deuoutly sprinkled vppon their graues with a sprinkle that thereby they may be cooled and refreshed of the great and extreame heate of the fire for it is written Asperges me Domine Hysopo Thou shalt sprinkle mee O Lord with Hysope which is to bee vnderstood that the Parson or Curate shal all to water my graue with a holy water sprinkle For you may well consider th6at Dauid was dead and buried when he spake these wordes and his soule was in Purgatorie otherwise our deare mother would not sing this dailie in the name of the soules departed Therefore must this holie water needes as much profit them as a couple of Egge shelles which is apparant by the holie Scripture For it is written in the Gospel of S. Luke That the riche man when hee laie burning in Hell did require onelie a drop of water to coole his tongue Then consider nowe if a droppe of water can succour and helpe the soules that lie in Hell how much more shal the sweet holie water coole the soules that lie in Purgatorie when it is so swashed and dashed ouer all the graue with a swinging holie water sprinkle Fourthlie they are greatlie relieued by the offering of bread and wine for through the might of such an acceptable offering the soules are fedde and refreshed of God. Fiftlie with Vigils of three sixe and nine lessons with De profundis with Requiescant in pace and with such other like pleasaunt songes as Iob and Dauid soung when they lay in Purgatorie For our deare mother the holie Church of Rome hath applied all such matters vnto Purgatorie Sixtlie they are relieued by fatte offerings for that the soules are maruellous glad when the Priestes get manie offerings And in deede it is a most sweet morsell for their mouthes Seuenthlie with praying to he Saintes and she Saintes and with singing of Letanies Dâ—riges Ryrieleesons for there are manie and great indulgencies graunted vnto them Eightlie with fasting kneeling For there is a plaine texte in the decrees which saith That the fasting of the liuing is the hope of the dead Ninthely when men do pay for them such debtes as they left vnpaied Tenthly when men do for them workes of mercie and especiallie when they are done by Priestes Monkes or Friers The xi when their executours accomplishe and fulfill their last willes and testamentes especiallie if they haue vequeathed any thing either monie or lands to anie Abbie or Cloister The xii when anie man shall doe for them such penance as they haue left vndone when it was enioyned them by their ghostlie fathers The xiii when anie man perfourmeth for them such vowes of pilgrimages and other like deuotions as they made in their life time and yet haue not kept them The xiiii when men do pardon forgiue them such offences as they haue committed against anie person or persons hee or shee in their life time The last reliefe and the best of all is when men cause Masses to be soung or said for them for that is farre aboue all remedies because it is a goodlie drawing plaister which hath not power onelie to drawe soules out of Purgatorie but also to picke monie out of mens purses And that same Requiem aeternam beeing three times soung in the Masse is such a pleasant medicine that in a moment it doeth cleane take away all the paine and griefe which the soules suffer and bringeth them fast asleepe like dormice in so much that they feele no more smart neither at the stomache nor in the backe yea and though that their bladder were puft vppe like a Cowes vdder so that they had not the power to pisse a plumb stone yet with that medcine they should in the twinkling of an eye be as sounde as a rotten apple And yet nowe besides all these good wholesome meanes before specified the good holie Nonnes of LeydeÌ„ in Holland and all other Couentes of that profession found out an other helpe of great importance for euerie day betweene Michaelmasse and All Saints after that the Vigils of ix lessons be song then goeth the Mother or Prioresse of the Cloister into a darke chamber with a great rodde in her hande and then come the Nonnes in thither one after another starke naked euerie one alone turne vp their bare buttockes yea some of them as naked as my naile so lie downe before the Prioresse and there receiue holie discipline for the soules in Purgatorie for for euerie ten girkes that one of them doeth so receiue there is a soule deliuered out of Purgatorie and flies vp into heauen without anie staie Is not this nowe a goodlie matter I beleeue verilie that all the rest of the Nonnes of other professions will doe the like though it were but euen for good manner sake and that the Father or Patrone of the Cloister doth vse to execute the office manie times when the Prioresse is sicke or otherwise earnestlie occupied And nowe besides all this Durandus writeth That euerie Sunday and holie day the soules do play For seeing that God hath commaunded that on the Sabbaoth day al people should rest from their labour it is great reason that the sillie soules shoulde be relieued of their paines on those dayes In consideration wherof it appeareth a maruellous charitable deede of our deare mother the holie church of Rome to haue instituted so many holie dayes beside Sundayes commanded them to be solemnely kept because the soules may vppon those dayes rest themselues and go a playing for that it is to be thought that they obserue as well the preceptes of the holie Church as Gods commandements otherwise they were no better than Lutherans And now we know verie wel that there commeth no Lutheran into Purgatorie for Purgatorie is only for the good Catholikes which hold fast on the church of Rome So that it is verelie to be thought that the poore soules are as well holpe vp with so many idle holy daies as with the Nonnes discipline on their bare arsses yet it is to bee considered that albeit this they must be praied for on Sundaies other Holie daies as well as on the worke daies when they lie scortching scalding in Purgatorie for that hath our mother the holie church speciallie commanded being therevnto moued by the example of a good fat Abbat who as DuraÌ„dus saith because he had forbidden his Monkes to pray for the soules in Purgatorie vpon Sundaies Holy dayes but onlie vpon worke daies he was vpon a time by the poore soules catched verie sore beaten wounded by that meanes forced to reuoke breake his former order coÌ„mandment And surelie that was but reason for although the sillie soules haue some playing daies yet I assure you they paie full dearelie for it at other times For the paines which they suffer there are so extreme that our Doctours write for a trueth That there was a soule which had lien 30.
which serues her turne to fill her hiue with pleasant and sweete honie and what soeuer is not appliable or agreeing to her purpose that she leaues vntouched Therefore the foundation of the holy Church of Rome may very wel be called A Bee hiue hauing the propertie of a tubbe wherein al maner of pleasant things are put The vii Chapter VVherin is declared that the Church of Rome can likevvise helpe her selfe vvith the opinions and doctrine of the olde Heretikes in follovving the same vvhen it serues for her purpose NOwe so farre it is from our deare mother the holy Church to be afraid to spring ouer the pales of the holie Scripture auncient Fathers Councelles and Decrees that often times she will go and solace her self in the pleasant medowes and greene fieldes of the olde heretikes which haue alwayes bin extreeme enemies and directly contrarie to the holy scripture and the Fathers and of them doeth she borrowe very many goodly iewelles too furnishe beautiefie her Gabanet or bee Hiue withall For it is wel knowen and euident that she hath learned of the Heretike Pelagius That we notwithstanding the fall of Adam do still possesse a free will and haue power to Iustifie our selues and to fulfil al the commaundementes of God if we our selues will and That it is not the onelye grace of God whereby we are iustified as Paule doth teache but an helper only after that we of our selues haue prepared our selues therevnto Also That Christ did by his death merit for original sinne onely and that for all other our daily sinnes we our selues must answere and make sufficient amendes Of the Messalians or Euchites likewise of the Pelagians she hath gathered that baptisme alone doth not make vs perfect Christians but is onely necessarie to washe away our originall sin to helpe vs out of our first shipwracke But if we fal againe so run in danger of a second shipwracke theÌ„ we must seke for another plaÌ„ke to helpe vs out of hazard Shee hath likewise sucked out of the breasts of the MessaliaÌ„s to mumble out her Mattines The seuen Psalmes and the Pater noster by â–ª number vpon a paire of beades and with a burning candle pretending thereby to obteine great pardones and to doe vnto God great seruice Also whereas she doeth vse spittle in baptizing after that the diuell is coniured that shee tooke of the Messalians who did teache That men might driue away the diuel with spitting Of the Saturnialles Ebeonites Tatians and Encratites shee hath learned That the state of Mariage is vncleane and spotted and that such as wil please God and be cleane purified must wholy refraine them selues from it Also That there is great holinesse in absteining from eating of fleshe and vsing of certeine other meates although she hath set the things out vnder another colour to the ende men might not knowe froÌ„ whence they come Besides this she hath borrowed of the Montanistes manie newe fasting dayes which she hath commaunded and coÌ„firmed to be obserued vpon paâ—ne of great punishment and beside that on or cemeÌ„ts In the schoole of the Coloredlanes shee hath learned to praye to the holye Virgine Marie and to immolate or offer vp her oblations Of Marcus the sorcerer and Heretike she hath learned to vse in her seruice sacrifices certeine strange wordes in Hebrewe and other languages Of the Anthropomorphites to painte God the Father in the forme of a man with a gray beard Of the Gnostikes and Carpocratians to set vp images of Christ and other Saints and to worship the same with censing and other maner of deuotions vnlesse men will say as Eusebius in the 7. booke of histories in the 18. chap. doth declare that this erecting of images did first spring from the Heathen And last of all she hath learned of Simon the sorcerer father of al Heretikes to giue Bishoprikes Benefices Masse Mattius and Sacraments for money and yet not to sell them For it is but a simple bargaine or contract which the Lawyers call Do vt des I giue that thou mayest giue againe Euen like to Simon who would giue money to receiue the holy ghost So that it is very plaine apparaunt that shee can helpe her selfe well ynough with the doctrines and opinions of Heretikes and sucke out of them what shee thinkes good to carie into her Bee hiue Yea shee doeth in manie things agree with the Alcaron of Mahomet and with the Turkes religion as specially in many pilgrimages in praying vnto dead Saints in the obseruing of fasting dayes in diuers sortes orders of Monkes and particularly in the doctrine of Freewill and iustification by workes Now whether they haue borrowed that of Mahomet or he receiued it from them by reason he had a holy Monke one Sergius for an assistent companion I referre that to the iudgement of the Doctors of Louen Thus much once by the waye that it is easie to be noted that it is all one per dominum and all diet in one fatte and that she is like to a cunning spinner which can make good thred of all sortes of flaxe The viii Chapter Declaring that the Church of Rome hath likevvise borrovved manye things of the levves vvhich shee doeth set forth and holde as articles of the faith NOwe as touching the Iewes shee hath not forgotten to followe them sundrie wayes and that is apparant ynough in that which our master Gentianus hath declared in this worke For hee will mainteine that the Transubstantiation of the bread into the very body of Christ and the changing or turning of the substaÌ„ce of the wine into his verie blood maye bee proued by the testimonies of the Iewishe Rabbines And that is without doubt for one of their Rabbines named Rabbi Moses Hazardan writing vppon the 136. Psalme where the Prophet saith O Lord thou giuest all fleshe their foode saieth thus This texte doth fully and wholy agree with that which is saide in the 34. Psalme Taste and see howe pleasant the Lord is For the bread or meate which he giues to euery man is his fleshe and with the tasting or with the eating it is turned into flesh Out of this hath a good Monke a Catholike writer concluded That this Iewish Rabbin did well vnderstand Transubstantiation which he doth yet againe coÌ„firme by another named Rabbie Cahana who vttereth maruelous woÌ„derful speculations vpoÌ„ that texte of Moses where Iacob did promise to his sonne Iuda an vnspeakable vnmesurable quantitie of wine milke by these wordes He shal binde his foales to the vinetree and his asses to the noble vine branches he shal wash his clothing in wine his mantle in the bloud of grapes his teeth are whiter than milk For out of these woordes of Iacob doeth the foresaid Rabbi conclude That the asse doeth here signifie Messias into whose bodie and bloud the wine shal
deare mother the holie Church of Rome And by this you may perceiue that Pythagoras was not farre different or disagreing in beliefe from the holy Church of Romes beliefe when as he saide That mens souls departing from their bodies did enter into beastes Considering nowe that Iohn here and Dauid in other places do witnes that the creatures vnder the water yea the fishes themselues do laude and praise God and that the same is vnderstood by our holie mother the Church of Rome of the soules that be in Purgatorie she hath not without great appearaunce of trueth concluded That there is likewise a Purgatorie in the bottome of the Sea by which reasons it appeareth that the soules of drowned men place themselues in the bowels of fishes And it is possible that this was the occasion which moued Pythagoras to forbid his scholers the eating of fish considering specially withall That S. Patriks purgatorie in Ireland lies fast by the sea side neare vnto a mountaine called Hecla where our mother the holie Church of Rome doeth beleeue that the sillie soules are as ill punished in yse as in fire So that by good reason there might haue bene added vnto the same sentence of Paule That the trying and shewing openly of the workes of such as build vpon the foundation of Iesus Christ is not onely by fire but likewise by water and by yse For so the holie Church vnderstands that place where it is written We haue passed thorough fire and water And Virgil the wise Poet which had so good vnderstanding of the sacrifice of the Masse as is declared before hath likewise placed Purgatorie by a Sea or by a great water called Lacus Auernus which lies not verie farre from Rome in the Kingdome of Naples where hee describes to bee the entrie and forefront of Hell and then setteth forth Purgatorie with all the paines and torments which the soules doe suffer so perfectly and well that a man would thinke that our deare mother the holie Church of Rome hath kindeled her Purgatorie with his fire tongs and bellowes Insomuch that our Catholike Doctors did not amisse when they proued their Purgatorie by the authoritie and testimonie of Virgil. Now if it were so that there were no Scripture to proue Purgatorie by yet would the inheritance and possession of it teache vs sufficiently that there is a Purgatorie And therefore we neede not to trouble our selues much with bringing out the booke of the Machabies for a witnesse and thereby cause the Heretikes to mocke and ieast at vs For they say that that booke is so farre off from being allowed for an authentike booke of holie Scripture that the writer and Authour of the same did desire to bee pardoned and borne withall if hee had not written so sufficiently as he ought And men may further consider what account is to bee made of his writings seeing hee did so greatly praise one Razis who ripped out his owne vowelles and liue him selfe because he woulde not fall into the handes of his enimies which vnvndoubtedly was a detestable deede and directly against Gods commaundement They declare likewise that neither by Christ his Apostles nor by the whole cōgregation in three or foure hundred yeares space that was neuer esteemed nor taken but for Apocrypha to witte for the writing and setting sorth of a man and not for the vndoubted worde of god And yet they say beeside this that if they shoulde accept that Booke yet is there nothing written therein touching Purgatorie but onely a praying for the deade in respect of the resurrection and not in anie respect of satisfaction by Purgatorie And therefore wee will not breake our heades greatly about this matter but will establishe our Purgatorie strongly by inheritaunce and possession Besides that I leaue the Priestes purses vnspoken of which is a souereigne soking and a drawing Purgatorie as euerie man may both say and feele And yet besides this we finde by certeine vndoubted testimonies of our auncesters that many soules haue appeared haue plainly said that they were extremely punished in Purgatorie and therefore haue heartily desired that men would helpe them out of it with Masses almes pardon letters and bulles as it is written of Pope Benedict 8. himselfe and as the Legend and other Catholike bookes testifie which are full of such worthie matters and notable examples so that there is no occasion to put any maner of doubt concerning Purgatorie And further we do finde diuerse euident and very true histories of Odilions Purgatorie in the kingdome of Sicilia in the mount Aetna which flames continually where the sillie soules are burnt and broyled like dried herring or like Westphaling hammes or gammons of Bakon whiche haue houng seuen yeares long in the smoke And this was the occasion that moued Pope Iohn 8. through the great pittie that hee had vpon the sillie soules and by the good and ripe aduise and counsell of the foresaide Odilion which was a holie Father and Monke of an Abbie called Clunie to commande and ordeine that alwayes the next day after Al-hallowes day a solemne day of deuotion should be kept for all christen soules which order is very precisely followed obserued by our dere mother the holy Church of Rome and many yeares of pardon giuen graunted to all those which vpon that day doe deuoutly visite the Chantrie priests Masses of Scala Coeli vsing their purses liberally for that purpose and to haue a trentall of Masses a sackfull of seuen Psalmes and three or foure pokes packt with Pater nosters and Ane Maries all well measured filled whereof to make a present to the sillie soules in Purgatorie for that is euen fitte meat for their mouthes and they are as wel refreshed with those dainties as though they were wrapped about the head with a wet clout in a cold morning And yet beside all this the holie Churche of Rome hath sought all maner of meanes wayes to refresh coole ease the pain of the silly poore soules which lie in the great heat of Purgatorie gaping for aire as a Carpe doeth for water all which meanes she hath digged out of the holy Scriptures For to beginne she hath appointed burning Candles which must bee set vppe to light the poore soules in the darke places of Purgatorie because it is written Christ is the true light and whosoeuer doeth followe him walketh not in darkenesse And therefore hath our holie mother practised that at euerie corner of the hearse a candle shal be set burning for that the dead should be forgiuen and pardoned of foure sundrie manner of sinnes which hee hath committed to witte in thinking in speaking in doing and in suffering Secondarilie she doeth succour the poore sillie soules with censing for thereby they are released of the horrible stinke which is in Purgatorie Thirdlie shee doeth relieue them with holy water which must be
perfection of Saint Fraunces Saint Dominicke Saint Barnarde Saint William and many more of the same stampe which sort men knewe not to speake in the Apostles time when men were satisfyed with the pure and vnmingled milke of God his woorde like newe borne children as Peter doth beare witnes yea for these riche treasures were not reuealed to Iesus Christ him selfe who taught nothing but that whiche hee had receyued out of the bosome of his father and the same did hee deliuer fully and wholie ouer to his Apostles But of this coulde hee saye nothing for this was too daintie a dishe for his mouth and therefore must bee kept for the last course agaynst the time that the holy fathers of full perfection and Gods deare friendes Saint Fraunces Saint Dominicke Saint Barnarde and Saint Alane who had sucked our blessed Ladies brests as well as Christ him selfe and walked about the towne with her as the bridegrome with his bride shoulde appeare For what needes muche rehearsall of so manie euident visions which happened to that holie woman Briget Or of the notable miracle of the wilde Marie Aegyptian who ranne through woodde and wildernesse ouer hilles and dales starke naked like a wilde beast Or of the goodlie and pleasaunt orders of Saint Clara the which our deare mother the holy Church hath receyued for verie precious Canticles with great triumph Well goe to nowe reade the whole Bible ouer and ouer and I will bee bounde to giue the Theologians or diuines of Louen a pottle of wine to make mery withal if thei caÌ„ find out there that either Christ or his Apostles did euer knowe that who soeuer doeth die in a Gray friers cote shall neyther come in Purgatorie nor in Hell. And yet notwithstanding not onely Radulphus Agricola Albertus Pius the Prince of Carpi and Pope Martinus woulde die in such an habite and be buried in it but likewise many other Kings Dukes Earles and Barons as in the booke of the conformities of Saint Francis is specified and with the Popes Bulles established Conformita 83. Or likewise what knewe they that hee that shoulde die in a white Friers Scapularie shoulde be saued like as our blessed Ladie did declare to Simon Stocke In hoc moriens saluabitur That is to say Who dies herein shall be saued Like as in euery place in their Churches is painted forth Or what knewe they that Alanus shoulde make the Rosarie of our Ladie which must be esteemed as the Gospell like as the good Catholike men Tarthemius and Leander haue written witnessed Well nowe do we not plainly see that the holy Church of Rome hath but a while agoe founde out maruellous holinesse of this newe Religion of the Iesuites neuer heard of before who haue found out a way of ful perfectioÌ„ which neither prophet nor Apostle could neuer spie out before For this was founde out first in the yeere of our Lord 1537. by a Spaniard borne in Biskay named Don Egnatio Leguiola who with twelue companions whom he named to be his Apostles went vp to Rome and from thence to Venice preteÌ„ding to go on fourth to Heirusalem but finding at Venice no shipping readie he returned backe againe to the holy citie of Rome where as this costly treasure was then marueilously published and set abroade Notwithstanding that a litle while before to wit in the yeere 1523. one Iohn Peter Guarraffa then Bisshop of Quietta had found out the stampe or paterne of the same who afterwardes comming to be Pope him self did set forth and by his Bulles established this order of Guiettens for the most pure order In so much that all those which followe this order do farre passe all Angels in holinesse I let alone Angels for they do farre exceede Saint Frances to whom the Angels are nothing to bee compared as by the holy Church is iudged and determined according to the setting foorth of his Vineyard and golden Legende And for that he did liue a much more perfit life than Christ him selfe as the Decretalles do specifie And yet are there but three vowes to make in the order of S. Frauncis to witte Obedience Pouertie and Chastitie But in this newe order of Iesuiten or GuietineÌ„ ouer and besides these three vowes before named they professe yet a fourth vowe to the ende to giue a pushe farre beyonde all other Religions which is That they are bounde and shall at all times be readie to runne and trudge from one countrie into an other like poore pedlers and rogues to what part soeuer it shall please the holy father the Pope of Rome to sende them yea although it were euen to the worldes ende like as men may see and knowe that they are alreadie runne to the Indians and Pirâ—ue therewith to merit heauen Yet besides this the holy Church hath of late founde out another newe perfite order whereof neither Christe nor his Apostles did euer once dreame it is named Pauline or Gastaline which was firste founde out about the yeere of our Lorde 1537. by a certeine Countesse of Mantua in Italie called Ghastalia by the good couÌ„sell and instructioÌ„ of that holy Monke brother Baptiste of Cremona the Preacher of his order Which religion doth conteine a newe way and meane whereby a man may mortifie him selfe and his fleshly lustes and thus it went to worke There was an olde wife called Iulia which would take the yong men and maydes and after that they had bene by making proofe and skirmishing a while well trained vppe laye them then together in a bed And for that they should not one byte another nor kicke backewardes with their heeles shee did laye a Crucifixe betweene them to keepe them asunder and there must they set foote to foote and striue so long till they had wholy mortified their fleshe And heare nowe what a miracle chaunced It happened so that there was an other old wife at Venice which had a great mind to preasse and traine vp yong men to this kinde of warre who wrought a trim feate whereby shee did greatly strenghthen this perfect Angelical holines For shee caused two great bookes to be made both of equall bignes like fashion wherof the one was a Bible and the other was hollowe within as a litle chist made in all points like a book with claspes al which she filled with flat bottles ful of Malmesie and with good fine Marchpanes which she her selfe made of the brawne of Capons and Partridges with Sugar and Almondes like a lickerous Ladie and then gather into a prettie Cell with these two bookes and there sat prounking and tarying alone in her deuout contemplations sometime fiue or six dayes together praying for her Champions and reading full deuoutly till the bible was quite emptie not eating or drinking anie thing else all that while Was not that well fasted And was not such a wonderfull miracle sufficient to establishe the
be changed See nowe is not this a strong an inuincible foundation against which the gates of hell can not preuayle For that agrees euen as well together as a fiste in Gentianus nose Besides this are established out of these Rabbines the suburbes of hel and by them declared That the holy Fathers are lodged there against the comming of Messias For that could the Rabbines finely fish out of that which is written in the book of Ecclesiastes There are some iust which are killed in their righteousnesse Doeth not this serue wel for the purpose Furthermore out of the Thalmoode is proued that Marie our Lorde IESUS Christes mother was conceyued without original sinne For one of their Rabbines called Rabbi Iudas Simons sonne doth so speculate saying That the matter wherof the mother of the Messias should bee generate was formed before that Adam fell and so preserued from generation to generation without polluting And this doth he teache out of the Psalme wherein is written O Lorde seeke out the plante which thy right hand hath planted Is not that merueâ—â—ously well alledged the naile hit right on the head Verily it may verie well be compared with an other doctrine of theirs where they saye That God in the beginning did make two Whale fishes a male and a female and fearing least they should bring forth a monstruous generation he killed the one and so laid him in pickle against the comming of Messias at which time he will kill the other likewise and then shall the Iewes make a banket thereof and haue noble cheare for the one Whale fishe they shall eate freshe and the other well powdred And I maruell whether they will not bid our deare mother the holy Church of Rome to their banket But in that they may well inough beare one with another it is inough for vs to kâ—ow that they haue likewise established the fouÌ„dation of their beleefe and doctrine vppon the Thalmoode of the Iewes which is a meruelous great booke wherein all their Caballes that is to say all the doctrines monumentes of their Rabbines all their dreames and visions al their profound and bothomles speculations strange iestes are heaped vp together like a dunghill But nowe for that we shall not neede to rehearse euery thing particularly it is most true that the nation and Caballa of the Iewes is the best grounde and the truest well spring of all the ceremonies of the holie church of Rome For that is specially set forth noted in the booke of Decâ—ees where it is written That she hath borowed her Ember dayes of the Iewes whose order and maÌ„ner saith the text is the original spring whervnto the holy church must sticke fast Yea I pray you who is so grosse and dull of witte that can not conceiue of him selfe that shee hath had of the Iewes the verie example or paterne wherby she hath made and counterfeited so manie faire goodly ordinances statutes and ceremonies Whereby shee hath workmanlie wrought all her silken gilce and embrodered copes vestementes and myters euen as with a fine needle al the riche relikes prounking iewels altars candlestickes candles and torches and to be short al the goodly ornaments which you may see in the church were made by the exaÌ„ple paterne of them And their Sancta SanctoruÌ„ that is to saye The Holie of Holiest or The most Holie place vpon earth which she hath pacte vp at Rome in a corner of a chappell at S Iohn de Laterane whereof hath she gotten that but onely of the Iewes in whose Temple at Hierusalem the innermost most secret place where God did sometimes appeare called in their language Roodes radaschim that is to saye The holie of holiest For in place of that they had there the Arke of the promise with the couering called The Mercie seat or Propitiatorium wherein was kept a viole with Manna and the florishing rod of Moses which thinges our deare mother the holy church of Rome can not come by and therefore hath she set vp another chest with relikes in it wherein she doeth keepe very gingerly and deuoutly the foreskinne or Circumcision of our Lord Iesus Christ with his slippers and his nauell skinne as plainly appeareth by the verses which stand written before the same place which are these vnder written Circumcisa caro Christi sandalia clara Ac vmbilici viget hîc praecisio chara That is to say The foreskinne of Christ And his slippers likewise With the skinne of his nauell In this cofine lies Now after all this haue we not borrowed of the Iewes euen our holie father the Pope and all our Priestes and Deacons yea all our Temples Churches offerings and sacrifices yeâ— marie haue we or else all the holy fathers and Popes haue falsly lied in their heartes which haue scraped together the bookes of the decrees yea and then must Durandus What doe I speake of Durandus yea I say all our stoute Catholike doctours haue dallied with vs whereas they giue vs to vnderstande that they haue borrowed all that of the Iewes But what is this to the purpose Trulie we haue learned in their Phariseis seate and Synagogue That such must bee hanged which breake the Emperours placarde and will rather depende vpon Iesus Christ than vpon the ordinance of the Church Haue not the Doctors of Louen likewise borrowed of them the name of Rabbottenu or Rabbini that is to say Magistri nostri which soundeth in our mother tongue as much as Our masters prouided alwayes that men may not say Nostri magistri for that were herisie but we pronounce it after the Iewish phrase setting Nostri after Magistri as if we should say Masters ours and not Our masters Item that men must set them at the vpper ende of the table and the killing of Prophetes and Martyrs and thâ—n make them goodlie tumbes for therefore it is that they do mainteine the shrines of the Martyrs in such praier and worship in witnes as Christ himselfe said that they are the children of them which haue murthered the Prophets of God and the martyrs or witnesses of Christ Iesus and wil follow the steppes of their forefathers but it is not needfull to rehearse all things particularly considering that the holie Church hath set forth a generall rule hereof in the booke of decrees For in the same text where it is sayde That they haue learned of the Iewes to annoynt their altars and to trimme them with many proper things is argumented and reasoned thus Seeing that the Iewes which did but serue in a shadowe and darke figure did notwithstanding all those things howe much more ought we being by dutie bound to doe the like to whom the verie truth is manifestly reuealed Whereby men may plainly perceiue that is verie lawful for the holy Church yea and that of duetie she ought to doe all things whatsoeuer the Iewes haue done heretofore So that it is
matter for otherwise if he had well knowen howe that Melchisedech had offered vp bread and wine he would then without doubt therevpon haue concluded with the Church of Rome That there must bee Priests to sing Masse and to offer vp Iesus Christ in fourme of bread and wine vnto God the Father For if this were not as the Doctours of Louen doe teache then could not the offering of Christ Iesus endure and last for euer after the order of Melchisedech as our Maister Gentianus hath verie wittilie here noted Consider I pray you if Christ had no Vicar nor Liefetenant as the saide Apostle pretendes how could he be an euerlasting Priest and continue his Priesthoode euermore in the person of the most holy Pope of Rome Howe could he offer vp his bodie a newe dailie in the Masse Therefore hee may thanke the Priestes greatly that they after his departure hence haue taken vppon them his place And for so much as his offering could not of it selfe sufficiently serue the turne therefore haue they founde out another sonne offering of the Masse whereby they applie or ioyne his offering to men as with a plaister notwithstanding they doe not name it onelie Sacrificium propitiatorium that is A sacrifice of mercie but also Sacrificium applicatorium that is An offring plaistered or put to Was not that a great ouersight of our Lorde that he had suffered such paines and yet al his suffering could not haue helped vs if the Priestes would not haue giuen vs that same addition by their Masse offering Therefore must the Apostle needes haue bene much ouerseene in his Epistle to the Hebrewes when hee tooke vppon him so earnestly to prooue that Christ had no neede of anie Deputie and that his sacrifice or oblation could not bee renewed nor offered againe but that it is giuen to vs made ours through faith or perhaps hee was so busily occupied with the Hebrewes Iewes that he did not once thinke vpon our holie Masse no nor had not the leasure to reade ouer the bookes of the Catholike Doctours of Louen nor the ordinances of the holie fathers of Rome For if hee had read those he should haue lerned something else as speciallie that the principal point of the priesthoode of Melchisedech did rest in the bread and wine which hee set before Abraham and his Souldiers to stake their hunger and thirst For of this bread and of this wine hath our deare mother the holie Church of Rome made a sacrifice and out of that concluded that the Priestes must likewise haue bread and wine to chaunge the same into fleshe and bloud and so to offer it vp But the Apostle had neuer heard anie such newes and therfore he is to be borne withall but these Heretikes who haue read ouer all these things with our Doctours yea they haue it at their fingers ends and yet they make but a mocke at it those felowes truelie are worthie to be looked at vnder the browes and to haue their heades set betwixt two eares Proceeding now as touching the order of Aaron he without doubte was a figure likewise not of Christ but of our Priestes For there is written in the Decrees and in the booke of Sentences That as well the hie Priestes as the Pater noster priestes were all ordeined by Moses when as he by the commaundement of God did institute Aaron an high Priest and did annoint his sonnes vnder priests The councel of Aken or Aquisgrain hath also plainlie concluded out of Isidore That the order of Priestes haue their beginning of Aarons children and that those which in the old Testament were called offring Priestes are the verie same which nowe are called Masse priests And those which at that time were called Hie priestes are nowe our Bishops So that it is easie to be noted that they are all of Caiphas his progenie For as touching that which the Apostle doeth say to the Hebrewes That by the comming of Christ the order of Leuie was cleane taken awaye that can not be true considering that yet at this day the holie Church hath her Leuites as out of the 7. Chapter of the said Councell and out of the 2. Chapter of the 21. Distinction doeth plainlie appeare where it is saide That the Leuites are in Greeke called Diaconi and in Latin Ministri And now these must needes bee our Deacons And therefore in the third Councell of Bracaren it was concluded in the 5. Chapter of the saide Councell That onelie the Leuites and not the Priestes might be pardoners and carrie about with them on their shoulders the reliques of Saint Anthonies swine and such other like hauing on their Albe which is to witte a long shirt aboue vpon their coates as was permitted to the Leuites only in the olde testament to carie or driue the Ark of the promise Is not this a sufficient proofe you are welcome home And likewise that the other Priestes are also come out of the order of Leui doth sufficiently appeare out of that which is before rehearsed Therefore is the Apostle much ouerseene in his Epistle to the Hebrewes where hee will take vpon him to mainteine that the order and succession of the Leuites should be wholy taken away and adnihilated or at least he must be thus vnderstoode as that the order of Leui is not taken away anie otherwise but that in place of the Iewish Leuites are entred in the Priestes Pardoners in place of their sacrifices is the Masse crept in For consider that which he doth write in his 5. and 8. Chapter concerning the Leuite priestes saying That euerie hie Priest is ordeined to offer gifts sacrifices pretending thereby to proue that then Christ must also haue something to offer that the holie Church of Rome vnderstandeth to be her Priests as though the Apostle would haue saide flatlie That the Romish Priestes are ordeined to offer giftes and sacrifices And for that cause the catholike Doctours haue that text continually in their mouth for the verifying of their Priesthoode So that it is euident that the Leuitical Priestes are risen vp againe in our Priestes And although the Heretikes do mocke at al such allegations saying that that text is directly against vs because the Apostle wil thereby proue that by the offering and Priesthoode of Christ Iesus all other offerings and Priesthoods are taken away and adnihilated considering that Christ could not be a Priest so farre as there were anie other Priest that did represent patronize him yea and although he were now here on earth we passe not for that For we will by and by bring out against them the plaine texte of the decrees out of the Councell called Sexta Synodus where it is said That Iames the brother of Christ after the flesh Basilius the Bishop of Caesarea did ioyntly bring in the Masse and ioyned it to the scripture Surely if Iames the lords
stoutely and warily fight vnder Gods banner and counterfeit or follow the example of the Apostles their disciples For the same by nature ought so to bee and all things in the world ought to bee common but the wickednesse of man hath bene the occasion that the one hath begonne to say This is mine the other said And this belongeth to me And by that meanes dealing or participating of all things crept in To bee briefe a verie wise man amongst the Grekes hath spoken maruellous well saying All things are common amongst good friendes Nowe it is then without doubt that vnder the name of all things the wiues are likewise conteined For like as the light and the shining of the Sunne can not be separated nor parted euen so there cannot likewise anie separation or dealing be made of that which is to bee vsed in common but it ought to be generallie at the commauÌ„dement of euerie one of the companie And for that cause it is that God saith gentle Reader note wel here speciall textes of the Scriptvre by his Prophet saying O what a goodlie and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together And this custome being obserued by the Apostles so must they haue all together liued with one an other in coÌ„mon like as it is written The multitude of the beleeuing was one heart and one soule c. Note here the determination conclusion of our deare mother the holy church worde by word whereby shee doeth absolutelie conclude out of the holie Scriptures that these Heretikes which are alway in hand with the scriptures haue now no more cause to complaine though the Priests Friers will sometime euen for loue borrow some of their wiues for the mainteining knitting together of this holy Clements commontie And although the glosse thervpon say That this hauing of women in coÌ„mon is not to be vnderstood after the vse of the flesh but simplie for the good willingnesse charitable loue towards the congregation yet notwithstanding the text is plain inough which saieth That men must be conuersant with them as the light is with the sunne shine which do continually enioy one another And the same is established by the doctrine of Plato and Pythagoras who speciallie were of opinion that all women should bee common And that is apparant inough by the daylie exercise thereof for you see that the Priestes may haue no wiues of their owne but doe vse all women in generall when or wheresoeuer they can get them But yet they wil not looke so narrowlie to haue things common as touching their goods because euerie one of them will looke to enioy his own goodes but not his owne wife so that it is rather done for the wiues than for anie thing else And this may likewise verie well bee the occasion wherefore the Romishe Church which in deede can be but one particular Church because that Rome is but one particular towne is yet called The Catholike church that is The common generall Church ouer all which specially proceedeth by reason of that goodly common sort of women and boyes which she mainteines and doeth increase and multiplie her generation ouer all the world yea and filles the whole face of the earth with her young Priests and Monkes whereof shee hath made such a number as there are flies in the Summer in so much that shee may iustly bee called Ecclesia oeccomenica that is to say The Church that doeth flowe ouer the whole earth like a spring tide The xviii Chapter VVherein the seuen orders of Priesthoode are set foorth as well by Scriptures as by the examples of Christ. SEeing that we are nowe in hande with the holinesse of Priests wee will proceede directlie to the establishing of all the seuen orders of Priesthoode by the Scripture And first you shall vnderstande that our deare mother the holie Church doeth teach verie plainlie That our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe was forced to passe thorough all those seuen orders before hee could be admitted to bee a Masseprieste Marke nowe what a matter must this be and yet for all this these Heretikes make no accompt of the blessed Masse whereas Christ had inough to do for to come to the vse of it For first he must exercise the office of a Porter like as hee did when he droue the changers of monie and the sellers and buâ—ers out of the Temple and snake out of the mouth of Dauid You Princes lift vp your gates and be you lift vp you euerlasting doores Item when hee said I am the doore of the sheepfolde After that he was Reader when he did reade the Prophet Esaias in the Temple Then after he became an exorcist or Coniurer when he droue seuen diuels out of Marie Magdalene when he did rub the mouth eares of the dumbe and deafe man with clay and spitle saying Epphatah Be open And after that he came to be Acoluthus that is a Page and Ceroferarius that is a Candlebearer when he said I am the light of the world hee that followeth me shall not walke in darknesse And then was he a Subdeacon when he did washe his disciples feete After that a Deacon when hee did minister the Sacrament of his body to his Apostles and being in the mount Oliuet willed persuaded them to watch and pray And lastlie he became a Priest when he did consecrate the bread and the wine and so said Masse at the table This done straightway he became a Bishop when hee laid his handes vppon his disciples heads saying Go abroade and preache the ghospell in all places All this you may see set out at large in the foresaid booke of Durandus and in the booke of Sentences in the fourth councels of Tolledo and Carthago likewise in the Decrees So that it is apparant that all these holie orders are fished out of the bottome and ground of the scriptures and are founded vppon the examples of Christ notwithstanding nowe that the Priestes haue somewhat the more prerogatiue then Christ had so that they can pushe through all these seuen orders at one time or else skippe ouer foure or fiue of theÌ„ at once For they that can once get the shauen crowne on their heades which is the character marke token of the worthie order of Priesthoode may not then onelie proceede to be Priestes but also to be Bishops and Cardinals and to gette sackes full of benefices for our most holie father the Pope may freelie dispence with all such matters as it pleaseth him But that carieth his authoritie in the Popes foundation which wee haue here before set forth and declared to be so strong as the diuels of hell are not able to withstand it For this time wee doe onelie teache that when soeuer it shall please the holy church to vse the seuen orders orderlie shee is able to establish the whole heape of them trimlie
reuerence of the Saintes to obserue their Vigilles with deuotion like vnto our holy mother And when they haue brought all about to what ende I pray you serues their fasting They acknowledge themselues that of it selfe it is neither good nor bad And That the kingdome of God doeth not consist neither in meate nor drinke Yea they vphold That meate or drinke doeth not make vs acceptable to God And That wee are not the better for eating nor the worse for not eating And that all their fasting onely serueth to make them more apt fitte to serue God and to submitte themselues to his omnipotent power chiefly whensoeuer his wrath is kindled against them Then doe they vse fasting not for the deede it selfe but for the occasion of prayer to humble themselues but further benefit do they not seeke by it vnlesse that anie of his own accord or free wil do accustome him selfe therevnto thereby to subdue his flesh and the sinfull affections of his minde Else say they the right fasting is to refraine from all vngodlie and sinfull deedes and to frame him selfe to vse a perpetuall sobrietie temperancie all the dayes of his life Whereas notwithstanding our deare mother expreslie doeth teach That fasting is a meritorious worke of it selfe whereby a man may merit heauen the fauour of God and life euerlasting as hath bene declared before Seeing then that the Heretikes make no account hereof but rather esteeme it for vile and an open blasphemie towards GOD so doeth it appeare that they do hate and abhorre the right fasting of the holie Church Concerning Penaunce mortification and brideling of the flesh therein they doe not likewise conceiue anie great pride for otherwise they would goe to shrift whereas nowe they mocke with it and with all the penaunces which the ghostlie father doeth but then the penitent soules withall Further they will haue Priests to marrie wiues ▪ That eche one shall haue his married wife and euerie woman her espoused husband to the ende aduoutrie fornication may bee auoided And will not lende out their wiues to the parishe Priestes nor Monkes like as the good Catholike felowes especiallie in Spaine doe for to pleasure the holie Clementish communitie as is before rehearsed They passe not for anie Ember weekes They obserue neither Lent nor Shrouetide Saint Martins nor Twelfth daye at night they will not daunse neither will they drinke anie more than to satisfie their thirst once they wil be right Huguenots ▪ they do not imitate their forefathers they will haue a newe lawe after their manner they esteeme it not worth a rotten medler to remooue into a Cloister or religious house and to begge from doore to doore they skoffe with the holie Monkes coate they do not greatlie glorie to be buried in a Monkes greasie hoode they count the rope wherewith the Friers are girt of no worth but say rather It would fitte better about his throte than about his loynes they would not giue a beane for the hearn garment of Heremites they will not be chastised and receiue the Miserere till vnto vitulos they will not whip them selues like as the Spaniardes doe at Bruxelles and the cōpanie of those which are called Flagellantes they make no account of pilgrimages and will not goe barefoot and bare head in processions after the holie sacrament of Miracles with a torche in their hand they esteeme all the festiuall and loytering dayes neuer a whit and when the good Catholikes doe sit in Tauernes drinking and swilling deuoutlie obseruing the festiuall dayes then sit these in their shoppes at worke or else go to heare some sermon or walke abroad in so much that at Antwerpe when publique preaching of the Gospell was permitted it hath bene firmelie found by the impost and taxes of drinke that these holie dayes haue bene neglected where through the Almoners found them selues likewise much greeued because they did not receiue such summes of money as they were wont to doe by brokes of those which in their drunkenesse were wont to wound and slaie eche other for so much as the Heretikes did not celebrate these festiuall dayes after the olde order of the Romish Church In summe they will not doe any thing at all to mortifie their fleshe otherwise than the Apostles haue charged them to do or then they did them selues as though in deede they were Apostles them selues So that we may plainlie perceiue they doe not regard at al the fasting abstinēce mortification or penance of the holie Church worth an oatten cake And therefore can they not in like case merit heauen I omitte that they should make others partakers of their merites like as our Catholike Monkes Priests and especiallie the greie Friers do which are so leane as though they had lien diseased seuen yeares in a coale house and doe such penaunce that wee may perceiue by their bleared eyes they haue not droncke so much wine as they desired to haue done They lay their heads at one side on their shoulders They wreith their neckes like a rush they haue alwayes their Dirige booke in their hands They punishe their owne flesh they wrinkle their foreheads like a Bucke they make their eyes as dim as an Owle they watche by night to sleepe in the day they forsake their owne riches and substance to liue on the sweate of other mens browes they labour neuer a whit to the ende they may enter into more deepe contemplations they vowe chastitie and will not haue wiues them selues to the ende and purpose they may the more bouldlier shriue and the better comfort other mennes wiues and daughters they vowe obedience vnto their chiefe ruler for to bee released and wholie freed from all obedience towardes other Magistrates and rulers they take vpon them pouertie to enriche their Monkerie they wander like pilgrimes to fill their baight bagges with lumpes of bread and roast meat they visit the sicke to cause them to put on S. Francis cope and go to tend those which are redie to leaue this life to helpe thē make their willes they weare a hearie garment and a graie coate to shewe that they are like to wilde beastes and wolues in doing their penance they weare a fooles hood to declare that the world is replenished with idiotes to be short we may perceiue by their noses that they loue mortification as a dogge doeth a cudgell But what shal I say concerning the holy Prelates and Bishops who in al their clothing vttermost habits do shewe their inward penance mortification Doe they not weare a Miter on their head with two hornes to signifie that they doe knowe by heart both the testaments a like and are alwayes prest to butte with their hornes against al heretiques As also to shewe that they haue bin crowned with thornes aswel as our Lord was And sometime they weare them snow white to declare their vndefiled purenesse Doe they not weare
a worthie matrone of Spaine called Senora Maria Osorio who did obteyne of Pope Paule 3. licence and power for her selfe and twelue of her bloud to coniure and holowe such beades and these beades were of this might that whensoeuer any person did saye a Pater noster thervpon although it were done without deuotion or once thinking of the matter yet did they thereby obteyne forgiuenesse of the thirde part of their sinnes And for this cause were the balles of these beades made of Copper and set in the Church where was set out by them in print their full might with all their properties and nature as is before declared so as at this day men may openly see by the common people which come and say their Pater nosters vpon their beades there holding their handes vpon those balles that thereby they may obteyne the forgiuenesse of their sinnes Nowe ouer and aboue all this the Belles are not onely coniured and hallowed but are also baptized and haue appoynted for them Godfathers which holde the rope wherewith they are tyed in their handes and do answere and say Amen to that which the Suffragane or Bishop doth speake or demaund of the Bell. And then they put a newe cote or garment vpon the Bell and so coniure it to the driuing away of all the power craft and subtiltie of the diuell and to the benefite and profite of the soules of them that bee deade specially if they bee riche and can pay the Sexton well and for many other like things In so much that the Belles are so holy that so long as the Church or the people are vpon anie occasion excommunicate they may not be rong Like as by Pope Bonifacius 8. and Gregorie 9. is manifestly ordeined although yet it is of speciall grace permitted to toll the Aue Maria as Iohannes Caldarinus hathe trimlie written And this I assure you is no small matter For Doctour Albericus de Rosato doth declare that the religious had amōgst themselues at Rome a long and weightie dissention wherevpon great processes were mainteyned and all about this namely which of all the Orders shoulde first knolle the Aue Maria in the morning ▪ which processes did long endure till at the last it was concluded and adiudged that they which were first vp should first knoll Euen after the maner of kine who alway let the formost go before and the last followe after Why I praye you hath it not bene seene that the Spaniardes which are the first sweete and most deare children of the holy Church of Rome comming nowe of late to Groninghen in Friseland did there christen coniure hallow theyr Ensignes naming one Barbara another Katharine c. I saye nothing howe they coniure the diuell out of yong children which are brought to be christened euen as though the yong children to whome Christ doeth witnesse the kingdome of heauen to belong and be those which with their fathers are conteyned vnder Gods promises and made cleane by the bloud of Iesus Christ were possessed with the Diuell The Masse I pray you what is it but a plaine coniuring sorcerie or witchcraft ▪ Wherein the breade and the wine which are but dumbe creatures are by the breathing of the Priest and the power of fiue woordes conuerted into fleshe and bloud So that it is most apparaunt that all her Religion all her diuine Seruice and ceremonies are full of witchcraft sorcerie and coniuring full of ydolatrie setting vppe of Images and giuing them worshippe full of mennes traditions institutions and deuises and in conclusion full of all that which by the holy scripture is openly reproued and plainely forbidden So that verelie these Heretikes must needes bee verie blinde if they doe not well perceyue that the power the ordinaunce and authoritie of the holy Church of Rome neyther can nor will bee shutte in nor hedged about with the pales and walles of the holy Scripture For see here this is that which the steadfast pillar of the Theologie of Louen Iodocus Tiletanus himselfe hath openly written We are not satisfied sayeth he with that which the Apostles or the Gospell doe declare but wee saye that as well before as after there are diuers matters of importance and weight accepted and receiued out of a doctrine which is no where set forth in writing For we do blesse the water wherewith we baptize and the oyle wherewith we anoynt yea and besides that him that is christened And I praye you out of what scripture haue we learned the same Haue we it out of a secret and vnwritten ordinance And further What Scripture hath taught vs to grease with oyle Yea I pray you from whence commeth it that wee doe dippe the childe three times in the water Doeth it not come out of this hidden and vndisclosed doctrine which our forefathers haue receyued closely without any curiositie and do obserue it still c But what neede haue I to trauell much for the establishing hereof seeing there is a generall rule in the holy Church of Rome That the Pope maye franklye ordeyne and commaunde contrarie to the writing doctrine and ordinaunce of the Apostle Paule Considering likewise in especiall that as Eckius hath set downe Christ did neuer commaunde his Apostles to write but to preach True it is that Paule doeth defende saying That the blessed woorde of God is set foorth and is sufficient to instruct to teache to punishe to amende yea and wholie apte and sufficient to make men wise ynoughe for their saluation and to instruct them sufficientlye to all good workes And that who soeuer shall teach any other Gospell than that which hee hath taught though hee were an Angel from heauen is accursed But all that must bee vnderstoode of the tyme wherein hee was whilest the Church was yet in her infancie or childehoode and laye in the cradle For it was yet necessarie for her then to drinke such milke being yet vnable to digest the strong and grosse meates of holy Prelates and Doctours of the holie Church of Rome For that her stomache was yet too weake and quasie And in effect men doe clearely see that notwithstanding the saying of Paule That in Christ Iesus and in the knoweledge of him all the treasure of wisedome and knowledge lyeth hidde so as the faythfull ought not to receyue any institutions or doctrine of men Yet a long time after the Apostles yea aboue seuen or eight hundred yeeres after theyr decease our mother the holye Catholike Churche hath founde out a wonderful and vnspeakeable newe hoorde of wisedome and knowlege through which a mā may come to perfite iustification and to an angelical life and aboue that get in store a heape of deseruings and good woorkes to helpe a good friende withall at a pinche and yet to release a dozen or twaine of sillie soules out of Purgatorie And these be they especially The holie order and full