The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History, Peter Paul Vergerius
PET: PAV: VERGERIVS
The Life of Vergerius, who died Anno Christi 1562.
PEter Paul Vergerius, His great Learning.was a man excellently learned both in the Law and Popish Divinity, wherein hee attained the highest degrees. Anno Christi 1530, at which time that famous Convention at Augsburg was appointed, hee was sent by Pope Clement the seventh as his Legate into Germany, Sent Legate into Germany.to improve his uttermost abilities to hinder a National Council, and accordingly he bestirred himselfe to hinder and endamage the Lutherans; and that he might the better encourage the Popish Divines, viz. Faber, His Policy.Eccius, Cochlaeus, and Nausea, to play the men in their Masters cause, he bestowed sundry favours and gifts upon them. He also, by his Legantine power, made Eccius Cannon of Ratisbone.
Anno Christi 1534,He is sent for …o Rome. Paul the third sent for him to Rome to give an account of the state of affairs in Germany, which when he had done, the Pope deliberated with his Cardinals what course was fittest to be taken to prevent a Nationall Council, till as Caesar and the other Kings could be stirred up to war by their secret instigations; and so after a while he sent back Vergerius into Germany, He is sent back in…o Germany.to promise the Princes, that a General Council should be held at Mantua; but withall to prescribe such rules about comming to it, as he knew the Protestant Divines would not accept of. He had in charge also to stirre up the Prince's mindes against the King of England, Popish subtiltyand to profer his Kingdom to whosoever would conquer it, and to try if by any meanes he could take off Luther and Melancthon from prosecuting what they had begunne. There were also nine Cardinals and Bishops chosen out (the better to delude the Germans) who were to consider of, and to prescribe a form of Reforming the Church, which accordingly they did.
Hereupon Anno Christi 1535, he went back from Rome into Germany, to King Ferdinand, where he met with the Lantgrave of Hesse, He bestirs himselfe in Germany.and opened to him the Popes purpose of calling a Councill: After which he went to the rest of the Princes to impart the same to them also. Then went hee to Luther at Wittenberg, where with better diligence then successe, hee prosecuted what hee had in Commission to him.
About the end of that year the Princes by their writing returned answer to Vergerius. And the year after when Caesar went to Naples, Vergerius was called home by the Pope, to whom he shewed the success of his affairs,He gives an account to the Pope. viz. That the Protestants required a free and Christian Councill to be convened within the borders of Germany, as the Emperour had promised. That there was no hope of gaining Luther, and his associates, but by their destruction: That the Protestant Princes would not hearken to any thing about England, and that the other Princes were very cold also in that cause; and that George Duke of Saxony had told him, that there was great danger from the Lutherans, which could by no other means be prevented, except the Emperour and Pope would make war with them.
Hereupon the Pope commanded him to make all the haste he could to Naples, He is sent to the Emperour.to acquaint the Emperour herewith, especially to excite him all hee could to take up armes against the Lutherans: But when Caesar came to Rome, Anno Christi 1536, he pressed the Pope for a Generall Councill, desiring to carry back with him into Germany the Patent for it.The Emperor deals with the Pope about a Council. The Pope denyed not his request, but told him that hee would chuse a City in Italy for it, and that he would prescribe such Rules for it as were most necessary for the Roman Church. Caesar answered, that if he would call a Councill, he much cared not where it was, presuming that he could bring the greatest part of the Germans along with him to it. Then did the Pope with his assistants draw up a Patent for it; at which time he made Vergerius first Bishop of Modrusium, and shortly after of Justinople.
Anno Christi 1537,Another Legat in vain. the Pope intending to send another Legate into Germany, commanded Vergerius to acquaint him with the state of the Country, and how he should deport himself amongst them; but both Master and Scholar lost their labour with the German Princes.
Anno Christi 1541, Vergerius was again sent into Germany, to the Convention at Worms, in the name indeed of the King of France, but in truth, that under that pretence he might the better promote the Popes affairs; at which time he wrote his book De unitate & pace Ecclesiae: The scope whereof was to take off the Germans from thinking of a National Council. Thus Vergerius for a long time had been serviceable to the Popes,He is well beloved. and had promoted their interest; he had also …ttained great favour with Princes and Kings; and King Ferdinand did so highly esteem him, that he made him Godfather to his Daughter Katherine: Yet at last he fell off from the Pope by this wonderfull occasion. After the Convention at Wormes he was called back to Rome, and the Pope being to make some Cardinals, intended to make Vergerius one; but some suggested that he had been so long in Germany, that he smelled of a Lutheran, which made the Pope to alter his purpose; which when Vergerius was informed of by Cardinal Ginucius, He is suspected for a Lutheran.to whom the Pope had told it, he was wonderfully astonished, and that he might purge himself, went into his own country, purposing to write a booke with this title, Against the Apostate Germans. But it pleased God, that whilst he read over his adversaries books,His wonderfull conversion. with an intent to confute them, himself was converted by them: Whereupon casting off all desires of a Cardinalship, he retired himself to his brother,He retires to his brother. John Baptista, Bishop of Pola, and communicating his thoughts to him, asked his advice. His brother at first was much astonished, and bewailed his condition; but after a while was perswaded by him to read, and study the Scriptures, especially in the point of Justification by Faith, wherby it pleased God that he also saw the Popish Doctrines to be false,Bishop of Pola is converted. and so they both became zealous Preachers of Christ to the people of Istria, Gods mercy.diligently inculcating the wonderful benefits which we have by Christ, and shewing what Workes they be that God requires of us, that hereby they might reduce the people to the pure worship of God But the Devill stirred up many adversaries against them,Sathans malice. …work… specially the Friars,They are accused to the Inquisitors. who accused them to the Inquisitors; amongst whom was Hannibal Grisonius, and his companion Hierom Mutius, who afterwards writ an invective against Vergerius, traducing also Germany it self, in a book which … set out in hatred of Religion.
Grisonius upon this information went to Pola, and Justinple rushing into the houses of the Citizens, searching for forbidden bookes. He preached also, and sent forth the Popes. Thunderbolt against such as would not accuse others that were suspected for Lutheranism; Popish malice.by which means he enforced one friend to accuse another, yea children to accuse their own parents. In the chief Church of Justinople he sang Mass in a glorious Cope, & told the people that God had plagued them for divers years with severall calamities;A lying Prophet. one yeare (saith he) in your Olive-trees, and another yeare in your Corn, and a third in your Vines and Cattle, and your Bishops are the causes of all these mischiefs, neither can you expect to be freed from these judgements except they be driven away.
Hereupon Vergerius went to Mantua to his old friend Cardinal Gonzaga, He goes to Man…ua.to whom he was familiarly known: But John Casus the Popes Ambassador to the Venetians, hearing of it, urged Gonzaga both by Letters and Messengers not to entertain such a man any longer. Upon this Verg rius went to Trent, And to Trent.where the Councill then was, to clear himself; but when the Pope knew it, though he could willingly have imprisoned him, yet least any suspition should have risen, especially in Germany, that the Councill was not free, hee wrote to his Legate not to suffer him to bee heard in the Councill, but to command him to goe somewhither else.
Then he went to Venice, where Casus the Popes Legate meeting with him,And to Venice. exhorted him by all means to go to Rome; but Vergerius knowing wel his danger if he should so do, refused. Then did Casus a few daies after command him in the Popes name to goe no more to Justinople: whereupon hee betooke himself to Padua, where he was a spectator of the miserable condition of Francis Spira; which so wrought upon him, that he resolved to leave his Country,Spira is a warning to him. and all his outward comforts, and go into voluntary exile, where he might freely professe Christ,He goes into Rhetia, and accordingly hee went into Rhetia, where he preached the Gospel sincerely, till hee was called from thence to Tubing, by Christopher Duke of Wirtemburg, where he ended his daies,His Death. Anno Christi 1565. His brother being dead before him, not without the suspition of poyson.
He published many Workes,His Works. which are particularly set down by Verheiden.