presse. I require doctrine the whiche should rather bridle the heresies then the Heretikes. Let them rage so muche as they will againste the name of Heretikes, truly I thinke if these dayes whiche doo seme scarsely christian had. vi. Hieromes, and as many Augustines, although it had no other helpe besydes, I thinke the church should want no sufficient ayde to profligate the great heapes of Heretikes. But for so much as in this extreme crueltie of the worlde, when in all charitie is waxed so colde: MarginaliaThe counsels of moderation ar hetherto contemned.I am not ignoraunt howe small credit these thynges shall finde at many mennes handes, lyke as also all other mens counsels of moderations before me haue bene neglected. Wherfore it shoulde bee moste beste for me to leaue these kynde of men to their owne wyll, rather then to singe vnto such as are deafe, and so to loose both tyme and labour.  

But nowe let vs retourne vnto the Martyrs, but before we doo enter into that lamētable story, we doo thinke it worth our labour, to shewe before certayne prophecies of sondry men, whereby so many great persecutions of the world were prefigured. MarginaliaIoachim abbot of Callabria.And first to begin with Ioachim the Abbot, we will rehearse what was founde of him in an olde Monument of Houeden: Thus he saith. Rychard the kyng of England in his expedition vnto Hierusalem, hearing tell of the great fame of Ioachim of Callabria, Abbot of Curacon, which by the spirite of prophecie, did forshewe thinges to come. What tyme as he seiourned at Cycill, he caused the sayde Abbot to be sent for vnto him, to heare of him amongest other thinges more, what he could declare as touching Antichrist: MarginaliaThe prophecie of Antechrist.He then expounding the misterie of the seuen kinges in the Reuelation, whereof fiue of them were fallen &c. He sayde, the seuen kynges are seuen persecuters, Herode, Nero, Constantinus, Mahumet, Melsemutus, Saladinus, and Antichrist. But as touching Antichrist he sayd thus, that euen at that present he should be bred in Rome, and shoulde bee exalted in the Apostolike Sea, of whome the Apostle speaketh, he is exalted aboue all thinges that is called God.

[Back to Top]

Thus muche wryteth Houeden, and this Abbot was in the yeare of our Lorde M.ii.C.xc. There is also the prophecie of Hildegardis, of whome we haue spoken before, in the. xxix. booke of Vincent. In the yeare saieth she after the incarnation of Christ, M. ii. C. The doctrine of the Apostels and the feruent iustice whiche God had appointed amongst the spirituall Christians began to wax slacke & doubtfull: but this womanly time shall not so long continue as it hath hetherto continued. MarginaliaFluentius.Thus muche writeth he, neither did Fluentius the Byshop, doubt openly to preache that Antichriste was borne in his dayes, as it appeareth by Sabellicus.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaGerardus byshop of Laodicia.Also before these daies in þ^e yeare of our Lord M.ii.C.xxxix. Gerardus byshop of Laodicia, in his boke intituled of the preseruation of the Seruauntes of God, dooth coniecture Antichrist to be euen at hande, by the raritie of propheciyng and the gift of curing. MarginaliaThe prophecie of Hieromin⁹ Sauonarola.There is also a certaine prophecie of Hierome Sauonarola, euident (if it be worthy credite) lxix yeares before, wherin he dooth affirme in this maner, that Italie should be plaged with the scourge of God for the manifold sinnes therof. Euen amongst the Princes as well Ecclesiasticall as seculer, and when the Cities of Rome and Florence, are ouerthrowē, then should the churche be renued, the which should happen very shortly: and that the Turkes and Mauritanians, in these our daies, should be conuerted vnto þ^e true knowledge of Christ. He forshewed also that there should one passe the Alpes lyke vnto Cyrus, the whiche should subuert all Italy. Thus muche haue we founde in the booke of Gaspar Hedio, intituled the Parlipomena. MarginaliaA wonder in Germany.I thinke also it lacketh not his prophecie whiche happened in the yeare of our Lord M.v.C. & one, that thorowout al Germany, there was seene vpon mens garments Crosses, crownes of Thorne, the similitude of nayles, & droppes of bloud fell from heauen: and oftentimes thei fell within the houses, in so muche that many wemen ware the same, long time vpon their Rayles. If it be true that Gasparus dooth reporte. Hereunto also is to be annexed that whiche we rede in our countreymā Fressard, MarginaliaIohn a frier Franciscan.as touching one Iohan de Rochetaylayda a Franciscane frier, not that we haue any certentie therof, but that we doo only shew what is there written, he in the yeare of our Lorde M.iii.C.xlvi. is sayde to haue forshewed that the Ecclesiasticall order shoulde suffer muche thorow the ambitious auarice & pride, wherupon, he was by Pope Clemēt the sixt, cast in to pryson. MarginaliaManfrede.Neither is it to be passed ouer with silence that whiche is reported, that Manfredus a Dominick frier of Versella, is saide to haue forshewed that Antichrist should rise vp in his time as it is written by Antoninus.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaArnold CatelaneAnd Arnoldus de Villa noua, Catalanus, a singuler Mathematitian and Phisition, did affirme out of Daniel and Sibil, that Antichrist after the yeare of our Lord M.iiiC. should fully rage ouer the godly, and that ther should be persecution in the churche. He saide moreouer that these cloister monkes did falsefie the doctrine of Christ. That the sacrifice of the Aulter was not profitable to the quicke nor to þ^e dead: neither that there was any knowledge in the Popes consolations, but only of mēs workes: at the last he was sent by Frederick kyng of Cicill to the byshop of Rome, where as by the waye vpon the Sea he died and was buried at Genua.

[Back to Top]