a sainte In the yeare c. 1336. Volat Christ. Massae Pope Sixtus the fourthe made Bonauenture the Grayfryer a saint In the yeare c. 1471. Chron. Chronica Pope Alexander the thyrd made Barnarde the Monke a saint In the yeare c. 1161. Iacobus Meyer Pope Innocent the eyght made Heliopolde sometyme Duke of Austria a Saint In the yeare c. 1484. Chroni Ioannes Stella Pope Innocent the thyrd made Hughe of Lincolne a saint In the yeare c. 1195 Fasciculus Temporum Pope Clement the fourth made Hedwigis sometime Duchesse of Polonia a saint In the yeare c. 1165. Ioannes Laziardus Fasciculus Temporum Ioannes Stella Pope Boniface the nynth made Brigite the Nunne a saint In the yere c. 1379 Ioan. Laziardus Chron. Pope Leo the nynth made Vuolfgange Byshop of Ratisbone a sainte In the yeare c. 1049. Chron. Pope Gregory the seuenth made Iohn Gaulbert the Monk a saint In the yere 1073. Chron. Pope Innocent the second made Hughe the Charterhouse Monke a sainte In the yeare c 113 â–ª Chron. Pope Boniface the eyght made Lewes Kyng of Fraunce a saint In the yere 1290. Ioan. Laziard Chron. Pope Innocent the fourth made Edmunde Archebishop of Cantorburye a saint and Peter de verona the Blackfryer he canonised also for a saint willed hym to be taken for a confessour saint In the yere c. 1242. Sabell Ioan. Stella Ioan. LaZiard Chron. Pope Eugenius the fourth made Nicolas de Toleto an Austen frier a sainte In the yeare c. 1430. Ioan. Stella Chron. Pope Clement the fyfte made Pope Celestine a saint vnder the name of Peter In the yeare c. 1304. Ioan. Laziard Pope Paschalis made Charles y e great a Sainte In the yeare c. 1164. Christi Massaeus Pope Leo the tenthe made Fraunces the Heremite a saint In the yere 1507 â–ª Christ. Massae Pope Alexander the thyrde which I had almost forgotteÌ„ made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Cantorbury a saint In the yeare c. 1161. Plat. D. Barns Pope Alexander sayth the Englishe Festiuall sent letters into England to the Archbishop Stephen and to other Abbottes and Prelates commaunding them to take vp Thomas Beckettes bones and to lay them in a shryne and to set it where it might be worshipped of all Christen people Then the Byshop ordayned a day when y t should be done So ouer euen while they might haue space he toke with hym the Byshop of Salisburye and other monkes and Clerkes many and wente to the place where Thomas had layen fyftye yeres Then they kneled al on y e earth praying to Thomas deuoutly of help Then foure tooke vp the tombe with great dreade and quakyng and there they founde a little writing whiche was thys Here lyeth and resteth Thomas Archebyshop of Cantorburye Primate of Englande and the Popes Legate slayne for the ryghte of holye Churche the fyfte daye of Christmasse Then for greate deuotion that they had of the syghte all cryed Sainte Thomas Saint Thomas And then they toke the head to the Archebyshop to kysse and so they kyssed it al. And then they beheld his woundes and sayd They were vngratious that wounded thee thus And so layde hym in a shryne and couered it with clothe of golde and set torches aboute it brennyng and the people to watche it all nyght Then on the morowe came all the states of thys lande and bare the shryne to the place there as it is nowe with all reuerence and worship that they coulde The author of the festiuall sayeth y t thys Thomas did weare harde hayre next his bodye and a breche of y e same the whiche was so full of vermyn y t it was an horrible syght to see And yet he chaunged but once in fortye dayes The same author also writeth that the aforesayde Thomas Beckette made hys Confessoure euerye Wednisdaye and Fryday to beate him with a rodde vpon his bare body as a childe is beaten in the Schole that is to say on the arsse that he myghte suffer worthye penaunce Ranulphus Cestrensis in his Chronicle writeth that when Thomas Becket was translated Stephen Archbishop of Cantorburye duryng the said solemnitie founde haye and prouender to all men that would aske it in the way betwene London and Cantorbury Also in the day of the Translation he made wyne to runne in pypes continuallye in diuerse places of the Citye and so y e coste that Stephen made in thys solemnitie his fourth successour Bonifacius hardly payed it In Polichron Lib. 7. Cap. 34. Pope Alexander the thyrde ordained y t none shoulde be taken for a saint except he wer fyrst canonised and admitted to be a saint by y e byshop of Romes bull In the yeare 1161. Dec. 3. Tit. 46. Ca Reliquijs Polydor. Pantaleon From the tyme that the Popes began fyrst to canonyse to make saints vnto the reygne of Pope Iohn the .xxii. there are founde to be canonysed fyue thousande fyue hundred fyftye and fyue Saintes y t the Popes haue made as writteth the author of the Chronicle entitled Fasciculus Temporum Isuardus the French Monke diligently searching out the number of saintes found that euery day in the yeare there are moe than CCC Saintes to be serued suche a multitude of newe saintes haue the Popes of Rome brought into the Churche of their owne authoritye whom they haue sainted partly for fauour partly for mony partly of a blind zeale and partly for the satisfying of other mens corrupte affections And these must we take for saints worship pray vnto call vpon make our Intercessours Mediatours and Aduocates and yet know we not for all the popes canonisation whether they be saintes in heauen or deuils in hell It is much to be feared least this common saying be founde true in a greate number of our Popishe saintes The bodies of many are worshipped on earth whose soules are tormented in hell fier Of the Reliques of Saintes POpe Paschalis the firste deuised first of al the glorious setting out to sale of saints Reliques In the yeare c. 820. Fasciâ— Temp. Chron. Germ. Pope Clement the first commaunded that the Reliques of Saints should be reuerently kepte and had in greate honour In y e yeare c. 1300. Clement Lib. 3. Tit. 16. Capi. 1. Volat. Pantal. Pope Gregory y e fourth made a decree y e masse should be sayd ouer the bodyes of the Martyrs In y e yeare c. 831. Pol. Pope Boniface the fifth decreed that such as were but Benet Colet should not touch the Reliques of Saints but they onelye whiche are Subdeacons Deacons and Priestes In the yeare of our Lord. 617. Onuphrius Panuimus â—ac Phil. Bergom Pope Sergius y e first deuised the gorgious shrines of saintes to kepe Reliques in In the yeare c. 684.
Christ. And as immediatlye after the consent of Marye whole Christe was in her wombe so likewise out of hande after the wordes of consecration be pronounced by the priest the bread is turned into the substance of the very body of Christ secoÌ„dly as the blessed virgine after she had brought forth Christe bare hym in her handes and layde him in the cribe and tooke hym vp agayne so likewyse the priest after the consecration lifteth vp Christ and layeth him downe agayne and beareth hym vnto the sicke and handleth him with his handes Thirdly as the blessed virgine was saÌ„ctified in her wombe before she conceaued Christ as it is written The most high hath saÌ„ctified his tabernacle so in like manner the priest receaueth holye orders before he coÌ„secrateth for he could not consecrate excepte he were ordered And therefore a Laye man be he neuer so holye can do nothyng in thys matter althoughe he pronounceth the wordes of consecration Ninthly God hath honored the priestes aboue Aungels yea and somwhat also aboue the dignitie of blessed Mary the virgine First in the dignitie of keping For a priest is bound to kepe many soules as the Byshop is bounde to looke vpon al the diocesse and the Pope the whole worlde and the Curate hys parishe as Bernarde saith O how worthy kepers are they which so carefully watche that they may kepe the soules that are committed vnto them from euerlastyng death But an Aungell hath but one soule committed vnto hym for to kepe as Bernarde testifieth Great is the dignitie of soules that euery one of them euen from the very tyme of their birth shoulde haue an aungel appointed for to kepe them Secondly in taking and touchyng the body of Christ. The angels doe but see God as it is written Their aungels see the face of my Father whiche is in heauen But in this is the priest greater than the AuÌ„gell for he doth but see God but the priest handleth hym yea and eateth him which was neuer giueÌ„ to any Aungell so to do but it sufficeth hym to beholde God Thirdly in consecratyng the bodye of Christe And in this point the priest doth not onely excell the Aungels but also after a certayne manner Marye the Mother of Christ so that the lessest priest on earth is able to do that whiche the greatest Aungell in Heauen can not doe Therfore saith Barnarde O the dignitie of priestes worthy to be had in great reuerence in whose handes as in the wombe of the Virgine the Sonne of God is incarnate Austen also saith In the consecration of the holye host the whole court of Heauen doth seruice to the priest yea and the Lorde of heauen commeth downe vnto him Likewyse saith Ambrose vpoÌ„ Luke Doubt thou not but that Aungels are there preseÌ„t when Christ is present on the altare wheÌ„ he is offered so y t Christ may well say to euery priest y t which is writteÌ„ in Esay What coulde I haue done more for thee haue not done it Furthermore we must know that euerye maÌ„ is bouÌ„d to honour priests seing y e god himself hath so many sundry waies garnished beautified theÌ„ with suche so great honour But contrary to this do all they that dishonour priestes and in this they greuouslye offende God as Henricus de vrimaria writing vpon the fourth commaundement saith Wo be vnto them and euerlasting damnation hangeth ouer their heades that do dishonour priestes speake euill of them diffame backbite them for they crucifie the Sonne of God againe For so often as thou backbitest or â—laundrest a religious person or priest so often dost thou put a crowne of thorne vpon Christes head For they are the head vpper parte of the Churche militante So often as thou doest any displeasure vnto them so often dost thou fasten Christ with nayles to the crosse So often as thou raylest vpon them so often dost thou spit Christ in the face And so often as thou dost euill entreat them and find faulte either in their speaking or doying so often dost y u thrust Christ vnto the hart with a speare God therfore willing to shewe howe greatly he detesteth that synne hath made it euident with that wonderful punishment and vnwonted paine whiche Dathan Abiron and Chore suffered whom the earth dyd swalowe vp quicke bycause they dyd mysuse the Priestes Of these thynges aforesayde it euidentlye appeareth y t priestes euen of dutye ought to bee honoured of all men In sermonibus discipuli Germ. iii. Dom. 14. Post. Festum Trinitatis O ye Priestes which are the buckelars and officers of y e true Salomon that is to saye of Iesus Christ and the chamberlaynes and dispensatoures or stewardes of the mysteryes of God Consider marke diligentlye in what degree and dignitye ye are set ouer all the goodes of the Lorde What could God doe more for the Priestes than to geue them power for to make hymselfe to handle hym to eate hym to geue him to other Therefore remeÌ„ber your selues and consider well y e noble priuilege of your dignitye Althoughe glasse bee made of vyle matter and stuffe yet is it reproued founde to be more clere than golde and siluer so likewise euery priest be he neuer so great and greuous a sinner yet doth he farre excell al other creatures both Kinges and Princes is of greater dignitie than al y e creatures y t are Ye are sayeth S. Peter speakyng to priestes a chosen generation a royall priesthoode an holy nation a wonne people not only of a temporal election but also of an eternall predestination O the worshipful dignitie of priests if ye liue worthily and priestlike within whose handes as in the Virgines wombe the sonne of God is incarnate and made man O heauenly mysterye which y e father and y e sonne and y e holy ghoste doth so maruelouslye worke by you y t in one and in the same moment the same God whiche sitteth ruleth in heauen is a sacrifice in your hands The heauen wondreth at so noble a priuilege the earth marueleth man is greatly astonied hell quaketh for feare the deuell trembleth and shaketh all y t is on hym the Aungelike highnesse is in great admiration What then shall I priest geue agayne vnto the Lorde for all thinges that he hath geuen me As for an example He that hath made me hath geuen me power to make hym yea he that made me without me is made by the meanes of me c. Consider therefore O ye Priestes the maruelous dignitie of your excellencye that God hath not onely ordained you before al other people but he hath also made you passing all other creatures which he hath created vnto the prayse and glorye of his name c. Sauyng y e Aungels reuerence whose number is infinite I say playnly that ye are greater than Aungells and doe farre excell their dignitye largo modo loquendo For to whiche
neither of theÌ„ vnder the kinde of bread dronkeÌ„ or vnder y e kinde of wine eaten although it may seme a matter to be graunted y t the body in drinking and the bloude in eating is receaued Ibidem One the same both theÌ„ now both here there is sacrificed of all He is whole in heauen he is whole on y e altare also He both sitteth on the ryghts hand of the father remaineth vnder the kinde of the sacrament Ibidem These consecrations are made with the signe of the crosse For thorow the vertue of the crosse of the wordes transsubstantiation of the natures of bread and wine is made As water can not be consecrated without wine so likewise caÌ„ not wine with out water be transsubstantiated turned into y e substance of Christes bloud For oute of Christes side flowed both bloud and water Ibidem This is to be noted y e if the wine be frosen in the chalice the priest must so long breath vpon it til it be molten the Vse disolued If it can not be done so let him put fyre vnto it He y t hath communicated if he may conueniently and without hurting of nature he ought to abstayne froÌ„ spitting Notwithstanding after a coÌ„uenient time he may spit so y t he spit there where y e spittle may not be trodeÌ„ vpon For a spirituall maÌ„ iudgeth al things he is iudged of no maÌ„ And al things are cleane to them y t are cleane This is the difference betwene y e sacramentes of the law of the Gospell y t the sacraments of the lawe signified only but the sacraments of the Gospel do both signifye and iustifye Ibidem The sacrament may not be chawed as other meate is but it must be torne with the former teeth and made softe with y e tongue discretly moderatly and softlye y t no percell thereof cleane to y e teeth which paraduenture afterwarde it might chaunce to be cast out by spitting or hemmyng Ibidem It is to be noted y t whosoeuer will receaue the body of Christ he must bee â—asting from al corporall meates For seing y t the soules ar spirituall and immortall they ought fyrste of all to receaue the nourishments of euerlasting life Ibidem The oblations of the Masse bycause of y e excellency of so great a sacrament whiche is made in it is aboue all other prayses and it is a prayse by it self neither is it comprehended vnder the nuÌ„ber of other prayers Durand In. Rat. di off Lib. 5. That blessed Uirgine is the verye Lodestarre For if we which ar in this world wil prayse her worthely she wil lede vs vnto the heauen of saluation The blessed Uirgin also is to be praysed and prayed y t shee will make vs that are colde warme in charitie thorowe the Sonne Christ whome shee brought forth In the church nothyng is to be song or red but y t is canonised autorized approued and expressely set forth or at y e leaste suffered of the holye Churche of Rome So long as we lyue in thys worlde we are set in a slipperye place and are impugned of deuills Therefore haue we alwayes neede of the Suffrages helpes intercessions and meditations of Saintes To eate before the houre of eating before masse bee ended and done in appoynted and necessary fastes the holy Canons doe affyrme y t it is deadly sinne Rat. di off Lib. 6. The crosse whiche is made on oure forehead is our banner wherwith we ouercome the deuill For there is none other signe made but the crosse that in this signe alone y e deuil knowing y t he is ouercome may shake for feare flee Although a simple priest may minister vnctions or annoylinges yet thys annoynting of the children in the forehead wheÌ„ thei be bishopped none may geue but the hie priest y t is to saye the Byshop â–ª For it is redde of the Apostles alone whose vicares the byshops are y t they by the imposition of hands gaue the holy ghost In the confyrmation or bishopping of children the fulnesse of the mysterye of the whole Christen religion is made perfect In baptisme remissioÌ„ of sinnes is geuen by the holy ghost But here y e holy ghost is called vpon to come y t he may vouchesafe to come downe and inhabite y e house which he hath sanctified And the holy ghost is poured vpon y e childe at y e inuocation of y e bishop Therefore sayth Pope Vrban By the imposition or laying on of the byshops hande the holy ghost is geueÌ„ whereby a faythful heart is made wide opeÌ„ to receaue wisedome constancye y t a maÌ„ may be a full and a perfect Christian. The byshop in bishopping children doth two things Fyrst he annoynteth the yong childe in y e forehead Secondly he striketh him on the face The annoynting signifyeth the encrease of grace y t he shuld be bolde to take those things in hand whiche pertayne vnto the fayth He striketh him on the face to put him in remeÌ„braunce y â— he should not from henceforth bee ashamed or afrayde to confesse the name of Christ. As though the Byshop should say to y e person confyrmed Bee so strong valiaunt couragious stoute in the fayth of Christ in the confession of y e same y t whosoeuer shal thus strike thee or any otherwise seke to displease or hurte thee bicause thou confessest the faith of Christ thou notwithstanding be not abashed at all these thinges For they y â— are striken are wonte to be abashed Rat. di off Lib. 6. Among all the saintes the glorious Mother of God Mary y e perpetual Uirgin is the chiefe principal We ought at al times to haue her in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce which without ceasing maketh intercession for vs sinners vnto her Sonne Durand in Rat. di off Lib. 7. There be .iii. degrees of the soules departed some are Valde bonae maruelously good Some ar Valde malae maruelously euill Some are Mediocriter bonae meanely good Now note y t the suffrages which are made in the churches for the dead y t are maruelously good ar thankes geuings For those â—oules y t are perfectlye good when they departe froÌ„ their bodies flye streyghtwaies vnto heauen neither haue they any neede of our helpe For the soules y t are maruelouslye euill there are also done certayn consolations after a sort For our helpes do not profit them bicause their soules go streyghtwayes downe vnto hel For the soules y t ar meanely good which are in purgatory there are expiatorye sacrifices wherwith they maye be releued and holpen For the soules y t are meanely euil whiche are in hell there are also propitiations or mitigations of their paines For after the minde of Austen whom our prayers good dedes profyt either they profytte them y t they may haue full remissioÌ„ of their
from place to place hauyng a banner vpon the crucifixe borne before them and neuer to tarye in one place but on the sondaye Euery day also they dyd penaunce both mornyng and euenyng by scourging themselues before y e people with a great whip of .iii. cordes ful of knots vpon their bare bodies sharp byg nedles being put into the cordes affyrmyng y t it was reueled vnto them by an Angell from heauen that they thus scourging themselues shoulde within .xxx. dayes and .xii. houres thorowe the suffryng of those paynes bee made so cleane and free from synne as they were when they fyrste receaued baptisme In the yeare c. 133. Ioannes Laziardus Mat. Palmer Christ. Mass. These martirs of the Diuell were afterward destroyed by Phlilip kyng of Fraunce Like vnto these aforesaid is there at Rome and in other places of Italye a sect which so are called Flagellatores or scourgers The true brethren of this order go barefoote and beat themselues vppon the bare skin till the bloud followeth They go in long white linnen shirtes hauing an hole on the backe and are open vppon the bare skinne Thereupon they doe beate themselues with scourges â–ª y t are made for the purpose yea and that so long til the bloud doth ruÌ„ out bothe ouer their shoulders and also downe to their feete These be admitted of the bishop of Rome as peniteÌ„tiaries They go barefoted in procession two and two together on good Friday when the passion is preached The white linnen garmeÌ„t which they vse hath an hood sowed vnto it which they drawe ouer their heades when they wil not be sene This commeth ouer their faces and it hath holes like a visar where thorow they both see and draw their breath Suche as force not whether they are sene or not or haue not breath inough they drawe downe the coule froÌ„ their heads and so scourge themselues openly Greate men also and diuers other citizens vse this fantasy with them also but specially vpoÌ„ good Friday which of great inwarde deuotion disguise themselues also as the aforesaide so that some time .iii. or iiii hundreth are seene of them in one procession But the noble men and citizens go for the most parte vpon slippers the shirtes put on aboue their hoses and haue a scourge in theyr handes wherwith some strike themselues â—ome weare it only betwene theyr armes This do they that they maye bee pertakers of their pardon do penauÌ„ce for their sinnes and come to Gods fauour Lib. Germ. Of the order of the starred Monkes POpe Clement the sixte bearing rule Iohn king of Fraunce son of Phillip the Frenche king inuented the secte order of those monks which in latin are called Stellati whose maner is alway to weare a star vpon their brest signifieÌ„g hereby that there is nothing in them but the light of perfection and the cleare shining of good workes yea that they themselues are the lighte of the world according to this sayeng of Christ vos estis lux mundi Ye are y e light of the world Item that they shall rise agayne at the laste day all shining and glisteryng as the most cleare and pleasaunt starres according as it is writteÌ„ by the Prophete They that haue instructed and taught other shal shine as the glisteryng of the firmament they that inform many vnto righteousnesse shall be as the starres worlde without ende In the yeare of our Lorde 1336. Christ. Mass. Lib. Germ. Of the order of the Gerardians POpe Boniface y e ninth reigning a certain maÌ„ called Gerardus being of greate learning of vertuous conuersation ordayned a certain fraternitie or brotherhode of learned godly meÌ„ to teach scholers and to bring vp youth onely in good letters but also in good maners that by this means there might be learned men alwaye in store apte to beare rule in the church of Christ also to gouerne the common weale according to the prescript and rule of gods doctrine Thys Gerardus beyng but a Deacon preached the word of God both purely and feruently And when he was moued by his frendes to be a priest he alwais answered that he was vnworthy to haue such an high office He was wont ofteÌ„times to say that he would not haue y e cure of soules not so muche as by the space of one nighte for all the golde of Arabie In the yeare c. 3379. Chron. Christ. Mass. Of the order of the Iesuites POpe Vrban the fifth greatly alowed the order of the Iesuites and gaue vnto it many great and singuler priueleges commaundyng the Monkes of that order to weare a white kyrtle a russet coule and that they should be called of all men Clerici Apostolici that is to saye the Apostels clearkes This order of the Iesuites was the inuention of Ioannes Columbinus in Sena a city of Hethruria they wer at the beginning no priestes nor consecrated persons but wer men of the lay sorte geuen and addicte willingly and freely to prayer and to labour getting their meat with the trauail of their haÌ„des and with y e sweat of their browes liuing as it were in common after the example of Christ and of his disciples They are called Iesuites bicause the name of Iesus should be often in theyr mouth In the yere c. 1368. Phil. Berg. Libro Germ. Of the order of white dawbed Monkes POpe Boniface bearyng rule the order which is called Ordo de albatorum was inuented by a certayne priest in Italy which preteÌ„ded such a modesty and grauity both in woordes and in countenaunce that euery man toke him for a Sainct The professors of this order were cladde all with long white lynnen clothes euen down to the ground hauyng coules vpon theyr heads lyke vnto other Monkes The chief point of their profession was to lament the state of mankind to bewaile the sinnes of the people and to pray for a redresse of y e same at gods hand They neuer wente abroade but they had a crosse with the image of the crucifyx borne before theÌ„ which crosse y e Lucenses kepe at this day with great reuerence as a moste precious relique and daily make vowes offer diuers giftes vnto it But Pope Boniface aforesayd conceauyng that they should do no good to hys honourable estate if they continued forasmuch as they all appeared before men righteous good and Godly and the Pope with hys coÌ„plices most wicked euel and vngodly caused the author of thys order as a seditious person to be beheaded at Viterbium Some say that he was brent as a superstitious hipocrite and attaynted of some heresye In the yeare of oure Lorde .1400 Lib. Germ. Philip. Bergom Polid. c. But why do I trauayle to set forthe the number of these Monkyshe orders seeing they be almoste innumerable and a man in a manner maye assone number the sandes of the sea and tell the starres of the firmament as to prescribe a certaine number
prophecie of our Sauiour Christ shall for euer euer abide true Euery plaÌ„t that my heauenly father hath not plaÌ„ted shall be plucked vp by the rootes Of the Massing Priest FOrasmuche as no man hath authoritie and power to consecrat make and offer the body and bloud of Christ as the Papistes teach but he onely whiche is a priest lawfully made and appointed no neither Aungels nor Archaungels neyther blessed Mary nor any Sainct in Heauen Pope Gaius the firste of that name ordayned that he whiche shoulde be a Massemonger or Godmaker that is to saye a prieste shoulde as it were by degrees ascende and come vp vnto the order of priesthoode Therefore he appoynted that suche one as woulde be a priest and saye Masse shoulde fyrst of all be a doorekeper secondelye a Reader thyrdelye an Exorciste or Coniurare fourthlye an Acholute a lyghter and carier of Candles fyftlye a Subdeacon sixtly a Deacon and seueÌ„thly a priest Plat. Polid. c. Pope Calixte the fyrst appoynted y t y e aforesayd orders shuld be geueÌ„ foure times in the yeare y t is to say at y e Embring dayes whereas before they wer geuen only in y e moneth of December so y t whosoeuer wil be a Massing priest must diligently attend vpoÌ„ those times Plat. Valent. Vannius Pope Boniface the fyrst made a decree y t no man shoulde be made a Massyng Prieste before he were thirtye yeres of age Grat. Dist. 78. Cap. Si quis triginta Pope Zacharius the fyrst notwithstaÌ„ding fearyng that Ladye Masse would wante Chaplens and customers dispenseth wyth the former acte and graunted that a man might bee made a Massyng Prieste at the age of .xxv. yeares if necessitye so required Lib. Concâ—l Pope Anicetus ordayned y t the Massing priest should weare no long haire nor bearde but y t he should haue Aures patentes and y t he shuld haue his crown shauen as rounde as a bowle Gratian. Dist. 23. Cap. Prohibere fratres Plat. Pope Leo the fyrst made a decree y t no man that is bonde should be admitted to be a Massemonger Dist. 54. Cap. Episcoporum Nullus Pope Bonifacius the fyrst commaunded y t no banckeroute or endebted person shuld be admitted vnto y e Clergye Plat. Lib. Concil Pope Calixt y e first appointed y t whosoeuer wil take vpon hym the order of a Massing priest must forsweare mariage leade a single lyfe Grat. Dist. 27. Ca. Presbyteres Nauclerus Pope Gregorye the fyrst made a decree y t none y t had bene twice maryed shuld be admitted to be a priest Dist. 33. Cap. Maritum duarum Pope Gelasius the fyrst ordained y t no dismembred person shuld be admitted vnto y e order of priesthode Grat. Dist. 55 Cap. Si euangelica Pope Clement the fyrst appoynted y t the priest after he had sayde Masse should continue fastyng by the space of three houres before he eyther eate or drinke Dist. 2. de consec De tribus Gradibus And Gratianus witnesseth that a priest also ought to come to Masse fasting De cons. Dist. 2 Can. Liquido Item Cap. Sacramenta altaris Of the dignitie and power of the Massing Priest and of the honour that is due vnto hym be he good or bad PRiestes are worthye to be honoured of all men for the dignitie whiche they haue of GOD. For God hath geuen them power to bynde and to loose as it is written Whatsoeuer ye shall bynde vpon earth shall also be bounde in heauen And whatsoeuer ye shall losen vppon earth shal bee losoned also in heauen For a priest after a certaine manner is lyke Mary the Virgine And thys is declared by three thinges Fyrst as the blessed Virgine dyd conceaue Iesus Christ by fyue woordes as is it mentioned in the Gospell of Luke Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum So lykewyse the Prieste maketh the true bodye of Christ by these fyue woordes Hoc est enim corpus meum And as whole Christ immediatly after the consent of Mary was in her wombe so lykewyse immediatly after y e pronunciation of y e wordes of consecration the breade is transsubstaÌ„tiated turned into y e true body of Christ. Secondly as the blessed Virgine after shee had broughte forth Christ dyd beare hym in her handes layde hym in y e maunger so likewyse y e priest after the consecration immediatly lyfteth vp the body of Christ and laieth him down again beareth him handleth him in his hands Thirdly as y e blessed Virgine was saÌ„ctifyed in y e wombe before she conceaued Christ so likewise y e priest receaueth orders is annoynted before he consecrateth For without taking orders he could consecrate nothing and therfore a lay-man although he be neuer so holy can do nothing in this matter although he should pronounce the wordes of consecration In consideration whereof we must know y t the dignitie of priests after a certayne manner doth farre excel the dignitie of Angels For power to make y e body of Christ is geueÌ„ to none of the Angells so that the baseste and moste inferioure prieste in the worlde can doe that whiche the greatest and highest Aungell in heauen can not do Therefore Barnarde sayeth O the worshipfull dignitye of priestes in whose handes the Sonne of God as in the Virgines wombe is incarnate Wherefore Austen sayeth that in the consecration of the holy hoste all the heauenly courte serueth hym that is to say the priest and the Lorde of heauen commeth downe vnto hym Ambrose therefore also sayth writing vpon Luke Doubte thou not but y t the Angels are there present when Christ is present vpon the altare so y t priests are to be honoured aboue all Kinges Princes Knyghtes and men of Nobilitie For a prieste is higher than Kynges more blessed and happye than Aungells beyng the maker of hys maker and therefore he is worthye to bee honoured c. Yea let it be graunted that the priest bee euill yet is he to be honoured for y e dignitye of priesthoode as it is declared in the decrees Priestes although they bee euill yet ought we to honoure them for the sacramentes sake 1. Quaest. 1. Sacramenta c. Sermones Discipuli in Sermon 28. De honore As there are nine quiers or orders of Angells in heauen so like wise ar there nyne dignities of priestes Fyrst Priestes are aboue all Kynges and Princes of the earth as God sayeth by Ieremye I haue set thee thys daye ouer Nations and Kingdomes And this to bee true appeareth thus The dignitye of the prieste is such and so great y t it lyeth in his power to consecrate and make Kinges but all the Kynges of the worlde are not able to make one Priest And for a profe thereof that priestes be greater and of farre more excellencye than Kinges are it is to be noted y t there is no Prince so greate whiche doth not bowe
no meanes admit For sayth he as there ought to be no feast of y e Vnitie no more oughte there to be any feast of the Trinitie In the yeare c. 590. Guilielmus Durandus Pope Vrban the fourth ordained the feast of the Sacramente of the Altare otherwyse called The feaste of Corpus Christi with pardons and indulgences greate plentye to allure the foolyshe and simple people to commit spiritual whoredome with that Sacrament by adoryng and worshipping it as theyre God Maker and Sauioure and willed it to bee kepte holy the Thursdaye after Trinitie Sonday In the yeare c. 1254. Christianus Massaeus Ioan. Stella Polyd. Pantal. The beginning of thys feaste was thys In the countrey of the Leodicenses there was a certayne Recluse or Anckresse called Eua whiche of a vayne foolyshe and superstitious deuotion and loue towarde the Sacramente of the altare as they terme it procured thorowe earneste sute of Pope Vrban the fourthe that the Sacramente of the Altare commonly called Corpus Christi might also haue a feast and holy day being as wel worthye as the Gallowe tree or crosse y t Christ was haÌ„ged on which was alredy celebrated in the Church and y t the same feaste of Corpus Christi myghte with all solemnitye bee kepte holy thorowoute the whole worlde Pope Vrban being an holy and deuoute Father doubte ye not consideryng the greate deuotion earneste zeale and Godlye mynde of thys holy and religious woman accomplyshed foâ—le graciouslye her tender requeste and dyd not onely ordayne that thys feast of Corpus Christi shuld be kept holy but he also graunted plenarye Indulgence and large pardon to so many as eyther do say or heare the seruice belonging to y t feast which Thomas Aquinas the Blacke fryer made Arnoldus Bostius Guili Durand Chron. Before that time there was no such feaste knowen in the church of Christ. But thys is moste certayne that thorowe thys feaste greate Idolatrye and muche spirituall whoredome is daylye coÌ„mitted with the Masse bredde in all those places where the true doctryne of the sacrament is not knowen Pope Innocent y e thyrde sayth Theodorus Bibliander in the Councell Lateranense placed y e fond fansye of Monke Lanfranke concernyng Transubstantiation amonge the articles of the faith of the most high Trinitie In the yeare c. 1215. And bicause nothing should want to the worshippynge of the newe founde God of bread and wine and that the bishop of Rome myght haue his God Mazin as Aaron with the idolatrous Israelites had the goldeÌ„ Calfe in the wildernesse Pope Vrban the fourthe ordayned the feast of Corpus Chrâ—sti with large pardons Concil saâ— dom Of this feast we read in the English festiuall on this maner Good frendes ye shall vnderstand that this day is an highe and solemne feast in holy church and is the feast of Corpus Christi It is the feast of our Lordes owne body the whiche is offered to the highe father in heauen at the altare for the remission of our sinnes for all Christen people y t liue here in perfect loue and charitie for the great succour and helpe in releuing them that bene in paines of Purgatorye there abidyng the mercye of God Ye shall vnderstaÌ„d that this feast was founde by a Pope that was called Vrban the whiche had great grace and deuotion in the holy Sacrament of the altar considering the great nede helpe and succour to mans soule and to the â—urdering of liuing to all Christen people here in this present worlde Therfore he did establishe and ordayne thys present feast to be halowed in the next thursday after the feast of the holy Trinitie For all christen people that will be saued must haue sad beliefe in the holy Sacrament whiche is Gods own body in fourme of breade made by the vertue of Christes wordes that the priest sayth and by working of the holy Ghoste Then for this holye Pope thought to drawe people to more deuotion and better wil to this holy Sacrament and to do the seruice this day he graunteth to all that be worhy that is to say that be very contrit coÌ„fessed of their sinnes and be in the Church at both eueÌ„songs at Mattens at masse for eche an hundred dayes of pardon for eche houre of the daye xl dayes of pardon euery day of the Vtas an hundred dayes of pardon in remission of al their sinnes for euermore enduring c In serm de corpore christi Pope Gregorye the ninth appoynted y e feast of y e Natiuity of S. Iohn Baptiste whiche we commonly call Mydsommerday to kept holy In the yeare c. 1225. Chron. Germ. Pope Siluester the firste at the desire of the Emperour CoÌ„staÌ„tine instituted y e feast of LaÌ„masse called Ad vincula Sancti Petri. In the yeare c. 315. Grat. Polid. Pope Eusebius ordayned the feast of the InueÌ„tion of the crosse In the yeare c. 309. Crat. Guil. Durandus Pope Honorius deuised the feaste of the ExaltatioÌ„ of the crosse In the yere of our Lord. 622. Plat. Pant. Some attribute these feastes to Pope Vrban the fourth â–ª Pol. Virgil. Pope Calixte the thirde inuented the feaste of the Transfiguration of oure Lord and commaunded that it should be celebrated and kepte holye with as large indulgences and pardons as the feaste of Corpus Christi In the yeare of oure Lorde 1455. Matth. Palmer Ioan. Stella Pantaleon This feast as the festiual reporteth is greatly priuileged in holy Churche in so much that orders be geueÌ„ this day thorow out all Christendome great pardons be graunted to this day in diuerses places as in Syon plenare remission and all is to the weale and coÌ„forte of man and for a purueaunce to sanctifie his soule that in the last resurrection the said soule ioyned to the body may together be glorified and transfigured in clerenesse more brighter thaÌ„ is the Sunne and so euer to endure Pope Leo the fourthe instituted the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Uirgine Mary and commaunded that it shoulde in all places be kept hye and holy by the space of right dayes In the yeare â–ª c. 858. Lib. Concil Sigebert Ioan. Functius Pope Innocent the fourth ordayned y e Feast of the Natiuitie of Mary the Uirgine with the Octaues thereof In the yeare c. 1242. Volat. Sabel Pant. Pope Felix the thyrd appoynted the Feast of the Archaungel Michaell to be kept holy In the yere of our Lord. 486. Lib. Concil Chron. Pope Felix the thirde ordayned also the Feaste of the Dedicacion of the Temple commonly called Church holy day and coÌ„maunded y t euery Citie Town or village should yerely kepe for euer y â— day wheron y e Churche was halowed Volat. Plat. Polid. Albertus Krantzius Pope Boniface the fourth ordayned the Feast of all Saintes called All Halowes In the yeare of oure Lorde 606. Plat. Volat Polid. Pope Gregory the
by fayth in Christ God complayneth greuously on thys manner and sayeth Be astonyshed O ye heauens be afrayde and abashed at suche a thyng sayeth the Lorde For my people hath done two euills They haue forsaken me the well of y e water of lyfe and haue dygged them pyttes yea vile and broken pittes y e can holde no water Blessed is the man sayth the Psalmographe whose hope the name of the Lord is and hath not turned vnto vanities nor vnto suche as goe about with lyes Of Purgatorye Who was the fyrst inuentour deuiser and fynder out of the Popes false fained fyrie purgatorye I can not finde by any historyes or monumentes that I haue red vnto this daye But after it was found and deuised by some subtill heade thorowe the subtil suggestion of most subtill Sathan whiche seketh all meanes possible to obscure the price of Christes death and to sowe erroures and heresyes in the heartes of paynted Hipocrites yea of all people so muche as lyeth in his power vnto y e destruction and condemnation of their soules there wanted not specially of the companye of Sophisters and Monks espiing that there woulde ryse no small auauntage to their purses of this goodly newe and late inuention whiche set a good face on the matter countenauncing it out with the authorityes of the holy Scripture addyng therunto their false pestilent and lying gloses wherwith they bleared the eyes of the simple and caste suche mystes before theyr syghte that these certayne hundred yeares they coulde neuer see the true purgatorye of the soule whiche is the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ but beleued verelye that there was a place of purgyng after thys lyfe as though the bloude of Christe were not a sufficient purgatory for their soules from the which they must be deliuered eyther by sufferyng intollerable paynes themselues in that firye fornace till they haue made sufficient satisfaction for their sinnes or els by the Suffrages and sacrifices of the Masse or by almosse dedes done for them of theyr executours and frendes c. Thys dreame of purgatorye and praying for the dead hath bene maintayned from tyme to tyme not onelye by the writinges of diuerse men but also by the decrees and Councelles of diuerse sundrye Popes and of theyr adherentes as a myghty and straunge defence of the Catholyke Churche and her deuoute Chaplens withoute the whiche a greate parte of the Popes Churches buildings is like out of hand to fall vnto miserable ruine and vtter decaye Where thys place of Purgatorye is none of oure purgatorye rakers or proctoures thereof is able to declare Diuerse of them haue diuerse opinions in thys behalfe as it is an harde thing for lyers and taleforgers to agree in all points among themselues so alone is the truthe perfecte and constant and without verities or discorde Some of them affyrme and saye that it is in a certayne place euen nexte vnto hell vnder y e earth Some holde y t it is not nie vnto hell for then myghte it seme y t suche as are in Purgatorye shoulde neuer ascende and come vnto heauen for asmuche as we rede in y e Gospel of Luke that there is so great a space betwene them that are aboue and them that are beneath y t they whiche are aboue can not come downe to them y e are beneath neither can they that are beneath come vp to them y t ar aboue But aboue in the ayre yea and that in torrida zona bycause that after they bee sufficiently purged they may be nighe and goe strayghtwayes vnto heauen Some other saye y t they be neither beneath neere vnto Hell nor yet aboue nighe vnto Heauen but accordyng to the dispensation and appoyntment of god diuerse soules are diuersly placed some here some there some in thys place some in that place some beneath some aboue some in the middest according to their desertes but all suffering paynes eyther more or lesse till sufficient satisfactiō be made for theyr sinnes either by themselues in paynes sufferyng or els by other in Massesingyng in almosse geuing in watching in praying in pilgrimage going in the popes pardons bying c. The tales and lies which the papistes haue inuented concerning the places of soules after their departure is to much wonderfull and maruelous In Longobardica historia in Legenda aurea in vitis patrum in the Festiual c. shalt thou finde examples plentifully whiche bookes in tymes paste were better knowen and more preached to the simple people than the true and pure worde of God And as they do not agree amonge themselues where pyckpursse Purgatory is so likewise doe they dissēt both in the tormentours in the tormentes of the soules Some teach y e the soules in purgatory are punished of the good aūgels at gods appointmēt some say that they be wicked Spirites of hell y t punishe them Some agayne hold that the soules in purgatory are tormented with fire onely accordyng to this sentence of Saint Paule Vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit some contrariwise affirme y t they are punished both with fyre and water according to this saying of the Psalmographe Transiuimus per ignem aquam reduxisti nos in refrigerium But howsoeuer the sely simple soules be punished the Papists with one voyce affirme that they are most paynefully afflicted and tormented yea and that with such paynes and tormentes as be incomparable the paynes tormentes of hell only excepted Of those most intollerable paynes of purgatory thus rede we in the Popes decrees He must firste be purged with the fyre of purgatory that hath differred the frute of conuersion vnto an other world And this fyre althoughe it be not euerlastyng is notwithstanding a wonderfull greuous fyre For it excedeth and passeth all payne whiche any man at any tyme hath suffered in this life In the fleshe there was neuer so greate payne founde althoughe the Martyrs did suffer maruelous tormēts c. And in the booke entytled Sermones discipuli we rede on this manner The soules whiche are in purgatory are in moste greuous paynes For if all the burnyng coales in the worlde were gathered together and poured vppon an heape and a man shoulde stande in the myddes of them yet shoulde he not suffer so greate heate and burnyng as the soules doe in Purgatory No temporall payne maye be compared with the paynes of Purgatorye The paynes is so greate that a lyttle shorte tyme seemeth to be verye longe and greate tyme. Therefore we rede that a certayne Religious man burned in Purgatorye onelye while one Masse was a saying and he appeared to hys felowe and sayde that he had burned in Purgatorye a greate number of yeare And some soules are punished there a longe space some thyrtie yeares some an hundred some a thousand more or lesse some vnto the ende of the world
Agayn in the treatise called in Latin Stella Clericorum we finde this written The fyre and other paynes that are in Purgatorye are more greuous and more bytter than all the paynes of the Martyrs and all kyndes of tormentes that coulde be imagyned and inuented of the Tyrauntes in thys worlde And the soules of them that are thus punished do farre excell the multitude of all them that lyue in this worlde And therefore sayth Austen He knoweth not what he asketh whiche desyreth Purgatorye O God howe swete a thing shall it be to make satisfaction in thys world I say y t it is more greuous to be in Purgatory one twyncklyng of an eye than all y e paine whiche blessed Laurence had vpon the Gredyron Therfore one teare issuing out of a pure hearte doth purge more thā ten yeares in Purgatory yet betwene two euils the lessest is to be chosen And therfore the soules that are in Purgatorye cry with Iob on this māner and say Miseremini mei Miseremini mei saltem vos amici mei Quia manus domini tetigit me That is to say Haue pitie on me haue pitie on me at the least ye that are my frendes for the hande of the Lord hath touched me After that the Papistes had thus fained Purgatory and the moste horrible dredeful paynes therof they thought it also good to deuise some thing to relieue these paynes and to ease the bitter tormentes whiche the sely soules suffer in that most greuous fyre of purgatorye by this their deuise nothyng doubting but that no small aduauntage shoulde ryse vnto them whiche in dede hath had hitherto fortunate successe Diuerse inuented diuerse remedies against these fyry tormēts Which thyng hath bene brought to passe by y e cōstitutions ordinaūces of men partly as we may see in y e Coūcels Florentine and Constantiense and partly by the bookes and writings of the Sophisticall Papistes Some of their deuyses here to recite I thinke it not vnfitting nor out of the way The author of the booke entitled Stella Clericorum sayeth that there are iii. Churches The first is in this world and that is called Ecclesia Militans that is y e Militant or warrefayring church The secōd is in heauen and it is called Ecclesia Triumphans that is to say The Triumphant Churche The third is in Purgatory and it is called Ecclesia Expectans that is The Churche Expectant and that loketh for and abydeth deliueraunce This latter Church is in great paines from the which they may be deliuered saith he foure manner of wayes Vnde Versus Missa preces dona ieiunia quatuor ista Absoluūt animas quas purgās detinet ignis That is to saye Masse Prayers Giftes Fastings These foure thinges set at libertie y e soules that are in Purgatorye And a little after he sayeth The deuice to praye for them that are dead is holy and wholesome It is holy by the compassion of the deare frendes It is wholesome thorowe geuyng of almosse and the prayer of the faithfull and specially of the Priestes to whom the soules are committed For almosse is the meate of soules and prayer is the drinke Fastings also of the faithfull is a great refection bāket for the soules and pilgrimage goynge of frendes is the dispatche and deliuerāce of paynes As for pardons they also profite the soules in purgatorye euen so farre as they deserued while they liued in thys world But before al remedies wherewith y e soule being in Purgatory may be holpen the masse farre excelleth Therfore saith Gregory Oh how great and liuely gifte of God is this For the diuine mysteries are neuer celebrated He meaneth that the masse is neuer songe or sayd but that two vertuous workes do concurre and are brought to passe that is to saye the conuersion of one sinner and the deliueraūce of one soule at the lest out of Purgatorye The like doctrine doth the author of the festiuall teache on thys manner Ye shall vnderstande that there bene foure thinges that greatly holpen soules that bene in Purgatorye and that bene these Fidelium amicorum oratio eleemosynarum largitio salutaris hostia ieiuniorum obseruatio That is prayers of frendes deuoutly sayd almosse deede doying and masses singing and abstinence in fasting That prayers helpe much a soule that is in Purgatory the authour proueth for lacke of the testimonies of holye scripture with thys narracion or tale that followeth We find written sayth he in Legenda aureae how there was a man y t had his house fast by a churchyarde side y t his doore opened to the Churche And he vsed by custome as oft as he wēt or came to say euery time De profūdis for al christē soules Thē it happened so on a time that he was pursued with ennemyes as he went homewards But when he came into the churchyarde he kneled downe and thought to saye De profundis But his ennemies came after Anone the dead bodyes rose euery chone with instruments as they wrought with by theyr liues and anone they droue away his enemies But when they saw that they cried God mercy and this man euer after prayde and did almosse dedes for them that were in payne Thus I may well proue sayth he that deuoute prayers helpen many a soule that bene in Purgatory Also almesse deedes helpen many a soule Sicut aqua extinguit ignem ita eleemosyna extinguit peccatum Right as water quencheth fire so almesse deede quencheth the fire y t brenneth them that bene in Purgatorye if they bene in good lyfe and in perfecte charity that done it c. Nowe to proue that almesse deedes done for soules in Purgatorye profite thē greatly he bringeth in this narratiō or tale We rede saith he y t in olde tyme good people woulde on all hollowen day bake bread deale it for all christē soules And yet there ben some but all to fewe We rede In Legenda aurea of a knight that should go to a battayle and had a cosen that he loued passing well and sayde to him thus If he were slayne in the battayle he shoulde sel his horse deale the value to poore people in almesse to pray for al christē soules So it hapned y t he was slayne and his cosin loued wel y e horse tooke him to his own vse Then soone after this Knight appeared to hys cosin and said thus to him These eyght daies for my horse thou hast made me to burn in purgatorye and therfore God wil take vengeaunce on thee Forsoth quod he this day thy soule shal be in hel with y e fende Ego purgatus vado in regnum dei And I am purged and go to the kingdome of heauen And anon an horrible noyse was heard in the ayre of fendes which caught this man and bare hym awaye The thyrd thyng y ◠helpeth soules in
purgatorye is the Masse For when any soule appeareth to any maÌ„ to haue any helpe he desireth masses prayeth to haue masses songen for him Right as meate and drinke comforteth a maÌ„ when he is feble so the sacrament of y e altare coÌ„forteth y e soules y e masses bene done for It is written in Legenda aurea how a Byshop suspended a prieste bycause he coulde saye none other masse but of Requiem whiche he song euery day deuoutly after hys coÌ„ning Then on a day as the byshop went towards mattens it semed to hym y e dead bodies rose came about hym and sayd Thou haste sayd no masse for vs. And moreouer thou haste taken our priest awaye froÌ„ vs. Loke y t thys be amended or els God will in shorte tyme take vengeance on thee for our sake Then was y e byshop greatly afeard and anon he â—ad the priest syng masse of Requiem as he dyd tofore And so he dyd as ofte as he myghte Also we fynde y e fyshers set their nets in haruest and they tooke vp a great pece of Ise and y t was the coldeste Ise that euer they felte and it woulde not melte for the Sunne And so brought they y e Ise to y e Byshop For he had a great brennyng heate in his foote and it was the coldest y t euer he felte Then spake there a voyce to hym oute of the Ise and sayd I am a soule y e suffereth my penaunce here in thys Ise. For I haue no frendes y t will doe masses for me I shall be deliuered of my penance and y u shalt be whole of thy sickenesse if thou wilt say masse for me And he sayd he woulde sing for him and bad tell hym hys name And euer while he was at masse he layd the Ise vnder his foote and euer as he sayd masse the Ise melted away And so within a while y t Ise was molten and y e soule was deliuered froÌ„ pain and y e bishop was whole of hys sicknesse Then the soule appeared to him w t much ioy sayd With y e masses singing I am brought oute of payne into euerlasting blesse The like fables many diuerse are tolde of Gregorius Magnus of Petrus Cluniacensis of Iacobus de Voragine c. But y e author of y e booke entituled Sermones discipuli rehearseth ten maÌ„ner of things wherwith y e soules y t are in purgatorye maye be deliuered oute of their paynes The fyrst is the setting vp of candles at massetime before y e sacrament or before Images in y e honor prayse of God and of his Saintes The seconde is Sensyng of the Altare when Masse of Requiem is songen for the soules departed with thys inwarde desyre that God will deliuer y e soule from the stenche of purgatorie where it is now punyshed The thyrd is sprinckling of holy water vpon the Sepulchres or graues vpon y e bones of the dead And here must they desyre y t as the heate of thys present fyre is cooled by y e sprinckling of water so likewyse the heate of y e fire of purgatory may be tempered cooled for y e soule y t we praye for thorowe the deaw of the heauenly grace mercye The fourth is Prayer for the dead And here must we direct our praiers vnto saints in heauen for the soules y t are in purgatorye y t they may make intercession for theÌ„ vnto God for they may do much with God And for thys cause we send y e saints vnto y e heauenly king as massengers y t they may obtayne of that King indulgence pardon and fauour for those soules Therfore must we in thys behalfe deuoutly pray to s. Mary to S. Peter c. The fyft is oblations and offeryngs for y e soules departed y t they may be deliuered from the dets which they owe vnto God â–ª The sixt is fastings watchings afflictions knelings for y e soules departed as it is specifyed in the popes decrees Ieiunia viuentium sunt auxilia defunctorum The fasting of y t liuing ar y e helpes of the dead The seuenth is paying of y e dets of the dead This profiteth y e soules y t are in purgatorye beyond al measure For while y e dettes are vnpayd y e soules are greuously punyshed in purgatorye The eyght is offering vp of bread wine y t it may please God likewise to feede y e hungry soule and to geue drink to y e thirstye soule y t is in purgatorye Likewyse y e exercisyng of the works of mercy for the soules departed as in geuing meate to y e hungry drinke to the thirstye lodging to the harbourlesse clothes to the naked c. The nynth is when a man accomplisheth fulfilleth y e penaunce for the soules departed whiche y e soules themselues were bounde to do in this world when they were yet liuing For the more any man doth for them in thys world the lesse haue they to suffer in the paynes of purgatorye The tenth is the celebratioÌ„ of masses And thys is the greatest and most principall remedye and helpe that can bee deuised for the deliueraunce of soules out of Purgatorye For we reade y t a certayne soule was appoynted of God to ligh in Purgatorye xv yeares which notwithstandyng thorowe one Masse was deliuered oute of all those paynes For thys worde Missa whiche we in Englyshe call Masse is deriued a Mittendo y t is of sendyng For in the Masse grace is sente to a synner being in synne and to y e soules a playne deliueraunce from all payne Therefore sayth Austen y t there is no masse celebrated but y e two vertuous workes do concurre and ar brought to passe The one is a conuersion of a synner from his sinne The other is a deliueraunce of a soule out of purgatorye But some maÌ„ peraduenture wil here demaunde howe it commeth to passe y t the soules which are in purgatorye do knowe the suffrages which are here done for the I answere the Aungels which do here abide tary with vs do many times visite y e soules in purgatory declare vnto theÌ„ y e suffrages which we do for theÌ„ here so comfort theÌ„ O how ioyfull a thyng is this to them Serm. 41. de anim Besydes these remedies aforesaid against the troublous torments of painful purgatorye which the selye simple soules suffer for y e satisfaction of Gods iustice as the papists teach there is an other remedye which I of late founde in y e latter end of an old written boke And this is of so great vertue y t whosoeuer deuoutly practiseth it shal w tout doubte as it is there specifyed deliuer one soule out of purgatory at the least yea and that within .ix. dayes Probatum est Fyrst on the sonday cause a masse to be song or said in
y e worship of y e Trinity Set also .iii. candles burning before y e sacrament al y e masse tyme. Fede also three poore men or geue three almesses to the nedye Secondly on y e monday cause a masse to be song or sayde in y e worship of all Aungels Light also .ix. candles in the honoure of the â–ª ix orders of Aungells Fede .ix. pore meÌ„ or geue .ix. almosses Thirdly on y â— twesday cause a masse to be song or sayde in the honoure of S. Spirite and lighten .vii. candles in the worship of the .vii. giftes which he geueth Fede also .vii. poore men or geue .vii. almosses Fourthly on the Wednisday cause a masse to be song or said in the worship of S. Ihon Baptiste and of all the patriarches Light foure candles feede foure poore meÌ„ or geue foure almosses Fiftlye on the Thursdaye cause a Masse to be song or sayde of S. Peter and of the .xii. Apostles Lighten .xii. candles fede .xii. poore men or geue xii almosses Sixtly on the Fryday cause a masse to be song or sayd in the worship of S. Crosse. Lighten .v. candles Feede .v. poore men or geue v. almosses Seuenthly and finally on the Saterday cause a masse to be song or sayde in the honour of our lady and al virgines Lighten v. candles Fede .v. poore meÌ„ or geue v. almosses He y t thus doth truste to it verelye for he shall deliuer shortlye any soule that he will oute of purgatorye Ita est Probatum est Amen Fiat Fiat Iesu mercy Lady helpe Of Trentales for soules departed and howe they firste began THere was somtime at Rome a certaine Pope called Gregory whiche had a mother whome he loued aboue all thinges and chiefly for her goodnesse and vertue It chauÌ„ced thorow misfortune that the aforesaid womaÌ„ was big with child which for feare of her sonne shame of the people wheÌ„ the time of her labour drew nye killed the childe So like did she at an other time also no man knowing of it After ward â—t so chaunced that the aforesayd woman fell sicke and died The Pope and al the people did greatly reioyse of her for they thought her to be a good woman to be saued But afterwarde when the aforesayde Pope song masse he saw iust by him a certain darknesse so that it semed rather night than day and in the same darknesse he behelde a certayne moste miserable creature to whom he said O thou creature I coniure thee in Gods behalfe that thou declare vnto me what thou art She auÌ„swered O most derely beloued sonne I am thy Mother The Pope maruellyng greatlye at the matter sayd vnto her We hoped that thou haddest bene a good woman and placed in the kingdome of Heauen Howe commeth it to passe that thou art now in such payne She opened vnto him all thinges that she had done in this worlde and tolde him y t therfore she suffred such paynes y t the very flames of fyre came oute of the mouth of her The Pope being moued with sorowe and payne of his mother said vnto her O mine owne mother caÌ„ any thing in the world deliuer thee out of this paine She said If any maÌ„ would sing a trentall of masses for me I should be deliuered out of all my paines be saued He said What masses shoulde they be She aunswered Thre masses of y e Natiuity of our lord Thre masses of y e Epiphanie of our lord Three of the Purification of our Lady Thre of the AnnuÌ„ciation of our Lady Thre of the Resurrection of our Lord. Thre of the ascensioÌ„ of our Lord. Thre of Penthecost Three of the Trinitie Thre of the AssuÌ„ption of our Lady and thre of her Natiuitie so y t these masses be celebrated within y e Octaues of y e said feasts as on the first day with the same Kirie eleyson Gloria in excelsis Credo also the same SequeÌ„ce Preface with Communicantes Hane igitur Sanctus and Agnus as it is contained in y e Canon of the Masse also with these prayers folowyng so that the prayers that folowe be sayde with the collecte of the Feast vnder one Oremus and vnder one Per dominum There must also be sayde euery daye thorowout the yeare Placebo and Dirige with ix Psalmes and ix lessons and ix Anthemes excepte it be at the tyme of Easter when it shal be said dayly with thre lessons only The commeÌ„dation also must be sayd as often so that both at Placebo and at Dirige the first collect or prayer shall be Deus summaspes c. also at the commeÌ„dacioÌ„ Againe at the masse of the day y e aforesayd prayer shall be sayde of him that celebrateth the masse thorowout the whole yeare The Collecte shall be alwayes Deus summaspes The secretes Omnipotens sempiterne Deus The post CoÌ„munion Deus cuius misericordia c. If any man wil doe thus much for me quod she I shall be deliuered from my paine And y e sonne said that he would gladly do that for his mother And he commaunded her that she should come againe vnto him at the very same time the yeare folowing All these thynges that she desired were done When the time drewe nighe that y e Pope appointed of her returne the Pope hymselfe song masse and sawe a great light and in it two Aungels commyng downe and a most goodly faire and beautifull Lady betwene them He beyng afraide thought her to be the Queene of Heauen and fell downe at the feete of her â–ª saying O Regina coeli miserere animae matris meae O Queene of Heauen haue mercye on my mothers soule But she aunswered O my most deare sonne I am thy mother Blessed be the houre y t I bare thee For of suche one as thou didst se me in tymes paste hath God made me as thou nowe seest thorowe thy masses and prayers And all they for whom the aforesayd Masses shalbe longe shalbe lykewise saued euen as I am Ex missali manuscripto Anno domini 1354. Of the vertues of the Masse THe masse hath xii vertues as it is specified in a certaine booke called The signification of the Masse imprinted in the Englishe tounge by Robert Wier Cum priuilegio regali ad imprimendum solum The first vertue or frute of the masse is as some doctours do write y t a man doth merite more whiles that he doth beare masse deuoutly than if he should geue for gods sake as muche grounde and lande as he coulde passe go ouer y e space of y e same masse O what may be then deserue which doth heare euery daye .iii. or .iiii. masses And what doth he lese and what compte shall he make afore God at the daye of iudgement whiche hath not so greate businesse but that he may heare one masse at the least euery daye O what shall it greue you that ye haue lost so muche This ye shal
afterward Concil Polyd. Pope Felix the second ordayned y t al byshops should come to y e general couÌ„cel or els signifye to y e popes holinesse Why thei can not come In the yere c. 370. Dist. 18. Cap. Non oportet Lib. Concil Ioan. Laziard This decree was afterward renued in a councel holden at Chartage In a Synode holdeÌ„ at Constantia it was decreed y t froÌ„ henceforth general councells should be holden from ten yeare to ten yeare to thys ende y t the Lordes fielde might be purged from al bryers thystles thornes heresyes erroures schismes c. Notwithstandyng reseruyng thys authoritie and power to y e pope y t he may not only euery .x. yere but at all other tymes also appoynt a general counsel when his pleasure is Ioan. Laziard Cest. It was decreed at y e councell of Nice y t every byshop shoulde twice yearelye haue a Synode or Sene general within hys diocesse to correcte and reforme such thyngs as were out of order But nowe y e matter is so handled y t Senes be only Courts to gather Senage and Proxye no correction of manners or erroures or of any other absurdityes had in those assemblyes Libro Concil Polydor. Pope Pelagius the fyrst made a lawe that the Councell which is celebrated without the mynde and consent of the Romyshe Byshop should be called not Concilium but Conuenticulum or Conciliabulum and that whatsoeuer is enacted or agreed vppon in suche a Councell should be frustrate voyde and of none effecte In the yeare of oure Lorde 552. Dist. 17. Capit. Multis denuo Libro Concil The same Pope also enacted that al such matters of doubt and question as could not be quietly deuided brought vnto perfecte agreemente in the lesser Sinodes or councels shuld be referred vnto a greater See if they caÌ„ not there be determined iustly and truly y t then they shall be brought vnto the Apostolique See Ibidem In the councell Agathense it was decreed y t such as wer accited to come vnto the councell and refused so to doe shoulde be accursed Dist. 18. Capit. Siquis Si Episcopus Pope Agatho made a decree y t al the coÌ„stitutions ordinaunces of y e church of Rome shuld be receaued and taken as thinges establyshed and confyrmed with the very diuine and Godly voyce of Peter himself In the yeare c. 673. Dist. 19. Cap. Sic omnes Pope Stephen the fyrste ordayned y t whatsoeuer the churche of Rome doth decree and appoynt it should for euer without breach be obserued of al men In the yeare of our Lorde 261. Dist. 19. Cap. Enimuero Pope Antberius ordayned y t whatsoeuer was decreed of other Byshops mighte bee dissolued of the byshop of Rome as one y t hath power to â—udge of al churches In the yere c. 239 Cau. 9. Qu. 3. Cap. Cuncta Pope Innocent made a lawe y t no maÌ„ should presume to iudge y e Bishop of Rome For he being iudge of all men ought to be iudged neither of y e Emperour nor of all y e clergyc nor of Kings nor of the coÌ„mon people Caus. 9. Qu. 3. Cap. Nemo indicabit The same decree made also pope Nicolas Pope Gelasius Pope Anastasius c. A certayn councel holden of diuerse wise learned and Godly men at Constantia obiected agaynst Pope Iohn the xxiii of y e name being there present diuerse borrible faultes of the which he was openly conuict to y e nuÌ„ber of moe thaÌ„ forty yea those most greuous sinnes The pope secretly fleing was apprehended deposed caste into prison Afterward in y e councel it was decreed that a general councel lawfully gathered together is aboue the pope and hath authoritie immediatly of Christ which alone is the head of the Church Christ. Massoe in Chron. Thys acte of y e councell semeth to be contrarye vnto that whiche sayeth y t the pope and hys See are not bounde to be subiect to the councels and determinations of other Cap. Significasti de elect And y t the pope hath in his hearte al manner of lawes Agayn y t he is not bounde to purge and clere of himselfe such crimes and faults as are obiected against him c. Of Heretykes POpe Siritius ordayned y t Heretikes should be banyshed and y t no Christians shuld communicate or kepe company with theÌ„ agayn if any of them did reuoke their errours and heresyes that they should be thrust into Monasteries as into prisons perpetually there vnto death to remayne geuyng themselues to fastyng prayer In the yeare c. 389. Ioannes Stella Lib. Concil Pope Pelagius the fyrst not content with thys former punyshement made a decree that all heretikes and Schismatikes with al such as be contumaciter disobediente to holy Churches ordinaunces should be put to death by the seculare power Prouided alway that the Popishe bloudy butcherlyke Byshops with their woluishe wicked officers and Antichristian adhereÌ„tes doe first of all persecute theÌ„ emprison theÌ„ accite them Coram nobis accuse them coÌ„demne them and afterward accordyng to their deuilishe decrees commit them to the secular power and temporal magistrates as vnto their butchers haÌ„g men to dispatche them out of the waye either by fyre swearde or halter For these holy and charitable Fathers crye out with their forefathers and Pope-like predecessours Non licet nobis interficere quenquam It is not lawful for vs to put any man to death In the yeare of our Lord. 552.24 q. cap. 5. Relegentes Angl. Chron. Ioan. Laziard Pope Iohn the .xxii. made a decree y t whosoeuer did affirme that Christ and his Apostles had no possessioÌ„s neyther in proper nor in coÌ„mune y e same should be taken for an heretike Agayne that whosoeuer did holde this opinion that it was not lawfull for Christe and hys Apostles to enioye those things which the Scripture testifieth that they had nor to giue them nor by the occupying of theÌ„ to get winne more for y e maintenaunce of their lyuing he lykewise shoulde be adiudged an heretike Of this it folowed that many Friers and Nunnes of FrauÌ„ces order were brent as heretikes in diuers places of the worlde in resisting this decree of y e Pope for the maintenaÌ„ce of their monasticall and wilfull pouertie In the yeare of our Lorde 958. Math. Palmer Ioan. Laziard Pope Benet the twelfth after a certaine disputation had amonge learned men whether the soules of the faithful haue the fruition of Gods Maiestie in heauen before the day of iudgement or no made this resolute determination that the soules of the faithfull Christians after their departure haue nothiÌ„g in them worthy to be purged but all pure cleane and without sinne and y t therfore so sone as they departe hence they go straightwaies vnto Heauen beholde the face of God Thaforesayde Pope also commaunded that no man
obserue it to the honour of God and helth of their soules Ye shal also praye for the vnitie and peace of all Christen realmes and in especiall for the good state peace and tranquilitie of this Realme of Englande For our liege Lorde the Kynge that God for his grace mercy send him grace so to gouerne and rule this realme that God be pleased and worshipped and to the profit and saluaciō of thys land Also ye shall praye for our liege Ladye the Queene my Lord the Prince and all the noble progeny of them for all Dukes Earles Barons Knights and Squiers and of other Lordes of the Kynges Councel which haue any rule and gouernaunce in this lande y t God giue them grace so to councell rule gouerne that God be pleased the land defended and to the profite and saluation of all the realme Also ye shal pray for the peace both on the lande and on the water that God graunt loue charitie among al Christen people Ye shal also pray for all our Parisheners whether they be on land or on water that God saue them from all manner of perils and for all the good mē of this parish for their wiues children and meiney that God them maintaine saue kepe Ye shall also pray for all true Tithers that God multiply their goodes and encrease For all true Tillers that labour for our sustenaūce that tille the earth and also for all the graines and fruits that bene sowen set or done on the earth or shall be done y t God sende wedering y t they may growe encrease and multiply to the helpe and profit of all mankind Ye shal praye for al true Shipmen and Marchauntes where y t euer they be on land or on water that God keepe them from all perilles and bring them home in safetie with their goodes shippes marchandise to the helpe comfort profit of this realme Ye shall also praye for them that finde anye lyght in thys Churche or giue any bequeste Bell Chalice or Uestimēt Surplesse Altar cloth or Towel Landes Rentes Lampe or Light or any other adornimente wherby Gods seruice is the better serued susteined maintayned in reading singing And for all them that therto haue councelled that God rewarde and yelde thē at their most nede Also ye shall praye for al true pilgrimes and Palmers y t haue takē their waye to Rome to Ierusalē to S. Caterine or to S. Iames or to any other holy place y e God of his grace giue them time and space wel for to go and to come to the profite of their lyues and soules Ye shall also praye for all them that bene sicke or diseased of this parish that God send to thē helth the rather for our prayers For the women that bene in our Ladyes bandes with childe in this parishe or in any other that God send to thē faire deliueraunce to their children ryght shape name christendome and to the mothers purification and for al them that would be here and maye not for sickenesse for trauaile or any other leful occupation that they may haue parte of all the good deedes that shall be done in this place or in anye other Also ye shal pray for thē that bene in good life that God them holde long therin and for thē that bene in debt or deadly syn that Iesu Christ bring thē out thereof the rather for our prayers Also ye shal pray for him or her that this day gaue the holy bread for thē that first began longest holde on that God reward it thē at the day of dumme for all them that do wel or say you good that God yelde it thē at their nede for thē that other would that Iesu Christ amende them For al these for all Christē mē women ye shal say a Pater noster and an Aue. Deus misereatur nostri c. Gloria patri Sicut erat Kirie eleyson Christe eleyson Kirie cleyson Pater noster Pater noster Et ne nos Sed libera nos Ostende nobis domine Sacerdotes tui induantur Domine saluū fac regem Saluos fac seruos Saluum fac populum Domine fiat pax Domine exaudi Dominus vobiscum Oremus Ecclesiae tuae quaesumus domine Deus in cuius manu ▪ Deus a quo sancta c. VVhile the Priest is saying the aforesaid Orysons he shall stand with his face Eastward and looke vnto the high altare When he hath once done he shal turne hym againe to the people and speake vnto them on this manner FUrthermore ye shal pray for al Christen soules for Archbishops and bishops soules and especially for all that haue bene Byshoppes in thys diocesse And for all Curates Persons and Uicares soules and in especial for them y t haue bene Curates of this Church and for the soules that haue serued in thys church Also ye shall pray for the soules of all Christen Kinges and Queenes and in especiall for the soules of them that haue bene Kynges of this Realme of England And for all soules that to this Churche haue geuen booke bell chalice or vestimēt or any other thing by the whiche the seruice of God is the better done and holy Church worshipped Ye shall also pray for your fathers soules for your mothers soules for your Godfathers soules for your Godmothers soules for your brethrē and sisters soules for your childrē soules for your kindred soules and for your frēds soules and for al the soules whose bones rest in this Church or churchyarde or in any other holy place for all the soules that we bene bound to pray for But specially ye shall pray for y e soules that bene in the paynes of Purgatory there abyding the mercy of almightye God and in special for them that haue most nede and least helpe that God for his endlesse mercy lesse minishe their paynes by the meane of our prayers bring them into his euerlasting blesse in heauen And also for the soule of N. or of them y t on such a day in this weke we shall haue the anniuersarye For these for all Christen soules ye shall deuoutlye of your charitie and with a good heart say a Pater noster an Aue. Now shal the priest againe turne eastward and say De profundis clamaui c with this collecte ORemus Absolue quesumus domine animas famulorū tuorum Pontificum Regum Sacerdotum Parentum Parochianorum Amicorum Benefactorum nostrorum omnium fidelium defunctorum ad omni vinculo delictorum vt in resurrectionis gloria inter sanctos electos tuos resuscitati respirent Per Christum dominum nostrum AMEN Which is thus Englished LEt vs pray Absolue we beseech thee O Lorde y e soules of thy seruauntes our Bishops Kinges Priestes Fathers and Mothers Parishoners Frendes Benefactours and of all the faithfull y t are departed from euery
hys harte when al his bloud was agone shed for our sakes And so by sacrament of Christening he is ful made Christes childe and he receaueth there parte of the passion of Christ and part of all the Sacraments and prayers that beene done in holye churche Also he receaueth parte of all good deedes y t beene done among all Christen people And if he holde mekely the couenaunt y t he maketh there to god he may be sure for to haue a dwelling place for euer in y e blysse of heauē But what tyme y t he trespasseth so agaynst the law of God y t he falleth into curse by sinne or y t he is worthye to be cursed of holy church then he is departed from God and al good works till he come to amendment And he is than deliuered againe to y e fende of hel for to put him for his sinne into the payne of hell withouten ende but he hym amend therof be assoyled or he hence passe And therefore there is nothing in al this world y t a Christen mā or woman ought so griselich to dread as for to fall into sinne y t bringeth him into the sentence of curse the which departeth him from God y t is his father from holy church that is his mother Also as holy scripture or the lawe beareth witnesse Cursing is cleped the sweard of holy church For right as we seen y t the stroke of the sweard it sleaeth and departeth the life fro the body right so y e stroke of this ghostly sweard Cursing departeth and doth away our Lord God from man woman which is accursed the which Lord God is life of her soules withouten him all her workes bene dead euermore after but thei haue special grace of God for to amende hem here ere they passe oute of this world For as many Clerkes preuen at y e day of dumme would our lady S. Marye and S. Iohn Baptiste al saints y t bene in heauen knele down at once before y e blessed face of almightye God they shoullen not in y t time thorowe the prayer of them all deliuer the soule of man or woman y t dyeth in deadly sinne For trulich it were expresselich agaynste the holy Gospell where Christ sayth thus that he shall trulich geue to euery man and womā their ryghte there as he hath deserued here And if the day of dumme shall bee so harde to all thoe y t dyen in any deadly sinne by al reason ful myche harder shall it bee at y e tyme with all these y t be founden openly cursed of God and of holye Churche In thys perillous waye of dampnation beene all thylke men and women that I shall speake of And therefore I beseeche you and charge you for the loue of god almighty and for the saluation of your soules that ye vnderstand wel al these points And if any of you fele hym giltye in any of all y t he amende hym by sorow of hearte shrifte and penaunce and that betimes Fyrst and formest we denouncen accursed all that holy Churche falsely depriuen of any ryghte or profyt that it falleth to haue eyther by law written or elles by good custome whiche that hath bene holden and vsed of old time And in thys poynte fallen three manner of folke Fyrst all thoe y t stelen any Churchegoodes in what place so that they bee done to kepe or ells that stelen vnhalowed thyng oute of holye place or thynges that beene halowed oute of place vnhalowed And all thoe y t wittingly breaken or destroyen anye poynt of freedome that longeth to holy Churche And thys is not alonely vnderstande of the fredomes y t longen generally to all holy Churche but also of other speciall freedomes which y t some church hath more thā an other temporal or spiritual whether so it be The thyrd poynte is y t al thoe bene accursed that purchasen writtes or letters of any leude courte for to let the processe of the lawe of holy churche of causes y t longen skilfully vnto Christē courte the which shoulde not be demed by none other lawe All thoe also that breaken or distroublen the fraunches and the fredome of holy church And al y t bene agaynst the peace and y e ryghte state of holy church or therto assenten with worde dede or counsayle And al y t maliciouslye biriuen holy churche of her right or maken holy churche Lay-fee y t is halowed and blessed And all thoe that letten Archebyshop or Byshop or any other y t hath iurisdiction and power by the lawe of holy Church that they may not visite her sugettes or dare not vse her lawe for to amende the soules of hem y t they haue to kepe And all thoe that falsely fleen awaye from one place to an other that holye church may not chastyse them ne rule thē as she shuld Also god holy church accursen al thoe y t laye hand in malice on priest or clerke on man or woman learned or leude w tin church or churchyarde or man or woman of Religion but it be hemself defendaunt so y t they may not els saue hemself or els that it be in certaine pointes that the lawe geueth licence and all that therto procuren or mainteinen such dedes by coūsayle or strength Also all yilke bene accursed that drawen out any mā or woman in violence out of holy Church to haue succour and helpe or els out of any holy place that is halowed but and it be in certaine poyntes as the lawe geueth leaue or letten them to haue sustenaunce the while they bene there And also all thoe that for malice or wrath of person vicare or priest or of any other or for wrongfull couetise of himselfe withholden rightfull tythes offerings rentes or mortuaries frō her owne parishe Churche and by waye of couetyse falselyche agayne takynge to God the worsse and to himself the better or els turne him into an other vse than him oweth or done him in other place after their owne will so y t they be not done to the same place that they shoulde be or let by worde or by deede any man or woman for to do her good will and her deuotion to god and to holy church For all Christen mē womē ben hard bound vpō pain of deadly sin not onlich by the ordinaūce of mā but both in the olde lawe and also in the newe lawe for to paye truliche to God and holy church the tithe part of al maner encrease that they winnē trulich by the grace of god both with her trauel and also with her craftes what so they be truliche gotten Also the tith part of al manner fishes and foules beasts both wild tame And al maner of frutes that growen out of the earth Also all that wittingly or wilfully tithen falsly that is to say that geuē not to god and to holy church the tēth part
drinke is made fleshe and bloud by the meanes of nature It followeth therfore much more stronglye y t the self nature y t is to saye God is able immediatly to make y e bread should be tourned into hys bodye and y e wine into hys bloud The second miracle is y t the bread is daily transsubstantiated into the bodye of God yet there is no augmentation or increasing in God Reason proueth this thing to be true For al though I know any secret matter which I publish to many although al they thorowe my declaration know it yet in me alone or in my mynd there is neuer the more augmentation for al this The thyrde miracle is y t the body of God is dayly receaued and eaten yet is there made no dimunicion or lesing therof The reason If a thousand candles be lighted at my candle yet is there neuer the lesse light in my candle The widowe of Sarepta also did eate yet was there neuer the lesse meale in her pot nor oyle in her pytcher The fourth miracle is y t the thyng which is indiuisible and can not bee deuided is notwithstanding deuided remayneth whole perfect in euery part of y e sacrament This is proued by reasō In a glasse wherin any thing is represented shewed although it be deuided by parts yet in euery one of thē is y e same thing represented The fift miracle is y t the body of God taken receaued of the wicked is not defiled The reasō is this For neither is the sunne shining vpō fylthy places defiled or made anye thing y t worse The sixt miracle is y t the body of Christ which is the meate of life bringeth death to sinners Reasō proueth this to be true For those meats which ar good wholesome as capons good wine are hurtfull to thē y t are sicke feble in body The seuenth miracle is y t the bodye of Christ being receaued of the priest or of any other y ◠mouth of the receauer being shut is taken vp into heauē Reasō proueth this For Christ came out of the body of the virgine vncorrupt He rose also out of the graue being shut Agayn he came into the house where y e Disciples wer gathered the doores being shut The eyght miracle is y t although the body of Christ bee in comprehensible cannot be measured yet it is contayned in so little an hoste This maye be proued by this reasō Theapple of y e eye which is very little comprehendeth a great thing The ninthe miracle is y t one the self same whole bodye is in diuerse places and is receaued of diuerse at one time The reason For the word of mā also once vttered spokē according to the nature of the voyce is al whole together in y e eares of diuerse Moreouer he y t made the body the place maketh both to be in the one as he willeth Agayne the Moone the Sunne the light are in diuerse places are seene of diuerse The tenth miracle is y t the bread being transubstātiated turned into the substance of y e body of Christ y e accidentes of the bread do remayne y t is to say the weight y e coloure the sauor To shewe a reason in this behalfe by any similitude we can not The leuenth miracle is y t vnder the kinde of bread both is is receaued the body bloud of Christ yea whole Christ. Likewise vnder the kinde of wine is receaued both the body and bloud of Christ. The reason is thys Although at one dinner I eate both before I drinke after yet am I not coūted to dine twice Durand in Rat. If it be demaunded what it is y t the mouse eateth when shee knaweth and byteth the sacrament or what is consumed to ashes when the sacrament is burnt Pope Innocent the thyrd answereth and saith euen as the substance of bread is miraculously turned conuerted into the body of our Lord when it beginneth to be vnder y e sacrament so likewise after a certayn manner miraculously it retourneth and commeth agayne when the same body ceaseth to be there not y t that substance of breade cōmeth agayne which was turned into the fleshe of Christ but in the stead thereof an other thyng miraculouslye is made although suche accidentes might be without a subiecte and so eaten Guilielmus Durandus In. Rat. di offi Libro 4. Both the good and the euil eate the bodye of Christ but the good vnto saluation the euell vnto condemnation For excepte the euill also dyd eate the body of Christ the Apostle woulde not haue sayd He y t eateth vnworthely eateth hys owne damnation bicause he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodye Ibidem But what becommeth of the bodye of Christ when it is receaued and eaten It may be aunswered That if the corporall presence bee sought it muste bee sought in heauen where Christ is sitting on the ryght hand of God Notwithstanding for a tyme he dyd exhibite hys corporal presence y t he myght prouoke allure the Communicantes vnto the spirituall presence Therfore when y e sacrament is holdē tasted and eaten Christ is corporally present in sight in touching in sauour And so long as y e corporal sense is affected the corporal presence is not taken away But after y ◠the corporall sense in receauing fayleth the corporall presence is no more to be soughte but y e spirituall presence is to be retayned For whē y e dispensation is ended Christ goeth frō y e mouth to the heart For it is better that he goeth forth vnto the minde than that he shoulde goe downe vnto the bellye For he is not the meate of the fleshe but of the soule He cōmeth to be eaten not to be cōsumed to be tasted not to be incorporated He is eaten w t the mouth but he is not digested in the stomacke he refresheth the minde but he goeth not oute into the draught Ibidem The host is lifted vp of the priest at masse that the people not comming before the consecratiō but by this knowing that it is done may fal prostrate vpon the groūd worship Christ which is come doun vpō the altare according to this saying of y e Apostle In y e name of Iesus let euery knee bow c. Again that they should honour him with hart mouth as the apostle saith with the hart it is beleued vnto righteousnesse but with the mouth confessiō is made vnto saluation Ibidem Although vnder the kinde of bread y e bloude is receaued w t the body vnder the kinde of wine the body is taken w t the bloud yet after y e minde of pope Innocent the thirde neither the bloud vnder the kinde of bread nor the body vnder the kinde of wine is dronken or eaten For as neither the bloud is eaten nor the body dronken so is
Corpus Christi The beginning of the feast of Corpus Christi The doctrine of the festiual concerning the feaste of Corpus Christi Pardon be longyng to the feast of Corpus Christi Midsommer day The InueÌ„tion of the Crosse. The exaltacion of the Crosse. The transfiguration of oure Lorde The doctrine of the festiuall Thassmuâ—ion of our Lady Michelmasse day DedicatioÌ„ daye or Churche holy day The feaste of al saintâ— The feaste of al soules The beginnyng of the feast of all Soules The coÌ„ceptioÌ„ and presentatioÌ„ of mary with the feastes of Aunâ— Ioseph Fraunces The visitacion of Marye Candelmasseday The feasts of the foure Euangelistes and of the foure Doctours Sonday A godlye lawe and worthy to be obserued This godly decree is sâ—lenderly obserued in Englande A generall rule for holy dayes The coÌ„ceptioÌ„ of mary The Annunciation of Mary The visitatioÌ„ of mary The beginning of saintes making Dominikâ— Fraunces Anthonye de padua Fryers Elizabeth â–ª Saintes Clara Peter Marter Stanislaus Saintes Lewes byshop of Colossa Tâ—of Aquine Thomas byshop of Hereforde Saintes Bernardine the Grayfrier sainted Uincent Edmundeâ— Osmunde saintes Katerine sainted Iuo a saint Bonauenture a saint Bernarde a saint Heliopolde a saint Hughe of Lincolne a saint Hedwigis a saint Brigit a saint Vuolfgang a saint Iohn Gaulbert a saint Hughe the Monke a saint Lewes King of Fraunce a saint Edmund Peter de verona sainted Nicolas de Toleto a saint Pope Celestine a saint Charles y e great sainted Fraunces a sainte Thomas Becket sainted Of Beckettes translation Note A new idol set vp Becket the popes martyr saint A lousye saint an vnclenly Beckets penaunce very homely None saintes but such as the pope admi Swarmes of saintes The popes Sainctes ☜ Reliques set out to sale Reliques honoured Sainctes bones honored with Masses Hands of Shrines A good and godly acte but not profitable for the Popes market The anauÌ„ceâ— of Pilgrimages Pilgrimages maâ—e not be hindred Pilgrimes may not be euill entreated Gregorye the firste a greate promoter of pardons Popes pardons nets for money and allurements vnto vice The yeâ—â—â— of Iubile A prophecye The yeare of Iubile altered ☞ Stations Christes natles worshipped Greate giftes for so litle labour Pardon beades Stringing of beades Note these scholepoiÌ„ts The fyue Pardons beades The pardoÌ„ that beloÌ„g to y e â—eads BostoÌ„ pardon Ghostly father Uowes chaunged Seruice neglected pardoned An ante diâ— The chappel of Scalâ— caeli Purgatoâ—â— White meates Fleshe Buriall Large promises They al at â—ow by the word of god brought to nought according to 〈◊〉 prophecy of christ Euery plaÌ„t that my heauenly â—ather hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the rootes The price of y e pardon The pardoÌ„ of s Trinitye of houÌ„deslowe PardoÌ„s innumerable and good cheape â–ª Graciously considered Pardon of the Austen Friers Burton Lazare â–ª The pardoÌ„ of Sainet Mary of â—unciuall ☞ Giue and it shall be giuen to you Giue money and the smoke of Rome shall be giueÌ„ to you The pardoÌ„ of Saint Iohn of Beuerlay ☞ The pardâ—â— of Saint Cornelis at Weâ—â—minster The sepulchre pardonÌ„ S. Erasmus pardon Fiue special giftes Money is the Marchant in all the popes affayres What is to be done that wee may haue true pardoÌ„ What the popes pardons are Esay lv Math. xi Apoc. xxii Iere. ii Psal. xi The inuetour of the popes purgatory is not knoweÌ„ The studie of Sathan The true purgatorye is y e bloud of Christ. The popes purgatorye diuersely maintained Where purgatorye is Luke xv The varietye of papists in placing of purgatorye The tormentes of Purgatory 1. Cor. iii. Psal. 66. Dist. 7. cap. Nullus ☞ Serm. 41. de animabus What most greuous paynes there are in Purgatory Example Howe is this proued The infinite multitude of soules in Purgatorye ☜ Iob. xix Remedies deuised by the papists agaynst the tormeÌ„â—s of Purgatory The churches Church militant Church trinuâ—phant Church expectant Prayer for soules in Purgatory ☞ Prayer almosse Fasting pilgrimage pardons and Masses deliuer soules out of Purgatorye The profit of euerye Masse The doctrine of the festiuall coÌ„cerning soules in Porgatory Of prayer for soules A narratioÌ„ A straunge sight Well proued substauncially of Almosse deedes for soules A narratioÌ„ Of Masses for soules â–ª ☜ A narratioÌ„ An other narration prodicious woÌ„derful The great vertue of the masse Ten remedies to deliuer soules out of purgatorye Candles Sensing of the altare Sprinckeling of holy water Prayer for the dead Oblations for y e soules departed Fastinges â–ª watchings c. Q. xiii c. ii Animae Paying the dets of the dead Offering vp of bread and wine Fulfilling of y e deades penaunce The celebration of masses A narratioÌ„ Monstri simili Missa wherof it is deriued The vertues of the masse ☞ A fond fansye of the papistes Spedy deliueraunce of soules out of purgatorye Note this tale All is not golde that glistereth A trentall of Masses and what they are Trinities of Masses The .xii. vertues of the masse Psal. 9â— Luke xxiii Luke vii ☞ ☜ Math. vii The vertues of the masse out of y â— Festiual The vertue of the masse out of Stella Clericorum No couÌ„cell of force without y e consent of the Pope Al bishops must be at a general councell A good anâ— necessary deuice Sene twice in the yere ☜ No couÌ„cell lauful with out the consent of the Pope What is to be done if matters caÌ„not be quietly coÌ„posed in y e lesser Sinodes Appeare or elsaccursed The authoritie of the popes decrees Popes decrees equal w t the word of God All thinges ar subiect to the pope Popeiudge of al â–ª iudged of none ☜ A lawful general couÌ„cel is abouâ— the pope The preeminence of the pope Heretikes banished Heretikes put to death by the secular power The temporall offices the â—opyshe Byshops butchers Ioan. viii ☜ Fraunces Martyrs Of the state of the faithful after this life Heretikes expelled out of the Churche A good law Note well The coÌ„panie of Heretikes is to be eschued auoyded The great councell Laterane Heretikes condemned to be committed to the seculer powers so put to death Priests degraded Priesteâ— goodes Laye menâ— goodes Suspect of heresie The temporall rulers sworn to roote out heretikes Note O tyranny A newe kinde of Heresie Heresiarch â–ª Dead men excommunicate The company of heretiques is to be eschued UnderstaÌ„d by heretikes all suche as in anye point resiste the pope or his decrees No coÌ„pany with excoÌ„municate persons Ioan. Ep. ii Spoylers of y e church excommunicate A good a godly law ☞ The names of excoÌ„municate persons published One excoÌ„municate person may not excommunicate an other Hinderers of pilgrimages or spoylers of pilgrimes accursed Smiters of byshops or priestes â–ª spoylers or burners of churches accursed Spoylers of pilgrimes Chaplens â–ª Clarkes monks c â–ª accursed DisobedieÌ„t to bishops accursed This pope mitigateth y â— rigor of y e ecclesiastical censure A frendly decree Thys is wicked Neither baâ—â—el better her ring The pope deposeth Princes Practise â–ª Destroyers of Abbeies excommunicate Preachers not authorised by the Pope or some bishop accursed No man ought to be excoÌ„municate before his matter be knoweÌ„ Paiment of tythes ☞ The penaunce of him that hath slayne his mother What opinion of mariage had this Pope thinke ye A Pope more reasonable Note how loth the Popes are to go from their olde Mumsimê° A foolishe diuine of so wise a head 1. Cor. vii The penaunce of them that are negligent about the Sacrament of the Altare Beholde hys curiositye ☜ The penaÌ„ce of the Clergy coÌ„uicte of great fauts Penaunce dispensed with Penaunce enioyned of the ghostly Father A rule for penaunce A greate priuilege A reasonable order Note thys well Ioan. xi Sed perquaÌ„â—egulam A decree not to be despised Absolution must be receaued knelyng Pope The colledge of Cardinals Holy lande Holy crosse Bishops Abbotâ— prâ—ours moÌ„ks Chanons Friers nuÌ„nes c. Curates â–ª Persons Uicares Priestes Clarks c. The king Quene c. Duke Earles BaroÌ„s c Parisheners True tithers Tillers Shipmen MarchaÌ„ts Benefactors of the Churche Pilgrimes and Palmers Sicke persons Women in our Ladies bondes The holye bread giuer Prayeng for soules departed The three estates of holy church The generall seÌ„tence red foure tymes in the yeare What cursing is Enemies to holy church are fyrst accursed as most greuous offendours â–ª ☜ ☞ In Popish Churches all thynges are in Latib besydes surfyng ☞ A Caueat What this word cursâ— signifyeth Two manner of curses The lesser curse ☜ The more curse Note ☜ Wakings Reasons why the sacramental wine is not reserued in churches as y e sacramentall bread is Buriall The order of halowing churches The vertue of holy water The order of halowing altares The popes power The pope is Melchizedech Ioan i Psa cxlviii â–ª Gene xix Exod. vii Ioan ii â–ª Miracles This man for lacke of scripture to proue hys popysh traÌ„substantiation fleeth to carnall reasons fleshly similitudes as al other papistes doe A wise reason and a cupstantial 4 Reg. iiii The â—biquâ—â—ty of christs bodye The monstrous and vnreasonable doctrine of transubstantiation Fabula sinâ— capite An homely shifte and a soule Corin. xii Why y e host is lifted vp aboue the priests head Phil ii Rom x AmoÌ„strous kinde of doctrine Chebbiquity of christâ—â— bodye The signe of the crosse helpeth forward transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ ☜ What is to be done if gods bloud be frosen in the chalice An hâ—e point in a lowe house i. Corin. ii Titus i. Sacramentes iustifye after the doctrine of the papists Howe the sacrament is to be eaten The masse excelleth al prayses done to god Mary ledeth to heauen Prayer vnto Marye the Uirgin Suffrages of saintes Fasting Crosse. Confirmation or smering of the infantes forehead The greate vertue of coÌ„firmation Note Mary oure intercessour Three degrees of soules Soules maruelouslye good Soules maruelously euill Soules meanely euill Soules in purgatorye knowe what is done for theÌ„ in thys worlde Soules in heauen know what is done here