tenour of theyr rule The brethren of thys order heare confessions and preache at hye feastes This order also admitteth Lay brethrē as in many places moe to do their businesse abroade They fayne that thys order was confyrmed of Pope Vrban y e fyft at the commaundement of Christ. In the yeare c. 1353. Volat. Plati Polichron Pol Libro Germ. c. Of the Nunnes of S. Katerines order of Sene. POpe Gregorye the .xi. bearyng rule Katerine of Sene a Dyers daughter refusyng the state of matrimonye tooke vpon her the thyrd order of S. Dominicke or of the Fryer Preachers They say that Christ shuld haue maryed her with a ryng wherein were foure pearles one diamonde taken her harte from her and geuen her hys in steade therof The Nunnes of thys order weare garmentes lyke to the black Fryers Theyr cloke vayle are blacke theyr cote is white In the yeare of oure Lorde .1455 Volat. Lib. Germ. Chron. I passe ouer the Nunnes that be of the Iustinians order of Marye Magdalenes orders of Austens order c which all are wrapped full of superstition and hipocrisye seking their saluation not in Christ thorow fayth but in mens inuentions by folishe and popish workes But let vs heare the Popes pleasure more at large concerning the poore Nunnes Rules concerning all orders of Nunnes POpe Pius the fyrst made a decree that no mayde shoulde be admitted to bee a Nunne or a religious person before she were .xxv. yeres of age and that shee shoulde be professed and consecrated only vpon the feastful day of the Epiphanye commonly called Twelfday In the yeare of our Lorde 147. Ranulphus Cestrensis Ioannes Stella Phil. Bergom Pope Sother ordained that a Nunne shoulde not handle the towels of the altare nor the Chalice patenne or corporasse clothe nor yet put incense into the senser but that shee shoulde alwayes weare a vayle vppon her head and a wymple vnder her chynne In the yeare of oure Lorde 168. Polichron Chron. Ang. c.. Pope Gregorye the fyrst ordayned that no man shoulde frequent the monasteries of Nunnes again he forbad that Nunnes shoulde be Godmothers to children In the yeare c. 590 Chron. Ioan. Stella Pope Leo the fyrste made a decree that none shuld be made a Nunne except shee were founde to haue lyued afore continentlye and honestly by the space of .xl. yeres In the yere c. 444. Phil. Bergom Pope Gregorye the eyght made a decree y t no man should once be so hardye as to take a Nunne out of her cloyster In the yeare of our Lorde 1186. Tom. 1. Concil Of the Monasticall apparell IN times paste whē with most earneste diligence I searched for the originall beginning of the monasticall or monkish apparel and could by no meanes finde any thing thereof in writing at the laste I repaired vnto the paynters in y e entries porches of y e friers wher for y e most part a mā may se y e historyes of both testamentes paynted liuely setforth in colours I sought for the matter diligently And when in al the olde testament I could not fynde any of the Patriarches or of the priests or of the Prophetes or of the Leuites no nor yet Helias hymselfe whom notwithstandyng the Carmelites or white friers make their Patrone fyrste founder of their Religion to weare a coule and to be clad with Monkysh apparel◠I went streyghtwayes vnto the newe testament There I founde Zacharye Simeō Iohn Baptist Iosephe Christ the Apostles the Disciples y e Scribes the Pharesees the Byshops Annas Cayphas Herode Pilate and manye other but no where coulde I fynde or perceaue the coule or monkysh habite Examining once again more diligently euen from the beginnyng al singular things out of hande euen at the very beginning of the historye in a manner the deuill appeared shewed himself clad in a coule euē y e very same deuil y t tēpted Christ in y e deserte or wildernesse I was excedīg glad reioyced beyond al measure y t I had found y t in picture which I could neuer find afore in scripture I meane that the deuill was the first author inuentor and finder out of the coule and Monkishe habite of whom afterward I thinke verely the other Monkes and Fryers borowed their coules and disgysed apparell set forth in diuerse colours some white some blacke some graye some russet some blewe some blouncket c. or elles paraduenture they receaued and tooke the same as lefte vnto them for inheritaunce from the deuill their father Cornelius Agrippa de incertitudine vanitate scientiarum Of Temples or Churches POpe Siluester bearing rule Constantine the Emperour built diuerse Churches for the Christians gaue other libertie so to do to the end that so many as professe Christ might openly and without any feare come together to praye prayse God to heare the readyng and Preachyng of the holy Scriptures to receaue the blessed Sacramentes and to occupye themselues in suche Godly and vertuous exercises as God requyreth of them in hys Sacred worde For vnto that tyme the Christians were so extremelye persecuted of tyrauntes that they had no certayne publyque place to repare vnto but so many as professed Christ assembled themselues together priuatelye and praysed God in hollowe caues and dennes for the feare of the vnfaythfull as Laurentius Valla sayeth in hys booke de donatione Constantini In tymes paste sayeth he before the dayes of Constantyne the greate the Christians had no Temples but secrete and close places holye lyttle houses but no greate and gorgious buyldynges Chappelles no Temples Oratoryes within priuate walles no publyque and open Churches In the yeare of our Lord. 315. Ranulphus Cestrensis ▪ Valla. Westmerus Pope Iginius ordayned that the Temples or Churches shoulde be halowed withall solemnitye and that no Churche shoulde be halowed without a Masse agayne that Churches should be made neyther greater nor smaller without the consent of the Metropolitane In the yeare of our Lord. 143. De Consecr Dist. 1. Cap. Omnes Basiliae Eusebius Sabell Phil. Bergom c. An admonition to the Reader HEre must I warne thee moste gentle Reader of the craftye iuglynges of the Papistes which whē they haue once inuented of theyr idle brayne with out the authoritye of Goddes worde a balde and lousye ceremonie or a wicked and a superstitious lawe streyghtwayes father the same vppon some Godly auncient and learned Byshop that by thys meanes it maye be of the more force and of the greater authoritye with men and the more easlye disceane the people Of thys their practyse here haste thou an euident example They set forthe in their deuilyshe decrees wicked writinges that this holy Byshop Iginius commaunded the halowyng of Churches when many yeares after as thou hast tofore ▪ heard the Christiās had no Churches but secretly assembled themselues together in corners in priuate houses in
the second confirmed the hauing of Images in churches and did not only excommunicate the Emperoure for abolishing of images but he also most trayterously stirred vp his subiectes to rebell against him In the yeare c. 729. Blondus Chron. Pope Constantine gathered a councel at Rome against Phillip y e Emperour wherin he condemned the Emperour for destroying Images and made a decree for the establyshement of them in churches In the yere c. 769. Plat. Pol. Pope Gregory the thyrd made a law y t Images shoulde not onelye be had in churches as lay meÌ„s bokes but y t they also shoulde be worshipped and had in greater reuerence than euer they were before that whosoeuer were of a contrary opinion he should be condemned for an heretike In the yeare c. 740. Sigis. Blond Plat. Sabel Here maye all men learne to iudge with what spirite these Romishe Byshops are led whiche notwithstanding call them selues moste holye fathers Christes vicares in earth Peters successors holye Churche the spouse of Christe that pillare of truthe whiche cannot erre Pope Gregory the fyrst as you hearde admitted Images into Churches as laye mens Calenders or bookes but by no meanes to be worshypped Whiche also is more than can be proued lawfull by the worde of God Notwithstandynge nowe commeth this most holy father Pope Gregory the third and he appointeth Images not only to be in Churches as lay mens bookes but also to be worshipped that is to saye to kneele vnto theÌ„ to sense them to garnish theÌ„ with costly vestures to set vp candles before theÌ„ to go pilgrimage vnto theÌ„ to pray before them and to geue theÌ„ suche honor as by no meanes is due either to stock or stone The wordes of Pope Gregory the first are these coÌ„cerning y t not worshipping of images writteÌ„ in a certein epistle vnto Serenus Bishop of Massilia which did not only take away Images out of the churches wheÌ„ he see the people worshyp theÌ„ but he also brake theÌ„ all on peces breÌ„t theÌ„ It was sayth he declared vnto vs that thou beholdiÌ„g certain worshippers of images diddest break also cast away the same images out of the church Verely we coÌ„meÌ„d thy zele that thou woldest haue no man to worship that is made with haÌ„ds but yet we think Note good reader y t this Pope doth not playnely affirme by the autority of Gods worde y t images ought not to be destroied but only bringeth forth his owne thinking we thinke sayth he that thou oughtest not to haue broken those images For the pycture vnto this ende is set vp in the churches that suche as be vnlearned should at the least by seyng and beholdyng those Images reade on the walles that they are not able to rede on bookes c. Lib. 7. Epist. 109. Both Epiphanius and S. Austen numbreth among heretikes a certayne woman called Marcella whiche worshipped the images of Iesus of Paule c. and offered incense vnto them Here doth Pope Gregory the first with the coÌ„sent of Epiphanius and S. Austen condemne the iudgement of Pope Gregory the thirde concerning the worshipping of Images Where is nowe the spirit of vnitie become wherof these holy Fathers bragge so greatly Pope Stephen the thirde decreed that Images shoulde not onely be had in Churches but that they also should be senced In the yeare of our Lord. 772. Sigeb Plat. Voâ—at Pope Leo the thirde Pope Iohn the seuenth Pope Adrian the first with other made also decrees for y e establishment of Images in Churches as witnesse Sabel Paulus Aemilius Sigeb Plat. Volat. Fasci Temp. Pope Paule the first bearing rule Pipine king of FrauÌ„ce caused a Councell to be asseÌ„bled and called together concerning the hauyng and worshipping of Images where many learned men were present among whom there was greate contencion some accordyng to the Popes former decrees defendynge both the hauyng and worshippyng of Images some after y e doctrine of gods word vtterly condemning both the hauing and worshipping of Images affirming that it is directly agaynste the worde of God in the Temples of the Christians to set vp Images whiche should be nothing els than stumblyng blockes vnto the rude and simple people and great prouocations vnto Idolatry Notwithstandyng the Papistes and supersticious Hipocrites did beare suche a route and rule in that Sinode that the matter was coÌ„cluded on their syde so that from henceforth it shoulde be lawfull both to haue to worship Images not only of Christ but also of all saintes in Churches or els where although the expresse worde of God the exaÌ„ples of the primatiue Churche the iudgement of diuers godly learned men teach the coÌ„trary IoaÌ„ Laziard A certaine wicked woman Empressâ— of Greece called Iraene at the request of Pope Theodorus gathered together at the Citie Nice a swarme of Bishops to the number as they write of CCCL In the whyche Councell was also decreed that Images shoulde be had in Churches In tho yeare of oure Lorde 695. Blondus Plat. Eutropius Polid. Pantaleon c. But thys decreâ— lasted not longe For the Emperour Constantine the sixt her sonne seynge the greate abhomination that came by Images so sone as he came to rule brake that decree and made a strayght lawe agaynst the â—auynge of Images in places where Christen men come together to praye But the wycked woman hys Mother afterwarde thorowe the crafty councell of the blooâ—dy Papistes founde the meanes to apprehende her sonne to depryue hym of hys Empyre to put out hys eyes and to cast hym into prisoon where he most miserably dyed Oh vnnaturall Mother yea O vnnatural monsture Afterwarde thys dounghel of Idolatry and superstition set vp agayne her Idoles and mahomets But when Nicephorus came to the Empire he did not onely put her down caste her into prison where she by the ryghtuous iudgement of God most vilesy dyed accordynge to thys saying of our Sauioure Christ With what measure ye mette vnto other with the same shall it be mette to you agayne but he also destroied al her poppets suffryng no images to remayne in the temples whiche order all the Emperoures of Greece obserued euer after as hystoryes make mention except one Theodorus Lascaris whiche at a certayne councell holden at Lugdune agreed to the Byshop of Rome in admittyng Images But hys subiectes therefore depryued hym both of hys Empire and dignity Barthol Westmerus Certaine godly Ciuile lawes agaynste the hauing of Images in Churches with the aduise consent and iudgemeÌ„t of diuerse godly learned men LEo the third Emperoure of Grece assembled together at Bizance three hundred thirtie godly learned Bishoppes whiche with one consent agreable to the worde of God decreed with the assent of the Emperour and of the nobilitie that al Images should be takeÌ„ out of churches and burnt openly Moreouer the Emperoure himselfe at Constantinople threw out of the temples all the Images
Noster shoulde bee sayd euery daye after that Mattens and Euensong bee ended Lib. Concil Pope Calixt the thirde ordayned y t the greate bell shoulde bee tolled euery day at noone or at .xii. of y e clocke and y t the people hearyng the sounde of the bell should strayght wayes say an Aue Maria in the worship of oure Ladye In the yeare c. 1455. Ioannes Stella Phil. Bergom Pope Iohn the xxii made a decree y t after euensong bee done the bel should be tolled thrice and that then oute of hande euery man and woman shoulde streyghtwayes fall downe vpon theyr knees and say three Aue Maries in the honour of oure blessed Ladye Sainte Marye In the yeare of our Lord 1302. Chronic. Pope Clement the fourthe at the desire of Lewes King of Fraunce graunted three yeres of pardon toties quoties to so many as deuoutly say these Orisâ—ns following Benedictum sit dulce nomen domini nostri Iesu Christi glorio sissimae virginis Mariae matris eius in aeternuÌ„ vltra AMEN Nos cum prole pia benedicat virgo Maria. Which is thus englished Blessed be the sweete name of oure Lord Iesus Christ of the most glorious Uirgine Mary his mother for euer and a day longer Sobeit The Uirgine Mary wich her Godly childe blesse vs. Sobeit Fas. Temp. Pope Boniface the eyght made thys prayer following and hath graunted to al them y t deuâ—utly saye this prayer dayly before an Image of the crosse as many dayes of pardon toties quoties as there be grauel stones in y e sea or grasses on y e earth or stars in y e fyrmament O altissima crux O innocens sanguis O paena magna O Christi penuria O profunda vulnera O lanccae perforatio O sanguinis fluctio O cordis fractio O dei amara mors O dei ueneranda dignitas adiuua me in vitam aeternam AMEN Which is thus englished O most highe crosse O innocent bloude O great payne O the penurye of Christ. O the depe woundes O the pearsyng thorowe of the speare O the flowing of the bloud O the breakyng of y e heart O the bitter death of God O y e worshipful dignitie of God helpe me vnto euerlasting life So be it Of playne song prycke song descant c. GVido Aretinus deuised first of al these sixe notes vt re my fa sol la In the yere c. 1204. Christi Massaeus Pope Gelasius Pope Gregory y e fyrste S. Ambrose with other brought in fyrst of all y e playne song into the churches Antoninus Guili Durand Pope Vitalian being a lustye singer and freshe couragious musition hymself brought into the church pricksong descant all kynde of sweete and pleasaunt melodye And bycause nothing should wante to delight the vayne folysh and y e idle eares of fond fantastical men he ioyned y e Organs to y e curious musike Thus was Paules preaching Peters praying tourned into vaine singing childysh playing vnto y e great losse of time vnto y e vtter vndoing of Christen mens soules whiche liue not by singing pipyng but by euery worde y t coÌ„meth out of y e mouthe of God In the yere c. 653. Plat. Volat. Chron. Polyd. D. Barns Pant. Of singing in the Churche the iudgement of diuerse learned men FRaÌ„ciscus Petrarcha in his boke De remediis vtriusque fortunae declareth y â— S. Athanasius did vtterly forbyd singyng to be vsed in the churche at seruice tyme bicause sayth he he would put away all lightnesse and vanitie whiche by the reason of singinge doth oftentymes arise in the mindes both of the singers and of the hearers S. Hierome reproued not only y e leud fashions of the singing meÌ„ in his time but also their maner of singyng when notwithstanding if the singing vsed in his tyme were coÌ„pared with y e minsed musike that now beareth chief rule in Churches it myght seme very graue modest and tollerable ours so light vayne madde fonde foolishe and fantastical that Hickscorner himself could not deuise a more wanton and trifling pastime We ought saith S. Hierome to sing to make melody and to prayse the Lorde rather in minde than in voyce And this it is that is sayd Singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts Let yonge men sayth he heare these thinges yea let them heare whose office it is to singe in the Churche that they must sing to god not in the voice but in the heart neither must their throte be annointed after the manner of Gameplayers with swete ointmeÌ„ts that in the Churche singyng more fitt for Gameplaces shoulde be heard but in feare in worke in knowledge of the Scriptures ought they to sing vnto the Lorde Let the voyce of the synger so sing that not the voice of him that singeth but the words that are read may delight In epist. ad Ephe. There is a godly Distichon fathered on S. Hierome which bicause it pertaineth to our matter I thinke it conuenient also in this place to alleage NoÌ„ vox sed votuÌ„ noÌ„ cordula musica sed cor Non clamans sed amans cantat in aure dei That is to say Not the voyce but the desire not the Musical instrument but the heart not the cryer but the louer singeth in the eare of God Sainct Cipriane that blessed Martyr sayth that God is not the hearer of the voyce but of the heart neither is he to be admonished with exclamations and outcries whiche seeth the thoughtes as the Lorde proueth and sayth What doe ye thynke wyckednesse in youre heart And in an other place All congregations shall knowe that I am the searcher of the raynes and hearte that is to say of the inwarde man Ciprian in orat dom Sainct Ambrose also sayth It is with out doubt a great incredulitie and vnfaithfulnesse to thinke thus of y e power of God that thou canst not be hearde except thou criest out Let thy worke cry let thy faith cry let thy minde cry let thy passions and sufferinges cry let thy bloud as the bloud of holy Abell crye whereof God sayd to Caim The voyce of thy brothers bloud crye vnto me For he heareth in secrete whiche maketh cleane in secrete We can not heare man except he speaketh vnto vs but vnto god not words but thoughts doe speake Lib. de Caim Abel S. Austen would y t the Comon prayer in Churches should be so distinctly and plainly set forth y t the people whiche are present might perfectly vnderstand them say Amen Lib. de Catechis Rud. In an other place he declareth that Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in his Churche vseth such manner of singing as was in a manner nothing els than a plaine reading Lib. confes 10. cap. 33. S. Gregory did greatly disalowe certaine Deacons at Rome in hys tyme which when they
of thundring the senteÌ„ce THe Prelate hauyng on hys Albe with the other Priestes that are in the Churche the Crosse beyng lyft vp and the candels lyght standing in the pulpit let them pronounâ—e the wordes that folowe EX authoritate dei patris omnipotentis beatae Mariae Virginis omnium sanctorum excommunicamus anathematizamus diabolo commendamus omnes supradictos malefactores Excommunicati sint anathematizati diabolo commendati Maledicti sunt in villis in campis in vijs in semitis in domibus extra domos in omnibus alijs locis stando iacendo surgendo ambulando currendo vigilando dormiendo comedendo bibendo aliud opus faciendo illos a luminibus omnibus bonis ecclesie sequestramus diabolo damnamus in paenis inferni animas eorum extinguamus sicut extinguitur ista candela nisi resipiscant ad satisfactionem veniant That is to saye By the authoritye of God y e father almyghtie and of the blessed Uirgyne Marye and of all Sainctes we excommunicate we cursse and committe to the Deuyll all the aforesayde malefectoures and euyl doers Excommunicate mought they be curssed and giuen ouer to the Deuill Cursed be they in Townes in Fieldes in Wayes in Pathes in Houses out of Houses and in all other places Standyng Lighyng Rysyng Walkyng Runnyng Watchyng Sleaping Eatyng Drinkyng and whatsoeuer thynge they doe besydes We sequester them from the thresholdes and all the goodes of the Churche and we giue them ouer to the Deuill And let vs quenche their soules in the paynes of hell as this candle is now quenched and put out except they amende and come vnto satisfaction Finita sententia extinguat lumen ad terrorâ— pulsatis caÌ„panis That is to say When the senteÌ„ce is ended let him put out the candle to make the people the more afraide and ring the belles In an olde written boke I find thus written The Articles of the generall senteÌ„ce must be read foure times in the yeare openly in the Churche before all the people yea and that in the mother tong that is to say the first sonday of Aduent and the first sonday of Lent Trinitie sondaye and on the sondaye whiche is within the Octaues of the Assumption of the blessed virgine Mary And when the Priest hath read the Articles of y e general sentence let hym with all hast put out the candle which he holdeth in his hand and with great violence cast it away from him saying Auctoritate dei patris omnipotentis filij Spiritus sancti sanctae Mariae Matris domini nostri Iesu Christi sanctoruÌ„ Apostolorum Petri Pauli omnium Sanctorum sanctorum Canonum nostri Ministerij excommunicamus anathematizamus a Sacramentis sanctae ecclesiae a coÌ„munione corporis sanguinis domini nostri Iesu Christi sequestramus omnes illos vel illas qui praenominati sunt Et sicut extinguitur haec lucerna hominum ita extinguatur lumen eorum in secula seculorum nisi ad emendationem satisfactionem venerint Fiat fiat Amen That is to saye By the authoritie of God the father almightye and the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and of S. Marye the Mo of our Lorde Iesu Christ and of y e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of al Saintes and of the holy Canons and of our ministerie we excommunicate we curse and we sequester from the sacramentes of holy church and froÌ„ y e coÌ„munion of the bodye and bloud of oure Lorde Iesu Christ al those men or women that are to fore named And as thys candle which meÌ„ vse is quenched and put oute so let their light be quenched and put oute worldes withoute ende excepte they amende and make satisfaction So be it So be it AMEN The priest must take hede sayth the olde written boke that he reade not on the foresayde sondayes the generall sentence at masse time after y e Gospel as certain vndiscrete priests do by this meanes interrupting the masse but he shal read it either immediatly after the aspersion or sprinckling of y e holy water or els after the procession Hereafter followeth a treatise of the articles of the generall greater curse found among other old bokes at Cantorbury in the parishe church of S Paule In the yeare c 1562. GOod men and women it is ordayned by the councell of al holy church fyrst of oure holy father the pope of Rome and his Cardinalls and by all hys councel and sithen of al Archbyshops and Byshops and by all the Clergye of holye church y t euery man of holy churche y t hath cure of mans soule that is to say persons vicares and paryshe priests should shewe among hys parishoners foure tymes of the yeare the articles that bene written in the generall sentence that is to saye the poyntes that longen to the greate curse The one daye is the fyrst sondaye of Aduente The second day is the fyrst Sonday in cleane lenton The thirde daye is the sondaye next after Whitsontide And the fourth day is the next sonday after the Assumption of our Ladye And the poyntes muste openly bee taught and shewed to the people or leude men y t they maye knowe the greate mischiefe and disease thereof y t no man or womaÌ„ should be perished for defaulte of learning ne haue matter to excuse hem by Wherefore ye shoullen vnderstande at the beginning y t thys worde Curse is thus much to say as departing fro god and al good workes Of two manner of cursing holy church telleth The one is cleped the lesse curse The other is cleped the more curse That we clepen the lesse curse is of this strength y t euery man and woman y t falleth therin it departeth hym froe al the Sacraments y t beene in holy Churche y t they maye none of hem receaue tyll they bee assoyled for ryghte as a swearde departeth y e head or y e lyfe from y e body right so as to saye ghostlich Curse departeth mans soule fro god fro al good workes The more curse is much worse is of this strength for to departe a man fro God and fro all holy church and also fro y e company of all Christen folke neuer to be saued by y e passion of Christ ne to bee holpen by the Sacramentes that bene done in holy Churche ne to haue parte with any Christen man â— Clerkes sayen that a childe before that he is christened it hath a wicked spirite dwelling within hym in hys soule the whiche wicked spirite is halsed or coniured or caste out of hym thorowe the prayer of the prieste before the churche dore when it shall be christened The which sacrament of baptisme is grouÌ„ded in holy writ and is beginning of al other sacramentes and was veriliche betokened in the passion of oure Lord Iesu Christ by water that ranne oute of hys side from
Christe in his members than he was in tymes paste The aduersaries of Gods truth haue no delight nor pleasure in heauenly and spirituall thyngs but like bellie beastes only borne to consume the good frutes of the earth they desire and seke after nothyng but the thynges of this world that their sonnes as the Psalmographe sayth may grow vp as the younge plantes and that their doughters maye be as the polyshed corners of the temple that their garners maye be full and plenteous with all manner of store â–ª that their shepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in their stretes that their Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decay no leding into captiuitie and no complayning in their stretes If all thinges go well and prosperously with them then are they mery and diligently offer sacrifice to to their God the belly But if any aduersity come then knitte they the forehead and worke their malice vpon Gods word and the faithfull professours of the same The worde they call heresie erroure doctrine new and straunge seditious and cause of rebellion of all other plages wherwith the commoÌ„ weale is afflicted The professoures of thys worde they blaspheme they â—aile vpon they curse with booke bell candle they excommunicate they apprehende they accuse they condemne they stocke they cheane they manacle â–ª they racke and in fine they most cruelly with sweard fyre and halter brynge them vnto an ende so farre is it of that these Epicures and bellygods do as they ought render thankes to God for his corporall benefites so richely poured vpon them and vpon other his creatures Now as touching the spiritual benefites and heauenly giftes of the minde as the knowledge of the holy scriptures the vnderstanding of the Lordes blessed will the preaching of the Gospel the true administration of the SacrameÌ„ts the abolishment of all false worshippings superstitions c. wherwith God in this our age hath most mercifully blessed vs â–ª far passing many other nations that be vnder the heauens as these wise wicked worldlinges knowledge not the benefits of the body nor yet are thanckfull to God for them so likewise are they altogether vnthanckfull for the gifts of the minde whiche do so far excel the other as gold surmouÌ„teth coper or siluer tynne For lyke as Owles caÌ„ not abyde the golden and glysteryng beames of the Sunne nor the light of y e day so in lyke maÌ„ner caÌ„ not these bellygods and Antichristes slaues suffer the glorious and pleasaunt light of Christes most glorious and pleasaunt Gospel They crye out with the wicked of whoÌ„ the Prophet maketh meÌ„tion on thys manner Se not Loke not out right thynges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs. Loke out erroures Get you out of this way Depart out of this pathe and turne the holy one of Israel froÌ„ vs. In the trifling traditioÌ„s â–ª croked constitutions idle inueÌ„tioÌ„s drousy dreames deuilish decrees false fables fond fantasies of meÌ„ is theyr whole delight as for the sincere pure religion of God that they vtterly neglect set at nought coÌ„teÌ„ne despise And if for shame they seme to approue alowe any part therof yet they do so maÌ„gle it bring it in captiuitie to the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ that it looseth the sincere simplicitie simple sinceritie whiche it receaued of the holye Ghost Some of theÌ„ are not ashamed so to diminish the authoritie of Gods sacred scriptures that they affirme the word of God to be so far the worde of God as the Church doth allowe it meaning the pope his spiritual shauelinges as though God gaue vs in his holy Scriptures an vnperfecte doctrine and not sufficiently authorised of him without the consent of Antichrist of hys broode Is not this to set God to schole and to make him a Nouice So should it follow that the word of God is grounded on the Church not the Churche on the worde of God Is not this right Antichrist that should turne y e rootes of trees vpwarde Christ saith speaking of his Church My shepe heare my voyce Againe he that is of god heareth the wordes of god IteÌ„ Euery one that is of y e truth heareth my voice And the holy Apostle saith speaking to the faithfull congregation of God Ye are no straungers and forreyners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe hymselfe beyng the head corner stone in whome what buyldyng soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holye temple in the Lorde The worde of God is not buylte vpon men althoughe neuer so holye and perfect neyther receaueth it any authoritie of maÌ„ although of neuer so greate excellencie wysedome and power but such as are the congregation of God are built vpon the worde of God whatsoeuer authoritie they haue euerye one in their degree and office they haue it altogether of Gods worde without the whiche word there can be no Church for asmuch as there caÌ„ be no faith as the Apostle saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God so farre is it of that either pope or Cardinall or anye other person hath any power to geue authoritie to the worde of God whiche already is authorized by the most hygh and supreme power euen God himselfe Some obiect olde and auÌ„cient customes affirming that this our religion as they terme it new and straunge disseÌ„teth in order and vsage greatly from the manner heretofore practised in our temples I graunt neither can the sinceritie of Gods worde suffer and abyde such olde vnsauory croked customes as heretofore haue bene vsed in the popish Religion as the coniuring of salte water bread bowes flowers fire ashes caÌ„dles c. creping to the crosse worshipping of Images calling vpon dead Sainctes sensing of altares Idols praying in a strauÌ„ge tong offering the missall sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead receauyng of the Sacrament vnder one kind with a thousand moe errours and heresies and other greuous abuses which of longe vsage and custome in tymes past haue bene exercised among vs taken for true Godlynesse But who knoweth not â–ª that custome ought to geue place to reason and truth for reason and truth exclude alwaye put out of place custome be it neuer so olde and auncient laudable and commendable Christ is the truth therfore ought we rather to followe the truth than the custome If thou lay to our charge custome sayth S. Gregorye Thou must marke what the Lorde saith I am saith he the way the truth and the life He sayd not I am the custome but I am the truth Custome without truth saith Saint Cyprian is nothing els thaÌ„ an olde errour Therfore leauing the error let vs followe the truth When the truth is once come to light saith Saint Austen let custome geue place For who doubteth that
and liuely and not fayned and dead and declare as Dauid speaketh of hymselfe that he is as a trutefull Olyue tree in the house of the Lorde For if righteousnesse come by the lawe then dyed Christe in vayne A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges And an euill man out of euill treasure bringeth forth euill thynges The good treasure is faith euill treasure is vnbelief Either make the tree good and his frute good or elles make the tree euill and hys frute euill The man must be good before he can bring forth good works Fourtenthly Auricular confession is set at nought and no more vsed I aunswere Auricular confession is the inuention of man no where grounded on the worde of God and hath bene the occasion of muche mischiefe in tyme paste Confession of our sinnes to God and to suche as we haue offended the Scripture teacheth and commauÌ„deth but such Auricular and caryshe confession to be made vnto a Priest with all circumstances where when howe with whom howe often c. as the pope commaundeth is no where founde in Gods booke Notwithstandyng we freely permitte and suffer any man that will to go vnto a Godly learned and discrete minister of Gods worde either for doctrine councell or comfort not only in the tyme of Lent but at all tymes of the yeare For it is written The lyps of a Priest kepe knowledge and at hys mouth they shall require the law for he is the Aungell or Embassadour of the Lorde of Hostes Fyftenthly The name of satisfaction is abhorred and counted vnworthy the Christen profession I aunswere To God there is satisfaction â—or sinns but the death of Christ alone as Sainct Iohn saith he Christ is the satisfaction for our sinnes Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul God made Christ to be sinne that is a satisfactory sacrifice for sinne which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse whiche before God is allowed God requireth of vs repentaunce fayth and amendement of lyfe when we haue gone astraye but to satisfie the iustice of God for those our sinnes we are not able though al righteousnesse of the whole worlde shoulde be offered vp to God of one man for one sinne that he had committed agaynst God in whose sight the starres are not pure nor the Aungels of heauen free from imperfection if they shoulde be compared with the purenesse and perfection of God Therefore to make satisfaction to GOD for oure sinnes Christe came downe tooke our frayle nature vpon hym dyed for our wickednesses and rose agayne for oure Iustification And thys hys satisfaction is counted oure satisfaction if we beleue in hym as it is written Be it knowen vnto you ye men and brethren that thorowe thys man CHRIST is preached vnto you the forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all that beleue are iustifyed from all thynges from the whiche ye coulde not be iustifyed by the lawe of Moses There is an other kynde of satisfaction that concerneth oure neyghboure whome we haue offended eyther in worde or in deede That satisfaction ought in this behalfe to be made no man that feared God denyeth Yea we playnly affirme that whosoeuer hath offeÌ„ded his neighbour and seketh not to be reconciled vnto him by makyng due satisfaction vnto him to the vttermost of his power whether it be in worde or in dede that person is farre from the true Christianitie If the offence be in worde sactisfactioÌ„ must be made in worde If it be in deede then must the satisfaction be made in dede lykewise after the example of Zachee whiche sayd If I haue done any man wrong I restore him foure folde Sixtenthly Free will is denyed to be in vs that we haue no power to do any good I aunswere Our libertie of well willing well doing was lost in AdaÌ„ in whoÌ„ as all we sinned so are al we iustly coÌ„deÌ„ned Before AdaÌ„s fal we had freewill both to will wel and to do well but since his fall all perished in vs that good was and all grewe vp that euill and wicked was as it is writteÌ„ All the imagination of mans heart is only euill euery day Againe the imaginatioÌ„ of mans heart is euill euen from hys youth Hereof doth it manifestly appeare what free will there is in vs to do good or to will good seing that all our imaginations and thoughtes of our heartes are euill and wicked at al tymes eueÌ„ froÌ„ our very youth as the Prophet saieth Leude is the heart of man and vnsearcheable Saint Paule also sayeth that of our selues we be not able somuch as to think a good thought And our Sauiour Christ sayeth Without me ye can doe nothyng Notwithstandyng this we saye that in naturall and humane thynges we haue a certayne choise of will as to eate this or that meate to put on thys or that garment to speake or to kepe silence c. yea and to sinne or to abstayne from the grosse actes of synne as murther adulterye fornication false witnesse bearyng and such lyke whiche notwithstaÌ„ding we muste acknowledge and confesse to be thâ— gift of God as Saint Paule sayeth What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Also Sainct Iames Euery good gift euery perfect gifte is from aboue and come down from the father of lightes But with our whole hearts to asseÌ„t and consent to the holy will of God to accomplyshe and performe the same with such perfection and puritye as the lawe requireth that lyeth not in our power neither can the streÌ„ghts of free will do any thing in this behalfe eyther to wil it or to do it For as Saint Paule saith It is God that worketh in vs both the wil and the deede The regenerate man in Christe hath only this will and this dede as Christ sayth If the Sonne make you free then are you free in deede The naturall man perceaueth not those thinges that belong to the spirite of God Not they whiche are borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but they that are borne of God haue this freedome Where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie saith the Apostle Seuententhly Prayer is called lyppe labour I answere Outward prayer pronounced with the lippes without the affectioÌ„ of the heart and consent of the mynde is not onely lyppe labour but also vayne labour not approued but reproued of the Lorde our God as Christ hym selfe witnesseth saying This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lippes howbeit their hearts are farre from me Uerelye they worshippe me in vayne And to the woman of Samaria he sayd thus The houre commeth and nowe is when the true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and in truth For suche the father also requireth to worship him God is a
If any mā do infringe break transgresse contemne and condemne this our ordinance euerlasting damnation hang ouer his head and the holy and chiefe apostles of God Peter and Paule be his enemies and immortal foes both in this world and in the world to come yea perish mought he in the lowest part of hell and so be damned for euer and euer withe the deuill and all the wicked Furthermore this Emperoure as the Romanists fayne when he hadde made this donation to the Churche of Rome plucked of the imperial crown made of moste fine golde garnished w t all kind of precious stones pearles and iewels from his own heade and set it vpon pope Siluesters pate for the reuerence y t he bare to s. Peter caused y e Romish bishop to be set vpon a costlye richely appareled palfrey to be solemnely caried aboute thorow the citie of Rome in the presence of al y e citizēs y e Emperour himself running on foote like a lacky by the Popes side holding his horses bridle in his hāde as a most vile page These thinges done y e Emperour Constantine departed from the West parts of the world which he had now giuē ouer to Pope Siluester and to his successors for euer to be s. Peters patrimony with all the priuileges emoluments commodities profites of the same and wēt himselfe into y e East partes euen vnto the citie Bizantium which being in great ruine he repared and amplified beautifying it with many noble and sumptuous buildings called it Constantinople according to his name He caried also with him almost al the noble men of the Romanes and the whole order of y e Senatours with their wiues children bicause the pope and his complices as it maye appere shuld haue elboughroume inough as few to trouble his holines as might be In the yere c. 315. Bartolomaeus Picerius de monte arduo Ioānes Laziardus Edic Constant Policronicon c. But how vayne false forged lying and counterfayte this bragging of the papistes is concerning the donation of the emperoure Constantine to the Sea of Rome and the supremacye of that Romishe bishop aboue all other bishops yea aboue Emperors Kings Princes c. diuers faythful learned expert writers do aboundantly testify Nicolaus de causa Laurentius Valla Antoninus Archiep. Florent Volateranus Hieronimus Paulus Cathalanus Albertus Crantzius Huldrichus Huttenus c. But this is the properti of the papists alwaies to father theyr lies theyr idle inuentions theyre drowsye dreames theyr croked constitutions theyr diuelish decrees c. Upon such as liued manye yeares before and vpon suche as were mē in theyr dayes of great learning and vertue that by this meanes theyr trifeling traditions might seme to be of the greter autority in the eies of the simple and vnlearned people so althoughe plaine erroures yet at y e last thorow the colour of antiquity be receiued for moste manifest verities vndoubted truthes Notwithstāding this must we nedes cōfesse which thīg the histories doe also testify that after y e church of Rome was endowed with temporal possessiōs it was euer after more studiouse of y e world thā of god of secular businesse thā of spiritual excercises of outward pomp pride ▪ thā of inward deuotiō christen holines of making their owne traditions and degrees than of setting forth gods holy commaundements lawes of enriching themselues than of edifyinge the flock of Christ so that not without a cause it is written y t what time the Church receaued temporal possessions y e olde enemy cried with a loude voice in y e ayer This daye is poison shed forth into the Church of Christ. Therfore saint Ierome in vitas patrum saith Sithens that holye Church encreased in possessiōs it hath decreased in vertues according to this cōmon saying Religio peperit diuitias Filia deuorauit matrē y t is to say Religion brought forth richesse the daughter hath deuoured the Mother Polichron Moreouer the Papistes fayne that the aforesaid Siluester being Byshop of Rome the councell of Nice gaue thys priuilege to the Byshop of Rome that he should be aboue all other Byshops as y e emperour is aboue al other kings and that he should be called Pope that is to say the chiefe father or the father of fathers But this is so false that nothing can be more contrary to y e truth For in the councel of Nice which was celebrate by the commaundemente of Constantine the Emperour in y e yeare of oure Lorde .iii. C.xxiiii where also wer present and gathered together .iii. C. xviii Bishops and holy fathers it was determined that the Byshops of Alexandria Antiochia and vniuersally all other primates should haue al the gouernance preheminence of al y e countryes that were nere vnto them as y e byshop of Rome had in Italy c. We will say they y t the old custome and manner shal continue in Egipte Libie and Pentapali which is that y e Bishop of Alexandria shal haue gouernaunce and rule ouer all these for tha◠there is a lyke custome for y e Byshop of Rome In like manner we wil that at Antioche other prouinces euery one shal haue their due honour Moreouer when Faustinus Legate to the byshop of Rome alleaged in y e sixte councell Cartaginense that the bishop of Rome ought to haue the ordering of al great matters in al places by his supreme authoritie he alleaged no scripture for him for at that tyme no scripture was thought to make for it but he alleaged vntruely the fyrst general councell Nicene in whiche Arrius the heretyke was condemned to make for that purpose Which after y e boke was brought forth no suche article found in it but the contrary yet the councel at that tyme sent to Constantinople Alexandria and Antioche where y e Patriarchall Sees were to haue the true copy of y e Councell Nicene which was sent vnto them also frō Rome whether thei sent also for that purpose And after they found no suche article in it but in the fyrst chapter therof the contrary that al causes ecclesiastical shuld eyther be determined within y e diocesse or els if any wer greued thē to appeale to the Councell prouinciall and there the matter to take full end so that for no such causes men shoulde goe out of there prouince y e whole councell Cartaginense wrote to Celestine at y e tyme being Byshop of Rome that since the councell Nicene had no such article in it as was vntruely alleaged by Faustinus but the contrary they desired hym to abstayne after to make any more such demaunde denouncing vnto him that they woulde not suffer any cause great or smal to be brought by appeale out of their countrey therupon made a lawe that no man shuld appeale out of the countrey of Aphricke vpō paine to be denounced accursed Wherewith the
of them For besides these that I haue rehersed ther are diuers other monastical orders as Ambrosians Sarrabartes Bernardines SaÌ„bonites Beghartines Apostolianes Guilhelmites Iosephians Sepulchrians Sheerians Swerders Crosse started Constantinopolitanes Wentzelaians Nolhartians Iacobites Swearde Iacobites Helenians Ierusalemites Iosophatians Selauonians Maries brethren Ioannites Lazarites Magdalenians Keyed Monkes Holy ghostes men Specularians Hospitalianes Mosarabites Georgians c. Bidding all these monstruous monasticall disordered orders Adieu I wyll recite some other deuises of the Romishe bishoppes concernyng Monkes and afterwarde fall in hande wyth the other Cloysterers whiche are in deede those very Locustes whereof Saincte Iohn speaketh in the booke of hys Reuelations Rules concerning all orders of Monkes POpe Gregory the seuenth ordained that no Monkes should eat flesh at any time but geue theÌ„selues to thin diet and course fare In the yere c. 173. Ioan. Laziard Gratianus De consec Dist. 5. cap. CarneÌ„ cuiquaÌ„ mona Pope Pelagius made a decree that no Monk should be promoted to bee Abbot except he wer laufully chosen and accordyng to the rules of the Cannon law In the yere c. 552. Christ. Massae Pope Theodorus made a decree that no Monke should chaunge his place to go vnto any other cloyster without liceÌ„ce of his Abbot or Prior. In the yere c. 673. Chroni Christ. Mass. Pope Siricius first of al admitted moÌ„kes vnto holye orders for before hys tyme they wer not couÌ„ted amoÌ„g clearkes but taken for mere lay meÌ„ In the yere c. 389 Albertus Krantz Pope Boniface the fourth made a decree y t Monkes might vse the office of preaching of Christening of hearing confessions and also of assoyling men from their sinnes In the yere c. 606. Ranulâ—hus Cestren chron Ang. Pope Eugenius the first ordained first of all that monkes should be shutte vp in their cloysters For before that time the monks vsed to range and to gadde abroad wher and whether they lysted In the yeare of our Lord .650 Albert. Krants Chron. Pope Eusebius ordayned y t a young man or a young woman although being assured together in the way of maryage maye notwithstanding theyr promyses made depart one from an other and become cloysterers In the yeare c. 309. Quaest. 27. Cap. 2. Dispontatam Phil. Bergom Pope Eugenius the fyrst decreed that Monkes shoulde not goe oute of theyr cloyster without special licence of their Superiour In the yere c. 650. Quaest. 16. Cap. 1. Placuit The aforesayd Pope also coÌ„maunded y t no monke should be holdeÌ„ in the cloyster against his wil. Qâ—â—o 1. c. Signi Pope Iohn y e fyrst bearing rule moÌ„ke Benet an Italian builded an Abbey in Cassine and assembled the monkes that wer dispersed alone in diuerse places into one couente ordred them with instructioÌ„s of maÌ„ners rules of liuing confyrmed with thre vowes that is to say chastitie wilful pouertye and obedience bycause they should altogether mortifye their owne will and lustes In the yeare of our lorde 524. Chron. Polidor These threafore named vowes Basilius Byshop of Casarea did fyrste institute publishe And also assigne the yeare of probation or trial that religious persons had afore they wer professed In the yeare c. 183. Ibidem Pope Gregory the eyght reygning a certaine noble man called Hugo toke away from monkes and Nunnes theyr great lordships and to much wealthy yearely liuings reuenues and gaue theÌ„ so much as shuld suffyce for meate drinke and clothe In the yere c. 1186. Ioan. Laziard Pope Boniface the fourth being Byshop of Rome there were in the Abbey of Bangor two thousande two hundred Monkes which al liued by the labour of their own hands by y e sweate of their own browes according to this commaundement of God In y e sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread c. Agayne Thou shalt eate y e labours of thy hands In the yere c. 606. Ranulphus Cestrensis Of Channons POpe Eugenius the fourth being Byshop of Rome the order of y e regular Chanons began in Hethruria in the parts of Luca in the cloyster Frisonaria Of thys secte there are two opinions For some say y e Austen by and by after he was created byshop brought hys Channons in thys rule forme of liuing wherin they haue bene loÌ„g trained nouseled vp Other some bragge and make their vaunt that it was deuised of the Apostles of thys opinion was Thomas of Aquine But how soeuer the matter go Austen was doubtlesse eyther the inuentour of the secte or renuer of it and therefore maye iustlye bee called and taken for the author of that fashion The Channons clothing by their fyrst foundatioÌ„ was a white cote and a linnen rocheâ— vnder a blacke cope with a scapuler to couer their head and shoulders The aforesayd Pope Eugenius endowed this order with many priuileges and great libertyes In the yeare c. 14 0. Libro Germ. Polidorus Chron. Pope Gregorye the .xi. bearing rule certayne spiritual fathers of s Austens order in the parties of Sene in Italye inuented a sect of Chanons called Scopetines or S. Saluators order Whiche order the aforesayd Gregory dyd approue and endue with many and diuerse priuileges and numbred them among y e Chanons regulare or quier priestes And for a memorial of theyr fyrst fouÌ„dation and spirituall state they weare a white garment with a white scapularye vpon a white rochet They lyue of their rentes and reuenues They preach not but they heare confessions In the yeare c. 1367. Lâ—â— â—erm â—hilip Bergom Of Fryers and of the diuersitie of that secte Of the Crosse bearers of Crossed Fyers order POpe Innocent the third being bishop of Rome the order of the Crossed Fryers which in the yeare of our lord 1215 was denyed by a certayne maÌ„ called Quiricus a byshop and Martyr in the time of Helena the Mother of Constantine the great Emperour afterward fell to such decaye that it was almoste gone to nought was raysed agayne by the aforesayd Innocent in the .xviii. yere of hys papacye The beginning of this secte was on thys manner Among theÌ„ of Albonia rose a pestilente heresye which caused a great dissentioÌ„ among them of Rome Wherefore the byshop of Rome sent many agaynst theÌ„ marked with the Crosse whiche were all sâ—aine These laudable and prayse worthye souldioures dyd he halowe therefore and make saintes and raysed the orâ—er agayn with geuing of many fredâ—mes and priuileges Unto thys order did Pope Innocent the fourth geue a rule commaundyng y t the spiritualtie of this order should alway weare a crosse in their handes There clothyng is a blacke cope with a crosse theron y e highnesse of an hand Chron. Lib. Germ. Of the Carmelites or white Fryers order POpe Honorius the thyrde fauoured greatly the order of y e white Fryers Some say that this sect began in mount Carmelus after
in a manner by the reason of that vse coulde it by heart and song it in stretes and hie wayes so that it came to passe that wheÌ„ certain shepheardes did synge it in the fielde and layed breade vpon a stone at the pronouncing of those wordes of consecration the bread was turned into fleshe But the shepheardes by Gods iudgement were striken vnto death for their presumption thorowe fyre that came downe from heauen Therfore the holy fathers haue decreed y t those words should be spoken in silence forbiddyng all men vnder payne of excommunication that no man presume to speake those wordes but priestes onely when they are at the altar yea and that at Masse agayn when they haue on their Massing garmentes Thys tale telleth Guil. Durandus in his booke called Rationale diuinorum officiorum also Ioannes Billet in his boke de diuinis officiis Honorius in his treatise de geÌ„ma animae wherof thou mayest learne two thinges Firste that in the primatiue churche and â—ong after wheÌ„ Christen religion was moste pure the wordes of the Lordes Supper or as the papistes terme them of consecration were not spoken in hocker mocker as they be now but playnely openlye and distinctly that al myght heare theÌ„ vnderstand them and learne them vnto their great comforte â–ª and edifying Secondly y t the words of consecration were at that time of so great vertue y t whosoeuer pronounced them ouer the bread were he Lay or Spiritual priest or Ploweman Byshop or Butcher the breade was strayghtwayes tourned into the naturall bodye of Christ as we may see here by y e shepeheardes whiche were laye men and not holye annoynted whiche were in the fielde and not in the Church whiche had on their shepeheardes clokes and not halowed vestments whiche had but a coÌ„mon stone to laye their breade on and no halowed altare And here mayest thou see y t any laye man if he can pronounce the words of consecration hauing bread layed on a stone may make Christes body as wel as y e priest For if y e lay men by y e vertue of y e words could make Christes bodye at that tyme be thou certayne and well assured y t they bee able to doe the same euen nowe also notwythstandyng the holye fathers decrees to the contrarye For the vertue of Goddes worde abydeth alwayes one If the Massemonger therfore can make hym y t made them as theyr doctryne declareth then can the Laye man lykewyse make theyr maker and so maye the Laitie stryue with the spiritualtye to the vttermost in God makyng Nowe that the popyshe priestes can make God whiche made them although I coulde bryng forth and alledge manye authorities euen oute of theyr owne bookes yet will I at thys presente contente my selfe with one or two sentences which are written in a boke called Stella Clericorum The authors wordes ar these I ste qui creauit me dedit mihi creare se qui creauit me sine me creatur mediante me That is to say in Englyshe He that made me gaue me power to make hym and he that made me withoute me is made by the meanes of me Agayne he sayth Cum ergo tantae dignitatis sit sacerdos quod creator sit sui creatoris totius creaturae ipsum perdere vel damnare inconueniens est Which is thus Englished Seyng then that a priest is of so great dignitie that he is the maker of hys maker and of euery creature to destroye or to condemne hym it is not conuenient Pope Alexander the fyrste ordayned that the bread whiche the prieste hath at hys Masse shoulde bee but of a small quantitye saying Thys oblation the lesser it bee the better it is Guilielmus Durandus Pope Alexander also commaunded that the breade shoulde be vnleuened bread whiche the prieste vseth at hys Masse Platina Sabelli Lib. Concil Poly. Christ. Massaeus Whye theyr singing cake is rather rounde than otherwyse Antoninus maketh thys reason The hoste sayeth he is made round after the manner of a penye bicause Iudas solde Christ for thirtye pens Guilielmus Durandus writeth thus The hoste is formed rounde bycause the earth is the Lordes and al y t is therin y e round world all y t dwel in it y t the outward fashion therof may signifie him that wanteth both beginning and ending Pope Alexander likewyse appoynted y t the wine in y e chalice shuld be myngled with water to signifye the vnion vnseparable felowship of Christ hys church Ioan. Laziard â— Ioan. Stella Libro Concil Grat. Sabel Pope Honorius the third commaunded y t the Missall bread shoulde be heaued and lifted vp aboue the Priestes heade at the sacryng tyme as they call it and y t all the people should fal down and worship it In the yeare of oure Lord. 1214. Extra de celeb Miss Can. Sanâ— cum olim Gabriel Biel super Canone Missae Lect. 14. et Lect. 50 Dec. 3. Tit. 1. Cap 10. Pantaleon Here may al men see how auncient a thing thys Pope holy sakeryng is which notwithstanding the blynd and sely shepyshe symple soules thynke to be y e beste part of the Masse Uerely it is a little more than three hundred and fortie yeres olde A deuilishe an Idolatrous inuentioÌ„ is it not altogether vnlyke to the setting vp of the golden calfe in the wildernesse Pope Gregorye the ninth ordayned y t the sacryng bel shoulde be rong wheÌ„ the priest lifteth vp the Missall bread Chalice aboue hys head to moue the people to beholde that new found God whiche is not as the true God ought to be worshipped in spirite and truth but in knockyng knelyng and liftyng vp of handes In the yeare c. 1225. Anselmus Ryd Pope Leo Pope Victor Pope Nicolas Pope Innocent Pope Honorius pope Vrban â–ª Monke Lanckfrancke Monk Gratian Fryer Thomas Fryer Bonauenture and such lyke monstures belly Gods inuented fyrst of all the God of the altare and made of the Sacramente or holy sygne of Christes body and bloud the true naturall real corporal carnal substantiall c body of Christ GOD and man fleshe bloude and bone synowes guttes and loynes euen as he was borne of Marye the Uirgine and hanged on the Crosse no breade nor wyne remayning but the substance of breade tourned into the substaunce of Christes naturall bodye and the substance of wyne chaunged into the substance of Christes naturall bloude So that we handle hym with oure handes put hym in our mouthe teare hym with oure teeth eate hym digest hym c and partely with theyr Sophistrye they persuaded and partely with theyr tyrannye they compelled the people so to beleue as the cruell and bloudye papistes lyke wyse doe in thys our age where the deuill and the Pope reygne whiche dayes was not knowen nor heard of in y e Church of Christe so newe is the doctryne of transubstantiation and of theyr missal
by fayth in Christ God complayneth greuously on thys manner and sayeth Be astonyshed O ye heauens be afrayde and abashed at suche a thyng sayeth the Lorde For my people hath done two euills They haue forsaken me the well of y e water of lyfe and haue dygged them pyttes yea vile and broken pittes y e can holde no water Blessed is the man sayth the Psalmographe whose hope the name of the Lord is and hath not turned vnto vanities nor vnto suche as goe about with lyes Of Purgatorye Who was the fyrst inuentour deuiser and fynder out of the Popes false fained fyrie purgatorye I can not finde by any historyes or monumentes that I haue red vnto this daye But after it was found and deuised by some subtill heade thorowe the subtil suggestion of most subtill Sathan whiche seketh all meanes possible to obscure the price of Christes death and to sowe erroures and heresyes in the heartes of paynted Hipocrites yea of all people so muche as lyeth in his power vnto y e destruction and condemnation of their soules there wanted not specially of the companye of Sophisters and Monks espiing that there woulde ryse no small auauntage to their purses of this goodly newe and late inuention whiche set a good face on the matter countenauncing it out with the authorityes of the holy Scripture addyng therunto their false pestilent and lying gloses wherwith they bleared the eyes of the simple and caste suche mystes before theyr syghte that these certayne hundred yeares they coulde neuer see the true purgatorye of the soule whiche is the precious bloud of our Sauiour Christ but beleued verelye that there was a place of purgyng after thys lyfe as though the bloude of Christe were not a sufficient purgatory for their soules from the which they must be deliuered eyther by sufferyng intollerable paynes themselues in that firye fornace till they haue made sufficient satisfaction for their sinnes or els by the Suffrages and sacrifices of the Masse or by almosse dedes done for them of theyr executours and frendes c. Thys dreame of purgatorye and praying for the dead hath bene maintayned from tyme to tyme not onelye by the writinges of diuerse men but also by the decrees and Councelles of diuerse sundrye Popes and of theyr adherentes as a myghty and straunge defence of the Catholyke Churche and her deuoute Chaplens withoute the whiche a greate parte of the Popes Churches buildings is like out of hand to fall vnto miserable ruine and vtter decaye Where thys place of Purgatorye is none of oure purgatorye rakers or proctoures thereof is able to declare Diuerse of them haue diuerse opinions in thys behalfe as it is an harde thing for lyers and taleforgers to agree in all points among themselues so alone is the truthe perfecte and constant and without verities or discorde Some of them affyrme and saye that it is in a certayne place euen nexte vnto hell vnder y e earth Some holde y t it is not nie vnto hell for then myghte it seme y t suche as are in Purgatorye shoulde neuer ascende and come vnto heauen for asmuche as we rede in y e Gospel of Luke that there is so great a space betwene them that are aboue and them that are beneath y t they whiche are aboue can not come downe to them y e are beneath neither can they that are beneath come vp to them y t ar aboue But aboue in the ayre yea and that in torrida zona bycause that after they bee sufficiently purged they may be nighe and goe strayghtwayes vnto heauen Some other saye y t they be neither beneath neere vnto Hell nor yet aboue nighe vnto Heauen but accordyng to the dispensation and appoyntment of god diuerse soules are diuersly placed some here some there some in thys place some in that place some beneath some aboue some in the middest according to their desertes but all suffering paynes eyther more or lesse till sufficient satisfactiō be made for theyr sinnes either by themselues in paynes sufferyng or els by other in Massesingyng in almosse geuing in watching in praying in pilgrimage going in the popes pardons bying c. The tales and lies which the papistes haue inuented concerning the places of soules after their departure is to much wonderfull and maruelous In Longobardica historia in Legenda aurea in vitis patrum in the Festiual c. shalt thou finde examples plentifully whiche bookes in tymes paste were better knowen and more preached to the simple people than the true and pure worde of God And as they do not agree amonge themselues where pyckpursse Purgatory is so likewise doe they dissēt both in the tormentours in the tormentes of the soules Some teach y e the soules in purgatory are punished of the good aūgels at gods appointmēt some say that they be wicked Spirites of hell y t punishe them Some agayne hold that the soules in purgatory are tormented with fire onely accordyng to this sentence of Saint Paule Vniuscuiusque opus quale sit ignis probabit some contrariwise affirme y t they are punished both with fyre and water according to this saying of the Psalmographe Transiuimus per ignem aquam reduxisti nos in refrigerium But howsoeuer the sely simple soules be punished the Papists with one voyce affirme that they are most paynefully afflicted and tormented yea and that with such paynes and tormentes as be incomparable the paynes tormentes of hell only excepted Of those most intollerable paynes of purgatory thus rede we in the Popes decrees He must firste be purged with the fyre of purgatory that hath differred the frute of conuersion vnto an other world And this fyre althoughe it be not euerlastyng is notwithstanding a wonderfull greuous fyre For it excedeth and passeth all payne whiche any man at any tyme hath suffered in this life In the fleshe there was neuer so greate payne founde althoughe the Martyrs did suffer maruelous tormēts c. And in the booke entytled Sermones discipuli we rede on this manner The soules whiche are in purgatory are in moste greuous paynes For if all the burnyng coales in the worlde were gathered together and poured vppon an heape and a man shoulde stande in the myddes of them yet shoulde he not suffer so greate heate and burnyng as the soules doe in Purgatory No temporall payne maye be compared with the paynes of Purgatorye The paynes is so greate that a lyttle shorte tyme seemeth to be verye longe and greate tyme. Therefore we rede that a certayne Religious man burned in Purgatorye onelye while one Masse was a saying and he appeared to hys felowe and sayde that he had burned in Purgatorye a greate number of yeare And some soules are punished there a longe space some thyrtie yeares some an hundred some a thousand more or lesse some vnto the ende of the world