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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18104	The originall of popish idolatrie, or The birth of heresies Published under the name of Causabon [sic], and called-in the same yeare, upon misinformation. But now upon better consideration reprinted with alowance. Being a true and exacte description of such sacred signes, sacrifices and sacraments as have bene instituted and ordained of God since Adam. With a newe source and anatomie of the Masse, first gathered out of sundrie Greeke and Latine authors, as also out of diuerse learned fathers. Published by S.O.; Originall of idolatries.	Darcie, Abraham, fl. 1625.; Ofwod, Stephen.; Casaubon, Isaac, 1559-1614.	1630 (1630)	STC 4748; ESTC S107605	102,805	138

Steven was put to death saith That the faith of Christ did spread over all the world by the multitude of them which fled And St. Paul wrote to the Church at Rome about 21. years after hee saith The faith of Christ was published throughout all the world which was before Peter came at Rome Act. 28.22 Rom. 1.8 16.26 And it doth appeare that those which planted the Gospell in Brittaine came not from the Romaine Church because they did so much dissent in ceremonies for the observation of Easter day which is one of the ancientest traditions they did dissent from Rome 700. yeares and although Austine the Monk did corrupt the Church with the Romane superstitions yet hee was opposed by many learned Brittaines and they sent unto Augustine to confer with him concerning their differences they did agree to have a meeting where Austine came with his learned men and the Brittaine Churches sent thither one Donatus with 7. Bishops where they met at a place called Austines oake there it doth appeare that they could not agree on which Austine did threaten them with warre if they would not receive his superstitions And as Segebertus saith Beda Baleus Galfridus and others Beda lib. 2. Austine would have them to receive Altars and Gregorius Masse-bookē and the Crucifix and Procession observation of Easter-day as the Romanes did which they did oppose that they did so contend and strive in this contention that there was blood-shed in this assembly upon which Austine did threaten to stirre up warres against them the which wee find hee did and caused many to be murthered and although hee prevailed against them Fox in folio 131. Anno 798. yet Mr. Fox doth shew that when Charles the Great did send into England to the King Bishops and Nobility for to receive the Romane ceremonies Images in the Churches they appointed Albinus to answer it which hee did when he had answered it they did well approve of it sent it with the booke to Charles King of France and appointed this Albinus to go to him with it And howsoever it hath since prevailed See the Chronicle of Panlus Meriall Anno 794. yet there was the same yeare a Counsell houlden at Franckford of 205. Bishops which did condemne the worshipping of Images and the second Counsell of Nice for establishing of them But it is objected Foxes booke is a booke of lyes therefore not to be credited I know the Papists doe so charge it but wee say how comes it then that they have wrote two Bookes against it and instanced sundry of those stories affirming them to be lyes unto which hee hath made answer in great modesty and so cleared their objections that all men of indifferent judgment may see they are meere calumniations He being a Noble Man and suffered so many arraignments and imprisonments and at last death itself and false charges one I will instance by reason it is allmost as rare as a black Swan and that is of the Lord Cobham whom these blasphemous men say was a rebell and that hee came against the King with an army of men to St. Gyles feildes the which doth very evidently appeare to be false as all may see in his answer imprinted in both his last impressions and yet for all this they have wrote a third booke after his death and never answered any thing unto his shewing them their false accusations Tit. 3.10.11 2. Thes 2.12 1. Tim. 4.2 but scoffing and wondering at his number of sheetes written yet a great part of his booke is in answer to their slanders Therefore I conclude they are such as the Apostle speakes of which have their conscience seared with an hot iron Anno 600. And thereto Galfridus Monumentisis in his center 6. Epistle saith That before Anstine the Monk came to Brittaine they had the profession of Christ more purely then he brought from Rome And Dagonus Bishop in London cōming as he travelled to an Inne where Austine was when hee understood that hee was in the house refused to stay there or so much as to drinke in the house by reason hee had so corrupted the worship of Christ And like as the Popes champions dealt in our land Anno 752. so we doe finde they did in other countries as here in the country now under the States Boniface Bishop of Vtrecht accompanied with 52. of which one was a Bishop and ten Priests and Monks travailed to Doekum in Friesland about 60. miles and there sent for the Officers of the Churches of Lewarden and thereabouts and they would compell them to receive the Romane ceremonies which they refused to doe and thereupon they fell at so great contention that the Bishops with all their train were killed Thus they were rewarded for their paines Looke Joan. Baka Lupus Frerariensis epist. 5. on Carolus Magnus Many Preachers or Bishops in Bavaria did much dislike the Bishop of Ments Anno 735. because hee brought in the Romane Ceremonies and they told him it was contrary to all truth equity for to stand with the Pope in disinheriting the right heire of the Crown of France and that hee did great evill in bringing-in Images teaching purgatory praying for the dead forbidding marriage to the Ministers and that hee himself had an evill report in that hee had women come in such manner to his house upon which this Bishop Boniface was very angry and he went to Gregory the Pope and complained of them the Pope sent for them and condemned them for hereticks for 14. years before hee banished fowr Preachers the land for refusing to observ his traditions Look Aventanus lib. 3 Kilinus Bishop of Whitzburgh a Schotsman travailled thorow France England and Dutchland Anno 687. for to perswade the Clergy to observe the Romane ceremonies which hee could not accomplish then hee caused to be sent unto him two other Messengers from the Pope Look Otthe Frisingenses lib. 5. cap. 13. and then they theatened them that they should bee forced to receive them for which the people sett upon them and beat them so sore that those three died of it And their Histories doe shew thus they dealt in moste parts of Christendom between the years 610. and 800. And then they doe write they were converted to the faith of the Roman Church whereas it is certain they perverted the faith for by the testimonie of Histories the faith of Christ was professed in those Countryes long before as I have partly related I have alledged some Fathers here to shew how it doth appeare that they have given testimony unto the truth we cōfesse not that I doe build my faith upon their writings or upon any man on earth I doe reverence the graces of God I find in them but my faith I build upon the word of God as the Apostle saith 2. Pet. 1.19 Wee have a sure word of the Prophets to

THE ORIGINALL OF POPISH IDOLATRIE OR The Birth of Heresies Published under the name of CAVSABON And called-in the same yeare upon misinformation But now upon better Consideration Reprinted with ALOWANCE Being a True and Exacte Description of such Sacred Signes Sacrifices and Sacraments as have bene instituted and ordained of GOD since ADAM With a newe source and Anatomie of the Masse first gathered out of sundrie Greeke and Latine Authors as also out of diverse learned FATHERS Published by S. O. Printed in the Yeare of our Saviour 1630. To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader this treatise came to my hande and I have perused it I saw it to be but a relation out of other ancient Histories how superstition was brought into the Church which made me to wonder that any who is not a lover of popery should suppresse it by reason it doth only shewe what others have written who lyved in those ages wherein they were brought into the Church I have therefore gott this treatise to be examined and viewed by sundry others who are not inferiour for giftes and learned artes to any who had a hand in suppressing this booke and all of them doe agree with me that those things which are related in it are to be found in the writtings of those Authors quoted in it therefore I take it that those which suppressed it if they be not Papists in their hearts yet they hould with the Papists that ignorance is the mother of devotion which is expresly against the Law of God And the Scriptures hould ignorance to be no better then Paganisme therefore the Apostle doth tell us that God shall come to judgment in flaming fyre rendring vengeance to all which knowe not God 2. Thes 1.8 Therefore those which contemne this means of knowing God much more they which suppresse the knowledge of God or his truth their end shal be wofull and accursed Our adversaries the Papists doe vanut much of antiquitie unto such as are not acquainted in ancient Histories saying that their religiō is the true religion of Christ which hath bene in all ages since the Apostles but this short treatise doth manifest otherwise if we search the Scriptures and ancient Histories we may find that all their boasting is mere delusion which doth vanish away and their Religion shal be found to be no other then the Scriptures have foretould to witt that Antichrist should arise in the Church of God and corrupt all the holy ordinances of God sett up his traditions command them to be observed above all the ordinances of God 2. Thes 2.3.4 Apoc. 12.11.12 1. Tim. 4. And although they have suppressed the testimonies of the faithfull witnesses of the truth which we produce against them yet we do find sufficient testimonies out of their owne writers that their religion was not receaved in many Churches till a thousand yeares after our Lords ascension and since brought to the height by Jnnocentius the third and Honorius Then by their owne Authors confession God did stirre up many thousands of wittnesses to his truth which we professe against their superstitions in all ages since the Lords truth hath not wanted some which did witnesse it even to the death by giving their lives for it And now this hundreth yeares the Lord hath given us in our land many excellent truthes to be maintained by lawes to be professed and embraced which many thousands have comfortably embraced and are departed this life in Christ and rest with him And now for our great sinnes the Lord doth beginne to take it away from our land as he hath done in other countries which have had it we see he hath sent them the sword with famine and great miseries and he hath shaken his rod against us to see if we will learne before it be too late and forsake all our great and haynous iniquities Christ tould the Iewes that those eighteene on whō the tower of Siloam fell were examples to them that except they did repent they should all perish so except wee reforme our great and crying transgressions we shal be ruinated and made an astonishment to all the world and although we are not the first who have drunk of this cup of Gods wrath yet we shall not receive the least part although the Lord have reserved the Dregges of his cup for the beast and his false teachers Wee may see the Angell of the Lord is executing of his wrath here and all the world is in an uproare round about us The whole frame of nature is out of order yet wee do not lament as we should therefore it doth prognosticate his plagues shall fall seven times heavier upon us The gospell of Iesus Christ is departing from us who can love his King and Country and not lament mourne feare least his fiere wrath should consume us all in this troublesome cruell desperate and bloodie age in which wee live now that warres rumoures of warres are sounding in every mans eares and Gods enemies make Havocke of his Churches and Servants and the Romane Antichrist doth prevayle Gods people at this day be grievously persecuted and murdered yea some consumed and devoured Alas it wil be too late to bring water to quench the fyre when the house is burnt to ashes This short treatise is to manifest the originall of the superstitions crept into the Churches how most of them came from the old heathenish Romanes except their Transubstantiation which is a grosser kind of Idolatrie thē ever was invented by any Pagane Christian Reader if you doe observe this treatise you may have wherewith to stop the mouthes of the Papists and behold whence their idolatrous Masse is derived I have in the end added some thing of my owne collecting most out of their owne Authors to shew the truth how long it is since their idol of their Breaden God came first into the Church S. O. THE AVTHORS EPISTLE TO THE READER MOst Christian Reader Considering the Controversies and bloudy hatred grown betwixt those who professe themselves Christians about religion for they aspiring to retain these vaine superstitions proceeding from their predecessors and many also not contented do invent new Sects Schisms and Heresies Others least in number divinely inspired and of God elected desire to extirpate the Darknesse of Ignorance thereby to cause resplendently to shine the Light and claritie of Truth But it seemes that the most dangerous Poyson that Satan useth to entoxicate men with the Venym of sedition and cruell contention and hatred derives chiefly from the Masse disguised with some good meaning masked and covered peradventure with a good intention And although that many heretofore have by sundry faithfull descriptions endevoured to discover to the world the deceitfulnes error blindnesse thereof yet could they not prevaile nor give light to their duskish and heavy sight Therefore now without any passion I have faithfully extracted and lively drawne out from the Volumes of ELASOPOLITANS

of the name of a Christian Whereunto they adde Constantine the Great that assembled the Counsell of Nice but his residence was in Greece called the Empire of the East yet he would never embrace the character of Baptisme to be regenerate by the blood of Christ till he was threescore five yeares old Hist. tripart lib 3. cap. 12 when he was Baptised by an Arian Bishop of Nicomedia named Eusebius When the same Constantine was at the point of death Wherefore Silvester Bishop of Rome need not vaunt of converting this Emperour to the Faith For the same Silvester likewise would not be present in the assembly of the Counsell held at Nice in the yeare of Iesus Christ 327. Howsoever the matter stands we must ever have recourse to the truth of Histories wherein is recited the answer which the Senate and Senators of Rome made to the Emperour Theodosius more then threescore yeares after the death of the said Constantine the great to wit that they would not receive the Law of Iesus Christ but rather observe their ancient Pompilian Law to avoid the ruine of their Common-wealth through a change alteration of Religion Wherefore it must needes bee inferred that the Law of GOD was not received nor approved at Rome by the Senate and Senatots Now we must come to the subsequent times Paul Aenul lib. 1. In the yeare 412. In the yeare 434. Bloa lib 2. Decad. 2. After the decease of Theodosius the Romane Westerne Empire began so much to decline that in a short space it was cleane extirpated by the Vandales and Alands who were the first that sacked Rome in part burned it and carryed away the Emperour Theodosius owne daughter whom they married to Atolphus King of the Gothes Not long after succeeded the Hunnes and then Attila King of the Gothes which usurped Jtalie About this time the Occidentall Romane Empire was stript of all Germany Dacia Sarmatia and all other tributarie Provinces even to Danubius Spaine also Aquitane Gascoyne Burgundie and all the Gaules revolted from the Romane Tyrannie Then came the Astrogothes with their Kings Procop lib. 3. Of the wars of the Vuādales in the yeare 486. In they are 550.554 Valamir and Theodomir Theodoric with other Barbarians and Infidels as I kewise the Visigothes all usurpers successively in Jtalie After this raigned Totilas who entred sackt and burnt Rome and all Sicilia At last the Lombardes came to raigne conducted by their King Alboim who usurped over all Italie These barbarous Idolatrous Paul Aemil. lib. 1. in the yeare 568. and Infidell Nations were as Gods scourges ordained to punish the Romaine defections committed by them who had received the knowledge of the holy Gospell and yet ranne astray from the true adoration and worship of God violated and corrupted the holy Sacraments by their humane invent ons and fictions in like manner to punish the obstinacie and infidelity of the Emperours and Senators of Rome who first by their Officers and Lieuetenants Deputies had caused Iesus Christ and his holy Apostles to bee crucified daily persecuted the Christians and ever opposed the Law Euangelicall to maintaine their Pompilian Religion We may therefore resolve and conclude that for the space of foure hundred yeares the Romane Church of Emperours and Senators were alwaies opposites and enemics to the Law of Iesus Christ Afterwards when the Westerne Empire was extinguished for three hundred yeares or thereabouts that Rome all Italie was rulde and governed by Kings Princes and Dukes that were Infidels and Idolaters which was by the Wandales by the Gothes by the Hunnes Ostrogothes Visigothes Lumbard for the space of seaven hundred yeares or thereabouts after the Incarnation of Iesus Christ there was no Emperours Kings nor Princes at Rome that would embrace the Law of Iesus Christ The which I desired briefly to produce to the end the Reader might not thinke it strange though I here set downe how the sacrifice of the Masse tooke originall from the auncient Ethnicke Religion Instituted by Numa more then seaven hundred yeares before the Incarnation of Iesus Christ and that since also the same sacrifice hath beene continued by the Romane Idolaters hardened inveterated in their Pompilian Religion which they would never abandon nor give over CHAP. XI The first greatnesse of Popes proving Antichrists and bringing in the sacrifice of the Masse NOw to the end nothing might be concealed out of the Romane histories to obscure the clearenesse sun-shine of truth during the Tyranny and usurpation of the above mentioned Nations In the yeare 572. Platin Blond volaterad Paul Aemil. lib. 10. Blond lib. 10 there was erected in Italie a petty Exarcate at Ravenna which stood for an hundred eighty three yeares till it was supprest by a Pope who was invested in the same and encroacht upon Sant Peters Chaire by a Donation or Dismission wrought by Pepyn in the yeare 758. in requitall of the Tyrannie used by Zacharias a Greeke Romane Pope who depriv'd the true heires of the Crowne of France which were Chilperic or Childeric whom hee shut up in a Monasterie to conferre the Kingdome upon the said Pepyn Blond lib. 1. Decad. 2. Paul Enul lib. 2. sonne to Charles Martell the Bastard This Donation of Pepyns bestowed on the great Romane Pontife was the first Originall of the exaltatiō eminencie of the Romane Popes who to this day remaine the Exarcate of Ravenna since about eight hundred yeares with many Townes along the coast of the Adriatick assign'd over to them by Pepyn against the expresse prohibitions of Constantine then raigning Emperour of the East in Greece While this pettie Exarcate continued at Ravenna a time before Pepyns Donation The first apparant Antichrist In the yeare 588. the Bishop of the place seeing that there were no more Emperors at Rome tyranniz'd govern'd by barbarous and miscreant Nations began to lift up his hornes so as hee would be preferred before the Bishop of Rome and stile himselfe head of the Church both he and his successours Bishops of Ravenna while the Exarcate lasted This was the first petty Antichrist that assum'd a Tyrannie in the Church Sabellic pursuing the terrestriall Tyrannie of his Exarcate After him rose another great Antichrist in Constantinople In the veare 600. Blond lib. 1. Greg lib. 4. of epist. cha 29. named John Bishop of the place who perceiving the Occidentall Empire of Rome cleane extinguished that of Constantinople risen to a great heigth he grew also affected to the worldly Tyrannie conformable thereunto erected one Spirituall in the Church of Iesus Christ By a Councell held for the purpose he denounced himselfe to be oecumenicall Bishop which signifies generall head of all the Church But presently after the great Romane Pontifes tooke so good a course herein that by treason the Emperour Mauricius was cruelly slaine in Constantinople In the yeare 604. Plarin Sabellic himselfe his wife family by

and places of the holy Scripture is said to bee the water the Stone also to bee Christ Even so the bread is said to bee his body which three places must be understood interpreted to bee sacred signes figures then when this very author said Christ Iesus uttered these words Hoc est Corpus meum this is my Body in presenting and breaking bread to his Disciples hee gave them the signe of his body for otherwise it should seeme to bee a thing both inhumane and unlawfull to devoure the pretious flesh blood of Iesus Christ if there were not the figure of the bread and wine for to keepe in memory his flesh and blood the body of Christ having beene sacrificed to God his Father for our life and eternall nourishment Againe the same Author used this interpretation Lib. 10. de Caut. des cap. 5. ea sacrificium de cōsc dist 2 Tertul. lib. 1 3.4 Etiquid paras dentem ventrem crede māduca●● ea ut quid de consec dict 2 Aug. in lib. demmed paeniteud in Ioan. tra 25. cap. 6. The Sacrament visible is the new Testament that is to say The sacred signe of the invisible sacrifice the like interpretations are described by Tertullian against that hereticke Marcion Christus acceptum Panū Corpus suum fecit dicendo Hoc est Corpus meum id est figura Corporis mei Wherefore then O Missalians have you not followed the authority of these holy Doctors of the Church which would not blaspheme against God by the Magick of transubstantiatiō bat have freelly and vertuously acknowledged the Sacrament to be a visible signe or sacred figure signifying by faith spirit that which is invisible Wherefore do you prepare the mouth the belly for to devoure the body and blood of Christ corporally really and carnally Why offer you not your selfes by true and lively faith for to eate worthily Christ Iesus Why have you not understood the manducation of the body of Christ by the notable distinction of that loarned Doctor St. Ierome saying S. Hieron in Epist ad Ephes Ca. dupliciter eadem distinct The flesh of Christ Iesus is to be understood carnally when it is spoken of the shedding his blood and crucifying of his body for our salvation but spiritually when it is said that his flesh is the meat for us to eate For another proofe S. Gelase against Entychius and Nestorius I will alledge that learned Prelate Gelase Bishop of Rome the which disputing against the heretickes Eutichines and Nestorians doth afirme the bread and wine consecrated and made Sacraments are neverthelesse in substance bread and wine but to be signes of the body and blood of Christ Iesus by the mystery of the Sacrament And if ye desire larger testimonies S. Ambrose in the book of Sacraments cap. 1. 11. S. Ambrosius upon the Epistle of S. Paul to the Corhintians hath explicated and made manifest that the eating of the bread and the drinking of the wine doth signifie the flesh and the blood of Christ Iesus offered for us Origen likewise in his Homilies Origen in Lev hem 7. teacheth the Sacraments to bee figures which wee ought to examine really and not carnally Because saith hee that those words Hoc est Corpus meum not understood spiritually kils the soule when he writes to eate the flesh of Christ Wherefore St. Chrysostome admonished the people to honour that holy Sacrament in offring himselfe his soule to God S. Chrysost hom 31. cap. 15. tont 1. for the which Christ Iesus was crucified and that by that holy Sacrament of bread and wine is signified to us the similitude of the body and blood of Iesus Christ For the resolution wee must follow and be ruled according to the instruction and interpretation of our holy Saviour Christ Iesus and his Apostles to honour and reverence his holy Sacraments instituted of him by extorior signes to lift up our hearts and raise our spirits and minds to Heaven Psa 12. for to comprehend that which by those signes is represented to us and not to esteeme hold and account them a vaine picture or apparitions but endevour to receive them worthily by lively faith and vertue of the Holy Ghost to the end to be fed and nourished with celestiall bread to the salvation of our soules thereby to attaine life eternall Let us then be assured in Christ Iesus as members of his body 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 12. that wee may be reduced and brought all into one unity for to communicate and eate the same bread drink the same wine compounded of many graines united together to the end that wee may say with the holy Apostle All wee faithfull are the body of Christ Iesus saved redeemed by his holy body crucified and pretious blood shed for us and so remaining permanent in faith in Christ Iesus in eating his body and drinking his blood to beleeve firmely to have beene crucified and risen from the dead D. August in Ioan. tract 30. Art 1. 3. ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God his Father untill that hee returnes as hee is ascended with his humanity and neverthelesse his Almighty power and Divinity to be distributed to us and diffused in earth and in all places especially in his holy Sacraments which hee hath left us for a pledge and exteriour approbation of our faith for memory and recordation of the death and passion of our Saviour IESVS CHRIST FINIS Invincible proofes that Transubstantiation is but of late yeares gathered out of authentick Authours and confessed by the most learned of the Papists NOw to manifest that the Church of Christ taught none other doctrine cōcerning the Lord Supper then the reformed Churches doe teach for one thousend years since Christ here I doe produce undenyable testimonies First the Book of Alfricus Archbishop of Canterbury Anno 996. in the raigne of Etheldred King of England which book doth remain in the Library at Exeter and a coppy of part of it dedicated to King Henry the 8. by Doctor Cranmer And by the same booke Alfricus having translated So. Sermons out of Latin into the Saxon tongue of which hee made two bookes and hee was of such learning and eloquence and of such worthy esteem in the Churches of England that wheras they made a book of Canons after his death to govern the clergy they did collect out of some generall counsells other ancient Fathers in which they did insert two of the Sermons in that book of Alfrieus his translation into the Saxon language the one was read in the church on Easterday before they received the Lords Supper and there anie may read it in the Saxon language or in English recorded by Mr. Fox and there are two of these books extant and one of them is to be seen in the Library at Exeter and the Italians and French did not understand the Saxon language I

Archdeacon Anno 1167 he wrote a book very learnedly in which he proved Rome was that Babylon St. Iohn wrote of in the Apocalypse and that all their clergy were adversaries to the Gospell of Iesus Christ and the very Calvs of Bethell and Dan and Baals Priests and Egyptian Idolaters they selling all things for monie S e Trethinius Gesnerus Peter Conster a Priest at Troyes a man of great learning Anno 1182. and an eloquent Oratour he wrote 20. books and sundry Sermons in which he doth prove the clergy neglect the Word of God and feed the people with their own inventions and that the Church goods which belong to the poore they consume wickedly he affirmeth them to be false brethren for which the wrath of God shall fall on them See Trethemius Vens●nttus I will now sett down some testimonies of some of those Of those which were banished suffered death Anno 1105. which did testify the Lords truth the time this idolatry was in hatching Before there was any generall Lawe to maintain this Transubstantiation I finde under the Bishop of Trare four persons banished and accompted hereticks for that they affirmed the bread and wine doe remain in their former substance at the Lords Supper after the words of consecration They denyed the Pope to have authority over other Churches See the Catologue of the Bishop of Trare Doctour Fulck in his answere to the Rhemish Testament See Reve 17.4 doth say that the church of Leedium before this was under great persecution under Pope Pascus for affirming him Antichrist Two Preachers in France one named Peter Breves Anno 1135. the other is called Hendrick van de Tollhouse they were well known in France and of good estimation for their great learning and they did much bewaile the Apostacy of the church and they spared no man of any degree whatsoever they were affirming that they were fallen from the estate of grace and from Christ and they affirmed the Pope to be the Prince of Sodom and the Citty of Rome to be the Mother of all abhomination that all the Bishops were cruel Wolves they detested the doctrine of Transubstantiation and affirmed the Masse prayer for the dead was Idolatrie before God and that Images the Crosse might not be prayed unto nor suffred in the Churches That the Priests manner of singing was mockery before God that praying to Saincts and vowing of Chastity and their manner of building Temples and observing of Holydayes were superstitious and wicked and all humane inventions in Gods worship wicked Idolatrie These men continued in their preaching twenty years and having great refort coming to their preaching of all sorts and estates at last they were apprehended by the Popes commaund by a Legate of his and Peter Brise was burned a St. Ioyls the other was apprehended committed to prison but what came of him we finde not but the followed great persecution many of their Disciples went to their death joyfully Look the 65. and 66. Letters of Barnod to the Earle of St. Ioylls There wrote against them Peter Abbott of Clugnam which Barnod did record and in likelyhood with envy See the Cronicle of Paulus Meriam Ilyricus in his boock Detesbus Anno 1158. speaketh of two called Gurhardus and Dulcinus who did preach diligently against the Church of Rome affirming that prayer was no better in one place then another and that the Pope was Antichrist and the Prelates and Clergy of Rome were rejected and the very whore of Babylon prefigured in the Apocalyps These two Preachers came into England and brougt with them thirty in the raigne of King Henry the Second and by means of the Prelats they were imprisoned and branded in the cheeck and banished the land and after putt to death by the Pope This yeare was Peter Waldus called in question Anno 1160. for that hee taught the truth of the Gospel against the Popes superstition The meanes of his conversion was this He being a rich merchant of Lions some say he was a Magistrate sundry of the Merchants being together merry suddenly one of them was strucken dead and so the rest being strucken with great feare he gave himselfe to prayer and reading the Scriptures good bookes and instructed his Familie in the grounds of Christian Religion shewing them the great superstition of the Romish Church so that they had forsaken the Heavenly Truth which the Apostles planted in steade thereof they did burdē their consciences with superstition And hee being very rich gave much goods weekely to the poore instructed them well in the grounds of religion so that many came to his godly exhortations and to conferre with him concerning the truth of the Gospell He kept sundry learned men in his house he caused good bookes to be translated in the French language He himselfe was learned as doth appeare by a parchment writing of his owne hand in which he had collected the Fathers into a good forme as that writing sheweth First the Bishops and Priests sent unto him and forbad him to have any mo such meetings in his house upon payne of excommunication to which he gave this answer That it was his dutie to teach his houshould the grounds of religion wheras his neighbours came to heare him he did not find wher that he ought to forbid them but he was assured it was his dutye to teach his houshould he would obey the voice of Christ when he was called into question that which they layd to his charge was that hee affirmed that the Masse was abominable before God and that hee denyed any more Sacraments then Baptisme and the Lords Supper and that it was an abomination to offer for the dead and that Purgatory was the invention of men that there was no ground in the Scripture for it for the Faithfull go presently to joy after this life that honouring of Images praying to Saincts was idolatrie that the Church of Rome was the Whore of Babylon that Christians ought not to obey the Pope or the Bishops because they were no better then Wolves to destroy the Church and that they ought not to meddle with the temporall sword and that their additions of mo Sacraments then two was wicked Item that the Vowe of chastity was found to be Sodomitrie that the many orders of the Monks was the marke of the Beast abominable against Christ For friers were not then hatched that celebrated dayes for dead men all inventions of men in Gods worship were ungodly And because the Popes champion Bernard who is saincted for his worke Peter of Clumin write so spightfully of them charging them with sundry heresies and that they denie childrens baptisme I will set downe the testimonie of one who was a bloody persecutor of them as it is in a little booke that he wrote against the Waldenses about the yeare 1270. wherein when hee hath spoken all