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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40122	The arraignment of popery being a short collection, taken out of the chronicles, and other books, of the state of the church in the primitive times : also, the state of the Papists, and how long it was before the universal pope and mass was set up, and the time of bringing in all their rudiments and traditions, beads and images, purgatory, tythes and inquisitions : also, a relation of their cruelties they acted after the Pope got up, being worse then the heathen and Turk, New Rome having proved like Old : also, what the people of England worshipped before they were Christians : with several other things, which may be profitable for people to read over, where all that fear God may see, read, try, and give judgment by the spirit of truth : to which is added, The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church / by G.F. and E.H.	Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Hookes, Ellis, d. 1681.	1667 (1667)	Wing F1750A; ESTC R15884	93,976	138

the Church but that the same so remain and that there be a modest and distinct Song so used in all parts of the Common-Prayers in the Church that the same may be as plainly understood as if it were read without singing And yet nevertheless for the comforting of such as delight in Musick it may be permitted that in the beginning or end of Common-prayers either at Morning or Evening there may be sung an Humn of such like Song to the praise of Almighty God in the best sort of Melody or Musick that may be conveniently devised CHAP. XVI Concerning Swearing THE Form of words which Christ hath laid down in Mat. 5 and the Apostle James taught in his general Epistle Chap. 5 is as followeth Christ said Ye have heard that it hath been said ●f old time Thou shalt not forswear thy self which was the false Oath but perform thy Oaths to the Lord which was the true Oath which were to be taken before the Judges Officers and Magistrates to end Controversies and be performed to the Lord. Put Christ said Now I say unto you Swear not at all but let your yea be yea and nay nay for whatso ver is more then this cometh of evil Therefore this yea yea and nay nay wherein Christ doubles his words to make them of force sets them over and above an Oath And also in James 5.12 the Apostle taught and said Above all things my brethren swear not at all neither by Heaven nor by Earth mark nor by any other Oath but he also sets up that which is above an Oath which is Christs words Let your yea be yea and nay nay which form of sound words the Apostle doubles as Christ did when he said in his repeating over Christs words Ye shall swear no Oath lost ye fall into condemnation These are the Commands of Christ and the Apostle which we are to stand by to wit yea yea and nay nay Some Ex ●●ples of the Primitiv Christians and Holy Martyrs that k●pt the Commands of Christ and the Apostles which spoke the truth an both denied and gave their Testimony against S●earing Folycarpus a Martyr who was as it is said John's Disciple and Bishop of Smyr●a being Eighty nine years of Age when he was required by the Proconsul to swear he denied it and said he was a Christian So it appears a that t●me Christians did not swear Acts and Mon. fol. 55. Vol. 2. And also Basillides Martyr who was an Officer among the Soldiers being required to swear before a Judg said plainly That it was not lawful to swear Lib. 6. Chap. 6. tage 98. So it appears plainly That it was the mark of a Christian no to swear And the Waldenses whose Names are so famous amongst the Reformed Churches and who are said immediately to succeed the Apostles and were the most ancient and true Protestants professed it to be no wayes lawful for a Christian to swear And Bishop Vsher late of Armagh Primate of Ireland pleaded their Cause against the Jesuits in his Book De Successione chap. 6. The Ploughman in his Complaint saith Lord thou gavest us a Command of truth in bidding us to say yea yea and nay nay and swear nothing but Lord he that calls himself thy Vicar on Earih hath broken thy Commandment for he maketh a Law and compelleth men to swear Book of Martyrs Vol. 1. p. 527 528. And John Wickliff whose Works are so much esteemed by the Protestants his judgment was That all Oaths which be made for any Contract or Civil Bargain betwixt man and man be unlawful and John Hus and Jerom of Prague were burnt for holding his Opinion by the Papists Fol. 653. And Walter Brute who was a Teacher of Gods people saith concerning Swearing I believe and obey the Doctrine of Almighty God and my Master Christ Jesus which teacheth that Christian men in affirming the truth should pass the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees of the Old Testament or else he excludes them from the Kingdom of Heaven for he saith Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharises you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven and as concerning Oaths he saith It hath been said by them of old time thou shalt of forswear thy self but pe●form thy Oaths to the Lord but I say to you now Swear not at all b●t let your yea be yea and nay nay for whatsoever is mo●e then thes● cometh of avl. And merefore as the perfection of the ancient men in the Old Testament was not to forswear themselves so the perfection of Christian men is not to swear at all because they are so commanded of Christ whose command in no case must be broken Origen saith It behoves a man who lives according to the Gospel not to swear at all And Jerome an ancient Father and Teacher of the Church which the Protestants own saith That the great Evangelical sincerity and truth admits not of an Oath since every true saying is equivolent thereunto Theophilact an ancient Father of the Church whom the Protestants own saith Mat. 5. concerning Oaths Learn hence that under the Law it was no evil for one to swear but since the coming of Christ it is evil as is Circumcision And was it not the principal solution given by Ambrose That a Christian should not swear at all And Bishop Gauden saith A true Christians Oath is needless and an evil mans Oath is worthy of no more credit then a lyar p. 17 41. of his Book concerning Swearing Otho Bishop of Banbergenses in Germany and Basilius of Calcedon refused to swear and afterwards there was an Act granted to tender Christians that their yea and nay might be taken to testifie the truth instead of an Oath and the Essaeans amongst the Jews refused to swear as Josephus witnesseth Likewise Basil commends Chinas a famous Greek who suffered a Fine of three talents rather then he would save it by swearing to the loss of his honour And also in Queen Maries dayes many that suffered Martyrdom refused to swear And in Mat. 18.17 Christ saith in the Gospel-times to the Church that by the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may be established and not in the mouth of two or three Swearers and this Christ spoke in matter of differences that might happen among Christians but said nothing of an Oath for Oaths he forbad before The Examination of William Thorpe Martyr in the days of King Henry the Fourth Anno Dom. 1407 concerning Swearing The Arch-Bishop said Lo it is certified against thee that thou preachedst openly at Shrewsberry that it is not lawful to Swear in any case Book of Martyrs p. 701. Vol. 11. Thorpe said I preached openly that it is not lawful in any case to swear by any Creature and that by the Authority of the Epistle of St. James Then the Clerk asked me if it were not lawful to a Subject at the bidding of his Prelate to kneel down and touch the Holy

persecute the Christians out of his mility to the gods in which persecution several Bishops were put to death And at that time the Bishop of Antioch testified That sufferings made them like unto Christ who had suffered for them himself preparing a way through suffering unto eternal life About the same time did a Governor write unto the Emperor in the Christians behalf whereupon the Emperor wrote That they should seek no more of them but those they had in prison should they put to death The Fourth Persceution In the Year One hundred sixty four was the Fourth Persecution of the Christians which arose under the Emperors Ma●cus Auretius and Lucius Verus in which Polycarpus Bishop of Smy na was put to death who had been a Disciple of John and had been many years in the service of the Lord as he himself acknowledge About the same time was Julianus put to death at Rome in whose time the Christians were accused to have a fleshly conversation one with another which he marked to be lyes by their willingness to dye and thereby he coming to be converted became an Eminent Teacher of the Christians Baron Anno 164. numb 2. Enseb l.b. 4 cap. 6. At Lyons in France there did go forth a Proclamation That the Christians might not dwell in their houses nor that they must not converse in the streets nor shew their faces which being impossible for them to perform their sufferings became exceeding great and in the mean time some of the slaves gave out that the Christians lived in filthy lasciviousness among themselves In this persecution there was one Lucius put to death for reproving the Judg for putting the Christians to crueller deaths then any Transgressor The Fifth Persecution In the Year Two hundred and one did the Fifth persecution begin under the Emperor Severus which was thus in part occasioned to wit When the Emperor had a Warr and had gotten the Victory the Christians kept themselves still and quiet without making tokens of joy with I ires or May-poles or other Triumphs according to the manner of the Heathen Whereupon they accused the Christians our of envy as if they despised and hated the Emperor and the rather because the Christians would not swear by his Fortune Tertul. pag. 30.127 In those dayes it was the manner among the Christians not to go to any Comedies or Stage-playes for they understood that if they did forsake the Devil and all his works with the world that then they must forsake Comedies and Stage-Playes Moreover the Christians said We renounce your Shews as we condemn their divers Originals by the knowledg we have that they are effects of Superstition and Idolatry The Sixth Persecution In the Year Two hundred thirty seven did the Sixth Persecution under the Emperor Maximinus arise who partly out of envy to his Kinsman Alexander who had been favourable to the Christians did persecute the Christians in which Persecution there were many put to death for the Heathen in those dayes were so spightful against the Christians that when there was an Earthquale or a Storm or the like they laid the blame upon the Christians saving Their gods were angry because their honour went to nothing through the Christians This Emperor did not Reign very long therefore did this persecution cease the sooner The Seventh Persecution In the Year Two hundred fifty three did the Seventh Persecution arise under the Emperor D cius who with excessive Cruelty did persecute the Christians In this Persecution several of the Bishops were put to death and such as were the chief among the Christians did theytorture with many torments and plundered the Christians houses and that which the Plunderers did not esteem they burn'd In this Persecution many suffered Martyrdom some being burned some beheaded women as well as men some whipt to death and some Soldiers fo encouraging these Martyrs in their sufferings were put to death In this terrible Persecution several departed from the Faith for fear of the Torments yet after wards came to be restored again The Sufferings of the Christians were great under this Emperor but his days were also shortned for he had not reigned Two years but was caught in a Quag-mire where he met with a check or reproof for his Cruelty Note a particular account of the terrible T●rments is mentioned towards the end of this book The Eighth Persecution In the year Two hundred fifty nine did the Eighth Persecution arise under the Emperor Valerianus who put forth a Proclamation against the Christians wherein he forbad their Meeting and when this Proclamation or Order was not observed then did there follow a great Persecution of the Christians in which there was very many put to death and some were banished and the Christians converted some of the Heathen in the places to which they were banished But the Emperor under whom the Christians thus suffered did not go unpunished for his cruelty for he was taken Prisoner by the King of Persia who made use of him for a Foot-stool when he got upon his Horse The Ninth Persecution In the Year Two hundred seveaty three did the Ninth Persecution arise under the Emperor Aurelianus but this Persecution was not so great as the other because he was cut off by death soon after he had determined the same yet in this Persecution was Foelix Bishop of Rome put to death with several others The Tenth Persecution In the Year Three hundred and two begun the Tenth Persecution which was so great that it exceeded all that had been before it not only in Cruelty but in Continuance for it contiued Twelve years Eusebius who lived at that time writes of it at large in his Ecclesiastical History saying It was occasioned through the freedom of the Christians who were come into great Reputotion and were put in Places of Office to Rule in Countries and Cities but through their prosperity and voluptuousness brotherly love came to decrease and haughtiness and pride got up and instead of Worshipping of God an insolent Authority begun to get up in the Church of the Christians And at that time the Emperor Dioclesian gave forth a Proclamation wherein he commanded that all the Christian Churches should be pull'd down and the Holy Scriptures burned and that the Christians should be turned out of their places with other such like things After that there came another Order That they should cause the chief of the Church to offer unto Idols or else such as resisted were to be put to death and some were constrained to offer This Persecution begun as a little spark but it spread over the whole Church and the Persecution was so hot and great that the Persecutors themselves were troubled if not wearied In Syria there was so many of the Christians in hold that rheir Prisons were filled with them and with joy they went unbound to their death Eusebius writes how that many of the Christians had their Ears cut off and their Noses slit and others

before him never thought of Johannes Patriarch of Constantinople put forth himself and would needs be called the Universal Bishop of the World But the Bishop of Rome in no case would suffer that but put a stop to it but after the Bishop of Rome could take it to himself CHAP. VI. Concerning the several Reliques and Superstitious Practises in the Church of Rome Who were the first Institutors of them and what and how much of their Idolatry is still upheld by the Protestant Professors in England at this day which was set up since there was a Vniversal Pope IN the Year after Christ Six hundred and two Phocas murthered Mauritius his Master the Emperor and slew two of his Sons and put his Daughters and his Wife to death And then this Phocas this Murderer was crowned Emperor and Boniface the third Bishop of Rome he obtained of this Murderer Phocas to be the Universal Bishop over all the Bishops and so that the Bishop of Rome should be called Pope And here got in the Pope by murder Platina Christ Misseus Hen. Panteleon c. Epist lib. 4. Epist 32 33 34. cap. 76 77. See Becon sol 295. And then the Bishop lost the greatest part of Christendom and all the Churches went together by the ears about him and the Emperor lost the greatest part of his Empire And here you may see the Pope was set up six hundred and 〈◊〉 years after Christ And this Pope in the year 605 first decreed That white Linnen Clothes should be laid on the Altar And further in another Author concerning Phocas which murthered Mauritius his Master who was a Noble and Virtuous M●n he obtained through Treason the Empire he also treacherously slew his Children that none of his should claim the Crown 〈◊〉 him This Murdering Tyrant set up the Bishop of Rome contraa●● 〈◊〉 Ch●ists command who said You are all Brethren And so the Bishop of Rome Boniface the third Lucifer-like exalted in pride above all his fellow Bishops challenged to himself the Supremacy and Authority that he and his Successors after him for ever should be taken for the chief Bishop and Universal Head of the Church throughout all the world And that from that day forward the Church of Rome should be called the Head Church of all the whole World And that the Church of Rome should be in subject on to no other Church but that all other Churches should be in subjection to it For until that time Constantinople Church was counted the highest where the Emperor dwelt and before that time the Church in Jerusalem was called the highest for Constantine was a Christian but in Rome there was Heathen Emperor● a long time after Christ Otho frisin Gen. Chron. lib. 5. cap. 8. Marrian Scot. in Anno 608. Vsperg in Phoca Becon fol. 295. It is before recorded that Joseph of Arimathea first preached the Gospel in England amongst the Britans in the year sixty four and about six hundred and two the Pope sent over to them Augusti●● to spread his Doctrine with his silver Cross his Letany his Procession Images Reliques Canticles and Books of Ceremonies charging the Britans that they did many things contrary to the Custom of the Church of Rome in their preaching Baptism and keeping of Easter c. and that they regarded not mans traditions but the Britans refusing to follow his Commands he threa●●ed them with Warr and to revenge it by death which immediately ensued Read Beda in his Ecclesiastical History of England the second Book and second Chap. Here all people may see that Christianity was planted in 〈◊〉 some hundreds of years before the Popes Rudiments Cand●● 〈…〉 Letany Procession and Images with the rest of his Trumpery 〈◊〉 into England who lyeth in saying that Christianity came fi●st in by them who came in by Murder and the outward Sword and hath held up his outward Tradition by Murder and the outward Sword ever since Chron. Ranulph Chest Bec. fol. 323. In the year 606 Boniface the fourth he instituted the Feast of All-Souls and All-Saints and he got the Temple of Phocas built by Agrippa and consecrated it to the Virgin Mary and all the Martyrs Plat. volat Polydore Bec. fol 355. In the year 645 At Rome where Meletus was present it was ordered that Monasteries should be erected in England in Boniface the fourth's days and this Boniface the fourth instituted the Feast of All-Souls In the year 637 England first divided into Parishes In the year 640 Lent was first set up in England in Pope Severinus's time Carcumbertus King of England commanded the people to keep Lent in England Segeb. in Chron. Pautal In the year 643 Pope Martin the first ordained that a man should not lye with his Wife till the Priest had hallowed or blest his Bed and the same year he ordained Mass to be sung openly with a loud voice and that Churches should be trimmed and dressed on Holy-days Pol. Paulel Bec. fol. 322. In the year 650 Pope Eugenius the first ordained that Monks should be shut up in Cloisters for before that time they did go up and down Euseb Chron. Cantz In the year 603 Pope Sabiniani commanded Lamps should be kept continually burning in the Church he also instituted Bells in the Church and called them Saints Bells Plat. Albert. Crantz de Barns c. He also decreed in the same year That the People should be assembled together to their Serv●ce by ringing of Bells Plat. Durand de Barns Plantal Bec. fol. 322. In the year 636 the University of Cambridg founded or enlarged by Segebert King of the East-Angles So these things were not set up by the Apostles but by the Pope In the year 622 Honorius decreed That none should keep company with excommunicated persons He also devised the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross Plat. Pant. Bec. fol. 355. In the year 622 About this year being fifteen years after the Pope came Mahomet the Turk In the year 635 the first Cross was set up in England by Oswald King of No thumbe●land who fighting against Cadwalda in the same place set up a Cross kneeling and praying there for Victory In the year 653 Pope Vicilianus brought in Organs first into the Church to make the people merry Chron Volat. Plat. c. Eugenius the fourth was the first that appointed B●shops to have Prisons of their own to punish people in In the year 664 a Controversie was in England about the observing of Easter In the year 676 Pope Leo the second devised the Pax and that it should be kissed of the people Plat. festi temp In the year 684 the Election or chusing of Popes without the Emperors approbation was granted by the Emperor Whereby it may be noted that before that time the Emperor had power to chuse the Pope In the year 666 Pope Bennet the second obtained of the Emperor Constantine that the Bishop of Rome for ever after should be taken of all men for Christs true Vicar

on Earth and Saint Peter's lawful Successor Anselmus Rid. Achilles Rerminius Sebastianus Franc. c. Bec. fol. 295. This Pope also brought it to pass that the Bishop of Rome only should be called Pope that is to say the Father of Fathers for before that time all Bishops generally were called Popes In the year 684 Pope Sergius the first invented the Agnies Dei and commanded that it should be sung of the Clergy and People together at the Communion Flat Durand de Barns Bec. fol 341. The same Pope in the same year dev●sed first the Clothes of the Saints to be kept for Rel●ques and confirmed the Feast of the Purification of the Virgin Mary Segeb. Pant. Bec. fol. 356. In the year 714 a Council of Pope Gregory the second was against Marriages of Priests and was for the worshipping of Images in England In the year 729 the same Pope confirmed the having of Images in Churches and excommunicated the Emperor for abolishing them and stirred up his Subjects to rebel against him Blondus Chron Bec. fol. 324. In the year 752 Pope Zachary devised Oyl for the Lamps and invented the Priests Apparel Chron. Achil Bee fol. 304. In the year 768 Pope Paul the first devised the Service for Lent The same Pope also commanded that in the time of L●nt the Divine Service should be done before the sixth hour in the Morning Pope Constantine the second decreed That no Lay-man should be Pope Also he condemned the seventh Council of Constantinople as Heretical for condemning the worshipping of Images and wrote a Book of worshipping Images calling them Lay-mens Calendars In the year 769 Pope Constantine he condemned the Emperor for destroying Images and made a Decree to establish them in their Churches Plat. Pol. Bec. fol. 324. In the year 740 Gregory the third commanded Oblations and Sacrifices to be offered by the Priests at their Mass for the dead and made a Law that Images should not only be had in Churches as Lay-mens Books but that they should be worshipped and had in greater Reverence then ever they were and whoever was of the contrary Opinion should be condemned for a Heretick Seg. Bland Plat. Sabel Becon fol. 324. In the year 772 Pope Stephen the third decreed That Images should not only be had in Churches but that they also should be senced Seg. Plat. volat Bee fol. 324. In the year 796 Pope Adrian the first in his time there was a Council held at Frankford in the which it was decreed That whosoever did any Service in the Church he should wear a Surplice upon his back in Service time and no man to go in his common Apparel without a Surplice no not so much as the Sexton Christ Massaeus Becon fol. 323. These things are all contrary to Christ and the Apostles The same Pope about the same time ordained the Impropriation of Benefices and granted Priviledges to Monks Nunns Canons and the Gloisters In the year 817 Pope Leo the third ordained Sencing and a Council held at Rothemage commanded that the Altar should be Senced after the Gospel Lib. Conc. Durand Beo. fol. 338. The same Pope in the same year decreed That all Sundays should be kept holy Volat. Pantal. Sabel Pope Leo the third appointed That when the child is either Christned or Bishopped he should have but one Godfather be it a Man-child or a Woman-child De Consect dist cap. 4. Guil Durand Joan. Stell c. These things are all contrary to the Scriptures In the year 827 there was a Council held in the time of Pope Paschalis at Aquisgranum who ordained that no Ecclesiastical persons should wear any sumptuous Garments or Rings nor Ouches on their fingers but Bishops only when they were saying Mass in their High-Priests Robes Christian Massaeus lib. Concil Becon fol. 303. In the year 834 the Feast of Holy Trinity instituted by Gregory In the year 848 Pope Sergius the second his Name being Osporci that is Swines-snout or Hogs-mouth he changed his Name to Sergius And after that the Popes of Rome took it fo●● special priviledg to change their Names So that if he had been a Malefactor before he was a Pope he called himself Boniface which signifies Goodness And if he had been a Coward then he termed himself Leo a Lyon And if he had been a defamed person then he called himself Benedictus which signifies good Name and Fame Chron. Polichron c. Lib. 4. cap. 10. de Inventor Cerum In the year 850 Pope Leo the fourth he ordained that no Lay-man should come near to the Priest in the time of the Mass nor Into the Quire Seg. Plat. Becon fol. 343. This Pope was the first that had the Golden Cross carried before him Which is contrary to the Apostles In the same year in the same Popes time the Monkish Religion of the Camaldinenses was devised their Cowle and Cloak and all that ever they wear from top to toe was white They were to go bare-footed and lye on the ground He also instituted the Heart of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary that it should be kept holy eight dayes Pol. Chron. Lib Germ. Bec. fol. 313. Lib. Concil Seg. ● ●oan Functius In the year 858. this Pope Leo was the first that offered his ●eet to kiss to Princes Volat. Plat. rant Becon fol. 298. In the year 870 Pope Nichelas about this time was the first that decreed That the Popes Laws and Letters should be of equal Authority with the Scriptures He a so decreed that the Service should he in Latin and that Priests should not marry He also decreed that Gloria in Excelsis that is Glory in the Highest should be sung on Maurday Thursday in Lent De Consist dist 1. glor Becon fol. 343. In the year 863 Pope Bennet the third commanded that Priests should wear Apparel meet for their degree He also ordained that the Priests should be present at the Burial of the Bishops and sing prayers for their souls and that Bishops should do the like for them Fascit temp Chron. Becon fol. 304. Chron. Rlat In the year 871 Pope Nicholas made a Law That no Wife should be held lawful except she was first blest with a Priest The same year the same Pope first decreed That no Marriage ought to be in the time of Lent Gret Chron. Bec. fol 331. Which is now observed and is contrary to the Apostles There was also a Decree made in the Council at Illerdonse That from Septuagessima unto the Octaves of Easter and three weeks before John Baptist and again that from Advent to Twelftide after Christmas Marriages was forbidden to be solemnized and if any did marry in those forbidden times they should be separated Quest 23. Chap. 4. non oporte In the year 891 was the University of Oxford sounded by King Alf●ed which was before a place Dedicated to the Muses Isaackson Chron. In the year 913 In Pope Sergius the thirds time the Order of Clunasences Monks came up and their clothing

of Fasting and parted married souls asunder he abhorred the Offering of the Married Priests he was condemned by three Council● for his cursed Doctrine And ho● cometh this Doctrine now to be blessed after the six hundred years when the Po●e got up which before was cursed but it seems the Pope doth bless th● Doctrine of the Hereticks now which formerly the Councils cursed In the year 351 Liberius Bishop of Rome yeilded to the Arria●s as J●rom saith in his Chron. and C talog c. and subscribed ●nto their Heresie to save his place It seems he was not infallible In the year 383 Collydrians were Hereticks which worshipped the Virgin Mary as the Papists do now like them Hereticks which 〈◊〉 condemned In the year 401 The Monks of the Deserts of Egypt in their 〈◊〉 Imagination thought that God had a Carnal Body from whom 〈◊〉 crose that invention of painting God the Father like an old man with a grey beard which is still used to this day by the swage-worshippers In the year 404 Pelagius a Heretick said that the Grace of God was given to us according to our merits the Hereticks corrupted the Works of the Ancient Writers A Sect of Hereticks went always bare-foot In the year 47 And Simon Magus the Sorcerer was honoured it Rome with a Picture And wherein do the Papists differ who are worshippers of Images from those that worship the Image of Simon Magus are not they likewise Idolaters CHAP. VIII Something concerning Indulgences Pardons Priviledges and Stations of Rome truly Copied out of two old Books one in Latin the other in English See Becons Works out of which all these things are extracted IN Rome seven of the Steeple-houses called by the Papists Churches are priviledged above all others with great Holiness and Pardons The first is called Saint Peters Church which has twenty nine steps up to it and as oft as a man goeth up and down them stairs he is released of the seventh part of Penance enjoyned This was granted by Pope Alexander And above the door is an Image of Christ and between his feet standeth one of the Pence that God was sold for and as oft as any looks upon that Peny they have fourteen hundred years of pardon and in the same Steeple-house are eleven Altars and at every Altar is forty eight years of Pardon Also the Priests say that as many times as a man goeth through the Crowds at the same Steeple-house he hath four hundred years of Pardon At one of the Altars in the said Steeple-house is five hundred years of Pardon and every high Feast a Soul out of Purgatory And as oft as a man followeth that they call their Sacrament to sick bodies he hath one thousand four hundred years of Pardon for his sins Pope Sylvester granted to all them that daily go to the said Steoplehouse the third part of all his sins relealed And upon the one side of the said Steeple-house lyeth a Yard called Gods Field and there they bury none but poor-Pilgrims In the Chappel at Rome called Jerusalem Women do not enter but only once in the year at which time they have a full Remission granted of their sins none excepted In the Church of Saint Cater is two hundred years of Pardon In the Church of Saint Foelix is forty years of Pardon Unto every one of them called Churches have they ordained a certain number of Pardons to all that come to them and in Lent the Pardons are double Part of their Stations are as followeth In the Circumcision of Christ the Stations are to the Church of their Lady so called On the Epiphany the Stations are to St. Peters On the Sunday called Septuagessima the Stations are to Saint Lawrence without the Walls On the Sunday called Sexagissima the Stations are to Saint Paul the Apostle On Ash-Wednesday the Stations are to Saint Sabine On the first Sunday in Lent the Stations are to Saint John Latrint On Christmas-day the Stations are at the first Mass unto Saint Mary Major in the Chappel in the Manger of their Lord as they call him into the which Women do not enter And for every day called Holy-day they have Stations appointed to what place to go which Stations Pope Gregory Pope Cornelius and divers other Popes of Rome from time to time have invented and devised and that all that come to them and give any thing towards the maintenance of them they have ordained that they shall have Remission and Pardon of sins Also certain did grant Indulgences and Pardons to all such as de●●●● said certain Prayers or Ave-Maries which is contrary to Christ and the Apostles Pope Six us granted to all them that should say this Prayer 〈◊〉 the image of our Lady as they called her and her Son one the 〈◊〉 one hundred years of pardon Ave-Sanctissina Maria c. The Bishop of York and Bishop of Canterbury and nine other Bishops in he days of King Henry the seventh granted forty days of pardon for every Ave-Maria and for Gratia Plen● one hundred days The Hallowing of Candles Upon Candlemas-day the Priest turning himself to the South desireth his God that his Candles which he had there in his hand might receive such a strength and blessing through the token of the Holy Cross that being lighted the Devil might sly away and tremble for fear and after Even-Song the Priests distributed to the people their portion of Candles which they esteemed highly of and if any Thunder Lightning or Tempest arose then their Candle was lighted with faith that that would quiet the Tempest and drive away bad spirits They also Hallowed Fire and Bowes and Hallowed ashes on Ash-Wednesday and Hallowed Incense Myrthe and other Perfumes and many other things The priests also hallowed Cheese and Butter CHAP IX The manner of the Priests Hallowing the Font. FIrst he makes two Crosses in the Water with his right hand and then says a short Prayer saying Wherefore I bless Cross thee thou Creature of Water by Cross the living God c. And then he makes a Cross in the Water again and says another short prayer as before and then takes a burning Candle and drops it into the Water after the manner of a Cross and then crys'aloud a few words over it That the Holy Ghost would descend into it to make it fruitful that it might have power to regenerate and beget a new This being done he breathes thrice into the Font and then he puts Oyl into the VVater and then Cream and says some few words over them crossing them c. People you read none of this in Scripture in the Primitive Church Of the Papists Hallowing the Marrying Ring For Hallowing of the Womans Ring at her Wedding this Prayer following is appointed to be said by the Priest Hallow thou Cross Lord this Ring which we bless Cross in thy holy Name that what Woman soever shall wear it may stand ●all in thy peace and continue in thy will and live

Osburn 's Case of Tythes This Edgar was of a vicious life favourable to the Monks he displac'd the marryed Priests and brought in Monks of single life to possess their places he built and prepared several Monasteries and Nunneries He was cruel to Citizens and a deflowerer of Maidens he was joyned in the Act in shedding the blood of Earl Ethelwold that he might enjoy Elf●ida his Wife Canutus also the first Danish King who being guilty of the blood of Edward and Edmund Sons of Iron-side and Heirs to the Crown about the year 1016 confirmed Tythes and built the Abbey of St. Bennet so called in Norfolk● and in Suffolk he with great Devotion built the Monastery of St. Edmund so called which Saint he most dreadfully feared for the seeming Ghost of him often affrighted him for which cause as also to expiate the sins of his Fathers he confirmed Tythes See Osburn 's Case of Tythes Thus its plain that Tythes were given for the satisfaction of the sins of the Donor and to maintain the Popish Clergy to say and sing Mass to pray for the souls of the Donors Ethelwolfe King of England in the year 844 in his Devotion to holy Church and Religious Orders and for the remedy of their souls and that their sins might be remitted he gave the Tythe of all his Goods and Lands in West-Saxony with liberty and freedom from all servage and civil charge in the days of Pope Jone which Pope fell in labour as she was going a Procession and died being accompanied with Cardinals Patriarchs Arch-Bishops Bi-Deacons Monks Fryars and Nuns Pope Paschal about the year 1110 a Council being held in his time by his order it was decreed that it should be Heresie for any to deny obedience to the Pope and made a Canon for paying of Tenths to Priests concluding it sin against the Holy Ghost to sell the Tenths he renewed an Excommunication against the Emperor and thrust him from his Crown and Princely Title and provoked his Son Henry the Fifth and armed him to rebel against his Father The great Decree which speaks most plainly and till which nothing was given forth which did directly constitute them but rather still supposed them as due by some former right was made at the Council of Treat under Pope Plus the Fourth about the year 1560 and yet that great Council followed the Doctrine of their Fathers and said they were due to God and had no new Authority for their great Decree which they commanded to be obeyed under the penalty of Excommunication But notwithstanding the many Laws Canons and Decrees of Kings Popes and Councils and Bishops that every man ought to pay the tenth part of his encrease yet was it left to the Owners to ofter it where they pleased which made so many rich Abbeys and Monasteries And till the year 1200 or thereabouts every one gave their ●ythes as their own pleasure which made Pope Innocent the third send his Decretal Epistle to the Bishop of Canterbury commanding him to enjoin every man to pay his temporal goods to those that ministred spiritual things to them which was enforced by Ecclesiastical Censures And this was the first beginning of general Parochial payment of tythes in England and this Popes Decree is recorded by Cook in the second part of his Institutes who saith That because the Popes Decree seemed reasonable it was admitted and enjoyned by the Law of the Nation the King and People of England being then Papists Yet notwithstanding our English Parliaments not willing wholly to forget the poor for whose sakes tythes were chiefly given did make divers Laws that a convenient portion of the tythes should be set apart for the maintenance of the poor of the parish for ever 2 R. 15 16.4 H. 4 as the Statutes at large do witness The Pope having brought in tythes and made a pretended Title by prescription set up Courts to recover them which were called Ecclesiastical Courts where his own Creatures were Judges Afterwards Henry the Eighth King of England being a Papist and believing the Popes Doctrine as also did his Parliament That Tythes were due to God and holy Church made a Law that every one should set out and pay Tythes He made a second Law in his time to the like purpose in pursuance of the former and great reason he had and need there was for them for having dissolved many Monasteries after he denied the Pope to be the Supream Head of the Church and took it to himself which Monasteries had many Tythes and Rectories appropriated to them and either had them in his own hands or sold them to others to be held as Lay-possessions And they having no Law to recover them by the Popes Laws not reaching to Lay-persons so called he was nocessitated to make new Laws to enfore the payment of them but still restrained the Tryal of Tythes to Ecclesiastical Courts After him Edward the Sixth in pursuance of his Fathers Laws and upon the same grounds makes another Law for the payment of Predial and Personal Tythes uader penalty of double damages and cost who also restrains the Tryal of them to the Ecclesiastical Courts So here you may see the Papists were the first that set up Tythe and forced Maintenance and the Spiritual Courts contrary to Christ and the Apostles in the primitive times CHAP. XIV Concerning the Religion and Customs of the old Britans before they were Christians and after they were Christians VVHen they were Heathen in old time in England in their Worship they offered mens blood thinking that to be the most precious Sacrifice of all others and when the Priest by Lot cast who should dye they had all their brains knockt out at one 〈◊〉 and then they sought out the veins of the heart and drew 〈◊〉 blood and struck it upon the head of his friend then they ho●●●ed up the Sails And this they thought pleased their God The Danes and Normans in the Province of Selon every ninth year sacrificed and killed unto their gods ninety nine men and as many horses and dogs and cocks for Hawks which their gods sent them and said by the same they should please them And the blind ignorant people the Britans had Altars and they worshipped the Heads of great Rivers Camb. p. 698. Crysanthus was Bishop in B●itan and of all his Ecclesinstical Revenues and Prosits was wont to reserve for himself but two toaves of bread only on the Lords day Camb. p. 84. But u w-a-dayes neither Bishop nor Priest will think this sufficient but they would scorn it being grown so old in oppression In the River called Swale in Yorkshire Augustin baptized an innumerable multitude of Women and Children Camb. p. 136 137. Then they had no Fonts Augustin the bishop caused the people to enter into the Water and they were baptized And here was no talk of a Cross nor God-fathers Pauli us Bishop of York baptized the Inhabitants of Nottinghamshire in the River Irent Ca●●h

time not above One hundred and twenty of them refused to take the Oath but turned from their Religion to Protestantism because the Queen set it up notwithstanding they in Queen Maries days had burned some hundreds because they would not bow to Popery And in the first year of her Reign a Book of Injunctions to the Clergy was published some of which are as followeth That every Holy-day throughout the year when the people had no Sermon the Priest should recite the Pater-noster the Creed and ten Commandments to the intent the people might learn the same by heart c. Item That they should keep Holy-dayes Item That the Church-Wardens at the common charge of the parishioners shall provide a comely and honest pulpit to be set in a convenient place and to be there seemly kept Some of the Articles published in the y●ar 1610 by the Arch-D●acon of Rochester Whether is your Minister a Preacher Licensed if yea then by whom Whether doth he bid Holy-days and Fasting-days Item Whether have you in your Church or Chappel a seemly Pulpit a decent Communion table with meet Clothes to cover it a Font of Stone set in the old usual place a Communion-Cup of silver with a Cover a large Surplice with Sleeves c. Some of the Articles published in t●e year 1636. 1. Whether is your Church or Chappel sufficiently repaired the Walls and Covering thereof strong and close Are the Bells unbroken and their Frames strong and safe and fit for use Are the Windows well glazed and Floors well paved and seats decent without dust in such decent manner as becomes the House of God 2. Have you a Font of stone in the ancient usual place and a decent Pulpit with a decent Cushion and a decent comely Surplice with wide sleeves for your Ministers use 3. Have you a decent Communion-table and a Carpet of silk or other decent stuff for this Table also a fair Linen Cloth And is the said Table covered therewith c. And after Queen Elizabeth in King James his time the Book of Common Prayer was confirmed by the King and then the Bishops and Clergy in England by the Kings Licence set forth Canons and Constitutions in the Church some of which are as followeth That there should be a Font of stone in every Church and Chappel according to former Constitutions Also that in all Churches there should be decent tables and covered in time of Divine Service with a Carpet of silk or other decent stuff and in the time of administration a fair linnen cloth on it and that the ten Commandments should be set up on the East end of every Church and Chappel Also that a comely and decent Pulpit should be provided in every Church and Chappel Also they set forth a Form of Prayer that they should say be●ore Sermon And that in Cathedrals and Collegiate Churches he that administred the Communion on principal Feast-dayes should wear a decent Cope And when there was no Communion in Cathedral Churches they should wear Surplices and Hoods Also that the Letany should be said or sung on Wednesdays and Fridayes weekly and that Sundays and all holy-dayes should be observed Also that Ministers according to their degrees should wear decent and comely apparel to have them known to the people thereby to receive honour c. Gowns with standing-Collars and sleeves strait at hands or wide sleeves with Hoods or Tippets of Silk or Sarsenit and square Caps also some Ministers were to wear the like apparel but no tippets Also that they should wear in their Journeys Cloaks with sleeves commonly called Priests cloaks with sleeves welts long buttons or cuts Also that no Ecclesiastical person should wear any Coif or wrought Night-Cap but only plain Caps of black Silk Satin or Velvet Also that in publick they go not in their Doublet and Hose without Coats or Cassocks also that they wear not any light-coloured stockins likewise that poor-beneficed Curates that could not provide themselves long Gowns may go in short Gowns And in the time of the Long-Parliament which was ended in the year 1652. they having denied the Common-Prayer and a Directory for the publick Worship of God being set out in the year 1644 by a Synod of Priests sitting at Westminster the generality of the Prie is rather then they would leave their Benefices conformed to that power likewise and the truth being then broke forth in the people called Quakers the Priests rage was so hot against them that they joyned together and petitioned the Parliament against the spreading of the t●uth in the aforesaid people and c●lled the truth heresie and bl●sphemy In the year 1653 a Council of State was called by Oliver Cromwell unto whom the Priests cemonstrated their great willingness to conform to and in the same year a Parliament was chosen which was called the Little Pa●li●ment unto whom the Priests in several Counties presented several Petitions against the people called Quakers In the same year was Oliver Cromwell made Protector to whom the Priests were read● also to join the Priests of Cumberland e●●tioned that some present course might be prescribed for the enforcing the payment of tythes and other D●es to Munisters to which the people in these parts said they are extre●mly averse And Oliver Cromwe● upheld their interest and made an Order how they might she the people called Quakers for tythes there being no Ecclesiastical Courts to ●efor them in as it had been formerly ordained they should be sued for in no other Courts In the year 1658 Richard Cromwell was made Protector whom the priests fl●ckt to as their Rock of Defence that he whom they called in their petition their Joshua might lead them into their promised Land which indeed was but a Benefice of tythes or augmentations and they told him that the Gospel was bound up in him and so cleaved to him by flatteries as they did in all ages And on the twelfth of the eighth month 1658 the Independents made a Form of Faith in the Savoy and published it In which Form of Faith they laid down in chap. 13. that they that are united to Christ effectually called and regenerated having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christs death and resurrection are also further sanctified really and personally through the same virtue by his Word and Spirit dwelling in them the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakned and mortified and that this sanctification is throughout in the whole man Yet in the conclusion of the same article they say That it is imperfect in this life and that there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part Note sure these peoples Faith is one with the Papists who hold a Pu●gat●ry that is a place to purge from sins after this life for the Scriptures say As the Tree falls so it lyes and as death leaves us so judgment shall

they took and 〈◊〉 into four quarters and afterwards finding the Mother they 〈…〉 and cut off her head leaving her in the Snow And in page 350 A young woman about eighteen years old was taken as she was flying upon the Snow and they thrust a Pike through her alive and roasted her and brought a piece to make a meal of but she not being roasted enough stopt their stomacks And thus the Papists are Beasts And the Papists took a Protestant and tyed his hands to his privy-members hanging him upon a Gate by his hands to make him renounce his Religion And also they tyed two more in the same manner only they after they had tyed their hands to their privy-parts they tyed their hands behind them until their very bowels were torn out and so they dyed Besides other cruel barbarous usage to prisoners And in page 352 a man about fourscore years old they cut off his Nose his Ears and other parts of his body and left him in the Snow who dyed there And page 353 the cruel Papists put Gunpowder into many men and womens mouths and cramb'd it down their throats and set it on sire and tore their heads to pieces Fol. 354 They stript one naked and tore off his Nose with Pinchers and made holes in his hands and dragged him with a Cord by the middle and they cut off his flesh as they dragged him and struck him saying Wilt not thou go to Mass and then they cut off his head and threw him into a River And page 355 these bloody Papists pluckt out another mans eyes and cut off his privy-members putting them into his mouth and then they cut off his skin and hung it up in four Windows of their principal houses And page 356 they took a man and cut off his head and fryed his brains and eat them up and took out his heart frying it and took it and eat it also And page 357 several aged people they burnt alive Page 358 they dragged a woman and her daughter with Horses through the streets stabbing them with Pitch-forks and threw them into a River throwing Batts at them And page 359 Others as they were passing from the bloody perrecating Papists they shot one in the neck and after they slit his Chin and Nose throwing of him to the Dogs And page 360 and 361 Eleven men they forced to throw one another into the Flery Furnace and forced them to carry one another on their backs and the Papists themselves carried the last man And these bloody Papists hunted the Protestants up and down the Rocks upon their bare feet when were cut with Ice and Flinty-Rocks until they bled grievously And y●t these bloody Papists like one that Solomon speak 〈…〉 their mouths and say they have done no hurt but they that desire to rea● more of their Cruelty and Wickedness let them look in the said Book And as for the Papists Powder-Plot in King James 's time and their Massacring of many thousands in Ireland it is not out of memory yet At Guttenburg in Bohemia where were deep Metal-Mynes the Papists threw into one of them 1700 persons and into another 1038 in the year 1420. The Papists killed of the Waldenses about a thousand men women and children in one place and robbed and spoised the poor Christians and when that the Christians would not receive their Hoast they gagged them and thrust it down their mouths The King of Nordan Humbers slew twelve hundred Christians because they prayed to Christ for assistance CHAP. XXVIII A List of some of the Accusutions for which the aforesaid People suffered in the Valleys of Piedmont by the Papists FOr that they believed the Church of God was without spot or wrinkle Also they believed that it was not lawful for the Prelates of the Roman Church to have temporal Jurisdiction in the world and that none hath a greater degree of Power and Authority in the Church then he hath of Holiness Also that they believed that the Sacraments administred by the Priests of the Romish Church are of no Efficacy Also they believed that tythes ought not to be paid to the said Priests Also they believed that the Romish Church is a House of Confusion and the Synagogue of Satan Also they believed that it was not lawful to swear any thing be it true or false Also they believed that it was as prositable to pray to God in a Stable as in a place called a Church Also they believed that rain-water ●ad as greant virtue as holy water in the Church Also for that they believed that no man ought to observe the Festival-days of Saints but that it was lawful to do work upon them Also for that they believed that it was lawful to eat flesh every where and at all times and that Lent was not to be kept See page 217 and 218. And for these causes and some other Decrees which are contrary to Scriptures did the Papists murther them in the year 1655. Here followeth a List of some of the Article for which the Martyrs suffered in Queen Maryes Reign in the year 1556 and by other Papists 1. First For confessing that an evil man doth rot receive Christs body 2. That it is Idolatry to creep to the Cross John for bids it and saith Beware of Images For confessing that they should not pray to Mary and other Saints For these things and denying the Papist Principles were five men and women burnt in the year 1558. The Article against Marga●et Marringe Martyr was That she had refused to come to Church that she had not come to the Parish-Church for the space of one year neither did she mean to come any more unto the same in those Idolatrous dayes Articles exhibited against R Lusse Martyr 1. For refusing to call the Lords Supper by the Name of the Sacrament of the Altar 2. For denying Purgatory Prayers and Alms and saying they did not profit the dead bodies 3. For holding that Images are no● to be suffered in the Church and that all that kneel to Images are Idolaters 4. That they which are burn'd of late for denying these things are Gods Servants and Martyrs 5. For denying the Church of Bome to be Universal Articles against other Martyrs Henry Crimses for marrying his Wife on Palm-Sunday in Lent was punished as some are now Also that they would not follow the Cross or confess to a Priest Also that they did not believe the Pope to be the Supream Head of the Church Also that they did not believe that Bread Water Ashes and Palms were Holy Ceremonies in the Papists Church Also the Martyrs confessed that the Popish Mass was Blasphemy Some of the Papists Canons or Decrees which the Martyrs suffered for and which those called Church-Wandens and Priests we●e by the Command of the Bishops to make Enquiry into in their several Parishes 1. Whether they see the Font be comely kept and have Holy-water always ready for Children to be Chris●ned 2.