Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 4 This man obteined for the cardinall, authoritie to dispense with all men for offenses committed a|gainst the spirituall lawes, which part of his power legantine was verie profitable and gainefull. For then he set vp a court, and called it the court of the legat: in the which he prooued testaments,The court of the legat erec|ted by the car|dinall. and heard causes, to the great hinderance of all the bishops of this realme. He visited bishops, and all the cleargie exempt and not exempt, and vnder colour of refor|mation he got much treasure. For thorough bribes & rewards, notorious offendors were dispensed with, so that nothing was reformed, but came to more mis|chéefe. The example of his pride,Examples of great ones what it dooth. caused préests and all spirituall persons to wax so proud, that they ruf|fled it out in veluet and silks, which they ware both in gounes, iackets, doublets, and shooes. They vsed o|pen lecherie, and bare themselues so stout by reason of his authorities and faculties, that no man durst reprooue any thing in them. So that we sée here vere|fied in proofe how forcible the examples of great men be in the inferior sort; as the wise man truelie saith:

Qualis erit princeps, talis praefectus habetur,Gu. Ha. in Eccl. cap. 10.

Nobilitas qualis, plebs quoque talis erit.

[But before we inferre further processe of other EEBO page image 846 accidents, it were good to heare a full discourse, for the exact vnderstanding of the popes affaires, where|abouts he addressed so manie cardinals into so ma|nie parts of christendome, as solicitors to obteine succour against the Turke. ¶ Now followeth (saith mine author) the yeare 1518, Abr. Fl. ex Guic. pag. 756. in which the regions of Italie, contrarie to the precedent of manie yeares before, felt not the least impression or motion of war, yea there appeared the selfe same disposition in all other princes of christendome,The pope so|liciteth all the princes of chri+stendome a|gainst the Turke. betweene whome by the operation of the pope, though happilie more with faire reason, than with substantiall counsels, was so|licited an vniuersall expedition of all christendome aginst the pride of Selim prince of the Turkes.

This man the yeare before, had so inlarged and extended his greatnesse, that comparing with his power, his ambition to be greater, pushed on with manie helpes of nature, it was worthilie to be doub|ted, that if he were not preuented by the inuasions of the christians, he would in his pride lift vp his vic|torious hands against them. For Selim discerning that Baiseth his father, reduced to extreme old age, sought to establish the succession of the empire in the person of Acomath his elder brother, drew into rebel|lion against him, and by force of armes, concurring the corruption of the souldiors of his gard, constrei|ned him to resigne vp to him the authoritie of the go|uernment: and not suffering his ambition to staie there,The ambition and tyrannie of Selim a|gainst his fa|ther & affines. it was beleeued of all men, that for his more absolute assurance he tooke awaie his life by poison: and afterwards giuing an ouerthrow to his brother in an inconter of a battell, he confirmed fullie the seat of his empire, by depriuing him of his life in publike shew, exercising the like rage of crueltie vp|on Corcu the yongest brother of all. And being not satisfied according to the tyrannie of the house of Ot|tomanni, with the bloud and slaughter of all his ne|phues, or anie others that remained of that line and stocke, he was in thought oftentimes (by the rage and furie of his disposition) to take awaie the life of Soliman his onelie sonne.