of the Ecclesiasticall benefices and lyuinges by the Pope, with certaine other constitutiōs also, fruitfull for the behalfe and edification of the Church.

Duryng the tyme that the generall Councell at Basill, was so diligent and carefull about the reformation of the Church, this one thyng seemed good vnto them to be prosecuted and folowed with an earnest care and diligence, that through euery Church, apt and meete ministers might be appointed, which might shine in vertue and knowledge, to the glory of Christ and the healthful edifying of the Christian people: wherunto the multitude of expectatiue gracesMarginaliaVowsons and giftes of benefices before they were voyde, debarted by this Councell: which vowsons here are called expectatiue graces. hath bene a great impedimēt and let, in that they haue bene found to haue brought greuous troubles, diuers disorders, and many daungers vpon the ecclesiasticall state.MarginaliaInconueniences that rise by vowsons of benefices. For hereby often tymes, scarsly apte or meete ministers haue bene appoynted for the churches, which are neither knoWn nor examined: and this expectation of voyd benefices (as the old lawes doe witnesse) doth geue occasion to desire an other mans death, which is greatly preiudiciall vnto saluation: besides that, innumerable quareles and contentions are moued amongest the seruauntes of God: rancour and malice nourished: the ambition and gredy desire of pluralities, of benefices mayntayned: and the riches and substance of kingdomes and prouinces maruailously consumed. Poore men suffer innumerable vexations, by runnyng vnto the court of Rome. They are often tymes spoyled and robbed by the way: troubled and afflicted with diuers plages, and hauing spent their patrimony and substance lefte them by their parents, they are constrayned to liue in extreme pouertie. Many do chalenge benefices, which without any iust title (yea such in deed as ought not to haue them) obtayne and get the same: suche I say as haue most craft and subtiltie to deciue their neighbour, or haue greatest substance to contende in þ^e lawe. It happeneth often tymes that vnder the intrication of these prerogatiues, antelations, and such other as do associate these expectatiue graces, much craft and disceit is founde. Also, often tymes the ministery is taken away frō yonge men, by their ordinary geuers, whiles that by the trouble of those contentiōs, and diuers discourses, runnyng to and fro by meanes of those graces, they are vexed & troubled, the Ecclesiasticall order is confounded, whiles that euery mannes authoritie and iurisdiction is not preserued: & the Byshops of Rome also, by chalenging and takyng vpō them to much the office of the inferiours, are withdrawen from more waighty and frutefull matters, neither do they diligently attend to the guidyng and correction of the inferiours, as the publike vtility doth require. Al Which thynges do bryng a great confusion vnto the clergy, and Ecclesiasticall state, to the great preiudice and hinderaunce of Gods true woorshyp, and publicke saluation.

In the same councell also diuers other constitutions were made, not vnprofitable for reformation, and for remouyng of certayne abuses & disorders brought in, especialy by the bishop of Rome, as touching causes not to be brought vp and translated to the court of Rome:MarginaliaNo cōtrouersies to be brought to Rome beyond 4. dayes iourney from thence. Wherin it was decreed, that no actions nor controuersies should be brought from other countries, to be pleaded at Rome, which were beyond. iiij. dayes iourney distaunt from the sayd courte of Rome. a few principall matters onely excepted.MarginaliaNo friuolous appeales to be made to the pope. Also, that no friuolous appeales should be made to the pope hereafter.MarginaliaAgainst the superfluous number of errours. It was moreouer in the same Councell decreed, for the nūber, age, and condition of the Cardinals, that they shoulde not excede the number of. xxiiij. besides them that were already, and that they should be frely taken out of all countries: and that they should not be of kynne to the Byshop of Rome, or to the cardinals, nor yet blemeshed with any spot or crime.MarginaliaAgaynst the popes first fruits. Also for Annates or first frutes, or halfe frutes, it was there prouided, that no such Annates for confirmatiō of electiōs, or collation of benefices, should be payd or reserued any more to the Pope, for the first yeares voydance. All which thynges there agreed and concluded by them, were afterwarde confirmed and ratified by the Frenche kynge Charles. vij. with the full consent of all his Prelates, in his hygh court of Parliament in Bitures,MarginaliaPragmatica Sanctio per Carolū. 7. and there called Pragmatica Sanctio, an. 1438 wherupō great vtilitie ensued afterWard to the kyngdome of Fraunce. Albeit in processe of tyme, diuers Friers there were, which wrote against the same. Ex lib. Pragm. Sanctionis.

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

MarginaliaAn acte made for the conuersiō of the Iewes. Also that all Ordinaries should yearely at appoynted tymes, prouide certayne men well learned in the holy scriptures, in such places where Iewes and other infidels dyd dwell, to declare to them the truth of the Catholicke fayth, that they acknowledgyng their errour, might forsake the same: vnto the which preaching, the sayd ministers should compell them to resort, and to heare, vnder payne of excludyng them from occupying any more in that place: prouided that the sayd Diocesanes and preachers should behaue thēselues towardes them, mercifully and with all charitie, wherby they might winne them to Christ, not onely by the declaryng of the veritie, but also in exhibiting other offices of humanitie.

MarginaliaAn Acte for studying the Hebrue, Greeke, Latine, and Chaldey. And to the intēt their preachyng might be the more fruitfull, and that the preachers might be the better instructed in the tonges, it was also in the same Councell prouided and commaunded, that the constitution made before in the councell of Vienna for learnyng the Hebruw, Chaldey, Araby, & Greeke tongue, should by all meanes be obserued and kept, and ordinary stipends prouided for them that should teache the same toungues.

MarginaliaAgaynst priestes that kept Concubynes. An other decree moreouer in the xx. Session was enacted, that whosoeuer was known or publiquely noted to be a keper of Concubines, should be sequestred from all fruites of hys benefices, for the space of 3. monethes, which fruites should be conuerted by the ordinary, to the reparations, or some other vtility of the Church, and if he did not so amend, it was by the Synode decreed that he should be clerely deposed from all his benefices.

Furthermore, the sayd Synode did greatly inueye against them, which, hauing the iurisdiction of the Churche, did not shame to suffer such whoremaisters for brybes and money, still to continue in their filthines. &c.

By these decrees of the Councell aboue specified, it is to be sene, what corruption had bene then frequented in the Church of God, through the Byshop and courte of Rome. For the more expresse declaration whereof, we thought it not much impertinent here to inferre the woordes of one Martin Meyr, writyng to Æneas Siluius, touchyng and notyng the sayd corruptions: the tenour of whose epistle here ensueth.

MarginaliaAn Epistle of Martyn Meyr to Eneas Syluius, translated into Englishe, the latine wherof is extant in the former edition of thys booke.
Ex Orth. Grat. I Haue vnderstand by certayne of my frendes letters, that you are created Cardinal. I am glad for your part, that you haue receiued so worthy rewards for your vertues. I reioyse also for my owne parte, that my friende hath attayned vnto such a dignity, wherin he may in tyme to come, both helpe me and my frendes. But this is a griefe vnto me, that you haue happened vpon those days, which seme to be troublesome to the Apostolike sea. For there are many complaintes made vnto my Lord the Archbishop, vpon the Pope, that he will neither keepe the decrees of the Councell of Constance, neither of Basill, neither yet thinketh himself bound to the couenauntes of his predecessours, and seemeth vtterly to contemne our nation, and to seeke the vtter ruine thereof. For it is euydent that the election of Prelates, is euerye where reiected: benefices and dignityes, of what sorte soeuer they be, are reserued for the Cardynals and chiefe notaries: and you your selfe haue obteyned the reseruation of 3. Prouinces of Germany, vnder such a forme as hath not been accustomed, or heard of. Vowsons or giftes of benefices are graunted without number: yearely stipendes and halfe the reuenues are exacted without delay, and it is euydent that there is more extorted thē is due. The regimēts of churches are not cōmitted vnto such as best deserue thē, but vnto such as offer most money for thē, & new pardons are graūted out dayly to scrape & gather together mony. Tithes are cōmaūdedMarginaliaThe corruption of the Church of Rome detected. to be exacted without the consent of our Prelates, for the Turkish warre, and those matters which were accustomed to be debated and determined at home, are now caried vnto the Apostolicke sea of Rome. A thousand wayes are inuented and deuised, how the sea of Rome may by subtlety and by crafte, extorte and gette golde and treasure from vs, euen as it were of the Turkes or Barbarians: whereby our nation, which was sometyme famous and valiaunt, whiche by their power and bloud, conquered the Romaine Empire, and was once the Lady and Queene of all the world, nowe beyng brought vnto pouerty, is made a handmayde, and become tributary, and beyng now in extreme misery, hath of long tyme bewayled her cruell fortune and pouerty. But nowe our nobles beyng (as it were) wakened out of theyr slepe, haue begon to consider and deuise with thēselues, by what meanes they might withstand this calamity, and vtterly shake of this yoke and bondage, and haue determined