her the mother of whoredomes and abominations The same also is Rome fully and plainely What citie is there nowe in the worlde wherein are so great confusions of vices and so many thousands of common whoores which they call Curtisans of whom the Pope hath so great a rent that hee may make thereof a great inheritance Yet this is nothing compared with other infinite abominations which in Rome are committed What place in Christendome is the wicked sinne more suffered without punishment then in Rome This woman saith Saint Iohn was druken with the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus How many and how many hath the Pope caused to be burned and to die by the sword for saying and beleeuing Iesus Christ to be our only and chiefe Bishop Intercessor and Mediator as the Apostle calleth him For beleeuing that the body which he once offered vpon the tree of the crosse is the onely and alone sacrifice wherewith the wrath of the Father is appeased For beleeuing that by faith onely without any respect of our owne workes we are iustified In our times of these threescore or fourescore yeares how much innocent bloud hath this rauening wolfe for this cause shed and spilled in Almaine France England and in Italy also and within fortie or fiftie yeares in our countrey of Spaine The fires and persecutions of Seuill Valladolid and other partes of Spaine do witnesse What satisfaction shall this so cruell beast make for one Doctour Constantine the onely pearle of our countrey of Spaine For one Doctour Vargas For Doctour Egidius For Don Iohn Ponce of Lyons sonne to the Countie of Baylen so neare kinsman to the Duke of Arcos For one Christopher de Arellano a man by the confession of the Inquisitors themselues most learned For one Ieronymo Caro For one Licenciate Iohn Gonçales For the Licenciate Losada All these were men of singular life which the Papistes themselues that knewe them cannot denie and godly they were in doctrine All these in Seuill and many others men and women were either condemned aliue or else vntombed being dead by the fire consumed At one time were all these and so all at one time almost burned in Seuill O Seuill Seuill that killest and burnest the prophetes which God sendeth vnto thee Name me some eight of thy seruants of the Pope at this day liuing in thee which aswell in life as doctrine may compare with or paragon those eight which I haue named as thou then burnedst As the bloud of Abell cried out to God so now the bloud of these Martyrs do likewise crie vnto God Vnder the ashes of these blessed men hath God hidden many small sparkles which when he shall please he will blowe away and so kindle them that a farre greater fire shall they make then that which is passed and so shall increase the number of the faithfull For the bloud of the martyrs is the seed of the Gospell Saint Iohn concludeth his chapter saying That this woman is the great Citie which reigneth ouer all the kings of the earth Is not this a mainifest description of the Court of Rome what other citie but Rome reigned ouer all the kings of the earth From all parts of the world they went to Rome The riches of the world they caried to Rome the Pope onely was king of kinges and Lord of Lordes And woe to him that should displease him Of the beast saith S. Iohn that he had 7 heads and 10 horns which S. Iohn himself declareth saying that the seuen heads which the beast hath are 7 mountaines The holy Spirit which spake this by the mouth of Saint Iohn nothing wanted but the naming of Rome The ancient Poets as Virgil Horace which liued in the time of Augustus Caesar the Emperour in whose time also S. Iohn liued called Rome Septicollis of 7 hils or mountaines The Grecians call it Eptalophos which is the same with Septicollis â—o seuer it from all the cities of the world this Epitheton they giue it Calepin Septicollis vrbis Romae Epitheton à septem collium numero imposituÌ„ Tertullian in the 35. chap. of his Apologie saith Ipsos Quirites ipsam vernaculaÌ„ septem collium plebem couenio c. Horace in the end of his Epodon Dijs quibus septem placuere colles Dicere carmen He speaketh of Rome And Virgil Aeneid 6. Septemque vna sibi muro circundedit arces And Propertius Septem vrbis alta ingis toto quae praesidet orbi As much to say as the loftie citie with seuen hils which is Lady of all the world The names of these seuen mountaines are Capitolino Palatino Quirinal Auentino Celio Viminal and Exquilino By these words of Saint Iohn we cleerely see that Antichrist hath his seat at Rome and no other there is that hath his seat at Rome but the Pope Therefore the Pope is Antichrist The ten hornes saith Saint Iohn be tenne kings subiect to Antichrist who stoutly fight in defeÌ„ce of their Monarch Antichrist they shall fight saith he against the Lambe What more sorcelesse thing is there without weapons and subtiltie then a Lambe Notwithstanding the weake simple and disarmed Lambe ouercommeth these ten kings which with Lyonlike Wolfe-like force rush vpon him and not preuaile And when by force they cannot as old Foxes by craft will they seeke to catch and kill him But come as they will the Lambe ouercomes them all Who is this Lambe The same is he of whom Saint Iohn saith that he is slaine from the beginning of the world How The slaine Lambe doth he ouercome Yea verily This is the power of God That Lambe he is of whom witnesseth the other Saint Iohn saying Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Iesus Christ is this Lambe who killeth Antichrist with the spirit of his mouth as in handling the second passage which we alleaged of the Epistle to the Thessalonians we haue before declared Saint Iohn saith further That these ten hornes are ten kings who perceiuing the inuincible power of the impotent Lambe shall forsake Antichrist disgrace him make warre against him and destroy him Before 80 yeares past what king in Christendome durst whisper against the Pope All were his vassals all were his souldiers and all hee commanded But seeing the mortall wounds which the Lamb with his only word hath giuen the Pope How many haue forsaken him within these fourescore yeares In Almaine England Scotland Denmarke and Swethland we haue manifest examples France also and Polonia are falling away from the Pope Who so shall liue shall one day heare the same of Spaine God hath begunne his worke he will not leaue it imperfect nor yet end in the middest Behold how Daniel Paule and Iohn concurre and agree together All they three with one Spirite which caused them to speake declare that â—his soâ—e â—f perdition and man of Sinne shal be very abhominable in his life and much more
principal rich houses of that famous citie So wonderfull almost neuer seene was this calamitie that it was taken for a thing myraculous For the neighbour houses and neere adioyning to those that burned were not onely burned but the fire in a moment did leape from one streete to another farre of distant and beginning at the top of the house brought the whole presently with it to the earth Many marchandizes much wheat wine and other thinges which by reason of the great furie and fiercenesse of the fire could not be put in safe keepeing were lost The whole Citie was greatly troubled because none could know how or by whom the fire was kindled And all feared that it was some coniuration of the Lutherans And a little lower There is made euery yeare vpon Saint Mathewes day a most solemne procession to intreat our Lord to be pleased by the meanes of his holy Apostle to deliuer the citie from the like plague tribulatiō Thus far D. Illescas To the selfe same purpose wil I here also recount a very pleasant tale which I read in a historie I my selfe also heard D. Bourne who in Queene Maries time was bishop of Bathe in England tell the same The historie is this In the time of K. Henry 8. one Malary maister of Arte of the vniuersity of Cambridge was for profession of the Gospel of Iesus Christ condemned to doe publique penance in the Church of S. Mary in the vniuersitie of Oxford The penance was that he should publiquely recant and beare vpon his backe a faggot for the terrour of the studentes of that vniuersitie And for the more solempnitie of this recantation D. Smith diuinitie reader preached The principall and only matter which he handled in his sermon was concerning the Sacramēt of the altar The Doctor for more confirmation and credit of that he had to say in his sermon caused their holy and catholique peace of White bread which they call the Sacrament of the altar to be hanged in the pulpit before him To this spectacle ran very much people aswell students as citizens which heard the sermon with great attention hardly had the doctor halfe finished his sermon when a voyce of one that cried in the streete Fire fire was suddenly heard in the Church The cause of the crie was for that one comming along the streete espied a chimnie on fire and after the English vse in such cases he cried through the strete Fire fire Whē they within the Church nere to the doore heard fire fire they also began to say fire fire And so frō mouth to mouth went fire fire euen to the doctors the preacher himselfe who at the hearing of fire fire remayned astonished with the great feare he conceiued and marueyling what it might be began to lift vp his eyes and behold on all sides the roofe and walles of the Church His auditorie seeing him looke vp began with a loud voyce to crie Fire fire some demaunded of other some where see yee the fire To this demaunde one answered In the Church◠Hardly had the other answered In the Church when all in a moment began to crie out The Church burneth the heretiques haue set the Church on fire And albeit no man sawe any fire all notwithstanding together cryed Fire fire and each one supposed that was truth which he heard Then feared they indeede such was the concourse and tumult in the Church that cannot with wordes be expressed such as haue found themselues in the like cases haue experience thereof This strong Imagination of fire possessing their heades all whatsoeuer they saw or heard confirmed and increased in them the imagination conceiued The principall cause that augmented this suspition was to see him with his faggot whom they held for an heretique This made them beleue that al the other heretiques had ioyntly conspired with him to set fire on the Church The great dust which with the vnquietnes concourse tumult of the people was raised in the Church did augment in thē also this suspitiō This dust then seemed to be smoke of the fire which they had imagined This concourse was also the cause that many came to their deathes for the small ribs bones were broken whereof many died The people flocked to the doores of the Church but so great was the throng presse that none could go out of the Church In the end seeing no remedie they begā to crie out against the cōspiracie of the heretikes which had kindled the fire to burne thē aliue It was a world to see those great rabbines those great doctors with their long scarlet robes doctorall habits runne from one side to another blowing panting and sweating seeking some corners where to hide themselues In all this cōpany was there none more quiet then the poore penitent heretique who throwing from him the faggot it fell vpon the head of a Friar that was next him so abode quiet expecting what God would doe with him Among thē al was there none more feareful nor more cried out for feare then Smith the preacher who with the first began to crie from the pulpit saying These be the webs crafts of the heretiques against me Lord haue mercie vpō me Lord haue mercy vpō me But his breaddē God which he called Lord was hanged as we haue said neere vnto him could not quiet him Nought in this garboile more caused thē to feare then when the lead was to begin to melt for ye must know that many Churches in England are couered with lead many of thē began now to affirme that the molten lead fell vpon thē Then were they amased many of them that had authoritie cōmand seeing that neither by force regard of their learning nor authoritie they could ought preuaile they chāged their purpose began to vse very gentle words promising to them they would pull them from that daunger albeit by the eares a good reward There was a man that gaue 20 pound euery pound is forty Spanish ryals an other promised his garment others other like thinges They that might placed thēselues in the hollownes betweene pillar pillar that the lead which they said was moltē should not fal vpō thē A maister of the Colledge ther was which vnnailed a table couered therwith his head shoulders that the lead should worke him no anoyance There was a mā albeit very grosse who seeing there was no meanes to goe out of the Church needs would be breaking of the glasse to go out by the pane of a window but half of his body being forth he stuck fast in the grate so that he was not maister of himselfe nor could he go forward nor backward The poore paunched monke saw his danger doubled for if the fire or moulten lead should fal without that part then that was without the window would be in danger if it fell within the Church the part then within was in
and so commaunded that the French Office which was now the same with the Roman should bee celebrated through all his kingdome And then all weeping and swearing the old Spanish Prouerbe began to be said Alla van leyes do quieren Reyes As the king will so go the lawes And from that time was the French Office kept in Spaine as well in the Psalter as in the rest which neuer before that time had bin receiued nor vsed in Spaine yet in some monasteries it was afterwards vsed for a time And the translation of the Psalter in manie Cathedrall Churches and Monasteries at this day is also vsed Thus farre the Archbishop In this historie reported by the Archbishop is there much to be noted First that now 500 yeares past for so long time is it since Gregorie the seuenth died in whose time reigned Don Alonso the sixt the diuine Office celebrated in all our countrie of Spaine was not the Roman but the Gothish which they called the Toledane office This office was changed through the desire of a French woman who so greatly pricked forward the king her husband that he chaunged the ancient Office maugre the state Ecclesiasticall Nobilitie and all the Communaltie of Spaine The Pope also that commanded the Office should be chaunged was one of the most abominable that did eate bread in his time Many wrote his life A great inchanter he was by force of Armes without any election he made himselfe Pope A tyrant he was an heretike he burned the Sacrament of the Altar his God And the moreouer which in his abominable life we haue declared For which enormious sinnes in his absence for he would not appeare hee was condemned and depriued in the Councell of Brixa And Clement the third was made Pope in his place The Legate of the Pope which dealt in this businesse of the chaunge of the Office was aso another such like as his maister that sent him and so abode in the same with his maister and Lord. For his wickednesse as the Archbishop reporteth was he depriued In these two Pope and Legate is the old Spanish Prouerbe verified Qual Abad tal Monazillo Such Abbot such Nouice Hereby shall our Spaniards perceiue that the diuine Office and Translation of the Psalter which our forefathers vsed in Spaine vntill the yeare 1080 or little lesse was not the Roman office much lesse was it the Masse which now in Spaine is so greatly esteemed For the Roman Office which before fiue hundred yeares was celebrated was defiled with the superstition and idolatry which we now see in the Masse as be Transubstantiation the taking from the faithful the one half of the Sacrament Intercession and Inuocation of Saintes Purgatorie c. Long time after about the 1215. yeare Innocent 3. being Pope was Transubstantiation admitted and made an article of the faith Albeit true it is that this Gregory 7. was the first that drawing it out of hell began to exalt it And notwithstanding that the Romane Office then vsed was nothing so euill nor ought agreed in Idolatry with that which is now yet is it to be thought there was great difference between the Toledane and the Romane office seeing that all Spaine so purposely and truly opposed it self to the king the Queene the Pope and his legate and receiued not the Romane Office but with great dislike and forced by threats of life goods That also is to be noted which the Archbishop speaketh concerning the combat of the 2 Knights and of the friar which the Gothish Office remaining safe then burned the Roman Office If they will haue miracles this of the fire is strange D. Illescas lib. 5. vpon the life of King Don Alonso the 6. saith almost the same that Don Rodrigo the Archbishop doth for from him hee tooke it but that of affected malice he changed some things whose words I will here set downe When hee that defended the part of the Gothish Office sayth he was Victor the king stroue by all meanes to take it away and hauing cast into the fire two Masse bookes the Archbishop saith it was determined that the booke of the Toledan Office and the booke of the French Office should bee cast into a great fire He saith not Masse bookes the Roman leaped out of the fire and the Gothish was not burned in it The Archbishop saith the booke of the French Office was consumed of the fire and the booke of the Toledan Office arose vp without receiuing any domage Here seest thou the maner of our aduersaries dealings To aduaunce his Catholique faith hath God no need of such lies And note that Doctour Illescas alleageth not the Archbishop from whence hee tooke this report lest his shamelesse falsifying should haue beene seene The Authour and the place which is the sixt booke the 25. and 26. chapters haue I alleaged I beseech the Reader to reade it that it may bee seene whether I or Doctor Illescas doth ly I speaking with the Guardian of S. Francis of Mexico touching this falsification of Doctor Illescaâ— It was so answered he me as Doctor Illescas said and that our booke were falsified But I brought him an old booke with the armes royall printed at Granada and shewed him the place the poore Warden was ashamed And it is to be noted as noteth D Illescas that by the command of Don Sancho 1. king of Arragon the Gothish or Mosorabish Office was least to be sayd in Arragon and the Roman Office which now is vsed brought in In S. Iohn de Pena the 21. day of March in the 1071. yeare was sayd the first Latine Masse after the manner of the Romaines The same Doctor Illescas also saith The 25. day of may in the. 1083. yeare King Don Alonso 6. wan Toledo the great Church whereof called Mesquita was consecrated the 25. of October in the 1086. yeare Thus was the Gothish office chaunged in Arragon fifteene yeares at least before it was in Castile Note ye Spaniards which thinke and beleeue the Latine Masse now sayd in Spaine to be most ancient from the time of the Apostles the first Latine Masse after the Roman maner was said in S. Iohn de Pena in the time of king Don Sancho 1. And in this yeare 1599. is no more but 528 yeares since If ye beleeue not me beleeue D. Illescas and others that say the same which I do A new thing is the Masse which plucketh from the Church the institution of Iesus Christ I meane his holy Supper God giue you grace to returne and restore it to it former place Of this change others also make mention George Cassander in the preface of his booke intituled Ordo Romanus de officio Missae saith these words But the Spaniards As they be most resolute in the institution which they haue once receiued held constantly for manie yeares the rites of their countrey Their rite was called the Rite of the Mosarabes and so was it called because the Christians mingled with
Gregorie was condemned and a new Pope made who was called Clement 3 Reade a little lower in Pascual 2. this was the 23. Sisme whom the Emperour placed in the church of S. Peter in Rome and put Rome to such a straight that forced it was to demand peace Gregory seeing himselfe forsaken fled to Salernum where in the 1086 yeere he miserably ended his life Albeit that this Gregory was so abhominable there wanted not papists that said he wrought miracles after his death D. Illescas vpon the life of this Gregory 7. as a great flatterer of the Popes of him saith The Cardinals without much dispute ioyning in one gaue their mutuall and willing consents to the most excellent and no lesse valerous S. Hildebrande and somewhat lower And this in particular was due to the holy and most prudent Hildebrand one of the most famous chiefe bishops the Church of God hath had c. Mon. Ecclesiastic he calleth him the great seruant of God Against this deuillish beast wrote Hugo Candido the Cardinall Walramus bishop of Neburgo Venericus bishop of Vercelle Rolandus a priest of Parma and many others Cardinal Bennon doth witnes 13. Cardinals to haue bene against him Should we recount all the villanies of this Pope we should neuer make an end let what is said suffise When Gregory 7. was deposed Clement 3. was made Pope He was pope 21 yeeres after whose death those of his part in the 1101 yere elected Albertus Pascal 2. caused the bodie of Clement to be vntombed and burned The same which hapned to Clement 3. hapned also to Formosus as before we haue said vpon Stephen 6. or 7. and Sergius 3. In the time of this Pope Gregorie 7. raigned Don Alonso 6. This Alonso wan Toledo in whose time and presence the miracle in Toledo recited by Don Rodrigo Archbishop of Toledo in his historie of Romish and Gothish offices which both were cast into the fire happened The Romish was burned and not the Gothish Which historie in the treatise of the Masse we will afterwards declare Victor 3. not by the Cardinals nor the people of Rome but by Maud the adulteresse whore of Pope Gregory 7. was made pope This Victor tooke part against the Emperour and Clement 3. but that which he would he did not for in the 1088. yeere of poyson which his subdeacon in saying of Masse cast into the Chalice he quickly died Don Alonso of Cartagena bishop of Burgos speaking of Don Alonso the king in his time maketh mention hereof By Maud also was Vrban 2. made Pope He was the disciple of Hildebrand whom Cardinall Benon in contempt calleth Turbano He was a Sismatike an heretike an Arrian He excōmunicated Clement 3. and the Emperor that did chuse Clement This Clement also as saith Vicencius did excommunicate Vrban and when Vrban would not absolue any of those whome Hildebrand had excommunicated he secretly departed from Rome Many Councells did this pope celebrate 1. in Melphis 2. in Troya in Pull 3. in Placencia 4. in Clarmont 5. in Turon wherein he approued and confirmed that which Gregorie 7. that good peece did In that of Claremont a voiage into the holy land was concluded and so went there 3000. men and with them Petrus Hermitanus From this Petrus Hermitanus say many as noteth Friar Iohn de Pineda issued praying by count which we call the Rosaries But I demaunde what worde of God or what example taken out of the old or newe Testament haue they to confirme this maner of praying It is then a humane inuention and by consequence abhominable in the sight of God This Vrban made the Archbishop of Toledo Primate of all Spaine Two yeares was this Pope hidden in the house of Peter Leo for feare of Iohn Paganus a citizen of Rome where in the 1099 yere he died His aduersary Pope Clement 3. who being Pope saw 3 Popes the same yere died Don Alonso 6. reigned in Castile Pascal 2. a Thuscan was the disciple of Hildebrand This Pascal seeing they wold make him Pope would not ascend to the Papall seat before the people had three times said S. Peter hath chosen a most good man Reinerus In warres and seditions he consumed his life In a Councell which he held he renued the excommunication against the Emperour Henry 4. such was his hate towardes him that with deceits and subtilties he incited Henry 5. against his owne father What thing more cruell and horrible can be then to cause an onely sonne not onely causelesse to despise forsake and abandon his father but also with warre to persecute him take him by deceit and so taken to suffer him die a most miserable death And who incited him to this Euen the Pope himselfe who being a Priest as he cals himselfe was to haue exhorted the sonne to loue and honor his father as God in th fifth Commandement of his holy law commandeth And yet after the fathers death ceased not the Pope to shew his malice He commanded to vntombe him cast him out of the Church and his bodie to remaine fiue yeares without Christian buriall Otherwise commandeth Saint Peter whose successor he saith that he is that kings should be honoured Be subiect saith he 1. Pet. 2. 13. to euery ordinance of man for Gods cause be it to the king as superiour Otherwise commandeth S. Paule that we should honor them Let euery soule saith he Rom. 13. 1. be subiect to higher powers for there is no power but of God c. And to Titus chap. 3. 1. he saith Warne them that they be subiect to Princes and potentates that they obey c. But he is shamelesse all the earth is his he may do all whatsoeuer he listeth without reckoning of God his sonne Iesus Christ or his holy Apostles who commaund vs to honour kings and bee subiect to them And as Pascal was an vnquiet and seditious man so began he also with the sonne and denied to confirme the Bishops which Henrie the fifth had nominated But the Emperour gaue him his payment who dissembling came to the Pope and after he had kissed his feete caused him to be taken and would not release him out of Prison vnill he had confirmed the said bishops and crowned him But as the Emperour turned his backe to returne into Germanie then reuoked the Pope periured as he was all whatsoeuer he had promised and excommunicated the Emperour In Campania of France held this Pope a Councell Wherein he tooke away the lawful wiues from the priests of Fraunce as Hildebrand his maister tooke them from those of Germanie In his time the Templars began This Pope as in Gregory the seuenth we haue said caused the body of Clement the third to be vntombed and burned Pascal died in the 1118. yeare and Don Alonso the seuenth reigned in Castile Gelasius Gaietanus the second with great tumult and
Quintanes also were taken In the 1558. yeare and the moneth of September died in Spaine Don Charles the Emperour And the 17 of Nouember the same yeare dyed Mary Queene of England and Cardinall Poole in her place reigneth Ladie Elizabeth by whose meanes the great persecutions of fire and blood prisonment and banishment which the Church in the time of Queene Mary had suffered in England ceased Fortie whole yeares that this magnanimous and most prudent Queene hath reigned hath this kingdome by the mercie of God enioyed this freedome In which time this kingdome hath bene and is a refuge and sanctuarie for many straungers who escaping the tallons of the haukes and the teeth of the lyons and woulues haue thither retired God for his infinite mercie enrich it with his spirituall and temporall riches sith it hath entertayned and holpen poore straungers in the time of so great affliction and calamitie In the time of this Pope Paul 4. began the great persecution in Spaine and chiefly in the Cittie of Seuill and Valladolid At the end almost of the 1557. yeare this pesecution began as we will afterwardes declare The Cittie of Seuil is one of the most Ciuill populous rich ancient fruictfull and of most sumptuous buildings that is this day in Spaine To be most rich it plainely appeareth seeing all the Treasure of the west Indies cōmeth vnto it that the king hath thence euery yeare a million and a halfe of Duckets Which rent is so great that fewe kings there be that haue so much of one whole entire kingdome Most ancient it is For if we credit Histories Hispalo Nouono king of Spaine of whom it is called Hispalis built it and Hercules before the destruction of Troy did augment it That it is fruitfull is proued by that place Axarase where be such and so many oliue trees from which is drawne so great plenty and aboundance of oyle that it storeth not onely a great part of Spaine but many other landes also farre distant from Spaine It is seene also by the fieldes of Carmona and Zeres so abounding with wheate and by the pastures so full stored with vines oreng trees figge trees pomgranate and other infinit fruites And where nothing is sowne the earth bringeth forth much spirage and palme trees c It hath also much cattle chiefly sheepe from whence much woole is sent into Italy and flaunders The father of mercy hath not onely enriched this citie making it so ciuill populous rich auncient fruitfull and of such sumptuous buildings but hath also enriched blessed it with all spirituall blessings in heauenly thinges in Christ electing it before the foundation of the world all this saith Saint Paul of the citie of Ephesus to be the first citie of our Countrey of Spaine that in these times should knowe the abuses supersticions Idolatries of the Roman Church Wherwith Spaine hath so long time bene deceiued and knowing them to cause it to amend should publish as it hath published and dyuulged the same And so Iesus Christ might reigne in his Church and Antichrist be banished destroyed and slaine About the yeare 1540. one Rodrigo de Valer borne at Lebrixa liued in Seuill where also was borne the most learned Aentonius de Brixa restorer of the Latine tongue in our Countrie of Spaine This Valer passed his youth not in vertue nor spirituall exercises not in reading nor meditation of holy scripture but in vaine and worldly exercises as rich youth accustomably doth Hee delighted to haue good and well barded horses To day was he suited in one apparell and to morrow in another hee gaue himselfe to play to hunt and to such other exercises whereunto knights and Gentlemen applye themselues In the middest of which his vaine exercises he knew not how nor by what meanes God touched altered and changed him into a new man farre different from the former So that by how much the more he formerly loued and followed his vaine exercises by so much the more did he afterwardes abhorre detest and forsake them hartely applying himselfe and bending all the forces of his body and minde to the exercise of pietie reading and meditation of holy scriptures Some small knowledge he had in the Latine tongue did much herein auayle him For now is the tyranny of Antichrist knowne which suffereth not in Spaine the bookes of holy scripture in the vulgar tongue Many that vnderstood not the misteries which God wrought in Valer held for foolishnesse and want of Iudgement such a suddaine and great alteration For this is the Iudgement which flesh holdeth of spirituall and diuine thinges it holdeth them for foolishnesse and drunkennesse as saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 1 18. The word of the crosse is truly foolishnesse to them that are lost c And in the 12. verse It pleased God by the foolishnes of the Gospell to saue those that beleeue And in the 2. chap. 14. The Carnall man vnderstādeth not the things that parteine to the spirit of God for to him they be foolishnes c. And S. Luke Act. 2. 13. reporteth that many ignorant of the suddaine alteratiō which the spirit of God wrought in the Apostles said they were drunken but those that haue eies may see that it was not folly nor drunkennesse but a change wrought by the hand of the most high and that the spirit of God it was that moued Valer When Valer was thus changed he conceaued great sorrowe and repentance for his vayne life passed and so imployed himselfe wholly in the exercise of Godlinesse alwayes speaking and intreating of the principall poyntes of Christian Religion reading and meditating in the holie Scriptures and gaue himselfe so to read them that he knewe much thereof by hart which he very aptly applyed to that which he handled In Seuill where he dwelled had he dayly disputations and contentions against the Priestes and Friars And told them to their faces that they were the causes of so great corruption as was not in the ecclesiastical state onely but also in euery Christian common-wealth which corruption said he was so great that there was none or very little hope of amendmēt For this cause he reproued thē sharply that not in corners but in the middest of the markets streets vpon the exchange in Seuill a place where Marchants twise a day meete about their businesse he pardoned nor spared them not S. Paule as saith Saint Luke Actes 17. 16. and 17. seeing the citie of Athens so greatly giuen to Idolatrie was much moued and disputed with the Iewes in their Sinagogue and in the open market or assembly of men with those that encountred him Euen so our Valer seing so noble a citie as Seuill is giuen to so great superstition and Idolatrie and so full of scribes and Pharesies of so many priests and Friars he disputed with them in the markets streetes and reproued and conuinced them by the
the same danger To another monke another chaūce hapned And this it was A certaine boy seeing that by reason of the great presse and multitude of people he could not goe forth clymed as he could vpon their shoulders and heades and so came and placed himselfe on the top of the Church dore where he aboade not able to passe further Thus resting vpon the height of the dore he espied by chaunce among those that came crawling vpon the heades of others a monke comming towards him who bare at his backe a great and large cowle the boy seing good occasion offered let it not slip and so when the monke was neare vnto him he let fall himselfe from the height of the dore and very wittily put himselfe into the monkes cowle supposing if the monke escaped that he also with him as it hapned should goe out of the Church In conclusion the monke crawling vpon the heades of others at last escaped carrying the boy at his backe that was placed in the cowle for some time perceiued not any weight or burthen vpon him In the end within a while the monke came somewhat to himselfe felt his cowle more weightie then wontedly it was and hearing the voyce of one that spake in his cowle then began he afresh to feare more thē before when he was thronged among the people supposing that verely that the euill spirit which had fired the Church was placed in his cowle then presently began he to coniure the spirit saying In the name of God and of all the Saintes I commaund thee to tell me whom thou arte that hanges at my backe To whom the boy answered I am Beltrams boy for so was his maister called But I coniure thee said the monke in the name of the indiuisible Trintie that thou wicked spirit tell me who thou art whence thou comest and that thou depart hence To whom the youth answered I am Beltrams boy I beseech you sir let let me goe and so speaking assayed to goe out of the cowle which with the weight and the boyes endeuour to goe out began to rend vpon the shoulders of the monke When the monke well vnderstood the matter he drew the boy out of the cowle The boy seeing himselfe out of daunger tooke him to his heeles and ranne with what speede he could In the meane time whiles this passed they that were with out the Church beholding on all sides and seeing there was no cause of feare marueyled to see them in such a straight and made signes showes to them in the Church to be quiet and told them abroad there was no cause of feare But for asmuch as they that were in the Church could not for the great noyse and rushing within heare that which was told them the signes which they made they interprete to the worst sence as though all without the Church had with liuely flames burned and that for the distilling downe of the molten lead and for that it fell in many places they should abide within the Church and not aduenture to goe forth So that signes and voyces much increased the feare For the space of some howers indured this confusion The day following and that whole weeke also were many billets fixed one the Church dore one said If any haue foūd a payer of shooes lately lost in the Church of Saint Mary another said if any haue found a garment In another it was prayed that a hat should be restored In another a girdle with a purse and mony which was lost In another was demanded a little ring other such like thinges for there was no one person almost in the Church which had not lost or forgotten some thing As touching the poore penitent him they commaunded that for asmuch as he had not by reason of this tumult done his pennance as was meete he should doe it the day following in the Church of Saint Frideswid and so he did it These Histories of the fire of Rome of the fire of Vallodalid and the imaginarie fire of Oxford doe very wel confirme that which wee haue said that the poore Chistians haue at all times bene slaundered and vniustly condemned Therefore are they called sheepe appointed to the slaughter God who is Iust will not leaue without punishment such monstrous lies such false testimonies and such fierce cruelties his day albeit he slacke will come vpon the Inquisitors For the bloud of the Iust holy faithfull and catholique Christians by them shed cryeth vnto God as did the bloud of Abell saying How long Lord holy and true wilt thou slacke to Iudge and reuenge our bloud on those that dwell vpon the earth To whom it was answered that they should rest yet a while vntill their fellow seruantes were fulfilled and their brethren which were also to be slaine with them This day let vs then expecte with pacience God one day shew mercie to Seuil that this monasterie of Saint Isodor be conuerted to an vniuersitie where diuinitie may be chiefly professed The rents of this monasterie which be great suffise with ouer plus to maintaine the said vniuersitie and the ruyned house of Isabella de Vaena may be conuerted to a publique Church where the word of God may be preached and the Sacraments without adding or diminishing according to the institution of Iesus Christ administred So great and greater things then these hath the Lord in our time brought to passe It shall not be from our purpose to recite that which D. Illescas reporteth to haue happened in Spaine in the time of this Paule 4. touching the great nomber of Spaniards of the religion which he calleth Lutheranes that was discouered His words be these In the former yeares were Lutheran heretiques accustomed to be taken burned whatsoeuer in Spaine but al those that they punished were straungers as Dutchmen Fleminges or Englishmen c. And of those which came from these kingdomes And a little lower vile people and of most wicked race afore times did wontedly goe out to the Scaffoldes and to weare the Sarbenitos in the Churches but in these latter yeares haue we seene the prisons scaffolds and fires also furnished with famous people And which is more to be moaned of illustrious persons also and of such as to the eie of the world in learning and life were farre before others c. And somewhat lower The businesse came to termes that they practised now among themselues a most fearefull conspiracie such as had it not happened so soone to be discouered as it was afterwardes vnderstood al Spaine had run in great hazard to be lost c. And a lttle lower In Valladolid D. Caçalla his fiue brothers and mother with most great secrecie singular diligence were taken In Toro was taken Herrezuelus many other in Cemora in Pedrosa many men women Nunnes maried women and damsels famous and of great qualitie c. Among those that were burned were also certaine Nunnes very young and
Priest to giue vs the Sacrament but we must vnderstand the stretched out hand of Christ to doe this By all this varietie of speach what think we sought Chrisostome to doe but to drawe the mindes of the Communicants from the consideration of the outward signes and figures visible and subiect to perish and to make them consider the heauenly and diuine things which by them be figured This glorious Father then would that in communicating we should so celebrate the memorie of the death and passion of Christ as if then at the same instant that we communicate his body were crucified his bloud were shed for vs. Would God that all Christians when they communicate would haue this consideration meditation other fruit should they then receiue of the cōmunion The faithfull beleeuing the Euangelicall doctrine and celebrating the holy Supper are present as it were at the condemnation and death of the Lord this is the memorie commanded them to doe and so saith Saint Paul to the Galathians That before their eyes was Christ condemned among them crucified As touching that of Saint Augustin which they obiect vnto vs that Christ bare himselfe in his hands We denie it not For what inconuenience is it that Iesus Christ with his hands hath borne his owne body if by the body we vnderstand the Sacrament of his body And that this was his meaing hee himselfe a little lower declareth when hee saith Quodam modo in a certaine maner not simply To the other which they say of Saint Augustin that the flesh of Christ ought to be adored in the Sacrament We denie not the flesh of Christ in so much as it is conioyned with the Diuinitie from the which it neuer departeth ought to be worshipped For whosoeuer otherwise shall simply worship the flesh of Christ not respecting the hypostaticall vnion which is betweene the flesh and the Diuinitie in Christ shall commit idolatrie for only God onely his Diuinitie ought to be worshipped Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue Deut. chap. 6. vers 13. Who so listeth to see how much Saint Augustine is for vs and how much against the Transubstantiation of our aduersaries and this not in one place by chance but in manie let him reade that which we haue alreadie alleaged S. Hillarie in the place cited against vs groundeth his argument vpon the truth of the Sacraments the which doe really and truly seale giue and present that which they represent vnto vs. We receiue then in the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ the true body and bloud of Christ and make our selues one selfe same thing with him and this spiritually by faith as so often we haue sayd which vnion is not onely made in the Eucharist but also in Baptisme And so the same Hillarie a little before he had sayd those wordes of the Eucharist had sayd the same of Baptisme saying that by it we are conioyned with Christ and amongst our selues And this not by vnion of consent and will only but also of nature let them also put Transubstantiation in the water of Baptisme As touching that which they say of Leo the first wee confesse the same which he saith that Christ is made our flesh and that we doe passe into his flesh As touching Damascen there is no doubt but that he is wholly for them As appeareth in the place against vs alleaged This Damascen by nation and profession was a Iew vntill hee came to Constantinople and was conuerted and being conuerted became a Monke He liued in the time of the Emperour Leo Isauricus About the 720. yeare when the Moores a fewe yeares before hauing passed the Straights of Gibraltar had by the chastisement of God subdued almost all our country of Spaine Some things he wrote wherein are found many wonders superstitions and erours I will here set downe some that the credite may be seene that to such an authour is due A great defender hee was of Images They are not only to be made saith he but also to be honored and reuerenced The which is contrary to the second comaundement Thou shalt not make to they self any grauen Image Thou shalt not worship nor honour them The reliques of Saints he much esteemed and doubted not to call them fountaines of the giftes of God He dared to say that wee ought with faith to honor dead saints the which is blasphemy For in one only God ought we to beleeue As we confesse in the beginning of the Nicene Creed Speaking of Purgatory to confirme it he reporteth great wonders hee telleth how Traian the Emperour who was a pagan an Idolaten a great persecuter of the Christians by the praiers of S. Gregory went out of the paines of hell c. Also that the soule of a woman called Falconilla a Pagan went out of hell whither for her idolatrie she was condemned and this by the prayers of one which he calleth Primera a martyr Frier Iohn de Pineda libr. 18. cap. 24. ◠1. telleth another such like tale and this it is Zenoras whom he calleth a noble Historian saith that the Empresse besought the Patriarch bishops and religious persons to pray for the soule of the Emperour Theophilus her hushand and that they obtayned pardon for his offences but I saith Pineda hold it very doubtfull seeing that he dyed an obstinate heretike And then I will leaue mine opinion founded vpon the rootes of faith One of which saith that where the tree falleth there shall it euer remaine and another that in hell there is no redemption and another that grace deuideth betweene the sonnes of the kingdome and of hell c. For the selfe same causes say we that which Damascen sayth of the soules of Traian and Falconilla to be lies Pero Mexia vpon the life of Traian sayth that that which is sayd of the soule of Traian is a meere fable and iest Doctour Illescas vpon the life of Gregorie the first holdeth it for certaine truth and condemneth Pero Mexia Also saith Damascen that one Macarius consulting with a drie scull knew many thinges of the state of the dead and what is to be a Nigromancer if this be not This Macarius sayth hee wontedly prayed for the dead and desired to know if such prayers did ought auaile them and if they receiued any comfort by them He sayth that God a louer of soules willing by manie and firme arguments to declare this to his seruaunt inspired into the drie skull the word of truth For these words the skull pronounced When thou prayest for the dead some small consolation wee feele c. Also hee reporteth that one sawe a a Disciple of his which had liued a life somewhat dissolute burning in the fire whose body was in the flame euen to the throate Afterwardes by the prayers of the Maister The same Maister himselfe sawe him in the fire vp to the middle and afterwardes praying eftsoones for
without subiect but are made of the bread and of the wine which is corrupted or burned Now for confirmation of that which we haue sayd we will set downe an Appendix or addition which with wonderfull examples will liuely declare the estimation wherein the Popes and their people which the call ecclesiasticall hold their Sacrament which they sell vnto vs for God And wee as sencelesse and ouer-suerstitious for money doe buy it Open thine eyes ô Spaine and be no more by the Pope deceiued Pope Gregory the seuenth which before was called Hildebrand was as in his life we haue sayd a terrible and mortall enemie of the good Emperour Henry the fourth so desperately procured by all wayes and meanes possible now by force now by dececit now by inchantments to pull him out of the world And for that purpose suborned with promise of reward a certaine man c. as in the life of the said Gregorie wee haue declared Cardinall Benon goeth further he saith that the Pope with high voyce from the pulpit vpon the feast of the resurrection at Easter had prophecied the death of the Emperour Henrie saying Hold me not for Pope but cast me from the Altar if that which I say vnto you bee not fulfilled betweene this and Pentecost and so to proue a true prophet in this which he had spoken he suborned certaine Traytors that secretly shold kill the Emperor As in dede they had killed him had not God preserued him The sayd Cardinall sayeth further that this Hildebrand or Gregory 7. euer wontedly carried with him a booke of Nigromancie that was to him very familiar He cast saith hee the consecrated Host into the fire and burned it Because demaunding of it a reuelation against the Emperour it answered him not albeit the Cardinals which then were present therein gainsayd him Iohn Bishop of Porta Secertarie of the said Gregorie the seuenth alleageth Cardinall Benon for confirmation of that which is sayd A strange case it is to cast the Sacrament into the fire for that coniuring it it gaue him not answer against the Emperour Our aduersaries cannot denie this Pope to haue erred in the faith and also to haue bene an Athiest without God or religion seeing that he burned his Creator If he beleeued it to be his Creator why did he burne it And if he beleeued it not as most of the Popes doe not beleeue it why did he with fire and bloud persecute those that did not beleeue it Miserable is the God which is subiect to burning The true God is immortall hee liueth for euer Moreouer many Popes and ecclesiasticall men doe wee reade in histories to haue poysoned those whom they would kill giuing them poyson in the Sacrament it self Two or three examples will I here set downe who so list to know more let him reade the liues of the Popes and of the Emperours Of poison died Victor the third in the 1088. yeare which his Subdeacon had cast into the chalice Don Alonso de Cartagena Bishop of Burges in his historie called Anacephaleosis maketh mention hereof William as reporteth Mathew Paris was restored to his Archbishoppricke of Yorke in England and in the same yeare died of poyson which in saying of Masse they cast into the chalice as vpon Anastasius the fourth in the 1146. yeare we haue sayd In the 1314. yeare a Dominican Frier gaue poyson in the sacrament to the Emperor Henry 7. countie of Lucemburg as we haue declared vppon Clement the 5. The history is worrthy to be read It noteth the great impietie and treason of the Frier and the great patience of the Emperour after he perceiued himselfe to be poysoned praying the Frier to flie least his Almaines should kill him saying Vade Domine depart Lord c. Pero Mexia maketh mention of this in the life which he wrote of Henrie the seuenth But as a man ouer passionate for his Antichrist and for his breaden God wold not beleeue it whose words are these Henrie the seuenth died the day of the Assumption of our Lady hauing that day receiued the body of our Lord Iesus Christ wherein were giuen him write some certaine hearbes by a Monke of Saint Dominickes order 〈◊〉 that of them the same day he died Which is a thing so wicked that of no Christian it ought to bee beleeued how much more of a religious man Thus farre Pero Mexia But the punishment executed vppon the Dominicke Friers and their Monasteries in Tuscan and Lombardie sheweth that which is sayd to bee true Raphael Volateranus lib. Geograph 5. speaking of Sixtus the fourth saith these wordes The chiefe Bishop vnderstanding it and ayding the Conspirators they came to Florence and all met together in the Church of S. Raparada at the time of the Masse and of the sacrifice Saluiatus with his followers which were secretly armed in the meane time departed the Temple and faining other businesse went to the pallace to conferre with Alferez but with intent that the slaughter begun in the Temple he might there be ready ioyntly with the Magistrate to assault the pallace So that hauing giuen a signe at the eleuation of the Host note the reuerence and respect that the Pope and his haue of their God At the lifting vp saith he of the Host Bandino passed from part to part to Iulian de Medices brother of Lorenço Antonio who required to be the first rushed by treason vpon Lorenço and a little below the throate did wound him As he at the crie turned backe his face he escaped the blow the other willing to second his blow he hastily retired to the Clearke of the Church which was neare vnto him Then the Legate of the Pope who had giuen the signe of murder at the eleuation of the Host was taken by the citizens and carried from the Church and being put in prison was handled as his dignity required In the meane time Saluiatus bishop of Pisa who by his industrie prolonged the conference with Alferez to see the end of the businesse was then taken and at a windowe of the pallace the same day hanged The Pope at this newes excommunicateth Lorenço de Medices who say we escaped by flight for laying his hands vpon the Priests of God and vpon the Legate and proclaimeth open warre against the Florentines By this historie and others such like shalt thou see ô Spaine the account estimation that the Pope his Legate and their priestly order do make of their consecrated Host which they sell vnto thee for God and thou beleeuest it See we also the account that the diuell himselfe maketh of it Speaking of Syluester 2. who much profited in Nigromancy whiles he liued with the Moore at Seuill we said that he much desired to know how long he should be Pope which thing he demāded of the diuel The diuel made him answer that he should not die vntil he should say Masse in Ierusalem But the diuel
nor his Apostles who in all simplicitie did celebrate the holy supper The wisdome of the flesh being enemy to God hath brought them into the Church to make vs forget the memorie of the benefite of Christs death and passion Moreouer we wil cite certaine histories by which the Christian Reader shall clearely see what account the Pope and his Cleargie make of their Sacrament of the Altar which they affirme to be God Gregory 7. for that he demanded a reuelation of the Host against the Emperour and had no answer cast it into the fire burned it Victor 3. died of poyson which his subdeacon in saying of Masse put into the chalice A Dominicke Friar gaue poyson in the Sacrament to the Emperour Henry 7. Sixtus 4. commanded that at the time of the eleuation the-murder should begin and so it was performed at Florence A certaine Inquisitor at Barcelona called Molon clipped the Host with a paire of sheers Foure Augustine Friars which were hanged at Seuill said Masse without any intention of consecration The same haue many other Priests done also and so by their owne Cannons haue caused all that heard their Masse to commit idolatrie That being as it is true which we haue said and proued of the Masse with very iust title and good and sound conscience do we detest it as a prophanatiō of the holy supper of the Lord There is then no cause why any shuld condemne vs for sedicious heretikes or schismatikes if abhorring the Masse flying the same we follow and imbrace the holy supper which Iesus Christ iustituted his Apostles and our forefathers for the space of a thousand yeares celebrated Would God for that onely sacrifice sake which his sonne our high and onely Priest offered vnto him that all our Spaniards would know as other nations do already know what the Pope is what things are his Buls which be nought els but mockeries which he maketh of vs what is his authoritie which is nought els but vanitie wherewith he hath many yeares deceiued vs that they would know that when the Pope curseth vs then God doth blesse vs would God they would know the holinesse of the masse to be diuelishnesse seeing it is a prophanation of the holy Supper of the Lord. Very hard will it be for them I know well to do this because they haue bene borne brought vp growne old in the contrary But if the holy spirit giue them grace to reade compare conferre cōfront that which we haue sayd in these two Treatises with the holy Scripture which is the word of God very easie it shall be vnto them wherby euery faithfull and catholike Christian in particular and the whole Church in generall ought to be ruled gouerned Our Spaniards in this should imitate those of Berea who as saith S. Luke in his history of the Acts of the Apostles searched the Scriptures to know if that which Paul preached were the word of God or no. If that wee haue said be the word of God no time no custome how ancient soeuer ought to preuaile against it And if for our sins lies falshood and error haue for a little or long time oppressed and darkened the truth the errour ought to giue place as maugre the same it shall giue and so truth iure Postliminij as say the lawes shall reenter his possession And albeit an olde custome is very hardly left yet none ought to preferre such custome to reason and truth do euer exclude and expell custome Therefore when with reason and truth for reason and truth we constraine and conuince our aduersaries In vaine do they oppose ancient custome vnto vs saying in this were our forefathers brought vp in this did they die In this were wee borne and brought vp in this then will we die As if custome were greater then the truth This is euen like the saying of another A Moore was my father a Moore also will I be hauing no other reason to giue but custome Custome without truth is an olde errour and errour the elder the more dangerous it is Therefore leauing as saith Saint Cyprian in his epistle ad Pompeium errour let vs follow the truth knowing as saith Esdras Truth ouercommeth as it is written Truth doth shall euer preuaile and liue and raigne eternally And then saith the same S. Cyprian Blessed be the God of truth The which truth Christ shewing in his Gospell vnto vs saith I am the Truth wherefore if we be in Christ and haue Christ in vs if we abide in the truth and the truth abide in vs. Let vs hold that which is the truth And a little lower If the truth in any thing shall stagger or seeme doubtfull meete it is that we runne backe to the originall which the Lord ordained and to the Euangelicall and Apostolicall instruction and thence ariseth the reason of that which wee doe from whence the order and originall was raised And as he himselfe in another place saith What men haue formerly done ought wee not to looke but to that which Christ who is the first of all hath done The holy Scripture is the most certaine and infallible rule and squire whereby all our actions ought to be ruled and squired as witnesse these places which we will alleage and manie others Dauid Psal 119. vers 105. sayth Thy word is a lanterne to my feete and a light vnto my pathes Esay chap. 8. and 20. we are commanded to repaire to the Law and to the testimonies and sayth that they which do not so it is because there is no light in them It is because they be in darkenesse it is because they are blind and as blind men goe groping Saint Peter speaking of the word or doctrine of the Prophets saith Whereunto yee shall doe well to giue eare as to a candle burning in an obscure place c. The holy Scripitures doe teach vs that Iesus Christ is our high and onelie Priest It teacheth vs that hee once offered vp himselfe with which sacrifice being of infinite vertue he sanctifieth vs for euer And teacheth vs that there is no other sacrifice nor was nor shal be but this alone by which remission of sinnes is obtained it teacheth vs that whosoeuer shall offer another sacrifice be sides this or reiterate this doth most great iniurie to Christ As though his sacrifice which was Christ himselfe were insufficient It teacheth vs that Iesus Christ ordained his holy supper which he commandeth vs to celebrat in remembrance of that sacrifice which he one only time offered to the father all this in generall and euery thing in particuler by the grace of God to him be the glory haue we sufficiently proued This is the trueth for it is the word of God This then we beleeue his Maiestie graunt vs grace not onely with the heart to beleeue this which he in his holy Gospell he hath reuealed vnto vs but also strength and constancie with the mouth to confesse it and
the Monasterie and caused the said Prioresse to be brought before them And demaunding of her how that businesse passed she said that the truth was because men should esteeme her holie shee had painted the woundes on her handes and that ordinarily shee so did And that that of the side shee had onely done thrise with a knife which shee had in her combe boxe Once when she published that the sayd wounds were made Another time at a visitation made by the Prouinciall of their order the last this which now is done being like vnto the scratch of a pen. And that the Crowne of thornes vppon her head she made pricking herselfe with a knife and making the bloud to issue forth and that this she had done sixe or seuen times Being demaunded how shee imprinted in the clothes the fiue droppes of bloud which were sayd shee of the wound in the syde She answered that she carefully tooke certaine holland clothes and painted them with bloud and when they gaue her some to touch the wound which she fayned in her syde shee cutte them before those which gaue them in such sort that they were like vnto those which shee had and put them vppon her breast and drawe fourth and gaue them those which shee had painted Being demaunded when the Moore captaine of them resident in this Citie of Lisbon and had bene viceroye of Biquinos came to see her how printed shee the wounds in the little cloth which she gaue him She answered Because she saw that the Moore did mark her shee drewe a little the curtaine of the lettife window faining that for shame hee should not see her putting the cloth vppon her breast shee tooke out of her combe boxe a knife and so pticked her finger that it bled and painted therewith the same cloth and afterwardes put it vppon the breast and beganne to straine the same before them all and drewe it out imprinted with bloud and all beleeued it was the bloud of her side being demaunded how shee had put those droppes of bloud vppon the rotchet of â—he Popes Collector Shee answered That the Collector perswading her to put some bloud of her woundes vppon the said rotchet at such time as shee chaunced to haue a blister on her hand shee tooke it away in such sort that the bloud issued and therewith rubbed she her hand in the rotchet and it remayned died with bloud Being demaunded how shee lift vp her selfe And how the Nunnes sawe her many times to shine in her Cell Shee answered that shee kindled in a chasing dish a fire with small light and put before it a lookeing glasse and that the light stroke vppon the glasse and the reflection of the glasse glimpsed in her face And that shee should seeme to haue beene lifted vp she put her feete vpon Chapins or womens shoes other times vpon timber which she had purposely prouided whereupon she so sate that shee seemed to be lifted vp into the aire demaunded that being in mortall sinne how she dared euery day to communicate She answered She euer trusted that our Lord would draw her in time to repentance and hereof shee craued mercie of the foresayd Lordes This notwithstanding they proceeded to take further information wherein the Nunnes declared that she being one day in the Chapter was lifted vp and a place made by her side as though some man should sit there Demaunding of her for what purpose she did that she sayd See ye not that our father Saint Dominicke came thither and there sitteth And many other things which to auoyd tediousnesse I omit The foresaid processe seene by the foresaid Lords and the offences which thereof redounded against the Prioresse the sixt of the instant moneth of December in the 1588 yeare they pronounced sentence against her in the Monastery of the mother of God of the order of Saint Francis in this citie from whence they commaunded to carrie her and in her presence was published and read the sentence which we will now declare And afterwards the 8. of the sayd moneth in the pulpit of the great Church of this citie at the time of the great Masse with an high and audible voyce was published Wherby they declared that through only zeale that men should deeme her holy all that to be and haue bene fained And for that shee had not dealt with nor inuocated the diuell they adiudged her to perpetuall imprisonment And that in fiue yeares she might not be confessed nor communicate except in case of necessitie and three feasts in the yeare and in the Iubilee and that she should neither beare vaile nor habit nor haue any actiue or passiue voyce in the Chapter nor bee elected to any office And that for fiue yeares she should eate vpon the ground and that the fragments remaining might not to any no not to the poore be giuen but burned and that when they were to go forth of the dyning place she should lie prostrate on the earth that all the Nunnes might passe ouer her and that on wednesdayes and frydayes they should giue her discipline whiles the psalme of Miserere mei last And that shee should bee carried forth of the citie to a Monasterie of the same order 25 leagues vpwards the riuer Teiâ— where shee should bee included in a cell and not go out of the cell but at the Masse-time and Cannonicall houres and that she might talke with no Nunne one excepted which the Prioresse of that Monasterie should appoint her and that she should be instructed in the faith And that her picture vpon the wall of the Annunciada should be blotted out that no after signe remaine there euer to haue bene and that the small clothes with the fiue wounds other her things shold be carried to the Inquisitors where they should be and otherwise to the Prouisor or curate of the parish who was to appoint what should be done with them Now to aduise all those that truely desire to serue Christ of whose name they are called Christians and will liue according to his holy Gospell and law and not according to that which men haue inuented to liue in pleasure Some notes and considerations will I here make of that which hath bene sayd vpon the life and sentence of this holy Nunne First as touching the ten instructions drawne by Lusignan out of the Letters missiue It were good to shew how false they be all in general and euery one in particular For not vpon the word of God but vpon dreames false miracles illusions of the diuell imaginations of a cursed hypocrite which fained her selfe to be no lesse then Christ haue they any foundation But seeing our aduersaries by publike sentence haue condemned all that contained in the Letters concerning the holinesse and miracles of this Nunne to be false fained and hypocritically done I will not paine my selfe to proue their falshood Onely I will tell them that when they will proue their new articles of faith they seeke