A blowe for the Pope Touching the Popes prerogatiues. Extracted word for word out of the Booke of martyres.

The exaltation of Popes aboue Kings and Em∣perours out of Histories.

FIrst, after that Italy and the citie of Rome were overrunne by the Gothes and Vandals, so that the seate of the Empyre was remooved to Constan∣tinople, then beganne Ioannes Patriarch of Constanti∣nople, to put foorth himselfe, and would needs bee called vniversall Bishop of the world: but the Bishop of Rome in no case would suffer that, and stopped it. After this came the Emperours deputy, and Exarch of Ravenna to rule Italy: but the Bishop of Rome, through ayde of the King of Lombards sone quailed him. Not long after about the yeare of the LORD fyue hundreth, came Phocas the murthrer, who slew the Emperour of Constan∣tinople

his master Maureits and his children. By which Phocas, the Bishops of old Rome aspyred first to their preheminence, to bee counted the head Bishops over the whole Church, and so together with the Lombardes beganne to rule the Citie of Rome: Afterwards when the Lombardes would not yeeld to him, in accomplish∣ing his ambitious desire, but would needs requyre of the Bishop the said Citie of Rome: hee stirred vp Pi∣pinus, but first deposed Childericus the King of France, and so thrusting him into an Abbey, set vp in his place Pipinus and his sonne Carolus Magnus, to put downe the said King of Lombardes called Aistulphus: and so translated the Empyre from Constantinople to France, divyding the spoyle betweene him and them: so that the Kings of France, had all the possessions and lands which before belonged to the Empyre, and hee to re∣ceiue of them the quyet possession of the citie of Rome, with such donations and Lordships, which now they challenge vnto them, vnder the name of S. Peters pa∣trimonie, which they falsely ascrybe to that donation of Constantinus the great.

It followed then in processe of time, after the dayes of Pipinus, Carolus, and Lodovicus, (who had indued these Bishops of Rome, called now Popes, with large possessions) when the King of France were not apply∣able to their becke, to ayde and maintaine them against the Princes of Italy, who began then to push the saides Bishops for their wrongfull vsurped goods, they practi∣sed with the Germans, to redact the Empyre to Otho, first of that name Duke of Spaine, referring the election thereof to seven Princes electors of Germany, which

was about Anno 1002. Notwithstanding reserving still in his hands the negatiue voyce, thinking thereby to enjoy that they had, in quyetnesse and securitie, and so did for a good space.

At length when some of these Germane Emperours also, after Otho beganne a little to spurne against the said Bishops and Popes of Rome, some of them they ac∣cursed, some they subdued and brought to the kissing of their feete, some they deposed, and placed others in their possessions.

So was Henricus 4. by these Bishops accursed, the Em∣perour himselfe forced with his wife and chyld, to waite attendance vpon the Popes pleasure three dayes and three nights in Winter at the gates of Canossus. Besids all this the said Pope raised vp Rodolpus to bee Emperour against him: who being slaine in warre, then the said Pope Gregory 7. not resisting this, stirred vp his owne sonne Henricus 5. to fight against his owne naturall father, to depose him, which Henricus 5. was also himselfe accur∣sed afterward, and excommunicated, and the Saxons at last set vp by the Bishops to fight against him.

After this the Emperours began to bee somewhat calmed, and more quyet, suffering the Bishops to reigne as they listed, till Fredericke the first called Barbarossa came, and beganne to stirre coales against them. How∣beit they hampered both him and his sonne Henry in such sort, that they brought first the necke of Frederick in the Church of Venice, vnder their feete to tread v∣pon: and after that the said Bishops crowning Henricus his sonne in the Church of S. Peter, set his crowne v∣pon his head with their feete, & with their feete spurned

it off againe, to make him know that the Popes of Rome had power both to crowne Emperours, and depose them againe.

Then followed Philippus brother to Henry aforesaid, whom also the Popes accursed, about the yeare of our LORD 1198. and set vp Otho Duke of Saxon. But when the said Otho began to bee so saucie to dispossesse the Bishops of their cities and lands, which they had in∣crotched into their bands, they could not beare that, but incontinent they put him besides the cusheon. The like also fell vpon Otho the 4. that followed after Philip, who was suffered no longer then foure yeares to reigne, about the yeare of the LORD 1209.

At this time Fredericus 2. the sonne of Fredericus Barbarossa, was but young, whom the Bishops of Rome supposing to finde more mortified and tamed to their hand, advanced to bee Emperour after his father: But that fell out much contrarie to their expectation: for hee perceiving the immoderate pompe and pryde of the Ro∣mane Bishops, which hee could in no case abyde, so netled them, and cut their combs, and waxed so stout against them, intending to extirpe their tyranie and to reduce their pompous riches to the state and condition of the primitiue Church againe, putting some of them to flight, and prisoning some of their Cardinals, that of three Popes, one after another hee was accursed, cir∣cumvented by tieason, at last deposed, and after that poysoned, and last forsaken and died.

After this Frederick followed his sonne Conradus, whom the foresaid Bishops for his disobedience soone dispatched, exciting against him in mortall warre the

Lantgraue of Thuring, whereby at length hee was dri∣ven into his Kingdome of Naples, and there deceast.

This Conradus had a sonne called Conradinus, Duke and Prince of Swevill, where this Conradinus after the decease of his father, came to enjoy the Kingdome of Naples. The Bishops stirred vp against him, Charles the French Kings brother in such sort, that through craftie conveyance, both Conradinus which descended of the blood of so many Emperours, and also Frederik Duke of Austria, were both taken, and after much wretched handling in their miserable indurance vnseem∣ing to their state, at length were both brought vnder the axe, by the Popes procurement, and so both be∣headed: and thus ended the imperiall stocke of Frederik the first surnamed Barbarossa.

The like also happened to Frederik the Emperour, had almost fallen vpon Philip the French King, by Pope Boniface 8. who because hee could not haue his com∣modities and revenewes out of France after his will, sent out his bils and letters patents to displace King Philip aforesaid, and to possesse Albertus King of Romans in his rowme.

And this hitherto of forraine stories: Now touch∣ing our countrie Princes heere in England, so speake somewhat likewayes of them: did not Pope Alexan∣der the third presumptuously taking vpon him where hee had nothing to doe to intermeddle with the Kings subjects.

For the death of Becket the rebell, albeit the King fusficiently cleared himselfe thereof, yet notwithstan∣ding did he not wrongfully bring the said King Henry 2.

to such pennance as it pleased him to enjoyne, and also violently constrained him to sweare obedience to the Sea of Rome. The like also was shewed before in this storie to happen to King Iohn his sonne, for when the said King like a valiant Prince, had held out the tyr∣ranie of those Bishops eleven yeares together, was not all the Churches of England barred vp, and his inheri∣tance with all his dominions given away by Pope Inno∣cent the 3. to Lodovicus the French King, and he after∣ward compelled to submit both himselfe, and to make his whole Realme fedetary to the Bishops of Rome, and moreover, the King himselfe driven also to surrander his Crowne to Pandulphus the Popes Legate: and so continued a privat person, 5 dayes standing at the Popes courtesie whether to receive it againe or not? And when the Nobles of the Realme rose afterward against the King for the same, was not hee then glad to seeke and sue to the foresaid Pope for succour, as by his owne letter, taken out of the publicke rolles may appeare.