sortes are here to be sold Buy what you will for monie downe told Churches Priestes Altars Offrings and Crownes We passe for quicke sale all cities and townes Fire Franckincense Dirges and pardons from paine Hell Heauen God the Diuell we giue all for gaine Wherewith a good Abbat doth finelie agree who being asked Papa cuius partis orationis That is to say What part of speeche is this word Pope Answered that it was Participii partis Quia partem capit a Clero partema Seculari partem ab vtroque cum totius orbis doloris significatione sine modis temporibus That is to say This word Pope is a participle or of the qualitie of those which put foorth their hands on both sides of the dishe for he receiues of the Spiritualtie hee receiues of the Temporaltie doth parte stakes on both sides without measure or end to the great anguish and sorowe of all the world And for proofe of this may be sufficientlie perceiued by the taxes or valuing of Benefices wherout the Pope must alwais haue his share For to let sky a manie of scrappes which he so carefullie doeth gather from vnder the table of the Beneficed like a dogge onlie the first yerely fruites which the Bishops Abbats Prelats and other beneâ—ice buiers must alow the Pope do amount onelie in France yere by yere but to tenne times an hundreth thousand Crownes Yea in the time of Pope Pius the 2. were void in France aboue twentie so of Archbishoprikes as Bishoprikes which brought to his coffers a hundreth twentie thousand Crownes After that he receiued not much lesse of xl Abbies which were likewise voide in his time And further of Priories Deanties and Parsonages he got in no lesse than an hundreth thousand Crownes And aboue all these were there about an hundreth thousand parish Churches Pastorships which the one with the other did eche alow to the Pope xxv Crownes Behold and consider if this doth not in the whole amount vnto xxviii times an hundreth thousande and more xl thousand Crownes Reckon then and ouercast all the other profites besides the first fruites And then ponder what a monstrous summe of money al other countries throughout all Christendome doe bring together which in a manner are serued with the like sawce I omit the reuenewes which he receiueth and is paid euerie yere by the strumpets of Rome amounting for eche paid a Ducate aboue fortie thousand Ducates besides that which he dueth likewise get of the Iewes and further that which is brought him in the chamber of penance where the remission of all sinnes are rated and taxed at a certen price like as we haue touched before and graunted dispensations for to marrie with their neerest kinred whiche is not allowed to anie but such as be riche For thus soundeth the text Et nota diligenter quod huiusmodi gratiae dispensationes non coÌ„ceduntur pauperibus quia non sunt ideo non possunt consolari That is to say And note diligentlie that such fauour and dispensations are not alowed to the poore for they are not and therefore can not be comforted Behold this is a text of the Bible which speaking of the people of Israel vnder the name of Rachel saith that she is mournfull and doth bewaile her children and can not be comforted because they are not present This doeth the holie Romish Church vnderstand of the poore fellowes which haue no Ducates or Crownes of golde and therefore can not be relieued in the chamber of penance where none finde ease but such as will come off and deale liberallie But who were able to declare al the sundrie merchandizes fines trumperies and simonie of the most holie fathers and Pope of Rome It is euen a verie bottomles poole whiche doeth surpasse mans capacitie Insomuch as wee neede not maruell that Pope Iohn the 22. after his discease did leaue vnto his successours xxv Millians or xxv times thousand thousand Crownes in redie monie which after our reckoning is fiue hundreth tonnes of golde Besides all that which he whilest he was Pope did wastfullie spende and consume with whores and knaues with sumptuous and daintie fare with riot and banqueting and other such like Popelie holinesse the which vndoubtedlie was an infinite masse of monie Therefore it is that the Archbishop of Maydenburg noting this summe and hauing cast and reckoned that in the time of Pope Martin the fift were brought into Rome as good as nine millians of golde which is nine times thousande thousande Crownes onelie out of France with great admiration vsed these wordes Iudicet timoratus quae vorago haec That is to say Each one which feareth God record and iudge hereby what an vnsatiable bottomlesse poole this is But what nedeth further repetition hereof Euerie one doth know wel inough that al things with the Popes of Rome are set at sale And this appeareth sufficiently by the worthie actes of the holy fathers Alexander the 6. and Leo the tenth For of the first did Iohn Picus Prince of Mirandula write thus Vendit Alexander Cruces Altaria Christum Emerat ipse prius Vendere iure potest That is to say Vpstart Pope Alexander and out with his male And made vp his market What set he to sale Christ by Saint Maerie Altars and Crosses He bought them to sell them Men liue not by losses And of the other did the learned Poet Accius Sannaharius indite as followeth Sacra sub extrema Si forte requiritis hora Cur Leo non potuit Sumere vendiderat That is to say If this to knowe be your intent Why Leo at his dying day Could not receiue the Sacrament What other cause did lette I pray But that for greedie gaine of gold Out of his hands the same he sold. But if promotions and benefices were onelie to be solde for monie and bribes then were our deare mother the holy church to be borne with and not greatly to bee blamed But what helpeth it It is apparantlie perceiued that they are to be gotten by Ruffianlike liuing whorehunting periurie and abhominable Sodomiticall filthinesse For to the end I let slip that Pope Paulus the third after that he was put by the third time did at last obteine a Cardinals hatte by the importunate instigation of his sister Iulia Fernesia Pope Alexanders strumpet who threatened to forsake him vnlesse he would admit her brother into the honest and worthie fellowshippe of Cardinals To the end I also let slip the forenamed litle Cardinal of Monte who by his filthie Sodomitical mildemeanour possessed the Cardinals hat of Pope Iulius de Monte. Those which haue but a while frequented Rome can testifie that it is a common order vsuall course yea it is not of to day nor yesterday but it is one of the olde traditions or customes of the holie Romish Church which she without setting downe in writing hath receiued from the father to the childe or from heire to
Iewes Therfore that which they do and ordeine hath an other maner of couÌ„tenance than that which the Iewes haue ordeined Therefore must our former argument remaine fast vnmoueable especially considering that the Church of Rome is fullye credited in the one therefore must shee of necessitie be as wel beleeued in the other For truely this argument is the trimmest and finest stuffe whereof Iohn Blindasinus hath made his Panoplie which is as muh to say as his Ful furniture of weapons harnesse For by this is proued that S. FraÌ„cis Vineyarde The goldeÌ„ Legend The booke called Conform S. Franc. And the Masse booke must be as much esteemed in all respects as the very scripture of the Bible yea in the boke called Confo S. Fran. which was made by Barthol of Pisa is alowed for good in the chap. of Assis. In the yere 1389. is written That the same booke is better thaÌ„ the Gospell for that Saint Francis is placed in Lucifers seat aboue all the companies of Angels at the vpper ende of all Also there followeth out of the same that the common sort of people may be as well instructed in the knoweledge of God by dumbe Images and mumming representations as by the preaching of the Gospel and that men must as well christen the Belles at the Font as the children whiche are shapen after the likenesse of God and bought by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ that in baptising shall be vsed spittle and oyntment as well as water that the holy Sacrament shall bee caried about the streetes in the Procession with Baners and Pipes as well as it shall be taken and eaten in the Congregation of the faythfull in remembrance of the death of the Lorde In summe men are as deepely bound to do that which the holy Church and the Popes of Rome haue dreamed set vp and commaunded as that which by the expresse worde of God and by the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles is specially commaunded Yea and I praye you why should it not be so Seeing out of the same argument it must of necessitie be concluded that the word of God cannot be Gods word but it must first by the church be therto shapen fashioned For note well this word is with special wordes of our learned master Iodocus Tiletanus in writing thus That the worde of God alone conteyned in the holy Scriptures of the old and the newe Testamentes together with the three Symbols or Creedes as of the Apostles the Councel of Nice of the father Athanasius yea and thereto ioyne the three first Councels are not the rule perfite knot of the truth whereby it is apparant that in no wise men can perfitely know whether these be the word of God or no without the traditions or setting forth of the Church which doth assure vs of al this without any Scripture c. In summe the truth can be no truth nor the light light yea God can be no God except that the holy Church of Rome that is to say the holy Pope of Rome with his bishops prelates do consent thervnto So that it is no maruel that they can of a peece of bread make a God creator of heauen and earth For if it were so that they should say that at noone day it were darke night wee must streight wayes beleue the same as an article of the faith by and by without delay get vs to bed For we say by a certaine coÌ„mon prouerbe That when all the world doeth affirme that a man as by example SoÌ„nius or Blindasinus is a swine he must out of doubt trudge vnto the swinestie and there eat only draffe How much rather theÌ„ when the holy Church with that worthie coÌ„panie of Bishops Abbats Prelates and Cardinals gathered together at Trent or elswhere do coÌ„mand any thing are not we bounde to receiue beleue obey the same without any denial by and by to say Amen therevnto And herein may men perceiue a great miracle which I do assure you is greater by the head thaÌ„ any miracle that euer was don by the Apostles to wit that the child was borne before the mother yea that the mother commes of the child For it is most certein and wel knowen that the worde of God is the seede whereof the Church of God doth spring is ingendred as the Apostle Peter witnesseth coÌ„sidering that the Church is nothing else but a Congregation of such as doe faithfully beleeue Gods woorde and firmely sticke vnto the same where thorough they are also called The Congregation of the liuing God The pillar and staye of the truth So that the woorde is the right mother of the Church Well nowe see here goeth the holy Catholike Church of Rome before the worde of God and his truth which is as much to say the childe goeth before the mother yea the worde can haue no might no credite no estimation nor no being in the worlde vnlesse it bee by speciall grace borrowed of her daughter the holy Church As the foresayd Blindasinus Hosius Sonnius Piggius Eckius with all other Catholike Doctours haue forceably coÌ„cluded and irreuocably determined taking this for a most true vndoubted article of the faith yea for the most speciall ground whervpon they and all their writing is founded which is That men may not beleeue the worde and truth of God otherwise than by the appoyntment of the holy Church of Rome which of duetie must alwayes goe before and lead the daunse which is as muche to say that you can not ride to Louen but you must set the Wagon before the horses And therefore whensoeuer the Churche doth ordeine any thing that is contrarie to the Scripture as is before saide we will giue the Scripture an honest passeport or safe conduct and a great many of farewels and clâ—ue to the holy Church like a Burre For the srcipture cannot defend this cause but the holy Church of Rome can bring a man to the stake And it helpes not to alledge and bring in Augustine here who hath written in diuerse places That wee ought to beleeue the holy Scripture only without any contradiction and to trie proue all other writinges and doctrines howe substantiall soeuer they be yea all Councels decrees and ordinances by the holy Scripture as by the onely true vncounterfeyted touchstone and abolish and put away vtterly all whatsoeuer doth not therewithall agree for that all smelleth altogether of heresie And where as he sayeth further That when soeuer the Church doeth giue eare to any other voyce beside the onely voyce of her bridegrome she is then become whorish and a wedlocke breaker yea and that they are all accursed which go about to seduce the Bride of Christ from her Bridegrome to the doctrine and institutions of men that is the plaine doctrine of Heretikes For if that were so all the before specified rules ordinaunces and decrees of the holy
right honourable Bishoppe Guilielmus Blindasinus in his booke called Panoplia wherein he concludeth with strong inuincible reasons That mē were not bound to beleeue the word of God nor to be subiect vnto it if it were not that the holy Church hath so commanded For what do we thinke that the word of God is so strōg of it selfe as to publishe such thinges thorough the power of the holy Ghost if the Church of Rome did not first giue her verdicte in the matter No marie I warant you for so the Heretikes do vnderstand it For these Heretikes will bring the church of God in subiection vnder the scripture therefore do they alledge out of Ieremie That the word of God is like a fire like a hāmer which breaketh stones in pieces that it is liuely mightie sharper than a two edged sword goeth through euen to the soule to the sinewes and ioyntes is a searcher of the thoughtes intentes of the heart and therefore saye they it hath no neede of any mans witnes as Christ him self hath said but that those which do the will of the father shal lightly know by inspiration of the holy Ghost whether the doctrine be of god They say likewise It doth giue light to al things for it is a lampe to lighten the feete of the beleeuers whereby they must walke through the darknesse of this world they say that mans wisdom vnderstanding how great howe wise howe holy soeuer the same can be is plain darkenesse in comparison thereof Well then if it be so that the darkenesse can not lighten the light but that the light it selfe must lighten all things then in very deede can not the worde of God receiue anie light of the opinion or authoritie of man but it selfe must be the light whereby men may knowe which is the Church of God and which is the Synagogue of dissemblers And therefore they conclude according to the worde of the Prophet Esaie That men must followe after the Lawe and the witnesse which is the writtē word of God and that whosoeuer doth not walke after that shall neuer see the daye spring But as I haue alredy said all that is plain heresie for our dearely beloued mother the holy Church of Rome will be chiefe Iudge her selfe ouer the holye Scripture So that the doctrine of the Prophetes Apostles is now no more the foūdation of the Church as it was in the time of Paul but contrariwise the Church with the authoritie the traditions of the same is the onely foundation of the Scripture For euen so might the Iewes before time aduance themselues likewise by the estimation authoritie of the Church alledging that the law and the witnes whereof the Prophet speakes could haue bene of no estimation but by reason the same was consented to thē by the Church and that men should neuer haue knowen neither the Lawe or the witnesse or Gods worde if it had not bene by them and their forefathers set forth declared what they should accept for Gods worde and that the Church with her light hadde lightened the Lawe and the witnesse And so the Church of Rome doeth nowe also saye That the worde of God hath no estimation but that which it hath borrowed of the Church for otherwise as shee sayeth and as all good Catholike writers do declare howe should we knowe that the scripture were the word of God if it were not that the holy Church had so allowed and iudged it Wherefore should we more beleeue the Gospel of Mathewe or Marke than the Gospell of Nichodemus or Thomas For there standes plainly written in the Decrees That neither the old nor the newe Testament were receiued of mē for this cause or that cause nor for that it must be esteemed for an vndoubted rule and perfect knot but only because that the holye Father Innocentius Pope of Rome had so iudged it and so would haue it Therefore yee maye well thinke that God could not plant and establishe his holy worde in mens heartes by the inspiration of his spirit as S. Iohn the Apostle would proue if it were not that the holy Church had therein holpen him So that in this case God is greatly beholden vnto our deare mother the holy Church for her good wil faithfull seruice For if shee had accepted the Fables of Aesope and of Howleglasse the gospel of the Distaffe and of Fortunatus purse the gospel of Nichodemus or the Alcaron of Mahomet or els the gospel which certein Monkes at Paris in the yere of our Lord 1220. had made set forth being ful of al filthinesse and blasphemie naming it Euangelium aeternum that is to say An euerlasting gospel requiring the Pope that it might be by him canonized and so set it forth for the eternall word of God but it ws denied thē as hap was but if it had bene so I say that the pope and the holy Church would as wel haue allowed it as they did the holy scripture with the Masse booke with the seuē Psalmes with the Rosarium beatae Mariae who could haue said No to them And that should then haue bene the worde of God yea and therewith must God haue beene content Wel go too then seeing that men did herein credit the writing and seale of the church wherfore should they not thē giue as great credit to them in al other matters For euen so doth the text of the foresaid decrees argue saying with plaine wordes In so much as men do receiue and accept the old and newe Testamentes because that Pope Innocentius hath ordeined iudged so it doth necessarily folow that the Decretalles of the Popes of Rome must likewise be receiued accepted the rather for that Pope Leo hath likewise ordeined That whosoeuer doth set him self against them his sinnes shal neuer be forgiuen him c. It is very true that by this argumēt it must likewise folow that all the Iewes Caballes Talmood and all their dreames must as wel be receiued as the fiue bookes of Moses the bookes of the Prophets For it is most true that as we haue receiued the new Testamēt of the christē church so hath the christen church receiued the bookes of the old Testamēt of the Iewes Synagogue And now euen as our Romish church hath receiued the writing of the Apostles iudged the same for true so likewise hath the Iewish church iudged the bokes of Moses of the prophets for true receiued thē for authētike Nowe then as men do herein beleeue and allowe the Iewes writings and seale so must wee also following the rule of our Doctours of Louen beleeue the said Iewes in all that they say and teache and thereby nowe shoulde our Romishe Church come short home But we do not esteeme such cōsequencies It is but Philosophie and the Popes of Rome are no
Church of Rome should bee throwne downe and troden vnder feet yea it must needes follow that the holie Pope is accursed a verie Bawde which hath made of the holy Catholike Church of Rome a fowle shamelesse whore Fie fie nay we will none of that Let Augustine much rather be an Heretike and all those that are of his opinion as master Athanasius Origine Hilarius Irinaeus Tertullianus Cyprianus Chrysostomus and Hieronymus let them rather be burnt euen al vpon a heape Although it be easie to iudge that if they were liuing nowe in these dayes they would be lothe to permitte any such grosse stuffe either to be vttred with their toÌ„gues or published by their pennes or if they did they must trudge with other into the fire Yea and Ambrose must recant and call backe againe or eate vp with salt that which he hath openly written That al doctrine whatsoeuer which hath not bene set forth and taught by the Apostles themselues is â–ª full of abhomination and knauerie Therefore all helpes not that they come forth with their writings thinking thereby to outface our deare mother the holy Churche of Rome It is a verie yong woolfe that neuer heard any noyse shee doeth no more esteeme these bragges than if it had thundred at Colen for she will be still on cockehorse let them tosse and turne it the best they can The .iii. Chapter VVherein is set foorth that the Church of Rome hath likevvise povver and authoritie ouer the auncient fathers and may receiue condemne interpret vse them as shall please her holines ANd now hereby doeth specially appeare that the holy Church of Rome hath not power and authoritie onely ouer the scripture of the olde and new Testaments but also ouer all the writing and doctrine of the olde fathers as there are Irinaeus Tertullianus Basilius Gregorius Nazian Origin Cyprian Albin Euseb. Arnobi Ambro. Lactant. Cyril Epiphanius Theodoretus VigilaÌ„tius Appollinarius Hieronymus Chrysostomus Augustinus Cedullius Possidonius Prosper Sidonius Gelasius Gregorius Alâ—uinus Haymo Bartramus and other mo suche like For one she acceptes as good Catholike an other shee reiectes as naught an Heretike some she allowes with additions of certaine gloses and Postils other she referres to euery mans iudgement Vpon some she hath fathered as their owne certain straunge bookes made at the least foure or fiue hundreth yeeres after they were dead And others shee hath cleane plucked and robbed of their feathers In summe she doth tosse them and turne them euen as shee will and windes them vp as short as a clewe of yarne And wherefore should she not I pray you For she might haue condemned them all for Heretikes if she would and in place of them haue taken in and receyued the writing and doctrine of Nicholaus of Bion of Apelles Seuerus Montanus Sabellius Paulus Samosatenus Manes Meletius Aâ—ius Marcellus Macedonius Euonius Eutiches Nestorius Donatus Pelagius and suche other mates But now she hath giuen them that honour that they are taken and counted for Catholik teachers these last she hath coÌ„demned banished for diuelish heretikes false teachers Not because that the one had truly set forth the sincere word of god And the other directly the contrarie for so she should againe submit herself vnder the scripture but because it hath so pleased her And therefore it is no reason that those to whom she hath geuen such honour should now go about to ouercrow her holines and force her with their writings as though she ought to be subiect therevnto No no they must stoope themselues howe learned or godly soeuer they haue beene and the holy Church must alway haue the authoritie and superioritie For it is written in the decrees All whatsoeuer any other teachers haue taught and written that is to bee receiued or reiected according as it shall please and be thought good to the Apostolical seate of Rome For the Pope is master ouer al whatsoeuer any man can teach or write Therefore ye see that the holy Church may choose picke out of the olde fathers what soeuer she findeth for her purpose and what soeuer she perceiueth against her shee may put out finely with a dash of a penne and so esteeme it for false meant as for example Whensoeuer the olde fathers doe with florishing reasons and by a figuratiue maner of speaking extoll and set forth the Sacrament out of that will she gather her transubstantiation And whereas they doe nominate the Sacrament an holy offring or sacrifice of that wil she fetch out her Masse with all the appartenances And whensoeuer any thing is set out by them to the laâ—d and praise of the true seruantes and Preachers of Gods word thereof doth she make a kingdome of priests and a popish Monarchie And when as they do highly praise the holy Saints martyrs deceased therevpoÌ„ commes abrode the praying to saints And in such places as they do earnestly set forth and highly prayse good workes and godly liuing therevpon can she by and by builde vp the pleasant Palace of free will and then she sayles with a faire wind And then are the olde Fathers followed in all points yea there is nothing else talked of here nor there but The olde fathers The olde fathers But now on the contrarie part whereas S. Augustine doth write whole bookes of the Predestination of saints of the special vndeserued mercie of God through Iesus Christ that fayth onely iustifieth of the weakenesse and dulnesse yea of the damnablenesse of mans free will and of the adnihilation of our deseruings all that is nothing else but heresie and going astray Whereas Ambrose and Chrysostome do teache that we shal not take men or dead creatures for our aduocats before God but only christ And where August saith that we shall not pray vnto Saintes nor erect for our â–ª selues particularly anie Chappels or Altars nor pray before Tumbes as the sayde Augustine and Leo doe beare perfect witnesse that neither the dead nor deseruing of Saints can any thing helpe vs to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but onely the death and merites of Iesus christ And as Epiphanius doeth esteeme it for a shamefull heresie and an abhominable blasphemie of God that men shoulde praye eyther to Marie Gods mother or to anie other Saint but that must be couered with some blewe glose for a cloake As also the sayde Epiphanius doeth vtterlie chace the images as well of Christ as of anie other Saint out of the Church and breakes them in peeces forbidding men plainely to suffer anie such abhominations And as Ambrosius Augustinus Lactantius Origenes Athanasius Clemens Alexandrinus with many other do teache plainly that God will not bee worshipped with any likenesses or images either painted or carued The holy Church is deafe at this wil in no wise vnderstand it Where as Cyprianus Hieronymus Chrysostom and Augustinus doe say and defende that
deare mother the holie Church of Rome And by this you may perceiue that Pythagoras was not farre different or disagreing in beliefe from the holy Church of Romes beliefe when as he saide That mens souls departing from their bodies did enter into beastes Considering nowe that Iohn here and Dauid in other places do witnes that the creatures vnder the water yea the fishes themselues do laude and praise God and that the same is vnderstood by our holie mother the Church of Rome of the soules that be in Purgatorie she hath not without great appearaunce of trueth concluded That there is likewise a Purgatorie in the bottome of the Sea by which reasons it appeareth that the soules of drowned men place themselues in the bowels of fishes And it is possible that this was the occasion which moued Pythagoras to forbid his scholers the eating of fish considering specially withall That S. Patriks purgatorie in Ireland lies fast by the sea side neare vnto a mountaine called Hecla where our mother the holie Church of Rome doeth beleeue that the sillie soules are as ill punished in yse as in fire So that by good reason there might haue bene added vnto the same sentence of Paule That the trying and shewing openly of the workes of such as build vpon the foundation of Iesus Christ is not onely by fire but likewise by water and by yse For so the holie Church vnderstands that place where it is written We haue passed thorough fire and water And Virgil the wise Poet which had so good vnderstanding of the sacrifice of the Masse as is declared before hath likewise placed Purgatorie by a Sea or by a great water called Lacus Auernus which lies not verie farre from Rome in the Kingdome of Naples where hee describes to bee the entrie and forefront of Hell and then setteth forth Purgatorie with all the paines and torments which the soules doe suffer so perfectly and well that a man would thinke that our deare mother the holie Church of Rome hath kindeled her Purgatorie with his fire tongs and bellowes Insomuch that our Catholike Doctors did not amisse when they proued their Purgatorie by the authoritie and testimonie of Virgil. Now if it were so that there were no Scripture to proue Purgatorie by yet would the inheritance and possession of it teache vs sufficiently that there is a Purgatorie And therefore we neede not to trouble our selues much with bringing out the booke of the Machabies for a witnesse and thereby cause the Heretikes to mocke and ieast at vs For they say that that booke is so farre off from being allowed for an authentike booke of holie Scripture that the writer and Authour of the same did desire to bee pardoned and borne withall if hee had not written so sufficiently as he ought And men may further consider what account is to bee made of his writings seeing hee did so greatly praise one Razis who ripped out his owne vowelles and liue him selfe because he woulde not fall into the handes of his enimies which vnvndoubtedly was a detestable deede and directly against Gods commaundement They declare likewise that neither by Christ his Apostles nor by the whole cōgregation in three or foure hundred yeares space that was neuer esteemed nor taken but for Apocrypha to witte for the writing and setting sorth of a man and not for the vndoubted worde of god And yet they say beeside this that if they shoulde accept that Booke yet is there nothing written therein touching Purgatorie but onely a praying for the deade in respect of the resurrection and not in anie respect of satisfaction by Purgatorie And therefore wee will not breake our heades greatly about this matter but will establishe our Purgatorie strongly by inheritaunce and possession Besides that I leaue the Priestes purses vnspoken of which is a souereigne soking and a drawing Purgatorie as euerie man may both say and feele And yet besides this we finde by certeine vndoubted testimonies of our auncesters that many soules haue appeared haue plainly said that they were extremely punished in Purgatorie and therefore haue heartily desired that men would helpe them out of it with Masses almes pardon letters and bulles as it is written of Pope Benedict 8. himselfe and as the Legend and other Catholike bookes testifie which are full of such worthie matters and notable examples so that there is no occasion to put any maner of doubt concerning Purgatorie And further we do finde diuerse euident and very true histories of Odilions Purgatorie in the kingdome of Sicilia in the mount Aetna which flames continually where the sillie soules are burnt and broyled like dried herring or like Westphaling hammes or gammons of Bakon whiche haue houng seuen yeares long in the smoke And this was the occasion that moued Pope Iohn 8. through the great pittie that hee had vpon the sillie soules and by the good and ripe aduise and counsell of the foresaide Odilion which was a holie Father and Monke of an Abbie called Clunie to commande and ordeine that alwayes the next day after Al-hallowes day a solemne day of deuotion should be kept for all christen soules which order is very precisely followed obserued by our dere mother the holy Church of Rome and many yeares of pardon giuen graunted to all those which vpon that day doe deuoutly visite the Chantrie priests Masses of Scala Coeli vsing their purses liberally for that purpose and to haue a trentall of Masses a sackfull of seuen Psalmes and three or foure pokes packt with Pater nosters and Ane Maries all well measured filled whereof to make a present to the sillie soules in Purgatorie for that is euen fitte meat for their mouthes and they are as wel refreshed with those dainties as though they were wrapped about the head with a wet clout in a cold morning And yet beside all this the holie Churche of Rome hath sought all maner of meanes wayes to refresh coole ease the pain of the silly poore soules which lie in the great heat of Purgatorie gaping for aire as a Carpe doeth for water all which meanes she hath digged out of the holy Scriptures For to beginne she hath appointed burning Candles which must bee set vppe to light the poore soules in the darke places of Purgatorie because it is written Christ is the true light and whosoeuer doeth followe him walketh not in darkenesse And therefore hath our holie mother practised that at euerie corner of the hearse a candle shal be set burning for that the dead should be forgiuen and pardoned of foure sundrie manner of sinnes which hee hath committed to witte in thinking in speaking in doing and in suffering Secondarilie she doeth succour the poore sillie soules with censing for thereby they are released of the horrible stinke which is in Purgatorie Thirdlie shee doeth relieue them with holy water which must be
of Rome with all his Cardinals who are deftly decked vppe with all costly iewels like Puppets And hee shall receiue a mouth speaking great and wonderfull things so that all the worlde shall say Who is like vnto him Euen after the same sort as you see the Pope giue forth strange things touching his owne person and doeth attribute to himselfe a certeine power authoritie aboue all kings princes and angels in heauen yea euen aboue the sonne of God and which more is aboue God himselfe Insomuch that vpon this consideration our deare mother the holie Churche hath concluded that hee shoulde bee called Papa as though men should say Pape which is as much to say in our language as a wonderfull shreeke or hem in derision For it is a worde which doth signifie a monstrous wondring for because that he is a wonderfull monstrous and straunge beast Insomuch that one of his owne Poets doth call him Papa stupor mundi that is to say The wonder or mocking stocke of the worlde Euen as if a man shoulde say Tushe who is to be compared to him So that it is most apparauntly to bee seene that Saint Iohn in his Apocalypse doeth as it were euen point to him with his finger and that Daniel and Paule doe in many places of the Scripture paint him plainlie out in all his feathers In so much then that these Heretikes are farre ouerseenâ— when as they will say That the Scripture doeth not make anie mention of the Pope of Rome considering that wee haue proued all his authoritie to be grounded vpon the Scripture in such order as there is nothing to be said against it The xi Chapter VVherein is set foorth howe that no Priesteâ— nor spirituall persons are subiect or vnder the iurisdiction or power of the temporall Magistrates or Officers NOwe let vs come to speake of the other Priestes and spirituall persons who are throughlie furnished in all points with their Officials Deanes Archdeacons Vicars Inquisitours Sumners Prisons Places and Instrumentes for punishment so as they are not in anie point subiect to anie temporall Officer or Magistrate Neither may anie of them haue anie their causes or questions debated or determined before anie temporall Iudge or Officer so farre as they haue shauen crownes which is the right marke character of the citie with seuen mountaines whereof Saint Iohn makes mention in the Apocalypse And the same is likewise to bee proued by plaine textes of the holy scripture And for the first it is written That when as Lot went about to dissuade the wilfull Sodomites from their abhominable actes they saide vnto him Thou art come hither among vs and art but a straunger here What hast thou to doe for to take vpon thee to correct and iudge vs Out of this Text hath our mother the holie Church of Rome finally concluded that the Priests may not bee iudged nor punished by temporall Magistrates and Rulers vnderstanding the matter thus That the Priests are vndoubtedly right Sodomites Burgesses borne and maisters of this worlde by inheritance considering that they are made by the Pope to whom the worlde doeth absolâ—tely apperteine and that the temporall Magistrates and Officers are but as straungers who haue but as it were the gouernement of the world by lease at the handes of the Pope and his Priestes And therefore it doth not become them for to rule or punish the natiue Burgesses of Sodom and Gomorra that is to say the Priestes and Spiritualtie For so hath the Pope Anacletus determined and set forth in his Deccetals which interpretation of his is by our deare mother the holy Church allowed for good and registred in the booke of their decrees for an article of our faith Secondarily the same is proued by a speciall text out of the Gospell where it is written That Christ did driue or chace the buiers and sellers out of the Temple with a whippe or scourge For thereby it is apparant that the Priestes or Spiritualtie may not by anie meanes be punished by anie temporall Officer as is concluded by the forenameâ— Anacletus and the holie Church of Rome vnderstanding the matter thus That the Priests are to be esteemed as the very changers sellers in the Church who do vtter their merchandize so deare that the sight of them manie times will stand a man dearer than the best ware that the Habardashers of Paris and Lions haue in their shoppes And although other chaungers of monie and vsurers did inioy the benefites of the like priuiledge as well as the Priests to witte that they were with the same whipping driuen out of the temple yea and although dogs be sometime vsed after the same manner yet considering that the Priestes are my white sonnes and must haue somewhat the more preeminence and aduauntage specially for that their merchaundize are of more estimation than the rest and their incense of better smell than the incense that the dogges smother abroade in the Church Insomuch that the holie Church of Rome doeth vnderstande this by the priests onelie to wit that temporall Magistrates or Officers shall haue no iurisdiction ouer them considering well that Christ had them in such estimation as he himselfe onelie woulde whippe them out of the Church And yet hath shee more strongly established the same by the plaine Texte of the Prophete Dauid where it is written God stoode in the middest of the Gods that is to say of Priests and Prelats Againe I haue said All you are Gods. Now truth it is that the whole Psalme doeth after the letter speake of Kings and Gouernours of this world yet notwithstanding our deare mother the holie Church hath vnderstood the same wholy of the Priestes and Spiritualtie according to the spirit and that specially by reason of sixe weightie causes to witte First because the whole text doth conclude as well or rather much better vpon the Priestes than vpon anie other for it is written That will not vnderstaÌ„d but will walk in darknesse and set the whole world in a rore Which wordes seeme to conclude so well vpon Priestes and Bishops as though they had bene spoken only to them Now secondly the Priests are of much more estimation better than any Kings or Princes yea they do excell them as far as Leade doth Gold and therefore must Emperours bow downe their heads vnder the knees of the Popes as is plainely set forth by the holie father Pope Gelasius writing vnto the Emperour Anastasius and registred in the decrees Yea they are the light of the world Fathers Maisters to all men so that they deserue much better to be called Gods than either Kings or other Rulers do or can deserue Thirdly the Priestes are of more worthinesse and estimation than Angels For as our deare mother the holie Churche of Rome hath verie well concluded an Angel may not sing nor say Masse for that hee hath not the priestly character
house For by these followeth that the Churches must be trimmed vp with goodly images Item O Lord I seeke thy countenance Item O Lord the rich shall pray before thy face Item Let the light of thy countenance shine vpon vs. For out of these textes do they conclude that men ought to haue our Lords visage goodly painted and to pray to it And for that cause it is that euerie yeare at Rome vpon good Friday the holie Veronica which is an old ouer worne cloute whereon they say our Lords face is painted which they pray vnto with great deuotion And the common people crie alowde Misericordia misericordia that is Mercie mercie The like is done also at Besanson in Burgonia and in manie other places For this same holie fisnomie of the Veronica was sette vpon good grounde and is therefore so well spâ—â—ung vp and in such plentie that there are to bee found a number of them all which do worke great miracles And besides this they bring forth these testimonies to witte that the beliefe commeth not onely by hearing but likewise by sight for that Iohn saith Like as we haue heard so haue we likewise sene Item That the Iewes did weare broade borders vpon their clothes Ergo so must wee likewise haue images in the church with many such other like proofes which close vp together as fitte as a spindle vpon a flesh pot So now when anie man hath a desire to see these goodly testimonies let him read ouer the whole proceeding of the saide Councell of Nice as it is sette foorth in the seconde booke of Councels or else he may reade another little booke which was set foorth about the same time in the name of the Emperour Carolus magnus touching the same Councell hee shall therein reioyce his spirites with reading of all those goodly copious and fine allegations brought out and alledged by those holie fathers to that end and purpose and with the dreames of Constantine who to heale his leprosie had shedde the bloud of young innocent children and was for the same comforted by Peter and Paule in his dreames And there you shall finde also a great manie of goodlie and notable miracles done by images taken out of the booke of Cosmus and Damianus and out of the booke of Sophronius of the miracles of Saints and other such like bookes which those holie fathers caused there to bee read and heard and by their iudgementes established them and allowed them for good So as there is no more doubtes to be put in them than vpon the golden Legende which standes authentike in the Masse booke And to the end that men shall haue the more desire to read them I will bring forth here one example out of them seruing greatly for our purpose to the ende you may perceiue by the nest what birdes are within it There was a liuely holie Monke whiche was continually tempted and troubled with a diuell euen till his olde dayes and when in the end he beganne to waxe wearie of it hee then did pray the diuell verie friendly that hee woulde let him alone in quiet wherevpon the diuell did answere him that so farre as he would promise to do and sweare to keepe secrete a thing that hee woulde commaunde him then hee woulde leaue off to trouble him anie more The Monke did promise him and tooke therevpon a deepe othe Then said the diuell If thou wilt that I shall trouble thee no more then thou must not pray anie more to that image and it was an image of our Ladie holding her childe in her armes But the Monke was more craftie than the diuel for he went and confessed him of it the next day to the Abbot and the Abbot did dispense with him for his othe vpon condition that hee should continue his praying to the image Is not that a fine and worthie testimonie borowed of the diuell whereby the holie Fathers in the foresaide Councell haue wonderfull strongly established the praying vnto images Truely it is worthie to be written vpon balkes and beames because calues shall not licke it off And our Champion maister Gentianus is worthie to carie the standard to be crowned with a three footed stoole seeing hee dare so boldly aduenture to lay the worthinesse of that Councell in the ballance against the second commaundement of God which doth sharpely forbid all worshipping and praying to images and likewise bringeth in the said Councell against the Councell of Eliberum which was kept in Spaine in the yeare of our Lorde 1200 and was consonant and agreeable vnto the worde of God. The xiiii Chapter VVhich treateth of some particular images and painted tables which the Church of Rome doth vse and for the establishing of the same by the Scripture NOwe because these Heretikes are most busie with some speciall images which the holie Church of Rome doe vse with great deuotion and with them doe these Heretikes mocke and ieast most of all it is verie necessarie that wee proue and establish the same out of the holy scripture Then to begin withall it is not to be mocked nor wondered at that they in their Churches and Masse bookes doe paint the Trinitie with three faces for our mother the holie Church did learne that at Rome where they were wont to paint or carue Ianus with two faces And then further there is written in Iohn That there are three in heauen which beare witnesse the Father the Worde and the Holie ghost and these three are one c. Then of necessitie they must be painted or made with three heades or three faces vpon one necke For whereas these heretikes say that it is plaine forbidden to make the likenesse of God any maner of way seeing God himselfe saith Thou didst heare a voyce out of the bush but thou sawest no likenesse Therfore be well warie that thou make not anie image after my likenesse That was spoken to the Iewes onelie and is now altered through the worthie custome and vsage of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome And whereas the holy Church hath also chosen to make the similitude of the father an olde man with a long gray beard and for the sonne a man hanging on the crosse and for knowledge of the holie Ghost a doue that is done of her owne inuention and free will. For she might as well haue made a bushe or a flame of fire or a cloude to counterfeite the father for that he did shewe himselfe in all these likenesses as well as in the likenesse of a man or they might as well haue made for Christ a childe in a cradle or a man teaching and instructing the people And likewise for the holie Ghost a tongue or a flame of fire as well as they doe a man crucified or a doue But therein shee doeth vse her libertie for that hath alwayes his course by the common rule which is Sic volo sic iubeo
will accept allowe of that booke as no doubt hee must considering that his liefetenants the holie Popes are the makers of it then all is cocke sure on our side the Catholiks must into heauen though they shuld go barefoote bare leg It helpeth to prate pratle the heauen is theirs if they can gette into it by meanes of obseruing their Lent well Nowe further for fasting wee find written also That Christ did fast fourtie dayes in the wildernesse Ergo then wee must do the like following the common rule Omnis Christi actio nostra est instructio that is after the meaning of our mother the holie Church all whatsoeuer Christ hath done we must counterfeite and do the like after him For notwithstanding that this was a miracle done for the establishing of his doctrine as Moses and Elias had done before which in deede we can not do after him yet we must doe what we can and so resemble Apes Munkies which though they can not doe as men do in speaking and vnderstanding with reason yet they will counterfeite men in anie thing that possiblie they can compasse For so hath our deare mother the holie Church concluded not onelie in this matter but in all whatsoeuer Christ hath done For as he did take spicle and rubbe the blinde mans eyes withall and said in the Syrian tongue Epphatah that is to say Be open euen so doe the Priestes rubbe the yong childrens nosâ—â—â—ares with spicle and say Epphatah likewise although the eares and nostrels be open alreadie before And as hee came riding into Hierusalem vpon an Asse so must the Cardinals likewise ride vpon Mules with their foot-clothes of red scarlet euen downe to the groundeâ— and so must men likewise vppon Palme Sunday drawe a woodden Asse round about with the Pharisees Priests following And as Christ did washe the feete of his Apostles so doeth the Pope vppon maunday Thursday washe the feete of certeine poore men and Abbattes wash their Monkes feete with great ceremonies and pronkings And as Christ did weare a crowne of thorne so likewise doeth the Pope weare vpon his head a three double crowne of golde brauelie set with pearles and pretious stones ouer and besides other two fâ—ll of Rubies and Diamonds which are alwayes carried before him when as hee is borne about in his Pontificalibus vppon mens shoulders like a woodden image or Saint Item as Christ was loden with cariage of his crosse so must the Pope likewise weare vpon his coape or mantle a crosse of pure golde set full of pearles and pretious stones And as Christ did shedde his bloud so nowe in figure thereof must the Cardinals weare bloud redde scarlet mantles or cloakes and hattes For whereas these Heretikes will say that their garmentes looke so bloude red by reason of the bloud of the Martyrs which they haue shed or else that their clothes are red for shame of the shamefull deedes which their maisters doe all this can not bee true seeing that Durandus Innocentius and all other Catholike men doe otherwise interprete it Item like as Christ was betraied and solde for certeine round pieces of siluer so must the Osâ—e or cake wherewith they say Masse be round like a pennie as Durandus doeth set it foorth and the rather for that they doe there likewise sell him for readie monie as is written in the booke called Stella Clericorum That those Priestes which say Masse for monie doe euen as much as though they should say with Iudas What will you giue me to deliuer you the man Item because that Herod did clothe Christ in a white garment therefore must the Priests weare a long white garment like a shirt vpon their coates or gownes at such time as they must play their partes in the Masse And then because the Iewes did afterwardes cloth him with purple therefore they put on the cope aloft vppon that white cloth And because he was bound therefore doe they weare the stoale about their neckes maniples about their armes girde their surplesse to them with a girdle And further because he was nailed vpon the crosse with his armes stretcht abroad therefore do they likewise stretch out their armes abroade in the Masse as though they would be crucified And because hee was wounde in a fine white cloth when he was buried therefore doe they lay their litle god vppon a white cloth fast by the chalice And because the souldiers did cut Christ his garments in pieces and so dealt them amongst them for a prey therfore it is that the Priestes do vpon good Friday couer their altar with one single cloth then laie two other small clothes or napkins at the endes of the altar and as soone as they begin to sing these wordes Partiti sunt vestimenta mea They diuided my garments amongst them so must likewise those two clothes or napkins by and by be stollen pluckt away from the altar And because Christ after his resurrection did breath vpon his Disciples and gaue vnto them the holie Ghost Therefore it is that the Bishops and Suffraganes at such time as they doe create anie Priest doe blowe vpon them for with that same winde are the Priestes filled as full of the holie Ghost as a Cowe turde is stuffed full of muske and ambers grease In summe Christ hath not done anie thing in his death and passion but they do plaie and counterfeite the same after him so trimlie and liuelie that no plaier nor iuggler is able to do it better Yea do we not see likewise that vppon good Friday they haue a Crucifixe either of wood or of stone which they laie downe softlie vpon the ground that euerie bodie may coÌ„me creeping to it vpon handes and knees so kisse the feete of it as men are accustomed to doe to the Pope of Rome And then they put him in a graue tâ—ll Easter at which time they take him vppe againe and sing Resurrexit non est hic Alleluia He is risen he is not here God be thanked Yea and in some places they make the graue in a hie place in the church where men must goe vp manie steppes which are decked with blacke cloth from aboue to beneath and vpon euerie steppe standeth a siluer candlesticke with a waxe candle burning in it and there doe walke souldiours in harnesse as bright as Saint George which keepe the graue till the Priests come take him vp and then commeth sodenlie a flash of fire wherwith they are all afraid and fall downe and then vpstartes the man and they begin to sing Alleluia on all handes and then the clocke striketh eleuen Then againe vpon Whitsunday they begin to play a new Enterlude for then they send downe a Doue out of an Owles nest deuised in the roofe of the church but first they cast out rosin and gunpouder with wilde fire to make the children afraide