the fyre for perfourmaunce of the sacryfyces least yt shuld at anye tyme go out These were chosen in before they were .xvi. years olde there remaynyng vnmaryed the space of .xxx. years and others alwayes by that tyme succeded in their rowmes Some of these were presbyteresses as they pleased the spyrituall fathers And as the lyghtes went out by their neglygence their ponnyshmentes were to be beaten of the Byshoppes More ouer yf anye of thē chaunced to fall in aduoutery except they ded yt in the darke with them their iudgement was to be buryed in the grounde quycke Alwayes they went awaye vyrgynes from them what so euer was done in the meane season at the .xxx. years ende they were in lyberte to marrye yf they wolde Thys testyfyeth Hermanus Torrentinus and Iohannes Textor with other autours Yet was not thys abhomynable superstyeyon so tyrannouslye handeled amonge them than as yt hath bene sens a monge their successours the papystes whom by their cruell conceyons syned they neuer so longe they sent at the last to hell with a conscyence adust were not the lorde more mercyfull ¶ Brute with hys Druydes IN processe of tyme gote Brutus Syluius thys lande of the Albyons by conquest in the .xviij. yeare of Heli the hygh prest of the Israelytes lyke as Aeneas ded Italye and other great aduētourers their regyons And of hym was yt called Brytayne and the people therof Brytaynes After he had fournyshed yt with newe regymentes and lawes there entered in a newe fashyoned sort of prestes all dyuerse from the other and they were called Druydes These dwelt in the forestes lyke heremytes and procureth both publyque and pryuate sacryfyces to be done To them was yt alwayes put to dys usse all matters of relygyon to appoynt therunto the ceremonyes to brynge vp youthe in naturall dyscyplyne to ende all controuersyes ▪ Plinius Strabo Cornelius Tacitus Caius Iulius and other approued autours report thē to haue their first orygynall in thys lande but that apereth not true Rather shuld they seme to come first hyther frō Athens a most famouse cytie of the Grekes Iohan Hardynge reporteth in hys Chronycle that kynge Bladud brought them first frome thens allegynge there Merlyne for hys autour ¶ The Druydes and their chastyte VVhat their rule was conceruynge women we shall not nede to seke farder than to the .vi. chaptre of Baruch and the .xiiij. chaptre of Daniel in the Byble Baruch sayth there that their custome was to decke their whores with the Iewels and ornamentes of their Idolles Daniel sayth that they with them deuoured vp the daylye offerynges and sacryfyces of Bel. Yet Hector Boethius writeth in the seconde boke of hys Scottysh Chronycle that there were some amonge them whiche taught one euerlastynge God alone to be worshypped without Image made or other symylytude els Neyther allowed they them sayth he that applyed vnto their Goddes the symylytudes of beastes after the Egyptyanes maner as the Papystes do yet to thys daye Saynt Marke to a Lyon Saynt Luke to a calfe and Saynt Iohan to an egle besyde Saynt Antonyes pygge Saynt Georges colte and Saynte Dunstanes deuyll but greatlye reproued them Neuerthelesse yet were they great teachers of sorcerye For as testyfyeth Iohan Textor in hys offycynes so expert were the Brytaynes in art magyck in the dayes of plynye that in a maner they passed the Parthyanes whiche were the first masters therof ¶ Prestes marryed and vnmarryed NOw as concernynge the prestes of the Hebrues or Israelytes for all these ages whiche were the peculyar flocke of God they had all wyues that were ryghtuouse amonge them accordynge to the Relygyon that he first appoynted them Not Melchisedech Abraham Moyses Aaron Phinees Samuel Nathan Zorobabel Iesus Esdras Mathathias soche other were all marryed men and had chyldrē The Scripturs report that these men were beloued with God and that ' in holynesse non were euer founde lyke vnto them But neyther was that for their vowes nor yet for their good intentes Eccli 44. and so fourth .vi. chapters more If anye were chast vowers that tyme the .ij. prestes that lusted after Susanna were of them Daniel 13. So were the wāton sonnes of Heli and Samuel 1. Reg. 2. 1. Reg. 8. with soche other lyke Which were afore God verye reprobates for despysynge hys ordre as wele in that as in other thynges Of soche chast vowers were there some at the verye tyme whā Christ was borne both relygyouse prestes and leuytes which were most hygh lye taken amonge them These thynkynge marryage vnholye abstayned from the vse of women but they spared not to worke execrable fylthynesse amonge thē selues and one to polute an other Zacharye a marryed prest and father of holye Iohan Baptyst a man for hys marryage founde iust afore God reprehended that abhomynacyon in them was cruellye slayne for yt as testyfyeth Epiphanius li. 1. To. 2. De heresibus He was put vnto deathe sayth Philip Melanchton vpon the .xi. chaptre of Daniel for rebukynge the vyces of hys college ¶ Christ alloweth marryage in hys IEsus Christ the eternall sonne of God neuer contempned the firste ordynaunce of hys euerlastynge father but had yt insuche reuerence that he wolde not be borne but vndre yt He found his worthy mother Mary no professed Nonne as the dottynge papystes haue dreamed to couer their sodometrye with a most precyouse coloure but an honest mannys wyfe marryed accordynge to the custome than vsed Matt. 1. and Luce 1. In her so marryed without eyther vowe or promes of virgynyte by the holye Ghostes most wonderfull workynge was he incarnated and so became man to redeme vs from the captyuyte of synne and restore vs agayne to the full fauer of hys father He honoured marryage with the fyrst myracle that he outwardlye wrought in our manhode and called vnto hys Apostleship not wyuelesse vowers but marryed men Ioan 1. Mar et 1. He wēt verye gentyllye vnto peters howse and healed hys wyues mother which laye there syeke of a feuer takynge hys repast there tarryenge with thē all the nyght and doynge great cures there also And at hys departure in the mornynge he neyther commaunded Peter to breake vp howsholde nor yet to forsake hys wyfe and make her a vowesse Marci 1. Luce. 4. Math. 8. He neuer cōmaunded nor yet exacted the vowe of vyrgynyte in all hys whole Gospell but left all men in lyberte to marrye yf they lyst forbyddynge al men fyrmelye to make anye lawe of coaccyon or of separacyon where God hath sett fredome in marryage Math. 19. Marci 10. No forsakynge of wyfe and chyldrē admytted he euer but as the vnmoueable constaunt stādynge by hys worde requyreth yt in them that he hath appoynted to suffre deathe vndre the worldes tyrannye for yt The Apostles fyrst preachers marryed PEters wyfe went with hym in the tyme of his preaching 1. Cori. 9. and
sent hym thydre and taught hym manye Godly thyngs What rule this partrick kepte in that behalf I haue not redde Yet fynde I in hys lyfe wrytten that he had a ladde waytynge on hym called Benignus which alwayes reported hym to be his owne propre father he neuer deuynege yt I reade also that one Moduenna an Iryshe woman was verye famylyar with hym whether yt were by the waye of marryage or no that can I not tell Ex ante nominatis autoribus ¶ Sayntes were begotteÌ„ in whordome TO entre more depelye into the peoples oppnyon a chastyte was pretensed anon after in that moÌ„kerye but not yet solempnelye vowed in manye places of the realme were monasteryes buylded both of men and women But marke what folowed therof immedyatlye after Christ chaunced in those dayes to haue many bretherne For manye virgynes had than children with our fathers at the least the fathers of theÌ„ were neuer yet knowne Saynt Dubrice that was after warde the great archebyshop of Cairlegyon and metropolytane of all the lande had a mayde to hys mother called Eurdila but neuer wolde she confesse hym to haue any father Saynt KeÌ„tigerne byshop of glasghu that ye now call Saynt Asses or Asaphes had in lyke case a fayre mayde to hys forth bryngar but father wolde she graunt non to hym for no coÌ„pulsyon Merlyne also the great soth sayer of wales was an holy Nonnes sonne in saynt Peters of Cairmardyne no father yet knowne to hym but a sprete of the ayre The first .ij. sheweth Iohan capgraue in Catal sanc Ang. And this lattre wondre ys mencyoued of all famouse writers A great sort of the hystoryes roude I reherse but these are ynough at thys tyme. ¶ Lyke examples are amonge the Turkes SOche an other knauerye ys vsed amonge the Turkes relygyouse buggerers to this present daye and those chyldren that are begotteÌ„ amonge them are holden for most holye sayntes as these were They take it for no maruele that Christ was borne of a vyrgyne for they saye they haue soche amonge them at all tymes But to turne agayne to my purpose The cause whye the fathers of the afore seyd chyldren myght not than be knowne was thys Iohan capgraue sayth The lawe was that tyme in Brytayne that yf a yonge wenche had be begotteÌ„ with chylde in her fathers howse or anye where elsâ— this was her iudgement She shuld haue bene brought vnto an hygh mountayne aÌ„d there throune downe headlonges her corruptour beynge byheaded Yf this lawe had styll contynued and neuer so bene put to the spirytuall courte without conseyence neuer had the vowe of their chastite ronne so farre as yt hath done to manye a thousandes dempnacyon ¶ More Sayntes yet begotten in whoredome SAynt Dauid of wales the great archebysehop of Mentuia which had so manye prophecyers and so manye Angels sent afore to geue warnynge of hys coÌ„mynge .xxx. years ere he was borne was begotten out of maryage in stynkyng whoredome For hys mother was a Nonne aÌ„d his father the earle of a contreye there called Cairdigam shyre A prynce called Dyhocus in Kynge Arthurs tyme inflamed at the deuyls suggestion with the fleshlye loue of hys owne naturall doughter begat of her Saynt Kynede the holye hermpte that in Wales wrought so manye great myracles One Dubtacus an Iryshe maÌ„ begate holy saynt Brigyde of hys mayd seruaunt called brocsech euen vnderneth hys wyure nose to spyght her with it which had so manye reâ—eâ—lacyons from heauen and so manye popes pardoÌ„s froÌ„ Rome Saynt Cuthbert the great God of the Northe and he that was wonte to defende vs from the Scottes was a mysbegotteÌ„ also for hys mother was vnmarryed And hys father in Irelande to haue the good occupyeÌ„g of her slewe both her father and mother These were the spirytuall begynnynges of the Sayntes of that age If ye beleue not me loke Iohan Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie and he shall tell ye moche more of the matter I coude shewe yow manye more yet of soche holye sayntes byrthes but lete these for this tyme suffise ¶ Whoredome estemed most holynesse MArke how abhominable whoryshnesse in all these whorysh frutes is auaunced of that whorysh Rome churche to the great blemyshynge of Godlye marryage The spyrytuall Sodomytes and knaues hath not bene ashamed to wryte yt in the lyues and lyenge legeÌ„des of all these that is to saye of Dubricius Dauid Kynedus Kentigerne Cuthberth and Brigyde with soche lyke and solempnelye so to reade and syng yt as Gods seruyce in their seÌ„ples that they were sanctyfyed in their mothers wombes Se what aduauncementes they haue for stynkynge whoredome and now lytle deuocyon to chast marryage instituted of God Neuer were the soÌ„nes of Abraham Isaac aÌ„d Iacob of Moyses Eleazar and Phinees so paynted oute with myracles aÌ„d wonders nor yet so pranked vp with tabernacles aÌ„d lyghtes sensynges and massynges as these whores byrdes Thus iudge they whoredome holynesse wholsoÌ„ maryage synne Come out of Sodome ye whoremongers and Hypocrytes popysh byshoppes and prestes for as yet ye haue not refourmed thys abhomynacyon but styll vpholde yt for your Romyshe Gods seruyce Come out theues and knaues come out ¶ Women greuouse and solacyouse VVhat a do these holye sayntes of theyrs had aÌ„d their vowers whaÌ„ they come ones to vowes makynge for women aÌ„d with womeÌ„ as to kepe them out of their monasteryes to make theÌ„ beare chyldreÌ„ whaÌ„ they were barreÌ„ it were in infynyte thyng to wryte Saynt Dauids moÌ„kes were sheared away with naked women at a broke syde in Rosidaualle So were Saynt Theliaes hermytes also in an other place not farre froÌ„ thens Saynt Dubrices bretherne had manye hote mouynges in their fleshe aÌ„d were fayne oft tymes to stande naked in the colde ryuer Saynt Kentigernes disciplen toke great paynes vpon them to make barren women frutefull Whan saynt Brigyde was at the verye poynt of marryage she stole awaye preuylye with her iij. maydes and wayted longe after vpoÌ„ byshop Machyll doynge manye great cures in hys seruyce with holye water Saynt ModweÌ„ also after soche an other sort wayted vpon byshop Hiber and his bretherne with her maydes A woman the same season accused byshop Broon for begettynge her with chylde and Brigyde lyke a good bodye by a charme or ij made all safe agayne As one of her maydes was goynge to her louâ—r a prestes bed for returnynge agayne in tyme she coude her moche thanke All these holy hystoryes shall ye fynde in IohaÌ„ capgraue ¶ A spirytuall example of a votarye SAynt Iltute which had bene alwayes a most valeaunt captayne amonge the Brytaynes at the suggestyon of saynt of Cadoc an Hermpte put from hym hys most vertuouse and chast wyfe leauynge her nothynge els to lyue vpon but barlye breade and water an homelye repast for
the case of a full departynge et c. I thynke a truer sentence coude not than be vttered all circumstaunces therupon coÌ„sydered Great pytye was yt that the churches posteryte than perceyued not so manyfest a defeccyon ¶ More sealynges yet to Antichristes kingedome IN the yeare of our Lorde DC and lxxx helde this Theodorus an other couÌ„sell at hatefelde in the west partyes Where as he demaunded a reckenynge of the byshoppes and other curates what faythe aÌ„d fauer their peoples had than to the churche of Rome as pope Agathon had commaunded hym to do by hys wrytynges which wrote than vnto hym to do all thynges wyselye Ye knowe what that meaneth â–ª I thynke Here was non enquirye made what beleue they had than there in the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ. No yt was an other maner of matter that they sought Oh wonderfull was the workynge of that Serpentes generacyon Polidorus sayth li. 4. Anglice historie that false relygyon counterfett presthode was than throughlye satled and placed there the Actes of the iiij generall counsels receyued in stede of the .iiij. EuaÌ„gelies In the next yeare folowinge was a generall Synode kepte at ConstaÌ„tynople in Grece where as marryage was for euer permytted vnto the Greke prestes and vtterly forbidden the latynes or all other besydes theÌ„ the latyne masse receyuynge there hys first confirmacyon But Theodorê° hys monkes were at a good indyffereÌ„t poynt for that which had veyled within one mounsterye in the Ile of Thanete lxx Nonnes makynge fayre Myldrede their abbasse Loke IohaÌ„ Capgraue Ranulphe and other Englyshe autors In spyght of the former Acte ded Vitiza the kynge of Spayne permytt hys prestes by a lawe newlye made to kepe so manye concubynes as they wolde Michael Ricius de regibus Hispanie et Paulus Constantinus Phrigio in Chronicis regnorum ¶ Chastyte Monkes Monasteryes and Penaunce VVernerus Cartusiensis sayth in Fasciculo temporum that vowynge of chastyte was fre without constraynt in the tyme of Saynt Gregorye sumwhat after Bedas reporteth li. 3. Ca. 6. De gestis Anglorum et Ioannes Maior in gestis Scotorum li 2 Ca. 11. That a monkes cowle after they had ones vowed chastyte was holden in soche reuereÌ„ce that no maÌ„ wolde in a maner than iourneye vnlesse he had their blessynges Into a most wonderfull madnesse were the people than brought by their hypocrytycall wytcherye the verye elect persones scant fre from that dampnable errour Matth. 24. Marci 13. For the vnthankefulnesse of men sayth Iob in settynge hys veryte lyght doth God permytt the Hypocrytes to reigne ouer them in all power of deceytfull wonders Iob. 34. 2. Thessal 2. They ded than spedelye set vp monasteryes without noÌ„bre all the realme ouer Iohan Hardynge sayth in hys Chronycle that kynge Oswye buylded within Nor thumberlande xij in one years space In the yeare of our lorde DC and .lxxxiiij. helde Theodorus yet an other counsell in the North partyes at Twyforde where as he publyshed a serten boke of hys owne makynge called A penytencyall summe commaundynge hys clergye to put yt euerye where in practyse Therin were contayned all maner of synnes and excesses with aggrauacyons reseruacyons penaltees sorowes penuaunces and ponnyshmentes And thys was to terryfye captyue and snare the wretched coÌ„scyences of men euen to vttre desperacy on And where coude haue bene sought out a practyse of more deuylyshnesses Sigebertus Sabellicus Tritemius et Scriptores ferme omnes ¶ The foundacyon of their Purgatorye AT the same verye tyme was there one Drithelmus in Northumberlande whiche leauynge both wyfe and chyldreÌ„ in the yeare of our lorde DC and .lxxi. made hymselfe a monke at Mailros Saynt Cuthbert thaÌ„ beynge abbot there The sayd Drithelmus fayned hymselfe on a tyme to be dead there was knauerye vpon knauerye and reported in hys returne that he had seane by an Angels demoÌ„stracyon both purgatorye aÌ„d paradyse hell and heaueÌ„ After that he had subtylly declared this vnto kynge Alphrede and other great men of the contreye there at the request of the monkes moche people resorted vnto hym for counsell for their sowles from all quarters of Englande So redye are the foles of thys worlde to heare lyes and illusyons whiche neuer had loue to the veryte Thys knaue euermore commended vnto them confessyon aÌ„d penaunce fastynge prayer and almes dedes specyallye and aboue all other masse saynges aÌ„d monasteryes buyldynge Was not thys thynke yow a vertuouse christyanyte of these chast fathers to begynne their holye churche with Were yt not pytie but they were canonysed sayntes and their feastfull dayes solempnysed twyse in the yeare with ryngynges syngynges sensynges and massynges as thys Cuthbertes were and are yet to thys daye I thynke the Turkes churche had neuer more knaues to their Sayntes thaÌ„ these For thys Drithelmus ys one of their sayntes also Iohan Capgraue post uitam Adriani Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus with dyuerse other ¶ Chastyte of Cuthbert and doctryne of Colfride SO cruell was thys Cuthberte vnto women after he became a Saynt of theirs that noÌ„ myght come within hys sayntuaryes they say at Doilwein Coruen and Mailros in Scotlande nor yet at Durham Tynmouth and Lyndefarne here in Englande vndre payne of sodeÌ„ deathe their chaÌ„bers and selles exempted alwayes Yet was the seyd Cuthbert verye famylyar in hys tyme with Ebba Elsteda Verca .iii. holye abbasses aÌ„d buylded for hys pleasure a solempne nondrye at Carliell Fynallye for the specyall good loue he had vnto Verca aboue all other he commaunded in hys testament that hys bodye after hys departynge shuld be wrapped in the fyne lynnen clothe that she had geuen hym Ye maye se by thys that these chast fathers had their louers and set sumwhat by their owne precyouse bodyes Saynt Colfryde abbot of Girwin in Northumberlande wrote vnto AthoÌ„ kynge of the Pyctes that yt was as necessarye for the vowe of a monke or degre of a prest prestes were than no vowers to haue a shauen crowne for restraynt of their lustes as for anye christen man to blesse hym agaynst spretes whan they come vpoÌ„ hym What wyse lernynge thys ys I report me vnto yow Yet ys yt regettred of Bedas in hys .v. boke De gestis Anglorum and also of Thomas Vualden in hys volume De sacrameÌ„talibus ti 9. Ca 80 to stoppe heretypkes mouthes with besydes that Iohan Capgraue hath sayd in yt ¶ The fallen starre and .ij. Hornes of the Beast ABout thys tyme were manye woÌ„derfull thynges seane in dyuerse quarters of the worlde specyallye a great Comete or blasynge starre which semed with flamynges of fyre to fall into the see great morren folowynge both of beast and man Not all vnlyke was thys to that ys described Apoca. 8. And betokened than in my opynyon both the vttre fall of the pryncelye
name and therfore the matter ys doubtfull As Dunstane was on a tyme hallowynge of a churche in the honoure of Saynt deuyll saynt Deuys I shuld saye he behelde the ryght thombe of the foreseyd Edithe thaÌ„ beynge abbesse of wylton as she was crossynge aÌ„d blessynge her forhead And moche delyghtynge therin he toke yt in hys hande and sayd Neuer myght thys thombe peryshe Immedyatlye after he beynge at Masse and dolouroussye wepynge sayd vnto the deacon that serued hym Alas thys floryshynge floure will fade thys redoleÌ„t rose wyll be gone this dayntye Dyamonde wyll peryshe thys swete byrde wyll awaye for euer And after her deathe he founde all her bodye resolued into ashes except that thombe and the secrete part vndre her bellye for those .ij. partes of her he had blessed afore In dede he was verye homelye to serche so farre But the cause of thys they saye she afterwarde declared vnto hym in a secrete vysyon Thys storye sheweth VuillyaÌ„ of Malmesburye li. 2. de pontificibus Ranulphus in polychronico li. 6. Ca. 9. Vincencius li. 25. Ca. 33. Antoninus par 2. ti 16. Ca. 8 Iohannes Capgraue in uita Edithe ¶ Kynges become th Beastes Images VVhan Kynge Edgare had ones perfourmed hys .vij. years penauÌ„ce for hys aduowterye with fayre Wilfrith whom DuÌ„stane paraueÌ„ture prepared for hys owne store he became altogyther the dumme Image of the Beast and myght not vtter froÌ„ thens fourth but as they gaue hym sprete Apo. iâ— Than caused they hym to call a generall counsell at London some saye in the yeare of our lorde DCCCC and .lxix. by the vngracyouse autoryte of the aforeseyd pope Iohan. And there was yt fullye enacted and establyshed for a lawe euer to endure that all canons of cathedrall churches collygeners persons curates vycars prestes deacons and subdeacons shuld eyther lyue chast that ys to saye become Sodomytes for that hath bene their chastyte euer sens or els be suspended from all spirytuall iurysdyccyon Thys more than Pharaonycall constytucyoÌ„ was the kynge sworne to ayde maynteyne and defende with the materyall swerde by the popes antoryte ThaÌ„ were there chosen oute .ij. pryncypall vysytours Ethelwolde the Byshopp of Wynchestre that nest ys euer vngracyouse Oswalde the Byshopp of Worcestre both monkes to se thys throughe out the whole realme executed Vincencius li. 24. Cap. 83. Antoninus par 2. li. 16. Cap. 6. Guilhelmus Malmesburye Ranulphus Guido de columna Ioan Capgraue et opus nouum De utraque potestate fo 57. ¶ Dunstane ys accused of yll rule IN thys counsel were some wyse men as all these writers wytnesse though yt be sumwhat fayntly which layed for their marryage the scripturs and substancyallye proued themselues the maynteyners of vertu therin aÌ„d not of aduouterye as they were there vncharytablye noted But that wolde not serue theÌ„ The holye Ghost myght in no wyse preuayle the popes bawdye bulles beynge in place but they must nedes haue the preferment no remedye An other sort were there which accused Dunstane of yll rule in the darke For Petrus Equilinus sayth in Catalogo Sanctorum li. 8. Ca. 49. that he was put to hys purgacyon of manye thyngs there layed agaynst hym Of a lyekelyhode therfore they had smelled oute sumwhat that was not all to hys spirytuall honestye Neyther wolde these accusacyons helpe the popes Power ones so largelye publyshed The kynge durst vtter nothynge that was agaynst hym for feare of newe penaunce and for as moche as yt was wele knowne that in the tyme of hys olde penaunce he had occupyed one mynyon at Wynchestre an other at Andouer besydes alfrede whoÌ„ he at the lattre gote to wyfe by the craftye mourther of her husbaÌ„de Ethelwolde an earle ¶ The kynge defendeth Dunstane destroyeth wolues BVt to pacyfye and please thys Dunstane kynge Edgare in hys oracyon there to the clergye rebuked the prestes verye sore for banketynge with their wyues for slacknesse of their masse saynges for pretermyttynge their canonycall houres for their crownes shauynges with their vnprestlye aparellynges and soche other lyke More ouer he alleged vnto theÌ„ in the seyd oracyon the lamentable complayntes good knauerye I waraÌ„de yow of hys fathers sowle aperynge to Dunstane and reprouynge the wantoÌ„ behauer of the prestes with their wyues He also tolde them in repressynge their former accusementes that by hys peramoure Stephana of hys breames and vysyons for the tyme of hys progresse desyeryng hys power agaynst the prestes also with manye other wonders IohaÌ„nes Capgraue in Catal. Guilhelmus Malmesburye Vincencius Antoninus Ranulphus Guido de columna â–ª et Polydorus ¶ Oswalde with hys Beastlye autoryte ON the other syde went Oswalde with hys autoryte froÌ„ that wycked counsell which had stodyed necromancye with other vnpure scyeÌ„ces at floryake besydes Orleaunce in fraÌ„ce where he was first made monke and afterwarde in Englande bycame byshopp of Worcestre Thys fellawe so wele armed with deceytes as euer were Pharaoes sorcerers was thought a man mete to deceyue with lyenge sygnes the commoÌ„ sort So trudged he fourth with hys craftye caâ—kynges and first expelled the Canons of the cathedrall churche of worcestre with their carefull wyues and chyldren and out of .vij. other churches more within that hys dyoces and there placed for them the laysye leane locustes which not longe afore had leaped out of the bottomlesse pytt Apoca. 9. the monkes which at that tyme were bare and nedye ThaÌ„ went he farther abrode and wrought there lyke masteryes wherof EnglaÌ„de hathdepelye felt euer sens Hys suggestyons were lyke the other as that the prestes lyued wantonlye and wolde not masse in due forme For hys trauayle in thys was he made archebyshop of Yorke by the laboure of Dunstane To tell hys other feates yt wolde axe to moche tyme and therfor I passe yt ouer These .ij. promoted the seyd DuÌ„stane aboue all other as men hauynge most wylye craftes to assyst hym in hys busynesse These .iij. Monkes brought the Kynges so vndre that they had than all the realme at their pleasures Ioannes Capgraue Malmesburye Vincencius Antoninus Ranulphus Guido de Columna et Polydorus ¶ Dunstane maketh a Kynge at hys pleasure AFter the decease of Kynge Edgare in the yeare of our lorde DCCCC and .lxxv. was a wonderfull varyete and scysme through out the whole realme partlye for hym that next shuld succede Kynge and partlye for the great iniurye done to the marryed prestes The quene Alfrede with Alpherus the duke of Mercia and other great lordes fauorynge her quarell worlde nedes haue Ethelrede Kynge whiche was her sonne by Edgare on the one syde Dunstane and hys moÌ„kyshe byshoppes with the earle and Eastsexe and serten other lordes part both of the nobles and commons iudged the prestes to haue great wronge and sought euerye where by all meanes possyble
to brynge them agayne to their olde possessyoÌ„s and dygnytees Yea sum where with good ernest blowes and buffettes Robertus Fabyane cum antedictis Autoribus ¶ Dunstane maketh an Idoll to speake THys caused Dunstane in the yeare of our lorde DCCCC and lxxv to call an other solempne counsell But that was where they thought themselues most stronge and myght best do their feates at Wynchestre Where after great wordes had betwen the duke of Marche and the earle of Eastsexe which were than appoynted as arbyters Dunstane perceyuynge all to go with the prestes broughte fourthe hys former commyssyoÌ„ thynkynge therby to stoppe their mouthes And whan that wolde not serue they sought out a practyse of the olde Idolatrouse prestes which were wont to make their Idolles to speake by the art of Necromancye wherin the monkes were in those dayes expert A roode there was vpon the frayter wall in the monasterye where the counsel was holdeÌ„ as VynceÌ„t Antoninus testyfyeth Dunstane required theÌ„ all to praye therunto which was not thaÌ„ ignoraunte of that spirytuall prouysyon In the myddes of their prayer the roode spake these wordes or els a knaue moÌ„ke behynde hym in a truncke through the wall as Bonyface ded after for the papacye of Celestyne God forbyd sayth he ye shulde chaÌ„ge thys ordre takeÌ„ Ye shuld not do wele now to alter yt Take Dunstanes wayes vnto ye for they are the best At thys worke of the deuyll all they were astoyned that knewe not therof the craftye coÌ„ueyaunce If thys were not cleane legerdemayne tell me Oh that there was not a IohaÌ„ Boanerges at that tyme to proue the spretes of that workemaÌ„shyp 1. Ioan. 4. If there had bene but one Thomas Cromwell they had not so clerelye escaped with that knauerye Polydorus Vergilius which alloweth theÌ„ in manye other lewde poyntes smelled out their bouerye in thys and reporteth dyuerse other to do the same at the daye ¶ That Idoll ys crowned Kynge of Englande IN remeÌ„braunce of thys knauerye myracle they saye were afterwarde writteÌ„ vpoÌ„ the wall vndre that roodes fete these verses folowynge Humano more crux presens edidit ore Coelitus affata que perspicis hic subarata Absit ut hoc fiat et cetera tunc memorata Wyth lye and all Whom Iohan Capgraue reporteth that he se there more thaÌ„ CCCC years after the roode translated from thens into the churche for hys myracles sake Aboute the yeare of our lorde a. M. and .xxxvi. as kynge Canutus beynge at Southampton was boasted of one of hys knyghtes to be the great lorde of the see he thought to proue yt by a commaundemeÌ„t of obedyence And as he wele perceyued that yt wolde obeye hym in no poynt he toke the crowne from hys owne head acknowlegynge that there was a lord moche hygher of more power thaÌ„ hymself was And therfor he promysed neuer more to weare yt but to rendre yt vp vnto hym for euer With that Egelnothus than archebyshopp of Caunterburye infourmed hym of thys roode whiche had dysolued prestes matrymonye aÌ„d done manye other great myracles Whiche prouoked hym anon after to go to Wynchestre and to resigne vnto hym hys regall crowne coÌ„stytutynge hym than kynge of thys real me Was not thys thynke yow good wholsom counsell of thys Idolouse byshopp Zacha. 11. yf a man had nede of yt A playne token ys yt that they were thaÌ„ the Images of the Beast Apoca. 13. no godlye gouernours yea verye Idolles 〈◊〉 no kynges that were vndre soche ghostly fathers Henricus Huntyngtonensis Archidia conus li. 6. Ranulphus li. 6. Ca. 20. Fabianus li. 1. Ca. 206. et Polydorus li. 7. with other autours more ¶ An example of Claustrall virgynyte MArianus Scotus serten other writers besydes do testyfye in their Chronycles that whan thys Canutus coude haue no frute by hys wyfe Elgyne of hampton and was not througlye contented therwith She fearynge that he shuld eyther caste her vp or els resort to some other gote her amonge relygyouse chast women to knowe what good chere was amonge them And anon she founde one to her mynde whiche was bygge with chylde by a moÌ„ke not withstandynge the great chastyte that was boasted afort But Marianus sayth she was a presbyteresse or a prestes â—eâ—â—…an to saue the honoure of that ordre bycause he was a monke hys selfe Algyne bad thys nonne be of good chere and yf she wolde agre vnto her yt shuld be to her great honoure But yt must she sayd be kept wonderfully close Immedyatlye after the quene fayned herselfe to be great with chylde and by the conueyaunce of a mother B. goynge betwixt them both as the tyme appoynted of labourynge she was delyuered of the nonnes chylde makynge the kynge to be leue yt was hys to no small reioyce of them both This chylde was called Sweno and the yeare afore Canutus dyed was constytute kynge of Norweye Some writers haue thought that Heraldus the first whiche after succeded kynge of Englande to come fourth also the same waye aÌ„d hys owne brother harde Canutus reporte yt not farre otherwyse Ranulphus li 6. Ca. 20. cum ceteris autoribus ¶ Dunstane dysputeth with sorcerye and murther NOw let vs returne vnto DuÌ„stane agayne Though the aforesayd controuersye betwen the prestes the moÌ„nkes ceased for a tyme by reason of their legerdemayne in the roode yet was yt not all fynyshed For some men of wysdome there were in those dayes which smelled somwhat as Polydorus reporteth iudgynge yt to be as yt was in dede verye subtyle knauerye And playnelye Ranulphus sayth that the spech came froÌ„ the wall Marke yt bardelye Wherupon Alpherus the duke of Marche with hys companye in the yeare folowynge whiche was from Christes incarnacyon DCCCC and .lxxvi. sent into Scotlande for a certen lerned Byshop which was knowne both eloquent wytty to dysâ—â—â—…te the matter with theÌ„ Than was the place appoynted in a strete or vyllage of the Kynges called Calua for they trusted no more close howses in the monasteryes And whan the Byshopp had layed for the marryed prestes soche invyncyble scripturs reasone and argumentes as Dunstane and hys dodypoll monkes were not albe to auoyde the blynde asse had non other shyft but to laye these faynte excuses for hymself As that he was an aged man sore brokeÌ„ in the labours of holye churche and that he had at that tyme geuen ouer all stodye and onelye addycted hymself vnto prayer But for as moche he sayd as they wolde not leaue the dysquyetynge of hym but styll vexe hym with olde quarellynges they myght wele seme to haue the vyctorye yet shuld they not haue their myndes And with that he arose in a great furye for a coloure commyttynge hys cause vnto Christ but he sett the Deuyll by hys necromancye to