sea excepte one man theyr bodyes neuer founde Guilhelmus Malmesbury Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Ioannes Capgraue Libro ij De nobilibus Henricis Some monkyshe wryters hath iudged the curse of quene Mande whyche was a professed votarye to be the cause of thys ruyne as is sayde afore some other attrybuteth it to the vyce of sodometrye whyche manye of them hadde learned of the monkes and the prestes after the solempne professyon of theyr newe vowe of chastyte But I do thynke it to be a plage of God vpon the kynges posteryte for sufferynge so greate a myschefe to entre in hys tyme wythoute contradyccyon as that sodometry was and as was the condempnacion of the Christen ministers marryages For in hym Polydorus sayth vtterly ended the dissent of the Normannes bloude in the male kynde accordynge to the wyse mannys sentence Sap. iiij The plantes of aduoutry shall take depe rotynge As he was the sonne of a bastarde and suffered thys preposterouse religyon or bastardye of prestes without wyues to take place here in hys dayes to the vprayse of buggery and neuer resysted it beynge gods immedyate mynistre ☞ Celsus an archebyshop had both a wyfe and chyldern CElsus the great archebyshop of Armach and hygh prymate of IrelaÌ„d had both a wyfe and chyldren in the tyme of hys archebyshoprye accordynge to the vsage of that contreye That archebyshopryck S. Bernard sayth with the primacye of the whole lande was holden as an inherytaunce in one kyndred by xv generacyons the sonne alwayes succeding hys father And. viij of them he reporteth to be wonderfully wele learned but allwayes they toke their orders for that long season without any vowe of professyon Neyther wolde the people suffer any other to take that hygh offyce saue only them whyche were of the same howse and progenye Thys hath S. Bernard in uita Malachiae so hath Vincentius Antoninus Petrus Equilinus and Iohan Capgraue in their historyes of sayntes What a beastly fole is Iohan Eckius than whyche reporteth in hys Enchiridion that it hath not bene hearde sens the death of Christe that any prest hath married a wyfe doctour Coole and other Papistes maynteinynge the same here in England Thys Celsus at the lattre beynge an olde dottynge man and seduced by them whyche taught lyes in hypocrisye was the first that brought into that regyon that doctryne of deuyls whyche condempned marriage in the clergye For he sent hys wyfe in a vysyon they saye a woman of a large and reuerende countenaunce to surrendre as he laye a dyenge he pastoral crosse to one Malachias which had professed chastyte about the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. xx Many mad packynges were amonge these Romysh sayntes whan the byshopryckes waxed fatt Pope Adryane the. iiij xxxiiij yeares after whych was an Englysh man and Pope Alexander the thirde xvi yeares after that in their tyrannye commaunded kyng Henry the seconde to subdue the Iryshe nacyoÌ„ as heretykes and rebelles bicause the people there withstode their procedynges for their byshoppes and prestes marryages And for that victory they confirmed hym lorde of Irelande Loke the chronycles of Nicolas Treueth and Iohan Hardynge ☞ A lecherouse Cardynall condemneth prestes marryage IOannes de Crema the prest Cardynall of S. Grilog in Rome was sent into England and Scotlande from Pope Honorius the seconde as high commissyoner and legate from hys ryght syde in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. xxv to se that all thynges were wele there in the clergye to hys behoue Besydes hys generall commissyon he sent pryuate letters to the kynges and the prelates of both those regyons to receyue hym as his own dere sonne and as S. Peters holy vycar whyche declareth his autoryte not small This legate with great pompe thus enterynge into Englande about the feast of Eastre was horrybly honorably I shuld saye receyued of the prelates and went banketynge and prowlynge from byshop to bishop and from abbot to abbot tyll he came to the water of Twede and the towne of Rorburgh in Scotlande where as he founde Dauid the Scottysh kynge His legacye there perfourmed and all his bagges weâ—e stuffed he returned agayne to London and at Westmynstre vpoÌ„ the ix daye of SepteÌ„b he helde with ij archebyshoppes xxiiij byshops xl abbottes an innumerable multitude of the clergye and commen people a great synode Where as he rygorously and stoughtly replyed agaynst those prestes that wold for no commandement forsake their marryed wiues repetynge oft this vnsemynge sentence that it was a shamefull matter to ryse froÌ„ the sydes of an whore to make Christes bodye A clause was this in qualyte not vnlyke to hym that vttered it whyche was an ydolatrouse whoremonger He ordayned in that synode that prestes shuld kepe company with no kynde of women he condempned marryage to the. vij degre in bloude and that no prestes sonne shulde clayme churche or prebende by inherytaunce folyshely concludynge with thys verse of Dauid Psal. lxxxii Pone illos ut rotam c. Make of them a whele lorde that saye we wyll haue the howses of God in possessyon Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Henricus Huntendunensis Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Rogerus Cestrensis atque alij ☞ This Cardynall sheweth the first fruites of that chastyte THe prestes beyng moued with the furiouse acte of this Cardinal therwith perceyuyng him to be a maÌ„ of lighte conuersacion so narrowly watched him the night folowyng that they â—oke him in bed with a notable whore The matter was very open sayth Roger Houeden for it was done at London where great plenty is of wytnesses It coulde not wele be hydden sayth Henry of Huntyngton in the viij boke of hys chronycles neyther was it fyâ—t to haue bene kept secrete from the knowledge of men If any be offended sayth he that a prest shulde marry lete him kepe it to him selfe leest he fall in lyke daunger as ded thys lordely legate Thys Cardynal was he Polydorus sayth that behelde a small mote in an other mannys eye and could not perceyue the great beame in hys owne The prestes ded hym no wronge that in thys case dysobeyed hys vniust procedynges Nothyng was found more vnfytt than to require to strayghtly of others that hys leife could not do Thus he that entered with honour and pompe went home agayne to his father with shame and confusion The actes of S. Peters vycar were all turned ouer and the religyouse syttynges of the prelates there were vtterly laughed to scorne The byshoppes and fat abâ—ottes departed thens wyth reade chekes not glad of the bawdy chauÌ„ce that happened and they lete that matter passe for the space of more than thre yeres after For the slaundre was not small Mathew Paris sayth So returned the prestes ones agayn to their wyues were muche more bolde than afore
hâ—d nothynge ado with theÌ„ whiche were anoynted and shauen they beynge therby the Romysh Popes creatures and not hys Radulphus Niger Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Ricardus Croilande Nicolaus Treueth alij plerique An excedyng great thynge were it to declare the subtyle practyses deuâ—ses dysguysynges craftes colours conueyauÌ„ces other tryfelynges to brynge all hys matters to pâ—sse agaynâ—t the kynge and a werynesse to the reader to rehearce them wherfore I lete them ouer passe ☞ Artycles for whome Becket is admitted the Popes martyr DIuerse of our chronycle writers doth testyfye in their workes that these were the artycles wherfor he stroue with the kynge That no spirituall cause ought to be pleaded in the temporall court No clarke may be compelled to answere in matters before the kynges offycers Patrâ—nes maye lawfully and frely gyue benefyces without the kynges allowance A byshop or pastour maye frely go out of the realme without the kynges lycens for the ryght of his churche He that is ones excommunycated must haue hys discharge of the spirituall court and not of the kynge The clergye and layte must be clered of their offences by the ordynaryes and not by the kynges iustyces Appellacyons made from one degre to an other as from lowar oâ—dynary to the hyghar maye be ended without the kynges consent Landes and teneamentes maye lawfully be gyuen to the clergye in almes wythout the kynges commyssyon Spirytuall promocyons ought only to remayne in the handes of the superiour ordynaryes whaÌ„ theyr occupyers are dead till others succede in their roumes and not in the handes of teÌ„poral meÌ„ Religiouse men men ought not in the quarell of their kynges to go to the warres They that flee vnto sayntwaryes ought there to be socoured agaynst the temporall power their dedes made open to the iudge ecclesyastycall Clarkes curates and prestes are not bounde to come to the commen iudgementes at sessyons or assyses neyther yet to be at them though they be commaunded Se what good stuffe here is to make a martir All is to demynyshment of a kynges power and nothynge els ☞ Becket stayeth the Popes churche by confoundynge heretykes IN the same yeare of our lorde a M. a C and. lxiiij was Thomas Becket reckened Mathew Paris sayth suche a mightye stedefast and strong sure pyllour as the whole church both leaned vpon and was also staied by But ye must consydre that it was the Popes churche that he ment and not Christes for that hath a staye stronge ynough of him without mannys helpe Marke the forseyd artycles The church sayth he shaken was ready to haue fallen and the Pope which was set vp as a staffe to haue staied it was at that tyme so broken that the shyuers or peces wounded him Thomas lokyng for nothynge els but martyrdome for the churche In the same yeare were in England certen godly men whome some Popysh writers dysdaynously calleth Waldeanes some publycanes some false Apostles Thâ—se were at Oxforde straightly examyned of the byshoppes and so brought to iudgement by this Becket for holdynge these opynyons That the churche of Rome was that whore of Babylon whych had forsaken the fayth of Christe and that barren fygge tree without fruite whych he reproued and that no Christen man was bounde to obeye the Pope and hys byshoppes That monkerye was as the dead carreyne that stynketh and that their vowes were fryuolouse ydell and abhomynable beynge the vpspryngynge braunches of Sodome That their orders were the great beastes characters and their temples the wurse for their hallowynges That purgatory sayntes worshyppyng masses and prayenges for the dead with such lyke were most deuylysh inuencyons For maynteynynge these and other lyke opynyons agaynst the proude synagoge of Rome they were sealed in the faces at Oxforde wyth whote fyerye keyes and so bannyshed the realme for euer Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Guido Perpinianus de heresibus Thomas VValden ad Martinum quintum Bernardus Lutzenburgus ☞ Hys trayterouse ende and aduauncement aboue Christ. Whan Becket was returned again into Englande in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxxi after vi yeares exyle he outragiously troubled certen of the byshoppes to the kynges great dyshonour Mathewe Parys sayth For the only cause why he so hatefullye persecuted them was for that they hadde fulfylled the kynges desyre in anoyntynge his sonne Henry the yongar to raygne after hym not hauynge hys consente beynge pope of Englande For thys he entered the pulpet more lyke a mad Bedlem thaÌ„ a sober preacher Not to teache Chryste in mekenesse but in hys wode furye to execrate those byshoppes to curse theÌ„ wyth boke belle and candell and by the popes autoryte to condempne them to helle Vpon thys the kynges seruauntes fell on hym in purpose as they toke it to reuenge their liege lordes great iniury and hys sonnes dyshonoure They pared his pylde crowne wyth theyr swerdes and cut of the popes marke to hys very braiue whyls he in ydolatry coÌ„mended himselfe and the cause of hys churche to hys patrone S. Deuyse beynge but a deade ymage there standyng vpon the aultre Stephanus Langton Richardus Croilande Rogerus Houeden Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Capgraue Thus ended he his lyfe in most ranke treasoÌ„ was for his labour made a god of that papistes Yea they charged christ in the ende by coÌ„maundement to delyuer vs heauen frely by the shedynge of Thomas bloud as though that had bene a payment of satisfaction for our synnes And as therby apered they put Christ cleane out of office for him by this coÌ„iuracion Tu per Thome sanguinem queÌ„ pro te impeÌ„dit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascedit O thou Christ suffre vs to clyme vp to that place by the bloud of Thomas whych he shed for that to the which Thomas maÌ„fully asceÌ„ded Marke this hardely for suche a defeccyon froÌ„ Christ as Saynt Paul speaketh of and for the stronge delusyon that they shulde haue whyche beleued lyes that they myghte be dampned ij Thessalo ij For here Thomas redemeth Christe and ascendeth to hauen leauynge vs hys bloude to clyme thydre by Were there euer greater heretykes theues sowle murtherers than were our Papistes I can not thynke it ☞ The false miracles and canonisacyon of Becket OF Christe and of all hys Apostles and prophetes are not written so many great miracles as of this one Becket As that so many sycke so many blynde so many bleare eyed bedred croked broused mangled lamed drowned palseyd leprosed sorowful exyled wyth chylde enprysoned hauged and deade were by them as by him deliuered Neyther were there euer so many writers of any popyshe saintes lyfe or so manye great volumes made as of hys as is shewed afore And all thys was to blemyshe the kynge and to depresse the hygh power both in hym and in
they depriued the Englyshe successyon of regall regyment to aduaunce the Danysh bloude to the crowne of England Than brought they in the NormeÌ„nes and Frenche men procuring theyr bastarde a banner from Rome to subdue the lande And whan they were stayed by the sufferaunce of God for the synnes of the people than ded they turmoyle wyth them also They rebelled agaynste kynge Wyllyam conquerour and laboured to subdue him bicause they sayd he was both a bastarde and a tyraunt They sent fourth S. Albon if dead meÌ„ myght straye abrode to kylle kynge Wyllyam Rusus bicause he was their enemye They made their dead bishoppes to pricke at kynge Henry the first with their pastorall hokes the chronycles sayth bicause he had much dyspleased them They tell of kynge Steuen that their maker flewe awaye whan he shulde haue receyued hym the taper in hys hande ded breake and the pixte fell out of hys tabernacle at his coronacyon Of kynge Henry the seconde they report that he came of the deuyll by the fathers syde and from the curse of God by the mothers for kyllynge Thomas Becket and yet he kylled hym not They senâ— fourth kynge Richard Cordelyon to fyght for Hierusalem whyls they occupyed hys realme here at home dyffamynge hym of lecherye pryde and couetousnesse Thus haue they handeled their kinges hytherto How they vsed the rest of them ye shall knowe God wyssynge in my next ij bokes folowynge Breuely to conclude vpon that is sayde afore concernynge the dacayed autoryte of princes and condempned marryage of prestes whyche wonderfully gaue waye to Antichristes vsurpacyons The pretence of those wycked workemen whych thus pranked hym vp with vntempered buyldynges was in their generall counsels to condempne the fowle heresye of Simonye and lecherouse commixtion of Nicolaitanes Suche were the prodygyouse and fylthie names that they gaue to the inuestytute of prelates in the handes of a prynce and the marryage of Christen ministers at that tyme at lyberte to make their own wycked actes to apere very godly They sayd 〈◊〉 was the great errour of SimoÌ„ Magus 〈◊〉 a kynge shuld admyt a byshop eyther yet haue power to gyue fourth any spirytuall promocyon yet Simon Magus was no kynge but a membre of their spiritualte They affyrmed it also to be the abhominacyon of the Nicolaitanes whan a Christen mynistre toke to hym a wyfe and yet the Apostles had power to leade about with them systers to wyues i. Corin. ix But doubtlesse they fowly forgote themselues in these matters For Simon Magus wolde haue soâ—â—e the holy Ghost as they ded all their spirituall promocyons and cures And Nicolaus Antiochenus made hys wyfe common as they haue done other mennys wyues to their owne lecherouse vses besydes boyes bytches and apes For the seyd Nicolas was neuer condempned for marryage but for abusynge that honourable estate By these maye ye measure their other buyldynges tyll more matter come forwarde and sawde the eternall God for the lyghte â—â—yche we haue in this aâ—â— receiued both to knowe them and to beware of them So be it ☞ Thus endeth the second pâ—rt of this wurke called The Actes of Englysh votaryes Collected by Iohan Bale Anno. M.D.L. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pro. 24 Romish sayntes Olde goddes newe Dyffa MacioÌ„s of Marriage Blasphemye The deuyls Sayntes vnmaried Votaries Christen doctors The autour Chronicles Prestes Marriage Virginite Faythe 2. Cor 11 Mat. 7. Miracles Autours Bishoppes Gospell Errour Face of Antichaist Narriage maketh lay nobilite Kynge Henry Christ. Matrimony the first religion Vnmaryed prestes Gods-aduersaries Cain Nonnes Monkes Sodomites Prestes wiues Priestes wyues Haters of the Pope Barnes The autours EnglaÌ„d Afore Noe. The flod Iapheth Phaleg Samothes gigas Albion gigas Neptunus Samothythes Vestals Chastite TyraÌ„ny now Bruns syluius Druydes Athens Whores One god Beastes worshypped Priestes maryed Votaries Zacharie marryed Marrye a wyfe No nonne Peter marryes No vowes coÌ„mauÌ„ded Peters wyfe Paule maryed Philip maryed Ioseph of Arimathe Anno 63. Scrope Gospell Kynge Lucius Rome Anno domini 179. Churches Autours Christianite Dyoceses paryshes TeÌ„ples MoÌ„kery Heresies Pelagiâ— Fre wyl Seuerus Leporiê° 432. Autours Agricola 446. partrick 361. Martinus Patriciê° Benignus Modwenna Chastite Dubricius KeÌ„tigernus merlinê° Turkes A awe Iudgement Dauid kinetus brigida cuthbert Capgraue whoredome is holy Their Gods seruyce The Popes chaplaynes women Dauid dubricius KeÌ„tigernus Brigida Saynt ModweÌ„ brigida Iltutus hys wyfe Not Poles learnyng Vrsula cum xi millibus Armorica 390. Diounus Dionothus For maryage Drowned autours Wyth lyes Pylgry Dan. 11. Hiere 5 Names feyned Historiours Proue the spretes Only to marry NoÌ„nes of Coleyne CoÌ„staÌ„s 443. Maglocunus Gildas 552. Mempricius Gildas prophecyeth SaxoÌ„s EnglaÌ„d Christyanyte Gregory Instede of marryage Angly Wares Marutus 500. Ethelwolphus 847 Apo. 13. Tymes 607. 596. Augustinus MoÌ„kes crafty scyence Ignoraunt apostles Miracles WomeÌ„ Saye angrye sayntes Festyuall Ethelbert Procession lyberte Etheriê° 600. Instrumentes Doroberna Caunterburye NoÌ„bres primitie Synodê° Christyanytye Brytaynes Princes 600. 666. Antichrist 602. Synodê° Solynarye man Christen counsell A proud Monke Thre poyntes A tyrauÌ„t A murtherer A carnal Synagoge Bloody Syon Iohan Leyland Brytayn churche Englysh churche 607. full age The Papacye Apoc. 13. 2. Tes. 2. MoÌ„kes autorite Esa. xi A false chastite Gregori ExaÌ„ple MoÌ„kes chastyte iij. wayes Coloured Sodomye Stewes diuinite votaries learning maryage contempned Laye with tayles Dorset Stroude Laurencius cuÌ„ alijs Synodê° the feast of easter Women Sore bellies Venus Ceremomonies rytes Good men Hilda â—t Colmannus 664. Agilberbertus melitus 619. Columbanus Paulinê° 626. Fiacriê° Foillanus Keyna Sebba is monked Egbinê° SaÌ„pson Eanswida Frutes of marryage Eanswida babyshe toyes Petrocus Piranus legeÌ„des Chastyte of votaryes Vowes obserued Modwenus Heremita Erkenwaldus Ethelburga Ositha Spirituall knauery 653. Theodorus Apo. 13. The fully coÌ„plete age NoÌ„â—re of the beast crafty scieÌ„ces Theodatus Theodorus shauing 668. Adrianus A scole Straunge sciences Adrianus Character 672. sinodus Ceddas OrdinauÌ„ces IoaÌ„nes de Molinis 680 Synodus AgathoÌ„ No Gospell Synodus generalis Masse Mildreda Vitiza Chastyte fre Hipocresye worketh Monasteries oswius 684. SuÌ„ma penitencialis Drithelmus 671 FouÌ„dacyon of purgatorye Illusyons Confession Masses Canonysed deuyls Cuthbertus NoÌ„nes Verca Colfridus ShaueÌ„ crownes WaldeÌ„ A comete RegnuÌ„ et sacerdotium Apo. 13. ij hornes Augustinus 596. Berinus 636 ij sectes Papacy Kingdomes popishe Britaynes 689. cadwallader Marke it 1533. englaÌ„de Roma et Babylon merline Brute of God SaxoÌ„s merlyne Balaam The. x. hornes of the beast Apo. 17. Apo. 18. Winker of wyles Sedia Guenhera Oswaldus Bebla Ebba Etheldreda Wilfridus knauery Theodorus A waytynge hound The autour Pylgrimes Inas Ethelredus CoÌ„redê° Offa. 709. Kenredê° Colwolphus Bastardes Adelmê° Synodê° ij bokes Sergiê° Egwinê° Images Lady of worcestre Brithwaldus Sonodê° 709. Guthlacus Bartellinus MoÌ„kes Dispersed The Popes apostles Wenefridus Bonifacius Synodê° 710. Daniel Apostle of Germanie Alia bestia Apo. 13. Character Actes of this
shulde haue sayd was than in the Scottish churche by procurement of quene Margarete whych was an Englysh woman borne What changes were here in the church of Englande I haue wyll hereafter more plenteously declare ☞ Hildegardes prophecy with other notes and examples IN the yeare after Christes incarnacyon a thousande and an hundred sayde mayde Hyldegarde the Apostles doctryne and feruent righteousnesse whych God had planted in the faythfull Christyanes begonne to go backe and to change as it were into a doubtfull staggerynge But that womaÌ„ly or fyckle tyme wyll not so longe endure as it hath bene in breadyng Vincentius li xxix ca. xxi And Iacobus Meyer in chronicis Flandriae sayth that in the yeare of our lord a M. and xcvi auaryce ambycyon and lecherie so strongely toke place in the head rulers of the clergy that scarse one coulde be found out amoÌ„ge them to resyst the wycked by the swerde of the sprete whych is the worde of God Many starres than semed to fall froÌ„ heauen Sigebertus sayth Realyte they ioyned to their sacramentall breade to make the people beleue it to be Christes naturall body They set vp scole doctryne and the Popes canoÌ„ lawes sophystycally to mainteyne all fylthie supersticions Commenly they disputed with cheanes and imprisonmentes to terryfye their withstanders Mathew of Westminstre sayth that Paulus the abbot of S. Albons folowyng the fotesteppes of his father LaÌ„francus was than here in Englande a most busy doer for so muche as in England fraunce and Italye the greatâ—◠〈◊〉 of men folowed in those dayes the opynyon of Berengarius and Oclefe 〈◊〉 sayth Henry the fourt Empâ—â—oâ— to hys sonne than hauyng the gouernaunce and he beyng vndre him a wofull â—â—ysoner Those hypocrytes deceyue the for they instruct not the multytude They seke not thyne honour but denye it Vndre the colour of fayth they prepare the snares of deceyt whyls they preferre the tradycyons of men to Gods holy commaundementes Adelboldus Traiectensis in uita Henrici Caesaris ☞ The fyrst fytt of Anselme with kynge Wyllyam Rufus ANselmus a Normandy monke at the instaunt request labour and longe sute of the clergye was constytute archebyshopp of Canterbury by kynge Wyllyam Rufus The reason why he was of our prelates afore all others preferred to that dygnyte was tâ—ys They perceyued in hym great copye of learnynge pregnancy of wytt a stought stomake a boldenesse vnshamefast an aduenterouse and folehardy head and a face without bashefulnesse Whervpon they thought hym a man most mete to withstande the kynges procedynges whyâ—he were in those dayes nothynge to theâ—r contentacyâ—ns For kynge Wyllyam was suche a man as wolde not in many poyntes agre to their horryble ambysyon auaryce incontynencyes Whych than they vsed without all shame He ded not muche fauer the churche of Rome Mathew Paris sayth bicause the holy prelatâ—s were so vnsacyably gyuen there to fylthie lucre Suche indygnacyon he had agaynst the Pope by reason of the scysme whyche than was at Rome that he in hys parlement enacted it that none of hys subiectes shulde thydrewarde repayre vndre forfeture of body and gooâ—â—s or â—is vndre payne of perpetuall exyle They coulde not be Peters vycars he sayd that studyed so muche for couetousnesse Neyther shulde they seme to holde hys power whose vertuouse lyfe they had not in practyse Concludynge that the byshop of Rome neyther had nor yet shulde haue any thynge to do in hys realme He also restrayned the Rome shott Fabyane sayth Wherupon Anselmus iudgynge the kynge a scysmatyke a rebell and a tyraunt obstynatly withstode hym to the very face lyke a ruffelynge rouer For the whyche he was reckened a traytour as he was wele wurthie the other byshoppes holdynge their fyngars in their noses Matthaeus Paris Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Radulphus de Diceto Ioannes Capgraue Ioannes Scuysh ☞ Fyne conueyaunces of these wylye wormes IT was no longe tyme after that ere the byshop of Rome had knowledge of this matter by secrete massengers as the clergy hath euermore had their betrayers of prynces Wherunto he made this wylye and foxish aunswere Dum furor in cursu est currenti cede furori Whyls fury is in course gyue place to it as though he wolde at layser recompence it whan he shulde se hystyme The next yeare after was Gualtherus Albanensis a byshopp Cardynall sent into Englande from Pope Vrbane the second bryngyng with hym the metropolycall mantell of Anselme to augment hys cockysh autoryte Thys Gualtherus craftely pacifyed the wrath of the kyng and colourably or dyssemblyngly reconcyled both Anselme and the Pope vnto hym only to serue the tyme. Anselme from thens fourth shewed a mery countenaunce Mathew Paris sayth to cause kyng Wyllyam to thynke that he bare hym no dyspleasure but had forgotten all iniuryes O most crafty foxe Anon after vpon thys dyssymulacyon he axed lycens of the kynge to go to Rome wyth thys Cardynall whych he very prudently denyed hym for doubt of wronge appellacyons and increase of scysme vnlesse he wolde go no more returne agayne For there was no cause why he shulde go thydre hauynge hys prymates palle brought to hym vnlesse it were to wurke some secrete myschefe as he ment no lesse by these fyue colours of deceyt Than played he the part of a trayterouse renegate ryght out fleynge out of the realme without lycens All thys hath Mathew Paris in the seconde boke of hys châ—onycles and Radulphus de Diceto ☞ An other fytt of Anselme with kynge Wyllyam Rufus MArke the arrogaunt sprete of Antichrist in this obstinate Anselme In a bitter malyce he sodenly departed froÌ„ the kynge not takynge hys leaue as became a good subiect To Canterbury he roâ—e in poste haste and so forth to Douer pryuely to steale a passage ouer by nyghte more lyke a thefe than a true man But where was than hys kynges obedyence accordyng to thys doctryne of Paule Let euery sowle submyt hymselfe to the hyghar power For who so resysteth that power resysteth the set ordinaunce of God Roma xiij Thys was farre froÌ„ our Anselme Se now what folowed therfore Whan thys packynge was ones knowne detected by secrete spyes the kynges offycer Wyllyam Warelwast preuented the passage searchyng by the kynges strayght coÌ„maundement all hys trusses coffers males bowgettes sackes satchels sleues purse napkyn and bosome for letters and for moneye and so lete hym go lyke a vagabonde all hys goodes seysed as a forefeyture to the kinges vse Neuerthelesse whaÌ„ he came ones to Rome he was reuerently and ioyfully receyued of Pope Vrbane made lorde hygh presydent of all hys generall counsels He persuaded the seyd Pope to take froÌ„ the teÌ„porall prynces the whole power autoryte of makynge byshoppes and abbotes declarynge vnto hym what coÌ„modyte and profyte he myght haue by the same He taught hym also many other fyne propertyes and feates how to
was this counsell els but the mouthe of the beast speakyng blasphemyes Daniel vij Apocal. xiij Though these matters were first proponed at Cleremount in Fraunce and after enacted at Baren in Apulia yet were they not so strayghtly knyttt vp tyll they came to Rome Marke the good conueyaunce ☞ Anselmus made Pope of Englande for hys practyses FOr the wyttie inuencyons forecastynges polecyes dysputacyons other laboryouse affayres of Anselme about the ouerthrowe of pryncely autoryte and vprearynge of Antichristes tyranny and for hys earnest prouocacyons to haue them perfourmed in the crafty wurkynges of Sathan to se hym horrybly honourably I shulde saye rewarded for hys paynes Pope Vrbanus appoynted both hym and them that shulde afterwarde succede in the patryarcall seate of Canterbury to sytt at hys ryght fote in euery generall counsell and that he also ratifyed by a specyal decre And thus was it proclamed whan that place was gyuen hym in the opē synode Includamus hunc in orbe nostro tanquā alterius orbis Papan◠Lete vs include or admyt thys man in our worlde here as the Pope of an other worlde meanynge great Brytayne or England whych the old cosmographers and famouse hystoryanes called an other worlde for so much as it semed from the great worlde by sea dyuyded as Virgyll also sheweth in his Bucolyckes Neuer was there any place peculyarly appoynted to the archebyshoppes of Canterbury afore that daye All this hath Thomas Rudborne in medulla chronicorū Iohan Capgraue in a maner confirmyng the same where as he calleth him the Apostle and patryarke of the other worlde I haue alwayes bene of thys opynyon that S. Iohans Apocalyps hath as wele hys fulfyllynge in the partycular nacyons as in the vnyversall churche I speake it here for Anselme whych was the great Pope or Antichrist of Englande Marke it hardely in hym and a great sort more of hys wycked successours ☞ The chastyte of Anselme and death of kynge Wyllyam ANselme anon after departed frō hys holy father Vrbanus as he myghte wele spare him whan his turne was ones serued and so came to Lyons where as he remayned tyll the death of kyng Wyllyam Rufus In the meane tyme for hys recreacyon Iohan Cagraue sayth he sumtyme resorted to Hugh the abbot of Clunyake and to hys praty nōnes at Marceniacum I thynke not the cōtrary but it was to ease hym of some great burdene For Roger Hourden Mathew Paris other writers affirmeth that he had a nephewe called Iunior Anselmus whych after the rule of the Romane prelates is as muche to saye as a sonne He behelde it in a visyon at Lyons they saye how S. Albone and other Englysh sayntes sent fourth an euyll sprete to slee the seyd kyng Wyllyā for oppressynge their abbeyes But I beshrewe their cruell hartes their preuy legerdemaynes were not muche to be trusted that kynge so sodenly slayne They feyne in an other fable that he tare with his tethe Christes fleshe from hys bones as he hyng on the roode for witholdynge the landes of certen byshopryckes and abbeyes Polydorus not beynge ashamed to rehearce it Some where they call hym a reade dragon some where a fyery serpent and a bloudy tyraunt for occupyenge the fruites of their vacaunt benefyces about hys pryncely buyldynges Thus rayle they of their kynges wythout eyther reason or shame in their legendes of abhomynable lyes Loke Eadmerus Helinandus Vincentius Mathew of Westmynstre Rudborne Capgraue Wyllyam Caxton Polydore and others Wher euer hearde ye afore that their superfluouse ydell and slowe belly liuynges were Christes fleshe eyther yet that an olde paynted roode had fleshe Lete not thys be forgotten ☞ Kyng Henry marryeth a votary without dyspensacyon HEnry the first of that name constytute kynge Anselmus returned into England agayne marryed hym to a professed nonne of Wynchestre called Maude whych was the doughter of Malcolme the kyng of Scottes Much a do had her father and mother cōfessour and abbesse Mathew Paris sayth to perswade her to thys marryage and to obtayne her consent in the ende by reason of her former professyon and vowe Yet cursed she the fruite that shulde come of her body whyche afterward turned her chyldren to great mysfortune Polydorus sayth for therupon were her two sonnes Wyllyam and Richarde drowned in the sea and her doughter Maude the empresse an infortunate mother in bryngynge forth Henry the seconde whyche put vnto death holy Thomas Becket Here was I trowe no bad iudgement As scrupulose as Anselme was in other causes yet founde he no faulte in thys marryage whan he coupled them togyther neyther sought he to haue that vowe dyspensed with If Ranulphus and Treuisa he brought in to proue her vowe a dissymulacyō and that the seyd Anselme so founde it I haue Mathew Paris Rudborne Polydore and other autours more to confound them which largely hath declared it a full vowe professyon But of one thynge I sumwhat maruele why they and Wyllyā of Malmesbury shulde iudge it an vnwor thie marriage cōmende her for spending her substaūce so prodigally vpō syngars mynstrels poetes delyghtynge in their balettes and vayne praysynges oppressynge her tenauntes to maynteyne them Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. v. de regibus Ranulphus li. vij ca. xvi ☞ Anselme wurketh wyles and Randolfe playne treason SOme writers haue thought specyally Mathew of Westminstre that Anselmus bare with kynge Henry in thys matter concernynge hys marryage to wynne hym in an other muche more wayghtie profytable purpose For in that generacion they are more wyly Christ sayth than are the chyldren of lyghte Luce. xvi But he fayled of hys purpose at that present For immedyatly after the kynge made Reinalmus the quenes chaūcellour byshopp of Herforde without the clergyes eleccyon and put hym in possessyon without the Popes autoryte contrary to the othe of hys coronacyon as testyfyeth Radulphus de Diceto Mathew Parts and Roger Honeden But whan Randolfe the byshop of Durham whome the kynge put in the Tower of London for oppressyon and yll rule kepynge had ones broken out of the pryson in the dronkēnesse of his kepers and fledde into Normandy persuadynge duke Robert Courtoys to subdue the kynge hys brother and so to vsurpe hys crowne promysynge also that he had made hym fryndes within the lande by hys secrete counsell and letters In hys commynge as the seyd duke toke it ones vpon hym a great commocion was within the realme the prelates freshly reioycynge therat and causynge it to be noysed a broade that thys soden inuasyon was for that kynge Henry had dysobeyed their holy father of Rome defeated hys eldar brother and marryed Christes professed spowse And al this they subtylye had practysed to take the peoples hartes from him that he myght the more easely haue bene subdued as they thought to their commodyte Yet God of hys great mercye gaue hym than as he hed
oft after that the victory ouer hys enemyes vnloked for to their vtter shame and confusyon Matthaeus Paris alij ☞ The chast procedynges of dyuerse holy prelates IN the same very yeare whych was the yeare of our lorde a M. a C. and one Thomas the archebyshopp of Yorke surnamed the eldar whome Lanfrancus proued a prestes sonne afore pope Alexandre the seconde as is vttered afore departed the worlde Thys Thomas had a nephewe Ranulphus sayth called also Thomas the yongar Ye knowe what a nephewe is by the rules of Rome whose fotesteppes the fathers most studyously folowed in that age as naturall subiectes and chyldren of their creacyon By ryght he shulde haue folowed hys father in that offyce as a naturall inheritour to the myter but he was preuented by one Gerarde Wyllyam of Malmesbury Ranulphe Roger of Chestre saith which was a man as the commen same went gyuen all to lecherouse lyghtnesse to sorcerouse witchcraftes For whan he on a tyme was fouÌ„d dead in an herber a boke of curiouse artes was fouÌ„d vndre his pyllowe made by Iulius Firmicus whom he vsed to reade to himelfe in the none tyde For the whych his owne clergye wold scarsely suffer hym to be buryed wtout the church vndre tyrfes or soddes of the grasse Roger HouedeÌ„ sayth that thys yongar Thomas at the last beynge archebyshop of Yorke and lyenge in extremes was a persuaded of hys phesycyanes to take to hym a woman for remedy of hys dysease whyche he vtterly refused to do and so dyed If thys were true as I much doubt of it than was he a phoenix in that generacyon for Danyel sayth that their hartes shulde be set all vpon women Danie xi But who so euer shall resort to hys doctryne and fruytes in Antichristes prelacie shall fynde hym a virgyne of a farre other sort than Christe hath allowed in the scryptures ☞ Prestes marryage condempned of our Anselme HEnry of Huntyngton in the first boke of hys chronycles sayth that in the yeare of our lorde a M. a C ij which was the iij. yeare of kyng Henry the first at the feast of S. Michael the archangell Anselme the archebyshopp of Canterbury helde a great counsell at London at Westmynstre some chronycles hath whyche is all one Kynge Wyllyam Rufus for hys tyme wolde suffre the clergye to holde no such assemblyes and therfore they mortally hated hym In the which counsell sayth the seyd Henry Roger of Westchestre confirmynge the same he forbad the prestes of Englande their wyues neuer afore the daye prohybeted Mark this Whyche semed to many saye they a very pure relygyon but some men there were whyche thought it a matter full of parell and wolde not haue had it so passe least the prestes professynge a chastyte aboue their strengthes shulde therby fall into most horryble â—yndes of fylthynesse a Christen sentence to the great blemysh and shame of Christianyte And bicause I wolde thys poynt to be the more earnestly marked of my readers to the confusyoÌ„ of antichristes bullish buggerers of Anselmes Hildebrandes brode I put here the vâ—ry wordes of those autours as they staÌ„d in their latine workes In quo concilio inquiuÌ„t Anselmus prohibuit uxores sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas Quod quibusdaÌ„ mundissimum ursum est quibusdam periculosum ne dum munditias uiribus maiores appeterent â–ª in immunditias horribiles ad Christiani nominis summum dedecus inciderent For other Englysh writers sheweth not the matâ—er so lyuely as doth thys Henry Roger. ☞ The actes of Anselmes great synode FIrst they enacted in thys counsell by vertu of Hyldebrandes constytucyon and Vrbanes Bulle that the horryble vyce of symony shulde be condempned for euer whyche was not commytted whan they solde bishopryckes abbeyes deaneryes prebendes orders dedycacyons consecracyons benefyces or any other ecclesyastycall doynges or promocyons but only whan the kynge or any other laye persone ded gyue them or dispose theÌ„ Thys was their spirituall meanynge Next vnto that they enacted that no archedeacon thâ—y spake of no byshoppes preste deacon subdeacon collygener nor canon shulde from thens fourth marry a wyfe nor yet kepe her styll if he had bene marryed to one afore They ordayned also that a preste kepynge company wyth hys wyfe shulde be iudged vnlawfull that he shulde saye no masse if he sayd masse that it shuld not be hearde They charged that none were admytted to orders from that tyme forward marke the tyme vnlesse they professed a chastyte neyther yet that any prestes sonnes shulde clayme by heretage the benefyces of their fathers as the custome had alwayes bene Other actes they made there els concernynge prestes garmentes shauynges shopynges offerynges tythynges buryenges buyldynges confessynges eatynges and slepynges no preachynges to folyshe to be rehearced Loke the boke of Anselmes ccc lxvij epystles Se here hardely if the kyng were not as wele dyspatched of hys pryncely power and autoryte one waye as the prestes of theyr wyues an other waye O wylye wurkers in that kyngedome of inyquyte Nothynge was done here by the worde of God to hys glorye but by the byshop of Romes autoryte to their vayne glorye ☞ Penaltees for them whych broke these actes BEsydes their synodall actes these iniunccions gaue they to the prestes whych were dyvorced First that they and their wyues shulde neuer more mete in one howse neyther yet haue dwellynge within their parryshes If any of them shulde be accused by ij or iij. wytnesses and coulde not pourge hymselfe agayne by sixe able men of hys owne ordre he shulde be iudged a transgressour of the statute depryued of hys benefyce and made an infame or be put to the open reproche of all men He that rebelled or in contempt of their newe statute helde styll hys wyfe and presumed to saye masse vpon the. viij daye after shulde be solempnely excommunycated All archedeacons and deanes were strayghtly sworne not to colour their metynges neyther yet to beare with them for moneye And if they wolde not be sworne to thys that than they shulde lose their offyces wythout recouer All the moueable goodes of them that were proued to transgresse the former statute remayned as forfaytes to the byshoppes their poore wyues condempned for commen whores Anselmus in epistolis Neuer was there any tyranny agaynst the let ordynaunce of God lyke vnto thys tyranny of Antichrist sens the worldes begynnynge neyther vndre Pharao Antiochus Nero nor yet Dioclecyane All thys tyme was not the shamefull sodometry whych secretly lurked among the ydell monkes ones refourmed nor yet spoken of Was it not happye thynke yow for Englande that these fylthie buyldynges of Antichrist had the good helpe of Whynchesters vowes of xxi yeare to vphold theÌ„ whan they were droppyng away in this lattre age If ye consydre it well ywys it hath passed all stage playe ☞
repetynge the same that in the yeare of our lord a M. a C. and x. the mone apered all darke without lyghte Wherby God declared in the open face of the worlde that hys church by the monkes hypocresy in that age was darkened with a beastly ignorauÌ„ce of hys lyuely doctryne For the mone betokeneth commenly in the scryptures the congregacyon of the lorde About thys tyme sayth Iohan Tritemius entered all the craftye learnynge Yea the subtyle phylosophye of the paganes began here to defyle our sacred theologye with her vnprofytable curyosytees The Gospell was put a part sauynge only to be red by parcels in the temple in a foren language without vnderstandynge and the corrupted doctryne of fylthie bastardes Peter Lumbarde Peter the great eater and Gracyane the monke which were thre chyldren of one bawdy nonnes fornycacion receyued and only had in pryce for it The monkes of that age sayth Iohan Carion in hys chronycles perceyuynge the knowledge of the holy scriptures to waxe faynt and to be nought set by for the study of the popysh lawers they thought also to practyse a newe kynde of dyuynyte and set vp scholasticall dysputacyons of diuyne matters But be ware of subtyle sophysters in the doctryne of the churche sayth Iohan Baconthorpe in prologo quarti sententiarum viij quest For their property is to withstande the veryte and to snarle mennys conscyences by darkenyng the clere lyghte therof If it be to the contrary reasoned sayth he that sophystycall argumentes are fytt to confounde heretykes by I vtterly denye that reason For only is it the open veryte that must confounde them As for sophysiues their wycked nature is to brynge in all errour and heresyes All thys hath Baconthorpe ☞ Raufe the archebyshop of Canterbury honoureth hys kynge IN the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xiij the kynge was mynded to haue gyuen the archebyshopryck of Canterbury to Faricius the abbot of Abendon But at the instaunt request sute of the clergye in the counsell of Wyndesore he altered hys purpose and gaue it to Raufe the byshopp of Rochestre a ruffelar to their myndes Hym he adourned with hys owne pryncely handes mynystrynge vnto hym both the ryng and metropolycall crosse For than ones agayne Mathew Paris sayth he had taken an earnest stomake agaynst the byshop of Romes vnshamefast procedynges hys brother duke Robert imprysoned and hys other enemyes brought vndre In the yeare of our lord a thousand a. C. and xv was the seyd Raufe consecrated receyued hys patryarchal palle of Anselme the other Anselmes nephewe whych was thaÌ„ the popes great legate a latere As the kynge was same yeare marryed after his first wyfes â—â—sseace to Adelphe the duke of Loraines doughter and was agayne crowned with her by the byshop of Wynchestre thys heady archebyshopp fell into a palseye for wodenesse and sayd vnto hym the next day after that eyther he shulde leaue that crowne vnlawfull he sayd for so much as it was not taken of hym or els he wolde leaue of hys masse sayng which was no small matter And the lordes about him had much a do to staye the lunetyke prelate from strikynge downe the crowne from the kinges heade and stampynge it vndre hys fote Yet ded the gentyll kynge gyue him fayre wordes the chronycles sayth Loke Wyllyam of Malmesbury li. i de pontificibus Ranulphus li. xij ca. xv Rogerus li. vij and Iohan Capgraue li. ij de nobilibus Henricis And Treuisa addeth vnto it in fyne Englysh that thys hawtie prelate was a great Iaper the terme is sumwhat homelye Ded I not tell yow afore that kynges for their power had sped as yll as the prestes for their wyues And I thynke I tolde the truthe ☞ Of Pope Calixtus and the heade churche of Wales MVche were it to rehearce the turmoylynges of Pope Calixte the seconde for renuynge of the execrable actes of hellysh Hyldebrande and prestygyouse Paschall agaynst the marryage of prestes and power of prynces for inuestyture of prelates In the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and .xix. He helde counsel at Remis in Fraunce and in the yeare a M.a. C. xxiij he helde an other wyth CCC byshoppes at Rome And in these ij counsels he depryued all prestes of the commen Christianyte that held styll their wyues wyllynge them from thens fourth to be taken for no better thaÌ„ paganes and helhoundes and to want their ChristeÌ„ buryall The prynces that had gyuen out ecclesyastycall offyces he condempned of sacrilege preposterously allegynge the scriptures that they whych were admytted by them entered not by the dore but they scattered from Christe dyuydynge hys coote without seme As though in their exceding pryde and couetousnesse they had bene the same Christe whyche was full of Godly symplycyte and lowlynesse and their glytterynge synagoge that symple coote without seme In thys lattre yeare dyed Raufe the heady archebishop of CaÌ„terbury and Wylliam Curboâ—l which was a chanon succeded FroÌ„ the tyme of Augustyne tyll that daye by the space of more than fyue hondred and. xxiiij yeares none occupyed that seate but monkes and that caused so many corrupcyons to entre into the church of England for all they maynteyned Antichrist A lytle afore this that is to saye in the yeare a. M.a. C. and. ij bicame the archebyshopryck of Meneuia or Prymates seate of S. Dauid in wales fyrste subiect to the churche of Canterbury And from the dayes of kynge Lucy to the yeare a. M.a. C. and. xv none other were archebyshoppes there than Brytaynes or Welchemen and all that tyme had their ministers wyues But sens the Englyshe monkes occupyed they haue had concubynes for wyues and wyll not change at thys daye men saye Thus entered fylthienesse in that quarter also the time wolde be marked Suncon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Giraldus Cambrensis Ranulphus ☞ Kynge Henry plaged for sufferinge marriage to be condempned ALl foren warres ended and controuersyes pacifyed in the yeare of our Lorde a. M. a C. and xx King Henrye the fyrst with great ioye and triumphe departed out of Normandye and entered after hys great victoryes by sea into Englande But within fewe dayes folowinge was thys gladnesse turned into a moste heauye and horryble sorowe For William and Rycharde his ij sonnes Marye hys doughter with Otwell their tutoure scholemaystre Rycharde the earle of Chestre and hys wyfe the kynges nece all the merye chaplaynes companions and ruflars of the courte chambrelaynes buffares and seruytours the Archedeacon of Herforde the Prynces playe fellowes syr Jeffrey Rydell syr Robert Malduyte syr Wyllyam Bygot wyth manye other greate heyres lordes knyghtes and gentylmen ladyes and gentylwomen to the nombre of a. C. and xl Besydes the yeomen and maryners whiche were more than halfe an hondred takynge passage by nighte were al drowned in the bottom of the
all his successours kinges after him In the thyrd yeare after his deathe was he proclamed a saynt by the popes autoritie and his daye triumphasitly celebrated ouer all Englande hys masse beginnynge with Gaudeamus The king came in all naked sauynge that he hadde a liuen breche about hys nether partes He receyued of the monkes a discipline wyth roddes and was so absolued of them in theyr chaptre howse He resygned his power vpon their hygh aultre consented to their vsurped lybertees and professed him selfe a perpetuall subiect to Antichrist and the serpent Apo. xiij O blasphemers of God and shamelesse mockers of men But Cesarius sayth in the. viij boke of hys dyaloges ca. lxix that in the. xlvij yeare after hys deathe a questyon was moued in the open scholes at Parys whether he were saued or dampned Where as Roger Norman proued hym wurthie to be dampned for obstynate rebellyon against his kinge whiche was Gods appoynted mynyster Peter the great chauntre of Paris hauing nothinge to obiect in the churches quarell to the contrary but his miracles whiche were most manifest lyes and illusions ☞ Kynge Henry smelleth out Antichrist and is agayne blynded SVmwhat must I saye here of the kynge called Henry the seconde whyche was a verye wyse well learned and godly prince Petrus Blesensis sayth in epistola ad Gualterum archiepiscopum Panorimtunum Though he in the yeare of our lord a. M.a. C. and. lxvi permitted at the popes request a grote to be giuen of euery plough lande within all his dominions for ayde of the christen warres agaynst the Turkes yet perceyuinge â— yeares after the crafty bestowynge therof and how the seide pope had mayteined the treason of Becket agaynste him he caused all hys people to forswere his obedience from the childe of xij yeares to them of extreme age Loke Mathew of Westminstre li. ij de floribus historiarum In the next yeare after to please hym agayne pope Alexandre confirmed vnto him the bulle of Adriane the. iiij for the conquest of Irelande and made him the hygh lorde of that region vndre him the Peter pens for euerye chymney that smoked alwayes to hys fatherhede reserued And thys was Iohan hardynge sayth in hys chronycle for an errour whiche the Iryshe men helde against the spyrytualte and for certen heresyes wherwyth they hadde bene long infected In the yeare therfor of our lorde a. M.a. C. and. lxxi were bothe the nobylyte and clergye of the lande sworne vnto hym to take the kynges of Englande for their lordes euer after Rogerus Houeden A lyke chaunce hadde the Scottes in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxxxviij Pope Clement the thyrde in hys hyghe dyspleasure subiectynge that whole realme to the crowne of Englande wyllynge their kinges nobylyte and clergye to gyue alwayes to the kynges of Englande theyr othe of obedyence as to theyr superioure lordes Nicolaus Treueth ☞ A patronage proued lawfull by v. marryed prestes NOwe wyll I brynge a matter whyche Barnes rehearseth in his boke of prestes marryage bicause it fell in thys age In the tyme of pope Alexandre the. iij. sayth he there was a controuersye for the patronage of a benefyce betwene the priour of Plympton in Deuenshyre and one Iohan de Valletorda Iudges were deputed to heare the master Rycharde the archebyshoppe of Canterbury and Roger the byshoppe of Wynchestre Before whome the priour of Plimpton proued his personage by reason that he was in possession therof had gyuen it out afore to dyuerse persones Fyrste he sayde there was a preste of Plympton called Alphege whych hadde by the gyft of the seyd pryour of Plympton the benefyce of Sutton nowe called Plymmouth Thys Alphege hadde a sonne called Cedda whyche hadde also the benefyce after hys father And after thys Cedda was there an other preste called Alnodus whyche hadde the benefyce lyke wyse Thys Almodus hadde a sonne called Robert Dunpruste which after the decease of hys father had also the seyd benefyce And after thys Robert Dunâ—rust William Bakon hys sonne enioyed the benefyce lyke wyse â–ª Ex monumentis eiusdem coenobij Thys is a wytnesse suffycyente to proue that it is no newe learnynge nor yet so longe a go sens prestes hadde lawfull wyues as the ydell headed papystes do make the ignoraunt multytude beleue And thys was in those dayes an vse throughe oute the realme that the sonne shulde in benefyces succede the father eyther els the next of his kinne that was learned tyll the monkes hypocresye procured the alteracyon for theyr bellye 's sake ☞ Examples dyuerse that prestes in that age hadde wyues FVrthermore the seyde pope Alexandre in hys epistles decretall sheweth manye of the â—yke examples And in one to Iohan of Oxforde than byshop of Norwyche he commaundeth that Wyllyam the newe person of Dysse for claymynge the benefyce by inheritaunce after the decease of his father person Wulkerell whyche begate him in his presthode shulde be dyspossessed no appellacyon admitted The deane and chaptre of Salisbury in an other place he chargeth not to admyt Hughe Howet to the prebende of Baphorde whyche was hys fathers afore hym least it so shulde growe agayne into a custome The lyke he wrote to the Archedeacon of Lyncolne and to other diuerse prelates of the realme specyallye to the byshoppe of Excestre of one Iohan a prestes sonne whyche after lyke sorte wolde haue succeded hys father To the byshop of Wyncestre he sheweth there also that the monkes of Lenton abbeye by Notyngham molested one Oliuer a prest whiche had peceably holden the benefyce of Mapleshalle by the space of xxx yeares The greattest matter they hadde agaynste hym was that he hadde bene that prestes sonne whyche had bene curate of the same parryshe afore hym But in thys he defeated the monkes and shewed hym fauer bicause he hadde there contynued so longe The exampels of thys kynde are so manye that I leaue them for tedyousnesse Lete those lewde papystes be ashamed than whyche folowynge the lowsye learninge of that bawdye dronkarde Iohan Eckius in hys folyshe Enchiridyon reporteth wyth hym and wyth doctour Coole in theyr ignoraunt frenesye that it hath not bene heard sens Christes ascensyon that a preste euer marryed or had a wyfe Questyonlesse theyr brutysh heades are to blockysh ☞ Remedyes taughte of S. Godrycke for vowes kepynge SAynte Godrycke borne at Walpole in Northfolke went firste abroade with pedlary wares and afterwardes on pilgrimage to Rome and Hierusalem In hys returne he professed the chast life of an hermyte at Fynkale by Durham and bicame the great fouÌ„der of dyspersed Hermytes here in Englande Muche was he tempted wyth the sprete of fornycacyon and had no small a do to kepe hys vowe of chastyte To abate the great heates of hys fleshe he soughte dyuerse remedyes but marryage was none of them for that was
hymselfe to lyue longe on the earth vpon thys admonicioÌ„ of Godryck the Hermite whych sayd that he shuld be starke blinde vij yeares afore he shulde dye But he vnderstode not that ther was as wele a blindenesse in sowle as in body And that made hym so vnready whan he shulde haue dyed and also so wretchedly soeth to departe from thys worlde Mattheus Paris Radulphus de Diceto Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Polidorus Se here howe they kepe theyr owne spirituall lawes for intermedlynge with temporal matters But that for lucre they maye breake all ordre ☞ The preuye membre of a fyshe swaloweth in a monke GIraldus Cambrensis declareth in the second parte of his wurke called the glasse of the church ca. vij That by the sea coast a she fish was fouÌ„de of a wonderfull greatnesse called a thirlepoole The people in great nombre came from all quarters there about some to beholde the monstruouse shappe of the fyshe and same to cut it in peces and to carry theÌ„ home to theyr howses to soâ—ne profytable vse Among other ther was a monke more quycke and sterynge to perceyue all thinges than anye other there Thys monke drawynge very nygh to the fyshe beheld vewed and marked the preuye parte therof aboue all Which was the storie sayth as it hadde bene the openynge of a greate dore or gate He loked therupon verye seriouslye and muche wondered neyther coulde he in anye wyse be satysfyed wyth the syghte therof At the laste wythoute modestye shame and all bashefulnesse he approched so nyghe that by the slyme and fatâ—esse therof whyche than laye vpon the sayde hys fotynge fayled hym and he fell flat into the fowle hole so beynge swalowed vp of that whyche hys lecherouse harte most desired So that these adages myght than haue bene founde true Suche saynte suche shryue suche bere suche bottell such treasure suche trust As muche was it to recouer hym and to saue hys lyfe as all they coulde do which stode about with long pooles proâ— hokes liues ropes and other hasty prouisyons A subtile enemye was it sayth Giraldus that prouided him so ridiculouse and obprobrioule a falle But this is the good fortune of our votaries In the ende they fall heade linges into the gulfe of that filthinesse whych they haue so ardeÌ„tly all their life time affected ☞ The lasciuiouse hart of an other monke perâ—eiued AN other like storie sheweth the seyd Giraldus in the nexte chaptre folowing of a moÌ„ke of Glastenbury It chaunced saith he at the kinges request sute of the abbot that the graue of king Arthour betwen ii high pilers of stone was opened within the holy Saintwary of Aualon There founde they the fleshe bothe of hym and of hys wyfe Guenhera turned all into duste wythin theyr coffynes of stronge oke the bones only remaynynge A monke of the same abbeye standynge by and beholdynge the fyne bruydinges of the womannis heare so yelowe as golde there stil to remayne As a man rauyshed or more than halfe from his wittes he leaped into the graue xv fote depe to haue caught them sodenlye But he fayled of his purpose For so sone as they were towched they fell all to powder No lesse was this monke sayth Giraldus a figure of that insaciable helle of lecherie than was the other monke for he shewed as depely the sygnes of a shamelesse mynde as ded the other Giraldus lib. ij cap viij Speculi ecclesiastici in opere de institutione principis Radulphus Cogeshale Ioannes Fiberius Richardus Premonstratensis Mattheus VVestmonasteriensis Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa IoaÌ„nes Lelandus in assertione Arturij All this maketh good the foresayenge of Tamel that the hartes of theÌ„ in this generacion shulde be all vpon women Dame xi I wolde not that thys also were forgotteâ—n in thys age by the waye but marked and remembred for it includeth a greate mysterye Whan stryfes and controuersyes were rysen betwen monkes and their bishoppes for sleuelesse matters the kynge mighte not meddle in so spirituall causes but a legate must all wayes come from Rome to do it Notate uerba signate mysteria ☞ King Richarde is sent abrode and a bishop ruleth NEuer were there anye people eyther scarse any deuyls of helle in craftes and wordlye wiles comparable to these spretes of Rome the byshoppes monkes and prestes They could sende kynges abrode on Pilgrymage and in the meane tyme occupye their whole realmes to their Romyshe maisters behoue Kynge Richarde the first for his stoughte stomacke called Cor de Lyon was sent in to the lande of Palestyne to fyghte wyth the great Turke for Hierusalem whyche an Englyshe votarye and byrde of theyr vncleane cage had both betrayed and lost a lytle afore and coulde neuer be recouered sens For the tyme of hys absence one Wyllyam Longeshampe being chauÌ„cellour of Englande and byshop of Helie holdynge the gouernaunce of the whole realme wonderfully oppressed the same Hauynge the kinges whole power and his popes autoryte he rode contynually with no lesse than a. M. horse the noble mennys sonnes beynge glad to become slaues to hym Wyth the beste barons and earles maryed he hys cosynes neces and kynswomen yet was hys grande father a poore plough man and hys owne father a cowherde Beynge and holye votarye he refused the vse of women and in hys bed chambre abhomynablye occupyed wyth buggerye boyes as the commen rule was than of that myscheuouse spyrytualte So longe he ruffled it oute in all kyndes of tyrannye tyll at the laste Iohan the kinges brother beynge than the greattest duke wythin the lande began to couple wyth hym Than fearynge to haue bene called to a verye strayghte reckenynge he fled wyth a small companye of hys moste trusty seruauntes to the castell of Doueâ— myndynge in the nyghte to haue stollen ouer the sea But as herafter shall folowe he came to shorte of that passage Hugo Nouaunte in libello de fuga Guilhelmi Heliensis Rogerus Houeden li. ij Anglorum historiae ☞ This byshop counterfetteth a woman and is taken INuentynge a newe crafte of conueyaunce he came downe haltynge from the castell aboue to the sea-side byneth appareled in al pointes lyke a woman whose kynde neuerthelesse aboue al thinges he abhorred A syde grene garment he had vpon him and a cloke wyth wide sleues of the same colour His heade was al couered with a fair great kâ—rchief and his face with a propre muffâ—ar In his ryght hande he bare a pece of lynen cloth and in the left hande a met yearde And as he was set vpon a great stone a fysher man commynge from the water and inpyosynge hym to be an whore ran fast vpon hym and clasped one hande about hys necke with the other he searched for hys preuye partes Whan he ones vnderstode hym to be a man and no woman he called to them about and desyred them
beast To worshyp the first Beast Hildericus Pipinê° Kyngdomes traÌ„slated antichrist Apo. xiij Alderbertus Claudiê° Errours doctrine Canonistes Rome Open sale of whores Ethelbaldus Colfredus Osredus geraldus geilepus Fulda 744. Lieba Monasterium fuldeÌ„se Floriacus 651. To ease their vowes Oxford Frideswyde A king Alcuinus Autoures Ethelwolphus Penitentes at Rome Syt in the consâ—â—ences The Rome shott Hospytall Fulda Gilberta A womâ— pope 854. Pryde hath a fall An whore Popes chosen by their stones An exaÌ„ple Fulda Matrimony coÌ„deÌ„pned 858. A prest Holy water 875. Gabriel A boke of xij chapters Diuerse Gabriels Odulphus Fredericus Clarus The Danes Coldyngham Elphegus Ghostly fathers CoÌ„teÌ„cioÌ„ Egelricus a married prest Marriage conteÌ„pned A married prest ethelstâ—nus a monke maryed A miracle Elpe Brithgida Wilfhilda Odo 946. Floriaâ—us The kinges concubines Cinstitucions Oswalde Floriacus The sacrameÌ„t Miracles DuÌ„stanus magnus musyck sorcerye Carniâ—ge autours A caste or feate Ethelstanus Athelmus Elphegus a moÌ„kes cowle Hypocrytes Edmondus rex DuÌ„stanes deuil worketh homely Playe tyme I trowe GlasteÌ„burye Edwinus alfgina Odo caÌ„tuariensis CoÌ„fession Masse of requiem Alfgina loueth Stronge loue Cadina loueth Edwinê° rex The coÌ„mens ryse iij. swerdes Maryed priestes Apoc. 9. Hiere 5. Rome chastite 907 Sergius Marosia Formosus TyraÌ„ny Autours Theoracum filiabus Ioannes raueÌ„nas Ioan ye. x 915. whores rule all Guido Mazozia 929. IoaÌ„ xi hugo rex Italie Leo et Stephanus Writers deceiued iij. whores 930 Hugo rex Goddeses for Whoredom spiritual chastite Albericê° Octauianus 956. Ioan. xij Synodê° Rome Rainera Anna. Rome sacrifice he might be chast Their spiritual father Ioan. xij LiuthpraÌ„dus Byworde 960. Dunstanus The first compulsion Foundacion of chastite The deuyls coÌ„myssyoner A thefe A tirauÌ„t Kynge Edgare Tiranny spiritual mariage condemned Facies ecclesiarum Heretikes and theues wilfrith penauÌ„ce An apyshe slaue The beastes autorite A proude knaue No king but a fole A witles Beast Practyse Craft Priestes go out A colour Edward Editha Al sayntes The mother duÌ„stane Editha Great loue shewed A narrow sercher Edgare Image Bestie sinodus 969 An Acte for sodome TiraÌ„ny Visitours For mariage Bulles Dunstane accused Edgare alfreda Oratio ad clersi knauery A deuilish Illusion wolues Act. 20. Cant. 2. Monasteries Ethelwoldus impostor magus Heretykes a colour a father Ioan. 13 Stephana Oswaldus magus Floriacus Prestes expelled Apoc. 9. a colour iij false knaues 975 Scisms Alpherus Ethelredus Edwardus legatus Ioan. 13 a father A deceyt Alpherus Prestes restored The prestes The moÌ„kes A crosse in mariage Backare sir monke 975. sinodus coÌ„missioÌ„ A roode knauery The rood speaketh 1 IoaÌ„ 4 thomas croÌ„well Verses Capgraue 1036 Canutus The crowne Egelnothus An Idol made king Image of the Beast canutus Elgiua Claustrall chastite A monkes bastarde Sweno Heraldus Dunstanus knauery Alpherus 976 a lerned Bishop Dunstane an asse A blind beast a limme of the deuill Mich. 3 sayntes Gods seruyce Precursor Antichristi Apo. 20. miracles the churche Apo. 12. Sathan Vyces 988 Deuils A bloudye cloude Danes Siricius MoÌ„kes were Englandes destruccioÌ„ The Danes streÌ„thened Lorde Dane 1012 Caunterburye Elphegus Tythynges A iust Plage Extent of thys boke The other boke 1551. Sathan at large Good workes Sodomites Mat. â— Mar. iiij Luc. 12. Christ to buketh Mat. 23. Vespasianus Titus Captyues ExaÌ„ple Magystrates Englysh Saintes The Autour Starres Fallen starres Holye dayes Peter Paule secular laye Called Startsmen Tayles whores â–ª Face of the Seâ—pent Dunstanes deuil Noble men Kynge Henry Saynt George What maketh noble Lawes Doctrine Deuyls ij part A dogge False teachers Romanes Nahor Cechim Romulus Ilia Rhea Lupa Lupanaria Chloris Floralia Spurij Priapus A God Romysh goodes Iulius Nero. Aurelius Clergy Constantinus TeÌ„ples ij soÌ„nes Emperour French kynge Childericus Angisus Pipinus TeÌ„ples Olympus Whores Aristotle Simon Magus Bishoppes Sergius Rome Sodomytes Roma Papistes Examples Adam Holy churche The author tarryed Ghostly fruytes Doctryne Sathan 1000. Syluester ij Darkenesse Saturnus Chastite 1000. Saturnus Vesta Aurelius Palumbus An offerynge Syluestre Apo. xx Dyscyples Fathers Sorcerers Two prynces Necromaâ—cy Oblacyon Prynces Promocyons Papacy 1001. IooÌ„nes Baconthorpe Decrees Empyre 1002. Germanes Yongar sonne Electours 1002. Chauncellers Princes Pyllars The Egle. An ydol Odilo abbas 1010. Purgatory Osbernus 1010. Hypocresy Phylosophy Sodome A prest 1010. A weÌ„che Deuyls Wilfhilda Barkinge Good chere Ethelgarus Siricius 990. Elphegus 1010. ij deuils Their power A cowle The vertue Hypocrytes S. 〈◊〉 The water S. Walstane 1016. Capgraue meÌ„bers 1017. A starre Canutus Abbeyeâ— Rome shott Bastardes Fulbertus Gene sucke A church O traytours O caytyfes For Idolatry Bury abbey 925. 1021. 1036. A chaplayne Coueyaunce Promocyons All holy A nonne As a wyfe A prest Saye Masse Whoredom Alwinus 1044 Emma Danysh bloude A traytour Myracles An ydyote Edward Marryage Legenda Blasphemy S. Paul Errour Testymonyes Editha Hypocrytes Examples Subieccyon A voyce Straungers Prelates Lubbers Newe sayntes Gregory 1046 Cardynalles Swauus 1049 Penaunce Palumbus Deuyls Members A wytch Masses Holy churche 1053. Wenches Victor 1056. Poyson ChristiaÌ„ O trayters Hypocresy Duke Robert Brotheis A bastarde Autores Stigandus 1054. A Byshopp Versus 1082. WyllyaÌ„ Olyuer 1060. Edward Nicolas Westminster Petrus Damianus Berengarius Churche 1069. Wynchestre Alexander A prouiso Lanfrancus A counsell Confession Dunstanus Dead men Lanfrancus Bishopryckes 1068. An othe 1069. A stryfe Lanfrancus Canterbury Walter 1070 A weÌ„che Ouercome A practyse Cecilia 1075. Thurstinus 1083. A battayle ij slayne CoÌ„meÌ„s HildebraÌ„dus Dyscyples Aduersary vij Popes poysened A murtherer Practyses A traytour Deuyls A traytour God stryketh Myschefe ij cantels Sorcerer God brent Autores 1074 Depryued ExaÌ„ples TyrauÌ„t Autoreâ— Cestes Scysme Seducers Maude An whore A crafte Resystaunce Sathan Marryage Angels Vycar Holy church Warnynge Wytnesses Prouysyons Prestes TyraÌ„ny A bulle Masses Preposterously Deceyuers 1075. ConteÌ„pt Antichrist WyllyaÌ„ 1075. RebellioÌ„ 1076 Walker Satisfactyon 1080. DurhaÌ„ Reason Confirmed 1083. Kepers Boso Turgotus VysyoÌ„s A token Pylgrymage Prestlyke 1076. Prydee 1077. A bastard Lanfrancus A warryour 1077 Blasphemer 1083. Osmundus Canonysed 1087. KeÌ„redus Exempcyon Nobylyte Roberyes Styngers Anselme Wyues 1097. Tribute 1090. Styngers Walkinus Walterus Tryall Warnynge 1095. Starres The place A chaÌ„ge Mark it symony 1092. A lechour Spretes 1093. Reward Chestre Herbert 1091. 1094 No merchaunt 1095. 1096 Testymonyes Norwych A monstre Money Symoners A deuyll Simon Richard Peche Ethelwolf A bishop 803 A bastard Wulstane Louers to blesse A fable Wolstone Hardinâ— Cisteanes 1098. 1135. Sectes fasciculus 1000. Sorceryes 1094 1100. 1096 Realyte Paulus Deceyuers 1094 Anselme Kynge WyllyaÌ„ Vycars Anselme Spyes 1095. Falsehede A traytour A SathaÌ„ A rebell A search Suggestyon 1089 PetycioÌ„ women Fryndly 1096 Practyses 1097 Nichetas 1098 woÌ„ders CouÌ„sels for lucre Actes MoÌ„kes Make spede A curse o deuils Blasphemy A mouth Sorceryes A seate EnglaÌ„de A pope 1099 A sonne A fable Raylers 1101. Yll chauÌ„ge No faulte Iudgementes A practyse Lyke a kyng RaÌ„dolfe Practise 1101 ij Thomas Gerard. 1114. doctrine 1102. Marryage Sodometrye marke it Actes ExeÌ„pt Chast professioÌ„ Al a like Iniunctyons Shamed Forfaytes Buggerers 1539. Abbotes For whores Herbert Anselme A iestar BabyloÌ„ Monkelyke Good stuffe Antichrist Gerard. Wyues for lucre 1103. a synode An acte Sodomytes Saintes An acte Laye prest Publyshed Conueyaunce TeÌ„derly Practise Buggerers WyllyaÌ„ A rope Hypocryte A crafte No not so A stryfe Lawful Anselme to Rome Warelwast Paschalis Antichrist Richard restored From Rome Knaueryes subtylte Systers 6. An ordre RelygioÌ„ lyke MerchauÌ„tes Secular A questyon O traytours 1106. Antichrist Deceyt 1112. Breches A couÌ„sel An excuse Barnes Kynge Henry 1107. A couÌ„sel Anselme O traytour A Pope 1108. Women Wytnesses Antichristes Papystes 1109. A Pope wurkes A wolfe 1110. Tritemius iij. bastardes Dyuynyte Baconthorpe 1113. Raufe 1115. The crowne Authours Calixtus 1119. 1123 Scripturs 1123 1102. 1115 Wiues 1120 Lordes Ladies writers A plage Bastard Celsus No vowe Eckius ReuereÌ„d 1120. Irel â— 1125. A legate Bagges SenteÌ„ce A verse Cardynall Secrete Vnfytt Ashamed 1129. Processe Lucre. A craft Wyues Sectes CisteaÌ„s S. Robert Charterers Locustes Fatte 1135. Steuen A vowe Customes Mark it A plage 1036. Prelates A helpe A sinode Accursed 1137. TurstaÌ„ Prelates Heretykes 1138. No wife 1140. Mark it Wyttes Define Plato Wysdome 1140. Dauid 1140 Decrees Petrus Esse To darken 1144. Wulwarde Goodwyn Marryage 1545. Corbet Rugge Men godly mockers A mother Examynacyon No shame doctrine I. Bale 1148. terrour Crabbes Dyscouered Autores Nicolas A moÌ„ke Salisbury All true 1159. S. Willyam Poysened Spirituall Yorke 1154. 1159. 1155. No better Becket rebukes Gylbert A ordre 1148. Rules 1159. WaÌ„ton Nigellus Gilbertynes Hefled Returned whores 1153. A shyfte Nigellus ij sortes Hypocresy Theues Mark it all voyd Nigellus Fruitfull Malcolme A kynge Maior 1163. Water 1160. Calfes Fame Antichrist writers Tolouse Becket A ruflar pleasure a weÌ„che for loue All chast Change 1164. Prestes AddicyoÌ„ An acte A preste Vndre Becket Autour articles Cursed No king Clarkes 1164. a church Christyanes Monkery Opynyons 1171. franrick Idolatrye A deuyll Defeccyon Miracles Bokes 1173. Assoiled 1220. A rebell Henry ij 1166. 1168. 1169. Errour 1171. 1188. Barnes 1176. A priour Alphege Bakon the soÌ„ne ExaÌ„ples Prestes successe Curates Eckius Pedlar Heates Water LegeÌ„de Geares 1170. 1179. Sequestred Ryders Pryuyleges WalthaÌ„ 1120 BurdeÌ„s Lucre. Dissent 1187. Dyshes Bellye PaÌ„per Dyshes A priour Conueyaunce Two priours Abroade 1086. prisoner A thefe ij orders They serue 1312. 1186. 1187. mockers 1187. Pleasure 1189. miracle DurhaÌ„ Longe lyfe autours Giraldus A moÌ„ke A falle Drowned Canterbury 1101. Giraldus Autores Stryses Wiles 1191. A rular a votary Accomptes Disgysed A sowster A monstre A preste A playe Depryued Meueâ— 1197. A frynd 1191 Antichrist Ioachim prelates Argumentes 1191. Defend Antichrist Mark it o Inciset 1192 Charite Nouant Contencion 1198. Hubert 1196. Poyson Studye Sisions Iohan. Warryres A chaunter Canons CoÌ„timae 1197. Hypocrite Husbandes Fulco Thre howses 1198. Legion 1196. WomeÌ„ 1198. coÌ„secrat Baldewyn Prestes apostles 1199. Occupied Discressyon A boke Actes Yeares Sathan no stop Hydden Mistes Lighte Autour iiij paroes coÌ„tentes The last Diuerse Craftes ij offices the firste Wiues oportet Wretches women Buggerers The. ij Autorite Deceyt o SathaÌ„ Mockers Traytours Curses An hidre Fauer Traytours rebelles Blasphemers Deceyuers ij matters Verlettes Simon Magus Iudge
are non other to be reckened than the very sede and of springe of the serpent Though these haue knowne that there is a God yet haue they not glorified him in faythe and mekenesse but haue become most vayne in their ymaginacions Where as he hath declared marriage excedingly good they haue condempned it as a thinge execrable and wicked And where as he hath spoken it by his owne mouthe that it is not good for man to be alone they haue improued that doctrine and thaught the contrary as a thinge more perfight and Godly ¶ Marryage contempned of Sathan THus Sathan erected him selfe against God in that wicked generacion whych beganne first in Cain and hath euer sens continued in that posterite For this presumpcion God gaue them clerely ouer and lefte them to them selues with all their good intentes and vowes wherupon they haue wroughte sens that tyme fylthynesse vnspekeable Their chast women vestals Monyals Nonnes and Begines changynge the naturall vse haue wrought vnnaturallye Lyke wyse the men in their Prelacyes presthodes and innumerable kyndes of Monkerye for want of women hath brent in their lustes and done abhomynacyons withoute nombre so receyuynge in them selues the iust rewarde of their errour Of these moste hellishe diabolick frutes holye Saynte Paule admonyshed the Romanes in the fyrste chaptre of hys Epystle vnto them knowynge afore hande that oute of their corrupted christyanyte shulde ryse suche a fylthye flocke as shulde worke them euerye where But neyther of Paule nor yet of Peter haue the fore warnynges auayeled but those brockishe boores haue gone frely foreward without checke tyll nowe of late dayes where in God hathe geuen vs a more pure syght to beholde their buskelinges ¶ Marriage of Prestes in both lawes TO make manyfest vnto theÌ„ what wyues the Lorde appoynted by his seruaunte Moses vnto the leuytycall prestes in the sacred posterite of Aaron Leuiti 21. Ezech. 44. it were but labour lost Eyther to put them in remembraunce that Christ was borne in marryage though hys mother were alwayes a mayde and that he left vnto hys Apostles marryage in lyberte euermore yt were in vayne also For all thys hath GOD shewed vnto them playnelye by hys true prophetes in thys lattre age declarynge the fynall destruccyon of that wretched kyngdome As by Martyn Luther Iohan Pomerane Frances lambert Oswaldus Myconius Philip Melanchton such other as is sayd afore but all haue they taken for fables That lorde sent them one vnto theyr owne doores whiche effectuallye did hys massage euen Robert Barnes by name of whose grounded argumentes they haue not yet dyscharged the leaste besydes that they haue had from hym by good Wyllyam turner and George Ioye And all thys haue they disdaynouslye laughed to scorne Consyderynge therfore that no gentyl speche wyll amende them nor yet sharpe threttenynges call them to repentaunce he will now cast their owne vyle donge in their faches that it shall cleane fast vpon them Mala. 2. He wyll thorowe in their tethe by thys booke and suche other the stynkynge examples of their hypocrytyshe lyues with their calkynges and cloynynges to patche vp that dauberye of the deuyll their vowed wynelesse and husbandeles chastite ¶ Englande inhabyted afore Noe and after AND for asmuche as the tyttle of this present treatyse onlye respecteth Englande onlye shall it treate the vnchast examples of the spirytualte therof wyth certayne examples of Romyshe Popes whiche then wrought their iuggelynge mastries there To fatche the matter from their fyrst foundacion and so to stretche it forewarde I am fullye assertayned by auncient wrytinges that thys lande was wyth people replenyshed longe afore Noes dayes Yea suche tyme as men were multiplied vpon the vniuersall earthe Gene. 6. As they then had left Gods appoynted Religion and had taken wayes vnto them after their owne good into utes suche vnspeakable fylthynesse folowed as brought vpon them the great dylunye or vnyuersall flod whych left none alyue but drowned them vp as it dyd all other quarters Thys wytnesseth bothe Moses and Beresus the moste auncient writers we read of After the said flood was it agayne inhabiteth by the of sprynge of Iapheth the thyrde sonne of Noe. For of them sayeth Moses were the Iles of the Gentyles sorâ—â—d out into regions euery one after knowne dyuese from other by theyr languages kyndredes and nacions Gen. 10. And in the dayes of Phaleg the sonne of Heber was that diuision of Prouinces lyke as foloweth in the same chapter Samothes the Brother of Gomer whom the Byble calleth Mesech restored then agayne thys lande in hys posterite the priestes therof called Samothei for so muche as he was the fyrst that fournyshed it with lawes as wytnesseth Iohannes Annius in commentarijs Berosi ¶ Albion with his Samothites AFter this grewe it into a name and was called Albion Not ab albis rupibus as fryre Bartylmew hathe fantasyed is hys worke De proprietaribus rerum Nor yet ab Albiana the Kynges doughter of Syria as Marianus the monk hathe dreamed it For of latyne woordes coulde it haue no name before the latyne it selfe were in vse And the other without grounded aucthoritie appeareth a playne fable as witnesseth both Volateranus and Badius But rather it should seme to be called Albion ab Albione Gygante the sonne of Neptunus whiche was afterwarde slayne of Hercules for stopping hys passage at the enteraunce of Rhodanus as testifieth Diodorus Seculus and also Pomponius Mela. Not onelye because the sayd Albion was a gyaunt lyke as the afore sayd Samothes was afore hym but also for that his father Neptunns was than taken for the Lorde or great God of the sea wherin it is enclosed What the chastyte was of the Samothites or prestes for that age the Poetes doth declare at large Venus was than their great Goddesse and ruled all in that spirituall famelye as she hath done euer sens ¶ The Samothytes and their chastyte THey had in their temples vestals whom now we call NoÌ„nes whose offyce was to mainteyne the fyre for performaunce of the sacryfyces least it should at any tyme go out These were chosen in before they were syxtene yeares olde there remaynyng vnmaried the space of xxx yeares and others alwayes by that tyme succeded in their rowmes Some of these were presbyteresses as they pleased the spirituall fathers And as uhe lyghtes went out by their neglygence their ponnyshmentes were to be beaten of the Byshoppes More ouer if any of them chaunced to fall in aduoutery except they did it in the darke with them their iudgement was to be buryed in the grounde quycke Alwayes they went awaye virgines from them what soeuer was done in the meane season and at the. xxx yeares ende they were in liberte to marrye if they woulde This testifieth Hermanus Torrentinus and Iohannes Textor with other auctours Yet was not this
marryage Ioannes Maior libro secundo Capite 12. Ioannes Capgraue in catalogo sanctorum Anglie ¶ A spirituall conueyaunce to be marked ETheldred whom ye cal Saynt Andrye of helye marryed ij great prynces Tombert of the South Girwyes and Egfride the Kyng of Northumberlande mockynge them both by the space of more then xiij yeares in not geuynge them due beneuolence accordyng to the holy doctrine of saynt Paul i. Cor. vij And in occasioninge them to aduouterouse lyuynge The lattre of theÌ„ knowynge that she mynded wylfryde then byshop of yorke muche more then hym for the storye sayeth that she loued that monke aboue all the men lyuyng requyred him in Gods behalfe to admonysh her of her dewtye that he myght accordyng to hys lawes haue increase of succession by her And he lyke a false traytour knaue notwithstandinge hys promes to the contrarye perswaded her to perseuer in her obstynacye and vtterlye to resyst hym allegynge her vowe and requyrynge a diuorcement from hym Wherupon he was then compelled to marrye an other wyfe called Ermenburgis and Etheldrede was professed a NoÌ„ne in ColdynghaÌ„ with Ebba by the sayd wylfryde This kyng after that perceyuynge his knauerye by assent of Theodorus the archebyshop of Caunterbury bannyshed hym out of hys lande Then folowed she after a pace and whyles he was byshop of Eastsexse she became abbasse of hely not farre from his elbone Marke thys conueyaunce for your learnynge If this were not knauerye where shal we fynde knauery Yet was this gentylman conueyer admytted for a saynte because he buylded a college at Rippon where my selfe was ones bayted of his Basan bulles for mainteining the kynges prerogatiue agaynst their pope as good mastre IohaÌ„ Hercye can fulwell tell Ioannes Capgraue in uitis Etheldrede Vuilfridi ¶ Kynges became pylgrymes and their wyues Nonnes A Verye proper cast the women had in those dayes by the ghostlye counsell of the prelates They sent theyr hâ—sbandes to Rome on pylgrymage by heapes whyls they kept them spyrituall company at home Ethelburg made great haste and left no callyng on tyll her husbande kyng Inas was thydrewardes with scrippe haâ—â—e and staffe she lokyng for his no more coming home in the abbeye of Berkynge Thys Inas became a monke there and was the first that clogged the west Saxons with payment of the Rome shott or Peter Pens to the Pope Volateranus Fabiane After hym folowed Ethelrede kynge of Mercia in lyke fashion of pylgrymage and became afterwarde abbot of Bardeney Iohan Capgraue Conredus also kyng of the same prouynce dyed a folyshe monke at Rome So dyd kynge Offa of the East Saxons the selfe same yeare of our Lorde DCC and. ix besydes KeÌ„redus Ethelwolphus and a great sort more Hermannus Contractus Platina Polidorus Colwolphus kynge of Northumberlande returned agayne to Gyrwyn and there dyed a monke Robert Fabiane Great layser would it requyre to shewe here how many of suche kynges the ghostly fathers sent at dyuerse seasons vnto Rome that they for the tyme might haue the spirituall occupyenge of theyr wyues and how many of their own bastardes they made kynges for them And therfore at thys tyme I passe them ouer Innumerable knaueryes wrought they in those dayes and all vndre the coloure of vowed chastyte ¶ Great experymentes of virginite AS Saynt Aldelmus the byshop of Sherborne that ye now cal Salysbury chaunced to be at Rome the people there made a fowle exclamacion vpon Pope Sergius the first for begettynge a wenche with chylde whyche he they saye by a lytle straunge workynge pacyfyed In whose returne a Synode was holden in Englande agaynst the Brytaynes or welshe men for not conformynge their churches to the Romysh obseruacions he there required to inueye agaynst them Vpon the which mocion he wrote then two bokes one for the Eastre celebracion and an other in the prayse of virgynes to blemyshe the marriage of their priestes there and also to aduauÌ„ce their newlye professed chastyte For that he had also in commandement of Sergius notwithstandynge hys owne knowne lecherye This Aldelmus neuer refused women but would haue them coÌ„monly both at borde at bedde to mocke the deuyll with In the tyme he was abbot of Malmesbury he appoynted oft tymes to hys fleshe this martyrdoÌ„ As he felte any sore mouynges therof he layed by him naked the fairest mayde he could get so longe tyme as an whole Dauids psalter was in saynge And when hys heate was past he sent her home agayne as good a mayde as he left her Is not this thynke you a stronge argument to proue that all priestes may lyue chast This telleth Bedas Ranulphus Iohan Capgraue and manye other Englyshe autours more ¶ Images admytted with chast examples ABout the same tyme saynt Egwine abbot of Euesham and byshop of Worcestre then called wickes hearynge tell that labour was made to the pope to haue the christen temples replenyshed with Images to promote that market forewarde he hyed hym a peace to Rome And there he declared to the holye father the secrete reuelacions and commaundementes of our ladye that he had to set vp an Image of her to be worshypped at Worcestre delyueryng hym a booke whiche he had written of the same apparycyons besydes the lyfe of Aldelme The pope then called Constantine the fyrst hearing this newe wondre sent hym home agayne with hys bulles of autoryte commaundynge Brithwalde then Archebyshop of Caunterburye wyth all haste to call a generall Synode of all the clergye for confirmaâ—â—on of the same the kynges required not to be absent that daye And this was done in the yeare of our Lorde DCC and ix This Brithwalde beynge also a moÌ„ke was the first Englysh man that was Archebyshop of Caunterburye Marke it Saynt Guthlake an heremyte of Rependon tolde a certayne abbot the same tyme that goynge homewarde he shuld fynde in a wydowes howse ij of his holy monkes whiche had lyeu with her the nyght afore for easement of their chastite Saynt Bartellyne heremyte of Stafforde stale out of Irelande the kynges doughter there And as she was afterwarde trauelynge of chylde in a forest whyles he was sekynge the mydwyfe a wolfe came and deuoured both her and her chylde These storyes hath at large Iohan Capgraue in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie Guilhelmus Malmesbury et Ranulphus ¶ Englysh monkes become Antichristes Apostles IN those dayes the moÌ„kes of Englande were becomen so myghtye in supersticiouse learnynge that they were able to peruert all other christen regyons as they dyd then in dede Some of them went into Germanye some into Fraunce some into Italye and Spayne and became the Popes instrumentes of all falshede fasshioning hym vp there a newe kyngdome of all deuylyshnesse to withstande the manyfest glory of God and subduynge therunto an pryncely Powers Yow
meÌ„ Paschall the Romish bishop not pleased therwith to whom he sent this massage Gyue vnto Cesar that is Cesars meanynge the imperyall crowne and vnccyon with power of inuestynge prelates For he requyred also that he shulde confirme the byshoppes whome he had admytted afore whyche all he refused to do The emprour with that set hys men of warre vpon hym and hys calkers Cardynalles I shuld saye whyche toke the very breches from their arses Christianus Massaus sayth and committed them almost naked to pryson Wherupon in the ende in all thynges he consented to the emprour subscrybyng and sealyng vnto hym a perpetuall priuylege for admyttynge byshoppes and abbottes within hys whole dominyon cursynge all them that shulde at any tyme after that withstande it But as he was ones departed out of Italy he called an oâ—â—â—r synode at Laterane in Rome by counsell of our Anselme and suche other and dyssolued all agayne that he had grauÌ„ted excommunycatynge the seyd emprour and dysdaynouslye changynge hys pryuylege to the scornefull name of a prauylege or writynge that stode for nought For Gesnerus sayth in hys vnyuersall Biblyotheke that Paschalis wrote to Anselme an epystle for hys excuse By lyke than he had layed it sumwhat sharpely to hys charge Thus mocked they in that age the great prynces of the worlde depryued theÌ„ of power and trode their hygh dygnytees vndre their fylthie fete all contrary to the wholsome documentes by th of Christ and of hys Apostles Thys story is tenderly towched of the Italysh writers for hurtynge themselues yet hath Robert Barnes described it at large in uitis RomanoruÌ„ pontificum Ye shall vnderstande that thys was that emprour whych marryed kynge Henryes doughter that was called Maude the empresse Ioannes Capgraue li. i. de nobilibus Henricis ☞ Anselme bryngeth the kynge in subiectyon to Antichrist MAthew Paris sheweth in the third boke of hys large chronycle that after kynge Henry the first had taken hys brother duke Robert prysoner and obtayned other great vyctoryes in the yeare of our lorde as M.a. C. vij he receyued the archebyshop Anselme agayne into hys fauer at Becca in Normandy restorynge hym to hys olde possessyons And as touchynge the byshop of Rome sayth he the learned kyng neuer feared hym for hys spirytuall autoryte but only for hys temporall power In the same yeare was a great counsell holden in the kynges palace at London where as the prelates wer agreed by the space of iij. dayes that the kyng shulde holde styll the autoryte of admyttynge prelates and appoyntynge spyrytuall offyces as other kynges hys predecessours ded notwithstandynge the Popes late inhibicyon Thys hath Simeon of Durham and Roger Houeden But whan Anselme was ones come whiche was hygh president of that counsell and Pope of thys whole yle of Brytayne all was clerely dashed agayne and this contraryouse sentence of hys toke place that from that daye forward no byshop nor abbot shulde receyue rynge or pastorall hoke of the kynge or yet of any other laye mannys hande within Englande He added moreouer thys spyghtfull clause vnto it that whan a prelate was ones chosen the want of due homage to hys kynge shulde be no impedyment of hys consecracyon Loke Radulphus de Diceto Mathew Paris Mathew of Westminstre and Roger Houeden O manyfest traytour without all shame and honest obedyence Than coÌ„secrated he vij byshoppes at ones whych neuer was seane in England afore but at one tyme. Thus gote Anselme Iohan Capgraue sayth the vyctory longe loked and laboured for for the churches lyberte ☞ An other synode of Anselme for dyssoluyng prestes marryage IN the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. and viij Anselme helde an other great synode at London wherin yet ones againe he made solempne processe agaynst all prestes deacons and subdeacons that had marryed wyues renuynge all hys former statutes and actes made agaynst them by consent of the kynge and hys barons For afore that tyme they ded all without their consent whyche they afterwardes founde not in all poyntes to their myndes commodyouse No women were from thens fourth permytted to dwell in howse with them sauynge only they whyche were so nygh of kynne as they myght not marry wyth though they laye with some of them at tymes as mother syster grandame aunte and suche lyke Vtterly was it forbydden them euer after to haue any talke with them that had bene their wyues vnlesse it were in the open stretes before two able witnesses Simeon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Who wolde thus so vngodly and presumptuously haue taken vpon hym to haue separated those whom God had ioyned but proude Antichrist and his dyabolycal rable of sorcerouse Gomorreanes How stode this with the holy Ghostes doctryne vttered of S. Paule i. Corinth vij Vnto the marryed sayth he commaunde not I but the lorde that the wyfe be not separated from the man But what els went these execrable hypocrytes about in all these their vngracyouse procedynges but to make Gods holye coÌ„maundementes of none effecte for their fylthie rathers tradicyons and with their newe doctryne of deuyls in hypocresye to polute the Christianyte with the prodygyouse occupyenges of stynkynge Sodome ☞ The closynge vp of Anselmes vnsauery doynges ALl the next yeare after ded Anselme bestowe in a straunge kynde of scoldynge with Thomas the newly elected archebyshopp of Yorke tyll suche tyme as death clerely toke hym from the worlde He vtterly forbad hym the pastorall cure tyll suche tyme as he had submytted hymselfe to hys Papacye and professed a canonycall obedyence whyche he called a submyssyon to the churche of Canterbury If thou wylt not do thus sayth he we charge all the byshoppes of Englande vndre payne of the great curse that none of them presume to consecrate the neyther yet to receyue the for a byshop if thou any where els be consecrated with many other obprobryouse tauntes Matthaeus Paris Radulphus de Diceto Many ydell matters dysputed thys Anselme with very weake rawe and fryuolouse reasons as is to be seane in his feble wurkes of the sowles orygynall of leauen and breade vnleauened of the measurynge of the crosse of the mouynge of the aultre of Maryes concepcyon of the churches offyces and suche lyke whyche Christ calleth gnatt strayuynge I maruele with what conscyence Polydorus called him that good shepeherde whyche daungereth hys lyfe for the shepe and in the myddes of all his false packynges He doth Christ much wroÌ„ge therin whych only fulfylled it in effâ—ct He doth no pastours offyce that robbeth Christen kynges of their pryncely power autoryte to enhaunce the tyrannouse vsurpacyons of Antichrist as thys Anselme ded but rather he sheweth the fashyons and roberyes of a thefe I can awaye at no hand with so blasphemouse handelynge of the scriptures ☞ The mone was darkened and what it sygnyfyed MAthew Paris writeth Mathewe of Westmynstre
Praefati autores cum Polydoro Fabiano ☞ The kyng derydeth the byshoppes procedynges NOt all forgetfull of their wycked fathers affayres the prelates of Englande in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and. xxix gathered themselues togyther at London yet ones agayne in the first daye of August to put the prestes clerely from their wyues At this great counsell sayth Ricardus Premonstratensis were all the bishoppes of England except iiij whych dyed as it chaunced the same yeare that is to saye of Wynchester Durham Chestre and Herforde Their processe was all agaynst the cocasses or she cookes of the curates that they shuld not dwell in house with them For after the prestes had bene compelled to renounce the tytles of their wyues they kept them in most places vndre the name of their cocasses lawnders and seruyng women The kyng perceyuyng the malyce of the bishoppes and seynge aduauntage to growe therupon by thys propre polycye deceyued them He toke vpon hym the correction of them and promysed to execute true iustyce But in the ende Mathew Paris sayth he laughed them all to scorne and takyng a pensyon of the prestes he permytted them styl peaceably to holde their wyues Polydorus reporteth that the kynge gote of the clergye thys autoryte ouer the prestes by a fyne craft of conueyaunce And whan he had so done mysused it A very fyne iudgement of a man learned so to dyffyne of a prynces power The kyng deceyued them Roger Houeden sayth by the symplycyte of Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury For whan they had ones vncircumspectly graunted hym to execute iustyce vpon the prestes wyues it turned in the ende to their rebuke and shame the prestes for moneye set agayne at lyberte for them Praedicti autores cum Ranulpho Matthaeo VVestmonasteriensi Rogero Cestrensi ☞ A myddle swarmynge of Antichristes sectes in England FOr causes dyuerse whych some of my readers shall fynde necessary to be knowne I haue added here the tymes wheâ—in the seconde swarme of locustes or synnefull sectes of Antichrist hath entered into this realme of England The first swarme was of the Benedictynes and chanons of S. Augustyne called the blacke monkes and blacke chanons of whose fattynge vp I haue reasonably treated both in the first part of this wurke and also in thys seconde The first of this lattre swarme â–ª were the Cisteanes otherwyse called yâ— whyght moÌ„kes which came into this lande in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and. xxxij settynge their first foundacion in the deserte of Blachoumor by the water of Rhie wherupon their monastery was called Rhieuallis Saint Robertes fryres began at Gnaresborough in Yorke shyre in the yearr of our lorde a M.a. C. and xxxvij And the ordre of Gilbertines at SempynghaÌ„ in Lincolne shire in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. xlviij The Premonstratensers or white chanoÌ„s came in to the realme buylded at Newhowse in Lyncolne dyocese in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and xlv The Chartrehowse monkes came into the lande were placed at Wytham in the dyocese of Bathe in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. lxxx I recken not the hospytelers Templars with such lyke Ioannes Hagustaldensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Ioannes Capgraue Thomas Scrope Polydorus Vergilius All these at their first enteraunce were very leane locustes as they are in S. Iohans reuelacyon described barren poore and in outwarde aperaunce very symple But in processe of tyme through symulate holynesse they grewe fat lyke their fellowes They gote them lyons faces and were able to buckle with kynges Their lecherouse actes I shall hereafter declare ☞ Kynge Steuen professeth a slauery to Antichrist HOw kyng Steuen bicame an instrument to their wycked vse in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xxxv it is easely knowne by the othe which they compelled hym to make at hys coronacyoÌ„ what though he ded not in all poyntes obserue it Thys is the othe as Ricardus prior Hagustaldensis hath written it in hys small treatyse de gestis regis Stephani Marke it I Steuen by the grace of God good wyll of the clergye and consent of the commens elected kynge of England and by Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury and legate of the holye Rome church vndre Pope Innocent the seconde confirmed make faithful promyse to do nothing here in Englande in the ecclesyastycall affayres after the rules of symonye but to leaue admyt and confirme the power ordre and distrybucyon of all ecclesyastycal persones and their possessyons in the handes of the byshoppes and prelates of the same The auncyent dignitees of the church confirmed by olde priuyleges and their customes of longe tyme vsed I promyse appoynt and determyne inuiolably to contynue All the churches possessyoÌ„s holdes and tenementes which they hytherto haue had I graunt them from hens forwarde without interrupcyon peaceably to possesse etc. Beholde here what popettes these lecherouse luskes made of their kynges se I praye yow if they sought any other commen welthe than of their ydell bellyes in that proude kingdome of Antichrist Was thys a folowynge of Christ after the Gospell thus to illude their Christen gouernours Naye it was rather a ronnyng after Sathan in the blasphemouse imytacyon of the byshop of Romes decrees The last plage of God lyghte vpon thys vnfaythfull generacyon if they wyll not yet beholde these euyls of their wycked fathers and abhorre them from the harte ☞ The rebellyon and cantels of byshoppes agaynst the kynge IN the next yeare folowynge notwithstandyng thys othe kyng Steuen reserued to hymselfe the inuestynge of prelates Mathew Paris sayth and shewed vnto the clergye many other displeasurs Wherfore in processe they caused Maude the empresse contrary to their othes of allegeaunce to come into the realme and to make clayme to the crowne and strongely to warre vpon hym For the whych he enprysoned and bannyshed certayne of the byshoppes chefely Alexandre of Lyncolne Nigellus of Helye and Roger of Salisbury He feared not to go vnto Oxforde and to sytt there in open parlyament whyche no kynge myght do they sayde wythoute a shamefull confusyon From Roger the byshoppe of Salisbury he toke the. ij Castels of Vyses and Sherburne fyndynge in them more than xl thousande markes in moneye wherwith he perfourmed the greate marryage betwene Constaunce the Frenche kynges sistre and Eustace hys sonne and heyre Thys byshoppes sonne by lyke he hadde a wyfe whyche had bene the other kinges chauncellour this kinge handeled harde to come to hys purpose He kepte hym fastenynge threttened him hangynge and at the lattre bannyshed hym the realme whyche cost the byshoppe his lyfe A naturall father Anon after the byshoppe of Wynchestre beyng the popes great legate and perceyuynge the clergye not to be regarded the realme beynge than in diuysyon betwixt them bothe that is to saye
was of great vertu in thys age byleke For Iohan Capgraue sayth that Ethelredus the abboth of Rieuall not only by it abbated the ardent heates of his fleshe but extynguyshed also the flames of all other vyces Sentences wonderful in those dayes vttered PEirus Blesensis a worthye learned man beynge at sondry tymâ—s the archedeacon of Bathe of London and of Canterbury spared not at tymes sharpely to reprehende the enormitees of the clergye Dyuerse of hys epistles are yet to be seane wherin he eloquently towcheth and rebuketh the puffed vp arrogancye of Thomas Becket the archebyshopp of Canterbury Oft he compared the clergy to Samaria and Edom and called our hyghe countenaunced prelates sumtyme the glytterynge calfes of Bethell and the ydolles of Egypte sumtyme the fatt hulles of Samaria the chaplaynes of Baal and those iudges whyche made wycked lawes wyth such lyke To take the lord with the housholde sayth he nothinge is more dampnable than is a byshoppes howse if ye seke vertu Nothynge further from honestye if ye loke for maners Nothinge more fylthye if ye iudge after conscience Nothynge more rebukeable if ye respect fame Nothynge more pernycyouse if ye marke the example O lorde sayth he delyuer thy howse from the greate ydoll breake the hornes of that synnefull one At Rome filthy lucre peruerteth all thinges suffereth moÌ„kes to perfourm theyr lykynges in all kyndes of fleshely abusyons whyche they redeme by a yearlye pensyon Theyr lewdenesse is tolde in the Pauylyons of Geth and publyshed also in the open stretes of Ascalon Thus is theyr head captayne becomen the prynce of Sodome hys dyscyples accompanyenge hym in the chayre of pestylence wyth a great nombre more of the lyke Wernerus coucludeth in fasciculo temporum that it was than a rare thynge to fynde a chaste monke in the cloystre and a more rare thynge to fynde an honeste preste abroade ☞ The freshe and lustye begynnynges of Thomas Becket AS those autours reporte whyche chefely wrote Thomas Beckettes lyfe whose names are Herbert Boseham Iohan Salisbury Wyllyam of Canterbury Alen of Tâ—ukesbury Benet of Peterburgh Steuen langton and Rycharde Croilande he bestowed hys youth in al kindâ—s of lasciuiouse lightnesse and lecherouse wantonnesse After certen roderies rapes and murthers commytted in the kyngâ—s warres at the siege of Tolouse in Lâ—nguâ—docke and in other places els as he was commen home againe into Englande he gaue hymsâ—lfe to greate studye not of the holye scriptures but of the byshoppe of Romes lowsye lawes wherby he fyrste of all obtayned to be archedeacon of Canterburye vndre Theobalde the archebyshop than hygh chauncellour of Englande metropolyâ—ane archebyshop prymate pope of Englande and greate legate from Autâ—christes owne ryghte syde In the tyme of hys hyghe chauncellourshyppe beynge but an ale bruars sonne of LondoÌ„ Iohan Caâ—graue saith that he toke vpon him as he had ben a prince He played the courtyer all togyther and fashyoned hymselfe wholly to the kynges delyghtes He ruffled it out in the whole clothe wyth a myghtye rable of digised ruffianes at his tayle He sought the wordly honour with him that soughte it moste He thoughte it a plesaunt thinge to haue the flatteringe prayses of the multytude Hys brydle was of syluer hys saddle of veluet hys styruppes spores and bosses double gylte hys expenses farre passynge the expenses of anye earle That delyghte was not on the earthe that he hadde not plentye of He fedde with the fatteste was cladde wyth the softeste and kepte companye with the plesauntest Was not this thinke yow a good meane to lyue chaste I trow it was ☞ Hys chastyte at Stafforde and stoughtnesse at Clarendon IN the towne of Stafford was Willyam of Canterbury sayth Iohan Capgraue confirmynge the same a lusty mynion a trulle for the nones a pece for a prynce with whome by report the kynge at tymes was very famylyar Betwixt this wanton damsell or prymerose peerlesse Becket the chauncellour went store of presentes and of loue tokens plentye and also the louers met at tymes For whan he resorted thydre at no place wold he be hosted and lodged but where as she helde resydence In the dead tyme of the nyght the storye sayth was it her general custome to come alone to hâ—s bedchambre with a candell in her hande to toye tryfle with hym Men are not so folysh but they can wele conceyue what chastyte was obserued in those praty nyce wanton metynges But they saye he sore amended whan he was onâ—s consecrated archebyshop of Canterburye and left weâ—e hys accustomed enbracynges after the rules of loue became in lyfe relygyouse that afore in loue was lecherouse At hys seyd consecracion was he made a preste which requyâ—ed a change of lyfe He receyued a monkes cowle from Pope Alexandre Mathew Paris sayth made our ladye hys generall aduocate and shryued the body of S. Edward a vyrgyne and therfor he could no longar be vnchaste In the yeare of our lord a M. a. C. lxiiij at Clarendon Iohan of Oxforde beynge hygh presydent of the counsell many thynges were proponed concernynge the inuestytures offyces and enormytees of the clergy and lawes made therupon Wherunto the archebyshopp Becket with the other byshoppes condescended and were sworne But whan he ones perceyued that they were repugnaunt to the terrestryall godhede of the byshop of Rome he fretted for wodenesse and was angrye with himselfe addynge to hys othe thys subtyle clause to make it of none effecte salou in omnibus ordine meo honore sanctae ecclesiae myne ordre saued alwayes and the honour of holye churche reserued By thys he was able to denye all agayne at hys pleasure Matthaeus Paris alij ☞ Antichrist he preferreth to hys kynges obedyence WHithin the same yeare the kynge made an acte that men of the church commyttynge offences notable shulde be exautorysed or dysgraded by the byshop of the dyocese a iustyce beynge present so delyuered to secular kepyng tyll he suffered accordynge to hys demerytes The occasyon of thys acte was one Philippe Broic a preste and canon of Bedforde whych conwardly had kylled a man Thys proude sturdy canon bearyngâ— him selfe very bolde vpon his Romysh orders was at vtter contempt and diffyaunce of the iustyce geuyng him full many obprobryouse wordes as though hys offyce had bene but a slauerye to hys oylye presthode Than stirt vp Becket and starkeled lyke a lyon sekynge by all trayterouse meanes to brynge the kynge vndre and to exalte the tyrannouse kyngedome of Antichrist to the very heauens He furyously contended with hym to the very death that prestes and other within oylye orders ought not for thefte murther buggery and other lyke deadly offences to be examyned and ponnyshed by the publyque magistrates as the laye sort were He affirmed it also with stomache that the churches fredom was suche as the temporall kynges
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