges. As wee reade of a certayne Emperour,The proude Pope stampte vponupon the neck of a good Emperour lyke a dogge. whose neck the Pope proudly stampe vponupon as though he had bin, a beast. There was also another pope, who vsed to makkings & Emperours his blocks to stand vponupon, when he mounted vponupon his horse. Some kings must hold his styrrops,Kynges made footstooles to the pope. other some (on either side one at the least) must lead his horse by the bridle thorow thicke and thinne.Kings holding the popes styrrops. And thus maketh hee all men, both Emperours, kings & princes euen all in generall subiecte vntoo him, in the meane time he himselfe beeyng subiect to none. And yet notwithstanding, there is nowe, neither emperor, king, nor prince, that dares mute against him, but him they obey as sole lord of heauen & earth.None dares mute against the pope. Whatsoeuer he commaundes, they dare not but fulfil. In so much that if he command them to make warre against the coūtrey, people, or nation, thē gather they their troups & legions of armed men to gether, & forwarde they go, sacking, spoyling and burning both cities, towns, & countries. And imbruing their hands in the blood of poore innocentes,The popes mercy in shedding of blood. they slaye and kill euen all without mercy, man, woman, and child, putting all too the edge of the swoorde most cruelly too beholde. And this they must doe. Why? Because the Pope commands thē so to do: whose commandement whether it bee wrong or ryght aboue all thynges in the Worlde is to bee obeyed in euerye poynt without exception.

Phil.

This is an intollerable slauery, and seruilitye, I maruell that euer christian princes will suffer thēselues so to be abused, and that of a greasie prelate.

Stupe.

Nay, he proceedeth further, & as though the former abuses were not sufficyent, hee maketh the lawes, the Courtes,Al courts subiecte too the pope. and Offices of kynges and Prynces subiect vntounto hym: So that if any man dislyke of the lawes, & Courtes of their Prynces, he maye frankely, and freely make his appeale to the pope,Appeale to the court of Rome and Court of Rome. By which meanes hee raketh in moneye not a lyttle euerye yeere.

Phile.

Is it possible that princes will put vp this iniurie at his hands, and not bee reuenged? I praye you how doth hee behaue himselfe towardes them, that they rise not vppe against him, and pull him out of hys kingdom by the eares?

Stu.

He feedes their humors he speaketh pleasant things vntounto them,The popes profession. hee flattereth & fawneth vponupon them in such sort as he makes them beleeue the moone is of green cheese, and so it is indeede, if he say so. But for feare of the woorst, and for further safegarde of hys personne, hee entreth intoo league with all suche kings & princes of eueryevery coūtrey,The pope enreth League wyth kings & princes, and why. as are of any great force & power, least (happily) they might indanger his estate, incase they shoulde resist his Maiesties person. And if it happen that at anye tyme hee want money,VVhat shyfte the pope maketh when he lackes money. The popes beagles doe hunte for money. and knoweth not howe to come by any, then sendeth he foorth hys Embassadours, his Legates, his Suffraganes, and hys Cardynals into all landes, thorow whose diligent industry he setteth kings and princes together by the eares: and beyng at bloody warres amongst themselues, then wil he be sure to take parte with him that is the stronger: be it wrong or right that maketh no matter: for of wrong he can make right. Alwayes prouyded that in all spoyles,The popes share. prayes, bootyes, and escheates, he hauehave the greatest share, for that is the thinge that hee desires,The mark the pope leueleth at. and the onelyonly marke that hee shootes at. Thus hee feedeth hymselfe wyth the blood of the poore innocent Lambes, contrarye both to the law of God,The pope thirsteth for blood and his own calling, which is to saue blood and not to shed innocent blood.

Phile.

Doth he euer goe to field in his owne person?

Stupe.

Yea very often, in this sort. First of all hee is cloathed in hys ryche Corselet coate,The pope warreth in his owne person. guilt and behanged with all manner of precious stones, in hys shyrte of mayle, and his heade peece all glystering in golde, with his hoare goatishe bearde, hanging downe too his gyrdlesteede. And in this warlyke manner marcheth he forwarde with his …andes of menne,The popes marche in the field when h… fighteth for Ioanes beste cap. horses, and charettes, like the sandes of the Sea in number. All whiche beeinge at his becke, when he commaundeth, they inclose mightye townes, circumuall huge cities, subuert castels & towers, trench in strong holds, & in fine battering them with great ordinance (for munition wāt they none) they lay them leuell with the grounde.The popes le…nity and com…passion. And like mercilesse Tartarians, they slaye man, woman, and child, without respect had either of age,The pope a bloodsucker. sexe, time, place, or person. Which noble stratagem atchieued, this bloodye Villayne with all his cutthroates returne agayne to Rome with no smal spoiles, where is such bonefires, such feasting and banqueting,Bonefires at Rome for slaughter of Gods saints. suche going of procession, suche massyng, and mummyng for ioye of thys greate vyctory, (or rather moste bloodye massacre of Gods Saintes) as the lyke hath not beene seene of many yeeres before.

Philemon.

Mee thinke it is altogeather agaynste hys callyng, as I sayde before, that hee beeynge a Prieste, shoulde shewe suche crueltie.

Stupe.

What? Cruelty doe you call it? No, it is not crueltie. You maye not flaunder our holye father so. Doe you not knowe that of cruelty,The popes metamorphosis. he can make lenity, and of lenity cruelty, changing any thing intoo the nature of another at his pleasure? And although he rid thē of their liues in this world (which of force they must once leaue, if he were not) yet cā he send thē packing into heauen when hee will: and so hauehave they made a good change, hauehave they not? Or if they goe to hell, euen thyther sends he hys power down, with charms & solemne ceremonies, which reach euen vntounto the smoaky pit it self,The popes power sent into hell. & vntounto the burning lake of the same. By means wherof althogh he can not peremptorily loose the dāned soules from their cheynes, nor free them from theyr payns, nor although he he not able to breake the turning wheeles, to kil the dreadfull snake, to coole y^e boyling ledd, nor to quench the flaming fire, yet cā he ease & make lesser their paines by farre. And which is more, som write that, whē he wil, such is his absolute power) he can bring to passe that the fire of hell cannot burne,The pope ca… make the paines of hell to ceasse. the wheeles turne, the ledd boyle, the snakes not sting, nor the woormes gnawe or byte any more. And if the dyuel anger him muche, or it chaunce too rayne a golden showre, he will empty hell in spite of the Diuelles heade, and sende them wyth a pasporte into Heauen, whether God will or not. And why may he not doe this? For hath hee not the keyes of Heauen gates, and may he not open and shut them when he wyll? Nowe he that can doe these thyngs, may he not play the Rex wel ynough? And is he not worthy to be made of,The pope pla…eth the Rex. & accepted amongst men, not as a man, but as a God rather?

Phile

Yea truly. And as I remember one of his whelpes hath thus written of him. The pope better then God.Papa deo maior & praestātior est, & quicquid potest deus, idē & Papa. That is the Pope is greater and better thā God & looke whatsoeuer god cā do, the same can the pope do. Yea & some of them say, that he can do more thē God. For say they, God cannot make God, The pope can do that God cannot doe.but the pope can make God when hee will, & therfore must he needs be not only a god, but also more than a God. I praye you therefore what authority and power hath he elswhere more than this?

Stupe.

Besides his power in heauē, earth, & hell, he hath also power in another place called Purgatory nullibi, Purgatory. Nullibi.or Purgatory pickepurse choose you whether, a place which neither God nor y^e diuel euer knew of, til he of late founde it out, & yet for all that cānot he himself tel where it is, nor in what part it is adiacēt. But in this place he rules y^e rost, he is rector chori, the leder of the daūce there, and none rules but hee alone. In thys broyling fire muste euerye soule that departeth this life bee cleansed and purified (saieth this master lyar) before it can enter into the kingdome of heauen seuē yeres space,The pope saith eueryevery soule must be punished 7. yeeres in purgatorie for eueryevery sinne that euer he cō mitted in thy… life. for eueryevery sin that euer he committed in al his life, whether they be small or great, except they bee released by his meanes. And therefore teacheth he the people to giuegive money to Friers, Monkes,The Popes merchandize. and Priestes too say Masses, Diriges, Trentalles, Ladie Psalters, Himmes, Prayers, Orisons, Exorsizations, and the like for the soules in Purgatorie: which as sone as euer they be said,So sone as money rings in the boxes, y^e soules in purgatorye feele ease. the soules feele wonderful great ease thereby: yea of such force are they that so soone as euer the money ringeth in the boxe, the soules receiue comfort. And if money come in freely, hee will not sticke too graunt you foorth suche a generall pardon and indulgence,Money wyll sweepe Purgatory cleane. as shal sweepe all Purgatorie cleane. And beeyng once graunted forth (they cary such meale in mouth as they saye) neither Pluto, The popes bandogs.Cerberus, Lucifer, Beelzebub, nor the greatest Diuelles in Hell cann withstand his power, nor keep back one soule, although they labour neuer so fast with their croked clawes & crabbed fleshooks to stay y^e soules there stil. No they dare not mute against him,How the diuels …remble. his power maketh them all too tremble like mountaines, & to shake like Okes: By this deuise of poling purgatorie he gayneth more to himselfe, than the mightiest prince that lyeth vponupon the earth, may dispend in annuall reuenewes yeerely. And therefore I cānot blame him thogh he make much of such a pad,Purgatorie the popes sowe. and cherish such a sow y^t wil bring him forth eueryevery yeere such a farrow of pigges as these.

Phile.

I perceiue his power is marueilous great, & farre surpassing the power of any earthly wight els. I pray you with what maner of attyre and habite is he clothed? For seeing, that he excelleth all men in power, & dignitie, it seemeth incident too his maiesticall estate, that hee bee richlier clothed then all other men.

Stupe,

In sumptuous robes, and ryche attyre, there may no earthly creature compare with him. For when he is desposed to bee seene abrode, he is cladde al ouer from toppe to tooe, (as they say) in purple coloure,The popes attyre. in silkes, veluets, sattans, damaskes, and withall, in cloath of golde, siluer, and tinsell, besette aboute wyth all kynde of pretious Stones from India, and from all the coastes of the worlde. Than vponupon his head hath he a Triple crowne all of perfecte golde,A triple crown hanged with Diademes, Carbuncles, Smaradges, Saphyres, Pearles, and all kinde of precious Stones glistring like the Sun.The popes crosier. His crosier then & double crosse of gold is carried solemnly before him, he bring garded behind and before with swarmes of Cardinals,The popes gard. Monkes, Friers, Priestes, and an infinit number of harnished men marching in battaile aray: besides these things, they hauehave their strange gestures,The strange gestures of the papists. aswel with hande and foote, as with head and shoulders, & all parts of their body, which to see & mark wold make a man to laugh that hath but one laughter in his belly.All thinges the pope cōmeth nere are holy. And in suche veneration is this holy father hadde, that the ground whereupō he standeth or goeth, is takē to be holy ground, all things that he handleth or commeth neere, yea if hee but tooke vppon it with his holy eyes, it is straight way holy.

In this order marcheth this holy satanist towardes the Temple or Church carryed a wonderfull height vpō mens shoulders,The pope carried on mens shoulders. euen as the sacred Arke of Aaron was, wherein the hiden Manna lay. Compare nowe all thinges whiche this great Antichrist the Pope doth, with the doings and actions of our Sauiour Christe, and thou shalt see no analogie, resemblance, or agreement betwixte them, but rather a playne Antithesis, and contrarietie.The great differēce betwixt Christ and the Pope. Christe Iesus when he was vponupon the earth, lyued in pouertie, and meane estate. The pope lyueth in wealth, and abundance of all things. Christe Iesus had neither siluer nor gold, and therefore when hee should pay tribute was forced to flie to a myracle to get a penie, The Pope hath Millions of golde, and mountaines of siluer by him. Christ Iesus commaunded hys Apostles that they should not carry money in their purses, nor two coates for their backs: and that they should preach the worde freely.The pope wyll none of that. The Pope commaundeth the cleane contrarie, insomuch that it is grown into a Prouerb, No Penie, no Pater noster. Christe Iesus went on foote long and tedious iourneies,If the Pope should goe on foote, it would hurte hym, for hee is so fatte, that it would fry and melt hys grease wythin hym. so that he being wearie was forced to rest him at the well of Iacob, about the sixte houre of the day, that is twelue of the clocke after the Computation of the Iewes. The Pope hee is carried on mens shoulders too too goodly, and rydeth in sumptuous Wagons, Charets, Quoches, Horselitters and the like, beeing all either of pure golde or siluer, or els of some other costly thing, behanged with pretious stones, cloth of golde, veluet, silke, damaske, Satten, and what not els seemely to beholde. Christ Iesus was glad to weare a crowne of thornes vponupon his head,But the Pope meanes not to change hys crown of gold for Christes crowne of thornes. pricking him to the brain pan. The Pope weareth a triple crown all of golde, and pretious stones, betokening his threefolde power in heauen, earth, and hell, wherein wee thinke the Pope is much deceiued. For as he hath power in heauen, in earth, in hel, and in Purgatorie,The Pope ought to wear a quadruple crowne. so he shoulde weare a quadruple crowne, too signifie his absolute power in them all. And therefore would I wishe some of his Bastardes to tel his holines of his great ouersight, and to amend it in time. And thus too conclude, thou seest by these fewe comparisons betwixt Christ and the Pope, what agreement there is betweene them, as muche as is betwixt light, and darkenes, truth and falshood, heate, and cold, God, & the Diuel, heauen, and hell. And therefore mayest thou know that hee is that great Antichrist that was forespoken of, shuld come towardes the ende of the worlde,The pope proued antichrist. whom the Lorde shall destroy with the glory of his comming.

Phile.

It is greatly to bee wondered at, howe he commeth by money to maintaine this great cost, and stately porte withall?

Stupe.

Neuer wonder at that: for neither emperour, king, nor prince hath such store of Gold in their chestes, as he hath. For besides his owne inheritance which is both far & broad, he hath frō all the parts in Christendom (almost) taxes, tallages,The popes exactions too mayntayne his pride. cōtributiōs, tenths, tithes, Peter pence (as he calleth thē) & other greuous impositions not a few, al which by most intollerable exaction he vsurpeth: hee hath also belōging to his pretensed patrimonie, both cities, townes, countries & natiōs, castles & towres, besides hauēs, ports, sinques, & creekes, wherby he gaineth yerely 1000 talents & more to his cofers, Beyond al this, he gaineth as much or more, by graūting pardōs, & indulgences, by pardoning & remitting sin,Pardons & indulgences. by giuing forth dispensations, qualifications, tot quots, pluralities, non residentaries, anuates, & like deuises infinite. Besides this, by his pelting palles,The gayn that commes in too the pope by pelting palles. he may drinke 100000. li. a yeere. And what he gaineth by selling, by chopping & chaunging of bishoprikes, abbeies, nunneries,The popes chaffer. priories, prebends, personages, vicarages, and the like, let the world iudge, is it any wonder now, how he cō meth by money enough too support hys estate withal, hauing so many wayes to gaine by? Insomuch that Pope Iohn 22. after his discese left 25. millions,The tresure of Rome infinite. or 25. times a thousande thousande of crownes in redie money behind him, besides what he spent vponupon whores,That was not the least part I warrant you. bauds, and knaues, in pride, ryot, gluttonie, and excesse during his life.

In the time of Pope Martin 5. there was brought too Rome 9. Millions of golde at one time out of Fraunce, which is 9. times a thousand thousand crowns,Oh extreeme polyng. for Benefices, and other Ecclesiasticall promotions, whereat the Archbishop of Madenbourgh admiring said, Iudicet timoraius, quae verago haec: Rome a deuouryng gulphe.that is, Lette a wise man iudge, what a deuouring gulph the Citie of Rome is. Al things as I tolde you before are sold for money at Rome, and therefore Iohn Picus writeth thus,Al thyngs sold at Rome for money. Vendit Alexander, cruces altaria Christum, vendere iure potest, emerat ille prius: that is, Alxander the pope selleth crosses, altares, yea, and Christe himselfe also, and why not? For, saith he, hee bought all before with his money? Whereto agreeth Baptista Mantuanus, a Monk writing thus: Venalia nobis templa, Sacerdotes, altaria, sacra, coronae: ignis, thura, praeces coelum est venale, Deus que . That is, At Rome Churches, priestes, altares, sacrifices, crownes, fire, frankensence, prayers, heauen, and God himselfe is is to be sold for money. And therefore hee concludeth thus and saith,The wickednes & corruption of Rome described. Viuire qui sanctè cupitis, discedite Roma, omnia cum liceant, non licet esse pium: that is, All that desire to liue in the feare of God get you from Rome: for wheras all other things are lawfull there, yet is it not lawefull too bee good there.

Phile.

I marueiled not so muche before, how hee came by money sufficient to maintaine his estate wythal, A thyng to b… maruayled atbut now I maruel a thousād times more howe hee spendeth so muche as commeth in yeerely into his treasurie?

Stupe.

He hath wayes enough to spend it I warrant you, and if it were x. times as much. For rather thā to faile he wil spend you a hundreth thousande crownes in a yere, vponupon whores, baudes and harlots, vponupon strumpets, brothels, & vile filthie Sodomits.Hee wil spēde a hūdred thousande crownes in a yere vponupon whoores and harlots, &c. He wil spend you as much, nay ten times as m…ch, in riot, gluttonie, drunkennesse, g…urmandize, and all kinde of excesse. And what hee spends in pride, in erecting of gorgeous houses, in building of Abbeies, Priories Hospitals,How the pope spendeth hys money. Seminaries, Monastaries, Churches, casteles, and towres (wherin he wil be sure to place his deare friends kinsmen, and familiars) it is infinite and vnmeasurable. Thus briefly hast thou hearde what the Pope is, and howe Luciferlike he liueth: nowe iudge thou whether he be the same that he wold be thought to bee, and not rather Antichrist himselfe. And therefore I cannot but maruaile greatly at the blindnes of the worlde,The pope vnholy. who either effectionate him so muche, or yet thinke him to be holye, whereas of himselfe you see, hee is nothing lesse. But belike hee takethe hys holinesse of the place and Sea of Rome which if it wer true that the place could make an vnholy man,The place cannot make a manne good, vvhiche before is nought. holy, or a naughty man good, then should it follow that all that hauehave been at Rome, shoulde bee as holy as the Pope, which were blasphemie to say.The Diuel holier then the pope. And then why shoulde not the Diuell be holy, yea and holier than the Pope, for that hee was in a holier place then Rome is: namelye, the kingdome of heauen. And thus muche concerning the pontificall person, state, and dignitie of the Pope, the great Antichriste of the worlde. Nowe to speake a worde or two of Cardinals the chiefest pillers of this antichristiā vsurped kingdome.