agaynst the same. Ex lib. Pragm. Sanctionis.

Amongest many decrees of the sayd Councell of Basill, in the. xix. Sessiō there was also a decree made touchyng the cōuertyng of Iewes and yong nouesses in religion, vnto the Christian faith.

MarginaliaAn acte made for the conuersion of the Iewes.Also that all ordinaries should yearely at appointed tymes, prouide certeyne men well learned in the holye Scriptures, in such places where Iewes and other infidels did dwell, to declare to them the truth of the Catholicke fayth, þ^t they acknowledgyng their errour, myght forsake the same: vnto the which preachyng, þ^e sayd ministers should compel thē to resorte, and to heare, vnder payne of excludyng them from occupyeng any more in that place: prouided that the sayd Diocesans and preachers should behaue thē selues towardes thē, mercyfully and with all charitie, wherby they myght wynne thē to Christ, not onely by the declaryng of the veritie, but also in exhibityng other offices of humanitie.

MarginaliaAn acte for studying the Hebrue, Greeke, Latyn, and Chaldey.And to the intent their preachyng might be the more frutefull, & that the preachers might be þ^e better instructed in the tongues, it was also in the same Councell prouided and commaunded, that the constitution made before in the councell of Vienna for learnyng the Hebrue, Chalday, Araby, and Greke tōgue, should by all meanes be obserued and kept, and ordinarye stipendes prouided for them that should teache the same toungues.

MarginaliaAgaynst priests that kept concubines.An other decree moreouer in the. xx. Session was enacted, that who soeuer was knowen or publickly noted to be a keper of Concubines, should be sequestred from all frutes of his benefices for þ^e space of. 3. monethes, which frutes should be conuerted by þ^e ordinary, to the reparations, or some other vntilitie of the Churche, and if he dyd not so amend, it was by the Synode decreed þ^t he should be clerely deposed from all his benefices.

Furthermore, the sayd Synode did greatlye inueye agaynst thē, which, hauyng the iurisdiction of þ^e church, did not shame to suffer such whoremaisters for brybes and money, still to continue in their filthynes. &c.

By these decrees of the Councell aboue specified, it is to be sene, what corruptiō had bene thē frequented in the Churche of God, throughe the Byshop and court of Rome. For the more expresse declaration whereof, wee thought it not much impertinent here to infer þ^e wordes of one Martin Meyr, writyng to Aeneas Silui⁹, touching and noting the sayd corruptions: the tenour of whose epistle here ensueth.

MarginaliaAn epistle of Martyn Meyr to Æneas Syluius, translated into Englishe, the latine wherof is extant in the former edition of thys booke.
Ex Orth. Grat.J Haue vnderstande by certaine of my frendes letters, that you are created Cardinall. I am glad for your parte, that you haue receyued so woorthy rewardes for your vertues. I reioyse also for my owne part, that my frend hath attayned vnto such a dignity, wherin he may in time to come, both helpe me & my frendes. But this is a grief vnto me, þ^t you haue happened vpon those daies, whiche seeme to be troublesome to the Apostolicke sea. For there are many cōplaintes made vnto my Lord the Archbishop, vpon the pope, that he wil neither kepe the decrees of the Councell of Constance, neither of Basill, neither yet thinketh him selfe bound to the couenauntes of his predecessours, and seemeth vtterly to contemne our nation, and to seke the vtter ruine thereof. For it is euident that the election of Prelates is euery where reiected: benefices and dignities, of what sort so euer they be, are reserued for the Cardinals and chief notaries: and you your selfe haue obtayned the reseruation of. iij. prouinces of Germany, vnder suche a forme, as hath not bene accustomed, or heard of. Vowsons or giftes of benefices are graunted without nomber: yearely stipendes, and halfe the reuenues are exacted without delaye, and it is euident that there is more extorted then is due. The regimentes of Churches are not committed vnto such as best deserue them, but vnto such as offer most money for them, and new pardons are graūted out dayly to scrape and gather together money. Tythes are commaundedMarginaliaThe corruption of the church of Rome detected.to bee exacted without the consente of our Prelates, for the Turkishe warre, and those matters whiche were accustomed to bee debated and determined at home, are nowe caried vnto the Apostolicke sea of Rome. A thousand wayes are inuented and deuised, howe the sea of Rome may by subtilty and by craft, extort and get golde and treasure from vs, euē as it were of the Turkes or Barbarians: wherby our nation, which was somtime famous & valiaunt, which by their power & bloud, cōquered the Romaine Empire, and was once the Lady and Queene of al the world, now being brought vnto pouerty, is made a handmayde, and become tributary, and beyng now in extreme miserye, hath of longe tyme bewayled her cruell fortune and pouerty. But now our nobles beyng (as it were) wakened out of their sleape, haue begon to consider and deuise with them selues, by what meanes they might withstande this calamity, and vtterlye shake of this yoke and bondage, and haue determined with them selues to chalenge agayn their former liberty. This wil be no small losse vnto the court of Rome, if the princes of Germany bryng to passe that whiche they haue deuised. Wherfore as much as I do reioyce of your late obtained dignity, so much also am I moued and greued that these thynges happen in your dayes. But peraduēture Gods determination is otherwise, & his will shall surely take place. You in the meane time be of a good chere, & deuise according to your wisedome, by what meanes, the vehemencie of these floudes maye be stayed. Thus fare you well.

From Hasthaffenberge, the last day
of August.

MarginaliaThe authoritie of the councell of Basill expended.Concerning the autority of this generall councel of Basill, what is to be estemed by the Actes & fruites therof, may be vnderstand of all good men. Neyther was it of any mā doubted in the first beginning, so long as the Pope agreed and consented vnto it. But after the Pope began to draw backe, many other followed, especiallye of the richer sort of Prelates, which had anye thing to lose: whereof sufficientlye hath bene sayd by Arelatensis the Cardinall before. In the number of these vncōstant prelates, besides many other, was first Cardinal Iulian, the first collector of this councell, and Vicegerent of the Pope, as by his feruent and vehement letter wrytten to pope Eugenius in defence of this councell, may well appeare: MarginaliaThe epistle of the Cardinall Iuliā to the pope, in the commendation of the councell of Basill.Wherin he most earnestly doth expostulate with the foresayd Pope Eugenius, for seekyng to dissolue the councell, and declareth in the same manye causes, why he should rather reioyce, and geue God thankes, for the godlye procedinges, and ioyfull agrement betwene the councel and the Bohemians, and so exhorteth him with manifold persuasions, to resort to the councel him selfe, and not to seeke the dissolution of the same. The copye & tenour of whose epistle to the pope, if any be disposed to peruse the same, is extant in our former edition of Actes and Monumentes, ther to be sene and red. Pag. 330.

In like manner Aeneas Syluius also, with hys owne hande and writing, not onely gaue testimonye to the autority of this councell, but also bestowed hys labour and trauail in setting forth the whole story therof. Notwithstanding, the same Syluius afterwarde being made Pope, with hys new honour, did alter and chaunge hys old sentence. The Epistle of which Aeneas, touching the commendation of the sayde Councell, because it is but short, and will occupye but litle roume, I thought here vnder, for the more satisfieng of the readers mynde, to inserte.

MarginaliaAn epistle of Æneas Syluius, in defence of the councel of Basill.TO a Christian mā, which wyl be a true Christian in dede, nothing ought to be more desyred, thē that the syncerity & purenes of faith, geuē to vs of Christ by our forefathers, be kept of all men immaculate: and if at any time, any thing be wrought or attempted against the tru doctrine of the Gospell, the people ought with one consent, to prouide lawful remedy, and euery man to bring wyth hym some water to quench the generall fyre: Neyther must we feare howe we be hated or enuied, so we