The tragedies of tyrants Exercised upon the church of God, from the birth of…The tragedies of tyrantes Exercised vpon the church of God, from the birth of…

The Sea of Rome being exalted after¹ this manner: the bishops which consequently ensued, began more & more to busy and meddle themselves with civil matters, neither sought they only for power, and dominion: but devised how they might pluck their necks from the emperors jurisdiction, and extol themselves above them, how they might challenge & bring in subjection under them, their provinces, peoples, and majesty. But in y• mean season they quite forgot their submission and duty, departing far wide from thence, & became altogether² unlike unto y• first bishops of Rome At length the matter proceeded so far: that they durst boldly withstand y• emperors, and rise against them, for even ⟨image 77⟩so Gregory the .ij. and Gregory the .iij. Popes of Romes, opposed themselves against Leo the .iij. and Constantine the .v. emperors. For these calling certain counsels, unto which there assembled a great number of learned men, and bishops of Asia, Grecia, and other regions, they argued the controversy of Images: namely, whether it were lawful to have and to worship the Images of Christ, and the holly saints in the Churches of the Christians. Whereas at that time it was concluded, and confirmed out of the holy scriptures, and doctrine of the ancient fathers, that Images ought not to be worshipped, nor to be suffered in churches, but to be taken away wheresoever they were found. But after that the emperors had given forth commandment to the Popes, and unto other under the Roman Empire, that all of them according to the word of God, and the meaning thereof discussed in this present counsel, should take down the images out of their Churches: such was the presumption of the Popes, that being called to y• counsel: they neither appeared, and afterward ⟨image 78⟩by their own authority, contrary to the commandment of the Emperors:³ they called peculiar Counsels of Italian Bishops, wherein they decreed y Images ought be to retained in churches, and more worshipped then ever they had bin before. Nether presumed they only thus far: but withdrew the Emperors subjects from due obedience towards him, excommunicating the Emperors themselves without cause, raising moreover tumults & great seditions, wherein the Emperors lieutenants and debits were slain, as namely, Paulus at Ravenna: and Mauritius with Adrian his sun in Campania.