gouernaunce and also the christen presthode or of both vndre one as powers of one God For both they heynge as starres in the firmament or powers from about Romano 13. most wretchedlye than declyued froÌ„ the true obedyence and faythfull ad ynystracyon of Gods eternall veryte vnto the beastlye subieccyon and tradycyons of that execrable Pope Sens that tyme haue they comen from the see They haue taken their autoryte of that Beast whyche rose out of the see Apocal. 13. tyll now of late dayes the .ij. hornes of the other Beast that is to saye of hypocresye pryckynge them than forewarde Those .ij. hornes of that earthlye Beast were here in Englande the .ij. monkysh sectes that in those dayes firste entered The first of them were the blacke monkes of Saynt Benet which entered first of all with the afore named Augustyne in the yeare of our lorde CCCCC and xcvi to peruerte the South Saxons and kentysh men The other were the blacke Chanons of the other Saynt Augustyne both blacke which came in with Berinus the archebyshopp of Dorcestre in the yeare of our lorde DC.xxxvi from Pope Honorius the firste to deceyue the west Saxons For yche Pope and byshopp preferred euermore the secte he was of These .ij. wrought so their wycked feates in those dayes with lyenge sygnes in hypocresye that they caused the afore named starres Regnum et Sacerdocium Regalyte and presthode to fall clerelye from heauen Iohan Capgraue Ranulphus et Polydorus ¶ The fall of kyngedoms and rayse of the Papacye MArke in the Chronycles and ye shall fynde thys most true That lyke as the Papacye had hys firste rayse in and of the fall of the Empyre so had those kyngdomes which firste obeyed yt their orygynall begynnynges of the ouerthrowe of the inferyour kyngedomes As Englande vndre kyng Inas by the fall of the Brytaynes and Fraunce vnder kynge Pypyne by the puttynge a syde of the Merouyngeanes Sens these lecherouse locustes crepte first into Englande neuer throue that kyngedome of the auncyent Brytaynes whose spirytuall head was God alone but euerye daye more and more decayed tyll yt was fullye ended Marke yt hardelye from the first commynge hyther of the seyd Augustyne tyll the yeare of our lorde DC.lxxxix wherin Cadwallader their last kynge dyed a most desolate pylgryme at Rome offerynge hymselfe vp there most myserablye to the Pope Euer sens hath yt bene to hym obedyent in all blasphemouse errours and doe â—ryues of Deuylles by the space of DCCC and .xliiij. years tyll the yeare of our lorde M.D. and .xxxiij. wherin at our noble kynges moste wholsome request we vtterlye by othe renounced that odyouse monstre Now ys yt Gods owne fre kyngedome agayne and our kynge hys inmedyate mynystre That Lorde graunte of hys infynyte mercye that lyke as we haue put a syde hys name we maye euen frome the harte also cast ouer hys Idolatrouse yokes â–ª folowynge from henceforth the vncorrupt rules of the Gospell Amen A lyke conparyson hath Paulus Orosius li. 2. Ca. 4. Historiarum mundi of Babylon and Rome Verye lyke begynnynges sayth he had Babylon and Rome lyke powers lyke prydes lyke contynuaunces lyke fortunes and lyke ruynes sauynge onlye that Rome arose of the fall of Babylon and so fourth ¶ An olde prophecye of Merlyne dysclosed AS I was in wrytynge thys matter an olde prophecye of Merlyne came vnto my remembraunce That after the manyfolde irrupcyons of straungers the kynges of thys realme shuld be ones agayne crowned with the Dyademe of Brute and beare hys auncyent name the newe name of straungers so vanyshynge awaye He that applyeth vnto thys a ryght vnderstandynge shall fynde yt verye true The dyademe of Brute ys the pryncelye power of thys whole regyoÌ„ inmedyatlye geueÌ„ of God without anye other meane mastrye worker to Antichristes behoue Fâ—re was that power fâ—m the great whores domynyon which ys the Rome churche tyll the vyoleÌ„t conquest of the Englysh SaxoÌ„s â–ª whiche they had of the Brytaynes for their iniquitees sake â–ª And now prayse be vnto that Lorde yt is in good waye to that fredoÌ„ agayne wold fully attayne therunto were her heythnysh yokes in relygyoÌ„ ones throwne a syde as I doubt yt not but they will be within short space As wele maye ye geue credeÌ„ce to this Merlyne whan he vttered the veryte as vnto olde Balaam the sothsayer which at a tyme prophecyed the commynge of Christ. Numeri 24. And as concernynge the returne of the name marke in this age the wrytinges of lerned men and ye shall wele perceyue the change for now coÌ„monlye do they write vs for Englysh men Brytaynes ¶ The whores fleshe eaten of the x. hornes THe .x. hornes of the first Beast which were kyngedomes maynteynynge that whore now ioyned all into one doth mortallye hate her at this present instaunt â–ª ys makynge her desolate and naked in Englande In the ende they shall eate her fleshe and clerelye coÌ„sume her with the fyre appoynted Englande was sumtyme into .vij. kyngedomes deuyded by the consent of all writers and wales into .ij. called Cambria Demecia or north wales South wales Irelande makynge vp the tenth Or yf ye holde wales but for one lete Scotlande supplye that rowme which oweth vnto Englande perpetuall homage As all these are now in one most worthye vyctoryouse Kynge but one so wyll God put into all their hartes one conseÌ„t to fulfyll hys will and to geue her kyngedome vnto the Beast or to sende yt agayne to the Deuyll from whens yt first came Apoca. 17 Consydre with your selues the late ouerthrowe of the monasteryes couentes collegys and chaunteryes alleages of vncleane spretes and holdes of most hatefull byrdes by the manyfest worde of God And thynke not but the fylthye habytacyons of the great mastre deuyls wyll folowe sone after Apoc. 18. Lete the gogle eyed Gardyner of wyncestre gyrde at yt tyll hys rybbes ake aÌ„d an hondred dyggynge deuyls vpon hys syde yet shall not one Iote of the Lordes promes be vnfulfylled at the tyme appoynted for that blasphemouse whores ouerthrowe hys most holye mother Praye in the meane season good christen readers praye praye praye that hys heauenlye wyll be done in earthe and not mannys and fashyon your lyues to the fourme of hys most dere sonne Iesus Christes doctryne Amen ¶ Actes of vowed virgynyte for that age NOw to returne agayne to their spirytuall actes of chastyte for that age WhaÌ„ one Sedia the father of saynt Aidê° perceyued that he by no meanes coude haue a chyld by hys wyfe he brought her to these coÌ„tyneÌ„t fathers for remedy of her barrennesse she was spedde the next nyght after by a myracle for all were myracles they ded IoaÌ„ Cap Guenhera a Cornysh woman whom some wryters call fayre Elyne that made Kynge Arthure a cuckolde was
busynesse for their other tradycyons HEre passe I ouer the clowtynge in of their canonycall houres of their absolucyoÌ„s for synnes their temples their aulters their bel ryngynges their leÌ„tes their dyuersyte of orders and dyuysyons of paryshes least I shuld be therin to tedyouse vnto the readers Aidanus Finnanus and ColmaÌ„nus beynge all iij. byshoppes of lyndysfarne in Northunberlande one after an other Scottysh men borne coude not wele awaye with the pryde and wanton toyes which they behelde in their Romyshe rytes but perseuered styll in the symple ordre of the prymatyue churche not contented to chaÌ„ge yt For the which in those dayes they had moche a do with these hygh stomaked Romanes Hilda in lyke case that was thaÌ„ abbasse of Streneshalt that we now call Whytby a womaÌ„ lerned wyse and vertuouse dysputed with them in their generall counsell vpon Colmannus syde in the yeare of our lorde DC and lxiiij concernynge the daye of their eastre celebracyon their head shauynge and other vnsauerye ceremonyes and wrote afterwarde an ernest treatyse agaynst Agilbertus a frenche man and at that tyme byshop of Wynchestre All thys myght not helpe than but in processe of tyme they had their whole myndes magry all their hartes Bedas Giruuinus li. 3. Ca. 25. De gestis Anglorum Guilhelmus Malmesburye li. 3. De Pontificibus Ranulphus li. 5. Ca. 17. Ioann es Capgraue and other ¶ Relygyouse examples dysuadynge marryage AFter Laurencius folowed Melitus in the Archebyshoppes seate of Caunterburye in the yeare of our lorde DC and .xix. whiche they saye both alyue dead dysuaded yonge men from christen marryage As Saynt Columbanus a Scott about the same tyme came to the sell of an holye Nonne for ghostlye counsell She bad hym awaye least wanton youthe wolde brynge them togyther wylde they nylde they Saynt Edwyne kynge of Northumberlande gaue vnto saynt Paulinus the archebyshop of yorke hys yonge doughter Eanfleda so sone as she was baptysed in the yeare of our lorde DC and. xxvi that he shuld make her an vnholye Nonne And the daye after the sayd Edwyne was slayne he toke with hym both the doughter and mother and so fled with them vnto Rochestre in kent be water neuer returnynge thydre agayne Saynt fiacre a Scottysh hermyte had so greate malyce vnto women that he plaged so manye of theÌ„ with the fowle euyll as came within the precynct of hys monasterye bycause one woman had ones complayned to the byshâ—p of hys prodygyouse charmynges Hector Boethius Saynt Foillanus an Iryshe Byshop with hys bretherne was verye famyâ—yar and seruysable vnto Saynte Gerâ—ruyde and her nonnes at Nigella made dyuerse barren women full gracyouslye to conceyue Saynt keynwirye a virgyne of wales conteÌ„mpnynge marryage fled from theÌ„s to Saynt Myhels of the mounte to kepe her vowed virgynyte amonge the holye fathers there as vower with vowers All these storyes hath Iohan Capgraue ¶ Other relygyouse examples of that age SEbba kynge of the East SaxoÌ„s was so bywytched of the Byshop of London and hys caskynge collygeners there for hys substaunce that he had made hymselfe a monke leauynge vnto them both hys wyfe and possessyons yf she had bene no wyser than he Yet was she by their incantacyous at the last deceyued they hauynge of hym an innumerable summe of moneye and he nothynge of them agayne but a mangye monkes cowle and hys buryall in Paules Whan Saynt Egbynes father was ones departed in wales his mother resorted with hym to the abbeye of Saynt Sampson and there receyued of hym the habyte of a Nonne bestowynge the rest of her lyfe amonge the good bretherne there Saynt Eanswyde abbesse of folkstane in kent inspyred of the deuyll dyffyned christen marryage to be barren of all vertues to haue but transytoryouse frutes and to be a fylthye corrupcyoÌ„ of virgynyte Yet ware Marye Iohan Baptyst and Iesus Christ swete frutes therof the iust fathers of the olde lawe not reckened Saynt Paule sayth also that by vertue of marryage the vnfaythfull man ys sanctyfyed by the woman that ys faythfull 1. Cor. 7. Neyther ded he at anye tyme teache marryage to be eyther a corrupcyon or yet an impedymeÌ„t of christen virgynite whan he coupled the Corintheanes which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ed styll marryed a chaste vyrgyne to Christ. 2. Cor. 11. But thys gentylwoman Eanswyde was moche better acquaynted with the monkes lernynge than with Christes and with a chastyte rather to their behoue than to hys Yet droue she out all the gyantes there yf their churche legende be true These storyes sheweth Iohan Capgraue ¶ The wanton toyes of the holye fathers ABout thys same tyme sent Pope Bonyface the fift a shyrte with a golden collor and a fyne petycote of straunge makynge vnto kynge Edwyne with the blessynges of Peter and Paule And vnto hys wyfe Ethelburge a syluer glasse and a combe of yvoriye with the same to vpholde them in thys newe christyanyte Se these wanton fathers what toyes they vse to set vp their kyngedome here Neuer shall ye reade that Christes dysciples had anye soche wyttye polycyes Saynt Petrock an hermyte of Cornewale was fayne euerye nyght from the crowe of the cocke to the sprynge of the mornynge to stande naked in a pyt to abate the hote mouynges of hys fleshe And neuer coude he haue remedye of that dysease tyll he went on pylgrymage to Rome HierusaleÌ„ Here was a newe sought out salue for that sore Saynt Pyrane a Byshop also in Cornewale had a fayre dammesell in the monasterye of hys mother wingell called Brunett whom the Lorde of the soyle toke vp for hys occupyeÌ„ge At the last he a greed with hym no loÌ„gar to haue her thaÌ„ the bernacle or butture shuld breake hym of hys slepe which chaunced sone after than he sent her home agayne If these be not good honest legendes to be redd in the popes holye churche tell me Plentuouse shall ye fynde Iohan Capgraue in the rehersall of them and soche other The ghostly bestowynge of their vowes A Nonne beloÌ„gynge to saynt Cota and a monke perteyninge to saynt Pyrane aboute the same tyme strake vp a couenaunt of loue And as they mett in a wode for perfourmaunce of the same a yonge pygeon fell betwixt theÌ„ aÌ„d made them both ashamed so they went home agayne â–ª iâ— lyke matter Soche an other pagent was played at yorke but it was longe after The monkes of saynt Marye abbeye and the nonnes of Clement thorpe mett togyther there at haye makynge the abbottes fole beynge with them And as the abbot enquyred of hym at supper for pastyme where he had done all that daye He fell in a great laughynge and declared before all hys gestes that a sore battayle had bene foughten that after none betwixt hys monkes and the monkes of clemeÌ„t thorpe But he thanked
after hys death deuoutelye receyued into Ambesburye nondrye as a penitent to their spirytuall vse Guilhelmus Malmesburye Saynt Oswalde layed hys wyfe Bebla in bed with a relygyouse hermyte And whan the great heate came vpoÌ„ hym as the spirytuall fathers are hastye â—he founde the meanes that he was cast in colde water to abate hys hote corage This is one of the holy actes whervpoÌ„ the pope hath made the seyd Oswalde a saynt Iohan Hardyng Saynt Ebba which was in those dayes the mother of all nonnes was generate of an whore as were all her fathers chyldren besydes her ij of theÌ„ onlye excepted This Ebba had in the monasterye of Coldyngham not farre from Barwyck both men womeÌ„ dwel lynge togyther sell by sell as the maner was than of all Nondryes in Englande which exercysed the battayles of chastyte so longe that in their nyght metynges they went to bed togyther by couples their relygyouse loue was than so great tyll God sent a wylde fyre vpon them for that contempt of marryage Ionnes Maior libro secundo Capittulo 12. Ioannes Capgraue ¶ A spirytuall conueyaunce to be marked ETheldred whom ye call Saynt Audrye of helye marryed .ij. great prynces Tombert of the South Girwyes and Egfride the Kynge of Northumberlande mockynge them both by the space of more than .xiij. years in not geuynge them due beneuolence accordinge to the holye doctryne of saynt Paule 1. Cor. 7. And in occasyonynge them to aduouterouse lyuynge The lattre of them knowynge that she mynded wilfryde thaÌ„ Byshop of yorke moche more than hym for the storye sayth that she loued that monke aboue all the men lyuynge requyred hym in Gods behalfe to admonysh her of her dewtye that he myght accordynge to hys lawes haue increase of successyon by her And he lyke a false traytour knaue not withstandynge hys promes to the contrarye persuaded her to perseuer in her obstynacye and vtterlye to resyst hym allegynge her vowe and requyrynge a diuorcement from hym Wherupon he was than compelled to marrye an other wyfe called Ermenburgis and Eteldrede was professed a Nonne in ColdynghaÌ„ with Ebba by the seyd wilfryde This Kynge after that perceyuynge hys knauerye by assent of Theodorus the archebyshop of Caunterburye bannyshed hym out of hys lande Than folowed she after a pace and whyls he was byshop of Eastsexe she bycame abbasse of hely not farre from hys elboue Marke this conueyaunce for your seruynge If this were not knauerye where shall we fynde knauerye Yet was this geÌ„tylmii coÌ„ueyer admytted for a saynte bycause he buylded a college at Rippon where my selfe was ones bayted of his Basan bulles for maynteynynge the Kynges prerogatyue agaynst theyr Pope as good mastre IohaÌ„ Hercye can full wele tell Ioannes Capgraue in uitis Etheldre de Vuilfridi ¶ Kynges became pylgrymes and their wyues Nonnes A Verye proper cast the womeÌ„ had in those dayes by the ghostly counsell of the prelates They seÌ„t theyr husbandes to Rome on pylgrymage by heapes whyls they kept them spyrituall coÌ„panye at home Ethelburge made great hast and left no callynge on tyll her husbande Kynge Inas was thydrewardes with scrippe hatte and staffe she lokynge for hys nomore comynge home in the abbeye of Berkynge This Inas became a monke there and was the first that clogged the west Saxons with payment of the Rome shott or Peter Pens to the Pope Volateranus and Fabiane After hym folowed Ethelrede Kynge of Mercia in lyke fashyon of Pylgrymage and became afterwarde abbot of Bardeneye Iohan Capgraue Conredus also Kynge of the same prouynce dyed a solys he monke at Rome So ded Kynge Offa of the East Saxons the selfe same yeare of our Lorde DCC and .ix. besydes KeÌ„redus Ethelwolphus and a great sort more Hermannus Contractus Platina Polidorus Colwolphus Kynge of NorthuÌ„berlande returned agayne to Gyrwyn and there dyed a monke Robert Fabiane Great layser wolde yt requyre to shewe here how manye of soche Kynges the ghostlye fathers sent at dyuerse seasons vnto Rome that they for the tyme myght haue the spirytuall occupyenge of their wyues and how manye of their owne bastardes they made Kynges for them And therfor at this tyme I passe them ouer Innumerable knaueryes wrought they in those dayes and all vndre the coloure of vowed chastyte ¶ Great experymentes of virgynyte AS Saynt Aldelmus the byshop of Sherborne that ye now call Salysburye chaunced to be at Rome the people there made a fowle exclamacyon vpon Pope Sergius the first for begettynge a wenche with chylde which he they saye by a lytle straunge workynge pacyfyed In whose returne a Synode was holden in Englande agaynst the Brytaynes or welche men for not coÌ„formynge their churches to the Romysh obseruacyons he there requyred to inueye agaynst them Vpon the which mocyon he wrote than two bokes one for the Eastre celebracyon and an other in the prayse of virgynes to blemyshe the marriage of their prestes there and also to aduaunce their newlye professed chastyte For that he had also in commaundement of Sergius not withstandynge hys owne knowne lecherye This Aldelmus neuer refused women but wolde haue them coÌ„moÌ„lye both at borde and at bedde to mocke the deuyll with In the tyme he was abbot of Malmesbury he appoynted oft tymes to hys fleshe this martyrdoÌ„ As he felte any sore mouynges therof he layed by him naked the fairest mayde he coude loÌ„ge tyme as an whole Dauids psalter was in saynge And whan hys heate was past he sent her home agayne as good a mayde as he left her Is not thys thynke you a stronge argument to proue that all prestes maye lyue chast This telleth Bedas Ranulphus Iohan Capgraue aÌ„d manye other Englishe Autours more ¶ Images admytted with chast examples ABout the same tyme saynt Egwine abbot of Euesham and byshop of Worcestre than called wyckes hearynge tell that labour was made to the pope to haue the christen temples replenyshed with Images to promote that markett forewarde he hyed hym apace to Rome And there he declared to the holye father the secrete reuelacyons and commaundementes of our ladye that he had to sett vp an Image of her to be worshypped at Worcestre delyuerynge hym a boke which he had wrytten of the same apparycyons besydes the lyfe of Aldelme The pope than called Constantyne the first hearynge this newe wondre sent hym home agayne with his bulles of autoryte coÌ„maundinge Brithwalde than Archebyshop of Caunterburye wythe all hast to call a generall Synode of all the clergye for confirmacyon of the same the kynges requyred not to be absent that daye And thyâ— was done in the yeare of our lorde Dcc and .ix. Thys Brithwalde beynge also a monke was the first Englysh man that was Archebyshopp of Caunterburye Marke yt Saynt Guthlake an hermyte of Rependon
how and by whom thys realme was first inhabyted whiche thynge hath bene hytherto in all Englysh Chronycles doubtfullye vnagreablye yea and vntrulye treated vpon coniecturs fantasyes and lyes onlye by reason of ignoraunce in the scripturs and moste auctorysed hystoryes They shall also perceyue what peoples haue here by all ages remayned what doctryues hath bene taught by their true and false prophetes what worshyppynges of God they haue vsed and what lawes in relygyon they haue folowed Fynallye they shall knowe clerelye the deceytfull workemāshyp of the instrumētes of Sathan their byshoppes prestes monkes with other dysgysed locustes of the same generacyō Whose contynuall stodye labour and sekynge was alwayes to blynde them by a colour of chast lyuynge makynge them to beleue that their marryenge of wyues was a prophane layte a brutysh beastlynesse and a thynge which greatlye dyspleased God Their owne vowynge of vyrgynyte was agayne they sayd a spirytuall ordre a lyfe of Angels and an holye relygyon which pleased God aboue all other what though they neuer had yt in their lyues For true vyrginyte ys a fayth vncorrupted or a beleue gouerned by the onlye worde of God without all superstycyons of men Thys was the onlye vyrgynyte that Marye was commended of Luce. 1. Thys vyrgynyte perteyneth chefelye to marryage as testyfyethe Saynt Paul 2. Cor. 11. And as apereth in Abraham and other iust fathers which had faythfull wyues No people are lesse acquaynted with thys vprgyuyte than sectaryes or they that vowe vprgynyte for they thefelye depende vpon mennys tradycyons and rules But yf a tre maye be knowne by hys frutes and a man by hys dedes as our sauer sayth they maye Math. 7. ye shall easelye perceyue by their actes that these vyrgyuall votaryes hath bene the verye Angels of darkenesse Marke their gostlye conueyauuces and their other good workes as they wyll haue them yet called lyke as they are here regestred in course And ye shall fynde them more fyt for hell than for heauen Yet must they be canonysed sayntes and do most wonderfull myracles But those myracles are the stronge delusyons saynt Paule sayth that the lorde wyll sende vnto thē that shall perysh for their vnbeleues sake 2. Thessalon 2. I doubt not but thys labour of myne though yt be verye symple wyll mynystre some lyght as wele to the lerned as vnlerned At the least yt shall teche thē to iudge false myracles that they be no more so deuylyshly deceyued Lete not the oft cytynge of authors be greuouse to the readers my occasyon iustlye cōsidered For therby shall the papystes haue shame alwayes yf they report them fables or els me a lyar for the tellynge of them beynge in their wrytynges so manyfest And as conceruyuge those autours they were their owne dere fryndes and wrote the best they coude of them If they had bene their enemyes and so shewed the worst of them or els but indyfferent wryters as they were most parcyall wytuesses it had bene a farre other shewe of their mischefes than here will apere Men trusted they wolde haue seane themselues in this clere lyght of the Gospell and so haue repented their former factes of falsehede But trulye they are of a farre other kynde than so Their nature is not to repent do they neuer so manye myschefes Rather stodye they out newe practyses of tyrannye and cautels of cruelte to adde myschefe to myschefe tyll the great vengeaunce promysed lyght fullye vpon them Who so euer hath promoted forewarde Gods veryte they thanke God of yt they haue bene non of them as yet If they shuld make their boastes with Paule 1. Corin. 15. that they haue done therin more labours than the other discyples men of knowlege wolde by and by saye that they lyed most falselye In dede they haue with Menelaus Alchinius Ananias wyth Capphas gone afore all worldlye tyrauntes in the murtheringe vp of them which hath done yt And for errours they saye But who euer erred as they haue done sens the worldes begynnynge Trulye non as yet Neyther Turke Iewe Saracene Pagane nor deuyll as the examples herafter wyll shewe they shall not be able to auoyde yt vnlesse they dyspute with fyer ād faggottes as they haue done hytherto For starke nought are they in dysputacyons where as they are not at hāde For this boke I shall haue theyr cōmō lyuerye and be called a thousande tymes heretyke But neyther loke I for reasonable answere of them nor yet for amendement of theyr knaueryes In this boke of myne is one face of Antichrist chefelye dysclosed parauenture iij. vndre one wherwith he hath of longe tyme paynted out his whore the Rome churche that she myght to the world apere a gloryouse madame That face is her vowed chastyte wherby she hath deceytfullye boasted herself spirituall beynge but whore and thefe and dysdayned marryage as a vyle draffe sacke and dyrtye dyshe cloute callynge all them but lewde laye persones that were vndre yt though they were kynges and quenes lordes ād ladyes Ye noble gouerners and lerned lawers vnto whom God hath in thys age delyuered the measurynge rodde of hys worde as he ded to Iohan. Apocal. 11. that ye shuld measure all thynges ryghtlye Be not now slacke in your offyces as in the blynd tyme but throwe fourth that wretched bonde woman with her doughter that Rome churche with her whoryshnesse No poynt of nobylyte were yt nor yet of lerned worthynesse to be as ye haue bene of late yeares styll seruaunt slaues to a most fylthye whore and to her whoredome and whoremongers Our most christen Emprour of Englande kinge Hērye the. viî of that name as a most worthye mynystre of God hath goue before yow in that behalfe He hath made open vnto ye the waye and dryuē awaye from your gates the great aduersarye that shuld most haue noyed yow Dysdayne not than yow to folowe Take from your true subiectes the popes false Christ with hys belles and bablynges with hys myters and mastryes wyth hys fannoms and fopperyes and lete them haue frelye the true Christ agayne that their heauenlye father sent them from aboue fashyoned out vnto thē in the Gospell For moche more bewtifull is he in the syght of true beleuers thā are all the corrupt chyldren of men with all theyr gorgyouse aparelynges Loke you thervnto with ernestnesse for nothinge will be at the lattre daymore strayghtlye requyred of you thā that ⸫ The Actes of Englysh votaryes comprehendynge their vnchast practyses and examples by all ages from the worldes begynnynge to thys present yeare collected out of their owne legendes and Chronycles By Iohan Bale ¶ Marryage instytuted of God IN paradyse our eternall and mercyfull father instytuted maryage inmedyatlye after mannys first creacyon and left yt with hym as an honest comelye wholsom holye and nedefull remedye agaynst all beastlye abusyons of the fleshe
that shuld after happeÌ„ and graunted therunto hys eternall blessynge Increase sayth he multyplye and fyll the earthe Gene. 1. And thys repeted he thryse after that â–ª Gene. 8. ct 9. to the intent yt myght be groundedlye marked and wele knowne of men to be hys most ernest ordynaunce Thys was the first ordre of RelygyoÌ„ that euer was made and of must holynesse yf we dewlye respect the maker therof with the other cyrcumstaunces besydes preferrynge hys wysdome to maÌ„nys wysdome And for that yt shuld not be reckened a thynge vnaduysedlye done of hym he loked thervpon agayne amonge all hys other workes and coude beholde no imperfeccyon therin but perceyued that yt was of excedynge goodnesse Yet hath there sens rysen a sort whiche haue agaynst Gods heauenlye wysdome set their fleshlye folyshnesse whiche are non other to be reckeued than the verye sede and of sprynge of the serpeÌ„t Thoughe these haue knowne that there is a God yet haue they not gloryfyed hym in faythe and mekenesse but haue become most vayue in their ymagynacyons Where as he hath declared marryage excedynglye good they haue condempned it as a thynge execrable and wicked And where as he hath spoken yt by hys owne mouthe that yt is not good for maÌ„ to be alone they haue improued that doctryne and taught the coÌ„trarye as a thynge more perfyght and Godlye ¶ Marryage contempned of Sathan THus Sathan erected hymself agaynst God in that wycked generacyon whiche beganne first in Cain and hath euer sens contynued in that posteryte For thys presumpcyon God gaue them clerelye ouer and left them to themselues with all their good intentes and vowes wherupon they haue wrought sens that tyme fylthynesse vnspekeable Their chast women vestals Monyals Nonnes and Begynes changynge the naturall vse haue wrougth vnnaturallye Lyke wyse the men in their Prelacyes presthodes and innumerable kyndes of Monkerye for want of women hath brent in their lustes and done abhomynacyons without nombre so receyuynge in themselues the iust rewarde of their errour Of these most hellyshe dyabolyck trutes holy Saynt Paule admonyshed the Romanes in the firste chaptre of hys Epystle vnto them knowynge afore hande that out of their corrupted christy anyte shulde ryse soche a fylthye flocke as shuld worke them euerye where But neyther of Paule nor yet of Peter haue the fore warnynges away led but those brockysh boores haue gone frely forewarde without checke tyll now of late dayes where in God hath geuen vs as more pure syght to beholde their buskelynges ¶ Marryage of Prestes in both lawes TO make manyfest vnto theÌ„ what wyues the lorde appoynted by hys seruaunt Moses vnto the leuytycall prestes in the sacred posteryte of Aaron Leuit. zi et Ezech. 44. yt were but labour lost Eyther to put them in remembraunce that Christ was borne in marryage though hys mother were alwayes a mayde aÌ„d that he left vnto hys Apostles marryage in lyberte euermore yt were in veyne also For all thys hath God shewed vnto them playnelye by hys true prophetes in thys lattre age declarynge the fynall destruecyoÌ„ of that wretched kyngedome As by Martyn Luther Iohan Pomerane Frances lambert Oswaldus Myconius Philpp MelanchtoÌ„ soche other as ys sayd afore but all haue they taken for fables That lorde sent them one vnto their owne doores which effectuallye ded hys massage euen Robert Barnes by name of whose grounded argumentes they haue not yet dyscharged the leaste besydes that they haue had from hym by good Wyllyam Turner and George Ioye And all thys haue they dysdaynouslye laughed to scorne Consyderynge therfore that no geÌ„tyll speche wyll amende them nor yet sharpe threttenynges call them to repentaunce he wyll now cast their owne vyle donge in their faces that yt shall cleaue fast vpon them Mala. 2. He wyll throwe in their tethe by thys boke and soch other the styukynge examples of their hypocrytysh lyues with their calkynges and cloynynges to patche vp that dauberye of the deuyll their vowed wyuelesse and husbandelesse chastyte ¶ Englande inhabyted afore Noe and after ANd for as moche as the tyttle of thys present treatyse only respecteth Englande onlye shall yt treate the vnchast examples of the spirytualte therof with serten examples of Romysh Popes whiche than wrought their iuggelynge mastryes there To fetche the matter from the first foundacyon so to stretche yt forewarde I am fullye assertayned by auncyeÌ„t writynges that thys lande was with people replenyshed longe afore Noes dayes Yea soche tyme as men were multyplyed vpon the vnyuersall earthe Gene. 6. As they than had left God appoynted RelygyoÌ„ and had taken wayes vnto them after their owne good intentes soche vnspekable fylthynesse folowed as brought vpon them the great dyluâ—ye or vnyuersall flod which left non alyue but drowned them vp as yt ded all other quarters Thys wytnesseth both Moses and Berosus the most auncyeÌ„t writers we reade of After the seyd flood was yt agayne inhabyted by the of sprynge of Iapheth the third sonne of Nor. For of theÌ„ sayth Moses were the Iles of the Gentyles sorted oute into regyons euerye one after knowne dyuerse from other by their languages kynde redes nacyons Gene. 10. And in the dayes of Phaleg the sonne of Heber was that dyuysyon of Prouynces lyke as foloweth in the same chapter Samothes the Brother of Gomer whoÌ„ the Byble calleth Mesech restored than agayne thys lande in hys posteryte the prestes therof called Samothei for so moch as he was the first that fournyshed yt with lawes as witnesseth Ioannes Annius in commentarijs Berosi ¶ Albion with hys Samothytes AFter thys grewe yt into a name was called Albion Not ab albis rupibus as fryre Bartylmew hath fantasyed in hys worke De proprietatibus reruÌ„ Nor yet ab Albiana the kynges dougter of Syria as Marianus the monke hath dreamed yt For of latyne wordes coude yt haue no name before the latyne yt selfe was in vse And the other without grounded autoryte apereth a playne fable as witnesseth both Volateranus and Badius But rather yt shuld seme to be called Albion ab Albione Gygante the sonne of Neptunus whiche was afterwarde slayne of Hercules for stoppynge hys passage at the enteraunce of Rhodanus as testyfyeth Diodorus Siculus and also Pomponius Mcla. Not onlye bycause the seyd Albion was a gyaunt lyke as the afore seyd Samothes was afore hym but also for that hys father Neptunus was than take for the lorde of great God of the see wherin yt is enclosed What the chastyte was of the Samothytes or prestes for that age the Poetes dothe declare at large Venus was than their great Goddesse and ruled all in that spirytuall famelye as she hath done euer sens ¶ The Samothytes and their chastyte THey had in their temples vestals whom now we call NoÌ„nes who se offyce was to maynteyne
the fyre for perfourmaunce of the sacryfyces least yt shuld at anye tyme go out These were chosen in before they were .xvi. years olde there remaynyng vnmaryed the space of .xxx. years and others alwayes by that tyme succeded in their rowmes Some of these were presbyteresses as they pleased the spyrituall fathers And as the lyghtes went out by their neglygence their ponnyshmentes were to be beaten of the Byshoppes More ouer yf anye of thē chaunced to fall in aduoutery except they ded yt in the darke with them their iudgement was to be buryed in the grounde quycke Alwayes they went awaye vyrgynes from them what so euer was done in the meane season at the .xxx. years ende they were in lyberte to marrye yf they wolde Thys testyfyeth Hermanus Torrentinus and Iohannes Textor with other autours Yet was not thys abhomynable superstyeyon so tyrannouslye handeled amonge them than as yt hath bene sens a monge their successours the papystes whom by their cruell conceyons syned they neuer so longe they sent at the last to hell with a conscyence adust were not the lorde more mercyfull ¶ Brute with hys Druydes IN processe of tyme gote Brutus Syluius thys lande of the Albyons by conquest in the .xviij. yeare of Heli the hygh prest of the Israelytes lyke as Aeneas ded Italye and other great aduētourers their regyons And of hym was yt called Brytayne and the people therof Brytaynes After he had fournyshed yt with newe regymentes and lawes there entered in a newe fashyoned sort of prestes all dyuerse from the other and they were called Druydes These dwelt in the forestes lyke heremytes and procureth both publyque and pryuate sacryfyces to be done To them was yt alwayes put to dys usse all matters of relygyon to appoynt therunto the ceremonyes to brynge vp youthe in naturall dyscyplyne to ende all controuersyes ▪ Plinius Strabo Cornelius Tacitus Caius Iulius and other approued autours report thē to haue their first orygynall in thys lande but that apereth not true Rather shuld they seme to come first hyther frō Athens a most famouse cytie of the Grekes Iohan Hardynge reporteth in hys Chronycle that kynge Bladud brought them first frome thens allegynge there Merlyne for hys autour ¶ The Druydes and their chastyte VVhat their rule was conceruynge women we shall not nede to seke farder than to the .vi. chaptre of Baruch and the .xiiij. chaptre of Daniel in the Byble Baruch sayth there that their custome was to decke their whores with the Iewels and ornamentes of their Idolles Daniel sayth that they with them deuoured vp the daylye offerynges and sacryfyces of Bel. Yet Hector Boethius writeth in the seconde boke of hys Scottysh Chronycle that there were some amonge them whiche taught one euerlastynge God alone to be worshypped without Image made or other symylytude els Neyther allowed they them sayth he that applyed vnto their Goddes the symylytudes of beastes after the Egyptyanes maner as the Papystes do yet to thys daye Saynt Marke to a Lyon Saynt Luke to a calfe and Saynt Iohan to an egle besyde Saynt Antonyes pygge Saynt Georges colte and Saynte Dunstanes deuyll but greatlye reproued them Neuerthelesse yet were they great teachers of sorcerye For as testyfyeth Iohan Textor in hys offycynes so expert were the Brytaynes in art magyck in the dayes of plynye that in a maner they passed the Parthyanes whiche were the first masters therof ¶ Prestes marryed and vnmarryed NOw as concernynge the prestes of the Hebrues or Israelytes for all these ages whiche were the peculyar flocke of God they had all wyues that were ryghtuouse amonge them accordynge to the Relygyon that he first appoynted them Not Melchisedech Abraham Moyses Aaron Phinees Samuel Nathan Zorobabel Iesus Esdras Mathathias soche other were all marryed men and had chyldrē The Scripturs report that these men were beloued with God and that ' in holynesse non were euer founde lyke vnto them But neyther was that for their vowes nor yet for their good intentes Eccli 44. and so fourth .vi. chapters more If anye were chast vowers that tyme the .ij. prestes that lusted after Susanna were of them Daniel 13. So were the wāton sonnes of Heli and Samuel 1. Reg. 2. 1. Reg. 8. with soche other lyke Which were afore God verye reprobates for despysynge hys ordre as wele in that as in other thynges Of soche chast vowers were there some at the verye tyme whā Christ was borne both relygyouse prestes and leuytes which were most hygh lye taken amonge them These thynkynge marryage vnholye abstayned from the vse of women but they spared not to worke execrable fylthynesse amonge thē selues and one to polute an other Zacharye a marryed prest and father of holye Iohan Baptyst a man for hys marryage founde iust afore God reprehended that abhomynacyon in them was cruellye slayne for yt as testyfyeth Epiphanius li. 1. To. 2. De heresibus He was put vnto deathe sayth Philip Melanchton vpon the .xi. chaptre of Daniel for rebukynge the vyces of hys college ¶ Christ alloweth marryage in hys IEsus Christ the eternall sonne of God neuer contempned the firste ordynaunce of hys euerlastynge father but had yt insuche reuerence that he wolde not be borne but vndre yt He found his worthy mother Mary no professed Nonne as the dottynge papystes haue dreamed to couer their sodometrye with a most precyouse coloure but an honest mannys wyfe marryed accordynge to the custome than vsed Matt. 1. and Luce 1. In her so marryed without eyther vowe or promes of virgynyte by the holye Ghostes most wonderfull workynge was he incarnated and so became man to redeme vs from the captyuyte of synne and restore vs agayne to the full fauer of hys father He honoured marryage with the fyrst myracle that he outwardlye wrought in our manhode and called vnto hys Apostleship not wyuelesse vowers but marryed men Ioan 1. Mar et 1. He wēt verye gentyllye vnto peters howse and healed hys wyues mother which laye there syeke of a feuer takynge hys repast there tarryenge with thē all the nyght and doynge great cures there also And at hys departure in the mornynge he neyther commaunded Peter to breake vp howsholde nor yet to forsake hys wyfe and make her a vowesse Marci 1. Luce. 4. Math. 8. He neuer cōmaunded nor yet exacted the vowe of vyrgynyte in all hys whole Gospell but left all men in lyberte to marrye yf they lyst forbyddynge al men fyrmelye to make anye lawe of coaccyon or of separacyon where God hath sett fredome in marryage Math. 19. Marci 10. No forsakynge of wyfe and chyldrē admytted he euer but as the vnmoueable constaunt stādynge by hys worde requyreth yt in them that he hath appoynted to suffre deathe vndre the worldes tyrannye for yt The Apostles fyrst preachers marryed PEters wyfe went with hym in the tyme of his preaching 1. Cori. 9. and
was put to deathe at Antioche for confessinge Iesus Christ as wytnesseth Clemens Alexandrinus in .7 li. Stromatum and Eusebius Caesariensis li. iij. Ca. 30 Ecclesiastice historie Paule left hys wyfe at Philippos a cytie of the Macedoneanes by consent of them both Phil 4. 1. Cor. 7. For thys onlye cause sayth both Clemens and Eusebius that he myght the more easelye therby and with the lesse coÌ„beraunce preache the Gospell abrode Isi dorus hÃspaleÌ„sis in hys boke De ortu obitu sanctorum patrum and Freculphus lexouiensis in the seconde boke and fort chaptre of hys Chronycles reporteth both that Philip the Apostle preached in fraunce to the verye extent of the Occeane see aÌ„d was afterwarde done vnto deathe in hierepoli a cytie of the Phrygiaues and at the last honorablye buryed there with his doughters By whose occasyon this real me than called Brytayne was conuerted vnto the Christen beleue For in the yeare from Christes incarnacyoÌ„ lxiij was Ioseph of Arimathe and other dyscyples sent ouer of the seyd Philip to preache Christ and entered both with their wyues and chyldren Armagus than beynge Kynge of the lande This testyfyeth Iohan Capgraue in Catologo sanctorum Anglie Thomas scrope de anti carm ca 7. IohaÌ„ Hardyng in hys 47. chaptre and Polidorus uergilius li. z. Anglice historie Brytayne first conuerted by meÌ„ maryed THese were surelye the orygynall begynnynges sayth Polidorus of the ChristeÌ„ RelygyoÌ„ in Brytayne Gildas witnessyth also in his fyrst treatyse De excidio Britannie That the Brytaynes toke the christen faythe at the verye sprynge or fyrst goynge forth of the Gospell whaÌ„ the churche was most perfyght and had most strengthe of the holye ghost All that tyme and a longe season after the mynysters helde their wyues accordyng to the fyrst ordre of God without vowynge or yet professinge of vyrgynyte and so contynued to the dayes of Lucius which ys called in the Chronycles the first ChristeÌ„ Kynge Though thys Lucius were a good man and began wele to inclyne to the Gospell yet was he worldlye mynded and thought that yt wanted dewe auctoryte so loÌ„ge as yt was mynystred but of symple and poore laye marryed men Anon therfor he sent vnto Rome .ij. of those minysters called Eluanus and Meduinus vnto Eleutherius the Byshop for they had than no pope to haue some autoryte from thens And thys was done in the yeare of our Lorde L. lxxix Wherupon Marcus Sabellicus sayth Enneade 7. li. 5. That of all provynces Brytayne was the fyrst that receyued the Christen fay the with publique ordynaunce ¶ Christyanyte somwhat corrupted THaÌ„ Eleutherius sent hyther .ij. of hys doctors called fugacius and Damyanus to set here an ordre These fyrst baptysed lucius with a great part of hys nobylyte and commons aÌ„d than with hys consent changed the Idols temples into christen churches as they no we all them the flamynes or Idoll sacryfycers which were than .xxviij. in noÌ„bre into so manye byshoppes and the .iij. archyflamynes into .iii. archebyshoppes as wytnessyth Galfridus Monemthensis in hys seconde boke De origine gestis Britonum cap. i. Alphredus Beuerlacensis in hys Chronycle Vincencius Antoninus Nauclerus Bergomas Polidorus and a great sort more Thys chrystianyte endured in Brytayne the space of CC. and .xvi. years vnto the persecucyon of Dyoclesyane sayth Ranulphus in Polichronico li. 4. Ca. 16 VpoÌ„ thys toke the Rome churche first occasyon to deuyde the christen prouynces into dyoceses and parryshes Marke wele these fyrst buyldynges of Antichrist or of Nemroth the yongar and consydre out of what good stuffe they ryse without Gods worde All this haue I writteÌ„ hytherto not as matters correspondynge to the tyttle of my boke but that their spirytuall frutes maye apere what they are euen from the verye rootes ¶ The first sprynge of monkerye in Brytayne AS this newe chrystiantye from Rome had gotten here of the Paganes both temples and possessyons and were wele fauerdlye satled their byshoppes and prestes perchaunce beynge the same mynysters that had serued the Idolles in them afore anon after there arose out of yt a serten kynde of monkerye not in apparell but in aperaunce of a more sober lyfe These within a whyle semed better lerued than the other aÌ„d more depelye fell into the peoples estymacyon WherupoÌ„ arose sone after great stryfe and vnquyetnesse amonge theÌ„ and out of that stryfe most detestable he resyeâ—… For one of them called pelagius beynge of the great monasterye of BeÌ„cornaburch in Chestre shyre though so me call yt BaÌ„gor begaÌ„ to dyspute with them for the streÌ„ghte of maÌ„nys fre will and sayd that man myght be saued therby without the grace of God so deuyenge the effect of Christes blood as hys folowers are not ashamed to do yet to this daye Agaynst this heretyke pelagius wrote Saynt Augustyn Saynt Hierom Cyrillus Orosius Innocencius Gennadius aÌ„d at the last Thomas Braduuardin a doctour here in Englande with dyuerse other ¶ Heresye in Brytayne aryseth of monkerye YEt came there in no vowynge of chastite all this tyme neyther was vyrgynyte thought anye holyar amonge them than marryage For one Seuerus beynge both a monke prest aÌ„d byshop had a sonne there called leporius a monke also and a prest which vexed the lande with that leruynge taught of hys father in the yeare of our Lord. CCCC xxxij as wytnessyth both Prosper Aquitannus and also Flores historiarum Thys leporius made hys boast that he was able to lyue purelye of hym selfe and by force of hys owne fre wyll without the assisteÌ„ce of God as reporteth of hym Gennadius Massiliensis Honorius Augustudunensis Ioannes Tritemius in suis illustriuÌ„ uirorum Catalogis and now last of all CoÌ„radus Gesnerus in uniuersali bibliotheca Of the same sort was there an other called Agricola a prestes sonne also which in the yeare of our Lorde CCCC xivi trobled the Brytaynes with the same doctrine as flores historiarum sheweth The errours of both these were at the same tyme confuted by Germanus and Lupus with other frenche doctours which came thydre thaÌ„ for the same purpose specyallye of Saynt Augustine in Affrica ¶ A prestes sonne was Saynt Partrick SAynt Partrick the great Apostle of Irelande was borne here in this Brytayne aboute the yeare of our Lorde CCC.lxi and had a prest to hys father called Calphurnius which was also a deacons sonne that was named Fodunus His mothers name hyght Conches and was holye Saynt Martynes systre Thus testyfyeth Ranulphus Cestrensis in Polychronico li. 4 ca. 29. and Iohan Capgraue in Catologo sanctorum Anglie If this had bene fowle playe in those dayes Saynt Martyne wolde neuer so pacyentlye haue suffered yt For we reade that he was verye tendre vnto the seyd Partrick after that his fryndes had
her that had bene a ladye and tenderlye brought vp And as she on a tyme resorted vnto hym onlye to haue hearde the swete worde of the Lorde her commynge thydre so sore discontented hys mynde that wyth a charme he put out both her eyes For I am certayne yt come by no Godlye power she beynge ledde of so Godly a sprete If this be saynt Paules lernynge a man so myserablye to leaue hys wyfe ād so vngodlye to vse her for axynge good counsell I report me to yow Yet must he be styll a faynte in the Popes holye churche bycause he was a tyraūt to marriage for non other holynesse had he So the Sayntes recken I more fytt for hell thā for heauē Wale this story hath also Iohā Capgraue in Catalogo sāctorū Anglie ¶ Vrsula with her sort appoynted to marrye OF Vrsula and her .xi. thousande companyons haue the spyrytuall hypocrytes by helpe of their spirytuall father the deuyll practysed innumerable lyes by them to make their newlye sought out vyrgynyte to apere sumwhat gloryouse to the worldlye dodypolles that neuer wyll be wyse The veryte of the hystorye ys thys after all iust writers Whan our Brytaynes had ones gotten by theyr warre the lande of Armorica that we now call the lesser Brytayne and were put in perpetuall possessyon therof by their Kynge Maximus aboute the yeare of our Lorde CCC and XC they accorded amonge themselues through the assent of Conanius their captayne onlye to marrye with their owne nacyon and in no wyse to haue a do with the frenche women there for dyuerse parels Wherupon they sent by ād by ouer the see to Dionothus the duke of Cornewale which than in the kynges absence had gouernan̄ce of all the realme instaūtlye desyerynge hym to make prouysyon for them Which immedyatlye gathered from all partes of the lande to the nombre of .xi. thousande maydes ād other womē and so shypped them at London vpō the Thamys with hys owne dere doughter Vrsula for so moche as Conanus despered to haue her to wyfe And as they were abroode vpon the mayne sees soche contrarye wyndes and tēpestes fell vpon thē as drowned some of their shyppes and droue the resydue of them into the handes of their enemyes the hunnes and the pyctes which slewe a great nombre of them as they founde them not agreable to their fleshlye purposes Thys sheweth Galfredus Monemuthēsis li. 2. ca 4. Alphredus Beuerlacensis Ranulphus Cestrēsis Ioānes Harding Robertus Fabiā Tritemius in Cōpēdio Volateranus Polydorus ¶ An historye to their ghostlye purpose BVt se here the cōueyaunce of these spyrytuall gentylmen in Playsterynge vp their vnsauerye sorcerye◠They saye they all vowed vyrgynyte were persuaded of saynt Michaell the Archāgell of saynt Iohā the Euāgelist neuer to marrye as though they were dyswaders of maryage for their lecherouse vowes so wēt frō thēs relygyously to Rome on pylgrymage with great deuocyō .ij. and .ij. togyther were honorablye receyued there of the Pope and hys clergye If this be not good ware tell me I thynke there wanted no spyrytuall occupyenge for the tyme they were there yf the storye were true For Daniel sayth that the lust of that proude kyngedome shuld be vpon women Daniel 11. In all fleshlye desyres sayth Hieremye they are become lyke ranke stoned horse neyenge at euerye mannys wyfe Hieremi 5. And in dede fome wryters haue vttered yt that they were neuer good sens their beynge there Now marke the sequese In their returne homewarde agayne towardes Coleynt they had in their cumpanye saye theyr wryters pope Ciriacus yf there euer were anye soche Poncius Petrus Vincencius Calixtus kilianus Florencius Ambrosius Iustinus and Christianus all cardinalles Cesarius Clemens Columbanus Yuuanus Lotharius Pantalus Mauricius Maurilius Foillanus Sulpicius Iacobus Guilhelmus Michael Eleutherius Bonifacius and vij more of the Popes howsholde all Byshoppes besydes a great nombre of Prestes and Chaplaynes Diuerslye is this holye legende handeled of Iacobus Bergomas in Li. De claris mulieribus of Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus Hartmānus Carsulanus Vorago Vuernerus Nauclerus Mantuanus Vuicelius Caxton Capgraue Hector Boethius Maior and a great sort more scarselye one agreynge with an other ¶ Fyne workemanshyp to be marked HE that wolde take the payne to conferre their Chronycles and writynges but cōcernynge this onlye matter obseruynge dylygentlye their diuerse bestowynge of tymes places and names with other thynges perteynynge to the cyrcumstaunce of hystorye shuld anon perceyue their subtyle cōue yaunce in manye other matters The solempne feast of these .xi. thousande she pylgrymes for their goynge to Rome ys yet no small matter in their Idolatrouse churche and yet they poore sowles neuer came there as the moste auctentyue writers doth proue Their goynge out of Brytanie was to become honest Christen mennys wyues and not to go on pylgrymage to Rome and so become byshoppes bonylasses or prestes playefers Se what our auncyēt Englyshe writers hath sayd in thys matter which more experimentlye knewe yt and lete the forē lyars go whiche beynge farre of cared the lesse to lye In dede thys ys a verye straunge procurynge of Sayntes yf ye marke yt wele but that the monkes and prebendes of Coleyne thought to do sumwhat for the pleasure of their Nonnes there whiche had gathered togyther an heape of dead mennys bones For their bones coude they not haue beynge drowned in the great Occeane see as Galfredus and the other autours veryfyeth afore But both Christ and Paule ones tolde vs that we shuld be subtyllye cyrcumuented of that wylye generacyan whan they shuld worke their deceytfull wonders Math. 24. and. 2. Thes. 2. ¶ Vowynges ded not yet constrayne ALl thys tyme were there no constraynynge vowes but all was fre to leaue or to holde For Constans the eldeste sonne of kynge Constantyne the seconde beynge a mōke of Sayt Amphibalus abbeye in Cairguent that ye now call Saynt Swythunes in wynchestre was taken out of yt without dyspensacyon about the yeare of our lorde CCCC xliij ād crowned kynge of Brytayne beynge in full lyberte of marryage Galfredus Ranulphus Hardyng Capgraue Caxton and Fabyan In lyke case Maglocunus as Gildas reporteth was first a monke and afterwarde constytute kynge in the yeare of our lorde CCCCC lij contynuynge styll by the space of more than .xxxiiij. years and had for the tyme .ij. wyues besydes hys concubynes Thys Maglocunus was rekened the most comelye persone of all hys regyon and a man to whom God had than geuen great vyctoryes agaynst the Saxons Norweyes and Danes Yet was he in hys age as was longe afore hym Mempricius hys predecessour geuen to most abhomynable sodometrye whiche he had serued in hys youthe of the consecrate chastyte of the holye clergye Galfredus Ranulphus Hardynge Fabian and Flores Historiarum Verye vehement
was Gildas beynge thaÌ„ a monke of Bencornaburch not farre froÌ„ Chestre in hys dayly preachynges both agaynst the clergye and layte concernynge that vyce and soche other and prophecyed afore hande of the subuersyon of thys realme by the Saxons for yt lyke as yt sone after folowed in effect Loke in both hys bokes De excidio Britannie et in scriptis Polidori Galfredi et Ranulphi with the preface of Wyllyam Tyndals obedyence ¶ The Saxons entre with newe Christyanyte ANon after the Saxons had gotteÌ„ of the Brytaynes the full coÌ„quest of thys laÌ„de the name therof was changed and hath euer sens bene called EnglaÌ„de of Engist which was thaÌ„ their chefe captayne as wytneseth Iohan Hardyng IohaÌ„ Maior Hector Boethius CaxtoÌ„ FabyaÌ„ ThaÌ„ came there in a newe fashyoned Christyanyte yet ones a gayne froÌ„ Rome with manye more heythnysh yokes than afore And that was vpon thys occasyoÌ„ as all writers agre Gregorye the first of that name now called Saynt Gregorye behelde in the open market at Rome Englysh boyes to sell. Marke thys ghostlye mysterye for the prelates had than no wyues And womeÌ„ in those dayes myght sore haue dystayned their newlye rysyn opynyoÌ„ of holynesse yf they had chaunced to haue bene with chylde by them and therfor other spirytuall remedyes were sought out for theÌ„ by their good prouyders and proctours ye maye yf ye wyll call theÌ„ apple squyres And as thys Gregorye behelde them fayre skynned and bewtyfullye faced with heare vpon their heades most comelye anoÌ„ he axed of what regyon they were And answere was made hym that they were of an yle called Englande Wele maye they be called Angli sayth he for they haue verye Angelyck vysages Se how curyouse these fathers were in the wele â—yenge of their wares Here was no cyrcumstaunce vnloked to perteynynge to the sale Yet haue thys Byshopp bent of all writers reckened the best sens hys tyme Thys storye mencyoneth Iacobus de Voragine Vincencius Antoninus Ioannes Capgraue Maior Polydorus an hondred Autours more ¶ More Englysh boyes solde at Rome AN other example lyke vnto thys telleth the seyde Iohan Capgraue in hys Cataloge That as one Macutus an Englysh Brytayne and Byshop of Aleâ—h in Irelande beynge at Rome about the yeare of our lorde CCCCC perceyued serten Englysh boyes to be lolde there openlye He gaue the pryce of them and sent them home agayne Of a lyke lyhode he smelled the spirytuall occupyenge there and pysyed the most daÌ„pnable castynge awaye of those poore innocentes whome Christ had so derelye redemed with hys blood Soche an other acte of christeÌ„ pitye wrought kynge Eteluuolphus there after dyuerse writers whan he in the yeare of our lorde DCCC xlvij made sute to Pope leo the fort to be clerelye dyspensed with for the ordre of subdeacon whiche he had in hys yowthe receyued wholsome ware I warande yow of Helmestane thaÌ„ Byshop of wynchestre For by that tyme they had crepte into the seate of the Serpent Apoca. 13. and obtayned full autoryte to dyspense with all pactes professyons promyses vowes â—thes oblygacyons and sealynges to the Beastes holye seruyce Marke alwayes the tymes Thys storye hath Vuylyam of Malmesburye li. 2. De regibus Ranulphe Hardyng Fabyan and Polydorus with other And that the one wanteth the other alwayes habundauntlye supplyeth Possessyon was taken of that seate of the Beast vndre phocas the emproure in the yeare of our lorde DC and .vij. whan the papacye first begoÌ„ne ¶ Augustyne entreth with hys MoÌ„kes NOw to returne agayne vnto Gregorye He sent vpon the aforesayd occasyon into Englande in the yeare from Christes in carnacyoÌ„ CCCCC xcvi a Romy she moÌ„ke called Augustyne not of the ordre of Christ as was peter but of the superstycyouse seete of Benet there to sprede abrode the Romyshe faythe and relygyon for Christes faythe was there loÌ„ge afore With hym entered Melitus Iustus Laurencius Ioannes Petrus Rufinianus Paulinus and a great sort more to the nombre of .xl. all monkes Italyanes Wele armed were they with Aristotles artylerye as with logyck Phylosophye and other craftye scyeÌ„ces but of the sacred scripturs they knewe lyttle or nothynge If ye beleue not me reade in Iohan Capgraues Cataloge Inu ita Augustini hys interrogacyoÌ„s Ad Gregorium per laurenciuÌ„ et Petrum and ye shall fynde theÌ„ voyde of all christen lernynge eyther of lawe or Gospell yea moste incypyent folyshe Yet was the seyd Augustyne the best lerned amoÌ„ge theÌ„ These toke with theÌ„ a great nombre of frenche interpretours bycause they were all ignoraunte of the languages there Here was a noble christyanyte towardes whaÌ„ the preachers knewe neyther the scripturs nor yet the speache of the people Well yet they ded myracles Yea so sayd Christ they shuld do whaÌ„ he bad vs in anye wyse to be ware of theÌ„ Mat. 24. For thys storye marke specyallye Iohan Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie Sigebertus VinceÌ„â—ius Antoninus Tritemius Christianus Masseus and the churche legendarye Dyuersly were they of womeÌ„ intreated ANd as coÌ„cernynge womeÌ„ greuousslye were they vexed with them coÌ„mynge hytherwarde specyallye at a vyllage called Saye within the couÌ„tye of Angeu in fraunce In the which was buylded immedyatlye after a churche they saye in the honour of the seyd Augustyne where as no women come but are plaged with most sodayne deathe for the dyspleasure there shewed them than yet ded thy but laugh vpoÌ„ theÌ„ Thys sheweth AlexaÌ„dre the prior of Esseby in hys Annuall of Sayntes by these verses Cetus aput Saye uexauit eos mulierum Quas peccasse probat lux noua foÌ„sque nouus Plebs parat ecclesiaÌ„ mulieribus haud reseraÌ„daÌ„ Introitum tentat una sed inde perit Thys storye hath also Iohan Capgraue and the olde Englysh Festyuall of Sayntes which was soÌ„tyme the onlye taught Gospell of Englande Notwithstandynge thys dyspleasure of women abrode yet founde they womeÌ„ fauorable within England For Bertha the quene of Kent than beynge a frenche woman caused Kynge Ethelbert to admyt theÌ„ with all their tyrâ—erye trashe Yet for the small trust he had vnto them at their first metynge he wolde in no wyse commeÌ„ with theÌ„ within anye howse the storye sayth least they shuld after any sorcerouse sort by wytche hym The first poynt of RelygyoÌ„ they shewed was thys They spred fourth a banner with a paynted crucifixe and a syluer crosse thervpon and so come to the kynge in processyon syngynge the letanye Wele myght thys be called a newe christyanyte for neyther was yt knowne of Christ nor of hys Apostles nor yet euer seane in Englande afore It came altogyther from the dust heape of their monkerye ¶ Their first spirytuall prouysyons here AS the kynge admytted their enteraunce he couenaunted thus with them and verye wyselye That hys people shulde alwayes be at lyberte
and no man constrayned to their newe founde Relygyon sacryfyces â–ª and worshyppynges But alac that fredome conâ—yaued not longe with them as ye shall wele perceyue here after Than ded Augustyne get hym into Fraunce agayne and caused one Etherius than Archebyshop of Arelas to consecrate hym the great byshop of all Englande without eleccyon or consent of the people that we reade of And in the yeare of our Lorde euen DC ded Gregorye sende vnto hym from Rome hys prymates pall with superaltares châ—lyces copes candelstyckes vestymentes surplyces alter clothes syngynge bokes rellyâ—kes and the blessynges of Peter and Paule And so admytted hym for the fyrst metropolitane of all the whole realme appoyntynge hys seate from thens fourth at Canterburye than called Doroberna the worthye cytie of london euer after depryued of her former tytle and so made an vnderlynge But the spyrituall fathers knewe wele ynough what they ded beholdynge afore hande manye hydden mysteryes They perceyued that Caunterbury was wele out of the waye and moche nygher the see than was London and so moche the fytter for their craftye conueyaunces aÌ„d flyghtes to their holye father yf nede shuld requyre yt with manye other commoditees els Marke alwayes these nombers of Syxes and their mysteryes for the age of Man and the Beast Apoca 13. ¶ Their preparacyons for Antichrist THe first stodye of these fathers after they were ones satled was all aboute masse offerynges ceremonyes byshoppes seates consecracyons churche hallowynges orders geuynge tythes personages puryfycacyous of women and soche lyke Wherupon a Syunode was called and there commanÌ„ dementes were geuen that all thinges shuld be here obserued accordynge in the customes of Rome In Englande was there afore their commynge a christyanyte but it was all without masses and in a maner without choyce of eyâ—her dayes or meates The Brytaynes in those dayes had non other Gods seruyce but the Gospell Seldome admytted they any dyfference of tymes with the Iewes eyther anye Idoll sacryâ—yces with the Gentyles but folowed the playne rules of the scripturs If anye superstycyons were amonge their Monkes they had nought to do ther with but were euermore at lyberte For Prynces at that tyme were not yet becomen the Beastes Images to speake out of theyr spretes or to make lawes accordynge to theyr lustes The labour of Augustyne with his moÌ„kes from the forseyd yeare of our Lorde DC was to prepare Antichrist a seate here in Englande agaynst the full tyme of hys perfyghtage of 666. For though he were first conceyued in the wycked churche of Cain yet coude he not shewe hymself in hys owne lykenesse that is to saye Christes opeÌ„ aduersary tyll Christ came in the fleshe And than he apered at all one tyme with hym in the malygnaunt churche of the Iewes or spyrytualte of Herode which than first began to persecute hym and to seke hys death ¶ The prouynge of Augustynes Apostleship IN the yeare of our Lorde DC aÌ„d ij helde Augustyne an other counsell in the west part and countye of worcestre in a place that is yet called Augustynes oke wherunto he called by coÌ„maundemeÌ„t the vij byshoppes of the Brytayne churche with their principall doctours And as they were takynge their iournaye thydreward they counselled with a serten solytarye man which was knowne to be of amost perfight chri sten lyfe what was to be done coÌ„cernynge the afore seyd Augustyne Anon he made them this christen answere If he be a man of God sayth he in anye wyse folowe hys counsell If he be not vtterlye refuse it How shall we know that saye they Ye shall wele perceyue yt by his gentyll sprete sayth he agayne For Christ bad hys scolers lerne of him to be meke harted If he be of that sort he ys lyke to brynge ye non other than Christes moste easye yoke But yf ye fynde hym proude be ware of the importable burdenes of the hygh mynded Pharysees And as they were commen thydre they founde hym syttynge a loft in a throue of hygh honoure shewynge vnto them no countenaunce of gentylnesse Wherfor they regarded hym not but vtterlye withstode all hys enforcemeÌ„tes ¶ The Englysh churche begynneth with tyrannye AFter longe dysputacyons and other weywarde wrangelynges he layed vnto their charges that they were in many thynges contrarye to the vnyuersall Christen churche NotwithstaÌ„dynge yf they wolde consent vnto hym in these .iij. poyntes That ys to saye to baptyse after the Romysh maner to celebrate the feast of Eastre as they do there and preache to the Englysh Saxons as he shuld appoynt them he wolde wele beare with them in all other causes In no case wolde they graunte vnto hym nor yet accept him for their archebyshop â–ª but sayd playnelye they wolde styll holde theyr auncyent tradycyoÌ„s which they perfyghtlye knewe to be agreable to the holy Apostles doctryne Than sayd Augustyne furyouslye vnto them that yf they wolde not peceably graunte to hys requestes they shuld be enforced therunto by most cruell battayle And so in the yeare next folowynge were slayne of their preachers by Augustynes procurement to the nombre of a thousande and ij hondred with their great mastre Dionothus Loke Flores Historiarum Amandus Zierixensis Galfrede Ranulph Capgraue Caxton Fabianc their churche legendarye and other Thus ded that carnall Synagoge than called the Englysh churche which came from Rome with Augustine most cruellye persecute at her first commynge in the ChristeÌ„ churche of the Brytaynes in these holye martyrs Theyr synefull Syon buylded they than in blood for that theyr wycked instytutes were Godlye dysobeyed But he they sure yt shall be plowed vp in thys lattre age aÌ„d lye wast lyke a uoyde felde accordynge to Mycheas prophecye Mich. 3 ¶ What the Brytayne churche was afore TRue is the faythfull saynge of Iohan Leylande in assertione Arturij fo 35. That the Romysh Byshop sought all meanes possyble to vpholde the Englysh SaxoÌ„s in a kyngedome falselye gotten the Brytaynes hatynge hym for yt and he agayne of myschefe prouokynge those Saxons fearcelye to invade them Marke yt hardelye for yt ys worthye to be noted Marke also the agrement of the Brytayne churche with the vij churches of Asia in Saynt Iohans tyme Not onlye for the iust noÌ„bre of theyr byshoppes but also for their obseruacyon of Eastre afore thys Augustynes coÌ„mynge For in their argumentacyons aboute that matter they layde alwayes for themselues the vsages of that churche receyued first of Iohan the Euangelist Philip the Apostle Policarpus Traseas Sagaris Papirius and Meliton allegynge the saynges of Policrates and Eusebius in that behalfe The churche that Augustyne than planted in Englande was more gouerned by byshoppes polycyes for their aduauntage than by the expresse worde of God to hys honour as it hath beue euer sens And therfor yt was and is
God that hys monkes had the best for they laye euer aloft Bycause that one of Saynt modweÌ„s maydes had layed her best beloues shoes at her beddes head the spretes of heauen that were wonte to vysyte her wolde not come there that nyght After she had bene at Rome and was comen home agayne she dwelt at Scalesclyf where as an holye hermyte ded oft tymes vysyte her and moche refreshe her with a legende boke of sayntes lyues But no tydynges was there amonge them of Christes holy gospell Loke Iohan Capgraue ¶ Erkenwalde and Osith with their Nondryes SAynt Erkenwalde the sonne of Vffa the first Kynge of the east aÌ„gles abbot of Cherteseye aÌ„d Byshop of London buylded a Nondrye at Berkynge And bycause there were at that tyme in EnglaÌ„de no Nonnes to hys mynde for Hilda his kynswoman was to great a scripture woman in those dayes he seÌ„t ouer the see for an old acquayntaunce of his called Hildelitha lerned in arte but not in Christes dyuynyte Her made he there abbasse commyttynge vnto her gouernaunce hys systre Ethelburge and a great sort more of yonge maydes to be taught and made noÌ„nes there Soche rule was kepte amonge theÌ„ within a short space after that God sent vpon them a plage of pestyleÌ„ce which toke awaye all their chaplaynes the cruell Daâ—â—…s folowynge and burnynge vp that was left monasterye nonnes and all Saynt Osith was marryed to Sigher Kynge of the East Saxons But bycause she loued the spirytualte moche better thaÌ„ hym whyls he was on a tyme in huntynge she sent by a preuye lettre for Accas and Bedeuuinus Byshoppes of the East Angles contaynynge Northfolke and Sothfolke causynge theÌ„ to put vpoÌ„ her a nonnes aparell So made she him to beleue in his returne that she had professed the vowe of chastyte and gaue him therby a most wretched occasyon to lyue all the dayes of his lyfe after in most synnefull aduoutrie But a iust plage folowed For in the yeare of our Lorde DC.liii was she slayne of the Danes and her whore howse nondrye I shuld saye vtterlye destroyed Yet was she in the Popes churche allowed for a stynkynge martyr for contempnynge marryage Iohan Capgraue ¶ The perfyght age of the Beast THeodorus a Greke was of pope vptelianus constytute the sixt archebyshop of Caunterburye froÌ„ Augustyne or sens the Papacye began to make all sure here to Antichristes behoue in the sixtye and sixe yeare of hys age and in the yeare from Christes incarnacyon six hondred syxtie and sixe which is in saynt Iohans Apocalyps the full age of the Beast the full nombre of man Marke yt good reader For now of a Beast becometh he a kynge ye as Daniel calleth hym the vnshame fast Kynge of faces Daniel 8. Presumynge to sitt aboue God in euerye mannys conscyence 2. Thessa. 2. Named yt is there the nombre of man and the nombre of the Beast for so moche as yt was the tyme wherin maÌ„nys lernynge most stronglye withstode the lernynge of God to the prankynge vp of that odyouse aduersarye the verye man of synne and sonne of perdycyon all blasphemyes therupon folowynge Euydent is yt by all the Englysh Chronycles that than this Theodorus came hyther with the seale of that execrable Beast to marke vp all to that most blasphemouse kyngdoÌ„ For neuer afore wrought the sprete of Antichrist the mystery of iniquite so strongelye as at that tyme. For hyther than brought he all vayne craftye scyences of countinge calkynge measurynge syngynge rymynge reasonynge arguynge dyffynynge shauinge oylynge exorcysynge incantynge coniurynge Loke Iohan Capgraue in uitis Adriani et Theodori Besydes that Bedas wryteth li. 4. Capit 2. and Ranulphus li. 5. Ca â–ª 18. ¶ For the varyaunce had in supputacioÌ„s TO auoyde coÌ„trouersyes in the supputacyoÌ„ of years for so moche as some writeth hym to haue comeÌ„ hyther in the yeare afore rehersed some .ij years after Ye shall vnderstaÌ„de that Theodatus which was his predecessour departed in the yeare of our Lorde DC.lxv as witnesseth HermaÌ„nus CoÌ„tractus in Chronico de sexetatibus mundi In the yeare folowynge was this Theodorus admytted of Vâ—â—elianê° receyued his full autoryte of byndynge and losynge sayth Platina to holde the Englyshe nacyon styll in that faythe Marke yt But by reason of serten delayes yt was more than a yeare after ere he entered into EnglaÌ„de One cause of hys tarryaunce Iohan Capgraue sayth was the growynge of hys heare concernynge his crowne which was shaueÌ„ afore after a farre other sort he beynge a Greke Hys abydynge there for that only cause was more thaÌ„ .iiij. Monthes besydes other nedye matters So that yt was the yeare of our Lorde DClxviij the xxvi daye of Maye and the seconde yeare of hys consecracyon ere he came into KeÌ„t as wytnesseth both Bedas and Ranulphus With hym sent Vitelianê° a monke borne in Aphrica called AdriaÌ„ to loke to hys doctryne least he taught anye thynge in the Englyshe churche that were not agreable to the Romyshe faythe as the marriage of prestes and the howselynge with leuened breade for he ded not in all poyntes trust hym bycause he was a Greke borne Anon after he sett vp a Greak scole at Caunterburye of all maner scyences as Rhetoryck Logyck philosophie Mathesye Astrologie Geometrye Arithmetyck and Musyck and taught them there openly both in latyue aÌ„d Greke besydes the art Magyck Sortilege Physuomye Palmestrye Alcumye Necromancye ChyromaÌ„cye Geomancye aÌ„d witcherye that was taught there also Bedas Ranulphus and Iohan. Cap ¶ Sealynges to the Beastes obedyence THan constytute he the seyd Adriane both abbot and generall reader there whyls he coÌ„pased aboute all the whole regyon for the Eastre celebracyon other Romyshe rytes This is the first archebyshop sayth Iohan Capgraue that all the Englyshe churche was sworne to Marke here the Seale of the Beast Apo. 13. In the yeare of our Lorde DC.lxxij he helde a Synode at Thetforde in Northfolke where as he enquyred of euerye mannys faythe towardes the Churche of Rome Than constytute he byshoppes for euerye quarter aÌ„d deposed all them that were not confirmed by the popes auctoryte of whose nombre Ceddas the byshop of yorke was one More ouer he publyshed there a boke of the churches ordynaunces made by the forsayd Vitelianus with permyssion of organes to make them myrye commaundynge yt onlye to be obserued Christes ordre sett a part If this were not the departynge that Paule prophecyed to come .2 The .2 where shall we loke for any A sayinge hath Ioannes de Molinis in speculo carmel Ca. 6. which though he were a papyst I fynde here most true From the dayes of Heraclius the Emprour sayth he vnto our tymes the daye drawynge towardes nyght the churche sufferinge a sore eclippes is come to a downe goynge Yea she is almost at
the case of a full departynge et c. I thynke a truer sentence coude not than be vttered all circumstaunces therupon coÌ„sydered Great pytye was yt that the churches posteryte than perceyued not so manyfest a defeccyon ¶ More sealynges yet to Antichristes kingedome IN the yeare of our Lorde DC and lxxx helde this Theodorus an other couÌ„sell at hatefelde in the west partyes Where as he demaunded a reckenynge of the byshoppes and other curates what faythe aÌ„d fauer their peoples had than to the churche of Rome as pope Agathon had commaunded hym to do by hys wrytynges which wrote than vnto hym to do all thynges wyselye Ye knowe what that meaneth â–ª I thynke Here was non enquirye made what beleue they had than there in the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ. No yt was an other maner of matter that they sought Oh wonderfull was the workynge of that Serpentes generacyon Polidorus sayth li. 4. Anglice historie that false relygyon counterfett presthode was than throughlye satled and placed there the Actes of the iiij generall counsels receyued in stede of the .iiij. EuaÌ„gelies In the next yeare folowinge was a generall Synode kepte at ConstaÌ„tynople in Grece where as marryage was for euer permytted vnto the Greke prestes and vtterly forbidden the latynes or all other besydes theÌ„ the latyne masse receyuynge there hys first confirmacyon But Theodorê° hys monkes were at a good indyffereÌ„t poynt for that which had veyled within one mounsterye in the Ile of Thanete lxx Nonnes makynge fayre Myldrede their abbasse Loke IohaÌ„ Capgraue Ranulphe and other Englyshe autors In spyght of the former Acte ded Vitiza the kynge of Spayne permytt hys prestes by a lawe newlye made to kepe so manye concubynes as they wolde Michael Ricius de regibus Hispanie et Paulus Constantinus Phrigio in Chronicis regnorum ¶ Chastyte Monkes Monasteryes and Penaunce VVernerus Cartusiensis sayth in Fasciculo temporum that vowynge of chastyte was fre without constraynt in the tyme of Saynt Gregorye sumwhat after Bedas reporteth li. 3. Ca. 6. De gestis Anglorum et Ioannes Maior in gestis Scotorum li 2 Ca. 11. That a monkes cowle after they had ones vowed chastyte was holden in soche reuereÌ„ce that no maÌ„ wolde in a maner than iourneye vnlesse he had their blessynges Into a most wonderfull madnesse were the people than brought by their hypocrytycall wytcherye the verye elect persones scant fre from that dampnable errour Matth. 24. Marci 13. For the vnthankefulnesse of men sayth Iob in settynge hys veryte lyght doth God permytt the Hypocrytes to reigne ouer them in all power of deceytfull wonders Iob. 34. 2. Thessal 2. They ded than spedelye set vp monasteryes without noÌ„bre all the realme ouer Iohan Hardynge sayth in hys Chronycle that kynge Oswye buylded within Nor thumberlande xij in one years space In the yeare of our lorde DC and .lxxxiiij. helde Theodorus yet an other counsell in the North partyes at Twyforde where as he publyshed a serten boke of hys owne makynge called A penytencyall summe commaundynge hys clergye to put yt euerye where in practyse Therin were contayned all maner of synnes and excesses with aggrauacyons reseruacyons penaltees sorowes penuaunces and ponnyshmentes And thys was to terryfye captyue and snare the wretched coÌ„scyences of men euen to vttre desperacy on And where coude haue bene sought out a practyse of more deuylyshnesses Sigebertus Sabellicus Tritemius et Scriptores ferme omnes ¶ The foundacyon of their Purgatorye AT the same verye tyme was there one Drithelmus in Northumberlande whiche leauynge both wyfe and chyldreÌ„ in the yeare of our lorde DC and .lxxi. made hymselfe a monke at Mailros Saynt Cuthbert thaÌ„ beynge abbot there The sayd Drithelmus fayned hymselfe on a tyme to be dead there was knauerye vpon knauerye and reported in hys returne that he had seane by an Angels demoÌ„stracyon both purgatorye aÌ„d paradyse hell and heaueÌ„ After that he had subtylly declared this vnto kynge Alphrede and other great men of the contreye there at the request of the monkes moche people resorted vnto hym for counsell for their sowles from all quarters of Englande So redye are the foles of thys worlde to heare lyes and illusyons whiche neuer had loue to the veryte Thys knaue euermore commended vnto them confessyon aÌ„d penaunce fastynge prayer and almes dedes specyallye and aboue all other masse saynges aÌ„d monasteryes buyldynge Was not thys thynke yow a vertuouse christyanyte of these chast fathers to begynne their holye churche with Were yt not pytie but they were canonysed sayntes and their feastfull dayes solempnysed twyse in the yeare with ryngynges syngynges sensynges and massynges as thys Cuthbertes were and are yet to thys daye I thynke the Turkes churche had neuer more knaues to their Sayntes thaÌ„ these For thys Drithelmus ys one of their sayntes also Iohan Capgraue post uitam Adriani Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus with dyuerse other ¶ Chastyte of Cuthbert and doctryne of Colfride SO cruell was thys Cuthberte vnto women after he became a Saynt of theirs that noÌ„ myght come within hys sayntuaryes they say at Doilwein Coruen and Mailros in Scotlande nor yet at Durham Tynmouth and Lyndefarne here in Englande vndre payne of sodeÌ„ deathe their chaÌ„bers and selles exempted alwayes Yet was the seyd Cuthbert verye famylyar in hys tyme with Ebba Elsteda Verca .iii. holye abbasses aÌ„d buylded for hys pleasure a solempne nondrye at Carliell Fynallye for the specyall good loue he had vnto Verca aboue all other he commaunded in hys testament that hys bodye after hys departynge shuld be wrapped in the fyne lynnen clothe that she had geuen hym Ye maye se by thys that these chast fathers had their louers and set sumwhat by their owne precyouse bodyes Saynt Colfryde abbot of Girwin in Northumberlande wrote vnto AthoÌ„ kynge of the Pyctes that yt was as necessarye for the vowe of a monke or degre of a prest prestes were than no vowers to haue a shauen crowne for restraynt of their lustes as for anye christen man to blesse hym agaynst spretes whan they come vpoÌ„ hym What wyse lernynge thys ys I report me vnto yow Yet ys yt regettred of Bedas in hys .v. boke De gestis Anglorum and also of Thomas Vualden in hys volume De sacrameÌ„talibus ti 9. Ca 80 to stoppe heretypkes mouthes with besydes that Iohan Capgraue hath sayd in yt ¶ The fallen starre and .ij. Hornes of the Beast ABout thys tyme were manye woÌ„derfull thynges seane in dyuerse quarters of the worlde specyallye a great Comete or blasynge starre which semed with flamynges of fyre to fall into the see great morren folowynge both of beast and man Not all vnlyke was thys to that ys described Apoca. 8. And betokened than in my opynyon both the vttre fall of the pryncelye
tolde a serten abbot the same tyme that goynge homewarde he shuld fynde in a wydowes howse .ij. of hys holye monkes whych had lyen with her the nyght afore for easement of their chastyte Saynt Bartellyne hermyte of Stalforde stale out of Irelande the kynges doughter there And as she was afterwarde trauelynge of chylde in a forest whyls he was sekynge the mydwyfe a wolfe came and deuoured both her and her chylde These storyes hath at large Iohan Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie Guilhelmus Malmesburye et Ranulphus ¶ Englysh monkes become Antichristes Apostles IN those dayes the moÌ„kes of Englande were becomen so myghtye in superstycyouse lernynge that they were able to peruert all other christen regyons as they ded than in dede Some of them went into Germanye some into Fraunce some into Italye and Spayne and became the Popes instrumentes of all falshed falshyonynge hym vp there a newe kyngedome of all deuylyshnesse to withstande the manyfest glorye of God and subduynge therunto all pryncelye Powers Yow that are exercysed in Chronycles and Sayntes Lyues marke for that age what ys written of Columbanus Colomannus Totimannus Vuenefridus Vuilibrordus Vuilibaldus Vuenebaldus Burghardus kilianus Vuigbertus Egbertus Heuualdus the whyght and the blacke Etto Bertuuinus Eloquius Lullius Lebuinus Liuinus IoaÌ„nes Embertus Gallus Gaudus Gaâ—abaldus Gregorius Megingolus Sturmio and a great sort more with their women and ye shall se in them practyses wonderfull I wyll geue ye out one here breuelye for an example for to moche yt were to write of them all Wenefridus was admytted of Pope Gregorye the seconde for the Archebyshop of Magunce great Apostle of all Germanye and for hys bolde countenaunce was of hym named Bonifacius In London was he first borne and professed a blacke Monke at Cissancestre now called Chichestre vndre abbot wolfharde After the great Synode holden at London by the afore named Brithwalde about the yeare of our Lorde DCC and .x. where as prestes Marryage was iudged fornycacyon and the honourynge of Images accepted for a christen relygyon Daniel than Byshopp of Wynchestre sent thys wenefride to Rome with hys letters of commendacyon for hys manfulnesse there shewed Iohannes Capgraue et Georgius Vuicelius in Hagiologo de sanctis ecclesie ¶ The great Apostle of all Germanye THe Pope after certen conmunycacyons perceyuynge hym in all poyntes fytt for hys purpose sent hym anon into Germanye with hys fulle autoryte as afore ys specyfyed to do hys false feates there and to brynge that styffe necked people vndre hys wycked obedyence whom they call the holye Christen beleue I thynke sens Christes incarnacyon was there neuer non that more lyuelye wrought the Propertees of the other Beaste in Saynt Iohans Apocalyps whyche ryse out of the earthe hauynge .ij. hornes lyke the lambe yf ye marke yf wele Apocal. in the .13 chapter For he was next in autoryte to the Pope by the Popes owne witnesse soche tyme as he came with the hyghe legacye from hys owne ryght syde into all the quarters and Prouynces of the seyd Germanye hym concernynge vowed chastyte rellyques Images the Popes prymacye Kynges deposycyons othes breakynge and soche lyke errours Loke the workes of Nauclerus Vuicelius Bernardus Lutzenburg and Alphonsus de castro ¶ Doctryne of Bonyface with sale of whores MOst dampnable was the doctryne of thys Bonyface concernynge the Pope In a serteÌ„ Epystle of hys we fynde thys most execrable sentence That in case the seyd Pope were of most fylthye lynynge and so forgetfull of hym self and of the whole christente that he ledde with hym to hell innumerable sowles yet ought no man to rebuke hys yll doynge For he he sayth hath power to iudge all men and ought of no man to be iudged agayne Thys haue the Canonystes regestred in the popes decrees for a perpetuall lawe and for a necessarye artycle of Christen beleue Dist. xl Ca. Si Papa Yet wrote he at another tyme to Pope Zacharye to se the manyfest abusyons of Rome reformed specyallye their maskynges in the nyght after the paganes maner and their open sellynge of whores in the markett there For they were he sayd sore impedymentes to hys preachynges For they that had seane those reuelynges there mystrusted moche that faythe He wrote also vnto kynge Ethelbalde and other great meÌ„ in Englande requyrynge them to leaue the aduouterouse occupyenge of noÌ„nes least soche a plage fell on theÌ„ as chauÌ„ced vpoÌ„ kynge Colfrede and kynge Ofrede for lyke doynges And though thys Bonyface allowed not christeÌ„ matrymonye in prestes but hated yt yet after that one Geraldus a marryed byshop was slayne in Thuringia in tyme of the warres there he permytted hys sonne Geilepus to succede hym in that offyce HelinaÌ„dus monachus VinceÌ„cius Antoninus Capgraue c. ¶ The monasteryes of fulda floryake HE buylded the great monastery of Fulda in Germanye in the yeare froÌ„ Christes incarnacyon DCC .xliiij. Into the which no womeÌ„ myght entre but onlye Lieba Tecla .ij Englysh nonnes hys best beloues The bodye of the seyd Lieba he commaunded by hys lyfe of most teÌ„dre loue to be buryed in one graue with hys owne precyouse body So rytche was that monasterye within fewe years after that yt was able to fynde the eÌ„prour in hys warres .lx. thousaÌ„de meÌ„ For the which the abbot had alwayes thys pryuylege to syt vpoÌ„ the ryght hande of the seyd emproure at the hygh feastes An other abbeye was buylden afore that at floriake in fraunce and not farre from orlyaunce in the yeare of our lorde DC.li. These .ij. monasteryes floriake and fulda with their olde inhabytauntes wolde I counsell all Chronycle readers to marke as they fall in their waye for wonders whiche hath comen from thens as wyll apere after A custome the holye fathers had in those dayes to leade nonnes aboute with theÌ„ in straunge laÌ„des where they went As we reade of walburga Hadeloga Lieba and soche other I thynke yt was to helpe theÌ„ to beare their chastyte whose carryage was sumtyme verye comberouse vnto them and they founde not than in all contreyes soche plentye of Nondryes as hath bene sens Sigebertus Capgraue Tritemius Nauclerus Vuicelius ¶ Oxforde shurned And Aleuinus monkes AShamed are not these prestygyouse Papystes to vtter yt in their storyes and reade yt in their Sayntes legendes in contempt of their christeÌ„ gouernours that no kynge maye entre the towne of oxforde without a myschefe bycause one Algar a Prynce aboute thys age wolde haue had Saynt frideswyde to wyfe As though to be a kynge were a farre vyler or vnworthyer offyce than to be a pylde shytten Nonne O blynde bludderynge Balaamytes without all iudgementes godlye Of God only ys the worthy office of a Kyng Prouer. 8. where as your fystynge NoÌ„nes were of Antichrist
worke For so sone as he was gone with soche as yt pleased hys pontyfycall pleasure to call with hym sodenly sayth Fabyane Antonyne Vyncent and Iohan Capgraue the ioystes of the loft fayled and they that were vndre yt peryshed there ¶ Dunstanes prouysyon in Englande for Sathan THus haue thys most cruell and wycked generacyon contynuallye buylded their synnefull Syon in blood Michee 3. and are not yet ashamed of these their manyfest knaueryes For these belly founders theues and mourtherers of theirs yet aduaunce they for their princypall Sayntes And whaÌ„ their feastfull dayes come they are yet in the papystych churches of Englande with no small soleÌ„pnyte mattensed â—…assed candeled lyghted processyoned senseâ— smoked perfumed and worshypped the people brought in beleue that the latyne readynge of their wretched actes there in their legendes ys Gods dyuyne seruyce beyng without fayle the most dampnable seruyce of the deuyll Lyke as holye Iohan Baptyst by preachynge repentaunce prepared a playne pathwaye to Christ and hys kyngedome Luce. 3. So ded thys vnholye Dunstane by sowynge of all superstycyons make redye the waye to SathaÌ„ and hys fylthye kyngedome agaynst hys commynge fourth from the bottomlesse pytt after the full thousande of years from Christes incarnacyon Apoca. 20. which ys the sprete of Antichrist He raysed vp in EnglaÌ„de the pestylent ordre of monkes he buylded them monasteryes he procured them substaunce innumerable fynally he brought into their handes the cathedrall churches with the free eleccyon of byshoppes that nothyng shuld there be done within that realme but after their lust and pleasure ThaÌ„ was Chrystes kyngedome clerelye put a syde and hys immaculate spouse or churche vpon hys worde onlye dependynge compelled to flee into the desart Apoca. 12. Men and womeÌ„ that ryghtlye beleued durst not than confesse their faythe but kept all close within them For than was Sathan abrode these monkes euerye where assystynge hym in the fournyshynge out of that proude paynted churche of Antichrist Superstycyon hypocresye and vayne glorye were afore that tyme soche vyces as men were glad to hyde but now in their gaudyshe ceremonyes they were taken for Gods dyuyne seruyce ¶ Sygnes and plages folowynge these myschefes BVt now se what folowed of these afore rehersed myscheues In the yeare of our lorde DCCCC lxxxviij which was the .xij. yeare before that full thousande departed thys Dunstane a swarme of deuyls frequeÌ„tynge hys tumbe as I shall in the next boke she we more playnelye Within the same yeare appered a bloodye cloude in the skye which couered all EnglaÌ„de as witnesseth IohaÌ„ Hardinge with dyuerse other Chronyclers and yt rayned blood ouer all the lande After that entered the Danes so fast sayth Ranulphe at euerye porte that no where was the Englyshe nacyon able to withstande them And the monkes to helpe the matter wele forewarde by counsell of their Archebyshop Siricius gaue them .x. thousand pounde to begynne with that they myght lyue in rest and not be hyndered For lytle cared they what became of the reest so their precyouse bodyes were safe After thys by dyuerse compulsyons they augmented that summe from .x. to .xvi. to .xx. to .xxiiij. to .xxx. and so fourth tyll they came to the sharpe payment of .xl. thousande pounde and tyll they had nomore moneye to geue For the more the Danes had the more couetouse and cruell they were euermore Thus ded they to the lande innumerable harme in sekynge their owne pryuate commodyte and so brought their owne natyue people in most myserable thraldome For by that meanes were the Danes made stronge and the Englyshe nacyon bycame feble and weake yea so wretched at the last that they were fayne to call euerye vyle slaue amonge the seyde Danes their good lorde But now marke the ende coÌ„cernynge these monkes In the yeare of our lorde a thousande .xij whiche was the .xxiiij. yeare from Dunstanes departynge and the .xij. from the deuyls goynge fourth the Danes after manye great vyctoryes within the realme fyered the cytie of Caunterburye and enprisoned the Archebyshopp than Elphegus And as he and hys monkes were able to geue no more moneye they tythed theÌ„ after thys sort They slewe alwayes .ix. and reserued the tenth to perpetuall sorowe and seruytude tyll they had mourthered of them to the noÌ„bre of more thaÌ„ ix hondred there and in other quarters abrode And the moste part of them they hynge vp by the members which was a playne sygnyfycacyon that plage to come than vpon them for their Sodometrye and most vyolent contempt of christen marryage Ranulphus Cestrensis li. 6. Ca. 13. et 15. Fabianus Par. 1. Cap. 199. ¶ The Conclusyon of thys fyrst boke HEre haue I paynted oute before your eyes most derelye beloued contreye meÌ„ the chast holye consecrate and spirituall actes of your Englyshe votaryes prestes Monkes Byshoppes froÌ„ the worldes begynnynge to a full complete thousande years sens Christes incarnacyon Not all haue I here rehersed for that were a laboure without ende they beynge so innumerable but a serten of them for euerye age that ye maye by them perceyue what the rest hath bene In the next part or boke which shall begynne at Sathans goynge fourthe at large after hys thousande years tyenge vp Apoca. 20. and so contynue to thys yeare of our Lorde a MD. and .xlvi. that ye maye knowe what chere hath bene amonge them what occupyenge they haue had what masteryes they haue played aÌ„d what myracles they haue done for that tyme aÌ„d space also I thynke yt wyll apere an other maner of thynge than that which hath gone afore For so moche as Sathan their ghostlye gouernoure hath for that tyme wrought most strongelye Nomore wyll I be ashamed to reherse their fylthye factes lete them trust vpon yt than they haue bene to do them in effect and to sett them fourthe for holye spirytuall coÌ„secrate chast honorable and ghostlye good workes beynge abhomynable and most stynkynge knaueryes The worlde shall wele knowe what Sodomytes and Deuyls they are that haue all thys tyme contempned christen marryage instytuted of God and do not yet repent their most dampnable doynges in that behalf but contynue styll the saint leadynge their lyues in vnspekeable fleshlye fylthynesse Christ promysed ones to all soche as they are that all their hydden myscheues shuld come to lyght yf they wolde not at the call of hys most holye Gospell repent Nothynge sayth he ys so closelye hydden amonge those spirytual murtherers but wyl be clerely opened neyther yet so secretlye couered but shall apere manyfest and be knowne to the worlde Math. 10. Marci 4. Luce. 12. Christ suffered verye longe the Pharysees and Byshoppes the lewde predecessours of our proude spirytualte But whan he ones perceyued non other in theÌ„ but contempt of hys veryte with wylfull resystaunce of the