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.

Stapleton.

AS farre as I can see, al M. Hornes noble prowes and great conquests haue bene and shal be vpon the lāde. By the which he hath brought and will bring (yf ye wil belieue him) vnder his newe Papacy many greate and noble countries: yea Moscouia and Aethiopia to. But hap∣pye yt is, that he is not yet come to the Late newe foūde Landes: where the newe Christian people doe as faste, and as reuerently embrace the Popes authority, as we, af∣ter we haue bene Christian men nowe these thowsande yeares, doe reiecte yt, and that with moste shamefull vi∣lany. But as I said, I fynde no martiall actes of M Hornes, vpon the sea, but this onely, which is so notable and won∣derful, that this one way serue for all. For Lo he carieth all the Popes authoritye awaye in a shippe, to Fraunce: sente thyt••er by the Pope him selfe, as him selfe saieth. For as muche as he sent to Carolus Martellus, the keyes of Saint Peters confession. So that nowe the Pope hathe, beinge therto forced by Maister Horne, belyke in some

terrible combat vppon the seas with sending these keyes, so spoyled him selfe of all his iurisdiction, that he hath no more lefte, then haue all other Ministers of the Churche, and euerye other poore selye Sir Iohn. This is Maister Horne, a iolye triumphante victorye, as euer I reade or hearde of: and these be as wonderfull keyes. Some great and stronge wonders haue I reade, done by keyes. As in Italye, that suche as be bytten with madde dogges haue bene cured by the Churche doore keye of Saint Bellins Churche: who beinge a blessed man, died al to torne with dogges. And this is writen of a greate learned man of late memorie, borne aboute those quarters. I haue reade also, of meruelouse greate miracles done by keyes, that hadde towched the holye reliques of Saint Peter at Rome: writen by Sainte Gregorye, our Apostle, as a thynge moste certainelye and notoriouslye to him and to others knowen. But yet Maister Horne these your keyes seame to me incomparablye to passe all other: And for the straungnes of the matter, and for my better instruction, I woulde full fayne be resolued at your handes but of two dowbtes that trouble and incomber me.

First seinge that this Pope, as Maister Horne reciteth out of P••••••ina, passingly well learned bothe in diuine and pro∣phane l••••rninge, and no lesse godlye, stoute, and constante, hath yelded ouer to a laye Prince (by sendinge to him in a shippe Saint Peters keyes) all his iurisdiction and clayme, that he hadde ouer all causes Ecclesiasticall or temporall, yet for all this good Maister Horne, in this so weightye a matter, I woulde craue at your handes a litle of your good helpe to satisfie my mynde, yea and your wise discrete rea∣ders mynde to.

For I hauing but a dull insight in such matters, for my part, see no great wisedome, vertue, or learning, and lesse stout∣nesse in Gregorie for theis his doings. Your authors in this storie, are here, Martinus and Platina. Yf we shall by them measure his wisdome and stowtenes, and other qualities whithal: yt was partly, for that by his great carefulnes he procured, that Rome being oppressed by the kinge of Lom∣bardie, was releyued: partlie and that most of al for that by a councel holden at Rome almoste of one thowsande bis∣shops, he condemned and accursed the wycked Emperour of Constantinople Leo, for defacyng againe after the 7. Ge∣nerall Councel (beinge persuaded thereto by an hereticall monke) the holy images, as your authour Martinus in Gre∣gories storie writeth: And Platina sayth, that he both excō∣municated themperour Leo, and by sentence declared him to be no Emperour. And so not whithstāding the keies of S. Peter were sent away by shippe, he reserued to him self one of S. Peters keyes, and a litle more authoritie then ye were ware of, yea so much, that he hath geuen you a sore blowe in the face whith his key, ād declared, you ād your fellowes, and your great Emperour to, verie arrant heretyks. I must now ons again be so bolde as to trouble your wisedome: with an other as necessarie a question, and that is: by what authoritye ye auouche, that theis keyes were nothing else, but the popes supreame authoritie and iurisdictiō? Your au∣thors Martinus and Platina say no such thing: No nor anie other, that I could euer chaūce vppō. If this be your owne newe freshe inuention, then haue yowe a iolie pregnante wytte, and ye haue deceyued aswel others, as the late re∣uerent father, M. Bayne, late bishop of Lichfeld and Couē∣trie, his expectation, somtime your reader in Cābridge, that

was wont to call yow quouis connu duriorem: that is, harder then any Horn. But I pray you good Sir is your authority inuoydable? Must we neads sing sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, to al your sayings? and say of you as Pythagoras schollers were wont to say: ipse dixi••: ād reason no further? Let poore blont fellowes be so bold vppon yowe for ones, to heare frō you some better authoritye then your owne naked worde for this noble exposition. Namely seing that your boke is not authorised, by the Quenes cōmissioners, as some others are. And thowgh yt wer, yet might we craue so much at your hands, seing that yowe auouche that, whiche (for all your prety exposition) was not done by this Gregorie, nor could possible be done, onlesse he had bene as frantycke as euer was madde Collyns of Bethelem. Nor I trowe, anie man woulde make or belieue anie suche fonde declarations, but suche as haue lost theyr fyue wyttes. And therefore I say, of all your shameful lies, this maye be crowned for a noto∣riouse, a captayne and an Imperiall Lie.

For wil you see gētle Readers, what were in dede these miraculous keyes that M. Horn hath with such a straunge Metamorphosis turned into al the preeminence, dignitie, and Iurisdlction that the Pope hath aboue other Church Ministers? Verely not in al the xiiij. bookes of Ouides Metamorpho∣sis can there be founde, a more fabulous, more ridiculous, or more vnsauery and vnsensible chaunge, thoughe he talke there of full many, as of men and wemen chaunged into birds, into stones, into bestes, into starres, and into I can not tel what, then is this one most singular and rare inuented Metamorphosis of M. Hornes exacte deuise. And truly M. Horn you hauing such a nūber of good versyfiers to your neighbours, in the famous and wel ordered schole of Win∣chester,

it shoulde be an eternal monument of your singu∣lar witte, if you did procure this your excellent Metamor∣phosis to be put also in verses, and to be adioyned to the other of Ouides, for the rarite and singularnesse thereof. Suche as I trowe all Europe, yea all the wide worlde a∣gaine will not be able to shewe the like. Well: In the meane season that the worthy memory hereof may not vtterly be extinguished, I will shortelye and rudelye sha∣dowe it out, leauing to more excellent wittes, and con∣ning workemen (of which you shall not want M. Horne, if you earnestlye procure them) to sette it forthe in his coulours. First then it is to be vnderstanded gentle Rea∣ders, that bothe before the time of this Gregory .3. and in his time, and after his time, the toumbe, chappell or mo∣nument where S. Peters body laye in Rome, was called of the Romayn writers Confessio B. Petri. S. Peters Confes∣sion. Witnesse hereof before the time of Gregory. the .3. is the Pontificall of Damasus, as Georgius Cassander hath noted out of Petrus Vrbeuetanus. Thus Cassander writeth vpon the worde Confessio. Frequens est haec vox in Pontifi∣cali Damasi. Ante Confessionem S. Petri, de qua P. Vrb. Con∣fessio, inquit, Capsa vel sepulchrum, vel potius corpus B. Petri conditum sub altari. This worde Confessio, saieth Cassander is often founde in the Pontificall of Damasus. Before S. Peters Confession. Whereof Petrus V••beuetanus saieth. By S. Peters Confession is meante, t••e Cophyn or toumbe, or rather the body of S. Peter layed vnder the Aultar.

This was a phrase to expresse that place, where the me∣mory of S. Peter and of his most blessed Cōfessiō cōfessing there Christ, and dying there a glorious Martyr for Christ was by the blessed Relike of his bodye there present, ho∣noured

and contynewed. In the life of Gregory .3. it is wri∣ten of a Synod of .93. bishops holden in S. Peters Chappel at Rome: Coram sacrosancta Confessione Sacratissimi corporis B. Petri residentibus & caet. The bishops sittinge before the holy Confession of the moste blessed body of S. Peter. And with the like phrase it is writen of Zacharias his succes∣sour, that he offred vp before the Confession of S. Peter many Iewels and much treasure. Such phrases are ryfe in the 2. Tome of the Councels, and in the writers of those ages. This beinge firste knowen, lette vs nowe con∣sider the allegation of M. Horne. He saieth Gregory .3. sent by shippe to Charles Martell, the keyes of S. Peters Confession. His Author is Martinus poenitentiarius, one of the poenitentiaries at Rome. The latin of Martinus is this. Claues ex Confessione B. Petri Apostoli accipiens, direxit na∣uali itinere. Here M. Horne hath clerkly turned: Claues ex Confessione B. Petri, The keyes of S. Peters Confession. The latin of this Englishe, were. Claues Confessionis, not Claues ex Confessione. As if I should saie, Claues ex Ecclesia direxit. It were not well Englished I trowe. He sent the keyes of the Churche. But: He sent kayes from the Churche: Which mighte be other keyes pardie, then the Churche keyes. And so is it in this place. Pope Gregory the thyrd sent to Charles Martell, keyes from the Confession of S. Pe∣ter. But not: the keyes of S. Peters confession. The keyes of S. Peters Confession were Claues Regni coelorum: the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, whiche Christe gaue to Pe∣ter, and to onely Peter. And the whiche were not I trowe materiall keyes, suche as might be sente awaye, ei∣ther by sea, or by lande. But keyes from S. Peters Con∣fession were keyes from the body of S. Peter: keyes which

had touched that holy relike, and which by that touch was made it selfe a Relike. Howe proue we this, you say? For∣soth very plainely and euidently by a witnesse well nere a thousande yeres olde, by one of the foure Doctours of the Churche, by our Apostle, learned S. Gregory the first. Such keyes from S. Peters confession to be sent to de∣uoute persons for holy Relikes, was in his tyme and longe before his tyme an vsuall matter. S. Gregory writing to Secundinus an Anachoret (as it seemeth) amonge other re∣likes, as an Image of our Sauiour, of our Lady, and of S. Peter and Paule, and a Crosse also, mentioneth also this kinde of Relike, sayinge. Clauim etiam pro benedictione à sanctissimo Corpore Petri Apostolorum principis &c. We sende you also by this bearer, a keye for a benediction from the most holye bodye of Peter the Prince of the Apo∣stles. A keye from the body, was a keye that hadde tou∣ched the body, or the place where the body was inter∣red. And wil M. Horne nowe say, that S. Gregory sent a∣way to this poore Anchoret his whole preeminence, digni∣ty, and iurisdiction &c? Or because he sent also to one Theo∣dorus a Physitian of Constantinople, Clauem à sacratissimo Petri Corpore, a keye from the most holy body of S. Peter, thinketh M. Horne, that this Physitian had, All the Popes preeminence and iurisdiction geuen him? Or because in like maner he sent to Theotistas and Andreas, two noble men aboute the Emperour, for a benediction of Saint Peter, Clauem à sacratissimo eius corpore, a keye from his moste holye bodye, were they also promoted wyth all the Popes preeminence, dignitye and Iurisdiction, as you affirme Charles Martell was here of Pope Gregory .3. for hauinge suche a Relike sent him by shippe?

S. Gregory saied, he sent those keyes for a Benediction, not for a Iurisdiction. He sent it to the Anchoret, vt per ipsum a maligno defenderetur, cuius signo munitum se crederet. That by him from the deuil he might be defended, by whose to∣ken or remembrance he thoughte him selfe garded. He sent it to Theodorus the Phisicyan, with a piece of S. Pe∣ters chayne enclosed, vt quod illius collum ligauit ad marty∣rum, vestrum ab omnibus peccatis soluat. that the same which had tyed S. Peters necke to martyrdom, may lose yours (saieth S. Gregory to the Physitian) from all sinnes, mea∣ninge from the paynes of synnes. He sent it to the two Noble men, vt per quam omnipotens Deus superbientem & perfidum hominem peremit, per eam vos (qui eum timetis & diligitis) & praesentem salutem & aeternam habere valea∣tis. To thentent that as by that keye God ( miraculously) shewe a proude and wretched man, so by it you (saieth he to them) whiche feare God and loue God, may haue also bothe present sauegarde and euerlastinge. This was M. Horne the popes meaninges and intentes in sendinge to deuoute persons, to Noble men, and to princes, such re∣likes of keyes from the Confession, that is from the body or chappell of S. Peter. And thus whereas M. Horne, by his wonderfull inuentyue wytte had made a straunge me∣tamorphosis, of a Relique from S. Peters body, into al the preeminence dignitie and Iurisdictiō of the Pope aboue other Churche Ministers, they are nowe agayne by a happy re∣uolution, God be thanked, returned to their former shape, and appere as they did before, in their owne natural like∣nesse. And that wythe more truthe a greate deale, then Lucians Asse hauing trotted many yeres ouer downes and dales, came at lengthe by eating of red roses to be Lucian

him selfe agayne as it was before, and as they saie, it was neuer other.

But if M. Horne notwithstanding al this, wil yet vphold his straunge metamorphosis, and delight him selfe stil ther∣in, the rather bicause S. Gregory in al those places speaketh but of a keye, and not of keyes, as Gregory the .3. is saied to haue sente to Charles Martell: then lo M. Horne for your ful satisfaction in this poynt, yet an other place of S. Gre∣gory, wherein he sendeth euen keyes also. Writing to Co∣lumbus a bishop of Numidia, at the ende of his letters he sayeth. Etiam Claues beati Petri in quibus de cathenis ipsius inclusum est, tibi pro benedictione transmisi. I haue sent you also by this bearer the keyes of S. Peter, in which there is of his chaynes enclosed for a benediction. Lo M. Horne here are sent to a bishop of Numidia not the keyes from or of S. Peters Confession (which you see are but keyes of or from his toumbe or body) as to Charles Martell onely were sent, but the very keyes of S. Peter him selfe. But what? Had that bishoppe therefore all the popes preemi∣nence and Iurisdiction sent him? Nay this notwithstan∣dinge, what Iurisdiction and supreme gouernement thys verye pope practised ouer Numidia and all Afrike to, bothe in these very letters partlye appereth, and more largely it maye appeare, if you vóuchesafe M. Horne to reade that litle onely which in this matter I haue saied to your pewefelowe M. Iewell, in my laste Returne of vn∣truthes vppon his moste lyinge Replie. And here you heare S. Gregory saie he sent him, these keyes, pro benedi∣ctione: For a benediction, not for a Iurisdiction. For a ho∣ly Relike: not for a supreme dignitie. For a deuoute re∣membraunce, not for a princelye preeminence: As you

moste fondelye and ignorantlye do pronounce. Yea and this you so folowe and pursewe from hence forewarde, as the very grounde and foundation of all the Supreme gouernement, whiche you woulde so fayne fasten vppon princes heads, a thinge of them neuer yet so much as de∣sired or dreamed of.

For lo vpon this ioyly grounde you buylde and say. The heyres and successours of this Charles Martell, did keepe these keyes from rustinge. Verely I thinke in dede bothe he and his godly successours, vsed that Relike and many other deuoutely, and did not suffer it to ruste aboute them. A poynt for this relike, say you. I saie: They exercised the same iurisdiction and gouernement in Ecclesiastical causes, that the Emperours and kings had done from the time of Constantine & caet. Verelye and so thinke I to. But you see nowe Maister Horne, at leste euery discrete Reader seeth, that from the time of Constantin hytherto, neuer Prince but heretikes, as Constantius and Anastasius wythe a fewe suche, gouuerned in causes Ecclesiasticall. Namely in al things and causes, as you by Othe make folke to sweare, I should say, forsweare.

But as touchinge thys Charles Martell, and Carolo∣manus his sonne (whom you call his nephewe, and kinge Pipins sonne) and their gouuernement in Ecclesiasticall causes, gouuernement they had none, nor exercised none. You tel vs of such a thinge, but you proue no such thinge. The whole dealing of Gregory the .3. with Charles Martel and of pope Zachary with Carolomannus his sonne, was onely that they shoulde take the Churche of Rome in to their protection, (beinge then the moste mighty prin∣ces in this parte of Christendom) seinge the Emperours

of Constantinople had by heresy (as Leo then the Icono∣mache) and other crueltyes, rather forsaken it and oppres∣sed it, then succoured it, and defended it. And therefore of this facte of Gregory the .3. Sabellicus a moste diligente chronicler, writeth thus. Tum primùm Romanae vrbis Apo∣stolicae{que} sedis tutela, quae ad Constantinopolitanos principes (si quid grauius accidisset) omnia sua desideria conferre consue∣uisset, Gallorum est Regum facta. Then began the Frenche princes to take vpō thē the protection of the Cyty of Rome and of the See Apostolike, which had bene wonte (before) to referre al their griefes to the Emperours of Constanti∣nople, if any weightyer matter had befallē. And againe. Sus∣cepit nihil grauatè pientissimū patrociniū Carolus Pōtificis roga¦tu. Charles at the request of the pope toke vpon him wil∣lingly that most charitable or godly protection. And this lo was that which Pope Gregory by sendīg keyes frō S. Peters Cōfessiō to Charles Martel, did seke ād fewe for at his hāds. M. Horn shooteth farre wide to imagine herin al the popes Iurisdictiō, dignite and preeminēce to be sent away by ship into Frāce. And as for Carolomanus, of whose supreme go∣uernmēt M. Horn fableth here so much, within .4. yeres af∣ter this great Authoryty exercised, wēt to Rome, offred hī selfe to the pope, ād was shorē in for a Mōke. And what or wherin cōsisted his Authoryty? He summoned a Coūcel you say, and many decrees were made there by his Authoryty. Yea but why tel you not that pope Zacharias at the request of Bonifacius, gaue to him ād to this Carolomanus, a speciall Cōmissiō by his letters to cal this Synod, ād to decree ther∣in such things as Bonifacius should think behoueful for that time? Why in your very narratiō do you euē in the middest of your allegatiō where you talk of this Bonifacius, leaue

out quite, and nippe of these wordes: Qui est missus S. Petri. Who is the Popes Legat? Why deale you not trulye, and why tell you not al? Forsoth because truth is none in you, and al maketh against you. In Nauclerus you may see and reade at large the Popes Commission to Bonifacius and to the Prince for keping this Synod, and for orderīg the same. Yet you tell all for the Emperour, as though the Pope had don nothing. O wilful malice, and malicious wilfulnesse. M. Horne is not content to be blinde him selfe. He wil also make his readers blīd. And because he loueth not the truth, or the truth loueth not him, therfore he would his Reader should learne the falshood and be as false as him self is.

But againe what impudency is this, to bring Caroloma∣nus doinges, by the which euen in your own narration, the holy Chrisme, the masse, and other orders of the Churche, that ye haue abolisshed, are confirmed? and your whordome with M. Madge, is punished by derogation, penance, and otherwise euen by your own supreme head, Corolomanus? Which did not degrade any priest actually him self, or cau∣sed any to be degraded, by his supreame authoritye (as ye seame by a false sense to inferre) but caused them by the or∣dinary meanes, and according to the rules and canons to be degraded. Who also made him selfe no Churche lawes, as M. Horn here vntruly noteth, but did al by the authority of Pope Zacharias, who (as I haue said, and as in Nauclere it appeareth) gaue Commission to Bonifacius the Bisshop to kepe a Synod in the Dominion of this Carolomanus, in which Synode all these Churche lawes were made. All which euidently proueth the Popes Primacy at that tyme, not the Princes.

Notes

• M. Horns great provves.
• Al the Popes au¦thoritye sent away by sea in a shippe.
• Miracles done by keyes.
• Coelius Rhodigin{us} Lect. an∣tiq. lib. 17. cap. 28. Gregor. li. 6. epist. 23.
• M. Horns merue∣louse ex∣position of Saint Peters keyes.
• Martinus. Synodum pene .1000. episcoporū Romae ce∣lebrādo ve¦nerationē sanctarū imaginū cōfirmat, atque vio∣latores ge∣nerali sen∣tētia ana∣themati∣zauit.
• Zonaras: Tom. 3.
• M. Horn shevveth no author for his io∣lie expo∣sition.
• M. Horns boke is not set forth by the Que∣nes au∣thoritye.
• VVhat vvere the keyes that vver sent to Char∣les Martel
• Georg. Cas¦sander in Ordine Romano.
• P. Vrb. in scholijs in vitas Pōt. Damasi.
• Tom. 2. Conc. pa. 434. col. 2. c

  Ibidē pag. 445. c. 2.
• Gregorius Secundino seruo Dei incluso lib. 7. epistol. 53. Indict. 2.
• Lib. 6. epist. 25.
• Lib. eodē. epist. 23.
• Lib. 7. epi¦stol. 53.
• Lib. 6. epi¦stol. 25.
• Lib. eodē epist. 23.
• Of this Miracle, Vide Greg. loco citate
• Lib. 2. epist. 47. Indict. 11.
• Art. 4. fol. 10. & 11.
• Sabellicus Aenead. 8. lib. 8.
• Naucle∣rus Gene∣rat: 25. p. 793. co. 1.
• Nauc. pa 790. & 791.
• Masse cō∣firmed, ād M. Horn degraded by Caro∣loma∣nus his su¦preme head.
• Naucler{us} generat. 25. pa. 79.