The estate of the Church with the discourse of times, from the apostles vntill this present: also of the liues of all the emperours, popes of Rome, and Turkes: as also of the Kings of Fraunce, England, Scotland, Spaine, Portugall, Denmarke, &c. With all the memorable accidents of their times. Translated out of French into English by Simon Patrike, Gentleman.

Iohn Hus.

The light brought in by the writings of Wickliffe, greatly profited such as came after him, and aboue all to Iohn Hus, who also cleansed the fountaines of the Gospell, which were fil∣led not onely with infectious clay and mire, but also euen with mortall poyson, which the begging Monkes and prophane Schoole-philosophie had tempered. And although the vertue that God had giuen to this person, meriteth a longer recitall of his beginning, yet we will send the Readers to the booke of Martirs, since Wickliffe and Hus. As for vs, we haue chiefly to render thankes vnto God, that through him and other true faithfull, he hath sent vs the light of his Gospell.

The Pope Benet gaue to Charles the sixt, king of France,* 1.1 the tenth part of all Ecclesiasticall goods: partly that the king should maintaine and defend him, and partly to the end hee himselfe might bee partaker of the bootie. And as hee made his residencie in his Countrie of Catalongne, in a strong Castle called Pauiscole, maintaining himselfe to be the true Vicar of Iesus Christ; he was condemned many waies by the authoritie of the said Councell.

He assembled a Councell at Parpignan, and created many Cardinalls. Finally, dying at Pauiscole the yeare of our Lord, 1424. he commaunded his Cardinall, that straight they should chuse an other in his place, and they elected one called Giles Munios, Chanon of Bercelone,* 1.2 and named him Clement the 8. He incontinently at the Instigation of the king Alphonsus crea∣ted Cardinalls, and did all that which Popes are accustomed to do. But after that Pope Martin the first had agreed with the king Alphonsus, Giles by his commaundement, renounced all the rights which he pretended in the Popedome, and was de∣clared Bishop of Maiorque, and the Cardinalls created by him, willingly renounced their dignities of Cardinalls.

The witnesse of Mathias Flactius of Esclauonia, a diligent Author, extracted and taken out of Theodoric of Nyem, shall not bee heere impertinent: who made a Chronicle of that schisme, comprised in three bookes. Theodoric of Nyem saith

he, who was a very familiar Secretarie to a certaine Pope, and a good and a wise man, hath faithfully described the historie of this schisme, which hath bene amongst Popes by the space of 39. yeares before the Councell of Constance. Good God what subtilties, what fraudes, what wickednesse, and what straunge acts rehearseth he of those Popes and good spirituall Fathers in that Historie: whereby they mocke God, all Religion, and the Church of Iesus Christ, yea molest and do subiect it to their tirannie? And surely I cōfesse that although before I had read, heard, and seene many of their villainies, and that therefore I had conceiued in my selfe an euil opiniō of the malice of that Antichrist and of his children, yet after I had read this booke, I perceiued that they were ten times more wicked then euer I could haue thought before. In the same booke also he saith, that such are not worthy of the title of Emperour, which make a countenance not to see, yea dissemble the execrable wicked∣nesse of Popes tirannies.

* 1.3Chrysoloras of Constantinople, taught Greeke Letters in Italy, which 700. yeares before had not bene in vse: whose daughter espowsed at Constantinople, Francis Philelphe.

* 1.4Bertholde Schwartz Monke and Alchemist was the first of Gunnes and Artillerie about this time.

Scotland conuerted to the Faith.

Wencelaus Emperour for his cowardise and couetousnesse was deposed from the Empire, and his Nephewe elected.

* 1.5Iosse sonne of Iohn Henry, Marquis of Morauia, who was [ 1400] the brother of Charles the fourth of that name, Marquis of Brandebourge, an vnprofitable man, was chosen king of the Ro∣manes by some, before Robert (as some say) being now old, be∣cause he was the vncle of Wencelaus, yet he was neuer crowned: For there passed not sixe monethes after his Election.

* 1.6Robert or Rupert, Duke of Bauiere, and Count Palatin of Rhene, was chosen after Frederic Duke of Brunswic and of Lu∣nebourge. This Frederic was a valiant Prince, wise and exerci∣sed in Armes, and truly worthy to gouerne the Empire, but there was long time enmitie betwixt him and the Archpriest of Magunce. For before he was crowned, the Count of Waldec

hauing charge of this gentle Archbishop,* 1.7 hee slew him villai∣nously, which was cause of great hurly burly and tumult throughout all Almaine, vntill the Princes Electors assembled in the Towne of Bopert: where they Elected Robert Count Palatin, a man well exercised in deeds of warre, and a great lo∣uer of Iustice, but of a small stature: But willing to enter into Aix la Chapelle to be crowned, the Citizens were against it: saying that in that case they could not fauour Robert, because as yet they were not absolued of the oath they had giuen to Wencelaus: But that the election might not be vnprofitable, the Bishop of Colongne,* 1.8 crowned Robert in the Towne of Co∣longne. After this, Robert made preparation to goe to Rome, the yeare 1402. to receiue the Imperiall Crowne, but hee was hindred by the Venetians and Millanois, and so could not exe∣cute that which he had enterprised.* 1.9 Hee dyed at Oppenhem the tenth yeare of his Empire, and was buried in the Towne of Heidelbourge.

Innocent the seuenth, borne at Sulmo, before called Cosmar de Peruse, Priest, Cardinall of the title of Saint Crosse: all Italie beeing in great trouble, was created Pope after Boniface the ninth.

This Pope (as Platina saieth) beeing yet a Cardinall, vsed customably to reprehend the negligence and pucillanimi∣tie of Popes: saying that with their carelesnesse the schisme and trouble which was thē so great, as well in the Romane Church as in the common-wealth, tooke yet no end. But being moun∣ted into the Papall seate, and in some things following the fa∣shions of Ʋrbain and Boniface, his predecessors which he re∣prehended, being a priuate person, not onely he did the things which he condemned so sore before, but he could not so much as beare, that one should speake to him thereof.

He gouerned the affaires in such confusiō, that once the Ci∣tizens of Rome beeing come towards him to require him that they might haue their old libertie, & be put in possession of the Capitoll, of the bridge Miluins, and of the Fortresse of Adrian:* 1.10 And that that pernitious schisme which was in the Church might be takē away: wars & seditions banished: remonstrating

that to do the same, the king of France promised to deliuer his hand, and that Leter de Luna would not refuse to enter into the way of agreement. But in place to graunt their request, hee sent them towards his Nephewe Loys, who remained at the hospitall of the holy spirit as were towards an hangman pre∣pared for them, who tooke eleuen of his Citizens which came to consult with him touching the affaires of their Common-wealth, which was in perishing by the Popes negligence, and put them all to death, he after cast them out of the windowes to the ground, saying that schismes and seditions could not be o∣therwise taken away.

With this crueltie the Romane people being mooued, ha∣uing called to their aide Ladislaus (or Lancelot) king of Pouille, tooke Armes for the punishment of that cut-throate Lewis; but the Pope to shunne the furie of the people, fled to Viterbe, with Lewis his Nephewe.

* 1.11The people seeing they could not take vengeance of him that had committed such wickednesse, fel vpon the Curtezans, whose goods were almost all pilled: yet some saued themselues in the Cardinals houses: which being ayded with their people, receiued such as came vnto them, although very hardly.

After the Romanes hauing taken the Capitoll, and being seized of the Mount Miluins, they assailed the Fortresse of Aebrian: but it was lost labour, although Iohn Colomne the Count of Troy, and other valiant Captaines assisted them vnder the conduction of the King Ladislaus. In the end this stirre be∣ing appeased, the Pope came againe to Rome, where he crea∣ted many Cardinalls: amongst which was Angelius Corrairus a Venetian, Petrus Philargus of Creete, and Otho Colomnus a Ro∣mane Gentleman.* 1.12 Hauing by this meanes strengthned & esta∣blished his Popedome, he created Lewis his Nephwewe, Mar∣quis of Pise, and after appointed him for the principalitie of Firman.

This Pope demaunded as well in France as in England, the halfe of all Ecclesiasticall reuenewes (as Gaguin saith) but it was not graunted him. After which things he liued not long: for the yeare 1407. he died at Rome.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An admoni∣tion to giue thankes vnto God.
• * 1.2

  The Councell of Constance condemned this Pope Clement. 8.
• * 1.3

  Chrysoloras.
• * 1.4

  Gunnes.
• * 1.5

  Iosse.
• * 1.6

  Robert.
• * 1.7

  Robert.
• * 1.8

  Robert crowned at Colongne.
• * 1.9

  The death of Robert.
• * 1.10

  The Romanes request to the Pope.
• * 1.11

  Rising of the Romane peo∣ple.
• * 1.12

  The Marqui∣sate of Pise.