thynges so many hundred yeres before thei were amisse And that Theodoret could talke of thinges that were doen aboute .300 yere after he was dead You fauourers of Martine beholde your owne follie Furthermore the decree of Eugenius the fourth whereby the vnion of the Easte and Weste Churches were declared doeth shewe as the same Pope Eugenius doeth confesse that this dissention for the proceadyng of the holy ghoste began Nongentis amplius annis that is to saie more then .900 yeres before his tyme. And Eugenius the .4 began his rule in the yere of our Lorde .1431 out of the whiche number if ye take .900 and more accordyng to Pope Eugenius accompt it shall appere that Michael Paleologus though he were in the tyme of Nicholas the firste as Martine fasly reporteth was aboue 300. yeare after this dissention began whiche Martine for the mayntenaunce of his lyes saieth began in his tyme. If I shoulde bring in the firste caunsaile holden at Constantinople against Eunomius for deniyng of the procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne what can Martine saie Againste this Eunomius Basil and other haue written plentifullie Thus ye see concerning the beginnyng of this heresie againste the holy Ghoste Martine is founde a falsifier of histories not onely by the supputation of yeres but also by the verie testimony of the Pope hymself his God Now concernyng the cause of the disention betwene the Grekes and the Latines wherwith Martin charged the Emperour Michaell Paleologus The learned man cardinall Bessarion Patriarche of Constantinople and Archbushoppe of Nicea writeth a whole Chapiter for declaration of the cause of this schisme and dissention shewyng that the Bushoppe of Rome was the causer thereof for that he Suà vnius authoritate fretus aduocata synodo generali particulam illam communi symbolo fidei non cum communi ascensu ascripsit that is when he had called a generall counsaile he tooke vpon hym of his owne priuate aucthority to adde this parcell of the proceadyng of the holy Ghoste from the father and the sonne to the common créede without the consent of the rest of the other Bushoppes there assembled The Pope was the cause of the dissention betwene the greke and the latine Church contrarie to Martine Behold good reader a plaine profe that it was the rashe and temerouse boldnes of the Busshoppe of Rome that caused this dissention who of his owne aucthoritie would doe that tumultuously whiche he might haue doen with others consente quietly and that was it which caused first all that dissention that ensued also the latter ruine mischief distructiō and Turkishe captiuitie which Martin saieth is this daie lighted vpon the churche of God in Grecia But Martin will saie the thyng that he did was good Yea but the maner of the doyng was suche as I thinke Martine if he throughly knowe it as he would seme to doe hym self for al his follie will not yet defende it And the inconueniencies that followed the Popes braules and beastly audacitie declare that the meanes whiche he vsed in compassyng his doynges were wicked and deuilishe So that wheras Martin imputeth the breach and contention betwene the Greke and the Latine churche and the ouerthrowe bothe of the Grecians Churche and kyngdome to the lecherous life of the vncle to the Emperour Michael Paleologus it is proued that the Pope the aucthour of all mischief in the Churche of God was the onely matche that kindeled this fire A worthie matter doubtlesse to depriue the Pope for euer after from bearyng any rule though there were nothyng els wherwith to charge hym And thus is Martin once again ouerthrowen with his owne reason Two lies of Martines at a cast and taken with a double lye aswell for the alledgyng of the heresie againste the holie ghoste to begin so lately whiche began so many hundred yeres before As for aduouchyng the dissention whiche rose betwene the Easte and the Weste Churche to procede first of lecherie and ambitiō as he termeth it in his note in the margente of the Emperour Michael Paleologus and his vncle whiche proceded firste as ye sée by the testimonie of Bessarion from Gods greate enemie the Pope the Archeheretique in Christendome Now to make aunswere to that fewe lines whiche remaineth in Martines first Chapiter I neede not to take farther paines because thei be nothyng els but lies and railynges grounded vpon false groundes as I haue before declared onely to this ende that Henry the eight the Queenes father might appere to the worlde bothe a Lechour an Heretique and a man full of all other wickednesse out of whose naughtie life Martine would haue all the preachyng in kyng Edwardes daies whiche he calleth heresie to haue his first originall And the procedynges of the late Parliament in the seconde yere of the Queenes reigne wherein all her fathers doynges in religion be condemned seme to confirme the same So that the Quéenes Father if he had been suche a man as the Papistes reporte hym were nowe condempned with vs. Wherefore it is to be thought seyng that almighty God hath permitted some of vs to suffer Martirdome by fire by bloodie persecution and the tirannie of the Popes Lawe and tormentes for professyng the truthe of Gods woorde that now the bodie of that noble Prince the Quéenes Father because he was the beginner of all this as Martine reporteth and the continuer of it .xxv. yeres as the procedynges of the Parliamente seme to pronounce shal bee taken vp at Windsore and burned as Wicklifes was All men of wisedome and discretion maie iudge of thee if thou were not as thou shewest thy self a shamelesse railer voide of all regarde against whom thy tongue talketh that it had been thy parte to haue couered the faulte of the Queenes Father if thou haddest any faulte wherewith to charge hym leste the worlde perceiue some vnnaturalnesse in her so to suffer her noble Father nowe beyng dead to bee railed vpon by one who shewed hym selfe a traitour to hym when he was a liue All the worlde right well knoweth that there is no sparke neither of Gods spirite neither of good nature in those children whiche are not greued to heare their deade parentes euill reported and their faultes reuealed Suche is the reuerence due to them that bee dead vnto whom we ought obedience in the time of their life And what good opinion maie any man euer hereafter conceiue of suche a Papiste and of a great rable of the rest who glory in nothyng more now then that thei haue been rancke traitours these many yeres And what thyng shall haue the name of vice where treason is made a vertue Or what iustice can be ministered where a traitour is the Iudge Who knoweth not in a Counsaile where there bee but twelue what a perilous thyng it was to haue one Iudas though none of the reste loued hym How muche more is it then perilous where all the reste
father the Pope hym self For Gregorie Busshop of Rome writyng to the busshop of Rauenna saith on this wise Vir mulier siâ—se coniunxerint dixerit postea mulier de viro quòd coire noÌ„ possit cuÌ„ ea si possit probare quod verum sit per iustum iudicium accipiat alium If a man and a woman be maried together saieth the Pope and the woman afterwarde saie that the man can haue no carnall knowledge of her can bring forthe lawfull profe thereof let her take an other Moreouer before in the same question and afterward in the chapiter Si quis these wordes bee plaine and in maner the verie same that Luther hath spoken Impossibilitas reddendi debitum soluit vinculum coÌ„iugij The impossibilitie of doyng the matrimonicall dueâ—ie breaketh the bonde of matrimonie Understandyng the same defecte to be naturall as Luther by the plaine wordes there declareth that he doeth And the self same doctrine is largelie sette forthe and allowed by the master of the Sentence Lib. 4. d. 34. Wherefore like as for this saiyng Luther can not be charged with any newe doctrine for that the same is taught by the Pope hymself and the master of the sentence Magilier seâ—â—one lib. 4. D. â—4 read the place and iudge and Gratianus c So can not the same discharge Martine of his former euidente and moste manifest slaunderouse lie If the Papistes haue none of more credit then Martine the lewde Lawiar is to defende their quarrell their doctrine muste needes lie in the dust for lacke of men of honestie and credite to defende it If Martine were not shameles I would not but maruaile why he should so report of Luther concernyng his doctrine of Matrimonie in that boke for he is there so ware of his wordes and so circumspect with his pen in that poynt that he will define nothyng as by the verie last wordes there entreatyng vpon matrimonie it is moste euident whiche for breuitie I will omit Many tymes it chaunceth that self will breadeth muche ill and neuer more then when it lighteth vpon a greate Personage Whiche saiyng were proued very trewe by Martins story of Michael Paleologus if it were truelie reported But his mouthe is so full of lyes that a man canne not tell when he maye beleue hym He saieth he hath read that historie of Michael Paleologus in a gréeke aucthor And that may bee true but it is verie vnlikely because the histories do declare that there were diuerse Emperours of the easâ—e whose names were Michael but no more named as I remember Michael Paleologus sauyng Michael the seuenth and laste of that name Michael who was .1260 yeres after Christe as Chronicles doe witnes that is to say about 300 yeares ago But the history that Martine ascribed to the Emperoure Michael Paleologus was as he hymself saieth when Pope Nicholas about the yeare of our Lorde .860 sent out an excommunication against Photius Patriarche of Constantinople And so it foloweth that Michael Paleologus the Emperour was if Martins tale could be trewe foure hundred yeares before he was borne Whereby it should seme that Martines talke in this place is a notable faigned lyâ— and so muche the more like to be alye because he is in all the rest of his booke so geuen to liyng An other lye of Martins But let it bee true that Michael the sixt betwene whom and Pope Nicholas the first the contention was for Ignatius and Photius were named Michael Paleologus whiche I saie Martine cannot proue yet the history that Martine ioyneth to his matter that is that he hath redde the cause of the contention betwene Pope Nicholas the firste and hym was for a pleasure that the saied Emperoure should shewe to his vnckle for the puttyng awaie of his lawfull wife and mariyng his daughter in lawe I thincke bee not altogether true but that sumwhat in this history is added of Martines owne forging desiring to haue colour for his quarrell wheÌ„ he entendeth to sclaunder Kyng Henry the eight the Quéenes father Kyng henry the viii whiche entent of his appereth wheÌ„ he wisheth that the like had not béen practised elswhere And somwhat this my suspitioÌ„ is encreased by that Martine refuseth to name the Greeke aucthour whom he alledgeth And againe whereas in the bookes of generall Counsailes the earnest Epistles written from Nicholas the Pope to the Emperor Michaell the sixte for in those daies there were none named Paleologus as Martine saieth spake of the puttyng out of Ignatius and the puttyng in of Photius into the office of the Patriarche no mention is made of any suche matter whiche is not like the Pope would haue left out beyng as Martine alledgeth the chief cause of their fallyng out and speakyng so stoutely to the Emperor and touchyng hym so vilie as his Antechristian boldnesse doeth But how muche soeuer of the historie is true this chief poincte that Martine alledgeth the historie for that is that the heresie against the holy ghost and the contention thereof sprang vpon this occasion this I saie is manifestly false An other lye of Martins as by sundrie substanciall reasons I will proue plaine to suche as haue any knowledge of the doing in generall Counsailes Martin falsifieth histories and bee not as Martine is arrogantly wise wise I saie in their owne conceipt and not in déede For profe whereof firste and formoste it appeareth in the first booke and tenth chapiter in the historie of Theodoret Theodoâ—â—â— li. 1. ca. 10. an old Greeke aucthour by the confession of Pope Damasus 500. yeres before the tyme of that Emperour whom Martine falsly nameth Michael Paleologus whiche confession he sente to Paulinus Bushop of Thessalonica in Macedonia that anon after the Nicene Counsaile sprang coÌ„tention for doctrine against the holy ghost and that suche a businesse ensued thereof that the Fathers were faine to punishe the offendours therein by excommunication Wherevpon it followed that bothe in Toletano consilio ToletuÌ„ coÌ„câ—â— â–ª 1. 1. aboute .400 yeres after Christ and also in the seconde Counsaile whiche some name the seuenth Counsaile of Nice the Busshoppes did putte into the Crede the procedyng of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne as ye maie reade in those Counsailes The Latine vij Nicen concl 7. Nicen Counsaile was holden in the tyme of Pope Hadrian the first Hadrian was Anno D. 772. and the Emperour Michael Anno D. 25â— 100. yere before Michael had the contention with Pope Nicholas the firste in whose tyme Martin saith this error firste began and .500 yere before Michel Paleologus was borne of whom Martine falsly fathered this storie Which saiyng of his if it were true how could Theodoretus wrâ—â—e of it beyng dead in the tyme of Leo the first Emperor as Gennadius witnesseth many hundred yeres before Will Martine make men beleue that the first Counsaile at Tolet in Spaine and the 7. Counsaile of Nice amended
hotte iron of Antichristes stampe Dani. xi whose notes be Quod erit in concupiscentiis feminarum O blyndnes of hypocrisie which would leade vs out of the ryght way walkyng in the holynes of angels Coloss. ii counterfaytyng thynges which he neuer sawe him selfe causelesse puft vp in the iudgement of his fleshe Mercifull God what meant this rigorous Anselme as at this tyme to vrge so importunely this doctrine of Satan when he knewe and confessed in his epistle written to Wylliam his Archdeacon thus Considerandum etiam est quia hactenus ita fuit publicum hoc peccatum sodomiticum Epistol 78. cent 2. vt vix aliquis pro eo erubesceret et ideo multi magnitudinem eius nescientes in illud se praecipitabant It is to be considered that hytherto this sinne hath ben so publique that scant any man was ashamed therof and therefore many ignorant of the greatnes therof fell headlong thereto Wherevpon the sayde Anselme on a tyme when kyng Wylliam was going ouer sea to Normandie Edmer he made earnest suite to hym that he woulde geue commaundement yf it so pleased hym that the olde auncient synodes myght be renued agayne to refourme that which is amysse that christianitie whiche in this realme is in many almost wholly lost saith he may be restored to his olde state for the most horrible outrage of the Sodomiticall vice saith he is to much spread abrode besides the vnlawfull copulations of consanguinitie and other such detestable crymes that they haue defyled very many by their excesse ▪ c. If Anselme knewe this vice so foully to raigne in the realme Edmer li. i yea among the laitie who had libertie of maryage what myght he gather shoulde folowe where this libertie should be by his decree restrayned euen frō them who had presently their wyues in house with them and in possession What other thyng was lyke to folowe of this prohibition then such fylthynes as before rehearsed For as saint Barnarde doth inuey agaynst such Sup. Cant. serm 66. Tolle de ecclesia honorabile connubium thorum immaculatum nonne reples eam concubinariis incestuosis seminisluis mollibus masculorum concubitoribus omni denique genere immundorum Take away from the Churche honorable maryage and the bed vndefiled shalt thou not replenish it with concubinaries with incestuous copulations with sodomiticall vices and finally with all kynde of beastly persons This good religious man belyke perceauyng about that tyme the extremitie of these rigorous hypocrites inueyed sharpely agaynst them in the selfe same sermon with these wordes here and there They be sheepe saith he in outwarde habite but foxes in lyfe and woolfes in subtiltie and crueltie these be they that woulde be seene good but not so to be they woulde not be seene euyll but yet wyll so be these be they whiche to the cloke of their fylthynesse haue adournde them selues with the vowe of continencie and do iudge fylthynes to be reputed in wyues only where that only cause of hauing a wyfe is it which doth excuse al vncleanenes in companie these be they of whom saint Paul dyd speake Men attendyng to spirites of error and doctrines of deuyls not by the reuelation of Iesu Christe but rather and that without doubt as the holy ghost dyd prophesie before by illusion and fraude of deuyls peakyng lyes in hypocrisie forbyddyng to marrye Plainely they speake this saith he in hypocrisie and in foxes subtiltie pretendyng that they speake so for the loue of chastitie which they haue inuented rather to noryshe and multiplie the cause of fylthynes Yet saith he the matter is most euident that I do maruayle howe euer it coulde be perswaded at any tyme to any christian man Note this contemplatiue Barnardes spirite in these so sharpe wordes except that they be eyther so beastly that they do not perceaue how they geue ouer the brydle to all vncleanenes in condempnyng maryages or els be so full of wickednes and swallowed vp in deuyllyshe malice that though they do consider it yet they wyll not see it and so delyght in the dampnation of men For saith he take away mariage out of the Churche and by and by foloweth all fylthynesse as it is sayde afore Surely saith he continencie is very rare vpon the earth and thervppon the same Barnarde doth insult agaynst such Quid manum dei abbreuias quid largam benedictionem nuptiarū restringis c. Why doest thou abridge the hande of God why doest thou restraine the large and liberal benediction of mariages why doest thou chalenge that to be only appertayning to the virgin that is graunted to the whole kynde Ueryly Paul woulde not permit this except it were lawfull and yet I say not enough that he doth graunt it but he wylleth it also c. What is more manifest Ergo he graunteth it because it is lawfull and he wylleth it also because it is expedient And doth the heretique saith he forbyd that which is both lawfull and expedient He shall proue nothyng by this his prohibition but that he is an heretique And thus farre Barnarde agaynst these hypocrites and condempners of maryagies in diuers persons wrytyng euen about the very same tim when these prohibitions and seperations were a doing So hat Epiphanius as is afore rehearsed wryteth of such Pag. 81. a. Serpens alatus hic est scorpius alas habens secundum multos modos volans imitans quidem ecclesiae virginitatē non habens autem puram conscientiam This serpent fleeth abrode this scorpion hath wynges after diuers fashyons fleyng here and there and counterfaytyng virginitie of the Churche but yet without a pure and sincere conscience Iudge reader whether of these two mens spirites were most lyke to be of God or of Satan Anselmes who diuorced in this wretched and slyppery tyme them which were maryed agaynst the spirite of Pathnutius and other of the fathers in the Nicene councell and Lanfranckes spirite in his prohibityng maryed priestes to be seperated Or the spirite of Gregorie the great Sup pag. 201 who dyd write agaynst a lyke decree of Pelagius his predecessour and dissolued it saying Quod mihi durum atque incompetens videtur Dist. 31. ca. ante trien vt qui vsum continenciae non inuenit neque castitatē promisit compellatur a sua vxore separari atque per hoc quod absit in deterius cadat That is thought to me to be very harde and also importable that they which haue not the vse of continence nor haue promised chastitie shoulde be compelled to be separated from their wyues whervpon they may as God forbyd fall into worse It is not without good cause that the Byshoppes in kyng Henries tyme the first after the departure of Radulph archbyshop of Canterbury next successour to Anselme of a further experience agayne made suite to the kyng that they might chose a seculer clarke to be their primate and no more of the
this cause whiche is of God and of his Gospell and also depely to consider with what plagues almightie God reuēged the contempt of his holy institutiō in the foresaid raigne to much apparaunt in to much freshe remembraūce to be denied The discourse wherof as it were worthy yf any indifferent learned man should take in hand to set out in storie with the circumstaunces thereof it woulde ryse to a houge volume to the wonder of the godly wise heades of other countreys to see what we felt in these dayes here in the Realme but it is not like that the notabilitie therof wylbe forgotten to be transmitted to our posteritie hereafter in writyng Surely the briefe remembraūce of things chaunced may appeare lamentable to be considered as what immoderate raynes tempestes raged in one yere what intollerable heate and drowghtes in another yere what penurie scarsitie of corne and vittaile what hunger famine therof folowed what sickenesse what agues what strange mortalities reigned raged wherwith the eldest and grauest personages of all degrees and conditions were in great numbers wasted and consumed what misfortunes commonly fell to women with chylde in their delyuery what fyers chaunced farre aboue the wont of other yeres of princes raignes in many places wastyng whole vyllages townes and churches Agayne what crueltie was seene executed by fyeryng olde men and women young men maydes without choyse whether the women were with chylde or free from chyldren What proscriptions and banishmentes of learned men out of the Realme and suche as taryed within the Realme howe they were dryuen to corners spoyled and impoueryshed and such as could be gotten shamed openly by vyle penancies and shameful recantations And furthermore what rapes and vyllanyes committed aboue the common practised disorder by straungers and foreyners what impunities wonne and purchased to the vnchaste generation to recourse agayne to their olde trade of lewde lyuyng ▪ after they had confounded the priestes chast matrimonies so stablyshed and aucthorised by the hygh lawes of the Realme Then at the last what dishonor and losse the Realme suffered by losyng that notable borderer Calyce aforetymes so valiauntly wonne and gotten by king Edwarde the thirde and to these vnfortunate dayes of resumyng the great aduersarie of all christian Realmes the Pope of Rome agayne politiquely and chargeably maynteyned and defended in good sure possession to the comforte of the whole Realme to the terrour of all our forayne enemies I say to consider all these particularities as they myght deserue to be set out at lengthe what Englishe heart coulde forbeare teares and not inwardlye sygh and lament the miserie Which heauy infelicities the Englyshe chyldren yet vnborne shall wepe at and wayle to consider the same If these be not seuere tokens and proffes of Gods heauie displeasure toward Englande for so vylely despising his worde his light his religion his sacramentes his institutions what can be shewes of his wrath and indignation If open contempt of true matrimonie were not throughly punyshed and plagued in some certayne maryages whiche then were so gloryously begun so gorgiously set out and aduaunced so greatly reioyced at and such wonderfull fruite certaynely loked for and in conclusion howe it succeded how it ended what it brought foorth Here I ceasse and leaue it vntouched But let God be honoured who hath all power in his hande Let his worde and religion be reuerenced who is in a gelousie thereof Let his institutions be regarded the contempt whereof he wyll surely plague in them all whatsoeuer they be which despyse them as all ages and tymes all landes dominions haue euer felt and shall feele the same from the first destruction of Sodome and Gomorrha vntyll the laste day of Gods feareful iudgement when the sonne of man shall sende his Angels to gather out of his kyngdome all slaunders and offendicles and those which commit iniquitie he shall sende into the hotte burnyng fyre there shal be waylyng and gnashyng of teeth where the ryghteous shall then shyne as the sunne in the kingdome of their father Math. xiii He that hath eares to heare let him heare saith our sauiour Christe in his serious warnyng To whom with the father and the holy ghost all kyngdome power and glory be geuen for euer Amen ¶ Correct these faultes in the booke good reader before thou reade it so shalt thou better vnderstande the matter and lesse be deceaued Leafe Page Line Fault Correction 1 1 c. 4 finally floryshed finally haue floryshed 4 2 d 7 lo longe so longe 5 2 a 2 your our 6 1 d 1 haue haue had 10 1 d 4 euer neuer 6 2 a 5 the theyr 12 2 a 3 leane leaue 10 2 marg ad pompalianum ad Pompeianum 13 1 a 4 vnto not vnto 13 1 a 5 clearnes cleanes 15 1 d 3 fiftie nine sixtie nine 15 1 b 4 wyfes tyll wyues and were neuer forbidden generally tyll  32 b 6 huc est hinc est 16 1 b 2 chauncelour chauncellours  88 c 7 beonde beyonde  22 d 2 speed spyed  27 a 10 telleth tolleth  125 a 9 expediently expeditly  126 b 11 ye see ye feare  130 c 6 adde by this plague of three yeres   130 c 7 importeth imputeth  31 a 4 your you  140 a 10 ioyne enioyne  158 c 3 wrytyng wyuyng  186 c 3 grosser gloser  189 a 10 promyse prayse  190 c 2 be they lay fe be they of the laye fee  193 a 2 hereses heretiques  ibidē b 2 opportunitie importunitie    disperarent nō posse peruenire ad illū perfectionē quas virgines essequibantur desperarent nō posse perueniri ad illā perfectionem quam virgines assequebantur  54 b 5 lattuie latter  93 b 10 obseruation obseruant  214 d 3 in the margent 1502 1102  95 d 6 Dioretus Theodoretus  102 c 7 in the margent put 30. q. 5. Aliter  102 a 3 in the margent put 27. q. i nuptiarum  104 b 8 contort retort  107 b 5 adde to 26. q. 2. Sors  115 a 6 call can  130 b 3 redounde abounde  141 a 5 in the margent put lit EE 3. facie 2.  146 b 2 in the margent put lit EE 3. facie 2.  148 d 1 ca. 13 f 3 ca. 12. lit ff 3. facie 2  150 b 3 ca. 12. f m cap. 12. ff 3  154 a 1 in the margent adde dist 82. proposuisti in glos◠ 155 d 3 in the margent put ca. 5. f 1 b  162 d 9 in the margent put out pag. 139.  165 c 1 in the margent put ca. 11. y. iiii a. ca. 13. kk iii. ca. 10. S i. U i. ca. 13. L i. ca. 11. x iii.  204 a 9 in the margent 32. q. 7. Quod proposuisti  213 a 4 to consider what To consider once agayne what  216 b 9
the Quéenes highnes and so haue moued you to bee pitefull to our escapes and ouersightes into the whiche ye impelled vs with greate laisure of daies and yeres If we can not in our small and weake learnyng nor in our timerous conscience see cause so sodainly to decline againe to our old vomite whereof ye your selues ministered vs so strong purgatioÌ„ Can ye beate vs banishe vs proscribe vs and our parsones if wee doe not at the tourne of a yere perswade our selues seyng your selues were not so hastie or readie till all your senses were throughlie instructed and certified Oh fathers be ye yet mercifull in punishyng your owne transgressions in our bodies and persones whiche be what soeuer we be your members though your bodies and persones enioye your immunitie from all suche afflictions Wee doubte not but the conscieÌ„ces of some of you feeleth some greif with vs though our consciences bee at quiete vpon the grounde of your inuincible doctrine and though our bodies states and goodes be sore intreated Furthermore vpon your late assertions debatementes and subscriptions in your house of Conuocation with coÌ„mon assent presented to the high Courte of Parliamente and by the whole aucthoritie thereof so condescended vpon and enacted standyng the full right title and interest of the said primacie without coÌ„tradiction of any one man that was present to obiecte againste the saied supreme power in the Prince yea the self same men whiche now at this daie seme to dissent of whom some were absente yet in Parliamentes diuerse and many tymes before expressyng their assentes in matters of like confereÌ„ce we thought hereby we might haue learned an vniuersall stable determination with all other to haue ieoparded not our goodes and liuynges but our liues and soules And all this notwithstaÌ„dyng shall all your rightes and interestes bee still sarta tecta and our one onely facte in suche wise extended to bee so irremissible that it muste bee reuenged with all the rigour and extremitie that any enemie would seke at his enemie And you O fathers the executours of the paine that were the aucthours of the crime If this bee so verely then maie some men doubte whether we haue not iuste cause to saie Oze v. Hiere v. Quòd compleuit dominus furoreÌ„ suum effudit iram indignationis suae in nos Si sacerdotes ipsi laqueus facti sint speculationi laqueos ponentes pedicas ad capiendos viros That the Lorde hath accomplished his furie and hath poured out the wrathe of his indignation vpon vs. If the Priestes them seluâ—â— are become a snare settyng trappes for the watchemen and laiyng grinnes to catch men in But muche more then haue ye cause to discende into your owne hartes and conscieÌ„ces to bewaile your selues that God would so suffer you to wander in your owne vanities that where as ye might and ought to be plantatio dnÌ„i ad glorificanduÌ„ Esay vi Psal. xxii ii Peter ii Iude i. Esay x. virga baculus consolationis dnÌ„i The planting of the Lorde to glorifie him the rodde and staffe of the Lordes comforte now ye should be no other but Nubes aquaÌ„ non habentes que a ventis circumaguntur inescantes aiÌ„as instabiles Cloudes without water whiche are caried about with the windes beguilyng inconstante soules and so finally ye should be virga furoris domini that is the rodde of Goddes wrathe If ye would haue a chaste clergie O fathers is it this waie sought as ye yet I saie not altogether ye but certaine vnder your aucthoritie haue handeled the matter If you would haue had them fatherly sought to haue been wonne and by mutuall assentes of their coniugalles to haue béen continent in déede whoÌ„ ye found contracted whereby thei might haue doen seruice againe in the greate necessitie whiche ye maie see in the churche of England is it this waie procured Is thus the honour of the Clergie preserued to driue out so many twelue of sixtene thousaÌ„de as some writer maketh his accompte to so greate a perill and an aduenture of gettyng the liuynges God knoweth how and by what meanes a greate parte of theim and after all this doen and executed to the vttermoste and beyonde so farre against all iustice vpon a greate nomber euen after the charges of the cure serued the Tenthes and Subsidie paied and at the poincte of receiuyng that whiche was before labored for and deserued that snatched out of their mouthes by preuentioÌ„s Furthermore as though all this were yet to little some certain what thei be knoweth God to set vp so intemperate a tongue so importunate a Ciuilian forgetting his owne shame so vilely to blotte them with shame for euer disablyng them to be ministers again for any credence and thereto to endaunger theim their bodies and gooddes if it were iustifiable that he prateth out Sed qui operit odium fraudulenter reuelabitur malicia eius in consilio Pro. xxvj Qui fodit foueam incidit in eam qui voluit lapidem reuertetur ad ipsum But he that couereth his hatefull minde fraudulentlie to doe hurte his malice shal be shewed before the whole congregation Who so diggeth a pitte shall fall therein hymself and he that whirleth a stone shall stumble vpon it hym self As for his witte how wittie so euer he would seme to be and as for his learnyng hauyng no more then is here vttred how vniuersall yet so euer he would haue it appere were sone aunswered with an easte coste Marie your aucthoritie is more to be feared in this cause and yet your greate learning maie temper the feare of your aucthorities perswadyng to our selues that ye knowe your aucthorities geuen ad edificationem non ad destructionem to edifie and not to destroie doubtyng nothyng of your wisedomes that ye meane not to doe as ye will but as ye maie And that ye consider the state of the cause as it standeth in England the difference of the tymes that were once in the Churche and as thei be now their oportunities of folowing that grace whiche was so muche then ensued and yet their libertie to leape backe againe if experience shewed an inuicible difficilitie and our daielie intrications and necessities of liuyng in companie their plentie of learned ministers and our scarsitie not yet makyng hereby any sinistrall insinuation but affirmyng plainly that it were the better hauyng all other thynges accompaniyng the same without the whiche it were not commendable De virgininitate And yet as plainly affirmyng againe with saincte Augustine ê™ melior est in scriptura dei veritas dei quam in cuiusquam meÌ„te carne virginitas hominis That the truthe of God Contra Iouiniam contained in the Scripture of God is better then the virginitie of man whether it be in the minde or fleshe of any man with S. Hierome concludyng ê™ non sunt tanti virgines quanti necessarij sunt sacerdotes Nunquid saith he quia in exercitu
liue chaste to whom God by his secrete iudgemente geueth his gifte and that to some he geueth it not But these lyes with suche other many bee the flowers of your virginall preface in letter wise presented to Queene Marie a virgine as ye can flatter her as your maner is to flatter Princes to maintaine your owne partiall causes Ye professe to dedicate your boke to her highnes because ye haue taken vpō you the defence of virginitée but your boke is rather a bolsterer out of al vncleannes a defacer of Gods holy institutiō of Matrimonie a defence of vnpure liuyng vnder the cloke of virginitée Ye make her beleue that God hath sente her to trauaile for the reformation of the Churche of Englande and for restitution of the Catholike faithe againe to the same I will to this saie no more but God graunte that whiche is pretended to bee performed in opere veritate in deede and truthe Yet one thyng had I almost passed awaie whiche were worthy to be expended This Ciuilian affirmeth manifestly that the doctrine of Priestes mariage was firste inuented by Archeheretiques and practised also of their disciples In whiche saiyng I would knowe how he can discharge saincte Paule who in doctrine prescribed to Timothe Titus reckoned mariage emong the ornamentes of a Bushop Ad Oceanum as Hierome nameth it And Leo the first faieth that emong the rules and Canons of the election of a Bushop suche one is to be ordered who is certainly knowē fuisse Ad episcopos Aphricanos Epistola xlix ii ad cor 11. aut esse vnius vxoris virum to haue been or that now is th◠husbande of one wife And where this doctor saieth that the practise thereof should bée in the Archeheretiques disciples lette hym aunswere whether he meaneth Peter and almoste all the Apostles or no For all the Apostles saieth sainct Ambrose except Ihō and Paule had wiues Thus he writeth Virgines vult eos esse in fide hūc est hij sunt qui cum mulieribus non sunt coinquinati In mulieribus errorem significans nā si mulieres mulieres intelligas vt ideò putes dictas virgines quia corpora sua incontaminata seruauerunt excludes ab hac gloria sanctos quia oēs Apostoli exceptis Ioanne Paulo vxores habuerunt vide an conueniat accusare Petrum Apostolum qui primus inter Apostolos est c. That is he willeth theim to bee virgines in faithe therefore it is saied these are thei whiche are not defiled with women by women is signified errour for if thou shouldest vnderstande by women women in deede to thinke that the Apostles therefore were called virgines because thei kepte their bodies vndefiled thou shalt then exclude holy men from this glorie for all the Apostles excepte Ihon and Paule had wiues and see whether it be conuenient to accuse Peter the chief emongest the Apostles Thus farre sainct Ambrose Saincte Augustine also writeth In questionibus noui veteris testamenti ex vtroque mixtis q. Natus ex Anna sanctissimus Samuel filios genuit non tamen iusticiae suae merita minuit Zacharias sacerdos vir iustus in senectute sua dei nutu genuit filium quo nondum nato meruit Prophetare Qua ergo ratione accusatur quod minimè obesse probat Et quis neget bonum debere dici ▪ quod neminem ledit Et vt hoc loco aliquid de Apostolis dicatur quod ad robur pertinet causae Certè S. Ioannes castimonae suae erat custos condiscipulus autem eius S. Petrus vxorem habuisse cognoscitur primatum vt acciperet inter Apostolos non ei obstitit generatio filiorum Quomodo ergo condemnandum putatur quod non est impedimentum Hinc Apostolus eum qui vxorem habeat si in caeteris seruet mandata sacerdotem fieri posse debere ostendit Quod si illicitum erat non poterat vtique peccatorem dicere debere fieri sacerdotem The moste holy Samuell borne of Anne did begette children and for all that did not lose thereby the worthy praise of his righteousnesse And Zacharie the Prieste a righteous man by Goddes biddyng in his olde age did begette a sonne who before he was borne deserued to haue the gifte of Prophesie by what reason then is that thyng blamed whiche is thus proued to bee no hinderaunce And who can deny that ought to be called good which hurteth no man Furthermore to speake now in this place of the Apostles somewhat whiche maie make to the confirmation of this cause though sainct Ihon kept his chastitie yet it is knowen that his fellowe disciple that is to saie S. Peter had a wife and that it was no impediment to hym though he begatte children to obtaine the chief place emongest the Apostles How then can that thyng bee thoughte worthie condemnation whiche is no hinderaunce at all And therevpon the Apostle proueth that he whiche hath a wife if besides forthe he kepeth Goddes commaundementes maie be and ought to bee a Prieste whiche if it were vnlawfull he could not saie that a synner oughte to bee made a Priest Hetherto sainct Augustine So likewise Ignatius doeth testifie that Peter and Paule and other of the Apostles were maried men Qui non libidinis causa sed posteritatis subrogandae causa coniuges habuerunt whiche had wiues not for pleasures sake but for encrease of the posteritie Yea sainct Clement to reproue suche as Eusebius affirmeth that defamed mariage Lib. 3. ca. 30 saieth An Apostolos improbant Petrus enim Philippus vxores habuerunt filias etiam viris nuptum dederunt Sed Paulum non tedit Apostolum in quadam Epistola sua mētionem vel salutationem facere comparis suae quam ideo se negat circumducere vt ad predicationem Euangelij expeditior fiat Doe thei disallowe the Apostles Peter and Philip truely had wiues and maried their daughters to husbandes Yea the Apostle Paule was not ashamed to make a certain mention or salutation of his mate and yokefellowe in a certaine Epistle of his and saieth that he would not for this cause leade her about that he might be the lighter to the preachyng of the Gospel And this same Clement beyng with Peter Lib. vii a perpetuall companiō in his preachyng progresse saieth that Peters wife was with him And some stories saieth that he caried his wife and his daughter Petronell with hym to Rome And the saied Clement saieth Beatum Petrum cum vidisset vxorem suam duci ad passionem gauisum esse electionis gratia ac regressionis ad propriam domū exclamasse ad eam cum duceretur ac proprio nomine compellantem dixisse O coniunx memento domini c. When S. Peter saw his wife ledde to martyrdome he reioised for her elections sake and for her retourne againe to her owne home and with a loude voice callyng her by her proper name as she was
where Ciuilians and Canonistes by suche iontly and commonly procedyng in degrée together and therfore haue greate agréemente and affinitie together and that of this Ciuilian it cannot be saied that he is ouer seen in the lawe Cannone But maie bee called Can all And then againe hath suche a pleasure to bryng in his Tolet counsailes out of Spaine so oft and so thicke that thei beare the greateste rule in his greate mustre of his strounge lawes and great Canons because he would not flater as ye may be suer that he would not yet bring some of these lawes gloses and deuine Canons where by yet he mought haue declared howe throughly and vniuersally seene he is in the Canon lawe and expositours of the same But peraduenture he meaneth the aduauncement again of the Church to restore the old puritie and chastitie of the Clergie as hath been practised And therefore would haue all the world beleue that maried priestes be the most vnlearned priestes in the world most slouthfull and negligent in ministration and that it is most impossible for them to bee oft in the pulpit or visiting the sicke in the night as he saith not keping hospitalitie in the daie nor be at home resideÌ„t and that thei be moste couetous to gleane and scrape for their wiues and children and therefore keepe no howses at their benefices and that thei bee most vncarefull and vnnaturall for their neuewes and that thei dooe nothyng els but sitte by their wiues side and daunce them on ther lappes all the daie longe and that thei cannot be well iudged in any thyng that thei do but are to be suspected in all the towne beside for their experience and are to bee iudged that thei can not bee contented with one woman alone Now on the other side he would haue good catholike menne brought again to good belief to thauncient faithe of the churche to the good opinioÌ„ that thei haue had of the clergie before tyme to suppose well of all their doynges not to suspect them in any case because thei looke so sainctly thei speake soe deuoutly and carpe so catholikely not to feare them though their wiues cal for them oâ—te in their sickenesse to be visited in the night and to be confessed and though thei knowe by Lente confession for whom thei shall praie for al the yere folowyng not to iudge their doynges but to presume alwaie well of theim And therefore he would haue the worlde wonne againe to the Articles that bee in their holy Canon lawe Where it is written by thaucthoritie of Pope Antherius â—i q. 3. Absit Absit vt quicquam sinistrum de his arbitremur qui Apostolico gradui succedentes Christi corpus sacro ore coficiuÌ„t per quos Christiani sumus Qui claues regni coelorum habentes ante iudicij diem iudicant c. God forbid that we should thinke any thyng sinisterally of theim whiche beyng the successours of the Apostles in degree make the bodie of Christe with their holie mouthe By whose meanes wée bee Christen people For thei haue the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen and doe iudge before the daie of iudgement In the old lawe saith he who soeuer had not obeied the priestes either he was cast out of the hoste and stoned of the people or els had his head strikeÌ„ of with a sworde and so the contempte reuenged by his blood But now saieth he the disobedient is cutte a sunder by spirituall execution or els is he caste forthe of the Churche and is rente in péeces with the rauenous teethe of the deuill The glose noteth therevpon Clericus amplectens mulierem presumitur bene agere Si ergo clericus amplectitur mulierem interpretabitur ê™ causa benedicendi eam hoc faciat vt Dist. 96. In scripturis quamuis CanoÌ„ solam coÌ„fabulationem interpretatur in deteriorem partem c. A Clerke embrasyng a woman-muste bee presumed that he doeth well Some old peuishe Canon of the Apostles or of the primatiue Churche If therefore a Clerke take a woman by the middle it must be interpreted ê™ he that he doeth it to geue her his blessyng as in the .96 Distinction Ca. In scripturis although saith he the Canon will interprete the onely talkyng with her into the worste parte Yea S. Peter is brought in in the same distinction to speake when he ordeined Clement to be his successor Dist. 96. ca. quicunque Quicunque contristauerit doctorem veritatis peccat in Christum patrem omniuÌ„ exacerbat deum propter quod vita carebit aeterna What soeuer he be that will molest and make sadde a doctor of the truth he offendeth against Christe and doeth prouoke God the father of all for whiche cause he shall also want eternall life Thus thei would haue the people brought againe to their olde faithe and credulitie and not to bee to suspitious of them that professe virginitie But of the maried Priestes let theim thinke as euill as thei can deuise for he so desirâ—th it and to muche punishment is to little for theim And yet theim selues stande in doubte some tyme whether thei maie performe this common catholike faithe one of them to an other In so muche that in respecte of their holy chastitie 24 q. â— Quis vidâ—â— belike wherof thei neuer haue hartie repentaunce their owne Canonistes saie Quis vidit dignè sacerdotem poenitenteÌ„ Who euer sawe a prieste worthely sory for his offence And therefore sainct Hierom in that distinction searching the old stories saith I can not finde any other to haue rent the churche and that haue deceiued the people but onely those whiche are set of God to be the Priestes and Prophetes thâ—se be thei which be turned to craftie snares in all places geuyng slaunder Chrysostome agreeth to hym de poenitentia Dist. i. Quis aliquando vidit clericum citò poenitentiam agentem si depraehensus humiliauerit se non ideo dolet quòd peccauit sed ideo coÌ„funditur quia perdidit gloriam suam Who euer sawe the spirituall man tourning from his faute For though he be taken and humbleth him self yet he is not heauie for that he hath offended but for this cause he his confounded for that he hath lost his estimation And in deede there bee some misteries in doctrine in this matter that priestes committyng fornications with twentie women and so liue all their life long bee not yet halfe so euill as Priestes that haue wiues Whiche wholsome doctrine a man maie some tyme heare not onely of meane learned men but of some of the hiest learnyng that holdeth so Which secret mischief me thinke this man Marten should haue in his head by the maner of his writyng For where he laboureth with greate trauaill of his witte to proue secular Priestes votaries that the Priestes vowe standeth in this point sc neuer to marrie that is to abiure mariage and to conteine from mariyng which vowe some Lawiers and Deuines to do call
to the honorable nobilitée to all the learned and wise men in the realme and is not a shamed in his owne conceipte or at the least waye stande not in doubt in hymself that he can not so scape with his vntruthes so clearly but that some men will tell them at length to the nobilitie other graue personages of the realme whiche hath not the leasure to peruse and compare his writynges with the originalls them selues But it is to true in hym that is saied comonly Malè examinat verum omnis corruptus iudex Full euill is a true cause examined and expended by the iudge that is corrupt In his eight Chapiter where he laboureth to proue that all priestes be votaries whiche he shall neuer be able to proue of seculers Priestes ordered in this realme of England do the best he can he hath diuerse fetches Some tyme by argument of taciternitie out of scripture ther he glorieth highly that he hath scripture for the purpose to the wonder of all men to se how suche FreÌ„che Ciuilians wittes can contorte sciripture In deede it may be called an argument of Taâ—iturnitie for there is so muche scilence of any vowe makyng that neither the Bushop speaketh any suche matter whiche the prieste might for his scilence bynde hymself nor the Prieste professeth any suche vowe whiche the Busshops scilence should ratifie And then ye see how proper an argument it is out of the scripture whiche he bringeth an example of ye maie se how good a Logitian he is how quicke and wittie Then he cometh to the woordes that the Bushop speaketh to the Subdeacons as he saieth and first putteth in the Latin then Englisheth them and after glose them and biddeth the readed of good felowship to expende the Bushops wordes whiche he reciteth when he geueth orders Examine here with me good reader Cap. 8. lraÌ„ O. ij saieth he this the Bushops proposition and thou shalt anone see whether our priestes be not votaries and thou shalt espie also what trueth is in oure newe preachers that haue slauÌ„dered the church c. Who would thinke that vpon suche protestation he would euen straight waie for all this preamble bléere the readers eye with a manifest lye Now good reader as he desireth thee to examine this poynt euen so do I beseche thee And then espie by thy self what truthe is in this new Ciuilian And for the triall of his truthe and honestie aske hym if euer he heard any Bushoppe or suffragane in Englande speake that proposition to the Subdeacons And if he haue thei haue dreamed it of their owne heades for their haue it not in their owne pontificals by the whiche thei geue all their orders Therfore it is a most shamefull boldnes to beare the reader in hand that it is so saied by the Busshoppe when it is not by hym spoken And therefore in this poincte he is to impudent to make his strong argumentes vpon suche groundes as bee not aduoucheable But yet good reader leste he should blynde thine eye with a sleightie craft as is all his doynges in his boke peraduenture he maie for the aduouchyng of his report bryng thee to a pontificall booke shewe thee his wordes in deede But yet before thou geuest firme credence desier his good maistership of his worship to tell thee whether it be a very Englishe pontificall booke in deede by the which Englishe seculer priestes be coÌ„secrated in their orders And if he can proue that then vpon this poincte I am content that my whole boke be taken for false and vntrue If he can not proue his â—aiyng true where he saieth that our priestes bée votaries by force of those wordes beleue hym not in this lye though ye haue some cause to mistrust him in his other probatioÌ„s Mary sir if he bryng you to a pontificall booke of his holye father the Pope wherby at Rome and in Italie he geueth orders to his Subdeacons and priestes there what doeth that boke bind priestes in England beyng of an other territorie iurisdiction hauyng an other seueral maner in their orderyng and hath so vsed before this mannes great grandfather was borne or christened wherin the Busshop speaketh these onely woordes to the prieste wheÌ„ he laieth the stoale aboute his necke Accipe iugum domini Iugum enim eius suaue est onus eius leue stolam innocentiae induat te dominus Take the yoke of the Lorde for his yoke is swete and his burthen light And the lorde put vpon thee the stole of innocency In déede where in th ende of his xiij Chapiter this Doctor bryngeth in like wordes as be in the Englishe pontificall for Bushoppes Lâ—raÌ„ LL. â— but yet euen there he vseth a violent contorted argument against doctor Ponet alledgyng these wordes Vis castitatem ac sobrietateÌ„ cum dei auxilio seruare Wilt thou through the helpe of GOD keepe chastitée and sobrietée Yet in the Englishe pontificall it is thus Vis castitatem sobrietateÌ„ cum dei auxilio custodire docere Wilte thou by the helpe of God keepe and teache chastitee and sobrietee I will not contende with hym in this saiyng for the bushops but in his former wordes of his allegation for Subdeacons of Englishe makyng he shall neuer make it good to his liues end that those wordes be in the Englishe pontificall Notwithstandyng he thinketh that he hath made moste strong proofe of his purpose where ye see by that that is hitherto perceiued in his booke he hath made foure principall groundes that Englishe Priestes be votaries Firste by Origens aucthoritee writyng vpon the Numbers Secondly by the maner of their Orderyng Thirdly by the Priestes crounes Fourthly by an argument of Taciturnitie And that once dooen he spendeth his eighth Chapiter in prouyng that vowes muste be kepte whiche belike must be his fifte argumente And thus these argumentes holde The first the Priestes where Origen was borne or where he did write were votaries Ergo Englishe Priestes be votaries And yet Origen did not write so But in that Homilie speakyng aswell to Laye menne as to Priestes saieth that thei bee moste meete to offer vp the continuall Sacrifice of Mornyng and Euenyng praier that will kepe continuall chastitie And then his argument holdeth thus Thei which can continually praie kepe continuall chastitee Ergo Englishe Priestes bee votaries But thus I argue Priestes maried maie offer to God that continuall Sacrifice of Mornyng and Euenyng praier Ergo thei neede not to vowe that chastitee whiche ye speake of Or thus Origen writeth not there any woorde of Priestes vowes Ergo in that place he doeth not proue them votaries The seconde for the maner of the Busshoppes proposition The Busshop speaketh suche a proposition to Priestes in Spain or Italie Ergo Englishe priestes be votaries Now the truth is no suche proposition is spoken to the Englishe Subdeacon at all Further this Ciuilian writeth manifestly euen there thus that the vowe of
dedecorosam a populo contemnitur illorū doctrina Quod si hijs qui non continent concederetur matrimonium ipsi viuerent quietius populo cum authoritate praedicarent verbum dei liberos suos liberaliter educandos curarent nec alter alteris vicissim essent probro c. As for the state of single life neither Christe neither yet his Apostles haue prescribed any Lawe in holy Scripture And where as the Churche hath altered Uigills vsed to bee kepte in the night the maner of fastyng vsed to bee continued till the Euenyng and suche other thynges many as occasion hath risen from tyme to tyme why force we mennes constitution so stifly here in this poincte seyng so many special causes might aduise vs to make alteration For firste of all a greate number of the Priestes liueth in infamie and with an vnquiet conscience ministereth those moste holy misteries Furthermore the profit that might arise by them is lost for as muche as their teachyng is not regarded of the people by reason of their open filthie life Where if mariage were graunted to suche as dode not containe bothe them selues should liue the more quietly and their preachyng of Goddes woorde should bee had of more aucthoritée emong the people Beside that thei should se their childrē honestly brought vp so that the one should not be a shame or rebuke to the other Thus ye see how that Erasmus wondereth what men meane to be stiffe in this constitution of the Churche seyng there bée so many reasons that might moue them to graunte to Priestes to marrie This Ciuilian saieth that it would tourne to the decaie of the estimation of the Clergie and so to the contempt of the religion of Christe Erasmus saieth that if thei liued in Matrimonie suche as could not containe thei should haue a better name then thei haue and therefore a better estimation Thei should with more aucthoritée preache Gods worde and the people would beleue them the better where now for their standerous liuing thei be despised saieth he Moreouer the Priestes them selues should haue a more quiette conscience to sende vp the better and ofter praiers to almightie God the soner to be harde Where now by their filthie handelyng of so holy misteries in so vncleane a life their benedictions bée tourned into maledictions saieth Gregorie and the mummyng of their Masses saieth I. Pecham in his constitutions bee rather worthie to bee called execrations then celebrations Lette not this Ciuilian thinke that suspected and euident euill life in corruptiō defilyng mennes wiues and their daughters will winne a credence to the Clergie as muche as honest and chaste matrimonie should if it were by lawe permitted And if it were lefte at libertée there would bee in the Clergie that willyngly would liue chaste to winne this estimation that this man speaketh of And better to haue a fewe suche that might liue without suspition then vpon the common experiēce of many faultée the people should suspecte all For that whiche is true in deede will so abide when that whiche is counterfet can neuer but shame it self at lengthe In comparison of whiche counterfette chastitée Lib. 5. Cap. ◠and wedlocke chastitée speaketh Polidore in his boke de inuentoribus rerum Illud dixerim tantum abfuisse vt ista coacta castitas illum coniugalem vicerit vt etiam nullius delecti crimen maius ordini dedecus plus mali religioni plus doloris omnibus bonis impresserit īusserit attulerit quā sacerdotum libidinis labes Proinde fortassis tam è repub Christiana quam ex ordinis vsu esset vt tandē aliquando ius publici matrimonij sacerdotibus concederetur quod illi sine infamia sanctè potius colerent quam se spurcissimè eiusmodi naturali vitio turpificarent But this I will saie that it is so farre of that this cōpelled chastitée hath excelled that Wedlocke chastitée that no crime or enormitée hath imprinted either more hatered to the state of Priesthode or hath more defaced Christes holy religion or yet hath stirred vp more griefe in all good mennes hartes then the slaunder of the vnchaste life of priestes wherevpon perhappes it should be as honourable to Christendome as commendable to the Clergie that once at the last the libertée of mariage were graunted to the Priestes by publike aucthoritée wherein thei might vertuously liue without rebuke of their estimation rather then thei should distaine them selues so filthily by suche vice of nature Here ye sée that this Clerke is of the same iudgement with Erasmus to thinke that it should be as well for the profette of the comon wealth as for the honour and estimation of the Clergie for priestes to haue libertie to mary And that it should be no slaūder nor infamie to them to be maried if it were doen by open authoritée So that the priestes of these daies maried by open aucthoritee néede no more to bee a shamed of their mariage then M. Martin nedeth to bee a shamed to bee borne of that matrimonie wherin he was borne And shall bee as good in euery condition how soeuer he would shame it To liue in manifeste or secrette whordom is a shame before God and also to the world And this it is saieth Polidore that shameth the order destroieth the estimation of your religion This it is that good menne lament so beauilye in all ages from tyme to tyme and yet could neuer haue it remedied by all the Lawes thei could make Howsoeuer thei coloured it how easily or how extremely soeuer thei proceaded againste it yet was it worse and worse Lette the Townes speake where Monkes dwelt Let the Cities be examined wher cathedrall Churches are let open Nonnes and close Nonnes be asked of their consciences what rule there was kept let the cuntrie tell the truthe of Limitours sent among them or els Friers in cities and boroughes drawyng the latche of the doore without warnyng to saie there sainct Ihons Gospell And lette this Ciuilian consider what matter he goeth about I wis he doeth no great pleasure to the Clergie as he would haue them thinke yea and if thei were wise thei would thinke the same For let not them hope that thei can escape as thei haue doen. The laye men will not beare it at their handes Before tymes when the laye man saw his wife abused before his face or his daughter rauished or mayde defloured he was faine to make the best of it for feare of accusation in some other respecte that should aswell pynche hym as the parishe prieste I doubt not but seeyng that the Priestes themselues be so earnest to beate doune this late graunted libertée thei make but a rodde for their owne tayles Lette experience trye the matter Well I haue not red of any one learned man in these daies speakyng in this cause of conscience and of learning but euer thei haue made moderation in the expendyng of it And haue shewed their desiers for
that he woulde so shewe his duetie to the kyng as he myght perfourme his obedience to the pope In his exequendis saith the storie omnes episcopi Angliae primati suo suffragium negarunt But in perfourmyng these thynges attempted by Anselme all the byshops of Englande dyd denye to ioyne with their primate Which sturryng nature of Anselme no maruayle though it displeased both the byshoppes and the nobilitie whose desire suite was after Anselmes death that the kyng shoulde chose any byshop of the seculer state or any clarke of the kynges chappell to this office rather then of this order And howesoeuer it be interpreted it is not vnlyke but that both Wylliam Rufus kyng and Henrie the first kept the office voyde so many yeres the rather for suche wylfull abusyng of their place to the disquiet of the kyng and agaynst the liberties of the Realme For so irritable was Anselme and so soone prouoked without any iust cause to go to Rome to his holy father If any thyng went agaynst his mynde then straygh-way he woulde appeale to Rome to displease the prince As this lyghtnes of his is vttered by a frende of his wrytyng vnto hym beyng at the seconde tyme as he calleth it in his exile Edm. fo 187. that he went away sponte nullo paenitus cogente neither feared with imprisonment nor otherwyse tormented nor that his sea was denyed vnto hym but only for one poore worde VVilli warewaste spoken by one certaine man named William he determined to flee and so by his fleeyng gaue the aduenture that there folowed saith his frende hereof innumerable inconueniences the vnmerciful tirannie of the prince the spoylyng of the poore the damages of the Churches the lamentation of wydowes the bewaylynges of old men for losyng their lyuynges the rauyshyng of virgins and inceste in their vnlawfull companies and that saith he that is the chiefest mischiefe to the shame of our honestie priestes to mary wyues Oh conscience brent with an hot iron makyng lawfull maryage worse then all vices rehearsed But a very litle cause myght geue any Byshop Abbot or Muncke or any of the cleargie to go to Rome at those dayes to accuse the prince and to procure the interdiction of their lande as all suche as wyll searche stories shall soone perceaue this vsuall trade In conclusion after the sayde Anselme returned agayne into Englande he dyd besturre hym selfe to restore the religious to their loste quietnes and forced on his extreme decree vpon the priestes returned to their wyues takyng the oportunitie of the kynges absence in Normandie warryng there agaynst his enemies and had the victorie of them Which Anselme thought it not only enough to remoue them from their office but also to depriue them from their benefices and drawe them quite out of the cleargie not once permittyng them to be in the quyers amongste the clarkes and suche as were not conformable pronounced them infamous and decreed farther that whosoeuer would not relinquishe his lawfull wyfe the moueable goodes of suche priestes deacons subdeacons and prebendaries that should haue any familiaritie with their wyues or shoulde haue any other women in their houses but such as were of consanguinitie nye vnto them shoulde be forfayted and delyuered vnto the Byshoppes and that their wyues with their goodes shoulde be vsed as adultresses Surely a man to much addict to his owne wyll Edm. lib. 5. without any humanitie not not shewyng his loyall affection vnto his prince in his requestes howe reasonable soeuer they were not to his owne brothers requestes For when he had decreed determinatly to go to Rome to complayne his brothers requesting him that the kinges ambassadour who should likewise go to Rome prayed that he might go in cōpanie with hym he vtterly denied the same and was vnremouable saying Quod dixi dixi which yet pretended holynes constancie discipline of the Churche for his defence In whiche extremitie yet he continued vnto his lyues ende About whiche tyme when the kyng dyd requeste hym for Thomas the younger newe elected Archbyshop of Yorke to respyte his profession wherat the sayde Thomas dyd stande doubtfull he seuerely aunswered the kinges messengers that he would the kyng to vnderstande that he woulde rather suffer hym selfe to be torne into small peeces then that he would remit any of the olde antique constitutions of the fathers or that he would remoue one houre from this his purpose Wherevpon a litle before his death he wrote his letters vnto the sayde Thomas to discharge hym of his priestlye orders whiche he had of late receaued at the handes of one of his Suffragans nor no more to presume to meddle with anye pastorall cure tyll he had made his subiection profession and that yf he woulde perseuere he forbad vnder perpetuall curse all the Byshops of whole Britanie that none of them shoulde laye handes vpon hym to the promotion of his Byshopricke And therevpon he writes Tibi quoque Thoma sub eodem anathemate ex parte dei interdico vt nunquam benedictionē episcopatus Eboracensis suscipias nisi prius professionē facias c. And to thee Thomas also I forbyd vnder the same curse on gods behalf that thou neuer take vpō thee to be consecrated into the Byshopricke of Yorke before thou makest first thy profession c. The copie of which sayd epistle sealed with his seale he sent to euery byshop of his prouince chargyng commaundyng that they vpon their obedience shoulde demeane them selues towardes the same Thomas accordyng to the tenor of the letter aforesayde Immediatly after this he departed this life the eleuenth kalends of May. Loe thus ye see that he coulde sooner make an ende of his lyfe then make an ende of his rigour If the reader wyll farther heare the storie to the ende of this controuersie concernyng the ryght of his profession as it is written by Edmer it foloweth At the feast of Pentecost ensuyng where the kyng kept his court at London in great glory and honour after the feastfull dayes past he began to enter communication with the Byshoppes and the noble men of the Realme what were to be done concernyng the consecration of the elect of Yorke and wylled the Byshoppes to go apart to discusse this cause which were in number xi They determined to call vnto them Sampson the byshop of Worcester to knowe his opinion The which byshop beyng father to the sayde elect Edmer thus aunswered Licet hunc qui in pontificatum Eboracensē electus est olim ex coniuge silium susceperim eique iuxta seculum et carnis naturam honoris ac dignitatis prouectu ius aequissime debeam multo maxime tamen id matri meae ecclesiae Cantuar. debeo c. Although this elect of Yorke be my sonne in tyme past had by my wyfe therfore owe vnto hym accordyng to the course of the world and coniunction of blood to wyshe the preferment of his honour and dignitie
yet I owe that thyng most chiefely to my mother Churche of Canterbury and therevpon I iudge that he ought to make his canonicall profession to the Church of Canterburie for I was present when that my brother Thomas the elder his vncle xxxvij yeres past Archbishop of Yorke was dryuen by inuincible argumentes to make his profession to Lanfranc then archbyshop of Canterburie and his successours Whiche sentence yet of his father though the kyng and the byshoppes dyd well alowe and with expendyng the recordes of the same yet the sayd Thomas the younger elect woulde not so submit hym selfe Thomas stobues in catologo Ebor. ca. 52. Wherevpon the kyng beyng moued pronounced that eyther he shoulde do it or els he woulde discharge him of the Byshopricke and not only lose his fauour but also he woulde expell all his kinrede out of the Realme Wherevpon Sampson byshop of Worcester his naturall father and Richarde Baiocense his brother so nye of kinrede were instaunt vppon hym And though that Ranulph byshop of Durham promysed the kyng a thousand marke in money and to the Queene a hundred yet it auayled nothyng saith the storie for the kyng would not be corrupted with money and so at the laste the sayde Thomas made his profession and lyued but v. yeres in his dignitie and dyed a young man as the storie saith beyng a very corpulent man If the reader wyll nowe vnderstande what successe this foresayde decree of Anselme had after his death thus wryteth the storie That though the decree was somewhat calde on after hym by the kynges commaundement yet he relented and so it folowed saith he that the priestes toke their wyues agayne which they had or els renouncyng their former toke others and freely maried harlottes so saith the muncke In which discourse he maketh insinuation that standing the tyme of the prohibition thers were both fornicatours and adulterers and such as committed incest with their nygh kynsefolke not onlye with their sisters but also with their owne daughters so that saith he though this good father after the example of the feast maker called many to the feast yet in no respect was there any effectuous obedience geuen vnto his wordes For saith he let hym reade that wyll the text of this councell at London and well consider the statutes therof and let hym then iudge who it is that obeyeth them who it is that fulfylleth them or what he is that accompteth them not vayne So that the priestes and the prebendaries obteyned so muche with their Byshops and Archdeacons that suche priestes as dyd relinquishe dyd returne againe to their wyues as is sayde before Whiche sayde matter is here brought in not as alowyng any thyng that was committed agaynst the precepte of God but to shewe what speede hadde this his decree in his lyfe tyme and what successe this vnreasonable tradition hadde after his lyfe If you woulde knowe the cause or grounde that might moue this father Anselme otherwise learned and of austere conuersation although in this to be feared rather to be of the number of them of whom Saint Paul saith In hypocrisi loquencium mendatium cauteriatam habentium suam conscientiam prohibentium nubere c. Forsooth his redy good wyll and accesse to the holy father of Rome the supportation that he founde there the spiced conscience he had in his wrong obedience vnto that sea esteemyng hym so hyghly supra id quod colitur made hym to esteeme his prince the lesse ii Thess. ii and from tyme to tyme troubled and endaungered his Realme in his office to the disquiet of the people enducyng in his bronded conscience fedities and enormities innumerable Whiche his blynde zeale not accordyng to knowledge Henrie Beuclarke well vnderstandyng dyd not only staye his importunitie but also resisted the popes auctoritie to his owne face doing in his princely estate as appertayned to his kyngly ryght Though that Anselme the popes proctor dyd aunswere that he would not for the price of his head consent to the kyng agaynst the popes prohibitions except it were dispensed withal agayne by the sayde pope vpon the kynges wordes Quid mihi de meis cum papa quae antecessores mei hoc in regno possiderunt mea sunt hec si quis auferre mihi voluerit quod inimicus meus sit omnis qui me diligit certissime nouerit What haue I to do with the pope concernyng myne owne That which myne auncestours haue possessed in this Realme be myne whosoeuer woulde take these from me let all that loue me certaynely knowe that he is myne enemie Which stout wordes of his so spoken might declare what he knewe Surely he was like for his knowledge to haue done as much in expellyng his vsurped aucthoritie yf oportunitie of tyme had serued hym as his successour long after hym kyng Henrie the eyght brought about and finished Whiche thyng is well signified by the wordes of his owne letters written to kyng Henrie Edmer wherein Pascall the pope complayneth that he dyd in his Realme all as pleased hym and that he restrayned the messengers and letters of the sea apostolyke that they coulde haue no passage or be permitted to enter into the Realme without his suffraunce and further Pascall chargeth hym that without the knowledge of the popes holynes he doth kepe synodall councels where he insinuate that all the wayghtie causes of the Churches throughout his whole prouince should be determined by the vicars and the deputies of his holy sea And further he chargeth hym that besyde his auctoritie he presumed to make translation of Bishoprickes at his pleasure which sayth he can not be done without the licence of the sacred holy sea of Rome And farther to set out howe the knowledge of this kyng made him well to vnderstannde his vsurped auctoritie in his Realme and well perceauyng howe the Realme was wont to be abused by shamefull exactions and expilations which his legates vsed to do within the same was weery of the sayde abused aucthoritie Wherevpon pope Calixtus after his councell holden at Remis anno dn̄i 1119. came vnto Gisortiū Edmer to speake with the king had conference with him When the kyng had obteyned of that pope to haue all such customes which his father had in England in Normandie and especially of all other that he should not suffer any man to vse the office of a legate at any tyme in Englande except him selfe did require the same for such matters which coulde not be ended by the byshop of Canterburie and the other byshoppes of the Realme All which thynges sayth the storie beyng thus determined the pope doth make request to the kyng for his loue to be frendly vnto Thurstone Archbyshop of Yorke to restore hym to his Byshopricke Wherevnto the kyng aunswered that he woulde neuer do it whyle he lyued for he saith he hadde so promised vppon his fayth Whervpon Calixtus dyd aunswere Ego apostolicus sum si
of the sweetest wines As for scarlet furres golde syluer horse plate sent hym before he came into the Realme and after he was once come how he vsed himselfe let Matthew Paris be read and see the pompe and pryde of that prelate whom the king himselfe a gods name must meete on the waye Rex autem ei vsque ad confinium maris occurrit et inclinato ad genua eius capite vsque ad interiora regni deduxit officiose The kyng dyd meete hym at the borders of the sea and at his first syght bowed his head downe to the legates knees and brought hym very seruisablie into the inwarde partes of the Realme If ye aske who was lyke to be the cause he came into the Realme For he was sent for by the kynges commaundement where all the lordes sore complayned of it yea good Edmunde archbishop of Canterburie dyd much blame the kyng for his sendyng for he knowyng saith the storie that to the great preiudice of his dignitie dyd hange ouer his Realme much losse and daunger thereby In deede the bishoppes his brethren belyke not lykyng the colde and easy proceedyng of the sayde Edmunde in his constitution in the defence of the cleargies liberties and agaynst the priestes concubines agaynst which he proceeded no more sharply then he did his brethrē thought that it was to litle and therfore gaue councell to sende for a legate as is to be gathered by the gorgeous meetyng him at Paris and by sendyng hym suche great rewardes gyftes by the bishoppes and famous clarkes receauyng hym with such processions most honorable with belles ryngyng with all reuerence as was belongyng yea saith Matthew vt decuit plus quam decuit more then was meete and conuenient and therfore may be soone iudged who were lyke to be councellers to the kyng who in their dryftes then doubtyng nothyng but by the meanes of a legate sent from Rome by the pope hymselfe that what he woulde constitute should be terrible and set out for a good countenaunce to the worlde and kept notwithstandyng some of his constitutions at leysure For these zelous men concernyng this pretensed holynesse of the cleargie rather meant to make a shewe to the worlde of a perfect chastitie in refourmyng the state thereof as it was then thought decayed muche their estimation among the people then meant it in deede or that they euer thought these decrees and lawes shoulde be obserued For the practise declared howe after the great shewes of terrible decrees agaynst concubinaries the matter was handeled beyng lyke that by such restraynt seyng the inuinciblenes of conteynyng in their priestes to be seene that their tollerations and qualifications shoulde turne partlye to their owne better obedience hauyng the concubinarie priestes euer in their daunger and shoulde turne the more to the commoditie of their officers which dyd serue them And it is not vnlyke but they learned of their holy father the pope by tollerations to seke their gaynes For saith the lawyer vppon Othos constitution ca. licet ad profligandum that by some lawyers iudgementes as Iohn Andrew though Hostiensis and hym selfe holdeth the contrarie Quod crimen meretricii debet ecclesia sub dissimulatione transire nam marescallus pape de facto exigit tributum a meritricibus hoc forte ad maius malum euitandum 32. q. 1. non est culpandus That the churche onght to passe ouer by dissimulation the cryme of open harlottes because the popes marshall in deede at this present saith he exacteth tribute of harlottes and that peraduenture for auoydyng a greater mischiefe wryteth the glose If ye aske what shoulde sounde to suche a gesse that most of them meant to make many decrees from tyme to tyme but neuer meant or thought to haue them kept Consider good reader howe their expositors glosers the lawyers wipe away with their gloses the pith strength euen of this strayte lawe of Otho the legate nowe constituted so that they make it but a shypmans hose and so trauesable that it can neuer be executed meanyng in dede to shew rather outwardly a chastitie to bleare the eyes of the worlde then hopyng to haue it so in deede For euen in that very chapiter is recorded and well brought to remembraunce the watchword they had among them si non caste tamen caute for that was their principall care to go closely away to cary cleane and to lyue in secrete as they lust and then all very well With which banbery gloses they hadde at the laste brought the open cleargie to renounce open auouchyng of their wyues and lyued yet diuers of them secretelye with wyues of late dayes For euen of late in archbishop Pecchams dayes Pecham anno 1281. they after Othos decree of the same styll prouided agaynst priestes chyldren that they shoulde not nexte and immediatly succede their fathers in their benefices without the popes dispensation for feare as the glosers shewe the cause to make spirituall lyuynges temporall inheritaunce The reason of whiche their decrees do playnely declare that they toke priestes maryages for lawfull for els a bastarde in deede is not inheritable nor can clayme by inheritaunce his fathers possessions and lyuyng No more doth the cōmon lawe of the Realme count them bastardes borne in priestes matrimonie so long as the ordinarie doth not execute the canon of the churche against them whyle they liue whose mariages though they be voydable yet not voyded make their chyldren heritable Nowe this misterie si non caste tamen caute was secretelye delyuered from hande to hand to them which were the wyser and of more experience and so lyued secretelye with their frendes not openly vouched for wiues But in affectu sororio amore vxorio fide coniugali as they vse the tearmes In which kynde of lyfe there be no small argumentes that some bishoppes and the best of the cleargie lyuyng within the memorie of man dyd continue c. Where the poore simple priestes and ignoraunt idiotes hauyng litle skyll of such misteries and hauyng as feruent prouocation the most part of them in the fleshe as the better sort had knowe no other remedies but eyther to lyue in single fornication or secretly in adulteries with other men wyues euer hauyng before their eyes si non caste tamen caute But yf it chaunced that they were taken to manifestlye in the cryme that there coulde be no excuse for them then were they be ye sure extremely punyshed but yet seldome with open punyshement for it is agaynst the lawe Quia clerici solennem paenitentiam agere non debent And further for to comfort the concubinarie priestes Guilermus Lynwood vpon the title de constitutionibus ca. Distinct. 28. Presbiter Quod incontinencie moueth a question An contraueniens constitutioni peccet mortaliter he saith Qui voluntarie siue contemptabiliter sine rationabili causa transgrediuntur praeceptum legis siue constitutionis aut canonis peccant nam tales impediunt
prince king Edwarde his nobles and cleargie somewhat to staye the foule abuse so long tyme without remedie vsed in that state of the Realme which should by duetie expresse for example most puritie of lyfe thought it good to remoue the force of such forrayne lawes which compelled to this daungerous state of lyfe his cleargie meetyng in synode together and after debatement concluded If ye lyst to vnderstande what was done and subscribed vnto ye shall heare what the lower house dyd affirme in this case of continencie Iohn Taylor doctor of diuinitie beyng then prolocutor and VVilliam Say beyng register to accept the voyces and subscriptions of them that were present to whose consciences was this proposition propounded eyther to be freely affirmed or to be freely denyed by them vidz That all such Canons Lawes Statutes Decrees Vsages and customes heretofore made had or vsed that forbyd any person to contract matrimonie or condempne matrimonie by any person alredie contracted for any vowe of priesthood chastitie or widohood shal from henceforth be vtterly voyde and of none effect The affirmantes of this proposition were almost treble so many as were the negantes Amongst whiche affirmantes diuers were then vnmaryed and neuer dyd afterwarde take the libertie of maryage as doctor Tailor the bishop doctor Benson doctor Redman doctor Hugh Weston maister Wotton c. Of them that denyed it notwithstandyng their superscriptions to the contrary as fewe as they were yet some of them toke vpon them the libertie of mariage not long after as doctor Oken maister Rayner maister Wilsō Nowe yf any man may fortune doubt of the iudgement of that notable learned man and commonly reputed of graue iudgement I meane doctor Redmayn doctor of diuinitie he shall heare his very iudgement which he vttered in the selfe same conuocation written in a paper seuerally by his owne hande yet extant to be shewed subscribed with his owne name and thus he saith I thynke that although the worde of God do exhort and counsell priestes to lyue in chastitie out of the cumber of the fleshe the world that thereby they may more wholly attende to their callyng Yet the bande of conteynyng from mariage doth only lye vpō priestes of this Realme by reasons of Canons and constitutions of the Churche and not by any precept of Gods worde as in that they should be bound by reason of any vowe which in as farre as my conscience is priestes in this Churche of Englande do not make I thynke that it standeth well with Gods worde that a man which hath ben is but once maryed beyng otherwise accordingly qualified may be made a prieste And I thynke that forasmuch as Canons and Rules made in this behalfe be neither vniuersall nor euerlastyng but vpon considerations may be altered chaunged therefore the kinges maiestie and the hygher powers of the Churche may vpon such reasons as shall moue them take away the clogge of perpetuall continencie from priestes and graunt that it may be lawfull to such as can not or wyll not containe to mary one wyfe And yf she dye then the sayde priest to mary no more remaynyng styll in his ministration Iohn Redmayn Thus this learned man in such credite vniuersally in decidyng questions of conscience doth in a great sort of respectes condempne the vniuersal tract of the bolde assertions inspersed through D. Martins whole booke and therfore yf any man wyll not be resolued by his iudgement to recante such his opinion yet shall he neuer be able with all the glystryng floryshe of that booke to discredite hym or to wynne credite therto Nowe further to enlarge his conclusions or notes with more sounde testimonie doctrine should be but superfluous to such specially of whom Solomon speaketh Non recipit quidam verba prudentiae nisi ea dixeris quae versantur in corde eius Prouer. 18. Some men be of such nature that they wyll neuer receaue any wisedome or perswasion except ye tell hym suche thynges which be tost in his owne brayne and soncken into his owne heart It is not therfore without good cause Tit. 3. that S. Paule geueth precept not to haue longe ado with such as be sectaries thus saying Foolyshe questions genealogies contentions and braulynges rysyng of the lawes refrayne them for they be vnprofitable and vayne And therefore such a one as is a man of deuision after once or twyse admonyshyng hym renounce hym knowyng this that he that is such is peruerted and synneth as one condempned in his owne iudgement And nowe finally to make an ende yf Chryste whom the father of heauen commaunded all the worlde to heare Math. 17. in his doctrine made no prohibition or restraynt in his fathers ordinaunce of matrimonie Iohn 2. Math. 19. but honored it with his presence and commaunded it to be indissoluble forbyddyng all men to seperate whom God hath coopled wyllyng but for the cause of fornication no seperations to be made yf the apostles all Ambrosius except Iohn and Paule were in the maryed state and did not forsake their wiues after their apostleship which the xij canon of the vi generall counsell at Constantinople doth playnely affirme Where also besyde is the vi canon of the Apostles by what boldnes I can not tell abolyshed vz Quod episcopus aut presbiter vxorem propriam nequaquā sub obtectu religionis abiiciat c. The bishop or prieste ought not to put from hym his owne wife vnder pretence of religion which yf he do let hym be excommunicate and yf he so continue let hym be deposed Which is so noted in the summe of counsels If the fathers in the primatiue churche at libertie vsed the same the cleargie in Grece in Antioche and in Alexandria reteyned the libertie styll in their orderyng Paule being very feareful to cast any snares to the congregation counsellyng and commaundyng them that can not conteyne to mary pronouncyng that it is better to marry then to burne the interpretours of the scriptures applying the same grauntes and concessions vpon thē that are votaries Saint Austen in doctrine holdyng determining in professed disputation their copulations to be very maryages not to be disseuered If before the conquest mariage was always free not forbydden to priestes in England tyl after the cōquest sence which time both bishops priestes were maried some openly many secretly notwithstandyng Ancelmes statutes to the contrary which hardly preuayled and gaue great occasion of suche scisme and heresie Richarde wykes as was neuer greater in the churche If for all the multiplication of decrees agaynst concubinaries the sore coulde neuer be healed but that the notorietie of such lewde lyfe was vniuersally abhorred as it well deserued If the kynges auctoritie by the consent of his parliament with the subscription of the whole cleargie enacted the thyng to be lawfull abrogated all penall lawes to the contrary as it was declared in doctrine inuincible set out by the learned part
Polidore Fabian  229 b 4 in the margent put dist 27.  243 c 6 innusde immunde  244 c 10 lenitie leuitie  247 b 3 emacultur emaculentur  248 a 4 chast chastitie  248 a 5 chastitie chaste  251 b 5 put out That  259 a 1 so not  267 c 1 in clementiaÌ„ in elencho  274 a 1 priuatiue primatiue ¶ To the moste high moste noble and mightie Princes Philip and Marie by the grace and prouidence of God King and Queene of Englande Fraunce Naples Hierusalem and Irelande defendours of the faithe Princes of Spain â–ª and Cicill Archdukes of Austrige Dukes of Millen Burgon and Braband CouÌ„ties of Hasbrough Flanders and Tiroll Be all grace ioye and felicitie wished from GOD the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe AS almightie God the merueilous creatour of all the worlde and beuÌ„teous conseruer of the same moste noble princes hath graft naturall loue and amitie in the nature of his creatures of the one kinde to the other as chiefe succour one to the other And for that he willyng the same moste orderly to appere in mannes nature for his societie hath beside the benefite of reason at the verie first beginnyng by lawe prouided for the same euen so that auncient enemie that wilie â–ª serpent the deuill hath alwaie laied his engines and snares to disorder and to confounde the saied creation and institution of God with many and horrible kindes of deuises either to destroy it vtterly or els so to depraue the thing that was impossible for him to destroie with suche sinister cauillations that it should lose the estimation at the least and grace that almightie God willed it to be endued and adourned with The chief roote whence spryngeth the greatest part of mannes felicitie or infelicitie in this mortall life is wedlocke As out of this spryng haue been families and realmes beguÌ„ne by it enlarged and finally florished and preserued by the same So haue the self same families and realmes once aduauÌ„ced to the heigth of their felicitie and perfection been brought downe againe to vtter ruine and deuastation for corrupting and peruerting that eternall lawe of God and decree of nature The more earnestlie should all suche as be endewed with any spercle of reuerence to Goddes honour of pietie to their countrey or of charitie to their neighbour praie and wishe moste instauntly that this state and societie might bee so honourablie begonne continued and ended in al degrées that the benefites therof might redounde throughout the horriblenes of the abuse might bee vtterly euery where banished And the more circumspectly should all suche as haue giftes of God for vtteraunce in excityng mannes decaied and corrupte nature with woorde and writyng to the preseruation thereof take hede that by their imprudent vtteraunce thei defame not that thyng that almightie God would haue in estimation and by his woorde hath pronounced honourable in all persones How be it moste gracious and godly soueraignes it hath chaunced otherwise in this your noble Realme and Dominions of late that witte and learnyng whereof nothing ought to haue been looked for but good witte and learnyng haue vttered euill will and ignoraunce in the deprauatioÌ„ of suche societies of part of your graces Clergie by iuste lawes of your realme enacted stablished and confirmed to be good and in quiete state so reposed straunge for a tyme by reason of the noueltie to diuerse but yet perceiued of many wisemen with some addition of discipline for the insolencie of some yonger then wiser that it might haue been the remedie of diuerse inconueniences before tyme lamented in the Clergie Of your vertuous entendiment moste gracious ladie no lesse maie be coÌ„ceiued but although to your graces cares it hath been oftecried vnto how vncomely these copulations were how againste God and his honour how againste the Churche decrees and discipline and how worthie to be dissolued againe Yet notwithstandyng this importunitie we read by the expresse wordes of your highnesse Commission comprised in articles and so addressed to your graces spirituall administers Bishops and your Commissaries that your graces will was thei should proceade accordyng to learnyng and discretion in this weightie matter And that thei should not put any other CanoÌ„s and constitutioÌ„s of the Churche in exercise then suche as might stande with your graces Lawe of your Realme Yet for all this your graue and gracious aduertisement diuerse of the saied officers of what spirite Gods spirite can Iudge haue proceded so farre against learnyng discretion and lawes of your â–ª realme in moste places of your highnes dominions that your poore subiectes and oratours bee farre otherwise entreated then your grace would thinke likely for the trust whiche was committed to theÌ„ Surely farre otherwise then the graue of the realme can beleue your tender pitie and customable mercie your godlie Charitie and fauorable Iustice would haue so executed Whiche maner of doynges in all quarters of your realme as it hath stirred greate admirations emong the moste of your other subiectes in sundrie and diuerse considerations incidente and depending vpon suche procedynges So hath there risen a freshe as muche admiration againe of a certaine booke of late putte forthe by one Thomas Marten Doctor of Ciuill subornated belike God knoweth by whom to iustifie the saied sore doynges and to haue them taken in good part that is as he would haue it appere by learnyng confirmed to haue been doen by discretion In whiche booke to the furder accumulation of the heauie state of the saied ministers depriued is added moste slaunderous accusations and vntrue surmised matters againste them to your highnes and to all other states of your realme to bryng them to vtter rebuke and perill possible Whiche matters how vncharitably vntruely and vnlearnedly thei be framed and forged shall in some part appere hereafter And more sufficiently at other laisure shal bee proued and detected how he hath handled hymself pretendyng Goddes glorie whereby his entendement his woorde and institution is plainly euacuated pretendyng Chastitie but in conclusion the verie high waie to vnspeakeable whoredomes and filthinesse pretendyng antiquitie and aucthoritie yet in verie deede but counterfetted imitation of aucthoritie and beliyng antiquitie makyng a greate florishe in the matter to the reader at a sodain shewe but in effectâ— mere subtiltie without subâ—â—aunce witte without wisedome Zeale without knowledge and heate without charitie Onely this thyng in the name of the said ministers not in respect so muche of their persones as of their cause whiche ought of all maner of men that feare God to be waied with reason and iustice This thing I saie is moste humbly to be sued for at your moste gracious and vertuous consciences to peruse the moderacions that be to be expended in the circumstaunce of the cause as it standeth on their side by allowaunce of Gods Lawe and approbation of mannes lawe thereto in your highest courte of Parliamente The cause it self is Goddes It
concerneth the integritie and the validitie of his holie institution which to empaire as we doe nothyng mistruste in your twoo noble personages newlie entered into the same So we beseche almightie God the aucthour of your saied godlie and moste honourable copulation so to assiste bothe your hartes in Goddes vnderstandyng that your saied honourable newe entered state maie long prosperouslie holde on ioyfully continewe and winne all Goddes gracious benefites dependyng of the same state so promised in his worde to them that feare hym and loue hym And that other in the same feare of God so conioyned maie the rather be protected against the supersticious consciences of suche as in hypocrisie speaketh lies couertly diffamyng that whiche is before God allowable and by true learnyng to be aduouched Amen ¶ To the moste honourable estates of the Counsaile And you moste honorable personages of Counsell and Nobilitie of the realme in moste lolie maner of submission wee require your great wisedomes to consider what becommeth your high estates and vocations Sapi. vi Your power is geuen you of GOD and deriued from hym so constituted by his eternall decree to the punishement of euill doers but to the defence and commendation of them whiche doe well Roma xiii Ye heare how in the holie scriptures almightie God speaketh By me dooeth kynges raigne and by me the makers of lawes determine the right Proue viii Psalm ii Be ye learned therefore biddeth the holie ghoste and vnderstande you that iudge the yearth Let not other mennes eyes and eares be your guides for euery man shall beare his owne burthen and aunswere to God for hym self Lette not other mennes vnrulie and vile affections be maintained by your worthie and noble aucthorities whiche but for truste of abusyng your aucthorities would neuer so impudently and insolently shewe them selues so little to regarde bothe God in his holie ordinaunces â—ymanne in his lawe of approbation of the same All is not gold that glittereth vnder grene and swete herbes lurketh many tymes deadlie and hiduous serpentes wise men maie spie daie light at a little hole Better it is in deliberation to consulte in tyme quid liceat quid expediat that is what is lawfull and what expedient then to saie after to late an experience non putaram had I wist Loke not so muche on the persones whom these matters toucheth as vpon aucthoritie of your lawes passed your owne assuraunces Looke vpon your owne honours yea Goddes honour in preseruation of his iuste ordinaunce Matrimonie is his ordinaunce and your comforte By it ye be acknowledged in bloud rightly to succede your auncestours by that shall ye sende your posteritie as lawfull inheritours and successours into your honours and landes after you It claimeth therefore at your handes not to be dispised but cherished in them that be moste simple For it is God that is aucthour of all i. Peter v â–ª Ephes. vi i. Reg. ii â–ª For he hath care and charge of al and he regardeth no mannes persone RemeÌ„ber what the Lorde saieth Qui honorificant me honorificabo illos qui contempnunt me erunt ignobiles that is Thei whiche honor me I will make them honorable and thei whiche despise me shal be without honour Let your daily seen experience yet at the laste teache you that be yet left to feare God not man to aduaunce his eternal worde not mannes tradition For this controuersie is sette onely and merely but in this poinct examine it wheÌ„ ye will whether mannes tradition ought to deface and to abolishe Gods immutable lawe Psalm ii or els geue place thereto Be ye learned therefore and suspende your sodain iudgement till ye peruse the cause leste God bee angrie and sâ— ye fall from the right waie when his wrathe shall appere how shortly at hande he onely knoweth that knoweth our demerites but yet then blessed bee all thei that shal be founde to trust in hym ¶ To the honourable Prelates of the Churche To you more ouer that be the reuerend fathers the honorable heade Pastours of the realme shall my penne bee tourned you that be the light of the worlde Math. v. the salte of the yearth ye bee sette as watchemen of the flocke Ezech. iii. to monishe them of suche thynges as for lacke of knowledge thei might bee endaungered by You bée the Shepherdes appoincted to seke vp the straied shepe Math. xviii and to cary them home againe into Gods folde on your neckes not to treade them vnder your feete You should ioye of your Shepe recouered by your painfull labour more then delight to see them drouned in the mire of perdition for whose soules Iesus Christ spente his bloud Ezech. iii. and whose bloud shal be required at your handes ye haue taken charge of them NoÌ„ ceu dominium exercentes aduersus cleros i. Peter v. sed sic vt sitis exemplaria gregis Not to exercise Lordship ouer the Clergie but to be an ensample to the flocke ii Timo. ii in all gentilnesse mercifulnesse and long sufferyng towarde suche as be tractable and in the furthest of your carefulnes yet in pitifull discipline to them that be vntractable til God geue them his spirit to repent and to returne Pasce pasce pasce is not tunde tonde pende Féede feede féede is not strike fleise and hange them whiche precept of Christe if it should so sounde to your eares Alas what will your accompte be when the chief Shepherd of all Math. xviii shall come to take a rekonyng with his seruauÌ„tes of so greate a truste to whom he hath committed his higheste talentes If then he finde any of you non dantes in tempore dimensum cibum sed percutientes conseruos vestros ancillas edentes cum edacibus Amos. vi bibentes cum ebriosis non flentes cum flentibus sed furentes cum furentibus incedentes pompatice cum austeritate imperantes cum potentia Not geuyng them their duetie of meate in due season Eze. xxxiiii but striking your felowe seruauntes and maides eatyng with the gluttons and gullyng with the dronkers not sorowyng with them that sorowe but raging emongest them that are madde iettyng after a courtlike maneÌ„r controling with sterne countenaunces and with aucthoritie If he shall see suche to whom he hath remitted Mat. xviii decem mâ—lia talentorum legum canonum tenne thousande talentes of lawes and Canons that will not shewe some like mercie to other of their felowe seruauntes in debte Sed decem denariorum tantum but of tenne pence onely And further will iniecta manu hostili obtorto collo laiyng his cruell handes on hym and hailyng hym by the necke chalenge extremitie of right and rigour with redde quod debes paie that thou oweste and for no entreatie of knelyng and weepyng can bee moued to mercie but will haue them sold vxores liberos omnia que habent fieri solutioneÌ„ wife and children and