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
head shauinge other vnsauerye ceremonies and wrote afterwarde an earnest treatyse agaynst Agilbertus a frenche man and at that tyme byshop of Wynchestre All thys myght not helpe then but in processe of tyme they had theyr whole myndes magry al their hartes Bedas Giruninus li. 3. ca. 25. De gestis Anglorum Guilhelmus Malmesburye li. 3. De Pontificibus Ranulphus lib. 5. cap. 17. Iohannes Caphraue and other ¶ Religiouse examples dysuadynge mariage After Laurentius folowed Melitus in the archebyshoppes seate of Caunterburye in the yeare of our lorde DC and. xix whiche they saye both alyue dead dysuaded yonge men from christen marryage As Saynt Columbanus a Scott about the same tyme came to the sell of an holye Nonne for ghostlye counsell She bad hym awaye least wanton youthe would bryng them togyther wylde they nylde they Saynt Edwyne kynge of Northumberland gaue vnto saint Paulinus the archebyshop of yorke hys yonge doughter Eanfleda so sone as she was baptysed in the yeare of our lorde DC and. xxvi that he shuld make her an vnholye Nonne And the daye after the said Edwyne was slayne he toke with hym both the doughter and mother and so fled with them vnto Rochestre in kent be water neuer returning thydre agayne Saynt Fiacre a Scottysh heremyte had so great malyce vnto women that he plaged so many of them with the fowle euyll as came within the precynct of hys monasterye because one woman had ones complayned to the byshop of hys prodygyouse charmynges Hector Boethius Saynt Foillanus an Irysh Byshop with his brethren was very famylyar and seruysable vnto Saynt Gertruyde and her nonnes at Nigella made dyuerse barren women full graciouslye to conceyue Saynt keynwirye a virgyne of wales contempnynge marryage fled from thēs to Saynt Myhels of the mounte to kepe her vowed virginite amonge the holye fathers there as vower with vowers All these storyes hath Iohan Capgraue ¶ Other relygyouse examples of that age SEbba kyng of the East Saxōs was so by wytched of the Byshop of Londō and his calkyng collygeners there for hys substaunce that he had made hymselfe a monke leauynge vnto them both hys wyfe and possessyons yf she had bene no wyfe then he nor more godly dysposed Yet was she by their incantacyons at the last deceyued they hauynge of hym an innumerable summe of money and he nothynge of them agayne but a mangye monkes cowle and hys buryall in Paules Whan Saynt Egbynes father was ones departed in wales his mother resorted wyth hym to the Abbeye of Saynt Sampson and there receyued of hym the habyte of a Nonne bestowyng the rest of her lyfe amonge the good bretherne there Saynt Eanswyde abbesse of Folkstane in kent inspyred of the deuyll dyffyned christen marryage to be barren of all vertues to haue but transytoryouse frutes and to be a fylthye corruptyon of virginite Yet ware Marye Iohan Baptyst and Iesus Christ swete frutes therof the iust fathers of the olde lawe not rekened Saynt Paule sayeth also that by vertue of marryage the vnfaythfull man is sanctyfyed by the woman that is faythfull i. Cor. vij Neither dyd he at anye tyme teache marryage to be eyther a corrupcion or yet an impedyment of christen virginite whan he coupled the Corintheanes whiche continued styll marryed a chaste virgine to Christ. 2. Cor. ii But thys gentylwoman Eanswyde was muche better acquaynted with the monkes learnyng then with Christes and with a chastyte rather to their behoue than to hys Yet droue she out all the gantes or bystardes there yf their churche legende be true These storyes shewed Iohan Capgraue ¶ The wanton toyes of the holye fathers ABout thys same tyme sent Pope Bonyface the fyft a shyrte with a golden collor and a fyne petycote of straunge makynge vnto kynge Edwyne with the blessynges of Peter and Paule And vnto hys wyfe Ethelburge a syluer glasse and a combe of yvorye with the same to vpholde them in thys newe christianite Se these wanton fathers what toyrs they vse to set vp their kyngdome here Neuer shall ye reade that Christes dysciples had anye suche wyttye polycyes Saynt Petrock an her myte of Cornewale was fayne euerye nyght from the crowe of the cocke to the sprynge of the mornynge to stande naked in a pyt to abate the hote mouynges of hys fleshe And neuer coulde he haue remedy of that dysease tyll he went onpilgrimage to Rome and Hierusalem Here was a newe sought out salue for that sore Saynt Pyrane a Byshop also in Cornewale had a fayre dammesell in the monastery of hys mother wyngell called Brunet whom the Lord of the soyle toke vp for his occupieng At the last he agreed with him no longer to haue her then the bernacle or butture shuld breake him of his slepe which chaunced sone after thā he sent her home agayn If these be not good honest legendes to be redd in the Popes holy church tel me Plēteouse shall ye finde Iohā Capgraue in the rehersall of them and suche other The ghostly bestowing of their vowes A Nonne belonging to saynt Cota and a monke perteyning to saynt Pyrane about the same tyme strake vp a couenaunt of loue And as they met in a wode for performance of the same a yong pigeon fell betwixt them and made them both ashamed so they went home agayne A lyke matter Such an other pagent was played at yorke but it was longe after The monkes of saynt Mary abbeye and the nonnes of Clement thorpe mett togyther there at hay making the abbottes fole being wyth them And as the abbot enquired of him at supper for pastyme where he had bene all that daye He fell in a great laughynge and declared before all hys gestes that a sore battayle had bene foughten that after none betwixt hys monkes and the monkes of clement thorpe But he thanked God that hys monkes had the best for they laye euer aloft Bycause that one of Saynt modwens maydes had layed her beste beloues shoes at her beddes head the spretes of heauen that were wonte to vysyte her wolde not come there that nyght After she had bene at Rome and was comen home agayne she dwelt at Scaleselyf where as an holye hermyte ded oft tymes vysyte her and muche refreshe her wyth a legende boke of sayntes lyues But no tydinges was there among them of Christes holy Gospell Loke Iohan Capgraue ¶ Erkenwalde and Osith with their Nondryes SAynt Erkenwalde the sonne of Vffa the fyrst King of the east angres abbot of Chertesye and Bishop of London buylded a Nondrye at Berkynge And bycause there were at that time in Englande no Nonnes to his mynde for Hilda hys kynswoman was to great a scripture woman in those dayes he sent ouer the see for an old acquayntaunce of hys called Hildelitha learned in arte
vse wherupon by force of the former commyssion he was condempned of Dunstane to vij yeares penaunce and myght in no wyse be dyspensed with tyll he had buylded for their commodyte the great nondrye of Shaftesbury with xij other monasteryes besydes Specyallye tyll he had fullye graunted to the vtter condempnacion of priestes marryage through out al hys realme and fyrmelye promysed to put the monkes in their rowmes in the great cathedrall churches wrytynge to the pope for the same For as witnesseth both WylliaÌ„ of Malmesbury Ranulph of Chestre Guido de columna and Robert Fabiane he was not crowned tyll the. xij yeare of hys reigne ¶ Dunstane fashyoneth the kynge to his purpose IN the ende thys aduoutrye of the kynge made greatlye for their purpose For whan it was ones openlye knowne Dunstane with hys Bulle went by and by vnto hym and by force therof denounced hym accursed The kynge of gentylnesse as he was commynge towardes hym arose out of hys regall seate to take him by the hande and geue hym place The hystory sayth that he then dysdayned to geue hym his hande And lokynge vpon hym with bende browes and most spyghtfull countenauÌ„ce he sayd thus vnto hym Thou that hast not feared to corrupte a vyrgyne made handefast to Christ presumest to towche a knaue the consecrate handes of a byshop Thou hast defyled the spowse of thy maker a monkes whore and thynkest by flatterynge seruyce to pacyfye a thefe the frynde of the brydegrome No speake not of it Hys frynde wyll not I be O colour of dyssymulacion whiche hath Christ to enemy This sayd he to make hym beleue that she was a professed nonne But the craftye knaue lyed falsely and so mocked hys kynge to make of hym a very dysarde fole For the Chronycles all agre in a maner that she was no nonne but a weÌ„che soiornauÌ„t in the nondrye Thus when he founde hym well fauerdlye submytted and well brought vndre he put hym to hys penaunce and depryued hym of his crowne for the terme therof as afore is specifyed Vincencius Antoninus Guilhelmus Malmesburye Ranulphus Cestrensis Guido de columna et Ioannes Capgraue ¶ The wyles of the serpent preuayle THys craftye pageaunt was played of Dunstane to put all other inferrioure subiectes the more in feare to dysobeye the popes fylthye commyssion For whan the kynge was ones brought vndre as they are not ashamed to write it who durst hysse ther against For Wylliam of Malmesbury sayth Ranulphus allegete the same li. 6. Ca. 10. of hys Polichronicon That by thys meanes he aswaged the grudge of the great men the murmoure of the commoÌ„s and the malyce of the priestes O wylye serâ—â—ntes I trowe the deuyll of hell hys â—elfe can not go beyonde yow in subtylte and craft for your beastlye generacyon Whan thys victorye was ones gotten then went the priestes out by heapes froÌ„ the cathedrall churches and colleges with their wyues and chyldren and the monkes came in as fast with all prodygiouse lecherye but all their feates were done in theÌ„ darâ—e Than was it blowen abrode as all suche knaueryes must haue a pretensed coloure that priestes lyued wantonlye and woulde not serue God with suche lyke But they coulde not in those dayes accuse them so largely of occupienge other mennys wyues nor yet of abhominable sodometrye as they haue bene knowen of sens that constrayned fylthynesse ¶ Dunstane chefelye loued the frutes of aduoutrye IOhan Capgraue Vyncent and Antonyne reporteth in their wrytynges that thys aduouterouse chylde was Edwarde surnamed the martyr whom Dunstane toke for hys own as paraduenture he had iust cause or els for that he was hys Godfather Not wythstandynge dyuerse other auctours hold that Editha was that chyld But what matter maketh it whiche of them it was whan all they are allowed now for canonysed Sayntes in the Popes whoryshe churche Yea the whoremonger the whore the whoryshe bastarde and all to set whoryshnesse forewarde and make it appeare holye where marryage is thought vnholye And as for the mother of Edwarde IohaÌ„ Hardyng nameth her Elflede Polidorus Elfrede Wylliam of Malmesbury Ranulphe Fabiane calleth her whyght Egelflede and Caxton dare geue her no name and therfore the matter is doubtful As Dunstane was on a tyme hallowynge of a churche in the honoure of Saynt deuyl saynt Denis I should saye he beheld the ryght thombe of the foreseyd Edithe thaÌ„ beynge abbesse of Wylton as she was crossyng and blessynge her forhead And muche delyghtynge therin he toke it in hys hande and sayd Neuer myght this thombe peryshe Immedyatlye after he beynge at Masse and dolorouslye wepynge sayd vnto the deacon that serued hym Alas thys floryshynge floure wyll fade this redolent rose wyl be gone this dayntye Dyamonde wyll peryshe thys swete byrde wyll awaye for euer And after her deathe he founde all her bodye resolued into ashes except that thombe and the secrete part vnder her bellye for those ij partes of her he had blessed afore In dede he was verye homelye to serâ—he so farre But the cause of thys they saye she afterwarde declared vnto him in a secrete vysyon Thys story sheweth VuilliaÌ„ of Malmesburye li 2. de pontificibus Ranulphus in polichronico li. 6. Ca 9. Vincencius li. 25. Ca. 33. Antoninus par 2. li. 16. Ca. 8 Iohannes Capgraue in uita Edithe ¶ Kynges become the Beastes Images Whan Kynge Edgare had ones perfourmed his vij yeares penaunce for hys aduoutrye wyth fayre Wilfrith whom Dunstone paraueÌ„ture prepared for hys owne store he became altogyther the dumme Image of the Beast and myght not vttre from theÌ„s fourth but as they gaue hym sprete Apo. 13. Than caused they hym to call a generall counsell at London some saye in the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and. lxix by the vngracyouse autoryte of the afore seyd pope Iohan. And there was yt fullye enacted and establyshed for a lawe euer to endure that all canons of cathedroll churches collygeners persons curates vycars prestes deacons and subdeacons shuld eyther lyue chast that ys to say become Sodomytes for that hath bene their chastyte euer sens or els be suspended from all spyrytuall iurisdiccion This more than Pharaonyâ—all constitucion was the King sworne to ayde maynteyne and defende wyth the materiall swerde by the popes autorite Than were there chosen oute ij principall visitours Ethelwolde the Byshopp of Wynchestre that nest is oft vngracyouse and Oswalde the Bishop of Worcestre both monkes to sâ— this through out the whole realme executed Vincencius li. 24. Cap 83. Antoninus par 2 ti 16. Cap. 6. Guilhelmus Malmesburye Ranulphus Guido de columna Ioan Capgraue opus nouum de utraque potestate â—o 57 ¶ Dunstane is accused of yll rule IN this counsell were some wise men as all these writers witnesse though it be sumwhat fayntly which layed
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
counterfett presthyde was than throughly salted and placed there the Actes of the. iiij generall counsels receyued in stede of the. iiij Euangelies In the next yeare following was a generall Synode kept at Constantynople in Grece where as marryage was for euer permytted vnto the Greke prestes and vtterly forbidden the latynes or all other besydes them the latine masse receyuynge there his first confirmacion But Theodorus hys monkes were at a good indyfferent poynt for that which had veyled wythin in one monastery in the I le of Thanete lxx Nonnes makynge fayre Myldrede their abasse Loke IohaÌ„ Capgraue Ranulphe and other English autours In spight of the former acte dâ—d Vitiza the king of Spayne permyt hys prestes by a lawe newelye made to kepe so manye concubines as ther wolde Michael Ricius de regibus Hispanie Paulus Constantinus Phrâ—gio in Chronidis regnorum ¶ Chastyte Monkes Monasteries and Penaunce Wernerus Cartusiensis sayth in Fasciculo temporum that vowynge of chastyte was fre wythout constraynt in the tyme of saynt Gregory and sumwhat after Bedas reporteth li 3 ca. 6 De gestis Anglorum Ioannes Maior in gestis Scotorum li. 2. Ca. 11. That a monkes cowle after they had ones vowed chastyte was holden in suche reuerence that no maÌ„ wolde in a maner than iourney vnlesse he had their blessinges Into a most wonderfull madnesse were the people than brought by their hypocryticall wytcherye the verye elect persones scant frefrom that damnable errour Math. 24. Marcy 13. For the vnthankefulnesse of men sayth Iob in settynge his veryte lyght doth God permytt the Hypocrytes to reigne ouer them in all power of deceytfull wonders Iob. 34. Thessal 2. They ded than spedelye set vp monasteries without nombre all the realme ouer Iohan Hardynge sayth in his Chronicle that King Oswye buylded within Northumberlande xij in one yeares space In the yeare of our Lorde DC and lxxxiiij helde Theodorus yet an other counsell in the North partyes at Twyforde where as he publyshed a serten boke of his owne makynge called A penytencyall summe commaundynge his clergye to put it euerye where in practyse Therin were contayned all maner of synnes and excesses with aggrauacions reseruacions penaltes sorowes penaunces and ponnishmentes And this was to terryfye captyue and snare the wretched consciences of men euen to vttre desperacion And where coude haue bene sought out a practyse of more deuilishenesse Sigebertus Sabellicus Tritemius Scriptores ferme omnes ¶ The foundacyon of their Purgatorye AT the same verye tyme was there one Drithelmus in Nortoumberlande whych leauynge both wyfe and children in the yeare of our Lorde DC and. lxxi made himself a monke at Mailros Saynt Cuthbert than beynge abbot there The sayd Drithelmus fayned himselfe on a tyme to be dead here was knauerye vpon knauerye and reported in his returne that he had seane by an Angels demonstracion both purgatory and paradise hell and heauen After that he had subtillye declared thys vnto Kynge Alphrede and other greate men of the contreye there at the request of the monkes muche people resorted vnto hym for counsell for their sowles from all quarters of Englande So redy are the foles of thys worlde to heare lyes and illusyons whyche neuer had loue to the veryte Thys knaue euermore commended vnto them confessyon and penaunce fastynge prayer and almes dedes specyallye and aboue all other masse saynges and monasteryes buyldinge Was not thys thynke yow a vertuouse chrystyanyte of these chaste fathers to kegynne theyr holye churche wyth Were yt not pytye but they were canonysed sayntes and their feastfull dayes solemnysed twyse in the yeare wyth ryngynges syngynges sensynges and massynges as thys Cuthbertes wer and are yet to thys daye I thynke the Turkes churche had neuer more knaues to their Sayntes than these For this Drithelmus ys one of their sayntes also Iohan Capgraue post uitam Adriam Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus wyth dyuerse other ¶ Chastyte of Cuthbert and doctrine of Colfride SO cruell was this Cuthbert vnto women after he became a Saynt of theirs that non might come wythin hys sayntuaryes they say at Doilwem Cornen and Mailros in Scotlande nor yet at Durham Tyâ—mouth and Lynde farne here in Englande vndre payne of soden death their chambers and selles exempted alwayes Yet was the seyd Cuthbert verye famylyar in his time wyth Ebba Elsteda and Verca iij holy abbasses and builded for his pleasure a solempne uondry at Carliell Fynallye for the specyall good loue he had vnto Verca aboue all other he commaunded in hys testament that his bodye after his departinge shuld be wrapped in the fyne lynnen clothe that she had geuen hym Ye may se by thys that these chast fathers had their louers and set sumwhat by their owne precyouse bodyes Saynt Colfride abbot of Girwin in Northumberland wrote vnto Athon kinge of the Pyctes that it was as necessary for the vowe of a monke or degre of a prest prestes were than no vowers to haue a shauen crowne for restraynt of their lustes as for any christen man to blesse him agaynst spretes whan they come vpon him What wise learning thys ys I report me vnto yow Yet yt ys regestred of Bedas in hys v. boke De gestis Anglorum and also of Thomas Vualden in hys volume De sacramentalibus ii 9. Ca. 80 to stoppe heretikes mouthes with besydes that IohaÌ„ Capgraue hath sayd in yt ¶ The fallen starre and. ij Hornes of the Beast ABout thys tyme were many wonderfull thynges seane in dyuerse quarters of the worlde specyally a great Comete or blasyng starre which semed wyth flamynges of fyre to fall in to the sea great morren folowynge both of beast and man Not all vulyke was thys to that is described Apoca. 8. And betokened than in my opynyon both the vttre fall of the pryncelye gouernaunce and also the christen presthode or of both vndre one as powers of one God For both they beynge as starres in the firmament or powers from aboue Romano 13 most wredchedly than delcined from the true obedyence and faythfull admynystracyon of Gods eternall veryte vnto the beastly subieccyons and tradycyons of that execrable Pope Sens that tyme haue they comen from the sea They haue taken their autoryte of that Beaste â—hych rose out of the sea Apoca. 13 tyll now at late dayes the. ij hornes of the other Beast that is to saye of hypocresye pryckynge them than forewarde Those ij hornes of that earthlye Beaste were here in England the. ij monkysh sectes that in those dayes fyrste entered The fyrste of them were the blacke monkes of Saynt Bernet whych entered first of all wyth the afore named Augustyne in the yeare of our Lord. CCCCC and xcvi to peruerte the South Saxons and kentysh men The other were the blacke Chanons of the
other Saynt Augustyne both blacke which came in wyth Byrinus the Archebyshop of Dorcestre in the yeare of our Lord. DC xxxvi from Pope Honorus the fyrste to deceyue the west Saxons For yche Pope and byshopp preferred euermore the secte he was of These ij wrought so their wycked feates in those dayes with lyenge sygnes in hypocresy that they caused the afore named starres Regnum et Sacerdocium Regalite and presthode to fall clerely from heauen Iohan Capgraue Ranulphus et Polidorus ¶ The fall of kingdoms and rayse of the Papacy MArke in the Chronicles and ye shall fynde thys moste true That lyke as the Papacye had hys fyrste rayse in and of the fall of the Empyre so had those kingdomes whiche fyrste obeyed it their orygynall begynninges of the ouerthrowe of the inferyour kingdomes As Englande vndre King Inas by the fall of the Brytaynes and Fraunce vnder Kinge Pypyne by the puttinge a sydy of the Merouyngeanes Sens these lecherouse locustes crepte first into Englande neuer throne that kingedome of the auncyent Brytaynes whose spyrituall heade was God alone but euerye daye more and more decayed tyll it was fullye ended Marke it hardelye from the fyrste comminge hither of the seyd Augustyne tyll the yeare of our Lord. DC lxxxix wherin Cadwallader their last Kyng dyed a most desolate pilgrime at Rome offeringe hymselfe vp there moste myserablye to the Pope Euer sens hath yt bene to hym obediente in all blasphemouse errours and doctrynes of Deuilles by the space of DCCC and. xliiij yeares tyll the yeare of our Lord. M. CCCCC and. xxxiij wherin at our noble kynges moste wholsome request we vtterlye by othe renounced that odyouse monstre Nowe is it Gods owne kingdome agayne and our King his immedyate ministre That Lorde graunte of hys infynyte mercye that lyke as we haue put a syde hys name we maye euen frome the harte also cast ouer hys Idolatrouse yokes folowing from henceforth the vncorrupt rules of the Gospell A like comparison hath Paulus Orosius lib. 2. Cap. 4. Historiarum mundi of Babilon and Rome Very like begynnynges sayth he had Babilon and Rome like powers like prides like continuaunces like fortunes and like ruynes sauynge only that Rome arose of the fall of Babilon and so fourth ¶ An olde prophecy of Merlyne disclosed AS I was in wrytynge this matter an old Prophecy of Merline came vnto my remembraunce That after the manyfolde irrupcions of straungers the kinges of thys realme shuld be ones agayn crowned wyth the Dyademe of Brute and beare his auncyent name the new name of straungers so vanishinge awaye He that applyeth vnto this a right vnderstandinge shall fynde it very true The Diademe of Brute is the pryncely power of thys whole region immediatly geuen of God without any other meane mastry worker to Antichristes behoue Fre was that power from the great whores domynyon which is the Rome churche tyll the violent conquest of the English Saxons which they had of the Brytaynes for their iniquities sake And now prayse be vnto that Lorde it is in good waye to that fredome agayne and would fullye attayne therunto were here heythnysh yokes in religion ones throwne a syde as I doubt it not but they will be within short space As well may ye geue credeÌ„ce to this Merlyne whan he vttereth the verite as vnto olde Balaam the sothsayer whiche at a tyme prophecyed the commynge of Christ. Num. xxiiij And as coÌ„cernyng the returne of the name marke in thys age the wrytynges of lerned meÌ„ ye shall wel perceyue the change for now commonly do they wryte vs for Englyshemen Brytaynes ¶ The whores fleshe eaten of the. x. hornes THE. x. hornes of the first Beast whiche were kyngdomes maynteynyge that whore now ioyned all into one doth mortallye hate her at this present instaunt is makynge her desolate and maked in Englande In the ende they shall eate her fleshe and clerely consume her with the fyre appointed Englande was sumtyme into vij kyngdomes deuyded by the consent of al writers and wales into ij called Venedotia Demetia or north wales South wales Ireland makyng vp the truth Or if ye holde wales but for one let Scotland supplye that rowme whiche oweth vnto Englande perpetuall homage â–ª As all these are now in one moste worthye and victoryouse Kyng but one so wyll God put into all their hartes one consent to fulfyll hys will and to geue her kyngdome vnto the beast or to sende it agayn to the deuell from whens it fyrst came Apoca. xvij Consydre with your selues the late ouerthrowe of the monasteries couentes collegis and chaunteries alleages of vncleane spretes and holdes of moste hatefull byrdes by the manifest worde of God And thynke not but the fyltye habitacions of the great mastre deuyls wyll folowe sone after Apoca. xviij Let the gogle eyed Gardyner of wyncestre gyrde at it tyll his rybbes ake and an hondred dyggynge deuyls vpon his syde yet shall not one Iote of the lordes promes be vnfulfylled at the tyme appoynted for that blasphemouse whores ouerthrowe hys moste holye mother Praye in the meane season good christen readers praye praye praye that hys heauenly wyll be done in earth and not mannys and fashyon your lyues to the fourme of his moste dere sonne Iesus Christes doctryne Amen ¶ Actes of vowed virginite for that age NOw to returne agayne to their spiâ—ituall actes of chastyte for that age WhaÌ„ one Sedia the father of saynt Aidus perceyued that he by no meanes could haue a chyld by his wyfe he brought her to these continent fathers for remedy of her barrennesse she was spede the next nyght after by a miracle for all were miracles they dyd IoaÌ„ Cap. Guenhera a Cornysh woman whoÌ„ som writers call fayre Elyne that made king Arthure a cuckolde was after his death deuoutely receiued into Ambesbury non drye as a penitent to their spirituall vse Guilhelmus Malmesbury Saynt Oswalde sayd his wyfâ— Bebla in bed with a relygiouse hermyte And wheÌ„ the great heate came vpoÌ„ him as the spiritual fathers are hasty she found the meanes that he was cast in cold water to abate his hote corage This is one of the holy actes wherupon the pope hath made the sayd Oswald a saint IohaÌ„ hardyng Saint Ebba whiche was in those dayes the mother of all noÌ„nes was generate of an whore as were al her fathers childreÌ„ besides her ij of theÌ„ only excepted This Ebba had in the monastery of Coldyngham not farre â—â—om Barwyck both men womeÌ„ dwellyng togyther fell by fell as the maner was than of all Nondryes in England which exercysed the battayles of chastyte so longe that in their nyght metynges they went to bed togyther by couples theyr religiouse loue was then so great tyll God sent a wylde fyre vpon them for that contempt of
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
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
though they had afore with all practyses possyble assysted hym to the same Wherupon grewe wonderfull commocyons in dyuerse quarters of the realme specyally at Norwych Helye and Yorke the great earles Raufe Roger and Waldeof aydyng the rude coÌ„mens in that rebellyon whyche prouoked hym to shewe double hatred to the Englysh nobilyte The next yeare folowyng as the earle Waldeof of NorthumberlaÌ„d was worthely depryued and at Wynchestre byheaded for the same Walkerus a lecherouse monke ambycyouse prelate not fyndynge hymselfe satisfyed with the ryche byshopryck of Durham bought thaÌ„ of the kynge that earledome to augment hys pompe possessyons and vayne gloryouse dygnite He brought thydre a swarme of ydell and lascyuyouse monkes out of other partyes thynkynge therby to be eueÌ„ with God and with their howlynge and wawlynge to pacyfie his anger what mischefe so euer he had done afore But se what folowed about v. yeares after For his outragyouse oppression and tyrannye the commens fell vpon hym and slewe both hym and an hundred of hys best meÌ„ Simeon Dunelmensis Henricus Huntendunensis Matthaeus Paris Rogerus houeden Thomas Rudborne alij ☞ The monkes dyspossesseth the prestes at Durham AFter hym succeded in the byshoprycke one Wyllyam an abbot a man of more wordes the story sayth than of godly wytt Thys prelate as Simeon wryteth in chronicis Dunelmà persuaded the kyng that the prestes of the church of Durham were vycyouse lyuers bycause they had wyues and wold not leaue them and that byshopp walkers monkes were the holye Ghostes chyldren most fytt to kepe S. Cutbert bicause they were wyuelesse watchemen He recyted vnto hym by the chronycle of Bede and by other olde writynges that from the tyme of Aidanus their first byshop tyll the vyoleÌ„t slaughter of the Danes it had bene possessed of monkes The kynge not muche regardynge the matter had hym consulte with Pope Hildebrande as he resorted vnto hym to Rome for hys confirmacyon as all bishoppes were than confirmed by the great Antichrist of that synnefull synagoge The whyche ones perfourmed to hys mynde he returned home with Hyldebrandes commyssyon And in the yeare of our Lorde a M. and lxxxiij obtaynynge therwith the whole consent of the prelates in the kynges parlemâ—nt at Westmynstre he droue the marryed canons their wyues out of hys cathedrall churche of Durham and placed ydell monkes in their rowmes to kepe Saint Cuthbertes shryne vniustly depryuynge them of all possessyon Rogerus houeden li. i. Polydorus li. ix Other prelates anon after ded wurke the lyke in dyuerse other quarters of the realme and fylled all the land with the secrete occupyenges of wycked Sodome and Gomor as wele apered in their last vysytacyon in our tyme the regestre yet remaynynge ☞ The vysyon of Boso and acte of Tostius chaplayne IOHAN Capgraue reporteth in Saint Cuthbertes lyfe that one Boso a knyghte was rapte or deprâ—â—ed of all maner of felynge by the space of more than two dayes And in the thyrde daye as he was commen agayne to hym selfe he instauntly desyred to be confessed to the pryour of Durham at the tyme called Turgotus to whome he declared what vysyons he had in that wonderfull traunce He behelde he sayd on the one syde of helle all the monkes of his abbeye goynge sadly in processyon on the other syde a sort of wanton gyglot wenches reioycinge in fleshely delyghtes and vncomely entycementes He sawe there also in a darke desolate place an hygh howse all of yron And whyls the dore therof oft tymes opened and speared agayne at the last he behelde Wyllyam their byshop which had bene HildebraÌ„des commissyoner puttynge forth hys heade callyng for Godfrey the monke whych was at that tyme the generall procurator of hys whole dyocese And thys was iudged a token that they two shulde not lyue longe after Se what noble successe thys decre of Hildebrande had here in thys realme The wyfe of Tostius sumtyme earle of Northumberlande called Iudith gaue many ryche ornamentes about the same tyme to S. Cuthbertes churche Thys lady bad a lusty chaplayne whych commyng of deuocyon to Tynmouth abbeye to se the translacyon of the body of S. Oswyne kyng martyr as martyrs went than could within the towne haue no lodgynge for the excedyng resort of people that than was there Howbeit vpon acquayntaunce he founde suche fauer that a bed was prepared for hym within the parrysh churche And bycause he thought it not pleasaunt to lye a loue he conuayed in a wenche in the darke to kepe hym company that nyghte But as he began to fall to hys accustomed nyght worke all the whole churche moued the story sayth as it wolde haue fallen vpon them Wherby he was than compelled to leaue hys occupyenge Ioannes Capgraue in uita Osvuini martyris ☞ The myracles of Lanfrancus the archebyshop LAnfrancus the archebyshop of Canterbury helde a synodall counsell at Paules in London in the yeare of our Lorde a M. and lxxvi Where as it was enacted by their coÌ„men consent that byshoppes from thens forth shuld sytt in counsels parlementes by lyke they stode on fote afore with cappe in hande that they shulde generally remoue their seates from the meane vyllages to the cyties of name as some had done afore to apere more notable and to augment their autoryte and fame Was not thys a great study thynke yow for the Christen commen welthe Thus clome they vp from one degre of pryde to an other tyll they bycame here in EnglaÌ„d lyke their father at Rome exaltynge themselues as S. Paule prophecyed of them aboue God and hys Christ ij Thes ij Thys Lanfrancus the next yeare after made one Paulus a yonge monke of Lane in Normandy the abbot of S. Albons This Paule was his nephew some saye hys sonne whych is all one amonge the Italyane prelates as he was one sauynge that nephew is a name more spirytuall Other great myracles thys LanfraÌ„cus ded in hys lattre age At Canterbury he enryched the monkes with great landes sumptuouse buyldynges and with precyouse ornamentes He repared their temples appoynted straunge worshyppynges He wonderfully augmented the pryde here of the clergye fynally buylded ij great hospytalles for pylgrymes to encreace the dayly ydolatryes whych thaÌ„ began to spryng Simeon Dunelmensis Matthaeus VVestmonast Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus CestreÌ„sis Rogerus Cestren Thomas rudborne Ioannes Capgraue Fabianus alij ☞ Of Osmunde the byshopp and of Salisbury vse OSmundus was a man of great aduenture polycye in hys tyme not only concernynge roberyes but also the slaughter of men in the warres of kyng Wyllyam coÌ„querour Whervpon he was first the grande captayne of Saye in Normandy afterwardes earle of Dorsett and also hygh chauncellour of Englande As Herman the byshop of Salisbury was dead he gaue ouer all and succeded hym in
that byshopryck to lyue as it were in a securyte or ease in hys lattre age For than was the church become Iesabels pleasaunt and easy cowche Apoca. ij hys cantels were not so fyne in the other kynde for destructyon of bodyes but they were also as good in thys for destructyon of sowles To obscure the glory of the Gospell preachynge and augment the fylthynesse of ydolatry he practysed an ordynary of Popysh ceremonyes the whyche he entytled a Consuetudynary or vsuall boke of the churche Hys fyrst occasyon was thys A great battayle chaunced at Glastenburye whyls he was byshopp betwene Turstinus the abbot and hys monkes wher in some of them were slayne and some sore wounded as is sayd afore The cause of that battayle was thys Turstinus contempnynge their quere seruyce than called the vse of Saint Gregory compelled hys monkes to the vse of one Wyllyam a monke of Fiscan in Normandy Vpon thys Osmundus deuysed that ordynary called the vse of Sarum Whyche was afterwardes receyued in a maner of all Englande Irelande and wales Euery syr Sander Slyngesby had a boke at hys belte therof called hys portasse contaynynge many superstycyouse fables and lyes the testament of Christ set at nought For thys acte was that brothell byshop made a Popysh God at Salisbury Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Ranulphus Rogerus Capgraue Houeden alij ☞ Of Kenredus a prest whych was gelded AN acte was made in the yeare of one lorde a M. lxxxvij by kyng Wyllyam conquerour that who so euer were founde stelynge of dere he shuld lose one of hys eyes and he that was deprehended in rauyshynge a woman shulde lose both his stones without redeÌ„pcyon This hath Henricus Huntendunensis li. v. Ranulphus Cestrensis li. vij ca. iiij Rogerus Cestrensis li vij Ioannes Treuisa Not many yeares after a preste called Kenredus was taken in the I le of Anglesey by the Englysh captaynes and gelded some saye for offendynge the statute though the monkysh chronicles farre of otherwyse interprete that matter By reason of this and many other lyke examples for he was not alone in that age ye maye be sure whan they were so strayghtly sequestred from women the clergy sought busyly to be exempted from the laye or secular power in fyne made lecherie a spiritual matter to haue the correctyon therof in their spirytual courtes I thynke the deuyll was neuer more crafty than they haue bene to shadowe their fylthie enormytees by a vayne shewe of holynesse whyche is playne hypocresy But how so euer they prospered in those dayes the nobylyte and commens of this realme were wonderfully oppressed Mathew of Westmynstre sayth so that both noble men and gentyll men of the Englysh bloude depryued of their possessyons and beynge ashamed to begge were with their chyldren and famylyars compelled to spoyle and robbery whan huntynge wolde no longar serue them Of thys preste Kenredus writeth Simeon Henry Huntendune Ranulphus HouedeÌ„ Iohan Capgraue and Fabyane ☞ Prestes payed a trybute for theyr wyues MVche a do had kynge Wyllyam Rufus with Odo the proude byshop of Bayon hys vncle which was also earle of Kent with Egelwinus the byshop of Durham with Raufe the byshop of Chichestre and with other lyke heady prelates specyally with Anselme whome of a beggerly monke he had made archebyshop of Canterbury The seyd Anselme sought vtterly to depryue hym and all hys successours of the inuestynge of prelates or makyng of byshoppes and abbotes within hys own realme labouryng to turne that autoryte from the lawful power of Christen princes to the vsurped iurisdictyon of the proude Romysh byshop as it anon after came to passe for the whych he was worthely exyled this realme This kyng WyllyaÌ„ Rufus partly of pytie but chefely of couetousnesse for he had thaÌ„ many buyldynges in hande permytted the prestes for an yearly trybute to holde styll their wyues in spyght of the prelates specyally in suche dyoceses as had monkes than to their byshoppes whych strayghtly had commaunded Hyldebrandes wycked constytucyon to be obserued that no preste hauynge a wyfe shulde holde hys benâ—fyce Raufe the byshop of Chichestre than stode vp lyke a praty man not only rebuked the kynge for takynge that trybute whych lyke an a dust conscyenced hypocryte he called the fyne of fornycacyon but also he withstode his offycers stoppynge vp the churche porches with great stakes thornes and bryres and interdyctynge the temples But whan the gentyll kynge had ones gyuen hym that trybute for hys owne dyocese he coulde take it wele ynough and make no great noyse therof Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. ij de pontificibus Ranulphus li. vij ca. ix Rogerus li. vij Fabianus ☞ Varyaunce amonge byshoppes for marryed prestes A Lytle afore that is to saye in the yeare of our lord a M. and xc a sore contencyon had bene amonge the byshoppes They that had bene prestes and no monkes fauourably permytted the prestes to remayne with their wyues in their dyoceses at the least sayth Roger of Chestre some of them helde their peace and wolde not se them The other sort whych had bene monkes vexed them troubled them and most greuously molested them depryuynge them of their lyuynges and most cruelly bannyshynge them out of their contreys For the which vyolence some of those byshoppes that had bene prestes thrust the monkes out of their cloysters and put in secular prestes as they called them in their rowmes Of this bande or factyon was Walkinus the byshopp of Wynchestre the chefe doar or begynner hauynge the kynges agrement â—o the same But in the ende they preuayled not first Lanfrancus and than Anselmus beynge both monkes and archebyâ—hoppes of Canterbury and wrytynge â—o the Romysh NeÌ„roth agaynst theÌ„ Notâ—ithstaÌ„dyng whan Walter was byshopp of Durham whyche succeded Egelwinus and had bene the kynges chaplayne to spyght the monkes therwith he compelled them to leaue their frayter to dyne in hys open halle and to eate such meates as by their rule were forbydden them He also caused them to be serued at the table with women whych were not very sober neither in aparel nor yet in gesture or couÌ„tenaunce And all was to trye out their hypocresye But some of theÌ„ I thynke toke not the matter very greuously Guilh. Malli i. iij. de ponti Ranulphus li vij ca. xi xi Polychronici Rogerus li. vij Ioannes Treuisa alij ☞ God by sygnes manyfesteth the myschefe of thys age BVt marke how God fulfylled in thys age that he had secretly shewed afore to S. Iohan the Euangelist Apoca. vi viij For a fore warnynge to hys electes Many starres were seane fallynge downe from heauen in the yeare of our Lorde a M. xcv specyally a blasynge starre in lykenesse of a great burnyng beame reachynge from the south to the north a wonderfull derth folowynge not only of
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