A counterblast to M. Hornes vayne blaste against M. Fekenham Wherein is set forthe: a ful reply to M. Hornes Answer, and to euery part therof made, against the declaration of my L. Abbat of Westminster, M. Fekenham, touching, the Othe of the Supremacy. By perusing vvhereof shall appeare, besides the holy Scriptures, as it vvere a chronicle of the continual practise of Christes Churche in al ages and countries, fro[m] the time of Constantin the Great, vntil our daies: prouing the popes and bishops supremacy in ecclesiastical causes: and disprouing the princes supremacy in the same causes. By Thomas Stapleton student in diuinitie.

The .37. Chapter. Of Maximilian the Emperour: Great Gran∣father to Maximilian the Emperour which now liueth.

Stapleton.

THough Maximilian the Emperour redressed certaine grieuaunces, that the Churches of Germanie suffred through paiements to the Romaine Court, as did the French Kings about the same time, yet did he not thereby challenge the Popes Supremacy, but most reuerētly obeied the same, as did (this notwithstanding) the French Kings al∣so, as I haue before declared. Which (to omitte al other ar∣guments) appeareth wel by his demeanour, at his later dai∣es, in the first starting vppe of your Apostle, I shoulde saye Apostata Martin Luther: and also by the protestation of his nexte successour Charles the fift of famous memorie, protesting openlye at his first dyet holden in Germanie at Wormes, that he woulde followe the approued Relligion of his moste Noble Progenitours of the house of Austria, of whome this Maximilian was his Graundfather. Whose Relligion and deuotion to the See of Rome from time to time, his nephew Charles in that assemblye extolleth and setteth forthe as a most honourable and worthy example. Whiche in him howe great it was, if nothing els, yet your deape silence in this place, of so noble an Emperour, vn∣der whome suche importante concurrents befell geaue vs well to vnderstande. For had there bene in him the least

inkling in the worlde of any inclining to your factious sect, he shoulde not thus haue escaped the famouse Chronicle of this your infamouse Libell. And yet verely as wel you might haue broughte him, and Ferdinand his brother, yea and our late Gratiouse Soueraigne Queene Marie too, for example of gouernemente in Ecclesiasticall causes, as you haue broughte Maximilian his predecessour, and a number of other Emperours before.

As for the Generall Councell, that you saye Maximilian and Lewys the Frenche King, called at Pyse, it was neuer taken for anye Generall Councell, nor Councell at all, but a schismaticall assemblie procured against Pope Iulius by a fewe Cardinalles, whome he had depriued of their Eccle∣siasticall honour. And it was called onely by the meanes of the Frenche King in despite of Pope Iulius, for making league with the Venetians, and for mouing Genua to re∣belle againste him. As for Maximilian, he doubted in dede a while (being for the said league offended with the Pope) whiche waie to take, but seeinge the matter growe to a Schisme, he rased that Conuenticle, being remoued from Pise to Millaine, and agreed with Pope Iulius. By whom also, and by Leo the .10. his successoure, this Conuenticle was dissanulled in a Generall Councell holden at Laterane in Rome. To the whiche Councell at length, as wel the Schismaticall Cardinalles, as all other Princes, condescen∣ded. And thus euer, if there be any thing defectuouse or faulty, that you make much of, and that maketh for you: but if the faulte be refourmed, and thinges done orderlye, that you will none of, for that is against you.

As for that you tell vs out of Sabellicus, That many be∣ganne to abhorre the Popes Courtes, &c. not telling vs withal,

where in Sabellicus that should appere, his workes being so large, it semeth to be a manifest Vntruth. For neither in his Aenead. 11. lib. 2. where by the course of time it shoulde be found, neither in Rebus Venetis, nor anye otherwhere can I yet finde it. And therefore vntill you tell vs, where that shamefull accusation was layed in, and by whome, we doe iustlie aunswere you, that it sauoureth shrewdly of a lie.

And yet if all were true, what proue you els, but that then the Pope was an euill man, and his Courte licentiously or∣dered? Whereof if you inferre, M. Horne, that therfore the Prince in England must be Supreame Gouernour, then on the contrarie side we may reason thus. The Pope that now liueth, is a man of miraculouse holinesse, of excellente learning, and no waies reprehensible: His Court also is di∣ligently refourmed, and moste godly ordered (as all that now know Rome, can and do witnesse) Ergo the Quenes Maiestie now, nor no other Prince, can or ought to be su∣preme Gouernour in al causes Ecclesiasticall.

M. Horne. The .144. Diuision. pag. 86 b.

Maximilian the Emperour, Levves the French Kinke, and other Prin∣ces beyonde the seas, vvere not more carefully bent, and moued by theyr learned men to refourme by their authoritie the abuses about (.471.) Church matters, then vvas King Henrie the eight, at the same time King of Eng∣land, of most famous memorie, vvho follovving the humble suits and petiti∣ons of his learned Clergie, agreeing therevpon by vnifourme consent in their Conuocation, toke vppon him that authoritie and gouernment in all matters or causes Ecclesiasticall, vvhich they assured him to belong vnto his estate, both by the vvoord of God, and by the auncient Lavves of the Churche: and therefore promised, in verbo sacerdotij, by their priesthoode, not to

doe any thing in their Councels vvithout his assent, &c. And this Clergie vvas not onely of Diuines, but also of the vvisest, most expert and best lear∣ned in the Ciuil and Canon Lavves, that vvas than or hath bene sence, as D. Tonstall Bisshoppe of Duresme, D. Stokesley Bisshop of London, D. Gar∣diner Bisshop of VVynton. D. Thirlebie Bisshoppe of VVestminster, and af¦ter of Norvvich, and your old Maister D. Bonner, vvho succeded Stok••sley, in the See of Lōdon, and many others: by vvhose aduise and consent, there vvas at that time also a learned booke made and publisshed, De vera differen∣tia Regiae potestatis & Ecclesiasticae, vvhiche I doubte not, but yee haue sene long sithen. Neither vvas this a (.472.) nevv deuise of theirs to please the King vvithal, or their opiniō only, but it vvas ād is the iudgemēt of the most lerned (473) Ciuiliās and Canonists, that vvhē the Clergy are faulty or negligēt, it appertaineth to th'Emperor to cal general councelles for the reformation of the Churche causes, as Phi∣lippus Deciu•• a famous Lavvyer affirmeth. And the Glossator vppon this Canon Principes, affirmeth, that the princes haue iurisdiction in diuers sortes within the Churche ouer the Cleargy, when they be stubbourne, ambitious, subuerters of the faith, falsaries, makers of Schismes, contemners of excommunication: yea also wherein so euer, the Ecclesiasticall povver faileth or is to vveake, as in this Decree. He meaneth vvhere the povver of the Church by the vvorde of doctrine preuaileth not, therein must the Princes authority and iurisdiction take order, for that is the plaine prouis•• in the decree. The vvordes of the decree are as follovv. The seculer princes haue (.474.) oftentimes vvithin the Church the highest authority that they may fence by that power, the Ecclesiastical discipline. But with in the Church the povver (of princes) should not be necessary, sauing that, that thing vvhich the priests are not able to do, by the vvorde of doctrine, the povver (of the prince) may com∣maund, or obteine that, by the terrour of discipline: The hea∣uenlie kingdome dothe oftentimes preuaile or goe forvvarde by the earthlie Kingdome, that those which being vvithin the Churche, dooe againste the faithe and discipline, maye be broughte vnder by the rigoure of princes: and that the po∣vver of the princes, may lay vppon the neckes of the proude,

that same discipline, whiche the profite of the Churche is not hable to exercise: and that he bestowe the force of his authori∣tie, whereby to deserue woorship. Let the Princes of the worlde wel knowe, that they of duety shall rendre an accōpt to God for the Churche, VVhiche they haue taken of Christe to preserue. For vvether the peace and discipline of the Churche be encreased by faithfull princes, or it be loosed: He doth exacte of them an accompt, VVho hath deliuered his Churche to be committed to their povver.

Notes

• Vide Pon∣tanū lib. 2. Rerū me∣morab. pag. 52.
• Pietr•• Messia in vita di Massimi∣liano.
• The 471. vntruth. For not aboute Churche maters, but about maters of the court of Rome.
• The 472. vntruth. It vvas a mere no∣uelty.
• The 473. vntruth. No Ciui∣lians nor Canoni∣stes are of th•• iudge¦ment, vvhiche M. Horne here de∣fendeth. Const. 152 23. q. ••.
• The .474 Vntruth: False trā∣slation.

  Nonnun∣quā som∣times.
• There is diuerse readinges imperet or impetret.
• The Prin¦ces shall geue an accompt to God, for the Church, and the discipline thereof