neither anie lawe nor iudgement hath power or iurisdiction ouer him for that he is the liuelie fâ—unteine of lawe and iudgement who as touching matters of our faith can not in anie point faile or misse and therefore hee may order and determine vpon all matters touching our beleefe and faith and so interprete the Scripture as he thinketh good he onelie may take and leaue doe and vndoe In so much that though all the worlde were against him yet must we take his part To be briefe there is no man to bee compared vnto him but God alone and therefore can he do all things that God doth For looke what soeuer God doeth in heauen the like doth the Pope here in earth What should a man say more His authoritie and power is so great that no tongue can expresse it neither is it possible for the capacitie of man to conceiue it as Zodoricus Zamorensis and Bartholus Chassaneus yea the whole Catholike church of Rome hath determined and concluded For as Antonius Florentinus doth testifie he is aboue al creatures and his might and power doeth extend euen to matters in heauen earth and hell for that he is the cause of causes and the Lord of Lords the Head Bridegrome of the whole church yea the high and principall Gouernour of the worlde vniuersall he is the light the brightnesse the verie foundation of faith and the verie summe and touchstone of the trueth hee is the hiest step of the staires and all in all whatsoeuer can be thought or said For as touching the giuing and distributing of Kingdomes Dukedomes lands and countries to whom when he shall think good that office he hath fast sure in possession and doth dailie practise put the same in exercise as is right to bee vnderstood by this pretie verse folowing Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodulpho That is to say The Rocke gaue Peter and his race a princelie and emperiall crowne And Ralfe receiu'd from Peters Grace a royall diademe of renowne Which trimme verse was by the before named Pope Gregorie 7. after that hee had excommunicated the saide Emperour Henrie 4. and cursed all his adherents sent vnto Ralphe the Duke of Swaben with am Imperiall crowne aduertising him plainlie therewithall that it lay wholie in his handes to giue to whem soeuer it pleased him as well the Empire as the crowne wherein hee did finelie prophesie in such order as Caiphas the Iewish Pope had prophesied saying That hee would neuer be esteemed as Pope if there did not die the same yeere before Whitsuntide a false or vniust King For it came euen so to passe Not that the Emperour Henrie by whom hee spake did die that yere but that the lotte fell vpon Ralphe to whom the Pope had giuen the Imperiall crowne who was the same yere pitifullie slaine his hands first cut of he lamenting sore before the Bishops That through informing of the Pope their prouokings he had made him and his accursed and rebelled against his owne lord and supreme head Nowe a litle after this did succeede Pope Paschalis 2. who againe excommunicated afreshe the Emperour and commaunded the Earle of Flaunders called Robert to destroy with fire and sword the territories of Luek and Camericke because that they would remaine true vnto their naturall lord and Souereigne the Emperour Henrie Yea hee did giue the Imperiall crowne with all the iewels of the Empire to Henrie the 5. sonne vnto the said Henrie the 4. Emperour herein preuailed so much that he did prouoke the sonne to rebell and persecute his owne Lord and naturall father yea with such horrible and vnnaturall malice that he let him most pitifullie starue in the prison at Luek which happened in the yeere of our Lorde 1108. Neither would hee receiue the Lukeners to grace til such time as they had taken vppe the dead carcase of his father which was by theÌ„ there buried cast the same out into the fields like the carion of a dogge And by that meanes the Lukeners were likewise discharged of the excommunication which Pope Paschalis had laid vpon them Men may likewise verie well conceiue the same by the example of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa who after a great manie of excommunications and curses was in the ende within the towne of Venice vpon the great market called Saint Markes place at the toppe of the staires of the great church or palace troden vpon the necke by Pope Alexander 3. euen with his feete who for the establishing of his authoritie and power did vsurpe and openlie pronounce before al the people this saying in the Psalme Super Aspidem Basiliscum equitabis coÌ„culcabis Leonem Draconem that is to say Thou shalt ride vpon the Lion and the Adder the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou treade vnder thy feete c. And thus likewise was Franciscus Dandalius Duke of Venice excommunicated and banished by Pope Clement 5. and enioyned vnto certeiâ—e penance which was That he should goe creeping alongest the Popes palace vpon his handes knees with a collar about his necke like a dogge So that it is apparant that the Pope of Rome hath ful and absolute power ouer al Kings Dukes and Princes and therefore may commaunde them as his subiectes and tenantes and may extoll or aduance and disgrade or depose them euen as he shall thinke good Which authoritie of his doeth extende and reache so farre that hee hath likewise full power commaundement and iurisdiction ouer the Kings and Emperours of Turkie and other Heathen countries In so much that a man may lawfullie appeale vnto him in anie matter from before anie earthlie Prince or Potentate In summe hee hath vnder him the rule and gouernement of all Emperiall Princelie and Spirituall iurisâ—iction for hee is consecrated as a Priest and crowned as a King and is therefore the King of Kings and Lorde of Lordes For as touching that which these Heretikes do alledge against this That Christ should haue said Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which to God belongeth that saieth our mother the holie church was not a perpetuall rule but stood in effect onlie for a short time to wit till such time as Christ had suffered and was ascended vp into heauen For now to answere that where hee saith After that I shal be lifted vp from the earth I will drawe all things vp after me that is thus to bee vnderstood saieth the holie church of Rome That Christ after his ascension into heauen should take al Kingdomes Dukedomes and such like out of the possession of Kings Dukes c. and that by meanes of his souldiers especiallie by his Romishe Apostles And whereas in other places hee doeth forbid his Disciples to seeke after or to receiue golde or siluer that must likewise be vnderstood but till such time onelie as they haue
and to celebrate the same with deuoute prayers And to that ende they are by the Pope earnestlie put in remembrance that they goe to shrift and fast vppon the Wednesday Frydaye and Saturdaye And then on the Sunday be howseled and go prunking in the Procession and deale their almes or at the least say fiue Pater nosters fiue Aue Maries by the vertue whereof they shall receiue a sufficient pardon of all their sinnes c. What can they desire more For as touching the sitting in the Chapter house and there Sententiam subverbo placet proferre that is To saye Amen and to nodde at that which is pronounced vnto them that is permitted only to such as of right ought to doe it or to whom it is graunted by special priuiledge as chiefly to the right honourable the brethren of the Pope to witte the Bishops Archbishops and his deare sonnes the Abbats and other such like as hee him selfe doeth set it foorth in the Bull Indictionis Therefore truely were the Dukes of Germanie the Protestantes in a wrong boxe when they said That it was no Free and Generall or Common Councell For a sheepe with one eye would haue marked that that it was neither forbidden them nor no man else in the worlde to come to Trent there to spende their money to holde the Councell and celebrate it with hearing of Masses with Fasting and with the saying of fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aue Maries yea the whole pardon was as well graunted vnto them as to anie Bishoppe or Prelate or other that was there But that was not the place where the muscles laye They would gladlie haue had manie voyces in the Chapter house and not to haue declared their meaning with that woorde Placet onelie but that they might likewise haue disputed freelie and brought in and alledged the Scriptures of God yea they would haue had it flatlie graunted that the Pope of Rome should not haue bene head and President of the Councell but that euerie thing should bee concluded out of the woorde of God. But beleeue me the holy fathers and the Pope were not so foolishe they did see more deepely into the matter For if they hadde once taken and put that horsse heame or collar about their neckes then were all the fatte in the fire and so the whole Church of Rome would not afterwardes haue bene worth the paring of a rotten apple No no I warraunt you They will take heede of that For there is one point whiche you shall neuer wrest nor wring out of their handes which is That all Councelles are lame maymed creeple and blinde yea vtterly voyde of anie power vnles the holy Pope of Rome be their President directing and gouerning the same as he thinketh good For he is the verie eye and the fiue wittes of the Councelles Therefore was it in the sayde Councel of Laterane verie circumspectly concluded That though all Cardinalles Bishoppes and Prelates were assembled although they were barrelled vp together like herring yet can they not holde anie Councell without the authoritie will consent and commaundement of the Pope if they should otherwise doe they should bee playne heretikes and vngodly men yea they should be esteemed thought and taken as Chore Dathan and Abiram The same was also before that forespoken and cōcluded by the holy Father Pelagius 2. who did openly set forth That all Councels which were holden without the Popes consent and commandement are not to be reputed or accompted for Councels but for Conciliables that is to say for Riots and vnlawfull assemblies And that is the same which the Popes Marcellus Iulius Damasus Gregorius other mo did likewise iointly ordeyne and determine as is plainly to be seene in the book of Decrees in the 17. distinctiō where it is in like maner by the Scriptures ▪ confirmed As for exāple out of the 81. psalme where it is written I haue saide you are Goddes Againe What soeuer you binde in earth that is bound in heauen c. And it is also established made sure with strōg reasons For that worshipful brother Thomas Vio did openly declare in the said coūcel of Laterane That those which goe about to make the Pope subiect to the coūcels do euen like vnto them that woulde make the father obedient to the childe the head inferior to the foote the captein seruant to his soldiers the shepeheard vnderling to his sheepe So that now Christ is no more made any accōpt of in the coūcels nor his word any whit estemed but the pope hath al the charge authoritie alone he only is enseigne bearer he doth set al in order And vpon that occasion it was determined That the coūsel of Pisa being assembled without the Popes cōsent was no assemblie of Hierusalem but of the towre of Babylō that is to say A curse confusion In sūme it is apparant that al coūcels ordinances in the worlde and do nothing against the Popes might nor against the authoritie of the Church for she hath ouergrowen the rod She cares neither for scriptures nor Coūcelles shee hath the holy Ghost pinned on her sleeue and may doe euen what so euer shee will. And therefore it is that when soeuer the Pope doeth set forth anie Bulles then doth he commonly adde this clause or conclusion to the same Non obstantibus constitutionibus ordinationibus Apostolicis coeterisue contrarijs quibuscunque that is to saye Notwithstanding all constitutions ordinances or commandements Apostolicall nor any other thing what soeuer contrarie herevnto Like as doeth specially appeare by the Bull of Pope Paule 3. set forth at the Coūcell of Trent in the yeere 1544. the 23. of Februarie So that he will not giue to all the Apostles to all the holy fathers nor all the Councelles scarse one good worde yea rather he mockes playes bo peepe with them all and so goes on forwards with his busines For otherwise if the matter were not thus handled I would not giue a pudding for all the power and authoritie of the holy Church of Rome For to beginne withall these Heretikes would giue her a rappe vpon the pate with the Councel of Mantua which was holden vnder Pope Alexander the seconde in the tyme of the Emperour Henrie the fourth where was concluded That all those which by Simonie that is to say by briberie or giftes had obteyned anie spirituall promotion or office should be depriued Aha the mother of God where can you finde nowe a dayes any Chaplein or beneficed man Bishop or Cardinall that climbeth to that preferment without moneie or rewardes Secondarily they would come plague vs with the Councel of Rome which was holdē in the time of the Emperour Phocas where was ordeined irreuocably neuer to be called backe againe That all such as with anie giftes or rewardes or other like promises were mounted vp to weare miters should be banished and
yet in verie deed they will proue out of Paule that this new law of the Gospell whereof Ieremie doth speake is nothing else but the ministration of the Gospell which Paul did minister in his preaching and set forth aboundantly in his writing which remaines continues for euer And that did Paul openly witnes That he had neither forgotten nor kept secret anie thing of that which might serue to saluation but that he hath vttered truly set forth all the same before the Congregations ioyntly together Insomuch that he before the holy Pope which came afterwards should not haue left one iot behinde Wherevpon should follow that the law of the Gospel which the Pope doth carie in his bosome is altogether of an other Gospell much differing froÌ„ the law of that Gospel which Paul did preach or whereof Ieremie did speake then should the Pope be accurssed by the saying of Paule to the Galathians Whosoeuer doth preach any other Gospell than that which I haue preached vnto you â–ª let him be accurssed yea although hee were an Angel out of heauen But yet the Pope of Rome doeth not thinke that this doth touch him for that he is something greater than an Angel of heauen as we shall giue you to vnderstand in due time fit place Now that which he brings forth out of Iohn to wit that Christ said â–ª That the Apostles could not yet vnderstand all that the holy ghost should descend and instruct them further is somewhat more apparant But yet for all this he is neuer the neare For he cannot with this stop the mouthes of Heretikes by reason that they wil stil obiect say that this was spoken before the Apostles had receiued the holy ghost but after they had receiued him then did they put al the instructions which they had learned of the holie ghost in writing to the end that through that which is written all men might bee saued by faith in Iesus Christ as by the said Iohn is precisely written without this addition that they shoulde haue neede to watch anie longer after the Popes Buls or Masses of Requiem But it is euen as I haue told you our master Gentian hath bene so wildely prickt forwarde with that zealous spirite that hee did not see well what he said For he is a man that hath whole drifattes full of wit marie the bottoms are out And therfore will we helpe him againe out of his dreame omitting all such vnprofitable tittle tattle and purposing for the second part of this matter which we haue in hand to teach That whatsoeuer our mother the holy Church hath brought to light studied inuented or found out since the Apostles time is altogether so surely substantially grounded timbred bricked walled vpon the plaine text of the holy scripture so farre as they be spiritually vnderstood according to the interpretation of our mother the holy Church that it were not possible to erect any castle or tower more surely vpon the highest sandhill in all Hollande And this I assure you will bee a goodly peece of woorke whereby I shall deserue muche and bee partaker of a great manie goodly pardons and indulgencies and shal besides that become verie necessarie and seruiceable to the comforting of our sorrowfull mother the holie Church and to the extirpation and rooting out of all erronious opinions of newely vpstart Sectaries and Heretikes whiche doe yet thinke that they haue the Scripture on their side But they will haue but foolishe countenances when they shall see that the whole Scripture with the interpretations of the holie Fathers doeth at the least close vp as well with our doctrine as a ring in a Swines snowt The ii Chapter Declaring that the sonne offring of the Masse and the order and office of Priestes and Masse Priestes is gathered out of the Scripture if it be rightlie vnderstoode according to the interpretation of the Church of Rome THen to begin withall we will digge the holie sonne offering of the Masse out of the holie Scripture and proue that shee hath thereon a deepe and sure foundation Consider nowe it is plainly written That when Christ had broken the bread giuen it to his disciples he spake thus and saide Take Eate This is my bodie which shall be broken for you Do this in remembrance of me Do you wel perceiue nowe yee poore Heretikes that Christ doeth here commande to singe Masse for that same worde Doe this is iust as much as if he had saide Offer my bodie in the Masse to God my Father for the liuing and for the dead And that is first stronglie set forth by the Poet Virgil who saieth thus Cum faciam vitula that is to say When I shall doe it with a calfe Looke nowe by this worde Doe he vnderstandeth nothing else but onelie To do or offer a sacrifice and sonneoffring Ergo it must needes folowe That Christ did vnderstand it no otherwise than the worshipful Catholike Doctours of Louen Paris haue very well declared and irreuocablie concluded For our deare mother the holy church hath receiued approued strongly established their doctrine institution and prescript for an article of our faith So that it appeares that the Masse is verie ancient seeing it was vsed in Virgils time sauing onely that they did offer either Calues fleshe or Oxe flesh whereas nowe our Priestes doe celebrate their Masse with mans fleshe and bloud And herevpon you may note further that these short and sweete wordes Doe this is remembrance of me hath a wonderful emphasis or force For out of the grounde of the same hath the holie Catholike Church of Rome fished That the Apostles were Priests or Prelates with shorne crownes and did sing Masse and thereof it is that all our Priestes are created For Doe this is as much to say in their language as Become Priestes and see that your fingers bee annoynted with holie oyle that you may deuoutly say Masse And for this hath the holie Church of Rome commaunded That none of the Laâ—e people shall receiue the Chalice because our Lorde did not here speake to anie of the Laie or common people as the Apostle Saint Paule did in his time when hee willed the whole Congregation and Church of the Corinthians to doe as Christ Iesus had done But the Apostle Paule did meane simplie and onelie those which were able to sing the holie Masse as our Priestes and Prelates are who onelie ought and may drinke out of the Chalice as you may more perfectly and plainlie perceiue by the writers vpon the booke of Sentences and by all the before named Doctours of Louen of Paris and of Colen Moreouer and besides this wee can stronglie confirme the Masse offering out of the Prophete Malachie who in the 1. Chapter and 11. verse saith thus From the rising of the Sunne vnto the setting of the same is my name honoured amongest the Heathen and in all places
is my name sacrificed a pleasant offering offered vp that is to say The offering and sacrifice of the holy Masse For that can not faile so long as it pleaseth our mother the holy Church to haue and will haue it thus vnderstoode And although it be so that Peter hath otherwise interpreted it saying That all faithfull are that holy Priesthood to offer vp spiritual offrings wherwith God is pleased through Iesus Christ yea they are the chosen generation the kingly Priesthoode the holie and elect people to set foorth the worthines of him which hath called thē out of darkenesse vnto his wonderfull light Wherewith Iohn the Apostle doeth also accorde saying That Iesus Christ hath made all faithfull Christians kings and Priestes to God his father and applies this sacrifice to their prayers and Psalmes And although it be so tha◠the Apostle had so saide to the Iewes That we should offer vp vnto God the offring of thankesgiuing which is the fruites of our lippes and tongues yet notwithstanding the holie Church is not therewith satisfied because greate disorder might followe for that then there shoulde be no mo priests which could serue in the Masse therfore she hath strongly concluded that this place of the prophesie of Malachie may not any otherwise be vnderstood than by the second councell of Nice the councell of Constance the councell of Trent further as by al Catholike men as Thomas de Aquino Scotus Durandus and by all the Doctours of Louen it hath bene vnderstoode interpreted Iudging without doubt that all these profounde learned Doctours together on a cluster as hauing greater measure of wisedome and learning than the rest did vnderstande Malachie farre better than Peter and Iohn who were but simple fishers and had neuer bene Studentes in the famous and renowmed Vniuersitie of Louen And yet if it were so that Peter were not content yet hath the holie Church giuen him to vnderstand that his foresaide reason must bee vnderstoode meant of the Priests only and not of the generall congregation of Christ. Moreouer and beside all this these wordes of Paule where he saith That we should deliuer or offer vp our bodies a liuing holie and an acceptable sacrifice vnto God which is our dutiefull seruing of God c. hath she violently forceably wresled to the Masse and the offering of the Priestes cōmanding that those words should do dailie read in the Canon of the Masse ▪ that at euerie word a crosse should be made to the ende that they by the power and vertue of the crosse might altogether transforme and change their naturall vsages and so serue the turne of the holie Masse For if men will vnderstande them according to their nature after the letter to wit That all perfite Christians must offer vp to God their bodies in all holinesse by that it should seeme that Paul hath otherwise vnderstoode Malachie than the holie Church doth vnderstande him And then should S. Peter haue done euill when he soung his first Masse at Rome vpon the altar which is yet there to bee seene in the holie place at Saint Iohns de Laterane And nowe our Lord hath saide Oraui pro te Petre ne deficeret sides tua ▪ O Peter I haue prayed for thee that thy faith shuld not faile So that Peter then can not haue done amisse when he did sing Masse And herevpon is to be concluded that the Masse is founded grounded vpon the scripture And yet we see further That in the scripture there are two sortes of Priesthoodes spoken of The one is the order of Melchisedech and the other is The order of Aaron who came of the tribe of Leui. Nowe both these two orders seeme to haue bene a figure of our Priestes Which doth appeare by this That our Priestes haue in their Masse by vertue of the fiue wordes changed the bread into the bodie of Iesus Christ then they go and offer him vp to God the Father praying and beseeching him that he with a mercifull and pleasant countenance will beholde the offring vp of his onely begotten and liuing Sonne Christ Iesus and that he will accept the same euen as hee accepted Abels offring and the sacrifice of Abraham of the hie Priest Melchisedech Who will nowe cast in any more doubts whether they be the right Priests placed in the roomes seates of Melchisedech Aaron Nay they do far passe both Melchisedech Aaron seeing that they do pray for the Sonne of God him selfe are a meane not only betweene God and man but also betweene God the Father and Christ Iesus his Sonne which in an Euangelical degree they do resemble to the sheepe and the lambes So that by this it is apparant that the meaning of our mother the holie church is That Christ is to be accounted for nothing els but the sheepe which Melchisedech did offer vp Contrariwise the Priestes are the true Melchisedechs which do offer vp Christ pray for him For when all is said what other thing did Melchisedech I pray you foreshewe but onelie the figure of the holie Pope of Rome who is the chiefe Priest the Summus Pontifex The high Bishop which doeth create all Priestes and Deacons set vp all spirituall orders giuing and appointing to euery one of them their charge what they shall doe Then must he needes be the right Melchisedech whose Priesthoode is not to bee resembled to other priestes For this is set forth in the Decretalles euen thus in plaine wordes Durandus hath set out the same at large in his booke called Rationale diuinorū officiorū Therefore that which the Apostle would say to the Hebrewes That as Melchisedech was a figure of Christ And accordingly as Melchisedech hath neither had anie successour nor lieftenant that euen so Christ had neither successour nor lieftenant but should him selfe in his owne person exercise his euerlasting Priesthood being once entred into that heauenlie holinesse through the power of that one offering to witte his owne bodie and bloud which offering being once fully accomplished for the remission of our sinnes can neuer be renewed nor done againe But all this doeth not serue the purpose touching out matter for if that were true then the Masse would be nothing worth and our Priestes might go with emptie stomachs and in the end be glad to get them into some hospitall for a refuge or at least to gette their liuing with painfull labour which would be a pitifull case considering that they haue neuer bene vsed to anie labour but simplie to say Masse sing Euensong and to mumble ouer their Mattens and therewith to deserue first a liuing here on earth and afterwardes heauen for themselues their pretie wenches and their yong bastardes Therefore doeth our mother the holie Church conclude that the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrewes did not well consider the pith and ground of the
recourse to him with perfect and steadfast hope through their beliefe in him and That God who abounds in mercie hath through his inestimable loue wherewith he hath loued vs when we were dead in sin made vs aliue againe in Christ through whose mercie wee are beecome holie yea and hath raised vs vp againe and placed vs in the heauens by Christ Iesus iustifying vs of his meere mercie through faith not through our selues but through the gift of God not by workes least anie man should boast himselfe so that from henceforth none can charge or blame the elect of God for it is he only which doth iustifie them who therefore can condemne them seeing that Christ hath suffered for them So that they are assured that neither death nor life nor Angel nor rule neither might nor power neither anie thing present nor to come neither hight nor depth nor any other creature can separate them from the loue of God shewed in Christ Iesus our Lord With manie such other like thinges which Paule speaketh of But all that cannot helpe For our mother the holie Church will haue that vnderstood onely of such as haue and are assured of the same by some speciall reuelation and of such as trust simplie vpon Gods worde and promise For she hath resolutely concluded that such a manner of beliefe should be nothing else but a flat and vaine-glorious presumption But when a man doth trust to his owne merits good works and satisfactions then he is assured to come out with his iust reckoning or at the least if there haue not bene ynough done here in this worlde that shall bee after in another worlde accomplished and paied to the vttermost farthing insomuch that he shall not remaine one mite in Gods debt For to that ende and purpose hath our deare mother the holie Churche of Rome ordeined the blessed Purgatorie whereof wee will nowe make further declaration and proue it to bee as well grounded on the Scripture as the merits and satisfactions whereof we haue now alreadie spoken The viii Chapter VVherein Purgatorie is established as well bp Scripture as by inheritance And herein are likewise intreated the remedies and helpes whereby the sillie soules are released out of Purgatorie HEre is to be considered that Purgatorie is founded and hath his ground out of the holie Scripture For if Masses are founded vpon the Scripture as wee haue alreadie certiâ—ied then surely we may not make a bastard of the Masse of Requiem And now if it be so that the Masse of Requiem is founded vpon the Scripture then no doubt there must needes be a Purgatorie But nowe let vs bring forth for the proofe hereof speciall textes of scripture First note howe there is written by Paule to the Corinthians That no man may lay anie other foundation but onely vpon Iesus Christ. And so whosoeuer doth build on this foundation gold siluer precious stones timber hay or stubble euerie mannes woorke shall appeare for the day shall declare it and it shall be shewed in fire the fire shall declare euerie mans woorke what it is c. This hath our dere mother the holy Church vnderstood meant and set forth of Purgatorie And although out of this it should follow That all manner of persons without exception as wel he Saints as she Saints which our holy father the Pope hath canonized yea and the verie Popes themselues shoulde daunse in Purgatorie as well as Iacke and Tom with the rest But considering how that doth not agree in one with the beliefe of the holie Church of Rome in respect of the superfluous good woorkes which those Saintes haue done for themselues and for their good friendes more than they were of duetie bound to do therefore she properly wisely concludeth therevpon That those soules onely which depart out of this world without any deadly sinne and before they haue sufficiently satisfied by penance for their veniall and quotidian sinnes shall remaine a certeine space in Purgatorie be there broiled and sodden til such time as they shall with soule Masses pardons or indulgencies be hailed out of the pan or chaldron as with a flesh hooke The which is worthie to bee noted considering that which is thereout concluded as first that as heretofore is declared al sinnes are not deadly neither deserue euerlasting damnation and then againe by this you may perceiue that which of late we did speake of namely That the death and passion of Iesus Christ hath purged but onely our originall sinne and not our daily sinnes for which wee must make full satisfaction our selues And whereas the Heretikes say that Paule doeth not in the foresaide text meane any thing at all of Purgatorie but meanes onely to speake according as the text importeth as many ancient fathers haue expounded vnderstoode the same of the fire of the holy ghost which doth in time trie cause to appere plaine all doctrines namely those which take their foundation of Iesus christ And they say that good doctrine and godly learning shal in this proofe remaine stedfast but babblers and false teachers shall consume like hay or stubble before the fire With all this we haue nothing to do for that is but an exposition after the letter and not after the spirit or allegorie It is sufficient for vs that our holie mother the Church of Rome hath vnderstood Paul otherwise and applied his text vnto Purgatorie like as she hath applied the wordes of the Euangelist where hee saith That it was a custome amongst the Iewes to weepe ouer the dead For therby she hath concluded That the Iewes did beleue that there is a Purgatorie because as she thinkes it had bene a great follie of them to weepe for the dead vnlesse they did beleeue there was a Purgatorie so that it is a thing verie credible that those which wept so sore ouer Steeuen as in the Acts of the Apostles is declared did thinke none other but that he was gone into Purgatorie notwithstanding that he had seene Iesus Christ sitting on the right hand of God the father and sealed the testimonie and witnesse of him with his bloud Thirdely Purgatorie is clearely proued â—ut of the plaine textes of Paule who saith That in the name of Iesus al knees do bow those that are in heauen those vpon the earth and those vnder the earth Surely we wil not haue this vnderstoode of diuels Ergo then it must needs folow that it is spokeÌ„ of the souls which lay burning in Purgatorie For thus saith S. Iohn in the Apocalypse touching the same matter And all creatures which are in heaueÌ„ in the earth vnder the earth in the sea all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honor power be to him that sitteth vpon the seat vnto the lambe for euermore Where vndoubtedly he doth vnderstand meane Purgatorie according to the exposition of our
names to the holie Church when they shall be so vnderstoode and when they shall â—ot be so taken Now doeth our deare mother the holie Church inioy dâ—uerse other goodly and plaine Scriptures wherewith â—o prop vp and make fast the seate of our holâ—e father the Pope as specially where it is written That Christ came to fulfill the will of his father For of that must needes follow That all good Christen men are bound to fulfil the will of their holie mother the Church of Rome of which church the Pope without all doubt is the supreme heade And againe God speaketh by the mouth of his Prophete Esaias But doth the axe boast it selfe against him that heweth therewith Or doeth the sawe make anie bragging against him that ruleth it Signifying thereby that the king of the Assyrians had no power against the almightie God who woulde vse him as an axe or a sawe to punish and correct his people by him Out of this hath our mother the holy Church of Rome concluded and as she saith made it appeare clearer than the Sunne that there is no power nor authoritie in this worlde but in the power of the holy sea pope of Rome to correct or punish the same And this shee doeth establish yet more strongly by the wordes of Paule who saith That the naturall man cannot conceiue nor vnderstand Gods doings but the spirituall man doth vnderstand rule all things but may not be ruled of any man. For this doth the holie Church vnderstand by the pope of Rome that he is of himselfe so spiritual and ghostly that no man may nor can iudge nor punish him Now further his power is established in the first booke of Moses called Genesis where it is written That God in the beginning did shape both heauen and earth For now that is as much to say after the exposition of the holie Church of Rome that the Pope is the beginning of all things Considering there is no mention made but of one beginning It is not said In the beginning as of mo or manie beginnings and therefore whosoeuer should compare the Emperour to be as good as the Pope he is a rank heretike of the sect of the Manichees who saide There was mo beginnings of all things than one What thinke you now of this Is not this a good bagpipe to play a galiard vpon But now tarie yet a little it is likewise writen That God did shape two great lightes a greater and a lesser which do signifie after the interpretation of the holy Church that the pope of Rome is aboue all other Potentates aboue the Emperour for he is the Sunne the Emperour is the Moone Whereby nowe is clearely to be seene that Moses had a foreknowlege of the pope his authoritie And Iob must needes haue had some feeling of his coÌ„ming For thus God said vnto Iob Knowest thou I pray thee how the heauens are gouerned Or canst thou rule him vpon earth That is after the interpretation of the holy Church That euen as in the heauen one eternall God doth gouerne all things and as the holy Trinitie is brought to one onelie vnitie The like consequence must fall out here vpon earth So that here the Pope onely must haue dominion ouer all estates dukedomes kingdomes other whatsoeuer in consideration that hee is the onely line leuell and compasse whereby all other people are and ought to be directed And in consideration hereof is the prophesie of Paul thus vnderstood saying Vntil the fulnes of the Gentils be come and then shall all Israel be saued ioining this with that which Christ said So that there shal be but one flock one sheepheard as to vnderstand When all the nations vpon earth shall be subiect to the Pope Like as now in our daies we haue seene a good beginning do daily see with our eyes very great apperaÌ„ce of more And that the Pope ought not only to haue a spirituall gouernment as a Bishop but must likewise maintein a worldly gouernment as a king is by clere testimonie of Scripture of our deare mother the holy Church approued For there is without doubt a plaine text that the Apostles did say Behold here are two swordes Wherevnto Christ answered not saying That it was too manie but that that was inough Now out of this doth our deare mother coÌ„clude That the Pope of Rome must vse two swordes to wit a spirituall a temporall sword Ho ball ho how will this sound in the eares of the Heretikes But now must they vnderstand for a speciall matter that a good while ago there was in Spaine an honest man who coulde not vnderstand it so saying that this scripture did serue nothing at al to that purpose And by and by the holy inquisition which is the dearest and chiefest nourse fosterfather of the Church of Rome did take him and burne him at a stake as one which had highly blasphemed because that vpon his opinion should follow that the holy church hath not full power to interprete the scripture as she will which I assure you is a terrible slaunder Therefore haue these heretikes need to looke well to the matter kepe their tongues giue eare to other testimonies and witnesses For yet besides this Christ said to Peter Put vp thy sword into the sheth Out of those words doth plainly appeare as our holy father Bonifacius the 8. saith That both the swordes as well the temporall as the spirituall are vnder the power and iurisdiction of the Church Yea and it is verie necessarie that the one sword be subiect to the other which is to be vnderstood That the temporal iurisdiction and authoritie must be subiect to the spirituall ecclesiasticall power and authoritie For according to the saying of S. Paule There is no power or authoritie but that which is appointed by god Truely saith he there would be no good regiment if the one sword were not subiect to the other and that the lower and inferiour were by some good meanes brought in subiection and obedience to the higher and superior Consider this is the onely naturall and grounded interpretation of the before alledged text of the holie Scripture as our deare mother the holy Church hath interpreted the same word by word Is not this Popingaie then trimly shot downe Lee these Huguenots and Lutherans come out now who crie alway that we cannot establish the power authoritie of the Pope by anie scriptures now they may see that we haue scriptures â—now to hit the marke withall But now will we teach out of the scriptures That the Pope only hath power to consecrate and halow Churches to blesse altars Marke well the wordes plainly set out in the Psalms where it is written Except the Lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it For this is the verie text that the holy
not onlie all crosses but all figures likenesses of the crosse are worshipped reuerenced kist and lickt in reuerence of that onelie crosse whereon his bodie did hang. But it hath thus pleased our louing mother the holie church and not without most great and waightie occasions for without doubt the likenes of the holie crosse is of of such great power singular vertue that the deuill doeth take it for a bulbegger and flies from it as a dogge doeth from a piece of bacon Like as euidentlie appeareth in the golden Legend of Saint Christopher and in a number of other legendes where almost for feare hee beraied his breech so soone as a crosse was made And it is also the cudgell wherewith he was once beaten like as wee may plainlie see on all altars in processions where our Sauiour is counterfeited knocking with a crosse vpon the gates of hell at which all the deuils runne awaye as though they were possessed Moreouer it is the token with the which God hath created heauen earth and that is it which Esai would say according to the expositiō of our holy mother the church saying thus Who hath holden the waters in his fist Who hath measured heauen with his spanne hath comprehended all the worlde in their measures Who hath wayed the mountaines hilles in a balance Which is to say that God did with three fingers make a crosse when hee created heauen and earth Item our holie mother the church saith besides That Moses did with the figure of the crosse change the bitternes of the waters in the wildernesse and caused the water to flowe out of the stonie rocke And although the scripture doth not make mention of anie crosse but onelie of a rod wherwithall Moses did strike yet our mother the holy church hath thus expounded the same supposing that Moses did the like to the Bishops now who with their staffe do make a crosse so blesse the people Shee hath also fained that those which do sprinkle their thresholdes with the bloud of the Paschal lambe theron set the figure of a crosse that the striking Angel by meanes of the crosse doeth passe by it like as wee haue out of their sequences which they vpon the crosse dayes named Inuentio S. crucis signe here aboue rehearsed Besides that the same which Ezechiel doeth mention of Tau that is to say of the token or seale which is set vpon the foreheads of the elect therof hath she also made a crosse albeit that the letter Tau doth resemble the figure of the crosse no more then an aple doth an oyster for the one is written thus ת the other thus ✚ notwithstanding she doth not take the matter so neere wee must for clownes sift meale through a lattice and set them packing after the homeliest sort then may they bake their bread as they list This once is the issue that all cursing and coniuring all hallowing and blessing al mysteries and cōsecrations must be made with crosses The holy Masse is likewise ful of crosses from one end to another sometimes with two at once to saue both bodie and soule or to change both breade and wine sometime with three together in worshippe of the Father Sonne and holie Ghost sometime with fiue at once in reuerence of the fiue woundes of Christ Iesus The blessed holie water is made with crosses the waxe candles the salt the holy oyle the palmes the Agnus Dei the holie ashes and all the implementes pertaining to the Priestes are created with crosses yea the Priestes themselues without crosses cānot be made Priestes In al processions the crosse must go before Vpon all bables toyes sacrament boxes must stand a crosse least the diuell should put in his nose yea vppon all wafers trinkets vpon churches vppon steeples also vpon coine vpon Māmona iniquitatis a crosse must simper To conclude the crosse hath an oare in euerie boate and hath a place in all the ceremonies perteining to the holie Church of Rome There can not a Pageant bee plaied but shee must haue a part yea a Nunne durst scarse let a fyste but shee must blesse her selfe with a crosse And the Priestes are neuer worse at ease than when they haue neuer a crosse in their purse Therfore it is not without great vrgent occasion that our holie mother doth holde the crosse in such honour in so much as she hath for her sake ordeined and instituted three or foure holy or festiual dayes as namelie Inuentio crucis Rogationum Exaltatio crucis and other such like She hath also a speciall Masse in honour of the holie crosse which shee names Missa de sancta cruce and a seruice called Officium de sancta cruce And besides she hath more ordeined and charged that we should vpon the good Friday after Maunday thursday deuoutlie and sadlie creeping along the ground vpon our bare knees worship the crosse and there bestow a good fat offering and liberall almes to the benefit and maintenance of the poore Priestes so that they with crosses in their purses might be preserued against the diuell Wherevnto she hath franklie giuen a great heape of pardons to those which with great deuotion do the same For shee doeth esteeme and beleeue that the crosse hath no lesse force than the bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of god For behold these are the wordes with the which shee causeth the crosse to be consecrated or hallowed Oramus te Domine sancte pater c. vt digneris benedicere hoc lignū crucis tuae vt sit remedium salutare generi humano sit soliditas fidei bonorū operum profectus redemptio animarum sit solamen protectio ac tutela contra saeua iacula inimicorum c. That is We beseech thee O Lord heauenlie father that thou wilt so blesse this wood of the crosse that it may be a healthfull help to mankind a cōfirming or strengthening to faith a furtherance to good works and a redemption of soules that it may be our comfort our safegard defender against the noysome dartes of the enimies c. What can we ascribe more to Christ Iesus the sonne of God for the helpe consolation of man than our mother the holie church doeth ascribe here vnto the crosse yea all that Christ hath euer done all the good which can be thought that hath shee in like manner attributed to the figure of the crosse For these be her wordes Ista suos fortiores Semper facit victores Morbos sanat languores Reprimit daemonia Dat captiuis libertatem Vitae confert nouitatem Ad antiquam dignitatem Crux reduxit omnia O Crux lignum triumphale Mundi vera salus vale Inter ligna nullum tale Fronde ▪ flore germine Medicina Christiana Salua sanos aegros sana Quod non valet vis humana Fit in tuo nomine c. That is to say It makes her souldiers
consented with condition that he should be sworne to be subiect and seruiceable in all matters vnto them wherevnto with right good will hee also did condescend desiring onelie that when this compact should be confirmed the diuell should not appeare in any fearful likenesse to demaunde the accomplishment of his othe but should shewe him selfe in the habit and semblance of a Protonotarie The diuell who could not haue wished a better vizard was soone intreated to shew him that pleasure So it fortuned on a time that the Cardinall did walke in the auncient citie of Rome to the mount called Monte cauallo and drewe him selfe aside in a sommer parler or place of pleasure where byding alone his lord the Protonotarie came also treading in in the similitude of a comelie middleaged man seemely apparelled with the habit of a priest And hauing taken the oth of the Cardinal according to his wish and prescribing did assure him to become Pope that agreed verie friendlie vpon the time wherein Borgia should reigne as Pope to wit 1108. In fine Borgia was made Pope and gaue himself throughly to al maner of pleasure desire of his flesh Hee laye with his owne daughter named Lucretia whiche neuertheles was vsed in like case the same time by his sonne her owne brother called Valentin Borgia insomuch as of his daughter he did not onlie make his bride but also his daughter in law like as her Epitaph extant on her graue doeth expreslie declare Hee caused likewise the good man Hieronymus Sauonarola to bee burnt at Florence because hee did boldlie preache against his wicked life and doctrine Besides this hee did couenant and agree with the Marranes which is with the reuoked Christians Yet further after hee had committed manie murthers as well with his owne handes as also thorough the meane of his aforesaid sonne Valentin who had raised a commotion through all Italie and had brought Iacobus Caietanus the Cardinal Vrsin and the Abbatte Aluiane with manie other more to their ende Hee would at last at a banket which verie liberallie hee had prepared haue poysoned a Cardinall So it chaunced that through mistaking the one bottell for the other hee which filled the drinke did serue the poyson to the Pope him selfe insomuch as hee therewith did swell and became exceeding sicke The while nowe that good counsell with him was deare and farre to seeke he sent one of his most trustie seruauntes called Modena into a studie ioyning next to a chamber where he laye in bedde to fetche a prettie golden booke of Necromancie which hee had alwayes most carefullie kept amongest his costlie and chiefest iewels And as the aforesaid seruaunt mas entring into the studie he sawe the aforenamed Protonotarie sitting in the Popelie habit who did so well resemble his maister in all respectes as if it had bene him selfe Whereat being greatlie frighted and in a manner halfe dead through feare did retire backe vntill his maister the Pope had reuiued him againe and then aduenturing the second time to enter the studie was asked of the Diuell what he had there to do who answered that the Pope had sent him for a booke Then roared the diuell with a terrible noyse and cried out I am Pope my selfe wherewith he vanished away After the which time the Pope began to hasten toward his end Yet a litle before his death did his maister appeare once more in likenesse of a Poste or Purseuant and hauing had long conference a longer discourse with him did teache him his Arithmetick or his table of numbring effectuallie giuing to vnderstand that eleuen eight did signifie eleuen yeares and eight dayes and not nineteene yeares so as the Pope had reckoned without his host And then with a filthie stinck he departed from my lord the Pope who immediatlie after followed and with his faithfull maisters departed this world into the Popes heauen Nowe seeing his Requiem is a singing wee will affoarde him this seuenth place in the last quarter The last and best which may not onlie conclude the fourth quarter but also shutte and seale vp the whole registre of kinreds with his noble armes and Popelie actes is Paule the third whose high renoumed noble feates do shewe them selues partlie in all the foure quarters for he is at first a kinne to the fathers of the first quarter insomuch as he was all his life time a notable Epicure openlie skoffing at Christ the sonne of God and esteeming the worde of God for a vaine fable Like as they do sufficientlie know which in his time haue frequented and bene at Rome After that he is a kinne likewise to those of the second eight quarters forsomuch as he was not simplie a whoremonger but besides the women which he defiled being the Popes Legate was by his kinsman Nicholas Querceo taken with the manner whereas he beeing a bedde with his owne cousine germane Laura Fernesia wife to the said Nicholas was for the said cause by him thrust with a dagger into his bodie whereof hee bore the scarre to his graue Yea he did lie with his own daughter Constantia and to the ende he might the more safelie do the same did poyson her husband named Bosa Sforza He had also a sonne called Peter Aloysius who knewe verie well how to followe his fathers footsteppes For besides innumerable shamelesse and most detestable crimes whiche would be to tedious to repeate he did perforce rauish the Bishop of Fanes and misvsed him with helpe of his seruants to the satisfying of his most horrible Sodomiticall lecherie whereof the good Bishoppe through sorrowe anguish of heart died which notwithstanding the good sonne got of the holy father for a reward of his good deed an Earldome of fortie thousand Duccates a yeere But what maruell is it that he forbore mainteined his sonne in such a dishonest and detestable life seeing him selfe through the whoredome of his sister Iulia Fernesia which she had committed with Pope Alexander the sixt was called to be one of the colledge and fellowship of Cardinals Forsomuch as shee did threaten to forsake the Pope vnlesse hee would bestowe on her brother a Cardinals hatte After this he doeth claime kinred of the third 8. quarters considering he kept open shop or market of all manner of benefices merchādise For being by Pope Clemēt who lay at Rome as prisoner in the Palace called Castra de Sancto Angelo sent of an Embassage to the Emperour Charles would not take it vppon him but that the Pope must first preferre his yong Nephewe to the Bishoprike of Parma who was but a childe of x. yeres olde and afterwards being Pope did giue all or most part of this treasure perteyning vnto the Churches vnto his friends and kinsfolkes as well women as men yea solde from the Duke of Ferrara two townes called Modena Rhegium He alienated also Parma Plasancia gaue them to his friēds He was not abashed to
wonder for of this Asse or this Hog will rise a swarme of Bees And thus dooing you may mainteine the kinde The x. Chapter Of the waxe and honnie of these Bees THe waxe which these Bees make is called Bull waxe being of great estimation and solde verie deare yea a great deale dearer then his weight in golde but it is exceeding forcible for who so hath of this waxe doubtles hath great preheminence for in Lent he may eate fleshe without let or daunger of lawe he may marrie and lie with whom he will yea although she weee his owne sister without beeing reputed an Heretike for dooing the same He is also defended from Purgatorie as one which eateth mustard is free from the daunger of thunder For it is said That if anie with this waxe did come before Lucifers gate he should bee forced to deliuer three or foure soules out of Purgatorie spite of his teeth yet wel vnderstood â–ª so far forth the wax do not melt through the heat of the fire for there must stand vpon it the perfect seale impressed with a ring called Annulus piscatoris Concerning the honnie there are some couÌ„tries in which no other is vsed then of these bees whereas it is greatly esteemed to witte aboue all in Spaine It was wont also to be much vsed in Germanie FraÌ„ce but is growen now out of request with many nothing regarded like as it is also fallen out in the base countries but the Spaniards haue of late brought whole ship lodings out of Spaine whereby it is become more vsuall againe yet by experience it is found to be vnnaturall and vnholesome yea verie hurtfull and poysonable to be eaten For it is of the same operation which Plinie doeth mention speaking of the poysonable honnie and declaring that the same may bee knowne by that it is not fast nor thicke but of a ruddie colour and straunge sent whiche strikes soone into the head and prouoketh neesing such as haue eaten it do cast them selues downe to the grounde and seeke to coole them selues c. This is the description wherewithall the nature and operation of our bees honnie doeth fittely agree For it is in like manner bloudie coloured and waxeth neuer thike nor faste but remayneth still nature and operation of our Bees honnie doeth fittlie agree For it is in like manner bloudie coloured and waxeth neuer thicke nor fast but remaineth still vnstedfastlie floting It hath also a maruellous strange sent for it sauors very stronglie after the honnie combe which is chefelie made of stinking Romishe Decrees and decretals and perboild or sodden with foule stinking water It strikes in like manner quicklie into the head and prouokes not only neesing but also beereaues one of his senses and vnderstanding It is also exceeding heauie in weight and burdensome and therefore such as vse it haue for the most parte a heauie stomach as though a mill stone lay on their heart It incenseth all the limmes and partes of the bodie with heate and makes one as it were puft vp and further makes one cholericke and angrie yet remaine they still creeping and cralling on the ground very loathe to looke vp towards heauen They seeke still to coole them selues and runne like madde men from one place to an other and fling them selues vpon their knees before woodden stockes stones â–ª or brasen images to finde some refreshing But howe much more they trouble them selues herein so much the more sicke and diseased they become both in heade and stomache They raue sore and are verie greedie after the foresaide syroppe calle Syrupus Missaticus but the more they vse of it the more they swel with self-holines so that they are like to burst somtimes they wax faint hearted loose their courage their eyes are darkened their eares stopt vp all their partes numme and astonied and yet they are persuaded to be most strong and lustie to haue their senses at libertie to vse their limmes feeling and vnderstanding Wee finde some which haue euen the like accidents or Symptomata as though they were bitten of a madde dogge hauing their bodies wholie bloudie and sanguine coloured They are lothsome and shunne the light they haue an euerlasting payne like a gnawing worme at their heart they foame at the mouth yea they barke and blowe and also bite those whome they meete although it bee their owne father and mother sister or brother those onelie excepted whiche are troubled with the same disease for to such they doe no hurte or dammage Some of them runne a pilgrimage to Saint Heughe or Saint Gole or in like case to our Ladie at Halle yea they sticke not to runne to Italie to our Ladie of Loretta or to Spaigne to Montserrato and to Compostille and to Hierusalem and to other places more hoping to saide some refreshing of the Saintes but all will not helpe them The xi Chapter VVhich â—heweth a remedie for all those which are diseased with the honnie of these Bees THe onely remedie is to make them caste all whatsoeuer they haue receiued and taken in but that will they hardly doe And after that â–ª shall be ministred vnto them euery morning a Syroppe of the heauenly honnie deawe whereof wee haue spoken before wholy rawe and vnsedde And after they haue vsed this a while and that there boddie is well prepared and cleansed with the same Then shall they receiue a drink of the sapp of Gratia Dei And of Palma Christi And so with Gods helpe shall by that meane come to good health and perfection The xii Chapter Declaring howe it is to bee taken that which Aristotle writes that the Bees dye whensoeuer they are anointed with Oyle TOuching the rest of that which might be said of the nature and propertie of Bees I referre you to Aristotle to Plinie or to Collumella For our Bees doe in a manner agree wholie with theirs Onely you are to note that where as Aristotle Plinie doe write of the other common honny Bees that they dye whensoeuer they are anointed with oyle that is to bee vnderstood of a speciall kinde of oyle or grease which is called holy or hallowed oyle For when our Bees are anointed with the same then are they queasie and without doubt do seldome recouer or rise againe but touching the other oyle they haue a singuler ioy in it for they can not worke aright or as they should do in the Beehiue vnles they bee first greased with oyle And whensoeuer you will raise the generation of an Asse Calfe or Hogge as was saide a little before then must you grease the same a good with oyle or else it will take no effect There is also made a certeine confect of Oyle Salte White Virgins waxe and spittle wherewithall their heads bee smeared before they come or are bredde to anie full perfection And if they will not yet cotton then are they greased againe with oyle for therewithall are they formed and brought to a