MarginaliaFoure thinges to be cōsidered in euery request. addyng moreouer foure thynges to be considered in all requestes made of any man. The which he also required the fathers now presently, to marke and cōsider: Who it is that maketh the request. What is required. Why it should be required, and what effect would come by the request either graunted, or denyed. As touchyng the first poynt he sayd: The most noble Kynges and excellent Princes with their Prelates to be of great power: and then reconed vp the king of Castell, the king of Arrogon, the Duke of Millaine, and the Byshops of the same Princes, rehearsing also the merites & good deedes of the sayd Kynges, & also of the Duke of Millaine. But when as he came to make mention of the Prelates, he could not refrayne himselfe, but begā to waxe somewhat hoate, saying the greatest number of Prelates were on his part. For if the Byshops and Abbotes were counted, it were not to be doubted, but the greatest part of them would haue this present matter differred: and for somuch as the whole power of the Councell doth consist in the Byshops, it is not to be suffered, that they beyng neglected and contemned, that should be concluded which pleased the greater part of the inferiours: For the keyes (sayd he) were geuen to the Apostles, & to their successors which are the Byshops: also, that there are three kyndes of Synodes, Episcopall, Prouinciall, and Generall, and none of all these without Byshops.

MarginaliaPanormitane would haue dignity to be considered in councell, and not voyces. Wherfore the maner and order of the present Councell seemed vndecēt, whereas thyngs were not weyed accordyng as men excell in dignitie, but by most voyces: Notwithstandyng according to the most famous Epistle of Clement, the Byshops were the pyllers and keyes of heauen, and the inferiours had no determinyng voyce, but onely a consultatiue voyce with them: wherfore there would be a great offēce in this behalfe, if a matter of fayth should be determined without the Byshops: in which matter not onely the byshops, but also the secular Princes ought to be admitted. And for somuch as they, in the name of their Princes, desired to be admitted to the examination of this presēt matter, and would examine the matter more fully, he complayned greatly how vnworthy a thyng it was that they should be contemned or despised.

After many thynges spoken to this end and effect, he passed ouer to the secōd part of hys Oratiō, declaryng what it was that he required: not gold, nor siluer, neither precious stones, neither prouinces nor kyngdomes, neither a thyng hard to be done:MarginaliaPanormitane seemeth to delay the proces agaynst the pope. but that onely the delay of the sacred Councell was required, & that the fathers would stay in the processe agaynst the Pope, and in the conclusion and determination of matters which are now in hand. Neither should the delay be long, but only vntil the returne of the Ambassadours from Mentz, whom he knew well would returne very shortly. That this was but a small matter, and to be small intreatie, because there was no daunger in it. And also it should seme iniurious, not to tary for the Ambassadors of the Princes which were then at Mentz, when as they were not absent for their owne priuate commoditie, but about the affaires of the common wealth, and the commoditie of peace: neither had he forgotten, that at their departure they had desyred, that duryng their absence, there should be nothyng renued concernyng the matters of Eugenius.

MarginaliaThe 3. part of Panormitans oration. Then immediatly adioyning the thyrd part of his Oration, wherfore this delay was required, he concluded, that it was not required for the priuate cōmoditie of any one mā, but for a common wealth: not to cause any trouble or vnquietnes, but for the better examination of the matter, that all thynges might passe with peace and quietnesse, that the matter might be somuch the more firme and stable, by how much it is ratified and allowed by the consent of many. And so he proceded to the last part of his argument, requiring the fathers that they would consider and wey in their myndes the effect that would follow, if they should graunt or deny this request. For (sayth he) if ye shall deny this small petition of the Princes, they all will be agreeued therewith, and take this repulse in ill part. They wyll say, they are contemned of you, neither will they be obedient vnto you, or receiue your decrees. In vayne shall ye make lawes except the Princes do execute them, and all your decrees shall be but vayne: yet would I thinke this to be borne w^tall, if I did not feare greater matters to ensue.MarginaliaPersuasiōs of Panormitane. What if they should ioyne themselues with Eugenius, who not onely desireth to spoyle you of your liuynges, but also of your liues. Alas, what slaughter and murther do the eyes of my mynde behold and see? Would God my opinion were but vayne. But if you do graunt and consent vnto their petitions, they will thincke themselues bounde vnto you: they will receiue and embrace your decrees, and whatsoeuer you shall require of them shal be obtained. They will forsake your aduersary, they will speake euill of him and abhorre him: but you they will commend and prayse, you they will reuerence: vnto you they will wholy submit themselues, and then shall follow that most excellent fruite of reformation and tranquilitie of the Church. And thus he required the matter to be respited on all partes. At the last he sayd, that except the Ambassadors of the Princes were heard, he had a protestation, written, which he would commaund to be read before them all.

MarginaliaThe prayse of Lodouicus the prothonotary. When Panormitan had made an end of his Oratiō, Lodouicus the Prothonotary of Rome rose vp, a man of such singular wit & memory, þ^t he was thought not to be inferiour vnto any of the famous mē afore tyme. In somuch that he had alwayes in memory whatsoeuer he had heard or red, and neuer forgat any thyng that he had sene. This mā first commendyng Panormitane, sayd that he came but the day before from the bathes, & that it seemed vnto him a straunge thyng which was now brought in question: wherein he desired to heare other mens myndes, and also to be heard of others, and that those prelates which were at Mentz should be taryed for to be present at the discussyng of this matter, in the name and behalfe of their Princes, which Prelates were men of great estimation, and the Oratours of most mighty Princes,

MarginaliaByshops only to haue determining voyce in councels. He allowed also the saying of Panormitane touchyng the voyces of the inferiors, that it semeth not to be agaynst the truth, that onely Byshops should haue a decidyng or determinyng voyce in Councels. And albeit that some in this disputation do thinke that, which is writtē in the. xv. chapter of the Actes, to be their force or defence: notwithstandyng he was nothyng moued therewith, nor tooke it to be of any effect, albeit it was sayd: It semed good vnto the holy Ghost and to vs, where as both the Apostles and the elders were gathered together: whereby it appeared: that the others had a decidyng voyce with þ^e Apostles. For he sayd, that there was no argument to be gathered of the Actes of the Apostles, whose examples were more to be meruayled at, thē to be folowed: and þ^t it doth not appeare there, that the Apostles called the Elders of duety, but that it is onely declared that they were there present: whereupon nothyng could be inferred. And that it seemed vnto him, that the inferiours in the Councell of Basill, were admitted to determine with the Byshops but of grace and fauour onely, because the Byshops may communicate their authoritie vnto others. He alledged for testimonie, the Byshop of Cancen, a man of great authoritie, who would not suffer any incorporation or felowshyp of the meaner sorte, and therfore, neither any inferiour, neither hymselfe, which as yet was not made bishop, to haue any decidyng voyce in the councel. Wherfore for somuch as the matter was wayghty, which was now in hand, and that the Byshops spake agaynst it, he required the Councell that they would of necessitie stay and tary for the Ambassadours of the Princes commyng from Mentz.

His Oration was somuch the more greuous, in that many were touched with his wordes, & specially in that poynt that he sayd, the Apostles were not to be folowed: for that all men did impugne as a blasphemy. But here a man may meruaile, that a man of such excellency, alledged no more, or better matter.MarginaliaIt is no maruail why he alledged no more, or better matters: for of noughty Lether no mā can make a good shoe. And note here how God withdraweth hys giftes when mē dissemble and cloke the truth. But in this poynt the memory of the man is to be pardoned, which dyd not willingly speake in this matter, and desired nothyng so much, as not to obtayne that which he intreated for. After him many other spake theyr mynds, but all to this end that they might protract the time and defer the conclusion of these matters.

Then Lodouicus the Cardinall Arelatensis, a man of marueilous constancy, and borne for the gouernaunce of generall Coūcels, gatheryng together þ^e wordes of all the Oratours, spake in this wise: Most reuerend fathers, this is no new or straunge businesse, nor begon to day or yesterday. For it is now many weekes ago, since the conclusiōs were disputed vpon amongest the Diuines, & sent vnto Mentz, and to all other partes of the world. After this, they were disputed vpon vj. dayes continually, and fully discussed, and after that not without great delay approued by the deputies,MarginaliaTruth seeketh no corners. and as the truth seeketh no corners, so all thynges were done publikely and openly. Neither can any man pretend ignoraunce, neither are the Prelates or Princes contemned: For we called all that were present at Basill, and exhorted all the rest for to be present. And for somuch as mētion is made of the most noble Kyng of Castell: who is it that is ignoraunt, that the Kynges Oratours were there present? The Byshop of Burgen and Ebrun, men of singular learnyng and eloquence, and you also Panormitane your selfe, whiche here represent the person of the most famous kyng of Arragō, were twise present your selfe in the Chapter house, and disputed twise most subtilly, and twise