occasion as all writers agre Gregory the first of that name now called Saynt Gregory behelde in the open market at Rome Englysh boyes to be solde Marke this ghostly mistery for the prelates had than no wiues And women in those dayes might sore haue distained their newely rysin opinion of holynesse if they had chaunced to haue bene with chylde by them and therfor other spirituall remedies were sought out for them by their good prouiders and proctours ye may if ye will call them applesquires And at this Gregory behelde them fayre skinned and bewtifully fared with heare vpon their heades most comely anon he axed of what region they were And answere was made him that they were of an yle called Englande We le may they be called Angly sayth he for they haue very Aâ—gelyck vysages Se how curyouse these fathers were in the we le eyenge of their wares Here was no circumstaunce vnloked to perteining to the sale Yet haue this Bishopp bene of all writers reckened the best sens his time This story mencïoneth Iacobus de Voragine Vincencius Antoninus Ioannes Capgraue Maior Polydorus an hondred autours more ¶ More English boyes sold at Rome AN other example like vnto this telleth theseyde Iohan Capgraue in his Cataloge That at one Macutus an English Brytayne and Byshop of Aleth in Irelande beynge at Rome about the yeare of our Lorde CCCCC perceyued serten Englysh boyes to be solde there openly He gaue the pryce of them and sent them home agayne Of a likelyhode he smelled the spyrytuall occupyeng there and pytyed the most dampnable castynge away of those poore innocentes whome Christ had so derely redemed with his blood Suche an other acte of christen pity wrought king Etelwolphus there after diuerse writers whan he in the yeare of our Lord. DCCC xlvij made sute to Pope Leo the fort to be clerely dispensed with forthe ordre of Subdeacon which he had in his yowthe receyued wholsome ware I warande yow of Helmestane than Bishop of wynchestre For by that time they had crepte into the seate of the Serpent Apoca. 13. and obtayned full autoryte to dyspense wyth all pactes professions promyses vowes athes oblygacyons and sealynges to the Beastes holy seruyce Marke alwayes the tymes This story hath Vuyllyam of Malmesburye li. 2. De regibus a Raulphe Hardyng Fabyan and Polidorus with other And that the one wanteth the other alwayes habundauntly supplieth Possession was taken of that seate of the Beast vndre phocas the emperour in the yeare of our Lord. DC and vij wean the papacy first begonne ¶ Augustine entreth with his Monkes NOw to returne agayne vnto Gregory He sent vpon the aforesayd occasyon into England in the yeare from Christes in carnacion CCCCC xcvi a Romysh monke called Augustyne not of the ordre of Christ as was Peter but of the supersticiouse secte of Beuet there to sprede abrode the Romishe faythe and religion for Christes fayth was there long afore With him entered Melitus Iustus Laurencius IoaÌ„nes Petrus Rufinianus Paulinus and a great sort more to the nombre of xl all monkes and Italyanes We le armed were they with Aristotles artilery as wyth logyck Philosophy and other crafty sciences but of the sacred scripturs they knewe lytle or nothyng If ye beleue not me reade in Iohan Capgraues Cataloge Inuita Augustini his interrogacions Ad Gregorium per laurencium Petrum ye shall find them voyd of all christen learnynge eyther of law or Gospell yea most insypient and folishe Yet was the seyd Augustine the best learned among theÌ„ These toke with them a great nombre of frenche interpretours bycause they were all ignoraunte of the language there Here was a noble christianite towardes whan the preachers knewe neyther the scrypturs nor yet the speache of the people Well yet they ded miracles Yea so sayd Christ they shuld do whan he bad vs in any wise to be ware of theÌ„ Math. 24. For this story marke specyally Iohan Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie Sigebertus VinceÌ„cius Antoninus Tritemius Christianus Masseus and the churche legendary Dyuersly were they of women intreated ANd as concerning women greuously were they vexed with them commynge hytherward specyallye at a vyllage called Saye wythin the couÌ„tye of Angeuin fraunce In the whych was buylded immedyatly after a churche they say in the honour of the seyd Augustine where as no women come but are plaged with most sodayne death for the dyspleasure there shewed them than yet ded thy but laugh vpon theÌ„ This sheweth AlexaÌ„drethe prior of Esseby in hys Annuall of Sayntes by these verses Cetus aput Saye uexauit eos mulierum Quas peccasse probat lux noua foÌ„sque nouus Plebs parat ecclesiaÌ„ mulieribus haud reseraÌ„daÌ„ IntroituÌ„tentat una sed inde perit This story hath also Iohan Capgraue and the olde Englysh Festyuall of Sayntes whych was somtime the only taught Gospell of Englande Notwythstandinge thys dyspleasure of women abrode yet founde they women fauorable within England For Bertha the quene of Kent than beynge a Frenche woman caused Kynge Ethelbert to admit them wyth al theyr tyrlery trashe Yet for the small trust he had vnto them at their fyrst metynge he wolde in nowyse commen with them within any howse the story sayth least they shuld after any sorcerouse sort bywytche hym The fyrst poynt of Religyon they shewed was this They spred fourth a banner wyth a paynted crucyfyre and a syluer crosse thervpon and so come to the kynge in processyon synging the Letany We le myght thys be called a new chrystyanyte for neyther was it knowne of Christ nor of hys Apostles nor yet euerseane in Englande afore It came altogyther from the dust heape of their monkery ☞ Their fyrst spiriituall prouysyons here AS the kynge admytted their enteraunce he couenaunted thus wyth them and very wysely That hys people shuld alwayes be at lyberte and no man constrayned to their newe founde Relygyon sacrifices and worshyppynges But alac that fredome contynued not long wyth them as ye shall wele perceyue hereafter Then dyd Augustine get him into Fraunce agayn and caused one Etherius than Archebyshop of Arelas to consecrate hym the great byshop of all Englande without eleccion or consent of the people that we reade of And in the yeare of our Lorde euen DC dyd Gregorye sende vnto hym from Rome hys prymates pall with super altares chalyces copes candelstyckes vestymentes surplices alter clothes syngynge bokes rellyckes and the blessynges of Peter and Paule And so admytted hym for the fyrst metropolitane of all the whole realme appointing hys seate from thens fourth at Canterburye than called Doroberna the worthye cytie of London euer after depriued of her former tytle and so made an vnderlynge But the spirituall fathers knewe well ynough what they dyd beholdyng afore hande
meÌ„ Paschall the Romish bishop not pleased therwith to whom he sent this massage Gyue vnto Cesar that is Cesars meanynge the imperyall crowne and vnccyon with power of inuestynge prelates For he requyred also that he shulde confirme the byshoppes whome he had admytted afore whyche all he refused to do The emprour with that set hys men of warre vpon hym and hys calkers Cardynalles I shuld saye whyche toke the very breches from their arses Christianus Massaus sayth and committed them almost naked to pryson Wherupon in the ende in all thynges he consented to the emprour subscrybyng and sealyng vnto hym a perpetuall priuylege for admyttynge byshoppes and abbottes within hys whole dominyon cursynge all them that shulde at any tyme after that withstande it But as he was ones departed out of Italy he called an oâ—â—â—r synode at Laterane in Rome by counsell of our Anselme and suche other and dyssolued all agayne that he had grauÌ„ted excommunycatynge the seyd emprour and dysdaynouslye changynge hys pryuylege to the scornefull name of a prauylege or writynge that stode for nought For Gesnerus sayth in hys vnyuersall Biblyotheke that Paschalis wrote to Anselme an epystle for hys excuse By lyke than he had layed it sumwhat sharpely to hys charge Thus mocked they in that age the great prynces of the worlde depryued theÌ„ of power and trode their hygh dygnytees vndre their fylthie fete all contrary to the wholsome documentes by th of Christ and of hys Apostles Thys story is tenderly towched of the Italysh writers for hurtynge themselues yet hath Robert Barnes described it at large in uitis RomanoruÌ„ pontificum Ye shall vnderstande that thys was that emprour whych marryed kynge Henryes doughter that was called Maude the empresse Ioannes Capgraue li. i. de nobilibus Henricis ☞ Anselme bryngeth the kynge in subiectyon to Antichrist MAthew Paris sheweth in the third boke of hys large chronycle that after kynge Henry the first had taken hys brother duke Robert prysoner and obtayned other great vyctoryes in the yeare of our lorde as M.a. C. vij he receyued the archebyshop Anselme agayne into hys fauer at Becca in Normandy restorynge hym to hys olde possessyons And as touchynge the byshop of Rome sayth he the learned kyng neuer feared hym for hys spirytuall autoryte but only for hys temporall power In the same yeare was a great counsell holden in the kynges palace at London where as the prelates wer agreed by the space of iij. dayes that the kyng shulde holde styll the autoryte of admyttynge prelates and appoyntynge spyrytuall offyces as other kynges hys predecessours ded notwithstandynge the Popes late inhibicyon Thys hath Simeon of Durham and Roger Houeden But whan Anselme was ones come whiche was hygh president of that counsell and Pope of thys whole yle of Brytayne all was clerely dashed agayne and this contraryouse sentence of hys toke place that from that daye forward no byshop nor abbot shulde receyue rynge or pastorall hoke of the kynge or yet of any other laye mannys hande within Englande He added moreouer thys spyghtfull clause vnto it that whan a prelate was ones chosen the want of due homage to hys kynge shulde be no impedyment of hys consecracyon Loke Radulphus de Diceto Mathew Paris Mathew of Westminstre and Roger Houeden O manyfest traytour without all shame and honest obedyence Than coÌ„secrated he vij byshoppes at ones whych neuer was seane in England afore but at one tyme. Thus gote Anselme Iohan Capgraue sayth the vyctory longe loked and laboured for for the churches lyberte ☞ An other synode of Anselme for dyssoluyng prestes marryage IN the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. and viij Anselme helde an other great synode at London wherin yet ones againe he made solempne processe agaynst all prestes deacons and subdeacons that had marryed wyues renuynge all hys former statutes and actes made agaynst them by consent of the kynge and hys barons For afore that tyme they ded all without their consent whyche they afterwardes founde not in all poyntes to their myndes commodyouse No women were from thens fourth permytted to dwell in howse with them sauynge only they whyche were so nygh of kynne as they myght not marry wyth though they laye with some of them at tymes as mother syster grandame aunte and suche lyke Vtterly was it forbydden them euer after to haue any talke with them that had bene their wyues vnlesse it were in the open stretes before two able witnesses Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Who wolde thus so vngodly and presumptuously haue taken vpon hym to haue separated those whom God had ioyned but proude Antichrist and his dyabolycal rable of sorcerouse Gomorreanes How stode this with the holy Ghostes doctryne vttered of S. Paule i. Corinth vij Vnto the marryed sayth he commaunde not I but the lorde that the wyfe be not separated from the man But what els went these execrable hypocrytes about in all these their vngracyouse procedynges but to make Gods holye coÌ„maundementes of none effecte for their fylthie rathers tradicyons and with their newe doctryne of deuyls in hypocresye to polute the Christianyte with the prodygyouse occupyenges of stynkynge Sodome ☞ The closynge vp of Anselmes vnsauery doynges ALl the next yeare after ded Anselme bestowe in a straunge kynde of scoldynge with Thomas the newly elected archebyshopp of Yorke tyll suche tyme as death clerely toke hym from the worlde He vtterly forbad hym the pastorall cure tyll suche tyme as he had submytted hymselfe to hys Papacye and professed a canonycall obedyence whyche he called a submyssyon to the churche of Canterbury If thou wylt not do thus sayth he we charge all the byshoppes of Englande vndre payne of the great curse that none of them presume to consecrate the neyther yet to receyue the for a byshop if thou any where els be consecrated with many other obprobryouse tauntes Matthaeus Paris Radulphus de Diceto Many ydell matters dysputed thys Anselme with very weake rawe and fryuolouse reasons as is to be seane in his feble wurkes of the sowles orygynall of leauen and breade vnleauened of the measurynge of the crosse of the mouynge of the aultre of Maryes concepcyon of the churches offyces and suche lyke whyche Christ calleth gnatt strayuynge I maruele with what conscyence Polydorus called him that good shepeherde whyche daungereth hys lyfe for the shepe and in the myddes of all his false packynges He doth Christ much wroÌ„ge therin whych only fulfylled it in effâ—ct He doth no pastours offyce that robbeth Christen kynges of their pryncely power autoryte to enhaunce the tyrannouse vsurpacyons of Antichrist as thys Anselme ded but rather he sheweth the fashyons and roberyes of a thefe I can awaye at no hand with so blasphemouse handelynge of the scriptures ☞ The mone was darkened and what it sygnyfyed MAthew Paris writeth Mathewe of Westmynstre
Praefati autores cum Polydoro Fabiano ☞ The kyng derydeth the byshoppes procedynges NOt all forgetfull of their wycked fathers affayres the prelates of Englande in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and. xxix gathered themselues togyther at London yet ones agayne in the first daye of August to put the prestes clerely from their wyues At this great counsell sayth Ricardus Premonstratensis were all the bishoppes of England except iiij whych dyed as it chaunced the same yeare that is to saye of Wynchester Durham Chestre and Herforde Their processe was all agaynst the cocasses or she cookes of the curates that they shuld not dwell in house with them For after the prestes had bene compelled to renounce the tytles of their wyues they kept them in most places vndre the name of their cocasses lawnders and seruyng women The kyng perceyuyng the malyce of the bishoppes and seynge aduauntage to growe therupon by thys propre polycye deceyued them He toke vpon hym the correction of them and promysed to execute true iustyce But in the ende Mathew Paris sayth he laughed them all to scorne and takyng a pensyon of the prestes he permytted them styl peaceably to holde their wyues Polydorus reporteth that the kynge gote of the clergye thys autoryte ouer the prestes by a fyne craft of conueyaunce And whan he had so done mysused it A very fyne iudgement of a man learned so to dyffyne of a prynces power The kyng deceyued them Roger Houeden sayth by the symplycyte of Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury For whan they had ones vncircumspectly graunted hym to execute iustyce vpon the prestes wyues it turned in the ende to their rebuke and shame the prestes for moneye set agayne at lyberte for them Praedicti autores cum Ranulpho Matthaeo VVestmonasteriensi Rogero Cestrensi ☞ A myddle swarmynge of Antichristes sectes in England FOr causes dyuerse whych some of my readers shall fynde necessary to be knowne I haue added here the tymes wheâ—in the seconde swarme of locustes or synnefull sectes of Antichrist hath entered into this realme of England The first swarme was of the Benedictynes and chanons of S. Augustyne called the blacke monkes and blacke chanons of whose fattynge vp I haue reasonably treated both in the first part of this wurke and also in thys seconde The first of this lattre swarme â–ª were the Cisteanes otherwyse called yâ— whyght moÌ„kes which came into this lande in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and. xxxij settynge their first foundacion in the deserte of Blachoumor by the water of Rhie wherupon their monastery was called Rhieuallis Saint Robertes fryres began at Gnaresborough in Yorke shyre in the yearr of our lorde a M.a. C. and xxxvij And the ordre of Gilbertines at SempynghaÌ„ in Lincolne shire in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. xlviij The Premonstratensers or white chanoÌ„s came in to the realme buylded at Newhowse in Lyncolne dyocese in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and xlv The Chartrehowse monkes came into the lande were placed at Wytham in the dyocese of Bathe in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. lxxx I recken not the hospytelers Templars with such lyke Ioannes Hagustaldensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Ioannes Capgraue Thomas Scrope Polydorus Vergilius All these at their first enteraunce were very leane locustes as they are in S. Iohans reuelacyon described barren poore and in outwarde aperaunce very symple But in processe of tyme through symulate holynesse they grewe fat lyke their fellowes They gote them lyons faces and were able to buckle with kynges Their lecherouse actes I shall hereafter declare ☞ Kynge Steuen professeth a slauery to Antichrist HOw kyng Steuen bicame an instrument to their wycked vse in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xxxv it is easely knowne by the othe which they compelled hym to make at hys coronacyoÌ„ what though he ded not in all poyntes obserue it Thys is the othe as Ricardus prior Hagustaldensis hath written it in hys small treatyse de gestis regis Stephani Marke it I Steuen by the grace of God good wyll of the clergye and consent of the commens elected kynge of England and by Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury and legate of the holye Rome church vndre Pope Innocent the seconde confirmed make faithful promyse to do nothing here in Englande in the ecclesyastycall affayres after the rules of symonye but to leaue admyt and confirme the power ordre and distrybucyon of all ecclesyastycal persones and their possessyons in the handes of the byshoppes and prelates of the same The auncyent dignitees of the church confirmed by olde priuyleges and their customes of longe tyme vsed I promyse appoynt and determyne inuiolably to contynue All the churches possessyoÌ„s holdes and tenementes which they hytherto haue had I graunt them from hens forwarde without interrupcyon peaceably to possesse etc. Beholde here what popettes these lecherouse luskes made of their kynges se I praye yow if they sought any other commen welthe than of their ydell bellyes in that proude kingdome of Antichrist Was thys a folowynge of Christ after the Gospell thus to illude their Christen gouernours Naye it was rather a ronnyng after Sathan in the blasphemouse imytacyon of the byshop of Romes decrees The last plage of God lyghte vpon thys vnfaythfull generacyon if they wyll not yet beholde these euyls of their wycked fathers and abhorre them from the harte ☞ The rebellyon and cantels of byshoppes agaynst the kynge IN the next yeare folowynge notwithstandyng thys othe kyng Steuen reserued to hymselfe the inuestynge of prelates Mathew Paris sayth and shewed vnto the clergye many other displeasurs Wherfore in processe they caused Maude the empresse contrary to their othes of allegeaunce to come into the realme and to make clayme to the crowne and strongely to warre vpon hym For the whych he enprysoned and bannyshed certayne of the byshoppes chefely Alexandre of Lyncolne Nigellus of Helye and Roger of Salisbury He feared not to go vnto Oxforde and to sytt there in open parlyament whyche no kynge myght do they sayde wythoute a shamefull confusyon From Roger the byshoppe of Salisbury he toke the. ij Castels of Vyses and Sherburne fyndynge in them more than xl thousande markes in moneye wherwith he perfourmed the greate marryage betwene Constaunce the Frenche kynges sistre and Eustace hys sonne and heyre Thys byshoppes sonne by lyke he hadde a wyfe whyche had bene the other kinges chauncellour this kinge handeled harde to come to hys purpose He kepte hym fastenynge threttened him hangynge and at the lattre bannyshed hym the realme whyche cost the byshoppe his lyfe A naturall father Anon after the byshoppe of Wynchestre beyng the popes great legate and perceyuynge the clergye not to be regarded the realme beynge than in diuysyon betwixt them bothe that is to saye
Iob. They are holye votaryes that stryue for so many fat dyshes ☞ The abhomynable lecherye of the same monkes IN the dyocese of S. Dauid in Wales and within the prouynce of Goer the pryour of Langenith whych was a celle of the ordre of Clunyakes or monkes without botes beholdyng a certen yonge woman first by wanton lokes and after by other lewde entycementes made her at his pleasure to serue hys lascyuyouse purpose And whan it was ones growne to a publyque infamy that all men spake yll of it with moneye he corrupted the offycyals to escape the open reproche And whan none other waye els wolde serue he gaue her in marryage to a yonge man not farre of Yet left he not so her companye but abused her after as he had done afore tyll suche tyme as he was deposed by the dyocesyane and lo with shame exyled the contreye The lyke was done also by two other monkes of Northwales of whom one was priour of Sagia an other of Breckennoch both celles of Clunyakes and not farre froÌ„ the hauen of Myluerd Whych were for their whoredomes most shamefully deposed and bannyshed Yea the seyd Geralde reporteth it to be a commen thynge among them where as suche celles were buylded and wyshed for hys tyme that not one of them had bene within the whole realme of Englande for the myschefes that he knewe by them And whan they went abroade he sayth about the affaires of their religioÌ„ or howses they wolde in none other innes be lodged but where as they might haue whores at their pleasures Giraldus Cambrensis in Speculo ecclesiae li ij ca. i. Was not this thynke you an holye religion and an high profession of chastyte ☞ Of two Englysh votaries one a traytour the other a thefe AS Heraclius the patriarke of Hierusalem was returned home agayne out of England in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. and. lxxxvi an Englysh votary of the ordre of Templars called Robert of S. Albons betrayed that holye cytie with all the Christen inhabytauntes to Saladinus the souldane of Babylon vpon thys couenaunt that he shulde haue his nece to marrye And so it came to passe in the ende the kynge taken prysoner and the patryarke compelled to flee so that the kyngdome was destroyed foreuer An other Englyshe votarye of the same ordre of Templars called Gylbert Ogerstan kynge Henry appoynted with certen others to gather vp the moneye whyche he had determyned to be gyuen to releue the holye lande and cytie of Hierusalem agaynst the Turkes And whan he had deprehended him in an horryble thefte in doynge the same to the mayntenaunce of hys accustomed lecheryes where as he mighte iustlye haue hanged hym he onely commytted hym to the maystre of the temple at London that he shulde ponnysh hym accordynge to their statutes Rogerus Houeden libro secundo historiae Anglorum The hospytelers and Templars were two fygtinge orders instituted firste in the contreye of Palestyne or holy land as they call it for the only defence of Christen pylgrymes goyng to and fro In processe of tyme they grewe to so great rychesse that as the adage goeth the doughter deuoured the mother They exempted themselues froÌ„ the paâ—ryarkes iurysdyccyon whiche was their first father and foundar and bicame seruauntes to the great Antichrist of Rome Not onely to fyll all that lande with his fylthie supersticyons but also to brynge the profyghtes to his insacyable handes that were gathâ—red from all other nacyons For where as colleccyons were to maynteyne those warres Roger Hourden sayth that alwayes a Templar was one gatherer and an hospyteler was an other But in the ende about the yeare of our lorde a thousand thre hundreth and twelue they had their deserued rewarde for than were the Templars destroyed Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Aegidius Faber Ioannes Paleonydorus Ioannes Nauclerus Paulus Phrigio atque Polydorus ☞ A crowne of Pecockes fethers sent to kynge Henrye ROger Houeden writeth it as a matter seryouse and earnest that in the yeare of our lord a M. a. C. and. lxxxvi Pope Vrbane the thirde hearynge tell that kynge Henry had appoynted his yongar sonne Iohan to the lattre conquest of Irelande sent hym a crowne of Pecockes fethers fynely wouen and wrought togyther with golde The next yeare after he sent one Octauian a Cardynall and Hugh Nouaunt whyche was byshopp of Couentry and Chestre as legates from hys ryghte syde to haue crowned the seyd Iohan kynge of Irelande But the kynge not beynge so Pecockysh as he iudged hym dyscretely and wysely deferred the tyme tyll the Cardynall was gone Se what fyue toyes these foÌ„de fathers had in their crafty heades to mocke Christen prynces with for aduauntage Here was a gnat workemanly strayned out to swalowe in a camell for it He was at great cost that sent Pecockes fethers So was it a precyouse kyngedome towardes whose kynge shuld haue bene crowned with them But I maruele that he sent not therwith a foxes tayle for a scepture and a whode with two eares Rightly hath the scriptures set out thys generacyon for mocâ—â—rs Hierem. xx A great dissensyon arose the same tyme at Canterbury betwene Baldewyne the archebyshopp and the couent of monkes bicause he had begonne to buylde a newe college of secular prestes next ioynynge to them They caused Pope Vrbane the thirde to dyssolue it agayne fearynge therby in processe to haue lost their pryuylege of electynge their archebyshoppes and so not to haue their pleasures as they had afore Wherupon he was compelled to remoue his buyldynge from thens to Lambheth by Westmynstre Radulphus de Diceto Rogerus Houeden Ranulphus Treuisa Fabianus ☞ A bishop made both an earle and high iustyce IMmedyatly after kynge Rycharde the fyrste was crowned and sworne to defende all Antichristes affaires in the yeare of our lord a. M. a. C. lxxxix the byshop of Durham Hugh Pusath for a great summe of moneye bought of hym the earledome of Northumberlande And whan the kynge shulde do the ceremonye ouer hym of makynge an earle and was girdynge the swearde about him Se saith he to his lordes and noble men what a miracle I can do I can make of an olde byshop a yong earle Am not I thinke yow a very connynge artyfycer Lyke frates he played manye in the same yeare in makynge prelates barons and vycountes to haue ryches to hys pleasure In thys the kynge thought he mocked them but they mocked hym after a farre other sort in the ende Thys dotyng byshop was not yet all satisfied but added therunto a. M. markes more to be admytted the high iustyce of Englande And for that he myght dwel at home wythoute checke and polle at his pleasure he gaue to the pope an vnreasonable summe of moneye to be dispensed wyth for his vowe to the holye lande and obtayned it After thys he decreed wyth
head shauinge other vnsauerye ceremonies and wrote afterwarde an earnest treatyse agaynst Agilbertus a frenche man and at that tyme byshop of Wynchestre All thys myght not helpe then but in processe of tyme they had theyr whole myndes magry al their hartes Bedas Giruninus li. 3. ca. 25. De gestis Anglorum Guilhelmus Malmesburye li. 3. De Pontificibus Ranulphus lib. 5. cap. 17. Iohannes Caphraue and other ¶ Religiouse examples dysuadynge mariage After Laurentius folowed Melitus in the archebyshoppes seate of Caunterburye in the yeare of our lorde DC and. xix whiche they saye both alyue dead dysuaded yonge men from christen marryage As Saynt Columbanus a Scott about the same tyme came to the sell of an holye Nonne for ghostlye counsell She bad hym awaye least wanton youthe would bryng them togyther wylde they nylde they Saynt Edwyne kynge of Northumberland gaue vnto saint Paulinus the archebyshop of yorke hys yonge doughter Eanfleda so sone as she was baptysed in the yeare of our lorde DC and. xxvi that he shuld make her an vnholye Nonne And the daye after the said Edwyne was slayne he toke with hym both the doughter and mother and so fled with them vnto Rochestre in kent be water neuer returning thydre agayne Saynt Fiacre a Scottysh heremyte had so great malyce vnto women that he plaged so many of them with the fowle euyll as came within the precynct of hys monasterye because one woman had ones complayned to the byshop of hys prodygyouse charmynges Hector Boethius Saynt Foillanus an Irysh Byshop with his brethren was very famylyar and seruysable vnto Saynt Gertruyde and her nonnes at Nigella made dyuerse barren women full graciouslye to conceyue Saynt keynwirye a virgyne of wales contempnynge marryage fled from thēs to Saynt Myhels of the mounte to kepe her vowed virginite amonge the holye fathers there as vower with vowers All these storyes hath Iohan Capgraue ¶ Other relygyouse examples of that age SEbba kyng of the East Saxōs was so by wytched of the Byshop of Londō and his calkyng collygeners there for hys substaunce that he had made hymselfe a monke leauynge vnto them both hys wyfe and possessyons yf she had bene no wyfe then he nor more godly dysposed Yet was she by their incantacyons at the last deceyued they hauynge of hym an innumerable summe of money and he nothynge of them agayne but a mangye monkes cowle and hys buryall in Paules Whan Saynt Egbynes father was ones departed in wales his mother resorted wyth hym to the Abbeye of Saynt Sampson and there receyued of hym the habyte of a Nonne bestowyng the rest of her lyfe amonge the good bretherne there Saynt Eanswyde abbesse of Folkstane in kent inspyred of the deuyll dyffyned christen marryage to be barren of all vertues to haue but transytoryouse frutes and to be a fylthye corruptyon of virginite Yet ware Marye Iohan Baptyst and Iesus Christ swete frutes therof the iust fathers of the olde lawe not rekened Saynt Paule sayeth also that by vertue of marryage the vnfaythfull man is sanctyfyed by the woman that is faythfull i. Cor. vij Neither dyd he at anye tyme teache marryage to be eyther a corrupcion or yet an impedyment of christen virginite whan he coupled the Corintheanes whiche continued styll marryed a chaste virgine to Christ. 2. Cor. ii But thys gentylwoman Eanswyde was muche better acquaynted with the monkes learnyng then with Christes and with a chastyte rather to their behoue than to hys Yet droue she out all the gantes or bystardes there yf their churche legende be true These storyes shewed Iohan Capgraue ¶ The wanton toyes of the holye fathers ABout thys same tyme sent Pope Bonyface the fyft a shyrte with a golden collor and a fyne petycote of straunge makynge vnto kynge Edwyne with the blessynges of Peter and Paule And vnto hys wyfe Ethelburge a syluer glasse and a combe of yvorye with the same to vpholde them in thys newe christianite Se these wanton fathers what toyrs they vse to set vp their kyngdome here Neuer shall ye reade that Christes dysciples had anye suche wyttye polycyes Saynt Petrock an her myte of Cornewale was fayne euerye nyght from the crowe of the cocke to the sprynge of the mornynge to stande naked in a pyt to abate the hote mouynges of hys fleshe And neuer coulde he haue remedy of that dysease tyll he went onpilgrimage to Rome and Hierusalem Here was a newe sought out salue for that sore Saynt Pyrane a Byshop also in Cornewale had a fayre dammesell in the monastery of hys mother wyngell called Brunet whom the Lord of the soyle toke vp for his occupieng At the last he agreed with him no longer to haue her then the bernacle or butture shuld breake him of his slepe which chaunced sone after thā he sent her home agayn If these be not good honest legendes to be redd in the Popes holy church tel me Plēteouse shall ye finde Iohā Capgraue in the rehersall of them and suche other The ghostly bestowing of their vowes A Nonne belonging to saynt Cota and a monke perteyning to saynt Pyrane about the same tyme strake vp a couenaunt of loue And as they met in a wode for performance of the same a yong pigeon fell betwixt them and made them both ashamed so they went home agayne A lyke matter Such an other pagent was played at yorke but it was longe after The monkes of saynt Mary abbeye and the nonnes of Clement thorpe mett togyther there at hay making the abbottes fole being wyth them And as the abbot enquired of him at supper for pastyme where he had bene all that daye He fell in a great laughynge and declared before all hys gestes that a sore battayle had bene foughten that after none betwixt hys monkes and the monkes of clement thorpe But he thanked God that hys monkes had the best for they laye euer aloft Bycause that one of Saynt modwens maydes had layed her beste beloues shoes at her beddes head the spretes of heauen that were wonte to vysyte her wolde not come there that nyght After she had bene at Rome and was comen home agayne she dwelt at Scaleselyf where as an holye hermyte ded oft tymes vysyte her and muche refreshe her wyth a legende boke of sayntes lyues But no tydinges was there among them of Christes holy Gospell Loke Iohan Capgraue ¶ Erkenwalde and Osith with their Nondryes SAynt Erkenwalde the sonne of Vffa the fyrst King of the east angres abbot of Chertesye and Bishop of London buylded a Nondrye at Berkynge And bycause there were at that time in Englande no Nonnes to his mynde for Hilda hys kynswoman was to great a scripture woman in those dayes he sent ouer the see for an old acquayntaunce of hys called Hildelitha learned in arte
shewed themselues sore greued with this prest for redemynge sowles by latyne Psalmes out of their darke dominioÌ„ Loke Iohan Capgraue postuitam Vuâ—fini episcopi ☞ Other hystoryes more of this age Wilfhilda was a younge wenche whom kynge Edgare ones chaced in the waye of lecherie from Wynchester to Warwell and from Warwell to Wylton And as she by the secrete counsell of monkes was become a professed nonne he gaue her the nonnery of Barkynge addynge therunto the reuenewes of xxiiij vyllages gorgyously to maynteyne both her and her systers to the relygyouse occupyenge of byshoppes and of monkes For whan Ethelwolde byshopp of Wynchester came thydre on visytacyon her loue was so plentuouse and myghty towardes hym that there was no good chere to seke Though the tappe were all daye sterynge the storye sayth yet was there o drynke wantynge at nyght and all by myracle of the seyd Wilfhilda â–ª Neuerthelesse at the last by specyall helpe of Altrude the quene the prestes with theyr wyues â—btayned Barkynge the monkes veyled spowses remoued from thens to Horton for more than xx yeares space Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Ioannes Capgraue A lyke example to this latter acte shewed Ethelgarus the archebyshop of Canterbury after the death of Dunstane whych more than xx yeares afore droue the monkes out of Canterbury brought in the prestes with their wyues But he was shortly dyspatched for hys labour not contynuynge in that rowme a yeare â–ª And Siricius a monke succedynge in that offyce restored agayne the hypocryâ—yâ—h moÌ„kes in the yeare of our lord DCCCC and. xc the prestes wyth vyolence expelled Anonymus quidam in historiarum rhapsodijs Many such turmoylynges had England in those dayes by Sathans procurement to make that Romysh spirytualte a very Sodome and stynkynge iakes of helle ☞ Deuyls buffetynge and temptynge of monkes IN the cytie of Bathe Elphegus buylded a great monastery of monkes whych in processe fell to so corrupt kyndes of lyuynge that one of them whych had bene a rynge leader in theyr nyght potacyous and lecherouse watchynges sodenly fell madde and dyed The abbot at mydnyght hearynge a noyse loked out at the wyndowe and behelde ij deuyls lashynge vpon the monkes carkeys And as that wretche saith the storye made clayme to the suffrages of the masse they gaue hym thys answere Thou obeydest not God therefore we wyll not obeye the. Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. ij de pontificibus Ranulphus Cestrensis li. vi ca. xvi Rogerus Cestrensis li. vi ca. xxiij By thys ye maye se that the deuyls power is greater than is the power of the popes masse or yet of a monkes cowle Yet fynde we it written that in an other monastery a monke shewed vnto hys abbot how greuously he was in hys fleshe tormented by the fiery concupiscence therof Anon he gaue hym hys owne coate to do on and with that hys lust so abated that euer after he was founde chast the deuyll makynge great lamentacyon for it Vincentius in speculo Antoninus in secundo historiarum toâ—â—o Thys story confoundeth the other a monkes cowle so terryfyenge the deuyll and asswagynge the heates of the fleshe A wonderfull thynge was it that so muche vertu could not be founde in wholsom maryage beynge Gods necessary instytucycyon as in the superstycyouse coate of a handy brothell moÌ„ke God of a likelyhode was not wyse ynough in hys first prouysyons that he so neglygently forgate these monkysh remedyes agaynst those heates in the fleshe O hypocryte knaues and Sodomytes ☞ Saint Iues water and Saint Walstanes myracles SAint Iues water was in those dayes about the yeare of our lorde a M. and. xij very wholsom for the femynyne gender For a certen woman complayned her vnto the pryor of Ramsey in in confession that a lecherouse sprete had many nyghtes occupyed with her in the lykenesse of an hare I praye God it were not some hongry sorcerer of that abbey And he gaue her couÌ„sel deuoutly to drinke of that water whych was vnto her euer after the storye sayth as a water welle agaynst all hys busye assaultes If ye searche Iohan Capgraue in uita Iuonis episcopi ye shall fynde it a matter more vncomely than maye wyth honestye be expressed Saynt Walstane of Bawburgh iij. myles from Norwych was neyther monke not prest yet vowed he they saye to lyue chast without a wyfe and perfourmed that promyse by fastynge of the frydaye and good sayntes vygyls without any other grace or gyft gyuen of god He dyed in the yeare of our lord a M. and xvi in the thyrde calendes of Iune and became after the mâ—ner of Priapus the God of their feldes 〈◊〉 Northfolke and gyde of their haruestes 〈◊〉 mowers and sythe folowers sekynge hym ones in the yeare Loke his legende in the Cataloge of Iohan Capgraue prouyncyall of the Augustyne fryres and ye shal finde there that both men and beastes whych had lost their preuy partes had newe members agayne restored to them by thyâ— Walstane Marke thys kynde of myracles for your learnynge I thynke ye haue seldome redde the lyke ☞ A blasynge starre Canulus and Fulbertus IN the yeare of our lord a M. xvij apared in the skye by the space of iiij monthes a most wonderfull blasyng starre in maner of a great burnynge beame as sheweth Sigebertus and Sabelâ—icus Many haue iudged thys to be the same starre whych fell from heauen lyke a flamynge creshet Apoca. viij for the alteracyon of doctryne and of conuersacyon whych in those dayes chaunced in the vnyuersall churche and specyally hâ—re in Englande For Canutus a Dane beâ—nge the same yeare constytute kynge of England folowed much the superstycyouse counsell of Achelnotus than archebyshopp of Canterbury as wytnesseth Polydorus Fabyane and Caxton He buylded the abbeyes of S. Benettâ—s in Northfolke and S. Edmonds Bury in Sothfolke he translated the stynkynge bones of Elphegus from London to Canterbury and prouoked the people to worshypp them He went vndyscretly on pylgrymage to Româ— and there founded an hospytall for Englysh pylgrymes He gaue the Pope most pâ—ecyouse gyftes and burdened hys lande with an yearely trybute called the Rome shott He shrymed the body of Berinus and gaue both landes ornamentes to the cathedrall church of Wynchestre Anonymus quidam Alphredus Beuerlacensis Ricardus Diuisiensis Yea by the sorcerouse inchauntmentes of that lechour Achelnotus he feared dead men he iudged monkes bastardes to be hys owne chyldren he crowned an ydoll with the crowne of thys realme and beleued that Mary Christes mother nurryshed Fulbertus the byshopp of Carnote in Fraunce with the mylke of her brestes in hys syckenesse Radulphus Niger Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis VVernerus Vincentius Se here what power the deuyll had in thys kyngdome of darkenesse The prelates were able in those dayes to make the great prynces of the worlde to beleue
vytayles but also of the fowles fode Amos. viij Whych is the veryte of God and sede of saluacyoÌ„ Marke chronicon Sigeberti Mathew Paris Mathew of Westmynstre Roger Houeden Scalamundi and chronicon chronicorum Yea to make the matter more playne vnto vs for the fulfyllynge of those hydden scryptures in our owne nacyon Radulphus de Diceto Sigebertus and Thomas Rudborne in their chronycles addeth thus muche to the storye Amonge the whych fallen starres saye these autours one which was the greatest of theÌ„ all semed to fall on the other syde of the sea in Fraunce as it had bene a blasyng fyre brand And whan the place was marked in Normandy and dylygently sought out the searchers behelde a fearful flutteryng and terryble boylynge in a serten water an horryble stynkynge smoke arysynge therof By thys partycular fallen starre is signyfyed first Lanfrancus afterwardes Anselmus ij Normandy moÌ„kes archebyshoppes of Canterbury by whome in those dayes was all the hurly hurly turmoyle and change in relygyon here in Englande Lanfrancus conteÌ„ding for transubstancyacyon of the Eucharysticall breade to aduaunce ydolatry and Anselmus condemnynge the marryage of prestes and autoryte of prynces for inuestynge of prelates to sett vp sodometry impunyte of synne in the clergye Wherby the one was constytute the adoptyue sonne of Antichrist and the other the pope of England as hereafter wyll apere The water betokeneth the wauerynge multytude and the stynkynge smoke the fylthie doctryne of those fallen starres ☞ Of a lecherouse byshop and ij supersticyouse earles RObert Bloet whyche had bene a monke of Euesham abbeye went not thens so poore but that he was able to gyue for the byshopryck of Lyncolne fyue thousand pounde in the yeare of our lorde a M. xcij. after the death of Remigius By lyke he had bene abbot of the place that he was so wele mouyed Never was Orpheus Palemon nor Sardanapalus more expert they saye in the fyne feates of lecherie than he was For Wylliam of Malmesbury reporteth that he was totus libidinosus all gyuen to fylthie lyuynge And yet he was brought vp in the cloystre vndre Saint Benets rule a great professour of chastyte and a worthie gouernour in that relygyon At the last he dyed sodenly and was buryed at Lyncolne where as the church kepers were sore anoyed they saye with his sowle and other walking spretes tyll that place was pourged by prayers Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li iiij de pontifi Ranulphus Rogerus Thomas Rudborne ac Polydorus Whan Roger the earle of Shrowesbury perceyued ones that he coulde not lyue muche longar he sent Reynolde the pryour of Shrowesbury to Clunyake in Fraunce for the kyrtle of holy Hugh the abbot there that by lycence of Adelyse hys wyfe he myght for socour of hys sowle depart to God in the heate of hys holynesse As muche mede had he therof Treuisa sayth as had Malkyn of her maydenhede whych no man was hasty on Hugh the olde earle of Chestre beynge spoke vnto death in the same selfe yeare caused by the entysement of Anselme the prestes clerely to be expelled out of the high churâ—he of Westchestre and the monkes to be placed there for them So frantyck were the worldly rulers in thys age Henricus huntendune li. xi Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Fabianus alij ☞ Of byshop Herbert whych buylded Christes church at Norwych Thys Herbert was called by surname losinga the father whyche bigate hym was Robert the abbot of Wynchestre But who was hys mother the story telleth not to leaue it as a secrete matter within relygyon First was he here in Englande by fryndeshyp made abbot of Ramseye and afterwardes byshop of Thetforde by flattery and fat payment in the yeare of our lorde a M. xci For the which he is named in the chronycles yet to this day the â—yndelyng matche of symony and that noteth hym no small doar in that feate Notwithstandyng he so repented that symony they saye that he went to Rome and there resigned vp hys ryng pastorall hoke to Pope Vrbanus the seconde in the yeare of our lord a M. xciiij not without an other great summe of moneye ye maye be sure for there myghte nothynge passe without ready payment But here ye maye axe me whye the byenge of a byshoprycke was symony in England and not at Rome Wherunto I answere For in Englande a kynge receyued the moneye whych hath none autoryte to meddle in that marte of byenge sellynge wantyng the character or marke of the beast whych they haue at Rome Apo. xiij Also they haue lyberte in that generacyon to iudge blacke whyte euyll good sower swete and darkenesse lyghte also to wurke therafter Esa. v. And whan he had ones returned home agayne by vertu of Antichristes commissyon he remoued hys seate of poysenynge Christes flocke from Thetforde to Norwyche in the yeare of our lorde a M. xcvi dyspossessynge the prestes and theyr wyues and placynge the monkes in their rowmes to make that church a Sodome Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Ranulphus Rogerus Thomas rudborne Ioannes Eucresden Ioannes Capgraue Fabianus alij ☞ The robbery symony and sacrilege of the seyd Herbert OF thys byshop Herbert were many straunge thynges written but yet very couertly and craftely I thynke to hyde the open shewe of hys euyls because he was so great an abbeye foundar Some there were that scoffyngly bestowed vpon hys predecessour Arfastus and hym thys texte Non hunc sed Barrabam Ioan xviij Not hym but Barrabas For Arfastus had translated the byshopryck from Helmam to Thetforde whyche were in those dayes but vyllages But he traÌ„slated it froÌ„ theÌ„s to Norwych whyche was a famouse towne and of great occupyenge An other sort gaue thys texte by the waye Amice ad quid uenisti Mathae xxvi Frende wherfore art thou come Thus slyely they compared hym to Barrabas and Iudas whych both were theues Malmesburius Ranulphus Treuisa Moreouer a Poete or versyfyer of that age made these verses of hym Surgit in ecclesiam monstruÌ„ genitore losinga Simonidum secta canonum uirtute resecta Petre nimis tardas nam Simon ad ardua tentat Si praesens esses non Simon ad altauolaret Proh dolor ecclesiae nuÌ„misuenduntur aere Filius est praesul pater abba Simon uterque Quid non speremus si nummos possideamus Omnia nummus habet quod uult facit addit aufert Res nimis iniusta nummis fit praesul abba ¶ A monstre is vp the sonne of Losinga Whyls the lawe seketh Symony to flea Peter thou slepest whyls Simon taketh tyme If thou wert present Symon shulde not clyme Churches are prysed for syluer golde The soÌ„ne a bishop the father an abbot olde What is not gotten if we haue rychesse Moneye obtayneth in
hâ—d nothynge ado with theÌ„ whiche were anoynted and shauen they beynge therby the Romysh Popes creatures and not hys Radulphus Niger Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Ricardus Croilande Nicolaus Treueth alij plerique An excedyng great thynge were it to declare the subtyle practyses deuâ—ses dysguysynges craftes colours conueyauÌ„ces other tryfelynges to brynge all hys matters to pâ—sse agaynâ—t the kynge and a werynesse to the reader to rehearce them wherfore I lete them ouer passe ☞ Artycles for whome Becket is admitted the Popes martyr DIuerse of our chronycle writers doth testyfye in their workes that these were the artycles wherfor he stroue with the kynge That no spirituall cause ought to be pleaded in the temporall court No clarke may be compelled to answere in matters before the kynges offycers Patrâ—nes maye lawfully and frely gyue benefyces without the kynges allowance A byshop or pastour maye frely go out of the realme without the kynges lycens for the ryght of his churche He that is ones excommunycated must haue hys discharge of the spirituall court and not of the kynge The clergye and layte must be clered of their offences by the ordynaryes and not by the kynges iustyces Appellacyons made from one degre to an other as from lowar oâ—dynary to the hyghar maye be ended without the kynges consent Landes and teneamentes maye lawfully be gyuen to the clergye in almes wythout the kynges commyssyon Spirytuall promocyons ought only to remayne in the handes of the superiour ordynaryes whaÌ„ theyr occupyers are dead till others succede in their roumes and not in the handes of teÌ„poral meÌ„ Religiouse men men ought not in the quarell of their kynges to go to the warres They that flee vnto sayntwaryes ought there to be socoured agaynst the temporall power their dedes made open to the iudge ecclesyastycall Clarkes curates and prestes are not bounde to come to the commen iudgementes at sessyons or assyses neyther yet to be at them though they be commaunded Se what good stuffe here is to make a martir All is to demynyshment of a kynges power and nothynge els ☞ Becket stayeth the Popes churche by confoundynge heretykes IN the same yeare of our lorde a M. a C and. lxiiij was Thomas Becket reckened Mathew Paris sayth suche a mightye stedefast and strong sure pyllour as the whole church both leaned vpon and was also staied by But ye must consydre that it was the Popes churche that he ment and not Christes for that hath a staye stronge ynough of him without mannys helpe Marke the forseyd artycles The church sayth he shaken was ready to haue fallen and the Pope which was set vp as a staffe to haue staied it was at that tyme so broken that the shyuers or peces wounded him Thomas lokyng for nothynge els but martyrdome for the churche In the same yeare were in England certen godly men whome some Popysh writers dysdaynously calleth Waldeanes some publycanes some false Apostles Thâ—se were at Oxforde straightly examyned of the byshoppes and so brought to iudgement by this Becket for holdynge these opynyons That the churche of Rome was that whore of Babylon whych had forsaken the fayth of Christe and that barren fygge tree without fruite whych he reproued and that no Christen man was bounde to obeye the Pope and hys byshoppes That monkerye was as the dead carreyne that stynketh and that their vowes were fryuolouse ydell and abhomynable beynge the vpspryngynge braunches of Sodome That their orders were the great beastes characters and their temples the wurse for their hallowynges That purgatory sayntes worshyppyng masses and prayenges for the dead with such lyke were most deuylysh inuencyons For maynteynynge these and other lyke opynyons agaynst the proude synagoge of Rome they were sealed in the faces at Oxforde wyth whote fyerye keyes and so bannyshed the realme for euer Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Guido Perpinianus de heresibus Thomas VValden ad Martinum quintum Bernardus Lutzenburgus ☞ Hys trayterouse ende and aduauncement aboue Christ. Whan Becket was returned again into Englande in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxxi after vi yeares exyle he outragiously troubled certen of the byshoppes to the kynges great dyshonour Mathewe Parys sayth For the only cause why he so hatefullye persecuted them was for that they hadde fulfylled the kynges desyre in anoyntynge his sonne Henry the yongar to raygne after hym not hauynge hys consente beynge pope of Englande For thys he entered the pulpet more lyke a mad Bedlem thaÌ„ a sober preacher Not to teache Chryste in mekenesse but in hys wode furye to execrate those byshoppes to curse theÌ„ wyth boke belle and candell and by the popes autoryte to condempne them to helle Vpon thys the kynges seruauntes fell on hym in purpose as they toke it to reuenge their liege lordes great iniury and hys sonnes dyshonoure They pared his pylde crowne wyth theyr swerdes and cut of the popes marke to hys very braiue whyls he in ydolatry coÌ„mended himselfe and the cause of hys churche to hys patrone S. Deuyse beynge but a deade ymage there standyng vpon the aultre Stephanus Langton Richardus Croilande Rogerus Houeden Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Capgraue Thus ended he his lyfe in most ranke treasoÌ„ was for his labour made a god of that papistes Yea they charged christ in the ende by coÌ„maundement to delyuer vs heauen frely by the shedynge of Thomas bloud as though that had bene a payment of satisfaction for our synnes And as therby apered they put Christ cleane out of office for him by this coÌ„iuracion Tu per Thome sanguinem queÌ„ pro te impeÌ„dit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascedit O thou Christ suffre vs to clyme vp to that place by the bloud of Thomas whych he shed for that to the which Thomas maÌ„fully asceÌ„ded Marke this hardely for suche a defeccyon froÌ„ Christ as Saynt Paul speaketh of and for the stronge delusyon that they shulde haue whyche beleued lyes that they myghte be dampned ij Thessalo ij For here Thomas redemeth Christe and ascendeth to hauen leauynge vs hys bloude to clyme thydre by Were there euer greater heretykes theues sowle murtherers than were our Papistes I can not thynke it ☞ The false miracles and canonisacyon of Becket OF Christe and of all hys Apostles and prophetes are not written so many great miracles as of this one Becket As that so many sycke so many blynde so many bleare eyed bedred croked broused mangled lamed drowned palseyd leprosed sorowful exyled wyth chylde enprysoned hauged and deade were by them as by him deliuered Neyther were there euer so many writers of any popyshe saintes lyfe or so manye great volumes made as of hys as is shewed afore And all thys was to blemyshe the kynge and to depresse the hygh power both in hym and in
all his successours kinges after him In the thyrd yeare after his deathe was he proclamed a saynt by the popes autoritie and his daye triumphasitly celebrated ouer all Englande hys masse beginnynge with Gaudeamus The king came in all naked sauynge that he hadde a liuen breche about hys nether partes He receyued of the monkes a discipline wyth roddes and was so absolued of them in theyr chaptre howse He resygned his power vpon their hygh aultre consented to their vsurped lybertees and professed him selfe a perpetuall subiect to Antichrist and the serpent Apo. xiij O blasphemers of God and shamelesse mockers of men But Cesarius sayth in the. viij boke of hys dyaloges ca. lxix that in the. xlvij yeare after hys deathe a questyon was moued in the open scholes at Parys whether he were saued or dampned Where as Roger Norman proued hym wurthie to be dampned for obstynate rebellyon against his kinge whiche was Gods appoynted mynyster Peter the great chauntre of Paris hauing nothinge to obiect in the churches quarell to the contrary but his miracles whiche were most manifest lyes and illusions ☞ Kynge Henry smelleth out Antichrist and is agayne blynded SVmwhat must I saye here of the kynge called Henry the seconde whyche was a verye wyse well learned and godly prince Petrus Blesensis sayth in epistola ad Gualterum archiepiscopum Panorimtunum Though he in the yeare of our lord a. M.a. C. and. lxvi permitted at the popes request a grote to be giuen of euery plough lande within all his dominions for ayde of the christen warres agaynst the Turkes yet perceyuinge â— yeares after the crafty bestowynge therof and how the seide pope had mayteined the treason of Becket agaynste him he caused all hys people to forswere his obedience from the childe of xij yeares to them of extreme age Loke Mathew of Westminstre li. ij de floribus historiarum In the next yeare after to please hym agayne pope Alexandre confirmed vnto him the bulle of Adriane the. iiij for the conquest of Irelande and made him the hygh lorde of that region vndre him the Peter pens for euerye chymney that smoked alwayes to hys fatherhede reserued And thys was Iohan hardynge sayth in hys chronycle for an errour whiche the Iryshe men helde against the spyrytualte and for certen heresyes wherwyth they hadde bene long infected In the yeare therfor of our lorde a. M.a. C. and. lxxi were bothe the nobylyte and clergye of the lande sworne vnto hym to take the kynges of Englande for their lordes euer after Rogerus Houeden A lyke chaunce hadde the Scottes in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxxxviij Pope Clement the thyrde in hys hyghe dyspleasure subiectynge that whole realme to the crowne of Englande wyllynge their kinges nobylyte and clergye to gyue alwayes to the kynges of Englande theyr othe of obedyence as to theyr superioure lordes Nicolaus Treueth ☞ A patronage proued lawfull by v. marryed prestes NOwe wyll I brynge a matter whyche Barnes rehearseth in his boke of prestes marryage bicause it fell in thys age In the tyme of pope Alexandre the. iij. sayth he there was a controuersye for the patronage of a benefyce betwene the priour of Plympton in Deuenshyre and one Iohan de Valletorda Iudges were deputed to heare the master Rycharde the archebyshoppe of Canterbury and Roger the byshoppe of Wynchestre Before whome the priour of Plimpton proued his personage by reason that he was in possession therof had gyuen it out afore to dyuerse persones Fyrste he sayde there was a preste of Plympton called Alphege whych hadde by the gyft of the seyd pryour of Plympton the benefyce of Sutton nowe called Plymmouth Thys Alphege hadde a sonne called Cedda whyche hadde also the benefyce after hys father And after thys Cedda was there an other preste called Alnodus whyche hadde the benefyce lyke wyse Thys Almodus hadde a sonne called Robert Dunpruste which after the decease of hys father had also the seyd benefyce And after thys Robert Dunâ—rust William Bakon hys sonne enioyed the benefyce lyke wyse â–ª Ex monumentis eiusdem coenobij Thys is a wytnesse suffycyente to proue that it is no newe learnynge nor yet so longe a go sens prestes hadde lawfull wyues as the ydell headed papystes do make the ignoraunt multytude beleue And thys was in those dayes an vse throughe oute the realme that the sonne shulde in benefyces succede the father eyther els the next of his kinne that was learned tyll the monkes hypocresye procured the alteracyon for theyr bellye 's sake ☞ Examples dyuerse that prestes in that age hadde wyues FVrthermore the seyde pope Alexandre in hys epistles decretall sheweth manye of the â—yke examples And in one to Iohan of Oxforde than byshop of Norwyche he commaundeth that Wyllyam the newe person of Dysse for claymynge the benefyce by inheritaunce after the decease of his father person Wulkerell whyche begate him in his presthode shulde be dyspossessed no appellacyon admitted The deane and chaptre of Salisbury in an other place he chargeth not to admyt Hughe Howet to the prebende of Baphorde whyche was hys fathers afore hym least it so shulde growe agayne into a custome The lyke he wrote to the Archedeacon of Lyncolne and to other diuerse prelates of the realme specyallye to the byshoppe of Excestre of one Iohan a prestes sonne whyche after lyke sorte wolde haue succeded hys father To the byshop of Wyncestre he sheweth there also that the monkes of Lenton abbeye by Notyngham molested one Oliuer a prest whiche had peceably holden the benefyce of Mapleshalle by the space of xxx yeares The greattest matter they hadde agaynste hym was that he hadde bene that prestes sonne whyche had bene curate of the same parryshe afore hym But in thys he defeated the monkes and shewed hym fauer bicause he hadde there contynued so longe The exampels of thys kynde are so manye that I leaue them for tedyousnesse Lete those lewde papystes be ashamed than whyche folowynge the lowsye learninge of that bawdye dronkarde Iohan Eckius in hys folyshe Enchiridyon reporteth wyth hym and wyth doctour Coole in theyr ignoraunt frenesye that it hath not bene heard sens Christes ascensyon that a preste euer marryed or had a wyfe Questyonlesse theyr brutysh heades are to blockysh ☞ Remedyes taughte of S. Godrycke for vowes kepynge SAynte Godrycke borne at Walpole in Northfolke went firste abroade with pedlary wares and afterwardes on pilgrimage to Rome and Hierusalem In hys returne he professed the chast life of an hermyte at Fynkale by Durham and bicame the great fouÌ„der of dyspersed Hermytes here in Englande Muche was he tempted wyth the sprete of fornycacyon and had no small a do to kepe hys vowe of chastyte To abate the great heates of hys fleshe he soughte dyuerse remedyes but marryage was none of them for that was
they depriued the Englyshe successyon of regall regyment to aduaunce the Danysh bloude to the crowne of England Than brought they in the NormeÌ„nes and Frenche men procuring theyr bastarde a banner from Rome to subdue the lande And whan they were stayed by the sufferaunce of God for the synnes of the people than ded they turmoyle wyth them also They rebelled agaynste kynge Wyllyam conquerour and laboured to subdue him bicause they sayd he was both a bastarde and a tyraunt They sent fourth S. Albon if dead meÌ„ myght straye abrode to kylle kynge Wyllyam Rusus bicause he was their enemye They made their dead bishoppes to pricke at kynge Henry the first with their pastorall hokes the chronycles sayth bicause he had much dyspleased them They tell of kynge Steuen that their maker flewe awaye whan he shulde haue receyued hym the taper in hys hande ded breake and the pixte fell out of hys tabernacle at his coronacyon Of kynge Henry the seconde they report that he came of the deuyll by the fathers syde and from the curse of God by the mothers for kyllynge Thomas Becket and yet he kylled hym not They senâ— fourth kynge Richard Cordelyon to fyght for Hierusalem whyls they occupyed hys realme here at home dyffamynge hym of lecherye pryde and couetousnesse Thus haue they handeled their kinges hytherto How they vsed the rest of them ye shall knowe God wyssynge in my next ij bokes folowynge Breuely to conclude vpon that is sayde afore concernynge the dacayed autoryte of princes and condempned marryage of prestes whyche wonderfully gaue waye to Antichristes vsurpacyons The pretence of those wycked workemen whych thus pranked hym vp with vntempered buyldynges was in their generall counsels to condempne the fowle heresye of Simonye and lecherouse commixtion of Nicolaitanes Suche were the prodygyouse and fylthie names that they gaue to the inuestytute of prelates in the handes of a prynce and the marryage of Christen ministers at that tyme at lyberte to make their own wycked actes to apere very godly They sayd 〈◊〉 was the great errour of SimoÌ„ Magus 〈◊〉 a kynge shuld admyt a byshop eyther yet haue power to gyue fourth any spirytuall promocyon yet Simon Magus was no kynge but a membre of their spiritualte They affyrmed it also to be the abhominacyon of the Nicolaitanes whan a Christen mynistre toke to hym a wyfe and yet the Apostles had power to leade about with them systers to wyues i. Corin. ix But doubtlesse they fowly forgote themselues in these matters For Simon Magus wolde haue soâ—â—e the holy Ghost as they ded all their spirituall promocyons and cures And Nicolaus Antiochenus made hys wyfe common as they haue done other mennys wyues to their owne lecherouse vses besydes boyes bytches and apes For the seyd Nicolas was neuer condempned for marryage but for abusynge that honourable estate By these maye ye measure their other buyldynges tyll more matter come forwarde and sawde the eternall God for the lyghte â—â—yche we haue in this aâ—â— receiued both to knowe them and to beware of them So be it ☞ Thus endeth the second pâ—rt of this wurke called The Actes of Englysh votaryes Collected by Iohan Bale Anno. M.D.L. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro. 24 Romish sayntes Olde goddes newe Dyffa MacioÌ„s of Marriage Blasphemye The deuyls Sayntes vnmaried Votaries Christen doctors The autour Chronicles Prestes Marriage Virginite Faythe 2. Cor 11 Mat. 7. Miracles Autours Bishoppes Gospell Errour Face of Antichaist Narriage maketh lay nobilite Kynge Henry Christ. Matrimony the first religion Vnmaryed prestes Gods-aduersaries Cain Nonnes Monkes Sodomites Prestes wiues Priestes wyues Haters of the Pope Barnes The autours EnglaÌ„d Afore Noe. The flod Iapheth Phaleg Samothes gigas Albion gigas Neptunus Samothythes Vestals Chastite TyraÌ„ny now Bruns syluius Druydes Athens Whores One god Beastes worshypped Priestes maryed Votaries Zacharie marryed Marrye a wyfe No nonne Peter marryes No vowes coÌ„mauÌ„ded Peters wyfe Paule maryed Philip maryed Ioseph of Arimathe Anno 63. Scrope Gospell Kynge Lucius Rome Anno domini 179. Churches Autours Christianite Dyoceses paryshes TeÌ„ples MoÌ„kery Heresies Pelagiâ— Fre wyl Seuerus Leporiê° 432. Autours Agricola 446. partrick 361. Martinus Patriciê° Benignus Modwenna Chastite Dubricius KeÌ„tigernus merlinê° Turkes A awe Iudgement Dauid kinetus brigida cuthbert Capgraue whoredome is holy Their Gods seruyce The Popes chaplaynes women Dauid dubricius KeÌ„tigernus Brigida Saynt ModweÌ„ brigida Iltutus hys wyfe Not Poles learnyng Vrsula cum xi millibus Armorica 390. Diounus Dionothus For maryage Drowned autours Wyth lyes Pylgry Dan. 11. Hiere 5 Names feyned Historiours Proue the spretes Only to marry NoÌ„nes of Coleyne CoÌ„staÌ„s 443. Maglocunus Gildas 552. Mempricius Gildas prophecyeth SaxoÌ„s EnglaÌ„d Christyanyte Gregory Instede of marryage Angly Wares Marutus 500. Ethelwolphus 847 Apo. 13. Tymes 607. 596. Augustinus MoÌ„kes crafty scyence Ignoraunt apostles Miracles WomeÌ„ Saye angrye sayntes Festyuall Ethelbert Procession lyberte Etheriê° 600. Instrumentes Doroberna Caunterburye NoÌ„bres primitie Synodê° Christyanytye Brytaynes Princes 600. 666. Antichrist 602. Synodê° Solynarye man Christen counsell A proud Monke Thre poyntes A tyrauÌ„t A murtherer A carnal Synagoge Bloody Syon Iohan Leyland Brytayn churche Englysh churche 607. full age The Papacye Apoc. 13. 2. Tes. 2. MoÌ„kes autorite Esa. xi A false chastite Gregori ExaÌ„ple MoÌ„kes chastyte iij. wayes Coloured Sodomye Stewes diuinite votaries learning maryage contempned Laye with tayles Dorset Stroude Laurencius cuÌ„ alijs Synodê° the feast of easter Women Sore bellies Venus Ceremomonies rytes Good men Hilda â—t Colmannus 664. Agilberbertus melitus 619. Columbanus Paulinê° 626. Fiacriê° Foillanus Keyna Sebba is monked Egbinê° SaÌ„pson Eanswida Frutes of marryage Eanswida babyshe toyes Petrocus Piranus legeÌ„des Chastyte of votaryes Vowes obserued Modwenus Heremita Erkenwaldus Ethelburga Ositha Spirituall knauery 653. Theodorus Apo. 13. The fully coÌ„plete age NoÌ„â—re of the beast crafty scieÌ„ces Theodatus Theodorus shauing 668. Adrianus A scole Straunge sciences Adrianus Character 672. sinodus Ceddas OrdinauÌ„ces IoaÌ„nes de Molinis 680 Synodus AgathoÌ„ No Gospell Synodus generalis Masse Mildreda Vitiza Chastyte fre Hipocresye worketh Monasteries oswius 684. SuÌ„ma penitencialis Drithelmus 671 FouÌ„dacyon of purgatorye Illusyons Confession Masses Canonysed deuyls Cuthbertus NoÌ„nes Verca Colfridus ShaueÌ„ crownes WaldeÌ„ A comete RegnuÌ„ et sacerdotium Apo. 13. ij hornes Augustinus 596. Berinus 636 ij sectes Papacy Kingdomes popishe Britaynes 689. cadwallader Marke it 1533. englaÌ„de Roma et Babylon merline Brute of God SaxoÌ„s merlyne Balaam The. x. hornes of the beast Apo. 17. Apo. 18. Winker of wyles Sedia Guenhera Oswaldus Bebla Ebba Etheldreda Wilfridus knauery Theodorus A waytynge hound The autour Pylgrimes Inas Ethelredus CoÌ„redê° Offa. 709. Kenredê° Colwolphus Bastardes Adelmê° Synodê° ij bokes Sergiê° Egwinê° Images Lady of worcestre Brithwaldus Sonodê° 709. Guthlacus Bartellinus MoÌ„kes Dispersed The Popes apostles Wenefridus Bonifacius Synodê° 710. Daniel Apostle of Germanie Alia bestia Apo. 13. Character Actes of this
beast To worshyp the first Beast Hildericus Pipinê° Kyngdomes traÌ„slated antichrist Apo. xiij Alderbertus Claudiê° Errours doctrine Canonistes Rome Open sale of whores Ethelbaldus Colfredus Osredus geraldus geilepus Fulda 744. Lieba Monasterium fuldeÌ„se Floriacus 651. To ease their vowes Oxford Frideswyde A king Alcuinus Autoures Ethelwolphus Penitentes at Rome Syt in the consâ—â—ences The Rome shott Hospytall Fulda Gilberta A womâ— pope 854. Pryde hath a fall An whore Popes chosen by their stones An exaÌ„ple Fulda Matrimony coÌ„deÌ„pned 858. A prest Holy water 875. Gabriel A boke of xij chapters Diuerse Gabriels Odulphus Fredericus Clarus The Danes Coldyngham Elphegus Ghostly fathers CoÌ„teÌ„cioÌ„ Egelricus a married prest Marriage conteÌ„pned A married prest ethelstâ—nus a monke maryed A miracle Elpe Brithgida Wilfhilda Odo 946. Floriaâ—us The kinges concubines Cinstitucions Oswalde Floriacus The sacrameÌ„t Miracles DuÌ„stanus magnus musyck sorcerye Carniâ—ge autours A caste or feate Ethelstanus Athelmus Elphegus a moÌ„kes cowle Hypocrytes Edmondus rex DuÌ„stanes deuil worketh homely Playe tyme I trowe GlasteÌ„burye Edwinus alfgina Odo caÌ„tuariensis CoÌ„fession Masse of requiem Alfgina loueth Stronge loue Cadina loueth Edwinê° rex The coÌ„mens ryse iij. swerdes Maryed priestes Apoc. 9. Hiere 5. Rome chastite 907 Sergius Marosia Formosus TyraÌ„ny Autours Theoracum filiabus Ioannes raueÌ„nas Ioan ye. x 915. whores rule all Guido Mazozia 929. IoaÌ„ xi hugo rex Italie Leo et Stephanus Writers deceiued iij. whores 930 Hugo rex Goddeses for Whoredom spiritual chastite Albericê° Octauianus 956. Ioan. xij Synodê° Rome Rainera Anna. Rome sacrifice he might be chast Their spiritual father Ioan. xij LiuthpraÌ„dus Byworde 960. Dunstanus The first compulsion Foundacion of chastite The deuyls coÌ„myssyoner A thefe A tirauÌ„t Kynge Edgare Tiranny spiritual mariage condemned Facies ecclesiarum Heretikes and theues wilfrith penauÌ„ce An apyshe slaue The beastes autorite A proude knaue No king but a fole A witles Beast Practyse Craft Priestes go out A colour Edward Editha Al sayntes The mother duÌ„stane Editha Great loue shewed A narrow sercher Edgare Image Bestie sinodus 969 An Acte for sodome TiraÌ„ny Visitours For mariage Bulles Dunstane accused Edgare alfreda Oratio ad clersi knauery A deuilish Illusion wolues Act. 20. Cant. 2. Monasteries Ethelwoldus impostor magus Heretykes a colour a father Ioan. 13 Stephana Oswaldus magus Floriacus Prestes expelled Apoc. 9. a colour iij false knaues 975 Scisms Alpherus Ethelredus Edwardus legatus Ioan. 13 a father A deceyt Alpherus Prestes restored The prestes The moÌ„kes A crosse in mariage Backare sir monke 975. sinodus coÌ„missioÌ„ A roode knauery The rood speaketh 1 IoaÌ„ 4 thomas croÌ„well Verses Capgraue 1036 Canutus The crowne Egelnothus An Idol made king Image of the Beast canutus Elgiua Claustrall chastite A monkes bastarde Sweno Heraldus Dunstanus knauery Alpherus 976 a lerned Bishop Dunstane an asse A blind beast a limme of the deuill Mich. 3 sayntes Gods seruyce Precursor Antichristi Apo. 20. miracles the churche Apo. 12. Sathan Vyces 988 Deuils A bloudye cloude Danes Siricius MoÌ„kes were Englandes destruccioÌ„ The Danes streÌ„thened Lorde Dane 1012 Caunterburye Elphegus Tythynges A iust Plage Extent of thys boke The other boke 1551. Sathan at large Good workes Sodomites Mat. â— Mar. iiij Luc. 12. Christ to buketh Mat. 23. Vespasianus Titus Captyues ExaÌ„ple Magystrates Englysh Saintes The Autour Starres Fallen starres Holye dayes Peter Paule secular laye Called Startsmen Tayles whores â–ª Face of the Seâ—pent Dunstanes deuil Noble men Kynge Henry Saynt George What maketh noble Lawes Doctrine Deuyls ij part A dogge False teachers Romanes Nahor Cechim Romulus Ilia Rhea Lupa Lupanaria Chloris Floralia Spurij Priapus A God Romysh goodes Iulius Nero. Aurelius Clergy Constantinus TeÌ„ples ij soÌ„nes Emperour French kynge Childericus Angisus Pipinus TeÌ„ples Olympus Whores Aristotle Simon Magus Bishoppes Sergius Rome Sodomytes Roma Papistes Examples Adam Holy churche The author tarryed Ghostly fruytes Doctryne Sathan 1000. Syluester ij Darkenesse Saturnus Chastite 1000. Saturnus Vesta Aurelius Palumbus An offerynge Syluestre Apo. xx Dyscyples Fathers Sorcerers Two prynces Necromaâ—cy Oblacyon Prynces Promocyons Papacy 1001. IooÌ„nes Baconthorpe Decrees Empyre 1002. Germanes Yongar sonne Electours 1002. Chauncellers Princes Pyllars The Egle. An ydol Odilo abbas 1010. Purgatory Osbernus 1010. Hypocresy Phylosophy Sodome A prest 1010. A weÌ„che Deuyls Wilfhilda Barkinge Good chere Ethelgarus Siricius 990. Elphegus 1010. ij deuils Their power A cowle The vertue Hypocrytes S. 〈◊〉 The water S. Walstane 1016. Capgraue meÌ„bers 1017. A starre Canutus Abbeyeâ— Rome shott Bastardes Fulbertus Gene sucke A church O traytours O caytyfes For Idolatry Bury abbey 925. 1021. 1036. A chaplayne Coueyaunce Promocyons All holy A nonne As a wyfe A prest Saye Masse Whoredom Alwinus 1044 Emma Danysh bloude A traytour Myracles An ydyote Edward Marryage Legenda Blasphemy S. Paul Errour Testymonyes Editha Hypocrytes Examples Subieccyon A voyce Straungers Prelates Lubbers Newe sayntes Gregory 1046 Cardynalles Swauus 1049 Penaunce Palumbus Deuyls Members A wytch Masses Holy churche 1053. Wenches Victor 1056. Poyson ChristiaÌ„ O trayters Hypocresy Duke Robert Brotheis A bastarde Autores Stigandus 1054. A Byshopp Versus 1082. WyllyaÌ„ Olyuer 1060. Edward Nicolas Westminster Petrus Damianus Berengarius Churche 1069. Wynchestre Alexander A prouiso Lanfrancus A counsell Confession Dunstanus Dead men Lanfrancus Bishopryckes 1068. An othe 1069. A stryfe Lanfrancus Canterbury Walter 1070 A weÌ„che Ouercome A practyse Cecilia 1075. Thurstinus 1083. A battayle ij slayne CoÌ„meÌ„s HildebraÌ„dus Dyscyples Aduersary vij Popes poysened A murtherer Practyses A traytour Deuyls A traytour God stryketh Myschefe ij cantels Sorcerer God brent Autores 1074 Depryued ExaÌ„ples TyrauÌ„t Autoreâ— Cestes Scysme Seducers Maude An whore A crafte Resystaunce Sathan Marryage Angels Vycar Holy church Warnynge Wytnesses Prouysyons Prestes TyraÌ„ny A bulle Masses Preposterously Deceyuers 1075. ConteÌ„pt Antichrist WyllyaÌ„ 1075. RebellioÌ„ 1076 Walker Satisfactyon 1080. DurhaÌ„ Reason Confirmed 1083. Kepers Boso Turgotus VysyoÌ„s A token Pylgrymage Prestlyke 1076. Prydee 1077. A bastard Lanfrancus A warryour 1077 Blasphemer 1083. Osmundus Canonysed 1087. KeÌ„redus Exempcyon Nobylyte Roberyes Styngers Anselme Wyues 1097. Tribute 1090. Styngers Walkinus Walterus Tryall Warnynge 1095. Starres The place A chaÌ„ge Mark it symony 1092. A lechour Spretes 1093. Reward Chestre Herbert 1091. 1094 No merchaunt 1095. 1096 Testymonyes Norwych A monstre Money Symoners A deuyll Simon Richard Peche Ethelwolf A bishop 803 A bastard Wulstane Louers to blesse A fable Wolstone Hardinâ— Cisteanes 1098. 1135. Sectes fasciculus 1000. Sorceryes 1094 1100. 1096 Realyte Paulus Deceyuers 1094 Anselme Kynge WyllyaÌ„ Vycars Anselme Spyes 1095. Falsehede A traytour A SathaÌ„ A rebell A search Suggestyon 1089 PetycioÌ„ women Fryndly 1096 Practyses 1097 Nichetas 1098 woÌ„ders CouÌ„sels for lucre Actes MoÌ„kes Make spede A curse o deuils Blasphemy A mouth Sorceryes A seate EnglaÌ„de A pope 1099 A sonne A fable Raylers 1101. Yll chauÌ„ge No faulte Iudgementes A practyse Lyke a kyng RaÌ„dolfe Practise 1101 ij Thomas Gerard. 1114. doctrine 1102. Marryage Sodometrye marke it Actes ExeÌ„pt Chast professioÌ„ Al a like Iniunctyons Shamed Forfaytes Buggerers 1539. Abbotes For whores Herbert Anselme A iestar BabyloÌ„ Monkelyke Good stuffe Antichrist Gerard. Wyues for lucre 1103. a synode An acte Sodomytes Saintes An acte Laye prest Publyshed Conueyaunce TeÌ„derly Practise Buggerers WyllyaÌ„ A rope Hypocryte A crafte No not so A stryfe Lawful Anselme to Rome Warelwast Paschalis Antichrist Richard restored From Rome Knaueryes subtylte Systers 6. An ordre RelygioÌ„ lyke MerchauÌ„tes Secular A questyon O traytours 1106. Antichrist Deceyt 1112. Breches A couÌ„sel An excuse Barnes Kynge Henry 1107. A couÌ„sel Anselme O traytour A Pope 1108. Women Wytnesses Antichristes Papystes 1109. A Pope wurkes A wolfe 1110. Tritemius iij. bastardes Dyuynyte Baconthorpe 1113. Raufe 1115. The crowne Authours Calixtus 1119. 1123 Scripturs 1123 1102. 1115 Wiues 1120 Lordes Ladies writers A plage Bastard Celsus No vowe Eckius ReuereÌ„d 1120. Irel â— 1125. A legate Bagges SenteÌ„ce A verse Cardynall Secrete Vnfytt Ashamed 1129. Processe Lucre. A craft Wyues Sectes CisteaÌ„s S. Robert Charterers Locustes Fatte 1135. Steuen A vowe Customes Mark it A plage 1036. Prelates A helpe A sinode Accursed 1137. TurstaÌ„ Prelates Heretykes 1138. No wife 1140. Mark it Wyttes Define Plato Wysdome 1140. Dauid 1140 Decrees Petrus Esse To darken 1144. Wulwarde Goodwyn Marryage 1545. Corbet Rugge Men godly mockers A mother Examynacyon No shame doctrine I. Bale 1148. terrour Crabbes Dyscouered Autores Nicolas A moÌ„ke Salisbury All true 1159. S. Willyam Poysened Spirituall Yorke 1154. 1159. 1155. No better Becket rebukes Gylbert A ordre 1148. Rules 1159. WaÌ„ton Nigellus Gilbertynes Hefled Returned whores 1153. A shyfte Nigellus ij sortes Hypocresy Theues Mark it all voyd Nigellus Fruitfull Malcolme A kynge Maior 1163. Water 1160. Calfes Fame Antichrist writers Tolouse Becket A ruflar pleasure a weÌ„che for loue All chast Change 1164. Prestes AddicyoÌ„ An acte A preste Vndre Becket Autour articles Cursed No king Clarkes 1164. a church Christyanes Monkery Opynyons 1171. franrick Idolatrye A deuyll Defeccyon Miracles Bokes 1173. Assoiled 1220. A rebell Henry ij 1166. 1168. 1169. Errour 1171. 1188. Barnes 1176. A priour Alphege Bakon the soÌ„ne ExaÌ„ples Prestes successe Curates Eckius Pedlar Heates Water LegeÌ„de Geares 1170. 1179. Sequestred Ryders Pryuyleges WalthaÌ„ 1120 BurdeÌ„s Lucre. Dissent 1187. Dyshes Bellye PaÌ„per Dyshes A priour Conueyaunce Two priours Abroade 1086. prisoner A thefe ij orders They serue 1312. 1186. 1187. mockers 1187. Pleasure 1189. miracle DurhaÌ„ Longe lyfe autours Giraldus A moÌ„ke A falle Drowned Canterbury 1101. Giraldus Autores Stryses Wiles 1191. A rular a votary Accomptes Disgysed A sowster A monstre A preste A playe Depryued Meueâ— 1197. A frynd 1191 Antichrist Ioachim prelates Argumentes 1191. Defend Antichrist Mark it o Inciset 1192 Charite Nouant Contencion 1198. Hubert 1196. Poyson Studye Sisions Iohan. Warryres A chaunter Canons CoÌ„timae 1197. Hypocrite Husbandes Fulco Thre howses 1198. Legion 1196. WomeÌ„ 1198. coÌ„secrat Baldewyn Prestes apostles 1199. Occupied Discressyon A boke Actes Yeares Sathan no stop Hydden Mistes Lighte Autour iiij paroes coÌ„tentes The last Diuerse Craftes ij offices the firste Wiues oportet Wretches women Buggerers The. ij Autorite Deceyt o SathaÌ„ Mockers Traytours Curses An hidre Fauer Traytours rebelles Blasphemers Deceyuers ij matters Verlettes Simon Magus Iudge
counterfett presthyde was than throughly salted and placed there the Actes of the. iiij generall counsels receyued in stede of the. iiij Euangelies In the next yeare following was a generall Synode kept at Constantynople in Grece where as marryage was for euer permytted vnto the Greke prestes and vtterly forbidden the latynes or all other besydes them the latine masse receyuynge there his first confirmacion But Theodorus hys monkes were at a good indyfferent poynt for that which had veyled wythin in one monastery in the I le of Thanete lxx Nonnes makynge fayre Myldrede their abasse Loke IohaÌ„ Capgraue Ranulphe and other English autours In spight of the former acte dâ—d Vitiza the king of Spayne permyt hys prestes by a lawe newelye made to kepe so manye concubines as ther wolde Michael Ricius de regibus Hispanie Paulus Constantinus Phrâ—gio in Chronidis regnorum ¶ Chastyte Monkes Monasteries and Penaunce Wernerus Cartusiensis sayth in Fasciculo temporum that vowynge of chastyte was fre wythout constraynt in the tyme of saynt Gregory and sumwhat after Bedas reporteth li 3 ca. 6 De gestis Anglorum Ioannes Maior in gestis Scotorum li. 2. Ca. 11. That a monkes cowle after they had ones vowed chastyte was holden in suche reuerence that no maÌ„ wolde in a maner than iourney vnlesse he had their blessinges Into a most wonderfull madnesse were the people than brought by their hypocryticall wytcherye the verye elect persones scant frefrom that damnable errour Math. 24. Marcy 13. For the vnthankefulnesse of men sayth Iob in settynge his veryte lyght doth God permytt the Hypocrytes to reigne ouer them in all power of deceytfull wonders Iob. 34. Thessal 2. They ded than spedelye set vp monasteries without nombre all the realme ouer Iohan Hardynge sayth in his Chronicle that King Oswye buylded within Northumberlande xij in one yeares space In the yeare of our Lorde DC and lxxxiiij helde Theodorus yet an other counsell in the North partyes at Twyforde where as he publyshed a serten boke of his owne makynge called A penytencyall summe commaundynge his clergye to put it euerye where in practyse Therin were contayned all maner of synnes and excesses with aggrauacions reseruacions penaltes sorowes penaunces and ponnishmentes And this was to terryfye captyue and snare the wretched consciences of men euen to vttre desperacion And where coude haue bene sought out a practyse of more deuilishenesse Sigebertus Sabellicus Tritemius Scriptores ferme omnes ¶ The foundacyon of their Purgatorye AT the same verye tyme was there one Drithelmus in Nortoumberlande whych leauynge both wyfe and children in the yeare of our Lorde DC and. lxxi made himself a monke at Mailros Saynt Cuthbert than beynge abbot there The sayd Drithelmus fayned himselfe on a tyme to be dead here was knauerye vpon knauerye and reported in his returne that he had seane by an Angels demonstracion both purgatory and paradise hell and heauen After that he had subtillye declared thys vnto Kynge Alphrede and other greate men of the contreye there at the request of the monkes muche people resorted vnto hym for counsell for their sowles from all quarters of Englande So redy are the foles of thys worlde to heare lyes and illusyons whyche neuer had loue to the veryte Thys knaue euermore commended vnto them confessyon and penaunce fastynge prayer and almes dedes specyallye and aboue all other masse saynges and monasteryes buyldinge Was not thys thynke yow a vertuouse chrystyanyte of these chaste fathers to kegynne theyr holye churche wyth Were yt not pytye but they were canonysed sayntes and their feastfull dayes solemnysed twyse in the yeare wyth ryngynges syngynges sensynges and massynges as thys Cuthbertes wer and are yet to thys daye I thynke the Turkes churche had neuer more knaues to their Sayntes than these For this Drithelmus ys one of their sayntes also Iohan Capgraue post uitam Adriam Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus wyth dyuerse other ¶ Chastyte of Cuthbert and doctrine of Colfride SO cruell was this Cuthbert vnto women after he became a Saynt of theirs that non might come wythin hys sayntuaryes they say at Doilwem Cornen and Mailros in Scotlande nor yet at Durham Tyâ—mouth and Lynde farne here in Englande vndre payne of soden death their chambers and selles exempted alwayes Yet was the seyd Cuthbert verye famylyar in his time wyth Ebba Elsteda and Verca iij holy abbasses and builded for his pleasure a solempne uondry at Carliell Fynallye for the specyall good loue he had vnto Verca aboue all other he commaunded in hys testament that his bodye after his departinge shuld be wrapped in the fyne lynnen clothe that she had geuen hym Ye may se by thys that these chast fathers had their louers and set sumwhat by their owne precyouse bodyes Saynt Colfride abbot of Girwin in Northumberland wrote vnto Athon kinge of the Pyctes that it was as necessary for the vowe of a monke or degre of a prest prestes were than no vowers to haue a shauen crowne for restraynt of their lustes as for any christen man to blesse him agaynst spretes whan they come vpon him What wise learning thys ys I report me vnto yow Yet yt ys regestred of Bedas in hys v. boke De gestis Anglorum and also of Thomas Vualden in hys volume De sacramentalibus ii 9. Ca. 80 to stoppe heretikes mouthes with besydes that IohaÌ„ Capgraue hath sayd in yt ¶ The fallen starre and. ij Hornes of the Beast ABout thys tyme were many wonderfull thynges seane in dyuerse quarters of the worlde specyally a great Comete or blasyng starre which semed wyth flamynges of fyre to fall in to the sea great morren folowynge both of beast and man Not all vulyke was thys to that is described Apoca. 8. And betokened than in my opynyon both the vttre fall of the pryncelye gouernaunce and also the christen presthode or of both vndre one as powers of one God For both they beynge as starres in the firmament or powers from aboue Romano 13 most wredchedly than delcined from the true obedyence and faythfull admynystracyon of Gods eternall veryte vnto the beastly subieccyons and tradycyons of that execrable Pope Sens that tyme haue they comen from the sea They haue taken their autoryte of that Beaste â—hych rose out of the sea Apoca. 13 tyll now at late dayes the. ij hornes of the other Beast that is to saye of hypocresye pryckynge them than forewarde Those ij hornes of that earthlye Beaste were here in England the. ij monkysh sectes that in those dayes fyrste entered The fyrste of them were the blacke monkes of Saynt Bernet whych entered first of all wyth the afore named Augustyne in the yeare of our Lord. CCCCC and xcvi to peruerte the South Saxons and kentysh men The other were the blacke Chanons of the
other Saynt Augustyne both blacke which came in wyth Byrinus the Archebyshop of Dorcestre in the yeare of our Lord. DC xxxvi from Pope Honorus the fyrste to deceyue the west Saxons For yche Pope and byshopp preferred euermore the secte he was of These ij wrought so their wycked feates in those dayes with lyenge sygnes in hypocresy that they caused the afore named starres Regnum et Sacerdocium Regalite and presthode to fall clerely from heauen Iohan Capgraue Ranulphus et Polidorus ¶ The fall of kingdoms and rayse of the Papacy MArke in the Chronicles and ye shall fynde thys moste true That lyke as the Papacye had hys fyrste rayse in and of the fall of the Empyre so had those kingdomes whiche fyrste obeyed it their orygynall begynninges of the ouerthrowe of the inferyour kingdomes As Englande vndre King Inas by the fall of the Brytaynes and Fraunce vnder Kinge Pypyne by the puttinge a sydy of the Merouyngeanes Sens these lecherouse locustes crepte first into Englande neuer throne that kingedome of the auncyent Brytaynes whose spyrituall heade was God alone but euerye daye more and more decayed tyll it was fullye ended Marke it hardelye from the fyrste comminge hither of the seyd Augustyne tyll the yeare of our Lord. DC lxxxix wherin Cadwallader their last Kyng dyed a most desolate pilgrime at Rome offeringe hymselfe vp there moste myserablye to the Pope Euer sens hath yt bene to hym obediente in all blasphemouse errours and doctrynes of Deuilles by the space of DCCC and. xliiij yeares tyll the yeare of our Lord. M. CCCCC and. xxxiij wherin at our noble kynges moste wholsome request we vtterlye by othe renounced that odyouse monstre Nowe is it Gods owne kingdome agayne and our King his immedyate ministre That Lorde graunte of hys infynyte mercye that lyke as we haue put a syde hys name we maye euen frome the harte also cast ouer hys Idolatrouse yokes folowing from henceforth the vncorrupt rules of the Gospell A like comparison hath Paulus Orosius lib. 2. Cap. 4. Historiarum mundi of Babilon and Rome Very like begynnynges sayth he had Babilon and Rome like powers like prides like continuaunces like fortunes and like ruynes sauynge only that Rome arose of the fall of Babilon and so fourth ¶ An olde prophecy of Merlyne disclosed AS I was in wrytynge this matter an old Prophecy of Merline came vnto my remembraunce That after the manyfolde irrupcions of straungers the kinges of thys realme shuld be ones agayn crowned wyth the Dyademe of Brute and beare his auncyent name the new name of straungers so vanishinge awaye He that applyeth vnto this a right vnderstandinge shall fynde it very true The Diademe of Brute is the pryncely power of thys whole region immediatly geuen of God without any other meane mastry worker to Antichristes behoue Fre was that power from the great whores domynyon which is the Rome churche tyll the violent conquest of the English Saxons which they had of the Brytaynes for their iniquities sake And now prayse be vnto that Lorde it is in good waye to that fredome agayne and would fullye attayne therunto were here heythnysh yokes in religion ones throwne a syde as I doubt it not but they will be within short space As well may ye geue credeÌ„ce to this Merlyne whan he vttereth the verite as vnto olde Balaam the sothsayer whiche at a tyme prophecyed the commynge of Christ. Num. xxiiij And as coÌ„cernyng the returne of the name marke in thys age the wrytynges of lerned meÌ„ ye shall wel perceyue the change for now commonly do they wryte vs for Englyshemen Brytaynes ¶ The whores fleshe eaten of the. x. hornes THE. x. hornes of the first Beast whiche were kyngdomes maynteynyge that whore now ioyned all into one doth mortallye hate her at this present instaunt is makynge her desolate and maked in Englande In the ende they shall eate her fleshe and clerely consume her with the fyre appointed Englande was sumtyme into vij kyngdomes deuyded by the consent of al writers and wales into ij called Venedotia Demetia or north wales South wales Ireland makyng vp the truth Or if ye holde wales but for one let Scotland supplye that rowme whiche oweth vnto Englande perpetuall homage â–ª As all these are now in one moste worthye and victoryouse Kyng but one so wyll God put into all their hartes one consent to fulfyll hys will and to geue her kyngdome vnto the beast or to sende it agayn to the deuell from whens it fyrst came Apoca. xvij Consydre with your selues the late ouerthrowe of the monasteries couentes collegis and chaunteries alleages of vncleane spretes and holdes of moste hatefull byrdes by the manifest worde of God And thynke not but the fyltye habitacions of the great mastre deuyls wyll folowe sone after Apoca. xviij Let the gogle eyed Gardyner of wyncestre gyrde at it tyll his rybbes ake and an hondred dyggynge deuyls vpon his syde yet shall not one Iote of the lordes promes be vnfulfylled at the tyme appoynted for that blasphemouse whores ouerthrowe hys moste holye mother Praye in the meane season good christen readers praye praye praye that hys heauenly wyll be done in earth and not mannys and fashyon your lyues to the fourme of his moste dere sonne Iesus Christes doctryne Amen ¶ Actes of vowed virginite for that age NOw to returne agayne to their spiâ—ituall actes of chastyte for that age WhaÌ„ one Sedia the father of saynt Aidus perceyued that he by no meanes could haue a chyld by his wyfe he brought her to these continent fathers for remedy of her barrennesse she was spede the next nyght after by a miracle for all were miracles they dyd IoaÌ„ Cap. Guenhera a Cornysh woman whoÌ„ som writers call fayre Elyne that made king Arthure a cuckolde was after his death deuoutely receiued into Ambesbury non drye as a penitent to their spirituall vse Guilhelmus Malmesbury Saynt Oswalde sayd his wyfâ— Bebla in bed with a relygiouse hermyte And wheÌ„ the great heate came vpoÌ„ him as the spiritual fathers are hasty she found the meanes that he was cast in cold water to abate his hote corage This is one of the holy actes wherupon the pope hath made the sayd Oswald a saint IohaÌ„ hardyng Saint Ebba whiche was in those dayes the mother of all noÌ„nes was generate of an whore as were al her fathers childreÌ„ besides her ij of theÌ„ only excepted This Ebba had in the monastery of Coldyngham not farre â—â—om Barwyck both men womeÌ„ dwellyng togyther fell by fell as the maner was than of all Nondryes in England which exercysed the battayles of chastyte so longe that in their nyght metynges they went to bed togyther by couples theyr religiouse loue was then so great tyll God sent a wylde fyre vpon them for that contempt of
marryage Ioannes Maior libro secundo Capite 12. Ioannes Capgraue in catalogo sanctorum Anglie ¶ A spirituall conueyaunce to be marked ETheldred whom ye cal Saynt Andrye of helye marryed ij great prynces Tombert of the South Girwyes and Egfride the Kyng of Northumberlande mockynge them both by the space of more then xiij yeares in not geuynge them due beneuolence accordyng to the holy doctrine of saynt Paul i. Cor. vij And in occasioninge them to aduouterouse lyuynge The lattre of theÌ„ knowynge that she mynded wylfryde then byshop of yorke muche more then hym for the storye sayeth that she loued that monke aboue all the men lyuyng requyred him in Gods behalfe to admonysh her of her dewtye that he myght accordyng to hys lawes haue increase of succession by her And he lyke a false traytour knaue notwithstandinge hys promes to the contrarye perswaded her to perseuer in her obstynacye and vtterlye to resyst hym allegynge her vowe and requyrynge a diuorcement from hym Wherupon he was then compelled to marrye an other wyfe called Ermenburgis and Etheldrede was professed a NoÌ„ne in ColdynghaÌ„ with Ebba by the sayd wylfryde This kyng after that perceyuynge his knauerye by assent of Theodorus the archebyshop of Caunterbury bannyshed hym out of hys lande Then folowed she after a pace and whyles he was byshop of Eastsexse she became abbasse of hely not farre from his elbone Marke thys conueyaunce for your learnynge If this were not knauerye where shal we fynde knauery Yet was this gentylman conueyer admytted for a saynte because he buylded a college at Rippon where my selfe was ones bayted of his Basan bulles for mainteining the kynges prerogatiue agaynst their pope as good mastre IohaÌ„ Hercye can fulwell tell Ioannes Capgraue in uitis Etheldrede Vuilfridi ¶ Kynges became pylgrymes and their wyues Nonnes A Verye proper cast the women had in those dayes by the ghostlye counsell of the prelates They sent theyr hâ—sbandes to Rome on pylgrymage by heapes whyls they kept them spyrituall company at home Ethelburg made great haste and left no callyng on tyll her husbande kyng Inas was thydrewardes with scrippe haâ—â—e and staffe she lokyng for his no more coming home in the abbeye of Berkynge Thys Inas became a monke there and was the first that clogged the west Saxons with payment of the Rome shott or Peter Pens to the Pope Volateranus Fabiane After hym folowed Ethelrede kynge of Mercia in lyke fashion of pylgrymage and became afterwarde abbot of Bardeney Iohan Capgraue Conredus also kyng of the same prouynce dyed a folyshe monke at Rome So dyd kynge Offa of the East Saxons the selfe same yeare of our Lorde DCC and. ix besydes KeÌ„redus Ethelwolphus and a great sort more Hermannus Contractus Platina Polidorus Colwolphus kynge of Northumberlande returned agayne to Gyrwyn and there dyed a monke Robert Fabiane Great layser would it requyre to shewe here how many of suche kynges the ghostly fathers sent at dyuerse seasons vnto Rome that they for the tyme might haue the spirituall occupyenge of theyr wyues and how many of their own bastardes they made kynges for them And therfore at thys tyme I passe them ouer Innumerable knaueryes wrought they in those dayes and all vndre the coloure of vowed chastyte ¶ Great experymentes of virginite AS Saynt Aldelmus the byshop of Sherborne that ye now cal Salysbury chaunced to be at Rome the people there made a fowle exclamacion vpon Pope Sergius the first for begettynge a wenche with chylde whyche he they saye by a lytle straunge workynge pacyfyed In whose returne a Synode was holden in Englande agaynst the Brytaynes or welshe men for not conformynge their churches to the Romysh obseruacions he there required to inueye agaynst them Vpon the which mocion he wrote then two bokes one for the Eastre celebracion and an other in the prayse of virgynes to blemyshe the marriage of their priestes there and also to aduauÌ„ce their newlye professed chastyte For that he had also in commandement of Sergius notwithstandynge hys owne knowne lecherye This Aldelmus neuer refused women but would haue them coÌ„monly both at borde at bedde to mocke the deuyll with In the tyme he was abbot of Malmesbury he appoynted oft tymes to hys fleshe this martyrdoÌ„ As he felte any sore mouynges therof he layed by him naked the fairest mayde he could get so longe tyme as an whole Dauids psalter was in saynge And when hys heate was past he sent her home agayne as good a mayde as he left her Is not this thynke you a stronge argument to proue that all priestes may lyue chast This telleth Bedas Ranulphus Iohan Capgraue and manye other Englyshe autours more ¶ Images admytted with chast examples ABout the same tyme saynt Egwine abbot of Euesham and byshop of Worcestre then called wickes hearynge tell that labour was made to the pope to haue the christen temples replenyshed with Images to promote that market forewarde he hyed hym a peace to Rome And there he declared to the holye father the secrete reuelacions and commaundementes of our ladye that he had to set vp an Image of her to be worshypped at Worcestre delyueryng hym a booke whiche he had written of the same apparycyons besydes the lyfe of Aldelme The pope then called Constantine the fyrst hearing this newe wondre sent hym home agayne with hys bulles of autoryte commaundynge Brithwalde then Archebyshop of Caunterburye wyth all haste to call a generall Synode of all the clergye for confirmaâ—â—on of the same the kynges required not to be absent that daye And this was done in the yeare of our Lorde DCC and ix This Brithwalde beynge also a moÌ„ke was the first Englysh man that was Archebyshop of Caunterburye Marke it Saynt Guthlake an heremyte of Rependon tolde a certayne abbot the same tyme that goynge homewarde he shuld fynde in a wydowes howse ij of his holy monkes whiche had lyeu with her the nyght afore for easement of their chastite Saynt Bartellyne heremyte of Stafforde stale out of Irelande the kynges doughter there And as she was afterwarde trauelynge of chylde in a forest whyles he was sekynge the mydwyfe a wolfe came and deuoured both her and her chylde These storyes hath at large Iohan Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie Guilhelmus Malmesbury et Ranulphus ¶ Englysh monkes become Antichristes Apostles IN those dayes the moÌ„kes of Englande were becomen so myghtye in supersticiouse learnynge that they were able to peruert all other christen regyons as they dyd then in dede Some of them went into Germanye some into Fraunce some into Italye and Spayne and became the Popes instrumentes of all falshede fasshioning hym vp there a newe kyngdome of all deuylyshnesse to withstande the manyfest glory of God and subduynge therunto an pryncely Powers Yow
of lyfe She left her owne howse and buylded her an habitacion by the churche louyngly intertaynynge men of holye orders In conclusyon whan she departed the worlde she left her great coffers and treasure bagges with Dunstane to dyspose for her soule she had heard of Kyng Edwyne with the which he after that buylded fyne monasteryes Ioannes Capgraue in Cat sanct Anglie ¶ Dunstane kepeth the kynges of Englande vndre DVnstane was excedyngly beloued with Cadina Kynge Eldredes mother these are the playne wordes of the history and he loued her excedyngly agayne And wheÌ„ he ones became the kynges corectour mastre yea rather his kynge Emperour sayth the text by her meanes he was elected Byshop of wynchestre after the decease of Eâ—phegus But he enioyed it not by reason of his tyranny against kynge Edwyne that succeded hym Whose coÌ„cubynes he can sed the archebyshop Odo as is sayd afore to seale in the face with hote Irons and to bannysh theÌ„ specially one he sore blemyshed sent into Ireland And wheÌ„ Dunstane was for this presumptuouse pageant exyled the moÌ„kes caused the coÌ„mons to ryse against him from the water of Humbre to the flood of Thamis so to depose hym Ioannes Capgraue in uitis Dunstani Odonis Neuer were the coÌ„cubines of Dauid Salomon thus ordered of Samuel Achimelech Abiathar Sadoch the byshop of that age In a serten vision receyued Dunstane iij. swerdes they saye of iij. apostles Peter Paule Andrewe with the administracioÌ„ of iij. byshoprickes in EnglaÌ„d Worcestre LoÌ„don CauÌ„terbury to kepe the kynges vndre to bringe moÌ„kes into the plentuouse possessions of the cathedrall churches that priestes with their wyues children by violeÌ„te expelled Of him also yâ— forsayd Odo thus prophecied at his coÌ„secracioÌ„ This will be a most mighty captaine come downe knawes come downe valeaunt warriour against the worldly pryncâ—s VinceÌ„cius Antoninus Capgraue Thus grewe the hoÌ„gry leane locustes into most sturdy wild horses with lyoÌ„s heades Apo. ix neyeng after mennis wyues Hiere 5. What rule was at Rome in those dayes TO fatche thys matter where about we go from the very well sprynge or fyrst oryginall as the frute from the tree and the tree from the roote we wyll sumwhat shewe what chast ordre was at Rome in those dayes In the yeare of our lord DCCCC and vij was one Sergius a man without all vertu and learnyng made Pope and became the thirde of that name This Sergius kepte a yonge whore in the tyme of hys holy papacye called Marozia had by her a bastarde which was pope loÌ„ge after hym called IoaÌ„ the. xi and reigned in all fylthinesse more theÌ„ vij yeares Some writers holde that he begate of her IohaÌ„ the. x. also but the coÌ„trarye of that shall apeare herafter This filthy tyrauÌ„t caused pope formosus whom his predecessour Steuen had afore disgraded buried among the profane laye multidude to be taken vp agayne decked lyke a pope set in a chayre to be byheaded and hys iij. fyngars cut of hys carkas so to be throwne into the ragynge flood of Tiber Se if there were euer any tyrannye lyke vnto the tyranny of these spirituall Antichristes thus cruelly handelynge â— man that is dead This sheweth more at large Liuthprandus Ticinensis lib. 2. Capi. 13. ac lib 3. Cap. 12. rerum Europicarum BloÌ„dus Flauius Baptista Platina Ioannes Stella abbas Vrspergensis Ptolemeus LuceÌ„sis Vincencius Antoninus Bergomas alij ¶ The chastite of holy churche there THeodora a most execrable whore and aduouterouse mother to the forsayd Marozia Theodora the yongar both vnshamefast whores also so burned in concupiscens of the bewtye of one Iohan Rauennas a priest theÌ„ sent in massage to the pope by Peter the Archebyshop of Rauenna that she not only moued hym but also compelled hym to lye with her and so become her peramoure dere This whore for hys lecherouse occupyenge of her made hym first Byshop of Bononye than Archebyshop of hys owne natiue cytie Rauenna and fynally Saynt Peters vycar in Rome called Iohan the. x. Pope of that name that she myght at all tymes haue hys companye nygher home This was done in the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and. xv and he gouerned the papacye there xiij yeares and more Liuthprandus Ticinensis lib. 2 Cap. 13. rerum per Europam gestarum It is easye to se by this open experiment that she and her ij doughters myght do muche in the holye college of cardynalles He that iudgeth not that churche to be whoryshe whiche was so depelye vndre the rule of whores that they at their pleasure might appoint ther vnto what head rulers they would hath litle good iudgement in hym I thynke ¶ A popes bastarde is made Pope GVido the marques of Thuscia at the lattre marryed Pope Sergius whore Marozia Whiche willynge to preferre vnto Saynt Peters seate the bastarde whome she had by the sayd Pope caused hym to enpryson her mothers dere peramoure Iohan the. x. and to stoppe vp hys breathe with a pyllowe Immediatly after which was the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and. xxix was he constytute pope and called IohaÌ„ the. xi but the same self yeare he was deposed agayne Wherupon she clerly left all spirituall occupienge and in displeasure of the prelates maryed her self sone after her husbandes deathe to one Hugh the Kynge of Italye whiche was her other husbandes brother by the mothers syde and made hym the monarke of Rome to recouer agayne thys lost dignyte for her bastarde Thus shewed she her self to be a playne Herodias besydes her other vnshamefast whoredomes in the spiritualte Liuthprandus li. 3. Ca. 12. Pope Leo the. vi which folowed the next helâ— the papacy not iij. quarters of a yeare And after hym Steuen the. vij litle moâ—e then ij yeares They myght not longe tarrye here but had a cast of sowre physycke to sende them well hens that they myght geue place to the ryght heire For next them he succeded agayne and contynued almoste v. yeares after All that hath wrytten sens platynaes tyme haue bene fowlye deceiued with hym concernyng this Iohan the. xi some of them takyng one Iohan for another and some two for one forwante of the afore seyde worke of Liuthprandus whiche wrote about the same verye tyme. ¶ Thre whores made Goddeses for whoredome AT Rome were iij. whores of name notable aboute the yeare of our lorde DCCCC and. xxx called Bezola Roza Stephana Whiche in all prodygyouse lecherye has bene brought vp there amonge the relygyouse Cardynalles Bysshoppes monkes priestes from their verye youthe As these whores came ones to the occupyenge of kynge Hugh he euer after abhorred hys other wyfe Berta a ladye most fayre and bewtyfull And for their connyng feates in that bawdye occupacyon he gaue them
euer after the names of iij. Goddeses He called Bezola venus Roza Iuno and Stephana Zemele Of these harlottes one made Boso her bastarde Byshop of Placencia the other made Theobaldus her mysbegetten the archedeacon of Myllayne and the third was not all behynde with her fylthye frute also LiuthyraÌ„dus TicineÌ„sis li. 3. Ca. 6. That vowe of chastite I trowe is sumwhat worth whan it hath suche feates in bawdye bytcherye as all the worlde besydes is ignoraunt of It were great pytie but it were so hygh aduaunced and maynteyned by pryncelye polityque lawes they becommynge seruauntes therunto by makynge lawes for the vpholdynge therof ¶ A most hygh example of holye churches chastyte ALbericus the sonne of Marozia by her first husbande Albert beynge Marques of Hetruria and kynge of Italye compelled the Romanes hys subiectes partlye by great rewardes partlye by stronge threttenynges to admyt hys sonne Octauyane to the papacye whiche was geuen to al ryot and vyce from his very infancye Notwithstandynge for hys pleasure they agreed thervnto in the year of our lorde DCCCC and. lvi and named hym Iohan the. xij Thys holy successour of Peter and vycar of Christ as they call popes was accused of his Cardinalles and Byshoppes vnto the Emperour Otho in the generall Synode at Rome that he woulde saye no seruice he massed without consecracion he gaue holye orders in hys stable he made boyes Byshoppes for money he woulde neuer blesse hymselfe he forced not to be periured and made the holy palace of Laternense a verye stewes For he kepte therein Raynera the wyfe of hym that was knyght for hys own body and gaue her great possessioÌ„s with benefices goldeÌ„ chalyces and crosses He helde also Stephana and her syster whiche had bene his fathers concubine and had by her a bastarde not long afore He occupied at hys pleasure Anna a freshe wydowe her doughter also and doughters doughter He spared neyther hygh nor lowe olde nor yonge poore nor rytche fayre nor foule they sayd so that no womeÌ„ durst come vnto Rome on pylgrymage in hys tyme. Neyther reuerenced he anye place but would do it euery where yea vpon their very aulters He woulde hawke hunte daunce leape dyce sweare fyght ryot ronne straye abrode in the nyght breakynge vp dores and wyndowes and burne manye mennes howses One of hys Cardynalles he gelded he put out an others eyes whiche had bene hys Godfathers Of some he borowed an hande of some a tounge a fynger a nose an eare In his dyce playnge would he cal vpon yll spirites and drynke to the deuyll for loue Thus was he in the ende deposed tyll his dere diamondes sett handes vnto it for they ruled all and caused the Romaynes to set hym in agayne ¶ Dunstanes autoryte against marryed priestes THe papacye helde this Iohan the xij for the space of ix yeares iij. monthes and. v dayes and was striken of the deuyl they saye as he was lyenge in bedde with a mans wyfe and so dyed within viij dayes after without howsell or shrift they saye All this writeth of hym the forsayd Liuthprandus lib. 6. Cap 6. and so furth v. chapters more to the ende almoste of his boke whiche at the same self tyme dwelt at Ticina in Italy This is he of whom the byworde ryse As myrye as Pope Iohan. Vnto thys holye vycar of Sathan successour of Symon Magus went Dunstane out of Englande in the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and. lx to be confirmed archebyshop of Caunterburye And there receyued therewith for a great summe of money autorise power of the Beast Apoc. 13. vtterlye to dyssolue priestes maryage that hys monkes by that meanes myght possesse the cathedral churches of Englande as within a whyle after they did This Dunstane as witnesseth IoaÌ„ Capgraue was the first that in this real me compelled men and women to vowe chastyte and to kepe claustrale obedyence agaynst the fre doctryne of Saynte Paule 1. Cor. 7. Gal. 5. Forbyddynge marryage instytuted of God whiche is the verye doctrine of deuyls 1. Timot. 4 Thys is the worthye orygynall and first foundacion of monkes and priestes professed chastyte in Englande Marke it with the sequele and tell me hereafter whethâ—r it be of the deuyll or naye ¶ Dunstane execute hys deuylyshe commission THis craftye merchaunde Dunstone as he was returned agayn into England by autorite of this most execrable monstre and wycked Antichrist gaue a strayght commaundemeÌ„t that priestes out of haÌ„de shuld put away their lawfull wyues whoÌ„ that brent coÌ„scienced hypocryte called the vessels of fornycacyon els would he he sayd accordyng to hys commission put them both from benefyce and lyuynge And where as he perceyued the benefyces most welthye there was he most gredye â—pon them and shewed most vyolence â—yranny For whan the hygh deanes of â—athedrall churches masters of colleges prebendes persones and vycars would not at so beastly a commaundement leaue their wyues and chyldren so desolate without all naturall ordre he gote vnto hym the great power of kyng Edgare to assyst that cruell commyssyon of hys procured for moneye of the former Antichrist of Rome and by force thereof in manye places most tyrannously expelled them IoaÌ„nes Capgraue In Catologo sanctorum Anglie Reade all the Byble and Chronycles ouer of Nemroth Pharao Antioche Nero Decius Traianus with other lyke and I thynke ye shall not fynde a more tyrannouse example No not in cruell Herode hys selfe For though he slewe the innocent babes yet demynyshed he not the lyuynge of the fathers and mothers but thys tyraunt toke all with hym If he had sought a Godlye reformacion where marryage was abused it had bene sumwhat commendable But hys huntynge was to destroye it all togyther as an horryble vyce in priestes and in place therof to sett vp Sodome and Gomor by a sort of Hypocryte Monkes so chaungynge all Godlye ordre ¶ Kynge Edgare is brought vndre thereby THus became the face first of the Brytonysh and then of the Englysh churche sore changed blemyshed and by whoryshe commyssions froÌ„ the whoryshe byshoppes of the whorysh Synagoge of Rome was made all togyther whoryshe Proue me here in a lyer and an heretike if ye can for I wyl by the helpe of God stande by that I write here to the ende of my lyfe If ye can not I speake onlye to yow papistical byshoppes and priestes graunt your selues to be the most theues heretikes seducers of the people that euer yet reigned vpon the earthe for maynteynynge for holynesse so deuelysh a knauerye Immediatlye after thys be fell a sore chaunce as God would Kyng Edgare which was euer a great whore mastre and a tyraunte as the Chronycles report hym had a do with a yonge mayde called wilfrith brought vp in the nondrye of wylton parauenture to their
though they had afore with all practyses possyble assysted hym to the same Wherupon grewe wonderfull commocyons in dyuerse quarters of the realme specyally at Norwych Helye and Yorke the great earles Raufe Roger and Waldeof aydyng the rude coÌ„mens in that rebellyon whyche prouoked hym to shewe double hatred to the Englysh nobilyte The next yeare folowyng as the earle Waldeof of NorthumberlaÌ„d was worthely depryued and at Wynchestre byheaded for the same Walkerus a lecherouse monke ambycyouse prelate not fyndynge hymselfe satisfyed with the ryche byshopryck of Durham bought thaÌ„ of the kynge that earledome to augment hys pompe possessyons and vayne gloryouse dygnite He brought thydre a swarme of ydell and lascyuyouse monkes out of other partyes thynkynge therby to be eueÌ„ with God and with their howlynge and wawlynge to pacyfie his anger what mischefe so euer he had done afore But se what folowed about v. yeares after For his outragyouse oppression and tyrannye the commens fell vpon hym and slewe both hym and an hundred of hys best meÌ„ Simeon Dunelmensis Henricus Huntendunensis Matthaeus Paris Rogerus houeden Thomas Rudborne alij ☞ The monkes dyspossesseth the prestes at Durham AFter hym succeded in the byshoprycke one Wyllyam an abbot a man of more wordes the story sayth than of godly wytt Thys prelate as Simeon wryteth in chronicis Dunelmà persuaded the kyng that the prestes of the church of Durham were vycyouse lyuers bycause they had wyues and wold not leaue them and that byshopp walkers monkes were the holye Ghostes chyldren most fytt to kepe S. Cutbert bicause they were wyuelesse watchemen He recyted vnto hym by the chronycle of Bede and by other olde writynges that from the tyme of Aidanus their first byshop tyll the vyoleÌ„t slaughter of the Danes it had bene possessed of monkes The kynge not muche regardynge the matter had hym consulte with Pope Hildebrande as he resorted vnto hym to Rome for hys confirmacyon as all bishoppes were than confirmed by the great Antichrist of that synnefull synagoge The whyche ones perfourmed to hys mynde he returned home with Hyldebrandes commyssyon And in the yeare of our Lorde a M. and lxxxiij obtaynynge therwith the whole consent of the prelates in the kynges parlemâ—nt at Westmynstre he droue the marryed canons their wyues out of hys cathedrall churche of Durham and placed ydell monkes in their rowmes to kepe Saint Cuthbertes shryne vniustly depryuynge them of all possessyon Rogerus houeden li. i. Polydorus li. ix Other prelates anon after ded wurke the lyke in dyuerse other quarters of the realme and fylled all the land with the secrete occupyenges of wycked Sodome and Gomor as wele apered in their last vysytacyon in our tyme the regestre yet remaynynge ☞ The vysyon of Boso and acte of Tostius chaplayne IOHAN Capgraue reporteth in Saint Cuthbertes lyfe that one Boso a knyghte was rapte or deprâ—â—ed of all maner of felynge by the space of more than two dayes And in the thyrde daye as he was commen agayne to hym selfe he instauntly desyred to be confessed to the pryour of Durham at the tyme called Turgotus to whome he declared what vysyons he had in that wonderfull traunce He behelde he sayd on the one syde of helle all the monkes of his abbeye goynge sadly in processyon on the other syde a sort of wanton gyglot wenches reioycinge in fleshely delyghtes and vncomely entycementes He sawe there also in a darke desolate place an hygh howse all of yron And whyls the dore therof oft tymes opened and speared agayne at the last he behelde Wyllyam their byshop which had bene HildebraÌ„des commissyoner puttynge forth hys heade callyng for Godfrey the monke whych was at that tyme the generall procurator of hys whole dyocese And thys was iudged a token that they two shulde not lyue longe after Se what noble successe thys decre of Hildebrande had here in thys realme The wyfe of Tostius sumtyme earle of Northumberlande called Iudith gaue many ryche ornamentes about the same tyme to S. Cuthbertes churche Thys lady bad a lusty chaplayne whych commyng of deuocyon to Tynmouth abbeye to se the translacyon of the body of S. Oswyne kyng martyr as martyrs went than could within the towne haue no lodgynge for the excedyng resort of people that than was there Howbeit vpon acquayntaunce he founde suche fauer that a bed was prepared for hym within the parrysh churche And bycause he thought it not pleasaunt to lye a loue he conuayed in a wenche in the darke to kepe hym company that nyghte But as he began to fall to hys accustomed nyght worke all the whole churche moued the story sayth as it wolde haue fallen vpon them Wherby he was than compelled to leaue hys occupyenge Ioannes Capgraue in uita Osvuini martyris ☞ The myracles of Lanfrancus the archebyshop LAnfrancus the archebyshop of Canterbury helde a synodall counsell at Paules in London in the yeare of our Lorde a M. and lxxvi Where as it was enacted by their coÌ„men consent that byshoppes from thens forth shuld sytt in counsels parlementes by lyke they stode on fote afore with cappe in hande that they shulde generally remoue their seates from the meane vyllages to the cyties of name as some had done afore to apere more notable and to augment their autoryte and fame Was not thys a great study thynke yow for the Christen commen welthe Thus clome they vp from one degre of pryde to an other tyll they bycame here in EnglaÌ„d lyke their father at Rome exaltynge themselues as S. Paule prophecyed of them aboue God and hys Christ ij Thes ij Thys Lanfrancus the next yeare after made one Paulus a yonge monke of Lane in Normandy the abbot of S. Albons This Paule was his nephew some saye hys sonne whych is all one amonge the Italyane prelates as he was one sauynge that nephew is a name more spirytuall Other great myracles thys LanfraÌ„cus ded in hys lattre age At Canterbury he enryched the monkes with great landes sumptuouse buyldynges and with precyouse ornamentes He repared their temples appoynted straunge worshyppynges He wonderfully augmented the pryde here of the clergye fynally buylded ij great hospytalles for pylgrymes to encreace the dayly ydolatryes whych thaÌ„ began to spryng Simeon Dunelmensis Matthaeus VVestmonast Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus CestreÌ„sis Rogerus Cestren Thomas rudborne Ioannes Capgraue Fabianus alij ☞ Of Osmunde the byshopp and of Salisbury vse OSmundus was a man of great aduenture polycye in hys tyme not only concernynge roberyes but also the slaughter of men in the warres of kyng Wyllyam coÌ„querour Whervpon he was first the grande captayne of Saye in Normandy afterwardes earle of Dorsett and also hygh chauncellour of Englande As Herman the byshop of Salisbury was dead he gaue ouer all and succeded hym in
shulde haue sayd was than in the Scottish churche by procurement of quene Margarete whych was an Englysh woman borne What changes were here in the church of Englande I haue wyll hereafter more plenteously declare ☞ Hildegardes prophecy with other notes and examples IN the yeare after Christes incarnacyon a thousande and an hundred sayde mayde Hyldegarde the Apostles doctryne and feruent righteousnesse whych God had planted in the faythfull Christyanes begonne to go backe and to change as it were into a doubtfull staggerynge But that womaÌ„ly or fyckle tyme wyll not so longe endure as it hath bene in breadyng Vincentius li xxix ca. xxi And Iacobus Meyer in chronicis Flandriae sayth that in the yeare of our lord a M. and xcvi auaryce ambycyon and lecherie so strongely toke place in the head rulers of the clergy that scarse one coulde be found out amoÌ„ge them to resyst the wycked by the swerde of the sprete whych is the worde of God Many starres than semed to fall froÌ„ heauen Sigebertus sayth Realyte they ioyned to their sacramentall breade to make the people beleue it to be Christes naturall body They set vp scole doctryne and the Popes canoÌ„ lawes sophystycally to mainteyne all fylthie supersticions Commenly they disputed with cheanes and imprisonmentes to terryfye their withstanders Mathew of Westminstre sayth that Paulus the abbot of S. Albons folowyng the fotesteppes of his father LaÌ„francus was than here in Englande a most busy doer for so muche as in England fraunce and Italye the greatâ—◠〈◊〉 of men folowed in those dayes the opynyon of Berengarius and Oclefe 〈◊〉 sayth Henry the fourt Empâ—â—oâ— to hys sonne than hauyng the gouernaunce and he beyng vndre him a wofull â—â—ysoner Those hypocrytes deceyue the for they instruct not the multytude They seke not thyne honour but denye it Vndre the colour of fayth they prepare the snares of deceyt whyls they preferre the tradycyons of men to Gods holy commaundementes Adelboldus Traiectensis in uita Henrici Caesaris ☞ The fyrst fytt of Anselme with kynge Wyllyam Rufus ANselmus a Normandy monke at the instaunt request labour and longe sute of the clergye was constytute archebyshopp of Canterbury by kynge Wyllyam Rufus The reason why he was of our prelates afore all others preferred to that dygnyte was tâ—ys They perceyued in hym great copye of learnynge pregnancy of wytt a stought stomake a boldenesse vnshamefast an aduenterouse and folehardy head and a face without bashefulnesse Whervpon they thought hym a man most mete to withstande the kynges procedynges whyâ—he were in those dayes nothynge to theâ—r contentacyâ—ns For kynge Wyllyam was suche a man as wolde not in many poyntes agre to their horryble ambysyon auaryce incontynencyes Whych than they vsed without all shame He ded not muche fauer the churche of Rome Mathew Paris sayth bicause the holy prelatâ—s were so vnsacyably gyuen there to fylthie lucre Suche indygnacyon he had agaynst the Pope by reason of the scysme whyche than was at Rome that he in hys parlement enacted it that none of hys subiectes shulde thydrewarde repayre vndre forfeture of body and gooâ—â—s or â—is vndre payne of perpetuall exyle They coulde not be Peters vycars he sayd that studyed so muche for couetousnesse Neyther shulde they seme to holde hys power whose vertuouse lyfe they had not in practyse Concludynge that the byshop of Rome neyther had nor yet shulde haue any thynge to do in hys realme He also restrayned the Rome shott Fabyane sayth Wherupon Anselmus iudgynge the kynge a scysmatyke a rebell and a tyraunt obstynatly withstode hym to the very face lyke a ruffelynge rouer For the whyche he was reckened a traytour as he was wele wurthie the other byshoppes holdynge their fyngars in their noses Matthaeus Paris Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Radulphus de Diceto Ioannes Capgraue Ioannes Scuysh ☞ Fyne conueyaunces of these wylye wormes IT was no longe tyme after that ere the byshop of Rome had knowledge of this matter by secrete massengers as the clergy hath euermore had their betrayers of prynces Wherunto he made this wylye and foxish aunswere Dum furor in cursu est currenti cede furori Whyls fury is in course gyue place to it as though he wolde at layser recompence it whan he shulde se hystyme The next yeare after was Gualtherus Albanensis a byshopp Cardynall sent into Englande from Pope Vrbane the second bryngyng with hym the metropolycall mantell of Anselme to augment hys cockysh autoryte Thys Gualtherus craftely pacifyed the wrath of the kyng and colourably or dyssemblyngly reconcyled both Anselme and the Pope vnto hym only to serue the tyme. Anselme from thens fourth shewed a mery countenaunce Mathew Paris sayth to cause kyng Wyllyam to thynke that he bare hym no dyspleasure but had forgotten all iniuryes O most crafty foxe Anon after vpon thys dyssymulacyon he axed lycens of the kynge to go to Rome wyth thys Cardynall whych he very prudently denyed hym for doubt of wronge appellacyons and increase of scysme vnlesse he wolde go no more returne agayne For there was no cause why he shulde go thydre hauynge hys prymates palle brought to hym vnlesse it were to wurke some secrete myschefe as he ment no lesse by these fyue colours of deceyt Than played he the part of a trayterouse renegate ryght out fleynge out of the realme without lycens All thys hath Mathew Paris in the seconde boke of hys châ—onycles and Radulphus de Diceto ☞ An other fytt of Anselme with kynge Wyllyam Rufus MArke the arrogaunt sprete of Antichrist in this obstinate Anselme In a bitter malyce he sodenly departed froÌ„ the kynge not takynge hys leaue as became a good subiect To Canterbury he roâ—e in poste haste and so forth to Douer pryuely to steale a passage ouer by nyghte more lyke a thefe than a true man But where was than hys kynges obedyence accordyng to thys doctryne of Paule Let euery sowle submyt hymselfe to the hyghar power For who so resysteth that power resysteth the set ordinaunce of God Roma xiij Thys was farre froÌ„ our Anselme Se now what folowed therfore Whan thys packynge was ones knowne detected by secrete spyes the kynges offycer Wyllyam Warelwast preuented the passage searchyng by the kynges strayght coÌ„maundement all hys trusses coffers males bowgettes sackes satchels sleues purse napkyn and bosome for letters and for moneye and so lete hym go lyke a vagabonde all hys goodes seysed as a forefeyture to the kinges vse Neuerthelesse whaÌ„ he came ones to Rome he was reuerently and ioyfully receyued of Pope Vrbane made lorde hygh presydent of all hys generall counsels He persuaded the seyd Pope to take froÌ„ the teÌ„porall prynces the whole power autoryte of makynge byshoppes and abbotes declarynge vnto hym what coÌ„modyte and profyte he myght haue by the same He taught hym also many other fyne propertyes and feates how to
oft after that the victory ouer hys enemyes vnloked for to their vtter shame and confusyon Matthaeus Paris alij ☞ The chast procedynges of dyuerse holy prelates IN the same very yeare whych was the yeare of our lorde a M. a C. and one Thomas the archebyshopp of Yorke surnamed the eldar whome Lanfrancus proued a prestes sonne afore pope Alexandre the seconde as is vttered afore departed the worlde Thys Thomas had a nephewe Ranulphus sayth called also Thomas the yongar Ye knowe what a nephewe is by the rules of Rome whose fotesteppes the fathers most studyously folowed in that age as naturall subiectes and chyldren of their creacyon By ryght he shulde haue folowed hys father in that offyce as a naturall inheritour to the myter but he was preuented by one Gerarde Wyllyam of Malmesbury Ranulphe Roger of Chestre saith which was a man as the commen same went gyuen all to lecherouse lyghtnesse to sorcerouse witchcraftes For whan he on a tyme was fouÌ„d dead in an herber a boke of curiouse artes was fouÌ„d vndre his pyllowe made by Iulius Firmicus whom he vsed to reade to himelfe in the none tyde For the whych his owne clergye wold scarsely suffer hym to be buryed wtout the church vndre tyrfes or soddes of the grasse Roger HouedeÌ„ sayth that thys yongar Thomas at the last beynge archebyshop of Yorke and lyenge in extremes was a persuaded of hys phesycyanes to take to hym a woman for remedy of hys dysease whyche he vtterly refused to do and so dyed If thys were true as I much doubt of it than was he a phoenix in that generacyon for Danyel sayth that their hartes shulde be set all vpon women Danie xi But who so euer shall resort to hys doctryne and fruytes in Antichristes prelacie shall fynde hym a virgyne of a farre other sort than Christe hath allowed in the scryptures ☞ Prestes marryage condempned of our Anselme HEnry of Huntyngton in the first boke of hys chronycles sayth that in the yeare of our lorde a M. a C ij which was the iij. yeare of kyng Henry the first at the feast of S. Michael the archangell Anselme the archebyshopp of Canterbury helde a great counsell at London at Westmynstre some chronycles hath whyche is all one Kynge Wyllyam Rufus for hys tyme wolde suffre the clergye to holde no such assemblyes and therfore they mortally hated hym In the which counsell sayth the seyd Henry Roger of Westchestre confirmynge the same he forbad the prestes of Englande their wyues neuer afore the daye prohybeted Mark this Whyche semed to many saye they a very pure relygyon but some men there were whyche thought it a matter full of parell and wolde not haue had it so passe least the prestes professynge a chastyte aboue their strengthes shulde therby fall into most horryble â—yndes of fylthynesse a Christen sentence to the great blemysh and shame of Christianyte And bicause I wolde thys poynt to be the more earnestly marked of my readers to the confusyoÌ„ of antichristes bullish buggerers of Anselmes Hildebrandes brode I put here the vâ—ry wordes of those autours as they staÌ„d in their latine workes In quo concilio inquiuÌ„t Anselmus prohibuit uxores sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas Quod quibusdaÌ„ mundissimum ursum est quibusdam periculosum ne dum munditias uiribus maiores appeterent â–ª in immunditias horribiles ad Christiani nominis summum dedecus inciderent For other Englysh writers sheweth not the matâ—er so lyuely as doth thys Henry Roger. ☞ The actes of Anselmes great synode FIrst they enacted in thys counsell by vertu of Hyldebrandes constytucyon and Vrbanes Bulle that the horryble vyce of symony shulde be condempned for euer whyche was not commytted whan they solde bishopryckes abbeyes deaneryes prebendes orders dedycacyons consecracyons benefyces or any other ecclesyastycall doynges or promocyons but only whan the kynge or any other laye persone ded gyue them or dispose theÌ„ Thys was their spirituall meanynge Next vnto that they enacted that no archedeacon thâ—y spake of no byshoppes preste deacon subdeacon collygener nor canon shulde from thens fourth marry a wyfe nor yet kepe her styll if he had bene marryed to one afore They ordayned also that a preste kepynge company wyth hys wyfe shulde be iudged vnlawfull that he shulde saye no masse if he sayd masse that it shuld not be hearde They charged that none were admytted to orders from that tyme forward marke the tyme vnlesse they professed a chastyte neyther yet that any prestes sonnes shulde clayme by heretage the benefyces of their fathers as the custome had alwayes bene Other actes they made there els concernynge prestes garmentes shauynges shopynges offerynges tythynges buryenges buyldynges confessynges eatynges and slepynges no preachynges to folyshe to be rehearced Loke the boke of Anselmes ccc lxvij epystles Se here hardely if the kyng were not as wele dyspatched of hys pryncely power and autoryte one waye as the prestes of theyr wyues an other waye O wylye wurkers in that kyngedome of inyquyte Nothynge was done here by the worde of God to hys glorye but by the byshop of Romes autoryte to their vayne glorye ☞ Penaltees for them whych broke these actes BEsydes their synodall actes these iniunccions gaue they to the prestes whych were dyvorced First that they and their wyues shulde neuer more mete in one howse neyther yet haue dwellynge within their parryshes If any of them shulde be accused by ij or iij. wytnesses and coulde not pourge hymselfe agayne by sixe able men of hys owne ordre he shulde be iudged a transgressour of the statute depryued of hys benefyce and made an infame or be put to the open reproche of all men He that rebelled or in contempt of their newe statute helde styll hys wyfe and presumed to saye masse vpon the. viij daye after shulde be solempnely excommunycated All archedeacons and deanes were strayghtly sworne not to colour their metynges neyther yet to beare with them for moneye And if they wolde not be sworne to thys that than they shulde lose their offyces wythout recouer All the moueable goodes of them that were proued to transgresse the former statute remayned as forfaytes to the byshoppes their poore wyues condempned for commen whores Anselmus in epistolis Neuer was there any tyranny agaynst the let ordynaunce of God lyke vnto thys tyranny of Antichrist sens the worldes begynnynge neyther vndre Pharao Antiochus Nero nor yet Dioclecyane All thys tyme was not the shamefull sodometry whych secretly lurked among the ydell monkes ones refourmed nor yet spoken of Was it not happye thynke yow for Englande that these fylthie buyldynges of Antichrist had the good helpe of Whynchesters vowes of xxi yeare to vphold theÌ„ whan they were droppyng away in this lattre age If ye consydre it well ywys it hath passed all stage playe ☞
laicus ut in toto regno Anglie legali sua condignitate priuetur Et ne huius criminis absolutionem ijs quise sub regula uiuere non nouerunt aliquis nisi episcopus deinceps facere praesumat Statutum quoque est ut per totam Angliam in omnibus ecclesijs in omnibus diebus dominicis excommunicatio praefata publicetur ac renouetur It is enacted that what so euer he is that is noysed or proued to be of thys wyckednesse if he be a relygyouse persone he shall from thens fourth be promoted to no degre of honour and that whych he hath already shall be taken from hym If he be a laye person a secular preste he meaneth he shal be depriued of al his fredome within the lande of benefyce he meaneth and be no better than a foroner And bicause that none els but a byshopp shal presume to assoyle them that be not professed monkes it is also enacted that on euery sondaye in the yeare and in euery pareysh church of Englande the seyd excommunycacyon or generall curse be publyshed and renewed Thys shall ye fynde in the volume of Anselmes epystles Beholde I praye yow how nycely this matter is touched I wys poore matrymonye thou cannyst fynde no suche tendre handelynge No thou shalt not dwell in the monasteryes neyther yet abyde within the dyocese ☞ A ryght vnderstandyng of the same SE how thys most shamefull matter of bugrery is vntowardly tossed and conuayed here of these beastly buggerers the complayners therof fynely lawhed to scorne So haue these holye fathers by their good discressyons qualyfyed the matter that by confessyon and penaunce without repentaunce of their owne appoyntynge maye be able to dyscharge them If he be a relygyouse father as they haue appoynted relygyon he shall haue no more harme but the losse of his dignyte tyll they restore hym agayne But if he be a laye man he shal lose his fredome that is to saye if he were a secular prest or one vnprested by them he shuld clerly lose his benefyce prebende or other lyuynge some sodometrouse monke takynge the profyghtes therof None myghte dyspence with a laye preste but hys byshop whych than was most commenly a monke to dyspatche hym of hys lyuynge at hys pleasure A buggerysh monke myghte be assoyled of his owne abbot at home remayne styll a fylthie buggerar for terme of lyfe neuer fele harme of it This generall curse was only for prestes deacons subdeacoÌ„s canons and college men whych the yeare afore thys lyued honestly in marryage and now were becommen prodygyouse buggerers as the monkes were in their cloysters for want of their naturall wyues The monkes were not threttened to be vndre thys curse bicause they had vowed a symulate chastyte and bicause that what myschefe so euer they ded the monastery walles were able to hyde it ☞ This curse is publyshed and agayne dysolued ANselmus after this declared by a large epystle to his archedeacon Wyllyam what ordre he and the curates shulde take in the publyshynge of thys generall curse or excommuicacyon for buggerye He wylled them to shewe fauer in penaunce geuynge vndre hys autoryte as we le to them that were ignoraunt of the constytucyon that was made as to them that synned afore the acte He admonyshed them also to consydre their ages and to waye their contynuaunces in that synne with other cyrcumstaunces more and whether they were such as had wyues afore or naye that they myght so lose their benefyces Anselmus in epistola CC. lxxviij Ye wold wondre to heare the whole tragedye Here was a great reformacyon of thys horryble synne wythout takynge awaye of the cause O wycked and abhomynable hypocryte though thou be now a canonysed deuyll But marke I praye yow what it came to in the ende Thys generall curse was called backe agayne at the instaunt sute of the monkes Ye must knowe than it towched them They persuaded to Anselme that the publycacyon or openynge of that vyce gaue kyndelynges to the same in the hartes of ydel persones mynystryng occasyon of more boldenesse to do the lyke So that it hath contynued euer sens in the clergye vnponnyshed Ranulphus Cestrensis Rogerus Cestrensis Ioannes Treuisa I wold they had as wele consydered that the secrete occupyenge therof amonge themselues had bene a most manyfest sygne of their dampnacyon But that the blynde beastly asses remembred not for styll it was noryshed in the monasteryes none yll spoken of it to the vtter perdycyon of thousandes ☞ Anselmus is at contencyon wyth the kynge IN the ende of thys yeare a contencyon fell betwyn Anselme and the kynge and thys was the full occasyon â—herof The kynge had made one Roger which was his chauÌ„cellour bishop of Salisburye and an other Roger whyche was hys larderer the byshop of Herforde for Reinalmus had gyuen it ouer he made also Wyllyam Gyfforde the byshopp of Wynchestre Thys myghte the kynge do by the lawes of God for Dauid SalomoÌ„ Iosaphat and Ezechyas amonge the people of God had done the lyke were allowed in it But bicause it was restrayned by the byshopp of Rome thys Anselme swelled fretted and waxed so madde that he wold neyther consent to it Radulphus de Diceto sayth neyther yet confirme theÌ„ nor communycate or talke fryndely wyth them But spyghtfull and malycyously he called them abortynes or chyldreÌ„ of destructyon dysdaynously rebukynge the gentyll kynge as a defyler of relygyoÌ„ and polluter of their holye ceremonyes as wytnesseth Polydorus With this vncomely outrage the kyng was muche dyspleased as he myght full wele requyred Gerard the archebishop of yorke as he ought him allegeauÌ„ce to coÌ„secrate theÌ„ which without delaye he perfourmed sauyng to Wyllyam Gyfforde whych refused it for doubte of Anselme Thus in a great heate he ones yet agayne departed the realme with his dysgraded abbottes and the seyd Wyllyam Gyfforde making of the kyng a sore complaynt to hys holye father as he came ones to Rome The kyng anon after sent hys messengers after hym to declare the truthe that is to saye byshop Herbert of Norwych byshopp Robert of Lychefelde and Wyllyam Warelwast hys trusty and famylyar counsellour whyche in the ende depryued hym both of landes and goodes in the name of the sâ—yd kyng Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Ricardus praemonstratensis Ranulphus Euersden Capgraue Caxton Fabiane ☞ The matter on both sydes debated at Rome VPon a daye whaÌ„ the matter shuld be reasoned afore Pope Paschall Willyam Warelwast the kynges aturneye stode fourth in defence of hys cause constauntly allegynge in the ende that the kynge wolde not lose the autoryte of inuestynge or admyttynge hys prelates within his owne domynyon for the crowne of hys reaâ—me Wherunto that proude byshop of Rome made this spightfull lewde answere Though thy kynge sayth he wolde not lose
the gyuynge of spirytuall promocyons in Englande for the losse of his crowne as thou hast sayd here Know thou tâ—ys determynatly I speake it here afore God that he shall not obtayne it at my hande though he wolde also gyue his heade and all O arrogaunt Antichrist ful ryghtly shewest thy selfe This hath Mathew Paris li iij. Anglorum historiae and Iohan Capgraue Whan Anselme was about to haue pleaded hys owne cause there thynkynge to haue had therin the assistence of Richarde the pryour of Helye whyche was a man that tyme both wyttie and learned he vtterly fell from hym and toke the kynges part very earnestly confutynge all hys false accusacyons and malycyouse detrectyons for the whyche in hys returne the kynge shewed hym muche fauer as Radulphus de Diceto reporteth Anon after Anselme intreated for hys dysgraded abbottes and vnconfirmed prelates whyche was graunted foorthwith and they restored to their dygnytees For that gentyll seate Mathew Paris sayth was neuer wonte to fayle whan eyther reade or whyte came in the way The nexte yeare after was Anselme clerely forbyd to returne into Englande vnlesse he wolde obserue the good lawes of the lande whyche he refused to do the seyd Mathew sayth ☞ The conueyaunces of Anselme by epistles and writynges Whan the kynges massengers were returned home agayne with these croked newes and with strayght commaundement from the cruell byshop of Rome that he shulde neuermore intermeddle with appoyntynge out of prelates or by gyuynge to them the rynge and pastorall hoke but to leaue it only to hys absolute autoryte he was sore displeased turnynge all the possessyons rychesse of Anselme to his own vse What letters crafty counsels blasphemouse bablyngâ—s and abhomynable wrastynges of the scriptures went betwyxt that lewde byshopp of Rome and Anselme for the space of iij. yeares after it wolde requyre a great felde of matter to shewe as I fynde in hys epystles Moreouer it is a wondre to beholde there the subtyltye that thys Anselme vseth to brynge hys deuylysh purpose to passe for demynyshment of the Christen prynces autoryte and augmentyng of Antichristes vsurpacyon That prynce he flattereth to gyue ouer hys ryghte and an other he commendeth in hys folyshness that hath done it already their folysh wyues alwayes suborned to put the cause forwarde That doltyshe preste he prayseth whych hath contempned hys prynces lyberalyte to an other he promyseth muche hyghar promocyon These are the ingynes of a crafty dâ—uyll if ye marke them Hys letters to syster Frodelina syster Ermengarda syster Athelytes syster Eulalia syster Madily and syster Basyle to Maude to abbesse of Cane in Normandy and to Maude the abbesse of Wilton here in Englande declareth hym to be very famylyar with nonnes Ex epistolis Anselmi He also made a treatyse about the same tyme called planctus amissae uirginitatis a bewaylynge of maydenhede lost ☞ The first ordre of typpet men or secular prestes IN the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. vâ— beganne first the ordre of Sarisburianes Mathew Paris sayth What maner of ordre this shuld be I can not coniecture vnlesse it were the ordre of portasse men typpet knightes or newe shauen sir Iohans professynge the vnsauery vse of Sarum By lyke whan these men were ones clerely separated froÌ„ their marryed wyues they were at the last contented at their byshoppes suggestyon to lyue peaceably vndre hym to come as it were into a vnyformyte of relygion in outward aperaunce as the moÌ„kes ded in their cloysters and so to wynne agayne some fauer or good opynyoÌ„ of the people whych they for theyr wyues had lost Than begaÌ„ they first to shyne in one shewe or to muster in one lyuerye as the coltes of one mare one short an other longe one hygh an other lowe For afore that tyme were they dyspersed by many dysgysinges one dyuerse from an other As the monkes had their cowles caprones or whodes and their botes so had they than their longe typpettes their prestes cappes their syde gownes gyrt to them their portasses relygyously hangynge with great buttoÌ„s at their gyrdles They had also their crownes shauen and their heare docked lyke as the monkes had though not so muche as they to apeare also relygyouse rable WhaÌ„ they had onâ—â— receyued that marke of the beast in their foreheardes and ryghthandes by the profession of a false chastyte they were made free of Antichristes marte myght by hys autoryte both bye and selle Apoc. xiij Yet coulde they neuer obtayne of the saye multitude so great an opynyon of holye perfectyon as ded the monkes vnlesse it were here one hypocryte and there an other but in conclusyon contynued vndre the slendre name of secular prestes or hedge chaplaines For in most places they dwelt vploude and wanted relygyouse habytacyons to haue sâ—t them forewarde or made them moâ—e Pope holye ☞ How the emperour was vsed in the tyme of their sorceryes NEcessary were it to marke an other crafty conueyaunce of these holye helhoundes A questyon myghte here be axed where Henry the iiij Emprour was for the tyme if thys tragycall turmoyle that he loked not more narrowly to their haÌ„des being a man so wyse so godly Thys questyon is suffycyently answered by the chronycle writers of that age The prelates occupied him with such mortall warres from Hyldebrandes tyme hytherto that he knewe not which way to turne him They made hys owne subiectes in euery quarter to rebell agaynst him and his owne naturall sonne in the ende vpon desyre of the crowne imperyal most falsely to betraye hym subdue hym captyue him emprison him and cruelly at the lattre to murther him The storye is a matter very lamentable heauye as Athelboldus TraiecteÌ„sis Barnesridus Vrspergensis Ioannes Nauclerus hath described it Whan thys man whych was called Henry the v. was ones satled in the empyre tydynges were brought hym the next yeare after that Paschall the byshop of Rome helde a generall councell at Trecas in Fraunce agaynst hys father Wherin he prosecuting the former actes of Hildebrande prohybyted laye prynces the inuestyng of prelates and the prestes their wyues in the realme of Fraunce as he had done in other nacyons dysgradynge those byshoppes and abbottes whome the Frenche kyng and emprour had made The seyd emprour hearynge of thys sent learned men vnto him gentylly requyrynge that he wold not take from him that his predecessours without interrupcyon had vsed from the tyme of Charles the great by the space of more than CCC yeares The boshopp at that tyme deferred the answere tyll he came to Rome Godfridus Viterbiensis Albertus Crants Paulus Aemilius Iacobus Bergomas Ioannes Stella Ioannes Capgraue li. i. de nobilibus Henricis Robertus Barnes ☞ The homblye handelynge of prelates at Rome Whan thys emprour se his tyme he came into Italy with a great host of
repetynge the same that in the yeare of our lord a M. a C. and x. the mone apered all darke without lyghte Wherby God declared in the open face of the worlde that hys church by the monkes hypocresy in that age was darkened with a beastly ignorauÌ„ce of hys lyuely doctryne For the mone betokeneth commenly in the scryptures the congregacyon of the lorde About thys tyme sayth Iohan Tritemius entered all the craftye learnynge Yea the subtyle phylosophye of the paganes began here to defyle our sacred theologye with her vnprofytable curyosytees The Gospell was put a part sauynge only to be red by parcels in the temple in a foren language without vnderstandynge and the corrupted doctryne of fylthie bastardes Peter Lumbarde Peter the great eater and Gracyane the monke which were thre chyldren of one bawdy nonnes fornycacion receyued and only had in pryce for it The monkes of that age sayth Iohan Carion in hys chronycles perceyuynge the knowledge of the holy scriptures to waxe faynt and to be nought set by for the study of the popysh lawers they thought also to practyse a newe kynde of dyuynyte and set vp scholasticall dysputacyons of diuyne matters But be ware of subtyle sophysters in the doctryne of the churche sayth Iohan Baconthorpe in prologo quarti sententiarum viij quest For their property is to withstande the veryte and to snarle mennys conscyences by darkenyng the clere lyghte therof If it be to the contrary reasoned sayth he that sophystycall argumentes are fytt to confounde heretykes by I vtterly denye that reason For only is it the open veryte that must confounde them As for sophysiues their wycked nature is to brynge in all errour and heresyes All thys hath Baconthorpe ☞ Raufe the archebyshop of Canterbury honoureth hys kynge IN the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xiij the kynge was mynded to haue gyuen the archebyshopryck of Canterbury to Faricius the abbot of Abendon But at the instaunt request sute of the clergye in the counsell of Wyndesore he altered hys purpose and gaue it to Raufe the byshopp of Rochestre a ruffelar to their myndes Hym he adourned with hys owne pryncely handes mynystrynge vnto hym both the ryng and metropolycall crosse For than ones agayne Mathew Paris sayth he had taken an earnest stomake agaynst the byshop of Romes vnshamefast procedynges hys brother duke Robert imprysoned and hys other enemyes brought vndre In the yeare of our lord a thousand a. C. and xv was the seyd Raufe consecrated receyued hys patryarchal palle of Anselme the other Anselmes nephewe whych was thaÌ„ the popes great legate a latere As the kynge was same yeare marryed after his first wyfes â—â—sseace to Adelphe the duke of Loraines doughter and was agayne crowned with her by the byshop of Wynchestre thys heady archebyshopp fell into a palseye for wodenesse and sayd vnto hym the next day after that eyther he shulde leaue that crowne vnlawfull he sayd for so much as it was not taken of hym or els he wolde leaue of hys masse sayng which was no small matter And the lordes about him had much a do to staye the lunetyke prelate from strikynge downe the crowne from the kinges heade and stampynge it vndre hys fote Yet ded the gentyll kynge gyue him fayre wordes the chronycles sayth Loke Wyllyam of Malmesbury li. i de pontificibus Ranulphus li. xij ca. xv Rogerus li. vij and Iohan Capgraue li. ij de nobilibus Henricis And Treuisa addeth vnto it in fyne Englysh that thys hawtie prelate was a great Iaper the terme is sumwhat homelye Ded I not tell yow afore that kynges for their power had sped as yll as the prestes for their wyues And I thynke I tolde the truthe ☞ Of Pope Calixtus and the heade churche of Wales MVche were it to rehearce the turmoylynges of Pope Calixte the seconde for renuynge of the execrable actes of hellysh Hyldebrande and prestygyouse Paschall agaynst the marryage of prestes and power of prynces for inuestyture of prelates In the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and .xix. He helde counsel at Remis in Fraunce and in the yeare a M.a. C. xxiij he helde an other wyth CCC byshoppes at Rome And in these ij counsels he depryued all prestes of the commen Christianyte that held styll their wyues wyllynge them from thens fourth to be taken for no better thaÌ„ paganes and helhoundes and to want their ChristeÌ„ buryall The prynces that had gyuen out ecclesyastycall offyces he condempned of sacrilege preposterously allegynge the scriptures that they whych were admytted by them entered not by the dore but they scattered from Christe dyuydynge hys coote without seme As though in their exceding pryde and couetousnesse they had bene the same Christe whyche was full of Godly symplycyte and lowlynesse and their glytterynge synagoge that symple coote without seme In thys lattre yeare dyed Raufe the heady archebishop of CaÌ„terbury and Wylliam Curboâ—l which was a chanon succeded FroÌ„ the tyme of Augustyne tyll that daye by the space of more than fyue hondred and. xxiiij yeares none occupyed that seate but monkes and that caused so many corrupcyons to entre into the church of England for all they maynteyned Antichrist A lytle afore this that is to saye in the yeare a. M.a. C. and. ij bicame the archebyshopryck of Meneuia or Prymates seate of S. Dauid in wales fyrste subiect to the churche of Canterbury And from the dayes of kynge Lucy to the yeare a. M.a. C. and. xv none other were archebyshoppes there than Brytaynes or Welchemen and all that tyme had their ministers wyues But sens the Englyshe monkes occupyed they haue had concubynes for wyues and wyll not change at thys daye men saye Thus entered fylthienesse in that quarter also the time wolde be marked Suncon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Giraldus Cambrensis Ranulphus ☞ Kynge Henry plaged for sufferinge marriage to be condempned ALl foren warres ended and controuersyes pacifyed in the yeare of our Lorde a. M. a C. and xx King Henrye the fyrst with great ioye and triumphe departed out of Normandye and entered after hys great victoryes by sea into Englande But within fewe dayes folowinge was thys gladnesse turned into a moste heauye and horryble sorowe For William and Rycharde his ij sonnes Marye hys doughter with Otwell their tutoure scholemaystre Rycharde the earle of Chestre and hys wyfe the kynges nece all the merye chaplaynes companions and ruflars of the courte chambrelaynes buffares and seruytours the Archedeacon of Herforde the Prynces playe fellowes syr Jeffrey Rydell syr Robert Malduyte syr Wyllyam Bygot wyth manye other greate heyres lordes knyghtes and gentylmen ladyes and gentylwomen to the nombre of a. C. and xl Besydes the yeomen and maryners whiche were more than halfe an hondred takynge passage by nighte were al drowned in the bottom of the
sea excepte one man theyr bodyes neuer founde Guilhelmus Malmesbury Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Ioannes Capgraue Libro ij De nobilibus Henricis Some monkyshe wryters hath iudged the curse of quene Mande whyche was a professed votarye to be the cause of thys ruyne as is sayde afore some other attrybuteth it to the vyce of sodometrye whyche manye of them hadde learned of the monkes and the prestes after the solempne professyon of theyr newe vowe of chastyte But I do thynke it to be a plage of God vpon the kynges posteryte for sufferynge so greate a myschefe to entre in hys tyme wythoute contradyccyon as that sodometry was and as was the condempnacion of the Christen ministers marryages For in hym Polydorus sayth vtterly ended the dissent of the Normannes bloude in the male kynde accordynge to the wyse mannys sentence Sap. iiij The plantes of aduoutry shall take depe rotynge As he was the sonne of a bastarde and suffered thys preposterouse religyon or bastardye of prestes without wyues to take place here in hys dayes to the vprayse of buggery and neuer resysted it beynge gods immedyate mynistre ☞ Celsus an archebyshop had both a wyfe and chyldern CElsus the great archebyshop of Armach and hygh prymate of IrelaÌ„d had both a wyfe and chyldren in the tyme of hys archebyshoprye accordynge to the vsage of that contreye That archebyshopryck S. Bernard sayth with the primacye of the whole lande was holden as an inherytaunce in one kyndred by xv generacyons the sonne alwayes succeding hys father And. viij of them he reporteth to be wonderfully wele learned but allwayes they toke their orders for that long season without any vowe of professyon Neyther wolde the people suffer any other to take that hygh offyce saue only them whyche were of the same howse and progenye Thys hath S. Bernard in uita Malachiae so hath Vincentius Antoninus Petrus Equilinus and Iohan Capgraue in their historyes of sayntes What a beastly fole is Iohan Eckius than whyche reporteth in hys Enchiridion that it hath not bene hearde sens the death of Christe that any prest hath married a wyfe doctour Coole and other Papistes maynteinynge the same here in England Thys Celsus at the lattre beynge an olde dottynge man and seduced by them whyche taught lyes in hypocrisye was the first that brought into that regyon that doctryne of deuyls whyche condempned marriage in the clergye For he sent hys wyfe in a vysyon they saye a woman of a large and reuerende countenaunce to surrendre as he laye a dyenge he pastoral crosse to one Malachias which had professed chastyte about the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. xx Many mad packynges were amonge these Romysh sayntes whan the byshopryckes waxed fatt Pope Adryane the. iiij xxxiiij yeares after whych was an Englysh man and Pope Alexander the thirde xvi yeares after that in their tyrannye commaunded kyng Henry the seconde to subdue the Iryshe nacyoÌ„ as heretykes and rebelles bicause the people there withstode their procedynges for their byshoppes and prestes marryages And for that victory they confirmed hym lorde of Irelande Loke the chronycles of Nicolas Treueth and Iohan Hardynge ☞ A lecherouse Cardynall condemneth prestes marryage IOannes de Crema the prest Cardynall of S. Grilog in Rome was sent into England and Scotlande from Pope Honorius the seconde as high commissyoner and legate from hys ryght syde in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. xxv to se that all thynges were wele there in the clergye to hys behoue Besydes hys generall commissyon he sent pryuate letters to the kynges and the prelates of both those regyons to receyue hym as his own dere sonne and as S. Peters holy vycar whyche declareth his autoryte not small This legate with great pompe thus enterynge into Englande about the feast of Eastre was horrybly honorably I shuld saye receyued of the prelates and went banketynge and prowlynge from byshop to bishop and from abbot to abbot tyll he came to the water of Twede and the towne of Rorburgh in Scotlande where as he founde Dauid the Scottysh kynge His legacye there perfourmed and all his bagges weâ—e stuffed he returned agayne to London and at Westmynstre vpoÌ„ the ix daye of SepteÌ„b he helde with ij archebyshoppes xxiiij byshops xl abbottes an innumerable multitude of the clergye and commen people a great synode Where as he rygorously and stoughtly replyed agaynst those prestes that wold for no commandement forsake their marryed wiues repetynge oft this vnsemynge sentence that it was a shamefull matter to ryse froÌ„ the sydes of an whore to make Christes bodye A clause was this in qualyte not vnlyke to hym that vttered it whyche was an ydolatrouse whoremonger He ordayned in that synode that prestes shuld kepe company with no kynde of women he condempned marryage to the. vij degre in bloude and that no prestes sonne shulde clayme churche or prebende by inherytaunce folyshely concludynge with thys verse of Dauid Psal. lxxxii Pone illos ut rotam c. Make of them a whele lorde that saye we wyll haue the howses of God in possessyon Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Henricus Huntendunensis Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Rogerus Cestrensis atque alij ☞ This Cardynall sheweth the first fruites of that chastyte THe prestes beyng moued with the furiouse acte of this Cardinal therwith perceyuyng him to be a maÌ„ of lighte conuersacion so narrowly watched him the night folowyng that they â—oke him in bed with a notable whore The matter was very open sayth Roger Houeden for it was done at London where great plenty is of wytnesses It coulde not wele be hydden sayth Henry of Huntyngton in the viij boke of hys chronycles neyther was it fyâ—t to haue bene kept secrete from the knowledge of men If any be offended sayth he that a prest shulde marry lete him kepe it to him selfe leest he fall in lyke daunger as ded thys lordely legate Thys Cardynal was he Polydorus sayth that behelde a small mote in an other mannys eye and could not perceyue the great beame in hys owne The prestes ded hym no wronge that in thys case dysobeyed hys vniust procedynges Nothyng was found more vnfytt than to require to strayghtly of others that hys leife could not do Thus he that entered with honour and pompe went home agayne to his father with shame and confusion The actes of S. Peters vycar were all turned ouer and the religyouse syttynges of the prelates there were vtterly laughed to scorne The byshoppes and fat abâ—ottes departed thens wyth reade chekes not glad of the bawdy chauÌ„ce that happened and they lete that matter passe for the space of more than thre yeres after For the slaundre was not small Mathew Paris sayth So returned the prestes ones agayn to their wyues were muche more bolde than afore
the kynge and Maude the empresse he called a counsel of prelates and enacted it for a lawe that what so euer he were that layed violent handes vpon a churche man he stode accursed wyth boke belle and candell and mighte of none be assoyled but of the popes owne persone He ordeyned also that no preste froÌ„ thens fourth shulde assiste any kinge in his warres Ioannes Hagustaldensis in historia xxv annoruÌ„ Rogerus Houeden Giraldus Cambrensis Mattheus Paris Polydorus Ranulphus ☞ The kynge enprisoneth the canons wiues of Paules RAdulphus de Diceto doth shewe it plainely in his abreuiacioÌ„s of chronycles that in the yeare of our lord 1137. The kinge was in displeasure with William the deane Raufe Langforde Richarde Belmeis and thâ— other canons of Paules at London about the eleccion of their bishop For coÌ„trary to his expectacion they had chosen Amselme the other Anselmes nephew which was than abbot of Burie a man of suspected liuing as witnessed Turstanus in an epistle to the pope Wherupon the king toke all their wiues otherwise called their kichine maydes for doubt of the spiritual lawes in their best apparelinges and put theÌ„ all in the tower of London Where as they were kept very straightly and not deliuered againe withoute bodily shame deminishment of their fame and greuouse expenses the storie saith The bishoppes archedeacoÌ„s chauÌ„celloures deanes were in those daies most coÌ„menly al of one kindred as the seide Radulphus reporteth The bishop of Ro. InnoceÌ„t than wrote into England that Peters litle ship being long tossed on the water vexed troubled oppressed of enemies was very like if remedy were not fouÌ„d in time to be ouer rowne drouned the shourges of scismatikes of heretikes wer so great Loke Ricardus Hagustaldensis in hys small treatyse de bello Standardico IoaÌ„nes hagustaldeÌ„sis in descriptione eiusdem belli By the scysmatykes he ment those prestes whych wolde not leaue their wyues at hys wycked persuasyons and by the lytle shyppe hys owne sorcerouse synagoge of besmered shauelynges ☞ An other counsell holden agaynst prestes and their wyues VPon thys occasyon came Albericus the byshop of Hostyense in post from Rome in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. and. xxxviij as the vycege rent of Pope Innocent the second in Englande and Scotlande Thys Albericus called a synode at Westmynstre in the xiij daye of Decembre for thys whole regyoÌ„ wherin he had to assocyate hym xviij byshoppes and. xxx abbottes besydes the greate nomber of other dysgysed prelates Hys chefe actes were that no preste deacoÌ„ nor subdeacon shulde holde a wyfe or woman within hys howse vndre payne of dysgradynge from his Christendome and playne sendynge to helle That no prestes sonne shuld clayme any spirytuall lyuyng by heretage That none shulde take benefyce of any laye man That none were admytted to cure whyche he had not the letters of hys orders That prestes shuld do no bodyly labour And that their transubstancyated God shuld dwell but. viij dayes in the boxe for feare of worme eatynge mowlyâ—ge or stynkynge with such lyke In all their counsels they songe styll one song folowynge the rustye voyces of HyldebraÌ„de and Paschall Ricardus Ioannes Hagustaldenses Wonders were seane in the skye about thys tyme Mathew Paris sayth In England was felte a palpable darkenesse with a terryble earthquake the sunne aperynge lyke sacke clothe Apo. vi Such an horryble eclyps sayth he was ouer all thys lande that men feared the heauens to haue bene decayed The sunne in some places Ioannes HagustaldeÌ„sis sayth apered lyke quycke syluer to the wonderynge of manye These maruels wolde be marked of them whych couete to vnderstande the mysteryes of tymes after the holye scryptures ☞ The true meanynge of sygnes in the firmament declared BY thys tyme had the prelates a nombre of crafty wyttes in the vniuersytees whych were as able by schole learnynge to defende a falshede as euer were Christes dyscyples by hys heauenly doctryne to maynteyne a veryte These by a contynuall exercyse in disputacyons bicame very crafty and subtyle They toke it for an ornature of learnyng and for a thynge very conducyble to the vnderstandyng of the scriptures to define and diuyde all thynges as ded the peripatetyckes or naturall philosophers of Aristotles secte and so to proue them by naturall demonstracyons Gloryenge in the sublymyte of their wyttes they wolde be taken for men much wyser than were the Apostles and prophetes and in their doynges preferred the Idees or ymagynacyons of Plato to the eternal sprete of Christ. In the rowme of the lyuely phylosophie of God they placed faynt and vnfruitefull allegoryes as ded the olde Esseanes and as doth in our tyme the wycked secte of Anabaptistes imputyng those thynges to our synnefull wurkes whych only pertayneth to the kyngdome of faythe Thus ded the wysdome of the fleshe erect her selfe agaynst Gods heauenly wysdome preparynge a waye to Antichrist and the deuyll These doctours busyly dysputed of Peters autoryte and of the worthienesse of monkery to make good the pryde of the byshopp of Rome and to confirme the shynynge shewe of hypocresye Of thys nombre was Ricardus de Sancto Victore a Scott in Paris Alexandre Nequam and Robert Crikelade here in England all regular chanons By thys maye ye vnderstande what it ment that the sunne apeared so darke in the skye For the heauens Dauid sayth declareth the glorye of God and the firmament sheweth hys handye wurke or dedes of hys permyisyon Psal. xviij ☞ More examples declarynge those marueyles ABout the same tyme were the byshop of Romes lawes brought into thys realme by Baldewyn the archebyshop of Canterburye But so sone as kynge Steuen had knowledge therof he condempned them by acte of Parlement commaundynge by proclamacyons and streygth iniunctyons that no man shulde retayne them vndre great penalte By meanes whereof they were in some places torne to peces and in some places brent in the fyre as by good mennis iudgement they were no lesse worthie For they were verye muche agaynst the commodyte of kynges and their commeÌ„ welthes christeÌ„ magistrates powers Ioannes Sarisburiensis in Polycratico de nugis aulicorum libro viij cap. xxij Both the monke Gracianus whych collectyd togyther the Popes decrees into our volume called the concorde of lawes dyscordaunt and also Peter Lombarde hys brother in the rablement of hys vnsauery sentences complayned very sore that many in their tyme beleued the only substaunce of breade to remayne in the sacrament of Christes bodye Yea the best learned maisters of Paris Iohan Tyssyngton sayth in his boke agaynst the confessyon of Wycleue were at the same season of thys opynyon that in the sacramental wordes Esse was to be taken for significare Agaynst whom these adulterouse chyldren Gracianus and Petrus brought forth thys smokye conclusion not out of the scriptures but froÌ„ their