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K. Henry. 7. Hieronymus Sauonarola with two other fryers, Martyrs.

MarginaliaProphecie of Hieron. Sauonarola agaynst Italy.and indignatiō of God, and prophecied before vnto thē, that the lande should bee ouerthrowen for the pryde and wickednes of the people, and for the vntruth, hypocrisie and falshod of the clergy, whiche God would not leaue vnreuenged, as afterward it came to passe, MarginaliaPope Alexander besieged by Charles the French kyng.when as K. Charles came into Italy and to Rome, and so straitly beset the Pope Alexāder, that he was forced to make cōposition with the kyng.

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MarginaliaSauonarola cited to appeare before the pope.Nowe for somuch as the sayd Hierome would not leaue of preachyng, hee was commaunded to appeare before the Pope, to geue accompt of his newe learnyng, (for so then they called the truth of the Gospell:) but by meanes of the manifold perils, he made his excuse that he could not come. MarginaliaThe doctrine of Sauonarola cōdemned, because he would not come before the pope.Then was he agayne forbydden by the Pope to preache, and his learnyng pronounced and condempned as pernicious, false and sedicious.

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This Hieronimus, as a man worldly wise, foreseing the great perils & daungers that might come vnto him, for feare, lefte of preachyng. But when as the people, whiche sore hungred and longed for Gods worde, were instant vpon him that he would preach agayne, MarginaliaSauonarola preacheth contrary to the popes cōmaundement.he begā agayne to preach in the yeare of our Lord. 1496. in the Citie of Florence: and albeit that many councelled him that he should not so do without the Popes cōmaundement, yet did he not regarde it, but went forward frely of his owne good will. Whē as the Pope and his shauelynges  

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This is a prejorative term for priest.

heard newes of this, they were greuously incensed and inflamed agaynst him, and now agayne cursed him, as an obstinate & stifnecked heretike. But for all that, Hieronymus proceded in teachyng & instructyng þe people, saying, þt men ought not to regarde such curses, which is agaynst the true doctrine and the common profite, wherby the people should be learned and amended, Christes kyngdome enlarged, and the kyngdome of the deuill vtterly ouerthrowen.

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In all his preachyng, hee desired to teache no other thyng then the onely pure and simple worde of God, makyng often protestation that all men should certifie him if they had heard him teach or preach any thyng contrary thereunto, for vpon his owne conscience he knew not that he had taught any thyng but þe pure word of God. What his doctrine was all men may easely iudge by hys bookes that he had writen.

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MarginaliaHieronnymus with ii. other fryers cōmitted to prison.After this, in þe yeare of our Lord. 1498. he was taken and brought out of S. Markes cloister, and two other friers with him, named Dominick and Siluester, which fauoured his learning, & was caried into prison, MarginaliaThe cōmentarie of Hierome Sauon. vpon the Psalme beginning: In te domine speraui.whereas he wrote a goodly meditacion vpon that most comfortable. 31. Psalme. In te domine speraui non cōfundar in æternum sed in iusticia tua libera me. Wherein hee doth excellently describe and set fourth, the continuall strife betwene the fleshe and the spirite.

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After this þe popes Legates came to Florence, & called fourth these three good men, threatenyng them marlously, but they continued still constant. MarginaliaArticles obected against Hierome and the two fryers.Then came the chief Counsailers of the citie, with the Popes commissioners, whiche had gathered out certayne Articles agaynst these men, wherupon they were condempned to death: the tenour of whiche Articles hereafter ensue.  

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The first eight of these articles come from Matthias Flacius, Catalogustestium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 565. The remaining six are culled from the accountof Savanorola in Philippe de Commynes, De Carlo Octavo…et bello Neapolitano Commentarii [Paris, 1561], pp. 105-7, where they are not, however, presented as articles objected against Savanorola.

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Marginalia1.The first article was as touching our free iustification through fayth in Christ.

Marginalia2.That the communion ought to be ministred vnder both kindes.

Marginalia3.That the indulgences and pardons of the Pope, were of no effecte.

Marginalia4.For preaching agaynst the filthy and wicked liuing of the Cardinalls and spiritualtie.

Marginalia5.For denying the Popes supremacie.

Marginalia6.Also that he had affirmed, that the keyes were not geuē vnto Peter alone, but vnto the vniuersall church.

Marginalia7.Also, that the Pope dyd neyther followe the life nor doctrine of Christ, for that he dyd attribute more to hysown pardons and traditions, then to Christes merites, and therfore he was Antichrist.

Marginalia8.Also, that the Popes excommunications are not to be feared, and that he which doth feare or flye them, is excommunicate of God.

Marginalia9.Item, that auricular confession, is not necessarye.

Marginalia10.Item, þt he had moued þe Citizens to vprore & seditiō.

Marginalia11.Item, that he had neglected & contemned the popes citation.

Marginalia12.Item, that he had shamefully spoken agaynst, and slaundered the pope.

Marginalia13.Item, that he had taken Christ to witnes of hys noughtines and heresie.

Marginalia14.Also, þt Italy must be clensed through Gods scourge, for the manifolde wickednes of þe princes and clergye.

These and such other lyke articles, were layd vnto them, and read before them. Then they demaunded of the sayd Hierome and hys companions, whether they would recant and geue ouer their opinions. Whereunto they answered, þt through Gods help, they woulde stedfastly continue in the manifest truth, and not depart from the same. Then were they disgraded one after an other, by the Byshop of Vasion, and so deliuered ouer to the secular rulers of Florence, with straight commaundement, to cary them forth, and handle them as obstinate and stifnecked heretikes.MarginaliaHierome with hys two companions hāged and brent for the Gospells truth.

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Thus, was the worthy witnesse of Christ, with þe other ij. aforesaid, first hanged vp openly in the market place,

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The burning and hanging of Savonarola, together with two other friars, on 23 May 1498, was represented in a small, evidently custom-made image that recalls that of the Lollards in 1414, likewise condemned for secular and spiritual transgression. While they are clearly distinguished by their dress from those earlier offenders, the illustrator has avoided portraying these religious with the characteristics (tonsure, fat girth etc) commonly assigned to members of religious orders. All three were too be seen as godly reformers. The scene is very different from the great display in the piazza in Florence as portrayed in Italy, showing the burning taking place in the civic centre on an impressive specially constructed platform. Note that this is the second illustration to depict the martyrs as apparently deceased (they all have their eyes closed), rather than at the point of suffering or prior to it. CUL: All three men are in white have brown hair and beards. WREN: the same details appear in this copy.

& afterward burnt to ashes, & the ashes gathered vp, & cast into the riuer of Arum, þe 23. day of May in the yeare of our lord. 1499. Ex Catal. testium. Illyrici.

MarginaliaThe prophecies of Hierome Sauonarola.Thys mā foreshewed many thynges  

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The statement that Savanorola prophesied the destruction of Florence and Rome and also the renewal of the Church comes from Matthias Flacius, Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 565; the claim that he prophesied thatthe Turks would convert to Christianity and that Charles VIII would cross the Alpsand conquer Italy comes from Philippe de Commynes, De Carlo Octavo…et belloNeapolitano Commentarii {Paris, 1561], pp. 106-7.

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to come, as the destructiō of Florence & Rome, & the renuing of the church: which three thinges, haue happened in these tymes, within our remembraunce. Also he foreshewed that the Turkes and Mores in the latter dayes, should be conuerted vnto Christ. He also declared that one shoulde passe the Alpes into Italy, lyke vnto Cyrus, which should subuert and destroy all Italy. Wherupon  
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The description of the learned men who hailed Savanorola as a prophet, including Commynes, is translated word-for-word from Matthias Flacius,Catalogus testium veritatis (Basel, 1562), p. 565.

Iohannes Franciscus Picus, Earle of Mirandula, called him a holy prophet, and defended hym by hys writyngs agaynst the Pope. MarginaliaEx Ioans Francisc. Mirandula.Many other learned men also, do defend the innocencie of the said Sauonarola. Marsilius Ficinus also, in a certayne epistle doth attribute vnto hym the spirite of prophecie, greatly commending and praysing hym. MarginaliaEx Marsilio Ficino.In lyke maner Philippus Comineas a French historiographer, which had conference with hym, witnesseth that he was a holy man, and full of the spirite of prophecie, for so much as he had foreshewed vnto him so many thinges, which the euent had proued true.

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MarginaliaEx Philip. Cominea.There were besides these, many other, not to be pas-

sed
GG.ij.