turne and casting away their wiues quas praeter ius The marriage of Priests against law and conscience faâ—que sibi copulauerant which against all law and conscience they had marryed they did marry others and bestowed all their tyme in gluttony drunkenes which the Bishop not enduring with the consent of King Edgar thrust them all out So he And were not these honest men indeed trow you worthy of M. Godwins prayse and compassion and how was their marriage then esteemed lawfull why by so learned and vertuous a man is tearmed to be against law and conscience which can be for no other reason then for the solemne vow of chastity annexed vnto their order 97. If from priuate authority we will draw this matter to more publicke we shall find that by S. Dunstane three Councells were called to wit at London VVinchester and Calne and this marriage coÌ„demned in them all Another CouÌ„cell was called after at VVinchester 1070. and the Marriage of Priests condemned by many Councells in England same againe renewed in the yeare 1102. S. Anselm called a Councell which was held at S. Peters Church in VVestminster that by the common consent of al the Bishops the Nobility King himselfe in which Councell the noble men also were present not as Iudges or dealers in Ecclesiasticall affayres nor yet out of any right or duety which they could claime in that Court Malmes l. de Pontif. Angliae in Anselmo Houeden Florentius Matt. Paris Matth. Vestmonaster in ann 1102. but as Malmesbury writteth Huic Conuentui affuerunt Archiepiscopo Anselmo petente à Rege Primates Regni c. At this assembly at the request of the Archbishop Anselme made to the King were present the noble men of the Kingdom that therby whatsoeuer should be decreed by the authority of the Councell might by the vniforme care solicitude of both orders be put in execution So he And of this Councell the decrees are extant in Malmesbury where touching this point by common agreement of all thus it was defined 98. That no Archdeacon Priest Deacon Chanon marry a wife or keep her whome he hath marryed and the same of a Subdeacon after his vow of chastity that a Priest as long as he keepeth vnlawfull company with a woman be not Legall nor say Masse nor if he do that his Masse be heard that none take Subdeaconship or any higher order without the vow of chastity that the children of Priests be not heirs of their Fathers Churches So there And six years after which was the last before his death he called another the Charter whereof is extant in Florentius and Houeden it beginneth thus Haec sunt statuta de Archidiaconibus Presbyteris Diaconious Subdiaconibus Canonicis in quocuÌ„que gradu constitutis c. These are the statutes which Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury and with him Thomas A famous Councell in which the King to wit Henry the first all the Bishops nobility were present the elect of Yorke and all the Bishops of England in the presence of our renowned King Henry with the assent of his Earles and Barons decree in the yeare of our Lord 1108. concerning Archdeacons Priests Deacons Subdeacons Canons of what degree soeuer So the inscription and for that the assembly was so great honourable and the decree so plaine and grounded on antiquity to which it doth appeale in the very entrance I haue thought it requisite heere entierly to insert it that it may also be extant in our English tongue Thus then it goes 99. It is decreed that Priests Deacons and Subdeacons do liue chastly haue no women in their houses besids their neerest kinsfolkes according to that which the holy Councell of Neece hath defined But such Priests Deacons Subdeacons as after the interdiction of the Councell of London immediatly before mentioned The strict decrees of the Coun-of LondoÌ„ against the incontinent Clergy haue kept their wiues or marryed others if they will any more say Masse let them put them away so far from them that neither the women enter into their houses nor they into the houses of the women neither let them purposely meet in any other house neither let such womeÌ„ dwel in the territory or precincts of the Church if vpon some iust occasion they must speake togeater let them speake without the dores before two witnesses but if by two or three lawfull witnesses or publike report of the parishioners any one shal be accused to haue transgressed this decree he shall purge himselfe by bringing six competent witnesses of his owne order if he be a Priest if he be a Deacon foure two if a Subdeacon and he who failes heerein shall be adiudged a transgressour of the sacred decree But such Priests as contemners of the diuine Altar and holy orders haue chosen rather to dwell with their women let them be remoued from their diuine office depriued of all Ecclesiastical liuing and being declared infamous be put out of that rancke or order but he who out of stubbornes and contempt shal not leaue his woman and shall presume to say masse if he be called to make satisfaction shall refuse to come let him be excommunicated The same declaratory sententence comprizeth all Archdeacons and Canons if by them the statutes be transgressed either of leauing their women or auoyding their dwelling with them or for the distriction of the censure againe all Archdeacons shal sweare that they shall take no bribes for permitting the transgression of this decree neither shall they suffer Priests whome they know to haue women to sing Masse or appoint their substitutes and the Deanes also shall sweare the same and the Archdeacon or Deane who shall refuse to sweare shall leese his Archdeaconry or Deanry But the Priests who shal resolue with themselus by leauing their women to serue God and the holy altars for forty dayes forbearing their office shall haue for that tyme their substitutes in which tyme such pennance shall be enioyned them as shall seeme fit to the Bishop to impose So far this Councell 100. I pretermit others of later tymes whereof one of them was called vnder this King Henry the first and in the same were present such Bishops as both Huntingdon and out of him verbatim trusty Roger his Eccho I meane Houeden say that they were Columna Regni radij sanctitatis hoc tempore The pillars of the Kingdome and Houeden anno 1175. shining beames of sanctity at this tyme and another vnder his Nephew the second Henry who was also present therin called by Richard of Canterbury both which were held at London and both condemned this incestuous mariage and the like did diuers others after these which are confessed by our Aduersaryes and need not heere to be alleadged for that which already hath beene sayd of the Councells of S. Dunstane in one of which was King Edgar and these others of S. Anselme with the other particuler testimonyes before
stout Prelate without any touch of disgrace in all that he writeth of him which had not beene spared had he found any thing in him that had beene lyable thereunto and Iohn Fox who â—lthough he speake well of few yet he out of others commendeth S. Anselme when he treateth of his election albeit afterwards he do discommend him euen for that for which by all S. DunstaÌ„ S. oswald S Ethelwolde other Authours of former ages he hath beene iudged most commendable 105. Of S. Dunstan Oswald and Ethelwolde we haue before spoken and VVilliam of Malmesbury is proâ—use in the prayse of ech of them a part in their liues and no meruaile for all three were very holy men and not only admired in England but reuerenced abroad and by the whole Church acknowledged for Saints of the first to wit S. Dunstane inough for this matter hath beene sayd aheady and of S. Oswald M. Godwin giueth him this Encomium be was very learned and left some testimonyes therof in writing not yet perished for the integrity also of his life and conuersation he was much reuerenced the greatest fault that I find in him is that he was very earnest in setting forth that doctrine of Diuells that debarreth men of lawfull marriage c. many miracles are reported to haue been done at his tombe in regard whereof the posterity would needs make him a Saint So he Of the third Matthew VVestminster sayth writing of his death Eodem anno S. Ethelwaldus migrauit ad Dominum In this yeare S. Ethelwald went to our Lord or departed this life this title of Saint is giuen him by all our writers of these tymes and M. Halls friend Henry Huntington Hunting l 5. in â—â—gar Houeder ibideâ—s much prayseth him saying that he was â—gregius Praesul aedificator sepium auertens semitas imquitatis plantans radices charitatis A worthy Prelate a builder vp of the hedges of vertue turning men from the paths of iniquity planting in them the root of charity and in fine of them all three Malmesbury writeth that Miâ—uâ—runt per Malmâ—s l. 2. de gestis Pontij 〈…〉 Angliam vt lumina crederes è â—aelo arridere â—ydera They shined ouer England as â—ights in so much as you would haue thought the stars to send their coÌ„fort from heauen So he And so much of these 106. But now for such Priests as had their Trulls if you looke into the monuments of antiquity The incontinent Clergy as the summ of the world coÌ„mended by none what memory or mention is made of them you shall either find nothing at all or that they were the very scumme and refuse of the Clergy and M. Hall hauing raked this impure dunghill could find but one only man to speake for him to wit Henry Huntington who yet hath but these words Hoc Concilium prohibuit vxores Sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas In Hunting in anno 1101. deliuering of which short sentence M. Hal maks vs three vntruths for thus he writeth Anselme sayth that Historian was the first that forbad marriage vnto the Clergy of England and this was about the yeare of our Lord 1080. til then euer free So M. Hall But by his leaue Huntington doth not say that S. Anselme was the first that forbad marriage to the Clergy for S. Dunstane had forbidden it more then a hundred years before againe this was not about the yeare of our Lord 1080. for Huntington himselfe expresly putteth it more then twenty yeares after and this yeare twice set down in the margent was more then twelue yeares before S. Anselme was Bishop or had any thing to do in England If he meane 1108. wherein as I confesse there was held a Councell so I deny that this can agree with Huntington who putteth it the next yeare after K. Henryes coronatioÌ„ which was in the year 1100. and lastly it is vntrue that marriage of Priestes till then was euer free for it is inough for the verifying of his words vnles M. Hall will haue him to contradict himselfe and all truth that in the trouble some tyme of VVilliam Conqueror and his sonne VVilliam Rufus who sold the Bishopricks of England for money the Priests had gotten this liberty which Commentary his words will well support for truly translated they are only these In this Councell S. Anselme prohibited wiues to English Priests before not prohibited for the word before may signify immediatly before in which tyme perhaps though they were not allowed yet the wickednes of that King weaknes of the Symoniacall Bishops wanting so long their Metropolitan and licentiousnes of the Clergy forced the better sort of Pastours to tolerate that which although they did condemne yet could not redresse 207. And this being the only witnes and he if he meane as M. Hall will haue him being Henry Huntingtons ill demeanour in his history taken tardy in his euidence and that both in respect of the tyme and matter for the first he putteth a yeare to soone and altogeather misreporteth the later his wordes in this matter cannot preiudice our cause vnles they were seconded by some better authority of more vpright and indifferent iudgment for this Henry was so far set on this marriage matter and to impugne the aduersaryes thereof as he seemeth quite to haue forgotten the law of a History which requireth all truth and integrity in the things related in both which this man was deficient for in all S. Dunstans life he neuer speaketh of this matter which yet was the chiefest matter of moment then debated and on the other side he commendeth him who opened the fluse to let out all this puddle of impurity amongst the Clergy I meane Edwyn elder Brother vnto King Edgar of whome our best Historiographers report much villany for which halfe his When by what occasion this licentious liberty entred into England Matth. VVestin anu 956. Kingdome was taken from him by the insurâ—ection of his subiects and giuen to his brother and as well for that as other misfortunes soone after dyed hauing raigned but foure yeares of whome as Stow well noteth is lest no honest memory vnles that which Matthew VVestminster writeth of him Cum annis quatuor libidinosè simul tyraÌ„nicè regnum depresâ—sset Anglorum iusto Dei iudicio desunctus c. After he had foure yeares lewdly and tyrannicall abused the Kingdome of England by Gods iust iudgment he dyed And consequently he was the fitter instrument to further theâ— filthines of this sacrilegious marriage of the Priests and Clergy For in his tyme besides the vsuall incursions of for rayne enemyes from abroad and ciuill warâ—s of subiects at home where one halfe of the Realme was in armes against the other and both out of order as it still happeneth in such occasions Frequentes lites sayth Osbert sediditiones nonnullae varij confliclus hominum Osbert in vita Dunstani suborti totam terram
Hier. l. 1. in Iouin sayth Vnius vxoris virunt qui vnam vxorem habuerit non habeat The husband of one wife who hath had one wife not he that hath her that is none is to be made Bishop who hath beene twice marryed or who yet vseth his wife in matrimony but he who hauing beene once marryed purposeth to liue in perpetuall continency Episcopi sayth he Presbyteri Diaconi aut Virgines eliguntur aut vidui aut certè post sacerdotium Apologia ad Pammach in fine in eternum pudiâ—i Bishops Priests Deacons are either chosen virgins or widdowers or certes after their priesthood such as for euer are continent So he 32. Againe he sayth Non enim dicit eligatur Episcopus qui vnam ducat vxorem sed qui vnam habuerit vxorem S. Paul sayth not let a Bishop be chosen who may marry one wife but who hath had one wife and this for the cleanes required in the Episcopall and Priestly functions as els where he declareth saying Si indignè accipiunt mariti non mihi irascantur sed Scripturis sanctis c. Apol. ad Pammach If marryed folkes take it ill that I preferre virgins so much before them let them not be angry with me but with the holy Scriptures yea with the Bishops Priests and Deacons with all the priestly and leuiticall quier who know that they cannot offer vp sacrifices if they attend to the duty of marriage So S. Hierome Hieron in Vigilant And against Vigilantius as though he had seene as it were in that roote the progeny of our marryed Bishops in England and ordering of Ministers who should charge all the parish Churches with their plentifull offspring he cryeth out Prohnefas Episcopos sui sceleris dicitur habere consortes c. O villany Vigilantius is sayd to haue Bishops partakers of his wickednes if they be to be named Bishops who order not their Deacons till they haue marryed wiues mistrusting the chastity of single men or rather shewing of Note this M. Hall what holines they are themselues who suspect ill of all and minister not the Sacraments of Christ till they see the wiues of Clergy men great with child and yong babes crying in their armes So he speaking in the person of Vigilantius to all our English Clergy who suspect that none can liue chast and therefore will haue all to marry to auoyd forsooth this idle impossibility 33. With S. Hierome agree in this exposition S. Augustine and S. Epiphanius and assigne also the same reason to wit the purity required De boro coniugali cap. 18. in Priests Clergy men Non absurdè est sayth S. Augustine eum qui excessit vxorum numerum singularem c. Not without cause hath it beene esteemed that he who hath exceeded the singular number of wiues should not therby be thought to haue committed any sinne but to haue lost a certayne dâ—cency required to the Sacrament not necessary to the merit of good life but to the Epiphan haeres 59. It is against the ancient Canons that Priests should marry seale of Ecclesiasticall ordination So he with more to the same effect And S. Epiphanius non suscipit sancta Dei praedicatio post Christi aduentum eos c. The holy doctrine of God after the comming of Christ admitteth not those who after one marriage death of their wiues do marry againe and that for the excellent honour and dignity of Priesthood and this the holy Church of God receaueth with all sincerity yea she doth not receaue the once marryed person that yet vseth his wife and begetteth children but only such a one she taketh to be a Deacon Priest Bishop or Subdeacon as abstayneth from his wife or is a widdower specially where the holy Canons are sincerely kept So he and I see not how possibly he could haue spoken more plainely for vs or we for our selues 34. S. Ambrose both in his commentary els where is no lesse cleare and resolute in this point then the former quamuis secundam habere vxorem c. although sayth he it be not forbidden Ambr. in 2. ad Tim. 3. to marry the second wife yet that one may be worthy to be a Bishop he must leaue his lawfull wife for the excellency of that order because he must be better then others who desire that dignity So he And in another place refelling as it were of purpose the opinion of S. Hierome who held that marriage before Baptisme Hier. ep ad Ocean did not hinder but that if a man tooke another wife after as Carterius whom he defendeth did he might notwithstanding his wife marryed after baptisme being also dead be made Priest restrayning bigamy to the second marriage Ambros l. 3. ep 25. edit Vaticanae ad Ecclesiam Vercellensem idem habetur l. 1. officioruÌ„â— vltimo of the faithful only S. Ambrose hereunto replyeth Quisine crimine est vnius vxoris vir teneatur ad legem sacerdotij suscipiendi c. Let him be preferred to priesthood who is without fault the husband of one wife he that hath marryed the second tyme hath no fault by which he is defiled but he is excluded from the prerogatiue of a Priest So he and addeth the Fathers in the Nicen Councell to haue decreed none to be admitted at al into the Clergy after the second marriage 35. And because S. Hierome vrged that all faults by the force and vertue of Baptisme were remitted and so the first marriage by the same either to be taken away if it were a sinne or cleansed if impure he answereth heereunto Culpa lauacro non lex soluitur c. The fault is forgiuen in baptisme the law not dissolued there is no fault in wedlocke but there is a law for priesthood the law is not remitted as a fault but remaines as a law therefore the Apostle made a law saying if any be faultes the husband of one wife So S Ambrose demanding in the same place this question which I likewise demand of M. Hall and all his marryed bretheren in England Quid interesset inter populum Sacerdotem The liues of Priests ought to be more pure then the liues of secular men si ijsdem adstringerentur legibus What difference should there be between Priest people if they should follow the same lawes if both should marry and both liue a like truly none at al and yet as this Father sayth Debet praeponderare vita Sacerdotis sicut praeponderat gratia The life of the Priest ought to be more eminent as his calling is more high and M. Hall as though he acknowledged no purity out of wedlocke or as though all that preferred continency were impure addeth after this testimony of the Apostle that one Ibidem word alone shall confirme me against all impure mouthes but if S. Ambrose had beene his Bishop he would haue taught him better to haue vnderstood the Apostle and to haue
1. demonst Euang. cap. ◠title of his booke Eusebius doth demonstrate saying of the Iewish Priests in respect of ours remissiorem atque liberaliorem vitam agebant they liued a more easy and free life and the strictnes was only in the multitude and manner of their cerimonyes not in the perfection of their liues as M. Hall doth seeme very fondly to imagine Chrys 3. d◠sacerdotio ho. 14. in ep ad Hebraeos 44. To confirme this matter and to ouerthrow vs by our owne Authors he bringeth in the testimonyes of a Cardinall of Gratian of Pope Pius 2. speaking in his behalfe and for the first he magnifyeth him very much and craueth audience for him Let Cardinall Panormitan sayth he be heard to speake And then hauing cited a short sentence to no purpose a little after he cryeth out Heare o yee Papists the iudgment of your owne Much foolish impertinent babling Cardinall confesse your mouthes stopped And hauing cited the words of Panormitan againe he braueth and demands is this a Cardinall thinke you or a Hugonot but if his red hat be not worthy of respect c. To answere first vnto his last question I say that Panormitan was neither Cardinall nor Hugonot but dyed in the schisme that was made against Eugenius the fourth and albeit Felix the false Pope made him Cardinall yet did the sayd Felix renounce his falsely vsurped Popedome and so as some write would Panormitan haue done also his counterfet Cardinallship if he had not been preuented by death before he could effect it 45. So as we respect not the red hat nor wil heare him speake as a Cardinall much lesse will we acknowledge him for our Cardinall vnles he had come to that dignity by better meanes then he did and as well may M. Hall tell vs that Panormitan M. Halls Cardinal hath nothing against vs. the Protestant Bishops of England be our true Bishops as that this Abbot was our true Cardinall for we belieue both the one other alike knowing full well their ordinations to haue beene either schismaticall or hereticall notwithstanding seeing M. Hall doth request vs to fauour him so far we are content to heare him speake for that now he stands with his hat of and to tell vs that continency is not of the substance of the order nec deiure diuino nor annexed by diuine law And this we will not only heare him speake but graunt him also taking the diuine law as he taketh it for that which is expresly determined in Scriptures where we also say there is no euident precept set downe of continency in Ecclesiasticall men by the Apostles yet is the same there so insinuated the obseruance hath beene so ancient as Bellarmine noteth that it may truly be tearmed Apostolicall which is all that we require and is not gaine sayd by Panormitan 46. And whereas he alleadgeth Gratian in this manner And Gratian out of S. Augustine yet more their marriage sayth he is neither forbidden by legall nor Euangelicall nor Apostolicall authority I must A grosse vntruth make bold to tell him that in these words is a very grosse vntruth for Gratian taketh nothing out of S. Augustine who in the text of Gratian speaketh no more of mariage then of midsomer Moone for the difficulty in that question is about lotts whether the practise of casting them in any matter of moment be lawfull seeing the same was vsed in the detection of Achan and election Iosue 7. Act. 1. of S. Matthias to which end he quoteth this short sentence of S. Augustine Sors non aliquid mali est sed res est in dubitatione humana diuinam indicans voluntatem A lot is no ill thing but it is a thing shewing where men do doubt the will or pleasure of God So much out of him and no more which as you see nothing at all concerneth the marriage of Ministers and the wordes which follow are of Gratian himselfe deciding the controuersy thus His ita respondetur antequam claresceret Euange ium multa permittebantur quae tempore persectionis disciplinae penitus sint eliminata c. To these thus I answere that before the manifestation of the Ghospell many things were permitted which in the tyme of more perfect discipline were quite abrogated for the carnall copulation of Priests or kinsfolkes permitted in the old law is not forbidden by any legall Euangelicall or Apostolicall authority Ecclesiastica tamen lege penitus interdicitur sic sortibus c. But yet by Ecclesiastical law it is altogeather forbidden Two faults of M. Hal in one citation so likewise in lots it is cleare that there is no harme in them notwithstanding they are forbidden to be vsed of the faythfull least vnder the colour of this diuination they should fall backe againe to the old worship of Idolatry Thus Gratian which as you see is no more then Panormitan before sayd we graunted touching the diuine law but touching M. Hall there are two foule faults in this citation the one of commission in auouching both in the English text and Latin margent these words to be taken out of S. Augustine the other of omission in concealing the marriages of kinsfolkes within the prohibited degrees which although only forbidden by Ecclesiasticall law yet dares not M. Hall as I thinke transgresse it so as this law hath greater force then he supposeth it to haue 47. Neither doth the demaund he maketh much moue vs vnles it be to laughter for his folly or compassion of his simplicity when he asketh vs saying God neuer imposed this law of continency An idle demand who then the Church as if a good spouse would gainesay what her husband willeth To which idle question I answere that this Spouse cannot gainesay what her husband willeth because she hath his spirit to leade her into al truth his promise that Hell gates shall neuer preuaile against her Matth. 16. his command that all shall obey her or be held as Heathens and Publicans she is espoused to him who neuer dyes who will neuer seeke diuorce she is so beautifull as without spot so bright as all may see her so sure as she is the piller and foundation of truth so permanent as she shall endure to the worlds end and this minister who would make the one to gainesay the other should bring some place or sentence to shew the same which he may chance to do the next morning after the Greeke Calends or els neuer auouch so vnchrhristian a paradoxe I passe ouer his other passage of Panormitan with which he would haue vs confesse our mouthes stopped as though this man alone were Apollo Delphicus and euery thing he sayth were to be held for an oracle we tye not our selues to euery mans opiniō for that were to preiudice publicke authority the common is Catholike priuate iudgments are subiect to more then priuate exception this sentence is censured by
were Bishops which is our controuersy and we both say and proue that for euer they were diuorced from them and liued in perpetuall continency apart this M. Hall should infringe and not produce some few marryed Bishops of the Primitiue Church few in number and ordered for the most part after the death of their wiues or if before yet were these Bishops dead to them because touching al coniugal dutyes they ceased to be their husbands 29. And this was so knowne so confessed so vncontrolled a truth that the first enemy and impugner of Clericall continency could not deny it and therefore S. Hierome boldly sayd vnto him Iouinian I meane Certè confiter is non posse Hier. l. 1. in Iouin esse Episcopum qui in Episcopatu filios faciat alioquin si deprehensus fuerit non quasi vir tenebitur sed quasi adulter damnabitur Doubtles thou dost confesse that he cannot be a Bishop who begets children in that state for if he be taken in the manner he shall not be reputed as a husband but condemned for an adulterer So S. Hierome and so plainly Baro. tom 1. ann 58. Basil ep 17 in addit as you see he pleadeth for vs that his wordes refuse all commentary and refute M. Halls contradiction and practise S. Basil writing to one Peragorius an old Priest rebuketh him sharply for taking his Presbiteram she-priest or wife into his house vpon perswasion that his great age would take away all suspition of incontinency and threatens excommunication vnles forthwith he dismissed her vrging the obseruance of the Nicen Canon and if this were not permitted vnto a Priest much lesse vnto a Bishop 30. But what need we stand vpon threats where exampls are not waÌ„ting of sharp punishments inflicted on Bishops either by themselues The pennance which Vrbicus Bishop of ClaramoÌ„t did for knowing his wife after that he was made Bishop or others for transgressed continency and that euen with their wiues of either kind I will alleadge one for the former of a Bishop who liued with S. Basil or soone after called Vrbicus The story is related by Gregorius Turonensis who writeth how this man of a Senatour before was made of the Cleargy and after the death of Stremonius whome he succeeded Bishop of Claramont his wife all this while being aliue but after the Canonicall custome separated from him Vxorem habens sayth the Author quae iuxta consuetudinem Ecclesiasticam remota à consortio sacerdotis religiose Greg. Turonen l. 1. Histor Fran. cap. 44. viuebat Hauing a wife which according to the Ecclesiasticall custome religiously liued apart from the company of the Priest whome as the weaker vessel the Diuel tempting to returne to her husband againe so far preuailed as she also tempted the Bishop but not without a Text of Scripture of the Diuels prompting reuertimini ad alterutrum ne tentet vos Satanas returne to ech other least Sathan tempt you and with often importunate recourse made him releÌ„t from that Ecclesiasticall vigour which should haue beene in one of his ranke and calling and yield to her desire But what did he thinke it lawful did he plead M. Halls impossible necessity or the posse nosse of the old Germans No such matter But ad se reuersus de perpetrato scelere condoâ—ens acturus poenitentiam Diecaesis suae Monasterium expetit ibique cum gemitu lachrimis quae commiserat diluens ad vrbem propriam est reuersus Entring into himselfe and repenting for the wicked fact he had done went to a Monastry of his diocesse to do pennance and there with sighs and teares blotting out the offences he had committed returned to his owne towne So this Author 31. And in this one example two thinges are very remarkable and cleerly conclude for vs Ecclesiasticall men liued apart from their wius vowed chastity in this behalfe first that the Ecclesiasticall custome was that when any was made Bishop if he were a marryed man his wife was to liue apart from him and secondly that both were bound to keep perpetuall chastity and neuer to claime any more matrimoniall dutyes one of the other and this later is gathered by necessary and ineuitable deduction for els why doth he cal it a wicked fact why did he do pennance for it if no prohibition entred no sinne was committed they remayning lawfull wife and husband as before which example alone is so hard a bone for M. Hall to gnaw vpon as he shall neuer be able to rid himselfe handsomely thereof being so ancient sheweth what wiues the Bishops had and what liberty in vsing them was allowed in those dayes if our Superintendents and Ministers of England had no more this controuersy had neuer byn raised but then were other tims other lawes other Bishops other beliefe 32. And least M. Hall obiect that this pennance was voluntary and proceeded of the too much scrupulosity of this Prelate let vs see another A notable example of the pennance Canonically imposed on Genebaldus for knowing his wife after that he was made Bishop of Laudun wherein by Canonical sentence and iudiciall seuerity it was inioyned Genebaldus Bishop of Laudune as Hinckmarus Archbishop of Rhemes in the life of S. Remigius reporteth being marryed vnto the Neece of the sayd Saint betaking himselfe to a religious life left her to whome he was marryed and not long after was made Bishop of Laudune and consecrated by S. Remigius himselfe but by the frequent recourse of his wife to him was tempted in the end yielded and knew her carnally againe whome for the attaining of spirituall perfection he had forsaken but Gods cals were not wanting to reclaime him nor he to Gods calls to returne backe from his errour wherefore sending for S. Remigius casting himselfe at his feet with many tears deplored his offence and that with such vehemency as he was checked for his so deep distrust which seemed to draw to despaire or to diminish that confidence which all sinners though neuer so great ought to haue in the abundant mercy of our most louing Redeemer if they be truely repentant 33. Notwithstanding this his griefe so excessiue yet did this his Metropolitan put him to S. Remigius dyed anno 545. seue repennance made him a little lodg to lye in with a bed in manner of a sepulcher with very narrow winddowes a little Oratory or praying place and therein shut him vp sealing fast the dore for seauen years togeather in which obscure den he did lead a most strict penitentiall life in so much as the same Author who is both graue and ancient relateth that at the end of the seauenth yeare when on the Wednesday in the holy week before Easter he had watched all the night in Prayer and with tears bewailed his offence he was comforted by an Angell and aduertised that his prayers were heard his pennance was accepted and the sinne forgiuen so was deliuered from
reproach yea following the rule of S. Bernard we draw from your wicked wordes flowing out of the malignant rancour which aboundeth in your hart the contrary perswasioÌ„ to that which you pretend for as he very truly obserueth Non potest bonus non esse qui bonis placet nec Bernard epist 24â— minùs validum argumentum mihi videtur quòd bonus sit si malis è regione despliceat He cannot but be good who contenteth the good and it is with me no lesse forcible an argument that he is likewise good if on the other side he displease those who be bad So S. Bernard Wherefore when you charge Popes with incontinency all Priests with treasons the like we find that good men loue them the better for your hatred and in many things we say of you and yours as S. Augustin of Herod in respect of the infants he slew in and about Bethleem Plùs prosuit odio quà m prosuisset obsequio He did them more good by his hatred then he could haue done by his fauour so in the later accounting day these ranke breaths patiently endured will not want their euer enduring rewards as he hath promised who cannot deceaue vs and your persecutions in the end will crown the sufferers with the stole of immortality 39. And by this occasion to speake of this present Pope Paulus the fifth and that not for receaued courtesies for I neuer in respect of my The singular continency of this present Pope selfe haue had farthing of him or expected hops for I pretend nothing much lesse for flattery which I abhorre and where I neuer seeke to be beholding why should I flatter but only and meerely for truth and loue of the vertue of purity which I admire which in all the course of his life hath beene in him most resplendent We see Princes faults to be more conspicuous then other mens by reason of their place wherby they are made the coÌ„tinual obiect of curious eyes and ordinary subiect of licentious tongues because men soone espy easily speak of what Princes do but such is the integrity of this worthy Pastour and hath euer beene in the whole course of his life as euen those who yet in other things little affect him neuer speake but with admiration of his chastity which none more commend then those who most know the man and my selfe haue heard diuers meruaile at the vniforme constant singular opinion which all men haue of his purity of life and how that euen from his infancy he neuer hath yet had the least stayne or touch of contrary imputation therefore this malicious aspersion might well haue beene spared of spurious sonnes of the Bishops of Rome in these dayes which only concerneth your Superintendents of England of whose impurity we want nor certayne records which vpon these iniurious slanders we may perhaps be moued to set forth which els euen for very shame and credit of our nation we could haue beene contented to conceale 40. The third vntruth and that a very grosse one is that many Bishops of Rome lawfully begot in wedlocke followed their Fathers in the Pontificall chayre For in this Chaffe in Gratian we find but one named A notorious lye that in these words Siluerius Papa filius Silueriâ—â— piscopi Romae Siluerius the Pope son of Siluerius the Bishop of Rome how then doth this man tell vs out of Gratian of many Bishops of Rome following their Fathers in the Pontificall chayre What Hyperbolicall manner of speach is this to make one only man and his sonne to be many fathers and many sonnes doth this man heed what he writeth Nothing lesse for such is his stupidity as looking with bleare eyes he not only taketh one man for many but is mistaken also in that very one and thinketh that to be which is not all for who euer heard of a second Siluerius Pope of Rome What record or mention is there thereof Truely non at all suppose there had beene yet would it not haue followed I trow that he had begot that child whiles he was either Pope or Priest which as I must often tell him is our only question 41. And the weaknes of this citation would haue appeared the better if M. Hâ—ll had but alleadged the Canon it selfe and the first Pope named in that Catalogue which had been inough to haue shamed all for thus it begins Osius Papa fuit filius Stephani Subdiaconi Osius the Pope was son M. Halls strange Steuen the Subdeacon of Steuen the Subdeacon But who euer heard of a Pope Osius let M. Hall read ouer all the row of Popes from S. Peter to Paul who now siteth in the chayre and he shall find no such name and his Father seemeth to be some indiuiduum vagum Steuen a Subdeacon in the ayre for of what place or whose Subdeacon he was he sayth nothing and it should seem this Subdeacon Steuen was a very charitable man a friend to orphans and father of the fatherles for Deusdedit the Pope wanting as is should seeme a Father this Steuen steppeth in againe and standeth for his Father also Doubtles he was husband to Pope Ioan that could beget Popes so fast and I wish that when any of your frinds M. Hall print that table againe to put downe this particuler which will much grace the whole tale and you may if you list the better to please fooles follow your Father Fox in giuing her a picture betweene her two sonnes Popes Osius Deusdedit but to leaue these toyes and to end this matter 42. Only the Reader must further note that this Palea to make vp a full number being as it M. Halls Chasse of small memory seemeth of a short memory telleth the same men ouer twice for so he dealeth with Felix whom he putteth in the third place who is brought in againe vnder the name of Felix the third which addition of number might haue beene put as well in the first place because the thing only agreeth vnto the third Felix and none of the rest for the Father of the first was Constantius of the second Anastasius and likewise Agapitus named in the fourth place is numbred and named againe in the last to make vp the score and the Father of Gelasius the first of that name made Bishop of a lay man such graue Authors doth M. Hall produce against vs and supposing all were true yea and that they had been many yet he might haue had the answere vnto them all where he borrowed the obiection for the glosse explicateth the Text saying Omnia ista exempla intellige de ij c. Vnderstand al these examples of them who were borne of their parents being in the state of lay men or the lesser Orders when they might lawfully vse their wiues And what is this to M. Halls purpose what doth this proue against vs 43. You will say that this Author ingenuously as M. Hall sayth doth render
incōtinent Clergy men of Germany though liuing in the same age yet neuer mentioned S. Vdalricks epistle beene concealed but againe and againe beene produced insisted on and vrged to the vttermost 30. Or in case there had then been so smal intercourse betweene England and Germany as in more then ten or twelue yeares a matter of this brute and fame should be written in one Countrey and nothing thereof heard of or known in the other our Kings at that tyme being of the Saxon race yet how came it to passe that in the tyme of Henry the fourth Emperour when this practise was by him permitted and the Priests no lesse insolent then against the impugners of their incontinency then our Ministers are eager now for their wiues in two Synods one at Erphorde 1074. and the other the next yeare after at Mentz to omit other combats against Gregory the seauenth all which happened within the compasse of one age after S. Vdalricke how came it I say to passe that none of these Germā Priests could find this letter or so much as giue any notice therof especially Auspurg it self being taken by that wicked Emperour rifeled by the souldiers and razed to the ground No man there is which seeth not what aduantage they had gotten thereby and the thing hapning in their owne Countrey could not but haue beene knowne to some or other if not to all of that incontinent company and so many fauourers of theirs writing for them against the Pope some one or other had registred it in their behalfe which yet hitherto was neuer done and the Emperour would haue been most glad to haue had such a record to haue vexed the Pope withall and checked his decree in case any such had beene knowne or heard of in his dayes In the tyme of S. Vdalricke there was no controuersy in Germany about the marriage of Priests 31. Againe in all the tyme that S. Vdalricke was Bishop no Pope euer had any occasion to deale or treat of this point in Germany and nothing was euer done therin by any vnder whom he liued which were diuers for he was Bishop fifty yeares and many Popes in that time liued but two or three some not so much but one yeare only so as there was no cause why any such decree should be made or thought vpon or that such a letter should be written for all the variance that was in his tyme about the marriage of Priests was in England only where three yeares before the Saints death a Councell was held and the decrees which were made against the incontinent by all the Bishops of the whol land assembled about the same were after sent vnto Pope Iohn the 13. who confirmed them wherof the chiefest was that either they should put their women from them or themselues be put from their Ecclesiasticall possessions which nothing concerned S. Vdalricke and by all likely hood he neuer so much as heard thereof and if on this occasion he had written this letter to Nicholas the first it had byn of a very stale date to wit of more then a hundred years after that Pope his death 32. And as these things demonstrate S. Huldericke not to haue beene the writer so if we a little examine what is written the contents I S. Huldericks letter against the Protestants meane of this letter we shall find how far it is from all learning wit and truth as no man would offer to be cast in his cause therein vnles it be some out-cast indeed that careth for neither cause credit or conscience at all for to omit Supemacy that this letter acknowledgeth the Popes Supremacy against all Protestants and band of obseruing the vows of such as haue vowed continency against M. Hall for of the first the Authour sayth I doubted what the members of the body should do their head being so greatly out of frame for what can be more grieuous or more to be lamented touching the state of the Church then for you being the Bishop of the principall Sea to whome appertayneth the regiment of the whole Church to swarue neuer so little out of the right way So he And yet this now in England is treason by Parlament to say I meane that the Bishop of Rome is head Vowes of chastity to be obserued supreme Gouernour of the whole Church which heere as you see by this graue and learned authour as M. Fox calleth him is so plainly confessed of the other also thus truth it selfe speaking of continency not of one only but of all togeather the number only excepted of them which haue professed continency sayth he that can take let him take Which exception ouer throweth M. Hals impossible necessity togeather with the doctrin of their Church where the practical exposition of the former words is the Fryer or Priest that can take a Nunne to his wife let him take her and that without any exception at all 33. To omit this I say what a grosse and palpable vntruth is that which the Authour auerreth against such as vrged the testimony of A notorious lye in the counterfeit epistle of S. Huldrick S. Gregory for the continency of Clergy men when he sayth whose temerity I laugh at and ignorance I lament for they know not being ignorantly deceaued how dangerously the decree of this heresy was being made of S. Gregory who afterwards well reuoked the same with condigne fruit of repentance But this reuocatory decree this repentance or that the continency of Priests was an heresy in S. Gregoryes opinion are no lesse monstrous then malicious assertions neuer knowne or heard of til this letter came forth or recorded by any for the space of more then nyne hundred yeares after S. Gregoryes death that euer we can read of and so much being written of his life by Ioannes Diaconus by S. Bede Ado Freculphus and others that this by them al should be forgotten which hapned vpon so remarkable an occasion as neuer the like before or since hath euer hapned is a thing that exceeds my capacity to conceaue or any man els of iudgment to imagine and if such rotten rags may be once admitted for solid arguments there is no ground so sure but will soone be shaken and all proofs from authority will be quite taken away for any light head may soone frame more of these fictions then there are heads feigned to haue beene found in S. Gregoryes pond 34. And wheras the Councell of Rome before S. Gregory still vrged the continency of the Clergy cyted was held not long before his death in which it is decreed that if any Priest or Deacon marry a wise he be accursed And of Subdeacons he so often had determined that they should not marry nor be marryed when they were made and that no women should dwell with Priests but such as the Canons allow it well sheweth Greg. l. 1. ep 42. l. 3. ep 5. 34. l. 7. ep 112.
speach as euen in that very Countrey there wanted not those who did both honour and reuerence him and that not particuler persons alone as Lambertus other learned and vertuous men but whose cittyes and states as Auspurg Saxony c. and out of Germany all honoured him as a most worthy zealous Bishop and Malmesbury our best and Marian. Sco. lib. 3. Chron. most incorrupt writer after S. Bede doth neuer mention him but with honour or his Aduersaryes without touch of disgrace and of this particuler decree thus S. Anselme wrot in England Anselm ep 8. in edit verò Coloniensi anni 1612. epist 56. De Presbyteris verò qui se apertè reproba libidinis conuersatione Deo reprobabiles exhibent c. Of the Priests who by their wicked lustful conuersation make themselues reprobate before God that without question is to obserued which the Apostolicall prouidence to wit of Gregory the seauenth for that title is giuen to the Popes decree as successour to the chiefe Apostle S. Peter by Ecclesiasticall and iust rigour hath determined to wit that it is no way conuenient that there the people should reuerently attend where the Priests stubbornly stincking with open and impudent leachery coÌ„temning God his Saints do serue at the Altars yea they do not serue at the altars but defile themselues So S. Anselme who was so far as you see from iudging this fact of Gregory to be Antichristian as he condemneth the incontinent Priests and commended the Apostolicall prouidence togeather with the Ecclesiasticall and iust rigour of this constant vertuous and most zealous Pastour 72. And in Italy Godesridus Viterbiensis sayth the same and recounteth the fact with honour Gregorius sayth he Papa coÌ„nubia Clericorum à Subdiaconatu supra per totum orbem Romanum edicto decretali in eternum prohibuit ac seipsum athletam Dei pro domo Domini murum constituit Pope Gregory by a decretal edict did for euer forbid the marriage of Clergy men throughout all the Roman state or Latin Church from the Subdeacon vpward and made himselfe Gods champion and a wall for the house of our Lord. So he And heer also we see no such ringing of this Pope for Antichrist but great prayse and commendation of him that euen for this fact of restrayning the loose Clergy by canonicall censures and deposition 73. In Germany diuers there were who not only much commended Pope Gregory but also approued this particuler prohibition as Lambertus who then liued and of all others was most punctuall and lesse partial in setting down all the particulers of that bitter contention and of Priests wiues thus writeth Hildebrandus Papa cum Episcopis Italiae conueniens c. Hildebrand the Pope togeather with the Bishops of Italy had in diuers Synods decreed that according to the order of ancient Canons Priests haue no wiues and such as haue that eyther they dismisse them or be deposed neyther that any at all be admitted to Priesthood who professeth not perpetual continency and single life So he And this was the common sense opinion and iudgment of all the learned at that tyme as appeareth by Nauâ—lerus who setteth downe the same wordes Pasciâ—ulus tempoâ—t m. VVerneri Bertholdus Constan in Chron. Otho Eâ—isingen l. 6. alij and approueth them and the like touching the allowance of the Popes decree do the German Authours heere cyted and diuers others which I omit 74. It followeth in M. Halls words At the Councell of VVormes the French and German Bishops deposed this Gregory So he But there was no true Councell no French Bishops no deposition at all No Councell for that it was of the Emperours No french Bishops in the Councell of Wormes calling and that not only without all order of the supreme Pastour but of purpose to crosse and contradict him for hauing consulted the matter with his Nobility and hauing heard the answere and resolution of Gregory that either he should dismisse the Bishops he kept in prison with restitution of their goods and call a Councell in some place wherein the Pope himselfe might be present or els to be excommunicated he searing himselfe and well knowing his actions to such as if they had byn brought in that open theater of the whol world to publike tryall that no other effect could ensue but his euerlasting shame and disgrace was perswaded to preuent one Councell by calling another a true Generall by a false National to couer his owne foule deeds began to forge others as foule on the Pope partly touching his life which as Lambertus noteth was so inculpable so Saintlike as no aspersion could sticke on him of their iniuriously deuised slaunders but especially touching his election which although it were most canonicall as is to be seen in Platina and others and wholy against the inclination of Gregory himselfe elected yet were they not ashamed to charge him with ambition and to haue gotten the place by bribes and simony and vpon this false ground all were compelled in that Councell to sweare and subscribe to a renunciation of that Pope his authority the forme of which is set downe in the Saxon history before mentioned 75. And whereas M. Hall sayth the French and German Bishops in that Councell deposed Gregory I answere him that no French Bishops were called none were present but such only who were immediatly subiect vnto the Emperour as the Bishop of Metz a Dutch man and Treuers which are Imperiall cittyes Omnes quâ— in Regno suo essent Episcopos sayth Lambertus Abbates VVormatiae Dominica Septuagesima conuenire praecepit He commanded all the Bishops Abbots of his owne Countrey not of France to meet togeather at VVormes and the number assembled well sheweth that they were all of Germany or the adioyning territoryes of the Emperour there being but foure and twenty Bishops â—n all that assembly as both Sigebert and Marianus Scotus who then liued do recount the Bishop of Mentz in particuler was so far from approuâ—ing the fact of the other schismatical Bishops â—s he togeather with the Bishop of VVirtzburg or Herbipolis did openly withstand it saying that it was against the Canons that any Bishop being absent without a generall Councell without lawful accusers without competent witnes without euiction of the things obiected should be coÌ„demned much lesse that the chiefe Bishop and Pastour of the whole Church against whome no accusation of any Bishop or Archbishop whatsoeuer is to be admitted should in that manner be dealt with all So these Bishops 76. But what as in the infamous Ephesine The Ephesine Councell called by Dioscorus the Eutichian Patriarke of Alexandria Councell called by the diuelish deuises of Dioscorus the Eutichian Patriarke where swordes and clubs more preuayled then truth or learning through the violence of Theodosius the yonger this his champion Dioscorus force made the fearfull to yield their hands to that which their harts did abhorre
bitter combat and so to conclude the matter we see M. Hall in 12. Ten lyes in twelue lines lines to haue told vs no lesse then ten vntruths as 1. That the better sort approued not Gregoryes doings 2. That the Churches did ring of him ech were for Antichrist 3. That at the Councell of VVorms the French Bishops deposed him 4. That he was therein deposed 5. That the cause of this imaginary deposition was for separating man and wife 6. That violence did this 7. That the debaring of Priests wiues was not done by reason 8. That the will of God was not sought therein 9. That all was done by the Popes willfullnes 10. That the broyles betweene the Emperour and the Pope were on this occasion In fine euery thing he speaketh in this matter is a lye 85. At the end of the Epistle M. Hall as a The controuersy is treated whether euer our English Clergy were permitted to haue wiue and not rather to vow perpetuall continency man weary of his trauells abroad returneth home to England and leauing Aegypt Greece Italy and Germany he lands at length at Canterbury and tells vs of the bickering of our English Clergy with their Dunstanes which about this tyme were memorable in our owne history which teach vs how late how repiningly how vniustly they stooped vnder this yoke and for further proofe he sendeth his simple Reader to Bale and Fox two graue Authours scilicet that in case he haue not deceaued him inough there he may be gulled and glutted to the full and to these two Authours cyted in the text he addeth two other in the margent of as much estimation as the former to wit Henry of Huntingdon and Fabian both affirming S. Anselme to be the first who forbad marriage to the Clergy of England and that about the yeare of our Lord 1080. and the same for the yeare sayth foolish Fabian a man too simple God wot to be cyted in so serious a matter 86. Heere befor I go further I must needs let you vnderstand how strongly the text and A grosse contradiction between the text and margent of M. Hall margent of this man do contradict ech other and both of them do conteyne very grosse vntruths for without them M. Hall can do nothing the contradiction resteth in this that in the text S. Dunstane had great bickerings about the marriage of the Clergy and by his withstanding the same M. Hall is taught how late how repiningly how vniustly the Clergy stooped vnder this yoke of single life but in the margent it is sayd that S. Anselme was the first that forbad marriage to the Clergy of England and this as M. Hall telleth vs about the yeare of our Lord 1080. Was there euer man in a dreame could tell thinges lesse coherent or more repugnant and contradictory the one to the other then these For S. Dunstane dyed in the yeare 988. and S. Anselme was not made Bishop vntill the yeare 1093. which is more then a hundred yeares after so as if the margent be true of S. Anselme the text is false of S. Dunstane and if S. Dunstane made this opposition more then a hundred yeares before S. Anselmes tyme then are M. Halls two witnes togeather with his own glosse taken tripping in a lye who will haue it to haue beene first commenced by S. Anselme Was M. Hall in his wits when he made this marginall nore to his text or talking with his wife of some other thing Surely he was somewhat distracted and little attended to what he wrote 87. And indeed the text is more true then the margent for S. Dunstane no lesse eagerly pursued The marriage of Priests coÌ„demned by S. Dunstane long befor S. Anselm his tyme. this matter then S. Anselme and his decrees are no lesse generall for all no lesse seuere for penalty no lesse efficacious for redresse then the others made after neither was he alone for with him in this matter stood S. Ethelwold of VVinchester and S. Oswald of VVorcester of which three glorious Saints and renowned Pastours Malmesbury sayth Ita his tribus viris agentibus quasi triformi lumine Angliam serenante densae vitiorum tenebrae euanuerunt So through the endeauours of these three men as it were with a threefold light shining ouer England the thicke darknes of vices did vanish away So he And with Binuius tom 4. in Concil Londinen â—aron anno 970. ex Actis vitae S. Osw 15. Oct b. in Surio these three shining lamps and lanternes of the world our famous Edgar conspited and this publicke decree by the Bishops of the land assembled in Synod was enacted Vt Canonici omnes Presbyteri Diaconi Subdiaconi aut castè viuerent aut Ecclesias quas tonebant dimitterent That all the Canons Priests Deacons Subdeacons should either liue chastly or forgoe the Churches which they held and S. Anselme in his decree sayd no more as after we shal see but repeated the same Roger â—oueden in Anno 1108. words saying it is decreed that Priests Deacons and Subdeacons liue chastly so as for the extent it is alike in both decrees and after in S. Anselmes decree followeth also the deposition of such as remayned incontinent 88. By which is refelled that which vnaduisedly M. Godwine taxed M. Godwine writeth in S. Anselme saying that he persecuted Priests very extremely Dunstane Oswald Ethelwold and other enemyes to the marriage of Clergy men had only expelled them out of Monasteryes that had wiues but S. Anselm an enemy to marryed Priests S. Anselme vtterly forbidding them marriage depriued them of their promotions who were marryed confiscaâ—ed their goods vnto the Bishop of the Diocesse adiudged them and their wiues adulterers and forced all who entred into orders to vow chastity So he And for this zeale against marryed Priests he boldly taxeth him for being a little too resolute in all his determinations Againe he was more peremptory in diuers of his resolutions then became him that out of a blind zeale he was so boate against Clergy mens mariage so this point pinceth them to the hart that notwithstanding he confesse S. Anselme to haue beene a good and holy man of great learning and for integrity of life and conuersation admirable which true and ingenious testimony I allow and commend yet will M. Godwyn in this be his iudge and tell him that it was blind zeale and imperfection for without marriage among these men nothing shines nothing can be perfect for which cause also he writeth so basely of S. Dunstane of whome all S. Dunstane the historyes of our Nation speake so honourably and out of them Cardinall Baronius shutting vp his life giueth this worthy testimony Moritur Baron in Ann. 988. §. vltum hoc pariter anno mirificus ille Archiepiscopus Cantuariensis c. This yeare also dyed that wonderfull Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury whome singular sanctity of life priestly and inflexible