nothing maketh for M. Hall would follow thereof against vs but that the Greeke Priests Deacons and Subdeacons were marryed which is to be vnderstood before their ordination as the Glosse expoundeth and the Councell as before you haue heard did define and it is ridiculous to say as M. Hall doth that then they began to distinguish for wheras the Grecians de sacto had in this separated themselues from the Latin Church had made Councells or rather Conuenticles of their owne and were borne out in al by the sword of their Emperors where the fact and practise was so different as all might see it with their eyes little need there was that any should inuent a distinction or limitation of liberty as this man dreameth and the Canon he cyteth out of Gratian if it be a Canon is but a declaration of the fact which was so conspicuous as could not be denyed shewing only what was don in the East Church what not permitted in the West 91. And wheras M. Hall auerreth that this Canon graunted that all the Clergy of the East M. Halls want of Logicke might marry but not of the West his glosse fouly corrupteth the Text and conteyneth an euident vntruth for neither all the Clergy nor any of the Clergy could marry in the Easterne Church and this man seemeth to be of very grosse capacity that will haue these two propositions to be equipollent or to beare the same sense Priests Deacons and Subdeacons in the Greeke Church are marryed and this all the Clergy of the East may marry for first Priests Deacons and Subdeacons make not al the Clergy or els Bishops Archbishops Patriarches Metropolitans shall not be Clergy men which yet are the chiefest of that ranke and to whome all the other as inferiours to their betters are subordinate and depend which yet are debarred from marriage Againe that Priests Deacons and Subdeacons in Greece were then marryed is cleare but it is no lesse cleare that they were not marryed when they were Priests Deacons It was lawful for married men in Greece to be made Priests but neuer lawful for Priests to marry and Subdeacons but before as the Councell declared for although it were permitted that marryed men might be made Priests yet was it forbiddeÌ„ that Priests should be made marryed men and the same of Deacons and Subdeacons and so I conclude with M Hall that not only all the Clergy of Greece might not marry but that no Clergy man in holy orders for such only are specially so tearmed might marry at all I hope M. Hall that your brayns are not so far spent but that if you pause a while and scratch your head where it doth not itch you will conceaue this difference that marryed men may be preferred to the Clergy but not Clergy men permitted to marry the first by the Trullan Councel was granted the other neuer allowed and therfore these words of yours all the Clergy of the East might marry may be crowned with a siluer whet-stone 92. By that which I haue sayd vnto this obiection of Pope Steuens Canon that it is of no authority as hauing no certayne Authour that it maketh not against vs in case it were true that M. Halls collections thereon are false you may well of your selfe without any further discourse be able to iudge what regard is to be had to his vaunting demands and interrogations multiplyed without cause for after the words of Pope Steuen thus he writeth Liberally but not inough if he yield this why not more shall it be lawfull in the East which in the VVest is not do the Ghospells or lawes of equity Many idle wordes alter according to the foure corners of the world doth God make difference betweene Greece and England if it be lawfull why not euery where if vnlawfull why is it done any where so then you see we differ not from the Church in this but from the Romish So M. Hall And by this you may perceaue the veyne of the man and his Thrasonical boasting he would fayne be crowing if he had but any aduantage there should need no other trump to sound out his prayses conquests and triumphs then his owne pen but all this noyse wil proue but the sound of anempty tubb and powder shot without bullet a froth I meane of idle wordes and childish clamours as full of vanity as deuoyd of wit 93. If he yield this sayth this wise man why not more but of what yielding doth he dreame in the words cyted in Steuen the seconds name I find no yielding nor resisting no fighting nor vanquishing no battaile nor conquest there it is only related what the Grecians did vpon their false Councell what liberty they vsurped in so much as their Priests Deacons and Subdeacons were marryed but that it was not permitted in the Latin Church what is that more which this Epistler would haue him to yield he answereth very wisely by another demand shall it be lawfull in the â—ast which in the VVest is not I answere him yes and further to gratify the man do add that one the selfe same thing at one tyme may be vnlawfull and yet lawfull at another And if he know not this his parishioners are troubled with a seely Minister who haue him for their Curate though this in the meane tyme I must tell him that Steuen sayth nothing of this fact of the Grecians whether it be lawful or vnlawfull and therefore M. Hall frames collectioÌ„s out of his fingers ends without any ground or graunt of his authors I know he stretcheth far and maketh him to say that they might marry but he sayth not so much but only that they were marryed whether well or il he defyneth not But to come to our case 94. He cannot be ignorant what our Sauiour answered the Pharisies touching the question propounded about putting away their Matt. 29. wiues in S. Matthews Ghospell which they vrged to shew that it was lawfull to marry another euen during the life of the former so there had beene a bill of diuorce made between them our Sauiour replyed Moyses ad duritiam cordis vestri permisit vobis dimittere vxores vestras ab initio autem non fuitsic Moyses permitted you for the hardnes of Euen the law of God did bind at one tyme not at another your hart to dismisse your wiues but from the beginning it was not so as if he had sayd in the beginning euery one was bound to one wife so long it was not lawfull to haue more but in the end Moyses permitted diuorces and then vpon his permission it was lawful if heere some light head should dally as M. Hall doth aske what is Gods law changed by tymes shal that be lawfull to day which yesterday was vnlawfull if it be Gods law it endureth for euer if it be abrogated by a contrary permission it cannot be the law of God and so forth all were idle babling
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
subuerted So he And were it not for others of more indifferent iudgment we should surcease from all labour of further writing but their saluation we earnestly thirst howsoeuer we distrust of these Ministers reclaime And so much heereof Now let vs come to the Letter it selfe Very louing Syr THE letter you sent me by the English passenger came very The occasion of writing this letter late to my hands which I impute to the negligence or misfortune of him who shold haue deliuered it and it must excuse my delay in returning the Answere which I suppose you expected sooner and I acknowledge my selfe much indebted to your loue who with such speciall courtesyes haue so kindly preuented me for I haue receaued though after some six moneths expectance the Bookes you sent me togeather with other remembrances at other tymes and seeing that in lieu of better requitall you were content to haue my censure of M. Ioseph Hall his writings presently vpon the newes of your ariuall I tooke his workes into my hands for before I had neuer read any thing of his and opening the Booke I found by your selfe two leaues turned down before his epistle to M. VVhiting Dâ—cad 8. epist 3. whereby I gathered your meaning to be that I should peruse that letter with some attention as debating a poynt much in controuersy betweene vs. I haue done as you desired and examined all the passages brought for proofe out of any author which exact suruey hath drawne my letter to a greater length so as it may seeme not a letter but a Treatise My end only is to giue you satisfaction which if I performe I shal not need to repent me of the labour or you complaine I hope of the prolixity If I be wanting therein you must impute the fault where it is to my insufficiency If you be satisfyed to the force of Truth want of learning in M. Hall who giues so great open aduantages as any Aduersary may easily refute him I craue no more but indifferent hearing let no fauour or disfauour ballance you as you haue yielded one eare to him so a little lend me the other when you haue heard vs both to speake you shall be the better able to iudge of both and if the Truth delight you there will I trust be no difficulty where to find it I pray God there may be as litle to imbrace it as I well hope there wil not 2. And although that much lesse be sayd in this matter I treat then the thing it selfe would The Autors scope in the ensuing refutation require because my chiefest scope is only to refel what M. Hall doth bring and not throughly to discusse the mayne controuersy it selfe vnles it be where his arguments giue me occasion of further enlargment yet as the Sunne in dispersing the clowds doth shew it selfe to the sight of all so likewise doth Truth in the detection of errour and remouing the falshood of hereticall sophistry which like a veile cast before the eyes of the ignorant no lesse darkeneth their witts then peruerteth their wills so sufficiently appeare as all may see the grounds of Protestants to be so weake as they cannot subsist and by the same view perceaue also the truth to stand with vs for according to the receaued rule of schools verum vero non contradicit truth cannot be contradictory to truth because one extreme must needs be false in all true contradictions our assertion standing on these termes with the doctrine of Protestants in disprouing the falshoods which they bring we also confirme the truth which we mayntaine one necessarily following of the other as if one should say that M. Hall either is not a marryed Minister or he is if I proue that he is I do therewith all disproue the negatiue that he is not and if I proue that he is not then I conuince the other part to be false which affirmeth that he is Euen so in the marriage of Priests and Cleargy men whereas he graunteth the free liberty allowed now in England for all to marry without controle to haue beene still in vse for a thousand yeares togeather after Christ and thereupon concludeth his letter saying VVhat God and his Church hath euer allowed we do enioy If I proue that neither God nor his Church euer allowed this carnal liberty in cleargy men with the same labour I shew the single life for which I plead to haue beene still required approued vsed speaking as M. Hall doth of the generall vse and approuance for the abuse of particuler places without generall acceptance is neither the voyce of God or doctrin of his Church and the vse of wiues neuer without speciall abuse to haue beene permitted 3. If in the prosecution thereof finding in The manner of writing obserued against M. Hall M. Hall so many paradoxes vntruths impertinencyes paralogismes so much ignorance immodesty folly scurrility and other ill behauiour I may seeme sometymes to haue sharpened my pen to much or dipt it a little too deep in gall although I forbeare all virulent tearmes which in him are very frequent as presently you shall see and much more from all scolding words of disgracefull reproach as whores strumpets panders and the like the vsuall thetoricall flowers of this mans eloquence yet I confesse that his malice and ignorance both which in him do striue togeather for the preheminence haue made me more earnest then I would haue beene and in a manner forced me to offer violence to myne owne nature knowne to such as best know me not to be so much subiect to such bitternes as well perceauing sharpnes in words or writing to be the whetstone of dissentions by which mens minds are soone moued but hardly remoued from an immortall distast of ech other and this hatred hereby begon betweene their persons becomes at last the hinderance of truth it selfe and preiudice of whatsoeuer cause or controuersy shall be treated between them and truly were the immodest termes heeâ— vsed personall against my selfe I should with contempt let them passe vnanswered but being against the Vicar of Christ the whole Church most vertuous persons of particuler note they require a sharper reiection yet still in this acrimony I shall obserue the admonition of the Comicke ne quid nimis to shoot rather too short ' Teren. in Andria then too far at these rouers 4. Touching the order of writing this The order obserued in this letter short table of the things treated wil shew what method I obserue The letter to M. VVhiting is part by part answered without the least pretermission of any one sentence or clause that maketh for M. Halls purpose no authority of Scriptures Canons Councells Fathers Historyes or other writers is neglected the whole is discussed answered refuted and the whole discussion answere and refutation for better perspicuity is deuided into three parts or paragraffs vnder these titles The doctrine of the Apostles expressed
they are heer againe repeated and Bellarmine not so much as once named in all the letter but this silence proceeded of no ill policy for he was loath to name the place from whence he had fetcht his store least there the Reader should by his recourse haue found the answers and discouered his weaknes 12. And the like policy he vseth in painting out his margent with Greeke Latin sentences Great vanity and ostentation which to the simple who vnderstand neither the one or other tongue maketh a great shew of sincerity and learning especially being conioyned with so many resolute speaches as when he saith That he passeth not what men and Angells say whiles he heares God say let him be the husband of one wife that one word saith M. Hall shall confirme me against the barking of all impure mouthes Againe That if he conuince not all aduersaries he will be cast in so iust a cause with so many eager chargings of vs with burning blotting out cutting away and peruerting what we cannot answere VVhat sayth he dare not Impudency do against all euidences of Greeke copyes against their owne Gratian against pleas of antiquity this is the readyest way whome they cannot answere to burne what they cannot shift of to blot out and to cut the knot which they cannot vntye and last of all with beating vs backe as he would seeme with our owne weapons For besides the Scriptures you haue Councells and those sacred Fathers and those ancient the Popes decrees Gratian the Canonist the later Cardinalls the Greeke Church and purer times which names alone wherewith his text and margent is stuft being thus ranged togeather cannot but make great impression in the eyes of the ignorant who without further enquiry as being not able to search into these matters take all for true which with these circumstances are deliuered vnto them 13. But these are now haue heretofore bene and wil be alwaies the sleights of heretiks to couer Heretikes couer a wolfe with a sheepe skin a wolfe with a sheeps skinne and on the fowlest matters to make the fairest pretence neuer making a deeper wound then where they would be thought to worke their greatest cure or vsing more deceit then when they most preach of plain dealing for heer M. Hall would seeme to sticke to God against men and Angells when as he cleane leaueth him he offereth to be cast in his cause if he do not euince it when as he relateth a meer fable a notorious vntruth talketh of our burning of bookes tearing out of places and the like where there is no shew or shadow therof he alleadgeth Canons Councells Fathers to no purpose but to delude his reader with their names and to hide his hooke with a more alluring bayte for without this art his wordes would be of no regard or able â—o perswade any Nam nec venator seram saith S. Greg. l. 7. epist ep 112. Gregory aut auem auceps 〈…〉 ret c. For neither â—he hunter would catch the beast or the fowler â—he bird or the fisher the fish if either the hunter â—r fowler should lay their snars open to be seen â—r the fisher with a bayte should not hide his â—ooke by all meanes we are to feare and beware â—f the deceit of the enemy least by a secret blow â—e do not more cruelly kill whome by open tenâ—tion he could not ouerthrow So he of the diâ—ls and we of heretickes 14. But now let vs come to the particulers â— M. Halls proofes and behold how well they â—nclude for somewhat you may imagine he Bernard ep 190. â—th found out quod tot latuerit sanctos tot praeterierit â—ientes or else he would neuer vse such coÌ„fidence and Thrasonical vanting offer the hazard of a diuorce and to the end there may be no mistaking you must know that our controuersy is not whether any Priestes and Bishops haue bene marryed or had children for of that there can be The true state of the question is set downe which in this controuersy is much to be noted no difficulty it being euident the Father of S. Gregory Nazianzen afterward Bishop S. Hilary S. Gregory Nassen and others named in this epistle to haue had wiues some of them by their wiue issue but our question only is whether any afteâ— they were made Priests or Bishops did euer maâ—ry or if they married not whether yet they vse their wiues which before they had whethâ— that vse was approued as lawfull And this thâ— protestants affirme both in doctrine practisâ— and we deny and for our deniall bring the coâ—sent of all times all places all Authors of noâ— and credit for our assertion whereas M. Hallâ— now you shall see produceth little els but iâ— allegations impostures and meer vntruthe this we shall now examine 15. After a few idle wordes to no purpâ— thus he writeth But some perhaps mainteyn oâ— M. Hall beginneth with a cluster of vntruths Mariage not to be lawfull out of iudgment by them make much of that which Paul tells theâ— is a doctrine of diuells were it not for this opiniâ— the Church of Rome would want one euideâ— brand of her Antichristianisme let their shaueliâ— speake for themselues vpon whome their yâ— lawfull vow hath forced a willfull and impâ—ssible necessity I leaue them to scan the old ruâ— in turpi vote muta decretum So M. Hall making you see his first entrance with a fierce assaâ— being set as it should seem into some choller ere we end I hope we shall in part coole his courage and shew his chiefest talent not to be in disputing in which he is no body but in railing and lying wherein we contend not with him but willingly giue him the garland of that conquest and as for vntruthes they will be very frequent with him when as euen heer he beginneth with such a cluster togeather 16. For truly if any one out of iudgment In few lines no lesse then fiue vntruthes doubted of the mariage of priests clergy men he cannot but be further off from beleeuing it when he seeth M. Hall so without iudgment learning or truth to mainteyne it for omitting his railing in these few words are fine vntruths 1. That S. Paul calleth the single life of priests the doctrine of diuells 2. That this is a brand of Antichristianisme 3. That this vow is vnlawful 4. That it forceth an impossible necessity 5. That it is turpe votum which are contradictory tearms for a vow can neuer be turpe because it is defyned by deuins to be promissio socta Deo de meliore bono which can conteyne no turpitude in it I see we shall haue a good haruest ere we come to the end seeing he begins with so great abundance for all this his entrance consisteth only of vntruthes 17. Which vntruthes albeit I might with as great facility reiect as he doth aueâ—re them The first vntruth refuted seeing
needs laugh them all to scorne but to returne to the Constitutions 65. If M. Hall contend that this authority though not approued by him yet at least vrgeth vs who allow these Canons I answere that our allowance of theÌ„ is not so absolute but may admit restriction for though some plead for them yet others disproue them and Baronius answering this very obiection sayth of all these Canons Apocryphorum non est tanta authoritas c. there is not Baron tom 1. anno 53. §. Hisigitur such authority to be giuen vnto Apocryphall Canons as to infring things so certayne so ratifyed confirmed as is the single life of Clergy men at least M. Hall should not haue put downe the matter in such peremptory and vndoubted tearmes where on all hands he knew to be so much controuersy and it is an vntruth worthy Neuer lawful for Bishops to marry or keep their wiues of himselfe to say that the sixth Councell proclaimes this sense truly Apostolicall in spight of al contradiction for there we find no such proclamation but the contrary especially concerning Bishops for in the next precedent Canon the people of Afrike and Lybia exhibited a complaint against some Bishops for only dwelling with their wiues which they had marryed before they were Bishops and the Councell decreeth vt nihil eiusmodi deinceps vllo modo fiat that no such thing hereafter be in any wise done with this thundring conclusion Si quis autem tale aliquid agere deprehensus fuerit deponatur If any shall be round to do the like let him be deposed For which cause in the next Canon whereon this man most relyeth no Bishop is named but only Subdeacon Deacon or Priest without any further ascent and you may imagine what these would haue sayd and decreed of our Protestant Prelats who not only dwell with their wiues but vse them vs much as before if such a complaint had beene brought and exhibited against them 66. Furthermore in the same Councell the 48. Canon doth both confirm what I haue now sayd of Bishops wiues and explicateth also this other Canon of the Apostles for thus they define Vxor eius qui ad Episcopalem dignitatem promotus Concil Trullan Canon 48. est communi sui viri consensu prius separata c. Let the wife of him who is promoted when he is ordered and consecrated Bishop being by mutuall consent first separated enter into some monastery built far from the dwelling place of the Bishop and let her be maintayned by him So this Canon so it seemeth that these men although incontinent inough were not yet fully arryued to the perfection of our English Protestants The true sense of the Apostolicall Canon but came one degree behind them and it is euident also that when in the Apostles Canon it is prohibited that no Priest eijciat or abijciat turne out of dores his wife or shake her off to shift for her selfe it is to be vnderstood not of their separation the one from the other but of their maintenance that their husbands should be bound to prouide for them the Greeke word which M. Hall so often citeth but seemeth not to vnderstand confirmes this sense for it signifyeth as well warines as Religion and as Bellarmine well Greg. l. 7â— ep â—â— Con. Turon Can. 8. Distin 3â— cap. O 〈…〉 nino obserueth the meaning is that no Bishop or Priest vnder pretext of warines because he is bound to liue continently put his wife away without further care of prouiding for her this sense is also auowed by S. Gregory and the 2. Councell of Towers and was giuen long since to this obiection as M. Hall may find in Gratian where he hath found things of far lesse momeÌ„t but this he listeth not to see 67. And these are all the proofes he could find out of the Apostles writings practise and constitutions wherein how little he hath gayned you haue now seen or rather how he is cast in them all for whatsoeuer Apostolicall authority deliuered in writing what practise soeuer recounted by antiquity all Canons and Constitutions canonicall being taken in the sense they haue alwayes heertofore beene taken that is in their true and proper meaning without wresting mangling misinterpreting or other bad demeanour are so far from succouring his cause as they quite ouerthrow it and yield inuincible arguments for the Catholike truth hauing seen this I say you may well iudge how well he deserueth according to his owne proffer to be punished with a diuorce the greatest punishment as iâ— should seeme that can be inflicted on this tender hâ—rted husband which yet will be more cleare in the ensuing authorityes taken from the Fathers which are lesse lyable vnto his commentaryes then the Scriptures of which many Texts he boldly peruerteth with his own glosse or which is all one with the commentaryes of late hereticall writers repugnant to the ancient but the other testimonyes taken from the Fathers and historyes recounting only matter of fact need no commentaryes for their explication and so are lesse subiect to his abuse Let vs then see what he alleadgeth Of the testimoryes and examples of the ancient Fathers Councells especially the Trullan and Historyes produced by M. Hall for the marriage of Priests and Clergymâ—n §. 2. FROM the Scriptures and Apostolicall tymes M. Hall drawes vs to the Fathers of the Primitiue Church succeding ages as though in the former he had giuen vs a deadly blow he entreth into this with more courage and means as it should seeme to knocke on a pace while the iron is hoate for as if he were afrayd to loose the aduantage if he did not closely pursue vs he sayth Follow the tymes now what did the ages succeding search records whatsoeuer some palpable soysted epistles of A vaine florish Popes insinuate they marryed without scruple of any contrary iniunction many of these ancients admired virginity but imposed it not So M. Hall feigning as you see golden ages of mirth and marrying vnder the most grieuous yoke of tyrannicall persecution when as euery where innocent bloud was shed and Christians sought for to the slaughter That marriage al tymes without contrary iniunction was lawful is not denyed nor will it be proued in hast that Priests or such as had vowed the contrary might vse that liberty and we say not that virginity is violently to be imposed on any for it commeth by free election but where the vow is free the transgression is damnable for we are bound to render our vowes to him to whome we haue made them I need not make my self a souldier vnles the Prince do presse me but if not pressed I put my selfe vnder pay I am bound to march to the field to fight and follow the campe The cause is free the necessity subsequent 2. And it seemeth M. Hall to be halfe afrayd M. Halls starting holes when he shall be pressed by
which is yet more then I need that he hath by this example euinced his cause and will neuer any more mention his diuorce 11. But if in this passage he cog notoriously if he affirme the quite contrary to that which is in his author if as before out of Origen he cut off three wordes with an c. so heer he do add one word which quite altereth the sense then I hope his friends will bethinke them well how they trust such iugglers who with the Aegyptians looke them in the face whiles their fingers be in their purse and I wish that with his falsehood he did but picke their purses and not seduce their soules bought ransomed with the deere price of the precious bloud of the sonne of God And that there be no mistaking betweene What M. Hall doth affirme out of S. Cyprian and I do deny vs remember I pray what M. Hall doth affirme to wit that Numidicus was a marryed Priest and that S. Cyprian auoucheth so much I on the other side deny both the one and the other and say that he was neuer a marryed Priest and that S. Cyprian neuer sayd any such thing but the quite contrary that he was made priest after his wiues death Let S. Cyprian decide the doubt betweene vs. 12. This Numidicus then being a marryed man was by the persecutours carryed togeather with his wife and others to be martyred the rest When Numidicus was made Priest were put to death before him with them he cheerefully saw his wife burned making no other account but to drinke of the same cup and to follow her into the flames he dyd so was left for dead Ipse sayth S. Cyprian semiustulatus Epist 35. iuxta Pamelum alias l. 4. ep vltim lapidibus obrutus pro mortuo derelictus c. He halfe burned couered with stones and left for dead whiles his daughter out of filiall duety sought his body he was found not to be fully departed and being taken out and by carefull attendance somewhat refreshed he remayned against his will after his companions whome he had sent before him to heauen Sed remanendi vt videmus haec fuit causa vt eum Clero nostro Dominus adiungeret But this as we see was the cause why he remayned behind that God might make him of our Clergy and adorne the number of our priesthood made small by the fall of some with glorious Priests Thus far S. Cyprian whose wordes are so plaine as they need not explication for he plainely testifyeth that he was made Priest after his wiues death and for that cause to haue beene preserued aliue and he sayth not as you see Numidicus presbyter vxorem suam concrematam c. Numidicus the Priest saw his wife burned but only Numidicus saw his wife burned A foule corruption the word Priest is added both in the English text and Latin margent by M. Hall and that as you see for his aduantage cleane contrary to the mind of his authour 13. For without that word what doth this testimony auaile him what doth it proue will he reason thus Numidicus after his wife was burned was made Priest therfore he was a marryed Pbesbyter and his example proueth the marriage of all Priests to be lawfull these extremes are too far asunder to meet in one syllogisme and he shall neuer be able to find a medius terminus that can knit them togeather I wish that I were neere M. Hall when some or other would shew him this imposture to see what face he would make thereon whether he would confesse his errour or persist in his folly for I see not but turne him which way he list he must be condemned Protestāt◠neuer write against Catholikes but they corrupt Authors for a falsifyer I know not what fatall destiny followes these men that whatsoeuer they treat of in any controuersy betweene vs them they cannot but shew legier-du-mayne fraud and collusion and yet notwithstanding pretend all candour and simplicity for heer on the word Priest standeth all the force of M. Halls argument and that is foysted in by himselfe not to be found conioyned with the wordes he cyteth in S. Cyprian 14. If M. Hall say which is all he can say that in the beginning of the epistle S. Cyprian hath these wordes Numidicus presbyter ascribatur presbyterorum Carthaginensium numero nobiscum sedeat in Clero c. Let Numidicus the Priest be numbred amongst the Priests of Carthage and let him sit with vs in the Clergy then goeth on with the description of his merits of the courage he shewed in seeing his wife dye c. this plaister cannot salue the soare for this epistle S. Cyprian wrote after he had ordered him Priest and his ordination as there he declareth and you haue now heard was after his wiues death Numidicus himselfe giuing by his rare constancy his so resolutely offering himselfe to dy for Christ occasion of his promotion yea of further preferment for in the end of the same letter S. Cyprian sayth that at his returne to Carthage he meant to make him Bishop as Pamelius doth rightly interpret him So as there is no euasion left for M. Hall to escape 15. I haue purposely transposed the fact of Paphnutius in the Councell of Neece the authority The fact of Paphnutius in the Nicen Councell is discussed whereof although it be more ancient then S. Athanasius who therein albeit present was not Bishop but Deacon yet are the Authors who recount the same much more moderne and all the credit lying on their relation no writer more ancient so much as mentioning any such matter the Councell if selfe disclayming from it these Authors in other things being found vnsincere fabulous I thought it not worth the answering but seeing that M. Hall notwithstanding he saw it fully answered in Bellarmine and others will needs bring it in againe as though nothing had euer beene sayd thereunto Answered by Bellarmine l. ◠de Clericis cap. 20. §. argumentum 5. vltimum and out of his wonted folly and vanity insert heere and there his Greeke words which haue no more force and emphasis then the English with this conclusion in the end His arguments wone assent he spake and preuailed so this liberty was still continued and confirmed I will briefly deliuer what hath beene answered thereunto if first I shew what legier-du-maine is vsed by this Epistler in setting it down with aduantage to make it serue his purpose the better 16. For whereas Socrates recounteth the fact Socrates l. 1. cap. 8. S zom l. 1. cap. 22. of Paphnutius in a particuler matter touching the wiues of such Priests only as were ordered whē they were marryed men whether such should be debarred from their wiues bound to continency as the rest this man from the particuler draweth it vnto the generall from only marryed Priests to
with paine of deposition to the gainesayers but â—uouches it for a decree Apostolicall Iudge now whether this one authority be not inough to weigh downe a hundred petty Conuenticles and many legions if there had beene many of priuate contradictions thus for seauen hundred yeares you find nothing but open freedome So he Which words and others the like when I read in this man it seemeth to me that a problematicall question may be made whether he be able to speake the truth or not for hitherto he hath The cause why M. Hall doth multiply so many vntruths still beene taken tardy and heere in these words are two or three vntruths and these radiant but not to bring that into dispute for perhaps if he had a better cause he would be able by better meanes to defend it I rather doe interprete these his frailtyes to proceed from the necessity of the matter then from any impossibility in the man himselfe 105. We haue before shewed this Councel not to be sacred and the approuance not so vniuersall as M. Hall maketh it for whereas in the very beginning they oppose themselues to the Latin Church and make decrees only for the Church of Greece it cannot be sayd to be vniuersall for al which only includeth but one part with the exception mentioned of the other neither could a particuler Patriarke make a law in a Nationall Synod to repeale another in vse vnder his equall ouer whome he had no iurisdiction much lesse to recall the lawes of his Superiour disallow their practise for if par in parem non habet potestatem much lesse had the Patriarcke of Constantinople ouer the Bishops of Rome who I meane the Patriarcke was alwayes his inferiour and subordinate vnto him and so in the very Canon it is sayd Nos antiquum Canonem c. we obseruing the ancient Canon c. So as they restraine this liberty to that Church themselues alone without any determination preiudiciall to the other which had not beene if they had vniuersally without distinction of places or persons allowed this freedome The Trullan Councell neuer permitted that al the Clergy of the East migâ—t marry 106. But when you talke of vniuersally approuing this practise which practise do you meane M. Hall is it that you mentioned a little before that all the Clergy of the East might marry if so and so you must take it or els you talke at randome then againe I must tell you that this your Synod wholy disalloweth that custome permitteth no Clergy man to marry for although it permitted some marryed men to ascend so high as to be made Priest yet it neuer permitted any Clergy man to stoop so low as to be made a husband neither did it euer auouch that basenes in any Clergy man to be a decree Apostolical therefore if with better attention you read that Councell you shall find it to be as I say moreouer the paine of deposition to the gainsayers to be only against such as denyed the vse of their wiues to Priests marryed before their ordinatioÌ„ and out of the tyme excepted by the Synod 107. Neither doth the name of an Apostolicall decree where there is nothing els but the name only much trouble vs for if the decree mentioned be taken in the right sense it maketh not against vs if in the sense which M. Hall pretendeth it ouerthroweth the Councell and so he pulleth down with one hand what he had built vp with the other for if for any decree the CouÌ„cell graunt the carnall knowledge of wiues to be Apostolicall it is for that which M. Hall cyted before that no Bishop Priest or Deacon shal put The CouÌ„cell of Trullum gainsayth the Apostles constitutions euen in that thing on which it would seeme to relye away his wife vpon pretence of Religion vpon paine of deposition if this be the decree then I demand why the Councell decreeth against the same For heer Bishops are allowed their wiues which in the Trullan Synod by two decrees are debarred from them either M. Hall will allow the decree and then he condemneth his sacred Councell that desines against it or will sticke to the Councell and then he must condemne the decree not to be Apostolicall as conteining in it an euident errour condemned by so sacred so generall a Councell 108. Moreouer if he follow the Councell whereas the Bishops assembled therfore allowed The Trullan Councell ouerthrowne by it selfe in the matter Priests marriage marryed Priests to enioy their wiues because of the Apostolicall decree yet condemne that very decree in the first branch of Bishops and decree against it what ground was this to build vpon and to contradict the Roman Church what drowsy decree was this which is grounded on that which is by the very Councell it self contradicted can one and the selfe same Canon of the Apostles be a warrant for the wiues of Priests and not Canonicall for the wiues of Bishops when as in your opinion the one no lesse theÌ„ the other is alike to be allowed without any distinction limitation or exception at all O how feeble is falshood that thus falleth of it self and is ouerthrowne by the same grounds on which it would seeme to stand M. Halls chiefe ground is this Synod the warrant for the Synods definition is the Apostles Canon and the Apostles Canon ouerthroweth the Synod this is the maze or labyrinth of errour and heerunto all M. Halls florishes brags and assurances of the weight of this authority ouerbearing a hundred Conuenticles and many legions of priuate contradictions are brought for this heauy weight is as light as a fether contradicteth it selfe was condemned by the Church and more hurteth then helpeth the cause for the which it is brought 109. And truely the triumphant conclusion of the authority of this seditious assembly that it weigheth downe a hundred petty conuenticles and many legions of priuate contradictions is worthy of M. Halls wit and learning and resembles that Poets prayse of Epicurus the Philosopher in Lactantius Lactant. l. 3. diuin Instit cap. 17. Hic ille est Qui genus humanum ingenio superauit omnes Restinxit stellas exortus vt aetherius sol This is he who for wit surpassed all other men and obscured the stars rising like the heauenly sunne by reason of which immoderate and vndeserued Immoderate prayses where there was no desert or cause prayse that author sayth that he could neuer read the verses without laughter Non de Socrate aut Platone hoc dicebat qui velut Reges habentur Philosophorum sed de homine quo sano vigente nullus aeger ineptius delirauit itaque Poeta inanissimus leonis laudibus murem non ornauit sed obruit obtriuit He sayd not this of Socrates or Plato who are esteemed the Princes or chiefest of the Philosophers but of a man then whome being sound and in health no sicke man euer
their wiues chastity is imposed vpon them for euer to be obseued So S. Bede And his reason carryeth so great force with it and refuteth so well the idle obiection of Protestants as there needeth no commentary to explicate it no authority to confirme it or other reason to be adioyned to make it more This epistle bringeth nothing of moment but the ordinary trâ—ial obiections forcible 39. The other arguments drawne from authority or antiquity in that Rapsody are so barely alleadged so weakely followed some so impertinently applyed as will pitty any iudicious learned Reader to behold and in effect they are the same which M. Hall hath brought and my selfe haue answered and therefore in praysing this epistle he closely also seemeth to prayse himselfe for he bringeth the Text of the husband of one wife the doctrine of Diuells the Apostolicall Canon the story of Paphnutius S. Isidore of contayning or marrying of one that Saint is there stiled the writer of the rule of the Clergy from whence perhaps M. Hall tooke his errour in cyting it vnder the same title and to this is added to conclude the whole matter the imaginary reuocation of S. Gregoryes decree by occasion of more then six thousand infants heads neuer found in his mote but only in the muddy head of that tipling German who halfe drunke halfe in a dreame first deuised that fable and M. Hall as it should seeme was ashamed to mention it as seeing it out of common reason not only improbable but also impossible and set forth with such circumstances as well shew the whole thing to be incredible and a ly in print 40. One place of Scripture that epistle hath more theÌ„ is in this epistle of M. Hall which is let A strange argument but in no mood nor figure euery man haue his owne wife which that honest Man will haue the Apostle to haue meant as well of the Clergy as of the laity and the Catholikes who deny it are false hypocrits do lye and faigne and that the Priests are not afraid to abuse other mens wiues to commit outrage in the foresayd wickednes which is a Bedlam proofe that any lewd companion though neuer so base may obiect against the most innocent man aliue and the Iews against our Sauiour himselfe sayd that the was Homo vorax potator vini a glutton and drinker oâ— Matth. â—â— wine a friend to Publicans open offend ours but Catholiks poore men vnderstand not the Scripture sayth this authour and why good Syr Heare him I pray you in lesse then six lines pleading against vs and for vs and ouer throwing that which he would take vpon him out of this text to put vp These men sayth he haue not rightly vnderstood the Scripture for the saying of the Apostle let euery man haue his owne 1. Cor. 7 wife doth except none in very deed but him only which hath the gift of continency prefixing with himselfe to keep and to continue his virgin or virginity in the Lord. Be it so And then if the Priests haue this gift and haue prefixed this course to themselues in the Lord then they shall not need to marry and the Apostles words shall not concerne them or bind them to haue their own wiues â—s it doth other men And this indeed is the very case of all Clergy men who vow chastity and the obseruance of their vow resteth in themselues assisted with Gods grace to performe it as before I haue sayd so the wordes of S. Paul appertayne not vnto them but to the Laity 41. M. Hall will perchance demand what if one who hath vowed chastity find that he hath not this gift notwithstaÌ„ding he hath prefixed the same to himself in the Lord shal be then be incontinent not marry I lay that neither the one or other is allowable not the first which is neuer lawfull not the later which is vnlawfull to him and this is decyded euen in the very next words of this Epistle where the Author thus speaketh to the Pope Wherefore o reuerend Father it shall be your part to cause and ouersee M. Halls S. Hulderick pleadeth a-against him that whosoeuer either with hand or mouth hath made a vow of continency as all Clergy men in holy orders haue afterwards would forsake the same should be either compelled to keep his vow or els by lawfull authority should be deposed from his order So there in which words you see both a compulsion for the obseruance of the vow deposition from their order in the transgressours both which suppose an ability in the vowmaker of performing his vow or els the suggestion of M. Hall his S. Vdalricke had beene very iniurious vnlawfull and tyrannicall as imposing a punishment where there was no voluntary offence and the thing for which he is punished was impossible for him in our Protestants opinion to perform as that Prince should be a tyrant who should put any subiect of his to one of these extremes either to leese the office and dignity he hath in the common wealth or els to pull the Sunne downe from heauen or remoue the earth into a higher place within three miles of the concauity of the Moone 42. And seeing this doctrine deliuered in the Epistle fathered on S. Huldricke is so contrary to the doctrine of this Epistle of M. Hall who will haue such vowes to be filthy the keeping of them to include an impossible necessity it was great temerity inconsiderate dealing in him to offer to be cast in his cause if this epistle do not satisfy all Readers when as it is so far from satisfying all Readers as it doth not satisfy himselfe who wil haue all such votaryes to change their vowes as filthy and to purify themselues by marriage and make practicall tryall of Iohn Fox his note what it is to marry in the Lord contrary to this Epistle as you haue seene which being so I make this collection as euident to me as any mathematicall demonstration that M. Hall neither careth for his wife nor for his fidelity M. Hall neither careth for his wife nor for his credit nor for his cause nor for his cause Not for his wife because he offered to be punished by a diuorce if he euicted not all Clergy mens marriage which he hath not done or is able euer to do whils he liueth not for his fidelity which he pawned to leese on any decree to be shewed more ample then that of the Trullan Councell for the marriage of Ecclesiasticall men which now he hath seene that in such excesse as in respect therof the Trullan Canon was but like the positiue degree in respect of the superlatiue not for his cause which he aduentureth on this Epistle in which notwithstanding euen in the point in controuersy debated between vs he is both cast and condemned for we graunt a solemne vow of chastity to be made in taking of
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
Deo hominibus gratissimum prudentem iustum c. A man most gratefull to God and man wise iust meeke the patron and protectour of the poore of pupilâ— of widdowes the only and most eager defender of the Roman Church against the wickednes of heretikes and power of wicked Princes vsurping by force Ecclesiasticall goods So he And this Encomium belongeth not as you see to a brand Gregoryes life and death most lau dable of hell or a proclaimed Antichrist but to a vertuous and most excellent Pastour to a man of singular zeale and sanctity conforme to these his rare vertues and vndaunted courage in Gods cause from which no threats of his potent enemy no perswasion of his seduced friends no humane respect whatsoeuer was able to transport or moue him conform I say to these was his death the end conspiring with the beginning and laudable continuance of his whole life for so the same Authour sayth that he dyed sanctè prè saintly and deuoutly which death hapning vnto him in banishment at Salerno others recount Baronius alij how in his death bed he vsed these words Dilexi iustitiaÌ„ odio habui iniquitatem propterea morior in hoc exilio I haue loued iustice and hated iniquity for that cause do I dye in this banishment A happy loue a happy hatred and most happy banishment all which are now rewarded with their due deserued crowns of immortall glory Carolus Sigonius de regno Italiae l. 9. 64. The other author is Carolus Sigonius in that admired workâ— of his de regno Italiae in the 9. booke who hauing seene â—ll the whole matter and much praysed the worthines of this Pope he sheweth the first roote of all the discord between The lewd Bishops of Germany stir vp the Emperour against the Pope him the Emperour to haue proceeded from certeyne licentious Bishops of Germany appalled at his election as well knowing his courage and seuerity against al vice and vicious behauiour Gregorius sayth he ingeniy yehementis tum tumpraestaÌ„taÌ„tis erga Ecclesiam pietatis c. Gregory being zealous and of singular piety towards the Church the Bishops of Germany being affrighted with his notable seuerity and immoueable constancy in reforming Ecclesiastical disciplin presently feared some sharp correction of their liues seuere chastisement of their disorders and therfore going to the Emperour they willed him to disanull his election or els to expect nothing els but all the power of this Pope to be bent against his crown So Sigonius So as we see that stil wicked Prelates against the due correction of their Superiours haue armed themselues with secular power and auoyded that by force which by all equity and iustice they should haue vndergone 65. And that which made the vigour of The persons and personall crims opposed against by Gregory made his vertuous constancy more odious this vigilant Pastour more odious were the persons with whome he was to encounter which were the wicked Emperour Robert Guiscard the Norman Duke who by force had entred vpon the possessions of the Church had al Sicily and a great part of Italy in his hands and all the incontinent Clergy of Germany and els where to oppose against al these was to expose himself to all obloquies iniuries and villanyes that either the power of so potent Princes or the malice of so many impure tongues could deuise against him neither were the persons more great then their faults heynous for thus sayth the same Authour Erant grauia illa flagitia coercenda ne sacerdotia venderentur c. These grieuous faults in particuler were to be corrected by this Pope the selling of Bishoprickes or parsonages by taking the inuestiture or possession of them from the Emperour or other lay men that Clergy men should haue wiues that the temporall dominions of the Church might not wrongfully be molested or alienated So he Who goeth on shewing what this most famous Pastour did for remedy of all these disorders and with what successe which I omit because in the matter we now speake off M. Hall assigneth him the conquest for this carnall liberty which sayth he wauered vnder Nicholas the first now by the hands of Leo the ninth Nicholas the second and that Brand of hell Gregory the seauenth was vtterly ruined wiues debarred a pittifull case single life vrged 66. Now if from the Pope we cast our eyes on his Antagonist Henry the Emperour by whos means as Hulderiâ—us Muâ—ius the Zuinglian writeth Henry the 4. euen in the iudgment of Caluin a most wicked Emperour this liberty of Priests taking wiues in Germany tooke such deep root for by the fruit you shall know the tree and cause by the effect we shall find so much in graue Authors reported of him as he may well be sayd to be the father of this deformed child chiefe Proctour of this carnall cause for of all Christian Emperours that euer were he is one of the worst if not the worst of all others and to omit Catholike Authours both for auoyding prolixity and for that their words haue not so great weight against these men though neuer so learned graue or holy thus Caluin to whome I hope M. Hâ—ll will giue some credit doth paint him out Henricus eius nominis Caluin 4. Instit c. 11. §. 13. quartus c. Henry the fourth of that name a light and rash man of no wit of great audacity and dissolute life for vheras he had all the Bishopricks of Germany partly at sale partly layd The like hath Auentinus the Lutheran of him open as a booty to be pilfered by his Courtiers Hildebrand who had before beene prouoked by him tooke this plausible pretext to reueng himselfe vpon him and because he seemed to prosecuâ—e a good and pious cause he was furthered by the fauour of many Henry was otherwise for his more insolent manner of gouerning hated of most Princes So Caluin And a little after Huc accessit quòd multi deinde Imperatores c. To this may be added that many Emperours which followed after were more like vnto this Henry then vnto Iulius Caesar whome it was no great maistery to vanquish for hauing all things secure they loytered at home c. this was the conceite which Caluin had of this Emperour by whose procurement all the rumors were raysed against Gregory and this testimony which yet in that Authour is rare to find carrying so great truth with it in respect of the Emperour and agreement with other historyes I will rest thereon and from this generall inspection of the Authours of the beginning and origen of this controuersy in a word or two examine all the particulers of M. Halls accusation 67. These vntruths of whose words before cyted are couched so thicke togeather as he may seeme heere to haue striued to try how many M. Halls vntruths touching Gregory the 7. are examined lyes he could well vtter
as after appeared in the Chalcedon Councell so heere in VVormes the Emperor being present his chiefe Agent VVilliam of Mastricke of whome we haue before spoken insteed of al arguments vrged by the other for the Pope brought one dilemmaticall demonstration to conclude the whole busines to the contrary it is the same which now our Protestants do vse to wit eyther you must condemne the Pope or you are all traytours vnto the Emperour Whereupon all the Imperiall Bishops there gathered subscribed but the Saxons refused and these who did subscribe were presently so moued with compunction as they sent their letters to the Pope deploring their fault craning pardon for what was past for the tyme to come promised continuall and inuiolable obedience which more particulerly is set down by Bruno in his history of the Saxon wars saying See Baron ann 1076. Quod quidem pauci secerunt ex animo qui auctores ipsi fuere consilij pluresverò literas quidem c. Which few of them did do from their hart and those who did it were the Authours that suggested this plot to the Emperour but the far greater part wrote their letters of renouncing the Pope for feare of death but that they did it against their wills they well shewed by this that by the first oportunity offered they sent their submissiue letters vnto the Pope acknowledged themselues guilty but pretended for excuse the necessity they were put vnto So he 77. And this Authour liuing as it should seeme either in or neer that tyme and being exact in his reports all may see how little M. Halls cause is furthered by this Conuenticle where as there were no French Bishops at all so neither did all the Germans yield therunto and such as subscribed very soon after as I haue sayd with griefe and shame repented them of their errour and excused it with the feare of present death in case they had then refused to performe what the tyrant exacted and it is another vntruth to say that these Bishops deposed the Pope Gregory not deposed in the Councell of Wormes Pope for all that the Emperour made was to make the Bishops renounce their obedience and not to acknowledge him for Pope so it is expressed in the very forme of their renounciation which is put downe in these wordes in the forsayd Authour to wit Ego N. Ciuitatis N. Episcopus Hildebrando subiectionem obedientiam ex hac hora ac deinceps interdico eum posihac Apostolicum nec habebo nec vocabo I N. Bishop of the Citty N. do from this houre forward deny subiection and obedience vnto Hildebrand and from henceforth will neither esteeme him nor call him Pope So these Bishops 78. By which wordes albeit they exempt themselues from his power and deny him to be Pope yet touching his deposition they did not intermeddle and the Messenger called Roland sent from the assembly to Pope Gregory with menacing letters from the Emperour which were read openly by the Pope in the Lateran Councell then held in Rome where they were condemned by the whole Synod Henry himselfe for writing them was excommunicated conteyned in them no sentence of deposition but a childish threat that he should leaue the place or they would leaue him But the Pope was not so weak a reed as to bend with so light a blast and the most part of these Bishops who are heere made to threaten deposition wrot to the Pope to persist and not to yield to so open iniquity and the combat was worthy of the knowne courage and vertue of this most constant and learned Pope and therfore after when the Emperour saw his wast wordes to haue no effect he went indeed about to depose him put another in his place to wit Guibertus of Rauenna vnder the name of Clement the second as fit a man to be Pope as Henry was to be the Emperour and none acknowledged him but Henryes followers and flatterers but this happened more then three yeares after the meeting at VVormes as Baronius out of others doth well obserue 79. Another vntruth it is that this deposition was made in this name a fine phrase amongst other quarrells for separating man and wise For neither in the Councell of VVormes was this euer mentioned nor afterwards when the false Pope was Separating of Priests from their Harlots not vrged against Gregory in the Councell of Wormes nor yet in the iniurious sentence of his deposition chosen did the Emperour in his patheticall letters to the Clergy of Rome or Pope himselfe in which he setteth downe his agricuances and causes of depositiō euer specify any such thing which letters are in Baronius and Bruno set forth at large and none could better tell the true cause then he who was the chiefe actour in all that tragedy and yet not only he in those epistles wherein he purposely yieldeth a reason if any thing might be tearmed a reason for so vnreasonable and outragious dealing why he proceeded so far as deposition doth so much as once touch this point but only his owne personall iniuryes and the excommunication of his Bishops as Symoniacall with the ill election as he would haue it and other crimes imputed to the Pope himselfe but moreouer no other Authors of these tyme do write any such thing as Lambertus Marianus Scotus Sigebertus Mutius Bruno or any els of credit and therfore M. Hall must tell vs from whence he fetcheth the Latin wordes of his margent that in this name among other quarrels he was deposed maritos ab vxoribus separat he separats the husbands from their wiues which Gregory neuer did but only the lewd Priests from their concubines and the Emperour as we see neuer obiected it so as still there is forging or taking vp of Authorityes at the first hand out of late hereticall writers without any choic at all or further discussion what truth or probability their words do beare 80. Lastly he sayth that violence did this not reason neither was Gods will heere questioned but the Popes wilfulnes but all is false and it seemeth the man to haue made a vow if it may be so termed neuer to speake truly which is a filthy vow to that he may well apply the whole rule he mentioned in the beginning of his letter in turpi voto muta decretum in a filthy vow change the decree and the sooner he changeth it the more men will commend his honesty for heere neither violence nor willfullnes entred Not violence for he neuer waged warre neuer incyted others thereunto for this matter but only renewed his decrees and those for the most part No violence vsed in Gregoryes decrees made in Councells commaunding the ancient custome of single life to be kept in vre and the abuse of marriage crept into some parts of Europ to be suppressed other violence as tymes and things then went he could shew none neither indeed by that means could he
stout Prelate without any touch of disgrace in all that he writeth of him which had not beene spared had he found any thing in him that had beene lyable thereunto and Iohn Fox who â—lthough he speake well of few yet he out of others commendeth S. Anselme when he treateth of his election albeit afterwards he do discommend him euen for that for which by all S. DunstaÌ„ S. oswald S Ethelwolde other Authours of former ages he hath beene iudged most commendable 105. Of S. Dunstan Oswald and Ethelwolde we haue before spoken and VVilliam of Malmesbury is proâ—use in the prayse of ech of them a part in their liues and no meruaile for all three were very holy men and not only admired in England but reuerenced abroad and by the whole Church acknowledged for Saints of the first to wit S. Dunstane inough for this matter hath beene sayd aheady and of S. Oswald M. Godwin giueth him this Encomium be was very learned and left some testimonyes therof in writing not yet perished for the integrity also of his life and conuersation he was much reuerenced the greatest fault that I find in him is that he was very earnest in setting forth that doctrine of Diuells that debarreth men of lawfull marriage c. many miracles are reported to haue been done at his tombe in regard whereof the posterity would needs make him a Saint So he Of the third Matthew VVestminster sayth writing of his death Eodem anno S. Ethelwaldus migrauit ad Dominum In this yeare S. Ethelwald went to our Lord or departed this life this title of Saint is giuen him by all our writers of these tymes and M. Halls friend Henry Huntington Hunting l 5. in â—â—gar Houeder ibideâ—s much prayseth him saying that he was â—gregius Praesul aedificator sepium auertens semitas imquitatis plantans radices charitatis A worthy Prelate a builder vp of the hedges of vertue turning men from the paths of iniquity planting in them the root of charity and in fine of them all three Malmesbury writeth that Miâ—uâ—runt per Malmâ—s l. 2. de gestis Pontij 〈…〉 Angliam vt lumina crederes è â—aelo arridere â—ydera They shined ouer England as â—ights in so much as you would haue thought the stars to send their coÌ„fort from heauen So he And so much of these 106. But now for such Priests as had their Trulls if you looke into the monuments of antiquity The incontinent Clergy as the summ of the world coÌ„mended by none what memory or mention is made of them you shall either find nothing at all or that they were the very scumme and refuse of the Clergy and M. Hall hauing raked this impure dunghill could find but one only man to speake for him to wit Henry Huntington who yet hath but these words Hoc Concilium prohibuit vxores Sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas In Hunting in anno 1101. deliuering of which short sentence M. Hal maks vs three vntruths for thus he writeth Anselme sayth that Historian was the first that forbad marriage vnto the Clergy of England and this was about the yeare of our Lord 1080. til then euer free So M. Hall But by his leaue Huntington doth not say that S. Anselme was the first that forbad marriage to the Clergy for S. Dunstane had forbidden it more then a hundred years before againe this was not about the yeare of our Lord 1080. for Huntington himselfe expresly putteth it more then twenty yeares after and this yeare twice set down in the margent was more then twelue yeares before S. Anselme was Bishop or had any thing to do in England If he meane 1108. wherein as I confesse there was held a Councell so I deny that this can agree with Huntington who putteth it the next yeare after K. Henryes coronatioÌ„ which was in the year 1100. and lastly it is vntrue that marriage of Priestes till then was euer free for it is inough for the verifying of his words vnles M. Hall will haue him to contradict himselfe and all truth that in the trouble some tyme of VVilliam Conqueror and his sonne VVilliam Rufus who sold the Bishopricks of England for money the Priests had gotten this liberty which Commentary his words will well support for truly translated they are only these In this Councell S. Anselme prohibited wiues to English Priests before not prohibited for the word before may signify immediatly before in which tyme perhaps though they were not allowed yet the wickednes of that King weaknes of the Symoniacall Bishops wanting so long their Metropolitan and licentiousnes of the Clergy forced the better sort of Pastours to tolerate that which although they did condemne yet could not redresse 207. And this being the only witnes and he if he meane as M. Hall will haue him being Henry Huntingtons ill demeanour in his history taken tardy in his euidence and that both in respect of the tyme and matter for the first he putteth a yeare to soone and altogeather misreporteth the later his wordes in this matter cannot preiudice our cause vnles they were seconded by some better authority of more vpright and indifferent iudgment for this Henry was so far set on this marriage matter and to impugne the aduersaryes thereof as he seemeth quite to haue forgotten the law of a History which requireth all truth and integrity in the things related in both which this man was deficient for in all S. Dunstans life he neuer speaketh of this matter which yet was the chiefest matter of moment then debated and on the other side he commendeth him who opened the fluse to let out all this puddle of impurity amongst the Clergy I meane Edwyn elder Brother vnto King Edgar of whome our best Historiographers report much villany for which halfe his When by what occasion this licentious liberty entred into England Matth. VVestin anu 956. Kingdome was taken from him by the insurâ—ection of his subiects and giuen to his brother and as well for that as other misfortunes soone after dyed hauing raigned but foure yeares of whome as Stow well noteth is lest no honest memory vnles that which Matthew VVestminster writeth of him Cum annis quatuor libidinosè simul tyraÌ„nicè regnum depresâ—sset Anglorum iusto Dei iudicio desunctus c. After he had foure yeares lewdly and tyrannicall abused the Kingdome of England by Gods iust iudgment he dyed And consequently he was the fitter instrument to further theâ— filthines of this sacrilegious marriage of the Priests and Clergy For in his tyme besides the vsuall incursions of for rayne enemyes from abroad and ciuill warâ—s of subiects at home where one halfe of the Realme was in armes against the other and both out of order as it still happeneth in such occasions Frequentes lites sayth Osbert sediditiones nonnullae varij confliclus hominum Osbert in vita Dunstani suborti totam terram