Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/446



scarcely could they keep their countenance from laughter. John himself, upon whom the owl steadfastly looked, blushing at the matter, began to sweat, and to fret and fume with himself, and not finding by what other means he might salve the matter, being so confused, dissolving the council, rose up and departed. After that there followed another session: in which the owl again, after the manner aforesaid, although, as I believe, not called, was present, looking steadfastly upon the bishop; whom he beholding to be come again, was more ashamed than he was before, and justly; saying, he could no longer abide the sight of her, and commanded that she should be driven away with bats and shoutings. But she, being afraid neither with their noise nor with any thing else, would not away, until, with the strokes of the sticks which were thrown at her, she fell down dead before them all. This I learned of a faithful friend, who at the same time came to Rome: which thing I scarcely crediting for the rareness of the matter, he affirmed by his oath, that it was most certain and true: adding, moreover, that all there present were much offended, and did greatly deride that council called for such a purpose; and by little and little the council was dissolved, nothing done there, as he saith."

Although it hath not been always seen that such spiritual doves have been present with popes and their councils, and governed them, yet their evil doctrine declareth no less. Read, gentle reader! the book of Clemangis, and thou shalt not think thy labour ill bestowed; for he hath both learnedly, truly, freely, and godly, bewailed the filthiness of Antichrist and his ministers, their wickedness, impiety, and cruelty, and the miserable state and face of the church. And thus much for pope John.

Here, by the way, is to be noted and understood, that during all this time of pope John, there were three popes reigning together, neither was yet the schism ceased, which so long time had continued, the space, as I said, of twenty-nine years; by reason whereof a general council was ordained and holden at Constance in the same year, 1414, being called by Sigismund the emperor, and pope John XXIII., for the pacifying of the aforesaid schism, which was then between three popcs striving for the popedom; the first whereof was John, whom the Italians set up; the second was Gregory, whom the Frenchmen set up; the third was Benedict, whom the Spaniards placed. In this schismatical ambitious conflict, every one defended his pope, to the great disturbance of christian nations. This council endured four years, wherein all their matters mostly were decided by four nations, namely, the English, German, French, and the Italian; out of which four nations were appointed and chosen four presidents, to judge and determine the matters of the council. The names of the presidents were these: John, the patriarch of Antioch, for France; Anthony, archbishop of Riegen, for Italy; Nicholas, archbishop of Genesuensis, for Germany; and Nicholas, bishop of Bath, for England; by whom many great and profitable things to the glory of God, and public profit, might have been concluded, if the rotten flesh of the churchmen could have abiden the salt of the gospel, and if they had loved the truth. But, as Gregory of Nazianzen writeth, "There lightly come few general councils, but they end more with disturbance than