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A07116	A defence of priestes mariages stablysshed by the imperiall lawes of the realme of Englande, agaynst a ciuilian, namyng hym selfe Thomas Martin doctour of the ciuile lawes, goyng about to disproue the saide mariages, lawfull by the eternall worde of God, [and] by the hygh court of parliament, only forbydden by forayne lawes and canons of the Pope, coloured with the visour of the Churche. Whiche lawes [and] canons, were extynguyshed by the sayde parliament ...	Parker, Matthew, 1504-1575.; Morison, Richard, Sir, d. 1556, attributed name.; Ponet, John, 1516?-1556, attributed name.	1567 (1567)	STC 17519; ESTC S112350	311,635	404

all that thei haue and paiment to bee made What will he saie trowe you Is this the learnyng and discretion prescribed vnto your fatherly aucthorities by the Quéenes highnes in her Commission that is séen in the order of your executions againste all learnyng without pitie to spoile learnyng Against all discretion to proceade without all order of lawe not discernyng man from man cause from cause state frō state You haue been iudged heretofore in all other realmes not comparable but farre excellyng all other realmes for worthines of learnyng for fatherly grauitie and exactnesse of iudgemente And shall now a little prefract wilfulnes of a fewe of your Comisaries ouertourne all your glories O fathers maie your children saie If we be deceiued by you we be deceiued ye haue béen our teachers leaders and guides By you were wee induced to credite the supremacies aucthoritie to bee able to doe what so euer the vsurped aucthoritie as ye tolde vs was wont to doe in decreyng and dispensyng your owne practises frō tyme to tyme made vs bolde to put vs vnder that defence of aucthoritie which openly ye semed moste willynglie to bée vnder And to be releaued with that medecine of dispensation which we with our eyes sawe your selues seke so muche to so ofte and so euery where enioiyng the like your selues hauyng no other hold for the possession of your estates once by you renounced resumed againe vnder that aucthoritie then suche as we thought to haue been as good for our assuraunces in our like liuynges And as wee knowe the whole Cleargie at this daie enioyeth the same without quarell of Canon or checke of any forren Lawe Upon the readyng and expending of your learned bokes orations and sermons openlie published and ofte imprinted did wee the kynges ignoraunt subiectes depende wholie as committyng our trust to your greate learnynges and franke confessions wee learned in your boke set forthe intitled De regia ecclesiastica aucthoritate how we should esteme the kynges high aucthoritie in his courte of Parliament There did ye plainly learne vs how to take the Canons of the Churche and how before tyme thei haue been vsed allowed and repelled againe by consente of the people and particular realmes and did no further or otherwise binde but as the kyng and his people receiued them By your orations did we learne that the Prince hath it incidently in roiall aucthoritie and belonging to his croune by Gods worde to cōstitute lawes to abolishe lawes to vse any Ecclesiasticall lawes at free will at pleasure lo longe as thei were thought meete for his policie and those to be of so strong validitie that no forren power ought once to conuell them or to disturbe them And to these and many other suche thinges haue we not onely been induced by the force of the learnyng and aucthoritie of some one twoo or three of you but it hath been deliuered vnto vs as doctrine of saluation to credite this saied aucthoritie of our and your soueraigne in his realme by the whole consent and subscription of all and euery one of you with diuerse others ioyned vnto you In your booke intituled The institution of a Christian man presented by your whole aucthorities to the kyng of famous memorie kyng Henry the. viij where in the preface ye affirme to his highnes with one assent by all your learnynges that the saied treatise is in all pointes concordante and agreable to holie scripture yea suche doctrine that ye will and desire to haue it taught by all the spirituall pastours to all the kynges louyng subiectes to be doctrine of faithe And there entreatyng of the Sacrament of Orders ye desire to haue it taught that we be in no subiection to the bishop of Rome and his statutes but merely subiecte to the kynges lawes vnder his onely territorie and iurisdiction And that the Canons and rules of the Churche were therefore alowable in the realme because the assent of the kyng and of the people accepted the same And that Priestes and Bishops whatsoeuer neuer had any aucthoritie by the Gospell in matters Ciuill and Morall but by the graunt and gifte of Princes and that it was alwaie and euer shal be lefull vnto Kynges and Princes and to their successours with the consente of their Parliamentes to reuoke and call again into their owne handes or otherwise to restraine all their power and iurisdiction geuen and permitted by their aucthoritie assente or sufferaunce c. without the whiche if the Bishop of Rome or any other Bishop whatsouer should take vpon them any aucthoritie or iurisdiction in suche matters as be Ciuill as matters of Mariages for the tymes and persones bee confessed in your learnynges to bee no doubte saie ye that Bishop is not worthie to be called a Bishop but rather a tyraunt and an vsurper of other mennes rightes contrary to the Lawes of GOD and is to bee reputed a subuertor of the kyngdome of Christe yea besides these thynges and many other ye put it in our Crede and belief as an article of saluation and damnation that the Churche of Englande is as well to be named a Catholike and Apostolike Churche as Rome Churche or any other Churche where the Apostles were residente And ye will vs to beleue in our faithe that there is no difference in superioritie preeminēce or aucthoritie one ouer the other but be all of equall power and dignitie And that all Churches be free from the subiection and iurisdiction of the Churche of Rome And that no Churche is to be called Scismaticall as variyng from the vnitie of the Churche of Christe if it persiste in the vnitie of Christes faithe hope and charitie and vnitie of Christes doctrine and sacramentes agreable to the same doctrine Oh fathers if this doctrine bee thus set forthe by your whole aucthoritie presented by the subscription of al your names and since the time of your presentyng thereof by the space almoste of .xx. yeres neuer reuoked but continuallie from tyme to tyme taught by this booke and by other suche declarations Can ye of reason in your consciences allowe your officers thus to entreate your priestes and curates that vpon your so earnest doctrine aduisedly obtruded and forced to your faith haue doen as the●haue doen in the state of their liues not on their owne heades but vpon your heades aucthorities and warrantise of lawe so stablished by you to pertaine to the kynges croune If ye were deceiued or induced after so deliberate a consultation whiche were greate pitie to espie in your aucthorities beyng the self same men that bee still in office to call vs at this daie to God to truthe to doctrine of saluation and maie require of vs to credite you if wee will bee saued Shall we onely beare the heauie burthen of your ouersight and ye your selues as it were winnyng honour estimation and aduauncemente by your doynges Might not your escapes in your assertions haue béen more merciful in sute to

the infirmitee of suche incontinente persones and in comparison of worse permitted that whiche was euill If Origen disalowed not their prudence in dispensation not to tollerate it ones dooen but to geue licence before it was begunne euen in that matter which be iudged to be againste the Lawe of God If Pope Martin the v. as the aucthour of Summa Angelica reporteth did after great deliberation and consultation with diuerse learned in Diuinitée and Lawe despence with hym that had taken his sister germain to wife to kepe her still and if the Pope despensyng with a man to marrie her to wife whose mother or sister he had defiled before by corporall fornication be not to bee blamed nor this mariage to be disalowed as Antonine saieth part 3. tit I. cap. II. para christiana infine And if Antoninus auditor generalis causarū Palatij dn̄i Pape testifieth that he sawe very many despensed with in this matter in Summa lib. 3. tit 6. ca. 3. li. 2. ca. 2. tit xi If Martin Peresius thus writeth Si sacerdotes non matura deliberatione se astrinxerunt videat Romanus pōtifex qui circa haec solet dispēsare quid sit agendum in particularibus If the Priest haue boūd hym self not by due deliberation let the Romane busshop who is wont to dispense in suche cases take hede what he ought to do in suche particularitées Yea Erasmus in clementiam Alberti Pij artic 40. saieth that the Pope doeth wel to dispense in solempne vowes and alledgeth Cardinall Caietanes aucthoritée for hym What reasonablenesse then cā there be thought in this Ciuiliā not to suffer these mariages that be doen and made already not by stealth or of priuate head but by aucthoritee of his Soueraignes lawe with the assent of all the body of the realme not one woorde of Goddes Lawe against it but many woordes of Gods Lawe bearyng with it and approuyng it I maruaile what this Lawier meaneth Hath he neuer reade what Pope Nicholas did answere to Busshoppe Osbalde vpon his question Dist. 50. studeas what should be doen with that beneficed Prieste that had striken a Deacon and after his death his sculle was founde broken Searche saieth he whether he died of the stroke or whether the Deacō fell of his horse and so brake his sculle and died If the Deacon died of the fall suspende the Prieste a little tyme for saiyng Masse and afterwarde let hym returne to his seruice againe But if case the deacon be dead by occasion of his strype then in no case let hym any more minister Lo here the 〈◊〉 of the churche so prouided for by the canons Nothwithstandyng saith he yf he be very necessarie for your purpose let hym haue out of his benefice for the comfort of his sustenaunce Lo sir the canons the lawe playnly depriue him of his benefice which is sequestred frō his ministration And yet saith the lawyers vpon this place He was reasonablie dispensed with to kepe his benefice styl lest els for necessitie of his lyuyng he should turne hym selfe to fylthy and vnlawfull occupying Compare this matter maister Martin An open pretenced murtherer If ye say true maister Martin your cleargie should not haue all the benefices they haue But ye must vnderstand his rule against maried priestes onlye As for others do they neuer so litle a nothyng yet be they worth● to haue all as they haue a● Cau 1. q. 7. Requiritis shall for the necessitie of his lyuyng to auoyde further inconuenience be aduaunced to lyuing out of his benefice against the canons though he ministreth not and yet as ye write The benefice is geuen for the office sake And shall mariage be thus dealt with in your very fine charitie Dyd ye neuer reade what is written vpon that epistle that Leo the fourth dyd write to the bishoppes here in Englande settyng out what great auctoritie bishops only haue not restrayned nor in case reserued to the bishop of Rome howe they may dispence with sacrilege with heresie with adulterie with simonie with a scismaticke in orders and dignities for necessities sake and for auoydyng sclaunder and further inconueniences And can not all the bishops in Englande be able to dispence with mariage of priestes to auoyde the sclaunder that els myght rise aswell to them selues as to some of them by whom they were alowed to auoyde the sclaunder suspition of suche faigned heartes as were in them to the kynges auctoritie to auoyde the sclaunder that myght ryse to the priestes to their wyues to their chyldren c. But ye wyll say such as be sory for their fault and wyll returne the church mercifully openeth her lappe to receaue thē againe into new benefices lyuynges though they haue lost their olde where they had done cost Why maister Martin had the churche so spent all her mercie vpon her Iacobs that she had nothyng for poore Esau She myght haue blessed sufficiently her supplantyng Iacobs with the fattest benefices and superfluous dignities of the best of the cleargie and yet some litle benediction myght haue ben reserued and bestowed vpon the poore Esaus that nowe haue nothing at all left thē neither rent nor mouables to relieue their necessitie Is this the churches mercyfull lappe in receauyng her owne begotten chyldren to ministration againe that yet first they muste speake their owne shame in bylles of their penaunce lying against them selues moste vylely and moste shamefully disablyng their credite and estimation for euer As they fynde such fytte malt horses in diuers places of the realme whiche for a litle prouender sake and for curryng them with their combes wyll take whatsoeuer byt is put in their mouthes As one man of Winsor made a goodly confession of his heartie and earnest repentaunce there the .29 day of Iune last to the great comfort of al the good catholike people that hearde hym Whiche proposition was so finely penned and so catholikely tracted that I warraunt you it was none of the smallest fooles that forged it Whiche for the excellencie that it hath shall one day haue an interlinial glose tyll some man shall take payne to make a large commentarie Be ashamed O hypocrites be ashamed iuggle not in suche foolyshe sort to make all the worlde to wonder at you What a gods name wyll ye daunce starcke naked in your wyde masked nettes in this so cleare lyght at hye noone dayes in open market and yet promise your selues that no man can see you But to returne to the churches great mercie agayne Surely in some places the churches mercie was so sore extended that whose wyues were two or three yeres past before departed yet they coulde not be admitted againe to ministratiō but must do open penaunce and go before the crosse without any redemptiō or entreatie that coulde be made and the parties suche as by whom the very commissaries them selues coulde aleage not one poynt of dishonestie or euyl opinion in al their conuersation besides

yet I owe that thyng most chiefely to my mother Churche of Canterbury and therevpon I iudge that he ought to make his canonicall profession to the Church of Canterburie for I was present when that my brother Thomas the elder his vncle xxxvij yeres past Archbishop of Yorke was dryuen by inuincible argumentes to make his profession to Lanfranc then archbyshop of Canterburie and his successours Whiche sentence yet of his father though the kyng and the byshoppes dyd well alowe and with expendyng the recordes of the same yet the sayd Thomas the younger elect woulde not so submit hym selfe Thomas stobues in catologo Ebor. ca. 52. Wherevpon the kyng beyng moued pronounced that eyther he shoulde do it or els he woulde discharge him of the Byshopricke and not only lose his fauour but also he woulde expell all his kinrede out of the Realme Wherevpon Sampson byshop of Worcester his naturall father and Richarde Baiocense his brother so nye of kinrede were instaunt vppon hym And though that Ranulph byshop of Durham promysed the kyng a thousand marke in money and to the Queene a hundred yet it auayled nothyng saith the storie for the kyng would not be corrupted with money and so at the laste the sayde Thomas made his profession and lyued but v. yeres in his dignitie and dyed a young man as the storie saith beyng a very corpulent man If the reader wyll nowe vnderstande what successe this foresayde decree of Anselme had after his death thus wryteth the storie That though the decree was somewhat calde on after hym by the kynges commaundement yet he relented and so it folowed saith he that the priestes toke their wyues agayne which they had or els renouncyng their former toke others and freely maried harlottes so saith the muncke In which discourse he maketh insinuation that standing the tyme of the prohibition thers were both fornicatours and adulterers and such as committed incest with their nygh kynsefolke not onlye with their sisters but also with their owne daughters so that saith he though this good father after the example of the feast maker called many to the feast yet in no respect was there any effectuous obedience geuen vnto his wordes For saith he let hym reade that wyll the text of this councell at London and well consider the statutes therof and let hym then iudge who it is that obeyeth them who it is that fulfylleth them or what he is that accompteth them not vayne So that the priestes and the prebendaries obteyned so muche with their Byshops and Archdeacons that suche priestes as dyd relinquishe dyd returne againe to their wyues as is sayde before Whiche sayde matter is here brought in not as alowyng any thyng that was committed agaynst the precepte of God but to shewe what speede hadde this his decree in his lyfe tyme and what successe this vnreasonable tradition hadde after his lyfe If you woulde knowe the cause or grounde that might moue this father Anselme otherwise learned and of austere conuersation although in this to be feared rather to be of the number of them of whom Saint Paul saith In hypocrisi loquencium mendatium cauteriatam habentium suam conscientiam prohibentium nubere c. Forsooth his redy good wyll and accesse to the holy father of Rome the supportation that he founde there the spiced conscience he had in his wrong obedience vnto that sea esteemyng hym so hyghly supra id quod colitur made hym to esteeme his prince the lesse ii Thess. ii and from tyme to tyme troubled and endaungered his Realme in his office to the disquiet of the people enducyng in his bronded conscience fedities and enormities innumerable Whiche his blynde zeale not accordyng to knowledge Henrie Beuclarke well vnderstandyng dyd not only staye his importunitie but also resisted the popes auctoritie to his owne face doing in his princely estate as appertayned to his kyngly ryght Though that Anselme the popes proctor dyd aunswere that he would not for the price of his head consent to the kyng agaynst the popes prohibitions except it were dispensed withal agayne by the sayde pope vpon the kynges wordes Quid mihi de meis cum papa quae antecessores mei hoc in regno possiderunt mea sunt hec si quis auferre mihi voluerit quod inimicus meus sit omnis qui me diligit certissime nouerit What haue I to do with the pope concernyng myne owne That which myne auncestours haue possessed in this Realme be myne whosoeuer woulde take these from me let all that loue me certaynely knowe that he is myne enemie Which stout wordes of his so spoken might declare what he knewe Surely he was like for his knowledge to haue done as much in expellyng his vsurped aucthoritie yf oportunitie of tyme had serued hym as his successour long after hym kyng Henrie the eyght brought about and finished Whiche thyng is well signified by the wordes of his owne letters written to kyng Henrie Edmer wherein Pascall the pope complayneth that he dyd in his Realme all as pleased hym and that he restrayned the messengers and letters of the sea apostolyke that they coulde haue no passage or be permitted to enter into the Realme without his suffraunce and further Pascall chargeth hym that without the knowledge of the popes holynes he doth kepe synodall councels where he insinuate that all the wayghtie causes of the Churches throughout his whole prouince should be determined by the vicars and the deputies of his holy sea And further he chargeth hym that besyde his auctoritie he presumed to make translation of Bishoprickes at his pleasure which sayth he can not be done without the licence of the sacred holy sea of Rome And farther to set out howe the knowledge of this kyng made him well to vnderstannde his vsurped auctoritie in his Realme and well perceauyng howe the Realme was wont to be abused by shamefull exactions and expilations which his legates vsed to do within the same was weery of the sayde abused aucthoritie Wherevpon pope Calixtus after his councell holden at Remis anno dn̄i 1119. came vnto Gisortiū Edmer to speake with the king had conference with him When the kyng had obteyned of that pope to haue all such customes which his father had in England in Normandie and especially of all other that he should not suffer any man to vse the office of a legate at any tyme in Englande except him selfe did require the same for such matters which coulde not be ended by the byshop of Canterburie and the other byshoppes of the Realme All which thynges sayth the storie beyng thus determined the pope doth make request to the kyng for his loue to be frendly vnto Thurstone Archbyshop of Yorke to restore hym to his Byshopricke Wherevnto the kyng aunswered that he woulde neuer do it whyle he lyued for he saith he hadde so promised vppon his fayth Whervpon Calixtus dyd aunswere Ego apostolicus sum si

of Lincolne a young striplyng deyntyly brought vp he begat him saith Huntington when he was Chauncellour to William the great kyng Hen. Hunt li. 8 ca. 2. Nowe though the sayde William Archbishop attempted the matter agayne at Michaelmas tyde and woulde geue the priestes no longer respite to put their wyues a daye but to saint Andre ●es daye Yet sayth the storie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chr Saxon. anno 1129. This dyd byd the archbyshop of Canterburie and the byshoppes which were in Englande And yet all these decrees and byddynges stoode not al held their wyues by the kinges leaue euen so as they before dyd In whiche tyme the stirre was so great and the cause so harde to be wonne that William the archbyshop gaue ouer and referred the controuersie wholly to kyng Henrie a●●● 25. Henrie Wherevpon he decreed that the priestes shoulde continue with their wyues styll Of whom for that the kynges officers toke pencions the byshoppes began to repent them of their committyng so the cause wherof they woulde haue had the orderyng them selues to some other purpose For which pentionarie matter Anselme had certaine yeres before by his epistle well chydden the kyng wherof yet belyke the kyng as beyng well learned in the lawes as Matthewe Paris testifieth made not so great ● conscience as certaine of the votarie bishoppes dyd as o●fended that fayth shoulde be inuiolablie preserued betwixt such as were in matrimonie seyng hym selfe had such conscience of breakyng his fayth that he made and as he iudged it not dispensable by the popes auctoritie as he not long before had declared to pope Calixtus hym selfe For yf he had thought it to haue ben agaynst the precept of God he woulde neuer haue suff●ed so many yeres the continuaunce of the same by his auctoritie anno 11●8 〈…〉 Chro. Aug. Chro. 〈◊〉 After William folowed Theobaldus in whose dayes the house of saint Gregories in Canterburie was brent anno 1145. the churche and almost the whole citie of Rochester was first brent the chathedrall church of Yorke was brent and without that citie the church of saint Marie where was an Abbey with the goodly Hospitall founded by the archbyshop Thurstone brent for good rule ye maye be sure their chastitie deserued no lesse That Thurstone archbyshop was he that builded the monasterie of Fountaynes and repented hym therof by open worde and sayde he neuer repented hym more of any thyng and when certaine laye men present hearde him so say and were offended at his saying he sayde ye be laye men and knowe not the pith of my wordes and therfore he afterwarde alwayes sayde that he woulde rather geue to lecherous men then to munckes But as concernyng the plague of God in the burnyng of so many Abbeys professing such holynes as is to be marueyled what may be read in storie Chro. Peter 1070. annal eiusd 1113.1114 VValterus weekes 1116.1121.1112 Houenden 1184. Houenden 1188. Gualter Couent 1212. Fabian 1261.1370 besydes these that are alredy spoken of and those that do folowe in other mens dayes As Howe the abbey of Peterborowe was once brent Howe the monasterie of Worceter was brent Howe the abbey of Chichester was brent Howe the abbey of Peterborowe was brent once agayne Howe the churche of Powles with many other cathedrall churches were brent Howe the abbey of Glocester was brent Howe the abbey of Glastenburie was brent Howe the churche of Beuerlay was brent Howe saint Maries churche of the Chanons in Southwark was brent Howe the steeple of Euesham was set on fire by lyghtnyng Howe the Abbacie of saint Edmundes was brent with diuers more as hereafter partly doth folow The rather may these examples thus so generally vniuersally and so thicke executed vppon these munckes houses be a more proofe of gods plague agaynst their munckyshe lyfe and order as nothyng pleased with the most of them then the aduersaries can iustly charge the vniuersall religion of the Gospel receaued by the particuler burnyng of one steeple in the Realme so seldome seene in these dayes To note what intemperate weather what immoderate wyndes what lightning what thunder what earthquakes fell vpon these houses besydes to note howe vniuersally before the conquest all these monasteries howe much soeuer they were multiplied and increased God dyd euer bryng them downe agayne and complaned them euen with the grounde that fewe or none remayned vnbrent or vndestroyed by the inuasion of infidels and other nations from tyme to tyme commyng vppon them shall not be nedefull to cumber the reader at this tyme with tediousnes Neuber lib. 3. cap. 5. Well these houses were not brent for other mens faultes Where the cronicle of Peterborow ascribeth this plague of God in burnyng their churche and all that was therein to their retchlesse lyfe and wretchednes and dronkennes they vsed And William Thorne muncke of S. Augustines anno 1168. ascribeth the burnyng of their churche abbey to the foule abuse of takyng infantes scant weaned from their nurses to be munckes professed among them A pretie age for a perpetuall vowe and a worthy cause to make such subiect to the austeritie of archbyshop Pecchams constitution Apud Lamhith anno 1281. ca. Item moniales where he ordereth that yf the Nunne tarry one yere in the habite before she haue taken the bishoppes benediction must yet be reputed for professed and may not returne to the world again for if she do she must be accompted vsed as an apostata Although saith he the religious haue not receaued the byshops benediction with the solempnitie of a vowe they may not yet iudge themselues to be free if they be once come to the yeres of discretion and reason and be able to perceaue fraude and deceyte Where there be many examples lefte in writers what wretchednes hath folowed of these young professions I wyll report but one the tragidie wherof is suche that it shoulde hurt chaste eares to heare the fylthynes that therin is tolde of a certaine young chylde of foure yeres of age brought into the Nunrie of Wattune in Yorkeshire in the dayes of Henrie Murdack an ambitious munke of Cistercense as Polidore writeth who gate his Bishopricke of pope Eugenius by suite and craft by the disprouyng of William elected thervnto Which Abbey was founded or rather restored by Gilbert a priest of Semplingam Whiche storie is expressed at large by Ethelrede a Cister muncke in Rhieuall in the dioces of Yorke abbote a man eloquent in his tyme. Which young girle when she came to age he wryteth howe maruelouslye she was delyuered her chylde conueyed awaye by the sayde Henrie Murdack then dead who brought her first into the Abbey Whiche byshop in a Palmers weede appeared in a vision hauyng with hym also in the vision two auncient celestial women they three only at the birth and no man knewe where the chylde became no not the mother who was so sodenly restored to her health againe that there was

no signe or token left in her that euer she was in that takyng and the infamie which myght haue rysen to the couent quite abolyshed whiche was the greatest inconuenience that the Nunnes dyd feare in the close handlyng of this matter as the storie bewrayeth whiche processe begynneth in these wordes ▪ Miracula domini manifesta diuinae pietatis indicia scire tegere portio sacrilegii est To knowe the miracles of God and the manifest examples of his diuine mercie and to suppresse them is a spice of sacrilege c. Further the sayde auctour doth auouche the matter to be very true who comming from his owne monasterie at the request of the father of the house dyd see with his owne eyes this young mayden in the strawe where she lay newely and miraculously delyuered hearyng all the rest of this tragidie of such persons saith he which neither the sobernes of their age neither their approued holynesse woulde suffer them any maner wayes to lye If it be replied why shoulde these hystories be renewed agayne to the defamation as it may be iudged of these holy professers of chastitie Aunswer may be made Why dyd these contemplatiue fathers leaue in wrytyng to the p●steritie these practises so shamefull except that eyther they woulde blynde the eyes of the worlde in excusyng their fedities coueryng the outrages of their lyues as wrought by the miracles of God so abusyng the peoples ignoraunce to make them beleue what they listed to set out and magnifie or els whether God by his secrete iudgment vsed these munckyshe parciall wryters as instruments to detect their hypocrisie to the shame of their counterfayte lyuyng who dyd all that they coulde by wrytyng reporte to shame gods holy institution deuised by his gracious and diuine foresyght to preuent all such fylthines which he knew must nedes folow when his ordinaunce should be put out of the waye But suche was the endeuour of all these professed persons to kepe secrete their foule misteries or els when they must needes come abrode to knowledge then to turne their practises to be as gods miracles for neuer woulde they suffer any but them selues to be priuie of their misteries they coulde not abyde the lyght No not Thurstone archbyshop aforesayde hym selfe coulde be receaued of the religious of Saint Maries house in Yorke when they were in chapter together where he commyng vnto the Abbey accompanied besydes his owne familie with other notable learned men the whole couent made open exclamation agaynst hym yet their archbyshop and so threatned hym that as he saith himselfe in his epistle written to William archbishop of Canterburie he was afrayde of their violence and whereas the archbishop woulde haue pacified them saying that he came but for their peace and commoditie they rose vp agaynst hym and were redye to laye their handes vpon hym and tolde hym playnely that neither he nor Richarde their Prior with his complices shoulde bryng in any newe reformation amongst them agaynst their olde customes though the sayde Richarde and other of his good brethren woulde fayne haue enduced them better to obserue saint Benets rule which the Byshop testifieth in his epistle was almost through the whole world of Munckes commonly despised and troden vnder foote And in further talke with them the archbyshop sayd to them that yf ye despyse my episcopall auctoritie takyng that from me which belongeth to my office to visite you then saith he your Church must soone decaye Wherevnto was aunswered hym that we had rather haue our Churche for an hundred yeres shut vp then thus to haue any new reformatiōs amongst vs against our olde wont And they all cryed out Voce frenatica capite inquiunt capite rebelles apprehendite proditores c. as they had ben mad Lay handes saye they vpon them lay handes vpon them attach these rebelles and apprehend these traytours So with much a do to the great wonder of the people abrode the Archbyshop was fayne to returne home againe to his palace and leaue them as he founde them Lo here is the state of perfection which they so much boast of and this was their rule But nowe to returne agayne to the foresayde Theobalde This sayde Archbyshop belyke had no great conscience for byshoppes and priestes to haue wyues and their chyldren to be preferred to ecclesiasticall lyuyng For as Iuo Carnotensis dyd iudge by the report of Radulphus de diceto anno 1161. in anno 1161 This Theobalde dyd consecrate Richarde Archdeacon of Couentree and sonne of Robert Pech Byshop of the sea of Chester to be Byshop of the same sea after his father Wherevppon saith he these wordes Non igitur vel a sacris ordinibus vel a parochialibus curis vel ab ecclesiis cathedralibus vel etiam ab ipso papatu silii sacerdotum si probalilis vitae fuerint sunt arcendi c Priestes sonnes are not therefore to be kept backe eyther from holy orders or from the cures of paryshes or from cathedral churches no not from the papacie it selfe yf they be of good conuersation And by and by in the storie he reporteth that Felix the thirde beyng a priestes sonne was after made pope and Agapitus the sonne of Gordian a priest was made pope Gelasius the sonne of Valerius a byshop was made pope Siluerius the sonne of Hormisda a Romane byshop was made pope Deusdedit the sonne of Stephen a Subdeacon was made pope Theodorus a greke borne sonne to Theodorus a byshop was made pope VVylliam Neuber lib. 2. cap. 6. Nicholaus an Englyshe man sonne of a priest was made pope after called Adrianus quartus Thus farre the sayde Radulph in storie Which sayde byshoppes of Rome so written in number by pope Damasus to Hierom Distinc. 56. Osius are not to be vnderstande to be borne in fornication as Gratian doth auouch there but were borne in priestly lawfull matrimonies whiche were lawfull euerywhere to priestes before the prohibition and in the Oriental churche be proued euen vnto this day lawfull vnto them His wordes therin be these Cum ergo ex sacerdotibus nati in summos pontifices dicuntur esse promoti non sunt intelligendi de fornicatione sed de legittimis coniugiis nati que sacerdotibus ante prohibitionem vbique licita erant in oriental● ecclesia vsque hodie eis licere probantur And pope Vrbane saith there Ca. Lenomansem that priestes chyldren are not to be kept from a Byshopricke yf other vertues be found in them as a priestes sonne was elected byshop of Cenomannia and so admitted by hym And but for tediousnes I myght rehearse many more as Adrian the seconde Iohn the eleuenth Iohn the fourtenth Iohn the sixtenth sonnes of popes and byshoppes So honorable saith Paul is wedlocke amongste all Hebre. 11. and the bed vndefiled Whereas adulterers God shall condempne Such a grace saith saint Augustine is in mariages De bono coniugal cap. 24. through all nations and all sortes

it must be continuall and long vsed For yf vppon any sodayne deteynyng of his possession of her he shoulde fall into this greeuous payne then it were to to rigorous a lawe consideryng the frailtie of our tyme and for that this frailtie of the fleshe doth moue to pitie and not to rigour And thus throughout this gentle gloser wypeth awaye the wordes of this decree in such wise that nether this lawe nor any lyke shoulde euer take such place eyther to hynder the ordinaries commodities or charge the prieste except he wyll hym selfe Thus here ye see the practise of the chaste churche to what poynt they haue brought all their harde constitutions either to abiure mariages or els to learne the priestes an immunitie to lyue in fornications and adulteries without checke or coste except the charge of a litle tribute yerely to pacifie the officiall or commissarie c. with their returne after iniquisition non est inuentus May it here haue place that VV. Nubergensis writeth li. 2. ca 16. Episcopi dum defendendis magis clericorum libertatibus vel dignitatibus quam eorum vitus corigendis resecandisque inuigilant arbitrantur obsequiū se prestare deo ecclesiae si facinorosos clericos quos pro officii debito canonicae vigore censure coercere vel nolunt vel negligunt contra publicā tueantur disciplinam et episcopalis circa eos sollicitudo sit languida Whyle the bishops be more busie to defende the liberties or dignities of the priestes then to correct cut of their vices then they thynke they do good seruice to God and to the churche yf they may maintaine the wicked priestes agaynste the churches discipline which priestes they eyther wyll not or neglecte to restrayne as their duetie is by the sharpe censures of the churche so that the bishoppes care is nowe become verye colde and dead As this lawyer aforesayde vseth fauourable expositions in priestes concubines so in the chapter before he hath one fauourable glose for priestes whiche do mary after their order For he saith though by the rigour of the lawe he must needes lose his benefice yet yf by this mariage he incurre not Bigamie then may they dispence with them in his ministration and in his benefice For if he were made Bigamus by his maryage then it cannot be dispenced with but by the pope only Finally to plaister vp the matter to the priestes commodities in this cause besydes lawes they haue no bad councell of some diuines to of great name For it is written yf the clarke beyng in lesse orders as Benet or Colit haue a benefice and can lyue chaste by no meanes and therfore is in ieopardie to lose his benefice not for being vnchaste but for hauyng a benefice and mariage together then let him saith he by the aduice of his ghostly father liue secretely with a wyfe and so secretely deceaue the eyes of his ordinarie yea and though he come after to holy orders yet thynketh he to be lesse sinne to lyue with a wife then against Gods precept to lyue in fornication Thus you see that all the matter was handeled to lyue openly cleane and chaste but secretelye to lyue as they woulde For as many of the cleargie lyued in adulteries c. and some in vices sodomiticall so dyd diuers whose consciences were better and in knowledge more wise lyued secretly with wyues and prouided for their chyldren vnder the names of nephewes and other mens chyldren chosyng rather so to do in obeying S. Paules precept Rom. 14. Tu fidem habes penes temetipsum sit habe coram deo And folowyng agayne his councell Videte ne bonum vestrum hominum malidicenciae sit obnoxium vnusquisque in suo sensu abundet Qui sapit diem dn̄o sapit Thou hast fayth haue it to thy selfe before God and take heede that your libertie be not subiect to the euyll tongues of men and let euery man abounde in his owne sense He that is wise and can discerne the day let hym discerne it to God In whiche contemplation not vnlyke that not onlye this archbishop Bonifacius and other bishops of olde dayes but some of late dayes dyd lyue though all the worlde dyd not barke at the matter Nowe yf Boniface archbishop of Canterburie had a wyfe Richarde bishop of Chichester had a wyfe yf Galfride bishop of Ely was auouched before the pope hym selfe to haue maryed a wife yf Robert of Lincolne had his sonne besydes others that stories make mention of sence the conquest as of Archdeacons and Priestes Munkes and Nunnes by the popes dispensations innumerable howe vnaduised be they which write checkyngly that of all the bishoppes that euer were in Englande none were maryed before Crammer Is nothyng to be proued by storie true but such as they lyst to agree vnto or haue read If the bishoppes of Salisburie of olde tyme and all other bishoppes of the Realme dyd holde for trueth in the sacrament of the Lordes supper before the conquest as doctrine common the which doctrine is nowe more openly set out by Caluine and most learnedly proued by witnesse of the auncient auctours by the bishop of Sarum that nowe is and others If it be euidently testified by hystorie that the pope had no such clayme of auctoritie amongst the christian Britanes nor were at any tyme so receaued as Austen when he came in sent as cardinall saith one wryter from pope Gregorie to haue had the christian bishoppes and other of the cleargie whiche he founde in the realme at his commyng to be subiect vnto his legacie and trade of his religion which they denyed him wherevpon folowed that shamefull murder of the Britanes both ecclesiasticall and laitie amountyng to a very great summe as Bede and other manie do testifie What vanitie is it to affirme the contrarie so openly so confidentlye as though these outlandyshe wryters had read all recordes concernyng these causes or quia faenum habent in cornu they may haue such boldnes and trust in their slypper pennes to dryue all men vnder the hatch to discredite all men whom they dislyke yea to ouerthrowe and to turne ouer the imperiall state of their naturall countrey to the shamyng of the prince to the chargyng of all the nobilitie with scisme and error to the defacyng and disablyng yf they coulde the honestie learnyng and estimation of the better sorte of the cleargie so declaryng what spirite they styll shewe them selues to be of That where almyghtie God who be praysed therefore haue restrayned their olde furious wonted crueltie that they can nowe hang and bren no more stocke or imprison any more their aduersaries yet can not ceasse by their vnruly natures to persecute the whole Realme with their pennes and styles to daunger the state to the peryll of sedition to shame such men as so modestly aunswere them with their vyle wordes and tauntes more meete for Ruffians then graue deuines who of reuerent conscience shoulde debate the wayghtie

of the cleargie in their booke wherein they instructe a christian man to lyue godlye that it was lawfull for hym by gods worde to abrogate canon lawes repugnaunt to the lawes of the Realme and affirmyng further by testimonie of olde wryters that whatsoeuer was so enacted in this Englyshe churche had sufficient strength aucthoritie and power beyng a catholike and an apostolyke churche in it selfe the rather for doing their endeuour to returne all the order of the primatiue church agayne and therfore beyng more agreeable to Christes doctrine makyng more to edifiyng and benefite of Christes church What learned men standyng only to learnyng and reason can iustly eyther impugne the late state and order in this behalfe taken in the raigne of the noble prince king Edwarde the sixt or yet can reasonably suggill the doctrine and assertions published and set out in the dayes of that famous prince kyng Henrie the eyght by al his best learned cleargie as makyng way and preparation by their wrytynges and preachynges to put in execution that which was of late so vsed and practised If the fathers of Rome Churche diuers of the best learned by their prudence thought it meet to release the rigour of canons and rules of the churche whervpon they sometyme did dispence in diuers cases of great importaunce geuyng theyr assent before they were done sometyme bearyng and tolleratyng many thynges passed without auctoritie after they were done If their scribes and registers expositors of their lawe leaned alwayes to the equitie of the lawes fauourablie expoundyng them to the moste benefite and sauegarde of suche as were offenders agaynst Goddes morall lawes If the head fathers and pastors of other churches in their pastorall prudence vsed their tollerations in such cases as Origen doth testifie that the bishoppe in Alexandria permitted without agaynst the scripture a maryage to be made with a certaine woman in respect of her infirmitie as Millane churche and Constantinople churche vsed in the election of their bishoppes Ambrose Nectarius contrarie to the rule of the apostle as not yet christened as is before rehearsed And if that sayde holy bishop Ambrose dyd in his churche permit priestes to be maryed as Barnardinus Corius in his chronicle maketh report saith further that one Henribaldus Cotta a lawyer by profession beyng one of the first that woulde forbyd priestes to marry wyues was slayne of them for his importune extremitie Whiche thyng is reported of Ioannes Neuisanus doctor of lawe in his booke entituled Silua nuptialis where he aleageth howe the canonistes and schole men racke violently the lawes scriptures and gospels in this cause agaynst the true sense of the wordes and aduoucheth further that these canonistes make large thonges of other mens leather euen lyke saith he as the strumpet dyd of an other bodies chylde and that because they haue no wyues them selues Who when they haue any be aboue al other men burnyng in the fire of gelosie as he bryngeth his auctoritie therfore But nowe thus they speake saith he because them selues hauyng not only one paramour but haue many wyues and paramours and otherwhyles concubines also at one tyme together Whervpon he wysheth the lawe of continencie to be remitted and bryngeth in to ioyne with hym in this his iudgement not only the famous lawyer Panormitan but that notable man Felinus also with others And furthermore he affirmeth that the reasons of the canonistes of these dayes do proue that priestes after they be ordered may not marry be to no purpose because saith he they be grounded in couetousnes whiche is not conuenient to the true folowers of Christe And there in that his disputation he citeth diuers doctors who do disclose the corrupte intention of the canonistes in deprauyng and falsyfying the letter textes of Ambrose other doctors in the same cause If the churche of Ptolomais attempted so muche agaynste Christes religion and his apostles consentyng to elect● a platonicall philosopher miscredityng the principall articles of our fayth and that after his open protestation that he woulde not as then either relinquishe his opinion or yet his wyfe and was accepted with them both What wyse man indued with any consideration of christian pollicie can iustly quarrel with the head pastor of our churche of Englande to tollerate thynges standing against no scripture at all so passed as they be Yea though they should vse more mercie and clemencie towarde the miserie of those ministers then some euyll and vncharitable instigatours woulde wishe they dyd If the vniforme assent and consent of wryters haue attributed so large auctoritie to counselles and bishoppes decrees to dispence so vniuersally that they say a bishop a mere diocesan may dispence with heretickes that other may the sooner returne agayne with scismatickes with simoniackes with suspended and excommunicates with adulterers with murtherers in theft in sacrilege in deacons matrimonie for afterwardes to be contracted with their protestation in priestes matrimonies alredy contracted so it be with a virgin and that he may dispence in orders and dignities vnder the state of a bishop If he ought saith the lawe as bounde by necessarie constraint of spiritual gouernaunce to dispence either in such cases where either some greater commoditie to folowe may be hoped or where the peryll of some greater inconuenience may be feared and sometyme in respecte of the multitude and to auoyde sclaunder of offence that els might be taken What may be gathered hereof by the wise reader and what auctoritie is and may be iustly thought to be resiaunt in the whole order and seignorie knit and conioyned al wholly togethers in one yf so muche be graunted to euery one of them seuerally alone If the Canons of one councell be drawen commonly to expounde an other as one lawe to declare an other then where it is decreed in the fourth councell at Tollet Quod Clerici qui sine consultu Episcopi sui vxores duxerint c. seperari eos a proprio Episcopo oportebit That clarkes that without councell or consent of their byshops haue maryed wyues c. must be seperated by their owne byshop agayne Howe reasonably then do these men crie for seperation of such of the Cleargie who dyd not vpon their owne heades attempt the state they be in and diuers of them neyther without the counsell nor yet instigation of their onely proper Diosesant but with the consent and aucthoritie of the whole order of all the Metropolitanes and Diocesantes in Englande in their deliberat consultation first among them selues and after so exhibited to the state of the Parliament afterwarde in their priuate diocesses commendyng the statutes passed and sendyng their Chaplaynes abrode in their diocesses to declare the commendations and necessitie of the same as be yet at this day auncient Bishoppes styll alyue remaynyng that can beare witnesse of this whiche is here affirmed yf they were therto required Last of all where that noble prince of famous memori● kyng Henrie the

orders not renouncyng maryage may take wyues after .196 b. 228. c. Deacon beyng a murderer dispensed with .267 d. Dionisius epistle to Pinitus .144 a. Dispensatiō of the pope for Norwegia to consecrate in 〈◊〉 or beere .176 Dispensation of the popes are mutable .177 b. Dispensations and moderations for maryages by Emperours .196 b. Dispensations howe to be made .253 a. Dispensations necessarie .255 c. 265. d. Dispensation of bishoppes howe large they be .268 c. Druthmarus .34 c. Dunstanes wordes in his decree .14 pa. 1. a. not seperating mariage 21● E Earle of Shrewesburies aunswere .127.128 a. Edmer aduouched .289 Edwarde the thirde his victories .131 Epaunense concilium .221 c. Epiphanius auctoritie .266 b. 287. Erasmus iudgement of single lyfe .260 c. Ethelwolde of winchester father of munkes .215 b. Euaristus canon of lawfull matrimonie .102 c. Eupsychius a bishop maryed after order .157 b. Eustachius an heretique taught maryed priestes to be despised .259 a. Ewinus lawes of Scotlande .350 F Factes lawfull are not to be reuoked vpon repeale of a statute .171 c. False prophetes must be taken heede of Fol. 8. pag. 2. c. Franciscus Petrarcha dispensed with for his concubine .199 b. G Gangrense concilium .259 b. 279. Gelasius pope his moderation .274 Girarde archbishop of yorke his epistle 28● Girarde his simonie .288 Glosers of Othos constitution .331.332 God helpeth in necessitie vsyng his remedie not temptyng hym .237 d. Gods preceptes transgressed for mans tradition .238 c. Gregories moderations for contractes .202 b. 288. Genesius Iohn .275 Glosers diuers of lawyers vaine .186 c. Greke priestes mariages good .230 c. Gregorie against dissolution of maryages .200 d. 201. v. and his repentaunce for deuorcyng .201 d. Gregorie appoynteth maryage for a remedie against incontinencie .160 a. 204. d. Gildas of Vnius vxoris vir 344. Genebaldus a bishop maried .347 H Henrie Beuclarke the kyng restrayned the popes auctoritie .299 Heraclius the patriarke abused the kyng .320 Herebert bishop of Norwiche .283 Heretikes daintinesse .47 c. Heretikes and lechers whether they be separable pag. 36. b. 78. ● Henry Beuclarke kyng learned .340 Hesebolus changyng with the tyme .195 c. Hierax an heretike condempned by Epiphanius .165 a. Hieromes counsayle to a frayle man .249 Hieromes deprauations of maryage .82 c. Hierom vpon Vnius vxoris vir Hieroms discourse to Ocean .63 a. Hieromes treatise of the ornamentes of a bishop .69 b. Histories most written by munckes .304 Hilarie a maryed bishop .43 b. 349. Hildebrande pope what he was Fol. 16. pag. 1. a. his decree .89 d. 278. Hildebrande extremely ordered Henrie the Emperour .160 c. Hugh bishop of Durham a concubinarie .314 Huldericus epistle .202 c. Hypocrisie charged by Chrisostome .78 b. Hypocrites counterfaytyng chastitie Fol. 19. pag. 2. c. 49. c. I Iames saying corrupted .148 d. Iewyshe constitutions folowed of the pope .113 a. I●o Carnotensis iudgement towardes the decrees .98 b. Innocent pope slaundereth maryage .163 a. Interim tollerateth priestes mariage .196 c. Incest mariages what they be .221 c. Innocent the thirde dyd abridge the prohibitions of maryage .235 a. Inuestitures much defended .293 Iuo Carnotensis of priestes chyldren to succede their fathers .313 Iohannes Genesius .185 b. 140. b. 175. c. Iohannes Cremensis .217 Iudges ecclesiasticall what they ought to be Fol. 17. pag. 1. a. Iustinian of bishoppes mariages .197 a. Irishe religion .344 Ireland kyng Henrie the seconde refourmed .345 Irelandes counsayle .345 K Kynges auctoritie leaf .4 pag. 1. c. Kyng Henrie sclaundered by Martin .53 b. Kyng Henrie dissolued not priestes mariages .197 c. Kynges auctoritie in dispensyng .234 Kyng Ethelwolfus first subdeacon and after maryed .272 b. Kynges sonne elect to the bishopricke of Lincolne .318 L Lanfranckes constitution .279 d. Lanfranckes nephewe abbot of S. Albons .280 Leo pope his dispensation .213 his moderation .270 c. 273. Licet et non licet howe to be taken .62 b. Libanius mutable in doctrine .195 a. Luther belyed by Martin .50 c. Lechery sometyme more priuileged then chastitie .272 Latro succeedyng in his fathers bishopricke .348 M Matrimonie the ordinaunce of God .1 a. Fol. 2. pag. 2. Fol. 3. pag. 1. b. the roote of mans felicitie .1 c. forbydden diuerslye .81 a. abhorde by the Maniches .81 c. falsly accused to encrease concupiscense .158 c. it is blessed with procreation of chyldren .159 b. sclaundered by foule names .164 c. but priestes maryages worse named .165 b. and only forbydden by humane lawe .251 b. Maryage permitted maketh fewer concubinaries .339 honorable in priestes by Iustinian .315 which geueth no libertie to lewdnes .339 seconde mariages of lay men more lawfull then honest .163 a. 250. c Maryed priestes recanted in Queene Maries tyme .169 b. Martin extreme Fol. b. pag. 2. b. his sclaunders pag. 28. a. his skyll in stories Rhethorike and Arithmaticke .190 b. 120. his fonde accomptyng .123 his argumentes vaine .184 a. Martine Poresius aloweth the popes dispensation to those that cannot conteyne .267 b. Magdalen colledge librarie hath Ignatius .118 b. Mawde kyng Henrie his first wyfe sclaundered .290 Michael Paleologus belyed .52 c. 56. b. Michael U●e .265 Miracles forged .311 Montanus and Nouatus condempnyng seconde maryages .72 c. Munkes and priestes do differ in profession .224 a. Munkes gouernyng dislyked .288.306 who wholly aduaunce them selues and depraue their princes .289.290 who only by pope Iohn are to be bishops 290. which first professe before consecratiō .291 Munkes why they dyd bewray their owne abuses .311 Munkes howe disordered against their archbishop .312 Moyses and Maximus maryed .245 b. Marie Magdalen maryed .348 N Nauclerus wrytyng of Hildebrande Fol. 15. pag. 2. b. Nazaries shauyng of their heere .111 b. Nestorius arrogancie .192 d. Notes of doctor Martins booke Fol. 5. pag. 2. b. Nubrigensis testimonie .333 Nestorius mutabilitie .194 b. Nazianzene Gregorie .341 O Orders takyng defeateth not mariage .227 a. Order howe it hath vowe annext .232 Origen bare with dispensations agaynst scripture .266 d. Origen corrupted for priestes mariages .106 a. Oth after orders takyng dissolueth not matrimonie folowyng .229 a. Otho Cardinall commyng into the Realme .325 Othoes constitution .330 Otho howe he was entertayned .326 Oxforde first buylded by Alured .273 a. P Paules place interpreted qui celebs est 339. d. Pastors fewe .20 pag. 2. b. Paphnutius sentence .34 d. 156. a. 58. a. 133. b. Paules place Propter fornicationem c. 138. a. 133. b. Paules place bonum est mulierem non tangere .138 a. Paules place Ter dominū Rogaui 147. Pastors reprehended .190 c. and charged to beare other mens infirmitie .191 a. Panormitans opinion .237.247 a. Paules place de doctrinis demoniorum .277 Pecchams constitution agaynst priestes chyldren .328 Peters wyfe .34 b. whom he dyd not put away .39 b. but had her about with hym .157.158 Petrus Cantor parisiensis of positiue iustice .98 a. Peters penurie .161 his daughter Petronel .162 b. Philosophers before baptime admitted to bishoprickes .274 Pighius leader to Martin