his subiectes dyd with myldnes instruct wretched and blynd synners / dyd with a lyberall hande succour releue poore meÌ„ whom the bysshops for the moste ê‘te now adayes do deuoure euen quycke and do destroy them / did in tyme mynistre iustyce to poore men as well as to the ryche / dyd rebuke sharply with the swerd of goddes worde did holde vnder open and obstynate blaspemers agaynste god / and dyd not so cruelly sucke the sely preestes of the countrey euen to the very bone nor dyd fley theyr subiectes out of theyr skinnes to whom they neuer vouched safe to speake any louing worde These were the very workes of wasshynge fete by whiche euery man shold easily learne ê‘ceyue how humble the prelate were the seruaunt of seruauntes But oh good lorde how is the pure golde tourned in to copre That ceremonies ar nat of the substauÌ„ce of the true honourynge and very seruyse of god I may perceyue euen hereof seynge that eyther none or elles very fewe ceremonyes are prescrybed in the bookes of the newe testameÌ„t The poÌ„pes of ceremonyes ar not necessary SecuÌ„daryly I fynde the saide ceremonies on euery syde suÌ„dry vnlike among theym selues Thyrdly they be excedyngly mutable / wherfore it were good in asmoche as there are so many men whiche do so hyghly regarde ceremonies that there were somtyme declaration instruction gyuen to the comen people concernyng the same but in suche wise that they might learne and knowe the dyfference betwene the very worshyp and seruyce of god and the ryte and vsage of the chyrches For if a man do come to masse and doeth here it he weneth that he hath done his duety gayly well and he doeth not yet knowe what the masse is But in our tymes ceremonies haue goteÌ„ this name of the goddesse Ceres for they do gyue or bring in bread and vytaylles by a good fyere And therfore we do not suffre Wherof they are called by this name ceremonies that any man shall speake euill of that maner of worshipping god Let no man be angry nor micsontent if I shall some what speake and gyue sygnyfycacyon of them for ceremonyes after this maner are in a maner ydolatry / that thou mayste perceyue and vnderstond what they are consydre marke well these thynges folowynge Yf we wyll at ony time do the offices and workes of the chirche and kepe diuyne seruyce and honour what do we do on a whyte lineÌ„ surples which ought to sygnyfy our innoceÌ„cy and chastite of lyfe and also the clere vnderstonding of the holy scriptures which same thyng whyte pure syluer doeth represent and signyfy in the holy scripture but in our iudgement we are no lesse of weyghte and auctorite nor lesse wyse then the very scrypture of god besydes this The amyce of furre what it signyfyeth we do on vs a calabere amyce of deade beastes skynnes which doeth betoken mortalitie for if we shold be onely cladde in a lynen garment and that same also beynge whyte we myghte perhappes consideryng that thyng which it signyfieth that is to wete that we were so greatly ennoceÌ„tes / of so chaste lyfe / and so excelleÌ„tly learned in holy scryptures we myght I say by the reason therof fall in to pryde for connyng and knowlyge oftentymes maketh a man prowde Therfore we do loke vpon the ouermost amyce of gray skynnes whiche may put vs in remembraunce of our mortalyte by the reason wherof we fall in to humylyte and meknes / and so beynge full of clennesse / of innocent lyfe of greate knowlyge of the scryptures / and most depe humylite we do go forth into the teÌ„ple to giue vnto god his honour seruyce / what say ye my neighbours are not this gay goddes The seuen houres canonycall So then prime as we call it is begon / iÌ„ some couÌ„treis ther must one com forthe armed with a bagge fulle of money to confort suche humble and heuye hartes which same thynge is lykewyse done at Tertia Sexta and Nona / who wolde were not this do the dyuyne seruice here are heaped together iÌ„numerable psalmes Antemnes / Collects / many praiers although they do nothyng at all agre one of them with another makynge haste as it were hunters in a wodde we do mumble together and make a busszynge none otherwyse theÌ„ do waspes or gadde bees in an olde stocke of a wyllowe tree at whiche noyses bothe of them it is pleasaunt and swate slepyng beyonde measure For we do synge so easely tenderly that euen in pryme alone we are faine to chaung our tune and to take it higher twyes or thries often tymes euen hole .iiij. ê‘tes ad totam quartam Canons or lordes of the close Afterwardes do come in our masters lordes of the close couered with gray amyces and hauynge on a very white surples but not suche one as the forsayde chaplaynes do weare but of moste fyne raynes or sylke brefly so fyne and thynne that a man may se thorughe it in token of moste hyghe and perfecte excellency in holynes / in chastyte in innocencie / in profouÌ„de vnderstandinge of the scripture / namely in the epystles of Paule and in the gospell For albeit that they be very excellent in other thinges yet in these thinges they are excellent as who is most excelleÌ„t These meÌ„ beholdiÌ„g theyr amice to furre which hath in other couÌ„tryes a great gyrdle of grene colour hangyng downe as thycke as the corde wherwith the mynorities are gyrded with many tasselles wretched sylken thredes very thicke as are the brusshes of drapers or taylers then is theyr harte stryken as it were with a knife when they are thus put in remembraunce of teryble deth wherfore for passing great heuines they compasse their heed rownd about with a purple tiara and they are nothyng so prowde as they whiche do synge in the quier which do continually ruÌ„ne in to the chyrch cladde in a garmeÌ„t gnawen and eaten of wormes mothes but they haue thre or fiue seruauÌ„tes waiting vpon theÌ„ two chaplayns whiche folow harde at theyr masters heeles to th entent forsothe that they also myght drynke in so great conteÌ„placyon so might learne well to consydre and remeÌ„bre death / but they are of a very high miÌ„de / they honour the chapleins neither do thei trouble them in labours / they syng eyther nothyng at all / or elles very lytle because the other shold not be letred they haue also but comen or course brestes but yet they resorte to the quyer very worshypfully / they doo hyghly honour to the lampe / thei do make greate reuerence to the sayntes / and so after that they haue ones preseÌ„ted and shewed them selues in the chyrche / anone after they desyre frendly and louing departinge / they go forth of the quyer coÌ„myttyng the resydue of the dyuyne seruyce to the chapleynes / but yet theyr mynde is moche set vpon hym
philosophy by the reason therof theyr faith shal begyn to waxe weake to faile to be suspected mystrusted then shall thy goddes ryse vp againe / and so the hooke beinge couered with this bayte a certeyn preest amonge the christen men dyd deuoure and swalowe it in whose name was Arrius a grecian in Alexandria of Aegypt Arrius whan he fortuned to rede that place in the xiiij chap. of IohnÌ„ Pater me maior est my father is greatter than I he toke therof occasion to teache a dyfference in the most blessed Trinite saynge that the father is the greatest and moste puissaunt of all / and that nexte to hym is the sonne but inferior and lesse thaÌ„ the father / and that last of all foloweth the holy goste the least of all in the Trinitie Plucke vp your eares and listen o christen men howe full of woÌ„derfull fraudes and gyles the olde serpente is by whiche he wolde breake the corner stone of the true christen faythe in what wyse he hath imagyned and ordered all thynges from the begynnyng of the worlde to th eÌ„tent that we shulde neither beleue God nor trust in hym Thou Arriê° why dyddest thou not also rede that texte in the .x. of IohnÌ„ Ego et pater sumus I and my father be bothe one And like wise whan he said to Philippe Qui videt me videt et patrem he that seeth me seeth my father And what other thiÌ„g dyd deceyue Arrius the preest brynge hym in to errour than the phylosophyes whyles he wolde measure iudge the holy scripture by Aristoteles lerniÌ„ge Lykewyse as euen these days ouer many meÌ„ do the more pitie This Arrius dyd drawe after hym a great flocke of disciples folowers whiche dyd extolle magnifie him for a newe god by the reason of his doctrine For those thinges which he taught he dyd fortifie strengthen with many philosophical argumeÌ„tes and syllogysmes and also with many examples But than that olde Leuiathan dydde treade on roses and was not a lyttell well appayde after that he sawe this inueÌ„tion and deuise of his to go forwarde and to come well to passe that the christen men dyd disagree and were at variance amonge them selues For bothe Constantius dyd consent agre with Arrius and also many excellent bysshops as Eusebius in Nicomedia a citie of Asia the the lesse For in it and in Morae and in Achaia and in Macedonia al philosophers welnere did springe vp and begynne whiche did reigne there in scholes by the space of many yeres coÌ„tinually fom the tyme of Daris the kynge of Asseria and of Medea these phiosophers dyd beleue nothiÌ„ge elles but only that whiche reason dyd teache / and leade them vnto In this sayd tyme the good and wel lerned man Athanasius was promoted vnto the bisshop ryche of AlexaÌ„dria / whiche toke vpon hym to shewe the veryte trouth to CoÌ„staÌ„tius Athanas ius But what busynes had than the olde Leuiathan what craftes and subtile gyles wrought he than He proued false accusers / whiche dyd is false lies so accuse that good and well lerned bysshop Athansius vnto themperour Constantius / that he was so far broughte out of fauour with the sayd emê“our / that he dyd a longe season seche meanes occasions to put Anathasius to deth but th eÌ„de ê“fe of the thynge dyd full well declare and shewe his innocency For Arriê° within a lytle whyle after dyed a shameful dethe / his entrelles guttes fallynge from hym in to a priuie or sege / in the Synode of Nece / as afterwardes the aforsayde Athanasius in the citie Treueres openly dyd expresse / put in writyng vpon the psalme Quicunque vult So whan the olde dragon had drawen to hym this fysshe hangynge fast on the hoke / he preserued and kepte the bayte to begyle take moo with all The begynnyng of heresyes bicause he saw that ther was a great multitude of Arrianes / whiche pyckyng out dyuers and sundry textes of the scripture did season them with theyr brothe of the philosophies / couer them with a disceytefull coloure and fastnynge them on the hoke / dyd take many vnprofytable fysshes nothynge apperteynynge to the vessell of saluation / as Macedonius / Nestorius / Eurites / Simon / Valentiniane donatus c. In processe of tyme aboute the nombre of .lxviij. of suche vnprofitable fysshes as it were the firste draught / dyd swalowe in the bayt and the hooke withall Hereof sprange so great dissentions and stryfes amoÌ„ge christen men that the holy fathers and byshoppes were fayne to take excediÌ„g great labours and paynes in disputyÌ„g and wrytyng agaynst errours heresyes / as Anastasius / Eusebius / Hilarius / Cirillus / Damascenus / Ambrosius / Hierome / and Augustine c. This dissencion and diuerse vnderstondyng of the scryptures lasted and endured in certeyne places about the space of .viij. C. yeres And who soeuer is desyrous to see the steppes tokens of the newe goddes and of the newe faythe by name lette hym rede the decretalles in the .xxiiij. cause and the thyrd question Quidam c. In suche maner disputions occasyon was offered to good worshypfull fathers by subtyll and crafty obiections of philosophy to take in theyr handes whatsoeuer maner weapoÌ„s to cast forthe agaynst them / although they were otherwhyles vnlyke not agreing to the holy scrypture But yet for asmoche as they dyd it full sore agaynst theyr wylles and dyd fyght of a pure and a good faithfull mynd they were promitted and suffred to retreate and call agayn suche thynges as theyr workes do suffycyently wytnesse and recorde wherfore saynt Augustyne sayd not vnwysely other mens workes sayth he I do so rede that be they neuer so excellent in holynes and doctryne / yet I do not therfore thynke theyr sayenges true / because they dyd so say and thynke but because they haue ben able to perswade it vnto me to be true / by the canonicall scriptures / or els by probable reason Vngratious and cursed Lucifer coÌ„tinually trustyng after heuenly honour and worshyp / styll coÌ„passed and dyd cast all polycyes and craftes to fro in his mynd and lefte no waye vnassayed hauynge his mynde stedfastlye set vpon all the state of christeÌ„ men and well auisynge it / he ê“ceyued and marked theÌ„perours makyÌ„g warre amonge them selues / and other prouinces by the reason wherof they had ones fallen agayne from the faith of Christe / myght litle gyue theyr mynde to holy scriptures The offyce of the bishoppes in olde tyme whiche the bysshoppes dyd studye / all other thinges despised / preachyng the gospell in pouerte / neither was the bysshop of Rome any thyng elles at that tyme than a pastor or herdes man / not a kynge and lorde / as he is nowe / and so lykewyse in other cities also the bisshoppes dyd exercise the office of sheperdes / they had not the dominions
Annas and of the mynysters of the temple In lyke maner was saynte Peter saynte IohnÌ„ entreated / what nede mani word alwayes the hole councell / the chief prestes / the doctours / the pharyseys / the relygyous / the senyours / haue thought iudged the contrary yea and also in theyr counselles haue decreed what soeuer these afore named holy and ryghtuoê° men dyd teache to be heresy and blasphemy agaynst god putting forthe and layenge afore theym the olde faythe / the olde councelles / the olde statutes / the olde vsage and custume and therfore they dyd dryue out the sayd holy men out of their cyties / they did beate theym with scourges / they dyd stone theym and slee theym also but do you wene that Chryste was therfore an heretyke / that Hieremye that Esaye and all the apostles were heretikes Take hede you prestes because the preestes of the temples with theyr newe goddes did rage rayle agaynst theym that is nothynge so / for the trouthe is trouthe and shall euermore endure / althoughe the moste wreched preestes of the teÌ„ples with theyr newe goddes wyll go downe to the deuylles let that moue the nothynge at all for to hell they do belonge onles they wyll amend and be hartely repeÌ„taunt sory for their blindnes tyrannie for it chauÌ„seth scantly otherwise but that to whom soeuer many thinges / haue be coÌ„mitted and betaken Luc. xij of the same is also a great reckening large acompte requyred But thou wylt saye A questyon concernyng goddes seruyce what is it that thou sayeste are the ceremonyes and the rytes vsage of the chyrches suê‘stition as thou doeste shewe for thou doeste in mockage name religioê° men preestes the seruauÌ„tes of the temples / thou doest I say name theym the mynisters of the newe goddes / of the princes and doctours did not god hym selfe coÌ„mauÌ„de appoynt vnto Moyses many ceremonyes to be vsed in makynge of sacryfyce to hym selfe I make aunswere / if I do speake after the comen vsuall maner of speakyng which is found in the scrypture I truste I haue done none iniury Mymnysters of the temples The name of ministers of the temples is most openly noted in the fyrst chapytre of the prophet Iohel Now whether he be pope or bishop or person curate doctor religious man or who soeuer he be that doethe not his offyce dutye according to the most simple and pure sence of holy scrypture with out any addition which the scripture neyther hath in vse nor can beare or elles which doeth abuse the scripture to his owne aduantage or elles doeth forsake his shepe and doeth not fede them with the moste swete fode of holy scrypture but doeth caste afore them thystelles and stinking and filthy doctrine fodder of vile wedes the doctryÌ„e of men repugnauÌ„te the one to the other / that man I say may well be called a newe god or ydoll as the scripture witneseth to me most openly in the .xi. chapitre to zacharie And where as they bring in meÌ„tioÌ„ of the ceremonies whiche Moyses taught we will at this tyme let those passe For all these thinges were fygures and significatioÌ„s of grace to come which the heueÌ„ly father promised to vs vnder suche maner shadows and hathe now fulfilled his promise hathe geuen the sayde grace by Iesu Christe his dearely beloued sonne to whome be prayse worldes without ende Amen BUt for as moche as we christen men do hold and kepe many ceremonyes rytes in the chyrches and dayly do ymagyne and decre mo mo newe I do fyrste say that ceremonies are not euyll but good if euery man did well and wisely vnderstonde why and wherfore this or that ryte and ceremonye was brought in what thynge were sygnifyed by it How ceremonyes ar to be suffred for ceremonyes of them selues are nothyng at all neyther are they necessary to be done Now the simple men do thynke that the more prowde the mynysters of the temple are namely religious men the greater by so moche is the honour and worshyp of god and yet in very dede all the ceremonies that are be nothyng elles but certeyne examples sygnyfications / when the masse is in syngynge in great and cathedrall chyrches then is the brente frankenseÌ„ce in the sencer it makethe a smoke a bonte all the altre / this day the preest hath a redde vestimeÌ„t to morow he shall haue vppon hym a whyt one and an other tyme a grene one and when he syngeth masse of requiem he hath on a blacke vestiment There is also ioyned to him deacon and subdeacoÌ„ and one to synge the epystle and the other to synge the gospell But although none of all these thynges were done at all as it happeneth ofteÌ„times in vilages yet shold there neuertheles be done a lawfull masse The thing which the ceremonies do betokeÌ„ is good / yf there were also a good herte minde peraduentur the sacrifice shold not be vnpleasaunt to god The monke goeth well nere smothe Monkes hauing all his heare in a maner quite shauen of / and couered also with a great cowll that nothyng may be sene / his garment is syde downe to the fote his hose eyther beynge grey or whyte do touche his kne when he passeth by the alter or by his superyour then he lowteth maketh lowly reuerence / he casteth his hoode farre at his backe so afterwardes with a tremblynge heed he goeth a part in to his owne place although none of the sayd thinges were done at all so that they were endued other wayes with good maners and with honest operation of the body it were very well done thei shold reserue so great lowtyng reuerence to the humylyte beneuolence and charite toward their neighbour The pope wryteth hym selfe seruuÌ„ seruorum that is to say the seruauÌ„te of seruauntes and by this meane he weneth him selfe to be conformable and lyke to Chryste whiche called hym selfe the mynyster of his disciples Math .xx. and did teache that who soeuer of theym wolde be greatest he sholde be leaste and the seruaunte of all the other Therfore it is instytuted that vpon maundy thursday the superyour doeth washe the feate of the inferyours for exaÌ„ple as the pope doeth wasshe the fete of the cardynalles and so lykwyse of other / if this thynge be done vnfaynedly with the harte the deuyll fetche me out of the worlde / for in stede of this wasshing of feate they are all the whole yere besyde lordly and tyrannous and they wolde not so moche as ones sharpe a prycke to theyr neyghbour But wherfore serueth this hypocrisy their workes beyng so farre contrary yea it is rather a mocking scorning of the humble meke lorde Iesu Christe / what if this sayd wasshyng of fete were layde asyde and lefte vndone and the prelate all the yere besyde did suffre gentyly paciently shame ignoraunce of
gospelles to him selfe / his chyldren / his householde specyally on the holy dayes / for the gospell is of suche vertue and strenght that the more often times men doo rede it with desyre so moche the better they do learne to vnderstonde Chryste / and the more fyrme and stable faythe to get towardes god / theyr charyte is somoche the more excited and styrred vp towardes theyr neyghbour / the loue of heuenly thynges do sprynge to be shorte it is the hyghest consoltion that is in the worlde in all aduersyte And it is a shamefull lye to say that the gospel can not be vnderstonden withoute the doctours for the dyuyne scrypture is so set for the by the holy ghoste / that it doeth expounde it owne selfe doeth open and declare one texte by another / and one place doeth beare witnesse to anotehr / neyther hathe it ony nede to begge helpe eyther of the doctours or of our men which of them selues are none other then lyars / for as moche as it is ryche and perfecte ynough of it selfe For this is the close gardeyn and the enclosed or sealed spring and the freshe waters of lyfe whiche in moost haboundaunte and plentuous wise do perpetually sprynge forth and yssue in to all the brestes of them that do beleue IohnÌ„ .iiij. and .vij. I beseche the for the loue of god tel me who taught all martyres theym that inhabyted the wyldernes the gospell peraduenture they also did contynue in the worshypfull vnyuersyte of ê“hyse by the space of a dosen yeres / they dyd here some master doctour in the sentence vpon the gospelles in the scole Sorbona where god wotte the gospell is moche had in hande and is in honour and custome none otherwyse then a catte among skynners / who dyd instructe the martyres in so honest so good and so reuerende worshypfull lyfe in god peraduenture / Duns / or Thomas Good master dotour what greate dystynctyons dyd Peter / IohnÌ„ / Iames / Iude / and Luke vse in thactes of thapostles or in theyr epystles dyd they teache the people trowe you other thynges then they haue wryten ¶ The .xiiij. Relygyous men of what so euer ordre they be / whiche do extoll and aduance hyghly theyr owne doctrynes theyr owne doctours and sayntes what other thynge do they talke synge or preache or what elles haue they in their mouthes then holy saynte Thomas / the subtyll doctour / maister Duns / the moste excellent clerke Augustyne / worshypfull Albert. The aungelycall doctour Bonauenture The yrrefragable doctour Alexandre of hales c Nowe I say for as moche as in all doctours accordynge to the nature of man hath bene founde inconstauncye and a certeyne feare to affyrme in so moche that of their doctrines to fro many excedyng noysome errours haue bene ê‘ceyued espyed out yf the doctrynes sermons which their doctors haue taught haue not opeÌ„ly playÌ„ly buylded vpon the sure stone of the deuyne scrypture / but yf they do take ony thynge what so euer it be for sure vndoubted / yf either Thomas or Duns / or Ockam such other haue wryten so I say that they do stonde in greate ieoê‘dy afore god For this is euydent more cleare then daye / that duns and thomas do agree with none other doctours / and they two be also so repugnaunt and contrary the one to the other / that what the one affyrmeth saythe / the other doeth denye the same the one sayth that this thinge is deadly synne the other sayth it is no synÌ„e Now yf the sely symple people do here them make so contrary sermons / the one to the other / frome the pulpyt what other thynge oughte they to thinke then that they are tryfles lyes EccliaÌ„st .xxxiiij. ¶ The .xv. All prynces specially bysshops are bounden vnder payne of hell diligently earnestly sharply to prouyde that the people be taught none other thynge in sermons then the gospell and scrypture Now if the bysshops be neclygent and slacke as now a dayes many be and do alacke for pyty more let then helpe it belongeth to seculer prynces and they ought and may assyste and stonde by the gospell that it may be preached / nothynge consyderyng nor regarding neither curse neyther interdyction neyther of bysshop or of pope and the cause is / Chryst hym self sayeth in the gospell who so euer shall confesse me afore men him shall I confesse afore my father But yf the secular prynces also wyll be blynde as I hope and truste they wyll not then it belongeth to the comen power Actes .v. euen by the promyssyon of holy scrypture to helpe the gospell to giue honour to the same For we ought more to obey god then men for Chryst sayth pleinly in the last chapytre of Marke Go ye in to all the worlde / and preache ye the gospell to euery creature / he dyd not say preache you the canon lawe or preache you Thomas or Arystotle ¶ The .xvi. The worde of god the holy scrypture stondeth not ne is grounded in the wisdome of phylosophers .j. Coryntheo .iij. wherfore it can not be proued or measured by Arystotle Auerrois neyther haue the simylitudes of natural scyence and crafte / agrement in euery behalfe with the scrypture by the reason wherof many euen excellent learned men also are deceyued / yea and some sayntes also haue erred The .xvij. The mouthe of god the holy scrypture is stable vnmutable / perpetuall and true Marke in the thyrde chapytre / wherfore it suffreth not it selfe to be croked or bended after the mutation and lawes of man but contrariwyse men ought to chaunge and shape theym selues accordynge to the scrypture / yf they desyre to haue eternall lyfe math the last chapi The .xviij. Now this is the dyfference betwene the holy scryptures / and the philosophies and doctrynes of men that the scrypture can be vnderstonden of no maÌ„ be he neuer so hyghe of wytte but onely of hym to whome it is syngularly gyuen by god frome aboue IohnÌ„ the .xij. and Esaye xcix Now the grace of god is not gyuen to ony of all the prowde wyse prudent men of the world Luke the fyrst / onles they haue before in they re mynde reputed them selues for vnwyse foles .j. Corynth .iij. But this thynge is neuer done excepte god hym selfe do worke it IohnÌ„ the sixth But the wysedome and folyshnes in all the wysedome of men before greatly estemed is caused spryÌ„geth of the ryght true knowlage of a mans owne selfe Apocalyp .ij. the knowlege of mans owne selfe Now there is none other maister of whome a man shold learne to knowe his owne selfe theÌ„ pure perfecte humylyte prouerb .xi. To be humble and meke that is to take from a man his lyfe and to ascrybe it vnto god so that a man do thinke him selfe to be nothing / do nothyng ascrybe to hym selfe but for
lechery and bodely luste / of counterfeyte and fayned relygion / the deuyl hym selfe also whiche beynge agayne adredde and stondynge in feare of hym selfe to take hurte to be ouercome dothe coueyte desyere the olde wycked and vngracyous peace the quyete and peaceable seate of his power ini hypocrisye dothe loke aboute by Embassadours / and by pertyes by his frendes for ayde and soccourre wherfore the hydde and secrete treasures are nowe opened shewed / that is to saye where as aboue certeyne hundreth yeres a goo kynges prynces lordes cytyes ryche men euen vntyll this daye haue gyuen lyberall gyftes to the honourynge and worshyppynge of god as chyrstes Monasteries / benefices / prouynces / castelles / vyllages / tythes / lybertyes / suche other thynges wenynge that thereby highe reuerence doth come to god / which goods of the chyrche are nowe grauÌ„ted to the sonnes of kynges prynces for this entent and purpose that they also shold be of those partes and sydes / and the same goodes also are gyuen in the stede of stypende and wages vnto the pestylent and myscheuous flyees and locustes of Aegypte for by this meane as they beleue they shall close vp agayne the feareful swerd in his sheth or scaberde and shall obteyne and get our olde peace / but the glyttrynge bryghtnes of the fyery swerde hathe so perced entred in to the eyes of many mens hertes that stryfe is spronge rysen well neare in all the erthe the sone rysynge agaynst his father / and the doughter agaynste her mother / all the hole house beynge in a styrre grete vnquietnes euery one in others top / throughe dyscorde and debate Besydes this the colleges of the men of the chyrche the partes of the religious persones which are excellently learned and wyse holdynge theyr peace as yf they were dumbe and theyr speche taken frome them the symple and vnlearned comynalte do enserch the depe merueilous mysteries of god and speaketh theym after dyuers wayes to and fro wherof is rysen a ê“uerbe amonge many men I take perte with the olde god the olde faythe and the olde doctryne / I wyll beleue as my father and mother myne auncesters haue beleued / and eyther of the partes wyll accuse the other of errour and iustyfye theym selues and shewe the ryght / all the whiche thinges haue constrayned me to gyue knowlege brefly what is eyther the olde god or the newe and by the course of holy scriptures and of histories to gyue comen instructyon in all suche maner questyons and contrauersyes or stryues / by the mean of whiche instruccion euery man beinge not of a stubberne nature of obstynate maners myght the soner waxe wise ameÌ„de / that no man shold bynde hym selfe to contencions and false vnderstondynge of the manyfolde honourynge and worshippynge of god as a vayne a corrupte and hurtfull thynge of no value an obscure darke thynge and that we myght folow streight dyrectly the scrypture of god that accordynge to it as to a rule we shold direct our selues all our dedes / and that we sholde searche out the curnell or inner meate of the scryptures / betakynge the chaffe and the huskes therof to the wynde Nowe in this booke is shewed the verye orygynall fountayne sprynge / out of the whiche dyde yssue our banyshement in to this vale of wretchednes and mysery and how that blyndnes and the malygnyte of synne in vs dyd begyn and sprynge of the incredulite and vnbelefe of our fyrste father Adam out of whiche as out of the rote all Idolatrie hathe growen and spronge vp CoÌ„sequently in this boke is also shewed rehersed by the hystoryes the veray begynnynge of all maner superstycion in the worshyppyng of false goddes / and whereby Lucyfer / Belus / Pallas / Iuno / Venus / Saturnus / Iupiter / purchased gate to them selues the names of goddes and goddesses Then afterwardes is shewed the blyndnes of the Iewes after the Natyuyte of Christe impiete of philosophers and the peruerse corrupte vnderstondynge and mysconstruynge of the scriptures vsed of herytykes Laste of all is shewed how throughe the sleyghte and deceyte of the deuylles that prowde creature whiche we doo now call the pope hathe ben exalted and aduaunced aboue god euen diuyne honours beynge decreed to the same pope by the most pestyleÌ„t host of flatterers which fyghte vnder hym as theyr captayne / frome the whiche pope as frome the hed of abused power auctoryte the pope is hedde the multytude of errors haue descended in to all the bodi of the whole worlde Christ beynge well nere soo put oute of place and brought out of mynde that he is in maner more vnknoweÌ„ to vs then ony straunger And in the Chyrche of Rome moche after the fashone that was in the olde tyme vnder the feendes are vsed diuers ceremonyes strauÌ„ge marueylous worshyppyng of god whiche knowethe none ende of varyete and sundrye fashons / which thynge is open for euery man to se It sheweth also how Rome doth coÌ„fyrme / dothe condempne / dothe iudge all thyÌ„ges / so that a man maye not wtout good cause call it in to tryall and Iudgemente / whether he that nowe reygneth at Rome / be Antychryst / or els we ought to loke for some other Antychryste hereafter to come seynge that this man in all poyntes that is to wyte bothe in his doctryne and also in his lyuynge / is farre disagreynge in maner clene contrary to the doctryne and lyfe of Christe whiche bothe hyÌ„ selfe also his apostles dyd neyther teache so / neyther yet dyd haue ony suche thynges in vse but dyd forbede and also dyd curse suche maner doctrine and suche rytes or ceremonyes The fyrst boke THat there was a deê‘ting and deuysion made euen frome the begynnyng of the worlde forthe with as sone as reasonable cratures receiued lyfe the nature of aungelles do euydentlye declare / for parte of them dyd folowe god and parte of them dyde departe and fall away from god makyng a newe god to theym selues that is to wyte lucifer / man in earth for of AdaÌ„ forthw t brake forth Abell Cayne two sundrye dyuers ways iÌ„ to which al theyr posterite haue entred do eueÌ„ yet walke in they so shall walke euen to the world ende dyd serche out hygh actes / now if we do rede the olde historyes In the boke of Genesis and thoroughe out the Bible as manetho amoÌ„ge the Aegeptions / Berosê° the histo of the chaldeis / Mochê° Estiê° of the syryaÌ„s / Hisiodê° Iosephê° of the Iewes / and Tytus lyuiê° of the Romaynes then do we fynde most sure and vndoubted also most true tokens that all men of all tymes haue ben bothe in other thinges but most specyally in the honourynge worshyppynge of god maruailously disagreing stifly contrarye one to another / in so moche that
our lorde fyue hundred lxxx Gregory the fyrste Gregoriê° Magnus the fyrst of that name was made the bysshop of Rome the fyrst emperour also then beinge of the Grekes / one Maurice a Capadociane At that tyme the ryches of the bysshop of Rome beinge wel encreased the olde serpent brought forth his hoke agayne / styrryng mouyng entysing Maurice that he shulde deadely pursue Gregorie that all the other bysshops also shulde be in great contempt But whan themperour continued and hylde on stylle to hate holye Gregorie the prouidence of god graunted vengeaunce to be taken vpon hym that is to wyte that he was takeÌ„ of Focas whiche beheding Maurice dyd afterwardes hold the empier him selfe This Gregory the fyrst was the last bysshoppe of Rome that dyd folowe the steppes of the martyres and apostles in lyuynge and doctrine And albe it that from the reigne of Constantine the bisshops of Rome had dayly encreased more more in riches and had not any lenger all of theÌ„ ordered and ledde al theyr lyfe so straightly perfectly accordyng to the rule of the gospell as they had don afore that tyme but declynede fell downe by lytle and lytle from the gospell to ceremonies makynge and publishinge one lawe after another yet had they but tollerably chauÌ„ged theÌ„ selues vntyll the tyme of Gregory after whom they dyd vtterly close and shytte vp the gospel boke breakyng in by salutations into the courtes of princes opeÌ„ly / as folowethe The fyfthe degre of idolatrye In the yere of oure lord CCCCC iij Focas a man borne of a lowe stocke and degre but a valiant man of armes and a doughtie warrier was fyrst in seruice with the capitayne gouernour of Rome and afterwardes beinge elected chosen Emperour in the tentes was a cruel tyrant In the seconde yere of his reigne deceassed out of the worlde the holy father Gregorie which is accompted and rekened one of the .iiij. doctours of the churche But than the olde dragon dyd garnyshe his hoke with a bright bayte by this crafte The laufull emperour was resideÌ„t had his seate in ConstaÌ„tinople But yet neuertheles he hadde chosen and taken to hym selfe a ê“tener and felowe whiche shulde occupye gouerne the kyngdome and Empier of the west parte as Rome Italye / FrauÌ„ce / Germanie theÌ„perour of the westpart then beinge slayen as we haue sayde before dryuen out so that Rome was set out to rauyne and robbery vnto euery man the nations dyd ransake away whatsoeuer thinges they myght In the meane season ryches grewe and encreased to the byshop of Rome but not regions or peoples / but as it happeneth other whyles in treasures of money Therfore than began the spirite of the gospell to kele and waxe faynt in hym bicause that the bysshope of Constantinople dyd preferre hym selfe afore the bysshoppe of Rome to whom forthwith the olde serpent did proferre and reche forthe a bayte which he had prepared and made redy before for the same purpose Boniface the thyrde the bysshop then was Bonyface the thyrd of that name wiht this maner colour / what wylt thou alwayes lye styll in misery in coÌ„tempte Rome is the hed citye of all the worlde it is a foule shame and rebuke to the that thou thy selfe art not also called the hed bysshop of all other whiche name sholde moche more ryghtfully agree belonge to the then to the patryarche of coÌ„stantynople The domynyon and empyer of Rome is chaunged and thou thy selfe art not in so lowe a condycyon and estate or degre among themperours / as thy predycessours haue ben The hoke of this pryde togyther with the bayte dyd Bonifatiê° vtterly swalowe in fleynge to the frendship of the emperour Foeas to whom he made instaÌ„te request and prayer for the preuelege that the bisshop of Rome shuld be the highest of all other bysshoppes / that is to say that he shulde be pope or father of fathers / and that the chyrche of Rome shulde be hed chirche of al other / which thynge albeit that it was longe and moche adoo Howe the name of pope fyrste beganne ere it wolde be grauÌ„ted yet for all that thrughe importune request and prayer he opteyned and brought it to passe at the last that Focas dyd coÌ„sent to the sayd pryuylege But this thinge do the Popes now a dayes wysely dyssymule and speake no worde of it at all cryenge out the the pope is the greatest of all bisshopps and the chirche of Rome hedde aboue all other churches and that by the ordenaÌ„ce of god immediatly as they do say in the xxij distinction omnes .c. why or for what cause then was the donation of Constantine forged by whiche the bysshopryche of Rome shulde be aboue all other bysshopryches / and raigne ouer them al as they haue it in theyr decrees in the xc.vi distinction Constantinus c. The Romanistes do saye euen what soeuer they lyst of theyr own priuileges and do put into their lawe what so euer thyng smyteth into theyr braynes and cometh in to theyr mynde but yet no man durst be so bold to say against their lawe onles he wyll be contented to be called bi that terrible name of an heretyke as it is decreed in the .x. and .xij. distinctions and also in the distinction Sic omnes et cete This bayte of glorie as I haue sayde dyd Boniface the pope deuoure and swalowe in But whether this thynge be coÌ„formable and agreeynge to the gospell of God lette other men iudge and this same hoke dyd also catche and drawe al the bysshoppes that haue succeded the sayde Bonyface so that it is made a lawe yea more ouer a deuyne lawe vnder payne of commyttynge deadely sinne / who so euer shuld haue other opinioÌ„ or shuld thynke other wyse of the primacye or preemynence of the bysshop of Rome Here begaÌ„ the name of most holy father the pope and hereof came the name of the most holy father the pope / and so they fondly framed the scripture tu es Petrus c. thou art Peter to the priuileges of the emperours / and of bothe these they made them selues a diuyne lawe Oh what a stroÌ„ge and myghtye Idole and a newe god dyd then sprynge vppe and begynne For this name hadde neuer any bysshoppe of Rome afore that tyme. But when the fyar of contempte and pouertye was quenched and put out / thaÌ„ dyd ryches and slouthfull ydelnes brynge forthe suche maner frutes as we do se remaynynge stylle euen at these dayes Bonifaciê° euen then forthwith vsurped the tytle of Pope wrytynge hym selfe Bonyface the thyrde of that name greattyste bisshop and he gathered a counsell at Rome of the other bisshops and preestes / in whiche counsell he decreed that from that tyme forward the pope beinge elected of the prestes the people shuld be of the same streÌ„ght and auctoritie and of as great reputation as if he had ben
also confirmed by theÌ„perour / which decree was cleane repugnant and contrarye to the olde vsage and custome of the emperours and agaynst the auctoryte of confirming the bysshops whiche they had vsed froÌ„ the fyrst begynnyÌ„g that emperours became christen But Boniface after he had obteyned and goten the priuilege of themperour that he myght call hym selfe pope this recompence he made to Cesar to acquite him his kindnes withal he dyd pryuely derogate and minyshe themperours maiestie and prerogatiue / and presumed to be lorde and ruler ouer the same emperour of whom afore as of his lord emperour through huÌ„ble petitioÌ„s and lowly requestes he had obteyned the pryuylege of primacy and preeminence aboue other bisshopps / howe be it neyther he hym selfe nor a certeyne mayny of his successours durste be so bolde as to put this decree openly in execution and vse bycause at that tyme the emperour had set a captayne and deputye vnder hym at Rome one of the Senatorie stocke by whose election and approbatioÌ„ the popes were created and made But yet from then forward the popes dyd so beare them selues as thoughe by ryghte they were superiours to theÌ„perours without whose helpe they dyd what soeuer thiÌ„g they myght teaching bysshops that they shulde obeye the pope / rather than themperour Yet is there one thing that thou maiste compare and matche to this so passinge and outragious pryde For not loÌ„ge after Focas beinge slayne whiche had graunted so great pryuileges to the vicar of Christe so humbly and louly requirynge and besechynge hym Heraclius was made emperour in the yere of our lorde syxe hundred and twelue The beginning of mahomettes sect belefe at which tyme the newe ydole in very dede and the newe god Mahomet an Ismaelite dyd ryse / whiche hadde byelded and set vp a newe fayth and belefe in which the Turkes do lyue After that the fyrst new god Lucyfer had promoted and put forwarde his cause so farre forthe that he had gotten one amonge christen men / which dyd take vnto hym selfe the name of highest bysshop and the greatest lorde of all men the sayde Lucifer was wel apayde and proude therof and thoughte this in his mynde Thou shalt procede and go further fourth yet seing that thou hast thus broken the bedge and lept ouer it he cast forth his olde bayte well ouerlayed with gyles afore the pope Constantyne in the yere after the natiuite of Christe syxe hundred .lxxxvij. whiche bayte he gredyly swalowynge in dyde desyre moo priuyleges to be confirmed of Iustinian themperour of Rome / the thyrde of that name not of hym that made the Ciuile law by which thinges it is easy to ê‘ceyue by what meane that so great holines hath sprongen groweÌ„ vp And so the popes of Rome felle from the holy scrypture takyng so great a name vnto them selues and takyng also the chefe rule in all matters and busynes / and the chiefe seates and moste honorable places and beganne to ioyne amytie and frendshyps with princes emperours and learned to visite theyr courtes / entermedlyng and making them selues to do with al matters and causes / that were to be treated of this partie and that partie / growynge also and encreasynge welfauouredly in possessioÌ„s and ryches whiche maner of lyuyng endured and contynued by the space of one huÌ„dred yeres The mischeuous cursed feende toke great ioye and pleasure that his sleyghtes and craftes dyd go so royally forwarde For within a lytle whyle after about the yere of our lorde seuen hundred and eyghte / the Emperoure Leo the thyrde of that name a Syriane borne / deposed the patriarche of Constantinople whiche was a Germayne borne and dyd substitute in his crowne Anastasius Then the pope Gregory the third brake forth The fyrste dissentioÌ„ of the pope themê‘our and wrote to themperour that he shulde restore the Germayne to his olde honour agayne which thyng whaÌ„ Leo themperour wolde not do Gregorie after the counsell of the olde serpent dyd moue and perswade all Italie that they shuld forsake themperour but not accordyng to thensample of the olde popes whiche lyued after a lowe sorte / whom also he dyd excoÌ„municate to th eÌ„tent purpose / that whyles the emperours dyd kepe warres amoÌ„ges them selues the empier myght falle in to his handes for asmoch as he was of gret name amonge the prynces The olde serpent strayghte way without any delay annoynted bayte and put vpon the hooke to caste it forthe agayne for this was all his trauayle and labour that if he myght not suppresse and hold vnder the faythe of Christe yet at the leaste wyse that he myght by some maner what so euer it were entangle and trouble it he gaue this counsayle to the pope and dyd put these thoughtes in his mynde In as moche as the laufull Romane Empier is destroyed and euery stranger from euery parte of the worlde dothe breake into it makyng hym selfe emperour at Constantinople / setting here ouer thy necke some of the Senatorie bloude why dost thou not put thy lyfe in ieoperdy that thou mayst not only haue the name of greatest but the thyng also with all Rome shall be thy seate thempier shal be at thy pleasure to whome soeuer it shall lyke the to gyue it The fyrste breaking in of popes in to kingdoÌ„s After Leo themê‘our succeded Constantine his sonne a very tyrannous persone / vnder whome Pypine sent embassadours from Fraunce vnto the pope in the yere of our lorde seuen hundred .lij. and the pope lykewyse agayne of his parte / layenge theyr wittes together and brewyng craft ye counsailes betwene theÌ„ that pope zacharie shulde take certeyne power auctorite vpon hym so deposyng the olde kynge he made Pypyne kynge of Fraunce / with the fauour and consent of the prynces to the same / and this Pypyne is rekened the fyrste kynge of that lande made by the benefyte of the pope as the popes lawes do recorde in the .xi. cause the fyrste question De quidam The next yere folowing the pope zacharie beinge deed Stephen the secoÌ„de was substituted in his place This Ste. willyÌ„g to vse his power whan kynge Astulphus did molest and disease him in Italie he dyd forthwith call vpon Pypyne met hym certeyne myles of the waye besechynge hym to gyue ayde defence to the churche of Rome for he had leuer to be a confessour then a martyre / thynkynge it ynoughe yf he dyd by that title breake in to heuyn Then the olde wycked deuyll toke no more thoughte thynking his matier in good case ynoughe after that he had made the trewe kernell of the christeÌ„ diuinite corrupte and fautye For those meÌ„ whyche in tymes afore passed were the moste stronge pyller of all christen men in contempte martyrdome nowe beinge alienated and turned from the holy scriptures had taken vpon them worldely earthely busynesses / of creatyng eÌ„perours kynges / of drawynge kyngedomes and lordshyps
saintes that if it please god to suffre me that I maye come to Rome I shall exalte the holy Chyrche of Rome and you the gouernour of it accordinge to all my myght and powere and also you shall neuer lease your lyfe no neyther ony meÌ„bre of your body neyther this honour which you haue by my wyll or by my counseyll or my coÌ„sent or my exortation and I wyl make no decre or ordenauÌ„ce in Rome concernyng ony of al those thynges whiche do belong to you or to rome without your counsayll what so euer londes of saynt Peters shall come in to my handes and power I shall restore it vnto you and to whome so euer I shall coÌ„myt and betake the gouernauÌ„ce of Italye I shal make hym swere that he shall ayde and helpe you to the vttermoste of his power to defende the patrymony of saynt Peter The pope hath power and auctoryte to requyre suche a maner of othe as this for so doeth the canon lawe witnes in the twelfth cause and the fyrst questyon Clericus This is indede to deuoure swalowe in the soppe that is layed afore the. From this Otho all themperours that folowed euer after euen to this daye haue ben compelled to bynde them selues vnto the pope as to theyr lorde by suche an holy othe Oh Romane empire suche a meate or supping as this is thou woldest in olde time not ones haue tasted of But nowe there is no remedy but that thou muste eate it clene vp / but thou wilt none other for the scripture also muste be fulfylled To the making of this greate othe fyrst Otho the fyrst of that name dyd consente / then afterwardes his sone Otho the seconde and after hym Otho thyrde also dyd the same breefly the same dyd all the dukes of Saxonye But when Otho the thyrd was elected beyÌ„g yet in a maner but a chylde the Romanes were greatly offended and greued therwithall for they dyd couet greatly to haue had a certeyn man Crescentiê° magnê° whiche was consull of the cytye of Rome made emê‘our / whome when they had also elected and chosen then pope Gregory the .v. fled to Otho in germanie whose cousyn he was And otho goyng forth with verye greate strenghe besyeged the cytye of Rome with a passynge great hoste and waÌ„ne it in whiche bykeryng Crescentius was stryken thoroghe and slayne and the newe pope IohnÌ„ had his yeis put out / pope Gregory the .v. therfore gathered a counseyll that he myght decree after what forme and maner the elections were to be made of the newe kynge or emperour for the emê‘ours were in the power of the popes because they had sworne to theym as vnto theyr lordes lykwise as the Othoes had don wherfore the popes toke then vp on theym selues to gouerne and rule thempyer with full powere auctoryte For when one wold not sweare to suche thynges as they dyd requyre nor kepe and fulfyll suche thynges as he had sworne to there was fouÌ„de another prynce which was ful glad to sweare onely to th entent that he myght ones be made Emperour And suche maner contentions and pryde of the Prynces dyd gyue the pope occasyon and place often and sundrye tymes to inuade thempyer ¶ In this great counseyll it was decreed and ordeyned by the pope he beynge a Germayne whiche descended of the lynage of the dukes of Saxonye that frome that tyme forwarde there sholde no more ony Emperour be made of the lyne or blodde of the Romanes The begynnyng of chosyng the emperour in Germany but onely of the Germanyes and it was put in thelection power and auctorite of the prynces of Germanye to make emperour whom they lyst And this thynge was constytuted by Gregorie the .v. and by the counseyll in the yere of our lorde M.ij. From suche a begynnyng it came afterwardes in to a custome that thempeours were made by the voyces of seuen prynces of Germanye the electours which thynge we do se to be done euen at these present dayes therfore the kyng or emperour of the Romanes is named the son and the defender of the chirche of Rome oneles we wyll that our faythe shold decay perysh After suche facion do the popes now a daies vexe dyuers wayes and subdue vnto them the sely emperours of Rome euen as coursers do horses / what soeuer thyng they couet to be brought to passe in any parte of the worlde they do send a cardynall called a legat a latere vnto themperour puttyng hym in remembraunce of his offyce duetye and of the othe which he hathe made and oneles he wyll be made periured he is compelled to assyst the pope in all thynges whether it be right or wroÌ„g which in the meane season being instructe with goodly paynted eloqueÌ„ce ê‘swadeth euen this thyng also for that the Pope can not erre c. Reade thou the histories whether this thynge be trewe or not / now all power auctorite is turned cleane contrarye to the ryght way Constantyne the fyrst with his successours which professed Chryste dyd create make and confyrme all the popes of rome also all the other bysshops but nowe the popes of Rome do make both kynges and emê‘ours bysshops and abbottes / what so euer is in the worlde Moreouer the pope that he myght ordre all thinges accordyng to couÌ„seyl and polycye of the olde serpente dyd assemble one counseyl after another in whiche counseylles he dyd constytute and decree what so euer thynge made for his purpose and what so euer thyng did not lyke hyÌ„ or dyd make against his purpose that he dyd forbed vnder payne of the thunderbolt of excommunycation Thus were the pryuyleges of the chyrche of Rome inuented and afterwardes obteyned by the confyrmation of the Romane emperours and dylygently gathered to gether into the canon lawe / but yet if any thing had ben forgoten by theyr necligence strayght wayes they patched to an extrauagant with this lawe the pope hath well armed and fenced hym selfe that there shold be no maÌ„ at ony tyme whiche myghte be bolde in ony thynge to gayne say hym Here the pope settith his seate egall to god or to reproue hym constytutyng and exalting hym selfe aboue all men in the whole worlde as it is writen in the same lawe in the .ix. cause the thyrde question Nemo c. with many other vayne tryfles / and he dyd not onely reiecte men from hym selfe or his owne ê‘son but also he hathe drawen bothe the verye gospell yea and all the hole scrypture in to captyuite no man darynge ones to vse it but as farforthe as his consent and fauour shall permitte and suffre Be sydes that he hathe decreed that no man shall either teache or vnderstonde the scrypture otherwise then as the Pope hathe gyuen sentence and iudgemeÌ„t vnpon it Also that no man shall either truste or gyue faste and sure credence to the vertue and auctoryte of the holy scriptures yf the
Pope wyl not consente therto in the .xvij. cause and in the fourth question Nemini c. in the .xxiiij. cause and the fyrst questioÌ„ Quotiens / and so coÌ„sequeÌ„tly in diuers other chapiters But what other thyÌ„g is the scrypture then the word of goddes mouthe as the .lxxxvj. psalme doth wytnes saing Dominus narrabit in scripturis c. The lord shall speke or tell in the scryptures The scrypture therfore is the speache of god which is the verye truthe selfe / and his speache is truthe in the .xvij. of IohnÌ„ Moreouer Chryst sayth I am the waye veryte and lyfe / Yf chryste then is the truthe and the scrypture as is sayd before is also the same truthe now then seynge scrypture as is afore declared is the popes captiue which maketh of it what he wyll it foloweth necessaryly that chryste the eternal god is the popes captyue also presoner Oh serpent Lucyfer what maner a newe god doest thou here brynge forthe to vs what maner a newe fayth it lacketh not moche but that I do thynke hym to be that beaste with .vij. heddes and .x. hornes of which IohnÌ„ speakith in the .xiij. chapiter of the apocalypse / of these thynges dothe folowe this proposytion that it were as profitable yea I had well neare sayd more profytable also that all the hole scrypture the holy gospell were abrogate and cleane put awaye then that it sholde contynew in suche state and captyuyte / Yf this holsom message ought to be preached and shewed to no man more largly as they do say then as moche as the pope / wyll confyrme and alowe Be sydes this we do se openly before our yeis that the pope dothe in some places moost openly and playnly reiecte the scripture and mynyshe the auctorite of it settyng his owne lawes in egall degree of honour and makyng theym egall vnto it in reuerence and strenghte and vertue whiche thyng that thou mayste perceyue to be trewe rede the canon lawe in the .xix. distinction Sic omnes c. But wherfore serueth the holy scrypture or what nedeth vs to haue it if the pope hym selfe be to vs the scripture Oh wretched man how farre doeth thy madnes procede whiche doeste make thy seate equall to thy lorde god whiche did not suffre neither Lucyfer in heuen neither Adam in paradise so longe as he doeth patiently suffer that in earthe But suche maner blasphemyes agaynste god doeth the olde serpeÌ„t bryng forth by Aristotelycall Thomisticall diuynite Freers and the subtyll ymagynation of the Scotistes do rayse vp suche maner goddes lykewyse as the lorde god hathe sygnyfyed by his holy prophete Ezechiel in the .viij. chapytre do you not thynke that the walles of our herte and the vsage of the chirche doeth conteine the moste greatest parte of the pyctures the ymages of abhomynations which are mentioned in the sayd chapyter and vnder a good and religious semblaunce euen suche goldeÌ„ calues also as hieroboam dyd make in the olde tyme The pope a new god euen lykewyse as yf he dyd say in that place you christen men loke well vpon the Pope whiche is your god whiche hathe in his power heueÌ„ and hell you do beleue him iii ReguÌ„ xii what soeuer he doethe is ryghtwyse neyther do you nede to requyre ony more of hierusalem tary you styll in Bethell ther to offre your brent sacrifices Many thynges myght be wryteÌ„ of this boystous newe god but who soeuer list to know his newe faith his lyfe and his gouernauÌ„ce let hym rede the canon lawe whiche he hath made / and let hym compare it to the holy scrypture and to the olde faythe of Christ and it shall appere to him more clerly then the sonne that he is a newe god and a newe faythe / let ony man searche thoroughe out the cronycles and hystoryes and he shall fynde in a maner that not the deuyl hyÌ„self was euer so ê‘suÌ„ptuoê° so filthy so synful mischeuoê° Now he that hath ben at Rome Pope Alexandre the vi pope Iuly the ii in the tyme of Pope Alexandre the vi or of Pope Iuly the seconde he shall not nede to reade manye hystories / I put it to his Iudgement wether euer ony of the pay nyms or of the Turkes dyd euer leade suche a life as did these our most holy popes And albeit peraduenture that I do ouermoche touche the fundation do medle to moche with this matier / whiche may turne me to dyspleasure yet that not withstondynge it is profytable verye necessarye that the trouth be assysted defended leaste that ony man do preferre or make egal the Imaginations and inuentions of man vnto the euerlastynge ryghtuous moost good most greate and myghty god least man do put his trust and confydence in man and so by the reason therof be condempned aeternally The greattest plage punyshmeÌ„t in earthe This I do saye god coulde neuer haue suffred a greatter nor a sorer punyshement and plage to falle in to this worlde then blyndenes ygnoraunce and vnbeleefe for the scrypture sayth mooste euydently who so euer doeth not beleue vnderstande thou the holy scryptures he is alredy iudged Therfore when we will by no meane gyue credence to the holy scrypture but we will with roten gloses expouÌ„de it turne it in to all facions after our pseasure as it were a peace of wexe the god of his ryghtuousenes doeth permit and suffre that we can none otherwyse iudge nor otherwise knowe but that in so doyng we do all ryght and well In suche maner and incredulyte we do continue and in our owne carnall and wordely wysedome we do contynually procede and go forwarde and so we do rayse vp a newe faythe / we do set vp a newe god / of whome we shall also receyue the rewarde of our merytes and deseruynges O. wo. wo. be to this rewarde eternally O moste tender dearly beloued chrysten men plucke backe your fote gyue your selues to Christ the most good gentill lorde that he maye gouerne you whiche may helpe vs for euermore The cause of the exaltation of the pope and of sayntes So then the olde serpente Lucyfer hathe broughte to the worlde this excellent straunge new god no lesse craftely then in the olde tyme they whiche wrote tha fable of transformatyon as Ouide amonge latine meÌ„ by shewyng of Homere as I suppose in which sayd fable men are turned in to wolues into asses in to gotes / in to byrdes / in to herbes / in to stones / whiche thynge the goddes and goddesses Iupyter Pallas Iuno Appollo Venê° c dyd work by theyr power which after theyr deth were made gods of meÌ„ For iÌ„ the olde tyme as euery man or woman was excellent notable whiche had syngularly either inuented or elles done ony thynge whiche the people knewe not before so was he or she magnyfyed and exalted for a god or goddesse as Hercules an excellent
I cannot tell what came in to theyr myndes thei haue made them selues a better name now a daies they are called the fryers of saynt Marye our lady I maruayll greatly in asmoche as our lady saint Mary was neuer Nunne nor neuer did make ony relygyous man why thei do cal them selues our ladies fryers they sholde moche better more rightfulli be called Helies fryers of Helie / from this beginnynge hath so greate dyuyne honour come forth of greate holynes from so olde an orygynall of that ordre euen from Helye if it be true But if a holy place Nota. and longe tyme may make good and vertuous men then sholde the deuyll be very good and holy whose ordre began in heueÌ„ before the creation of man But the soldane consydered the thynge the ryght wey for after that they chauÌ„ged theyr orygenall he droue theÌ„ out of his londe to whom before he had ben very often benefycyall Dominik was a good maÌ„ Fryers prechers comeÌ„ly called the blakce fryres of a good mynd he did inuent a mean waye after whiche men myght lyue better accordyng to the gospell at suche tyme as he was yet a chanon regulare Now thei do a scrybe to hym that he was called by goddes owne selfe to that so hyghe and excellent ordre and that god had put hyÌ„ in to it that the blessed vyrgyn the mother of god did vpon hym his religious habyte I neuer knewe that our lady saynt Marye dyd make freers que certe reÌ„ quasi acu tetigit for the dominicanes do gyue great honour and reuereÌ„ce to our lady as in Berna Senis laudably and gloryously / and lykewyse in other places as we haue often tymes harde saye / I maruayll greatly that you also are not called our Ladyes freers syth it is so the you haue receiued your habite of her But ê‘adueÌ„tur the Carmelites haue goteÌ„ this name from you at rome of the pope which adourned theym with suche a name Yf that another man sholde doo this we wolde saye that he dyd renye his owne name Thomas of aquyne Afterwardes Thomas of Aquine lyked well the lyfe of Domynyk and therfore he toke it vpon hym so continued this sayd Thomas / when at the begynnyng he dyd loue naturall artes and wysdome in processe of tyme he fell to the study of dyuynyte wherin he bestowed all labour and dylygence to get the vnderstondyng of the holy scryptures / and accordyng to the olde vsage custom of philosophers he began to compare the philosophies to the scrypture of god by the philosophers he dyd measure iudge it / howbeit yet it was neuer his mynde that those thynges whiche he had wryten sholde be accompted taken for artycles of the fayth for he doeth submyt all his workes to the prymates of the chryche and to the iudgement of wyse men which thynge may be suffered / but what thynges haue spronge afterwardes therof In lyke maner as I sayd here to fore of hercules / saturnê° of other wyse men whiche after theyr deathe were set vp for goddes euen so also do the freers preachers now extoll and magnyfy their Thomas / holye Thomas / a holy doctor of the chyrche a holy doctor approued by the see apostolique moche after the same fashion as the prophet sayth / the temple of the lord / the tempell of the lord / the temple of the lorde / they saye also that Chryste from the crosse spake with thomas and sayd O Thomas thou hast wryten well of me They do fashyon to hym a greate dyadeame and do set a dooue vpon his sholdre / whiche doeth loke in to his eares and doethe whysper somewhat in to theym make a gose on the other syde which may betoken his gret dyuynyte and godhed / when we doo entre in to theyr chyrches all the tables are full of freers painted lyenge in beddes to whome doeth come golden beames from they wyndowes by these beames god doeth wonderfully talke with theym from aboue one myracle vpon another Besydes this thei do crye saint Thomas is the greateste and chefe of all doctors and teachers of holy dyuynyte nere at his hande they doo paynte an Instrument of the body of Christ as though he had excellently writen therof Saint paule the apostle dyd neuer boste that hym selfe was aboue all teachers but he called hym selfe leaste of the apostles vnwyse and yet to hym god had gyuen testymonye of wysdome But you freers preachers haue made good saint Paule inferyor to Thomas and do you wene that you haue done a greate pleasure to your Thomas that you haue exalted hym for a god veryly it is no pleasure to hym at all / who so euer doeth not hold saint Thomas that man is susspected in his doctryne who so euer doeth mynyshe the auctorite of hym he doth greatly hurte the tendre eares of the Thomistes and who so euer doeth reiecte Thomas that man immedyately is an heretyke and worthy to be caste in to the fyre Now I do knowe yf Thomas be conferred to the scrypture he doeth halte greatly / yea he hath defyned manye thynges falsely whiche thynge neyther hym selfe nor ony of his fryers dyd euer vnderstond or perceyue My couÌ„ceyll therfore shall be / that Thomas sholde contynew Thomas he is a good and sufficyent defender of his owne selfe where he wrote well / but in suche thinges wherin he dyd erre in those you cannot helpe him though you do magnify and exalte him neuer so hygh contrary to his owne will / for Thomas is nothynge elles but Thomas when you haue all done that euer you can / be conteÌ„t and suffre that he may abyde one in the nombre and sorte of other good felowes Do not cast your selues within euery gate dore then shall you not be pressed and thrunge who so hath eares to here let hym here / last of all you do hange forthe a greate table a brode in syght in which table do stond froth dyuers of your freers goodly paynted one a cardinall / another a bysshop / the thyrde a doctor / the fourthe an astronomer / one holdeth a lylye in his hande an other a shepehoke / and manye relygyous women leaues of bokes are meÌ„gled among cleauing fast in the brauÌ„ches of a paynted tree to and fro as it were doues couered with greate diadeames / which of the deuylles hath shewed by reuelation vnto you that al these are in heuen do you suppose that the pope maye make sayntes yf I had money euen my seruaunt shold be made a saiÌ„t hipocritically / you do wandre from one place to another as it were pies / I do tell you a thynge as true as an oracle you are knowen neyther wyll ye euer rest vntyll the same thinge do chaunce to you which in the olde tyme dyd chaunce to the relygyons of the templaries Saynte Fraunciske Take now forewarning / where is our good franciske
Chrystē mē are admonyshed Now whyles we do lyue in this worlde in the precious time of grace if we will not open the eyes of our vnderstondyng but wyll be content in the outewarde vsage custome wenynge that we haue hytte the right nayle on the hed and in the meane season do not regarde the true kernell inwarde thynges we shall perceyue afterwardes but to our moost and perpetuall losse and harme our errour and iorney out of the wey that we dyd by and take the fisshe Nasus in stede of the noble fisshe Asta / but then the market shall be passed when the spouse shall be entred in and shall haue shytte the yate after hym And excusatyon wherfore most welbeloued and good chrysten men do not take otherwise then well this my showyng declaratiō of your errour although it be somewhat harde and sharpe for the body is of more value then the cote the soule of more value then the body all lordshyp peryssheth and forsaketh vs in the extreme artycle of deathe There foloweth no man but our owne workes to accompany vs vnto the strayghte and heuy Iudgement of the very rightuous god where bothe a kyng and a shepard shall be egally regarded and the pope and a symple preest bothe moche lyke reputed we wyll be chrysten men go we then and let vs not thus banishe our most gentle and most mercyful redemer Iesu Christ altogether ī to wildernes let vs suffre that he may reuyue agayne by holy scrypture nor let vs not so rage and play the cruell tyrauntes agaynst him vpon his membres that that psalme be not sayde of vs to our perpetuall infamy shame Ouare fremuerūt gentes c In that noble psalme we se what harde sore iudgementes god hath gyuen The second boke NOwe wil I adde a certeyn litle brief instructiō as it were a rule or marke by whiche ony man what soeuer he be of the symple comē people for the great doctours and laboryours martires the saruauntes of the temples peraduenture haue no nede at all of it beyng certayne and assured of them that they may perceyue their owne dysseases and so shall they haue helpe orelles neuer I may easely perceyue and iudge in the dayly custum of our faythe / and in the vsage adn ryghtes of the chyrches which we do se daily to encreace what is the olde god the olde faith the olde doctrine and on the contrary parte also what is the newe god the newe faythe / and the newe doctryne that many good men be not so myserably seduced / and suffred to remayne in dyffydence mysbeleue of all their workes and rewarde concernynge god theyr neighbour wherof doeth neuer grow or come forth ony good thynge Fyrst what is the worde of god For asmoche as no man doeth know for certenty what god is but onely as ferre as hym selfe hath reueled vnto vs the onely by his holy scrypture it shall not be lawfull for vs otherwyse to speake to teache of god to beleue to hope whiche rule let all men well considre thē holy scriptures do teache and instructe vs a forme wherof appereth in the thyrde chapytre of Exodus The seconde The hyghest worshyp honour and glorye whiche almyghty god doeth aske and requyre of all men is that euery man shold symply gyue credence to the mouth and wordes of god without ony humayne addition Iohn the .xvij. a forme wherof is most openly shewed Numeri xiij and .xiiij. wherof it foloweth that faythe is the hyghest good worke and the greatest worshyp and seruyce of god and the only meane of our helthe and saluation for by faythe we are vnyed and knytte to god Ihon the .xiij. Capytre and the C.v. Psalme and Eccliāst xxxij The thyrde / the chrysten faythe is the holy scrypture which scrypture is the mother of the chrysten chyrche Iohn̄ the .xvij. and in the fyrste to the Corinthyans the .iiij. chaptyre All these men / whiche from the botom and innermoste fountayne of theyr hart do gyue credence to the scrypture are regenerates the sonnes of god Iohn̄ the fyrst the .xvij. and as longe as they doo contynue in faythe they do also contynue and are the sonnes of god and are also the coherytours with Chryst of the kyngdome of god Roma .viii. Now if they be inheritour of the kyngdome of god they are safe wherfore it foloweth that all we are saued or made safe onely by the chrysten faythe / and by none other thyng Eccliāst .xxxiiij. An example wherof is rede in the .xiiij. chapytre of Numeri The fourth All the scrypture whiche hath proceded from god doeth shewe teache vnto Cryst Iesus the son fo god Iohn̄ the .v. chapytre Now that foloweth that the holy scrypture is the crysten mother whiche doeth gendre vs by faythe Iohn̄ the .xvij. and that all men which do beleue the scrypture as it was said before are the onely doughter of it a pure an incorrupte vyrgyne whose mery louely spouse is Chryste Iesu Math. the .ix. hereof we may perceyue that which is comenly sayd that no man can be saued out of the chyrsten chyrche / is in no wyse vnderstonded in his fundation of the pope the bysshopryche of Rome whiche are outward thynges mutable But this is vnmutable cleauing faste vnto the soule and not of mans reason or strenght but of the holy ghoste ¶ The fyfth Albeit in the scrypture faythe is singularly spoken by it selfe in the seconde chapytre of the prophet Osee / and good charyte is syngularly extolled in the .xiij. chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Corynthyans / hope lykewyse in the .viij. chapytre to the Romanes and semblably here there in other places of the scrypture yet for all that the chrysten fayth is neuer in this worlde seperated nor departed from charyte and hope for as moche faythe as is in the as moche also is there of charyte and hope in the / then fyrste do sprynge good workes folowyng as sygnes tokens of thy faythe whiche thou haste by charyte in hope vnto thy lorde god Mathue the .vij. chapytre Of these thynges take a very necessary instruction lesson That the seruauntes or mynysters of the temples are excedyng folyshe whiche do put all theyr faythe hope in workes to the ceremonyes of the chyrche so that yf they shall haue trymly garnyshed decked the aulters with many ymages / candelstyckes and shall haue set rounde a boute the aulters as it were a certeyne of trees and then do offre do syng masse / do make a clatteryng with belles / and do runne about in the chyrche euen vntyll they do swete be hoorse they wold affyrme with an othe that they haue wrought a good worke to god albeit that in all these thinges now rehersed there stondeth not the value of one peace yea althoughe none of all these thynges were done yet wold not god be angry
asmoche as his herte is taken awaye that he doo wrest and sygh for desyre to come vnto that thynge wherunto it is drawen / and wherupon it is stedfastly set that is to were to our lorde Iesu Christ onely Luke the fyrst Now yf a man doeth lyue in god / he is made one with god IohnÌ„ the .xvij. Famyliarite with god And whan he is thus made one with god he hath also famylyaryte with god god with hym which in these dayes is nothyng elles but the knowlege of god of his wyl and desyre psal xxxv after which succedeth also that help of the deuyne grace that we maye be more more lyghtened in the wyll of the lorde And the amyte and frendshyp whiche god hath with man and man with god is knytte and made one in the dyuyne seale / which is the holy scripture Ro. xv for the scrypture is closed vp sealed rounde aboute to al the myghty men / to all the wise / and the learned men / of the worlde / that they can not vnderstonde it neyther shall they vnderstonde it whyles the worlde stondeth luke xvj ye more ouer they are the more blynded more obstynately made harde herted / by the obiectyng layeng of the scrypture against theym IohnÌ„ the .xix. wherfore it shold not force the value of a straw whether one be a doctor of dyuynyte or not / whether he be a bysshop or pope / or els a swynherd / or ony other abiecte and vyle person For god hym selfe hath reserued to his owne selfe the election and yate whom he lyst to fauor / and whome to hate / to whome he lyst gyue moche of his grace to whome lytell Exodi xxxiij And although there were no scripture in the world at all / neyther ony other vnderstondynge / then this rule yet neuertheles all men ought to rayse vp theym selues / and to lyfte vp theyr heddes vnto god / saynge in this wyse / Lorde I am a wretched synÌ„er / haue pytye and compassyoÌ„ vpon my desolation and mysery But the wise men the greate doctours maysters the olde mynysters of the temple haue no nede of these thiÌ„ges / there is weightyer maters to do they wryte them selues to be the enemyes of suche maner folyshe and vnwyse men in Chryste Beware you subtyle wyse men least that yrene rynge of Senacherib be not fastened in to your nosethrylles / that your owne propre worldly wysedome do sclaunder you gyue you a fal perpetually accordyng to the worde of god .j. Coryntheo .iij. wherto serueth your power without the feare of god / and the knowlege of holye scrypture but onely that poore men may be sore vexed seduced / and that we may thrust downe the hueye burthen of pharao dayely more and more most cruelly vpoÌ„ the neckes of our innocent subiectes albeit that they are fre from it / haue ben delyuerd by chryste Iesu our lorde / paule wytnessyth that our synnes haue soo greatly prouoked the indignation wrath of god that he hathe set ouer vs for prices rulers feminine heddes Curlues / kyghtes / goshawkes / gripes / we do dayly receiue mo The xjx There can not a more excellent or a more noble treasure be fouÌ„d in this world then a true rightuous preacher of the worde of god in the pulpet A good preacher Mathue .xiij. who so euer is of honest of chast and of chrysten lyfe vpon suche one the comynalte ought not to spare for ony cost / for as the pipe goeth so do the gestes that are bydden daunce Yf the preacher be true and well skylled in the scryptures no doubte of it god speaketh by his mouth but yf he be vntrue and gylefull god is farre from hym Belsebub speaketh by his mouthe Mathue the .xiij. And where shall the people learne to knowe god but by the open sermons if then the preacher doeth set forth before his eares the pure wheate graines wtout ony chafe then the gestes whiche do syt at the table A symylytude of the worde of god doo eate pure and fyne whyte breade / whiche after that it is dysgested doeth gendre pure subtyle and naturall blode this blode causeth good complexyon which good complexyon gyueth sure and stable healthe / and this good healthe causeth good operacyons of which ê“cedeth laude and honour So the worde of god is that pure breade set forth afore the people by the preacher / the gestes that is to wete the people which heareth the worde yf they do take it with dilygence they do disgest it in contemplation consyderation what was spoken / how it was spoken / why it was spoken / wherof is gendred good and subtyle blode that is to saye yf they do learne to vnderstond and knowe what god is / what is the true honour of hym / what is the true fayth / which be the very right and good workes / O man coÌ„sydre what man is / that is to wete vtterly nothyng / and which is able to do no good as of hyÌ„ selfe c. This vnderstoÌ„dynge knowlege doeth engendre and cause a quyet conscyence whiche elles is troubled and disquyeted with peuyshe questions and with dyffydence dystruste Now a conscyence hauynge this vnderstondyng beynge hole quyet doeth make a man constaÌ„t in all aduersytyes that he may vnderprop hym selfe with god the scripture as vpoÌ„ a rock Suche good stronge establyshed helth bryngeth the very ryght maner and forme of thinges to be done to be left vndone wherof fyrst doo aryse good workes acceptable vnto god For a worke how so euer greate it be or may be yf it haue not a pure wyll entente and also good and godly cyrcumstaunces verely it is nothynge worthe / but who shall tell and shewe so hygh thynges to the simple comeÌ„ people saue onely a well learned preacher and which feareth god when the people heare none other thynge then the pure scrypture then also doeth none other vnderstondynge and perceiuyng chaunce to the sayd people concernynge god and his wyll / then which is right and true Note and marke well you bysshops as that god is trouthe god is eternall lyfe hereof ensueth good peace compassyon among the people whiche the worde of god doeth cause and brynge forthe / what thynge is better in this worlde then peace to haue compassion among our selues eche with other of our mysery where vndoubtedly god him selfe doech dwel with good fortune welth The .xx. There can no more noysome nor more stroÌ„ge nor more pestiferous poyson eyther be deuysed or be found vpon the earthe then a false and gylefull preacher Mathue the xxiiij Turne the symylytude of the breade which was giuen not longe here to fore and thou shalt perceyue this to be true Paule in the .x. chapitre to the Romanes saith thus who so euer shall call vpon the name of the lord shall
which are those naturall masters which haue taught so greate wysedomes Arystotle is chefe and hed of al / then plato / Auerrois / Pythagoras / Ah soo then I do here that Arystotle / Auerrois / and Plato are censors Iudges / which may giue senteÌ„ce Iudgment of the holy scripture thou answerest these men do vse theym in theyr bokes thrughout the hole workes Tell me further then / these naturall masters and wyse men were they cristen men or were they panyms geÌ„tyles gentyles / graecians / arabyans ExpouÌ„de declare to me / whom doest thou call gentyles these which do not beleue in god / so as we do now beleue and as the Iewes did vnder the law of Moyses O good syr how coulde then the gentyles iudge vpon the wordes of god yf they neuer hadde knowlege of god who was theyr god The Sonne / the Mone / Iuppyter / Mars the other rable of ydolles Ah a goodly thynge in dede / and what were suche maner ydolles The famyly and householde of SathaÌ„ The coÌ„clusion of this worke Now wil we syt downe together and seke bakwardes the olde god the olde faith doctrine â–ª what thynkest thou yf thy sathaÌ„ sholde at the last be made thyn olde god Arystotle the murtherer / Auerrois / the sodomyter / Plato the traytour thyn olde faythe thyn olde doctryn wherfore this sayeng of thyn is nought / all my lyfe tyme I haue herd it thê° said therfore I wyll not chauÌ„ge my mynde and opynyon There is a comen prouerbe whiche goeth aboute / and it is full true Not all that glytterethe is golde what comparisoÌ„ is there betwen chaffe and pure fyne whete As who shold say none at al. Herken this sentence O thou olde foole how the lord god speaketh as touchyng to this article by his ê“phet Hieremie in the .xiij. chapitre Yf a man of Iude can chaunge his skynne or a lybarde his chauÌ„geable spottes as who shold say that may in no wyse be then can you also doo well when you haue learned wyckednes and synÌ„e O wo wo how sore a sayeng is this Thou foole reade Hieremie thrughout and he shall shewe vnto the thy folysshenes / that he was onelye sent forth of god for cause of this artycle beynge so roially prepaired in his mothers wombe / and that it was longe before shewed to him how many old obstinate malycyous fooles sholde resyst hym with theyr olde god theyr olde fayth theyr olde doctryne / which shold pursue hym despyse hym / at the last slee hym yet sholde they not for all that ouercom hym / wold god folyshe wise men wolde dilygently reade this prophet thorough / yf there dyd remayne ony sparkle of the feare of god in theym no doubte of it they sholde tourne theym selues / acknowlege theyr errour But what shall I say the voice crye of theim is the lambe / the lambe as the wolfe did continually crye whan he was turmented vexed with hunger But I do not meruayle therat ony thyng at all / for thexperyence of all tymes doeth wytnesse that the lorde god hath ben of no man more hadde in contempte more ê‘secuted Of men of holy ordre god is most despysed and more despytuously entreated / then of theym which haue syngular and specyall commyssion of him that they sholde shewe forth the laude and glorye of god to all men / for that hoore cladde in purple / and garnyshed with golde and precious stones / euen vntyll this day holdeth in her handes a golden cuppe / full of the blasphemyes of god / offerynge and reachynge it forthe to all her wowers and lovers / with whiche cuppe she doeth make dronken all the prynces of the earth / as she her selfe is dronken of the bloude of the saintes martyres of Iesu Chryst This harlotte shall exercyse her owne lustes and pleasures / with this potion / euen vntyll the worldes ende that she may be cast downe hedlong and slayne onely of our lorde Iesu Chryste for to hym this vyctory is reserued wherfore lette no man be offended or meruaile why they are in so high estate and prosperyte / and why all thiÌ„ges do go so luckely forthwarde with theym all theyr enemies being suppressed vndone / and sometyme slayne also For so it must nedes be accordyng to the ê“phecy of Danyell in the .viij. chapytre who so hath eares let hym heare And take you these thynges in good worthe and to the beste Yf I haue bene in ony thynge to bolde what so euer I haue done verely I haue done it for your proffet / to th ende that no man sholde come in to errour / and so by the reason therof be daÌ„pned ê‘petualy / where from god pÌ„serue vs by his high grace Amen Here endeth the boke of the olde god the newe of the olde fayth and the newe of the olde doctryne and the new or the orygynal begynnynge of Idolatrye VIVE LE ROI Imprynted at London in Fletesrete by me Iohan Byddell / dwelling at the sygne of our Lady of pite next to Flete brydge M.v. C.xxxiiij the xv day of Iune Cum priuilegio Regali Fyrste reade / and then Iudge