or reade beside their owne Surely the Romishe cleargies ignoraunce was such that within these fiftie yeares as common reporte is they sayd in the vniuersitie scholes when gréeke wordes hapned to hand It is Gréeke and can not be read And what Latin they did vnderstand write or speake it is to common nowe to minde And yet were they proude in this their ignoraunce But I may not let passe to remember what gréeuous and haynous Heretiques they were counted that did read much more that expounded or talked of the scriptures in their mothers tong Wherefore sithens they were wholly vnséene in all good letters language and learning as wel shéepe as shepheard it is no maruell though they fell into error no more than if blinde guides or wanderers in the dark shuld do into the pit For whereas none can giue good counsell the citie decayeth as it did in the dayes of Roboā the sonne of Salomon who asking coūsel at the mouthes of the vnskilful by folowing the same peruerted the common wealth made scisme in the church of Israel And if after those dayes it happē Elias or any other of the Prophets to speake the truth in the folish eares of that ignorant and peruerted people then the husbandman with his forke who is winged as thou séest is redy at hand to strike Ah alas what a pitiful muster is now before my eyes of those whome that subtil serpent as touching the body hath slayn and as a raging tirant iniuriously murthered supposing to set forwarde his tillage by bloudshead as by Iudas he beganne But Iesus Christ our Lord hath set their soules with him on high out of whose ashes many rise in this our age to fight against this trée wherof the ouerthrow is at hand which God for Iesus sake hasten Amen Of the toppe of the Tree AS the loue of God toward vs or his displesure for our sinnes hath alwayes bene pronounced by vocall meanes in his Church so hath he likewise through all ages almost preached the same in certayne examples or paternes His loue by mercyfull his wrath and horrible displeasure by meanes right terrible Yea when we are eyther so deafe that we care not to heare or that our eares are so tender that they list not abide the breath of truth for amendment then pleaseth it him to preach to our enimies y t those that cannot also heare for wāt of true teachers may anticipate and go before them that can and list not heare in amendment and in repentance of life And as the same examples are after diuers sundry sortes manifested so likewise the table or matter wherein he depainteth or carueth out the same is not alwayes one Sometimes it is in the Skie as Constantine the gret viewed some say in heauen the shape of a Crosse a signe and sermon of Gods kindenesse ensuing So armies fighting and such like haue bene doctrines of his dreadful displeasure Sometime it is in the earth and frutes as well of the ground as also of creatures wombes which being deliuered in their right shape and forme are tokens of his louing kindenesse towards vs continued But otherwise being monstrous eyther in hauing more limmes than néede requireth or wanting to satisfie the néede of nature or else hauing all be notwithstanding misseformed in fashion or colour yea or mysseplaced are after their maner eyther signes to vs oute alas of hys anger or lessons of our blindenesse and to vs often times of both As our ruffed pigs and calues haue here in England of late dayes I feare me bene of both to vs. For al be it that the tokens that God oftentimes doth shewe from heauen to the earth are nowe then truely expounded for the vse and common case of all y e world yet is it not but to be construed as a common rule that the monsters of England concern properly that land As those of other realmes do the people of y e proper soyle which is speciall to them But bycause that heauen is the common goale or base appoynted for vs all These therein shewed doe circumstaunces considered concerne so many as thinke to attayne and get that same And it is an opinion no lesse probable than common that the huge monsters breadde in the intralles and depthes of the maine seas as long as they containe themselues in the same are not any speciall preachings to any one countrey bycause the high seas are in Nullius bonis appertayne to no man or countrey properly But if that they remoue thence and are cast vp or ariue in créekes shoares or riuers of any countrey then by common assent they abode or preach to their hostes something God tourne it to good Vpon consideration wherof I haue placed in the vppermost toppe of the trée this vglie shape A thing wherin the horrible confusion of Rome is sufficiently and properly preached and cōtayned in a little sūme euen as the floure frute or séede doth in a very small bulke or codde comprise the vertue of the roote stock and braunches being many ROME the mother of the world is scituate in Italie through the same there runneth a famous riuer called Tybre vpon the which there was in the yere of our Lord .1496 found this horrible monster the shape whereof is thus The head and mane of an Asse The body throughout is scaled excepte the breastes belly and wombe and those are the partes of a woman The right hand is the foote of an Elephant the left is the hand of a man From the buttocks there issueth a Dragons tayle and at the ende thereof a Dragons heade Vpon the one hippe there is an olde mans face The right foote is the foote of an Oxe and the left is of an Eagle or of a Gryphon But for as much as it hath pleased God to carue and shape the same amongest the entiere lompe and heape of nature onely out of and from the territorie of Italie and of all other parts from the chiefest part thereof And to fashion that various and diuers monstrousnesse into one body It can not but be confessed that it doth appertayne both onely to Rome and also signifieth a body politique risen in that cuntrey to a maruellous and most horrible confusenesse The kingdomes of the Medes Persians and Macedons c. is by the holy ghost foreshewed to Daniell in the shape of bodies naturall And it standeth also with the maner of Paules speach to call the Churche by the name of a body Vnum corpus sumus We are all one body sayth he speaking of euery Christian in the Church So in the Apocalips of S. Iohn the holy ghost also foresheweth Antichrist the eldest sonne of the Diuel sometime by a woman And his kingdome by a beast of many heades And sometime by a Cat of the mountayne rising out of the seas And in that this monster is the body of a woman whose ende natural is to beare children it
muste surely preach vnto vs that Church so deformed For the Church of Christ also is figured by Esay and Iohn in the person of a woman bicause of the birth and regeneration wherein the children of God are dayly borne a newe in Christ euen as the natural sonnes of Adam are dayly misseshapened in the church of Antichrist into the societie of the mysticall body of sinne and perdition The Heade is oftentimes taken in the scriptures for the Magistrate or chiefe Soueraigne Then whō or what people an Asses head signifieth in this place thou mayst gentle Reader easily iudge Nature teacheth vs that out of an Asses hed there procedeth but Asselike instruction that is doctrine worldly carnall foolish slouthfull wanton and gentyle As the Scriptures doe accorde therto so the same we finde in the Church of Rome as the thinges before specified declare The Scriptures vse this worde Ceruix which is the Necke for pride and stubbournesse which therfore in this monster signifieth the proude and stubbourne mindes that they in their blinde errors haue against the truth and very seruice of God The Scales wherwith the body is couered signifieth their friendes and Alies of the worlde ayding and succouring the same For in Iob we may sée the same sense The sea is the worlde as the Apocalips declareth And then consequently the fyshes the people and the Scales are their defence that they haue and vse So that thereby the Pope and his members are signified to be defended and succoured of the worlde after the maner of the same The Breastes Stomacke and Bellie signifie the Cardinals Priestes and religious rablement And the reason is bicause these partes are dearest finest and most necessarie of and to the body and to y e frute that cōmeth of the same So is their learned cleargie instructers and féeders of their blinde scholers figured therein And the two breastes are the works of Lombard and Gratian whence they drawe their diuers nouriture and foode Also it betokeneth thë volupteousnesse that they are in and vse euen past honest and ciuill shamefastnesse for the same was found as naked from couering as they whome it signifieth are voyde of grace Ready to be vsed of the whole world The right hande is as beforesayde the foote of an Elephant This beast is very huge cruel of might and courage strong And therefore the auncient warriours vsed them in the fielde agaynst their enimies to breake both the frontes and ranges of the valiant souldiors set in the vauntwardes of their Phalanxes or Squars of pietons or footemen And bycause of his strength they vsed to place vpon him more men than one in seates builte for the purpose And though he was very slowe of pace yet he did not easily w tdrawe himselfe from the ground that he once had gained no though he were withstode or assaulted by great force Neyther was he pliant in his legges bycause he wanted ioyntes therein and therfore could not be taught to bowe as mules horses such creatures are wherby also his legges are the stronger and the sturdier And the hande in Scripture signifieth mens déedes and outward life As Pilate washed his hands to declare and dissimule the innocencie of his déede So Dauid sayth to the Thecknick Nunquid manus Ioab tecum is not the hand of Ioab with thée which is the work or déede And the same interpretation might I proue by the like authorities out of both Testamētes so that the hande must signifie the déedes of that mysticall body politique being mighty cruel sturdy stubborne presuming vpon winning conquering all men not easily yelding ouer the aduauntage gotten And in that that it is the right hande it muste signifie their cleargie and Canons For as the right hande is most worthiest in his place so it is also the hande wherewith a man doth most nimbly strongly readily most accustomably doth his worke purpose But whether their decrées haue bene the same and done the like it may easily appeare to him that calleth to minde the horrible cole curses of bel boke and candle which the consciences not all only of séely men but euen the imperial thrones and crownes of Emperours haue trembled and quaked at for feare neyther could their puissance resist the assault of that Eliphants foote nor yet recouer the damages done thereby vntill this day This right hand is their spiritualtie and grieuous missegouernemente of their cleargie which is more excellent than the left hand for that is their ciuil power soueraigntie and might ouer and by the Laytie And if thou aduise thée wel y u shalt gentle reader assure thy self that some mysterie is in this That God hath placed the mans hande vpon the left syde and spoyled the right syde thereof Vndoubtedly to declare by a mans lefte hand a lefte faythgiuer promise breaker and dissembler For he with whome the Pope hath kept touch or assurance hath eyther bene to sharp or to hote for him Yea and the light breaking of his promises hath ben a doctrine authoritie and example for subiects to doe the like to their soueraignes and princes The Right foote is the foote of an oxe or such like And it hath his diuers signification For the foote is y e basest and least honoured of the members of the body Secōdly it is such as is subiect to al the powers motions of the minde other partes of the whole man is as I may say the page or groome Thirdly it is the membre that stayeth and whereon the whole man doth stande wherefore in this body politique it must for the basenesse and inferioritie for the subiection to the superiours and for the sustayning and holding vp of others the worthier partes signifie in the righte foote the basest sorte of the spiritualtie and in y e lefte the basest sorte of their laitie For Ieremie doth meane by the foote the baser or weaker sorte of men But of what maner or qualitie this their rablement of subiectes both ecclesiasticall and lay are the sundry kindes of féete doe declare The Oxe foote doth signifie their simple and doting Portifarie priestes Charterers Soulemongers and such like their Nuns Sisters Anchoresses and the reste Pardone preachers Ghostly fathers Decretaries and Summistes with an infinite rablement of Idiotes For by an Oxe is signified the blockishnesse of fooles and dullerds such as they are which in that kingdome do giue and occupie themselues in their contemplation and amaze thēselues in the milne of their inextricable subtilties and tiersome quiddities The Left foote which signifieth their laie subiects is the foote of a Griphon The former parte of which beast is an Eagle the hinder an Oxe this is one of the fore féete of the Gryphon wherewith he seazeth vpon his praie as the Eagle doth and signifieth those that in that body politique giue themselues to the life actiue and are gatherers rakers
400. Lib. 4. dist 12. q. 1. Fol. 171. Lib. 2. fol. 333. Fol. 24. b. Fol. 102. Fol. 284. Fol. 27. 70. Fol. 53. Fol. 29. Fol. 165. Fol. 333. Fol. 228. Fol. 89. Part. 3. q. 75. Part. 3. q. 80. art 3. Ibi. 81. art 2. Super Mathe. sermone de Sacramento fidel Feria secunda Pasch Fol. 136. Glos super c. Qui bene non custodiuÌ„t De Consec dist 2. Fol. 75. Fol. 64.65 Fol. 59. All papistes fooles quoth winchester Part. 3. q. 79. ar 5. Fol. 92. Fol. 24.148.164 Fol. 4.37 Fol. 431. Fol. 436. Folio 437. Fol. 92. Dist 32. c Praeter hoc Parag Ad hoc Fol. 432. Part. 3. q. 79. art 3.4 Fol. 145. b. Fol. 202.272 Fol. 176. Nicepho li. 18. c. vlt. Ibi. c. 5.2 Ib. c. eod Their doctrin Lib. 18. c. 53. Lib. 18. c. 53. Apoc. 1.6 Haer. 57. Lib 3. to 2. Haer. 80. Lib. 4. c. 11. Volat. 21. Volat. ibid. Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 2. That is reconing euery Flor. but at 4. sbil 8000. pouÌ„des the yeare Metr Krantz Lib. 8. c. 4. Volat. ibid. Sabel Aene. 9. Lib. 1. Volat. Lib. 21. He vsed to ride in his life time Polydo de Iâ— Lib. 7. c. 2. Sabelli En. 9. Lib. 2. Volat. li. 21. Volat. 22. Polydo de Ins. Lib. 7. c. 2. Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 3. Metrop Lib. 7. c. 50. Volat. Lib. 21. Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 2. Pla. Aemil. 5. Pol. Lib. 7. c. 3. Krantz Metrop lib. 5. c. 19 25. Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 2. Krantz Lib. 5 c. 19. In vita Bernhards Polyd. li. 7. c. 5 Volat. Lib. 22. Tyr. Li. 12. c. 7. Tyr. Li. 14. c. 4 Volat. Pol. Lib. 7. c. 3. Sabelii En. 9. Volat. Lib. 21. Polido de In. Lib. 7. c. 3. Volat. Volat. 21. libre Too many names for true men Sa. En. 9. li. 9. In Phil. Pol. de In. li. 6 c. 14. Volat. Pol. de In. li. 7 c. 21. Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 4. Plat. Aen. 9. Li. 6. Volat. 21. Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 4. Sabelli En. 9. Lib. 7. Polido de In. Lib. 7. c. 4. Plati in vita Celest. Plat. Volat. Sabel Polydo de In. Lib. 7. c. 4. Vol. Sab. Pol. de In. li. 7. c. 4. Apostoliques vt supra Volat. Blondus Plat. Pol. de In. li. 7 c. 2. Volat. Pol de In. li. 7. c. 5. A Rowte of Religions Harmonie of the Popes Regulars vi de rel do 4 Religionum glo ibid. Apoc. 9. In Ep. de Mo. Sacerdote c. fin 92. Dist. et c. 13. de voto The discorde of coÌ„mon seruice Gl. in Cle. de celeb Miss Henr. Gan. in quo alibet Clauasius in summa Pet. de Pal. in 4. dist 15. Clauasius in summa Pol de In. Lib. 6. c. 2. Sup. 4. dist 16. q. 4. prop. 1. A falshode 2. Thess 3. Biel ibidem Franc. Lamb. Auinioniens c. 1. Lib. 6. de verborum sig c. Exiuit Volat. Lib. 21. 4. exiuit The Franciscanes must preach What. They must possesse little Math. 4. Hagg. 1. Haer. 25. Epiph. lib. 2. to 1. Haer. 47. Aug. ibidem De. In. li. 7. c. 2. Tatianisme Irenaeus lib. 1. c. 24. Li. Conformitatum Fol. 2. Impress Mediolan Anno. 1510. Fol. 5. Haer. 70. To. 1. tract 21. Et in suÌ„mula Parag. Confes In parte Fab. Lib. 5. c. 14.15.19 In fine Lib. de praesc Her Ioannes Boemus lib. 2. c. 12 Durand Beleth ê‘ totuÌ„ Act. 15. S. Thom. 1.2 q 103. art 4. Nauclerus Gen. 8. Volat. Sigebertus Pol. de In. li. 5. c. 10. Volat. Sigeb In Decret Sigebertus Ex Lib. 3. c. Sane Math. Pal. Dist 24. c. Subdiacon Dist 24. c. Subdiacon Polid. li. 4. c. 9 Tom. 1. Concil Dist 76. c. Ieiunium De Consecr 3. c. Sabba vero Pot. li. 6. c. 4. Ibidem c. 6. IbideÌ„ c. 8. Sigeb Plat. Sab. Pol. de In. li. 6 c. 8. Volat. Ibidem Extravagan Dist 82. Pol. li. 5. c. 4. Plat. Polid. li. 5. c. 6. Libr. 8. c. 1. Plat. Sab. Pol. li. 6. c. vlt. Blondus lib. 9 Diacon lib. 18. Sigeber Sab. Pol. lib. 6. c. 12. Plat. Gratian. Pol. de In. li. 6 c. 12. Volat. Sab. Plat. Sab. Pol. lib. 6. c. 11. Isiodor Volat. Sab. Volat. Volat. Sab. Plat. Pol. lib 5. c. 6. Pol. lib. 6. c. vl Pol. lib. 4. c. 9. 2. q. 7. c. Sicut Pol. lib. 5. c. 3. Sigeb Volat. Tom. 1. Concil Dis 17. c. Synnodum 3. q. 6. c. DuduÌ„ 9. q. 3. Nemo Iudicabit Pol. Lib. 6. c. 2. De Cons dis 1. c. Apostolica Sab. Sigeber In ê“heÌ„ 5. part Pol. lib. 6. c. 11. Plat. Volat. Plat. Isiodor Pol. lib. 6. c. 2. Plat. Sigebertus Greg. lib. 4. Epist c. 88. Pol. li. 8. c. 1. Plat. Volat. Poly lib. 6. c. 13. Plat. Pol. lib. 5. c. 10. Blondus 3. dec 2. Poly 6. c. 2. Poly. 6. c. 12. Tom. 1. Concil Plat. Sab. To. 1. Concil Poli. lib. 8. c. 2. To. 1 tract 30. The authour satisfieth his promis made in the beginning for continuance of the Church 2. Mac. 10. The description The interpretation Daniel 7.8 1. Col. 4. Ioan. 12.13 Esai 49.54 Ioan. 12. Heade Ose 1.1 Sam. 15.1 Cor. 11. Deut. 20. Deut. 22. Mat. 21. Ezech. 13. Necke Iob. 13. Deut. 32. Scales Iob. 41. Apoc. 10.13 Breastes Stomack Bellie Psalme 17. 1. Cor. 6. The right hande â— Mach. 8. Math. 2. Samuel 14. The left hande The right foote Ierem. 12. The left foote Heb. 9. Esai 9.19 Psa 73.90 Esa 17. Apo. 12. Apo. 12. Apo. 19.
he thereby should declare that he starteth not from that purpose and as they call it non conuolat ad vota directè contraria continentiae did not establish himselfe in the state of matrimony which is direct contrary to their Tatian rules and religion as S. Thomas in the authoritie nexte before alleaged sayth If they shall obiect that in the case of the Decretall the woman consented to relinquishe the right and in Montanus doctrine the seperation and vowe is done without any such consent then to answere the same I alleage that the true meaning and interpretation of the same Chapter according to the coÌ„mon opinion of the Doctors is otherwise who alleage it to proue that the party maried may performe his vowe made before copulation And maugre the will of the other wythout y e consent enter into religion as the same D. praepositê° Cardinal declareth thus Distingue post Gemi Car. Quandoque coniuges contraxerunt non tamen est copula consummatuÌ„ tunc alter inuito alio etiam remanente in saeculo potest religionem intrare remanens in saeculo cum alio coÌ„trahere est casus extra de sponss c. Commissum ibidem de conuer coniug c. Ex publico That is distinguished after the opinion of two Doctours Gemi and Card. that sometymes the husbande and wife haue contracted and not vsed copulation then the one may without the others leaue yea though repugning and tarying in the seculer and worldly estate enter into religion And the partie remaining behinde in the seculer estate they cal it the world may marry As a speciall case in the chapter Commissum c. Ex publico declare In y e which allegation appeareth how the same chapter or Decretall Epistle of Alex. is vnderstanded And to make the practise of these Popists more plaine I wil here briefly rehearse the case of the same chapter Ex publico by the sayde Doctours alleaged which is thus The same Alex 3. writeth to the Byshoppe of the Diocesse of Brixien whome he deputeth his delegate in this matter that by a certayne publique instrument it appeareth to him that whereas the Byshop of Verone toke in hande to determine and ende a cause of matrimony depending betwene a certayne man one A. on the one partie a certayne woman one M. on the other partie he by his diffinitiue sentence approued y e matrimonie and therevpon enioyned the woman that she should betake hir to hir husbande and vse hym with all wifelike and mariageable affection The which thing sith she denied to doe she was by the same Byshop excommunicated The which notwithstanding we commaunde thée sayth the Pope albeit she is maried to the same man and yet remayneth as she sayth vntouched of him that if it appeare that he hath not had companie with her and that she will enter into religion taking of hir sufficiente warrantize or suretie that she shall within the terme of two monethes either go to hir husbande or leauing him choose religion then absolue hir from the sentence of excommunication wherein she standeth in such wise that if she wil enter into religioÌ„ they shall restore eche to other the giftes on eyther side giuen receyued c. It is most playne that the Pope Alex. so fauoreth y e vowed life y t although the parties are by god who worketh the consent of the minde coupled togither yet he dare seperate them contrary to the fayth of Christian religion wherein it is plighted and fastened Surely Paul dareth not doe so For he sayth Let not the maried persons defraude ech other vnlesse it be perhaps for a season and that by both their consentes Agayne Vnusquisque ergo in quo vocatus est fratres in hoc maneat apud Deum that is Brethren let euery man abyde before God in that estate of life vnto the which he is called But it is no maruell that this Pope spake so for he had not the spirite that Paule spake by as their diuers behauiour declareth For Paul called to the office of the Apostleship of the Gentiles neyther shouldred with Barnabas Apollo or anie other Contrarywise the L. Alex. shouldred out Victor Pascall Calixte Innocente or foure other by what name so euer the writers name them all called therto by Gods ordinarie meane the Emperour Paule for the quietnesse of the congregatioÌ„ remitteth of his very right Alex. for his honor resisteth Fredericke the Emperour by force of Armes Paule honoureth all estates of Princes and humbleth himself before Agrippa c But Alex. rideth from the Citie of TotiacuÌ„ to Lingerim with Levves the French king Henrie of England wayting vpon foote as his Pages leading hys Horsse by the brydle the one on the right the other on the lefte hande in great pompe and iolitie yea and causeth the Emperour to lye prostrate before his féete But to returne to our purpose it behoued the Pope so to councel and entice al men by right and by wrong to the vowed life bycause that many withstode him as the sayde Byshop of Veron did Also bycause that else he should séeme to condemne the abstayning life in others and restrayne the same in the cleargie in whome he aboue all others alowed the same and compelled those that should receyue orders to enter into Finally then to conclude for as much as Pope Alex teacheth the departure of the man from the womaÌ„ in the c. Commissum the woman from the man in the sayd c. Ex publico when as gladly the man would kepe his wife in the one case and the wife hir husband in the other case and that bycause they will professe themselues a Monke or a Nunne which is an hereticall secte as shall be declared hereafter No indifferent reader can denie but that the Romanistes or Popistes holding his steppes are Montanistes breaking Gods ordinance and dishonoring the Christian fayth wheron the same contracte is plighted Pelagianes THe Heresie of the Maniches was the ground as Hierome wryteth to this which arose of Pelagiê° also called by sirname Brito or Briton for difference sake of Pelagius Tarrentus as Augustin declareth who being a man of a moste hote earnest zeale was first a godly and good Christian promoted to diuers dignities by the Church is in Syria likewise made Monke But afterwardes fell from the Church and became an Archeheretique and began to sowe the séedes of that wéede about the yeare of our Lorde as Prosper sayth .415 But as Martianus sayth 414. in the .5 yeares of Honorius and Theodosius the Emperours raygnes In diuers places in the East in Fraunce Rome and thence he himselfe came into this realme of Englande to eare our lande wyth the same The principall and chiefest aduauncers of this sect to let other passe was Celestius Iulianus as Augustine declareth and are of the same Celestius who is very famous therein called Celestianes
firste rysing is conteyned in the Chapter of Tatians as in their roote of whom they first about the yere of our Lord .175 sprang Their name doth euen at one worde declare what doctrine thou shouldest loke for at their handes They are called Encratites which signifieth abstayners Nec recipiunt sayth Augustine in suorum numerum coniugio vtentem siue marem siue foeminam non vescuntur carnibus easque omnes abhominantur that is They receyue not into their Couent eyther man or woman maried they eate no flesh but detest all kindes thereof With the which doctrine and maner of those Encratites the foresayd Regulars so in euery poynte agréed as they may well graunt that Augustine hath meant of them whatsoeuer he writ as touching the Encratites For the aboue sayde Regulars receyued none to be of their nūber but mariage forswearers do not the Encratites so They also are bound by profession to detest al flesh and doe not the Encratites so These Carthusians vowe neuer to eate flesh euen so all Monkes or the most parte of Benets rule doe Polydorus Virgilius doth giue them a pretie scoffe that eyther the most parte of Monks eating flesh continually agaynst their profession are Heretiques or are continually sick Yea and these holy charterlings are such despisers of Mariage that if a maried woman come within their cloyster it must be washed and clēsed after hir with holy water as by good proufe it hath bene sene But the common prouerbe is wythout all doubt true in them sée sport not sée no iest Carpocratians Anno. 173. ABout the yere of our Lord God 173. in the .xj. yeare of the raigne of Hadrian the Emperour as Theodoretus Eusebius and Nicephorus declare gods Church was assaulted wyth the egre Heretiques Saturninus Basilides and Carpocrates of which latter commeth this secte called Carpocratians whereof I entreate in this Chapter These sectaries were so puffed vp with pride that they as Irenaeus declareth sayd some of them were like to our Sauioure Iesus in obseruing of righteousnesse in knowlege And also that parte of them was more excellent than Peter and Paule The same doctrine doe the Franciscanes teach in these wordes Franciscus ad litteram fecundū Euangelium obseruaunt non transgressus apicem vnum iotam Et solam ipse cum suis habet regulam c. S. Frauncis hath perfourmed the holy Gospell iust with the letter not breaking any one iote or pricke And in another place Omnes virtutes sanctorum tam vaeteris quam noui testamenti in Francisco posita sunt vnitiuè coniunctiuè that is Al the vertues of the holy fathers especified both in the olde and newe testament are all wholly togyther in S. Francis Also in the .8 leafe he sayth Franciscus similis Adae Abel Enos Enoch Noe Abrahae Isaac Iacob Ioseph Mosy Aaron Phinees Iosua Iob Samsoni Iephite Gedeoni Samueli Eliae Elizeo Ionadab Esaiae Ieremiae Iob Thobiae Ezechieli Danieli Micheae Petro Iohanni Baptistae Iohanni Euangelistae Iacobo Bartholomeo Paulo in summa omnibus Sanctis And in many other places thoroweout the whole boke which I omitte Priscillianistes Anno. 382. PRiscilianus of the Countrey of Spaine or as Hierome sayeth of Galatia did beginne his famous faction vnder the raygnes of the Emperours Gratian and Valentinian which was about the yere of oure Lorde God .382 First in Spaine then after in Fraunce They taught that they should not tel nor open the secrets of any man be they neuer so filthie vnrighteous or perillous as Augustine noteth thus Iura periura secretum prodere noli that is Sweare and forsweare the secrete thing forth shewe not and this was percell of their doctrine The selfe same doctrine the Popistes haue in these wordes of Cardinall Caietane Nullatenus licet confessori reuelare peccatum confitentis etiam deliberatam occidendi summi Pontificis voluntatem habentis that is It is not by any meanes lawfull for a ghostly Father to reueale the offence or wicked purpose of his ghostly childe no not if his purpose were stoutely stayed to kyll the Pope himselfe The practize of their Church doctrine is partly touched by Fabian entreating of the death of King Iohn But very largely and truely set out by the no lesse learned than painefull brother M. Fox in his Actes and Monumentes of Martyrs For when as a Monke of Svvinsted in Lincolneshiere called Simon the sonne of Simon Magus hadde determined to poyson the foresayd King with wine wherin a Toade had by him pricked vometed by such tormente hir venime and did before hande confesse to his holy Abbot the same his purpose The same Abbot moste trayterously kepte secrete the same from the Prince yea that more is heartened the Monke to the same murther of the Prince and of himselfe first drinking therof to him For which good déede the Monke should haue a perpetuall Masse for his soule But who can loke of such rootes for other frutes Iewish Blastians EVsebius maketh mention of one Blastus who was as by him may be gathered about the yeare of our Lord god 174. a man infected with the Heresie of Valentinian And as Theodoretus witnesseth he was an elder in the Church of Rome Tertulian speaketh of him vnder y e name of Blastrus His mate in this his errour was one Florinus But that which I intend to write of is that which the same Tertulian testifieth Blastus latenter vult Iudaismum introducere c. that is The same Blastus indeuoured himselfe secretely to bring into the Church of Rome y e Ceremonies of the Iewes By the which saying of Tertulian it is to be apperceyued that the Church of Christ counted it Heresie to vse any one of the Leuitical Ceremonies or to conforme hir selfe to the maner and fashion of that Church Of the same minde also y e general councel of Laoditia about .300 and odde yeres after our Sauiour his birth was Yea and the church of Rome was once hir selfe of that minde agaynst the Asians But she stayed not long therein For beholding that hir estate and countenance of religion was in the outwarde glory baser than Iewe and Gentile did shewe hir selfe with a new attire fashioned partly after the Iudaisme whiche she before abhorred and partely after the Gentilitie of the Egyptians Gretians and Romanes The which was not lawefull no not for the Iewes to do For as the Apostles in the holy Synode at Ierusalem did strike oute the Iudaisme which false brethren wold haue brought in among the beleners of the Gentiles so did they also commaunde them to abstaine frō the Ethnisme of their forfathers Whiche notwithstanding this hath the Churche of Rome broken Thus hath she reuolted Thus is the thing lawefull by hir authoritye whiche is otherwise vnlawefull Nam Gentilitatis ritus repudiabatur tanquam omnino illicitus a Deo semper prohibitus Ritus autem Legis cessabat tanquam impletus per