downe hys necke in confession to the Prieste and humble hymselfe before the priest as before God being in dede Goddes vicare Therefore God oute of hands exalted the Priestes aboue al men and aboue all creatures as a certaine Doctor sayth speakyng of Priestes Although by nature ye bee men yet in dignitye ye excell all men Agayne A Prieste is hygher than Kynges more blessed and happye than Aungells and the maker of hys maker Secondly God hath honoured them in temporall thinges For those thinges which God reserued vnto himself that is to say the tenthes y e offerings the fyrst frutes and the other Patrimonyes of Christe crucifyed he hath freely geuen to y e priests for the sustentation and mainteinaunce of their body that they being free from laboure when other meÌ„ must nedes worke for their liuing may y e more quietly serue God in spirituall thinges Thyrdly God hath honoured them in geuing them suche immunities priuileges liberties and fredomes that no earthlye Prince hath iurisdiction ouer them neither king neither Prince neither any other seculare maÌ„ no neither dare any man lay violente hande vpon them no not vppon the lessest of y e order For whosoeuer doth the contrary he is excommunicate with the greater excommunication eo facto both in heauen and in earth Uerely God doth so defend theÌ„ y t none dare trouble theÌ„ eyther in worde or in deede insomuche y t whatsoeuer displeasure is done vnto any of them he thynketh it to be done to hymselfe as the Lorde hymselfe sayeth by y e Prophete Zacharye He y e toucheth you toucheth the apple of myne eye Agayne in the Psalme he sayeth touch not myne annoynted so y t priests are not to bee molested so muche as with a worde but they ar to be honoured as the Lorde sayde to Moses and Aaron I wil blesse them y e blesse you and curse them that curse you In consideration wherof the priestes and meÌ„ of the church are priuileged insomuche that whosoeuer doe make or cause to bee made or to be kepte any statutes that bee agaynste the libertyes of the priestes and men of the Clergye they are strayght wayes excommunicate accursed Item no worldely Prince dare make exactions vppon the Clergye neyther dare any man aske any kynde of paymentes or take any thing of the Clergye For if he doe he is out of hande excommunicate neyther can he be absolued from the aforesayd excommunication excepte he make restitution at the full Fourthly God hath honored the priestes in that he hath committed vnto them the soules of the faythfull that is to say the holy Churche of the whiche Chrisostome saith The church is more honourable than heauen and the aungels all other creatures Christ hath loued the Churche more than himselfe for whose sake he came downe from heauen into this world and serued for it xxxiii yeares and at the laste suffred bitter death for it and doth nowe geue vnto it his body for meate his bloud for drinke and after this life he geueth himselfe vnto it for a rewarde Moreouer he hath committed thys welbeloued Churche to priestes with all the giftes that is to say the Sacramentes For the order of priesthood onely hath power to baptise except it be in necessitie at whiche tyme it is lawefull for euery man and woman to baptise Also he alone hath aucthoritie to minister the Sacrament of confirmation Item the priest alone hathe power to heare confession to geue absolution and to enioyne penaunce accordynge to this saying of Christ take the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye forgeue they are forgeuen them but whose synnes ye do retayne they are retayned IteÌ„ he alone hath power to minister the SacrameÌ„t of extreme vnction c. In this incomprehensible dignitye God hath singularely honoured them aboue all other men Ye are that lyght of the worlde sayth he For as the worlde shoulde be nothynge without lyght euen so is the Churche nothyng without priestes Fiftly God hath honored theÌ„ in this that he hath streightly charged all men to be obedient vnto them as vnto him selfe of what condition or state so euer they be as he sayth He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Whatsoeuer is not lawefull sayth Austen it is the shepheardes office to forbyd and the duty of the flock to heare and to obey Therfore all men muste obey the Priestes euen as Christ when they commaunde them to faste to kepe holy day c. Therfore the Lorde threatneth them that are disobedient and rebell agaynst the commaundement of Priestes saying he that is proude and will not obey the commaundement of the Priest let hym dye the death An example hereof haue we in Dathan Abiron and Chore whiche rebelled agaynste Moses and Aaron and therefore the earth opened and swalowed them vp quick Sixtly God hath honored them by giuyng them power to bynde and to loosen as it is written Whatsoeuer ye shall binde vpon the earth c. This power of binding and losoning is vnderstande one waye of excommunication whiche is the spirituall swearde and it is greatly to be feared An other way this power is to be vnderstand of the absolution of sinnes Therfore the Bishop wheÌ„ he maketh priestes bloweth and breatheth vpon them saying Take the holy Ghost c. Seuenthly God hath honored them in that they are called aungels in the scriptures Therefore sayth Gregory All that are termed by the name of a priest are called Aungels But wherefore are they called aungels Verelye bicause they haue certayne properties with the angels First bicause it is the office of aungels to minister vnto God and vnto men as the Apostle saith All AuÌ„gels are ministring spirits So likewise is it the dutye of priestes to serue God day night and to minister vnto men with the Sacramentes Secondly bicause an aungell is pure in lyfe so in lyke maner ought euery priest to be chast and pure in his life and conuersation For to liue chast is an aungelike life as Ambrose saith they that are not maried nor do mary are as aungels in earth Damascen sayth Abstinence from mariage is the folowyng of aungels Thyrdly it is the office of Aungels to enforme and instructe men by good inspiration So likewise is it the priestes duty to do by the word of god Fourthly it is y e duty of aungels to prayse god so likewise are the priestes bounde vnder payne of deadly synne to say eueryday theyr mattens prime and houres euen â—ong c. vnto the prayse of God Eyghtly God hath honored y e priests in this that they are in some poyntes like to the most blessed virgine Mary First as the most blessed virgin Mary did conceaue thorowe fyue wordes the true body of Christ Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum so likewise the priest thorow fiue words Hoc est enim corpus meuÌ„ maketh the body of
against any person â–ª In the yeare c. 498. Ioannes Laziardus Celestinus Pope Innocent the seconde decreed that no man should strike a prâ—est For it is written saieth he Touche not my annointed If anye manne contrarye to hys commaundemente didde presume to smite the annointed priest he pronounced him excommunicate ipso facto and accursed that by no meanes he should be absolued except he stoode in daunger of death but only of y e pope of Rome In the yeare of our Lorde 11â—1 Causa 17. Quest Si quis Ioan. Stella Chron. Pope Euaristus enacted that priestes should not be disquieted nor euill entreated of the laity but that they shuld be had in high reuerence and honour In the yeare â–ª c. 110. Isidor Tem. 3. Conc. Polid. Pantaleon Pope Pontianus ordained that prists should be accused of none but onely of priestes and bishops In the yeare c. 230. Gratian. Isidor polidor Pope FabiaÌ„ also made a decree y t neither priests shuld be admitted to accuse the laity nor the laity the priests In the yere of our Lorde 242. Caus. 2. Qu. 7. Sicut Pope Calixt the firste ordained that in the accusation of a priest no suspicious personnes or of euill name and fame either anye suche as bee enemies to the priest should be admitted to geue euidence against him In the yere c. 217. Quest. 3. Cap. 5. Accusatores Ioan. Laziard Pope Alexander the firste ordayned that the Laitye shoulde haue nothing to do with the cleargy and that the spiritualty should be vtterly exeÌ„pted from all the iurisdiction authority and power of the secular rulers In the yere of our Lorde 119. Albertus Crantz Pope Caius made a decree that no lay personne should presume to accuse or to call into iudgemente beefore a secular iudge either prieste or any other that is within holye orders In the yeare of our Lorde 284. Iacob Phillip Bergom Pope Siluester the first commaunded y t no priest shuld be compelled to plead his cause before any secular person or in any temporall court In the yere c. 315. Quest. 11.1 Cap. Testimonium Cap. Si quis Pope Iulius the .i. made a decre also y t a priest shuld not haue his cause heard or pleaded before any temporall iudge onely In the yeare c. 338. Iacob Phil. Bergom Lib. Concil Pope Boniface the eight in a general councel ordayned that temporall Rulers should not charge the people with any kind of payments if they did that the priests shuld pay them none except the Pope gaue them licence In the yere c. 1190. Polidor lib. 17. Angl. Hist. Pope Nicolas the first ordained that no temporall man wer he king or emperour should haue ought to doe wyth those things that appertain vnto priestes In the yere c. 871. Anselmus Ryd Pope Gregory the fourth made a decree that priestes should bee free from all kinde of worldlye bondages taxes paymentes c. In the yeare c. 846. Sabel Platina Pope Vrban the second enacted notwithstanding that the priestes shouldr paye tribute to the higher powers for the defence of their countrey In the yere c. 1086. Qu 23. Cap. Tributum Pope Leo the ninth apointed that y e priests houses shuld be built nigh vnto the churches that the pastours mighte alway be at hand wheÌ„ the parishners shoulde haue nede of theym and that the poore people might know where to haue succour and reliefe in the time of their necessitie In the yeare of our Lord. 1049. Qu. 12. cap. 1. Necessaria Nau. Ioan. Stella D. Barns Pope Simmachus ordained that a prieste shoulde kepe no woman in hys house except she were his kinswoman his mother his sister or his wife whoÌ„ he ought godly to gouern In the yere c. 499. Dist. 81. cap. Volumus Volat. Pope Liberius made a law that no prieste should forsake his cure for anye persecution or trouble though deathe should ensue according to this saying of Christ A good shepeherd geueth his life for his sheepe In the yeare of our Lorde 254. Anselmus Rid. Pope Iohn the eighte ordained that the priestes which were absente from their benefices without a dispensation from the Pope should be compelled to return vnto them and there to be resident In the yere c. 887. Ioan. Laziard Pope Simplicius ordained that no clearke or prieste should receiue the inuestiture of his benefice or of his office at any Laymens hand In the yeare c 471. Ranulpus Cestrensis Ioan. Laziardus Pope Gregory the first made a decree in a certain councel holden at Rome that the Ministers of the altare should geue their mind to preachyng and not to singyng For said he while meÌ„ seke a swete voice in holy seruice couenable life is set apart and the singer w t his maners hurteth the people though w t his voice he greatly delighteth them In the yere c. 590. Polichron Lib. 5. Pope Victor the second in a certayne councell holden at Florence ordained that all bishops and priests whiche he proued giltye either of Simonye or of fornicatioÌ„ should be depriued of their Bishoprickes benefices and all other ecclesiasticall promotions and dignities In the yere of our lord 1053. Pope Eleutherius made a decree y t no priest should be degraded or put froÌ„ the degree of his priesthode except he wer first lawfully accused and conuict For saith he our Sauiour knew well that Iudas was a theefe and should betray him but forasmuch as he was not accused he put him not doun but al that he did in the mean time among the Apostles for y e estate of his dignitie it was alowed and stoode fyrme and stable In the yere c. 177. Ranulp Cest. lib. 4. In the councell Toletane the third it was decreed y t at priestes tables there shuld be no idle talk nor telling of waÌ„ton tales but reading hearing and talking of the holy scriptures Lib. concil Of the syngle lyfe of Priestes POpe Calixte the first made a decree that so many as would bee made priests should abstayne from mariage In the yere c 217. dist 62. Cap. presbyteris Ioannes Stella Phillip Bergom Pope Siricius the first forbadde not onelye the priestes but also the Deacons to marry In the yere c. 337. lib. Concil Polyd. Pope Pelagius the second did not only prohibite priests and Deacons to marry but also the Subdeacons In y e yere c. 580. Chron. lib. Con. Poly. Pope Gregory y e i. bicause he thought it to much violence cruelty and tiranny to diuorce such as came vnto y e ministery maried from their wiues ordayned that from his tyme none shuld be Subdeacon vnlesse he vowed chastitie before In the yeare of our Lord. 590. Chroni Concil Poli. Notwithstandyng the lawes afore made tooke no effect among the priestes vntill the tyme of Gregorye the Seuenth whiche was
c. 590. S. Huldrichus in epist ad Nicol. Papam Pope Constantine the seconde whom the seditious tirannicall and superstitious papistes did afterwarde violentlye depose cruellye thruste into a monasterye as into a prison and moste vnmercifully put out hys eyes gaue libertye not only to secular priestes for to marrye but also to Monkes Friers and Nunnes that they by this meanes auoyding whooredome myghte the more quietlye geue theyr mynde to the studye of Godlynesse In the yeare of our Lorde 769. Chroni Ioan. Laziardus Cestrensis Pope Gregorye the thyrde being Bishop of Rome the Emperoure Constantine perceauyng the greate abhomination and to muche vncleannesse of lyfe that reygned among the monkes Nunnes thorow y e vowe of their vnchast chastitye set the Monkes and Nonnes at libertye commaundyng them rather to marrye according to Gods ordinaunce than so filthily and wickedly to lyue made of their monasteryes houses necessarye for the coÌ„mon weale In the yeare c 741. Chro. Sebast. Franck. Christ. Massaeus Pope Pius the seconde tofore called Aeneas Siluius was wont to saye that there are many causes why maryage should be taken away froÌ„ the priestes but there are many mo vrgent weightye and necessary causes why it ought freely to be restored to them agayne In the yeare c. 1458. Chron. Ioan. Laziardus Plat. Pope Peter as they write whom Lewes the Emperoure made bishop of Rome before he was choseÌ„ pope made himself a gray fryer without the consent of his wyfe called Ioan y e doughter of Mathew de Corbario When thys Peter was chosen consecrated Pope hys wyfe claymed hym to bee her true and lawfull husbande and desyred of the Emperoure and of the Byshoppes that they mighte lyue together agayne as manne and wife Whyche thyng brought into question iudgemeÌ„t was geuen that she oughte to bee restored vnto him Thus the woman obtained agayne her husband although before firste a professed Frier and afterward a consecrate pope Ioan Laziard Pope Leo the ninth is not so greuoê° an enmy to the mariage of priests but that he graunteth that priestes haue power to haue wiues and to lead them aboute with them being moued with these wordes of Saincte Paule Haue not we power to lead a sister to wife as the other Apostles doe and the brethren of the Lord and Cephas Pope Innocent in his decretals writeth that those priests which haue wiues of their own after the maner of the couÌ„trey where they dwell are greuouslye to bee punished if they doe breake their Wedlocke Pope Paule the second many tymes greuously complained of y e heauy yoke of priestes constrained chastitie and was ful determined if God had spared him longer life to haue taken awaye that wicked decree of the single life of priests and to set mariage againe at liberty as certayne write More largelye of this matter thou maiest rede in my boke of Matrimony whether I send thee moste gentle reader Of this mater also in our English tongue very learnedly and truely haue written M. D. Barnes that constant glorious martyr of Christ doctor Poinet somtime bishop of Winchester M. George Ioy c. Of the vowes and that the vowe of chastitie hindreth not him from mariage which hath not the gift of continencie POpe Celestinus the thirde gaue licence to the Emperour Henry the fyft yf that name to mary take vnto wife a certayne vowesse or professed Nunne called Constantia the daughter of Rogerius king of Cecilia In the yere c. 1188. Mar. Polonius Ioan. Laziardus D. Barnes Pope Theodorus made a lawe that if any man chaunced to marry after that he hath vowed chastitie he should not be diuorced from his wife but that his mariage should stand in full strength and vertue notwythstandyng the former vow In the yeare of our Lord. 902. Disti 27. capit Si vir votum Bergom There was an Abbote at Redyng whoÌ„ meÌ„ for his perfect liuiÌ„g called abbot saint This maÌ„ beiÌ„g in dauÌ„ger of a certain disease by the reason he had no wife sent vnto the Pope desiring him to dispense wyth hym for his vowe And the Pope dispensed with him and gaue hym licence to marry a wife but vnder a condition that it should be secretly done and not in facie ecclesie D. Barnes in Libro De coniugio sacerdotum Sainct Cyprian beeyng demmaunded what shoulde bee done with those religious personnes that coulde not keepe theyr chastitie as they had vowed aunswered on thys maner Thou doest aske what we doe Iudge of those Uirgines whyche after they haue decreed to lyue chastlye are afterwarde founde in one bedde wyth a man Of the whyche thou sayest that one of them was a Deacon We doe with great sorowe see the great ruine and fall of many persons which commeth by the reason of suche vnlawfull and perillous companying together Wherfore if they haue dedicated them selues to Christe out of faythe to lyue purely and chastly then let them so remayne without any fable and strongly and stedfastly abyde the rewarde of Uirginitye But if they wyll not abyde or elles canne not abyde then is it better to mary than to fall into the fyre of concupiscence And let them geue vnto the brethren and systern none occasion of slaunder c. Some affirme saith S. Austen that such as marrye after they haue vowed chastitie are adulterers But I say vnto you that they synne greuously that seperate and put asunder such There are that say that for religion sake mariage ought to be dissolued and broken But we must vnderstand that although maÌ„s law hath graunted this yet the law of God hath forbidden it For he that is the selfe truthe saieth Whome God hathe coupled together let no man seperate He saith also It is not lawful for a maÌ„ to put away his wyfe except it be for fornication Who then maye speake agaynst the geuer of this lawe In euil promises breake thy faithe in a filthy vowe chaunge thy determinatioÌ„ That thou hast vncircumspectly vowed loke that thou perform not For that is a wycked vowe and promise that is accomplished with sinne If any man sweare or promise anye thing contrary to faithe and charitye which beyng kepte shoulde turne into a worse end it is rather to be chaunged than to be fulfilled Woulde God sayeth S. Bernarde that they whiche cannot liue chaste would geue ouer the single lyfe that they mighte not burne it were wythout doubt better to marry than burne and to be saued in a lowe degree than to lyue worse in the noble state of the cleargy Of Benefices and Prebendes POpe Gregory the tenth gathered a counsell at Lions sixe hundred bishops and a thousande Prelates wherein it was decreed that no person shoulde haue any spirituall promotion with cure except he were first of all a Prieste and also able to discharge it Moreouer that no manne should from thenceforth paye his
reasonable or vnreasonable than by deade carued stockes and stones Athanasius aduersus gentes The great auncient clarke Lactantius sayth y t God can not be truly worshipped in that place wherin an image is â–ª Lib de orig Erroris 2. Cap. 19. Agayne he sayeth If your Saintes if the holy Mother of Christ be in heauen whye do ye not lyft vp your eyes vnto heauen c. Why doe ye rather loke vnto walles and vnto stockes thaÌ„ vnto that place where ye beleue that thei are What meane the temples the tabernacles yea and to be short what meane those Images Lib. 2. Cap. 2. de orig â–ª erroris Saint Austen sayth that it is abhomination and playne sacrilege if any man set in the Churche an Image of God the father sittyng on hys seate Lib. De fide et symbalo Hereof doth it followe that the papists are abhominable and commit sacrilege For so doe they setforth the Image of God the father most blasphemously in all their popyshe Churches paynting hym with an olde wythered face wrinckled forehead hollowe eyes leane chekes sharp nose haÌ„ging down lippes enbowed chinne white bearde c and for very faynt feblenesse sitting in hys chayre lyke a symple selye syngle soule contrarye to the nature of God and the truth of hys holy worde which sayeth by the Psalmographe A man shall waxe olde lyke a garmente but thou art alwaies one thy yeares fayle not God himself saith by the prophet I am y e Lord and am not chaunged Agayne the prophet Esay sayeth To what thing wil ye make God like Or what Image will ye set vp vnto him Shall the Karuer make a karued Image And shal the Goldsmith couer him with Golde or cast him into a fornace of siluer plates c. Eusebius writeth y t the vse of Images came from the Heathen vnto vs. Eccle. Hist. Lib. 7. Cap. 14. And not without a cause For although in the olde Testament there were many holy Patriarches Iudges Kynges Priestes Prophetes Martyrs Matrones Wydowes and Uirgines whiche were noble and worthy myrroures of vertue Godlynesse most worthy to be had in remembraunce yet rede we not that there were any Images made of them or set in places where the people of God came together for to praye And y e Iewes at that tyme were the peculiar people of God They remembred the manifolde commaundementes of God concerning the not making not worshipping of Images therfore coulde they not abide Images neither priuatly nor publiquely Agayne in the Primatiue Churche no Images were suffered in Christen mens Temples and Oratories as we may see by the historye of Epiphanius whiche did not onely cutte the Image that hanged in the Church on peces but he also affirmed that it is contrary to the Christen religion to haue the Image of any man in the Churche of Christ. Erasmus Roterodamus a most diligent searcher of antiquities writeth that vnto the time of Saint Hierome there were men of an approued and sounde Religion whiche coulde not abyde any Images in the Churches neither painted nor grauen nor yet wouen no not somuche as the Image of Christe Eras. in catechesi Saint Hierome liued In the yeare of our Lorde 387. Cornelius Agrippa writte of Images on this maner The vngodlinesse and foolishenesse of the Egyptians concernynge Images was wonderfull And from them came the lyke fondenesse vnto all nations whiche corrupte vsage of Religion of the Heathen when they began to be conuerted vnto the fayth of Christe infected oure Religion also and brought in our Churche Idolles and Mahomettes with many pompouse barren Ceremonies of â—he whiche those auncient and true Christians knewe nothynge at all Hereof came it to passe that we brought into our temples the dumme Images of oure Saintes and set them on Godes altares with greate solemnitie honour and worship And where we thynke it an vnsemely thynge for man whiche is a true Image of God to come vp euen there place we dead Idolles and to them we make curtesye to them we gyue kysses to them we offer to them we gyue gyftes vppoÌ„ them we hange precious iewelles to them wee applye miracles wee bye parâ—ons to them we go on pylgrimage to them we make vowes to them we gyue worshippe and doe all the honoure that can be deuised And yet can it not be expressed into howe greate superstition I wyll not saye Idolatrye the rude and vnlearned people doe fall thorough Images the Priestes winkyng at the matter forasmuche as here of they haue no small lucre and aduauntage And here they defend theÌ„selues with the wordes of Gregory whiche sayth that images are the bookes of the rascal and common people for such to remembre thinges by and to reade in as haue no learnyng that when they see them they may be allured to remember and consider God But these be fonde fantasies of Gregory going about to excuse the matter although in deede that holye man alloweth ymages and not the worshypping of theÌ„ But the commaundement of God which plainly forbiddeth images is farre otherwise For it becommeth vs not to learne of the forbidden booke of Images but of the booke of God whiche is the boke of the Scriptures He therfore that desyreth to knowe God let him not seeke it of the Images of Painters and Keruers but as Iohn saith let him searche the Scriptures whiche beare witnesse of him And they that can not reade let them heare the worde of the Scripture For Faith as Saint Paule saith commeth by hearyng And Christ saith in Iohn My Sheepe heare my voyce Agayne if no man as Christ sayth can come to him excepte the Father draweth him and no man can come to the Father but by Christe alone why take we awaye the glory from God and geue it to Pictures Images as though they were able to bringe vs vnto the ryght knowledge of God c. Of Baptisme POpe Victor the fyrst commauÌ„ded that baptisme should be ministred to al men indifferently at Easter Notwithstandyng if any desyred necessitie so requiryng to be baptised at other tymes he ordayned that they myght lawfully be baptised in all places and at all tymes yea and that with any kynde of naturall water halowed or vnhalowed eyther by a Layman or by a Laywoman In the yeare of oure Lorde 198. Grat Fascic Temp. Lib. Concil Poli. D. Barnes Pope Gelasiâ—s ordayned that Baptisme shoulde be openlye ministred at Easter and at Witsontyde yea that freely In the yeare c. 494. Isidor Grat. Aboute that tyme also there was a Councell holden in Spayne where it was enacted that young infantes if nede were myght be baptised on the same day that they were borne Isidor in Concil Pantal. Pope Leo the seconde decreed that Baptisme myght be ministred euery day where as in the primatiue Church as it appeareth by
agreed y t if any noble maÌ„ do spoyle a priest or any poore man or religious person and y e Byshop shall commaund hym to come vnto hym y t the cause maye bee heard he refuse to come letters shall be seÌ„t thorow out al bishops one to another which shall declare to al y e countreyes round about y t that man is excommunicated and is so to bee reputed taken til he hath shewed hys obedience to the ordinary and made restitution Caus. 24 â–ª Quaest. 3. Capit. Si quis de polentibus In a councell holden at Paris it was ordayned y t no priest should excommunicate any man before y e cause be euidently proued and openly knowen Ibidem Cap. de illicita In the councell Rothomagense it was decreed y t all manner of tythes should bee payde to the Priestes both corne Haye Fruite Oxen Shepe Goates c. For all tythes are sanctifyed to the Lorde And forasmuche as many are stubborne and disobedient and wil not truely and faythfully pay their tithes as they ought to doe it was ordayned in that Councell that all suche as will not pay them shoulde be admonished once twice or thrice according to the coÌ„maundement of the Lord. If they will not then amende that they shall then be excommunicate and accursed till they haue made due satisfaction and sufficient recompence Caus. 16. q. 7. cap. Omnes decimae The manner and fourme of Excommunication TWelue Priestes must stand about the Byshop and holde burnyng candles in their handes whiche candles at the latter ende of the curse or excommunication they must throw downe vpon the grounde and treade them vnder their feete Afterward letters must be sent rouÌ„d about vnto Parishes contayning the names of them that are excommunicate and also the cause of their excommunication Caus. 11 â–ª quaest 3. cap. Debent In concilio Arausicano we reade these wordes we folowing the canonical ordinaunces and examples of the holy fathers do vtterly sequester and banish by the authority of God and the iudgement of the holy Ghost al violatours disturbers hinderers and destroyers of Gods churches froÌ„ the lap of holy mother Churche from the company and felowship of al christianitie vntil they repent amend and satisfie the Church of God Ibidem cap. Canonica The manner of reconciliation of them that were excommunicate WHen any man y t is accursed or excoÌ„municate is peniteÌ„t sory for his sinne desireth forgeuenesse promiseth to amende the Bishop y t did excoÌ„municate him shall come before the church dore and xii priestes with him shall stande round about him on euery side And if the person y t is excommunicate fal flat downe on the grounde and asketh forgeuenesse promising amendement theÌ„ shall the Byshoppe take hym by the ryght hande and leade hym into the Church and restore him to the christen congregation Afterward they shal sing the seuen penitentiall Psalmes with these prayers Kirie eleyson and Pater noster Saluum faâ— seruum c. With this collecte Praesta quesumus domine huic famulo tuo dignum paenitentiae fructum vt ecclesiae tuae sanctae a cuius integritate deniâ—â—erat peccando admissorum veniam consequendo reddatur innoxius Per Christum dominum nostrum Amen Whiche is thus Englished â–ª Graunt we beseche thee O Lord to this thy seruaunt the worthy frute of repentauÌ„ce that be obtaynyng forgeuenesse of his sinnes may be restored pure and faultlesse to thy holy Churche from the integritye and purenesse wherof thorow sinne â–ª he had wandred and gone astray By Christ our Lord. So be it Causa 11. Quest. 3. cap. Cum aliquis Of penaunce POpe Nicolas the firste appoynted that this shoulde be the penaunce of hym y t hath slayne his mother First by y e space of an whole yere he shall not be suffered to come into the Churche but he shal staÌ„d before the church dore praying beseching god coÌ„tinually to forgeue hym so haynous horrible a sinne Secondlye when the one yeare is ended he shal haue licence to come into the Churche and to stand among y e hearers but he by no meanes shalbe suffred to come vnto the communion or Sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ. Thirdly wheÌ„ the third yeare is once past he shall be admitted vnto the holy communion c. All this time he may eate no fleshe nor presume to drincke wine excepte it be on soleÌ„ne feastes and sondayes and from Easter vnto Whitsontyde And whensoeuer he will take any iourney he maye not ryde but go on foote He maye not go vnto the warres except it be to fyght agaynst the paganes He must also euerye weeke faste three dayes eate no meate till it be night c. In the yeare c. 8711. Caus. 33. tract de paenitentia cap. Latorem praesentium Pope Siricius made a decree that those which are penitents may not in the tyme of their penaunce mary nor excercise y e worke of mariage lest they shoulde be counted as dogs returnyng vnto their vomit or as sowes whiche beyng cleane washed walowe tomble them selues again in the miry puddels In the yeare of our Lorde 389. Caus. 23. quaest 2. Cap. De his vero Pope Leo the first notwithstandyng of his great fauour and singular goodnes graunteth to al such as are already maried that they euen in the time of their penance may lawfully enioy the libertie of matrimony lest peraduenture while they abstaine from y t which is lawfull they shal fall into the daunger of that which is vnlawfull In the yeare c. 444. Ibidem G. Audiuimus The same decree also Pope Leo the thirde made declaryng that it is more tollerable and may better be suffered that a yonge man euen in the time of his penance to auoyd the dauÌ„ger of incontinency do ioyne vnto him a wyfe than he should incurre and fal into the sinne of fornicatioÌ„ In doing this saith he it semeth that the matter whiche he hath done is venial and pardonable so that he knowe none other besides hys owne wife Notwithstanding saith he in speakyng thus we make no law but we shewe what is more tollerable In y e yere c. 817. Ibidem cap. In adolescentia Pope Gregorye the fyrste ordayned this to be the penaunce of the maryed man that he shall not enter into the Churche before he hath purified and washed himselfe with water if he haue had the knowledge of his wiues body and geuen her as the Apostle saith the due beneuolence In the yeare of oure Lord. 590. Caus. 33. Quaest. 4. cap. Vir cum propria vxore Pope Pius the fyrste made a decree that if thorowe the negligence of the priest any of the bloud he meaneth the Sacrament of Christes bloude as the expositour doth declare in the same place do droppe down vpon the grouÌ„d the Prieste shall lycke it vp wyth hys tounge c. and he shall do penaunce for