Henry years, lacking but three years of the reign of Augustus Cæsar, under whom was the birth of our Lord and Saviour Christ. VII. A. D. This Maximilian, as he was a valiant emperor, prudent and singu1486. larly learned, so was his reign entangled in many unquiet and difficult wars; first, in the lower countries of Flanders and Brabant, where the said Maximilian was taken captive, but shortly after rescued and A.D.1487. delivered again by his father, A. D. 1487. It was signified before, how this Maximilian, by the advice of the Burgundians, had to wife Mary, the only daughter of Charles duke of Burgundy afore menAppendix. tioned,' by whom he had two children, Philip and Margaret, A.d. 1477; which Mary not long after, about A.D. 1482, by a fall from her horse, fell into an ague, and departed. Other wars, many more, the same Maximilian also achieved, both in France, in Italy, in Hungary, and divers besides. The See learning milian. his own stories. So happy was the education of this emperor in good letters, so of Maxi- expert he was in tongues and sciences, but especially such was his dexterity and promptness in the Latin style, that he, imitating the Writer of example of Julius Cæsar, did write and comprehend in Latin histories his own acts and feats done, and that, in such sort, that when he had given a certain taste of his history to one Picamerus, a learned man, asking his judgment how his warlike style of Latin did like him, the said Picamerus did affirm and report of him to John Carion (the witness and writer of this story), that he did never see nor read in any German story, a thing more exactly (and that in such haste) done, as this was of Maximilian. Moreover, as he was learned himself, so dainer of was he a singular patron and advancer of learned students, as may versity of well appear by the erecting and setting up the university of Wittenberg. By this emperor many in those days were excited to the embracing as well of other liberal arts, as also, namely, to the searching out of old antiquities of histories, whereby divers were then by him first occasioned in Germany to set their minds, and to exercise their diligence, in collecting and explicating matters pertaining to the knowledge of history, as well of ancient as also of later times, as namely Cuspinian, Nauclerus, Conrad Peutinger, Manlius, and others. First or the uni Witten berg. Here now it began right well to appear, what great benefit was broached to the world by the art and faculty of printing, as is before mentioned. Through the means of which printing, the church and commonwealth of Christ began now to be replenished with learned men, as both may appear by this emperor, being so endued himself with such excellent knowledge of good letters, and also by divers Learned other famous and worthy wits, who began now in this age exceedingly gin to to increase and multiply: as Baptista Mantuanus, Augustus PoliChristen- tianus, Hermolaus Barbarus, Picus Mirandula, and Franciscus his cousin, Rodolphus Agricola, Pontanus, Philippus Beroaldus, Marsilius Ficinus, Volateranus, Georgius Valla, with infinite others. men be grow in dom. Among whom is also to be numbered Weselus Groningensis, otherwise named Basilius, who was not long after Johannes de Wesalia above recited; both much about one time, and both great friends together. A.D.1490. This Weselus died A. D. 1489. After that Johannes, doctor of Wesalia aforesaid, was condemned, this Weselus, being familiar with him, thought that the inquisitor would come and examine him also, (1) This Mary was niece to king Edw. IV. VII. as he himself, in a certain epistle, doth write. He was so notable and Henry so worthy a man, that he was commonly called 'Lux Mundi,' that is, The light of the world.' A. D. Concerning his doctrine, first he reprehended the opinion of the 1490. papists, as touching repentance, which they divided into three parts, of the which three parts, satisfaction and confession he did disallow. Likewise purgatory, and supererogation of works, and pardons, he did disprove, both at Rome and at Paris. He spake against the pope's indulgences, by the occasion whereof divers of the pope's court, persuaded by him, began to speak more freely against the same matter than he himself had done. supre written The abuses of masses and praying for the dead he disallowed; The and likewise the supremacy of the pope he utterly rejected (as pope's appeareth in a book of his, 'De sacramento pœnitentiæ'), denying macy utterly that any supreme head or governor ought to be in the world against. over all other; affirming also and saying many times, that the pope had no authority to do any thing by commandment, but by truth (that is, so far as truth goeth with him, so far his sentence to stand); neither that he ought to prevail by commanding, but only by teaching, so as every true christian may prevail over another. Also, in Appendia, some place in his writings he denieth not, but that popes and their spiritual prelates, proceeding against Christ's doctrine, be plain antichrists. Such as were infirm, and not able to perform the bond of chastity taken upon them, he said, they might well break their vow. Also the said Weselus witnesseth, that the forefathers who were before Albert and Thomas, did resist and withstand the pope's indulgences, calling them in their writings plain idolatry, mere fraud and error; adding moreover, that unless the severity of some good divines had withstand these pardons and indulgences of the pope, innumerable errors had overflowen the church. Sre answer Tho. this Amongst the works of Weselus, there is a certain epistle of one written to him, in which the author of the epistle witnesseth, that in his time there was a certain learned man at Paris, called Master Thomas de Curselis, a dean; who, being in the council of Basil, when divers began to advance the power of the pope too far, declared and affirmed to be said to him of Christ, "Quicquid liga- Christ's veris super terram, erit ligatum et in cœlo," &c., and not "quicquid to Th dixeris esse ligatum;" that is, "Whatsoever thou shalt bind de Curupon selis earth, shall be bound in heaven," but not, "whatsoever thou sayest touching to be bound:"--as who should say, the pope cannot and doth not place, bind therefore, because he so saith, except truth and righteousness Qu go also with him: then, he doth so bind indeed. There is a certain gaveris." book of this man, amongst divers others, which he entituleth, De subditis et superioribus,' in the which he disputeth greatly against the pope and his prelates; affirming that the pope, unless his faith and doctrine. be sound, ought not to be obeyed. He affirmeth also that the pope may err, and when he erreth, men ought by all manner of means to Against resist him: Item, That great and superfluous riches in the clergy do in the not profit, but hurt, the church: That the pope doth wickedly distribute church. the rents of the church, and the churches themselves, to unworthy (1) Ex lib. D. Weseli de sacramento pœnitentiæ. (2) Not whatsoever is said to be loosed on earth, is loosed in heaven; but whatsoever is loosed in very deed in earth, that is also loosed indeed in heaven. quid li riches VII. cepts of the pope and pre lates how they bind. The pope's keys. Vows. Henry ministers by simony, for his own profit and gain, whereby it may appear, that he neither careth for God, nor for the health of the A.D. church Item, That the precepts and commandments of the pope 1490. and prelates be no otherwise but as the counsels and precepts of The pre- physicians, binding no further than they are found to be wholesome, and standing with the truth of the word: Item, That the pope can command no man under pain of deadly sin, except God command him before. He saith, that the keys of the pope and of the prelates be not such wherewith they open the kingdom of heaven, but rather shut it, as the Pharisees did. Concerning vows, he disputeth that such as be foolish and impossible ought to be broken: Item, That to be re- hearers ought to discern and judge of the doctrine of their prelates, and not to receive every thing that they say, without due examination. examina-. He showeth, moreover, that an opinion, and even an excommuniExcom- cation, is of more force, proceeding from a true, godly, honest, tion. simple, and learned man, than from the pope; as in the council of Constance John Gerson was more regarded than John XXIII., and St. Bernard was antiently more esteemed by the pious than Eugene III. Also if the pope with his prelates govern and rule naughtily, that the inferiors, be they ever so base, ought to resist him. Doctrine ceived without tion. munica. A pro Weselus. Writing moreover of two popes, Pius II. and Sixtus IV., he saith, that Pius II. did claim unto himself all the kingdoms of the whole world, and that Sixtus the pope did dispense with all manner of oaths in causes temporal, not only with such oaths as have been already, but also with all such as shall be made hereafter: which was nothing else but to give liberty and license for men to forswear themselves, and to deceive one another. This Weselus, being a Frisian born, and now aged in years, on a phecy of certain time when a young man called Master Johannes Ostendorpius 1 came to him, said these words: "Well, my child, thou shalt live to that day, when thou shalt see that the doctrine of these new and contentious divines, of Thomas and Bonaventure, with others of the same sort, shall be utterly rejected and exploded by all true christian divines." And this, which Ostendorpius, then being young, heard Weselus to Appendir, speak, he reported himself to Noviomagus, who wrote the story, having (as he saith) heard it at the mouth of the said Ostendorpius, February 20th, A.D. 1520, in the church of St. Lewin at Deventer. See Rodul Weselus lament the Philip Melancthon, writing the life of Rodolphus Agricola, saith, that Josquinus Groningensis, an ancient and a godly man, reported that when he was young, he was oftentimes present at the sermons of Rodolphus and Weselus, wherein they many times phus and lamented the darkness of the church, and reprehended the abuses of the mass and of the single life of priests: Item, That they disputed darkness oftentimes of the righteousness of faith, which St. Paul so oftentimes church. did inculcate, that men be justified by faith, and not by works. The same Josquine also reported, that they did openly reject and disprove the opinion of monks, who say that men be justified by their works: Item, Concerning men's traditions their opinion was that all such were deceived, whosoever attributed unto those traditions any opinion of the (1) This Ostendorpius was a man well learned, and canon of the minster of Deventer. Ex Noviomago. (2) Here it appeareth that this Rodulphus Agricola was of good judgment, though the friars afterwards buried him in a friar's weed. VII. of God's worship, or that they might not be broken. And thus much Henry for the story of doctors Wesalia and Weselus. By this it may be seen and noted, how, by the grace of God and A.D. gift of printing, first came forth learning; by learning came light, to_1490. judge and discern the errors of the pope from the truth of God's word; as partly by these above said may appear, partly by others that follow after (by the grace of Christ) shall better be seen. The burning of Joan Boughton, and Others. Bough the lady martyr. About the very same time and season, when the gospel began thus a D.1494. to branch and spring in Germany, the host of Christ's church began also to muster and to multiply likewise here in England, as by these histories here consequent may appear. For not long after the death of this Weselus, A. D. 1494, and in the ninth year of the reign of king Henry VII., the 28th of April, was burned a very old woman named Joan Boughton, widow, and mother to the lady Young, Joan which lady was also suspected to be of that opinion which her mother ton, was. Her mother was fourscore years of age or more, and held eight mother to of Wickliff's opinions (which opinions my author doth not show) for Young, which she was burnt in Smithfield the day abovesaid. My author saith, she was a disciple of Wickliff, whom she accounted for a saint, Appendis. and held so fast and firmly eight of his ten opinions, that all the doctors of London could not turn her from one of them; and when it was told her that she should be burnt for her obstinacy and false belief, she set nothing by their menacing words, but defied them: for she said, she was so beloved of God, and his holy angels, that she passed not for the fire; and in the midst thereof she cried to God to take her soul into his holy hands. The night following that she was burnt, the most part of her ashes were had away by such as had a love unto the doctrine that she died for. See Richard Sturdy. Shortly after the martyrdom of this godly aged mother, A. D. 1496, A.D.1496. and the 17th of January, being Sunday, two men, the one called Milderale. Richard Milderale, and the other James Sturdy, bare faggots before James the procession of Paul's, and after stood before the preacher in the time of his sermon. And upon the Sunday following stood other two men at Paul's cross all the sermon time; the one garnished with painted and written papers, the other having a faggot on his neck. After that, in Lent season, upon Passion Sunday, one Hugh Glover Hugh bare a faggot before the procession of Paul's, and after, with a faggot, Glove stood before the preacher all the sermon, while at Paul's Cross. And, other on the Sunday next following, four men stood, and did their open faggots. penance at Paul's, as is aforesaid, in the sermon time, and many of their books were burnt before them, at the cross. A priest Furthermore, the next year but one, which was A.D. 1498, in the A.D.1498. beginning of May, the king then being at Canterbury, there was a burnt. priest burnt, who was so strong in his opinion, that all the clerks and doctors then there being, could not remove him from his faith: whereof the king being informed, he caused the said priest to be brought before his presence, who, by his persuasion, caused him to revoke; and so he was burnt immediately. In the next year (A.D.1499), after the beheading of Edward Plan Henry tagenet, carl of Warwick, and son to the duke of Clarence, the king VII. and queen being removed to Calais, a certain godly man and a conA.D. stant martyr of Christ, named Babram, in Norfolk, was burnt in the 1498. month of July, as is in Fabian recorded, after the copy which I have written. Albeit in the Book Fabian printed, his burning is referred to the next year following, which is A.D. 1500.1 An old About which year likewise, or in the year next following, the 20th burned. day of July, was an old man burnt in Smithfield. man Hieronymus Savonarola, with two Friars, Martyrs. A. D.1499. In the same year also (A. D. 1499), fell the martyrdom and Appendis, burning of Hieronymus Savonarola, a man no less godly in heart, See than constant in his profession; who, being a monk in Italy, and singularly well learned, preached sore against the evil life and living of the spiritualty, and specially of his own order; complaining sore upon them, as the springs and authors of all mischiefs and wickedness. Whereupon, by the help of certain learned men, he began to seek reformation in his own order. Which thing the pope perceiving, and fearing that the said Hierome, who was now in great reputation amongst all men, should diminish or overthrow his authority, he ordained his vicar or provincial to see reformation of these matters; which vicar with great superstition began to reform things, but the said Hierome did always withstand him; whereupon he was complained of to the pope, and, because that contrary unto the pope's commandment he Prophecy did withstand his vicar, he was accursed. But for all that Hierome narola left not off preaching, but threatened Italy with the wrath and indignation of God, and prophesied before unto them, that the land should be overthrown for the pride and wickedness of the people, and for. the untruth, hypocrisy, and falsehood of the clergy, which God would not leave unrevenged; as afterwards it came to pass, when king Charles came into Italy and to Rome, and so straightly beset pope Alexander, that he was forced to make composition with the king. of Sava against Italy. Alexan ander by the French king. Savana rola cited to appear pope. His con Now, forasmuch as the said Hierome would not leave off preaching, before the he was commanded to appear before the pope, to give account of his doctrine new learning (for so then they called the truth of the gospel); but, demned, by means of the manifold perils, he made his excuse that he could because not come. Then was he again forbidden by the pope to preach, and not come. his learning pronounced and condemned as pernicious, false, and seditious. he would This Hierome, as a man worldly wise, foreseeing the great perils and dangers that might come unto him, for fear, left off preaching. But when the people, who sore hungered and longed for God's word, were instant upon him that he would preach again, he began again to preach A.D. 1496, in the city of Florence; and albeit that many counselled him that he should not so do without the pope's commandment, yet did he not regard it, but went forward freely of his own good will. When the pope and his shavelings heard news of this, they were grievously incensed and inflamed against him, and now again cursed him, as an obstinate and stiffnecked heretic. But for all that, Hierome proceeded in teaching and instructing the people, saying (1) Ex Fabiano, et alio scripto codice. |