Paulus Constantinus Christianus Massaeus and Ioannes Functius in their Chronolagies besydes that Ioannes Annius ded therin afore them Now lete vs consydre how lady Lecherie the virgynall Goddesse of the Sodomyticall Papistes hath compassed in thys great cytie on euery syde with her fleshly fylthynesse And fyrst let vs begynne with Romulus and Remus the first setters vp or aduauncers therof These ij bloudy bretherne had an whore to their mother called Rhea ilia whych beynge a professed nonne to Venus committed whoredome both wayes that is to saye both in sowle and in bodye For vndre the vowe of chastyte she serued the ydolles as the maner was that tyme and so dallyed besydes in the darke as was well perceyued by her game ¶ After the myndes of Virgil Ouide and such other fabulouse Poetes these ij cruell captaynes Romulus and Remus receyued their first nurryshment of a she wolffe whom they sucked in sygnyfycacyon of the wonderfull tyranny whych shuld folowe in that great cytie Rome wherof they were the fyrst amplyfyers Other authours report that they were first nourced of an harlot called Lupa not farre froÌ„ the floude of Tyber where as the Romish Pope holdeth now hys palace of whome all brothel houses stewes or places where suche fylthynesse is wrought haue their names and are called to thys houre Lupanaria Romulus thus preserued by a thefe called Paustulus nurryshed by a wolfe and brought vp by an whore gyueÌ„ also of him selfe to outragyouse lecherie couetyse and ambycyon bycame suche a traytour to his owne stocke as in the ende most cruelly slewe hys naturall brother Remus to establysh hys great buylded cytie in the wyckednesse of cursed Cain Marke for thys storye Titus Liuius Plutarchus Bedas and Iohan Boccatius Chloris otherwyse called Flora a most notable harlot obtaynynge infynyte ryches by her execrable whoredome made Rome her heyer and the only inheritour of her fylthy possessyons execrated of God Deuter. xxiij For the whych the Romanes admytted her for a great Goddesse and dedycated vnto her ones in the yeare in Apryle certayne feastes called Floralia sacra Thys hath Marcus Cicero whych calleth her the mother of the Romanes so hath Aulus Gellius and Iohan Textor ¶ Of these autoryte amonge these Romanes were there many both consuls and senatours whych were named by thys vncomly worde Spurius signifyeÌ„ge a bastard as is to be seane in the chronycles of Eusebius and Paulus Constantinus by Spurius Verginius Spurius Tarpeius Spurius Carbilius Spurius Posthumus Spurius Scruilius Spurius Largus Spurius Cassius Spurius Nautius Spurius Medullinus Spurius Vectius Spurius Furinus Spurius Herminius Spurius Paulus Spurius Oppius Spurius Crassus a great sort more By thys shuld it seme that vnchast liuing was not only vnpoÌ„nyshed but also aduauÌ„ced to great honoure amoÌ„g the Romanes Priapus called in the Byble Miplezeth iij. Reg. xv and. ij Parasip xv was suche a disformed chylde of Venus and most execrable ydoll of the Cananytes as had neuer the lyke for in hys groues the baudes of that lande both wrought theyr fylthynesse and also taught the fowle feates of the same hys storye is farre to vncomely to be rehearced Yet was he so deifyed of the Romanes that he both became the God of theyr gardenes and had hys feastfull dayes euery yeare wyth solempnyte obserued a garlande of floures sett vpon hys heade and an he asse alwayes offered in sacryfyce to hym Ouidius primo libro fastorum Textor Althamerus ac Cibenius Non other were admitted in those dayes by the hygh senate of the Romanes neyther yet by commaundement and custome worshypped but suche lecherouse monsters as these were of whom they had great nombre ¶ Resort we now to the Empyre of thys Rome after the ouerthrowe of the other thre generall monarchyes of the worlde of the Assyreanes Perseanes and Grekes and se what enteraunce and progresse ladye lecherie had therin With Cleopatra the quene of Aegipt whych was a woman as testifyeth Egesyppus of a most corrupt lyfe Iulius Caesar the first Emprour had very longe occupyeÌ„ge without all honestie Loke Bedas de temporum ratione Iacâ—bus Bergomas and other lyke authours Of Nero Domicius whose fleshely appetyte coulde not with women be fully satisfyed the doynges were to execrable to be here rehearâ—ed As Marcus Aurelius for the debylyte of nature coulde no longar folowe in that fylthye course of lyuynge whych he had contynued in from hys youth he caused his owne preuye partes to be cut awaye and so dedicate hymselfe to Venus takynge vpon hym from thens fourth the name and offyce of a woman to proue thâ—t vncomely occupyenge in an other prodygyouse kynde Freculphus hath thys in the first chaptre of hys secoÌ„de Tome so hath Ado Viennensis with others more What acceptacyâ—n and fauer thys most deuylysh example hath obtayned in our Romysh spirytualte geldynge excepted the sequele of thys boke shall declare Bede also reporteth in his former treatyse de temporum ratione that Constantius the Emperour begate greate CoÌ„stantine here in Englande of Elene hys concubyne Whych Constantine as a great nombre of Romysh authours testyfyeth was the first that buylded Christen temples at Roâ—e that fournyshed the clergy therâ—e wyth such possessyons and body ease as in processe brought them into all kyndes of wantonnesse in the fleshe ¶ In contynuaunce of yeares the Romysh Emprour became the elder sonne of Antichrist by professyon and othe to defende the patrymony of S. Peter as they call their theuysh possessyons and so to maynteyne them in all ydelnesse pryde lecherie The Frenche kynge also on the other syde became hys yongar sonne beynge sworne alwayes at hys coronacyon with fyre and with swerde to support the same Of our Englysh kynges I speake not whych neuerthelesse were hys adoptyue chyldren from the dayes of kynge Alpheede the great to the myddle age of kyng Henry the. viij The Emprour after that was appoynted by offyce to holde the Popes styroppe whyls he leaped on hys mule and the Frenche kyng to holde hys brydell and to wayte vpon hys Ienet of Spayne Ex Christophoro Marcello in ritibus Romanae Ecclesiae Tedyouse were it to declare here the whole cyrcumstaunce how lecherie reigned in this seconde sonne also As how Childericus the Frenche kyng beyng expulsâ—d for hys vnsacyable aduoutrye begate Clodoucus of an whore whych was an other mannys wyfe of whom descended as they report all their Christened kynges Loke Gaguinus Iohan Liectenberger and Franciscus Bonadus in Anacephaleosi Angisus the sonne of Arnolde byshopp of Metis vsurpynge the hygh stewardshyp of Fraunce at layser made the kynge to go pyke a salett defeated hym of hys crowne by helpe of the prestes as wytnessyth Abbas Vespergensis Tritemius in compendio and Ioannes Nauclerus The kynges by that meanes sayth Otho Phrisingensis became very idyotes Pipinus of a bastarde stocke
his noble father afore hym whiche haue graciouslye begon to smell out in that fulse generation the engyâ—â—es of the deuyll As great honoure wyl it nowe be to yow yea â–ª rather much greater to flee the sede of the Serpent by the worde of God as euer it was to Saynt George that noble captayne to flee the great hydre or Dragon at Silena as Baptista Mantuanus specifieth I speake not thys for that I wold ye to fal vpon that sorte with materiall weapon but with the myghtye stronge worde of the Lorde For as Esaye daniel Paule reporteth they shal be destroyed without handes Esa. xi Dan. viij and ii Tes ij Onlye is it Gods true knowledge that nobleth yow before hym be therfore no longer negligent An vnrecurable dyshonoure were it vnto yow froÌ„ hence furth to be led blynde felde of these bushardes in the darke The moste of yow are all readye very plentuouslye entered that lorde be praysed thynke hym onlye blessed whiche perseuereth to the ende Hauynge the gouernaunce of Christes dâ—â—e herytage drawe not your lawes out of Antichristes rules nowe that ye knowe Christes wholsome doctryne Neyther yet fatche the breade that ye shall feade your commons with oute of hys bawdye beggerlye bowgettes but let them haue the pure purueaunce of God out of the vndefyled scryptures Be ones so mercyfull to that christen flocke that ye cleâ—elye 〈…〉 them 〈◊〉 tâ—at vyle gâ—neracion Let them no longâ—r worshyp deuyls as they haue done in these dead monkes and theues but let them loke freelye towardes their eternall and lyuyng God bothe to their soules helth yours Amen ¶ Thus endeth the first parte of thys worke called The actes of Englyshe votaryes Collected by Iohan Bale Anno. 1546. ¶ The autours names both Englyshe and other out of whom thys present Boke is collected Abbas Vrspergensis Achilles Pyrminuis Alphonsus de Castro Alphredê° beuerlaceÌ„sis Amandus Zierizensis Antoninus FloreÌ„tinus Baptista Platina Baptista Mantuanus Bartholomeus Anglus Bedas Giruuinus Bernardus LutzeÌ„burg Berosus Chaldeus Biblia Sacra Blondus Flauius Caius Iulius Christianus Masseus ClemeÌ„s Alexandrinus Colfridus Abbas Conradus Gesnerus Cornelius Tacitus De utraque Potestate Diodorus Siculus Edgari Oratio Egesippus Iudeus Epiphanius Cyprius Eusebius Cesariensiâ— Festiuate Sacerdotum Flores Historiarum Franciscus LaÌ„bertus Freculybus Iexoui eÌ„ste Galfredus Monemutensis GeÌ„nadius MassilieÌ„sis Georgius Ioye Georgius Vnteelius Gildas Britanus Giraldus Cambrensis Guido de Columna Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Guilhelmus Caxton Guilhelmus Tyndale Guilhelmus Turner Hartmanus Shedel Hector Boethius HelmaÌ„dus Monachus Henricus Huntyngtonensis HermaÌ„nus Contractus HermaÌ„nus TorreÌ„tinus Honorius Augustudunensis Iacobus Vorago Iacobus Bergomas Iacobus Zieglerus Iodoeus Badius Ioannes Capgreue Ioannes Hardyng Ioannes Stella Ioannes de Molinis Ioannes Annius Ioannes Nauclerus Ioannes Lydgate Ioannes Textor Ioannes Tritemius Ioannes Pomeranus Ioannes Carion Ioannes Maior Ioannes Lelandus Isidorus hispalensis LegendariuÌ„ Ecclesie Liuthprandus TicineÌ„sis Marcus Sabellicus Marianus Scotus Martinus Carsulanus Martinus Lutherus Matheus Palmarius Merlinus Ambrosius Michael Ricius Nanclerus Ioannes Nennius Britannus Odo Chariacensis Osteirus CaÌ„tuariensis Osunaldus Myconius Otto Phrisingensis Paulus Orosius Paulus Aemilius Paulus Constantinus Petrus Equilinus Philippus Melanchton Plinius Secundus Polycrates Ephesius Polydorus Vergiliue Pomponius Mela. Prosper Aquitannus Ptolomeus Lacensis Ranulphus Cestrensis Raphael Volateranus Robertus Fabyane Robertus Barnes Sigebertus GeÌ„blaceÌ„sis Strabo Cretensis Thomas Bradunardin Thomas Vualden Thomas Scrope VinceÌ„sius Beluacensis Vtraque potestas VVernerus Cartusiensis VVilibaldus Anglus Finis The holye Ghost shall rebuke the worlde of synne and of ryghtousnesse of iudgement Ioan. xvi Into the newe Hierusalem shall entre no vncleane thynge neyther that whiche worketh abhominacion nor yet what maketh lyes But they only which are written in the lambes boke of lyfe Apoca. xxi The man of synne shall he opened before the Lordes commynge euen the sonne of perdycyon whiche is an aduersarye and is exalted aboue all that is called God whom he shall consume with the sprete of his mouthe ij Thes. ij ¶ Imprynted at London by Abraham Vele dwellyng in Paules churcheyarde at the synne of the Lambe Anno. 1551. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum ¶ The second part or contynuacyon of the English votaries comprehendynge thâ—yr vnchast examples for CC. yeares space from the yeare a thousande from Christes incarnacyon to the reigne of kyng Iohan collected of theyr owne wryters by Iohan Bale ¶ Bâ—holde thou idolatrouse churche I wyll gather together all thy louers vnto whom thou hast made thy selfe commen yea and all them whome thou fauourest and euery one that thou hatest and wyll discouer thy shame before them that they all maye se thy fylthynesse Ezech. xvi Imprinted at London for Iohan Bale in the yeare of our Lorde a M. D. LI. and are to be solde wythin Paules chayne at the sygne of S. Iohn Baptist. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum The Preface of thys boke FOr so much as Rome hath bene so synnefull a synke and pernicyouse puddell as hath all the worlde infected by the sodometrouse vowe of their symulate chastyte necessary I thynke it in thys preface of the seconde part of my Englysh votaryes to shewe what foundacyon it hath had in the same Xenophon sayth in hys boke of huntyng that Rhoma is the name of a dogge Iohan Textor affirmeth the same both in hys Epithetes Officines A dogge in the scripture is iudged a beast most vyle hys pryce beyng all one wyth the rewarde or wages of an whore for her whoredome Thou shalt sayth the lord to Moses neyther brynge the hyre of an whore nor the pryce of a dogge into the house of God in no maner of vowe for both of them are abhominacyon vnto the Lorde thy God Deuter. xxiij They in the scriptures of the sacred Bible are compared vnto dogges whych both professe and teache the verite of God vnpurely snarynge the symple sowles wyth the vnprofytable tradycyons of men synnefull Dogges are vngentyll barkers cruell byters lascyuyouse lechours gredy deuoureâ—s and insacyable rauenours much delyghtynge in bloude The malycyouse and couetouse Romanes wyth those vnpure Apostles whych they from tyme to tyme haue sent vnto thys our nacyon hath most apertly shewed themselues to be those vyle dogges and swyne whom Christ admonished vs to be ware of Mathew vij ¶ In the Bible text S. Hierome sayth that Roma was the wyfe of Nahor Abrahams brother Gene. xxij Whose chyldren were afterward obseruers of the Planetes and so bycame Idolaters after the mynde of Philo and other olde wryters Cechim the sonne of Iauan Genesis x. otherwyse called Italus had a doughter named Roma as testyfyeth Berosus the Chaldean Fabius Pictor Caius Sempronius whom he constitute quene of the Aborygenes or people of an vnknowne begynnynge Whych quene first buylded the great cytie so named Whom after longe tracte of tyme Romulus most gorgyously fynyshed Thys mencyoneth also
in Alpaida the harlot admytted by Pope Zachary to the crowne as testyfyeth Robertus Goulet in compendio sexaetation mundi ¶ Necessary is it that sumwhat be sayd here of their chast relygyon also In Rome were and are yet certen temples into whoÌ„ neyther honest matrone nor yet chast vyrgyne were suffered to entre what was permytted to commen whores oppressers of the people and Sodomytysh prestes in that behalfe I thynke all the worlde knoweth at thys daye Thys madde superstycyon sayth Iacobus Zieglerus in sua Syria had her fyrst orygynall in the mounte of Olympus within the yle of Cypres wher as a solempne temple was dedycate to Venus into whom no woman was permitted to entre and passed from thens to the Romanes beynge there admytted for a most hygh relygyon Neuerthelesse the commen whores had there allowed them for theyr lascyuyouse occupyenge most fayre mansyons in a strete called Suburrs as both Martialis and Pamphilus hath vttered Neyther hath any mannys doctryne sens the worldes begynnynge bene more hyghly accepted of the Romanes and theyr clergye than the crafty and darke learnynge of bawdy Aristotle whych not only besydes hys Sodometry kept a most fylthy whore called Hermia but also after her deathe ded sacryfyce vnto her as to a great Goddes and made hymnes in her prayse Thys sheweth Origene and Iohan Textor in hys offycynes Both Simon Magus and hys whore Selenes whych at Tyâ—us a cytie of Phoenices had maynteyned the brothell howse or stues were admytted of the Romanes for their execrable sorceryes to be worshypped for Goddes wyth yearely sacryfyces Loke Iustinus Irenaeus and Eusebius Caesariensis all auncyent writers ☞ In Englande here sumtyme myght no byshop ryde but vpon a mare as testyfyeth Bedas li. ij ca. xiij CestrieÌ„sis li. v. ca. xij Robbert Fabiane Pa. v. ca. cxxx Which holy obseruacyon they had from Rome it is not without mystery of theyr buggerysh beastlynesse The great aduouterer Pope Sergius after certen reuelacyons and myracles of the deuyll broughte fourth a great chyste full of dead mennys bones and caused the people both to kysse them and to worshypp them in the heade church of Rome to double the whoredome there Thys wytnessyth first Bedas de temporum ratione and than both Platina and Petrus Equilinus All these vncomely hystoryes consydered Rome with her vnchast vowes and votaryes is that blasphemouse Babylon Apocal xvo that Sodome and Aegypt Apo. xi whom all the scriptures detesteth Her cytezens are they whom God hath gyuen vp into most prodygyouse lustes of vnclennesse for changynge hys truthe to a lye For they vndre the professyon of chastyte leauyng the naturall vse of women sayth S. Paule haue brent in their owne lustes one to an other that man wyth maÌ„ that is to saye monke wyth monke nonne with nonne fryre with fryre prest with prest wrought fylthynesse Roma i. besydes that they ded with boyes bitches and apes with other beastes yea the holyeâ—t fathers of theÌ„ If ye spell Roma backwarde ye shall fynde it loue in thys prodygyouse kynde for it is preposterus amor a loue out of order or a loue agaynst kynde I shame no more to tell thys to the Popes remnauÌ„t here in England than they shame to blaspheme marryage whych is Gods holy instytucyon and to playe styll the whoremasters Sodomytes in euery corner The eternall God ones clerely delyuer thys ChristeÌ„ laude froÌ„ that monstruouse generacyon Amen Iohan Bale to the Reader IT wyll be thought of many most gentyll reader that I haue not herin done wele in bryngynge so many fylthy examples of the Popes vnchast masmoÌ„gers to lyght whych ought rather to haue bene buryed in oblyuyon I wyshe these to consydre whose vyces the scripture hydeth and whose it detecteth to rebuke and shame The same God whych couered the nakednesse of Adam and Eue with skynnes after their fall Gene. iij. The same God hath dyscouered the shame of Babylon whych now is the Romysh churche and shewed fourth her vncomely preuytees accordynge to promyse Esay xlvij Beholde sayth the lorde of hostes I wyll brynge thyne owne wayes vpon thyne heade Ezech. xvi I wyll vpon the thou bewtyfull harlot and maistres of witchcraft sayth God and wyll pull thy clothes ouer thy heade that I maye shewe thy nakednesse amonâ—e the Heythen and thy shame amonge the kyngedomes I wyll caste durte vpon the to make the be abhorred and a gasynge stocke Nahum iij for he that commytteth aduoutry getteth hym selfe shame and dyshonour such as neuer shall be put out of memory Prouer. vi Partly haue these with a great sort more of the scriptures prouoked me to fynysh thys worke partly the incessaunt callynge on of a great nombre of men both worshypfull godly and learned whych with Dauid Psal. Cxxxviij do perfyghtly and throughly hate these bandy brothels contempners of marriage and vtter enemyes of God I haue oft tolde them I hope in the zele of God that I wolde as lyttle abashe to shewe their fylthy actes by the wytnesse of their owne legendes Chronycles as they haue abashed to do them I haue tarryed these foure yeares sens I wrote the fyrst part of thys worke to beholde their repentaunce for this kynd of wyckednesse and I fynde them now more wyllfull and peruersed in their deuylysh opynyon than afore Therfore wyll I now ernestly detect the Sodometrouse actes of their holy Romysh chastyte The admonyshementes of S. Paule to their forefathers the Romanes of their hypocresy lyâ—s falsehede vnclennesse ydolatry prodygyouse lustes defylynges of bodye chaungynge of the naturall vse into an vse agaynst nature and other vnspeakable beastlynesse Roma i. haue they not regarded but haue wrought those most execrable myscheues and worke them styl in effect without repentaunce Therfore wyll I declare them in effect to cause gods people as necessary it is effectually to abhorre them Iudge me not herein to gyue a doctryne of vyce but rather an earnest doctryne to the contrarye in conteÌ„pt of such abhomynacyons as that college of the deuyll hath offered to the worlde for precyouse fruttes of spirytuall holynesse Vale. ¶ The shame of Aegipt shall be dyscouered They that dwell in the yles shall se euen the same daye Esay xx Ad illustrissimum Anglorum regem Edvuardum sextum Ioannes Balaeus Of olde hystoryes we haue it not only to consydre what thynges hath happened vnto vs afore but also to be ware in tyme to come that we maye make the kyngdome guyet and peaceable for all men Hester xvi ¶ The second part or contynuacyon of the English votaries comprehendynge theyr vnchast examples for CC. yeares space from the yeare a thousande from Christes incarnacyon to the reigne of kyng Iohan collected of theyr owne wryters by Iohan Bale ¶ The rynge leader of our votaries IN the. xx chaptre of S. Iohans reuelacyon is it sayd that whan
occasion as all writers agre Gregory the first of that name now called Saynt Gregory behelde in the open market at Rome Englysh boyes to be solde Marke this ghostly mistery for the prelates had than no wiues And women in those dayes might sore haue distained their newely rysin opinion of holynesse if they had chaunced to haue bene with chylde by them and therfor other spirituall remedies were sought out for them by their good prouiders and proctours ye may if ye will call them applesquires And at this Gregory behelde them fayre skinned and bewtifully fared with heare vpon their heades most comely anon he axed of what region they were And answere was made him that they were of an yle called Englande We le may they be called Angly sayth he for they haue very Aâ—gelyck vysages Se how curyouse these fathers were in the we le eyenge of their wares Here was no circumstaunce vnloked to perteining to the sale Yet haue this Bishopp bene of all writers reckened the best sens his time This story mencïoneth Iacobus de Voragine Vincencius Antoninus Ioannes Capgraue Maior Polydorus an hondred autours more ¶ More English boyes sold at Rome AN other example like vnto this telleth theseyde Iohan Capgraue in his Cataloge That at one Macutus an English Brytayne and Byshop of Aleth in Irelande beynge at Rome about the yeare of our Lorde CCCCC perceyued serten Englysh boyes to be solde there openly He gaue the pryce of them and sent them home agayne Of a likelyhode he smelled the spyrytuall occupyeng there and pytyed the most dampnable castynge away of those poore innocentes whome Christ had so derely redemed with his blood Suche an other acte of christen pity wrought king Etelwolphus there after diuerse writers whan he in the yeare of our Lord. DCCC xlvij made sute to Pope Leo the fort to be clerely dispensed with forthe ordre of Subdeacon which he had in his yowthe receyued wholsome ware I warande yow of Helmestane than Bishop of wynchestre For by that time they had crepte into the seate of the Serpent Apoca. 13. and obtayned full autoryte to dyspense wyth all pactes professions promyses vowes athes oblygacyons and sealynges to the Beastes holy seruyce Marke alwayes the tymes This story hath Vuyllyam of Malmesburye li. 2. De regibus a Raulphe Hardyng Fabyan and Polidorus with other And that the one wanteth the other alwayes habundauntly supplieth Possession was taken of that seate of the Beast vndre phocas the emperour in the yeare of our Lord. DC and vij wean the papacy first begonne ¶ Augustine entreth with his Monkes NOw to returne agayne vnto Gregory He sent vpon the aforesayd occasyon into England in the yeare from Christes in carnacion CCCCC xcvi a Romysh monke called Augustyne not of the ordre of Christ as was Peter but of the supersticiouse secte of Beuet there to sprede abrode the Romishe faythe and religion for Christes fayth was there long afore With him entered Melitus Iustus Laurencius IoaÌ„nes Petrus Rufinianus Paulinus and a great sort more to the nombre of xl all monkes and Italyanes We le armed were they with Aristotles artilery as wyth logyck Philosophy and other crafty sciences but of the sacred scripturs they knewe lytle or nothyng If ye beleue not me reade in Iohan Capgraues Cataloge Inuita Augustini his interrogacions Ad Gregorium per laurencium Petrum ye shall find them voyd of all christen learnynge eyther of law or Gospell yea most insypient and folishe Yet was the seyd Augustine the best learned among theÌ„ These toke with them a great nombre of frenche interpretours bycause they were all ignoraunte of the language there Here was a noble christianite towardes whan the preachers knewe neyther the scrypturs nor yet the speache of the people Well yet they ded miracles Yea so sayd Christ they shuld do whan he bad vs in any wise to be ware of theÌ„ Math. 24. For this story marke specyally Iohan Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie Sigebertus VinceÌ„cius Antoninus Tritemius Christianus Masseus and the churche legendary Dyuersly were they of women intreated ANd as concerning women greuously were they vexed with them commynge hytherward specyallye at a vyllage called Saye wythin the couÌ„tye of Angeuin fraunce In the whych was buylded immedyatly after a churche they say in the honour of the seyd Augustine where as no women come but are plaged with most sodayne death for the dyspleasure there shewed them than yet ded thy but laugh vpon theÌ„ This sheweth AlexaÌ„drethe prior of Esseby in hys Annuall of Sayntes by these verses Cetus aput Saye uexauit eos mulierum Quas peccasse probat lux noua foÌ„sque nouus Plebs parat ecclesiaÌ„ mulieribus haud reseraÌ„daÌ„ IntroituÌ„tentat una sed inde perit This story hath also Iohan Capgraue and the olde Englysh Festyuall of Sayntes whych was somtime the only taught Gospell of Englande Notwythstandinge thys dyspleasure of women abrode yet founde they women fauorable within England For Bertha the quene of Kent than beynge a Frenche woman caused Kynge Ethelbert to admit them wyth al theyr tyrlery trashe Yet for the small trust he had vnto them at their fyrst metynge he wolde in nowyse commen with them within any howse the story sayth least they shuld after any sorcerouse sort bywytche hym The fyrst poynt of Religyon they shewed was this They spred fourth a banner wyth a paynted crucyfyre and a syluer crosse thervpon and so come to the kynge in processyon synging the Letany We le myght thys be called a new chrystyanyte for neyther was it knowne of Christ nor of hys Apostles nor yet euerseane in Englande afore It came altogyther from the dust heape of their monkery ☞ Their fyrst spiriituall prouysyons here AS the kynge admytted their enteraunce he couenaunted thus wyth them and very wysely That hys people shuld alwayes be at lyberte and no man constrayned to their newe founde Relygyon sacrifices and worshyppynges But alac that fredome contynued not long wyth them as ye shall wele perceyue hereafter Then dyd Augustine get him into Fraunce agayn and caused one Etherius than Archebyshop of Arelas to consecrate hym the great byshop of all Englande without eleccion or consent of the people that we reade of And in the yeare of our Lorde euen DC dyd Gregorye sende vnto hym from Rome hys prymates pall with super altares chalyces copes candelstyckes vestymentes surplices alter clothes syngynge bokes rellyckes and the blessynges of Peter and Paule And so admytted hym for the fyrst metropolitane of all the whole realme appointing hys seate from thens fourth at Canterburye than called Doroberna the worthye cytie of London euer after depriued of her former tytle and so made an vnderlynge But the spirituall fathers knewe well ynough what they dyd beholdyng afore hande
Iob. They are holye votaryes that stryue for so many fat dyshes ☞ The abhomynable lecherye of the same monkes IN the dyocese of S. Dauid in Wales and within the prouynce of Goer the pryour of Langenith whych was a celle of the ordre of Clunyakes or monkes without botes beholdyng a certen yonge woman first by wanton lokes and after by other lewde entycementes made her at his pleasure to serue hys lascyuyouse purpose And whan it was ones growne to a publyque infamy that all men spake yll of it with moneye he corrupted the offycyals to escape the open reproche And whan none other waye els wolde serue he gaue her in marryage to a yonge man not farre of Yet left he not so her companye but abused her after as he had done afore tyll suche tyme as he was deposed by the dyocesyane and lo with shame exyled the contreye The lyke was done also by two other monkes of Northwales of whom one was priour of Sagia an other of Breckennoch both celles of Clunyakes and not farre froÌ„ the hauen of Myluerd Whych were for their whoredomes most shamefully deposed and bannyshed Yea the seyd Geralde reporteth it to be a commen thynge among them where as suche celles were buylded and wyshed for hys tyme that not one of them had bene within the whole realme of Englande for the myschefes that he knewe by them And whan they went abroade he sayth about the affaires of their religioÌ„ or howses they wolde in none other innes be lodged but where as they might haue whores at their pleasures Giraldus Cambrensis in Speculo ecclesiae li ij ca. i. Was not this thynke you an holye religion and an high profession of chastyte ☞ Of two Englysh votaries one a traytour the other a thefe AS Heraclius the patriarke of Hierusalem was returned home agayne out of England in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. and. lxxxvi an Englysh votary of the ordre of Templars called Robert of S. Albons betrayed that holye cytie with all the Christen inhabytauntes to Saladinus the souldane of Babylon vpon thys couenaunt that he shulde haue his nece to marrye And so it came to passe in the ende the kynge taken prysoner and the patryarke compelled to flee so that the kyngdome was destroyed foreuer An other Englyshe votarye of the same ordre of Templars called Gylbert Ogerstan kynge Henry appoynted with certen others to gather vp the moneye whyche he had determyned to be gyuen to releue the holye lande and cytie of Hierusalem agaynst the Turkes And whan he had deprehended him in an horryble thefte in doynge the same to the mayntenaunce of hys accustomed lecheryes where as he mighte iustlye haue hanged hym he onely commytted hym to the maystre of the temple at London that he shulde ponnysh hym accordynge to their statutes Rogerus Houeden libro secundo historiae Anglorum The hospytelers and Templars were two fygtinge orders instituted firste in the contreye of Palestyne or holy land as they call it for the only defence of Christen pylgrymes goyng to and fro In processe of tyme they grewe to so great rychesse that as the adage goeth the doughter deuoured the mother They exempted themselues froÌ„ the paâ—ryarkes iurysdyccyon whiche was their first father and foundar and bicame seruauntes to the great Antichrist of Rome Not onely to fyll all that lande with his fylthie supersticyons but also to brynge the profyghtes to his insacyable handes that were gathâ—red from all other nacyons For where as colleccyons were to maynteyne those warres Roger Hourden sayth that alwayes a Templar was one gatherer and an hospyteler was an other But in the ende about the yeare of our lorde a thousand thre hundreth and twelue they had their deserued rewarde for than were the Templars destroyed Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Aegidius Faber Ioannes Paleonydorus Ioannes Nauclerus Paulus Phrigio atque Polydorus ☞ A crowne of Pecockes fethers sent to kynge Henrye ROger Houeden writeth it as a matter seryouse and earnest that in the yeare of our lord a M. a. C. and. lxxxvi Pope Vrbane the thirde hearynge tell that kynge Henry had appoynted his yongar sonne Iohan to the lattre conquest of Irelande sent hym a crowne of Pecockes fethers fynely wouen and wrought togyther with golde The next yeare after he sent one Octauian a Cardynall and Hugh Nouaunt whyche was byshopp of Couentry and Chestre as legates from hys ryghte syde to haue crowned the seyd Iohan kynge of Irelande But the kynge not beynge so Pecockysh as he iudged hym dyscretely and wysely deferred the tyme tyll the Cardynall was gone Se what fyue toyes these foÌ„de fathers had in their crafty heades to mocke Christen prynces with for aduauntage Here was a gnat workemanly strayned out to swalowe in a camell for it He was at great cost that sent Pecockes fethers So was it a precyouse kyngedome towardes whose kynge shuld haue bene crowned with them But I maruele that he sent not therwith a foxes tayle for a scepture and a whode with two eares Rightly hath the scriptures set out thys generacyon for mocâ—â—rs Hierem. xx A great dissensyon arose the same tyme at Canterbury betwene Baldewyne the archebyshopp and the couent of monkes bicause he had begonne to buylde a newe college of secular prestes next ioynynge to them They caused Pope Vrbane the thirde to dyssolue it agayne fearynge therby in processe to haue lost their pryuylege of electynge their archebyshoppes and so not to haue their pleasures as they had afore Wherupon he was compelled to remoue his buyldynge from thens to Lambheth by Westmynstre Radulphus de Diceto Rogerus Houeden Ranulphus Treuisa Fabianus ☞ A bishop made both an earle and high iustyce IMmedyatly after kynge Rycharde the fyrste was crowned and sworne to defende all Antichristes affaires in the yeare of our lord a. M. a. C. lxxxix the byshop of Durham Hugh Pusath for a great summe of moneye bought of hym the earledome of Northumberlande And whan the kynge shulde do the ceremonye ouer hym of makynge an earle and was girdynge the swearde about him Se saith he to his lordes and noble men what a miracle I can do I can make of an olde byshop a yong earle Am not I thinke yow a very connynge artyfycer Lyke frates he played manye in the same yeare in makynge prelates barons and vycountes to haue ryches to hys pleasure In thys the kynge thought he mocked them but they mocked hym after a farre other sort in the ende Thys dotyng byshop was not yet all satisfied but added therunto a. M. markes more to be admytted the high iustyce of Englande And for that he myght dwel at home wythoute checke and polle at his pleasure he gaue to the pope an vnreasonable summe of moneye to be dispensed wyth for his vowe to the holye lande and obtayned it After thys he decreed wyth