A famouse cronicle of oure time, called Sleidanes Commentaries concerning the state of religion and common wealth, during the raigne of the Emperour Charles the fift, with the argumentes set before euery booke, conteyninge the summe or effecte of the booke following. Translated out of Latin into Englishe, by Ihon Daus. Here vnto is added also an apology of the authoure.

¶ To the most excellent Prince Augustus, Prince Electour, Duke of Saxon, Lantzgraue of Turing, Marques of Meissen, high Mareschall of thempire, his singuler good Lord, Ihon Sleidane wisheth health.

DIuers authors (most excelleut prince) haue setforth vn∣to vs many and sondrye alterations of kingdomes: And God him self wold that we shuld be taught these thin∣ges, as it were with his mouth long before they shoulde come so passe.

And of those foure greate Monarchyes of the worlde, of theyr greate aulteration and succession, he taughte vs by the Prophette Daniell. Whose Pro∣phecies for the mooste parte of them, are alreadye made euidente and manifest vnto vs, wyth a certaine know∣ledge most pleasaunt and ful of consolation. And of the alteration and contention that shoulde be about Rely∣gion and Doctrine, both the same prophet hathe spoken before, and S. Paule comminge after him prophecieth also manifestlye. But in what sorte the same shalbe, it is setforth and declared by mo than one or two. Howe be it the alteration that hath chaunced in this our time, is most notable of all others. The Romain Empire, whyche should both be the last, and also much greater then the rest, the prophet said shuld be deuided, and brought from that huge and vnmeasurable great quantity, to a right small thing, as it is now manifest, whiche only consisteth within the limites of Germany, and hathe bene manye times in great hasard and daunger, partly by reason of domesticall euils, and partly throughe the factions of forain enemies. But at the length God hath geuen vs such an Emperour, as a more mighty hath not bene these many hondreth yeres: For vnto him haue descended mooste ample realmes and prouinces: which as they be most ritch and welthy, so also be they mooste commodious for the doing of thinges in sondrye places bothe by sea and lande. And like as he him self excelleth in power all other Emperors of Germanye, that haue bene sence the tyme of Charles the great, so also, by reason of the thinges that haue chaunced in his time and gouern∣ment, is he most famous and notable. But amonges all other thinges, the alteration of Religi∣on hath the chiefest place: whiche with the beginninge of his raigne toke her originall. For at that time, whan the Emperour Maximilian departed out of this present life, that matter had not ben in hand aboue .xiiii. monthes: but what time the Princes electours chose this manne Emperour, in a manner the self same time Luther beinge prouoked came forthe to reason the matter, and disputed openly with Eckius at Lipsia, and than fell men to theyr study on ether side. Wherefore thempire of this man ought to be considered dilligentlye, and waied with the memory of former times. For god hath at euery time stirred vp certain great princes more no table thā the rest, whē ether the state of religion or comon welth shuld be altred, of the which sort was Cirus, Alexander of Macedonie, Iulius Caesar, Constantine, Charlemaigne. Also Ot∣tous of Saxonie, and now he, of whom we speake, Charles the fift. And certenly this alteratiō is of such sort, wherof we now make mention, that no man, that knoweth the thing perfectly, can thinck theof without great maruel and wonder. For the beginning was ful small, and in manner to be contemned, and one man alone susteined the malice & violence of all the world: And yet might he him self haue ben appeased and quieted, in case his aduersaries would haue, taken the condition, which at the beginning he offred them. For he promised to kepe silence, so that they would do the like: But when they refused that, and prescribed him a recantation, and herein perseuered, and he said, that vnlesse they could first shewe his erroure, he coulde not

chaung his opinion, the dissention increased, & the matter was brought before the counsell of thempire, & now is come to such a great maner, as we se. And by what meanes it came so to pas, what thing the Bishops of Rome, what, the vniuersities, what Kings & Princes haue at tempted, how he him self hath pleaded his own cause, before themperour and counsell of prin∣ces, how diuers men of excellent learning, haue ioyned them selues with him, howe the matter again hath ben debated in thassembles of thempire, howe meanes of reconcilement haue bene assaid, how oftentimes the Bishops of Rome haue bene in hand with the Emperour and other Kinges, how oft they haue put them in hope of a reformation and of a counsel, what persecu∣tion and burning ther hath ben, what leagues and conspiracies haue hen made, how this same religiō hath ben setforth, not only in Germany, but in other places also, how diuers haue reuol¦ted, and others remained constant, what tumultes, warres and battels haue risen by this occa∣sion: these I say, so great and sondry things to leaue vnspoken, and not to commit them to me∣mory by wryting, I think ther is no man, but would iudge it blame worthy.

Moreouer it is not to be passed ouer in silence, what was the state of the common wealthe, during this mans Empire, by the space now of six and thyrty yeres, what wars he hath kept, what commotions and tumultes haue ben in the meane season, and what things haue chaun∣ced in all realmes and prouinces. Neuerthelesse, thordre that in this argumente shalbe obser∣ued, hereafter shalbe declared. For like as this Emperor raigneth ouer moste large and ample dominions, so hath he had also most strong and puissant enemies. Wherfore the matters haue ben wonderful great, that haue chaunced in this our memorye, and duringe the raigne of thys Emperor. And therfore certen yeres past, diuers worthy and wel lerned men, when they chan∣ced to talke of such matters, began to perswade with me, that whosoeuer had chanced in these dais, especially, touching the cause of Religion, I shuld put in wrytinge: And here vnto dyd exhort me, not for that I could do this best, or for that ther wer not others much more mete for this purpose, but because they saw me delite much in that same kinde of exercise, and therefore supposed, that through acerten natural inclination to the thing, I should not bestow my time and labor amisse: I my self doubtlesse, who knew wel enough, what a daungerous sea I muste enter into, and how that case required an other maner of man, endued with a greater wit, & eloquence: Albeit, I was almost in despair, that I could bring the thing to passe, yet vanqui∣shed by theyr auchority, which had that opinion in me, I determined to assay the thing: And beginning from the time that Luther began to inuey against the selling of pardons, & bryn∣ging the matter still vnto the disputation of Lipsia, appoynted by Duke George, that same, that I hadde so composed, I sente vnto them that were my setters on, at Woormes, where that time was the counsel of thempire, ten yeres past, to read and peruse ouer. They afterward by their letters, & by mouth also did more importune me, that I should procede: but not longe after ther chaunced a sorowfull time to Germany, whan there arose warre, which as it was a great let and hindraunce to study & learning, so did it also disturbe and let all my purpose & doings. For nether could I procede, as I desired, & many times must I tarye, and make delay: but so sone as I was relieued from those euils, & especially those iii. yeares paste. I imploide all my study and trauel herein, and neuer reasted, till I came to thend wished for. And surely this worke is made chiefly and principally concerning Religion, neuerthelesse for obseruynge an order, I thought good also to put in polliticke matters. Now as touching the whole narra∣tion, after what sort that is, euery man by reading shall easely perceiue. Nothing becommeth an history better then truth & sidelity. And doubtlesse I, least any man should finde lacke in me in this behalf, haue traueled diligently: For I haue written nothinge by lighte reportes or by hear say, but I haue compiled my worke of publick records, which I haue gathred vp dilli∣gently, of the verity, wherof no man nodeth to dout. I had also the aid and helpe of a worthye and noble man, lames Sturmie, who hath ben occupied in publicke and waighty affaires these xxx. yeres and mo to his commendation, who of his gentlenes shewinge me frendship, whan I somtime doubted and sticked fast on the rockes and shelues, he as an expert sailer, many times brought me again into the right course & void of dāgers, & the most part of the work, he red ouer at my request, before his sicknesse, wherof he died, & admonished me diligently of suche things as wer nedeful. Here is also much mention made of forein matters, especially french &

Englishe. And therein haue I also folowed the same ordre, and haue put in nothing, but that which was tried & certenly knowne, and the French matters for the most part I my self haue sene, in these .ix. yeres that I dwelt ther. For diuers executions and burnings, whereof is men∣tion made, again many decrees made, and actions commenced by the diuines of Paris, againste certen ministers of the Church, and shortly after articles of religion setforth, & factions of the court, chaunced at the same time, whan I was in those parties, but warlike matters, & suche other like affaires, I do not omit, for that I mighte in no wise do. Yet haue I not professed to to treat of them expresly. For as I said a little before, this laboure was purposed chiefly to the cause of religion. Therfore wold I haue the reader warned, that whan he shal come vnto such places, he loke for no long discourse of those affaires. For nether is it mine intent, & they may read it in other mens works, which haue taken in hand to wryte of that part, so much as here∣in shalbe wanting. An other thing that I said is to be obserued in a history, is fidelity or vp∣rightnes, that is to wit, that nothing be told of affection: which although it some very harde, because it is of few performed, and albeit that perauenture I shall not perswade all men, that I haue ben dilligently ware of the same, yet I require them instantly, that I be not burthened with any suspition before there be cause. This worke of mine, is wholy compiled, as I sayde, of publick recordes, collected with great dilligence, wherof also a great part was setforth in print before, partly in the Latin, partly in the vulgare, some in Italian, and some also in French. And it hath many orations, and demaunds, and answers, and diuers accusations and consuta∣tions also: All these thinges I recite plainly, simply and truely as euerye thinge was done: For neither I adde to any thing of mine own, or speak mine own iudgement, but leaue that to the reader free, neither vse I also any collour of Rhethorick, nor wryte any thing in the hatred or fauor of any man, I frame my stile only, and vse mine own words, that the speache may be al∣waies like and equal, and I bestow eche thing in his place, as they followed in ordre. In those first yeres Bishop Leo and Adrian spake many thinges bitterly againste Luther: from whose wrytinges, as I take away nothing: so likewise do I adde nothing vnto Luthers answers, ney∣ther make I their complainct worsse, nor yet his defence better. The Bishops that succeded thē Clement and Paule, and this man especially, whan Luthers dostrine was now spred abroade farre and neare, making digression from his person, haue inueyed most spitefully against prin¦ces also and cities: Here I follow the same ordre, and throughout the whole volumne kepe the self same trade. Wherfore I beseche the reader, that he lay a part all disliking, and know firste the matter it self, and tender my laboure, which hath surely bene very great, with theyr good wil and fauor. For certenly vnlesse the same causes, which moued me to write at the first, had not eftsones allured me to procede, & deuour all tediousnes, I had long since forsaken my en∣terprise, when ther appeared so great variety & much a do: but my stomack & strength came to me, first, because I supposed, that the same shuld concern the glory of God, who had opened in this our time his omnipotency, & wonderful counsel: And again the comon vtility moued me. For euen in Germany few remember the things past, & forain nations know no certenty at all, & many mennes mindes disposed to dislikinges, thinck farre otherwise of many matters than they ought. Furthermore I had a respect to posterity, if at the leaste wise my wrytinges may abide light and continuaunce: besides this also, many things of the like fort are by others put in wryting, nether truely nor modestly. And ther is one of our natiō, that setforth a boke vi. yeres since at Mentz, moste full of lies and slaunders, trisling & rayling wordes: And in these last yeares past came forth two tomes at Florence, the authour wherof handleth in dede, in most larg and ample wise the history of his time, but wherso euer he speaketh of Germain matters, especially concerning Relegion, he bewraieth the disease of his mind: For the things be vntrue, false, and sclaunderous, what so euer he wryteth, as it may be euidently proued. I omit here so manye Orations, Epistles, Prefaces, whiche are setforthe in ••rinte, whan they touch these matters, they do handle all things not only of hatred and mallice, but swarue also most far from the truth. For these causes I say, I thought good to proceade, and not to permit that the ordre of actes done should be vntruely set out, ether for this present age, or els for the time to come. For in this kind of thing, what is more vile or les to be suffred, thā that the same things which shuld make the reader more expert, shuld wyth false tales & lies be depraued. Assuredly the Magistrate ought to foresee that nothyng be done herein licentiously.

And thys faulte is vsed in oure dayes, that verye manye of those wryters,

seke to pike a thanke, and whilest they ind••uour to please and gratifye one man, they deserue euil of many, and induce mo into errour. Doutlesse I for my part, whiche yet I would shuld be spoken without ostentation, am so affected herein, that if I knew ther wer anye thing in this work vntruely wrytien, I my self wold scrape out the same, and frankly warn the reader, that be should geue no credit to it. But I trust assuredly, that no vntruthe can be obiected to me. For what study, paines, and dilligence I haue taken these certen yeres, that I might know eche thing exactly, both manye good men can witnesse, and as I trust also the thing it self shall de∣clare. Notwithstanding, although I comprise those thinges that haue chaunced in thys Em∣perors gouernement, al be it he be yet aliue, and hath the gouernment, although many thynges mo, yet may fortune in his daies, yet forsomuch as these former actes do chalenge the first, chie∣fest and greatest part vnto them, I wold not that the same should be longer wanting, so many learned men, not only of Germany, but also of foreine nations instantly requiringe me, that I wold gratify them herein. There be comming doubtlesse moste greuous commotions, and won∣derful alterations. Which thing also the holy Scripture dothe nether doubtfullye nor daroklye Prognosticate, and the present state of thinges doth plainly signify, so that such as will applye theyr minde here vnto, shall not want matter to wryte of: but, the same cause that moued me to wryte, that is publicke vtility, the self same perswadeth me nowe also, that some thinges as I haue written, and be comprised in these xxvi. bookes. I shoulde suffer to come abrode into o∣thers mens handes. And this my labor and all my pains taken, I wil dedicate whole vnto you, moosie excelient Prince, whiche are descended of that noble house and familie, whiche fyrsto gaue harborow and refuge to thys Religion, whose father did earnestly imbrace the same, whose brother for the education of youth in true Religion and learning, imploied a wonderful substaunce, whose father in law for the self same cause hath a famous name among kinges. And for so much as you also walke in these theyr fotesteps, to your great commendation, this worke which I hope wil profite many, I trust will be to you also not vnpleasaunt. The liuing God preserue your highnes, safe and healthful.

Geuen the .x. Kalends of April, in the yeare of our Lord. 1555.