If they had known of Gods word but as much as the ten commandments, 1they should have found that the Bishop of Rome was not only a traitor to the Emperor his liege Lord, but to God also, and an horrible blasphemer of his majesty, in calling his holy word and commandment heresy: and that which the Bishop of Rome toke for a just cause to rebel against his lawful prince, they might have known to be a doubling and tripling of his most heinous wickedness, heaped with horrible impiety and blasphemy. But lest the poor people should know to much, he would not let them have as much of Gods word, as the ten commandments wholly and perfectly, withdrawing from them the ⟨p. 607⟩commandment, that bewrayeth his impiety, by a subtle sacrilege. Had the Emperors subjects likewise known, and ben of any understanding in Gods word, would they at other times have rebelled against their Sovereign Lord, and by their rebellion have holpen to depose him, only for that the bishop of Rome 2did bear them in hand, that it was simony and heresy to, for the Emperor to give any ecclesiastical dignities, or promotions to his learned Chaplains, or other of his learned clergy, which all Christian Emperors before him had done without controlment? would they, I say, for that the Bishop of Rome bare them so in hand, have rebelled by the space of more then forty years together against him, with so much shedding of Christian blood, and murder of so many thousands of Christians, and finally have deposed their Sovereign Lord, had they known, and had in Gods word any understanding at all? Specially had they known that they did all this to pluck from their Sovereign Lord, and his successors for ever their ancient right of the Empire, to give it unto the Romish Clergy, and to the Bishop of Rome, that he might for the confirmation of one Archbishop, and for a Romish rag, which he calleth a Paul, scarce worth twelve pence, receive many thousand crowns of gold, and of other Bishops likewise great sums of money for their bulls, which is simony in deed: would, I say, Christian men and subjects by rebellion have spent so much Christian blood, and have ⟨p. 608⟩deposed their natural, most noble, and most valiant prince, to bring the matter finally to this pass, had they known what they did, or had any understanding in Gods word at all?
If they had knowen of Gods word but asmuch as the ten commaundementes, 1they should haue founde that the Byshop of Rome was not onlye a traytour to the Emperour his liege Lorde, but to God also, and an horrible blasphemer of his maiestie, in calling his holy worde and commaundement heresye: and that which the Byshop of Rome toke for a iust cause to rebell agaynst his lawfull prince, they myght haue knowen to be a doubling and tripling of his most heynous wickednes, heaped with horrible impietie and blasphemie. But lest the poore people shoulde knowe to muche, he woulde not let them haue as muche of Gods worde, as the ten commaundementes wholye and perfectly, withdrawyng from them the ⟨p. 607⟩commaundement, that bewrayeth his impietie, by a subtill sacrilege. Had the Emperours subiectes likewyse knowen, and ben of anye vnderstandyng in Gods worde, woulde they at other times haue rebelled agaynst their Soueraigne Lorde, and by their rebellion haue holpen to depose hym, onlye for that the byshop of Rome 2dyd beare them in hande, that it was symonie and heresye to, for the Emperour to geue any ecclesiasticall dignities, or promotions to his learned Chaplaines, or other of his learned cleargie, which all Christian Emperours before hym had done without controulement? woulde they, I say, for that the Byshop of Rome bare them so in hande, haue rebelled by the space of more then fourtie yeres together agaynst hym, with so much shedding of Christian blood, and murther of so many thousandes of Christians, and finallie haue deposed their Soueraigne Lorde, had they knowen, and had in Gods worde anye vnderstandyng at all? Specially had they knowen that they dyd al this to plucke from their Soueraigne Lorde, and his successours for euer theyr auncient right of the Empyre, to geue it vnto the Romishe Cleargie, and to the Byshop of Rome, that he myght for the confirmation of one Archbyshop, and for a Romishe ragge, whiche he calleth a Paul, scarse worth twelue pence, receaue many thousande crownes of golde, and of other Byshoppes likewyse great summes of money for their bulles, whiche is symonie in deede: would, I say, Christian men and subiectes by rebellion haue spent so muche Christian blood, and haue ⟨p. 608⟩deposed their natural, most noble, and most valiaunt prince, to bring the matter finally to this passe, had they knowen what they dyd, or had any vnderstandyng in Gods word at all?
- 1In the second commandment.In the second commaundement.
- 2Henri. 4. Gregorius. 7. Anno domini. 1076 Paschalis. 2. An. 1099.
