Whole Works, Tracts 1 · Tract 5 · Body of tract · Part 6
By what meanes the Pope inuaded the Empyre.
AT that ſame ſeaſon Mahomete Mahomet & the Pope began at one tyme.the auctor of the ſect of the Turckes and Saracenes beganne. And aſſoone as he had got much people vntounto hym with wyles and fayned myracles, he inuaded the Empyre of Rome in thoſe quarters. And looke how buſie Mahomete was in thoſe parries, ſo buſie was the Pope in theſe quarters to inuade the Empyre (with the helpe of his ſworne Byſhoppes which preached all of none other God then the Pope) while the Emperour was occupyed a farre of in reſiſting of Mahomete.
And within few yeares after, when the kynges of Italy now and thē vexed our holy fathers for their couetous ambicion, then Gregory the third ioyned Gregory The Pope came vp by the French mē, and by them he cō tinueth his eſtate ſtill.amitie with the Frenchmen, and called them to helpe, by whoſe power they gatte al they hauehave, and alſo maintaine it vntounto this day. For if any man ſince that tyme hether diſpleaſed the Pope neuer ſo little, he immediatly curſſed him, and excommunicate him, and proclaymed him no right enheritour, and that it was not lawfull to holde of him, and abſolued his Lordes and ſubiectes of their allegeaunce, and ſent his bleſſing vntounto the French king and remiſſion of ſinnes to go and conquere his land, the Pope and French kyng alway deuiding the ſpoyle betwene them, the Byſhops and all that ſerued God for the belye preaching the Popes might, how that he had power ſo to do, and all thynges to bynde and looſe at his will, wreſtyng the Scriptures to ſerue for their purpoſe, corruptyng all the lawes both of God & man to proue his Godhead with all.
THen came Pope Zacharias the firſt Pope Zacharias the firſt. Hildericusin whoſe tyme Hildericus was K. of Fraunce a man that gouerned hys Realme (as it oft chaunceth) by a Debite (as perſons preache) one Pipine a Pipinns.Lord of his owne and his ſworne ſubiect. This Pipine ſent an holy Byſhop to Pope Zacharias that he ſhould helpe to make him kyng of Fraunce and he would be his defender in Italy (as the The Pope put downe the right French kyng and ſet vppe Pipine.maner of ſcalled horſes is the one to claw the other) and Zacharias aunſwered that hee was more woorthy to be kyng that ruled the Realme and tooke the labours, then an idle ſhadow that went vp and downe and did nought And ſo vponupon that the Lords of Fraūce The kyng of Fraunce was made a Monke.by the perſuaſions of the Prelates conſented vntounto Pipine and thruſt downe their right king vntounto whom they were ſworne, & made a Monke of hym. And both the Lordes and alſo Pipine tooke diſpenſations for their othes of our holy father and were forſworne. Thus was our holy father the Pope crept vp into the conſciences of men with hys falſe interpretation of byndyng & looſyng good. viij. hundred yeares agone.
THen came Pope Stephanus the ſecond out of whoſe hands Eſtulphus Pope Steuen the ſecond. Eſtulphus kyng of Lumbardykyng of Lombardy would fayne hauehave ſcratched ſomwhat, for he thought that the holy fathers gathered to taſt and had all ready raked to much vntounto thē. But the new kyng Pipine of Fraunce warned of his duty and ſeruice promiſed, and mindfull of old frendſhyp, and hopyng for part of the praye, came to ſuccour the Pope. And when hee had ſubdued the kyng of Lambardy, hee gaue vntounto our holy father or rather to How the Pope was aduaunced.S. Peter yt hungry begger great Prouinces and countreys in Lombardy and in Italy, with the Ile Corſica and many great Cities of which ſome pertayned vntounto the Emperour beyng thē at Conſtantinople, and yet the Emperour had ſent before vntounto kyng Pipine that he ſhould not geue of his townes vntounto the Pope. But Pipine aunſwered that he came for the ſame intent, and to enhaunce our holy father. And our holy father receaued them.
And thus the Empire was deuided in two partes: the Pope & the French kyng partyng the one halfe betwene them. And as the Emperour decayed, the pope grew. And as the pope grew, ſo the ſect of Mahomete grew, for the By what meanes Mahomet waxed great.Emperour (halfe his empire loſt) was not able to defend him ſelfe agaynſt the infidels. And the Pope would ſuffer no helpe hence to come for two cauſes: One, leſt the Emperour ſhould recouer his Empyre agayne, and an other becauſe the Prelates of the Greekes would not ſubmitte them ſelues vntounto his Godhead as the Prelates of theſe quarters of the world had done.
AFter Pipine raigned his ſonne the Carolus magnus.great Charles whom we call Charle mayne which knew no other God but the pope, nor any other way to heauen then to do the Pope pleaſure. For the Pope ſerued him for twoo purpoſes: One, to diſpence with him for whatſoeuer The Pope become a great God on y• earth.miſchief he did: an other, to be ſtabliſhed in the Empyre by his helpe, for without his fauour hee wiſt it would not be, ſo great a God was our holy father become all ready in thoſe dayes.
This Pope Stephen in his latter dayes fell at variaunce with Deſiderius Deſideriuskyng of Lombardy about the Archbyſhop of Rauen…a.
AFter Stephen ſucceded Adriā y• firſt, Pope Adrian the firſt.with whom Deſiderius the K. of Lō bardy would fayne hauehave made peace but pope Adrian would not. And ſhortly vponupon that the brother of this Charlemayne which raigned with him in half the dominion of Fraunce dyed, whoſe wife for feare of Charles fled with her ij. ſonnes vntounto Deſiderius king of Lombardy for ſuccour. Defiderius was glad of their comming truſting by the meanes of theſe two children to obtaine fauour among many of the Frenchmen and ſo to be able to reſiſt Charles if hee would medle and to bryng Italy vntounto the right Emperour agayne, & would hauehave had that pope Adrian ſhould hauehave annoynted them kynges in their fathers roome. But Adrian refuſed that to do (for he ſaw Charles mighty and mete for his purpoſe) and was as wyly as Deſiderius & thought to kepe out The Pope purpoſed to be Emperour him ſelfe.the right Emperour and be Emperor of Rome him ſelfe, though he gaue an other the name for a ſeaſon till a more conuenient tyme came.
Then Deſiderius warred vppon the Popes iuriſdiction. And Adrian ſent to Charles. And Charles came with his army and draue out Deſiderius and hys ſonne, which ſonne fled vntounto the right Emperour to Conſtantinople. And Charles & the Pope deuyded the kyngdome Charles & the Pope deuided the kyngdome of Lombardy.of Lombardy betwene thē. And Charles came to Rome. And the Pope & he were ſworne together, that who ſoeuer ſhould be enemy vntounto the one, ſhould be enemy alſo vntounto the other.
This Adrian gathered a Councell The Pope gathered a Councell, and gaue vntounto Charles the Emp…re of Rome.immediatly of an. C. liij. Biſhops, Abbotes, and religious perſones & gaue vntounto Charles & his ſucceſſours the empyre of Rome & ordeined that the right and power to choſe the Pope ſhould be his, and that no Byſhop ſhould bee conſecrate till he had obtained of hym both conſent and the ornamentes of a Byſhop alſo (whiche they now bye of the Pope) vnderunder payne of curſyng and to be deliuered vntounto blacke Sathā the deuill and loſſe of goodes Diſt. lxiij.
And Leo the third whiche ſucceded Leo the …. Pope.Adrian confirmed the ſame and crowned Charles Emperour of Rome for like ſeruice done vntounto him. And then O…ne who…e Empyre, the Pope made …o.there was appoyntmēt made betwene the Emperoures of Conſtantinople and of Rome and the places aſſigned how farre the borders of either Empire ſhuld reach. And thus of one Empyre was made twayne. And therfore the Empire of Cōſtantinople for lacke of helpe was ſhortly after ſubdued of the Turkes.
The ſayd Leo alſo called Charles the Moſt Chriſten kyng.moſt Chriſten kyng, becauſe of hys good ſeruice: which title the kynges of Fraunce vſe vntounto this day though many of them bee neuer ſo vnchriſtened: As the laſt Leo called our kyng the defender Defender of the faithof the fayth. And as this Pope Clemens calleth the Duke of Bu…lder the eldeſt ſonne of yt holy ſea of Rome, The eldeſt ſonne of the holy ſeate.for no other vertue nor propertie that any man can know, ſaue that hee hath bene all his …yte a pickequar…ll and a cruell and an vnrighteous bloudſhedder, as his father that ſitteth in that holy ſea is. So now aboue ſeuen hundred Who is a Chriſtian kyng.yeares to be a Chriſtē kyng is to fight for the Pope, and moſt Chriſten that moſt fighteth and ſleath moſt men for his pleaſure.
This Charles was a great conquerour The lyfe of Charles.that is to ſay a great tyraunt, & ouercame many natiōs with the ſword, and as the Turke compelleth vsus vntounto his fayth, ſo he cōpelled thē with violence vntounto the faith of Chriſt ſay the ſtories. But (alas) Chriſtes fayth whereunto Charles cō pelled a… men to the obedience of the pope.the holy Ghoſt onelyonly draweth mens hartes thorough preachyng the worde of truth and holy liuyng accordyng therto, he knew not, but vntounto the Pope hee ſubdued them and vntounto this ſuperſtitious Idolatrie whiche we vſe cleane contrary vntounto the Scripture.
Moreouer, at the requeſt and great deſyre of his mother, hee maryed the daughter of Deſiderius kyng of Lombardy, but after one yeare vntounto the Practiſe.great diſpleaſure of his mother he put her away agayne: but not without the falſe ſutiltie of the Pope thou mayſt be ſure, neither without his diſpenſation. For howe could Charles hauehave made warre for the Popes pleaſure with Deſiderius her father, and hauehave thruſt hym out of his kingdome, and baniſhed his ſonne for euer, deuiding his kingdome betwene him and the pope, as long as ſhe had bene his wife?
And therfore the Pope with his authoritie of bynding and loſyng, loſed The Pope is a diſpenſer a breaker of the bondes of Matrimonie.the bondes of that Matrimony (as he hath many other ſence, and dayly doth for lyke purpoſes) to the entent that he would with the ſword of the Frenche kyng put the kyngdome of Lombardy that was ſomewhat to nye him, out of the way: by the reaſon of whoſe kings hys fatherhode could not raygne alone nor aſſigne or ſell the Byſhopprikes of Italy to whom he luſted and at his pleaſure.
The ſayd Charles alſo kept iiij. concubines, Charles a filthy whoremonger.and lay with two of his own daughters therto. And though he wiſt howe yt it was not vnknowne, yet his luſtes being greater thē great Charles, he would not wete nor yet refrayne.
And beyond all that, the ſaying is: yt in his old age a whore had ſo bewitched him with a ryng and a pearle in it and I wotte not what imagerie grauen therein, that he went a ſa…te after her as a dogge after a bitche, and the Charles hath hys whore ca…ed with hym.dotehead was beſide him ſelfe & whole out of his mynde: in ſo much that whē the whore was dead, he could not departe from the dead corps, but cauſed it to be enba…ed & to be caryed with him whether ſoeuer he went, ſo that al the world wondered at him: till at the laſt his Lordes accombred with carying her from place to place and aſhamed This was an Emperour for the …pes own mouth.that ſo old a man, ſo great an Emperour and ſuch a moſt Chriſten kyng, on whom & whoſe dedes eueryevery mans eyes were ſet, ſhould dote on a dead whore, toke counſell what ſhould be ye cauſe. And it was cōcluded that it muſt nedes be by enchauntement. Thē they went vntounto the Cophyne and opened it and ſought and found this ring on her finger: which one of the Lordes tooke of and put it on his owne finger. Whē the ring was of, he commaunded to burye her, regardyng her no longer. Neuertheleſſe he caſt a phantaſie vntounto this Lord and began to dote as faſt on Ido…yng Emperourhim, ſo that he might neuer be out of ſight: But where our Charles was there muſt that Lord alſo be, and what Charles did, that muſt he be priuey vntounto: vntill that this Lord perceauyng that it came becauſe of this enchaunted ring, for very payne and tediouſneſſe tooke and caſt it into a well at Acon in Douchland. And after that the ryng was in the well the Emperour coulde neuer depart from the towne, but in the …ayd place where the ring was caſt, though it were a foule marreſſe, yet he built a goodly monaſtery in the worſhip of our Lady, and thether brought reliques, from whence he coulde gette them, and pardōs to ſanctifie ye place, & to make it more haunted. And there he lyeth, & is a Saint, as right is. For he did for Chriſtes Ʋicar as much as the The Pope made this lecherous Emperour a Saint.great Turcke for Mahomete: but to ſaue his holines that he might be canoniſed for a Saint, they fayne in hys life that his abiding there ſo continually was for the hotte bathes ſakes which …e there.
AFter Charlemayne, Lewes ye mylde Lewes the milde.was Emperour, which was a very patient man (another Phocas and another pray for the Pope) and ſo meke and ſofte that ſcarcely he coulde be angry at any thing at all. When our holy fathers had ſeene his water and ſpyed what complexion he was, they choſe Steuen the 4. of that name Pope, without his Pope Steuen the iiij.knowledge, and bad him neyther good morrow nor good euen, nor once God ſpeede about the matter, againſt their owne graunt vntounto his father for his good ſeruice. And his ſoftnes The Pope elected and ſet vp with out the aſſent of the Emperourwas yet ſomewhat diſpleaſed therwith, in as much as the election of the Pope pertayned vntounto his right. But the Pope ſent Embaſſadours & wrote all the excuſes that he coulde, and came after him ſelfe to Fraunce to him, and peaced him, and crowned hym there Emperour, and paſſed the tyme a ſeaſon with him, and they became very familiar together.
After that, they choſe Paſchalis Pope Pope Paſchale.of the ſame maner, which Paſchalis ſent immediatly Legates vntounto the Emperour ſofte Lewes, excuſing hymſelfe & ſaying: that it was not his faulte, but that the clergie and the commō people had drawne him thereto with violence againſt his will. Then the Emperour was content for that once, & bad they The Pope how hee abuſed the Emperourſhould no more do ſo, but that the olde ordinaunce ought to be kept. The ſoftneſſe of this Lewes did him much care. For he was after priſoned of his owne ſonne with helpe of Pope Gregory the fourth.
After this mans dayes the Popes neuer regarded the Emperours, nor The Pope ſetteth no… by the Emperour.did the clergie of Rome ſue any more to the Emperour, either for the election or confirmation of the Pope. More ouer after this Lewes there was neuer Emperour in Chriſtendome of any power or able of his owne might to correct any Pope, neyther was there any kyng that coulde correct the outragious vices of the ſpiritualtie of his own realme after this time. For this Lewes left three ſonnes, among which he deuided ye realme of Fraūce & all Douchland. Which ſame for pride & diſdayne that one ſhould hauehave more then an other, fell together (as we ſay) by the eares, ech deſtroying others power, ſo that Fraunce was afterwarde of no might to do any great thyng. And thē the Pope raigned in Italy alone with …ne.out care of any Emperour: in ſo much that Nicholaus the firſt, decreed that no Pope Nicholaus the firſt.ſecular Prince or Emperour ſhould hauehave ought to do or be at the counſels of the clergie.
And after that Adrian the ſecōd was Pope Adrian the ſecond.choſen Pope, the Emperours deputie being in Rome, and not once ſpokē to of the matter.
And when the Emperours embaſſadours diſdained, they anſwered who can reſiſte the rage of the people, and prayed them to be cōtent, and to ſalute him as Pope. And Adrian the thyrde Pope Adrian the third.decreed that they ſhould not abide or tarie for the Emperours confirmation or authoritie in chuſing the Pope, and that the Pope onelyonly ſhould call a general counſel, and not the Emperour: or if the Emperour would preſume yt to do, the counſell ſhould be of none effect, though all the prelates of Chriſtēdome were there, and though what ſoeuer they did were but Gods word. So mighty was the beaſt now waxed The vertue of the Pope and power o… y• Emperour periſhed together.when he once began to raygne alone. And from this tyme hetherto periſhed the power of the Emperours and the vertue of the Popes, ſayth Platina in ye lyfe of Popes. For ſince that tyme, as there was none Emperour of might, ſo was there no Pope of any vertue.
After this Lewes, the Empyre of Fraunce, and of all Douchlād, was deuided betwene his three ſonnes, which (as I ſayde) fought one with another and deſtroyed the ſtrength of the Empyre of Fraunce. And from that tyme The popes hauehave bene onelyonly bloud ſhede… aboue. vij. C. peates.to this, which is aboue vij. hundred yeares, thou ſhalt reade of few Popes that hauehave not led their liues in bloudſhedding, in ſo much that if thou conſider the ſtories well, thou ſhalt eaſely perceaue that there hath bene flayne about their cauſe farre aboue xl. hūdred thouſand men, beſides that there hath bene but few Princes in Chriſtēdome that hath not bene buſied and combred a great part of his life about their matter. Either in warres begunne at their ſetting on, eyther in ceaſing ſciſmes or diuiſion that hath bene amōg the clergie, who ſhould be Pope: or ſtriuing All Chriſt… dome hath bene troubled wyth the Popes cauſes.of byſhops, who ſhould be greateſt, as betwene the Byſhop of Yorke & Canterbury in England, and betwene the Byſhops of England & Wales, wherof all the chronicles be full, or in reforming Fryers or Monkes, or in ſleying them that vttered their falſe hypocriſie wyth Gods worde.
When the Emperour was downe, and no man in Chriſtendome of any power to be feared, then eueryevery nacion fell vppon other, and all landes were at variaunce betwene thēſelues. And then as the Danes came into England and vexed the Engliſhmen, and dwelt there in ſpite of their hartes, euen ſo came ſtraunge nacions whoſe names were ſcarce heard of before in theſe quarters (as the Ʋandales, Hunnes, Vandales, Hunnes. Gothes.and Gothes) and ran thorowout all Chriſtendome by C. thouſands together, and ſubdued the landes and dwelt therin ma…gre the inhabitours, as thou mayſt ſee in Douchland how diuers nacions are incloſed in ye middes of the lande of a ſtraunge tongue which no Douchmen vnderſtande: and that rule continued well viij. or ix. ſcore or two hundred yeares. And in The ſpiritualtie obe…ed to him that gat the victory, how wicked ſoeuer he was.all this ceaſon, whoſoeuer wan the mayſtrye, hym the ſpiritualtie receaued, and him they crowned kyng, and to him they claue. And whatſoeuer any tyraunt had robbed all hys life, that or the moſt part thereof muſt he deale among them at hys death for feare of Purgatory. The ſpiritualtie all that ceaſon preached the Pope mightely, Building of Abbeyesbuilt Abbayes for recreation and quyetnes, ſhrining them alway for ſaintes Shrining of ſaintes.which purchaſed them priuileges, or fought for their liberties, or diſputed for the Popes power, howſoeuer they liued (but after l. yeare whē their liues were forgotten) and if any reſiſted thē whatſoeuer miſchief they went about, hym they noted in the chronicles as a cruell tyraunt: ye and whatſoeuer miſfortune chaunced any of hys poſteritie after him, that they noted alſo, as though God had plagued them, becauſe their forefather was diſobedient vntounto holy church, and euer put the ſtories that vttered their wickednes out This was the tyme that falſe prophetes did ariſe in the church.of the way, and gathered reliques frō whence they coulde get them, and fayned myracles, and gaue thēſelues only vntounto Poetry: and ſhut vp the ſcripture: ſo that this was the very tyme of which Chriſt ſpeaketh Math. xxiiij. in which falſe Prophetes ſhould ariſe, & ſhew myracles and wonders, to deceaue the very electe if it had bene poſſible.
FInally in thys buſie worlde, the kynges of Lumbardy gatte a little might and came vp agayne, and were diuers tymes Emperours, though of no great might. And one Beringarius kyng of Lumbardy began to meddle Beringarius.with our holy fathers buſines. Wherfore ye Poge fled vntounto Ottho kyng of ye Saxons, which by that tyme had gotten might, and brought him into Italy againſt Beringarium, which Ottho Ottho.ouercame Beringarium, and was made Emperour for his labour, and thus came the Empyre firſt vntounto Douchlande.
And Ottho receaued the Empyre of one Pope Iohn (ſay they) with thys Pope Iohn the. xij.othe: I Ottho do promiſe and ſweare vntounto the Lord Iohn by the father, the The oth of the Emperour made to the pope.ſonne, and the holy Ghoſt, and by this wod of the croſſe that maketh liuing, and by theſe reliques of Saintes, that if I come to Rome with Gods helpe, I will exalte the holy church of Rome and the gouernour of the ſame vntounto my power: Neyther ſhalt thou loſe lyfe nor members, or that honour that thou haſt by my will, counſell, conſent or ſetting a worke. Moreouer I wyll make in Rome no conſtitution or ordinaunce of any thing that pertayneth vntounto thee or vntounto the Romaines with out thy counſell. And what ſo euer of Not… here the diſſimulation of y• Pope, in callyng his poſſeſſions S. Peters poſſeſſions.the landes of Saint Peter commeth vntounto our hands, I will deliuer it thee. And vntounto whoſoeuer I ſhall commit the rule of Italy, I will make hym ſweare that he ſhall helpe thee, to defende the landes of Saint Peter vntounto his power.
And Gregory the fift (when they had got at the laſt that which they long gaped Pope Gregory the fi…t.for) made this ordinaunce of chuſing ye Emperour, to ſtabliſhe it withall: that vi. Lordes of Almany, iij. of The election of the Emperour apperteyneth to the Lordes of Germany.the ſpiritualtie and iij. of the temporaltie with the kyng of Bohem the vij. to be the odde man & Ʋmpere ſhould …huſe him for euer, and ſende hym to the Pope to receaue his othe, and to be crowned. Neuertheleſſe the Pope to keepe the Emperour a far of, ſendeth hym hys coronation home to him ofttymes, much leuer than that he ſhould come any nearer, as a meeke ſpryted man, that had leuer liue ſolitarie and alone then hauehave his holineſſe ſeene.