William Cowper Esqr. Clerk of the Parliaments FAX MENTIS HONESTAE GLORIA The first two partes of the Actes or vnchast examples of the Englysh votaryes gathered out of their owne legenades and Chronycles by Iohan Bale and dedycated to our most edoubted soueraigne kynge Edward the syxte â–ª ¶ Beware of the leuen of the pharisees which is hypocrisye But there is nothing hyd that shall not be dyscouered neyther secrete that shall not be knowne Therfor what so euer they haue done in darkenesse that same â—â—all be known in the light Lu. xiâ— To the most vertuouse myghtye and excellent prynce kynge Edwarde the. vi by the grace of God kynge of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendar of the faythe and in earthe vndre Christe of the churches of the seyde England and Ireland the supreme heade his most humble subiect Iohan Bale wisheth all honour helthe and felycyte LIke as man was of ij substaunces constytuted most worthie and excellente prynce that is to say of sowle and of bodye so were there for his specyall coÌ„modyte in them both for hys wholsome continuaunce in longe successyon ordayned of God ij necessary functyous or administracyons from the worldes begynnynge Neyther myghte the one of them without the other at any time be nomore than the bodie without the sowle but anon after a deadly decaye therupon folowed in that common welthe In the bokes of kynges and of Paralipomenoâ— is this so playnely declared â—or the diuided kingdomes of Israel and Iuda that at no hand it can be denyed The fyrste of them was the explanacion of the heauenly doctryne whom we now cal the godly office of a preacher The other we vnderstande to be the publique or politique regimet which is in the high gouernauÌ„ce autorite power oâ— a king The first of these ij most necessary offices the eternal soÌ„ne of God instituted in paradise The other toke beginning of god the father which held an euerlasting monarchy befor the worldes constitucioÌ„ and on the earth by his speciall gifte it toke successe in man Through me do kinges reigne sayth he through me do princes make iust lawes Prouer. viij In the Godhed are they here alone but in person diuerse The one gouerneth the other teacheth The seid sonne of God as an euerlastinge prest bishop first called Adam Eua to repentaunce by the voyce of such a lawe as both detected and rebuked their synne Furthermor he published the promise coÌ„cerning the holy seed of the womaÌ„ which shuld breake the head of the wicked serpeÌ„t Thus preached he than the fyrste Gospell of saluacyon whyche is a ioyfull massage declarynge full remyssyon to be gyuen frelye in Chryste or for Christes only sake a righteousnesse in the holy ghost folowing therupon â–ª with the life euerlastinge As Adam was confyrmed the ymage of God appointed to rule the whol earth Gen. i. He succeded him his eternall sonne in these ij hygh offices of Gouernaunce and of doctryne through the gydaunce of hys holye sprete so be comminge to the one a vicegerent or liefe tenaunt and to the other an hygh vycar general He instructed his posteryte in the ryght rules of fayth for that age and prudently vsed theyr politique regyment In thys perfyghte trade succeded the fathers Enos Cainan Malalehel Iared Henoch Mathusalah and Lamech one after an other tyll the dayes of Noe. Whyche gouerned most godly and preached repentaunce for an hondred and. xx yeaâ—es space After the generall floude stode Noe vp agayne and executed these ij offyces more earnestly than afore Melchysedech hys sonne was both a kynge and a preste so was faythfull Abraham and hys chyldren after hym as apereth both by their warres and sacryfyces And all though Moyses at tymes executed but one of these ij offyces and Aaron hys brother the other yet were they afterwardes agayne both vnyted in Iosue and hys successours assysted by the byshoppes and Leuytes tyll the Iewes despred a kynge Than helde Saul the temporall domynyon and Samuel the hygh presthode Dauid and Abiathaâ— SalomoÌ„ and Sadoch in the same trade folowyng tyll the realme was deuyded into Israell and Iuda for the wyckednesse of rulars And as the false worshyppynges or execrable ydolatryes began to increase by the deuylyshnesse of false prestes God raysed vp the prophetes with an earnestnesse to rebuke them and agayne to renewe the heauenly doctryne and gouernaunce And as their course was out by a myserable mutacyon through warres and captyuyte that lyuely doctryne of saluacyon by the sectes of pharysees Saducees Esseanes was yet ones agayne obscured and the hygh gouernaunce clerely decayed and also remoued from the chosen flocke of God the scepture traÌ„slated to Herode a cruel strauÌ„ger The sonne of God the eternall father called Iesus Christe than entered into the fleshe at hys tyme appoynted and became our hygh kyng and preste euerlastynge by hys tryumphaunt passyon and ascensyon restorynge these ij offyces and reseruynge them in hys gloryfyed humanyte to a sempyternall monarchye To hys Apostles and dyscyples he appoynted the admynystracyon of hys heauenly word leauynge to the worldely rulars the hygh gouernaunce of peoples Thys hath bene breuely the very ordre course and processe concernynge these ij most hygh offyces sens the worldes begynnynge How the great aduersary of God Antichrist hath sens Christes ascensyoÌ„ wrought in hys wycked course to depraue these ij mynystracyons of God and to cause them to serue his moste blasphemouse and fylthie affectes the fyrste ij partes of my Englyshe votaryes here presente dothe plenteously shewe And my hope is that the ij lattre partes whyche wyll God wyllynge most spedylye folowe shall declare it yet muche more at large I haue therin decreed for difference of the bokes and apt argumentes of the matters contayned in them to gyue them iiij seuerall tytles of rysynge buyldynge holdynge and falling For the fyrst part treateth of theyr vp ryspng to myschefe by the olde ydolatours in the reygne of perdycyon The seconde parte sheweth of theyr hastye buildynge by the hypocrytyshe monkes to establish the wicked kingedome of Antichrist The thirde part wil declare the crafty vpholdinge of their prowde degrees possessyons by the wilye and subtile slayghtes of the. iiij orders of frires And the fort part shal manifest their horrible fall in this lattre age by that grouÌ„ded doctrines of the true preachers writers These votaries do I take for those instrumeÌ„tes of SathaÌ„ which coÌ„tinually from time to time haue destroied these ij hygh mynistracions by darkenynge the doctryne of God and peruerting iustyce in the rulars Next to the scriptures I take their moste wicked examples for witnesses in that matter If your learned maiestye in thys second part do marke theyr wycked procedynges in takynge from princes the inuestynge of prelates and from the churches minysters theyr marryed wyues ye shall fynde them the greattest traytours that euer were on thys earthe both to God and to man For by takynge from prynces
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
euery busynesse In Herbertes waye yet it is a fowle blot That he by symonye is byshop abbot Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. iiij de regibus Great sute made the monkes of Norwych to haue had thys Herbert a canonysed saynt But suche impedimentes were alwayes in the waye that it coulde not be obtayned ☞ Other anoynted prelates of the lame race SImon the hygh Deane of Lyncolne occupyed that rowme not without a cause For his father Robert Bloet was the lecherouse bulle byshop I shuld saye of that large dyocese This Simon was a lusty bloude the scory sayth as good a treadyng cocke as euer was his father with sterne lokes on both sydes as proude as a pecock Henricus huntendunensis in libro de contemptu mundi Ranulphus in polychronico Guilhelmus Horman in fasci rerum Britannicarū It is also reported of Radulphus de Diceto in hys chronycle called Imagines historiarum that Robert Peche the byshop of Chestre Couentre and Lychefelde begate Richarde Peche the archedeacon of Couentre whyche afterwarde as reason was succeded hys father as byshop on same dyoceses by inheritaunce Radulphus praefatus Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis in opere de pontificibus Guilhelmus Hormā in abreuiatione etusdē The thyrde example wyll I there bryng iii though it chaunced longe afore whych I haue left out in the first part of my votaryes Ethelwolf the sonne of kynge Egbert was professed a monke at Wynchestre and receyued the ordre of a subdeacon vndre byshopp Helmestane Afterwardes ascendynge from one degre to an other he was constytute byshop of Wynchestre and a Cardynall as some chronycles hath about the yeare of our lorde viij hundreth and iij. By dyspensacyon of Pope Gregory the fourth he reygned kynge after hys father and marryed Osburga hys owne butlers doughter by whom he had foure sonnes whyche all reygned kynges after hym and one doughter In the tyme of hys monkery afore he was marryed he begate a bastard called Adelstane whome he made vndre him the duke of Westsaxons Rogerus houeden Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Henricus Bradsha Iacobus Mayer Ionnnes Scuysh ☞ Of Wulstane the mysbegotten byshop of Worcestre Wulstanus the canonysed bishop of Worcestre had a monke of that abbeye to hys father called Estanus and a nonne not farre of to hys mother that was named Vulgena By byshop Brithegus was he made a monke so was sent fourth to the monastery of Peterburg to be instructed and so brought fourth in the ydel rules of monkery Whā it came to passe that he was ones byshop muche loue they saye he had of fayre women and yet lyued alwayes a vyrgyne whych is a matter very harde to be beleued The pontyfycall rynge wherwith he blessed the stretes in stede of Christen preachynge he wolde neuer put from him no not at hys very death but commaunded it to be buryed wyth him I thynke to blesse therwith whan he shulde aryse at the lattre daye Matthaeus paris Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Ranulphus Rogerus Radulphus de Diceto Thomas Rudborne Ioannes Capgraue alij Olde wyues in Worcestre shyre by the helpe of ydle headed monkes to whom parauenture they had bene bawdes practysed vpon the Ethymology of hys name a most shamefull and folyshe fable whych yet remayneth amonge them Hys father they sayde wyllyng to haue a do with hys mother vpon good frydaye and she not consentynge therunto for the dayes sake was compelled to leaue his begettynge vpon a stone which she fyndyng there lamentynge the losse therof wrapped it vp in a locke of wolle and so noryshed him vp vndreneth her arme hole By this meanes they saye he was first called Wulstone Thys had bene a straunge begettynge of a chylde but that it was in monkery whose wayes were not in that wurkynge lyke other mennys wayes O most prodygyouse sodomytes how haue ye illuded the symple with hypocresye and lyes ☞ Of Steuen Hardynge and hys Cysteanes STeuen Hardyng was first a monke of S. Benets errour ordre I shuld saye at Sherborne not farr from Salysbury Thys man to sprede abroade the braunches of hypocresye went from thens into Scotlande and so fourth into Fraunce and Italye tyll he came to Rome We reade not all thys tyme that euer he taught any Christen doctryne by the godly offyce of preachynge or yet of writynge But after he had visyted Rome and wandered ouer all Italye muche good stuffe ye maye thynke he gathered there he returned into the prouynce of Burgundy and there made hymselfe a monke agayne Yet was he not so quyeted marke the subtyle workynge of Sathan but he toke with hym a certen of hys ydell companyons and fled into the wyldernesse of Cistercium and there he began the wycked secte of Cisteanes otherwyse called the whyte monkes to be noysed abroade a newe authour of relygyon And thys was in the yeare of our lorde a M. xcviij It remayneth yet to the glory of Englande sayth Wyllyam of Malmesbury that the ordre of Cisteanes was firste begonne by an Englysh man Vincentius Antoninus Houeden Capgraue Bergomas Aegidius Faber Thomas Scrope Ioannes Paleonydorus ac Polydorus Vergilius de iuentoribus rerum Of the ambycyon lecherie and couetousnesse of thys abhomynable secte and how it came first into Englande I wyll shewe more at large hereafter About thys tyme arose other sectes of perdycyon as the Grandimontensers Camalduleanes Cartusyanes darke alleye bretherne Rhodyanes Templers Hospytelers Premonstrates Iosephytes and others with innumerable swarmes of their laysye leaue locustes crepynge slowly out of the smoky bottomlesse pytt Apocal ix ☞ Graue sentences declarynge the malyce of thys age Wernerus Roleuinke a Charterouse monke of Coleyne thus reporteth in hys wurke called fasciculus temporum that we commynge after shulde marke therof the daunger A wanton tyme sayth he beganne about the yeare of our lorde a thousande and so folowed on For than the Christen fayth very muche decayed vtterly declynynge from her accustomed strengthe and olde manlynesse to a feble faynt folwyng as mayde Hildegarde sheweth in her prophecye For in many regyons of the Christianyte were the rytes of the church poluted with mennys inuencyons and the sacramentes wyth sorceryes defyled the mynisters becommynge both sothsayers and coniurers So that many thought and not without cause that Antichrist was than in full power Benno sayth also in the lyfe of Hilbebrand that the relygyō of the clergy was none other in those dayes thā a very treason or vtter betrayenge of the worldely gouerners to maynteyne their insacyable ambycyon couetousnesse lecherie Thus were the golden calues had in honour in that age sayth Wernerus meanynge the glytterynge prelates And the other sort slayne or yll handeled by them vnderstandynge the true symple preachers as was Berengarius Oclefe and such other lyke impugnynge their newe ydolatryes Iohan Capgraue writeth that a great reformacyon a dyfformacyon he
Salomons prouerbes Whosoeuer coÌ„mendeth the wicked saieth he and reporteth them righteouse or holye the same shall ones haue the course of the people and the comminalte shall abhorre hym Plentuouse hath the Popes clergie bene in his poynt speciallye in the churche here of Englande Not onlye haue they commaunded vnto vs whoremongers bawdes brybers Idolaters hypocrytes trayters and most fylthy Gomorreanes as Godlye men and women but also they haue canonysed theÌ„ for most holye sayntes set them vp gylt Images in their temples commaunded their vigils to be fasted appoynted them holy dayes and the peoples to do them honoure with euensonges howres processioÌ„s lightes masses ryngynges synginges sensynges and the deuyll and al of suche heythnyshe wares They haue done by vs as theyr olde predecessours the Idolatrouse prestes ded by the auncyent Romanes They haue set vs vp a sorte of lecherouse Goddes to be worshypped in oure temples to be our aduocates and to helpe vs in our nedes In stede of Iupiter Saturne Mercurye Mars Iuno Proserpina Diana and Venus whiche ded all their feates in whoredome as the poetes verefyeth they haue geuen vs Wenefryde Cuthbert Dunstane Oswalde Anselme Bâ—tket Brigyde Audrye Modwen Edith Osith Ethelburge and a greate sort more of vnpure workers out of marryage Marke the lyues of their Englyshe sayntes almoste from the begynnynge ye shall not fynde one of them canonysed for preachynge Christes veryte a ryghte neyther yet for leadynge a lyfe after the perfyght rules of the Gospell Not one commende they for worshyppynge God wythoute mennys tradycyons nor yet for executynge the workes of Mercye vnlesse yt were to their aduauntage Neuer reckened they wedlock anye Godlye estate of lyuynge thoughe yt were an onlye ordre instytuted of God in the begynninge yea for hys prestes also Commonlie they haue dyswaded bothe men and women from yt as from a most pernycyouse euyll or from a myschefe of all myschefes callynge yt folyshnesse fylthynesse beastlynesse a walkynge in darkenesse a mayntenauÌ„ce of lechery a fulfillinge of fleshlye desyres a grounde of all vyce an entraunce of deathe a corruptynge of maydenhode a lake of myserye a clay pytt of vnclennesse a thraldome of Egipt a neâ—te of Sathan a snare of the deuyll a ponde of perdicyon loke Iohan Capgraue in Catalago sanctorum Anglie speciallye in the lyues or legendes of Clarus Eanswyde kyneswyde Etheldrede wenefrede Mylburge and Myldrede wyth suche other lyke and ye shall fynde my wordes moste true In the hystorye of Saynt Vrsula haue they named theÌ„ Angels of darkenesse whiche hath persuaded marryage laufull Of whose noÌ„bre was firste God the eternall Father and than Moses and the Prophetes for the olde lawe And afterwarde Iesus Christe hys eternall Sonne wyth Peter Paule the other apostles for the newe lawe Were not the men thynke yow we le ouerseane So peruerse stomakes haue they borne to women that the more parâ—e of their temptynge spretes they haue made she deuyls loke their Saintes legendes but he that tempted Christ was an he deuyll a relygyouse deuyll and a prestlye deuyll WhaÌ„ they haue bene tempted wyth lecherouse spretes in the lykenesse of women they haue they saye by the suffren vertu of holy water turned them into deuyls agayne But neuer were they yet so connynge with all their holye water as to make of theyr whores honest marryed women No yt is not their ordre to do suche myracles In the lyfe of Saynt Godrick is mencyon of a she deuyll but in the conclusion he apereth with hangynge ware of no small quantyte hauinge hys yonge ones folowynge hym wyth shauen crownes Of a lykelyhode therfor he was some spirituall he tempted hys chyldren wythin holye orders Such power had Saynt Guthlake ouer those watchinge wormes that he made them to tarry with hym and to buylde hym vp a monastery at Ascendyck now called Crowlande some saye To be short in thys matter Their sayntes in a maner were all vnmaried If anye were maryed that wolde nedes be sayntes they were anon compelled by othe or by the waye of penaunce to leaue their makes to the occupieng of others the man his wyfe and the woman her husbande as ye shal beholde in this boke by most plentuouse examples For matrimony hath euer bene suche a blacke bugge in their sinagoge and churche that neuer wolde canonysacyon serue yet where as was in place Notwithstanding we are throughly assertayned by innumerable scripturs and argumentes that matrimonye is of God and by their innumerable examples of fylthynesse that their vowed wyuelesse and husbandelesse chastyte is altogyther of the deuyll Sens the gloriouse aperaunce of the Gospell haue that Sodomiticall swarme or brode of Antichrist that ye call the spiritualte bene oft tymes admonyshed of their fleshlye errours by the manyfest scripturs therof that they shulde ones repente theyr most horryble myschefes and graunt vnto maryage the fredome due therunto And what haue they done thynke you Nothynge els at all but laughed them to scorne reportynge them to be but fables and lyes The learned allegacyons reasons and argumentes of Philyp MelaÌ„chton Luther Lambert Pomerane Barnes and suche other they haue hearde but the answere is yet to make They mocke and mowe at them like Iack a napes or lyke them which went vp downe by the crosse whan Christ was crucyfyed and that is ynough for them For they haue it of their popes lawe to answere no man yea although they wryte their abhominacions to the vttermoste vnlesse they haue hym in preson I haue therfor thought yt best seynge they regarde not the sacred scrypturs to laye before them their abhomynable practyses and examples of fylthynesse by their owne legendes Chronicles and sayntes Liues that all men maye knowe what legerdemaynes they haue vsed and what lecherouse liues they haue led here in Englande â–ª sens the worldes beginninge Lete them now be ashamed of their beastlynesse or els put on their mothers face altogither In the first part of this boke maye men breuelie beholde how and by whome this realme was firste inhabited which thynge hath bene hytherto in all Englysh Chronicles doubtfullie vnagreablye yea and vntrulie treated vpon coniecturs fantasies and lies onlye by reason of ignoraunce in the scripturs and moste auctorised histories They shall also perceyue what peoples haue here by all ages remained what doctrines hath bene thaught by their true and false prophetes what worshippinges of God they haue vsed and what lawes in religion they haue folowed Finallie they shall knowe clerelie the deceytfull workemanship of the instrumentes of Sathan their Bishoppes prestes monkes with other disgised locustes of the same generacion Whose contynuall stodye labour and seking was alwaies to blinde them by a colour of chast lyuynge makinge them to beleue that their maryenge of wiues was a prophane layte a brutishe beastlynesse and a thynge which greatlye dyspleased God Their owne vowynge of vyrgynyte was againe
me than called Brytayne was conuerted vnto the Christen beleue For in the yeare from Christes incarnacion lxiij was Ioseph of Armathe and other Disciples sent ouer of the sayed Philip to preache Christ and entered bothe with their wyues and chyldren Aruiagus then beynge Kynge of the lande Thys testyfieth Iohan Capgraue in Catologo sanctorum Anglie Thomas scrope de auti carm cap. 7. Iohan Hardyng in hys 47. chaptre and Polidorus uergilius li. 2. Anglice historie Brytayne first conuerted by men maried THese were surely the origynall begynnynges sayeth Polidorus of the Christen Religion in Brytayny Gildas witnesseth also in hys fyrst treatyse De excidio Britannie That the Brytaynes toke the christen faythe at the verye sprynge or fyrst goynge forth of the Gospell whan the churche was moste perfyght and had moste strengthe of the holye ghost All that tyme and a longe season after the ministers helde their wyues accordyng to the fyrst ordre of God without vowynge or yet professynge of virginite and so contynued to the dayes of Lucius whyche is called in the Chronycles the fyrst Christen kynge Though thys Lucius were a good man and began wele to inclyne to the Gospell yet was he worldlye mynded and thought that it wanted dewe aucthorite so longe as it was ministred but of symple and poore laye marryed men Anon therfor he sent vnto Rome ij of those ministers called Eluanus and Meduinus vnto Eleutherius the Byshop for they had then no pope to haue some aucthorite from then And thys was done in the yeare of oure Lorde C. lxxix Wherupon Marcus Sabellicus sayeth Enneade 7. lib. 5. That of all prouinces Brytayne was the first that receyued the Christen fayth with publique ordinaunce ¶ Christianite somwhat corrupted THen Eleutherius sent hyther ij of hys doctors called fugacius and Damianus to set here an ordre These fyrst baptysed lucius with a great part of his nobilitie and commons and then with his coÌ„sent chaunged the Idols temples into Christen churches as they now call them the flamynes or Idoll sacryficers whiche were then xxviij in noÌ„bre into so manye byshoppes and the. iij. archyflamenes into iij. archebyshoppes as wytnessyth Calfridus Mouemuthensis in hys second booke De origine gestis Britonum cap. 1. Alphredus Beuerlacensis in hys Chronycle Vincensius Antoninus Nuclerus Bergomas Polidorus and a great sort more This christianite endured in Brytayne the space of CC. and. xvi yeares vnto the persecucion of Dioclesiane sayth Ranulphus in Polichronico li. 4. Ca. 16. Vpon this toke the Romysh churche first occasion to deuyde the christen prouinces into dyoceses and parryshes Marke wyle these fyrst buyldynges of Antechrist or of Nemroth the yongar and considre out of what good stuffe they ryse without Gods worde All this haue I written hytherto not as matters correspondyng to the fyttle of my boke but that their spirituall frutes maye apere what they are euen from the very rootes ¶ The fyrst spryng of monkerye in Brytayne AS this newe christianite from Rome had gotten here of the Paganes both temples and possessions and were wele fauerdlye satled theyr byshoppes and priestes perchaunce beyng the same ministers that had serued the Idolles in them afore anon after there arose out of it a certayn kynde of monkerye not in apparell but in apperaunce of a more sober lyfe These within a whyle semed better learned than the other and more depelye fell into the peoples estymacyon WherupoÌ„ arose some after great stryfe and vnquietnesse amonge them and out of that stryfe moste detestable heresyes For one of them called pelagius beynge of the great monasterye of Bencornaburch in Chestre shyre though som call it Bangor began to dyspute wyth them for the strengthe of manys fre wyll and sayed that man myght be saued therby without the grace of God so denyeng the effect of Christes blood as his folowers are not ashamed to do yet to thys daye Agaynst this heretike Pelagius wrote Saynt Augustyn Saynt Hieronâ— Cyrillus Orosius innocensius Gennadius and at the last Thomas Braduuardin a doctor here in Englande with diuerse other ¶ Heresye in Brytayne aryseth of monkerye YEt came there in no vowynge of chastite all thys tyme neyther was vyrginite thought anye holyer amonge them then marryage For one Seuerus beyng bothe a monke prieste and byshop had a sonne there called leporius a moÌ„ke also and a priest which vexed the lande with that learnynge taught of hys father in the yeare of our Lorde CCCCxxxij as wytnesseth both Prosper Aquitannus and also Flores historiarum Thys leporius made hys boast that he was able to lyue purelye of hym selfe and by force of hys owne fre wyll wythout the assistence of God as reporteth of hym Gennadius Massiliensis Honorius Augustudimensis Iohannes Tritemius in suis illustrium uirorum Catalogis and now last of all CoÌ„radus Gesnerus in uniuersali bibliotheca Of the same sorte was there an other called Agricola a priestes sonne also whiche in the yeare of our Lorde CCCC xlvi troubled the Brytaynes with the same doctrine as Flores historiarum sheweth The errours of both these were at the same tyme confuted by Germanus and Lupus with â—ther frenche doctours whiche came râ—ydre then for the same purpose specially of Saynt Augustine in Affrica ¶ A priestes sonne was Saynt Partrick SAynt Partrick the great Apostle of Irelande was borne here in this Brytayne about the yeare of our Lorde CCC lxi and had a priest to hys father called Calphurnius whiche was also a deacons sonne that was name Podunus His mothers name hyght Conches and was holye Saynt Martynes syster Thys testyfyeth Ranulphus Cestrensis in Polychronico lib. 4. cap. 29. and Iohan Capgraue in Catologo sanctorum Anglie If this had bene fowle playe in those dayes Saynt Martyne would neuer so paciently haue suffered it For we reade that he was verye tendre vnto the sayd Patrick after that his fryndes had sent hym thydre and taught hym manye Godly thynges What rule this Hartrick kepte in that be halfe I haue not redde Yet fynde I in hys lyfe wrytten that he had a laddy waytynge on hym called Benignus whiche alwayes reported hym to be his owne propre father he neuer denyeng it I reade also that one Moduenna an Iryshe woman was very familiar with hym whether it were by the waye of marryage or no that can I noâ— tell Ex ante nominatis autoribus ¶ Sayntes were begotten in whordome TO entre more depely into the peoples opinion a chastyte was pretensed anon after in that monkerye but not yet solempnelye vowed and in manye places of the realme were monasteries builded bothe of men and women But marke what folowed therof immediatly after Christ chaunced in those dayes to haue many brethren For many virgins had then chyldren without fathers at
the least the fathers of them were neuer yet knowen Saynt Dubrice that was afterwarde the great archebyshoppe of Cairlegion and metropolytane of all the lande had a mayde to his mother called Eurdila but neuer wold she confesse hym to haue any father Saynt Kentigerne byshoppe of glasghon that ye now call Saynt Asses or Asaphes had in lyke case a fayre mayde to hys forth bryngar but farther would she graunt none to hym for no coÌ„pulsion Merlyne also the great sothsayer of wales was an holy Nonnes sonne in saynt Peters of Cairmardyne no father yet knowne to him but a sprete of the ayre The first ij sheweth Iohan Capgraue in Catalago sanctorum Anglie And this lattre wondre is mencioned of all famouse writers A great sort of these histories could I rehearse but these are ynough at this time ¶ Like examples are among the Turkes SOche an other knauerye is vsed among the Turkes religyouse buggerers to this present daye and those children that are begotten among them are holden for most holy sayntes as these were They take it for no maruele that Christ was borne of a virgine for they say they haue such among them at all times But to turne agayn to my purpose The cause why the fathers of the afore seyde chyldren might not than be knowne was this Iohan Capgraue sayth The â—â—w was that time in Britayne that if a yong wenche had be begotten with childe in her fathers howse or any where els this was her iudgement She shuld haue bene brought vnto an high mountayn and there throune downe headlonges her corruptour being byheaded Yf this law had still continued and neuer so bene put to the spirituall court without conscyence neuer had the vowe of their chastite ronne so farre as it hath done to many a thousandes dampnacion ¶ More Sayntes yet begatten in whoredome SAynt Dauid of wales the great archebyschop of Meneuia whiche had so manye prophecyers and so manye Angels sente afore to geue warnynge of his comming xxx yeares ere he was borne was begotten out of maryage in stinkynge whoredome For hys mother was a Nonne and his father the earle of a contrey there called Cairdigam shyre A prynce called Dyhocus in Kynge Arthurs tyme inflamed at the deuyls suggestyon with fleshlye loue of his owne naturall doughter begat of her saynt Kynede the holy hermyte that in Wales wrought so manye great myracles One Dubtacus an Irysh man begate holy saynt Brigide of his mayde seruaunt called Brocsech eueÌ„ vnderuech hys wyues nose to spyght her wyth it which had so many reuelacyon from heauen and so many popes pardons from Rome Saynt Cuthbert the great God of the Northe and he that was wonte to defende vs from the Scottes was a misbegotten also for his mother was vnmarried And his father in Irelande to haue the good occupieng of her slewe both her father and mother These were the spirituall beginninges of the Sayntes of that age If ye beleue not me loke Iohan Capgraue in Catalpgo sanctorum Angliae and he shall tell ye much more of the matter I coude shew yow many more yet of such holy sayntes birthes but lete these for this time suffise ¶ Whoredome estemed most holinesse MArke how abhominable whoryshnesse in all these whorish frutes is auaunced of that whorish Rome churche to the great blemyshynge of Godly marryage The spirituall Sodomites and knaues hath not bene ashamed to write it in the liues and lieng legendes of al these that is to saye of Dubricius Dauid Kinedus Kentigerne Cuthberth and Brigide with soche like and solempnely so to reade and sing it as Gods seruyce in their temples that they were sanctifyed in their mothers wombes Se what aduauncementes they haue for stynking whoredome and how litle deuocion to chast marriage instituted of God Neuer were the sonnes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob of Moyses Eleazar and Phinees so paynted out with miracles and wonders nor yet so pranked vp with tabernacles and lightes sensinges and massinges as these whoresbirdes Thus iudge they whoredom holynesse wholsome mariage sinne Come out of Sodome ye whoremongers and Hipocrites popish bishoppes and prestes for as yet ye haue not refourmed this abhominacion but still vpholde it for your Romish Gods seruice Come our theues and knaues come out ¶ Women greuouse and solaciouse What a do these holy sayntes of theirs had and their vowers whaÌ„ they come ones to vowes makinge for women and with womeÌ„ as to kepe them out of their monasterirs to make theÌ„ beare children whan they were barreÌ„ it were an infinite thing to write Saynt Dauids monkes were skeared way with naked women at a broke side in Rosidaeualle So were Saynt Theliaes hermites also in an other place not farre from thens Saynt Dubrices bretherne had many hote mouinges in their fleshe and were fayne oft tymes to stande naked in the colde riuer Saynt Kentigernes disciples toke great paynes vpon them to make baren women frutefull Whan saynt Brigida was at the very poynt of marryage she stole away preuely with her iij. maydes and wayted longe after vpon bishop Machill doing many great cures in his seruyce with holy water Saynt Modwen also after such an other sort wayted vpon bishop Hiber and his bretherne with her maydes A woman the same season accused Bishop Broon for begetting her wyth childe and Brigide like a good body by a charme or ij made all safe agayne As one of her maydes was going to her louer a prestes bed for returninge agayne in time she coude her muche thanke All these holy histories shall ye finde in Iohan Capgraue ¶ A spirytuall example of a votarye SAint Iltute or Elcute which had bene alwayes a moste valeaunte captayne amonge the Brytaynes at the suggestion of saint Cadoc an Hermite put from him his moste vertuouse and chast wyfe leauyng her nothing els to lyue vpon but barly breade and water on homelye repast for her that hadde bene a lady and tenderly brought vp And as she on a tyme resorted vnto him only to haue heard the swete worde of the Lorde her comminge thydre so sore discontented hys mynde that with a charme he put out both her eyes For I an certayn it came by no Godly power he beinge ledde of so Godly a sprete If this be saynt Paules learning a man so miserably to leaue his wife and so vngodly to vse her for axynge good counsell I report me to yow Yet must he be still a saynt in the Popes holy churche bycause he was a tiraunt to marriage for non other holynesse had he Such sayntes recken I more fit for hell than for heauen We le this story hath also IohaÌ„ Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglye ¶ Vrsula with her sort appoynted to marrye OF Vrsula and her xi thousande companions haue the spirituall hypocrites
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
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
store he was gentyll ynough For most haynouse heresye helde he than the christen marryage of prestes and made synodall constytucyons agaynst it to enriche the monkes through that craftye colour with their great possessions His neuye Oswalde founde he to scole at floryake the welsprynge of Necromancye to learne there all craftye sciences In hys time was a strife amonge the clergye at Caunterburye for Christes fleshe and bloode in the Saâ—ramente the prestes moste earnestly affirminge yt to remayne styll breade anâ— are only fygure of Christes bodye anâ— the monkes to be Christes essencyall bodye yea Christ him selfe But whan scripturs fayled ones vpon the monkes side they were dryuen to false myracles or playne experymentes of sorcerye For Odo by a cast of legerdemayne shewed vnto the people a broken host bledynge as a popysh prest called sir Nicolas Gerues ded a. ij years ago in Surrey by pricking his fingar with a pinne ¶ Monkery augmented by Dunstane SAynt Dunstane here in Englande beyng thaught of Irishe monkes at Glastenburye was founde very connynge in wanton Musyck in sorcerye and in Image makyng out of all maner metals stone and kyndes of wode By these and suche lyke occupienges he found the meanes to augmente and enryche the monasteries of monkes and Nonnes euery where within Englande not withstanding he had oft tymes much a do with deuils and wyth women Yet had he at length these pryuyleges than aboue all other spyrytuall doers He wanne by hys musyck and fayre speche the good fauer of dyuerse women yea of some whych had bene the kinges concubines as Alfgine wilfrich and suche other though he afore had put them to paynes By hys sorceryes he aâ—wayes made the Kynges fytt for hys ghostly purpose as wyll apere herafter specyally by Kynge Edmonde that was Ethelstanes brother whom by hys necromancye he broughte to the poynte inuysyblye to haue bene torne in peces What he gote by hys Image makinge the scrypture sheweth playne whyche curseth both the hande and the instrument of the Image maker Sapi. 14. and Deutro 27. Thys storye declareth mor at large Osbertus monachus in uita Dunstani Vincencius li. 24 Ca. 74. Antoninus par 2. li. 16. Ca. 6. Marianus Scotus Guilhelmus Malmeshuriensis Ranulphus Cestrensis li. 6. Cap. 10. Volateranus Bergomas Nauclerus Iohan Capgraue Iohan hardynge Vuylliam CaxtoÌ„ Iohan Lydgate and Robert Pabyane ¶ The relygyouse Occupyeng of Dunstane AS Dunstane in the howse of a wydowe was fashyonynge a prestes stoole hys harpe hangynge vpon the wall wythoute thouchynge sounded the note of Gaudent in celis WherupoÌ„ the wenches astoyned went oute of the owse wyth the wydow and all her howsholde proclamynge yt a brode that he had muche more lernyng than was good For this and suche like feates serten men tolde Kinge Ethelstane that he was geuen to yll scyence and wroughte manye thynges by the deuyll wherupon he put hym clerlye than oute of seruyce For he had bene afore commytted vnto that kynge by Athelmus hys vncle I wyll not saye hys father than Archebyshopp of Caunterburye to worke feates to hys mynde for that spyrytuall generacyon From thens went he to Elphegus an other kinsman of hys at that tyme byshop of Wynchestre whyche put vpon hym a monkes aparell that he myghte therbye auoyde both the fyre of concupyscence the fyre of hell I thynke fewe wise men wyll beleue thys physyck to be true as that a monkes cowle were able to restrayne those ij heates Rather shulde it seme to procure them els had we neuer had so manye lecherouse luikes and prodygyouse Sodomytes amonge them as we reade of Saynt Paule admonyshed Timothe that suche Hypocrytes shulde folowe in the chrysten congregacyon as hauynge a shyne of Godlye lyuynge shuld vtterlye denye the power therof These he sayde shulde ronne from howse to howse as thys Dunstane ded and bringe into bondage women loaden with sinne 2. Timo. 3. ¶ Dunstane by sorcerye terrifieth Kinge Edmonde NOw to returne agayne to Kinge Edmonde whyche succeded hys brother Ethelstane Complayntes were made also vnto hym of thys Dunstane by manye noble men for hys prodygyouse feates Wherupon he toke suche dyspleasure with him that not onlye he depryued him of offyces whiche he had there but also vtterlye bannished him the courte The thyrde daye after as it chaunced the Kynge in a parke to ryde on huntynge and to folowe hys game among rockes and bushes he sodenlye happened into a most parelouse place where as he neyther coude go forewarde nor yet turne backe agayne The harte whyche he folowed was before hys face torne in small peces so were the houndes most terryblye to beholde nothynge there perceyued that shuld do yt The Kynge so sore laboured to returne wyth hys horse that he brake both brydell and steruppes and yet coude in no wyfe preuayle nor yet lyght from hys backe Than called he Dunstane to remembraunce and he beynge absent before God there axed hym forgeuenesse So were both the beast and houndes restored again vnto him safe and founde his bridelll and steruppes hole I thynke this playe sumwhat passed course legerdemayne After that was DuÌ„stane the hygh steward of his howse and had ouer all the realme a iurysdicyon â–ª Of Glastenburye was he put in perpetuall possessyon to make therof what he wolde And so bycame yt fyrst of all Saynt Benettes patrymony Antedicti Autores Lete all the Popes armye stande vp here and allowe this still for a miracle as they haue done hytherto in hys legende yet do not I doubt to proue it against them all abhominable knauerye by the scripturs ¶ He vexeth king Edwine retayning his concubine AS King Edwine vpon the daye of hys coronacion occupyed Alfgina his concubine hauinge than non other wyfe Dunstane beynge at that time but a monke and abbot of Glastenburye plucked them both vyolently from the bedde and brought them before the Archebishopp Odo threttenynge the woman suspensyon ye may call it hangynge yf ye wyll For the whych the Kyng after that expled the seyd DuÌ„stane into Flanders and wrought the moÌ„kes manye other dyspleasurs tyll they founde the meanes to depose hym by the vertu of eare confessyon Volateranus li 2. Geographie Osbertus Vincencius Antoninus Guilhelmus Ranulphus Ioannes Capgraue Yet in the conclusyon they saye he delyuered kyng Edwynes sowle after he was dead from hell I praye God he kylled hym not afore and vanquyshed al the deuels there by vertu of a requiem masse so bryngynge hym into their purgatorye Thys was I trowe no badde ware As a sertayn noble woman called Alfgina the kynges former concubine I feare me possessyng great substaunce had ones commoned with Dunstane she so delyghted in hys fayre wordes for hys aduauntage that she woulde neuer after from hym but dwell with hym stil for terme
of Pope Iohan the. xiij whyche was the other popes bastarde a renouacyon of hys former autoryte to double the whoryshnesse therof And by force of the same he made Edwarde kinge in spyght of them all and shewed himselfe Iohan Capgraue sayth a verye naturall father vnto hym euer after Neuerthelesse yt coste hym hys lyfe in the forth yeare of hys reygne Than to make all holy towardes their side and to blemyshe the other partye specyallye to stoppe mennis mouthes abrode for many thynges were in those dayes spoken they canonysed hym a Saynt fyndynge the meanes to shewe myracles for hym and that made all whole euerye waye Prefati Autores ¶ The prestes with their wiues restored ANon after this kinges coronacion Alpherus the Duke of Mercia wyth other great men by counsell of the quene droue the monkes out of the cathedrall churches and restored agayne the prestes wyth their wyues and chyldren For the prestes had layed for them selues that it was vncomlye vncharitable yea and vnnaturall to put oute an olde knowne dweller for a newe vnknone A neyber a cytyzen and a chylde brought vp amonge them for a forouer a straunger They knewe it they seyd to be vnpleasynge vnto God that man shuld take from them that he had ones geuen them Fynally they alleged this grounded precept of God for them selues Lete men do non otherwise than they wolde gladlye be done to The Monkes on the other syde layed for their parte that Christ cared not an half peny for the olde dweller but allowed hym onlye that wolde take the crosse of penaunce vpon hym Whether that be in a monkes cowle wythoute iust tyttle to enter into an other mannys possessyons or no. I put it to the iudgemente of them that are christenlye learned The troblouse cares in marryage as are the necessarye prouisyons for howse kepynge the vertuous bryngynge vp of children and the daylye helpynge of pouertie shulde rather seme a christen crosse to Godly wyse men than easye Idelnesse in monkerye In the rude of thys controuersye the greatter part both of the nobles and commons iudged the prestes to haue great wronge and sought euery where by all meanes possible to bringe them agayne to their olde possessions and dignitees Yea sumwhere with good ernest blowes and buffettes Robertus Fabiane cum antedictis Autoribus ¶ Dunstane maketh an Idoll to speake THis caused Dunstane in the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and lxxv to call an other solempne counsell But that was where they thought themselues most stronge and might best do their feates at Wynchestre Where after great wordes had betwen the duke of Marche and the earle of East sexe which were than appoynted as arbyters Dunstane perceyuynge all to go with the prestes brought fourthe his former commission thinkinge therby to stoppe their mouthes And whan that wolde not serue they sought out a practyse of the olde Idolatrouse prestes which were wont to make their Idolles to speake by the art of Necromancy wherin the monkes were in those dayes expert A roode there was vpon the frayter wall in the monâ—stery where the counsel was holden and as Vincent Antoninus testifieth Dunstane required them all to praye therunto which was not thaÌ„ ignoraunte of that spyrytuall prouysyon In the myddes of their prayer the roode spake these wordes or els a knaue monke behynde hym in a truncke through the wall as Boniface ded after for the papacye of Celestyne God forbyd sayth he ye shuld change this ordre taken Ye shuld no do wele now to alter it Take Dunstanes wayes vnto ye for they are the best All thys worke of the deuill at al they were astayned that knewe not therof the crafty conueyaunce If thys were not cleaue legerdemayne tell me Oh that there was not a Iohan Boanerges at that time to proue the spretes of that workemanshyp 1. Ioan. 4. If there had bene but one Thomas Cromwell they had not so clerelye escaped wyth that knauery Polidorus Vergilius whych alloweth them in many other lewde poyntes smelled out their bouery in this and reporteth diuerse other to do the same at that day ¶ That Idoll is crowned King of England IN remembraunce of this knauery myracle they say were afterward written vpon the wall vndre that roodes fete these verses folowing Humano more crux presens edidit ore Coelitus affata que perspicis hic subarata Absit ut hoc fiat cetera tunc memorata Wyth lye and all Whom Iohan Capgraue reporteth that he se there more thaÌ„ CCCC years after the roode translated from thens into the churche for hys myracles sake Aboute the yeare of oure Lorde a. M. and. xxxvi as Kynge Canutus beynge at Southampton was boasted of one of hys knyghtes to be the great Lorde of the sea he thought to proue it by a commaundement of obedience And as he wele perceyued that yt wolde obeye hym in no poynt he toke the crowne from hys owne head acknowlegynge that there was a Lord much hygher of more power than himself was And therefor he promised neuer more to weare yt but to rendre yt vp vnto hym for euer Wyth that Egelnothus than Archebyshopp of Caunterburye infourmed him of thys roode whyche had dysolued prestes matrimonye and done manye other great miracles Whyche prouoked hym anon after to go to Wynchestre and to resygne vnto hym his regall crowne constytutynge hym than King of this realme Was not thys thynke yow good wholsom counsell of thys Idolouse Byshop Zachary II. yf a man had nede of it A playne token is it that they were than the Images of the Beaste Apoca. 13. no godlye gouernours yea verye Idolles no Kinges that were vndre suche ghostly fathers Henricus Huntyngtonensis Archidiaconus li. 6. Ranulphus li. 6. Ca. 20. Fabianus li. 1. Ca. 206 Polydorus li. 7. with other autours more ¶ An example of Claustrall virginite MArianus Scotus and serteÌ„ other writers besydes do testyfye in their Chronycles that whan thys Canutus coulde haue no frute by hys wyfe Elgiue of hampton and was not trouglye contented therwyth She fearynge that he shulde eyther caste her vp or els resort to some other gote her amonge relygyouse chast women to knowe what good chere was amonge them And anon she founde one to her mynde whyche was bygge with childe by a monke not wythstandynge the great chastite that was boasted afore But Marianus sayth she was a presbyteresse or a prestes leman to saue the honoure of that ordre bycause he was a monke hys selfe Algyne had thys nonne be of good chere and yf she wode agre vnto her it shulde be to her great honoure But yt must she sayd be kept wonderfullye close Immedyatly after the quene fayned herselfe to be great wyth chylde and by the conueyaunce of a mother B. goynge
receyued answers as that he shulde be Pope and that be shulde not dye tyll he sange Masse at Hierusalem ☞ The Popes eleccyon from hen◠fourth IMmediatly after thys solucyon or settynge at large of Sathan many wonderfull thynges folowed to the perfourmaunce of hys wycked kyngedome in the Romysh Papacy First the eleccyon of their monstruouse Pope the next yeare after was taken clerely from the commen people by the clergye and gyuen to hys owne famylyars which anon after were called the college of calkers Cardynalles I shuld saye with these ij crafty clauses Docendus est populus non sequendus The people is to be taught of vs but not folowed Maior est dignitas legis quae regit spiritu sancto quam legis saecularis More worthy is that lawe whych gouerneth by the holy Ghost than the lawe secular or the lawe whereby the multitude is gouerned By this they iudged God to be the auctor of their deuylysh decrees and the cyuyle lawes of prynces a thynge of nought Loke Iohan Baconthorpe in prologo quarti sententiarum quaest x. Not longe after thys was the empyre of Rome in theyr hygh dyspleasure translated from their olde fryndes the French men to the sturdy Germanes as afore from the Grekes to the French men as they founde thē not fytt for their turne And this was their polycy They perceyued the Germanes to be the strongar people and at that daye theyr hygh fryndes by the mōkes conueyaunces and therfore most fytt to defende their fleshely lybertees Anonymus quidam de nobilitatis origine cap. xi Thus became the Frenche kynge Antichristes yonger sonne whych afore tyme had bene hys whole ryght hande in Pipyne in Charles the great Rīngmannus Philesius in descriptione Europae cap ix ☞ The electours and confyrmacyon of the Emprour IN the seconde yeare after a thousande from Christes incarnacyon the electours of the Emprour were appoynted vij for that great Antichristes commodyte hys confirmacyon othe and coronacyon alwayes reserued to his owne precyouse fatherhede Of these vij electours thre were archebyshoppes thre wer temporall prynces the last was a kynge The archebyshop of Magunce ouer all Germany the archebyshop of Tryere ouer all Fraunce and the archbyshop of Coleyne ouer all Italy were constytuted hygh chauncellers of the Empyre as watche men to take hede least any thynge shuld in those quarters passe to the holy fathers dyshonour The marques of Brandenburg was ordayned chamberlayne the duke of Saxon the swerde bearer and the Palatyne of Rhene the chefe seruytour at the Emprours eleccyon with cuppe keye and swerde afterwarde to dyspatche hym as hath bene seane if he were not to holy church profytable The kynge of Beme beynge butler cometh in last of all as an arbiter or vmpere if they can not agre to their spirituall behoue After that foure dukes four marquesses four landgraues four burgraues four earles four barons four fre lordes foure knyghtes four cyties four borowes and four carles were appoynted as stronge myghty buttrasses to assist this newe ordynaunce Martinus Carsulanus in chronico Ringmannus Philesius in praefato opere Rodolphus Gualtherus in Homilia ij de antichristo By thys occasyon sayth Wyllyam Caxton in hys Englysh Cronicle Par. vi the Egle lost many fethers and in the ende shall be left all naked ☞ Masse Purgatory and musycke ABout thys tyme sayth Iohan Wycleue beganne the heresy of the consecrate host or brede God of the Papistes wherby they sought the vtter destruccyon of faythe by settynge vp of a most parelouse ydoll of their owne makinge in the place of Iesus Christ our sauer and redemer Whych heresy anon after Berengarius Turonensis by the word of God most strongely wythstode so ded one Bruno the byshop of Angew and VValeranus the byshop of Medburg which were men of most excellent lyfe and learnyng as their very enemyes witnesseth Hildebertus Cenomanensis Thomas VValden and Ioannes Tritemius Odilo the abbot of Cluniake practysed about the same very tyme by helpe of ij most crafty knaues an anker and a pylgryme to delyuer sowles by Masses and diryges from the terryble tormentes of a flamynge purgatory whom they had conceyued by S. Gregoryes dyaloges and by the boylynge mounte of Ethna in the lande of Cycyle Thys Odilo procured of Pope Iohan the xix the commemoracyon of sowles to be celebrated in the church the next daye after the feast of all sayntes Ranulphus Cestrensis li. vi ca. xv Petrus Equilinus Osbernus a monke of Canterbury whych had bene famylyar with Dunstane practysed newe poyntes of musyck and hys example in Italy folowed Guido Aretinus to make the veneracyon of ydolles more pleasaunte Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Vincentius Tritemius Thus beganne the hypocresye of Lecherouse monkes and prestes to abuse the symplycyte of the ignoraunt people and strongely to confounde theyr Christen beleue by tryfelynge superstycyons and ceremonyes Anone after ded they adde the crafty inuencyons of profane phylosophers that they myght the more wyttely deceyue the playne sort and the more craftely depraue the holy scriptures ☞ A prest and hys louely doughter ALl thynges in the Papacy and empyre to their carnall commodyte thus dysposed the Romysh clergy satled themselues all the worlde ouer in the abundaunt pleasurs of Sodome whych were as the prophete rehearceth pryde plenty of feadynge solacyouse pastymes ydelnesse and crueltie Ezech. xvi Gyuen were they to lascyuyouse lustes and most prodygyouse occupyenges in the fleshe burnynge in aduoutry for contempt of marryage as it were an ouen that the baker heateth Osee. vij Marke our Englyshe hystoryes in confyrmacyon of the same For aboute thys tyme Iohan Capgraue sayth in catalogo sanctorū Angliae a deuoute holy prest an ydell kneane yow wyll saye went fourth euery mornynge into hys churche yearde and hallowed the granes there with the. vij Psalmes the Letany for all Christen sowles On a tyme thys prest founde a mayde chylde a◠the crosse there all wrapped and swadled in cloutes for whome he not only prouyded a nurse but also brought her vp in nourtour and learnynge takynge her euer after for hys doughter as I doubt it not but he had iust cause As thys wēche ones grewe to conuenyent age her bewtie so tāgled his fleshely harte that he vnfacyably brent in her concupiscens And as he on a daye had cowched her naked in his bedde anon he remembred his chast vowe they saye and so turned hys face to the dore dysmembrynge hymselfe with a sharpe cuttle in her presence And so throwynge fourth that trashe whych tempted him if the legende be true at the last he made her an holy vowesse veyled nonne to serue the spiritualte Thys acte of prestish maydenhede was dysclosed first in Irelande by a parlement of deuyls within the garden of an olde father Hermyte not farre from S. Partrykes purgatory where as they
were sumtymes cast in the tethe that their conuersacyon was not accordynge to the Apostles lyuâ—s they made a mocke at it commenly excusynge themselues by thys hombly verse Nunc aliud tempus alij pro tempore mores Now is it an other maner of tyme than was than and requyreth a farre other fashyon of lyuynge Marianus Scotus Ranulphus lib. vi ca. xxiiij Pabianus par vi ca. ccxij Polydorus li. ix About the yeare of our lorde a M. and. lxxxij one Wyllyam byshopp of Durhan dyspossessed the prestes of the college or cathedrall church of Durham bycause of their wyues and placed the monkes there in their rowmes as witnesseth Polydorus li. ix Anglicae historiae as he had hearde that kynge Edgare had done long afore in the churche of Excestre Olyuer a monke of Malmesbury of some authours called Elmer was at the same tyme so we le seane in Necromancy that he couâ—de with wynges flye abroade and worke many wonders Ranulphus li. vi ca. xxviij Vincentius Nauclerus alij ☞ Saynt Freswydes and Westmynster sanctuary IN the yeare of our lorde a M. and lx was the church of S. Frideswyde in Oxforde gyuen vnto the moÌ„kes by the chast kynge Edwarde of whoÌ„ we haue spoken afore at the request of Pope Nycolas the. ij in recompence of hys pylgrymage that he vowed to Rome the prestes wyth their wyues dysplaced vtterly Yet was it afterwarde restored to them agayne by hys successour kynge Haralde whyche with other lyke matter agaynst our prelates cost hym parauenture hys lyfe the monastery at the last consumed with fyre Ioannes Capgraue in uita Pridesoâ—dâ—e This Romysh Antichrist Nycolas coÌ„stytuted kyng Edward hys vycar here in Englande bycause he was a chast vower that he and hys successours shuld se that hys sodometrouse chastyte were wele there maynteyned Moreouer he gaue fredome to the sanctwary of Westminstre for theues and for whores not only to be vnto them a place of refuge but also a sauegarde from ponnyshment for terme of their lyues Ioannes Capgraue in uita Edâ—uar di cum alijs autoribus O â—hostly founders of chastyte Thys great patryaeke of Sodome sent fourth Petrus Damianus a monke and Cardynall to preache S. Gregories Dyaloges agaynst marryed prestes For he afterwarde wrote a boke Antoninus sayth par ij â—i xvi ca. viij De direptione nuptiarum of the takynge awaye or vtter dyssoluynge of marryage Tritemius mencyoneth also that he wrote ij bokes agaynst marryed prestes one de incontinentia sacerdotum an other de clericorum uxoribus and. ij for the vnmarryed monkes the one called regula solitariorum the other de monachorum profectu ☞ Berengarius and the synode of Wynchestre MVche a do had Berengarius Turonensis the archediacon of Angew with the foreseyd Popet Nycolas for Christes naturall presence in the eucharisticall breade whych he had in opeÌ„ preachynge and disputacyon denyed callynge both hym hys masmongers pulpifices that is to saye fleshe makers in his boke de Eucharistia Truely not an holy churche sayth he haue the veryte proued that congregacyon but a malignaunt churche a counsel of vanyte and the very seate of Sathan Lanfrancus contra Berengarium Whych opynyon he afterward compelled hym to recant not by force of argument but by terrour of cruell threttenynges Notwithstandynge he returned agayne persystyng more stroÌ„ge than afore Anon after in the yeare of our lorde a M. and lxix in the generall synode at Wynchestre were many byshoppes and abbotes deposed by the legates of Pope Alexander the seconde for yll rule kepynge in bankettes of baudry Amonge whom Stigandus was one whych myserably dyed in preson Ricardus Diuisiensis Guilhelmus Malmesbu li. i. de pontificibus Ranulphus lib. vij ca. i. Fabianus Polydorus li ix Thys Alexander made a constytucyon generall that none shuld heare the masse of prest whych kept a concubyne vndre payne of excommunycacyon meanynge a marryed wyfe Gracianus monachus in uolumine decretorum VVernerus in fasciculo temporum Iacobus Bergomas Yet graunted he that prestes sonnes myght by the Apostles autoryte receyue holy orders whych includeth contradiccyon Idem Gracianus ☞ Lanfrancus and hys lowsye legerdemaynes A Yonge monke assystynge Lanfrancus the archebyshopp of Canterbury at hys masse not farre from the shryne of Dunstane beheld a swarme of deuyls and was sodenly possessed of one of them Anon he opened hys mouthe and vttered the good rule of hys lecherouse bretherne suche matters sayth the storye yea so abhomynable and fylthie as are not to be spoken Than were they all called to the chapterhowse where as it was amonge them decreed that all the holye bretherne shuld be shryueÌ„ of Lanfrancus Wherby they were anon so newe bournyshed that in their returne the deuyll had nothynge to laye agaynst them For the vertu of confessyon and absolucyon is suche they saye that it taketh from the â—euyll both hys wyttes and remembraunce that he hath no longar any power to accuse them Forget not thys workemanshypp but marke it wele So good was the foreseyd Dunstane they saye to thys Lanfrancus that iiij score yeares after hys death he taught hym how to recouer agayne the possessyons and landes pelfered awaye by the kynges from hys archebyshopryck He made open vnto hym if dead men maye speake the craftes of all hys enemyes and shewed good wayes to recouer at their handes to auoyde their cantels Ioannes Capgraue in uitis Dunstani Lanfranci Vincentius li. xxv ca. xxxvii Antoninus par ij ti xvi ca. x. The whyche Antoninus sayth that Lanfrancus played the same part agayne at Rome suche tyme as he impugned there the doctryne of Berengarius concernynge the sacrameÌ„t For the whyche lordely acte Pope Alexander gaue hym ij maÌ„tels or Legates robes one of honour an other of loue Ranulphus cum caeteris autoribus ☞ Byshoppes change their seates and tytles IN the dayes of kynge Wyllyam the bastarde the Popes baâ—tard byshoppes here in Englande changed their seates and tytles from the meane vyllages to the most famouse cities of the realme to apere more gloryouse in the reigne of their father Antichrist As from Dorcestre to Lyncolne froÌ„ Lychefelde to Westchestre from Thetforde to Norwych froÌ„ Shirborne to Salysbury from Wellys to Bathe from Kyrton to Excetur froÌ„ Selwey to Chychestre with such lyke And this was done some writers sayth in the yeare of our lorde a M. and lxviij by a decre of the Popes canons Ranulphus li. i. ca. lij Vndre the same kynge also a solempne othe and profession by writynge to the bastarde byshop of Rome was demauÌ„ded and taken by hys vycar Lanfrancus in the yeare of our lord a M. and lxix and so euer after continued from thens fourth A sore stryfe besell in the same selfe yeare betwyn these bastarde byshoppes specyally betwyn
Lanfrancus of Canterbury Thomas Norman of Yorke whych of them shuld be hyghest in that mytred kingdome of ydelnesse And as they mette at Rome they fell into a great dysputacion of that matter afore Pope Alexandre Where as Lanfrancus to amende hys owne matter proued the seyd Thomas to be a prestes sonne Remigius the byshopp of Dorsett beynge present whych Fabyane sayth was a prestes sonne also In the ende thys Lanfrancus by the helpe of Aristotles logyck Gregoryes olde constytucyon and the popes authoryte obtayned both at Rome at Wyndesore in Englande that Canterbury shuld from thens fourth haue the superporyte ouer the see of Yorke He that wyll beholde the mad folyshnesse of thys doltysh disputacyon lete hym loke Wyllyam of Malmesbury li. i. de pontificibus Ranulphi Polychronicon lib. vij ca. ij Antoninum Fabianum atque Polydorum li. ix ☞ An olde bawdy byshopp slayne of a wenche IN the dyocese and cytie of Herford was a graye headed byshopp called Walter that inordynatly loued a yonge wenche there whych was very connynge sowster in the yeare of our lord a M. and lxx Yet remembrynge in hym self sayth the storye that nothynge was more busemynge than an olde dottynge fole specyally a byshop so to rage oft tymes withdrewe froÌ„ folowyng that affect At the lattre as the deuyll wolde she entered the byshoppes bed chambre by entycementes of hys chamberlaynes the preteÌ„ce beynge that she shuld there cutt them out shyrtes and napkyns And as she was in doynge her werke those preuy prouyders auoyded and the old bawdy byshop came in as was appoynted He fell to the talke of as fyne brothelry as anye craftes man in that art myght vtter And whan that wold not helpe he fell to her by force wrastelynge and tomblynge with her for the best game But se what folowed immedyatly As she perceyued her self ouercomen and that she was no longar able to withstande hys lecherouse purpose she thrust her sharpe sheres whom she had in her haÌ„des vp into hys share or vndre hys preuy meÌ„bers with vyolence and so slewe that Babylonysh bore or ij horned gote of the deuyll as chast Iudith ded Holophernes Guil. Malmes li. iiij de pontificibus Ranulphus li. vij ca. ij A commen practyse of chast relygyon kepynge haue thys bene amonge the horned prelates and oyled prestes in all ages of Antichrist Wold God those ydell bellygoddes had alwayes in that fylthie occupyenge bene thus worthely handeled For than had not the worlde bene so depely deceyued in them and their knaueryes ☞ Cecila kyng Wyllyams doughter and Thurstinus MAtthaeus VVestmonasteriensis in the floures of hystoryes and Polydorus Vergilius in the ix boke of his chronycle reporteth that Cecyly the doughter of kyng Wyllyam Bastarde professed her self a nonne in the yeare of our lord a. M. and. lxxv to serue the deuyll in the monkes hypocresy in the burnynge heates of Sodome So daynty mowthed wer these greasy grouteheades and so crafty in their generacyon that they could fynde out kynges doughters to serue their lustes and yet apere chast ghostly fathers to the world Thurstinus a monke of Cane in Normandy was of the seyd kyng Wyllyam constytute abbot of Glastenbury for a great summe of moneye in the yeare of our lorde a M. and lxxxiij Thys holy abbot consumed the substaunce and possessyons of that ryche abbey in all kyndes of lecherie and other prodygyouse fylthynesse On a tyme there fell betwyn hym hys monkes a great stryfe for that he had restrayned their accustomed fare He brought in men of armes to defende hys cause the monkes layed about them lyke praty men with stoles pottes and candelâ—â—yckes tyll the warryours heades were wele fauerdly broken In the ende of the batayl were iiij monkes founde slayne and xviij greuously wounded their bloude flowing on the pauyment Henricus huntington li. vi Guilhel Malmes li. ij de pontificibus Matthaeus Paris in historia anglorum Ranulphus li. vi ca. iij. Fabianus par vij ca. ccxxij Was not thys thynke yow a relygyouse rule Had it not bene muche pytie but the commens of this realme had bene beggered for their mayntenaunce beynge suche ghostly vowers O blyndnesse and madnesse of vngodly gouernours ☞ Hildebrande by sorcery and murther obtayneth the Papacy HIldebrandus a monke of Clunyake beynge hygh archedeacon of Rome was taught the arte of Necromancye by Theophilactus afore mencyoned whose custome was in wylde forestes and on hygh hylles to do sacryfyce to deuyls by magycall arte to make women both to loue hym and folowe hym Other instructours he had besydes sayth Cardynall Benno whych had bene Syluesters dyscyples were most connynge in that speculacyon that is to saye Laurence an archebyshop Iohan Gracyan afterwarde called Pope Gregory the syxte In shakynge hys sleues or myttaynes to delude the eyes of the symple many tymes he sent out sparkles of fyre whyche was iudged a wonderfull myracle a signe of holynesse in hym For so muche as the deuyll sayth Benno coulde not persecute Christ in the open face of the worlde he sought fraudulently to deface his name honour by thys hypocryte false monke Hyldebrande vndre a monasticall coate coloured pretence of relygyon Thys Iudas â—ote of hys maistre Pope Gregory the sixte to be the hygh stewarde of S. Peters aulter so receyued the offerynges of pylgrymes tyll all hys bagges were full Than hyred he one Gerardus Brazutua a man gyuen to myschefes incomparable This forcerouse wurker to make hym Pope in the space of xiij yeares poysened vi of hys predecessours one after another that is to saye Clement the. ij Damasus the. ij Leo the. ix Victor the. ij Steuen the. ix Benedict the. x. Nycolas the. ij hys owne selfe poysened and vyolently murthered Alexander the. ij in preson Thus by great and outragyose murthers he enioyed the papacy was called Gregory the. vij hys first ordynaunces were these He transubstancyated the Eucharistycall breade condempned the marryage of prestes commaunded monkes to abstayne from flesh Valerius Anselmus Ryd ☞ The first busy buyldynges of this Hyldebrande BEnno Cardinalis reporteth of thys hellysh Hyldebrand that in the first entraunce of his Romysh Papacy he had all these deuylysh prouysyons to wurke hys myscheues with The scriptures he had so trayned with the rules of logycke that by them he was able to maynteyne all falshede The temporall powers he prouyded by all flattery false fryndeshyp gyftes and other subtyle meanes to depresse He had for moneye hys secrete spyes and trayterouse searchers in the emprours and euery great prynces howse to knowe thynges to hys mynde After demaundes and answers agayne from deuyls he toke vpoÌ„ him to prophecie lyes in hypocresye Hys excedynge tyranny was suche that hys enemyes he neuer spared but gaue them death without remyssyon to the terryfyenge of
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
was this counsell els but the mouthe of the beast speakyng blasphemyes Daniel vij Apocal. xiij Though these matters were first proponed at Cleremount in Fraunce and after enacted at Baren in Apulia yet were they not so strayghtly knyttt vp tyll they came to Rome Marke the good conueyaunce ☞ Anselmus made Pope of Englande for hys practyses FOr the wyttie inuencyons forecastynges polecyes dysputacyons other laboryouse affayres of Anselme about the ouerthrowe of pryncely autoryte and vprearynge of Antichristes tyranny and for hys earnest prouocacyons to haue them perfourmed in the crafty wurkynges of Sathan to se hym horrybly honourably I shulde saye rewarded for hys paynes Pope Vrbanus appoynted both hym and them that shulde afterwarde succede in the patryarcall seate of Canterbury to sytt at hys ryght fote in euery generall counsell and that he also ratifyed by a specyal decre And thus was it proclamed whan that place was gyuen hym in the opē synode Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquā alterius orbis Papan◠Lete vs include or admyt thys man in our worlde here as the Pope of an other worlde meanynge great Brytayne or England whych the old cosmographers and famouse hystoryanes called an other worlde for so much as it semed from the great worlde by sea dyuyded as Virgyll also sheweth in his Bucolyckes Neuer was there any place peculyarly appoynted to the archebyshoppes of Canterbury afore that daye All this hath Thomas Rudborne in medulla chronicorū Iohan Capgraue in a maner confirmyng the same where as he calleth him the Apostle and patryarke of the other worlde I haue alwayes bene of thys opynyon that S. Iohans Apocalyps hath as wele hys fulfyllynge in the partycular nacyons as in the vnyversall churche I speake it here for Anselme whych was the great Pope or Antichrist of Englande Marke it hardely in hym and a great sort more of hys wycked successours ☞ The chastyte of Anselme and death of kynge Wyllyam ANselme anon after departed frō hys holy father Vrbanus as he myghte wele spare him whan his turne was ones serued and so came to Lyons where as he remayned tyll the death of kyng Wyllyam Rufus In the meane tyme for hys recreacyon Iohan Cagraue sayth he sumtyme resorted to Hugh the abbot of Clunyake and to hys praty nōnes at Marceniacum I thynke not the cōtrary but it was to ease hym of some great burdene For Roger Hourden Mathew Paris other writers affirmeth that he had a nephewe called Iunior Anselmus whych after the rule of the Romane prelates is as muche to saye as a sonne He behelde it in a visyon at Lyons they saye how S. Albone and other Englysh sayntes sent fourth an euyll sprete to slee the seyd kyng Wyllyā for oppressynge their abbeyes But I beshrewe their cruell hartes their preuy legerdemaynes were not muche to be trusted that kynge so sodenly slayne They feyne in an other fable that he tare with his tethe Christes fleshe from hys bones as he hyng on the roode for witholdynge the landes of certen byshopryckes and abbeyes Polydorus not beynge ashamed to rehearce it Some where they call hym a reade dragon some where a fyery serpent and a bloudy tyraunt for occupyenge the fruites of their vacaunt benefyces about hys pryncely buyldynges Thus rayle they of their kynges wythout eyther reason or shame in their legendes of abhomynable lyes Loke Eadmerus Helinandus Vincentius Mathew of Westmynstre Rudborne Capgraue Wyllyam Caxton Polydore and others Wher euer hearde ye afore that their superfluouse ydell and slowe belly liuynges were Christes fleshe eyther yet that an olde paynted roode had fleshe Lete not thys be forgotten ☞ Kyng Henry marryeth a votary without dyspensacyon HEnry the first of that name constytute kynge Anselmus returned into England agayne marryed hym to a professed nonne of Wynchestre called Maude whych was the doughter of Malcolme the kyng of Scottes Much a do had her father and mother cōfessour and abbesse Mathew Paris sayth to perswade her to thys marryage and to obtayne her consent in the ende by reason of her former professyon and vowe Yet cursed she the fruite that shulde come of her body whyche afterward turned her chyldren to great mysfortune Polydorus sayth for therupon were her two sonnes Wyllyam and Richarde drowned in the sea and her doughter Maude the empresse an infortunate mother in bryngynge forth Henry the seconde whyche put vnto death holy Thomas Becket Here was I trowe no bad iudgement As scrupulose as Anselme was in other causes yet founde he no faulte in thys marryage whan he coupled them togyther neyther sought he to haue that vowe dyspensed with If Ranulphus and Treuisa he brought in to proue her vowe a dissymulacyō and that the seyd Anselme so founde it I haue Mathew Paris Rudborne Polydore and other autours more to confound them which largely hath declared it a full vowe professyon But of one thynge I sumwhat maruele why they and Wyllyā of Malmesbury shulde iudge it an vnwor thie marriage cōmende her for spending her substaūce so prodigally vpō syngars mynstrels poetes delyghtynge in their balettes and vayne praysynges oppressynge her tenauntes to maynteyne them Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. v. de regibus Ranulphus li. vij ca. xvi ☞ Anselme wurketh wyles and Randolfe playne treason SOme writers haue thought specyally Mathew of Westminstre that Anselmus bare with kynge Henry in thys matter concernynge hys marryage to wynne hym in an other muche more wayghtie profytable purpose For in that generacion they are more wyly Christ sayth than are the chyldren of lyghte Luce. xvi But he fayled of hys purpose at that present For immedyatly after the kynge made Reinalmus the quenes chaūcellour byshopp of Herforde without the clergyes eleccyon and put hym in possessyon without the Popes autoryte contrary to the othe of hys coronacyon as testyfyeth Radulphus de Diceto Mathew Parts and Roger Honeden But whan Randolfe the byshop of Durham whome the kynge put in the Tower of London for oppressyon and yll rule kepynge had ones broken out of the pryson in the dronkēnesse of his kepers and fledde into Normandy persuadynge duke Robert Courtoys to subdue the kynge hys brother and so to vsurpe hys crowne promysynge also that he had made hym fryndes within the lande by hys secrete counsell and letters In hys commynge as the seyd duke toke it ones vpon hym a great commocion was within the realme the prelates freshly reioycynge therat and causynge it to be noysed a broade that thys soden inuasyon was for that kynge Henry had dysobeyed their holy father of Rome defeated hys eldar brother and marryed Christes professed spowse And al this they subtylye had practysed to take the peoples hartes from him that he myght the more easely haue bene subdued as they thought to their commodyte Yet God of hys great mercye gaue hym than as he hed
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
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
owne soystered wyttes That the only symylytude of bread and wyne remayned but not the substaunce of them Many suche mystes of madnesse were brought in thys season only to darken the clerenesse of the sunne or to turne the verite into aâ—ye Roman i. But as dust at the lattre shall they vanysh from the earthe We partly beholde it nowe ☞ Prestes marryage at Norwyche praysed and scorned SAint Wyllyam of Norwyche a martyr whych was ther shryned in Christes church abbeye in the yeare of our lorde a. M.a. C. xliiij was crucifyed of the Iewes dwellyng than in a place yet called Abrahams hawle Elwina thys S. Wyllyams mother had a prest to her father whose name was called Wulwarde whyche was a man famouse the storye sayth both in good lyfe and learnynge plentuously hauynge the gyft of expowuyng secrete misteryes Her other syster Liuina beynge also thys prestes doughâ—er was ioyned in lawfull marryage to an other preste called Goodwin Thys prest had a sonne called Alexandre whych was a marryed deacon and loked after the decease of hys father to enioye hys benefyce by inherytaunce Eyther must thys legende of S. Wyllyam writteÌ„ of Thomas Monmouth a monke of the same abbeye be a wycked thynge for allowyng these two prestes marryages eyther els that cytie of Norwyche hath had most wycked and tyraÌ„nouse rulers in this our tyme. For a v. yeares ago which was the yeare of our lorde a. M. D. and xlv vpon the xâ—v daye of Iune a cruel iustyce and as wycked a mayre within the same cytie of Norwych enprisoned a faythfull woman and sought to put her to most shamefull and cruell death hauynge none other matter agaynst her but only that she had bene the wyfe of a preste whych had bene wele bestowed a preacher amonge them But God in conclusion prouyded a learned lawer and a ryghteouse iudge for her delyueraunce to both their confusyons A wonderfull thyng that thys shuld be cryed lawfull in their cathedrall church with ryngyng syngynge and sensynge and in their yelde haste condempned for felonye and treason There ded they worshyp it in it in their scarlet gownes with cappe in hande and here they improued it with scornes and with mockes grennying vpon her lyke termagauntes in a playe But lete them no more loke to be forgotten of their posteryte than were Iudas and Pylate whome the worlde yet speaketh of Beastly bussardes and ignoraunt asseheades more fyt kepe swyne than to rule Gods people ☞ The tyrannye of those wycked ministers of Antichrist HEr comming to that cytie was to se as became a mother an ordre for her chylde whych had vndyscretely bounde hymselfe prentyfe within yeares to one whych was neyther honest nor godly As this false iustyce as frantyck a mayer had knowledge of her being there they sought not to rectifye her iust cause beynge a desolate woman but they conuented her afore them as she had bene an yll doar and layed vnto her charge both fellonye and treason They strayghtly first examyned her where and whan she was marryed and what they were whych were at that marryage And whan she had made them a true and honest answere they lawhed toyed and scorned demaundynge of her if she were not ashamed of that doynge But lete them be ashamed of synne of oppressyon brybery ydolatry and tyranny whyche they haue largely vsed for there belongeth no shame to the holy instytucyon of God sanctyfyed of hym to mannys vse though the great deuyl of Rome hath made them beleue so Than as wyse as ij wyspes and as godly as ij goselynges they examined her what her beleue was in the sacrament to brynge her into more depe daunger of death callynge her husbandes doctryne erroneouse heretycall and sedicyouse doctrine But this I protest vnto them which am her husbande in dede that I wyll be able to defende my doctryne whan they shall not be able to iustifye their most cruell and wycked example in defendynge of the byshopp of Romes tyrannye I am depely in their bokes men saye therfore lete them not blame me if they be in my bokes agayne It is the nature alwayes of an historye to declare the goodnesse and malyce of tymes by the dyuerse actes of men to the warnynge of others whyche I in my writynges haue decreed to folowe I haue knowne their cytie in my tyme greuously plaged with fyre water pestylence and warre aboue all other cyties within this realme Lete them therfore repent their wyckednesse least the lattre plage be most greuouse of all ☞ Of Tundalus vysyons and the prestes with their sea crabbes TVndalus a knight of IrelaÌ„d which had in hys youth ben a man giueÌ„ to muche myschefe had in hys lattre age many straunge apparicyons and talked in helle they saye both wyth deuyls and angels A boke he made of those apparicions which the fathers reserued as most precyouse treasure to terryfye therwyth the weake consciences of the symple that they shulde gladly gyue theyr moneye to be delyuered from the fearfull fyre of purgatory Loke Vincentius Antoninus and Cornelius Agrippa Iohan Hagena charterouse monke by a commentary had enlarged it to set the matter in his time forward Loke Tritemius and Gesnerus To maintayne the marte of money masses the prestes practysed both in thys realme and others manye fyne seates in that age and one of theÌ„ was thys Where as they dwelled not farre froÌ„ the sea syde they toke of these sea crabbes and tyed eches vnto them light and so put theÌ„ vpon dead mennys graues in the dark within theyr churche yeardes to make the contreye ydyotes to beleue that theyr spretes ded walke But in one place the persone was deprehended in hys falshede and all the others therby dyscouered For the carpenters and masons commyng thydre the nexte daye after all sowle nyghte to theyr wurkes founde amonge the tymbre and broken bryckes a certen of these crabbes wyth theyr candels out Thys preste was not wyse ynough byleke that he toke no better hede where his spretes bicame But I thynke these wucke men came sonner than he loked for Ioannes Riuius de spectris apparitionibus Andreas â—ssiander in coniecturis Erasmus in epistolis I could here shewe ye wonders of weping roodes and sweatynge ladyes but I lete it passe for lengthe ☞ An Englyshe pope hath a monke to hys father POpe Adrian the fourt was an Englishman bredde borne brought fourth at S. Albons xx miles froÌ„ London and afore hys papacye was named Nicolas of S. Albons Thys Adryane or Nicolas whether ye wyll is reported of certen olde writers to be the natural sonne of a ryche and fat abbot of the same monastery hys mother not ones remembred And whan he requyred after hys fathers decease to be taken in a monke amoÌ„g them they contemptuâ—usly refused hym Wherfor he went ouer
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
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
hymselfe to lyue longe on the earth vpon thys admonicioÌ„ of Godryck the Hermite whych sayd that he shuld be starke blinde vij yeares afore he shulde dye But he vnderstode not that ther was as wele a blindenesse in sowle as in body And that made hym so vnready whan he shulde haue dyed and also so wretchedly soeth to departe from thys worlde Mattheus Paris Radulphus de Diceto Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Polidorus Se here howe they kepe theyr owne spirituall lawes for intermedlynge with temporal matters But that for lucre they maye breake all ordre ☞ The preuye membre of a fyshe swaloweth in a monke GIraldus Cambrensis declareth in the second parte of his wurke called the glasse of the church ca. vij That by the sea coast a she fish was fouÌ„de of a wonderfull greatnesse called a thirlepoole The people in great nombre came from all quarters there about some to beholde the monstruouse shappe of the fyshe and same to cut it in peces and to carry theÌ„ home to theyr howses to soâ—ne profytable vse Among other ther was a monke more quycke and sterynge to perceyue all thinges than anye other there Thys monke drawynge very nygh to the fyshe beheld vewed and marked the preuye parte therof aboue all Which was the storie sayth as it hadde bene the openynge of a greate dore or gate He loked therupon verye seriouslye and muche wondered neyther coulde he in anye wyse be satysfyed wyth the syghte therof At the laste wythoute modestye shame and all bashefulnesse he approched so nyghe that by the slyme and fatâ—esse therof whyche than laye vpon the sayde hys fotynge fayled hym and he fell flat into the fowle hole so beynge swalowed vp of that whyche hys lecherouse harte most desired So that these adages myght than haue bene founde true Suche saynte suche shryue suche bere suche bottell such treasure suche trust As muche was it to recouer hym and to saue hys lyfe as all they coulde do which stode about with long pooles proâ— hokes liues ropes and other hasty prouisyons A subtile enemye was it sayth Giraldus that prouided him so ridiculouse and obprobrioule a falle But this is the good fortune of our votaries In the ende they fall heade linges into the gulfe of that filthinesse whych they haue so ardeÌ„tly all their life time affected ☞ The lasciuiouse hart of an other monke perâ—eiued AN other like storie sheweth the seyd Giraldus in the nexte chaptre folowing of a moÌ„ke of Glastenbury It chaunced saith he at the kinges request sute of the abbot that the graue of king Arthour betwen ii high pilers of stone was opened within the holy Saintwary of Aualon There founde they the fleshe bothe of hym and of hys wyfe Guenhera turned all into duste wythin theyr coffynes of stronge oke the bones only remaynynge A monke of the same abbeye standynge by and beholdynge the fyne bruydinges of the womannis heare so yelowe as golde there stil to remayne As a man rauyshed or more than halfe from his wittes he leaped into the graue xv fote depe to haue caught them sodenlye But he fayled of his purpose For so sone as they were towched they fell all to powder No lesse was this monke sayth Giraldus a figure of that insaciable helle of lecherie than was the other monke for he shewed as depely the sygnes of a shamelesse mynde as ded the other Giraldus lib. ij cap viij Speculi ecclesiastici in opere de institutione principis Radulphus Cogeshale Ioannes Fiberius Richardus Premonstratensis Mattheus VVestmonasteriensis Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa IoaÌ„nes Lelandus in assertione Arturij All this maketh good the foresayenge of Tamel that the hartes of theÌ„ in this generacion shulde be all vpon women Dame xi I wolde not that thys also were forgotteâ—n in thys age by the waye but marked and remembred for it includeth a greate mysterye Whan stryfes and controuersyes were rysen betwen monkes and their bishoppes for sleuelesse matters the kynge mighte not meddle in so spirituall causes but a legate must all wayes come from Rome to do it Notate uerba signate mysteria ☞ King Richarde is sent abrode and a bishop ruleth NEuer were there anye people eyther scarse any deuyls of helle in craftes and wordlye wiles comparable to these spretes of Rome the byshoppes monkes and prestes They could sende kynges abrode on Pilgrymage and in the meane tyme occupye their whole realmes to their Romyshe maisters behoue Kynge Richarde the first for his stoughte stomacke called Cor de Lyon was sent in to the lande of Palestyne to fyghte wyth the great Turke for Hierusalem whyche an Englyshe votarye and byrde of theyr vncleane cage had both betrayed and lost a lytle afore and coulde neuer be recouered sens For the tyme of hys absence one Wyllyam Longeshampe being chauÌ„cellour of Englande and byshop of Helie holdynge the gouernaunce of the whole realme wonderfully oppressed the same Hauynge the kinges whole power and his popes autoryte he rode contynually with no lesse than a. M. horse the noble mennys sonnes beynge glad to become slaues to hym Wyth the beste barons and earles maryed he hys cosynes neces and kynswomen yet was hys grande father a poore plough man and hys owne father a cowherde Beynge and holye votarye he refused the vse of women and in hys bed chambre abhomynablye occupyed wyth buggerye boyes as the commen rule was than of that myscheuouse spyrytualte So longe he ruffled it oute in all kyndes of tyrannye tyll at the laste Iohan the kinges brother beynge than the greattest duke wythin the lande began to couple wyth hym Than fearynge to haue bene called to a verye strayghte reckenynge he fled wyth a small companye of hys moste trusty seruauntes to the castell of Doueâ— myndynge in the nyghte to haue stollen ouer the sea But as herafter shall folowe he came to shorte of that passage Hugo Nouaunte in libello de fuga Guilhelmi Heliensis Rogerus Houeden li. ij Anglorum historiae ☞ This byshop counterfetteth a woman and is taken INuentynge a newe crafte of conueyaunce he came downe haltynge from the castell aboue to the sea-side byneth appareled in al pointes lyke a woman whose kynde neuerthelesse aboue al thinges he abhorred A syde grene garment he had vpon him and a cloke wyth wide sleues of the same colour His heade was al couered with a fair great kâ—rchief and his face with a propre muffâ—ar In his ryght hande he bare a pece of lynen cloth and in the left hande a met yearde And as he was set vpon a great stone a fysher man commynge from the water and inpyosynge hym to be an whore ran fast vpon hym and clasped one hande about hys necke with the other he searched for hys preuye partes Whan he ones vnderstode hym to be a man and no woman he called to them about and desyred them
the. iiij partes of my votaryes actes that my reader maye knowe the dyfference of them by theyr diuerse groundes and argumentes In the fyrste parte after longe engenderynge bredynge and brynynge my votaryes haue rysen faste by the craftye inuencyons of Idolatours In the seconde parte they haue buylded faste by the wyttye practyses of a monkes and chanons In the thyrde parte shal they holde faste by the busye calkynges of the. iiij orders of fryres And in the forte parte shall they fall faste by the myghtye assaultes of the preachers and wryters The fyrste parte comprehendeth all the tyme from the worldes begynning to a full thousand yeares after Christes incarnacyon The seconde parte contayneth CC. yeares more from that thousand of yeares to the reigne of king IohaÌ„ the third part shall contynue for CC. yeares after that which is froÌ„ the enterauÌ„ce of king IohaÌ„ to the reygne of kynge Henry the fort And the last parte shall conclude wyth an hondred and fyftye yeares whyche is from the fyrste yeare of kynge Henry the forte to the lattre end of this present yeare from Christes incarnacyon a. M. D. and. l. or thys next after that whyche is li. Thus maye these iij. bokes be knowne dyuerse the one from the other by theyr diuerse titles of fast rysyng fast building fast holding and fast fallinge though all they procede out of one only argument of Englysh votaryes He that shall wyth wysdome consydre in thys seconde part the wylye procedynges of these Babylon buylders howe they pranked vp their stought sturdye Antychrist aboue God and hys Christe he shal fynde that these were theyr chefe practyses of myschefe They perceiued that God of hys infynyte wysdome had placed ij hygh admynystracyons in the christianite for the conseruacion therof and that they were the publyque autoryte of noble prynces and the gracyouse office of godly preachers The one was for the outward welthe of the bodye the other for the inward welth of the sowle They thoughte if these ij were not peruerted and poysened they shulde neuer come to theyr full purpose Wherfore they sought firste of all to bring them vndre by sophistycall sorceryes And fyrste they began with the weaker concernynge the worlde whyche were the curates preachers or ministers of Gods wurd for they were as apered the more easie to ouercome Christe the sonne of God the holye Apostles and the godly fathers of the primatiue churche vpon diuerse consideracions permitted them to haue wiues S. Paule most earnestly wrote it both to Timothe and Titus that it shuld stande as a buildinge vnremoueable Oportet episcopuÌ„ irreprehensibilem esse unius uxoris maritum i Timo. iij. Tit. i. A bishop must be vnrebukeable A pastour must be the husbande of one wyfe Marke wele that Muste be If this wiuinge thought they might be brought to an yll opinion that the people might treckeÌ„ it nought thaÌ„ shuld we make that office of pastorall cure whiche afore serued God in paineful study of his wurd to serue vs in all vanitees and plesures of the fleshe To bryng this to good passe we must pretende a perpetuall chastyte We must outwardly professe neuer to towche a womaÌ„ what so euer we do els in that dark By thys shal we haue these commoditees We shall apere more holie than other people We shal haue the preachers obedient to our affectes They shall not rebuke our horryble darke doynges by the Gospell No for they shall for wante of women haue vncomelye lustes in theyr hartes wherby they wyll be gyuen ouer of God to themselues So shall they become buggerers and whoremaisters Yea and suche blynde bussardes and beastes as wyll be able to abyde no truthe So shall our wyckednesse in the syght of people become a lyfe of perfectyon and holynesse By these chefely and by other lyke practyses came that admynystracyon for the sowles behoue to an vtter decaye and ruyne as is shewed at large in thys former boke Now lete vs go to the other whych is the Christen regyment of prynces and declare by what wayes these wycked buylders brought that also to a counterfet shadowe of Christen gouernaunce they beynge made the dumme ymages of the beaste Apoca. xiij All for the publyque welthe and conseruacyon of Christen comâ—ynaltees had they their attorite and powâ—r Thys administracyon sought these enemyes to destroye an other waye They first toke from kynges the inuestynge of prelates or the power of admyttynge them to spirytuall offyces They made the great prynces beleue that they were but laye men and myghte not intermedle in spirituall causes or in the appoyntynge of the ecclesyastycall funccyons Se here how one myschefe grewe vpon another as that ouerthrowe of Christen princes autoryte vpon the condempnacyon of prestes marryage They seyd it was vnconuenyent that he whych had touched a woman as the kynges ded their wyues shulde laye handes vpon hym or admyt hym to offyce that shulde make Christes bodye O blasphemause buggerers Where founde these execrable hypocrytes that it was euer synne a man to touche that vessell whych was sanctifyed to his vse Eyther yet where was power graunted to their buggerysh generacyon to make Christes bobye O deuyls merydyane as the Prophete doth call yow whan wyll ye leaue to illude both God and man But to conclude By this meane at the last they had their full purpose and therby made the Christen prynces to become their slaues Yea to holde their stiroppes with cappe in hande to kysse their fylthie fete to leade their mules and their horses Yea they played with those worldly rulers for all their great power and wysdome as the bearwardes do with their apes and their beares They led them in the cheaues of their iniquyte and compelled them at tymes to do suche feates as they appoynted theÌ„ Moreouer whan they wolde not obeye to theyr myndes they feared them with the whyppe They terryfyed them with their blacke curses They fraybugged theÌ„ with the thundreboltes of theyr excommunycacyons and interdiccyons and threttened to set all other nacions vpon them But our noble kyng Edward and hys valeaunt father kinge Henry afor hym threwe of from theyr shulders the execrable yoke of those obstinate infidels Neyther nedeth he to feare to treade styll vndre hys fete that odyouse hydre and his singe serpent of Rome For the eternall God whiche hath giuen to him the power of a king is strongar than is Sathan their great maistre Long were it to treate how these lecherouse locustes haue vsed theyr kinges here in Englande bothe afore the conqueste and after Before the conquest they shewed fauer â—o none saue onlye to them that were monastery buylders The other lyke locustes they vexed and soughte by all meanes to suppresse them They haue not much rested sens theyr maistre the deuill was at large after hys thousand yeares inprisonment Fyrste
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
The conclusyon of thys fyrst boke HEre haue I paynted out before your eyes most derely beloued contrey meÌ„ the chast holy coÌ„secrate spirituall actes of your Enâ—lyshe votaryes priestes monkes byshoppes from the worldes begynnyng to a full complete thousande years sens Christes incarnacion Not all haue I here rehersed for that were a laboure without ende they beynge so innumerable but a serten of them for euerye age that ye maye vp them perceyue what the rest hath bene In the next part or boke which shal begynne at Sathans goynge fourth at large after hys thousande yeares tyenge vp Apoca. 20. and so contynue to thys yeare of our Lorde a. MD. and. LI. that ye maye knowe what chere hath bene amonge them what occupyenge they haue had what masteryes they haue played what miracles they haue done for that thyme and space also I thynke it wyll apere an other maner of thynge then that which hath gone afore For so muche as Sathan their ghostlye gouernoure hath for that tyme wrought moste strongely No more wyl I be ashamed to reherse their fylthye factes lett them trust vpon it then they haue bene to do them in effect and to set them four the for holye spirituall coÌ„secrate chast honorable and ghostly good workes beynge abhominable and most stynkynge knaueries The worlde shall well knowe what Sodomytes and Deuyls they are that haue all this tyme contempned christen marryage instituted of God and do not yet repent their moste dampnable doynges in that behalf but contynue styll the same leadyng their lyues in vnspekeable fleshlye fylthynesse Christ promysed ones to all suche as they are that al their hydden mischeues should come to light if they would not at the call of his moste holye Gospell repent Nothyng sayeth he is so closelye hydden amonge those spirituall murtherers but wylbe clerely openeed neyther yet so secretly coueted but shall apere manifest and be knowen to the worlde Mat. x. Marc. iiij Luc. xij Christ suffered verye longe the Phaâ—ysees and Byshoppes the lewde predecessours of our proude spirytualte But whan he ones perceyued none other in them but conteÌ„pt of his verite with wylfull resistauÌ„ce of the holy Ghost he weÌ„t fearcelye vpon them with wo vpon wo callynge them all that nought was As hypocrytes dyssemblers dodypolles fooles blynde beastes bellygoddes scorners false prophetes periures vypers serpentes deuourers rauenours brybers theues tyrauntes murtherers and fyre brandes of hell Loke the. xxiij chapter of Mathewe and ye shall fynde that he poured all this vpon them and doubled it in the captyuyte of Hierusalem when the great vengeaunce of all innocent bloud lyght greuouslye vpon them For in the syege of that cytie were slayne by Vespasianus Titus to the nombre of x. hondred thousandes of Iues Not onlye of the inhabitauntes of that regyon there but from all quarters of the worlde about whiche at that tyme came thyder to their Eastre celebracyon Besydes these were there ledde fourth from thens captyue xcvij. thousande of whome some were solde to the Romanes to become their contynuall seruauntes and slaues and the resydue geuen vnto the Lyons and wylde beastes that they should dayly deuoure them and be fed with theyr fleshe All thys witnesseth Egesippus Iudeus li. 5. Ca. 49. De Hierosolimorum excidio And now after his moste manifest example Christ wylleth vs also extremelye to rebuke these cruell corrupters of the christyanite for their moste spyghtfull contempt of hys wholsome warnynges the Christen magistrates hereafter or els some other enemye of theyes folowynge with double vengeaunce vpon the heades of them Apoc. xviij This plage when it shall fâ—ll as it is not farre of wyll be the moste ryghtouse hande of God vpon that malygnaunte generacion Great wondre wyll it be vnto manye I knowe it wele to be holde theyr chefe Englyshe Sayntes thus rebuked And parauenture they wyll thynke that I myght as well speake agaynst Peter and Iohan Paule and Iames with the other Sayntes Apostles and Martyrs of the prymatyue churche as agaynste these vngodlye hypocrytes of theirs But I tell those menafore hande that they are wretched lye blynde for want of lyuelye knowledge in the sacred scryptures They haue no true iudgement in them to dyscerne the fallen starre from the starre so fyermelye fixed in the fyrmament as neuer coulde be yet from thens remoued Neuer shall he that declyneth to mennes inuencions be all one wyth hym whyche onlye foloweth the pure worde of God But vndoubtedlye of no small tyme haue the fallen starres darkened the clere starres of heauen the popes hypocrytysh Sayntes the true Saintes of Christ and perfyght chyldren of Abraham The chefe cause of thys hath bene the cruell contempt of holye wedlocke and the bragge boastynge out of theyr vnholoye chastitie Neuer sawe ye yet any holye dayes made of Adam Seth Enos and Enuch for the first age Neyther yet of Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moises Dauid Zorobabel and suche other for the other ages I thynke if Peter and Paule with the other Apostles had bene knowen meryed men they had neuer had so many perfuminges and sensynges It is only marryage that hath made men secular abiectes and vnholye lowsye lewde laye people In spight of that haue the spirituall Sodomytes in the legendes of their sanctyfyed sorcerers disfamed the Englyshe posterite with tayles as I haue shewed afore That an englysh man now can not trauayle in an other lande by waye of merchaundise or anye other honest occupyenge but it is moste contumeliously throwne in his â—ethe that all Englyshe men haue tayles That vncomly note and report haue the nacion gotten without recouer by these laysye and Idell lubers the Monkes the priestes whiche could fynde us matters to aduauÌ„ce their Canonysed Cayâ—sby at their Sayntes as they call them but manyfest lyes and 〈◊〉 In the meane tyme haue they boosted their own most fylthye whores their Nonnes and veyled systers for sanctyfyed vyrgynes and the pure spowses of Christ. Neuer was there yet so precyouse and oryent a coloure to hyde all their knaueryes as was that counterfeit chastite of theyrs That fayre face of the subtyle serpent hath hytherto deceyued all the worlde and wrought innumerable myschefes therin But if those their sorcerers be Sayntes as they saye they are then may the Deuyls of hell be Sayntes also Let Dunstanes deuyll stande than checkemate with Dunstane hys mastre and be a popysh Saynt as he is for he neuer did a quarter of so muche mischefe as he hath done Stande vp ye noble men and women in the true knowledge of youre lord God if ye wyll hereafter be noted valeaunt Be not as your fore fathers haue bene afore yow beastlye ignoraunt in the wayes of hys truthe Folowe the Christen pryncyples of your most worthy IouÌ„as kynge Eduward the syxt and
his noble father afore hym whiche haue graciouslye begon to smell out in that fulse generation the engyâ—â—es of the deuyll As great honoure wyl it nowe be to yow yea â–ª rather much greater to flee the sede of the Serpent by the worde of God as euer it was to Saynt George that noble captayne to flee the great hydre or Dragon at Silena as Baptista Mantuanus specifieth I speake not thys for that I wold ye to fal vpon that sorte with materiall weapon but with the myghtye stronge worde of the Lorde For as Esaye daniel Paule reporteth they shal be destroyed without handes Esa. xi Dan. viij and ii Tes ij Onlye is it Gods true knowledge that nobleth yow before hym be therfore no longer negligent An vnrecurable dyshonoure were it vnto yow froÌ„ hence furth to be led blynde felde of these bushardes in the darke The moste of yow are all readye very plentuouslye entered that lorde be praysed thynke hym onlye blessed whiche perseuereth to the ende Hauynge the gouernaunce of Christes dâ—â—e herytage drawe not your lawes out of Antichristes rules nowe that ye knowe Christes wholsome doctryne Neyther yet fatche the breade that ye shall feade your commons with oute of hys bawdye beggerlye bowgettes but let them haue the pure purueaunce of God out of the vndefyled scryptures Be ones so mercyfull to that christen flocke that ye cleâ—elye 〈…〉 them 〈◊〉 tâ—at vyle gâ—neracion Let them no longâ—r worshyp deuyls as they haue done in these dead monkes and theues but let them loke freelye towardes their eternall and lyuyng God bothe to their soules helth yours Amen ¶ Thus endeth the first parte of thys worke called The actes of Englyshe votaryes Collected by Iohan Bale Anno. 1546. ¶ The autours names both Englyshe and other out of whom thys present Boke is collected Abbas Vrspergensis Achilles Pyrminuis Alphonsus de Castro Alphredê° beuerlaceÌ„sis Amandus Zierizensis Antoninus FloreÌ„tinus Baptista Platina Baptista Mantuanus Bartholomeus Anglus Bedas Giruuinus Bernardus LutzeÌ„burg Berosus Chaldeus Biblia Sacra Blondus Flauius Caius Iulius Christianus Masseus ClemeÌ„s Alexandrinus Colfridus Abbas Conradus Gesnerus Cornelius Tacitus De utraque Potestate Diodorus Siculus Edgari Oratio Egesippus Iudeus Epiphanius Cyprius Eusebius Cesariensiâ— Festiuate Sacerdotum Flores Historiarum Franciscus LaÌ„bertus Freculybus Iexoui eÌ„ste Galfredus Monemutensis GeÌ„nadius MassilieÌ„sis Georgius Ioye Georgius Vnteelius Gildas Britanus Giraldus Cambrensis Guido de Columna Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Guilhelmus Caxton Guilhelmus Tyndale Guilhelmus Turner Hartmanus Shedel Hector Boethius HelmaÌ„dus Monachus Henricus Huntyngtonensis HermaÌ„nus Contractus HermaÌ„nus TorreÌ„tinus Honorius Augustudunensis Iacobus Vorago Iacobus Bergomas Iacobus Zieglerus Iodoeus Badius Ioannes Capgreue Ioannes Hardyng Ioannes Stella Ioannes de Molinis Ioannes Annius Ioannes Nauclerus Ioannes Lydgate Ioannes Textor Ioannes Tritemius Ioannes Pomeranus Ioannes Carion Ioannes Maior Ioannes Lelandus Isidorus hispalensis LegendariuÌ„ Ecclesie Liuthprandus TicineÌ„sis Marcus Sabellicus Marianus Scotus Martinus Carsulanus Martinus Lutherus Matheus Palmarius Merlinus Ambrosius Michael Ricius Nanclerus Ioannes Nennius Britannus Odo Chariacensis Osteirus CaÌ„tuariensis Osunaldus Myconius Otto Phrisingensis Paulus Orosius Paulus Aemilius Paulus Constantinus Petrus Equilinus Philippus Melanchton Plinius Secundus Polycrates Ephesius Polydorus Vergiliue Pomponius Mela. Prosper Aquitannus Ptolomeus Lacensis Ranulphus Cestrensis Raphael Volateranus Robertus Fabyane Robertus Barnes Sigebertus GeÌ„blaceÌ„sis Strabo Cretensis Thomas Bradunardin Thomas Vualden Thomas Scrope VinceÌ„sius Beluacensis Vtraque potestas VVernerus Cartusiensis VVilibaldus Anglus Finis The holye Ghost shall rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse of iudgement Ioan. xvi Into the newe Hierusalem shall entre no vncleane thynge neyther that whiche worketh abhominacion nor yet what maketh lyes But they only which are written in the lambes boke of lyfe Apoca. xxi The man of synne shall he opened before the Lordes commynge euen the sonne of perdycyon whiche is an aduersarye and is exalted aboue all that is called God whom he shall consume with the sprete of his mouthe ij Thes. ij ¶ Imprynted at London by Abraham Vele dwellyng in Paules churcheyarde at the synne of the Lambe Anno. 1551. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ The second part or contynuacyon of the English votaries comprehendynge thâ—yr vnchast examples for CC. yeares space from the yeare a thousande from Christes incarnacyon to the reigne of kyng Iohan collected of theyr owne wryters by Iohan Bale ¶ Bâ—holde thou idolatrouse churche I wyll gather together all thy louers vnto whom thou hast made thy selfe commen yea and all them whome thou fauourest and euery one that thou hatest and wyll discouer thy shame before them that they all maye se thy fylthynesse Ezech. xvi Imprinted at London for Iohan Bale in the yeare of our Lorde a M. D. LI. and are to be solde wythin Paules chayne at the sygne of S. Iohn Baptist. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The Preface of thys boke FOr so much as Rome hath bene so synnefull a synke and pernicyouse puddell as hath all the worlde infected by the sodometrouse vowe of their symulate chastyte necessary I thynke it in thys preface of the seconde part of my Englysh votaryes to shewe what foundacyon it hath had in the same Xenophon sayth in hys boke of huntyng that Rhoma is the name of a dogge Iohan Textor affirmeth the same both in hys Epithetes Officines A dogge in the scripture is iudged a beast most vyle hys pryce beyng all one wyth the rewarde or wages of an whore for her whoredome Thou shalt sayth the lord to Moses neyther brynge the hyre of an whore nor the pryce of a dogge into the house of God in no maner of vowe for both of them are abhominacyon vnto the Lorde thy God Deuter. xxiij They in the scriptures of the sacred Bible are compared vnto dogges whych both professe and teache the verite of God vnpurely snarynge the symple sowles wyth the vnprofytable tradycyons of men synnefull Dogges are vngentyll barkers cruell byters lascyuyouse lechours gredy deuoureâ—s and insacyable rauenours much delyghtynge in bloude The malycyouse and couetouse Romanes wyth those vnpure Apostles whych they from tyme to tyme haue sent vnto thys our nacyon hath most apertly shewed themselues to be those vyle dogges and swyne whom Christ admonished vs to be ware of Mathew vij ¶ In the Bible text S. Hierome sayth that Roma was the wyfe of Nahor Abrahams brother Gene. xxij Whose chyldren were afterward obseruers of the Planetes and so bycame Idolaters after the mynde of Philo and other olde wryters Cechim the sonne of Iauan Genesis x. otherwyse called Italus had a doughter named Roma as testyfyeth Berosus the Chaldean Fabius Pictor Caius Sempronius whom he constitute quene of the Aborygenes or people of an vnknowne begynnynge Whych quene first buylded the great cytie so named Whom after longe tracte of tyme Romulus most gorgyously fynyshed Thys mencyoneth also