Certain sermons preached before the Queens Majesty, and at Pauls crossCertaine sermons preached before the Queenes Maiestie, and at Paules crosse

He, which challengeth to himself, that proud and wanton name, to be called the head of the universal church, after by little & little he was gotten into possession, was not behind hand by all means to maintain & keep the same. In this policy, he took away the reading of the scriptures from the people: he made noble men & princes his Cardinals. He threw down, & set up, & changed whom, & what he would. The kings & states of the world, the bishops, professors & scholars in universities, & preachers were brought to swear allegiance & obedience unto him. I devise not this, the stories hereof are abroad, & the oath which they took is known. His authority grew greater than the authority of general councils. Nothing might be decreed in councils, but what pleased him: none might be admitted to speak in councils, but such as were sworn to him. He had all law in his breast. There was sometimes a proclamation made in Rome, that for considerations no man should erect or build up any theatre: & that if any were set up, it should be razed, & pulled down. Pompeius a gentleman of great wealth, & noble courage, did build a theatre, such a one as before had not been seen, which would receive 2500. men, contrary to the proclamation, & order taken. But, doubting least the next magistrates should destroy it, he caused a place of religion to be set upon it, & called it the temple of Venus. Whereby he provided, that if any would overthrow it, because ⟨image 72⟩it was a Theatre, they might yet spare it for the temples sake: for to pull down a temple was sacrilege. Even so, there have been proclamations, & cannons, that no man should be called the chief, or the head of all Churches, or usurp such authority over others: but when the Pope built up his supremacy against the meaning of such canons, he pretended religion for his doing: he said, it was de jure divino, that no man should presume or attempt against it, & that so his power might continue for ever.

He, which chalengeth to himselfe, that proude and wanton name, to be called the head of ye vniuersal church, after by litle & litle he was gotten into possessiō, was not behind hand by al meanes to maintaine & keepe the same. In this policie, he tooke away the reading of the scriptures frō the people: he made noble men & princes his Cardinals. He threw downe, & set vp, & changed whom, & what he would. The kings & states of the world, ye bishops, professors & schollers in vniuersities, & preachers were brought to swere allegeāce & obedience vnto him. I deuise not this, the stories hereof are abrode, & ye oth which they tooke is known. His authorite grew greater thē the authoritie of general councilles. Nothing might be decreed in councels, but what pleased him: none might be admitted to speak in coūcils, but such as were sworne to him. He had al law in his breast. There was sometimes a proclamation made in Rome, yt for considerations no man should erect or builde vp any theater: & that if any were set vp, it shold be rased, & pulled down. Pompeius a gentleman of great wealth, & noble courage, did build a theater, such a one as before had not bene seene, which would receaue 2500. men, contrary to ye proclamation, & order taken. But, dubtinge least the next maiestrates should destroy it, he caused a place of religion to bee set vpon it, & called it the tēple of Venus. Whereby he prouided, yt if any wold ouerthrow it, because