the Byshop of Rome may exempt himselfe from correction by dissoluyng or transportyng the Councell, it followeth that the Councell is not aboue hym. Therfore we must either denye that which is aforesayd, that the Pope is vnder the Councell, or els denye that the Pope hath power to dissolue the Councell, contrary to the will and determinatiō of the Councell.

And as this first conclusion is most true, so are all other conclusions false, which seeme to impugne the same.MarginaliaWhether the pope is certaine cases may dissolue the councell. Wherfore the second conclusion of the Diuines is also manifest: albeit that some do admit it in certayne cases, and in other some exclude it agayne. For if we do admit, that for certaine causes the Pope may dissolue the Councell contrary to the will and determination thereof, that is to say, to make the Pope iudge of the Councell, it were cleane contrary vnto the first conclusion.

Now it is proued that the Councell is aboue the pope and can not be dissolued by the Pope without consent therof. Now we must further see, whether it be an Article of our fayth to beleue it: which matter hath respect vnto the thyrd conclusion. For there haue bene many, which albeit they dyd confesse these two conclusions to be true, yet they doubted whether it were a veritie of the Catholicke fayth or no. Therfore this second part must be confirmed. And we must see whether it be an article of fayth that the Pope be vnder the Councell. Which beyng proued, it shal also appeare to be an article of fayth, that the pope cannot dissolue the Councell without the consent therof. Which consequēt none of the contrary part hath refuted. First of all therfore we must inquire what fayth is, that we may thereby the better vnderstand, what pertayneth therunto.

MarginaliaThe definition of faith. Fayth, as the Diuines do define it, is a firme and stedfast cleauyng vnto thyngs, beleued by the authoritie of hym that speaketh. If then we beleue as is aforesayd, that the Pope of Rome is vnder the Councell, some authoritie doth moue vs therunto: so is it þ^e faith of hym which beleueth it: but þ^e questiō is not whether it be an article of fayth onely, but whether it be an Article of the Catholike fayth. Wherfore we must agayne enquire what the Catholicke fayth is.MarginaliaThe definition of the catholicke fayth. This word Catholike is a Greeke word, and signifieth vniuersall. The Catholicke fayth, that is to say the vniuersall fayth, is not so called because that euery man holdeth it, but because euery man ought to beleue it. For all men do not beleue that God is incarnate, but euery man ought so to beleue. And albeit that many be agaynst this fayth, yet doth it not cease to be vniuersall. For what writeth the Apostle vnto the Romains?MarginaliaRom. 3. If some of them haue not beleued, doth their misbelief make the fayth of God vayne? God forbyd. Verely God is true, but euery man is a lyer. Therefore to beleue that the pope is vnder the Councell, is a poynt of the Catholike fayth, although some thincke the contrary: for we are bounde to beleue it, for somuch as it is taken out of the Gospell.MarginaliaCatholicke what it is. For we are not bounde onely to beleue those things which are noted to vs in the Creed, but also all those things which are cōtayned in the holy Scriptures, wherof we may not denye one iote. And those thynges which we alledge for the superioritie of the generall Councell, are gathered out of the sayinges of our Sauiour Iesu Christ, & the Epistles of S. Paule: Ergo we are all bound to beleue it. And to proue that these thyngs are taken out of þ^e Gospell, the Councell of Constance doth witnesse, the whiche groundeth his authoritie vppon these wordes: Dic Ecclesiæ, that is to say, tell it vnto the Church. And, where two or iij. are gathered together in my name. &c. And, whatsoeuer ye shall bynde. &c. with other such lyke textes.

MarginaliaThe councell of Constance.
Vid. supra. pag. 628. Wherupon Pope Martin the iiij. beyng yet at Constāce, vnder the licence of the Councel, sent out his Bulles, which do recken vp the Articles, wherupon they ought to be examined which had fallen into any hereie, amongest the which Articles, he putteth this Article: whether he do beleue the sacred generall Councell to haue power immediatly from God, and that the ordinaunces therof are to be receiued of all faythfull Christians, which if any man would deny, he should be counted an heretike. Wherfore, when as the sacred Synode of Constance, doth set forth this veritie, as touchyng the superioritie of the generall Councell, what should let but that we also should confesse the same to be a verity of the Catholicke fayth? For the catholicke Church being cōgregate at Constance, receiued that fayth, that is to say, beleued it by the authoritie of hym whiche spake it, that is Christ and his Saintes.

MarginaliaThe wordes of the councell of Chalcedō, where by he is declared an hereticke that holdeth any opinion contrary to the councell To this purpose also serueth very well the wordes of the Synode of Chalcedon written in this maner: It is not lawfull for hym that is condemned by the whole Synode to nominate any Byshop. The determination pleaseth all men. This is the fayth of the fathers. He that holdeth any opinion contrary vnto this, is an hereticke. And agayne it is a rule, that it is not lawfull to appeale from the elect and chosen Synode.

Marke the manifest witnesse of this most sacred Synode, which sayd that he is an hereticke, which holdeth any opinion contrary vnto the Councell: But he is no hereticke, except he refuse the Catholicke fayth: Ergo it was the Catholicke fayth to beleue that it was not lawfull to appeale from the sacred Councell. But how was the same any poynt of the Catholicke faith? Verely for somuch as the sacred Synode perusing ouer the holy Scriptures, hath receiued this conclusion out of the wordes of Christ and other holy fathers. And like as the Synode of Chalcedon tooke their conclusion out of the holy Scriptures, so did the Councell of Constance, this which we now reason vpon. And like as the one is an Article of the Catholicke fayth, so is the other also. And he which holdeth any opinion contrary to either of both, is an hereticke.

Furthermore they seeme vnto me to dreame and dote, which confessing them to be verities, will not confesse them to be verities of fayth.MarginaliaPanormitan is noted well nipped by his owne supposition. For if they be verities, I pray you wherof are they verities? Truly not of Grammer, much lesse of Logike, and from Astronomy and Phisicke they are farre distant. Neither is there any other man but a Diuine, that will graunt this veritie, whom Scripture doth force vnto it of necessitie, if he do beleue Christ or his Apostles. Therefore this is a veritie of the Catholicke fayth which all men ought to embrace, and he which obstinatly resisteth agaynst the same, is to be iudged an hereticke, as the thyrd conclusion doth affirme. Neither let any man thinke it hard or cruell that he should be called an hereticke which goeth about to derogate any thyng from the power of the generall Councell, which is confirmed by so many testimonies and authorities. Also Panormitan alledgeth S. Hierome, saying: He which vnderstandeth the Scripture otherwise thē the consent of the holy Ghost doth require, albeit he do not depart from the Church, may be called an hereticke.

Wherupon it foloweth that he which vpon the wordes of Christ saying vnto Peter, Dic Ecclesiæ. i.MarginaliaTell the church, that is to say, the generall councell. Tell it vnto the Church, doth not vnderstand by the Church the generall Councell, vnderstandeth it otherwise then the sense of the holy Gost doth require, and there by may be noted as an hereticke. And to proue that the sense of the holy Ghost is otherwise then he doth iudge it, the Councell of Constance, doth declare: The which interpretyng those wordes, Dic Ecclesiæ. i. Tell it vnto the Church, spoken by the holy Ghost, vnderstandeth them to be spoken of the generall Coūcell. By these and many other wayghtyer reasons, the. iij. aforesayd conclusions, seemed true vnto the Diuines, & thorough them they also allowed the residue.

Now haue we sufficiently sayd, as touching that which was before promised: neither do I thinke any man now to be in doubt of these iij. first conclusions. Now to returne agayne vnto our story, it is our purpose to declare those thynges which happened after the conclusions of the Diuines: for there are many thynges worthy of remembraunce, which also may happely be profitable vnto the posteritie.

MarginaliaThe byshop of Burgen. When the disputation was ended and a finall conclusiō of these matters euen at hand, the Archbishops of Millaine and Panormitane with the residue of their fellow Ambassadours of the king of Arragon, and Duke of Millaine, armed themselues with all their power to let the matter, exhortyng all men of their faction to withstand it with stoute and valiaunt stomackes.

And first of all, as soone as the cōgregation was assembled together, the Byshop of Burgen exhorted them to deferre the conclusion, and to tary for the Ambassadours of other Princes, which would shortly returne from Mentz.

After him Panormitane with a graue and Rhetorical Oration, spake (in a maner) as followeth.

MarginaliaPanormitanes oratiō I haue (sayd he) had a cōmaundemēt by the Prophet, to cry without ceasing: Which Prophet sayd: Cry out, cease not, lift vp thy voyce as a trumpet. If that in any matter at any tyme before, he ought to haue cryed, this matter specially which is now in hand lacketh crying and roaryng out, when as the state of the vniuersall Church is intreated vpon, either to be preserued, or vtterly ouerthrowne: and that he hath cryed somuch in this matter, that he doubted not, but þ^e saying of Dauid was fulfilled in him, where he saith: Laboraui clamans, raucæ sunt factæ fauces meæ. I haue laboured, crying out, that my iawes are become horce.

Notwithstandyng that he would both now, and as often as neede should require, without ceasing still crye out, and specially now in this most difficulte and wayghty matter: wherein he required the sacred Councell gentelly to heare both hym, and the Ambassadours of other Princes: