first made use of a Canon of the Council of Sardica which gave them Power to send Legats into the Provinces to examine the Processes and the Depositions of any Bishops in Cases where any complaint was made After that they had thus accustomed the French Bishops to admit their Legats in this Case they by little and little gain'd another Point when the Princes were weak which was to send some amongst them without any Complaint or Appeal at all and at last after they had submitted to the Yoak Alexander II. established it as a Rule that the Pope ought to have the Government and Administration of all Churches Of these Legats some had a whole Kingdom under their Jurisdiction others some part only they came thither with full Power to depose Bishops yea the Metropolitan himself when ever they pleased to assemble the Councils of their District and to preside therein with the Metropolitan but taking place of him to make Canons to send the Decision of those Matters to the Pope to which the Bishops would not give their Consent as likewise all the Acts of the Council whereof he disposed at his Will and Pleasure And it is to be observed that their Suffrages outweigh'd those of all the Bishops together and that oftentimes by their simple Authority they judg'd and determin'd the Causes of the Elections of Bishops of Benefices of the Excommunications of Lay-men and the like Insomuch that these Assemblies which before were so Sacred and so Soveraign for the supporting and maintaining of Discipline having no Power any longer were to speak properly rather Councils to authorize and ratify the Will and Pleasure of the Pope than any lawful or free Councils So that it was not till the Papacy of Alexander II. and Gregory VII that the Churches of Aquitain saw themselves in danger of losing their Liberty by submitting to the Papal Yoak as well as the rest of the French Churches We are now to see how they avoided this Yoak which was thus imposed upon them in some measure CHAP. XIII Of the Opposition that was made by a Part of these Churches to the Attempts of the Popes and of their Separation from the Communion of Rome before Peter Waldo IT is difficult precisely to set down the Year wherein a considerable Part of these Diocesses rejected the Power of the Pope's Legats and lowdly condemned the Errors which they would have introduced under the Name of Councils which the Popes had so often assembled against Berengarius But we have great reason to conclude that it happened under Gregory VII when he undertook to oblige the Bishops of France to swear an Oath of Fidelity to him in much a like Form as Vassals swear to the Lords of the Fee for in reality it is the very same this strange Piece of Novelty which at one Blow destroy'd all the Rights of the Church excited both Pastors and People to defend their Liberties and to reject this imperious Yoak Then it was also that he endeavour'd to change the Common Service of the Church by striking out all that was not agreeable to the Roman Service which was very proper to inflame the Minds of the People and make them more watchful for the Preservation of the Doctrine and Ceremonies of Religion which they had received from their Ancestors For instance It is certain that in the 11 th Century they changed the Collects which concern'd the Prayer for the Dead We have an Example of it that was inserted in the Decretal of Gregory IX 'T is an Answer of Innocent III. to John de Beauxmains Archbishop of Lions who at that time was retired in the Abby of Clairvaux It contains the Question which that Archbishop who was the Persecutor and Condemner of Peter Waldo propounds to Innocent III. together with the Pope's Answer Your Brothership has enquir'd why there was a Change made in the Service of Saint Leo so that whereas the antient Books express the Prayer thus Grant to us Lord that this Offering may be of advantage to the Soul of thy Servant Leo in the modern Books it is exprest thus Grant to us O Lord we beseech thee that by the Intercession of St. Leo this Offering may be of advantage to us To which we answer saith the Pope That since the Authority of Scripture assures us that he doth an Injury to a Martyr who prays for a Martyr we are by a Parity of Reason to judg the same of other Saints because they need not our Prayers as being perfectly happy and enjoying all things according to their Wishes but it is we rather that stand in need of their Prayers who being miserable are in continuable trouble by reason of the Evils that surround us Wherefore such Expressions as these That such an Offering may be of advantage to this or that Saint for their Glory and Honour which we meet with in most Prayers are thus to be understood That it may conduce to this end that he may be more and more glorified by the Faithful here on Earth Though most suppose it a thing not unworthy of the Saints to assert that their Glory is continually encreased until the Day of Judgment and therefore that the Church may in the mean time lawfully wish for the encrease of their Glorification But whether in this Point that Distinction may take place which teacheth us that of those who are dead some are very good others very bad others indifferently good and others indifferently bad and therefore whether the Suffrages of Believers in the Church for the very good are Thanksgiving for the very bad Comforts to the Living for those who are indifferently good Expiations and for the indifferently bad Propitiations I leave to your Prudence to enquire Moreover the Popes Nicholas II and his Successors undertook to defend the Celibacy of the Clergy by which means a great many Pastors were depriv'd of the Functions of their Ministry which obliged also a vast number of them to separate themselves from the Communion of the Pope whose Creatures after the Decree was past for authorizng Celibacy look'd upon the married Clergy to be no more than simple Lay-men not to mention now that the Multiplicity of Schisms and Anti-popes had reduc'd most of the Diocesses of France into a strange Confusion some holding for one Pope others for another But though we cannot assign the precise Epocha of the beginning of this couragious Opposition to the See of Rome which had no other Original but the just Defence of their Liberties and the Desire of preserving their antient Truths yet thus much seems to be certain as far as we can gather from the poor Remainder of Records which the Barbarity of the Inquisitors hath suffer'd to come down to us 1. That this publick Opposition against the Efforts of Popery was made about the beginning of the 12 th Century 2. That without great Ignorance both in History and Chronology it cannot be supposed that the Albigenses were the Disciples of
aborcii aut destructio seminum ante formatum foetum facta per medicinas sint gravia peccata valde adhuc conjunctio mutua foeminarum contra naturam in actu carnali vel earum coitus cum bestia irrationali vel cum creatura insensibili non viva transcendit in demeritoria actione dignum poenis inferni Correlarium Nos vellemus quod viduae tales quae voverunt castitatem investitae annulo mantello deliciosè pastae vel delicatè nutritae essent desponsatae quia eas nescimus excusare de occultis peccatis Duodecima quaestio Multitudo artium non necessariarum homini in nostra Ecclesia multum peccatum nutrit in superflua curiositate diffiguratione hominum per vestes curiosas hoc ostendit experientia ratio probat quia natura cum paucis artibus sufficeret humanae naturae Correlarium Ex quo Apostolus Paulus dicit habentes victum quibus tegamur his contenti simâ—â— nobis videtur quod aurifabri fabri armorum omnia genera artium non necessariarum homini secundum Apostolum destrui debent propter augmentum virtutum quia quamvis istae duae artes nominatae necessariae fuerunt in veteri lege novum tamen Testamentum has artes cum multis allis evacuavit WE pore Men Tresorers of Christ and his Apostels denouncyn to the Lordes and Commens of the Parliament certeyn Conclusions and Treuthes for the Reformation of Holi Church of Inglond the which hath ben blend and leprouse many yere be the Mayntenance of the proud Prelaci born up with Flateryng of privat Religion The which is multiplied to a grete Charge and onerous to Pepil here in Inglond Whan the Chirch of Inglond began to dote in Temperalte after hir Stepmoder the grete Chirche of Rome and the Chirches were slayn be Appropriacion to divers Places Feythe Hope and Charite begon for to fle out of our Chirch for Pride wit his sori Genealogy of dedely Sinnes chalangith it be Title of Heritage This Conclusion is generale and is proved by Experience Custum and Manner as you shall heryn affter The secund Conclusion is this Our usuel Priesthode the which began in Rome feyned of a Power heyer than Angels is not the Priesthode the which Christ ordeyned to his Apostells This Conclusion is proved for the Priest-hode of Rome is marked with Signes Rites and Bishopes Blessyngs and that is of litel Virtu no wher ensamplede in holi Scripture For the Bishopes Ordinals in the New Testament ben litel of Record and we can not se that the Holi Gost for any such Signes gifes any Gifts for He and his holy Giftes mai not stond with dedely Synne in no manner Person The Correlary of this Conclusion that it is full unketh to many that be wise to se Bishopes play with the Holi Gost in makyng of her Orders for thei gif Crownes in Carecters in stede of whit hertes and that is the Liveray of Antichrist brought into holi Church to colour Idleness The trid Conclusion sorowful to here is that the Law of Continence enexed to Priest-hode that in Prejudice of Wymmen was first ordeynet inducyth Sodomy in all holi Chirch bot we excuse us be the Bible for the suspecte Decre that saith that we shall not it Reson and Experience provyth this Conclusion for delicious Metis and Drynkes of Men of holi Chirch will haf nedful Purgation of Kind or Wers Experience for the privy Asay of such Men is that thai lik no Wymmen and whan thow provest such a Man mark him wele for he is on of tho The Correlary of this Conclusion that the privat Religions Begynners of this Synne were most worthi to ben anulled but God of hys might of prive Synnes send open Vengeance The ferth Conclusion that most harmeth the innocent Pepel is this that the feyned Miracle of the Sacrament of Bred inducyth al Men but a few to Idolatre for thai wen that Goddis Bodi that nevere schal out of Heven be virtu of Priestis Wordes be closed essentiali in a litel Bred that thai shew to the People but wouâ—â— God they would believe what the Doctor Evangelicus seis in his Trialoge quod Panis altaris est habitudinaliter Corpus Christi For we suppose that on this wise mai every trew Man and Womman in Goddes Law mak the Sacrament of this Brede without any such Miracle The Correlary of this Conclusion is that if Christes Bodi be dowid with everlasting Ioi the Servys of Corpus Christi made be Frere Thomas is untrew and peynted ful of fals Miracles and that is no wonder for Frere Thomas that same tyme holdyng with the Pope wold haf mad a Miracle of an Hen Egge and we know well that every Lesyng openly preached turneth him to Vilany that ever was trew and without defaut The fift Conclusion is this that Exorsyms and holowyng mad in the Chirch of Wine Brede and way-Water Salt Oyle and Encense the Stone of the Altar upon vestment Myter Croys and pilgrim Staves be the veray practis of Nygromancy rather than of the holi Theologi This Conclusion is proved thus for be such Exorsymes Creatures be charget to be of heyer Virtu then her own Kynd and we see nothing of chaunge in no such Creature that is so charmed but be fals beleve the which is the Principal of the Develes craft The Correlary of this that if the Boke that charmeth hali Water sprede were al trewe us thenk verely that holi Water used in hali Chirch schuld be the best Medecyn to all manner of Seknes The syxt Conclusion that maynteneth mychel Pride is that a Kyng and a Bishop al in on Person a Prelate and a Justice in Temperal Cause a Curate and an Officer maken any Roem out of gode Rewle This Conclusion is oponly schemed for Temperalte and Spiritualte be two Partis of an holi Chirch and therefore he that hath taken hym to that one schuld not mell him with that other Quia nemo potest duobus Dominis servire and us think that Hermifodrita or Ambidexter were a gode Name to such manner of Men of dowble estate The Correlary is that we the Procuratours of God in this Cause do prosti to this Parlement that aâ— manner of Curates both hey and low ben fully excused of temperel Office and occupy hem with her cure and not elles The sevent Conclusion that we myghtily 〈◊〉 is that special Praiers fordede Mens Soules mad in owre Chirch preferring on be Name more than another This is the fals ground of Almes Dede on the which al Almes houses of Inglond ben wikkidly grounded This Conclusion is proved by two Skilles on is for Praier memory and of valew schold be a Weck procedyng of hey and perfit Charite accept no Persones quia diliges proximum etc. Wherefore us thenkes that the Gift of temporel Godes to Priestes and to Almes-Houses is principal cause of special Praier the which is no fer fro Symony Another Skil
and Pharisais not profyting the Christen People but disseyvyng them Item I have hold affermed taught and beleved that in the Sacramente of the Auter is not the very Body of Criste Farthermore shewing and seying that Pristis may bie xxx suche Goddis for one Peny and will not selle one of them but for two Penys Item I have misbeleved and to dyvers manyfestly shewed that Ymages of Seynts be not to be worshipped aftir the Doctrine of a Boke of Commandments which I have had in my keping wherein is wreten that no Man shall worship eny thing made or graven with mannys Hand attending the Words of the same litterally and not inclynyng to the sense of the same Item I have spoken and diverse tymes shewed that Pristis be the Enemies of Christe Item I have belevyd said and taught that St. Petir was never Priste but a little before his Deth Ferthermore shewing that Simeon Magos geve hym his Tonsure of Prysthode and in Spyte of hym Goddis Vicar contempnyng hys Power called hym a Panyer Maker Fyrst That I Herry Benett have hold and kepte this Opinion that Pilgremaggis be not to be made moeved for this Cause for only God is to be warsshyped and so not themmagis of Sayntis insomoch that I wold never goo a Pilgremage but onys and I have oftyn tymes reproved such as wold spend their Money in Pilgremage doyng seing thei myght better spend hit at home Item I have not belevyd stedfastly in the Sacrament of Thauter seying of hit this wise that if there were thre Hostys in one Pikkis one of theim consecrate and the odir not consecrate a Mowse woll as well ete that Hoste consecrate as the odir twayn unconsecrate the which he myght not if there were the very Body of Criste for if there were the Fadir Son and Holy Goste he myght not ete theym Fyrste That I William Brigger have erred and mysbeleved in the Sacramente of the Auter seyng and holdyng that there shuld not be the very Body of Criste so taught and enformed in this same grete Errour and Heresie by one Richard Sawyer late of Newbery Item I have spoke and hold ayenste the Sacramente of Pennance seing in this wise If I have take a Manis Goode or stole his Cowe and be sory in Harte I may as well be saved as though I were shreven thereof for it is inowe to be shryve to God Item I have held and seyde ayenste the Doctrine of Prystys affermyng of them that all Prystes techeth a false and a blynd way to bryng us all in to the Myer Ferthermore addyng herto and seyng howe may it be that blynde William Harper may lede anodir blynde Man to Newbery but both fall yn to the Dyche so dothe all thes Pristis to bryng us alle to Dampnacion Fyrste That I Richard Hignel have hold and mysbeleved of long tyme in the Sacramente of the Auter seyng that Christe offer'd to Simeon is the very Sacramente of Thauter so meanyng and belevyng in myn Opinion that the Sacramente in form of Brede shuld not be very Godde but only Criste hymselffe in Hevyn is the Sacramente and none odir and so I have mysbelevyd and continewed in this Errour and Heresie unto this tyme of Examnacion Item I have be adherente and associat with Hereticks abjured by whos Doctrine I have erred as I have afore spoken Fyrste That I William Priour have said and hold ayenst the Auctorite and Power of Pristis callyng theim Scribis Pharisies and thenmyes of Criste not teching but disseyving the Cristen People Item I have belevyd and divers tymes shewid that Ymagis of Seynts be not to be wurshyped nether Oblacions to be made unto theim seyng and holding no such thing to be wurshipped that is graven or made with manys Hande I Richard Goddard in long tyme here before have had grete dought howe God myght be in forme of Brede in Thauter amoste syn the Yeres of Discrecion and nowe in fewe Yeres thought and utterly beleved that inasmoch as God is in Hevyn he shuld not be in the Sacramente of Thauter and so in this Errour have continewed unto the tyme of this my present Abjuracion Thes Articules and every of them afore rehersed and to us Austyn Stere Herry Benet William Brigger Richard Hignell William Priour and Richard Goddard and to every of us severelly by you judicially objected we and every of us singulerly openly knowlege our selffe and confesse of our fre Wille to have hold lerned and belevyd and so have taught and affermyd to odir which Articules and every of theim as us concerneth severelly we and every of us understand and beleve Heresies and contrary to the commen Doctrine and Determination of the universalle Church of Criste and confesse us and every of us here to have be Heretikes Lerners and Techers of Heresies Errours Opinions and false Doctrines contrarie to the Cristen Feith And forasmoch as it is so that the Lawes of the Churche of Criste and Holy Canons of Saynts be grounded in Mercy and God wol not the Deth of a Synner but that he be converted and seve And also the Church closeth not her Lappe to him that woll retorne We therefor and every of us willing to be Partiners of this forseid Mercy forsake and renounce all thes Articules afore rehersed as us concerneth particularly and confesse theim to be Heresies Errours and prohibite Doctrine And nowe contrite and fully repentyng theim all and every of theim judicially and solemply theim forsake abjuxe and wilfully renownce for evermor and not only theim but all odir Heresies Errours and dampnable Doctrines contrary to the Determination of the universall Church of Criste Also that we and every of us shall never herafter be to eny such Persons or Persons Favorers Counselers Mainteners or of eny such prively or openly but if we or eny of us knowe eny such herafter we and every of us shall denownce and disclose theim to you Reverend Fadir in God your Successors or Officers of the same or els to such Persons of the Church as hath Jurisdiction on the Persons so fawty so help us God and all Holy Evangelis submyttyng us and every of us openly not coacte but of our fre Wille to the Payn Rigour and Sharpness of the Lawe that a Man relapsed owght to suffre in suche case if we or eny of us ever do or hold contrarie to this our presente Abjuracion in parte or the hole therof In witnesse whereof we all and every of us severally subscribe with our Hands makyng a Cross and requir all Cristen Men in generall her presente to record and witnes ayenst us and every of us and this our presente Confession and Abjuracion if we or eny of us from this Day forwards offende or do contrarie to the same and ye Masters her presente ....................... Lecta facta fuit ista Abjuracio coram Reverendo in Christo Patre Domino Thoma permissione divina Sarum Episcopo in Ecclesia parochiali Sancti