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We wolle in

yere made forth towarde Mantua, and, beynge halfe on their waye, thanne perceyued, that they hadde taken vppon them that iourney in vayne, we do not thynke them so foolysshe, that they wolle hereafter ryde farre oute of towne to be mocked. The tyme also, and the state of thynges is suche, that matters of relygion maye rather nowe be broughte farther in trouble, as other thynges are, than be commodiousely intreated of and decyded. For where as, in maner, the hole worlde is after suche sorte troublyd with warres, so incombred with the great preparations that the Turke maketh, caune there be any manne so agaynste the setlynge of relygyon, that he wolle thynke this tyme mete for a generall councill? Undoubtedlye it is mete that such controuersies, as we haue with the byshoppe of Rome, be taken as they are; that is moch greatter, than that they maye eyther be discussed in this soo troublesome a tyme, or elles be committed vnto proctours, without our greate icoperdie, all be it the tyme were neuer so quiete. What other princes wyll do, we can not tell; but we will neyther leaue our realme at this tyme, neyther we wyll truste any proctour with oure cause, wherein the holle staye and weith of our realme standeth, but rather we wyll be atte the handlynge therof our selfe. For excepte both an other iudge be agreed vppon for those matters, and also a place more commodiouse be prouyded, for the debating of our causes, all be it al other thynges were as we wolde haue them, yet maye we lawfully refuse to come or sende any to his pretended councylle. noo case make hym our arbyter, whyche, not many yeres paste, oure cause not harde, gaue sentence agaynste vs. We wolle that suche doctrine, as we, folowynge the scripture, do professe, rytely to be examinyd, discussyd, and to be brought to scripture, as to the onely touche stone of true lernynge. We wyll not suffre them to be abolyshed, ere euer they be discussyd, ne to be oppressed, before they be knowen: moche lesse we wyll suffre theym to be troden downe beinge so clerely trewe. No, as there is no iote in iote in scripture, but we wolle defende it, thoughe it were with icoperdie of our lyfe, and peryll of this our realme: so is there no thynge, that doeth oppresse this doctrine, or obscure it, but we wolie be at continuall warre therwith. As we haue abrogated all olde Popishe tradicions in this oure realme, which eyther dyd helpe his tyranny or increase his pryde: soo, yf the grace of God forsake vs not, we wyll wel forsee, that no newe naughtye tradicions be made with our consente, to bynde vs or our realme. Yf men wyll not be willyngely blyude, they shall casyly see euen by a due and euident profe in reson, though grace dothe not yet by the worde of Christ enter into theym, howe small thauctorytie of the bysshop of Rome is, by the lawfull denyall of the Duke of Mantua for the place. For yf the bysshoppe of Rome dydde ernestly intende to kepe a councyll at Mantua, and hath power, by the lawe of God, to calle prynces to what place hym lyketh; why hath he not also auctoritie to chose what place hym lysteth? The Bysshop chose Mantua, the Duke kepte hym oute of it. Yf Paule, the bysshoppe of Romes auctoritye, be so great, as he pretendeth, why coulde not he compel Fredericus, Duke of Mantua, that the councille myghte be kepte there?

The Duke wolde not suffre it. No, he forbadde hym his towne.

Howe chaunceth it, that here excommunicacyons flye not abrode; Why dothe he not punysshe this duke?

Why is his power, that was wonte to be more than fulle, here emptye? wonte to be more than all, here nothynge? Dothe he not calle men in vayne to a councille, yf they, that comme at his callynge, be excluded the place, to the whyche be callethe theym? Maye not kynges iustelye refuse to come at his call, whan the Duke of Mantua maye denye hym the place, that he choseth? Yf other prynces order hym as the Duke of Mantua hath doone, what place shall be lefte hym, where he maye kepe his generall council? Again, if prynces haue gyuen hym this auctoritie, to calle a councille; is hit not necessaryc, that they gyue hym allso all those thynges, withoute the whyche he canne not exercyse that his power? Shall he call men, and wolle ye let hym fynde no place to call them unto? Trucly he is not wonte to appoynte one of his owne cyties, a place to keepe the councill in. No, the good manne is so faythefull and frendely towarde other, that seldome he desyreth prynces to be his gestis. And admytte he shulde calle vs to one of his cityes, shulde we safely walke within the walles of suche our ennemyes towne? Were it mete for vs there to dyscusse controuersyes of relygyon, or to kepe vs out of our ennemyes trappes? Mete to studye for the defence of suche doctrine as we professe, or rather howe we myghte in suche a thronge of perylles be in sauegarde of our lyfe? Well, in this one acte the bysshoppe of Rome hathe declared, that he hathe none auctory te vppon places in other mennes domynyons, and therfore, yf he promyse a councille in anye of those, he promyseth a councille in anye of those, he promyseth that that is in an other man to perfourme, and so may he deceyue vs agayne, Nowe, if he calle vs to one of his owne townes, we be afrayde to be at suche an hostes table. We saye, better to ryse a hungred, then to goo thense with oure bellyes fulle. But they saye, the place is founde, we neede noo more seke where the councill shall be kepte. As who saythe, that, that chaunced at Mantua, maye not also chaunce at Uyncence. And as thoughe it were very lyke, that the Uenecians, menne of suche wysedome, shoulde not bothe forsee and feare also that, that the wyse Duke of Mantua semed to feare. Certes, whanne we thynke vppon the state, that the Uenecians be in nowe, hit seemeth noo verye Jykely thynge that they wolle cyther leaue Uincence, theyr cytyc, to so many nations, without some greate garrison of souldyers, or elles that they, beynge elles where so sore charged all redy, wyll nowe norysshe an armye there. And, if they wolde, dothe not Paulus hym selfe graunt, that it shulde be an euyll presydent, and an cuyll exaumple, to haue an armed councille: how so euer it shal be, we most hartely desyre you, that ye wolle vouchesafe to rede those thynges that we wrote this last yere touchynge the Mantuan councille, For we nothynge doubte, but you, of youre equytye, wyll stande on our syde agaynste theyr subtyltye and fraudes, and iudge, excepte we be deceyued, that we, in this busynesse, neyther gaue soo moche to oure affectyons, neyther withoute greatte and mooste iuste causes, refused theyr councylles, theyr censures, and decrees, Whyther these oure wrytynges please all menne, or noo, we thynke, we ought not to passe

moche. Noo, yf that, that indyfferentely is wrytten of vs, maye please indyfferente reders, our desyre is accomplysshed. Then false and mystakyng of thynges, by men parcyall, shall moue vs nothynge, or elles very lytel. Yf we haue sayd aughte agaynste the deceytes of the bysshop of Rome, that maye seme spoken to sharpely, we praye you, impute it to the hatredde we bare vnto vyces, and not to any euylle wyll that we bare hym. Noo, that he, and all his, maye perceyue, that we are rather at stryfe with his vyces, than with hym and his oure prayer is, bothe that it maye please God at the laste to open theyr eyes, to make softe theyr harde hartes, and that they ones maye with vs, theyr owne glorye set aparte, study to set forthe the euerlastynge glorie of the euerlastynge God.

Thus, myghtye Emperoure, fare ye mooste hartely well, and ye Christen princes, the pylors and stay of Christendome, fare ye hartely well: Also all ye, what people so cuer ye are, whiche doo desyre, that the gospel and glory of Christ maye florysshe, fare ye hartely well. Gyuen at London oute of oure palace at Westmynster,

the eyghte of Apryll, the nyne and twentye yere of

our reygne.

A LAMENTABLE AND PITEOUS

TREATISE*,

Verye necessarye for euerie Christen Manne to reade, wherin is contayned, not onely the high Entreprise and Valeauntnes of

THEMPEROUR CHARLES THE V. AND HIS ARMY,

(In his Voyage made to the Towne of Argier in Affrique, agaynst the Turckes, the Enemyes of the Christen Fayth, Thinhabitoures of the same)

BUT ALSO THE

MYSERABLE CHAUNCES OF WYNDE AND WETHER,

WITH DYUERSE OTHER ADUERSITES,

Hable to moue euen a stonye Hearte to bewayle the same, and to pray to God for his Ayde and Succoure.

Which was written and sent vnto the Lorde of Langest. Truly and dylygently translated out of Latyn into Frenche, and out of Freuche into English. 1542. Ricardus Grafton excudebat, cum Priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Octavo, containing twenty-seven Pages.

To the ryght hygh and myghtye Lorde, Syr Wyllyam of Bellay, Vyceroy of Pyment, and Knyght of the Urdre of the Mooste Christen Kynge. Syr Nycolas Uyllagon, Gretynge.

I have geuen you to wytte (ryght honorable Lorde) by my laste letters, that, in makyng hast towarde you, I was retarded and constrayned to tarye at Rome, because of the renewyng and grefe of the woundes, that I was hurt of; the

• This is the 71st number in the Catalogue of Pamphlets in the Harleian Library.

which, by the dyffyculte and length of the way, recreased and waxed worsse dayly. For the truthe is, that the daylye procedyuge of my sorenesse hath holly taken from me hope to depart from hens, and from my departyng hath hyndred me much more then I wold. Howbeit, beyng contynually incyted by great desyre to se you agayne, and seyng the let of my departyng out of this towne, as yet varedy, I haue aduysed me to put in wryting the ordre and estate of my voyage, and send it to you, because that, in suche wyse, ye should the sooner knowe it; which I my selfe wold sooner haue done, yf my dysease would haue suffred it. And, by the same meanes, the delay of my commyng towarde you to be excused. Your good frende Franceys Guyche, a worthy man and ¡yberall, by greate amyte hath receyued me into his house, and kyndly entreated me. Aud hath doone so muche by his great dylygeuce, that, by the helpe of medycyns, I hope ryght soone to come into the way of amendement, wherby I am greatly beholden to hym. It hath been he, that, whan I would haue enforced me to haue gone on my waye, hath letted me tyll I were somewhat more at ease, and stronger to endure the trauayle of the waye, and the disposycion of wynter; which yf he had not done, I was in daunger to have fallen in another greuous malady, for with the payne and smert of my woundes, all my body was swollen, so that almoste I was fallen into an hydropsy. Howbeit, as nowe I purpose, as sone as my dysease is paste, to put me in waye with all dylygence to se you ryght soone. At Thuryn,

AS

And fare ye well.

S, in the sommer paste, my pryuate, necessary, and domestiqual busynes moued me to retourne into Fraunce, I was aduertised by my frendes of Themperours iorney into Italy, and of the purposed passage of his army into Affrique: Who, knowynge the councell and purpose of Themperour, dyd moue and persuade me to thire good and honeste entreprise. Then I, vnderstandyng well my fayth and ductye accordyng to my profession, knewe that I was bound, with all my powre, to employe my selfe to fight against thenemys of the faith; and lykewyse fearynge greately, that my body, longe accustomed with the peynes of warre, shuld by the meanes, of muche ease become to tendre for lacke of vse and exercise, if I shuld haue taryed longe lyngerynge with my frendes; wherfore, I purposed with my selfe, to deferre and set asyde my former busynes tyll another tyme, rather then to leaue suche a present and oportune occasyon of honour in so necessary a matter. Nowe then, the mynd and purpose of Themperour (as I perceaued by my frendes letters) was thus, as foloeth.

Themperour beyng in Allmeigney, to thentent to appease and set a staye in the controuersyes and dyssencyons, whiche are amonge the Allmeignés in matters of religion, dyd there fynde Ferdinand his brother, and the sonne of the same Ihon, which last of all obteyned the realme of Hungarye, and had knowledge that they wer inflamed with great and pernycious dyscordes, and in mynde to fyght together violentlye for the right of the saide realme. The whiche sonne of Ihon, for the feare that he had of the powre of Ferdinand, called and sought ayde of the Turckes; whiche when Ferdinand sawe commyng, in preuentynge theim, with all his powre, beseged the towne of Buda, enforcynge him selfe moost dylygently to haue taken the saide towne before the Turckes cam. The which, when Themperour knew, and consyderynge howe necessary it was to stoppe the Turckes from entryng within our lymites and boundes, dyd dyspatche a porcion of his armye to go and ayde his brother, to

thentent that the soner and the easyer he myght attayne to thend of his entreprise, and to take the saide towne of Buda; notwithstandyng he beeynge allwayes troubled with the feare of their purposed commynge, aswell of the strength of the place, as also of the dylygence of the ene myes which resisted and withstode him, was constreigned to tarye the commynge of the saide Turckes. And therfore Themperour, leauynge his former entrepryse of the controuersyes of the faithe, thought yt muche better to set a staye and ordre in this aforesaide warre. And for that he knewe wel, that it was a verey daungerous and icoperdous thinge, so sone and vnaduysedly to goo against the might and force of the Turckes beinge so freshly arryued, inlesse they had been, in some parte, weryed by longe soiournynge and taryenge after theyr commyng: Wherfore he was mynded to set forwarde his hoost into another place, more farther back from the partes of Christendome, and therfore, leauynge with his brother Ferdinand, for his ayde and helpe, the hoost before sent, supposyng theim ynough, because the tyme was not conuenient for warre, seinge that wyntre was at hande; and the saide Ferdinand reccauyng the whole charge and guydynge of the said hoost to the parties aforesaide, Themperour, with great trauayle and dylygence retorned to Italye, at which place beinge arryued, he caused with al spede newe menne of warre to be taken vp, and in a lytle tyme had readye a perfite hoost of men; and lykewyse ther was made aswell at Gene, as also at Naples, diuerse shippes and galyes imediatlye, to conducte and brynge the saide armye into Affrique. For it was now more necessarye for hym to assayle Affrique, then enye other contrey of Turcky, for feare that, if he had made his armye into Turcky, he had leaft his enemyes in Affrique without warre, whiche shuld haue turned to the great feare of the Spanyardes, whom he purposely kept, to be ayded by theim, bothe of money and menne, at his inuadynge of Turcky

In the meane ceason, that all thynges were makynge readye, and that the gallyes were furnysshed with vytayles and artillarye, receauyng the menne of warre, Themperour had communicacion with the B. of Rome, in the towne of Luke, to thentent to aduertise him of his entreprise, counsell and purpose of the saide warre. The B. of Rome, because Affrique hathe fewe good hauens to lande in, aduysed him not to take the sea, neither to abyde thereon, and toke muche pein to persuade Themperour from hys purpose. Howbeyt, that the reason of the sayde bisshop was alwayes very good, yet notwythstandyng, for other greater consideracions, Themperour dyd remayn in his fyrst purpose; for he knewe how great a nombre of people wer oppressed in Hongrie, and how nedeful it was, that the warre in that place shuld not be long continued; and therfore chaunged his purpose, to arryue in another place, to thentent, that our enemycs shuld be compelled to kepe warre, wythin theyr owne countre; he sawe well that it was a woorke that requyred greate dylygence, and so much the rather, because he had conceaued wyth him selfe, that the Turckyshe warre requyred a greater prouision. In such sorte, that, before the sommer next foloynge, he coulde not prepare so great an army; wherfore in the meane tyme, he thought it more conuenient to make warre in Affrique, to thentent to deliuer the Spaniardes from the feare of the Affricans, and that afterwarde he myghte the more

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