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…

Now perhaps you will ask me, whether these Acts of the Popes and Emperors, and the increase of the Popish power and authority, do any thing appertain to the persecutions against the church, whereof at the beginning we purposed to write? yea indeed, altogether, & surely most properly they appertain to the same. For inasmuch as the first bishops of Rome persecuted no man, but themselves suffered persecution, & were Martyrs, and those which next followed were most part of them holy and faithful doctors, subjects to the Emperors and civill Magistrates, and ruled over no Provinces nor Peoples so that none of them were Princes, and the later Popes in these last times stirred up most grievous persecutions within the circuit of Christendom: ⟨image 87⟩it is expedient to know by what means and manner, how, why, and when, the state of the bishops of Rome was so shamefully deformed and changed, that the later Popes becoming so far different from the first bishops: became Lords of kings, and emperors, and cruel persecutors of them. Now therefore, so many most cruel and sharp wars, which the Popes being advanced to so great power have stirred among Christians, in which such abundance of Christian blood hath bin shed: may they not rightfully be reckoned amongst the persecutions of Christians? For like as abroad they have bin sticklers of most grievous wars unto the Christians against the Saracens and Turks, as we have declared before: so have they bin also at home authors of persecutions, troubles, and destruction to Christians. Doth not this very well deserve the name of a persecution, when as Christian emperors, with such as dutifully obeyed his hests, are by Popes vexed and washed with their own blood discourteously dealt withal with weapons, ⟨p. 105⟩and warlike torments, which, as we have showed before out of histories, many years with infinite spilling of blood, were most cruelly and tyrannically committed? But in the midst of so many calamities, the woeful kings and emperors perpetually suffering affliction, and misery: at length they and theirs quailed, and gave over, and the Popes being conquerors: triumphed, and allthings happened according to their desire, and so they established their power, that they might stand hereafter in awe of no man, but rule at their pleasure without all controlment.

Nowe perhaps you wyll aske mée, whether these Actes of the Popes and Emperours, and the increase of the Popish power and aucthority, doo any thing appertaine to ye persecutions against the churh, wherof at the beginning we purposed to write? yea indeede, altogether, & surely most properly they appertaine to the same. For in asmuch as the first bisshops of Rome persecuted no man, but themselues suffred persecution, & were Martires, and those whiche next followed were most parte of them holye and faithfull doctours, subiectes to the Emperours and ciuill Maiestrates, and ruled ouer no Prouinces nor Peoples so that none of them were Princes, and the later Popes in these laste times stirred vp moste gréeuous persecutions within the circute of Christendome: