orders which this epistle will not haue broken but eyther by compulsion to be kept or punished by deposition so carelesse a husband so bad a Christian so weake a protectour he is or els which I rather thinke so light witted a man as he will offer vpon any occasion to aduenture all he hath be it his wife cause or credit though the conditions on which he doth it be neuer so vnequall disaduantagious or preiudiciall vnto him 43. Before I end this matter I will come from M. Halls text vnto his margent where first he maketh this note saying Whether Huldericus Extreme folly to make no doubt of that which is only doubted of or as he is some where intituled Volusianus I enquire not the matter admits no doubt So he But this is extreme folly for it importeth all in all to know the true Author when all the credit of the thing reporteth lyeth thereon as heere it doth or els any may obtrude whatsoeuer broken peece of a letter they shal find on the dunghill to be written by some Father the thing shall challeng authority from the writer and this thing neuer hauing beene seene or heard of in the world before can haue no credit if it were only written by some late sectary as we haue inst cause to suspect and M. Hall cannot disproue whereas if he could proue it written by S. Huldricke we should more esteeme it and answere it with more regard the authority being greater in the behalfe of our Aduersaryes then if it had beene coyned by some MagdeburgiaÌ„ or elâ— by some Sacramentary either moderne or more ancient To auoyd the suspition of this imposture M. Hall cyteth againe his learned Pope Pius 2. or Aeneas Siluius in sua Germania which title Iohn Fox setteth downe more fully saying Aeneas Siluius hath no mention of the counterfeit epistle of S. Vdalricus Meminit ciusdem epistolae Aeneas Siluius in sua peregrinatione Germaniae descriptione Aeneas Siluius maketh mention of this letter in his pilgrimage and description of Germany but it should seem that Iohn Fox his wit was gone in pilgrimage or or els a woll gathering when he made this note for after some search I haue made of his bookes I thinke I haue better meanes to find them out then Fox had I can find none extant vnder the one or other title nor yet vnder the title of his Germany as M. Hall expresseth it neither doth Trithemius in his catalogue or Posseuinus in Apparatu where they set downe all the bookes they could find of this Pope mention any such worke and so the mention made of this letter in this Pilgrimage is a meere idle toy framed out of the wandring imagination of Iohn Fox and vpon to light credit taken vp by M. Hall There is in his workes extant an answere to one Martin Mayer for defence of the holy Roman Church in which he describeth some parts of Germany by which he had passed and speaking of Auspurg he sayth as the Germans haue printed him in Basill S. Vdalricus huic praefidet qui Papam arguit de concubinis c. S. Vdalricus is patron of this place who reprehended the Pope for concubines it lyeth by the riuer Licus So he as these Sacramentaryes haue set him out Which being all graunted belongeth not to this matter in hand but concerneth only the bad life of the young Pope Iohn then thrust by force of friends and maintayned by tyranny in that seat which abuse the Church is forced sometymes to suffer as temporall states do ill Princes but in the one and the other personall crimes as they tend to the impeachment of priuate fame so nothing derogate from publike authority in such the office is to be considered apart from the life as Moyses his chayre from the Pharisyes who sate thereon their power we reuerence their liues we abhorre no state so high no calling so holy no function so laudable but ill men haue beene found therein and if once we confound the life with the office and out of the vnworthynes of the one inferre the denyall of the other we shall leaue no Pope Bishop Priest Emperour King or other Magistrate whatsoeuer and this supposing these to be the words of Aeneas Siluius of which I haue some cause to doubt both for that I haue seene a printed copy without them and moreouer I haue seen three Manuscripts of which as two were lately written had them so the 3. which was much more ancient in the text had them not but in the margent only by which meanes forged glosses so creep in often tymes as they com at length to be printed with the wordes of the Author but howsoeuer to this purpose they make nothing and the other whom M. Hâ—ll ioyneth with him to wit Gaspar Hedio a late heretike is of no credit to iustify this matter no more then M. Iohn Fox Ioseph Hall or any other professed aduersary 44. Againe it is another vntruth to say that somewhere he is intituled Volusianus for though Benefild against M. Leech call the Author of that letter Volusianus yet doubtles he meaneth The Author of the forged epistle vncertains another man distinct from S. Vdalricke who was neuer named Volusianus by any writer and this maketh the whole tale more to reele seeing it is obtruded as a base child that knoweth not his owne Fathers name and if once we remoue it from S. Vdalricke to whome as I haue proued it cannot agree the thing leeseth all credit and proueth nothing but the corrupt dealing of such as alleage it for this Volusianus is a name inuented to make fooles fayne no man knowing what he was where he was borne when he liued of what calling or credit in the world whether of kyt or kin to the man in the Moon for he neuer liued on our inferiour orbe vnder the first second or third Nicholas if I might interpose my ghesse I should thinke him to be brother to Steuen the subdeacon before mentioned out of Gratian for that he is so ready to father the fatherles and take a child to his charge which he neuer begot 45. But sayth M. Hall the matter admits no doubt which is another vntruth for whether by the word matter M. Hall vnderstand the Authour of the letter or the contents themselus both are doubted yea both are denyed and to take that for graunted which resteth in controâ—ersy to be proued is a foule fault in Philosophy and called petitio principij as if one to credit Petitio principij a foule fault in â— Philosopher M. Hall and to proue that for his learning he deserueth to be estcemed against one who shold deny him to be learned at all should thus conclude All learned men deserue to be esteemed but M. Hall as I suppose is a learned man Ergo he is for such to be esteemed no man will allow that he suppose the Minor as graunted which only is called in
remedy this turpitude which there was most spread where the Popes authority could do least to wit in Germany where Henryes countermands still crossed all Gregoryes decrees and Nero his sword as S. Anselme Anselm epist ad VValramum worthily calleth him S. Peters power not willfullnes of one man which is done by common consent of whole Councells wherein no force violence or importunity is recorded euer to haue beene vsed but the thing with full freedome No willfullnes ioynt consent and vniforme agreement of all to haue passed and which is much to be noted though the Emperour in the tyme of this Pope called some false Councells as of VVormes Mentz and Pauia to withstand Gregory yet in no one of them all is there any decree or approuance of the marriage of Priests they be-being as it should seeme ashamed to leaue extant any monument or remembrace of so brutish a doctrine and to all Christian antiquity so repugnant 81. Neither wanted there a reason for Gregory his decree and laudable indeauours in this Great reason for the making of Pope Gregory his decre behalfe if M. Hall had so much wit or iudgment as to conceaue it for he still pleaded the contrary practise to haue beene in the Church and therby shewed that he made no new decree but reformed the late abuse crept in against the old and that according to the ancient Canons and Statutes of the Church as any may see in all places heere cyted and in the Councell of Rome Anno 1074. as Lambertus writeth it was decreed Gregor 7. lib. 2. Epiep 45. 61. 62. 66. 67. Vt secundum instituta antiquorum Canonum Presbyteri vxores non habeant habentes aut dimittant aut deponantur That according to the determinations of the ancient Canons the Priests haue no wiues and they who haue them either dismisse or put them away or els that themselues be deposed and writing to Anno Bishop of Colen he plainely sayth Nouit enim Fraternitas tua quia praecepta haec non de nostro sensu exsculpimus sed antiquorum Patrum sanctiones spiritu sancto praedicante prolatas of officij nostri necessitate in medium propalamus Your brotherhood doth know that we frame not these commandes out of our owne head but our office compelling vs we lay open the decrees of the ancient Fathers made by the instinct of the holy Ghost So he And is this trow you M. Hall no reason or can you if you were put to it frame a better then priority of tyme conioyned with vniuersality of place Maenio maius num quod tibi carmen habetur Dispeream si scis carmina quid sapiant I see you know not what reason meanes 82. And the like I may say of Gods will Pope Gregory his decree according to the will of God which in the whole pursuit of this thing was only sought for in preseruing that which the whole Church guyded by his holy spirit had so often determined so many Councells decreed so long vncontrollable custome of al Countreyes obserued which to infring only vpon the violence of a few licentious and disorderly liuers who will take liberty without leaue haue all things to be ruled by their owne vnruly passions was little according to Gods will and much lesse was it according to his will to breake their solemne vowes of perpetuall chastity made in the taking of their orders which by the law of nature and diuine bound them to the obseruance and consequently the transgression was against the will of God which the Pope did labour to reforme and in seeking reformation could seek for no other emolument or profit to himselfe then to please God for sure he was to displease many men therby and to increase the number of such as mortally hated his so constant zeale infatigable labour in Gods cause but this hatred of men proceeding from Gregory his loue to God was no more by him to be regarded then that of the Iewes was of the Apostls or the hatred of the ancient persecutors Auentine a late partiall and vnsincere writer of the primitiue Martyrs 83. What broyles hereon ensued sayth M. Hall let Auentine witnes but I except against this witnes as being for tyme too yong for profession too partiall and for credit too small to testify in this matter and withall I must warne this Epistler that in cyting Authours he vse more exactnes then for two lines to referre vs ouer to a whole booke in folio of many leaues which we neither haue leasure nor list to read all ouer and it is not worth the labour to spend so much tyme in reading such Authors so false fond and confuse as he is knowne to be the words heere cyted out of him seeme to conteyn no more truth then the rest now refuted Ex interdicto sacerdotum coniugio sayth he grauissima seditio gregem Christi perculit c. Vpon the forbidding of the marriage of Priests a most grieuous sedition wounded the flock of Christ neither was there euer such a plague that so afflicted Christian people So he Which is a meere Chymera for this flocke of Christ these Christian people were a few seditious German Priests who tooke the occasion of the discord between the Emperour the Pope to follow their lust and wallow in all filthines If M. Hall obiect that not only this but the contention of the Emperour and all the broyles then made and raysed were for this cause he will shew his reading The chief cōtention betweene Henry the fourth Gregory the 7. not about the marriage of Priests to be little and iudgment small because this was but a bad branch of another root an effect of another cause and a by-lake from another greater streame 84. For who so will reade attentiuely what Authors do write of these tymes what Pope Gregory in so many Councels letters and Edicts did decree he shall find before this filthy fault another to be commonly premised to wit of Symony which more touched the Emperour who as Caluin and others write held all the Bishopricks and Abbeyes at sale and the Bishops also who hauing bought their place for money did sell al Canonries Deanries Prebends c. were both by the Popes decrees to be themselus remoued their doings anulled so likewise the Abbots then this other of VViues which was indeed but an appendix of the former and permitted by the Emperour to increase the nūber of his followers and enemyes of the Pope being neuer intended as any principall cause for had not the Symony hindred which was the first and chiefest quarrell between them which M. Hall not being able to iustify doth still dissemble the accord betweene Henry and Gregory had soone been made which neuer depended on these marriages and to affirme the contrary or that all the turmoyles were made for Priests wiues shewes exceeding ignorance in historyes and all the course held in this
to be naught with another maâ— for which cause the sayd Father in his Canonâ— to Amphilochius putting downe the pennance of Epist 3. can 60. such who after the vow of chastity had falleâ— into that sinne sayth peccati adulterij tempus conplebit such a one shall fulfill the penitentiall time of the sinne of adultery which thing is more exaggerated by S. Ambrose vpon the like occasion who doubted whether any pennance be Ambros ad virg lap cap. 5. great inough for so foule an offence for thus be writeth Quae se spopondit Christo sanctum velam accepit c. she who hath betrothed herâ—selfe to Christ and hath receaued the holy veile is already marryed is already ioyned to her immortall husband and now if she will marry by the common Law of wedlocke she committeth aduowtry she is guilty of death So S. Ambrose And would these Saints trow you euer vse suâ— vehemency or shew such zeale if these vowe were filthy vnlawfull or diabolicall No no. Their saintly spirits abhorred such sensuall vncleanes and brutish doctrine 48. Neither were the Fathers content to call this sinne aduowtry but they further added that it is worse then aduowtry So expresly S. Loco citato Marke this M. Hall Chrysostome Legitima iusta res coniugium c. Wedlocke is a lawfull and good thing c. but to you it is not now lawfull to obserue the lawes of wedlocke for one who is ioyned to the heauenly bridegroome to forsake him and entangle himselfe with a wife is to commit adultery and although a thousand tymes you will call it a marriage yet do I affirme it to be so much worse then adultery by how much God is greater and better then mortall men By which proportion we may see of what sanctity the impure marriages were which Luther Bucer and other renegate Friers did make with Nunnes how lawfull it is to breake these vowes and finally what is to be thought of such marryed Apostata Priests as still speake honourably of matrimony that therby they may seeme not out of frailty good men but out of meere deuotion to commit adultery or rather a greater sin planè August de bono viduit cap. 11. non dubitauerim dicere sayth S. Augustine lapsus ruinas à castitate sanctiore quae vouetur Deo adulterijs esse peiores Certainely I dare affirme the falls and slidings away from that more sacred chastity Basil hom quo pacto amitâ—imus recuperamus imaginem Dei which is vowed to God to be worse then adulteryes So and in so playne tearmes S. Augustine 49. And this so grieuous a sinne is tearmed by S. Basil S. Ambrose sacriledge Quando se Deo semel authorauit sayth the former per vitae continentiam ac perpetuam castitatem hoc detrectare non licet c. When one hath bound himselfe by vow vnto God by continency of life or perpetuall chastity is it not lawfull for him to slide back and so warily he must keep himselfe as he would keep a present or sacrifice offered to God least our Lord at the day of iudgment condemn him as guilty of sacriledge So S. Basil and against him who had abused the virgin before mentioned out of S. Ambrose thus doth the same Father Ambros ad virg lap cap. 8 exclayme De te autem quid dicam fili serpentis minister Diaboli violator templi Dei adulterium vtique sacrilegium c. What shall I say of thee the sonne of a serpent the minister of the Diuell the deflowrer of the temple of God who in one filthy act hast committed two sinnes to wit adultery and sacriledge sacriledge for that through thy mad rashnes thou hast polluted the vessel offered to Christ dedicated to our Lord c. Neither is it only a double but a threefold sinne for besides the adultery and sacriledge they also commit incest Christus Dominus noster cùm virginem suam Cyprian Epist 62. sibidicatam sanctitati suae destinatam iacere cum alterâ— cernit quà m indignatur irascitur quas poenas inincestuosis eiusmodi coniunctionibus comminatur Christ our Lord and Iudge how doth he abhorre how is he offended when he seeth his virgin dedicated by vow vnto himselfe and deputed to his holynes to lye with another and what punishment doth he threaten to these incestuous copulations sayth S. Cyprian Quae post consecrationem Lib. 1. Iouinian nupserint non tam adulterae sunt quà m incestae Such virgins as after their vowes and veiles shall marry are not so much aduowtresses as incestuous sayth S. Hierome 50. Finally this base thing either for practise or opinion was neuer vsed or taught but by the enemyes of Christ his Church which point is worthy of speciall consideration for as we in this and all other points do adhere vnto the ancient Saints and Fathers whome we reuerence admire and follow so doth M. Hall his vnto such as they haue censured discarded condemned that is we ioyne with Catholikes they with heretikes we tread the plaine The progenitours of our English Protestants in the breach of vowes beaten path of truth they of errour such as we follow were the lights and shining lamps of the world their progenitours were the shame and steyne of Christianity The first that I can find recounted in particuler to haue put this filthines in practise was one Tiberianus who hauing writen a booke to cleare himselfe from the heresy of Priscillian reuolted againe vnto the same Tiberianus Boeticus sayth S. Hierome taedio victus exilij Hierâ— de viris illustr in Tiberianâ—â— mutauit propositum iuxta sanctam Scripturam canis reuersus ad vomitum suum filiam deuotam Christo virginem matrimonio copulauit Tiberianus of Andalusia in Spaine ouercome with the tediousnes of his banishment according to the holy Scripture like a dog returning to his vomit caused his daughter that was a Nunne to marry and he who first taught this to be lawfull was Iouinian Formosus Monachus as the same Father painteth him out crassus nitidus dealbatus quasi sponsus semper incedens A fayer Monke fat neat white going alwayes as gay as a new marryed man And a little after Rubent buccae nitet cutis comae in occipitium Lib. 2. â—â— Iouinian frontemque tornantur protensus est aquiliculus insurgunt humeri turget guttur de obesis saucibus vix sussâ—â—â— verba promuntur His cheekes are red his 〈◊〉 fayre and smooth his locks behind and befoâ— are frizeled his belly beares compasse his shoâ—ders rise aloft his throat swells and his st 〈…〉 gled words can scarce find passage through â— fat chaps 51. This man so fine as most of you Minâ—sters so fat perhaps as Marcus Antonius de Doâ—â— that could not passe to the pulpit aâ—beit â— proceeded nothing so far as M. Hall doth toâ— the vow vnlawfull filthy and a brand of Antichristâ—nisme
say should haue continency but he who would haue it For no man would take it but he who would haue it but if yow aske me of whome it is giuen that it may be receaued and had of our wil marke the Scripture yea because you know it remember what you haue read When I knew sayth Wisedome that no man could be continent vnles God gaue it and this was a part of wisedome to know whose gift it was for these are great gifts wisedome and continency wisedome I say by which we are framed in the knowledge of God and continency by which we are withdrawne from the world God commandeth vs that we be wise that we be continent without which benefits we cannot be iust and perfect And a little after Qui dedit coniugatis fidelibus vt contineant ab adulterijs c. He who hath giuen grace to marryed folkes that they abstaine from aduowtryes or fornications he hath also giuen grace to holy virgins and widdows to conteyne themselus from all knowledge of men in which vertue integrity of life â—y continuall chastity and continency are now properly named So S. Austine Let M. Hall mark well this argumeÌ„t Out of whose words I frame against M. Hall this Syllogisme It is as well in the power of single men to be alwayes contineÌ„t as it is in the power of the marryed to keep coniugall chastity but the chastity of wedlocke is in the power of the marryed Ergo the other is in the power of the continent and then further out of the same Father Gods concurrence with vs by his grace which in euery good action is necessary ouerthroweth not our free will but doth perfect it and consequently as well the election as obseruance of single life dost rest alwayes in our power and will and is not impossible and necessary but free and voluntary 12. And if in the state of matrimony grace be giuen to both partyes to remayne faythfull to ech other and that to the end of their liues Virgins as more vnited vnto God then marryed folke so haue more strength to perseuere in their vocation notwithstanding that continall cohabitation breed so many causes of distast and the feruentest affections in many do wax cold and much decrease with tyme shall such want his help who for his loue despise all earthly louers and haue made choice of himself the author louer of all pure desires Shal he better loue such who are deuided as the Apostle sayth from his seruice by marriage then those who to serue him the better haue withdrawne themselues from all wordly encombrances that might deuide them and bestowed themselues wholy vpon his seruice or shall the grace of God graunted to virgins be of lesse force to keep them faythfull to their louer then that which is giuen to them who for carnall loue are combyned togeather These men who are thus perswaded would neuer August l. de virgin cap. 54. Ambr. l. â— de virginib initio preach vnto virgins as S. Augustin did when he sayd Si nuptias contempsistis filiorum hominum ex quibus gigneretis filios hominum toto corde amate speciosum forma prae filijs hominum vacat vobis liberum est cor à coniug alibus vinculis inspicite pulchritudinem amatoris vestri c. If you haue despised the marriages of the sonnes of men by whome you might beget the sonnes of men with all your hart loue him who is fayrer then the sonnes of men You haue leasure inough your hart is free from matrimony bands looke vpon the beauty of your louer So. Augustine And againe Si magnum amorem Lib. citat cap. 55. coniugibus deberetis c. If you should owe great loue to your husbands how much ought you to loue him for whose sake you haue refused husbands Let him be wholy fixed in your hart who for you was fixed on the Crosse let him possesse al in your soule whatsoeuer you would not haue bestowed in other marriage is it not lawfull for you to loue him a little for whom you haue not loued that which was els lawfull for you to loue And not to go further to shew the thing possible to shew it to be in our power to stand or fall to breake off or perseuere to begin and continue vnto the end he sayth Vos autem sequimini cum tenendo perseuer anter quod vouistis ardenter facite Cap. 58. cùm potestis ne virginitatis bonum à vobis pereat cùm sacere nihil potestis vt redeat You virgins see you follow Christ perseuerantly keeping what you haue vowed labour earnestly whiles you are able least yee leese your virginity sithence you are able to do nothing that if it be lost is able to recouer it So he And doth he who so teacheth so exhorteth thinke of M. Halls impossibility Doth he thinke that such virgins serue a Maister whome they must and cannot obey whome they must for their vow and cannot for their frailty His words are too cleare to be corrupted by so base a commentary 13. And no lesse plaine no lesse absolute for this purpose is S. Ambrose whose diuin books of this subiect I wish M. Hall to read for in them he shall find the excellency of this vertue not more eloquently then truely described there he shall see the arguments of Protestants answered there the keping of vows vrged veiling of Nuns mentioned this impossibility refuted for to such as did cast these suspitious doubts he sayth Facessat hic sacris virginibus metus quibus tanta praesidia Ambr. l. de Virgin propefiâ—eÌ„ The diuers helps which virgins haue for their perseuerance tribuit primùm Ecclesia c. Let this feare of falling be far from holy virgins to whome first the Church affoardeth so many helpes which carefull for the successe of her tender issue with full brests as a wall doth defend the same vntill the siege of the enemy be remoued then secondly of our Sauiour with stronger force and last of Angels Neque enim mirum si pro vobis Angeli militant quae Angelorum moribus militatis meretur corum praesidium castitas quorum vitam meretur castitas etiam Angelos facit It is no meruaile if for you Virgins the Angells do warre who in your behauiour do follow the purity of Angells virginall chastity deserues their help whose life it deserues for chastity also maketh Angels And in another place hauing perswaded them to ascend aboue the world saying Iustice is aboue the world charity is aboue the world chastity is aboue the world and the like he proposeth this difficulty which M. Hall proposeth saying Sed arduum Ambr. l. 3. de virgin paulò antefinem putas humana virtute supra mundum ascendere bene asseris c. But if you thinke it a hard matter for humane force to ascend aboue the world you say well For the Apostles deserued to be aboue the world not as fellows but as
orders because now in England there are no Subdeacons and the Latin word atque doth not signify or but and and so he should haue sayd Deacons and Subdeacons and not haue confounded them togeather as he doth besides this peccadillo there are three other mayne vntruthes in these wordes and all the ground whereon it relyeth is false For where he sayth that Catholikes saw themselues pressed with so flat a decree The first vntruth in M. Hals wordes confirmed by authority of Emperours as would abide no denyall we haue before made it abide a denyall and to be so far from a flat decree of any Councel which bindeth all to imbrace it as that hitherto it hath neuer beene receaued in that kind for flat or round and that by authority of such as then liued as S. Bede or not long after as Paulus Diaconus and Anastasius and for the confirmation of Emperours the matter is smal vnles it had first had another confirmation which could not be gotten but was flatly denyed Councells take not their authority from Emperours but Emperours second Councels with their power that all vnder them may obey what they who are in spiritual authority ouer them haue decreed and M. Halls Emperours in particuler to wit Iustinian the yonger Philippicus c. being such as they were we will not much enuy M. Hall their confirmations whose liues and actions were such as they were staynes to Christianity and their deaths so disasterous as well sheweth by whose heauy hand and indignation they were chastized 86. And if M. Hall will haue all Councells confirmed by Emperours to be lawful and their decrees Canonical theÌ„ let him imbrace another Councell of Constantinople called soone after the Touching the confirmation of Councells by Emperours former by Philippicus Bardanes the Emperour wherein the heresy of the Monothelites who will haue our Sauiour not to haue had any humane will was defyned and the true sixth Synod of Constantinople condemned and as well may M. Hall pleade for himselfe out of this Councel as of the former for in this was the authority of the Emperour who called who confirmed it there was Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople and far more Bishops then in the Trullan Conuenticle wherfore in the doctrine of this man the decree is flat confirmed by the authority of the Emperours admits no denyall The Monothelite heretiks will thanke you M. Hall and remaine your debtour How much the Church hath gotten by Imperiall Synods too lamentable experience hath taught vs as well in these as in diuers others whereof one was within few yeares after this of Philippicus called by Leo the Iconoclast who with our Protestants condemned defaced razed pulled downe abused and burned all sacred images of our Sauiour and his Saints and to omit others in the later tymes as the Conuenticles of Henry the fourth against Gregory the seauenth c. it is not the authority of Emperours when we speake of Councells which makes them so firme as they can abide no denyall but the promise assistance of the holy Ghost with the Pastours of the Church without any reference to the ciuill magistrate or els the first Apostolicall Councell had beene void and of none effect when notwithstanding they sayd visum est Spiritui sancto Act. 15. nobis it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and vs the scepter in this must yield to the myter the sheep to the Pastours the ciuill Magistrate to the Ecclesiasticall Kings and Princes vnto Bishops and Prelates The causes are different and the Courts diuers The second vntruth is that Pope Steuen granted that the Clergy of the East might marry which after shall in due place be refuted 87. The last vntruth is touching Steuen the seconds decree for whereas in Gratian there is The vntruth of M. Halls touching Pope Steuen no number of second or third or any els M. Hall as none are more bold then such as know least without more ado resolutly affirmes it to be the second Steuen but truth so reclaimes against it or rather ouerbeareth it so violently as it cannot subsist for the second Steuen liuing but three Gratian. distin 31. can aliter dayes Pope or foure at the most had no leasure to call a Councell or make decrees and that this was done in Councell Gratian witnesseth who sayth that he made the decree in a Councell held in the Lateran Church and three dayes being too short a tyme euen for the very intimation the falshood of this charge doth refute it selfe and demonstratiuely shew this decree not to haue beene made by this Steuen 88. If M. Hall to help himselfe will take the third for the second as some do who by reason of the short life of the second Steuen do not number him among the Popes that will also as little auaile him for in all his tyme there was no Councell held in the Lateran Church or any where els for such were the troubles of those tempestuous tymes Aistulphui raging in the West and the furious firebrands of the Iconoclasts or image-breakers being in perpetuall care trauell from one place to another to compose all seditious tumults and to cancell the decree of another Councell gathered by the Emperours What manner of Councels heretikes do bring for confirmation of their heresies authority to wit Constantinus your friend M. Hall though scant sweet for suppressing of images and called the seauenth Oecumenicall but with as good reason as your TrullaÌ„ was called the sixth for no other Patriarch was present none of the West inuited no Legat of the Popes or authority required no law or forme of a true CouÌ„cel obserued al went by force fury and faction such commonly â—re the Councells you bring for confirmation of your heresy 89. I confesse that Steuen the 4. held there a Councell but that was only called for the deposing of the false Pope Constantine and deposing of such as were ordered by him in that schisme and preuenting the like inconuenience of chosing a lay man to be Pope againe for such was this Constantine chosen by popular tumult without all order or forme of Canonicall election by the seditious and tyrannicall procurement of his brother Toto then in Rome whose power and violence at that tyme none could withstand last of all it disannulled the decree of the false Synod of Constantinople against holy images but of Priests wiues either in the East or West there is no mention nor yet in any Author of these tymesym When M. Hall is more particuler in his charge he shall haue a more particuler answere in the meane tyme I say with Bellarmin that Canon perhaps to be of no authority but an error of the collectours and that for the reasons alleadged and the cause is poorely defended that is grounded on the errours or mistakings of others 90. And in case we graunted all the words which M. Hall bringeth out of this Canon nothing Gratians Canon
incōtinent Clergy men of Germany though liuing in the same age yet neuer mentioned S. Vdalricks epistle beene concealed but againe and againe beene produced insisted on and vrged to the vttermost 30. Or in case there had then been so smal intercourse betweene England and Germany as in more then ten or twelue yeares a matter of this brute and fame should be written in one Countrey and nothing thereof heard of or known in the other our Kings at that tyme being of the Saxon race yet how came it to passe that in the tyme of Henry the fourth Emperour when this practise was by him permitted and the Priests no lesse insolent then against the impugners of their incontinency then our Ministers are eager now for their wiues in two Synods one at Erphorde 1074. and the other the next yeare after at Mentz to omit other combats against Gregory the seauenth all which happened within the compasse of one age after S. Vdalricke how came it I say to passe that none of these Germā Priests could find this letter or so much as giue any notice therof especially Auspurg it self being taken by that wicked Emperour rifeled by the souldiers and razed to the ground No man there is which seeth not what aduantage they had gotten thereby and the thing hapning in their owne Countrey could not but haue beene knowne to some or other if not to all of that incontinent company and so many fauourers of theirs writing for them against the Pope some one or other had registred it in their behalfe which yet hitherto was neuer done and the Emperour would haue been most glad to haue had such a record to haue vexed the Pope withall and checked his decree in case any such had beene knowne or heard of in his dayes In the tyme of S. Vdalricke there was no controuersy in Germany about the marriage of Priests 31. Againe in all the tyme that S. Vdalricke was Bishop no Pope euer had any occasion to deale or treat of this point in Germany and nothing was euer done therin by any vnder whom he liued which were diuers for he was Bishop fifty yeares and many Popes in that time liued but two or three some not so much but one yeare only so as there was no cause why any such decree should be made or thought vpon or that such a letter should be written for all the variance that was in his tyme about the marriage of Priests was in England only where three yeares before the Saints death a Councell was held and the decrees which were made against the incontinent by all the Bishops of the whol land assembled about the same were after sent vnto Pope Iohn the 13. who confirmed them wherof the chiefest was that either they should put their women from them or themselues be put from their Ecclesiasticall possessions which nothing concerned S. Vdalricke and by all likely hood he neuer so much as heard thereof and if on this occasion he had written this letter to Nicholas the first it had byn of a very stale date to wit of more then a hundred years after that Pope his death 32. And as these things demonstrate S. Huldericke not to haue beene the writer so if we a little examine what is written the contents I S. Huldericks letter against the Protestants meane of this letter we shall find how far it is from all learning wit and truth as no man would offer to be cast in his cause therein vnles it be some out-cast indeed that careth for neither cause credit or conscience at all for to omit Supemacy that this letter acknowledgeth the Popes Supremacy against all Protestants and band of obseruing the vows of such as haue vowed continency against M. Hall for of the first the Authour sayth I doubted what the members of the body should do their head being so greatly out of frame for what can be more grieuous or more to be lamented touching the state of the Church then for you being the Bishop of the principall Sea to whome appertayneth the regiment of the whole Church to swarue neuer so little out of the right way So he And yet this now in England is treason by Parlament to say I meane that the Bishop of Rome is head Vowes of chastity to be obserued supreme Gouernour of the whole Church which heere as you see by this graue and learned authour as M. Fox calleth him is so plainly confessed of the other also thus truth it selfe speaking of continency not of one only but of all togeather the number only excepted of them which haue professed continency sayth he that can take let him take Which exception ouer throweth M. Hals impossible necessity togeather with the doctrin of their Church where the practical exposition of the former words is the Fryer or Priest that can take a Nunne to his wife let him take her and that without any exception at all 33. To omit this I say what a grosse and palpable vntruth is that which the Authour auerreth against such as vrged the testimony of A notorious lye in the counterfeit epistle of S. Huldrick S. Gregory for the continency of Clergy men when he sayth whose temerity I laugh at and ignorance I lament for they know not being ignorantly deceaued how dangerously the decree of this heresy was being made of S. Gregory who afterwards well reuoked the same with condigne fruit of repentance But this reuocatory decree this repentance or that the continency of Priests was an heresy in S. Gregoryes opinion are no lesse monstrous then malicious assertions neuer knowne or heard of til this letter came forth or recorded by any for the space of more then nyne hundred yeares after S. Gregoryes death that euer we can read of and so much being written of his life by Ioannes Diaconus by S. Bede Ado Freculphus and others that this by them al should be forgotten which hapned vpon so remarkable an occasion as neuer the like before or since hath euer hapned is a thing that exceeds my capacity to conceaue or any man els of iudgment to imagine and if such rotten rags may be once admitted for solid arguments there is no ground so sure but will soone be shaken and all proofs from authority will be quite taken away for any light head may soone frame more of these fictions then there are heads feigned to haue beene found in S. Gregoryes pond 34. And wheras the Councell of Rome before S. Gregory still vrged the continency of the Clergy cyted was held not long before his death in which it is decreed that if any Priest or Deacon marry a wise he be accursed And of Subdeacons he so often had determined that they should not marry nor be marryed when they were made and that no women should dwell with Priests but such as the Canons allow it well sheweth Greg. l. 1. ep 42. l. 3. ep 5. 34. l. 7. ep 112.
constancy the glory of miracles all the gifts of the holy Ghost made famous that in this respect England hath no cause to enuy now at other most noble Cittyes for their renowned Pastours So Baronius of S. Dunstane 89. And in case that the three Saints named by M. Godwin had beene lesse eager against M. Godwine to free in ceÌ„suring of a short memory the marriage of Priests then S. Anselme I see not why he in that respect should not haue beene more fauourable also vnto them in their liues which yet he is not for of S. Oswald he sayth That he was very earnest in setting forth that doctrine of Diuells that debarreth men of lawfull marrâ—â—ge of S. Ethelwold that he plaied the Rex at VVinchester turning along eight honest Priests into the world with their wiues and children of S. Dunstane he rayseth diuers iniurious slaunders but you must know the cause of all to be that which he vttereth in the last words of his life to wit for persecuting and hunting marryed Priests euery where out of their liuings which clause if you marke it well ouerthroweth the other before cyted concerning S. Anselme that his persecutioÌ„ was more general then the other of S. Dunstane S. Ethelwold S. Oswalde when as yet their decrees as you haue seene are all one and alike in generall for all and heere further you haue S. Dunstane no lesse then S. Anselme not only in Monasteryes or places where Chanons dwelled but euery where to haue hunted and persecuted marryed Priests out of their liuings Stil I must complain of want of memory in these men who in their heat of contradiction against vs forget in The famous example which hapned at the Councell of Calne one place what they haue written in another 90. Which point is yet made more cleare by the memorable miracle which happened at Calne of which in a manner al our writers make mention as Osbertus Malmesbury Florentius Huntingdon Houeden Matthew VVestminster and others where in the behalfe of all the incontinent Clergy many of the Nobility were assembled Osbert in vita Dunstani Malmes l. 2. cap. 9. Florent in anno 977. Houeden eodem Hunting in anno 4. Eduard â—â— togeather with their Oratour Bernelinus a Scottish man that so eyther by power or perswasioÌ„ they might ouerbeare S. Dunstane Validissimum illum murum Ecclesiae sayth Malmesbury that most strong bulwarke of the Church But against all humane power and eloquence God shewed which part pleased him best which highly displeased him for the house where they sate in Councell sodenly fell downe and either killed or sorely wounded all those who withstood the Saint he and his as Osbert recounteth in his life being free from all danger which wonderfull euent albeit Huntington the speciall proctour for marryed Priests do â—arely recount without any mention of the cause of their meeting and moreouer do turne it to another interpretation yet others especially Malinesbury the best after Bede that we haue for our historyes in assigning the effect truely insinuateth the cause saying Hoc miraculum Archiepiscopo exhibuit pacem de Clericis omnibus Anglis tunc deinceps in eius sententiam concedentibus This miracle ended the 〈◊〉 betweene S. Dunstane and the Clergy all English men as wel then as after yielding vnto his opinion So he Out of which words I gather against M. Godwin that S Dunstane no lesse then S. Anselme opposed against all marryed Priests ouerthrew them all and against M. Hall that the first prohiâ—ition against the mariage of Priests was not made by S. Anselme but more then a hundred yeares before he was Bishop or had any thing to do in our English Church 91. And as it is most true that S. Dunstane before S. Anselme made this prohibition so is it most false that by him first of all our English Clergy did perforce stoop to the yoke of continency as though euer before they had wiues genuisse filios filias as now we see our English Ministers to do which only is the ill collection of M. M. Halls manner of collections Hall who when he findeth any thing forbidden he forthwith inferreth that the thing fordidden was alwayes in vse before the prohibition and heere his wit no lesse fayling him then his Logicke he gathereth that because at different tymes the same was restrayned vnder two Arch-â—ishops of Canterbury that it was neuer before the tyme of one or the other in his text he sayth that the Clergy were forced to stoop vnder the yoke of continency by the first and in the margent that it was alwayes free to marry and neuer deâ—yed till the later as now we haue heard but â—oth are false and the single life of Priests is of far greater antiquity then are the tymes of these two Saints whome God raysed to take away the abuse crept in and not to alter any constant custome euer allowed or practised in the land before for the good corne was first sown in that field and the darnell after truth was before errour the continency of the Clergy of all acâ—nowledged of all practised in all tymes after â—ur conuersion approued when as their vnlawâ—ll marriage as it entred late so it endured not â—ong so one rising and soone falling and as for â—yme it could neuer prescribe so neither for â—lace could it euer get the full possession of our â—ttle Iland till these later dayes a thing so filâ—hy after a solemne vow to God to take a wise â—s it neuer appeared without the brand of infaâ—y so base as the basest only deâ—ended it the â—est withstood it of so narrow bounds as it was â—euer tollerated in Europe Africke or the Latin Church nor yet in Greece till by bad life it fell â—o schisme from schisme into open heresy and from thence vnto the thraldon of the Turkâ— vnder which now it resteth 92. Which point concerning other counâ—reys I haue proued before now I will restraine â—y speach to England alone and in a word or two proue the Clergy euer to haue beene continent and then obiter touch the cause of that abuse I meane vpon what occasion it first entred and inuegled so many in S. Dunstans tyme A negatiue argument grounded vpon manifest presumptioÌ„ and for the first I thinke this generall negatiue directly to conclude that in all the pursuit of this busines in al the prohibitions depositions censures and sentences deliuered against the incontinent we neuer reade that any of them did euer stand vpon the former custome of the Church or continuall practise therof in that behalfe or euer complained that the Bishops brought in a new law contrary to the old or that they were made Priests when that freedome was in vse approued and allowed and therfore all such prohibitions depositions censures sentences and other penaltyes made afterward to haue beene vniust iniurious and tyrannical as they could doubtles would haue pleaded had
the cause beene as M. Hall wil haue it that they had brought in a new law imposed a yoke neuer borne before contradicted the constant knowne custome of the whole Land but this none euer vrged obiected mentioned that euer I could read of in S. Dunstanes tyme when first of all that matter was so vehemently followed and thereof do inferre that it was not the old custome but a late nouelty that by the vigilancy of the pastours afore named was blasted In our first conuersion the Clergy was continent in the very budd and by their vertue and vigour cleane ouerborne 93. Besides this generall negatiue if we reduce things to their first origen our Church I meane of England to our first Apostle S. Gregory who conuerted vs to the Christian fayth as before in general I haue touched his opinion so for our Church in particuler what his ordinance was is to be seene by his answere to the second demand of S. Augustine which was touching the continency of Clergy men set downe also in Fox for he sayth or rather resolueth the matter thus Such of the Clergy as are not in holy orders if they cannot conteyne may marry but then they must Gregor resp ad quaest 2. August no longer liue among Clergy men but receaue their stipends without or out of their company So S. Gregory concerning our English Clergy and no man I thinke will deny Priests to be in holy orders and consequently by this resolution to be debarred from marriage not only Priests but euen Subdeacons in S. Gregoryes tyme and by S. Gregory himselfe were forbidden to marry as before they had beene by S. Leo the Great though in Siciâ—y about this time some abuse had entred touching this order the lowest of the foure sacred but it ascended no higher 94. And whereas Pelagius predecessour to Subdeacons bouÌ„d to perpetuall chastity S. Gregory had rigorously vrged the Canonicall discipline against these Subdeacons S. Gregory so far mitigated that decree as he permitted such â—s were marryed to keep their wiues but forbad that any more should be ordered for thus he writeth Qui post prohibitionem à suis vxoribus contiâ—ere Gregor ad Petrum Subdiac l. 1. ep 42. noluerint nolumus promoueri ad sacrum ordinem c. They who after our prohibition will not absteyne from their wiues we wil not haue them promoted to the holy order for none ought to come to the Ministery of the Altar whose chastity is not approued before he vndertake the fuÌ„ction So S. Gregory and to foure Bishops of France thus of the same matter Cum his qui in sacro Lib. 7. ep â—â—â— ordine sunt constituti habitare mulieres prohibeantur c. Let women be forbidden to dwell with such as are in holy order ouer whome that the old enemy do not triumph it is by the common consent to be defyned that they ought to haue no women dwell with them besides such as are mentioned by the Canons So he to them alluding to the third Canon of the Niâ—en Councell to which if we add what before we haue set downe out of the Roman Councell we shall haue out of S. Gregory alone the practise of England Sicily France and Italy togeather 95. And as this was first planted so was it without intermission generally still continued of which the testimony of Venerable By the testimony of S. Bede it is cleere Priestes might not marry Bede before alleadged is an irrefragable argument where out of the Commandment of the Priests dayly attendance on the Altar he inferreth their perpetuall chastity and addeth further that it is imposed vpon them for euer to be kept but this imposition presupposeth their owne voluntary election of that state and the vow thereunto annexed as els where we haue shewed and S. Bede also in another place doth further declare where explicating the wordes Beda lib. 3. de â—abern of Moyses of a certayne garment of the Priests of the old law by application to the Priesthood of the new he sayth Foemoralia quae ad operiâ—daâ— carnis turpitudinem fieri mandantur c. The lynneâ—â—hosen which are commanded to be made to couer the turpitude of the flesh do designe properly that portion of chastity which keeps men backe from the appetit of matrimoniall copulation without which chastity no man can take priesthood or be consecrated to the Ministery of the Altar that is vnles he remayne a virgin or els breake the bands which ioyned him to his wife which kind of vertue is of necessity by the law of God imposed vpon none but by voluntary deuotion is to be offered vnto our Lord for so himselfe sayth Non omnes capiunt verbum hoc Matth. 19. all accept not this counsaile to which notwithstanding by a mercifull persuation he inuiteth all who are able saying let him take it that can So he And a little after Nuâ—â—i tamen violentum huiusmodi continentiae iugum impones c. You shall not The voluntary vow of such as are to receaue holy orders impose this violent yoke of continency vpon any but whosoeuer will be made Priests and serue in the Ministery of the Altar they of their own accord shal cease to be the seruants of their wiues So S. Bede alluding vnto the wordes of the Apostle that the husband hath no power ouer his own body but the wise and what wil M. Hâ—ll say heereunto I hope these testimonyes 1. Cor. 7. are cleare inough to conuince the fleshly freedome which he dreameth of touching Priests wiues not to haue beene knowne in S. Bedes tyme for the two Poles are not further asunder then this doctrine by S. Bede deliuered and that which he pretendeth and this being written so long before S. Dunstanes tyme and the yoke which yet is a sweet yoke imposed we may easily Obijâ— Beda inn 731. Dunstan verò anno 988. perceaue what truth or discretion is in the words of M. Hall who will haue our Clergy so repiningly to haue first stooped vnder this yokâ— by S. Dunstans inforcement who yet liued more then two hundred yeares after S. Bede 96. Moreouer what opinion was had of these marriages euen then when so much ruffling was made for them appeareth by VVolstan scholler at that tyme of S. Ethelwold a learned vertuous man as Malmesbury doth describe him Malmesb. lib. 2. c. 8. who in the life he wrote of the Saint his maister speaking of those Priests which M. Godwin before called eight honest Priests turned into the world with their wiues and children thus setteth forth their Vulstanns in vita Ethelwoldi honesty Erant tunc in veteri Monasterio Canonici moribus valde deprauatis elatione insolentia luxuria fadi c. There were at that tyme in the old Monastery Chanons of very corrupt life filthy for their pride impudency and leachery in so much as some of them would not say Masse in their
bring his authority by whome Christian Religion was first planted in England we bring the greatest Clerke that euer antiquity yelded vs we bring one who liued when the bickering with S. Dunstane began and what he wrot of Priests wiues we bring S. Anselme when it was againe renewed we bring the approuance of all the best Historiographers and schollers of the Land so as both our authorityes are positiue in the affirmance far more ancient for tyme and without comparison for esteeme more eminent then any can be alleadged to the contrary and if Tertullians rule be true as M. Hall graunted and denyed it togeather in the beginning of his letter that priority of tyme inferreth infallibility of truth then the cause is ours and M. Hall is cast or els let him produce some more ancient writers or of such credit as S. Gregory S. Bede S. Anselme and the like or if authours want to deale for a farewel more friendly with him let him bring me for the first three hundred yeares after the arriuall of S. Augustine into England but one Bishop Priest or Deacon who was marryed and in that state liued freely with his wife and was so allowed and I will rest contented and put him to no further A large offer made to M. Hal. trouble for prouing his freedome and who seeth not this my offer to be very large in case marriage had byn as freely then permitted to Priests as it is now to Ministers as he contendeth And if neither authority in writing nor example of fact can be found and we shew both the one and other for their single life then I trust none will be so vnequall a Iudge and professed enemy of truth as not to acknowledge it appearing so plainly in her natiue colours and so Al authority standeth for the single life of Priests none against it of any account or worth euidently marked with infallible certainty 112. And it must needs be a great comfort vnto Catholiks to see Heresy haue so weake defence to see this cause so ouerborn by vs as you haue heard to see on our side stand S. Gregory our Apostle S. Bede S. Dunstane S. Ethelwold S. Oswald S. Anselme so many Kings Councells Nobility consent of the Realme continuâ—ll custome of tyme all writers of most account in one word all the flower of authority learning and sanctity which euer our Nation yielded since these broyles of the incontinent Clergy began before also on the other side to see M. Hall for want of other help to lay hold on one obscure Authour Henry Huntington for tyme not very ancient for credit small and for the very thing he affirmeth out of him vntrue al others disclayming from him all pleading for vs vnles they be such as are not worth the taking vp and that euen vntill the tyme of Edward the 6. when also those who there dealt against vs had first in another ParlameÌ„t before pleaded for vs and subscribed to that which afterwards they condemned If any say for their excuse that the later Parlaments are of equall authority with the former and that one may repeale what the other hath enacted I answere that so it is in ciuill affayres which depende vpon the present disposition of persons tymes and things for it may so fall out that one law which heeretofore was very expedient may be now hurtfull or the contrary but for matters of fayth or things thereunto appertayning this rule doth not hold for as the certainty of Religion dependeth not on men who are mutable but vpon the sure immoueable and euerlasting truth of Almighty God alwayes one alwayes inuariable so must the same also be constant one and vniforme in it selfe without any change or alteration at all neither is this fayth to be fashioned out by Parlaments of particuler Nations but if any difficulty arise therein or in any other Ecclesiasticall affayre the Pastours who alone are to direct the flocke of Christ in Generall CouÌ„cels are to sit iudges and define the matter lay men not to intermedle therein This alwayes hath beene the practise of the Christian world by this haue errours beene rooted out vnity purity of fayth mainteyned the people kept in peace the Church in esteeme this failing errours as experience hath too deerly taught vs haue increased heresyes without all order or vnity haue beene multiplyed common peace broken holy Church contemned the whole frame of Christianity shaken and al things disioynted and put out of order 113. Another ponderation may be drawn 4. Ponderation from the difficulty of this graunt for marriage in the very beginning when it was first proposed in Parlament in the tyme of King Edward The first grant for marriage of Clergy men gotten in the ParlameÌ„t with great difficulty the sixth and was so strongly opposed as it could find no passage but only for the tyme past and that also not without some hard straynes it seeming indecorum vnto them all to behold the Pastours as fleshly as the people and no purity or perfection of life to be in one more then in the other but sicut populus sic Sacerdos to be all carnall all drowned in sensuality al alike more corporall then spirituall more attent to the body See the three Conuers par 2. cap. 12. §. 22. c. then soule to pleasure then pennance temporall emoluments then eternall happynes but what should they doe deny it absolutly they could not for the Ministers practise had preuented their hindrance and they came prouided in that behalfe not hauing so much patience as to expect the Parlaments permittance and he had giuen them example who for place authority was the chiefest among them their Archbishop Cranmer the first marryed Metropolitan that euer was in England Cranmer I meane the first marryed Metropolitan that euer England saw and it was to no purpose to go about to restrayne the members from the influence of the head or where the root was corrupted to seek to saue the branches from infection this also being the chiefe point of Euangelicall liberty among them happily renewed as M. Hall sayth with the Ghospell but indeed was so new as a new paire of shooes neuer made before could be no newer And this Ghospell was not according to S. Matthew but Martin Luther as we haue shewed and a very lasciuious Ghospell that to satisfy the lust of these wanton companions did breake all bands and promises made before to God of a better life 114. But seeing afterwards all the ofspring to tracke so constantly this path of their progenitours necessity excluding all counsaile of further deliberation and the great multitude of these marryed men all meanes of redresse they were forced in the next Parlament to permit them all to take wiues permit them I say for approue them they did not and that also in despite of all lawes made euer before in al Prouinciall Nationall Generall Councels to the contrary
in Asia Europe and Africke is demonstrated and the contrary by M. Hall is without all proofe or probability affirmed though he streyne far and forge a text of the third Gregory to this purpose and fouly mistake S. Isidore and then vpon no other ground but his owne errour and ouersight most pitifully exclaime against vs with I know not what outragious crime committed to our perpetuall shame whome he calleth his iuggling Aduersaryes and will haue vs deale worse then the Diuell but this shame I haue shaken off â—rom vs it must rest on himselfe and all the iuggling is resolued to this that M. Hall cannot see that which lyeth open before his eyes and therefore as he is suspitious thinketh it by some iuggling deuise to be taken away Alas poore M. Hall I pitty your ignorance but condemne your malice fayne you would byte but wanting teeth you can but only barke you esteeme your selfe a gallant man when you rayle at our doing or doctrine but your wit is so weake and will so wicked as the later which is blind and should be guyded by the former only directeth your pen and sheweth your iudgement and learning to be alike little I meane in respect of the desire you haue to do vs hurt in case you were able God forgiue you and send you a better mynd 14. There followeth another fundamental proofe which is so potent that M. Hall will be cast The fable of S. Huldericks Epistle in his cause if it do not answere all cauills satisfy all Readers and conuince all not willfull aduersaries and this forsooth is a learned and vehement epistle of S. Vdalricus vnto Pope Nicholas the first in which we see saâ—th this blind man how iust how expedient how ancient this liberty is and not only that but there-withall also the feeble and iniurious grounds of forced continency read it sayth he and see whether you can desire a betâ—er Aduocate I haue done his friend M. VVhiting that fauour as to read it for him and I see this Aduocate in writing to the first Nicolas to haue beene as blind as M. Hall for in caâ—e S. Vdalricus had written it as it is euinced that he did not he had written it more then 50. yeares after the partyes death whome he did write it vnto and more then twenty yeares before himselfe who wrote it was borne and therefore I desire in M. VVhitings name a better Aduocate that may plead after the vsuall manner of other men and not write letters before he haue either body or soule eyes to see tongue to speake or hands to write and then â—end them not to the liuing but to the dead and in the coÌ„tents to speake the truth and not tell vs tales of six thousand heads found in one mote with other the like impertinencyes before refuted and finally I must tell M. Hall that the cause is very weakly defended that relyeth on such rotten grounds of forged fictions and if he had esteemed it to be of any worth he would neuer haue made hazard thereof vpon such fooleryes if he be as prodigal of his wealth as he is of his wife cause credit and fidelity his children shall not be ouercharged with any rich inheritance which he is like to leaue them for he will be sure to liue and dye a beggar 15. In this counterfeit epistle there is no antiquity set downe for M. Halls carnall liberty neither can we espy therein the feel lenes of the ground of forced continency because we force none thereunto but compell such as without all inforcement out of their owne free and deliberate election haue vowed it to the obseruance of their vowes which this letter as lawful doth allow though we may not allow this liberty to M. Hall to change the name of Vdalricus into Volusianus nor to authorize it from them that haue mention thereof as Aeneas Siluius nor yet from such as in case they haue some mention are themselus of no credit as Gaspar Hedio Iohn Fox or such like fablers nor finally to vaunt of a happy plea and triumphant conquest where neuer word was spoken or stroke giuen or thing done more theÌ„ in the idle fancy of some new fangled Ghospellers how soeuer this wise man tel vs that heerupon this liberty blessed the world for 200. yeares after but I haue at one dash bated one hundred and fifty more at another and that from the warrant of his owne words and proued this Plea if euer there had been any such as there was not to haue beene very vnlucky as wel for the discredit of the maker as ouerthrow of the matter and that in so short space as hath beene before set downe 16. And because this modest man rayles at the seauenth Gregory for vtterly ruining the marriages of Priests and makes him the most Of Gregory the 7. Nicholas the 2 and Leo the 9. mortall enemy that euer the vow-breakers had which I impute to his great honour as it is also to be reuiled by heretiks I haue at large defended him and his whole contention with Henry the Emperour and shewed how constantly he behaued himselfe in this sluttish busines and although M. Hall would fayne haue him to be amongst the first parents of such as suppressed the marriages of Clergy men yet the truth is that before his tyme these marriages were neuer thought vpon in Germany but then the Clergy brake forth first into that intollerable beastlines and the like is proued by Nicholas the second for the first had neuer any thing to do in that controuersy and Leo the ninth whose decrees are only against concubines and harlots of incontinent Priests without any mention of wiues which in their tims were not any where allowed or perhaps so much as thought vpon and it may seem a woÌ„der to anâ— who knoweth not the custome of Heretiks to see one to claime prescriptioÌ„ of tyme for the marriage of Clergy men that cannot bring one Canon one Nationall decree one direct authority of any ancient Father for seauen hundred years togeather and after that tyme to alledge a meere patched proofe of a schismatical Conuenticle which more hurteth then helpeth his cause and yet to brag that for all that tyme there was nothing but marriage nothing but liberty no vows no chastity but these are the vsuall pangs of hereticall insolency 17. Diuers other points vpon this occasion are discussed as the deposition of Gregory the seauenth feigned to be made in the Councell of VVormes and that for separating man and wife but there was no deposition made no separation mentioned Then whether Gods will which this man still supposeth to stand for the incontinent vow-breakers â—or the Popes willfullnes was sought therein and lastly whether the broyles betweene Henry and Gregory were about this matter and what flocke it was thâ—t was so afflicted by the Popes censures as Auentine reporteth which was not indeed any flock of Christ for such still adhered vnto their