A01130:81
The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…
The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action. Translated out of Latin into English, by James Bell.The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action. Translated out of Latine into English, by Iames Bell.
London: printed by Thomas Dawson for Richard Sergier, 1580
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
who ever so much as in word hath uttered that the higher powers of all Emperors & kings (unto whom the heavenly Oracle hath commanded all and every soul to be subject) should beg their estate to be authorised at your hands? who assigned you to be arbiters & judges of purgatory? who hath ever at any time lo•ked fast within the cupboard of your breast all manner of jurisdiction, or ever admitted you only expositor of Scripture and Lord of our faith?
who euer so much as in woorde hath vttered that the higher powers of all Emperours & kings (vnto whom the heauenly Oracle hath commaunded all and euerie soule to bee subiect) should begge their estate to be authorised at your handes? who assigned you to be arbiters & iudges of purgatorie? who hath euer at any time lo•ked fast within the cubbard of your breast all maner of iurisdiction, or euer admitted you only expositor of Scripture and Lord of our fayth?
From amongest the whole antiquity of those reverend fathers before mentioned,1 if you can vouch one credible person, besides them that either have been Bishops of Rome, or such as be mates of your own mark, ye shall win the garland. But if you cannot, as hitherto you have not, then either must you of necessity relent of your claim, or wholly relinquish that ti•le, and utterly disclaim from this challenge of antiquity. And because I will not overwhelm you with multitude of testimonies, which I might lawfully urge against you one after another: let it not be irksome unto you Romans, from amongest a great number to hearken unto one, to wit, your own only Bishop of Rome Gregory:2 for I suppose none of you to be ignorant of that which he wrote unto John Bishop of Constantinople, and to other Bishops concerning the same matter, whereof you maintain so hot a contention: and (if I be not deceived) you contend about the only and universal prerogative of ecclesiastical jurisdiction: which you do so unseparably glue fast to that Romish Chair, that whosoever sit therein, must of necessity bear sovereignty over all other Bishops, and must be reputed and taken for the highest head of the universal Church.