❧ The hysto­ry of the Lyfe and Actes of Martine Luther, Doctour of Diuinitie. Faythfully set foorth by Phillip Melan [...]thon. (.¶.)

THE reuerende Father Martin Luther promi­sed in hys fatall tyme, to publyshe, aswell the discourse of hys lyfe, as causes of hys conslicts: whych he resolued to do, yf death (to greedy of her pray) had not reft vs the society of hym, and the heauens acce­lerated to place thys incomparable Iewell among the elect organes and vessels of God the father. Therefore I iudge it necessary that the conside­racion of hys particular lyfe be lucu­lently set forth. Since the same aboū ­ded with manye good examples, that may corroborate in syncere mindes y^e fear of god, & not to digres, if I recite y^e causes also, for that they aduertise [Page] posterity of many excellent thynges. Further, by thys narracion, the syco­phancye and sinistre reporte of them, [...]cla [...]nder gaynste Luther. maye be refuted, who vaunt he was encouraged by certayne Princes and other eminent Estates of the sacred Empire, to deface the dignitie of Bi­shops, or prouoked wyth inordinate desyre, he brake the band of seruitude in hys Monaslical estate. And it had bene most requisite this discourse had bene wrytten by hym selfe. For albe it currish detractors would haue ob­iected thys common prouerbe.

Yet we, that knowe what rare ver­tues harbored in his head, what con­stancie lodged in hys diu ne brest: are perswaded he would iustly and faith­fully haue recited hys proper hystory, And many graue and godly men liue presently, who would haue condemp ned hys follye, if he had forged an o­ther historye, as Po [...]tes in their poe­sies [Page] are wont to faine, considering he vnderstode the perfect order & sequele of hys actes were not vnknowen vn­to them. But since hys fatal day hath preuented the publicacion of such an history: I wyl truly recite, that part­lye by familiare conuersacion I haue sene, and partlye by informacion and approued testimonies of hys perfecte friendes I haue heard.

Ther is an auncient Famely, and amplye augmented, of meane degree surnamed Luther, in the territorie of the Noble Earles of Mansfield. Mar tine Luthers Parentes firste inhabi­tedHis [...]o try and rentes. the Towne Isleben, anon after they remoued to Mansfield, wher his Father Iohn Luther, exercised the office of a Magistrate, & was syngu­larlye estemed amonge all sortes, for hys integrity of lyfe.

Hys Mother named Margaret, be­sydes that the had vertues worthy an honest Matrone, thys was syngular. Ther shined in her, continency, feare of God, and inuocacion, and al other vertuous persons constantly planted their eyes vpon her, as on a patron & [Page] president of al moral vertues. I haue some tyme enquired of her, at what time her sonne was borne: she answered, that she remembred the houre & the day of his natiuity, but of y^e yeare she was ignoraunt. She affirmed he was borne the .x. day of Nouember at night, about a leuen of the clocke. And y^e cause why he was called Mar­tin, was for that the morow after he receiued Baptisme, was S. Martins day. But his brother Iames, an ho­nest and vpright mā, said: the wholeThe yeare of Luthers [...]rth. Famely held opinion, he was borne the yere after the Natiuity. 1483.

After he was growen to yeares of vnderstandyng, hys Parentes dili­gently taught hym to feare & knowe God, and accustomed hym to all do­mesticall duties of honest vertues. They foorthwith addressed hym to schoole, and George Aemilius Fa­ther led hym a lytle Infant to schole, who lyueth yet, and can recorde the truth.

Euen about this tyme the Gram­merThe [...]oun­ [...]acions of [...]ys study. Schooles began to flooryshe in the Townes of Sa [...]ony. Wherefore the sayd Martin, fully fourtene yeres [Page] olde, was sent to Magdeburg, wyth Iohn Keynech, who hath prooued a worthy man, and by his vertue acquired high authority in his Countrye. There cōtinued since a conglutinate mutual loue betwixt Luther & Key­nech, proceding either of agreement of nature, either of society in chyldish study. And yet Martine studied no lenger then one yeare at Magdeburg.

Departing from Magdeburge, he repaired to Isenach, wher he studied foure yeares vnder one Scholemay­ster, who taught hym the Grammer more promptly and luckely, then any other. I haue heard Luther cōmende his wyt. He was sent to thys towne, because his Mother was borne in the same, of honest and auncient house. Here he atchieued his study in Grā ­mer. And for that he hadde a lyuelye pregnant & subtil wit, and passingly apt to eloquence: he was preferred a­boue his schoolefeeres, and excelled the other yonge Impes that learned with him in opposicion of hard que­stions, in copy of wordes, in compo­sition of an Oration in prose, and in writing of Verses.

[Page]Hauyng then tasted the sweetenes of learning, as he was prone ther vn­to: he went to an Vniuersitye, as to [...]he liueli [...]s of spi­ [...]. the fountayne of al Sciences. And yf he had founde meete and conuenient Instructors: he had knowen and comprised al kyndes of Sciences orderly, so great was the force of his vnderstā dyng. And it maye be some pleasaunt study of true Philosophie, and care to polysh hys tonge, would haue molle­fied hys natural vehemency. But at Erford, he met wyth the Dialectique of that tyme, the whych (by dexteritie and redynes of wytte, vnderst andyng more exactly the causes & sprynges of instruction, then others hys compag­nions) he greedely deuoured, and had in memory.

And for that the excellencye of hys wyt embracing good litterature re­quired many, & those selected things: he priuately red diuers workes of the auncient latine Authors, as Cicero, Titus Liuius, Virgil, & others. He studied not these as the yong scholers are wont, collecting onely the Phra­ses, but as a doctrine or representaci­on of humayne lyfe. And therfore in­tentiuely [Page] applyed hym selfe, to vnder stande the sence & sentence of the Au­thors. And hauyng a naturall good memory, he had as it were before hys eyes prest, all that he had learned, or hearde. He so excelled in hys younge yeres, that the whole Vniuersity had hys wyt in great admiracion.

Beyng twentye yeres olde, he wasHis study in the ciui [...] law. graded Maister of Arte, and then he gaue hym selfe to the study of the Ci­uil law, by the aduise of hys familiar and nyghest friendes, in so much that they iudged this marueilous pregnā ­cy of wyt and eloquence, ought not to lurke in obscure place: but be made notorious, hereafter to serue and be a neressary instrument of the publicke weale. And the next yere, which was the .xxi. of hys age, he sadaynly, & be­sydes the expectacion of hys ParentsHis entry [...] into y^e monastery. and friendes, repayred to the Couent of the Augustines at Erphord. Wher he entreated admission, & beyng ad­mitted, he learned wyth marueilous diligence, not onelye the doctrine of the Couent: but also gouerned hym selfe wyth a great seueritye of disci­pline, and surpassed al other in all ex­ercises [Page] of Religion, in lections, in disputacions, in fastinges, and in pray­ers. He was naturally a smal feeder, wherat I haue mused much, sithe he was of stature tall and strong of bo­dy. I haue considered in him this ab­stinence:Incredible sobriety. foure continual daies, when he was well disposed and healthy, he would refraine from meate & drinke. And often tymes I haue seene, when a long season he would dyet hym self with a small peece of breade and one hearyng.

The cause wherefore he addicted him selfe to this Monasticall order ofWhat moued him to Monkery. life: was because he beleued the same to be most conformable to sincere re­ligion, and to the vnderstanding of Gods doctrine, as he hath related, & many hath knowen. Often tymes he was takē with great and trembling feares, when he attentiuely conside­red the wrath of God, & the maruey­lous examples of his punishmentes, that he was in a maner reft of hys wyttes. And I haue marked at a cer­taine tyme, that beyng sore abashed in one disputacion of thys doctrine, because he gaue attentiue eare there­vnto: [Page] he was sodēly forced to remoue into a nygh Chamber, & ther resting on his bed, he medled & reported ofteHis abash­mentes at the wrath of God. this sentence: God hath shut vp al vnder our vnbelief, to the end he might extende mercye to all. These abash­mentes encreased after, but thē most asperously he felt thē, whē he lost hys deare friende & companion, who was stayne, I know not by what mishap.

Then penurye pricked hym not to this Monkerye, but the affection he had to learne to serue God. Albeit he learned ther the doctrine vsed in scholes, he red the Doctors of sentences, and in publick disputacions, distinct­ly expressed the difficulties, which o­ther could not vnfold, whereat many mused: Neuertheles, for y^• he sought not in this kinde of lyfe to wyn brute according to the vertu of his wit, butHys studie in the holy scripture. to norish him in the feare of God: he vsed these studies, as one that estee­med not to be principall of that he searched and easelye conceyued those scholastical Methodes. In the meane season he redde with great affection the fountaines of heauenly doctrine, that is, the Prophetes and Apostles, [Page] therby to frame hys lyfe and conuer­sacion to the wyll of God, and so be continued in the feare & faith of God, as by manye thynges it was appa­rent. Yea, howe muche the more ear­nestly he coueted thys exercise, or ho­ly contemplacion, so muche the more he was troubled wyth his dolour and abashment.

He declared he was manye tymesHe is com­forted by an old mā. confyrmed by conference with an old man in the Couent of Augustines at Erphord. And impartyng hym wyth hys tremblyng feares, he learned many thynges touchyng fayth, and also told vs, he reasoned wyth hym of that Article of the Simbole, whych is: I beleue the remission of synnes. He expressed vnto Luther thys Article in [...]re remissiō of sins. thys sort: We may not generally be­leue onelye that synnes are or haue bene remitted to some, as the Deuils beleue, they were forgeuen Peter or Dauid: but that Gods expresse com­maundement is, that euerye man should beleue particularly his sinnes are forgeuen. And further he sayd, that thys interpretacion was confyr­med by the testimonies of Saynt Bernard, [Page] & he had shewed hym the placeAn excel­lent decla­racion of▪ s. Bernard touchyng fayth. in the Sermon of the Annunciacion, where it is thus set foorth: But adde that thou beleuest this, y^• by hym thy synnes are forgeuen the. This is the testimony, that the holy Ghost giueth thee in thy hart, saying: Thy syns are forgiuen thee. For this is the opinion of the Apostle, that man is freely iu­stified by fayth.

Luther sayd he was not onely strēgthened by these wordes: but y^e he was also instructed of the ful meaning of saint Paule, who repeateth so many times this sentence: We are iustified by fayth. And hauing read the exposi­cions of many vpon this place: he thē perceued as wel by the purpose of the olde man, as by the comfort he recey­ued in his spirite, the vanity of those interpretaciōs, which he had besydes him. And reading by little and lyttle, with conferring the sayinges and ex­amples of Prophetes and Apostles, & continual inuocacion of God, and ex­citacion of fayth by force of prayers, he perceiued that doctrine more eui­dently.

Then he began to reade S. Austens [Page] bookes, where he found many good­lyThe pro­fit of s. Austins vokes sentences, among other in the ex­posicion of the Psalmes, and in the booke of the Spirite and the Letter, which cōfirmed this doctrine of faith & consolacion that was illumined in his hart. And yet he laid not a side the Sētenciaries. He could recite by rote word by word Gabriel and Camera­censis. He red long tyme the bookes of Occan, & preferred his subtiltie a­boue Thomas Aquin, and Scotus. He red also and reuolued Gersō, but aboue al the rest, he red and perused al ouer Saynt Austens workes, and committed them to perfect memory. And thus he beganne diligentlye to studye at Erphord, where he conti­nued foure yeares in the Couent of Augustines.

About this tyme one Staupicius aInstituciō of the Vniuersitye at Vitteberg famous wyght, who ministred hys helpe to furder the erection of an V­niuersity in Vitteberge, endeuoured also to haue Schooles of Diuinitye founded in thys newe Vniuersitye. When he had considered the Spirite and erudition of Luther, he called [Page] hym from Erphord, to place hym in Vitteberg, in the yeare. 1508. and of hys age .xxvi. There hys towardnes appeared in the ordinarye exercise of Schoole and predication. And as it happened that manye wyse and lear­ned men attentiuely heard Luther, namely the Doctor Meller [...]ad. The sayd Mellerstad woulde often tymes say, Luther was of suche a maruey­lous spirite, and so ingenious, that he gaue apparent significacion, at one tyme or other, he woulde intro­duce a more compendious, facile and familiar maner of teaching, and al­ter and abolyshe the order that then was vsed.

There fyrst he expounded the dia­lectique and Phisique of Aristotle, and in the meane whyle intermitted no whyt hys studye in Theologye. Three yeres after he went to Rome about the differences of the Monkes, and returnynge the same yeare, hee was graded Doctor, at the expences of Elector Fridericke, Duke of Sax­dnye, accordyng to the solempne ma­ner of Schooles.

[Page]For he had heard him preach, wel vn­derstanded the quicknes of his spirit, diligently considered the vehemencyLuther passed Doctor of his wordes, and had in singular admiracion those profounde matters which in his Sermons he luculently and exactly exposed. And that al me [...] maye perceiue the degree of Docto [...] was geuen hym by precipitacion o [...] iudgement: it is wel knowen he was then but thirty yeare old. He declare [...] that Staupicius against his wyll enforced him to take that degre, saying merely vnto him: that God had man [...] thinges to bring to perfection in hy [...] Churche, wherein he would employ [...] Luther. And thoughe these woorde were spoken merely: yet it came so t [...] passe anon after, as manye predict [...] ons or presages proue true before chaunge.

After this he began to expound th [...] Epistle to the Romains, & consequētly the Psalmes. But howe? he declared them so diuinely, that it semed i [...] the iudgement of al faythfull & learned men, he was a shyning lyght, [...] bright Phebus, that began to clea [...] after a long cloudy and obscure sky [...] [Page] Ther he shewed the differēce betwixt the law and the Gospel. He also con­founded the errour that raygned then in schooles and Sermons, the whych errour taught, that men merite remission of synnes by their proper woor­kes, and that they be iust before God, by outward discipline, as the Phari­seis taught. Luther diligentlye redu­ced the myndes of men, to the SonneLuther taught Ie­sus Christ of God. And as Iohn Baptist demonstrated the Lambe of God that tooke away the synnes of the worlde: euen so Luther expressely shewed that sins are freely remitted, for the loue of the Sonne of God, and that we oughte faithfully to embrace this bountefull gift. He also illustrated diu [...]s other pointes of ecclesiastical doctrine.

These happye begynnynges of so good matters, got him great authority, considering his lyfe was correspō ­dent to hys profession, and it plainly appeared his woordes were no lyppe labour, but proceded from the verye hart. Thys admiracion of his holye lyfe much inflected, and allured the hartes of his Auditours, and therfore many notable personages, familiarly [Page] knowing hym, and seing him inno­uate the vsuall Ceremonies, resisted hym nothing, but in respect of the authority, he procured before (as wel for that he reueled many good matters, as that his lyfe was holye) consented wyth him in his opinions, with the which they saw the world deuided di­uersly, and therfore were pensine and very sore greued.

At thys tyme Luther altered no­thing in the ceremonies, but precise­ly obserued hys rule among hys fel­lowes, he medled no doubtful opini­ons, but expressed thys common doc­trine, as principallest of all other, in familiar maner to all men, elucida­ting the same more and more, to say the doctrine of repentaunce, of remission of synnes, of fayth, of true com­fort in times of aduersity. Euery mā receiued good taste of this swete doc­trine, and the learned conceiued high pleasure to behold Iesus Christ, the Prophetes and Apostles come foorth into lyght, out of darkenes, pryson, and other ordures, to vnderstand the difference betwyxt the lawe and the Gospell, betwyxt the promises of the [Page] Law, and the promise of the Gospel, betwixt spirituall Iustice, and ciuill thynges, whych certainlye could not haue bene found in Thomas Aquin, Scotus, nor hys semblables.

He considered this also, that many were instigated & solicited by Eras­mus learned woorkes, to studye the Greeke and Latine tonges, who perceiuing a more gentle & ready order of teaching the before, began to haue in contempt the Monkes barbarous and sophistical doctrine: and special­ly suche as were of a gentle nature & good disposicion. Luther began to study the Greke and Hebrue tonges, to thys ende, that after he had learned the phrase & propriety of the tonges, & drawen the doctrine out of the very fountaynes, he myghte geue more sound iudgement.

Whilest Luther was in this course of study, a certaine Dominicke Friernanied Tecel, a most impudent Sicophant (if euer there raygned any) caused the Popes Indulgences or Par­dons to he caryed and sold about the Country. Luther, much moued wyth the blasphemous sermons this shameles [Page] Friar preached, and hauyng hys hart earnestly bent wyth ardent de­syre to mayntaine true religion, publishedLuthers Proposici­ons of pardons. certain proposicions of Indul­gences, whych are in the fyrst Tome of hys woorkes, and fixed them o­penlye on the Temple that ioyneth to the Castell of Vitteberg, the mor­rowe after the feast of all Saynctes, the yeare, 1517.

Thys beggarlye Friar alwayes lyke vnto hym selfe, hopyng to ob­tayne the Popes blessynge, assem­bled certayne Monkes and Deuines, meanelye seene in Sophistry, in hys Couent, and foorth wyth commaun­ded them to wryte something against Luther. And whylest he would not seeme to be dombe, he beganne not onelye to inueye in hys Sermons, but to thunder agaynst Luther, and balking out hys Asinine brayde, cry­ed: Luther is an hereticke, and wor­thye to be persecuted wyth the fyre,The sclaū ders of Tecel Iaco­bite. and besydes thys he burned openlye Luthers propositions, and the Ser­mon he wrote of Indulgences. Thys rage and heliyshe fury of thys bagge bearer Friar Tecel, enforced Luther [Page] to treate more amply of thinges, and to mayntaine the truth.

Beholde what were the begyn­nynges of thys controuersye, where­in Luther neyther suspecting ne dreamyng of anye chaunge that myghte happen in the ceremonyes, dyd not vtterly reiect the Indulgences, but required a moderacion in them. And therefore they falselye accuse hym, that blase he beganne wyth plawsi­ble matter, and whereby he myghte get prayse, to the ende in processe of tyme, he myght chaunge the state of the Common weale, and purchase authoritye, eyther for him selfe or o­ther.

And sure, hee was not suborned or sturred by Courtiers, as the Duke of Brunswike wrote that the Duke Fredericke was sore effended that suche contencion and controuersye should aryse, hauyng regarde to the sequele thereof, that all be it thys be­gynnyng proceeded fauourablye, yet the flame by lyttle and lyttle kynde­led, woulde haue spreadde further, as Homere maketh mencion of Fame.

And as this good Duke Frederick was one of al the princes of our time that loued best quiet & common tran­quillity,Prayse of Fridericke Duke of Sarony. neither was aua [...]icious, but wyllyngly bent to referre al his counsels to the common vtilitye of all the world, as it is easy to be coniected di­uers waies: so he neither encouraged nor fauoured Luther, but often represented semblant of heauines and sor­row, whych he bare in hys hart, fea­ryng greater dissencions.

But as he was wyse, and followed not onelye prophane iudgementes, whych cōmaund the tender springes of [...] chaunges to be sodeinly oppres­sed: so takyng in counsayl the diuine rule, and wel deliberating therupon whyche enioyneth obedience to the Gospell, and forbyddeth to resist the [Page] tryed truth, and termeth it a blasphe­my, horribly cōdempned of God, par­tinaciously to repugne the truth. He dyd that many wyse and godly wold haue done, he obeyed God, leauyng vnto hym hys diuine power, he redde diligently that that was writen, and he would not abolysh, that he iudged to be sincere and true.

I know very wel he made inquisi­cion often tymes, what wer the wise and learned mēs opinions touchyng these thinges. I knowe he gently be­sought Erasmus (in that assemblye whych Themperour Charles the fift made, in the City of Colein after his Coronacion) freely to tell hym hys o­pinion, if Luther had erred in those differences, wherof he principally entreateth. Then Erasmus sayde, thatErasmus approueth Luthers doctrine. Luthers opinion was good: but that he desired moderation of style in him. Wherof Duke Frederick wrot after greuously to Luther, exhortyng hym to temper the vehemency of his style.

It is also apparēt, that Luther promised y^• Cardinal Caietanus to kepe silence, prouided also his aduersaries would do the lyke. Whereby we may [Page] gather, that at that time he determi­ned not to sturre any newe debates, but rather coueted the cōmon quiet, and that he was prouoked by litle & lytle to other matters, throughe the excitacion of vnlearned writers.

Then followed disputacions of dif­ferēce betwixt diuine & humain law,Declaraci­on of the principall poyntes of Religion. of the horrible prophanacion of y^• supper of our Lord, in selling & applieng the same for other purposes. Here he was forced to expres the cause of the sacrifice, & to declare the vse of the sacramentes. Now the godly & faithful Christians, closed in Monasteries, vnderstanding Images ought to be es­chewed, began to abandō y^• wretched thraldom, in which thei wer deteined

Now Luther, y^• plainlier to expres the doctrine of repentaunce, of remission of syns, of faith, & of indulgēces, he added these matters: The differēce of diuine & humain lawes, y^• doctrine of the vse of our Lords supper, of baptisme & of vowes, and these were hys principal conflictes. As touching the question of the Romain Bishops po­wer, Eccius was y^• author thereof, & for none other respect, thē to inflame the fyry wrath of the Pope & Princes [Page] against Luther. The simbole of y^• A­postles, y^• same of Nice & Athanasius he conserued in their integrity. Fur­ther he declareth in diuers his works sufficiently, what innouaciō is to be required in y^• ceremonies & tradiciōs of mē, & wherfore they ought to be al­tered. And what fourme of doctrine & administracion of the sacraments he required & approued, it is apparēt by the confessiō the Elector Iohn Duke of Saxony, & Prince Phillip Land­graue of Hessia presented to thempe­ror Charles the .v. in the yere 1530. in the assembly at Ausburg. It is mani­fest also by y^• cerimonies of y^• Church in this City, & the doctrine y^• is prea­ched in our Church, the sōme wherof is fully comprised in this confession: I alledge this y^• the godly may consi­der not onely what errors he hath corrected & reproued, & what images he hath defaced & abolished: but also thei may vnderstand he hath cōprehended y^• hole doctrine necessary for y^• church he hath set y^• ceremonies in theyr pu­rity, & geuen examples to the faithful to repurge & reforme the Churches, & it is necessary for posterity to know [...] what Luther hath approued.

[Page]I wyl not here commemorate, whoWho were [...]n cause y^e cerimonies [...]ver chaunged. were the first y^t published both partes of the Supper of our Lord, who fyrst omitted the priuate Masses, & where fyrst the Monasteries were abando­ned. For Luther hath disputed verye lytle of these before y^t assembly which was made in the Towne of Vangi­ons, in the yeare 1521, he chaungedWormes. not the ceremonies, but in his absēce Carolostadius and other altered thē. Then Luther returning (after that Carolostadius had deuised & done certain thinges, rather to brede mutiny then otherwyse) manifested by euidēt testimonies, published abroade tou­chyng his opinion, what he approued and what he mystyked.

We know that politike men euer­more, detested all chaunges, and weChaunges are daun­gerous. must confesse, ther ensueth some euil of dissencions, yea trulye moued for ryght good causes in thys horryble confusion of humayne lyfe, and yet it is our duty euermore in the Church, to aduaunce Gods ordinaunce aboue humayne constitucions. The eternal father pronounced thys voyce of hys sonne: This is my welbeloued sonne [Page] heare hym. And menaceth eternall wrath to al blasphemers, that is such as endeuour to abolishe the manifest verity. And therefore Luther dyd as behoued a Christian faithfully to do, considering he was an Instructor of the Church of God. It was hys office (I say) to reprehed pernicious errors whych Epicures table, wyth a mon­strous impudencye heaped one vpon an other, and it was expedient hys Auditors dissented not from hys opi­nion, synce he taught purely. Wher­fore if alteracion be hatefull, and many peryls grow of dissention, as we certaynly see manye, whereof we be ryght sory: they are in fault partlye that spread abroade these errors, and partly that wyth diuelyshe dysdayne presently mayntayne them.

I do not recite this onely to defend Luther & hys Auditors, but also that the faythful spirites may cōsider nowThe gouernaunce [...]f y^• Church. and in tyme to come, what is the go­uernaūce of the true Church of God, and what it hath alwayes bene, how God hath gathered to hym selfe one eternal Churche, by the voyce of the Gospel, of thys masse of sinne, that is [Page] to say, of the huge heape of humayne ordures, among whō the Gospel shy­neth as a sparke amyd the darke. As in the tyme of the Phariseis Zacha­ry, Elizabeth, Mary, and many other reuerenced & obserned the true doc­trine: So haue manye preceeded vs, who purely inuocated God, some vn­derstanding more clearely, then some the doctrine of the gospel. Such a one was the old man, of whom I wrote, that often tymes comforted Luther, when his astoneinges assayled hym, [...] after a sorte declared vnto hym the doctrine of the fayth. And that God may preserue henceforth the lyght of his Gospell, shinyng in many: let vs pray with feruent affection, as Esay prayeth for hys Hearers: Seale the law in my Disciples. Further, thys aduertisement sheweth playne, that coloured supersticions are not permanent, but abolished by God, and sythe thys is the cause of chaunges, we ought diligentlye to endeuour, that errours be not taught ne preached in the Churche.

But I returne to Luther. Euen as at the begynnyng he entred in thys [Page] matter, w^t out any particular cupidiy:Prudenc [...] to discerne offices. so thoughe he was of a firy nature, & subiect to wrath, yet he alwayes re­membred his office, onely cōtendyng in his teaching, & prohibited warres to ve attempted, and distingued wisely offices, wherin was any differece, to say: the Bishop f [...]dyng the flocke of God, and the Magistrates that by authority of the sword committed vn to them, repres a certayne multitude of people subiect vnto them.

Wherefore when Sathan conten­deth by scandales to dyssipate the Churche of God, and contumelious­ly enrage agaynst hym, and delygh­teth to doo euyll, and reioyceth to be­hold vs wallowe in the puddle of er­rour and blyndnes, sinylyng at oure destruction, he spendeth oyle and toil to enflame and sturre vp myscheuous instrumentes, and mutining spirites to so we sedicion, as Monetarius andMonetari­us sedici­ons. hys lyke. Luther repelled boldlye these rages, and not onely adorned, but also corroborated the dygnitye and bandes of politicke order and ci­uill gouernement.

[Page]Therfore whē I cōsider in my mind how many worthy men haue bene in the church, that in this erred, & were abused: I beleue assuredly y^• Luthers hart was not onely gouerned by hu­mayn diligence, but with a heauenly light, cōsidering how constantly he a bode wythin the limites of hys office.

He held not onely in contempt the sedicious Doctours of that tyme, as Monetar us and the Auabaptistes: but also these horned Byshoppes of Rome, who arrogantly & impudent­ly by theyr deuised decrees affirmed, that Saynt Peter had not the charge alone to teache the Gospell, but also to gouerne common weales, and ex­ercise ciuil iurisdiction.

Moreouer he exhorted euerye man to render vnto God that appertay­ned vnto God, and to Cesar that be­longed to Cesar, to say that al should serue God, wyth true repentaunce, knowledge and propagacion of hys true doctrine, inuocacion & workes, wrought wyth a pure cōscience. And as touchyng ciuil pollecy, that euery one should obey the Maiestcates, vn­der whō he lyued in al ciuil dutyes, & [Page] reuerences for Gods cause. And cer­tenly Luther was such a one, he gaue vnto God, that belonged vnto God, he taught God, he inuocated God, & had other vertues necessary for a mā that pleaseth God. Further, in poli­tike conuersation he constantlye ad­uoyded al sedicious counsels. I iudge these vertues to be so excellent orna­mentes, as greater and more deuine cānot be required in thys mortal life.

And al be it that the vertue of thysAssurance of the doc­trine of the Gospell. man is worthy commen [...]acion, & the rather for that he vsed the gyftes of God in all reuerence: yet our duty is to render condigne thanks vnto God that by him he hath giuē vs the light of the Gospel, and to conserue and enlarge the remembraunce of hys doc­trine. I weye litle the braid & sclaun­der of the Epicures and Hipocrites, who scoffe and condempne the mani­fest truth. But I stay wholy here vp­on, that the vniuersal Churche, hath consented perpetuallye to thys ve­ry doctrine, which is preached in our Church, where vnto we must frame our lyfe and deuocion conformable. And I beleue y^t this is the doctrine, [Page] wherof the sonne of God speaketh: If any loue me, he wyll keepe my com­maundementes, and my father wyll loue him, and we wyll come to hym, and plant our dwelling with hym. I speake of the somme of the doctrine, as it is vnderstāded, and explaned in our Churches, by the faithfull & lear­ned Ministers. For al be it that some one often times expoundeth the same more aptly and elegantly then some other: yet as touching the effect, the learned and faithful doo agree in all poyntes.

Then weying & perpending with my selfe long tyme the doctrine thatFour chaū ges since y^e Apostles. hath bene of al tymes, it semeth vnto me that since the Apostles there haue bene foure notable alteracions after the first purity of y^• Gospel. Origene had his tyme. Al be it there wer some of a sound and sacred opinion as Me­thodius, who reproued the furies and [...]otages of Origene, yet he cōuerted the Gospell into Philosophye in the hartes of many that is to saye: he ad­uaunced this perswasion, that one meane discipline of reason deserueth remission of synnes, and that thys is [Page] that iustice, wherof is sayd: The iust shall lyue of his fayth. That age al­most lost the whole difference of theIgnorāce of tyme marreth y^t sentence. Law and the Gospel, and forgat the words of y^e Apostles. For they vnder stoode not the naturall significacion of these wordes: Letter, Spirite, Iu­stice, Fayth. Now when the proprie­tye of wordes was [...]o [...]t, whych be no­tes of the very thinges, it was neces­sary that other thinges should be contriued. Out of this seede sprang Pe­dagius error, which wandred largely abrod. And therfore al be it the Apo­stles had geuen vnto y^• Church a pure doctrine, as cleare & salutiferous foū taines, yet Origene medled the same wyth muche ordure and impuritye.

Then to correct the errors of that tyme, or at the least some part of the.S. Augu­stine resto­rer of the doctrine. God raised S. Austen, who repurged an some part the fountaynes, and I doubt not if he were iudge of dissen­cions at this day, but he wold speake for vs, & defend our cause. Certenly, as concerning free remission, iustifi­cacion by faith, the vse of the Sacra­mentes and indifferent thynges he consenteth wholy wyth vs.

[Page]And albeit that in some places he ex­p [...]undeth more eloquently and aptly that he wyl say, than in some, yet yf in readyng any do cary wyth them a godly spirite and quycke▪ vnderstan­dyng, and al euil iudgement ceaseth, they shall soone perceyne he is of our opinion. And where as our aduersa­ries sometime do cite sentences selec­ted out of his bookes agaynst vs, and wyth clamour prouoke vs to the auncient Fathers, they do it not for any affection they beare vnto the truth or antiquity, but maliciously to cloke them wyth the authority of the aun­cient fathers, in the presence of their Idols, whych antiquity neuer knewe of any these horned beastes & dombe Idols, as we haue knowen in these dayes.

Neuertheles it is certain, ther wer [...] see [...]es of supersticion in the tyme of the Fathers and auncient Doctors, & therefore S. Austen ordeyned some thyng of vowes, although he wrote not therof so straungely as other: for soth y^• best some tymes shal be spotted wyth the blemysh of the follyes that reygne in theyr age. For as natu­rally [Page] we loue our Country, so fondly we fauour the present fashions, wher in we be trained & educated And very wel alludeth Euripides to thys.

But would to God, y^• such as vaunt they follow S. Austen, wold alwaies represent one lyke opinion & mynoe, as S. Austen. Certaynly they would not clyppe and mutilate hys senten­ces, to serue their purpose.

And the lyght restored by S. AustēsDepraua­tion of Ec­clesiastical ministers. workes, hath much profited posterity For Prosper, Maximus, Hugo, and some other lyke, that gouerned stu­dies to S. Bernardes tyme, haue for the most part imitated the rule of S. Austen. And this whyle styl the regi­ment and rytches of the Bishops en­creased, and therof ensued a mo [...]e thē gigantal or monstrous raygne, pro­phane and ignoraunt men gouerned the Churche, among the whych cer­tayne were enstructed in sciences and [Page] practises of the Romayne Courte, and some other exercised in plea­dynges.

Then the orders of Dominicke and S. Fraunces Friers began, who be­holdingThe beginning of. 2. sortes of Friars. the excesse and ritches of the Byshops, & contempnyng their vn­godly maners, determined to lyue in more modest order, or as I myght say to enclose them in the prisons of discipline, but first ignoraunce encreased the supersticions. Then after, when they considered mens myndes wholy addicted to the study of y^• ciuil lawes, for that pleading at Rome aduaūced many to great authority, & enrytched them: they endeuoured to reuoke men to the study of Diuinity, but they missed of their purpose, and theyr coun­sayl fayled them. Albert and his sem­blables that wer geuen to Aristotles doctrine, beganne to conuert the doc­trineThe Gos­pel turned into Phi­losophy. of the Churche into prophane Philosophy.

And the fourth age, not onelye fyl­led with ordure the fountaines of the Gospell: but vomited poyson, to say: opinions manifestly approuyng all idolatries. Thomas Aquin, Scotus, [Page] and their lyke, haue brought in so manye labyrinthes & false opinions, that▪ the godly & sound sort of deuines haue alway desired a more plain and purer kinde of doctrine.

Neither can we deny without great impudencye, but it was expedient to alter this kind of doctrine, when it is manyfest that such as employed theyr whole age in this maner of teaching,The impieties of y^e Scholasti­cal doctrin vnderstoode not the great part of the Sophismes, in theyr Disputacions. Further it is playne Idolatry confirmed, when they teache the applicaci­ons of sacrifice by woorke wrought, when they allowe the inuocation of Images, when they deny that synnes be freelye remitted by fayth, when of ceremonies they make a slaughter of consciences. Finally, there are many other horryble and pernicious deui­ses, that when I thynke of theym, Lorde howe I tremble and quake of feare.

Let vs render thankes vnto God, the eternall Father of our Lorde Ie­sus Christe, who hath pleased by the Ministerye of Diuine and godly Lu­ther, too purifye the Euangelicall [Page] fountaynes of all ordure and papisti­calLuther hath repurged y^• doc­trine. infection, and restore siucere doc­trine to the Church, wherof minding euermore, we maye conioyne our la­mentable peticions, and with zeious affection besech God to cō [...]rine that he hath atchieued in vs, for hys holye Temples sake. Th [...]s is thy voice and prom [...]se lyu [...]ng and iust God, eternal father of our Lord Iesus Christ, creator of a [...] thinges, and of the Church: I wyll haue compassion on you, for my names sake. I wyll doo it for my se [...]e, yea truelye for my selfe, that I be not blasphe [...]ed. I beseche thee w^t ardent affection, that for thy glory, & the glory of thy sonne Iesus Christ, thou wylt collect vnto thy selfe in the voyce of thy Gospell, among vs, one perpetual Churche, and that for the d [...]are loue of thy Sonne oure Lorde Iesus Christ our mediator & interces­sor thou wylt gouerne vs by thy holy Gho [...], that we vnfainedly maye call vpon thee, and serue thee iustly. Rul [...] also the studies of thy doctrine, go­uerne and conserue the policies and discipline of the same, whych be the Nur [...]s of thy Church & scholes. And [Page] sythe thou hast created mankind that thou mayest be knowen & inuocated of the same, and that for thys respect thou hast reuealed thy selfe by many c [...]are testimonies, permit not thys smal nomber and selected [...]ocke (that professe [...]ny sacred w [...]or [...]) to be defa­ced and ouercome. And the rather, for that thy sonne Iesus Christ readye to fight agaynst death, hath p [...]ayed in this maner for vs: Father, sanctifye them in verity, thy woord is veritye. We con [...]oyne our prayer wyth the prayer of thys our ho [...]ye Pr [...]est, & we make peticion w [...]th hym, that thy doctrine may th [...]e among m [...], and that we may be directed by the same. We heard Luther euermore pray in thys wyse, and so praying, hys innocent Ghost peaceably was separated from the earthy corps, whē he had lyued al most th [...]ee score and three yeares.

Such as succeded, haue diuers mo­numentesThe sōme of all that Luther taught. of hys doctrine & godlines He wrote certain instructing works, wherein he comprised a salutiferous and necessarye doctrine for men, tea­ching the sincere myndes penitence, the fruites of the same, the vse of the [Page] Sacramentes, the difference betwyxt the Gospel and Philosophy, the dig­nity of politike order, finally the principall articles of the doctrine condu­cible to the Church. He composed certayne workes to reproue, wherin he refuteth diuers pernicious errours. He also deuised bookes of interpreta­cion, in which he wrote many enar­racions and exposicions of the Pro­phetes and Apostels, and in this kind his very enemies cōfesse, he excelleth all other, whose workes are imprin­ted and published abrode.

Then al Christiās & godly myndes conceyue what prayse he merited, but certainlye hys exposicion of the old & new Testament, with vtility and la­bour, is equiualent to al his workes. For in the same is so much perspicu­itye, that it maye serue in steede of a Commentary, though it be red in the Germayne tonge. And yet this is not a naked Exposition, but it contay­neth verye learned Annotacions and Argumentes of euerye parte. The whych both set foorthe the somme of heauenlye doctrine, and instructeth the Reader the sacred phrase, and [Page] manner of speakynge in the Scrip­tures, that the godlye myndes maye receyue fyrme testimonies of the doc­trine, oute of the verye fountaynes. Hys mynde was not to keepe vs oc­cupyed in hys woor [...]es: but to guyde our Spirites to the verye sprynges. Hys wyll was we shoulde heare God speake, and that by hys woorde, true fayth and inuocacion myght ve kyn­deled in oure myndes, that GOD myght be sincerely honoured and a­dored, and that manye myghte bee made Inheritours of the euerlasting lyfe.

It behooueth v [...] thankefullye to accepte hys good wyll and great la­bours, and to imitate the same as our Patron, and by hym to learne to ad­orne the Churche, accordyng to oure power. For we must referre all oure lyfe, enterprises, and deliberacions, to twoo principal endes. Fyrst, to il­lustrate the glory [...] of God. Second­ly, to profite the Churche. As tou­chyng the fyrst, Saynct Paule sayth: Doo all thynges to the glorye of God. And of the seconde, it is sayde in the hūdred twenty and two Psalme. [Page] Pray that Ierusalem maye prosper, and there followeth a syngular pro­myse added in thys versic [...]e, that such as loue the Church, shal prosper and haue good successe. Let these heauen­ly commaundementes, and diuine be hestes allure all men to learne the true doctrine of the Churche, to loue the faythful Ministers of the Gospel, and the true Teachers, and to em­ploy theyr whole studye and diligence to augment the true doctrine, and mayntayne concord and vnity in the trewe Church. (⸫)

The historye of the Lyfe of Iohn Eco­lampadius, setfoorth by Wol­fangus Faber. Capito. (⸫)
¶ To the Christian Reader.

I Wyshe thee fauourable Reader, to encrease in y^• knowledge & vnderstandyng of our Lord Iesus Christ raignyng in glo­ry. Our friende Simon Grineus, as well floorishyng in elo­quence and ornate style, as learned in sacred knowledge and sence of y^• scrip tures, hath by hys letters faythfullye signified vnto vs the true decease of the very organe of Christ, my welbe­loued brother Iohn Ecolampadius. The whych information two Coun­sellers of Basile, mē of syngular gra­uity and good fame haue wyth theyr aduertisment verified to be true, who expressed in suche maner vnto vs the woordes and gesture of the deceased, [Page] that me semed I beheld and heard the lyuely woordes he pronounced at the point of death. These Counsellers, were euer present with the Ministers so long as occasion spared them from publike affaires, and specially when he was ready to geue place to nature▪ They enfourmed he intermitted no time, whyle he was sycke to cōmendeThe last cōmendaciōs of Iohn Ecolampadius. the sincere doctrine of fayth, peace, mutual loue, and diligent care of the Churches to hys brethren, wherof al hys life studious, then he was y^• more earnestly moued, yea enflamed when hys sycknes was most impacient and do [...]orous. Pondering also with hym­self, what occasion of contencion and diseord the enemy wold minister to y^• selected Christian flocke, destitute of the goueruaunce & assistence of theyr true Pastor. And fullye I resolue hys prayers auayled muche for that after hys departure, his Successor in moste sharpest time of seuerity & persecutiō, gouerned the sterne ryghtlye, & was not displaced, in sorte that the poore Christiās sequestring them selues for a tyme, & dispersed abroad in the end assembled, & in lyke order as in fewe [Page] yeres before established their Church and abode. Our part is to render har­ty thanks to the ramous and learned man Simon Grineus, who with compendious clegancy, and syngular erudicion, hath deseriued the decease of thys godlye man, by whose example we haue perfecte president to learne howe to behaue our selues at the lat­ter houre. The rest of Ecolampadius lyfe is no lesse myrrour, whych Gri­neus hath required me fullye to set­foorth. Aprou [...]nce (I confesse) farre passyng my power, especially in thys miserable and croked age, & also skyl, if any wer at al wyth tract of yeares, lothsome sycknes, and daylye exercise empayred and decayed.

And certes I could none other then encurre worthy note of ingratitude, if the glory of Christ whych shined in thys holy man, if thy desyre fauorable Reader, proceding of a zelous affecti­on, finally if Grineus earnest request a man of approued learnyng and god lynes moued me not to descriue the hystorye of Ecolampadius lyfe, and comprise in fewe woordes those mat­ters whych I perfectlye vnderstande. [Page] Thou shalt therefore heare of me the very trouth (and no pay [...] historye) barrayne of eloquence and phrases, the truth I repea [...]e, will knowen to many credible persons, fra [...]ng [...]rast if I should disclose doubtful matters, and which I could not warrant, to deserue worthely [...], and staine of credit. Attend therefore to this briefe discours [...] of Ecolampadius life, from the begynnyng to the [...]at [...]er end.

Ecolampadius was borne in Ger­many, in the yere of our Lord. 14 [...]2.Ecolampadius Country. in a lytie Village called Viesperg in that Territory which the auncient latins called Cherusci. [...]ys Parentes according to the Country, very rich, hys Mother much renowmed for her integrity of lyfe, and holynes. Who for her liberality towards the poore, and good nature, was well regarded and reported among her neighbours. And when God had refte them of all their Children sauyng thys, they en­deuoured with al sedulity & diligence to haue hym instructed, and from the very brest nourished in learnyng and godlye feare. Beyng growen some­what elder, his Father determined to [Page] make hym a Marchaunt, but hys Mother procured longer exhibition for hys continue in study. When he lear­ned hys ru [...]me [...]ts beyng very yong, he represented such a tokē of toward­nes, that all those that knewe hym, ma [...]ueyled much thereat, for y^• Lorde ripened hym the ry [...]e [...]er, y^• he might employe hym in hys seruice. Whych was the cause hys Father, eyther o­uercome with hys Wyues prayer, or wonne wyth the towardnes of the Childe, foreced for no charges. After he had tasted the first foundacions of learning, his Father sent him to Helteprune, & Heidelberge, to aduaunce hym to the study of the liberall scien­ces. There he profited so wel, that at the .xii. yeare of hys age he wrate cō ­mendable Verses, and wythin twoo yeares after he obtained the degree of Bacheler, as they terme it. And thys whyle be fructified no lesse in y^• feare of God, and innocency of lyfe, then inDiscourse of Ecolampadius study. g [...]od litterature. Being graded Mai­ster of Arte, he went to Boloigne in Italy, according to his fathers mind, to study the Ciuil law, vnder a Rea­der therof for hys excellencye in that [Page] knowledge muche renowmed. But wythin one halfe yeare after he was forced to returne, as well for the ayre of Italy, which he could not brooke, as for the fraudulency of a Marchant vnto whom hys father had delyuered money for hys maintenaunce. Then he came backe to Heidelberge, where geuing ouer the Ciuil law, he apply­ed his mind to Diuinity, cō [...]oygning therwith good learnyng & the tongs. Pleas and ciuil contencions, seemed to base for the excellency of hys wyt. He was so careful and studious to vnderstand the truth, that the ambigui­ty & ve [...]acion of questions & vayne so­phistry (which pull many pregnaunt & natural good wyts, from the cast of holy scripture) coulde not discourage hym to leaue hys purpose. After he had red Thomas of Aquine, he gaue hym selfe to Richard aboue al the sco­lastical writers. He redde diligentlye Gerson, because he semed more apt to nourish the feare & reuerence of God. He made none accompt of Scotus, al beit he was subtile: he stayed not as one musyng, on euery subtile questiō as hys companions dyd, but hastened [Page] to attain to the somme of thys profes­sion. And this while he cōferred with certayne the fruites of hys study, andEcolampadius hated ambicion. contemned euermore the publick dis­putacion of suche as in cōmon places would contend, esteming the same to be a meane to corrupt & marre the to­ward wyts & good natures of younge men, with pride, arogancy, noise and braw [...]es. He more desyred to learne, then to wynne Fame by knowledge, which was repugnant to the nature of hys tender yeres, & the institucion of his Maisters. You would haue said he [...] had bene the suckyng Infant of sa­cred Verity, & not the Scholer of dol­tysh Schoolemaisters. He attempted diligently, as hys capacity serued, to vnderstand playnly all the secretes & misteries of learned truth which was the cause that honest people commen ded hym singularly, both for learning and vertue. Yea, Philippe PalatineThe carle Palatine sent for E­colāpadius most illustre Prince and Elector of y^• empire, encouraged w^t his renowme, made him Instructor of hys Childre, which was the ready way to grow to great welth, if he had delited to sauor of the pompe & brauery of the world, [Page] but the vertue of hys mynde borne to embrace godlines, drew him an other way. Wherfore with al celerity he a­bandoned the Court, and returned to prosecute hys godlye studies agayne. Finally, for that hys Parentes, peo­ple very deuout, were fullye resolued to employ theyr wealth on Gods ser­uice, and this their onely Sonne, ha­uing no further care, nor hope of any issue, & cōsideryng he was of a weake complexion, and apt to proue a nota­ble Preacher, they founded in the Towne where they were borne, by the aduise and consent of theyr sayde sonne, a Benefice, hauyng the charge of Preacher annexed, and employed theron the principall part of theyr re­uenue. And therefore EcolampadiusHe was in [...]ituted Preacher. was first assigned Gouernour of that Churche, where hauyng resided syxe weekes, he procured liberty to return to Heidelberg to encrease his studies, thynking hym selfe not then able to dyscharge the office of a Preacher, whych he wel weyed to be no tryuial matter. But fyrst of al he cam to Tubinge, and at Stulgarde he conferred wyth Capnion, a man at those dayes [Page] very perfect and skylful in the know­ledge of the tounges. Who in sewe dayes gaue hym some [...] of Greke, whych he augmented after wyth pri­uate study, that at his returne to Heidelberg, he wrate a Grammer, which he intitu [...]ed Dragmata, the whyche synce was imprinted. And at y^• tyme he learned the Hebrue tong of a Spaniard, who somtyme was my schole­maister a peruers mā, and or an euill conuersacion, for he hated vs because we studied that holy tonge. Euen thē I was Preacher at Bruschel, and fol­lowed the Bishoppes Court, about whose affaires, I had occasion often­tymes to visit Heidelberg, which mi­nistred opportunity to enter in fami­liarity wyth hym, and to entertayne y^e same with gratifiyng one an other as tyme required. This friendshyppe florished betwyxt vs without violaci­on, or semblant of vnkyndnes tyll the latter day. For eche of vs was participant of others affayres, and we disposed and ordered all our actes and in­tentes with mutual aduise and coun­sell, sauynge when he attempted the Monkysh estate, which was contrary [Page] to my wyl. And now that he is depar­ted out of thys mortal lyfe: I will not omit to loue hym, the which Christe helpyng me, I wyl largely declare in hys Children, cōmitted to my tuiciō. Then he thought good to repayre to his habitacion to discharge his office,The vani­tye of▪ false Preachers and preserue the same from all conta­gion, whyche myghte happen to hys Church by the frequency of such pre­posterous and vayne heads, as [...]u [...]ked in great nombers in y^e Vniuersities. During whych tyme I was called to Basile, there to preache, and then he preached Christ in his Coūtry, to the great admiracion of al faythful & learned people, albeit then he entermed­led many thinges of the auncient su­persticion, yet some affirmed he was a very seuere Preacher, because he rored not out in the Pulpit, & with pleasaunt g [...]sture could not moue laugh­ter among hys gloming▪ Auditors, as was the best [...]al [...]onkes custome, for he euer obserued modestye & grauitye in his [...]eraunce. This their corrupt & peruerse iudgement gaue hym occasiō to write vnto me one litle treatise intituled, the [...]asti [...] of passeouer▪ [Page] wherin be expressed hys mynde [...]ye learnedly, and (as I [...] ▪ not▪ [...] ▪ yeares past. Then I [...] wyth al sedulity to allure such a compani­on of studye and godlynes to Basi [...], iudging it vnworthy that suche a to­ward wyt, and hope of Christian Re­ligion, should l [...]ke in a s [...]et [...] of hys Country. I entreated Christo­pher of V [...]nhim, Bishop of Ba [...] ▪ [...]a d [...] to be a [...] ch [...]r at Bas [...]e. to sende for hym, and to [...]owe hym wyth par [...]h [...]all [...] of the Cathed­ral Churche. He brought wyth hym si [...]e Christian Tra [...]s, I remem­ber not y^• argumentes of them al, but of one ( [...]s I [...]rr [...]) wrytten of the Virgin Mary. And these Tragedies pleased wel the iudgement of al lear­ned Readers. He gaue hym self much to wryte Greeke and Latine verses. The argumentes of hys Tragedies were not conformable to the rule of fayth, for that he wound hym self out of the errors vsed in the Church slowly and deliberatelye, obeyng rather the iudgement of an apparent & esta­blished religion, then the vayne affections of other, whyche was the cause hys Tragedies were not imprinted.

[Page]In this broyle, Erasmus of [...]ote­ro [...]ame came to Basile, of purpose to haue hys Annotacious vpon the newErasmus ayded of Ecolampadius. Testamēt imprinted, & to accelerate the same, he required Ecolampadius to ayde hym. As he plainly confesseth he was ayded of hym, namyng Eco­lampadius a perfect and true deuine, and an excellent myrrour of holynes in lyfe, and in the knowledge of the three tonges. He was graded Doctor through the impo [...]run [...]tye & coaction of hys friendes, who iudged hys par­sonage worthy to be garnished wyth such a title, the common people much applaudyng the same. It was hyghe tyme the lord should be serued of such a Minister so instructed, and ready, & therefore the Chanons of the great Church in Auspurg, sent for hym to preache there: but the haruest of the Lord was not yet rype, and the Euā ­gelical corne not whyte inough to re­ceiueEcolampadius apointed Prea­cher in Auspurg. the sythe, considering the life of the common people, was as peruers as the Ecclesiasticall Ministers con­tagious & corrupt, that the same refused the hand of the Phisicion, whyche moued hym to determine hys depar­ture▪ [Page] Twoo myles distant from Aus­purg, there is a Monastary consecra­ted to S. Alton, wherein dwelleth [...] Couent of Moonkes, of the order of S. Brigide, who were bruted to lyue more religiously & holyly, then other. Ecolampadius hauing diligently obserued their maners, desired to be ad­mitted one of that order, and required liberty for hys studies and fayth, the whych he testefied wyth these words: Albeit w^t .vi. hundred othes I shoulde oblige my selfe, I wyl not kepe coue­naunt, if it happen I may supply the office of a Preacher abroade. The Moonkes allowed the condicion, and shewed their priuilege, by whych it was permissiue to ani to haue [...]gresse and preache, if heresies began to bu [...] ­g [...]nEcolampadius agre­eth to be a Moonke. in any Country. Al thys pleased wel the Bishop of Fri [...]guen, who highly esteemed and reuerenced thys holy man. But I (as much as I could cōueniently) resisted this his attempt fearyng the euent, as in dede it came to passe, that he should not finde ther the repose he desired for hys studyes, neither oportunity to serue his neighbour, and the Christian Churche.

[Page]Beyng in the cloyster, besydes cer­tayne sermons whych he published, he wrate a treatise of Confessiō, very godly, and therefore vnpleasaunt to suche as traffique Ceremonies. ForHe is prrsecuted. Friar Glapio, Themperor Charles Confessor, put him in great daunger for thys booke, at such tyme as the E­scates of Thempire wer assembled at Wormes. Wherfore by the perswa­sion and soliicitacion of his friendes, and the Monkes consent, [...]e abando­ned that Monastery. Before he departed the brute was, he was committed to prison, the which a learned Chanō of Auspurge signified vnto me for a matter of truth, when I followed the Archbishop of Mences Court then, at Halle Sales in Saxony. The iourny of Wormes was ended fewe mone­thes before. Furthwith when I was aduertised of these heauy newes, I required licence for twoo monethes vn­der colour of domestical affaires, and addressed me towardes Mens, to de­iuse some good meane to releace my brother. Being there arriued, and entred into my lodgyng, which was the Curates house, sodaynly and besides [Page] al expectacion I found Ecolampadl­us, deuising wyth Gaspar Hedio. I do not a lytle delight, when I call to memory the swete gretynges, and in credible ioy we had in our me [...]iyng, and how louingly we embraced eche other.

For foure yeares before he depar­ted from Basile, and since wee sawe not one another. And besides I assu­redly beleued he was kept in close prison: I was forced twoo monethes at the least to kepe three horses and two seruauutes, as wel at Strasburg and Basile, as in the common Innes in my direct way, til I came to y^• Prince at Neurenberg, where then the Princes were appoynted to assemble. E­colampadius went from Mens, and came to Fraunces Sickengen, a no­ble and famous Gentleman, whereFraunces Sickengen a louer of truth. he beganne to repourge the Masse, and translated certayne fragmentes of Chrisostome, but for that thys worthye man was troubled wyth vnfor­tunate warre (a man worthy to lyue at rest, and beare great aucthoritye, so seruently was he be [...]t to aduaūce Iustice, religion and good learuyng) [Page] Ecolampatius departed to Basile, of purpose to haue imprinted y^• he had wrytten, soiournyng wyth the sayde Gentleman. Ther, by the aduise and consent or [...] Senate (albeit certaynEcolampa dius professeth diuini [...]y [...] at Ba­sile. Sophisies repelled) he began to reade Esay in publicke auditory, & immediatelye after at the request of the Cu­rate of S. Martins, he tooke y^• charge to preache for hym, not wythout the hygh displeasure of the Papistes, but in the end, he whom he sincerely preached (whych is Christ) wan the field. And al thys while he professed Christ fyue yeares together, wythoute anye meede or salarye, eyther of Curate or Preacher. About this tyme he translated out of Greke into Latin, Chriso­stome vpon Genesis, and Theophi­lactusHis trans­lacions. wholye. A disputacion euen nowe beganne of the Sacrament of thankes geuing, and beyng required to say his opinion, he declared y^• same modestly, and according to the mindeContenci­on for the Gospel. of the auncient Fathers, whyche he faythfullye alaedged, whereof grewe marueilous cont [...]nc [...]ō, because some conceyued not the sence of hys wry­tyng, as he meaned. But it is easy to [Page] coniect which way he tended, & what he demaunded, certenly nothing lesse then to disturbe y^• Church, or obscure the verity. And thys while the trouth began to florish in Suicerland, wherfore Faber, Eccius and other trauai­led so much (as the brute went) wyth the Chiefetaines of Suicerland, that they got a place assigned for a publik disputacion to discusse the principall poyntes of Religion, that wer in contencion.The iour­ney. There m [...] Ecolampadius not without great peryl, although he had letters of safeconduct. And for y^• Zuinglius would not appeare there, or if he would, the principals of Zu­ricke woulde not haue suffered hym, doubtyng the enemyes deliberated o­therwise, then with simple disputaci­on to pacify thys broyle. Ecolampa­dius susteyned y^• cause of truth alone, agaynst the r [...]nckest Papistes, & lon­gest experimented Soldiours of Antichrist. that in nombers repayred thy­ther. There be liuing at thys present many credible persons, who can testify wyth what conscience & dexteritye he cleared hym selfe, besides that the aduersaries haue published the truth [Page] also. A yeare after he employed hym­selfe, and dyd hys duty notably well, in disputacion & reformaciō of BerneReformacion of y^e gospel at bern as the actes receiued of Notaries so­lemnely sworne, beare wytnes to the whole worlde. Incontinentlye after this a great tumult rose at Basile forSediciō at Basile. that certain of the Senate & the com­monty boldly & with particular teme [...]ity, wythstode matters lawfully & of longe time decreed for the puritye of the Gospel, myliding to disanul & abolysh by priuate authority, the accords & agrements made by publick conser, wherfore it was necessari to reforme, establish, & innouate, as wel in y^e city as the villages of this cōmon weale, those matters y^t before wer ordayned for religion according to the word of God. And in this sturre, none demea­ned them selues insolently, for the cō mon people attempted nothyng disor­derly, saue that some puld downe and defaced Images, whych were set vp for supersticion, so vigilant was the Senate to appease al debate, & to re­duce althinges to good order, & that they did was done by y^e meane of this graue & holy mā, who exhorted them continually to modesty, peace, & obedience. [Page] He was immediatelye after a meane to reestablish in the Church ecclesiastical discipline, & the censure ofThe censure of excōmunicacion receiued. excōmunicacion. The he was called to V [...]me wyth Ambrose Blawrer, & Martin Bucer, wher he prescribed order for the Church, & reformed y^e same according to the rule of the Gospell. He passed the rest of hys lyfe in lyke holy exercises profyting daylye, wry­tyng, reading, or geuing counsayl toThe exer [...] ses of Ecolampadiu [...] the churches in Germany, to y^e great discōfort of such as couet not to haue Christ raigne ouer them, but to the in estimable emolument, and thankfull contentacion of the godly and sincere sort. Such hath ben the order of thys holy mans life to the latter end, true, pure, prone to piety, ready to relieue men, careful to aduaunce y^e kingdom of god, & diligent to subuert y^e attēpts of sathan. This life hath he led tyl he departed w^tout any alteraciō or insta­bility. And for y^• he laid foundacion & builded on a firme stone, he neuer re­ceiued torment y^t coulde deface, much les ruinate him, he had no [...] other thē Christ in his hart, taking his leuel at him, as at a blank, & al his cares, actions, [Page] conferences and attemptes, directing hys cours [...] by hym, as by the aspect of a starre, called the lesser Beare, a certayn marke. He hoysed vp, and haled downe the sayles of Christes shyppe, as tyme required. He succoured theThe of [...] ­es of a tru [...]astor. afflicted with godlye consolacion, he offered pardon to the penitēt, the hea­uy loden & weary wightes he releued with Christ theyr onelye solace. The stony hartes he forced to relent wyth hammer of deuine wrath. He erected nothing, but in his rype tyme, & whē the profit of the Church vrged most. He was a prudēt Stuarde, for he wel ordred, & egally deuided the ordinary foode of the Lordes Family, y^t whych he practised in his exposition vpon Ezechiel. For then he was more incumben [...]o his outward Stewardship, to the [...]t y^t the false religion abolished among Christians, he myght frame & fas [...]ion an vniforme & ryght cōmon w [...]le, according to the word of God. Farewel Reader, and pray with me, that we keping that way which Eco­la [...]a [...]ius hath passed, may through the holye Ghoste attayne to Iesus Christe in hys fathers kyng­dome. So be it.

¶ The history of the death of Iohn Eco­lampadius, setforth by Si­mon [...] (⸫)

I Vnderstand by your letters, that many as well in Fraunce, as in otherScla [...]nde of y^t death of Ecolanpadius. places, haue wryttē vn­to you y^e horrible brute flowen in to foreyn Coū tries of the departure of oure good friend Iohn Ecolampadius a man of much innocency, as though he had destroyed hym selfe or his friendes se­cretly made him away, and that thys rumour is aucthorised by certayne bookes published, so that many farre distant hence, perswade thys to be no fable. And therupon you earnestly re­quire me (yea truly me) that haue [...] present in al these affaires, obserued the sequele therof more circu [...] sp [...]t [...]y [Page] then other, vpsucked hys last sighes, & closed my friendes eyes: in considera­cion of our mutuall acquayntaunce long tyme confirmed, I would grately the deceased wyth relacion of the truth, remouyng al suspiciō from the vertuous & godly, & confoundyng the sycophancye and sclaunder of the per­uerse and malicious rable, in sorte, that the vtility which the wise & [...]ear­n [...] haue reaped of his monumentes, continually mai encrease in the, & his excellent workes be purged of the sa­crilegious accusacions of the malig­naunt. Al be it (deare friend Capito) thankes be giuen to God, I neuer yetThe insati­able malice of the wyc­ked aga [...] the [...]ste & godly. rested to defend trouth wyth a singu­ler zeale, and to confute these mon­strous lies, which euermore troubled my mynde: yet for that & see ordinarely this euil accident to the godly, that in theyr lyfe tyme they be disdained of euil persons, & after theyr decease de­ [...]o [...]ed to the diuels: I thought it good to passe in silence the clamour of the aduersaries, fearing some would conceiue this were done of brauerye and vaine o [...]tentacion, rather then of any im [...]elling nede, if we trusted our sei­ [...]s [Page] so sclederly in y^e defence of y^e good renowme of a mā exquisite & absolute in many notable a [...]es. But althings depe [...]y perpēded, I could neuer be in­duced to write any thing of the life or death of him, whom we know wel to haue lyued & dyed most holily. Albeit certain vrged me to this attempt, the which in my iudgemet is notorious i­nough by his bookes, vnles the vene­mous tonges of curr [...] detractors in most detestable maner, had cōpelled me to do y^e same. And what shal I say (my deare friende Capito) what thys meaneth, or how it happeneth, that a thing deliberatly & with leisure done in a famous & large citie, in the face & audience of a great [...]ōber, can breede any doubt, much lesse be taken in contrary part [...] his aduersaries, so as he who finished his mortal life most blessedly, & was lamented of al good per­sons, should be defan [...]ed to haue bene murdered (a horrible matter) & that he which was al his life tyme of a m [...]ke & gentle nature, should be reported [...] y^e informacion of impudent Asses, [...] cruel and bloudy hand to haue pulled cut the wretched and miserable ghost [Page] Can there be any so senceles, so infa­mous, so maleuolent to empayre the good renowme of an other, or wyth violent irruption to inuade a syllye dead carcas▪ But such is the order of desteny & course of humayne affaires. Certaynly the clere sunne of ryghte­ousnes, neuer riseth charged w^t darke cloudes, but a so [...]yn tempest, storme and hurle winde folow, menacing the members of Christ a thousande cala­mities and deathes: furious wrathe & cancred malice spreade theyr force & impudent sclaunders raigne in euery place. But as it is our part to endure and despise these euils, wyth an in­uincible courage, and harte prepared to the crosse of Christ, and disposed to pacience, so it behoueth vs not to dis­simule a lye agaynste the honour of God, nor quayle to cleare the truth. We therefore that were present in these affayres, aunswer compendiously and faythfully the truth, touchyng the departure of thys godlye man, as wel to refute the detractacion of the Sicophantes, as to satisfy the desires of the honest, and beare witnes of his innocency, as reason moueth vs.

[Page]A yeare before hys decease, he was more afflicted with sickenes, then all hys lyfe tyme past, and notwithstan­dyng he was neuer empesched wyth weightier affaires then at y^• instant, for the bot [...]h which a litle before was stopped, then began to breake out, & ouerronning in wardlye his whole body, marueilously weakened his forces e [...]tenuated & exhausted w^t watching. This whyle he was moued wyth an incredible sollicitude, not onely to se the Gospel (whych now began to flo­ryshe) prosper vnder hym: but also in the broyle of ciuill warre, then [...]yrye hote▪ and among, sectes buddyng and springing one from another, labori­ously to do hys duty, and serue his cal Wherefore hauyng no respect to theEcolamp­dius tra­uayles. troublous season, he watched & tra­uailed much more thē euer he dyd, going on foote throughe the whole cir­cuite of hys Churche, exhortinge hys own flocke as wel as hys enemyes, & often times greuously and sharply re­buking them, not wythout great pe­ryl of hys lyfe, to reduce them to the ryght way. Briefly he employed hymselfe in al thinges most faythfully di­ligently [Page] & with an ardent zeale. Fur­thermore among so many publicke & particular affaires, among hys ordi­nary Sermons, he began the Byble, whych he was accustomed to reade, when hys turne was wyth an other professour of Diuinity, & prosecuting dayly the exposicion of the same, as a true & syngular Byshop of Christ, he made an excellent woorke, brynging to light new & old matters, faithfully & learnedly, through hys great know ledge of holy scriptures, & the Greke and Hebrue tonges. This man alone sustayned manye burdens one whole yeare together, marueilous paciently wyth hys tedious sickenes, when the same in wardly flowed in hys mēbers wyth no lesse payn, thē when it brake out. Besides this he enterprised y^• in­terpretacion of two straunge tonges: I nede not to wryte with what dexte­rity. For diuers woorkes of Theophi lactus, Cyrillus, & Chrisostomus in that behalfe beare luculēt testimony, although it is apparent they wer ha­stened to tymely to y^• Printers presse. He added hereunto the expositions of those places whych are most difficile, [Page] and remoued from cōmon sence in the sacred scripture, as hys large & lear­ned Cōmentaries vpō Esai, Ieremy, Hagge, Zachary, Malachy, Daniel, Iob, Ezechiel, the Epistle to the Ro­maines, and the Hebrues, the Gospel of S. Iohn, and hys Canonical Epi­stle, the whych he atchieued not long before, euidently declare. And thys whyle he ceased not to preach. I wil­linglye passe ouer hys particular af­fayres, and an infinite nomber of an­swers he gaue dayly to the Churches I haue wondred at hys intollerable trauayles, and priuelye stealyng on hym, I would gently rebuke hym, saying he coulde not lyue long, and per­swaded hym to repose and spare hym selfe, tyl tyme of necessity. But his fatal day at hand, he hastened aud per­fected all, as one that certainly knew hys dying date was not farre of. E­uen at this present Suicerland broy­ledSuyces warre. with ciuill and lamētable warre, Zuinglius the valiaunt Champion, and deliuerer of Papistical thraldom among hys, and diligent reformer of the Euangelical purity, was cruelly slayne in battayle.

[Page]There was also a treatye of peace made to the great discomfort and hea uines of suche as vnfame [...]ye feared God. These doleful & miserable mys­haps, abased the courages of al men, when either throughe pe [...]lent ayre, wherwyth the Citye & his house was infected, or through the scabbe which corrupted & putrified his inward par­tes, there appeared a b [...]tch vpon hys huckle bone, where all the bones as­semble, and immediatlye after enfla­med hys body wyth a most vehement heate, no doubt it was a Carbuncle. Hys colour was pale and earthy, and as hote as fyre, and notwithstanding al these commō and priuate diseases, he omitted not to preache, wryte and reade Lectures: but as a worthy sol­dior hardened and pacient in his pai­nes, abandoned not hys standyng, vntyl the violence of hys malady enfor­ces hym to kepe home, and reit on his bed, settyng all busynes asyde. We that were his friendes reasoned and conferred wyth the Phisicion, then after wyth the Chirurgian, as well of the nature as regiment of hys sycke­nes, and euen the the Phisicion gaue [Page] vs faynt hope of hys recouery, partly considering the nature of hys disease, & partly the weaknes of his body, but when he he had considered althings, he wronght the best & rediest help for his redres. A day or. 2. after, his heate began meanly to aswage by arte & or­der of the Phisicion, & the botch being rypened, ministred ease for the vehe­ment heate to respire, so that now we began to hope of hys health. And albe it he tooke in good part the trauayle and seruice of his friendes: yet he praied them not to take so great paynes, for that he was assured he should not escape thys sicknes. And thys whyleBrotherly & friendly visitacion of Ecolampadius. hys friendes of al estates, & the godly and graue Counsellours of the Citye visited hym, offering to gratefye, and declared theyr faythfull and louyng hartes towardes him. It was also by decre of the Senate ordeined that the Phisiciōs should employ their whole knowledge and endeuour to entreate hym well. You should haue sene such conflewence of brethren, and deuout persons to visite, comfort and watche wyth him, that wher many before frequented hys house, nowe a whole [Page] world semed to occupy the same. Hys malady stil continued at one stay, the eyght daye passed, the Phisicions a­greed not in theyr consultacions, al­though alyke they did theyr duties as friendes in all diligence and fidelity. They assayed all remedyes, but thys ragyng sicknes ouercame al theyr medecines, notwythstandyng that the chiefe ordinary Phisicion of the City confessed that the sycknes so long rooted & grounded in hym, ouercame not so much as the weakenes of hys body whych of long tyme had lost al strengthe. For the botche ran not as it was wont, but retired inward [...]ye, and yet hys sycknes decreased nothyng (all be it hys heate was temperate) but aug­mented in hys bowels, with greuous payne of hys head. Then the Phisici­on that had special charge of hym, re­systed wyth al force & new medecynes hys sycknes, and concealed no part of hys industry & cunnyng towards hys Pacient. Furthwyth hys strength began to returne, & we almost perswa­ded of hys recouerye, for it appeared visibly that nature wared strōger in hym. And sodaynly besydes al expectacion, y^e paya raunged along hys right [Page] syde, & apostumed wyth great quanti­ty of fleume, gathered in his bowels, & flowing in abundaūce, but as it appeared synce, it was y^e last conflyct nature had, for by & by hys harte began to tremble, hys eyes to seitle in hys head, hys members to fayle by force & violence of hys sicknes. Then y^e Phi­sicion began to dout, & we despaire of hys recouery, but he y^e long past was prepared to thys banket, & with depe syghes groned for y^• same, forced not for our consolacions, but w^t an inuincible courage bad vs be of good cōfort Then calling to him the Ministers of the Gospell, hys companions in pro­fession, wyth the pryncipall of the Church, he made the thys Oration.

Ye see brethren in what state mineEcolampadius last exhortacion. affaires rest, the Lord approcheth to cal me hence, I am therefore desirous to confirme & establish my soule with the perfect ioy of our Lord, & consola­cion of you my deare friendes. What shal we the seruauntes of God say in thys fatal farewel, y^e ioyntly be coup­led together in lyke loue towards the Lord, like study, lyke care, & like doc­trine? Saluacion is procured for vs, y^e faythful hope of Gods kyngdome by [Page] Christ is cōquered for vs, his doctrine is true, his light shyneth euen at our fete, wherefore abandon al sorow, al dread of death, all errour & all doubt. What resteth then but constantly & faythfully to folow Iesus Christ, as we long sith haue begun: First in purity of doctrine, secondly in lyfe con­formable to the lyuely word of God. Christ puissaunt inough, wyll of hys infinite mercy geue order for the rest and preserue hys Church. Endeuour then wyth all alacrity of mynde, my deare brethren, to make your lyghtThe waye to ouer­throw Sathan. shine, so as God the Father maye be glorified, and the name of Christ res­plendish and haue light by the brightnes and integrity of your conuersacion. Loue one another vnfainedly, ha­uing god euer more before your eyes. Men preach the truth in vain, and li­tle preuaile wordes, for if we wil subdue Sathan, if we determine to shape this world after Christ, this specially that now is we had neede of a cleare and holy lyfe, of a heauenly courage and mynde. See ye not what cloudes appeare, what tēpest begins to noise, what alienacion of myndes, what [Page] impiety raigne, yet ye must be constāt and couragious, assured the Lord wil dispose al in iust order. O y^e I myght be with you in your tribulacions, and expose thys my lyfe for the truth, but it may be so, for as muche as the loue of godly men, and the band in Christ is indissoluble, and haue all thynges common amonge them. Suche dis­course hadde Ecolampadius concer­nyng religion, generally with vs his brethren, and then he began to touch hym selfe. Where I am sc [...]aundered (sayth he) that peruerslye I haue cor­rupted the truth. I force not, for prai­sed be god, I depart to appeare before the throne of Christ in pure consciēce there shal I truly knowe if I haue se­duced the Churche, I leaue you wyt­nessesHys prote­staciō that he taughte the verity. of thys myne opinion and attestacion, the which I mayntayne and confirme in these my last sighes. And when he had sayd thys, the brethren gaue hym theyr handes, and faithful­ly promised to take care for y^• church. The morow after, which was the. r [...] day he had layed sycke, he commaun­ded his Children to be brought before hym, and fyrst he tooke them by the [Page] hand, then he stroke them on the head & notwithstanding their tender yeres could not conceiue the fathers mynde (for the eldest was but thre yeres old) Go to (fayth he) Eusebie, you Irena, and you Alith [...]a, my deare Children, i [...]u [...] ye God your father. And when theyr Mother hadde made a sygne of graunt, [...]he would fulfyl his cōmaundement, he vended hys eyes towards hys wy [...], hys mother in law, & other hys [...], saying: I haue wyth thys my last restament bound ye that ye end [...] my Children be such, as I sayd euen now, and as I haue euer desyred, that is, fearing God, peace­able, meeke, and true. And after all those that were present, had geuen a­gayne consent, and faythfull promise to obserue hys request, he caused hys chyldren to be re [...]ed from hym. Thys was the last nyght, and all the br [...]hen were wyth him, wyth whom (it semed hauing de [...] [...]o rest) he conferred very ly [...]. A certayne friend of his came in againe that went foorth, whom he required to [...]l s [...]m newes, the other aunswered he knew none. But I wyll tell thee newes sayth E­colampadius. [Page] Euery man was silent to heare what thys myght be, I shall be shortlye sayth he wyth Christe my Lord. Anon after one demaunded hym if the lyght hurted hym not, and laying hys hande on hys stomacke, aunswered: here is lyght inough.

The daw [...]ing of day appeared, and the Sunne began wyth hys radiaunt beames to cleare the whole worlde, when hys fatall houre approched. Hys last prayer whych we could vn­derstand, and which he pronounced wyth great payne, yet casye to be vn­derstanded: was the .li. Psalme of Dauid, which contayneth Dauids peni­tent prayer for hys synnes, the which thys godlye man recited at large in the presence of vs, with sighes draw­en from hys diuine brest.

Thys done, he paused a while, and as one sodaynelye awakened, sayde thys prayer: Iesus Christ saue me. Thys was the last voyce that issued out of that venerable mouthe. We were ten brethren kneelyng rounde about hys bed, and lyf [...]ynge vp oure handes, wee made oure prayer vnto God.

[Page]It was uowe cleare and perfect day [...] ▪ and the su [...]ne ascended our horisont, when thys holy mā rendred his ghost to God hys Creatour, so meekelye, humbly, & w^t such affiaunce in Christ hys Lord, that al good people wer no lesse comforted wyth hys godly ende, then they had bene edefied by hys vertuous lyfe.

Thus Ecolampadius ended hys dayes, whose lyfe shied in integrity and innocencye. The cause recited in the beginning, moued me (yea truely me, that haue bene a luculent witnes wyth diuers credible persons, of all these thynges wrytten) not to swarue from testification of the truthe, but faythfully to aduertise the same. And now my deare friende Capito, synce you haue exhorted me to set forth hys fatal end: reduce you to memorye, the order of hys lyfe. For you know what pleasure the godly shall receyue, and what prouocacion thys shalbe for thē to imitate hys godly steppes. I do not in vayne require you to attempt this, for no man can more lyuely descriue the same then you▪ w^t whō all hys syfe tyme he had great familiaritye and [Page] learned conference. Then seyng thys ample occasion is offred vnto you, to satisfy the thurstye expectacion of the godly, and gratefy the gredye desyres of all honest and vertuous people. I doubt not, and the rather at the con­templation of my request, you wyll publysh to the whole world, the great abundaūce of grace, it pleased the Lorde to poore in thys man, who is worthy to be ca­lendred in the Ca­talogue, of famous and godly pyllers of the Christiā church. Farewel. ▪)

¶ The history of the Lyfe and Death of Huldericke Zuinglins. Wryt­ten by Oswa [...]d Mi [...]s. (⸫)

YOVR request is (deare friend Agathy) I should publysh a matter as worthy notice, as surmoun­ting the compasse [...]ing skyll. For great thyn­ges requyre supportacion of great power, as yet I haue ramforced onely. For I am bothe weake to attaynd to high matters, and naturally giuen to atchieue low enterprises. Think you this is a triuial argumēt to discourse I wyl not say descriue the historye of Zuinglius lyfe? for suche is not your desire, weying the sterility of my skyl and eloquence. Tully the Prince of al good learning, & the famous Plu­tarche, might with their greatest ves­sels [Page] wade in thys large sea, without eclipse of their glorious cunning and elegant style. So great is Zuinglius among his sincere friendes, & so s [...]lly estemed among hys illiterate & prophane enemies, herof springeth your doubt. There be some (you allydge) that in praysing him, make the same a myrour of godlynes, and some in contemning hym, paint him out lyke an horrible and monstrous wyght, whych moueth you to maruaile, the yearth canne sustaine so facinerous a creature. Thus y^e laud of hys friends alluryng you to reuerence. & the sclaū der of his foes, prouoking you to ab­hore his lyfe and actes: You seme to suspende your resolute iudgement of him, and hys learned woorkes, and therfore requires to be credibly enformed by some his familiar friendes of his demeanure and cōuersacion, that (such is your zelous affection) as hys excellent monumēts shine in al Chri­stianity and sincere doctrine: so they maye receyue condigne credit, and godlye reporte of all Christian peo­ple. I maye ryghte boldlye affirme, I knewe Zuinglius familyarlye, [Page] who was my Mecenas, & with whom I had learned conference, for y^e which I am obliged vnto hym manyfoldly. But what can I geue, so barrayne of eloquence, and ornate phrase? If you dyd not remember me, I shoulde for­get my iust debt, now that you presse me, I wyl do what I can, and y^• more is, I dare be bold to say, thys compendious narratiō wyl delight you much For I write as I haue had experiēce, trusting you wyl cōmunicate to none thys discourse, but kepe it to your self

Zuinglius was borne about the yere of our Lord. 1487. in a Village,The place [...]her zuin­clius was orne. called Doggiens, otherwyse named y^• wylde house, as high situated, as any Mountain in Suicerland. I haue ben fond to beleue he gathered Dininity by hys neare neighborhed to heauen, considering he hadde not hys lyke of long tyme in holynes of lyfe. His Father hight Nicholas Zuinglius, hysHis parēts Mother Margaret Meyline, both per­sons of good fame. His father was renowmed, as wel for hys integrity, as temporal preferment. In hys Coun­try he was a principal Gouernour, & we [...] estemed. Thys man hauing good [Page] hope of his yong sonne, bestowed him wyth a Priest his Brother, to trye yf he were apt to take learning, and vn­derstandyng by the same his toward­nes, he put hym to a Scholemaister, vnder whō he prospered so well, that hys Instructor could not limit him so much to learne, as he had ready wyt to receiue. Therefore he was sent to Basile, beyng but .x. yeares old, and had to Maister one Gregory Binzle a learned and ready Teacher. There he profited in smal tyme so well that he gayned in disputacion, and confe­rence of study muche more then other hys fellowes, which moued the elderZuinglius was a Musician. Scholers to stomake hym. He excel­led in the arte of Musicke, as it is in­cident to them that be naturally bent more to one science, then an other. Hys Instructor Binzle, louyng hym dearely, considered well the maner of teachyng then vsed, was farre to base for such a ioly and pregnant wyt, and therfore returned him to his Parents praying them to place hym, wher as he myght receyue instruction accor­ding to hys capacitye. Then was he sent to Berne, there to studye vnder [Page] one Henry Lupulus, a learned mā, & famous in Poesy, who first aduaūcedZuingliꝰ is sent to Berne. and professed letters of humanitye in Suicerland. This man red vnto him approued authors, of whō he learned the purity of the Latin tong, & vnder­standing of Authors with good iudgemēt. He also learned to write Verses & could scan & iudge others Poesy. He had not fullye consumed two yeres in this study, when he had grounded soHis studye of Philosophy. wel, as he might build thereupon the study of Philosophy. Thē he repa [...]red [...] Vienna in Au [...]triche, wher he learned the somme of Philosophie, & aug­mented hys knowledge in letters of humanitye. In fewe yeares after he was called home, and fearing inter­mission of exercise of learning, he re­turned to Basile, where he cōmuni­cated his skyll to many. And being e­lected principall of S. Martins Col­ledge, he began to professe good lear­ning, to the singular commoditye of al his Auditors. At vacant tymes he curiously examined Philosophy, and the vaine Cōmentes of Sophistes, to arme himselfe the more strongly, if in time to come, it chaunced him to dis­pute [Page] against them. [...] his graue studies with some [...] melody, as he was pleasantly wy [...] liuely, & me [...]y conceited. [...] [...]e [...]a [...]ly after, he learned to play on all Musicall instrumentes, to then [...]e he might quicken his minde, def [...]tigat [...] with studies, & returne to them with more alacrity I doubt muche (deare friend Agathye) hold you can beleueThe profit of M [...]. this, for hereby his enemies haue [...]a­ [...] [...]asiō tō [...] him, a [...]enging Musicke is an alluring [...]aite to [...]eche rous lust, & no encouragement to gentle studye. I haue hearde the peruers pronounce euilly of him, & speciallye the Babilonical Priestes, who lyue licenciously, & wallow in Venus [...]ddie. But who lyues so [...]e of spot, that can escape Momus blast, we wil not be discouraged to aduaunce hys praise, what so euer Miöas Mates, & blinde Bussards chat. Is not this an euident argumēt, he vsed Musick saw dably, consideryng he perswaded [...] stubentes to geue them selues therunto, and wherefore might he refrayne? since there is nothing that reioyceth the sorowful minde more the Musick. [Page] After he had long tyme trauailed, as wel in liberal artes, as in the study of philosophie, he receiued y^e due guer [...]ō of Scholes, to wyt, the degree of Mayster. The whych he tooke not so wyl­lyngly, as to condescend to the opiniō of men, who iudge none learned, vn­les they [...]e [...]ecked wyth these braue tytles. A whyle after as the matter & order required, he employed hys studyTheologie corrupted wyth Phi­losophy. in schoole diuinitye, but by and by he perceyued y^t it was but losse of tyme, and that by worldly wysdome, God & Philosophy were mixed together, in such sort, that of thys vanitye, barba­rousnes, or rather vayne glory, there was no certayne hope of anye sincere doctrine: yet he continued in thys ex­ercise, as though he had bene an espi­al or loker on the enemies campe, tillZuinglius chosen Pastor of Glaris. those of Glaris elected hym their Superintendent, without taking the or­der of Prie [...]thod. The whych he tooke afterwardes, beyng con [...]ayned to perfect that, that the other had begon Hauing receiued thys order, he who­ly addicted him selfe to study, special­ly of holye Scripture. For synce that tyme he made none accompt of good [Page] learning, but where the same serued hys turne in the sacred scripture, and preachinges. And for thys purpose heThings requisite to a Preacher. learned Valerius the great by rote, because of hys examples. He conside­red, that he that had the charge to in­struct the flocke of Christ, ought to be garnished with the science of manye things, & specially with diuine knowledge, more then with eloquence, and elegant phrase to expound althinges duly, and for the vtility & capacitye of euery one. He endeuored wyth all se­dulity, to atchieue this, perusyng al­wayes the newe and old Testament, elucidating the proprieties of the text & applying them as he thought good, to the profit and benefit of those of y^e Countrye that heard him. By thys tyme he had so encreased in diuine knowledge, that the vertuous & lear­ned iudged hym wel exercised in holy scriptures, and a perfect Diuine. Yet he was not contented ther with, vntil he had the knowledge of the tounges to supply that he lacked. Wherefore he gaue him selfe first to the Greeke tong, by helpe of Lexic [...]ns, or Greke Dictionaries and translacions. He [Page] wrate S. Paules Epistles in Greke, and learned them by rote, so as he vnderstoode them better in Greke, then in Latin. The like he did in all other bookes of the newe Testament. But hauing learned of S. Peter that holy scripture is not vnderstanded by par­ticular interpretacion, he lifted hys eyes to the heauens, beseching the holy Ghost to be his Instructor, & pray­ed daylye he myghte haue that grace geuen him to vnderstande sincerelye the sence of the holy Ghost. And fea­ringwhēre we ought to ta [...] the knowle [...]e of y^• holye Scripture least vnder colour of the holye Ghoste he shoulde abuse hym selfe, he conferred that, that was wrytten, and illustrated the darke places, by the plaine, in sort, that when he preached the scripture, euery man might plainely perceiue he was taughte of the holy ghost.

By this meane the knowledge of heauenly trough long time obscured, to the great detriment & perdicion of soules: was happely restored vnto vs He iudged of the Catholick doctours as they iudged of them selues, that we must reade them with iudgemēt, and try them by the Canonical scrip­tures, [Page] as by a touch stone, otherwyse they be ordinarely so corrupted, with medley of Philosophy and mans rea­sons, that it is impossible ther should be anye order in conforming them to the authoritye of holye Scripture, a thynge in tyme past attempted and put in vre.

Then he practised hys skyll in this maner: He proclaimed & made warre against a [...] notable disorders & enormities, specially against the pensiōs (for so we terme the presentes that Prin­cesZuingliꝰ zeale aga­inst Pensionaries. make to some particular parsons to leauye Soldiours, to aide them in their warres) desiring to abolish thē, and to reduce the Countrye to the pristinate estate, and former simpli­city. For he considered, vnles he pur­ged the sountaxne of all euyls, Chri­stian doctrine coulde not settle and take sure foundacion.

You may not here Agathy say: Is it possible that Zuinglius yet a Pa­pist, shoulde thynke of the Gospell? Credite mee, it is more then .xxvii. yeares past, synce these Blocke heads charged him secretelye to be an heri­tik, as wel for thys that is rehearsed, [Page] as for that he approued Iohn Picus of Mirandolas propositions, set vp at Rome by him in time past to dispute, the whych notwithstandyng he could not obtayne. Hereof sprang the ha­tred, infamy, exclamacion, and wyly working of the children of the world agaynst Zuinglius, & encreased euen as hys vertues augmēted. The other contrarely that were godly affectio­ned, as some auncient and vertuous personages, wyth certain Priestes of a lesse corrupt lyfe, esteemed hym so hyghly, as they trusted by hys ende­uor, the iustice & integrity of the aun­cestors should be remised in their old estate. At that time he announced the grace of the Gospell, in sorte, that he sayd lyttle of the abuses of Rome, or nothing at al. For he thought it was necessarye that truth fyrste knowen, should worke in the hartes of hys au­ditors, so that when they had wel vn­derstanted the true cōntaundements, they myght discerne the false and re­pugnaunt. And truly, suche was the qualitye of time, he could doo none o­ther. For in this contrariety of opini­ons and rebellion of people, the truth [Page] had rather ben reiected, then y^• abuse reformed. Truth it is in this poynt I cannot cleare thys yong man of all suspicion of synne, although with sa­cred desire to serue God, he circum­spectly tooke hede by euyl example to abase the authority of heauenly doc­trine. Thus Zuinglius demeaned hym selfe at Glaris. And in thys broil he had good occasion offered hym to repaire to the hermitage for a season. Thither the Lorde Thibaut Gerol­zege a Baron inuited hym, a man as wel affectioned to learnyng and learned men, as to true religiō, who was the administrator of our Ladies Her­mitage. The cause that moued Zuinglius to repayre thither, was the sin­gular desire he had to publish Christ and the verity, among diuers & farre distant nacions, who for the famous brute of y^• place, in frequency flowed thither, and partly the goodly oportunity he supposed to finde ther to come to a more perfect vnderstāding of the Greke tong. And happely the euent aunswered hys expectacion, for there he manifested Christ, & got perfect intelligence of the Greeke, to vnderstād [Page] more eas [...]ly the newe and old Testa­ment. Euen about this tyme the con­gregacion of Zuricke, destitute of a Preuther, [...]uborned certayn, who did theyr vndeuour to place Zuinglius theyr Superintendent. He was ignoraunt of thys, tyll that a Chanon of the Citye required hym, if he wouldeZuingliꝰ called to Zuricke. discharge the prouince of a Preacher, and be theyr Pastor at Zuricke. He aunswered he was content, and tru­sted, that if the grace of god was preacher & receyued in so famous a place, the other Cantōs or quarters of Sui­derland would followe that example, and by thys meane a godlye reforma­tion would ensue.

And all be it hee was assured hee shoulde not haue lyke salarye as be­fore, yet he sayde, yf they woulde ap­poynt hym that function, he woulde endeuour to dyscharge the same. But he woulde not requyre it at the tyme of esertion, as many are accustomed, to procure the voyce and suffrage of other. I was suborned, I truly Aga­thye, to geue Zuinglius my voyce, whych I gaue, aud receyued graunt for hym. Who was immediatly sent [Page] for, & admitted wyth y^• incredible ioy of al good persōs. A while after being in the Chapiter of the Chanons, he proponed vnto them, what he deter­mined to teach the people, to wit, the history of our Sauiour Christ, accor­dyng to S. Mathew, so as his vertue, whose name thei did aduaunce should not be buryed any lenger, to the detrimēt of diuine glory, & helth of soules. Further, he protested he wold not ex­pound the same by humayn sence, bindyng himselfe by othe to any priuate Interpreter, but by conference & in­dustrious collection of scripture, & by the intelligence of the holy ghost, the whych he hoped to obtaine w^t humble prayer made vnto God. This his resolution made some heauy & sorowful, & some ioyful, euen as the voyces be­fore wer not al alike to admit Zuing lius. He began to execute his promis at the Natiuity of our Lord. 1519. and synce pursued the same. Duryng hysMartine Luther. continue in this, Luthers name begā to grow in credit, & many bought and red his bokes. And albeit Zuinglius as then red thē not, yet he exhorted in his sermōs his auditors to bie & reade thē. [Page] The reason that moued Zuinglius to do thys, was because y^t people, rea­ding them & vnderstanding, Zuinglius emploied no time in studi of them, myght consider in both a conformity and a grement of teachyng & opinion drawen out of the holye scriptures, & be the more enflamed to ground vpon and addict them selues to the truthe. Thys godly deuise had profitable successe a whyle after. Truth it is, the order he obserued in preaching made much also, wherby the symple as wel as the learned and ingenious might profit. For he explaned the scripture so plainlye, and with such dexteritye, that he was lothe any shoulde depart from hys sermons, vnles they were edefied & enriched wyth godlye lore. And as he manifestly taught y^• truth, and that with great diligence, so was he vehement, & sharpe in reprouyng vice, as much as euer was any man. Aboue al the rest, he inueyed agaynst the Pensionaries, the oppressors of the poore, & the dissolute, ydle, & deli­cious lyuers. He vsed such a maiesty in rebukyng, as neuer none the lyke before, when he thundred w^t terrible [Page] wordes agaynst the Pensions & disso­lute lyuing, because he woulde not seeme to dashe and astonyshe the E­states, or suche of the Commonty, as thronged among the peruers, & reprobate in hearyng his sermons, he euer more added thys: That thys my vehement rebuke may not agreue & trou­ble thee, O vertuous man, vnderstād I touch thee not, nor in thys matter I haue to do with thee. Sometime he digressed from hys theame, when matters interceadyng enforced hym too surcease hys begunne purpose. But now the blessed & happy tyme expired, the soūdest and best part of the people embraced truth, he discoursed in hys sermons against thynges lesse tollerable in the Church, he condempned the priuate gaynes of Priestes, & suche as by priuate power abused the church, whych moued the priestes and laity to omit no time of consultacion, by what wyle, or policies they myght entrap hym. But of thys perhaps I wyl discourse more at large. Now let vs returne to hys studies: Emong soZuingliꝰ Lectures. many laborius affaires, he ceased not to read al approued Greeke authors, [Page] as Homere, Thucidides and Lucian, that is more playne and easy, Theo­critus, Hesiodus, Aristophanes and other, tyll he had redde and reuolued them all.

And for that hys studye required, and Andrewe Boscheustyn learned in the Hebrue tounge, was come to Zurick to professe the same. Zuing­glius was hys diligent Scholer, who receyued foorth wyth a marueylous taste of thys tong. And hauing obtai­ned of the Senate, the erection of a Colledge of good learnyng, and the three tounges, he solicited the same to send for Iames Cepor [...]us a yong man wel learned in those tounges, to be a publicke professor there. Vnder whom he determined to atchieue all that concerned the Greke Grammer.

Awhyle after by conference of the Seuenty and S. Ieromes translaci­on, he tooke boldnes to expounde the text of Esay and Hieremy, ryght ex­cellent Prophetes, accompanyenge hym selfe wyth Leo Iuda, who had then studyed and trauayled in that knowledge and Felix Mantius, who synce was defamed wyth the heresy [...] [Page] of the Anabaptistes. He studyed con­tinually stanoyng vp ryght, and pre­scribed certayne houres to studye, at whyche he neuer fayled, if hee were not pressed wyth matters of impor­taunce.

From earlye morning, tyl tenne of the clocke, he applyed hym selfe to reade, interpretate, instruct, & write, as tyme and occasion required. After Dinner he attended to such as would conferre wyth hym in any matter, or required counsell, or he deuised and walked wyth hys friendes tyll twoo of the clocks, at whych tyme he retur­ned to hys studye. After Supper he walked a lyttle whyle, and then after he gaue himselfe to wryte letters, the whyche sometymes he vsed tyll myd­nyght. Further, if the Senate hadde neede of hym in any vrgent matter, he was alwayes ready at theyr com­maundement.

And nowe Agathye, if it delyghte you to heare Zuinglius trauayles a­gaynst the enemyes of truth, and the attemptes of wy [...]ye woorkers, wee must deryue our dyscourse from a far ther and hygher begynnynge.

[Page]Albeit that Fraunces Lambert Fri­ar obseruant of Anguiō, whose name is wel knowen to the French & Ger­mayne nacion, ought not to be enrol­led among hys enemyes: yet for that of the fyrst & principal he broched this busynes agaynst Zuinglius, he must not here be buryed in the vale of obli­tion. He came to Zurick in hys Fry­ars weede, & disputed openly agaynst Zuinglius, touching the intercession of Saints, but I cannot tel who pric­ked hym, if it were the truth, or that he set but a face theron. For after certen propositions, he was contented to be reformed, & gaue thankes to God, that he had reuealed the truth vnto hym so playnly by hys excellent Or­gane. Awhyle after came Iohn Fa­ber, & Martine Blanshe Preacher of T [...]ding, addressed thyther by Hugo, Byshop of Constaunce, at the request of the inhabitauntes of Zurick. And albeit as thei reported, they had none other Commission thē to vnderstand the cause of the differentes, and endeuour to pac [...]fy and end them: Neuer­theles occasion so offered, & matters so fallyng out, they fell into question [Page] of the Gospel, the intercession of sain­tes, humaine constitucions, and other thynges in such [...]ort, that they passed and consumed theyr whole iourney in disputacion herein, and not wyth out emolument, For al the assembly, whych was about syxe hundred par­sons considered wel, how vyle & frayl al worldly matters were respect of celestial thynges. It sufficed not the Byshop to haue sent these foresayde parsons. For anon after hys Suffra­gan came to Zuricke in deliberacion to perswade them to beleue the inter­cession of Sayntes, & the sacrifice o [...] the Masse. The whych by hys booke published abroade, and approued by many scholes, he hath labored to confyrme. But he lost tyme: For a certen noble man of illustre famely, & mag­nanimous, beyng demaunded what the Suffragan had gotten, he aunswered: The Vicar hath driuen away the Sow, and we bryng the Pygges, or as I mought sai: the Suffragan hath beaten the bush, and Zuinglius hath taken the Byrdes. These thynges so happely fynished by y^• singular good­nes of almyghtye God, Zuinglius [Page] was enforced to set pen to the paper. I wyl not here enterlace the Catalo­gue of hys bokes, nor declare the vti­nty of them, considering they be pub­lished and beare sufficient wytnes of them selues. I wyl briefely say thys: there is a sounde doctrine iuigned wyth simplicity in them, and I know not where any more efficacy or solid [...] ­tye maye be founde in anye mannes woorkes, then in hys in myne opini­on. In thys hurly burly, I cannot tel what aduertisment the Pope hadde hereof, but incontinētly he addressed hys Ambassadour to vs, and wrate hys Apostolicall letters or schedule, the tenour wherof ensueth.

Adrian the Pope, the syrte of thys name. We [...]de [...]oned S [...]e, we greteA letter sēt by Adrian y^• Pope to Zuingliꝰ. thee well, and sende ou [...] Apostolicall benediction. We a [...]sse oure reue­rende Brother Enn [...]u [...] ▪ Byshoppe of Verules, domesticall Prelecte, oure Messenger, and of oure Apostolicall Sea a prudent, and faythfull mem­ber, to repayre to the inuincible and most confederate nacion vnto vs, an [...] our Apostolicall Sea, to streate wyth the same of matters of importaunce, [Page] and whych appertayne as well to the sayde Sea, as to the whole estate of the Christian common weale. Albeit wee haue enioyned hym to propone these thynges publickely, yet beyng enfourmed of thy vertue, and effectu­allyThe Po­pes man­date. embracing thy deuotion, as hys whom we singularly credit, and haue in speciall regarde. We haue geuen expresse commaundement to the sayd Byshoppe our Messenger, to delyuer vnto thee our letters apart, and to aduertise thee of our good wyl towards the same. We therefore exhort thy deuocion in our Lorde, that thou cre­dit him in all thynges, and that thou haue in recōmendacion our affaires, and the affayres of the Apostolicall Sea, as we haue thyne honour, ad­uauncement, and profytte, by thys meane thou shalt encurre our special grace and fauour. Geuen at Rome at S. Peters, sealed wyth the Fysshers Kyng. 23. day of Ianuary. 1523.

The cause y^• moued me to publishe this letter here, is to testify y^• if Zuinglius had bene more ambicious, then he was sincere & godli, he might haue had preeminēt estate, & abundance of welth. [Page] For not onelye the Pope wrate vnto hym, but also to Fraunces Zuig­gien to practise wyth Zuinglius, to leane to the Apostolical sea, & mayn­tayne that part. At a certaine tyme I prayed Fraunces to tell me what the Pope promised for the same. He aun­swered: certaynly al saue hys Papistical chayre, or Apostolicall sea. Euen now the Gospel began to florysh, and was estemed of the greatest part, for a heauenly trouth, namely of the Se­nate of Zurick, and of the Councell of the. 2. hūdred, wherfore Zuinglius began to study to reduce thynges to a better state & to procede orderli. Thei altered fyrst those things whych em­pesched the propagacion & aduaunce­ment of the Gospell. The nombre of Priestes and Moonkes were growen in tract of tyme to a more huge multitude, then neede required, for matter of religion. It was then ordayned by the Senate, throughe the perswasion of Zuinglius: that the nombre shuld be abridged & reduced to fewe, & those necessary for the seruice of y^• Church, prouided that none shoulde be depri­ued or expelled theyr benefice, but en­ioy [Page] the reuenue of the same, duryng theyr lyfe, & deceased, none to be sub­stitute in theyr place. The three or­dersThe Monkes see at lyberty. of Monkes were spoyled of theyr religious attyre, and put al together in a place, whence they myghte go forth as oft, and when they thought good wythout any contradiction, ey­ther to marry or to apply theyr study. If any would not sauour y^• swetenes of the Gospel, they had lybertye to go and do where & what they would, in such sort, as none had hys conscience charged. The ecclesiastical reuenues were employed vpon the ministers of the Church, y^• professors of good lear­ning, the rest of the priests & Monkes and on the poore. There were found amōg these yong men of great expec­tacion, and purely affectioned to the study of piety. Such were reserued in hope to serue the church, & were nou­rished through out the whole signory of Zuricke, and after were employed as neede required. Zuinglius also a zelous man towardes sacred & good learnyng had builded the foundacion of a schoole, whyche had not bene in­fer our to any, yf death had not dissolued [Page] by fatal stroke his godly purpose. Further, he deputed certaine of the Counsell to vnderstand and examine the state of Matrimonye. He perswa­ded to abolyshe the Images, whyche were then worshipped, to deface and teare in peeces the Masse, & to set vp y^• Supper of our lord in his integrity

From this tyme forwardes the he­resye of the Anabaptistes beganne to bourgen, who would not permit thatHeresye of Anabapti­stes. little Children shoulde be baptised, & after rebaptised them selues, and proceding with an enraged mynde, they rushed into the most horrible heresies that euer raigned. As soone as Zuinglius perceiued thys, for that y^• prin­cipal Authors▪ were his friendes, learned men, of Zuricke and of his flock, he endeuoured bi familiar conference to reduce thē to [...]anity of mynde. But when he saw, that what they conclu­dedZuingliꝰ oppo [...]th hymself a­gaynst the heresies of the Ana­baptistes. in his presence, reuolting anone after, they obserued no part of theyr promyse, and heaped nombers of dis­ciples sequestrynge them from the Church, and framyng another new, it was erpedient for hym to resyste Sathan, and publikly confound them [Page] Beleue me Agathy, I was present at nyne seueral times, and hearde theyr friendly conference and vehement disputacions, it shall be superstuous to enlarge any further hereof. Certenly theyr mouthes so swarmed wyth in­iuriousIniuries & blasphe­myes aga­ynst Zuinglius. reportes & blasphemies, that they abashed not to charge and lay on Zuinglius al the euyls & mischiefes which are figuratly setforth in the re­uelaciō of S. Iohn. This pestiferous sect was of this nature, the more we trauailed to represse their insolencye, the more they encreased in theyr fu­ror and raging heate. Wherefore the Senate was enforced to proceede a­gainst them by way of imprisonment exile, and death, as not agaynst Ana­baptistes, but periured, rebel, & sedi­cious parsons, for y^• they estemed vanitye, more then veritye, preferred vyce aboue vertue, & embracing sediciō, hated security. And it was necessary to sence & fortefy y^• godly w^t bokes, least they might be seduced. The last that was found of this sect was Baldasar Hubmer enseigne bearer of the Ana­baptistes, who of a friend & felow of y^• Gospel was becom a mischeuous foe. [Page] Thys fyrst wyth writing bewrayed hys wickednes, after in the presence of the deputed Counsellours appro­ned the same. For being escaped from Walshut, a Towne situate by the Rhene, he came to render hym self to the Lordes of Zuricke, wher he was apprehended. He required the Lordes of the Counsayle he myghte conferre with Leo Iuda, Sebastiā Economus and me. The whych was graunted vnto him for the second time. We traualied so much with hym, that vndoutedly he promised to submyt him selfe the morrow after. Cōming then from the Senate house to the Temple, he ascended the Pulpit, after Zuingli­us was gone downe, & confirmed all that he had taught before, saying he was moued therto, because Zuingli­us had praysed so muche that vertue Constancy, intitulyng and callyng so hys partinacious opinion. He was then brought backe to pryson, where he was deteyned, tyll Zuinglius se­cretly released hym, and sent hym a­way, not wythout money & a guyde. And arriuing at Constance, he so de­tracted and most impudētly defamed [Page] Zuinglius, that he was forced wyth an Apology to cleare hymselfe to the brethren, wherein largely he treatedDisputation at bad [...] of the Anabaptistes horrible heresye.

Now ye requyre to vnderstand the disputacion at Bade, and fyrst of all what was the cause the Lords of Zuricke would not permit Zuinglius to be there present. But for as much as the whole discourse of the same is di­uu [...]ged & imprinted, I had rather ad­dresse you thyther, yet doubtynge I should seme ignoraunt of the whole. I send you the Lordes letters of Zu­ricke to Iohn Eccius with the safe­conduct & promyse of good men, that inuited hym to conferre wyth Zuinglius, and discusse the sacred trouth of the old and new testament to the common profit of al the Church. For Ec­cius had enterprised in two Epistles directed to the Embassadours of the league, to conuince and confute the errours and heresy of Zuinglius, by the reading of these letters, & for that Eccius made none account of y^• that was wrytten to him, you may vnder­stand the Lordes intencion, why they stayed Zuinglius, although he hym­selfe [Page] aunswered sufficiently that matter▪ in hys woorkes agaynst Faber, & would to God I had euen nowe that disputacion to send to you. Al be it he was not present in the disputacion: yet he labored as much with care, diligence, counsel, aduertisement, exhor­tacion and writing, whych he sent to Bade, as though he had aided against the enemies of y^• truth. For my part I desyre nothyng more, then to haue sene hym face to face disputyng wyth Eccius at ful liberty: I beleue the .v. lytle Cantons of Suicerland had gi­uen perfect iudgement, where the lye or trouth had rested, but it was not lawful for hym to be ther. Since that tyme, findyng security in trauayl, he went to Berne wher was Murnerus & Eccius, wyth. 4. Byshops, and cer­tayn principall Moonkes, whych the counsel of Berne required vnder surety to repayre thyther. Trouth it is, he was garded with. 200. men of armes to passe by the confederate Coūtries. He made also a long iourney to Mar­purge, to conferre wyth Martine Lu­ther, and Phillyp Melancthon, of the Eucharistical Sacrament, not doub­tyng [Page] ani thing, because it was a place voyde of daunger. You cannot chuse but euidently perceyue, he hath endured great trauayles in these affaires. Diuers called hym teacher of new o­pinions, because of hys iudgement of the supper of our Lord. But I beleue if they had red with equitye, and well weyed that y^• he wrote to the Princes of Germany, assembled at Ausburg, they woulde haue iudged other wyse. I remyt you to the booke, fearing is lose tyme. For what perswasion wyl auayle hym, that in the same treatise of the Supper of our Lorde, wyll not perceyue and learne the truth? Hy­therto we haue treated of the paynes and trauayles he sustayned to defend the verity, and nowe we wyll declare the peryiles he incurred for the same.

After that the Priestes and Monks were expulsed theyr Cloysters, and o­therThe Pristes and Monkes▪ growē on of credit. Religious houses, and sentence [...]iffinitiue pronounced against them, that receiued Princes pensions, they attempted dyuers wayes to destroye him. I wyl wryte of them that be no­toriously knowe, and passe in silence hys secrete and lurkyng enemyes. [Page] At a certen tyme there knocked one at hys doore after my▪ night, and prayed hym to come and visit one nygh dead. Hys Deacon aunswered, y^• he would not awaken his Mayster, but repayre to the sycke hym selfe. The other im­portunatly refused, so as he bewraied hys wretched entent, wherfore y^• Deacon faining he would go and awaken hys Maister, shut the dore closely, and suffered the Caitiffe to tarye there at hys pleasure. And when it was daye, Zuinglius had intelligēce, this was a subtile sleyght. Fyrst, to take him so daynlye, then to snaff [...]e hys mouth, & stoppe his speeche, and so to cary hym away in a boate. Awhyle after, they had prepared a horse secretly, for the lyke purpose. Further, we haue sent an e [...]pial wandring vp and downe in the Towne, & wearyng a long swerd hyred to encounter Zuinglius, & then to murder hym. Lykewise two Inha­bitaunts of Zurick, whom I wil not name, came one night when thei we [...] wel wh [...]tled, and assailed Zuinglius house, threw stones, brake the wyn­dowes, belched out raylyng wordes, [...] so insolently demeaned them selues [Page] that no neyghbour durst rebuke them They stayed not, tyl stones, strength and sclaunder failed them. In y^• mor­nyng the Counsell was aduertised of this tumult, the gates of the City cō ­maunded to be shut, and men clad w^t armure to search them euery where, vntyl that certain wemen, whych consented to thys mischeuous & scelerate fact, disclosed one of them, for y^• other a lytle before was escaped the towne. This one was found in a new caske, and committed to pryson, & after ma­ny sentences geuen, was appoynted a perpetual prisoner, and in few wekes after released at the request of those of Berne. Often tymes Zuinglius supped wyth hys friendes, or w^t suche as came to the towne, in hys returne he neuer went vngarded home. The Senate in thys troublous sturre cau­sed warde and watch to be kept about hys house. But if he found security in thys theyr vigilant garde, certes, he was molested wyth thousande other troubles. They called hym Pensio­nary, because in time past he receiued a yearely pension of the Pope, igno­rant then it was any synne. As tou­chynge [Page] that hee excused hym selfe to the Germaynes in thys wyse: Where as I haue had to doo sometyme wyth the Pope, that is ceased now long a­gone. I thought then it was lawfull to receyue his money, to maintayne hys party. But when I knewe myne errour, I religned hys pension, which is the cause y^• Popes Deputies conne [...]e smal thankes: yea, defame & scorn me, as though I were cu [...]pable, for as muche as they perswade men, that in taking the Popes money, God is sin­cerely serued. And writing to Berch­tho [...] Ha [...]er, and Caspar Megander, touchyng Princes presentes, he sayth thus: I esteme the glori of Christ, yea myne own, more then al the treasure of worldly Princes, much lesse the benefites and [...]argesse of one Kyng. I haue learned what princely rewards pretend, so that auarice hath no more place in me, albeit she is familiar and atteding vpon old age. And his aduer saries not satisfied to call him theefe, ad [...]u [...]erer & heretik, to defame his doctrine & abase his credit, they hyssed & barked at him publicklye, as though they had bene [...]unatike persons. But [Page] when these silly mad doltes saw they preuailed not against the Gospel and seruauntes of God: they conuerted theyr stingyng & hyssing agaynst such as had receiued the word of God, ho­ping to irritate them, & pull them frō the sauour of hym, who seemed to be the author (as they peruersely iudged) of their euyll. They so reproched and mocked hym, that the Senate of Zu­ricke determined in re [...]u [...]se these in­iuries, and c [...]u [...]lius assaultes. I had nede to wryte a large volume, to suche as desyre to vnderstande or des­criue hys affayres. In the ende there were apoynted new confederacies for the tuicion of Christiā doctrine, with out viola [...]yng or doyng preiudice to the auncient all [...]unce, whyche was not done wythout the syngular dili­gence and great trauayle of Zuing­lius. Not that he attempted ani thing agaynst the peace (for neuer lyke [...]la­gitious deuise coulde penetrate the brayne of suche a louer of hys Coun­trye) but that by thys pollecye he ho­ped to eradicate the [...]yces then swar­myng, and to plant the true and syn­cere Religion, to the honour of God▪ [Page] and the common profit of Swicerlād, or els in defending Gods cause, thus to enflame all mens hartes to prayse the Lord, and by the magnificence of this new confederacy, to astonish and dash the aduersaries, therby the sonerZuingliꝰ writeth to hys frien­des. to wyn and reclayme them to Christ. Thys incontinently moued certayne furious Papistes to fall to weapons, and broche intestine warre. Wherupon Zuinglius wrate to hys friendes in thys maner.

I wil repeate vnto you that I haue often wrytten, that is, that ye be con­stant, and not dysmayd with the war, for y^e peace that some sollicite so care­fully, is a warre and no peace, & the warre that we enterprise, is peace & not warre. For we couet not y^e bloud of any lyuing creature, & abhorre the effusion of the same in thys commoci­on: but our whole entent is to inter­rupte the licencious gouernment of some. If thys he not taken in hande, the Gospell shall neuer haue his free course, nor the Ministers of the same lyue in security. Our determinacion tendeth to no cruelty, but all that we deliberate, is friendly and paternal. [Page] We desyre to preserue suche as by ig­norancy procure theyr perdicion. We be resolued to defende liberty, where­fore disdayne not our enterprises, for certaynly they be more godly and iust then is reported vnto you. Credit▪ vs, and be not seduced by suche as accuse vs. Ye haue tryed our constancye and faythfulnes, and well perceyued our enemies leuity, and dissimulaciō. Be present wyth our company, & obserue constantly the fayth ye owe to God & men. What shal I say further? dread nothyng, we wyl atchieue al thynges so prosperously (God helping vs) as ye shall not be a shamed, nor repent ye haue combyned your selues wyth vs.

These were Zuinglius woordes, whych I haue recited here to declare how iniustlye he is nominated of cer­tayne a Bloudsucker. It is most true he was magnanimous and cōstant in greatest daungers, but alwayes cyr­cumspect, prouident and wise. He ne­uer thursted the bloud of anye, no [...]ot of hys extremest foes, whych euerye wyse man & Christiā Minister ought to detest. The very ground & founda­cion of al hys enterprises, was the li­bertye [Page] of hys Countrye, the vertue of the Aunceltors, & the glory of Christ, what so euer his enemies ceblaterate the which I protest in trouth before God. He was twyse in the warres of the confederates, which bare y^• name of a Monasterye called the Chappell. He wyllinglye went to the firste, be­cause he would be present at the con­sultacion, fearyng any thyng shoulde be decree [...] ther contrary to right and equity. The matter was ended well, and without effusion of broud. I haue heard him say he perceiued more ma­lice, and peruers counsel ther, then e­uer before he red in vokes, or had learned by experience. In the second war he was elected Pastor of the armye, where he went vnwyllyngly, forese­ing the peryl that was iminent. The condicion of the warre mysliked hym marueilously, and the rather for that he sawe the enemyes victailes cut of, vnderstanding well what myschiefe hunger would brede & compel. Albeit to speake truly, after those of Zurick had enterprysed the same (wherunto certayne whom we knowe prycked them of a good zeale, hopynge in the [Page] meane season there would be a consultacion and treaty of peace made, not­withstanding the Lordes of Zuricke had chose the warce) Zuinglius was not determined to alter anye thyng, doubting the enemyes woulde make no accompt of them, as he passed not much to wythstand theyr inuasion.

Fourtene dayes before the armye was encamped, I hearde hym twyse say in pulpit wher he preached, in the midst of this broil: I know wel what thys meaneth, all thys is to procureiny death. He declared secretly to cer­tayne of his friendes, that the blasing starre which appeared many wekes, and whiche we supposed to portende Ecolampadius decease: signified hys fatal fall. The Soldiours of Zuricke rushed forth in great disorder. I can­not but sorowfully lament, when I cal to mynde that doleful tyme. They marched not lyke men of warre in e­uen rankes, but lyke a sorte of ventu­rours, some straglyng abroade, some runnyng before and behynde the En­seygne, destitute of conduct counsell, and pollecye, and accorded not one wyth an other.

[Page]I cannot name them to be any great nomber of me of armes, for wher thei wer mustred. 5000. they appeared not in the field ful. 4000. Then as thys lyttle nomber approched to encoun­tre a huge army and in perfect order, Zuinglius folowed mounted on hors backe, accordyng to the maner of the Country. I cannot expresse the dolor and sorrowe I susteyned, when I be­held him, truly I was astonished ther with. We mourned all that day, and made our humble prayer vnto God. But he hadde decreed an other thyng for vs, and not agaynst vs, as I holily expounded the same. For by thys we haue learned to be more circumspect, and to take better hede, reuerencyng more the Gospel, and fearyng God also. And the enemyes that resisted the Gospel, are now disclosed, and mani­fested to vs. About the euenyng of the day, we were aduertised that the bat­tayles had ioyned very hotely, & that we had lost Zuinglius. The brute went he was thrise dismounted, with the checke of the Troupe, but incontinētly he was holpen vp on horseback [...] agayn, and the fourth tyme he was [Page] stryken on the chynne with a terryble blowe, and fallyng downe from hys horse vpon hys knees, he sayd: what euyl hap is thys? they may flea the body, but not the soule, and thys spoken he departed in our Lord.

After thys ouerthrow, the enemies hauyug good leysure (for our Soldi­ours were retired into place of safe­garde) sought for the body of Zuing­lius. But who teld them he was in y^t battayle and slayne? The body beyng founde, was condempned, and after sentence geuen, dismembred & burnt to ashes. Behold y^• discourse of Zuin­glius lyfe, lo the accident of his death which he suffered for the singular af­fection he bare to hys Countrye, and Christian common weale. Truth it is, thys end is horryble in the syght of mortall men, but precious before God, and is predestinate to al faithful Ministers by diuine iustice, if y^• Lord of hys grace and syngular bountye, spare them not.

I suppose Agathy, I haue satisfied your request, I haue obserued as I promysed, trouth ioyned wyth breui­tye, not forcyng for fyne termes, and [Page] elegāt phrases. I pray God some learned and godlye man, succedinge me, may descriue and beautefy thys histo­rye, as truely, ornately, and learned­ly, as the profite of the studious sort, and the dygnitye of thys excellent man doe requyre.

Farewell, it maye please you to accept thys my trauayle in friendly part. At Zu­rycke the yeare 1532. (:)

Virescit vulnere virtus