his hands together the rest sigh ioyning their hands but speaking no word Then they departe euery one to his worke They haue no other preaching nor other kinde of prayer They celebrate their Supper twice in the yeare and men and women sit at it pell mell inuiting one another to eate with great modesty They vse also great temperance in their houses for sitting downe at table they remayne almost a quarter of an houre with their hands ioyned against their mouth not speaking a word but doe meditate and pray by hart whilst they eate they haue an old Archimandrite which marketh them without speaking any word when they haue eaten they returne in great silence to their labours At worke you shall see thirty or forty together and neuer speake word one to another In all their doings they greatly obserue cleanlynesse and silence To be briefe they liue much like vnto well ordered religious persons They obserue no feast dayes they haue their Bible curtaild at their pleasure and are very skilfull in the Text expounding it most commonly after the Letter and their own braine They will not dispute nor reason of Religion There are other Anabaptists termed pure which say they are without sinne and therefore put out of our Lords prayer forgiue vs our sinnes and holde that Christians after baptisme cannot committe sinne There are besides these the free anabaptists which will not pay tribute nor obey Princes These affirme marriage to be spirituall and haue their woemen in common and say it is the motion of Gods spirit Feliciatus Capitonus recordeth howe one of these bretheren entring into his friendes howse tolde him that the holy spirit commaunded him to lie with his wife to which he accorded but afterwardes seing his daughter faire and young no said he to the wife the spirit saith I must lie with thy daughter the husband returning in the morning and finding him in bed with his daughter how now quoth he is the holie spirit a deceauer the same spirit commaundeth me to punish thee for it presently he stabbed him to death with his dagger many such tragedies haue bin seene amongst them issuing out of their doctrine There be many moe diuersities among them which here to recount would be ouer tedious let these suffice for this briefe treatise Behould the third brother with no beard at all CHAP. VII Of Anglianisme SEctes of Religion are diuersly tearmed some take their names of the authors as Arianisme of Arius Lutheranisme of Luther c. Some of the matter as Anabaptisme of repaptizing or not baptizing infants some of the country where it is or of the people thereof as Turcisme of the Turks Ethnicisme of the Heathens Anglianisme of England or of the English who professe the same Religion being not precisely in any country but in England and in Lands belonging to that Crowne Euery one knoweth howe from the christening of this people they were still of the Catholike Religion vntil King Henry the eight his latter dayes in which vpon displeasure taken against the Pope because he would not diuorce him from his wise Lady Katherine and permit him to marry Lady Anne Balleine he renounced the Pope and called himselfe head of the Church in his Dominions and supreame gouernour in Eeclesiasticall causes He was emboldened so to doe by Luthers reuolte which was in his time albeit Luther would alow of no visible headship neither did he regard Luther nor his doctrine He tooke vpon him this title first of all Kings christened yet did he not chaunge Religion but in few points but put downe Abbeis and Religious howses In the dayes of his sonne King Edward being a childe the Kingdome vvas gouerned by his vncle the Lord protector who to make himselfe great put downe Catholike Religion and brought in a religion composed by his preachers partly of Luthers and partly of Caluins Sect but the childe King dying within fewe yeares Catholike Religion was restored againe by Queene Marie who liued not long To her succeeded Ladie Elizabeth her sister who beginning her raigne in Nouember suffered the Catholike Religion vntill midsomes after because they had nothing yet framed to put in place thereof for shee would not allowe of her brothers Religion in all points nor of the Bible Shee could not endure the Caluinists nor shee had no liking of Luthers Religion Shee deemed with a french Hugonot of Gascony that Caluins Religion was too leane and the Catholike Religion too fatte because the one had many ceremonies the other none Shee would haue the Churches still to stand and the names of Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons Cannons Parsons Vicars Curates c. Shee appointed her Bishops and made them by her letters Patents and confirmed them in that calling by the authority of the Parliament The manner of their ordering is this The Prince nominateth them then an Archbishop with two more Bishops consecrateth them as they tearme it with prayers and imposition Their habit is something Priest like with a corner-cap and a rochet all the clergy mengoe ordinarily in blacke but the most part of them weare ruffes much like merchants but not altogether so large as for jerkins dublets breeches and such like many of the Ministers make them after the newest fashion taken vp as the lay men doe They be al married except very few which may marry also if they will Bishops Deanes Archedeacons yet the Archbishop of Canterbury the Metropolitan of England liueth vnmarried but that is voluntary and not by any bondage These Bishoppes make Deacons and Ministers with imposition of hands and with few other ceremonies The Bishops haue the same Bishopriks which were in Chtholike time and the same places and titles but not so large reuenues The Ministers haue parsonages vicarages and other benefices as in olde time but many of them are curtaild These clergy men are bound to no offices nor prayers more then the lay men be but if they haue benefices or cures they must reade their seruice in the Church or preach vpon sondaies and holidaies their Iniunctions appointe them to read somthing in the Church vpon wednesdaies fridaies and vpon vigils and euens in manner of an euensong but that custom is litle obserued and in few places as also their holydaies grow out of vse and are litle regarded They use churches which were in Gatholike time but nothing is left within them but a table for the Communion and a pulpit or seate to reade prayer in In place where the Crucifixe was behinde the high Aultar there are the Kings armes but no picture or image of Saint is seene therein no scarcely in the glasse windowes They haue a forme of prayer which they call diuine seruice consisting of a kind of general confession with a kinde of inuitatory three psalmes two chapters of the Bible some collects a kinde of litanies ten commaundements epistle and gospell a fewe collects againe and then the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding But of this many
in conference with his companions that what he said he did it but by way of disputation to finde out the truth He passed from thence into Germany and tooke Geneua in his way and saw many which were reuolted and amongst them Bucer vvho brought him to Erasmus Roterodamus who then did but cry ayme and the same Erasmus hauing sounded Caluin said to Bucer pointing at him I see a great plague spring in the Church Caluin returneth againe into France to Poytiers where he got some disciples and he told them that indeed Luther had found out but a litle sparke of light vvhich gaue a little ayme a-farre off to those who trauayled in the dead time of the night to giue them some small glimmering of their iourney But to come to light indeede the Masse must be altogether abolished and the supper put in place thereof where Christ said hee to vnite the Lutheranes and the Zwinglians is really but eaten spiritually and by faith only that the communion of the materiall flesh might enter into the soule by the irradiation of the holy Ghost But diuers of his disciples oppugned this assertion and inuented new When he had some few disciples he sent them abroad with new names for one that was Reader in a Hall of the Institutes of law they called Monsieur le Minister And although the name Minister be a generall name for Seruiteurs in the Church and in the cómonwealth yet Caluin first appropriated it to the Pastors and Teachers of his new Church and yet before it was neuer proper to any order or kinde of men of religion Another was called the Gatherer afterward when their number increased they ordayned Ministers Carders of wooll Fullers Drapers Embroderers and other artificers which secretly preached there was hardly to be found amongst them no not in the yeare 1540 any learned man He raysed great stirs at Geneua but after many tumults hee became their chiese Pastor where he changed all and iudging criminall causes He marryed the Widdow of Iohn Estordeur borne in Liege in religion an Anabaptist which left that sect and became of Caluins religion shee was called Idelette de Bure a name not much differing from Luthers name He neuer had child by her although shee were yong and beautifull he married his brother Anthony Caluin to the daughter of Nicholas de Fer who at Antwerp had played such prancks as hee vvas glad to runne away and to shrowde himselfe at Geneua vvhich town was then become the receptacle of bankrupts vvhore-mongers murderers and of all debauched people vvhich flocked thither out of diuers countries and became of Caluins religion Hee made his brother a booke-seller that he might disperse his bookes But his daughter being taken in adultery and deliuered to the Bonreau to be whipped and catted shamed her vncle Iohn so that he could scarce looke vp or behould the people to whome he deliuered this new gospell He sent some few of his disciples into America to preach his gospel there because he would seeme to be as zealous in planting as the Catholiks were known to be But by that time they came there their prouision of wine wasall spent and not knowing how to minister their communion for want of wine they sent to their master Caluin to know his opinion vvho answered that being constrained by necessity they might vse in stead of wine any other kind of drink vsed in that part of the world Beza was of the same opinion and so vvas Luther vvho taught also that for want of water they might baptize in Ale Beere or Milke Thus he taught what him best pleased and his resolution to his followers was an Oracle he liued and dominiered much at Geneua where he ended his life most miserably being eaten with vermin to death as histories doe record CHAP. IIII. What religion Caluin left to his followers HE allowed of no Image at all for Religious vse turning away the word Idol in the Bible into the word Image yet did he reserue the picture of the Diuell He allowed of no feast day but the seauenth day vvhich they tearme the Saboath his church indeed was a long time without sorme or fashion for euery one vsed his owne manner some in one fort and some in another yet they al tearmed themselues the faithfull children of Christ They cannot endure the signe of the Crosse nor Altars nor any honor to the name of Iesus nor fasting daies nor chalices but in their communion they vse glasses They will haue no head of their Church but in steed of Bishoppes and Priests they haue them whome they tearme a name not known in that sence to antiquity Their ecclesiasticall officers are deuided into Ministers Auncients or Watchmen and Deacons In the ordinances of Geneua there was a fourth kinde to wit Doctors but that continued but a smal space Their Ministers dot preach administer their Sacraments and haue soueraigne authority When one will bea Minister he is proposed to the Consistory in the presence of the Minister and Auncients these be ignorant artizans afterward he is admitted to triall where a chapter is assigned him to discourse vpon in the vulgar tongue he must in no case alleadge any thing in latin in sermons But one chiefe point is that he be well able to raile against the Pope and Catholike religion as one of them began his sermon in this manner The great locke-master meaning the Pope brought vp and fedde fat in the kiâ—â—hin of Sathan c. which the audience applauding the preacher for his conceirs was much commended The minister to be after trial in this sort is by the President of the assembly hauing taken suffrages called in who telleth him his faults and wants and also commendeth something in him Then he giueth him his hand of association and others doe the like making signes of amity and ciuility and this is all their making of Ministers Yet before he be a receaued Minister some church or congregation must make meanes to haue him and thither he goeth and if the people like of him three or foure Ministers assemble and receaue him into the Ministery and for their brother and companion after that he hath subscribed to the confession of their faith his auditors maintayne him but his pension thirty pounds or forty pounds a yeare at the most if he be vnmarried if married he may haue two hundred crownes pension some would haue had them to serue without any wages at all as the Anabaptists doe If he which is called to the Ministery hath bin a Monke Friar Priest or such like he must attend a while vntill he haue disgorged his Monkery as they tearme it They are alwaies jelous of such persons first they disgrade them dismonke them and then cal them to the Ministery In disgrading them they vse this ceremony the party putteth off his habit cursing him who vested him therewith then treadeth he it vuder his feete or renteth it some of them dye their habit to
said Bible three times after and changed many things of the first Then did others leape out and make translations of their owne as Zwinglius whose version was by Luther condemned yet still others made translations to the number of 67. versions one condemning anothers and taking away and putting in what them pleased yea they rent out of the Bible whole bookes which made plainely against their opinioms Carolastadius began to deny the reall presence of Christ in the holy Sacrament but Luther opposed himselfe against it and reprehended him sharply which made Carolastade to leaue Wittenberge but they two meeting in an Inne afterward and Carolastade saying that he durst defend his option by writing Luther tooke to his purse and gaue him a florence of gould to doe so if he durst against him which he tooke on that condition So Luther bought the warres against the Sacramentaries whereof afterwardes he had his handes full he and Zwinglius brawled about the translation of the Bible he renounced all generall Councels and ancient Fathers and would not endure the word Clergy He permitted men to change their wiues would haue no visible head of the Church he would gladly haue denyed the reall presence but the words were so plaine he could not as he He caused Carolo stade to be banished whilst Frederik Duke of Saxony he durst not alter the Masse but he pulled out of the litanies the name of the holy Trinity He with Melancthon would haue abandoned all liberal arts He could neuer endure the Zwinglians nor Sacramentaries but tearmed them Apostles of the Diuel Arians Pelagians c. He did al that he could in despite of the Councell of Trent and protested that he would oppose himselfe against the doctrine it should set forth bee what it will He was both in doctrine and manners an enemy to good works and taught that only faith was sufficient which doctrine brought sorth fruits accordingly as for example one of his Disciples a woman of Lipse a widow by her owne sonne was gotten with childe who when shee was great retired her selfe and caused the child being a girle to be brought vp her sonne the father not knowing of it when this girle was twelue years of age the sonne father of it married the same girle which by this meanes was his sister his daughter and his wife his mother knowing all This sinfull woman lying on her death-bedde confesseth all to Luther who with his schollers of Wittenberge pronounced that the quietnes of this marriage ought not to be troubled and that they must permitte the woman without other punishment to goe to heauen with only faith He stirred vp the common people to rebellion foa vvhich many thonsands of them were slaine and was the cause of the great warres of Germany vvherin was most cruell carnage and slaughter He liked faire women so well as that espying a beautifull damsell in the Dutches of Saxony her trayne he protested that if all the Diuels of hell were such he would gladly be amongst them which speech the Dutchesse thought strange to proceed out of the mouth of him who preofossed himselfe to be the Reformer of the Christian world but the Duke answered that Luther was flesh and bloud as other men be He made loue secretly to one Katherine Bore a Nunne but durst not marrie her as long as the Duke liued Yet Carolastade first of all Priests married a woman not secretly but openly and that with triumph This wretched Priest as he himselfe saith was so enraged with lust that he was like to lose his sences and at his marriage was Masse song after a new fashion and this collect was made and put in God which after so long and wicked blinduesse of thy Priests hast vouchsafed to giue such grace to blessed Andrew Carolastade that he first of al not respecting the Popes lawe durst enterprise to marry a wife graunt we beseech thee that all priests comming to their wittes fallowing his steps their concubines cast out or married may be conuerted to the fellowship of a lawfull bed through the Lord c. Then followeth the prose God in thy power Andrew Carolastade doth exult reioyce coupled in mariage diuers others such like stuffe was thrust into that Masse which I omit and ended with this collect Let the misteries of the sacrament receiued O Lord succour vs and as we reioyce in the connubial celebrity of Andrew Carolastade so cause we beseech thee that marriages of priests may happily beginne through the whole world more happily goe forward and most happily ende through the Lord c. Many Fryars Moncks and others followed this example of his leaping out of the monasteries and cloisters and got them wenches and so became Gospellers some casting their Habites got great breeches and short cloaks with swords by their sides and preached in that attire some in one colour some in another some of one Sect some of another insomuch as almost euery day you might see a new religion coyned but euerie one had his woman or else no bargaine Luther also after the Duke was dead married his Nunne and had by her three sonnes Many more thinges are recorded of this man which are easily seene in diuers writers These may suffice to giue the vnlearned Reader a taste of this Reformer and now you shal see what he lest to his followers CHAP. II. Of Lutheranisme FIrst then the Churches of the Lutherans stand still as they did in the olde time and the Cloisters for the most part in vvoods and in desart places as those of the order of S. Bennet and of S. Bernard nothing defaced except Images is some places vvhere Carolastadius came in such sort as a Catholike entring into the Lutheran Temples vvill deeme that he is in Catholik churches For there shal he see the quier separated from the body of the Church but yet not altogether the same vvhich vvas before There is the great Altar still standing the Crucifixe aboue the Images of the twelue Apostles diuers Chappels and places of prayer the font for Baptisme in many churches are the Organs Tapers and other ornaments of the Catholike Church all in outward shewe haue the markes of the auncient Religion of their forefathers In crosse high wayes the Crucifixe is to be seene as in Catholike time which the Lutherans reuerence The people passing by litle Churches in the country enter into them to say their prayers before the Astar they keepe their Chappels neate and fine in good reparation they neuer enter into their Temples for so they tearme them and not Churches but they kneele downe turning their faces towards the great Altar they keep the shadowes of Bishops and Priests yet haue they chaunged the names of them in steed of Bishop is the name Superintendent This hath vnder him diuers parishes and euery parish hath his Curate whom they call in the Germaine tongue Pfather and Deacons in their language called Helffers The Superintendent hath eyther some reuennewes or
make coates for their woemen or children If he be not married before he taketh a woman and then they account him their owne sure for you seldome or neuer shall finde any such which lefte not his calling by the motion of the flesh and not induced by the spirit If any one would liue a single life they cry our presently with Luther that such are not exempt from badde Thus much for their Ministery yet he who is a Lord of Fee if he think him selfe able and sufficient without any more adoe may goe vp into the pulpit and teach subiects They now and then leaue the Midistery and become Aduocates Phisitions and School emasters for they haue many occasions of chaunges as want of maintenance the auditors liking another better then their owne with many such like By the ordinances of Geneua no Minister which hath beene a Religious man can be President in their Nationall Sinodes The Auncients watch and marke if any of theirs commit any scandall especially if they goe to Masse or to the Iesuites and they report the same to the Consistory The Auncients and Ouerseers are much like yet there is some difference for the Ouerseers are Assistants or Councellors to the Ministers and much inferior to them they are indeed as it were Beadles The Ancients may depose the Ministers or silence them vntill the next Colloque or Sinode The Deacons keepe the purse for the poore they gather the Ministers pension visite the sicke make Collections among the people to defray common charges of warte or of other affaires They allure such as can beare Armes bring their names to the Consistory These Deacons serue al turns they be Porters Readers Seruants to the Consistory Asistants to the Ministers in the Supper and distribute the glasses their Chaunters beginne their psalmes Aduertisers as Apparitors who summon the accused to appeare The Ministers Ancients Ouerseers holde Colloques which are voluntary assemblies of Ministers three or foure times a yeare euery Minister hath his Ancient where they dispute of doctrine and appease disorders and take notice of memorable matters to be related to the Sinode for the Sinode determinethal being diuided into Prouincial and Nationall for generall they can haue none For Lutheranisme hath no participation with them neither in Faith Religion nor Ceremonies no more hath Anabaptisme nor Angliansme In the Prouinciall Sinodes vvhich are kept yearely they choose one whom they call a Moderator and he is President of the Sinode The natural Sinode is euery second or third yeare where euery Prouince hath his Minister and Deputy that is their highest Court. Their Consistory is composed of al sortes of persons Souldiers Cittizens Courtiers Artizans and of the basest sorte of people which many found fault with but Caluin would haue it so In these assemblies seauen at the least must judge cases concerning the soule for they may excommunicate any of their Sect be he Kinge or Kezar bannish him out of their assemblies and depriue him of Sacraments This Consistory is kept in the Ministers howse who presideth or in their Temple The Auncients prye into the actions of their neighbours and informe against them and then the Aduertiser is sent to summon the accused If he appeare not he is called by the Minister to the sermon and after three times warning is cut off from their Supper If he appeare he is brought into the Consistory where he standeth bare-headed and is forced to aske pardon sometimes there sometimes publikely at the sermon where his fault before vnknown is made publike If any haue daunced they are greately punished for it and for curling their haire and for such like If it be a personage of high degree they conceale the crime but declare publikely that such a person hath made satisfaction for his faulte But by this meanes many offendors knowne to fewe come to open reproache and many lose their good name which they had before In very deed those Consistories and Sinodes are plaine instruments and trumpets of warre for they wil commaund Kings and Princes And to this end Beza wrote to the Ministers in Fraunce that they should not receaue into their Citties Captaynes and officers in warre but such as were chosen and approued by their Consistories and Sinods They haue ruinated Churches where they could preuaile and beaten them downe to the ground and they exercise their Sect in vaste places of townes in barnes without any decking or hanging at all for they abhorre the Churches of Christians and wil doe no exercise of Religion in them but downe they must if it lieth in their power In other places they make stables for horses or ware-howses for Merchants of goodly Churches In their new Temples they haue benches as in Colledges for people to sit on There they meeting salute one another especially the delicate dames for other reuerence there is none to be done neyther to God to Angel nor to Saint no body knecleth for then they cry out a Papist Whilest there they expect the Ministers comming some Brother or Cobler mounteth vp in his artizans araye and readeth to them a chapter of the Bible or an homely of Iohn Caluin The Minister commeth in a gown sometimes black sometimes of other colour sometimes in his cloake with a hat of the common fashion The Minister or Preacher to the sister of Henry the fourth King of France and Nauarre neuer came to her but with his sword by his side in a blew or violet cloake with dublet and breeches of yellow chamlet one of them preached in a garden and made his pulpit the pommell of his sworde sticking in the ground sometimes they preached booted and spurred And all this after they haue had liberty of conscience for otherwise it might be excused Yea. Anno 1599. the Minister of Cottendiere preached in a sute of ginger colour with his sword and dagger at his side The Minister mounted into his chaire maketh his prayer for all they some standing some sitting here and there some kneeling or as they please the prayer is very short some twenty lines Then he preacheth a sermon of some psalme in the vulgar tongue with a lowde voice al the people follow men women children and seruants some high some lowe some in tune some out of tune with great confusion without order or harmony Then falleth he to his sermon which being ended he prayeth againe very briefely and then they sing the section of the psalme out to the end You shal neuer see any among them lift vp their hands or eies to ward Heauen not neuer knocke their breaste nor sigh the most part among them will neuer kneele In briefe there shalt thou see no more deuotion then is at a stage-play They haue two Sacraments Baptisme and the Supper They baptize not by the ordinance of Geneua but at the preaching so amongst them If they dye without baptisme they are saued At baptisme some infants are holden in the armes of their