will you say to such madnes 130. And truly to me he seemeth not to be M. Hall ouerthrowne by his owne groundes more mad then blind for otherwise he would neuer haue proclaimed this freedome of 700. years seeing the very forme of wordes vsed by his owne sacred Synod doth so strongly withstand his fond collection for there it is decreed in these wordes Qui sunt in sacris coniugia deinceps ex Concil Trullan cap. 13. hoc temporis momento firma stabilia esse volumus We will that the marriages of such as be in holy orders from this tyme forward be firme and valid for in case this freedome had beene before common neuer doubted of but acknowledged by all why did they vse this forme of wordes â— why did they say from this tyme forward for why did they name the tyme forward which in al the tyme backward had beene still in vse neuer in question were it not a ridiculous decree if it should now by act of Parlament be enacted that from this tyme forward the King of EnglaÌ„d should be reputed to haue title to the Crowne of France which for almost three hundred years he hath taken and possessed If he say that the Roman Church withstood this pretended custome and against that this decree was made I graunt both the one and the other and thereof inferre this freedom to be counterfait as neuer in vse in the Latin Church and as then the Roman vse contradicted the Grecian so doth the French King now contradict our Soueraigne about this title not permitting any booke to be printed there wherin he is stiled King of France and yet doth not this opposition hinder but that such a decree in England were foolish and so is this in Greece if still they had beene in free possession of their wiues as they were neuer before that tyme when by too much flattering the Emperours they layd the first foundatioÌ„ of their future schisme which hath brought them to that most miserable thraldome in which now they liue and may both be an example and terrour of Gods iust reuenge to all others that make the like attempts 131. It is pitty M. Hall that when you got the Rethoricke lesson in Cambrige you had not got the Logicke for in case you had taught Logicke you would haue seene the folly and feeblenes of your inference rather haue made the contrary illation to that which you haue heere made for I appeale to all puny Sophisters in Cambrige whether it be not a better inference to say this thing is decreed from this instant for the tyme forwards to be obserued Ergo before it was not in vse then to dispute as you do thus from this instant forward this shall be allowed Ergo alwayes before it was approued All the walls and windowes from the Hall to the Kitchen may mourne to see an Vniuersity man to haue so little wit as to conclude so fondly and yet you do much worse when you argue that the Trullan false Councel allowed marryed men to be made Priests Ergo before it was lawfull for Ecclesiasticall men to marry when as before that tyme it was alwayes vnlawfull and in that very Councell it is not permitted but in plaine tearmes prohibited for any Clergy men to marry 132. This then being so that this Councel maketh not for you that it contradicteth it self that it brought in a new law in despight of the Roman Church that it was not only a prouinciall but a false and schismaticall meeting that it was neuer allowed that the Authors were seuerely punished by God as well the Patriarcke as the Emperour that the chiefe Pastour condemned it that your selfe do not vnderstand it and on the other side that all the other Synods are beyond exception sincere Catholike lawfull and authenticall I may say to M. Hall as S. August in Iulian. l. 2. cap. vltim Augustine did to Iulian the Pelagian Vsque adeo permiscuit imis summa longus dies vsque adeo tenebrae lux lux tenebrae esse dicuntur vt videant Pelagius Celestius Iulianus caeci sint Hilarius Gregorius Ambrosius Hath tract of tyme so confounded all things togeather turned them vpside downe is darknes so far forth become light and light darknes that the Trullan Councell alone could see the others of all Asia Europe and Affricke were blinded And in the precedent booke hauing alleadged some few Fathers of speciall note he turneth his speach vnto Iulian and sayth as I now Lib. 1. in Iulian. c. 4. say vnto M. Hall and therefore put his name and errours insteed of Iulians Introduxi te in sanctorum Patrum pacificum honor andumque conuentum sit opâ—rae pretiuÌ„ obsecro te aspice illos quomodo aspicientes te c. I haue brought you into the peacable and honourable assembly of the holy Fathers I pray you let me not leese my labour behold them as it were beholding you and meekely and gently saying vnto you is it so indeed M. Hall are we mainteyners of the marriage of Clergy men I pray you what will you answere them how will you looke vpon them what arguments will you deuise what predicaments of Aristotle with which as a sharp disputer that you may assaile vs you desire to be esteemed cuÌ„ning what edge of glosse of your feeble arguments or leadeÌ„ daggers will dare to appeare in their sight what weapons of yours wil not fly out of your hands and leaue you naked will you say perchance that you haue accused none of them by name But what will you do when they all shall say vnto you that it had beene better you had railed at our names then at our Religion by the merit of which our names are written in heauen And a little after Iterum te admoneo iterum rogo aspice tot ac tales Ecclesiae Catholicae desensoret Ibid. atque rectores vide quibus tam grauem tam nesariam irrogaueris iniuriam Againe I warne you againe I intreate you behold so many and so worthy defenders and Gouernours of the Catholike Church see to whome you haue offered this grieuous and wicked iniury So S. Augustine 133. And heere to end if so many lawfull Councells against one schismaticall so ancient against so moderne so expresse decrees against one so intricate as that it maketh more against our Aduersaries then for them so many holy The conclusion of all this Trullan Controsy Bishops against a few seditious and turbulent Prelates so many Countreys against one Prouince yea all Asia Europe and Affrike against one corner of the world if the purer ages and Apostolicall tymes against the later when through the pride of those Princes Patriarches people they began to kindle the coles of that whereof now we see the flames and execrable combustion be not sufficient to moue M. Hall to looke backe but that copper if he list shall still be pure good light darknes and darcknes
incōtinent Clergy men of Germany though liuing in the same age yet neuer mentioned S. Vdalricks epistle beene concealed but againe and againe beene produced insisted on and vrged to the vttermost 30. Or in case there had then been so smal intercourse betweene England and Germany as in more then ten or twelue yeares a matter of this brute and fame should be written in one Countrey and nothing thereof heard of or known in the other our Kings at that tyme being of the Saxon race yet how came it to passe that in the tyme of Henry the fourth Emperour when this practise was by him permitted and the Priests no lesse insolent then against the impugners of their incontinency then our Ministers are eager now for their wiues in two Synods one at Erphorde 1074. and the other the next yeare after at Mentz to omit other combats against Gregory the seauenth all which happened within the compasse of one age after S. Vdalricke how came it I say to passe that none of these Germā Priests could find this letter or so much as giue any notice therof especially Auspurg it self being taken by that wicked Emperour rifeled by the souldiers and razed to the ground No man there is which seeth not what aduantage they had gotten thereby and the thing hapning in their owne Countrey could not but haue beene knowne to some or other if not to all of that incontinent company and so many fauourers of theirs writing for them against the Pope some one or other had registred it in their behalfe which yet hitherto was neuer done and the Emperour would haue been most glad to haue had such a record to haue vexed the Pope withall and checked his decree in case any such had beene knowne or heard of in his dayes In the tyme of S. Vdalricke there was no controuersy in Germany about the marriage of Priests 31. Againe in all the tyme that S. Vdalricke was Bishop no Pope euer had any occasion to deale or treat of this point in Germany and nothing was euer done therin by any vnder whom he liued which were diuers for he was Bishop fifty yeares and many Popes in that time liued but two or three some not so much but one yeare only so as there was no cause why any such decree should be made or thought vpon or that such a letter should be written for all the variance that was in his tyme about the marriage of Priests was in England only where three yeares before the Saints death a Councell was held and the decrees which were made against the incontinent by all the Bishops of the whol land assembled about the same were after sent vnto Pope Iohn the 13. who confirmed them wherof the chiefest was that either they should put their women from them or themselues be put from their Ecclesiasticall possessions which nothing concerned S. Vdalricke and by all likely hood he neuer so much as heard thereof and if on this occasion he had written this letter to Nicholas the first it had byn of a very stale date to wit of more then a hundred years after that Pope his death 32. And as these things demonstrate S. Huldericke not to haue beene the writer so if we a little examine what is written the contents I S. Huldericks letter against the Protestants meane of this letter we shall find how far it is from all learning wit and truth as no man would offer to be cast in his cause therein vnles it be some out-cast indeed that careth for neither cause credit or conscience at all for to omit Supemacy that this letter acknowledgeth the Popes Supremacy against all Protestants and band of obseruing the vows of such as haue vowed continency against M. Hall for of the first the Authour sayth I doubted what the members of the body should do their head being so greatly out of frame for what can be more grieuous or more to be lamented touching the state of the Church then for you being the Bishop of the principall Sea to whome appertayneth the regiment of the whole Church to swarue neuer so little out of the right way So he And yet this now in England is treason by Parlament to say I meane that the Bishop of Rome is head Vowes of chastity to be obserued supreme Gouernour of the whole Church which heere as you see by this graue and learned authour as M. Fox calleth him is so plainly confessed of the other also thus truth it selfe speaking of continency not of one only but of all togeather the number only excepted of them which haue professed continency sayth he that can take let him take Which exception ouer throweth M. Hals impossible necessity togeather with the doctrin of their Church where the practical exposition of the former words is the Fryer or Priest that can take a Nunne to his wife let him take her and that without any exception at all 33. To omit this I say what a grosse and palpable vntruth is that which the Authour auerreth against such as vrged the testimony of A notorious lye in the counterfeit epistle of S. Huldrick S. Gregory for the continency of Clergy men when he sayth whose temerity I laugh at and ignorance I lament for they know not being ignorantly deceaued how dangerously the decree of this heresy was being made of S. Gregory who afterwards well reuoked the same with condigne fruit of repentance But this reuocatory decree this repentance or that the continency of Priests was an heresy in S. Gregoryes opinion are no lesse monstrous then malicious assertions neuer knowne or heard of til this letter came forth or recorded by any for the space of more then nyne hundred yeares after S. Gregoryes death that euer we can read of and so much being written of his life by Ioannes Diaconus by S. Bede Ado Freculphus and others that this by them al should be forgotten which hapned vpon so remarkable an occasion as neuer the like before or since hath euer hapned is a thing that exceeds my capacity to conceaue or any man els of iudgment to imagine and if such rotten rags may be once admitted for solid arguments there is no ground so sure but will soone be shaken and all proofs from authority will be quite taken away for any light head may soone frame more of these fictions then there are heads feigned to haue beene found in S. Gregoryes pond 34. And wheras the Councell of Rome before S. Gregory still vrged the continency of the Clergy cyted was held not long before his death in which it is decreed that if any Priest or Deacon marry a wise he be accursed And of Subdeacons he so often had determined that they should not marry nor be marryed when they were made and that no women should dwell with Priests but such as the Canons allow it well sheweth Greg. l. 1. ep 42. l. 3. ep 5. 34. l. 7. ep 112.
turne and casting away their wiues quas praeter ius The marriage of Priests against law and conscience faâ—que sibi copulauerant which against all law and conscience they had marryed they did marry others and bestowed all their tyme in gluttony drunkenes which the Bishop not enduring with the consent of King Edgar thrust them all out So he And were not these honest men indeed trow you worthy of M. Godwins prayse and compassion and how was their marriage then esteemed lawfull why by so learned and vertuous a man is tearmed to be against law and conscience which can be for no other reason then for the solemne vow of chastity annexed vnto their order 97. If from priuate authority we will draw this matter to more publicke we shall find that by S. Dunstane three Councells were called to wit at London VVinchester and Calne and this marriage coÌ„demned in them all Another CouÌ„cell was called after at VVinchester 1070. and the Marriage of Priests condemned by many Councells in England same againe renewed in the yeare 1102. S. Anselm called a Councell which was held at S. Peters Church in VVestminster that by the common consent of al the Bishops the Nobility King himselfe in which Councell the noble men also were present not as Iudges or dealers in Ecclesiasticall affayres nor yet out of any right or duety which they could claime in that Court Malmes l. de Pontif. Angliae in Anselmo Houeden Florentius Matt. Paris Matth. Vestmonaster in ann 1102. but as Malmesbury writteth Huic Conuentui affuerunt Archiepiscopo Anselmo petente à Rege Primates Regni c. At this assembly at the request of the Archbishop Anselme made to the King were present the noble men of the Kingdom that therby whatsoeuer should be decreed by the authority of the Councell might by the vniforme care solicitude of both orders be put in execution So he And of this Councell the decrees are extant in Malmesbury where touching this point by common agreement of all thus it was defined 98. That no Archdeacon Priest Deacon Chanon marry a wife or keep her whome he hath marryed and the same of a Subdeacon after his vow of chastity that a Priest as long as he keepeth vnlawfull company with a woman be not Legall nor say Masse nor if he do that his Masse be heard that none take Subdeaconship or any higher order without the vow of chastity that the children of Priests be not heirs of their Fathers Churches So there And six years after which was the last before his death he called another the Charter whereof is extant in Florentius and Houeden it beginneth thus Haec sunt statuta de Archidiaconibus Presbyteris Diaconious Subdiaconibus Canonicis in quocuÌ„que gradu constitutis c. These are the statutes which Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury and with him Thomas A famous Councell in which the King to wit Henry the first all the Bishops nobility were present the elect of Yorke and all the Bishops of England in the presence of our renowned King Henry with the assent of his Earles and Barons decree in the yeare of our Lord 1108. concerning Archdeacons Priests Deacons Subdeacons Canons of what degree soeuer So the inscription and for that the assembly was so great honourable and the decree so plaine and grounded on antiquity to which it doth appeale in the very entrance I haue thought it requisite heere entierly to insert it that it may also be extant in our English tongue Thus then it goes 99. It is decreed that Priests Deacons and Subdeacons do liue chastly haue no women in their houses besids their neerest kinsfolkes according to that which the holy Councell of Neece hath defined But such Priests Deacons Subdeacons as after the interdiction of the Councell of London immediatly before mentioned The strict decrees of the Coun-of LondoÌ„ against the incontinent Clergy haue kept their wiues or marryed others if they will any more say Masse let them put them away so far from them that neither the women enter into their houses nor they into the houses of the women neither let them purposely meet in any other house neither let such womeÌ„ dwel in the territory or precincts of the Church if vpon some iust occasion they must speake togeater let them speake without the dores before two witnesses but if by two or three lawfull witnesses or publike report of the parishioners any one shal be accused to haue transgressed this decree he shall purge himselfe by bringing six competent witnesses of his owne order if he be a Priest if he be a Deacon foure two if a Subdeacon and he who failes heerein shall be adiudged a transgressour of the sacred decree But such Priests as contemners of the diuine Altar and holy orders haue chosen rather to dwell with their women let them be remoued from their diuine office depriued of all Ecclesiastical liuing and being declared infamous be put out of that rancke or order but he who out of stubbornes and contempt shal not leaue his woman and shall presume to say masse if he be called to make satisfaction shall refuse to come let him be excommunicated The same declaratory sententence comprizeth all Archdeacons and Canons if by them the statutes be transgressed either of leauing their women or auoyding their dwelling with them or for the distriction of the censure againe all Archdeacons shal sweare that they shall take no bribes for permitting the transgression of this decree neither shall they suffer Priests whome they know to haue women to sing Masse or appoint their substitutes and the Deanes also shall sweare the same and the Archdeacon or Deane who shall refuse to sweare shall leese his Archdeaconry or Deanry But the Priests who shal resolue with themselus by leauing their women to serue God and the holy altars for forty dayes forbearing their office shall haue for that tyme their substitutes in which tyme such pennance shall be enioyned them as shall seeme fit to the Bishop to impose So far this Councell 100. I pretermit others of later tymes whereof one of them was called vnder this King Henry the first and in the same were present such Bishops as both Huntingdon and out of him verbatim trusty Roger his Eccho I meane Houeden say that they were Columna Regni radij sanctitatis hoc tempore The pillars of the Kingdome and Houeden anno 1175. shining beames of sanctity at this tyme and another vnder his Nephew the second Henry who was also present therin called by Richard of Canterbury both which were held at London and both condemned this incestuous mariage and the like did diuers others after these which are confessed by our Aduersaryes and need not heere to be alleadged for that which already hath beene sayd of the Councells of S. Dunstane in one of which was King Edgar and these others of S. Anselme with the other particuler testimonyes before
subuerted So he And were it not for others of more indifferent iudgment we should surcease from all labour of further writing but their saluation we earnestly thirst howsoeuer we distrust of these Ministers reclaime And so much heereof Now let vs come to the Letter it selfe Very louing Syr THE letter you sent me by the English passenger came very The occasion of writing this letter late to my hands which I impute to the negligence or misfortune of him who shold haue deliuered it and it must excuse my delay in returning the Answere which I suppose you expected sooner and I acknowledge my selfe much indebted to your loue who with such speciall courtesyes haue so kindly preuented me for I haue receaued though after some six moneths expectance the Bookes you sent me togeather with other remembrances at other tymes and seeing that in lieu of better requitall you were content to haue my censure of M. Ioseph Hall his writings presently vpon the newes of your ariuall I tooke his workes into my hands for before I had neuer read any thing of his and opening the Booke I found by your selfe two leaues turned down before his epistle to M. VVhiting Dâ—cad 8. epist 3. whereby I gathered your meaning to be that I should peruse that letter with some attention as debating a poynt much in controuersy betweene vs. I haue done as you desired and examined all the passages brought for proofe out of any author which exact suruey hath drawne my letter to a greater length so as it may seeme not a letter but a Treatise My end only is to giue you satisfaction which if I performe I shal not need to repent me of the labour or you complaine I hope of the prolixity If I be wanting therein you must impute the fault where it is to my insufficiency If you be satisfyed to the force of Truth want of learning in M. Hall who giues so great open aduantages as any Aduersary may easily refute him I craue no more but indifferent hearing let no fauour or disfauour ballance you as you haue yielded one eare to him so a little lend me the other when you haue heard vs both to speake you shall be the better able to iudge of both and if the Truth delight you there will I trust be no difficulty where to find it I pray God there may be as litle to imbrace it as I well hope there wil not 2. And although that much lesse be sayd in this matter I treat then the thing it selfe would The Autors scope in the ensuing refutation require because my chiefest scope is only to refel what M. Hall doth bring and not throughly to discusse the mayne controuersy it selfe vnles it be where his arguments giue me occasion of further enlargment yet as the Sunne in dispersing the clowds doth shew it selfe to the sight of all so likewise doth Truth in the detection of errour and remouing the falshood of hereticall sophistry which like a veile cast before the eyes of the ignorant no lesse darkeneth their witts then peruerteth their wills so sufficiently appeare as all may see the grounds of Protestants to be so weake as they cannot subsist and by the same view perceaue also the truth to stand with vs for according to the receaued rule of schools verum vero non contradicit truth cannot be contradictory to truth because one extreme must needs be false in all true contradictions our assertion standing on these termes with the doctrine of Protestants in disprouing the falshoods which they bring we also confirme the truth which we mayntaine one necessarily following of the other as if one should say that M. Hall either is not a marryed Minister or he is if I proue that he is I do therewith all disproue the negatiue that he is not and if I proue that he is not then I conuince the other part to be false which affirmeth that he is Euen so in the marriage of Priests and Cleargy men whereas he graunteth the free liberty allowed now in England for all to marry without controle to haue beene still in vse for a thousand yeares togeather after Christ and thereupon concludeth his letter saying VVhat God and his Church hath euer allowed we do enioy If I proue that neither God nor his Church euer allowed this carnal liberty in cleargy men with the same labour I shew the single life for which I plead to haue beene still required approued vsed speaking as M. Hall doth of the generall vse and approuance for the abuse of particuler places without generall acceptance is neither the voyce of God or doctrin of his Church and the vse of wiues neuer without speciall abuse to haue beene permitted 3. If in the prosecution thereof finding in The manner of writing obserued against M. Hall M. Hall so many paradoxes vntruths impertinencyes paralogismes so much ignorance immodesty folly scurrility and other ill behauiour I may seeme sometymes to haue sharpened my pen to much or dipt it a little too deep in gall although I forbeare all virulent tearmes which in him are very frequent as presently you shall see and much more from all scolding words of disgracefull reproach as whores strumpets panders and the like the vsuall thetoricall flowers of this mans eloquence yet I confesse that his malice and ignorance both which in him do striue togeather for the preheminence haue made me more earnest then I would haue beene and in a manner forced me to offer violence to myne owne nature knowne to such as best know me not to be so much subiect to such bitternes as well perceauing sharpnes in words or writing to be the whetstone of dissentions by which mens minds are soone moued but hardly remoued from an immortall distast of ech other and this hatred hereby begon betweene their persons becomes at last the hinderance of truth it selfe and preiudice of whatsoeuer cause or controuersy shall be treated between them and truly were the immodest termes heeâ— vsed personall against my selfe I should with contempt let them passe vnanswered but being against the Vicar of Christ the whole Church most vertuous persons of particuler note they require a sharper reiection yet still in this acrimony I shall obserue the admonition of the Comicke ne quid nimis to shoot rather too short ' Teren. in Andria then too far at these rouers 4. Touching the order of writing this The order obserued in this letter short table of the things treated wil shew what method I obserue The letter to M. VVhiting is part by part answered without the least pretermission of any one sentence or clause that maketh for M. Halls purpose no authority of Scriptures Canons Councells Fathers Historyes or other writers is neglected the whole is discussed answered refuted and the whole discussion answere and refutation for better perspicuity is deuided into three parts or paragraffs vnder these titles The doctrine of the Apostles expressed
memory Reader is to be admonished that this epistle which by error of the writer is referred to Pope Nicholas the first in my mind is rather to be attributed to the name and tyme of Nicholas the second or Nicholas the third And is it so indeed Syr Iohn then why do you put it out of the due place vnder a wronge Pope why did you tel vs that the first Nicholas restrayned marriage and for that was reprehended by S. Vdalricke Did the Saint grauely and learnedly refute and disclaime against the vndiscreet proceeding of Pope Nicholas the first before the letter and after was proued not to haue sayd one word vnto him at all but to haue spoken to another who was Pope more then a hundred yeares after his death which of these Foxes will you beleeue these are such riddles as I cannot vnderstand them and no more as I suppose did he himselfe when he wrote them and so I leaue them to M. Hall to answere who for this matter in his margent remitteth his Reader to M. Fox and yet he in his last admonition contradicteth M. Hall who is resolute that it was written to the first and not to the second or third Nicholas 26. And M. Fox like a bad tinker whiles he would mend a little hole by knocking he The correction of M. Fox refuted beates out the bottome of the kettle or at least makes the hole much larger then it was before for whereas most Authours agree that S. Vdalricke dyed in the yeare 974. as Herm annus Contractus Vrspergensis Baronius and others or 973. as Crusius how could he write to Nicholas the second who was made Pope more theÌ„ fourescore years after S. Vdalricks death For as Platina Baronius others affirme Nicholas the second was not made Pope vntill the yeare 1059. such a foole or prophet do these men make this Saint to be for if he wrote to the first Nicholas he wrote to one buryed more then twenty yeares before he was borne if to the second to one not made Pope till more then fourescore years after he was buryed and as for the 3. Nicholas he is so far off that I thinke his great grand-father was not begotten when S. Vdalricke dyed for he was made Pope in the yeare 1278. and the other departed this life the year 973. so as there are almost three hundred yeares betweene the death of the one and creation of other so exact are these men in historyes and such regard they haue to deliuer the truth or rather are so impudent and shameles as they care not what they write or what they auouch 27. For whereunto now are all M. Halls boasts come of the force warrant of this testimony M. Hall cast in his cause that it is able to answere all cauills satisfy all readers and conuince all not willfull Aduersaryes or els that he would be cast in so iust a cause For who seeth him not only to be cast but crushed also in this matter who seeth nor on what sliding sands he placeth the chiefest foundations of his surest proofs for now all his fayre words and resolute assurance of his so potent Aduocate is proued to be nothing els but light smoke false coyne a meere cogging collusion which bewrayeth in the writer to too much vanity conioyned with affected ignorance or intollerable stupidity in so much as I may conclude this first argument against M. Hall with the words of the Authour who some yeares past set out S. Huldericks life and in this matter thus writeth in the Preface Scio ad haec impuram nescio cuius nebulonis eptstolam Vdalrici aliquando nomine venditam sed cùm â—a ad Nicolaum Pontificem scripta sit Nicolaus autem primus plusquam viginti annis ante Vdalricum natum suerit mortuus secundus Pontificatum octogesimo quod excurrit anno post eum mortuum inierit ferrei sit oris oportet qui tantum mendacium ausit asserere plumbei cordis cui possit imponere So he Which wordes for courtesy I leaue vnenglished least M. Hall should thinke that I applyed these discourteous tearmes vnto him in particuler which I will not and that authour speaketh to the first framer of this fancy alone or to all in general that will be deceaued by such fooleryes 28. Besides this argument of tyme an euiction vnauoydable other presumptions there are which seeme to me to be very effectuall and No such epistle to be found amongst the Epistls of S. Vdalricus not answerable wherof that is one which Staphilus relateth of the epistles of that Saint all registred and reserued in Auspurg amongst which there is not the least signe or shew of any such letter neither doth Martinus Crusius the Lutheran in his Sueuicall History of which Auspurg is the chiefest Citty so much as once infinuate any such thing which yet should not haue beene omitted if it could haue beene found that authour taking all occasions where he can to calumniate Catholikes and gather vp all scraps of any antiquity which may seem to make against them which yieldeth to this argument more perswasiue validity no Author of those tymes when it was written or any other after vntill our age euer mentioned the same or so much as heard thereof till our late Sectaryes set it forth and many reasons there were to haue vrged the authority thereof in case such a thing had byn extaÌ„t written by a man of that fame for sanctity as S. Vdalricke to such a Pope as Nicholas the first in such a matter so often so earnestly debated with such circumstance of more then six thousand childrens heads a lye fit for Lucian and the like which yet none euer did and their silence is to me a sure signe that no such thing was extant in their dayes Two or 3. yeares before the death of S. Vdalrickâ— was the contentioÌ„ of the incontinent Priests begun in England and yet none euer mentioned this letter 29. And to make this more plaine whereas with S. Vdalricke in Germany at the same time liued S. Dunstane in England who also out liued him for some yeares and there that contention was then hoatly pursued by that Saint others against the licentiousnes of Priests it seemeth to me very strange that such an epistle should haue beene written whils that conflict was on foot which lasted for diuers yeares and no acknowledge thereof to haue beene had in England where it might most auayle and with the authority of the Authour haue giuen more credit to the cause then the others should haue beene able to infringe but no such thing was then euer alleadged not one syllable therof in Malmesbury Houeden Huntingdon Matthew VVestminister VVilliam Nubrigensis Florentius or any other and thereof I inferre that there was no such letter euer written which vpon so vrgent an occasion ar so opportune a tyme and so directly for the purpose of the lewd Clergy could not haue The
bitter combat and so to conclude the matter we see M. Hall in 12. Ten lyes in twelue lines lines to haue told vs no lesse then ten vntruths as 1. That the better sort approued not Gregoryes doings 2. That the Churches did ring of him ech were for Antichrist 3. That at the Councell of VVorms the French Bishops deposed him 4. That he was therein deposed 5. That the cause of this imaginary deposition was for separating man and wife 6. That violence did this 7. That the debaring of Priests wiues was not done by reason 8. That the will of God was not sought therein 9. That all was done by the Popes willfullnes 10. That the broyles betweene the Emperour and the Pope were on this occasion In fine euery thing he speaketh in this matter is a lye 85. At the end of the Epistle M. Hall as a The controuersy is treated whether euer our English Clergy were permitted to haue wiue and not rather to vow perpetuall continency man weary of his trauells abroad returneth home to England and leauing Aegypt Greece Italy and Germany he lands at length at Canterbury and tells vs of the bickering of our English Clergy with their Dunstanes which about this tyme were memorable in our owne history which teach vs how late how repiningly how vniustly they stooped vnder this yoke and for further proofe he sendeth his simple Reader to Bale and Fox two graue Authours scilicet that in case he haue not deceaued him inough there he may be gulled and glutted to the full and to these two Authours cyted in the text he addeth two other in the margent of as much estimation as the former to wit Henry of Huntingdon and Fabian both affirming S. Anselme to be the first who forbad marriage to the Clergy of England and that about the yeare of our Lord 1080. and the same for the yeare sayth foolish Fabian a man too simple God wot to be cyted in so serious a matter 86. Heere befor I go further I must needs let you vnderstand how strongly the text and A grosse contradiction between the text and margent of M. Hall margent of this man do contradict ech other and both of them do conteyne very grosse vntruths for without them M. Hall can do nothing the contradiction resteth in this that in the text S. Dunstane had great bickerings about the marriage of the Clergy and by his withstanding the same M. Hall is taught how late how repiningly how vniustly the Clergy stooped vnder this yoke of single life but in the margent it is sayd that S. Anselme was the first that forbad marriage to the Clergy of England and this as M. Hall telleth vs about the yeare of our Lord 1080. Was there euer man in a dreame could tell thinges lesse coherent or more repugnant and contradictory the one to the other then these For S. Dunstane dyed in the yeare 988. and S. Anselme was not made Bishop vntill the yeare 1093. which is more then a hundred yeares after so as if the margent be true of S. Anselme the text is false of S. Dunstane and if S. Dunstane made this opposition more then a hundred yeares before S. Anselmes tyme then are M. Halls two witnes togeather with his own glosse taken tripping in a lye who will haue it to haue beene first commenced by S. Anselme Was M. Hall in his wits when he made this marginall nore to his text or talking with his wife of some other thing Surely he was somewhat distracted and little attended to what he wrote 87. And indeed the text is more true then the margent for S. Dunstane no lesse eagerly pursued The marriage of Priests coÌ„demned by S. Dunstane long befor S. Anselm his tyme. this matter then S. Anselme and his decrees are no lesse generall for all no lesse seuere for penalty no lesse efficacious for redresse then the others made after neither was he alone for with him in this matter stood S. Ethelwold of VVinchester and S. Oswald of VVorcester of which three glorious Saints and renowned Pastours Malmesbury sayth Ita his tribus viris agentibus quasi triformi lumine Angliam serenante densae vitiorum tenebrae euanuerunt So through the endeauours of these three men as it were with a threefold light shining ouer England the thicke darknes of vices did vanish away So he And with Binuius tom 4. in Concil Londinen â—aron anno 970. ex Actis vitae S. Osw 15. Oct b. in Surio these three shining lamps and lanternes of the world our famous Edgar conspited and this publicke decree by the Bishops of the land assembled in Synod was enacted Vt Canonici omnes Presbyteri Diaconi Subdiaconi aut castè viuerent aut Ecclesias quas tonebant dimitterent That all the Canons Priests Deacons Subdeacons should either liue chastly or forgoe the Churches which they held and S. Anselme in his decree sayd no more as after we shal see but repeated the same Roger â—oueden in Anno 1108. words saying it is decreed that Priests Deacons and Subdeacons liue chastly so as for the extent it is alike in both decrees and after in S. Anselmes decree followeth also the deposition of such as remayned incontinent 88. By which is refelled that which vnaduisedly M. Godwine taxed M. Godwine writeth in S. Anselme saying that he persecuted Priests very extremely Dunstane Oswald Ethelwold and other enemyes to the marriage of Clergy men had only expelled them out of Monasteryes that had wiues but S. Anselm an enemy to marryed Priests S. Anselme vtterly forbidding them marriage depriued them of their promotions who were marryed confiscaâ—ed their goods vnto the Bishop of the Diocesse adiudged them and their wiues adulterers and forced all who entred into orders to vow chastity So he And for this zeale against marryed Priests he boldly taxeth him for being a little too resolute in all his determinations Againe he was more peremptory in diuers of his resolutions then became him that out of a blind zeale he was so boate against Clergy mens mariage so this point pinceth them to the hart that notwithstanding he confesse S. Anselme to haue beene a good and holy man of great learning and for integrity of life and conuersation admirable which true and ingenious testimony I allow and commend yet will M. Godwyn in this be his iudge and tell him that it was blind zeale and imperfection for without marriage among these men nothing shines nothing can be perfect for which cause also he writeth so basely of S. Dunstane of whome all S. Dunstane the historyes of our Nation speake so honourably and out of them Cardinall Baronius shutting vp his life giueth this worthy testimony Moritur Baron in Ann. 988. §. vltum hoc pariter anno mirificus ille Archiepiscopus Cantuariensis c. This yeare also dyed that wonderfull Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury whome singular sanctity of life priestly and inflexible
stout Prelate without any touch of disgrace in all that he writeth of him which had not beene spared had he found any thing in him that had beene lyable thereunto and Iohn Fox who â—lthough he speake well of few yet he out of others commendeth S. Anselme when he treateth of his election albeit afterwards he do discommend him euen for that for which by all S. DunstaÌ„ S. oswald S Ethelwolde other Authours of former ages he hath beene iudged most commendable 105. Of S. Dunstan Oswald and Ethelwolde we haue before spoken and VVilliam of Malmesbury is proâ—use in the prayse of ech of them a part in their liues and no meruaile for all three were very holy men and not only admired in England but reuerenced abroad and by the whole Church acknowledged for Saints of the first to wit S. Dunstane inough for this matter hath beene sayd aheady and of S. Oswald M. Godwin giueth him this Encomium be was very learned and left some testimonyes therof in writing not yet perished for the integrity also of his life and conuersation he was much reuerenced the greatest fault that I find in him is that he was very earnest in setting forth that doctrine of Diuells that debarreth men of lawfull marriage c. many miracles are reported to haue been done at his tombe in regard whereof the posterity would needs make him a Saint So he Of the third Matthew VVestminster sayth writing of his death Eodem anno S. Ethelwaldus migrauit ad Dominum In this yeare S. Ethelwald went to our Lord or departed this life this title of Saint is giuen him by all our writers of these tymes and M. Halls friend Henry Huntington Hunting l 5. in â—â—gar Houeder ibideâ—s much prayseth him saying that he was â—gregius Praesul aedificator sepium auertens semitas imquitatis plantans radices charitatis A worthy Prelate a builder vp of the hedges of vertue turning men from the paths of iniquity planting in them the root of charity and in fine of them all three Malmesbury writeth that Miâ—uâ—runt per Malmâ—s l. 2. de gestis Pontij 〈…〉 Angliam vt lumina crederes è â—aelo arridere â—ydera They shined ouer England as â—ights in so much as you would haue thought the stars to send their coÌ„fort from heauen So he And so much of these 106. But now for such Priests as had their Trulls if you looke into the monuments of antiquity The incontinent Clergy as the summ of the world coÌ„mended by none what memory or mention is made of them you shall either find nothing at all or that they were the very scumme and refuse of the Clergy and M. Hall hauing raked this impure dunghill could find but one only man to speake for him to wit Henry Huntington who yet hath but these words Hoc Concilium prohibuit vxores Sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas In Hunting in anno 1101. deliuering of which short sentence M. Hal maks vs three vntruths for thus he writeth Anselme sayth that Historian was the first that forbad marriage vnto the Clergy of England and this was about the yeare of our Lord 1080. til then euer free So M. Hall But by his leaue Huntington doth not say that S. Anselme was the first that forbad marriage to the Clergy for S. Dunstane had forbidden it more then a hundred years before againe this was not about the yeare of our Lord 1080. for Huntington himselfe expresly putteth it more then twenty yeares after and this yeare twice set down in the margent was more then twelue yeares before S. Anselme was Bishop or had any thing to do in England If he meane 1108. wherein as I confesse there was held a Councell so I deny that this can agree with Huntington who putteth it the next yeare after K. Henryes coronatioÌ„ which was in the year 1100. and lastly it is vntrue that marriage of Priestes till then was euer free for it is inough for the verifying of his words vnles M. Hall will haue him to contradict himselfe and all truth that in the trouble some tyme of VVilliam Conqueror and his sonne VVilliam Rufus who sold the Bishopricks of England for money the Priests had gotten this liberty which Commentary his words will well support for truly translated they are only these In this Councell S. Anselme prohibited wiues to English Priests before not prohibited for the word before may signify immediatly before in which tyme perhaps though they were not allowed yet the wickednes of that King weaknes of the Symoniacall Bishops wanting so long their Metropolitan and licentiousnes of the Clergy forced the better sort of Pastours to tolerate that which although they did condemne yet could not redresse 207. And this being the only witnes and he if he meane as M. Hall will haue him being Henry Huntingtons ill demeanour in his history taken tardy in his euidence and that both in respect of the tyme and matter for the first he putteth a yeare to soone and altogeather misreporteth the later his wordes in this matter cannot preiudice our cause vnles they were seconded by some better authority of more vpright and indifferent iudgment for this Henry was so far set on this marriage matter and to impugne the aduersaryes thereof as he seemeth quite to haue forgotten the law of a History which requireth all truth and integrity in the things related in both which this man was deficient for in all S. Dunstans life he neuer speaketh of this matter which yet was the chiefest matter of moment then debated and on the other side he commendeth him who opened the fluse to let out all this puddle of impurity amongst the Clergy I meane Edwyn elder Brother vnto King Edgar of whome our best Historiographers report much villany for which halfe his When by what occasion this licentious liberty entred into England Matth. VVestin anu 956. Kingdome was taken from him by the insurâ—ection of his subiects and giuen to his brother and as well for that as other misfortunes soone after dyed hauing raigned but foure yeares of whome as Stow well noteth is lest no honest memory vnles that which Matthew VVestminster writeth of him Cum annis quatuor libidinosè simul tyraÌ„nicè regnum depresâ—sset Anglorum iusto Dei iudicio desunctus c. After he had foure yeares lewdly and tyrannicall abused the Kingdome of England by Gods iust iudgment he dyed And consequently he was the fitter instrument to further theâ— filthines of this sacrilegious marriage of the Priests and Clergy For in his tyme besides the vsuall incursions of for rayne enemyes from abroad and ciuill warâ—s of subiects at home where one halfe of the Realme was in armes against the other and both out of order as it still happeneth in such occasions Frequentes lites sayth Osbert sediditiones nonnullae varij confliclus hominum Osbert in vita Dunstani suborti totam terram
renowned Pastour kept their vowes and were not shaken with that tempest bu 〈…〉 a few stincking impure goates giuen ouer 〈…〉 ll lust and leachery whome neither feare of God nor shame of men nor vow though neuer so solemne nor band though neuer so strong was able to conteyne 18. Touching our English Clergy M. Hall is very briefe and hath scant six lines in his text thereof yet as few as they be they contradict The English Clergy the Comment he maketh on them in his margent for in the Text the bickering began with S. Dunstane in the margent with S. Anselme in the Text we learne out of our owne historyes how late how repiningly how vniustly the Clergy stooped vnder this yoke by S. Dunstane in the margent S. Anselme was the first that euer forbadde marriage to the Clergy of England till then euer free If euer free till then how came it to passe that S. Dunstane more then a hundred years before that tyme had made the Clergy so repiningly and vniustly to stoop vnder the yoke of continency or single life how is he free that hath his neck in the yoke If S. Dunstane made them stoop a hundred years and more before S. Anselme then truely can it not be sayd that S. Anselme was the first that euer forbad marriage or that vntill this tyme it had beene alwayes free to marry Of what credit his two Authors alleadged are is there declared and further out of S. Gregory Bede VVolstane Anselme Malmesbury c. out of Nationall Councels and other proof it is shewed our English Clergy in the first plaÌ„tation in the continuance and alwayes in generall to haue beene continent vntil the tyme of King Edward the sixt though sometyms in the troubled state of the Land in some places this beastlines began but was neuer publickly allowed neyther can M. Hall or his two Authors Fox and Bale shew any one publicke decree any one Canon of Councell any one authenticall Charter or Record of so much as any one single Bishop extant to the contrary 19. All which being thus declared and as The particularity of M. Hals vaunt is briefly examined occasion serued the vniforme practise of all the Christian Church in Asia Europe and Africke shewed to stand for vs and the very Authors of any account brought by M. Hall himselfe to the contrary to be more ours then his as well for the Apostles themselues and Apostolicall tymes as also for the ensuing ages after M. VVhiting may see the truth of this Thrasonicall vaunt that M. Hall maketh when he telleth him for a farewell that he hath fetcht this truth far inough For before K. Edward the sixth not far off God wot he can fetch nothing to proue the large liberty now vsurped by our English Clergy if the marryed Ministers with their wiues may so be tearmed with their wiues I say because their wiues are as much Clergy women as they Clergy men in one word haue as true calling to teach preach minister their Sacraments as their husbands haue And when this man out of his wandring imaginatioÌ„ further adioyneth that he hath deduced it low inough through many ages to the middst of the rage of Antichristian tyranny I must tell him that he hath made no other deduction theÌ„ of his own ignorance lyes folly which without breach or intermission like an entiere thrid are begun and followed to the end of his letter all the rage of Antichristian tyranny he speaketh of is nothing els but the outragious rayling of a Phantastical sycophant who for want of learning and truth is forced to talke of that he doth not vnderstaÌ„d to confirme one lye by another to mistake what he should proue and to forget all modesty 20. There left sayth he our liberty there began their bondage Where M. Hall do you meane In Terra Florida Virginia or Vtopia For the word there is referred to place and not to tyme or if you will abusiuely take it from tyme I demaund wheÌ„ this lâ—centious liberty for the marriage of Priests began to be restrayned If as before you signifyed vnder the first and second Nicholas vnder the 9. Leo and 7. Gregory your owne Trullan Councell before these tymes is against you which forbids your Bishops to marry at all or keep company with their wiues would permit no Priest to marry And that no Priest might be marryed I haue cyted in the end of the second Paragraffe many Councells out of all the coasts of Christendom And whereas he further addeth our liberty is happily renewed with the Ghospell it is hard to define what liberty happines what Ghospell he meaneth and of what God what Church he talketh when he sayth what God what his Church hath euer allowed we do inioy for this Church is som inuisible castle in the ayre neuer seene on the earth and this VVe is equiuocall and may include Lutherans Caluinists Protestants or Puritans let it include all or some one branch among all of these sects yet is the lye notorious for in all the Christian Church this liberty hath euer beene banished 21. The Greeke Churches sayth he do thus and thus haue euer done if he meane as he seemeth that these Churches vse the liberty of the English Church renewed by this later Ghospel it is too to grosse an vntruth and yet not proued by any See censura Orientaâ—is Ecclesiae c. vltim in principio capitis one authority of the Fathers nor yet of his sacred Trullan Conuenticle and M. Hall doth wel to name the Greek Schismatical Church of this day which yet coÌ„meth short in this very point of the English for in all his Letter he hath not brought one aÌ„cient authority for the Churches of Europe and Africke more then one only of S. Cyprian touching the exaple of Numidicus which if any sparke of shame be left may make him blush to thinke vpon All the rest are broken peeces out of S. Vdalricus Gratian Panormitan Pius 2. Caietan others eyther in themselues counterfeit or with the coÌ„trouersy in hand nothing at all coherent 22. Wherfore to end this matter with him for whome I began it I hope now good Syr that you see M. Halls valour to haue been valued by yourselfe at too high a rate euen there to haue fayled where you esteemed most of his ability in this matter I meane where besides meere babling what hath he proued how many words hath he vsed cyted authorityes only to cast a clowd vpon the truth and to hide it from the eyes of his simple Reader Many are his M. Halls impertinencyes braggs his citations thicke his promises great his confidence singular but his wit is weake his ability small his performance nothing After his first entrance with lyes which continually increase he mistaketh the state of the question and talketh of many things not denyed by his aduersary not in controuersy between him and vs he bringeth