Iewes Therfore that which they do and ordeine hath an other maner of couÌ„tenance than that which the Iewes haue ordeined Therefore must our former argument remaine fast vnmoueable especially considering that the Church of Rome is fullye credited in the one therefore must shee of necessitie be as wel beleeued in the other For truely this argument is the trimmest and finest stuffe whereof Iohn Blindasinus hath made his Panoplie which is as muh to say as his Ful furniture of weapons harnesse For by this is proued that S. FraÌ„cis Vineyarde The goldeÌ„ Legend The booke called Conform S. Franc. And the Masse booke must be as much esteemed in all respects as the very scripture of the Bible yea in the boke called Confo S. Fran. which was made by Barthol of Pisa is alowed for good in the chap. of Assis. In the yere 1389. is written That the same booke is better thaÌ„ the Gospell for that Saint Francis is placed in Lucifers seat aboue all the companies of Angels at the vpper ende of all Also there followeth out of the same that the common sort of people may be as well instructed in the knoweledge of God by dumbe Images and mumming representations as by the preaching of the Gospel and that men must as well christen the Belles at the Font as the children whiche are shapen after the likenesse of God and bought by the precious bloud of Iesus Christ that in baptising shall be vsed spittle and oyntment as well as water that the holy Sacrament shall bee caried about the streetes in the Procession with Baners and Pipes as well as it shall be taken and eaten in the Congregation of the faythfull in remembrance of the death of the Lorde In summe men are as deepely bound to do that which the holy Church and the Popes of Rome haue dreamed set vp and commaunded as that which by the expresse worde of God and by the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles is specially commaunded Yea and I praye you why should it not be so Seeing out of the same argument it must of necessitie be concluded that the word of God cannot be Gods word but it must first by the church be therto shapen fashioned For note well this word is with special wordes of our learned master Iodocus Tiletanus in writing thus That the worde of God alone conteyned in the holy Scriptures of the old and the newe Testamentes together with the three Symbols or Creedes as of the Apostles the Councel of Nice of the father Athanasius yea and thereto ioyne the three first Councels are not the rule perfite knot of the truth whereby it is apparant that in no wise men can perfitely know whether these be the word of God or no without the traditions or setting forth of the Church which doth assure vs of al this without any Scripture c. In summe the truth can be no truth nor the light light yea God can be no God except that the holy Church of Rome that is to say the holy Pope of Rome with his bishops prelates do consent thervnto So that it is no maruel that they can of a peece of bread make a God creator of heauen and earth For if it were so that they should say that at noone day it were darke night wee must streight wayes beleue the same as an article of the faith by and by without delay get vs to bed For we say by a certaine coÌ„mon prouerbe That when all the world doeth affirme that a man as by example SoÌ„nius or Blindasinus is a swine he must out of doubt trudge vnto the swinestie and there eat only draffe How much rather theÌ„ when the holy Church with that worthie coÌ„panie of Bishops Abbats Prelates and Cardinals gathered together at Trent or elswhere do coÌ„mand any thing are not we bounde to receiue beleue obey the same without any denial by and by to say Amen therevnto And herein may men perceiue a great miracle which I do assure you is greater by the head thaÌ„ any miracle that euer was don by the Apostles to wit that the child was borne before the mother yea that the mother commes of the child For it is most certein and wel knowen that the worde of God is the seede whereof the Church of God doth spring is ingendred as the Apostle Peter witnesseth coÌ„sidering that the Church is nothing else but a Congregation of such as doe faithfully beleeue Gods woorde and firmely sticke vnto the same where thorough they are also called The Congregation of the liuing God The pillar and staye of the truth So that the woorde is the right mother of the Church Well nowe see here goeth the holy Catholike Church of Rome before the worde of God and his truth which is as much to say the childe goeth before the mother yea the worde can haue no might no credite no estimation nor no being in the worlde vnlesse it bee by speciall grace borrowed of her daughter the holy Church As the foresayd Blindasinus Hosius Sonnius Piggius Eckius with all other Catholike Doctours haue forceably coÌ„cluded and irreuocably determined taking this for a most true vndoubted article of the faith yea for the most speciall ground whervpon they and all their writing is founded which is That men may not beleeue the worde and truth of God otherwise than by the appoyntment of the holy Church of Rome which of duetie must alwayes goe before and lead the daunse which is as muche to say that you can not ride to Louen but you must set the Wagon before the horses And therefore whensoeuer the Churche doth ordeine any thing that is contrarie to the Scripture as is before saide we will giue the Scripture an honest passeport or safe conduct and a great many of farewels and clâ—ue to the holy Church like a Burre For the srcipture cannot defend this cause but the holy Church of Rome can bring a man to the stake And it helpes not to alledge and bring in Augustine here who hath written in diuerse places That wee ought to beleeue the holy Scripture only without any contradiction and to trie proue all other writinges and doctrines howe substantiall soeuer they be yea all Councels decrees and ordinances by the holy Scripture as by the onely true vncounterfeyted touchstone and abolish and put away vtterly all whatsoeuer doth not therewithall agree for that all smelleth altogether of heresie And where as he sayeth further That when soeuer the Church doeth giue eare to any other voyce beside the onely voyce of her bridegrome she is then become whorish and a wedlocke breaker yea and that they are all accursed which go about to seduce the Bride of Christ from her Bridegrome to the doctrine and institutions of men that is the plaine doctrine of Heretikes For if that were so all the before specified rules ordinaunces and decrees of the holy
no maruell that she hath of her selfe set vp so many newe ceremonies and sacrifices and brought in so many Patrones Baalims builded altars and erected chappels in all high places and wayes and that she doth daily kill the Prophetes and doeth crucifie Christ again in his members For seeing the Iewes haue done so she is much more bounde to do it And vpon this point is the before alledged text verie plaine and cleare saying thus Hereby it doeth appeare that men may alledge and bring in good arguments and instructions vpon the examples of the Infidels Which doth serue our purpose verie well to the setting forth of this our purpose considering that hereby is apparaunt that matter which we haue in hand to wit that our mother the holy Church is not subiect to anie Bible or woorde of God and muche lesse to anie Councels or Popes decrees but may dongue her grounde with all kinde of dyrte and may make her Bee hiue fatte The ix Chapter VVherein is declared that the holie Church of Rome hath gathered manie things of the doctrine examples of the Heathen which she hath conuerted and turned to her owne commoditie and profite YEa here it is plainlie to be seene that she doth not helpe her selfe with the Iewes onely but likewise with all sorts of false doctrine religion and examples So that it is euident that she hath followed the steppes and Religion of the godlesse Infidels as well Romanes as other wheresoeuer the same might serue her turne For out of the rounde Temple at Rome which is called La Rotunda which was in those dayes by the Heathen dedicated to all the Gods and to that ende was named by a Greeke worde Pantheon thereof hath she made following the saide Heathen a Temple for our Ladie and all the Saints But is were mere foolish to stand vpon one example thereby to proue a matter whereof all the bookes and the whole Theologie of the Catholike men is full euen to the toppe For the verie foundation it self of their doctrine diuinitie is much more deepely grounded and built vpon the doctrine of Aristotle than vpon any either Prophete or Apostle by this same token that at this present a Doctours hoode or the Caputium of a Theologian or Diuine at Louen is called Aristotles breeche or Codpeece Yea and moreouer the most part of all our Scotistes Thomistes Albertistes Occamistes Realistes Nominalistes and other Doctours are sprong vp of Aristotle of Plato of Porphyrius Auerroes Abeupace and such other like Saintes euen as out of their head spring and principall well In so much also that the Doctours and Theologians of Colen haue very wittily concludâ—d That Aristotle hath bene Praecursor Dei in naturalibus sicut IohaÌ„nes Baptista in diuinis that is to saye Aristotle was the forerunner of God in al things naturall as Iohn Baptist was in thinges diuine and supernaturall And for this cause amongst other hath the holy Church condemned Martin Luther for that the doctrine of Aristotle which is the verie mother of the diuinitie of the Louanistes Sorbonistes and Colenars was by him reiected and nothing set by After this doth the worthie Bishop DuraÌ„dus testifie That the holy church did learne of Nabuchodonozor to halowe their churches and altars euen like as he caused his golden image to be halowed and consecrated which he would haue all people and nations to pray vnto So that it ought not to seeme straunge to anie man that the Church according to his example doeth likewise cause Heretikes to be burnt which will not praye to her images considering that he caused the three yong men of the Hebrewes Sidrach Misach and Abednago to be throwen into the hoate burning ouen because they denied to praye vnto his consecrated golden image But what neede I to trouble my self much with these matters The children in the streetes doe knowe well inough that a great many of the ceremonies of the holy Church of Rome are gathered out of the ordinances and religion of Numa Pompilius king of Rome For the decrees and the booke of Sentences do very cunningly set forth that from thence they proceede and that in these dayes men call the Pope in Latin Pontifex because Numa Pompilius caused his high Priestes so to be named From thence likewise the generation of Priestes hath issue For like as Numa Pompilius had his Flamines Archesâ—amines and Protosâ—amines appointed euen so nowe hath the holy church her Sacerdotes that is her Priests her Archipresbyteros that is her high Priests and her Protonotaries as by plaine wordes is to be seene in the booke of decrees So that Eberardus Bishop of Saltzburgh about 200. yeres ago at a general assemblie called a Riiâ—x day did verie wel rightly in naming the Priestes of Rome Flamines Babyloniae that is to say Babylonish Priestes And hath not our beare mother the holy Church ordeined the bonefire of Peter ad Vincula in place of a holy day whereon at the same time the Heathen did make bonefires to the honour of the Emperour Augustus And likewise the other saint Peters day which is commonly calles Saint Peters Seate is not that come in place of another bonefire daye which the Heathen did obserue at the same time And CaÌ„dlemasse â–ª I pray you what is that els but a kind of Candlemasse which the Heathen did vse whereon they euen at the same time of the yeare vsed fire with burning of torches and candels in the worship of Ceres Proserpina and Flora And of whome haue they learned I pray you that euerie man must serue God according to the vsage of his owne countrie as his fathers haue done before him but only of Pythagoras and of Plato A thing directly contrarie to the coÌ„mandement of God who saith by the mouth of his Prophete Ezechiel You shall not liue after the commandements of your fathers neither obserue their statutes neither pollute your selues with their idols for I am the Lorde your god You shall liue after my commandements and you shall obserue my statutes and followe them Where haue they fished out the Legende of Saint Margarete but only out of the fable of Andromeda or Hesiona the daughter of Laomedon And what is their S. George but a dumbe or mumming Perseus or an Hercules on horseback And her Chrystopher is a newe Polyphemus or Nessus And her seuen Sleepers are not they of the kinred of Endymion After al this what doth this meane that they haue so specially coÌ„manded That all their altars shoulde bee set toward the East but that they will directly herein followe the example of the Heathen who in honour of the Sunne whom they named Apollo did in all their prayers and offrings turne them selues towardeâ— the East Considering especially that God had for the same cause forbidden the Iewes to be like vnto the Heathen in that point as to turne their faces towards
house For by these followeth that the Churches must be trimmed vp with goodly images Item O Lord I seeke thy countenance Item O Lord the rich shall pray before thy face Item Let the light of thy countenance shine vpon vs. For out of these textes do they conclude that men ought to haue our Lords visage goodly painted and to pray to it And for that cause it is that euerie yeare at Rome vpon good Friday the holie Veronica which is an old ouer worne cloute whereon they say our Lords face is painted which they pray vnto with great deuotion And the common people crie alowde Misericordia misericordia that is Mercie mercie The like is done also at Besanson in Burgonia and in manie other places For this same holie fisnomie of the Veronica was sette vpon good grounde and is therefore so well spâ—â—ung vp and in such plentie that there are to bee found a number of them all which do worke great miracles And besides this they bring forth these testimonies to witte that the beliefe commeth not onely by hearing but likewise by sight for that Iohn saith Like as we haue heard so haue we likewise sene Item That the Iewes did weare broade borders vpon their clothes Ergo so must wee likewise haue images in the church with many such other like proofes which close vp together as fitte as a spindle vpon a flesh pot So now when anie man hath a desire to see these goodly testimonies let him read ouer the whole proceeding of the saide Councell of Nice as it is sette foorth in the seconde booke of Councels or else he may reade another little booke which was set foorth about the same time in the name of the Emperour Carolus magnus touching the same Councell hee shall therein reioyce his spirites with reading of all those goodly copious and fine allegations brought out and alledged by those holie fathers to that end and purpose and with the dreames of Constantine who to heale his leprosie had shedde the bloud of young innocent children and was for the same comforted by Peter and Paule in his dreames And there you shall finde also a great manie of goodlie and notable miracles done by images taken out of the booke of Cosmus and Damianus and out of the booke of Sophronius of the miracles of Saints and other such like bookes which those holie fathers caused there to bee read and heard and by their iudgementes established them and allowed them for good So as there is no more doubtes to be put in them than vpon the golden Legende which standes authentike in the Masse booke And to the end that men shall haue the more desire to read them I will bring forth here one example out of them seruing greatly for our purpose to the ende you may perceiue by the nest what birdes are within it There was a liuely holie Monke whiche was continually tempted and troubled with a diuell euen till his olde dayes and when in the end he beganne to waxe wearie of it hee then did pray the diuell verie friendly that hee woulde let him alone in quiet wherevpon the diuell did answere him that so farre as he would promise to do and sweare to keepe secrete a thing that hee woulde commaunde him then hee woulde leaue off to trouble him anie more The Monke did promise him and tooke therevpon a deepe othe Then said the diuell If thou wilt that I shall trouble thee no more then thou must not pray anie more to that image and it was an image of our Ladie holding her childe in her armes But the Monke was more craftie than the diuel for he went and confessed him of it the next day to the Abbot and the Abbot did dispense with him for his othe vpon condition that hee should continue his praying to the image Is not that a fine and worthie testimonie borowed of the diuell whereby the holie Fathers in the foresaide Councell haue wonderfull strongly established the praying vnto images Truely it is worthie to be written vpon balkes and beames because calues shall not licke it off And our Champion maister Gentianus is worthie to carie the standard to be crowned with a three footed stoole seeing hee dare so boldly aduenture to lay the worthinesse of that Councell in the ballance against the second commaundement of God which doth sharpely forbid all worshipping and praying to images and likewise bringeth in the said Councell against the Councell of Eliberum which was kept in Spaine in the yeare of our Lorde 1200 and was consonant and agreeable vnto the worde of God. The xiiii Chapter VVhich treateth of some particular images and painted tables which the Church of Rome doth vse and for the establishing of the same by the Scripture NOwe because these Heretikes are most busie with some speciall images which the holie Church of Rome doe vse with great deuotion and with them doe these Heretikes mocke and ieast most of all it is verie necessarie that wee proue and establish the same out of the holy scripture Then to begin withall it is not to be mocked nor wondered at that they in their Churches and Masse bookes doe paint the Trinitie with three faces for our mother the holie Church did learne that at Rome where they were wont to paint or carue Ianus with two faces And then further there is written in Iohn That there are three in heauen which beare witnesse the Father the Worde and the Holie ghost and these three are one c. Then of necessitie they must be painted or made with three heades or three faces vpon one necke For whereas these heretikes say that it is plaine forbidden to make the likenesse of God any maner of way seeing God himselfe saith Thou didst heare a voyce out of the bush but thou sawest no likenesse Therfore be well warie that thou make not anie image after my likenesse That was spoken to the Iewes onelie and is now altered through the worthie custome and vsage of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome And whereas the holy Church hath also chosen to make the similitude of the father an olde man with a long gray beard and for the sonne a man hanging on the crosse and for knowledge of the holie Ghost a doue that is done of her owne inuention and free will. For she might as well haue made a bushe or a flame of fire or a cloude to counterfeite the father for that he did shewe himselfe in all these likenesses as well as in the likenesse of a man or they might as well haue made for Christ a childe in a cradle or a man teaching and instructing the people And likewise for the holie Ghost a tongue or a flame of fire as well as they doe a man crucified or a doue But therein shee doeth vse her libertie for that hath alwayes his course by the common rule which is Sic volo sic iubeo
and finelie out of the scripture The xix Chapter VVherein is concluded that all the ceremonies of the holie Church of Rome are founded vppon the Scripture if they be well vnderstoode and according to their interpretation which onelie is to bee esteemed so good and what aduantage they haue that stande fast to this interpretation And herein is likewise mention made of the masse and of maister Durandus booke YEa shee doeth nothing in the world either of great or small importance but it is all so finelie founded vppon the Scripture as can bee deuised And that may appeare by this That shee hath fetched the golden slippers and the precious breeches of our most holie Father the Pope out of the Scriptures For it is written O howe faire and pleasaunt are the feete of those which bring tidinges of peace which bring good tidings which after their interpretation is as much to say as That the feete and legges of the Pope of Rome must be decked with goodlie golden slippers and with maruellous rich and costlie breeches as it is well set forth by the holie Doctour Bishop Durandus And therevpon it proceedeth likewise that the Pope doeth suffer Kings Emperours to kisse his feete yea to treade vppon the Emperour Frederiks necke as is before declared And the rather his feete are to be kissed because they are so faire pleasant and smell so sweete especiallie two or three dayes after he is dead for then come all the deuoute catholike people and kisse them bare whereby they obteine a verie great indulgence and pardon But nowe if anie man be desierâ—us to vnderstand howe finelie all this is grounded vpon Scripture and further to know particularlie the reasons and causes of all the other ceremonies of the holie Church of Rome and to see howe they are fished euen out of the verie deepest ground bottome of the holie Scriptures let him read the booke of Durandus which vpon this occasion he hath named Rationale diuinorum officiorum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae that is to say The reckoning and reason or cause of the ceremonies and diuine seruices of the Church of Rome He shall therein finde maruellous secrets and verie trimme iewels yea if the whole Bible were cleane lost there might quicklie a newe Bible be deuised and made out of this booke which would agree a great deale better with the ordinances of the holie Church then the Epistles of Paul doe which these Heretikes and Huguenotes haue in such great reputation He hath the textes of the Bible as fast as a handfull of flies and there is not one iotte conteined or vsed in the blessed Masse but hee hath a good reason and a trimme text to bring in for it There is not one hole but he hath a pegge to stoppe it hee doeth there set you forth maruelous trimlie all the reasons why the Priest doeth so trimme him selfe in such mumming garments when he goeth about to play his parte why hee doeth first put a biggin vpon his head and then a long garment like a womans smocke aloft vppon his gowne and then aboue that a Cassocke without sleeues looking out at a litle holâ— aboue euen like as a Snaile lookes out of her shell or like as a magget a pie out of her cayge Why he is bound with a corde about the middle like a theefe that were going to hanging why hee doeth turne sometime his tayle to the people and sometime his face why hee trippes sometime to the one ende of the Altar and sometime to the other side of the Altar as though hee were daunsing the Maides Morice Why hee heaues or liftes vppe his voyce sometime like a chimnie sweeper and by and by hee is as still and quiet againe as it were a mouse in a trappe why sometime hee foldeth his handes together like sorrowfull Marie Magdalene and sometime hee stretches them out on euerie side as though hee would shoote in Robin Hoodes bowe and then sodenlie hee pluckes them in againe and tosseth them from the one side to the other as though hee were catching of flies or would fraye and scarre awaye crowes After this hee doeth set foorth verie perfectlie and in particular all the occasions and reasons wherefore Sir Iohns Table is so earlie couered and the Cup the little Cannes and the sauser so mannerlie set therevppon and wherefore Sir Iohn doeth sometime sleepe at his table and sometime starteth vppe sodenlie out of his dreame Item what it meaneth that hee doeth runne and whisper his secretes to the breade and wine in their eares with a lowe soft voyce and that his companions sometime crie out so yealling with open throates like wolues in a caue or like swine when the butcher killeth them and wherfore some goe to work with Organes other with ringing of bels as though there were an vplandish bellie-feast towards or some such triumphe And wherefore men do in the meane space light torches as though they were bringing the Bride to bedde and wherefore they lift vp the Priests taile behind him as though they would looke into his arse to minister a glister to him And if you peruse that booke well you shall likewise finde there wherefore Sir Domine with his long smocke doth so lustelie lift vp on hie a wafer and a cup of wine and that then euerie bodie falleth downe vpon their knees and knocketh vpon their breastes with their fistes and wherefore the Priest beginneth then to looke so â—â—â—â—fully â–ª like a caâ—â—e laide on the butchers stall and then beginneth â—o lament the wafer or sâ—nging bread pitifullie â–ª to weepe with sâ—â—nes teares â–ª and then at the last when hee hath tossed it too and fro long inough away it goeth with a 〈◊〉 into his throate and so swalloweth it downe without chewing and then hee hath his cuppe filled againe and so he sendeth that after the rest And yet you shall vnderstand further wherfore he doth licke the chalice so sweetely as an Ape licketh her yong ones And you shall besides all this beare wonders of all the rest of the holie ceremonies of the Romish Church which they do vse at their MatteÌ„s at noone at euensong at complen and manie other times with great deuotion with all the gestures and fashions which they doe therein vse and who haue deuised them all and what euerie one of them doeth signifie Hee can tell you more all the feast dayes and double feastes all Vigils Ember dayes and fasting dayes all dayes of fish and egges all processions goings about with the crosse gange dayes and all the whole brabling vsed through the yeere all this hath hee euen at his fingers endes and can bring in for euerie one of them textes verie finelie founded out of the Scripture So that I assure you it is a pleasure for those that can heare it Besides all this you haue there set forth all the estate pompe and pranckings of our holy Bishops and Prelates especiallie
right honourable Bishoppe Guilielmus Blindasinus in his booke called Panoplia wherein he concludeth with strong inuincible reasons That mē were not bound to beleeue the word of God nor to be subiect vnto it if it were not that the holy Church hath so commanded For what do we thinke that the word of God is so strōg of it selfe as to publishe such thinges thorough the power of the holy Ghost if the Church of Rome did not first giue her verdicte in the matter No marie I warant you for so the Heretikes do vnderstand it For these Heretikes will bring the church of God in subiection vnder the scripture therefore do they alledge out of Ieremie That the word of God is like a fire like a hāmer which breaketh stones in pieces that it is liuely mightie sharper than a two edged sword goeth through euen to the soule to the sinewes and ioyntes is a searcher of the thoughtes intentes of the heart and therefore saye they it hath no neede of any mans witnes as Christ him self hath said but that those which do the will of the father shal lightly know by inspiration of the holy Ghost whether the doctrine be of god They say likewise It doth giue light to al things for it is a lampe to lighten the feete of the beleeuers whereby they must walke through the darknesse of this world they say that mans wisdom vnderstanding how great howe wise howe holy soeuer the same can be is plain darkenesse in comparison thereof Well then if it be so that the darkenesse can not lighten the light but that the light it selfe must lighten all things then in very deede can not the worde of God receiue anie light of the opinion or authoritie of man but it selfe must be the light whereby men may knowe which is the Church of God and which is the Synagogue of dissemblers And therefore they conclude according to the worde of the Prophet Esaie That men must followe after the Lawe and the witnesse which is the writtē word of God and that whosoeuer doth not walke after that shall neuer see the daye spring But as I haue alredy said all that is plain heresie for our dearely beloued mother the holy Church of Rome will be chiefe Iudge her selfe ouer the holye Scripture So that the doctrine of the Prophetes Apostles is now no more the foūdation of the Church as it was in the time of Paul but contrariwise the Church with the authoritie the traditions of the same is the onely foundation of the Scripture For euen so might the Iewes before time aduance themselues likewise by the estimation authoritie of the Church alledging that the law and the witnes whereof the Prophet speakes could haue bene of no estimation but by reason the same was consented to thē by the Church and that men should neuer haue knowen neither the Lawe or the witnesse or Gods worde if it had not bene by them and their forefathers set forth declared what they should accept for Gods worde and that the Church with her light hadde lightened the Lawe and the witnesse And so the Church of Rome doeth nowe also saye That the worde of God hath no estimation but that which it hath borrowed of the Church for otherwise as shee sayeth and as all good Catholike writers do declare howe should we knowe that the scripture were the word of God if it were not that the holy Church had so allowed and iudged it Wherefore should we more beleeue the Gospel of Mathewe or Marke than the Gospell of Nichodemus or Thomas For there standes plainly written in the Decrees That neither the old nor the newe Testament were receiued of mē for this cause or that cause nor for that it must be esteemed for an vndoubted rule and perfect knot but only because that the holye Father Innocentius Pope of Rome had so iudged it and so would haue it Therefore yee maye well thinke that God could not plant and establishe his holy worde in mens heartes by the inspiration of his spirit as S. Iohn the Apostle would proue if it were not that the holy Church had therein holpen him So that in this case God is greatly beholden vnto our deare mother the holy Church for her good wil faithfull seruice For if shee had accepted the Fables of Aesope and of Howleglasse the gospel of the Distaffe and of Fortunatus purse the gospel of Nichodemus or the Alcaron of Mahomet or els the gospel which certein Monkes at Paris in the yere of our Lord 1220. had made set forth being ful of al filthinesse and blasphemie naming it Euangelium aeternum that is to say An euerlasting gospel requiring the Pope that it might be by him canonized and so set it forth for the eternall word of God but it ws denied thē as hap was but if it had bene so I say that the pope and the holy Church would as wel haue allowed it as they did the holy scripture with the Masse booke with the seuē Psalmes with the Rosarium beatae Mariae who could haue said No to them And that should then haue bene the worde of God yea and therewith must God haue beene content Wel go too then seeing that men did herein credit the writing and seale of the church wherfore should they not thē giue as great credit to them in al other matters For euen so doth the text of the foresaid decrees argue saying with plaine wordes In so much as men do receiue and accept the old and newe Testamentes because that Pope Innocentius hath ordeined iudged so it doth necessarily folow that the Decretalles of the Popes of Rome must likewise be receiued accepted the rather for that Pope Leo hath likewise ordeined That whosoeuer doth set him self against them his sinnes shal neuer be forgiuen him c. It is very true that by this argumēt it must likewise folow that all the Iewes Caballes Talmood and all their dreames must as wel be receiued as the fiue bookes of Moses the bookes of the Prophets For it is most true that as we haue receiued the new Testamēt of the christē church so hath the christen church receiued the bookes of the old Testamēt of the Iewes Synagogue And now euen as our Romish church hath receiued the writing of the Apostles iudged the same for true so likewise hath the Iewish church iudged the bokes of Moses of the prophets for true receiued thē for authētike Nowe then as men do herein beleeue and allowe the Iewes writings and seale so must wee also following the rule of our Doctours of Louen beleeue the said Iewes in all that they say and teache and thereby nowe shoulde our Romishe Church come short home But we do not esteeme such cōsequencies It is but Philosophie and the Popes of Rome are no
holy Church cannot erre Christ must haue patience transubstantiation must take place But we haue yet a much clearer text to witte where Christ himselfe saieth This is my bodie for by those wordes doeth the holie Church of Rome plainely vnderstand that the same which before was breade is nowe no more breade although Paule woulde call it breade a thousande times but is chaunged into the verie bodie of Iesus Christ as long and as broade as it was hanging vpon the Crosse. And for that cause it is that shee doeth disallowe all the expositions and interpretations which Basilius Tertullianus Theodoretus Augustinus and other holie Fathers haue sette foorth vpon the same saying That those woordes must bee figuratiuely and sacramentally vnderstoode as Christ himselfe hath plainely saide I am the vine or as Paule saieth The stone was Christ and as GOD spake to Abraham saying This is my promise Cut off the fore skinne c. Which is as muche to say that the breade shoulde not chaunge his nature nor the verie bodie of Christ bee there present but onelie that it shoulde bee a true and holie token a Sacrament a warrant and pledge a Seale and assuraunce whereby wee are assured and fullie certified that hee hath giuen vppe his bodie and bloud for our saluation And for this cause doe they call it a figure or token and in the Greeke Typus and Antitypa that is to say Speciall tokens But I doe tell you that the holie Church of Rome will not allowe anie such interpretations vnlesse it were so that men woulde vnderstand them as Damascenus doeth interprete them and as was in the seconde Councell of Nice concluded by the Fathers to witte That the breade shoulde bee such a seale pledge figure and holie token onely before it be consecrated which is to say It should be a Sacrament before it is become a Sacrament For that this is their conceite and meaning it is apparaunt out of this That long before the breade and the wine bee consecrated or made a holie Sacrament they doe offer vppe the same vnto God for remission of sinnes as well of the liuing as of the dead For in the Canon of the Masse yea before the bread bee turned into fleshe or the fiue holy wordes of consecration be heard the Priest doeth pray That God will accept that offering of breade and through that deliuer him from eternall death And then That hee will blesse the saide offering of breade in all pointes and make the same holie profitable meate and acceptable That is may become the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ. Yea and before hee hath yet put the wine into the Chalice immediately after the Offertorie he saith thus O holie Father almightie and euerlasting God take and receiue this vnspotted sacrifice which thine vnworthie seruaunt doeth offer vppe vnto thee for my sinnes and innumerable misdeedes for my forgetfulnesse and vnthankefulnesse yea and for all these which are here present and for all faithfull Christians as well those that be liuing as those that be dead that it may bee acceptable auailable and effectuall vnto the saluation both of me and of them vnto eternall life Amen And in one of the secretes which is commonly read vpon the 24. Sunday after Trinitie Sunday he saith thus O Lord take and receiue mercifully this offering through which thou art pleased contented and pacified and hast receiued vs againe vnto saluation through the almightinesse and vnspeakablenesse of thy mercie c. Consider now here doeth our deare mother the holie Church ascribe vnto this bread all things which may be attributed vnto our Lorde Iesus Christ the onely begotten sonne of God as to say That God is become mercifull to vs for the bread sake and hath pardoned vs our sinnes and that before the bread bee consecrated or in anie point transubstantiated or changed What maruell is it then that they doe make a God of it after the fiue wordes be spoken ouer it and yet make a Sacrament of it before it can be a Sacrament For as they can of a peece of breade make God himselfe and of nothing create something wherfore should not they likewise be able to make of no Sacrament a Sacrament and of a Sacrament no Sacrament That is to say that a simple peece of bread shoulde bee a holie token and seale of the bloud of Iesus Christ euen before it bee made holie and consecrated And then Econtra that the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ shall bee no more either a Sacrament or token but euen the verie bodie of Christ it selfe So that the holie Fathers must needes haue vnderstoode it so especially when they say that this Sacrament is but a token a seale and a pledge specialy before it is become a Sacrament For after that it is once a Sacrament then no remedie our deare mothers will is that it shall bee fleshe and bloud and not anie longer neither bread nor wine to signifie the fleshe and the bloud And therefore doeth she not make anie account of the exposition of Christ Iesus himselfe who after he had saide of the bread This is my bodie and afterward of the Chalice of Cuppe This is the new Testament in my bloud thereby declaring that those words This is my bodie must be so vnderstoode as if hee had saide This breade is the new promise in my bodie which shall bee broken for you For of that shoulde followe that the breade after the consecration and likewise after the speaking of the fiue wordes should still remaine breade and so bee but simplie a Sacrament and true token of the bodie of Iesus Christ as shewing vnto vs the promise of God made in the breaking of the bodie and shedding of the bloud of Christ Iesus our Sauiour as was saide of the Circumcision This is my couenant which I doe make with you to witte for that the Circumcision is a sure and holie promise a pledge and seale through which the promise of God is verie stronglie and substantiallie made vnto the faithfull No no I assure you that liketh the holie Church of Rome nothing at all She will lay fast holde vpon the first wordes of Christ and not seek after anie exposition or glosse how necessarie soeuer they bee And for that cause shall Paule go without anie Audiuit when he commeth in with his interpretation and saith That the bread which we do breake is the communion of the bodie of Christ. For thereby it should also seeme that it remaineth bread still after the consecration and that it is not the bodie it self but a remembrance of the bodie â–ª which thing the holie Church in no wise admitteth nor alloweth for life nor death But especiallie she will not accept nor like of the interpretation following wherein Paule proceeding doeth declare how and wherefore the bread is the communion of the bodie of Christ saying For al we which eate of one bread become one bodie Nowe truelie that
fiue wordes spoken and all parts of the transubstantiation well plaid could doe his office as well as the wine and leape soudeinly out of one substance into another Item if there were thirtene or fourtene Offertories Ostes or singing cakes laid vpon the altar and that the priest could tell no better than my maide and so tolde but twelue and vppon that intent doe pronounce the fiue wordes thinking that there were but twelue then whether all the thirtene should be consecrated and transubstantiated considering that the intent and meaning of the Priest is wholie necessarie to the transubstantiation or that neuer one of them should be transubstantiated coÌ„sidering that the one hath as much vantage as the other and not any one of them more base or bastard than an other seeing that they all did heare and vnderstand the wordes of the Transubstantiation indifferently one as well as another There are yet besides these manie other like difficulties sufficient to make deuout catholike men to doubt touching this foresaid article of transubstantiation for I assure you they trouble the heades euen of our masters of Louen and are oftimes occasion that they must drinke two or three quartes of wine the more and sometimes be so dronke that they fall from the benche and catch a redde nose yea and sometime that they dispute the haire from their heads through the great zeale wherewith they are warmed whereby they often fall into dronken diseases and sometime into Plurisies whereof diuerse times they die and so the Church of Rome doth faile of her best pillars And yet for all this as concerning the highest and most principall article of transubstantiation they al danse after one pipe and agree as well in one as Herode and Pilate And as touching the rest they remit that to God to take care for for after that they haue brought forth many cunning trickes and deepe wittie speculations and bralled about those a long time and in vtramque partem that is to say pro coÌ„tra to and fro haue reasoned on both sides verie Magistraliter that is Maisterly in deed In the end they make this coÌ„clusion Sed quomodo hoc fit nescio Deus scit that is I cannot tell what to say to the matter I cannot conceiue how that may come to passe God knoweth all And yet notwithstanding they doe alway conclude this to be an article of the faith whereof no man must doubt For our deare mother the holy Church will haue it so And yet in the meane space for the better stay of deuout coÌ„sciences somthing to establish these great doubts they haue ioyntly found out a newe practise to prop vp their generall building of Transubstantiation to wit first a great beame which they call Concomitantiae then a long rib called The stedfast intention of the holy Church wherewith they do so strongly prop vp this building that not only Christs bodie but the whole Godhead may sâ—and vpon it without falling And if it were so that the priest did dreame had no regard to his Masse yet haue they a remedie for that For the good intent of the holie Church is so sure and vnremoueable that the intent of the Priest is not greatly to be accounted of but may well inough go walk abrode and see if there be anie good cheare toward and that his maid keepe good rule at home which is a iolly matter For otherwise if the priest were yet half dronke with good cheare the eeuen before or that his maid had chafed him or that but only a flie did come sit vpon his nose he might perhaps therby forget his good intent euen as he was speaking the holy wordes and then should not that bread becâ—me a God which were a perilous matter For the simple people should then pray to a peece of bread in place of their God creator Therefore coÌ„meth the holy Church now in for a helpe doth set forth for a perfit article of our faith that it is likewise sufficient for euerie one to beleue whatsoeuer the Church beleues although they know not what it is And again it is sufficient that the holy church haue generally a perfite determination that wheresoeuer Masse is don there is the bred changed into God although it were so that the priest did thinke onely vpon his maid or on his kitchen In summe there is not a hole but the hellish Church hath a peg to stop it withall she can turne euerie thing to the best so that there is no more difficultie And if the Doctours and Licentiates doe chide and brall among themselues that makes no great matter we ought to commit all these weightie causes to the iudgement of the holie Catholike Church and must simplie and ioyntly beleeue That as soone as the fiue wordes are spoken that which the Priest hath in his handes is turned into God let it then be what it will either verie bread or the accidents of bread or an Indiuiduum vagum that is a wilde veseken That is no matter at all to vs it is sufficient that wee knowe it is our God which we must pray vnto in the Masse For the text is plaine This is my bodie there needes no glosse vpon it And although it be so that all the Doctours of Louen of Paris and of Colen cannot vnderstand it yet it is sufficient for vs that we haue fetcht our transubstantiation out of it and sette it forth irreuocably Although we haue yet manie mo other plaine textes whereby to defend it which are verie plentifully sette forth by the worshipfull Eckius and other worthie pillars of the holie Catholike Church as specially that which is written in Ieremie That when the vngodly Iewish Priests and false Prophets went about to bring Ieremie to death because hee did earnestly condemne their vngodlinesse they said thus one to another Let vs marre his bread with wood or let vs destroy the fruite together with the tree roote him out of the kingdome of the liuing For this now hath our deare mother the holie Church turned for the best vnto our Masse priests as though they had holden this Counceâ—l together and saide Mittamus lignum in panem eius that is to say Let vs cast wood into his bread vnderstanding thereby that they will counterfeit in their Masse the passion death of Iesu Christ who suffred vpon the crosse with a peece of bread And to this end doe they cause these woordes to be soung yerely in the Passion wherevpon shee hath resolutely concluded That the bread is chaunged into the verie bodie of Christ Iesus as is to bee seene in the foresaid booke of Eckius and of other stoute Champions of the Romish Church Yea and likewise to proue that this Transubstantiation is neither so wonderfull nor vnnatural as the Heretikes exclaime that doeth Eckius teach out of the Scripture where the diuel said to Christ If thou be the son of God
Sonne of God They woulde haue Bishops renouncing the name office of tyrannical Inquisitors to preache the gospell to leaue of their trapt Horses and Mules and goe on foote They did esteeme all manner of meates good and lawfull first saying grace in their mother tongues neither did they much regarde the eating of fleshe in Lent no not euen on Good Friday In Summe they went wholy about to bring in a new reformation of religion and discipline ecclesiasticall the like whereof was neuer seene of the holie Churche of Rome nor of our forefathers They tooke in hande to restore all againe to the olde and former state of the Apostles and Euangelistes what pitie what care what sorowe had this bene to our dearly beloued mother the holie Catholike Churche of Rome and to all her good subiectes But praised be our blessed Ladie of Antwerpe your honour did well foresee and in time diligently withstand that inconuenience in that you haue placed the inquisition in the lande driuen away the Gewses or Heretikes laide the Magistrates in prison banished and brought to the Butchers stall the Gentlemen and good subiectes made a way and open passage for the Spaniardes into the lande set vp fire and swoorde in token of victorie and in euerie corner reared vp gallowes and plentifully shed the blood of those newe Euangelistes In Summe your diligence your quicke expedition your great zeale your newe Bishoppes and your holie Inquisition haue so well aduised counselled perswaded or rather forced our Souereign Lord the king his Maiestie much rather to see the destruction of his Patrimoniall lande the ruine of his Subiectes yea the imprisonment and death of his owne onelie sonne then to permit the holie Catholike Church of Rome to suffer suche shame and that in place of the Popes decrees and decretals of the Masse booke Hortulus animae and suche other seruice bookes the Gospel holy Scripture onelie should succeed take possession Therefore your Honour is highly to be praised for such noble actes And euerie man is duely bound herein to assist further you in your enterprise to the vttermost of his knowledge abilitie This Right Honorable and blessed Bishop is the cause which hath moued me poore vnworthie brother of Saint Frauncis order to dedicate and sende this my simple present to your honour to the ende that I with this my small gifte of good will may somewhat though but a little helpe to strengthen repaire the decaied walles of the Romishe Church and establish againe the right perfect foundation of our most holie father the Pope Therefore hauing a while agoe seene marked that in the Citie of Antwerpe was a small booke sette foorth in French Flemish intituled named A Letter Missiue Or An Epistle directed vnto the Apostates Backsliders from the true Christian beleefe compiled and made by Maister Gentian Heruet c And for that the same booke was greatly desired and verie much esteemed of all good and Catholike hearts I haue with all diligence and circumspection perused and read ouer the same wherein I haue founde in effect that in the same is briefly declared and set foorth the whole grounde and foundation of the holie Romish religion which your Honour euen with fire and swoorde to the subuersion and vtter ruine of the whole land doth seke most zealously to mainteine And I am thereby persuaded that the same booke was most worthie to be read ouer of all men to the ende that all startbackes from the faith might returne into the right way and the good faithfull Catholikes thereby strengthened confirmed But nowe considering the saide booke to bee verie shorte and something darke for a matter of suche importaunce and likewise had either none or verie few proofes out of the Scriptures Councels holie Fathers and Decrees of the Popes therefore I haue thought good to set penne to Paper and to set foorth and declare the same at large that nothing needefull should be lacking Moreouer cōsidering that it is most necessarie to declare something more at large especially touching the woorthines and authoritie of the holie Churche of Rome and the true exposition of the holie Scripture wherevppon the summe of all our matters doe depende for that we haue alwayes beene forced to call vpon the Church especially now when there is none other shield or defence left vnto vs therefore haue I traueiled brieflie to shew of this matter where the sure grounde and foundation lies by what Scriptures by what holie fathers by what Councels by how many Decrees euerie point is defended and likewise howe and in what manner the Scripture and the holie Church of Rome are ioyned together and Catholikelie vnderstoode in suche order as the same shall in no wise serue the Heretikes anie thing at al to their purpose or aduantage And forsomuch as this woorke is sucked out of sundrie sortes of flowres gathered together therefore haue I named it The Bee hiue of the Romishe Churche thereby to geue to vnderstande ▪ that as the honie Bee doeth not gather her honie out of one flowre alone but out of manie and diuerse So doeth not the Churche of Rome stande vpon one Scripture Byble Councels or bokes of Decrees but doth catche and snatch out of eche of them that which best serueth her purpose as hereafter euerie man may plainelie perceiue and in the ende of this booke shall vnderstande more at large whereas the speciall causes are set foorth why and wherefore we haue christened this booke with such a name And now hauing vnderstoode that your Honour did a good while agoe set foorth a certaine booke against the confessiō of the faith of these newe Gospellers I did verie earnestly trauell to gette the same trusting that it might perhaps haue eased me of this my labour for that I thought your Honour shoulde haue set foorth these matters there at large But after that I had superficially and lightly reade ouer the saide booke not hauing the lucke to kepe the same lōg by me I was the more willing to set foorth this my Bee hiue for that I sawe it shoulde serue verie well to the opening and more plaine declaration of the foresaide booke which your Honour hath made and published considering that your honour is busie in euerie place with the aucthoritie and dignitie of the holie Churche of her ordinances or constitutions additions or traditions and of the spirituall exposition which shee hath made vppon the Scriptures perceiuing nothing to be clearly set foorth whereby one may finde out these constitutions and ordinances whether in the Scripture in the Fathers in the Decrees or in the Coūcels so that a simple man might alway stande in doubt what you will haue esteemed and holden for the commaundementes ordinances or traditions of the Churche and what men shall call the Churche and likewise what rule or inuiolable order this holie Churche doth commonly keepe and vse in the exposition of
You poore Heretikes saieth he howe can you be of a true beleefe if you do not first accept the twelfe articles of the faith And how should you accept them seeing you will not beleeue the holy Catholike Church For consider this he doeth take to serue his turne a most certeine and vndoubted point That no man can beleeue the holie Church but hee must ioyntly withall receiue and accept all whatsoeuer the saide Church doth set forth and beleeue And this is greatly to be coÌ„sidered seeing herevpon doth rest the most speâ—ial ground and strongest bulwarke of the holy Church of Rome For these Heretikes can very stedfastly say that they theÌ„selues are the church of god And to 〈◊〉 that they introduce and bring in many goodly textes out of the Scripture but they alledge them only according to the letter euen as though the Church were nothing els but an assemblie or congregation of holy men that is to say of such as through faith or beleefe are by the bloud of Iesus Christ blessed and chosen to be the sheepefolde of Iesus Christe the true and only sheepheard of our soules into which fold none are receiued but such alone as will hearken to the onely voyce of that onely shepheard and followe and goe after him onely forsaking and not knowing the voyce of any straunger Whereby they will nowe conclude that our great Maister the Pope with all the right honourable Bishops and Prelates which haue of them selues set forth manie goodly ordinances whereof Christ neuer knewe word should be those very straungers and hirelings which seeke onely the wooll of the sheepe and haue serued God feignedly setting forth and teaching the commandements and doctrine of men yea that they shuld be the theeues and murtherers that haue not entred in at the right doore which is Iesus Christ but are crept in a wrong way to steale kill and destroye And therfore do they cut vs cleane off notwithstanding what soeuer wee alleadge of the Church of God and of her authoritie power and woorthines But they alledge out of the Prophet Ieremie That al is but lyes and deceyt whervpon we establish our selues crying with the Iewes The Church of God The Church of God The Church of God. And herevpon doe they bring vs forth and alledge their Paul saying That the only true ground and foundation of the Church of God is established onely vppon the doctrine of the Prophetes Apostles so that who soeuer he be that falleth from the same can not be accompted for a true member of Christs Church And then they bring forth an Esaie out of a corner and an Ezechiel an Oseas with diuers other out of the olde Testament which they set al together on a heape and will defend themselues therewith that the stedfast successioÌ„ and that long continued race of the Popes Cardinals Bishoppes and Archbishops are in no wise that right token and that vncounterfeyt marke of the Church but the onely the sincere worde of God when as that is in our mouthes and in our heartes and in the mouthes and heartes of our children accompanied with the right vse of the Sacraments according to the perfit ordeining of Christ Iesus who is the only head of the Church and congregation in whom all people are ioyntly vnited euery one according to the measure of the gift which he hath receiued of the head to the ful growth of the whole body in loue Well well when they haue done all their prating yet must this needes be true That they are but Heretikes and smel after the fagot the good yere and all the cause why For that they doe not beleeue all that the holy Church doth beleeue and without the Church is no saluation but all such as fall from her must be burnt like fagottes for to that end haue we a plaine text of Scripture which saith thus Who soeuer doeth not abyde in me shall be cast out of the vineyarde as a branche and there wither and men gather those branches and cast them in the fire and burne them And this same is apparent out of the second point of this Epistle nowe folowing Whereas Gentianus doeth openly coÌ„fesse that at al times and for euer there haue bin some men which haue helde the same opinions set forth the like learning that these Lutheranes and Huguenotes do nowe followe But he answereth the matter thus That such haue alway bene banished and cursed for heretikes and all this is verie true For euer since that Iohn the Archfather Patriarch of Constantinople began to take vpon him to be the vniuersall Bishop of all Bishops within Christendome which attempt the Pope of Rome dyd in the beginning stoutly withstande and that then afterwardes Boniface the thirde did obteyne that tytle for him selfe and was by the Emperour Phocas declared Cheefe or superiour Bishop ouer all Christendome and ordeined the head of the Church which thing was brought to passe in the yeere of our Lord 680. From that time forward I saye there haue alwayes bene many factious and busie fellowes stirring abroade which as well by writing as preaching haue withstoode the Pope and condemned his doctrine decrees and ordinances euen by the Scripture yea and blazed and set him selfe forth for an Antichrist alledging euen as our Heretikes nowe do that men ought to repose themselues and buyld vpon the sincere word of God onely and further to holde and esteeme all ordinances of the Popes not agreeing with the Scripture for deuilishe doctrine But as before is declared such haue alwayes bin reputed and condemned for Heretikes Therefore to the ende that no man shall thinke this to be nowe a new dealing of the holy Church to condemne these Lutheranes and Huguenotes for Heretikes and likewise that no man shall suppose that this their doctrine and Articles which they set forth are first growen in their gardens I will therefâ—â—e make here a brief discourse of such as haue here before set forth these matters as well by mouth as by writing to make it plainely appeare to the worlde that there is not one Article which they bring forth but iâ— hath bene long before â—et a bâ—â—che openly â–ª that the holy Church of Rome hath both punished and condemned it for heresie Then to begin withall it is plaine that the Grekes haue alwayes daâ—peâ—ly withstoode the holy Pope of Rome and would neuer acknowledge him neither for Pope nor for the head of the Church like as yet euen in these dayes they do not in so much as in the yere of our Lorde 1328. at which tyme Pope Iohn the 23. had written very wisely and sharpely to the Grekes and by many wordes defended the cause That first there was but one only Church whereof he ought to be the head vnder whom all Christendome ought to submit them selues they dyd againe sende him this answere which followeth We beleeue verely
that thine authoritie is great ouer thine owne subiectes yet we can not well beare with thy loftines and vnmeasurable pride neither allowe thy vnsatiable couetousnesse Therefore the deuill be with thee for God is with vs. NotwithstaÌ„ding that some of their Embassadours did in the Councell of Ferrara in the tyme of Pope Eugenius 4. agree therevnto but without consent or commission of their Church which did afterwards call backe and adnihilate the same But long before that time not onely the coÌ„mon people of the Greekes but the Emperours them selues likewise were aduersaries to the Pope of Rome about the setting vp and praying to Images For about the yere of our Lord 730. the Emperors Constantine 5. and 6. and Leo Isaurus did with full aduise and consent of the Councell as well out of the Scripture as of the ancient Fathers conclude That men should in no wise for the seruice of God neither set vp nor pray to anie Images but did likewise vtterly break down destroy al Images before made and set vp For which cause the Popes of Rome did conceiue such malice and hatred against them that from thence forth they sought al maner of meanes and wayes to diuide and ouerthrowe the Emperial state like as in continuance of time they brought it so to passe And likewise not only the Greekes but the Germanes also did long time withstand the forbidding of Priestes to marrie till at length the Popes and that specially Bonifacius 8. did by maine force bring it to passe and establishe the same In the yere 840. one Berthrame a stout and a learned man rose vp who did manfully withstande the Romishe doctrine as touching their Transubstantiation dedicating to Charles the French King brother of Lothorius a notorious booke made for that purpose and did likewise in an other booke confirmed by the Scriptures and strongly defended by the holy Fathers set forth the doctrine of Predestination which these Heretikes do nowe so earnestly stand vpon And about the yere 869. did Iohannes Scotus followe him writing against Transubstantiation euen as Beringarius about the yere 839. had done the like And in the yere of our Lord 964. Huldrike Bishop of Auxburge by his writing reuoked again the saide commaundement of forbidding Priestes to marrie After whom about the yere 1240. Bernard started vp who wrote very much of Predestination and against Freewill nothing vnlike the doctrine of the Lutheranes and Huguenotes yea and did very stoutly striue against the Priestes and Prelates calling them The seruantes of Antichrist and making of the Prelates Pilates Whom in the yere 1157. Iohannes of Sarisburie did folowe and wrote a booke called Obiurgium Clericorum and another named Polycraticus wherein hee doeth pull the whole Clergie vengeably ouer the coles and setteth them out for Phariseis and false teachers calling the Pope Antichrist and Rome The hoore of Babylon And likewise a litle before that had Arnolde the Bishop of Brixen set vp earnestly against the Priestes denying flatly that the sworde of gouernement should anie whit apperteyne vnto them yea euen at the same time was there one Peter Bloix which wrote openly thus That Rome was the right BabyloÌ„ wherof S. Iohn did prophesie and that the Officialles of the Romish Court were deuilish Griphines and the Priestes verie Calues of Bethel Baals Priests Aegyptiacal idols and that euery thing was to be solde at Rome for money About the same time in the yere 1160. started vp in France a quicke fellowe and a worshipfull Burgesse of the Towne of Lyons named Petrus Valdo who hauing studied the Scriptures very diligently began to set vp a newe doctrine which did hit as iust vpon the doctrine of these Huguenotes as might be He left manye Disciples after him in so much that a remnant is remayning yet to this day After that came Petrus de Vinea Chauncelour to the Emperour Frederike 2. and was in the yere 1240. who went about likewise to robbe our holy father the Pope of his intituled authoritie and iurisdiction rayâ—ing vpon him out of measure And after came Guilielmus de sancto Amore in the yeere 1260. who layde loade exceedingly vpon the Prelates Monkes and Friers and did reckon them for subiectes of Antichrist Whose opinions were after in the yeere 1275. by one Laurence an Englishe Doctor at Paris stoutly defended and coÌ„firmed Againe in the yere 1306. came abroad one Petrus Cassiodorus a Gentleman and very well learned who did altogether spil the potage For his writing and doctrine was euen as though he had studied all the dayes of his life in the bookes of Luther and Caluin and he made of the Pope a Nabuchodonosor After that in the yere 1314. did followe one Dulsimus of Nauarra And in the yeere 1315. Arnoldus de villa Noua who caried water all ouer one bridge And at last in the yere 1383. came forth the great Archeheretike Iohn Wiclef who threw all the spindles of the holy Church of Rome in the ashes for he was a naturall Zwinglian or Caluinist and of him sproong vp Iohn Hus in the yeere 1405. which was the father of all Lutheranes Hee it was which came with Hieronymus of Prage to the CouÌ„cell of Constance there to defende his doctrine by scripture but there he was taught a newe lesson for in place of disputation they were both burnt at a stake And yet that notwithstanding their doctrine euer since that time hath bene accepted in many places and by many stout fellowes confirmed Like as there was one Nicholaus Clemangis a Doctor of Paris and Bishop of Bayone in France Oldecastell Lorde Cobham and Knight of the order of the Garter and within a litle while after one William Wight in Englande and Paule Crawe with many other in the countrie of Rome Hieronymus Sauanerola in Italie and a number of other more all which yet were by the Church of Rome banished and condemned for heretikes yea where they could be gotten put to death In summe all such as at any time haue taken vpon them to set forth any like matter against the Church of Rome haue alway bene of the most holy Popes banished and accursed together with all them which would by any meanes mainteyne or defend them In so much that Emperours and Kings yea whole countries haue for withstanding the Pope bene excommunicated and condemned for heretikes yea which is of greater importance one Okam and Dante good Catholike men were by Pope Benedict 3. condemned for Heretikes only because they did mainteine That Emperours holde their Empires of God and not of the Pope and yet notwithstanding that in all other matters they did throughly professe the Popes doctrine I say nothing what is meete to be done to these new Heretikes who go about to roote out and destroy the whole foundation of the
decree in the chapter Placuit de consecra dist 4. bring free-will to the gallowes They woulde rid Auricular confession out of the way and vtterly confounde the defending of Priestes to marrie and quite abolish the forbearing of flesh yea they would throw downe fastens euen and Iacke a Lent and breake both their neckes Besides all this they woulde plucke downe all Bishops and Prelates all Abbaâ—s Monkes and Chanons from their riches welthinesse and merie dayes And would make of them poore beggers with Pokes because it is ordeyned by speciall woordes in the Decrees That spirituall persons shall not enjoy any landes or possessions And euen so woulde they dispossesse the holy father the Pope of all his patrimoniall goodes and heretage whereof Saint Peter by his testament hath put him in plentifull and peaceable possession and would leaue him nothing but this bare deuise or prouerbe Aurum argentum non est mecum That is to say I haue neither golde nor siluer by mee And so where he is nowe a riche God they woulde in steade thereof make of him a poore deuill and then they would driue all Priests and Parsonnes Monkes Friers and Nonnes into their Churches and Cloysters euen as men woulde driue a heard of swine into their Styes â–ª and that by force of the decree Cap. Clerici causa 14. quaest 4. and cap. peruenit dist 86. and more such like which are written in the 86. distinction And nowe note another thing which is worst of all they would mainteyne that all Priestes Monkes and Chanons with all the hellish shorne and greasie swarme are exâ—â—â—able and shameles heretikes yea accursed and false theeues â–ª and that al Cardinals Bishops and Popes haue effectually and Ipso facto forfeyted all their offices authorities benefices prebendes according to the decree Si quis dist 69. cap. Nullâ—â— cap. Baptisando 1. cap. Quicquid cap. Placuit and an innumerable companie and too long to rehearse So that herewithall shoulde our deare mother the holie Church of Rome be cleane rooted out and spoyled of all her goodly treasures riches possessions and gouernments and in the ende should vtterly loose her credite countenance and being forced to play the bankrupt should be driueÌ„ into an hospital there to ende her sorowfull and miserable dayes Therefore let euery man which will pretende to be a good and faythfull member of the holy Church looke well about him that he in no maner of wise for any thing that may be do extoll the decrees so high that the holy Church of Rome should be subiect vnto them but let our holy mother alwayes remaine vnhindered at libertie and free that shee may freely as touching all Decrees Canons writings and ordinances dispense ordeine iudge dispose order and reserue and in summe bind the diuel vpon a cushen for she neither may nor will be constreyned in any matter considering that shee is like vnto these olde Foxes which can not bee taken in anie trappe She can leape ouer all gates and hedges ouer all ditches quagmires ouer al parkes pales and she hath no other order nor rule but what she thinkes good euen her owne deuotion her good intent c. And to conclude that which shee perceyueth to tende most vnto her pleasure and profite The vi Chapter VVherin is concluded out of that vvhich is aforesayd that the benefite and profite of the Church of Rome is the onely rule and direction of all scriptures decrees and Councels HErevpon may wee boldly conclude and out of that which is sayde before make a most true and infallible generall rule That neither the holy Scripture of the olde and newe Testaments nor the writings and doctrine of the olde fathers nor Councels nor Decrees nor any other institution or ordinance in the world can be specially holden for the certein rule of fayth wherevnto the Church is bounde nor yet for the traditions and institutions of the holy Church which all Catholike men are bound to beleeue vpon paine of damnation But the estimation and benefite of the holy Church of Rome is the only principal most sure rule directioÌ„ whereby all Scriptures councels ordinances and decrees must bee guided and gouerned Yea it is the verie pricke the white and the but whâ—reat all good Catholike christeÌ„ people must shoot al their arrowes and lay their iust leuel Therfore whensoeuer the holy Scripture will serue the turne of our deare mother the Churche of Rome shee may accordingly vse it and wherein so euer the Councels can doe her any seruice she may commaunde them and when the olde Fathers say any thing that can further her cause shee may allowe it and let the rest goe Also wherein soeuer the decrees may further her purpose she may haue them in reputation and make them equall with Gods worde But whensoeuer the Scripture doth make against her she may finde a glose or an Allegorie vpon it and so couer the matter with a blewe mantle And when the olde Fathers write any thing which soundes against her holines she may thrust them out of the doores and send them packing And wherein soeuer she doeth mislike of the Councels she may admit approue other councels against them and so driue one thunder away with another And when soeuer the decrees tend any thing against the maintenaÌ„ce of her honorable state she may boldly deface theÌ„ set an earmarke on theÌ„ which shee calles Palea that is to say Chaffe or Strawe or else she may sauâ—e them with something adde vnto them a glose of Accursius â–ª or Panormitanus or of Iohn Andraeas which will bring the matter in frame As for example Whereas almightie God doth by his holy worde commaunde That no man shall make anie image or likenesse that is spoken onely for the Iewes And as the Councel of Africa only because of the ambition of the Popes of Rome who would haue questions suites to come before them and there be determined did ordeine That no man shoulde transport anie matter ouer Sea by appellation and such like Therevpon shall her Gratianus gratiouslie glosse excepting onely such as shall appeale to Rome And whereas Pope Gelasius doth command that euerie one which will not shamefullie separate the Sacrament of Christe shall minister the supper of the Lord vnder both kindes to witte of breade and wine That must be vnderstoode onely vpon al priests and so like vpon all other And when as they can finde no good glose to couer the matter withall then it is sufficient to say Non credo I do not beleue it or Hoc antiquum est This is ancient happened In illo teÌ„pore In that time c. In summe she will vse the matter so handsomely as shal make most for her own aduantage Then you may perceiue well ynough that she is like the honie Bee which wil sit vpon euery flowre and fetch out of euerie one of them that
matter for otherwise if he had well knowen howe that Melchisedech had offered vp bread and wine he would then without doubt therevpon haue concluded with the Church of Rome That there must bee Priests to sing Masse and to offer vp Iesus Christ in fourme of bread and wine vnto God the Father For if this were not as the Doctours of Louen doe teache then could not the offering of Christ Iesus endure and last for euer after the order of Melchisedech as our Maister Gentianus hath verie wittilie here noted Consider I pray you if Christ had no Vicar nor Liefetenant as the saide Apostle pretendes how could he be an euerlasting Priest and continue his Priesthoode euermore in the person of the most holy Pope of Rome Howe could he offer vp his bodie a newe dailie in the Masse Therefore hee may thanke the Priestes greatly that they after his departure hence haue taken vppon them his place And for so much as his offering could not of it selfe sufficiently serue the turne therefore haue they founde out another sonne offering of the Masse whereby they applie or ioyne his offering to men as with a plaister notwithstanding they doe not name it onelie Sacrificium propitiatorium that is A sacrifice of mercie but also Sacrificium applicatorium that is An offring plaistered or put to Was not that a great ouersight of our Lorde that he had suffered such paines and yet al his suffering could not haue helped vs if the Priestes would not haue giuen vs that same addition by their Masse offering Therefore must the Apostle needes haue bene much ouerseene in his Epistle to the Hebrewes when hee tooke vppon him so earnestly to prooue that Christ had no neede of anie Deputie and that his sacrifice or oblation could not bee renewed nor offered againe but that it is giuen to vs made ours through faith or perhaps hee was so busily occupied with the Hebrewes Iewes that he did not once thinke vpon our holie Masse no nor had not the leasure to reade ouer the bookes of the Catholike Doctours of Louen nor the ordinances of the holie fathers of Rome For if hee had read those he should haue lerned something else as speciallie that the principal point of the priesthoode of Melchisedech did rest in the bread and wine which hee set before Abraham and his Souldiers to stake their hunger and thirst For of this bread and of this wine hath our deare mother the holie Church of Rome made a sacrifice and out of that concluded that the Priestes must likewise haue bread and wine to chaunge the same into fleshe and bloud and so to offer it vp But the Apostle had neuer heard anie such newes and therfore he is to be borne withall but these Heretikes who haue read ouer all these things with our Doctours yea they haue it at their fingers ends and yet they make but a mocke at it those felowes truelie are worthie to be looked at vnder the browes and to haue their heades set betwixt two eares Proceeding now as touching the order of Aaron he without doubte was a figure likewise not of Christ but of our Priestes For there is written in the Decrees and in the booke of Sentences That as well the hie Priestes as the Pater noster priestes were all ordeined by Moses when as he by the commaundement of God did institute Aaron an high Priest and did annoint his sonnes vnder priests The councel of Aken or Aquisgrain hath also plainlie concluded out of Isidore That the order of Priestes haue their beginning of Aarons children and that those which in the old Testament were called offring Priestes are the verie same which nowe are called Masse priests And those which at that time were called Hie priestes are nowe our Bishops So that it is easie to be noted that they are all of Caiphas his progenie For as touching that which the Apostle doeth say to the Hebrewes That by the comming of Christ the order of Leuie was cleane taken awaye that can not be true considering that yet at this day the holie Church hath her Leuites as out of the 7. Chapter of the said Councell and out of the 2. Chapter of the 21. Distinction doeth plainlie appeare where it is saide That the Leuites are in Greeke called Diaconi and in Latin Ministri And now these must needes bee our Deacons And therefore in the third Councell of Bracaren it was concluded in the 5. Chapter of the saide Councell That onelie the Leuites and not the Priestes might be pardoners and carrie about with them on their shoulders the reliques of Saint Anthonies swine and such other like hauing on their Albe which is to witte a long shirt aboue vpon their coates as was permitted to the Leuites only in the olde testament to carie or driue the Ark of the promise Is not this a sufficient proofe you are welcome home And likewise that the other Priestes are also come out of the order of Leui doth sufficiently appeare out of that which is before rehearsed Therefore is the Apostle much ouerseene in his Epistle to the Hebrewes where hee will take vpon him to mainteine that the order and succession of the Leuites should be wholy taken away and adnihilated or at least he must be thus vnderstoode as that the order of Leui is not taken away anie otherwise but that in place of the Iewish Leuites are entred in the Priestes Pardoners in place of their sacrifices is the Masse crept in For consider that which he doth write in his 5. and 8. Chapter concerning the Leuite priestes saying That euerie hie Priest is ordeined to offer gifts sacrifices pretending thereby to proue that then Christ must also haue something to offer that the holie Church of Rome vnderstandeth to be her Priests as though the Apostle would haue saide flatlie That the Romish Priestes are ordeined to offer giftes and sacrifices And for that cause the catholike Doctours haue that text continually in their mouth for the verifying of their Priesthoode So that it is euident that the Leuitical Priestes are risen vp againe in our Priestes And although the Heretikes do mocke at al such allegations saying that that text is directly against vs because the Apostle wil thereby proue that by the offering and Priesthoode of Christ Iesus all other offerings and Priesthoods are taken away and adnihilated considering that Christ could not be a Priest so farre as there were anie other Priest that did represent patronize him yea and although he were now here on earth we passe not for that For we will by and by bring out against them the plaine texte of the decrees out of the Councell called Sexta Synodus where it is said That Iames the brother of Christ after the flesh Basilius the Bishop of Caesarea did ioyntly bring in the Masse and ioyned it to the scripture Surely if Iames the lords
the meane space there follow a perfect resolute desire to accomplish the same then hath the man likewise eaten principallie in coÌ„senting resolutâ—lie with pretence of accomplishment and in that case it is a damnable and an heauie sinne c. Surelie this will trie Saint Mâ—chaels wittes and put him to his trumpe howe to obserue this rule in weying and iudging these sinnes vnlesse he come first for a while into the Vniuersitie of Louen or to the Sorbonistes of Paris there to loiter read ouer and learne to vnderstand the glosses and expositions of the Maister of the Sentences I knowe no other meane for him howe to deale vnlesse he can find out in one place or other some subtil Doctour of diuinitie and make him so much his friend that hee will helpe him through with the matter yet notwithstanding the principall knowledge and speculation may well be brought to passe and considered as That we are not of dutie bound to loue God with all our hearts with all our minde and with all our might in such sort as he by his lawe hath commaunded seeing that the soule can separate her selfe from him and so giue ouer her selfe to sinne and yet not plunge so deepe therein as to fall throughly into Gods wrath â–ª yea there is great recoÌ„pense deserued at Gods hand when as a man is prouoked to sinne and to fall from God that by his wisedome hee doeth withstand the same so as the serpent onelie doth eate of the forbidden fruite as the Maister of the Sentences hath in another place written Therefore it is that our mother the holie Church of Rome hath expounded that which our Sauiour Christ set foorth in the fift Chapter of S. Matthewe As to loue our enimies not to doe euill for euill not to desire another mans wife and such other like sayings more after the Pharisaicall manner As that it is no speciall commaundement but onelie a counsell and aduise and that therefore no man is bounde to obserue and keepe the same but such as haue professed and vowed chastitie as Monkes Ankers and other such like Whereby doeth euidentlie appeare either that GOD hath wholie created and shapen the soule and hearte of man or at the least that his Lawe is not altogethâ—r spirituall considering that he hath not the full gouernâ—ment of the spirite onelie through this occasion that reason did not consent and agree wholie to sinne For in conclusion you may not esteeme sinne thus as though all that is done against Gods lawe and commaundement were a deadlie sinne and could not bee recompensed by deseâ—uing or satisfaction but all sins offences must be weighed in the balance of our mother the holie church of Rome who saieth thus That for all ordinarie and light sinnes and offences a man may sufficientlie satisfie with saying a Pater noster and an Aue Maria with knocking vpon the breast and saying Peccaui with holie water and especially with hearing of a Masse as for deadly sinnes the like must be done but yet with much more force efficacie and deuotion And to say all in all satisfaction is necessarie and requisite for all sinnes according to the qualitie and quantitie of the same And although a man shoulde wholie returne to God yet can not that helpe vnles hee make full satisfaction For whereas these Heretikes doe say That when soeuer a sinner doeth conuert and repent him of his sinnes God doth pardon and forgiue him yea in such sorte as he doth wholie forgette the sinnes committed and casteth them as farre from him as the East is from the West yea and sinketh them down euen into the bottome of the sea yea maketh them consume to naught euen as smoke or as a cloude in so much as they are not once more thought vpon euen like as he doeth also vtterlie forget all the good deedes that a man hath done which in the end doth giue him selfe to mischiefe Take heede of that saying for it smelleth of a faggot For our mother the holie Church of Rome hath speciallie concluded That GOD doeth not forgiue anie sinnes vnlesse a man doe first make full satisfaction and payment for the same to the vttermost and last farthing shee can allowe that hee forgiueth the sinne but not the punishment and for that cause must hee likewise bee well recompensed doing after this manner As if a man should pardon his debter all whatsoeuer hee did owe him and giue him to vnderstande that hee cancelled his obligation and in the meane space caused him to be arrested and cast into prison there to remaine and lie till the whole debte were paide euen to the vttermost mite Were not that great mercie vsed and a liberall pardoning of debters After that manner will our deare mother the holie Church of Rome haue that remission of sinnes vnderstoode which wee haue obteined through the bloud and passion of Iesus christ For the bloud of Iesus Christ saieth shee hath washed away the sinnes but holie water the Masse and such other like satisfactions doe deliuer vs from the paine and punishement Or rather the bloud of IESVS Christ hath troden the path by the which Masses Pilgrimages Holie water and other satisfactions may runne post after our Lorde God to put him in remembrance to pardon vs of the punishment which we by our sinnes haue deserued And if they perhaps should come to late then are the merites of Saintes in a readinesse to shut vp and make euen the rest of the reckoning and accompt For our deare mother the holy church of Rome saieth plainlie by speciall textes of the Scripture That God doeth neuer clearelie forgiue and pardon the punishment for sinnes through the merites of the bloud and passion of Christ without a former satisfaction For all the Scriptures and examples which the Lutherans â–ª and Huguenotes alledge and bring in to proue That God doeth chasten his children with plagues and punishmentes to the end to bring them to perfect knowledge and vnderstanding of their miserie and calamitie and to proue their faith or that hee will thereby bring them from the diuelishe dissimulations of this worlde all this doeth our deare mother the holie Church of Rome alledge to proue that God hath onelie forgiuen them the offence but not the punishment as appeareth by the example of Adam who although after his fall hee receiued comfort againe at Gods hande yet was hee well punished euen by bodilie death and with manie calamities sorrowes and troubles by the which hee made satisfaction And likewise take example of the Prophet Dauid who hauing grieuouslie offended God and afterwardes returned by repentance obteined forgiuenesse of his sinnes and was yet afterwardes notwithstanding this sharplie punished so forth of manie other examples For our mother the holie church wil in no wise allow That God did so punish them onelie to the ende they should so feele his mightie hande as they should euer after walke in feare and
neither anie lawe nor iudgement hath power or iurisdiction ouer him for that he is the liuelie fâ—unteine of lawe and iudgement who as touching matters of our faith can not in anie point faile or misse and therefore hee may order and determine vpon all matters touching our beleefe and faith and so interprete the Scripture as he thinketh good he onelie may take and leaue doe and vndoe In so much that though all the worlde were against him yet must we take his part To be briefe there is no man to bee compared vnto him but God alone and therefore can he do all things that God doth For looke what soeuer God doeth in heauen the like doth the Pope here in earth What should a man say more His authoritie and power is so great that no tongue can expresse it neither is it possible for the capacitie of man to conceiue it as Zodoricus Zamorensis and Bartholus Chassaneus yea the whole Catholike church of Rome hath determined and concluded For as Antonius Florentinus doth testifie he is aboue al creatures and his might and power doeth extend euen to matters in heauen earth and hell for that he is the cause of causes and the Lord of Lords the Head Bridegrome of the whole church yea the high and principall Gouernour of the worlde vniuersall he is the light the brightnesse the verie foundation of faith and the verie summe and touchstone of the trueth hee is the hiest step of the staires and all in all whatsoeuer can be thought or said For as touching the giuing and distributing of Kingdomes Dukedomes lands and countries to whom when he shall think good that office he hath fast sure in possession and doth dailie practise put the same in exercise as is right to bee vnderstood by this pretie verse folowing Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodulpho That is to say The Rocke gaue Peter and his race a princelie and emperiall crowne And Ralfe receiu'd from Peters Grace a royall diademe of renowne Which trimme verse was by the before named Pope Gregorie 7. after that hee had excommunicated the saide Emperour Henrie 4. and cursed all his adherents sent vnto Ralphe the Duke of Swaben with am Imperiall crowne aduertising him plainlie therewithall that it lay wholie in his handes to giue to whem soeuer it pleased him as well the Empire as the crowne wherein hee did finelie prophesie in such order as Caiphas the Iewish Pope had prophesied saying That hee would neuer be esteemed as Pope if there did not die the same yeere before Whitsuntide a false or vniust King For it came euen so to passe Not that the Emperour Henrie by whom hee spake did die that yere but that the lotte fell vpon Ralphe to whom the Pope had giuen the Imperiall crowne who was the same yere pitifullie slaine his hands first cut of he lamenting sore before the Bishops That through informing of the Pope their prouokings he had made him and his accursed and rebelled against his owne lord and supreme head Nowe a litle after this did succeede Pope Paschalis 2. who againe excommunicated afreshe the Emperour and commaunded the Earle of Flaunders called Robert to destroy with fire and sword the territories of Luek and Camericke because that they would remaine true vnto their naturall lord and Souereigne the Emperour Henrie Yea hee did giue the Imperiall crowne with all the iewels of the Empire to Henrie the 5. sonne vnto the said Henrie the 4. Emperour herein preuailed so much that he did prouoke the sonne to rebell and persecute his owne Lord and naturall father yea with such horrible and vnnaturall malice that he let him most pitifullie starue in the prison at Luek which happened in the yeere of our Lorde 1108. Neither would hee receiue the Lukeners to grace til such time as they had taken vppe the dead carcase of his father which was by theÌ„ there buried cast the same out into the fields like the carion of a dogge And by that meanes the Lukeners were likewise discharged of the excommunication which Pope Paschalis had laid vpon them Men may likewise verie well conceiue the same by the example of the Emperour Fredericke Barbarossa who after a great manie of excommunications and curses was in the ende within the towne of Venice vpon the great market called Saint Markes place at the toppe of the staires of the great church or palace troden vpon the necke by Pope Alexander 3. euen with his feete who for the establishing of his authoritie and power did vsurpe and openlie pronounce before al the people this saying in the Psalme Super Aspidem Basiliscum equitabis coÌ„culcabis Leonem Draconem that is to say Thou shalt ride vpon the Lion and the Adder the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou treade vnder thy feete c. And thus likewise was Franciscus Dandalius Duke of Venice excommunicated and banished by Pope Clement 5. and enioyned vnto certeiâ—e penance which was That he should goe creeping alongest the Popes palace vpon his handes knees with a collar about his necke like a dogge So that it is apparant that the Pope of Rome hath ful and absolute power ouer al Kings Dukes and Princes and therefore may commaunde them as his subiectes and tenantes and may extoll or aduance and disgrade or depose them euen as he shall thinke good Which authoritie of his doeth extende and reache so farre that hee hath likewise full power commaundement and iurisdiction ouer the Kings and Emperours of Turkie and other Heathen countries In so much that a man may lawfullie appeale vnto him in anie matter from before anie earthlie Prince or Potentate In summe hee hath vnder him the rule and gouernement of all Emperiall Princelie and Spirituall iurisâ—iction for hee is consecrated as a Priest and crowned as a King and is therefore the King of Kings and Lorde of Lordes For as touching that which these Heretikes do alledge against this That Christ should haue said Giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which to God belongeth that saieth our mother the holie church was not a perpetuall rule but stood in effect onlie for a short time to wit till such time as Christ had suffered and was ascended vp into heauen For now to answere that where hee saith After that I shal be lifted vp from the earth I will drawe all things vp after me that is thus to bee vnderstood saieth the holie church of Rome That Christ after his ascension into heauen should take al Kingdomes Dukedomes and such like out of the possession of Kings Dukes c. and that by meanes of his souldiers especiallie by his Romishe Apostles And whereas in other places hee doeth forbid his Disciples to seeke after or to receiue golde or siluer that must likewise be vnderstood but till such time onelie as they haue
brought in subiection and vnder them all Kingdomes and so to leaue the same by will and testament vnto the Popes of Rome their successours for then endeth that determination And that was the cause why the Popes beganne to trauell with a deliberate intention to make a diuision of the Imperiall crowne of Rome who then had the East and West countrie of Greece and almost the whole world in subiection as Pope Alexander 3. did plainlie acknowledge vnto the Embassadors of Emanuel Emperour of Graecia declaring plainlie That hee in no wise would haue the Empire of Graecia the Empire of Rome vnited or ioyned together againe in one which was done especiallie to the intent that hee might bee the better able to ouerrule them both And out of that it doth likewise growe that Gregorie the ninth and Innocentius the fourth Popes of Rome did depose the Emperour Fredericke the second and absolued his subiectes of their othe which they had taken and made vnto him and aboue that did excommunicate and banishe all such his subiectes as did remaine faithfull and true vnto him And furthermore graunted great indulgence and pardon to such as would rebelliouslie rise vppe to destroy and confound them And yet besides all this after that hee with the summe of an hundred and twentie thousand markes of golde in weight had redeemed and set free him selfe out of the excommunication of the said Pope Gregorie yet was hee notwithstanding that once againe accursed and banished In so much that Henrie Lantgraue of Thuringe was chosen Emperour and after his death which was verie sudein the Imperiall crowne was giuen to one William then Earle of Hollande who verie shortlie after that was by the Freeses slaine After whose death the Empire did remaine seuentene yeres complete without head or Emperour And yet I pray you consider Do wee not finde by all perfect histories that Pope Vrbane the fourth did about the yeere of our Lorde 1264. violentlie dispossesse Conradinus sonne to Conrade then Emperour of the kingdome of Sicilia notwithstanding the same did by iust title of inheritance apperteine vnto him and gaue the same to Charles Earle of Angiou de Prouince and brother to Lodoâ—ike King of Fraunce and his successour Clement the fourth did set the Crowne vpon his head with condition that hee shoulde yeerelie pay to the Sea of Rome fourtie thousand crownes of golde Nowe to deface that deede and intent Pope Nicholas the third about the yeere of our Lorde 1268. caused Peter the King of Aragon who had maried the cousine germane of the said Conradinus to come out of Italie to depriue the saide Charles of the same and brought the matter so farre that he tooke perforce the said kingdome of Sicilia hauing first by a craftie practise in one night caused most cruellie to be murthered by the Sicilians all the French both men women and children yong and olde that were within the whole Island of Sicilia by reason whereof they vse yet at this day for a common by woorde to call it The Sicilian Euensong And then after to the contrarie of this his successour Pope Martin the fourth did both banishe and curse the said Peter and so not onelie committed the defence and custodie of the said kingdome of Sicilia vnto Robert Earle of Artois for and to the vse of the sonne of the said Charles who was kept prisoner in the handes of his enimies but did likewise take from him the kingdome of Arragon which hee possessed and enioyed by patrimonie and did giue the same kingdome of Arragon vnto Charles Earle of Valois and sonne to Philippe the Frenche King. And did not Pope Bonifacius the eight in like manner curse Philippe the French King and gaue his kingdome to the Emperour Albertus by authoritie and gift of the holie and catholike Church of Rome and that because the said Philippe would not acknowledge accepte and receiue the Pope of Rome for his superiour In so much that the foresaid king of France was forced of necessitie to sende out secretlie vnder the gouernement of Sarra Colomna three or foure hundred horsemen who in the night tooke the Pope prisoner at Anagnia where he was at that time resident and so brought him to Rome as prisoner where within foure and twentie dayes after hee died like a beast as by a common prouerbe which hereafter shal be more expreslie set forth doeth appeare We haue likewise seene not long agoe that Pope Alexander the seuenth did giue vnto Ferdinando king of Castile grand father vnto the Emperour Charles the fift all the countries of the newe Indians which lie Westwarde from Spaine in the Ocean Seas and that in such order and maner as by the Bull is specified Motu proprio that is to say Of his owne meere motion and beeing not therevnto required but much rather De mera liberalitate ex certa scientia ac de Apostolicae potestatis plenitudine that is to say Of meere liberalitie and an assured knowledge and by full power Apostolicall In so much that the King of Peru called Atabaliba who being ouercome by the Spaniardes in a battell saide verie vnwiselie That hee did not esteeme the Pope saying that hee would giue away to another that which was none of his owne For Frier Vincent Valuerda had let him plainlie vnderstande out of his Breuiarie or Portesse That Christ the Sonne of GOD did at his departing out of this worlde appoint and leaue the Pope of Rome for his Liefetenant with power and authoritie to giue and distribute all kingdomes at his will and pleasure And that the Pope of Rome had giuen all his countrie of Peru and the newe Indians to the King of Spaine And likewise in the yeere of our Lord 1515. Leo 10. would haue giuen Frances the French king who was then at Bolonia in Italie and that to make confederacie and league with him the whole Empire of Constantinople But the king giuing him worthie thankes woulde not accept the gift vnlesse he would put him in possession of it which our holy father the Pope had no minde to do because it would haue cost him a great deale more monie than the sealing of his Bulles And not long before this about the yeare of our Lorde 1466. Pope Paule 2. had deposed by sentence George the naturall king of Boemia from his said kingdome and giuen the same to the Dukes of Germanie marie with this condition that they should go and take it perforce at their own cost and charges in which attempt they lost aboue an hundred thousand men both horsemen and footemen and yet did preuaile verie little For such presentes and gifts are of the nature of his Bishoprikes of Hierusalem and other townes in Turkie which he giues to this man and that man whereof the Bishops neuer inioy anie more but the bare title which they haue well wrapped vp in a Bull
of a sheep skin surely sealed And if they be not therewithall content they may go seeke further at their owne coâ—t and perill And yet will our holie father haue homage and rewarde for it although it haue cost him neuer a penie Of the like to this we see daily examples as the kings of Sicilia and Naples must euerie yeare vpon S. Peters day do homage vnto him and acknowledge him for their chiefe Lord and for testimonie of the same they present him with a white hackney well trapped with riche furniture with thousands of ducates besides yea the kingdome of Englande was a great while in subiection and at the disposition of the Pope For the before written Pope Alexander 3. did bring one king to that point about the yeare of our Lord 1181. And that vnder pretence that Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canturburie was by the kinges consent slaine And further long before that in the yeare 740. a certein king of England called Inas did make the whole Island tributarie to the Pope of Rome insomuch that the Popes had alwayes their Collectors and Receiuers in Englanâ— to gather vp and receiue the Peter peace till such time as it was forbidden by king Henrie 8. But to what purpose should I so particularly name the kings of England Naples and Sicilia seeing that all Kings and Emperours throughout the whole worlde are bounde to kisse with great reuerence the Popes holie feete Is not that a sufficient proofe that he hath full power and iurisdiction ouer them all And good reason it should so be For by him Kings do reigne and by him Iudges execute the lawe as it is written by Solomon in his Prouerbes Chap. 8. For that which he writes there of the eternall wisedome of God that is by our mother the holie Catholike Churche vnderstoode and sette foorth concerning the Pope of Rome As plainely doeth appeare by the glosse vpon the Clementines and by Panormitanus likewise And therefore whensoeuer the Popes holinesse is disposed to ride on horsebacke then must the Emperour or King which is present holde his stirrop and after for a while lead the horse by the bridle in his hand And alwayes when the Pope will be caried in a chaire then is the Emperor or King whosoeuer it be bound of duetie to bow downe his necke and to take the chaire vp vpon his shoulders And likewise when the Pope goeth to dinner the duetie of the Emperour or King is to serue him with water wherwith to wash his holy hands he must be sure to attend at the table till the first course be serued For a finall end hee must serue the Pope euen as a seruant doeth serue his maister yea and I pray you wherefore should he not seeâ—ng he hath taken made his othe solemnly of obedience and fidelitie to the Pope as is plainly sette forth in the Popes lawes And yet is not the Pope bound in anie point or iot to him nor to anie other earthly creature vnlesse he will sometime of speciall grace rise out of his seat to let the Emperour kisse him kindly Otherwise all men liuing are bounde of duetie as soone as they come within his presence to fall three times downe vpon their knees and then to kisse his feete And wheresoeuer he passeth by there they must all fall downe vpon their knees and worship him otherwise they are like to eate stockâ—ish which his Garde will giue them largely yea and that without Butter And therfore do they crie Abasso Abasso which is as much to say as Downe vpon your knees Which thing I assure you is most duetifull and established by plaine Scripture for that it is written Psalme 8. Thou hast put all things vnder his feete sheepe and oxen yea and the beastes of the field which is to be vnderstood Christen men Iewes Turks Moores And the foules of the aire that is The Saints departed And the fishes in the sea that is The soules which lie in Purgatorie Insomuch that there is nothing but it is made subiect vnto him For he onely is Lorde ouer all the world and the worlde is properly his so proued by the plaine text Psal. 23. The earth with all her plentiousnesse is the Lordes as our mother the holie Church hath interpreted it and so concluded For which cause he may as Antonius de Rosellis doth testifie take from one whatsoeuer he will and giue to another what he list And this is that which Cardinali Poole being the Popes lieftenant at the councell of Trent did likewise defend and establish by Scriptures euen by the verie wordes of Christ saying That he would make of Peter a fisher of men Which is in this sense to be vnderstood according to the interpretation of the holie Church of Rome That he would driue al Emperours and Kings yea all people of the world into the Popes net so that he might seeth them broyle them or frie them in a panne euen as his holinesse should thinke best to vse and order them And although Paule did speake of an other which shoulde bee the God of this worlde and that Christ doeth likeâ—ise name the same The Duke or Lorde of this worlde meaning the Tempter which shewed him all the kingdomes of the world and the glory of the same saying vnto him All these will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee for they are mine and I may bestowe them vpon whom soeuer I will. Yet doeth not all that make anie thing against our purpose for they twaine to witte the Pope and he are both as one and agree like two heades in one hoode so that there can no gealousie growe thereby For as the Scripture sayth and beareth witnesse The dragon hath rendered vp and giuen to the beast with seuen heades all his power his seate and authoritie Now what conditions are made bet 〈…〉 ene them I wote not but let them alone with that matter they will agree well ynough Thus much then in effect touching all that which Daniel and Paule did say and prophesie in the Scriptures before specified is throughly fulfilled in the Pope of Rome and therewithall likewise that thing whereoâ— Iohn speaketh in the Apocalypse that The citie which is builded vpon seuen mountains or hilles which out of doubt is the Citie of Rome as Tertullianus Lactantius Hieronymus and all the old fathers haue testified and as the situation and state of the citie it selfe doth make apparant shall receiue a maruellous power and authoritie specially of the same whome Paule calleth The God of this world and whom Christ calleth The duke or Prince of this world whom Iohn calleth The dragoÌ„ insomuch that all kings and princes of the earth shall pray vnto him he shal be trimmed and decked with golde siluer pearles and all rich precious iewels as you may plainly see in our holy father the Pope
of Rome with all his Cardinals who are deftly decked vppe with all costly iewels like Puppets And hee shall receiue a mouth speaking great and wonderfull things so that all the worlde shall say Who is like vnto him Euen after the same sort as you see the Pope giue forth strange things touching his owne person and doeth attribute to himselfe a certeine power authoritie aboue all kings princes and angels in heauen yea euen aboue the sonne of God and which more is aboue God himselfe Insomuch that vpon this consideration our deare mother the holie Churche hath concluded that hee shoulde bee called Papa as though men should say Pape which is as much to say in our language as a wonderfull shreeke or hem in derision For it is a worde which doth signifie a monstrous wondring for because that he is a wonderfull monstrous and straunge beast Insomuch that one of his owne Poets doth call him Papa stupor mundi that is to say The wonder or mocking stocke of the worlde Euen as if a man shoulde say Tushe who is to be compared to him So that it is most apparauntly to bee seene that Saint Iohn in his Apocalypse doeth as it were euen point to him with his finger and that Daniel and Paule doe in many places of the Scripture paint him plainlie out in all his feathers In so much then that these Heretikes are farre ouerseenâ— when as they will say That the Scripture doeth not make anie mention of the Pope of Rome considering that wee haue proued all his authoritie to be grounded vpon the Scripture in such order as there is nothing to be said against it The xi Chapter VVherein is set foorth howe that no Priesteâ— nor spirituall persons are subiect or vnder the iurisdiction or power of the temporall Magistrates or Officers NOwe let vs come to speake of the other Priestes and spirituall persons who are throughlie furnished in all points with their Officials Deanes Archdeacons Vicars Inquisitours Sumners Prisons Places and Instrumentes for punishment so as they are not in anie point subiect to anie temporall Officer or Magistrate Neither may anie of them haue anie their causes or questions debated or determined before anie temporall Iudge or Officer so farre as they haue shauen crownes which is the right marke character of the citie with seuen mountaines whereof Saint Iohn makes mention in the Apocalypse And the same is likewise to bee proued by plaine textes of the holy scripture And for the first it is written That when as Lot went about to dissuade the wilfull Sodomites from their abhominable actes they saide vnto him Thou art come hither among vs and art but a straunger here What hast thou to doe for to take vpon thee to correct and iudge vs Out of this Text hath our mother the holie Church of Rome finally concluded that the Priests may not bee iudged nor punished by temporall Magistrates and Rulers vnderstanding the matter thus That the Priests are vndoubtedly right Sodomites Burgesses borne and maisters of this worlde by inheritance considering that they are made by the Pope to whom the worlde doeth absolâ—tely apperteine and that the temporall Magistrates and Officers are but as straungers who haue but as it were the gouernement of the world by lease at the handes of the Pope and his Priestes And therefore it doth not become them for to rule or punish the natiue Burgesses of Sodom and Gomorra that is to say the Priestes and Spiritualtie For so hath the Pope Anacletus determined and set forth in his Deccetals which interpretation of his is by our deare mother the holy Church allowed for good and registred in the booke of their decrees for an article of our faith Secondarily the same is proued by a speciall text out of the Gospell where it is written That Christ did driue or chace the buiers and sellers out of the Temple with a whippe or scourge For thereby it is apparant that the Priestes or Spiritualtie may not by anie meanes be punished by anie temporall Officer as is concluded by the forenameâ— Anacletus and the holie Church of Rome vnderstanding the matter thus That the Priests are to be esteemed as the very changers sellers in the Church who do vtter their merchandize so deare that the sight of them manie times will stand a man dearer than the best ware that the Habardashers of Paris and Lions haue in their shoppes And although other chaungers of monie and vsurers did inioy the benefites of the like priuiledge as well as the Priests to witte that they were with the same whipping driuen out of the temple yea and although dogs be sometime vsed after the same manner yet considering that the Priestes are my white sonnes and must haue somewhat the more preeminence and aduauntage specially for that their merchaundize are of more estimation than the rest and their incense of better smell than the incense that the dogges smother abroade in the Church Insomuch that the holie Church of Rome doeth vnderstande this by the priests onelie to wit that temporall Magistrates or Officers shall haue no iurisdiction ouer them considering well that Christ had them in such estimation as he himselfe onelie woulde whippe them out of the Church And yet hath shee more strongly established the same by the plaine Texte of the Prophete Dauid where it is written God stoode in the middest of the Gods that is to say of Priests and Prelats Againe I haue said All you are Gods. Now truth it is that the whole Psalme doeth after the letter speake of Kings and Gouernours of this world yet notwithstanding our deare mother the holie Church hath vnderstood the same wholy of the Priestes and Spiritualtie according to the spirit and that specially by reason of sixe weightie causes to witte First because the whole text doth conclude as well or rather much better vpon the Priestes than vpon anie other for it is written That will not vnderstaÌ„d but will walk in darknesse and set the whole world in a rore Which wordes seeme to conclude so well vpon Priestes and Bishops as though they had bene spoken only to them Now secondly the Priests are of much more estimation better than any Kings or Princes yea they do excell them as far as Leade doth Gold and therefore must Emperours bow downe their heads vnder the knees of the Popes as is plainely set forth by the holie father Pope Gelasius writing vnto the Emperour Anastasius and registred in the decrees Yea they are the light of the world Fathers Maisters to all men so that they deserue much better to be called Gods than either Kings or other Rulers do or can deserue Thirdly the Priestes are of more worthinesse and estimation than Angels For as our deare mother the holie Churche of Rome hath verie well concluded an Angel may not sing nor say Masse for that hee hath not the priestly character
But I will leaue that to the Doctours of Louen to dispute vpon when they are set vnder the roofe with a Gallon of good Rennish wine for they can not away with Pittaw as for vs whether it be a lie or a true tale it is all one but thus much there is of the matter that our holie father the Pope is in possession and doth enioy the landes which S. Peter left vnto him by testament by the same token it is called Patrimonium S. Petri that is Saint Peters patrimonie â–ª He is likewise in possession of the rich iewels and bagges of the holie Sea of Rome and of the precious triple crowne and other rich and costlie peeces for all the Bishops must sweare that they shall to the vttermost of their power helpe to keepe and augment the said iewelles and that Patrimonie But what needeth all this Paule him selfe saith That Bishops must keepe hospitalitie and bee harborous And then is it great reason â–ª that their purses should bee well filled for to enterteine Kings and Princes and to make them great cheere For how should they els bake good cakes if they haue neither fire nor fatte I assure you if they had not that preeminence and aduantage they would not buy Bishoprikes so deare neither would they pay thirtie thousand Ducates for a Pallium if they must afterwardes say with Peter Aurum argentum non est mihi I haue neither siluer nor golde But that is nowe all cleane turned and the chaunce is chaunged therefore must the Priestes and Prelates nowe a dayes bee riche and possesse the goods of the worlde considering that their father and master the Pope is Lord of the whole worlde as we haue sufficientlie proued in the 11. and 12. Chapters before The xiii Chapter VVherein is set forth by the Scripture the praying to images NOwe will wee treate a while of the praying to images and see with what Scriptures it is defended For that second holie Councell of Nice is without doubt maruellous well furnished of excellent scriptures which serue as fitte for that purpose as Roses for a swine stie But we will onlie choose out and set forth the principall and most meete to serue our turne to the intent that euerie man may iudge by those what all the rest are Among other they haue fetched out of the olde testament That GOD did shape man to his owne likenesse and therevpon concluded That men may verie well haue images Item that God hath diuided the light from the darkenesse and therefore saith Agapius that most holie Bishop of Caesarea I accept images gladlie and cursed bee all they which are of other opinion Aha my friendes Howe like you this geare And after that is the writing of Adrian the Pope of Rome read wherin hee saith That Iames did pray to Iosephs staffe or else to Ioseph him selfe Then I pray you wherefore should not wee pray to images For although that Heretikes do herein so crie out with the Hebrewe texte which saith That he prayed to God leaning vpon his bedde or vppon a staffe for it may be taken both wayes yet notwithstanding it is sufficient for vs that our deare mother the holy Church hath vnderstood it otherwise and that all the forked Bishops which were assembled at Nice haue otherwise interpreted it For they you must vnderstande could not misse nor erre seeing they were assembled inspired and gouerned by the holie ghost of the Empresse Irene whose spirit was so zealouslie addicted vnto the worshipping of images that shee did put out her sonnes eyes who was the right and naturall Emperour and so kept him shut vp in prison to the ende that she might haue the rule and gouernement reigne as Queene all alone and set vp and extoll images according to her owne minde Wherfore should not we then beleue this holy Ghost Whereas he hath declared by the mouthes of the Bishops that there was a litle proper fellowe carued out vpon the end of Iosephs staffe as you see vpon the staues that children and fooles doe ride vpon yea and that the same pretie fellowe was by Iacob worshipped Then do they further alledge this â—ext The soules of the iust are in the handes of the Lord. Againe God is maruellous in his Saintes For by these Saintes doe they vnderstand nothing else but dumbe Saintes or images which stand in the church for that it is written in an other place The Saintes which are vpon the earth Item Noah did set vp one altar vnto God and Abraham likewise with manie other mo And it is good to be thought that they would not set vppe anie altars without goodlie images of our Ladie of Saint Christopher and of S. Anthonies swine and such like to stand vpon the altars For an altar without Saints is like a Cowe without a taile or a Turd without Sugar Againe Moses did make the Propitiatorium which is the round chest of pure golde and did by Gods commandement seâ— two Cherubims vpon it And wherfore then should we not set images vppon our altars according to the commaundement of the holie Church For whereas the Heretikes will say that these two Cherubims and the golden chest were couered and hidde so that no man could see them much lesse pray vnto them to that our deare mother the holie Church of Rome doeth answere that they can doe so likewise For the whole Lent through they do cause their images to looke through a blewe cloth and plaie bo peepe and so they continue till Easter then come the Priestes and play their paâ—tes and so bidde Coppin out of a corner and shewe his face like a man So then these Heretikes haue no cause to praâ—e and say That our images are neuer hidde or couered Againe our holie fathers say that notwithstanding the Cherubims were kept close so that no man might see them for that no man mighâ— enter into that holie place but onelie the hiâ— Priest and hee but once a yeere yet did not the Iewes forbeare to pray continuallie to the same For so haue the fathers at the same Councell concluded out of their owne heads Nowe thirdly the holie fathers say That seeing images may be had secretlie wherefore should wee not much rather haue them openlie to pray to them For notwithstanding that God hath forbidden it yet he must bee giuen otherwise to vnderstand the matter for he was not yet informed that images are the bookes of the Laie people till such time as Pope Gregorie came and â—aught it for a perfect doctrine But nowe euerie man doeth knowe that bookes must be laide vppon a deske that euerie man may reade on them and are not to bee cast behind a banke or in a corner For it is plainlie written that a candle is not to bee set vnder a bushell but in a candlesticke that euerie man may bee lighted thereby which the holie fathers doe likewise vnderstande by the
whereof bread is made and the grapes whereof the wine is made are no fruites of the earth but of the Sea as the fishe is for otherwise they were likewise accursed and so must â—e forbidden on the fasting dayes Or else it may be alledged that the holie Church hath dispensed with them because the fishe woulde not haue had any good last without bread and wine And for this cause hath our mother the holie Châ—râ—h forbidden the eating of fleshe as a thing vncleane and accursed in somuche that those whiche doe eate fleshe or â—gges vpon a fish day are to be banished and rooted out as shamelesse Heretikes and to be burntâ— at a stake because notwithstanding whatsoeuer may be alledged out of Paule or out of the holie scriptures that flesh and egges are vncleane vnholie yea and accursed and that is apparant by the great miracle that happened in Italie vpon the mountaine called Il monte de la virgine that is Our Ladies mountaine For whosoeuer doeth bring vnto that mountaine flesh or egges yea or milke by and by it will be full of wormes because our Ladie will not suffer that anie man shall eate vpon her mountaine flesh nor anie vncleane meates but only fish or hearbes and fruites But what needes all this And though the flesh were not cursed nor vncleane yet notwithstanding our deere mother the holy Church hath great reason to forbid the eating of it for that shee at the least may haue a difference in the eating of meates and in that point shewe her selfe something like vnto the figures and shadowes of the olde Testament wherein the children of Israel â–ª were forbidden certaine kindes of flesh as a thing vncleane Although that our deare mother is of such discretion and vnderstanding that she doth not esteeme flesh to be altogether vncleane in it selfe For otherwise our holie Father the Pope with his Bishops and Cardinals woulde not so well digest it that they woulde as well in the Lent as on good Friday it selfe licke their fingers after it But shee doth not meane to vse her Prelates straitely in that matter but to proue lightly the obedience of her subiectes like as GOD in the olde Testament did forbid his people certaine meates rather for the keeping of them in subiection than that the meates of them selues were vncleane for whatsoeuer GOD hath created is from the beginning of it selfe good and cleane but the holie Church of Rome hath had another respect in this matter as that shee did esteeme the fleshe for vncleane but not in it selfe but vnto suche as haue not bought Bulles of licence of the Pope to the ende they might digest the same with a cleare conscience For like as in the time of Paule all meates were made holie by prayer and by thankesgiuing so is the meate nowe made holie with the Popes Bulles for whosoeuer hath those may boldely eate of all meates without anie scruple and say with a good conscience Omnia munda mundis that is to say To a man that is cleane all things are cleane But he that hath no Bull although he had ten times prayed and giuen God thankes for his good giftes yet that can not helpe him at all hee must bee cursed excommunicated and cleane rooted out of the number of the good Catholikes and faithfull subiectes of our deare mother the holie Church of Rome yea and bee burnt at a stake like an arrant and gracelesse Heretike And therefore it is that the holie Prelates Cardinals Bishops and all other loyall subiects of the sea of Rome doe so often forget to say grace and prayers at their meate and when as sometime by ill hap they do say grace which happens verie seldome they say it commonly in a tongue or language which neither they themselues nor but a verie fewe of those which sit at the table with them do vnderstand not esâ—eming that that can much profit to the clensing of the meat nor much hinder nor further the matter so that they haue good daintie fare But they in place of this will eat flesh on a fasting day and for that purpose in stead of grace they must haue their Bulles well sealed hanging downe with silken tassels yea and such as they themselues can well both read and vnderstand otherwise it were all not worth a strawe So now then flesh on fish dayes is vncleane to them that haue no Bulles which you may conceiue by this That in Spaine where the holie inquisition doeth beare the swinge yet he whosoeuer that can get a Bull for a royall of plate may eate all the Lent through puddings tripes and all the entrails with head neck and purtenaunce without anie daunger or scruple of conscience And therefore it is that the worthie Doctour Eckius taking vpoÌ„ him to defend this forbidding of meats by scripture doth bring in this text out of the Acts of the Apostles Take heede that you refraine your selues from meates offred vnto idols For as Paule saith That which was offred vnto idols was offred to the diuel and therefore he did curse all such as should eate of it with such a conscience â–ª So likewise saith he it falleth out alwayes with flesh on fasting dayes when as the vncleannesse and malediction thereof is not taken away and made cleane by the Popes Buls but otherwise it is all well inough as here before is sufficientlie proued The xvi Chapter VVherein Lent is proued by the Scripture And further that the Romish church must counterfeite Christ in all pointes and lastlie touching festiuall dayes and the ordeining of the same ANd nowe as touching the time of Lent that is verie stronglie proued by our deare mother the holie Church out of the scripture For it is written That we are bound to offer vp vnto GOD the tenth part of our goods And now saith the holie Church Lent is the tenth part of the yeere and therefore must wee necessarilie obserue the whole Lent not presuming to eate anie fleshe at all Considering that as is before said flesh proceedeth of the earth which is accursed for nowe for the tenthes of three hundreth three score and fiue dayes wee must fast sixe and thirtie dayes and yet there remaines fiue dayes sixe houres and of these fiue dayes we do fast foure not for payment of tenthes but for an other occasion to wit That the talies of good workes and merites might be full So there remaineth yet one day and sixe houres which maketh iust thirtie houres whereof the tenth is not paid but for recompense of that we must go late to supper So nowe is not this past verie iust Now let God come and take a reckoning when soeuer hee will and hee shall finde that the holie Church of Rome is not one pennie in his debt nay shee hath rather paide him more than his duetie For this reckoning you shall finde passed and set downe in the reckoning booke of the Decrees if God
stoutely and warily fight vnder Gods banner and counterfeit or follow the example of the Apostles their disciples For the same by nature ought so to bee and all things in the world ought to bee common but the wickednesse of man hath bene the occasion that the one hath begonne to say This is mine the other said And this belongeth to me And by that meanes dealing or participating of all things crept in To bee briefe a verie wise man amongst the Grekes hath spoken maruellous well saying All things are common amongst good friendes Nowe it is then without doubt that vnder the name of all things the wiues are likewise conteined For like as the light and the shining of the Sunne can not be separated nor parted euen so there cannot likewise anie separation or dealing be made of that which is to bee vsed in common but it ought to be generallie at the commauÌ„dement of euerie one of the companie And for that cause it is that God saith gentle Reader note wel here speciall textes of the Scriptvre by his Prophet saying O what a goodlie and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together And this custome being obserued by the Apostles so must they haue all together liued with one an other in coÌ„mon like as it is written The multitude of the beleeuing was one heart and one soule c. Note here the determination conclusion of our deare mother the holy church worde by word whereby shee doeth absolutelie conclude out of the holie Scriptures that these Heretikes which are alway in hand with the scriptures haue now no more cause to complaine though the Priests Friers will sometime euen for loue borrow some of their wiues for the mainteining knitting together of this holy Clements commontie And although the glosse thervpon say That this hauing of women in coÌ„mon is not to be vnderstood after the vse of the flesh but simplie for the good willingnesse charitable loue towards the congregation yet notwithstanding the text is plain inough which saieth That men must be conuersant with them as the light is with the sunne shine which do continually enioy one another And the same is established by the doctrine of Plato and Pythagoras who speciallie were of opinion that all women should bee common And that is apparant inough by the daylie exercise thereof for you see that the Priestes may haue no wiues of their owne but doe vse all women in generall when or wheresoeuer they can get them But yet they wil not looke so narrowlie to haue things common as touching their goods because euerie one of them will looke to enioy his own goodes but not his owne wife so that it is rather done for the wiues than for anie thing else And this may likewise verie well bee the occasion wherefore the Romishe Church which in deede can be but one particular Church because that Rome is but one particular towne is yet called The Catholike church that is The common generall Church ouer all which specially proceedeth by reason of that goodly common sort of women and boyes which she mainteines and doeth increase and multiplie her generation ouer all the world yea and filles the whole face of the earth with her young Priests and Monkes whereof shee hath made such a number as there are flies in the Summer in so much that shee may iustly bee called Ecclesia oeccomenica that is to say The Church that doeth flowe ouer the whole earth like a spring tide The xviii Chapter VVherein the seuen orders of Priesthoode are set foorth as well by Scriptures as by the examples of Christ. SEeing that we are nowe in hande with the holinesse of Priests wee will proceede directlie to the establishing of all the seuen orders of Priesthoode by the Scripture And first you shall vnderstande that our deare mother the holie Church doeth teach verie plainlie That our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe was forced to passe thorough all those seuen orders before hee could be admitted to bee a Masseprieste Marke nowe what a matter must this be and yet for all this these Heretikes make no accompt of the blessed Masse whereas Christ had inough to do for to come to the vse of it For first he must exercise the office of a Porter like as hee did when he droue the changers of monie and the sellers and buâ—ers out of the Temple and snake out of the mouth of Dauid You Princes lift vp your gates and be you lift vp you euerlasting doores Item when hee said I am the doore of the sheepfolde After that he was Reader when he did reade the Prophet Esaias in the Temple Then after he became an exorcist or Coniurer when he droue seuen diuels out of Marie Magdalene when he did rub the mouth eares of the dumbe and deafe man with clay and spitle saying Epphatah Be open And after that he came to be Acoluthus that is a Page and Ceroferarius that is a Candlebearer when he said I am the light of the world hee that followeth me shall not walke in darknesse And then was he a Subdeacon when he did washe his disciples feete After that a Deacon when hee did minister the Sacrament of his body to his Apostles and being in the mount Oliuet willed persuaded them to watch and pray And lastlie he became a Priest when he did consecrate the bread and the wine and so said Masse at the table This done straightway he became a Bishop when hee laid his handes vppon his disciples heads saying Go abroade and preache the ghospell in all places All this you may see set out at large in the foresaid booke of Durandus and in the booke of Sentences in the fourth councels of Tolledo and Carthago likewise in the Decrees So that it is apparant that all these holie orders are fished out of the bottome and ground of the scriptures and are founded vppon the examples of Christ notwithstanding nowe that the Priestes haue somewhat the more prerogatiue then Christ had so that they can pushe through all these seuen orders at one time or else skippe ouer foure or fiue of theÌ„ at once For they that can once get the shauen crowne on their heades which is the character marke token of the worthie order of Priesthoode may not then onelie proceede to be Priestes but also to be Bishops and Cardinals and to gette sackes full of benefices for our most holie father the Pope may freelie dispence with all such matters as it pleaseth him But that carieth his authoritie in the Popes foundation which wee haue here before set forth and declared to be so strong as the diuels of hell are not able to withstand it For this time wee doe onelie teache that when soeuer it shall please the holy church to vse the seuen orders orderlie shee is able to establish the whole heape of them trimlie
to know how the world walkes Therefore he had better haue held his tongue touching this matter For to begin withal an Asse might haue seene and perceiued that Paule dooth not there meane anie thing at all of matrimonie but of the vnitie betweene Christ and his congregation which he doth name to be A greate or deepe mysterie farre aboue the vnderstanding of all men And besides this these scornefull Heretikes will sowe a paire of Asse eares on maister Gentianus head seeing he did not consider That herein he doth speake both against himselfe and against our deare mother the holie Churche who hath plainly concluded that matrimonie is fleshly vncleane and vnholy and hath for that cause forbidden that Priestes shall marrie insomuch that it cannot be a holie Sacramente or else it muste followe that Priestes are not woorthie to enioye so holie a Sacrament And besides that these Heretikes will set a paire of spectacles on maister Gentianus nose to the ende hee may see and perceiue that if it be so that Matrimonie bee a Sacramente then must virginitie or maidenhoode much rather be a holie sacrament bycause that by our deare mother the holy Church it is much more esteemed thā matrimony so there must be eight sacraments Yea widowes will come in for their partes and challendge viduitie or widowehoode to be a sacrament So that men shall at the last be forced to regester for sacramentes all states and calling of men Wherevpon must needes follow that our deare mother the holy church hath erred in setting foorth teaching that there were onely seauen sacramentes vnlesse that shee peraduenture will haue it vnderstoode that by the number of seauen shee dooth meane an innumerable number as by Gentianus reasons appeareth shee dooth so that by his argument it must followe That in all places of the scripture where this woord Misterium that is to say a misterie is vsed that must streight way bee esteemed for a sacrament and by that order also must the kingdome of Antichrist and the beast with seauen heades be accompted for sacramentes So that in the end we should haue so many sacramentes that we shoulde not know what to doe with them but we must go set them out in the Sunne to dry or lade a great Hulke with them and send them into Norway which out of doubt were a greate disorder and such as might make open to al the worlde the impudencie and shamefulnesse of our deare mother the holy church of Rome seeing shee hath resolutely set foorth that there may be no moe but seauen sacramentes Which thing she hath likewise fetched out of the coffer of the scriptures with hir Allegoricall or Anagogicall key saith shee Seuen deadly sinnes Ergo must there be of necessitie seuen Sacramentes which must driue away and ouercome the same seuen deadly sinnes Item there is mention made of seuen Seales wherewith the booke of the olde Testament was sealed vp Also there were seuen pillars wherewith the church was vnderset how like are they to be the seuen principall of the new Bishops of the base countrey to wit The Cardinall Grandwell the President Viglius Franciscus Sonnius Petrus Cursius Ioannes Lindanus de castro and Fryer Kniefe Who I assure you sticke to their tackling and holde vppe the Romish Church like faste and sure pyllers and proppes for feare shee should fall into the myre After this likewise is mention made of Seuen washings whereby Naaman was healed of his leprosie and likewise of seuen Basens which the Sonne of Man held in his right hand and of Seuen loaues wherewith Christ fed the multitude of people of seuē times going about wherby the towne of Iericho was ouerthrown ▪ of seuē eyes in one stone and lastely of seuen candles set vpon the tabernacle For now saith our mother the holy church by all these are signified and set foorth the seuen doctours of the Romish church to wit the foure principall of the scholasticall theologie or diuinitie as Thomas de Aquino Ioānes Scotus Albertus Magnus and Occam together with the two profound interpreters of the masse namely Rabanus and Durandus and the Maister of the Sentences called Petrus Lombardus all which make iust seuen who should likewise set forth and establish in the church of Rome seuen sacramentes There may yet be alledged many other examples for the establishing of the number of seuen Sacraments to wit the seuē Psalmes which serue the soules in Purgatorie for seuē sacramentes Item the seuen diuels which cam to inhabit the house when they found it cleane emptie then the seuen sciences and also the seuen or fiue wittes of our Doctours of Louen wherewith they farre excell all the profounde wit and vnderstanding of the Apostles and Prophets with many other thinges more which might be broght in but our mother the holie church of Rome is satisfied with these examples and figures before specified Although yet me thinkes vnder correction of my maisters of Louen be it spoken to whose iudgements I submitte my selfe that the number of the seuen Sacramentes may best be applied for that which is written in the Apocalypse of the beast with seuen heades or as heretofore is set foorth Irenaeus himselfe hath applied this beast to the Romishe churche And the number of sixe hundreth sixtie sixe which is the number of the beast doe agree very well in one with this Greke worde EKKΛHΣIA ITAΛIKA Ecclesia Italica which is to say The Italian or Romish Church And there is likewise specially spoken of the Character or marke of the beast And now our mother the holy church sayth that there is likewise a Charecter or marke in the sacraments And last of al it is credibly affirmed that it is a mysterie to wit Babylon And nowe will our deare mother cōclude as is apparāt that matrimonie is a Sacrament because that this woorde misterium is playnely set foorth and then it must of necessitie followe that here also somewhat is spoken of Sacramentes seeyng that this woorde is likewise spoken of here And so must the beast with seuē heads vndoubtedly betoken and signifie the Romish church with her seuen Sacramentes and with her character or marke So that maister Gentianus is herein to be blamed That he hath to mainteine his argument vsed this worde misterium for the purpose of matrimonie to be a sacramēt cōsidering that our deare mother the holie Church hath alwaies vsed the same for her strōgest bulwarke alledging the same continually But herevpon yet might fall out a great question to wit how doeth it happen that men accompt vpon no more but seuen sacramentes seeing that yet our deare mother the holie Church hath ordeined at the least seuen and seuentie Sacramentes whereof none is conteined vnder anie of these seuen For on Easter eeuen when they do blesse the Easter candels then doth the holie Church offer vnto God the Father Fier for a great rewarde and a holie Sacrament saying
pray to the crosse as to a creature or to a similitude or likenesse For there was neuer anie man so frantike or madde which would pray to anie thing in steade of God as a bare and simple creature yea the Iewes theÌ„selues as we haue seene when they did pray vnto their golden calfe did it not in worship of the golden creature as a creature but in remembrance of him which had broght them out of the lande of Egypt as they well witnessed them selues in naming it by the name of him after whom they had made it The like haue the Heathen alwayes done and in consideration thereof they did call their images idols or simulachra that is to say Likenesses or images because they did in making them attribute vnto them the power of god And therefore did the Egyptians pray vnto those creatures wherein they perceiued best Gods goodnesse to bee declared towardes vs as Oxen and Kine the Sunne and the Moone and other creatures wherin they founde anie speciall helpe or comfort as is to be seene by Iustinus Athenagoras Arnob. August Lactan. Eusebius Orosius and other such like which haue written against them and verie notoriouslie out of Esaie who speaking against the Iewes said That God by his eternall and vnspeakeable power did make heauen and earth And then he doth demauÌ„d of them Like vnto whom then will you make God Or wherwith will you make his image Giuing them thereby plainly to vnderstand that they did not praye to their blockes and stockes onelie as simple creatures but that they did through such resemblances likenesses thinke to haue an image and so a remembrance of God euen as Maister Gentianus doeth here likewise alledge And it was also thus concluded in the second Councell of Nice For sure a calfe may conceiue and see that our deare mother the holie church hath this discretion as well as the idolatrous Iewes and Heathen It may well happen that some simple people and olde deuoute wiues do esteeme that blocke or stocke it selfe where it standeth for a verie God especiallie when he beginneth to laugh vpon them or els to weepe bitter teares for great pitie But what then That is satisfied by their good intents and deuout meanings which the holie church doth applie to the best Yet notwithstanding her owne ground and foundation is no other but euen the same grouÌ„d of the Iewes and Heathen Alwayes excepted and to bee considered that the image of the Crosse hath a speciall prerogatiue before all other images likenesses for it is like to the Sextons Cowe and therefore may grase in the churchyard and she is by our deare mother prayed vnto with a three folde deuotion more than other But now that I do not forget the crosse of pardons which is commonly set vp in the church when anie bulles or letters of pardon are come down from Rome which crosse hath euen such power vnlesse men will make the Popes Legates ranke liers as the offring vp of the body bloud of Iesus Christ vpon the crosse for our sinnes And yet we must besides al this pray vnto and worship all small or ordinarie crosses with Latria that is to say with such worship as doeth apperteine vnto God onelie acording to the order coÌ„mon rule of their schoole here before rehearsed spoken of After this now the verie wood of the crosse which came from Hierusalem and which Christ was crucified vpon must bee by vs worshipped as a creature for it owne proper worthines praied vnto with Hyperdulia that is with such worship as is ascribeth vnto the virgin Marie â–ª especiallie coÌ„sidering the great miracle that is thervpon to be seene which is that it is so waxen increased that the pieces thereof would lade a good Hulke And lastly in reuerence of the most holie crosse we must worship al other tokens similitudes of the same â–ª Wherein our louing mother doeth attribute great preheminence to the holy crosse in respect of that which shee doeth shewe towardes all the reliques and holy things True it is that most deuoutlie she doeth worshippe a heape of speares wherwithal Christ his side was pearced and twoo or three dosen of the verie same nailes which our Sauiour was nailed with on the crosse yea shee hath also ordeined a holie day in â—â—uerence of the same and hath appointed a speciall Masse for it namelie In festo Lanceae Clauorum Domini And then greetes the same most friendlie with a Sonnet wherein shee singeth thus Aue ferrum triumphale Intrans pectus tu vitale Coeli pandis ostia Fecundata in cruore Foelix Hasta nos amore Per te fixi saucia c. with the rest that followeth which in our tongue might thus be englished All hayle O Speare triumphant which pearcing Christ his side Commaundedst as thy seruant heauen gates to open wide O happie Speare and blessed dyde Crimson red in blood Of loue saue vs distressed vouchsafe to be so good c. Thereafter hath she yet foure or fiue of the right sponges wherewithall Christ was refreshed with vineger which she deuoutlie doeth licke and kisse and reserues for a singular relique Moreouer shee hath the verie naturall tayle of the Asse whereon he rode and the same Manger wherein hee laie whereof she makes great store But what is all this to be compared by the reuerence which she doeth shewe to the holie Crosse For admit shee doeth worship fiue or sixe Speares and some Nailes yet will she not worship all the speares which are vsed in the warres nor all the nailes which are made in the smithes forges nor all the sponges which growe in the sea nor yet al the tailes wherewith the asses are couered behind nor all the mangers wherein horses haue their prouender like as she doth permit to worship all the crosses which can be made for then you should counterfeite the Ape to nigh yet may it seeme strange to some whether all other reliques or holy things haue pist against the moone because they cannot atteine to the like preferment For all the roddes of right might challenge the same priuilege in worship of the rod wherewith Christ was scourged and al ropes in worship of that with which he was bound all haithornes in worship of the thornes wherewith he was crowned But it behoues them to be content with their portion for they are sufficientlie prouided for if sobeit the holy church doth please to attribute more to the crosse it proceedes of her meere liberalitie and of the special loue which shee doeth beare to the same which for the same cause shee reuerenceth more than the verie body of Christ which did hang on the crosse or than his bloud which he hath spilt on the crosse For wee can not perceiue that in reuerence of the bodie of Christ all bodies much lesse all similitudes or likenesses of the bodie are had in reuerence or worship like as
prouoke people to deuotion muche more then is it tollerable to rehearse some odde and strange iestes of Heretikes as to wit that they are blacke and foule fauoured and worke matters with the diuell with such like thinges to affright people from the studie of their doctrine Now the examples are also verie sure waightie For vpon such like lies which the holy supposses or subiects of the Romishe Churche hath persuaded Emperours Kings to beleue were they permitted to make their placards priuileges against the Lutherians Huguenotes wherby such controuersies tumultes are growen sprong vp in the world that it is to be doubted great bloudshed will be made before they will be apppeased againe This may sufficiently appeare by the wordes of the Placard in the reigne of the Emperour Charles of noble memorie set forth in the yeere .1521 at the citie of Wormes declaring expresly That Luther was a Pelagian and did disdainefullie contemne the Saintes Also he taught that there ought to bee neither gouernment nor superioritie nor yet obedience did gainesaie reproue and disalowe all good ciuil pollicie and spirituall reformations to the ende the commonaltie should be moued prouoked to raise armes and rebell against their rulers as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and to frame themselues to contend murther and steale wasting and consuming all thinges with fire and sworde to the great indammaging of the whole common wealth of Christendome ▪ And which is more detestable he ordeined allowed a certeine kinde of life whereby each should doe that which he would in manner of brute beastes and as a lawlesse man did abiect and detest all Ecclesiasticall temporall lawes Beholde these be the verie wordes of the Emperours acte and this is the verie first originall welspring of all the bloudshed which hath happened throughout all Christendome for the space of seuen and fortie yeeres vntill this present time the which all men may both see with their eyes and in a manner feele with their fingers to be most grosse blockishe and palpable lies which Petrusa Sotto the Emperours good ghostly father and other Catholike Priestes did blowe in at his eares not for that they did suppose it to be so for they had not a haire on their heades but it knewe the contrarie But fearing the reformation of the Gospell did moue the Emperours Maiestie which otherwise of himselfe was not by nature giuen to wrath or any desire of bloudshed to a bloudie abolishing wrathfull extirpation of all these Lutherans Caluinistes which were not in any respect for their tooth forsomuch as they sought to reforme papistrie by the authoritie of the Gospell Notwithstanding vpon their wordes onely did the Emperour proceede in his purpose would not at any time giue eare to the Heretikes Like as now the King of Spaine of a good zeale supposing to doe God high acceptable seruice doth also proceede to the vtter ruine manifest destruction of his own inheritance naturall countrie his most loyall louing obedient subiects knowing no other but that all is true which his ghostly fathers and other Spanish Priestes and foster fathers of the holie Inquisition do put in his head yea vppon the same hath not spared his naturall and onely sonne but hath deliuered him ouer into the handes of the hellishe Inquisitours permitting them to throwe him into prison where most miserably he ended his lamentable life Verelie this was a slie and fine fetche whiche our holie mother did wiselie weigh that to a good intent men might make a lie For otherwise if they might haue manifested naught but a troth then shoulde the Heretikes haue founde audience by Kinges and Princes the plaie had been made and all thinges woulde haue gone a wrie with Priestes and Poperie Masses and suche tromperie of the Romishe Churche yea the whole Spiritualtie would not haue beene worthe a beane like as wee may perceiue in all places where these Heretikes haue had hearing and where they haue beene permitted to plead their cause openly But worship bee vnto our Ladie of the seuen Okes and Saint Iob of Wesemall with all the glorious Saintes which are at Antwerp on the high aulter For there in good time did happen some foresight by the cunning of vnfolding the booke of lies and causing Kinges to beleeue that the Moone was made of greene cheese And good reason for who so faines himselfe to be a sheepe may happen to bee deuoured of the Woolfe according to the vulgar saying But yet haue ye another commoditie whiche groweth by this kinde of sacred dealing For if Priestes and Monkes were bound alwayes to preache the truth there woulde ensue a great disgrace vnto them for that they woulde oftentimes in their pulpettes become as dumb as fishes being vnable to bring foorth any thing because they are all vnfortunate in declaring the trueth and therefore shoulde misse the meane to vtter their excellent giftes of filed eloquence But when they haue no more arrowes lefte in their quiuers then doe they fall vppon the Heretikes and haue store of matter to talke of yea wonderfull things to declare against them they rage they rore they thūder they lighten make them so blacke deformed like diuels in hell Sometime they catch a Caluin by the throte sometime Beza sometime their quarell is against Marottes Psalmes sometime with the Greeke and Hebrewe texte whiche in no sauce they can abide sometime they martyr the Catechisme so pitifully as though they had it on a racke To be briefe they regard neither doore nor post but shoote their shaftes vp to the feathers in it They prattle like Pies and seeme in a manner as they had soulde all their potte herbes and yet reserue of the best to themselues that is truely a sport and pretie pastime specially to the deuoute women which are not greatly acquainted with the Bible or Gods worde but rather listen to the Popes lies and to daunse after his pipe or to heare some Gospell of a distaffe and tale of a tubbe In fine a man would verily iudge that such Catholike preachers had beene all their dayes Pedlers or pelting Apothecaries of Dutchlande or that they had farmed the prattle courte wholly to themselues Like as daily may bee perceiued at all their Sermons and specially at the woorthie Sermon which a goodly grayfrier doeth vsually make in Frenche at Antwerpe in S. Iacobs Churche It seemeth he is one of those foresaid pelting Apothecaries whiche hath trudged these seuen and thirtie yeeres to all markets faires about the countrie to sell his triacles and rattes bane It doeth also appeare by the preaching of the foresaid brother Cornelis the whipper who doeth with such a zeale roare against Heretikes that he will haue them rooted out quite and to bee burnte to ashes Yea he hath not long ago preached That childe bearing women ought to haue their wombes rent and torne to take out their babes and
a paire of gloues that their left hande knoweth not what the right hand doth And their gold ring what doth it els signifie but that they be vpright without dissimulation Their staffe that they are strōg against heretiks And their handkercher which is alwaies at hand that they bee euer readie to abandon all earthlie filthines and wholie doe rubbe of their fleshlie affections After this all Priestes in generall haue they not a shauen crowne on their heades to shewe that like as a round crowne hath no corners so haue they not anie filthines which they can spare or be without But if I should rehearse all these matters peece by peece it would verilie seeme to be a Babylon which is A fowle confusion or meruellous medlie Therefore it is suffient to gather hereby what great mortification doeth lurke and lie hidden in the skinnes of these holie subiectes of the Romish Church which by their outward apparell and seeming doe shewe such exceeding great holinesse I referre now al men to consider what is to be thought of their inward parts which are so holie as though they were possest with seuen spirites To the contrarie whereof these newe Preachers haue neither sticke nor staffe myter nor ring neither yet anie shauen crownes or other whereby they may declare their mortification yea they goe arraied like other plaine people and say that Penance and mortification doeth not consist in such and such like outward ceremonies but in the conuersion of the mind and soule to Godwardes and in an inwarde feeling of miseries a true feling of Gods wrath against sinne and in a firme faith and trustie staie vppon Gods goodnes and mercie through the merites of Iesus Christ. Moreouer That bodilie excercise is litle vailable but Godlinesse in all thinges is profitable and helpefull Wherein they sufficientlie shewe that they knowe litle concerning the mortification which the holie Church doeth teache and they contemne holie Confession Contrition Absolution and Satisfaction and other such like thinges and loue the first day of Lent aswell as the last Behold for this cause is it that Maister Gentianus hath so cunninglie concluded in this Article That they hate wholie condemne fasting praying abstinence and mortification of the flesh The iii. Chapter VVhich doeth shewe howe it is to be vnderstood that we can not make satisfaction for the least offence and hree is concluded that the penaunce of Heretikes is not acceptable with God. BVt forsomuch as they do here acknowledge that we can neuer make satisfaction for the least offence of the worlde that might seeme to be a great heresie for if it were so the Heretikes shoulde haue great reason to saye that our satisfaction were vaine and friuolous And therefore they would say as hath bin shewed before That we ought to laie aside and treade vnder foote all hope of satisfaction and wholy to cleaue trust to the meere goodnes vndeserued mercie of God which in respect of our partes is without desert bestowed vpō vs but in respect of Gods righteousnes is giuen vs for an exceding deere price to witte the bloud of Christ Iesus the vnspotted lambe which as Esaie saith hath borne our infirmities was laden with our punishments which was wounded for our sins and for our sakes did suffer death and vpon him is laid the punishment whereby we are at peace And hereout they conclude with Paul That we haue through Christ all satisfaction and that hee is wholie our saluation iustification and deliuerance ▪ And with Peter That by none other in the world saluation is to be gotten for somuch as there is not anie other name giuen to mankinde whereby they may be saued insomuch that all our boasts whether it be of good workes merites or satisfaction is wholie excluded and brought to nothing in so much as before God it doth not preuaile and that no fleshe can be iustified in his presence by the workes of the lawe and that all our righteousnes is naught els but a stained cloth But al this is heresie as it hath ben sufficientlie shewed before and they which learne such are hanged and burned like Heretikes For els as hath bin said what should become of satisfaction and meritorious deedes which according to the doctrine of the holy Church do amend faultes escaped and by good foresight defend and set vs free from those to come What should become of al our good works whereby wee can deserue three sundrie things namelie Eternall life Increase augmentation of mercie and Forgiuenes of sinnes What should become of the merites of Saintes through the which the holie church doeth pray vnto God that he wil pardon all their offences through the Saintes whose reliques bones do lie on the altar where the Masse is said In so much as often shee doeth pray through the merites of ashes horses and dogges whose bones for the most parte remaines also as reliques on their altars What moreouer should become of our exceeding good workes which are called Opera supererogationis wherewith wee doe not onelie make satisfaction for our selues but also for others and especiallie for the soules in Purgatorie Yea what shoulde become of Purgatorie it selfe if there were not satisfaction What would become of Pardons and Bulles which are allowed and sent from the Pope Verelie they would serue for no purpose better than to be brought to the house of office to be sealed with portingale waxe if so bee it were true which Maister Gentianus doth here set downe as that wee are vnable to make recompence for the least offence It were in deede a lamentable case therefore we must vnderstande him here aright For his meaning was to speake thus obscurelie because he would tole and entise the heretikes into the field For otherwise this is not his meaning but doeth simplie vnderstand that we can not satisfie Nisi concurrente gratia that is to say Except mercie doeth assist and helpe our merites as is said before sometimes thorough the pikes For we haue apparantlie concluded that wee must make a bargain betwixt God and vs He doeth giue vs his mercie in our baptisme but after that wee must shift for our selues and by our good deedes bind God vnto vs so that of duetie he must receiue vs into heauen especiallie if we be assisted with the meanes and by helpes of holie church namelie by the vertue of the Masse holie water tapers c. and with the Popes Bulles for thereby will our infirmities amende like corne shaken with a shower of haile or like fish left on the sandes and as sower Ale in Sommer And if so be that besides this we will submit our selues and take vnto vs the habit of a Monke or Frier and so frame our selues after the ful shapen order of S. Francis S. Dominicks rule and so compasse more then God hath commaunded vs then wee excell all the rest of our
commonlie to much tongue and therefore are often punished and if then they do not mend they are throwen into a dungeon or are closed somewhere betwixt two walles in a seller and there permit them to liue so long as they can Like as might haue bene seene a yeere ago at Antwerpe Ghaunt and other places more which haue remained there some eight or ten yeeres some twentie and thirtie yeeres Therefore it is no maruell though Monkes be vnlearned insomuch as in the Latin tongue is vsed a common prouerbe Monacho indoctior that is to say A great Asse or dolt and more vnlearned than a Monke Yea they haue a speciall Latin tongue for their own vse which the learned sorte them selues can not vnderstand and is called Friers latin or Kitchen latin But touching Priestes they neede no great learning for if they can but onelie repeate the fiue secrete wordes of the Masse without giuing Priscian or Despauter a bobbe on the face that is to say without intermingling of Friers latin than is the matter cocke sure They are more learned then the Angels in heauen for they can make God which thing the Angels can not doe And if besides that they knowe but howe to brewe of the smallest sort of latin withall then hath their sowe pigd they may bee bold to inuite their neighbors to the feast and serue out messes with the great Laten ladell for then they may not onelie bee parish Priestes but also Bishops Prelates Cardinals yea Popes them selues And what more can they craue For touching their life we must alwayes coniecture the best like as is commaunded in the Decrees and not to thinke that those which dailie do handle God would commit anie thing that is not to be allowed Therfore if a Priest do kisse a maid or grope her about the pappes we must suppose that he is about to shrieue her or doeth giue her absolution for her sinnes And if sobe any man doth take them opeÌ„lie with the manner he must couer or lap them about with his own cloake lest he make them ashamed For they are euen by nature verie shamefast change collour like a pewter platter otherwise may not anie correct or punish theÌ„ as is shewed before with the expressed wordes of the Sodomites which would not be corrected of Loth yea although they were the veriest smelsmocks which might liue For they are of that nuÌ„ber which plead Noli me taÌ„gere Touch me not The iii. Chapter VVhich treateth whether the spiritualtie doe likewise practise knauerie and here is repeated the high noble stocke of the Clergie their forefathers â–ª progenie brought into 32. degrees and ech set out and beautifiâ—d with his armes crestes banners and knightlie actes IN recording or calling to mind the suÌ„me hereof a deuout wel disposed catholike mind might suppose whether it were possible for the most reuerend spiritual professors whose daily exercise is to make god who are created and descended from the stocke of the most holie father the Pope of Rome might vse or were able to exercise any kind of knauerie or wicked dedes God forbid that anie such matters should passe in our thoughts For howe were that possible Seeing they are all sprong forth of so noble a stocke descended of so worthie so righteous holy forefathers whose footsteps they followe so feruently that a mans heart must melt away to heare the same rehearsed But to the end it may seme no iest I will as brieflie as I may define their noble worthie progenie and set it foorth to eche mans sight to the ende these birds may be knowen by their kind these coltes by their dammes And for that eche thing may appeare substantiall I will after the sagest and ancientest maner of these noble Dom Cannons of Colen Ludick bring their stocke into 32. degrees to wit eight from the fathers father eight from the fathers mother also eight froÌ„ the mothers father and eight from the mothers mother For whoso can describe these degrees in their proper and deserued armes banners without doubt there is nothing to be gainsaied but that he may not only be a dom CaÌ„non but also freely possesse al the priuiledges of a Gentleman and account himselfe to descend of the worthiest race Like as eche who herein hath anie knowledge will easilie condiscend Therefore if cace I can declare anie such thing of the old discent of the holie forefathers of the spiritualtie then is the case sixe and spite their teeth they must bee famous For the bloud wil not lie and a Goose can laie no Owles egges It must be most true and certein or Mussels are no fishe Concerning then the first eight quarters they proceede onlie of noble most famous and renoumed Heretikes notorious blasphemers of God and shameles deriders which haue plaied mocke holie daye with all religious and godlie setuice For in place of the first they haue the holie father Pope Liberius vpon whom they builde their stocke who after he had first stedfastlie professed the trueth for the same had bene banished by the Emperour Constantius did afterwardes reuoke and to please the Emperour did turne his coate and reputed him self amongst the Arrians which denied the eternall Deitie or godhead of christ And being for that cause banished was through the intreatie of the Noble Romane women which were also of the Arrians disposition called home againe from his banishment and restored anewe vnto his seate from whence hee had bene driuen before Insomuch as there was great dissention and brabling betwixt him and Pope Foelix who had in his absence occupied his place which Foelix Hierome and Eusebius also do witnes to haue bene an Heretike and for that cause obteined the Seate of Rome howbeit other Historiographers write the coÌ„trarie After that they count their discent from Anastasius the second who in the dayes of Anastasius the Emperour about the yeere of our Lord 500. did likewise decline from the trueth and consented to the Nestorians who denied the humanitie or manhood of Christ yea he sought by al meanes possible to call the Heretike Acatius from his banishment home againe and vsed likewise free accesse and companie with Photinus the heretike in so much that he was forsaken of al true beleeuing Bishops and at last being stroken by the hand of God did in easing him selfe voide all his intrailes and departed this life as Arrius did before him Thirdlie they boast them selues vppon Boniface the eight who reigned in the times of the Emperours Adolphus and Albertus this prouerbe in those dayes passing of him Intrauit vt vulpes regnauit vt leo mortuus est vt Canis that is to say He entred like a fox raigned like a lion and died like a dogge For when Coelestin the fift a good simple companion did possesse the Sea of Rome and for his honestie and specially for that he
commaunded the Cardinals to ride no more on horses nor Mules but vpon asses was by them hated had in contempt This craftie foxe did ordeine a man to feine him selfe an Angel of God who speaking through a gutter or pype which was bored through a wal did warne Coelestine by night as in a vision to giue vp his charge he being vnfit for the place and therefore to resigne it vnto some other more able for that function Insomuch as this Boniface by this subtill deuice obteined the Popedome mocking with God and his owne profession And immediatlie after this fearing least Coelestine might yet giue out him selfe for the right Pope did throwe him into prison and caused him there most miserablie to ende his life Further hee playâ— many iniurious vngodlie partes more for he dispossessed by meere force two Cardinals being of the stocke of the Columneses not onelie from their Cardinalships but also from their owne proper inheritances because they had reported that hee was not the right and lawfull Pope Also he did banish and curse Sara Columna with all the Columneses He refused to crowne the Emperour Albertus and setting the crowne vpon his owne head and girding the sword to his side said I am Emperour my selfe Yet notwithstanding after that the King of France did in his owne person crowne him to spite the Pope which king of Fraunce named Philip hee did likewise excommunicate and adiudged him to be dispossessed and deposed from his kingdome the same apperteining to the Emperour Albertus because hee denied the Pope for his Soueraigne Yet besides this in token of his godlinesse and to the ende eche one might knowe that hee deririded his owne religion It fortuned on a tyme in the Citie of Genes that hee had in handling the Archdeane named Prochetum vppon the first daye of Lent coÌ„monly called Ashwednesday And in place that he shoulde print the signe of the crosse on his forehead with hallowed ashes after the accustomed manner of the Romish Church and say Memento homo quia cinis es in cinerem reuerteris that is to say Remember O man that thou art ashes and to ashes thou shalt returne he tooke a handfull of asshes and threwe them into the good mans eyes and said in a great rage Memento homo quia Gibellinus es cum Gibellinis in cinerem reuerteris that is to say Remember O man that thou art a Gibelline for they were called Gibellines which tooke part with the Emperour and shalt bee consumed with the Gibellines to dust and therewithall did he bereaue him of his benefice But what shall I say further It doeth manifestlie appeare that he hath deserued a good place amongest the first quarters seeing he was at a general CouÌ„cell holden in Paris accused and founde guiltie of three speciall faultes namelie of Murther Heresie and Simonie or briberie â–ª and for those causes dispossessed of his Popedome and shortlie after was taken as prisoner in the towne of Anagnia where hee was resident and from thence conueied to Rome in a prison called castra de S. Angel â–ª where through verie spite malice hee became raging madde in so much as hee did gnawe and deuoure his owne handes and so most miserablie like to a dogge ended his life howbeit it seemed that the Diuels did maruelouslie mourne for him for the same whole daye was heard in the prison where hee died such great and horrible thunderclappes terrible sturre that it seemed al the belles Priestes and Monkes in hell did sing his Requiem for he had bene vnspeakable holie forsomuch as hee was the first which did set forth the shoppe of Indulgencies pardons and first brought to light the yere of Iubile Therefore it is most meete that hee furnishe this thirde place of these eight first quarters The fourth place we may of dutie attribute to Iohn the 23. forsomuch as hee was a manifest and professed Heretike defending not onelie by woordes but also openlie that the soules die together with the bodies till the latâ—er day of the resurrection And verelie at his election the holie spirit of the Cardinals was so zealously inflamed that two of the most principall were murdered yea he him selfe was inflamed with a burning zeale towardes our deare mother the holie Church and therefore did condemne the Emperour Lodowick of Beyren for an Heretike because he would not take the Emperiall crowne at the hands of the holie Pope of Rome yet was he him selfe afterwardes in a generall Councell found an heretike and by Nicholas the fift who possessed his place was figuratiuelie burnt like an heretike And further after his death were his opinions by his successour Benedict the 12. condemned for heresies Hee was also before by the Generall of the Gray friers named Michael of Saesena complained vppon and accused of an other heresie to wit that he would by force mainteine against all sufficient and true proofes of the Scripture That Christ and his Apostles had in this worlde borne temporall rule yet notwithstanding howesoeuer hee vsed the matter he reigned remained Pope For he made two Saintes namely Thomas of Erford Thomas of Aquin and ordeined that at night should be song Aue Maria therfore is he also worthily nuÌ„bred among the noble ringleaders of the spiritualtie in this first quarter For the sift in this quarter we may place Gregorie the 11. who reigned about the yere 1371. Seeing he lying at the point of death did make a most true coÌ„fession declaring him self thereby not much better than an heretike for after he like an honest man had of meere malice banished cursed all the Florentines and with a mightie armie had sought their confusion and had raised the tenth pennie throughout al Germanie whereby hee had caused a great schisme to grow among the people At last death approching he sent for his Cardinals and other Prelates to come to him and holding the Sacrament in his hande coniured euerie one which were there present that they shoulde beware from dooing those or other such like thinges as hee had done forsomuch as hee in place of Gods woorde and following of good counsell had inclined to those whiche sought to preferre their owne false imaginations and feigned dreames and thereby had brought the Church to a perfect likelihoode of confusion and ruine by great debate and schisme like as iâ— did sufficientlie appeare after his death For immediatlie did arrise the horrible schisme which the Historiographers doe tearme The twentie and two Schisme which continued aboue fortie yeres After this followeth in the sixt place of the first quarter a worthie and an Ancient bearer vp of all vngodlie Heretikes and Epicures called Iohn the 24. who at the first brought to passe that Alexander the fift and Pope next before him by an approued and faithfull seruice of his Physicion named Daniel de Sancta Sophia was with a Romish figge pickt ouer the
ordeine two chaires to be heawen of Porphyr stone where they vsed to feele froÌ„ vnder whether the new chosen Pope was furnished of al his ware Howbeit that custome is now left for that they make the matter manifest by acte and by the number of their bastards which before hande they do get Afterwarde they are descended of Lando who begotte Iohn the eleuenth in adulterie and further passed the most part of his life with whores wherefore hee is to occupie the seconde degree of these quarters And his sonne Iohn the eleuenth maye followe his father in the thirde degree of this quarter who by the shameles whore Theodora Regent Gouernesse of the citie of Rome was first forced to vse fornication with her and after that when he had shewed him selfe willing in the same was first created Bishop of Bullen after of Rauenna and lastlie made Pope of Rome Which fell out a sower sawce vnto him for Marozia daughter to the foresaid Theodora being also a subtill strumpet brought to passe by the helpe of her husband Guido Gouernour of Thuscane that some of his souldiers did apprehende him at S. Iohns in the Pallace of Lateran in the yere 928. there with a cushen twhartning his mouth did pitifully smother him And this happened to the ende that this Morozia might further her son Iohn the 12. whom Pope Sergio the 3. had begotten on her in adulterie to the holy Seat of Rome Howbeit that ioy did not continue forsomuch as he that same yere was by a great commocioÌ„ of the citizens of Rome deposed and Leo the 6. set in his place But this Leo was within seuen monethes after in the yeare 930. poysoned by Marozia further as men suppose Stephanus the 6. who did succeede him was serued with the like sauâ—e sent to the kingdom of Mooles Insomuch as the foresaid Iohn her sonne did at last achieue the holie seat againe Nowe this said Marozia had a sonne named Albericus who perceiuing that he was mightie and feared in the citie of Rome did compell the nobilitie Magistrates of the same by oth that they after the decease of Pope Agapitus who then reigned should elect and make his sonne Octauian Pope as in deede they did and hee was called Iohn the 13. who forsomuch as he was desceÌ„ded of whores and knaues shewed him selfe no changeling but declared of what stocke he came For he was so excedingly giueÌ„ to vnchastitie and filthie liuing that he maintained an open stewes and being for the same blamed by the Cardinals from the one he cut of his nose from the other his hand and from the third his legges and priuie members So that of duetie he is to be placed in the fourth quarter amongst the noble forefathers of the spiritualtie This is the verie same who did vowe homage to the Emperour Otto according to the othe which is registred in the Decrees And hee likewise crowned the said Emperour But when Otto had turned his backe hee tooke part against him with his foe the sonne of Albertus Berengarius The which when the Emperour vnderstood hee returned againe towards Rome And then my lord the Pope betooke him selfe to his heeles flying into the wilde wooddes and would not by anie meanes come in presence of the Emperour notwithstanding the promises and assurances whiche were made vnto him Wherefore the Emperour caused a Councell to be gathered wherein the Pope was complained vpon and accused with these faultes following to wit That he did not read his drudgerie that in saying Masse he did not receiue the Sacrament of the Altar that hee had made a Deane in a stable that hee had committed whoredome with two sisters that he had made Bishops of children that he had defiled manie yong virgins and widowes that of S. Iohns Pallaice at Laterane hee had made an open stewes that he had lyen by and had at will his fathers Concubine named Stephana also a widdowe named Rauera and yet an other called Anna with a Niece of hers Besides that he had bin the occasion of fiers which suÌ„drie times had happened that he had broken vp windowes and gates in the night time that he had offered vp wine to the deuill and in gaming with dice had inuocated besought ayde of the deuill with manie such Popelie parts which were to tedious to repeate For which causes he was in that Councel deposed by the Emperour with consent of the Prelates and in his steade was placed Leo the 8. Yet notwithstaÌ„ding after the Emperours departure the whores of Rome whom he had his friends wrought so much with the Nobilitie of Rome plaied their partes so gallantlie with great summes of money and by promising the substance and coyne of the Church that hee was yet once againe called to the Seate and the aforesaid Leo put of But this soone ripe fruite was soone rotten for hee was shortelie after by a man that dwelt without Rome in the night time thrust thorough with a dagger beeing taken a sleepe in bed with his wife And this was hee who first taught his successours to christen belles caused the great bell of S. Iohns at Lateran to be called by his owne name After whom wee may place Paule the 2. in the fourth degree of this quarter who first boasted to haue al Gods and mans lawes shut vppe in his breast So as it was no maruell that hee did so carefullie pamper the same with ioyllie good cheare for the most part past and spent his time with viewing of olde golde and antique coynes And further to studie by all the meanes he could deuise to make and set out him self proper and neate with al maner of pearles and pretious stones wherein hee past all his predecessours Yea when hee should shewe him selfe hee did painte and coulour his face with a certein kinde of vernishe and other like trumperie like to his countriewomen the Courtisanes and Strumpettes of Venize amongst whom hee had a long time gonne to schoole He was the first likewise which ordeined That the Cardinals shuld haue their close stooles and pispottes couered ouer with Crimson veluet â–ª which they euen at this day do yet most duelie obserue as did sufficientlie appeare at the Councel of Trent whither they caused such goodlie stuffe to be conueied on their Mules amongst other of their most costlie and precious iewels At last notwithstanding that hee was reported to be most cunning and famous in the arte of witchcraft and coniuring hee could not auoide nor saue him selfe but the deuill his good maister brake his necke whilest he was practising his vntollerable Sodomiticall filthines wherein hee often after the Venetian maner did accustome him selfe In consideration whereof hee must of right be reckoned in the register of this gentle generation After whome not onelie in the Popedome but also in good life â–ª did follow Sixtus the 4. who was not him selfe alone addicted
to witte All Buggerers all such as lie with their mother and sister all Sodomites and Gomorites all seducers of children all vngodlie Epicures which openlie do scoffe at God and Christ all blasphemers and cursers all periurers all whoores and knaues all proude and salte bitches all Bawdes Ruffians and slewes haunters all villaines and theeues all falsifiers of Scriptures and Gods testament all traitours and ministers of poyson all dice coggers false counterfeiters and clippers of coyne Câ—awbackes Parasites Hanggebyes Shiâ—â—ers and Couseners all Sorcerers and Coniurers all newe fangled and inuenting practisers all braggers boasters all enhaunsers of coyne lease mongers and vsurers In summe all rascalls knaues roges gallowclappers and castawayes keepe in the Court of Rome open housholde and there bee enterteined and friendlie welcomed There doe they obteine Benefices by heapes Bishops miters Cardinals hats Popelie crownes There do they write bookes of Sodomitrie and all maner incontinencie and esteeme them for a godlie matter like as haue done the Bishoppe Monseur de 〈◊〉 Casa and Petro Aretino There doe they keepe common schooles and dispute whether Matrimonie is better than Sodomitrie Also whether the soule be mortall whether Christ hath euer bene like as Pope Leo the tenth did There is kept the staple of all villainie which may be thought on There do men fetch dispensations for all sinnes and incontinent liuing like as may expressely be seene in the Taxa Poenitentiaria There do they buy and sell holy and vnholie women and men sonnes and daughters soule and bodie Bulles and Pardons Benefices and Venefices yea God and the Diuell S. Peter and Saint Paule and all thinges whatsoeuer are there to sell. Yea the towne it selfe would be solde so far forth as a merchant might be found who had monie ynough like as sixteene or seuenteene hundreth yeres ago was prophesied by one named Iugurtha To conclude there is not anie thing so wicked nor irksome in all the worlde which is not franklie and freelie allowed and permitted to be done in Rome onelie is excepted and forbidden to liue godlie Like as the aforenamed Monke Baptista Mantuanus him selfe hath testified writing thus Viuere qui sancte cupitis Discedite Roma Omnia cum liceant Non licet esse pium That is to say All you which desire to liue in holinesse From Rome must retire the sinke of sinfulnesse Where all things are free for euery man to vse Saue godlie to bee which all men must refuse Behold for this cause was maister Gentian well and wiselie aduised and would not reason to farre in these matters fearing least he might haue touched the Citie of Rome to nigh â–ª forsomuch as eache doeth sufficientlie knowe that the thrift and staple of those things which hee did burthen the Heretikes withall is in the citie of Rome yea in the Court and Palace of the holie father the Pope For Rome as the Italian Poet Franciscus Petrarcha hath finelie soung is a right Fontana di dolore Albergo d'ira Scola d'errori â— Tâ—mpio d'heresia Gia Roma hor Babylonia falsa ria Per cui tanto si piagne si sospira O fucina d'inganni O priglon d'ira Oue'l ben muore e'l mai si nutre cria Di viui Inferno vn gran miracol sia Se Christo teco al fine non s'adira Item Nido di tradimenti in cui se coua QuaÌ„to mal par lo moÌ„do hoggi si spaÌ„de Di vin serua di letti di viuande In cui Lussuria fa l'vltima proua c. That is to say A gulfe of great greefe a rocke of furious rage And take it in breefe a schoole or common cage Of errours most straunge Farre Rome to looke vpon But marke well the chaunge nowe beastlie Babylon O dungeon most deepe of fraude deceipte and guile O cage fitte to keepe hotte hate and vengeance vile Where vices preuaile where â–ª vertue lies starke dead Where sinne with full saile all states hath long misselead O whirlepoole of hell O fowle and stinking lakes Such as in thee dwell all goodnesse quite forsakes A rare and straunge worldes wonder thou wilt of all be thought If Sathan keepe thee vnder and Christ set thee at nought Item O neast of diuelish treason from whence all vices issue O enimie to reason O fatall foe to vertue O drudge to drowzie dronknesse and surfetting excesse O shrowde of shifters shamelesse as whoores and such like ghesse c. To the contrarie hereof these Hereticall and Huguenote Preachers like as they are sworne enimies to the holie Romish religion so in like maner do they hate and persecute the auncient Romish orders and worthie traditions especiallie in that thrise accursed citie of Geneua they are such terrible enimies to our Romish practises and worthie feates that if anie dare once presume there with women to practise the Romish Gomorrian or Clementine manner hee should first bee made a Cardinal with a redde hatte vppon his head or a Bishop at Tyborne where he might giue his benediction with his heeles and his Mantle or Bishoppes cloake would not stand him in thirtie thousand Ducates like as the Mantles do at Rome Therefore if maister Gentian his case be not cleare as it is to bee doubted of one so faithfull a subiect of the holie Romishe Church but that he is somewhat tainted with the Romish holinesse I would by anie meanes aduise him to visit these newe founde Preachers or to tast of the Huguenotes reformation or mortification Although it seeme by his writing that hee would gladlie knowe howe the matter is wrought amongest them but if hee bee wise he will keepe him thence and beare aloofe from them for it might breed a scab and cause all the veines in his bodie to repent his enterprise For their mortification is to the Romish beleeuing Christians such a bitter receipte and lothsome pill that it would goe neere to make them burst If maister Gentianus bee well in his wittes hee will packe thence and rather trudge to Rome to his father the Pope to holde with the mortification of the holie Churche of Rome For our deare mother is so kinde that she gladlie receiueth all commers into her lappe according to the expresse text of the Prophet Ezechiel to wit The daughter of Israel hath laid open her legges for euerie one which passeth by her and receiueth euerie one Lutheranes and Huguenotes onelie excepted And further prouided â–ª that the taxations and rates of the Apostolical Penance parlour be allowed in token of an vpright penance As namelie Whosoeuer hath layen with his mother or sister the said shall for foure pounde Turnois be remitted But whosoeuer besides this haue committed aduoutrie with her to wit shee hauing a husbande then must hee paye six pound Whosoeuer is accused and founde guiltie of Simonie shal be forced to paie fiue and thirtie poundes Turnoys But whosoeuer hath slaine father or mother sister or brother â–ª the saide shall
fashion and when they come to be full growen Bees then must they the thirde time bee salued againe with oyle and therewithall they come to a full naturall and most perfect kinde The locke of this Booke HErein I thought good to instruct thee good reader to the end thou mightest discerne the nature and propertie of these Bees from the other common honnie Bees and not to thinke that in all respectes they agree but differ in many But whosoeuer hath any vnderstanding will perfectly perceiue it of him selfe Therefore will wee not trouble thee any longer but make an end of this our Bee hiue Each reade consider specially ponder all the witnesses and allegations which are alledged herein as well out of the Scripture as other Bookes I trust he shall reape commoditie by it God the Lorde lighten all our hearts with his holy spirit and keepe vs from all errours through his euerlasting trueth wisdome and Sonne Iesus Christ to whom belongeth all praise honor and glorie with the Father in the vnitie of the holy Ghost Amen FINIS Afterwarde Bishop of Antwerpe Vinum 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 do 〈…〉 lie Vinum Co◠〈…〉 is to 〈…〉 good coloâ—â— smell and 〈◊〉 As well shee Saintes as hee Saintes They were called Geâ—ses 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 against the Papistes Lutheranâ—â— Huguenotes are Heretikes â–ª Church of God and Heretikes Ioh. 10.3 4 â— 14 25. Iohn 10 1â— Mat. 15.9 Ioh. 10.9 Iere. 7.4 Ephes. 2.20 Esai 59.21 Ephe. 4.15 16. Colo. 1.18 and 2.19 Iohn 15.6 which witnes is to this purpose set foorth of Iohn Audre as Panormitanus Hostiensis Bernardus Lutzenburgen in the 4. boke of the Heretikes in the 5. part and by other moe Catholike wrâ—ters Iohn Patriarch of CoÌ„stantinople Bonifacâ—us â— the first head of holy Church Phocas Popes accoâ—â—â—â— for Antichrists The Grekes against the Pope of Rome Iohannes the 23. pope The Grekes do answere pope Iohn This doth Iohn Man-deuil write of in his 7. booke Eâ—genius 4 Constantiâ—us Leo. Images forbidden despised The cause wherefore the Popes did diuide the Empire The Grekes and the Germanes did withstande the forbidding of priestes to marie â—il Boniface 8. did set it vp by force Berthramus Nota. Io. Scotus BereÌ„garius Huldricus Bishop of Auxburge Bernardus Iohannes Sarisburien Petrus Bloix Deuilish Griphines Petrus Valdo Petrus de Vinea Guilielmus de sancto Amore. Petrus Cass. Dulsimus Iohn VViclef Iohn Hus. Hieronym de Praga Nicholaus Clemangis Oldecastell VVight Paul Cravv Hieronym Sauanerolâ— Okam and Dante The Phariseis gloses The church is aboue the Scripture Deut. 4.1 12 32. Pro. 30.6 Apo. 22.18 This is thus set forth by Ioh. Eckiâ—s in his book called Enchiridium loco com Guilielmus Blindasinus The ten coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„ts falsified Look in the Catechisme or the suÌ„me of our beleeue printed at Antwerp by the commandement of the King of Spaine Item look in Thomas de Aquino vpoÌ„ the ten commandements and vpon al the catholike doctours euerie one of them All which haue cleane left out the seconde commandemeÌ„t â–ª in the lettting foorth of the ten commandements Mat. 26.27 Maâ— 14.23 Lu. 22.17 1. Cor. 11 2â— Marke touching this the Master of the Sentences in the 4. booke the 12. dist 4. ca. And vpon the Encherid of Eckius in the booke of Bernard of Luxen In the 12. part of the 4. booke of Heretikes and in al other Catholike writers who do specially treate of this matter This standeth in the third booke of the CouÌ„cels in the Councell of Constance in the 14. session 1. Cor. 7.9 and 2. 1. Timo. 3.4 A charge to the bishops Heb. 13.4 1. Tim. 3.4 This is set foorth in plain words in the Decrees of the Popes in the Chap. Proposuisti in the 82. dist and in the Chap. Decreminus the 22. dist and in the chap. Tene the 31. dist it is likewise in the book of the Sentences in the 17. dist â—n the 4 chap. In the 4. Epist. of Pope Cere in the first book of couÌ„cels fol. 422 col 2. and 423. This standeth euen thus word for word in the booke of Decrees in the chap. Sors noÌ„ est causa 26. quaest 2. Math. 5.32.19 7. Mar. 10.4 Luke 16.18 1. Cor. 7.10 Christning breakes matrimonie of the common laye people Deus dedit In the chap. Peruenit causa 31. quaest 1. Conc. Trib. the 6. chap. in the decrees in the cap. Impu in the ca. Si quis sacr caus 27. quaest 1. In the chap. Hac ratione cau 31. qu. â— Rom. 7.2.3 1. Cor. 7.9.28 1. Tim. 5.14 Strange languages in the Church 1. Cor. 14. the whole chapter thorough Eâ—lcius in his Encheiredion Figius in libro cont Hosius in a certeine boke which he set out of this matter onely a Deu. 4.2.5 32.12.4 8.13.32 Iere. 11.4.8 Esai 1 12.2â—.13 Mat. 15.9 Col. 2.20 21 22 23. Exod. 20.4 5.22 Deu. 12.8.9 Leuit. 26.1 Deut. 4. whole thorough Deut. 16â—22 Esai 40.41 42. whole through Iere. 10. Abacuk 2. Ps. 115. and in other innumerable places 1. Iohn 5.21 Leui. 19.26 Deâ—t 18.10 11. Con. Laodicen ca 30 Con. Cart. cap. 39. cap. Non oportet cap. Auguris caus 26 quaest 5. L. Vnica co de thesauris lib. 10 cap. illos 26. quaest 2. Coniuring This coniuratioÌ„ you shall find worde for word in the Masse booke More coniurations Nota. Senora Maria Osorio Christning and coniuring of Belles Bonifa 8. C. alma mater F. adijcimus de senten in sexto And Gregorie 9. Ea permittim in decreta 4 de Sententia excommunicat Peruse like wise Philippum Francum vpon the saide Cant. Alma mater F. adijcimus nu 4. other Canonists Caldar in tract de interdictis in par un â—7 Iohn Cald. Albert. de Rosat in dictionario supâ—r verbo Campane Processes for the knolling of Aue Maria. Christning of ensignes Iodocus Tiletanus not contented with the Gospel In his booke written agaynst the confessioÌ„ of the preachers of Antwerpe a This is also specified â–ª in â—ecisionibus rote in decisio 1. num 3. in nouis Anton. Maria in addit 1 decis rote nouas de Bigamis nuâ— â— is likewise defeÌ„ded by the Iurist Caâ—olo ruino in cons. 109. num 1 in the 5. booke and of SigismuÌ„dus Neapolitanus b Eckius in Encherid Locorum communiâ— in the chap. Ecclesia 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 1. Gal. 8.9 Cap soâ—s non est 26. quâ—st 2. Col. 2.2.3.4 5.6.7.8.9.10 and 20.21.22 The rules or 〈…〉 Dominiâ—ke 〈◊〉 Barnarde 1. Pet. 2.2 Iohn 14.29 Iohn 15.15 This is specially written in the 5. booke 〈◊〉 deâ—re in the Bul of Pope Nicholas 4. beginning exiit qui senec his 1. de verborum signis This standeth plainly in their Legends â–ª and in the booke made of the might of our Ladie Rosa Crans which Alanus did make by the inspiration of Marie the Egyptian or of Egypt To die in a gray friers habite Conformitiâ—ies Iesuits Egnatius Leguiola Garaffa This is specially writeÌ„ in the 5.
matter Peruse the 11. chap. of the second part This is euen thus set downe word for worde in the decrees Cap. Dâ—lectissimiâ— Causa 12. quae 1 and in the 4. letter of ClemeÌ„t in the 1 part of the Councels Pythagoras whoÌ„ Plato did imitate in the goueâ—nement of his citie Married women common Psal. 133.1 Act. 4.32 For what cause the Church of Rome is called Catholike Seeke for this in the .2 chap. of the second parte All these goodly exposiâ—ions are written by the reuerend Bishop Durand in his booke called Rationale diuinorum officiorum in the .1 booke Rub. de ministerio ordine Ecclesiae And in the .4 booke of Sentences Psal. 24.7.9 Iohn 10. In the .4 booke of Sentences the .3 chap. In the 4. booke of Sentences the 4. chap. Acoluthus in Greeke is with vs as much as Page or one which followeth vs. Iohn 8. ca. and is repeated in the 4. booke of Senten cha 5.4 Dâ—st cap. 6.4 Dist. cap. 7. 4. Dist. cap. 8. and peruse the same allegatioÌ„ by Durand In the 23. and 77. Dist. Peruse the 11. chap. of the 2. part Ceremonies of the holy Churches in general Esaie 52.7 Rom. 10.18 This expositioÌ„ is set downe by Durandus in his booke called Rationale diuinorum officiorum chap. 7. Num 8. Slippers and breeches of the Popes Seeke the 10. chap. of the 2. part Durandus touching the Masâ—â— Search the 15. and 16. chap. of this 2. part Durandus his booke Pro. 22 28. Thus doth Eckius and all other Catholikes expounde it Auriculer confession These are the very wordes of Pope Innocent the 1. in a generall councell coÌ„cluded and is set down in the decrees Chap. Omnis vtriusque sextâ—s de penietentis remissionibus Nectarius In the yeare 395. This is set out in the storie triparâ—ite in the .9 booke Chap. 28. Chrisostome vpon the .51 Psal. and in the 3. Homelie vppon the .12 chap. to the Hebr And in the Homelie of penaunce c. Iohn 20.28 Whose sinnes you remit c. Act. 26.18 Chrysostome vpon the .23 of Mathewe the .44 homilie Mathew 8.4 Marke 1.44 Luke 5.14 This witnesse is by Eckius and all other Catholike writers interpreted to this sence Iames. 5.26 The SacrameÌ„t of seuen orders 1. Tim. 4.14 Looke the .18 Chap. of the .2 part Looke the 19. Chap. of the .1 parte The SacrameÌ„t of matrimonie Ephes. 5.32 Looke the 17. Chap. of the â— parte Looke the .1 chap. of the .2 parte Seuen bishops in the low countreis Vigilius Henricus de Vrâ—â— maâ—ia vpon the fourth booke of Sent. dist 1. Matth. 12. Luke 11. Apoc. 13 18. For each letter in greek makes one number 5.20.20.30.2 EKKΛH 200.10.1.10 Σ. IAI 30.1.30.10 TAΛI 20.1 KA Thâ—s makes together 666. Apoc. 13.17 Fire a Sacrament The finding of the Crosse a sacrament Water a Sacrament The Maister of sentences in the .1 chap. the dist and .4 booke Henricus de Vâ—â—maria vpon the foresaide texte of the sentences In the Masse booke Mark. 6.13 1. Cor. 12 2â— Act. 20.10 2. Reg. 4.34 â–ª Of inuocating â—mages looke the 4. leafe and 13. chap. of the 2. parte In the councell holden at Nicen in the 1. session in thâ— Anathematisme Idola Images are Saintes This historie is writen in the golden Legende Also in the booke of Leander Albert of Boloigne which he hath named the description of Italie in the 164. leafe of this booke printed in the yeare 1550. Item it is written by Vincent Lirinensis And so forth by brother Bernarde of Luâ—enburgh Doctor of follie in the 11. parte of the 4. booke called Catalogus Haereticorum Thomas part .3 Quaest. 25. Article 3. Latria Bonauentura super senten lib. 3. dist 9. quaest 2. this is reâ—ersed by brother Bâ—rnard of Luzenburge Leander Albert and other besides Heb. 9. throughout Col. 2.17.18 Gal. 4.9.10 and so foorth The faith of the Iewes out of Moses lawe Ceremonies of the Lutherans 1. Cor. 14.29 1. Cor. 11.2.25 This is in the decrees chap. vasa de consecra dist 1. And it was the Prouerb of Bonifacâ— of the marters Bishops Looke the foresaid Chap. Vasa In the Decrees and that which followeth And the councell Tribur Can. 9. Looke the whole first dist de consecrat in the decrees A synagoge of Iewes at Rome This taske hath authoritie without Italie But within Italie is a pounde Turnoys changed to a pound Sterling The Pope agreeth better with Iewes Turkes and Heathen than with Huguenotes Looke the .13 Chap. of the second part Iere. 7.17 Queene of Heauen Golden Calfe Agnus Dei. In the booke called Ceremoniale Roman Eccle. All these vertues are ascribed to the Agnus Dei or lamb of God. Looke also the 4.5 and 6 cap. of the 2. part Peruse the 4. chap. of the 2. part Touching this turne also to the 1. chap. of the 4. part Looke the 13. chap. of the 2. pâ—â—t The Image of the crosse prayed vnto Iohn Tekel the Popes Legate and after that Bishop of Mentz did preach this at Franckfort anno 1517. Latria Read the writers of Sent. which haue altogether concluded this after this maner The feast of the Speare Nailes of Christes passion Sponges The Asse taile The Manger Ezech. 9.4 Tau is an Hebrew word signifying with vs a token For that which Ezech doeth call Tau that doeth Iohn expounde for a seale Apo. 7.3 Thom. de Aquin. in the eâ—positioÌ„ of the Masse Guâ—do de monte Roch. in Encheir sacerd or the Pamphlet of Priestes in the title De Sac. Euc. Seeke alâ—o Durandus and Innocent for they do expounde these crosses also in like manner Looke the 16. chap. of the 2. Looke the 16. â—2 Gala. 6.14 Gala. 3.13 Deut. 21.23 Saintes 1. Tim. 2.5 In the councell of Nice in the councel of Trenâ— Peter Lombarde in the â–ª 4 booke of Senten .. dist 45. Bâ—nauent dist eadem arti 2. Looke the church songue beginning Aue praeclara maris stella Also looke the Masse bookes and the seruice of our Ladie Marie her Rosarium Hortulus animae the .7 tydes and other Popish bookes which are replenished with such pranckes This doth Bâ—â—nardinus Ochinus rehearse in his Apologio Graie friers Blacke friers Croutched Friers This storie is set foorth in the Churche of Loreta affirmed in the historie of â—eander Albert of Bullin called The description of Italâ— where he is writing of Recanati This demonstration is also written in the Church of Loret and is repeaâ—â—d by Leander Albert. Luke 1.48 Iohn 2.5 Offices of Saintes Homer in his 1. booke Iliadâ—â— â–ª 1. Reg. 8.39 Esai 43.3.14 and in manie places Psal. 50.15 Esa. 63.6.43.11 Esa. 63.16 and 64.10 Latria looke the 3. chap. of the 4 part Dulia Hyperdulia lokâ— the 1. chap. of the 4. part Mat. 4.10 Deut. 6.13.10.20 Galat. 4. â— â–ª The Scripture is full of such Looke the 4. chap. of this part Ge. 48.15.16 This witnes is brought forth by Eckius â—â—â—â—derius and all other Catholike writers treating