A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.

The Apologie, Cap. 2. Diuision. 1.

But what neede we rehearse Concubines, and Bawdes? For that is now an ordinarie, and a gaineful sinne in Rome. For Harlottes sitte there nowe a daies,* 1.1 not as they did in times paste, without the Cittie walles, and with their faces hid and couered: but they dwel in Palaices & Faire Houses: thei stray aboute in Courte, and market, & that with bare and open face: as who would saie, they maie not onely lawfully doo it, but ought also to be praised for so dooinge. What should we saie any more of this? Their vicious & abominable life is nowe thoroughly knowen to the whole worlde. Bernarde writeth roundely & truely of the Bishop of Romes house, yea & of the Bishop of Rome him selfe. Thy Palaice, saithe he, taketh in good menne, but it maketh none: naughty persones thriue there, and the good decaie. And, who so euer he were, whiche wrote the Tripartite vvoorke, annexed to the Councel of Larerane, he saithe thus, So excessiue at this daie is the riote, asvvel in the Prelares and Bi∣shoppes, as also in the Clerkes and Priestes, that it is horrible to be tolde. But these thinges be not onely growen in vre, and so by custome & continuance of time wel allowed, as al the reste of their dooinges in manner bee, but they are nowe waxen olde, and rotten ripe. For who hath not hearde, what a hainous acte Peter Aloisius, Pope Paule the thirdes Sonne committed againste Cosmus Che∣rius the Bishop of Fanum: what Iohn Casa, Archebishop of Be∣neuentum, the Popes Legate at Venice, wrote in the commenda∣tion of a moste abominable filthinesse: & how he set foorthe with moste lothesome woordes, and wicked eloquence, the mater, whiche ought not once to proceede out of any bodies mouthe? To whose eares hath it not comme, that Alphonsus Diazius a Spaniarde, beinge pour∣posely sente from Rome into Germanie, so shamefully and Diue∣lishely murthered his owne Brother Iohn Diazius, a moste Inno∣cente, and a moste Godly man, onely bicause he had embraced the Eo∣spel of Iesus Christe, and woulde not returne againe to Rome?

But it maie chaunce, to this they wil saie: These thinges maie sometime happen in the beste gouerned Common Wealthes, yea & a∣gainst the Magistrates willes: & bisides, there be good Lawes made to pounishe sutche. I graunt, it be so: But by what good Lawes (I would know) haue these great mischieues benne pounished emongest them? Petrus Aloisius, after he had donne that notorious Acte, that I spake of, was alwaies chearished in his Fathers bosome Pope Paule the thirde, and made his very dearlinge. Diazius, after he had

murthered his owne Brother,* 1.2 was deliuered by the Popes meanes, to thende he might not be pounished by good Lawes. Iohn Casa the Archebishop of Beneuentum is yet aliue, yea & liueth at Rome, euen in the eie and sighte of the moste holy Father.

M. Hardinge.

Courtisanes wente abroade, so as the Matrones doo: some rode on Mules, some dwelled in good∣ly houses. VVhiche particulare disorders,* 1.3 as there they continewed not many yeeres, * so in these daies they haue benne reformed. VVherein ye folowe the Father of your Haeresies, and schoolemaister of your malice the Deuill,* 1.4 who in Scripture is called Accusator Fratrum nostrorum, the accuser of our Brethren.

But sirs, how leape ye from Rome to Placentia, from the Cleregy to a Temporall Duke, whome ye call the Popes Sonne, though he was not his Sonne beinge Pope, but by lawful Matrimonie before holy Orders taken? For suche a one was Peter Aloisius of whom ye speake. Be it, that he was an euill man. VVhat maketh that against the Churche?* 1.5 what for Defence of your newe Gospell? If Iohannes Casa beinge yet a younge spring all, before he came to be a Clerke, and longe before he was either Bishop or Legate,* 1.6 made certaine amorous Sonettes in Italian rime, foloweinge the Italian poete Petrarcha, to whiche kinde of exercise the good wittes of Italy in youth are muche geuen, and without naminge any persone, flatteringly smoothed that heinous facte, rather then praised, wherein neuerthelesse he did euill, we confesse, and for the same ouersight of his youth, was notwithstandinge his other excel∣lent qualities kepte backe from the dignitie of Cardinalship duringe his life: all this beinge graun∣ted and considered, what hindereth it the estimation of Christes Churche? And what furthereth it your false Doctrine, your Schismes, and your Heresies? Touchinge the Deathe of Iohn Diazius the Spa∣niarde, ye tell* 1.7 many lies at once.

The B. of Sarisburie.

Wée leapte not so lightly to Placentia, M. Hardinge, but rather reaste at Ve∣rona, and saie the Truthe. For Pope Paulus, that should haue pounished his wic∣ked Sonne, and haue burnte him to deathe for his abominable outrage, remoued not to Placentia,* 1.8 but remained stil in Rome. Iohannes Sleidanus saithe, that the yonge Gentleman, the Bishop of Fanum, vpon whome Petrus Aloisius the Popes Sonne had shewed that horrible villanie, shortely after died for shame, and heauinesse. Yet, he saithe, it is thought of somme, that Petrus Aloisius, after his wicked acte committed, gaue him poison, and so killed him, leaste he should make complainte thereof vnto the Emperoure. He addeth further, Paulus nihil ò secius impensè amabat Filium: & ad ipsius amplificationem omne studium conuertit. Et cùm de eius flagitijs nonnunquam audiret, fertur non admodum aegrè tulisse: & hoc solùm consueuisse dicere, Haec illum vitia non se commonstratore didicisse: Pope Paule neuerthelesse fauoured his Sonne aboue measure: and bestowed al his care, to encrease him in Honoure. And, whereas he hearde sometime of his shamful actes, the reporte is, that he was not mutche offended therewith: but vsed onely thus to saie, Wel, yevv is he neuer learned these vices by my example. So cruel, and terrible is the Pope in repressinge of Sinne.

But God of his Iustice would not suffer sutche abomination to escape vnpou∣nished. Certaine of the Nobles of his owne Cittie, not longe after, arose againste him, & slewe him in his owne Palaice, & hunge out his vile Carkesse in shameful sorte, by a chaine ouer the walles, & afterwarde threwe it ouer into the mote. The people of al sortes ranne gladly to the sight: and stabbe him in on euery side with theire Daggers: and trodde him filthily vnder theire feete.

Yée saie, the particulare disorders of your Courteghianes in these daies at the laste haue benne Refourmed. And yet by very credible reporte, euen within these

twoo yeeres, whiche was in the yéere of our Lorde 1565.* 1.9 by a persite viewe taken, there were founde in Rome to the number of eight & twentie thousande weemen of that sorte. If this be the Reformation of the Churche of Rome, what was it then, before it was thus Refourmed?

As for that moste horrible Booke of Iohannes Casa, so vile, and so lothesome, that no Heathen eares coulde abide to heare it, O howe fauourably, and howe frendely it is excused? He was then, ye saie, but a yonge man: but a springal: no Bishop: no Clerke: He named no personne: It was but a kinde of exercise: an ouersighte: an Amorous Sonette: The good wittes of Italie be muche geuen to it: He praised not that faulte, but onely smoothed it. O M. Hardinge, what abomination is there vnder Heauen, but ye can diuise waies, howe to smoothe it?

But he was pounished, ye saie, ful soare for his ouersight. For he coulde neuer be made Cardi∣nal, duringe his Life. Yea, good M. Hardinge: And al this muste wée beléeue, bicause you speake it. The Pope made him the Archebishop of Beneuentum, and Le∣gate a Latere, and thereby one of his Secrete Councel, in parte of this cruel pou∣nishmente. But, though he vpon that, or somme other occasion, were keapte backe from beinge Cardinal, yet were there others made Cardinalles, in al respectes as had,* 1.10 as he. Reade Andreas Alciatus, that notable Ciuilian: And ye shal finde, what a minion was made Bishop of Comum, when Paulus Iouius was put bi∣side. Reade Paulus Iouius in the Life of Clemens. 7. and learne, what prety folkes then were made Cardinalles, and for what causes. As for your owne O∣nuphrius, he speaketh Parables, and casteth colours, and woulde seeme to meane more hereof,* 1.11 then he durste to vtter.

The Emperour Tiberius sommetime placed Nouellius Tricongius in most highe and Honorable roome, and made him Proconsul, in parte of recompense of his good seruice,* 1.12 for that he was able to drinke three pottles of Wine togeather with one breathe. This was not the woorthiest cause of promotinge sutche Ma∣gistrates to suche a roome: yet was there more honoure, and honestie in this cause of prefermente, then hath benne thought to be in the preferringe of sundrie Car∣dinalles.

Touchinge the murtheringe of Iohannes Diazius by his owne Brother Al∣phonsus, wherein, ye saie, wee haue tolde you so many lies at once, wée referre ourselues to the Storie thereof truely written by Iohannes Sleidanus:* 1.13 the effecte whereof in shorte is this: One Iohannes Diazius a Spaniarde, and a Doctour of Sorbona in Parise, after that God had geuen him grace to vnderstande y^• Truthe of the Gospel,* 1.14 departed from thence, and came into Germanie, and reasted at Nu∣burge in the Dominion of Otho Henricus Countie Palatine. His Brother Al∣phonsus Diazius, beinge then in Rome, and vnderstandinge hereof, immediately tooke Horses, and with al speede came into Germanie, mindinge to withdrawe his Brother from his pourpose. And findinge him constante, and steadfaste, and not likely any waies to be remoued, in the ende he fained him selfe, by the weight of his reasons, to be persuaded to the same Religion: & desired him to returne with him into Italie, for that he should doo more good there, then he could in Germanie. But séeinge him for sundrie causes firmely bente to staie there, he tooke his leaue, and departed thence, and exhorted him to continewe constante in the Truthe, and came to Augusta, sixe Dutche miles from Nuburge. The nexte daie, as hauinge foregotten some special mater, he had to saie to his Brother, he retourned backe a∣gaine from thence to Nuburge, and by the waie bought a Carpenters axe, and en∣tringe into the Towne vpon the. 27. of Marche, he came to his Brothers lodginge at the breake of the daie, and him selfe watchinge beneath, sente vp his seruante with the Axe to doo the deede. The seruante, after he had called foorthe Iohannes

Diazius, and had deliuered him a letter from his Brother Alphonsus, and sawe him turned towardes the lighte to reade the same, came suddainely behinde him, and strooke him in the heade with his Axe, and leauinge it stickinge in the wounde, came awaie togeather with Alphonsus his Maister. This is the very true sto∣rie hereof, M. Hardinge, and in al these woordes there is no lie. Touchinge your Courteghianes, yee saie, the Pope of late hathe made a general Reformation. For now thei are bothe remoued from their faire Palaices, wherein they dwelte, & also put from their Mules: As if the faulte had benne onely in their Mules, or Houses, and not rather in their whole trede of life. Certainely, the same weemen conti∣newe stil, euen in the Cittie of Rome, and that vnto the number of eight & twen∣tie thousande, as it is saide before. Sutche is the Reformation of the Churche of Rome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Genes. 38.
• * 1.2

  Petrus A∣loisius the Popes Sonne.
• * 1.3

  Vntruthes greate and no∣torious.
• * 1.4

  Apocal. 12.
• * 1.5

  Iohan. Ca∣sa.
• * 1.6

  O, a faire Boonegrace, to bevvtifie open and knovven vvickednesse.
• * 1.7

  Vntruthe. For vvee tel no Lie. Reade the An∣svveare.
• * 1.8

  Iohan. Sleidan. Li. 19.
• * 1.9

  Iohannes Diazius.
• * 1.10

  Andre. Alciatus in Epist. praefixa Historiae Pauli Iouij.
• * 1.11

  Paulus Iouius. Onuphrius in Iulio. 3.
• * 1.12

  Sueton. Tran∣quil. in Tiberio. Tricongium vno Spiritu.
• * 1.13

  Iohan. Sleidan Lib. 17.
• * 1.14

  An. 1546.