spirite and they that worship hym muste worship hym in spirite and in truth Whatsoeuer is song or said with the mouth so that it brasteth out from the affection of the mynde we affirme to be not only tollerable but also commendable yea pleasaunt and acceptable to God as Dauid sayth I will geue alwayes thankes vnto the Lorde hys prayse shall euer be in my mouth My soule shall make her boaste in the Lorde the humble shall heare therof and be glad O prayse the Lorde with me and let vs prayse hys name together c. O be ioyfull in God all ye landes synge prayses vnto the honoure of hys name make his prayse to be glorious And the Apostle sayeth I will synge with the breath I will sing with the minde I will pray with y e breath I will praye with the minde If the mouth the mynde if the breath the heart if the lippes the spirit go together either in singing or saying It is a most acceptable melody to God highly to be praysed of al good godly meÌ„ This kynde of prayer is greatly coÌ„mended of the people of God as coÌ„trary wise prayer without the affection of the hearte is rather to be reproued than approued refused than receaued condemned than commended Eyghrenthly The holye dayes and solemne feastes whiche of oure Elders were obserued and kepte with hye deuotion and greate reuerence are nowe a dayes neglected and set nought by I aunswere We are free from the obseruation of dayes The Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth Therfore is the Sonne of man Lord also of the Sabboth A Christen mans Sabboth is euery day and endureth the whole tyme of hys life which is to reste from euill to cease to do hys owne will and to obeye the holy lawe and commaundement of GOD. We are no more tyed and bounde to the obseruation and kepynge of the Iewyshe Sabbothes from the whiche we are made free by Christe the true lyghte whose comming in the flesh expelled all the darke shadowes of Moses lawe as the Apostle sayth Let no man trouble your conscience aboute meate and drinke or for a pece of an holy daye or of the newe Moone or of the Sabboth dayes whiche are shadowes of thynges to come but the body is in Christe Let no man make you shote at a wronge marke c. Suche as yet sticke and abyde in the outwarde obseruation of dayes tymes and meates the Apostle reproueth on thys manner and sayth Now after that ye haue knowen GOD yea rather are knowen of God howe is it that ye turne agayne vnto the weake and beggarlye ordinaunces whereunto agayne ye desyre a freshe to be in bondage Ye obserue monethes and dayes and tymes and yeares I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vayne Agayne If ye be dead with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde why as though ye yet liued in the worlde are ye led with traditions Touche not taste not handle not â–ª whiche all perish thorowe the very abuse after the commaundementes and doctrines of men We graunte and confesse that we haue put downe yea and that worthely certayne supersticious Idolatrous holy dayes as the feasts of Thomas Becket that trayterous Rebell of Dunstone that wicked Nichromancer of Austen that superstitious and Popish Monke with such like notwithstanding the SoÌ„dayes and all such feastes as be grounded in the word of God bringyng vnto our remembraunce the actes of Christ and of his Saintes we not supersticiously but freely and religiously obserue and kepe accordyng to the libertie whiche is geuen vs in the Gospell by Christ. Other matters there are wherin the Papystes finde great faulte with the Protestantes whiche may be answered as easely as we haue done these aforesaid For we haue rehearsed the chief principall of what force strength they be who seeth not But forasmuche as they make the simple and ignoraunt people beleue that if these thinges be taken away the whole Religion of Christ falleth downe and vtterlye perisheth the people being persuaded that they are not tryfling traditions of meÌ„ but the graue and weyghtie ordinaunces of God And that therfore as an other Atlas they with their shulders holde vp the olde and auncient Catholyke Religion whiche otherwise would fall to ruine and vtter decay I pitieng and much lamenting the miserable state of the simple blinde and ignoraunt Christians so wretchedly seduced thorowe the suttle and craftye persuasions of these most suttle and craftye hypocrites which being in deede greuous and rauenyng wolues clothe themselues with shepes apparell that they may the easelier make a rauine and spoyle of the Christen flocke I haue thought good to declare and shewe out of Chronicles and Hystories who were the Authors and inuentours of all these tryfling tradicions drowsie dreames and idle inuentions whiche heretofore haue bene counted for true Religion and Gods seruice Agayne at what tyme or yeare of our Lorde euery one of their beggarly ceremonyes were thruste into the Churche that by thys meanes suche as will open their eyes and no more be obstinatly blynde may easely perceaue and see how wickedly the wicked and Popish hypocrites haue in tymes past seduced and receaued the simple poore Christians while they haue made them beleue that whatsoeuer is done in their Churche is diuine seruice and God is hyghlye pleased therwith contrarye to thys saying of Christe They worship me in vayne teaching doctrines whiche are the commaundementes of men and that to leaue these thinges vndone is deadly sinne and worthye great punishement A Priest to rede the Gospell at Masse without candle lyght to receaue the Sacramentall wine without minglyng of water to say Masse abrode without a Superâ—ltare Againe the Lay man to come vnto the Lordes table without shrifte and absolution at the Priests hand not to beare a candle on Candlemasse daye not to take ashes in Lent not to beare Palmes on Palme Sonday not to crepe to the crosse on good Fridaye not to abstayne from fleshe on Fridayes other fasting dayes with a thousand such like was counted a greater offence among the Papistes than to transgresse and breake any of the commaundements of God It may worthily be sayd to them as Christe sayde to the Pharesees and Scribes Well Prophecied Esay of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their hearte is farre fro me Howbeit in vayne do they serue me teaching the doctrines and commaundementes of men For ye lay the coÌ„maundements of God a part and obserue the constitutions of men c. Ye cast aside the commaundement of God to maintaine your owne constitutions There is almost no constitutions no decree no ceremonye no Papisticall secte nor any other tradition appertaining to Churche ware and Romishe religion whiche I haue not both diligently and painefully sought out of Chronicle writers
tenour of theyr rule The brethren of thys order heare confessions and preache at hye feastes This order also admitteth Lay brethrē as in many places moe to do their businesse abroade They fayne that thys order was confyrmed of Pope Vrban y e fyft at the commaundement of Christ. In the yeare c. 1353. Volat. Plati Polichron Pol Libro Germ. c. Of the Nunnes of S. Katerines order of Sene. POpe Gregorye the .xi. bearyng rule Katerine of Sene a Dyers daughter refusyng the state of matrimonye tooke vpon her the thyrd order of S. Dominicke or of the Fryer Preachers They say that Christ shuld haue maryed her with a ryng wherein were foure pearles one diamonde taken her harte from her and geuen her hys in steade therof The Nunnes of thys order weare garmentes lyke to the black Fryers Theyr cloke vayle are blacke theyr cote is white In the yeare of oure Lorde .1455 Volat. Lib. Germ. Chron. I passe ouer the Nunnes that be of the Iustinians order of Marye Magdalenes orders of Austens order c which all are wrapped full of superstition and hipocrisye seking their saluation not in Christ thorow fayth but in mens inuentions by folishe and popish workes But let vs heare the Popes pleasure more at large concerning the poore Nunnes Rules concerning all orders of Nunnes POpe Pius the fyrst made a decree that no mayde shoulde be admitted to bee a Nunne or a religious person before she were .xxv. yeres of age and that shee shoulde be professed and consecrated only vpon the feastful day of the Epiphanye commonly called Twelfday In the yeare of our Lorde 147. Ranulphus Cestrensis Ioannes Stella Phil. Bergom Pope Sother ordained that a Nunne shoulde not handle the towels of the altare nor the Chalice patenne or corporasse clothe nor yet put incense into the senser but that shee shoulde alwayes weare a vayle vppon her head and a wymple vnder her chynne In the yeare of oure Lorde 168. Polichron Chron. Ang. c.. Pope Gregorye the fyrst ordayned that no man shoulde frequent the monasteries of Nunnes again he forbad that Nunnes shoulde be Godmothers to children In the yeare c. 590 Chron. Ioan. Stella Pope Leo the fyrste made a decree that none shuld be made a Nunne except shee were founde to haue lyued afore continentlye and honestly by the space of .xl. yeres In the yere c. 444. Phil. Bergom Pope Gregorye the eyght made a decree y t no man should once be so hardye as to take a Nunne out of her cloyster In the yeare of our Lorde 1186. Tom. 1. Concil Of the Monasticall apparell IN times paste whē with most earneste diligence I searched for the originall beginning of the monasticall or monkish apparel and could by no meanes finde any thing thereof in writing at the laste I repaired vnto the paynters in y e entries porches of y e friers wher for y e most part a mā may se y e historyes of both testamentes paynted liuely setforth in colours I sought for the matter diligently And when in al the olde testament I could not fynde any of the Patriarches or of the priests or of the Prophetes or of the Leuites no nor yet Helias hymselfe whom notwithstandyng the Carmelites or white friers make their Patrone fyrste founder of their Religion to weare a coule and to be clad with Monkysh apparel◠I went streyghtwayes vnto the newe testament There I founde Zacharye Simeō Iohn Baptist Iosephe Christ the Apostles the Disciples y e Scribes the Pharesees the Byshops Annas Cayphas Herode Pilate and manye other but no where coulde I fynde or perceaue the coule or monkysh habite Examining once again more diligently euen from the beginnyng al singular things out of hande euen at the very beginning of the historye in a manner the deuill appeared shewed himself clad in a coule euē y e very same deuil y t tēpted Christ in y e deserte or wildernesse I was excedīg glad reioyced beyond al measure y t I had found y t in picture which I could neuer find afore in scripture I meane that the deuill was the first author inuentor and finder out of the coule and Monkishe habite of whom afterward I thinke verely the other Monkes and Fryers borowed their coules and disgysed apparell set forth in diuerse colours some white some blacke some graye some russet some blewe some blouncket c. or elles paraduenture they receaued and tooke the same as lefte vnto them for inheritaunce from the deuill their father Cornelius Agrippa de incertitudine vanitate scientiarum Of Temples or Churches POpe Siluester bearing rule Constantine the Emperour built diuerse Churches for the Christians gaue other libertie so to do to the end that so many as professe Christ might openly and without any feare come together to praye prayse God to heare the readyng and Preachyng of the holy Scriptures to receaue the blessed Sacramentes and to occupye themselues in suche Godly and vertuous exercises as God requyreth of them in hys Sacred worde For vnto that tyme the Christians were so extremelye persecuted of tyrauntes that they had no certayne publyque place to repare vnto but so many as professed Christ assembled themselues together priuatelye and praysed God in hollowe caues and dennes for the feare of the vnfaythfull as Laurentius Valla sayeth in hys booke de donatione Constantini In tymes paste sayeth he before the dayes of Constantyne the greate the Christians had no Temples but secrete and close places holye lyttle houses but no greate and gorgious buyldynges Chappelles no Temples Oratoryes within priuate walles no publyque and open Churches In the yeare of our Lord. 315. Ranulphus Cestrensis ▪ Valla. Westmerus Pope Iginius ordayned that the Temples or Churches shoulde be halowed withall solemnitye and that no Churche shoulde be halowed without a Masse agayne that Churches should be made neyther greater nor smaller without the consent of the Metropolitane In the yeare of our Lord. 143. De Consecr Dist. 1. Cap. Omnes Basiliae Eusebius Sabell Phil. Bergom c. An admonition to the Reader HEre must I warne thee moste gentle Reader of the craftye iuglynges of the Papistes which whē they haue once inuented of theyr idle brayne with out the authoritye of Goddes worde a balde and lousye ceremonie or a wicked and a superstitious lawe streyghtwayes father the same vppon some Godly auncient and learned Byshop that by thys meanes it maye be of the more force and of the greater authoritye with men and the more easlye disceane the people Of thys their practyse here haste thou an euident example They set forthe in their deuilyshe decrees wicked writinges that this holy Byshop Iginius commaunded the halowyng of Churches when many yeares after as thou hast tofore ▪ heard the Christiās had no Churches but secretly assembled themselues together in corners in priuate houses in
no meanes admit For sayth he as there ought to be no feast of y e Vnitie no more oughte there to be any feast of the Trinitie In the yeare c. 590. Guilielmus Durandus Pope Vrban the fourth ordained the feast of the Sacramente of the Altare otherwyse called The feaste of Corpus Christi with pardons and indulgences greate plentye to allure the foolyshe and simple people to commit spiritual whoredome with that Sacrament by adoryng and worshipping it as theyre God Maker and Sauioure and willed it to bee kepte holy the Thursdaye after Trinitie Sonday In the yeare c. 1254. Christianus Massaeus Ioan. Stella Polyd. Pantal. The beginning of thys feaste was thys In the countrey of the Leodicenses there was a certayne Recluse or Anckresse called Eua whiche of a vayne foolyshe and superstitious deuotion and loue towarde the Sacramente of the altare as they terme it procured thorowe earneste sute of Pope Vrban the fourthe that the Sacramente of the Altare commonly called Corpus Christi might also haue a feast and holy day being as wel worthye as the Gallowe tree or crosse y t Christ was haÌ„ged on which was alredy celebrated in the Church and y t the same feaste of Corpus Christi myghte with all solemnitye bee kepte holy thorowoute the whole worlde Pope Vrban being an holy and deuoute Father doubte ye not consideryng the greate deuotion earneste zeale and Godlye mynde of thys holy and religious woman accomplyshed foâ—le graciouslye her tender requeste and dyd not onely ordayne that thys feast of Corpus Christi shuld be kept holy but he also graunted plenarye Indulgence and large pardon to so many as eyther do say or heare the seruice belonging to y t feast which Thomas Aquinas the Blacke fryer made Arnoldus Bostius Guili Durand Chron. Before that time there was no such feaste knowen in the church of Christ. But thys is moste certayne that thorowe thys feaste greate Idolatrye and muche spirituall whoredome is daylye coÌ„mitted with the Masse bredde in all those places where the true doctryne of the sacrament is not knowen Pope Innocent y e thyrde sayth Theodorus Bibliander in the Councell Lateranense placed y e fond fansye of Monke Lanfranke concernyng Transubstantiation amonge the articles of the faith of the most high Trinitie In the yeare c. 1215. And bicause nothing should want to the worshippynge of the newe founde God of bread and wine and that the bishop of Rome myght haue his God Mazin as Aaron with the idolatrous Israelites had the goldeÌ„ Calfe in the wildernesse Pope Vrban the fourthe ordayned the feast of Corpus Chrâ—sti with large pardons Concil saâ— dom Of this feast we read in the English festiuall on this maner Good frendes ye shall vnderstand that this day is an highe and solemne feast in holy church and is the feast of Corpus Christi It is the feast of our Lordes owne body the whiche is offered to the highe father in heauen at the altare for the remission of our sinnes for all Christen people y t liue here in perfect loue and charitie for the great succour and helpe in releuing them that bene in paines of Purgatorye there abidyng the mercye of God Ye shall vnderstaÌ„d that this feast was founde by a Pope that was called Vrban the whiche had great grace and deuotion in the holy Sacrament of the altar considering the great nede helpe and succour to mans soule and to the â—urdering of liuing to all Christen people here in this present worlde Therfore he did establishe and ordayne thys present feast to be halowed in the next thursday after the feast of the holy Trinitie For all christen people that will be saued must haue sad beliefe in the holy Sacrament whiche is Gods own body in fourme of breade made by the vertue of Christes wordes that the priest sayth and by working of the holy Ghoste Then for this holye Pope thought to drawe people to more deuotion and better wil to this holy Sacrament and to do the seruice this day he graunteth to all that be worhy that is to say that be very contrit coÌ„fessed of their sinnes and be in the Church at both eueÌ„songs at Mattens at masse for eche an hundred dayes of pardon for eche houre of the daye xl dayes of pardon euery day of the Vtas an hundred dayes of pardon in remission of al their sinnes for euermore enduring c In serm de corpore christi Pope Gregorye the ninth appoynted y e feast of y e Natiuity of S. Iohn Baptiste whiche we commonly call Mydsommerday to kept holy In the yeare c. 1225. Chron. Germ. Pope Siluester the firste at the desire of the Emperour CoÌ„staÌ„tine instituted y e feast of LaÌ„masse called Ad vincula Sancti Petri. In the yeare c. 315. Grat. Polid. Pope Eusebius ordayned the feast of the InueÌ„tion of the crosse In the yeare c. 309. Crat. Guil. Durandus Pope Honorius deuised the feaste of the ExaltatioÌ„ of the crosse In the yere of our Lord. 622. Plat. Pant. Some attribute these feastes to Pope Vrban the fourth â–ª Pol. Virgil. Pope Calixte the thirde inuented the feaste of the Transfiguration of oure Lord and commaunded that it should be celebrated and kepte holye with as large indulgences and pardons as the feaste of Corpus Christi In the yeare of oure Lorde 1455. Matth. Palmer Ioan. Stella Pantaleon This feast as the festiual reporteth is greatly priuileged in holy Churche in so much that orders be geueÌ„ this day thorow out all Christendome great pardons be graunted to this day in diuerses places as in Syon plenare remission and all is to the weale and coÌ„forte of man and for a purueaunce to sanctifie his soule that in the last resurrection the said soule ioyned to the body may together be glorified and transfigured in clerenesse more brighter thaÌ„ is the Sunne and so euer to endure Pope Leo the fourthe instituted the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Uirgine Mary and commaunded that it shoulde in all places be kept hye and holy by the space of right dayes In the yeare â–ª c. 858. Lib. Concil Sigebert Ioan. Functius Pope Innocent the fourth ordayned y e Feast of the Natiuitie of Mary the Uirgine with the Octaues thereof In the yeare c. 1242. Volat. Sabel Pant. Pope Felix the thyrd appoynted the Feast of the Archaungel Michaell to be kept holy In the yere of our Lord. 486. Lib. Concil Chron. Pope Felix the thirde ordayned also the Feaste of the Dedicacion of the Temple commonly called Church holy day and coÌ„maunded y t euery Citie Town or village should yerely kepe for euer y â— day wheron y e Churche was halowed Volat. Plat. Polid. Albertus Krantzius Pope Boniface the fourth ordayned the Feast of all Saintes called All Halowes In the yeare of oure Lorde 606. Plat. Volat Polid. Pope Gregory the
no misfortune came vpō vs. But since we left to burne incense and to do sacrifice to the Queene of heauen we haue had scarcenesse of all thinges and perished with the sweard and hunger Last of all when we womē did sacrifice and offered to the Queene of heauen Did we make her cakes poure vnto her drinke offerings without our husbandes willes And as the vnfaithfull ▪ Israelites in wildernesse grudged against God his ministers saying Wherfore hast thou brought vs out of Egypte for to die in the wildernesse For here is neither bread nor water our soule lotheth this light bread Oh who shall geue vs flesh to eate We remember the flesh that we did eate in Egipt for nought ▪ and the Cuccumbers and Melons Leekes Onions and Garleeke But now our soule is dryed away For we cā see nothing els ▪ saue Manna Would to god we had dyed by the hād of the Lord in the lād of Egipt when we sat by the fleshe pottes and when we did eate bread our bellies full c. These aduersaries of gods word yea Eathnishe Epicures and beastly bellygods consider not how in the tyme of Antichrist that is to say of the Deuill and the Pope when all darke ignorancie and ignoraunt darknesse reigned when Papistrie and false Religion only florished when supersticious hypocrites alone ruled and ruffled there was muche more scarcenesse penurie dearth of all things than is now in the blessed tyme of the glorious ltght of Christs most glorious gospell Rede we not that euen in this Realme of England as I may passe ouer with silence the stories of other nations so great penurie scarcenesse dearth of grayne was found that the Inhabitantes thereof were compelled to make them bread of Pease Beanes Tares Fitches Acornes Ferne rootes c Chaunced not the like thing almost in one of the yeres of Queene Maries reigne now of late Was the worde of God and the preaching therof cause of so great miseries But then was there hygh silence of Gods word neither was the trompet of Christes gospell freely blowen Was the want of Masse occasion of it Masses swarmed in euery corner and countrey with all other idle inuētions of Antichrist Whatsoeuer the deuill and the pope at any tyme brought to the Churche was in those dayes most diligently practised yet notwithstāding such so great miseries thē chaūced as in the time of the gospel y e like was neuer foūd Yea with the gospel al good things were geuē vnto vs and to this our Realme of our moste mercifull father whiche we also at this presēt most abundaūtly do enioye thorow the singular benefite of the Lorde oure God so that the aduersaries of Gods word haue no iust and worthy cause to cōplaine of the scarcenesse of thinges wherof is so great abundaunce and plenty in this our land that we haue not onely sufficient for the sustentation of our owne coūtreymen but also of many thousands of straungers ▪ whiche lykewise do inhabite thys oure Realme But this from the beginnyng hath bene the propertye alwayes of Sathan and of his ministers if any aduersitie chaunce to commō weale where gods word reigneth streight wayes the cause thereof is imputed and ascribed to the worde of God and to the Preaching of the same as we haue diuerse examples both in the holy Scriptures and also in the Ecclesiasticall writters Whē God plaged the world with great dearth and famyne for their Idolatrye and wickednesse of life so that it reygned not vpō the earth by the space of three yeares syx monethes was not the occasion therof laid to the Prophet Helias charge to hys Preachynge Were not these the wordes of kynge Achab to the aforesayd Prophete and preacher of Gods worde Arte not thou euen he that troubleth Israell But the Prophet answered said vnto him It is not I that haue troubled Israel but thou thy fathers house in that ye haue forsaken the commmaundementes of the Lord and haue followed Baal Was not heresie sedicion treason layde to Christes charge when none was so free frō thē none more pure either in doctrine or life yea none to be compared vnto him being in dede incomparable in all Godlynesse goodnesse and vertue We haue found this fellowe sayd his aduersaries to Pilate peruertyng the people and forbiddynge to paye tribute to Cesar. If he were not an euill doer we woulde not haue deliuered hym vnto thee He is giltie of death To y e galowes with him to the galowes with him Likewise when the byshops hye priestes were afrayde of the inuasions of the Romanes and of taking away their liuinges and promotions was not all the matter laied vpon Christ his doctrine Were not these their wordes What do we For thys man doth many miracles If we let hym scape thus all men will beleue on hym and the Romanes shall come take away both our roume and the people Perceaue ye not howe we preuaile nothyng Beholde all the whole worlde goeth after him Reade we not also that the Apostles of Christe were accused of like faultes that that may be found true which Christ said The seruaunt is not greater than his Lord nor the disciple is not aboue hys master It is ynough for the disciple that he be as his Master is and that the seruaunt be as his Lord is If they haue called the Lord of the house Belzebub howe much more shall they call them of his housholde so Was not all the hurly burly sedition commotion strife contention debate insurrection c. imputed vnto them and their doctrine Were not these the words of their aduersaries when they brought them before the Rulers and head officers These men trouble our citie seing they are Iewes and preach ordinaunces whiche are not lawfull for vs to receaue seing we are Romanes Did not Paules enemies thus report of him This is the man that teacheth all men euery where againste the people and the law and this place He hath also brought Grekes into the temple and hath polluted thys holy temple Was it not layde to Paules charge also that he made an vproure and ledde out into the wildernesse foure thousand men that were murtherers And as what so euer plage or mischiefe chaunced in the Apostles tyme was euer imputed to them and to their doctrine so likewise came it to passe with the holy fathers and other good Christiās that succeded them as we may see not only in histories but also in other writers as in s. Cipria ▪ Contra Demetrianum and in Tertulian in Apollogi tico aduersus gentes c. And therfore no maruell though that same wickednesse be shewed at this daye agaynste the worde of the Lord seing that Sathan is alwayes one and is no changelyng seing also that he is nowe of no lesse power and will to worke the same malice enuye and mischief against the Religion of
Christe in his members than he was in tymes paste The aduersaries of Gods truth haue no delight nor pleasure in heauenly and spirituall thyngs but like bellie beastes only borne to consume the good frutes of the earth they desire and seke after nothyng but the thynges of this world that their sonnes as the Psalmographe sayth may grow vp as the younge plantes and that their doughters maye be as the polyshed corners of the temple that their garners maye be full and plenteous with all manner of store â–ª that their shepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in their stretes that their Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decay no leding into captiuitie and no complayning in their stretes If all thinges go well and prosperously with them then are they mery and diligently offer sacrifice to to their God the belly But if any aduersity come then knitte they the forehead and worke their malice vpon Gods word and the faithfull professours of the same The worde they call heresie erroure doctrine new and straunge seditious and cause of rebellion of all other plages wherwith the commoÌ„ weale is afflicted The professoures of thys worde they blaspheme they â—aile vpon they curse with booke bell candle they excommunicate they apprehende they accuse they condemne they stocke they cheane they manacle â–ª they racke and in fine they most cruelly with sweard fyre and halter brynge them vnto an ende so farre is it of that these Epicures and bellygods do as they ought render thankes to God for his corporall benefites so richely poured vpon them and vpon other his creatures Now as touching the spiritual benefites and heauenly giftes of the minde as the knowledge of the holy scriptures the vnderstanding of the Lordes blessed will the preaching of the Gospel the true administration of the SacrameÌ„ts the abolishment of all false worshippings superstitions c. wherwith God in this our age hath most mercifully blessed vs â–ª far passing many other nations that be vnder the heauens as these wise wicked worldlinges knowledge not the benefits of the body nor yet are thanckfull to God for them so likewise are they altogether vnthanckfull for the gifts of the minde whiche do so far excel the other as gold surmouÌ„teth coper or siluer tynne For lyke as Owles caÌ„ not abyde the golden and glysteryng beames of the Sunne nor the light of y e day so in lyke maÌ„ner caÌ„ not these bellygods and Antichristes slaues suffer the glorious and pleasaunt light of Christes most glorious and pleasaunt Gospel They crye out with the wicked of whoÌ„ the Prophet maketh meÌ„tion on thys manner Se not Loke not out right thynges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs. Loke out erroures Get you out of this way Depart out of this pathe and turne the holy one of Israel froÌ„ vs. In the trifling traditioÌ„s â–ª croked constitutions idle inueÌ„tioÌ„s drousy dreames deuilish decrees false fables fond fantasies of meÌ„ is theyr whole delight as for the sincere pure religion of God that they vtterly neglect set at nought coÌ„teÌ„ne despise And if for shame they seme to approue alowe any part therof yet they do so maÌ„gle it bring it in captiuitie to the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ that it looseth the sincere simplicitie simple sinceritie whiche it receaued of the holye Ghost Some of theÌ„ are not ashamed so to diminish the authoritie of Gods sacred scriptures that they affirme the word of God to be so far the worde of God as the Church doth allowe it meaning the pope his spiritual shauelinges as though God gaue vs in his holy Scriptures an vnperfecte doctrine and not sufficiently authorised of him without the consent of Antichrist of hys broode Is not this to set God to schole and to make him a Nouice So should it follow that the word of God is grounded on the Church not the Churche on the worde of God Is not this right Antichrist that should turne y e rootes of trees vpwarde Christ saith speaking of his Church My shepe heare my voyce Againe he that is of god heareth the wordes of god IteÌ„ Euery one that is of y e truth heareth my voice And the holy Apostle saith speaking to the faithfull congregation of God Ye are no straungers and forreyners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe hymselfe beyng the head corner stone in whome what buyldyng soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holye temple in the Lorde The worde of God is not buylte vpon men althoughe neuer so holye and perfect neyther receaueth it any authoritie of maÌ„ although of neuer so greate excellencie wysedome and power but such as are the congregation of God are built vpon the worde of God whatsoeuer authoritie they haue euerye one in their degree and office they haue it altogether of Gods worde without the whiche word there can be no Church for asmuch as there caÌ„ be no faith as the Apostle saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God so farre is it of that either pope or Cardinall or anye other person hath any power to geue authoritie to the worde of God whiche already is authorized by the most hygh and supreme power euen God himselfe Some obiect olde and auÌ„cient customes affirming that this our religion as they terme it new and straunge disseÌ„teth in order and vsage greatly from the manner heretofore practised in our temples I graunt neither can the sinceritie of Gods worde suffer and abyde such olde vnsauory croked customes as heretofore haue bene vsed in the popish Religion as the coniuring of salte water bread bowes flowers fire ashes caÌ„dles c. creping to the crosse worshipping of Images calling vpon dead Sainctes sensing of altares Idols praying in a strauÌ„ge tong offering the missall sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead receauyng of the Sacrament vnder one kind with a thousand moe errours and heresies and other greuous abuses which of longe vsage and custome in tymes past haue bene exercised among vs taken for true Godlynesse But who knoweth not â–ª that custome ought to geue place to reason and truth for reason and truth exclude alwaye put out of place custome be it neuer so olde and auncient laudable and commendable Christ is the truth therfore ought we rather to followe the truth than the custome If thou lay to our charge custome sayth S. Gregorye Thou must marke what the Lorde saith I am saith he the way the truth and the life He sayd not I am the custome but I am the truth Custome without truth saith Saint Cyprian is nothing els thaÌ„ an olde errour Therfore leauing the error let vs followe the truth When the truth is once come to light saith Saint Austen let custome geue place For who doubteth that
manner Wo and euerlastyng damnation hangeth ouer the heades of those disobedient and shrincking children whiche will begyn a councell without me Wo â–ª be vnto theÌ„ that will take a secrete aduice and not out of my spirit and therfore adde they synne vnto sinne Againe Wo be vnto theÌ„ â–ª that make vnrighteous lawes and deuise thynges whiche he to harde for to kepe where thorowe the poore are oppressed on euery side and the innocentes of my people robbed of iudgemeÌ„t that widowes may be theyr praye that they may robbe the fatherlesse All such councellers with theyr councels are not to be receaued but to be reiected bicause they are against the Lord against his annointed Notable is the senteÌ„ce of S. Cyprian How dare they stablish any thing without Christe whose both whole hope and faith power and glory is in Christ. All councels whether they be priuate or publique nationall or generall ought to geue place to the word of God which is a lanterne to our feete and a light to our pathwayes We ought to beleue no maÌ„ saith Saint Hierome without the word of God GersoÌ„ feareth not to say that we ought more to beleue a maÌ„ that is well learned in the holy scripture bringeth forth the Catholike authoritie thaÌ„ a generall councell The councell hath no authoritie for to stablishe any thing coÌ„trary to the word of God For it is not truth but errour whatsoeuer is determined against the scripture And we ought not to take hede vnto the trifles fond imaginatioÌ„s of meÌ„ but to the doctrine of the holy ghost Abbot Panormiâ—anê° that great Lawyer saith also More faith is to be geuen euen to a lay man that allegeth bringeth forth the scripture than to an whole councell Agayne In matters coÌ„cerning faith the saying of one priuate person ought to be preferred before the Popes saying if he can bring forth better authoritie of the new olde TestameÌ„t than the pope can That is the doctrine of the holy ghost saith s. Hierome which is set forth in the Canonical scriptures against the whiche doctrine if the councels enacte any thing iudge it wicked vnlawfull All good meÌ„ eueÌ„ froÌ„ the begynning haue attributed such so great authoritie to the word of God that they haue preferred that before the writtings counsels of al men without exception although neuer so wise neuer so Godly The councels therefore of men ought to be vnto the aduersaries no cloke or shadow of their disobedient obstinacie obstinate disobedience to plucke theÌ„ awaye from the truth of Gods worde Furthermore there are an other sort whiche obiecte and bring against vs the multitude and great nuÌ„ber saying that fewe are they little is the nuÌ„ber that embrace y e doctrine of y e Gospellers ProtestaÌ„ts but innumerable are theiÌ„ infinite is the nuÌ„ber of theÌ„ that receaue and embrace their olde auncient Catholike mother holy Churches doctrine whereof it muste nedes follow that where the greatest nuÌ„ber is there is the most certain truth I aunswere w t our sauior Christ Enter in at the streight gate for the wide is the gate broad is y e way that leadeth to destructioÌ„ many they be which go in thereat But streight is the gate narow is the way which leadeth vnto life fewe they be that find it Again many are called few are choâ—eÌ„ The holy Apostle s. Paule saith Lord who hath beleued our preaching If we consider either y e seÌ„teÌ„ces or histories of the holy Bible we shal easly perceaue that the greatest nuÌ„ber is alway the worste the most wicked When the whole worlde was drowned eight persoÌ„s only except Did not the lesser nuÌ„ber excel the greater in goodnes Godlinesse God by his mightie hande outstretched arme deliuered out of Egipt aboue .600 thousaÌ„d meÌ„ of the which .ii. onely that is to say Iosua Caleb entred into the land of promise bicause they beleued the promise of God the other were vnfaythful and inconstante In the tyme of wicked King Achab and of hys most wicked wife Queene Iezabel there were aboue .400 false Prophetes besides the Nobilitie and Comunaltie whiche resisted the wayes of the Lord and in sight but one alone that stoutly defended the Lordes truth agaynst the wicked and Idolatrous multitude About the number of .400 false Prophetes told king Achab that he should prosper in his warres returne home safe agayne whiche deceaued him Micheas alone tolde him the coÌ„trary so came it to passe When Christ was borne fewe receaued hym and embraced hym knowledging him to be the promised Messias Sauiour of the world as Mary his Mother Ioseph her husbaÌ„d Zacharie the priest Elizabeth his wife the wise meÌ„ that came out of the East partes the shepeheardes Simeon Anna with fewe other but innumerable thousandes hated him set nought hy him persecuted hym and sought all meanes possible to murther hym When Christ toke vpon him the office of preaching at the commaundemeÌ„t of his father who embraced his doctrine but a fewe poore people vyle and of no estimation in the sight of the galant and wyse worldlyngs As it is written Not many wise men after the fleshe not many mighty not many of hye degree are called And as the Pharesees said to theyr ministers when they came home from Christs Sermon Are ye also deceaued Doth any of the Rulers or of the Pharesees beleue on him But this coÌ„mon people whiche know not the lawe are cursed Did not the sede as we reade in the Gospell that was sowen fall into .iiii. partes and one parte onely brought forth good frute Did not a certaine man make a supper and called many and yet there came none but a fewe poore people halte lame feble blynde c. Bishop Cayphas gathered a councell where were present a great rable of bloudy hypocrites to condemne Christ no maÌ„ at all taking Christes part Against the Apostles of Christ assembled and gathered theÌ„ selues together the priestes the Rulers of the temple the Saduces the Pharesees the Scribes the Lawyers and Annas the chief priest and Cayphas and Iohn and Alexander and as many as were of the kinred of y e high priests but who rose vp to take their partes and to defend y e innoceÌ„cie of their cause What a swarme of helhoundes flocked together to condeÌ„ne blessed Stephen and to stone hym vnto death no man once speakyng one worde for hym What multitudes from tyme to tyme came agaynste Paule as we may see in the Actes of Apostles to accuse him and to make hym out of the way and howe fewe or rather none toke his parte After the Apostles tyme what swarmes of tyrauntes and beastly hypocrites rose vp againste the poore little company of the faythfull Christians murthering theÌ„ without al pitie or mercy As it is written For thy sake are
liberty of holy church for the Catholyke fayth for the safegarde of the people In the yere c. 1193 Ioan. Laziard Ioannes Stella Christianus Massaeus c. Of Byshops POpe Clement the fyrste ordayned that no Byshop ought to be appoynted by the clergye but with the consente of the common people He commaunded also that the byshops seate shoulde be set in an hygher and more honourable place than the seates and places of other In the yere c. 92. Ioan. Laziard Chron. Pope Boniface the thyrd commaunded that the clergye and the people of the diocesse shoulde chose theyr owne Byshop In the yeare of our Lord. 605 Platina Sabell Pope Gregory the seuenth ordayned that no priest should take a bishoprike of any lay man If he did that he shuld be excommunicate and lose his bishoprike In the yeare of oure Lorde 1073. Lib. Concil Pope Boniface the fourth made a decree that so long as the bishop liued no man should entreate of the new election of his successour but differ the matter vnto the thyrd day after his death In the yere of our Lord. 106. Ranulph Cestrensis Pope Sixtus the fyrst made a decree that if any Byshopryke wer voyde no man shuld presume to be bishop therof except he were fyrste admitted vnto it by the popes letters In the yere c. 129. Chron. Angl. Lib. Concil Pope Anacletus made a decree that a byshop shoulde be consecrated of no lesse than of three byshops yea those of the same prouince For sayth he an example of ordring bishops was shewed vnto the Christianes in Iames the lesser byshop of Ierusalem which was ordayned appoynted Byshop of these three Peter Iames and Iohn But if the Metropolitane shall be coÌ„secrated theÌ„ must al the bishops of the prouince be presente at his consecration In the yere of our Lord 101. Dist. 66 Cap. Archiepiscopus Ioan. Laziard Iacob Phil. Lib. Concil The aforesayd pope also ordayned that bishops shuld not be consecrated but on the sonday 75. Dist. Cap. Ordinationes episcoporum Pope Anicetus ordayned y t no Archbyshops should be called primates but such as had special priuilege graunted them of the most holy father the pope and that al suche so priuileged mighte also be lawfully called patriarches In the yere c. 169. Dist. 98. ca. Nulli Isuar Pope Lucius made an order that a Byshop should haue at al times and in al places attending vpoÌ„ him .ii. priests and .iii. deacons to testifye both of hys lyfe and of his doctrine In the yere c. 258. De consec Dist. 1. Cap. Iubemus Volat. Plat. Massaeus D. Barns Pope Euaristus ordayned that seuen Deacons should attende vpon the Bishop and kepe him while he preached least the enemyes of Gods truth wuld accuse him wrongfully and say that he erred agayne that he should be hearde with the more reuerence had in the greater honoure In the yeare c. 110. Ioan. Stella Ranulphus Cestrensis Pope Calixte the seconde made a decree that the church may neither chose an other Bishop nor put hym awaye nor yet be obedient to the ordinaunce of any other bishop so long as her proper byshop is a liue seyng that the Apostle sayth The wyfe is bound to the law of her husband so long as her husbande liueth But wheÌ„ he is once dead she is losoned from the law of her husband so that she may marry with whoÌ„ she will so it be in the Lorde that is to say sayeth he the church may chose an other Byshop so that it be done Regulariter that is after y e order appointment of our mother holy Churche In y e yere c. 1120. Quaest. 7.5 Sicut alterius This decree also is ascribed to Pope Euaristus Lib. Concil Pope Euaristus made a law y t without exceding great necessitye a Bishop might no more forsake hys church thaÌ„ the husband his wife For it is writteÌ„ saith hee he that seeth a woman lusteth after in his hart he hath commitadultery In the yeare of our Lord. 110. Lib. Concil Pope Innocent the sixt made a decree that bishops and all other ecclesiastical persons should repair home vnto their owne houses and cures maintain hospitalitie for the relief of the poore and suffer no idle nor loytering lubbers to remayne in their houses but only norishe suche as are vertuously occupied and apply themselues diligently to the study of the holy Scripture and to the readyng of the auncient wryters that they mighte afterwarde serue in the church of Christe In the yeare c. 1343 Chron. Ioannes Stella Pope Gregory the eleuenth said to a certayne bishop being absent from his bishopricke Thou bishoppe why goest thou not home to thy bishoprick The bishop aunswered againe with a stout courage And thou Pope which callest thy selfe father of fathers and the chief of all bishoppes whiche oughtest also to geue exaumple of dooing well to other Bishoppes prelates and priests why art thou so farre from Rome and art not resident vpon thy bishoprick at Rome In the yeare c. 1362. Albertus Crant Ioan. Stella Chron. Pope Leo the second ordayned that the Archbishops shuld pay nothing for theyr paul to the bishop of Rome but haue it freely geuen the. In the yere c 607. Albertus Crant Chron. Pope Anacletus made a decree that no bishop should presume to admit any persons vnto holy orders that dwel in an other bishoppes diocesse In the yere c. 101. Quest. 7. Cap. 1. Epis. in diocesi aliena Pope Anicetus made a law that wheÌ„ an Archbishop which is the Metropolitane should be consecrated all the bishoppes of that prouince ought to bee present euen as they all are bounde to obey hym In the yeare of our lord 159. Distinc. 66. Cap. ab omnibus phil Berg. Pope Zepherinus decreed that a bishop called into iudgemeÌ„t either of the patriarch or of the Primate or of the Metropolitane shoulde not bee condemned without the authority licence and consent of the Apostolique sea In the yeare c. 208. Iac. Phil. Bergom Pope Eusebius ordained that no prophane persons whom we cal lay men should presume to accuse or to cal into iudgement their Byshop In the yere c 309. Lib. Concil Iacob Philip. Bergom D. Barns Pope Innocent y e fyrst made a decree y t those byshops which sell prebendes benefices deanryes Abbotships priorships or any other ecclesiasticall dignityes eyther Sacraments or sacramentals as holy oyle chrisme halowing of altares c shoulde be adiudged Simoniakes and be punished as persons giltie of Simonye In the yere c. 408. Qu 1. Cap. 3. Si quis praebendas Philip. Bergom â—oan Stella Pope Hormisda decreed that no secular person shuld be chosen to be bishop but one of the number of priestes In the yeare of our Lord. 514. Dist. 61. Cap. 18. In sacerdotibus Pope
but they shall die out of hād ▪ a most shamefull death The seuenth priuilege is that the frendes and louers of saint Fraunces order ▪ be they neuer so wicked and vngodly shall notwithstandyng at the last obtayne mercy and dye a most blessed death Of the Frierly order of Maries seruantes POpe Benet bearing y t swinge Philip deuised the order of Friers whiche are called the seruaūts of our Lady He raised this order vnder the rule of Saint Austen with euen like wordes and fashion making difference of it with certayne ordinances of the Friers of our Lady which order afterward was confirmed by three byshoppes of Rome namely Benet the xi Boniface the eyght and Urban the sixte and is reckned among the beggyng orders At the the last it was wholy sanctified and halowed of Pope Innocentius the eighte and deliuered of the euell will that some cloysterers did owe them Theyr garmentes are lyke oure Ladyes brethren This order began in the yeare of our Lord .1304 Chron. Lib. Germ. Of the new order of the Friers of our Lady THys order is founded vnder the preachers order whiche also cal thēselues Maries brethrē They weare a white cote and a blacke cloke thereon with a blacke Friers coule Chro. Lib. Germ. Of the Austen Friers POpe Innocent the thyrde bearyng rule one Guilihelme a Duke of Aquitania and county of Lictauia inuented or rather repared and renued the order of the Austen Friers whiche had bene longe decayed and almoste made desolate before Thys Guilihelme fyrst dwelt in y e wildernesse with his brethren chastyeing his fleshe and subduyng it with a coate of males on hys bare body alwaye watchyng ▪ praying and fasting so that he was called a father and restorer of that order Afterwarde by the consent of Anastasius and Adrian Byshoppes of Rome he left the wildernesse and built about or as some saye within Paris a cloyster for that beggyng order of the Austen Friers whiche was confirmed by Pope Anastasius the fourth After that his apes and counterfayters with beggynge built manye other cloysters so that now this beggyng broode is spred ouer a greate parte of the worlde vnto the greate hindrance both of mennes purses and also of theyr saluation and by this meanes is beggyng which once was forbidden become a Goddes seruice In the yeare of oure Lorde .1195 Lib. Germ. Chron. Angl. Rules concerning all orders of Friers POpe Eusebius ordayned that a yong mā or a young womā although being assured together in the waye of mariage may notwithstanding their promises made departe one from an other and become Cloysterers In the yeare c. 309. Quest. 27. Cap. 2. Desponsatam Phil. Bergom Pope Gregory the ninth reygnyng a certayne blacke Fryer called Iordanes cōmaunded that silence should be kept of all his brethrē at the table This custome was shortly after receaued and practised of all other cloysterers generally In the yeare c. 1221. Vola Sabell Carranza c. Pope Gregory the tenthe approued some states of the orders of beggyng Fryers as the blacke and Grayfriers and some he suffered as the white and Austen Fryers and some he vtterly reproued as Sacke Fryers which were called Fratres de panitentia and Fratres de valla viridi and such like In the yere of our Lord .1271 Ranulphus Cestrensis Pope Sixtus the fourthe when the foure orders of beggyng Fryers did cōtende and stryue among themselues which of their order were moste holy most acceptable to god and of greatest perfection to auoyde the contention debate of these bragging boasting braulyng begging Fryers affyrmed all their orders to be of lyke holinesse perfection graunted to them al like priuileges graces and liberties In the yeare of oure Lorde .1471 Ioannes Laziardus Chron. Pope Alexander the fourth defended and approued y e vnshamefaced begging of the rauenyng fryers and whereas afore they dwelt in solitarye places he gaue them licence to dwell where they woulde euen in the middes of cities townes and there to preache to heare cōfessions to enioyne penaūce to geue absolutiō to serue cures c garnishing and confyrming their orders with many immunities priuileges libertyes exemptions indulgences pardons c. In the yeare of oure Lorde .1254 Ioannes Stella Of Nunnes and of the diuersitye of that secte POpe Iohn the fyrst being Byshop of Rome Monke Benet after that he had placed hymselfe and hys monkyshe brethren in a certayne noble and famous cloyster built vpon the Mount Cassinus raysed vp also an order of Nunnes and made hys Sister Scholastica Abbesse ouer thē The apparell of these Nunnes is a blacke cote cloke coule and vayle And least the scripture should disceaue her and hers it was commaūded that none of that order should rede the holy scripture without consent or permission of their superiour In the yeare c. Chron. Lib. Germ. Of the Nunnes of S. Clares order POpe Innocent the thyrd bearing rule a certain maide called Clara a countreywoman and Disciple of Fraunces the Fryer assembled and gathered together a congregation of poore women and gaue them an order of lyfe like vnto the rule that Fryer Fraunces gaue hys couent Theyr garment is graye Their order admitteth none but woman kynde excepte it bee for to saye Masse Thys order of Clara both Pope Honorius the thyrde and Pope Gregorye the nynth endowed with many gyftes and priuileges In the yeare of our Lord .1225 Lib. Germ. Volat. Polidorus Ioannes Laziardus in hys Chronicle writeth that pope Innnocent the fourth made the rule whiche the Nunnes of Saint Clares order vse at thys presente Of the Nunnes of S. Brigittes or Brides order POpe Vrban the fyrst beyng Byshop of Rome a certayne wydowe called Brigitta Princesse of Suetia began the order of Nunnes called Brigittians But it is to be vnderstand that thys order of Brigit receaueth as wel men as women although they dwel seuerally by themselues the men deuided from the women and the women from the men For thys holy woman Brigitte ordayned that both men and women beeing of thys order myghte well dwell together and haue their habitation both vnder one roofe but yet men and women seperated eche from other so y t the one might not come to the other except only whē nede required to minister the Sacramentes The Church shoulde be common to both Neuerthelesse y e Nunnes shoulde be closed aboue in a closet and the men beneath wayting vpō the diuine seruice and that these should tend the altare and thei the quere The Abbesse shoulde haue the primacye and the brethren to bee vnder her so that she shoulde prouyde both for man and woman meate drinke and clothyng Among the brethren shuld one be called Prior Warden or Confessour and be aboue the other The women shuld be consecrated and brought in by the Byshop Their clothing is a gray cote with a gray cloke theron a red crosse in a white circle They may weare no linnen after the
ought by their office to haue giuen their minde to the preaching of the gospell and the prouision making for the poore set all their pleasure on pleasaunt singing not caryng how they liued afore god so that with their voyces they might please y e world He was therefore compelled to make a decree that all suche as be in the holy ministery should from thenceforth vnder the payne of excommunicatioÌ„ geue their minds no more to singing but apply themselues to the studies of the holy scriptures and the reading of the gospell In Regist. part 5. cap. 44. Undoubtedly sayth S. Gregory true prayer câ—Ì„sisteth not in the voyce of the mouth but in the thoughts of y e heart For our words do not make the voices the pithier of y e greater force to come vnto the most secret eares of God but our desire and affections Therefore sayth the Lord in the gospel Enter into thy closette sparre the doore He sparreth the doore and prayeth in hys closet whiche holdeth his peace with his mouth poureth out the affection of his minde in the sight of god aboue Moral Lib. 22. cap. 18. S. Iohn Chrisostome also writeth on this maner It is the duty of a deuout mynde to praye to God not with the voice or with the souÌ„d of the voice but with the deuotion of the minde and with the fayth of the heart Agayne he saith the crieng of the voyce is not the worke in prayer vnto god whome we knowe that he beholdeth the secretes of the heart but the crieng of faith and the deuotion of a godly and pure mind Therfore the beste waye to pray is to pray with hart minde spirit soule and and inwarde man HoÌ„ 44. de Ioan. Paul Festo The Emperoure Iustiniane made a law that all byshops and priestes both in the time of diuine seruice and also in the ministration of the holy sacrameÌ„ts should with so open and cleare voyce pronounce all thynges in the tounge which the people vnderstand that they might therby be the better edified and also be the more feruently stirred vnto deuotion and prayinge to God For sayth he so doth the holy Apostle teache in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying If thou geue thankes onely in the spirite that is to say in an vnknowen tounge howe shall he that occupyeth the roume of the vnlearned say Amen at thy thankes geuinge seynge he vnderstaÌ„deth not what thou sayest Thou verely geuest thankes well but y e other is not edifiedâ— And again in his Epistle to the Romans he sayth on thys manner to beleue with the heart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe In consideration whereof sayth that Godly Emperoure it is conuenient that amonge other prayers those thynges also whiche are sayde in the holy oblation that is to saye in the ministration of the Lordes super or the hloy communioÌ„ of the body and bloud of Christ be vttered spoken with a loude voice of the deuout Byshops priest to our Lord Iesu Christ one God with the father and the holy ghost willyng theÌ„ to know that if they neglect any of these things they shall not only geue accoÌ„pt therof in y e dreadeful iudgement of the great God our sauiour Iesu Christ but we also hauing knowledge herof wil not be coÌ„tent nor leaue the things vnreuenged In constitut Authen 123. Guilihelmus Durandus sayth that the vse of singing was ordained for carnal and fleshlye men and not for spirituall and godly minded men Rat. di off Polidorus â—ergilius writeth on thys manner Howe greatly that ordinauÌ„ce of singyng brought into the Churche by Pope Damasus and Sainct Ambrose began euen in those dayes to be profitable Sainct Austen declareth euidentlye in the booke of hys Confessions where he asketh forgeuenesse of God bicause he had giuen more heede and better eare to the singing than to the weighty matter of y e holy wordes But now adayes saith Polidore it appereth euidently y t it is much lesse profitable for our commen wealth seyng our singers make such a chattering charme in the teÌ„ples that nothyng can be heard but the voice and they that are present they are present so many as are in the Citie being content with such a noyse as delight their eares care nothyng at all for the vertue pithe and strength of the wordes so that nowe it is come to this point that with the common sort of people all the worshippyng of God semeth to be set in these singsters although generally there is no kynde of people more light nor more leud And yet the greater parte of the people for to heare them boing bleating and yelling â—locke into the Churches as into a common gameplace They hire them with money they cherishe and feede them yea to be short they thinke them alone to be the ornamentes and precious iewels of Gods house c. Wherefore without doubt it were better for religion to cast out â—f y e churches suche chatteryng and â—anglyng â—ayes or els so to appoynt them that when they sing they should rather rehearse the songes after the manner of such as reade than followe the fashion of chatteryng charmers whiche thyng S. Austen in his aforesayde booke doth witnesse that S. Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria dyd in hys diocesse and he commendeth him greatly for it Lib. 6. de inuent rerum Cap. 2. Cornelius Agrippa writeth of singing in churches on this manner Athanasius dyd forbyd singing in hys Churches bycause of the vanitye thereof But Ambrose as one more desyrous of Ceremonyes and pompe ordayned the vse of singing and makyng melodye in Churches Austen as a man indifferent betwixt both in hys booke de confessionibus graunteth that by this meanes he was in a greate perplexitie and doubt concernyng thys matter But nowe a dayes Musicke is growne to such and so greate licentiousnesse that euen at the ministration of y e holy Sacramente all kynde of wanton leude trifelyng songes with pipyng of Organs haue theyr place and course As for the diuine seruice and common prayer it is so chaunted mynsed and mangled of oure costlye hired curious and nise Musitions not to instructe the audience withall nor to stirre vp mens mindes vnto deuotion but with an whoryshe armonye to tickle theyr eares that it may iustly seme not to be a noyse made of men but rather a bleating of brute beastes while y e children ney discant as it were a sorte of coltes other bellowe a tenoure as it were a companye of oxen other barke a counterpoynt as it were a number of dogges other roare out a treble lyke a sort of bulles other grunte out a base as it were a number of hogges so that a foule euel fauoured noyse is made but as for the wordes and sentences and the very matter it selfe is nothing vnderstranded at all but the authoritye and power of iudgemente is taken
For they are sayth he holy and precious tinhges yea and reliques Guil. Durand Pope Pius the firste commaunded that if any of the Sacramentall wyne should chaunce to fall vpon the grouÌ„d or vpon any other place the priestes should licke it vp with their tonges In the yeare c. 147. Durand Lib. Concil Pope Stephen the first ordained that a priest in his diuine seruice should vse none other but halowed garmentes In the yeare of our Lord. 261. Sabel The same pope also appointed that the priestes should not weare their halowed garmeÌ„tes but only in y e tyme of their diuine seruice Faâ— Temp. DuraÌ„dus Pope Innocent the thyrde bearynge rule it was decreed in the Councel Laterane that men must beleue that although the wordes whiche are recited in the Canon of the Masse be not rehearsed of the Euangelistes in theyr Gospels yet were they spokeÌ„ of Christ deliuered to his Apostles their successoures and be of equall authoritie with the holy scriptures In the yeare c. â—â—95 Dec. 3. tit 41. Cap. 6. Chron. Pope Adrian the first in a Councell holden at Rome made a decree that the OccideÌ„tall or weast Churches thorow out all Europe al other fashions of Matteâ—syng and Massyng set a parte and vtterly put away should onely vse that kinde of seruice which Pope Gregory the firste had tofore ordayned In the yeare of our Lord. 796. Nauclerus Sigesbert Durandus Achiles Carolus Magnus the Emperoure dyd not a little helpe to bryng this matter to passe For he dyd not only coÌ„mauÌ„de by publique edicts y t the decree of y e romish bishop amoÌ„g the which Gregoryes seruice hath not the least nor the lasts place should be obserued and kept thorowe out al the Empyre of Rome but he himself also was a most diligent setter forth of the same For he ran about from place to place thorow out all the prouinces of the Empyre compelled all the priests whether they would or not to receaue the seruice which Pope Gregory appointed yea and y t not only with threatning manacyng wordes but also with emprisonment Ioan. Nauclerus Guilielmus Durandus Iacobus de voragine in the life of Pope Gregory the firste telleth a tale concerning this matter In tymes past saieth he when the seruice whiche Ambrose made was more frequented and vsed in Churches than was the seruice whiche Gregory had appoynted the Bishop of Rome called Adrianus gathered a Councell together in the whiche it was ordayned that Gregoryes seruice shoulde be obserued and kept vniuersallye whiche determination of the Councell Charles the Emperoure did diligentlye put in execution whyle he raÌ„n about by diuerse prouinces and enforced all the Clergye partlye with threatnyngs and partly with punishementes to receaue that order And as touchynge the bookes of Ambrose seruice he brent them to ashes in all places and threwe into prison many priests that would not consent and agree to the matter Blessed Eugenius the Bishop commyng vnto the Councell founde that it was dissolued three dayes before his commyng Notwithstandyng thorowe his wisedome he so persuaded the Lord Pope that he called agayne all the Prelates y t had bene present at the Councel and were now departed by the space of three dayes Therfore when the Councell was gathered agayne together in this all the fathers did conseÌ„t and agree that both the maâ—â—ebokes of Ambrose and Gregory shuld be laid vpon the altar of blessed Peter the Anâ—â—le and the Church doores diâ—igenâ—ly shut and most warely sealed vp with the signets of many and diuerâ— Bishops Againe that they should all the whole night geue themselues to prayer that the Lorde myght reuele declare open and shewe vnto them by some euident signe or token whiche of these ii seruices he woulde haue vsed in the temples Thus they doyng in all points as they had determined in the morning opened y e church doores and founde both the Missals or massebookes open vpon the altare or rather as some saye they found Gregoryes massebooke vtterly plucked a sunder one pece from an other and scattered abroad into thys and that place As touchynge Ambrose booke they onely found it open vpon the altare in the very same place where they had toforâ— layd it By this signe they thought theÌ„selues sufficiently instructed taught of God that the seruice which Gregory had made ought to be set abroade and vsed thorowout all the world and that Ambroses seruice should only be obserued kept in hys owne Church which is at Mediolanum where he sometymâ— was Byshop Hereof came it to passe that Gregoryes seruice hath onely place nowe a dayes in the greatest parte of Europe Iacobus de voragine in vita Gregorij primi Guil. Durand Thus hast thou most geÌ„tle Reader howe the masse was begotten conceaued borne euen anone after the Apostles tyme if all be true that the Historiographes write Thou hast also how the masse grewe vp in continuance of time and was encreased by diuerse popes euerye one puttyng vnto it theyr owne fantasye tyll at the laste it was full finished by Pope Gregory the first about the yeare of our Lord. 600 euen aboute the very tyme when Mohommetes secte began in the East parte of the worlde and papacye in the weste Notwithstandyng from Pope Gregoryes dayes vnto the tyme of Carolus Magnus the forme of Gregoryes Masse was vsed onely in the Citie of Rome and in the diocesse of the same aboute two hundred yeares FroÌ„ Charles the great vnto y e tyme of Charles the fift the Masse rained ruled ruffled triuÌ„phed as a moste puissant and myghty Queene not onely in Italye and Germany in Fraunce and Englande but also in all the Churches of the weste part of the worlde about 700. yeares But in y e daies of the Emperour Charles the fifth and in the most florishyng reygne of the most blessed and Godlye Prince Kynge Edward the sixte Kynge of Englande Fraunce and Irelande c the Masse beynge an olde worne hagge full of sickenesses and disseases died was buryed and went down into Purgatory for the maintenauÌ„ce wherof she was moste chieflye deuysed and defended so that now neyther Germamanye nor Denmarke nor England nor Scotlande with many other countreyes and kyngdomes is anye more troubled w t her sorceries witchcrafts neyther are those her Chapplens the Massemongers and Purgatory rakers any more set a worke or had in price And although the Masse seeme yet to pant and to breathe in some places as though she woulde be glad to recouer lyfe and to lyue yet a lyttle longer in thys worlde yet forasmuche as she is no God but an Idoll of all moste vayne she shall neuer so ryse agayne that she shall recouer her olde strengths dignities but rather shall decay dayly more and more and suffer those worthye and deserued plagues which God threatneth her in the reuelations of blessed S. Iohn For this
of the Aungels hath God geuen that whiche he hath geuen to the priest I meane Whatsoeuer ye bynde on earth shal be bounde also in heauen Note there are two keyes that is to say of knowledge and of power geuen of the Lord to blessed Peter and to other men not to al meÌ„ but to Priestes alone and to their successoures For althoughe God alone forgeue synne yet neuer or verye seldome dothe he forgeue synne withoute his ministers that is to say Priestes Whiche thyng may be proued by the Lepers to whome when the Lorde had healed them he sald Go shewe your selues to the priestes and humbly obey them And whyle they were goyng they were made cleane It maye also bee proued by Lazarus whom when the Lorde had raysed vp he sayd to hys Disciples Loose hym and let hym go But wherfore dyd not the Lorde hymselfe loosen hym from y t knots of the byndings which had losoned hym froÌ„ y e bondes of death And wherfore dyd he not commaunde Mary and Martha hys systers to loose him or hys kynnesfolke the Iewes whiche were nerer vnto hym by the course of nature than the Disciples of y e Lord Verelye to declare manifestlye and to proue playnly that the power to loose and to bynde is geuen of the Lorde to priestes alone Beholde how great the goodnesse of God and the worthinesse of priestes is For the Lorde himselfe worketh good somtime euen by them y e are euell and that to thys ende bycause the keyes of the Churche should not be despised or set at nought of the faythfull For although priestes sometime haue not thys power ex merito yet haue they it ex officio dignitatis And if any priest â—e vnworthye which god forbid y t hurteth hymselfe it hyndreth thee nothyng at all Beholde what greate power is geuen to you priestes For your tounges are made the keyes of heauen O how great dignitie saith Bernard hath god geuen to you How great and excellent is y e prerogatiue of y e priestes order He hath preferred you aboue the Kynges of y e earth He hath exalted thys order of priestes aboue all men Yea as I may speake more highly he hath preferred you before Aungells thrones and powers For as he toke not Aungels but Abrahams sede to bryng to passe redemption so lykewyse hath he committed y e consecration of his body and bloude not to Aungells but to men that is to saye to priestes only Seing then y t a priest is of so greate dignitie y t he is the maker of hys maker him to destroy or to condemne it is not conuenient c. This is a very heauenly priuilege this is an exceding great glory this is a grace excelling all grace a priest to holde God in hys hands We beleue are thorowly perswaded y t the celebration of so noble a mysterye is committed to none of the Aungels to none of the Archeaungels nor to any other heauenly spirites but to your order onely c. For on the altare thorowe the mouthe and the handes of y e priestes the bodye of Christ is made euen that very bodye whiche is on the right hand of God c. O ye priestes howe greate a thing is this that at the lifting vp of your handes Kynges bowe down their heades yea Kings and Queenes offer giftes to you All the Churche or congregation confesseth calleth you fathers and desireth you to praye for them c. O the worshipfull holynesse of priestes handes O blessed and happie exercise O the true ioye of the worlde where lowe things ar ioyned to y e most high thinges when Christ handleth Christ y e priest y e sonne of God Thou hast a delight to be with the sonnes of men Therefore sayth Peter speakyng of priests ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthoode an holy Nation a wonne people c. O ye priests consider the excellencye of your moste noble dignitye For the lord hath enriched beautified you before al other his creatures Verely priestes ar worthy to be honoured seing y e the Lord hath geueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ passing al other so greate grace and honoure in the worlde Ex lib cui titulus est Stella Clericorum Of the ceremonies of the popyshe Churche Of holy water POpe Alexander the fyrst as y e papistes fayne ordayned water mingled with salte to bee halowed afterward sprinckled vpon the people to put away their sinnes and to make theÌ„ holy and pure He also commaunded y t it shoulde bee kept both in churches and in houses to chase and dryue away deuills and wicked spirites not onely oute of houses wher meÌ„dwel but also out of y e hearts of the faythfull as though fayth and y e deuel could dwel together in one heart In the yere c. 110. Grat. Plat. Sabel Lib. Concil D. Barns Pâ—antal The wordes of pope Alexanders canon ar these We blesse y e water mingled with salte for thys purpose that all that bee sprinckled therewith may bee made holy and pure whiche thyng we commaunde all Priestes lykewyse to doe For sayeth he if the ashes of an heyfer sprinckled made holy and clensed the people from veniall synnes Muche more water sprynckled wyth salte and halowed with holye prayers doth sanctifye make holye and clense the people from veniall synnes And if the salte being sprynckled by Helizeus the barennesse of theâ— water was healed Howe muche more salte being halowed with Godlye prayers taketh awaye the barennesse of such thynges as appertayne to man and sanctifyeth and pourgeth them y t are defiled and multiplyeth suche goodes as we haue nede of and turneth away y e disceates of the deuill and defendeth men from al naughty and wicked fansies c. De conse Dist. 3. Cap. Aquam sale conspersam Lib. Concil Is not this good stuffe is not this worthy to be called gods seruice Oughte not y e people to ryse vp make curtesy to the Popyshe shauelynge when he sprinckleth theÌ„ with water of so great vertue Are not the scriptures here wel applied Doth not this ceremony make Christ Iacke out of office with all hys workes and merites God haue mercy on vs and shortly confouÌ„d Antichrist Guilihelmus DuraÌ„dus sayth y t the holy water hath deserued to haue of God so great vertue that as outwardly it washeâ—h the body from filthynesse so inwardly cleÌ„seth the soules from sinnes O blasphemye intollerable This is y e goodly Godlye Catholyke doctrine wherwith the vngoodly vngodly Papistes infecte the mindes of such Christians as are simple and light of belief yea wherwith they caste the soules of all suche as put their confidence and trust in these pylde begarly and lousy ceremonyes into euerlastyng damnation And yet must they be called laudable ceremonies well worthy and God will to be frequented and vsed in the Churche of Christ. And the teachers of thys doctrine the ministers of these
Isidor Volat. Platina D. Barns Some make Pope Theodorus author of it which liued about the yere of our Lorde 613. Chron. Fasciculus Temporum Durandus Guilielmus Durandus sayeth y e Saincte Ambrose made the benediction or prayer wherewith the Paschall Taper is halowed on Easter euen He sayeth moreoueÌ„r that Augustinus and Petrus Diaconus the Monke made also other benedictions whiche are not in vse Rat. di offi Of Oyle and Creame and of the halowing of the same POpe Clement the fyrst brought fyrst of all the Oyle Creame into the Church In the yere of our Lord .92 Some attribute this ceremonye to Pope Siluester the fyrst In the yere c. 315. Chron. Lib. Concil Pope Fabian ordayned y t the Oyle and Creame which are vsed to be kept in the Chrismatorye for sundrye purposes and vses should be renued euery Maundye Thursdaye and y t the olde shuld be brent For saith he it is a new sacrament therefore must it alwaies be renued and the olde brent De conse Dist. 3. Cap. In literis Plat. Volat. Fascicu Temp. Polyd. Pope Siluester the fyrst gaue straight charge y t neither deacoÌ„ nor priest shuld presume to halow Oyle and Creame but only the Byshop In the yeare c. 315. Lib Concil Pope Anastasius the fyrst commaunded that so soone as the Byshop hath halowed the Oyle and Creame either the Subdeacons or the Deacons with all expedition should carrye it vnto all the Churches thorowe out the diocesse that it may be in a readinesse agaynste Easter day In the yeare of our Lorde 404. Lib. Concil Chron. Of the Fire on Easter euen and of the Halowing therof POpe Zozimus ordayned not only y e Paschall Taper to be halowed on Easter euen but also that a Fire shoulde be made in euerye Churche on that day and halowed againe that the Paschal should be lightned with the flame of that Fyre and al other candles in the Churche In the yeare c. Chron. Germ. Of Halowing the Fonte on Easter euen POpe Pius the firste brought in the halowing of y e Fonte In the yere c. 147. Plat. Sabell Pope Leo Pope Damasus and S. Ambrose added the Exorcismes or coniurations and the benedictions or blessings with the other solemnities that be vsed at y e halowing of the Fonte as droppyng the candle into it the priestes breathing into it the deuiding and casting out of y e water c. Chron. Germ. Guil. Durand in Rat. di off Of halowing new Frutes POpe Eutichianus decreed that all new frutes but specially Beanes Grapes shuld be blessed coÌ„secrated and halowed vpon the altare In the yere c. 276. plat polid D. Barâ—s Of Fasting SAint Peter the Apostle of Christ first Pope of Rome as the Papistes fayne where he lyued by the space of xxv yeares and reygned the great and high Byshop ordayned that both Aduent and Lent shoulde be solemnely deuoutly fasted of all christen people in the remembraunce of the first and seconde comming of our Lord Iesu. In the yeare of our Lord. 36. IoaÌ„ Laziar Chron. Angl. Durand Guilihelmus Durandus sayth that after the mind of S. Gregory de consecrat dist â— Lent is counted to begynne on the firste Sondaye in Lent and to ende easter euen whiche tyme sayth he containeth xlii dayes of the which take away the sixe Sondayes so there remayne onelye 36. dayes Therefore that the number of forty dayes whiche Christe fasted might be perfited the aforesayd Pope Gregory added and put to Lent foure dayes of the weeke that go before that is to saye Wednesday Thursdaye Frydaye and Saterdaye De consecra dist 5. Quadragesima Durand in Rat. di off Telesphorus as other affirme whiche I thinke to be more true appoynted firste of all Lent to be fasted before Easter And he moreouer added an other weeke to it whiche is commonlye called Quinquagesima This weeke he coÌ„maunded the priestes to fast more than the laytye bicause they whiche ought to be holier than the reaste shoulde in this ordinarye faste shewe more abstistinence than other In the yere of our Lord. 139. Lib. Concil Euseb. Sabell Polid. D. Barnes In a certain Sinode holdeÌ„ at Nice it was ordained that the fasting of Lent which before endured from the sixt day of Ianuarye vnto the sixtenth daye of February should begyn and ende as it is now vsed Chron. Ranulphus Cest. Carcombertus king of Englande was the first that commaunded the inhabitantes of England to fast Lent about the yeare of oure Lorde 645. Sigeb in Chron. Pantal. Pope Gregory the second made a decree that christen men should fast also on the thursdayes in Lent which was neuer vsed afore and that there should be solemne massing also on those daies in Churches But Pope Melchiades ordayned that no man shoulde faste the Thursday no more than the Sonday For sayth he as the sonday was soleÌ„ne bicause of the resurrection of the Lord so lykewise ought thursdaye to be bicause on that day Christ instituted his supper and ascended into heauen In the yeare of our Lord. 729. Sigebertus in Chron. Guil. Durand Pantal. Pope Siluester the firste ordayned that Wednesday Fryday and Saterday should be fasted euery weeke thorow out the yeare As for Sondayes thursdayes he woulde haue them be kept merely holy with double feast as they vse to say in holy kitchin For on the sondaye sayth he tâ—e Lorde Iesus rose vp from death to lyfe and on the Thursday he ascended into heauen he instituted the Sacrament of his body and made the holy creame In the yere of our Lord. 315. Bergom Pope Gregory the seuenth renewed the saterday fast and commauÌ„ded that there should be no fleshe eaten of Christians that daye In the yeare c. 1073. Plat. Volat. Nauclerus Ioannes Stella de consec dist 5. caâ— Quia dies Sabathi Many attribute the Saterday fast to Pope Innocent the firste In the yeare c. 408. Grat. Sabel Fasci Temp. Pantal. And Pope Innocentes reason why men should fast the saterday is this First bicause on that daye Christ lay buried in the Sepulchre Secondely bicause his disciples for verye sorowe fasted that day Lib. Concil Chron. Chronicarum Alb. Crantzius Notwithstandynge Guilihelmus Durandus saith that Pope Innocent made a constitution y t the saterdaye in Lent should not be fasted bicause the Lorde rested in the sepulchre on the saterday â—or a token of the quietnesse and reast that we shall hereafter haue wherein â—â— in the Festiualle on this manner Good freÌ„des this weeke ye shall haue Imber dayes that is Wednesday Friday and Saterday the which dayes Calixtus the Pope ordayned foure times in y e yeare to all that be of conuenable age to fast for certayne causes as ye shall heare Our olde fathers fasted foure times in the yeare agaynste foure high and solemne feastes and if we will shewe vs good
children we must fast and folow the same rule that they vsed And therfore we fast foure times First in march The secōd at Whitsontyde The third betwene haruest seedetyme And the fourth before Christmasse Marche is a time that drieth vp the moysture that is in the earth Wherefore we fast that time to drie the earth of our body of the humours that be noyous to the bodye and to the soule For that tyme the humours of letchery tempteth a mā most of any time of the yeare Also we do fast at Whitsontyde to get grace of the holy Ghost that we may be in loue and charitie to God and to all the worlde ▪ Charitas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum Charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Also we must faste for to haue meekenesse in oure heartes and to put awaye all pride y t renueth within vs. Also we faste betwene haruest and sede time for to haue grace to gather frutes of good workes into the house of oure conscience and so by ensample of good liuing among the people that we bee common with both ryche and poore Also we faste in winter for to slea all stinckyng weedes of sinne and of foule earth and fleshly lustes y t maketh good Angells good people to withdrawe them from vs. For ryghte as a nettle brenneth roses and other flowers that growe nie him In the same wyse a vicious man or woman styrreth and setteth on fyre them y t bene in his companye And for these causes we faste foure times in the yeare euery tyme three dayes y e betokeneth three speciall vertues that helpeth a man to grace y t is fasting deuoute praying and almesse dede doing And by opiniō of much people these daies bene called Imber daies bicause y t our elder Fathers would on these dayes eate no breade but cakes made vnder ashes So y t by the eatyng of y t thei reduced into their minde that they were but ashes and so shoulde turne agayne and wiste not how sone and by that tourned away from all delicious meates and drinkes and tooke none heede but y t they had easye sustenaunce This caused them to thynke on death and y ◠wil cause a man to desire no more thā him nedeth and to abstayne hymselfe frō al manner of bodily lusts to encrease in vertues wherby we may come to euerlasting blesse And at a councell holden at Magonce it was decreed y t when those Imberdayes come they shoulde bee fasted of all people and that they shoulde on those daies come deuoutly vnto church and heare Masse and geue themselues to prayer and deuotion Libro Concil Pope Innocent the thyrde made a decree that all the Apostles euens should be fasted excepte the euens of Phillip and Iacob and of Iohn the Euangeliste In the yere c. 1195. Lib. 3. accretal Gregorij Cap. 2. de obseruatione ieiunij Chron. Germani The same pope also appoynted that the euen of Mathias shoulde also bee fasted as one of y e Apostles euens and y t if the daye of Mathias be on the monday y e euen shall be fasted on the saterday and not on the sonday Ibidem Pope Vrban the syxt commaunded y e the euens of these feasts of our Lady y t is to say the visitation y e assumption natiuitye should be fasted In the yere c. 1371. Lib. Concil Chron. Germ. Pope Boniface the fyrst ordayned y e saints euens shuld be solemnely fasted In the yeare c. 425. The same ordinaunce is also ascribed to pope Gregorye y e second Chron Germa Pope Honorius the thirde made a decree y t if y e feast of y e natiuitye of Christ chaunce to fall vpon the Friday yet it shall be lawful for al men to eate flesh on that day excepte it be suche as haue vowed to the contrary In the yere c. 1214. Lib 3. decret Gregorij de obseruatione ieiunij Pope Gregory the fyrst cōmaunded y t neyther fleshe nor any thyng y t hath affinitye with fleshe as Chese Milke Egges c shoulde bee eaten on suche dayes as are appoynted to bee fasted In the yeare c. 560. Grat. Pol. Pantale Pope Eusebius made a lawe y t all suche feastes as are commaunded of priests in the Church to be fasted shuld in no condition bee broken excepte necessitie compell any man to the contrarye In the yeare c. 309. Lib. Concil Chron. Germ. In the festiuall we reade that these sortes of people be priuileged and exempted from the lawe of fastyng that is to say Children y t bene within age Women y t bee with childe Olde people y t bene myghtlesse weake and impotente And finally labouryng people as pilgrimes and like people those that the lawe dispenseth with vppon theyre conscience Dominica prima in quadragesima In the Councell Gangrense it was decreed y t if any person of presumption woulde despyse to faste suche dayes as were cōmaunded of holy churche he shuld be excommunicate and be taken of the Christen congregation as an Ethnike and Publicane Libro Concil Barthol Carrantz The Popes decrees affirme playnly as Guilielmus Durandus testifyeth that whosoeuer eateth any thyng beefore Masse bee done on suche dayes as are appoynted by holy church to be fasted the same committeth deadly synne In Rat. di off Lib. Concil In the Councell Braccarense it was agreed y t al the Apostles euens shoulde be fasted excepte the euens of these Apostles Phillip and Iacob and Iohn the Euangeliste as we to fore heard oute of the decree of Pope Innocent y e thyrde For the feast of Phillip and Iacob is betwene Easter and Witsontide which is a tyme of ioye and gladnesse therfore is there no fastyng accordyng to thys old rule Inter Pen et Pa◠non est Dirige neque fasting day And y e feast of ◠Iohn the Euangelist is at Christmasse whē men muste make good cheere and bee frolyke and mery Guilielmus Durandus Lib. Concil The Councell Chalcedonense made a decree y t they should be counted by no meanes to faste which taste any meate or drinke before euenyng prayer bee done Lib. Concil Iacobus de Voragine in his boke entituled Historia Longobardica sheweth a reason whye the Imberdayes bee rather fasted on the Wednisday Friday and Saterdaye than on the Mondaye Tuesday and Thursday For saith he the Lorde Iesus was betrayde of Iudas on the Wednisday And on y e Fridaye he was crucified And on the Saterday following he lay in hys sepulchre and the Apostles were very sadde for the death of their Lorde Of Holy dayes and of Feastes of Sainctes with such like POpe Pius the fyrst ordayned y t Easter daye shoulde be celebrated and kept holy euer on the Sondaye In the yere of our Lorde 147. Libro Concil Polyd. D. Barns Pantal. Pope Gregory the fyrst approued and allowed the feast of the Trinitie which Pope Alexander woulde by
fourth afterwarde willed that the Feaste of all Sainctes should be kept the first day of Nouember In the yeare of our Lord. 486. Plat. Sabel Polid. D. Barns Pope Iohn the .xviii. confirmed the Feast of all soules whiche was begoÌ„n by a certayne Monke called Oclilo and commaunded that it should be kept â—oly in euery Churche the day followyng the Feast of all Saintes In the yeare of our Lord. 999. Petrus Damianus Christianus Massaeus Volat. Fascicuâ—us Temporum Ioan. Stella Polid. This Feast as they write toke the begynnyng on this manner A certain Monke named Oclilo prouinciall of the Monkes of Clunâ—acensis order vpon an occasion that he hearde about Etna the mountaine of Sicilie oftentimes great weping lamenting and crying which he supposed to be the yellynge of euill spirites that wailed bicause the soules of dead men were taken out of Purgatory from theÌ„ by the peticioÌ„s prayers suffrages and sacrifices of well disposed Christen people persuaded his Couent to make a generall Obite for all soules the daye next after the feaste of all Sainctes and desired Pope Iohn the xviii to set it forth by his authoritie and to commaund it to be obserued generally as a godly Institution full of louyng tender and pitifull charitie Whiche thinge Pope Iohn did with all expedition so that of this Monkes foolishe supposition there hath sprong vp muche vayne superstition Volat. Polid. Ioan. Laziard Pope Sixtus the fourth ordayned the feastes of the Conception and presentation of Marye the Uirgine and the Feastes of Anne her Mother and of Ioseph her husband and also of Fraunces In the yeare c. 1469. Decret Extravagant Ioan. Laziard Pope Vrban the sixt made the visitation of Mary holyday In the yeare c. 1390. Christ. Mass. Chron. Germ. Pope Sergius otherwise called Popes Swinesnoute confirmed the feast of the Purification of Mary commonly called Candelmassedaye whiche before was instituted at Constantinople Pope Vigilius beyng Byshop of Rome In the yeare of our Lord. 684. Sigeb Pantal And he commauÌ„ded that all the people shoulde on that daye go procession cary brennyng candels about with them in their hands Chron. Germ. Guil. Durand Pope Boniface the eyght ordayned that the feastes of the foure Euangelistes Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn agayne that the feastes of the foure Doctours Ambrose Hierome Austen and Gregorye shoulde be double feastes in holye Churche In the yeare of our Lorde 1286. Fasciculus Temp. Christ. Massaeus Ioan. Stella Pope Leo the firste commaunded that the Sonday shoulde be kept holy and that all Christians should behaue themselues Godlye and vertuously all the daye long in praying in hearyng readyng the worde of God in visityng the sicke and poore and in comforting the comfortlesse In the yeare of our Lord. 444. Volat. Sabel Pantal. Pope Leo the thirde bearyng rule a CouÌ„cell was holden at Magontia in Germany where it was decreed that al SoÌ„dayes should be kept holy with al reuerence and that all men on those dayes should abstayne from al seruice worke and worldly businesse and that there shoulde be no Markets no Faires no bying nor selling on the Sonday Againe that no man on that daye shoulde be iudged either vnto death or vnto any payne In the yeare c. 817. Lib. Concil Barth Carranza Pope Innocent y e fourth bearing rule it was agreed in a certain councel holdeÌ„ at Lyons what holydayes should specially be obserued and kept where it was decreed that the Sondayes should be kept holy from Saterday at noone till Sonday at night Item the feastes following should also be halowed and kept holy that is to say the feastes of the Natiuitie of Christ of S. Stephen of S. Ihon the Euangeliste of the Innocentes of S. Siluester of the CircuÌ„cision of y e Epiphanye of Easter with the whole weekes y t go before after of the Rogation dayes of the Ascention of Christ of Whitsontide with the two daies following of S. Iohn Baptiste of the xxii Apostles of S. Laurence of blessed Marye of S. Michaell of the Dedication of the Temple of al Saints of S. Martine and to be short all such feastes of Canonised Saintes as euery Byshop in his diocesse with y e consent of the Clergye and the people haue determined to kepe holy As for all other feastes y t are in the yeare the people ought neither to be compelled to kepe them holy day nor yet to be forbidden but euery man to do according to hys deuotioÌ„ In the yere of our lord 1242. Libro Concil Polydor. Guilielmus Durandus This decree also was made in a couÌ„cell holden at Maguntia Bartholom Carrantz A councell holden at Basille confyrmed the feast of the Conception of Mary the Uirgine and graunted to so many as deuoutlye kepe it holy daye and bee presente at the seruice an hundred and fyftye dayes of pardon Lib Concil In y e councel Toletane it was decreed y t the feast of the Annunciation of Mary should be kept holy the fyftene daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye and that the feast of the Natiuitye of her sonne that is to saye Christmasse should bee celebrated and kepte holye the eyghts daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye Lib. Concil Item in a councell holden at Basille the feast of the visitation of Mary was confyrmed an hundred dayes of pardon graunted to all them y e with good deuotion be present at the seruice of y e day Lib. Concil Of Canonysing and making of Saintes POpe Leo the nynthe holdyng a councel at Vercellis made Gerardus Bishop somtime of the Leâ—corians a saint And this pope was the fyrst as some write y e euer presumed toke vpoÌ„ him to make saints In the yere c. 1049. Christ. Massae Pope Gregorye the nynth made frier Dominike and fryer Fraunces and fryer Anthony de Padua Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary Saints In the yeare c. 1225. Plat. Albert. Krantz Ioan Stella Pantal. Pope Alexander the fourth made Clara the Nunne Peter Martyr the Blackfryer and Stanslaus Bishop of Cracouia saintes In the yeare c. 1248. Chronic. Volat. Pantal Pope Iohn the .xxii. made Lewes Byshop of Tolossa sonne to Charles King of Fraunce a Saint He sainted also Thomas of Aquine the blackefrier and Thomas Byshop of Hereforde In the yeare 1308. Plat. Volat. Pant. Pope Nicolas the fyft among a greaterable of others made Bernardine the Grayfryer a Sainte In the yeare c. 1447. Matth. Palmer Platina Chronic. Germani Pope Calixt the thyrde made Vincent the blackefryer and Edmunde Kyng of Englande Saintes He also canonysed Osmunde sometyme Byshop of Salisburye caused hym to be counted in the number of saintes In the yeare of oure Lorde 1455. Volat. Matthe Palm Pisamus Ranulph Cest. Pantal. Pope Pius the second made Katerine a Sainte In the yeare c. 1458. Volat. Chron. Pope Clement the sixte made Iuo the priest
that faulte fortye dayes c. In the yeare of our Lorde 147. De consec dist 2. cap. Si per negligentiam In the Cautels of the Masse we rede thus If thorow negligence there droppe downe any thing of the bloude vpon a bord that sticketh to the earth let it be lyckt vp by the Prieste with hys tounge and the place of the borde scraped and the scrapyng brent in the fire and let the ashes be layd vp beside the altare with the reliques and let hym to whome that happened do .xl. dayes penance If the chalice drop vppon the altare let the droppe be supte vp and let hym haue iii. dayes penance But if the drop came thorow vpon a linnen cloth vnto an other thinge let him haue .iiii. daies penance If it come thorowe to the thirde thinge let hym haue .ix. dayes penaunce In a drop of the bloud come thorowe to the fourth thynge let him do penaunce twentye dayes And as for the linnen geare that the droppe hath touched let the priest or deacon wash them the chalice being set vnder and let the washing be kept with y e reliques Itē if a mā by any chaūce of glotony do spue out y e sament the same spuyng must be brent and the ashes ought to be layde vp byside the altare And if he be a clarke a Religious man Priest or a deacon let hym do forty dayes penance A Bishop lxx dayes a lay man .xxx. dayes But if he did spue by reason of infirmitie let him do penance .v. dayes Who so doth not kepe the Sacramēt so y t a mouse or an other beast eateth it let hym haue xl dayes penance But who so looseth it or if a part of it fall and be not foūd let hym do penaunce .xxx. dayes The same penance semeth the Prieste to be worthy of ▪ by whose negligence the consecrated hostes do putrifie Upon the sayde dayes must the penitent faste and abstaine from the communion and from celebration Pope Innocent the third decreed that they whiche are of the clergye beyng founde gilty of thefte or of any other great faultes shoulde on this manner be punished Firste they shalbe degraded Secondly they shalbe depriued of all their ecclesiasticall promocions Thirdly they shall be strayghtly kept in some monastery there to do penance al their lyfe time Lib. Cōcil Decret Gregorii de paenis tit 36 cap. Tuae discretionis In the Councell Triburiense it was ordayned that if any were enioyned penāce to eate nothing but bread certain dayes and could get no bread to eate it should be lawfull for them to eate fish leekes or any such kynd of meat seyng the necessitie doth so require Prouided alway y t they eate not those meates for pleasure sake but for the sustentation of theyr hungrye bodyes Decret Gregorij 9. Libro 5. de penet et remiss Tit. 18. Cap. Licet In a certayn general councel it was decreed y t at the least once in the yeare euery person both of mankynde and womā kynde being of reasonable age and sufficient discretion shuld priuately confesse hys synnes to hys own Curate and to the vttermost of hys power fulfyll all suche penaunce as hys Ghostly father hath enioyned hym Ibidem Capit. Omnis vtriusque sexus Libro Concil In the eyght Synode it was agreed y t suche penaunce shoulde be enioyned of y e ghostly father to his ghostly childe as is agreable to the qualitie and quātitye of sinne Caus. 26. Quaest. 7. Capit. Proqualitate In the same Synode it was also determined y t the priestes shuld haue authoritie and power to enioyne what penaunce they wuld and for how long a tyme and after what sort Ibidem Ca. Hoc sit positum Of Absolution POpe Gelasius the fyrst ordayned y t if a man were vniustlye excōmunicate accursed he shoulde not regard it nor yet go aboute to seke absolution from y e sentence or censure which was vniustlye layde vpon hym In the yeare c. 494. Caus. 11. Quaest. 3. Cap. Cui est Pope Gregorye the fyrst affyrmeth y t the priest can absolue no man excepte God hath absolued him fyrst alleging the historye of Lazarus whom the Lord raised vp vnto life before he cōmaunded his Disciples to losen hym and to set hym at libertye In the yere of oure Lorde 590. Ibidem Cap. Tunc vera est absolutio Pope Nicolas the fyrste ordayned y t the Byshop of Rome mighte absolue men from their lawfull othe promyse fidelitie made to princes seing y t it lyeth also in hys power to depriue kings and Emperours of their kingdomes dignities In the yeare c. 871. Caus. 15. Q. 7. Cap. Autoritatem The same readest thou also in y e Canō following which beginneth Alius item Pope Gregorye the fyrst made a decree y t no Prelate shuld lightly forgeue absolue men frō those sinnes y t they haue committed against God The offences committed agaynst vs saith he we may easely forgeue but the synnes which are done agaynst God we maye not release without great discretion penaunce doing In the yeare c. 590. Caus. 23. Quaest. 4. Cap. Si is qui. In the councell Carthaginense it was decreed y t the person which shoulde bee absolued should mekely and reuerently knele downe to take the absolution and y t the Priest should laye hys hande vpon hys ghostly childes head when he absolueth hym Caus. 26. Quaest. 7. Capit. Sacerdos Libro Concil Martinus frater Certayne fourmes of Absolution OURE Lord Iesus Christ whiche hath full power to absolue he moughte absolue thee And I by the authoritye of him of y e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of oure Mother holye Churche and by the authoritie y t is committed vnto me in this behalfe as much as I can and am bounde to absolue thee do fyrst of al absolue thee from the bond of y e lesser excommunication if thou be failen into it I absolue thee also from y e fault of companye kepyng with excommunicate persons if thou haue nede and by the same authoritye I absolue thee from all thy synnes mortal criminall and veniall being confessed vnto me I absolue thee also frō all other sinnes forgotten confessed committed and neglected as much as I can so farre as my dutye is in y e vertue of our Lord Iesu Christes passion and in y e blessing of the father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost AMEN And the very passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ the merites of all he Saintes and shee Saintes and all the passions of y e holy Martyrs and the suffrages of y e church Militante and the remissions of the same and also the pardons prayers pilgrimages whatsoeuer good dedes besydes all other faythfull Christians haue wrought Agayne the fastynges almosse deedes and the workes of mercye whiche thou haste done or shalt do or entendest to doe moreouer whatsoeuer tribulation thou
Corpus Christi The beginning of the feast of Corpus Christi The doctrine of the festiual concerning the feaste of Corpus Christi Pardon be longyng to the feast of Corpus Christi Midsommer day The InueÌ„tion of the Crosse. The exaltacion of the Crosse. The transfiguration of oure Lorde The doctrine of the festiuall Thassmuâ—ion of our Lady Michelmasse day DedicatioÌ„ daye or Churche holy day The feaste of al saintâ— The feaste of al soules The beginnyng of the feast of all Soules The coÌ„ceptioÌ„ and presentatioÌ„ of mary with the feastes of Aunâ— Ioseph Fraunces The visitacion of Marye Candelmasseday The feasts of the foure Euangelistes and of the foure Doctours Sonday A godlye lawe and worthy to be obserued This godly decree is sâ—lenderly obserued in Englande A generall rule for holy dayes The coÌ„ceptioÌ„ of mary The Annunciation of Mary The visitatioÌ„ of mary The beginning of saintes making Dominikâ— Fraunces Anthonye de padua Fryers Elizabeth â–ª Saintes Clara Peter Marter Stanislaus Saintes Lewes byshop of Colossa Tâ—of Aquine Thomas byshop of Hereforde Saintes Bernardine the Grayfrier sainted Uincent Edmundeâ— Osmunde saintes Katerine sainted Iuo a saint Bonauenture a saint Bernarde a saint Heliopolde a saint Hughe of Lincolne a saint Hedwigis a saint Brigit a saint Vuolfgang a saint Iohn Gaulbert a saint Hughe the Monke a saint Lewes King of Fraunce a saint Edmund Peter de verona sainted Nicolas de Toleto a saint Pope Celestine a saint Charles y e great sainted Fraunces a sainte Thomas Becket sainted Of Beckettes translation Note A new idol set vp Becket the popes martyr saint A lousye saint an vnclenly Beckets penaunce very homely None saintes but such as the pope admi Swarmes of saintes The popes Sainctes ☜ Reliques set out to sale Reliques honoured Sainctes bones honored with Masses Hands of Shrines A good and godly acte but not profitable for the Popes market The anauÌ„ceâ— of Pilgrimages Pilgrimages maâ—e not be hindred Pilgrimes may not be euill entreated Gregorye the firste a greate promoter of pardons Popes pardons nets for money and allurements vnto vice The yeâ—â—â— of Iubile A prophecye The yeare of Iubile altered ☞ Stations Christes natles worshipped Greate giftes for so litle labour Pardon beades Stringing of beades Note these scholepoiÌ„ts The fyue Pardons beades The pardoÌ„ that beloÌ„g to y e â—eads BostoÌ„ pardon Ghostly father Uowes chaunged Seruice neglected pardoned An ante diâ— The chappel of Scalâ— caeli Purgatoâ—â— White meates Fleshe Buriall Large promises They al at â—ow by the word of god brought to nought according to 〈◊〉 prophecy of christ Euery plaÌ„t that my heauenly â—ather hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the rootes The price of y e pardon The pardoÌ„ of s Trinitye of houÌ„deslowe PardoÌ„s innumerable and good cheape â–ª Graciously considered Pardon of the Austen Friers Burton Lazare â–ª The pardoÌ„ of Sainet Mary of â—unciuall ☞ Giue and it shall be giuen to you Giue money and the smoke of Rome shall be giueÌ„ to you The pardoÌ„ of Saint Iohn of Beuerlay ☞ The pardâ—â— of Saint Cornelis at Weâ—â—minster The sepulchre pardonÌ„ S. Erasmus pardon Fiue special giftes Money is the Marchant in all the popes affayres What is to be done that wee may haue true pardoÌ„ What the popes pardons are Esay lv Math. xi Apoc. xxii Iere. ii Psal. xi The inuetour of the popes purgatory is not knoweÌ„ The studie of Sathan The true purgatorye is y e bloud of Christ. The popes purgatorye diuersely maintained Where purgatorye is Luke xv The varietye of papists in placing of purgatorye The tormentes of Purgatory 1. Cor. iii. Psal. 66. Dist. 7. cap. Nullus ☞ Serm. 41. de animabus What most greuous paynes there are in Purgatory Example Howe is this proued The infinite multitude of soules in Purgatorye ☜ Iob. xix Remedies deuised by the papists agaynst the tormeÌ„â—s of Purgatory The churches Church militant Church trinuâ—phant Church expectant Prayer for soules in Purgatory ☞ Prayer almosse Fasting pilgrimage pardons and Masses deliuer soules out of Purgatorye The profit of euerye Masse The doctrine of the festiuall coÌ„cerning soules in Porgatory Of prayer for soules A narratioÌ„ A straunge sight Well proued substauncially of Almosse deedes for soules A narratioÌ„ Of Masses for soules â–ª ☜ A narratioÌ„ An other narration prodicious woÌ„derful The great vertue of the masse Ten remedies to deliuer soules out of purgatorye Candles Sensing of the altare Sprinckeling of holy water Prayer for the dead Oblations for y e soules departed Fastinges â–ª watchings c. Q. xiii c. ii Animae Paying the dets of the dead Offering vp of bread and wine Fulfilling of y e deades penaunce The celebration of masses A narratioÌ„ Monstri simili Missa wherof it is deriued The vertues of the masse ☞ A fond fansye of the papistes Spedy deliueraunce of soules out of purgatorye Note this tale All is not golde that glistereth A trentall of Masses and what they are Trinities of Masses The .xii. vertues of the masse Psal. 9â— Luke xxiii Luke vii ☞ ☜ Math. vii The vertues of the masse out of y â— Festiual The vertue of the masse out of Stella Clericorum No couÌ„cell of force without y e consent of the Pope Al bishops must be at a general councell A good anâ— necessary deuice Sene twice in the yere ☜ No couÌ„cell lauful with out the consent of the Pope What is to be done if matters caÌ„not be quietly coÌ„posed in y e lesser Sinodes Appeare or elsaccursed The authoritie of the popes decrees Popes decrees equal w t the word of God All thinges ar subiect to the pope Popeiudge of al â–ª iudged of none ☜ A lawful general couÌ„cel is abouâ— the pope The preeminence of the pope Heretikes banished Heretikes put to death by the secular power The temporall offices the â—opyshe Byshops butchers Ioan. viii ☜ Fraunces Martyrs Of the state of the faithful after this life Heretikes expelled out of the Churche A good law Note well The coÌ„panie of Heretikes is to be eschued auoyded The great councell Laterane Heretikes condemned to be committed to the seculer powers so put to death Priests degraded Priesteâ— goodes Laye menâ— goodes Suspect of heresie The temporall rulers sworn to roote out heretikes Note O tyranny A newe kinde of Heresie Heresiarch â–ª Dead men excommunicate The company of heretiques is to be eschued UnderstaÌ„d by heretikes all suche as in anye point resiste the pope or his decrees No coÌ„pany with excoÌ„municate persons Ioan. Ep. ii Spoylers of y e church excommunicate A good a godly law ☞ The names of excoÌ„municate persons published One excoÌ„municate person may not excommunicate an other Hinderers of pilgrimages or spoylers of pilgrimes accursed Smiters of byshops or priestes â–ª spoylers or burners of churches accursed Spoylers of pilgrimes Chaplens â–ª Clarkes monks c â–ª accursed DisobedieÌ„t to bishops accursed This pope mitigateth y â— rigor of y e ecclesiastical censure A frendly decree Thys is wicked Neither baâ—â—el better her ring The pope deposeth Princes Practise â–ª Destroyers of Abbeies excommunicate Preachers not authorised by the Pope or some bishop accursed No man ought to be excoÌ„municate before his matter be knoweÌ„ Paiment of tythes ☞ The penaunce of him that hath slayne his mother What opinion of mariage had this Pope thinke ye A Pope more reasonable Note how loth the Popes are to go from their olde Mumsimê° A foolishe diuine of so wise a head 1. Cor. vii The penaunce of them that are negligent about the Sacrament of the Altare Beholde hys curiositye ☜ The penaÌ„ce of the Clergy coÌ„uicte of great fauts Penaunce dispensed with Penaunce enioyned of the ghostly Father A rule for penaunce A greate priuilege A reasonable order Note thys well Ioan. xi Sed perquaÌ„â—egulam A decree not to be despised Absolution must be receaued knelyng Pope The colledge of Cardinals Holy lande Holy crosse Bishops Abbotâ— prâ—ours moÌ„ks Chanons Friers nuÌ„nes c. Curates â–ª Persons Uicares Priestes Clarks c. The king Quene c. Duke Earles BaroÌ„s c Parisheners True tithers Tillers Shipmen MarchaÌ„ts Benefactors of the Churche Pilgrimes and Palmers Sicke persons Women in our Ladies bondes The holye bread giuer Prayeng for soules departed The three estates of holy church The generall seÌ„tence red foure tymes in the yeare What cursing is Enemies to holy church are fyrst accursed as most greuous offendours â–ª ☜ ☞ In Popish Churches all thynges are in Latib besydes surfyng ☞ A Caueat What this word cursâ— signifyeth Two manner of curses The lesser curse ☜ The more curse Note ☜ Wakings Reasons why the sacramental wine is not reserued in churches as y e sacramentall bread is Buriall The order of halowing churches The vertue of holy water The order of halowing altares The popes power The pope is Melchizedech Ioan i Psa cxlviii â–ª Gene xix Exod. vii Ioan ii â–ª Miracles This man for lacke of scripture to proue hys popysh traÌ„substantiation fleeth to carnall reasons fleshly similitudes as al other papistes doe A wise reason and a cupstantial 4 Reg. iiii The â—biquâ—â—ty of christs bodye The monstrous and vnreasonable doctrine of transubstantiation Fabula sinâ— capite An homely shifte and a soule Corin. xii Why y e host is lifted vp aboue the priests head Phil ii Rom x AmoÌ„strous kinde of doctrine Chebbiquity of christâ—â— bodye The signe of the crosse helpeth forward transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ ☜ What is to be done if gods bloud be frosen in the chalice An hâ—e point in a lowe house i. Corin. ii Titus i. Sacramentes iustifye after the doctrine of the papists Howe the sacrament is to be eaten The masse excelleth al prayses done to god Mary ledeth to heauen Prayer vnto Marye the Uirgin Suffrages of saintes Fasting Crosse. Confirmation or smering of the infantes forehead The greate vertue of coÌ„firmation Note Mary oure intercessour Three degrees of soules Soules maruelouslye good Soules maruelously euill Soules meanely euill Soules in purgatorye knowe what is done for theÌ„ in thys worlde Soules in heauen know what is done here
The Reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of Religion as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of Chronicles and Histories and nowe newly both diligently corrected greatly augmented to the singuler profit of the Readers by Thomas Becon 1563. Esay 5. Wo be vnto them that call euill good and good euill whiche make darknesse light and lighte darkenesse that make soure swet and swete soure Wo be vnto theÌ„ that are wise in their owne sighte and thinke theÌ„selues to haue vnderstaÌ„dyng ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath Saint Martines ¶ Cum Priuilegio THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAÌ„C TAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calimo pictor arte vides Mentis quam nullus potuit tibi reddere pictor Effigiem scriptis praebuit ipse suis. ¶ A Prophecie of Antichrist ANtichrist shall be borne in great Babilon of an Harlot that shal come of y e tribe of DaÌ„ He shalbe replenished with y e deuill in his mothers woÌ„be He shalbe nourished with spirituall euils mischiefes He shal rule ouer the whole world He shal subdue all maÌ„kind vnto him by foure maÌ„ner of wayes First he shall bring the coÌ„mon people vnder his dominion by terrour feare for he shal exercise great cruelty tyraÌ„ny against the true worshippers of god SecoÌ„dly he shall win vnto him the noble personages suche as be in authoritye by geuyng theÌ„ greate gifts riches wherof he shal haue great abouÌ„dauÌ„ce plenty for al the hid mony shal be open vnto him Thirdly w t his wisedome eloqueÌ„ce which shalbe wonderful and incredible he shal make the clergy to cleaue vnto him for he shall haue great knowledge of al arts of the scripture Fourthly thorow signes and wonders he shall deceaue such as despise the world as monkes suche like For he shal shew wonderfull signes and tokens He shal be thought to cause fyre to come downe from heauen to consume his aduersaries before him and to raise vp the dead to geue witnesse of hym But he shall not rayse vp the dead in deede But thorowe hys witchcraft and forcery he shall cause the deuill to enter into the body of some damned dead persoÌ„ this shal he cary about him by this shall he so speake that euery maÌ„ shall thinke hym to be aliue as it is written of hym His comming shall be by the working of SathaÌ„ with al lying power signes wonders in all deceauablenesse of vnrighteousnes among theÌ„ that perish The Iewes and al misbeleuing persons out of all places of the worlde shall flock flow vnto him But thorow the preaching of Enoch and Hely the people shal forsake him returne vnto the true and christeÌ„ religion wherof shal ensue greate persecution and manslaughter in so much that all in a manner shal suffer hard martirdome He shal rule and obtaine the monarchy by the space of three yeares an halfe Afterward he shall pitche his tente in the mouÌ„t Oliuet to the ende that he may destroy the rightuous But he shall not preuayle For in the very same mount shal he be found sodenly dead For he shalbe slaine at the commaundement of God with the breath of the Lordes mouth as it is written the Lord shal cast downe Hedlong and vtterly destroye in the holy hill the stoutest gyaunt of the whole worlde After these thynges peace and righteousnesses shall spryng vp and the earth shalbe filled full of the knowledge of the Lorde so that the Gospell of the kingdome shalbe preached in al the worlde For there shal go vp sauiours vnto the mount of Sion to iudge the hill of Esau and the kyngdome shal be the Lordes Osey 14. Who so is wise shal vnderstand this and â—e that is right instruct will regard it Math 24. Who so readeth it let him vnderstand 2. Timoth. 2. The Lorde geue the vnderstandyng in all thynges A Table of the principall matters contayned in this Booke 1 Of the Pope of hys vsurped power fained authoritie fol. 1. 2 Of the Popes election 15 3 Of Cardinals 18 4 Of Bishops 19 5 The othe whiche the popishe Bishops vse to swear wheÌ„ they are coÌ„secrated 24 6 Of Priestes 26 7 Of the single lyfe of Priestes 32 8 Of the Mariage of Priestes 35 9 Of Uowes and that the vowe of chastitie hindereth not him or her froÌ„ mariage whiche hathe not the gift of continencie 37 10 Of benefices and Prebendes 39 11 Of impropriations of benefices 42 12 Of tythes offrings 45 13 Of monastical sectes 46 14 Of heremites of theyr sondry orders 46 15 Of anckers anckresses and all other recluses 52 16 Of monkes of the diuerse sectes of the same 54 17 Of Chanons and of the diuersitie of them 66 18 Of Friers and of their manifold sectes 66 19 Of Nunnes and of their diuers orders 73 20 Of the Monastical apparell and who was the fyrste deuiser therof 76 21 Of teÌ„ples or churches 77 22 Of Church yardes 79 23 Of Churche goods 80 24 Of the ornamentes of the Churche 80 25 Of Images to be had in Churches 85 26 Certayne godly lawes of Emperours and kinges against the hauing of Images in Churches with the aduise consent and iudgemeÌ„t of diuers godly learned men 88 27 Of Baptisme 95 28 Of the Lordes Supper commonly called of the Papistes The Sacrament of the aultar 97 29 Of receiuing the Sacrament vnder both kindes according to Christes institution 102 30 Of receauing the Sacrament vnder one king accordyng to the Popes tradition 103 31 Of confirmation or Byshopping of children 105 32 Of Matrimony 106 33 Of auriculer coÌ„fessioÌ„ 107 34 Of annointyng or extreme vnction 108 35 Of prayeng for the dead 108 36 Of diuine seruice as thei cal it Mattens Prime and Houres Euensong Complain c. 109 37 Of playne song Prickesong Discant c. 116 38 Of singing in the church the iudgement of diuers learned men 117 39 Of the Masse and of all the partes therof 122 40 Of certayne decrees appertaynyng vnto the Masse 138 41 Of y e massing priest 14â— 42 Of the dignitie and power of the massing priest of the honor that is due vnto him be he good or bad 148 43 Of the ceremonies of the Popishe Churche 158 44 Of holy water and the vertue of the same 158 45 Of holy bread and the power therof 162 46 Of Procession 162 47 Of sensyng Idem 48 Of candeâ—s bearyng on Candlemasse day Idem 49 Of ashes spryncklyng 165 50 Of palmes bearing 165 51 Of Palmes ashes candels and halowyng Idem 52 Of crepynge to the Crosse. 166 53 Of halowyng the paschal Idem 54 Of Oyle and Creame and of the halowyng of the same Idem 55 Of the fire on Easter euen and of the halowyng therof 167 56 Of halowyng the fonte on
If any mā do infringe break transgresse contemne and condemne this our ordinance euerlasting damnation hang ouer his head and the holy and chiefe apostles of God Peter and Paule be his enemies and immortal foes both in this world and in the world to come yea perish mought he in the lowest part of hell and so be damned for euer and euer withe the deuill and all the wicked Furthermore this Emperoure as the Romanists fayne when he hadde made this donation to the Churche of Rome plucked of the imperial crown made of moste fine golde garnished w t all kind of precious stones pearles and iewels from his own heade and set it vpon pope Siluesters pate for the reuerence y t he bare to s. Peter caused y e Romish bishop to be set vpon a costlye richely appareled palfrey to be solemnely caried aboute thorow the citie of Rome in the presence of al y e citizēs y e Emperour himself running on foote like a lacky by the Popes side holding his horses bridle in his hāde as a most vile page These thinges done y e Emperour Constantine departed from the West parts of the world which he had now giuē ouer to Pope Siluester and to his successors for euer to be s. Peters patrimony with all the priuileges emoluments commodities profites of the same and wēt himselfe into y e East partes euen vnto the citie Bizantium which being in great ruine he repared and amplified beautifying it with many noble and sumptuous buildings called it Constantinople according to his name He caried also with him almost al the noble men of the Romanes and the whole order of y e Senatours with their wiues children bicause the pope and his complices as it maye appere shuld haue elboughroume inough as few to trouble his holines as might be In the yere c. 315. Bartolomaeus Picerius de monte arduo Ioānes Laziardus Edic Constant Policronicon c. But how vayne false forged lying and counterfayte this bragging of the papistes is concerning the donation of the emperoure Constantine to the Sea of Rome and the supremacye of that Romishe bishop aboue all other bishops yea aboue Emperors Kings Princes c. diuers faythful learned expert writers do aboundantly testify Nicolaus de causa Laurentius Valla Antoninus Archiep. Florent Volateranus Hieronimus Paulus Cathalanus Albertus Crantzius Huldrichus Huttenus c. But this is the properti of the papists alwaies to father theyr lies theyr idle inuentions theyre drowsye dreames theyr croked constitutions theyr diuelish decrees c. Upon such as liued manye yeares before and vpon suche as were mē in theyr dayes of great learning and vertue that by this meanes theyr trifeling traditions might seme to be of the greter autority in the eies of the simple and vnlearned people so althoughe plaine erroures yet at y e last thorow the colour of antiquity be receiued for moste manifest verities vndoubted truthes Notwithstāding this must we nedes cōfesse which thīg the histories doe also testify that after y e church of Rome was endowed with temporal possessiōs it was euer after more studiouse of y e world thā of god of secular businesse thā of spiritual excercises of outward pomp pride ▪ thā of inward deuotiō christen holines of making their owne traditions and degrees than of setting forth gods holy commaundements lawes of enriching themselues than of edifyinge the flock of Christ so that not without a cause it is written y t what time the Church receaued temporal possessions y e olde enemy cried with a loude voice in y e ayer This daye is poison shed forth into the Church of Christ. Therfore saint Ierome in vitas patrum saith Sithens that holye Church encreased in possessiōs it hath decreased in vertues according to this cōmon saying Religio peperit diuitias Filia deuorauit matrē y t is to say Religion brought forth richesse the daughter hath deuoured the Mother Polichron Moreouer the Papistes fayne that the aforesaid Siluester being Byshop of Rome the councell of Nice gaue thys priuilege to the Byshop of Rome that he should be aboue all other Byshops as y e emperour is aboue al other kings and that he should be called Pope that is to say the chiefe father or the father of fathers But this is so false that nothing can be more contrary to y e truth For in the councel of Nice which was celebrate by the commaundemente of Constantine the Emperour in y e yeare of oure Lorde .iii. C.xxiiii where also wer present and gathered together .iii. C. xviii Bishops and holy fathers it was determined that the Byshops of Alexandria Antiochia and vniuersally all other primates should haue al the gouernance preheminence of al y e countryes that were nere vnto them as y e byshop of Rome had in Italy c. We will say they y t the old custome and manner shal continue in Egipte Libie and Pentapali which is that y e Bishop of Alexandria shal haue gouernaunce and rule ouer all these for tha◠there is a lyke custome for y e Byshop of Rome In like manner we wil that at Antioche other prouinces euery one shal haue their due honour Moreouer when Faustinus Legate to the byshop of Rome alleaged in y e sixte councell Cartaginense that the bishop of Rome ought to haue the ordering of al great matters in al places by his supreme authoritie he alleaged no scripture for him for at that tyme no scripture was thought to make for it but he alleaged vntruely the fyrst general councell Nicene in whiche Arrius the heretyke was condemned to make for that purpose Which after y e boke was brought forth no suche article found in it but the contrary yet the councel at that tyme sent to Constantinople Alexandria and Antioche where y e Patriarchall Sees were to haue the true copy of y e Councell Nicene which was sent vnto them also frō Rome whether thei sent also for that purpose And after they found no suche article in it but in the fyrst chapter therof the contrary that al causes ecclesiastical shuld eyther be determined within y e diocesse or els if any wer greued thē to appeale to the Councell prouinciall and there the matter to take full end so that for no such causes men shoulde goe out of there prouince y e whole councell Cartaginense wrote to Celestine at y e tyme being Byshop of Rome that since the councell Nicene had no such article in it as was vntruely alleaged by Faustinus but the contrary they desired hym to abstayne after to make any more such demaunde denouncing vnto him that they woulde not suffer any cause great or smal to be brought by appeale out of their countrey therupon made a lawe that no man shuld appeale out of the countrey of Aphricke vpō paine to be denounced accursed Wherewith the
Iginius made a decree that no Archbishop shuld condemne his suffragane but in the syghte and hearing of other suffraganes and bishops of the same prouince In the yeare c. 14. Ranulphus Cestrensis Polichron Pope Theodorus ordained that no bishop should meddle in the diocesse of any other Byshops but diligently loke to his owne cure In the yeare c. 673. Lib. Concil Christian. Massaeus Pope Siluester instituted y t byshops only should halowe oyle and creame confyrme children In the yere c. 315. Chron. Platina Pope Felix the third appointed that bishops only should halow Churches In the yere c. 486. Volat. Poli. Pantal. Pope Liberius ordayned that no bishop or beneficed mā shuld forsake hys flocke for any persecution or trouble though death should ensue accordyng to thys saying of Christ A good shepeheard geueth hys life for his shepe In the yeare c. 354. Anselmus Ryd Pope Antherus made a decree that a bishop might be remoued frō one bishoprike to another if the necessitye or profite of the congregation so require but yet not without the authority and licence of the Byshop of Rome In the yeare of our Lorde 239. Platina Volat. Lib. concil Pope Pius the first decreed that the commō people should not accuse their bishop nor the shepe their shepeheard For saieth he neither is the disciple aboue his maister nor the seruaunte aboue his lord In the yere of our lorde 147. lib. Con. Pope Nicolas the first ordained that bishops should not entangle themselues with worldlye businesses nor apply their minds to feates of warre but geue their whole mind to the study of holy Scriptures to preaching and to prayer In the yeare of our Lorde 871. Quest. 23 ▪ cap Reprehensibile Pope Iohn the xxiii decreed that bishops should not geue their mindes to hunting In the yere c. 1409. Dist. 34. Cau. Quorundam Pope Eugenius the first ordained that bishops should haue persons to punish such priestes as offend In the yeare of our Lorde 650. Volat. Chron. Grat. Doc. Barnes Pope Eugenius also commaunded that bishops in their Diocesse shoulde diligently prouide that there might be learned scholemaisters to trade vp the Christen youthe in good letters and liberall artes Ex sinodo Eugenii Lib. Concil Pope Anacletus made a lawe that Bishops should perseuer and continue styll stedfaste and diligente in settyng forth the truth of Gods word thoughe neuer so great trouble folow of it For saith he blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse In the yeare of our Lorde 101. Dist. 43. Scimus Ioannes Hus whome the bloudy papistes notwithstandyng the Emperours safe conduct most cruelly brente vnto ashes at the councell of Constāce where as some write were gathered together iii. M.ix C. and xl prelates and their Uicares affirmed opēly and constantlye that it is not lawfull for ecclesiastical persons to haue any temporall iurisdiction In the yere of oure Lorde 1415. Aeneas Siluius Plat. Christ. Massaeus Pope Paschalis beyng Bishoppe of Rome there was a Councell holden at Aquisgranum in the which it was ordayned that no Ecclesiasticall persōs shuld weare any sumptuous garmēts nor rings or ouches vpō their fingers but byshops only yea and that at suche times only as they say masse and be in their Pontificalibus In the yeare c. 827 Christ. Massae Lib. Concil The Councel Aureliane decreed that euery byshop in hys diocesse shoulde to the vttermost of hys power make prouisiō for such poore of y e same as haue not wherof to fynde thēselues Again as are sycke and so weake that they ar not able to labour for their liuing Dist 82. Cau. Episcopus In the Councell Toletane the thirde it was enacted that at all bishops and priestes tables there should be no idle talke nor telling of wanton tales but reading hearing and talking of the holy Scriptures Lib. Concil The forme of the Othe which the Popyshe Byshoppes vse at the tyme of their consecration as it is specifyed in the Popes decretalles De iuramento C. Ego I. N. Byshop frō this houre foreward shall be faythfull to s. Peter and to the holy Apostolique Church of Rome and to my Lord. N. the pope and to his successours that enter in according to the rule of the Canons I shall not bee neither in councel nor in dede that he shuld lose his life or membre or otherwyse be euil entreated The councell which eyther by himself or by letters or by any messanger he shal open vnto me I shall declare it to no mā vnto his hindraunce The papacie of the Churche of Rome and the rules of the holy Fathers I shall be an helper to defende and to mayntaine my order being safe against al mē Being called vnto any Sinode or coūcell I shall come except I haue a lawful let The legate of the Apostolique sea whom I shal knowe to be certain I shal honourablye entertayne both at his comming and at hys departure or going away The churches of the Apostles at Rome I shal visite euery yere eyther by my self or by some sure messanger except I obtayne licence of the holy Father to the contrarye So God helpe me these holy Gospels of God After thys there was inuented and receaued a newer forme and māner of an othe whiche the Byshops at theyr consecration sware to the pope both larger and more to the purpose to stablyshe and defende the tirannye of the Romish Bishop In thys newer and later othe are these wordes contayned The papacie of Rome and the Regal or prince like honoure and dominions of S. Peter I shalbe an helper to retayne and to defende agaynste all men The lawes the honoures the priuileges and the authoritye of the Churche of Rome and of our Lorde the Pope and of hys successoures I shall to the vttermoste of my power laboure to conserue to defende to encrease and to aduaunce Neyther shall I bee in councell in deede or in affayres wherein any sinister or preiudiciall thynges of persons lawe honoure state and power shall be imagined and deuysed agaynst that our Lorde Pope or against that Churche of Rome and if so bee I know suche thynges to bee handled deuysed or procured of any person or persons I shall hynder and lette it to the vttermoste of my power and so soone as is possible with all conueniente speede I shall sygnifye it and make it knowen to the same oure Lorde the Pope or to some other by whome it maye come to hys knowledge The rules of the holy Fathers the decrees the ordinaunces the sentences or iudgementes the dispositions the preseruations the prouisions and the Apostolique commaundements I shall obserue with all my power and cause them also to be obserued of other heretikes Schismatikes and all suche as rebell and stryue agaynste our Lord the Pope or hys successoures I shal to the vttermoste of my power
persecute impugne and condemne c. Of Priestes POpe Anacletus ordayned that there shoulde bee priestes sette in euery citye towne and village to teache the people Gods word and to minister the Sacramentes He ordayned also that priestes should be honoured aboue all men and that thei should not be vexed or toubled but borne withal and reuerenced of al mē Agayne that when any priestes were made they shuld be solemnly openly made In y e yere c. 101. Lib. Concil Plat. Fascic Temp. Iacob Phil. D. Barns The aforesaid Pope also made a decree that al such as backebite or slaunder any priest should be excommunicated For sayth he he that slaundreth a priest slaundreth Christ. For priestes without doubt are Christs Lib. Concil Chroni Pope Gaius made a decree y t none should be made a priest except he were fyrst a dorekeper secondlye a Reader thirdly an Exorciste or cōiurer fourthly an Acholite a lighter carier of candels fiftly a Subdeacon sixtly a Deacon seuenthly a prieste and fynallye a bishop if he can come vnto y e promotion In the yeare c. 384. Chron. Plati Fasc Temp. D. Barns Some ascribe thys decree to Pope Stephen the second Grat. Ioan. La. Pope Siricius ordayned y e priestishe orders should not be geuen altogether at one time but at sundrye tymes In the yere c. 389. Sabell Plat. Ioan. Lazia 77. Dist. Cap. In singulis Pope Gelasius the first commaunded y e only priestishe orders shuld be geuen only foure times in y e yeare yea and y t on the Saterday In the yeare c. 494. Volat. Isidor D Barns Pope Boniface y e first instituted that no man shuld be made priest before he be xxx yeres olde For Christ sayth he was thirtie yeres old before he toke on him y e office of preaching In the yeare c. 425. Sigebert Sabel Chron. Pope Zacharias notwithstādyng made a decree y t if necessitye requireth priestes shoulde not onely be made at .xxx. yeres olde but also at .xxv. In the yere c. 752. Dist. 79. Cap. Si triginta Pope Siricius of whō we spake afore decreed y t al those men that haue bene twice maryed or els haue maried a widow to wyfe shoulde by no meanes be receaued vnto the order of priesthode Isidor Plat Albert. Krantz Pantal. Pope Gelasius y e first of whō also we spake afore ordayned likewise y t none which wer twice maried should be admitted vnto ecclesiastical orders without the bishop of Romes dispensation Chron. Ioan. Stella D. Barns Pope Anastasius made a law y t none which was lame or maymed or wāted any of hys members should be admitted to be a priest In the yere c. 404. Grat. Sabel Plat Polydor. c. The aforesayd pope made a decree y t no straungers specially such as come frō beyonde the seas should be admitted vnto y e clergie except they brought with them a testimonial sygned with the handes of fyue byshops 37. Dist. ca. Extraneo Ioan. Laziard Pope Pelagius ordayned that no mā shuld be admitted vnto the ministery which eyther of ambition or elles for worldely lucre and easye liuyng desyreth to come vnto it In the yere c. 552. Christ. Massaeus Pope Hilary the fyrst made a decree that no man should be admitted to bee a priest except he were both wel learned and well mannered In the yeare of our Lord. 465. Ioan. Stella Dist. 55. Cap Penitentis Pope Iohn the nynthe ordayned y t if any man had committed murther the same shoulde neuer be admitted to receaue holy orders Againe if any priest were founde gyltye of that faulte he shoulde be irregulare and neuer after be receaued into the ministery In the yere c. 904. Dist. 5. C. Miror Ioan Stella Pope Zepherinus decreed y t whē a byshop shuld make eyther deacō or priest both priests lay mē shuld be present In the yere c. 208. Phil. Bergom Pope Innocent the fyrst ordayned y t no diffamed person should be admitted to be a priest In the yere c 408. Dist. 50. Cap. Canones Phil Bergom Pope Zozimus ordained that no gelded person nor bond mā shuld be made a priest except he were fyrst made free of hys Lord. In the yeare c 424. Fasc Temp. Chron. But thys constitution of y e byshop is euell kept of certayne men sayth Ioannes Laziardus For nowe a dayes sayth he not only bondmē but also bastardes and whores children ar receaued into the ministery and haue the gouernement of paryshes committed vnto them and they also bestowe the patrimony of Christ vpon whores at their pleasure The aforesayd pope made also a decree that priestes should be no tauernhunters nor yet sel wine themselues He ordained again y t a deacō shuld not presume to minister the sacramente of Christs body bloud to y e people if eyther bishop or priest wer present Dist. 93. Cap. Praesente praesbitero Phil. Bergom Pope Anicetus forbad first of al priestes to haue beardes or to weare long side heare In y e yere c. 159. Sabell Lib. Concil Petrus de natal Some ascribe this decree to pope Anacletus Plat. Poli. Massaeus Pope Anicetus also commaunded y e priestes crownes should be shauen not foure cornered sayth he like vnto Simō Magus but as round as a boule like vnto Simon Petrus to put the priests in remembraunce that they shoulde despise this world and set al their mindes vpon the heauenly crowne Petrus de nat Christ. Massae D. Barns Pope Zacharias inuented the priests apparel In y e yere c 752. Chron. Achil. Pope Benet y e third cōmaunded that priests shuld walk in an order weare apparel mete for their degree In the yeare c ▪ 863. Fasc Temp. Chron. Pope Gregory the fourth in a certain councel ordayned y t al the clergye both byshops and priests shuld lay a syde all costly apparel by no means wear rīges precious stones gold siluer or any such like sūptuous ornamēts but rather homely sober apparel after y e exāple of Christ of his apostels In the yere 846. Ioan. Tit. in Chro. Galliae Plat. Pope Pelagius y e first ordained y t priestes vnder paine of deadly sin shuld say Mattens appointed for the day In the yeare c. 580. Dist. 19. Cap. Elutherias fra Ioan. Stell Pope Vrban the second ordained likewise y e priests should say euery day our ladies Mattens openly in the church that vpon the satterday the whole seruice shuld be of her In the yere c. 1086 Sabell Ioan. Stella Nauclerus Guil. Durand Polichron Pope Anastasius the second made a decree that no priest should omitte the saieng of his diuine seruice except it be masse although he bee neuer so muche oute of charitie and neuer so greatlye stuffed ful of rancor and malice
against any person â–ª In the yeare c. 498. Ioannes Laziardus Celestinus Pope Innocent the seconde decreed that no man should strike a prâ—est For it is written saieth he Touche not my annointed If anye manne contrarye to hys commaundemente didde presume to smite the annointed priest he pronounced him excommunicate ipso facto and accursed that by no meanes he should be absolued except he stoode in daunger of death but only of y e pope of Rome In the yeare of our Lorde 11â—1 Causa 17. Quest Si quis Ioan. Stella Chron. Pope Euaristus enacted that priestes should not be disquieted nor euill entreated of the laity but that they shuld be had in high reuerence and honour In the yeare â–ª c. 110. Isidor Tem. 3. Conc. Polid. Pantaleon Pope Pontianus ordained that prists should be accused of none but onely of priestes and bishops In the yeare c. 230. Gratian. Isidor polidor Pope FabiaÌ„ also made a decree y t neither priests shuld be admitted to accuse the laity nor the laity the priests In the yere of our Lorde 242. Caus. 2. Qu. 7. Sicut Pope Calixt the firste ordained that in the accusation of a priest no suspicious personnes or of euill name and fame either anye suche as bee enemies to the priest should be admitted to geue euidence against him In the yere c. 217. Quest. 3. Cap. 5. Accusatores Ioan. Laziard Pope Alexander the firste ordayned that the Laitye shoulde haue nothing to do with the cleargy and that the spiritualty should be vtterly exeÌ„pted from all the iurisdiction authority and power of the secular rulers In the yere of our Lorde 119. Albertus Crantz Pope Caius made a decree that no lay personne should presume to accuse or to call into iudgemente beefore a secular iudge either prieste or any other that is within holye orders In the yeare of our Lorde 284. Iacob Phillip Bergom Pope Siluester the first commaunded y t no priest shuld be compelled to plead his cause before any secular person or in any temporall court In the yere c. 315. Quest. 11.1 Cap. Testimonium Cap. Si quis Pope Iulius the .i. made a decre also y t a priest shuld not haue his cause heard or pleaded before any temporall iudge onely In the yeare c. 338. Iacob Phil. Bergom Lib. Concil Pope Boniface the eight in a general councel ordayned that temporall Rulers should not charge the people with any kind of payments if they did that the priests shuld pay them none except the Pope gaue them licence In the yere c. 1190. Polidor lib. 17. Angl. Hist. Pope Nicolas the first ordained that no temporall man wer he king or emperour should haue ought to doe wyth those things that appertain vnto priestes In the yere c. 871. Anselmus Ryd Pope Gregory the fourth made a decree that priestes should bee free from all kinde of worldlye bondages taxes paymentes c. In the yeare c. 846. Sabel Platina Pope Vrban the second enacted notwithstanding that the priestes shouldr paye tribute to the higher powers for the defence of their countrey In the yere c. 1086. Qu 23. Cap. Tributum Pope Leo the ninth apointed that y e priests houses shuld be built nigh vnto the churches that the pastours mighte alway be at hand wheÌ„ the parishners shoulde haue nede of theym and that the poore people might know where to haue succour and reliefe in the time of their necessitie In the yeare of our Lord. 1049. Qu. 12. cap. 1. Necessaria Nau. Ioan. Stella D. Barns Pope Simmachus ordained that a prieste shoulde kepe no woman in hys house except she were his kinswoman his mother his sister or his wife whoÌ„ he ought godly to gouern In the yere c. 499. Dist. 81. cap. Volumus Volat. Pope Liberius made a law that no prieste should forsake his cure for anye persecution or trouble though deathe should ensue according to this saying of Christ A good shepeherd geueth his life for his sheepe In the yeare of our Lorde 254. Anselmus Rid. Pope Iohn the eighte ordained that the priestes which were absente from their benefices without a dispensation from the Pope should be compelled to return vnto them and there to be resident In the yere c. 887. Ioan. Laziard Pope Simplicius ordained that no clearke or prieste should receiue the inuestiture of his benefice or of his office at any Laymens hand In the yeare c 471. Ranulpus Cestrensis Ioan. Laziardus Pope Gregory the first made a decree in a certain councel holden at Rome that the Ministers of the altare should geue their mind to preachyng and not to singyng For said he while meÌ„ seke a swete voice in holy seruice couenable life is set apart and the singer w t his maners hurteth the people though w t his voice he greatly delighteth them In the yere c. 590. Polichron Lib. 5. Pope Victor the second in a certayne councell holden at Florence ordained that all bishops and priests whiche he proued giltye either of Simonye or of fornicatioÌ„ should be depriued of their Bishoprickes benefices and all other ecclesiasticall promotions and dignities In the yere of our lord 1053. Pope Eleutherius made a decree y t no priest should be degraded or put froÌ„ the degree of his priesthode except he wer first lawfully accused and conuict For saith he our Sauiour knew well that Iudas was a theefe and should betray him but forasmuch as he was not accused he put him not doun but al that he did in the mean time among the Apostles for y e estate of his dignitie it was alowed and stoode fyrme and stable In the yere c. 177. Ranulp Cest. lib. 4. In the councell Toletane the third it was decreed y t at priestes tables there shuld be no idle talk nor telling of waÌ„ton tales but reading hearing and talking of the holy scriptures Lib. concil Of the syngle lyfe of Priestes POpe Calixte the first made a decree that so many as would bee made priests should abstayne from mariage In the yere c 217. dist 62. Cap. presbyteris Ioannes Stella Phillip Bergom Pope Siricius the first forbadde not onelye the priestes but also the Deacons to marry In the yere c. 337. lib. Concil Polyd. Pope Pelagius the second did not only prohibite priests and Deacons to marry but also the Subdeacons In y e yere c. 580. Chron. lib. Con. Poly. Pope Gregory y e i. bicause he thought it to much violence cruelty and tiranny to diuorce such as came vnto y e ministery maried from their wiues ordayned that from his tyme none shuld be Subdeacon vnlesse he vowed chastitie before In the yeare of our Lord. 590. Chroni Concil Poli. Notwithstandyng the lawes afore made tooke no effect among the priestes vntill the tyme of Gregorye the Seuenth whiche was
the yere of oure Lorde 174. This Gregory the Seuenth in a ceretayne councell made a decree that from that tyme forwarde it should no more be lawfull for priestes to marrye and agayne that such as were married alreadye shoulde bee diuorced from their wyues and if they woulde not forsake theyr wyues they shoulde be depriued from their ministery and also from ecclesiasticall promotiōs so that it shuld not be lawful for a christen mā to take them for spirituall ministers or to bee present at their ministratiō by the rea son of their continuaunce in mariage◠when notwithstandyng our Sauiour-Christ sayeth That God hath coupled and ioyned together let no man separate and put a sunder And the holy Apostle sayeth To auoyde fornication let euery man haue his own wife and euery womā her own husband Again Wedlocke is honourable among all men the bed vndefiled But whoremongers adulterers God shal iudge Of thys decree followed many great inconueniences For y e priestes by this meanes abstayning from lawfull matrimonye abstayned not frō vnlawfull whoredome from other leude partes of most detestable vncleannesse but defiled themselues with al kinde of abhominable liuing vnto the vtter defacing both of themselues and of theyr ministery in so muche y t the aforesayd pope was compelled to make a decree that no man should heare the masse of any whoremōger priest supposyng by this meanes to fraye away the priestes frō their whoring which notwithstāding from that time vnto this houre again hath growen vp vnto such an hight in the kingdome of the pope that among the verye Turkes Iewes Sarazens and suche other miscreantes the lyke fornication whoredome adultery incest sodomitrye and all wicked kynde of most detestable dissolution of leude life not to be founde as is at this present proued to be exercised of y e vnchast generatiō of the popish wiuelesse priestes vnto the great infamye and slaunder of the christen profession Pope Innocent the second in y e councell Remense made a decree also y e Subdeacons shoulde liue continentlye and without wiues In the yeare c. 1131. Dist. 18. Cap. Decreuimus Ioan. Laziard He ordayned also that not only Subdeacons but also Deacons and priestes shoulde professe chastitye and liue wiuelesse vnder payne of depriuation of theyr benefyces and all other ecclesiasticall promotion Chron. Lib. Concil Ioan. Stella Pope Vrban the seconde lykewyse made a lawe that if any man after he was made Deacon dyd marrye the same shoulde be depriued of all hys benefices and all other spirituall dignityes In the yeare c. 186 Disti 32. Cap. Eos qui. Ioan. Phil. Bergom Pope Theodore bearyng rule in the tyme of the Emperoure Constantine the fourthe a councell was gathered in whiche it was decreed that the priestes of the Grece and of y e Easte church shoulde be at libertye to marrye and to haue theyr owne lawfull wiues bycause of the greate heate that is in the countrey but to the priests of y e West partes maryage was vtterlye denyed as vnto persons which dwel in a much colder countrey therfore lesse nedefull of maryage In the yeare c. 936. Chron. Ang. Pope Paschalis the seconde bearing rule Anselme Archbyshop of Cantorbury in the second yeare of the reygne of Kyng Henry the fyrst Kyng of Englande whiche was in the yeare of oure Lorde 106. gathered together at London a Satanicall swarme of shamelesse shauelynges and condemned the honest and Godly maryage of priestes forbidding al spiritual ministers from henceforth to kepe y e company of their lawfull wiues or after that tyme to haue any thing to do with matrimony but to liue a syngle and wiuelesse lyfe The diuelish decree of that Antichristian Archebishop made of many Godly maryed priests such a mōstruous multitude of vyle stinking and abhominable Sodomites y t the aforesaid Anselme was compelled to make a decree also against those Sodomites cōmaunding that al Sodomitical priestes should openly be accursed in the churches euery sonday throughout the yeare And afterward suche great inconueniences grewe of the publishyng of this moste detestable sinne of Sodomitrye for by this meanes it began to be knowen to be practised not only among y e clergye but also among the Laitie that he was compelled to reuoke cal backe agayne this his wicked decree of publication and from henceforth no more openly to accurse those Sodomiticall monstures Lib. Concil Pope Honorius the seconde willyng perfectly to stablysh that wicked decree of the single life of priestes begonne by that Antichrist Anselme in England sent a certayne carnall Cardinall called Ioannes Cremonensis into this realm whiche called together here at Londō also a great councel at the which were present two Archebyshops xxiiii Byshops and fortie Abbotes besydes an innumerable multitude of the clergie In thys councell besides other things he most greuously inueyed agaynst the maryage of priestes and among other his words he sayd that it was a shamfull matter and an excedyng great abhomination for a priest to rise from an whores syde for so he called the priests lawfull wiues and immediatly to goe and make Gods bodye But notwithstanding God willing to shewe what chaste and continent fathers these aduersaries and forbidders of priests matrimonye are the aforesayd Cardinall euen the very same day wherin he had not only condemned the moste Godly and lawfull mariage of priests but also deuoutlye song masse was taken w t an whore in his bed the next nyghte following and so with shame enough tooke hym to hys feete and with all haste fledde awaye to Rome vnto hys holy father not so muche as once byddyng hys frendes here in Englande farewel A frute worthy such a chastity It was not vnaptly answered of King Rychard the fyrst to a certayne prieste called Fulco which sayd to the King on thys wyse King to thee I saye in the name of god almighty that thou marrye sone thy three euyl doughters least some worse happe thee befal Thou lyest hipocrite quod the King for daughter haue I none Yes sayd the prieste Thou hast pryde couetousnesse and lecherye Thē aunswered the Kyng My pride I geue to the templares and hospitalers my couetousnesse to y e white monks and my lechery to the prelates of the church In the yeare of our Lord 1124. Ranulp Cestrensis Poly. in hist. Ang. Chroni Of the maryage of Priestes POpe Siluester the fyrst ordayned degrees in ecclesiastical orders and decreed that euery prieste shuld be the husband of one wife only according to the doctrine of the holy Apostle In the yere of oure Lord. 315. Sabel Plat Ioan. Phili. Bergom D. Barnes Polydor. Pope Gregory the fyrst restored maryage agayne to the priestes which he to fore had denyed vnto them when he sawe howe manye greuous inconueniences followed of that most wicked decree of the single life of priestes In the yere
a woman of a very good report Our recluses are reported to be supersticious and idolatrous persons and such as al good men fly their companye Iudith feareth the Lorde greatly ▪ and liued accordyng to his holye word Our Recluses fear the pope and gladly do what his pleasure is to commaund them Iudith lyued of her owne substaunce and goods puttyng no man to charge Our Recluses as persons onelye borne to consume the frutes of the erth liue idlely of the labour of other mens handes Iudith when tyme required came oute of her closet to do good vnto other Our Recluses neuer come out of their lobbeis sincke or swimme the people Iudithe put her selfe in ieopardy for to do good to the commune countrey Our recluses are vnprofitable clods of the earth doing good to no man Who seeth not now how farre our Anckers and Anckresses differre from the manners and life of this vertuous and Godlye woman Iudith so that they can not iustly clayme her to be their patronesse Of some idle superstitious Heremite borowed they their idle and superstitious religion For who knoweth not that our recluses haue grates of yrō in their spelunckes and dennes out of the which they looke as Owles out of an yuye todde when they will vouchsafe to speake with any man at whose hād they hope for aduauntage So read we in vitis patrum that Iohn the Heremite so enclosed himselfe in his Heremitage that no man came in vnto him To thē that came to visit him he spake thorow a window onely Our Anckers Anckresses professe nothyng but a solitary life led in contemplation all the dayes of their life in their halowed house wherein they are enclosed wyth the vowe of obedience to the Pope and to their Ordinary Bishoppe Theyr apparell is indifferent soit bee dissonant from the Laitye No kynde of meates they are forbidden to eate At midnighte they are bound to saye certayne prayers Their profession is counted to bee amonge all other professions so harde and so streighte that they maye by no meanes bee suffered to come oute of their houses excepte it bee to take a streighter and an harder life vppon them whiche is to bee a bishop Of Monkes POpe Siricius beyng bishop of Rome the first Monkishe order began raised vp by Basilius Magnus bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia Their coat cloke coule and cappe were all white He prescribed them a rule mixte with many traditions and doctrines of men Wherfore he is called of them a father and beginner of religious people whose lyfe he also prayseth so that he obtayned of the aforesayde Siricius to confyrme the order He called them Monachi that is to saye solitarye or seperate from the worlde and founded in Greece the fyrste house or cloyster But howe vnaptly they be called Monachi and men vtterlye deuided from the world who seeth not For where do they dwell but in the middes of famous cities and great townes And in what thinges doe they more exercise thēselues thā in matters of the world In the yeare c. 389. Ibidem Ranulphus Cestrensis This monstruous Monckishe order is deuided into many mōstruous mockish sects wherof we wil reherse part Of the Benedictine Monkes POpe Iohn the fyrst being bishop of Rome Benet a father and a fauourer also of Monks gathered together al strowed and scattered religious persons and begā a peculiar order vpon the Mount Cassinus where he built a most renoumed cloister geuing them there a rule prescript and forme of liuing as though Christ had forgotten it Afterwarde the aforesaide Benet hauing muche people resortyng vnto him built .xii. other monasteries and sylled them also with religious men Of this order is reported to haue bene 24 Popes of Rome C.lxxxii Cardinals M. CCCC.lxiiii Archbishoppes and bishoppes .xv. M. lxx renowmed Abbotes and as saieth Pope Iohn the xxii there haue ben of this order .v. M.vi C.lv. Monks canonisate and made Saints In the yere c. 523. This Benet also inuēted an order for his sister Scholastica and made her Abbesse ouer many Nuns Her clothing was a blacke cote cloke coule vayle And least the Scripture should deceiue her and hers it was commaunded that none should reade the holye Scripture without the consente or permission of their superiour Here is to be sene how God is sought in al monastical orders whiche among them in hys woorde is expelled Of the Cluniacensis order of Monkes POpe Sergius the thirde bearyng rule y e order of Cluniacensis was set vp by a certaine Abbot called Ocion or Otho as som call him For whē the Monkes of S. Benets rule were nerehand decayed in Godlinesse this Oclon or Otho lyued so that they were quickened agayne by reason of his holynesse Their clothyng and rule was accordyng to the appointment of Mōk Benettes rule This Monkishe order was richely endowed with great substaunce and yearely rentes by a certayne Duke of Aquitania called Guillidinus In the yeare of oure Lorde 913 Plat. Sabell Libro Germ. Polidor Pantaleon Of the Camaldinensis order POpe Leo the fourth occupyeng the See of Rome the Monkishe religiō of the Camaldinensis was deuised by Romoaldus of Rauenna in the Mount Apenninus Their coule cloke with all that euer they weare from top to toe is white They kepe perpetuall silēce Euery wednisday Friday they fast bread and water Thei go barefote and lye on the grounde In the yere c. 850. Chron. Pol. Lib. Germ. Of the Hieronimians order POpe Innocentius the Seuenth beyng bishop of Rome the Monkish order of the Hieronimians began vnder the name of Saint Hierom whiche after Christes byrthe 490. leauing his natiue coūtrey wēt into Iury there not farre from Bethlehē builded him an house where he liued very deuoutly in the latter ende of his lyfe These Apes and counterfaitors of S. Hierome weare their clothes of white and a cope plaited aboue ouer theyr coate gyrde with a leather gyrdle In the yere c. 145. This order was endued with diuers priueleges fraunchises and liberties by certaine bishoppes of Rome as Gregory the twelfthe Eugenius the fourthe c. Chron. Polydor. Libro Germ. Of the Gregorians order POpe Gregory the fyrste borne of a noble stocke and verye plentuouslye endowed with goods of fortune forsoke al became a Monke After the decease of his father he builded Syxe religious houses in Sicilia geuyng them a forme and rule of liuing He builded an other within Rome in the name and honor of Saint Andrew wherein he dwelte with many Monkyshe brethren which from time to time keping his rule diligently are called Gregorians Their habite is of a copper coloured course cloth according to their rule In the yeare c 594. Chron. Lib. Germ. Of the Shadowed valley order POpe Gregory the Sixte bearyng rule Ioannes Gualbertus a knight began this order in a certayne mountayne called valla vmbrosa that is to say a shadowie
valley vnder Benets rule with adding therto chaungyng of black clothes into gray In the yere c. 1038 Chron. Polyd. Lib. Germ. Of the Grandimontensis order POpe Alexander the second beyng bishop of Rome the secte foâ—the Grandimontensis Monks was inuented by Stephen of Auernia their order is to lead a streight life as Monks vse to do to geue themselues to watching fastyng and praying to weare a cote of males vpon their bare bodyes and a blacke cloke thereupon In the yeare c. 176. Chron. Pol Lib. Germ. Of the Cisterciensis order POpe Vrban the seconde bearing rule Roberte Abbot of Molisme in Cistercium a wildernesse or Forest in Burgundy dyd institute the order of Cistercians albeit some ascribe this to one Ordingus a Monke that persuaded the aforesaid Roberte to y e same They weare red shoes and white rochets on a blacke coate all shoren saue a little cyrkle In the yeare of oure Lorde 198. Ibidem Of thys Religion was that greate clearke s. Barnard Of the Humiliates order POpe Innocentius the thyrd confirmed and allowed the order of the Humiliates fyrste of all deuysed by certayne personnes exiled by Frederichus Barbarosa which when thei were restored to theyr countreye apparelled themselues all in white and promised to goe in lowlye and simple clothyng the men and women to bee seperate eche from other to laboure euery one what he was skilled in They had one common purse among them They professe S. Benets rule Thys order in processe of tyme hath encreased so both in goodes and persons that it was confyrmed and endowed wyth many priuileges of diuerse Byshops of Rome In the yeare of our lord 1166. Ibidem Iac. Phil. BergoÌ„ Of the Celestines order POpe Celestinus y e fifth willingly gaue ouer hys bishoprike and returned agayn to hys solitary lyfe wherin he quietly liued before his papacie Certayne supersticious persons lyke apes counterfayted thys Bishop taking vpon them an order vnder y e rule of s. Benet in a wildernesse and called themselues Celestines after Celestine Their orders garment cloke â—oule and cappe are blew In the yere c. 1297. Ibidem Of the Gilbertines order POpe Eugenius the fourthe bearyng rule in England S. Gilbert at Tirington and Sempryngham began an order of monkes called after hym Gilbertines In the yeare of oure Lorde 1148. Chron. Polid. Of the Iustinians order POpe Eugenius the fourth confirmed the ReligioÌ„ of the Iustinians adourning the same with many liberties priuileges It was fyrst of all inuented by Lewes Barbus a Councelour of Uenice practised in y e partyes of Treuisâ— in the cloyster of S. Iustine by the citye Badua They professe Monke Benets rule but in habite and apparell they differ In the yeare of oure Lord. 1412. Ibidem Of the Charterhouse Monkes POpe Gregorye the seuenth being bishop of Rome Bruno of Colein y e Philosopher diuine whom Barnarde calleth a faire piller of y e church did institute y e order of y e Charterhouse moÌ„ks in y e diocesse of Gracianopolis at a place named Curtusia Their lyfe was outwardlye full of paynted holynesse in forbearyng fleshe in fastyng breade and water euery fridaye in wearyng hayrye clothes nexte theyr bodye full of solitarynesse much silence euer pinned in neuer going oute refusyng all womens company with other semblable ceremonyes In the yeare of oure Lorde 1620. Ibidem Of the Templares orders POpe Gelasius the seconde bearing rule the order of the Templars beganne at Hierusalem and continued nerehand two hundred yeares whose beginning was thus After that Gotfraye Duke of Lorayne had conquered Ierusalem certayne Knights perceauing y t such pylgrimes as came to them of their deuotioÌ„ were robbed and murthered by the way thei made a bonde among theÌ„ to serue God in Chiualrye At the beginning they were but fewe and gaue themselues to wilfull pouertye and theyr chiefe master was a keper of the temple dore wherof they wer called Templarij Thei dwelt together not farre from Christs Sepulchre lodging the pylgrimes keping them from mischiefe and shewing them much kindnesse bringing theÌ„ from one holy city vnto an other The badge of their order was a white cloke with a redde crosse Saint Bernarde made them a rule according to the appointment whereof they framed their liues Afterwarde they became very riche thorowe the giftes of great men and pilgrimes But Pope Clement the fifte put them downe and destroyed them all in one daye partlye bycause as they write they renounced y e fayth of Christ and conspired with y e turkes partly for other notable crimes Not withstanding some say y t this rooting out of them was more bicause of enuy of their prosperitye and royaltye than of giltinesse For wheÌ„ their gaundmaster Iames Burgonion was burnt at Paris with manye of hys brethren he tooke hys death thereon that he was neuer giltye of the accusations layde to hym Thus peryshed thys order of the Templares all in one daye theyr landes and possessions beeyng distributed and geuen to other In the yere of our Lorde 1110. Of the Premonstratenses order POpe Calixtus the second approued and allowed the monkyshe order of the Premonstratenses which was fyrst of all deuysed by a certayne maÌ„ borne at Colein called Noto hobertus a priest They be vnder the rule of Benet the monke They be clothed in white from top to toe to declare their vnstayned virginitie In the yeare c. 1119. Chron. Pol. Lib. Germ. Of the order of the white Monkes of Mount Oliuet POpe Gregory the twelfth reigning the monks of mount Oliuet sproÌ„g vp thorow the deuice of Bernardus Ptolomeus Their clothyng is all whyte Their rule is Benets with some addicions vnto it In the yeare of our lord 1406. Ibidem Of the Georgian Monkes POpe Gregory the twelfth confyrmed and stablished also the order of S. George of Alga by Venice which was begun by a spirituall man y e patriarke Laurence Iustiniane a man of an incredible straightnesse of life These moÌ„ks are vnder S. Peters rule and the fyrst order with certayne ordinaunces ioyned thereto In the yeare c. 1407. Lib. Germ. Chron. Of the white Monkes POpe Vrban the Seconde reignyng the order of white Monkes began fyrst deuised by one Stephen Harding and afterwarde in y e yere of our lord â–ª 1135 it was brought into Englande by a certayne man called Walter Espek whiche builte an Abbey of the same order called Meriuale Ranulphus Cestrensis Of the Ioannites order POpe Honorius bearing rule Raymund a man of nobilitye fyrst of all inuented the order of s. Iohn Baptist at Hierusalem about the yeare c. 1130. Chron. Angl. Of the order of scourgers or flagellatours POpe Clement the sixt being Byshop of Rome a certayne pestilent secte of false religious persons sprong vp in high Almayne which called themselues Penitentes Cruciferos seu Flagellatores that is to saye Penitent crosse bearers or scourgers of theÌ„selues Their manner was to go
deÌ„nes caues of the ground beyng no where safe and sure from the cruelty of the tyraunts whiche thyrsted no lesse for the bloud of the Christians than the pantyng and thyrsty hart desyreth the water brokes How coulde they halowe that they had not Except the Papists will make euery caue and denne in the ground the Church which were much agaynst theyr worship Agayne where there is mention made in this decree that there must be a Masse at the halowyng of a Churche who knoweth not that the very name of the Masse was vnknowen many hundred yeares after to the faythfull congregation of Christ so farre is it of that the Masse it selfe was in vse among them which is but a late and an yesterday byrde hatched and brought forthe of many Popes yea and that not at one tyme or in one yeare but in many and sundrye yeares Of thys I thought good to warne thee good reader NotwithstaÌ„ding be it true or be it false I will truly and faithfully recite and bring forth vnto thee whatsoeuer I shall fynde in theyr hystoryes concernyng theyr tryflyng trumperye vse thy iudgement and know the Papistes to be enemyes to the truth Pope Felix the thyrd made a decree y e Byshops only should halow churches and that euery citie towne or village should yerely kepe holy for euer after that day wheron the Churche was halowed In the yeare c. 486. Plat. Pol. Chron. Pantaleon Pope Innocent the fyrst decreed that a Churche once halowed should be halowed no more In the yeare c. 408. Dist. 68. Cap. Ecclesiis semel IoaÌ„nes Stella Pope Boniface the fifte made a lawe that whatsoeuer giltye person fledde into sanctuary that is to saye into the Churche or churchyarde for succoure the same party shoulde not be drawen out agayne but suffered there quietly to remayne In the yeare c. 617. Sigeb Sabell â–ª Volat. Plat. c. Pope Martine the fyrste made a decree that Churches should be galantly decked trimmed and dressed vpon the holy dayes and solemne feastes In the yeare of our Lord. 643. Pol. Pantal. Pope Linus made a lawe that no woman should come into the Church excepte her face wer couered w t a vayle or kerchiefe In the yeare of our Lord. 70. Chronica Chronicarum Volat. Fasciculus Tempo D. Barns Pope Eugenius the fourth bearing rule a Councell was kepte at Basille in the whiche it was decreed that such as walke vp and downe in the Church at seruice time shoulde be punished In the yeare of oure Lorde 1430. Plat. Volat. Lib. Concil Of Churchyardes POpe Calixte the first ordained fyrst of all the Churchyards the halowing of the same In the yeare of our Lord. 222 Sabell Plat. Christ. Massae Pantal. Pope Dionyse deuised to deuide the parishes with their Churches Churchyardes and commaunded that euery Bishop shuld be coÌ„tent with the limites of his owne diocesse euery Priest with the boundes of his owne parishe In the yeare of our Lord. 266. Fascicu Temp Volat. Pol. Lib. Concil ¶ Of Churchgoodes POpe Iginius appointed that no Churche stuffe shoulde be put to prophane vses In the yeare of our Lord. 261 Volat. Phil. Bergom Pope Stephen the first made a decree that those which take away the goods of the Churche shoulde be condemned as meÌ„slayers In the yeare of our Lord 261. Chron. Lib. Concil Pope Eusebius ordained that suche as take away any thing appertaining vnto the Churche they shoulde restore ten times as much agayn In the yeare of our Lord. 309. Chron. Germ. Pope Iohn the fourthe made a decree that if any inuaded or toke awaye the goodes of the Churche he shoulde restore foure tymes as muche agayne In the yeare of oure Lorde 635. Ioan. Stella Plat. Chron. Pope Paule the seconde ordayned that they that did alienate or withdrawe any thynge from the Churche should be excoÌ„municated In the yeare c. 1404. Sabell Chron. Pope Gregory the fourth instituted that euery Churche should haue theyr proper possessions wherof the Priest may liue least y t they takyng thought for theyr liuyng shoulde be compelled to leaue theyr dutie vndone In y e yere c. 846. Plat. D. Barns Pope Vrban the fyrst graunted that landes goods and temporall possessioÌ„s should on this condition be geueÌ„ to the Churche that nothyng shoulde be priuate to any man but that all thynges should be common among the Priests so that none of them should want but euery one haue whatsoeuer his necessitye requireth In the yeare c. 222. Anselmus Rid. Volat. Chro. Plat. Of the OrnameÌ„tes of the Church POpe Pius the fyrst brought y e font into the Church â–ª In the yeare c. 147. Plat. Sabel Chron. Pope Boniface the seconde ordayned the particion betwene the chauncell and the Churche whiche we now commonly call the Roodeloft and commaunded that the people should heare the diuine seruice as they terme it in a seuerall place from the clergye In the yeare c. 529. Albert. Crantz Platâ— Ioan. Laziardus D. Barns Pantal. Pope Sabiniane commaunded that Lampes shoulde be kept continuallye burning in the Church In the yere c. 603. Platina Albertus Crantz D. Barnes Pantaleon Pope Innocent the thyrde bearyng rule Eustace â–ª Abbot of Flare came out of Normandye into Englande and among hys other deuises he caused that lyghte shoulde brenne alwaye in the Churches before the little Gods body Ranulph Cest. Pope Zacharye deuised oyle for the Lampes in the Churches In the yere c. 752. Plat. Pantal. Pope Gregory the fyrst brought into y e church tapers torches candles c. In the yeare c. 590. Volat. Pantal. Pope Sabiniane decreed fyrst that the people should be assembled and come together to heare their diuine seruyce at certayne houres of the day by ryngging of bels In the yeare c. 603. Plat. Durand D. Barns Pantal. Pope Iohn the .xxii. ordayned that bels should be tolled euery daye thryce in the euening and that then euery maÌ„ shoulde streyght wayes knele downe say thrice the Aue Maria in the worship of our Lady In the yere c. 1309. Chron. Ioannes Stella Pope Calixt the thirde also made a decre y t euery day at xii of the clocke y e sexten or parish clerke shuld toll noone and y t so many as heare y e bels streight waies shoulde say an Aue Maria in the honoure of oure blessed Ladye In the yeare of our Lorde 1455. Phil. Bergom Durandus sayth that bels be of suche vertue that when they be roung they stirre men to deuotion they preserue the frutes of the earth they kepe both the mindes and the bodies of the faithfull from al daunger they put to flight the hostes of our enemyes dispatche all the suttelties of oure euell willers they cause the boysterous hayle y e sharp â—â—ormes the violent tempestes the terrible thundringes the fearefull lyghtnings and fearce
windes to cease they driue away also al wicked spirites and deuills Ration di off Pope Vitalian brought in Organs to make the people merye In the yeare of oure Lorde 653. Chronic. Volat. Platina c. Pope Sixtus the seconde ordayned fyrst of al that the Supper of the Lord shuld be celebrated at an altare which before was not the vse For the holy mysteryes of the Lordes bodye and bloude vntill that time was ministred vpon a table according to the practyse of Christ of hys Apostles and of y e primatiue Church And here may all men see from whence the popyshe altares come for the which the stubborne sturdye stoute papistes doe so stoutly striue Aboute the yeare of oure Lord if stories bee true two hundred three score and fiue came in the altares fyrste into the Church Other affyrme that they came in aboute the yeare of our lorde 294â— But I beleue that altares came not in the Churche before the yeare of our Lorde 590. When the popishe peuyshe priuate Masses beganne fyrst to creepe in â–ª Volat. Durandus Fasciâ— Temp. Mas. Pet. Aequillinus Ioannes Stella Pope Felix the fyrst instituted the halowing of altares commaunding y t no Masse shoulde be song vpon any altare til it be halowed In the yeare c. 272. Sabell Pantal. Pope Hormisda decreed y t no altares should be set without the consent and special licence of the Metropolitane or of the Byshop of the diocesse In the yere of our Lord. 514. Chron. Ioan. Stella D Barns Pope Boniface the thyrde appoynted white linnen clothes to be layd vppon the altares In the yere c. 605. Pol. Pope Sixtus the fyrst ordayned that the corporasse clothe which the prieste vseth at hys masse shoulde be made of fine white linnen cloth In the yere c. 129. Plat. Sabell Grat. D Barnes Pantal. The same Pope also ordayned that laye men but specially laye women shoulde not once touche the ornamentes of the Church as copes vestments altare clothes c nor the halowed vessell as Chalice Pixe Crosse Chrismatorye Sensers Candlestickes c. Plat. Sabell Pope Stephen the fyrst made a decre y t a priest in hys diuine seruice shoulde vse none other but halowed garments In the yeare c. 261. Sabell Pope Adriane the fyrst being bishop of Rome there was a synode or councell holden at Franckforde in y â— which it was decreed that whosoeuer doth any seruice in the Churche he shoulde weare a surples vpon hys backe in seruice tyme and no man to goe in hys common apparel withoute a surples no not so muche as the sexten or Belringer In the yeare of our Lord. 796. Christ. Massaeus Pope Siluester the fyrst coÌ„maunded that the priest at his masse shuld weare no silke nor any coloured clothing but a white linnen Albe only For Christ sayeth he was buryed in a fyne white linnen cloth In the yeare c 315. Grat. Plat. Ioan. Stella D. Barns Pope Zepherinus commaunded chalices of glasse to bee vsed in the ministration of the Lordes Supper In the yere c. 208. For before that tyme the sacrament of the holy signe of Christs bloude was ministred in cuppes made of woode accordyng to y e vse of Christ of his apostles of y e primatiue church Petrus de nat Plat. Math. Pal. Pantal. Pope Vrban the fyrst ordayned afterward that the chalices should be made eyther of siluer or of golde or of tinne In the yeare of our Lord .222 Platina Grat. Pol. Bergom The saying of Byshop Boniface concerning chalices and byshops is very notable and aunswereth iustly to our tyme. Olim inquit Episcopi aurei ligneiâ— vtebantur calicibus nunc vero lignei Episcopi calicibus vtuntur aureis In times paste sayth he Golden byshops vsed wodden chalices but now wodden bishops vse golden chalices Pope Leo the second deuised y t Paxe In the yeare of our Lord. 676. Platina Pasc. Temp. Pope Innocent y e third inuented pixes and boxes for the reseruation of the sacramentall bread In the yere c. 1195. Paul Volat. Phi. Pol. Pantal. Pope Agapetus the fyrst commaunded the people to go on procession on y e Sondayes to folowe the crosse In the yere c. 533. Plat. Pal. D. Barns Pope Gregorye the fyrst broughte in banners into the churche Thys was that Gregorye whiche sente Austen the Monke into Englande to preache to the englyshe nation the fayth and doctryne of the bishop of Rome with al hys superstitious traditions counterfayte religions and such other wicked abhominations Thys Monkyshe Austen with xl Monkes moe when they arriued and came on lande in the easte side of Kent in y e Iland of Thanet entred in with a crosse with banners displayed hauing a crucifixe paynted vppon euery one of them singing the Letanye with orate pro nobis to al aungels Archangels Patriarches Prophets priestes Apostles Martirs Confessors Uirgins Monks Nunnes Heremites and finally to all he saintes and shee Saintes y t they mighte haue good lucke and well to fare in settyng forth their Romyshe religion Whiche swarme of monkes when they hadde once thorow their hipocrisy and flattering obtained of y e Kyng to inhabite at Canterbury went ioyfully forth on their iourney hauyng their crucifiâ—e crosse and banners borne before them and singing Alleluia with a lustye courage and merye voyce vntil they came to y e city where they practised al kinde of superstition as beades bidding popyshe fasting wiuelesse liuyng long laten Mattens and Masses singing Saintes reliques boastyng c. In the yeare of oure Lorde 590. Chron. Ranulphus Cestrens Pope Fabiane the fyrste deuised the Chrismatories In the yeare c. 242. Plat. Volat. D. Barns Pope Leo the thirde brought in the sensers In the yeare c. 817. Pol. Doct. Barns Pantal. Pope Alexander the fyrste as they fayne inuented the holy water with the holy water buckets and sprinckels In the yeare c. 119. Libro Concil Grat. Pol. Plat. Sabel Pope Siluester the fyrst with y e oyle brought in also the oyle pots In the yeare c. 315. Sabell Plat. Pantal. Pope Iohn the eyght made a decree that if any man dyd take awaye anye thyng once appoynted and dedicated to y e seruice of god either out of an holy or vnholy place y e same man should be counted gilty of sacrilege In the yeare of our Lorde c. 887. Quest. 17. cap. 4. Siquis Ioan. Laziard Of Images to be had in Churches PAulinus Bishop of Nola as some write was one of the firste promoters chiefe proctors to haue Images in Churches In the yeare c. CCCCL Pantal in Chronogra Pope Gregory the first ordained that Images should be had in Churches for to be laye mennes bookes but by no meanes to be worshipped nor kneled vnto In the yeare of our Lorde 590. Greg. Lib. 9. Epist. 9. Chron. Pope Gregory
of Aungels Martyrs virgins saints yea and of Christ and burnt them in the opeÌ„ market made a law that whosoeuer resisted his procedinges in this behalfe he should suffer death In the yeare of our Lord. 784 Blondus Eutropius Platin. Matth. Palmeâ—us c. Constantine the Emperour kept a couÌ„cell at Constantinople in the which were present a greate number of godly Bishops and other learned men where it was lykewyse decreed that Images should be cast out of Churches and by no meanes be suffred in such places as christen men resorte vnto for to praye vnto their Lorde God In the yere c. 739 Sigesb P. Aemilus Pantal. The noble and Godly Emperours Valens and Theodosius made a law that no man shoulde make or cause to bee made any Image of oure Sauioure Christ neyther by paynting nor by grauyng nor yet by any other waye but that wheresoeuer any such Image shoulde bee found it shoulde vtterlye bee taken awaye and destroyed And whosoeuer woulde attempte to doe contrarye to thys theyr acte they appoynted certayne greuous punyshementes to be executed vpon the transgressoures and breakers thereof as a lawe grounded both vpon the worde of God and vppon the decrees and constitutions of the most worthy aunciente Emperours and reuerende byshops Petrus Crinitus Lib. 9. de honestae disciplina Sabanus King of y e Bulgarians made also the lyke lawe in hys Realme for y e abolyshmente of Images oute of the Churches In the yeare of our Lorde 765. Sabell Mass. Pantal. Philip y e Emperour likewise made a straight lawe for the abolishyng of Images In the yeare of our Lorde 730. Sabel Paulus Diaconus The noble Emperoure Adrian commaunded y t there shuld be no Images set vp in temples or Churches Ioan. Laziardus Calcobertus King of England destroyed in hys Realme when he receaued the faith of Christ all the Idolls poppettes Maumettes and Images that he founde or coulde come by In the yeare of oure Lord. 640. Ioan. Laziard â–ª Vincentius Pope Gregory the fyrst after that he was appoynted Byshop of Rome coÌ„maunded that all the Idolles and Images of the Heathen should vtterlye be defaced theyr heades cutte of and theyr other members in all poyntes mangled and disgraced and so in fine destroyed that no occasion of Idolatry mighte afterwarde be geuen In the yeare of our Lorde 590. Ioan. Laziard Chronica Pope Constantine the second whom the seditious tirannicall and superstitious papistes did afterward violently depose cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a vyle and stincking prison and most vnmercifully put oute hys eyes commaunded that no Christian shuld worship any Image eyther of God or of any Saint or inuocate or call vpon the Uirgine Marye or any other saint in heauen with their prayers but worship God in spirite and truth and call vpoÌ„ his glorious name thorow Iesus Christ our alone Mediatour Aduocate and Intercessoure In the yere c. 769. Ioan. Laziard The Councel Agathense made a decree that there shoulde be no pictures in Churches and that no thyng should be painted on the walles of Churches that is honoured and worshipped In the yeare of oure Lorde 440. Libro Concil Durand The Councell Toletane the twelfth holden in Spayne made constitutions both agaynst Images and agaynst the worshippers of images In the yere c. 712. Chron. Concil The Councell Elibertine likewise holden in Spayne decreed that all pictures should be had out of churches and that nothyng that is honoured or worshipped shoulde be paynted on the church walles In the yeare c. 345. Isidorus Tom. 1. Concil The holy Byshop Epiphanius commyng into a churche to praye sawe a vayle there haÌ„ging wherin was paynted y e image of Christ or of some saint So sone as he saw it he cutte y e Image away and sayd that it is contrarye to the authoritye of the holy scriptures to haue the Image of any man in the Churche of Christ. In the yere of oure Lord. 565. S. Hieronymus Chron. Thys Epystle which the aforesaid holy and godly learned Byshop Epiphanius wrote of thys matter vnto Iohn Byshop of Ierusalem in the Greke toung and Sainte Hierome translated into Latyn and the words are these in Englishe WHen we went forth together vnto the holye place whiche is called Bethel y t we shuld make there a collectioÌ„ for the poore accordyng to the custome of Christs Church came vnto a village which is called Anablatha and as I passed by sawe there a candle burning I demaunded what place it was And when I had learned that it was a Churche I entred into it for to praye where I found a vayle hanging on the dore of the same church dyed paynted and hauing an Image as it were of Christ or of some saint For I do not well remember whose Image it was Therefore when I sawe thys in the church of Christ contrary to the authority of the scriptures that the Image of a man did hang there I cutte it away and gaue rather couÌ„cell to the kepers of y e same place that thei shuld lappe and burye some poore dead man in it But they murmured at the matter and said If he wuld cutte it it wer conuenient that he shoulde geue an other vayle in the steade of the other Which thing wheÌ„ I heard I promised y t I would geue theÌ„ one send it vnto them out of hand But while I sought to send a good vaile for y e other I haue made some delay in the matter For I thought I shuld haue had one sent vnto me froÌ„ Cyprus But now haue I sent such as I could gette and I pray thee y t thou wilt commaunde the priests of the same place to receaue the vayle of the bringer y t we haue sente to geue commaundement y t froÌ„ henceforth no such vayles be hanged vp in y e church of Christ as be contrary to our religion Here thys most Godly byshop with manyfest playne and euident wordes pronounceth and declareth that it is agaynst the holy scripture our religioÌ„ that the Image of Christ shuld be had in the temples of the Christians so far is it of that the Images of any saints ought to be placed in theÌ„ Hereof maye we easely gather that S Hierome also and all the other godly Byshoppes whiche were both before and in hys tyme dyd agree in thys poynte with Epiphanius that the Images of Christe and of the Saintes are by no meanes to bee suffered in the Churches of the Christians For in the tyme of Saint Hierome and certayn yeres after him we do not reade that any Byshop beeing of a sounde and perfect iudgement coulde euer abyde that images should be placed in the temples of such as professe Christ. The Godlye learned Byshop S. Athanasius proueth euidentlye agaynste all Imagemongers that men maye learne to knowe God better by liuyng creatures whether they be
auncient writers the Sacrament of baptisme was not commoÌ„ly ministred but at two tymes in the yeare that is to say at Easter and Witsontyde at whiche tymes it was solemnely and with greate reuerence ministred in the presence of all the congregation In the yeare of oure Lorde 676. Lib. Concil Volat. Pol. Châ—on Pope Gregorye the firste made a decree that Monkes shoulde not baptise nor be Godfathers to children at their baptisme In the yere of our Lord â–ª 590 Sabell Pantal. D. Barns This decree did Pope Eugenius the thyrd renue In the yeare of our Lord. 1147. Lib. Concil Chron. The aforesayd Gregorye also ordained that NuÌ„nes by no meanes should be Godmothers to chyldren eyther at Baptisme or at Confirmation Chron. Ioan. Stella Pope Calixte the seconde pronounced all suche excommunicated as toke money eyther for baptisyng or for burying In the yeare of our Lorde 1120. Ioan. Tilio Volat. Pantal. Pope Nicolas the first ordained that the sacrament of baptisme should staÌ„d in effecte althoughe it were ministred of a Pagane and Infidel In the yeare of oure Lorde 871. Achilles Dist. 4. De consecratione The same Pope made a decree that baptisme shoulde not be twyce ministred to one person Ioan. Philip. Bergom Pope Iginius decreed that children whiche were to be Christened â–ª shoulde haue a Godfather and Godmother for to be witnesses that they were baptised In the yeare c. 143. Lib. Concil â–ª Sabell Polidor D. Barns Pope Leo the third appoynted that when the childe is eyther christened or bishoped he should haue but one Godfather be it a man childe or a woman childe In the yeare of our Lord. 817. De consec Dist. 4. Capi. Non plures Guil. Durand Ioan. Stella â–ª Phil â–ª Bergom Pope Theodore the fyrste made a decree that no father should be Godfather to hys owne sonne or doughter nor no mother Godmother to her own sonne or doughter In the yeare of our Lord. 936. Ioannes Laziardus Item he ordayned that if any man were Godfather to another mannes doughter hys sonne myght not afterward take her to wife 30. Quest. 1. Cap. Non Oportet Pope Vrban the seconde made a decree that a man and his wife may not be Godfather and Godmother to one childe at Baptisme 186.30 Quest. 4. Cap. Quod autem Pope Alexander the thyrd ordayned that when it is doubtefull whether the childe be baptised or not he shoulde be baptised on this maner If thou be baptised I baptise thee not agayne but if thou be not baptised I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen In the yere of our Lord 1161. Guilihelmus Durandus Pope Leo Pope Damasus and Saint Ambrose brought in the exorcismes coniurations the benedictions blessings with the other solemne ceremonyes Guil. Durand Pope Celestine made a decree that neither young children nor any other of what age soeuer they bee shall bee christened before y e priests thorow their coniurations breathings spittyngs saltings do driue the deuill out of theÌ„ In the yeare c. 428. Chron. Germ. Dist. 4. de Cons. Pope Clement the fyrst put oyle and creame to the baptisme and coÌ„maunded that all y t shall be baptysed should be annoynted therewith crossed in y e forehead In the yere c. 92. Chron. Lib. Concil Ioannes Laziardus Pope Siluester the fyrst also ordayned that al y t were baptised should be annoynted with oyle creame In the yeare c. 315. Plat. Volat. Sabell In the Councell Braccarense it was ordayned that there should be no money payde for oyle and creame â–ª wherwith y e infantes be annoynted in their baptisme Lib. Concil In the Councell holden at Chartage it was decreed y t a woman althoughe neuer so well learned maye not presume to baptise except necessitye compelleth Concil Durand In the councell Ilerdense it was ordayned that euery prieste that can not haue a fonte of stone maye haue any other conuenient vessell meete for that purpose Prouided alwaye that it be neuer after caryed out of the church Guili Durandus Of the Lordes Supper commonly called of the papistes The sacrament of the altare POpe Alexander the fyrste commaunded that only vnleuended bread shuld be vsed at the Lords supper In the yeare c. 119. Lib Concil Grat. Plat. Sabell Before that time the bread appoynted for the Lords Supper was indifferent whether it wer leuended or vnleuended Notwithstanding the Grekes from the Apostles tyme vnto this daye haue euer vsed leuended bread in the ministration of the Lordes Supper as they vse also wine only in their cuppe where as suche as be vnder the Pope customably mingle water w t the wine according to Pope Alexanders decree Pope Nicolas the seconde decreed y t the bread and the wine whiche are set vpon the altare are not only after the conseeration the sacramentes of y e bodye and bloud of Christ but they ar also the very self same body and bloud of our Lord sauiour Iesu Christ y t was borne of Mary the Uirgine so that the very bodye of Christ is there truly and vnfaynedly handled of the priests handes broken and torne on peces with y e teeth of y e faithfull In the yere c. 1961. De consecrat Dist. 2. Ego Berengarius Pope Innocent the third assembled at Rome in the councell Laterane a wonderfull swarme of spirituall smeared shorelinges to the number of .xii. hundred and odde wherof .viii. hundred at the least wer monkes fryers chanons and such other monkyshe monstures which with one consent for y e maintenaunce of theyr beastly idlenesse idle beastlinesse deuised confyrmed y e doctrine of transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ making it an article of our faith to beleue in payn of damnation that after the prieste hath whispered ouer y e bread wine a fewe latine words as Hoc est enim corpus meum Hic est enim sanguis meus c the bread is turned into the natural bodye of Christ fleshe bloud bone sinowes guttes loynes euen as he was borne of Mary the Uirgine and hanged on y e crosse Agayne the wine is turned into y e very naturall bloud of Christ which he receaued of Mary the Uirgine as it was shedde for our redemption on the crosse no substance of bread and wine remayning but the very substance of bread wine turned vnto the naturall substance of the body bloud of Christ onely y e accidentss of bread wine remaining this monsture of transubstaÌ„tiation was hatched and brought forth by Antichrist and his chaplaynes In the yeare c. 1215. Decret de summa trinitate Cap. Firmiter But as this doctrine of transubstantiation was vnknowen to the Church of Christ before y e wicked and vnlawfull assemblye of y e venimous dragon pope Innocent hys pestilent papistes euen so lykewyse
from y e beginnyng vnto thys daye would y e churche of the Grekes neuer receaue it but alwayes haue abhorred it as a newe straunge yea a deuelysh and damnable tradition of Antichrist as they in lyke manner woulde neuer admit that wicked exeâ—rable traditioÌ„ of receauing the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloude vnder one kynde contrary to the institution of Christ nor the damnable and deuelyshe decree of the syngle lyfe of priestes althoughe that Romyshe Antichrist with the Satanicall Sectaryes haue soughte all meanes possible to bring it to passe Pope Honorius the thyrd dyd not only commaunde y t the sacrament of the altare as the papistes terme it should be worshipped and kneled vnto of the people but also that it should be borne vnto the sycke after a most comely sort with al reuerence and honour yea and that with candlelight also thoughe it be at hye noone dayes In the yere c. 1214. D. 3 Tit. 1. Cap. 10. Lib. Concil Pant. Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that the sacrament of the altare should be kept in y e churches coÌ„tinually vnder locke and keye to the entent to be in a redinesse at al times least saith he thei that are sicke should want y e spirituall coÌ„fort in y e troublesome tyme of death In the yere c. Lib. Concil Chron. Pant. But in y e primatiue church there was no such reseruation and kepyng of the sacramental bread eyther for the sicke or for the hole as it is at this presente For in the Apostles tyme and manye yeares after if any bread remayned of the communion it was not reserued hanged vp in the Pixe to be worshipped as the vse is among the papistes brought in by the deuil and Antichrist but it was geuen to the poore people to eate And in the tyme of Hesichius of Origen as their commentaries vpon Leuiticus do testifye the bread that remayned after the coÌ„munion was brent to ashes And Clement Pope of Rome made a decree that if any of the sacramentall breade remayned after the Lordes Supper was once done the clarkes should not reserue it to be hanged vp and worshipped but consume and eate it The old custome was this sayth Euagrius in hys ecclesiasticall historie that when much of the holy partes of the vndefyled body of Christ our God did remayne that the young children whiche were wonte to goe to schole shoulde bee called to eate them And Saint Hierome witnesseth also in hys commentarye vppon Sainte Paules Epistle to the Corinthians that after the communion whatsoeuer they lefte sayth he of the sacrifices he meaneth the sacramentall breade and wine they consumed it there together in the Churche eatyng their common Supper Pope Iulius the fyrst appointed that the Sacramente of the altare shoulde not be ministred with milke In the yeare of oure Lorde .338 Guili Durand Notwithstanding we read that in the tyme of Pope Innocent the eyghte it was suffered that the priestes of Norduegia mighte syng Masse with water for lacke of wine In the yeare c. 1484 Math. Palmer Pantal. Pope Innocent the third bearing rule it was ordained in the councel Laterane y t when soeuer the Sacramente of the altare is caryed aboute there shoulde be borne before it a bel ringing with a light to cause the people to knele down and worship it In the yeare c. 1195. Iacobus de visaco In the councell Arelatense it was decreed y t if any priest were negligent in keping the bodye of Christ so y t eyther mouse or any other beaste did eate it y t priest for hys offence shuld do penance fortye dayes Dist. 3. De. consecrat In the couÌ„cell Remense it was enacted y t whereas afore the manner was for the priests oftentymes to deliuer y e sacrament of Christes body and bloud to Laymen and to Laywomen yea to childreÌ„ for to beare it vnto the sicke the priestes from thenceforth shoulde no more so do but beare it themselues vnto them saying that it is an horrible and detestable thing for such to carye the holy body of the Lord to y e sicke whiche are forbidden to come into the Chauncel or to approche nye vnto the altare De consec Dist. 2. In a certayne councel holden at Rotomage it was decreed y t the sacrament should be geuen from henceforth neyther to Laymen nor to Laywomen in their handes any more but y t the priest should put it in their mouthes contrary to the vse and practise of the primatiue church and many hundred yeares after Lib. Concil Pope Boniface the second made a decree that at the ministration of the Lordes Supper the people the Clergy should be present not to be gasers but partakers of those holy mysteries In the yeare c. 529. Ioan. Stella Pope Anacletus decreed y t a priest whensoeuer he doth coÌ„municate shall haue two at the least to be partakers with him and that such as be present and will not communicate shal as vngodly persons be excommunicate and put out of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ In the yeare c. 101. Grat. Plat. Phil. Bergom In the câ—uÌ„sell Antiochen it was like wise agreed that suche as were in the Churche and present at the common prayers heard the preaching of gods worde and yet refused to receaue the Lordes Sacrament they should be taken for none of the number of the true Christians Lib. Concil Pope Zepherinus appoynted that all that professe christ or beare the names of ChristiaÌ„s being of the age of twelue or thirtene yeres or vpwarde should at the least once in the yere as at Easter receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christe In the yeare c. 208. Plat. Sabell Volat. Laziard c. Pope Fabiane commauÌ„ded that euery Christian should receaue the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud thrice in the yeare that is to say at Easter at Witsontide and at Christmasse In the yere of our lord .242 Eusebius Plat. Sabell Volat. Ioan. Stella Pantaleon In the Councell Agathense it was decreed that those seculare men which did not receaue the Communion at Christmasse Easter and Witsontide shoulde not be taken for true Catholikes Lib. Concil There is a decree as Guilihelmus Durandus writeth that suche as ought to receaue the Sacrament at Easter muste abstayne ab amplexibus that is to saye from gyuing their wiues the due beneuolence as Sainct Paule calleth it three dayes afore and three or fiue or vii dayes after as though the acte of Matrimonye were vncleane when notwithstandyng the holy Apostle calleth Wedlocke honorable and the bedde vndefiled Rationale di off Of receauing the Sacrament vnder both kindes according to Christes Institution POpe Gelasius ordayned that all Christians be they spirituall or temporall as they terme them shoulde receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in both kinds according to Christes
institution and that if any would not so receaue it the same should abstayne from the whole In the yeare of our Lord .494 dist 2. de consecrat cap. Comperimus Pope Iulius the first also commaunded that the people should receaue the mysteries of Christes body and bloude accordyng to Christs institution both the breade and the cup one seuerall from the other as the Apostle sayth let a man examine himselfe and so eate of that breade and drinke of that cup. In the yeare of our Lord .338 de consecrat dist 2. cap. Cum omne In a certain councell holden at Basile it was concluded that according to christes institution the lay people also should receaue the Sacrament in both kindes And this decree was not onely established by the authoritie of the emperour Sigismund and the coÌ„sent of the other noble and learned men whiche were there present but it was also confirmed approued and allowed by Pope Eugenius the fourth In the yeare c 1430. Lib. Concil Chron. Not only in the primatiue churche but also in the time of S. Cipriane s. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Austen S Iohn Chrisost c. and many hundred yeares after the lay people receaued the SacrameÌ„t of Christes body and bloud vnder both kindes as they lykewise had the SacrameÌ„tal bread geuen theÌ„ in theyre haÌ„des and not put in theyre mouthes as the Papistes vse in these our dayes Are not these the wordes of saint Ambrose vnto the Emperoure Theodosius when he would haue receaued the Sacrament comming blustring and blowyng from sheding innocent bloud O Emperour saith he howe shalt thou with such handes take the holy body of the Lord With what folishe hardinesse shalt thou receaue in thy mouth the cup of the precious bloud seing that thorow the madnesse of thy wordes so muche bloude is wrongfully shed Seuen thousand men sayth the historye were slaine at the commaundement of the Emperour Tripar hist. Lib. 9. cap. 30 That this Emperour Theodosius was a lay man the Papistes themselues will confesse I doubt not Here then learne we two notable thinges one is that in the tyme off Ambrose the lay people accordyng to Christes institution receaued y t Sacrament vnder both kinds The second is that the lay people also had the Sacramentall bread geuen theÌ„ into theyr hande of the ministers and not thrust into theyre mouthes as the massyng Papistes vse at this daye but this godlye plant of Christe hath that wild bore of Rome with his Antichristiane and filthy pigges â—oted vp subuerted and destroyed Take eate sayth Christe Drinke ye all of this sayth he Matth. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. All saith he and not priestes only The cup of the mysterie of Christes bloud was so frelye suffred before the tiranny of the Romish bishop preuayled that not onely it was ministred to auncient people but also to yong children as the monumentes of the olde writers do manifestly declare Cipr. in serm de lapsis The Grekes the Ethiopes and the Bohems with diuers other nations as histories make mention haue vnto this daye alwayes obserued and kepte the auncient and Apostolique maner of receuing the SacrameÌ„t vnder both kinds according to the institution and ordinauÌ„ce of y e Lorde Christ by no meanes obeying the wicked decree of y e bishop of Rome vnto the contrary Of receiuing the Sacrament vnder one kinde after the popes inuention POpe Innocent the thyrd as some write did firste of all forbid in the councell Laterane that the lay people should receiue the holy communioÌ„ of the body and bloud of Christ vnder both kindes about the yeare c 1215. Other affirme whiche I iudge to be more true that that wicked decree of taking awaye the cup of the mystery of Christes bloud from the laye people contrary to christes institution and commaundement was first of al grauÌ„ted confirmed and established in a couÌ„cel holden at Constance the xiii session where y e most famous clerk Iohn Wicklief our countrey man was condemned for an heretike the two learned men Iohn Hus Hieronymus de Praga were most cruelly and most vniustly murthered and brent also for heretikes of the bloudy Papists notwithstandyng the Emperours safeconduct for deniyng the Popish article of Transubstantiation and maynteyning the receyuing of the Sacrament vnder both kindes In the yeare c. 1415. This is worthie to be noted that the Papistes them selues in that theyr deuilish decree confesse and graunte that Christes institution is that the lay people shoulde receaue the Sacrament vnder both kinds and that in the primatiue Churche all the communicaÌ„tes did not only receiue the mystery of christs body but also y e mystery of Christs bloud one seuerall from the other according to y e institucioÌ„ of christ And notwithstandyng the premisses they straightly charge and commauÌ„de that from that time forwarde none of the Laytye shal receaue the SacrameÌ„t but onely vnder the kind of bread and that they must beleue certeinly and by no meanes doubt that the whole body and bloude of Christ is truely contayned as well vnder the kinde of breade alone as vnder the kinde of wine also that therfore it is sufficient for the laytye to receaue the Sacrament vnder one kynd and that whosoeuer froÌ„ that tyme fourth shall presume to receaue the Sacrament vnder both kindes except he be an holy annoynted or think of this decree otherwise than well he shall be taken iudged condemned and punished like an heretike accordyng to the appointment of the ecclesiasticall lawes that is to say brent to ashes as the good moÌ„ke of Eye in Suffolk was in the dayes of kynge Henry the eight O woluish and bloudy Antichristes A Christen man to be murthered for obeiyng the commaundemeÌ„t of Christ yea and that of them whiche will be taken for the heades of Christs church whiche also ought rather to shed theyr owne bloude than y t any iot or title of Gods worde should be left vndone O tirannye incomparable It is not lawfull eyther to put to or take ought froÌ„ y e testament of a mortall man if it bee once allowed and shal y e vile donghills of the earth presume to alter chauÌ„ge the blessed and euerlasting Testament of y e only begotten sonne of god which he sealed with his most precious bloud deliuered to his church to be inuiolably kept vntil his returne Drinke ye all of thys sayth Christ and not ye smeared shorelyngs only In a councell holden at Basile it was decreed y t not only the lay people but the priests also when they themselues make not Goddes body shuld communicate onely vnder one kynde In the yeare c. 1437. Of confyrmation or bishoppyng of Children POpe Clement the fyrst as the papistes fayne fyrste of all ordayned the confyrmation or byshopping of children and commaunded y t the childe being once baptised shuld as sone as is possible be bishopped For sayth he
he is no perfect christiaÌ„ which not of necessity but of negligence or of set purpose leueth this thing vndone In the yere c. 92. Lib. Concil Fas. Temp. Pol. Pantal. Some attribute this decree to pope Siluester the fyrste whiche liued in the yeare c. 315. Plat. Volat. D. Barns The aforesaid pope also appoynted y t none should consecrate the oyle and creame but byshops onely and y t they likewise none other should confirme children Plat. Volat. Pope Iginius ordayned that children shoulde haue a Godfather or Godmother when they were confyrmed and catechised In the yeare c 143. Ioannes Laziardus In the councell Meldense it was ordained y t bishops shuld be fasting wheÌ„ they confyrme children Lib. Concil Dist 5. de consecrat In a councel holdeÌ„ at Aurelia it was decreed y t the sacrament as they cal it of confirmation shuld be geuen to such young ones as were of perfect age as xii or .xv. yeares olde to such as were come to mans state and y t all such before they be bishopped shuld be shriueÌ„ and come fasting to their byshoppyng Lib. Concil Guilielmus Durand Of Matrimonye POpe Euaristus made a law y t al priuye contracts of Matrimony y t wer made without y e consente of the parents shuld be of no force and y t the maÌ„ the woman shuld be openly maryed together in the church of a priest before the congregation or els y e maryage to be taken as adulterous incestuous and abhominable In the yeare c. 110. Lib. Concil Epist. 1. ad episc Aphrican Polid. D. Barns Pope Sother decreed y t no wife shuld be holden lawful except she were fyrst blessed of a Priest Ranulphus Cestrensis Agayne y t al mariages should be made not secretly but openly and with great solemnitie In the yeare c. 168. Grati. Volat. Sabell The same law also made Pope Nicolas y e fyrst In the yere of our Lord. 87â— Quaest. 3. Cap. 1. Nostrates Laziard Pope Hormisda likewise strayghtly commaunded that the mariage of the Christians shoulde not bee celebrated in hocker mocker but openlye in the Church of Christ before the multitude In the yeare c. 514.30 Qu. 5. Cap. Nullus fidelis Ioan. Stella Pope Martine the fyrst ordayned y t the man and hys wife shuld not lye together before the priest had blessed theÌ„ and halowed their bed In the yeare c. 643. Chron. Pope Theodorus dyd inhibite fyrst of all y t a man might not mary y e mayde to whom his father was Godfather In the yeare of oure Lorde 636. Sabell Gratian. Pope Fabian made a decree y t no maÌ„ shuld marrye any of his kyndred with in the fyfth degree In the yere c. 242. Grat. Sabell Volat. Plat. Pope Iulius the fyrst made a lawe y t no man should marrye any of his kyndred vnto the seuenth degree In the yere c. 338. Cau 35. q. 3. Null Pol. Pant. This lawe was afterwards confyrmed by Gregory the fyrste But Pope Innocent the thirde disalowing the decrees both of Pope Iulius and of Pope Gregory renued the decree of Pope Fabian licensyng al men to marrye from the fourth degree vpward as it is specifyed in a decree that beginneth Non debet In the yeare c. 1215. Paul Phrig â—olidor Pantal. Pope Honorius the thirde ordayned that if any womaÌ„ wuld come declare before the ordinarye y t her husbande is not able to geue her y e due beneuolence although it be three yeares after they haue bene maryed shee shall be separated from her husbande In the yeare of our Lord. 1214. Dec. 5. Tit. 33. Cap. 28. Pope Nicolas y e fyrst decreed that no mariage ought to be solemniâ—ed in the tyme of Lente In the yeare c. 871. Grat. Chron. There is also a decree made in the councell Ilerdense that froÌ„ Septuagesime vnto the Octaues of Easter iii. wekes before the feast of S. Iohn Baptist otherwyse called Mydsomer again that from Aduente vnto Twelfâ—yde after Christmasse maryage in no condition maye be solemnised If any presume to marrye in those forbidden tymes the popes lawe is y t thei shal be separated 3. Qu. 4. Cap Non oportet Pope Gregory ordayned that y e man which slepeth or lyeth with his wyfe may not enter into the churche before he hath washed himselfe with water made himself cleane Caus. 33. Quaest. 4. Vir cum propria Of Auricular confession POpe Innocent the thirde ordayned auriculare confession in the councell Laterane and commaunded y t al men women and children eueÌ„ so many as are of age shal at the leaste once in the yeare confesse their synnes to their own Curate In the yeare c. 1215. Paulus Phrig Massae Polid. The aforesayd pope also made a law that if any prieste dyd vtter disclose or tel abroade the confession of any man he shoulde be thrust into a monasterye to do penaunce al the tyme of his lyfe De. 5. Tit. 30. Cap. 13. Pope Gregorye also made a law that no confessour or ghostly father should bewraye any mans confession eyther by becke signe token worde or by any other meanes Dist. 6. de paenitentia Ca. Sacerdos Ansel. Ryd In the Greke Churche there was a certayne kynde of auricular confession vsed of such as should receaue the communion more than a thousand yeares paste Before they came to the Lordes Supper their manner was to goe vnto y e minister to learne of hym y e right vse of that holy mystery and how they might prepare theÌ„selues to come worthely vnto that holy and heauenly table Againe if any thing troubled their conscience to declare it to a godly learned minister and to aske his councell and aduise in redresse thereof as y â— maÌ„ner at this present is in diuerse places of Germanye where the Gospell is preached Under the cloke of thys auriculare confessioÌ„ much mischiefe was wrought in so muche it was proued y t a certayne Deacon dyd most shamefully abuse a noble citizens wife diuerse times when shee came vnto y e churche vnder this pretence eueÌ„ to be coÌ„fessed Which thing when Nectarius bishop of Constantinople perceaued he vtterlye abrogated and put awaye y e arricular confession leauing the communicants to their own consciences In the yeare of our Lord. 395. Hist. Trip. Lib. 9. Cap. 5. P. Phrig Of Annoilyng or extreme vnction POpe Felix the fourthe did institute y t such as were in extremes like to die shuld be annoyled In the yere c. 525. Chronic. Volat. Polydor D Barns Pantal. Pope Innocent the fyrst ordayned also that y e sicke shuld be aÌ„noynted with oyle being afore consecrate of a bishop In the yere c. 404. Lib. Concil Petrus de natal Of praying for the dead POpe Pelagius the fyrst ordayned fyrste of all the funerall Exequies or Diriges wyth Masses of
Requiem to be done for the dead He also commaunded that the priestes at theyr Masses shuld daylye praye for the dead in theyr seconde Memento In the yere c. 52. Grat. Plat. Pol. Pope Gregory the thyrde commaunded that oblations sacrifices shoulde be offered of the Priestes at their Masses for y e dead In the yere of our Lord. 740. Nauclerus D. Barns Pope Leo appointed the Masse to be a sacrifice for the dead In the yeare of our Lord. 444. Vol. Ansel. Ryd Pope Benet the thyrd ordayned that the Clergy should be present at the burial of the Byshops and sing Dirige for their soules and that the Bishops likewise should be present at the buriall of the Clergy syng Dirige also for their soules In the yeare c. 861. Chron. Plat. Pope Iohn the .xviii. at the instante desyre of Oclilo the Monke appoynted one seuerall day in the yeare to praye for all Christen soules departed which we cōmonly call the feast of all soules In the yeare c. 999. Chron. Pope Gregory the fyrst by prayer obtayned of God as they write that the soule of Traianus the Emperour which many yeares before had bene most miserably tormented in the most bytter paynes of hell fyre where they saye is no redemption was deliuered oute of hell brought vnto the glorious kingdome of heauen In the yeare of oure Lord. 590. Polichronicon Of diuine seruice as they cal it Mattens Prime and Houres Euensong c. POpe Sabiniane decreed first that y e people should be assembled together to heare their diuine seruice at certayne houres of the day by ringyng of belles In the yeare of our Lord. 603. Volat. Fasci Temp. Chron. Plat. Polid D. Barns Pope Damasus at the instance of the Emperour Theodosius commaunded ▪ S. Hierome to take an order for the seruice to be vsed in Churches and to appoint what prayers should be sayd on euery day that there might be an vniformitie in the seruice Whiche thing S. Hierome did with all diligence in somuche that he appoynted what prayers and howe many Psalmes should be sayde euery daye in the weke When he had finished the seruice he sent it vnto Damasus whiche did right well allowe it and commaunded that all Churches should vse that order and none other For before that tyme euerye Churche had suche prayers appoynted as were thought by the Elders thereof moste mete for the congregation and serued best for the present time In the yeare c. 371. Guil. Durandus Chron. Pope Gregorye the firste brought in Deus in adiutorium c. and ordayned it to be sayd euerye houre at seruice In the yeare of oure Lorde 590. Plat. Iac. Phil. Bergom Poly. Pope Damasus thorowe the councell of S Hierome appoynted that Gloria patri whiche as they write was made at the councell of Nice should be sayd at the ende of euerye Psalme In the yeare of our Lord. 371. Volat. Sigeb Polidor Pantal. Pope Gregory the seuenth ordayned that from Easter day vnto the Saterdaye before the feaste of the Trinitie there shuld be sayd at Mattens but .iii. Psalmes and .iii. lessons onely at all other times .ix. lessons c. In the yere c. 1073. Some wryte the contrary and ascribe thys inuention to Alcuinus whiche was scholemaster to Charles the great Guil. Durand Chron. The Legendes or liues of Saints that be redde in the quiere at seruice time were made by Paulus Longobardus at the desyre of Charles the great And he appoynted conuient lessons for euerye feaste of the Sainctes thoroughout the yeare Bergom Isuardus the Frenche Monke at the the desire of Charles the greate made the booke whiche is called the Martiloge Iac. Phil. Pope Gregorye the fyrste and Pope Gelasius brought in the Respondes and Collectes that be sayde at Mattens Guil. Durandus Pope Damasus added the Himmes wherof he himselfe made part and the residue wer made by saint Hilary saint Ambrose and other Guil. Durandus Pope Gregorye the firste deuised the Anthemes and made the tune or songe vnto them Guil. Durand Ioan. Laziard Notwithstandyng some write that in y ◠tyme of Pope Euaristus Anthemes were brought into the Church by Ignatius Saint Iohn the Euangelistes disciple yea that by this occasion Ignatius at a tyme standing vpon a certaine mountain heard the Aungels in Heauen singing Anthemes He beyng moued by their example ordayned in lyke maner that Anthemes should be songe in the churches and Psalmes likewise after the Anthemes In the yeare c. 109 ▪ Phil. Bergom Tripart Hist. Pope Damasus ordayned that the quier being deuided in two parts they should singe one verse of the Psalmes on the one side an other on the other side Sigeb Durand Polid. Pantal. Pope Alexander the second cōmaunded that Alleluia should not be said nor song in the churches from Septuagesima vnto Easter euen ▪ but in the steade of that Laus tibi domine In the yeare c. 1063. Nauclerus D. Barns The same commaundement gaue Pope Telesphorus also as Durand writteth Rat. di off Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that whensoeuer the Mary or the holy Ghost or saint Crosse is serued on the working daies Te deum shal not be said at Mattens nor Gloria in excelsis the Crede at Masse In the yeare of oure Lord. 1195. Guil. Durand Pope pontianus made a decree that the Psalmes should be songe throughout all Churches both day and nyght In the yeare c. 230. Fas. Temp. Chron. Pope Pelagius the first commaunded first of al that Priestes should say dayly Mattens of the day In the yeare c 552. Grat. plat polid Chron. Pope Vrban the secōd ordayned likewise that priestes should say euery day our Ladies mattēs openly in y e church and that vpon the Saterday the whole seruice shoulde be of our Lady In the yeare c. 1086. Sabel Ioan. Stella Nauclerus pol. Durand polichron Pope Leo the first commaūded that in Septuagesima and Quadragesima and Aduent and Lent Alleluya should not be song nor Gloria in excelsis In the yere c. 444. Durandus Ioan. Stella Iac. phil Bergom Sainct Ambrose and S. Austen made Te deum as they waite Catalog Sant Specul Eccles. Iac. phil Bergom Pope Leo the nynth made certayne songes of the Sainctes In the yeare c. 1040. Sigebertus Chron. Paulus Longobardus made this hymne vt queant laxis with diuerse other moe at the desire of charles y e great Bergom Pope Zepherinus made the Legend on Childermasse day whiche begynneth Zelus quo tendat c. and also the Legend of the decollation of Saint Iohn Baptiste phil Bergom Pope Gregory the nynthe ordayned Salue regina to be songe in Churches with all deuotion and with all solemnitie In the yeare of oure Lorde 1225. Blondus Crantz The maker of this Antheme was one
awaye both from the eares and from the mynde vtterlye In Libro de vanitatc scientiarum Erasmus Roterodamus expresseth hys mynde concernyng the curious manner of synging vsed in Churches on thys wyse and sayeth Whye doth the Churche doubt to followe so worthy an author Paule Yea how dare it be bolde to discent from hym What other thing is heard in Monasteryes in Colleges in Temples almost generally than a confused noyse of voyces But in the tyme of Paule there was no singing but saying onely Singing was with greate difficultye receaued of them of the latter tyme and yet such singing as was none other thing than a distincte and playne pronunciation euen suche as we haue yet among vs when we sounde the Lordes prayer in the holy Canon and the toung wherein these thynges were song the common people dyd then vnderstande and aunswered Amen But nowe what other thing doth the common people heare than voyces signifying nothing And such for the moste part is the pronunciation y t not somuch as the wordes or voyces are heard only the sound beateth the eares Erasmus Rot. in annot 1. Corinth Cap. 14. Of the Masse and of all the partes thereof POpe Celestinus the fyrst ordained y t the priest should say the Psalme y t beginneth Iudica me deus c when he putteth on hys clothes and reuesteth hymselfe to Masse and that when he draweth nye to the altare he shoulde saye thys verse of y e aforesayd psalme Et introibâ— ad altare dei c. In y e yere c. 428. Plat. Poly. Fasci Temp. Christ. Massae D. Barns Pant. Ioan. Functius Pope Damasus the fyrst decreed y t the priest standyng before the altare shuld say the confiteor and make hys confession to GOD to oure Ladye Saints Marye to all Saintes et vobis and that they that were presente shoulde saye Miseriatur vestri c. Agayne that the priest after that should pronounce the absolution and saye Absolutionem remissionem omnium peccatorum nostrorum c before he presume to go to the altare In the yeare c. 370. Plati Polid. D. Barns c. Some attribute thys inuention to Pope Pontianu Some to Pope Vrbanus Pope Gregorye the fyrste instituted the Office of the Masse In the yeare of oure Lorde 590. Platina Polydor. Pantaleon Pope Damasus the fyrst broughte in Gloria patri to bee sayd not onely at the ende of euerye Psalme but also at the office of the Masse In the yeare c. 370. Plat. Chron. Pope Gregory the fyrst ordayned the Kyrye and appoynted that it should be song nyne tymes openly of the Clergye onely at Masse whiche before at the commaundement of Pope Siluester was song of the Clergy and people together Durand Plat. D. Barns Pantale It seemeth to bee borowed oute of the Greke Church forasmuch as the wordes be Greeke and sounde in our Englyshe tonge Lorde haue mercy vpon vs. Pope Telesphorus added to the Masse Gloria in excelsis In the yere c. 130. Plat de consec Dist. 1. Cap. Nocte sacra Albertus Krantzius Some ascribe it to Pope Symmachus Phil. Bergom Pope Symmachus the fyrst added to Gloria in excelsis c. Laudamuste and so forth vnto the ende In the yeare of our Lorde 499. Fascic Temp. Valentinus vannius Chron. Pope Anacletus put to the Masse this salutation Dominus vobiscum and commaunded y t this answer shuld be made of them y t were present Et cum spiritu tuo In the yere c. 101. Iacobus Manlius Vannius Some ascribe it to Pope Sotherus Gratia de consec Dist. 1. Can. Hoc quoque Ioannes Laziardus writeth y t Dominus vobiscum was taken oute of the booke of Ruth added to the masse I know not by whoÌ„ And for Et cum spiritu tuo it was brought in sayth he by the couÌ„cel Aurelianense Pope Gelasius the fyrst appoynted y t Collectes wherof he himself made part part of theÌ„ were deuised by other In the yere c. 494. Iâ—idor Grat. Pol. Pope Damasus y e fyrst bearing rule the Epistle was added by y e councel of S. Hierome who liued in the yeare of our Lord. 387. Plat. Poly. Antonin D. Barns Some saye that Pope Alexander the fyrst dyd fyrst of al bring in the Epistle and Gospell and commaunded them to bee read at the ministration of the Lordes Supper In the yeare c.. 119. Chron. Germ. But the author of y e booke called Fasciculus Temporum ascribeth both the Epistle and the Gospell to Pope Telesphorus Pope Gelasius the fyrst brought in y e Grayle commaunding that the people shoulde sing it while the priest or Deacon was going vp into y e pulpit to rede and to declare the gospel desiring god that it might both be spokeÌ„ and heard with frute Phil. Bergom Antonin Vannius Some make Pope Celestinus the author of it Plat. Some Pope Gregory the fyrst Chron. Germ. Pope Gregorye the fyrst of whom wee spake before added the Alleluya to the Masse and commaunded that it shoulde bee song all the whole yeare saue only from Septuagesima vnto Easter Plat. Antonin D. Barns Nauclerus Some ascribe it to pope Gelasius Phil. Bergom Some saye it was borowed of the church of Ierusalem and so brought into the churche of Rome in the tyme of pope Damasus It soundeth in Englyshe Prayse ye the Lorde Pope Sergius otherwyse called pope Swines snoute bearing rule a certain Monke Abbot of S. Gallus called Notgerus or Nocerius made the Sequences which afterward crept into the Masse rather by vse and custome than by any constitution of the popes Valent. Vannius Iacobus Vuimpheling Pantal. Notwithstanding some write that Pope Nicolas commaunded them to be song at masse Chron. Germ. Durand And forasmuch as there are many and diuerse Sequences they are ascribed to many and diuerse authors Iodocus Clitoueus in Elucidario Ecclesiastico appoynteth many of them to a certayne Monke of Paris called Adamus de S. Victore Other are ascribed to S. Bernarde to Thomas Aquinas c. Pope Gelasius made y e Tractes which on the feriall dayes are wonte to bee song or sayd in stead of the Sequences before the Gospell Chronic. Angl. Bergom Some ascribe them to Pope Celestinus Ioan. Laziardus Some to Pope Telesphorus Some to pope Gregorye the fyrste which coÌ„maunded theÌ„ to be song at Masse in place of the Sequences froÌ„ Septuagesima vnto Easter Some to S. Ambrose Guil. Durand Pope Damasus the first bearing rule the Gospell was added to the Masse by the councell of S. Hierome Plat. Anto. Polid. D. Barns Pope Anastasius ordayned that the people should stand vp at the Gospell tyme both to take hede to the doctrine thereof and also to shewe themselues ready to defeÌ„d the doctrine of the Gospel eueÌ„ vnto the death In the yeare c 404 Volat. Plat. Sabell polidor
God howsoeuer the wicked and wilye papistes bewitche the simple people and thorowe their suttle Sophistrye caste mistes before the eyes of the ignorant and so darken theyr senses and wittes that they can not espye y e truth of Gods worde in thys behalfe which is aboundauntly setforth thorowe the greate benefite of God in these oure dayes by the diligente laboure paynfull trauayle of many Godly learned men both in Latin and in Englyshe and in diuerse other speaches vnto the great cōfort of all faythfull Christians and vnto y e confusion of Antichrist and of hys kyngdome Vercellen Concil Florent Concil Roman Concil Secund. Sinod Lateran Extra de summa fide cathol Cap firmiter Pope Pelagius the second ordayned praying for the dead in the Masse In y e yeare c. 580. Plat. Pol. Grat. D. Barns Pope Gregorye the fyrst succedyng y e aforesayd Pelagius encreased this cōstitution concerning y e memoration and prayer for y e dead being hereunto allured by y e disceatfull apparitions of deuils rather than of dead mens spirites which many times appeared vnto him euer crauing at his hand helpe and succour for their deliuerance out of y e most bitter paynes of purgatorye thorowe Diriges and Masses of Requiem such like prayers made for the dead greatly abusing his childish pity light beliefe For he writeth y t a certayne mā called Paschasius being deade appeared vnto him desired him to pray to say masse for him which thyng he most diligently did so y t afterward y e soule of Paschasius appeared agayne vnto hym tolde him y t whē he had once sōg for him .xxx Masses he was streyghtwayes deliuered out of purgatorye Gregorius in Registro He writeth agayne y t a certayne Monke called Iustus was deliuered out of the fyre of purgatorye thorowe the sacrifyce of thyrtie daies that is to say thorowe a trentall of Masses whiche are thyrtye in number Gregor in Lib. dialog 4. Cap. 54. Here mayest thou see good Reader vpon what foundatiō singing of masses for the dead is builte Uerely vpon the delusions and disceatfull apparitions of the deuill and hys aungells Is not thys the commaundement of God Thou shalt not aske the truth of them that be dead Agayne if they saye vnto you aske councell at the Southsayers witches charmers and coniurers thē make them thys aunswere Is there a people any where y t asketh not councell at hys God Shoulde men runne vnto the dead for the liuyng If any man wante lyghte let hym looke vpon the lawe and the testimonye whether they speake not after thys meanyng If he doe not thys he stumbleth and suffreth hunger if he suffer hunger he is out of pacience and blasphemeth his king and his God It had bene Gregoryes dutye not strayghtwayes to geue credite to the wandryng spirites but to haue considered by the holy scriptures what the will of God is in this behalfe Beleue not euery spirit saith Saint Iohn but proue y e spirits whether they be of god Pope Innocent appoynted that the names of the dead shuld not be rehearsed in the Masse before but after the consecration Durandus Pope Gregory the first put the Pater noster to the Masse and commaunded that it should be sōg with a loud voice In the yeare c. 590. Ioan. Laziardus He also commaūded that the priest at his masse before the Lordes prayer should sing these words Oremus praeceptis salutaribus moniti c. Blessed Gregory saith Durandus thought it good that the Lordes prayer after y e Canon should be sayd ouer the host affirming in hys register that it is vnsemely that the prayer whiche Scholasticus made should be sayde ouer the Euchariste y e prayer left out whiche the Lord himselfe had sayd the Apostles likewise were wōt to say It is song sayth he among the Grekes of al y e people together but amōg vs of the priests alone Rat. di off Ioannes Nauclerus writeth in his chronicle y t the holy Apostle S. Peter when he celebrated the Lordes supper vsed none other but y e Lordes prayer which we commonly call the Pater noster As for all other thinges that be now vsed in the masse they haue bene added and brought in since that tyme by dyuers mē of theyr owne fansy brayne without the authoritie of gods worde Pope Gregory the firste added to the masse also this prayer Libera nos quesumus c. and commaunded that it should be said after the Lordes prayer Chron. Germ. Pope Innocentius the first put to the masse Pax domini sit semper vobiscum and cōmaunded that the people should aunswere Et cū spiritu tuo In the yere c. 408. Chron. Germ. Pope Sergius the first of that name inuented the Agnus dei and commaunded that it shoulde be songe of the clergye and of the people together at the communion or masse In the yeare c. 684. Plat. Durandus D. Barns He ordayned also that while the quiere sing the Agnus the priest should breake the missal bread in three parts one for the soules of the Sainctes that are in Heauen an other for them that are in purgatorye the thirde for them that are in this world liuyng in sinne Agayne that the priest shoulde holde stil in his hands two peces of that broken bread ouer the chalice and let the thyrde parte thereof fall downe into the chalice saying these wordes Hec commixtio corporis sanguinis c. Pope Leo the second ordayned y e carying about kyssing of y e Paxe y t the people might haue somwhat to doe as it may seeme while the priest eate vp drink vp altogether alone at the altar In the yeare c. 676. Grat. plat Fasci Temp. Durandus D. Barns Vannius Notwithstāding some attribute this idle inuētion to pope Innocent the first De consec dist 2. Cap. Pax igitur Lib. Concil Michael Bucchingerus c. Pope Innocent the firste made a decree that on solemne feastes the priests at the Agnus should kisse one an other but the commō people should kisse the Paxe In the yere c. 408. De cons. dist 2 cap Pacem Plat. Sabell Pol. Pantal. In the masse for the dead the Paxe is not giuen sayth Durand bicause the faithfull soules are no more neyther shall be in the trouble of this worlde but they rest now in the Lorde so that the kysse of peace is not necessary nor nedefull for them whiche is the signe of peace and concorde and therefore at that masse this prayer is not said Domine Iesu Christe qui dedisti Apostolis tuis pacem c. Hereof also commeth it to passe that among the monkes there is no Paxe giuen bicause they are coūted dead to the world Rat. di off Polid. Pope Calixtus the first ordained that so many as were present at masse after the
consecration should communicate together if they woulde not that they should be excommunicate For so sayth he did the Apostles appoint and the holy Church of Rome kepeth that order In the yeare of our Lorde 217. Grat. de consec dist 1. cap. Paracta Item Can. Omnes This aforesaide constitution is also ascribed to Pope Anacletus De consec dist 1. cap. Episcopus Lib. concil In the primatiue Church saith Durande all that were present at the celebration of masses that is to say at the ministratiō of the Lordes supper were wont euery day to communicate that is to receaue with the minister the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ bicause all the Apostles did drynke of the cup accordyng to this saying of the Lord Drinke ye all of this c. Againe he sayth Uerely the priest himselfe nowe eateth all the partes of the Host. Notwithstanding in certaine Churches he taketh one parte and distributeth the other two partes to the ministers that is to saye to the Deacon and Subdeacon accordyng vnto that whereof S. Luke maketh mention that Iesus in Emaus tooke the bread and brake it vppon the table and also as some say he did eate before the two Disciples and what remayned he gaue it vnto them ▪ He also afterwarde did eate part of the broyled fish and of the honycombe and the residue he gaue to hys Disciples And therefore after that the Deacon and Subdeacon haue communicated the clerkes and religious persōs come also vnto the communion that they also may be partakers of the holy Communion Afterwarde the people also doth communicate bicause Christ did not only eate with his Apostles which were fewe in number but also when he shoulde ascende into heauen he did eate with a multitude of hys disciples And a little after he sayth The high Byshop the pope receaueth one part of the hoste and geueth an other parte thereof to the Deacon with a kisse an other portion to the Subdeacon without a kisse c. Of these thinges aforesayd may we euidently perceaue that in times paste before papacye bare rule in the church of Christ the celebration of the Lordes Supper was not a priuate repaste of one alone but a banket of many accordynge to thys sayinge of the Apostle my brethren when ye come together to eate the Lordes Supper tary one for an other Agayne All we are partakers of one breade Pope Gelasius the first commaūded that the communion shoulde be ministred in both kindes to them that come vnto the Lordes table and that if any were otherwise affected they shoulde be put awaye from the Lordes table For saith he the diuision of one and the same mystery can not be done with out great sacrilege In the yere c. 494 De cons. dist 1. cap. comperimus A councell holden at Constance did first of all by publique law forbid that the lay people should receaue y e Lordes supper vnder both kinds charging and commaunding that from thence forth the layty shoulde communicate onely vnder one kind when notwithstāding the commaundement of Christ is farre otherwise Drink ye al of this saith he And Sainct Marke sayth They all dranke of it Here is no exceptiō of the laytye The holy Apostle saint Paule also whensoeuer he maketh any mention of the Lordes supper ioyneth alwayes the bread and the cup together not diuiding the one from the other after the doctrine of the pope In y e yere c. 1417. Lib. Concil Gabr. Biel. c. The Author of the postcommunion is not knowen saith Durandus Notwithstanding Platina maketh Gregory y e first Author of it So likewise writeth Ioannes Stella and Iacobus phillippus Bergomensis Pope Leo y e first brought in Ite missa est and Benedicamus domino with Deo gratias for a final conclusion of the masse so that now euery man may go home as wise as they came In the yeare c. 444. Michael Bucchingerus It is to be noted saith Durand that y e masse is ended three maner of wayes Firste of all by Ite missa est and that is in solemne feastes when Te deum laudamus and Gloria in excelsis is songe And it is so much to say Be packing homewarde For the wholsome sacrifice for mankynd is sent or offered vnto God Or it sheweth to the people that the masse or the prayers are done Or the meaning of Ite missa est is this Go after christ and folow him for we may not abide in this worlde but by good workes we must make hast vnto the country of heauen whiche thynge we maye easelye do for the sacrifice is sente to appease God y e father by the power whereof the helles are broken and the gate of paradyse is open Ration di offi Secondly the Masse is ended by Benedicamus domino and y t is on workyng dayes and generallye when there are no songes of gladnesse songe before whereby the people shoulde be allured and stirred vp to geue god thankes Agayne the masse is concluded by Benedicamus domino on all fasting dayes and lowe feastes Rat. di offi Thirdly the masse is finished by Requiescant in pace and y t is when they sing masse of Requiem for the dead And then ye maye not aunswere Deo gratias but Amen that is to saye So be it For reast is wyshed vnto them c. Rat. di off The councel Aurelianense ordayned y t the people should not depart out of y e church after y e masse be done til they be blessed of the priest Hereof commeth it to passe y t the people on the solemne feasts be blessed with an empty cuppe after y t the prieste hath dronke all vp Lib. Concil Guili Durand Pope Alexander the fyrst made a decree that the people should be sprinckled with holy water after Masse bee done that they may sayth he thereby be made holy pure and cleane In the yeare of oure Lorde 119. Grati. Platina Sabellicus Of these things aforesayd most gentle Reader whiche I haue truly and faythfully alleged out of the popyshe Chronicle writers mayest thou euidently see y t the Romishe and popyshe masse is not so auncient of so greate antiquitye as the Romanistes and papistes bragge but rather that it is a late and yesterday inuention Agayne y t it was not instituted of Christ nor of hys Apostles but fyrst of all clouted together of certayne Popes euerye man bringing in hys patch and at the laste beautifying it with straunge feathers like vnto Esopes crowe More than a thousand yeare was thys monstrous masse in patching before it culd be brought vnto any perfection if that may receaue perfection that is most of all imperfecte Uppon this wicked superstitious and Idolatrous masse are all monasteries colleges chauntries free chappels fraternities and all the sectes of Antichrist y t pope founded and builded purgatorye also and y e whole
papacie is confyrmed and stablished by the Masse So long as y e Masse endureth so long shall papisme continue y e Pope with his Cardinalls Monkes Fryers Chanons Nunnes Ankers Ankresses with all their superstition and Idolatrye But if y e masse once fal then fal they also down to the ground I will not say down to hel froÌ„ whence all these their false worshipping of god fyrst of all came and had their beginning according to y e Prophecye which thou redest in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn And albeit y t the tirauntes of this worlde and the hipocrites of the same whose God is their bellye striue neuer so much for y e defence and vpholding of this their popish masse they w c sweard fyre haltar these w c fained holinesse crafty persuasions paynted eloquence false allegatioÌ„s of y e holy scriptures auÌ„cient writers mony bribes gifts supplicatioÌ„s lameÌ„tatioÌ„s c. Yet shall it perishe and come to noughte with al the wicked patrons defenders â—autors of y e same according to this prophecy of our sauiour Christ Euery plante y t my heauenlye faÌ„ther hath not planted shal be plucked vp by y e rootes And s. Paule sayth y t the Lord shal slay y e Antichrist that sonne of perditioÌ„ with the breath of his mouth that is to say with hys holy worde Of certayne decrees appertayning vnto the Masse POpe Vigilius ordayned y t priests when they syng masse shoulde turne their faces to y e east In y e yeare c. 553. Petrus de nat D. Barns Pope Gelasius the fyrst coÌ„maunded y t y e priests should stretch out their armes holde vp their hands in their masses but specially wheÌ„ they say the secrets the Canon the prefaces In the yere c. 498. Chron. Germ. Pope Alexander the fyrst made a decree y t one prieste shoulde saye but one masse in one daye In the yeare c. 119. Grat. Plat. Sabel Lib. Concil Pope Telesphorus notwithstanding coÌ„maunded y t on Christmasse day euery priest mighte sing three masses one at midnight an other at the cockcrowing and y e third when it is fayre day light agayne y t on all other dayes no priest shal sing masse before three of y e clocke in y e morning In the yeare c. 139. Lib. Concil Plat. Sabell Pant. Pope Felix the fyrste decreed y t the priests shuld say masse in no place but in y t which is halowed The same pope also ordayned y t none should say masse but priestes only except necessitye enforced to the contrary agayn y e masses shuld be sayd for the memorye of martirs In the yere c. 269. Plat. Phil. Bergom Sabel D. Barns Chron. Angl. Pope Pius y e fyrst made a decree that those priestes whiche negligently and without due deuotion say masse shuld be extremely punished In the yere c. 147. Lib. Concil Sigesbert D. Barns Pope Leo the fourthe enacted that a laye man shoulde not presume to come into the chauncell while the prieste is at Masse In the yeare c. 858. Sigisbert Platina Pope Sotherus ordayned y t a prieste shoulde not saye masse except two at y e least were present In y e yeare c. 168. Volat. Punctius D. Barns Pope Simmachus appoynted y e Gloria in excelsis shoulde bee song at masse vpon sondayes principall feastes saintes daies but specially in y e feastes of martirs In the yere c. 499. Plat. Durand Ranulph Cestrens Pope Nicolas the fyrst made a decree y e Gloria in excelsis shoulde bee song on mauÌ„dy thursday although it be in lent In the yere c. 871. De cons. 1. Cap. Gloria Ioan. Laziard Cel. And this he appoynted for the solemnitie of y e institution of y e sacrament of Christs body bloud Ioannes Stella Pope Gregorye y e thirde ordayned y t the Christians shoulde offer Dirige Grotes and Masse Pens for their frendes soules departed and y e priests shuld remember the dead in their masses and offer sacrifice for them In the yere c. 740. Ioannes Nauclerus D. Barns Pope Nicolas the fyrst appoynted y t no man should heare the masse of any priest y t is an whoremonger In the yeare c. 871. Lib. Concil Gratian. Volat. D. Barnes The same was also decreed in a certayne councel holden at Mantua vnder pope Alexander the second In the yere c. 1062. Dist. 32. Praeter Et Capit. 18. Siquis ammodo Dist. 56. Capi. Apostolica authoritate Pope Gregorye y e seuenth otherwise called Hyldebrand excommunicated all those priestes y t were whorehunters and made a decree y t no man shoulde heare the masse of an whoremonging priest and y t if any maÌ„ contrarye to his ordinaunce would presume to heare y e masse of suche a filthye incontinente priest the same shoulde be taken for an Idolatoure In the yeare c. 1073. Dist. 16. Quaest. 7. Chron Pope Vigilius commaunded y t the Canon of the Masse shoulde be read in no place but at y e altare and of no man but of a priest yea and y t when he hath on his backe his halowed vestures In the yeare c. 535. Chronic. Germani Achilles Pope Martine the fyrst commauÌ„ded that the masse should be song openlye with a loude voice In the yere c. 643. Guili Durand Pope Telesphorus ordayned y â— Alleluya shoulde not be song in the temples froÌ„ Septuagesima vnto Easâ—er euen but y t in the steade thereof Laus tibi shuld bee â—ong at Matâ—ens Prime and Houres Euen song and at Masse a Traâ—e In the yeare of oure Lorde 139. Chronic. â—uili Durand Pope Stephan the fyrst decreed y t the 〈◊〉 of y e church should be put â—â— no prophane vses and y t none shuld touc◠〈◊〉 but such as ar holy annoyntâ—d 〈◊〉 y â— vengeaunce punyshment y ◠〈◊〉 on Balthazar King of Babilon fal 〈◊〉 thâ— also â—hat presume to touch holy 〈◊〉 with their vnholy handes In the 〈◊〉 of our Lorde 261. Lib. Concil Guili â–ª Durand 〈…〉 the fyrst commaunded 〈…〉 euen so many as are 〈◊〉 â—oly annoynted should by no meanes touch y e chalice nor the paten therof with their bare hands Hereof came it to passe y t the Laye people were not suffered to touche the bare chalice wheÌ„ they came vnto the Lordes table in the 〈◊〉 of papiâ—â—rye In the yeare c. 129. Chron. Germ. Lib. Concil Pope Gregory the first commaunded that priestes should haue light at their masse and that there should be set vppon the altare a candle breÌ„nyng all the Masse time In the yeare of our Lorde 590. Nauclerus Primeus Chron. Pope Clement ordained that if the altare clothes or Corteynes or Corpoporasse clothes be so worne that they can no longer doe seruice that theÌ„ they shall be brent and the ashes of theÌ„ buried in sanctuarye
downe hys necke in confession to the Prieste and humble hymselfe before the priest as before God being in dede Goddes vicare Therefore God oute of hands exalted the Priestes aboue al men and aboue all creatures as a certaine Doctor sayth speakyng of Priestes Although by nature ye bee men yet in dignitye ye excell all men Agayne A Prieste is hygher than Kynges more blessed and happye than Aungells and the maker of hys maker Secondly God hath honoured them in temporall thinges For those thinges which God reserued vnto himself that is to say the tenthes y e offerings the fyrst frutes and the other Patrimonyes of Christe crucifyed he hath freely geuen to y e priests for the sustentation and mainteinaunce of their body that they being free from laboure when other meÌ„ must nedes worke for their liuing may y e more quietly serue God in spirituall thinges Thyrdly God hath honoured them in geuing them suche immunities priuileges liberties and fredomes that no earthlye Prince hath iurisdiction ouer them neither king neither Prince neither any other seculare maÌ„ no neither dare any man lay violente hande vpon them no not vppon the lessest of y e order For whosoeuer doth the contrary he is excommunicate with the greater excommunication eo facto both in heauen and in earth Uerely God doth so defend theÌ„ y t none dare trouble theÌ„ eyther in worde or in deede insomuche y t whatsoeuer displeasure is done vnto any of them he thynketh it to be done to hymselfe as the Lorde hymselfe sayeth by y e Prophete Zacharye He y e toucheth you toucheth the apple of myne eye Agayne in the Psalme he sayeth touch not myne annoynted so y t priests are not to bee molested so muche as with a worde but they ar to be honoured as the Lorde sayde to Moses and Aaron I wil blesse them y e blesse you and curse them that curse you In consideration wherof the priestes and meÌ„ of the church are priuileged insomuche that whosoeuer doe make or cause to bee made or to be kepte any statutes that bee agaynste the libertyes of the priestes and men of the Clergye they are strayght wayes excommunicate accursed Item no worldely Prince dare make exactions vppon the Clergye neyther dare any man aske any kynde of paymentes or take any thing of the Clergye For if he doe he is out of hande excommunicate neyther can he be absolued from the aforesayd excommunication excepte he make restitution at the full Fourthly God hath honored the priestes in that he hath committed vnto them the soules of the faythfull that is to say the holy Churche of the whiche Chrisostome saith The church is more honourable than heauen and the aungels all other creatures Christ hath loued the Churche more than himselfe for whose sake he came downe from heauen into this world and serued for it xxxiii yeares and at the laste suffred bitter death for it and doth nowe geue vnto it his body for meate his bloud for drinke and after this life he geueth himselfe vnto it for a rewarde Moreouer he hath committed thys welbeloued Churche to priestes with all the giftes that is to say the Sacramentes For the order of priesthood onely hath power to baptise except it be in necessitie at whiche tyme it is lawefull for euery man and woman to baptise Also he alone hath aucthoritie to minister the Sacrament of confirmation Item the priest alone hathe power to heare confession to geue absolution and to enioyne penaunce accordynge to this saying of Christ take the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye forgeue they are forgeuen them but whose synnes ye do retayne they are retayned IteÌ„ he alone hath power to minister the SacrameÌ„t of extreme vnction c. In this incomprehensible dignitye God hath singularely honoured them aboue all other men Ye are that lyght of the worlde sayth he For as the worlde shoulde be nothynge without lyght euen so is the Churche nothyng without priestes Fiftly God hath honored theÌ„ in this that he hath streightly charged all men to be obedient vnto them as vnto him selfe of what condition or state so euer they be as he sayth He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Whatsoeuer is not lawefull sayth Austen it is the shepheardes office to forbyd and the duty of the flock to heare and to obey Therfore all men muste obey the Priestes euen as Christ when they commaunde them to faste to kepe holy day c. Therfore the Lorde threatneth them that are disobedient and rebell agaynst the commaundement of Priestes saying he that is proude and will not obey the commaundement of the Priest let hym dye the death An example hereof haue we in Dathan Abiron and Chore whiche rebelled agaynste Moses and Aaron and therefore the earth opened and swalowed them vp quick Sixtly God hath honored them by giuyng them power to bynde and to loosen as it is written Whatsoeuer ye shall binde vpon the earth c. This power of binding and losoning is vnderstande one waye of excommunication whiche is the spirituall swearde and it is greatly to be feared An other way this power is to be vnderstand of the absolution of sinnes Therfore the Bishop wheÌ„ he maketh priestes bloweth and breatheth vpon them saying Take the holy Ghost c. Seuenthly God hath honored them in that they are called aungels in the scriptures Therefore sayth Gregory All that are termed by the name of a priest are called Aungels But wherefore are they called aungels Verelye bicause they haue certayne properties with the angels First bicause it is the office of aungels to minister vnto God and vnto men as the Apostle saith All AuÌ„gels are ministring spirits So likewise is it the dutye of priestes to serue God day night and to minister vnto men with the Sacramentes Secondly bicause an aungell is pure in lyfe so in lyke maner ought euery priest to be chast and pure in his life and conuersation For to liue chast is an aungelike life as Ambrose saith they that are not maried nor do mary are as aungels in earth Damascen sayth Abstinence from mariage is the folowyng of aungels Thyrdly it is the office of Aungels to enforme and instructe men by good inspiration So likewise is it the priestes duty to do by the word of god Fourthly it is y e duty of aungels to prayse god so likewise are the priestes bounde vnder payne of deadly synne to say eueryday theyr mattens prime and houres euen â—ong c. vnto the prayse of God Eyghtly God hath honored y e priests in this that they are in some poyntes like to the most blessed virgine Mary First as the most blessed virgin Mary did conceaue thorowe fyue wordes the true body of Christ Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum so likewise the priest thorow fiue words Hoc est enim corpus meuÌ„ maketh the body of
ceremonies must alone be couÌ„ted worthy to beare office in the Church to be reputed and taken for the only pyllars of our mother holy Churche to be had in estimation aboue all men and to be reuerenced as Gods of all men and so many as be of contrarye opinion teaching that our whole saluation commeth only from God thorowe fayth in the bloude of Christ must be adiudged seditious persons sowers of discorde authors of new learning teachers of strauÌ„ge doctrine and heretikes But as I may by coniecture speake my minde coÌ„cerning this ceremonie I thinke verelye that as the ceremony of dealing holy bread on the Sondayes wherof we shal hereafter speake was ordained of y e fathers of Christs Church at that time to put the people in remembraunce of Christes body breakyng so lykewise at the same time was this ceremony of water sprinckling brought into the Churche to put the people in remembraunce of Christes bloud sheadyng on the altare of the Crosse for their sinnes But as the papistes in processe of time lost the signification of holy bread of al other ceremonies therfore ioyned vnto the certain doctrines of error false faith so likewise haue thei done in y e ceremonie of holy water They not knowing the cause of the first instititution haue fayned the holy water as they cal it to be of such and so greate vertue might and power that it is able to put away sinne to geue health both of minde body to make so many holy and pure as be sprinckled with it to geue abundaunce of thynges to dryue awaye deuils to chase awaye all the power of our ghostly enemye yea and to plucke him vp by the rootes and vtterly to destroy him with all his Apostatike aungels to put backe diseases to expell all corrupte and pestilente ayres to dispatche all y e guyles subtilties sleyghtes and disceates of the lurkyng enemye â—o banyshe al thynges that be contratye to the healthe prosperitye and quietnesse of all such as dwel in y e houses where it is sprinckled to geue securitie of hope corroboratioÌ„ strengthning of faith to bring the holy ghost at the laste what not Are not all these things read in their exorcismes coniuratioÌ„s of their bewitched salted water as we haue tofore hearde and in other Popishe treatyses Reade we not these wordes in their Popish primare which we are taught commauÌ„ded to say wheÌ„ we sprinckle our selues with y e water in the Church porche before we enter into y e Church Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus â— vita Praesta mihi domine per hanc creaturam aspertionis aquae sanitatem mentis integritatem corporis tutelam salutis securitatem spei corroborationem fidei nuÌ„c in futuro Whiche is thus Englished The blessed water mought be vnto me health and life Graunt me O Lord by thys creature of the sprincklyng of water health of mynde wholenesse of body defence of health safegarde of hope strengthnynge of faith now and in tyme to come And bicause this their dreame should be of the more credit they haue fathered those their lyes as they do many other of an auncient Byshop of Rome called Alexander the first whiche liued In y e yere c. 119. And here mayest thou see what a lying generatioÌ„ the Papists are as I maye speake nothyng of their pestilent and abhominable doctrine Of Holy Bread THe vse among the Christians was firste of all y t so many as came together into the church dayly for to pray and to heare the worde of God the same should also dayly receaue together the holye communion of the body bloud of Christ. But when the multitude that professed Christ began to encrease and waxed very great so that that order could not conueniently be obserued kepte the auncient fathers of Christes church made a decree y e all y e Christians shuld communicate on the Sondayes together and be no more bounde vnto the dayly communioÌ„ as they to fore were And here of commeth thys sentence of S. Austen Dayly to coÌ„municate I neyther coÌ„mende nor discommend but on the SoÌ„daies to receaue y e communion I would couÌ„cell all men WheÌ„ this receauyng of the communioÌ„ euery Sonday was not done with such deuotion sobernesse and grauitie as it ought to haue bene but thorowe that often coÌ„ming vnto it much dissolution lightnesse was shewed of diuerse people the Elders of Christes Church thought it mete for y t present tyme to take awaye the custome of receauing the communion euery Sonday to appoint that the Christians should receaue the communion together thrice in the yeare y t is to say at Easter at Witsontyde and at the feaste of Christes natiuitie But when this order also was not duly and reuerently obserued it was iudged and thought mete that the people shoulde commonly receaue the Lordes Supper but once in the yeare that is to say at Easter and that in the stead therof bicause the remembrauÌ„ce of Christs passion and death should not be forgotten nor his blessed body breaking and precious bloud sheadyng fall from the remembraunce of the people whiche is preached declared and set forth to the faythful at the Lordes supper by breaking and eating the bread and by pouring out by drinkyng the wine The Fathers of Christes Church instituted the ceremonies of holy bread and holy water to put the people in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of Christes body breakyng and bloude sheding y â— as they see the bread whiche is distributed euery Sonday of the minister broken on many peces so they should set before the eyes of their mind the breaking of Christs body on the altare of the Crosse for the remission of their sinnes again that as they see the water sprinckled abrode so they should remeÌ„ber that Christes bloud was shed for them on the Crosse by the effusion and sheading wherof they be purged clensed and purified from al filthinesse of sinne iniquitie by thys meanes addresse themselues to be thankefull to God the Father for so inestimable and excedyng greate benefites giuen vnto them in the death of his Sonne And these ceremonies of holy bread and holy water at that tyme were not onely ministred to y e people of the Godly Pastors but it was also euerye Sondaye preached and declared vnto theÌ„ what the ceremonies signified and wherefore they were instituted of the rulers of Christes church eueÌ„ to put theÌ„ in remeÌ„braunce of Christes body breakyng and bloud sheadyng on y e altare of the Crosse for the remission forgiuenesse of their sinnes And it is not to be doubted but the Godly Ministers in those dayes did with sorowfull hearts minister those ceremonies to the people seyng that they for their vnthankefulnesse dissolution of lyfe were depriued of the holy communion of Christs body and bloud and fedde with ceremonies of mans inuention and dyd lykewise diligently exhort the people so to frame
Fasâ— TeÌ„p Pope Constantine the seconde whom the seditious tyrannical and superstitious Papistes did afterward violently depose cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a prison and most vnmercifully put out his eyes commaunded that all such should be depriued of their patrimony as reserue and kepe by theÌ„ the Reliques of any saintes In the yeare c. 769. Ioan. Laziard Celestinus Of Pilgrimages POpe Cletus allowed and greatlye praysed Pilgrimages vnto saints but speciallye vnto the Apostles Peter and Paule and sayd That it is more auayleable and profitable for soule health once to visite the aforesayd Apostles at Rome than to faste by the space of two whole yeares In the yere of our Lord. 81. Ranulphus Cestrensis Lib. 4. Fasciculus Temporum â–ª Pope Anacletus excoÌ„municated cursed and pronounced all such gilty of sacrilege as hinder any man to go on pilgrimage or to visite the Sepulchres of saintes In the yeare of our Lord. 101 Lib. Concil â–ª Folid Pope Calixte the seconde ordayned that whosoeuer spoyleth robbeth or hurteth any such as go on pilgrimage to Rome or to anye other holy places of saints the same should be excommunicated accursed Ipso facto In the yeare â—â— 1120. Quest. 24. cap. 3. Si quis Of Pardons WHo was the first Author and InueÌ„tour of the Popishe pardons I haue not hither to readde in any writer excepte Pope Gregory the firste be he whiche greatly corrupted the Church of Christ with his idle inuentions trifeling traditions childish ceremonies c. To allure the people of his time vnto y â— chief and principall temples of the City and vnto the often visitation of theÌ„ he promised them that repared thither at soleÌ„ne feastes cleane remission of sinnes by his pardon And he named the pompouse sacrifices â–ª Stations bicause they were celebrated on certain dayes limitted prescribed by statute This sede sowen by Gregory grew to a rype haruest in his successours afterwarde so y t where as in Gregoryes tyme they may seme to be inuented for allurementes vnto deuotion in theÌ„ that succeded him those pardons may right well be counted to be nothing els thaÌ„ very nets for mony and prouocations vnto al kinde of vice while all the worlde see howe innumerable sinnes be forgeuen of the Bishops of Rome for a slender portion of mony Pope Boniface the eyght appoynted the yeare of Iubile or grace to be kepte euery hundred yeare and graunted to all them that woulde come to Rome visite the temples of the Apostles Peter Paule in the yere of Iubile or grace cleane remissioÌ„ of al their sinnes A paena culpa In the yeare c. 1290. Ranulphus Cestrensis Polid. This Pope was arrogant proude Luciferlike that he shamed not to bost that he was Lord of all the world Tam in temporalibus quam spiritualibus and y â— all Emperours kynges princes owe obedience to him Of this monsture of pride Pope Celestinus hys predecessour prophecied on this maÌ„ner Thou camest in as a Foxe thou shalt reigne as a Lion and die as a Dog Fisciculus Temporum Bartho Carranza Alb. Krantzius Pope Clement the sixe bringing the yeare of Iubile from an hundred yeare which was tofore appoynted by pope Boniface theight vnto fifty graunted to all maner of persons that would come on Pilgrimage at y â— tyme vnto Rome and visite the Church of S. Peter plenariam indulgentiam that is to saye full remission of all their sinnes A paena culpa toties quoties In the yeare c. 1336. â—oan Laziard Polid. Chron. Pope Sixtus the fourth brought the yeare of grace from fifty to xxv yeare confirmyng the olde accustomed pardons In the yeare of our Lord. 1471. Polyd Carran Chron. Pope Alexander the sixt assigned the Iubile and Stations to be had in sundrye prouinces and countreis to the entent that lesse thronge of people and more thrift of money might come to Rome â–ª and so the people shoulde onelye loose theyr money and saue theyr laboure In the yeare of our Lorde 1492. Polyd. Virgil. Chron. Pope Gregory the first ordayned Stacions for euerye daye in Lent thorowe out all the Churches in the Citie of Rome yea and that for the remission and forgeuenesse of sinnes commaundynge the people to frequent and vse them with all harty deuotion and grauntyng to all theÌ„ that walke those stations greate indulgences and largâ— pardons A paena culpa toties quoties In the yeare of our Lord. 590. Ioan. Laeziard Chr. Massaeus Polid. Virgil. Chron. Diuerse Pardons graunted of diuerse Popes for diuers considerations gathered out of diuers bokes writtinges and papers POpe Innocent the eyght hath graunted to euery man woman that beareth the length vpon him of Christes nayles wherwith he was fastned to the crosse the iuste length of euery one of them was nyne inches and worshyppeth them daylye with fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aues and a Crede that he shall haue graunted hym these seuen greate giftes that folowe The firste is he shall neuer dye sodayne death nor euyll death The second is he shall neuer be slaine with sweard nor other weapon The thirde is hys ennemies shal neuer ouercome hym The fourth is poyson nor false witnesse shal neuer greue hym The fifte is he shall haue sufficient goods and honest liuing The sixte is â–ª he shal not dye without the sacramentes of the Church The seuenth is he shall be deliuered and defended from all wicked spirites pestilence feuers and all other maladies To all good christen people disposed to say our Ladyes psaulter within this Churche or churchyard on any of these beades the whiche bene pardoned at y e holy place of Shene shal haue ten thousand yeares of pardon Also for euerye worde in the Pater noster Aue and Credo xxiii dayes of pardon Totiens quotiens Also they are pardoned at SioÌ„ and by that ye shall haue for euery Pater noster Aue and Credo sayd on them three hundred dayes of pardoÌ„ Also vnto al those that the beades do string or cause to be stringed in time of necessitye there is graunted by .ii. Bishops .lxxx. dayes of pardon and gods blessing and theyrs Also ye must say first on the fiue beads fiue Pater nosters fiue Aue Maries and a Crede in the worship of the fyue woundes of our Sauiour Christ. And then after euery Crede say on the first white bead of the fyue Iesu for thy holy name and then on the red beade and for thy bitter passion then on the fyrst black beade saue vs from sinne and shame then on the second blacke beade and endlesse damnation and then on the laste white beade bryng vs to the blysse that neuer shall mysse sweete Iesu Amen The pardon wherof remembryng y e woundes great and smal of our Sauiour Christ is fyue M.iiii C.lxxv yeares of these fyue beades The whole sume of pardoÌ„ graunted of
penauÌ„ce And Pope Innocent the fourth hath graunted to all the brethreÌ„ of the same Faternitie pardon of all sinnes forgotten of all vowes brokeÌ„ except the vowe vnto the holy land at their latter â—nd remission forgeuenesse of all their sinnes A paena culpa so that to euery brother sister of that Fraternitie being coÌ„fessed absolued their coÌ„fessour may well say on thys manner as it is specified in the printed pardon â–ª Iohn or Ioan â–ª as free I make thee As heart may thinke or eye may see Of this pardon it is also thus written Omnibus in annis qui turbaÌ„t iura Ioannis Ter execrantur damnati iure probantur THe pardoÌ„ grauÌ„ted to the Fraternity of s. Cornelis at Westminster for such as geue any thynge vnto it coÌ„meth in y e yere to MM vii C. ix dayes for euer to endure grauÌ„ted by the holy father in god Thomas of the title of S Cecily Cardinall priest of Rome and Legate Archebyshop of Yorke and Chauncelour of England c. and of diuerse other Cardinalles and Bishops Certayne Popes of Rome haue committed and geuen authoritie power to Priestes hauyng cure and charge of soules to absolue their ghostly childreÌ„ and parishioners the whiche be brethreÌ„ or sistern to y e holy Fraternitie of the sepulchre of our Lord Iesu Christ of all sinnes and crimes either confessed or forgotten of penance not well done Also of vsurye rapine pollynge and pyllyng extortion or other good euell gotten excepte they knowe to whom they ought to make restitution they are absolued And of all manner of offences done to father and mother if they were not done w e laying handes on theÌ„ with violence Also the sentence of cursyng done vnknowingly also of of vowes broken the vowe of Ierusalem signed with the crosse in the body and the vow of Religion with solemnitye professed onely excepted Also priestes and Clarkes that haue made any offence in saying their seruice Also the aforesayd holy Fathers haue graunted to the brethren and sistern of the sayd place the Stations of Rome and the indulgences of the pilgrimages of the holy lande whiche suÌ„me of indulgence is lxxx M. yeres of pardoÌ„ Also our holy father Vrban the fourth of that name hath giuen graunted to all brethern and sisterne of the sayd Fraternitie at the traÌ„slation of Saint Swithein and at the Octaues of the same and at the Natiuitye of our Lorde the Octaues of the same and vpon good Fryday vpon Easter day with the Octaues of the same to be released of the seuenth part of their penaunce foure yeares and foure Lentes of pardon Our sayd holy father willeth also that they that be brethern and sisterne of the said Fraternitie haue ecclesiasticall sepulture without deniall of whatsoeuer death they chauÌ„ce to die except they be opeÌ„ly and by name excommunicate To the Fraternitie or brothehoode of S. Erasmus beside y e deliueraunce of many soules out of y e bitter paynes of purgatorye with innumerable indulgences pardons for them y t be alyue are graunted fiue special gifts singulare benefites Fyrst he shal haue reasonable goodes to his liues ende Secondly his enemies shal haue no power on him Thirdly what lawfull peticion he asketh of God shal be graunted him Fourthly he shall be vnbounde of his tribulation and disease Fyftly at his laste end he shal receaue the blessed body of oure Sauioure Christ Iesu in fourme of bread to his saluation by the gracious prayer peticion of this blessed Martyr S. Erasmus Al these pardoÌ„s indulgences priuileges giftes benefites shal al they haue y t geue any part or porcion of their goodes to y e vpholding and maintaining of the holy place of S. Erasmus Many other raggemans roules could I here haue placed which contayne also innumerable pardons infinite indulgences great giftes singulare priuileges wonderfull liberties maruelous deliuerances spedy remedies of soules out of purgatorye c but these may seme to suffice at thys preseÌ„t For hereof mayest y u euidentlye perceaue what reliques we haue receaued from Rome what good stuffe the popyshe pardoners haue broughte vs in tymes paste froÌ„ y e moste holy father or rather froÌ„ y e romish Antichrist al for money Do what thou wilte liue as y u wilte if money come y u art out of hande made cleane and absolued froÌ„ all thy synnes A paena culpa toties quoties art made as pure faultlesse as y u were in time of thy baptisme so y t now by the vertue of these pardons thou mayest boldelye stand before y â— iudging place of Christ and be free from y e sentence of damnation and in fine be made fellow heyre with Christ of euerlasting saluation But if thou wilte haue the true pardon and remission of thy synnes and be deliuered A paena culpa toties quoties take thys order Fyrst repent thee of thy former lyfe Secondly flee vnto God the Father in the name of hys derely beloued Sonne Christ Iesu our alone Sauioure and Redemer crauyng at his handes with stronge faith mercy and forgeuenesse of thy synnes Thyrdelye take a newe life vnto thee euer desyring strengthe from aboue to walke dayly more and more in the holy wayes of Goddes moste holy lawe If thou do thys doubt thou not but y t thou shalt haue abundauntly vnto the great consolation and comforte of thy soule remission of all thy synnes quietnesse of conscience the gift of the holy Ghost Goddes fauoure grace and mercye and after thys transitorye life euerlastyng lyfe with al heauenly ioye and vnoutspeakeable felicitie yea and that without these Antichristians pardons whiche are nothyng ells than nets for mony deceauings of y e people defacyng of Christes death obscuryngs of Gods free grace very spurres vnto all leudnesse of lyfe and a ryght patheway vnto euerlasting daÌ„nation Heare what god sayth by y e prophet Come to the waters al ye y t be thirstye and ye y t haue no money Come bye y t ye maye haue to eate Come bye wine milke without any money or money worth Wherfore do you lay out your money for the thing y e fedeth you not spende your labour about the thyng y e satisfyeth you not But harken harkeÌ„ rather vnto me and ye shal eate of the beste your soule shall haue her pleasure in plenteousnesse Enclyne your eares come vnto me take hede I say your soules shal liue c. Are not these the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Come vnto me al ye that laboure and are laden and I shall ease you Agayne Let him that is a thyrst come And let who soeuer will take of the water of lyfe freely and without any money Of theÌ„ that wil seke remission of their synnes and pardon of their wicked life or any other spirituall and heauenly gift but only at hys hande
242. Lib. Concil Carrantza Pope Lucius the fyrst decreed y t all such as spoyle robbe take away the churche goodes or in any case vexe or trouble the churches or any appertaynyng vnto them shoulde be excommunicate and accursed In the yere c. 258 In epist. 1. Ad episcopos Galliae et Hispaniae Lib. Concil Pope Gregorye the fyrst coÌ„maunded y t no byshop should excommunicate any man for priuate iniuries wronges and displeasures done agaynst himself which sayth he ought eyther patiently to be suffred or els vtterly to be dissembled but only for such sinnes as ar coÌ„mitted agaynst God or agaynst our neighbour to the slaunder of the fayth and doctrine whiche we professe In the yeare of our Lorde 590. Caus. 2. Qu. 4. Cap. Inter querelas Pope Honorius the fyrste made a decree y t the names of suche as were excommunicate shoulde be published to al Byshops Curates and Churches y t be nighe again that their names with the excommunication shoulde be set in places where most resort of people is y t by this meanes al men may eschewe them and forbyd them to come into their companyes In the yeare of oure Lorde 622. Lib. Concil Caus. 11. Quaest. 3. Cap. Curae sit Pope Alexander the second ordayned y t he which is already excommunicate should not presume to excommunicate an other In the yeare c. 1063. Caus. 14. Quaest. 1. Cap. Audiuimus Pope Calixt the fyrst decreed that all suche as either hinder let or trouble those persons y t go to Rome on pilgrimage to visite the holy Apostles Peter and Paule or ells any other where to seeke and visite y e Oratoryes of other Saintes eyther spoyle or take away any of their thinges y t they carye with them shalbe excoÌ„municate and so remayne til they haue made ful and perfecte satisfaction In the yeare of oure Lorde 217. Caus. 24. Quaest. 3. Cap. Si quis Romipetas Pope Gregory the fyrst made a decree y t whosoeuer striketh Bishop or prieste or spoyleth or setteth on fyre churches the same shal be excommunicate hys goodes confiscate and he hymselfe enclosed in a monasterye and there do penaunce al the daies of his life For sayeth he suche a person hath committed most greuous sacriledge In the yeare of oure Lorde 590. Lib. Concil Caus. 24. Qu. 3. Cap. Quisquis Pope Nicolas the fyrst pronounced al them accursed that spoyle pilgrimes or Oratours of any Saint or Clerks or Monkes or women or poore people y t beare no weapon or elles take awaye theyre goodes or do them anye other kinde of harme In the yeare c. 871 Caus. 24. Qu. 3. Cap. Illi qui. Pope Vrban the fyrst proclaymed also al theÌ„ excommunicate y t trouble the Curates of any churches or Clerkes or Monks or the Conuerses Nouices that appertayne vnto theÌ„ In the yere c. 222. Lib. Concil Pope Vrban the seconde made a decree y t no man ought to kepe company nor to eate and drinke with suche as y e Byshop hath excommunicated In the yeare of our lord 1086. Caus. 11. Quaest. 3. Cap. Quibus Pope Clement the fyrst made a law y t if the priestes and other of the Clergye yea and all Princes and Rulers whether they be of hye or lowe degree with al y e coÌ„mon people doe refuse to obey the byshops al such shuld not only loose their good name but also bee banyshed out of the kingdome of God put out of the company of the faythful yea and vtterly estraunged from al doings with the holy churche of God In the yeare c. 92. Caus. 11. Qu. 3. Cap. Si aeutem vobis Episcopis Pope Gregory the seuenth decreed y t although hys predecessours the popes according to the rigoure of the ecclesiasticall censure dyd forbyd generallye al men to keepe companye to praye to eate drinke bye sell c with suche as be excommunicate and accursed yet from henceforth it shall be lawfull for wiues to keepe companye to eate and drinke c with their husbandes children with their parentes seruauntes and hande maydes with their maisters and mastresses c although they be excommunicate He also exempteth theÌ„ by the Apostolyke authoritie from the bonde of excommunication which ignorantlye communicate with them y t are excommunicate In the yere of our lorde 1073. Caus. 11. Quaest. 3. Cap. Quoniam multos Pope Zacharye the fyrst determined y t although men kepe companye eate and drinke with them that are excommunicate yet if they doe it not of an euill purpose nor inwardly consente to their iniquitie thei receaue no domage thereby neither are they excommunicate In the yeare c. 752. Caus. 11. Qu. 3. Cap. Quod precessor Pope Vrban the second made a law y e subiectes are not bounde to kepe theyr othes made vnto their princes if they be excommunicate eyther of the pope or of any Byshop In the yere c. 1086. 15. Quaest. 6. Cap. Iuratos Pope Gregorye y e eyght likewise by his Apostolique authoritie absolued al theÌ„ from their fidelitye othe and promise which they haue made owe to their heades rulers and gouernours being now excommunicate streyghtly charging to shew theÌ„ no obedience or loyaltye till they haue made satisfaction In the yeare c. 1186. Ibidem Cap. Nos sanctorum Pope Zacharias as Pope Gelasius writeth to Anastasius the Emperoure dyd depose from hys kyngdome the Kyng of Fraunce not so greatly for hys euil behauiour as y t he was vnprofitable to so greate a power and placed in hys roume Pipine father of Charles y e Emperour and absolued and made free all the Frenchmen from the othe of theyr fidelitie vnto the king which thing holy Church many tymes doth of her authoritye as in deliueryng the Souldioures from the bonde of their othe whiche they haue made to their Emperoure and Captayne Thys thyng also holy Church practiseth of those bishops which by the Apostolyke authoritye are deposed and put downe from their pontifical degree IbideÌ„ cap. Alius In the Councel â—halcedonense it was decreed y t whosoeuer attempteth to spoyle to robbe to destroye to dissolue c any monasterye or Abbay the same should be excommunicate and vtterly banyshed from y e Kingdome of God so y t no goodnesse eyther of Fayth or of workes shall profyt hym vnto saluation forasmuch as he hath destroyed the way of so noble and wholesome a lyfe Lib. Concil Carrantza In the councell Laterane it was determined y t al they which being either forbidden or not sente presume take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ eyther publiquely or priuately y e office of preaching w tout y e authority of y e pope or of some Catholike bishop shoulde be excommunicate and if notwithstandyng they goe forth and will not cease that then some other punishmente agreable to theyr disobedience shalbe exercised vpon them Lib. Concil In the councel Toletane it was
agreed y t if any noble maÌ„ do spoyle a priest or any poore man or religious person and y e Byshop shall commaund hym to come vnto hym y t the cause maye bee heard he refuse to come letters shall be seÌ„t thorow out al bishops one to another which shall declare to al y e countreyes round about y t that man is excommunicated and is so to bee reputed taken til he hath shewed hys obedience to the ordinary and made restitution Caus. 24 â–ª Quaest. 3. Capit. Si quis de polentibus In a councell holden at Paris it was ordayned y t no priest should excommunicate any man before y e cause be euidently proued and openly knowen Ibidem Cap. de illicita In the councell Rothomagense it was decreed y t all manner of tythes should bee payde to the Priestes both corne Haye Fruite Oxen Shepe Goates c. For all tythes are sanctifyed to the Lorde And forasmuche as many are stubborne and disobedient and wil not truely and faythfully pay their tithes as they ought to doe it was ordayned in that Councell that all suche as will not pay them shoulde be admonished once twice or thrice according to the coÌ„maundement of the Lord. If they will not then amende that they shall then be excommunicate and accursed till they haue made due satisfaction and sufficient recompence Caus. 16. q. 7. cap. Omnes decimae The manner and fourme of Excommunication TWelue Priestes must stand about the Byshop and holde burnyng candles in their handes whiche candles at the latter ende of the curse or excommunication they must throw downe vpon the grounde and treade them vnder their feete Afterward letters must be sent rouÌ„d about vnto Parishes contayning the names of them that are excommunicate and also the cause of their excommunication Caus. 11 â–ª quaest 3. cap. Debent In concilio Arausicano we reade these wordes we folowing the canonical ordinaunces and examples of the holy fathers do vtterly sequester and banish by the authority of God and the iudgement of the holy Ghost al violatours disturbers hinderers and destroyers of Gods churches froÌ„ the lap of holy mother Churche from the company and felowship of al christianitie vntil they repent amend and satisfie the Church of God Ibidem cap. Canonica The manner of reconciliation of them that were excommunicate WHen any man y t is accursed or excoÌ„municate is peniteÌ„t sory for his sinne desireth forgeuenesse promiseth to amende the Bishop y t did excoÌ„municate him shall come before the church dore and xii priestes with him shall stande round about him on euery side And if the person y t is excommunicate fal flat downe on the grounde and asketh forgeuenesse promising amendement theÌ„ shall the Byshoppe take hym by the ryght hande and leade hym into the Church and restore him to the christen congregation Afterward they shal sing the seuen penitentiall Psalmes with these prayers Kirie eleyson and Pater noster Saluum faâ— seruum c. With this collecte Praesta quesumus domine huic famulo tuo dignum paenitentiae fructum vt ecclesiae tuae sanctae a cuius integritate deniâ—â—erat peccando admissorum veniam consequendo reddatur innoxius Per Christum dominum nostrum Amen Whiche is thus Englished â–ª Graunt we beseche thee O Lord to this thy seruaunt the worthy frute of repentauÌ„ce that be obtaynyng forgeuenesse of his sinnes may be restored pure and faultlesse to thy holy Churche from the integritye and purenesse wherof thorow sinne â–ª he had wandred and gone astray By Christ our Lord. So be it Causa 11. Quest. 3. cap. Cum aliquis Of penaunce POpe Nicolas the firste appoynted that this shoulde be the penaunce of hym y t hath slayne his mother First by y e space of an whole yere he shall not be suffered to come into the Churche but he shal staÌ„d before the church dore praying beseching god coÌ„tinually to forgeue hym so haynous horrible a sinne Secondlye when the one yeare is ended he shal haue licence to come into the Churche and to stand among y e hearers but he by no meanes shalbe suffred to come vnto the communion or Sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ. Thirdly wheÌ„ the third yeare is once past he shall be admitted vnto the holy communion c. All this time he may eate no fleshe nor presume to drincke wine excepte it be on soleÌ„ne feastes and sondayes and from Easter vnto Whitsontyde And whensoeuer he will take any iourney he maye not ryde but go on foote He maye not go vnto the warres except it be to fyght agaynst the paganes He must also euerye weeke faste three dayes eate no meate till it be night c. In the yeare c. 8711. Caus. 33. tract de paenitentia cap. Latorem praesentium Pope Siricius made a decree that those which are penitents may not in the tyme of their penaunce mary nor excercise y e worke of mariage lest they shoulde be counted as dogs returnyng vnto their vomit or as sowes whiche beyng cleane washed walowe tomble them selues again in the miry puddels In the yeare of our Lorde 389. Caus. 23. quaest 2. Cap. De his vero Pope Leo the first notwithstandyng of his great fauour and singular goodnes graunteth to al such as are already maried that they euen in the time of their penance may lawfully enioy the libertie of matrimony lest peraduenture while they abstaine from y t which is lawfull they shal fall into the daunger of that which is vnlawfull In the yeare c. 444. Ibidem G. Audiuimus The same decree also Pope Leo the thirde made declaryng that it is more tollerable and may better be suffered that a yonge man euen in the time of his penance to auoyd the dauÌ„ger of incontinency do ioyne vnto him a wyfe than he should incurre and fal into the sinne of fornicatioÌ„ In doing this saith he it semeth that the matter whiche he hath done is venial and pardonable so that he knowe none other besides hys owne wife Notwithstanding saith he in speakyng thus we make no law but we shewe what is more tollerable In y e yere c. 817. Ibidem cap. In adolescentia Pope Gregorye the fyrste ordayned this to be the penaunce of the maryed man that he shall not enter into the Churche before he hath purified and washed himselfe with water if he haue had the knowledge of his wiues body and geuen her as the Apostle saith the due beneuolence In the yeare of oure Lord. 590. Caus. 33. Quaest. 4. cap. Vir cum propria vxore Pope Pius the fyrste made a decree that if thorowe the negligence of the priest any of the bloud he meaneth the Sacrament of Christes bloude as the expositour doth declare in the same place do droppe down vpon the grouÌ„d the Prieste shall lycke it vp wyth hys tounge c. and he shall do penaunce for
haste pacientlye suffered all thys I geue vnto thee for the satisfaction of thys penaunce that I haue enioyned thee and vnto the furtheraunce and helpe of the remission and forgeuenesse of al thy synnes and vnto the deliueraunce from the paines of hell and purgatorye whiche thou haste deserued for thy synnes and vnto y e obtayning of grace in this present world and euerlasting life in the world to come Amen An other fourme of Absolution OUr Lorde Iesus Christ whiche created redemed thee mought absolue thee And I by the authoritie which I haue of hym as muche as lyeth in my power accordyng to my dutye I doe absolue thee from all bondes of the lesser excommunication if thou bee bounde and I restore thee to the holy Sacramentes of the church if thou haue nede Agayn I absolue thee from all thy synnes confessed and forgotten mortall and veniall with al theyr circumstaunces The passion of oure Lorde Iesu Christ and all the good dedes that thou hast done or shalte doe and all the aduersityes and troubles whiche thou haste suffered or shalt suffer myght be vnto thee for penaunce and remission of thy sinnes and for the encrease of Goddes grace In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen Ex Speculo confessorum Fratris Bartholomaei de Chaimis An other fourme of Absolution BY the authoritye of God and of y e blessed Apostles Peter Paule and by y e authoritye of the Churche of Rome cōmitted vnto me and graunted vnto thee I absolue thee from all sentence either of the greater or lesser curse and from all suspension and interdiction if thou be bounde with any of them And I restore thee to the vnitie of the faythful and to y e holy Sacraments of y e church and by the same authoritye committed vnto me I absolue the from all thy synnes confessed contrite and forgotten Item by the authority of God and of y e blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and of y e Churche of Rome yea and also by the authoritie of oure Lorde the Popethe high Byshop committed vnto me in thys behalfe and so muche as I am bounde and able to doe if thou dye at thys tyme I absolue thee from all the paynes due vnto thee in purgatorye for y e faultes and offences which y u haste committed agaynst God and by all y e authoritye y t I haue I restore thee to the innocencie wherein thou were when thou were baptised But if y u doe not dye at thys tyme I reserue the full pardon graunted to thee of oure Lorde the Pope tyll thou dye In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost AMEN Ibidem An other fourme of Absolution ALmightye God haue mercye on thee forgeue thee al thy sinnes bring thee vnto euerlasting life AMEN The almighty merciful Lorde geue vnto thee indulgence and absolution of al thy sinnes AMEN The almightye father y e Godly and merciful Lord mought geue vnto thee indulgence absolution and remission of al thys synnes AMEN Most dere brother The greatest and hyghest penaunce is to be sorye for the sinnes committed and to repent and to beware and to take heede that thou sinne no more For the wholesome penaunce at thys present thou shalt say iii. Pater nosters .iii. Aues a Crede or thou shalt say the Psalme of mercy called Miserere meideus knelyng vppon thy knees before y e blessed sacramente of the altare or y u shalte cause y e Masse of the fiue woundes of our Lorde Iesus Christ to be song or sayde for thee or thou shalt go thys or y t pilgrimage gyld thys or y e Image c. This penaunce and the merite of the passion of Iesu Christ and al the good dedes y t thou hast done or here after shalte doe might profyte thee and stande thee instead for the remission of al thy synnes And our Lord Iesus Christ by his holy moste pitiefull mercy might absolue thee And I absolue thee frō y e sentence of the lesser excommunication or curse if thou be fallen into it and also from all thy sinnes In the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghost Amen Ex instructione seu Alphabeto sacerdotum A speciall note of the Papistes concerning Absolution ABout Absolution is to be cōsidered the due or proper perfect forme In that note y t as euery Sacrament hath his proper forme so in like manner hath the Sacrament of penance which is this Ego te absoluo That is to say I geue thee and bestowe vpon thee the Sacrament or ministery of Absolutiō It doth not importe as some falsely reporte Ego te absoluo id est absolutum te ostēdo I absolue thee that is I declare vnto thee that thou art absolued For so should it followe that in the Sacramentes of the newe lawe there should be nothing but a shewyng or signification whiche is false bicause y t the Sacramentes of the new law do not only figure and signifie as the Sacraments of the the law but they also conferre geue truly and effectually the thynge whiche they figure and represente Ex speculo confes Bartholo de Caimis The forme or manner of byddyng the beades on the Sonday in the Popish parishe Churches taken out of the English Festiuall YE shal knele downe on your knees lift vp your hartes makyng your prayers vnto almightie god for the good state and peace of al holy church y t god maintayne saue and kepe it For our holy father the Pope with all his true college of Cardinals that God for his mercy them maintaine and kepe in the right beleue it holde and encrease al misbeleue and heresy he lesse and destroy Also ye shal pray for the holy lād for the holy crosse y t Iesu died on for the redemption of mās soule y t it come into the power of Christen men the more to be honored for our prayers Also ye shall pray for all Archbishops and Bishops in especiall for the Archebishop of Cauntorburye our Metropolitane for the Bishop of N. our Diocesan that God of his mercye giue thē grace so to gouerne and rule holye Church y t it may be to the honour and worship of him saluation of our soules Ye shall also praye for Abbotes Priors Monckes Chanons Friers for al men women of religiō in what order estate or degree y t they stand in from the highest estat vnto the lowest degree Ye shall also pray for all them that haue charge cure of Christē mēs soules as curates persons vicares priests clerkes and in especial for the person the Curate of this Churche for al y e Priests Ministers that seruen therein or haue serued therin And for all them that haue taken anye order that GOD gyue them grace well to keepe and
bonde of sinne that thei being resuscitate or raised vp in y e glorie of the resurrection maye liue among y e saintes and chosen people Thorowe Christ our Lord. So be it A shorter forme or manner of bidding the beades MAsters and frendes as for holy dayes and fasting dayes ye shal haue none thys weke but y t ye maye doe all manner of good workes y t shall bee to the honoure of God and y e profyt of your own soules And therefore after a laudable consuetude and a lawfull custome of our mother holy Churche ye shal knele down mouyng your heartes vnto almightye God and makyng your speciall prayers for the .iii. estates concernyng all Christen people that is to saye for the Spiritualtye the Temporaltie and y e soules being in the paynes of purgatorye Fyrst for our holy father the Pope with all hys Cardinalls for all Archebyshops and Byshops and in especiall for my Lorde Archbishop of Cantorburye your Metropolitane and also my Lorde Bishop of this diocesse N. and in generall for all persons vicares parishe priests hauing cure of mannes soule with the ministers of Christes church as wel religious as not religious Secondly ye shal pray for y e vnitie and peace of al Christen Realmes and specially for the noble Realme of England for our soueraigne Lord y e King for the Prince for my Ladye y e Kinges Mother with all their progenye and for al y e Lords of y e councel and al other of the nobilitie whiche dwell in the countreyes hauing protection and gouernaunce of y e same y t almightie God may sende them grace so to gouerne rule the lande y t it maye bee pleasing vnto almightye God wealth and profyte to the lande and saluation to their soules Also ye shall praye for all those that haue honoured the church wyth light Lampe Uestmente or Bell or with any ornamentes by the whiche the seruice of almightye God is the better maintayned and kepte Furthermore ye shall praye for all true trauailers tillers of the earth y t trulye and duelye done their dutye to God holye church as they be bounde to do Also ye shal pray for al manner of frutes y t be done vppon the grounde or shal be y t almightye God of hys greate pitye and mercye maye sende suche wederynges y t they maye come to the sustenaunce of man Ye shall praye also for al those y t be in debt or deadly sinne y t almightye GOD maye geue them grace to come oute thereof and the soner by our prayer Also ye shall praye for all those y t bee sicke or diseased eyther in bodye or in soule y ◠almyghtye God maye sende them y e thing whiche is moste profitable aswel bodilye as ghostly Also ye shall praye for all pilgrimes and Palmers y t haue taken the waye to Rome to S. Iames or Ierusalem or to any other place y t almightye God maye geue them grace to go safe and come safe and geue vs grace to haue parte of their prayers and they parte of oures Also ye shal praye for y e holy Crosse y t is in the possession and hands of vnryghtful people y e almightye God may sende it into y e possession of Christen people when it pleaseth hym Furthermore I commit vnto your deuoute prayers all women y t be in our ladyes bondes y t almighty God may sende thē grace y e childe to receaue y e sacrament of baptisme and y e mother purification Also ye shall praye for the good man or woman y t thys daye geueth bread to make the holy lofe and for all those y t fyrste began it and them y e longest continue For these and for al true Christen people euery man and womā say a Pater noster an Aue. Deu◠misereatur nostri c cum Gloria patri c. Thirdly ye shal pray for your frends soules as your fathers soule your mothers soule your brethrens soule your sisters soule your Godfathers soule your Godmothers soule for all those soules whose bones rest in this church or Churchyarde or in any other holye place for al y e soules being in paines of purgatorye but specially and aboue al for those soules whose names be accustomed to be rehearsed in y e beadrolle as I shall rehearse them vnto you by y e grace of God c. For these in speciall and for all other in generall that it is needefull to praye for for euery man and woman saie a Pater Noster and an Aue. De profūdis c cum Oremus Absolue quesumus c. The general sentence taken out of the Englyshe Festiuall GOod men and women I doe you to vnderstande y t we that haue cure of your soules bee commaunded of oure ordinaryes and by the constitutions lawes of holy church to shewe to you foure tymes in the yeare in eche quarter of y e yeare once when the people is moste plenarye in the church the articles of the sentence So y t not for our default no man nor woman fal therein And if any be therin fallen he may through the helpe of God almightye and al holy church with shrifte and penaunce makyng good for his sinne vprise and hym amende ▪ Wherefore I doe you to vnderstande y t cursing is such a vengeaunce takyng that it departeth a man from the blysse of heauen from housel shrifte and all the Sacramentes of holye Churche and betaketh hym to the deuill and to the paynes of hell wythoute ende but if he haue grace of hym to amende But therefore see y t no man nor woman saye that I curse them For it longeth not to me but to shewe the pointes and y e articles of the sentence of cursyng For I doe you wel to wite who so doth agaynste any of y e pointes y t I shall shewe you he is accursed in the deede doing of the Pope Archebyshop Byshop and of al holy Church And y t god almighty geue you grace to kepe you out of cursing listen and heare and I shal thorowe y e helpe of God the father almighty to you thē tell and shewe By the authoritye of God y e Sonne and the holy Ghost and hys glorious Mother and mayden oure Lady Saint Marye and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and all Apostles Martyrs Confessours and virgines and the halowes of God I denounce and shewe for accursed all thoe that fraūches of holye Churche breake or distrouble or beene agaynst the state of holy church or thereto assente wyth deede or councell And also all thoe that depriue holy Churche of any ryghte or make of holy churche any Laye fee y t is halowed or sanctified And all thoe y t withholde the rites of holy church y t is for to say offringes tithes rents or fredome of holye Churche let or distrouble or breake that is to saye if any man flee to the Churche or Churchyarde Who so
of thundring the senteÌ„ce THe Prelate hauyng on hys Albe with the other Priestes that are in the Churche the Crosse beyng lyft vp and the candels lyght standing in the pulpit let them pronounâ—e the wordes that folowe EX authoritate dei patris omnipotentis beatae Mariae Virginis omnium sanctorum excommunicamus anathematizamus diabolo commendamus omnes supradictos malefactores Excommunicati sint anathematizati diabolo commendati Maledicti sunt in villis in campis in vijs in semitis in domibus extra domos in omnibus alijs locis stando iacendo surgendo ambulando currendo vigilando dormiendo comedendo bibendo aliud opus faciendo illos a luminibus omnibus bonis ecclesie sequestramus diabolo damnamus in paenis inferni animas eorum extinguamus sicut extinguitur ista candela nisi resipiscant ad satisfactionem veniant That is to saye By the authoritye of God y e father almyghtie and of the blessed Uirgyne Marye and of all Sainctes we excommunicate we cursse and committe to the Deuyll all the aforesayde malefectoures and euyl doers Excommunicate mought they be curssed and giuen ouer to the Deuill Cursed be they in Townes in Fieldes in Wayes in Pathes in Houses out of Houses and in all other places Standyng Lighyng Rysyng Walkyng Runnyng Watchyng Sleaping Eatyng Drinkyng and whatsoeuer thynge they doe besydes We sequester them from the thresholdes and all the goodes of the Churche and we giue them ouer to the Deuill And let vs quenche their soules in the paynes of hell as this candle is now quenched and put out except they amende and come vnto satisfaction Finita sententia extinguat lumen ad terrorâ— pulsatis caÌ„panis That is to say When the senteÌ„ce is ended let him put out the candle to make the people the more afraide and ring the belles In an olde written boke I find thus written The Articles of the generall senteÌ„ce must be read foure times in the yeare openly in the Churche before all the people yea and that in the mother tong that is to say the first sonday of Aduent and the first sonday of Lent Trinitie sondaye and on the sondaye whiche is within the Octaues of the Assumption of the blessed virgine Mary And when the Priest hath read the Articles of y e general sentence let hym with all hast put out the candle which he holdeth in his hand and with great violence cast it away from him saying Auctoritate dei patris omnipotentis filij Spiritus sancti sanctae Mariae Matris domini nostri Iesu Christi sanctoruÌ„ Apostolorum Petri Pauli omnium Sanctorum sanctorum Canonum nostri Ministerij excommunicamus anathematizamus a Sacramentis sanctae ecclesiae a coÌ„munione corporis sanguinis domini nostri Iesu Christi sequestramus omnes illos vel illas qui praenominati sunt Et sicut extinguitur haec lucerna hominum ita extinguatur lumen eorum in secula seculorum nisi ad emendationem satisfactionem venerint Fiat fiat Amen That is to saye By the authoritie of God the father almightye and the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and of S. Marye the Mo of our Lorde Iesu Christ and of y e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of al Saintes and of the holy Canons and of our ministerie we excommunicate we curse and we sequester from the sacramentes of holy church and froÌ„ y e coÌ„munion of the bodye and bloud of oure Lorde Iesu Christ al those men or women that are to fore named And as thys candle which meÌ„ vse is quenched and put oute so let their light be quenched and put oute worldes withoute ende excepte they amende and make satisfaction So be it So be it AMEN The priest must take hede sayth the olde written boke that he reade not on the foresayde sondayes the generall sentence at masse time after y e Gospel as certain vndiscrete priests do by this meanes interrupting the masse but he shal read it either immediatly after the aspersion or sprinckling of y e holy water or els after the procession Hereafter followeth a treatise of the articles of the generall greater curse found among other old bokes at Cantorbury in the parishe church of S Paule In the yeare c 1562. GOod men and women it is ordayned by the councell of al holy church fyrst of oure holy father the pope of Rome and his Cardinalls and by all hys councel and sithen of al Archbyshops and Byshops and by all the Clergye of holye church y t euery man of holy churche y t hath cure of mans soule that is to say persons vicares and paryshe priests should shewe among hys parishoners foure tymes of the yeare the articles that bene written in the generall sentence that is to saye the poyntes that longen to the greate curse The one daye is the fyrst sondaye of Aduente The second day is the fyrst Sonday in cleane lenton The thirde daye is the sondaye next after Whitsontide And the fourth day is the next sonday after the Assumption of our Ladye And the poyntes muste openly bee taught and shewed to the people or leude men y t they maye knowe the greate mischiefe and disease thereof y t no man or womaÌ„ should be perished for defaulte of learning ne haue matter to excuse hem by Wherefore ye shoullen vnderstande at the beginning y t thys worde Curse is thus much to say as departing fro god and al good workes Of two manner of cursing holy church telleth The one is cleped the lesse curse The other is cleped the more curse That we clepen the lesse curse is of this strength y t euery man and woman y t falleth therin it departeth hym froe al the Sacraments y t beene in holy Churche y t they maye none of hem receaue tyll they bee assoyled for ryghte as a swearde departeth y e head or y e lyfe from y e body right so as to saye ghostlich Curse departeth mans soule fro god fro al good workes The more curse is much worse is of this strength for to departe a man fro God and fro all holy church and also fro y e company of all Christen folke neuer to be saued by y e passion of Christ ne to bee holpen by the Sacramentes that bene done in holy Churche ne to haue parte with any Christen man â— Clerkes sayen that a childe before that he is christened it hath a wicked spirite dwelling within hym in hys soule the whiche wicked spirite is halsed or coniured or caste out of hym thorowe the prayer of the prieste before the churche dore when it shall be christened The which sacrament of baptisme is grouÌ„ded in holy writ and is beginning of al other sacramentes and was veriliche betokened in the passion of oure Lord Iesu Christ by water that ranne oute of hys side from
any other thing Also al thoe that letters purchaseÌ„ in any lords courte that no processe of right may be determined ne iudged in holy churche courte Also al thoe y e bloud drawen of any man or woman in violence or in any other vilonye in churche or in the churchyarde where thorowe y e churche or churchyarde is interdited polluted or suspended And all robbers rouers by day or by night that any maÌ„s good stelen for the whiche goodes a maÌ„ or woman were worthye to heare iudgement And al those that out of houses of holy church graunges personages or vicaries or any maneries of mens of holy church agaynst her will or her kepers wil any maÌ„ner of goodes with violence beren out of holy place church or abbey or any house of religioÌ„ which weren lefte there for sikernesse or succour for to kepe all that therto assenten Also al thoe that withholdeÌ„ a wydow her right or her dowry after her husbandes death or taken her good wrongfully All that procuren or geueÌ„ leue or commaundement any other to flea or to maime or to beate or by any other waye a greue any Ordinarye or iudge of y e lawe in body or in goods Al these aforesayd bene accursed with the greater curse Et cetera Many other pointes also longen vnto this greate sentence but I trowe to God it be no neede to rehearse here no mo Et sic finitur BUt thorowe authoritie of oure Lord God almightye our Lady S. Marye and all Saintes of heauen of all Aungells or Archeaungells Patriarches and Prophetes Euangelists Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgines also by y e power of all holy church y t oure Lord Iesu Christ gaue to S. Peter We denounce all thoe accursed y t we haue thus reckned to you And all thoe y e mayntayne hem in her sinnes or geuen hem thereto eyther helpe or councell so that thei bee departed from God and all holye churche and that they haue no parte of the passion of our Lord Iesu Christ ne of no Sacramentes that beene in holye Church ne no parte of the prayers among Christen folke but y e they bee accursed of God and of holy church fro the sole of theyr foote vnto the crowne of her heade sleapyng and wakyng sitting and standing and in all her wordes and in all her workes and but if they haue grace of GOD for to amende hem here in this life for to dwel in the payne of hel for euer withouten ende Fiat Fiat Do to the boke Quenche the candle Ring the bell AMEN AMEN Here folowe certayne Fragmentes of papistrye WE haue tofore heard where we entreated of the Lordes supper howe y e Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that the mysterye of Christes bodye otherwise called the sacramental bread should be kepte in churches continuallye vnder locke and keye to the entent to bee in a redinesse at all tymes leaste sayeth he they that are sicke shoulde wante y e spirituall comforte in the troublesome tyme of death Some curious fellowe peraduenture will here demaund why the sacramental wine is not also reserued and hanged vp as well as y â— bread seing Christ gaue thys generall commaundemente and sayde Drinke ye all of thys To thys question aunswereth Guilielmus Durandus saying The bloud of Christ is not reserued and kept for diuerse causes The fyrst is bycause wine which is liquide may easely thorowe negligence be spilt The seconde is bycause y t by the chalice whiche is on Maundye thursdaye receaued the ende of the olde lawe is vnderstanded The third is bicause y e body y t is reserued is not without bloude The fourth is that in y e the bloud is not reserued it is declared y e the olde sacrifice ought to cease For the bread signifyeth the newe testament but the wine signifyeth y e old testament To make euident prâ—se of this matter the Lord when he haâ— dronke sayde Consumatum est It is finished Therfore the chalice is receaued and the bread is reserued bycause the lawe hath now his ende the Gospel hath his beginning The fift cause is bycause Christ at the Lordes supper sayd Uerely I say vnto you I wil not from henceforth drinke any more of this frute of the Uine til I drinke that newe in the kingdome of my father He spake not of the body or of eatyng Yea we fynde that afterwarde he dyd eate part of the broyled fyshe and also of the hony combe but we do not finde that he euer dronke after Durandus in Rat. di off Lib. 6. Cap. 79. No bodye or Corps ought to be buried in the Churche or nigh vnto the place where the body and bloud of the Lorde is made but the bodyes of holye fathers whiche are called Patroni that is to saye defenders whiche thorowe theyr worthye and noble actes defende all the countreye Agayne Byshops and Abbottes and worthye Priestes and laye men whiche be of most highe holynesse As for all other they oughte to be buryed aboute the churche as in the yarde or in the porch or in y e voltes and suche lyke places as are nigh vnto the Churche Durandus in Ratio di off Lib. 1. When any Churche is to be halowed thys order muste be obserued Fyrst all the people muste departe out of the Church and the Deacon must remaine there onely hauyng all the doores shut faste vnto hym The Byshop with the Clergye shall stande withoute before the Churche doore and make holy water mingled with salt In the meane season within the churche there muste be set vp .xii. candles brennyng before xii crosses that are appoynted vppon the churche walles Afterwarde the bishop accompanied with the Clergye people shall goe thrice aboute the church without and the bishop hauing in hys hande a staffe with a bunche of Ysope on the ende shall with the same cast holy water vpon y e church walles and at euery time the bishop shal come vnto y e church dore strike y e threshold therof with his Crossierstaffe and say Tollite portas Principes vestras et eleuamiâ—i portae aeternales et introibit Rex gloriae That is Lifte vp your gates O ye Princes and be ye lyfte vp O ye euerlasting gates the King of glorye shal enter in Then shal the Deacon or minister that is within saye Quis est iste Rex gloriae That is Who is thys king of glorye To whom the Byshop shall aunswere and saye Dominus fortis et potens Dominus potens in praelio That is It is the Lord strong and mightie eueÌ„ y e Lord mightye in battayle At y e third time the Deacon shall open the church doore and the Byshop shall enter into the churche accompanied with a fewe ministers the clergye and the people abiding still without Entring into the church the Byshop shall saye Pax huiâ— domui That is Peace be vnto thys house And afterward the Bishop with