A new tragedy, Pammachius}, by the author Thomas Naogeorgus of Strasbourg. Printed at Wittenberg, in the types of John Luft, May 13, 1538. With a clear-sighted preface.
Thomas Naogeorgus sends greetings to the most reverend father in God, Thomas, the most worthy Archbishop of Canterbury.
I often think of the highest benefits from our best and greatest God, which we enjoy while we are in this life; his singular kindness to us increases every day, so that we are led by it to salvation and to a true acceptance of God himself, which is the true approach to eternal life; I think that nothing indeed ought to seem more important or more welcome to us than what the ministry of his word has set up among us; through it in every kind of affliction and temptation, in which nothing can comfort us or console us except the knowledge of the word, we are all rightly instructed about the good will of God towards us, and we learn not only not to fear him but also to love him and to recognize him as the father who cares for us, and to follow his wishes and to free ourselves from the trials and tribulations, by which we are constantly oppressed and vexed, either because of our sins or because of the savagery and tyranny of the devil.
For through this ministry not only is a doctrine proposed to us, well known even in some way to our reason, which, although its shows that we were not born by chance and that this world did not arise fortuitously, at the same time also warns us that there is a God who looks over human affairs and takes care for them and punishes evil men and rewards good men, but also there is an explanation for us of the mysterious good will of God promised from his perpetual and indescribable mercy to those who recognize their unworthiness and understand the Son on account of whom God himself is willing to be propitious and to receive us into grace, even if we are unworthy and feel that we deserve his everlasting anger and damnation. For since there is no one endowed with innocence, who in great calamities and trials does not feel that he is deservedly damned and rejected by God, nothing can be more healthy and more welcome indeed to the disturbed mind than the word of the Gospel about the freely given remission of sins through Christ, which remission of sins only the ministry of his word shows and reveals to us.
And so Scripture proclaims magnificently to us the dignity of the ministry which is most renowned assuredly, because it brings to us the word of God, and to healthy minds nothing can be more pleasing or more wholesome. So Isaiah teaches when he says: How beautiful are the feet of those preaching peace and of those preaching good tidings. For he understands that a prophet is a man who has been dashed down and finds consolation not in reason nor in the law, to raise himself up and sustain himself, but only in the word about the promised mercy through Christ, which word is announced through his ministers, and nothing can be sweeter than their voice and message to those consciences laid low by fear because of the sight of their own impurity and unworthiness.
But just as there is no service in the world more sacred and more outstanding than the ministry of the word, through which alone men may become sharers of the kindness of Christ and may gain both remission for their sins and everlasting salvation, so on the other hand no crime can be conceived to be worse than to convert by force and deception the most health-giving gift to the foulest plague and to the destruction of souls and of the whole church, in the way in which for many years has been repeatedly done by the impious Popes of Rome. For /spurred on by avarice, ambition and other sins, they have so perverted the most sacred gift instituted by Christ and handed on by his apostles, that the Papacy can rightly be considered a most monstrous tyranny. For I ask you, in order that the bishops may rule over the kings and the greatest monarchs of the whole world, in order that they may heap up possessions of countless treasure, in order that they may enjoy their foul pleasures, what rights do they not assume for themselves? What power do they not claim for themselves?
For first, so that they may have kings obedient to them and may take for themselves the kingdoms of the world, they allege that they have a two-edged sword: that is, not only the ecclesiastical power but also the civil power, by which it is legal for them, at their pleasure, to strip kings and princes of their kingdoms, and place at the head those whom they wish to recommend, and indeed they often suggest themselves ahead of all others; and so that they may do this with a more plausible disguise, they pervert Scripture with great impudence and they abuse its authority, when it is advantageous to them. But if anyone contradicts them and argues that there is another interpretation, they object that the right of interpretation belongs to them and that they must not be restrained, or if they are, they may lose thousands of souls, as their own canon law says. Therefore our bishops, far from performing their duty for the salvation of souls and consciences, even abuse the name of their office most shamefully to the destruction of the church, which is now full of crime and more than tyrannical.
Moreover, he sins more hideously, who ought to bring help from his office but instead injures that very office of which he carries the name; just as traitors are much worse than enemies, since they bring destruction under the pretext of friendship, so the bishops deserve much greater hatred, since they have been appointed as the highest guardians of religion but they cast away their religion and oppress it wickedly that they may fulfill their private desires. For although they have been appointed to the higher positions in the church that they may govern it with great authority and preserve it and propagate religion and ordain persons suitable for teaching the Gospel, they omit this duty and establish their own tyranny, seize the kingdoms of the world and also for these ends often make very violent threats with their armies and enter into another role, to the general evil of the world and of the church. Nor indeed do they fight only with foreign princes about sovereignty and power or incite them to war by unjust excommunications so that they may increase and strengthen their own power by the foreign loss: as Gregory VII also engaged the son with the father; and Alexander III first involved the most outstanding Emperor Frederick, one on whom was heaped every commendation for his heroic virtues, in the most savage wars and dishonoured him with unworthy insults.
For when that best of all Emperors, for the sake of public peace, had thrown himself down at the feet of the Pope to ask for absolution, the Pope put his foot on the Emperor's neck and, to increase the indignity of the occasion, arrogantly ordered that the verse from the psalm be shouted out with approval: "You shall walk on the serpent and the basilisk and trample under your feet the lion and the dragon," although indeed Scripture teaches that we should care for our magistrates in the most holy and reverent way. For thus it says: "Do not curse the leader of your people." Finally, not to mention more evil doers, in our times Julius III by his tricks has inflamed almost the whole world in his wars.
The Popes themselves strive for the leadership among themselves both by force of arms and by the most savage hate. Nor indeed is there need to prove the truth of this situation by more examples brought from history; this one example will show enough for many, with what barbarism and madness they are wont to fight for honours and wealth. When in the times of Arnolphus the Emperor a fierce schism arose between Sergius and Formosus, Sergius was defeated and Formosus seized the Pontificate. Afterwards, when Formosus died, Sergius returned to Rome and, inflamed by cruel desire for revenge, dug up the corpse of Formosus, dragged it around most cruelly and then with the head cut off threw it into the Tiber. But there were many others like him, notable not only for their disgraceful actions but also for the monstrous insensitivity of their natures, and brought up with no knowledge of good things. Of such types nevertheless Sergius is said to have been among the first, so that clearly he was mud mixed with blood, as the orator is reported to have said of Tiberius Caesar, when he had noticed in his mind an unbelievable stupidity combined with an extraordinary savagery.
Although such happenings are horrifying, nevertheless they still prevail, because the Popes have at last advanced to such a stage of madness that, as Christ foretold, they have demanded that in the temple of God they are to be worshipped and venerated as gods. Now when their actions are censured, they respond violently, which is characteristic of tyrants, and they impose by the sword silence on the good people who do not approve of their impiety and crimes; and just as that grim flogger in the comedy says, "The unworthy things the master does must be considered worthy," so they are not willing that any of their deeds should be criticized in the slightest way, even if they teach and do nothing except what is pure sacrilege and extravagant fiction. For perhaps they could be tolerated, if they made the condition of the church weaken only moderately.
Now, since they use the name of religion as a way of making money and sell heaven to the ignorant for a price, they extort an immense amount of money for fabricated indulgencies; they found new and blasphemous traditions about celibacy and about the mass; they practise more savagery than that of Phalaris against the faithful; and, although the charge of protecting and defending religion was entrusted especially to them, they have abandoned these absurdities, as they themselves call them by virtue of their extraordinary wisdom, and they indulge their appetites and their bellies excessively, as if they were serving the highest of the gods, like Cyclops in the tragedy, and they make sacred rites for their foulest desires. But they do not allow anyone to mutter against these actions, nay rather, like the foulest tyrant in Herodotus, when he had given Harpagus his son to eat and had asked him, the father, how the deed pleased him, was in no way willing to be cursed but rather to listen, forsooth, to the most agreeable words, "Whatever the king does, that is pleasing to me." So they themselves are unwilling to be condemned, even if they commit dreadful deeds, because new ideas are not for them. For to them whatever pleases is lawful, as the nurse of Bassiamus used to say.
But I am grieved from the bottom of my heart at the most unfortunate condition of some regions which are still forced to sustain such great tyranny either through superstition and ignorance of the word, or through force. Since, however, we have by some means now been liberated from such darkness and from the torment of bodies and souls through the benefices of the renewed ecclesiastical doctrine, and for us the true use and very different practice of the ministry have once again been restored from the tyranny of the popes, I think thanks must be given openly to God. Chiefly I wish to congratulate your England, which through the zeal and piety of your very wise King, has now also begun to purge itself of this great plague, which has seized almost the whole of the Christian world. And especially in this matter the wisdom of your most serene King deserves to be proclaimed, for he noticed before the other princes and kings of the neighbouring nations that this issue was of very great importance, and decided not to allow any longer within the boundaries of his kingdom that intolerable tyranny of the popes which had been raging excessively and had for many years been feeding like a cancer on the churches.
And there is no doubt that God will be present at the religious councils of your King, whom we have seen exerting himself against that tyranny with the greatest force in order to restore his realm not only to its other good and most distinguished accomplishments, namely literature, laws and other political ordinances, but also especially to religion, which produces firm and perpetual salvation and peace for souls, and leads especially to the illumination of the glorious name of God. Nor indeed, most distinguished Archbishop, will your England owe little to you who, as we hear, do not cease from any study, deliberation and work to strengthen and help such holy and wholesome councils of the King, and, since these councils of the King lead to the salvation of the Church and the promotion of its worship, you make the King worthy of you, his Bishop, who is endowed with singular piety and erudition.
Moreover, since I have judged that it is of the greatest importance that from childhood minds should be imbued publicly with a keen hatred of tyranny of the sort which the popes have practised for more than 400 years, I have composed a tragic play, in which I have attempted to represent and depict in whatever way I could for that tender age some picture of that tyranny. For there is no danger of going too far against actions being continually carried out in an impious and criminal way. And we see just as clearly that popes give up their stubbornness only a little or not at all unless some concession is wrested from them by force. For they do not seem likely to stop until their own impious doctrine and authority are utterly overturned. For tyrants do not cease to be like themselves before necessity drives them to it. As Dionysius Siculus is once reported to have said: "A tyrant should not be left behind by one who is riding on a horse, he should be dragged along by his feet."
When, therefore, I had shown my writings to some good and learned men of these regions, and I had understood that my plan did not displease them, it seemed good to me to send my work to your Honour, so that you might understand that even among foreign nations your zeal in renewing the doctrine of the Church and removing the abuses which have threatened the Church for a long time, is very greatly approved, and at the same time you might be strengthened by these examples to carry through to the end with greater heart what you have started. For it is fitting that all of us with great unanimity should strive that tyranny be rooted out, especially from the Church. And since I know that my writing is far from that kind in which either its wit or eloquence could delight you, endowed as you are with the very keenest judgement, I should strongly desire that because of your singular kindness, which I hear you have combined with your extraordinary learning, you would take my zeal in good part. That you may do this and consider that I have been commended to your Honour, I again and again eagerly request. Good bye.
To the distinguished professor of Sacred Letters and Literature (Doctor Martin Luther), Thomas Naogeorgus sends the warmest greetings. As the Greeks say, "When, ignorance, you are strong, the settling of accounts makes men timid." Never, distinguished doctor, have I felt that to be more true than at this time in my life, since I dare to commit often to the theatre present situations both serious and full of danger. Certainly the ancients, who wrote tragedies, dealt with arguments well over long before their time, and none of them dared to put on present events. By this it came about that they themselves lived in safety and were commended for their hard work by the voices of all. They acted prudently, but I, on the other hand, am quite stupid in that I do not follow their footsteps, but I call down upon myself the hatred of many by using today's problems in my work. What can be called more foolish than this, if we see and love the rewards of this world, if flattery pleases us and if we wish to be approved by the votes of the mob? But what am I to do?
I do not think that it is the part of a Christian merely to pander to the lusts of men and to desert the defence of truth and to stay with its defence only so far that it may be acceptable to all, when in fact as large a part as possible of men are ungodly and are not pleased except by things which are in harmony with their own practices. For this reason Paul's opinion is well known, in which he writes that if he were to please men, he would say that he was not a servant of Christ. For it is the greatest commendation to have offended the wicked, and likewise to please them is the highest shame. If, therefore, I have departed from the steps of the ancients, it is not just stupidity in my case, but much more a mind sworn in baptism to be hostile to the retinues and associates of Satan.
Let Satan and his dregs of evil be angry; let them pursue me as far as it pleases them. It is no cause for anger that diligent Christians have for a long time suffered grief for the sake of truth; Helen was of such beauty as makes men happy. Because therefore you were the first to bring truth back, oppressed as she was by the Egyptian darkness, into this very clear light, although the prince of darkness was angered, and you took on the first attacks of the enemy and all the united forces of the companions of Satan with the shield of faith and the sword of the spirit, by which action you certainly gave heart to very many others that at this same time they should undergo the same dangers on behalf of truth, it seemed good to send forth this tragedy under your name to be seen by the adherents of truth, so that by these first fruits my respect to you for your doctrine might be well known to all. And because I would confess that I owe a very great debt to you and would wish to show in every way that I am grateful to you, I ask you not to scorn this small gift but to allow me, although so far I am unknown to you, to have a place among your friends even if it is the lowest, a place for one whom you have of your own accord for a short while deemed worthy of the name of friend.
What we are about to put on, I will explain briefly part by part, if you, the spectators, are free to examine the facts. Pammachius, who is a Roman bishop, grew weary of the evangelical doctrine, as soon as he had brought into the faith Julian, through whom peace was granted to all the churches. Pammachius, swollen with pride, seeking for great things, found Porphyrius as the supporter of a plan, by far the worst possible plan, that they should give themselves to Satan and defect from Christ. Christ, who is not ignorant of all these schemes, orders Satan, who has now been imprisoned for a thousand years, to be freed, and orders Truth for the time being to leave the world. Satan, freed, calls together his delegates, searches out what they have brought to completion by that day.
In the meantime Pammachius arrives with Porphyrius, asking for fellowship in Satan's kingdom. His pledge is given and he is received and sworn in by an oath. This done, he expels Caesar from the Church (he had quarrelled with him before) and now removes him from his throne. Then Caesar, perturbed by such a sudden evil, is extremely troubled and determines to win back the favour of Pammachius, though Nestor strongly but without effect advises against it. Caesar comes to Pammachius, hears his impious doctrine and sees his new appointees. Caesar is restored but with harsh conditions after he has sworn obedience to his subjects.
When Caesar has departed, Satan is called and on his arrival sees what has been created, hears what has been done, admires it and approves of it and erects a trophy for such a great victory. Every day they have a feast from the spoils gained. In the meantime, after a place on earth has been obtained from Christ, Truth returns with Paul, that she may make clear the glory of Christ and refute the doctrine of the Pope. When this is done, the fraternity of Satan is angry. They capture the councils on doctrine and plan the destruction of the various learned teachers by their machinations.
The situation is quite clear to one who looks at times past and times present, if he considers the sum of apostolic doctrine and then the perversions of doctrine which a foul papacy has produced for the sake of profit or ambition. In sum: we have painted the papacy in its true colours. We do not carp at any good that has ever been done by the Roman Church. Good things have their proper praise, so that what we say has without doubt proceeded from a divine inspiration. But as for superstitions, luxury, impious decrees, pride, arrogance, the worst of their works, cruelty, pernicious dogmas, avarice, impostures, contempt of God--let another praise, who loves to be fed on lies, who strives to find the favour of the world rather than to hunt eagerly after the truth and the word of God. We certainly, being what we are, cannot yet favour lies and error. You be fair judges of our tragedy, which the controversy over doctrine has produced for the world. The story is fiction; yet it is of such a sort that truth is present; fiction and truth give the pleasure and the profit.
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