the Emperours soueraigntie aswell ouer the Priests that fight Gods battels as ouer the souldiers that warred vnder his conduct Regist lib. 2. Ep. 64. And after Gregorie and Chrysostome Bernard a late Writer in his to Henrie Archbishop of Senes Ep. 41. argueth after this manner out of the words Euery soule If euery soule then yours he that would haue you conceiue otherwise of these words doth but deceiue you follow not their counsels Espenc ep ad Titum cap. 3 pag. 513. And not long after If Princes haue nothing to do with Religion and sacred businesses what makes so many Imperiall lawes and constitutions for Religion in the Code Nouels and Authentikes And to what purpose doe wee reade of so many Royall Edicts and Parliaments in the Annals of all Christian Princes for the settling and establishing of Religion As I heare when those horrible fires were lighted throughout all the kingdome of France for the burning of men and women aliue Oh that was a matter of the Church appertaining to Religion But when there was speech of reforming the Clergie conforming Monkes to their primitiue orders and sending Non-residents home to their Cures to care for their flocks that matter was not to be spoken of by the temporall Magistrate it was to be treated of in a Councell or before the Popes Holinesse for so I haue heard and doe well remember that our Bishops were wont to distinguish after this manner as if Princes were not to be zealous and carefull in point of Religion but to commit the care thereof not only to men very indiscreet but altogether ignorant and so to become meere executioners of their cruell designes as if they were not sonnes of our Mother the Church and chiefe propugnators propagators and defenders of the same Wee haue heard what Espencaeus iudgement is of Princes intermedling in Ecclesiasticall affaires heare wee now a man nothing inferiour to him for learning Andreas Masius writing vpon Iosua what saith he If it should chance that the Priests forgetting their duties doe against the Lawes of God Customes of the Church or approoued Ceremonies and Rites of Gods worship and doe performe the seruices of God either negligently and disorderly or do violate and breake them or by their lewd liues and wicked actions doe trouble and disquiet the settled state of the Common-wealth we may not say that it belongeth not to the office of a Lay Prince to put them in mind of their duties and to admonish them and if this will not serue to bridle their audacious actions by his Princely authoritie and this doctrine I take to be well warranted by the letter and examples of the Scripture If out of the mouthes of these two witnesses this doctrine be not sufficiently concluded we will indeauour to euince the same out of the Pragmaticks of France and Courts of Iustice here in England and first of France The Vestall Virgins are not free from the punishment of the Temporall Magistrate and who more sacred And as learned Budaeus saith there was a French King that made their Cardinals and Bishops quake and who so great But optima prima his gouernment was too good to last long he was soone sent packing with a figge in his mouth or a peare or some such thing as the Deuill would haue it Boniface the eighth brought an error into the Church which was greatly preiudiciall to the Pragmattick of France one Tanquerel openly in Paris tooke vpon him to defend the same but a good paire of legges were his owne best defence he ran away and one P. Gustus in his steed before fiftie Doctors of Diuinity and Sorbonists in their Schoole stood bare a prettie while and then shamefully acknowledged his errour and not onely his but Boniface the eighths and forthwith their chiefe Diuines offered themselues prompt and ready to take the Oath of Alleageance or to giue any satisfaction to the King or Courts of Iustice But why dwell wee so long in France when domesticis exemplis abundamus England is sufficiently prouided to furnish vs with examples out of Westminster or the Tower as may appeare by the diligent hand of a most knowing Lawyer who hath collected them together sending them to a reuerend friend of mine who coppied them out and imparted the Transcript vnto mee whence I gather that it was a familiar matter in old time when the State stood Popish and the Iudges stood too much affected with that which they now call the Romane Religion to sue fine and imprison Archbishops Bishops Deanes and Clergie men for beating wounding burning houses killing of men cutting of lippes and not so onely but about Prohibitions in Prouisions out of the Realme Appeales to and Buls from Rome and it would not serue a Bishops turne so carefull were the Iudges of keeping and preseruing the ancient liberties and customes and the King his Crowne and dignitie that though they reuerenced the Church according to their blind deuotion yet a Bishop comming before a Lay-Iudge pleading that hee was an anoynted Bishop Brother to the Pope and an Ecclesiasticall person that he was a Clerke neither of both could be heard but in the Tower Marshalsey Kings-Bench c. or fined and ransomed brought they Letters Prohibitions and Buls from Rome the very bringing whereof was no lesse danger then a Praemunire I know you expect proofes and not words Records and no other proofes and therefore I proceed and shew out of the Records that For Archbishops and Bishops Anno 27. R. Henrici filij Iâ—nioris there came a precept to the Iudges of the Kings-Bench to proceed against Robert Bishop of Worcester and others in a cause of Prohibition as being against the Kings Crowne and Dignitie The Bishop of Exeter lost his Temporals for not admitting the Kings Clerke to the Church of Southwell The Bishop of Ely for being accessary to the burning of Blanch Wakes house and murdering of Will Holme which was killed in a Wood by his seruants and intertained by him after the fact was done was put vpon his twelue Godfathers Walter Bishop of Exceter for appealing to the Court of Rome to the Kings great preiudice finds sureties to answer the matter before the King Anno 6. Edw. 1. Semblably Ralph Bishop of Bath and Welles was proceeded against for summoning men to Rome Anno 19. Edw 3. William Bishop of Norwich had his Temporals seazed on for excommunicating one Richard that brought the Kings Prohibition Anno 20. Edw. 3. Adam Hereford for partaking with Roger Mortimer is tainted in Parliament notwithstanding the Archbishops challenge Anno Edw 17 Rob. Archbishop of Canterburies body was to bee taken for excommunicating the Sherifes when he came to serue the Kings Warrant Anno 32. Edw. 1. And to see how small a matter would incense the King and how sharpe his punishments would be against the Clergie there was a warrant sent downe to the Sherife of Worcester to serue vpon him for hunting only in
Windsore Park Concerning Deanes of Churches and Abbots and Priors of Conuents THe Priors of Kockford and Bingam were sued for proceeding against some in the spirituall Court after prohibition R. Io. anno 15. The Deane of Doncaster for molesting diuers of the Kings liege people was conuicted before the Iudges and admitted to his fine The Prior and Couent of Saint Patricks in Dublin lost their Temporals for electing an Archbishop without the Kings consent Anno 6. Edw. 1. The Deane of Wooluer-hampton was cited to appeare before the Iudges for his contempt for admitting one Ottobon to a Prebend in the same Church by a Mandate from the Pope Anno 31. Edw. 1. The Prior of Canterburie for appealing to the Court of Rome was adiudged to bee imprisoned and to reuoke his Appeale Anno 23. Edw. 1. Io. Abbat of Walden attached for the same Anno eodem Thus farre of Bishops Deanes Abbots and Priors the recitall of the rest would fill the booke and not much more satisfie the Reader and therefore I forbeare to name them and come now to shew how little the Pope of Rome or his Buls were regarded of our English Iudges There was an Act made against drawing causes to Rome anno 27. Edw. 3. and a commandement giuen anno 16. Edw. filij R. Edwardi that no man should alienate sell or send any thing beyond the Seas and how many were accordingly indited and committed as Io. Ouerton to the Tower Simon Mellercet to the Kings Bench anno 28. Edw. 3. William Beuercot to the Marshalsey anno Regis filij Edwardi 17. And for the Popes Buls how little were they regarded or rather how greatly were the getters or procurers their fautors and abettors those that did but threaten to make vse of them punished and censured There was a proceeding with some seueritie against one that threatned he would get a Bull from the Pope Anno 27. R. Henrici There was likewise an Inquisition indented taken for those that procured them anno 20. Edw. 3. their Abettors anno R. Edw. 4. and one that pleaded them was committed to prison So then those that bought those Buls at Rome giuing Gold for Lead found them still Lead and no better here in England and neither Buls Appeales Bishops or liberties of the Church could protect them against the King his Crowne and dignitie Kings of England here and I trust euer shall be able to maintaine their soueraigne iurisdiction within these Kingdomes ouer all persons and in all causes against all forreine iurisdiction which commeth next in order to bee handled The Third Proposition The King is not subiect to any forraigne iurisdiction THe Pope pretends to be the Head of the Catholique Church how rightly we shall see hereafter I am sure the King of England holdeth it by as good right as the Law of God and the Law of this Kingdome can giue him I know it will bee presently obiected that King Henry the eighth being a violent King tooke this title vpon him they are certainely deceiued that either thinke or say it and therefore to manifest this point the better I will tell you my conceit how this matter was brought to passe not without an especiall prouidence of God out of very vnlikely meanes For when King Henry the eighth was sharpened against Luther there wanted not some about him that buzzed this into the Kings eares that the doctrine of Martin Luther was nothing else but drawne from the hereticall proposition of Iohn Wicklife which was condemned long since in and by his Vniuersitie of Oxford Whereupon the King being tickled because the full knowledge of this at that time serued well for his purpose presently dispatched Edward Leighton one of his Chaplaines and Batchelor of Diuinitie with those Letters to the Vniuersitie of Oxford By the King TRusty and welbeloued Wee greet you well And forasmuch as Wee at this instant time for certaine great and weighty considerations Vs moouing touching as well the repressing of such erroneous opinions and heresies as be now a dayes spread abroad in sundry places as also the consolation of Christs Church and good Christian people be desirous not only to be aduertised of the Articles whereupon Wicklife was condemned heretofore by that Our Vniuersitie of Oxford but also of the confirmation of the Councell of Constance concerning the condemnation of the said Articles We therefore will that yee with all celerity doe send vnto Vs by Our trusty and welbeloued Chaplaine M. Edward Leighton the bearer in writing vnder the Seale of Our said Vniuersitie in as lawfull and Authentique wise as yee can deuise as well all and singular the said Articles of condemnation of the said Wicklife and also the confirmation thereupon of the said Councell of Constance giuing vnto Our said Chaplaine firme credence in such things as he shall shew vnto you in Our behalfe touching the premises And in thus doing you shall minister vnto Vs full acceptable pleasure Yeuen vnder our signet at our Castle of Windesore the last day of Iuly Vpon the receipt of these Letters followed a Conuocation a Delegacie was appointed the sixth of this instant moneth there wanted no celâ—ritie the Instrument is made and both it and the answere to the Kings Letters sealed the ninth day of that very moneth Amongst those Articles that were sent vp there were diuers that did mainly trench vpon the Popes power which as Wickliefe said were neither found nor founded vpon Gods Word What effects these Articles wrought in the Kings mind I know not but of one thing I am wel assured that not long after the King being at variance with the Pope a Parliament was called with in two yeres and a motion was made therein that the King should be declared Head of the Church but his Maiestie refused till he had aduised with his Vniuersities vpon that point and whilest the Parliament sate God in whose hands the hearts of Princes are so disposing it the King reflecting belike vpon Wickliefes former Articles directing his Letters to the Vniuersitie of Oxford about the election of the Bishop of Lincolne into the Chancellorship of the Vniuersitie of Oxford in the roome of Archbishop Warham lately deceased After the accomplishment whereof saith the King Our pleasure and commandement is that ye as shall be beseeme men of vertue and profound literature diligently intreating examining and discussing a certaine question sent from Vs to you concerning the power and primacie of the Bishop of Rome send againe to Vs in writing vnder your common Seale with conuenient speed and celeritie your mind sentence and assertion of the quaestion according to the meere and sincere truth of the same willing you to giue credence to Our trusty and welbeloued this bringer your Commissarie aswell touching Our further pleasure in the premisses as for other matters c. Yeuen vnder Our Signet at Our Mannor of Greenewich the eighteenth day of May. Vpon the receipt of these Letters the Vniuersitie at
bread of the Lord is sweate bread and this their auarice ioyned with much sacriledge and both shadowed with some pretences of pietie which improoue the sinne and make it be the greater in deed the lesser it is in seeming this siane which as one writeth doth much binder the conuersion of the poore Indians hardning them in their owne sinnes to see the Christians embrace and fellow riches so greedily is either not inquired after or being inquired after is not censured or punished 3. They are incredible Leachers noted with this vice more then any they carry the very markes about them They are Souldiers but serue not the God of Hoasts but sight vnder Pluto Bacchus and Venus colours Clergie men and Ecclesiasticall persons vncleannesse and pollutions are notorious and open to all the World and a by-word in euery mans mouth they cannot content themselues with one kind but they exercise all kinds of lewdnesse and libidinousnesse one woman will not satisfie their vnruly appetites they must haue many Sweet-hearts a great many of Lemans and Concubines if Neuizanus report be true yea they are ready to take m mens wiues from them they glory in their shame in their Tauernes how many n Wenches they haue lyen withall how many Virgins they haue deflowred they haue no other song but this prophane one o Let vs make our selues merry with wine and then there shall bee no Meadow but wee will sport our selues in one kind or other But perhaps it may be said Flesh is fraile and men may offend but if they doe sec how we will punish them whether they bee adulterers or fornicators There was one that durst exclaime it that in his time there was no punishment of Adulterie and therefore lesse hope was there of censuring lighter sinnes if greater sinnes escape without your punishment What reason haue we to thinke that you should punish the lesser And in truth as one of your owne side hath told me as great a Scholler and as wise a man as any the Church of Rome sent forth these many dayes the greatest Hill of Ollaria which I suppose to be a great one would not yeeld vs stories enough if the Leuiticall Law should take hold of all your secret and open knowne and vnknowne Adulteries But that the World may know how seuere censors you are of this fault hearken to a Storie or two in this kind and I will end this Discourse There was a good fellow in the world a Priest I meane that had a woman in a cellar with him which he loued full sorely his Prelate hearing of this commeth vpon them on the sudden lockes the dores and shuts them in many dayes and many nights causing them to bee watched and supplied with all manner of necessaries and in the end the poore Priest had so ouer-laboured and spent himselfe that he was taken with a giddinesse in his head so that he neuer after durst come in her company any more Beleeue it who list If they had said he had neuer been well after this and no more I would haue beleeued them I haue two Stories behind which I will shut vp in one word they both loued Wenches well the one was sent purposely to the Court of Rome the s other sued here in England both of set purpose to make them forget their old loues now could my Author haue shewed mee that there had bin no Stewes in Rome at that time nor Brothel-houses in London I would haue in part beleeued his report of both but transeat cum caeteris erroribus I proceed from the Daughter to the Mother from the cauâ—e to the effect you know and Neuizanus hath told vs that Venter genitalia are neere of kind I will not English this for shame 4. They are very riotous in fare meere Belly-godâ— and Epicures If either you had patience or I had leasure â— could insist vpon this point as long as vpon the former it shall suffice therefore to shew you that he that serues God Bacchus is no great enemie to the Lady Venus and hee that is pâ—tator a drunkard may be scortator a whoremaster before he be aware they are termes almost conuertible per luxam otium ventri viuunt I say no more 5. They are Prodigals and spendthrifts and that they spent were their owne or not mispeâ—t vpon wicked purposes and lewd lâ—uswiues the fault might be lessened though not cleane taken away but misereremini mei â—ay the Church say Pittie pittie my goods are mispent spent vpon Harlots and Queanes thus saith your great Antiquary Laur. Schraderus in his books of Monuments especially of Italy 6. Ambitious no men more neither sought they their Benefices to doe good with them but propter quaestum to make a gaine of them or a â—adder for their ambitious thoughts to mount vp and this â—adder because it should carry them vp higher hath many rounds their desire was not so much to profit their inferiours as to sit amongst their superiours in high place and dignitie in great honour and worship and this was the true cause why Benefices were so chopt and changed bought and sold as if the Church were an Horse-faire 7. They are egregious Simoniasts but of this nothing hauing launced this soare before in the Chapter of Rome and I doubt it is not healed yet 8. They are as proud as Lucifer This vice is common to them with their Bishops and Prelates also they must haue their stately Houses magnificent Halles gallant Horses to speake nothing of their Queanes and Concubines but it may bee their Prelates will challenge this as proper vnto themselues 9. They are braue Courtiers This vice is noted in them by diuers good and approoued Writers as Guil. de S. Amore diuers Manuscripts and others branding them with the name of wandring Planets Court-slaues they pronounce a heauy doome against them that shame will be their end and a worse punishment if they take not the better heed Mistake them not they meane not Kings and Princes Chaplaines that necessarily must attend vpon them nor such as repaire vnto the Court vpon good occasion but frequentantes Curiam such as are neuerwell but when they are there or any where so they may be from their charges 10. They are stout Souldiers I meane not onely in their feild beddes and in the Lady Venus payre as I haue largely demonstrated vnto you before but Souldiers in their habit or as another hath it for their greedinesse they may be called Clergiâ—men but for their habits Souldiers Doubtlesse Saint Bernard was the Author of this complaint they forget themselues â—rma milittae nostrae sunt spiritualis Our weapons are spirituall And as a merry fellow told an Archbishop that was both a Duke and an Archbishop and stood in defence of his temporall Dominion more then was fitting It
that time for ought we know consisting all of Papists being assembled in Conuocation decreed as followeth That for the examination determination and decision of this question sent vnto them to be discussed from the Kings Maiestie viz Whether the Bishop of Rome had any greater Iurisdiction collated vpon him from God in the holy Scripture in this Kingdome of England than any other forraine Bishop that there should be deputed thirtie Diuines Doctors and Bachelors of Diuinitie of that facultie to whose sentence assertion or determination or the greater part of them the common Seale of the Vniuersitie in the name thereof should be affixed prouided that the question should bee first disputed and then sent vp to his Maiestie And the 27. of Iune in the yeere of our Sauiour 1534. this Instrument following was made and sent vp sealed with the common Seale of the Vniuersitie The Instrument it selfe is in Latine in English thus TO all the sonnes of our Mother the Church to whom these present Letters shall come Iohn by the grace of God Chauncellor of the famous Vniuersitie of Oxon and the whole assembly of Doctors and Masters Regents and not Regents in the same greeting Whereas our most noble and mighty Prince and Lord Henrie the eighth by the grace of God of England and France King Defender of the Faith and Lord of Ireland vpon the continuall requests and complaints of his Subiects exhibited vnto him in Parliament against the intolerable exactions of forraine Iurisdictions and vpon diuers controuersies had and mooued about the Iurisdiction and power of the Bishop of Rome and for other diuers vrgent causes against the said Bishop then and there exponed and declared was sent vnto and humbly desired that he would prouide in time some fit remedie and satisfie the complaint of his deere Subiects Hee as a most prudent Salomon minding the good of his Subiects ouer whom God hath placed him and deepely pondering with himselfe how he might make good and wholesome Lawes for the gouernment of his Commonwealth and aboue all things taking care that nothing bee there resolued vpon against the holy Scripture which hee is and euer will bee ready to defend with hazard of his dearest blood out of his deepe wisdome and after great paines taken hereabouts hath transmitted and sent vnto his Vniuersitie of Oxon a certaine question to be disputed viz. Whether the Bishop of Rome hath any greater Iurisdiction granted to him from God in the holy Scripture to be exercised and vsed in this Kingdome then any other forraine Bishop and hath commanded vs that disputing the question after a diligent and mature deliberation and examination of the premisses we should certifie his Maiestie vnder the common Seale of our Vniuersitie what is the true meaning of the Scriptures in that behalfe according to our Iudgements and apprehensions Wee therefore the Chancellour Doctors and Masters aboue recited daily and often remembring and altogether weighing with our selues how good and godly a thing it is and congruous to our Profession be fitting our submissions obediences and charities to foreshew the way of truth and righteousnesse to as many as desire to tread in her stepps and with a good sure and quiet conscience to anchor themselues vpon Gods Word we could not but endeauour our selues with all the possible care that wee could deuise to satisfie so iust and reasonable a request so great a Prince who next vnder God is our most happy and supreame Moderatour and Gouernour Taking therefore the said question into our considerations with all humble deuotion and due reuerence as becommeth vs and assembling our Diuines together from all parts taking time enough and many dayes space to deliberate thereof diligently religiously and in the feare of God with zealous and vpright minds first searching and searching againe the Booke of God and the best Interpreters and Commenters thereupon disputing the said questions solemnely and publikely in our Schooles haue in the end vnanimously and with ioynt consent resolued vpon the Conclusion that is to say That the Bishop of Rome hath no greater Iurisdiction giuen vnto him in Scripture then any other Bishop in this Kingdome of England Which our assertion sentence or determination so vpon deliberation maturely and throughly discussed and according to the tenour of the Statutes and Ordinances of this our Vniuersitie concluded vpon publikely in the name of the whole Vniuersitie we doe pronounce and testifie to be sure certaine and consonant to the holy Scripture In witnesse whereof we haue caused these our Letters to be written sealed and ratified by the Seale of our Vniuersitie Yeuen in our Assembly-house the 27. of the moneth of Iune in the yeere of Christ 1534. This Instrument being brought into the Parliamenthouse an Act passed whereby the King was declared Supreame Head and Gouernour of the Church What exception was it taken or giuen The Parliament motioned some such matter to the King his Maiestie wisely referreth it to the Learned of his Vniuersitie the Vniuersitie to thirty Delegats the referrees returne their ioynt opinion to the King that the Pope had no more to doe here in England then any other forraine Bishop this their opinion was grounded on the Scripture the places of Scripture confirmed by the exposition of the best interpreters the Parliament vpon full knowledge of this banish all forraine Iurisdiction out of the Realme to the comfort of Gods Church and the reliefe of his distressed subiects which had so long been inthralled and groaned vnder this Baby lonish captiuitie What remaineth If this be not satisfactorie Ireferre you to the reading of three excellent pieces of this Argument which I forbeare to insert into this booke first because of prolixitie secondly because ere long you shall haue them all comprized in one volume The first is taken out of Guicciardine the second out of Machiauell the third out of Stephen Pasquier quarit Recerches The place in Guicciardine is shamefully expunged that of Machiauell with the whole booke and all his Workes forbidden onely Pasquier is improhibited and vnpurged But no thankes to the Inquisitors for feare lest our French men which are accounted lost men at Rome should bee vtterly lost from the Church of Rome if the Inquisitors went about to infringe their Pragmaticall Constitutions Of these three witnesses two of them are without exception Guicciardine and Pasquier the third is branded for an Atheist and as I dare not make any Apologies for him so many and so great Schollers hauing fastned this imputation vpon him so I cannot but say it is onely my coniecture that if Machiauell had not touched the Popes free-hold but suffered him to haue been a God vpon earth Machiauell had been no Atheist for this booke but might haue hoped rather to haue been a Cardinall but how deadly soeuer they hated him and interdicted his Workes at his death as it seemeth he left his Machiauelismes to bee disposed of by the Pope and his Cardinals which haue made
Tho. Gascoigne    1478  Dominicus de Dominicis   Laur. Valla.      Car. Militzius 1480  Gabr. Bieli   Fr. Guicciardinus 1480  Hier. Sauanarola   Io. Roffensis 1494  Wern de Rollowinck   Nigellus Wirocher 1511  Nic. Kus   Anon. Vetus scripter 1511  Io. Keyserberg   Conr. a Liechtenawo 1514  Friar Flechen   Io. Auentinus 1518  Caietanns   Henricus Henriquez   Cassander    In this Catalogue I haue mentioned none but such as were esteemed at the least of their Church and complained of the sundry abuses of it I haue purposely omitted these that follow P. Valdus Io. Wickleph Walter Brute Guil. Swinderby Ric. Turmyn Io. Cleydon Io. Puruey Henr. Token Nic. Russe Ric. Hume These were all Waldenses Wickleuists or Hussiâ—es you will neuer accept of their testimonies when they are brought against you and I am very well prouided without them to make good these two Propositions 1. That there is no such treasure of the Church wee haue but carbones pro the sauro 2. If there be or put case there be yet they are ill distributed and as they are bought and sold cannot bee defended These two Propositions are maintained and explained by the Papists to whose writings I haue confined my selfe when I might as you perceiue by that which hath been written haue made vse of a great many more testimonies both pregnant and pertinent to my purpose but these and a few Parchments shall suffice The first Proposition That there is no such Treasure of the Chureh WHatsoeuer Pontanus the Iesuite out of that of Virgil InfectuÌ„ eluitur scelus aut exoritur ignis proues Purgatory yet you haue heard that Polydore Virgill could neither fetch Purgatory nor Purgatory Pardons so farre because the Well was deepe and his bucket would not reach so farre Fr. Polygranus in his Catholike Assertions knoweth no other Pardons nor I then such as by the Law of God any ordinary Priest might giue vnto a true penitent that is to pronounce him absolued before God Hee doth this but declaratiue or ministerially it is God alone that doth truly forgiue sinnes and acquit vs both a paena a culpa I alone saith he by the Prophet Isay doe put away or put out the sinnes of my people Also Ambrose Hee and none but he forgiueth sinnes that died for thee And Saint Augustine most elegantly concludes the Chorus in these words No man can take away our sinnes but Christ alone which is the immaculate Lambe that taketh away the sinnes of the World hee taketh them away both by pardoning them that are already committed and by keeping vs from committing any more and by bringing vs to heauen where it is impossible to sinne any more More then this what can be said to take away the Keyes from the Pope and giue them to the true owner Christ To point vs out with the finger or to direct vs to the true Treasure of the Church the Merits of our Sauiour the true Purgatorie of Christs blood and thus much briefly of the first Proposition The second Proposition That Indulgences if they had been good at their first institution which can neuer be prooued being abused as they are and euer will be are not to bee tolerated any more in the Church of Christ THe Pope whom Polygranus in the place before cited which I had forgotten to tell you maketh the sole Steward and distributer of this Treasure for that they were abused when they were in the hands of euery ordinary Priest to be disposed and distributed as liked them best pretendeth the good of the Church by his Croisadoes and building of Saint Peters Fabrique But he intendeth nothing lesse then the aduancement of the true Crosse and the publishing of Saint Peters doctrine but the diuiding and sharing of so many millions amongst his new made Cardinals which hee had fleeced but a little before taking for the making of thirtie Cardinals not passing fiue hundred thousand Crownes Alack when shall our Sauiours precept come in date gratis accepistis gratis date that they would bestow that freely which freely they haue receiued But it may bee said or feared at the least that some of their Popes come not so freely by their Chaire and therefore make a common Matte of these Pardons As Pope Boniface being both a couetous wretch and a Simoniack sent not his Disciples as Christ did to preach but his Brokers to trade for Pardons â—ffering his plenarie Pardons so cheape that many began to loath them and waxe wearie of them for there was no sinne so hatefull no crime so enormous but it was bought out for ready money This was the second foule abuse of Pardons But if wee cast our eyes vpon the History of the Councell of Trent we shal see many horrible abuses of Pardons that could not be related without teares as first that Leo 10. should giue the benefit of his IndulgeÌ„ces to his sister Magdalen wife vnto Franceschetto Cybo Innoc. 8. his bastard Secondly the Pardoners in Tauernes and elsewhere in Games and other things not fit to be named spent them The Trent-Masters durst not name all the abuses either for shame or modestie belike but one Tho. Gascoigne that was sometime Chancellor of this Vniuersitie and might haue been Bishop of this Realme hauing publikely read against the abuses of Indulgences in his Lectures at Oxon and shewed that they were cause of much wickednesse afterwards he relateth these particulars That they were carried vp and downe the Country in Baskets and either sold for sixe pence foure pence or two pence or giuen for a game at Tennis for a cup of Ale and worse matters that is in plaine English for lying with awench He himselfe is much against the Popes changing penance into money and farther sheweth that there was a Doctor English belike at the Councel of Basil disprouing Indulgences out of a Paper-booke of the Councels in Durham Colledge The booke of Councels which the Doctor vsed is now fairely bound and charily preserued in Balliol Colledge and the authoritie that is cited out of that booke against Indulgences is to this effect to proue that the Pope cannot sell his Pardons and if he did they would be of no force arguing neither charitie in the one nor piety in the other This I speak only vpon my own coniecture grounded vpon these two reasons first because there be foure books of Sermons Acts and other passages in that Councell and secondly because he doth treate of this point somewhat largely and with an English freedome But esteeme of its authoritie as you will To draw this point to some conclusion I know your eares by this time begun to glowgh to heare of so much baggage stuffe seeing the doctrine of Indulgences take it at the best