Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	holy_a	send_v	spirit_n	14,001	5	5.8081	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A14292	The golden fleece diuided into three parts, vnder which are discouered the errours of religion, the vices and decayes of the kingdome, and lastly the wayes to get wealth, and to restore trading so much complayned of. Transported from Cambrioll Colchos, out of the southermost part of the iland, commonly called the Newfoundland, by Orpheus Iunior, for the generall and perpetuall good of Great Britaine.	Vaughan, William, 1577-1641.; Mason, John, 1586-1635.	1626 (1626)	STC 24609; ESTC S119039	176,979	382

Policie of the Church to force obedience vnto the Clergie and to worke regeneration in the milde spirited But because it was not soundly grounded on the Word of God it growes contemptible and worthy to bee suppressed for the monstrous abuses which we find in these times to flow by the indirect vse thereof In the Apostles time it was no other then an humble acknowledging of one Neighbours Infirmitie to the other and an asking of forgiuenesse reciprocally at their hands whom they had offended in remembrance of that clause in the Lords Prayer as wee forgiue them which trespasse against vs that thereby they might the more confidently receiue the Communion This the Apostle aduiseth in these words Confesse your sinnes one to another and pray yee one for another Which Confession they vsed publikely and priuately Publikely before all the Congregation if the Sinne were great as that of the Incestuous person in Saint Paul that Shame might worke the fruits of repentance in the Offendors heart Priuately as Saint Iames aduised by way of Charitie to succor one anothers conscience Afterwards Confession became farre more priuat and their mindes being puft vp with Pride or ashamed to let many know their dissimulations they repayred to some one of the Elders of the Church as Patients to a Physician to bee cured or to receiue Counsell for their Soules health At last the Clergie noting the simplicitie of the vnlettered people in those dayes they got them in lieu of Penance to disburse pence pounds sometimes to the Poore sometimes to build Churches Chappels Monasteries and to offer presents to the honour of their Parish Saints as the Heathen in those dayes did to their Idols All this while there was no great fault sauing that they began to make it somewhat meritorious But when the Popes had forbidden Marriages in time had barred the Clergie of their Concubines which was for a long time dispensed with then this laudable Order of Confession began to be grossely abused and womens Chastities suffered shipw●ack● For themselues being to continue for euer vnmarried they burned in lust and left no trick vnattempted to beguile wiues and maides But among all their sleights they preuayled aboue all when they drew men to build Nu●●eries that they might allure prettie wenches thither with whom they might ioyne the more freely to coole their raging lusts Insomuch that the wariest of them seeing some of their sweet hearts too fruitfull they studied Physicke and gaue them drenches to destroy their Fruit or if that wrought not the effect for the credit of their V●taries they held it no great sinne to murther it assoone as euer it came to light which Diuelish Acts of theirs since the preaching of the Gospell are daily discouered in Ponds and other hidden places where the skuls of many Infants haue beene lately found What mad men are they which will commit their daughters to a Confessors charge as lambes to wolues knowing that flaxe will flame if it bee too neere the fire Lust by degrees corrupts The wisest man liues not without some touch of folly Shall wee then thinke that Flesh and Bloud can waxe cold finding sweet opportunitie and solitarinesse to warme sensible nature At first they look babies in their eyes they wring or kisse their lillyed hands and induce them to read their Loue-sonnets Madrigalls and other Poems of Cupids baites Then they fall to a neerer forme the preambles and fore-runners of beastly pleasure they obtaine the gracelesse grace to play with their iuory breasts and to endure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writes that vnmannerly Grobi●●● Tange eti●● partes qu●● g●●●●t F●mina t●●gi Arriued to this happinesse they must needs sanctifi● their lips with Nectarean kisses vowing that they would not for all the King of Spaines I●dies proceed to a further Act. So meane perhaps but Time brings alteration And a faire woman is a shrewd Temptation As George Withers notes Hauing thus seduced these weaker vessels to condiscend to the elements of Loue they teach them the baudie A. B. C. instead of Aue Maria. Were I disdainfull or vnkind Or coy to learne or dull of mind But no such thing remaines in me To let mee learne my A. B. C. At last they winne the precious Fort which once they doubted to bee inexp●gnable The whole building is razed and these poore Soules pend in this pound of bo●dage forsaken of their friends find no other ease for this disease but to sang this dolefull Di●tie to the t●●e of too late Repeatance Which shall I doe or weepe or sing Neither of them will helpe mourning The Treasure 's stolne the Thiefe is fled And I lye bleeding in my bed If it were not for these 〈◊〉 Confussion in the Eare would much benefit a diseased Conscience and the whole Common-wealth of the Christian Corporation And we could wish it still in vse yet with this limitation that no Papist presume to confesse any woman vnder 50. yeares of age except he be first soundly gelded And for your part Frier Foster who claime the prerogatiue to haue a seare top with a green root to mingle a dead coarse with a liuing body after the example of Maxentius the Tyrant without regard had to your old age and decayed nature wee Order you to bee tortured on Ixions wheele because you haue profaned the vestall house Ixion henceforth to bee set at libertie for his petulant attempt against Iuno and all Nunneries to bee dissolued which after the imitation of the Gentiles you procured to be built more for your lecherous interest then for the honour of your Sauiour Whereby I let you all good Catholickes to vnderstand that we suppresse them for the same reason as Hezechias supplanted the Brazen Serpent good of it selfe and of the first erecting being a figure of Christs sauing Office and healing vertue but since a cause of Idolatrie as the Crosse also which the Reformed Churches by reason of the fottish misvsage haue lately put downe to take away the occasions of Idolatrie CHAP. VII Thomas Becket of Canterburie accuseth before Apollo Walter de Mapes Arch-deacon of Oxford in King Henry the Seconds time for defending the Marriage of Priests against the Pope of Romes Decree THomas Becket of Canterburie that opposed himselfe so obstinatly against his anointed King heere in England about some liuings which he pretended to belong to the Sea of his Archbishoprick appealing to the Pope from his Countryes Censure exhibited an Information before Apollo against his antient Friend Walter de Mapes Arch-deacon of Oxford for withstanding the Popes Legat that came to London with a strict Decree to command all the Clergie men in England to put away their wiues Walter de Mapes was sent for at whose comming Th. Becket hauing license to make good his Information spake as followeth Most Puissant Emperour Our Holy Father the Pope the visible Head of the Roman Church Saint Peters famous Successor whether by Reuelation from Heauen or by the Spirit of

Saint Peter points not to bee questioned by Earthly men or else by the motion of his owne Transcendent and neuer erring Braine wee know not nor matters it much to speake off for Ipse dixit his Godhead will haue it in his reuerend regard vnto these remote Flocks of his sent ouer his Holy Legat to me and my Brother of Yorke to prohibit all Religious Persons of what qualitie soeuer from thenceforth to defile their sacred bodies with those imperfect animals called Women aswell because they might follow their bookes the better not caring for the vanities of this transitorie world as also lest like New Fues they might tempt vs to taste what God had forbidden that is Iealousie Anger Deceit Simony and Pride to compasse meanes for their haughtie minds After much difficultie we executed his Holinesse good will and pleasure Neuerthelesse this Seditious Sectarie not onely openly with opprobrious words but with an infamous Libell hee presumed to taxe our Holy Father of Errour or Heresie if hee durst for this Diuine Ordinance The Contents of his Libell are these That it was a grieuous torment for a Priest to put away his wife because shee was his darling affirming that the Bishop of Rome made an il Decree and wisht him to beware hee dyed not in so great a Sinne. That his Holinesse forbad that pleasure now in his old age which he loued in his youth That Mapes defended his Errour by the authoritie of the Old and New Testament citing Zacharie the Priest to be the Father of Saint Iohn Baptist and that S. Paul allowed a Clergie man to be the Husband of one Wife That it became a Priest better to marrie then to borrow or deflowre his Neighbours daughter Niece or Wife And in Conclusion hee was so impudent as to require all Priests to bestow together with their Sweet Hearts a Pater noster a piece for this his goodly Apish Apologie His Maiestie smiled to heare the Conceit And thereupon caused the Pronotarie to reade the Libell as Walter de Mapes had framed it who with an audible voice did recite as followeth O quam d●l●r anxius quam tormentum gra●e Nobis dimittere quoniam suaue O Romane Pontifex stat●isti pra●e Ne in ta●t● crimine moriaris caue Non est innocentius imo nocens verè Qui quid facto d●cuit studet abolere Et quod olim luuenis voluit habere Modo vetus Pontifex studet prohibere Giguere nos praecipit vetus Testamentum Vbi Nouum prohibet nusquam est inuentum Praesul qui contrarium donat Documentum Nullum necessarium his dat Argumentum Dedit enim Dominus maledictionem Viro qui non fecerit generationem Ergo tibi consulo per hanc rationem Gignere vt habea● Benedictionem Nonne de Militibus Milites procedunt Et Reges à Regibus qui sibi succedunt Per Locum à Simili Omnes Iura laedunt Clericos qui gignere crimen esse credunt Zacharias habuit prolem vxorem Per virum quem genuit adeptus honorem Baptizauit enim nostrum Saluatorem Pereat qui te●eat nouum hunc Errorem Paulus Coelos rapitur ad superiores Vbi multas didicit res secretiores Ad nos tandem rediens i●struensque mores Suas inquit habeat quilibet vxores Propter haec alia Dogmata Doctorum Reor esse meliu● magis decorum Quisque suam habeat non proximorum Ne incurrat odium iram eorum Proximorum Foeminas Filias Neptes Violare nefas est Quare nil disceptes Verè tuam habeas in hac delectes Diem vt sic vltimum tutius expectes Ecce iam pro Clericis multum allegani Nec non pro Presbyteris plura comprobaui Pater Noster nunc pro me quoniam peccaui Dicat quisque Presbiter cum sua Suaui CHAP. VIII Walter de Mapes is commanded by Apollo to defend his Positions against the Pope and Becket who accordingly obeyeth and prooues the lawfulnesse of Clergie-mens Marriage both by the Testimonie of the Scripture and of the Ancient Fathers AFter the Pronotarie had ended Apollo commanded Walter de Mapes to defend his cause who thus began I am glad Most Noble Emperour that my Aduersarie hath cited mee to defend my Cause in this judicious Court where Bribes blindnesse of Affection and Passion cannot wrest the infallible reasons of Truth as oftentimes wee see fall out in worldly Iudgements Heere I need not feare the Popes Thunderbolt of Excommunication And therefore with a resolued countenance and a minde vndaunted I will proue out of the Holy Scriptures and by the authoritie of the Primitiue Church that wee Clergie-men may and ought to marrie as well as others By the Old Testament it is euident that the Leuits as Aaron Phinehes Eleazar Zadock Samuel and Zachary were married men Saint Peter himselfe as we reade in the New Testament was likewise married for our Sauiour Christ cured his Wiues Mother of an Ague Saint Paul aduiseth a Bishop to be the Husband of one onely wife and in another place auoucheth that it is better to marrie then to burne Yea and Christ himselfe auoucheth it to be a very hard matter for any man whatsoeuer to continue chast except it were giuen him from heauen as a special gift as rare a Miracle as a blacke Swan or a white Crow And shall we expect such miraculous and rare sightes in these tempestuous times when the Church it selfe hath much adoe to steale out of Babylon When the purest of vs all doe feele tumultuous Hurliburlies in our members striuing and strugling to ouer-master the faculties of our Soules As we are men we know our vnresistable frailties We must acknowledge our naturall Infirmities or else we are Liers and the Truth dwels not in vs. How much better then were it for vs to ioyne in lawfull Marriage then to stay as stale Batchelers and hypocritically to take vpon vs that taske which our weake Tabernacles cannot support Sometimes wee saue those Soules by Marriage which perhaps might proue lost were they not our wiues By these wee beget children whom we traine vp and graffe into Christ. We enioy this happinesse oftentimes in our wiues and children that by our examples and societie they shine as Starres heere on Earth giuing light to them that sit in darknesse we encrease the Kingdome of Heauen and heere in this World wee leaue no scandall behind vs as the vnmarried Romists doe by their Stewes and stolne pleasures Haue not we power to lead about a Sister aswell as the rest of the Apostles This Tertullian one of the first Latine Fathers auerreth in these words It was lawfull for the Apostles to marrie and to lead their Wiues about with them in their iournies What plainer instance can there be then Saint Pauls aduise to Bishops and Deacons to content themselues with one Wife apiece hauing children in subiection For if a man knowes not how to rule his owne house how shall

Dauid doth morally teach vs that wee must not smite our Princes with the sword of our Lips though they wrong vs nor that we teare the hemme of their superfluous deeds If wee approoue not the holinesst of their liues let vs applaud the holinesse of their Vnctions In the English Chronicles euen when the Pope was at the highest staire of worldly triumph it is registred that Anselmus Archbishop of Canterbury in some difference betwixt him and King William Rufus would haue appealed to the Pope And that the King and the Bishops withstood it In the Raigne of King Henry the Second a Law was made on paine of Treason not to appeale out of the Kingdome of England Thus from time to time it is manifest that the Popes power hath beene inferiour and subiect to Earthly Princes And therefore to broach out such damnable Paradoxes for the iustification of murther and the warranting of priuate men to conspire against their Soueraignes is a Doctrine which God hates Somtimes men are plagued by the immediate hand of God sometimes by mediate and secondary means for their sins Sometimes men are forced to endure extraordinary stormes tempests famine warres and also crosses at their very friends hands Sometimes their women are deliuered of abortiues or mishapen Creatures All which they must patiently brooke Much more must they beare with the spots of Princes who haue long Eares and long hands It is not safe or vertuous to meddle with litigious wares nor to trouble the braine with these kind of Problemes For if men liue in a Monarchy which is hereditary the Fault is the greater If in other Kingdomes the fundamentall Lawes must be regarded by the publike States and not by priuate persons If the Kingdome be Electiue as Poland let the Chancelor looke to it If in Germanie it belongs to the Electors to decide the quarrell betwixt the Emperour and the Subiects Wee doe therefore vtterly detest these Iesuites for maintayning of these bloudy Tragedies and from henceforth wee banish that pestilent Race of Sectaries out of our Iurisdiction of Parnassus Mariana heere we doe order to bee perpetually tortured in Phalaris his Brazen Bull and his Bookes also to be burnt and the ashes to be scattered in the Riuer of Lethe CHAP. III. Now Doctor Wicliffe of Oxford espying in a Church at Athens a Franciscan Frier a kissing of a Maide of Honour belonging to the Princesse Thalia brought Saint Frances to surprize them who of meere Idiotisme applaudes the Fact IN May last when all liuing Creatures followed their naturall motions and kinds Doctor Wicliffe of Oxford who in King Richard the Seconds time by the countenance of Iohn of Gaunt and the Londoners opposed himselfe against the Romish Clergie as hee was entring into the Temple of the vnknowne God at Athens espied a Franciscan Frier very heartily kissing a Gentlewoman which in that jouiall and merrie time had made choise of that lustie Frier to confesse her whereupon Doctor Wicliffe being euer held to be of an vnblemisht behauiour and as chaste as Origen but that he had not gelt himselfe as Origen did burned with Zeale and like another Phinehes thought once to haue runne vpon them both to haue scratcht their eyes out for weapons he had none to offend with such was the Law of Apolloes Court But remembring himselfe of a place in Homer how Achilles as he intended to draw out his Sword against Agamemnon was preuented by the Ladie Pallas who inuisibly restrained his hand from that reprochfull Act he reculed backe vnseene by the youthfull Couple whose lips were so fastned together that as if they had beene in a trance the Church might haue falne by piece-meales about their eares before they would been parted from their sugred kisses and like an Arrow out of a Bow hee rushed into Saint Frances cloyster where meeting with the Old man a mumbling on his Orisons and Rosaries he desired him in all haste to come and visit the Corpse of one of his Friers which was strooke dead by the Planet Venus together with a Maide of Honour belonging to the Princesse Thalia At these words Saint Frances flung away his deuout Offices and went a long with Doctor Wicliffe to the place where he found the Frier and the gentlewoman a kissing After that Saint Frances had considerately noted how lo●ingly the Frier lay as it were in an extasie with his lips as close as Iuy to an Elme vnto the Maides lips the good man fell downe vpon his knees and thanked God that he had seene so much Loue and Charitie in the World which before hee doubted had forsaken all humane race CHAP. IIII. Doctor Wicliffe connents Saint Frances and the kissing Frier before Apollo Saint Frances defendeth the cause and discouereth seuen sorts of kisses Apollo refuteth his Defence condemnes the Frier and abolisheth all Monasticall Orders DWicliffe the next day after this aduenture loth to be accessary to such baudy deeds made the matter knowne vnto Apolloes Maiestie who immediately sent Mercury for both the Friers And vpon the Friday after appointed a speciall Conuocation for the ordering of this lasciuious Cause About nine a clocke in the morning vpon the prefixed day both the Friers being brought before the Lords of the Connocations Apollo spake in this wise to Saint Frances The first time that you were initiated in morall Precepts and sithence matriculated in our Court you vndertooke aswell for your Monasticall Order as your selfe to liue chast and not to minister occasion of scandall to the married Societie to suspect the least token of incontinencie in your carriages But we find that you are flesh and bloud subiect to concupiscence as well as others Saint Paul therefore aduiseth you rather to marrie then to burne But you on the contrary doe forbid your Clergy to marry at all although in your consciences you know it a most grieuous yoke the which our Sauiour Christ said that no man can beare vnlesse as a speciall Gift some few receiue it from Heauen And therefore Saint Paul tels you It is the doctrine of deuils to forbid Marriage Why then haue you imposed such a burthen such a vow on these silly Nouices of your Fraternitie which they can neuer keep without hinneying and lusting after the Female Sexe Haue not you heard that a certaine Hermite cockolded the chiefest Nobles of a Princes Court whose Wiues vsed to repaire to his Cell for Spirituall Physicke as if he had beene another Baptist Endeauour yee neuer so violently to expell the affections of nature they will breake into your thoughts and bodies doe what yee can as on a time another Hermit but more holy of life experimented in a Nephew of his who notwithstanding that hee had brought him vp euen from his cradle in his hermitage shut vp from the sight of all Women-kinde and afterwards by chance following his Ghostly Father to a Towne when he had looked on the Sexe of women and askt his Father what creatures those prettie

temporall Power By his meanes shee got the Soueraigntie ouer all Emperours Kings and Christian Princes whereas before shee was kept vnder like a base maid seruant not only by the Emperour but by any Prince assisted by the Emperour To returne now to the other cause which augmented the Popes Greatnesse that he cannot erre in matters of Faith and therefore men are perswaded to beleeue in his Church as the onely Catholick in the world or indeed as if shee were equall vnto Christ in Puritie and therefore partaker of our Creede But the Truth auoucheth otherwise that all men are Lyers and full of Sinne euen from the beginning The most Righteous man sinnes euery day in the weeke The Apostles in Christs time contended for Dignitie After his death Peter and Paul varied in opinion Paul and Barnabas could not agree Liberius Bishop of Rome subscribed to the Arrian Heresie Honorius Bishop of Rome was a Monothelite and condemned for the same Heresie by the Generall Councell held at Constantinople Saint Augustine mentions of the Errour maintayned by Innocent Bishop of Rome that Innocents could not be saued except they receiued the Communion And as Popes erred thus in matters of Faith so did Generall Councels themselues most grossely erre The Councell of Arimine established the Arria● Heresie The Councell of Nice decreed the Soules of Angels and men had bodily shapes The Councell of Ephes●s enacted Canons on the behalfe of the Nestorian Heresie The consideration of which Errors whereto all mortall Creatures are subiect while they soiourne in their earthly tabernacles moued holy Augustine to reiect the authoritie of a Generall Councell which Maximinus alledged against him Neither ought I said he to be tyed to try my cause by the Councell of Nice or the Councell of Arimine to better or preiudice one anothers cause but to decide the Question to the Holy Scriptures Testimonie which are indifferent to both of vs and not partially bound to either of vs. And indeed there may bee yeelded a reason of Policie for not standing to any Humane Positions In a Generall meeting all men are not of the same mind nor of the same opinion but euery particular man as hee hath his voice so hee hath his seuerall will Velle suum cuique est nec voto vinitur vno Commonly where many meet some are selfe opinionated some factious others ouer-swayed by the most voices so that the Godliest being the fewest are abandoned and then the Canons doe passe according to mens affections and very oftentimes in fauour of the Pope and his Cardinals in hope of worldly preferments dispensations or for feare of angring their Superiors in Authoritie which the Holy Ghost obseruing he withdrawes his powerfull presence from their Consciences and leaues them puris naturalibus to their owne naturall endowments and consequently to bee seduced by the world Which of the ancient Fathers liued free from Errours Iustine Martyr Irenaeus and Tertullian held the Millenarian Heresie Saint Cyprian erred in his iudgement of Rebaptization Why then doth the Church of Rome arrogate to her selfe such Holinesse as to condemne all other Churches because they conforme not themselues with her Doctrine and Traditions It is one thing to belieue that there is a Catholicke Church and another thing though blasphemous to beleeue in the Catholick Church And now for the concluding of this present difference betwixt the Church of Rome and the Aethiopian whereof the Patriarch of Alexandria challengeth the Primacie wee doe order that euery Nation be allowed their seuerall Iurisdictions As in like manner hath heeretofore beene enacted by the Councell of Nice in the yeere 325. Let the ancient custome bee still in vse that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the Iurisdiction ouer Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis euen as the Bishop of Rome enioyeth the like libertie in his Parts And so let the Churches of Antioch and of other Prouinces haue their preheminences maintained as informer times CHAP. XIIII Scotus the Master of Subtile Questions connents Sir Geffrey Chaucer for calling the Pope Antichrist and comparing the Romish Church to the griping Griffon and the true Church to the tender Pellican SCotus that famous Schooleman for subtile qui●ks and quiddities hauing watched for these two hundred and sixtie yeeres opportunitie to insinuate himselfe into his Maiesties fauour by some notable exploit and ●ow seeing that the Church of Rome began to totter he repayred to the Delphick Hall vpon the sixteenth of Iune last 1626. Where after an eloquent Oration against the Lutherans hee complayned of Sir Geffrey Chaucer the English Poet that he about the latter end of King Edward the thirds Raigne had published in his Plo●-mans Tale most abhominable Doctrine which infected not only diuers rare wits of that Age but likewise wrought so much alteration in succeeding times that Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Husse Ierome of Prague Luther and others now stiling themselues Protestants had quite abandoned their Mother Church of Rome which had flourished in stately Pompe and Pontificalibus for many hundred of yeares before And particularly hee charged Chaucer for calling the Pope Antichrist and for comparing his Followers to the Griffon and the pretended Reformed Church to the Pellican Apollo willing now vtterly to abolish those Patrons of Equiuocations lyes and deceits was glad of this occasion which so fairely presented it selfe vnto him And to that end iudicially to proceed against them he caused the chiefe points of the said Ploughmans Tale to bee openly read by the Pronotarie of the Court who with a loud voice thus repeated the same Euen as I wandred in a wro In a Wood beside a wall Two Fowles saw I sit th● The falser foule mought him befall That one did plead on the Popes side A Griffon of a grimme stature A Pellican withouten pride To these Lollers laid his lure Hee mused his matter in measure To counsell Christ euer gan he call The Griffon shewed as sharpe as fire But falshood foule mought him befall The Pellican began to preach Both of mercie and of meeknesse And said Christ so gan vs teach And ●eeke and mercifull gan blesse The Euangelists doe beare witnesse A Lambe he likeneth Christ ouer all In tokening that he meekest was Sith pride was out of Heauen fall And so should euery Christian be Priests Peters Successours Both humble and of low degree And ●sen none earthly honours Neither Crowne nor curious couetours Nor Pillour nor other proud Pall. Nor ought to coffren vp great treasures For falshood foule mought them befall Priests should for no cattell pleade But chasten them in charitee Nor vnto battell should men leade For enhaunsing of their owne degree Not wilne sittings in high Sea Nor Soueraig●tie in house nor hall All worldly worship defie and flee For who so willeth Highnesse foule shall fall Alas who may such Saints call That wil●eth weld earthly honour As low as Lucifer such shall fall In balefull blacknesse ybuilden their bowre That eggeth the people to Errour And maketh

them to them thrall To Christ I hold such one Traytour As low as Lucifer shall fall That willeth to be Kings Peeres And higher then the Emperour Some that were but poore Freeres Now wolden waxe a Warriour God is not their Gouernour That holdeth no man his Permagall While Couetise is their Counsellour All such falshood mo●ght need fall With Pride they punish the poore And some they sustaine with sale Of holy Church making a Wh●●re And glut their bellies with Wine and Ale With Money they fill many a male And chaffren Churches when they fall And tellen the people a lewd tale Such false faitours foule them befall And Mitres more then one or two Y perled as the Queenes head A staffe of Gold and pirrie too As heauie as it were made of lead VVith Cloth of Gold both new and red VVith glitter and Gold as greene as gall By doome they damne men to dead All such faitours foule them befall And Christs people proudly curse VVith broad Booke and braying Bell. To put pennies in their purse They will sell both Heauen and Hell And in their sentence thou wilt dwell They willen gesse in their gay hall And though the sooth thou of them tell In great cursings shalt thou fall Christs Ministers clepen they beene And rulen all in robbery But Antichrist they seruen cleane Attired all in Tyranny VVitnesse of Iohns Prophesie That Anticrist is their Admirall Tiffelers attired in Treacherie All such faitours foule them fall VVho saith that some of them may sinne He shall be doomed to be dead Some of them would gladly winne Against that which God forbad All Holy they clepen their Head That of their Rule is Regall Alas that euer they eaten bread For all such falshood will foule fall Their Head loueth all Honour And to be worshipped in word and deed Kings must to him kneele and cour To the Apostles which Christ forbad To Popes Hests such taken more heed Then to keepe Christs Commandement Of Gold and Siluer be their weed Who hold him whole Omnipotent He ordaineth by his Ordinance To Parish Priests a power To another a greater aduaunce A greater point to his mystery But for he is Highest in Earth heere To him reserueth he many a point But to Christ that hath no Peere Reserueth he neither rib nor ioynt So seemeth He aboue all And Christ aboue him nothing When he sitteth in his stall Damneth and saueth as him thinke Such pride before God doth stinke An Angell bad Iohn to him not kneele But onely to God doe his bowing Such willers of worship must needs fall There was more mercy in Maximian And in Nero which neuer was good Then is now in some of them VVhen he hath on his furred Hood They follow Christ which shead his bloud To Heauen as Bucket to the wall Such wretches be worse then wood And all such faitours foule them fall They maken Parsons for the penny And of Canons their Cardinals And Y scarce amongst them all is any That hath not glozed the Gospell false For Christ did neuer make Cathedrals Nor yet with him was Cardinall VVith a Red Hat as vsen Minstrels But falshood foule mought it befall That say that Peter had the Key Of Heauen and Hell to haue and hold I trow Peter tooke no Money For any mens Sinnes which he sold. Such Successours be too bold In winning all their wit they wrall Their Conscience is waxen cold And all such faitours foule them fall Peter was neuer so great a foole To leaue his Key with such a Lorrell Or to take such a cursed toole He was aduised nothing well I trow they haue the Key of Hell Their Master is of that place Marshall For there they dresse● them to dwell And with false Lucifer there to fall Christ had twelue Apostles heere Now say they there may be but one That may not erre in no manner Who loueth not this be lost each one Peter erred so did not Iohn Why then is he clept the principall Christ clept him Peter but him selfe the Stone All false faitours foule them befall VVhat is Antichrist to say But euen Christs Aduersary Such hath now beene many a day To Christs bidding full contrary That from the Truth cleane vary Out of the way they beene quite wend And Christs people vntruly cary God of his pittie it amend They liue contrary to Christs life In high pride against meeknesse Against patience they vsen strife And anger against sobern●sse Against wisdome wilfulnesse To Christs words they little tend Against measure outragiousnesse But when God will it may amend A token of Antichrists they be His charactes now beene wide yknow Receiued to preach shall no man be VVithout token of him I trow Ech Christen Priest to preaching ow From God aboue to them been send The Word to all folk for to show Sinfull man their sinnes to amend Christ sent the poore for to preach The Royall Rich he did not so Now dare no poore the people teach For Antichrist is all their Foe Among the people he must goe Whom he hath bid But such suspend Some hath he hent and thinks yet mo But all this God may well amend The Emperour gaue the Pope sometime So high Lordship him about That at the last the seely kime The proud Pope did pull him out So of this Realme is in great doubt But Lords beware and them defend For now these folk be wondrous stout The King and Lords now this amend Antichrist they seruen all Who I pray you can say nay With Antichrist such shall fall They fellow him in deed and fay They seruen him in rich array To serue Christ they falsly faine Why at the dreadfull doomes-day Shall they not fellow him to paine Popes Bishops and Cardinals Chanons Parsons and Vicar In Gods Seruice I trow been false That Sacraments selle● heere And been as proud as Lucifere Ech man looke whether that I lie Who so speaketh against their power It shall be holden Heresie The Griffon said th●● canst no good Thou neuer camst of Gentle kind Eyther I trow thou waxest wood Or else thou hast lost thy mind And the Pope were purely poore Needy and nothing he had He should be driuen from doore to doore The wicked of him would not be dread Of such a Head men would be sad If the Pope and Prelates would So beg and bid bow and borrow Holy Church should stand full cold Her seruants sit and sup sorrow The Pellican cast a huge cry And said Alas why sayest thou so Christ is our Head that sits on high Heads ought we not for to haue m● We be his members both also And Father he taught vs to cal him al 's Masters to be called defended he tho All other Maisters be wicked and false That doe take maistry in his name Ghostly all for earthly good Kings and Lords should Lordships ha●● And rule the people with mild moode Christ for vs that shead his blo●d Bad his Priests no