wickednesse, and all was vtterly subuerted and destroied. We reade that =Numa Pompilius= bare the people of _Rome_ in hande that hée hadde familiar company with =Egeria= a Goddesse of the waters, to the ende he might purchase credit and authoritie to his lawes. CHAP. VII. _Timotheus Aelurus_, counterfeiting himself to be an Angell, obteined a bishopricke: foure Monkes of the order of Preachers, made many vaine apparitions at _Berna_. [Sidenote: Lippis & tonsoribus notum.] It might be somewhat borne withall, if these things had only chaunced among the Gentiles, which were without the word of God, if we did not euidently sée the like happen oftentimes amongest Christians, and in case it were not to be feared least many such things should happen euen at this day also. For it is well knowne to all men, that there haue bene many Magiciens, Sosserers, and Coniurers, and those especially Monkes and Priests, who would easily counterfeit visions, and miracles, and familiar talking with soules. [Sidenote: Theodorus.] [Sidenote: Foure Monks of Berna.] =Theodorus Lector=, =collectaneorum ex historia ecclesiastica lib.1.= writeth of =Timotheus Aelurus=, that he, before =Proterius= bishop of =Alexandria= was put to death, gaping for the bishoppricke, in the night cladde in blacke apparrell walked about the celles of the Monkes, and calling eache man by his name, they answering, sayd vnto them, that he a spirit, one of Gods seruants came to warne them, that euery one reuolting from =Proterius=, should ioyne himselfe vnto =Timotheus=. And by his craft and deceit obteining the bishoppricke, hée made great vproares in the Church of God. Here I cannot refraine my selfe as touching this present matter, but that I rehearse a famous historie, of foure Monkes of the order of Preachers (who were bernt at =Berna= in =Heluetia=, in the yeare of our Lord 1509. the last day of May) by what subtilties they deceiued a poore simple Frier whom they had lately reteined into their monastery: concerning which thing, many bookes were written at the same time when these things were done, which are yet extant both in the Latin and in the Germain toong. There was great contention betwéen the Monkes of yͤ order of Preachers, and the Friers =Minorites=, or =Franciscans=, touching the conceptiō of yͤ virgin =Mary=. The Friers preachers affirmed, that she euen as other men also was conceiued in originall sin, that the =Franciscans= denied and stoutly denied. At the last the matter came to that issue, that the preachers determined to auouch and prooue their opinion by false and fayned miracles: taking aduisement in a certaine Synode (which they call a chapter) holden at _Vimpenium_ a cittie of _Germanie_, where the most conuenient and fittest place for this matter might be founde: and at the last they chose out _Berna_ in _Heluetia_, because the people there were plaine and simple, and giuen to the warres. Foure therefore of the