THE Right, and prerogative of Kings, Against Cardinal Bellarmine and other jesuits.  
Written in French by john Bede, Advocate in the Court of Parliament of Paris, and published by Authority.  PROV. 24. 24. 
My son fear God and the King, and meddle not with them that are seditious.  ECCLES. 8. 4. 
In whatsoever place the word of the King is, there is power: And who shall say unto him, What dost thou?  
Translated by Robert Sherwood.  
LONDON, Printed by N. O. for William Bladon, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard, at the Sign of the Bible. 1612.   

TO THE MOST PIOUS, PRUDENT and Potent Monarch, JAMES, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc.  
Dread Sovereign,  
OF all the creatures of this Universe, none draweth nearer to the Creator than man; neither any degree of men, so much as doth the King, whether we consider his person or his Office. As the face of Moses descending the Mount from God, shone bright and glorious: so the Majestic look of a King (reflecting divine beams, received from the King of Kings) daunteth the most proud and savage hearts of Inferiors. Therefore Kings are in holy Writ called Lights, for their glory; Gods for their power; and the Lords anointed, to testify their graces, and the dignity of their Office. And surely your Majesty is a light, and a light of Israel, (God's people) not only for glory, but for example of piety, religion, and virtue: your Majesty is God's Lieutenant, executing his power, which consisteth chief in ordering & directing, in protecting and defending, in rewarding and punishing: in a word, your Majesty is truly the Lords anointed, furnished with all Royal and Princely graces, and namely of a wise and understanding heart, to judge and rule this great & mighty people, over which the Lord hath placed you.  
Wherefore I have presumed (being but a Translator) to present this small Treatise to your Majesty, not as a thing worthy so judicious view; but for that it treateth of the Authority of Kings, and for that it was by the Author dedicated to a King his Master, entitled Most Christian; & therefore for none more meet, than your Majesty, being truly styled Defender of the fath.. Wherein I beseech your Majesty to pardon the boldness, and pass by the infirmities of him, that is bound (with all true subjects) unfeignedly to pray to the King of Kings, for your majesties long and prosperous reign in this world, and an immortal Crown of eternal felicity in the world to come.  
Your majesties most humble and obedient subject. ROBERT SHERWOOD.   

The Translator to the Reader.  
OUR blessed saviours rule, 
Math. 7.20  Ye shall know them by their fruits, is an infallible and perpetual way to unmask hypocrites, among which none are more dangerous to the State wherein they live, than such as under pretence of Religion, do politicly underhand practise, all for the good of a foreign power, to whom they have vowed themselves. Of which we need no farther instance than the upstart sect of Ignatians, who blasphemously term themselves Of the society of jesus. Yet none do more abhor from the holinsse of that name, which they so arrogantly usurp, or less resemble and imitate jesus, the pattern of all holiness. To omit their intolerable pride & aspiring ambition, their insatiable covetousness, their cunning hypocrisy, their subtle sophistry, their matchless Machiavelisme, their equivocating perjury, their compass sea and land, to seduce and pervert, and the like, wherein they are directly opposite to jesus; who was humble and lowly, lived poorly, is the truth itself, and taught the way of God plainly. Are not these their sublimest fruits? to intermeddle with matters of State, to oblige themselves by their blind vow to a foreign Lord; to conceal high Treason, tending to the danger of Prince's persons, and eversion of States, revealed to them in auricular confession, (that I may not say, to animate, rather than deter, the Traitors, to put their Treason in execution:) to publish their devilish and pernicious doctrines, ascribing to one man, the Pope, (even over Kings) both the powers Ecclesiastical & Civil, which Christ jesus hath separated the one from the other, 
Nich. 1. ad Michael. Imp.  actibus proprijs & dignitatibus distinctis, as Pope Nicholas the first affirmeth. Look nearly into their doings, and you shall perceive them armed with rage and cruelty, not with tears, which (as Saint Ambrose wittnesseth) are, and only ought to be, 
In orat. contra Auxentium 23. quest. 8. convenientior.  munimenta sacerdotis: You shall see them bring forth fruits dangerous to the persons and states of Kings, and contrary to them of the ancient Christians, 
Tertul. 30. Apologetici.  who as Tertullian testifieth did pray for all their Emperors, that they might have Vitam prolixam, Imperium securum, domum tutam, exercitus fortes, senatum fidelem, populum probum, orben quietum, & quaecunque hominis & Caesaris vota sunt. Yea, to every indifferent man they will appear to be so far off, from the innocency of holy David; who had a touch of heart, 
1. Sam. 24.6.  for having but cut off the lap of saul's garment; that by writings they rather approve the murder of Princes, the Lords anointed; a doctrine not only opposite to the doctrine and practice of JESUS, but which (I am assured) all true subjects in all lands (not only of such as are taught in JESUS School, but even of them that have never so little spark of humanity or light of nature) do detest and abhor. And how be it they labour to cover these things, & to persuade their adorers, that these are but slanderous imputations wrongfully cast upon them. Yet they stick not to publish, to the eye of the world, many things derogatory from the authority of Sovereign powers, ordained of God; affirming it to be a merely human institution. Which new, strange, and dangerous paradox, our Author, in this small Treatise, doth, both by divine and human testimonies learnedly confute: the soundness of whose reasons, and faithfulness of allegations, will to every indifferent Reader plainly appear. Whereby not only the best Christians and most loyal subjects may be confirmed, the mouth of the adversary stopped, and the honest minded, though blinded Papist, be preserved as by a sovereign antidote against the pestilent doctrines of such as misled them. At least, if any of them dare cast an eye on this book; for that their bondage is so great, as they are forbidden to read any thing written by men of our side, yea, the holy Bible, for fear (forsooth) of heretical infection. A policy which as it showeth the unsoundness of their cause, so doth it not a little uphold their tottering Kingdom, by retaining the people still in ignorance.  
But let me entreat thee (good Reader) not to censure a piece, but read the whole, with an unpartial eye: and friendly to accept my pains in good part undertaken for thy good.  
Robert Sherwood.   

The Author's Epistle to the French King.  
SACRED Majesty, 
Plin. l. 11. cap. 16.  natural History teacheth us, that Bees appear at their beginning, like a little white worm, all except him that is to be their King: which cometh forth with wings, & is of yellow colour, because he is form of the most exquisite flowers. And if the Monarch of all the world hath given such privilege to the King of so small creatures: what are we to believe of him, whom he hath established to command over men, & honoured with the title of Most Christian? To confirm which belief in the hearts of your subjects, & to destroy the opinion of the doctors of lies, which falsely maintain, that the Kingly power is not absolute, & that it is an invention of men; I have adventured to frame this little discourse, & to present it to your Majesty, to the end that by the reading of the same, they may learn no more to blaspheme against the powers established of God alone, and that they may know, that it is not the antiquity and greatness of your house, the Nobility of the Princes which your Majesty commandeth; the wisdom of your Sovereign Courts; the order Ecclesiastical: the large extent of your Provinces: the strength of your places; the affection of your peoples: the faithfulness of the confederates of your Crown: the experience of your Captains: the valour of your Nobity: the thunders of your Arsenal; the greatness of your treasury, that maintaineth your Crown. But that divine character, graven by the finger of God in the face of the King, 
Prou. 20.8  who sitting upon the throne, chaseth away all evil with his eyes. He having given to your Majesty in these tender years, wings to fly over peoples, which are but as creeping worms of the earth, in comparison of the degree he hath given your Majesty: every good subject, by the yoke imposed of God to his own conscience, 
Rom. 13.  acknowledgeth himself bound (as I do) to make a vow to remain for ever, without dispensation from such a duty.  
Your majesties most humble, most obedient, and most faithful subject, and servant. JOHN BEDE.  
Vltima talis erat quae mea prima fides. 
Propert. 20 20.    

Errata.  
Page 1. in mark read Hieron. p. 2. l. 15. read Micrarchie. p. 16. l. 16. for they, read the: p. 21. l. 11. read Papinian. p. 36. l. 4. read, depose him: p. 38. l. 10. for of, read over: p. 49. l. 17. read Remy: p. 89. l. 14. for these, read their: p. 90. l. 7. read in the Church: p. 102 l. 18. for man, read name: p. 117. l. 19 read Luxemburg. p. 121. l. 21. read by a Council: p. 141. l. 2. for out of, read not in: p. 149. l. 18. read, these flatterers: p. 163. l. 2. for have, read having.  
What other literal faults occur, I entreat the Reader, either himself to amend, or of courtesy to pass over.   

The Right and Prerogative of Kings.  

CHAP. I. That the Authority of the Prince is from God.  
THE Ancients do witness that France hath a long time been free from monsters, 
Heiron. contra Vigilant. statim initio.  having nothing disordered in her inhabitants, nor in their manners: whereas on the contrary in Africa ariseth ever ordinaily some novelty. But if we seek whence the disproportioned propositions, handled in these days do proceed, we shall find them to be bred in foreign parts, & not fruits of home-grouth. Such an one is this same maintained by Cardinal Bellarmine (whose actions have 
(b) Bellum, arma, minae, that is: war, arms, and threats. Bel. lib. 1. de pont. c. 7. & de clericis ca 28.  reference to his name) that the authority of Kings is but of a human institution. Wherein he doth like those malefactors, who going about to excuse their fact, diminish the dignity of the person against whom they offended: or like men of war, who first batter down the defences of a place, before they give the assault. For if this Doctor said true, the attempt of murdering Kings were not so heinous a crime, simply transgressing the laws of men; as indeed it is, being committed against the commandment of God. The falsehood of which doctrine that I may the better show, I will use four kind of arguments, of which the first is taken from nature, created of God, and considered in her purity, wherein are observed the traces of respect, which all creatures bear unto man, to obey him as a Monarch. Which natural instinct, notwithstanding the corruption brought in by sin, remaineth still in some creatures, which acknowledge a King of their kind, and follow him. Secondly, seeing that the excellency of man consisteth in this, that he was created after the image of his Creator, who will doubt, but that Empire or rule form on the pattern of the Sovereign God, is above all other kind of command? Thirdly, the form of the reasonable individual man, whose head alone commandeth all the members, and who in this regard is called Mycrocosmos, that is to say a little world, is it not a Michrarchie? that is to say a little Kingdom well policied? And every one of our households, commanded and governed by one alone, doth it not put us in mind of this order instituted by God? Surely none, but such as will have no lawful family at home, dare deny it. For as the father of a family is in his house, so is the King in his Kingdom; and for this cause Princes are called by the Prophet, 
Esa. 49.23.  The nursing Fathers of God's Church.  
The second order of Arguments is taken from the common sense of all men, against which, such Doctors do trespass: for the law of superiority is borne with man, and continued from the Creation of the world even unto us. God having graven in man's heart, as, to acknowledge a Godhead, for respect of religion, so also to submit himself to the King, to maintain society, according to that which the people of God said: 
1. Sam. 8.20.  Our King shall judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. Also Adam was chief head of all the men which lived during the 930 years that he lived after his creation. The Empire of Noah was divided between three; japhet reigned in Europe, Sem in Asia, and Cham in Africa. And Nimrod, called the mighty Hunter, reigned in Babylon from the year 130, after the flood. For this effect were Moses and joshuah established of God; who had all the marks of Sovereignty; for though the word King be not in so many letters found, why shall we not call them Princes, Dukes, and Kings, seeing they executed the whole function, and bore the marks of such. And after the creation of the judges, God condemneth not the form of Monarchical command, as the Adversaries of Royalty falsely calumniate, seeing that he saith, 
Rom. 13.1.  There is no power but from God: But he blameth the lightness of his people in the change of the order by him established. But if the people be made so faulty for having obtained of God a royal command in matters of policy; with what authority will this Cardinal jesuite maintain the mixed power which he bringeth into the Church, without any commandment, or ratification from God? Now not only the Orthodoxal people, but also Pagans have had this instinct of Nature, thus far, 
Cappadoces just. lib. 38.  that being left to their choice by the Romans, who had vanquished them; they instantly requested them to give them a King, protesting that they were not otherwise able to maintain themselves, and esteeming true that which Herodian saith, 
Herod. 4.  that as jupiter hath command over all the Gods, so in imitation of him, it is his pleasure that the Empire of men should be Monarchical. From this sense, common to all men, it cometh that the warlike Nation of Macedonia, having been foiled in war, 
just. 7.  before they returned again to the battle went to fetch the cradle wherein their young King lay, and set him in the midst of the Camp, supposing that their former misfortune proceeded from this, that they had not with them the good augure of the King's presence. And although ambition carry men thus far, either to command, or not to obey any but men of quality and merit, yet we read that the Sicilians did bear so great a respect to the last will of their deceased King, 
just. 4.  that they disdained not to obey a slave, whom King Anaxillaus had appointed Regent, during his sons minority: And Xerxes flying from Greece in a vessel, so full of men of war, that it was impossible for him to save himself, without casting away some part of them; said unto them: O ye men of Persia, 
Herod. 8.  let some among you testify that he hath care of his King: for my safety is in your disposition. And then, the Nobility, which accompanied him, having adored him, cast themselves into the sea, till the vessel was unburdened.  
The third order of reasons is taken from God's institution, practised in Adam, Noah, Nimrod, Moses, joshuah, yea in express terms for Saul, speaking thus to Samuel. 

1. Sam. 8.22.  
Ratificatio retrotrahitur & mandato aequiparatur.   Hearken unto their voice, and make them a King. And if with men ratification be equal to a commandment, by much stronger reason with God, who is not induced to change his purpose, by any persuasion, nor forced to do that which displeaseth him by any violence. Now that his will was to establish a King, appeareth, not only by his decree and counsel, as than hidden and since revealed, but by his will manifested long time afore in these words. 
Deu. 17.14.  When thou shalt come to the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and dwell therein, if thou say (mark that he forbiddeth them not to say it) I will set a King over me, like as all the Nations that are about me: then thou shalt make him King over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose. Note these words against the new heresy of our jesuite, who in his third book Recognitionum, quaest. de Laicis, upon this false ground: that Kings have not their authority immediately from God, but from the people, maintaineth, that they are Kings, no further than it pleaseth the subjects. For by this Text it appeareth that God chose Saul: 
1. Sam. 10.20.24.  Also it is written, That after Samuel had gathered together all the Tribes, (to wit for to cast lots) that the Tribe of Benjamin was taken; and it followeth after, Not any among all the people is like unto him whom the Lord hath chosen: And if the Lot governed by God alone be not an immediate vocation from God, these Doctors, with their blasphemy may as well reject Mathias from the Apostle-ship, and make him an Apostle of men, as the King of great Britain hath judicially and to purpose observed: out of whose writings I have borrowed many arguments inserted in this Treatise. Seeing then that this high charge is given of God, where is the man so presumptuously rash, that dares blame this order, and will depose him whom God hath established? It is therefore God which createth & degradeth Kings, 
Dan. 4.22. & 5.18.21. Prou. 21.1. Deut. 2.  and none other, which holdeth their hearts in his hand, for to bow them as he did the heart of Darius, and of Nebuchadnesar, or hardeneth them, as he did Pharoahs' and the Kings of Zion. For it is written, 
Exod. 6.7.8. Wised. 6.3.  Power is given you of the Lord, and Principality by the most high. And JESUS said to Pilate. 
joh. 19.11.  Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above. 
Pro. 8.15.  Also in the Proverbs it is said, By me Kings reign, and Princes decree justice. The obedience therefore which is due unto them, is grounded on this Law, written with the finger of God: 
Exod. 20.12.  Honour thy father and thy mother: For the name (Father) is attributed unto them, not only because they contain particular persons in their duty, but also for the body Ecclesiastical, for they are called, 
Esa. 49.  Nursing fathers of God's Church, for to contain it within the discipline of the Law; & are not themselves children of the same, to be under the rod and chastised by privation from their kingdoms. Yea rather the Apostle saith to the Romans; Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, 
Rom. 13.1.5.  for there is no power but of God. And he addeth, wherefore ye must be subject, not because of wrath only; that is to say, for punishment, but also for conscience sake; Whence it followeth that the authority of the Prince is of Divine right, seeing it bindeth the soul and conscience, which hath only God for superior Lawgiver. And for to take away all ambiguity from equivocating Doctors, who distribute of powers temporal and spiritual over some subjects. the Apostle expoundeth what these powers ordained of God, are, 
1. Pet. 2.13.14.  Whether it be to the King, as unto the Superior (he excepteth no person) or unto Governors, as unto them which are sent of him. Therefore under the name of powers are comprehended the kinds of lawful government, namely Monarchical, democratical and Aristocratical. And to manifest it more clearly, the Apostle designeth these powers, saying: that the Prince beareth not the sword for nought. 
Rom. 13.3.4.  It is then the power of Princes which bear the sword, whereof he speaketh, and not of them which bear the Crosier staff, for they are subject to the temporal Magistrate, as it is written, 
1. Pet. 2.17.  Fear God and honour the King: comprehending in two words the doctrine of the first and second Table, as the Wiseman also doth in his proverbs, My son, 
Pro. 24.21.  fear God and the King, and meddle not with them that are seditious, or (according to the natural translation) with men which innovate or transform themselves. Now the reason of this prohibition is, that they which are desirous of novelty, which trouble the present state, which transform themselves, jesuita omnis homo, as the proverb is, and do that which our Saviour blameth in the Gospel, compass sea and land to make a proselyte, these I say are not fit men to instruct our children in the fear of God and service of the King.  
The fourth means to convince this new opinion is taken from the practice of the orthodoxal: (for by such works we may know the workmen;) whereby we shall see, that no particular faithful persons have ever resisted the King, otherwise then by patience; witnesses of this are the Israelites captive in Egypt, and the answer and behaviour of the jews, when Petronius would bring the emperors Image into their Temple. So that Zedechias, 
Eze. 17.16.  the last king of the house of David, was punished of God, for not keeping his oath of a tributary King. As for the example of Constantine against Maxentius, it cannot be drawn into any consequence, for it was a fact of one Sovereign against another Sovereign. And as touching the subalternal Magistrates, called the officers of the Crown, though the defensive right be grounded on the law of nature, constant and unchangeable, yet they never came to that point, but in case of all extremity. So David is said by Abigall, 
1. Sam. 25.28.  that he fought the battles of the Lord, he fortified himself with men and arms, inquired if the Inhabitants of Keilah would deliver him to Saul; 
1. Sam. 23.11.  for there can none other thing be gathered therefrom, but that he would have opposed the walls of the City against his enemy, if he had been the stronger in the City. With like modesty did the Priests behave themselves towards King joram, against whom they resisted, and shut the gates of Libnah, only for that he would have forced them commit idolatry, for it is written, that he had not only forsaken the Lord God of his fathers, 
2. Chron. 21.10.11.  but caused the inhabitants of jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled judah thereto. Examples far from attempting against the person and state of Kings, whose servants they were: the Hebrews in the time of Pharaoh, the Apostles in the time of Nero, the first Christians under julian the Apostata; our Saviour himself, the pattern for all the faithful to imitate, was enregistered from the womb of the holy Virgin, paid tribute, answered before Pilate, and his Apostles before Nero, appealed unto Caesar, without shunning the Royal jurisdiction. And if it had been lawful to attempt against the life of natural Princes, among so many constant Martyrs which have suffered persecution, would there not have been found some, that would have tried this means for the deliverance of their brethren? Was there not zeal enough in the Apostles to stir up their Disciples thereto? or eloquence enough in the Evangelists to persuade unto murders? Let then these new Doctors be confounded with shame, by the doctrine which even they teach whom they call Heretics, 
Art. 39 & 40. of the confession of the Reformed Churches of France, Printed in the end of the book of the Psalms.  who in the midst of fires and massacres have published their confession, in the two last Articles, of which are contained these words. For this cause he (to wit God) hath put the sword into the Magistrates hand, that he may repress the sins committed, not only against the second Table of God's commandments; but also against the first: we must therefore for his sake not only endure that Superiors rule over us, but also honour and esteem of them in all reverence, holding them for his Lieutenants and Officers, to whom he hath given in commission to execute a lawful and an holy function. We therefore hold that we must obey their laws and statutes, pay tributes, imposts, and other duties, and bear the yoke of subjection with a good and free-will; although they were Infidels, 
* This condition ought not to be calunniated; for it is better to obey God then men, as is treated in the next Chapter.  so that the Sovereign Empire of God, remain in his entire. May it therefore please your Majesty to judge, that if your Protestant subjects have been so firm in their duty towards your Predecessors, of whom they have been so severely entreated, that in the midst of torments they have blessed the King; What your Majesty may expect of them, being at this day their Benefactor and Protector, and by this degree to acknowledge what your Majesty is to believe concerning their Religion towards their Creator and eternal Redeemer. And according to the doctrine of contraries your Majesty may clearly see that they ingrateful of benefits received from the Kings your Predecessors, which attempt daily by word, writing and by damnable effects, against the state & person of the Sovereign, armed with such a power as he is: that those same without doubt have beforetime enterprised very far against the service of their Sovereign King, whose Administrators they have too longtime been, without rendering account.   

CHAP. II. Wherein the Authority of the Prince consisteth.  
FORASMUCH as in this last age of the world the malice of men is so great, that they dispute the clearest principles, bring in new Maxims and call into question things most assured: We must deal with them as our Saviour did with the pharisees, 
Mat. 19.4.8.  to convince whose error in matter of divorce, he sendeth them back to that which was practised in the beginning: teaching us by his example to seek out the truth in Antiquity, and in her original. So doing, for the question in hand, we shall find that God the Creator of heaven & earth, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; 
Gen. 1. Mat. 28. Apoc. 19  reserving to himself the Empire over Spirits, for to sound the thoughts, dispose the wills, and give law to his creatures, hath constituted under him a dignity, depending of his only grace, which he hath established on earth, for to put in execution his ordinances, 
1. Tim. 2.2.  To the end that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godliness and honesty. To the observation of which ordinances, this Sovereign power is so much the more obliged, for that the Prince sinneth not by transgression only, but also by example, whereunto subjects usually conform themselves. For this cause is he commanded to observe the Law in these words, 
Deut. 17.  He shall write for him a Copy of this Law in a book, and after, He shall take heed to all the words of this Law, and to these statutes for to do them. Now this commandment is given to the King, not as to a private person, to whom it sufficeth to subject himself to it, but as to a king, for to reduce others to obedience thereto. By virtue whereof he ought to chastise those Ecclesiastical persons that be corrupters of true Religion, 
Deut. 13.  according as it is written. When there shall arise in the midst of thee any Prophet or dreamer of dreams (such as are the practitioners of the chamber of meditations) and shall give thee a sign or wonder, etc. saying, Let us go after other Gods, etc. That Prophet or dreamer of dreams shall be slain, because he hath spoken to turn you away from the Lord your God, etc. 
2. King. 11.15.17.  So King joash and all the people swore, to keep the Law Politic and Ecclesiastical. And if the observation of this Law is prescribed unto Princes themselves, where is that subject that dare dispense therewith? And if the workmanship do borrow his dignity from the workman, who is he can accuse it of superfluity or defect? 
Iren. lib. 2. cap. 47.  We know (saith Saint Iraeneus) that the Scriptures are perfect, for they are indicted by the word of God, and by his Spirit. For these causes the King's power is limited unto this only ordinance, which containeth in two Tables the rules of piety and justice: the most  and fundamental pillars of State, which at all times, those men have kept inviolate, which in all things else obeyed the Prince. So Daniel and his companions refused to prostrate themselves before the image of Nebuchadnesar. 
Dan. 3.  And the holy Apostles Peter and john, in the execution of their charge, 
Act. 4.19. joh. 9.22.  said, that it is better to obey God then men. In like manner, the Midwives are praised for that they would not execute the decree of Pharaoh, 
Exo. 1.17.21.  and put the Hebrew children to death, for that was against the second Table of the Law of God, Thou shalt not kill, Therefore it is written: 
Mat. 5.21.  And because the Midwives feared God, therefore he made them houses: So said that constant Martyr, 
2. Maccab. 7.30.  I will not obey the King's commandment, but I will obey the commandment of the Law that was given unto our fathers by Moses. So for obeying man (although he was a Prophet) rather than God, 
1. King. 13.  the man of God was torn in pieces of a Lyon. The impiety and wickedness of jezabels' commandment, who had ordained that the Prophets should be slain, hindered Abdias from executing it. For seeing that the king in his kingdom, is as a Father of a family in his house, and God will have us to love him more than our own blood: it sufficeth the king that we render unto him the service that children own to their most dear parents, seeing that the honour due unto him is comprehended under the name of Father and Mother. Which is a thing so imprinted in the hearts of good men, that the light of Lawyers, Papipinian, though he were not instructed in the Law of God, refused the Emperor Caracalla to excuse the murder that he had committed in the person of his brother, saying, that it is not so easy to excuse an homicide, as to commit it. By which answer he showeth, that they do falsely call themselves Christians, which canonize murderers, and easily approve the Parricides which they have hardly executed. And forasmuch as such bounds are set by him, which giveth and taketh away Kingdoms, on such conditions as pleaseth him, good Princes which have desired the preservation of their estates, have not hindered the course of justice, nor bound the hands of the Magistrates established by them, when they would execute their charges; Have also taken in good part the admonitions, that the Pastors of the Church have given them for the observation of piety: for as it is said of the great City Troy, that it could not be destroyed till first they had lost their Tutelary Gods. 
Peritura Troia perdidit primum Deos.  So may we aswell and with more surety say, that it is a most assured token of the subversion of a State at hand, when Religion is ill observed, and justice not well administered. The Prince than is not above the Law of God, for it cometh from his Superior: neither above the law of nature, which cannot be abolished but with the abolishing of nature itself. But that which is said in the Civil Law, 
L. Princeps de ●●gibus 〈◊〉 aequo §. 〈…〉 ad Trebel.  that the Prince is free from the observation of the Law, is meant from the solemnities of the Law, and from constraint, which things are denied to every particular or private person, 
l. pen. de l●●●●ptis. 3 c. de ●estam l. ex imperf. de leg. 3.  in whose mouth only resteth humble supplication, and who are armed only with a Placet. This may also be understood of the privileges granted by Kings, which can never be extended against the Prince, who hath the right to revoke them when they are abused, and may abrogate the laws of which himself is the author; 
L. digna vox de leg.  living himself in the mean time after the laws, so long as they continue for the subjects; buying according as the price goeth, and exposing his treasury according to the statute. And that place of Samuel maketh not to the purpose, hoc erit ius Regis, which speaketh of the right of rigour, which is extreme injury: and is of the customary right of ill and wayward, and not of good Kings. So said the Emperor Theodosius, to submit the Empire to the Law, is something more than to cause it to be observed by others; 
L. digna vox de leg.  for there is no commandment higher than to command the Prince, nor any more difficult, then to command a man's self. For this reason good Princes, the better to contain their subjects in their duties, have brought themselves to live according to the Laws, principally according to them which are of the State, and fundamental of their sovereignty; as said the Emperor trajan, girding the sword on his high Constable, Draw it forth (saith he) for me, if I command according to the Laws: but if I do the contrary, employ it against me. But although such subalternal Magistrates, are aswell Officers of the Empire, as of the Emperor, yet it is not therewith permitted them to control the actions of their Sovereign; especially when they are personal vices, which pass not into habitude, and which bring not ruin to the whole state; and such as Princes render an account of to God alone. Tibi soli, 
Psal. 51.  said David, though he had caused his servant Urias to be slain, and committed adultery with Bathsheba: No Officer of the Crown spoke to depose him, neither any particular person to bring him to judgement, much less strangers, in any degree whatsoever in another territory, who in these times, being very liberal of the rights of others, abuse that place of Saint Paul, 
Rom. 13.  which enjoineth obedience to the Prince for conscience sake, to cause the first Table of the Law to be transgressed, & dispense subjects of their oath of Allegiance due unto Caesar, and so cause the second Table of the Law to be violated for their hurt: being carried away, according to the nature of the error, to the vice of two extremities, the mean of which consisteth in five royal prerogatives. The first is a power to make Laws, 
L. 55. v. C. de leg. Tit. c. de ve●stig.  without the consent of any subject necessary thereto: & consequently to coin money, to give it value, to stamp his arms upon it, & to impose taxes according to the necessity of the State: Secondly, to make peace or war, be it to secure his allies, or to revenge an injury, 
L. ut Armorum Auth. de armis l. 1. ad l. jul. de Ambitu l. ius gladij de reg. iu. Doct. in l. 3. de iurisd. omnium.  whosoever have committed it: Thirdly, to create Magistrates, and to establish or suppress them: Fourthly, to take knowledge of, and to judge appeals definitively. And lastly, to have power of life and death over all sorts of inhabitants in his kingdom, over all persons resident within his Dominions, and generally to dispose according to the laws of their goods, life, & reputation. Of which points whosoever pretendeth himself to be exempt, resisteth the ordinance of God, and are guilty of high Treason, what pretext soever they bring.   

CHAP. III. That Ecclesiastical persons were subject to Princes, before the coming of our Lord JESUS CHRIST.  
THAT is not new which is from the beginning of the world, 
1. joh. 2.7. 2. joh. 5.  saith Saint john. 
Teneaut Sa. jesuite in his Aphorisms Printed at Antwerp. v. Princeps v. Clericis.  Wherefore we cannot sufficiently detest the new opinion of the jesuits, who teach that Ecclesiastical persons cannot be condemned for high Treason, because they are not the King's subjects. To convince which heresy, & to hinder that none (following this doctrine) do any more attempt against our Kings, let us lead these pharisees to that which was at the beginning. We have no Hystorian more ancient than Moses, who from the creation of the world until his death in the year of the world 1493. telleth us of no other superior power, but of the Prince, over all the inhabitants of his Territory. And accordingly hereunto, 
Exod. 20. to the 25. Chapter.  the Law was given of God to Moses the Duke and King of the people, and not unto Aaron: according as it is written, 
Ex. 24.7.8.  that Moses took the book of the Covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people, etc. took the blood of the covenant and sprinkled it upon the people. And when the chief Priest with all the visible Church had committed idolatry about the golden Calf, Moses reproved him, saying to Aaron. 
Ex. 32.21.  What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them. To which reproof Aaron answered him not, that he could not err, nor his Church, nor that he judged the whole world, and was not to be judged of any: but acknowledged himself to be in the State, and consequently the Prince's subject, asketh him pardon, saying: Let not the wrath of my Lord wax fierce: The like reprehension Eleazar the chief Priest, did take in good part, when Moses said unto him, 
Levit. 20.  Ye should have eaten it in the holy place as I had commanded. In the same manner also as touching the jurisdiction, for it was wholly in the hands of Moses, 
Exod. 18.13. etc.  as being the Prince of the people; judging in person, as in times past the Kings of France have done, or ordaining judges to take knowledge of causes, which respect either the Church, or process between man, and man: Afterwards also there was references & appeals in cases of difficulty, which returned to jerusalem. 
2. Chron. 19.8. Deut. 17.8.  And to himself was given of God, the direction of the service and order Ecclesiastical, and not to the Priests. Against which truth, it will not serve the turn to say, that Moses was of the family of Levi, for seeing he reproved the chief Priests themselves, it was not in quality of a Levite, who had been inferior to the least of the Priests, if he had not further had the quality of Duke. So David a man after Gods own heart (who took not upon him above his charge) having named Solomon his son for successor, gathered a Council, 
1. Chro. 23  numbered and distributed to the Priests, their charges and offices, described in that place, which consisted not in commanding but in their administering before the Lord: For to purify all holy things, for the showbread, and for the fine flower, for the meat offering, and for the unleveaned cakes, and to offer burnt-offerings, 
2. Chro. 6.  etc. Solomon likewise dedicated the Temple, and consecrated it to God, in presence of all the Church: And himself conceived prayer and blessed the people, the Priests being present. josaphat also having broken down the groves and banished the service of images, 
2. Chron. 19.3.8.11.  He established in jerusalem (namely) for the judgement of the Lord, Amariah the Priest, and Zebadiah a ruler of the house of juda, for all the King's affairs: 
2. Chron. 17.6.  and in the third year of his reign he sent of his principal Governors, and the Levites with them, for to teach the people. And of josias it is written: 
2. King. 23.  And the King stood by the pillar, and made a covenant before the Lord, etc. and it is added, than the King commanded Helkijah the high Priest, etc. Who said not that the King had nothing to do to command him in matters which concerned the service of God, but fulfilled the King's commandment: Likewise it is said of King Ezechias, 
2. Chro. 29  He opened the doors of the house of the Lord, in the first year, and in the first month of his reign, and repaired them, etc. called for the Priests and Levites, and said unto them. Hear me ye Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the Lord. Again, Now I purpose to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, etc. Then he said to the Priests, the sons of Aaron, that they should offer upon the Altar: he appointed the Levites in the house of the Lord, etc. Then Hezekiah commanded to offer the  offering upon the Altar. Also he saith, Now ye have consecrate yourselves to the Lord come near and offer the sacrifices and praises, etc. Again, 
2. King. 18.4.  He took away the high places, broke the images, & cut down the groves, and broke in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made. And he gathered together the whole Church, and wrote letters to Ephraim, and Manasses, 
2. Chro. 30  that they should come to jerusalem to celebrate the Passeover, etc. For the King (mark it) and his principal Officers with all the congregation had held a counsel in jerusalem, to celebrate the Passeover in the second month: 
2. Chron. 31.3. 2. Chro. 35 1. King. 2.27. Nehe. 8.8.13.  the Posts therefore went (note it) by commission from the King. Also he provided for the sacrifices as did josias, who established the Priests in their charge; yea Solomon deposed the Priest Abiathar. And Nehemias' restored the service of God, caused the Law to be read and interpreted, making the people to understand it by reading. And if the Spirit of God taught Nehemiah this form of enterpreting the Law, by the holy Scripture, which contained then but the books of Moses, and a few others of the old Testament; how dare men tax the Scripture of obscurity, now that it is illustrate with the Commentaries of the Gospel of the Son of God, and with the gloss of the Apostles & Evangelists? Certain it is, that this form of enterpreting the Scripture by itself will not be rejected, unless it be of such as the Apostle speaketh of, 
2. Cor. 4.3.  If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that perish; in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds Now all those Princes were not Priests, and therefore did nothing but in the quality of Kings, exercising the charges depending of the Crown: True it is, that sometimes one and the same man was both King and Priest, as Melchizedec, but it was in as much as he figured the only King, Priest, and eternal Prophet of his Church, to wit, our Saviour. And if Cardinal Bellarmine will at this day bring in a mixed power into the Church, either he will make us still in expectation of the Messiah by such figures, or will manifest unto us under the Gospel, that which Pope Nycholas speaketh of in these terms: 
Nichol. Epist. 8.  Before the coming of CHRIST some have been typically Priests and Kings, as Melchizedec: which the Devil would imitate in his members. Out of which words may be gathered, that if there be found, since the publication of the Gospel, any person exercising both the functions, that he is a member of the Devil, according to the opinion of Pope Nicholas, who favoureth not in that, the Bishops that be Lords Temporal and Spiritual. And as Kings fully discharging their office, were blessed of God, so they took not upon them any thing pertaining to the office of the Priests and Levites, neither intermeddled they with making unleavened cakes, sacrificing of Calves, or sprinkling of the blood upon the Altar: for in this case it was permitted the Priests to reprove, and God did punish them for it. So Azariah the chief Priest said to Vzziah, 
2. Chron. 26.18.  It pertaineth not to thee to burn incense unto the Lord, but to the Priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated for to offer incense. And not only the chief Priest, but the least, having charge in the Church, may admonish in conscience & in godly manner, all Kings, & Emperors, after the example of Nathan, and Saint Ambrose Bishop of Milan, who shut the Temple against the Emperor Theodosius. For it is not a case reserved to the Bishop of the first sea, to put Kings in mind of their conscience, & to make known unto them their sins; it is the Law of God that speaketh and not man, whose person or degree is not considerable, but his Divine commission. After this manner under the Law, yea from Adam until our saviours coming in the flesh, Kings have behaved themselves with the Priests, 
Christ was borne in the year of the world. 3963.  and all the Church, for the space of four thousand years.   

CHAP. FOUR That since the coming of our Lord JESUS in the flesh, the authority of Kings over Ecclesiastical persons, is not diminished.  
THERE is nothing truer, than this Proposition of our Saviour: 
Mat. 5.17.  I am not come to abolish the Law but to fulfil it: Also, 
joh. 18.13.  My Kingdom is not of this world. Whence it followeth, that the justice, which is Patrimonial to all Princes, is not taken away from them, over one part of their Subjects. That JESUS hath not established any other power above their Estate, for to dispense their servants of their allegiance due unto them: that he hath not taken away from them the command that they had in time of the Law, over the Church to reform it; over the Doctors of the Church, to assemble them, and over the chief Priest to depose: And therefore Saint Paul saith, that Kings are established as well to maintain piety and religion, as honesty and policy, 
1. Tim. 2.  To the end (saith he) that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life, in all godliness and honesty. For why should the yoke of the Gospel, which CHRIST calleth light to all that will undergo it, be heavy on the neck of Kings, to whom God giveth titles and prerogatives above all other men, calling them the CHRIST'S, 
jer. 4.20.  or anointed of the Lord, And as our Saviour is called the light of the Gentiles, 
2. Sam. 21. 1. King. 14. 1. Sam. 13. 1●. 〈…〉.  in the song of Simeon, so also is the King called the Lamp of Israel, and Moses and David, Men of God; And in the Psalm speaking of this authority, I have said ye are Gods, all children of the most High. Whence come then those heresies that already take root in all the society of new Doctors. That Kings are rather slaves their Lords: that Popes have degraded many Emperors: 

Bel. de Pont. lib. 1. c. 5. & lib. 3. c. 16. & lib. 5. c. 8.  
Emanuel Sa, jesuite in his Aphorisms Printed at Antwerp. v. Princeps v. Clericis.   but never any Emperor deposed one Pope, That Bishops may depose Kings, and abrogate their Laws. That Ecclesiastical persons dwelling in a Kingdom, are not the Prince's subjects, and cannot be judged by them, though they judge Princes. Now who is it that seethe not the juggling deceit of the jesuits throughout the Chapters of this Treatise? neither can the Cardinal bring any reason to the contrary: and although we agree in this, that Kings are ordained of God for the people, yet we must discover the fallacy of these Doctor's equivocating in the word for, which is appliable both ways, to serve and to command. So we agree that Kings are for the people, but it is as the soul is created for the body, and the head for the members: to wit, in a superior degree, to command, and not to set the feet above the head. Thirdly, if this Doctor will not attribute to himself more authority than CHRIST and the Apostles have done, who in this world subjecteth themselves to it, he will not hold Kings in the rank of slaves: And if it had been needful to abase them in this estate, the Lord JESUS had power enough to make the proudest stoop: But if neither he, nor his Apostles have enterprised any such thing, then when the Church was in her purity, it followeth, that the perfection of the State Ecclesiastical, dependeth not on the superiority of Magistrates, Sovereign, or subalternal, And seeing the Apostle commandeth his successors to be imitators of him, 
1. Cor. 11 1. Phil. 3.17.  as he is of CHRIST; they should say one to another, as Christ did of himself, 
joh. 6.15.  My Kingdom is not of this world; they should content themselves with the keys of heaven, without taking by force the keys of Cities; they should avoid it, as did our Saviour, 
joh. 18.36.  if men would make them Temporal Lords, and should not take upon them a civil jurisdiction, no more than did our Saviour, who when one said unto him, 
Luk. 12.13.  Master, bid my brother divide the inheritance with me, answered; o man, who made me a judge or divider over you? Neither yet in criminal matters, after his example, 
joh. 8.10.11.  Woman, hath none condemned thee? she said, none Lord; and JESUS said, neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more. So our Saviour rejected the office of a Temporal Magistrate, exercising the charge of a true Spiritual Pastor, to invite sinners to repentance, yet without approving vice. But if these men will persuade us that in process of time, to wit, after Constantine, the Church should change her course of life, and leave the Ministry, to take upon it command; I will stay to believe it, till they produce some prophesy of this future change: and will believe touching this pretended authority, that which CHRIST saith of the dwelling places in his father's house, 
joh. 14.2.  If it were otherwise I would have told you. And passing further I say, that if the Church in her most perfect form, hath had no such superiority, we ought to keep this perfection instituted of God, and if heathen Princes have been ackowledged three hundred years for Superiors of the Church, which made a part of their state, it were to do injury to Christian Kings to defer unto them less honour than the Apostles and the Primitive Church have deferred to heathen and Infidel Emperors. And the fable of the donation of Constantine serveth to no purpose, it being acknowledged false by the most learned jurisconsults, ancient and modern, as shall be handled in the ninth Chapter hereafter. But though we should agree to them concerning the privileges that Princes have given to Churchmen, 
Esdras chap. 7.  yet we must not thereby conclude that Kings have lost their authority to reform the Church and to give laws unto it: For seeing it is a case royal to make Laws in a State, 
●. placet. l. de sacros. Eccl. Cas. r. li●, 6  it pertaineth only to the King to ordain them: and although he make them not without taking advise of the expert in every Art or Science; yet for all that it will not be said that they are statutes or ordinances of the jurisconsults or Divines, which have been called thereunto. Whence it followeth, that the King's power is not lessened by the coming of our Saviour, who hath limited the charge of the Apostles and of their lawful successors to the Preaching of the word, and administration of the Sacraments: as he had appointed Priests under the Law, for the unleavened bread, perfumigations, and sacrifices. And indeed the Emperor justinian extendeth no farther the Christian liturgy and the office of Bishops, 

Novel. 7. c. 11. de Ecclesiast. bonis. Cuiac. tomo. 3. pag. 549.  
Gal. 1.8.   in his seventh Novel, upon which Doctor Cuias writeth in the same sense. Seeing then, that to make Laws in a State is a case of Sovereignty, & that neither the King, nor an Apostle, neither yet an Angel from heaven can add to, or diminish the substance of God's Laws, but only the circumstances which respect comeliness and the execution of them: what inconvenience is there, that the ordinary authority be interposed in Laws Ecclesiastical? Seeing also that the Church is within the State, made a part of the same and is subject to the Sovereign of the whole territory, being in France, (and England) one of the three Estates of the Kingdom, whereof the King is head and Superior, as well of the Clergy as of the Laity. Now that it is not lawful for any, whosoever he be, to add or diminish the substance of the Law, or of the Gospel of God, here is the prohibition, first as touching the Law. 
Deut. 4.2.  Ye shall put nothing unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye take aught therefrom, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, etc. And in the proverbs, 
Pro. 30.6.  Add nothing unto his words, lest thou be found a liar. The like is said in the Gospel, Though we, 
Gal. 1.8.  or an Angel from heaven preach unto you, otherwise than we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. And both of the Law and of the Gospel it is ordained. 
1. Cor. 4.6.  That ye might learn by us, that no man presume above that which is written: 
Reu. 22.18.19.  For (saith Saint john) if any man shall add, etc. God shall add upon him the plagues written in this book; and if he diminish, etc. God shall take away his part out of the book of life. Wherefore Emperors have maintained them in this possession conformable to their title. And beginning in the Constitutions collected in the Code of justinian, the thirteen first titles are all filled with Laws for to rule the Church, in which first of all, the Adversaries of Royal authority shall observe, 
De Episcopati audientia.  that there is one title which attributeth simple audience to Bishops, and not jurisdiction, for to show that they have not any portion of Empire, it forbiddeth 
(a) Lib. 1. Tit. 5.  them to reiterate Baptism: to paint or grave on earth the 
(b) Lib. 1. Tit. 7.  image of our Saviour, And in the Novels the Emperor ordaineth, of the punishment of Ecclesiastical persons 
(c) Nou. 123. ca 20.  even by the whip. Of the creation and consecration of Bishops, That Synods 
(d) Nou. 123. ca 10.  should be held every year. Forbiddeth to celebrate the mysteries in private 
(e) Nou. 58.  houses. Item ordaineth, that Bishops 
(f) Nou. 137. c. 6. Nou. 146. ut liceat Hebraeis.  should speak aloud, when they celebrate Baptism and the Eucharist. Ordaineth that the holy Bible should be translated into the vulgar tongue, that the people might read therein their salvation. 
L. Constantinopol. 24. C. de sacros. Eccles. his verbis. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  Yea when the Emperor had translated the seat of his Empire to Constantinople, although there was then a Bishop of Rome, yet he declared, that the Church of Constantinople was the Head, that is to say, the chiefest of all others. To this is referred, that in Nou. 83. Menna is called universalis Patriarcha, in favour of whom the Emperors said he had granted that privilege to the Clergy not to be convented but before their Bishops, & that in certain cases only. Now the cause why the Emperors translated their seat from Rome, was, because they held but very little in the West parts: Gaul and a good part of Germany were occupied by the Frankes or Frenchmen, Spain by the Sarazines, Goths and Vandals; Italy in horrible confusion, by the usurpation of the Goths and Vandals, Rome having been in a short time thrice sacked: the year 414. under Honorius by Alaricke, in the year 459. under Martian by Gensericke King of the Vandals, and lastly by Totilla King of the Goths in the time of justinian, who expelled them in the year 552. But the King of lombards dispossessed him, and held Italy two hundred years after, till he was expulsed by Charles the Great. During which hurly-burlies, there remained to the Emperor the Exarchate of Ravenna, of which place the Bishop in the year 558. would have attributed to himself the name of Universal Bishop, because he alone in Italy acknowledged the Emperor. On the contrary, the Bishop of Constantinople pretended this authority, because of the seat of the Empire. Which ambition, Gregory the great, Bishop of Rome, a learned and good man, blamed in many of his writings, saying, 
Greg. 16. Epistol. Indict. 15. Epist. 194. & 288. etc.  That he should be the Antichrist which would seem God over all men; but that he was his forerunner, which exalted himself above Priests. Whence it followeth; that the first degree of Anti-christian ambition, was to exalt himself above his fellow-officers in the Church, and that the accomplishment of this mystery is to exalt himself above all that is called God, 
2. Thes. 2.  or which is adored. Notwithstanding Boniface the third, successor of Gregory, was not of this opinion, but received the title of Universal Bishop by means of Phocas, who having slain the Emperor Mauritius and his family, usurped the Empire, and made himself Lord of Constantinople.   

CHAP. V The Christian Kings are grounded in title and possession of the rights and authority above declared.  
PHARAMONT the first King of Frenchmen began to reign in the year four hundred and seventeen. Three of his successors were Pagans, 
Du Haillan in the end of the reign of Clovis.  Clovis was the first Christian; he came to the Crown in the year 484 and continued in possession of the Royal authority, before spoken of. For he assembled a counsel at Orleans, in which were many Prelates, namely 32. Bishop's: and caused two Monks, guilty of high Treason to be executed. In the same manner continued his Successors, until Boniface the third, which may be said to have been the first Pope. For as touching the name it was before common to other Prelates, as Saint Hierome in many of his Epistles, calleth Saint Augustine, 
Hier. Epist. ad August. to. 2.  and Alipius by the name of Popes; as the name of Priests and Bishops were taken in the same signification: for said Saint Hierome, 
Hier. Euagrio. ubique fuerit Episcopus, sive Romae, etc. sive Regij, eusdem est meriti & sacerdotij, etc.  What is the Bishop more than the Priest, except the ordination, etc. Every Bishop, whether he be of Rome, or of Alexandria, hath like merit and the same Priesthood; richesse nor poverty do neither exalt nor debase the Bishop, etc. Notwithstanding after six hundred years, the said Boniface the third, than Bishop of Rome, together with the name, took upon him the effect. And as Adam gave the name according to the nature of the thing, and as in truth it was; Boniface the third, and his successors, challenged to themselves the things, after the abuse of the name. Whence it is observed by Historians, 
Beda. Sigibert, etc. Durand. 4. rational. Ado. Onufrius.  that he was the first that used in his Decretals these terms: We will, we ordain, we command, and enjoin. Now that which hath very much advanced such usurpations, hath been the confusions of the wars of Italy, and the negligence of our last Kings of the first race: out of which King Pepin, taking occasion to assume the Crown and to transfer it into his family, made himself be crowned by the Pope in the year seven hundred fifty and five; to the end he might make use of the credit, that from those times the Pope had in the Christian Churches: and that he might the more oblige him to maintain his cause, he gave to the Pope the Exarchate of Ravenna, and that which he holdeth in Romania. And by this means these two Lords obliged themselves each to other, without disbursing penny: for the least Bishop in France could have crowned Pepin as valuably, as Pope Zacharie, and the Exarchate pertained not to the King, but to the Emperor, 
Paul. Emil. du Tillet & others.  to mitigate whose indignation the King made that donation in the name of Constantine, who was dead more than three hundred years before. Which I report, for to show that the greatness of Popes proceedeth from the liberality of our Kings, and that they should be very ingrateful if they did not acknowledge it toward them. Moreover Pepin changed the ceremonies observed in the Gallicane Church, and brought in the Roman ceremonies by the mediation of Renny Archbishop of Reins. About the same time arose the controversy about Images, which the Greek Churches would not receive into their Temples. Epiphanius Bishop of Salamina tore in pieces a picture set up in the Temple, and Serenus Bishop of Marseille beat down an image. The Emperor Phillipicus surnamed Bardanes maintained himself in the right of Kings, and in the year 713. made a decree concerning Images, which dured till Constantine the second; who confirmed it in the year 782. whereat his mother Irena being provoked (as superstition easily inciteth weak minds) she assembled a Council at Constantinople, during the emperors minority, for to establish her Images, but the people opposed themselves thereunto and chased away the Prelates: which afterwards were assembled again by this woman at Nice; but when she could not install her Images, she put out the eyes of the Emperor her son, and sent him into exile, in which he died. Mean time, in the year 776. King Charles the Great passed into Italy subdued Didier King of the Lombard's, took him prisoner and brought him to Lions; and soon after being requested by Pope Leo, to deliver him from the hand of Campul, and Sylvester his enemies, he went thither and by the same means made himself be crowned Emperor: and confirmed to the Pope the donation of King Pepin his father, and from that time forth, by trans-action, between the King and the Emperor, the Empire was divided, and the western part remained to Charlemaigne, who approved not the decisions of the Greekish Synod, but wrote a book entitled, a Treatise of Charlemaigne against the Greekish Synod, touching images, which book is extant to this day. But that which serveth to our purpose is, that the King by this means maintained himself in possession to make Laws for the Church, of which there are many in a book called the Capitularie decrees of Charles the Great. And as Pepin his predecessor had done in the City of Bourges, so did he also assemble many Counsels in divers places of his kingdom, as at Mayence, at Tours, at Reins, at Chaalons, at Arles, and the sixth most famous of all at Francfort, in which he himself was present in person, and there condemned the error of Felician, and the Council of Nice, falsely called the seventh general Council. 
Sigeb. in the year 773.  Now in this place it is worth the observing, that the election of Bishops and Archbishops, yea of the Bishop of Rome, was subject to the confirmation of the Emperor, & for want of investiture made by him, they should not have been consecrate, as the Canons do witness, 
Can. Vota. can. Agatho. 63. dist.  where we read the confirmation of Saint Ambrose by the Emperor Valentinian. From this ancient prerogative, common to the Emperors, it cometh, that Charlemagine having parted the Empire, and agreed with the Emperor of the East, assembled a Council at Rome, that he might make pass a new title in his person, and an acknowledgement by the Clergy, touching this authority to confirm Bishops, which from all antiquity belonged to the Emperors his predecessors. Whence it is manifest that the Popes have absurdly termed this declaration and acknowledgement a privilege and favour of Rome, or gratification to King Charles the Great; for it is a right and prerogative, common, ancient and Divine. And at that time was made the Cannon Hadrianus, 
Can. Hadrianus. Can. in Synodo. 63. distinct.  and after th●● which beginneth In Synodo: which truth is far from the doctrine of the Cardinal jesuite, who would feign persuade the people, that the authority of Emperors and Kings is grounded on the good liking and favour of the Pope, and that they cannot use the same longer than it pleaseth him.  
Now a while after crept in the question, that so much troubleth the world, about the interpretation of these words of our Saviour. This is my body.  
For the cleared of which point, and to know the means whereby a Christian man Communicates in the merit of the death and Passion of our Lord and Saviour; King Charles the Bald, who began to reign in the year eight hundred forty and one, went not out of his own kingdom to seek the understanding of those words of the Gospel in the Court of Rome, but consulted with one of the most learnedst Clegy-men of his subjects named Bertram a Priest, whose discourse we have yet, worthy to be preserved; for by it we may learn that the opinion pretended to be new in these days, was as then esteemed most ancient. And if it would please the Disciples of Loyola, to refer themselves to this good Priest, there would be no more disputing in France about the Sacramental words, neither should we debate so much about hoc est, yea if they were sent for the peace of the Church. Thus we have showed, how our Kings have maintained their right and authority during the two first races; in which time was preached none other doctrine then that of the ancient Canons, which have these words, It is a general paction 
(a) Can. quae contra 8. dist. 93. & in summa 94. dist. c. qui culpatur 23. q. 3. textus & gl. cap. Si Episc. 18. dist.  of human society to obey the Prince. Which was confirmed by the example of the King of Israel, who commanded Hilkijah the high Priest, and by the testimony of Saint Hierome, saying: We must 
(b) Cap. principibus 23. q. 5.  be faithful to Princes and Superior powers, otherwise none can hope for reward at God's hands. Now among other Kings, the Canonists themselves say, that the King of France is the 
(c) Cardin. Clem. 1. pr. de immunit. Eccl.  King of Kings, that he shineth among others as the morning star 
(d) Bard. ca 1. §. 1. de prohi. feud. alien. Idem. Consil. 415. part. 1.  Notwithstanding the great extent of countries that the King of Spain possesseth at this present, by the means in history declared. For yet at this day he is your majesties Leigeman, both for Maiorca, 
(e) Petrus jac. in pract. sub. rubr. de success. regnum vers. item non advertunt. De Grassalio 1. iure. li. 1. Regaliar.  a fief of Magalon, a Church of Gaul Narbonnois; and for the Earldom of Flanders, which belongs 
(f) Gaguin. li. 4. & 5. c. 1. Bald. Anth. statuimus, v. juxta hoc. C. de Episc. & Cler.  to the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Paris, and is chiefest of the three Earldoms numbered among the Peeredomes of France. Neither can the King's renunciation being prisoner make to the contrary, forasmuch as the fear of being still detained, hindered it to be a full consent, and maketh the pretended ratification; for the King's children were then prisoners in Spain, Itaque semper suberat metus causa. Imo per filios pater plerumque magis torquetur; and the 
(g) Cardin. consilio 137. incipiens Redemptor. Mar. soz. consilio 53.  example of the King of Cyprus serveth well to this purpose. Secondly, the King of Spain cannot prevail with this consent, because the right and jurisdiction thereof being a royal 
(h) Lucas de Penna l. quicunque 11. lib. Cod. de omni agro de sero.  demain belonging to the Crown, cannot be alienated. This royal dignity so high advanced in every kingdom was the cause that the Canonists made no difficulty (as in these days the jesuits do) to acknowledge the King for the Vicar of JESUS CHRIST in his own 
(i) Felinus ca cum non liceat de praescr. Bal. cap. significantibus de off. delegati.  Kingdom, yea they entitled him corporal God, and Gods 
(k) Bald. de loco & prohibit feud. alien. & de pace Constantiae.  delegate upon earth, these are their terms. We have had also many kings in such reputation with the Clergy, that no Prelate adventured to approve parricides, or to absolve their subjects from their obedience, but have Canonised them, and enrolled them in heaven. Such do Histories report to be king Dagobert, Charles the Great, and Saint Lewis; unto which number, maugre the enemies of the State, we will add Henry the Great, your Majesty's father, an excellent and most valiant Prince and Martyr. In like number is acknowledged in this kingdom certain marks and testimonies of a special favour of God granted to our Kings; the gift of healing the Kings-evil, the oil of unction, the Flower-deluces, and the Oriflambe or holy-standerd of France, whereas all antiquity, fabulous or true, have given but one Palladium to great Troy, but one Buckler to stately Rome, and but one sign of the Cross in heaven for a presage of victory to the good Emperor Constantine. Which prerogatives acknowledged by Popes, caused Innocent the fourth to grant ten days of indulgence 
(l) Thom. 4. sent. q. 19 art 3. in sol. vlt. arg. gl. in. v. teneretur in proem. prag. sanct.  to them that should pray for the King, and Clement added an hundred more. Now for as much as the King of France is so absolute, thence it cometh that his kingdom is not reckoned among the Fiefes▪ for he doth homage to none but to God of whom he holdeth his Crown: & because all other fealty 
(m) Cap. cum olim ext. de privi. leg. Bald. l. quoties C. de suis & legis.  presupposeth servitude contrary to such sovereignty and liberty. Wherefore the King holdeth not in any fashion whatsoever of the Emperor nor of the Roman Empire, which never any King of France acknowledged, since Pharamont the first King of the Frankes or Frenchmen; our Kings having all the marks of Sovereign 
(n) Pan. ca tua. 2. de decimis. ca quae in Ecclesiarum de constitut. Bald. l. exemplo. C. de probat. 1. de off. praes. proet. Clemens. 5. extrauag. meruit.  Empire in their Kingdom. Which the Pope himself confesseth in his Extravagant, saying, that Boniface the eight could do no prejudice to the King, who acknowledgeth not any 
(o) Cap. per venerabilé Qui fili. sint legit.  Superior. Which must be understood (contrary to the interpretation of the gloze) thus; that juris & facti the King hath no Superior, seeing that the text beareth these words, He might do it 
(p) L. ex facto de vulgari. l. sin. c. de militari testam. Pen. d. loco.  as being King and Prince: for this word, Prince, is a name authorized of right by law, and not an attribute to a violent usurper, to the advantage of whom the Canonists will never confess, that the Pope authorizeth any such action and way 
* Facti contra ius.  of custom against right; these words then, he might, is expounded, the Prince is grounded in it by law or right: And as the good Citizen preferreth the safety of his country before his own life, and the life of them that be nearest and dearest to him; so they hold that we must obey the King rather than our natural Father, because he is the 
(q) Lucan Pater urbique maritus. Plutar. in institut. Traiani. Luc. de Penna. l. quicunque col. 3. Cod. de omni agro lib. 11. nemini. lib. 12. de Coss.  husband and father of the country, which is the common mother of the inhabitants. Whence it followeth that Cardinal Bellarmine establishing another Temporal power than that of the King over his kingdom, makes the Pope a Temporal 
(r) Bellar. l. 1. de Pontif. cap. 9  adulterer, as also he figureth him a Spiritual fornicator, making him the Spouse of the Catholic Church, Etiam Christo secluso, for the King is alone the Father and Husband of his people, and CHRIST is the only Head of his Church, Papa secluso. Now from this fundamental reason, ancient and natural, cometh this decision, that if a Prelate be called by his superior, and by the King at one and the same time, he must rather obey 
(s) Can. Si Episc. 18. dist. c. de reb. 12. q. 2. c. pastoralis ducto argumento ab ordine literae §. cum. a. de off. deleg.  the King than the Prelate. The same is said of a Bishop holding a Manor in fee of the King, he oweth unto him obedience rather 
(t) Gl. cau. reprehensibili 23. q. 8. Inn. & Panu. cap. cum parati de Appellation.  than unto the Pope himself, as the ancient Doctors do teach, against the new opinion. And because the Law is defined to be an ordinance of the 
(u) Bal. c. 1. de Constitu. c. constitut. 2. dist.  Sovereign, it pertaineth only to the King to make and to abrogate them throughout his kingdom. For who is it 
(x) L. 1. 2. 3. de officio praes. vigil.  hath most interest to watch for all the members, but he which is the head? And although the violence of some Popes hath been such, that they have 
(y) C. Tibi Domine dist. 63.  constrained some Kings, yea Emperors to bear the yoke, that the prophesy of Saint john in the Revelation might be accomplished. The Pope's nevertheless have never usurped nor yet pretended that authority over the King of France, witness the extravagant 
(z) Can. Ego Ludovicus 63. dist.  Meruit. Neither maketh that against it which is in the Cannon, Ego Lodovicus, and that the custom of Kings is to send to the Pope to promise him a friendship of spiritual filiation. For that gratification is by reason of his charge of Pastor, which every other Bishop exerciseth with as great power as he. But as for the Pope he is bound, presently after his election, to send the articles of his confession to the King who hath the authority to make them be examined by the Sorbonnists, and be considered 
(a) Du Till. tit. of the liberties of the Gallicane Church. & ca satagendum 25. q. 1. vinc. Sigau. tract. de factis princ. c. 2. Regal, & cap. 3.  whether they be orthodoxal, according to that which was practised by the Pope's Pelagius and Boniface the eighth, in the reigns of Childericke and Philip the Fair. From this Sovereign power grounded on right human, divine, and ancient, it proceedeth that Kings may of their own authority, without the consent of the Pope, 
(b) Bonif. in Bulla inserta in lib. liliol. de qua Io. Feral. & Guliel. Bened. ca Rainutius v. uxorem nu. 103. detestamentis.  impose tribute on Ecclesiastical persons, although the Pope pretend 
(c) Cap. non minus c. adversus de immunit. Eccl.  that the King of France alone hath this right, which he calleth privilege. But if so be it were a privilege yet he can never revoke it, 
(d) Bald. 1. vectigalia C. de vectigal.  it being a thing granted to the commonwealth and not to the person. Moreover this imposition is laid by the king, not only on the Temporality, subjects of their own nature, for the 
(a) Bald. ca cum venissent de eo qui mittivit.  defence of the commonweal, but also on the rest of the revenue Ecclesiastical: as king Lewis the twelfth levied the tenth of the fruits of Benefices in the time of Alexander the sixth, in the year 1498. The like did Francis the first in the year 1530. in the time of Clement the seventh. Wherefore the gloze of 
(b) Clem. Si beneficiorum.  Clement saith, that the same is ordinarily practised in France. Contrariwise the Pope cannot 
(c) Decretum de annatis, statuit sancta synodus v. exigatur.  impose nor raise subsidies upon benefices. Therefore the gloze of the decree of annates, or first fruits, reporteth that king Lewis the twelfth and others have forbidden such raising of subsidies. Item. king Charles the fifth caused sentence to be given against Pope Benedict the thirteenth, for that matter. And the king's Attorney general obtained the like judgement Anno 1463. in the reign of 
(d) Guag. l. 9 c. 3. & li. 7. cap. 3.  Lewis the 11 who had assembled many Prelates. Which was also practised in the reign of Philip the fair. And although, according to the Pope's opinion, no lay-person can dispose of spiritual things, 
(e) Cap. quae in Ecclesiarum ca Ecclesiae de constit. c. 2. quanto de judicijs.  no though it be in favour of the Church, so far is he from 
(f) Cap. si quis 17. cap. de iure patron.  granting them the right to possess them: yet notwithstanding the king may do both the one and the other, as is confessed in the 
(g) Guag. lib. 7. c. 3.  Council of Basill, in the title of Annates. Also after the opinion of Gaguin, this right to confer Benefices is a prerogative so royal, that there is not any thing in a kingdom that doth more belong unto the king. And that not by virtue of his being anointed, for notwithstanding the same, he remaineth still a mere lay-person 
(h) Cap. tua de decimis.  according to the doctrine of the Canons. Wherefore the king's consent is requisite 
(f) Specul. tit. de legate. Sect. nunc ca dilectus 3. de praeb. can. cum inter de consuetud. tit. de Annatis. Sect. Item quod dicta in prag. sanct.  in the elections of Prelates, before they be consecrated: According whereunto, the king's Attorney ought to be called in the election of the Abbot of of Man's, but if any did the contrary the 
(g) Can. Hadrianus c●en synodo can. hinc est 16. q. 1. Guag. lib. 4. cap. 1.  King might punish him. Upon this right, common, ancient, and Divine, proper to all Kings, are grounded the sentences of the Courts of Parliament. Moreover besides the conference of benefices, the king may hold and 
(h) Panor. in repetite Sect. quia v. 10. col. 3. cap. extirpand. de praehendis  possess them, and indeed he the hath Canonry of S. Hilary at Poitiers, of Saint Martin at Tours, Angers, and Mans. And although the King receive not any order, the 
(i) Gl. cap. Valentinianus 63. dist.  Canonists nevertheless do hold that the most Christian king, may exercise the office of a Subdeane, & that Charles the 8. did use the same whilst the Pope celebrated. Also the king precedeth all his 
(k) Pan. c. verum de soco compet. Innoc. c. Noverunt de sententia excommun.  prelate's, as Panormitan and Innocent do hold, yea the prelate's do owe unto him liege homage, which 
(l) C. minus & ibi Pan. de iuretur idem super. c. ve●ens in secundo notab. dicens Regem esse fundatum de iure communi.  importeth fealty towards him, & against all without exception: And to show that it is in quality of Bishops that they submit themselves, in making their oath, they have the 
(m) Gl. v. corporali c. ut circa de Elect. lib. 6. secundum Pan. c. laudabilem de frigidis.  stole about their neck, their hand upon the stomach, and the book of the Gospel before them. But Lay-men render homage kneeling, and their hands joined together. Also they 
(n) Can. si in morte 23. q. 8.  ought to assist the King in his wars, and so by sentence given, it hath been judged 
(o) Io. Gall. anni 1280. in fin. fol. 116. c. ex multa de voto. ibique Panor.  against the Bishop of Lymoges. And they may be deprived of their livings for 
(p) Guid. q. 39 Bened. c. Rainutius 2. decis. num. 459. Guag. lib. 6. c. 4.  felony: further it appertaineth to the King alone 
(q) Aufrer. in repet. Clem. 1. in 4. reg. fal. 2. de off. ordin. Guido q. 62. v. circa. Bened. v. uxorem 2. decis. num. 445. Fract. arrest. art. 211.  to give pardon to them in case of crime, and to reform the Church, 
(r) C. 1. Ne sede vacant Bart. 5. part. cath. consider 17.  assembling for this effect his Princes 
(s) Cygaut. tr. de factis princ. in regali.  and Prelates, without requiring therein the Pope's authority, as reporteth Vinc. Cygaut, saying: that he had received letters and commandment from the King to reform the Franciscan Friars, & so is it practised ordinarily 
(t) Cap. Filijs 17. q. 7.  in cases of notorious abuse. And finally, the King is alone Lord of all the Territory 
(u) L. pupillus §. Teritorium de verb. sinif. l. 3. c. donatur lib. Cui. ad 53. C. de deretur. l. Nulli C. de episc. & Cler.  of his kingdom Now territory is defined in the Civil Law, a space of land which boundeth the extent of every City. So called because the Magistrate of the same giveth terror, and can expel whom he pleaseth, out of his jurisdiction. Hence it cometh that if a Bishop take any one out of the enclosure of his Court, such taking shall be 
(x) Bal. & flor. l. sicuti §. Aristo Si seco, vindi.  void, and therefore they are to 
(y) Can. romana Sect. contrahentes de foro compet. l. 6. Can Episcopus in casus posit. D. foro compet. l. qui servus Sect. Idem de Aedil. Ed.  crave aid of the judges royal. Whereby may be gathered the malice and folly of those men that entitle a Bishop my Lord of Paris, my Lord of Chartres, etc. For there is none but the king Lord of those places: yet true it is, that in some Provinces, there are Bishops 
(z) Can Episcopus. Ne clerici vel more. l. 6.  Lords of the Territory, as is the Bishop of Rome, and some Bishops of Germany, against whom maketh the saying of Pope Nicholas in his eighth Epistle, that they which are both Kings and Priests under the Gospel, are members of the Devil. Now whatsoever the Prelates pretend 
(a) Can. cum Episcopus de off. ordin. lib. 6. Cui in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Episcoand.  it is certain that they have neither Territory nor jurisdiction, by disposition of Law, neither any portion of Empire pure or mixed, such as is jurisdiction, witness the title De Episcopali audientia, different from the title De iurisdictione omnium judicum; upon which the learned Cuias writing saith: Episcopi jurisdictionem non habent, nec forum, nec apparitionem, nec executionem: And therefore there wholly remaineth to Kings all marks of Sovereignty. Yea, as the Doctor's 
(b) Carol. de Grassalio è novo iure. lib. 2. Regal. allegat can. propter & gl. v. ducibus 33. dist. & gl. Adigere de iure pat●.  Canonists do observe, (of whom we borrow that which followeth) the King alone and none other is God's Vicar and Lieutenant general in his Kingdom, & habet vim Apostoli, and they hold that he hath authority to excommunicate. And as touching his person and the persons of his subjects, the Pope hath no power 
(c) Extravag. Meruit & in bulla ad aeternam Io. 2. Extravag. frequentes in fin. de judicijs.  to excommunicate or curse them, as the Pope's Clement the fifth, and john the twentieth two themselves do confess: of which Cygaut 
(d) Cygaut. tract. de factis princ. c. sententiae excommun. in fin.  pretendeth to render a reason taken out of Hostiensis. And forasmuch as the family enjoyeth the same rights 
(e) Cap. Ecclesia. l. 2. q. 2. gl. c. Clericum 11. q. 1.  as the Lord of the same, thence it cometh, that the King's Officers cannot be anathematized by the curses that the Pope thundereth forth. And by sentence of Court it hath been said that in the general monition, 
(f) Sentence of Court, given the 17. of April 1507. reported by john Ferrant in his Treatise of the rights of the Kingdom of France.  the (e) Register of Chastelet was not comprised; for the matters that he knew in the office of King's Register. Wherefore Charles the fift in the year 1369 by letters patents enjoined all Prelates and Officials that they should not make or pronounce any censure, or excommunication coming from Rome into the Cities and places of his Dominions. And Charles the seventh by other letters patents dated the second of September 1440. commanded the same thing to the Court, to the Provost, or Governor of Paris and other judges. By these testimonies it doth clearly appear, that all royal rights and prerogatives (used by the King of France at this present) belong, and are due unto Kings by right Divine, and common, practised by the patriarchs, and by the Kings of jerusalem, and in the Primitive Church, and by Constantine, justinian, Charlemaigne, and their successors, from time to time to this day. Consequently that such prerogatives be absurdly called privileges of the Gallicane Church, or privileged cases for they are not favours of Rome, but gifts of God; it is not an affranchisement, but a natural ingenuity of the Christian Church, before their was either Pope or Bishop of Rome: And thus much may suffice for that which respecteth the King's title. Now we must speak of the possession, which hath been controverted in the third race of our Kings, but yet not interrupted, but always retained by them, who have maintained the same in act, as they were grounded therein by right.   

CHAP. VI That the first attempts of Popes, against the authority Royal, began in the third race of our Kings, who have nevertheless maintained themselves in their rights until this present.  
HISTORY teacheth us, that Hugh Capet, being chosen and acknowledged King by the States, and laws of the kingdom, in the year 987. required not any approbation of the Pope, but went strait to Reins to be crowned; and though in those days john the twelfth, having attained the Popedom by horrible means (as Histories report) assailed the king, 
Platina & others.  yet could he win nothing, though the King at this new coming to the Crown, would exasperate nothing against him. But the Emperor Henry handled him more roughly, for he came to Rome, deposed him▪ and created Leo the eighth in his place, and having assembled a Council, he thereby made use of the rights due to the Emperor according to the Canons. 
Can. Adrianus c. vota can. Agatho c. lectis c. in synodo 63. dist.  But forasmuch as my drift is principally to speak of the possession of the rights of the King, I will pass over the confusions that the ambition of Popes and antipopes did in those times bring into the rest of Christendom, from the year 1000 of CHRIST, and about the reign of king Philip the first, when the Empire was dismembered from the Crown of France. Of which disorders one of the principal authors was that Gregory the seventh, whom Cardinal Bellarmine calleth Saint, though his name at Baptism (which Popes renounce after their election) was Hildebrand, which the Germans say signifieth in their language Firebrand of hell. With like fury were moved the Popes his successors, Urban the second, and Paschal, for they covered Germany and Italy with blood and slaughter, and thence proceeded the divisions in States and commonwealths: So that there were at Rome the Vrsius against the Colonna's; at Florence the Medicis against the Strozzi; at Genoa, the Elisques, against the Spinola's; In a word the Guelphs for the Pope, and the Gibelins for the Emperor: Which division spread itself all over Christendom, except in France, which maintained itself in her liberty and in the obedience of her King: As also did the wise and mighty Commonwealth of Venice, which (now of late) hath expulsed the proclaimers and procurers of this division, and leaven of civil wars, stirred up, or entertained and strengthened by the Popes in Christendom, ever since these five hundredth years. O that I fear there is the like designs at this present in hand in the Court of Rome! But Christians have patience, 
Heb. 10.37  Yet a very little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry; The Lamb shall overcome. There was then in those times for the space of 33. years together a horrible slaughter, procured by the pope's Innocent the third, Honorius, Celestine, Innocent the fourth, and Gregory the ninth against the Emperor Frederick the second. During which, Mahomet the open enemy of the Church, advanced himself in the East, Whom the Emperor going about to repulse, the pope took occasion to make war against him in Italy, to seize upon Naples & other places of Frederick, who was constrained to return speedily, and to leave Greece as a prey to the Turk, and yet the Pope could not be appeased without giving him eleven thousand marks of Gold. With like zeal were moved pope Innocent, and others his successors, who kept prisoner Zemin Ottoman, brother of Bajazet the second; for which he received yearly forty thousand Ducats. And when King Charles the eighth would have made use of the prisoner for to make war against the enemy of Christians, pope Alexander the sixth, advertised the Turk thereof, and caused Zemin Ottoman to be poisoned, for which he had two hundred thousand crowns in recompense, which were delivered him by George of Antia the bearer of the advise. Hereby we may plainly discern of what spirit these men are, and that we must not believe all things that comes from the Popes, neither imitate their works: although their flatterers say, that Popes have all sorts of laws within the casket of their own breast: 
Platina.  which is a sentence invented by one of the most ignorant Popes that ever was, namely Paul the second, who had been a Merchant's Factor; and was so great an enemy of learning and learned men, that he declared all them to be Heretics that should pronounce this word University or Academy, Is it not for this occasion that the jesuits hate so much the University of Paris? 
Io. Avent. li. 3. Annal.  With like reason Pope Zacharie caused a certain German Mathematician named Virgil to be cited to Rome, because he judged him an Heretic, in that he taught that there were Antipodes, that is, people that inhabited the earth underneath our Hemisphere. We must not then hold the ordinances of Popes, as if they were Articles of faith, for so should the Creed be much defectuous; and yet the Pope would have all his decrees be esteemed Articles of faith, 
Can. nulla & gl. v. dist. 19  and condemneth for a Heretic whosoever resisteth them. 
Gl. v. multorum can. vidua dist. 34.  For by that account, we must believe the gloss which defineth her only to be a whore, that hath had to do with more than twenty and three thousand men; and that he that marrieth such a beast, meriteth remission of sins. 
Cap. inter opera charitatis de spons. lib. 4. decretal.  We ordain (saith the pope) that for all such men as shall take common women out of the stews, and marry them; that same shall profit them for remission of their sins, And how dare pope Gregory couple that abomination with the merit of the holy passion? It pertaitaineth only to the mother of whoredoms, to enhance her wares so high, & to give course to such treasure. Now such and the like impostures of the Court of Rome, being known by the Christian Churches, caused men to appeal for some clauses and abuses in such decrees, and the King maintained himself and his people in the Christian liberty, without contradiction, till the year one thousand one hundred thirty seven, in the reign of Charles the Young, whose constancy the pope would try, about the provision of the archbishoppric of Bourges: as likewise of Philip his successor, Anno one thousand one hundred eighty, against whom, pope Innocent stirred up the King of England, and caused wars between them: And as for Lewis the ninth called also Saint Lewis because of his piety and justice, who was king in the year one thousand two hundred twenty seven, he gave peace to the Albigenses, perceiving (as Haillan saith) that they were hated of the pope, principally for that they cried out against the dissolute lives of Churchmen: he also took away the sale of Offices. To this holy Prince Histories ascribe these qualities, that he was a guardian of the Laws, a protector of the Church, the head of the Nobility, and Father of the People: He caused also the Bible to be published in the French tongue. My Lord, your Majesty is descended from this great prince, between his and your coming to the Crown is so great a resemblance, that your subjects do hope for the same graces under your authority, name, descent, age, place of Coronation, nature, instruction, regency, publication of your Edict of peace, all agree: He began to reign at twelve years of age, was crowned at Reins, remained under the regency of his mother, though she was a stranger, and a Spaniard. 
For the Regency.  For Frenchmen are ashamed to refer less to the last will of their King, then did the Sicilians unto theirs named Anaxillaus, 
justin. 4.  who gave for Regent to his son a slave, that had been faithful unto him: But in case of such a government in whom else can there be found a more tender affection, then of the mother? or nearer, then taken out of the bowels? To come again to our deliverers, above whom appeareth most Philip the fourth, surnamed the Fair, who in the year 1320. had to do with a a prodigious monster of a man, pope Boniface the eighth, who wrote to the king in these terms. 
annal Nicholas Giles.  We will that thou know, that thou art our subject, both in Spiritual and in Temporal things. To which the King answered, beginning thus: 
Sciat fatuitas vestra, etc.  Let your sottishness and fond temerity know, that in Temporal things, we have none but God for superior, etc. And the King not content with this, commanded a Lord of Languedoc, an Albigeois, of the house of Nogaret, to seize upon this pope: Which he did, and having cuffed him on the mouth with his gauntlet, cast him into prison, where he died, leaving behind him this Elogium or praise in diverse histories, 
Io. Andr. & Bald. c. 1. de feud. gl. ad 6. Decretal.  He entered into the Popedom as a Fox, reigned as a Lion, and died as a Dog: For he entered into such a frenzy, that he gnawed off his own hands with rage. O that the deceased King your majesties father were alive, and that he saw the letter of that ambitious prelate, commented on by a Cardinal jesuite, who durst publish a book of it; would he not have commanded that arch-hereticke to be brought to him bound hand and foot, and cast into the prison of his palace, for to be condemned and suffer the like execution, that the Legates of pope Benedict did before the palace, after they had seen their Bulls torn in pieces, the 29 of july, 
Papon. Arrest. lib. tit. 5. Arrest. 27.  anno 1408 in the reign of Charles the sixth, And what? do such men think they have to do with children? Yea rather with a flourishing State, warlike, allied, peaceable, fortified with money and furniture for the wars? With God himself, protector of the most desolate widow, and poorest Orphan? and therefore of the Regent of the children of his Anointed, and of the State, which by his grace hath now so long time subsisted: I return to Boniface, and pass under silence that his Bull was in the presence of the King cast into the fire, by the Earl of Artois, that his Nuncio's were committed to prison, and prohibition made, that no man should carry money to Rome, nor provide any for dispatch of Benefices: that the King transferred the pope's seat to Avignon, which remained there three score and fourteen years after; that in those times were six antipopes, yea three at one time, all three deposed by the Emperor Sigismond: especially john the 23 convicted of horrible crimes, So was Clement the seventh, who had sowed up five Cardinals in sacks and cast them into the sea: and three more he beheaded, and burned their bodies to ashes, which he carried every where with him in chests, with Cardinal hats set on the same, that it might be known what they were. And we must not omit, that john the twentieth two was deposed for having unadvisedly excommunicated the Emperor Lewis of Baviere. Since in the reign of Lewis the eleventh, pope Eugenius found himself aggrieved at the pragmatical sanction or confirmation of the decree made in the Council of Basill for the election of Prelates, collation of Benefices, etc. But the King used a Sovereign remedy, and which was ordinary with his predecessors: for he forbade that any money should be carried to Rome, neither was that a light punishment, for it was found that the Pope drew out of France yearly a million of Gold, 
Suet. in vita julij Caesaris.  which was the tribute that the Romans raised out of all the Gauls. Which might very profitably be employed on Hospitals, Colleges, and Spitals in France, without passing any further. Against all these disorders many good Doctors have exclaimed, among others Saint Bernard and his scholars. Also Savonarola a great and learned man among the Clergy, who was held to have had the gift of prophesy, said to King Charles the eighth, that God called him into Italy for to reform the Church: and in deed being before Rome, the walls of the City fell down. Then having entered the City and brought forth his Cannon out of Saint Marks, for to plant it against the Castle, the breach was made without shooting against it: but for all that Sananorola was not believed, because (saith the History) part of the Council were corrupted with money, & for that the Cardinal of Saint Malo governed the King's treasury. These delays called to the Crown King Lewis the twelfth, who sent the Cardinal of Amboyse to Trent to the Emperor Maximilian, and to Ferdinand King of Arragon, to consult about the reformation of the Church; not in the members only, but also in the head. Which caused Pope julius, who had a contrary intention, to solicit the King of England, to divert Ferdinand from this purpose by giving him the investiture of the Kingdom of Naples, and beside to ally himself with the Swissers, by means of a thousand Florins given to each Canton. The King notwithstanding lost not courage, but assembled the Prelates of his own Kingdom in the City of Tours, about an hundred years ago in September last, 
See Du Till. in the end of his Chronicle.  and in the same were given Catholic dicisions against the Pope, which stands for Law against such as would at this day persuade Frenchmen, that they must not secure their confederates, nor make war otherwise then it pleaseth Rome. The King did more with the Emperor: for he published a Council at Pisa, which the Pope (that he might avert the same) assigned at Saint john's of Latran. In those times was invaded the Kingdom of Navarre, by Ferdinand of Arragon against King john de Albret, whom the Pope had excommunicated, in hatred of the succours he gave to the King. And at that time Ignatius Loyola a Spaniard, being hurt and maimed within Pampelune, which the King besieged, devised to erect a society of jesuits, that should uphold from thenceforth, both the usurpations of his Master, and the title upon which they are grounded, to wit the power of the Pope, which they extol above the goods, life and honour of Kings: and for this effect they have a vow, which no other religious men take: It is a blind vow, which maketh them move subjects against their Princes. Now the Pope's continuing their proceed in the reign of Francis the Great, the King had for enemies the Emperor, the King of England, the Duke of Milan and others; notwithstanding he letted not to say boldly. That if he were constrained to go into Italy, to get his absolution, he would go so well accompanied, that they should send to meet him. Since, the Pope's making use of religion for to trouble the States of Christendom, to hinder from any more speaking of reforming the Head, as the Emperor Maximilian, & King Lewis the twelfth had determined to do, France being very much weakened: Pope Sixtus the fifth made a league, excommunicated the deceased king, than King of Navarre, and my Lord the Prince of Conde, who the sixth of November 1585. fixed up their oppositions with an appeal as in case of abuse, and gave the lie to Sixtus the fifth, calling himself Pope, in that he termed the King and the Prince Heretics. Which proceed Gregory the fourteenth continued against King Henry the third and all his servants, whom he excommunicated by his Nuncio Landriano sent into the Capital City of the Kingdom. Here was the time that Frenchmen should have feared, if this scarecrow had been to be feared by the servants of their King. The capital Cities were revolted, such as remained still under the name of the King were in many places retained in their duty by force; there were few soldiers, and no money. But an excellent counsel, a grave Senate of faithful servants to the King: 
The sentences of Tours and of Chaalons.  one expers terroris Achilles, it is therefore said by sentence of Court, that this Bull shall be burnt in the public place by the hands of the common executioner; decreed against Landriano Nuncio: Inhibitions are made, that no man shall carry money to Rome, or provide any for the dispatch of Benefices: Gregory the fourteenth entituling himself Pope, declared enemy of the peace, of the Catholic union of the King and of the State, and adherent to the conspiracy of Spain, the fautor of rebels guilty of the most detestable parricide committed in the person of King Henry the third. Since that King Henry the Great, having maintained with his authority the liberty of the Gallican Church, the fautors of the Pope's power, contrary to the ordinance of God, ceased not till they had murdered him, as they had before done his predecessor. And immediately after have published their manifestation, touching the pretended Temporal power of the Pope, under the name of Cardinal Bellarmine jesuite. Which Treatise, the Court of Parliament at Paris having seen, gave their solemn sentence (the most Sovereign Courts of the great or gilt chamber of the Tournelle, and of the Chamber of the Edict, or mixed Court, being assembled) which containeth these words.  
The Court doth prohibit and forbid all persons of what quality or condition soever they be, 
Sentence of Parliament of Paris on the 26. of November 1610.  upon pain of being held guilty of high Treason; that they shall not receive, keep, communicate, Imprint, cause to be Imprinted, or expose to sale the said book, containing a false and detestable Proposition, tending to the eversion of Sovereign powers, ordained and established of God; to the raising of the subjects against their Princes, withdrawing of their obedience, inducing to attempt against their persons, and States, and to trouble the rest and quiet of the Common wealth. Enjoineth, etc. Behold how and by what means the State-royall hath been maintained against the proceed of Popes: But if there be at this day any that would bring into France new matters, more pleasing to the adversaries (that is to say to the jesuits) those new counsellors are bound to produce like proofs for their opinions, as we have done for ours taken out of History. But it shall be to purpose in a matter of such importance, that they present themselves in public, the halter about their necks after the manner as in old time the new lawgivers did, that they may presently be cut short, in case they persuade not their auditors. This course will assure the Kingdom, and deliver your Majesty from many importunities.   

CHAP. VII. What is the power of Ecclesiastical persons, And that the Pope is not grounded in the pretensions of Cardinal Bellarmine, neither on Divine, nor human law, or right.  
AS they that encroach upon the rights of Kings, imitate that Emperor, who said, if the Law be to be broken, it must be done for a Kingdom: so we have observed that another head of the same Commonwealth, lead an army into Africa, for to withdraw the enemy out of Italy. According to which stratagem, we will pass over the Alps, descend upon the place, and examine the power of the adverse parties, and will see if it was so at the beginning. Nevertheless before I enter into this discourse, I will most humbly entreat your Majesty, to believe, that in the same, I intent not to comprehend the good and holy Bishops and Priests which have kept themselves in their duty, as lawful successors of the Apostles: in favour of whom it is written: He which receiveth you, receiveth me, and whose feet are blessed bringing the glad tidings of the Gospel of peace. These words we borrow of purpose, that we may show on the one side, that we bring nothing of our own: and on the other side, that from time to time the truth hath not remained without witness, and that this gangrene which we cut off had not gotten over all the members: of whom also good Clergymen being the successors at this present, will not take it ill if we reprove the actions of some Siluesters, johns, Gregory's, Bonifaces, julius, Alexander's & Sixtus, who have oftentimes set all Christendom on fire and in blood, knowing that such spots respect not them, no more than the Apostle-ship receiveth blame by the treason of judas. For the faithful Pastors sighed in their time, to see such a disorder in Church, wherein vice carried away the most part of the world. Also from time to time not only the King's Officers, but the best among the Clergy also, have opposed themselves; that they might restrain such usurpations: Although on the other side the Pope set up new orders, depending on him in such sort, that they durst Preach none otherwise than he listed; and them that flattered him most were the best Beneficed. So disobedience to parents was followed, with rebellion against the Magistrate, yea against the Prince; so far as to say, that it was necessary to salvation to believe that the Pope is God on earth: To take away which false opinion, and to hinder least in consequence of the same any attempt against our Kings, I have reported some actions of Popes, which show that they be very far off from that holiness they pretend. This is the only end of this Treatise, and not the desire to blame any of that order: would to God they had been the true successors of the Apostles, so much would I have honoured them in their charge, as I detest the vicious. But seeing we are in process between the King and this new power, we must agree upon a judge superior to them both, for to ground their rights. And as the King hath here above verified his right by the Law and by the Gospel, by the Law of Nature, the Law of Nations, and the Civil Law, not making use of the Sentences of his Sovereign Courts, and of his Statutes. So also I think that every man of sound judgement will believe, that Bellarmine ought not to ground his mixed power upon the Canon Law, for that were to be judge in his own cause, & to allege usurpations for good titles. The same judgement must we give of the allegations of all the domestic witnesses and pensionaries of the Pope, infected with the new maxims of the Canon-law, brought in since five hundred years, whose testimony he produceth in the beginning of his book. Which may serve for answer in a word, against all such depositions of reproachable witnesses. And hereby is clearly manifested, that the Pope hath not whereon to ground his pretensions, neither in divine nor human law, or right, seeing that his own is not authentical to his profit. But if he will be obeyed, let him imitate our Saviour, who grounded his authority on an irrefragable proof, saying in Saint john, I seek not the witness of men. Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think to have eternal life; and they are they which testify of me. According to which rule Paul & Sylas were examined in Berea: 
Act. 17.10.11.  for it is said that the men of that place, searched the Scriptures daily, to see whether those things were so. In imitation of whom we will see if it be so, and will confer the holy Scriptures and the jesuits imposture together, and if he refuse this trial, we shall know that he is one of them that Tertullian speaketh of in these words: 
Tert. lib. de resurrect.  Constrain Heretics to prove all their questions, by the holy Scriptures, & they cannot subsist: And if the King for to prove the authority of his Temporal right, contented himself with the Law of God, which is Spiritual, how should the Cardinal dare to accuse it of insufficiency, for to sustain a right which he pretendeth Ecclesiastical? And if it be sufficient, whence cometh it, that till our saviours coming in the flesh, that is, for the space of four thousand years, his pretended authority was never heard of? And after CHRIST till the Emperor Constantine were nothing but horrible persecutions, for the space of about three hundred years; yet there was no speech of dispossessing Augustus, nor Nero, or their successors. Also our Cardinal maketh only Hildebrand to be the chief, whose testimony he allegeth in the beginning of his book: now he was Pope in the year 1073. Neither will the blasphemous answer of the jesuits serve: who say, that the Church had not power enough to make itself to be acknowledged. For I pray you, could not the Lord JESUS, armed with the rod of iron, spoken of in the second Psalm, have beaten to pieces such Emperors? Saint Peter, whose shadow healed the sick, 
Act. 5. & 8. cha. & 13.11.  who confounded Simon Magus, struck with death Ananias and Saphira; and Saint Paul, who smote Elymas, that resisted him, with blindness; would they not have subjugated the persecutors, if it had been lawful for them to exalt themselves above the powers that bear the sword? But contrariwise, they knew that it was written: 
Eccles. 8.2.4. He answereth not there, That shall be the Pope.  Take heed to the mouth of the King, & to the word of the oath of God. Item. Where the word of the King is, there is power, and who shall say unto him, what dost thou? They knew also that from the beginning, our Saviour had beaten down that presumption, saying, 
Mar. 10.43  Whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant. Again, 
Mat. 20.26  The Kings of the Nations have domination over them, etc. 
Luk. 22.25  but it shall not be so among you, etc. 
Mat. 22.8.  Be not ye called our Master, for one is your Master, to wit CHRIST, and all ye are brethren. Also when Saint Paul reckoneth up the Offices of the Church, he saith: God hath ordained some in the Church, as: First Apostles: secondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, etc. And if that power, so much spoken of, had been established of God, Saint Paul would not have forgotten it, for seeing he treateth there of the degrees of Pastors, it had been a fit place to speak of it, and instead of putting all the Apostles in one rank, saying; first Apostles; if that had been of divine institution, he would have said: first a Pope, armed with two swords, Temporal and Spiritual: secondly, Cardinals, and so forward from principality, to principality hierarchical. But contrariwise Saint Peter forbiddeth his true successors all domination, saying: 
1. Pet. 5.2.3.5.  Feed the flock of God, etc. not as having domination over God's heritage, but as being ensamples to the flock, which he so ordaineth, that (saith he) ye submit yourselves every man one to another, 
2. Cor. 11.5. & 12.11. Gal. 2.9.11.14.  And Saint Paul witnesseth that he was nothing inferior to the very chief Apostles: that james, Peter and john, who were counted to be pillars, had given him the right hand of fellowship: And indeed, when Peter was come to Antiochia, he withstood him to his face, for he was to be reproved, in constraining the Gentiles to do like the jews. And if Saint Peter was reproved by one of his companions, by a stronger reason was he bound to render an account to the whole Council assembled in the capital Church, in which james sat, 
Act. 8.14.  namely in jerusalem, as we read in the Acts, He also obeyed the other Apostles, who sent him with Saint john into Samaria. Now note that Saint Paul saith not, that james (whom he nameth first) Peter, and john were pillars: but saith they were counted so, noting the opinion of the vulgar, for the holy building of the Church, is not a justice set upon three pillars, much less upon one only fantasy of man, for to turn every way, but on twelve pillars, that is to say, the twelve Apostles, as is said in the Revelation. 
Revel. 21.  And Saint Hierome in the middle of the discourse against jovinian, hath these words. The firmness of the Church is equally founded ●pon all the Apostles: Note, he saith equally Who also have all of them for  Basis, that cornerstone of many refused: the stone out of which springeth forth the water of life; the stone besides which, none can lay any other foundation. 
1. Cor. 3.  Upon which also both the doctrine & discipline of the Apostles have been builded, to wit, JESUS CHRIST. We read also, that the Apostles were assembled in the Church of jerusalem, 
Acts 17.  a Church privileged above all others, because that out of it have come the Prophets and Apostles, it was taught by the Master himself, sprinkled with his blood, honoured with his passion, and marked with his sepulchre: and of the same was the Apostle Saint james, called by the Ancients, 
Clem. Epist. 1.  the Bishop of the Apostles, who removed not thence, though the other Apostles were ambulatory: who was a Prince of the blood royal, cousin german to our Saviour, and was precedent in the first Council, 
Act. 17.23.  in which he gave his opinion last, and collected the voices, as we read in the Acts, nevertheless he took not upon him for that any principality. For the letter written by advice of this company; beareth not the title of his name, but of the name of all. The Apostles and the Elders, etc. greeting. Within the bounds of like modesty, have the holy Bishops of all Christendom, contained themselves, till the year six hundred and sevent and for proof hereof, we need but the Canon itself, taken out of Saint chrysostom, which hath these words, Whosoever desireth Primacy on earth, 
Can. mult. §. quicunque dist. 4.  shall find confusion in heaven, and shall not be found in the number of the servants of God, etc. This Aristocratical form then of governing the Church, by a common council of Pastors and Deacons, dured a long time in the Church: so long as the persecutions banished the ambition of Priests: which were in nothing different from Bishops. For as for the place of Saint Hierome above alleged, 
Hier. Euagrio.  he speaketh as having regard to his times, wherein already the Bishop was distinguished from the Priest, in that he conferred orders, which the simple Priest did not. But it was not so from the beginning, nor a long time after the Apostles. 
Hier. 3. ad Titum.  And witness Saint Hierome himself, upon the Epistle to Titus, saying, that there was no difference of power and charge the one from the other, and that it is by custom, and not by truth of divine disposition: that such a degree is invented. And to prove that the Priest, and the Bishop were one and the same person in the Church, he allegeth the 20 of the Acts, 
Act. 20.17.  where it is said, that Saint Paul sent from Miletum to Ephesus for the Priests of the Church. Item that of the Phillipians, where Saint Paul saluteth the Saints which are in Phillipi, 
Phillip. 1.1.  with the Bishops and Deacons. For seeing he nameth many Bishops, he intendeth to speak of Priests, because by the new order of such superiority, there is but one Bishop in every City. Secondly, if there had been there Priests, others then them he calleth Bishops, he would not have forgotten them, seeing he omitted not Deacons. 
1. Pet. 5.1.  Lastly, Saint Peter not only calleth them Priests or Elders to whom he wrote, but also calleth himself a Priest or Elder with them, and a companion in the Presbytery. Saint Paul also ascribeth ordination to the assembly of Priests, and enjoineth the Hebrews to obey not one sole Bishop, but their overseers. And if among the Apostles there had been some greater than others, it would not have been said, I am of Cephas, and I of Apollo's, for either they would have reclaimed the greatest, or he that had an inferior Pastor, would have been still. But this Aristocratical form having displeased some, passed to the great Cities, who would attribute to themselves some second prerogative above Bishops, and to have patriarchs of equal authority, namely in jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome. Which the Synod, 
Nic. sin. c. 6.  held about the year 400 of our Saviour, winked at. Soon after, the emperors having translated their seat to Constantinople by reason of the wars of Italy, this dignity was communicated to the Bishop of the place, 
Zeno in l. decrevimus 16. l. privilegia 17. C. de sacros. Eccl. just. Nou. 123. c. 9 de sacros. Episcopis l. 24. Constinopolitana. C. de sacros. Ecclesijs l. Certissimè 34. C. de Episc. and.  yea greater by measure as ambition grew. Thence came a law of Zeno their Emperor in the year 476. another of Anastasius, by which the Church of Constantinople is exalted and privileged above others, As Mother of the Orthodoxal Churches. And justinian ordaineth that all Bishops of what Province soever they be, should repair to the Bishop of Constantinople and in the Law 24. That the Church of Constantinople is the head of all others And not only the said Church is called Mother, but the Patriarch of Constantinople is called Ecumenical (that is to say universal and superior to all others) in two diverse Laws. 
L. Cum velimus 7. C. de summa trinit. Con. Oecum. 5.  Yea the Patriarch of Rome Hadrianus greeted Tharasius Patriarch of Constantinople with the name of Universal Patriarch, as also that name was granted unto him by the Council held in the year six hundred. 
Nic. 2. Ac. 2.  Notwithstanding many holy Bishops were a grieved at this title. So Gregory the Great, 
Greg. 4. Epist. 118. 19 & 7. li. 3. 74. 79. 80.  Bishop of Rome writeth to Mauritius Emperor of Constantinople, letters worthy to be read of Princes, observed of Bishops, and graven in letters of gold in Churches, wherein among other things he saith, 
Idem lib. 16. Ep. 30. Paul. Diac. lib. 18. in Phoc.  that such a man agreeth only to Antichrist, or his forerunner. Notwithstanding soon after, the successor of great Gregory succeeded him not in opinion, receiving from Phocas, the murderer of Mauritius and usurper of the Empire, the name of Universal Bishop, in the year of our Lord 607, and of the world 4558. And at the same time, to wit, anno 613. Mahomet declared himself Prophet and Captain of the Arabians. So ambition as a secret enemy sat within the Church: and the open enemy, to wit Mahomet, made war upon it without, according to the prophesy of Daniel. Whence tragical effects have followed, whereof we have quoted some, in all Christendom: all through want of having kept the modesty of the Apostles and the Christian charity recommended by the holy Doctors of the Church, and written in the Canons: 
Can. 1. sedis dist. 99 & duobus seq.  Let not the Bishop of the first seat be called Prince of Bishops, or chief Priest or the like, but simply Bishop of the first seat, and let not the Roman Bishop be called Universal Bishop. The reason is in the two Canons following. For such name's puff up vanity, and hurt charity. The conclusion of this Chapter shall be, that as under the Law, the offices of Priests and Levites was limited to perfumigations, unleavened cakes, sacrifices, and interpretation of the Law of God: In like manner under the Gospel, our Lord gave none other commission to to his Apostles and their lawful successors, but to Preach the Gospel & administer the Sacraments to such as they found fit to receive them, & to refuse them to the profane, & to shut the out of the Temple: & not to confiscate, proscribe, or give away the goods of other men, or intermeddle with affairs of State, 
L. repetita 41. in l. placet & authen. seque c. de Episcopis & clericis l. consuta. 23. c. de testamentis.  against the Constitution of justinian; Clerici ne militent, Let not Clergymen meddle with public actions; For (saith the Emperor) it is a shameful thing, for a Churchman to show himself skilful in affairs of the Palace.   

CHAP. VIII. That Cardinal Bellarmine & other jesuits, set the Pope above that which is called God in Spiritual things.  
THe name were a small matter, if this Primacy in order were not degenerated into Primacy in degree, & that which went side by side as companion were not set above as Master, imitating that evil servant, 
Mat. 24.  who seeing his Master from home defer his coming would make good cheer to the masters cost, beat & outrage his fellows. Which S. Bernard found fault withal in his time, writing to Pope Eugenius. Know that thou art not Lord of Bishops, but one of them, 
Bern. Ep. ad Eugen.  and that the Church of Rome it● Mother, but not Lady. Notwithstanding there be some Court-doctors at this day, which would teach the Gall ca●e Church to speak big & in steed of saying Mother, make her be called Madam●; & would make us forget to say Abba Father, speaking to God▪ & Abimelec, my father the King, speaking of the Prince. But let our Churches remember what was at the beginning, & that Solomon: knew as much as such men. Item that the Church of Rome hath no more privilege above the Gallicane Church than that of ●erusalem above the Gentiles: & therefore she might content herself with the name of sister, as did the jewish speaking of the Church of the Gentiles in these words. We have a little sister & she hath no breasts, 
Cant. 8.8.  saith she in the Canticles. Notwithstanding the Romish Church passing further calleth herself, 
Cap. Antiqui. lib. 5. decret. tit. 33. de privilegijs & excessibus.  Mother, and Mistress of all the faithful, not considering that she attributes to herself the qualities that Saint john giveth to spiritual Babylon, which speaketh thus in the Revelation, 
Reu. 18.7.  I sit being Queen, and am no widow, and shall see no mourning. But all particular and visible Churches are sisters of blood, begotten of one same incorruptible seed, brought up in the same Catholic family, members of one and the same head, branches of the same Vine, coheirs of the same succession, children of the Mistress Sara, and not of the servant Agar. 
Bern. Epist. 20.  Wherefore the same Saint Bernard not being able any longer to endure that pride, crieth out. Already long ago, against the doctrine of Saint Peter, ye have enterprised domination over the Clergy, and against the doctrine of Saint Paul, ye bear rule over the faith of the whole world; but at this present ye add something more, attempting above Religion: what remaineth more, but that ye command the Angels?  
And in another place, They go adorned with the goods of the Lord, 
Bern. cant. serm. 33.  without doing him honour: thence is that glittering of a Harlot, that apparel of Stage-players, that Royal furniture, gold on bridles, 
Take heed lest they that say, they are the Sun, and Kings the Moon (duo Luminaria) be not designed by S. Bernard.  saddles, spurs, etc. That same is the Antichrist, which will falsely call himself not only the day but the midday, and will exalt himself, above that which is called God, or that is worshipped, whom the Lord JESUS will consume with the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy by the brightness of his coming: For it is he which is the true and Eternal midday, the Spouse & Advocate of his Church: God above all blessed for ever and ever, Amen. 
Cap. solitae 1. decretal. tit. 33. de Maioritate.   
Now that which moved this holy man to give this name to the ambitious, is that which is written in the Epistle to the Thessalonians. That day shall not come, 
Thess. 2.3.4.8.  except there come a departing first, and that that man of sin be revealed, that son of perdition, which opposeth himself, and exalteth himself against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: so that heedeth sit as God in the Temple of God, behaving himself as if he were God. Out of which truth it followeth that Cardinal Bellarmine by his writings figureth forth that man of sin, for there is nothing in heaven nor in earth, which he submitteth not to him.  
1 First of all, all Bishops considedered either 
(a) Can. si Papa. dist. 40. can. nemo causa. 9 q. 3. Gal. 2. Act. 11.  assembled together, or separately, who dare not say to him, why dost thou, whatsoever seemeth him good? Against the practice of S. Peter, who received the reproof of S. Paul, & rendered a reason to the Church of jerusalem, for that he had Preached the Gospel to the Gentiles. Wherefore Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, in the year of our Lord six hundred and four, compared such a 
(b) Greg. li. 4. Epist. 82. ad johan. ●e●unatore Patriarch. Constantinopolit. Idem. lib. 6. c. 194. & registro ad Mauriti●.  man to Lucifer, who said in the 14 of Esay, that he would mount above the stars, For (saith he) what else are the Bishops of the Universal Church, thy brethren, but stars of heaven, before whom thou wouldst prefer thyself by a high name (to wit, Bishop of Bishop) what other thing sayest thou, but (that which Lucifer said) I will ascend up to heaven, and will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven. For this great Gregory knew that which Saint Peter from the Lord JESUS had commanded in his Catholic Epistle, 
1. Pet. 5.  Be ye subject one to the other, and enjoineth Pastors to feed their flocks, not as having domination over the Churches: 
1. Cor. 14.12.  and Saint Paul declareth, that the Spirits of the Prophets, are subject to the Spirit of the Prophets. But these Doctors of novelty puff up the pride of a man and hurt charity, saying: 
Can. si. Papa dist. 40.  Let no man presume to reprove him, though he le●de infinite companies of souls with him, for to suffer etern●ll pains, with the first sl●●e of hell. These are the very words of the Cannon. Because, saith Bellarmine. 
Bel. de Pont. l. 4. c. 2.  God permitteth not that the Pope should define any thing without reason: insomuch that they hold, that if the Emp rour, the Kings, 
Can. Nemo judicabit Can. 9 q. 3.  the Clergy, & all the people were together, they should not have the power to judge such a man.  
2 The second degree is to set himself above the Council, & above the clergy in body: for seeing God promiseth to be present in the midst of them which are assembled in his name. 
Mat 18.20 Moscon. de maiestat. milit. Eccl. l. 1. c. 1. p. 27 joh. Selua li. de Beneficijs part. 4. pag. 8. in 28. tract. tomo. 15. part. 1. fol. jacobatius. de Concil. lib. 1. art. 1. num. 36.  That man which setteth himself above this company, whereof the holy Ghost is precedent and moderator, exalteth himself above that which is called God. So Mosconius holdeth that the pope's opinion must rather be stuck unto, then to the opinion of all the rest of the world beside, contrary thereto. And that one may appeal from the Council to the pope, but not from the decree of the pope to the decision of the Council, this is said by johannes Selua a Spaniard.  

Baron. in paraenet.  3 Angels are said to be of God, and his messengers: of these same writeth Cardinal. Baronius against the Venetians. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels? Abusing the place, which speaketh of all the faithful (and not of Churchmen only) which faithful, as assistants of the judge JESUS, shall sit at his right hand in the day of judgement, shall assist at the condemnation, which our Saviour shall pronounce against the wicked, and against the evil Angels, saying: Go ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.  
4 The Apostles are also said to be of God, he which receiveth you▪ receiveth me; Nevertheless they exalt this power above the Apostles, saying, that according 
(a) Cap. pro pasuit. 4. li. 3. decreta. tit. 8. de concession. praeb. & gl. verbo. dispensare, etc.  to the fullness of power, of right he may dispense above the Law, yea that he may dispense 
(b) Gl. verbo fiat. Can. lector. 34. dist.  against the Apostle: Item against the Canons of the Apostles 
(c) Can. Presbyter dist. 82.  Although (saith that Canon) according to them same, a Priest that is a fornicator ought to be deposed, nevertheless not without the authority of Sylvester. Neither can that evasion serve their turn, which say, that the pope 
(d) Vide & gl. cap. authoritatem cau. 15. q. 6.  dispenseth of the Gospel in interpreting it. For first of all, who ever heard dispensation called an interpretation of the Text? Secondly, if it be by way of interpretation, why is it rather deferred to the pope, then to Sorbonists of Paris, who have better skill than he. But I deny that such interpretation as he giveth by dispensation is lawful, neither yet for the whole Church in body, seeing it is God alone that commandeth, and the Church's part is to obey, to hear the voice of the Bridegroom, and to learn of him in silence: and this the jurisconsults can tell, It pertaineth unto him alone to interpret the Law, which hath the 
* L. 12. Si Impe●tis c. de legibus Si enim in praesenti leges condere soli Imperatori concessum est, & leges interpretari solodignum Imperio esse oportet. Nehem. 8.  right to make it. The reason is, because he that interpreteth it, maketh himself above the Law: for after he hath given his opinion, he will be followed rather than the Letter, which shall no more be inquired after. Wherefore Nehemias' made the people understand the Scripture, not after his own fantasy, but by reading the same, that is to say, by the Scripture itself.  
5 The Law likewise is of God, being written with his own finger, and forbidden to add to, or diminish it, as touching the substance and matter: nevertheless the second commandment is cut off in many mass-books and Popish Psalters, 
Synod. Ausburg. anno. 1548.  and that by the decree which the Pope caused to be made in the Synod of Ausburg quite racing out this commandment. Thou shalt make thee no graven image, neither any similitude of things that are in heaven above, etc.  
6 The Gospel likewise is of God, For it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth: 
Rom. 1.16.  Nevertheless these seducers hold that against 
(a) Can. Ideo permittente can. 25. q. 1. v. glos. capitis proposuit de concess. praeb. tit. 8. lib. 3. decret. in verbo dispensare.  the general Law the Pope may give privileges. They also esteem it a greater crime, and they punish him more severely, that transgresseth the Pope's decree in eating flesh without dispensation in time of Lent, then if he were a thief, murderer, and adulterer altogether. Wherefore these words are inserted in the Canon 
(b) Cap. Honoratus 74. dist.  not making account of the commandments of God, but even despising our letters: And that becausé they make so great estimation of the Canons and doctrines of the Pope, that such as dare voluntarily transgress the same, 
Can. violatores Canonum 25. q. 1.  in deed or word: are said by the Pope to be damned, and to blaspheme against the Holy Ghost. Although he take leave to himself to transgress the Law and the Gospel of God; and to show it, these blasphemous words are in the Canon, 
Can. sors non est causa 26. q. 2.  Before that the Gospel was explained many things were permitted, which in time of a more perfect discipline have been altogether banished: for the marriage of Priests, or of cousin germane, is not forbidden neither by the Law, nor by the authority of the Gospel, nor of the Apostles: Notwithstanding by the discipline of the Church, it is wholly forbidden. O what perfection to transgress the Law and the Gospel! is not this to fulfil that which is foretold should come? 
1. Tim. 4.  In the last times some shall departed from the faith, giving heed to spirits of error and doctrines of devils, teaching lies through hypocrisy, and having their consciences seared with an hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be used with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth: for every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, being taken with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God, and prayer. If thou be put in mind of these things, thou shalt be a faithful servant of JESUS CHRIST, etc. And that which S. Ignatius wrote to the Philadelphians 
(a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  If any man confess not these things, but saith that the generation of children, and lawful marriage is pollution, or that certain meats are execrable, that same man hath for familiar the Apostata Dragon. Of the same opinion is Saint Augustine, blaming them 
(b) Ad jan. Epist. 119. c. 19.20.  that do so deprive themselves of the use of meats, that they esteem such impure as use them. The like opinion hath he concerning marriage, and allegeth for ground of his saying, that place of S. Paul. Now the reason may be taken from this, that 
(c) Gen. 2.  God hath instituted marriage. That Aaron the chief Priest was not the less apt for the sacrifices: that his sons succeeded him in the Priesthood: That God saith, It is not good for man to be alone: That our Lord honoured marriage with his presence in Cana of Galilee: That he would be borne under the veil of marriage, although the holy Virgin remained without the company of man: In a word, in the state of Holiness Adam and Eve were conjoined by marriage. 
Gen. 2.24.   
7 The Sacraments are also of God, called his body and blood, the use of which in matter and form as he hath prescribed aught to be practised in the Church. Such men nevertheless teach that the Church (that is to say the Pope) hath power to change in them whatsoever it thinketh meet, 
Conc. Trident sess. 21. c. 1. etc. 22. act. 23.  although our Lord have instituted it under two kinds. And by this authority they have added & cut off from the form, 
Con. Const. sess. 13.  matter, and number of Sacraments. And forasmuch as the Host among the Romish Catholics, is said to be of God, 
Monluc. li. de relig. ad Regin. matrem.  De Monluc Bishop of Valentia, complaineth by writing to the Queen mother, that the Pope going forth of the City, made the same be carried upon a little curtal among his carriage and the Courtesans, and then come back to meet the Pope accompanied with the pomp of the Court of Rome.  
This same Host was much more despised by Hildebrand, Gregory the seventh, whom Bellarmine calleth Saint, 
The Abbot of Vespurg in the life of the Emperor Henry 3. Benno Cardinal in the life of Hildebrand.  for he caused Pope Victor the second to be empoisoned in the wine of the Eucharist. The same Pope cast into the fire the consecrated Host, in presence of many Cardinals, because it gave him no answer touching the event of the war that he made against the Emperor Henry the fourth. As for Gregory the ninth, 
Baleus li. 5. of the lives of Popes.  he refused the Gospel, and in stead thereof substituted a Legend, compiled by a Monk named cyril. It is notorious the base account that Boniface the eighth had of the same Host, 
Platina.  being prisoner of the Gibelins in the City of Agnania. Another caused the Emperor Henry the seventh, surnamed of Luxemburke, to be poisoned, and that in the consecrated bread, given him by a Monk at Florence. Pope julius the second, after he had lost the battle near to Ravenna, against the Earl of Foix, cast the consecrated Host away, and made it be trodden under feet, as the history of his time reporteth.  
8 The Church is of God, for it is the body of CHRIST, & is the only spouse of her only head: God having given to this head the  Lordship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all the inheritance, 
Act. 3.16.  as it is written: for JESUS is both of the triumphant and militant Church, yea of every particular Church, 
Epes. 1.22. Rom. 8.9.  & of the least individual Christian, both the head and salvation incommunicably to any other, according as it written for the whole; 
2. Cor. 11.2  It is he whom the Father hath appointed head of his Church, both of the militant, visible and particular, I have prepared you for one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to CHRIST, speaking to the Church of Corinth; & to every Christian he saith, CHRIST is the head of every man. 
1. Cor. 11.3. Cap. quoian lib. 3. decretal. de Eccl. in 6. cap. unico extrauag. Nes. de vacant.  Nevertheless these men with audacious boldness speak thus: Not being willing to neglect our justice, and the justice of the Church our Spouse. And Bellarmine passeth farther, saying: that the Pope is the head of the Church, CHRIST excluded, etiam Christo secluso; 
Bellar. li. 1. de Pon. c. 9  which is against the Gospel, I am with you always, until the end of the world; and contrary to the gloss of the Canon, where it is said that CHRIST is always the governor and head of his body which is the Church, 
Gl. v. non. consonam Clem. Ne Romani l. 1. de Elect. tit. 3.  and although the Vicar fail, yet he doth never fail it.  
And how should he fail in the guidance of his Spouse, since he took upon him our nature, seeing he guided her four thousand years before, as being her only Bridegroom for ever, as saith Origen, 
Orig. Cant. hom. 2.  Think not that the Church hath been called Spouse only from the coming of Christ in the flesh, she was so from the creation of Mankind; and from the beginning of the world. Why then doth Bellarmine put JESUS apart and in default? shall he be less the Spouse of his body, since his Incarnation, than he was before the same? Moreover these same blasphemers attribute to the man of sin, the things that pertain personally and solely to our Lord JESUS CHRIST, excluding all others: for behold how a Bishop of the Council of Lateran speaketh, directing his speech to the Church, and comforting it, and promising deliverance from Pope Leo the tenth: 
Oratio per Simonem Begnium Episcopum Modrusien in sess. 6. Lateran Concilij.  Weep not daughter Zion, for here cometh the Lion of the Tribe of juda, the root of David, God hath raised thee up a Saviour, who shall save thee from the hands of them that wast thee, and shall deliver the people of God from the hand of persecutors. O Lion most holy, we have expected thee for Saviour, we have hoped that thou shouldest come to deliver us, we sigh after thee for the calamities and things that have been ill done, we cry unto thee, that thou mayst finish our miseries, rejoicing in the hope of future victory: and abusing the words of the Psalm, which speaketh to God. 
Psal. 34.  Fight for us against our adversaries, take the sword and the buckler, rise up to help us, judge our persecutors, and deliver the Tabernacle of thy Spouse, which the hands of the wicked have polluted.  

Gl. can. Non nos beatum dist. 40.  Thus high exalted, they say that this man sinneth not, not that he hath licence given him to sin, but because such infirmity of sin is taken away from him, and that Saint Peter hath transported over unto him his innocency and his merits; 
Gl. verbo quis enim d. can. nou. nos dist. 40.  that it is a great sacrilege to dispute of his power, and that the crimes he committeth are excused, as the theft of the Hebrews, the manslaughter of Samson, and the adultery of jacob, etc. thence it cometh that they call his decrees, 
Per tuas tit. 32. extrac de maioritate & obedientia.  Oracles and Divine answers: his decrees are numbered, among the holy and Canonical Scriptures.  
Which new proposition is wholly contrary to the ancient disposition of the Canons, 
In Canonicis dist. 19  taken out of Saint Augustine, which saith, 
Can. qui nefriat & duobus seque dist. 9 c. Ego solis dist. 10.  that we must distinguish of the authority of the Canons (that is to say of the old & new Testament) from the writings of men, how holy or learned soever they be, which may be corrected by one more skifull, or by the Council; but the holy Scripture cannot. And yet the Pope challengeth like authority to his letters, as to the Canonical Scripture. With like boldness proceedeth that which is said in the Canon, that the Sheep ought not presume to reprove the Pastor, 
Can. Oues cau. 6. q. 1.  nor the people accuse their Bishop: Notwithstanding Saint Paul admitteth the witness of two or three of the flock. 
Can. sors non est cau. 26. q. 2.  By these decreees the writings of Popes are judged more perfect than the Law of God, or then the Gospel. Wherefore against the saying of our Saviour, My yoke is easy, 
Math. 11.  and my burden light: these men say, that the Pope's yoke must 
(a) Can. In memoriam distinc. 19  be borne, though it be heavy.  
And forasmuch as the succession of Saint Peter seemeth burdensome to the Pope, his flatterers attribute to him the Vicar-ship of the son of God, excluding all other Bishops and patriarchs, 
Cap. quanto li. 1. decretal. tit. 7. de translatione Episcopi vide gl. v. veri dei cap. unico de iureiur. gl. v. vicarium in Clement.  saying: That he executeth not on earth the function of a mere man, but of a true God: They say further, that the Pope is able to change the nature of things: that he hath his authority heavenly: that of nothing he maketh something: that his will sufficeth for all reason: that none may be so bold as to say unto him, why dost thou so? that he can dispense above the Law; that of injustice, he can make justice; that he hath fullness of power. And for his abominations, are quoted the texts of the Canon-Law. And elsewhere it is said, That every creature is subject to him, 
Can. omnes dist. 22. cap. unico. Ne sede vacant in extra. c. 1. de constit. c. 2. de translat. c. fundahmenta 17. de Elect. in 6. Clem. dudum gl. in verbo undecunque de iudicjs in Clem. c. 1.  that he hath the rights of Empire, heavenly and earthly, being God's Vicar, to whom the fullness of heaven and earth appertaineth.  
From this ambition proceedeth that which is of the interpretation of the word Pope, as who should say 
(b) Gl. verbo Papa in proemio Clement.  Papae, by admiration; so they say he is wonderful, which is the name that the Prophet Esay giveth to JESUS alone, 
(c) Esay 9  His name shall be wonderful; and he also calleth himself, the wonder and astonishment of the world. In consequence of which imaginary Allmightinesse, he shutteth heaven, openeth hell, deposeth Kings and Princes as it pleaseth him. So he falsely boasteth of having dispossessed King Childericke the third, the Predecessor of Pepin. Not 
(d) Can. Alius 15. q. 6. gl. v. judicio can. duo dist. 99  so much for his sins, as because (saith he) he was unprofitable for such a government. As falsely do they say, that he translated the Empire of the 
(e) L. gl. v. divinitus c. semper dist. 69. & alibi Can. venerabile extra de Elect.  East into the West, that he can dispense soldiers and subjects of the oath of fidelity due to 
(f) Can. nos sanctorum Can. iuratos milites c. 15. q. 6.  their Sovereigns. To be short, he weareth a triple Crown to represent the Trinity 
(g) Can. satis 69. dist. Can. cuncta per mundu. Can si Papa dist. 20. Can. Nemo judicabit Can. 9 q. 3. Sect. 4. de ceremon c. 6. & lib. 1. tit. 7.  for he calleth himself God: and to show that it is not in the sense, that other men are called Gods, this is added, That he cannot be bound nor loosed by secular power, nor of all the Clergy together, because being God he cannot be judged of men.  
To testify this allmightinesse, he blesseth a sword on Christmas night, which he giveth to some Prince his favourite. But he never sendeth them the Law, or Gospel of God; & it is to be thought, considering the exploits of arms have been done in Bohemia and in the country of Vaux, that the blessed sword of the two last midnights have been distributed to the Generals of those sacred wars. And as our Saviour called God his Father, 
joh. 17. Mat. 19.16.  Holy Father: so these men give the superlative to the Pope, Most holy Father: Yea in abstracto, Your Holiness, Divine Majesty, Our Lord, Vice-God. And what would our Saviour say to this, who said, when he was in the world. Why call'st thou me good, there is none good but God. Whereby he would teach the man he spoke to, that he should first confess him to be God, before he gave him the title of good.  
But what should we say, if in the King's chamber of presence some great man did cause himself to be styled Your Majesty, Would he be excused of crime by such as have authority? And who is it perceiveth not by this, the mystery and name of blasphemy foretold of by Saint john, 
Revel. 13.  which should be written upon the forehead of such a head? For whereas the chief Priest did wear upon his Mitre this inscription, 
Exod. 28.  Holiness to the Lord: This man of sin will be entitled, Holiness of the Prelate of Rome.  
Now seeing these Tiara's, and ornaments more stately, do publish abomination against the honour of the most High. Let us be rather of those lesser utensils, of which Zachary speaketh, on which is graven openly, Holiness pertaineth to the Lord, 
Zechar. 14.  excluding all creatures.  
9 Yet this is not all, for Kings also must be submitted unto him. Wherefore they say, that the spiritual and temporal sword are in his disposition, the one for to execute it personally by excommunications and anathemas, the other to cause it be borne by his subjects, 
Lib. Extravag. communium c. unam sanctam de maiori & obedientia. See all that is alleged by the gloze of the chapter. Novit verbo jurisdictionem li. 2. decretal. tit. 1. de judicijs.  Emperors, Kings, and Princes, and be drawn forth or sheathed ad nutum vel patientiam Pontificis, according as the Pope will suffer it, or make sign with the head; for saith he, We declare and define, that it is necessary to salvation in all things and in all places, for all creatures to be under the Bishop of Rome.  
How? is there any Article necessary to Salvation omitted in the Apostles Creed? And nevertheless hence it is, hath crept in the adoration of him, rejected by Saint Peter, who said to the Centurion 
(a) Act. 10.26.  rise up, for I am a man also as thou art, and by Saint Paul and Barnabas, who rend their garments, seeing that the inhabitants of Lystra in Lycaonia, would have given them an honour due to God alone 
(b) Act. 14.  We are men as ye are. And by the Angel who saith to Saint john, 
(c) Revel. 19.10.  See thou do it not, I am thy fellow servant: Worship God. And it serveth not to say, that there is two kinds of worship, and that men kiss the hands, and garments, and bow the knee before Princes, for this kind of worship is civil, by reason of the homage due unto them. But Kings, or Emperors do not owe worship to the Pope; for why more to a strange Bishop then to their own Pastors, which administer the Sacraments unto them? Yea, why to either of them both, seeing that civilly Kings and Emperors are greater than they all? And as for religious worship, that is alone referred to God, even by the Angels themselves.  
Now to take away all equivocation, these new Doctors have sufficiently expounded themselves, one of the Pope's Clerks saying in an oration he made to Leo the tenth, inserted in the ninth Council of Lateran, in these words: Your feet have received voluntary kisses, from them whose terrible hurts were feared; that as before, so again is fulfilled in you (the only true and lawful Vicar of CHRIST, and of God) this prophesy. All the Kings of the earth shall worship him, and all nations shall serve him. As if the Prophecies, concerning our Lord JESUS only, should have any other accomplishment then in his person, or that religious worship ought to be conferred to man: seeing we know that the humanity even of our Saviour is not adored of Christians, but in as much as it is one same person with the Godhead. Wherefore the Creed of Ephesus, translated out of Greek into Latin, by the jesuite Peltanus, hath these express terms: 
Symbol. Ephes.  We confess that JESUS CHRIST our Lord ought to be worshipped wholly, yea with his body, but that he ought not to be worshipped according to his body. For the Arrians for this occasion, were called idolaters by Athanasius, Cyrill, and Theodoret, for that they worshipped a God which they said was created. So saith Ireneus. 
Iren. de incarnate. cap. 25.  CHRIST hath worshipped with us, yet he must be also worshipped, for every knee ought to bow before him, but that is in regard of one of the natures. And Saint Augustine giveth an example of it, 
Aug. de verbo diu. sermo 58.  of the King's Crown, being on the ground, or upon his head. Now if religious worship, aught to be denied to all other humanity, then to that which is personally united with the Godhead; who is he dares challenge it, but the God-man JESUS CHRIST? Unless it be that man of sin, of whom it is written, that he should sit as God in the Temple of God, 
2. Thess. 2.  behaving himself as if he were God. This is he of whom Saint Hierome saith, 
Hier. ad 11. c. Zachar.  that the sword is upon his right eye, and he boasteth that he seethe more clearly in matter of the Sacraments, than all the Prophets, that have gone before him. For who is it vaunteth to see more clearly, but they which take away the cup, (as superfluous) from the lay-people: change the form and matter of the Sacraments, 
Can. Romanus de consecrat. dist. 4. c. praeter in fine dist. 32.  and add unto them twice so much, as the son of God hath ordained, suffering Baptism to be performed by a silly nurse, keeper, or midwife, and approving that which is conferred by a Pagan; but the Sacraments that he hath ordained, are reserved to the highest in dignity among his Prelates, and although this man, armed with two swords, sitteth in the Temple of God, yet the faithful are not bound to submit themselves unto him: but as soon as they perceive the abuse, they ought to imitate holy men in the like occurrence, namely Moses and josias, of whom one broke in pieces the Golden Calf, the other the brazen Serpent. So the Prince and Magistrate may destroy idols, and reform abuses, that they may save the bodies and souls of idolaters. The same did our Saviour, driving the money-changers out of the Temple. And if the tyranny, and violence, or hardness of the Apostasy be such, that one cannot be in it without transgressing the Law of God, and that admonition will not serve the turn, the examples of Elias, Micheas, Isay, and jeremy, under the Law, and of the Apostles who turned to the Gentiles, and the testimonies of the Doctors of the Church, do show what must be done.  
So crieth jeremy, 
jere. 51.9.  We would have cured Babel, but she could not be healed, forsake her, and let us go every man to his own country. And we need not fear the being schismatics for such a separation: for they are schismatics which are the cause of separating. Secondly, in that the synagogue of this man of sin retaineth still the name of the Church of God, it is in regard of that it was, when he first thrust himself into it, for every corruption hath his degrees, nemo repent fuit turpissimus; like as when a house is set on fire, so long as the floors, roofs, and walls do stand, it is called a house, both in name and effect, and when it is al● burnt to ashes, it hath no more but the bare name, when we say there is a house burnt: therefore no man will be so unwise to be persuaded he should dwell in it, which hath neither walls to defend, nor roof to cover him, though all men should tell him it was called the house of such a one; no, not though some part of the same yet stood, because he could not be in safety. Also there is not any judge so unjust, will be so rigorous to a husband, that accuseth his wife of adultery, as to condemn him to live with her, only because in pleading he calleth her his wife. For seeing that adultery is cause of the dissolution of marriage, in that the husband giveth the name of wife to her he pleadeth against, it is to show what she was that he might ground his action, and deprive her of her matrimonial covenants.  
This causeth us boldly to point out such a man, and to maintain, that it is necessary to salvation, to separate ourselves from him and his Church, without fear of being thereby separated from the true Church of God. I say from such a one of whom we are forewarned, not as of an open enemy, such as the Turk is, who ruinateth from his first rising, and therefore sitteth not in the Church. But it is he that is entered as a Fox, and reigneth as a Lion: who cometh in sheep's clothing, & within is a ravening wolf: who hath horns like the Lamb, but uttereth blasphemy out of his mouth, to wit, I am God, I cannot err, I am the spouse of the Church, I rule in heaven and in earth.  
Who will doubt then, but that we ought to refuse such a head, seeing the Cardinal establisheth him over the militant Church etiám Christo secluso, 
Bel. lib. 1. de Pontifi c. 9  CHRIST JESUS excluded or separated from it: although the union of him & his Church is ever to remain, & hath been from the foundaion of the world: and seeing also the Cardinal createth him Monarch Temporal and Spiritual.  
And for such a separation, no Christian is separate from the Church, as I have handled at large in the discourse of Catholic Unity; 
Chap. 3. of the Church, & in chap. 7. tit. of Schime.  where may be observed (among other) three significations of the Church: first, the material building: secondly, the visible assembly of every Parish; and thirdly, the invisible company of all the faithful, which is the Catholic Church, believed by faith, and not seen with the corporal senses: for universal things are not the object of the senses, and being one of the Articles of faith, there is none but God, that knoweth who are his: seeing it may so fall out, that a whole company of men, making profession to serve God, may be composed of hypocrites in every particular man thereof.  

Chrysostom. hom. 46. in Mat.  Hither is referred these testimonies, first of Saint chrysostom: He goeth not out of the Church, that goeth out bodily: but he that in mind forsaketh the grounds of Ecclesiastical truth. We have left with them the foundations of walls, they have left with us the foundations of the Scriptures. 
Hierom. in Psal. 33.   
And Saint Hierome, The Church consisteth not in walls, but in truth of doctrine; there where is the true doctrine, there is the true Church.  
And Saint Hillary, 
Hilar. contra Auxentium.  The love of walls hath taken you, in vain ye reverence the Church in houses and buildings, do ye doubt whether Antichrist shall sit there? mountains, forests, lakes, gulfs, prisons are more safe unto me. 
Psal. 2.10.  Be wise now therefore ye Kings, be learned ye judges of the earth, serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in trembling.  
And I will let you see an extract of one or two orations pronounced in the Council of Lateran, by the Pope's Clerks, and by Modern Canonist Doctors, seen, allowed and Printed by the commandment of Pope Leo the tenth, as may be seen in his Bull in the beginning of the said Council, the fift of May 1515. Yea the words of him, 
Oratio Antonij Puccij Clerici Apostoli 3. Non Maiae 1515. sess. 10.  that spoke to the Pope in presence of the whole Council. Although the aspect of your divine Majesty, by the resplendent glory whereof the weakness of my eyes is dazaled. Here is God rob of his Majesty; we must come to the King saying; And as the chief Bishop Leo by divine providence hath been enregistered in the royal race of chief Bishops.  
Item. As before, in thee alone the true and lawful Vicar of CHRIST & of God, this prophesy to be again fulfilled. All the Kings of the earth shall worship him, 
Psal. 71.  & all nations shall serve him.  
Then usurping the title of JESUS, a jealous God, he saith: Before and now the universal body (to wit, the Church) is acknowledged subject to one only head, namely unto thee.  
Item. Knowing that to thee alone from the Lord hath been given all power in heaven and in earth, that thou mayst give law and judge, not only Spiritual men, but also the earthly powers of this world.  
But that which is most admirable is, that any truth should proceed out of the blasphemous mouth of this man, in that he acknowledgeth Rome to be Spiritual Babylon, in these words. After we have examined all the decrees of the Church, and that I come to the City itself, which the Prince of Apostles inspired with the holy Ghost calleth Babylon, 
1. Pet. 5.  etc. Behold this heavenly jerusalem, divine Spouse, etc. clad in mourning, etc. which seemeth to be full of tears and disheveled, prostrate at the most sacred feet of the chief Bishop. Is it so, most sweet Bridegroom, that thy only, thy fair, thy well-beloved Spouse, which cannot say, look not upon me, for I am brown? etc. Where are the Pastors of the flock, which rule rather than profile, which scatter and not gather, which kill in steed of saving? etc. Then in the end this execrable flatterer saith to Leo. Make haste, arise, compass about Zion, our mother thy Spouse, embrace her, etc. Instruct and frame the hearts of the faithful: And the City (to wit of Rome) first of all, that judgement may begin at the house of the Lord, afterward restore the whole earth by the censure of thy discipline, into the purity of the ancient faith, hope, and charity.  
Is not this to exalt himself above that which is called God, there is divine Majesty, Royal race, spouse and head of the Church, that hath all power in heaven and earth, 
Bulla julij 3. sess. Latran. Non Decembris 1512.  giveth Law to Temporal powers, in Temporal things; for there is read a Bull in this same Council, whereby julius the second forbiddeth fairs to be kept at Lions, and will have them be kept in another City, (ad Gebenensem civitatem.) To conclude he setteth himself above the Church, which he prostrateth dishevelled at his feet, and calleth his seat Babylon, of which speaketh Saint Peter in his first Catholic Epistle. 
1. Pet. 5.   
And to the end that in the mouth of two witnesses this truth may be confirmed, I will bring forth yet another Parasite, that was General of the order of Preachers, 
2. Sess. in Orationem Caietani.  and had for recompense of his blasphemies, a Cardinal's hat: his words may be thus interpreted, speaking of the Church: It shall obtain if you will and command it, if you imitate the power, perfection and wisdom of God Almighty, whose place on earth you ought to hold, not only in honour of dignity, but in affection of will. Gird your swords, for you have two; one which is unto you common with other Princes of this world, the other which belongeth in such sort unto you, that none can have it but from you, etc. Set forwards, set forwards happily, destroy the nations that desire war, seeing you reign Priest and King, etc. And speaking of the mercy of the Pope, the same will make you most excellent above all the Kings of the earth (ergo, the Pope's mercy is divine) it will make you worthy to be worshipped, gracious, a friend and most-like unto God. And because we suppose many of quality will come to this Synod, by the mercy of God, and yours, etc.  
Magne regnator Deúm tam lentus audis scelera! 
Senec.   
Tam lentus vides! ec quando saeva fulmen emittes manu!   

CHAP. IX. That the Pope exalting himself above Kings in the manner as Cardinal Bellarmine will have it, exalteth himself also above all that is called God in Temporal things.  
THE Teachers of novelties, submitting peace and war, obedience & rebellion of subjects, to the wills of Popes, remember not what was in the beginning, and that which we have above proved. For when the Magistrate hath been a believer, he hath ever been above the Church, to reform it both in head & members, being the Guardian, to whose trust is committed the Law of God, whereof he is to have a Copy, which is clear in points necessary to salvation, and if there be obscurity in any place, it is cleared by the reading of the same, 
Neh. 8.  according as Nehemiah practised, and of this form of enterpreting we need none other witness then Pope Clement, who saith, that we must not take a sense out of the Scriptures, 
Clem. epist. 5. ad discipulos Can. relatum dist. 37.  etc. but must take the sense of truth from the Scriptures; and he yieldeth the reason of it, because all men may take from them a full and firm rule of truth.  
And if some Christian Emperors would not take knowledge of Ecclesiastical causes, it followeth not but that they had the authority and right to do it. 
Deut. 17.  For not only the Priests and Levites, which did their duty, took knowledge of them, but also the judge established by the Sovereign Magistrate.  
So when Reuben and Gad, 
Josh. 22.  with the half Tribe of Manasses, had builded an Altar near jordan, it is said that all Israel gathered together in Sylo to examine the matter, & sent ten of the principal of every tribe unto them. So Gedeon being established judge, destroyed the Altar of Baal, etc. Cyrus, 
Esd. 1.16. Neh. 1.  Darius, Artaxerxes, ordain that the Temple shall be builded again, Esdras & Nehemias' take commission from them.  
In like manner under the Gospel, Constantine, Valentinian, Theodosius assemble Counsels. We will say they be present in the Council, after the example of Constantine, not to make show of our power, but to confirm the faith, etc. and it is chiefly said that they which were of the Senate made decrees.  

Cyrill.  Also Saint Cyrill reporteth that the Council of Ephesus sent to Theodosius and Valentinian, for to render them a reason of what was passed, touching the condemnation of Nestorius. And the Counsels of Aix and of Arles, 
Art. 3. In praef. Conc. Cub.  wrote to Charlemaigne, praying him to confirm their decrees, yea they did beseech him by his wisdom.  

Ca 45. non in f. praef. mag. Can. utinam 96. distinct.  Also Pope Nicholas writing to the Emperor Michael acknowledgeth, that when there was debating concerning the Articles of faith, Emperors were wont to be present in Ecclesiastical Assemblies.  
According to this power of Emperors, under the Law of Moses, the Church hath been reform, not in the members only, but also in the head; Solomon deposed Abiathar, and Moses reproved Aaron and Eleazar: Constantius also the son of Constantine the great deposed Liberius, though without cause. The Emperor Otho deposed Pope john the twelfth: 
Plat. in vita Greg. 6. Abbas Vesp. an. 1406.  Sigismond deposed three together at one time, and Henry the third as many, namely Bennet the ninth, Silvester the third, and Gregory the sixth.  
The French Kings have also deposed and created many, specially Boniface the eight was displaced by Philip the Fair, who translated the seat to avignon, where it continued 74. years, and there were resident in that place six Popes, one succeeding the other, by the appointment of the King. And this right of deposing Popes is treated of by a certain Chancellor of the University of Paris, 
Gerson.  one of the most learned Sorbonists of those times, in his book de Auferibilitate Papae. That is far from being absolute Lords in Spiritual and Temporal things. For if even in Spiritual things, lawful Counsels have required the approbation and authorization of Emperors, it followeth that the authority and Sovereignty is wholly theirs, velitis iubeatis, as in the people of Rome, so far is it off that the Pope or his College can determine any thing sovereignly.  
Also the Kings of France and the Gallicane Church have preserved to themselves appeals, as in case of abuse, from such decrees: yea so often as Rome abuseth her pretended jurisdiction, the Lord Chancellor giveth 
(a) Can. filijs 17. q. 7. can. boni principes 96. dist. can. Tributum 22. q. 8.  letters in case of abuse.  
Now we must know, that we call notorious abuse 
(b) L. ob qua §. Idem l. 1. §. sciendum de Aedil. edicto.  when the act that is made is void, when it is against the nature of the act, or else made by a man that hath no power 
(c) Inn. Pan. & dd Can. Cum olim de causa possessionis.  to do it, so as that not only by the authority of the Prince, but of private 
(d) L. prohibitum l. defensionis & doct. de iu. fi. li. 10. etc. si quando de rescrip.  authority, it is permitted to resist the same.  
Whence cometh it, that if the Pope, or his Legates would legitimate a bastard, in the Kingdom of France, to the end he might succeed (it is another thing, when it is to make the marriage 
(e) Cap. Tuam de ordin. cognit.  of validity whence he is issued) or in some fashion trouble the royal justice, the obtainer of such legitimation etc. 
(f) Guil. Bened. 2. part. c. Rainutius; vers. si absq libertis 2. etc. in materia nu. 47. Phil. Decius Cons. 307. Coll. 2.  shall be amerced & the abuse rejected by the King's Officers.  
So by sentence of the Parliament of Tholouse, anno 1400. was pronounced, that it had been ill and abusively proceeded by the Pope's delegates, who had absolved Master Giles de Bellemere, Archidiaconus Micapicen, without calling the party & the King's Attorney.  
Now William Benedict saith, there are three general cases in France, in which notorious abuse may be committed: namely when the Pope and Ecclesiastical persons attempt against the decrees of the anicient Counsels, against the King's statutes, or against the liberties of the Gallicane Church.  
Seeing then there is appeal from the Pope, who is it can endure him to be a Sovereign; no not in spiritual things: 
Note this.  for it is the argument wherewith Seneca concludeth, that the first Kings of the Romans were not Sovereigns, 
Cic. 2. de repub.  because there was appeal made from them to the people. Thus Horace the murderer of his sister was absolved, who had been condemned by King Tullus Hostilius.  
Therefore this pretended Sovereignty, Spiritual and Temporal, resteth vain, according to the opinion of Saint Gregory, and Saint Bernard, & the practice of the Gallicane Church: For to feed the sheep is meant after another manner, 
Mat. 18.18.  and that delivering of keys is not excluding the other Apostles, seeing that the same promise was made to all, otherwise they could not have executed their charge, and besides Peter could not receive them but in the name of all, 
joh. 20.22.  according to the opinion of Saint Augustine written into the Canons. Which is conformable to the disposition of the civil Law; 
Can. quodcunque 24. q. 1.  which saith, that the delivery of a key, and of a ring by a father to his eldest daughter bringeth to her no privilege above her fellow heirs, but is taken as done in common as well for the rest: 
L. cum pater 79. Sect. pater pluribus delegat. 2.  which decision is observable in the Civil Law: as likewise that which is written in the Law tenth, C. de Incendio, which speaketh of certain fishers of men, like unto him that Cardinal Bellarmine figureth forth; against whom are these words: Let not Fishermen deceive Mariners, in causing a light to be seen in the night in dangerous places▪ as if it were a safe haven, to the end they might advantage themselves by the shipwreck.  
There is therefore no ground for this power in the Law of God, nor in the Law of man: for as no Prince giveth any privilege against himself, so never any King nor Emperor resigned such a right to the Pope, which cannot be alienated.  
It remaineth to speak of the Canon Law, 
De Elect. lib. 1. tit. 3. Clem. Ne Romani.  which cannot derogate from the Law of God, as saith the Clementine, that the Law of the Superior cannot be abrogated by the inferior. Neither can it also derogate from the Law of Kings, because it is a writing framed for advantage of them that wrote it, 
Conc. Agathens. sub Alaciaco rege, anno 506. can. 32. Clericum can. 11. q. 1. & can. 3. ibidem l. in fraudem §. quoties de iure fisci.  without hearing or calling the party interessed, and held for private, in this consideration are observed therein many falsifications, specially one notable one upon this subject, for in steed of saying, Clericus nullum praesumat, as the Council hath it, it is written nullus Clericum, changing the prohibition made to the Clergy, to prescribe it to the Laity.  
Now he that produceth false proofs is to lose his cause, though otherwise it were a good one. Lastly, this Canon Law (I mean that from which are taken the maxims of the jesuits upon this subject) is new and but of late, for the ancientest part of it, which is the Decree was compiled by Gratian in the year 1093. the Decretals in the year 1211. The Sextus by Boniface the eighth in the year 1298. and the Clementines in the year 1310. Wherefore judging well, the authors of this new power, are not grounded on divine nor human Law, seeing our Saviour himself witnesseth, the Son of man came not to be served, 
Math. 20.  but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many; neither on the example of the Apostles, 
1. Cor. 4.1.  whose charge consisted in administration, & not in commanding, and who said, 
1. Pet. 2. Psal. 2. & 72.  Let men esteem of us as the Ministers of CHRIST, and disposers of the secrets of God. These men have set themselves in place of the Master are 
(a) V gl. in verbo non consonam Clem. Ne Romani sponsus vester & rector est Christus & caput Ecclesiae, quae est ipsius corpus Hebr. 7. etc.  styled Princes of Bishops, and King of Kings. Though the true King of Kings be risen again and liveth for ever, having no heir nor successor in his offices, being eternally both King, and Priest, and Prophet of the Catholic Church, after the order of Melchizedec.  
The flatterers nevertheless will substitute a mortal and sinful man in his steed, and ascribe unto him power in heaven and in earth, and make him Lord of two swords, and Sovereign of all demeans, so that he may confiscate or give them away: whence a blasphemous parasite saith, 
(b) Cap. unam sanctam extra communiam de maioritate Petr. Bertrandus in gl. illius exaravag.  Our Lord should have been undiscreet, if he had not left a man after him, having the like power as he had: as if such a head could be separate from his body, and this Bridegroom CHRIST, being a jealous God, could endure any corrival, or as though such a supposition were not directly contrary to the words of our Saviour, 
joh. 16. v. 7. & 14. v. 16. & 15. v. 26.  saying: Verily I say unto you, it is expedient for you that I go my way, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. For he knew that his presence and the exhortation of his carnal mouth so often reiterated, hindered them not from sleeping in the garden, or from denying him thrice, at the words of a silly maidservant. But he knew that his holy Spirit, the Moderator of the Church, working inwardly and accompanying them after his Ascension, would make them confess the Saviour, in the midst of the most cruel torments. Against which truth the new Doctors belie the Gospel, and hold it expedient that the humanity of our Saviour be on earth, but not to govern the Church: and make a sinful and partial man to govern it, who sheddeth the blood of them for whom JESUS CHRIST shed his blood; and will not have men believe the truth which teacheth, that the corporal presence of CHRIST, the most perfect head of all men, and his carnal governance, is taken away from us into heaven; that so they might establish Lieutenants in a charge, which no mortal man can, or aught to have, after the Ascension of the General. And as new pharisees, who expected a Messiah triumphing over Temporal powers, and subduing nations by material arms: these picture forth a successor with mixed power, who is ashamed of the simplicity of the Gospel, and is an enemy to the cross of CHRIST, which he cannot endure, but graven or painted.  
And since the Ascension of our Lord JESUS, 
1. Cor. 3.16.  whom we know no more according to the flesh, these men will have governors that are carried on men's shoulders, succeeding herein the opinion of the Israelites, when Moses was so long in the Mount, saying: to the Priests, 
Exod. 32.23.  make us Gods to go before us, for as for this man we know not what is become of him.  
These are likewise those same, which the parable of our Saviour denoteth, 
Luk. 19.12.  saying: A certain nobleman, went into a far country, to receive for himself a Kingdom, and so to come again, etc. but his Citizens sent an Ambassador after him saying, we will not have this man reign over us, but the Lord being returned saith: 
Vers. 27.  Bring hither those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me. So let it be done to all such as will not continue servants till the King's return, who is gone to take possession of the Kingdom of heaven, and to prepare a place there for us; that they may know, that as the jews do in vain expect a Messiah, triumphing in that manner as they would have it: so with as little ground they have hoped for another Antichrist then him whom the jesuits paint forth with his double sword.  
See more of this in a Treatise I have made of Catholic Unity. 
Chap. of the Church sect. 6. Mat. 20.26 Mar. 10.43 Can. Constan. & seque dist.  And they in all the succession of the Apostles finding but one key of heaven, would get the key of earthly Empire; and as our Saviour had said, Thou art Peter, these men add, Thou art Constantine, Pepin and Lewis. And because our Saviour had forbidden superiority among the Apostles, these men insert a Canon in these words.  
The Emperor Constantine gave this privilege to the Bishop of the Roman Church, to be the head of all Bishops, as the King is the head of judges. And the following Cannons add, that he gave him also his Palace, his Crown, and Imperial Ornaments, because it was not 
(a) Idem habetur ca 17. fundamenta li. 1. 6. decretal. De Electione See the abominations of this Canon  reasonable that the Emperor should reside in the same City, where the Pope is; and then to show their thankfulness, they forged that the Emperor was a leper, against the records of all Histories. 
(b) Euseb. 5. libris de vita Constantini Plin. li. 21. cap. 1. Mantuan lib. de patientia c. 30. cap. 1. Nesede vacant, cap. extra d e consuet. Clem. pastorali can. 2. de re iudic.  And upon this supposition, or forgery they build, that the Pope is appointed over Kings and Kingdoms, and succeed the Empire vacant, and may transport Empires from one nation to another, and depose Emperors, having the exercise of two sword. Behold how of one absurdity many do arise.  
For first, that same Donation is false, as the learned 
(c) Hottom. brutum fulmen cap. 12. Crimen. falsi.  Hottoman verifieth by twenty six reasons. And 
(d) Bartol. Proemio digest. nu. 14. videte nos sumus in terris Eccl. & ideo quod illa donatio valuit.  Bartoll himself saith it is true, for no other reason but because he wrote in the territory of Rome, and therefore durst not write the contrary. The best proof against this falsehood is, that Constantius the son of Constantine never forsook Rome and the dominions thereof, but deposed Liberius Bishop of Rome, who became for this occasion an Arrian, and subscribed against Athanasius, as Saint Hierome 
(e) Hieron. in cap. Fortunatianus, Catalogo scriptorum Ecclesiastic. & Athanasius in Epistola ad solitarium vitam agentes.  witnesseth.  
But these Doctors must confess that the great goods that Popes possess have proceeded from the liberality of the Kings, Pepin, Charles, & Lewis. Also in the confirmation 
(f) Ego Ludovicus 63. dist. volater l. Geor 3.  that beginneth, Ego Ludovicus, there is no mention made of Constantine, but only of Pepin and Charles, the grandfather and father of Lewis.  
Now the reason why this donation was published in the name of Constantine, 
Du. Tillet.  was for that the Emperor took it ill as then, that the King gave away that which he pretended to belong unto him. So this augmentation of titles, hath caused the diverse enterpretation of the word to feed, either as a King in commanding, or as a Bishop in preaching, 
Aug. de verbo domini ser. 20. & tract. 10. & 124. in joan. Cyril. li. 4. dial. de Trinit.  as Saint Augustine and Saint Cyrill interpret it.  
But Cardinal Baronius passeth further, for he maketh to feed the flock, to be as horses feed on grass, saying: against the Signory of Venice, Holy Father kill and eat.  
I know the word Feed signifieth three things, to command as a King, to exercise the Ecclesiastical Ministry, and the last to eat: but the distinction is known, according to the subject whereto it is applied. As therefore it were impertinent to conclude for a King, that he is to Preach the Law of God and administer the Sacraments, because the Lord said to David, 
1. Kin. 2.11. 2. Sam. 5.2  Thou shalt feed my people Israel, so as wide from the purpose will the jesuits conclude, that the Pope is to command over the Temporallity of Kings, because our Saviour saith to S. Peter: 
john 21.  Feed my sheep: for that is meant only of the feeding, for which he had commission. Otherwise it would follow by such equivocations and abusing of words of many significations, that an ass, turned out to feed in the third signification, should be furnished with a Mitre & a Crosier staff. But to return to our discourse: with what audaciousness do they vaunt, that the grounds of the Romish Bishops superiority over others, is taken from the law of God, or divine right, seeing that it is the gift of the Emperor. For if he gave it, it followeth that he had it before he granted it, and if the Pope received it from him, he had not that pre-eminence over other Bishops, before it was given to him by the Emperor: for as no man can give that which he hath not, so none receiveth that of gift, which by right pertaineth to him.  
Thirdly, it being but an human privilege, it followeth that it is not a right, common, nor divine; consequently, subject to confirmation and revocation, in case of abuse, especially being 
(a) Guido pp. q. 239. Decius Cons. 191. 1 part. Lucas de Penna l. quicunque de omni agro deserto l. 11. etc. Can. Intelecto de iureiur gl. verbo, depereunt, in proemio prag. sanct. l. 1. & 2. Cod. Theod. de Epis. & cler. lib. 6. Novel. ut Cler. 83. §. Si tamen coll. 6.  a domaniall right, it could not be alienated by the Emperor.  
And therefore Popes ought not be unthankful towards the Kings that have advanced them: Phocas gave them the name, & Pepin gave them the revenue. Constantine granted nothing at first to Bishops but an exemption from tutelle and gatherings of moneys, & Constantius his son added unto them that they should not be criminally proceeded against before the judges royal, that their faults might not be published. And justinian extended the privilege to all Ecclesiastical people, not to withdraw them from under his obedience, but that he might do them speedier justice, & with less scandal.  
Which privileges have been confirmed by Christian Kings, not without exception, neither in all sorts of crimes, for Princes, from whom as from the fountain, all inferior justices are derived, and who are perpetual moderators of subalternal justices, do never grant any privilege against themselves: for these causes have they excepted certain cases, properly called Cases Royal, and improperly called privileged Cases: for they be cases excepted from the privilege, granted to Ecclesiastical subjects or others, of which justice is done by the King's Officers, because they very notably concern the King. As when any matter of high treason is in hand, or of bearing arms, of the King's safeguard infringed, of injury done to one of the King's Officers performing his Office: Item If a Priest in some office for the King behave himself ill, and many others.  
For as much therefore as the King is himself privileged above the privilege that he granteth: it is manifest the error which these men publish for the advantage of their head, that it was a privilege granted to the King by the Pope, having no other ground then the equivoke of the word Privileged Case.  
But since, they have passed further, and if Kings and their servants any longer wink at it, they will effect that they teach; and already they are about it; they attribute to themselves a double power, the keys, and the sword, heaven and earth, Spiritual and Temporal, even to the deposing of Kings and Sovereign 
(a) Can. Alius 15. q. 6.  Princes, dispensing their 
(b) Can. Engeltrudam cau. 3. q. 4.  subjects from their obedience; and not only proceeding to excommunicate and anathematize them (which is the most rigorous censure, cutting off from the communion of charity and faith) but also to cut them off, out of the world, to give them over to the first murderer that will attempt against them, who shall not be judged 
(d) Can. Excommunicatorum 23. q. 5.  a murderer by the doctrine of the Pope's new Canons.  
Thus after they have said, that whatsoever thing Princes ordain in Ecclesiastical matters, 
Can. 1. dist. 96.  they ought to have no authority: they pass upon their lives and states, a doctrine contrary to the discipline of the Apostles, and humility of Saint Gregory, writing to the Emperor Mauritius, 
Lib. 2. Epist. 61. in dict. 11.  I the unworthy servant of your piety, etc. and he concludeth, I have therefore caused your commandment to be published: but because the same is not conformable to the Law of God, I have therefore advertised your Majesty, and so have acquitted myself of my duty, in obeying the Emperor, and yet not being silent in God's cause. And we must not think that he saith one thing and meaneth another, for in those days there was no school of equivocation, and speaking in humility, he also spoke the truth; for as saith Saint Augustine, 
Serm. 29. de verbo Apostoli tom. 10.  When thou liest by humility, though peradventure thou wert not a sinner before, yet in lying thou becomest one.  
Now they not only refuse to be subject, but also change the censure ordained for a spiritual remedy of the soul, into a perpetual confiscation of goods, and mortal bane of men's bodies. And the pretended temporal Lord is more rigorous than any other; for let the seized do the best endeavour he possible can, yet the seizure abideth still, and the effect of the proscription to the profit of the usurper. And indeed, was it ever spoken of at Rome, to cause Navarre to be restored, and to excommunicate the usurper?  
But with what importunity do they bring in the Heralds of such power, to make us allow both the title and the possession, against the King's right? From the same ground proceed the unreverend behaviours of the members belonging to this mixed authority, of some against the Princes of blood, others against Courts of Parliament, and by degrees against the King's Officers.  
And lest any more speech should be made (as in time past was by the Emperor Ferdinand and Lewis the twelfth) to reform both the head and members: These upstart busy-bodies, have come to help, by entertaining our divisions in religion, in steed of quenching them; feigning that they come to reform abuses among them, replying against others which require a Council, that their opinions have been already sufficiently condemned, and that there needeth no more Counsels, as if unjust judgements against lawful proceeding, were a Law against a third which hath not been heard nor called. If this maxim were true, there would have been no Counsels holden of very many years, and places of justice should be shut up.   

CHAP. X. That it is one of the most pernicious heresies, to despise the King.  
THIS title will not be held a paradox by good men, who know that the service we render to the King, proceedeth from the ordinance of God. For though many heathen nations have performed this duty, yet not having the knowledge of God's commandment, nor an intention to obey the same, they have respected only their own particular, that they might preserve their policies; and therefore such virtues merely, moral, are not allowable before the throne of God's justice; For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. 
Rom. 14.13.   
So we may say that the equal division of spoil among thieves, is not a true execution of justice, but a shadow thereof, that there society may the longer continue, which if contention should arise among them could not long endure. And therefore as the final cause is vicious, so the means whereby they attain the same, ought not to be held lawful: In like manner, all friendship & combinations practised among men, that is not done with consideration of the ordinance of God, is a conspiracy, private complotment and confederacy, and not a legal society nor religious charity, 
1. Cor. 13.5.  which seeketh not her own particular profit, but executeth her effects outwards. For there is no union, neither in faith, nor in charity, saving in JESUS CHRIST alone, who is the centre and perpetual end of all good; to which purpose saith Saint Paul, 
1. Cor. 10.31.  whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God: And S. Peter recommending subjection towards the Prince, referreth it to his use: 
1. Pet. 2.13.14. etc.  Be ye subject for the Lords sake.  
Now as the moral virtues of the heathen are sins before God, in as much as they are not done, with having regard to his commandment, which they know not: So the contempt of the King, who hath right over the subject by the law of God, ariseth only in the mind of him that contemneth the author of the Law: And by the same reason it necessarily followeth that such a man hath first violated his faith towards God, before he fail in the service of the King; for so long as he remaineth faithful in the first Table, he will not pass to the transgression of the second; which is not well observed, but in the consideration of the first, of which it is a sequel and necessary dependency.  
Wherefore we see ordinarily that idolaters do easily rebel, yea boldly attempt against the person of their King: on the contrary, religious souls serve them, though they be froward, yea Infidels, as we have noted some examples; but after the transgression of the honour due to God, the contempt of the King followeth soon after.  
Thus is Samuel comforted by God: They have not cast thee away, 
1. Sam. 8.7.8.  but they have cast me away, that I should not reign over them: And as they have forsaken me, serving strange Gods, even so they forsake thee. And Zedechias being tributary King, before he came to despise the King, hardened himself against God. 
2. Chron. 36.12.13.  Zedechias did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself for jeremiah the Prophet speaking in the name of the Lord, and also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezar, which had caused him to swear by the name of God.  
Also in another place, the Holy Ghost interpreteth rebellion to be an evil as dangerous as to go to sorcerers and witches, Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and transgression is wickedness and idolatry. 
1. Sam. 15.   
Thence it cometh, that of late, some of them that labour to weaken the authority of the King, and have fostered rebellion in this Kingdom of France, have also questioned the Pythoness woman possessed, and examined the Devil: Wherefore we need not wonder if they that like not the right way directing to Holy Abba Father which art in heaven, swerver from the obedience of our Abimelec, that is to say, our Father the King, which is on earth.  
And as the jesuits substitute to God our Holy Father, another God on earth, whom they call Most holy Father, and separate JESUS CHRIST from his Body & Spouse the Church, for to create unto him a Vicar and Lieutenant general in all his Kingdoms, 
Bel. lib. 1. de Pontif. cap. 9  etiam Christo secluso: So these same Spirits will at this present erect a Monarch above Kings, which are the fathers and husbands of their people and country: to the end they should not enjoy their Soveraigneties, but so long as they shall please him.  
Thus having begun with disobedience towards God they end with rebellion against the King his Lieutenant on earth. Wherefore none will ever defend the King's rights and prerogatives as they ought, except he first begin with the Laws of God: and if he be a prevaricator in the first Table he will easy be persuaded to lay such grounds as overthrow the King's right: for he that granteth the greater, will not stick to give the lesser.  
This is the cunning devise jeroboam used, who as it is written, retained the people to himself, 
1. King. 12.26.27. etc.  and hindered them from returning to the house of David, in causing them commit idolatry. And for as much as the Article of confession of the reformed Churches, above rehearsed, containeth a submission of all the inhabitants of the Kingdom, without excepting the Ministers; and in as much as the Modern Clergymen, when a Priest is converted to their Religion, make him renounce among other things, that pretended privilege of Clericature: Lastly, for as much as the honour which we own unto the King is for conscience sake, 
Rom. 13.  as saith S. Paul, and for God's sake, as S. Peter speaketh. 
1. Pet. 2.13   
It followeth, that the Cardinal jesuite maintaineth a formal heresy, 
Bellar. li. 3. recognit. de Laicis.  in making some Christians subject to the King, not for conscience sake, but for servile fear, obeying for no other cause but for that they are not the strongest, and for fear of punishment, not for love of God. For if the conscience be bound by the Law of God, to the obedience of the King, who is the subject capable to attempt against the laws, rights, or prerogatives of the King, but he that falsifieth his faith unto God?  
Of this Saint Jude, writing to his beloved, of the common salvation, saith: that certain men crept in, 
jud. v. 3.4.  which were before of old ordained to this condemnation, men without piety, turning the grace of God into wantonness, & renouncing the only Dominator JESUS CHRIST our God and Lord.  
Then he passeth to the second Table, affirming that such men break it in consequence of that former renunciation; And likewise these dreamers, defile their flesh, and despise Government, 
Vers. 8.  and speak evil of authorities. And propoundeth a terrible example for them that curse Sovereign Princes: Yet Michael the Archangel, when he strove and disputed with the Devil about the body of Moses, 
Vers. 9  durst not (mark) blame him with cursed speaking, but said only, the Lord rebuke thee Satan. And in the 11. verse speaking of Core, that gainsaid Moses with these words. Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us out of a land, 
Num. 16.13.  which floweth with milk & honey, etc. except thou make thyself Lord and ruler over us? pronounceth a woe against such like men, For (saith he) they perish in following the gainsaying of Core. And note, that this Core and his fellows Dathan and Abiram, 
Num. 16.2.  and two hundred and fifty were of the principal men of the Synagogue, to show that it is not of late years that these Doctors of the Synagogue resist the King, and that God hath chastised them.  
Now if this holy Angel of God, who had express charge to do that which he did, and being therein thwarted by the Devil, durst not curse him, but left the whole judgement thereof to God, in consideration that the evil Spirit is called in Scripture, the Power of the air, Prince of darkness and of the world.  
What Holiness can they imagine to be in a man transported with passion, to thunder out against the Lords anointed, against Princes and all principality, wrapping up together withut knowledge of cause, the old and the young, the quick and dead, the guilty and the innocent? Yea rather such men as despise dignities are doubtless without piety, ordained of old to condemnation, having renounced the only Lord & ruler CHRIST JESUS; the respect of whom should have hindered them from passing so far: for it is written; 
1. Pet. 2.13  Be ye subject to all manner ordinance of man for the Lords sake.  
Neither is it to purpose to say that S. Jude speaketh against them of his time; for the Epistle is Catholic, directed to the whole Church, and speaketh of a real vice which destroyeth and perverteth the person whosoever he be, that is spotted therewith. Thence it cometh; that they which exalt a sinful man above that which is called God, do also exalt him above that which is called King, comparing this man to the Sun, and the King to the Moon; and by this reason the spendor of the King should be borrowed from that Sun so often eclipsed, abolished, and become heretic, 
C. sollicitae 6. de Maiorit. & obeentia Can. si Papa dist. 40.  as the Canon confesseth, and the deposings from his office of Bishop doth justify.  
Nevertheless, that chapter saith, that look how great the difference is between the Sun & the Moon, so great is it between Popes and Kings: is not this to entitle himself the mid day, 
Serm. 33. Cant. Cant.  whereof S. Bernard speaketh as above is showed?  
And what need there any more, seeing that is the argument of Cardinal Baronius against the Venetians: for that he might set himself over them, he setteth himself above the Angels: blaming the Signory in these words; 
Baron. in his admonition against the Venetians, Pag. 47.  The Venetians doing the contrary, are as monsters and prodigies of the Devil; adding this for a strong reason, Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels? And what man of conscience, or faithful servant to his Prince can endure such presumption? who would not invite all his countrymen to give heed to that which is foretold of this man exalted above all that is called God, 
2. Thess. 2  blaming dignities, and enterprising to dispossess Kings? And seeing it is clearly verified that our Saviour CHRIST had not a foot of land in propriety, 
Luk. 9.58.  to rest his head on, and that his Apostles said to the poor, Silver and gold have I none; 
Act. 3.6.  said to the places where they came, Peace be in this house, and denounced not war: shook the dust of their feet, but invaded not Kingdoms: How then dare these men appear, who in these days proclaim themselves Lords of two swords, Spiritual and Temporal, with power to confiscate the earth, open hell, and shut heaven, having no other reason then the will of a sinful man, full of passions, which maketh more account of Temporal goods then of Spiritual, saying in his Bull in May, anno 1515. read and authorized in the Council of Lateran. 10. session, conceived in these words: Lest Cathedral Churches, being destitute of Temporal goods, (without which Spiritual goods cannot subsist) etc. As if Mammon, the riches of iniquity, were the support of Christ, & of his saving graces.  
Yea rather such a man calling himself Lord Spiritual and Temporal, above Principalities, declareth himself to be the true successor of Simon Magus, 
Act. 8.  who made himself be called the great power of God: And taketh his Lieutenancy not from jesus Christ, whose Kingdom is not of this world; but he hath it from the Tempter, who vaunteth to give Kingdoms; for he is called in Scripture, 
Ephes. 2.2. joh. 12.31. & 14.30. Heb. 2.14. Mat. 12.29. Reu. 13.14. 2. Cor. 4.4.  Prince of the air, Prince of this world, Emperor of death, is compared to a strong man armed, is worshipped of Infidels, as being God on earth, or the God of this world. By virtue of which qualities, he saith to our Saviour to whom he showed the kingdoms of the world, when he tempted him, 
Luk. 4.6.7.  All this power will I give thee, and the glory of those Kingdoms: for that is delivered to me; and to whomsoever I will, I give it.  
Now we are assured that the God of peace, by whom only Kings do reign, will finish this work, will destroy that pride by the Spirit of his mouth, 
2. Thess. 2.  will abolish that power by the brightness of his coming, will maintain the authority of Kings and powers ordained by him, will preserve the Widow and the Orphans of his Anointed, amidst the flames of this furnace, 
Dan. 3.  as he did the companions of Daniel.  
It is not the first time that such presumption hath been reform in the Church, it being the cause of the rejection of the jews in the first coming of our Saviour: and now is the subject of the plagues revealed in the Apocalypse. And as the threatenings of the Prophet Zachary, who prophesied of both these disorders, have been executed on the pharisees, whom he calleth the Pride of jordan, 
Zach. 11.5.  who in steed of feeding their flocks, expose them to slaughter, and yet are not held guilty; and they that sell them say, Blessed be the Lord, for I am enriched, and their own shepherds spare them not.  
By reason of which abuse it is added, 
Vers. 3.6.  that there shall be a voice of the howling of the Shepherds, because their magnificence is destroyed. And behold (saith the Lord) I will deliver the w●●● every man into his neighbour's hand, a●● into the hand of his King; and they shall smite the land, and I will not deliver them out of their hand. So (my Lord) doubt not but that in the second coming of our Lord and Saviour, which is at hand, and wherein the pride of Babylon and the foolish shepherd of whom this Prophet speaketh, which exalteth himself by a Cardinal jesuite, above that which is called God; This God, strong and jealous will put into the hand of his King his Anointed, and Lieutenant, and of his Officers, means to bridle this arrogant presumption, and for certainty of this truth I have adventured to present to your Majesty the text of the Prophet, who foretelleth the creation and ruin of this second foolish Shepherd, as Saint Hierome interpreteth it, here are the words: I will raise up a Shepherd in the Land, which shall not look for the sheep that are lost, nor seek the tender lambs, nor heal them that are hurt, nor bear them that stand still: but shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear ●●eir claws in pieces. Woe be to the Idol ●hepeheard, that leaveth the flock, the sword is upon his arm (see here the Temporal sword) and upon his right eye: his arm shall be dried up for certain, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened. For, if for the first man's offence in having tasted the forbidden fruit, and believed the saying of the Serpent, Ye shall be as Gods, 
Gen. 3.  knowing good and evil; the father of all mercy spared not the innocency of his dearly beloved son our surety, but saith by the same Prophet, Arise, 
Zach. 13.7.  o sword, upon my Shepherd, and upon the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of Hosts.  
What torments attend the Apostasy of a re-lapsed man without promise of restoring, which doth not simply believe himself to be God, but exalteth himself above all that bear that name! O sword which didst not spare the good shepherd for the offences of others; awake, rise up against the foolish Shepherd, destroy that man of sin for his own transgression, who in the masters absence behaveth himself not as a fellow servant, but as Master; 
Math. 24.  to the end that in this last time, as sometime did his predecessor Herod, who gave not glory to God, when the people cried the voice of God, 
ctA. 12.12.  and not of men; he may learn to his condemnation, that it is the most High, 
Dan. 4.25.  the everlasting God blessed for ever, and none other, beareth rule over the Kingdom of men, and giveth it to whom soever he will.  

juu. 1. Sat. 3. — procul ab jesu  
It, quibus grata est picta lupa barbara mitra.    

The Conclusion directed by the Author to the French King Lewis the 13.  
THE most ancient author of profane History (mighty Sovereign) reporteth that Croesus being in danger to be slain in the war, his son, who had till that time been dumb seeing his father in that estate, cried out, O man kill not Croesus: which representeth unto us the effect of a natural affection, forcing nature's defect, and causing a man discharge the duty by his birth imposed upon him. Hitherto, though according to my small ability, I have omitted no occasion by word and deed to testify the service I own your Majesty; Yet have I ever remained dumb, not daring to represent unto your Majesty by mouth the true feeling I have had of my duty: And I should for ever have been silent, had I not feared to be reputed to give consent to the pernicious effects of a certain damnable error, Canonised of late; which would still remain under the ashes of such decrees, if it had not been discovered by some incendiaries come forth thence, who with the firebrands and bellows of some controversies in religion, have caused the fires that have since fifty years been seen in France. And whilst good Frenchmen were busied, wearied, and weakened in quenching these flames, these men have taken opportunity, and endeavoured to seize upon the State; and done all they could to root out the Royal race, and to transfer the Crown unto strangers: Unto which not being able to attain by main force, having so powerful an enemy as King Henry the great and his Princes, they have advised themselves of the most unnatural and abominable means that ever was practised amongst the most barbarous and Infidel Nations, having blow upon blow, after infinite attempts, laid violent hands upon the sons of the most high the Lords annoinced.  
These detestable acts make me cry out, O man of sin kill no more our Kings. If I should be silent I were worthy to be condemned to die: for if the subject that heareth in words some complot against the safety of his Prince, makes himself guilty if he declare it not unto him: how could he excuse himself which by reading of books, and discourse of reason perceiveth whence such unnatural attempts do proceed, if he contribute not his speech, his industry and the peril of his life, to avert and prevent such outrages in time to come?  
But seeing it is lost labour to cry unto this evil spirit; who is not ruled by the military discipline of Cyrus, to give over the slaughter at the sound of retreat; I will turn myself to your Majesty, advising to take heed to yourself; for our our peace dependeth on yours, we will have no other Temporal King, but Lewis: suffer him not to publish in your Kingdom, that there is a power above yours, that your command is limited by the will of a stranger, that the fidelity of the oath of your subjects may be slacked by his dispensation, and your life at his word given over to murderous attempts. Use again the remedies, which your Predecessor Philip, Lewis, and Henry have done, before these new garrisons of strangers were brought into the land, who take an oath of blind obedience to a foreign power out of the Kingdom, a fourth vow unknown to other orders: who creep in and insinuate themselves with a wonderful violence into the capital Cities and best families, yea even into the Metropolitan City of the Realm, who augment and make greater the presumptuous boldness of them that would precede Princes, be equal with Parliaments, and despise the function whereunto they are called. Whence cometh it else, that in former ages in the time of Philip the Fair, and other succeeding Kings, no Frenchman revolted from the obedience of his Prince, for fear of a frivolous excommunication? and that in this latter age, that illusion hath retained so long time in obstinacy so many people's? And how is it, that King Francis the Great, threatened Charles the fifth, with the number and fidelity of his Scholars? and that in the time of the barricadoes there was whole companies of them set forth to besiege the King in the Lovure?  
And who was it instructed and fashioned Barriere but Varade a Priest of the new society, ministering to him the holy Communion for salvation? And who was it but a Scholar of these new Doctors, that thrust his parricide knife into the mouth of King Henry the Great your father? Yea, who was it murdered him? My Lord, I cannot hold my peace, I have horror of what is past, and fear yet more what may come, I will not be a prevaricator in the cause of my King neither will I live after him. O! it hath been, it hath been those unclean Spirits whereof Saint john speaketh in his Revelation, 
Apoc. 16.12. & 9.16.  which repent not of their murders, of their witchcrafts, of their fornications, nor of their thefts: which work miracles, and go unto the Kings of the earth, to assemble them to the battle of that great day. etc. These he termeth also Frogs, Amphibia creatures that live as well in water as on land, in the State and in the Church, and can use both the sword and the pen. These are they that imprinted in the mind of that monstrous parricide, 
These blasphemies are read in the arraignment of Ravillac, & in his confrontation with D'Aubinie the jesuite.  that the King intended to make war against the Pope, and that to make war against him was to make war against God; for saith that prodigious murderer; God is the Pope, and the Pope is God. Further there was found about him a Character, with a heart of Cotten hung about his neck; he showed to the jesuite D'Aubinie, (who confessed him and heard his visions of Hosties) a knife whereon was graven a Heart and a Cross: and with what sort of men were the prisons filled after this fact, but with such as were infected with heresies preiudiciable to the State and to the Church? I beseech your Majesty pardon my zeal grounded upon that I know, as one of your faithful servants; pardon the just grief of a subject, passioned against the parricide committed on two of his Kings. Give me leave my Lord to shed true tears for the death of your Royal Father; suffer me to lament for my Abimelec, 
jer. 4.20.  of whom I said in my heart, I will live amidst the nations under his shadow, under his Edict; by whose benefit seeing I have permission to speak and write the truth, I have presented it to your own hands, not to renew sorrows passed, but to prevent them that are to come. For judge (I beseech you) how much it importeth to make apparent unto your Majesty that Popes are not Gods: that they may err: that they forget themselves against God & the King, to the end that in discovering the cause of this evil, I may leave unto your majesties wisdom to remedy the same, when time and age shall invite you thereto. Mean while, till that time of perfect cure doth come, these two preservatives seem necessary, for the two members, which this disease would seize on and corrupt; namely Piety, and justice, the Pillars of State. For to what end would they cause the prudent Counsel of the Senate to be despised, but because they think to overthrow the State, after the example of Rehoboams new counsellors? What arrogant presumption, to censure the Sentences of that great Senate, judge of the Empire, & sometime Arbiter of Europe? and to what other end do they procure, with so great importunity, delays of so holy judgements? And wherefore else hinder they the enregistring of the decrees of the Sorbonne, so Canonical? Why do they terrify and amerce the Preachers that speak the truth? Courage ye good and loyal servants that hide not but use your Talon; Serve God and the King, 
Mat. 15.14. Luk. 19  and you shall enter into the joy of your Lord; For my part (which is all I can do for you) I would engrave you in this memorial, if your modesty did suffer it, and that the hatred to which I expose myself, were not communicated to you. For as for us, 
2. Tim. 1.7.  God hath not given us the Spirit of fear, but of strength, and of love, and of a settled mind.  
And if a Soldier for being praised of his Captain, will run against the points of pikes, cast himself into the trench, and despise the fury of Canons: what would a Frenchman, Burgess of the capital City do, on so high a stage of Europe, fight for the honour of God and the service of his King? Abeant questus, discede timor, vitae est avidus, quisquis non vult mundo secum pereunte mori.  
Now, my Lord, letting justice be administered, as you do, according to her ordinary course, your Majesty shall be the better served, and shall not incur envy in your person, not being of age to employ your private authority, in giving extraordinary commandments: and the Queen shall ever be better obeyed, governing herself, as she doth, by the ancient Laws of the State and ordinary course of justice; whereas if she let herself be carried away with importunities, many inconveniences would ensue. For these men get ground of us, and go by degrees, having been first refused of all the orders and estates: after that, received with modification; and now would drive out them that oppose themselves to their designs. And if for the installing of these new Doctors, this reason be found good, not to displease him that sendeth them: what will not be done upon this ground? must we renounce the most faithful confederates of France, who have expelled & cast them off, never to receive them more into their States and commonwealths? must we renew war, against them that acknowledge not this new power; and not keep our faith with them any longer, than it shall please that Spirit of discord? And if it be thought unfit to bring us to such a misery, wherefore do some counsel to repeal the causes? Yea rather we should resist the beginning: And because that under pretence of maintaining Religion, such men slily infect weak souls, with maxims against the State.  
The second remedy is taken from the other pillar of the State, to wit, 
The University.  Piety, that must be aided & strengthened in the body of the University, which is not destitute of learned men, as some calumniate.  
This University hath been ever called in France, 
Du Tillet of the liberties of the Church.  the keeper of the key of Christianity: And it was the same that appealed from the Bull of Pope Pius the second, and caused their protestations to be enregistered in the Court of the Chastelet: And Master john de S. Romain, the King's Attorney general, did the same actions, as your Majesty seethe done by your Advocate general, Master Sernin, a man both learned, courageous, and incorruptible in justice, and in the service of his Prince.  
Out of this University King Lewis the twelfth took six Doctors for counsellors of Estate: It was this University that ceased the massacre stirred up by the Duke of Burgundy, proclaimed through the streets, peace good people, under the reign of King Charles the sixth. Out of this body were taken the six Doctors, that decided the question (now again brought to be discussed of in Court) Whether it be just, to assist the confederates of France, against the will of the Pope, when Pope julius excommunicated Alfonsus Duke of Ferrara, whom King Lewis the twelfth assisted, by the advise of the Gallicane Church, assembled in Council at Tours, in the month of September, Anno. 1510.  
And although King Henry the Great followed only the steps of his Predecessors, and the decisions of Catholic Doctors, nevertheless we have perceived with an extreme mischief, the effects of a pernicious doctrine, & the obstacles they would have brought against the succour promised to the confederates of the Crown: for remedy whereof, it seemeth that the exhortation of the Curates your majesties servants, and of the Doctors of Sorbonne, will be very necessary, together with the writings of the most learned, whom your Majesty shall please to choose: for although arms be seemly near about your Majesty; yet is it no less profitable, to prepare the affections of the subjects in such sort, that arms may be more for ornament, then necessary for the safety of the Prince: and that such men may be employed herein, as have in their minds an Antidote against this modern poison. For not only great and learned Captains, as Alexander, and Caesar, have attained to the Empires of the world: but also Generals of war have profitably used the Counsel of learned men, for to execute great designs: To this purpose Pyrrus said, he wan more Cities by the industry of his Orator Cineas, 
Plutar. in Pyrrhus.  than he took by force of arms. Yea a silly Scholar following Regilianus, profited him to obtain the Empire, by means of his declining Rex Regis, making allusion to the name of Regilianus: 
Trebel. Pollio in Regill.  for the Soldiers which were in the Camp, taking that for good presage, proclaimed him Emperor.  
Such men Alphonsus, the Phoenix of the Spanish Kings, used; calling unlearned Princes, Golden Flecees, & added that the dumb were his best counsellors, meaning books, that flattered not Kings, but told them the truth: and reproving the opinion of one of his Predecessors, who thought it unbeseeming a noble and generous mind, to have learning, saith: It was the voice of a brute beast, rather than a man.  
The want of which register, hath caused that the most generous actions of our ancient Gauls, have remained buried in oblivion, or have been much lessened by the writings of such as envied their greatness. For military actions are renowned to posterity, according as the pen of history hath extolled the same: thus are Achilles and Aeneas made famous by Homer and Virgil, and Caesar himself by his true testimony. And contrariwise they that have had learning for adversary, remain in opprobry to posterity.  
Thus the injury that the University of the Athenians received by the cruel imposition of fourteen children, sent to the King of Creta, though otherwise he were in such reputation of justice, that antiquity made him a judge in the Elysium; yet could he not obtain against pen and ink, weak instruments in appearance, 
Quaesitor Minos unam movet.  but that he was dishonoured in his bed, and his children Icarus and Minotaur: the one an example of vanity, the other a prodigious monster, and himself taxed in his person, as perishing miserably.  
It is a work worthy your Majesty to establish the King's College, the building up whereof, God hath reserved unto your Majesty, as he did the building of the Temple to wise Solomon: and doubt not, my Lord, but that there will be found Regent's sufficiently capable, honour nourisheth Arts, they have not hitherto appeared, because the Muses could not be heard during the noise of the Trumpet, and sound of the Drum. The nurse-childrens of the Muses, shut up themselves in the caves of Parnassus, and come not at the Court unless they be sent for: But, my Lord, seeing it is a matter of peopling a royal College, there should not be any Doctors not royal, or not for the King, nor any that have taken oath of blind vow to any out of the Kingdom: for (saith the Gospel) No man can serve two Masters.  
And why should the King maintain at his charge, Professors that will corrupt the sincerity of the affections of his subjects, by the poison of the new Canons, of which we have quoted some.  
By these two means, evermore profitable for the State, the State shall be preserved, till it please God to increase your Majesty in age, and in all sorts of Spiritual and Temporal blessings, that you may govern the same in person, and remove away the cause of this evil, which I hope for (by God's grace) so much the more assuredly, as your Majesty is a lively portraiture of those great Kings, that have commanded the people of God; succeeding as a young josias, to a father murdered by the disloyalty of some of his subjects; as a Solomon to triumphing David his father; as a Saint Lewis under the Regency of his mother: God grant that your Majesty may accomplish the posy of King Lewis the twelfth your predecessor, Perdam Babylonis nomen, 
That is I will destroy the name of Babylon.  seeing that they now renew the like attempts, as they did then under his reign. To the end that as the most high Monarch of heaven and earth, would not employ to such a work, the mighty arm of flesh, Henry the Great your father, no more than he did that of David, whom he had destinated unto battles; your Majesty as a Solomon his son, by the works of peace may restore the Gallicane Church; by the common voice of which, with bended knees, hands lifted up to heaven, and heart to God, your Majesty heareth the like blessing as the Queen of Sheba gave to Solomon. 
2. Chron. 9.8.  Blessed be the Lord thy God, which loved thee, to set thee on his throne as King, to execute judgement and justice.  
And let the Prophecy of Nathan, in the highest heaven, be ratified in your Majesty: 
2. Sam. 7.13.14.  I will 'stablish the throne of his Kingdom for ever: I will be unto him a father, and he shall be my son, Amen.  
Mart. 9.104.  Prima tuo gerito pro jove bella puer. 
FINIS.