great captaine in the North, betwen ij. mountaines, the depenes of xij. cubites, least that filthy corrupt nation should pollute the earth with their wickednes. Wherby are ment these Turkes, whiche commyng out from the vttermost parts of þe North, MarginaliaScythia iuxta Caucasum.that is, out of Scythia & the mountaines of Caucasus or els Imaus, were with holdē and kept backe of Almightie God, for Christes cause, that they might not harme his Churche a long space, duryng the tyme of xij. hundreth yeares: and then, þe sinnes of þe Christians so deseruyng, they were permitted of almighty God to breake out, & to inuade þe Church: Who now ioyning together with þe Saracens, haue wrought, & daily do worke, all these greuaunces against our Christiā brethren: as we see this day is come to passe, and more is lyke to folow, except the hād of the Lord, whiche let them out, do plucke them in agayne.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaVictorye of the Christians gotte agaynst the Saracens.Moreouer, in the meane space, betwene the reigne of the Saracens and the Turkes, where Methodius speaketh of the kyng of Romaines, whiche should restore quietnes to the Churche, and should reigne in Hierusalem a sabbate of times and halfe a sabbat: therby semeth to bee vnderstand the viage of Christian princes out of the Weast partes of Europe,MarginaliaEx Paulo Iouio. vnder Gotfridus Duke of Lotharyng and his ij. brethren and many other Christen princes, with 300. thousand footemen, and 100. thousand horsemen: MarginaliaThe Citie of Hierusalem recouered by the Christians, from the Saracens.who fightyng agaynst the Saracens, recouered agayne from them, the Citie of Hierusalem, in the yeare of our Lord. 1099. whiche citie before had bene in their possession, the terme of. 490. yeares.
From Paolo Giovio, Turcarum rerum Commentarius as excerpted in Theodore Bibliander, Machumetis Saracenorum principis…Alcoran (Basel, 1550), III, p. 107.
MarginaliaThe comming and markes of Antichrist described.About which yeare and tyme (as foloweth in Methodius) when the Citie of Hierusalem shall bee wonne of the Turkes, then shall Antichrist begyn to be borne of the tribe of Dan, of whom came Iudas Iscarioth, and shalbe borne in Chorosaim & bredde in Bethsaida, and reigne in Capernaum: Meanyng that this Antichrist or sonne of perdition, shalbe ful of Gods malediction, noted by Iudas Iscarioth, and these iij. Cities, agaynst whom were spoken thryse Væ of the Lord.
[Back to Top]And here is moreouer to bee noted, that Methodius sayth, not that Antichrist shall be borne among the Saracens, or Turkes, but among the people of God, and of þe tribe of Israel. Wherby is to be collected, that Antichrist shall not come of þe Saracens, nor Turkes, but shal spring vp among the Christiās, & (sayth Methodius) shall seme, to come out of the temple, to deceaue many. &c. MarginaliaThe pope putting downe kinges and Emperours.Wherby the pope may seme rather then the Saracen or the Turke, to be described, for so much as the pope, being elected, nourished, and reignyng in the middest of Gods people, at Rome, sitteth in þe temple, and very place of Christ: and (no doubt) deceaueth many. &c.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe tyme of Antichrist.And now to come to þe tyme assigned of Method. here is to be added also, that which we read in Antoninus Par. 3. that about this said present time, a certain bishop of Florēce preached þt Antichrist was then cōmyng. But the Pope cōmaunded him to kepe silence & to speake no more therof.
St. Antoninus, Historiarum Domini Antonini Archipraesulis Florentini (Paris, 1543), III, fo. 26v.
Gratian flourished in the mid-twelfth century and Peter Lombard lived from c.1100-1160. But Innocent III reigned 1198-1216. It is hardly accurate to say that they created transubstantiation, but they personified (respectively) canon law, scholastic theology and papal power.
It foloweth moreouer in Methodius, That in his tyme all Lordship and domination shall cease and geue ouer. &c. The veritie wherof we see now accōplished in the pope. For where the Pope with his double sworde, and triple crowne doth come, there all seculare power must geue place, both emperours, kynges, & princes must stoupe.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaNotes of Antichrist.So kyng Iohn
The following incidents are described in more detail in other parts of the Acts and Monuments.
This actually took place in1213.
Childerik the French kyng had his crowne take frō hym, and geuen to Pipine. an. 747.
Hēricus 4. Emperour was forced to submit him selfe and his sceptre to Pope Hildebrand. an. 1077.
Fridericus Barbarossa Emperour, in Saint Markes Churche in Venice, was fayne to lay downe his necke vnder the Pope Alexanders feete. an. 1277
This actually took place in 1177.
What should I speake of the Ambassadour of Venice, named Franciscus Dandulus, who being sent to Pope Clement. 5. was made to lye vnder the Popes table lyke a dogge, and gather vp the crommes, MarginaliaEx Sabell. Enu. 9. lib. 7.mencioned in Sabell. Enn. 9. lib. 7.
Henry the thyrd beyng Emperour, had his diademe fyrst set on with the feete of the Pope, and afterwarde strocken of from his head with the Popes foote agayne.
And what shall I speake more hereof, whē as Carolus Magnus submitted him self so lowe, to kysse the feete of Pope Leo? an. 800.
It foloweth then in þe prophesie of Methodius
Pseudo-Methodius, Revelationes (Basel, 1515), sigs. d3v-d4r.
We neuer read yet in any story, of any such ij. Prophetes to be sent either to the Saracēs, or to the Turkes: MarginaliaIohn Hus and Hierome of Prage.
Vid. in primo Tom. operum Iohan. Hus. De Anatomia.Wheras agaynst the Pope, we read Iohn Hus and Hierome of Prage, ij. learned Martyrs & Prophetes of God to haue bene sent, and to haue reproued and described the Anatomie of Antichrist
This is a reference to a work by Hus, De anatomia Antichristi.
MarginaliaThe nerenesse of the Lordes iudgemēt.It foloweth further in Methodius concludyng hys prophecie
Pseudo-Methodius, Revelationes (Basel, 1515), sig. d4v.
Wherfore after the burnyng of these ij. notable Prophetes, with many other thousandes burned also since their tyme, by the Byshop of Rome, it is to be thought, that the commyng of Christes iudgement in the cloudes, is not farre of. Veni cito Domine. Amen.