Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 Lambert was at length made one of the kings falconers, after that he had béene a turnebroch for a space in the kings kitchen. This battell was fought on a saturdaie being the sixtéenth daie of Iune, in this second yeere of his reigne. In this yéere died Thomas Bourchier archbishop of Canturburie: and Iohn Morton bishop of Elie,Morton bi|shop of Elie made archbi|shop of Can|turburie and chancellor of England. a man of excellent lear|ning, vertue and policie, succeeded in his place, whom Alexander pope of Rome, the sixt of that name, crea|ted a cardinall, and the king created him also chan|cellor of England. Of which pope (hauing so conue|nient a place to speake) it were a fault to omit the ambition, accompanied with other disorders vnbesée|ming a successor of Peter (but neither personallie nor locallie) as all the brood of them brag of them|selues, & will be intituled with a primasie, vsurped.

Abr. Fl. ex G [...]ic. pag 4, 5. Creation of pope Alexan|der the sixt, Otherwise called Rode|rike Borgia borne at Ue|nice.¶ This Alexander the sixt pope of that name, was sometime an ancient cardinall, and one of the grea|test in all the court of Rome. One meane that raised him to the seat of the pope, was the difference be|tweene the cardinals Ascanius Sforce, and Iulian S. Petriad Uincula: but the chiefest thing that ac|complished his election, was, that with a new exam|ple for that time, he bought by the consent and know|ledge of euerie one, partlie for monie, and partlie with promises of offices and great dignities, manie voices of the cardinals, who reiecting the instruction of the gospell,Corruption of Cardinals in the election of the pope. were not ashamed to passe to him by sale, an authoritie and power to make merchandize of the holie tresures, & that with the name of the cele|stiall authoritie in the most high part of the temple.

To which abhominable & too too prophane negotia|tion manie of them were induced by the cardinall Ascanius, but that was not more with persuasions and sutes, than with his example: for that being cor|rupted with the infinit desire of riches, he made the pope promise him for his hire and recompense of so great wickednesse, the office of vicechancellorship (the principallest place in the court of Rome) togi|ther with benefices, castels, and his palace of Rome full of mooueables of great valour. But the pope for all this could not auoid; neither for the time to come, the iudgment and iustice of God; nor for the present, the infamie and iust hate of men, in whom for this e|lection was no small impressions of astonishment and horror, not onelie for that it was intangled with meanes dishonest, but also bicause the natures and conditions of the man chosen, were (for the greatest part) knowen to manie.