IF we judiciously view ancient Histories as well Divine as Morall, as the present corruption of the times, we shall finde that those of impure and uncleane spirits of the Cleargy, corrupt in their Doctrine, tyrannicall in their government, scandalous in their lives and conversation, have alwaies beene the roote and first beginning of the destruction of Kingdomes and Common-wealths, when they are increased with riches and pompe of this world, by which they wax proud and ambitious; they aspire to sit in places of great power and authority in Kingdomes and States, both Spirituall and Temporall, which having attained, so presumptuous is pride, they dare presume to denominate themselves Lords, nay higher in authority then Princes and Emperours, nay to command and compell them to doe what pleaseth their desires and fantasies, and nothing else, though never so contrary to the word of God, or contrary to naturall reason or morall civility, and if these then desires be neglected or rejected, then never rest they till they have brought to ruine such Kings and their Kingdomes.

I desire Reader you would peruse this little Yreatise which I tearmed a Christall for the Cleargy, and you will easily discerne that the corruption, pride, ambition and luxuriousnesse of the Cleargy in antient time, exercising tyranny as well over Prin­ces as their people who they have wonne, and as it were subje­cted to their obedience, and that in these our times, and this our [Page]Kingdome doth little ornothing differ. The Bishops of Rome having attained to the highest step of honour and dignity that ever was any in the whole Kingdome, and having obtained the power of both swords, the sword of the Spirit, and the sword of the Magistrate, they then beganne to display their banners, both as King and Bishop, and whom they could not bring to their obedience by the one, they then exercised and used the other: In their first combat they had to fight with any to subdue them and draw them to their faction, they used their thunderbolts of excommunication and cursing, this was terrible to Kings and Emperours; if this failed, then treacheries and treasonable pra­ctises of subjects against their lawfull Princes by poysoning, powder plots, stabbings and the like: if these prevailed not, they procured the nationall war, one Kingdome against ano­ther: I will only give a touch of either, and then compare them to these times.

First, Platina in the life of Gregory the 7. sheweth that this Emperour Henry the fourth was excommunicated by the Pope: afterward he addeth, the Emperour saith he came speedily to Canosie, where the Bishop was with Mathilda, and by and by laying aside his royall robes, went bare foot to the gates of the City and humbly required to be let in, his entring denied he took in good part, notwithstanding that the winter was sharpe and all was frozen hard, remaining three dayes in the Suburbs of the Towne continually craving pardon, at length at the request of Mathilda and the Earle of Savoy and the Abbot of Chinnes, he is absolved.

Frederick Barbarouse that he might be reconciled to the Pope laid his neck under his feet to be trodden on: The Venetians besieged Farrare which paieth tribute to the Church of Rome, forthe which cause they were excommunicated by Clement the fifth; therefore Francis Dandalous which was afterward created Duke, went into France where that time the Bishop was to aske pardon for that offence; long it was ere ever he was ad­mitted to come in the Popessight, at last he was led with an iron chaine about his necke to the Bishops table like a dog, and there faine to be under the table amongst the dogges so long till the wrath of Clement without all clemency being over past. This is written in Sabellicus in the end of the 91. Encide the 7. [Page]both full manifest are the injuries of this beast done to other Kings and people. And thus much of their first meanes to bring as well Princes as people to their subjection.

I come now to the second meanes practised by the Bishops to draw both Princes and people to subjection, and that in briefe, Platina writing of Gregory the fifth. Silvester the second, saith he, before called Gilbert a Monk of Florey forsaking his Monastery followed the Divel, to whom he gave himself whole: and by and by he addeth, Gllbert moved with ambition and a divelish desire to rule through bribery got first the Archbishop­rick of Regns, afterward of Ravenna, and after with greater suit the Divell furtnering him, he obtained to be Pope, yet un­der this condition, that after his death he should be the Divells wholy, &c.

Beno in the life and acts of Hildebrand called Gregory the seventh, one Gilbertus which had infected the city with sorcery, saith he, after the thousand yeares fulfilled, comming up out of the bottomlesse pit, of Gods permission was Pope foure yeares, and changing his name was called Silvester the second, and after Gilbert the yeare 25. Theophilactus his scholer atchived the seat violently, called Benedict the seventh, after him Gratian called Gregory the sixt, after him Sabinus and he was called Silvester the third: all these three were Popes at one time. Henry the second Emperor a godly man and valiant, going to Rome, to purge the Church, compelled Benedict or Theophilact the Ma­gitian to flee, east Gregory into prison, and sent away Silvester to his old Bishoprick; and he holding a Counsell placed the Bishop of Bamberge whom hee called Clement, in the seate, of whom also he received the Crowne, and he brought Gregory with his disciple Hildebrand with him into Germany: In the meane time Benedict returning to Rome from flight, vexeth Clement, and with much inchanting infecteth the City, and by letters recea­ved from Hildebrand out of Germany, he learneth what is done in the Emperors Court. Gregory dieth there in prison and lest Hildebrand his heire, both of his false packing and of his mony. Clement dieth also whom Damasus the second succeedeth imme­diately but straightwaies poisoned; and Junio called Leo the ninth succeeded in his place. And thus much of the second meanes practised by Bishops to raise themselves into places of [Page]authority, and to bring all that oppose and resist them to their subjection or utter confusion.

3 Thirdly and lastly, a word or two of their last meanes when neither of them can prevaile to bring their purposes to perfecti­on; that is, by raising warres and seditions in Kingdomes, one against another, wherein they have shewed themselves more mercilesse and cruell then the most heathenish and barbarous nations in the world: Benedict otherwise Theophilact, which be­fore I have mentioned, was carried by the Emperor prisoner into Germany, returning with Leo the ninth, he armed Leo against the Normans and betraied him to them; the Germans there­fore flaine by Treason, Leo himselfe hardly escaped: Hildebrand himselfe by degrees obtained the Popedome, where he so car­ried himselfe that no man except blind but might perceive his divelish government requited: the Emperor Henry the fourth for his carring away into Germany by Henry the second. This Pope also excommunicateth Henry the fourth, deprived him of the dignity Imperiall: moreover hee stirred up his subjects a­gainst him; and absolved the Rebells and Traitors of their oathes of fidelity, and he himselfe like a Monarch gave the Crowne of the Empire unto others at his pleasure. The power therefore and treasure of the Empire hath he so worne and wasted, what with civil and what with forraigne warrs, that these many yeers now the Kings of Almaine have never beene able to recover their force, nor yet to resist the most Arrogant tyranny of the Popes. Gregory the ninth whilst Fredericke that Excellent Prince made war in Siria for religion with the Soldan, invaded and kept the Provinces of Frederick. There were cruell warres be­twixt the Popes and this Frederick. Innocentius the fourth, stir­reth up the Prince of Theoring against Conrade the fourth of that name, and Sonne of Fredericke the second, and when the Emperour Conrade was dead the Pope obtained the good will of the Neapolitanes, to yeeld themselves to the See of Rome: Conrade a Sonne and heire, Conradine, and Manfrede his bastard Brother, which would bee called King of Cicily, wherefore Pope Vrbano the fourth, Sonne to King Clement the fourth, Manfred sent for Charles Brother to Lewis the french King, Earl of Province, and of Gaunt, to come with an Army into Italy, and called him King of Cicilie, who overcame and slew Man­fred [Page]at Bewent, and received the Kingdomes of the Pope to doe him homage: There were slaine in the battell betweene them 12000. the occasion thereof being the Popes. Many such like in­stances might be taken out of History, but these shall suffice for the present, it only remaines to compare the impurity, tyranny and malice of those Bishops in the beginning of superstition & idolatry, and these times wherein we now live, with the Bi­shops and Clergy of this Kingdome.

What hath beene more used by our Bishops of our time, es­pecially the Archbishop of Canterbury in his hierarchy at Lam­beth, in his Courts of inquisition, high Commission I would say, then excommunications, deprivations, and degradations of lear­ned and zealous Ministers and teachers of the word of God, and other his Majesties good and loyall subjects so far as their power could extend, beganne to deny the Princes supremacy in causes ecclesiasticall, what may we conceive would they have attemp­ted, if God in mercy by the wisdome of our gracious Soveraign, and his great Councell of State had not prevented the same.

Secondly, what divelish practice, what stratagem, what trea­son, by poysoning & otherwise attempted by the Arch enemies of our peace, the Priests and Iesuits, against not onely the per­sons of godly and Religious Peers, the whole Parliament, and state of the Kingdome, but they directly or indirectly have had a hand in the same, what then may we thinke of them if they had power to their malice?

Thirdly and lastly, what commotions in Scotland, what warres betweene England and that Kingdome did they endea­vour to stir up and raise, seeking by the destruction and confu­sion of both Kingdomes, to worke their ends and purposes, and what distractions and troubles hath beene in this Kingdome, what miseries and calamities that are fallen upon Ireland, but some of the Bishops have beene agitators and actors therein.

And thus much of this Christall wherein the Clergy that are concerned may cleerly see themselves and their actions, and learne to amend and turne from their evills wayes, doing good in the Church for the evill they have formerly practised, which God grant, or otherwise cut them off, or remove them from a­mongst his children and Saints, that their examples may be no more stumbling blocks to hinder their walking in the paths of righteousnesse, piety and godlinesse.