holye Ghost he went fearcelye vpon them with wo vpon wo callynge them all that nought was As hypocrytes dyssemblers dodypolles fooles blynde beastes bellygoddes scorners false prophetes periures vypers serpentes deuourers rauenours brybers theues tyrauntes murtherers and fyre brandes of hell Loke the .xxiij. chapter of Mathew ye shall fynde that he poured all thys vpon them and doubled yt in the captyuyte of Hierusalem whan the great vengeaunce of all innocent blood lyght greuouslye vpon them For in the syege of that cytie were slayne by vespasianus Titus to the nombre of .x. hondred thousandes of Iues. Not onlye of the inhabytauntes of that regyon there but from all quarters of the worlde aboute which at that tyme came thydre to their Eastre celebracyon Besydes there were there ledde fourth from thens captyue .xcvij. thousande of whome some were solde to the Romanes to become their contynuall seruauntes and slaues and the resydue geuen vnto the Lyons and wylde beastes that they shuld daylye deuoure them and be fed with their fleshe All thys witnesseth Egesippus Iudeus li. 5. Ca. 49. De Hierosolimorum excidio And now after hys most manyfest example Christ wylleth vs also extremelye to rebuke these cruell corrupters of the christyanyte for their most spyghtfull contempt of hys wholsom warnynges the Christen magistrates hereafter or els some other enemye of theirs folowynge with double vengeaunce vpon the heades of them Apoca. 18. Thys plage whan yt shall fall as yt ys not farre of wyll be the most ryghtouse hande of God vpon the malygnaunte generacyon Great wondre wyll yt be vnto manye I know yt wele to beholde their chefe Englyshe sayntes thus rebuked And paraueÌ„ture they wyll thynke that I myght as wele speake agaynst Peter and Iohan Paule and Iames with the other Sayntes Apostles and Martyrs of the prymatyue churche as agaynste these vngodlye hypocrytes of theirs But I tell those men afore hande that they are wretchedlye blynde for want of lyuelye knowlege in the sacred scripturs They haue no true iudgement in them to dyscerne the fallen starre from the starre so fyermelye fixed in the fyrmameÌ„t as neuer coude be yet from theÌ„s remoued Neuer shall he that declyueth to mennys inuencyons be all one with hym whyche onlye folowethe the pure woorde of God But vndoubtedly of no small tyme great honoure wyll yt now be to yow yea rather moche greatter to flee the sede of the Serpent by the worde of God as euer yt was to Saynt George that noble captayne to slee the great hydre or Dragon at Silena as Baptista Mantuanus specyfyeth I speake not thys for that I wolde ye to fall vpon that sorte with materyall weapon but with the myghtye stronge worde of the Lorde For as Esaye Daniel and Paule reporteth they shall be destroyed without haÌ„des Esa. 11. Dani. 8. et 2. Thes. 2. Onlye ys yt Gods true knowlege that nobleth yow before hym be therfor no longar neglygent An vnrecurable dyshonoure were yt vnto yow from hens fourth to be led blynde felde of these bushardes in the darke The most of yow are all redye verye plentuouslye entered that lorde be praysed thynke hym only blessed which perseuereth to the ende Hauynge the gouernaunce of Christes dere herytage drawe not your lawes out of Antichristes rules now that ye knowe Christes wholsom doctryne Neyther yet fatche the breade that ye shall feade your commons with oute of hys bawdye beggerlye bowgettes but lete them haue the pure purueaunce of God out of the vndefyled scripturs Be ones so mercyfull to that christen flocke that ye clerelye delyuer them from that vyle generacyon Lete them no longer worshyp deuyls as they haue done in these dead monkes and theues but lete theÌ„ loke frelye towardes their eternall lyuynge God both to their sowles helthe and yours Amen ¶ Thus endeth the first parte of thys worke called The Actes of Englyshe votaryes Collected by Iohan Bale Anno. 1546. ¶ The Autours names both Englyshe and other out of whom thys present Boke ys collected Abbas Vrspergensis Achilles Pyrminius Alphonsus de Castro Alphredusbeuâ—rlaceÌ„sis Amandus Zierixensis Antoninus FloreÌ„tinus Baptista Platina Baptista Mantuanus Bartholomeus Anglus Bedas Girnuinus Bernardus LutzeÌ„burg Berosus Chaldeus Biblia Sacra Blondus Flauius Caius Iulius Christianus Masseus ClemeÌ„s Alexandrinus Colfridus Abbas Conradus Gesnerus Cornelius Tacitus De utraque Potestate Diodorus Siculus Edgari Oratio Egesippus Iudeus Epiphanius Cyprius Eusebius Cesariensis Festiuale Sacerdotum Flores Historiarum Franciscus LaÌ„bertus Freculphus lexouieÌ„sis Galfredus Monemutensis GeÌ„nadius MassilieÌ„sis Georgius Ioye Gorgius Vuicelius Gildas Britannus Giraldus Cambrensis Guido de Columna Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Guilhelmus Caxton Guilhelmus Tyndale Guilhelmus Turner Hartmannus Shedel Hector Boethius HelinaÌ„dus Monachus Henricus Huntyngtonensis HemaÌ„nus Contractus HermaÌ„nus TorreÌ„tinus Honorius Augustudunensis Iacobus Vorago Iacobus Bergomas Iacobus Zieglerus Iodocus Badius Ioannes Capgraue Ioannes Hardyng Ioannes Stella Ioannes de Molinis Ioannes Annius Ioannes Nauclerus Ioannes Lydgate Ioannes Textor Ioannes Tritemius Ioannes Pomeranus Ioannes Carion Ioannes Maior Ioannes Lelandus Isidorus hispalensis LegendariuÌ„ Ecclesie Liuthprandus TicineÌ„sis Marcus Sabellicus Marianus Scotus Martinus Carsulanus Martinus Lutherus Matheus Palmarius Merlinus Ambrosius Michael Ricius Nauclerus Ioannes Nennius Britannus Odo Cluniacensis Osbertus CaÌ„tuarieÌ„sis Osuualdus Myconius Otto Phrisingensis Paulus Orosius Paulus Aemilius Paulus Constantinus Petrus Equilinus Philippus MelaÌ„chton Plinius Secundus Polycrates Ephesius Polydorus Vergilius Pomponius Mela. Prosper Aquitannus Ptolomeus Lucensis Ranulphus Cestrensis Raphael Volateranus Robertus Fabyane Robertus Barnes Sigebertus GeÌ„blaceÌ„sis Strabo Cretensis Thomas Braduuardin Thomas Vualden Thomas Scrop VinceÌ„cius BeluaceÌ„sis Vtraque potestas VVernerus Cartusiensis VVilibaldus Anglus Finis The holye Gost shall rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse and of iudgement Ioan. 16. Into the newe Hierusalem shall entre no vncleane thynge neyther that which worketh abhomynacyon nor yet what maketh lyes But they only which are written in the lambes boke of lyfe Apoca. 21. The man of synne shall be opened before the Lordes commynge euen the sonne of perdycyon whiche is an aduersarye and ys exalted aboue all that ys called God whom he shall consume with the sprete of hys mouthe 2. Thes. 2. ⧠Printed at Wesel In the Yeare Of our Lorde God 1. 5. 4. 6. Olde goddes c. newe Dyffa â–ª macyoÌ„s of Marryage blasphemye The deuyls Sayntes vnmaryed Votaryes ChristeÌ„ doctors The antour Chronycles prestes Maryage Vyrgynyte Faythe 2. Cor. â—â— Mat. 7. Myracles Autours Byshoppes Gospel Errour Face of Antichrist Marryage maketh laye Nobylyte Kynge Henry Christ. Matrymonye the first relygyoÌ„ Vnmaryed prestes Gods aduersaryes Cain NoÌ„nes and MoÌ„kes Sodomytes Prestes wyues Prestes wyues Haters of the Pope â—arnes The autour EnglaÌ„de Afore Noe. The flood Iapheth Phaleg Samothes gygas Albion gigas Neptunus Samothytes vestals chastyte TyraÌ„ny now brutus syluius Druydes Athens whores one god beastes worshypped
worke For so sone as he was gone with soche as yt pleased hys pontyfycall pleasure to call with hym sodenly sayth Fabyane Antonyne Vyncent and Iohan Capgraue the ioystes of the loft fayled and they that were vndre yt peryshed there ¶ Dunstanes prouysyon in Englande for Sathan THus haue thys most cruell and wycked generacyon contynuallye buylded their synnefull Syon in blood Michee 3. and are not yet ashamed of these their manyfest knaueryes For these belly founders theues and mourtherers of theirs yet aduaunce they for their princypall Sayntes And whaÌ„ their feastfull dayes come they are yet in the papystych churches of Englande with no small soleÌ„pnyte mattensed â—…assed candeled lyghted processyoned senseâ— smoked perfumed and worshypped the people brought in beleue that the latyne readynge of their wretched actes there in their legendes ys Gods dyuyne seruyce beyng without fayle the most dampnable seruyce of the deuyll Lyke as holye Iohan Baptyst by preachynge repentaunce prepared a playne pathwaye to Christ and hys kyngedome Luce. 3. So ded thys vnholye Dunstane by sowynge of all superstycyons make redye the waye to SathaÌ„ and hys fylthye kyngedome agaynst hys commynge fourth from the bottomlesse pytt after the full thousande of years from Christes incarnacyon Apoca. 20. which ys the sprete of Antichrist He raysed vp in EnglaÌ„de the pestylent ordre of monkes he buylded them monasteryes he procured them substaunce innumerable fynally he brought into their handes the cathedrall churches with the free eleccyon of byshoppes that nothyng shuld there be done within that realme but after their lust and pleasure ThaÌ„ was Chrystes kyngedome clerelye put a syde and hys immaculate spouse or churche vpon hys worde onlye dependynge compelled to flee into the desart Apoca. 12. Men and womeÌ„ that ryghtlye beleued durst not than confesse their faythe but kept all close within them For than was Sathan abrode these monkes euerye where assystynge hym in the fournyshynge out of that proude paynted churche of Antichrist Superstycyon hypocresye and vayne glorye were afore that tyme soche vyces as men were glad to hyde but now in their gaudyshe ceremonyes they were taken for Gods dyuyne seruyce ¶ Sygnes and plages folowynge these myschefes BVt now se what folowed of these afore rehersed myscheues In the yeare of our lorde DCCCC lxxxviij which was the .xij. yeare before that full thousande departed thys Dunstane a swarme of deuyls frequeÌ„tynge hys tumbe as I shall in the next boke she we more playnelye Within the same yeare appered a bloodye cloude in the skye which couered all EnglaÌ„de as witnesseth IohaÌ„ Hardinge with dyuerse other Chronyclers and yt rayned blood ouer all the lande After that entered the Danes so fast sayth Ranulphe at euerye porte that no where was the Englyshe nacyon able to withstande them And the monkes to helpe the matter wele forewarde by counsell of their Archebyshop Siricius gaue them .x. thousand pounde to begynne with that they myght lyue in rest and not be hyndered For lytle cared they what became of the reest so their precyouse bodyes were safe After thys by dyuerse compulsyons they augmented that summe from .x. to .xvi. to .xx. to .xxiiij. to .xxx. and so fourth tyll they came to the sharpe payment of .xl. thousande pounde and tyll they had nomore moneye to geue For the more the Danes had the more couetouse and cruell they were euermore Thus ded they to the lande innumerable harme in sekynge their owne pryuate commodyte and so brought their owne natyue people in most myserable thraldome For by that meanes were the Danes made stronge and the Englyshe nacyon bycame feble and weake yea so wretched at the last that they were fayne to call euerye vyle slaue amonge the seyde Danes their good lorde But now marke the ende coÌ„cernynge these monkes In the yeare of our lorde a thousande .xij whiche was the .xxiiij. yeare from Dunstanes departynge and the .xij. from the deuyls goynge fourth the Danes after manye great vyctoryes within the realme fyered the cytie of Caunterburye and enprisoned the Archebyshopp than Elphegus And as he and hys monkes were able to geue no more moneye they tythed theÌ„ after thys sort They slewe alwayes .ix. and reserued the tenth to perpetuall sorowe and seruytude tyll they had mourthered of them to the noÌ„bre of more thaÌ„ ix hondred there and in other quarters abrode And the moste part of them they hynge vp by the members which was a playne sygnyfycacyon that plage to come than vpon them for their Sodometrye and most vyolent contempt of christen marryage Ranulphus Cestrensis li. 6. Ca. 13. et 15. Fabianus Par. 1. Cap. 199. ¶ The Conclusyon of thys fyrst boke HEre haue I paynted oute before your eyes most derelye beloued contreye meÌ„ the chast holye consecrate and spirituall actes of your Englyshe votaryes prestes Monkes Byshoppes froÌ„ the worldes begynnynge to a full complete thousande years sens Christes incarnacyon Not all haue I here rehersed for that were a laboure without ende they beynge so innumerable but a serten of them for euerye age that ye maye by them perceyue what the rest hath bene In the next part or boke which shall begynne at Sathans goynge fourthe at large after hys thousande years tyenge vp Apoca. 20. and so contynue to thys yeare of our Lorde a MD. and .xlvi. that ye maye knowe what chere hath bene amonge them what occupyenge they haue had what masteryes they haue played aÌ„d what myracles they haue done for that tyme aÌ„d space also I thynke yt wyll apere an other maner of thynge than that which hath gone afore For so moche as Sathan their ghostlye gouernoure hath for that tyme wrought most strongelye Nomore wyll I be ashamed to reherse their fylthye factes lete them trust vpon yt than they haue bene to do them in effect and to sett them fourthe for holye spirytuall coÌ„secrate chast honorable and ghostlye good workes beynge abhomynable and most stynkynge knaueryes The worlde shall wele knowe what Sodomytes and Deuyls they are that haue all thys tyme contempned christen marryage instytuted of God and do not yet repent their most dampnable doynges in that behalf but contynue styll the saint leadynge their lyues in vnspekeable fleshlye fylthynesse Christ promysed ones to all soche as they are that all their hydden myscheues shuld come to lyght yf they wolde not at the call of hys most holye Gospell repent Nothynge sayth he ys so closelye hydden amonge those spirytual murtherers but wyl be clerely opened neyther yet so secretlye couered but shall apere manyfest and be knowne to the worlde Math. 10. Marci 4. Luce. 12. Christ suffered verye longe the Pharysees and Byshoppes the lewde predecessours of our proude spirytualte But whan he ones perceyued non other in theÌ„ but contempt of hys veryte with wylfull resystaunce of the
was put to deathe at Antioche for confessinge Iesus Christ as wytnesseth Clemens Alexandrinus in .7 li. Stromatum and Eusebius Caesariensis li. iij. Ca. 30 Ecclesiastice historie Paule left hys wyfe at Philippos a cytie of the Macedoneanes by consent of them both Phil 4. 1. Cor. 7. For thys onlye cause sayth both Clemens and Eusebius that he myght the more easelye therby and with the lesse coÌ„beraunce preache the Gospell abrode Isi dorus hÃspaleÌ„sis in hys boke De ortu obitu sanctorum patrum and Freculphus lexouiensis in the seconde boke and fort chaptre of hys Chronycles reporteth both that Philip the Apostle preached in fraunce to the verye extent of the Occeane see aÌ„d was afterwarde done vnto deathe in hierepoli a cytie of the Phrygiaues and at the last honorablye buryed there with his doughters By whose occasyon this real me than called Brytayne was conuerted vnto the Christen beleue For in the yeare from Christes incarnacyoÌ„ lxiij was Ioseph of Arimathe and other dyscyples sent ouer of the seyd Philip to preache Christ and entered both with their wyues and chyldren Armagus than beynge Kynge of the lande This testyfyeth Iohan Capgraue in Catologo sanctorum Anglie Thomas scrope de anti carm ca 7. IohaÌ„ Hardyng in hys 47. chaptre and Polidorus uergilius li. z. Anglice historie Brytayne first conuerted by meÌ„ maryed THese were surelye the orygynall begynnynges sayth Polidorus of the ChristeÌ„ RelygyoÌ„ in Brytayne Gildas witnessyth also in his fyrst treatyse De excidio Britannie That the Brytaynes toke the christen faythe at the verye sprynge or fyrst goynge forth of the Gospell whaÌ„ the churche was most perfyght and had most strengthe of the holye ghost All that tyme and a longe season after the mynysters helde their wyues accordyng to the fyrst ordre of God without vowynge or yet professinge of vyrgynyte and so contynued to the dayes of Lucius which ys called in the Chronycles the first ChristeÌ„ Kynge Though thys Lucius were a good man and began wele to inclyne to the Gospell yet was he worldlye mynded and thought that yt wanted dewe auctoryte so loÌ„ge as yt was mynystred but of symple and poore laye marryed men Anon therfor he sent vnto Rome .ij. of those minysters called Eluanus and Meduinus vnto Eleutherius the Byshop for they had than no pope to haue some autoryte from thens And thys was done in the yeare of our Lorde L. lxxix Wherupon Marcus Sabellicus sayth Enneade 7. li. 5. That of all provynces Brytayne was the fyrst that receyued the Christen fay the with publique ordynaunce ¶ Christyanyte somwhat corrupted THaÌ„ Eleutherius sent hyther .ij. of hys doctors called fugacius and Damyanus to set here an ordre These fyrst baptysed lucius with a great part of hys nobylyte and commons aÌ„d than with hys consent changed the Idols temples into christen churches as they no we all them the flamynes or Idoll sacryfycers which were than .xxviij. in noÌ„bre into so manye byshoppes and the .iij. archyflamynes into .iii. archebyshoppes as wytnessyth Galfridus Monemthensis in hys seconde boke De origine gestis Britonum cap. i. Alphredus Beuerlacensis in hys Chronycle Vincencius Antoninus Nauclerus Bergomas Polidorus and a great sort more Thys chrystianyte endured in Brytayne the space of CC. and .xvi. years vnto the persecucyon of Dyoclesyane sayth Ranulphus in Polichronico li. 4. Ca. 16 VpoÌ„ thys toke the Rome churche first occasyon to deuyde the christen prouynces into dyoceses and parryshes Marke wele these fyrst buyldynges of Antichrist or of Nemroth the yongar and consydre out of what good stuffe they ryse without Gods worde All this haue I writteÌ„ hytherto not as matters correspondynge to the tyttle of my boke but that their spirytuall frutes maye apere what they are euen from the verye rootes ¶ The first sprynge of monkerye in Brytayne AS this newe chrystiantye from Rome had gotten here of the Paganes both temples and possessyons and were wele fauerdlye satled their byshoppes and prestes perchaunce beynge the same mynysters that had serued the Idolles in them afore anon after there arose out of yt a serten kynde of monkerye not in apparell but in aperaunce of a more sober lyfe These within a whyle semed better lerued than the other aÌ„d more depelye fell into the peoples estymacyon WherupoÌ„ arose sone after great stryfe and vnquyetnesse amonge theÌ„ and out of that stryfe most detestable he resyeâ—… For one of them called pelagius beynge of the great monasterye of BeÌ„cornaburch in Chestre shyre though so me call yt BaÌ„gor begaÌ„ to dyspute with them for the streÌ„ghte of maÌ„nys fre will and sayd that man myght be saued therby without the grace of God so deuyenge the effect of Christes blood as hys folowers are not ashamed to do yet to this daye Agaynst this heretyke pelagius wrote Saynt Augustyn Saynt Hierom Cyrillus Orosius Innocencius Gennadius aÌ„d at the last Thomas Braduuardin a doctour here in Englande with dyuerse other ¶ Heresye in Brytayne aryseth of monkerye YEt came there in no vowynge of chastite all this tyme neyther was vyrgynyte thought anye holyar amonge them than marryage For one Seuerus beynge both a monke prest aÌ„d byshop had a sonne there called leporius a monke also and a prest which vexed the lande with that leruynge taught of hys father in the yeare of our Lord. CCCC xxxij as wytnessyth both Prosper Aquitannus and also Flores historiarum Thys leporius made hys boast that he was able to lyue purelye of hym selfe and by force of hys owne fre wyll without the assisteÌ„ce of God as reporteth of hym Gennadius Massiliensis Honorius Augustudunensis Ioannes Tritemius in suis illustriuÌ„ uirorum Catalogis and now last of all CoÌ„radus Gesnerus in uniuersali bibliotheca Of the same sort was there an other called Agricola a prestes sonne also which in the yeare of our Lorde CCCC xivi trobled the Brytaynes with the same doctrine as flores historiarum sheweth The errours of both these were at the same tyme confuted by Germanus and Lupus with other frenche doctours which came thydre thaÌ„ for the same purpose specyallye of Saynt Augustine in Affrica ¶ A prestes sonne was Saynt Partrick SAynt Partrick the great Apostle of Irelande was borne here in this Brytayne aboute the yeare of our Lorde CCC.lxi and had a prest to hys father called Calphurnius which was also a deacons sonne that was named Fodunus His mothers name hyght Conches and was holye Saynt Martynes systre Thus testyfyeth Ranulphus Cestrensis in Polychronico li. 4 ca. 29. and Iohan Capgraue in Catologo sanctorum Anglie If this had bene fowle playe in those dayes Saynt Martyne wolde neuer so pacyentlye haue suffered yt For we reade that he was verye tendre vnto the seyd Partrick after that his fryndes had
aÌ„d the deuyll Capgraue Fabiane Polidorus Aboute the same tyme was Alcuinus a doctour of Englande made abbot of Turonia in Fraunce by the gyft of Charles the great which on a nyght founde all his monkes dead in the dorter by the soden stroke of God for their Sodometrye one only excepted Odo cluniacensis Guilhelmus Malmesburye Vincencius Antoninus Ranulphus Capgraue post uitam Ythamari A great matter had yt bene in the popes bokes yf these men had had wyues For thaÌ„ he coud not haue sent them to the deuyll so fast accordynge to generall commyssyoÌ„ which he had of Sathan hys great mastre in that vycarshypp of hys ¶ Englyshe men ponnyshed at Rome AFter Kynge Ethelwolphe beynge subdeacon through wanton occupyenge had had a bastarde by the popes dyspensacyoÌ„ he marryed Osburga hys butlers doughter and had by her iiij sonnes which all succeded Kynges after hym Guilhelmus Malmesburye Ioannes Harding As this Kynge on a tyme chaunced to be at Rome he se manye Englysh men there wearynge fetters and gyues delyuered of chylde without mydwyfe and so dyed Wherin God declared manyfestlye to the worlde that their glytie rynge churche was altogyther an whore to make good that was written in the reuelacyon of Saynt Iohan. Apo. 17. Oh he that had seane the couÌ„tenaunce of the prelates than shuld haue beholden a great change ¶ Popes chosen from thens fourth by their N. SEns that tyme hath popes alwayes bene chosen as stoned horse are in a colte feyer by their dontye dymyceryes that they can nomore be deceyued that waye For at the solempne stallynge of them the last deacon Cardynall doth grope them brechelesse at an hole made in the seate for that ghostlye purpose and than cryeth yt out before all the multytude that he hath ware suffycyent to proue hym no woman More ouer the strete where she was delyuered hath euer sens bene shurned in all generall processyons for feare of yll happes As ys of women a sexten brydge in a Scottyshe Ile called Leuissa where as yf but one woman shuld passe ouer they saye there are no salmons seane in that ryuer all the yeare after Hector Boethius in Scotici regni descriptione For the hystorye afore reherced of this woman Pope was yt partlye my desyre that ye shuld marke that monasterye of fulda For she was one chast frute of our Englyshe clergye yssuynge from thens ye maye chauÌ„ce after this yet to heare of more Soche an enemye to prestes marryage was not in hys tyme as was that Boniface which was therof the first buylder For euerye where ded he in all his generall Synodes condempne yf for aduouterye by the popes canon lawes For the scripturs wolde not serue hym The lyfe of this female pope sheweth more at large Iacobus Bergomas in li. De claris mulieribus Platina Sabellicus Martinus Carsulanus Volateranus Nauclerus Mantuanus Iohannes Stella Ioannes textor Robertus Barnes in uitis Romanorum Pontificum ¶ Holye water with a boke agaynst marryage IN the yeare of our Lord DCCC LVIII as a serten daydeuyll at the forsayd Maguncia was hunted of the prestes with processyon and holye water for dyuerslye vexynge the cytie he hyd hym selfe for feare they saye vndre one of the prestes copes â–ª saynge He myght wele be bolde there consyderynge he had by hym the fleshlye occupyenge of the generall proctours doughter there This relygyouse example of holye churche sheweth Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus Capgraue in uita Etheldrede Ethelstanus a monke at one tyme takynge presthode with Dunstane and Ethelwolde within a whyle after left all hys orders and toke hym to a wyfe Wherfor they prophecyed of hym that hys ende shulde be myserable And bycause they wolde apere no false Prophetes they inchaunted hym charmed hym and changed hym in to an ele and so he lyued in the water euer after with a great sort more of hys companye Wherupon they saye that monasterye and towne hath euer sens bene called Elye Guilhelmus Malmesburye et Ioannes Capgraue A yonge infante called Brithgina beynge nomore than one daye olde professed Elphegus into the monasterye of wylton aboute the same tyme So ded he also an other called Wilfhilda into the nondrye of Wynchestre so sone as she was weaned from sucke Whom afterwarde kynge Edgare claymed in marryage but she was to famylyer with Ethelwolde a monke and a bysshop to graunt therunto Whan he came to the howse where she was afterwarde abbasse there was no small fyllynge in of cuppes Ioannes Capgraue ¶ Miracles and wonders wrought VVhan Odo the Byshopp of Salysburye â—as elected Archebyshopp of Caunterburye in the yeare of our lorde DCCCC and .xlvi. he wolde in no case be consecrated tyll he was by the abbot of Floriake professed a monke Partlye bycause all hys predecessours in that seate to the nombre of .xxi. had bene monkes and partlye for that the prestes in those dayes were in hate of the people for their marryage at the monkes suggestyons And after he had receyued hys palle with Antichristes autoryte from Rome he wexed so frantyck vpon the kynges concubynes that some of them he sealed in the faces with hote burnynge Irons most shamefullye and some of them he bannyshed into Irelande for euer but vnto hys owne store he was gentyll ynough For most haynouse heresye helde he than the christen marryage of prestes and made synodall constytucyons agaynst yt to enryche the moÌ„kes through that craftye colour with their great possessyons Hys neuye Oswalde founde he to scole at floryake the welsprynge of Necromancye to lerne there all craftye seyences In hys tyme was a stryfe amonge the clergye at Caunterburye for Christes fleshe and bloode in the Sacramente the prestes most ernestly affyrmynge yt to remayne styll breade 〈◊〉 an onlye fygure of Christes bodye and the monkes to be Christes essencyall bodye yea Christ hymselfe But whaÌ„ scripturs fayled ones vpon the monkes syde â–ª they were dryuen to false myracles oâ— playne experymentes of sorcerye For Odo by a cast of legerdemayne shewed vnto the people a broken host bledynge as a popishe prest called sir Nicolas Gerues ded a. ij years a go in Surreye by pryckynge hys fyngar with a pynnne ¶ Monkerye augmented by Dunstane SAynt Dunstane here in EnglaÌ„de beynge taught of Iryshe moÌ„kes at Glastenburye was founde verye connynge in waÌ„ton musyck in sorcerye and in Image makynge out of all maner metals stone and kyndes of wode By these and soche lyke occupyenges he founde the meanes to augmeÌ„t and enryche the monasteryes of moÌ„kes and nonnes euerye where whithin Englande not withstandynge he had oft tymes moche a do with deuyls and with women Yet had he at length these pryuyleges than aboue all other spirytuall doers He wanne by hys musyck and fayre speche the good fauer of dyuerse women yea of some
doughters doughter He spared neyther hygh nor lowe olde nor yonge poore nor rytche fayre nor foule they sayd so that no women durst come vnto Rome on pylgrymage in hys tyme. Neyther reuerenced he anye place but wolde do yt euerye where yea vpon their verye aulters He wolde hawke hunte daunce leape dyce sweare fyght ryot roune straye abrode in the nyght breakynge vppe dores and wyndowes and burne manye mennys howses One of hys Cardynalles he gelded he put out an others eyes whyche had bene hys godfather Of some he borowed an hande of some a tunge a fynger a nose an eare In hys dyce playnge wolde he call vpon yll spretes and drynke to the deuyll for loue Thus was he in the ende deposed tyll hys dere dyamoÌ„des sett haÌ„des vnto yt for they ruled all aÌ„d caused the Romaynes to sett hym in agayne ¶ Dunstanes autoryte agaynst marryed prestes THe papacye helde thys IohaÌ„ the .xij. for the space of .ix. years .iij. monthes and .v. dayes and was sâ—â—…keÌ„ of the deuyll they saye as he was lyenge in bedde with a mannys wyfe so dyed within .viij. dayes after without howsell or shrift they saye All thys writeth of hym the foreseyd Liuthprandus li. 6. Ca. 6. and so fourth .v. chapters more to the ende almoste of hys boke whiche at the same selfe tyme dwelt at Ticina in Italye Thys ys he of whome the byworde ryse As myrye as Pope Iohan. Vnto thys holye vycar of Sathan successour of Symon Magus went Dunstane out of Englande in the yeare of our lorde DCCCC and .lx. to be coÌ„fyrmed archebyshop of Caunterburye And there receyued therwith for a great summe of moneye autoryte power of the Beast Apoca. 13. vtterlye to dyssolue prestes maryage that hys monkes by that meanes myght possesse the cathedrall churches of Englande as within a whyle after they ded Thys Dunstane as witnesseth IohaÌ„ Capgraue was the first that in thys realme compelled men and women to vowe chastyte and to kepe claustrale obedyence agaynste the fre doctryne of Saynte Paule 1 Cor. 7. et Gala. 5. Forbyddynge marryage instytuted of God whiche ys the verye doctryne of deuils 1. Timoth. 4 Thys ys the worthye orygynall and first foundacyon of monkes and prestes professed chastyte in Englande marke yt with the sequele and tell me herafter whether yt be of the deuyll or naye ¶ Dunstane executeth hys deuylyshe commyssyon THys craftye merchaunde DuÌ„stane as he was returned agayne into EnglaÌ„de by autoryte of this most execrable monstre and wycked Antichrist gaue a strayght commaundemeÌ„t that prestes out of haÌ„de shuld put awaye their lawfull wyues whoÌ„ that breÌ„t consepenced hypocryte called the vessels of fornycacyon els wolde he he sayd accordynge to hys commyssyon put them both from benefyce and lyuynge And where as he perceyued the benefyces most welthye there was he most gredye vpon them and shewed most vyolence tyrannye For whan the hygh deanes of cathedrall churches masters of colleges prebendes persones and vycars wolde not at so beastly a commaundement leaue their wyues and chyldren so desolate without all naturall ordre he gote vnto hym the great power of kynge Edgare to assyst that creull commyssyon of hys procured for moneye of the former Antichrist of Rome and by force therof in manye places most tyrannouslye expelled them IoaÌ„nes Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie Reade all the Byble and Chronycles ouer of Nemroth Pharao Antiochus Nero Decius Traianus with other lyke and I thynke ye shall not fynde a more tyrannouse example No not in cruell Herode hys selfe For though he slewe the innocent babes yet demynyshed he not the lyuynge of the fathers and mothers but thys tyraunt toke all with hym If he had sought a Godlye reformacyon where marryage was abused yt had bene sumwhat commendable But hys huntynge was to destroye yt all togyther as an horryble vyce in prestes and in place therof to sett up Sodome and Gomor by a sort of Hypocryte monkes so changynge all godlye ordre ¶ Kynge Edgare ys brought vndre therby THus bycame the face first of the Brytonysh and than of the Englysh churche sore changed blemyshed and by whorysh commyssyons froÌ„ the whorysh byshoppes of the whorysh Synagoge of Rome was made all togyther whoryshe Proue me herin a lyer and an heretyke yf ye can for I wyll by the helpe of God staÌ„de by that I write here to the ende of my lyfe If ye can not I speake onlye to yow papystycall byshoppes and prestes graunt your selues to be the most theues heretykes and seducers of the people that euer yet reigned vpon the earthe for maynteynynge for holynesse so deuylysh a knauerye Immedyatlye after thys be fell a sore chaunce as God walde Kynge Edgare which was euer a great whore mastre and a tyraunte as the Chronycles report hym had a do with a yonge mayde called wilfrith brought vp in the nondrye of wylton parauenture to their vse wherupon by force of the former commyssyon he was condempned of Dunstane to .vij. years penaunce and myght in no wyse be dyspensed with tyll he had buylded for their commodyte the great nondrye of Shaftesburye with .xij. other monasteryes besydes Specyallye tyll he had fullye graunted to the vtter condempnacyon of prestes maryage through out all hys realme and fyrmelye promysed to put the monkes in their rowmes in the great cathedrall churches writynge to the pope for the same For as witnesseth both Vuyllyam of Malmesburye Ranulph of Chestre Guido de columna and Robert sabyane he was not crowned tyll the .xij. yeare of hys reigne ¶ Dunstane fashyoneth the kynge to hys purpose IN the ende thys aduoutrye of the kynge made greatlye for their purpose For whan yt was ones openlye knowne Dunstane with hys Bulle went by and by vnto hym and by force therof denounced hym accursed The kynge of gentylnesse as he was coÌ„mynge towardes hym arose out of hys regall seate to take hym by the hande aÌ„d geue hym place The hystorye sayth that he than dysdayned to geue hym hys hande And lokynge vpon hym with bende browes and most spyghtfull countenaunte he sayd thus vnto hym Thu that hast not feared to corrupte a vyrgyne made handefast to Christ presumest to towche a knaue the consecrate handes of a byshopp Thu hast defyled the spowse of thy maker a monkes wanton and thynkest by flatterynge seruyce to pacyfye a But what matter maketh yt whiche of them yt was whan all they are allowed now for canonysed Sayntes in the popes whoryshe churche Yea the whoremonger the whore the whoryshe bastarde and all to sett whoryshnesse forewarde and make yt apere holye where marryage ys thought vnholye And as for the mother of Edwarde Iohan Hardynge nameth her Elflede Polydorus Elfrede Wyllyam of Malmesburye Ranulphe Fabyane calleth her whyght Egelflede Caxton dare geue her no