About the death of Pope Hadrian VI at Nuremberg between the two above-mentioned imperial congresses, after he had canonized Bishop Benno of Meissen a quarter of a year before, against which action Luther had printed a document, and what qualities this Pope had.
749 Pope Hadrian VI's Bull of the Canonization of St. Benno, formerly Bishop of Meissen. Rome, May 31, 1523.
From Lümgs kplelltzA. 666168. xurt. II. Continuation and its "outiuuutio 3rd, x. 43.
Translated into German by M. A. Tittel.
John, by the grace of God and the Apostolic See, Bishop of the holy and pure Church of Meissen, etc., to all and everyone who will see, read, or hear read the present letter or this copy of the public testimony, offer constant salvation in the Lord, and that they firmly believe the present writing.
You should know that we have an apostolic letter, with a golden bull, on which silk cords of red and yellow color hang, according to the custom of the Roman court, emblazoned and issued by our most holy in Christ Father and Lord, by divine providence Pabst the Sixth, because of the canonization of St. Benno, bishop, our ancestor, which has already been done, executed and conferred, entirely correct and perfect in all things, unaltered and uncorrupted, also otherwise without any fault or suspicion, as it was immediately found at the first sight before a public notary and witnesses named below, received, the contents of which follow from word to word, and is this:
1 Adrianus, bishop, servant of the servants of God, in eternal memory of the cause! The high Lord has miraculously decided to build the contending Church, which is adorned with living, precious stones united with the supreme cornerstone Christ. Hence came the holy patriarchs, who in faith became worthy to shelter the holy angels, and saw God face to face. These were followed by the holy prophets, to whom God revealed His secrets, so that they might recognize and pronounce future things as present, through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. But after the fullness of time had come, and the exit from on high in the assumed humanity had made us worthy of grace to visit and fulfill the mysteries of our blessedness, as the prophets had proclaimed, the holy apostles were appointed as preachers and heralds (heralds) of the divine law, who throughout the whole world awakened the human race, which lay under the yoke of the devil's power, to blessedness, and preached the word of God to all the ends of the world.
2) Then the glorious martyrs followed, who, clothed in the armor of faith and girded with the belt of unwavering steadfastness, washed their robes in the blood of the innocent lamb, and following Christ with the white army, carrying a glorious palm of victory in their hands, joined themselves to the living stone, Christ, and left an everlasting memory of themselves and a holy example of the contending church. There have also appeared highly enlightened teachers who, with their teachings and examples, have resisted those who want to overthrow the Catholic and right faith itself, and have adorned the said contending church in many ways. With which
The same church, like the dawn, beautiful as the moon, chosen as the sun, terrible as the tops of the armies.
3. Then follow the holy confessors, who shine with the jewels of virtue, and who, as faithful and pious servants, have brought manifold profit and fruit of their labor to the Lord, who demands an account of the trusted pounds, and have placed them in the heavenly box (or barn); Who have also shunned all the caresses of the world as otter poison, have gone to lonely places, have been in caves and gorges, have mortified their flesh with bad food and spring water, have covered themselves with goatskins, have slept on reeds or straw, and have sought God barefoot, and have found the eternal fatherland.
(4) There are also beautiful virgins who, with a pure body, a pure heart, and a holy mind, with oil in their lamps, go to meet the bridegroom, who is more beautiful than the children of men. Similarly, devout and chaste widows, and other many persons of all sexes, who always seal on godly and holy works, and have presented themselves to the same heavenly bridegroom with full hands of a good harvest, glorifying God on high with the angels, and peace on earth for the people of good will (or good pleasure).
(5) All this is done by one and the same Spirit through a marvelous mystery. And as the Most High from the beginning visited, fortified and increased his vineyard with such godly servants, according to his promise: so he still lends the help of his protection in many ways, and visits the same vineyard in ordinary measure; therefore he has also brought a brave man to the construction of this vineyard, namely the glorious confessor and blessed Benno, who is to be joined to the crowd up there, yes, is already sellected; who, among the other fighters of Christ, has adorned the holy church in many ways through the cooperation of divine grace, and has brilliantly illuminated the darkness of the present time with the brilliance of his lamp. For he fought valiantly against the world, the flesh, and the devil, and, running after the odor of the Most High, he drew to himself a multitude of the faithful of both sexes, and left behind him a holy generation of his order, poured out, as it were, over the whole face of the earth, so that he might be preserved by a famous memory for the enlightenment of the Gentiles, as a bright star in the firmament of the church.
(6) Of whose origin, life, customs and fame, as well as miracles, which God has been pleased to show in many ways to the world as a reward for His holiness, the least to be reported is that the descendants of such a famous man know something.
7 For the father of this blessed Benno was Friedrich Bultenburger, of noble lineage, who produced him from Bezela, his godly wife. And since a good nature was perceived in the blessed Benno from his youth, he took care, as soon as he was out of childhood, that it would not be spoiled by other young fellows, evil manners and wrong opinions, as it tends to happen in youth, and therefore handed him over to Bernward, bishop in Hildesheim, and ordered him, who also diligently took care of the assigned matter, namely that the boy would be well led to virtue. Therefore, he first urged him to love the good and great God, but afterwards, since the wise man well saw how fine it would be if scholarship and godliness came together, he had Blessed Benno taught by Bigario, a pious and learned man, He was taught by Blessed Benno of Bigario, a pious and learned man, under whom he gained a great deal of weight, so that when he had already become a young man and learned to live properly, he chose the monastic life and became a monk, renouncing all pleasures and devoting himself solely to virtue. His brothers, who lived with him, were satisfied with this and found as much virtue in him as was appropriate for a clergyman, which is why they unanimously chose him, since their abbot had died. But because the matter became controversial, and some, although not many, gave their vote to Siegeberto, a holy man, St. Benno, who was far from all ambition, refused the honor, and on the other hand tried for Siegeberto and asked that he not be deprived of his quiet way of life. The more he asked for it, the more zealous the monks became, and forced St. Benno against his will to accept this dignity, which he resigned in the third month and returned to his previous well-adjusted way of life.
Therefore Henry IV, Roman emperor of glorious memory, began to love him very much. And seeing that the holy man was fit for regimental business, he did not want to let such a man rot in the corners of a monastery, but, since he had been appointed by the pope Leone, of blessed memory, who, however
1) he took him out of the monastery against his will and made him bishop in Goslar and Hildesheim. Since he lived holy and blameless in such a bishopric until his old age, the canons of Meissen were moved by his fame to elect the venerable old man, who has now reached 56 years of age, as bishop of their church, in which he administered everything commendably, but especially here, that he tore the Wends, who were hostile to Christianity, out of their harmful error and brought them to the point that they zealously protected the Christian faith together with the Catholic Church; which is a wonderful and entirely divine deed.
For about the same time Gregory VII, Pope of blessed memory, our ancestor, and Henricus IV, Roman Emperor of the same memory, had great enmity among themselves, so that one sought to overthrow the other from the high dignity in which he stood; therefore each held council with his own. Not only the princes, but also all the bishops in Germany and Gaul were obedient to the emperor. Blessed Benno alone disobeyed the Emperor's order, considering it an honor to protect the Church's reputation as much as possible. And in order to prove his devotion to the church, he banished the emperor and the margrave of Meissen, who were considered enemies of religion, and denied the margrave entrance to the church in Meissen, and went to the pope's council. What could be higher than such magnanimity? Before he set out on his journey, however, St. Benno threw the keys of his church in Meissen into the Elbe, a great and famous river, so that those who were on the emperor's side and therefore had the ban on them would be barred from entering the church. From this it is easy to see what enmity he was putting himself in for the Roman church and what danger he was taking upon himself. For since the emperor thought that he and his people had been insulted, and he wanted to avenge his insults and those of others, he imprisoned the blessed Benno, who had come back from the Council (or Concilio) to cool his troubles; but the almighty God, who saves the pious, who are oppressed in an ungodly way, looked upon the divine man. That is why St. Benno was soon done with it and returned to his life.
1) Non prsckseessore nostro, although below V0N Gregorio VII. etiana precksoEssor is written, and thus noa seems to be wrong, since about ollm or the like should stand. (Walch.)
has been restored to its former state. Since the keys of the church in Meissen, of which we have spoken, were missing at that time, a fish is caught in the said Elbe river, in whose entrails the lost keys are found again. Certainly a high and clear sign of divine providence!
Now we want to say something about what the holy man did for the adornment of his church; first of all, since he saw that a fine song at the service was something beautiful, he ordered a fine way of singing (or music), which is still in use in the church at Meissen. He also increased the church with many and beautiful goods; he also built and established a collegiate or cathedral church in the place where he sometimes went to be in silence in order to deal with God. But what shall one say much about the good affection of St. Benno for church matters?
11) He walked dry-footed across the Elbe River, and when he once visited the farmers, as was his custom, and saw the people very thirsty from fatigue, he turned water into wine out of compassion.
At another time, when St. Benno was preaching in the valley near the city, he saw many people almost dying of thirst, as it happens in the summer; to please them, he cut the earth, from which a rich and ever-flowing well immediately sprang up, which is still called the Holy Well today. The bell, however, which St. Benno himself consecrated, drives away all storms from the neighboring fields. 1) The field over which the holy man used to travel also surpasses all fields in the neighborhood in fertility.
There is also a village Neumbergk, which is far away from Meissen; and yet it happened once, by divine providence, that St. Benno said mass there at the same time, and also seemed to be present at the service in Meissen.
14 When a margrave in Meissen, who was a bit stingy, out of shameful malice took the goods of the church in Meissen, St. Benno said that man would do well if he returned what he had taken from the church in Meissen; if not, God would avenge such malice one day. The mad man was furious and slapped the bishop on the cheeks; then the holy man, out of divine inspiration, said: "I will not be punished,
1) It must have been no longer there when the thunder struck in Dom, at the time when one sang the Te Deum inside about the Mühlberg victory. (Walch.)
He said: The almighty God will avenge this injustice at the same time in the following year. But the insolent and proud margrave laughed at him. Soon after that, St. Benno fell ill, and he was afraid that he would soon pass from this life into the blessed eternity of the community of all the elect; therefore, before he died, he exhorted the canons to diligently preserve the love that Christ taught us. Afterwards, he enjoyed the night meal, the divine food, very devoutly and devoutly, and after praying to God heartily, he passed away in the fortieth year of his diocese, after the birth of Christ in 1106. So much of what the holy man did in his life, not in a human way, but through divine help.
But what happened after his death with the greatest astonishment, we must also tell something about it. And at the beginning, when the time came when the holy man had announced that the margrave would suffer punishment, the margrave broke out into the following words: Benno once threatened us that something bad would happen to us today; now he is dead, we have nothing to fear. No sooner had he uttered the word than he was struck by the blow, and crying out to the bystanders for help, he died miserably with lamentation and sighing. From this it is easy to see that divine power was given to this divine man.
16 There is another example, which is quite similar to this. William, another margrave, did all kinds of evil to the church in Meissen; and when the bishop persuaded the man with many pleas to change his mind, he not only did not want to follow good advice, but plagued the church much more than before; so the bishop, knowing no other help, called on St. Benno and asked him to preserve the church. So it happened that St. Benno warned the margrave three times in a dream that he should leave the church in peace; and since he dismissed it as a vain dream, he finally lost an eye when he was warned the fourth time, and he was threatened with even more trouble if he did not desist from his godless behavior. Wilhelm, the margrave, then thought better of it and reimbursed the church for everything, and increased its assets as much as he could, also honored St. Benno and held him in high esteem.
17. not forgetting that there are two villages, one of which he went to when he was
In the other, however, he converted the Wends from their horrible godlessness to the Christian faith; the footprints of his feet can still be seen in it. Also the hut in which he lived with the Wends, although it may have been poorly built and had a roof, has, since it was very old, not collapsed, nor was it damaged by fire, since the neighboring houses often burned down. His episcopal robe, in which his body was buried, has also lain in the earth with the bishop's hat for over two hundred years, and is still seen and shown in its entirety without much change since it was excavated.
(18) Many other miracles could be told, for it is known that through the merit of St. Benno many have been raised from the dead, many sick have been healed, and easily no one who has made a vow to him has been left helpless by him. Therefore, our beloved son in Christ, Carl, the Roman and Spanish Catholic King, elected (Roman) Emperor etc., and our beloved sons Albrecht etc., priest (presbyter) at St. Peter's in Banden etc., and Matthew Diaconus at St. Angelo, Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church; and our venerable brothers Richard of Trier and Hermann of Cologne, Archbishops, by their open letters; likewise our beloved sons, the noble men, Ferdinand, Archbishop in Austria, and George and Henry, bodily brothers, Dukes of Saxony, Landgraves in Thuringia and Margraves of Meissen, by our venerable brother, John, Bishops of Meissen, their envoy to us and the beloved son, William of Enkenvort, and our court prelate (Domesticum), as well as their envoy and agent (negotiorum gestorem) to us and to our apostolic see, humbly request that we may, after prior diligent examination and investigation, proceed to the canonization of the holy man.
19. When we were now willing to grant such a request, and were highly pleased that such a canonization had happened in our times, by God's providence, and therefore thought it good not to deprive St. Benno, of whom God had already made known by many manifest signs and wonders that He had made him worthy of the choir of saints in heavenly glory, also on earth of the honor of the saints that was due to him: We have not yet hastened and hastened in so important a matter, but have desired to consider the same, according to ancient and laudable usage, with delay and diligently, namely, after a thrice examination, which was made by the
In the venerable memory of Alexandri VI at first, then Julii II and finally Leo X, our forefathers, commissions were made therein.
Finally, Leo X has ordered three Cardinals, also of the Holy Roman Church, from three of her orders, as our venerable brothers, Bernardino of Ostia, of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, and Antonio, bishops of Alba, then priests of the title of St. Vitalis, and John, deacon of St. Cosma and Damian's, Cardinals, on his brothers' advice and consent. Cosmä and Damians, Cardinals, on his brothers, among whom we were at that time, although absent, council and consent, ordered that they all of the blessed man's life, customs, rumors, and miracles, before and after his death, also the intercessions made by him 1), and other things that belong to such canonization of the saints, review and examine them, diligently inquire about each and every item, and report what they find to his secret consistory diligently, according to usage.
21. Since the said Cardinals, having seen and examined various trials held in Germany by the order of the said See, and sent them to our Court, and duly considered the testimony of credible witnesses, as the importance of the matter requires, and faithfully reported on the above-mentioned miraculous works, holy life and other pertinent things in several secret consistories, and we have found the wish (or votes) of the same and of all the Cardinals to be just and lawful, the said canonization is to be carried out, and for such solemn appointment the beloved son John Baptist of Siena, Doctor of both rights and Consistorial Advocate of our Court in the public Consistory, told us everything about the blessed man's life, customs, fame and miracles, and humbly requested that we, after prior mature consultation, proceed to the same holy man's canonization: After giving heartfelt thanks to Almighty God for what has been set forth and recounted before us, we asked all those who were present at the time in the public Consistory to assist the Church of God with their prayers and fasting, and to implore Him not to let them err in such canonization.
22 Finally, after several days, when all the prelates present at that time were gathered again in our Consistorial Court, in the Apostolic Palace, namely Patriarchs, Archbishops, and Archbishops of the Holy See, the Archbishops of the Holy Roman Empire, the Archbishops of the Holy Roman Empire, and the Archbishops of the Holy Roman Empire.
1) aüko taetis should probably be ad "o heißm. (Walch.)
The same bishops and bishops, in the presence of the same brothers of ours, the said Roman church cardinals, had the same processes of the same holy life, customs, rumors and miracles, which proceeded from it, recently and summarily repeated by the same John Baptist; which the cardinals and others, who were commanded by us to do the same, subsequently told and explained properly. And since all the surrounding prelates, who were asked what they thought of this canonization matter, answered unanimously, without contradiction, that they thought it was right that such a holy man should be counted and placed among the saints, we once again sincerely thanked the Almighty God that he had graciously enlightened our hearts to adorn his blessed servant with proper honor, and celebrated the first Sunday after Pentecost, which fell on 31 May in the year 1523. May in the year 1523, for such canonization, and have in the cathedral church of the Prince of the Apostles in the city a large wooden scaffold or stage, according to use, prepared and decorated, on which we today, after to the surrounding clergy and people a humble and devout sermon of St. Benno's life, miracles and rumors, also the litany and the song: Come, God Creator, Holy Spirit etc., The lawyers (or administrators) of the canonization case, as well as the elected Roman Emperor Carl's envoy appointed to the said apostolic see, also implored us that St. Benno be included among the host of saints and be counted among them.
23) Since everything was duly accomplished, and no ordinary church ceremony was omitted, because we had God before our eyes, we considered it good to proceed to the canonization of the saint in question with the words:
In praise and honor of the holy and inseparable Trinity and elevation of the Catholic faith and acceptance of the Christian religion, we, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy apostles St. Peter and Paul, and our own, resolve and decree that Benno, of blessed memory, formerly bishop in Meissen, shall become a saint and be registered in the register of saints. Peter and Paul, and our own, on the advice of our brothers, that Benno, of blessed memory, formerly bishop in Meissen, be a saint and be included in the register of saints; write him also in the same register of holy confessors, and order that his feast and office (or mass service) be celebrated annually by the whole church, as for a confessor, bishop, the 16th of June, as the day of his funeral. June, as the day of his burial (depositionis), shall be devoutly and humbly celebrated; and also graciously remit from the same authority to all rightful
penitent Christians who confess when they visit annually on the very day of the same Saint Benno grave, seven years and so many quadragens 1) of the penances imposed on them.
24) After this had been accomplished, and after we had sung the hymn: Te Deum etc., Lord God, you etc., and our song masters had sung it to the end, and the Cardinal Diaconus had sung it at the end: Pray for us, Saint Benno etc., and the choir answered: that we may become worthy of Christ's promises etc., we immediately sang aloud a prayer of our own from this same saint, saying:
God, who surrounds and protects us with the glorious confession of blessed Benno, bishop, grant that we may also increase through his succession and enjoy his intercession, through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in unity of the Holy Spirit for ever and ever! To which said choir answered: Amen!
Then we held a solemn Mass, and all the Collects of the said first Sunday after Pentecost were gathered together and concluded, with the addition of the aforementioned and other special Collects of St. Benno, namely 2) pro secreta:
Let, then, O Lord, thy holy confessor and bishop please us everywhere, that, when we have all his glorious merits etc., we may feel his intercession (patrocinia) with thee etc., with its conclusion: namely, through Christum etc.
Then, after the Communion, we added these words:
We pray, O Lord, since we have enjoyed this holy sacrament (repleti mysteriis), that we may be refreshed by the intercession of your holy confessor and bishop Benno, whose feast we celebrate etc., with just the previous conclusion.
27) And so we have duly completed the Mass to the end with ordinary ceremonies according to the apostolic order 3) and granted plenary indulgence to all who were devout at this high office at that time, and for the testimony of which we have issued the present letter, to the praise and glory of the Almighty God, who is wonderful and glorious in his saints, lives and reigns, highly praised forever, Amen!
1) A quadragene is forty days of penitential indulgence.
2) is dark. (Walch.) - Maybe to read: pro ssq uontia - a ls sequence.
3) suxta Ordinarius apostolieuin, instead of ordinona. (Walch.)
2322 Erl. (2.) 24, S50. Cap. 9. of the imperial congresses at Nuremberg. W. XV. 2770-2772. 2323
Because it would be difficult to make the same letter known to everyone, we want and decide that its copies, which are signed by a public notary and sealed by an ecclesiastical prelate, be given unquestionable credence in all and every part, and that they be followed just as if the manuscript (or main letter, originales literae) had been shown and handed over to all and everyone.
Accordingly, no man shall change our command, statute, enrollment, ordinance, decree, grant and will, or act contrary thereto. And if anyone should do so, he shall fall under the wrath of Almighty God and the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul! In the year of the Incarnation of our Savior, 1523, May 31, the first year of our papacy.
From the (papal) castle.
T. Heizius. Seen W. von Enkenvort.
Registered with me T. Hezio. On the back (or from behind) the seal of the apostolic bull.
Which apostolic letter, since it was presented to us and shown to us, we have been requested by the venerable men and gentlemen, the provost, dean, senior and the entire chapter of our cathedral church in Meissen, that we have this apostolic letter, which was issued and granted for the canonization of the holy bishop Benno, copied and made into this form of a public instrument. Therefore, we have also had it copied by the public notary written below, copy it and bring it into this public credible form of a copy and compare it properly with the main writing; we also want and order that this public copy instrument be followed and believed everywhere, as and as much as the main writing itself could and would be believed, therefore we add our order to the above-mentioned letter here.
For the all faith and manifest testimony (or document) of which we have also made the present letter, and have had it signed by the public notary named below and marked with our seal. Given and done in our episcopal castle of Stolpen. In the year of Christ 1523, Monday, which was Sept. 7, in the presence of the excellent, venerable, and strict and manly
(strenuis validis) Messrs. Paul Dhums, beider Rechte Doctoris, Georg Kothschitz, our Chancellor, Jakob Renichens, Georg von Schönberg, Georg Pflug and Matthäi Weislicz, requested witnesses.
And I John Caesar, a clergyman of the Prague (episcopal) district, and public notary from imperial authority: Because I, in the case of the enclosed apostolic letter, which was issued and executed on the canonization of the holy bishop Benno, handing over, receiving, copying, repeating and reading, diligently filling, and adding the order and decree, and everything else, in that it has been done and executed by the most reverend in Christ Father and Herm, Lord John, bishop of the holy and holy church of Meissen, and has been present in the company of the aforementioned witnesses, and has been thus seen and heard and well noted: I have therefore made this present public instrument and copy thereof, signed it, made it known, and brought it into this public form, which I have been solemnly requested, called, and invited to believe and bear witness to all and every thing above.
750 D. Martin Luther's writing "against the new idol and old devil, who is to be exalted at Meissen. Late April or early May 1524.
This writing appeared in 1524 in several individual editions (the Erlangen edition lists six of them), for the first time under the title: "Widder den newen Abgott vnd allten Trüffel der zu Meyssen sol erhaben werden. Martinus Luther Wittemberg. III. D. XXIIII." At the end: "Printed in Wittemberg by Hans Lufft. 1524." Jn den Gesammtausgabe": in the Wittenberger (1558), vol. VI, p.452; in the Jenaer (1585), vol.II, p.43Id; in the Altenburger, vol. II, p. 780; in the Leipziger, vol. XVIII, p.511; in the Erlanger (1), vol. 24, p.238 and in the second edition, vol. 24, p. 250. The presumed time results from Luther's letter to Spalatin, De Wette, vol. II, p. 507, which, however, is not to be placed in May, as De Wette has done, but with Burkhardt, p. 70, on April 4 or 5. In this letter, Luther indicates his intention to produce our writing.
Against the new idol.
I hereby state that I do not want the dead Bishop Benno to be condemned or damned. He has his judge, like all other dead people, over whom no human being has the right to judge, unless God Himself reveals such, firstly through the
Word, then by signs. I only want to write against the living Satan, who now at this time, when by God's grace the gospel has risen again and shines brightly, does not know how to take revenge, because he mocks God and disgraces His word by playing such a jugglery that he wants to be raised and worshipped with silver and gold equipment and delicious splendor under the name of Benno (which would probably rather remain lying); and God, through His wrath, also demands that the hardened and blinded tyrants and persecutors, as the pope with his mob, who do not want to hear the gospel for salvation nor suffer, must believe the lies and powerful error, and the work of the devil, to great damnation, as St. Paul says [2 Thess. Paul says [2 Thess. 2,10-12]. And I do this all the more gladly and gladly, for I know for certain and am certain that if Benno is truly holy, it does not do him any favors to be exalted; just as no saint has ever been fond of being exalted by the pope, even though there are few of them, for they are usually vain papal saints, not Christian saints. The reason for this is that people's confidence in God's grace and Christ is turned away by the elevation of the saints, and falls on the merits and intercession of the saints. And so much good is done to their churches that the good works of love toward the neighbor are not done at all; so that instead of God the saints come, and instead of the neighbor wood and stones, of which only lazy gluttons and idle fattened sows are fed in the churches, monasteries and convents. Now nothing is dearer to the true saints than that faith should remain fine and pure, and love fervent and constant among men.
(2) Therefore God also willed in time past to bury Moses in such a way that no man should know his grave, lest he also be honored and called there; yea, he did not set up any worship or honor in any place, or with any name or manner, which he himself had not commanded. Ezekiel also broke the bronze serpent (which God Himself had named) when he saw that the Jews were setting up worship there. [2 Kings 18:4] Even though the false prophets had not
The people of the city, who were always shouting that they were doing it in honor of the right God, as our pope is doing with his own over this Benno.
How much less is it to suffer that in the New Testament, in the bright light of the gospel, one should worship of one's own choice and devotion, without the one he himself commanded in faith and love, with the sacrifice of himself, as St. Paul teaches Romans 12:1.
(4) At first, that we start at the highest, it has been well arranged that this Satan of Meissen would be exalted by the Pope Adrianum, his special servant in life. For although I hear from the same Adrian that he has lived a seemingly famous life, he has nevertheless (as such hypocrites are wont to do) been the worst enemy of God and of His word, and thus let the two murders be committed in Brussels, and made Christ two martyrs, and, without his knowledge and will, elevated them to the status of saints. And even if they had been heretics (as they are not), nevertheless a murderer has been committed on them, since true Christians, especially in the spiritual office, do not murder anyone, but only avoid the wicked and evade them, as Paul [Titus 3:10] and Christ [Matthew 10:17, 7:15] teach. And although I should not, nor can I, judge how he died, yet my judgment is right, that if he is different in such a sense, and has not recanted or atoned for such murders, and has been held to our gospel, then he is certainly a child of condemnation.
5 Here it is almost and entirely papal, as at Costnitz in the Concilio: there John Hus and Jerome of Prague were condemned and burned, the true holy children of God and martyrs; but Thomas Aquinas, the source and basic soup of all heresy, error and extinction of the Gospel (as his books prove), was exalted. So now Master Adrian must also do. He burned Johannem and Heinricum, the true saints, in Brussels. Now he raises Benno against them, even the devil himself. It is the special office of the popes, they must do: kill right saints, bring up false saints; condemn God's word, confirm their own doctrine, and then say it be done.
In honor of God and His dear saints, as Christ says John 16:2: "The time is coming when he who kills you will think he is doing God a service."
6. On the other hand, the fame would have been worthy of silence, and not only Master Adrian and the pope, but also all those who so nearly rush and hurry with Benno's elevation, should be ashamed in their hearts if there were a spark of Christian understanding in them, That they therefore both write in books and tell in the bull and publicly display before all the world the noble virtue and example of Benno, how he has defeated the Emperor Henry the Fourth to the Pope Gregory septimo, and banished the Margrave of Meissen together with the Emperor, and then escaped to the Pope, (I wanted to say) went on pilgrimage. That is a chivalrous deed! He should not only be called a holy bishop, but also a holy knight, and be exalted with vain golden picks and shovels, so that it would be disgusting and disgusting.
I will be silent about the histories, which powerfully show how the same Pope Gregory septimus acted against the Emperor Henry the Fourth as a traitor and evil-doer, even after reason to speak, and incited the son against the father, and deposed him from the empire, let him die so miserably in the ban, and all this only for the sake of temporal good, splendor and violence. Benno took a stand with such a pope, as the Bulla boasts of him here, and strengthened the pope in his evil ways. And there was not so much spirit in the holy man that he could have recognized how the pope was doing wrong to incite the child against the father, whom God had commanded to show honor and service; but he is so blind as a bat that he leads and stands with the pope, helps him, banishes both emperor and margrave, if he should have staked his life on it, to make a plea to the pope and to resist.
8th I will (I say) keep silent about this, and equate it that the emperor Henry was wrong, and the pope right (which the histories deny) to speak according to reason; so it is undeniable that the same emperor Henry did not touch the faith nor God's word, but as it is said, it was for the sake of the faith.
Money and goods to do violence and honor, as the pagans quarrel. Here (I say) the pope acted against the gospel, because he should not have resisted the evil and let go of what did not want to remain, as Matth. 5, 39. clearly teaches Christ. Yes, even if the emperor had acted against God's word, the pope should also have suffered it and left it alive, like a pious governor of Christ, his Lord. But now he not only resisted the evil and avenged himself, but also did so much evil to his adversary, shed so much blood, caused so much dissension that it is horrible to read, and did not let up until he brought the emperor to ruin the empire, the country and the people, life and limb, honor and friends, and the soul, as much as he cared for it.
9 And Benno, the holy man, who also proved the gospel with miraculous works, holds himself to this. This is the noblest virtue, which is why he is to be scraped out of the earth with golden shovels; perhaps we should also learn from his example how to keep the gospel. Yes, I am sure that this is the miraculous sign and virtue of Benno, which is most highly and diligently moved by the Roman See, and most agreeable. Otherwise, he might have had to lie in the ground for a long time. For he who can perform such miraculous signs, that he praises and helps to handle the wealth, splendor, power and honor of the Roman See, does more than if he raised ten dead, even if all the world should perish in body and soul, goods and honor. Well, you fine Pabst hypocrite Benno, how well you have earned your elevation, that you have made yourself a party to, and burdened yourself with, so much horrible and frightening malice of the pope, against the gospel and reason!
(10) But I truly fear that this virtue of Benno was invented and lied about by the Meissners, in order to pretend to the pope and to persuade him to raise him up, since they knew that such ear-crickets almost tickle the pope and like to hear him sing such a little song; that is why they put it first of all above all miraculous signs, so that the pope would be fooled and caught by it, and the other lame, loose, powerless ones would follow him.
alas! all too Meissen miraculous signs liked the more. And if this is so, that they deal with lies and hypocrisy, who wants or can doubt that this elevation of Benno is vain devil's specter? and that not Benno, but the devil lets himself be elevated, under Beuuo's name?
(11) But if it be true, and not a lie, I say, If Benno died in such a conscience, and did not atone for such iniquity, he is surely gone to the devil, for the gospel must be truly kept. Christ says, "Whoever cancels one of the least commandments will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. What then do those at Meissen raise up? A multiple murderer and bloodsucker, and the cause of all misfortune in German lands, and an enemy of the Gospel, a companion of the Antichrist, to whom he has turned and made himself a partaker of his wickedness. This will inevitably follow from this high fame of the highest virtue of Benno in this bulla of Master Adrian. What then is said: We exalt such a saint, who lived against the gospel, because so much: We are mad and senseless, foolish and foolish in Meissen, that we do not know what is gospel or against the gospel, and call holy that which we ourselves praise and extol, as it has acted against the gospel? So let our angry nobles, who persecute God's word, bump and run against each other.
(12) Of the same kind is the noble, tender miraculous sign that the wise Bulla also praises for sins and for disgraces, not only of Bennoni, but also of all who exalt him, since she says how Benno killed for time the Margrave of Meissen, who struck him on the cheek, more than a year later that same day, as he had previously threatened him. Here Benno interpreted and lived the gospel rightly, since Christ says Matth. 5, 44: "Do good to those who harm you, and pray for those who defile and persecute you." But here you see in the bulla that Christ confirms the contradiction with miracles, and teaches with words to suffer this, but with miracles he compels to do otherwise. O Bulla! O holy uplifters! When will you be ashamed of yourselves? And the bulla lets
It is not yet enough for her that she casts such blasphemous iniquity for a miraculous deed, but lead to it, and make Benno a god, and says: Hinc facile concipi potest, divinam virtutem divino homini esse communicatam. Fie, that God may forbid you and punish you, you shameful blasphemers! With this they want to indicate that the saints also do evil for themselves, and not God alone, as Psalm 72, 18: Qui facit mirabilia solus.
(13) Now, once again, I fear that this is a good, cowardly, strong lie, invented on good Benno, to "soften" the pope. The Holy Roman See also prefers to hear that princes and lords are afflicted when they touch spiritual goods, rather than that all the world would become holy; therefore they have also put this into many legends, examples and books, so that they have good days and goods enough, and may not keep the gospel. But if it is true, I say again that Benno is as holy as Annas and Caiphas, he has atoned for it. But those who boast of such iniquity truly stand with great shame above Benno. For if they do not lie in the bulla with their fame, then Benno is the devil's saint; but if they lie, then the devil rides them with their exaltation. For where it is proven that someone has lived against God's word, he cannot be holy or justly exalted, even if he raised all the dead and performed all miracles.
The gospel is more powerful to condemn than all miracles are to exalt, because the gospel is false and does not lie; but miracles are very deceptive, as Paul proclaimed [2 Thess. 2, 9], that the end-Christian should use false miraculous signs, so that he may also deceive the elect [Matth. 24, 24]. As also Deut. 13, 5. Moses writes of signs, that one should badly believe no sign, where it wants to go against God's word. For the signs should serve and follow the word, and not the signs lead the word. Therefore Benuo doctrine must be proven, or his signs are not valid. Marci 16, 20: Sermonem confirmante sequentibus signis; non ait, praecedentibus vel sine sermone apparentibus.
15. item, likewise is that Benno after his death once margrave Wilhelm has also
The saint was tormented for the sake of temporal goods, and finally, through the prayer of the provost (as the monasteries commonly have many holy people), one of his eyes was knocked out. The dear lords are all concerned with good and splendor; even the dead saints must protect them. This example is as certainly of the devil as God lives, for he is in the habit of dealing with the appearance of the dead to fool and frighten the people. The prophets, patriarchs and kings in the Old Testament also struck and wondered, but it is always written that it was done for the sake of the word of God and the people of God. But to my lords of Meissen and the Roman blind see, all this must be called miraculous sign, which only temporally confirms good and honor.
16 Although I consider this to be a fictitious lie, like almost all the other miracles in the entire bull, I think that the pope and those at Meissen want to torture dear Benno in death with such lies and errors, so that they not only have a confessor in him, but also a martyr. For if he has been a pious man, they will certainly torture him with these lies more than any martyr has ever been tortured. How can they dishonor him more shamefully than by praising him for having lived against the gospel and by giving him the appearance that Teusel himself does? O you dear lords of Meissen, how well you might have stayed at home with your Benno in such miracles! And I want to warn you to beware, and do not make too much of a joke with blasphemy; for you see here that your boasting about Benno is either a lie, or Benno must be damned. If you will now continue with your head down, and thus publicly and knowingly strengthen and maintain your lies or Benno's iniquity, then I am innocent of your blood, and of all who consent with you. It would have been enough so far; it is time to stop.
(17) The other signs are so loose that [it is] to be pitied, and that there is no wonder, whether the blind are easily deceived, and they that love to lie and to hear lies are deceived. Who
1) "Confessor" here stands in the meaning confsssor, confessor.
should not laugh that the bell, consecrated by Benno, drives away the weather? Or, if the devil can be banished into a jar, should he not also make a weather and drive it away, to deceive the people by God's decree? If it is God's miracle at all, which is strange, it will never have to be a false miracle. So that Benno crossed the Elbe, and was seen here and there at the same time; who knows whether it was Benno or a devil; how often has the devil done this? Item, how angry should it be with the devil that he, the prince of the world, should offend or charm a man who is in unbelief, and then let himself be led to the saint and stop there? This is what the saint is supposed to have done!
Oh Lord God, how we are so careless, how we go in like the blind, how he has deceived St. Gregory so palpably in his Dialogo! Every day I hear such alienation, which the devil has driven back and forth, and still drives, that I would like to make ten Bennos out of it. Item, who wants to prove that Benno made the holy well, or that the common legend is like that, which one finds a lot, since nobody knows where it comes from. In Rome there is a lot of this kind of thing. Summa Summarum, if one wanted to paint and write a true life of a holy bishop, then one would have to show the word and doctrine that he had led; item, his faith and love, and the cross for the sake of doctrine; these are the right pieces. But now this bulla says: Benno preached; but what he preached and believed, it does not say. Thus, there is also no indication of love and the cross, but says of the ceremonies, and how he was angry, fled and plagued for the sake of the church. In addition, there are several ghosts of uncertain and false miracles, which would rather need to be proven that they were right and true, because Benno was holy.
19 For I would easily let myself be persuaded that Benno had been a pious man, but had been seduced by the pope in many ways, yet finally redeemed by God's causeless grace, like St. Bernard and many others.
of the elect. But that he should have used such fantastic signs and done them, as the bulla reports, no one will ever prove. But if they were proven, they would make Benno a child of hell in his life, because his life goes too strictly against the gospel.
20 Therefore, my advice is that everyone be satisfied with this exaltation and let good Benno sleep in God's judgment, who alone knows how things stand with him. These signs prove nothing; his doctrine, faith, love and cross seem to be nowhere: what would one want to do with him? There is no need for him to be exalted. For we may well be Christians and become blessed, even if Benno and no saint would ever be exalted, unless the money must be sought here.
(21) And if all the above does not move you, let the bulla itself move you, in which the pope himself confesses that he has asked God with his own that he not let them err in this matter. See and grasp for yourself how here the pope lies and acts against himself. If he asks that God will not let him err, that he will cry out Benno holy, how can he be sure? How will he prove that he is heard? Which angel came and told him that he should be certain? For such a thing must be necessary, since he here sets forth a new article of faith, that the pope has as much power as I have to rule the heavens and the sun. Again, when he approaches and says that the miracles make him certain that he is holy, why does he ask God for what he already has? Doesn't this mean that God is tempted and mocked, asking for something that you already have and confess?
22 But the devil disgraces himself in this way, because lies do not last, they must always speak against themselves. Just as here the pope wants to act in the most spiritual and prudent way, he approaches and asks for security, confessing that he is uncertain, and yet he has previously decided that it is certain, and he complies with this, regardless of the fact that he recognizes himself as uncertain in prayer. So now he certainly leans, either in prayer or in rising; yes, he leans with both cheeks. He only asks
for the sake of appearances, and thus mocks God. Although the prayer is true that he is uncertain, yet again he denies that he is certain through miracles. Since there are lies, deceit, lies and falsehood here, beware of the new idol under Benno's name. And if you do not want to keep him holy, then be sorry that they play such monkey games with the dead, and by them they make poor people miserable. What can Benno do that his bones are so used as an idol to deprive people of money and souls?
(23) Therefore let us not speak of them here, but speak of the right exaltation of the saints, which is certain and profitable for our souls. It should be noted that the Scriptures speak little or not at all of the saints in heaven, but only of those who are on earth, as Paul says Rom. 12:13: "Take ye the need of the saints"; and 1 Tim. 5:10: "Where she washed the saints' feet." In short, Paul in all the epistles calls "saints" to whom he writes; that holy be every Christian on earth. But the papists have no saints, without those in heaven, and whom they still put in daily. Therefore they do not understand the Scriptures and despise all God's saints. If we want to live up to the Scriptures, we must turn away from the dead saints in heaven and return to the saints on earth, exalting and honoring them; this pleases God and He has commanded it.
(24) For of the dead saints he has commanded us nothing; therefore nothing that we apply to them pleases him, but men have invented such idolatry, because that money carries, as all others before me have sufficiently done. For I have hitherto written nothing special against the honor of the saints, and in some little books I have proved that I do not almost deny it, though I must be called as if I had done it. But let it be done, through whom it has pleased God, so love me, I will gladly bear the shame with help, because I do not want to take away the work of others, and I confess that God also works something through others, that I am not the only one who is doing the gospel.
(25) So we see that the bodily exaltation of the saints requires much, and costs much effort; but the right spiritual exaltation and honor of the saints is easy, and is brief, namely, as Paul says Rom. 12:13: "Take care of the saints' needs"; and again [Phil. 2:3]: "Prefer one to another with reverence"; item: "Each one esteeming the other higher than himself". That is rightly called exalting the saints, in God and for God's sake. For because they are God's temple, each one should humble himself before the other, and honor his God in such a temple, yield to him, have patience with him, love and improve where he can. Behold, this costs no silver shovel, nor hoe of gold.
26 O that all those who exalt and honor Benno and other saints would listen here and let them say! Who would believe it to be true? And yet it is true that all the splendor, all the food and effort, all the honor and service, and what is now being applied to it at Meissen, is not as good nor as pleasing to God as if you gave a poor Christian a meal or clothes. Yes, that displeases God and serves the devil; this pleases God and displeases the devil; for this God has commanded, of that he knows not. How many thousand guilders do you think that Benno has cost, and will still cost? which are all at once lost before God, and in addition deserve greater wrath, so that one could have served so many right saints.
27 Do you not think that if on the same day a pious man in the country took pity on a sick and poor Christian, God would turn there with all the angels and turn his back to Meissen, where Benno is martyred and tormented (should say exalted)? When shall we once become wise? how long shall we be told such things? Ask [reason] whether it is better to give to the poor saints than to raise the dead saints who need nothing from him? Is it better and more necessary, why do people give nothing here and so much there?
28. But God's judgments are right: if we will not give ten guilders to the right saints, which pleases God, then the devil shall possess us and drive us with a raging spirit.
That we may hurl gold shovels and picks, and one thousand florins after another at the dead legs, and earn all misfortune and disgrace. But we do not want to hear it nor believe it; well, we will hear it at last and have to learn it, if it has lasted too long. Shame we seek, shame we shall find, and is already there.
(29) Furthermore, I say that even if all the signs and wonders of Benno were righteous and had been performed by God Himself through him; on the other hand, even if they had been performed for the sake of the Gospel, as Marc. 16, 20. promises Christ (which can never be proven): nevertheless, one should refrain from the insolent, sacrilegious, foolish presumption of exalting the saints. For all such signs, though they prove that a man is holy in life, yet they cannot make us certain whether he has passed and remained holy in death, because God's judgments are secret, strange and terrifying, and He Himself says Matt. 7:22, 23: "Many will say to me, 'Lord, have we not cast out devils in your name, and done many miracles? But I will say unto them, Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity." These are indeed greater and more sure signs than Benno has done, which Christ himself confesses; nor does he condemn them.
(30) Deuteronomy 5:13, 1-3 also says that God would send signs through a false prophet to tempt His people. Therefore, it is nothing if even after death a saint performs signs at his grave; who knows if God will tempt us with them? and in the meantime condemn the same saint in death, as well as the false prophet while alive? Especially is this journey great, where the signs reach that thereby the life of the same saint is praised, and not the faith and word of God is confirmed with it. How then are all the signs of this Benno, by which confirmation of God's word is not sought, but of his ceremonies, his intercession, the church of Meissen's glory, and the Roman church's splendor and power. Was it not a great miracle that Balaam 4 Mos. 24,1-5. had to speak God's word without his will and bless the children of Israel? Was it not
How wonderful that Saul prophesied among the prophets? [Should they therefore be holy, that the Holy Spirit spoke and did these things through them?
Therefore we Christians should never judge a man holy before the last judgment, as St. Paul teaches 1 Cor. 4, 5: "Judge not before the time, until the Lord come, which shall light up the darkness" etc. Especially because we know that Christ [Matth. 24, 24.] and Paul [2 Thess. 2, 9. 10.] proclaimed that in these last times so many great and false signs shall take place that even the elect may be deceived. We may well do this, that we consider them holy in good opinion, as every Christian should consider the others, but we should not rely on them and want to be certain, as an article of faith (as the pope rages with his Benno and others): only to those whom God Himself has exalted, proclaimed and judged holy in the Scriptures, as the patriarchs, prophets, apostles and disciples etc.
I believe kindly. St. Elisabeth at Margburg be holy; item. St. Augustine, Jerome, Ambrose, Bernard, Franciscus; but I will not die on them, nor rely on them. My faith shall be sure, and have certain ground in the Scriptures. But the pope, indeed all the angels, have no power to establish a new article of faith that is not expressed in Scripture.
Let this be said against the devilish work. Now I must also do something about this against the devilish words, so that such work may be exemplified and persuaded to the people. For I am well aware of the sermons that will be preached in Meissen, and how they will smear the mouths of the people, so that they will hold the god in high esteem, and open the bag wide for dear St. Benno, that is, for the good and honor of their belly. Therefore, I, of faithful Christian opinion and duty, hereby warn all who will hear such sermons to look at the reason and not at the appearance; for I can well see what foul reasons they will lay from the Scriptures for their jugglery; as the Bishop of Meissen has already suggested in his note one, namely:
34 Laudate Dominum in sanctis ejus means: "Praise God in his saints" [Ps. 150, 1]. They will then extend this praise further, and say: this is also praising God in his saints, when one lifts them up and calls upon them. When you hear such preaching, think and be sure that you hear the arch liar, the devil, himself speaking, the father of all lies [John 8:44], who perverts the Scriptures and the Word of God. Take it as proof that this saying was spoken and kept in the Old Testament, since no saint was exalted or called upon, nor was it commanded to call upon anything but God alone, as he himself says in Ps. 50:15: "Call upon me in time of need, and I will help thee, and thou shalt honor me." Therefore he also boasts that he is a helper of all men, 1 Tim. 4, 10. Yes, the 36th Psalm, v. 7, says: he helps both men and animals. Therefore, there is no help to be sought from anyone except from him alone.
(35) About this, this saying does not speak of holy persons, but of holy places. For it reads from the Hebrew: "Praise the Lord in his sanctuary", in sancto, vel sanctuario suo, as also the 20th Psalm, v. 3, says: "He sends you help from the sanctuary", and Psalm 22,4: "But you dwell in the sanctuary", that is, in a holy place, and the like. That with this saying the service of God is stimulated, as it was done in the Old Testament by the Levites and singers in the temple with singing and sounding, 1 Chron. 17,4-6. But now in the New Testament we have no place that God has appointed, but we ourselves are the temple of God, 1 Cor. 3,16. and Christ Joh. 4, 21. 23. abolishes all physical places, when he says: "One will worship neither here nor at Jerusalem, but spiritually and righteously", then this saying at this time must also be understood of the spiritual sanctuary, i.e.: "Praise God in his sanctuary", that is, in the Christian community and among ourselves. Therefore, it does not rhyme with the saints' exaltation and invocation.
(36) And if it be so, that the saints should be lifted up and called, then the bells, cymbals, timbrels, and harps should also be lifted up and worshipped. For it
follows the aforementioned saying in the Psalm: "Praise the Lord in bright cymbals, timpani and strings. Well then, if you praise the Lord in it, call on them also, and raise them up, as the Meissen and Episcopalian note teaches us in the saying: Praise the Lord in his saints. I am silent here, as it is too long to act here, that those who call upon and exalt the saints do not commonly praise God in them, but rather defile and blaspheme Him, because they place their trust in them and hope in them. Which is called abandoning faith, denying God, and making the saints an idol, of which enough has been said elsewhere.
37 After that they have the saying, Job 5:1: Call and return to a saint. So blind and sacrilegious are the papists, where they find the little word "saint", they would like to establish honor and intercession of the saints, just as they confirm purgatory, where they can catch the word "fire" in the Scriptures, and holy water, where "water" is written. You should understand this saying of Job's: that Eliphaz punishes the pious Job that he has sinned, because God punishes him, and says: "Name me one, and look around you for the saints"; as if he should say: God has never punished any saint; you also do not denounce any, turn to whichever one you want; because God plagues you so, you must certainly not be holy, but an evildoer. Now behold how finely they have conducted this saying, that one should call upon saints. Everything is of equal importance to them; what they think, the Scriptures must contain and teach.
The third saying Proverbs 20, 25: Ruina est homini, devorare sanctum et postea quaerere vota. Here they read devotare for devorare, that the saints would stand firm. But Solomon wants to say: Laqueus est homini, exprobrare rem sacram, et postea vota quaerere: It is a snare to man to desecrate the holy word or thing, and then to be pious with sacrifices and good works; as our papists persecute the word of God, and all that is holy, and in the meantime go and hold masses, and do much good; but think not that they change their unholy nature, and cease to devour that which is holy.
39. about that, because they are pushed that they are
have no scripture for themselves, that one should call on saints and let them be mediators, but the scripture alone makes Christ the mediator and intercessor, as Paul teaches Rom. 3, 25. ff. 5, 1. 2. and 1 Tim. 2, 5. and many more, they go on and seek new excuses, and turn the Scriptures away from themselves, saying: "Let the mediator be twofold, satisfactorius et intercessorius, that is, one who does enough for us, that alone is Christ; let the other saints be intercessorii, intercessors. If one asks where this is written, they point us to their holy church (which they themselves are), which the Holy Spirit does not let err; the same says this, therefore it is right. But if they are so foolish in their schools, it would be called petitionem principii. For they should prove that the saints are mediators, which the Scriptures do not teach. So they go on as if it were already proved, and invent two kinds of mediators out of their own heads. Now when thou hearest these things, know the wolf by the voice: for the Holy Ghost teacheth nothing but the scriptures, as Christ saith, He shall teach you all things, and bring to remembrance those things which I have said unto you [John 14:26].
40 Thus we shall find that this fool's play at Meissen with Benno will be nothing but lies and deceptions of the devil, both in works and words. Therefore beware, and think thus: Even if it were all right and true, but since it is an unnecessary thing, which you can well do without, keep your money for your children and poor people, since it is necessary and well spent; much more because it is not only unnecessary, but also false, lying and devilish. And look at themselves: if it were their earnestness and heart to honor God and his saints, they would find a thousand and a thousand ways to help their neighbor, each of which would be a thousand times better than all the splendor of such exaltation at Benno. But if they leave that and go here, you will realize that they are blind and mad, and they seek your money and their benefit and glory in St. Benno. But I hope they will come too late and set the net before the eyes of the birds in vain, as Solomon says, Proverbs 1:17.
(41) But if you want to honor and praise the saints, follow the example of the Scriptures,
in which we see how in prayer, or thanksgiving, or lamentation before God, one introduces the grace and goods given to the saints by God. As when Moses prays Ex. 32, 13. and says: "Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to whom you swore" etc., and Solomon Ps. 132, 1.: "Remember, Lord, David and all his miseries"'; and Christ at the cross, Ps. 22, 5. 7.: "Our fathers hoped in you and were saved; but I am a worm" etc., and Ps.44, 1. 2.: "God, we have heard, our fathers have told us, the work that you have done for them" etc., and the like. Here you see that no saint is invoked; but God is praised in them that he has promised them such good and has done it to awaken us, also to seek such grace from him alone with all confidence. Sufficient for us is the one faithful Mediator Jesus Christ, the Holy One of all saints, to whom alone be praise and glory with the Father and Holy Spirit forever and ever, amen.
751 A letter from Battus Parmensis to Hieronymus Saulius, in which Hadrian is accused not only of atrocious avarice, but also of shameful and sodomitic fornication. Rome, 13 Jan. 1524.
From Wolf's Isetion. memorad., tora. II, p. 199. - In Walch this document is dated January 13, 1523, but this must be wrong in any case, because Hadrian died only on September 24, 1523, and here he is spoken of as one who died. Therefore we have shredded 1524.
Translated into German by Joh. Frick.
C. Battus Parmensis wishes Hieronymo Saulio Heil.
Your silence may be due to carelessness, or to much business, or to other causes, but it will not deter me from writing to you more often, although in truth I almost do not know what to write, since I have not even been able to get a few lines out of so many letters sent to you. I can write neither funny nor serious things, and know nothing at all, except that you wish to know, as I believe, what name Pope Hadrianus left to posterity. For of his death, I think, yours will already have given you news.
2 His fame, which he left behind, is not good, and everyone was not less surprised about its presentation than they were happy about his death. For for many years he knew how to conceal his lifestyle and his vices in such a way that, as a supposedly righteous and holy man, he was unanimously appointed pope, and, as you know, absent.
3 He came to Rome when I went to Sabina because of fear of the plague; whereupon the plague immediately became more violent and began to spread from day to day. I think that this was a foreshadowing of such an evil and harmful pestilence, which came here from Spain to our destruction. Finally, since winter was at the door, this rage subsided; therefore I went back to Rome, where everything was quiet, both because of the small number of people, since only a few dared to return to the city and the plague had destroyed many, and because of the severity and seriousness of the new pope, which was the only thing to be praised in this man besides his erudition.
4 He issued an edict that no one should carry a gun; he wanted the authorities to observe the law in the strictest possible way and not to allow any remissions to take place. This brought him no small praise from the inexperienced mob; later, however, it became clear that this was not a true test of his justice, but only a cover for his insatiable avarice.
If someone was summoned for a minor crime, he could not get away without a large fine, and in this case neither the favor and love of honest and noble men nor his previously innocent life helped him in the least. If those who had committed a great crime had no money to buy themselves out of debt and fill his head, he either let them be punished alive without any mercy or sent them to the galleys for their eternal punishment; but those who brought fat bags with them were punished as minor, and they themselves got away without any harm.
(6) The authorities, who had the right to speak, were summoned daily at night time, and the money they extorted from each defendant was collected by means of a sharp investigation. He collected the gold pieces himself on the spot; he also inquired from them the number and crimes of those who that same day had either been summoned to court or had been arrested.
7 He had so few and so few servants that the daily expenses amounted to barely twelve ducats (or gold florins). And what does it take? The Vatican no longer seemed to be the papal palace and, as it were, the eye of the city (Rome), as it once was, but, because of its solitude, a house that, as the poets write, was left empty for fear of the poltergeists. It never happened that he asked cardinals or other noble lords or royal envoys, who were staying in Rome and who often came to him according to custom, to dine with him; therefore, for the sake of this strange performance, he was not invited by anyone. Neither the Swiss nor the cavalry guards, who, as you well know, always accompany him when he goes out and keep watch day and night at the entrance to his palace, received their pay, but always had to suffer from hunger.
8 But he dealt even more unjustly with the inner guard, who stood before his bedchamber during the day. For not only did he not give them any pay, or otherwise prove generous to them, but what the cardinals or other courtiers had to distribute annually at certain times, he took from them and used it for his own benefit.
9. The cities, so under papal rule, he has, if they sent envoys to him, the congratulations to pay, and, as it happens, as often as a new pope is elected, that they assured him of the loyalty and reverence of their citizens, They did not, like other popes, let him enjoy some privileges in order to make his memory, if not immortal, at least glorious among the nations; Rather, he imposed on some and others even more duties or taxes to bear.
(10) The money that some peoples in Gaul, on this side of the Alpine mountains, paid to the soldiers hired for pay from theirs, in the name of the Pope and on the admonition of the fathers, because he was then moving away from Italy and his fortresses had to be protected from the invasion of the enemy, he did not have written down under the items to be paid. Three thousand five hundred Spanish soldiers accompanied him by ship to Italy. So that he would not be obliged to give them pay out of shame and shyness, or at least to give them gifts, he gave them freedom to go out robbing in Parma and Piacenza, as in a hostile country, and to attack towns and villages.
and to plunder, but to demand contribution from others. 1)
(11) These are samples enough of his unspeakable avarice, which seems to have been connected with a rather barbaric injustice. For among all those who have ever dealt with him and submitted to his obedience, he, despite his amazing riches, has never done anyone a favor or given anyone a gift, except one and the other, and that without an archangel; from which it can be concluded that he must have been either godless himself, or a foolish and deluded man.
(12) If, by the way, there is a reason for what was said after his death, he was indeed a godless and lewd man. For he went to the Vatican early in the morning every day, and so that no one would come there, he locked all the doors; some of his privates accompanied him, and when he performed his service there, he went all alone into the inner part of the church. No one could know what he did there during his stay, until it was learned later that he had an exquisitely beautiful woman there, and one had the idea that he had gone to this place so often for the sake of her love and had kept company with her. Which, that it was so, can, apart from the cute shape of this woman's room, the several times held meeting with her, and other speculations, the illness, from which he died, give a proof of it.
13. before he passed away, he was often ill with hamstring and tummy ache, which are common diseases of those who do not keep a moderate pace in carnal intercourse with females.
14 Moreover, he was accused of boy rape, because he had among his servants some young and tender, and at the same time extraordinarily beautiful people.
It is said that after his death a great number of magic instruments were found in his bedchamber. His most secret servants, in order to cover up such a big knavery, freely confess that he had taken great pleasure in the art of transforming metals and had often practiced it. But I am not one of those who accept everything immediately, especially what one wants to pretend about the dead.
16. that he smiled at those who came to him.
1) xseunlam iwpktrarsut for ImxsrLrönt. (Walch.)
The fact that he received the orders of the government with facial expressions and caressing words and did not let anyone leave him saddened was a sign of his cunning and devious head; in fact, however, he did not prove to be as eager as he had indicated in his words and facial expressions. Moreover, he did not let anyone come before him so easily: he postponed from one time to the next the things he had once taken on; he accomplished few completely, except those concerning the coinage.
Much of what he began soon after assuming the papal dignity, he left unfinished in his death. However, apart from all the controversy, one must praise two things about him, namely his erudition and his thriftiness. His piety and holiness, as they say, were only pretended, and this is proven by the reasons and suspicions that I have mentioned above, which vice of pretense is especially common among the Germans, because everyone wants to be considered honest and sincere, and yet, before you know it, there is a mischievousness in his heart.
(18) But so that I do not speak of a dead man, and indeed of a dead pope, more than is appropriate and my intention suffers, this may be enough of Hadrian's performance. But because I think to do you a favor, if I give you a short outline of that pope, whom you will now never see, how he looked and was formed: so I will paint the same picture, as clearly as it is possible, before your eyes.
19 Hadrianus was of tall and straight stature, had an elongated, prominent and beautiful face, except that the depressed forehead hung too far against the vertebra. The eyes were small; yet not quite blue, as in most Germans, but fiery and lively, and so covered with the eyebrows that one could not easily perceive the roguishness hidden beneath. His nose was not unlike an eagle's beak, thick alone and not very crooked. The cheeks were somewhat long and outstanding, and because they looked red, they gave the whole face a special adornment. He himself walked erect, spoke with immense pleasantness, that you would no doubt have said of him that he was born to rule or reign, although his friends and relatives had this verse, cut off from the rest of the eulogies, placed on his grave:
Hic nihil in vita infelicius duxit, quam quod imperaret....
That is, in his life he considered this to be his greatest misfortune, that he should sit at the regiment. These words may have been written either on his orders or with the will of his relatives, but I have never seen anything more careless and foolish. Of this, too, it may be enough, and my letter shall close with the story of Hadriano. Be well, and see that you get here as soon as possible. Rome, January 13, 1524, under the Emperor Carl the Fifth.
752 Speech by Conrad Vegerius on the death of Hadrian VI in the presence of the Cardinals in Rome in 1523.
From Kapp's Nachlese nützlicher Reformation-Urkunden, Theil I V, p. 546.
Translated into German by Johann Frick.
When we read, venerable fathers, of Demosthenes, the great light of Greece, that, as often as he began to speak in public, a shudder would have come over him: how should I not be frightened, who lacks perspicacity, erudition and eloquence, and who, moreover, was not born and instructed among any nation where the Latin language is spoken and practiced? And this all the more, since he, when he wanted to give a speech in Athens, could not worry much, because he did not have to speak in front of such distinguished men, and only in front of people from one city; my undertaking, however, is far different, since I have to give a speech in front of the Holy Roman Church Cardinals, that is, in the public assembly of the whole world. And even if I admit that I once did something in the art of oratory, which, however, was something little and bad: this has now either completely fallen away, or at least become rusty, due to the omitted exercises in oratory for quite a long time. Even if this is the case, both your high and peculiar spirituality, excellent fathers, and the old and praiseworthy use, as well as my duty, make me brave and courageous. For who should be afraid of the most learned and honest rulers of the church than those who are accustomed to love the students and to encourage them to virtue, especially to speak of things that bring honor to human life? Especially when one does not voluntarily and impudently intrude upon them.
but only endeavors to do justice to the office entrusted to him. And since it is very important to the common people that traditional good customs are not abandoned, it seems that one must keep above them those that concern the memory of the deceased. For what good can one expect from one who shows himself sleepy and ungrateful in rendering the last honorable service? although a completely different cause has driven me to leave here.
For since I have enjoyed the honor for fifteen years of counting myself among the clientele of the incomparable Pope, for whom we are holding the funeral today, and since I have been greatly saddened by his death, I could not avoid giving way to the family's request and accepting the office of funeral orator. So, excellent fathers, I would much rather try to calm down to some extent in my great and sensitive sorrow, if it were possible, than believe that I would be able to give a decent lecture to such a respectable and distinguished gathering. Just as nature, as the general mother, orders all other things well and wisely, so life seems to have commanded the memory of the deceased by a special and majestic law. For if one reflects on the matter, one realizes that almost all other actions and efforts of mankind are aimed only at how we may either pay our last respects to the blessed, or preserve human society and propagate our race. For we establish houses of worship, together with the priests and priestly offices belonging to them, for no other end than that we give to the immortal God what is God's; nor do we beget children for any other purpose than that human society may be preserved through us. And even if someone tries to accomplish these two things in his whole life, the result will be that he considers God to be the Creator of all things, but considers himself to be nothing but a miserable, mortal man.
(3) But as we celebrate the memory of the dead, we learn, among other useful things, this, about which the most astute among the ancients have argued so often and for so long, that it is almost certain and certain that the human race is partaker of the divine nature. For who can be so strange and so incomprehensible that, when he is on one side, he is on the other side?
Do you hear that among the wise men of the world there are those who doubt the immortality of the souls, but on the other hand, here and there, among all nations, they perceive how the deceased are rendered the last service, and how funerals are held in their honor, if they are not convinced in themselves that man has something in common with God? Nor should the pagans themselves be considered so wrong as to show almost divine honor to those after death of whom they nevertheless thought that their souls died with their bodies; rather, it is believable that nature, at the same time as it planted in the human mind the care for the dead, wanted to indicate that something remained after death to which the survivors owed a service of honor.
4 This knot of doubt, which has occupied the pagan worldly wise men for so many years and has miserably blinded them, our Lord and God, Jesus Christ, has banished from human minds by His salvific and beatific teachings. The Catholic Mother, the Church, has also accepted the divine teaching and invoked it, that the souls of men are immortal, and has also decreed and commanded that the deceased should be raised up and honored through intercession and other works of love. What a decree, since it is to be understood by all and sundry, how much more is it to be observed by those who have led the highest priesthood with all holiness and honesty. For in this way, the godly actions of the living can help the spirit that may still be wandering on the journey to heaven, and the survivors can be encouraged to live a blameless life.
In this number we rightly include the most holy pope Hadrianus, who was recently snatched from us by death, since he took up and led this highest office on earth with such zeal, gentleness and justice that he well deserves to be included in the register of good popes. But so that you, respected fathers, may see this all the more clearly, I ask for your kind ear when I shall relate his life and deeds in a proper context.
6. Hadrianus was born in Utrecht, a famous city in Lower Germany towards France, in the year of Christ the God-Man 1459, in the month of Martio, of poor and lowly, but God-fearing and honest parents; and after learning the first rudiments of science, he was sent to
He lived in Leuven in the Netherlands, where an academy had been established not long before. There, after having looked around in grammar and other liberal arts, he concentrated on theology, in which he showed such diligence and increased to such an extent that in a short time, after having attained a profession in divinity through the votes of his teachers, he preceded all others of his kind. Soon after, the Collegium Canonicorum, which was established in the holy temple of the Prince of the Apostles, elected him as Dean; but he himself, as soon as he had more time and opportunity for a better and holier way of life, did almost nothing else but wait for his theological office with all diligence, went daily to the churches, sang, prayed and preached.
7) In order that one would not think that he had only mediocre gifts and skills, he could also serve others of his time and at the same time the descendants with his salutary knowledge, so he has left two books among other writings. One contains an explanation of the fourth book Sententiarum; the other deals with mixed questions (called quodlibeticas). Which works
For the sake of their thoroughness and the clear style of writing, which is far removed from all turgidity that is otherwise very common to scribes, they are held in such high esteem by scholars that they have been in hand here and there for some time. And even if they have already been handed over to the printer by his friends, this still happened without his knowledge, and when he found out about it, he expressed great displeasure about it. Finally, in order to show even more clearly his great love for theological studies, he had a precious and beautiful house built in this very city, which he later gave as a home to some young people who were devoted to godliness.
8 Since he had led this way of life, which was very decent for him as a very Christian man, for many years, and his fame had spread far and wide, Emperor Maximilian, of most glorious memory, who was very concerned about the education and instruction of his grandson, the then young Emperor Carl, thought that he could not entrust the future great prince to a better man than this excellent teacher of his time. For this reason, he sent deputies to him, who had to ask him whether he wanted to accept the new position? which, after he had finally accepted it after repeatedly giving a negative answer, he nevertheless did.
When the prince was born, he made it his foremost concern to teach him and make him accustomed to worship God and divine things with the utmost zeal and humility, and, next to that, to practice justice, love, mercy, and other royal virtues. By means of these and other wholesome rules, in a short time he brought the young prince so far that he was considered capable of the highly respectable succession to the throne to which he was then destined, and from that time on he has given not a few samples and testimonies of the excellent instruction he has had.
9. It happened about once that this prince wanted to have an envoy visit his maternal grandfather, Ferdinand, who at that time ruled far and wide in Spain and was already a very old gentleman; And when he looked around for a man to whom he could entrust the legation, he found no one more suitable than Hadrianus, because he believed that no one would be better able to reveal to the old king the nature of his mind, as the future successor, than the one by whom he had been specially instructed. Accordingly, our Hadrianus began his journey by land, but as soon as he arrived in Paris, he decided not to leave immediately, but to delay a few days until he had seen the famous academy. Therefore, he went to the Sorbonne, as the most distinguished college there, listened diligently to the debaters, and also debated with them himself accurately and confidentially. From there he continued his journey, and as soon as he arrived at Ferdinand's, he was received with peculiar honor and grace, not only because he was sent by his grandson, the older one, whom he had never seen and would soon have as his successor, but rather because the young prince had not sent a single envoy to him before.
After he had been there for several years, the Tortosa church lost its bishop. Because the wisest leaders, who were in power after the death of the king, were looking for a capable prelate for the said church, they wrote to Carl, who was in the Netherlands, and implored him to entrust Hadrian with this sacred office, even though he was not inclined to accept it.
He was appointed general inquisitor of heretical wickedness in these royal lands, both of which he administered with such diligence and fidelity that he was soon thereafter accepted by Pope Leo into the most reverend college of cardinals for this and other excellent services.
A few months later, King Carl had to return to Germany to take over the Roman imperial crown, and therefore had to entrust the administration of the Spanish lands to another honest and wise man. But here, too, he did not consult with himself for long, but without decency entrusted this important office to Hadriano. And although such high and rare responsibilities were heaped upon him (without his thinking and seeking, indeed rather against his will), he nevertheless took care, with his happiness increasing from day to day, not to become arrogant and puffed up, or to set his heart on riches; rather, one saw that the more favorable his fortune was, the more anxious he was to carry himself out humbly and modestly.
(12) In view of these glorious virtues, with which he constantly endeavored to adorn his conduct, it pleased the Most High not to leave this faithful servant without salutary temptations and trials. For immediately after the king's departure, the Spanish nation was in the throes of the bloodiest turmoil, and everything was thrown into utter confusion by murder and manslaughter, by scorching and burning, by robbing and plundering. Since this wise father, as befits a respectable and honest governor, sought to punish the perpetrators and to control the evil, it is indescribable what work, sorrow and worry this cost, and how many times he came into the most obvious danger to his life, which he, however, with the help of God, in whom alone he placed his trust to promote the common good, did not shy away from and happily overcame, whereby the words that he constantly spoke are very strange: If someone's ways please the Lord, he also makes his enemies pleased with him. This he obtained even in the very heated and dangerous turmoil by his justice and gentleness, so that the restless mob, when they learned that the council had come to a sharp conclusion against him, blamed it on his two colleagues; but if they let the caution prevail, he owed this good to no one but Hadriano.
In the meantime, when the bitterness of the mob had subsided, and most of those who had been most guilty had been regarded with due punishment, the death of Pope Leonis occurred; and after the voices of the holy College of Cardinals could not unite for some time, Hadrianus was finally elected pope and publicly proclaimed. He, as you know, respectable fathers, did not suspect such an outcome, nor did he ever let such a thing come into his mind. The messengers speed up their long journey to Spain without delay and want to deliver the pleasant news. At that time, the Most Holy Father was staying in Vittoria, a town in Cantabria (or Biscay), and when the messenger, upon receiving the letter, wanted to kiss his foot with happy congratulations, he refused until he was convinced by reading through the letter that the news had been delivered without displeasure, and immediately accepted this honor. Nevertheless, he did not change the rest of his way of life until he learned more detailed and certain circumstances about the election. Then, after giving due thanks to the immortal God and the holy college, he began to be executed and venerated as other Roman popes had done. He has kept his name unchanged, contrary to the custom of long ago, indicating that, even if he had now received the pontificate, he would have to act, by virtue of his former modesty and humility, as if he did not have it. Incidentally, since he saw that it was very important to the church that he go to Italy as soon as possible, he thought above all about how he could end the journey soon.
14 He therefore went by ship and sailed to Tarragona, but had to stay there for a few days because he could not leave due to a storm that had arisen at sea, and the sailors asked him to stay. As soon as the wind died down, he set out and arrived in Genoa in a few days. From there, on the shore of the Tuscan Sea, he entered Civitavecchia and immediately moved to Rome, having been previously caught up by your distinguished Collegio with due honor.
15 As soon as the coronation act was over, he turned his thoughts to how he could remedy the decay in Christendom by useful means. But while he was most occupied with this, the pestilence came to Rome very strongly and to general consternation; and although many even in the papal palace were concerned about it, the pestilence was still in progress.
And, most admirable of all, he did not set foot out of his palace as long as this miserable misery lasted, just so that it would not look as if he wanted to turn his back again on the city, which had been plagued with a protracted interregnum and now with an unhealthy air, and leave it in distress.
16 For the above-mentioned final purpose, he sent an apostolic nuncio to Germany to punish the rage of the Lutherans at the Imperial Diet held by princes and estates in Nuremberg; he also sent nuncios to various other countries to advise kings who were at odds or involved in war to make peace. Since they did not achieve anything (according to God's will), he was so distressed by this that the major part of his fatal illness, from which he later gave up his spirit, can be derived from this pain. But when he saw that the kings continued their wars and did not want to enter into a lasting peace, he announced to them a standstill for three years under the threat of severe punishments; but since they did not understand to do so either, and no other means could be found for the decline, he established an alliance with the princes and peoples of Italy, by means of which the city (Rome) and all of Italy should defend themselves against the infidels. At the end he sent to the Holy Roman Church Cardinal Legatum a 1a-.
He sent a large sum of money to Hungary, so that he could keep this kingdom, which had to fear a hostile Turkish invasion first, in obedience and loyalty; he also helped other Christians in Dalmatia and Jllyria, who were very afraid of these cruel enemies, with money and provisions, although he himself was very exhausted in the former.
(17) By applying all his work, effort, diligence, care and vigilance to ask for and bring about the assistance of God's hand of power for the unfortunately all too troubled little ship of Peter, behold, he fell into an illness, which, since it increased and decreased with wonderful alternation, in which one could not find oneself, the venerable father finally gave up his spirit after a camp of one and forty days. But before his mental and physical powers began to decline and he became very weak and feeble, you will well remember, respected fathers, how fatherly and loving he was to you in the presence of his last will and other needs of the church.
which, since he was no longer able to do so because of extreme weakness and approaching final moments, it is right and just that the good intention be held in as high esteem as the laudable deed itself.
18. Nor are you, respected fathers, unaware, since he came to Rome and found the Roman see completely exhausted, even hideous and abominable and almost decrepit, both by appalling great debts and by war and pestilence, how reluctantly, how slowly and out of the most urgent need he resorted to those means without which this good and faithful shepherd would either have had to become despondent and fainthearted, or at least inflict an eternal disgrace or damage on the highest papal dignity, which had been so praiseworthily administered for many hundreds of years. And certainly, all impartial people, considering what this man did within a year, must admit that if he had remained alive longer, his other undertakings would have been equally important and most profitable for Christians. By the way, so far one has found footprints of such a hidden wisdom and such an unfathomable counsel of the great God, and in the future they will be noticed even more often, that when we poor, weak people want to start thinking about the matter, he leaves us completely; on the other hand, he does exactly what we like least of all, but in such a way that he nevertheless arranges everything for the honor of his most holy name and the welfare and benefit of mankind.
(19) But how futile, how uncertain, is not our hope, after which we count on everything certain and unmistakable. O how ineffectual and outrageous is the prayer of mortals, in which we ask for long life in vain for our princes! How vain are our prejudices, according to which, in admiration of their virtues and other glorious gifts of body and mind, we think that God will immediately grant us what seems good to us!
20. If the fatal death of the most holy pope, respected fathers, has caused damage; if it has caused misfortune; if it has inflicted a wound on the common people, or even on private persons: we ourselves are the ones who receive it, who must bear it with patience and feel it for eternity, of whose behavior the all-powerful God has just given a clear and distinct statement, and want to show us what we deserve, that he snatched this man, so pleasing to him, from our society so suddenly.
(21) Since this is the case, noble fathers, it is proper that we no longer mourn the death of the most holy pope, but rather heartily grant him the glorious beatitude to which he has been elevated. For after we have shown how from his youth he constantly devoted himself to the fear of God, justice, love and other excellent virtues; since you have also understood how he devoted his first years of life to learning and to public speaking.
What is left but to assume with firm and undoubted confidence that he is now free from the dark and black dungeon of this miserable life, and has ascended to that true and eternal light, and enjoys the certain and infinite reward of heavenly bliss, namely the ineffable and glorious beholding of the majesty of God for all eternity?