then they doo nowe whan they here masses of theyr chappleyns at home ¶ Also it hath bene a great ouersighte as it semeth in the clergie that they haue made so strayte lawes of irregularite as they haue done For it is hard for any prieste to eschewe them all And thervppon it foloweth that whan they falle into suche irregularitie and can not by and by be dispensed with for there is none at hande that hathe that power then neuer the lesse bicause they shuld not be noted they yet syng masse as they dyd before And that bryngeth some priestes into suche a largenes of conscience that they be the bolder to do lykewyse in other thynges and so by contynuall custome therin can lerne to lyue quietly in an euyll conscience Wherfore it were better that irregularitie in some poyntes were clerely put away than to driue them in euery light poynt to seke for dispensations For many men thynke that such dispensations not only in that case but in many other also serue rather for gettynge of money than for increasynge of vertue 10. ¶ And there is such a lyke thyng in religion For they professe the olde rules whiche although there be also some dispensations very strayte to be kepte in these dayes bycause the people be not vniuersally so stronge now as they were at the makynge of the sayde rules And when they see the reules dayly broken afore theym as well in other as in them selfe without correction it bryngeth in to theym a quiete harte in an euyll conscience a boldenes to offende and fynally a custome in synne wherby folowe many euyll examples to the people and yet they that doo it wyl be called holy and perfite And sure it is that it were better to haue an easy rule well kept than an harde rule broken without correction 11. ¶ Also it is a thyng greatly abused that clerkes do clayme to haue as high power and as moche lybertie in theyr possessions goodes as lay men haue in theirs For the truth is that they may take of the goodes that they haue for their ministration but onely a reasonable sustentation for theym selfe and for a conuenient sustenaunce for their householde and the resydue they are bounde to distribute amonge the pore And in this poynte the lawe of the realme is ouermoche fauourable to spirituall men For it suffreth them to make theyr wylles and bequestes of theyr goodes how so euer they come to them by tythes oblacyons or otherwyse as lyberally as any laye manne maye And thoughe that be agaynste the canons yet the clergie of this realme perceyuynge howe fauourable the lawe of the realme is to theym in that poynte hath made a constitution prouinciall accordynge to the lawes of the realme that no man shall hynder or let the probation of the same And surely both the sayd lawes wold be reformed For they haue ben a right special cause as I suppose that hath made so many to gruge at the goodes possessions of the clergie as there hath done ¶ Also many priestes fynde defaulte that some prestes be in extreme necessitie and haue nothynge to releue them selfe with whiche is not as they thynke conuenient to be suffered in priestis but they regarde but lyttell the pouertie of some lay manne Our lorde was pore hym selfe and his disciples to whome priestes be successours were poore also and yet somme priestes wene that it is not conuenient for any of them to be in pouertie I beseche our lorde sende vs many that be ryche in vertue and pore in spirite and then the worldly pouerte shal be the more esely borne I haue red of some byshops that haue made suche ê“uision that no prest shuld go abeggyng within his dioces but I haue not red of any such prouision for lay men But if some prouision were made to releue the great multitude of poore men that be nowe in extreme necessite I trow fewe thinges were more necessary to be gone about And ouer that if any preste be in suche extreme pouertie as they speake of it is moste specially through the defaute of spirituall men for they haue diuised titles for priestes in suche maner that they be of none effecte in the lawes of the realme And the cause therof is for they aske not counsaylle therin of them that be lerned in the sayd lawes ne as it semeth wyll not obeye the kynges lawe in that behalfe but make them titles after the groundes of other lawes And therfore priestes many tymes were as good to be without theyr titles as to haue theym in suche maner as they haue nowe 13. ¶ Also if the moste honest and most substanciall curates and priestes in the countrey were examined what increace of vertue hath rysen by visitations and scenes as they haue bene of late vsed It wolde appere vppon that examination that lyttell or none hath folowed therby but that the clergye some lay men also appere there and pay certain dueties and then do after as they dyd before And that the moste lightest persons in all the precincte of the visitation by meanes of rewardes shal be suffred to coÌ„tinu as they were wont to do And syth the hole clergie haue submytted theym to the kynges grace It semeth that he hathe good auctoritie to examyne howe suche visitacyons be vsed and to sette theym in suche order that vertue therby maye hereafter be increased and vice repelled and putte awaye And I suppose verayly that his grace is bounde in conscience to loke specially vppon it 14. ¶ More ouer euen now of late syth the statute made in the .xxi. yere of the reygne of oure soueraygne lorde the kyng that nowe is ageynst pluralities and none resideÌ„ces is risen this policy that a priest that intendeth not to be resident or that intendeth to haue mo benefyces than the prouisyon of the statute waranteth hym to haue wyll labour to some lorde spirituall or temporall to be his chappleyne nothyng purposynge to do hym seruice and the lord lyke wise nothynge desyrynge his seruice and knowyng also the entent why he dothe it wyll accept hym to his chaplen and so wylfully defraude the statute Is this trowest thou my frende Byzance no offence in the lorde and in the chappleyne ¶ BIZAVNCE I thynke verily yes and that the offence is greatter in the chappleyne thenne in the lorde yf there be no cause reasonable why he dothe hit And thoughe hit be more offence in the chappleyne yet is hit no lyttelle offence in the lorde that so wylfullye breaketh the intent and prouision of so good a statute For the prouiso of the statute was made bicause it was thought reasonable that lordes spirituall and temporall shulde haue chappleynes to do them seruice but here no seruice is regarded And surely by suche meanes and other lyke some priestes haue many benefyces where an other good honest priest that is better worthy to haue a cure then he hath neuer one ¶ Also thoughe the people be
more prone and be soner moued to go on pylgremages to bye belles or vestementes or to gyue money for trentals makynge of chauntries kepynge of obites maynteynynge processions and suche other outward dedes wherby some worldely recreation or worldely laude and prayse or som good familiar chere and worldly thanke maye folowe then they be to releue pore folkes that haue nede wherby moste commonly neyther worldly prayse ne other worldly coÌ„moditie foloweth specially if it be secretly hyd in the bosome of the poore man as it oughte to be yet do not prechers encourage the people to releue their pore neyghbours that haue nede as they ought to do but suffre them to lye styll in suche outward dedes as though all were wel when it is ryght farre amys The nature of man is moche inclyned to be lauded and praysed and therfore the people wolde be continually instructed that such laude diminisheth gretly the rewarde that they shulde haue of god for theyr good dedes And they shoulde be instructed also that what good dede so euer they do they oughte to trust more in the grace and goodnes of god then in the dede howe great so euer it be Howe be it in whose default it is that it hath not ben so in late tyme paste I wyll not speke of at this time but commytte it to other but through whose default so euer it hath bene yf it coulde yet be refourmed and broughte into due course it were right expedient and nothynge more then it were I red ones a narration that there was a pore sycke man that lay bedred and had nothynge to succour hym selfe with all whervpon a neyghbour of his seynge his extreme necessitie moued with pitie appoynted one of his seruantes to see hym haue meate and drynke at certayne houres as nede required wherby the poore man was greatly releued a longe season So it hapned that on a tyme the seruaunt that was wonte to bryng hym meate had busynes so that he myght not come at the houre accustomed Wherfore the poore man was very angry bothe with the mayster and with the seruant sayenge they had no pitie on theyr poore neyghboure and that if they were in like case as he was they wold be lothe to be so serued them selfe and prayed our lorde that or that they dyed they myghte feele the peyne that he felte with those wordes the seruant came with meate And yet the passion of the man was so greatte that he coulde not forbeare but that he spake lyke wordes to the seruaunt Then the seruant was angrye and sayde that he sawe well that his maister and he both had loste al their coste and labour and so not contented with the pore man departed and tolde his mayster all the matter and that he thought it were wel done that he shoulde lette hym alone tyll he coulde mekely yelde hym thankes for his good dede The master answered and sayd I do not that I doo for any thanke that I loke for of hym that I gyue it to and sythe he gyueth vs no thankes for it our rewarde shall be the more of god And so he caused his seruaunt to doo as he hadde done before ¶ But yet though this manne toke it thus charitably it is verye lyke that mooste other men wolde in suche case haue withdrawen their good dede And surely suche chances wyll fall among if men shulde set their myndes moche to releue poore men As if a man lent money to a poore man at his nede and at the daye he asketh his money hit myght happe that yf he asked it twyse that some poore man wolde saye that he was very hasty in the askynge hauynge no nede to it with suche other vnsittyng wordes And wolde not this happely discourage some man to lende money to other poore men in their necessitie I trowe yes and yet it shulde not be soo Therfore suche demeanour wold be moche reproued in poore men And the ryche men wolde be also counsayled not to withdrawe their good dedes after their power for suche demeanour whiche in dede increaseth theyr rewarde greattely before god And yf preachers dyd encourage the people to suffre suche thynges al that they coude and yet some men wolde be the more slacke to helpe other poore men for suche demeanour howe wyll it be then thynkest thou if men be nothynge encouraged nor putte in mynde of suche sufferaunce but be comforted as welle by secrete counsell in confession as by preachynge to gyue money for sowles inpurgatorie or in suche other maner as before apperethe as thoughe that shulde suffyse vnto them wyl not then the Charitie to theyr neyghbours be lyghtly forgotten though it be vndoutedly the beste It is no doubte but it wyll And well I wote that in the time of that that is nowe called the olde catholycal preachyng the Charite to our neyghbours is nigh forgoten the abusions concernyng ê“dons pilgrimages purgatorie pompous buryals tythes offerynges and suche other haue be meruaylously multiplyed and increased and yet I haue harde but of very fewe in comparison that haue loked to the reformation of it our lorde amende it when his wyll shall be Amen 16. ¶ Also many prechers in tyme past haue tourned a great parte of the tale to the mayntenaunce of the lybertie of the church to the honour of preesthod to feare the censures of the churche though they be gyuen withoute cause and to obey al lawes made by the churche and to doo as priestes doo teache and not as they doo suffyseth to laye menne and suche other lyke that the people haue myslyked greately And whan religious men haue preched they haue moche perswaded suche thynges as haue ben for their syngular profite and commoditie so moche that it hathe rather diminisshed the deuotion of the people then increased it And therfore I am farre deceyued but that the most parte of all the defautes and discordes that be nowe in the temporaltie haue rysen through the defaut of the spiritualtie But yet I meane not that al such discordes be rysen by the defaute of spirituall menne that be nowe lyuynge For vndoubtedly they were begonne before theyr tyme by theyr predecessours but yet my meanynge is that the spirituall menne that nowe be are bounde before any other to helpe to refourme suche thynges al that they can And I truste that there be many dispoposed so to do if they had helpe 17. ¶ Also it is a greatte ouersyghte that priestes accompte a defaute in one prieste to sownde to the rebuke of an other prieste bycause they be all of one order And that yet they go not about to reforme them that so offende And so it is lykewise of religious menne and they gruge more in their hartis ageinst hym that maketh an euyl report of one that is of the same degree that they be of though it be trewe than they do agaynste theym that make an euyll report of an other that is not of the same degree
⧠THE ADDICIONS OF SALEM AND BYZANCE LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THOMAE BERTHELETI REGII IMPRESSORIS ANNO DO M.D.XXXIIII ▪ Cum priuilegio The introduction BISAN I haue many tymes sith the makyng of our fyrst dialoge which is called Salem Byzāce remebred the Articles of the treatise that is called the tretise concernyng the Diuisyon betwixt the spiritualtie the tēporaltie whiche was the verye occasion of makynge of our sayd fyrst dialoge And I thynke verily that yf the abusions that be recited in the sayde treatyse and other lyke were refourmed great peace and quietnes wold shortly folowe amonge the people And therfore if thou woldest my frende Salem to encorage them that haue good zeale towarde a refourmation of suche abusions take the peyne to recyte some mo thynges that be mysused and ouer that woldest deuise some meanes howe they myght also be reformed I thynke it wolde do greatte good SALEM I shall my frende Byzance with good wyll do that in me is to accomplysshe thy desyre ¶ Of dyuers abusyons concernynge some of the seuen sacramentes and dyuers other thynges as here after foloweth The fyrste Chapytre SAL Many curates haue taken vppon them to saye that they be not bounde to minister the sacramentes to the people onles they be required and that speciallye the sacrament of extreme vnction whiche commonly is called anoyllynge And yet the truthe is that they are bounde to gyue a great diligence therto them self and specially to admonyshe theym that be aboute the sycke persone that they may haue knowledge when nede shall require And therfore if any dye without that sacrament for lacke of suche good diligence of the curate surely it is in hym a great offence 2. ¶ Also it hath ben a great default in many places that the curates wyll not synge masse nor dirige for none of their paryshens at theyr buryals no more than they wyll do for straungers that dyed within the parysshe excepte they haue money for theyr labour for sythe they haue of theyr paryshens theyr tythes offrynges and dyuers other profytes and commodities as curates customably haue Charitie wolde that they shulde burye them especially that be householders and theyr chylderne with dirige and masse freely without takynge any thynge for it but to saye masse and dirige for straungers they be not bounde therto but of their charite But yet to bury all them frely that dye within the paryshe they are bounde of duetie to do it ¶ Also it is greatte trouble and vexation to the people in many places that the sacrament of confirmation is taken fro the propre curates and is gyuen only to byshoppes For therby the people in some places be many tymes put to greatte labours and expences in gyuynge attendaunce to the bysshoppes And also many chylderne be therby in some countreyes longe vnconfyrmed and sometyme dye without it where if the curates myght confyrme theym as they myght fyrste they shulde be confyrmed with lesse labour and be in moche more greater suertie to haue the sacrament then they be nowe And sythe byshoppes haue taken that auctoritie to them selfe and no greatter consideration apperynge why they shulde do so then there dothe It myght happely cause some symple men to esteme that there is not suche necessitie in that sacrament as there is in dede For they may happely thinke that if there were the byshops wolde not put the children in suche ieoperdie to be so longe without it as they be ofte by that occasion and no greatter cause to moue them to it then they thynke there is ¶ The prohybitinge also of bysshops to graunt pardons hath letted greatly the deuocyon to pardons and the takynge of money for herynge of confessions and specially at pardons hathe also done right great hurt For there is a sayeng the mo confessions the greatter profyt Wherby it is ment that the profyte in heryng confessions is moche regarded And that hath made many tymes ryght short confessions and also as light as hasty absolutions which perauenture hath made some vnware and vnlerned persons to haue the lesse regarde to be confessed 5. ¶ And why shuld the power of absolution that was gyuen by Christe to all priestes be generally taken from them in any case and specially from curates that be admytted to be sufficiēt to haue cure of soules and be cōmytted only to byshops or to theyr deputies which deputies percase be not many tymes so sufficient as the curates be fro whome it is takē so that it semeth that the power of pristes is restrayned in that behalfe by the lawe of man without cause resonable and wolde therfore be reformed 6. ¶ Also it wolde be playnly declared where the curate may prohibite his parishens to be houseled where not And surely it semeth not to stand with charitie that if a paryshener at the tyme of his houselyng lacke money to pay his duetie that he shuld be therfore prohibit of houselynge And sure it is that great grudges haue ensued in tymes past vpon suche matters A prieste if he wyl may go to masse though he be in deedly synne and no manne can prohibite hym but if the curate onely by coniecture thynke his parysshener in deedly synne he wyll prohibite him 7. ¶ Also curious buildynges of spirituall men and the apparel therof whiche sometyme be apparelled with vaine stories stereth more theym that beholdeth it to vanitie and to a worldly loue then to any mekenes or deuotion And though it be right conuenient that byshops and other spirituall rulers haue conuenient dwellyng places after their degree yet all wolde be ordered to the honour of god and to the good example of the people ¶ Also it diminysheth the deuocion of priestes greattely in many places that there haue ben so many chapplens and seruynge priestes For they that be vniuersally conuersant amonge laye people and be bounde to obserue worldely attendaunce as lay men are can neuer haue their minde so perfitly to prayer deuotion as they that be curates or be continually resident in churches For lyke as there is a mery prouerbe in places of courte that the very walles teache the lawe and that euerye busshe in the countrey teareth away a pece so it maye be saide that the very walles of the churche teache deuotion and that worldly company driueth it awaye ageyne And whenne they be in youthe brought vp in suche worldly company it wyll be harde for them in age to sette their mynde to prayer and contemplation And surely if lay menne wolde be contented for preseruynge of deuotion in priestes to forbeare the seruyce and familyaritee of theym more then they haue done in tyme past and wolde here masse and diuine seruice whenne they myghte conueniently at their parysshe churches at the leste on holydays and when they may here none wold supply it with prayer or some other good werkes they shulde more please almyghty god therby and more shewe them selfe to honour the sacrament
consciences that haue folowed vpon that doinge I wyll not touche at this tyme. 21. ¶ Aso it is a great ouersight in many religious men that they wylle pretende that the wey of their religion is the surest way to saluation and surely it wolde be prohibited that no man vpon great peyne shulde hereafter presume to say so 22. ¶ Also this poynte hath done great hurte that men wyll so lyghtly reporte as they do that there be many heritikes yea and they that be of that appetite to haue it so noised vse this polici to say that heritikes wil first cause smal herisies to be sprōgē abrode to the intent they maye after brynge in greatter and by tho wordis gretter heresies they meane that some men be of opiniō that feith suffisith without good werkes and that they wolde haue all thinges in cōmon whiche if they coude bring about it were in dede as they say a plain distruction of the cōmon welth they wyll affirme stiffely that if they be suffred to continue they wyll in conclusion bring it about And how perillous a speakynge that is it is euident for there can no man tell whom it toucheth and therfore it may lightly cause great gruge in the hartes of many people And as the truth is it hath done so alredy And nowe as to those two articles I wil say thus farre therin that in good faith I knowe none that holdeth opinion that good werkes be not necessarie to saluacyon specially in men that haue full vse of Reasone ne yet that all thynges oughte to be in common ¶ And I suppose verayly that there is noted to be a greatter variance in tho poyntes and in dyuers other also then there is in dede yf the very intent of the parties were perfytely knowen and if it be so then is there a gretter defaut in thē that wyl so lightly iuge other to be heritikes then there is in them that they note to holde those diuersities of opinions 23. ¶ Also what a great abusion is it in many spirituall men as well religious as other whyche be specially ordeyned for the mayntenance of the seruice of god that they kepe in their handes pastures and groundes which somtyme were townes or villages inhabited with people whiche righte moche maynteyned the seruice of god and many of them kepeth in their handes also parkes for fedynge of wylde beastes that myght ryght well be made the fedynge of Christen people and that in great nombre and thus they that most specially ought to maynteyne the honour of god and increase his seruice greatly decay it distroy the people weken the power of the kynge and of the realme and delay the repayring of the falle of aungelles verye moche and though some temporall men haue such pastures and parkes as welle as spirituall men haue yet the greatter defaut in the kepynge therof is in spiritualle menne and therfore haue I spoken of theym fyrste 24. ¶ Also there gothe a common reporte abrode amonge the people that spirituall men be most commonly more harde and strayt in makyng of leasses retynge of rentes leuyenge of fynes takynge of heriottes allowynge of reparations alowyng of fees to offycers and suche other then any lay men be And as it is sayd they take occasion to do so vnder pretence that all that they do is for mayntenance of prayers and of the seruice of god soo that hit is in goddis quarell all that they doo And therfore if they take any suite for any ryght that they clayme or that any sute be taken ageynste them they are moste commonlye more extreme and ferther froo a meane waye thenne any laye menne be ¶ And this doth great hurt maketh the people to gruge ageynst them and to esteme great parcialitie and couetyse in them and so wyll it do as longe as it continueth let them cloke it vnder the colour of goddis quarelle all that they can BYZ. They muste nedes sue for their right and also defende it For els it myght happen that they in proces of tyme shoulde haue but a lyttell to lyue with And suche a reporte as thou spekest of maye lyghtely go abrode without cause and therfore they maye not leese theyr ryghte for suche exclamations SALEM As the common prouerbe is trewe that there is neuer smoke withoute somme fyre so is hit trewe that this reporte is not rysen withoute somme cause thoughe perauenture the cause be not so greatte as the reporte is ¶ And trouthe it is as thou sayst they must nedes few for theyr ryght and also defende hit And I agree well that it is very harde also to knowe where a manne is extreme in his suytes and where he is extremely handeled and therfore I trowe the beste remedy were for theym to dispose theym selfe in doubtefull thynges rather to be ouer sufferable 25. ¶ Also it hath ben a righte greatte ouersyghte in tyme paste that the deformitie of the bodye hathe bene more myslyked in theym that shoulde be admytted to be priestes thanne the deformytie of lyfe or lacke of moralle vertues or of lernynge For yf he be personable the lacke of suche thynges as hit is sayde be soone passedde ouer as thowghe the goodlynesse of the personne shoulde sounde to the honour of pryestehoode but surelye hit is Mekenes and Charytie that brynge to pryestes the veraye trewe honour 26. ¶ Also if it were well consydered there are fewe ceremonies of the churche but that they sounde either to a preeminence or els to a profyte of priestes and that hath caused some persones to fynd defaut at such ceremonies whiche as farre as euer I coulde perceyue be of them selfe right good as to the most parte if they were handled with mekenes in the mynysters as they shuld be BYZ. But I praye the what be those cerimonies that they meane of SAL. They meane of crepynge to the crosse and of the disciplins afore Easter that the bryde muste be gyuen to the prieste and that the brydegrome muste kysse the prieste of the halowynge of candelles churches ymages and belles and of the beryng of candelles on Candelmas day of sensynge the mynisters at certayne feastes of lyghtynge a candell before the Gospell or els not to procede any farther ne that none shall say Dominus vobiscum but he be within holy orders and of dyuers other moo then I can remembre nowe BYZ. All these be good and commendable SAL. I thynke they be And yet many men wene that if there were no money offred at the crepyng to the crosse ne money gyuen for halowynge of churches images and belles that those ceremonies wolde laste but a whyle and vndoubtedly there be many that thynke that there be sometyme diuers ceremonies at masse that were rather brought vp for an honour to the ministers then of the sacramēt or of the seruice of god And therfore they say that if lesse worldly pompe then is many tymes vsed aboute the minystracyon of it it
wolde please our lord better and be also more edifienge to the people then it is nowe 27. ¶ Also byshoppes that be canonised haue a propre common appoynted vnto bysshoppes and this Antyphon Ecce sacerdos magnus is often in their seruyce And kynges that be canonysed haue moste commonly the common appropried to an abbot And me thinketh that that is not ordered as it shoulde be For as me semeth the clergy can not of congruence gyue no lesse honour to a kyng then to a byshop BI The canonisyng of sayntes ne yet the seruice of the church profiteth nothing the saintes And therfore it forceth lyttell what antyphan or commons they haue SALEM It is trewe as thou sayeste but yet suche canonisations and the seruice ordeyned vpon it be occasions to encorage theym that be of the same degree as they be to desyre lyke vertue as they hadde that be soo canonysed and sythe the vertue in princis is mooste necessarie to the people and to the holle common welthe before all other it semeth somewhat to be meruayled why suche canonisations haue not ben so ordered that they shulde encourage princis to vertue more specially than any other BYSANCE Pryncis glorifye theym selfe but lyttell for the canonisation of other prynces ne care but lyttelle for the seruyce appoynted to theym SALEM But yet somme spiritualle menne haue for theym selfe regarded suche thynges in tyme paste ryght moche and me thynkethe alwaye that they oughte to doo lykewyse for kynges and pryncis yea and that more thenne for theym selfe BISANCE Well I perceyue nowe that thy meanynge is that spirituall menne haue in suche canonisations ben more diligent to canonise one of the same degree that they be of thanne any other as bysshoppes of byshoppes priestes of pristes and religious of religious and specially suche as be of the same regular order as they be And yet though it be soo it is no defaute in theym as me semeth but rather a prayse for it is an enuye for vertue whiche is called pia inuidia a meke enuye and that is commendable ¶ SALEM Enuye in vertue is commendable as thou sayste but an enuye who maye haue his vertue more knowen or moore lawded and preysed then other is not commendable And it is verye lyke that suche thynges haue ben sene in some menne concernyng such canonisations in time paste but in princis no suche affection can be iudged For commonly lesse honour is gyuen to princis that be canonised thenne to other as it appereth of saynt Lucius that was the first kynge christened of the Brytons in this realme and of saynt Ethelbert that was the fyrste chrysten kynge of Englysshe men whiche be but lyttel knowen and haue but lyttell honour in comparison of other and that me thynketh is not well ordred BISAN Well I perceyue thy mynde nowe in this mattier more perfitely then I dyd before and nowe syth thou haste spoken before of canonisations of sayntes I praye the lette me here thy mynde to what intent they were fyrste ordeyned and who hathe auctoritie to make theym SAL. One cause why they were ordeyned was to encrease vertue in other specially in theym that be of the same degre as they were that be so canonised as I haue sayd before and it hath ben moste vsed for them that haue lyued a good and a blessed lyfe aboue the common sorte of other good christen menne to gyue the people god example in prayer fastyng and almes dede in sufferynge of tribulations and vexations for ryghtwisenes pacientlye or suche other And yf it please our lorde to shew myracles for him wherby it appereth that he hath accepted his good werkes that is a thing moch necessary in such canonisations An other cause of suche canonisation hath ben also to eschue scismes variāces among the people when one wold worshyp one as a saynte and an other wolde say he were none And in the chapytre Extra de reliquijs Ca. Audiuimus It is sayd that thoughe myracles be done that yet it is not lawfull to worshyp any as a saynct without auctoritie of the see of Rome But what auctoritie the see of Rome hath to make suche a canonisation I neuer harde Howe be it fyue resons be made in the glose De reliquijs et veneratione sanctorum Ca. vnico Gloriosus libro 6. why the see of Rome ought to do it before all other ¶ Fyrste is by cause the canonysacyon of saynctes is one of the greatteste causes that maye be pourposedde amonge Chrysten people The seconde is that bycause myracles be ascrybed to the feythe Therfore this question sithe it is notably of the feithe is to be referred to the see apostolyke The thyrde bicause it perteineth to the pope to open and declare the doutes of scripture therfore of stronger reasone he ought to open and declare the doubtes of holynesse The fourthe is that hit oughte onely to belonge to the See of Rome leeste by the symplicitie of many byshoppes the people shoulde happen to be deceyued The fyfte leest the saynctes canonysed shoulde be increased to a nombre infinite And soo therby deuocyon waxe colde and holynesse lyttell sette by These be the reasons of the sayde Glose and as me semethe they proue not the intente that they be made for ¶ And as to one of the sayde reasons it is apparant that it dothe not For it is euident inough that one bysshoppe may sooner be deceyued than many byshoppes and all the resydue of the said reasons I commytte to the iudgement of the reders And where in the same glose it is sayd ferther that if the churche erre in the canonisation of a saynt that yet it is not to beleue that hit erreth Surely if the churche erre therin in dede it is meruayle why hit maye not be beleued that it erreth for the truthe is alway to be beleued though somtyme after the lawe of man a man may be stopped to saye the truthe as hit is in dyuers cases of estopelles in the lawes of Englande where a manne maye be estopped to saye that he knoweth verely is trew but yet all though he be soo estopped to saye the trewthe he may beleue therin as he lyste and so reason wolde he shulde do of suche canonisations And therfore I thynke that the meanynge of the sayd glose is that if the churche vpon vntrue profes canonise one that is no sayncte in dede that yet if a man wyll say that he is no saynt that he offendeth in that saying For why to say that he is no saynte is is asmoche to say as that he is in hell for all that be in heuen or pourgatorie be saynctes For they in purgatorie be sure of saluation thoughe as somme holde opinion they lacke the fruition of the godheed and that therfore it is ryght good and charitable to pray that they may be brought to it ¶ And then sythe it is an offence to affyrme opinatiuely that any person that is
departed is in Helle onles it be proued by scripture that it is so as it is of Cayme Iudas and some other more stronger he offendeth that wyll opinatiuely saye that he whome the churche hath canonised is in helle But though it be agreed that it is an offence to say that he that the churche hath canonised for a saynt is no saynt yet why it shuld be herisi to say he is no saint sith it may be true as he saith and as the said glose affirmeth that it may be I se no reson For they them self that haue canonised him knowe not ne can not know assuredly that he that is so canonised is in heuen but that they haue a good truste that he is so For the wytnesse maye deceyue them as is said before And accordyng to the same effecte it is sayde Extra de senten excommunicationis a nobis secundo that the iugement of god is so knytte to the truthe that it neuer deceyueth ne can not be deceyued but the iugemēt of the church foloweth oft times the opinion of men so it may be vntrue deceiue and also lightly be deceyued And more ouer one of the principal intentes of suche canonisatiōs is when any opinion riseth amonge the people that suche a man is a saynt and that some begyn to honour hym and some haply saye they doo not welle to sette the mattier in suche an order that there shall be no scismes thervppon amonge the people But yf any opinion ryse amonge the people that any is holye and blessed and myracles be doone than it is suffered that the people maye honour theym yf they be not prohybite by the superiours not withstondynge the sayde Chapitre Audiuimus ¶ And vnder this maner kyng Henry the syxte and mayster Iohn̄ Shorn̄ be suffered to be worshypped which be not canonysed And what a canonisation trowest thou had the apostels and such other holy men in the begynnynge of the churche BISAVNCE I trowe none but that the holy goste wytnessed in the hartes of all the people that they were holy and blessed and that suffised without any ferther canonisation SALEM Surely it is as thou sayste but of some other newe sayntes it hath not benne alwaye so but whanne somme hath holden one veray holy an other hath douted at it And therfore to kepe the people in a good quyetnes in that behalfe Canonysacyons haue benne made not that the people shoulde be bounde therby to beleue their holynes as to an artycle of the faythe but to gyue theym occasyon the rather to agree therin in one sythe so many great clerkes haue allowed the wytnesse in profe of his holynesse as there hathe doone ¶ And therfore though it were admytted that he were an herityke that wold obstinately holde opinyon that the churche gathered to gether in the holye gooste maye erre in a thynge that is of the fayth that this is of the same effect for as moch as the canonisation of a sayncte perteyneth to the Faythe bycause that in the inquery of his fayth and of his moralle vertues and of his doynge myracles stondethe all the mattier hit maye be aunswered that the cases be not lyke for two causes First for that such a canonisation is not appoynted by the lawes to the holle clergie ne to the generall counsell but to the see of Rome onely and vndoubtedly that see may erre deceyue and be deceyued For that see maketh not the churche Seconde in such a canonisation it suffiseth if the wytnes affyrme that he was a man of a true faith without rehersynge all the articles of the faithe in speciall And therfore the determination of the articles of the faith foloweth not thervppon And that the churche maye not erre in thynges that be of the faithe I take it to be vnderstonde where any great dout ryseth concernynge the faith And that that dout is commytted to the churche wherby I vnderstonde mooste proprely the generall Counsayle that they then may not erre And therto I can ryghte well agree For it is not to thynke that our lorde that is the very truthe wolde leue his people without a dewe meane how to come to knowlege of the truthe for that wyll not leaue any one particular person in suche doubt but that he may come to the knowledge of the truthe yf he wyll fully put his trust in hym And therfore it is sayd 2. par xx Cum ignoremus quid facere debeamus hoc solum residui habemus vt oculi nostri ad te dirigantur that is to say Lorde when we be ignorant and wotte not what to do this only remayneth to vs for our comfort that we lift our eien vp to the as who saythe that suffiseth vnto vs so that we shall not erre But in suche a canonisatyon though all the hole clergie dyd it they might erre For it is but mater in dede and more stronger these of Rome may erre therin BYZ. This maner of resonynge is daungerous For hit myghte lyghtely induce the people to sette at nought the order and decrees of theyr superiours SAL. As to that thou knowest well that no man hath power to make lawes to bynd other but he haue auctoritie therto of god And yf it can be proued that the clergie haue auctorite of god to canonise a saint and that they be all heritikes that beleue it not it must be obeyed our lorde forbeade it shulde be otherwyse But if it can not be proued that they haue that auctoritie by the lawe of god but that they haue hit onely by a custome and sufferaunce of Princis thenne the reasonynge of hit shall doo good to cause the matter be knowen as it is And yet maye the sayntes that in tyme paste haue benne taken for holye and blessed be styll so taken ¶ And thenne also shall hit not be taken for herysye that is none in dede but the verye trewe intente of canonysations shal be knowen ¶ And I suppose farther that it were no greatte mattier whether any were canonysed hereafter or not yf the people wolde be quyete withoute it and not be soo newe fangle to pylgrymages as somme haue benne in tyme paste and thenne to kepe the people in quietenesse and in good ordre in all thynges kynges and princis are moste specyally bounden to before any other BYSANCE Pryncis canne not determyne who hathe a ryghte faythe and who hathe not ne what is a Myracle and what not ¶ SALEM To examyne all the partycular artycles of the faythe is not necessarye in Canonysations as I haue sayde before and what is a miracle and whatte not Pryncis and theyr counsaylles maye haue knoweledge sufficiently And therfore as me meth it pertayneth mooste specially to theym to order and appoynte suche canonysacyons atte a generalle Counsaylle rather then to any other takyng the clergye to them as theyr counsaylours in that behalfe But for as moch as Princis haue in tyme past lyttell regarded suche small matters beyng
rulers and other vnder them haue taughte preched in tymes paste diuers thinges more specially for their owne syngular profite and honour then for the honour of god or welthe of the soules of the peple that yet they endeuour them selfe no more to ease the myndes of the people therin then they do For neyther do they make it appere to the people that they grudge therin without cause and so offende god therby ne yet refourme they not that that the people gruge at And nowe if any man wyll saye that good indiffereÌ„cie wolde that we shulde haue touched also defautes in the temporaltie more thenne we haue done to that I wyll saye thus that I am right farre deceyued but this be true that the worlde shall neuer come to a good peace and perfyte reformation tyll the spiritualtie eyther by their owne free wyll or els by a good diligent callinge on of the temporaltie be fyrste refourmed and that then they in charitie and in a pure loue to god and to the people putte to their handes to reforme suche thynges as they thynke to be mysused by temporall men whiche yf they do it is not to doubte but that they shall righte shortely brynge the matter to a good effecte For it is no lyttel thynge that spirituall men maye doo therin if they wyll and if they wyll in no wyse lay their handes to the matter I think verily that it wyll be harde to brynge the worlde to a good reformation but that it shall abyde styll out of order as it hath done in tyme paste ¶ Who is the higher iudge in suche corrections as be called spiritual corrections the kyng or the clergye The seconde Chapytre SAL If the partie in anye suite in the spiritual courte wyl appele the order of his appeale is appoynted by the statute made an .xxv. R. Hen. viii and the statute is that if he appele fro the archebyshoppe that he shall appele to the kynges maiestie in his chauncerye and that vpon euery suche appele a commission shall be directed to suche persons as the kynge shal name to determyne the cause without ferther appele And syth the kynge may appoynt commissioners to determyne the cause I holde it no great doubte but that the kynge hym selfe is the hyghe iudge vppon euery suche appeale BIZAN yea but my meanynge is in suche suytes where there is none appele taken but that the spirituall iuges gyue sentence ageynst the partie and appoynte him ê‘case to do vnreasonable penance whether he maye haue any remedye by the lawe of the realme SAL. What thynkest thou in that question BYZ. That he hath no remedy by the kinges lawe For if he obey not the sentence he shal be accursed And if he stande accursed .xl. dayes the kynge vpon the Certificat of the byshop is bouÌ„de of iustice to awarde a writte that is called a writ de excommunicato capiendo and thervppon shall he lye in prison tyll he haue aswel satisfied the churche of the contempte as of the wronge done to her For the statute of Circumspecre agatis is that corrections whiche pÌ„lates make for deedly synne as for fornicacion auoutrie suche other the spirituall iudge if he procede to the correction of the synne shall holde plee not withstandyng the kynges prohibition And by the statute of Sub qua forma yf bodyly penaunce be enioyned and the partie wyll freely redeme it for money he may doo it And so it semeth that the corrections of fornication auoutrie and suche other by the which terme suche other be vnderstande vserie simony yea and periury and sklaunder in some cases perteyne of very right to the prelates to correct And though they assigne vnreasonable penaunce yet I suppose there is no remedy but by appeale And yf the partie lese the aduaÌ„tage of his appele then he hath put hym selfe without remedy And ferthermore by the constitution ê“uynciall that is in the thyrde boke amonge the constitutions De immunitate ecclesie which begynneth Seculi principes It appereth that he that is in prison for that he is excommunicate oughte not to be delyuered tyll he haue made satisfaction as well to the churche as to the partie And so sythe the churche may assigne the satisfaction it semeth that the churche is the high iudge SA I perceyue thy conceyt wel but er that I answere the therin I shall shewe the my conceyte in a nother thynge that is to saye that as I suppose suche spirituall corrections as nowe be vsed for fornication auoutrie and suche other be not merely grounded vpon the lawe of god but by the law of man in this realme they ben done by the clergy by a custome of the realme except only the ê“ces of excoÌ„munication And if the kinges courte had vsed to haue holden ple also of fornication and auoutrie and such other the clergy could not of right haue compleyned of hit And I holde it no great doubte but that the parlyament myghte yet ordeyne that it shuld do so herafter But parauenture it was thought at the begynnynge of that custome that it was more ease for the people and lesse expences and parauenture more conueniente to haue suche smalle matters sued in the ordinariis courte then in the kynges courte and therfore it was then so suffered to be But if it shoulde happen to appere by experience that it were as good or better to the kynges subiectes to haue susue matters determined in his courtes as in the ordinaries It shoulde seme good to brynge suche corrections to the kynges courte For tho synnes may be corrected there as wel as in the spirituall courte For hit is here to be noted that although a man be enioyned in the spirituall court to do such compulsatorie penaunce as is there comonly vsed and he doth it yet he muste after that be confessed of the same offence take penaunce of his gostely father And so myght he do if he were fyrst corrected in the kinges court Neuertheles I speke not this to th entent that I wolde that suche suites shulde be broughte to the kynges courte but that hit maye appere that prelates holde plee therof by the custome of the realme and by the sufferaunce of the kynge and of his lawes and not by the iÌ„mediate auctoritie of the lawe of god BYSANCE If they may holde plee of suche thynges it is all to one effecte whether it be by the lawe of god or by the lawe of man SAL. Nay for if they haue it only by custome it may with a cause be taken fro theym and that maye happely cause them to take the better hede how they order theym selfe in hit And yf it were by the lawe of god then it might in no wyse be altered ¶ And as to the correction of heresie the kynge hath alwaye sene it doone in this realme excepte the tyme that the statute that was made in the seconde yere of kyng Henry the .iiii. concerning heresies stode in
effecte For if a man before that statute had bene delyuered by the ordinaries to the laye courte for heresye he myght not haue bene putte in execution withoute a wrytte fro the kynge but with a wrytte fro the kyng after the olde custome of the realme he myghte then laufully haue bene put in execution But yet as I take hit the kyng was not then vpon euery request made for such a wryt bounde forthwith to graunte it but that he myghte take a respite to se the proces thervpon to graunte the wrytte or not to graunt it as he sawe to stonde with iustyce but as it semeth there were some that were not content that the execution shulde be delayed in suche case tyll the kynges wrytte came but that he so delyuered shoulde forthwith be put in execution and after the said statute of secundo of Henry the fourth was made by what conueyance I can not fully telle but it is not vnlyke but that the clergy laboured it wherby it was enacted that in suche case the party so deliuered shulde be put in execution no mencion made that any suche wrytte shulde be sued for to the kyng by whiche statute the parties so delyuered were sometyme put in execution without any suche wryt and sometyme labour was made not withstandynge the sayde statute to haue suche a wrytte to saue all thynges vpright and that the kynge shoulde take no displeasure But that was not done for necessitie but of policie For the statute was in the lawe sufficient warrāte withoute wrytte Vnder this maner diuers haue ben put in execution for heresie whervpon haue rysen great murmours and grudges amonge the people whan somme haue affirmed that dyuers so putte in execution for heresy were no heritikes Wherfore the sayde statute of Hen. the fourth was repelled by the statute in the .xxv. yere of kynge Henry the .viii. as reason and conscience wolde it shoulde and thervpon it is ordeyned that if he that is laufullye conuicte for herysy refuse to abiure or after abiuration fall in relaps and be duly accused or presented and conuicte that then he shal be commytted to the laye power to be burned c. The kynges writte De heretico comburendo fyrste had and opteyned for the same And so the olde lawe is therin reuyued And as me semeth it appereth euidētly that in that execution the kynge is iugge For it can not be done without his writ whiche neuertheles he is not alwaye bounde to graunte when it is asked but as vpon the sight of the proces and sentence he shall thinke the sentence to stande with reason and conscience For the statute is not that the kynge shall graunte the writte but that the partie shal be burned the kingis writ De heretico comburendo fyrste had and opteyned for the same ¶ And therfore if the thinge that he is cōuicted for be no heresie as it may be in some cases after the clergie bicause it is ageynste the cannons and yet be none in dede bycause tho cannons be ageynst the custome of the realme and that in tēporall thynges then may the kynge denye the writte And then as to that treatise that thou spekest of called Circumspecte agatis I littel regarde it For many men say it is no statute but that it hath been so named to be by the prelates And so it is sayde in the nyntene yere of kinge Edwarde the thyrde that it was And hit is the more lyke to be soo bycause the same Treatyse in maner worde for worde is putte in a constitution prouincial as a thyng taken out of the kynges aunsweres and in all the statute bokes that go abrode among the lerners of the lawes of this realme it appereth not that that treatyse shoulde be taken oute of the kynges aunsweres as to the reders wylle appere Neuertheles if it can be found amonge the kynges recordes that it is a statute I wylle take no exception to it ne yet to Sub qua forma nor Articuli cleri For as me semeth it maketh no greatte matter to the question that we be in hande with nowe that is to saye whether be hygher iuge in spiritual corections after the olde groundes of the lawe the kynge or the clergye whether they be statutes or not For if a man be excommunicate and so continewe .xl. days the custome is that he shal vpon the Certifycat of the byshop made therof to the kynge be taken and put in prison as thou hast sayd before But then thou knowest well that if the partye so beinge in prisone make surmys to the kynge that he hathe offered sufficiente caucion or gage to satisfie the churche and they wyll not receyue it that then the kynge shal commaunde the bishop that he takynge an able caucyon shal se the partie deliuerd out of prison and if he obey not the writte than the kynge may delyuer the partie oute of prison And ouer that if he wyll he maye as men thinke put the bishop to aunswere to the contempte For disobeyinge his wrytte and then shall the matter be determined in the kinges chauncerie and there it shall comme in tryall whether the gage were sufficiente or not BYZ. But whether shall that sufficiencye be estemed as thou thynkest accordynge to the penance assigned by the byshop or accordynge to the offence SAL. It maye be that there is no penaunce yet geuen or parauenture he is accursed vppon a contempte for not apperance But if the penance be gyuen he wyll not do it wherfore he is accursed and thervpon he is in prison vpon the wryt De excommunicato capiendo and thervpon he offereth a gage I thynke that there the sufficiencye of the gage shall be taken accordynge to the offence for the penaunce maye be vnreasonable BIZAN And yf the kynge take vppon hym to trye the greatnes or lyttelnesse of the offence by his lawes than he taketh vpon hym the keys of the churche SALEM Naye for that may be valued as welle by the kynges lawes as it may by the bysshop yf the partye wyll redeme his penaunce for money But if the kynge wold for the refusing of his Caution take vpon him to make the absolution hym selfe then myghte hit be sayde he medled with the keyes But sythe he dothe no more but compelle the bysshoppe to make absolucyon accordynge to his lawes It can not be sayde that he medleth with the keys BY. The proces of a contempte that thou spekest of hath not ben sene And ouer that the prelates compleyne that if the byshop refuse to take the caucion that thenne an other wrytte shall go to the shyreffe to delyuer the partie out of prisone as thou haste sayde before and in that wrytte they say there is no mencyon made that eyther the churche or the partie shall be satisfyed And that is the princypalle cause why the sayde Constitution Seculi principes was made SALEM Thoughe the proces of a contempte hath not ben sene in the same
maynteyner of slouthe and idelnes and a destroyer of all good labour And there be many other that sey that there be none of that opinion but they sey that they haue harde many of this opinion that in tyme of necessite of our neighbour all thynges that we haue oughte to be in common to hym and we be then bounde in charite to minister of our goodes vnto hym after as his necessitie requyreth but that any might take it them selfe they say they haue harde none of that opinion And surely I thynke it is true as they say And saint Augustin to that effect saith thus He that seeth his brother in necessite and shytteth his helpe and comforte from hym howe abydeth the charite of god in hym And I beseche our lorde sende vs many of that opinion that is to say that we ought to communicate of our goodes to our neighbours that be in necessitie and not to sende vs so moche as one of the other opinion that is to say that they might take it them selfe And that if there be none of that opinion that then there be none that wyll report there is BY. I perceyue wel that thou thinkest that there be not so great diuersities of opinions amonge the people as are noted to be if the very trewe intent of theyr myndes were throughly knowen how be it somme causes of grudges thou agreest that there are yet remaynynge And therfore though the remedies ther of perteyne most specially to the rulers to trete vpon yet as it semeth it can do no hurt if thou shewe thy mynde somwhat therin SAL. Somewhat in a generalitie I wyll say with good wyll And fyrst I thynke that it is right expedient that the lawes and iurisdictions spiritual and temporal be throughly agreed to gether for vpon the varienge of them this inconuenience foloweth that whan some occasion of variance happeneth to ryse betwixte two men and they aske counsayle one at the spirituall lawe and the other at the temporal lawe that bothe be informed that they haue right and that causeth theym to stycke so soore to theyr titles that they be farre fro any meane way where if eyther of theym were instructed that the lawe were ageynste hym as moste commonly the one of theym shoulde be if they bothe asked counsayle at one lawe that wold cause him that thought the lawe agaynst hym to eschewe expences and falle to agreement ¶ Also it is ryght expediente that all constitutions prouincialle and legantines as haue ben made in tyme paste ageynste the lawes of the realme and the kynges prerogatiue where the lawes of the realme oughte of righte to be folowed and also all suche lawes as be ouer greuous to the people by extendynge ouer great multitude of excommunications vpon theym or that haue bene made more of singularitie and in mayntenaunce of the spirituall iurisdiction then of charitie shall be clerely reuoked and put away ¶ Also it semeth expedient that none hereafter haue but onely one benefice with cure by lycence nor otherwyse and he to be resident vppon it excepte suche as haue moo nowe at this tyme and they to inioye theym withoute takyng any mo by permutation or other wise And if any take mo benefices thē one bothe to be voyde ¶ Also it semeth to stande with charitie that lyke as there is appoynted certayne collettis and orisons for infidels in lent that there be a speciall collette for them all tymes of the yere bothe at mattens masse euynsonge complin Placebo and dirige and lykewyse for the peace and tranquillitie of all christen realmes speciallye nowe in this daungerouse tyme. ¶ Also that all parkes and pastures that be in the handes of spiritual men and be mete for tyllage be by a certain tyme buylded and tourned into tyllage vpon a peyne c. And for as moche as moche tymbre wyll be spent aboute it and tymbre is greatly wasted in many places that it be diuised howe tymbre and wodde maye be increased and preserued hereafter And me thinketh seynge the kynges grace and his counsayle haue diuised so good a waye for nouryshynge of wodde in Irelande as they haue done that it were very well that if they did likewise for this realm ¶ Also it semeth to be right expedient that certayne articles whereof parte shall be recited hereafter be gathered to gether and that preachers be commaunded that in euerye sermon they shall moue the people to fulfylle them as nygh as god shall gyue them grace and suche other also as the parlyament shall thynke conuenient And not to recyte euery article in euerye sermon for it wolde somtyme be tedious but part of theym as they shall thynke mooste profytable for the audience And one of the said articles as it semeth may be this that the preacher diligentlye instructe the people what warkes beste please god and also to instructe them in what order they ought to be done And for a remembrance I shall brefely touche somewhat of that mattier and commytte the ferther declaration therof to the preachers ¶ The worke that moste pleaseth our lorde as I take for the laie people is the releuynge and comfortynge of our neighboure that hathe nede and the greatter that his nede is the greatter shall be our rewarde And as prayer contemplation be the highest warkynges in the lyfe contemplatife so is this dede of mercy to our neighbour done in charite the highest warke in the lyfe actiue And therfore no man can come vnto it but by great labour and diligence For it is alway harde to atteyne to vertue and the higher the vertue is the more difficultie is in the atteynyng of hit and the kyngedome of heuen muste be gotte with a violence It is easye to buylde churches and monasteries to gyue bokes and chalices to the seruice of god if a mā haue wherwith for laude and prayse and a worldly contentation foloweth commonly vpon it but in doinge dedes of charitie to our neighbour there be so manye difficulties that it maye anone discourage a man to contynewe in hit but he doo it purely for god Howe be hit I meane not that of gyuyng of almes to poore men that aske it by waye of almesse in the stretes but I meane hit of charytable dedes to be done to theym that fyght with pouertye and be ashamed to aske it neuer the lesse the diffycultyes therof I wylle not expresse at this tyme. ¶ Also it is a ryght great grace that suche a desyre is come amonge the people to haue pore men releued But surely if it comme to this poynte hereafter that spirituall menne wyll procure for theyr owne aduauntage and lyttelle for poore menne that desyre for poore menne wylle soone slake and vanysshe aweye hereafter as hit hath doone in tyme paste ¶ And as to the goynge on pylgremage me thynketh it may be accompted and set in the lowest degre of good warkes in so moche that as I suppose if a man in doinge suche