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…

In the year of our Lord, 1215. Pope Innocentius the third, held a great council in Lateran at Rome: the manner and form of the indiction, Abbas Urspurgensis hath expressed in his Chronicles, which comprehendeth very many things, the chief sum whereof be these. First of making war upon the Saracens, and recovering Jerusalem, and the holy Sepulchre. The second of rooting out heresies. The third of mending of manners, and reforming the Church. The same Chapters were propounded almost in all counsels, which have bin holden from that time hitherto. They all entreat of three points. Of repressing the force of the Turks, of rooting out of heresies, and of reforming the Church.

In the yéere of our Lorde, 1215. Pope Innocentius the third, held a great counsell in Lateran at Rome: the manner and forme of the indiction, Abbas Vrspurgensis hath expressed in his Cronacles, whiche comprehendeth verye many thinges, the cheife summe wherof bée these. First of making warre vpon the Sarracens, and recouering Ierusalem, and the holye Sepulcher. The second of rooting out heresies. The third of mendinge of manners, and refourming the Church. The same Chapters were propounded almost in al counsels, which haue bin holden from that time hitherto. They all intreate of thrée poyntes. Of repressinge the force of the Turkes, of rooting out of heresies, and of refourming the Church.

But although they have celebrated many Counsels, within the precinct of 300. years and more: yet have they in ⟨image 92⟩none of them reformed that was amiss,¹ whereby it might deserve the name of a reformation. For errors and superstitions with sundry abuses moe, are not taken away but more increased mutchlesse have they reformed any whit in the head (as they speak,) or members of the Church. And although the whole world, during the space of certain hundred years have worthily accused the abuses, and most corrupt state of the ecclesiastical order, with other enormities of the Church, which well deserve to be taken away and mended: Notwithstanding they have not touched them with their little finger, and therefore oftentimes arise some greater discords, and they fall farther of from the Christian discipline. Yea, & all such as seek for, and require to have some true reformation, reprehending the disorders and abuses, and specially y popes unlawful authority, the filthy, and lecherous life of the Clergy, which all men are constrained to confess to be very culpable: the same men nevertheless are condemned for schismatics,