farre from orlyaunce in the yeare of our lorde DC.li. These ij monasteries floriake and fulda with their olde inhabitauntes would I counsel al Chronycle readers to marke as they fall in their waye for wonders whiche hath comen from thens as wyll apeare after A custome the holye fathers had in those dayes to leade nonnes about with them in straunge landes where they went As we reade of walburga Hadeloga Lieba and suche other I thynke it was to helpe them to beare their chastite whose carryage was sumtyme verye comberouse vnto them and they founde not then in all cotreyes suche plentye of Nondryes as hath bene sens Sigebertus Capgraue Tritemius Nauclerus Vuicelius ¶ Oxforde shurned And Alcuinus monkes AShamed are not these prestygiouse Papystes to vtter it in their storyes and reade it in their Sayntes legendes in contempt of their christeÌ„ gouernours that no kynge maye entre the towne of Oxforde without a mychefe because one Algar a Prince aboute thys age would haue had Saynt frideswyde to wyfe As though to be a kynge were a farre vyler or vnworthyer offyce than to be a pylde shytten Nonne O blynde bludderynge Balaamytes without all iudgementes godlye Of God only yâ— the worhy offyce of a King Prouer. 8. where as your fisting Nonnes were of Antichrist and the deuill Capgraue Fabiane Polidorus Aboute the same tyme was Alcuinus a doctour of England made abbot of Turonia in Fraunce by the gift of Charles the great which on a nyght founde all his monkes dead in the dorter by the soden stroke of God for their Sodometrye one only excepted Odo cluniacensis Guilhelmus Malmesburye Vincencius Antoninus Ranulphus Capgraue postuitam Ythamari A great matter had it bene in the popes bokes yf these men had had wiues For than he could not haue sent them to the deuill so fast accordinge to the generall commission whiche he had of Sathan his great mastre in that vycarship of his ¶ English men ponnished at Rome AFter Kyng Ethelwolphe beynge subdeacon and prest through wanton occupieng had had a bastard by the popes dispensacion he married Olburga his butlers doughter and had by her iiij sonnes which all succeded Kynges after him Guilhelmus Malmesbury et Ioannes Harding As this Kinge on a tyme chaunced to be at Rome he se many English men there wearynge fetters and gyues of Iron as they had bene murtherers or theues And as he enquyred what the cause shuld be answere was made hym that it was for spyrytualll offences done For those wylye watchers by that tyme had put manye thynges in practyse by force of their penytenciall Summe made by Theodorus afore They myght than make what synnes they wolde and sende vnto Rome whome so euer yt pleased them vpon the reseruacyons of cases Pontifycall and papall or by reason of the aggrauacyons of circumstaunces of synnes makynge men beleue they coude not dyspense wyth them whan the matter was not worth ij haste nuites And thys was the cause of their greuouse correccyons than For redresse of this the Kynge conuenaunted than with the Pope to geue him by yearâ— a penye of euery fyre howse within hys lande as Inas and Offa had done before him for their domynyons He promysed hym also in acquytynge the churches trybutes to geue him iij. C. marke yearlye And finally he repared the English hospitall there which had bene decayed by fire Ranulphus Platina Petrus Equilinus Fabianus et Polidorus ¶ An English monkes peramoure is a Pope THe monastery of fulda in Germanye was in those dayes much frequented of Englysh monkes byâ—â—use it was first buylded of the forseyd Archebyshop Boniface whych was an Englyshe man borne A yonge wenche borne and brought vp in Maguncia therebye Gilberta by name so mynded one of those monkes that she changed her apparell and went awaye wyth him lyke a waytynge boye or lackeye into straunge landes and became in all scyences of learnynge verye counynge and was called Englyshe Iohan. As yt chaunced thys monke to dye she get her vnto Rome and became there a common reader of publique lectours and was had in soche wonderfull estymacyon that Pope Leo the fort beynge dead she was solempnelye elected and intronysed Saynt Peters vycar in the yeare of oure Lorde DCCC.Liiij called Iohan the viij after dyuerse wryters By helpe of a Cardinall her most familier chamberlayne she was in conclusyon begett wyth chylde whan she had bene pope almost ij yeares and an halfe And in a most solempne procession to Laterane whan their churche was in the most pride by fall of the empire and subieccion of christeÌ„ princes the prelates in their most pompouse aparell the daye shynynge verye fayre she was openlye delyuered of chylde without midwife and so dyed Wherin God declared mâ—nifestlye to the worlde that their glitteringe churche was altogyther an whore to make good that was wrytten in the reuelacion of Saynt Iohan. Apo. 17. Oh he that had seane the countenaunce of the prelates than shuld haue beholden a great thange ¶ Popes chosen from thens fourth by their N. SEns that tyme hath popes alwayes bene chosen as stoned horse are in a colte feyer by their doutye dimiceries that they can no more be deceyued that way For at the solempne stallynge of them the last deacon Cardynall doth grope them brechelesse at an hole made in the seate for that ghostlye purpose and than cryeth yt out before all the multitude that he hath ware suffycyent to proue hym no woman Moreouer the strete where she was delyuered hath euer sens bene shurned in all generall precessyons for feare of yll happes As is of women a serten brydge in a Scottysh I le called Leuissa where as yf but one woman shuld paste ouer they saye there are no salmons seane in that ryuer all the yeare after Hector Boethius in Scoteci regni descriptione For the hystorye afore reherced of thys woman Pope was yt partlye my desyre that ye shuld â—arke that monasterye of fulda For she was one chast frute of our Englysh clergye yssuynge from thens ye may chaunce after thys yet to heare of more Such an enemye to prestes marryage was not in hys tyme as was that Boniface which was therof the first buylder For euery where ded he in all his gâ—nerall Synodes condempne yt for aduoutery by the popes canon lawes For the scripturs wolde not serue hym The life of this female pope sheweeh more at large Iacobus Bergomas in li. De claris mulieribus Platina Sabellicus Martinus Carsulanus Volateranus Nauclerus Mantuanus Ioannes Stella Ioannes textor Robertus Barnes in uitis Romanorum Pontificum ¶ Holy water with a boke against marriage IN the yeare of our Lore DCCC LVIII as a serten day deuill at the forsayd Maguncia was hunted of the prestes wyth procession and holye water for dyuerstye vexynge the
laicus ut in toto regno Anglie legali sua condignitate priuetur Et ne huius criminis absolutionem ijs quise sub regula uiuere non nouerunt aliquis nisi episcopus deinceps facere praesumat Statutum quoque est ut per totam Angliam in omnibus ecclesijs in omnibus diebus dominicis excommunicatio praefata publicetur ac renouetur It is enacted that what so euer he is that is noysed or proued to be of thys wyckednesse if he be a relygyouse persone he shall from thens fourth be promoted to no degre of honour and that whych he hath already shall be taken from hym If he be a laye person a secular preste he meaneth he shal be depriued of al his fredome within the lande of benefyce he meaneth and be no better than a foroner And bicause that none els but a byshopp shal presume to assoyle them that be not professed monkes it is also enacted that on euery sondaye in the yeare and in euery pareysh church of Englande the seyd excommunycacyon or generall curse be publyshed and renewed Thys shall ye fynde in the volume of Anselmes epystles Beholde I praye yow how nycely this matter is touched I wys poore matrymonye thou cannyst fynde no suche tendre handelynge No thou shalt not dwell in the monasteryes neyther yet abyde within the dyocese ☞ A ryght vnderstandyng of the same SE how thys most shamefull matter of bugrery is vntowardly tossed and conuayed here of these beastly buggerers the complayners therof fynely lawhed to scorne So haue these holye fathers by their good discressyons qualyfyed the matter that by confessyon and penaunce without repentaunce of their owne appoyntynge maye be able to dyscharge them If he be a relygyouse father as they haue appoynted relygyon he shall haue no more harme but the losse of his dignyte tyll they restore hym agayne But if he be a laye man he shal lose his fredome that is to saye if he were a secular prest or one vnprested by them he shuld clerly lose his benefyce prebende or other lyuynge some sodometrouse monke takynge the profyghtes therof None myghte dyspence with a laye preste but hys byshop whych than was most commenly a monke to dyspatche hym of hys lyuynge at hys pleasure A buggerysh monke myghte be assoyled of his owne abbot at home remayne styll a fylthie buggerar for terme of lyfe neuer fele harme of it This generall curse was only for prestes deacons subdeacoÌ„s canons and college men whych the yeare afore thys lyued honestly in marryage and now were becommen prodygyouse buggerers as the monkes were in their cloysters for want of their naturall wyues The monkes were not threttened to be vndre thys curse bicause they had vowed a symulate chastyte and bicause that what myschefe so euer they ded the monastery walles were able to hyde it ☞ This curse is publyshed and agayne dysolued ANselmus after this declared by a large epystle to his archedeacon Wyllyam what ordre he and the curates shulde take in the publyshynge of thys generall curse or excommuicacyon for buggerye He wylled them to shewe fauer in penaunce geuynge vndre hys autoryte as we le to them that were ignoraunt of the constytucyon that was made as to them that synned afore the acte He admonyshed them also to consydre their ages and to waye their contynuaunces in that synne with other cyrcumstaunces more and whether they were such as had wyues afore or naye that they myght so lose their benefyces Anselmus in epistola CC. lxxviij Ye wold wondre to heare the whole tragedye Here was a great reformacyon of thys horryble synne wythout takynge awaye of the cause O wycked and abhomynable hypocryte though thou be now a canonysed deuyll But marke I praye yow what it came to in the ende Thys generall curse was called backe agayne at the instaunt sute of the monkes Ye must knowe than it towched them They persuaded to Anselme that the publycacyon or openynge of that vyce gaue kyndelynges to the same in the hartes of ydel persones mynystryng occasyon of more boldenesse to do the lyke So that it hath contynued euer sens in the clergye vnponnyshed Ranulphus Cestrensis Rogerus Cestrensis Ioannes Treuisa I wold they had as wele consydered that the secrete occupyenge therof amonge themselues had bene a most manyfest sygne of their dampnacyon But that the blynde beastly asses remembred not for styll it was noryshed in the monasteryes none yll spoken of it to the vtter perdycyon of thousandes ☞ Anselmus is at contencyon wyth the kynge IN the ende of thys yeare a contencyon fell betwyn Anselme and the kynge and thys was the full occasyon â—herof The kynge had made one Roger which was his chauÌ„cellour bishop of Salisburye and an other Roger whyche was hys larderer the byshop of Herforde for Reinalmus had gyuen it ouer he made also Wyllyam Gyfforde the byshopp of Wynchestre Thys myghte the kynge do by the lawes of God for Dauid SalomoÌ„ Iosaphat and Ezechyas amonge the people of God had done the lyke were allowed in it But bicause it was restrayned by the byshopp of Rome thys Anselme swelled fretted and waxed so madde that he wold neyther consent to it Radulphus de Diceto sayth neyther yet confirme theÌ„ nor communycate or talke fryndely wyth them But spyghtfull and malycyously he called them abortynes or chyldreÌ„ of destructyon dysdaynously rebukynge the gentyll kynge as a defyler of relygyoÌ„ and polluter of their holye ceremonyes as wytnesseth Polydorus With this vncomely outrage the kyng was muche dyspleased as he myght full wele requyred Gerard the archebishop of yorke as he ought him allegeauÌ„ce to coÌ„secrate theÌ„ which without delaye he perfourmed sauyng to Wyllyam Gyfforde whych refused it for doubte of Anselme Thus in a great heate he ones yet agayne departed the realme with his dysgraded abbottes and the seyd Wyllyam Gyfforde making of the kyng a sore complaynt to hys holye father as he came ones to Rome The kyng anon after sent hys messengers after hym to declare the truthe that is to saye byshop Herbert of Norwych byshopp Robert of Lychefelde and Wyllyam Warelwast hys trusty and famylyar counsellour whyche in the ende depryued hym both of landes and goodes in the name of the sâ—yd kyng Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Ricardus praemonstratensis Ranulphus Euersden Capgraue Caxton Fabiane ☞ The matter on both sydes debated at Rome VPon a daye whaÌ„ the matter shuld be reasoned afore Pope Paschall Willyam Warelwast the kynges aturneye stode fourth in defence of hys cause constauntly allegynge in the ende that the kynge wolde not lose the autoryte of inuestynge or admyttynge hys prelates within his owne domynyon for the crowne of hys reaâ—me Wherunto that proude byshop of Rome made this spightfull lewde answere Though thy kynge sayth he wolde not lose
hâ—d nothynge ado with theÌ„ whiche were anoynted and shauen they beynge therby the Romysh Popes creatures and not hys Radulphus Niger Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Ricardus Croilande Nicolaus Treueth alij plerique An excedyng great thynge were it to declare the subtyle practyses deuâ—ses dysguysynges craftes colours conueyauÌ„ces other tryfelynges to brynge all hys matters to pâ—sse agaynâ—t the kynge and a werynesse to the reader to rehearce them wherfore I lete them ouer passe ☞ Artycles for whome Becket is admitted the Popes martyr DIuerse of our chronycle writers doth testyfye in their workes that these were the artycles wherfor he stroue with the kynge That no spirituall cause ought to be pleaded in the temporall court No clarke may be compelled to answere in matters before the kynges offycers Patrâ—nes maye lawfully and frely gyue benefyces without the kynges allowance A byshop or pastour maye frely go out of the realme without the kynges lycens for the ryght of his churche He that is ones excommunycated must haue hys discharge of the spirituall court and not of the kynge The clergye and layte must be clered of their offences by the ordynaryes and not by the kynges iustyces Appellacyons made from one degre to an other as from lowar oâ—dynary to the hyghar maye be ended without the kynges consent Landes and teneamentes maye lawfully be gyuen to the clergye in almes wythout the kynges commyssyon Spirytuall promocyons ought only to remayne in the handes of the superiour ordynaryes whaÌ„ theyr occupyers are dead till others succede in their roumes and not in the handes of teÌ„poral meÌ„ Religiouse men men ought not in the quarell of their kynges to go to the warres They that flee vnto sayntwaryes ought there to be socoured agaynst the temporall power their dedes made open to the iudge ecclesyastycall Clarkes curates and prestes are not bounde to come to the commen iudgementes at sessyons or assyses neyther yet to be at them though they be commaunded Se what good stuffe here is to make a martir All is to demynyshment of a kynges power and nothynge els ☞ Becket stayeth the Popes churche by confoundynge heretykes IN the same yeare of our lorde a M. a C and. lxiiij was Thomas Becket reckened Mathew Paris sayth suche a mightye stedefast and strong sure pyllour as the whole church both leaned vpon and was also staied by But ye must consydre that it was the Popes churche that he ment and not Christes for that hath a staye stronge ynough of him without mannys helpe Marke the forseyd artycles The church sayth he shaken was ready to haue fallen and the Pope which was set vp as a staffe to haue staied it was at that tyme so broken that the shyuers or peces wounded him Thomas lokyng for nothynge els but martyrdome for the churche In the same yeare were in England certen godly men whome some Popysh writers dysdaynously calleth Waldeanes some publycanes some false Apostles Thâ—se were at Oxforde straightly examyned of the byshoppes and so brought to iudgement by this Becket for holdynge these opynyons That the churche of Rome was that whore of Babylon whych had forsaken the fayth of Christe and that barren fygge tree without fruite whych he reproued and that no Christen man was bounde to obeye the Pope and hys byshoppes That monkerye was as the dead carreyne that stynketh and that their vowes were fryuolouse ydell and abhomynable beynge the vpspryngynge braunches of Sodome That their orders were the great beastes characters and their temples the wurse for their hallowynges That purgatory sayntes worshyppyng masses and prayenges for the dead with such lyke were most deuylysh inuencyons For maynteynynge these and other lyke opynyons agaynst the proude synagoge of Rome they were sealed in the faces at Oxforde wyth whote fyerye keyes and so bannyshed the realme for euer Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Guido Perpinianus de heresibus Thomas VValden ad Martinum quintum Bernardus Lutzenburgus ☞ Hys trayterouse ende and aduauncement aboue Christ. Whan Becket was returned again into Englande in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxxi after vi yeares exyle he outragiously troubled certen of the byshoppes to the kynges great dyshonour Mathewe Parys sayth For the only cause why he so hatefullye persecuted them was for that they hadde fulfylled the kynges desyre in anoyntynge his sonne Henry the yongar to raygne after hym not hauynge hys consente beynge pope of Englande For thys he entered the pulpet more lyke a mad Bedlem thaÌ„ a sober preacher Not to teache Chryste in mekenesse but in hys wode furye to execrate those byshoppes to curse theÌ„ wyth boke belle and candell and by the popes autoryte to condempne them to helle Vpon thys the kynges seruauntes fell on hym in purpose as they toke it to reuenge their liege lordes great iniury and hys sonnes dyshonoure They pared his pylde crowne wyth theyr swerdes and cut of the popes marke to hys very braiue whyls he in ydolatry coÌ„mended himselfe and the cause of hys churche to hys patrone S. Deuyse beynge but a deade ymage there standyng vpon the aultre Stephanus Langton Richardus Croilande Rogerus Houeden Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Capgraue Thus ended he his lyfe in most ranke treasoÌ„ was for his labour made a god of that papistes Yea they charged christ in the ende by coÌ„maundement to delyuer vs heauen frely by the shedynge of Thomas bloud as though that had bene a payment of satisfaction for our synnes And as therby apered they put Christ cleane out of office for him by this coÌ„iuracion Tu per Thome sanguinem queÌ„ pro te impeÌ„dit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascedit O thou Christ suffre vs to clyme vp to that place by the bloud of Thomas whych he shed for that to the which Thomas maÌ„fully asceÌ„ded Marke this hardely for suche a defeccyon froÌ„ Christ as Saynt Paul speaketh of and for the stronge delusyon that they shulde haue whyche beleued lyes that they myghte be dampned ij Thessalo ij For here Thomas redemeth Christe and ascendeth to hauen leauynge vs hys bloude to clyme thydre by Were there euer greater heretykes theues sowle murtherers than were our Papistes I can not thynke it ☞ The false miracles and canonisacyon of Becket OF Christe and of all hys Apostles and prophetes are not written so many great miracles as of this one Becket As that so many sycke so many blynde so many bleare eyed bedred croked broused mangled lamed drowned palseyd leprosed sorowful exyled wyth chylde enprysoned hauged and deade were by them as by him deliuered Neyther were there euer so many writers of any popyshe saintes lyfe or so manye great volumes made as of hys as is shewed afore And all thys was to blemyshe the kynge and to depresse the hygh power both in hym and in
the least the fathers of them were neuer yet knowen Saynt Dubrice that was afterwarde the great archebyshoppe of Cairlegion and metropolytane of all the lande had a mayde to his mother called Eurdila but neuer wold she confesse hym to haue any father Saynt Kentigerne byshoppe of glasghon that ye now call Saynt Asses or Asaphes had in lyke case a fayre mayde to hys forth bryngar but farther would she graunt none to hym for no coÌ„pulsion Merlyne also the great sothsayer of wales was an holy Nonnes sonne in saynt Peters of Cairmardyne no father yet knowne to him but a sprete of the ayre The first ij sheweth Iohan Capgraue in Catalago sanctorum Anglie And this lattre wondre is mencioned of all famouse writers A great sort of these histories could I rehearse but these are ynough at this time ¶ Like examples are among the Turkes SOche an other knauerye is vsed among the Turkes religyouse buggerers to this present daye and those children that are begotten among them are holden for most holy sayntes as these were They take it for no maruele that Christ was borne of a virgine for they say they haue such among them at all times But to turne agayn to my purpose The cause why the fathers of the afore seyde chyldren might not than be knowne was this Iohan Capgraue sayth The â—â—w was that time in Britayne that if a yong wenche had be begotten with childe in her fathers howse or any where els this was her iudgement She shuld haue bene brought vnto an high mountayn and there throune downe headlonges her corruptour being byheaded Yf this law had still continued and neuer so bene put to the spirituall court without conscyence neuer had the vowe of their chastite ronne so farre as it hath done to many a thousandes dampnacion ¶ More Sayntes yet begatten in whoredome SAynt Dauid of wales the great archebyschop of Meneuia whiche had so manye prophecyers and so manye Angels sente afore to geue warnynge of his comming xxx yeares ere he was borne was begotten out of maryage in stinkynge whoredome For hys mother was a Nonne and his father the earle of a contrey there called Cairdigam shyre A prynce called Dyhocus in Kynge Arthurs tyme inflamed at the deuyls suggestyon with fleshlye loue of his owne naturall doughter begat of her saynt Kynede the holy hermyte that in Wales wrought so manye great myracles One Dubtacus an Irysh man begate holy saynt Brigide of his mayde seruaunt called Brocsech eueÌ„ vnderuech hys wyues nose to spyght her wyth it which had so many reuelacyon from heauen and so many popes pardons from Rome Saynt Cuthbert the great God of the Northe and he that was wonte to defende vs from the Scottes was a misbegotten also for his mother was vnmarried And his father in Irelande to haue the good occupieng of her slewe both her father and mother These were the spirituall beginninges of the Sayntes of that age If ye beleue not me loke Iohan Capgraue in Catalpgo sanctorum Angliae and he shall tell ye much more of the matter I coude shew yow many more yet of such holy sayntes birthes but lete these for this time suffise ¶ Whoredome estemed most holinesse MArke how abhominable whoryshnesse in all these whorish frutes is auaunced of that whorish Rome churche to the great blemyshynge of Godly marryage The spirituall Sodomites and knaues hath not bene ashamed to write it in the liues and lieng legendes of al these that is to saye of Dubricius Dauid Kinedus Kentigerne Cuthberth and Brigide with soche like and solempnely so to reade and sing it as Gods seruyce in their temples that they were sanctifyed in their mothers wombes Se what aduauncementes they haue for stynking whoredome and how litle deuocion to chast marriage instituted of God Neuer were the sonnes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob of Moyses Eleazar and Phinees so paynted out with miracles and wonders nor yet so pranked vp with tabernacles and lightes sensinges and massinges as these whoresbirdes Thus iudge they whoredom holynesse wholsome mariage sinne Come out of Sodome ye whoremongers and Hipocrites popish bishoppes and prestes for as yet ye haue not refourmed this abhominacion but still vpholde it for your Romish Gods seruice Come our theues and knaues come out ¶ Women greuouse and solaciouse What a do these holy sayntes of theirs had and their vowers whaÌ„ they come ones to vowes makinge for women and with womeÌ„ as to kepe them out of their monasterirs to make theÌ„ beare children whan they were barreÌ„ it were an infinite thing to write Saynt Dauids monkes were skeared way with naked women at a broke side in Rosidaeualle So were Saynt Theliaes hermites also in an other place not farre from thens Saynt Dubrices bretherne had many hote mouinges in their fleshe and were fayne oft tymes to stande naked in the colde riuer Saynt Kentigernes disciples toke great paynes vpon them to make baren women frutefull Whan saynt Brigida was at the very poynt of marryage she stole away preuely with her iij. maydes and wayted longe after vpon bishop Machill doing many great cures in his seruyce with holy water Saynt Modwen also after such an other sort wayted vpon bishop Hiber and his bretherne with her maydes A woman the same season accused Bishop Broon for begetting her wyth childe and Brigide like a good body by a charme or ij made all safe agayne As one of her maydes was going to her louer a prestes bed for returninge agayne in time she coude her muche thanke All these holy histories shall ye finde in Iohan Capgraue ¶ A spirytuall example of a votarye SAint Iltute or Elcute which had bene alwayes a moste valeaunte captayne amonge the Brytaynes at the suggestion of saint Cadoc an Hermite put from him his moste vertuouse and chast wyfe leauyng her nothing els to lyue vpon but barly breade and water on homelye repast for her that hadde bene a lady and tenderly brought vp And as she on a tyme resorted vnto him only to haue heard the swete worde of the Lorde her comminge thydre so sore discontented hys mynde that with a charme he put out both her eyes For I an certayn it came by no Godly power he beinge ledde of so Godly a sprete If this be saynt Paules learning a man so miserably to leaue his wife and so vngodly to vse her for axynge good counsell I report me to yow Yet must he be still a saynt in the Popes holy churche bycause he was a tiraunt to marriage for non other holynesse had he Such sayntes recken I more fit for hell than for heauen We le this story hath also IohaÌ„ Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglye ¶ Vrsula with her sort appoynted to marrye OF Vrsula and her xi thousande companions haue the spirituall hypocrites
shulde haue sayd was than in the Scottish churche by procurement of quene Margarete whych was an Englysh woman borne What changes were here in the church of Englande I haue wyll hereafter more plenteously declare ☞ Hildegardes prophecy with other notes and examples IN the yeare after Christes incarnacyon a thousande and an hundred sayde mayde Hyldegarde the Apostles doctryne and feruent righteousnesse whych God had planted in the faythfull Christyanes begonne to go backe and to change as it were into a doubtfull staggerynge But that womaÌ„ly or fyckle tyme wyll not so longe endure as it hath bene in breadyng Vincentius li xxix ca. xxi And Iacobus Meyer in chronicis Flandriae sayth that in the yeare of our lord a M. and xcvi auaryce ambycyon and lecherie so strongely toke place in the head rulers of the clergy that scarse one coulde be found out amoÌ„ge them to resyst the wycked by the swerde of the sprete whych is the worde of God Many starres than semed to fall froÌ„ heauen Sigebertus sayth Realyte they ioyned to their sacramentall breade to make the people beleue it to be Christes naturall body They set vp scole doctryne and the Popes canoÌ„ lawes sophystycally to mainteyne all fylthie supersticions Commenly they disputed with cheanes and imprisonmentes to terryfye their withstanders Mathew of Westminstre sayth that Paulus the abbot of S. Albons folowyng the fotesteppes of his father LaÌ„francus was than here in Englande a most busy doer for so muche as in England fraunce and Italye the greatâ—◠〈◊〉 of men folowed in those dayes the opynyon of Berengarius and Oclefe 〈◊〉 sayth Henry the fourt Empâ—â—oâ— to hys sonne than hauyng the gouernaunce and he beyng vndre him a wofull â—â—ysoner Those hypocrytes deceyue the for they instruct not the multytude They seke not thyne honour but denye it Vndre the colour of fayth they prepare the snares of deceyt whyls they preferre the tradycyons of men to Gods holy commaundementes Adelboldus Traiectensis in uita Henrici Caesaris ☞ The fyrst fytt of Anselme with kynge Wyllyam Rufus ANselmus a Normandy monke at the instaunt request labour and longe sute of the clergye was constytute archebyshopp of Canterbury by kynge Wyllyam Rufus The reason why he was of our prelates afore all others preferred to that dygnyte was tâ—ys They perceyued in hym great copye of learnynge pregnancy of wytt a stought stomake a boldenesse vnshamefast an aduenterouse and folehardy head and a face without bashefulnesse Whervpon they thought hym a man most mete to withstande the kynges procedynges whyâ—he were in those dayes nothynge to theâ—r contentacyâ—ns For kynge Wyllyam was suche a man as wolde not in many poyntes agre to their horryble ambysyon auaryce incontynencyes Whych than they vsed without all shame He ded not muche fauer the churche of Rome Mathew Paris sayth bicause the holy prelatâ—s were so vnsacyably gyuen there to fylthie lucre Suche indygnacyon he had agaynst the Pope by reason of the scysme whyche than was at Rome that he in hys parlement enacted it that none of hys subiectes shulde thydrewarde repayre vndre forfeture of body and gooâ—â—s or â—is vndre payne of perpetuall exyle They coulde not be Peters vycars he sayd that studyed so muche for couetousnesse Neyther shulde they seme to holde hys power whose vertuouse lyfe they had not in practyse Concludynge that the byshop of Rome neyther had nor yet shulde haue any thynge to do in hys realme He also restrayned the Rome shott Fabyane sayth Wherupon Anselmus iudgynge the kynge a scysmatyke a rebell and a tyraunt obstynatly withstode hym to the very face lyke a ruffelynge rouer For the whyche he was reckened a traytour as he was wele wurthie the other byshoppes holdynge their fyngars in their noses Matthaeus Paris Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Radulphus de Diceto Ioannes Capgraue Ioannes Scuysh ☞ Fyne conueyaunces of these wylye wormes IT was no longe tyme after that ere the byshop of Rome had knowledge of this matter by secrete massengers as the clergy hath euermore had their betrayers of prynces Wherunto he made this wylye and foxish aunswere Dum furor in cursu est currenti cede furori Whyls fury is in course gyue place to it as though he wolde at layser recompence it whan he shulde se hystyme The next yeare after was Gualtherus Albanensis a byshopp Cardynall sent into Englande from Pope Vrbane the second bryngyng with hym the metropolycall mantell of Anselme to augment hys cockysh autoryte Thys Gualtherus craftely pacifyed the wrath of the kyng and colourably or dyssemblyngly reconcyled both Anselme and the Pope vnto hym only to serue the tyme. Anselme from thens fourth shewed a mery countenaunce Mathew Paris sayth to cause kyng Wyllyam to thynke that he bare hym no dyspleasure but had forgotten all iniuryes O most crafty foxe Anon after vpon thys dyssymulacyon he axed lycens of the kynge to go to Rome wyth thys Cardynall whych he very prudently denyed hym for doubt of wronge appellacyons and increase of scysme vnlesse he wolde go no more returne agayne For there was no cause why he shulde go thydre hauynge hys prymates palle brought to hym vnlesse it were to wurke some secrete myschefe as he ment no lesse by these fyue colours of deceyt Than played he the part of a trayterouse renegate ryght out fleynge out of the realme without lycens All thys hath Mathew Paris in the seconde boke of hys châ—onycles and Radulphus de Diceto ☞ An other fytt of Anselme with kynge Wyllyam Rufus MArke the arrogaunt sprete of Antichrist in this obstinate Anselme In a bitter malyce he sodenly departed froÌ„ the kynge not takynge hys leaue as became a good subiect To Canterbury he roâ—e in poste haste and so forth to Douer pryuely to steale a passage ouer by nyghte more lyke a thefe than a true man But where was than hys kynges obedyence accordyng to thys doctryne of Paule Let euery sowle submyt hymselfe to the hyghar power For who so resysteth that power resysteth the set ordinaunce of God Roma xiij Thys was farre froÌ„ our Anselme Se now what folowed therfore Whan thys packynge was ones knowne detected by secrete spyes the kynges offycer Wyllyam Warelwast preuented the passage searchyng by the kynges strayght coÌ„maundement all hys trusses coffers males bowgettes sackes satchels sleues purse napkyn and bosome for letters and for moneye and so lete hym go lyke a vagabonde all hys goodes seysed as a forefeyture to the kinges vse Neuerthelesse whaÌ„ he came ones to Rome he was reuerently and ioyfully receyued of Pope Vrbane made lorde hygh presydent of all hys generall counsels He persuaded the seyd Pope to take froÌ„ the teÌ„porall prynces the whole power autoryte of makynge byshoppes and abbotes declarynge vnto hym what coÌ„modyte and profyte he myght haue by the same He taught hym also many other fyne propertyes and feates how to
the gyuynge of spirytuall promocyons in Englande for the losse of his crowne as thou hast sayd here Know thou tâ—ys determynatly I speake it here afore God that he shall not obtayne it at my hande though he wolde also gyue his heade and all O arrogaunt Antichrist ful ryghtly shewest thy selfe This hath Mathew Paris li iij. Anglorum historiae and Iohan Capgraue Whan Anselme was about to haue pleaded hys owne cause there thynkynge to haue had therin the assistence of Richarde the pryour of Helye whyche was a man that tyme both wyttie and learned he vtterly fell from hym and toke the kynges part very earnestly confutynge all hys false accusacyons and malycyouse detrectyons for the whyche in hys returne the kynge shewed hym muche fauer as Radulphus de Diceto reporteth Anon after Anselme intreated for hys dysgraded abbottes and vnconfirmed prelates whyche was graunted foorthwith and they restored to their dygnytees For that gentyll seate Mathew Paris sayth was neuer wonte to fayle whan eyther reade or whyte came in the way The nexte yeare after was Anselme clerely forbyd to returne into Englande vnlesse he wolde obserue the good lawes of the lande whyche he refused to do the seyd Mathew sayth ☞ The conueyaunces of Anselme by epistles and writynges Whan the kynges massengers were returned home agayne with these croked newes and with strayght commaundement from the cruell byshop of Rome that he shulde neuermore intermeddle with appoyntynge out of prelates or by gyuynge to them the rynge and pastorall hoke but to leaue it only to hys absolute autoryte he was sore displeased turnynge all the possessyons rychesse of Anselme to his own vse What letters crafty counsels blasphemouse bablyngâ—s and abhomynable wrastynges of the scriptures went betwyxt that lewde byshopp of Rome and Anselme for the space of iij. yeares after it wolde requyre a great felde of matter to shewe as I fynde in hys epystles Moreouer it is a wondre to beholde there the subtyltye that thys Anselme vseth to brynge hys deuylysh purpose to passe for demynyshment of the Christen prynces autoryte and augmentyng of Antichristes vsurpacyon That prynce he flattereth to gyue ouer hys ryghte and an other he commendeth in hys folyshness that hath done it already their folysh wyues alwayes suborned to put the cause forwarde That doltyshe preste he prayseth whych hath contempned hys prynces lyberalyte to an other he promyseth muche hyghar promocyon These are the ingynes of a crafty dâ—uyll if ye marke them Hys letters to syster Frodelina syster Ermengarda syster Athelytes syster Eulalia syster Madily and syster Basyle to Maude to abbesse of Cane in Normandy and to Maude the abbesse of Wilton here in Englande declareth hym to be very famylyar with nonnes Ex epistolis Anselmi He also made a treatyse about the same tyme called planctus amissae uirginitatis a bewaylynge of maydenhede lost ☞ The first ordre of typpet men or secular prestes IN the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. vâ— beganne first the ordre of Sarisburianes Mathew Paris sayth What maner of ordre this shuld be I can not coniecture vnlesse it were the ordre of portasse men typpet knightes or newe shauen sir Iohans professynge the vnsauery vse of Sarum By lyke whan these men were ones clerely separated froÌ„ their marryed wyues they were at the last contented at their byshoppes suggestyon to lyue peaceably vndre hym to come as it were into a vnyformyte of relygion in outward aperaunce as the moÌ„kes ded in their cloysters and so to wynne agayne some fauer or good opynyoÌ„ of the people whych they for theyr wyues had lost Than begaÌ„ they first to shyne in one shewe or to muster in one lyuerye as the coltes of one mare one short an other longe one hygh an other lowe For afore that tyme were they dyspersed by many dysgysinges one dyuerse from an other As the monkes had their cowles caprones or whodes and their botes so had they than their longe typpettes their prestes cappes their syde gownes gyrt to them their portasses relygyously hangynge with great buttoÌ„s at their gyrdles They had also their crownes shauen and their heare docked lyke as the monkes had though not so muche as they to apeare also relygyouse rable WhaÌ„ they had onâ—â— receyued that marke of the beast in their foreheardes and ryghthandes by the profession of a false chastyte they were made free of Antichristes marte myght by hys autoryte both bye and selle Apoc. xiij Yet coulde they neuer obtayne of the saye multitude so great an opynyon of holye perfectyon as ded the monkes vnlesse it were here one hypocryte and there an other but in conclusyon contynued vndre the slendre name of secular prestes or hedge chaplaines For in most places they dwelt vploude and wanted relygyouse habytacyons to haue sâ—t them forewarde or made them moâ—e Pope holye ☞ How the emperour was vsed in the tyme of their sorceryes NEcessary were it to marke an other crafty conueyaunce of these holye helhoundes A questyon myghte here be axed where Henry the iiij Emprour was for the tyme if thys tragycall turmoyle that he loked not more narrowly to their haÌ„des being a man so wyse so godly Thys questyon is suffycyently answered by the chronycle writers of that age The prelates occupied him with such mortall warres from Hyldebrandes tyme hytherto that he knewe not which way to turne him They made hys owne subiectes in euery quarter to rebell agaynst him and his owne naturall sonne in the ende vpon desyre of the crowne imperyal most falsely to betraye hym subdue hym captyue him emprison him and cruelly at the lattre to murther him The storye is a matter very lamentable heauye as Athelboldus TraiecteÌ„sis Barnesridus Vrspergensis Ioannes Nauclerus hath described it Whan thys man whych was called Henry the v. was ones satled in the empyre tydynges were brought hym the next yeare after that Paschall the byshop of Rome helde a generall councell at Trecas in Fraunce agaynst hys father Wherin he prosecuting the former actes of Hildebrande prohybyted laye prynces the inuestyng of prelates and the prestes their wyues in the realme of Fraunce as he had done in other nacyons dysgradynge those byshoppes and abbottes whome the Frenche kyng and emprour had made The seyd emprour hearynge of thys sent learned men vnto him gentylly requyrynge that he wold not take from him that his predecessours without interrupcyon had vsed from the tyme of Charles the great by the space of more than CCC yeares The boshopp at that tyme deferred the answere tyll he came to Rome Godfridus Viterbiensis Albertus Crants Paulus Aemilius Iacobus Bergomas Ioannes Stella Ioannes Capgraue li. i. de nobilibus Henricis Robertus Barnes ☞ The homblye handelynge of prelates at Rome Whan thys emprour se his tyme he came into Italy with a great host of
Praefati autores cum Polydoro Fabiano ☞ The kyng derydeth the byshoppes procedynges NOt all forgetfull of their wycked fathers affayres the prelates of Englande in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and. xxix gathered themselues togyther at London yet ones agayne in the first daye of August to put the prestes clerely from their wyues At this great counsell sayth Ricardus Premonstratensis were all the bishoppes of England except iiij whych dyed as it chaunced the same yeare that is to saye of Wynchester Durham Chestre and Herforde Their processe was all agaynst the cocasses or she cookes of the curates that they shuld not dwell in house with them For after the prestes had bene compelled to renounce the tytles of their wyues they kept them in most places vndre the name of their cocasses lawnders and seruyng women The kyng perceyuyng the malyce of the bishoppes and seynge aduauntage to growe therupon by thys propre polycye deceyued them He toke vpon hym the correction of them and promysed to execute true iustyce But in the ende Mathew Paris sayth he laughed them all to scorne and takyng a pensyon of the prestes he permytted them styl peaceably to holde their wyues Polydorus reporteth that the kynge gote of the clergye thys autoryte ouer the prestes by a fyne craft of conueyaunce And whan he had so done mysused it A very fyne iudgement of a man learned so to dyffyne of a prynces power The kyng deceyued them Roger Houeden sayth by the symplycyte of Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury For whan they had ones vncircumspectly graunted hym to execute iustyce vpon the prestes wyues it turned in the ende to their rebuke and shame the prestes for moneye set agayne at lyberte for them Praedicti autores cum Ranulpho Matthaeo VVestmonasteriensi Rogero Cestrensi ☞ A myddle swarmynge of Antichristes sectes in England FOr causes dyuerse whych some of my readers shall fynde necessary to be knowne I haue added here the tymes wheâ—in the seconde swarme of locustes or synnefull sectes of Antichrist hath entered into this realme of England The first swarme was of the Benedictynes and chanons of S. Augustyne called the blacke monkes and blacke chanons of whose fattynge vp I haue reasonably treated both in the first part of this wurke and also in thys seconde The first of this lattre swarme â–ª were the Cisteanes otherwyse called yâ— whyght moÌ„kes which came into this lande in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and. xxxij settynge their first foundacion in the deserte of Blachoumor by the water of Rhie wherupon their monastery was called Rhieuallis Saint Robertes fryres began at Gnaresborough in Yorke shyre in the yearr of our lorde a M.a. C. and xxxvij And the ordre of Gilbertines at SempynghaÌ„ in Lincolne shire in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. xlviij The Premonstratensers or white chanoÌ„s came in to the realme buylded at Newhowse in Lyncolne dyocese in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and xlv The Chartrehowse monkes came into the lande were placed at Wytham in the dyocese of Bathe in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. lxxx I recken not the hospytelers Templars with such lyke Ioannes Hagustaldensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Ioannes Capgraue Thomas Scrope Polydorus Vergilius All these at their first enteraunce were very leane locustes as they are in S. Iohans reuelacyon described barren poore and in outwarde aperaunce very symple But in processe of tyme through symulate holynesse they grewe fat lyke their fellowes They gote them lyons faces and were able to buckle with kynges Their lecherouse actes I shall hereafter declare ☞ Kynge Steuen professeth a slauery to Antichrist HOw kyng Steuen bicame an instrument to their wycked vse in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xxxv it is easely knowne by the othe which they compelled hym to make at hys coronacyoÌ„ what though he ded not in all poyntes obserue it Thys is the othe as Ricardus prior Hagustaldensis hath written it in hys small treatyse de gestis regis Stephani Marke it I Steuen by the grace of God good wyll of the clergye and consent of the commens elected kynge of England and by Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury and legate of the holye Rome church vndre Pope Innocent the seconde confirmed make faithful promyse to do nothing here in Englande in the ecclesyastycall affayres after the rules of symonye but to leaue admyt and confirme the power ordre and distrybucyon of all ecclesyastycal persones and their possessyons in the handes of the byshoppes and prelates of the same The auncyent dignitees of the church confirmed by olde priuyleges and their customes of longe tyme vsed I promyse appoynt and determyne inuiolably to contynue All the churches possessyoÌ„s holdes and tenementes which they hytherto haue had I graunt them from hens forwarde without interrupcyon peaceably to possesse etc. Beholde here what popettes these lecherouse luskes made of their kynges se I praye yow if they sought any other commen welthe than of their ydell bellyes in that proude kingdome of Antichrist Was thys a folowynge of Christ after the Gospell thus to illude their Christen gouernours Naye it was rather a ronnyng after Sathan in the blasphemouse imytacyon of the byshop of Romes decrees The last plage of God lyghte vpon thys vnfaythfull generacyon if they wyll not yet beholde these euyls of their wycked fathers and abhorre them from the harte ☞ The rebellyon and cantels of byshoppes agaynst the kynge IN the next yeare folowynge notwithstandyng thys othe kyng Steuen reserued to hymselfe the inuestynge of prelates Mathew Paris sayth and shewed vnto the clergye many other displeasurs Wherfore in processe they caused Maude the empresse contrary to their othes of allegeaunce to come into the realme and to make clayme to the crowne and strongely to warre vpon hym For the whych he enprysoned and bannyshed certayne of the byshoppes chefely Alexandre of Lyncolne Nigellus of Helye and Roger of Salisbury He feared not to go vnto Oxforde and to sytt there in open parlyament whyche no kynge myght do they sayde wythoute a shamefull confusyon From Roger the byshoppe of Salisbury he toke the. ij Castels of Vyses and Sherburne fyndynge in them more than xl thousande markes in moneye wherwith he perfourmed the greate marryage betwene Constaunce the Frenche kynges sistre and Eustace hys sonne and heyre Thys byshoppes sonne by lyke he hadde a wyfe whyche had bene the other kinges chauncellour this kinge handeled harde to come to hys purpose He kepte hym fastenynge threttened him hangynge and at the lattre bannyshed hym the realme whyche cost the byshoppe his lyfe A naturall father Anon after the byshoppe of Wynchestre beyng the popes great legate and perceyuynge the clergye not to be regarded the realme beynge than in diuysyon betwixt them bothe that is to saye
hymselfe to lyue longe on the earth vpon thys admonicioÌ„ of Godryck the Hermite whych sayd that he shuld be starke blinde vij yeares afore he shulde dye But he vnderstode not that ther was as wele a blindenesse in sowle as in body And that made hym so vnready whan he shulde haue dyed and also so wretchedly soeth to departe from thys worlde Mattheus Paris Radulphus de Diceto Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Polidorus Se here howe they kepe theyr owne spirituall lawes for intermedlynge with temporal matters But that for lucre they maye breake all ordre ☞ The preuye membre of a fyshe swaloweth in a monke GIraldus Cambrensis declareth in the second parte of his wurke called the glasse of the church ca. vij That by the sea coast a she fish was fouÌ„de of a wonderfull greatnesse called a thirlepoole The people in great nombre came from all quarters there about some to beholde the monstruouse shappe of the fyshe and same to cut it in peces and to carry theÌ„ home to theyr howses to soâ—ne profytable vse Among other ther was a monke more quycke and sterynge to perceyue all thinges than anye other there Thys monke drawynge very nygh to the fyshe beheld vewed and marked the preuye parte therof aboue all Which was the storie sayth as it hadde bene the openynge of a greate dore or gate He loked therupon verye seriouslye and muche wondered neyther coulde he in anye wyse be satysfyed wyth the syghte therof At the laste wythoute modestye shame and all bashefulnesse he approched so nyghe that by the slyme and fatâ—esse therof whyche than laye vpon the sayde hys fotynge fayled hym and he fell flat into the fowle hole so beynge swalowed vp of that whyche hys lecherouse harte most desired So that these adages myght than haue bene founde true Suche saynte suche shryue suche bere suche bottell such treasure suche trust As muche was it to recouer hym and to saue hys lyfe as all they coulde do which stode about with long pooles proâ— hokes liues ropes and other hasty prouisyons A subtile enemye was it sayth Giraldus that prouided him so ridiculouse and obprobrioule a falle But this is the good fortune of our votaries In the ende they fall heade linges into the gulfe of that filthinesse whych they haue so ardeÌ„tly all their life time affected ☞ The lasciuiouse hart of an other monke perâ—eiued AN other like storie sheweth the seyd Giraldus in the nexte chaptre folowing of a moÌ„ke of Glastenbury It chaunced saith he at the kinges request sute of the abbot that the graue of king Arthour betwen ii high pilers of stone was opened within the holy Saintwary of Aualon There founde they the fleshe bothe of hym and of hys wyfe Guenhera turned all into duste wythin theyr coffynes of stronge oke the bones only remaynynge A monke of the same abbeye standynge by and beholdynge the fyne bruydinges of the womannis heare so yelowe as golde there stil to remayne As a man rauyshed or more than halfe from his wittes he leaped into the graue xv fote depe to haue caught them sodenlye But he fayled of his purpose For so sone as they were towched they fell all to powder No lesse was this monke sayth Giraldus a figure of that insaciable helle of lecherie than was the other monke for he shewed as depely the sygnes of a shamelesse mynde as ded the other Giraldus lib. ij cap viij Speculi ecclesiastici in opere de institutione principis Radulphus Cogeshale Ioannes Fiberius Richardus Premonstratensis Mattheus VVestmonasteriensis Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa IoaÌ„nes Lelandus in assertione Arturij All this maketh good the foresayenge of Tamel that the hartes of theÌ„ in this generacion shulde be all vpon women Dame xi I wolde not that thys also were forgotteâ—n in thys age by the waye but marked and remembred for it includeth a greate mysterye Whan stryfes and controuersyes were rysen betwen monkes and their bishoppes for sleuelesse matters the kynge mighte not meddle in so spirituall causes but a legate must all wayes come from Rome to do it Notate uerba signate mysteria ☞ King Richarde is sent abrode and a bishop ruleth NEuer were there anye people eyther scarse any deuyls of helle in craftes and wordlye wiles comparable to these spretes of Rome the byshoppes monkes and prestes They could sende kynges abrode on Pilgrymage and in the meane tyme occupye their whole realmes to their Romyshe maisters behoue Kynge Richarde the first for his stoughte stomacke called Cor de Lyon was sent in to the lande of Palestyne to fyghte wyth the great Turke for Hierusalem whyche an Englyshe votarye and byrde of theyr vncleane cage had both betrayed and lost a lytle afore and coulde neuer be recouered sens For the tyme of hys absence one Wyllyam Longeshampe being chauÌ„cellour of Englande and byshop of Helie holdynge the gouernaunce of the whole realme wonderfully oppressed the same Hauynge the kinges whole power and his popes autoryte he rode contynually with no lesse than a. M. horse the noble mennys sonnes beynge glad to become slaues to hym Wyth the beste barons and earles maryed he hys cosynes neces and kynswomen yet was hys grande father a poore plough man and hys owne father a cowherde Beynge and holye votarye he refused the vse of women and in hys bed chambre abhomynablye occupyed wyth buggerye boyes as the commen rule was than of that myscheuouse spyrytualte So longe he ruffled it oute in all kyndes of tyrannye tyll at the laste Iohan the kinges brother beynge than the greattest duke wythin the lande began to couple wyth hym Than fearynge to haue bene called to a verye strayghte reckenynge he fled wyth a small companye of hys moste trusty seruauntes to the castell of Doueâ— myndynge in the nyghte to haue stollen ouer the sea But as herafter shall folowe he came to shorte of that passage Hugo Nouaunte in libello de fuga Guilhelmi Heliensis Rogerus Houeden li. ij Anglorum historiae ☞ This byshop counterfetteth a woman and is taken INuentynge a newe crafte of conueyaunce he came downe haltynge from the castell aboue to the sea-side byneth appareled in al pointes lyke a woman whose kynde neuerthelesse aboue al thinges he abhorred A syde grene garment he had vpon him and a cloke wyth wide sleues of the same colour His heade was al couered with a fair great kâ—rchief and his face with a propre muffâ—ar In his ryght hande he bare a pece of lynen cloth and in the left hande a met yearde And as he was set vpon a great stone a fysher man commynge from the water and inpyosynge hym to be an whore ran fast vpon hym and clasped one hande about hys necke with the other he searched for hys preuye partes Whan he ones vnderstode hym to be a man and no woman he called to them about and desyred them
to depart again froÌ„ London the purpose of his coÌ„ming not perfourmed Rogerus HouedeÌ„ Lo here was much a do for a thynge of nought And no smal matter was it in those daies to breake their apishe tradicions about the same tyme Hugh Nonaunt the byshop of Chestre droue all the blacke monkes out of Couentre and turned their monastery into a college of prestes sortyng their lyuynges into prebendes The cause was this They had kepte noughty rule and wolde not be refourmed Moreouer they were in dayly contencyon with the byshopp so that on a tyme not only they vyolently strake him but also they drewe bloude of hym afore their high aultre Radulphus de Diceto Radulphus Cogeshale Ricardus Diuisiensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Treuisa Fabianus About vij yeares after thys at the coÌ„maundement of Pope Celestine the third the monkes were restored agayne and the prestes reiected by Hubert the archebyshop of Canterbury Hugh the byshop of Lyncolne Samson the abbot of S. Edmondes Bury Radulphus de Diceto IoaÌ„nes EuersdeÌ„ in AngloruÌ„ aunalibus atque Polydorus ☞ Prestes prouyded poysons dyuerse wayes AS a certen chaplayne belongynge to the archebyshop of Yorke and called Raufe Wygetoft in the yeare of our lord a. M.a. C. and xcvi laye vpoÌ„ his death bed at Rome he openly coÌ„fessed that he had sent into Englande false letters and poysons to the dyspachement of hys enemyes And whan diligent searche was made at London by them that folowed Roger of Rippun a prest which was the conueyar therof it was so founde in dede This poyson was brought thydre to haue destroyed maistre Simon the deane of Yorke and certen of the canons there And chefely it was in a rynge and girdle which both were brent at Totehyll before a great multytude of people the prest enprisoned This myschefe was layed to the archebishop Geffreye of hys enemyes but it was founde otherwyse Rogerus Houeden Radulphus Cogeshale Was not thys thynke yow a vertuouste studye of these holye votaryes At the same tyme was there a crafty knaue an holye monke I shulde saye in the abbeye of Euesham whiche laye long in a traunce And afterwardes he wrote a newe Apocalips or boke of reuelacions concerning the paynes of helle and ioyes of heauen not vnlyke to Tundalus praefati autores cuÌ„ Ioanne Scuish An other false tole was there in the dyocese of London whyche about the same season had visyons wonderfull they say of the peynes of purgatorye Thus went the deuyll about in this doubtfull age after dyuerse sortes to deceyue the ignoraunt multytude and very fewe there were thaÌ„ whiche in the true fayth resysted him ☞ A byshop and an archedeacon taken in the warres IN tyme of the warres whych were betwixt the frenche kynge and kyng Richarde Cor de lyon Iohan the kynges brother and Marchades a great captayne went abrode with a nombre of horsemen to â—roue mastryes Anon as Phylyp the byshop of Beluace a man more gyuen to warre than to preachynge had knowledge therof thynkynge them to be a mete praye for him came freshly out of the cytie with sir Wyllyam Marlon and his sonne and a great nombre more of valeaunt warryours In the ende the byshop the archedeacon and all the chefe captaynes were taken the resydue all slayne and dyspersed These ij prelates IohaÌ„ presented with great tryumphe to the kynge hys brother as those whyche had bene afore tyme hys great enemyes I haue gotten sayth he the great chaunter and a good quere man to answere hym in tâ—e same note and here I delyuer them to you The kyng smyled as one very glad that they were taken consyderynge the displeasurs whiche they had done and commaunded them armed as they were to be enprysoned Pope Celestyne hearynge therof by the canons of that churche commaunded hym to delyuer agayne hys sonnes To whome he sent their armour with thys massage in questyon Are these the garmentes of thy sonnes or mete apparelynges for thy chyldren No sayth the Pope nor yet of my bretherne but rather they are the vestures of the chyldren of Mars And so he lete them be styll at the kynges pleasure Where as they remayned for the space of iiij yeares after Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Rogerus Cestrensis Ranulphus Treuisa Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Euersden Ioannes Scuish ☞ Fulco for the marryage of iij. spirituall wyues Wyls these warres yet endured theee came vnto kynge Richarde one Fulco a frenche prest whiche had preached very muche against vsurers and whores This Fulco required the kyng in any wyse to put from hym iij. abhomynable doughters whych he had and to coÌ„myt them to marryage least God ponnyshed hym for them Lytle was marryage beholden to suche a preacher Thou lyest hypocryte saith yâ— kinge to thy very face for all the world knoweth that I haue not one doughter I lye not sayth Fulco for thou hast iij. doughters One of theÌ„ is called Pryde an other couetousnesse and the third lecherie With that the kynge called vnto him his lordes his barons This hypocryte sayth he hath requyred me here to marry fourth my thre doughters And now that I haue founde out apte husbandes for them I wyll do it in effecte I therfore biquethe my pryde to the hygh mynded Templars and Hospytelers for they are as proude as helle My couetousnesse I gyue to the Cisteane monkes for they couere the deuyll and all My lecherie I commytt to the prelates of the church for they haue therin most felicyte Wyth this was the preacher coÌ„fused for he knew it was no lye Compendium noui chronici Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Radulphus Cogeshale Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Ioannes Scuish To this agreeth that which Giraldus Cambrensis writeth li iij. ca. xij Speculi ecclesiastici Which is that Pope Alexandre the thirde was wont to saye that he had iij. howses whome he inteyrly loued that aboue all others enioyed hys specyall protection Whyche were the thre religyons of Templars Hospytelers and Cysteanes Ye maye be sure it was for no goodnesse that they so highly stode in his fauer ☞ Men possessed of deuyls and Ciâ—teane monkes ROger Houeden sheweth li. ij historiae Anglorum that in the yeare of our lord a. M. a. C. and xcviij many were possessed of deuyls vexed with horryble freuesyes For remedye of this many monkes were sought to as men of most holy conuersacyon chefelye the Cysteanes Amonge whome there was an abbot whyche toke vpon hym to expell them in the name of Christ. And as he was doyng with one the euyll prete spake in him and said We are the same legion of deuils whiche Christe droue out of the Gergesytes into the heard of swyne and that drowned them in the sea Math. viij A power we haue receyued to entre
the. iiij partes of my votaryes actes that my reader maye knowe the dyfference of them by theyr diuerse groundes and argumentes In the fyrste parte after longe engenderynge bredynge and brynynge my votaryes haue rysen faste by the craftye inuencyons of Idolatours In the seconde parte they haue buylded faste by the wyttye practyses of a monkes and chanons In the thyrde parte shal they holde faste by the busye calkynges of the. iiij orders of fryres And in the forte parte shall they fall faste by the myghtye assaultes of the preachers and wryters The fyrste parte comprehendeth all the tyme from the worldes begynning to a full thousand yeares after Christes incarnacyon The seconde parte contayneth CC. yeares more from that thousand of yeares to the reigne of king IohaÌ„ the third part shall contynue for CC. yeares after that which is froÌ„ the enterauÌ„ce of king IohaÌ„ to the reygne of kynge Henry the fort And the last parte shall conclude wyth an hondred and fyftye yeares whyche is from the fyrste yeare of kynge Henry the forte to the lattre end of this present yeare from Christes incarnacyon a. M. D. and. l. or thys next after that whyche is li. Thus maye these iij. bokes be knowne dyuerse the one from the other by theyr diuerse titles of fast rysyng fast building fast holding and fast fallinge though all they procede out of one only argument of Englysh votaryes He that shall wyth wysdome consydre in thys seconde part the wylye procedynges of these Babylon buylders howe they pranked vp their stought sturdye Antychrist aboue God and hys Christe he shal fynde that these were theyr chefe practyses of myschefe They perceiued that God of hys infynyte wysdome had placed ij hygh admynystracyons in the christianite for the conseruacion therof and that they were the publyque autoryte of noble prynces and the gracyouse office of godly preachers The one was for the outward welthe of the bodye the other for the inward welth of the sowle They thoughte if these ij were not peruerted and poysened they shulde neuer come to theyr full purpose Wherfore they sought firste of all to bring them vndre by sophistycall sorceryes And fyrste they began with the weaker concernynge the worlde whyche were the curates preachers or ministers of Gods wurd for they were as apered the more easie to ouercome Christe the sonne of God the holye Apostles and the godly fathers of the primatiue churche vpon diuerse consideracions permitted them to haue wiues S. Paule most earnestly wrote it both to Timothe and Titus that it shuld stande as a buildinge vnremoueable Oportet episcopuÌ„ irreprehensibilem esse unius uxoris maritum i Timo. iij. Tit. i. A bishop must be vnrebukeable A pastour must be the husbande of one wyfe Marke wele that Muste be If this wiuinge thought they might be brought to an yll opinion that the people might treckeÌ„ it nought thaÌ„ shuld we make that office of pastorall cure whiche afore serued God in paineful study of his wurd to serue vs in all vanitees and plesures of the fleshe To bryng this to good passe we must pretende a perpetuall chastyte We must outwardly professe neuer to towche a womaÌ„ what so euer we do els in that dark By thys shal we haue these commoditees We shall apere more holie than other people We shal haue the preachers obedient to our affectes They shall not rebuke our horryble darke doynges by the Gospell No for they shall for wante of women haue vncomelye lustes in theyr hartes wherby they wyll be gyuen ouer of God to themselues So shall they become buggerers and whoremaisters Yea and suche blynde bussardes and beastes as wyll be able to abyde no truthe So shall our wyckednesse in the syght of people become a lyfe of perfectyon and holynesse By these chefely and by other lyke practyses came that admynystracyon for the sowles behoue to an vtter decaye and ruyne as is shewed at large in thys former boke Now lete vs go to the other whych is the Christen regyment of prynces and declare by what wayes these wycked buylders brought that also to a counterfet shadowe of Christen gouernaunce they beynge made the dumme ymages of the beaste Apoca. xiij All for the publyque welthe and conseruacyon of Christen comâ—ynaltees had they their attorite and powâ—r Thys administracyon sought these enemyes to destroye an other waye They first toke from kynges the inuestynge of prelates or the power of admyttynge them to spirytuall offyces They made the great prynces beleue that they were but laye men and myghte not intermedle in spirituall causes or in the appoyntynge of the ecclesyastycall funccyons Se here how one myschefe grewe vpon another as that ouerthrowe of Christen princes autoryte vpon the condempnacyon of prestes marryage They seyd it was vnconuenyent that he whych had touched a woman as the kynges ded their wyues shulde laye handes vpon hym or admyt hym to offyce that shulde make Christes bodye O blasphemause buggerers Where founde these execrable hypocrytes that it was euer synne a man to touche that vessell whych was sanctifyed to his vse Eyther yet where was power graunted to their buggerysh generacyon to make Christes bobye O deuyls merydyane as the Prophete doth call yow whan wyll ye leaue to illude both God and man But to conclude By this meane at the last they had their full purpose and therby made the Christen prynces to become their slaues Yea to holde their stiroppes with cappe in hande to kysse their fylthie fete to leade their mules and their horses Yea they played with those worldly rulers for all their great power and wysdome as the bearwardes do with their apes and their beares They led them in the cheaues of their iniquyte and compelled them at tymes to do suche feates as they appoynted theÌ„ Moreouer whan they wolde not obeye to theyr myndes they feared them with the whyppe They terryfyed them with their blacke curses They fraybugged theÌ„ with the thundreboltes of theyr excommunycacyons and interdiccyons and threttened to set all other nacions vpon them But our noble kyng Edward and hys valeaunt father kinge Henry afor hym threwe of from theyr shulders the execrable yoke of those obstinate infidels Neyther nedeth he to feare to treade styll vndre hys fete that odyouse hydre and his singe serpent of Rome For the eternall God whiche hath giuen to him the power of a king is strongar than is Sathan their great maistre Long were it to treate how these lecherouse locustes haue vsed theyr kinges here in Englande bothe afore the conqueste and after Before the conquest they shewed fauer â—o none saue onlye to them that were monastery buylders The other lyke locustes they vexed and soughte by all meanes to suppresse them They haue not much rested sens theyr maistre the deuill was at large after hys thousand yeares inprisonment Fyrste