for their marriage the scripturs and substancially proued themselues the maynteyners of vertu therin and not of aduouterye as they were there vncharitably noted But that wolde not serue them The holy Ghost might in no wise preuayle the popes bawdye bulles beynge in place but they must nedes haue the preferment no remedy An other sort were there which accused Dunstane of yll rule in the darke For Petrus Equilinus sayth in Catalogo Sanctorum li 8 Ca 49. that he was put to hys purgacyon of many things there layed agaynst him Of a likelyhode therfore they had smelled oute sumwhat that was not all to his spirituall honesty Neyther wolde these accusacions helpe the popes Power ones so largely published The King durst vtter nothynge that was against hym for feare of newe penaunce and for as muche as it was wele knowne that in the time of his olde penaunce he had occupied one minion at Wynchestre an other at Andouer besides alfrede whome he at the lattre gote to wife by the crafty mouther of her husbande Ethelwolde an earle ¶ The king defendeth Dunstane destroyeth wolues BVt to pacyfy and please this Dunstane Kinge Edgare in his oracion there to the clergy rebuked the prestes very sore for banketinge with their wiues for slacknesse of their masse saynges for pretermytting their canonicall houres for their crownes shauinges with their vnprestly aparellinges and suche other like More ouer he alleged vnto them in the seid oracion the lamentable complayntes good knauery I warande yow of his fathers sowle aperynge to Dunstane and reprouing the wanton behauer of the prestes with their wiues He also tolde them in repressing their former accusementes that hys sayd dead father in that vysyon reported Dunstane to be the pastoure byshop and keper of hys sowle Christ was nothynge makynge hym styll to beleue that the buyldynge of monasteryes was alwayes the moste helthsome good worke expedyent helpe pryce remedye redempcion and deliueraunce of the sowle from dampnacion Ex oratione regis Edgari ad clerum Anglie Loke the boke of both iurisdiccions Of this kinge Edgare ys it veryfied by Ranulphe that by a yearlye trybute of C C C. wolues out of Wales he destroyed all the wolues in that lande But within hys owne lande the fearce gredye wolues that deuoured Christes flocke Acto 20. and the wylye foxes that destroyed the swete vyneyardes of the Lord. Can. 2. he left vntouched yea rather he set them vp maynteyned them and fedde them at hys owne table wyth most wicked Iesabel 3. Reg. 18. For in hys tyme they obtayned more than xl great monasteryes As were Glastenburye Abindon Thorneye Ramseye Peterborowe Wenton Wylton Shaftesburye Sherborne Worcestre Wynchestre Hyde Helye Saynt Albons Beanflede and such other besides innumerable giftes and promocions els ¶ Ethelwolde with his lewde commission FRom thys afore named generall counsell went fyrste Ethelwolde with his commission whych had bene abbot of Abyndon and was than Byshopp of Wynchestre beynge hastye headye subtyle wytted learned in Prophane letters as the hystoryanes wryteth of hym Thys busye whelpe of antichirst leauynge Christes pure wayes to folowe the fote steppes of the Esseanes Tacyanes Priscyllyanystes Marcyanystes and other heretykes more beganne fyrst hys feates at Wynchestre in the old college And there droue out the prestes with their wiues and poore children and put in monkes of Abyndone for them And thys was hys suggestyon abrode to coloure the matter They kepte verye yll rule there he sayd they wolde not do their masses in due ordre and they semed no holier then the other laye people But Polydorus reporteth li. 4. Anglice historie that they were men of an honeste lyfe From thens he went vnto other townes and cytyes and there ded lyke wyse and bare the name to be a vygylaunt father ouer Nonnes and relygyouse women Thys same one Byshop ded more sayth Vincent than could the King of the realme wyth all hys whole power In the ende he wrote to pope Iohā the. xiij which was the bastarde of pope Iohan the. xij by his peramoure Stephana of his dreames and vysyons for the tyme of hys progresse desyering his power against the prestes also with many other wōders Iohānen Capgraue in Catalo Guilhelmus Malmesbury Vincēcius Antoninus Ranulphus Guido de colūna et Polidorus ¶ Oswalde wyth hys Beastly autorite ON the other syde went Oswalde wyth hys autoryte from that wycked counsell whych had stodied necromancye wyth other vnpure scyences at Floryake besydes Orleaunce in france where he was fyrst made monke and afterward in England bycame Byshop of Worcestre Thys fellawe so wel armed with deceytes as euer were Pharaoes sorcerers was thought a man mete to deceyue wyth lyenge sygnes the common sort So trudged he fourth wyth hys craftye calkynges and fyrst expelled the Canons of the cathedrall churche of worcestre wyth their carefull wyues and children and out of vij other churches more within that hys dyoces and there placed for them the laysy leaue locustes which not long afore had leaped out of the bottomlesse pyt Apoca. 9. the monkes which at that tyme were bare and nedy Than went he farther abrode and wrought there lyke masteryes wherof England hath depely felt euer sens His suggestions were lyke the other as that the prestes liued wantonly and wolde not masse in due forme For his trauayle in this was he made Archebishop of Yorke by the laboure of Dunstane To tell his other feates it wolde are to muche time and therfore I passe it ouer These ij promoted the seyd Dunstane aboue all other as men hauinge most wily craftes to assiste him in his businesse These iij. Monkes brought the Kinges so vndre that they had than all the realme at their pleasures Ioānes Capgraue Malmesburye Vincencius Antoninus Ranulphus Guido de Columna et Polidorus ¶ Dunstane maketh a king at his pleasure AFter the decease of King Edgare in the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and. lxxv was a wonderfull varyete and scisme through out the whole realme partly for him that next shuld succede King and partly for the great iniury done to the marryed prestes The quene Alfrede with Alpherus the duke of Mercia and other great lordes fauorynge her quarell wolde nedes haue Ethelrede Kynge which was her sonne by Edgare on the one syde Dunstane and his monkish Bishoppes with the earle of East sexe and serten other Lordes suborned by them on the other syde wolde nedes haue Edwarde whome some reported to be Edgares bastarde Anon as Dunstane perceyued the quenes part to preuayle for she had the most of the lordes he called for hys metropolytanes crosse and there lyke a bolde yeman and a tall shewed himselfe amonge them as the popes high legate from hys owne ryghte syde For he had by that tyme procured
receyued answers as that he shulde be Pope and that be shulde not dye tyll he sange Masse at Hierusalem ☞ The Popes eleccyon from hen◠fourth IMmediatly after thys solucyon or settynge at large of Sathan many wonderfull thynges folowed to the perfourmaunce of hys wycked kyngedome in the Romysh Papacy First the eleccyon of their monstruouse Pope the next yeare after was taken clerely from the commen people by the clergye and gyuen to hys owne famylyars which anon after were called the college of calkers Cardynalles I shuld saye with these ij crafty clauses Docendus est populus non sequendus The people is to be taught of vs but not folowed Maior est dignitas legis quae regit spiritu sancto quam legis saecularis More worthy is that lawe whych gouerneth by the holy Ghost than the lawe secular or the lawe whereby the multitude is gouerned By this they iudged God to be the auctor of their deuylysh decrees and the cyuyle lawes of prynces a thynge of nought Loke Iohan Baconthorpe in prologo quarti sententiarum quaest x. Not longe after thys was the empyre of Rome in theyr hygh dyspleasure translated from their olde fryndes the French men to the sturdy Germanes as afore from the Grekes to the French men as they founde thē not fytt for their turne And this was their polycy They perceyued the Germanes to be the strongar people and at that daye theyr hygh fryndes by the mōkes conueyaunces and therfore most fytt to defende their fleshely lybertees Anonymus quidam de nobilitatis origine cap. xi Thus became the Frenche kynge Antichristes yonger sonne whych afore tyme had bene hys whole ryght hande in Pipyne in Charles the great Rīngmannus Philesius in descriptione Europae cap ix ☞ The electours and confyrmacyon of the Emprour IN the seconde yeare after a thousande from Christes incarnacyon the electours of the Emprour were appoynted vij for that great Antichristes commodyte hys confirmacyon othe and coronacyon alwayes reserued to his owne precyouse fatherhede Of these vij electours thre were archebyshoppes thre wer temporall prynces the last was a kynge The archebyshop of Magunce ouer all Germany the archebyshop of Tryere ouer all Fraunce and the archbyshop of Coleyne ouer all Italy were constytuted hygh chauncellers of the Empyre as watche men to take hede least any thynge shuld in those quarters passe to the holy fathers dyshonour The marques of Brandenburg was ordayned chamberlayne the duke of Saxon the swerde bearer and the Palatyne of Rhene the chefe seruytour at the Emprours eleccyon with cuppe keye and swerde afterwarde to dyspatche hym as hath bene seane if he were not to holy church profytable The kynge of Beme beynge butler cometh in last of all as an arbiter or vmpere if they can not agre to their spirituall behoue After that foure dukes four marquesses four landgraues four burgraues four earles four barons four fre lordes foure knyghtes four cyties four borowes and four carles were appoynted as stronge myghty buttrasses to assist this newe ordynaunce Martinus Carsulanus in chronico Ringmannus Philesius in praefato opere Rodolphus Gualtherus in Homilia ij de antichristo By thys occasyon sayth Wyllyam Caxton in hys Englysh Cronicle Par. vi the Egle lost many fethers and in the ende shall be left all naked ☞ Masse Purgatory and musycke ABout thys tyme sayth Iohan Wycleue beganne the heresy of the consecrate host or brede God of the Papistes wherby they sought the vtter destruccyon of faythe by settynge vp of a most parelouse ydoll of their owne makinge in the place of Iesus Christ our sauer and redemer Whych heresy anon after Berengarius Turonensis by the word of God most strongely wythstode so ded one Bruno the byshop of Angew and VValeranus the byshop of Medburg which were men of most excellent lyfe and learnyng as their very enemyes witnesseth Hildebertus Cenomanensis Thomas VValden and Ioannes Tritemius Odilo the abbot of Cluniake practysed about the same very tyme by helpe of ij most crafty knaues an anker and a pylgryme to delyuer sowles by Masses and diryges from the terryble tormentes of a flamynge purgatory whom they had conceyued by S. Gregoryes dyaloges and by the boylynge mounte of Ethna in the lande of Cycyle Thys Odilo procured of Pope Iohan the xix the commemoracyon of sowles to be celebrated in the church the next daye after the feast of all sayntes Ranulphus Cestrensis li. vi ca. xv Petrus Equilinus Osbernus a monke of Canterbury whych had bene famylyar with Dunstane practysed newe poyntes of musyck and hys example in Italy folowed Guido Aretinus to make the veneracyon of ydolles more pleasaunte Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Vincentius Tritemius Thus beganne the hypocresye of Lecherouse monkes and prestes to abuse the symplycyte of the ignoraunt people and strongely to confounde theyr Christen beleue by tryfelynge superstycyons and ceremonyes Anone after ded they adde the crafty inuencyons of profane phylosophers that they myght the more wyttely deceyue the playne sort and the more craftely depraue the holy scriptures ☞ A prest and hys louely doughter ALl thynges in the Papacy and empyre to their carnall commodyte thus dysposed the Romysh clergy satled themselues all the worlde ouer in the abundaunt pleasurs of Sodome whych were as the prophete rehearceth pryde plenty of feadynge solacyouse pastymes ydelnesse and crueltie Ezech. xvi Gyuen were they to lascyuyouse lustes and most prodygyouse occupyenges in the fleshe burnynge in aduoutry for contempt of marryage as it were an ouen that the baker heateth Osee. vij Marke our Englyshe hystoryes in confyrmacyon of the same For aboute thys tyme Iohan Capgraue sayth in catalogo sanctorū Angliae a deuoute holy prest an ydell kneane yow wyll saye went fourth euery mornynge into hys churche yearde and hallowed the granes there with the. vij Psalmes the Letany for all Christen sowles On a tyme thys prest founde a mayde chylde a◠the crosse there all wrapped and swadled in cloutes for whome he not only prouyded a nurse but also brought her vp in nourtour and learnynge takynge her euer after for hys doughter as I doubt it not but he had iust cause As thys wēche ones grewe to conuenyent age her bewtie so tāgled his fleshely harte that he vnfacyably brent in her concupiscens And as he on a daye had cowched her naked in his bedde anon he remembred his chast vowe they saye and so turned hys face to the dore dysmembrynge hymselfe with a sharpe cuttle in her presence And so throwynge fourth that trashe whych tempted him if the legende be true at the last he made her an holy vowesse veyled nonne to serue the spiritualte Thys acte of prestish maydenhede was dysclosed first in Irelande by a parlement of deuyls within the garden of an olde father Hermyte not farre from S. Partrykes purgatory where as they
hymselfe to lyue longe on the earth vpon thys admonicioÌ„ of Godryck the Hermite whych sayd that he shuld be starke blinde vij yeares afore he shulde dye But he vnderstode not that ther was as wele a blindenesse in sowle as in body And that made hym so vnready whan he shulde haue dyed and also so wretchedly soeth to departe from thys worlde Mattheus Paris Radulphus de Diceto Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Polidorus Se here howe they kepe theyr owne spirituall lawes for intermedlynge with temporal matters But that for lucre they maye breake all ordre ☞ The preuye membre of a fyshe swaloweth in a monke GIraldus Cambrensis declareth in the second parte of his wurke called the glasse of the church ca. vij That by the sea coast a she fish was fouÌ„de of a wonderfull greatnesse called a thirlepoole The people in great nombre came from all quarters there about some to beholde the monstruouse shappe of the fyshe and same to cut it in peces and to carry theÌ„ home to theyr howses to soâ—ne profytable vse Among other ther was a monke more quycke and sterynge to perceyue all thinges than anye other there Thys monke drawynge very nygh to the fyshe beheld vewed and marked the preuye parte therof aboue all Which was the storie sayth as it hadde bene the openynge of a greate dore or gate He loked therupon verye seriouslye and muche wondered neyther coulde he in anye wyse be satysfyed wyth the syghte therof At the laste wythoute modestye shame and all bashefulnesse he approched so nyghe that by the slyme and fatâ—esse therof whyche than laye vpon the sayde hys fotynge fayled hym and he fell flat into the fowle hole so beynge swalowed vp of that whyche hys lecherouse harte most desired So that these adages myght than haue bene founde true Suche saynte suche shryue suche bere suche bottell such treasure suche trust As muche was it to recouer hym and to saue hys lyfe as all they coulde do which stode about with long pooles proâ— hokes liues ropes and other hasty prouisyons A subtile enemye was it sayth Giraldus that prouided him so ridiculouse and obprobrioule a falle But this is the good fortune of our votaries In the ende they fall heade linges into the gulfe of that filthinesse whych they haue so ardeÌ„tly all their life time affected ☞ The lasciuiouse hart of an other monke perâ—eiued AN other like storie sheweth the seyd Giraldus in the nexte chaptre folowing of a moÌ„ke of Glastenbury It chaunced saith he at the kinges request sute of the abbot that the graue of king Arthour betwen ii high pilers of stone was opened within the holy Saintwary of Aualon There founde they the fleshe bothe of hym and of hys wyfe Guenhera turned all into duste wythin theyr coffynes of stronge oke the bones only remaynynge A monke of the same abbeye standynge by and beholdynge the fyne bruydinges of the womannis heare so yelowe as golde there stil to remayne As a man rauyshed or more than halfe from his wittes he leaped into the graue xv fote depe to haue caught them sodenlye But he fayled of his purpose For so sone as they were towched they fell all to powder No lesse was this monke sayth Giraldus a figure of that insaciable helle of lecherie than was the other monke for he shewed as depely the sygnes of a shamelesse mynde as ded the other Giraldus lib. ij cap viij Speculi ecclesiastici in opere de institutione principis Radulphus Cogeshale Ioannes Fiberius Richardus Premonstratensis Mattheus VVestmonasteriensis Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa IoaÌ„nes Lelandus in assertione Arturij All this maketh good the foresayenge of Tamel that the hartes of theÌ„ in this generacion shulde be all vpon women Dame xi I wolde not that thys also were forgotteâ—n in thys age by the waye but marked and remembred for it includeth a greate mysterye Whan stryfes and controuersyes were rysen betwen monkes and their bishoppes for sleuelesse matters the kynge mighte not meddle in so spirituall causes but a legate must all wayes come from Rome to do it Notate uerba signate mysteria ☞ King Richarde is sent abrode and a bishop ruleth NEuer were there anye people eyther scarse any deuyls of helle in craftes and wordlye wiles comparable to these spretes of Rome the byshoppes monkes and prestes They could sende kynges abrode on Pilgrymage and in the meane tyme occupye their whole realmes to their Romyshe maisters behoue Kynge Richarde the first for his stoughte stomacke called Cor de Lyon was sent in to the lande of Palestyne to fyghte wyth the great Turke for Hierusalem whyche an Englyshe votarye and byrde of theyr vncleane cage had both betrayed and lost a lytle afore and coulde neuer be recouered sens For the tyme of hys absence one Wyllyam Longeshampe being chauÌ„cellour of Englande and byshop of Helie holdynge the gouernaunce of the whole realme wonderfully oppressed the same Hauynge the kinges whole power and his popes autoryte he rode contynually with no lesse than a. M. horse the noble mennys sonnes beynge glad to become slaues to hym Wyth the beste barons and earles maryed he hys cosynes neces and kynswomen yet was hys grande father a poore plough man and hys owne father a cowherde Beynge and holye votarye he refused the vse of women and in hys bed chambre abhomynablye occupyed wyth buggerye boyes as the commen rule was than of that myscheuouse spyrytualte So longe he ruffled it oute in all kyndes of tyrannye tyll at the laste Iohan the kinges brother beynge than the greattest duke wythin the lande began to couple wyth hym Than fearynge to haue bene called to a verye strayghte reckenynge he fled wyth a small companye of hys moste trusty seruauntes to the castell of Doueâ— myndynge in the nyghte to haue stollen ouer the sea But as herafter shall folowe he came to shorte of that passage Hugo Nouaunte in libello de fuga Guilhelmi Heliensis Rogerus Houeden li. ij Anglorum historiae ☞ This byshop counterfetteth a woman and is taken INuentynge a newe crafte of conueyaunce he came downe haltynge from the castell aboue to the sea-side byneth appareled in al pointes lyke a woman whose kynde neuerthelesse aboue al thinges he abhorred A syde grene garment he had vpon him and a cloke wyth wide sleues of the same colour His heade was al couered with a fair great kâ—rchief and his face with a propre muffâ—ar In his ryght hande he bare a pece of lynen cloth and in the left hande a met yearde And as he was set vpon a great stone a fysher man commynge from the water and inpyosynge hym to be an whore ran fast vpon hym and clasped one hande about hys necke with the other he searched for hys preuye partes Whan he ones vnderstode hym to be a man and no woman he called to them about and desyred them
William Cowper Esqr. Clerk of the Parliaments FAX MENTIS HONESTAE GLORIA The first two partes of the Actes or vnchast examples of the Englysh votaryes gathered out of their owne legenades and Chronycles by Iohan Bale and dedycated to our most edoubted soueraigne kynge Edward the syxte â–ª ¶ Beware of the leuen of the pharisees which is hypocrisye But there is nothing hyd that shall not be dyscouered neyther secrete that shall not be knowne Therfor what so euer they haue done in darkenesse that same â—â—all be known in the light Lu. xiâ— To the most vertuouse myghtye and excellent prynce kynge Edwarde the. vi by the grace of God kynge of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendar of the faythe and in earthe vndre Christe of the churches of the seyde England and Ireland the supreme heade his most humble subiect Iohan Bale wisheth all honour helthe and felycyte LIke as man was of ij substaunces constytuted most worthie and excellente prynce that is to say of sowle and of bodye so were there for his specyall coÌ„modyte in them both for hys wholsome continuaunce in longe successyon ordayned of God ij necessary functyous or administracyons from the worldes begynnynge Neyther myghte the one of them without the other at any time be nomore than the bodie without the sowle but anon after a deadly decaye therupon folowed in that common welthe In the bokes of kynges and of Paralipomenoâ— is this so playnely declared â—or the diuided kingdomes of Israel and Iuda that at no hand it can be denyed The fyrste of them was the explanacion of the heauenly doctryne whom we now cal the godly office of a preacher The other we vnderstande to be the publique or politique regimet which is in the high gouernauÌ„ce autorite power oâ— a king The first of these ij most necessary offices the eternal soÌ„ne of God instituted in paradise The other toke beginning of god the father which held an euerlasting monarchy befor the worldes constitucioÌ„ and on the earth by his speciall gifte it toke successe in man Through me do kinges reigne sayth he through me do princes make iust lawes Prouer. viij In the Godhed are they here alone but in person diuerse The one gouerneth the other teacheth The seid sonne of God as an euerlastinge prest bishop first called Adam Eua to repentaunce by the voyce of such a lawe as both detected and rebuked their synne Furthermor he published the promise coÌ„cerning the holy seed of the womaÌ„ which shuld breake the head of the wicked serpeÌ„t Thus preached he than the fyrste Gospell of saluacyon whyche is a ioyfull massage declarynge full remyssyon to be gyuen frelye in Chryste or for Christes only sake a righteousnesse in the holy ghost folowing therupon â–ª with the life euerlastinge As Adam was confyrmed the ymage of God appointed to rule the whol earth Gen. i. He succeded him his eternall sonne in these ij hygh offices of Gouernaunce and of doctryne through the gydaunce of hys holye sprete so be comminge to the one a vicegerent or liefe tenaunt and to the other an hygh vycar general He instructed his posteryte in the ryght rules of fayth for that age and prudently vsed theyr politique regyment In thys perfyghte trade succeded the fathers Enos Cainan Malalehel Iared Henoch Mathusalah and Lamech one after an other tyll the dayes of Noe. Whyche gouerned most godly and preached repentaunce for an hondred and. xx yeaâ—es space After the generall floude stode Noe vp agayne and executed these ij offyces more earnestly than afore Melchysedech hys sonne was both a kynge and a preste so was faythfull Abraham and hys chyldren after hym as apereth both by their warres and sacryfyces And all though Moyses at tymes executed but one of these ij offyces and Aaron hys brother the other yet were they afterwardes agayne both vnyted in Iosue and hys successours assysted by the byshoppes and Leuytes tyll the Iewes despred a kynge Than helde Saul the temporall domynyon and Samuel the hygh presthode Dauid and Abiathaâ— SalomoÌ„ and Sadoch in the same trade folowyng tyll the realme was deuyded into Israell and Iuda for the wyckednesse of rulars And as the false worshyppynges or execrable ydolatryes began to increase by the deuylyshnesse of false prestes God raysed vp the prophetes with an earnestnesse to rebuke them and agayne to renewe the heauenly doctryne and gouernaunce And as their course was out by a myserable mutacyon through warres and captyuyte that lyuely doctryne of saluacyon by the sectes of pharysees Saducees Esseanes was yet ones agayne obscured and the hygh gouernaunce clerely decayed and also remoued from the chosen flocke of God the scepture traÌ„slated to Herode a cruel strauÌ„ger The sonne of God the eternall father called Iesus Christe than entered into the fleshe at hys tyme appoynted and became our hygh kyng and preste euerlastynge by hys tryumphaunt passyon and ascensyon restorynge these ij offyces and reseruynge them in hys gloryfyed humanyte to a sempyternall monarchye To hys Apostles and dyscyples he appoynted the admynystracyon of hys heauenly word leauynge to the worldely rulars the hygh gouernaunce of peoples Thys hath bene breuely the very ordre course and processe concernynge these ij most hygh offyces sens the worldes begynnynge How the great aduersary of God Antichrist hath sens Christes ascensyoÌ„ wrought in hys wycked course to depraue these ij mynystracyons of God and to cause them to serue his moste blasphemouse and fylthie affectes the fyrste ij partes of my Englyshe votaryes here presente dothe plenteously shewe And my hope is that the ij lattre partes whyche wyll God wyllynge most spedylye folowe shall declare it yet muche more at large I haue therin decreed for difference of the bokes and apt argumentes of the matters contayned in them to gyue them iiij seuerall tytles of rysynge buyldynge holdynge and falling For the fyrst part treateth of theyr vp ryspng to myschefe by the olde ydolatours in the reygne of perdycyon The seconde parte sheweth of theyr hastye buildynge by the hypocrytyshe monkes to establish the wicked kingedome of Antichrist The thirde part wil declare the crafty vpholdinge of their prowde degrees possessyons by the wilye and subtile slayghtes of the. iiij orders of frires And the fort part shal manifest their horrible fall in this lattre age by that grouÌ„ded doctrines of the true preachers writers These votaries do I take for those instrumeÌ„tes of SathaÌ„ which coÌ„tinually from time to time haue destroied these ij hygh mynistracions by darkenynge the doctryne of God and peruerting iustyce in the rulars Next to the scriptures I take their moste wicked examples for witnesses in that matter If your learned maiestye in thys second part do marke theyr wycked procedynges in takynge from princes the inuestynge of prelates and from the churches minysters theyr marryed wyues ye shall fynde them the greattest traytours that euer were on thys earthe both to God and to man For by takynge from prynces
they said a spirituall ordre a lyfe of Angels and an holye religon which pleased God aboue all other what though they neuer had it in their liues For true virginite is a fayth vncorrupted or a beleue gouerned by the onlye worde of God without all supersticions of men This was the onlye virginite that Marye was commended of Lucc 1. This virginite perteineth chefely to marriage as testifieth Saynt Paule 2. Cor. 11. And as apereth in Abraham and other iust fathers which had faythfull wiues No people are lesse acquaynted with this virginite than sectaries or they that vowe virginite for they chefelye depende vpon mennis tradicions and rules But if a tre maie be knowne by his frutes and a man by hys dedes as oure sauer sayth they maye Math. 7 ye shall easely perceyue by their actes that these virginall votaries hath bene the verye Angels of darkenesse Marke their gostlye conueyauntes and their other good workes as they will haue them yet called like as they are here regestred in course And ye shall finde them more fyt for hell than for heauen Yea must they be canonised sayntes and do most wonderfull miracles But those miracles are the stronge delusions saynt Paule sayth that the Lord will sende vnto them that shall perish for their vnbeleues sake 2. Thessalon 2. I doubt not but this labour of mine though it be very simple will ministre some light as wele to the learned as vnlearned At the least it shall teache them to iudge false miracles that they be no more so deuylishly deceyued Lete not the oft citing of autours be greuouse to the readers my occasion iustly considered For therby shall the papistes haue shame alwayes if they report them fables or els me a liar for the tellynge of them beynge in their writynges so manyfest And as concerninge those autours they were their owne dere fryndes and wrote the best they coulde of them If they had bene their enemyes and so shewed the worst of them or els but indyfferent wryters as they were most parcyall witnesses it hadde bene a farre other shew of their mischefes than here will apere Men trusted they wolde haue seane them selues in this clere lyght of the Gospell and so haue repented their former factes of falsehede But truly they are of a farre other kynde than so Their nature is not to repent do they neuer so manye mischefes Rather stody they out newe practyses of tyrannye and cantels of cruelte to adde myschefe to myschefe tyll the great vengeaunce promysed lyght fullye vpon them Who so euer hath promoted forewarde Gods veryte they thanke God of it they haue bene non of them as yet Yf they shuld make their boastes with Paule 1. Corin. 15. that they haue done therin more labours than the other discyples men of knowlege wolde by and by saye that they lyed most falselye In dede they haue wyth Menelaus Alchimus Auantas and with Cayphas gone afore all worldlye tyrauntes in the murtheringe vp of them whice hath done it And for errours they saye But wha euer erred as they haue done sens the worldes begynnynge Trulye non as yet Neyther Turke Iewe Saracene Pagane nor deuyll as the examples herafter wylll shewe they shall not be able to auoyde yt vnlesse they dyspute with fyer and faggottes as they haue done hytherto For starke nought are they in dysputacyoÌ„s where as they are not at haÌ„d For this boke I shall haue their common lyuery and be called a thousande tymes heretyke But neyther loke I for reasonable answere of them nor yet for amendement of their knaueryes In this boke of mine is one face of Antichrist chefelye disclosed parauenture iij. vndre one wherwyth he hath of longe tyme paynted out hys whore the Rome churche that she mighte to the world apere a gloriouse madame That face is her vowed chastyte wherby she hath deceytfullye boasted herself spirituall beynge but whore and thefe and dysdayned marryage as a vyle draffe sacke and dyrtye dyshe cloute callynge all them but lewde laye persones that were vndre yt though they were kynges and quenes Lordes ladies Ye noble gouerners and learned lawers vnto whom God hath in thys age delyuered the measurynge rodde of hys worde as he ded to Iohan. Apocal. 11. that ye shulde measure all thynges rightly Be not now slacke in your offyces as in the blind tyme but thorow fourth that wretched bonde woman with her doughter that Rome churche with her whorishnesse No poynt of nobylyte were it nor yet of learned worthinesse to be as ye haue bene of late yeares styll seruaunte slaues to a moste filthye whore and to her whoredome and whoremongers Our most christen Emperour of Englande kinge HeÌ„rye the. viij of that name now his most learned graciouse sonne kynge Edwarde the .vi. a moste worthye ministre of God hath gone before yow in that behalfe They haue made open vnto ye the way and dryuen away from your gates the great aduersarie that shuld most haue noyed yow Disdayne not than yow to folowe Take from your true subiectes the popes false Christ with his belles and bablinges with his miters mastries with his fannoms and fopperyes and lete them haue frely the true Christ again that their heauenlie father sent them from aboue fashioned out vnto theÌ„ in the Gospell For much more bewtifull is he in the sighte of true beleuers than are all the corrupt children of men with all their gorgiouse aparelinges Loke you therunto with earnestnesse for nothinge will be at the lattre day more straightly required of you than that ¶ The fyrste part of the Actes of English votaries comprehendynge their vnchaste practises and examples by all ages from the worldes begynnynge to the yeare of our Lorde a. M. collected owte of their owne legendes and Chronycles By Iohan Bale ¶ Marryage instituted of God IN paradyse our eternall and mercyfull father instituted marryage immedyatly after mannys fyrste creacion and lefte yt wyth hym as an honeste comely wholsome holye and nedefull remedye agaynst all beastlye abusyons oft he fleshe that shulde after happen and graunted thervnto hys eternall blessynge Increase sayth he multyplye and fyll the earthe Gene. 1. And thys repeted he thryse after that Gene 8 9 30 to the intent it myght be gâ—â—undedlye marked and wele knowne of 〈◊〉 to be hys most â—ernest ordinaunce Thys was the fyrste ordre of Religion that â—uer wâ—s made and of moste holynesse yf we dewlye respecte the maker therof wyth the other circumstaunces besydes preferrynge hys wysedome to maÌ„nis wisedome And for that it shuld not be reckened a thinge vnaduyselye done of him he loked thervpon agayne amonge all his other workes and could beholde no imperfeccyon therin but perceyued that it was of excedynge goodnesse Yet hath there sens rysen a sort whych haue agaynste Gods heauenly wisdome set theyr fleshlie folishnesse whiche
by helpe of their spyrituall father the deuyll practised innumerable lyes by them to make their newly sought out virginite to apere sumwhat gloriouse to the worldly dodypolles that neuer wyll be wise The veryte of the history is this after all iust wryters Whan our Britaynes had ones gotten by their warre the lande of Armorica that we now call the lesser Britayne and were put in perpetuall possessyon therof by their King Maximus aboute the yeare of our Lorde CCC and XC they acccorded amonge them selues through the assent of Conanus their captayne only to mary with their owne nacion and in no wise to haue a do with the Frenche women there for dyuerse parels Wherupon they sent vp and by ouer the see to Dionothus the duke of Cornewale which than in the Kinges absence had gouernaunce of al the realme instauÌ„tlye desperynge hym to make prouysyon for them Which immedyatly gathered from all partes of the lande to the nombre of xi thousande maydes and othâ—r women and so shypped them at London vpoÌ„ the Tham ys with hys owne dere doughter Vrsula for so much as Couanus desyered to haue her to wyfe And as they were abroode vpon the mayne seas suche contrary wyndes and tempestes fell vpon theÌ„ as drowned some of their shyppes and droue the residue of them into the handes of their enemyes the Hunues and the pyetes which slewe a great nombre of them as they founde them not agreable to theyr fleshly purposes Thys sheweth Galfredu Monemuthensis li. 2. cap. 4. Alphredus BeuerlaceÌ„sis Ranulphus CestreÌ„sis IoaÌ„nes Harding Robertus FabiaÌ„ Tritemius in coÌ„peÌ„dio Volateranus Polydorus ¶ An history to their ghostly purpose BVt se here the coÌ„ueyauÌ„ce of thyse spirtiual geÌ„till men in Playstering vp their vnsauery sorceries They say they all vowed virginite were persuaded of saynt Michael the archaÌ„gel of saint IohaÌ„ the EuaÌ„gelist neuer to marry as thoughe they were diswaders of marriage for their lecherouse vowes so weÌ„t froÌ„ thens religiously to Rome on pilgrimage with great deuocyon ij and. ij togyther and were honorably receyued there of the Pope and his clergy If this be not good ware tell me I think there wanted no spirituall occupienge for the tyme they were there yf the storye were true For Daniell sayth that the lust of that proude kyngedome shuld be vpon women Daniel 11. In all fleshly desyres saith Hieremye they are become lyke rauke stoned horse neyenge at euery mannis wyfe Hieremi 5. And in dede some writers haue vttered it that they were neuer good sens their beynge there Now marke the sequele In their returne homewarde agayne towardes Coleyne they hadde in their company say their writers pope Ciriacus yf there euer were anye suche Poncius Petrus Vincencius Calixtus Kiltanus Florencius Ambrosius Iustinus Christianus all cardnales Cesarius Clemens Columbanus Yuuanus Lotharius PaÌ„talus Mauricius Maurilius Poillanus Sulpicius Iacobus Guilhelmus Michael Eleutherius Bonifacius and. vij more of the Popes howsholde all Byshoppes besydes a greate nombre of Prestes and Chaplaynes Diuerslye is this holy legende handeled of Iacobus Bergomas in Li Declaris mulieribus of Sigebertus VincencÃus Antoninus HartmaÌ„nus Carsulanus Vorago Vuernerus Nauelerus Mantuanus Vuicelius Caxton Capgraue Hector Boethius Maior and a graet sort more scarselye one agreyng with an other ¶ Fyne workemanship to be marked HE that wolde take the payne to conferre their Chronycles and writynges but concerninge thys onlye matter obseruynge dylygentlye their diuerse bestowynge of tymes places and names with other thynges perceyuynge to the circumstaunce of hystorye shuld anon perceyue theâ—e subtyle conueyauÌ„ce in many other matters The solempne feast of these xi thousande she pilgrimes for their goynge to Rome is yet no small matter in their Idolatrouse churche and yet they poure sowles neuer came there as the most aucâ—entyue writers doth proue Their goynge out of Brytanye was to be come honest Christen mennys wyues and not to go no pylgrymage to Rome and so become byshoppes bonilasses or prestes playeferes Se what our auncient Englysh writers had sayth in thys matter whych more experimently knewe it and lere the foren liars go which beynge faere of cared the lesse to lye In dede thys is a very straunge procuringe of Sayntes if ye marke it wele but that the monkes and prebendes of Coleyne thought to do sumwhat for the pleasure of their Nonnes there whiche had gathered togyter an haeye of dead mennys bones For thier bones culde they not haue beynge drowned in the great Occeane sea as Galferdus and the other autours veryfyeth afore But both Christ and Paule ones tolde vs that we shuld be subtyllye cyrcumuented of that wylye generacyon whan they shuld worke thier deceytfull wonders Math. 24. and. 2. Thes. 2. ¶ Vowynges ded not yet constraynt ALl thys tyme were there no constraynynge vowes but all was fre to leaue or to holde For Constans the eldeste sonne of kynge Constantyne the seconde beyng a monke of Saynt Amphibalus abbeye in Cairguent that ye now call Saynt Swythunes in wynchestre was taken out of yt without dyspensacyon about the yeare of our lorde CCCC xliij and crowned kynge of Brytayne beynge in full lyberte of marryage Galfredus Ranulphus Hardyng Capgraue Caxton and Fabyan In lyke case Maglocunus as Gildas reporteth was first a monke and afterwarde constytute kynge in the yeare of our lorde CCCCC lij contynuynge still by the space of more than xxxiiij yeres and had for their he thyme ij wyues besides hys concubines Thys Maglocunus was rekened the most romelye persone of all hys regyon and a man to whom Gon had than geuen great victories agaynst the Saxons Norweyes and Danes Yet was he in hys age as was longe afore hym Mempricius hys predecessour geuen to most abhominable so dometry whiche he had learned in his youth of the consecrate chastyte of the holy clergy Galfredus Ranulphus Hardynge Fabian and Flores historiarum Very vehement was Gildas beinge than a monke of Beucornaburch not farre froÌ„ Chestre in his dayly preachinges both agaynst the clergy and layte concernynge that vyce and such other and prophecyed afore hande of the subuersyon of thys realme by the Saxyns for it like as it sone after folowed in effect Loke in both his bokes De excidio Britannie in scriptis Polidori Galfredi Ranulphi with the preface of William Cindals obedyence ¶ The Saxons entre with newe Christianite ANon after the Saxonâ— had gotten of the Brytaynes the full conquest of this lande the name therof was changed and hath euer sens bene called England of Engist which was than their chefe Captayn as wytneseth Iohan Hardyng IohaÌ„ Maior Hector Boethius CaxtoÌ„ Fabyan Than came there in a new fashioned christyanyte yet ones agayn from Rome with many more heythuysh pokes than afore And that was vpon this
that are exercysed in Chronycles and Sayntes Lyues marke for that age what is written of Columbanus Colomannus Tolimannus Vuenefridus Vuilibrordus Vuilibaldus Vuenebaldus Burghardus Kilianus Vuigbertus Egbertus Heuuadus the whyght and the blacke Etto Bertuuinus Elcquius Lullius Lebuinus Liuinus Ioannes Embertus Gallus Gaudus Gaiabaldus Gregorius Megingoius Sturmio and a great sort more with their women and ye shall se in them practises wonderfull I wyll geue ye out one here breuelye for an example for to muche yt were to write of them all Wenefridus was admitted of Pope Gregory the seconde for the Archebyshop of Magunce and great Apostle of all Germany and for hys bolde countenaunce was of hym named Bonifacius In Excestre was he first borne and professed a black Monke at Exancestre now called Excestre vndre abbot wolfharde After the great Synode holden at London by the afore named Brithwalde about the yeare of our Lorde DCC and. x. where as priestes Marryage was iudged fornication and the honouryng of Images accepted for a christen relygyon Daniel then Byshop of Wynchestre sent this Wenefride to Rome with hys letters of commendacion for hys manfulnesse there shewed Iohannes Capgraue geor-Vuicellius in Hagiologo de sanctis ecclesie ¶ The great Apostle of all Germanye THe Pope after certayn communicacions perceyuynge hym in all poyntes fytt for hys purpose sent hym anon into Germanye wyth hys fulle aucthoryte as afore is specyfyed to do his false feates there and to brynge that styffe necked people vndre hys wycked obedyence whome they call the holye Christen beleue I thynke sens Christes incarnacion was there neuer none that more lyuelye wrought the propertees of the other Beaste in Saynt Iohans Apocalyps whyche ryse out of the earthe hauynge two hornes lyke the Lambe yf ye marke it well Apocalipsis xiij For he was next in aucthoritie to the Pope by the Popes owne wytnesse suche tyme as he came with the hygh legacye from hys owne ryght syde into all the quarters and prouynces of the sayed Germanye An hondred thousande conscyences dyd he seale with the Popes hote Ironâ—câ— aduste with his Romyshe faythe in the lande of Bauarye besides that he dyd in Thuringia Hassia Saxonia Frislande Swethen Denemarke and in other regions there more He helde many great counsayls he ordeyned byshoppes he buylded monasteries he canonysed sayntes he commaunded relyques to be worshypped he sent nonnes aboute a preachynge contrary to the doctrine of saynt Paule with manye other wonders and all by force of the Popes decrees Of kynges he made monkes and caused emprours to kysse the Popes fete Princes to leade his brydell and Dukes to holde his steruppes Loke in the Chronicles of Ioannes Nauclerus Generacione 25. 26. Loke also Vuicelius Vincencius Antoninus Capgraue and Vuilibaldus in uita Bonifacij and ye shall fynde all thys there and a great sorte of wonders more For there are they shewed at large ¶ Kynges deposed with other myracles BY suche autorite as he receyued of pope Zachary he afterward deposed kyng Hylderyck of Fraunce dysheretynge in hym for euer the moste laufull successyon of kynge Merouens whiche first receyued the true christen â—â—yth there as witnesseth Sabellicus admittinge in hys rowme Pypyne with hys aduonterouse stocke for receyuynge their false faythe by othe to reigne there euer after for their carnall commodyte He also assoyled all the people from the othe of allegeaunce made afore to the sayd Hylderich and his of sprynge as testyfyeth Paulus Aemillius Platma Nauclerus Tritemius Otto Phrisingensis and other In conclusyon by thys meanes became the noble kyngdome of Lumbardye the vnlaufull patrimonye of Saynt Peter the myghtye empyre of Rome was wonderfullye translated from the Greekes to the Germanes These were no small myracles if ye marke them well If Antichrist turned not here the rootes of the trees vpwarde neuer dyd he it in hys lyfe All these thynges wrought thys Bonyface or wenefride that the dwellers vpon earth should worshyp the first Beast Apoca. 13. Innumerable multitudes of peoples brought he to the Popes faythe in Germany and in Fraunce and in some other places more by terryble coaccyons then by anye gentyll callynges For extremelye dyd he handle with cruell inprisonmentes one Adelbert a frenche man and Claudius Clemens a Scott ij learned meÌ„ for reasonyng with hym concernyng vowed chastyte rellyques Images the Popes prymarye Kynges deposicions othes breakynge and suche like errours Loke the workes of Nauclerus Vuicelias â—ernardus Lutâ—â—enburg Alphonsus de castro ¶ Doctrine of Bonyface with sale of whores MOste dampnable was the doctrine of this Boniface concernynge the Pope In a sertayne Epistle of his we fynde this moste execrable sentence That in case the sayd pope were of moste filthye lyuynge and so forgetfull of hym self and of the whole christente that he led with hym to hell innumerable sowles yet ought no man to rebuke his yll doyng For he he saith hath power to iudge all men and ought of no man to be iudged agayne Thys haue the Canonistes regestâ—red in the popes decrees for a perpetuall lawe and for a necessarye artycle of Christen beleue Dist. xl Ca. â—i Papa Yet wrote he at an other tyme to Pope Zacharye to se the manifest abusions of Rome reformed speciallye their maskynges in the nyght after the paganes maner and their open sellynge of whores in the marke in there For they were he sayd sore impedimentes to his preachynges For they that had seane those reuelynges there mistrusted muche that faythe He wrote also vnâ—o kyng Ethelbalde and other great men in England requiring them to leaue the aduouterouse occupyeng of nonnes least suche a plage fell on theÌ„ as chauÌ„ced vpoÌ„ kyng Colfrede and kyng Osrede for lyke doinges And though this Boniface allowed not christen matrimoney in priestes but hated it yet after that oâ—e Geraldus a maryed byshop was slayn in Thuringia in time of the warres there he permytted hys sonne Geilepus to succede hym in that office Helinandus monachus Vincencius Antoninus Capgraue c. ¶ The monasteries of fulda floryake HE buylded the great monastery of Fulda in Germanye in the yeare from Christes incarnacioÌ„ DCC xliiij Into the which no womeÌ„ myght entre but only Lieba Tecla ij Englysh nonnes his best beloues The body of the sayd Lieba he commaunded by hys lyfe of most teÌ„dre loue to be buryed in one graue with hys owne precyouse body So ryche was that monasterye within fewe yeares after that it was able to fynde the emperour in his warres lx thousand meÌ„ For the which the abbot had alwayes thys priuylege to syt vpon the ryght hande of the sayd emperour at the hygh feastes An other abbeye was buylded afore that at floriake in fraunce and not
farre from orlyaunce in the yeare of our lorde DC.li. These ij monasteries floriake and fulda with their olde inhabitauntes would I counsel al Chronycle readers to marke as they fall in their waye for wonders whiche hath comen from thens as wyll apeare after A custome the holye fathers had in those dayes to leade nonnes about with them in straunge landes where they went As we reade of walburga Hadeloga Lieba and suche other I thynke it was to helpe them to beare their chastite whose carryage was sumtyme verye comberouse vnto them and they founde not then in all cotreyes suche plentye of Nondryes as hath bene sens Sigebertus Capgraue Tritemius Nauclerus Vuicelius ¶ Oxforde shurned And Alcuinus monkes AShamed are not these prestygiouse Papystes to vtter it in their storyes and reade it in their Sayntes legendes in contempt of their christeÌ„ gouernours that no kynge maye entre the towne of Oxforde without a mychefe because one Algar a Prince aboute thys age would haue had Saynt frideswyde to wyfe As though to be a kynge were a farre vyler or vnworthyer offyce than to be a pylde shytten Nonne O blynde bludderynge Balaamytes without all iudgementes godlye Of God only yâ— the worhy offyce of a King Prouer. 8. where as your fisting Nonnes were of Antichrist and the deuill Capgraue Fabiane Polidorus Aboute the same tyme was Alcuinus a doctour of England made abbot of Turonia in Fraunce by the gift of Charles the great which on a nyght founde all his monkes dead in the dorter by the soden stroke of God for their Sodometrye one only excepted Odo cluniacensis Guilhelmus Malmesburye Vincencius Antoninus Ranulphus Capgraue postuitam Ythamari A great matter had it bene in the popes bokes yf these men had had wiues For than he could not haue sent them to the deuill so fast accordinge to the generall commission whiche he had of Sathan his great mastre in that vycarship of his ¶ English men ponnished at Rome AFter Kyng Ethelwolphe beynge subdeacon and prest through wanton occupieng had had a bastard by the popes dispensacion he married Olburga his butlers doughter and had by her iiij sonnes which all succeded Kynges after him Guilhelmus Malmesbury et Ioannes Harding As this Kinge on a tyme chaunced to be at Rome he se many English men there wearynge fetters and gyues of Iron as they had bene murtherers or theues And as he enquyred what the cause shuld be answere was made hym that it was for spyrytualll offences done For those wylye watchers by that tyme had put manye thynges in practyse by force of their penytenciall Summe made by Theodorus afore They myght than make what synnes they wolde and sende vnto Rome whome so euer yt pleased them vpon the reseruacyons of cases Pontifycall and papall or by reason of the aggrauacyons of circumstaunces of synnes makynge men beleue they coude not dyspense wyth them whan the matter was not worth ij haste nuites And thys was the cause of their greuouse correccyons than For redresse of this the Kynge conuenaunted than with the Pope to geue him by yearâ— a penye of euery fyre howse within hys lande as Inas and Offa had done before him for their domynyons He promysed hym also in acquytynge the churches trybutes to geue him iij. C. marke yearlye And finally he repared the English hospitall there which had bene decayed by fire Ranulphus Platina Petrus Equilinus Fabianus et Polidorus ¶ An English monkes peramoure is a Pope THe monastery of fulda in Germanye was in those dayes much frequented of Englysh monkes byâ—â—use it was first buylded of the forseyd Archebyshop Boniface whych was an Englyshe man borne A yonge wenche borne and brought vp in Maguncia therebye Gilberta by name so mynded one of those monkes that she changed her apparell and went awaye wyth him lyke a waytynge boye or lackeye into straunge landes and became in all scyences of learnynge verye counynge and was called Englyshe Iohan. As yt chaunced thys monke to dye she get her vnto Rome and became there a common reader of publique lectours and was had in soche wonderfull estymacyon that Pope Leo the fort beynge dead she was solempnelye elected and intronysed Saynt Peters vycar in the yeare of oure Lorde DCCC.Liiij called Iohan the viij after dyuerse wryters By helpe of a Cardinall her most familier chamberlayne she was in conclusyon begett wyth chylde whan she had bene pope almost ij yeares and an halfe And in a most solempne procession to Laterane whan their churche was in the most pride by fall of the empire and subieccion of christeÌ„ princes the prelates in their most pompouse aparell the daye shynynge verye fayre she was openlye delyuered of chylde without midwife and so dyed Wherin God declared mâ—nifestlye to the worlde that their glitteringe churche was altogyther an whore to make good that was wrytten in the reuelacion of Saynt Iohan. Apo. 17. Oh he that had seane the countenaunce of the prelates than shuld haue beholden a great thange ¶ Popes chosen from thens fourth by their N. SEns that tyme hath popes alwayes bene chosen as stoned horse are in a colte feyer by their doutye dimiceries that they can no more be deceyued that way For at the solempne stallynge of them the last deacon Cardynall doth grope them brechelesse at an hole made in the seate for that ghostlye purpose and than cryeth yt out before all the multitude that he hath ware suffycyent to proue hym no woman Moreouer the strete where she was delyuered hath euer sens bene shurned in all generall precessyons for feare of yll happes As is of women a serten brydge in a Scottysh I le called Leuissa where as yf but one woman shuld paste ouer they saye there are no salmons seane in that ryuer all the yeare after Hector Boethius in Scoteci regni descriptione For the hystorye afore reherced of thys woman Pope was yt partlye my desyre that ye shuld â—arke that monasterye of fulda For she was one chast frute of our Englysh clergye yssuynge from thens ye may chaunce after thys yet to heare of more Such an enemye to prestes marryage was not in hys tyme as was that Boniface which was therof the first buylder For euery where ded he in all his gâ—nerall Synodes condempne yt for aduoutery by the popes canon lawes For the scripturs wolde not serue hym The life of this female pope sheweeh more at large Iacobus Bergomas in li. De claris mulieribus Platina Sabellicus Martinus Carsulanus Volateranus Nauclerus Mantuanus Ioannes Stella Ioannes textor Robertus Barnes in uitis Romanorum Pontificum ¶ Holy water with a boke against marriage IN the yeare of our Lore DCCC LVIII as a serten day deuill at the forsayd Maguncia was hunted of the prestes wyth procession and holye water for dyuerstye vexynge the
euer after the names of iij. Goddeses He called Bezola venus Roza Iuno and Stephana Zemele Of these harlottes one made Boso her bastarde Byshop of Placencia the other made Theobaldus her mysbegetten the archedeacon of Myllayne and the third was not all behynde with her fylthye frute also LiuthyraÌ„dus TicineÌ„sis li. 3. Ca. 6. That vowe of chastite I trowe is sumwhat worth whan it hath suche feates in bawdye bytcherye as all the worlde besydes is ignoraunt of It were great pytie but it were so hygh aduaunced and maynteyned by pryncelye polityque lawes they becommynge seruauntes therunto by makynge lawes for the vpholdynge therof ¶ A most hygh example of holye churches chastyte ALbericus the sonne of Marozia by her first husbande Albert beynge Marques of Hetruria and kynge of Italye compelled the Romanes hys subiectes partlye by great rewardes partlye by stronge threttenynges to admyt hys sonne Octauyane to the papacye whiche was geuen to al ryot and vyce from his very infancye Notwithstandynge for hys pleasure they agreed thervnto in the year of our lorde DCCCC and. lvi and named hym Iohan the. xij Thys holy successour of Peter and vycar of Christ as they call popes was accused of his Cardinalles and Byshoppes vnto the Emperour Otho in the generall Synode at Rome that he woulde saye no seruice he massed without consecracion he gaue holye orders in hys stable he made boyes Byshoppes for money he woulde neuer blesse hymselfe he forced not to be periured and made the holy palace of Laternense a verye stewes For he kepte therein Raynera the wyfe of hym that was knyght for hys own body and gaue her great possessioÌ„s with benefices goldeÌ„ chalyces and crosses He helde also Stephana and her syster whiche had bene his fathers concubine and had by her a bastarde not long afore He occupied at hys pleasure Anna a freshe wydowe her doughter also and doughters doughter He spared neyther hygh nor lowe olde nor yonge poore nor rytche fayre nor foule they sayd so that no womeÌ„ durst come vnto Rome on pylgrymage in hys tyme. Neyther reuerenced he anye place but would do it euery where yea vpon their very aulters He woulde hawke hunte daunce leape dyce sweare fyght ryot ronne straye abrode in the nyght breakynge vp dores and wyndowes and burne manye mennes howses One of hys Cardynalles he gelded he put out an others eyes whiche had bene hys Godfathers Of some he borowed an hande of some a tounge a fynger a nose an eare In his dyce playnge would he cal vpon yll spirites and drynke to the deuyll for loue Thus was he in the ende deposed tyll his dere diamondes sett handes vnto it for they ruled all and caused the Romaynes to set hym in agayne ¶ Dunstanes autoryte against marryed priestes THe papacye helde this Iohan the xij for the space of ix yeares iij. monthes and. v dayes and was striken of the deuyl they saye as he was lyenge in bedde with a mans wyfe and so dyed within viij dayes after without howsell or shrift they saye All this writeth of hym the forsayd Liuthprandus lib. 6. Cap 6. and so furth v. chapters more to the ende almoste of his boke whiche at the same self tyme dwelt at Ticina in Italy This is he of whom the byworde ryse As myrye as Pope Iohan. Vnto thys holye vycar of Sathan successour of Symon Magus went Dunstane out of Englande in the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and. lx to be confirmed archebyshop of Caunterburye And there receyued therewith for a great summe of money autorise power of the Beast Apoc. 13. vtterlye to dyssolue priestes maryage that hys monkes by that meanes myght possesse the cathedral churches of Englande as within a whyle after they did This Dunstane as witnesseth IoaÌ„ Capgraue was the first that in this real me compelled men and women to vowe chastyte and to kepe claustrale obedyence agaynst the fre doctryne of Saynte Paule 1. Cor. 7. Gal. 5. Forbyddynge marryage instytuted of God whiche is the verye doctrine of deuyls 1. Timot. 4 Thys is the worthye orygynall and first foundacion of monkes and priestes professed chastyte in Englande Marke it with the sequele and tell me hereafter whethâ—r it be of the deuyll or naye ¶ Dunstane execute hys deuylyshe commission THis craftye merchaunde Dunstone as he was returned agayn into England by autorite of this most execrable monstre and wycked Antichrist gaue a strayght commaundemeÌ„t that priestes out of haÌ„de shuld put away their lawfull wyues whoÌ„ that brent coÌ„scienced hypocryte called the vessels of fornycacyon els would he he sayd accordyng to hys commission put them both from benefyce and lyuynge And where as he perceyued the benefyces most welthye there was he most gredye â—pon them and shewed most vyolence â—yranny For whan the hygh deanes of â—athedrall churches masters of colleges prebendes persones and vycars would not at so beastly a commaundement leaue their wyues and chyldren so desolate without all naturall ordre he gote vnto hym the great power of kyng Edgare to assyst that cruell commyssyon of hys procured for moneye of the former Antichrist of Rome and by force thereof in manye places most tyrannously expelled them IoaÌ„nes Capgraue In Catologo sanctorum Anglie Reade all the Byble and Chronycles ouer of Nemroth Pharao Antioche Nero Decius Traianus with other lyke and I thynke ye shall not fynde a more tyrannouse example No not in cruell Herode hys selfe For though he slewe the innocent babes yet demynyshed he not the lyuynge of the fathers and mothers but thys tyraunt toke all with hym If he had sought a Godlye reformacion where marryage was abused it had bene sumwhat commendable But hys huntynge was to destroye it all togyther as an horryble vyce in priestes and in place therof to sett vp Sodome and Gomor by a sort of Hypocryte Monkes so chaungynge all Godlye ordre ¶ Kynge Edgare is brought vndre thereby THus became the face first of the Brytonysh and then of the Englysh churche sore changed blemyshed and by whoryshe commyssions froÌ„ the whoryshe byshoppes of the whorysh Synagoge of Rome was made all togyther whoryshe Proue me here in a lyer and an heretike if ye can for I wyl by the helpe of God stande by that I write here to the ende of my lyfe If ye can not I speake onlye to yow papistical byshoppes and priestes graunt your selues to be the most theues heretikes seducers of the people that euer yet reigned vpon the earthe for maynteynynge for holynesse so deuelysh a knauerye Immediatlye after thys be fell a sore chaunce as God would Kyng Edgare which was euer a great whore mastre and a tyraunte as the Chronycles report hym had a do with a yonge mayde called wilfrith brought vp in the nondrye of wylton parauenture to their
Paulus Constantinus Christianus Massaeus and Ioannes Functius in their Chronolagies besydes that Ioannes Annius ded therin afore them Now lete vs consydre how lady Lecherie the virgynall Goddesse of the Sodomyticall Papistes hath compassed in thys great cytie on euery syde with her fleshly fylthynesse And fyrst let vs begynne with Romulus and Remus the first setters vp or aduauncers therof These ij bloudy bretherne had an whore to their mother called Rhea ilia whych beynge a professed nonne to Venus committed whoredome both wayes that is to saye both in sowle and in bodye For vndre the vowe of chastyte she serued the ydolles as the maner was that tyme and so dallyed besydes in the darke as was well perceyued by her game ¶ After the myndes of Virgil Ouide and such other fabulouse Poetes these ij cruell captaynes Romulus and Remus receyued their first nurryshment of a she wolffe whom they sucked in sygnyfycacyon of the wonderfull tyranny whych shuld folowe in that great cytie Rome wherof they were the fyrst amplyfyers Other authours report that they were first nourced of an harlot called Lupa not farre froÌ„ the floude of Tyber where as the Romish Pope holdeth now hys palace of whome all brothel houses stewes or places where suche fylthynesse is wrought haue their names and are called to thys houre Lupanaria Romulus thus preserued by a thefe called Paustulus nurryshed by a wolfe and brought vp by an whore gyueÌ„ also of him selfe to outragyouse lecherie couetyse and ambycyon bycame suche a traytour to his owne stocke as in the ende most cruelly slewe hys naturall brother Remus to establysh hys great buylded cytie in the wyckednesse of cursed Cain Marke for thys storye Titus Liuius Plutarchus Bedas and Iohan Boccatius Chloris otherwyse called Flora a most notable harlot obtaynynge infynyte ryches by her execrable whoredome made Rome her heyer and the only inheritour of her fylthy possessyons execrated of God Deuter. xxiij For the whych the Romanes admytted her for a great Goddesse and dedycated vnto her ones in the yeare in Apryle certayne feastes called Floralia sacra Thys hath Marcus Cicero whych calleth her the mother of the Romanes so hath Aulus Gellius and Iohan Textor ¶ Of these autoryte amonge these Romanes were there many both consuls and senatours whych were named by thys vncomly worde Spurius signifyeÌ„ge a bastard as is to be seane in the chronycles of Eusebius and Paulus Constantinus by Spurius Verginius Spurius Tarpeius Spurius Carbilius Spurius Posthumus Spurius Scruilius Spurius Largus Spurius Cassius Spurius Nautius Spurius Medullinus Spurius Vectius Spurius Furinus Spurius Herminius Spurius Paulus Spurius Oppius Spurius Crassus a great sort more By thys shuld it seme that vnchast liuing was not only vnpoÌ„nyshed but also aduauÌ„ced to great honoure amoÌ„g the Romanes Priapus called in the Byble Miplezeth iij. Reg. xv and. ij Parasip xv was suche a disformed chylde of Venus and most execrable ydoll of the Cananytes as had neuer the lyke for in hys groues the baudes of that lande both wrought theyr fylthynesse and also taught the fowle feates of the same hys storye is farre to vncomely to be rehearced Yet was he so deifyed of the Romanes that he both became the God of theyr gardenes and had hys feastfull dayes euery yeare wyth solempnyte obserued a garlande of floures sett vpon hys heade and an he asse alwayes offered in sacryfyce to hym Ouidius primo libro fastorum Textor Althamerus ac Cibenius Non other were admitted in those dayes by the hygh senate of the Romanes neyther yet by commaundement and custome worshypped but suche lecherouse monsters as these were of whom they had great nombre ¶ Resort we now to the Empyre of thys Rome after the ouerthrowe of the other thre generall monarchyes of the worlde of the Assyreanes Perseanes and Grekes and se what enteraunce and progresse ladye lecherie had therin With Cleopatra the quene of Aegipt whych was a woman as testifyeth Egesyppus of a most corrupt lyfe Iulius Caesar the first Emprour had very longe occupyeÌ„ge without all honestie Loke Bedas de temporum ratione Iacâ—bus Bergomas and other lyke authours Of Nero Domicius whose fleshely appetyte coulde not with women be fully satisfyed the doynges were to execrable to be here rehearâ—ed As Marcus Aurelius for the debylyte of nature coulde no longar folowe in that fylthye course of lyuynge whych he had contynued in from hys youth he caused his owne preuye partes to be cut awaye and so dedicate hymselfe to Venus takynge vpon hym from thens fourth the name and offyce of a woman to proue thâ—t vncomely occupyenge in an other prodygyouse kynde Freculphus hath thys in the first chaptre of hys secoÌ„de Tome so hath Ado Viennensis with others more What acceptacyâ—n and fauer thys most deuylysh example hath obtayned in our Romysh spirytualte geldynge excepted the sequele of thys boke shall declare Bede also reporteth in his former treatyse de temporum ratione that Constantius the Emperour begate greate CoÌ„stantine here in Englande of Elene hys concubyne Whych Constantine as a great nombre of Romysh authours testyfyeth was the first that buylded Christen temples at Roâ—e that fournyshed the clergy therâ—e wyth such possessyons and body ease as in processe brought them into all kyndes of wantonnesse in the fleshe ¶ In contynuaunce of yeares the Romysh Emprour became the elder sonne of Antichrist by professyon and othe to defende the patrymony of S. Peter as they call their theuysh possessyons and so to maynteyne them in all ydelnesse pryde lecherie The Frenche kynge also on the other syde became hys yongar sonne beynge sworne alwayes at hys coronacyon with fyre and with swerde to support the same Of our Englysh kynges I speake not whych neuerthelesse were hys adoptyue chyldren from the dayes of kynge Alpheede the great to the myddle age of kyng Henry the. viij The Emprour after that was appoynted by offyce to holde the Popes styroppe whyls he leaped on hys mule and the Frenche kyng to holde hys brydell and to wayte vpon hys Ienet of Spayne Ex Christophoro Marcello in ritibus Romanae Ecclesiae Tedyouse were it to declare here the whole cyrcumstaunce how lecherie reigned in this seconde sonne also As how Childericus the Frenche kyng beyng expulsâ—d for hys vnsacyable aduoutrye begate Clodoucus of an whore whych was an other mannys wyfe of whom descended as they report all their Christened kynges Loke Gaguinus Iohan Liectenberger and Franciscus Bonadus in Anacephaleosi Angisus the sonne of Arnolde byshopp of Metis vsurpynge the hygh stewardshyp of Fraunce at layser made the kynge to go pyke a salett defeated hym of hys crowne by helpe of the prestes as wytnessyth Abbas Vespergensis Tritemius in compendio and Ioannes Nauclerus The kynges by that meanes sayth Otho Phrisingensis became very idyotes Pipinus of a bastarde stocke
the thousand yeares are ones expyred SathaÌ„ shall be losed out of hys preson and shal go out at large to deceyue the people whych are in the. iiij quarters of the earthe Gog and Magog By Syluester the secoÌ„d of that name sumtyme a monke of Floryake whych by hys Necromancy obtayned the Papacy of Rome or generall vycarshypp of the deuyll in thys full thousande yeare from Christes incarnacyon was that commen aduersary set at large to wurke hys vnspeakable myscheues by the lecherouse locustes of the pytt bottomlesse the byshoppes monkes and prestes Benno Cardinalis in uita Hildebrandi Thys Syluester and his successours were those Angels of darkenesse whyche toke from hym the chayne wherwith Christ had tyed hym vp for that thousand yeares space whych was the true ministracyon of hys myghty worde so sent hym forth abrode by most deuylysh doctrynes in hypocresy to maynteyne all kyndes of ydolatry and fleshely fylthouse lyuynge For the more lucky spede of thys newe enterpryse thys Syluester relygyousely gelded hym selfe as Saturnus ded hys father as the olde poetes fayne and as was also seane by the wanton examples of Nero Aurelius and Palumbus the prest dedycatyng hys stones in a foule sacryfyce to Sathan that the pretensed chastyte of hys vnchast clergye myght therby haue the more prosperouse successe Thys stone offerynge of Syluester founde I regestred in an olde written Chronycle at Calys xxviij yeares ago Martinus Carsulanus Vincentius Vuernerus and Albertus Crants agreynge sumwhat to that same In the same thousande yeare from Christes incarnacyoÌ„ a most terryble earthquake befell a most horryble comete or blasyng sterre was sent in the skye the. iiij daye of DeceÌ„b. as testyfieth Christianus Massaeus Vincentius Antoninus ☞ The former hystoryes declared FOr a further manyfestacyon of the matters alleged concernynge Saturnus Nero Aurelius Pasumbus ye shall fyrst vnderstaÌ„de that Saturnus beynge the sonne of Coelum and Vesta with a syckle cut of the preuye partes of hys father and threwe them into the sea Wherof with the froth of that ragynge gulfe the fabulouse Poetes reporteth Venus to be engendered whych was the first mother of the pagane prestes chastyte and Vesta the begynnar of their nonnes of her called Vestalles Thys writeth Marcus Cicero in libro ij de natura deorum Macrobius in saturnalibus â—ebastianus Murrho in commentarijs Mantuani So was Nero and after hym Aurelius gyuen to lascynyousnesse that the one gelded male chyldren to vse them in stede of women and the other whan hys lustes were past gelded hym selfe into a preposterouse offyce of Venery Ioannes huttichius in uitis Caesarum Palumbus was a prest of Rome in the arte of Necromancye most depely learned Thys chaplayne of the deuyll was a generall prouyder for the oyled fathers there that their fleshly heates myght be quenched in the darke by other mennys wyues and doughters without blemysh of theyr virgynall vowe Whan thys prest shuld dye he slytt of hys genytalles and threw them to the deuyll as a rewarde for al hys labours taken in that conueyaunce as wyll hereafter apere more at large Ex Guilhelmo Malmesburiensi Ranulpho Cestrensi Matthaeo VVestmonasteriensi Vincentio VVernero ☞ The study and successyon of Prelates BEnno the Cardynall sayth in the lyfe of Pope Hyldebrande that thys most deuylysh Syluestre after the full accomplyshement of thys myllenary of yeares rysynge out of the depe pyt of Gods permyssyon ded many tymes to hys dyshonourynge make sacryfyce to the deuyll obtaynynge therby an ende sumwhat lyke hys deseruynge Yet left he discyples many behynde hym whom he had dylygently taught in the most deuylysh art of Necromancy to holde the Romysh churche in that scole and to prospere the kyngdome of Sathan in hys goynge forth at large most specyally ij Theophylactus Laurentius whych poysoned all the worlde with that myschefe After the death of this Syluestre contynuall stryfe was amonge hys dyscyples who shuld obtayne the Papacy But he that had Theophylactus and Laurentius on hys syde he went awaye with the garlande most commenly and sate in that seate of Pestylence tyll a poyson were prouyded to fatche hym awaye if he wrought not to their commodyte Thus folowed in that race Iohan ye. xviij whych within fyue monthes was poysened than Iohan the xix that tasted of the same ere the yeare came out than Sergius the. iiij than Benedict the. viij and Iohan the. xx whych both were vncles to Theophylactus After that folowed the seyd Theophylactus called Benedict the ix whych after xv yeares solde the Papacy to Iohan Gracyan hys sorcerouse companyon for a great summe of moneye was in the ende strangeled of the deuyll as he was doynge his feates in a forest The rest of thys rable wyll I shewe in HyldebraÌ„de whych was of them in that art a most dylygent dyscyple Martinus Carsulanus and Baptista Platina in uitis pontificum doth playnely report that Otho the thyrde Emprour and Robert the Frenche kyng were Syluesters dyscyples in the scyence of art Magyck and ded theyr true seruyce in the kyngdome of Antichrist becommynge his two sonnes in theyr posteritees ¶ The sorcerouse procedynges of Syluester NEcessary do I thynke it not to leaue thys sorcerouse Syluester thus but further to declare hys vngodly begynnynges and procedynges Wyllyam of Malmesbury Vincentius Ranulphus Rogerus Cestrenses Mathew of Westminster reporteth in their famouse writynges that he was a Frenche man borne called Gerebertus first of all and also that he was a professed monke of Fleryake not farre from Orleaunce where as he tasted the first pryncyples of Necromancy FroÌ„ thens he went to Hilpalis in Spayne and so longe remayned ther with a Saracene most expert in that arte tyll he had coppyed out and stollen all hys bobes by helpe of hys doughter with whom he had bene famylyar specyally one boke whyche was to hymselfe most secrete To prospere in thys pelfe chefely to escape the mortall daunger of thys Saracene tyll he were on the other syde of the sea he gaue hymselfe wholly to the deuyll promysynge to be hys perpetuall seruaunt Manye dyscyples he had in thys arte as is sayd afore Chefely Constantyne the Abbot of Saint Maximyne by Orleaunce Lotharius the archebyshop of Senona Adelbolde the byshopp of Wirtzenburg Otho the Emprours sonne and Robert the sonne of Hugh Capet the Frenche kynge By thys Robert was he first made archebyshopp of Remis in Fraunce than by Otho archebyshopp of Rauenna in Italy and last of all the great byshopp of Rome by the deuyls prouysyon Accordynge to thys olde verse Scandit ad R. Gerebertus ab R. post Papa uigens R. He clymed from R to R tyll he thryftely came to R. That is to saye from Remis to Rauenna and from Rauenna to Roâ—e He set vp a brasen heade of whome he alwayes
that our lady gaue sucke to an olde byshopp a thousand yeares almost after her death Marke thys poynt for your learnynge ☞ The coÌ„ueyaunce of prelates in this age BVt ye must consydre that at Carnotus was a churche of our ladye in buyldynge whych coulde not wele be fynyshed without such clarkely coÌ„ueyaunces And by thys meanes bycame Canutus a great benefactour therunto The prelates as byshoppes abbotes and prestes for their coÌ„modyte ye must wele knowe were so good to this Danysh vsurper the cronycle sayth that they in receyuyng hym for their kynge at Southampton vtterly renouÌ„ced by othe the successyoÌ„ of their naturall Englysh kynge Etheldrede causinge the noâ—ylyte to coÌ„sent to the same Yea to bryng the spyghtful enterpryse of theirs to full effâ—ct they hyred a cruell traytour called Edricus to slee kynge Edmonde â—ronsyde hys naturall heyre and caused yeâ—eyd Canutus to sende his ij sonnes Edmonde and Edwarde into Denmarke to be slayne to extynguysh that successyon or â—yscent of Englysh bloude so to ouerâ—hrowe the maiestie of thys nacyon for there â—ryuate commodyte Alphredus Beuerlacenâ—is Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Ioannes Capâ—raue Polydorus atque alij historiographi By meanes of thys Achelnotus also an hunâ—red talentes of syluer and one talent of â—olde were gyuen at Papia in Italy for â—he wythered arme of S. Augustyne therâ—ith to augment the ydolatry here in Enâ—lande Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. ij de â—gibus And as concernynge Burye abâ—eye afore mencyoned It was first a colâ—ge of prestes founded by kynge Ethelâ—ane in the yeare of our lorde DCCCC â—â—v and nowe at the sute of Ailwyne â—yshopp of Helmam in Southfolke it â—as changed by kynge Canutus to a moâ—â—sterye of Benettes monkes in the yeare of our lorde a M. and xxi the prestes with their wyues and chyldren dyscharged Chronicon Buriense ac â—oannes Lelandus in commentario cygneae cantionis ☞ The Emprour maryed Canutus doughter IN the yeare of our lord a M. and xxxvi Henry the second Emprour of that name marryed Guynylde the doughter of the aforeseyd Canutus the kynge of Euglande Thys Henry had a systre whych was a professed nonne So inteyrly he loued thys systre of hys that oft tymes he wolde haue her to lye within hys palace very nygh to hys owne preuye chaÌ„bre In a wynter nyght a sowle chaplayne of the courtelaye with her which had bene dyuerse tymes complayned of afore In the mornynge least hys fotynge shuld be seane in the snowe newly fallen that nyght she toke hym vp in her necke and carryed hym out of the courte towardes hys chambre The Emprour chaunced to ryse at that houre as hys custome was to make water and se the pageaunt Anon after fell a byshopryck whych the prest gaped for and the gouernaunce of a nondrye whych the nonne desyred Wherupon the Emprour called them vnto hym the one after the other Take that benefyce to you sayth he to the priest but saddle no more the nonne And you the abbeye sayth he to hys systre and horse no more the prest Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. ij de regibus Ranulphus li. vi ca. xxi Polychronici Vincentius li. xxv ca. xviij Speculi historialis Here were a couple of no badde gouernours in that spirytualte but al was chast relygyon so longe as marryage was absent Thus coulde the worldely rulers thaÌ„ laugh vpon wyckednesse and suffre vertu and ryghteousnesse to dwell vndre contempt wyth Christ. ☞ Two dyuerse examples for that age ANother nonne was ther at the same very tyme whom a certen ryche maÌ„ toke out of the monastery and marryed not farre from the seyd Emprour bycause she complayned her that she could not lyue chast The byshopp of the dyocese hauynge knowledge therof by thys Emprours assystence dyssolued that marryage and sent her agayne to the cloystre Afterwarde thys man whan he se hys tyme toke her out agayne and kept her in howse with hym In the ende they were both excommunycated of the byshop and could neuer obtayne their absolucyon Antedicti autores cum Ioanne Treuisa This Emprour had also in hys chapell a syngynge maÌ„ a prest whych had both a good voyce and was wele learned but inordynatly he loued a certen whore not farre of whych was not vnknowne vnto him On a daye to proue a mastry the Emprour coÌ„maunded hym to saye masse before hym whych he vtterly refused to do for so muche as he had lyen with that whore the nyght afore If thou saye no masse sayth the Emprour I bannysh the both the courte and contrey I am wele contented sayth the prest and so by and by with hys stuffe departed The Emprour with that called the prest agayne and much commendynge hys constauncy rewarded hym with the next byshopryck that fell autores praefati cum Antonino Thus is whoredome muche made of styll but marryage whom God left for an honest yea and an holy remedy for that dysease is not yet by the doctryne of S. Paule persuaded i. Cor. vij ☞ Lecherie for lucre doth great myracles ALwinus the byshopp of Wynchestre in the yeare of our lorde a M. xliiij was of S. Edwarde the kyng commytted with imprysonment to the examynacyon of the clergye for beynge to famylyar with Emma his mother or for lyenge with her whether ye wyll she put to the nondry of Warwell tyll the daye of her purgacyon It was layed to her charge sayth Polydorus that she of myschefe had marryed Canutus the Tane whych was a cruel enemy to the land consequently that she had nothynge holpeÌ„ but rather hyndred her naturall chyldren in exyle whom she had afore by kyng Etheldrede fynally the rumour was that she had dysceytfully sought their destruccyoÌ„s to preferre the Danysh bloude to the crowne of Englande to the great derogacyon of the same Ricardus Diuâ—siensis reporteth that Robert the archebyshop of Canterbury gaue euydence agaynst her that she had coÌ„sented to the murther of her elder sonne Alphrede procured poyson for her yongar sonne S. Edwarde that she had ioyned her self in that treason with her louely peramoure the byshopp of Wynchestre afore named But se what folowed in the ende After she had ones commoned with the spirituall prelates and gyuen vnto S. Swythunes abbeye in Wynchestre the possessyon of ix lordeshyppes or mayners she was able by helpe of S. Swythune to go barefoted vpon ix burnynge plough shares of Iron for that byshoppes tryall and hers On. iiij for her selfe on v. for her swete louer to do other myracles besydes But ye must first coÌ„sidre that she was borne ouer them betwyn ij byshoppes whych knewe afore hande how to qualyfy those heates that the kyng beynge a simple man was easy to deceyue Ricardus Diuisiensis Guilhel Malmes Marianus Scotus Thomas Rudborne IoaÌ„nes Capgraue post uitaÌ„ vvlstani Robertus
euery busynesse In Herbertes waye yet it is a fowle blot That he by symonye is byshop abbot Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. iiij de regibus Great sute made the monkes of Norwych to haue had thys Herbert a canonysed saynt But suche impedimentes were alwayes in the waye that it coulde not be obtayned ☞ Other anoynted prelates of the lame race SImon the hygh Deane of Lyncolne occupyed that rowme not without a cause For his father Robert Bloet was the lecherouse bulle byshop I shuld saye of that large dyocese This Simon was a lusty bloude the scory sayth as good a treadyng cocke as euer was his father with sterne lokes on both sydes as proude as a pecock Henricus huntendunensis in libro de contemptu mundi Ranulphus in polychronico Guilhelmus Horman in fasci rerum Britannicarū It is also reported of Radulphus de Diceto in hys chronycle called Imagines historiarum that Robert Peche the byshop of Chestre Couentre and Lychefelde begate Richarde Peche the archedeacon of Couentre whyche afterwarde as reason was succeded hys father as byshop on same dyoceses by inheritaunce Radulphus praefatus Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis in opere de pontificibus Guilhelmus Hormā in abreuiatione etusdē The thyrde example wyll I there bryng iii though it chaunced longe afore whych I haue left out in the first part of my votaryes Ethelwolf the sonne of kynge Egbert was professed a monke at Wynchestre and receyued the ordre of a subdeacon vndre byshopp Helmestane Afterwardes ascendynge from one degre to an other he was constytute byshop of Wynchestre and a Cardynall as some chronycles hath about the yeare of our lorde viij hundreth and iij. By dyspensacyon of Pope Gregory the fourth he reygned kynge after hys father and marryed Osburga hys owne butlers doughter by whom he had foure sonnes whyche all reygned kynges after hym and one doughter In the tyme of hys monkery afore he was marryed he begate a bastard called Adelstane whome he made vndre him the duke of Westsaxons Rogerus houeden Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Henricus Bradsha Iacobus Mayer Ionnnes Scuysh ☞ Of Wulstane the mysbegotten byshop of Worcestre Wulstanus the canonysed bishop of Worcestre had a monke of that abbeye to hys father called Estanus and a nonne not farre of to hys mother that was named Vulgena By byshop Brithegus was he made a monke so was sent fourth to the monastery of Peterburg to be instructed and so brought fourth in the ydel rules of monkery Whā it came to passe that he was ones byshop muche loue they saye he had of fayre women and yet lyued alwayes a vyrgyne whych is a matter very harde to be beleued The pontyfycall rynge wherwith he blessed the stretes in stede of Christen preachynge he wolde neuer put from him no not at hys very death but commaunded it to be buryed wyth him I thynke to blesse therwith whan he shulde aryse at the lattre daye Matthaeus paris Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Ranulphus Rogerus Radulphus de Diceto Thomas Rudborne Ioannes Capgraue alij Olde wyues in Worcestre shyre by the helpe of ydle headed monkes to whom parauenture they had bene bawdes practysed vpon the Ethymology of hys name a most shamefull and folyshe fable whych yet remayneth amonge them Hys father they sayde wyllyng to haue a do with hys mother vpon good frydaye and she not consentynge therunto for the dayes sake was compelled to leaue his begettynge vpon a stone which she fyndyng there lamentynge the losse therof wrapped it vp in a locke of wolle and so noryshed him vp vndreneth her arme hole By this meanes they saye he was first called Wulstone Thys had bene a straunge begettynge of a chylde but that it was in monkery whose wayes were not in that wurkynge lyke other mennys wayes O most prodygyouse sodomytes how haue ye illuded the symple with hypocresye and lyes ☞ Of Steuen Hardynge and hys Cysteanes STeuen Hardyng was first a monke of S. Benets errour ordre I shuld saye at Sherborne not farr from Salysbury Thys man to sprede abroade the braunches of hypocresye went from thens into Scotlande and so fourth into Fraunce and Italye tyll he came to Rome We reade not all thys tyme that euer he taught any Christen doctryne by the godly offyce of preachynge or yet of writynge But after he had visyted Rome and wandered ouer all Italye muche good stuffe ye maye thynke he gathered there he returned into the prouynce of Burgundy and there made hymselfe a monke agayne Yet was he not so quyeted marke the subtyle workynge of Sathan but he toke with hym a certen of hys ydell companyons and fled into the wyldernesse of Cistercium and there he began the wycked secte of Cisteanes otherwyse called the whyte monkes to be noysed abroade a newe authour of relygyon And thys was in the yeare of our lorde a M. xcviij It remayneth yet to the glory of Englande sayth Wyllyam of Malmesbury that the ordre of Cisteanes was firste begonne by an Englysh man Vincentius Antoninus Houeden Capgraue Bergomas Aegidius Faber Thomas Scrope Ioannes Paleonydorus ac Polydorus Vergilius de iuentoribus rerum Of the ambycyon lecherie and couetousnesse of thys abhomynable secte and how it came first into Englande I wyll shewe more at large hereafter About thys tyme arose other sectes of perdycyon as the Grandimontensers Camalduleanes Cartusyanes darke alleye bretherne Rhodyanes Templers Hospytelers Premonstrates Iosephytes and others with innumerable swarmes of their laysye leaue locustes crepynge slowly out of the smoky bottomlesse pytt Apocal ix ☞ Graue sentences declarynge the malyce of thys age Wernerus Roleuinke a Charterouse monke of Coleyne thus reporteth in hys wurke called fasciculus temporum that we commynge after shulde marke therof the daunger A wanton tyme sayth he beganne about the yeare of our lorde a thousande and so folowed on For than the Christen fayth very muche decayed vtterly declynynge from her accustomed strengthe and olde manlynesse to a feble faynt folwyng as mayde Hildegarde sheweth in her prophecye For in many regyons of the Christianyte were the rytes of the church poluted with mennys inuencyons and the sacramentes wyth sorceryes defyled the mynisters becommynge both sothsayers and coniurers So that many thought and not without cause that Antichrist was than in full power Benno sayth also in the lyfe of Hilbebrand that the relygyō of the clergy was none other in those dayes thā a very treason or vtter betrayenge of the worldely gouerners to maynteyne their insacyable ambycyon couetousnesse lecherie Thus were the golden calues had in honour in that age sayth Wernerus meanynge the glytterynge prelates And the other sort slayne or yll handeled by them vnderstandynge the true symple preachers as was Berengarius Oclefe and such other lyke impugnynge their newe ydolatryes Iohan Capgraue writeth that a great reformacyon a dyfformacyon he
was this counsell els but the mouthe of the beast speakyng blasphemyes Daniel vij Apocal. xiij Though these matters were first proponed at Cleremount in Fraunce and after enacted at Baren in Apulia yet were they not so strayghtly knyttt vp tyll they came to Rome Marke the good conueyaunce ☞ Anselmus made Pope of Englande for hys practyses FOr the wyttie inuencyons forecastynges polecyes dysputacyons other laboryouse affayres of Anselme about the ouerthrowe of pryncely autoryte and vprearynge of Antichristes tyranny and for hys earnest prouocacyons to haue them perfourmed in the crafty wurkynges of Sathan to se hym horrybly honourably I shulde saye rewarded for hys paynes Pope Vrbanus appoynted both hym and them that shulde afterwarde succede in the patryarcall seate of Canterbury to sytt at hys ryght fote in euery generall counsell and that he also ratifyed by a specyal decre And thus was it proclamed whan that place was gyuen hym in the opē synode Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquā alterius orbis Papan◠Lete vs include or admyt thys man in our worlde here as the Pope of an other worlde meanynge great Brytayne or England whych the old cosmographers and famouse hystoryanes called an other worlde for so much as it semed from the great worlde by sea dyuyded as Virgyll also sheweth in his Bucolyckes Neuer was there any place peculyarly appoynted to the archebyshoppes of Canterbury afore that daye All this hath Thomas Rudborne in medulla chronicorū Iohan Capgraue in a maner confirmyng the same where as he calleth him the Apostle and patryarke of the other worlde I haue alwayes bene of thys opynyon that S. Iohans Apocalyps hath as wele hys fulfyllynge in the partycular nacyons as in the vnyversall churche I speake it here for Anselme whych was the great Pope or Antichrist of Englande Marke it hardely in hym and a great sort more of hys wycked successours ☞ The chastyte of Anselme and death of kynge Wyllyam ANselme anon after departed frō hys holy father Vrbanus as he myghte wele spare him whan his turne was ones serued and so came to Lyons where as he remayned tyll the death of kyng Wyllyam Rufus In the meane tyme for hys recreacyon Iohan Cagraue sayth he sumtyme resorted to Hugh the abbot of Clunyake and to hys praty nōnes at Marceniacum I thynke not the cōtrary but it was to ease hym of some great burdene For Roger Hourden Mathew Paris other writers affirmeth that he had a nephewe called Iunior Anselmus whych after the rule of the Romane prelates is as muche to saye as a sonne He behelde it in a visyon at Lyons they saye how S. Albone and other Englysh sayntes sent fourth an euyll sprete to slee the seyd kyng Wyllyā for oppressynge their abbeyes But I beshrewe their cruell hartes their preuy legerdemaynes were not muche to be trusted that kynge so sodenly slayne They feyne in an other fable that he tare with his tethe Christes fleshe from hys bones as he hyng on the roode for witholdynge the landes of certen byshopryckes and abbeyes Polydorus not beynge ashamed to rehearce it Some where they call hym a reade dragon some where a fyery serpent and a bloudy tyraunt for occupyenge the fruites of their vacaunt benefyces about hys pryncely buyldynges Thus rayle they of their kynges wythout eyther reason or shame in their legendes of abhomynable lyes Loke Eadmerus Helinandus Vincentius Mathew of Westmynstre Rudborne Capgraue Wyllyam Caxton Polydore and others Wher euer hearde ye afore that their superfluouse ydell and slowe belly liuynges were Christes fleshe eyther yet that an olde paynted roode had fleshe Lete not thys be forgotten ☞ Kyng Henry marryeth a votary without dyspensacyon HEnry the first of that name constytute kynge Anselmus returned into England agayne marryed hym to a professed nonne of Wynchestre called Maude whych was the doughter of Malcolme the kyng of Scottes Much a do had her father and mother cōfessour and abbesse Mathew Paris sayth to perswade her to thys marryage and to obtayne her consent in the ende by reason of her former professyon and vowe Yet cursed she the fruite that shulde come of her body whyche afterward turned her chyldren to great mysfortune Polydorus sayth for therupon were her two sonnes Wyllyam and Richarde drowned in the sea and her doughter Maude the empresse an infortunate mother in bryngynge forth Henry the seconde whyche put vnto death holy Thomas Becket Here was I trowe no bad iudgement As scrupulose as Anselme was in other causes yet founde he no faulte in thys marryage whan he coupled them togyther neyther sought he to haue that vowe dyspensed with If Ranulphus and Treuisa he brought in to proue her vowe a dissymulacyō and that the seyd Anselme so founde it I haue Mathew Paris Rudborne Polydore and other autours more to confound them which largely hath declared it a full vowe professyon But of one thynge I sumwhat maruele why they and Wyllyā of Malmesbury shulde iudge it an vnwor thie marriage cōmende her for spending her substaūce so prodigally vpō syngars mynstrels poetes delyghtynge in their balettes and vayne praysynges oppressynge her tenauntes to maynteyne them Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. v. de regibus Ranulphus li. vij ca. xvi ☞ Anselme wurketh wyles and Randolfe playne treason SOme writers haue thought specyally Mathew of Westminstre that Anselmus bare with kynge Henry in thys matter concernynge hys marryage to wynne hym in an other muche more wayghtie profytable purpose For in that generacion they are more wyly Christ sayth than are the chyldren of lyghte Luce. xvi But he fayled of hys purpose at that present For immedyatly after the kynge made Reinalmus the quenes chaūcellour byshopp of Herforde without the clergyes eleccyon and put hym in possessyon without the Popes autoryte contrary to the othe of hys coronacyon as testyfyeth Radulphus de Diceto Mathew Parts and Roger Honeden But whan Randolfe the byshop of Durham whome the kynge put in the Tower of London for oppressyon and yll rule kepynge had ones broken out of the pryson in the dronkēnesse of his kepers and fledde into Normandy persuadynge duke Robert Courtoys to subdue the kynge hys brother and so to vsurpe hys crowne promysynge also that he had made hym fryndes within the lande by hys secrete counsell and letters In hys commynge as the seyd duke toke it ones vpon hym a great commocion was within the realme the prelates freshly reioycynge therat and causynge it to be noysed a broade that thys soden inuasyon was for that kynge Henry had dysobeyed their holy father of Rome defeated hys eldar brother and marryed Christes professed spowse And al this they subtylye had practysed to take the peoples hartes from him that he myght the more easely haue bene subdued as they thought to their commodyte Yet God of hys great mercye gaue hym than as he hed
repetynge the same that in the yeare of our lord a M. a C. and x. the mone apered all darke without lyghte Wherby God declared in the open face of the worlde that hys church by the monkes hypocresy in that age was darkened with a beastly ignorauÌ„ce of hys lyuely doctryne For the mone betokeneth commenly in the scryptures the congregacyon of the lorde About thys tyme sayth Iohan Tritemius entered all the craftye learnynge Yea the subtyle phylosophye of the paganes began here to defyle our sacred theologye with her vnprofytable curyosytees The Gospell was put a part sauynge only to be red by parcels in the temple in a foren language without vnderstandynge and the corrupted doctryne of fylthie bastardes Peter Lumbarde Peter the great eater and Gracyane the monke which were thre chyldren of one bawdy nonnes fornycacion receyued and only had in pryce for it The monkes of that age sayth Iohan Carion in hys chronycles perceyuynge the knowledge of the holy scriptures to waxe faynt and to be nought set by for the study of the popysh lawers they thought also to practyse a newe kynde of dyuynyte and set vp scholasticall dysputacyons of diuyne matters But be ware of subtyle sophysters in the doctryne of the churche sayth Iohan Baconthorpe in prologo quarti sententiarum viij quest For their property is to withstande the veryte and to snarle mennys conscyences by darkenyng the clere lyghte therof If it be to the contrary reasoned sayth he that sophystycall argumentes are fytt to confounde heretykes by I vtterly denye that reason For only is it the open veryte that must confounde them As for sophysiues their wycked nature is to brynge in all errour and heresyes All thys hath Baconthorpe ☞ Raufe the archebyshop of Canterbury honoureth hys kynge IN the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xiij the kynge was mynded to haue gyuen the archebyshopryck of Canterbury to Faricius the abbot of Abendon But at the instaunt request sute of the clergye in the counsell of Wyndesore he altered hys purpose and gaue it to Raufe the byshopp of Rochestre a ruffelar to their myndes Hym he adourned with hys owne pryncely handes mynystrynge vnto hym both the ryng and metropolycall crosse For than ones agayne Mathew Paris sayth he had taken an earnest stomake agaynst the byshop of Romes vnshamefast procedynges hys brother duke Robert imprysoned and hys other enemyes brought vndre In the yeare of our lord a thousand a. C. and xv was the seyd Raufe consecrated receyued hys patryarchal palle of Anselme the other Anselmes nephewe whych was thaÌ„ the popes great legate a latere As the kynge was same yeare marryed after his first wyfes â—â—sseace to Adelphe the duke of Loraines doughter and was agayne crowned with her by the byshop of Wynchestre thys heady archebyshopp fell into a palseye for wodenesse and sayd vnto hym the next day after that eyther he shulde leaue that crowne vnlawfull he sayd for so much as it was not taken of hym or els he wolde leaue of hys masse sayng which was no small matter And the lordes about him had much a do to staye the lunetyke prelate from strikynge downe the crowne from the kinges heade and stampynge it vndre hys fote Yet ded the gentyll kynge gyue him fayre wordes the chronycles sayth Loke Wyllyam of Malmesbury li. i de pontificibus Ranulphus li. xij ca. xv Rogerus li. vij and Iohan Capgraue li. ij de nobilibus Henricis And Treuisa addeth vnto it in fyne Englysh that thys hawtie prelate was a great Iaper the terme is sumwhat homelye Ded I not tell yow afore that kynges for their power had sped as yll as the prestes for their wyues And I thynke I tolde the truthe ☞ Of Pope Calixtus and the heade churche of Wales MVche were it to rehearce the turmoylynges of Pope Calixte the seconde for renuynge of the execrable actes of hellysh Hyldebrande and prestygyouse Paschall agaynst the marryage of prestes and power of prynces for inuestyture of prelates In the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and .xix. He helde counsel at Remis in Fraunce and in the yeare a M.a. C. xxiij he helde an other wyth CCC byshoppes at Rome And in these ij counsels he depryued all prestes of the commen Christianyte that held styll their wyues wyllynge them from thens fourth to be taken for no better thaÌ„ paganes and helhoundes and to want their ChristeÌ„ buryall The prynces that had gyuen out ecclesyastycall offyces he condempned of sacrilege preposterously allegynge the scriptures that they whych were admytted by them entered not by the dore but they scattered from Christe dyuydynge hys coote without seme As though in their exceding pryde and couetousnesse they had bene the same Christe whyche was full of Godly symplycyte and lowlynesse and their glytterynge synagoge that symple coote without seme In thys lattre yeare dyed Raufe the heady archebishop of CaÌ„terbury and Wylliam Curboâ—l which was a chanon succeded FroÌ„ the tyme of Augustyne tyll that daye by the space of more than fyue hondred and. xxiiij yeares none occupyed that seate but monkes and that caused so many corrupcyons to entre into the church of England for all they maynteyned Antichrist A lytle afore this that is to saye in the yeare a. M.a. C. and. ij bicame the archebyshopryck of Meneuia or Prymates seate of S. Dauid in wales fyrste subiect to the churche of Canterbury And from the dayes of kynge Lucy to the yeare a. M.a. C. and. xv none other were archebyshoppes there than Brytaynes or Welchemen and all that tyme had their ministers wyues But sens the Englyshe monkes occupyed they haue had concubynes for wyues and wyll not change at thys daye men saye Thus entered fylthienesse in that quarter also the time wolde be marked Suncon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Giraldus Cambrensis Ranulphus ☞ Kynge Henry plaged for sufferinge marriage to be condempned ALl foren warres ended and controuersyes pacifyed in the yeare of our Lorde a. M. a C. and xx King Henrye the fyrst with great ioye and triumphe departed out of Normandye and entered after hys great victoryes by sea into Englande But within fewe dayes folowinge was thys gladnesse turned into a moste heauye and horryble sorowe For William and Rycharde his ij sonnes Marye hys doughter with Otwell their tutoure scholemaystre Rycharde the earle of Chestre and hys wyfe the kynges nece all the merye chaplaynes companions and ruflars of the courte chambrelaynes buffares and seruytours the Archedeacon of Herforde the Prynces playe fellowes syr Jeffrey Rydell syr Robert Malduyte syr Wyllyam Bygot wyth manye other greate heyres lordes knyghtes and gentylmen ladyes and gentylwomen to the nombre of a. C. and xl Besydes the yeomen and maryners whiche were more than halfe an hondred takynge passage by nighte were al drowned in the bottom of the
sea excepte one man theyr bodyes neuer founde Guilhelmus Malmesbury Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Ioannes Capgraue Libro ij De nobilibus Henricis Some monkyshe wryters hath iudged the curse of quene Mande whyche was a professed votarye to be the cause of thys ruyne as is sayde afore some other attrybuteth it to the vyce of sodometrye whyche manye of them hadde learned of the monkes and the prestes after the solempne professyon of theyr newe vowe of chastyte But I do thynke it to be a plage of God vpon the kynges posteryte for sufferynge so greate a myschefe to entre in hys tyme wythoute contradyccyon as that sodometry was and as was the condempnacion of the Christen ministers marryages For in hym Polydorus sayth vtterly ended the dissent of the Normannes bloude in the male kynde accordynge to the wyse mannys sentence Sap. iiij The plantes of aduoutry shall take depe rotynge As he was the sonne of a bastarde and suffered thys preposterouse religyon or bastardye of prestes without wyues to take place here in hys dayes to the vprayse of buggery and neuer resysted it beynge gods immedyate mynistre ☞ Celsus an archebyshop had both a wyfe and chyldern CElsus the great archebyshop of Armach and hygh prymate of IrelaÌ„d had both a wyfe and chyldren in the tyme of hys archebyshoprye accordynge to the vsage of that contreye That archebyshopryck S. Bernard sayth with the primacye of the whole lande was holden as an inherytaunce in one kyndred by xv generacyons the sonne alwayes succeding hys father And. viij of them he reporteth to be wonderfully wele learned but allwayes they toke their orders for that long season without any vowe of professyon Neyther wolde the people suffer any other to take that hygh offyce saue only them whyche were of the same howse and progenye Thys hath S. Bernard in uita Malachiae so hath Vincentius Antoninus Petrus Equilinus and Iohan Capgraue in their historyes of sayntes What a beastly fole is Iohan Eckius than whyche reporteth in hys Enchiridion that it hath not bene hearde sens the death of Christe that any prest hath married a wyfe doctour Coole and other Papistes maynteinynge the same here in England Thys Celsus at the lattre beynge an olde dottynge man and seduced by them whyche taught lyes in hypocrisye was the first that brought into that regyon that doctryne of deuyls whyche condempned marriage in the clergye For he sent hys wyfe in a vysyon they saye a woman of a large and reuerende countenaunce to surrendre as he laye a dyenge he pastoral crosse to one Malachias which had professed chastyte about the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. xx Many mad packynges were amonge these Romysh sayntes whan the byshopryckes waxed fatt Pope Adryane the. iiij xxxiiij yeares after whych was an Englysh man and Pope Alexander the thirde xvi yeares after that in their tyrannye commaunded kyng Henry the seconde to subdue the Iryshe nacyoÌ„ as heretykes and rebelles bicause the people there withstode their procedynges for their byshoppes and prestes marryages And for that victory they confirmed hym lorde of Irelande Loke the chronycles of Nicolas Treueth and Iohan Hardynge ☞ A lecherouse Cardynall condemneth prestes marryage IOannes de Crema the prest Cardynall of S. Grilog in Rome was sent into England and Scotlande from Pope Honorius the seconde as high commissyoner and legate from hys ryght syde in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. xxv to se that all thynges were wele there in the clergye to hys behoue Besydes hys generall commissyon he sent pryuate letters to the kynges and the prelates of both those regyons to receyue hym as his own dere sonne and as S. Peters holy vycar whyche declareth his autoryte not small This legate with great pompe thus enterynge into Englande about the feast of Eastre was horrybly honorably I shuld saye receyued of the prelates and went banketynge and prowlynge from byshop to bishop and from abbot to abbot tyll he came to the water of Twede and the towne of Rorburgh in Scotlande where as he founde Dauid the Scottysh kynge His legacye there perfourmed and all his bagges weâ—e stuffed he returned agayne to London and at Westmynstre vpoÌ„ the ix daye of SepteÌ„b he helde with ij archebyshoppes xxiiij byshops xl abbottes an innumerable multitude of the clergye and commen people a great synode Where as he rygorously and stoughtly replyed agaynst those prestes that wold for no commandement forsake their marryed wiues repetynge oft this vnsemynge sentence that it was a shamefull matter to ryse froÌ„ the sydes of an whore to make Christes bodye A clause was this in qualyte not vnlyke to hym that vttered it whyche was an ydolatrouse whoremonger He ordayned in that synode that prestes shuld kepe company with no kynde of women he condempned marryage to the. vij degre in bloude and that no prestes sonne shulde clayme churche or prebende by inherytaunce folyshely concludynge with thys verse of Dauid Psal. lxxxii Pone illos ut rotam c. Make of them a whele lorde that saye we wyll haue the howses of God in possessyon Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Henricus Huntendunensis Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Rogerus Cestrensis atque alij ☞ This Cardynall sheweth the first fruites of that chastyte THe prestes beyng moued with the furiouse acte of this Cardinal therwith perceyuyng him to be a maÌ„ of lighte conuersacion so narrowly watched him the night folowyng that they â—oke him in bed with a notable whore The matter was very open sayth Roger Houeden for it was done at London where great plenty is of wytnesses It coulde not wele be hydden sayth Henry of Huntyngton in the viij boke of hys chronycles neyther was it fyâ—t to haue bene kept secrete from the knowledge of men If any be offended sayth he that a prest shulde marry lete him kepe it to him selfe leest he fall in lyke daunger as ded thys lordely legate Thys Cardynal was he Polydorus sayth that behelde a small mote in an other mannys eye and could not perceyue the great beame in hys owne The prestes ded hym no wronge that in thys case dysobeyed hys vniust procedynges Nothyng was found more vnfytt than to require to strayghtly of others that hys leife could not do Thus he that entered with honour and pompe went home agayne to his father with shame and confusion The actes of S. Peters vycar were all turned ouer and the religyouse syttynges of the prelates there were vtterly laughed to scorne The byshoppes and fat abâ—ottes departed thens wyth reade chekes not glad of the bawdy chauÌ„ce that happened and they lete that matter passe for the space of more than thre yeres after For the slaundre was not small Mathew Paris sayth So returned the prestes ones agayn to their wyues were muche more bolde than afore
Praefati autores cum Polydoro Fabiano ☞ The kyng derydeth the byshoppes procedynges NOt all forgetfull of their wycked fathers affayres the prelates of Englande in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and. xxix gathered themselues togyther at London yet ones agayne in the first daye of August to put the prestes clerely from their wyues At this great counsell sayth Ricardus Premonstratensis were all the bishoppes of England except iiij whych dyed as it chaunced the same yeare that is to saye of Wynchester Durham Chestre and Herforde Their processe was all agaynst the cocasses or she cookes of the curates that they shuld not dwell in house with them For after the prestes had bene compelled to renounce the tytles of their wyues they kept them in most places vndre the name of their cocasses lawnders and seruyng women The kyng perceyuyng the malyce of the bishoppes and seynge aduauntage to growe therupon by thys propre polycye deceyued them He toke vpon hym the correction of them and promysed to execute true iustyce But in the ende Mathew Paris sayth he laughed them all to scorne and takyng a pensyon of the prestes he permytted them styl peaceably to holde their wyues Polydorus reporteth that the kynge gote of the clergye thys autoryte ouer the prestes by a fyne craft of conueyaunce And whan he had so done mysused it A very fyne iudgement of a man learned so to dyffyne of a prynces power The kyng deceyued them Roger Houeden sayth by the symplycyte of Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury For whan they had ones vncircumspectly graunted hym to execute iustyce vpon the prestes wyues it turned in the ende to their rebuke and shame the prestes for moneye set agayne at lyberte for them Praedicti autores cum Ranulpho Matthaeo VVestmonasteriensi Rogero Cestrensi ☞ A myddle swarmynge of Antichristes sectes in England FOr causes dyuerse whych some of my readers shall fynde necessary to be knowne I haue added here the tymes wheâ—in the seconde swarme of locustes or synnefull sectes of Antichrist hath entered into this realme of England The first swarme was of the Benedictynes and chanons of S. Augustyne called the blacke monkes and blacke chanons of whose fattynge vp I haue reasonably treated both in the first part of this wurke and also in thys seconde The first of this lattre swarme â–ª were the Cisteanes otherwyse called yâ— whyght moÌ„kes which came into this lande in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and. xxxij settynge their first foundacion in the deserte of Blachoumor by the water of Rhie wherupon their monastery was called Rhieuallis Saint Robertes fryres began at Gnaresborough in Yorke shyre in the yearr of our lorde a M.a. C. and xxxvij And the ordre of Gilbertines at SempynghaÌ„ in Lincolne shire in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. xlviij The Premonstratensers or white chanoÌ„s came in to the realme buylded at Newhowse in Lyncolne dyocese in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and xlv The Chartrehowse monkes came into the lande were placed at Wytham in the dyocese of Bathe in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. lxxx I recken not the hospytelers Templars with such lyke Ioannes Hagustaldensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Ioannes Capgraue Thomas Scrope Polydorus Vergilius All these at their first enteraunce were very leane locustes as they are in S. Iohans reuelacyon described barren poore and in outwarde aperaunce very symple But in processe of tyme through symulate holynesse they grewe fat lyke their fellowes They gote them lyons faces and were able to buckle with kynges Their lecherouse actes I shall hereafter declare ☞ Kynge Steuen professeth a slauery to Antichrist HOw kyng Steuen bicame an instrument to their wycked vse in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xxxv it is easely knowne by the othe which they compelled hym to make at hys coronacyoÌ„ what though he ded not in all poyntes obserue it Thys is the othe as Ricardus prior Hagustaldensis hath written it in hys small treatyse de gestis regis Stephani Marke it I Steuen by the grace of God good wyll of the clergye and consent of the commens elected kynge of England and by Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury and legate of the holye Rome church vndre Pope Innocent the seconde confirmed make faithful promyse to do nothing here in Englande in the ecclesyastycall affayres after the rules of symonye but to leaue admyt and confirme the power ordre and distrybucyon of all ecclesyastycal persones and their possessyons in the handes of the byshoppes and prelates of the same The auncyent dignitees of the church confirmed by olde priuyleges and their customes of longe tyme vsed I promyse appoynt and determyne inuiolably to contynue All the churches possessyoÌ„s holdes and tenementes which they hytherto haue had I graunt them from hens forwarde without interrupcyon peaceably to possesse etc. Beholde here what popettes these lecherouse luskes made of their kynges se I praye yow if they sought any other commen welthe than of their ydell bellyes in that proude kingdome of Antichrist Was thys a folowynge of Christ after the Gospell thus to illude their Christen gouernours Naye it was rather a ronnyng after Sathan in the blasphemouse imytacyon of the byshop of Romes decrees The last plage of God lyghte vpon thys vnfaythfull generacyon if they wyll not yet beholde these euyls of their wycked fathers and abhorre them from the harte ☞ The rebellyon and cantels of byshoppes agaynst the kynge IN the next yeare folowynge notwithstandyng thys othe kyng Steuen reserued to hymselfe the inuestynge of prelates Mathew Paris sayth and shewed vnto the clergye many other displeasurs Wherfore in processe they caused Maude the empresse contrary to their othes of allegeaunce to come into the realme and to make clayme to the crowne and strongely to warre vpon hym For the whych he enprysoned and bannyshed certayne of the byshoppes chefely Alexandre of Lyncolne Nigellus of Helye and Roger of Salisbury He feared not to go vnto Oxforde and to sytt there in open parlyament whyche no kynge myght do they sayde wythoute a shamefull confusyon From Roger the byshoppe of Salisbury he toke the. ij Castels of Vyses and Sherburne fyndynge in them more than xl thousande markes in moneye wherwith he perfourmed the greate marryage betwene Constaunce the Frenche kynges sistre and Eustace hys sonne and heyre Thys byshoppes sonne by lyke he hadde a wyfe whyche had bene the other kinges chauncellour this kinge handeled harde to come to hys purpose He kepte hym fastenynge threttened him hangynge and at the lattre bannyshed hym the realme whyche cost the byshoppe his lyfe A naturall father Anon after the byshoppe of Wynchestre beyng the popes great legate and perceyuynge the clergye not to be regarded the realme beynge than in diuysyon betwixt them bothe that is to saye
hâ—d nothynge ado with theÌ„ whiche were anoynted and shauen they beynge therby the Romysh Popes creatures and not hys Radulphus Niger Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Ricardus Croilande Nicolaus Treueth alij plerique An excedyng great thynge were it to declare the subtyle practyses deuâ—ses dysguysynges craftes colours conueyauÌ„ces other tryfelynges to brynge all hys matters to pâ—sse agaynâ—t the kynge and a werynesse to the reader to rehearce them wherfore I lete them ouer passe ☞ Artycles for whome Becket is admitted the Popes martyr DIuerse of our chronycle writers doth testyfye in their workes that these were the artycles wherfor he stroue with the kynge That no spirituall cause ought to be pleaded in the temporall court No clarke may be compelled to answere in matters before the kynges offycers Patrâ—nes maye lawfully and frely gyue benefyces without the kynges allowance A byshop or pastour maye frely go out of the realme without the kynges lycens for the ryght of his churche He that is ones excommunycated must haue hys discharge of the spirituall court and not of the kynge The clergye and layte must be clered of their offences by the ordynaryes and not by the kynges iustyces Appellacyons made from one degre to an other as from lowar oâ—dynary to the hyghar maye be ended without the kynges consent Landes and teneamentes maye lawfully be gyuen to the clergye in almes wythout the kynges commyssyon Spirytuall promocyons ought only to remayne in the handes of the superiour ordynaryes whaÌ„ theyr occupyers are dead till others succede in their roumes and not in the handes of teÌ„poral meÌ„ Religiouse men men ought not in the quarell of their kynges to go to the warres They that flee vnto sayntwaryes ought there to be socoured agaynst the temporall power their dedes made open to the iudge ecclesyastycall Clarkes curates and prestes are not bounde to come to the commen iudgementes at sessyons or assyses neyther yet to be at them though they be commaunded Se what good stuffe here is to make a martir All is to demynyshment of a kynges power and nothynge els ☞ Becket stayeth the Popes churche by confoundynge heretykes IN the same yeare of our lorde a M. a C and. lxiiij was Thomas Becket reckened Mathew Paris sayth suche a mightye stedefast and strong sure pyllour as the whole church both leaned vpon and was also staied by But ye must consydre that it was the Popes churche that he ment and not Christes for that hath a staye stronge ynough of him without mannys helpe Marke the forseyd artycles The church sayth he shaken was ready to haue fallen and the Pope which was set vp as a staffe to haue staied it was at that tyme so broken that the shyuers or peces wounded him Thomas lokyng for nothynge els but martyrdome for the churche In the same yeare were in England certen godly men whome some Popysh writers dysdaynously calleth Waldeanes some publycanes some false Apostles Thâ—se were at Oxforde straightly examyned of the byshoppes and so brought to iudgement by this Becket for holdynge these opynyons That the churche of Rome was that whore of Babylon whych had forsaken the fayth of Christe and that barren fygge tree without fruite whych he reproued and that no Christen man was bounde to obeye the Pope and hys byshoppes That monkerye was as the dead carreyne that stynketh and that their vowes were fryuolouse ydell and abhomynable beynge the vpspryngynge braunches of Sodome That their orders were the great beastes characters and their temples the wurse for their hallowynges That purgatory sayntes worshyppyng masses and prayenges for the dead with such lyke were most deuylysh inuencyons For maynteynynge these and other lyke opynyons agaynst the proude synagoge of Rome they were sealed in the faces at Oxforde wyth whote fyerye keyes and so bannyshed the realme for euer Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Guido Perpinianus de heresibus Thomas VValden ad Martinum quintum Bernardus Lutzenburgus ☞ Hys trayterouse ende and aduauncement aboue Christ. Whan Becket was returned again into Englande in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxxi after vi yeares exyle he outragiously troubled certen of the byshoppes to the kynges great dyshonour Mathewe Parys sayth For the only cause why he so hatefullye persecuted them was for that they hadde fulfylled the kynges desyre in anoyntynge his sonne Henry the yongar to raygne after hym not hauynge hys consente beynge pope of Englande For thys he entered the pulpet more lyke a mad Bedlem thaÌ„ a sober preacher Not to teache Chryste in mekenesse but in hys wode furye to execrate those byshoppes to curse theÌ„ wyth boke belle and candell and by the popes autoryte to condempne them to helle Vpon thys the kynges seruauntes fell on hym in purpose as they toke it to reuenge their liege lordes great iniury and hys sonnes dyshonoure They pared his pylde crowne wyth theyr swerdes and cut of the popes marke to hys very braiue whyls he in ydolatry coÌ„mended himselfe and the cause of hys churche to hys patrone S. Deuyse beynge but a deade ymage there standyng vpon the aultre Stephanus Langton Richardus Croilande Rogerus Houeden Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Capgraue Thus ended he his lyfe in most ranke treasoÌ„ was for his labour made a god of that papistes Yea they charged christ in the ende by coÌ„maundement to delyuer vs heauen frely by the shedynge of Thomas bloud as though that had bene a payment of satisfaction for our synnes And as therby apered they put Christ cleane out of office for him by this coÌ„iuracion Tu per Thome sanguinem queÌ„ pro te impeÌ„dit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascedit O thou Christ suffre vs to clyme vp to that place by the bloud of Thomas whych he shed for that to the which Thomas maÌ„fully asceÌ„ded Marke this hardely for suche a defeccyon froÌ„ Christ as Saynt Paul speaketh of and for the stronge delusyon that they shulde haue whyche beleued lyes that they myghte be dampned ij Thessalo ij For here Thomas redemeth Christe and ascendeth to hauen leauynge vs hys bloude to clyme thydre by Were there euer greater heretykes theues sowle murtherers than were our Papistes I can not thynke it ☞ The false miracles and canonisacyon of Becket OF Christe and of all hys Apostles and prophetes are not written so many great miracles as of this one Becket As that so many sycke so many blynde so many bleare eyed bedred croked broused mangled lamed drowned palseyd leprosed sorowful exyled wyth chylde enprysoned hauged and deade were by them as by him deliuered Neyther were there euer so many writers of any popyshe saintes lyfe or so manye great volumes made as of hys as is shewed afore And all thys was to blemyshe the kynge and to depresse the hygh power both in hym and in
Iob. They are holye votaryes that stryue for so many fat dyshes ☞ The abhomynable lecherye of the same monkes IN the dyocese of S. Dauid in Wales and within the prouynce of Goer the pryour of Langenith whych was a celle of the ordre of Clunyakes or monkes without botes beholdyng a certen yonge woman first by wanton lokes and after by other lewde entycementes made her at his pleasure to serue hys lascyuyouse purpose And whan it was ones growne to a publyque infamy that all men spake yll of it with moneye he corrupted the offycyals to escape the open reproche And whan none other waye els wolde serue he gaue her in marryage to a yonge man not farre of Yet left he not so her companye but abused her after as he had done afore tyll suche tyme as he was deposed by the dyocesyane and lo with shame exyled the contreye The lyke was done also by two other monkes of Northwales of whom one was priour of Sagia an other of Breckennoch both celles of Clunyakes and not farre froÌ„ the hauen of Myluerd Whych were for their whoredomes most shamefully deposed and bannyshed Yea the seyd Geralde reporteth it to be a commen thynge among them where as suche celles were buylded and wyshed for hys tyme that not one of them had bene within the whole realme of Englande for the myschefes that he knewe by them And whan they went abroade he sayth about the affaires of their religioÌ„ or howses they wolde in none other innes be lodged but where as they might haue whores at their pleasures Giraldus Cambrensis in Speculo ecclesiae li ij ca. i. Was not this thynke you an holye religion and an high profession of chastyte ☞ Of two Englysh votaries one a traytour the other a thefe AS Heraclius the patriarke of Hierusalem was returned home agayne out of England in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. and. lxxxvi an Englysh votary of the ordre of Templars called Robert of S. Albons betrayed that holye cytie with all the Christen inhabytauntes to Saladinus the souldane of Babylon vpon thys couenaunt that he shulde haue his nece to marrye And so it came to passe in the ende the kynge taken prysoner and the patryarke compelled to flee so that the kyngdome was destroyed foreuer An other Englyshe votarye of the same ordre of Templars called Gylbert Ogerstan kynge Henry appoynted with certen others to gather vp the moneye whyche he had determyned to be gyuen to releue the holye lande and cytie of Hierusalem agaynst the Turkes And whan he had deprehended him in an horryble thefte in doynge the same to the mayntenaunce of hys accustomed lecheryes where as he mighte iustlye haue hanged hym he onely commytted hym to the maystre of the temple at London that he shulde ponnysh hym accordynge to their statutes Rogerus Houeden libro secundo historiae Anglorum The hospytelers and Templars were two fygtinge orders instituted firste in the contreye of Palestyne or holy land as they call it for the only defence of Christen pylgrymes goyng to and fro In processe of tyme they grewe to so great rychesse that as the adage goeth the doughter deuoured the mother They exempted themselues froÌ„ the paâ—ryarkes iurysdyccyon whiche was their first father and foundar and bicame seruauntes to the great Antichrist of Rome Not onely to fyll all that lande with his fylthie supersticyons but also to brynge the profyghtes to his insacyable handes that were gathâ—red from all other nacyons For where as colleccyons were to maynteyne those warres Roger Hourden sayth that alwayes a Templar was one gatherer and an hospyteler was an other But in the ende about the yeare of our lorde a thousand thre hundreth and twelue they had their deserued rewarde for than were the Templars destroyed Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Aegidius Faber Ioannes Paleonydorus Ioannes Nauclerus Paulus Phrigio atque Polydorus ☞ A crowne of Pecockes fethers sent to kynge Henrye ROger Houeden writeth it as a matter seryouse and earnest that in the yeare of our lord a M. a. C. and. lxxxvi Pope Vrbane the thirde hearynge tell that kynge Henry had appoynted his yongar sonne Iohan to the lattre conquest of Irelande sent hym a crowne of Pecockes fethers fynely wouen and wrought togyther with golde The next yeare after he sent one Octauian a Cardynall and Hugh Nouaunt whyche was byshopp of Couentry and Chestre as legates from hys ryghte syde to haue crowned the seyd Iohan kynge of Irelande But the kynge not beynge so Pecockysh as he iudged hym dyscretely and wysely deferred the tyme tyll the Cardynall was gone Se what fyue toyes these foÌ„de fathers had in their crafty heades to mocke Christen prynces with for aduauntage Here was a gnat workemanly strayned out to swalowe in a camell for it He was at great cost that sent Pecockes fethers So was it a precyouse kyngedome towardes whose kynge shuld haue bene crowned with them But I maruele that he sent not therwith a foxes tayle for a scepture and a whode with two eares Rightly hath the scriptures set out thys generacyon for mocâ—â—rs Hierem. xx A great dissensyon arose the same tyme at Canterbury betwene Baldewyne the archebyshopp and the couent of monkes bicause he had begonne to buylde a newe college of secular prestes next ioynynge to them They caused Pope Vrbane the thirde to dyssolue it agayne fearynge therby in processe to haue lost their pryuylege of electynge their archebyshoppes and so not to haue their pleasures as they had afore Wherupon he was compelled to remoue his buyldynge from thens to Lambheth by Westmynstre Radulphus de Diceto Rogerus Houeden Ranulphus Treuisa Fabianus ☞ A bishop made both an earle and high iustyce IMmedyatly after kynge Rycharde the fyrste was crowned and sworne to defende all Antichristes affaires in the yeare of our lord a. M. a. C. lxxxix the byshop of Durham Hugh Pusath for a great summe of moneye bought of hym the earledome of Northumberlande And whan the kynge shulde do the ceremonye ouer hym of makynge an earle and was girdynge the swearde about him Se saith he to his lordes and noble men what a miracle I can do I can make of an olde byshop a yong earle Am not I thinke yow a very connynge artyfycer Lyke frates he played manye in the same yeare in makynge prelates barons and vycountes to haue ryches to hys pleasure In thys the kynge thought he mocked them but they mocked hym after a farre other sort in the ende Thys dotyng byshop was not yet all satisfied but added therunto a. M. markes more to be admytted the high iustyce of Englande And for that he myght dwel at home wythoute checke and polle at his pleasure he gaue to the pope an vnreasonable summe of moneye to be dispensed wyth for his vowe to the holye lande and obtayned it After thys he decreed wyth
to depart again froÌ„ London the purpose of his coÌ„ming not perfourmed Rogerus HouedeÌ„ Lo here was much a do for a thynge of nought And no smal matter was it in those daies to breake their apishe tradicions about the same tyme Hugh Nonaunt the byshop of Chestre droue all the blacke monkes out of Couentre and turned their monastery into a college of prestes sortyng their lyuynges into prebendes The cause was this They had kepte noughty rule and wolde not be refourmed Moreouer they were in dayly contencyon with the byshopp so that on a tyme not only they vyolently strake him but also they drewe bloude of hym afore their high aultre Radulphus de Diceto Radulphus Cogeshale Ricardus Diuisiensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Treuisa Fabianus About vij yeares after thys at the coÌ„maundement of Pope Celestine the third the monkes were restored agayne and the prestes reiected by Hubert the archebyshop of Canterbury Hugh the byshop of Lyncolne Samson the abbot of S. Edmondes Bury Radulphus de Diceto IoaÌ„nes EuersdeÌ„ in AngloruÌ„ aunalibus atque Polydorus ☞ Prestes prouyded poysons dyuerse wayes AS a certen chaplayne belongynge to the archebyshop of Yorke and called Raufe Wygetoft in the yeare of our lord a. M.a. C. and xcvi laye vpoÌ„ his death bed at Rome he openly coÌ„fessed that he had sent into Englande false letters and poysons to the dyspachement of hys enemyes And whan diligent searche was made at London by them that folowed Roger of Rippun a prest which was the conueyar therof it was so founde in dede This poyson was brought thydre to haue destroyed maistre Simon the deane of Yorke and certen of the canons there And chefely it was in a rynge and girdle which both were brent at Totehyll before a great multytude of people the prest enprisoned This myschefe was layed to the archebishop Geffreye of hys enemyes but it was founde otherwyse Rogerus Houeden Radulphus Cogeshale Was not thys thynke yow a vertuouste studye of these holye votaryes At the same tyme was there a crafty knaue an holye monke I shulde saye in the abbeye of Euesham whiche laye long in a traunce And afterwardes he wrote a newe Apocalips or boke of reuelacions concerning the paynes of helle and ioyes of heauen not vnlyke to Tundalus praefati autores cuÌ„ Ioanne Scuish An other false tole was there in the dyocese of London whyche about the same season had visyons wonderfull they say of the peynes of purgatorye Thus went the deuyll about in this doubtfull age after dyuerse sortes to deceyue the ignoraunt multytude and very fewe there were thaÌ„ whiche in the true fayth resysted him ☞ A byshop and an archedeacon taken in the warres IN tyme of the warres whych were betwixt the frenche kynge and kyng Richarde Cor de lyon Iohan the kynges brother and Marchades a great captayne went abrode with a nombre of horsemen to â—roue mastryes Anon as Phylyp the byshop of Beluace a man more gyuen to warre than to preachynge had knowledge therof thynkynge them to be a mete praye for him came freshly out of the cytie with sir Wyllyam Marlon and his sonne and a great nombre more of valeaunt warryours In the ende the byshop the archedeacon and all the chefe captaynes were taken the resydue all slayne and dyspersed These ij prelates IohaÌ„ presented with great tryumphe to the kynge hys brother as those whyche had bene afore tyme hys great enemyes I haue gotten sayth he the great chaunter and a good quere man to answere hym in tâ—e same note and here I delyuer them to you The kyng smyled as one very glad that they were taken consyderynge the displeasurs whiche they had done and commaunded them armed as they were to be enprysoned Pope Celestyne hearynge therof by the canons of that churche commaunded hym to delyuer agayne hys sonnes To whome he sent their armour with thys massage in questyon Are these the garmentes of thy sonnes or mete apparelynges for thy chyldren No sayth the Pope nor yet of my bretherne but rather they are the vestures of the chyldren of Mars And so he lete them be styll at the kynges pleasure Where as they remayned for the space of iiij yeares after Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Rogerus Cestrensis Ranulphus Treuisa Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Euersden Ioannes Scuish ☞ Fulco for the marryage of iij. spirituall wyues Wyls these warres yet endured theee came vnto kynge Richarde one Fulco a frenche prest whiche had preached very muche against vsurers and whores This Fulco required the kyng in any wyse to put from hym iij. abhomynable doughters whych he had and to coÌ„myt them to marryage least God ponnyshed hym for them Lytle was marryage beholden to suche a preacher Thou lyest hypocryte saith yâ— kinge to thy very face for all the world knoweth that I haue not one doughter I lye not sayth Fulco for thou hast iij. doughters One of theÌ„ is called Pryde an other couetousnesse and the third lecherie With that the kynge called vnto him his lordes his barons This hypocryte sayth he hath requyred me here to marry fourth my thre doughters And now that I haue founde out apte husbandes for them I wyll do it in effecte I therfore biquethe my pryde to the hygh mynded Templars and Hospytelers for they are as proude as helle My couetousnesse I gyue to the Cisteane monkes for they couere the deuyll and all My lecherie I commytt to the prelates of the church for they haue therin most felicyte Wyth this was the preacher coÌ„fused for he knew it was no lye Compendium noui chronici Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Radulphus Cogeshale Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Ioannes Scuish To this agreeth that which Giraldus Cambrensis writeth li iij. ca. xij Speculi ecclesiastici Which is that Pope Alexandre the thirde was wont to saye that he had iij. howses whome he inteyrly loued that aboue all others enioyed hys specyall protection Whyche were the thre religyons of Templars Hospytelers and Cysteanes Ye maye be sure it was for no goodnesse that they so highly stode in his fauer ☞ Men possessed of deuyls and Ciâ—teane monkes ROger Houeden sheweth li. ij historiae Anglorum that in the yeare of our lord a. M. a. C. and xcviij many were possessed of deuyls vexed with horryble freuesyes For remedye of this many monkes were sought to as men of most holy conuersacyon chefelye the Cysteanes Amonge whome there was an abbot whyche toke vpon hym to expell them in the name of Christ. And as he was doyng with one the euyll prete spake in him and said We are the same legion of deuils whiche Christe droue out of the Gergesytes into the heard of swyne and that drowned them in the sea Math. viij A power we haue receyued to entre
beast To worshyp the first Beast Hildericus Pipinê° Kyngdomes traÌ„slated antichrist Apo. xiij Alderbertus Claudiê° Errours doctrine Canonistes Rome Open sale of whores Ethelbaldus Colfredus Osredus geraldus geilepus Fulda 744. Lieba Monasterium fuldeÌ„se Floriacus 651. To ease their vowes Oxford Frideswyde A king Alcuinus Autoures Ethelwolphus Penitentes at Rome Syt in the consâ—â—ences The Rome shott Hospytall Fulda Gilberta A womâ— pope 854. Pryde hath a fall An whore Popes chosen by their stones An exaÌ„ple Fulda Matrimony coÌ„deÌ„pned 858. A prest Holy water 875. Gabriel A boke of xij chapters Diuerse Gabriels Odulphus Fredericus Clarus The Danes Coldyngham Elphegus Ghostly fathers CoÌ„teÌ„cioÌ„ Egelricus a married prest Marriage conteÌ„pned A married prest ethelstâ—nus a monke maryed A miracle Elpe Brithgida Wilfhilda Odo 946. Floriaâ—us The kinges concubines Cinstitucions Oswalde Floriacus The sacrameÌ„t Miracles DuÌ„stanus magnus musyck sorcerye Carniâ—ge autours A caste or feate Ethelstanus Athelmus Elphegus a moÌ„kes cowle Hypocrytes Edmondus rex DuÌ„stanes deuil worketh homely Playe tyme I trowe GlasteÌ„burye Edwinus alfgina Odo caÌ„tuariensis CoÌ„fession Masse of requiem Alfgina loueth Stronge loue Cadina loueth Edwinê° rex The coÌ„mens ryse iij. swerdes Maryed priestes Apoc. 9. Hiere 5. Rome chastite 907 Sergius Marosia Formosus TyraÌ„ny Autours Theoracum filiabus Ioannes raueÌ„nas Ioan ye. x 915. whores rule all Guido Mazozia 929. IoaÌ„ xi hugo rex Italie Leo et Stephanus Writers deceiued iij. whores 930 Hugo rex Goddeses for Whoredom spiritual chastite Albericê° Octauianus 956. Ioan. xij Synodê° Rome Rainera Anna. Rome sacrifice he might be chast Their spiritual father Ioan. xij LiuthpraÌ„dus Byworde 960. Dunstanus The first compulsion Foundacion of chastite The deuyls coÌ„myssyoner A thefe A tirauÌ„t Kynge Edgare Tiranny spiritual mariage condemned Facies ecclesiarum Heretikes and theues wilfrith penauÌ„ce An apyshe slaue The beastes autorite A proude knaue No king but a fole A witles Beast Practyse Craft Priestes go out A colour Edward Editha Al sayntes The mother duÌ„stane Editha Great loue shewed A narrow sercher Edgare Image Bestie sinodus 969 An Acte for sodome TiraÌ„ny Visitours For mariage Bulles Dunstane accused Edgare alfreda Oratio ad clersi knauery A deuilish Illusion wolues Act. 20. Cant. 2. Monasteries Ethelwoldus impostor magus Heretykes a colour a father Ioan. 13 Stephana Oswaldus magus Floriacus Prestes expelled Apoc. 9. a colour iij false knaues 975 Scisms Alpherus Ethelredus Edwardus legatus Ioan. 13 a father A deceyt Alpherus Prestes restored The prestes The moÌ„kes A crosse in mariage Backare sir monke 975. sinodus coÌ„missioÌ„ A roode knauery The rood speaketh 1 IoaÌ„ 4 thomas croÌ„well Verses Capgraue 1036 Canutus The crowne Egelnothus An Idol made king Image of the Beast canutus Elgiua Claustrall chastite A monkes bastarde Sweno Heraldus Dunstanus knauery Alpherus 976 a lerned Bishop Dunstane an asse A blind beast a limme of the deuill Mich. 3 sayntes Gods seruyce Precursor Antichristi Apo. 20. miracles the churche Apo. 12. Sathan Vyces 988 Deuils A bloudye cloude Danes Siricius MoÌ„kes were Englandes destruccioÌ„ The Danes streÌ„thened Lorde Dane 1012 Caunterburye Elphegus Tythynges A iust Plage Extent of thys boke The other boke 1551. Sathan at large Good workes Sodomites Mat. â— Mar. iiij Luc. 12. Christ to buketh Mat. 23. Vespasianus Titus Captyues ExaÌ„ple Magystrates Englysh Saintes The Autour Starres Fallen starres Holye dayes Peter Paule secular laye Called Startsmen Tayles whores â–ª Face of the Seâ—pent Dunstanes deuil Noble men Kynge Henry Saynt George What maketh noble Lawes Doctrine Deuyls ij part A dogge False teachers Romanes Nahor Cechim Romulus Ilia Rhea Lupa Lupanaria Chloris Floralia Spurij Priapus A God Romysh goodes Iulius Nero. Aurelius Clergy Constantinus TeÌ„ples ij soÌ„nes Emperour French kynge Childericus Angisus Pipinus TeÌ„ples Olympus Whores Aristotle Simon Magus Bishoppes Sergius Rome Sodomytes Roma Papistes Examples Adam Holy churche The author tarryed Ghostly fruytes Doctryne Sathan 1000. Syluester ij Darkenesse Saturnus Chastite 1000. Saturnus Vesta Aurelius Palumbus An offerynge Syluestre Apo. xx Dyscyples Fathers Sorcerers Two prynces Necromaâ—cy Oblacyon Prynces Promocyons Papacy 1001. IooÌ„nes Baconthorpe Decrees Empyre 1002. Germanes Yongar sonne Electours 1002. Chauncellers Princes Pyllars The Egle. An ydol Odilo abbas 1010. Purgatory Osbernus 1010. Hypocresy Phylosophy Sodome A prest 1010. A weÌ„che Deuyls Wilfhilda Barkinge Good chere Ethelgarus Siricius 990. Elphegus 1010. ij deuils Their power A cowle The vertue Hypocrytes S. 〈◊〉 The water S. Walstane 1016. Capgraue meÌ„bers 1017. A starre Canutus Abbeyeâ— Rome shott Bastardes Fulbertus Gene sucke A church O traytours O caytyfes For Idolatry Bury abbey 925. 1021. 1036. A chaplayne Coueyaunce Promocyons All holy A nonne As a wyfe A prest Saye Masse Whoredom Alwinus 1044 Emma Danysh bloude A traytour Myracles An ydyote Edward Marryage Legenda Blasphemy S. Paul Errour Testymonyes Editha Hypocrytes Examples Subieccyon A voyce Straungers Prelates Lubbers Newe sayntes Gregory 1046 Cardynalles Swauus 1049 Penaunce Palumbus Deuyls Members A wytch Masses Holy churche 1053. Wenches Victor 1056. Poyson ChristiaÌ„ O trayters Hypocresy Duke Robert Brotheis A bastarde Autores Stigandus 1054. A Byshopp Versus 1082. WyllyaÌ„ Olyuer 1060. Edward Nicolas Westminster Petrus Damianus Berengarius Churche 1069. Wynchestre Alexander A prouiso Lanfrancus A counsell Confession Dunstanus Dead men Lanfrancus Bishopryckes 1068. An othe 1069. A stryfe Lanfrancus Canterbury Walter 1070 A weÌ„che Ouercome A practyse Cecilia 1075. Thurstinus 1083. A battayle ij slayne CoÌ„meÌ„s HildebraÌ„dus Dyscyples Aduersary vij Popes poysened A murtherer Practyses A traytour Deuyls A traytour God stryketh Myschefe ij cantels Sorcerer God brent Autores 1074 Depryued ExaÌ„ples TyrauÌ„t Autoreâ— Cestes Scysme Seducers Maude An whore A crafte Resystaunce Sathan Marryage Angels Vycar Holy church Warnynge Wytnesses Prouysyons Prestes TyraÌ„ny A bulle Masses Preposterously Deceyuers 1075. ConteÌ„pt Antichrist WyllyaÌ„ 1075. RebellioÌ„ 1076 Walker Satisfactyon 1080. DurhaÌ„ Reason Confirmed 1083. Kepers Boso Turgotus VysyoÌ„s A token Pylgrymage Prestlyke 1076. Prydee 1077. A bastard Lanfrancus A warryour 1077 Blasphemer 1083. Osmundus Canonysed 1087. KeÌ„redus Exempcyon Nobylyte Roberyes Styngers Anselme Wyues 1097. Tribute 1090. Styngers Walkinus Walterus Tryall Warnynge 1095. Starres The place A chaÌ„ge Mark it symony 1092. A lechour Spretes 1093. Reward Chestre Herbert 1091. 1094 No merchaunt 1095. 1096 Testymonyes Norwych A monstre Money Symoners A deuyll Simon Richard Peche Ethelwolf A bishop 803 A bastard Wulstane Louers to blesse A fable Wolstone Hardinâ— Cisteanes 1098. 1135. Sectes fasciculus 1000. Sorceryes 1094 1100. 1096 Realyte Paulus Deceyuers 1094 Anselme Kynge WyllyaÌ„ Vycars Anselme Spyes 1095. Falsehede A traytour A SathaÌ„ A rebell A search Suggestyon 1089 PetycioÌ„ women Fryndly 1096 Practyses 1097 Nichetas 1098 woÌ„ders CouÌ„sels for lucre Actes MoÌ„kes Make spede A curse o deuils Blasphemy A mouth Sorceryes A seate EnglaÌ„de A pope 1099 A sonne A fable Raylers 1101. Yll chauÌ„ge No faulte Iudgementes A practyse Lyke a kyng RaÌ„dolfe Practise 1101 ij Thomas Gerard. 1114. doctrine 1102. Marryage Sodometrye marke it Actes ExeÌ„pt Chast professioÌ„ Al a like Iniunctyons Shamed Forfaytes Buggerers 1539. Abbotes For whores Herbert Anselme A iestar BabyloÌ„ Monkelyke Good stuffe Antichrist Gerard. Wyues for lucre 1103. a synode An acte Sodomytes Saintes An acte Laye prest Publyshed Conueyaunce TeÌ„derly Practise Buggerers WyllyaÌ„ A rope Hypocryte A crafte No not so A stryfe Lawful Anselme to Rome Warelwast Paschalis Antichrist Richard restored From Rome Knaueryes subtylte Systers 6. An ordre RelygioÌ„ lyke MerchauÌ„tes Secular A questyon O traytours 1106. Antichrist Deceyt 1112. Breches A couÌ„sel An excuse Barnes Kynge Henry 1107. A couÌ„sel Anselme O traytour A Pope 1108. Women Wytnesses Antichristes Papystes 1109. A Pope wurkes A wolfe 1110. Tritemius iij. bastardes Dyuynyte Baconthorpe 1113. Raufe 1115. The crowne Authours Calixtus 1119. 1123 Scripturs 1123 1102. 1115 Wiues 1120 Lordes Ladies writers A plage Bastard Celsus No vowe Eckius ReuereÌ„d 1120. Irel â— 1125. A legate Bagges SenteÌ„ce A verse Cardynall Secrete Vnfytt Ashamed 1129. Processe Lucre. A craft Wyues Sectes CisteaÌ„s S. Robert Charterers Locustes Fatte 1135. Steuen A vowe Customes Mark it A plage 1036. Prelates A helpe A sinode Accursed 1137. TurstaÌ„ Prelates Heretykes 1138. No wife 1140. Mark it Wyttes Define Plato Wysdome 1140. Dauid 1140 Decrees Petrus Esse To darken 1144. Wulwarde Goodwyn Marryage 1545. Corbet Rugge Men godly mockers A mother Examynacyon No shame doctrine I. Bale 1148. terrour Crabbes Dyscouered Autores Nicolas A moÌ„ke Salisbury All true 1159. S. Willyam Poysened Spirituall Yorke 1154. 1159. 1155. No better Becket rebukes Gylbert A ordre 1148. Rules 1159. WaÌ„ton Nigellus Gilbertynes Hefled Returned whores 1153. A shyfte Nigellus ij sortes Hypocresy Theues Mark it all voyd Nigellus Fruitfull Malcolme A kynge Maior 1163. Water 1160. Calfes Fame Antichrist writers Tolouse Becket A ruflar pleasure a weÌ„che for loue All chast Change 1164. Prestes AddicyoÌ„ An acte A preste Vndre Becket Autour articles Cursed No king Clarkes 1164. a church Christyanes Monkery Opynyons 1171. franrick Idolatrye A deuyll Defeccyon Miracles Bokes 1173. Assoiled 1220. A rebell Henry ij 1166. 1168. 1169. Errour 1171. 1188. Barnes 1176. A priour Alphege Bakon the soÌ„ne ExaÌ„ples Prestes successe Curates Eckius Pedlar Heates Water LegeÌ„de Geares 1170. 1179. Sequestred Ryders Pryuyleges WalthaÌ„ 1120 BurdeÌ„s Lucre. Dissent 1187. Dyshes Bellye PaÌ„per Dyshes A priour Conueyaunce Two priours Abroade 1086. prisoner A thefe ij orders They serue 1312. 1186. 1187. mockers 1187. Pleasure 1189. miracle DurhaÌ„ Longe lyfe autours Giraldus A moÌ„ke A falle Drowned Canterbury 1101. Giraldus Autores Stryses Wiles 1191. A rular a votary Accomptes Disgysed A sowster A monstre A preste A playe Depryued Meueâ— 1197. A frynd 1191 Antichrist Ioachim prelates Argumentes 1191. Defend Antichrist Mark it o Inciset 1192 Charite Nouant Contencion 1198. Hubert 1196. Poyson Studye Sisions Iohan. Warryres A chaunter Canons CoÌ„timae 1197. Hypocrite Husbandes Fulco Thre howses 1198. Legion 1196. WomeÌ„ 1198. coÌ„secrat Baldewyn Prestes apostles 1199. Occupied Discressyon A boke Actes Yeares Sathan no stop Hydden Mistes Lighte Autour iiij paroes coÌ„tentes The last Diuerse Craftes ij offices the firste Wiues oportet Wretches women Buggerers The. ij Autorite Deceyt o SathaÌ„ Mockers Traytours Curses An hidre Fauer Traytours rebelles Blasphemers Deceyuers ij matters Verlettes Simon Magus Iudge