for the reliefe of the sayde brethren hath licensed and graunted to choose vnto them any apte and meete priest to bee their Confessour or ghostly Father and to absolue them from all their synnes toties quoties and also bee buryed in Christen buriall of what so euer deathe hee deceased if he were not excoÌ„municate by name Pope Innocent the thyrde dispenseth w t the Brethren and Sisterne of the aforesayde order concernyng all vowes of abstinence and of pylgrimage going excepte onely the vowe of pilgrimage vnto Peter and Paule at Rome and S. Iames at Compostell so y t it shal be lawful for theÌ„ to chaunge those vowes of abstinence and pilgrimage vnto other workes of mercy charitie and thys hath he done of hys speciall grace and meere motion to all them y t geue somewhat to the sayd order of S. Trinitie Pope Gregorye the nynth hath graunted to al brethren and sisterne of the aforesayd order and to all their parentes and frendes whether they be aliue or dead al those Indulgences and pardons which are innumerable and may iustly be coÌ„pared with y e Starres of the Skie and the sandes of the Sea that they haue whiche goe on pilgrimage eyther vnto Rome or vnto the holy lande Pope Pius the seconde hath graunted and geuen to the aforesayde brethren and sisterne once in their life plenary remission and full forgiuenes of all their sinnes yea and that in all suche cases as are reserued to the Apostolique Sea Pope Innocent the eight hath confirmed all thaforesayd priuileges indulgences pardons c. and of his speciall grace hath doubled them al for the saluacion of the brethren and sisterne of the order of Saint Trinitie The absolution wherwith the Brethren and Sisterne of Saint Trinities order are absoluted from their sinnes â–ª AVtoritate dei patris omnipotentis beatorum Petri Pauli Apostolorum eius ac auctoritate apostolica mihi in hac parte coÌ„missa Ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis mihi per te vere confessis coÌ„tritis de quibus confiteri velles si tuae occurrerent memoriae Plenariam absolutionem omnium peccatorum tuorum in quantum claues ecclesiae se extendunt in hac parte auctoritate istarum literarum Apostolicarum tibi do concedo ita vt sis absolutus ante tribunal domini nostri Iesu Christi habeasque vitam aeternam viuas in secula seculorum Amen Whiche is thus in English By the auctoritye of God the father almightye and of hys blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and by the Apostolike authoritye committed vnto me in this behalfe I absolue thee from all thy sinnes by thee to me truely confessed and contrite and of whiche thou wouldest haue bene coÌ„fessed if thei had come vnto thy remembraunce Moreouer I geue and graunt vnto thee full absolution and remission of all thy sinnes so farre as the keyes of the Churche doe extende in thys behalfe by the authoritye of these Apostolike letters so that thou â—e absolued before the iudgyng seate of our Lorde Iesus Christe and haue euerlastynge lyfe worldes without ende Amen Pope Iohn the xxiii graunted to so manye as be brothers and sisters and benefactoures of the friers heremites of Saint Austen that they shall be partakers of all the Prayers Sacrifices Preachynges Contemplacions Fastyngs Watchynges Pilgrimages Uowes Obedience Chastity Pouertye Patience Mercye Almosse and of all other spirituall Laboures Trauailes Paines Excercises c that be done eyther of the friers of the aforesayd order or of any other deuoute and religious people thorowe out the worlde with remissioÌ„ forgeuenesse of al their sinnes A paena culpa toties quoties The like pardon was graunted of diuers Popes to the fraternitye of Burton Lazare with dispeÌ„satioÌ„ of vowes and relaxation of some part of penaÌ„ce with plenary remissioÌ„ of al their sinnes The absolution of this fraternity AVtoritate dei patris omnipotentis Apostolorum Petri Pauli totius matris ecclesiae aâ— virtute huius bullae Papalis indulgenciae ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis c. That is to say By the authoritye of God the Father almyghty â–ª of the Apostles Peter and Paule of all the mother Church by y e vertuâ— of this bulle and of the Popes pardon I absolue thee from al thy sinnes c. To theÌ„ that gaue any thing to the hospitall of Sainte Marye of Runciuall nigh vnto charing crosse without the walles of London Pope Clement the fourth graunted that they shoulde be partakers of all the Masses Prayers Fastinges Watchinges Pilgrimage goings vnto the holy lande consecrate with the bloud of Christ or vnto the city of Rome priuileged with the authoritie of the blessed martirs Apostles Peter and Paulâ— And if they be priestes or religious persons either men or women and haue failed to say their diuine seruice eyther thorow negligeÌ„ce or defaut of bokes or sicknes of body the aforesayd holy father doth mercifully absolue them from al such offences and release them from the payne punishement due vnto suche offendours Pope Clement the sixte also of his speciall grace hath geuen and graunted to all them that geue some parte of theyr substaunce beyng confessed and contrite release of the third part enioyned them by theyr ghostly father and three yeares of pardon w e an hundred dayes mo of pardon with free buriall in places although interdict and of whatsoeuer kinde of death they chaunce to dye with a thousand lentes lxv yeares of pardon c. The forme of the absolution appertainyng vnto this Fraternitie AVtoritate dei omnipoteÌ„tis beatorum Petri Pauli Apostolorum eius ac autoritate apostolica mihi in hac parte commissaEgo absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis paenis tibi in Purgatorio debitis propter culpas offensas quas contra deum animaÌ„tuam commisisti Et in quantum mihi committitur restituo te illi innocentiae in qua eras quando baptizatus fuisti exceptis punctis hijs reseruatis Domino Papae vt animae tua viuat cum Christo in secula seculorum Amen Whiche is thus in Englishe By the authoritie of God almighty and of hys blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and by the Apostolique authorâ—tie committed vnto me in this behalfe I absolue thee from all thy sinnes and paines due vnto thee in Purgatory for the faultes and offences whiche thou hast committed against God and thine owne soule And asmuche as lyeth in my power I restore thee vnto that innocencye wherein thou were when thou waste baptised those poyntes only excepted whiche are reserued to the Lord Pope y t thy soule may liue with Christ worldes without ende Amen Pope Alexander the thyrde hathe graunted to all them that geue ought to the mayntenaunce of the Collegiat Churche of Saint Iohn of Beuerlaye an hundred dayes of pardon and relaxation from the seuenth parte of their
haste pacientlye suffered all thys I geue vnto thee for the satisfaction of thys penaunce that I haue enioyned thee and vnto the furtheraunce and helpe of the remission and forgeuenesse of al thy synnes and vnto the deliueraunce from the paines of hell and purgatorye whiche thou haste deserued for thy synnes and vnto y e obtayning of grace in this present world and euerlasting life in the world to come Amen An other fourme of Absolution OUr Lorde Iesus Christ whiche created redemed thee mought absolue thee And I by the authoritie which I haue of hym as muche as lyeth in my power accordyng to my dutye I doe absolue thee from all bondes of the lesser excommunication if thou bee bounde and I restore thee to the holy Sacramentes of the church if thou haue nede Agayn I absolue thee from all thy synnes confessed and forgotten mortall and veniall with al theyr circumstaunces The passion of oure Lorde Iesu Christ and all the good dedes that thou hast done or shalte doe and all the aduersityes and troubles whiche thou haste suffered or shalt suffer myght be vnto thee for penaunce and remission of thy sinnes and for the encrease of Goddes grace In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen Ex Speculo confessorum Fratris Bartholomaei de Chaimis An other fourme of Absolution BY the authoritye of God and of y e blessed Apostles Peter Paule and by y e authoritye of the Churche of Rome cōmitted vnto me and graunted vnto thee I absolue thee from all sentence either of the greater or lesser curse and from all suspension and interdiction if thou be bounde with any of them And I restore thee to the vnitie of the faythful and to y e holy Sacraments of y e church and by the same authoritye committed vnto me I absolue the from all thy synnes confessed contrite and forgotten Item by the authority of God and of y e blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and of y e Churche of Rome yea and also by the authoritie of oure Lorde the Popethe high Byshop committed vnto me in thys behalfe and so muche as I am bounde and able to doe if thou dye at thys tyme I absolue thee from all the paynes due vnto thee in purgatorye for y e faultes and offences which y u haste committed agaynst God and by all y e authoritye y t I haue I restore thee to the innocencie wherein thou were when thou were baptised But if y u doe not dye at thys tyme I reserue the full pardon graunted to thee of oure Lorde the Pope tyll thou dye In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost AMEN Ibidem An other fourme of Absolution ALmightye God haue mercye on thee forgeue thee al thy sinnes bring thee vnto euerlasting life AMEN The almighty merciful Lorde geue vnto thee indulgence and absolution of al thy sinnes AMEN The almightye father y e Godly and merciful Lord mought geue vnto thee indulgence absolution and remission of al thys synnes AMEN Most dere brother The greatest and hyghest penaunce is to be sorye for the sinnes committed and to repent and to beware and to take heede that thou sinne no more For the wholesome penaunce at thys present thou shalt say iii. Pater nosters .iii. Aues a Crede or thou shalt say the Psalme of mercy called Miserere meideus knelyng vppon thy knees before y e blessed sacramente of the altare or y u shalte cause y e Masse of the fiue woundes of our Lorde Iesus Christ to be song or sayde for thee or thou shalt go thys or y t pilgrimage gyld thys or y e Image c. This penaunce and the merite of the passion of Iesu Christ and al the good dedes y t thou hast done or here after shalte doe might profyte thee and stande thee instead for the remission of al thy synnes And our Lord Iesus Christ by his holy moste pitiefull mercy might absolue thee And I absolue thee frō y e sentence of the lesser excommunication or curse if thou be fallen into it and also from all thy sinnes In the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holye ghost Amen Ex instructione seu Alphabeto sacerdotum A speciall note of the Papistes concerning Absolution ABout Absolution is to be cōsidered the due or proper perfect forme In that note y t as euery Sacrament hath his proper forme so in like manner hath the Sacrament of penance which is this Ego te absoluo That is to say I geue thee and bestowe vpon thee the Sacrament or ministery of Absolutiō It doth not importe as some falsely reporte Ego te absoluo id est absolutum te ostēdo I absolue thee that is I declare vnto thee that thou art absolued For so should it followe that in the Sacramentes of the newe lawe there should be nothing but a shewyng or signification whiche is false bicause y t the Sacramentes of the new law do not only figure and signifie as the Sacraments of the the law but they also conferre geue truly and effectually the thynge whiche they figure and represente Ex speculo confes Bartholo de Caimis The forme or manner of byddyng the beades on the Sonday in the Popish parishe Churches taken out of the English Festiuall YE shal knele downe on your knees lift vp your hartes makyng your prayers vnto almightie god for the good state and peace of al holy church y t god maintayne saue and kepe it For our holy father the Pope with all his true college of Cardinals that God for his mercy them maintaine and kepe in the right beleue it holde and encrease al misbeleue and heresy he lesse and destroy Also ye shal pray for the holy lād for the holy crosse y t Iesu died on for the redemption of mās soule y t it come into the power of Christen men the more to be honored for our prayers Also ye shall pray for all Archbishops and Bishops in especiall for the Archebishop of Cauntorburye our Metropolitane for the Bishop of N. our Diocesan that God of his mercye giue thē grace so to gouerne and rule holye Church y t it may be to the honour and worship of him saluation of our soules Ye shall also praye for Abbotes Priors Monckes Chanons Friers for al men women of religiō in what order estate or degree y t they stand in from the highest estat vnto the lowest degree Ye shall also pray for all them that haue charge cure of Christē mēs soules as curates persons vicares priests clerkes and in especial for the person the Curate of this Churche for al y e Priests Ministers that seruen therein or haue serued therin And for all them that haue taken anye order that GOD gyue them grace well to keepe and
penauÌ„ce And Pope Innocent the fourth hath graunted to all the brethreÌ„ of the same Faternitie pardon of all sinnes forgotten of all vowes brokeÌ„ except the vowe vnto the holy land at their latter â—nd remission forgeuenesse of all their sinnes A paena culpa so that to euery brother sister of that Fraternitie being coÌ„fessed absolued their coÌ„fessour may well say on thys manner as it is specified in the printed pardon â–ª Iohn or Ioan â–ª as free I make thee As heart may thinke or eye may see Of this pardon it is also thus written Omnibus in annis qui turbaÌ„t iura Ioannis Ter execrantur damnati iure probantur THe pardoÌ„ grauÌ„ted to the Fraternity of s. Cornelis at Westminster for such as geue any thynge vnto it coÌ„meth in y e yere to MM vii C. ix dayes for euer to endure grauÌ„ted by the holy father in god Thomas of the title of S Cecily Cardinall priest of Rome and Legate Archebyshop of Yorke and Chauncelour of England c. and of diuerse other Cardinalles and Bishops Certayne Popes of Rome haue committed and geuen authoritie power to Priestes hauyng cure and charge of soules to absolue their ghostly childreÌ„ and parishioners the whiche be brethreÌ„ or sistern to y e holy Fraternitie of the sepulchre of our Lord Iesu Christ of all sinnes and crimes either confessed or forgotten of penance not well done Also of vsurye rapine pollynge and pyllyng extortion or other good euell gotten excepte they knowe to whom they ought to make restitution they are absolued And of all manner of offences done to father and mother if they were not done w e laying handes on theÌ„ with violence Also the sentence of cursyng done vnknowingly also of of vowes broken the vowe of Ierusalem signed with the crosse in the body and the vow of Religion with solemnitye professed onely excepted Also priestes and Clarkes that haue made any offence in saying their seruice Also the aforesayd holy Fathers haue graunted to the brethren and sistern of the sayd place the Stations of Rome and the indulgences of the pilgrimages of the holy lande whiche suÌ„me of indulgence is lxxx M. yeres of pardoÌ„ Also our holy father Vrban the fourth of that name hath giuen graunted to all brethern and sisterne of the sayd Fraternitie at the traÌ„slation of Saint Swithein and at the Octaues of the same and at the Natiuitye of our Lorde the Octaues of the same and vpon good Fryday vpon Easter day with the Octaues of the same to be released of the seuenth part of their penaunce foure yeares and foure Lentes of pardon Our sayd holy father willeth also that they that be brethern and sisterne of the said Fraternitie haue ecclesiasticall sepulture without deniall of whatsoeuer death they chauÌ„ce to die except they be opeÌ„ly and by name excommunicate To the Fraternitie or brothehoode of S. Erasmus beside y e deliueraunce of many soules out of y e bitter paynes of purgatorye with innumerable indulgences pardons for them y t be alyue are graunted fiue special gifts singulare benefites Fyrst he shal haue reasonable goodes to his liues ende Secondly his enemies shal haue no power on him Thirdly what lawfull peticion he asketh of God shal be graunted him Fourthly he shall be vnbounde of his tribulation and disease Fyftly at his laste end he shal receaue the blessed body of oure Sauioure Christ Iesu in fourme of bread to his saluation by the gracious prayer peticion of this blessed Martyr S. Erasmus Al these pardoÌ„s indulgences priuileges giftes benefites shal al they haue y t geue any part or porcion of their goodes to y e vpholding and maintaining of the holy place of S. Erasmus Many other raggemans roules could I here haue placed which contayne also innumerable pardons infinite indulgences great giftes singulare priuileges wonderfull liberties maruelous deliuerances spedy remedies of soules out of purgatorye c but these may seme to suffice at thys preseÌ„t For hereof mayest y u euidentlye perceaue what reliques we haue receaued from Rome what good stuffe the popyshe pardoners haue broughte vs in tymes paste froÌ„ y e moste holy father or rather froÌ„ y e romish Antichrist al for money Do what thou wilte liue as y u wilte if money come y u art out of hande made cleane and absolued froÌ„ all thy synnes A paena culpa toties quoties art made as pure faultlesse as y u were in time of thy baptisme so y t now by the vertue of these pardons thou mayest boldelye stand before y â— iudging place of Christ and be free from y e sentence of damnation and in fine be made fellow heyre with Christ of euerlasting saluation But if thou wilte haue the true pardon and remission of thy synnes and be deliuered A paena culpa toties quoties take thys order Fyrst repent thee of thy former lyfe Secondly flee vnto God the Father in the name of hys derely beloued Sonne Christ Iesu our alone Sauioure and Redemer crauyng at his handes with stronge faith mercy and forgeuenesse of thy synnes Thyrdelye take a newe life vnto thee euer desyring strengthe from aboue to walke dayly more and more in the holy wayes of Goddes moste holy lawe If thou do thys doubt thou not but y t thou shalt haue abundauntly vnto the great consolation and comforte of thy soule remission of all thy synnes quietnesse of conscience the gift of the holy Ghost Goddes fauoure grace and mercye and after thys transitorye life euerlastyng lyfe with al heauenly ioye and vnoutspeakeable felicitie yea and that without these Antichristians pardons whiche are nothyng ells than nets for mony deceauings of y e people defacyng of Christes death obscuryngs of Gods free grace very spurres vnto all leudnesse of lyfe and a ryght patheway vnto euerlasting daÌ„nation Heare what god sayth by y e prophet Come to the waters al ye y t be thirstye and ye y t haue no money Come bye y t ye maye haue to eate Come bye wine milke without any money or money worth Wherfore do you lay out your money for the thing y e fedeth you not spende your labour about the thyng y e satisfyeth you not But harken harkeÌ„ rather vnto me and ye shal eate of the beste your soule shall haue her pleasure in plenteousnesse Enclyne your eares come vnto me take hede I say your soules shal liue c. Are not these the wordes of our Sauiour Christ Come vnto me al ye that laboure and are laden and I shall ease you Agayne Let him that is a thyrst come And let who soeuer will take of the water of lyfe freely and without any money Of theÌ„ that wil seke remission of their synnes and pardon of their wicked life or any other spirituall and heauenly gift but only at hys hande
and that pardō to this pilgrimage and that pilgrimage to this relique and that relique to this worke and that worke without any respecte had to Christe whiche is the alone Sauioure of the worlde But nowe will the aduersaries obiecte and say Why are those our forefathers dāned I aunswere I leaue them to the iudgement of God as the Apostle sayth What art thou that iudgest an other mans seruaunte Whether he stand or fall that pertaineth vnto his own master Notwithstanding I hope that forasmuch as they knewe no better neither was theyr blindnesse of obstinacie but of ignorancye God hath bene fauourable vnto them and receaued them vnto his mercy For as God condemneth obstinate contumacie so likewise pardoneth he many times simple ignorancie as we reade of Saint Paule whiche sayth I was somtime a blasphemer and a persecutor and a Tyraunte But yet I obtayned mercye bicause I did it ignorauntly thorowe vnbelief And our Sauiour Christ sayd to the obstinate Iewes stifnecked Pharesees If ye were blinde ye should haue no sinne But now ye say we see ▪ therfore your sinne remaineth Notwithstanding suche as are obstinatly blind and wilfully ignorant by no meanes wil come vnto the knowledge of the truth but of set purpose refuse and despise it shall neuer finde the like fauour at the hande of God so long as they remayne in that wicked and dānable purpose Are not these the wordes of him which is not only true but also the selfe truth This is the condemnation that light is come into the worlde and men loued darknesse more thā lyght bicause their dedes were euill For euery one that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to the lyght least his deedes should be reproued But he that doth truth cōmeth to y e lyght that his dedes may be knowē howe that they are wrought in God But leauyng the late and yesterday fathers if they meane the Patriarches and Prophets the Apostles and the Fathers of the primatiue Churche ▪ and suche Godly persons as liued in the publique weale of Christianitie before that Antichrist the deuill and the Pope bare rule and before that enemye came and sowed tares amonge the wheate we playnly affirme that their doctrine and fayth is all one with oures and that we at thys present doe none otherwyse eyther teache and beleue than they in tymes paste haue taught and beleued These forefathers we embrace These forefathers we followe These forefathers we reuerence For both theyr fayth and our fayth both theyr doctrine and our doctrine is grounded on the sure rocke whiche is Christe Iesus the Sonne of the lyuing GOD agaynste the whiche doctrine and fayth the verye gates of hell shall not preuayle Rore deuyll rage worlde descende Rayne come Floudes blowe Wyne swell Sea c. Yet shall all these violente tempestes and tempestuous violences not so muche as once shake thys our fayth and doctrine muche lesse subdue and vanquishe it Whosoeuer falleth on thys stone sayeth Christ shall be broken in peces but on whome soeuer it falleth it shall grynde hym to pouder But wherefore doe they obiecte vnto vs Fathers We haue one Father whome we ought to heare before all Fathers whiche is oure Father in Heauen And he hath commaunded vs to heare hys Sonne Christe and not forefathers sayinge Thys is my welbeloued Sonne for whose sake I am well pleased wyth man Heare ye hym Thys Christe is oure Scholemaster and if we wyll be hys disciples we muste heare hym This Christe is also our Shepehearde If we wyll be hys Shepe we muste heare hys voyce as he hym selfe sayth My shepe heare my voyce Doth not our heauenly Father in many places of his blessed lawe call vs awaye from followynge our forefathers Are not these hys wordes by the Prophete Be not ye lyke your forefathers vnto whom the Prophetes cryed aforetime saying Thus sayth the Lord God of Holies Turne you from your euil wayes from your wicked imaginations But they woulde not heare nor regarde me saith the Lord. The same Prophet also sayth The Lord hath bene sore displeased at your forefathers Agayne he sayth Walke not in the statutes of your forefathers Kepe not their ordinaunces and defile not your selues with their idols For I am the Lord your god But walke in my statuts kepe my lawes and doe thē c. All forefathers walking in Gods ordinaunces are most studiously and diligētly to be heard and followed All other are to be reiected refused although outwardly glystering neuer so muche with the shyne of holynesse and vertue commended for streightnesse of lyfe and aboundaunce of good workes Christ is the scope wherunto we must directe all our doinges If any of our forefathers dissēt him they shote at a wrong marke and we must byd them farewell in the playne fieldes haue nothyng to do with them be they neuer so olde and auncient as Saint Cyprian sayth That Christ alone ought to be heard The father euen from heauen testifieth saying This is my wel beloued sonne in whom I haue great delight Heare ye hym Wherefore if Christ alone be to be heard we ought not to attend marke take hede what any man that hath bene before vs. thought good to be done but what he did which is before all that is to say Christ. Moreouer some flee vnto Councels persuading themselues those to be of such authoritie that whatsoeuer is decreed stablished in thē may by no meanes be resisted and against said but obediently receaued and faithfully obeyed yea and that so much the more bicause Christ sayd Whersoeuer two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the middes of thē Again Behold I am with you for euer euē vnto the very end of the world I aūswere Christ in dede hath promised to be present with his holy spirit and grace in assemblies of his holy church which come together for to seke and set forth the glorye of God and to edifie Gods people But such as falsely vniustly take vpō them the name of the Church and in all theyr coūcels seke nothing but theyr own glory and to bryng the people of God into a most miserable slauery a thousand times worse thā the childrē of Israell suffered in Egipt vnder the most cruell Tyraunt king Pharao suche I say are not gathered together in the name of Christe but in the name of Antichrist neither is Christ in the middes of them but the deuill is among thē Such assemblies and conuenticles al faithfull Christians ought to flee ▪ abhorre deteste more than the plage and the pestilence yea as the deuill and hell fire according to this saying of the Psalmographe I hate the Church of the malignaunt and with the vngodly will I kepe no company Agaynst these vngodly councels moste wicked councellers God thundreth and crieth out by the Prophet on this
we kylled al the day lōg and are counted as shepe appointed to be slayne As I may among many touche one Ecclesiastical history What shall I speake of the vnhappye time of that most vnhappy and wicked heritike Arrius Although the Fathers of the councell Nicene did iudge truly rightly according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture of the true euerlasting diuinitie or Godhead of Christ the Sonne of God Yet not long after that wicked heresie of Arrius dyd so preuaile and take roote in the heartes of men that it was not receaued only in one realme or two but also Pope Liberius Bishop of Rome with the Emperoure and all the East parte of the world admitted that most damnable heresie to be most sounde and wholesome doctrine persecuting most cruelly al such as defended the cōtrary whereof was a very little number as Athanasius Paulinus and verye fewe other Byshops whiche by no meanes would geue place to so great furour and madnesse although most miserably entreated In a Councell also holden at Nice a great nūber of Byshops with other gathered there together consented to disanull and put away the mariage of Priestes or spirituall ministers contrary to the practise of gods Churche from the begynning and contrary to the doctrine of the holy ghost which saith Wedlocke is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled for what purpose I knowe not nor with what reasōs persuaded am I able to say Notwithstanding the holy and blessed Confessour Pahnutius although vnmaried withstood them all and by no meanes would consent vnto theyr entreprise and deuise but franckely and freely confessed that the mariage of Ministers is honourable and that it is chastitie for a man to lye with his owne wyfe By thys meanes he persuaded the councel that they proceded no further in this matter but sette euerye man at hys lyberty to marrye or not to marrye Whoe seeth not nowe howe foolyshe a thynge it is and muche vnworthye a Christen man to leane to the multitude whiche for the moste parte is nothynge elles than a beaste of manye heades Seyng we haue euidentlye shewed that the greater parte in matters that appertayne to Christes Religion is alwayes the worsest parte and the lesser parte dothe more earnestlye embrace the truthe of Gods worde so that not withoute a cause Christ calleth his people a litle flocke ▪ Feare not ye lyttle flocke sayeth Christe for it hath pleased my father to geue you a kyngdome Thys therefore is a vayne obiection of the aduersaries to saye We haue the greater number on our syde therefore haue we the truth on our syde For the deuill the worlde and the fleshe haue a greater company attendyng vpon them than Christe hath vpon hym seyng that the greatest parte of this worlde rather embraceth thinges present than with ioye looketh for thinges to come Finallye some can by no meanes fynde in their hearte to approue and allowe that present state of Religion whiche is nowe receaued among vs bicause it greatlye differeth saye they from the old◠and accustomed order It is demaunded in what points It is answered In these Fyrste The Byshop of Rome is not knowledged and receaued anye more to be Supreme head of the vniuersall Churche of Christe I aunswere We knowe no Supreme head of the Churche by the worde of God but Christ alone and vnder Christe euery Prince in hys owne Realme Secondly The Sacrament is receaued vnder both kyndes I aunswere So hath Christe commaunded saying Drinke of this all ye Also the Apostle so oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of the cup c. Thyrdly The seruice and publique prayer is done in the tēples no more in the latin tong as heretofore but in the common and Englishe speache I answere So hath the custome bene from the beginning in the Church of Christ in al places and is so vsed at this present generally wheresoeuer the Byshop of Rome hath no authoritie And God by his holy Apostle commaundeth vs that in our congregations all thinges should be done to edifie approuing and allowing rather fiue wordes so spokē that they may be vnderstanded than ten thousand otherwise Fourthly All the laudable ceremonies are neglected and set a side as the halowing of salt water bread candles palmes fire ashes c. I aunswere All these are the triflyng traditions of men and haue bene the cause of much Idolatrye and superstition And it is written They worship me in vaine teaching doctrines which are the commaundementes of men Item God is a spirite they that worship hym must worship him in spirite and truth Fiftly Purgatory is denied I answere we know none other purgatorye for the soule but the precious bloud of our Lorde and Sauiour Christe Iesu as it is writtē The bloud of Iesus Christ gods sonne maketh vs cleane frō all sinne Sixtly The Sacrifice of the Masse is vtterly reiected and caste awaye as a pestilence moste hurtfull blasphemous and iniurious to the passion and death of Christ ▪ I answere The word of God teacheth vs in all places that there is no sacrifice for sinne but the death of Christ alone But Christ dreth no more Therfore is there no more sacrifice offered vp for sinne With one only oblation sayth the Apostle hath Christ that euerlasting Byshop made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified Agayn we are sanctified made holye by the offeryng vp of the bodye of Iesu Christ done once for al. Seuenthly The inuocation and intercessiō of Saintes is cleane omitted and left I answere God alone is to be called vpon as he himselfe ▪ commaundeth saying Call on me in the tyme of trouble and I will deliuer thee We knowe by the worde of God no Mediatour no Intercessour but Christ alone as it is written There is one God one Mediatour he sayth not many Mediatoures betwene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ whiche gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men Againe if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the father he sayth not Aduocates Iesus Christe the righteous one And he it is that obtayneth mercy for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for all the worlde Item Christ is on the right hād of God and maketh intercession for vs. He saith not Saintes make intercession for vs. And our sauiour Christ him self sayth Whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he sayth not in the names of the saītes he will geue it you Eyghtly The article of trāssubstantiation is reiected and cast awaye as an errour or heresie I answere The holy Scripture knoweth no suche article neither haue the holy old fathers euer taught or left writtē such doctrine behinde them It is a new and late inuention brought in by the Pope and his adherentes Saint Paule calleth the Sacramentall bread ▪ not onely bread before the consecration but also after the consecration And our Sauiour Christ calleth
and Historiographers and placed in this my booke that all men may knowe from whence the Popish religioÌ„ springeth and hath her beginning that this thing once knowen and the triflyng traditions of men set a part we may with one minde serue worship honour the Lord oure God according to his word as it is written That I commaunde thee do that only vnto the Lord put thou nought therto nor take ought there from Agayne ye shall put nothing to the worde which I commaund you neither do ought therfrom that ye maye kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde your God whiche I commaunde you And that the readyng of this my boke may be to the Reader both the more pleasaunt and profitable I haue to auoyde confusion brought all thynges vnto certaine common places yea and that in suche order as I trust no good and indifferent person will mislyke and disalowe My desire is to do good to all men to hurte no person After that I had finished this my labour and trauaile in gathering together these Reliques of the Romishe Religion and had determined with my selfe to publishe and set them abroade that they might be sene and read of all men after long depe consideratioÌ„ to whom I might dedicate this my worke Your Lordship came to my remeÌ„braunce as one right well worthy to whom I might offer this my trauaile what soeuer it be yea that for diuerse causes First For the right excelleÌ„t knowledge that you haue not onely in humaine letters but also in the sacred scriptures whiche is so goodly an ornament and precious Iewel to all Christians but specially to all such as be Byshops and Ouersears of Christes flocke as nothyng can more beautifie adourne the state of a Christen maÌ„ of whatsoeuer degree he be Secondly For the feruent Zeale and earnest loue that you beare to the pure and sincere religion of God whiche these many yeares hath so enflamed your breast that for the loue therof for the defence of the same you were not only content to forsake your natiue couÌ„trey your natural kinnesfolke your deare frendes your louing familiares whatsoeuer semeth to this life moste swete moste pleasauÌ„t most comfortable but also to lose both life and goods counting them most blessed and happye that suffer persecution for ryghteousnesse Thyrdly For that it hath pleased God of his infinite goodnesse and mercye to place you Byshop and Ouersear of his people in my natiue countrey vnto the glory of his most glorious name â–ª and vnto the exceding profite commoditie of his holy congregatien â–ª where you so rule and gouerne the Lordes flocke as a moste faithfull Pastor and diligent shepehearde that your fame is not onely glorious in the eares all men but also you are become a most worthy examplar to all the spirituall Ministers of your â—iocesse whether doctrine life or hospitalitie be considered on your behalfe As touching doctrine I speake it without flatterye you are able by the worde of God and by holesome learning both to exhorte and also to improue them that speake against the worde of truth And as God hath geuen you this knowledge â–ª so do you moste diligentlye bestowe it vpon Gods people committed vnto you â–ª that you may not be fouÌ„d like to that idle vnprofitable seruaunt which hyd the talent that his Lord committed vnto him in the ground but rather like to that good and diligent seruaunt which with fiue talents that his Master deliuered him wonne other fiue and therfore heard of his Masters mouth this moste swete and comfortable voyce Well thou good and faithfull seruaunt Thou haste bene faithfull ouer fewe thinges I will make thee ruler ouer many thinges Enter thou into the ioye of thy Lord. As coÌ„cerning your life conuersatioÌ„ which I speake vnto the glory of God from whome alone commeth downe euery good and perfecte gifte it is such as may right well be counted a myrrour of vertue wherin appeareth nothyng but that good Godly is so that ye be an ensaÌ„ple to y e flocke in righteousnes in faith in loue in peace in word in purenesse c. Accordyng to the rule of the Apostle A Bishop must be blamelesse as the stewarde of God not stubborne not angry not geuen to much wine no fighter not geuen to filthy lucre c. He must also haue a good report of them whiche are without least he fal into rebuke and snare of the euil speaker And as for your hospitalitie it is such and so notable that for the proportion of your yerely reuenues which is much inferioure to others it geueth place to none of your profession and degree â–ª Poore Christ in his members standeth not at your gates to be fedde at leasure with fragments and scrappes many times to vile for dogges oute of the almose basket but he is brought into your house set at the table hauing ministred vnto him all good thinges necessary for the reliefe of his carefull state according to this coÌ„maundement of God Breake thy bread to the hungrie and the nedie and wayfaryng bring thou into thy house When thou seest the naked couer him and hyde not thy face from thy neighbour A Bishop must be a maintayner and keper of hospitalitie saith the Apostle And God saith by the Prophete Bring euerye tithe into my barne that there may be meate in mine house Therefore your Lordship is ready at all times to do good to all men but specially to them that are of the housholde of faith And these .iii. thinges requireth our Sauiour Christ of euery Godly and Christen Bishop when he saith thrice Pasce Pasce Pasce Fede with whole some doctrine Fede with vertuous conuersation Fede with liberal hospitalitie keping But many do so little passe of this latter Pasce that they passe it cleane ouer and make a double post of it so greatlye hath Mammon blinded their eies Fourthly for the singular loue and liberall benefites whiche your Lordship heretofore both freelye and frendlye without my desertes hath moste bounteouslye bestowed vpon me And woulde God it were or might be at anye time in my power if not otherwise yet with my humble and readye seruice to signifie my faithfull and well wishing hearte vnto your Lordship if not to the vttermoste yet in some parte as one who although power shall fayle yet shall good will euer preuaile Fyftly and finallye as I maye once conclude that youre honoure maye by a Bucklar and defence for this my laboure â–ª partelye againste oure common aduersaries the Papistes whiche withoute iudgement furiouslye condemne whatsoeuer pleaseth them not althoughe neuer so true and agreable to the worde of GOD Partelye againste oure Grosse Gospellers and pratlyng Protestantes whiche doinge themselues nothynge prayse wrthye enuye slaunder and backbyâ—e other mens frutefull laboures labourynge by thys meanes to seeme somewhat when in deede they are nothynge excepte we
of the Aungels hath God geuen that whiche he hath geuen to the priest I meane Whatsoeuer ye bynde on earth shal be bounde also in heauen Note there are two keyes that is to say of knowledge and of power geuen of the Lord to blessed Peter and to other men not to al meÌ„ but to Priestes alone and to their successoures For althoughe God alone forgeue synne yet neuer or verye seldome dothe he forgeue synne withoute his ministers that is to say Priestes Whiche thyng may be proued by the Lepers to whome when the Lorde had healed them he sald Go shewe your selues to the priestes and humbly obey them And whyle they were goyng they were made cleane It maye also bee proued by Lazarus whom when the Lorde had raysed vp he sayd to hys Disciples Loose hym and let hym go But wherfore dyd not the Lorde hymselfe loosen hym from y t knots of the byndings which had losoned hym froÌ„ y e bondes of death And wherfore dyd he not commaunde Mary and Martha hys systers to loose him or hys kynnesfolke the Iewes whiche were nerer vnto hym by the course of nature than the Disciples of y e Lord Verelye to declare manifestlye and to proue playnly that the power to loose and to bynde is geuen of the Lorde to priestes alone Beholde how great the goodnesse of God and the worthinesse of priestes is For the Lorde himselfe worketh good somtime euen by them y e are euell and that to thys ende bycause the keyes of the Churche should not be despised or set at nought of the faythfull For although priestes sometime haue not thys power ex merito yet haue they it ex officio dignitatis And if any priest â—e vnworthye which god forbid y t hurteth hymselfe it hyndreth thee nothyng at all Beholde what greate power is geuen to you priestes For your tounges are made the keyes of heauen O how great dignitie saith Bernard hath god geuen to you How great and excellent is y e prerogatiue of y e priestes order He hath preferred you aboue the Kynges of y e earth He hath exalted thys order of priestes aboue all men Yea as I may speake more highly he hath preferred you before Aungells thrones and powers For as he toke not Aungels but Abrahams sede to bryng to passe redemption so lykewyse hath he committed y e consecration of his body and bloude not to Aungells but to men that is to saye to priestes only Seing then y t a priest is of so greate dignitie y t he is the maker of hys maker him to destroy or to condemne it is not conuenient c. This is a very heauenly priuilege this is an exceding great glory this is a grace excelling all grace a priest to holde God in hys hands We beleue are thorowly perswaded y t the celebration of so noble a mysterye is committed to none of the Aungels to none of the Archeaungels nor to any other heauenly spirites but to your order onely c. For on the altare thorowe the mouthe and the handes of y e priestes the bodye of Christ is made euen that very bodye whiche is on the right hand of God c. O ye priestes howe greate a thing is this that at the lifting vp of your handes Kynges bowe down their heades yea Kings and Queenes offer giftes to you All the Churche or congregation confesseth calleth you fathers and desireth you to praye for them c. O the worshipfull holynesse of priestes handes O blessed and happie exercise O the true ioye of the worlde where lowe things ar ioyned to y e most high thinges when Christ handleth Christ y e priest y e sonne of God Thou hast a delight to be with the sonnes of men Therefore sayth Peter speakyng of priests ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthoode an holy Nation a wonne people c. O ye priests consider the excellencye of your moste noble dignitye For the lord hath enriched beautified you before al other his creatures Verely priestes ar worthy to be honoured seing y e the Lord hath geueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ passing al other so greate grace and honoure in the worlde Ex lib cui titulus est Stella Clericorum Of the ceremonies of the popyshe Churche Of holy water POpe Alexander the fyrst as y e papistes fayne ordayned water mingled with salte to bee halowed afterward sprinckled vpon the people to put away their sinnes and to make theÌ„ holy and pure He also commaunded y t it shoulde bee kept both in churches and in houses to chase and dryue away deuills and wicked spirites not onely oute of houses wher meÌ„dwel but also out of y e hearts of the faythfull as though fayth and y e deuel could dwel together in one heart In the yere c. 110. Grat. Plat. Sabel Lib. Concil D. Barns Pâ—antal The wordes of pope Alexanders canon ar these We blesse y e water mingled with salte for thys purpose that all that bee sprinckled therewith may bee made holy and pure whiche thyng we commaunde all Priestes lykewyse to doe For sayeth he if the ashes of an heyfer sprinckled made holy and clensed the people from veniall synnes Muche more water sprynckled wyth salte and halowed with holye prayers doth sanctifye make holye and clense the people from veniall synnes And if the salte being sprynckled by Helizeus the barennesse of theâ— water was healed Howe muche more salte being halowed with Godlye prayers taketh awaye the barennesse of such thynges as appertayne to man and sanctifyeth and pourgeth them y t are defiled and multiplyeth suche goodes as we haue nede of and turneth away y e disceates of the deuill and defendeth men from al naughty and wicked fansies c. De conse Dist. 3. Cap. Aquam sale conspersam Lib. Concil Is not this good stuffe is not this worthy to be called gods seruice Oughte not y e people to ryse vp make curtesy to the Popyshe shauelynge when he sprinckleth theÌ„ with water of so great vertue Are not the scriptures here wel applied Doth not this ceremony make Christ Iacke out of office with all hys workes and merites God haue mercy on vs and shortly confouÌ„d Antichrist Guilihelmus DuraÌ„dus sayth y t the holy water hath deserued to haue of God so great vertue that as outwardly it washeâ—h the body from filthynesse so inwardly cleÌ„seth the soules from sinnes O blasphemye intollerable This is y e goodly Godlye Catholyke doctrine wherwith the vngoodly vngodly Papistes infecte the mindes of such Christians as are simple and light of belief yea wherwith they caste the soules of all suche as put their confidence and trust in these pylde begarly and lousy ceremonyes into euerlastyng damnation And yet must they be called laudable ceremonies well worthy and God will to be frequented and vsed in the Churche of Christ. And the teachers of thys doctrine the ministers of these
Agayn in the treatise called in Latin Stella Clericorum we finde this written The fyre and other paynes that are in Purgatorye are more greuous and more bytter than all the paynes of the Martyrs and all kyndes of tormentes that coulde be imagyned and inuented of the Tyrauntes in thys worlde And the soules of them that are thus punished do farre excell the multitude of all them that lyue in this worlde And therefore sayth Austen He knoweth not what he asketh whiche desyreth Purgatorye O God howe swete a thing shall it be to make satisfaction in thys world I say y t it is more greuous to be in Purgatory one twyncklyng of an eye than all y e paine whiche blessed Laurence had vpon the Gredyron Therfore one teare issuing out of a pure hearte doth purge more thā ten yeares in Purgatory yet betwene two euils the lessest is to be chosen And therfore the soules that are in Purgatorye cry with Iob on this māner and say Miseremini mei Miseremini mei saltem vos amici mei Quia manus domini tetigit me That is to say Haue pitie on me haue pitie on me at the least ye that are my frendes for the hande of the Lord hath touched me After that the Papistes had thus fained Purgatory and the moste horrible dredeful paynes therof they thought it also good to deuise some thing to relieue these paynes and to ease the bitter tormentes whiche the sely soules suffer in that most greuous fyre of purgatorye by this their deuise nothyng doubting but that no small aduauntage shoulde ryse vnto them whiche in dede hath had hitherto fortunate successe Diuerse inuented diuerse remedies against these fyry tormēts Which thyng hath bene brought to passe by y e cōstitutions ordinaūces of men partly as we may see in y e Coūcels Florentine and Constantiense and partly by the bookes and writings of the Sophisticall Papistes Some of their deuyses here to recite I thinke it not vnfitting nor out of the way The author of the booke entitled Stella Clericorum sayeth that there are iii. Churches The first is in this world and that is called Ecclesia Militans that is y e Militant or warrefayring church The secōd is in heauen and it is called Ecclesia Triumphans that is to say The Triumphant Churche The third is in Purgatory and it is called Ecclesia Expectans that is The Churche Expectant and that loketh for and abydeth deliueraunce This latter Church is in great paines from the which they may be deliuered saith he foure manner of wayes Vnde Versus Missa preces dona ieiunia quatuor ista Absoluūt animas quas purgās detinet ignis That is to saye Masse Prayers Giftes Fastings These foure thinges set at libertie y e soules that are in Purgatorye And a little after he sayeth The deuice to praye for them that are dead is holy and wholesome It is holy by the compassion of the deare frendes It is wholesome thorowe geuyng of almosse and the prayer of the faithfull and specially of the Priestes to whom the soules are committed For almosse is the meate of soules and prayer is the drinke Fastings also of the faithfull is a great refection bāket for the soules and pilgrimage goynge of frendes is the dispatche and deliuerāce of paynes As for pardons they also profite the soules in purgatorye euen so farre as they deserued while they liued in thys world But before al remedies wherewith y e soule being in Purgatory may be holpen the masse farre excelleth Therfore saith Gregory Oh how great and liuely gifte of God is this For the diuine mysteries are neuer celebrated He meaneth that the masse is neuer songe or sayd but that two vertuous workes do concurre and are brought to passe that is to saye the conuersion of one sinner and the deliueraūce of one soule at the lest out of Purgatorye The like doctrine doth the author of the festiuall teache on thys manner Ye shall vnderstande that there bene foure thinges that greatly holpen soules that bene in Purgatorye and that bene these Fidelium amicorum oratio eleemosynarum largitio salutaris hostia ieiuniorum obseruatio That is prayers of frendes deuoutly sayd almosse deede doying and masses singing and abstinence in fasting That prayers helpe much a soule that is in Purgatory the authour proueth for lacke of the testimonies of holye scripture with thys narracion or tale that followeth We find written sayth he in Legenda aureae how there was a man y t had his house fast by a churchyarde side y t his doore opened to the Churche And he vsed by custome as oft as he wēt or came to say euery time De profūdis for al christē soules Thē it happened so on a time that he was pursued with ennemyes as he went homewards But when he came into the churchyarde he kneled downe and thought to saye De profundis But his ennemies came after Anone the dead bodyes rose euery chone with instruments as they wrought with by theyr liues and anone they droue away his enemies But when they saw that they cried God mercy and this man euer after prayde and did almosse dedes for them that were in payne Thus I may well proue sayth he that deuoute prayers helpen many a soule that bene in Purgatory Also almesse deedes helpen many a soule Sicut aqua extinguit ignem ita eleemosyna extinguit peccatum Right as water quencheth fire so almesse deede quencheth the fire y t brenneth them that bene in Purgatorye if they bene in good lyfe and in perfecte charity that done it c. Nowe to proue that almesse deedes done for soules in Purgatorye profite thē greatly he bringeth in this narratiō or tale We rede saith he y t in olde tyme good people woulde on all hollowen day bake bread deale it for all christē soules And yet there ben some but all to fewe We rede In Legenda aurea of a knight that should go to a battayle and had a cosen that he loued passing well and sayde to him thus If he were slayne in the battayle he shoulde sel his horse deale the value to poore people in almesse to pray for al christē soules So it hapned y t he was slayne and his cosin loued wel y e horse tooke him to his own vse Then soone after this Knight appeared to hys cosin and said thus to him These eyght daies for my horse thou hast made me to burn in purgatorye and therfore God wil take vengeaunce on thee Forsoth quod he this day thy soule shal be in hel with y e fende Ego purgatus vado in regnum dei And I am purged and go to the kingdome of heauen And anon an horrible noyse was heard in the ayre of fendes which caught this man and bare hym awaye The thyrd thyng y ◠helpeth soules in
bonde of sinne that thei being resuscitate or raised vp in y e glorie of the resurrection maye liue among y e saintes and chosen people Thorowe Christ our Lord. So be it A shorter forme or manner of bidding the beades MAsters and frendes as for holy dayes and fasting dayes ye shal haue none thys weke but y t ye maye doe all manner of good workes y t shall bee to the honoure of God and y e profyt of your own soules And therefore after a laudable consuetude and a lawfull custome of our mother holy Churche ye shal knele down mouyng your heartes vnto almightye God and makyng your speciall prayers for the .iii. estates concernyng all Christen people that is to saye for the Spiritualtye the Temporaltie and y e soules being in the paynes of purgatorye Fyrst for our holy father the Pope with all hys Cardinalls for all Archebyshops and Byshops and in especiall for my Lorde Archbishop of Cantorburye your Metropolitane and also my Lorde Bishop of this diocesse N. and in generall for all persons vicares parishe priests hauing cure of mannes soule with the ministers of Christes church as wel religious as not religious Secondly ye shal pray for y e vnitie and peace of al Christen Realmes and specially for the noble Realme of England for our soueraigne Lord y e King for the Prince for my Ladye y e Kinges Mother with all their progenye and for al y e Lords of y e councel and al other of the nobilitie whiche dwell in the countreyes hauing protection and gouernaunce of y e same y t almightie God may sende them grace so to gouerne rule the lande y t it maye bee pleasing vnto almightye God wealth and profyte to the lande and saluation to their soules Also ye shall praye for all those that haue honoured the church wyth light Lampe Uestmente or Bell or with any ornamentes by the whiche the seruice of almightye God is the better maintayned and kepte Furthermore ye shall praye for all true trauailers tillers of the earth y t trulye and duelye done their dutye to God holye church as they be bounde to do Also ye shal pray for al manner of frutes y t be done vppon the grounde or shal be y t almightye God of hys greate pitye and mercye maye sende suche wederynges y t they maye come to the sustenaunce of man Ye shall praye also for al those y t be in debt or deadly sinne y t almightye GOD maye geue them grace to come oute thereof and the soner by our prayer Also ye shall praye for all those y t bee sicke or diseased eyther in bodye or in soule y ◠almyghtye God maye sende them y e thing whiche is moste profitable aswel bodilye as ghostly Also ye shall praye for all pilgrimes and Palmers y t haue taken the waye to Rome to S. Iames or Ierusalem or to any other place y t almightye God maye geue them grace to go safe and come safe and geue vs grace to haue parte of their prayers and they parte of oures Also ye shal praye for y e holy Crosse y t is in the possession and hands of vnryghtful people y e almightye God may sende it into y e possession of Christen people when it pleaseth hym Furthermore I commit vnto your deuoute prayers all women y t be in our ladyes bondes y t almighty God may sende thē grace y e childe to receaue y e sacrament of baptisme and y e mother purification Also ye shall praye for the good man or woman y t thys daye geueth bread to make the holy lofe and for all those y t fyrste began it and them y e longest continue For these and for al true Christen people euery man and womā say a Pater noster an Aue. Deu◠misereatur nostri c cum Gloria patri c. Thirdly ye shal pray for your frends soules as your fathers soule your mothers soule your brethrens soule your sisters soule your Godfathers soule your Godmothers soule for all those soules whose bones rest in this church or Churchyarde or in any other holye place for al y e soules being in paines of purgatorye but specially and aboue al for those soules whose names be accustomed to be rehearsed in y e beadrolle as I shall rehearse them vnto you by y e grace of God c. For these in speciall and for all other in generall that it is needefull to praye for for euery man and woman saie a Pater Noster and an Aue. De profūdis c cum Oremus Absolue quesumus c. The general sentence taken out of the Englyshe Festiuall GOod men and women I doe you to vnderstande y t we that haue cure of your soules bee commaunded of oure ordinaryes and by the constitutions lawes of holy church to shewe to you foure tymes in the yeare in eche quarter of y e yeare once when the people is moste plenarye in the church the articles of the sentence So y t not for our default no man nor woman fal therein And if any be therin fallen he may through the helpe of God almightye and al holy church with shrifte and penaunce makyng good for his sinne vprise and hym amende ▪ Wherefore I doe you to vnderstande y t cursing is such a vengeaunce takyng that it departeth a man from the blysse of heauen from housel shrifte and all the Sacramentes of holye Churche and betaketh hym to the deuill and to the paynes of hell wythoute ende but if he haue grace of hym to amende But therefore see y t no man nor woman saye that I curse them For it longeth not to me but to shewe the pointes and y e articles of the sentence of cursyng For I doe you wel to wite who so doth agaynste any of y e pointes y t I shall shewe you he is accursed in the deede doing of the Pope Archebyshop Byshop and of al holy Church And y t god almighty geue you grace to kepe you out of cursing listen and heare and I shal thorowe y e helpe of God the father almighty to you thē tell and shewe By the authoritye of God y e Sonne and the holy Ghost and hys glorious Mother and mayden oure Lady Saint Marye and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and all Apostles Martyrs Confessours and virgines and the halowes of God I denounce and shewe for accursed all thoe that fraūches of holye Churche breake or distrouble or beene agaynst the state of holy church or thereto assente wyth deede or councell And also all thoe that depriue holy Churche of any ryghte or make of holy churche any Laye fee y t is halowed or sanctified And all thoe y t withholde the rites of holy church y t is for to say offringes tithes rents or fredome of holye Churche let or distrouble or breake that is to saye if any man flee to the Churche or Churchyarde Who so
that faulte fortye dayes c. In the yeare of our Lorde 147. De consec dist 2. cap. Si per negligentiam In the Cautels of the Masse we rede thus If thorow negligence there droppe downe any thing of the bloude vpon a bord that sticketh to the earth let it be lyckt vp by the Prieste with hys tounge and the place of the borde scraped and the scrapyng brent in the fire and let the ashes be layd vp beside the altare with the reliques and let hym to whome that happened do .xl. dayes penance If the chalice drop vppon the altare let the droppe be supte vp and let hym haue iii. dayes penance But if the drop came thorow vpon a linnen cloth vnto an other thinge let him haue .iiii. daies penance If it come thorowe to the thirde thinge let hym haue .ix. dayes penaunce In a drop of the bloud come thorowe to the fourth thynge let him do penaunce twentye dayes And as for the linnen geare that the droppe hath touched let the priest or deacon wash them the chalice being set vnder and let the washing be kept with y e reliques Itē if a mā by any chaūce of glotony do spue out y e sament the same spuyng must be brent and the ashes ought to be layde vp byside the altare And if he be a clarke a Religious man Priest or a deacon let hym do forty dayes penance A Bishop lxx dayes a lay man .xxx. dayes But if he did spue by reason of infirmitie let him do penance .v. dayes Who so doth not kepe the Sacramēt so y t a mouse or an other beast eateth it let hym haue xl dayes penance But who so looseth it or if a part of it fall and be not foūd let hym do penaunce .xxx. dayes The same penance semeth the Prieste to be worthy of ▪ by whose negligence the consecrated hostes do putrifie Upon the sayde dayes must the penitent faste and abstaine from the communion and from celebration Pope Innocent the third decreed that they whiche are of the clergye beyng founde gilty of thefte or of any other great faultes shoulde on this manner be punished Firste they shalbe degraded Secondly they shalbe depriued of all their ecclesiasticall promocions Thirdly they shall be strayghtly kept in some monastery there to do penance al their lyfe time Lib. Cōcil Decret Gregorii de paenis tit 36 cap. Tuae discretionis In the Councell Triburiense it was ordayned that if any were enioyned penāce to eate nothing but bread certain dayes and could get no bread to eate it should be lawfull for them to eate fish leekes or any such kynd of meat seyng the necessitie doth so require Prouided alway y t they eate not those meates for pleasure sake but for the sustentation of theyr hungrye bodyes Decret Gregorij 9. Libro 5. de penet et remiss Tit. 18. Cap. Licet In a certayn general councel it was decreed y t at the least once in the yeare euery person both of mankynde and womā kynde being of reasonable age and sufficient discretion shuld priuately confesse hys synnes to hys own Curate and to the vttermost of hys power fulfyll all suche penaunce as hys Ghostly father hath enioyned hym Ibidem Capit. Omnis vtriusque sexus Libro Concil In the eyght Synode it was agreed y t suche penaunce shoulde be enioyned of y e ghostly father to his ghostly childe as is agreable to the qualitie and quātitye of sinne Caus. 26. Quaest. 7. Capit. Proqualitate In the same Synode it was also determined y t the priestes shuld haue authoritie and power to enioyne what penaunce they wuld and for how long a tyme and after what sort Ibidem Ca. Hoc sit positum Of Absolution POpe Gelasius the fyrst ordayned y t if a man were vniustlye excōmunicate accursed he shoulde not regard it nor yet go aboute to seke absolution from y e sentence or censure which was vniustlye layde vpon hym In the yeare c. 494. Caus. 11. Quaest. 3. Cap. Cui est Pope Gregorye the fyrst affyrmeth y t the priest can absolue no man excepte God hath absolued him fyrst alleging the historye of Lazarus whom the Lord raised vp vnto life before he cōmaunded his Disciples to losen hym and to set hym at libertye In the yere of oure Lorde 590. Ibidem Cap. Tunc vera est absolutio Pope Nicolas the fyrste ordayned y t the Byshop of Rome mighte absolue men from their lawfull othe promyse fidelitie made to princes seing y t it lyeth also in hys power to depriue kings and Emperours of their kingdomes dignities In the yeare c. 871. Caus. 15. Q. 7. Cap. Autoritatem The same readest thou also in y e Canō following which beginneth Alius item Pope Gregorye the fyrst made a decree y t no Prelate shuld lightly forgeue absolue men frō those sinnes y t they haue committed against God The offences committed agaynst vs saith he we may easely forgeue but the synnes which are done agaynst God we maye not release without great discretion penaunce doing In the yeare c. 590. Caus. 23. Quaest. 4. Cap. Si is qui. In the councell Carthaginense it was decreed y t the person which shoulde bee absolued should mekely and reuerently knele downe to take the absolution and y t the Priest should laye hys hande vpon hys ghostly childes head when he absolueth hym Caus. 26. Quaest. 7. Capit. Sacerdos Libro Concil Martinus frater Certayne fourmes of Absolution OURE Lord Iesus Christ whiche hath full power to absolue he moughte absolue thee And I by the authoritye of him of y e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of oure Mother holye Churche and by the authoritie y t is committed vnto me in this behalfe as much as I can and am bounde to absolue thee do fyrst of al absolue thee from the bond of y e lesser excommunication if thou be failen into it I absolue thee also from y e fault of companye kepyng with excommunicate persons if thou haue nede and by the same authoritye I absolue thee from all thy synnes mortal criminall and veniall being confessed vnto me I absolue thee also frō all other sinnes forgotten confessed committed and neglected as much as I can so farre as my dutye is in y e vertue of our Lord Iesu Christes passion and in y e blessing of the father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost AMEN And the very passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ the merites of all he Saintes and shee Saintes and all the passions of y e holy Martyrs and the suffrages of y e church Militante and the remissions of the same and also the pardons prayers pilgrimages whatsoeuer good dedes besydes all other faythfull Christians haue wrought Agayne the fastynges almosse deedes and the workes of mercye whiche thou haste done or shalt do or entendest to doe moreouer whatsoeuer tribulation thou